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Biden: The American Banking System Is Safe; HSBC Buys British Operations Of SVB; Star Football Host Gary Lineker Allowed Back On BBC. Aired 10-11a ET

Aired March 13, 2023 - 10:00:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:00:31]

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: I'm Becky Anderson live from Abu Dhabi. This is CONNECT THE WORLD.

Coming up this hour. The U.S. president tries to restore faith in the financial system.

Star Sports presenter Gary Lineker will resume his duties at the BBC.

Xi Jinping promises to build a great wall of steel as he starts his new term.

Plus. Michelle Yeoh makes history at the Academy Awards.

The American banking system is safe. That is the reassurance of U.S. President Joe Biden in the wake of the second largest bank collapse in U.S.

history. In the past 24 hours, the Federal Reserve, the U.S. Treasury and the U.S. bank regulator, the FDIC announced that customers of Silicon

Valley Bank will be able to access frozen cash today. The emergency actions global in scope.

The U.K. orchestrating the sale of SVB's U.K. arm to HSBC for just over a dollar. The U.S. President tried to instill confidence in the banking

system just before U.S. stock markets open today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Today, thanks for the quick action of my administration over the past few days. Americans can have

confidence that the banking system is safe. Your deposits will be there when you need them. Small businesses across the country, the deposit

accounts that these banks can breathe easier knowing they'll be able to pay their workers and pay their bills. And their hard work and employees can

breathe easier as well.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Well, here's a look at how U.S. markets are doing. These, of course, are now open. You can see the S&P is down about a fifth of one

percent. The NASDAQ pretty much even and that's where the market, of course, is packed with tech stocks.

And that Dow Jones up. Again, not significantly. But I guess sort of, you know, the significance is it's higher in what is very much now an

international story. I want to bring in our reporters from across the globe for you. Rahel Solomon is in New York. Eleni Giokos is in Dubai and Anna

Stewart is in London. Let's start with you, Rahel. You've seen what the markets are doing. There were big fears over the weekend that the banking

sector would be really affected that there will be a sense of contagion, ripping through not just U.S. markets, but elsewhere.

And this is what we see today. Is Biden done enough to pause or avert the panic at this point?

RAHEL SOLOMON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: What generally seems like he's doing more than most would have expected so far, right. But if you're

looking at the markets, and you're looking at bank stocks, especially. I'm not sure that investors really buy that the financial system is completely

safe at this point because the bank stocks are sharply lower as we open this week.

And there is a real question about what exactly happened here this weekend. And who exactly benefits from this? So, essentially, Becky, what you had

here was the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Treasury Department and the Federal Reserve stepping up in unison. And, of course, the White

House stepping up in unison to announce that the FDIC will ensure not just the $250,000 that is customary, but going above and beyond that, saying

that it will ensure all deposits at SVB and any other institutions like it.

And real questions now about who ultimately benefits from this? I talked to one founder, Becky, who has her money at SVB. And she said there's a part

of the story that many people are missing. Here's what she told me.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ISA WATSON, FOUNDER AND CEO, SQUAD: My chief technology officer of a family of four in Maryland won't have a single mom engineer on my engineering

team. These are people whose families depend on our payroll, whose families depend on our ability to pay our health care premiums for their families

every month. These are very hard-working Americans that are kind of caught up in this turmoil.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SOLOMON: And so, Becky, part of that the working Americans, right, that work for these startups part of perhaps the reasoning behind what we saw

from President Biden and some of those other regulatory agencies. Will this ultimately be enough to stop panic among the larger industry? It's unclear.

CHURCH: Fascinating. What comes next for SVP at this point?

[10:05:01]

SOLOMON: Well, we just heard President Biden say that of course management will be fired, we know that investors will not get their money back, right?

That was a risk that you take when you buy securities. Bondholders will not get their money back. And so, you know, one thing that also remains to be

seen is, was there anything that happened here that was perhaps criminal, right?

I mean, we've heard President Biden say just about an hour ago, that we need a full accounting of exactly what happened here. And people need to be

held accountable. So, there will be a lot of questions in terms of what happened here. Because as we understand it right now, Becky, it doesn't

appear that anything criminal took place, it appears that this was interest rate risk. This was duration risk and some ill-timed decisions, but a lot

of questions and hopefully a lot of answers will come in the days and wants to follow.

ANDERSON: Yes. Rahel, thank you. Let's get to Anna in London. We know this contagion spread at least as far as the United Kingdom, Anna, where

billions of dollars were sitting in the British operation of SVB. HSBC has arrived as the white knight. What's the structure of its deal to buy those

U.K. operations of Silicon Valley Bank?

ANNA STEWART, CNN REPORTER: Yes. It's been a very busy weekend this side of the pond as well. Tech firms, of course, who banked with SVP U.K. extremely

worried about what would happen come Monday if there wasn't a rescue. A very different type of rescue as you say there, HSBC buying up the British

unit for the princely sum of one pound. In a statement, it said that they can confirm that all depositors' money with SVB U.K. is safe and secure as

a result of this transaction.

This deal was by no means guaranteed. It has been incredibly stressful weekend, both of those are they say you had money at the bank, but also, of

course, for the Bank of England for the U.K. Government, particularly for the Chancellor who was actually days away from his first U.K. formal

budget. Here's what Jeremy Hunt had to say once that rescue was finally sealed and signed.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JEREMY HUNT, BRITISH CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER: We were faced with a situation where we could have seen some of our most important companies,

our most strategic companies wiped out. And that would have been extremely dangerous. We have built over the last decade the third largest tech

economy in the world, after only China and the United States. So, it's very important to us as a country that this sector thrives.

And that's why the Prime Minister, I, the Bank of England, we're all rolling our sleeves up over the weekend to make sure we had a solution.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STEWART: Quite extraordinary, the chancellor there saying some of our most important companies, our most strategic companies were at threat of being

wiped out. Now this solution has been found. The CEO of HSBC Noel Quinn was speaking today. He says it makes excellent strategic sense for the bank.

I'm not so sure. Maybe the investors are as keen on the acquisition, at least not if you look at the share price at HSBC, sorry.

Shares are down today, although so are pretty much all U.K. banks, all European banks, which does make you question, are they playing catch up

from the market moves on Monday late when European markets was shut or is and I'll pick them what Rahel was saying, is there a fear here that given

the backdrop we're against with raising rising interest rates? With the frothiness of tech, is there concern here that this could spread to other

banks, despite what has been very swift action, both in the U.S. and the U.K.?

ANDERSON: Yes. And we all going to have to keep an eye on the Fed and see what the Fed does as far as monetary policy is concerned, at present, it

was a very loose monetary policy for as long as it was lose, that many are blaming for this in part. Thank you, Anna.

Eleni, let me get to you because Anna pointing out there the significance of the U.K. tech sector, we know that there is a more than nascent sort of

tech startup sector here in the UAE, particularly in Dubai, which prides itself of course, on its business-friendly reputation. Was that sector at

risk over the weekend? We certainly have seen, you know, the potential for a nightmare scenario in the U.K., had those roll up their sleeves not been

rolled up as it were and the action being taken?

ELENI GIOKOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Such a good question, right, because SVP's tentacles are stretched far and wide. And even here in the UAE and frankly,

regionally in the MENA region, as well. I caught up with some asset managers today and they said someone said that many of his clients called

in a state of panic trying to figure out liquidity options, because we've said it took 48 hours for the Federal government to come in and step in and

back those deposits.

I spoke to another asset manager who said that on Slack and WhatsApp channels, he was seeing concerning questions coming through as early as

Thursday.

[10:10:08]

And then he said he discreetly asked his clients who had exposure to SVB to try and get their money out. Those that didn't get their money out went to

bed early. You know we've got about an eight-to-nine-hour difference with Eastern time. And then they woke up in a state of panic, they had to then

try and figure out liquidity options. Many hedge funds, many other players started to circle offering 60 cents to 80 cents on the dollar to come in

and save the startups.

But here's the interesting thing about the UAE startup space, Becky. They didn't only have exposure to SVP, that a lot of them had deposits in local

banks. Some of them had cash flow for between five weeks to a year. So, they were in some way, cushioned. But yes, there has been an immense

concern about what this means from a contagion perspective. Right? There's a big question, right, perhaps now we've got protection on deposits.

But is this going to make the startup space a lot more risky when it comes to trying to access funds?

ANDERSON: Eleni is in Dubai for you. Anna is in London. Rahel, of course, in New York. Thank you all for that.

And as you can see CNN looking at this story from a -- from a global lens, you would expect us to do that here on not just the network, but on this

show specifically, and that coverage extends to our Web site where you can follow the SVB story minute by minute on our live news feed. Find expert

analysis from our digital writers on what will happen next. And we will be doing more on this as the show goes through what is the next two hours of

course because this is a two-hour show.

CONNECT WITH WORLD with me Becky Anderson. Well, it's a real few days. Those the words of Gary Lineker. The star football host consider the BBC's

biggest name says he is looking forward to getting back on air. He was suspended over a tweet criticizing the conservative government's asylum-

seeking policy. Well, that sparked a firestorm over the BBC's impartiality guidelines and free speech.

CNN's Amanda Davies joins us now live from London. Just explain what happened. Why Gary Lineker was taken off air effectively and what the BBC

has done since?

AMANDA DAVIES, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: How long have you got, Becky? I mean, chaos, unfurled, send that over after that tweet from Gary Lineker at the

back end of last week, where as you mentioned, he said that the Conservative Party's new policy on asylum, the language being used around

it was like something from Germany in the 1930s. Gary Lineker, as you mentioned, is perhaps the best well-known sports presenter on the BBC.

He is certainly the highest paid presenter on the BBC who has hosted for three decades. The most iconic sporting football program on the network,

Match of the Day. It's the kind of program that you and I grew up watching with our families on a Saturday night on television. All the family huddled

around to see what had happened in the top flight biggest football games in the country.

And this of course, the BBC is the national broadcaster. It has always talked of being an impartial network, no bias, giving the facts as they

are. And what was seen by the BBC, as a tweet from Gary Lineker was a political tweet is how they put it. They took that decision to take him off

air saying he had breached their social media guidelines. And from there, there was this domino effect with his fellow presenters and pundits.

Some of the biggest names in football refusing to take to the airwaves themselves. This is something that impacted television, it impacted radio,

it impacted the football coverage online. We had an unparalleled 20-minute edition of Match of the Day without any hosts, without any pundits. The

players, many of them from the Premier League refused to speak to the BBC. We had protests outside BBC offices and from fans inside the games

supporting Gary Lineker.

And at one point, you really didn't know how it was going to end. But we understand that talks did go on over the weekend. We had a statement

released on Monday morning from the director general of the BBC, Tim Davie, really interestingly, issuing an apology and an acknowledgement that

perhaps there was a gray area in the social media guidelines particularly for nonpolitical, non-news people on air on their organization.

[10:15:11]

He said they are going to implement an independent review. But this is the part of the clip that's been released about the discussions with Gary

Lineker.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TIM DAVIE, BBC DIRECTOR GENERAL: We've agreed and I've spent time talking to Gary, and we've had lots of discussion. Is that between now and when the

review reports, Gary will abide by the editorial guidelines. And that's where we are.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DAVIES: That was what Tim Davie said. Interestingly, Gary Lineker's series of tweets after this announcement, very much went back to the heart of this

issue, highlighting the issue of asylum seekers and refugees. He said, however difficult the last few days have been, it simply doesn't compare to

having to flee your home from persecution or war, to seek refuge in a land far away. It's heartwarming to have seen the empathy towards their plight

from so many of you.

Gary Lineker will be back on air for the BBC and the F.A. Cup game on Manchester City against Burnley on Saturday. But you suspect so many

questions have been brought up by this, Becky. It'll be a long time until we get these new guidelines and see how it -- how it actually plays out.

ANDERSON: Yes. It's fascinating, isn't it? All right, Amanda. Thank you for that.

Coming up on CONNECT THE WORLD with me Becky Anderson. Now that regional rival Saudi Arabia and Iran have agreed to reestablish diplomatic

relations, we're going to take a look at what that means for the rest of the region and the world. This is a really significant story. Stay with us

for that.

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ANDERSON: Much of the Middle East is praising that landmark agreement between regional rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran. The diplomatic breakthrough

was mediated by China and announced in Beijing on Friday. Well, many in this region, and remember, we are broadcast from the UAE. This is our

Middle East Broadcasting hub. Many in this region are hopeful that that agreement can usher in a new era of reduced hostility in some of the

region's most complex areas of conflict such as Yemen and Iraq.

The UAE which was struck in January of 2022 by missiles and drones fired by -- from Yemen by Houthi rebels welcomed the agreement and said it valued

China's role in the negotiations.

Well, my next guest says there needs to be a trust building period and actions on the ground to cement this agreement. Some may be skeptical of

Saudi intentions or indeed call this a U-turn while they are clearly not up to date with the kingdom's declared policy.

Those are words of Faisal Abbas who is the editor-in-chief of Arab News. And he joins me now live. Just let's pick that apart, if we will. And let's

see if we can sort of expand on what you wrote here. You talk about the kingdom's declared policy. I think, here you are talking about their policy

of diplomacy first. A new era of diplomacy first, which you are seeing not just in this region but around the world.

Let's just talk about that this new declared policy and how this agreement between Saudi and Iran fits into that.

FAISAL ABBAS, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, ARAB NEWS: Well, Becky, first of all, thank you very much for having me. In the wise words of Sun Tzu in the famous

book, Art, for the best battles are one without fighting. So, if this agreement can help us achieve our goals, get us where we want to be in

2030. And end this bloody chapter, which have -- we have lived through, the whole region has lived through for decades, then it's a win on all fronts.

Now, there has been some geopolitical factors that has helped in the change or accelerated this process, as you very well -- might very well remember,

in the beginning of the Biden administration. There were some not so assuring, reassuring messages sent when the Houthis were removed of the

terror list and the Patriot batteries were withdrawn from Saudi Arabia at a time when our civilians and our cities were being targeted.

For us, in Saudi Arabia, we have a very clear vision. We are headed towards 2030 to diversify away from oil, we want world class entertainment, we want

to open up new sectors. And this is an opportunity not just for Saudis but for everybody in the world who wants to come and live here and contribute

to this thriving economy. And we don't want anything to risk achieving that. Now, if Iran chooses to stay in 1979, that's their choice.

But we certainly want to go to 2030 and we cannot have that with drones and missiles hovering over our heads.

ANDERSON: There's two things I think we should explore here. Let's talk about the stickability of this deal between Saudi and Iran. And then I want

to talk about the implications for the kingdom's relationship with the U.S. because some of what you've just been describing there very much sits in

that bucket. Let's talk about Iran-Saudi relations. There have been years of hostility and these aren't regional rivals who have, you know, that

rivalry has really created a lot of conflict and crisis across this region.

So, how does the kingdom expect to get this deal to strike? They've given Iran, they've given Tehran two months before they reopen embassies. What do

they need to see in those two months to fully believe that Tehran is on board?

ABBAS: Well, look, I think everybody, especially in this part of the world, and especially in the kingdom is clear eyed. And Iran's history speaks for

itself, unfortunately, has history has a way to repeat itself. So, there's a lot of attention paid to the details. And this is probably why, as you

just mentioned, the deal wasn't signed immediately. It was given two months which I think is a very wise decision for the nitty gritty or for the

details to be agreed upon.

Under no circumstances are we expecting to wake up the next morning and everybody's suddenly hugging each other. As I said earlier, this is a

conflict that has been going on for decades, there has been previous attempts of rapprochement. But it has failed mainly due to Iran not

sticking to their end of the bargain. But we'll -- let's keep the keep an eye on the ball here, what this could possibly achieve.

By being a realist, we -- if we want to be realists, this is the first step towards a very exciting future. You and I both live in this region. Imagine

waking up one day with -- without having a war in Yemen, without having a conflict in Syria with a thriving Lebanon, with Iraq going back to its full

potential, that would be a dream come true. And that would be good for the whole region and the whole world.

What this is, it's the first step towards that direction, but I don't think anybody is expecting us to get there quickly. And I don't think anybody is

expecting us to blink during the process. However, the most recent statement from the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, just today

actually, is saying that is very reassuring, since that -- what they've said is this could possibly lead to a resolution in Yemen. And of course,

nobody in the right mind wouldn't wish that that would be true.

ANDERSON: What does this mean for the U.S.? I mean, you know, it is significant that this is a deal brokered by China.

[10:25:07]

Both Iran and Saudi Arabia have an extremely good economic relationship with China. Does this suggest that that relationship gets broader, China as

a guarantor of security going forward? China playing a larger role in the Middle East at the expense of the United States? What are your thoughts?

ABBAS: I think those who argue that point of view in the United States needs to -- what they call take a chill pill for a second and look at it

from kind of their own interest's perspective. America has a lot to gain from a stable Middle East, not just in terms of market, but in terms of

their own military and intelligence commitments to this part of the world. And to think of the passage through the Red Sea maritime security.

So, this -- first of all, first and foremost is in the absolute interest of the United States to have a stable and secure Middle East. Second of all,

you know, it wasn't like the United States approached Saudi Arabia with a proposal to resolve this and it was rejected. But the mere fact is, if we

put aside the sensitivities, which I don't think are necessary, this is a very logical step forward in the sense that the nature of these agreements

have to be shrouded in secrecy for them to be successful.

And the other thing is, you need a mediator that is trusted by both sides. Now, China has no history of aggression or colonialism in the region. It's

not like the United States, or U.K. or France, even. It has on most issues in the Middle East, it has to remain impartial, focused on trade and

commerce. And most importantly, and I will say this is, you know, the factor in this equation. It actually has leverage over China.

Sorry. China has actually leverage over Iran. It is Iran's biggest trading partner. It supplies Iran with nuclear technology with military equipment

and technology and has invested billions in the gas and -- oil and gas industry in Iran. So, if anybody has leverage over Iran, it is China. And

this is why these talks were successful.

ANDERSON: Faisal, it's good to have you. Your perspective is important, your insight and analysis on what is a very important story is invaluable

to us. Thank you very much indeed for joining us.

Well, the movie industry celebrated it's a big night on Sunday handing out the Academy Awards. The biggest story may have been just how conventional

and normal it was after last year's controversial slap by Will Smith and a couple of years of pandemic reduced Oscars. Well, in a remarkable feat all

four winners of the act -- acting prizes representing not just first-time winners, but first-time nominees as well.

And three of them came from the night's biggest winner. Everything Everywhere, all at once. That won seven Academy Awards, including Best

Director and Best Picture.

Well, you're watching CONNECT THE WORLD. Still ahead, China wrapped up its National People's Congress with strong words from its leader about the

country's military. That is after this short break.

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[10:31:00]

WALLACE: Welcome back. I'm Becky Anderson in Abu Dhabi. You are watching CONNECT THE WORLD. And you are more than welcome. It is half past 6:00 here

in the UAE. Headlines this hour. U.S. President Joe Biden has spoken in the last 90 minutes to reassure the American public that the U.S. banks are

safe. Now this is after Silicon Valley Bank imploded. SVB bank imploded over the weekend. The second largest banking collapse in history.

Well, the BBC says it's Star Sports Anchor can return to work. Gary Lineker was suspended over a tweet criticizing the British government's policy on

asylum seekers. Other sports personalities walked off the job over the weekend in solidarity with Lineker leaving the BBC sports programming in a

shambles.

Fighting rages around the clock and in close quarters in the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut. Ukraine insists its forces are still in full

control. There to the Russian private military company, Wagner claims his troops are nearing the city's center Kyiv says Wagner fighters are

suffering and I quote them here, "significant losses in their efforts to advance."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOLODYMR ZELENSKYY, PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE (through translator): In less than a week, starting from March 6, we managed to kill more than 1100 enemy

soldiers in the Bakhmut sector alone which is Russia's irreversible loss. The loss right there near Bakhmut.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: President Biden is heading to California to meet the leaders of Britain and Australia for what is known as the AUKUS partnership. Now the

three nations created the security alliance back in 2021 to counter China's growing influence in the Pacific region. Now ahead of that meeting, British

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak seen here in the middle announced his country will increase defense spending by $6 billion over the next two years.

Will Ripley joins us now. This meeting happening just after China wrapped up its National People's Congress with strong words from its reelected

president and the new defense budget of some seven percent of GDP? What can we expect to come out of this seventh meeting in California?

WILL RIPLEY, CNN SENIOR INTENATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes. 7.2 percent rise in defense spending already the world's second largest, you know, military

budget and the world's largest Navy, an impressive space force, and all of the tools that China is assembling so that they can, you know, in their

words achieve this decisive victory against those who seek to encircle and suppress the Chinese people.

The President Xi's speech was really a nationalistic tone. And we've heard that from him before, but he sharpened the tone in recent -- in recent

addresses publicly talking about bolstering national security, building the military into what he called a great wall of steel, of course, with

reference to the Great Wall of China. He said that the people's trust, the people's trust in him has been the biggest driving force.

And, you know, he talked about the fact that the Chinese people are the masters of their destiny. But in reality, Becky, as we know, the masters of

their destiny are the people in that room right there. The members of the CCP who are led by Xi Jinping who potentially now in addition to securing

this third presidency, you know, could potentially be leader for life, because he's reshuffled things in a way so that he has people around him

who say, yes, who agree with his views, and who don't push back.

And of course, that is troubling news for you know, here in Taiwan, where, you know, they accused China of encircling and suppressing them both

economically and militarily. And there are growing concerns, Becky, that with these -- this meeting next month between the U.S. House Speaker Kevin

McCarthy and the Taiwanese president Tsai ing-wen that China could once again like they did after Speaker Pelosi's visit last year in circle the

silent or engage in some sort of highly provocative military exercises to try to punish and intimidate Taiwan for meeting at a high level with U.S.

officials.

[10:35:16]

So obviously, this is the reality of the situation. It is escalating at this stage. Democracies are growing closer, autocracy -- autocracies are

growing closer, of course, China, Russia, and the end result is we don't know where this is all going to go.

ANDERSON: Will Ripley is on the story for you. Will, always a pleasure. Thank you.

Coming up. Scottie Scheffler dominates at the Players Championship (INAUDIBLE) moved up the ranks and booked a spot in the record books.

Thanks to some of the all-time greats. That is after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: Well, My Freedom Day. An initiative supported by CNN and the CNN Freedom Project is focusing on the spotting the signs of slavery this year.

A Freedom Day event last year resulted in the rescue of two underage human trafficking victims in Bolivia. In the ensuing investigation, 16 more

children were identified as potential victims.

Well, CNN interviewed April Havlin, the director of the nonprofit that organized that Bolivia event.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

APRIL HAVLIN, DIRECTOR, HOUSE OF HOPE INTERNATIONAL: If a child is not provided for, if a child is not in school, or if you see children walking

around in the time of day that they should be in school, it would be a good thing to find out what's happening with that child because a lot of times

they drop out of school. It was there in the trafficking situation.

I'm April Havlin and I direct House of Hope International. We work in Nicaragua, Honduras and Bolivia. Last year, we were celebrating My Freedom

Day. And we were scheduled to speak in several public schools near the home where we work with adolescent girls. Coming out of trafficking. And so, we

went into the school and my coworker who is a human trafficking survivor told her story to the girls.

And then, I explained to them what trafficking is. And I told them that was a trap. One little girl came forward and she said oh, my sister's already

gotten caught in this trap. And it was really heartbreaking to hear her realize what her sister had been going through and what was the reality of

her sister's life. And that brought about two young women moving into our home. One who was the older sister of one of the girls that was there on My

Freedom Day.

And another was a girl who got kicked out of school because she was being prostituted out. My Freedom Day was the absolute catalyst that brought them

getting out.

[10:40:00]

Our focus has been visiting brothels and street corners in places where the women would be in prostitution where we could talk to them but most of

those women had been trafficked a number of years ago. But we had never had an opportunity before My Freedom Day to reach out to little girls in

school. And so, we have within the last several months uncovered a large group. At least 16 underage girls elementary and middle school girls that

are being trafficked.

They were identified because of one girl that was a friend of one of the girls who came into our home because of My Freedom Day. But we're speaking

in that school this year on my Freedom Day. So, there may be many more than the 16 that we've identified.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: Well, this Thursday is My Freedom Day. CNN partnering with youngsters around the world for a student-led day of action against modern

day slavery. These students in Kosovo are pledging to take action. Have a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Small actions go a long way. Let's stay united and fighting against human trafficking.

Knowing the science saves lives. Let's take action together.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Let's end modern day slavery.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: And you can join to March the 16th is My Freedom Day. Tell us what freedom means to you and share your message on social media using the

#MyFreedomDay.

He's done it again. Scottie Scheffler is back at the top of the golf rankings with his win at the Players Championship. How big a deal is this

and how he managed to achieve something that's only done twice before by Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods. Amanda Davies in the house. Amanda?

DAVIES: Yes. It was a big win this one, Becky. He is just the third player in history to have been victorious in both the Players and the Masters in

the same year to hold them both at the same time. And we know in sport, it's all about the timing. Well, we count down very much on to this year's

masters. April the 6th is when it all kicks off at Augusta. This was a win that takes Scottie Scheffler back to the top of the world rankings.

And interestingly, ominously, for the rest he says there's still room for improvement. He was helped a little bit this weekend. Perhaps his nearest

challengers Rory McIlroy missed the cart. He said he felt he was really struggling. Jon Rahm went home after the first round through illness but

certainly all set up nicely for a couple of weeks' time at Augusta and he is without doubt the one to beat.

ANDERSON: Absolutely. Thanks, Amanda. "WORLD SPORT" after this short break. I'm back with CONNECT THE WORLD after that. Do stay with us.

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(WORLD SPORT)

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