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Tottenham Hotspur Appoint Jose Mourinho as Manager; Hong Kong Demonstrators Remain in Standoff; U.S. Impeachment Hearings. Aired 2- 3a ET

Aired November 20, 2019 - 02:00   ET

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


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ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us from all around the world. I'm Rosemary Church at CNN world headquarters in Atlanta with your next 90 minutes of CNN NEWSROOM. Let's get started.

A desperate situation for Hong Kong protesters as they try to hold on to the university they've taken over and police close in.

More bad news for Donald Trump following marathon impeachment hearings with potentially the most critical witness yet to come.

Plus, Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn face off over Brexit, health care and Prince Andrew in their first televised debate before the British election.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): This is CNN breaking news.

CHURCH: And we start with this breaking news in the sports world. Tottenham Hotspur has appointed Jose Mourinho as manager. Merino is one of the world's most accomplished managers, winning the UEFA Champions League twice with two clubs. He is also a three-time Premier League champion.

The Spurs fired their coach and three staff members on Tuesday. The team sits 14th in the league table, where, just 6 months ago, they reached the UEFA Champions League final. We do want to bring in Keir Radnedge with "World Soccer" magazine.

Good to have you with us.

So what is the response to this?

KEIR RADNEDGE, "WORLD SOCCER": Well, I think people will still be digesting it over their breakfast corn flakes, to be quite honest.

(LAUGHTER)

RADNEDGE: Tottenham fans were taken by surprise by the sacking of Mauricio Pochettino. He has had a fascinating four years, very successful in many ways but did not win anything and had a poor start to the season.

Mourinho will support the fans, because he has a reputation as a very pragmatic coach and Tottenham fans, like their reputation as a free flowing, attacking club. And Mourinho has never been famous, for playing free flowing, attacking football.

CHURCH: So how big a challenge will this be for Mourinho?

RADNEDGE: It is a challenge he will absolutely love. It is a terrific job for him. What I think the Spurs need, it shows that they really do feel that they need to win something, which they never did under Pochettino. And I think Mourinho's track record, wherever he's been in Italy, Spain, Portugal, here in England, is that he is a man who can win trophies.

CHURCH: And they, I mean, the Spurs sit what, 14th in the league table?

So I mean, he has his work cut out for him, hasn't he?

How is he likely to go about this?

RADNEDGE: Well, I think the first thing he will do is obviously assess the players that he's got. Spurs have a problem because they have a number of senior veteran players running down their contracts. So it could take a little while for them really to shuffle, reshuffle and rebuild the squad.

In the meantime, Mourinho, will, I think work on a lot more discipline on the pitch, much heightened defensive formation, I think he will look to obviously bring Spurs to the table and prove actually that he is the right man for the job.

CHURCH: So what are their weaknesses?

What will he need to focus on here?

You had talked about the discipline on the field.

RADNEDGE: Sure. As I said, part of the problem is the rebuilding of the squad.

[02:05:00]

RADNEDGE: And I would assume that he will have had extensive talks with the owners about how much money there will be to spend on new players in January and then next summer, when Tottenham need to really spend a great deal of money.

There are older players who've done very well under Pochettino but they want to move on and I think Tottenham, Tottenham need to move on to a new place. I think after reaching the Champions League final, they have stagnated and lost direction.

CHURCH: So how much convincing do you think Mourinho would have had to have had to take on this challenge? RADNEDGE: I would have thought he would need absolutely no convincing whatsoever. You, know he knows his football, he has been sitting out there, waiting for a plum job to come available. He loves challenges, and this is everything he could have dreamed, of frankly, I don't think he would've needed anyone to convince him whatsoever.

CHURCH: Well, a very happy man, no doubt.

Keir Radnedge, thank you very much, we appreciate you bringing us up to date on this breaking news.

RADNEDGE: Pleasure.

CHURCH: Well, the U.S. Senate is weighing in on the ongoing pro- democracy protests in Hong Kong and Beijing had a sharp response.

The senators unanimously approved a bill, calling for a sanctions on Chinese and Hong Kong officials responsible for human rights abuses during the protest. It also requires the State Department to review Hong Kong's special trade status every year.

Beijing says the measure neglects facts and truth and blatantly interferes in Hong Kong's affairs and China's other internal affairs.

Meantime, as many as 200 protesters are still inside Hong Kong's Polytechnic University. Police are urging them to surrender. And dozens did just that, but others promise not to give up the battle. Our Nick Paton Walsh joins us now from Hong Kong. He is covering this.

Nick, what is the scene at the campus this, hour and will protesters do next?

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, I, mean we have not spoken to a single individual inside this campus today who seems to think they're going to stick it out. They're looking to get out.

But the choice is very difficult. We saw one man called Lucky giving himself up to the police. He seemed, as far as we could see, to be taken into their custody without any violence.

But there are students here who feel that they could potentially be the subjects of a violent arrest in the event they do give themselves up so they are looking for other ways to escape.

We spoke to some, in fact, who had managed to try to get out through the sewers in the last 24 hours or so. Some have successfully done that. Another man we spoke to said he was not able to finally pull it off.

But on a rooftop here, about 72 hours, ago this would have been pitched scenes. This particular catapult being used to fire projectiles, Molotov cocktails at the police. Our camera man showed the disparity of an extraordinary level of sophistication to defend the university. And out on the street, now the cleanup very much underway. We have

just missed the riot police down the street there but this makes their job, if they decide to move in, here significantly easier because there were bricks and broken glass blocking the way of trucks.

Now we are seeing much cleaner, streets almost as though, frankly, Hong Kong is trying to clean up around the Polytechnic University here and leave the startling chaos inside more or less contained.

Rosemary, I have to say it is extraordinary to see the destruction inside this relatively high tech building, a lot of it not to do with the defense of the university, it seems. There is a lot of damage and burned apparatus on the outskirts, where they were trying to keep police back.

But inside as well, there does appear to be quite a lot of damage on the building itself, so a lot of questions about why that happened and also quite how long those inside are willing to stick it, out Rosemary.

CHURCH: And that is the worry here, also, how the Hong Kong government is likely to respond to those students still holed up and particularly because we know some of them do have petrol bombs.

How bad could this get?

WALSH: Yes, I, mean, look their morale is low, there is no doubt about that and their defenses are not particularly sophisticated. I've never seen, really, such a volume of resources, brand-new equipment being used in protest situations like this.

It is startling. We went to the chemistry laboratory here and saw ourselves how that had a lot of people in it over the past few days who certainly were not expert chemists and that's one of police concerns, littered all around this area, bottles of flammable material that could be well be used to make petrol bombs, that could be well used to make other substances, too.

And we've heard from some of the protesters that they, think and some are in their teens, frankly very young, here, they think that there are traps laid for any police who came in here.

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WALSH: No way we can verify that at all but that suggests sort, of I think the moxie of some of these young protesters. But I have to say most of them seem to want to find a way out. They are looking for avenues to escape. They are tired.

They don't lack supplies in here. It is remarkable, frankly, how they could live off the remnants of what is in here for a matter of weeks if they chose to do so but they are in their dozens at this point and seemingly dwindling by the hour.

But it is a staggering scene, frankly to see the extraordinary opulence of one of the most advanced economies in the world out here in the high rise blocks and the sheer devastation wrought upon this vital part of educating inside Hong Kong that's been done by some of its students themselves in the past few days.

They say to defend the university but we are in an interesting situation now where the police certainly appear to be in their numbers, around, here if they were to choose to move in. But they face a very demoralized number of dozens of protesters here.

We have seen some walking out hobbling, appearing to be injured. Some are looking for ways out. In their minds, they have defended this university from the police moving, in but it is yet again another example of the ideals here, which the protesters are espousing and defending on the streets.

A lot of popular, support, often manifesting themselves in clashes with a police in quite a destructive fashion. Back to. You

CHURCH: Yes and of, course some of these protesters, as young as 15 and 16, it is a real concern for them, to their parents and families. Nick Paton Walsh, many thanks to you bringing us up to date on the situation there on campus. Appreciate it.

Paula Hancocks spoke with some protesters who left to surrender to police and others who are staying behind.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Protesters walk through the wreckage of their former stronghold, giving themselves up to police, ready to face arrest and prosecution.

This is the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. What's left behind, proof of the violent clashes between protesters and police over the weekend. This protester's weapon of choice was a bow and arrow. Happy to pose for photos on Saturday, by Tuesday, he is exhausted and walked out to be arrested by police.

HANCOCKS: Why did you decide to use a bow and arrow within this movement?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are not monsters. We are not killers. We just want to protect myself (sic).

HANCOCKS: The police had said bow and arrow is a lethal welcome, so they may use live fire.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But their guys have a gun and want to kill us, we don't have a choice.

HANCOCKS (voice-over): But not everyone is ready to accept defeat. So-called frontliners watch helplessly as others leave. This one tells us he is 16 years old. He says he has been here for eight days and he is so tired, he struggles to keep his eyes open. But he is determined to keep fighting.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): We want to stay behind and liberate Hong Kong.

HANCOCKS: A lot of people are leaving.

How do you feel about that?.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): I think we should keep going and stay. Hong Kong is relying on us.

HANCOCKS: So for those that want to stay and fight, they have plenty of weapons. This is the main courtyard, just next to the main entrance and there are boxes and crates of petrol bombs still here.

We have seen methanol, we have seen acetone, probably taken from one of the laboratories within the, campus itself. There is lighter fluid, gas, canisters and it is all just casually left here in the middle of the courtyard.

HANCOCKS (voice-over): Just a week, ago stockpiles of explosives like this would have been shocking. But a lot has changed in a week.

Eric Chung is a solicitor, who has voluntarily come to advise those who want to leave.

ERIC CHEUNG, ATTORNEY: But those under age (ph), they know that we got a deal with the police, that they won't be arrested, so they can leave. They can return home soon.

HANCOCKS (voice-over): Medics stand by to treat those who have given themselves up, youngsters wrapped in foil, exhausted and somber, as the reality of the consequences of their actions sets in -- Paula Hancocks, CNN, Hong Kong.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: We are tracking developments in the Middle East, where Israel says it has again launched attacks on Syrian territory. It says the strikes are a response to rockets fired by an Iranian force in Syria. Israeli forces say both Iranian and Syrian military targets were hit.

Syrian state media confirm Israeli missile strikes near Damascus but say most of the missiles were intercepted.

Another big day ahead on Capitol Hill as key witness Gordon Sondland gets ready to testify at the impeachment hearings.

Could his testimony change the direction of the inquiry?

That is next.

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(MUSIC PLAYING) CHURCH: In just a few hours, we will see public testimony in the U.S.

impeachment inquiry from arguably the most critical witness to date. Lawmakers are eager to question Gordon Sondland, U.S. ambassador to the European Union, after he amended his initial testimony to suggest President Trump's dealings with Ukraine likely amounted to a quid pro quo.

But as Sondland and two other officials sit in the hot seat, President Trump will be far away at an Apple plant in Texas, touting manufacturing jobs. Meanwhile, four U.S. officials testified Tuesday and all of them characterized the Trump-Ukraine dealings as inappropriate. CNN's Jessica Schneider has the details.

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JESSICA SCHNEIDER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Four current and Trump administration officials testified during day three of public impeachment hearings, all expressing differing degrees of disappointment and disapproval of the president's July 25th phone call with Ukrainian President Zelensky, where Trump pushed for investigations into the 2016 election and the violence.

TIM MORRISON, FORMER NSC TOP RUSSIA EXPERT: I was hoping for a more full-throated statement of support from the president concerning President Zelensky's reform agenda.

JENNIFER WILLIAMS, PENCE SPECIAL ADVISER: I found the July 25th phone call unusual because, in contrast to other presidential calls I had observed, it involved discussion of what appeared to be a domestic political matter.

KURT VOLKER, FORMER SPECIAL ENVOY TO UKRAINE: In hindsight, I now understand that others saw the idea of investigating possible corruption involving Ukrainian company Burisma as equivalent to investigating former vice president Biden.

I saw them as very different. In retrospect, I should have seen that connection differently and had I done so, I would have raised my own objections.

LT. COL. ALEXANDER VINDMAN, NSC TOP UKRAINE EXPERT: It was inappropriate, it was improper for the president to request, to demand an investigation into a political opponent.

SCHNEIDER (voice-over): Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vindman still serving as a top Ukraine expert on the National Security, Council, the most outspoken. He is the one who twice reported his concerns about the call and recounted a July 10th White House meeting with Ukrainian officials, where the expectation of investigations was made clear by E.U. Ambassador Gordon Sondland.

[02:20:00]

VINDMAN: Ambassador Sondland said that, in order to get a White House meeting, the Ukrainians would have to provide a deliverable, which is investigations, specific investigations. SCHNEIDER (voice-over): Republicans did not dispute the facts but instead questioned Colonel Vindman's abilities.

REP. JIM JORDAN (R-OH): So your boss had concerns about your judgment, your former boss, Doctor Hill had concerns about your judgment, your colleagues had concerns about your judgment and your colleagues felt that there were times when you leaked information.

SCHNEIDER (voice-over): Congressman Jordan potentially taking his cues from this tweet from the official White House account, sent out just before 10:00 am, "Tim Morrison, Alex Vindman's former boss, testified in his deposition that he had concerns about Vindman's judgment."

Vindman quickly countered.

VINDMAN: I guess I'll start by reading Doctor Hill's own words, as she attested to in my last evaluation that was dated the middle of July, right before she left.

"Alex is a top 1 percent military officer and the best Army officer I ever worked with in my 15 years of government service. He is brilliant, unflappable and exercises excellent judgment."

SCHNEIDER (voice-over): Tim Morrison pushed back in the second part of the, day saying he did not want his words from his closed door testimony weaponized.

MORRISON: I have great respect for my former colleagues from the NSC and the rest of the interagency. I am not here today to question their character or integrity.

SCHNEIDER (voice-over): CNN has learned Colonel Vindman has asked the U.S. Army about the safety of his family, since he has come under attack by President Trump and his allies. The Army does not believe there is an imminent security threat, according to an official.

He paid tribute to his late father at the end of his opening statement, assuring his family they will all be OK, amidst the backlash on him.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VINDMAN: Dad, I'm sitting here today in the U.S. Capitol, talking to our elected professionals. Talking to our elected professionals is proof that you made the right decision 40 years ago to leave the Soviet Union and come here to the United States of America in search of a better life for our family.

Do not worry. I will be fine for telling the truth.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHNEIDER (voice-over): Former special envoy to Ukraine Kurt Volker and former NSC official Tim Morrison were called as Republican witnesses but they did little to bolster Republican talking points. Volker amending earlier testimony, now recalling Sondland talking about investigations.

VOLKER: At the end of the meeting, I do recall, having seen some of the other testimony that I believe Ambassador Sondland did raise the point of investigations in a generic way. This was after the meeting was already wrapping up and I think all of us thought it was inappropriate and the conversation did not pick up from there. It was -- the meeting was over.

SCHNEIDER (voice-over): Top Republican Devin Nunes used his time to bat back Democrats' new focus on bribery by the White House.

REP. DEVIN NUNES (R-CA): Did anyone ever ask you to bribe or extort anyone at any time during your time in the White House?

MORRISON: No, sir.

NUNES: Did anyone at the White House ever ask you to bribe or extort anything out of anyone at any time?

VOLKER: No, sir.

SCHNEIDER (voice-over): Jessica Schneider, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: David Rohde is a CNN global affairs analyst as well as the executive editor for "The New Yorker" website. He joins us now from New York.

Good to have you with us.

DAVID ROHDE, CNN GLOBAL AFFAIRS ANALYST: Thanks for having me.

CHURCH: What do you think were the biggest and most significant takeaways that came out of Tuesday's public hearings?

And how far did it move the needle forward, do you think?

ROHDE: It moved, you, know this process and the questions closer to the president. Kurt Volker, a long time Republican diplomat, you, know changed his story. He said he felt that the goal of the president and this entire phone call was to carry out a political favor and to attack Joe Biden.

He had sort of denied that before and then Volker said he believed this was a very bad idea, bad for American policy, bad for Ukraine and a very large mistake that Volker testified was carried out by the president.

CHURCH: And of course, you know that amendment was made and that is very significant and, at the same time, he was actually called by the Republicans as a witness, so how significant is that?

And how worried would the Republicans be at this point?

ROHDE: I think again, this does undermine the defense of the president.

The other thing that Volker said was that everyone agreed this was a very bad idea, withholding this aid from Ukraine did not make any sense policy wise. The only one who seems to have supported this is President Trump and his personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani.

So this was not a good day for the president and his defenders. But I don't think we're there yet. This is not direct proof of the president, you, know personally carrying this out.

CHURCH: And Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vindman was the most outspoken of the witnesses testifying Tuesday.

[02:25:00]

CHURCH: Republicans were unable to dispute the facts but instead attacked Vindman's ability, suggesting his former and current bosses and his colleagues had concerns about his judgment, apparently spurred on by a tweet from the president suggesting that.

Does that amount to witness intimidation?

How acceptable is that?

ROHDE: It is another example of the kind of pressure and the sort of smears that are being used against the witnesses. It is not acceptable. I don't know if it is an impeachable offense, which some have talked about.

Again, I don't think today is going to dramatically shift public opinion. Pro Trump people are going to give the president (INAUDIBLE) about it now. Critics of the president, this will add to the reasons they distrust him. The key thing for the president is, is this sort of affecting independence as they hear this is how he conducts himself as president, will a tiny sliver that's not decided, will it shift them against President Trump?

CHURCH: And Vindman talked about Ambassador Sondland saying that the Ukrainians had to provide investigations if they wanted a White House meeting and that puts even more pressure on Sondland.

We have seen it increasing, haven't we?

And he will testify just a few hours from now.

What questions do you expect him to be asked?

And what could his answers change, where things are going at this point?

ROHDE: So I think Sondland is by far the most important witness so far. He had direct conversations with President Trump regarding this and he will simply be, asked what did the president say, when?

This is a direct firsthand witness about Donald Trump instructing him to withhold a White House visit and withhold military aid in exchange for this investigation of Biden. So the stakes are enormous, you know, Sondland gave a different account in his past testimony so I think he faces a decision.

Sondland either perjures himself and potentially lies according to what we've heard from other witnesses or he implicates the president. So tomorrow is a critical day in this inquiry.

CHURCH: There will be a lot of eyes watching this to see what comes of it. David Rohde, thank you so much for joining us, we appreciate it.

ROHDE: Thank you.

CHURCH: And just, ahead trading blows over Brexit and the National Health Service but did Boris Johnson or Jeremy Corbyn land a knockout punch?

Insight ahead on the first U.K. election debate. Back in a moment.

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[02:30:00] CHURCH: You're watching CNN NEWSROOM, I'm Rosemary Church. I want to check the headlines for you, this hour.

English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur has Jose Mourinho as manager, after firing its former head coach on Tuesday. Mourinho previously coached Manchester United, but he was fired last year, after the club had its worst-ever Premier League Start.

Israel says it has, again, launched attacks on Syrian territory, it says the strikes are a response to rockets fired by an Iranian force in Syria, and that both Iranian and Syrian targets were hit. Syrian state media confirmed Israeli missile strikes -- but say, most of the missiles were intercepted.

Hong Kong police say 600 pro-democracy protesters have surrendered, 200 of them minors. Some demonstrators remain in a standoff with police at Hong Kong's Polytechnic University. The scene is scattered with supplies protesters used to make petrol bombs. Boris Johnson and main rival, Jeremy Corbyn, went head-to-head in the

first televised debate of the U.K. election campaign. The Prime Minister and the Labour Party leader shook hands, but the gloves came off when they took on Britain's health care system. CNN's International diplomatic editor, Nic Robertson, has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: There were no big knockout punches landed by Boris Johnson on Jeremy Corbyn or Jeremy Corbyn on Boris Johnson. The debate was feisty.

Perhaps, the issue that got him going the most was the issue of the National Health Service, and that the core of the argument there, Jeremy Corbyn saying that Boris Johnson, under his Brexit deal, would open up the National Health Service, the privatization, a deal with the United States. The debate on that got really heated.

JEREMY CORBYN, LEADER, LABOUR PARTY: Full market access for U.S. products to our National Health Service. You are going to sell our National Health Service out to the United States and big pharma.

BORIS JOHNSON, PRIME MINISTER OF BRITAIN: This is an absolute -- this is an absolute invention. It is completely untrue. There are no circumstances whatever in which this government or any Conservative government would put the NHS on the table in any trade negotiation. Our NHS will never be for sale.

ROBERTSON: But that was perhaps the exception of the debate, where they really got into one-on-one conversation. The moderator, Julie Etchingham, keeping them, both carefully controlled on time. Perhaps it was Boris Johnson who had to be called in on time, more often.

There was a moment, however, where Julie Etchingham did get the two leaders to have a handshake and commit themselves to a better level of debate in parliament, with less acrimony. That was quite a moment in the programming.

Also, another moment that really seems to standout, less political, they were both asked what they thought of Prince Andrew's recent interview, television interview, on this, Jeremy Corbyn perhaps stole the edge a little.

CORBYN: Before we discuss Prince Andrew, I think we should discuss the victims that were there because of what Epstein was doing. And I think there are very, very serious questions that must be answered and nobody should be above the law.

But the primary position ought to be the proper treatment of those people who were victims of the most appalling behavior by apparently Epstein and many others.

JULIE ETCHINGHAM, PRESENTER AND REPORTER, ITV NEWS: Thank you very much indeed --

ROBERTSON: The issue of the union also came up, the relationship between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, really, nothing new breaking through there. On the issue of trust and leadership, both leaders there didn't seem to answer the questions, head on.

Indeed, both of them drawing a few laughs from the crowd, their answers. And when it was finally wrapping up, Jeremy Corbyn saying, vote for Labour, vote for hope, vote for change. Boris Johnson getting back to a theme that had needled all the way through the debate, and that was saying that Jeremy Corbyn wasn't clear if he was for leave or remain.

And that issue kept coming up and perhaps, that will be one of the takeaway issues for the audience in this debate, but you have to look at it and say, it is very hard to say either one of them really, sort of, broke out of their normal appeal for their base, and perhaps won over voters. It is the first, what's going to be a series of such debates. Nic Robertson, CNN, Glasgow, Scotland.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: For more, we are joined from Washington by Garret Martin, he is a professor in the School of International Service at American University in Washington. Thank you so much for being with us.

GARRET MARTIN, PROFESSOR, SCHOOL OF INTERNATIONAL SERVICE AT AMERICAN UNIVERSITY: My pleasure.

BREAM: So, a feisty debate surrounding the National Health Service, and Brexit, particularly. Who came out on top, do you think?

MARTIN: I think that's a hard question. I mean, some of the snap polls that we saw immediately afterwards, essentially viewed that he -- I think they gave a marginal 51 to 49 percent edge to Boris Johnson, but nothing that was very, sort of, significant in terms of marking a clear winner.

[02:35:13] CHURCH: And at one point, the two leaders shook hands and committed to a better level of parliamentary debate going forward, but how did they go when it came to trust on leadership issues?

MARTIN: Well, I think some of the most telling reactions, I think, from the debate, where the reactions from the audience, and there was quite a significant amount of laughter when Boris Johnson spoke of the importance of committing to truth, and that was the reaction from the audience, that tells you a lot about the lack of trust and the deep frustration that we're seeing in U.K. politics at present.

In many respects, this is more of an unpopularity contest, that necessarily a popularity contest. I think that is a key feature of this election campaign.

CHURCH: Right. And then on the topic of Prince Andrew in his relationship with convicted sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein, Jeremy Corbyn appeared to steal the show for a moment, at least, shifting the focus to the victims. How might that help his support? Will it make any mark, do you think?

MARTIN: Well, I would be skeptical that any moment in the debate would really have a significant impact. I think what we're seeing is that the British public has very strong views on both candidates already. Jeremy Corbyn has historically low approval ratings, so it's going to be very hard for him to undo this. He was able to change the tide in 2017. I'm not sure he can do that again.

CHURCH: But is this still Boris Johnson's election to lose, do you think?

MARTIN: It is, if you listen to the polls. I mean, I think, certainly two years ago, it seemed as if to reason, may have a significant advantage, and that whittled away. I think the additional fact that it makes this a very unpredictable election, is the high degree of expected tactical voting that we're likely to see in many constituencies.

Essentially, voters, whether they're remainers or leavers, might choose to vote for someone who is not their first preference. If that means that they can beat away a candidate that they really disapprove of. So, I think that makes prediction a little bit more difficult than usual.

CHURCH: So, what do you think, both of them learned, going forward and what advice would you give each of them for the next debate?

MARTIN: Well, I think it depends on who you're talking to. If you're talking for Boris Johnson, as long as he doesn't suffer a major viral or negative moment, I think he can afford to play defense for the moment.

I think, the pressure will be, in the next debate, on Jeremy Corbyn, to try to really make an inroad, and to try and reverse the time and to gain momentum, we're only a few weeks away. The other, I think, interesting dynamic, there will be a debate with just the two leaders.

But there will also be additional debates where there will be some of the other prominent leaders, noticeably John, Swift, Simpson of the Liberal Democrat and also Nicola Sturgeon of the SMP. So, in a more crowded debate stage, it will also be harder for someone like Jeremy Corbyn to really make inroads and try to catch up in the race with the Conservative Party.

CHURCH: We will be watching to see what happens. Garret Martin, thank you so much for joining us. Appreciate it.

MARTIN: My pleasure, thank you.

CHURCH: And still to come, Jeffrey Epstein was one of the highest profile inmates in America, when he died and we are now learning new details leading up to his apparent suicide. Plus, the founder of WikiLeaks is now out of trouble in Sweden, but Julian Assange's legal battles are far from over. Back with that in just a moment.

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CHURCH: Prosecutors in Sweden have dropped their rape investigation of WikiLeaks founder, Julian Assange. He has long denied the allegation, which dates back to 2010. A lawyer for the alleged victim calls the decision, unjust. Sweden's deputy chief prosecutor made the announcement Tuesday, in Stockholm.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

EVA-MARIE PERSSON, DEPUTY DIRECTOR, PUBLIC PROSECUTION (through translator): After the additional investigation and the investigative steps taken over the summer and autumn, it is now clear that the oral testimony in support of the statement given by the injured party, has weakened.

This is primarily because a long time has passed since the event took place. Memories fade, for natural reasons. (END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Assange avoided extradition to Sweden for almost seven years, by taking refuge at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London. He was evicted in April and sentenced to 50 weeks in a British prison for breaching his bail conditions. Assange still faces possible extradition to the United States where he is wanted on espionage charges.

Well, in the U.S. state of New York two prison guards have been charged in connection with the death of sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein. His apparent suicide sparked an investigation and questions about the federal prison system. Brynn Gingras has the latest.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRYNN GINGRAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: For eight hours, guards didn't check on sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein, while he was behind bars in the Manhattan Federal Prison, despite Epstein just coming off suicide watch.

The shocking revelations are coming out and new federal charges filed against Tova Noel and Michael Thomas, two of the guards assigned to monitoring Epstein, the night or early morning hours he took his own life.

Now, both Noel and Thomas are charged with conspiracy and five separate counts of falsifying documents, each of those five counts for the times the guards were supposed to do mandatory checks on Epstein and other inmates, but didn't, and then allegedly lied about it on official paperwork.

Instead, get this, video surveillance inside the prison and other evidence, shows the guards were caught sleeping for two hours and surfing the internet for personal reasons, according to the federal complaint. In addition to not completing the checks, the guards were supposed to do rounds of the facility every 30 minutes.

The complaint alleges they didn't, and Noel falsely completed 75 separate pieces of paperwork saying that they did. The guards finally went in to Epstein's cell at around 6:30 in the morning on August 10th, to deliver breakfast, and found the financier, unresponsive, with a noose around his neck, the document states.

After sounding the alarm, the guards allegedly admitted to their supervisor that they didn't complete their rounds, and one of the guards admitting they messed up. Both guards pleaded not guilty and were released on bond.

Meanwhile, on Capitol Hill, bipartisan lawmakers scolded the head of the Bureau of Prisons for not providing information on the investigations into Epstein's death, saying it's taking too long. The FBI and inspector general are both conducting probes, if you remember.

Director Kathleen Hawk Sawyer told lawmakers the FBI is investigating the possibility of a criminal enterprise being involved and she used that term, criminal enterprise, in response to Senator Lindsey Graham's question about whether the FBI was examining if major malfunctions in the system or criminal enterprise allowed Epstein's death to happen.

Hawk Sawyer added she had no reason to believe Epstein didn't take his own life and said changes are being made to prisons, like increasing staff and updating camera systems inside the Manhattan facility. Brynn Gingras, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[02:45:09]

CHURCH: Bolivia's effort to clear access to a major gas plant turn deadly. Officials say, at least three people were killed and 30 others injured in a clash between protesters and the army, and police.

Supporters of former President Evo Morales have wrapped up their protests, demanding the caretaker president stepped down to allow Morales to return. Morales resigned 10 days ago amid anti-government demonstrations and charges of vote-rigging.

I want to turn to Hong Kong now, where protesters are still inside the Polytechnic University in a standoff with police. Several trying to escape the sealed off-campus through sewer tunnels. Manholes were found open and crews searched for protesters, warning it's a dangerous route to take.

Anna Coren has more now from the scene.

ANNA COREN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: We are here inside the campus of Polytechnic University that has been under siege now for days. You can see some of the remaining protesters walking off there in the distance. We believe that there are 100 maybe 200 protesters who are refusing to go. Police are calling on them to surrender, but the protesters that we have spoken to say they will not hand themselves over to police.

Now, I want to show you the remnants of what was the place where they were making petrol bombs. Police have described this as a -- as a weapons factory. And you can see cans of propane gas, of gasoline, there's cooking oil, sugar, acetate, and obviously, glass bottles, and this is what they were hurling at police over the weekend.

Now, it all came to a crescendo very early Monday morning when police tried to storm the campus. That was when protesters just rained the petrol bombs down on the police. They also set fire to the main entrance. And since then, there has just been this stalemate.

I want to take you around the university, show you what remains. When we were here on Sunday, it was a hive of activity. And now, you can see it's just absolutely trashed, debris is everywhere, and it is an absolute mess.

Now, police say that, at least, 600 people have surrendered, 200 of those are minors. Now, they have agreed not to arrest the minors, those under the age of 16. They've taken their information and will investigate.

But police are calling on these protesters to surrender and to surrender peacefully. They say it's up to the protesters to resolve this peacefully. But it's just quite fascinating, speaking to these young students. And some of them are only 15 or 16. They really fear for their lives. They believe that the police will kill them, that they will shoot them if they leave, that they will assault them. And that is why they are staying. They tell us that they are going to try and escape from the campus.

However, we know the police have cordoned off the entire area. There's no way in, no way out. So, for these protesters, it's going to be a matter of whether or not they want to hand themselves in to police or face the consequences.

Anna Coren, CNN, Hong Kong.

CHURCH: We'll take a short break here. Still, to come, Donald Trump's pressure on Ukraine could play right into the hands of Russia. And it wouldn't be the first time. Now, the U.S. president's actions keep benefiting the Kremlin. That's still to come.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:50:52]

CHURCH: Welcome back, everyone. Well, Pope Francis has arrived in Thailand, the first visit to the country by a pope since 1984. Now, he plans to meet with the Thai king and the supreme Buddhist patriarch.

The Pope is marking the 350th anniversary of the first Catholic Church in the mostly Buddhist country, which is home to more than 300,000 Catholics.

After Thailand, Pope Francis will travel to Japan, where he'll visit both Nagasaki and Hiroshima to further his call for a total ban on nuclear weapons.

Well, U.S. President Trump claims he's tough on Russia. But from questioning U.S. intelligence to pressuring Ukraine, his behavior seems to keep playing right into the Kremlin's hands.

Chief U.S. security correspondent Jim Sciutto has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: It is the dark mystery at the heart of Donald Trump's presidency.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why is he so chummy with Vladimir Putin?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He is creating a hero out of Vladimir Putin. What the hell is going on?

SCIUTTO: Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi summed it up this way. REP. NANCY PELOSI (D-CA): All roads lead to Putin.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Donald Trump wins the presidency.

SCIUTTO: In November 2016, Trump's victory was a political earthquake in the U.S. But in Moscow, it sparked joyous celebration.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are the champions of the world.

SCIUTTO: In Washington, President Trump was meeting outgoing President Obama.

BARACK OBAMA, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Settle down, guys. You all right? OK.

SCIUTTO: And Obama gave his successor a piece of advice, do not hire Michael Flynn. Trump did it anyway. The new national security adviser lasted just 24 days. Flynn had lied about Russia. Specifically, about a conversation with then-Ambassador Sergey Kislyak. They had discussed what Putin hated the most, U.S. sanctions on Russia.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They want the sanctions lifted. They made no secret of it.

SCIUTTO: And soon Donald Trump started talking down those sanctions. He told The Wall Street Journal if we get along, why would anybody need them?

JOHN MCCAIN, FORMER SENATOR, ARIZONA: The United States of America needs to send a strong message to Vladimir Putin.

SCIUTTO: Congress, however, was having none of it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The yeas are 98, the nays are two. The bill is passed.

SCIUTTO: In August of 2017, a tough sanctions bill passed overwhelmingly.

TRUMP: You know, wouldn't it be a great thing if we could actually get along with Russia?

SCIUTTO: Throughout the Trump presidency, the biggest conflict at the heart of the U.S.-Russia relationship has been Russia's attack on the 2016 election.

LT. GEN. JAMES CLAPPER, (RET.), CNN NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: What this represented was an attack on the fundamental underpinning of our democratic system.

SCIUTTO: An attack which U.S. intelligence assessed was done to help Donald Trump and hurt Hillary Clinton. But repeatedly, Trump denied that it was real.

TRUMP: I don't think anybody knows it was Russia that broke into the DNC. She's saying Russia, Russia, Russia, but I don't -- maybe it was. I mean, it could be Russia, but it could also be China. It could also be lots of other people. It also could be somebody sitting on their bed that weighs 400 pounds, OK?

SCIUTTO: Trump would soon discuss the attack with Vladimir Putin himself at a private face-to-face meeting in Helsinki.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There was nobody else in the meeting, so we have no knowledge of what went on. I can tell you one thing, the Russians know what went on in that meeting.

SCIUTTO: After the meeting, Trump did not condemn Putin's attack on the election. In fact, he sided with Putin against America's own intelligence agencies.

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: President Putin was extremely strong and powerful in his denial today. And he just said it's not Russia. I will say this, I don't see any reason why it would be.

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Perhaps, one of the most disgraceful moment by an American president on the world stage in front of a Russian or Soviet leader certainly in my lifetime.

[02:55:04]

SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER (D-NY): The only possible explanation for this dangerous behavior is the possibility that President Putin holds damaging information over President Trump.

SCIUTTO: Trump also began going after NATO, an alliance the U.S. and its allies depend on, respected by the world, except, of course, by Vladimir Putin.

TRUMP: They'd kill us with NATO. They'd kill us. We're paying for anywhere from 70 percent to 90 percent to protect Europe.

SCIUTTO: Putin craved membership in another international institution. The G7 group of world leaders.

TRUMP: It should be the G8 because a lot of the things we talk about have to do with Russia.

SCIUTTO: Throughout, Putin has taken an increasingly prominent place on the world stage, particularly in Syria. Last month, when Donald Trump announced that U.S. forces would leave the country, many saw it as Trump giving Russia a free hand there.

STEVE HALL, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: For Russian armored vehicles to -- you know, drive into these places with the Russian flag flying high and the American flag, you know, headed out of town, those are all just huge, huge propaganda gains for a guy like Putin.

TRUMP: On an absolutely perfect phone call.

SCIUTTO: Now, it is Trump's action in another country that is threatening his presidency. And there is, again, a connection to Russia, his alleged attempt to extort the president of Ukraine has sparked impeachment hearings, and it may also be yet one more gift to Vladimir Putin.

HALL: Donald Trump has wittingly or unwittingly, you know, walked straight into the warm embrace of Vladimir Putin with how he has dealt with Ukraine.

SCIUTTO: Trump temporarily withheld desperately needed aid from Ukraine, aid that Ukraine depends on to defend itself against an ongoing Russian invasion.

TRUMP: I have been far tougher on Russia than any president in many, many years.

SCIUTTO: Trump has now made that claim repeatedly.

TRUMP: I would certainly think about it. President Putin invited me --

SCIUTTO: And still he says he may accept an invitation to join Putin in Moscow next May for a parade showcasing Russia's military might.

Jim Sciutto, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: And thanks for joining us this hour. I'm Rosemary Church. I'll be back with more news in just a moment. Do stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[03:00:00]