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U.S. to Announce Afghanistan Troop Drawdown; U.S. House Sets Stage for Historic Vote; China Halts Tariffs on Some U.S. Goods; A 13- Year Old Has Been Arrested in Fatal Stabbing; GOP Targets South Carolina Democrat; Demonstrators Rally against Far Right in Rome; Lebanon's Business Leaders Declare Tax Strike; Lawyer's Bag Steals Show at Impeachment Hearing. Aired 4-5a ET
Aired December 15, 2019 - 04:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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NATALIE ALLEN, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): A major drawdown: thousands of U.S. troops could soon be pulled from Afghanistan.
U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham makes it clear he's not trying to be fair about Donald Trump's expected impeachment.
Also, snow, ice and rain spreading coast to coast across the United States. Derek Van Dam will have that with us. It's all this hour.
Welcome to our viewers in the U.S. and around the world. Live to you from Atlanta, GA. I'm Natalie Allen. NEWSROOM starts right now.
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ALLEN: Thank you for joining us. Our top story, new developments in America's longest war; thousands of U.S. troops are expected to be withdrawn from Afghanistan. That's coming to us from a senior Trump administration official.
The move has been in the works for quite some time and is being welcomed by the Taliban as a good step. Here's White House correspondent Jeremy Diamond with more about it.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, the Trump administration is preparing to announce the withdrawal of about 4,000 troops from Afghanistan. That would take the total number of U.S. troops, which is currently estimated to be between 12,000 and 13,000, into the range of 8,600.
That is the number that the president himself floated back in August, when he said that the U.S. was likely going to be drawing down the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan. So this is something that has been in the works for quite some time.
But now a senior administration official is indeed telling me that is the plan, to move forward with this troop withdrawal and that it could happen as early as next week. Of course, the timing, of course, is still very much in flux. That was the note of caution that I got from this senior administration official.
All of this, of course, coming as the U.S. has restarted those peace talks with the Taliban following President Trump's visit to Afghanistan over the Thanksgiving holiday. That was the president's first visit to Afghanistan during his presidency.
And while he was there, he suggested that the Taliban were now open to a cease-fire. That is not something that the Taliban leaders have so far admitted to and in fact they were quite caught off guard by President Trump's comments.
The question, though, is, of course, how this will all play in the negotiations; the withdrawal of about 4,000 troops could be viewed as a unilateral concession by the United States and certainly will have an effect on those peace talks with the Taliban -- Jeremy Diamond, CNN, the White House.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ALLEN: Let's talk more about this with Sam Kiley following developments from us from Abu Dhabi.
First up, can you elaborate how the withdrawal may affect the peace talks?
SAM KILEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, there are two different alternative scenarios. The first is they clearly could affect peace talks in a positive way as a sign of good faith coming from the United States, given that the Taliban's demands are that the United States withdraw entirely as part of any long-term settlement with the central government in Afghanistan, which, I stress, is not part yet of these talks.
The flip side of that argument, as Jeremy was pointing out, this could be seen as a sign of weakness, a sign that the Americans want to get out after 18 years of an inconclusive and highly expensive deployment, come what may, and may be prepared to abandon the Afghan government.
The truth probably lies between the two different alternatives, Natalie. I have been covering Afghanistan since 2001. There hasn't been a senior officer from NATO that I have spoken to them any time since 2008 who hasn't been firmly of the view that essentially it was pretty much a waste of blood and treasure to be there.
The essence has been how to extract foreign forces from Afghanistan without causing the collapse of the central government, a worst-case scenario, or a civil war, which could easily follow if there isn't a coherent peace process.
So this is very much at the early stages of what the Americans hope will be a way to extract themselves from this very costly engagement without leaving utter chaos behind themselves.
ALLEN: Of that potential utter chaos, the Taliban are popular in some parts of the country.
[04:05:00]
ALLEN: The question is will they try to move into other areas?
KILEY: That would be an interesting strategic decision that the Taliban might face. They are popular, some would even argue almost dominant in the south and east of the country and indeed parts of the southwest down onto the Iranian border in Iraq.
But elsewhere in the country, they are fulsomely loathed for their ideological and for their ethnic differences. But they would be aware that they have no natural constituency in the north of the country.
There are also substantial government forces that have been relatively well-trained and equipped since they were able to topple the various warlords when they took over back in the day.
So I think ultimately the Taliban would be pretty circumspect about the idea that they could take over the whole country but they could get themselves into position, which indeed they have, in which they are a serious contender for the power sharing in the future of Afghanistan.
The nature of the power sharing, whether they would be prepared to subject themselves to democratic oversight, for example, remain a very distant issue in peace talks that are really in their infancy.
ALLEN: Sam Kiley with the latest, Sam, thank you.
One of U.S. president Donald Trump's friends is pushing for a quick impeachment trial in the Senate. Republican Lindsey Graham said he will do everything in its power to ensure that it, quote, "dies quickly." This is what he told Becky Anderson at a conference in Qatar.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R-SC): I want this to end as quick as possible for the good of the Senate, for the good of the country and I think the best thing for America to do is get this behind us. We know how it's going to end. I have tried to give a pretty clear signal that I have made up my mind.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ALLEN: Well, we will have more of Becky Anderson's interview with Senator Graham later this hour.
Before we get to a Senate trial, of course, the U.S. House of Representatives still has to vote on two articles of impeachment, obstruction of Congress and abuse of power. That vote likely to happen in the coming days. CNN's Lauren Fox reports from Washington.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) LAUREN FOX, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Another big week in Washington as the House of Representatives is poised to vote to impeach President Donald Trump as soon as Wednesday.
That's putting pressure on moderate Democrats, some of them who won in districts president Donald Trump won in 2016. One Democrat, Republican Van Drew, is expected to switch parties soon. That's according to one senior Democratic source, who said Van Drew has told fellow members that that is his plan moving forward.
Van Drew already said he was not going to be supporting the articles of impeachment but it just shows the pressure that the Democrats are under.
Another Democrat in a swing district, Tom Malinowski, held a town hall on Saturday where he heard from both supporters and opponents of President Trump. Here's what happened when he said he would support the two articles of impeachment.
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REP. TOM MALINOWSKI (D-NJ): Based on the evidence that I have seen in the depositions, in the hearings, in the documents I have seen, I believe that, on the two counts of impeachment that have been put before us, that the vote should be yes. And I will be voting yes.
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FOX: Meanwhile, plans are still developing in the Senate where majority leader Mitch McConnell has made no secret of the fact that he would prefer a shorter trial with no witnesses. Meanwhile, President Trump has been telling his allies privately that he would prefer a longer trial, more of a show to defend himself.
Where that goes will be uncertain until Democrats and Republicans in the Senate return from their holiday break in January -- for CNN, Lauren Fox, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ALLEN: Much to talk about. Joining me now is the head of the U.S. and the Americas Programme at Chatham House international think tank.
Leslie, good to see you.
LESLIE VINJAMURI, CHATHAM HOUSE: Thank you.
ALLEN: Let's start with Lindsey Graham. He says he doesn't have to be a fair juror. And Mitch McConnell saying he will cooperate with the White House in the Senate trial.
What do you think of their approach here?
VINJAMURI: Well, I think you have to remember the context. Lindsey Graham was at the Doha Forum, This is a major international conference with leaders and thought leaders from all over the world listening to this.
So it's a very strong statement. And clearly Lindsey Graham is making it clear that he has no doubt which way this vote should go.
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VINJAMURI: But I guess what's also interesting here is that, you know, Lindsey Graham, Mitch McConnell, as we have just seen, differ from the president, who might like to see witnesses called when this goes to the Senate, assuming this goes to the Senate.
But Lindsey Graham, Mitch McConnell, they want it short. It suggests perhaps they don't trust what might happen if there were a longer trial. But it's been intensely political the entire time.
And I think it's -- it is surprising to see. Now there's norm when you talk about a trial of this kind, that you would have a fair trial, that it will be deliberative, that views would be aired, evidence would be aired, that it would be taken very seriously and those making a decision would not come out in advance of that kind of trial.
But this is a different political situation. And I think what we have seen is the Republicans very much on the offensive when it comes to capturing and controlling that narrative because they know it has high stakes politically and in the public imagination.
ALLEN: Right. And to your point, Republicans call the impeachment inquiry from the House Democrats a sham. And it kind of seemed like they might be making the Senate trial the same because, when they took the oath, it was during an impeachment to be an impartial juror. It doesn't look like that's going to happen.
VINJAMURI: Well, and, of course, if you go back to the hearings in the House, of course, both sides had the opportunity to raise questions. If you keep a trial short that you restrict that ability of Democrats to speak, obviously of witnesses if you don't call them.
So it's really very much about controlling the narrative. And what we are seeing right now, of course, senators and members of Congress are looking back to the public, to their constituents.
That public remains very, very divided. But it also remains skewed on partisan lines, with well over 80 percent of Republicans opposing impeachment and the reverse on the Democratic side.
So I think reading the tea leaves, they are wanting to move forward. Nobody wants this to have a very negative impact on their electoral prospects. But it is interesting that the president seems to have a different view on this.
ALLEN: Right. So this week, it is expected that he will be impeached. The headlines will be in bold print and italicized. This will be historic. Some Americans have been tuned out during the process.
But what effect do you think might the official impeachment of a U.S. president have on the American psyche right now?
VINJAMURI: Well, again, it comes down a lot to how this plays out in the media, on social media. We have seen millions of dollars spent on Facebook ads that are anti-impeachment. There's a lot of money now being spent on ads in mainstream news. So part of it will come down to the influence of the campaigns that are being waged.
But public attitudes, I think there is a sense in which people have their views. They're relatively fixed. And they would like to move forward. And that is what politicians are counting on.
But when it comes time to go and vote, I think this is where we will see, you know, how people really feel. This is where it will play out.
ALLEN: Yes. I wanted to ask you, how might his impeachment affect the dynamic on the campaign trail for both Democrats and Republicans?
VINJAMURI: Well, we are clearly seeing a number of -- a few individuals who feel that pressure because, you know, as we have just seen, there are some Democrats in the House who are in constituencies that previously voted for Donald Trump and the Republican Party. There are some races where it might have a significant impact.
But the American electorate remains very divided. Again, it hasn't shifted. In the very beginning, when the decision to impeach, the decision to hold hearings was announced, there was a spike. About a 9 percent spike in those who were really supportive of this.
But since then that same change hasn't snowballed. So it's not clear how it will play out. It will depend in part on how this week is handled and the first couple of weeks, if a Senate trial really is that short, how it is handled.
ALLEN: Right. And how will it affect the presidential campaign trail, that is something that we'll be also waiting to see. Leslie, thank you so much for your insights.
VINJAMURI: Thank you.
ALLEN: Well, another sign of progress in resolving the U.S.-China trade war.
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ALLEN: China is stopping additional tariffs on U.S. goods that were set to kick in today. This follows the announcement that both countries had reached an interim trade deal. The U.S. also hit pause on tariffs on Chinese goods that were set to go into effect.
Next here, a 13-year-old suspect is talking to police about the fatal stabbing of this young college student in New York. More about this tragedy coming up here.
Also, in the U.S., winter storms, harsh winds. A look at which states are under a winter weather warning and how ice could play a dangerous role. That's also next from Derek Van Dam.
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ALLEN: New York prosecutors are deciding if a 13-year-old boy should be charged as an adult in the stabbing death of a college student; 18- year-old Tessa Majors was killed just blocks away from her school. The suspect, again, just 13, reportedly told police he watched as his two friends grabbed her. Polo Sandoval is following this for us.
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POLO SANDOVAL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Barnard College student enrollment includes students from about 57 different countries. So, as you can imagine, the cold-blooded murder of one of their own is sending shock waves here in New York but also throughout the international community.
Police do say that the teen they have in custody was found with a knife and admitted to being involved in Wednesday's attempted robbery and deadly stabbing.
But the question prosecutors are asking, to what extent?
See, according to "The New York Times," the 13-year-old faces a felony murder charge, meaning he is not accused of stabbing Tessa Majors but of taking part in the robbery. "The Times" also reporting that, as a detective with the NYPD testified during the 13-year old's hearing yesterday, he reportedly told the court that the teen and two other teenage accomplices walked into that Manhattan park on Wednesday specifically to rob people.
The boy told detectives he watched his two friends grab the college freshman and put her in a choke hold. He claims they removed items from her pockets and then slashed her repeatedly with a knife.
A second person, also a young individual, is in custody but not been charged. The boy's attorney telling CNN there is no allegation against her client, claiming that he actually touched the victim; rather that he was merely present when this took place.
We have reached out to prosecutors who ultimately decide if this teenager will be charged as an adult.
In a statement, yesterday her family wrote, "We lost a very special, very talented and well-loved young woman. Tess shone brightly in this world and our hearts will never be the same."
New York authorities are trying to get to the bottom of this, trying to find out if they can prevent something like this from happening again. They are considering increasing patrols in the park. The mayor called this an unacceptable reality -- Polo Sandoval, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ALLEN: Such a horrific, senseless killing.
Authorities in New Zealand are starting to release the names of some of those killed in last week's volcanic eruption. Police have named five victims. One of them is 21-year-old Krystal Browitt from Australia. Families and friends are leaving flowers and balloons at a dock nearby.
The eruption killed at least 16 people. Police are continuing their search for victims, contaminated waters, low visibility and the threat of another eruption are slowing down recovery efforts.
Parts of the U.S. are getting slammed with some wicked winter weather right now.
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ALLEN: A historic vote looms in Washington this week after the U.S. House Judiciary Committee voted on two impeachment articles against President Trump.
Nearly 21 years ago to the day, the House Judiciary Committee approved articles of impeachment against another U.S. president, Bill Clinton. CNN's Tom Foreman looks at the differences between the two.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Start with the evidence.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST: This is something very, very serious.
FOREMAN: The impeachment of Bill Clinton began with the investigation of the Whitewater land deal in Arkansas. It turned into a wide- ranging four-year probe by independent counsel Ken Starr.
KENNETH STARR, FORMER SPECIAL PROSECUTOR: The president, in the course of those efforts, misused his authority and his power as president.
FOREMAN: Starr's massive report laid out the complete allegations against Clinton for Congress to consider. With Donald Trump, the Ukraine scandal has been unfolding in real time with new witnesses and testimony day by day. Compared to the Clinton case, it is moving at lightning speed.
Next, the charges. When asked about his relationship with a White House intern Bill Clinton, under oath, misled investigators, just as he had the public.
BILL CLINTON, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I did not have sexual relations with that woman. REP. JAMES SENSENBRENNER (R-WI): The important thing is, is that Bill Clinton lied to grand jury. That is a crime.
FOREMAN: But Trump?
REP. STEVE CHABOT (R-OH): This president isn't even accused of committing a crime.
FOREMAN: Still, Democrats say Clinton lied about a personal matter, while Trump used taxpayer dollars to strong-arm a foreign ally to investigate a rival to help his own political ambitions.
REP. DEBBIE MUCARSEL-POWELL (D-FL): There is no higher crime than for the president to use the power of his office to corrupt our elections.
FOREMAN: And then there is Congress.
Clinton and Trump each faced a House of Representatives controlled by the opposition party, both arguing the investigations were partisan hit jobs, both resisting participation, Clinton by insisting on specific terms for his testimony, Trump by going much further, instructing his team to ignore subpoenas, claiming absolute immunity.
REP. VERONICA ESCOBAR (D-TX): This president has achieved a new low.
FOREMAN: And belittling his accusers.
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: These people are stone- cold crooked.
FOREMAN: And as for the likely next step, a Senate trial, even though Republicans held a solid majority during Clinton's impeachment, several GOP senators crossed over to help Democrats defeat the charges.
For Trump, the Republicans are in charge again, but, this time, while Democratic leaders say their members should vote as they wish, Republicans?
SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL (R-KY): My hope is that there won't be a single Republican who votes for either of these articles of impeachment.
FOREMAN: Here is one more stark difference in all of this.
At the height of impeachment, 60 percent of Americans thought President Clinton was doing a good job and they wanted him to stay. Donald Trump has never been anywhere near that level of approval. And about half the public thinks he should go -- Tom Foreman, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ALLEN: Despite the polls, Republicans are sticking with the president ahead of a likely Senate trial.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) ANDERSON: Is it appropriate to be voicing your opinion even before this gets to the Senate as a trial?
GRAHAM: Well, I must think so because I'm doing it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ALLEN: We'll have more on why Senator Lindsey Graham said his mind is already made up no matter what, as he speaks with our Becky Anderson.
Back home in his home state of South Carolina, Republicans are trying to use the impeachment narrative against their Democratic rivals.
But will it change voters' minds?
Much more ahead here. You're watching CNN NEWSROOM.
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ALLEN: Welcome back to our viewers here in the U.S. and around the world. You're watching CNN NEWSROOM live from Atlanta. I'm Natalie Allen. Here are our top stories this hour.
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ALLEN: More now on the rather frank comments from Republican senator Lindsey Graham we mentioned a moment ago. He's making it clear under no circumstances would he ever vote to remove President Trump from office. Here's how he put it to our Becky Anderson.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GRAHAM: I want this to end as quick as possible for the good of the Senate, for the good of the country. And I think the best thing for America to do is get this behind us.
We know how it's going to end, so we can focus on the problems we talked to, talked about today. If you don't like President Trump, you can vote against him in less than a year. It's not like a politician is unaccountable if you don't impeach him.
So I think impeachment is going to end quickly in the Senate. I would prefer it to end as quickly as possible. Use the record that was assembled in the House to pass impeachment articles as your trial record.
I don't want to call anybody. I don't need to hear from Hunter Biden. I don't need to hear from Joe Biden. We can deal with an outset of impeachment. I don't want to talk to Pompeo. I don't want to talk to Pence. I want to hear the House make their case based on the record they established in the House and I want to vote.
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ANDERSON: The Senate has a constitutional duty in holding this trial and comprehensively evaluating the case, agreed?
GRAHAM: No, it doesn't say that in the Constitution. It says that the Senate will -- I am trying to give a pretty clear signal I have made up my mind.
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ANDERSON: I wasn't in any doubt at this point.
GRAHAM: I'm not trying to pretend to be a fair juror here. I'm telling you right now, if Mueller had found something against Trump, I would have been his loudest critic and I told the president to his face. What I see happening today is just a partisan nonsense.
ANDERSON: You have voiced strong opinions about this impeachment, but you are, along with the rest of your Senate fellows, jurors. Is it appropriate to be voicing your opinion even before this gets to the Senate as a trial?
GRAHAM: Well, I must think so because I'm doing it.
So this is a political exercise by politicians. When you look at the history of why you have impeachment in the Constitution, what I am saying is that I view this as a political exercise. I view this to be more about Nancy Pelosi's speakership than wrongdoing by President Trump.
And I like Speaker Pelosi. I want to congratulate her for negotiating the USMCA trade deal as they impeach the president. I think that is quite a feat both for her and President Trump.
So I see the whole process and how it's dangerous to the presidency. Every other impeachment but this one was generated by outside counsel, people who were nonpartisan. This is being driven by people who are partisan politicians, no real ability to defend yourself. Most of it is hearsay, closed-door hearings.
No right to confront the witnesses against you. I want to make sure that this process is soundly rejected in the Senate because I think it's a danger to the presidency himself.
ANDERSON: Can I just underline what we have been talking about here?
Whether or not the president is impeached and removed, you clearly tonight think that's going to happen.
Is it OK, ever OK for an American president to ask a foreign leader to investigate a political rival?
GRAHAM: If you read the phone call, I'm OK with it. You ran against corruption. Some people believe and CNN and other groups have not lifted a finger to look -- if Mike Pence's son had done this, I think you may have a little more looking by the media.
Can you imagine if Mike Pence's son was on a board in the Ukraine making $50,000 a month not knowing anything about gas and the prosecutors fired of Mike Pence's state government, you might want to know more about that.
I love Joe Biden but nobody is above scrutiny. We're not going to have a country where only Republicans are looked at. I would suggest that Donald Trump and his family have been scrutinized. So to my Democratic friends, it's OK I guess to look at everything Trump all the time. It never ends. Don't complain when it comes your way.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ALLEN: Lindsey Graham giving us his feelings there for sure. As the Democratic-led house advances articles of impeachment against President Trump, Republicans are trying to turn the move back against the Democrats heading into the election year.
And nowhere is that more evident than in Lindsey Graham's state of South Carolina. Here's CNN's Martin Savidge.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Stretching from Charleston to Hilton Head, South Carolina's first district is home to Rep. Joe Cunningham, a first-term Democrat in a longtime Republican stronghold.
TRUMP: Thank you very much. We love you, folks.
SAVIDGE (voice-over): Trump won the district by 14 points; Mitt Romney by 18. In 2018 --
REP. JOE CUNNINGHAM (D-SC): Let's go, baby.
SAVIDGE (voice-over): Cunningham became the first Democrat to represent the area in nearly four decades.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He ran really good ads, a good campaign. It was a clean campaign, too, you know. He didn't throw all the trash.
SAVIDGE (voice-over): Instead of attacking Trump and Republicans, Cunningham's message dealt with more local concerns like the environment and the opposition to offshore oil drilling. It's what drew Donna and Andrew Lehman to Cunningham.
SAVIDGE (on camera): You're the Republican here.
DONNA LEHMAN, CHARLESTON RESIDENT: I know, I know.
What can I say?
He cares about us. He cares about our city.
SAVIDGE (voice-over): But now, national Republicans are wagering local Republicans will care about something even more: the impeachment inquiry.
POLITICAL AD: President Trump has been fighting for us. Now, it's time to fight for him.
SAVIDGE (voice-over): Attack ads targeting Cunningham have begun airing locally, aimed at peeling away his critical moderate Republican support in 2020.
D. LEHMAN: I've seen the commercials.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): Tell Congressman Joe Cunningham to stop impeachment now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[04:40:00]
SAVIDGE (on camera): Does that, in any way, affect you -- register with you?
D. LEHMAN: No.
SAVIDGE (voice-over): Donna and Andrew both oppose impeachment but that hasn't impacted their support for Cunningham.
ANDREW LEHMAN, CHARLESTON RESIDENT: No, no, because he's real. We need real. We have to get away from all this where there's influences from everywhere else that are guiding our politicians in making decisions.
SAVIDGE (voice-over): For now, moderates and Independents we talked to are sticking with Cunningham, especially as long as he keeps his focus and his message close to home.
HEATHER SPRINGS, GRAD STUDENT: I don't think he's harmed, especially not at this point.
SAVIDGE (on camera): You think he'll be reelected?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
SAVIDGE (on camera): You say that --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think he will.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ALLEN: All right. CNN reached out to Democratic congressman Joe Cunningham. He says he hasn't decided yet how he will vote on impeaching the president.
All right. Next here, supporters of Italy's Sardines movement say there is a whiff of fascism in the air. They are packing into rallies, appealing for tolerance. Also ahead, Lebanon's economy in big trouble. Protesters are back on the streets of Beirut as businesses feel the pressure from the country's deepening financial crisis. What they are doing about it, it's all next.
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ALLEN: Thousands of protesters from across Italy crammed into Rome Saturday to send a message to the nation's far right. The demonstrators are part of a grassroots movement and they say it is time to promote tolerance. Barbie Nadeau has more from the Italian capital.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BARBIE NADEAU, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): These are the Sardines, the latest political movement to try to swim against the current tide flooding Italy. It is not a political party and it started among friends in Bologna, who wanted to protest against the policies of far right party leader Matteo Salvini.
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NADEAU (voice-over): They sent out a message to fill the piazzas and pack them tight like sardines. And it worked. But the movement isn't just against Salvini. It is also against misinformation and fake news.
ANDREA GARREFFA, SARDINES CO-FOUNDER: If nonviolence is the core message, anti-fascism is the logical consequence. And it is a defense of the principles clearly expressed in the constitution, which is the reference point of all the people here in the square.
And that is very unifying, it's going back to the roots of political participation as something that everybody should feel as something that matters to each and every single of us.
NADEAU (voice-over): They hope the message resonates with voters in regional elections in January, where Salvini stands to make ground.
This isn't the first time a grassroots movement has tried to swim against the political stream. The Five-Star Movement, which is currently in power with the center left, also won support through demonstrations just like this.
But Ariana Ashensi (ph), who has a young son, tells us that this movement is not like the Five-Star Movement, she said is chaotic and hard to understand. She said the Sardines are hoping to spread their message of values and solidarity. She hopes the Sardines can push these values forward. She's here because she wants a better future for her son. This is the largest demonstration the Sardines have been able to
gather since the movement started just one month ago. By the energy and enthusiasm among the old and young in this crowd, it looks like they are starting to turn the tide -- Barbie Latza Nadeau, for CNN, Rome.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ALLEN: The Lebanese Red Cross and Civil Defense say dozens of people have been injured in the latest clashes between protesters and security forces in Beirut. They say 46 people were sent to hospital Saturday. Dozens of others were treated on site.
Demonstrations have swept the country since October. Tensions are running high as politicians fail to agree on forming a new government. And that is making Lebanon's economic crisis even worse.
Lebanese business leaders say they are so fed up with government inaction over the crisis, they're taking action of their own. CNN's Ben Wedeman brings us the story from Lebanon's capital.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Lebanese business leaders declare they won't pay, they can't pay taxes anymore. After almost two months of mass protests over official corruption and incompetence, the private sector is in deep crisis.
WEDEMAN: The Lebanese economy is beginning to go into freefall. In the last two months, the currency has lost a third of its value. Last week the caretaker labor minister received a request from 60 companies to dismiss their entire staffs.
WEDEMAN (voice-over): Supporters of the tax strikes say they cannot do business as usual.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My biggest fear nowadays is not to be able to pay salaries to my staff.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My number one problem are the ministers, the government is not doing their job.
MICHELL SALIBA, MIKE SPORTS: He is killing this, country we don't know what is next.
WEDEMAN (voice-over): Michell Saliba's family runs a chain of sporting goods stores, with banks are severely restricting access to dollars, reporting goods is nearly impossible.
SALIBA: We let go all new recently joined staff members which had been joined for less than three months, previously let them go.
WEDEMAN: How many?
SALIBA: Around 25 to 30 but on top of that, we had to decrease 25 percent salaries to everyone, in the company, from our CEO, down the hierarchies.
WEDEMAN (voice-over): It is not so much a crunch as a crash.
DAN AZZI, FINANCIAL ANALYST: We continue to ignore the problem and stay in denial. That means that we are going to run out of basic stuff.
WEDEMAN (voice-over): Financial analyst Dan Azzi says Lebanon needs to learn to live within its means. It currently imports almost everything, from food and medicine to high-end items and produces very little.
AZZI: One thing I suggested is big tariffs on things like V-8, V-6 cars. If you go to Paris, you don't see like Range Rovers like you see in Lebanon, you don't see it in London as many as here.
So if we cut down on V-6, V-8 cars, by making them very expensive, we have 350,000 domestic helpers in our houses. I mean, how about we start doing our own dishes.
WEDEMAN (voice-over): Some are already starting to leave. At the Philippine embassy in Beirut, hundreds of domestic workers are applying for government financed flights home. Employers are now only paying in devalued lira, which these workers cannot wire home to their families without taking a major loss.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm getting now like one-fourth of what I used to get before, due to bank problems.
WEDEMAN (voice-over): Lebanon's winter of discontent is going to be a stormy one -- Ben Wedeman, CNN, Beirut.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ALLEN: We are also hearing the Lebanese president is supposed to hold parliamentary consultations on Monday to choose a new prime minister. There is speculation that Saad Hariri, who resigned as the prime minister, could be named again to lead the government.
All right. We turn now to the U.N. climate conference in Madrid. It is finally coming to an end after a marathon session aimed at forging a final declaration to curb global warming. Closing statements are expected momentarily. COP 25 was supposed to conclude Friday with the nation members agreeing to ambitious plans to implement the Paris climate accords but instead of consensus, two weeks of climate talks led to stalemate among the participants.
The event has drawn large numbers of climate activists to Madrid. One protester telling Reuters, quote, "Even if they reach an agreement, it is still not enough. This is the 25th COP they have had and nothing has really changed," unquote.
When will that change?
Impeachment hearings are serious business except when, well, they're not. Ahead here, see how a lawyer's reusable bag stole the show.
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ALLEN: There is a certain fashion sense to the impeachment hearings of U.S. president Donald Trump. In the room of power suits and power dresses, expensive ties and traditional briefcases, one person kept it really basic. Here's Jeanne Moos with that.
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JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): You may use them to carry groceries, but counsel for the Republicans used one to carry impeachment documents. You would think he committed a high crime or misdemeanor from the reaction.
Hey, you're bringing your briefcase today for your nationally televised impeachment hearing, right?
No, no, I'll be fine with this.
Steve Castor was pulling out documents from his recycle grocery bag as if he were yanking out sandwiches and milk. Well, at least we know what he needs for Christmas.
Instead of a monogrammed briefcase, his bag read, "Live, eat, shop, reuse."
Maybe it should have said...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hearsay, presumptions and speculation.
MOOS: -- or --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Bribery, extortion or whatever.
MOOS: Someone tweeted it should read, "recycled, wacky conspiracy theories."
The bag's maker, The Fresh Market, is now calling itself the official briefcase maker of Steve Castor and offering a free bags for a limited time to anyone who mentions Castor's bag.
Someone even made a Ukrainian joke. "My Ukrainian husband would call this his Ukrainian suitcase."
But amid all the mockery, some came to the defense of the bag.
"Don't shame reusable bags."
Maybe Castor should have used one of the "Be Best" bags Melania Trump was hanging out that same afternoon.
Pastor could have worn his impeachment documents backpack style. His reusable tote was compared to the big reusable water bottle from which a previous witness drank. Castor sipped from a less eco-friendly plastic bottle.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He is badgering the witness.
MOOS: Make that badgering the bag, literally on the floor of the House Judiciary Committee.
This impeachment brought to you by The Fresh Market -- Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York.
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ALLEN: I'm all about the bag. Love it. Thanks for being with us this hour. Please don't go anywhere. I'll be back with another hour of CNN NEWSROOM.
