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Turkish President: We Won't Leave Idlib To Syrian Regime; U.S. Secretary Of State Mike Pompeo Visits Saudi Arabia; Hundreds Of Passengers Disembark Cruise Ship As New Coronavirus Cases Mushroom; Michael Bloomberg's First National Debate; U.S. President Commutes Rod Blagojevich's Sentence; Manchester City CEO Comes Out Swinging Against UEFA; Harry And Meghan Royal No More? Aired 11a-12p ET
Aired February 19, 2020 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[11:00:00]
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): Live from CNN Abu Dhabi, this is CONNECT THE WORLD with Becky Anderson.
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL HOST (voice-over): Hello and a very warm welcome. A busy hour of news ahead for you.
We start with Syria's final battle, far from over. Turkey announcing it will send more troops towards Idlib to counter against regime forces,
forces who are, of course, backed up by mighty Russian support, on the ground and in the air.
That's why in response to these scenes, the Kremlin is warning Ankara, if they go ahead, it will lead to what will be, quote, "the worst possible
scenario." That's the politics of it all.
But beneath it is one number that matters. 900,000. That's how many people who are this hour, this very moment, displaced from their homes in Idlib,
fleeing the fighting. I want to take you to meet some of them. Here is some of the reporting from Arwa Damon.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ARWA DAMON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): There's barely enough light to see as we head towards Samiya's (ph) tent, in one of
Idlib's sprawling camps. A couple nights ago, temperatures dropped well below zero and the family didn't have enough to burn.
I fed my baby and he went to sleep, Samiya (ph) tells us, still in shock. At 6:36, the children woke me up screaming. I touched him and he was icy.
The doctors told them he froze to death.
Her husband walks out before he breaks down. She doesn't have a photograph of Abdel Wahab (ph) alive, just this image as they said their final
goodbyes.
She can't forgive herself. She can't understand how life can be so cruel. Few people here can.
We have made multiple trips into Idlib province. None like this. Roads throughout the province are clogged with the traffic of those on the run.
Unending waves. any have been displaced multiple times before, but this time it's different. They feel like no matter what they do, they won't be
able to outrun the war.
These children walked for seven hours in the middle of the night to get away from the bombing near their village. But it's not far enough.
They want to leave from here, but they need to try to figure out transport or something, because if they try to go walk, it would just be impossible.
Down the road, Dima and Betoule clutch their stuffed animal for the last time. For theirs is a world where toys are not considered essential.
Survival is. They don't cry or complain as they are loaded into the truck.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: As you can imagine, providing humanitarian assistance is of dire importance.
My next guest leads one of the few agencies working with people on the ground in the area of Idlib. Jan Egeland heads up the Norwegian Refugee
Council that helps provide emergency relief to those in need. He describes the situation as, quote, "the largest displacement in the worst war of our
generation." He joins me live from Oslo.
Thank you, sir. At present, no sign that this is going to get anything but worse.
Just how concerned are you?
JAN EGELAND, NORWEGIAN REFUGEE COUNCIL: I'm very, very concerned. Now we have 12,000 people displaced every single day since the 1st of December. I
cannot recall in recent memory anywhere in the world, 900,000 people displaced within 10 weeks like this.
Remember, Idlib was, beforehand, like a gigantic refugee camp. It was to this place people fled from elsewhere in Syria. It cannot continue like
this. If it continues like this, it will end in a bloodbath and it will be a stain on the international conscience.
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EGELAND: And on the conscience of Russians, Syrian government, Iran but also Turkey. They are all involved in this.
ANDERSON: I spoke with the U.N. humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock and he echoes what you have said. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARK LOWCOCK, U.N. AID CHIEF: If this goes on, what we're going to see is Idlib, that part of northwestern Syria, turned into the world's biggest
pile of rubble, strewn with the corpses of a million children.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: What happens next, sir?
EGELAND: What needs to happen now is the following. A cease-fire -- and you can have a cease-fire if there's pressure on both sides. And then there
needs to be talks. I do not buy the premise that one cannot talk with these militants inside.
There are many bad guys in Idlib but they can be convinced -- I am convinced that they can be convinced of ending this without a bloodbath,
which means that Turkey, the Gulf countries, Westerners who have influence on the groups, the armed groups inside, must also exert pressure.
But at the moment, it's very clear who is leading the attack. It's the Syrian government forces and they are aided by two nations, Russia and
Iran.
ANDERSON: In a briefing to the U.N. Security Council, the United Nations Syria envoy has also outlined a depressing roundup of developments and
said, quote, "As you have done, I appeal once again for full respect for international humanitarian law and for an immediate cease-fire in Idlib,
ultimately towards a national cease-fire.
"I urge key international players to continue and intensify their contacts to restore calm. I urge all members of this council to put their weight
firmly behind the search for a political way forward."
You have name checked a number of stakeholders here, including Turkey, who has announced it will send more troops to Syria. Meanwhile, Russia, who, of
course, backs the Syrian regime, said if Turkey targets the government's forces, it would be the worse possible scenario. Nothing is looking good at
this point.
EGELAND: It is not. But we cannot give up.
Remember, Turkey, Iran and Russia have had several deals on this area earlier. So they could do cease-fires at numerous times over the last
years. They also agreed, the Russians and the government of Syria, to do deals with some of the militants inside Idlib when they were fighting in
the besieged areas close to Damascus and East Aleppo.
So they have already made deals; they have bused people to Idlib. They can make deals again for the sake of the civilian population. There are many,
many more babies in Idlib than there are bad guys. And that is why this slaughterhouse have to end before the bloodbath is complete.
ANDERSON: The head of the World Food Programme, David Beasley, sir, addressing the European Parliament earlier today. I want you and our
viewers to have a listen to what he had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAVID BEASLEY, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, WFP: For us to feed a Syrian, support a Syrian in Syria, is about 50 cents per day. That's almost double the normal
cost because it's a war zone. Logistics cost more in war zones.
That same Syrian that may have lived in Damascus, if in Brussels or Berlin, the humanitarian package is 50 to 100 euros per day.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: He is making the point here, Jan, that helping people on the ground is not only the right thing to do but it's a lot more effective --
this was David's point -- you would be hard pressed to find Syrians amongst those 900,000 who have endured so much over this near decade-long conflict,
who really want to leave their country.
David Beasley talking as well in Europe today about just how difficult it is for his organization to work effectively on the ground.
How difficult is it for your staff?
EGELAND: It's very difficult. We're on all sides and all parts of Syria. And we're in the neighboring countries.
[11:10:00]
EGELAND: My organization, we have 3,000-4,000 relief workers on the ground. And they are heroically trying to reach hundreds of thousands of people
every single week.
In Idlib, of course, many of our colleagues are fleeing with the civilians. They are Syrians on the ground fleeing, also they with their families, for
their lives as they try to assist others. Yes, it's much cheaper to help people close to their homes. No one wants to leave their home.
But if they are being attacked, if we cannot protect them, they have to come to safety. That's also why the border between Syria and Turkey needs
to open so women and children and families can get out.
Of course, Europe then needs to help Turkey that has taken many times more Syrians into Turkey than all of Europe combined. It's like everybody would
now be in the race to the bottom.
How can we avoid taking responsibility for the Syrians?
How can we be very concerned but not doing all of the action that is needed to end the slaughter, to protect people and to really assist them to be
able to return to their homes when it's safe?
ANDERSON: You spoke about Europe there, which has been relatively quiet, it has to be said, on the situation.
Some states have called for an end to this violence, which quite frankly, is a small reprieve, isn't it, for people on the ground?
EGELAND: Indeed. I mean, I've been asking before, where are all of the world's top diplomats really in this horrific situation?
Where are the delegations now, traveling to Moscow, traveling to Ankara, to Iran, the most important places?
Where is the pressure on the parties?
Where is the responsibility dealing deals for the 12 million Syrians, half of them inside Syria, half of them in the neighboring countries?
I don't see that. I see a lot of speeches, including in the Security Council. We, as humanitarian workers on the ground, feel pretty much alone
here in the middle of this horrific war.
ANDERSON: Jan Egeland, we appreciate your time. Thank you.
As we mentioned earlier, the number of displaced Syrians has reached nearly a million. Those are families who have been forcibly uprooted from their
homes since December.
If it's hard to get your head around the sheer size and scope of the personal struggles of each and every one of those people. Let me bring it
down to the scale of one child for you.
One little girl walked for seven hours in the excruciating bitter cold without proper shoes to escape the horrors of war. No child should have to
go through that. This is an image we should all have seared into our minds. Call it what you will, completely unacceptable or just plain wrong.
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ANDERSON: Let's get back to the politics of this. Turkey announced it will send more troops to Idlib to retaliate against what are Russian-backed
regime forces. Turkey's president threatening a military operation.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RECEP TAYYIP ERDOGAN, PRESIDENT OF TURKEY (through translator): Unfortunately, we could not obtain the desired result during the
negotiations held both in our country and in Russia as well as on the ground.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: The Kremlin responded saying, if Syrian government forces are targeted by a Turkish operation, it would be, quote, "the worst possible
scenario." Let's bring in our Middle East expert, our senior international correspondent, Sam Kiley.
Ask anybody walking from Idlib to a camp at this point in the freezing cold whether they are not already living through the worst possible scenario and
they would probably say they are.
SAM KILEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, it could get an awful lot worse. That's the issue. It's very interesting though, as we have
seen Turkey increasingly starting to favor a military option, an option that's been forced on them since a few weeks ago they lost their own troops
that were policing or observing what was supposed to be a de-confliction zone.
They have been moving in howitzers, 155 mm howitzers. These are big pieces of equipment. They are very serious potentially, the Turks. They are a very
powerful army, indeed.
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KILEY: They could wipe the Syrians off the map rapidly. The issue would be, they would end up with war with Russia. That is what is at stake.
If you go back to what Jan Egeland was saying, where are the big diplomats, the people bringing pressure on Iran and Russia and Turkey in particular?
Iran and Russia are subject to very, very harsh international sanctions, particularly imposed by the West. They don't have a lot of pressure points
left. They are not on the same side as most of the West when it comes to support for Damascus.
Turkey is equally -- has a fractious relationship with its own NATO allies and it would be interesting to see what kind of conversations are going on
there between NATO allies and Turkey. Turkey is poised to what could be make war on a humanitarian grounds.
I want to give you an idea of how catastrophic this humanitarian situation is. Egeland is wrong in terms of this is the worst thing we have seen in a
generation; 2.5 million people at least left Rwanda in about 10 days in 1994.
Embedded among them were the murderers behind the genocide. What followed that mass movement of people was a cholera epidemic and a war that spread
right across Africa.
You have different consequences here. But destabilization is what it is about for the Turks. They cannot absorb another million people. I think
they are indicating they are prepared to fight to stop it.
The flip side is that there does not seem to be any kind of leadership, as you pointed out in your question, particularly from the Europeans. This is
a profoundly European problem. And they have been completely silent on the matter.
ANDERSON: U.S. secretary of state Mike Pompeo visiting the Saudi capital today to discuss regional and bilateral issues with the Saudi crown prince.
He has visited the kingdom a lot over the past couple of years, three times last year alone and twice in 2018. We talk about the near silence from the
Europeans.
Where does the U.S. stand these days when it comes to Syria?
KILEY: It's very hard to discern anything in terms of realpolitik. They are vocally calling for a cessation of hostilities. It would be interesting to
find out the extent of pressure the Saudis would be able to put on the nations or the nations in which there are backers of the militant groups.
They have received funding from Qatar, from UAE, from Saudi Arabia, from individuals, not necessarily governments. But there has been in the past
support and energy in support of those militant groups that have come from this part of the world.
Therefore, it might be argued by the Americans, this part of the world can bring to bear some covert influence. We have seen that in the past from
Qatar.
ANDERSON: Certainly from the UAE perspective, I saw a tweet from the minister of state for foreign affairs alluding to the fact that Arab states
are involved in what's going on -- in trying to sort of work as a solution to this.
As you rightly point out, they were involved a decade ago when this conflict started. It will be interesting to see what sort of influence the
U.S. might bring to bear on some of the regional players. Thank you, Sam.
Coming up --
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PETE BUTTIGIEG (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: This president seems like he has never met a corrupt politician he didn't like. It's one thing about him
that actually is bipartisan.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: As Donald Trump faces questions and criticism after his pardons for 11 white collar criminals.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Our heart breaks for everybody who experienced this situation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: The CEO of Princess Cruises speaks to CNN. Hundreds of her passengers have left a quarantined cruise ship after being forced to stay.
Many hundreds more remain.
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ANDERSON: A travel nightmare is ending for at least hundreds more passengers held under quarantine on a cruise ship in Japan.
But is it safe to go home?
About 800 people who tested negative for the novel coronavirus were able to leave the Diamond Princess on Wednesday; 300 Americans and some others who
needed treatment had disembarked earlier.
Passengers were forced to stay in their cabins for two weeks. But about one-fifth of the 3,000 people on board still caught the virus. Even for
seasoned professionals, the fear of infection can be overwhelming. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KENTARO IWATA, PROFESSOR OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES, KOBE UNIVERSITY: Inside Princess Diamond, I was so scared. I was so scared of getting COVID-19
because there was no way to tell where the virus is. No green zone, no red zone. Everywhere could have the virus and everybody was not careful about
it.
There was no single professional infection control person inside the ship. And there was nobody in charge of infection prevention as a professional.
The bureaucrats were in charge of everything.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: The number of people killed by the virus stands at 2,010. All but six are in Mainland China. Nearly 76,000 cases have been confirmed
worldwide, 1,000 of those spanning 28 countries and territories.
Beijing has been taking the heat the way it has been trying to control the narrative surrounding this outbreak. CNN's Chief Media Correspondent, Brian
Stelter will join us in a moment about three "Wall Street Journal" reporters China is kicking out.
First to Yokohama and Matt Rivers.
You have spoken to the CEO of the cruise ship.
What did she tell you?
MATT RIVERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This company is really kind of between a rock and a hard place. It's nothing but bad news that keeps coming off of
this ship in terms of new cases. We saw another 79 new people test positive for the coronavirus today.
Then we also get guidance from the Centers for Disease Control in the United States that they believe the people on board the ship have a higher
risk of contracting this virus despite the quarantine process. That's why people are concerned.
That's what we spoke to the CEO about. We posed those questions, the worries that passengers have. Here is what she had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAN SWARTZ, PRINCESS CRUISES CEO: What I can say is today, as our guests disembarked, they had tested negative for coronavirus. They had a health
check before they got off. They had a thermal screening.
The Japanese ministry of health issued them a certificate, saying that they had tested negative for coronavirus. So I would defer those types of
questions to the Japanese ministry of health, who have been in charge.
RIVERS: On a human level, though, you can understand the concerns, if you put yourselves in the shoes of those passengers.
[11:25:00]
RIVERS: You can understand why some people may feel that way or they might feel uncomfortable?
SWARTZ: I think on a human level, this is an unprecedented situation. I mean, nobody going on vacation thinks that they are going to be notified in
the last days that they have got an extension of 14 days and they're not going to be allowed to leave their cabins. So our heart breaks for
everybody who experienced this situation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
RIVERS: Clearly, what's happening here is Princess Cruises is trying to keep its passengers happy and comfortable. But they have to do what the
Japanese health authorities tell them to do. They don't have a choice. Their ship is docked in Japanese water. It's under Japanese law. They have
to follow that.
In the meantime, hundreds and hundreds of people will disembark again tomorrow and the day after that and the day after that. So these concerns
aren't going anywhere but this company is stuck in the middle of it all.
ANDERSON: Meantime, China revoking the press cards of three "Wall Street Journal" reporters after their newspaper printed this op-ed, "China is the
real sick man of Asia."
What more do we know?
BRIAN STELTER, CNN SENIOR MEDIA CORRESPONDENT: That opinion piece was published by the opinion section of "The Wall Street Journal," that title
has ugly historical connotations and caused anger in China.
But the opinion division is completely separate from the news division now being punished. The editor just emailed the staff, saying that the
newspaper will continue to fight for access to China and cover the country without fear or favor. "The Journal" has asked the owner, Rupert Murdoch,
is asking the Chinese government to reverse the action.
These reporters are being expelled. This is the first time in many years we have seen this sustained action by the Chinese government against an
international news outlet by expelling reporters. This is a rare move by the Chinese government.
One of the reporters is actually in Wuhan right now at risk of being exposed to the coronavirus, doing her reporting there. So it raises the
question about whether China is actually trying to clamp down on coverage of the outbreak under the guise of saying they are offended by the opinion
column.
ANDERSON: All this comes against the backdrop of an announcement by the Trump administration on Tuesday, that the U.S. will now treat Chinese state
media like an arm of Beijing's government, now designating them as foreign missions.
Coincidental timing perhaps.
But is this a new -- is this a relatively new position by the Trump administration?
Is this something that they have been tracking for some time?
STELTER: This had been considered not just by the Trump administration but past American governments. The choice was to not take this step. It's a
dramatic step, to say that CCTV and other Chinese state-owned news outlets are foreign embassies or foreign diplomatic missions. That's how they will
be treated inside the United States.
You can't help but wonder if this action against "The Wall Street Journal" is a tit-for-tat. And that's not claimed by any government. But the timing
is awfully interesting. Both of the incidents, the move by the United States and the reporters being expelled, it shows this rising level of
tensions.
ANDERSON: Your chief media correspondent, Mr. Brian Stelter for you. Thank you.
Coming up, the U.S. Democratic presidential candidates gamble on Las Vegas. This time, there's a new player in the game.
Also is U.S. attorney general William Barr thinking about quitting?
More on that after this.
And we hear from another CEO of Manchester City football club about what they are going to do with that headline-making penalty they got from UEFA.
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ANDERSON: The U.S. political world is focused on Las Vegas in Nevada, where six Democratic presidential candidates will debate in just a few hours
ahead of Saturday's Nevada caucuses.
Among the candidates gathering, a new face. It's the first presidential debate for Michael Bloomberg after a surge in the polls. That surge was
fueled by a huge advertising campaign funded by Bloomberg's personal fortune.
And the Bloomberg campaign says it will spend whatever it takes to defeat president Donald Trump. But the front-runner now remains Bernie Sanders. A
new national poll shows Sanders pulling out to a double-digit lead in that race.
It shows Sanders with the support of 27 percent of the likely Democratic voters, followed by a virtual three-way tie, as you can see here. Joe
Biden, Michael Bloomberg and Elizabeth Warren; Pete Buttigieg gets 13 percent.
CNN held town halls on Tuesday with Democratic candidates. We learned from those candidates that there is something all three of them have in common.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you think Michael Bloomberg is trying to buy the Democratic nomination for president?
PETE BUTTIGIEG (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Yes.
SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I-VT), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: But I do think it is a bit obscene that we have somebody who, by the way, chose not to contest in
Iowa, in Nevada or in South Carolina in New Hampshire.
He said I don't have to do that, I'm worth $60 billion, I have more wealth than the bottom 125 million Americans. I'll buy the presidency. That
offends me very much.
SEN. AMY KLOBUCHAR (D-MN), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I actually thought he should be on the debate stage, because I don't think you should just be
able to buy your way to the presidency.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: CNN Correspondent, Arlette Saenz live in Vegas, its political fortunes being bet on tonight. I spoke to the communication of Mike
Bloomberg's presidential campaign, who said his candidate is self-made, unlike Donald Trump. Have a listen.
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JASON SCHECHTER, BLOOMBERG CAMPAIGN COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR: Mike believes that Donald Trump is an existential threat to this country. His reelection
poses a huge, enormous challenge to America. He will spend whatever it takes to get Donald Trump out of office.
I would also say Mike is somebody who is self-made. His father never made more than $6,000 a year. He built his own business from scratch, came from
a working middle class background.
[11:35:00]
SCHECHTER: And he is using his own money. I think what voters value is the independence that provides.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
Arlette, that line is unlikely to cut it with Mike Bloomberg's opponents.
How likely are they go to after him in the debate tonight?
How will he cope?
ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, I think that his Democratic rivals have been waiting for this moment for quite some time.
Michael Bloomberg has been running parallel to the Democratic field and hasn't been engaged in some of the debates over policy issues or any of the
one on one really fights with these other Democratic candidates.
That could certainly change tonight, as six of them will all appear on stage, Michael Bloomberg being there for the first time. And Michael
Bloomberg's team has been preparing. They expect he will be a big focus of this debate. They have been holding mock debate sessions.
It's been some time since Bloomberg debated himself while his rivals have gone through this debate rodeo several types since this race started. There
are several areas in his career that could come under scrutiny, whether it's allegations of sexist remarks that he has made, things relating to
criminal justice, his past offense of the stop and frisk policy, comments about redlining.
There are areas these candidates could take aim at. Also as you heard in that sound bite, they have taken issue with the fact that he is spending
hundreds of millions of dollars of his own personal fortune to blanket the television airwaves with ads.
They are accusing him of trying to buy the election. So Michael Bloomberg and his team are expecting he will be the target tonight. And many of the
candidates could decide to take aim.
ANDERSON: And there seems to be no limit on what he will spend, according to his communications director.
Bernie Sanders had a heart attack in Vegas last October. Our colleague Anderson Cooper asked him whether he will be releasing any more information
about his health. This is what he told Anderson.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SANDERS: We released, I think, Anderson, quite as much as any other candidate has. If you think I'm not in good health, come on out with me on
the campaign trail and I will let you introduce me to the three or four rallies a day we do.
How is that?
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST: To be clear, you don't plan to release more records?
SANDERS: I don't think we will, no.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Bernie Sanders is 78. He clearly doesn't believe the American voter needs to know anything more about his health.
Question is, will the other candidates make his health an issue?
SAENZ: Yes, it's unclear if any of the candidates will try to bring this up. But you heard very clearly from Bernie Sanders last night that he does
not plan on releasing more medical records.
This morning, one of his spokeswomen on CNN calling these questions about his health a smear campaign. Then suggesting that Michael Bloomberg was the
one who had had a heart attack; that's untrue. She later came out that she misspoke and did not intend to actually say that.
But there could be questions going forward about Bernie Sanders' health. It's unclear whether the candidates are going to wade into that issue.
ANDERSON: Your reporter in Vegas, just hours ahead of what is that big debate.
While secretary of state Mike Pompeo is in Saudi Arabia, listen to what Bernie Sanders had to say about the kingdom and its rulers.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SANDERS: For years, we have loved Saudi Arabia, our wonderful ally. Only problem is, the people who run the country are murderous thugs. All right?
And I believe -- I believe that instead of being really cozy with the Mohammed bin Salman, the billionaire dictator of Saudi Arabia, I believe --
President Obama made good progress in this way and we have to build on it - - we can bring the Saudis and the Iranians together, tell them that we are sick and tired as a nation spending trillions of dollars on endless wars.
They're going to have to get their act together. And we have the resources to help bring that about.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Packed for the Democrats in 2020, well, it appears the presidential race's loss is CNN's gain. Former Democratic candidate Andrew
Yang is coming on board as a political commentator for this network.
The businessman who ended his campaign last week, rose from obscurity into a popular candidate with a devoted group of followers called the Yang Gang.
He says he learned a lot over the past few months and is ready to contribute to the public discussion.
Mr. Yang, I know our viewers will share this when I say, we look forward to having you on the show.
[11:40:00]
ANDERSON: They are the people who want to get into the White House now for the man there. U.S. president Donald Trump coming under fire for his
decision to pardon or commute the sentences of 11 white collar criminals.
CNN Analyst, Stephen Collinson says the move is deepening the crisis gripping America's justice system. This is just the latest controversy
involving Mr. Trump and that justice system.
CNN has learned the U.S. attorney general, William Barr, has told people he has considered resigning over President Trump's interference with the
department matters. Behind the scenes, Barr has been frustrated with the president's tweets about his department cases.
But news of potentially resigning would be a dramatic escalation and raises the question of whether Barr is actually serious or whether he is instead
trying to send a message to the public that he won't be pushed around.
Tensions reached a high point last week when Barr suddenly ordered prosecutors that recommend a more lenient sentence to Trump ally Roger
Stone following a tweet making it appear as though the Justice Department was jumping at the president's demands.
Then in a TV interview, Barr claimed the tweets are undercutting his ability to do his job. Still that hasn't stopped the president from
weighing in on cases. He told reporters just yesterday he does make it harder for Barr to do his job and made this false claim about who is in
charge at the Justice Department.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: Just so you understand, I chose not to be involved. I'm allowed to be totally involved. I'm actually, I guess, the chief law enforcement
officer of the country. But I've chosen not to be involved.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: The tension between the president and William Barr does appear to be cooling off. Mr. Trump said he had full confidence in his attorney
general. A Justice Department spokesman says Bill Barr has no plans to resign.
Meanwhile, the president is undermining his core pledge of draining the swamp with a clemency spree. On Tuesday, the president issued a string of
pardons and commutations for a handful of former officials convicted of corruption-related crimes, the most high profile being a man once the
target of Mr. Trump's pretend wrath.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: Rod, you are fired.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich back home in Chicago after his release from prison on Tuesday. He served eight years for trying
to sell the Senate seat once held by former president Barack Obama. Blagojevich says he is deeply grateful to the president.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
QUESTION: What do you say to President Trump?
ROD BLAGOJEVICH, PARDONED CRIMINAL: I say thank you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Two other big name pardons, former New York police commissioner Bernie Kerik and junk bond trader Michael Milken. They were both convicted
of tax fraud.
These commutations came as a surprise to many, since those granted clemency are the type of people Trump vowed he would drain from the swamp. Even FOX
News describes it this way.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That was at the time the definition of the swamp.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. He tried to sell a Senate seat and then got caught. I think he probably got his sentence commuted because "Celebrity
Apprentice."
Blago was one of the worst kind of swamp rats.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: The same guy referred to there as a swamp rat is praising President Trump.
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BLAGOJEVICH: I want to express my most profound and everlasting gratitude to President Trump. He didn't have to do this. He is a Republican
president. I was a Democratic governor. My fellow Democrats have not been very kind to him. They have been very unkind to him.
If you ask me what my party affiliation is, I'm a Trump-ocrat.
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ANDERSON: Still to come on CONNECT THE WORLD for you --
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FERRAN SORIANO, MANCHESTER CITY CEO: Important thing I have to say, is that the allegations are not true. They are simply not true.
ANDERSON (voice-over): The Manchester City CEO comes out swinging in response to allegations against the football club that he leads. More on
that after this.
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[11:45:00]
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ANDERSON: It was a decision that shocked football fans around the world. One of the most successful teams around the globe, Manchester City, was
handed a hefty penalty by the European football body, UEFA, banned for the next two years from any European competition, including the lucrative
Champions League, and a $32 million fine.
The alleged crime, serious breaches of the financial fair play regulations. The club has come out strongly against last week's ruling, denying all
allegations and vowing to appeal. Now the chief executive of Manchester City, Ferran Soriano, has spoken publicly in an in-house interview released
by the club. He tackled the allegations head-on.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SORIANO: The most important thing I have to say today is that the allegations are not true. They're simply not true. The owner has not put
money in this club that has not been properly declared.
We are a sustainable football club. We are profitable. We don't have debt. Our accounts have been scrutinized many times by auditors, by regulators,
by investors. And this is perfectly clear. We provided all kind of evidence.
But at the end, they relied more on out of context stolen emails. But all the other evidence we provided on what actually happened. I think it's
normal that we feel like we feel ultimately, based on our experience and our perception. This seems to be less about justice and more about
politics.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: If the penalty stands, it would have huge ramifications for not just Manchester City. For example, the first four teams in the English
Premier League automatically qualify for the Champions League, Europe's top club competition; City currently second.
The ban could mean a fifth place team goes on to compete in next season's college in City's place. The club trying to avoid that and Soriano
outlining the next steps.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SORIANO: We are looking for an early resolution, obviously, through a thorough process and a fair process. My best hope is that this will be
finished before the beginning of the summer.
For us, it's business as usual. All we are looking for is a proper adjudication in an independent and impartial body that's going to take the
time to look at all the evidence and look at this without preconception.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: The chief executive of Manchester City making his case. CNN's Alex Thomas joining us from London.
That is the club's position. They felt they needed to address the situation. Do remind us what is at stake here.
[11:50:00]
ALEX THOMAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The Champions League, Manchester City are banned from all European competition for two years as it stands. But mainly
the Champions League, that's the top tier competition. If you go on to win it, have a good run, it's worth upwards of $100 million.
It's also the prestige, the Champions League final is watched globally by more people than the Super Bowl. So a hugely prestigious competition that
Manchester City are desperate to win since the ruling family in the UAE and Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mansoor, bought the club in 2008. They have transformed
its fortunes.
They are the reigning English Premier League champions. But they haven't been crowned club champions of Europe. They desperately don't want to be
out of it for two years.
ANDERSON: These financial fair play regulations which are -- which UEFA has alleged Man City have broken, just explain for our viewers exactly where
UEFA stand in this.
THOMAS: As far as UEFA are concerned, Manchester City are in breach of the regulations and will be banned. We know City fought quickly after this was
announced last Friday, released quite an aggressive statement, part of which made it clear they will take it to the court of arbitration for
sport, which is the ultimate decision-making body in sport.
There's talk that the legal process could continue beyond that if they're not successful. What's really interesting about today's interview is that
it was, first of all, done in-house. They haven't opened up to any independent media scrutiny. This was Manchester City questioning
themselves, if you like. So a one-eyed view of the process.
They keep saying all along that they are innocent. Yet, they are not happy to leave themselves open for scrutiny from any journalist from a media
body.
The second thing to note is a slight softening in the stance. Last week they talked about a flawed and consistently leaked process. A case
initiated by UEFA, prosecuted by UEFA and judged by UEFA.
This time, they are talking about the good work the UEFA does and respect for the process. They see a massive public backlash and may be looking for
a compromise rather than taking on UEFA and trying to destroy the organization that runs European football.
ANDERSON: Remains to be seen. The City story continues. Thank you, Alex.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex might have to overhaul their brand. It's up in the air whether they can be called royal after taking that step back.
More on that after this.
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ANDERSON: Wowsers. Check this out. You are looking at a man attached to a jet-powered wing suit, soaring into the very pretty sky down in Dubai. Look
at that. He got up to 6,000 feet or about 1,800 meters.
[11:55:00]
ANDERSON: Let me tell you, that thing flies, literally rocketing up to speeds of about 150 miles per hour, 240 kilometers also an hour. I might
strap some of my team to that. You would be back home in a jiffy, guys. I, myself, will stick to the road.
Just in to CNN, Prince Harry and Meghan will have their final royal engagements next month. As of April 1st, they will no longer have an office
at Buckingham Palace and they may have to figure out a new financial game plan after stepping back from the royal family.
The pair were banking on making some serious cash out of their brand Sussex Royal, planning to trademark the words. Sources say the use of that
particular name is now under review because of the word "royal."
I'm Becky Anderson. That was CONNECT THE WORLD. Thank you for watching.
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