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CNN International: Assad Moved to Russian Airbase on December 8, Russia asked him to Evacuate When Base Came Under Control; Israel Approves Plan to Expand Settlements in Golan Heights; U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Tries to Reassure Public About Unexplained Drones; Pete Hegseth Lobbies for Support on Capitol Hill; Late Rally Earns Man United Stunning Win at Man City. Aired 9-9:45a ET
Aired December 16, 2024 - 09:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[09:00:00]
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BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST, CONNECT THE WORLD: Well, this is the scene in the Bundestag where German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is facing a confidence vote
that is likely to trigger early elections. It is 03:00 p.m. in Berlin. It is 06:00 p.m. here in Abu Dhabi. I'm Becky Anderson. You're watching
"Connect World" and wherever you are watching, you're more than welcome.
Also coming up this hour after a week of silence in Russian exile, Former Syrian President Bashar Al Assad explains why he left the country. Israel's
Prime Minister gives details of his phone call with Donald Trump as tensions rise over a buffer zone with Syria. And more mysterious drone
sightings in the United States, this time forcing a military base to close its air space.
Well, the stock market in New York opens in about 30 minutes from now, and this is the state of play, as far as the futures are concerned, not giving
us particularly decent picture of whether or not this market will go up and down on the opening. Investors, though, are keeping their fingers crossed.
It seems ahead of Wednesday's Fed decision. More on that at 09:30 New York time, that is 06:30 Abu Dhabi time.
Deposed Syrian President Bashar Al Assad has issued his first public comments since he was driven from power. In a statement posted to Telegram,
he referred to his departure from Syria just over a week ago. CNN's Fred Pleitgen following this developing story, he is in Moscow for you, Fred.
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi, there Becky. And all this was posted on a Telegram channel, but used to be -- official
Telegram channel of the Syrian Presidency that had actually been disabled for a while, but has now gone back online, and that's where that statement
was posted.
So, we do have to caveat that this is allegedly by Bashar Al Assad. We're not really sure if it's him who is behind it, but it is on what used to be
the official Telegram channel of the Syrian President.
First of all, one of the things that's really interesting about it, interesting about it is that the date line that's given is Moscow in
indicating that possibly Bashar Al Assad is still here in Moscow. He has, of course, been given asylum by the Russians. But then, of course, the
details are very interesting, because he does go into detail as to what exactly happened on December 8th when the Assad Regime collapsed.
He says that until the early morning hours of December 8th that he was still in Damascus and doing his duties, as he put it, until it became clear
that the situation became untenable. I want to read you a little quote, because I do think it's fascinating to hear what he writes.
He says quote, as terrorist forces infiltrated Damascus, I moved to Latakia, which is, of course, the coastal area of Syria, and really the
heartland of the support for Bashar Al Assad, or was for a very long time, in coordination with our Russian allies to oversee combat operations, he
says.
And then he says, upon arrival at the Khmeimim Air Base, that is the Russian Air Base near Latakia, it became clear that our forces had
completely withdrawn from all the battle lines and that the last army positions had fallen, in other words, that that situation had become
untenable.
He then says that the Russian base itself came under attack, and that it was then the Russians who made the decision to conduct an emergency
evacuation of Bashar Al Assad and some of his closest confidence and members of his family to Moscow that it was not his decision.
The Russians, of course, had said that it was actually Bashar Assad himself, who had decided to cede power and indicate there was a transfer of
power, and that the decision was not made by the Russians. He's now, apparently saying something different here. There is another interesting
quote that he put out as well.
He said, at no point during these events did I consider stepping down or seeking refuge, nor was such a proposal made by any individual party. So,
we're getting some interesting takes from Bashar Al Assad. He says he still feels connected to his Syrian homeland.
Of course, absolutely unclear where he is here in Russia, but definitely an interesting take about how things apparently went down from his
perspective. At the same time, he does say at the end of this statement, he says, when the state falls into the hands of terrorism and the ability to
make meaningful contribution is lost, any position becomes void of purpose, rendering its occupation meaningless. This seemingly is Bashar Al Assad
saying that he understands that the Syrian Arab Republic is no more and the Assad Dynasty is no more, either Becky,
ANDERSON: Any further detail on his whereabouts at this point in Russia.
PLEITGEN: Yeah, absolutely not. It's been interesting because over the past couple days, we've actually been asking and over the past week or so since
he came here, we have asked the Russian Presidency.
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We've asked the Spokesman for the Kremlin, and the Kremlin has consistently denied or refused to answer those questions, saying that they are going to
leave that without comment. One of the things, of course, that we do know is that an anti-corruption report from 2019 noted that extended or members
of Assad's extended family had bought consider run of real estate in the Moscow City area of the Russian capital.
That's a high-rise area the financial district, and they allege that 19 apartments were bought by members of Assad's extended family. Now it's
unclear whether or not Assad would go to any of these places. We know that he has not been seen publicly.
But Becky, we also know that for the Assad family, for a long time, they have actually been affiliated here with the Russian capital Assad's Son,
Hafez Al Assad went to Moscow State University, wrote his PhD Dissertation there, and actually defended that Dissertation. We found that online on an
official website of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education here in Russia.
On the very same day that Aleppo fell into the hands of rebels that, of course, led to the lightning demise of the Assad Regime. But the Assad
family, certainly, at least members of it, have spent a considerable amount of time over the past couple of years here in Russia and in the Russian
capital Becky.
ANDERSON: Fred Pleitgen is in Moscow. Fred, thank you. I want to get more on this. My next guest is a leading expert in conflict, diplomacy and
political change, particularly in this region. His latest book is called "What really went wrong: The West and the failure of democracy in the
Middle East" Author and Professor, Professor Fawaz Gerges, joins me now.
And what do you make of the first word that we've allegedly or purportedly heard from Bashar Al Assad since the fall of Damascus a week ago?
FAWAD GERGES, AUTHOR,"WHAT REALLY WENT WRONG": First of all, if it's really genuine, we don't know yet if it's genuine. I think it's really more of a
justification and rationalization for Assad, why he basically left his people and his army in the -- you know in darkness, and basically packed
and left to exile point 1.
Point 2, there is nothing that Bashar Al Assad can do or can say to really heal the deep wounds and scars of his tens of thousands, probably hundreds
of thousands, of his victims. Thirdly, contrary to what he said Becky, when the opposition began their onslaught, their attack, shock attacks against,
you know, Idlib and Aleppo and Hama, Bashar Al Assad was missing in action.
He never stood up. He never addressed his people. He never addressed his military man. It was pure silence. And this tells you a great deal about
how coward Bashar Al Assad is. In fact, his followers in many parts of Syria, including the coastal areas, are enraged as his cowardice.
How he really kept him in the dark for almost two weeks and then he left alone with his family, leaving his people to really, I mean, take into
account the consequences and the implications of his 24 years of brutality of Syria?
ANDERSON: Let me just repeat a small part of what he said, and I don't think it necessarily needs to be further discussed. But at no point during
these events did I consider stepping down or seeking refuge. Nor was such a proposal made by any individual or party.
I mean, worth just picking up on that. I mean -- you know at no point was any suggestion made by any individual or party. If this is from Bashar Al
Assad, what is he referring to them? Just how significant would that part of that message be?
GERGES: Becky, because since he basically packed and escaped and run away from Damascus in the heat of darkness, even his own brother, who was in
charge of the special operation forces, reportedly did not really know that Assad was planning to flee his country.
What he was really trying to do is to rationalize, is to justify, is to defend himself, because he is trying to send a message to his supporters,
not to his enemies, because his enemies don't give a damn what he says. Is that, no, I did not leave you alone. No, I did not basically flee. No, I
did not really stab you in the back, that's what he's trying to say.
But we know from the Russians, the Russians made it very clear that the decision was mutual, that it was Bashar Al Assad who decided to really pack
and leave to Russia. Just to give you a footnote about what happened in 2011.
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The Iranians -- when Bashar Al Assad basically weaponized or militarized the peaceful Intifada in Syria in 2011 as his regime became very vulnerable
in 2012, 2013. The Iranian leadership asked Bashar Al Assad to go and live in Tehran because the situation was really becoming extremely dangerous in
Damascus.
Bashar Al Assad reportedly told the Iranians, as the Iranian leadership said, I was born here and I will die here in Damascus, quote, unquote. And
the Iranians said they realized that Bashar Al Assad was willing to fight for his regime. We know that this was really a mythology that he did not
really stand up. He did not really fight with his own people and his army. He packed and flew in the heat of the darkness.
ANDERSON: Right. As far as he's gone let's talk about what's going on, on the ground here, because that is absolutely crucial at this point for Syria
Syrians and for the wider region. Of course, the rebels led by Mohammed Al Jolani are working towards sort of international legitimacy, the Biden
Administration, the UK now the EU sending diplomats to assess new leaders in Damascus.
We've seen regional countries sending their diplomats back into Damascus. One of the things that the rebels or the opposition are now looking for is
the rapid lifting of some of the sanctions that would help ensure that Syria can get back on its feet.
Now just how important is that? How likely is that? And I guess before that, there needs to be international recognition for those who are
effectively putting a new sort of infrastructure in place. Are they going to get that international recognition at this point do you believe?
GERGES: Really, because the United States and the European Union have made it very clear, they want to see a transitional government by which all
members, all elements, aspect of the opposition, are represented. They want to make sure there is a unity government in which the multiplicity of
Syria's various communities is represented. This is point one.
And point two, they really want to see actions on the ground, as opposed to really promises. Because, as you know, the rhetoric and the promises by
Ahmadi Shara (ph), who is -- you know Abu Mohammad Al Jolani Hayat Tahrir Sham are very reassuring, very promising, but both the Americans and the
Europeans and the Arab countries have made it very clear they want to see actions.
So, what the Americans and the Europeans are doing, they're using the sanctions and the designation of terrorism as a carrot and stick. They want
to really, basically, they're offering carrots to --
ANDERSON: Sure.
GERGES: -- Abu Mohammad Al Jolani. They want to see a transitional government, a unity government. So far, I think without a unity government,
without a transitional government, I doubt it very much whether the Biden Administration or the Trump Administration will lift the sanctions.
Becky, you really zeroed in on a very important point. The American sanctions, European sanctions have popularized the Syrian people.
Literally, you have 70 percent of the Syrian people who need humanitarian aid. Literally, without lifting the sanctions, Syria cannot really take
off, cannot really basically recover, cannot begin the process of healing all nation building.
And that's why everyone is waiting to see what kind of a transitional government is set up in Damascus in the next, I mean, after March, because
now what you really have is a Hayat Tahrir Sham in term authority led by Mr. Ahmed Al-Sharaa or Abu Muhammad Al Jolani so the entire world --
ANDERSON: Yeah.
GERGES: -- or most of the world is waiting to see a broader, more representative transitional government after March.
ANDERSON: It's going to be really interesting see how this plays out. And so important, so important what's going on there is so significant. Fawad
it's always good to have you providing us some insight and analysis as ever, extremely useful. Thank you.
Well, on a very friendly, very warm and very important conversation. Those are the words Benjamin Netanyahu is using to describe his weekend phone
conversation with Donald Trump. Now the Israeli Prime Minister says he and the U.S. President-Elect talked about completing an Israeli victory over
Hamas in Gaza and bringing the hostage home.
That phone call coming as the Israeli government approves Mr. Netanyahu's plan to expand settlements in the Golan Heights, strategic area once part
of Southwestern Syria that Israel has occupied since the 1967 Arab Israeli war.
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The expansion plan, drawing condemnation from Qatar, from Saudi Arabia, and indeed from the UAE. Qatar's government, calling it a blatant violation of
international law. Jeremy Diamond, connecting us from Tel Aviv.
Two things to discuss here, but they all both coagulate around what is going on in region and what happens next. Of course, let's talk more first
about the Trump net new phone call and its potential significance. What do we understand to be going on with regard cease fire hostage plan, Gaza?
JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: Well, not a lot of detail was provided about the specifics of the call between Netanyahu and Trump, but
there's enough there that we can kind of read between the lines and understand the critical timing of that conversation and what it tells us
about the kind of broader pattern here.
We know that the Israeli Prime Minister spoke with President-elect Trump about the ongoing negotiations to try and reach a cease fire and hostage
deal. The Israeli Prime Minister himself said that they spoke about the quote, need to complete Israel's victory, but also about the need to free
the hostages.
And so, you can hear in that certainly that the Israeli Prime Minister is trying to make the case for both getting to a deal, but also perhaps not
ending the war in Gaza altogether until Hamas is completely defeated, as he continues to kind of pursue this total victory that he has promised the
Israeli public since October 7th of last year.
What we also know, though, is that the Biden Administration and the incoming Trump Administration have been really working quite closely
together to try and see if a deal is achievable and not necessarily that that deal would have to wait until President-elect Trump takes the oath of
office on January 20.
Rather when we saw the National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan, here in Tel Aviv last week. He talked about his hope that it through his travels in
Israel, but then subsequently to Cairo and to Doha, that he could put in place what would be needed to get a deal by the end of the month.
And so that seems to be what all of the parties are racing towards, is to see whether or not, in the coming weeks, if a deal can indeed be put
together. We heard the Israeli Defense Minister today say in a -- as he was testifying before the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Knesset the Israeli
parliament that a deal is, quote, closer than ever.
We have, of course, heard such optimistic pronouncements from other officials in the past, and Jake Sullivan was very cautious on Friday to
say, you know, I've been optimistic before. We thought we were close before, and we did not get there. So, they don't want to say that a deal is
done until it actually is.
But certainly, there is cause for optimism, and the parties seem to be narrowing the gaps. How soon they can actually do that, and whether they
can get it over the finish line is anyone's guess at this point.
ANDERSON: And we'll do more on the Israeli government's approval of Netanyahu's plan to expand settlements in the Golan Heights in the show.
The show, of course, a two-hour show. We'll get more on that coming up. Jeremy for the time being, thank you. Catastrophic and apocalyptic words
being used today describe the devastation in Mayotte after Cyclone Chido tore through the French archipelago in the Indian Ocean.
The destruction immense, the category four storm slams into the two main islands with winds topping 220 kilometers per hour. While 11 people are
confirmed dead, local officials there believe the actual death toll will reach the hundreds, even the thousands. Jim Bittermann has the very latest
for you.
JIM BITTERMANN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Officials are still trying to figure out exactly what extent the island has been damaged. It's
obviously it's a catastrophe. One of the hotel owners on the island said it was like an atomic bomb that hit. He said his hotel has been completely
destroyed.
Other officials on the islands reflect that comment exactly and point out the fact that the communications have been lost. The electricity is down.
It's a quite a bit of damage to an island that's very remote. This island is off the coast of Africa, between Africa and Madagascar, and about 900
miles from the closest French possession, next French possession, which is La Reunion, the French officials have set up an aerial bridge now.
We're trying to commute in aid and resources as much as possible. They've already committed about 1600 -- and there's another 800 rescue workers on
their way.
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And President Macron says he's going to convene a crisis meeting this evening at the interior minister. But it's quite a disaster, and probably
be sometime before we know exactly how bad it is. Jim Bittermann, CNN, Gilles, France.
ANDERSON: Well, we can speak now to Guy Taylor with UNICEF. He is chief of advocacy, communications and partnerships in Mozambique, and he joins me on
the phone. As I understand it, UNICEF on the ground at this point, what are your team seeing?
GUY TAYLOR, UNICEF MOZAMBIQUE: Yeah, absolutely. UNICEF is on the ground, and we've been here since before the arrival of the cyclone. Yesterday, as
the cyclone passed over, we were able to make an initial assessment of impact on the City of Pemba, and already saw not a lot of very serious
damage and devastation going around the city.
Today, our teams that have been able to get into the more rural areas, areas which at the best of times, are very difficult to reach, and there
we've seen a lot more serious devastation. So, people, destruction of people's houses, many children, many families left with nothing.
Health care facilities, schools taken out of action, and many much of the public infrastructure heavily damaged, electricity, water supply systems.
So definitely a very difficult situation here in Mozambique.
ANDERSON: And there are reports that whilst 11 are confirmed dead, the death toll could be in the hundreds, if not thousands. Does that tally with
what your teams are telling you?
TAYLOR: I think we're only in a very early stage of being able to appreciate the full impact of the cyclone here in Mozambique. The
government has released some very initial death tolls, I understand, with reporting three deaths, but I think those numbers are likely to go up
potentially substantially as we get in touch with those more remote communities and understand what's happening there.
And really for us, the big concern is also the longer-term impact. We have a lot of standing water here. We have the potential for water borne
diseases, for cholera, for malaria, for diarrhea, big killers of children. And this is already in the country which is extremely vulnerable.
We have 3.7 million, sorry, 3.4 million children in this country in need of humanitarian assistance. And this kind of shock is really not something
which Mozambique is set up to be able to deal with.
ANDERSON: And I've covered cyclones there in the past, and I'm aware of just how fragile things are. What help do you need in UNICEF's effort at
this point?
TAYLOR: Yeah, that's right. I mean Mozambique is getting hammered with cyclones year after year. We've had Kenneth. You've had Idai, Anna, Gombe,
Freddy. So, it's really it can't catch a break. We need additional resources. Certainly, I think the scale of the need is out is much larger
than we have the capacity to deal with.
We're working very closely with our partners. We're supporting government in their efforts to respond. But the need is very large, and it was large
even before the onset of this cyclone. I mean, we've been calling for additional resources to meet the needs of those 3.4 million children, and
really, this certainly exacerbates the situation for them and for other people in Mozambique.
ANDERSON: It's good to have you, Guy, thank you very much indeed. And Guy talking about the situation there in Mozambique, and we know on the island
of things are just absolutely catastrophic. We'll stay on this story, of course, and the more information we get into CNN, you will get as quickly
as we get it in here.
Well, still to come, mystery in the skies. Do possible drone sightings reported on the U.S. East Coast over the weekend, and now it's become a
disruption to critical agencies. Details on that are just ahead.
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ANDERSON: Strange lights in the skies and confusion and concern on the ground, Ohio now the latest state on the U.S. East Coast where mysterious
drone activity is being reported. Sightings over the weekend forced Wright Patterson, one of America's most critical Air Force bases, to close its air
space for several hours.
Now, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas trying to reassure the public in saying on Sunday. Federal officials are not aware of any direct
national security concerns tied to the sightings. CNN's Polo Sandoval is on this story. He's live in New York, which is one of the states that had
these mysterious, possible drone sightings.
The Homeland Security Secretary trying to reassure the public. Is he doing so? I mean, what is going on at this point? What have you learned about the
latest reported sightings and what or who they are?
POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: So, Becky. In order to answer that first question, all you have to do is listen to what Senator Richard Blumenthal
of Connecticut told CNN this morning in an interview he represents one of the states where the sightings have been reported, Becky. And he said that
the secretary, the DHS Secretary, reassurance falls flat given the lack of information.
The senator also raised an important question. I say important because I think it really does echo the sentiment from New Jersey leaders on the
ground who are basically asking at this point, a month into this mystery. Is it that the U.S. government is not sharing everything it knows, or does
it not know everything it should?
And I think that certainly is a fair question, given the concerns that we have heard from people on the ground. But also going back to the -- what we
heard from the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security over the weekend. I think he also said something important here, which is recognize
that a majority of the sightings, according to the DHS and the FBI, who is investigating this, are airplanes.
The secretary did recognize that some of them are not, specifically said that some of those drones. So, I think that that certainly will be at least
a welcome comment by some of those on the ground who had largely felt overlooked or largely ignored or brushed aside that they were simply
looking at airplanes.
And again, that very well may be the case in most of these sightings. But what you have now, at least the latest, is the U.S. government continuing
to maintain that this does not, according to them, pose any sort of public threat or threat to Homeland Security, and that also a large percentage of
them are, in fact, airplanes.
But then finally, to what you just mentioned earlier, the disruption there at an air base, a critical air base in Ohio over the weekend. It really
does speak to the disruptive potential of this, with officials having to halt air traffic temporarily as they assess the situation. Now, to be
clear, the leadership at that base to determine that none of these drone incursions impacted the base.
But this is really just the implications of what we've seen for the last several weeks now, not just when it comes to the military, but also for
civilian aircraft, where, over the weekend, two individuals were arrested after flying drones dangerously close to Boston Logan, one of the busiest
airports in the country.
ANDERSON: Polo, good to have you. Thank you.
SANDOVAL: Thank you, Becky.
ANDERSON: And we will do more news after this.
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ANDERSON: Welcome back. I'm Becky Anderson in Abu Dhabi. Time here just after half past 6 in the evening. You're watching "Connect the World" for
the indices were looking for direction state side at the beginning of the show half an hour ago. Let's see if that is still the case, as the markets
are now out of the gate and open in New York, and that is the picture.
They found a bit of direction, just as far as the DOW is concerned. Anyway, the other two were cracking on. We are following another critical day on
Capitol Hill for Donald Trump's cabinet picks. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump's choice for Health and Human Services Secretary is meeting with
senators today to build support for what is his controversial nomination.
Kennedy, a vaccine skeptic, aims to shake up federal health agencies. And Trump speak for Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth returns to the Hill to
try and build support for himself among lawmakers. He is trying to quell concerns among key lawmakers about a series of allegations against him.
Well CNN's Steve Contorno joins us live from West Palm Beach in Florida. These two candidates' high profile, certainly very high profile at this
point. What is the sense, as far as the Trump team is concerned about the likelihood, or not of these two getting support on the Hill, critical
support?
STEVE CONTORNO, CNN REPORTER: Well, let's start with, yeah. Let's start with Pete Hegseth, who obviously had gone through a difficult time on
Capitol Hill with some of his meetings in recent weeks as these controversies have continued to come out about his past, including
accusations of sexual assault, accusations of mismanagement of the charity that he helped run, accusations of a drinking problem.
He has addressed a lot of these head on, in a way that the Trump transition team feels has allowed him to get behind these problems, and they are
looking ahead to much more positive reception on Capitol Hill going forward. You know, there's obviously he -- there was a point where Trump
was considering whether or not to pull the plug on Hegseth, as he did with his Attorney General pick Matt Gaetz.
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But that seems to be no longer the case, and at least for now, Trump is standing behind him, and in fact, the two appear together side by side at a
football game over the weekend, and then, as far as RFK Jr., this will be his first time on Capitol Hill since he was named the nominee to lead the
U.S. health agencies.
And he is expected to meet with about 25 Republican senators in the coming days where and he has his work cut out for him a bit to ask to wage fears,
not only about his outlier positions on vaccines, which rank gold Senator Mitch McConnell last week, himself a polio survivor, but also on abortion.
He is someone who has a long record of being in favor of access to abortion, and that is obviously not a position that is in line with the
Republican Party. So, he has a long way to go on that front as well, but at the time being, the Donald Trump transition team remains confident that he
will get support, not only from Republicans.
But they believe that there might be one or two Democrats who are aligned with RFK Jr. on some other issues, such as the environment and going after
Big Pharma and getting forever chemicals out of household goods that might actually make him someone who could get a couple bipartisan support as
well.
ANDERSON: Yeah, I think we could go so far as to say the Donald Trump daring these lawmakers to challenge his cabinet choices. Let's see how that
lands. Steve Contorno on the story. Thank you. Well, some analysts call Donald Trump's controversial cabinet choices a show of defiance against the
political establishment, and while Washington gears up for confirmation hearings in January.
Republican U.S. Senator Mitt Romney says the Senate has a responsibility to fully vet Trump's picks, but Romney, a long-time critic of Donald Trump,
also concedes that Trump and his MAGA movement have power and momentum in their favor.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. MITT ROMNEY (R-UT): MAGA is the Republican Party and Donald Trump is the Republican party today. And if you were to ask me who the nominee will
be in 2028 it will be JD Vance. The Republican Party has become the party of the working-class, middle-class voter.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: We may learn this week, whether the man accused of killing United Healthcare CEO, Brian Thompson will be extradited to New York. Now
Manhattan's District Attorney says there are indications that Luigi Mangione may decide not to contest his extradition from Pennsylvania.
Right now, he is behind bars there while he faces charges in both states. CNN has learned as well, at the New York Governor's office will host a call
with business leaders and law enforcement officials on Tuesday to discuss security measures for executives in the wake of Thompson's murder.
Well, two Russian cargo ships carrying oil are in distress between the country's mainland and annexed Crimea. That is, according to Russian
emergency officials who are blaming bad weather. Video circulating on Telegram appears to show a large Russian ship snapped in two. CNN hasn't
been able to verify the location.
Russia says a helicopter rescue team provided assistance after one vessel ran aground and was damaged. TASS news agency says the crews have been
evacuated from both ships. One person is reported to have died. There is no suggestion the incidents are related to Russia's war in Ukraine.
Well, straight ahead troubled times for Manchester City, as they are stumbling from one defeat to another. What has gone wrong for that English
Premier League team? More on that is coming up.
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ANDERSON: Well, it was another awful night in the Premier League competition for Manchester City at least. The defending champions lost at
their home stadium, the Etihad, two rivals, Manchester United and their fans. Well, they were utterly shell shocked. And let's find out whether
this Man City team at present is, as some are suggesting, broken beyond repair.
I doubt that, but Andy Scholes joins me now. You know, it was at the back end of this match that it all fell apart for Manchester City, but they've
been on this shocking run. What do you make of what you saw?
ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: It just seems like it's one of those, you know, years is just nothing's going right, right now, Becky, and
something not used to, you know, four straight Premier League titles, 6 of 7. You know, their fans have had it good for a very long time now, but the
pace just seems off.
And in all of these games, something seems to be going wrong. They have now lost 8 of 11. They only have one win in their last 11 in all competitions.
Pep Guardiola saying, you know, everyone's got to be better from the top down, from the players all the way to him, and we'll see if they can right
the ship.
But it just seems like right now, it's just one of those seasons and years where it's just not going to go right. And at some point, right, Becky, you
can't win forever, right? You're going to fall stumble at some point. It seems like this may be the year for Man City.
ANDERSON: Yeah. But it -- yeah, absolutely, but you can't lose forever either.
SCHOLES: Right.
ANDERSON: So, you know, let's see what happens going for but it is a shocking state of affairs. But more on that coming up in "World Sport".
SCHOLES: Yeah.
ANDERSON: That is, after the break. We will be back in 15 minutes for the second hour of "Connect the World". Stay with us, all for that.
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