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Inside Yemen; State Of the Union; Politics And Pop Culture At The Grammys; Aired 10-11a ET

Aired January 29, 2018 - 10:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

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[10:00:16] UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are keeping it low here, because we had been told the Houthis might be able to General Kelly u from the valley

below. We had been told we are about 10 miles 16 kilometers from the capital Sanaa.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BECKY ANDERSON, CONNECT THE WORLD, CNN: CNN's Nic Robertson and his team on the front line in Yemen up next rare access in to the war HANKS: is

torn the country apart.

Also this hour.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think the president talk about how America is back.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: After Davos offensive Donald Trump is set to give his speech in the state of the union address later. What is he expected to say? And...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We have a long time fear of the (inaudible) one reason why he (inaudible).

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ANDERSON: At the Grammys were politics and pop culture collided. A look in the activism and the award winners later this hour.

A very warm welcome to the show this is 'Connect the World." I am Becky Anderson in Abu Dhabi where it is just after 7 o'clock in the evening we

the story for regular viewers of connect the world mass produces sort of grim deja vu for three years we brought you the headlines from the war in

Yemen going on beyond them. We had explained he's fighting we sketched out the geopolitical parents behind it all, we look at the catastrophic effects

and believe me when I say that word almost doesn't feel strong enough anymore. On Yemen's men women and children made a mistake we are going to

do that working for you tonight what's different is hour is we also going to bring you a rare glimpse of life inside Yemen. Martin's reporting is a

window into the suffering there and the behind-the-scenes look at military action in the anti-Houthi war. International Diplomatic Editor Nic

Robertson, producers say, agonist and photojournalist Joe Shaffer were embedded with the Saudi military who took them into Yemen from there to the

front line when Yemeni troops, this is extremely rare access and a valuable look the war that is entering its third year with no end in sight.

(BEGIN VIDEO)

NIC ROBERTSON, SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yemeni government soldiers taking us to the front line, it is a bone crunching Slogan

Mountains just outside the capital Sanaa. This part of the mountain is so steep, we had to get out of the truck and walk-up for over 2,000 meters,

more than 6,000 feet up in the mountains. The fight to get here is grinding and unforgiving as the terrain repulsed camps feet wide clinging

to the rock face. The Yemeni military is putting on a big sow for us here, a lot of soldiers out in force for (inaudible) rockets at the side of the

road. The soldier has a message for the Houthi resent tells me he is going to come and kill them, Salman Halli said.

He has good reason to be the cheerful in recent months the Yemeni Army has been gaining ground 85 percent of the country's territory now with the

elected government only 15 percent with the Houthi rebels along the way we toss a large Houthi military base destroyed during Saudi led coalition air

strikes the Houthi are still close. Soldiers hurry to show us the discovery they made.

Even though the whole base was destroyed by air strikes this is why hiding out in a tunnel hit 25 yards in to the mountain, soldiers are going to show

us in. The lead as deep inside, past bedding and tables. There is rigged up for lighting as well, there is a battery here and an inverter so that

they could run their equipment and it goes deeper and deeper into the mountains huge.

Inside here the Houthi's sent out the coalition air strikes and is what makes the Houthis a tough target today. It is incredibly complex era

breakout for a long sleeping areas, for prosecution area while sleeping areas up here is a very, very sophisticated cave system built here after

just several hours we finally emerge at the top looking down towards the capital. We are keeping low here because we've been told the Houthis might

be able to see us from the valley below we had been told were about 10 miles 16 km from the capital Sanaa.

[10:05:16] Maybe double that to the center of the city would be close to me the battle any easier. It is wind sweat and desolate but vital to push the

Houthis from the capital and retake control of the country. So I can see a small town here and are there Houthis in this town?

The commander in charge up here tells me he plans to hold this high ground, but he doesn't want to send troops into the capital, because he wants to

avoid civilian casualties. That he and the coalition that back-end were accused by the UN and others but not doing enough to prevent civilian

casualties.

In the safety of his command post, a cave cut into the mountainside he explains more. With a little more equipment we could take the capital in a

week he says, but that's a decision from political leaders take it and pillage it like the Houthis. Until that decision comes these soldiers will

be toughing it out on the mountaintop toiling up and down these tortuous tracks.

(END VIDEO)

ANDERSON: Incredible access there to a country we think about often rarely see a place like that Nic Robinson is here in Abu Dhabi after that report.

This is the first of a series of rare reports that you'll this week and on the show from inside Yemen nearly for years into this conflict. Is it

clear where we at in this conflict and what was the biggest take away from your time spent in the military on the ground and in the air?

ROBERTSON: I think you have to say, when you look at the military this is not a military capable of delivering a knockout blow, when you are some of

the strategy is a set of moving on the capital from capital from several axis in one of those axis is from the south and to move that access i.e. to

move from the south of the north, you need the support of the seven separatists who were today fighting against the government in the south so

you see just how complicated it is for them to engage everyone together and moves towards the capital and another part of that take away that they

don't have this huge military force there with a sort of big equipment is on the ground we talk about a Saudi and an Amoretti coalition those Saudis

(inaudible) are on really providing support around the tiny footprint bases that allow them access to the to the country, so there isn't on the ground

for example that we saw the Saudi forces who are there, shoulder to shoulder with the Yemenis. The Yemen is a lone and some of those positions

are supplied by the (inaudible). That's how tenuous the hold is, but they are inching forward slowly taking ground the night after we were there was

another military operation on the way to push forward from where.

ANDERSON: This is half terrain, when you spend time with those foot soldiers as it where, how did they feel about what was going on?

ROBERTSON: You know when you are on those situations you always try to judge what is the real move and know what the commanders want me to say and

what equipment do they have and what is the real mood and what I took away from the soldiers that this might sound trite they were motivated were

pretty upbeat about whether they were that said I'm in your I would one becomes a mountainside where they are its incredibly harsh conditions that

way, way, way up in the mountains so why take away was on these, these are hard-core soldiers who already committed and dedicated to what the doing

that every one of them would tell you today that I don't have to go up this mountain again will be a good day.

ANDERSON: As you rightly pointed out in this hour we are seeing two former allies turn against each other. The international recognize government is

accused some of (inaudible) some coup, 18 people killed in clashes in this strategic city, both sides use to sight the Houthis together. The

supporting government has called in the Saudi led coalition to intervene, this is extremely complicated. Yemen was never easy country to explain and

we have to caveat in what we say, this is the moment in time for the Yemeni people things were tough before they may be tough going for, but

considering what we often see on the ground in a today explain where we at.

ROBERTSON: When you ask Yemeni question they set you back several decades in history. But over the past four decades there have been three Civil War

North versus South before the two holds the country united, that's the background the southern separatists in Aden with us for the strongest when

the Houthis took over. It wasn't because they were organized ready for the Houthis, such is the nature of the secessionist movements in the south,

they are all organize so they took on a fold the Houthis and took control. We talked to people and said look, we took control of the airport and when

the government President Hadi, his Prime Minister came back we let them have the airport, we gave them control of the place, but we don't feel that

they are really respecting us or looking after us and the government needs those guys to fight for the north.

ANDERSON: What would you say, you had been back now, because you were with me in Davos last week, you spent this time in Yemen a week or so ago and

now we see what is going on in Aden today, I wonder are we the next phase of conflict on the ground?

ROBERTSON: I think is hard to judge and I think and you know the fighting was really bad someday I told to government official just now he said there

was the fighting's continued overnight all day this is the focus on a military basis, they said there are Reagan times on the streets I said of

the coalition involved in the fights on the ground he said no they are not, so at the moment I think is just too soon to judge that can be a political

accommodation again as there was ruffled feathers get everyone down back at the table between the southern separatists of the government because that's

the only way that the government is to retake on the Houthis and reunite with the country. They can't do it without the southern separatist, what

you all looking out in the future is perhaps more federalist Yemen that devotes more power from central government to some of the sudden

separatists that such a long way from being done.

ANDERSON: Inside Yemen series continues on Tuesday we look at the toll the war's hat on Yemen's youngest soldiers here is just.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERTSON: Check this out, he is showing me this is the gun truck, he used to drive this gun track, this is the driver.

Salo shows me a picture of him driving a rocket launcher he was 13 at the time.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Nic with me all week in Abu Dhabi, that report more of our teams reporting as I say all this week join us for inside the Yemen on Connect

the World 7 p.m. in Abu Dhabi, 3 p.m. in London I'm sure you can work out what time it is whether you are watching in the world, where ever you are

you are watching of course more than welcome. Now one man connect the battlefield Yemen and what is the poorest country in this part of weld to

of luxury hotels next door in Saudi Arabia the rest is with him, the kingdom's extraordinarily powerful crown prince bin Salman, he started

personally overseeing what is a we have just seen a tremendously expensive and tough war and launching another war of sort at home. Corruption

crackdown running up rich royals. Remember this s family amongst morsels to hold them here inside the Rich Carlson Hotel. Among those who were kept

under lock and keep the richest and most influential of them all Prince (inaudible) after being held for by CNN's count, 84 days, he is now free

and claims it was just a big misunderstanding.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Exercise, stretch, I swim, I work I have my old foods, it is fun, it like home. I call my family every day. I am on my office

every day.

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ANDERSON: Let us follow the money here and with that there is no one better than CNN John Defterios with zipping it out of the kingdom right

now, here in Abu Dhabi with me within London it does full of course a huge amount of business with Saudi Arabia. John, let us have a look at this, if

you will, you met Prince Alwaleed bin Talal a number of times and you know him and his very large company very well, what is the reaction of him, not

just his released but also to his detention?

JOHN DEFTERIOS, CNN EMERGING MARKETS EDITOR: Well I think Becky first and foremost it lift a cloud of uncertainty although I should underscore here

were scans on the details, but I think the perception of the investigation overall this crackdown on corruption are hung all great deal on the

treatment of Prince Alwaleed bin Talal you are showing a video of him in the Ritz-Carlton I think is what you have the camera inside as he sat on

camera there he could maintain his vegetarian diet and he could exercise he could make contact with his family and the company.

[10:15:02] This was very importantly we heard rumors of a potential attempted suicides or medians that clearly is not the case although as you

suggested I met him several times he's thinner than he was even three or four months ago now on camera to Reuters it was, clearly an interview but

he wanted to say certain things about his wealth and the settlement, he did not indicate how much about $17 billion to give up to the government nor

did he say he is admitting guilt apparently the last three or four days with a couple of key sticking point. Now you did make reference to report

that we had on CNN in fact in your program one square meter talking about the cheddar tar which is to be the tallest tower in the world some one

kilometer high, we had noted that the project is proceeding all those for two years behind schedule his release he was suggesting will help complete

the project going forward. This certainly is helping his net worth being released so in the last 48 hours on Sunday and Monday is a value for

network is going up $1 billion now another key player not as known as Prince (inaudible) of course is Relive al-Ibrahim he is the owner of the

Middle East broadcast center which is the owner also of the number one regional news channel of your biggest channel.

We are told will maintain management control, but again not clear the financial terms, Becky, how much is going to handover to the government

going forward. It is very clear though by the release of these two high- profile individuals and a handful of others over the weekend that the government wants to put a floor under the investigation. I should have

those who chose not to settle will go into the court system and settled through the formal channels I am told by senior sources that the two of us

talk in Davos before the weekend.

ANDERSON: That is right. John, Nic and I ahead of this conversation we are having would just looking at some extraordinary rare footage, Nic and

his team cautious he spent some time with the Saudi coalition forcing Yemeni forces says specifically on the ground in the war and Saudi war

machine of course taking up as something like almost fully 10 percent of its entire economy more of Riyadh cash than anything else more than as far

as I can tell health social development infrastructure and transport put together. So how does that fit into the wide narrative in the war, the

crackdown, how did the kingdom thought all of this?

DEFTERIOS: It is a crucial question something that investors were asking particularly for the last four months so one would argue and is not coming

out of my mouth a number of CEO's I spoke to that were at the investment Summit was on Davos over the weekend and the crumpets Mohamed bin Salman

keep this many pots on the boil are referring to the war in Yemen, the tensions with Iran, and the Argo on Qatar while he's trying to restructure

the economy under the so-called vision 2030. Becky we know that this investigation has undermined growth their concerns as to undermine

investment and we know that the pressure they had on foreign exchange reserves as well. Let us bring up the chart prior to the oil crisis the

summer of 2014, cash reserves of about three quarters of $1 trillion, that came under half $1 trillion of the good news is essential bank governor

told us in Davos they stop the bleeding they think they have leveled that off, they think they could grow about to 2.7 percent in 2018, IMF does not

agree International Monetary Fund?

So this is the big question going forward, if they can setup a floor under the economy here bring the investigation under control, they are going on a

roadshow the next month trying to convince everybody the worst is behind them, oil prices are nearly $70 a barrel and they can grow in 2018 and 19

and by the way to get the Saudi Aramco I feel off the ground as well which is crucial in this effort to try and build a war chest for the sovereign

wealth fund.

ANDERSON: Fascinating, John Defterios in the house in London for you today.

DEFTERIOS: Thanks.

ANDERSON: Let us get you up to speed with some of the stories that all on our radar right now and we are expecting to hear from Theresa May in the

next few minutes. She is facing pressure off that members of the house of Parliament said the bill that withdrawals Britain from the E.U. is

fundamentally flawed and needs rewriting. Meanwhile in Brussels menaces from E.U. countries minus Britain have agreed on the U.E. strategy for

phase 2 of Brexit negotiations. Israel protesting Polish legislation will make it legal to suggest Poland any responsibility for the Holocaust and

was heading to some Nazi death camps including Auschwitz. Israel says Poland just tried to try to rewrite history officials in Poland say they

will be painful and often ensuring that occupation there.

[10:20:15] Several German law makers now acknowledge they commissioned researchers to conduct animal tasting. BMW, Volkswagen and Audi paid a lot

in the U.S. to force the monkeys to breathe diesel fumes. Germany's Chancellor called this unethical. New York Times report the engines were

rigged to reduce emission.

Violent deadly attacks are again becoming all too common in Kabul in Afghanistan today was a suicide bombers and a gunfight of a military base

that the lies of at least 11 Afghan soldiers. The group ISIS has claim responsibility. The attacks comes in the wake of Saturday's car bombing in

the Kabul market-based killed more than 100. The Taliban say they were behind that last war, what is an intense situation in Afghanistan. Let us

bring in CNN International correspondent Nick Paton Walsh who has spent much time there over the past decades tonight for you out of London, Nick?

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Becky is a troubling pattern here, today's attack was claimed by ISIS bids in the military Academy, come in

Kabul but was preceded by a devastated in the Sabbath attack by the Taliban, it is hard really to put this words into context. For the

ambulance as a suicide car bomb to take over hundred lives in one explosion. Before that came an ISIS attack in days the children's charity

in the East and lost weekends a Taliban attack against a hotel in Kabul. We can see how surpassing that of Taliban and ISIS almost taking turns over

the past week to launch devastating attacks inside will normally consider to be the secure heart inside the ring of steel of the Afghan capital of

Kabul. Some say perhaps they are competing to be the most strings be the most savage, ISIS is a younger insurgency having lost ground in Syria Iraq

finding a home in Afghanistan. The Taliban from the superannuated off the 30 plus years fighting 16 years against the American military still trying

perhaps to attract younger members by launching devastating attacks like this and this comes in a time when President Trump has declared he will win

in Afghanistan after 16 years of his predecessors trying the same thing and also to hundreds of more American troops being sent to the front lines to

train Afghan soldiers in a fight frankly many say they are not doing particularly well and as assigned to an American government on the Afghans

increasingly classify the key indicators that American taxpayers will want to work out if America is in fact winning bloodshed pretty much nonstop

over the past week Becky.

ANDERSON: Awful. Nick Paton Walsh on the story for you tonight. Still to come on this show, U.S. law makers ask the Trump administration to name

names in Russia. In Moscow for the latest on what maybe a new ground of sanction.

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[10:25:52] ANDERSON: Deadline hanging over Moscow in just a few hours the United States is expected to unveil the targets of a new round of Russia

sanctions U.S. lawmakers voted back in October in Congress all of the treasury, to come up a list of Russian business to be hit with penalty and

a list of oligarchs tied to the Kremlin. CNN's Fred Pleitgen join us now from Moscow. This is that naming and shaming not likely to go down well

where you are correct, what has been the response there?

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT, CNN: It is a pretty angry response from the Kremlin we heard earlier today from Dimitri Peskof

a spokesman for Vladimir Putin, Becky and he said that this list is going to come out potentially later at some points today was an attempt to

interfere in Russia's upcoming presidential election which of course is to be held at the end of March and they say they don't believe it is going to

have any effect, but yet they do say that this is clearly an effort to meddle in Russia's affairs that the Russia is going to study this list very

carefully and you're absolutely right, the naming part is certainly something that has long oligarchs and businessmen here in Russia very, very

concerned, because not only will their names potentially appear in this list, but also financial information and also on top of that potentially

financially information for about their spouses and children potentially as well, so there are a lot of things that these folks are very concerned

about not necessarily that this will to sanctions immediately that this could be used for sanctions down the line and could also hurt their credit

generally, because banks might be afraid to lend the money, because they are on an American list so this is a huge issue actually here in Moscow and

certainly one of those have the potential to make relations between the U.S. and Russia even worse than they already are Becky.

ANDERSON: All right. Fred is on the story for you Israel Prime Minister is in Moscow presently has been visiting sites Jewish history with Russia's

president of that conversation will likely be focused on the security of Israel. Benjamin Netanyahu promising to press Vladimir Putin on preventing

Iran from establishing its military in Syria and from trying to establish missile sites in Lebanon. Live reports Donald Trump wanted to fact special

counsel Roberts Mueller, did you know that the man now overseeing Mueller's Russia investigation could be in the president's side as well, that is up

ahead.

[10:30:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PIERS MORGAN, HOST, GOOD MORNING BRITAIN: Are we in front of the queue or are we behind the French -- because we're a bit worried about Emmanuel

Macron, who's being all over you, trying to be your new best friend.

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: No, I like him. He's a friend of mine, Emmanuel.

(LAUGHTER)

TRUMP: He's a great guy, his wife is fantastic. I like him a lot. You know, we had dinner at the top of the Eiffel Tower.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN ANCHOR: You are watching Connect the World with me, Becky Anderson. Welcome back. You just saw U.S. President Donald Trump

there on a charm offensive world of sort with to ITV's Piers Morgan after giving his big speech to global elites in Davos.

We were there. We listened in, we saw and we left. Well, Mr. Trump is now getting ready as he did for a very different speech towards one of very

different audience. CNN's Kaitlan Collins has the details.

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KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: President Trump gearing up for his first State of the Union address where he's expected to tout the economic

progress of his first year in office while rallying support behind key legislative initiatives like infrastructure and immigration.

MARC SHORT, DIRECTOR OF WHITE HOUSE LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS: I think the president is going to talk about how America is back.

COLLINS: The immigration plan unveiled by the White House last week would provide a pathway to citizenship for nearly 2 million undocumented

immigrants in exchange for $25 billion to fund the president's border wall. The plan would also make major changes to legal immigration, a key sticking

point that Democrats have called dead on arrival.

REP. NANCY PELOSI (D), MINORITY LEADER: That plan is a campaign to make America white again.

SEN. JOE MANCHIN (D), WEST VIRGINIA: We don't need that type of rhetoric on either side. The president has laid out what he wants. That's a good

starting point.

COLLINS: The president's high-profile speech coming amid controversy over Mr. Trump's reported attempt to fire Special Counsel Robert Mueller last

June.

SHORT: The president has never intimated to me in any way desire to fire Mueller.

COLLINS: Republicans warning the president against taking this step.

SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R), SOUTH CAROLINA: Everybody at the White House knows it will be the end of President Trump's presidency if he fired Mr.

Mueller.

COLLINS: But showing little urgency to take action on two bipartisan bills that would protect the Special Counsel.

SEN. SUSAN COLLINS (D), MAINE: It certainly wouldn't hurt to put that extra safeguard in place given the latest stories. But, again, I have

faith in the deputy attorney general.

MICK MULVANEY, DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET: I don't think there's a need for legislation. Right now there is not an issue. So why

create one when there isn't a place for it?

COLLINS: The majority of Democrats arguing that Congress must take action.

SEN. RICHARD BLUMENTHAL (D), CONNECTICUT: There is a credible case of obstruction of justice against the president of the United States.

COLLINS: CNN has learned that in recent weeks, Mr. Trump has been complaining about wanting to fire Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein,

as well. Rosenstein oversees Mueller in the Special Counsel investigation.

The New York Times reports that the controversial memo spearheaded by House Intelligence Chair Devin Nunes reveals that Rosenstein approved an

application to extend to the surveillance of former campaign Trump associate Carter Page last spring, indicating the Republicans may be moving

to seize on Rosenstein's role as they seek to undermine the Special Counsel.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[10:35:05] ANDERSON: All right. Well, let's get for the very latest now from Washington. We're joined by CNN's senior political analyst, Mark

Preston. With the cloud of everything around Russia and Mueller hanging over him, the U.S. president of course has a speech to make this week.

We were in Davos, Friday and heard him first hand make his appeal, his open for business as it were. U.S. is open for business appeal to the global

elite there.

Let's remind our viewers what we heard from Mr. Trump a year ago when he gave an inaugural address. He definitely didn't take a cue from Ronald

Reagan's famously optimistic shining city on a hill speech. Have a listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: And a the crime and the gangs, and the drugs that have stolen too many lives and robbed our country of so much unrealized potential, this

American carnage stops right here and stops right now.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Well believe me, we did not hear that tone in Davos last week, even if the tone does change in his State of the Union Address this week.

What does that mean in terms of substance?

MARK PRESTON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, a couple of things. One, look, we can't predict what President Trump is going to say tomorrow

night because that would be, gosh.

I mean, we could play the lottery, you know, at that point. I mean, he is just so unpredictable. But he would be very smart throughout there and

tout the economy at this point.

We are doing gangbusters right now here in the United States which was reverberating throughout the world. But I suspect what we heard from him

in Davos, we are going to hear from him tomorrow night on the House floor when he delivers his State of the Union Address.

And that's going to be America First and the fact of the matter is, is that his policies, he's deregulation that he has put in over the past year has

really pushed forward to a booming economy.

But the fact is, as you mentioned at the top there, Becky, there is this extremely dark cloud that is hanging over him and that is the Russia

investigation and as much as he tries to push it, away there seems to be another lead that comes up each and every day.

ANDERSON: Well, considering that we can only speculate as to what we will hear at Tuesday, we are hearing in some law makers wants to give the

spotlight is on the Me Too movement during Mr. Trump's address.

They are planning to honor the women across the country who have shared stories of sexual harassment by bringing special guests to the speech and

coordinating what they were.

Of course allegations of sexual harassment dug to President Trump during his campaign and even after the election, although he is consistently

denied any wrongdoing. How will that go down Tuesday?

PRESTON: Well, he's going to be very careful. There is something we said about him beside going out and saying something, Becky, respectfully about

where the movement, how it was born, where we are now, and where it's going.

But he's going to be very careful because if he slips up and he said something that could be antagonistic, you could see people not only on the

House floor specifically Democrats, but also those in the House chamber who could be bullying.

And that would look terrible for President Trump who is talking directly to women and men about the Me Too movement. If is booed when he is behind

that microphone tomorrow night, that will be extremely embarrassing, not only for President Trump, but also for the United States.

ANDERSON: Mark is in Washington for you. Thank you, Mark. New movement to call out sexual misconduct and empowered its victims was front and

center at the Grammy awards last night. We'll have that story a little later this hour for you.

Well, it's an app used by millions around the world, track that fitness, but it is now causing a major security headache for the U.S. military.

Strava as it is called, released a global heat map taken from Fitbits, cellphones, and other tracking devices.

But it was soon pointed at the map made U.S. Army bases identifiable, if soldiers were using the app with privacy settings off. Well, let's get you

to London where, Samuel Burke, has more on this. What have you learned, Samuel?

SAMUEL BURKE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Becky, never had the term lurking in the background been more apropos than for this story. Strava, it built itself

as a social network for athletes, so that could be everybody from military types to everyday people like you and me.

[10:40:00] And what they did here is show the data for all of these users. So not just people who are going for a great job over there in Abu Dhabi or

here in London, it literally showed it for everything around the world if the user had not turned on the privacy settings.

But let's be clear here. Nobody is alleging that there has been anything nefarious that happened as a result of this but it does make very clear how

much more we need to be aware of wearable technology, and what our phones are tracking.

And let me just show you what Strava says about this. They do make a fair point saying quote, our global heat map represents an aggregated and

anonymized view of over 1 billion activities uploaded to our platform.

It excludes activities that have been marked as private as well as user- defined privacy zones. But really, Becky, what this makes clear is that so many of these devices we use are automatically set to share. And shouldn't

it be the other way?

So that first, if that is private and then we decide if we are going to share that information. You know, wearables keep track of us but clearly

we need to be keeping track of wearables.

ANDERSON: Yes -- no. We should be sensible about this, clearly companies would like to default, clearly to that setting because that helps them to

make business.

So, we'll just be sensible about it going forward, I think is the message out of this. Live from Abu Dhabi, this is Connect the World. Coming up --

thank you, Samuel.

Paris drenched and forecast say more rain is on the way. We'll have a report on the flooding from the banks of the saint after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: Welcome back. Just before quarter to 8:00 here in Abu Dhabi. If you are just joining us, you are most welcome. Water levels have being

creeping up on the banks of the Seine in Paris (ph) pouring into some of the street and quite frankly, disrupting the train service there.

Police say a 1,000 people have evacuate and some musicians -- some museums, including the Louvre are moving art out of harm's way. CNN's Jim

Bittermann reports from this water's edge.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JIM BITTERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The water had peaked about 5 meters and 84 just before midnight last night and then throughout the night maintained

the same level, expected to stay at that level all during the day.

Today that's about 12 feet above the normal level of this which is about 2 meters. So it has to stay at this level and then very, very slowly, go

down.

It's a lower level than in 2016 when they had a big flood here but in fact, it's a different situation this time around because there has been rain all

throughout the month of January.

There is a massive amount of water that are still upstream and Seine rivers, and the reservoir is around up here, which can have a buffering

effect on the flooding, in fact, are totally full.

[10:45:00] And what's more complicated is that tomorrow night -- as soon as tomorrow night, there is rain and the flood, what's what could extend later

around in the week.

Now, it's way too early to have any idea about damage assessment but infact, former security official for Paris, we have been said, he would

fully expect it to be in the hundreds of million of Euros and that's not only from the water damage, but a lot of people have experienced, but also

from the fact that the river traffic have been cut-off.

It's for economically because this is a main traffic artery for merchandise that are coming into and out off the Paris region. As well complicating

faster for Paris commuters is that, one of the major commuter line, rail lines here goes right along the (Inaudible).

It has been cut off for a week now and probably won't be reopen until February 5th. And now, the attention is turning towards the other towns

and cities for their downstream towards the sea.

And in fact, there are major cities burning -- and other that could be very well feel the effects of these water as it rushes on through. Jim

Bittermann, CNN, Paris.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: We are live from Abu Dhabi, you are watching Connect the World. I'm Becky Anderson for you. Coming up, the biggest names in music in their

night in the spotlight to send a message to the biggest name in politic, that, after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: Welcome back. Now, in our Parting Shots, they came to celebrate music but they left having delivered a powerful message, the best of the

music industry gathered in New York for the Grammy awards. But it seems like social issues were the main focus of the evening. CNN's media

correspondent Brian Stelter has the story for you.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HILLARY CLINTON (D), FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: He had a long-time fear of being poisoned, one reason why he liked to eat at McDonald's.

Nobody knew he was coming and the food was safely premade.

(APPLAUSE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's it. We've got it. That's the one.

CLINTON: You think so?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, yes.

CLINTON: The Grammy's in the bag?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In the bag.

BRIAN STELTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hillary Clinton making a surprise appearance in a Grammy award skit featuring celebrities doing dramatic

readings from the tell-all book Fire and Fury.

SNOOP DOGG, RAPPER: Trump did not enjoy his own inauguration. He started to get angry and hurt. The stars were determined to embarrass him. I

definitely wasn't there.

CARDI B, RAPPER: Trump wasn't happy his 6:30 dinner with Steve Bannon. Then more to his likely, he was in bed by that time with a cheeseburger.

Why am I even reading this (BLEEP).

STELTER: The skit prompting backlash from Mr. Trump's allies. U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley tweeting that the skit ruined the awards show, and

the president's son going after Clinton, calling the opportunity to read an excerpt from the book a great consolation prize for losing the presidency.

[10:50:00] Trump's denigrating comments toward immigrants from African nations, which he reportedly called shitholes, coming up repeatedly.

LOGIC, RAPPER: Give us you're tired, you're poor and any immigrant who seeks refuge.

BONO, SINGER: Blessed are the shithole countries who gave us the American dream.

STELTER: Prior to U2's performance, Cuban-Mexican immigrant singer Camilla Cabello paying tribute to DREAMers.

CAMILLA CABELLO, SINGER: Tonight, in this room full of music's DREAMers, who remember that this country was built by DREAMers, for DREAMers, chasing

the American dream.

STELTER: A number of artists also honoring the Me Too movement, wearing white roses in solidarity.

JAMELLE MONAE, SINGER: We come in peace, but we mean business. And to those who would dare try and silence us, we offer you two words, Time's Up.

STELTER: Singer Kesha, who has been tied up in a legal battle with her producer over alleged sexual abuse, with the moment of the night, giving an

emotional performance of her hit song, Pray.

KESHA, SINGER (singing): I hope you find your peace, falling on your knees.

(APPLAUSE)

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: Brian, is joining is now. And, Brian, important that this hashtag Me Too continues to get a profile continues with its momentum. But

I want to just take our viewers back to that Clinton sketch.

One thing, Bill O'Reilly is no fan of Clinton, of course. But O'Reilly pointing out today in a tweet that this shows specific partisanship by a

T.V. network which is a good idea or not, he said he doesn't think it is. And is...

(CROSSTALK)

STELTER: Yes, definitely. These awards shows -- the Grammys, the Golden Globe, the Oscars, the Emmys, these shows tend to lean to the left

representing the industry that they are with.

You know, Hollywood, the music industry, I would say, you know, are dominated by liberals, by Democrats, many of these celebrities are big

Democratic donors.

So I don't think it's a surprise that we see a cameo in Hillary Clinton or an anti-Trump messages throughout the night, that however is causing a lot

of debate and a lot of outrage because the book has been so controversial.

Fire and Fury has been criticized so much and that the illusions to a possible affair between Nikki Haley and President Trump, that calls Haley

to come out and flatly deny the claim last week. So you can understand why she spoke up about the cameo.

She was trying to enjoy the Grammys, all of the sudden this book is in her face. I think the reality though much, you know, more broad sense in that

politics and music have always been infused.

Politics and music have always come together, so many of famous in the past are political in nature. We so we are seeing that continue now with these

pro-immigration messages of Grammys.

ANDERSON: And we should continue to see that, correct?

STELTER: I think there is no doubt about it. You know, Hollywood, the music industry, the entertainment industry is energized by President Trump,

in some cases, horrified by President Trump.

They want to stay -- make statements about policies involving immigration, involving racial justice and other issues, and as you mention, the Me Too

movement, you know, the music industry has not been affected by the kind of scandals.

We have see in the movie business for example or in Washington but that might mean, his time has not yet come, certainly the music industry has its

share of demons as well. And I think Janelle Monae and Kesha were trying to raise that issue on the stage last night.

ANDERSON: Yes, we forget it was about -- it was a music awards that night. Who won?

STELTER: Well, you know what actually is part of the debate now. Kendrick Lamar, Bruno Mars, the big winners, almost entirely male winners, I think

there were new debates about why the Grammy Awards are so tilted toward men in the past -- in the past many years.

There is also debate about why hip-hop and rap artist have not been able to capture those top awards, record of the year, album of the year.

Kendrick Lamar has lost now three years in a row for those top awards.

A lot of people in the business think he deserves those awards and so, that debate rages on this morning. Hey, that's what awards are good for, right?

You get people talking about who is the best, who is number one, who deserves the awards in every industry, but I think without hip-hop and

rap, and R&B that's where the energy is in the industry right now. So it is strange to see those artists shut out year after year.

ANDERSON: Yes, you are absolutely right. Brian, it's always a pleasure having you on.

STELTER: Thank you.

ANDERSON: Brian Stelter, in the house tonight. This is a show truly dedicated from the heart with the most exclusive news to the lighter

things. Let's face it, we are all guilty of loving like the Grammys, and the fine line between politics and entertainment, all on our Facebook page,

Facebook.com/CNNconnect.

[10:55:08] Donald Trump's, Swiss charm offensive that Connect the World was on hand to see first hand in Davos, clearly not rubbing off from the people

at the Grammys.

And from there to the to the front lines in Yemen, that's Saudi Arabia is fighting hard on, while another major power, America having its secret

bases lit up by a fitness app.

And while Britain tries to bounce out of Europe, Paris just wants to stop being underwater. It's you world. It is as ever, really bizarre, isn't

it?

However bizarre it is, we have tried to connect it all for you. I'm Becky Anderson, that was Connect the World. From the team working with me here

and around the world, some fantastic teams they are. Thank you for watching.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

END