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Connect the World
CIA Director: U.S. has Paused Intelligence Support to Ukraine; Trump: Abbey Gate Terror Suspect Charged, Extradited to U.S.; Elon Musk Expected to Brief U.S. House Republicans on DOGE Work; Pope Francis to Remain in Hospital for Ash Wednesday; Gaza Truce Uncertain as Trump Pushes Reconstruction Plan. Aired 9-10a ET
Aired March 05, 2025 - 09:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[09:00:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST, CONNECT THE WORLD: Well, this is the scene in Washington this morning after President Trump laid out his agenda to
lawmakers late yesterday. It is now 09:00 a.m. in the U.S. capital. It is 06:00 p.m. here in Abu Dhabi. I'm Becky Anderson, and you are watching
"Connect the World".
Also coming up, President Trump's trade war heating up as he doubles down on his policies in his address to Congress -- between Volodymyr Zelenskyy
and the U.S. President, after Mr. Trump revealed a letter from the Ukrainian Leader. Plus, Pope Francis continues his recovery as Catholics
around the globe mark Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent.
Well, the stock market in New York opens about 30 minutes from now. Futures indicating a more positive start to the day, positive to mix, quite
frankly, comments from Trump's Commerce Secretary, indicating that the U.S. President could be open to a trade deal with Canada and Mexico.
That seemingly calming some nerves after what have been some punishing sessions of late, including yesterday. We begin though with breaking news.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe says that the U.S. has now paused both intelligence support and weapons shipments to Ukraine.
Ratcliffe saying President Trump and a real question about whether Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was committed to the peace process
after last Friday's tense Oval Office exchange between the two leaders. But Ratcliffe did express hope today that the pause would soon be lifted
following a letter from Ukrainian President to Mr. Trump.
Let's get the latest from CNN's Chief International Security Correspondent Nick Paton Walsh. He is live for you in Kyiv, in Ukraine. What do we know
at this point about what it is exactly that the U.S. has paused?
NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Well, we knew just 24 hours ago that military aid had been paused, but we got an
indication from Ukrainian source and intelligence sharing, which is utterly vital for Ukraine to often target Russian positions. Know what the Russians
are doing that appeared to be continuing.
But CIA Director John Radcliffe telling Fox Business this morning that this was something that also had been paused along with the military aid. Now he
described this small as something that had led to the sense of rapprochement, we got last night when President Trump spoke -- about a
letter that he had received from President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
That letter, he said, showed that they were willing to sign the rare earth minerals deal at a time that was convenient for the White House. They were
committed to peace. And earlier in the day, Zelenskyy had described, both on video and in a social media posting that he felt that the Oval Office
scene, which many here in Ukraine felt, was essentially him being ganged up on by two of the most powerful men in the world.
That he felt that was regrettable, Zelenskyy did. So, a real effort by Kyiv here, despite, I think how many Ukrainians have interpreted those White
House scenes to try and bridge the gap. Yet, it does appear that that hasn't radically changed matters as yet, as Radcliffe is essentially
suggesting that he thinks the pause in intelligence sharing and military aid will be lifted as we see the Ukrainians move closer back towards the
peace process.
I should point out the Ukrainians have never been against the peace process. It's the kind of peace process that they're being asked to sign up
to, that they and their European allies are wary of. I should also add that Trump's National Security Advisor, Mike Waltz, has also said in the last
hours that he thinks they can nail down these negotiate.
If we can nail down these negotiations and move these negotiations forward and put some confidence building measures back on the table, then the
president will take a hard look at lifting this pause. So, a suggestion too that Ukraine hasn't made enough steps yet that they want to see them make
more -- to see more engaged in a peace process.
For this to be lifted, I should bear in mind between 20 percent to 40 percent of Ukraine's aid comes from the United States, depending on how
you're counting it, and it's the vital stuff that no one else can really replace. It's the patriot air defense missiles.
[09:05:00]
It's the intelligence that we were talking about. So, it is crippling to have this taken away. And we've talked to Ukrainian officials who talk
about a critical ammunition artillery shortage by May at the latest, patriots could run out in a matter of weeks. So, people will die as a
result of this pause, if it continues too much longer, what is not clear.
I think, for those around President Zelenskyy is exactly the kind of peace that they are being asked to commit to. Is this a general feeling amongst
President Trump and his advisers that Zelenskyy is willing to commit to peace that's not something he's ever rejected. It's just a form that they
are concerned about.
Is it him signing up to a European process which appears to be underway. Indeed, Zelenskyy suggested some sort of ideas around that a prisoner swap,
a partial ceasefire in air sea and against energy infrastructure targets. Or is it the peace process that's happening on a separate track between
Moscow and Washington, in which both Europe and the Ukrainians are not involved?
That's not clear, and I think that leads to a sense of unease hearing Kyiv as to exactly what the pressure is for where it's trying to get Kyiv to
agree to and I think that is something we need to probably hear more from the White House going forward. But the fact that this kind of worst
possible option of halting intelligence sharing, that's really the something that is deeply crippling, potentially, to the Ukrainians.
The fact that that has been done since the Oval Office shows the extent of the leverage the White House is using here, and probably the extent of the
work that needs to be done to heal that relationship. It sounded like it was back on track last night, but clearly the messaging from the White
House as they feel Kyiv needs to do more.
ANDERSON: Good to have you, Nick. Nick, responding to the CIA Director John Ratcliffe, who has said that the U.S. has now paused both intelligence
support and weapons shipments to Ukraine. More on that as we get it. Well, we are just getting started. Donald Trump's message to the country during
his address to Congress on Tuesday, coming after what has been, frankly, a head spinning first six weeks of what is his second term as U.S. President.
Mr. Trump touting what he says are tremendous early achievements, whilst also blasting Democrats, including Former President Joe Biden. The
president also making false claims about inflation and immigration issues at the forefront of last year's campaign, and glossing over the potential
impact of tariffs that went into effect on Tuesday on America's top trading partners.
His campaign style speech met with delight by his supporters and disdain from his distractors.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: America is back. Six weeks ago, I stood beneath the dome of this capital and proclaimed the
dawn of the golden age of America. From that moment on, it has been nothing but swift and unrelenting action to usher in the greatest and most
successful era in the history of our country.
Other countries have used tariffs against us for decades, and now it's our turn to start using them against those other countries. We have been ripped
off for decades by nearly every country on Earth. Democrats sitting before me for just this one night, why not join us in celebrating so many
incredible wins for America. We won the popular vote by big numbers and won counties in our country.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well near the end of that clip, you see Democratic Congressman Al Green, standing and waving his cane, he was escorted out of the House
chamber for interrupting the president's speech at the order of House Speaker Mike Johnson. We are now joined by CNN Political Commentator S.E.
Cupp, and I want to talk about tariffs very specifically.
Let's start though with what you saw as the key takeaways from that. What was it nearly, or just more than 90-minute speech?
S.E. CUPP, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Yeah, I think he said a lot of things that a lot of American voters wanted to hear. He said that, you know, the
American economy was back. He talked about America First. He talked about the DOGE cuts. These are all things that Americans want to hear.
It's why he got voted in. They want an end to fraud and waste. They want the economy to get better. They want us to get out of, you know, needless
wars.
[09:10:00]
But if you weren't interested in the facts that all sounded great when you peel it back and you ask, well, is the American economy better? No, not,
not yet, and with tariffs, it might get worse. Is Trump putting America first by pulling out of Ukraine and embarrassing the Ukrainian President
and weakening us on the world stage, TBD, right?
I mean, so I think what he was doing was telegraphing to his voters, because he doesn't have actual good economic news, telegraphing to his
voters, we're on it. We're doing the things you wanted us to do, but as our fact checkers have found not a lot of evidence that he has, and actually he
said a lot of things that were just not true.
ANDERSON: We are 20 minutes or so away from the open on Wall Street. Futures are weak, S. E., following what was a punishing session on Tuesday,
not a session, frankly, that Donald Trump would have liked seeing. He loves to see in the arrows pointing north, doesn't he?
You know, green across the board. He's more interested, many will say, in what is going on Wall Street than what is going on Main Street.
CUPP: Yeah.
ANDERSON: But look, these investors hate uncertainty, and that is what they've got on tariffs at this point. Trump has been warning of some short-
term pain for long term gain. His commerce secretary, suggesting that there is some flexibility, at least when it comes to Canada and Mexico -- your
take on what you believe Trump's tariff strategy is at this point?
CUPP: I think he's using it as a carrot and a stick. It's a threat. I think there are too many people around him who know just historically how bad
tariffs are. No one wins a trade war. These are economic certainties. This is an economic theory. Tariffs are bad. Tariffs punish American taxpayers
and the consumer.
They're going to punish our other countries as well, and are including our allies. So that's for sure. I have to imagine he's using them as a threat.
And when he first came into office, that's exactly what he did to some success. He got some things he wanted out of those threats, and then rolled
back the threat.
Now he's ramping up the threat. But listen, both sides are claiming a result on this. You know, MAGA is claiming the tariffs are going to work
and the economy is going to be great. We don't know that that's true. In fact, I believe that won't be true, but and on the left, they're claiming,
you know, tariffs will be a disaster.
We also don't know that that's true yet. We've got to see this play out. But I believe he's using them just like he does lawsuits as a threat. The
threat is sometimes enough to move the wheels.
ANDERSON: What's your take on how the Democrats performed? And I use that word very specifically. What's your take on how the Democrats performed
Tuesday?
CUPP: Not great. Listen, you know, getting kicked out using ping pong paddles for some reason, looks a little silly and unserious. If Democrats
are to believe that Donald Trump is an existential threat to America, this sort of looks a little silly. And frankly, they risk looking like not just
that they're against Trump, but that they're against Americans.
When they don't stand for a kid who survived cancer, or a mom who lost a daughter to murder, or for law enforcement, they look like they're against
Americans. And listen, I want Democrats to figure this out. We need healthy checks against the presidency, and Republicans who seem to have unfettered
power, but they have definitely not figured this out yet.
They're still having arguments over whether Biden should have stayed in the race, and the arguments they need to be having are about whether their
policies actually worked for Americans or they didn't.
ANDERSON: It's good to have you. Thank you very much indeed. S.E. Cupp on the news of the day, or certainly the news of the past 12 hours. Thank you.
During President Trump's wide-ranging address to Congress, he announced that the U.S. has apprehended, quote, the top terrorist involved in the
2021 bombing at Kabul's airport Abbey Gate in Afghanistan.
Mohammed Sharifullah is accused of planning that attack that killed 13 U.S. service members and at least 170 Afghan civilians during the Biden
Administration's chaotic withdraw from Afghanistan. Now, in his speech, President Trump thanked Pakistan for helping the U.S. arrest Sharifullah,
who is named in his indictment as an ISIS-K operative.
[09:15:00]
CNN's Zachary Cohen joining us now from Washington with more. What do we know about this terror suspect charged and extradited to the United States?
ZACHARY COHEN, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY REPORTER: Yeah, Becky. I'm told that ultimately, it was intelligence the CIA shared with Pakistan that led to
the arrest of Mohammed Sharifullah, and look who has been extradited to the United States and where he faces criminal charges related to his alleged
role in the Abbey Gate bombing.
Terrorism charges allegedly providing material support to a terrorist organization that the indictment identifies as ISIS-K. And look Donald
Trump pointing to this arrest last night during his speech as a success both for the U.S.-Pakistan relationship, as you mentioned, thank the
Pakistan.
Pakistani President for their role in apprehending Mohammed Sharifullah but look also Donald Trump using this arrest to -- a contrast between himself
and Joe Biden, who he's repeatedly criticized for his handling of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan back in 2020 -- 2021.
So, look, this is obviously being used for both domestic political reasons by Donald Trump as sort of and being celebrated as a win for the Trump
Administration. We've seen several senior, top Trump Administration officials come out publicly this morning and really emphasizing that this
was the largely the work of this president and his top officials.
So again, thank you the Pakistanis for their role in this, but also really leaning into the idea that this is something that Joe Biden had the
opportunity to do and didn't.
ANDERSON: Good to have you, sir, thank you. We are getting some breaking news out of the U.S. Supreme Court. The justices have just rejected
President Trump's request to keep billions in foreign aid that had been approved by Congress, frozen. Let's get you straight to Katelyn Polantz,
who is in Washington, Katelyn.
KATELYN POLANTZ, CNN CRIME AND JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Becky, this is not a fully definitive end to this case, but this is a case over the money of
USAID that is going out to contractors and nonprofits implementing foreign aid around the world. What the Trump Administration had done was shut off
that money.
A lower court judge at the trial level had told the administration turn it back on and pay out those companies that you owe $2 billion this was last
week by a midnight deadline. The administration said they couldn't do that, and so they went to the Supreme Court asking for some sort of intervention.
Let Donald Trump as president turn off that money if he wants to. And what the Supreme Court is saying today is they're not going to step in and let
that happen as definitively right now. They're saying the district judge, the trial level judge, Judge Amir Ali in Washington, D.C. He has a little
bit more direction now to figure this out.
He is empowered. This is not just a case over foreign aid and whether that money is going to be paid out, that's going to continue being fought over
in the court system. This is also a case, Becky, about the power of the presidency and whether district court judges, lower court judges in federal
courts across the country are going to be able to step in and stop Trump or other things he's trying to do across the administration in an emergency
way.
And there are four justices in the minority of the Supreme Court today who are quite unhappy with how the Supreme Court is empowering a lower court
judge in this situation. Justice Alito in a dissent joined by Justice Thomas, Justice Gorsuch, Justice Kavanaugh, that's the right-wing flag of
the bench.
Writes, does a single district court judge who likely lacks jurisdiction have the unchecked power to compel the government of the United States to
pay out 2 billion taxpayer dollars. The answer to that question should be an emphatic no, but a majority of this court apparently thinks otherwise. I
am stunned.
Those are strong words from Justice Alito, highlighting the split here between him and the five justices in the majority of the Supreme Court,
having this continue to play out at the trial level of a court where Donald Trump wants to end everything that USAID is doing and all of the contracts
that they are paying right now into foreign aid, Becky.
ANDERSON: Yeah, this is $2 billion owed to contractors for work they've already performed. Of course, it's good to have you, Katelyn, thank you.
Coming up, he was in the room to hear the boss deliver his remarks to Congress on Tuesday. Now Elon Musk is heading back to Capitol Hill to
update House Republicans on his efforts to reduce the U S federal government.
And Arab leaders reach an agreement on alternative for to Donald Trump's plan to turn Gaza into a Riviera. How the U.S. is responding to that plan,
is up next.
[09:20:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Well later today, U.S. House Republicans, will be briefed on the Elon Musk led Department of Government Efficiency, also known as DOGE. Amid
mass firings of federal workers, major funding cards, Musk is expected to hold a closed-door meeting on Capitol Hill with Republicans and provide an
update on the quote ongoing work of the department.
CNN Congressional Correspondent Lauren Fox joining us live from Capitol Hill. You hear a lot of talk in the corridors there. Lauren, what are you
hearing about? What he is likely to tell lawmakers? And does he have unanimous support from this group for the work that he is carrying out with
his team?
LAUREN FOX, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It's not that unusual for Elon Musk to have conversations with lawmakers on Capitol Hill. Obviously, it's
notable that he's coming to the Hill for this meeting, but he did just meet with a group of Republican Senators last week who had some concerns in
their closed-door meeting with the roll out of what DOGE is doing.
And specifically, you know, one of the senators that I talked to after that Senate briefing made clear that Musk needs to communicate more clearly what
is and what is not happening. And then needs to be more responsive in terms of communication with the Hill when it comes to lawmakers being able to
register any concerns that they have or any concerns that their constituents have.
Because one of the challenges for Republicans right now is they overall support the idea of ridding the government of waste, fraud and abuse. But
they also are very cognizant of how changes that are made too quickly, too swiftly, if you take a buzz saw to some of these agencies, what it can do
to their constituents back home.
So, one of the big takeaways from that meeting last week, and I expect House Republicans may have a similar concern, is just to open the lines of
communication a little more, to have a clear number that senators and lawmakers can call on Capitol Hill when they need to register a concern.
So that was a key takeaway. I expect that that's going to come up tonight. Obviously, Trump has a lot more support lock, lot more of a lock on the
Republicans in the House of Representatives than he does with some Republicans in the Senate. So, I think that dynamic may be slightly
different.
And a lot of these House Republicans just represent fewer people right than a U.S. Senator who represents an entire state and may have a much broader
sense of concerns from their constituents. So, I think that this meeting tonight probably will go relatively smoothly, but those lines of
communication being opened up are clearly something that some Republicans have expressed concern about in the past.
ANDERSON: Good to have you, Lauren, thank you.
[09:25:00]
We'll tip the tap tariffs in a heated trade war. Just ahead, U.S. President Donald Trump declares his policies will make America rich again. More on
that. And the open of the stock exchanges on Wall Street, after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back. I'm Becky Anderson in Abu Dhabi. You are watching "Connect the World". These are your headlines. U.S. President Donald Trump
taking credit for swift, unrelenting action on his agenda in his speech to the U.S. Congress. The president claimed to have accomplished more in his
first six weeks back in office than some presidents did in their entire terms.
He also made repeated false statements on issues like inflation and immigration. Well, CIA Director John Ratcliffe says the U.S. has paused
intelligence support for Ukraine after last Friday's tense Oval Office exchange between Presidents Trump and Zelenskyy.
But Radcliffe expressed hope that the pause will soon be lifted, and emphasized his commitment to working with Ukraine towards achieving peace,
following a letter from the Ukrainian President to Mr. Trump yesterday. Whatever they tax us, we will tax them. U.S. President Donald Trump
promising reciprocal tariffs against Mexico, China and Canada.
During that address to Congress, the president defending his tariff policies, vowing they will make America rich again by bringing back
fairness to international trade and promoting American industry.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: If you don't make your product in America, however, under the Trump Administration, you will pay a tariff, and in some cases, a rather large
one. Other countries have used tariffs against us for decades, and now it's our turn to start using them against those other countries. We have been
ripped off for decades by nearly every country on Earth, and we will not let that happen any longer.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[09:30:00]
ANDERSON: Well, sources tell CNN, Mr. Trump is set to speak with the Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in the coming hours amidst what is
an escalating trade war at this point. Well, that is the opening bell on Wall Street the U.S. markets open, and shares were looking very mixed.
It has to be said, ahead of this open. I think investors, as they would describe them in the markets, sitting on the sidelines trying to work out
what is going on with regard these tariff tits for tats, as it were, we do see these markets settling down somewhat now, a little glitch at the open
there, but you can see very mix.
It was a punishing session on Tuesday, of course. CNN's Matt Egan joining us now with more. The U.S. Commerce Chief says that the U.S. could be ready
to strike a trade deal with Canada and Mexico soon. Certainly the U.S. President speaking to the Canadian Prime Minister today. So, might we
expect that to happen? Today, what do we understand going on behind the scenes?
MATT EGAN, CNN REPORTER: Well, Becky, there's a lot of chaos and confusion over what's happening on the trade front, right? We have seen a lot of
concern in the market. The DOW is down 1300 points just during the first two trading days of this week.
And futures had been looking quite positive, because late yesterday, the commerce secretary suggested that, yeah, maybe there's some sort of
compromise, maybe even some sort of a grand bargain that could be in the works. But you know what Becky, the commerce secretary, he's kind of walked
that back.
He was asked about this in an interview with Bloomberg this morning, and now he's suggesting that the tariffs are going to stay in place largely,
but that there could be some carve outs for certain industries. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HOWARD LUTNICK, U.S. COMMERCE SECRETARY: The president is listening to the offers from Mexico and Canada. He's thinking about trying to do something
in the middle. He's thinking about it. We're talking about it. We're going to when I leave here, I'm going to go talk about it with him, and I think
early this afternoon or this afternoon, we expect to make an announcement. And my thinking is it's going to be somewhere in the middle.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
EGAN: OK, so somewhere in the middle, he went on to say that perhaps there could be some relief for the auto industry. Now we know the auto industry
is particularly exposed to these tariffs because the car makers, they treat North America like it's one big market.
And so, there's been some estimates out there that the cost to produce a North American car could surge by thousands of dollars due to these
tariffs. So, we've seen auto stocks, including Ford and GM and the Stellantis, which owns Chrysler and Jeep, move sharply higher on those
Lutnick comments.
But the broader market, I think, is a little bit disappointed here, because those comments suggest that overall, the tariffs are going to stay in
place. Also, CNN's Paula Newton has speaking to Canadian industry and government sources. She is reporting that before Trudeau and Trump speak
today, there are still some significant details on a potential tariff compromise that must be hammered out.
So, for now, Becky, we're all just sort of waiting and seeing what the next tariff headline is. And you really can't blame investors for just kind of
sitting on their hands at this point, because there's just so much uncertainty.
ANDERSON: Howard Lutnick knows these markets well enough to know that if he was hoping for a better session this morning. And futures had been
indicating a very mixed start, it would have helped at least that he provided those words of quote flexibility, as it were, and I paraphrase him
there.
It's not a quote directly on these tariffs send lo and behold, these markets are just up, but only just up. I'm looking at the markets as we
speak. The DOW, barely in positive territory. In fact, neither with the NASDAQ nor the S&P doing anything much, either. So be interesting to see
what happens over the next 24 hours.
Thank you. Ash Wednesday services begin next hour in Vatican City, but Pope Francis will not be taking part in them. He remains in hospital fighting
double pneumonia. CNN's Ben Wedeman with more.
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It is now 20 days that Pope Francis has been in Rome's Gemelli hospital being treated for a
persistent case of double pneumonia. How much longer he will be here? Not at all clear. Wednesday morning, the Vatican Press Office said he rested
well during the night and woke up shortly after 08:00 a.m. local time.
Vatican sources say he is continuing treatment and undergoing physical therapy. The sources tell CNN, Francis is now receiving oxygen through a
nasal tube. Overnight, he used an oxygen mask which helps patients' breath better and thus sleep better.
[09:35:00]
The pope will miss Ash Wednesday service, the Vatican says. Officials stress the pontiff's condition is complex. Complex indeed, considering that
Monday, Pope Francis suffered two episodes of what the Vatican described as acute respiratory failure. I'm Ben Wedeman CNN, reporting from Rome.
ANDERSON: Well ahead in your sports news, a new milestone for the NBA's all-time scoring leader, LeBron James did on Tuesday night, that has never
been done before. More on that is coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Trump Administration has rejected a plan drawn up by Arab leaders in Cairo to rebuild Gaza once the war there is over. The $53 billion
proposal calls for Hamas to hand over power to an interim government until the Palestinian Authority can eventually take over.
It would also allow Gaza's 2 million residents to remain there. Well, Washington dismissing the plan, saying President Trump is standing by his
vision for Gaza, and he briefly touched on that during his address to Congress. Paula Hancocks, with more.
PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: U.S. President Donald Trump gave a very brief mention of a region that he has been talking about and dealing with
significantly over the past six weeks. President Trump called the Middle East a rough neighborhood. Also saying we are bringing back our hostages
from Gaza.
That's all he mentioned about the hostages, bearing in mind the realities on the ground that ceasefire hostage deal is very much on hold. At this
point, Israel wanting to extend phase one of a three phase deal that had been agreed upon to try and secure more hostage releases.
Hamas wanting to go back to the agreed deal, so that Israel has to pull its military out of Gaza, and also there's a permanent ceasefire. The reality
on the ground in Gaza is that no humanitarian aid has gone in since Sunday, as Israel has halted that until Hamas agrees to its demands.
Now, what the U.S. President did was to look to the Abraham Accords. These are the accords and deals that he secured in his first term, which
normalized relations between Israel and a number of Arab nations, including the U.A.E. He called that one of the most groundbreaking peace agreements
in generations, saying that he wants to build on that foundation.
President Trump has made no secret of the fact. He would like to see normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia has said that
will only happen when there is the creation of a Palestinian state, something which the Israeli Prime Minister has repeatedly rejected. Paula
Hancocks, CNN, Abu Dhabi.
[09:40:00]
ANDERSON: Well, your sports news now for you at a basketball milestone on Tuesday night and one of the most storied careers of any athlete in any
professional sport. Amanda Davies joins me now. We are talking LeBron James making NBA history. Amanda, pray tell.
AMANDA DAVIES, CNN WORLD SPORT: Yes, already. I mean, he is old. He's not that old. Becky, we don't need to be going back to that kind of language --
41 years of age. LeBron James already in a category of one in terms of the leading top scorer in NBA history, but he reached this epic milestone,
50,000 points scored in his professional career in the NBA.
He only needed one point on Tuesday night to reach that. He got 34 on the night. That is more than 5000 points ahead of anybody else in the history
of the sport. And what this does it -- you know, it sparks once again, that conversation about the greatest goat of all time. He is there in terms of
basketball, isn't he?
ANDERSON: Yes.
DAVIES: But where does he stand when you compare him to the likes of Serena Williams to Tom Brady to Lionel Messi?
ANDERSON: Yeah.
DAVIES: We've got another one of those in the conversation, Tiger Woods coming up in "World Sport" in just a couple of minutes as well. And of
course, it's a brilliant couple of days champion league action. So, I hope everybody can join us in a couple of minutes.
ANDERSON: Absolutely. I'm sure they are glued to their seats. And if you are not glued to your seats, glue yourself in. We're taking a very short
break. Amanda is back after that, and I'll be back top of the hour for you with more "Connect the World".
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[09:45:00]
(WORLD SPORT)
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