[Becky Anderson, Cnn:] Right now, terror in London and an earth-shaking bridge catastrophe in Italy. Two breaking stories for you. We're connecting you to both this hour with incredible CNN access and footage. Welcome to our special edition of CONNECT THE WORLD. I'm Becky Anderson. And we begin here in the British capitol outside Parliament just behind me here. No one was killed or critically injured. But there are a lot of questions this hour after a man smashed a car into a barrier. Keep your eye on the car here. Swerving and veering off as pedestrians jump out of the way. Now the driver is being held on suspicion of terrorism. But who he is and what was he hoping to gain? Well we'll get you live to the scene in just a moment. First, though, unimaginable horror during a deadly bridge collapse in Genoa, in Italy.
[Unidentified Male:] Oh dear, oh dear.
[Anderson:] You can sense the panic and disbelief of onlookers in this footage. It was recorded as the tragedy was unfolding. Sending rubble plunging down on to vehicles below. A major rescue operation is now under way. But just in the last few minutes, officials now say at least 25 people are dead. Police say a violent storm brought this bridge down. CNN's Nic Robertson is on the scene now. He was only a few minutes away from crossing the bridge himself when it came down. And that, Nic, means that we are in place to connect our viewers to this event like nobody else. Just describe what you understand to have happened and what is going on around you.
[Nic Robertson, Cnn International Diplomatic Editor:] Well, Becky, in the last few minutes I've seen rescue workers with what appear to be search- and-rescue dogs walking away from the scene, as well as sort of pace of activity here
[Anderson:] Nic, nothing short of catastrophic. I'm going to stick with you, viewers, apologies for the quality of this line. We're going to stick with Nic though, because this is important. Nic, there will be so many questions now being asked about simply why this happened. You've talked about the inclement weather conditions. What else do we know at this point?
[Robertson:] Well, this is a bridge that is a vital link for tourists in this
[Anderson:] All right. It does sound as if we have lost Nic, but you'll get the sense, viewers, fantastic analysis by Nic, who was literally on that road heading for that bridge, just moments before it collapsed. As I say many, many questions now being asked. What we do know is that 25 have lost their lives and as Nic now describes it, it certainly looks to him like this is now a recovery effort for bodies rather than them still possibly looking for survivors. Well let's get you back to that suspected terror attack here just behind me in London and the search for answers. It's just after 4:00 in the afternoon now. At 7:37, the scene here quite different. The Prime Minister huddling with her security chiefs this hour after a car slammed into a barrier outside Parliament at just after half past 7:00 this morning. Nobody was seriously injured. The driver is being held on suspicion of terrorism. CNN's Erin McLaughlin is on the scene where she's been following all of this literally as it unfolded. And aside from knowing that there is one man in his mid-20s being held on suspicion of terrorist activities, what more do we know at this point?
[Erin Mclaughlin, Cnn Correspondent:] Well, Becky, we're getting a better understanding of how this suspected attack unfolded in the earlier hours of this morning. It was around 7:37 a.m. when a man believed to be in his late 20s driving a silver Fiesta Ford through this area crashed into a security barrier. Surveillance footage shows him careening around Parliamentary Square and now that they've lifted sort of the outer security coordinate had surrounded this area, we're starting to get a better picture of what exactly happened. Let me show you, we believe that based on the surveillance footage he drove down this road just over that way is Parliament Square. The surveillance footage shows him sort of careening to the right of the Square. Before then taking a sharp turn to the left. As you can see behind me, that is where it's believed he crashed into the barrier after hitting two pedestrians who were not serious injured. But you can see there, that they've set up security screens blocking our view of what exactly is going on. But we understand that that is an active crime scene, a forensic teams are there. We've seen drones, surveilling the area as well. So, we are getting a better sense of how it happened. But what we don't know is why. Authorities have yet to formally identify the suspect in question. And they say that they're working to determine the motive. Take a listen to what the assistant police commissioner had to say about that earlier today.
[Assistant Police Commissioner:] Given that this appears to be a deliberate act, the method and this being an iconic site, we are treating it as a terrorist incident and the investigation is being led by officers from the counterterrorism command.
[Mclaughlin:] So, they're treating this as a terrorist incident. Because the way the apparent attack happened. The way he was driving appeared to be deliberate. The method of the suspected attack as well as the fact that this is an iconic area of London. All of that leading them to believe that this could be terrorism related. But again, no definitive motive as of yet Becky.
[Anderson:] Sadiq Khan, the mayor tweeting earlier on this afternoon and speaking to CNN. Saying that London will not be cowed by this sort of attack. We do know that these streets pretty much, aside from this one, which is right outside the Houses of Parliament here. These streets are open again. London is moving again. The transport system is moving. People are able to get home. It's the commuter time, of course, or certainly moving towards it. And London, very much on the move now. But authorities here will be alarmed that once again, Erin, in this part of town, in front of what is such an iconic building that this sort of event was allowed to happen. Correct?
[Mclaughlin:] Absolutely, Becky. And there are echoes here of what happened some 17 months ago. March 2017 when a man driving a van plowed into a crowd of people just around the corner from here in Westminster Bridge. Injuring 50, killing five before proceeding down this very road and stabbing and killing a security officer right outside of Westminster. So, authorities here are familiar with this kind of apparent attack. And that's perhaps why they reacted so swiftly this morning. They arrested the individual. Again, a man who has not been formally identified by authorities at gun-point and are taking him for questioning. But authorities are saying he's not cooperating. At that point Becky.
[Anderson:] Erin McLaughlin there just down the road from where we are here. You're looking at images there of cyclists who were caught up in that fray. I must repeat once again, a couple of people taken to hospital, one treated at the scene. No critical or life-threatening injuries. Thankfully in what is being described as a terror attack earlier on this morning here in London. Still to come tonight, the U.S. is now sanctioning allies as well as adversaries. We're in three countries bearing the brunt. That is up next.