Return to Transcripts main page
Connect the World
Study: Russian Sputnik V Vaccine Is Safe, Highly Effective; Dr. Anthony Fauci: Risks Of Reinfection From New Variants "Very High"; Kremlin Critic To Spend More Than 2.5 Years In Prison; CNN Speaks To Former Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi; Protecting Yunnan Golden Monkeys; Congressional Leaders Honor Fallen Capitol Police Officer. Aired 11a-12p ET
Aired February 03, 2021 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[11:00:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN, Abu Dhabi. This is CONNECT THE WORLD with Becky Anderson.
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: It is 11:00 am in Washington, D.C., and it is 4:00 in the afternoon in London and it is 8:00 in the
evening here in Abu Dhabi. Hello and welcome.
Well, every day on this show, we bring you the very latest on COVID-19 vaccine. Some days it is a drip feed and other days it might feel like
information overload. This hour, let's try and take a breath and step back and spend some time working through everything we have in connecting you to
what you need to know, the nuances of the different vaccines currently available.
What is on the development and crucially the importance of combating vaccine disinformation? And we will start with the positive news on the
vaccine front. Russia's Sputnik V vaccine, the subject of much speculation an off time doubt since its approval last August now shown to be more than
90 percent effective that information published this week in the highly respected British medical journal "The Lancet". And I will speak to the
magazine's Editor-In-Chief in a moment.
Another big development, study on the Oxford's AstraZeneca vaccine found that it can drastically cut Coronavirus transmission with a single dose
preventing infection in most people. And a milestone just reached in Britain that company announcing the 10 million of its citizens have
received a COVID-19 vaccine.
All that positive news comes amid the sobering reality that COVID variants are now spreading across the globe. They appear to be more infectious, and
some of them could be developing vaccine resistance only adding to what is this urgent race to get as much of the world vaccinated as fast as is
humanly possible.
Now, while there is no one better to work through all of this with us than Richard Horton who is a friend of this show and Editor-In-Chief of "The
Lancet" which as I said just publish the Sputnik V peer reviewed results. It's good to have, it's always a pleasure. So important that we have a mind
like yours connecting the world for us. I think it is perhaps fair to say that the Russian vaccine was met with not only skepticism, but a fair dose
of ridicule from some quarters. Were you then surprised by Sputnik V's results when peer reviewed?
RICHARD HORTON, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, THE LANCET: Well, thanks, Becky. Yes, you are absolutely right. I mean, trust your mind back this vaccine was
actually approved last August and President Putin announced it himself on television, and his daughter was one of the first to receive the vaccine.
So I think the whole world thought that this was a very hasty decision that that the science might not have been very good, and certainly, it was
approved too quickly, but actually the study that we published yesterday was something of a milestone.
They have taken a very original approach. They have two doses of the vaccine, but the two doses are different. They use a different adenoviral
vector, and the idea behind that it that that will give us super strong boost to the immune response. And it looks like it did because as you say,
the vaccine efficacy the protective effects were well over 90 percent, so that means that we have got three vaccines now that have over 90 percent
protective efficacy and the Russian vaccine is one of them.
ANDERSON: Will that Russian vaccine trial here, in the UAE a smaller trial than that for the Sinopharm vaccine but trial here nonetheless. If you
would please just walk us through the process of getting a vaccine peer reviewed by an organization like yours, and what does it mean to be in "The
Lancet" as it were?
HORTON: Sure. So if we take these vaccine studies usually what happens is we - the first study we will get is not the final results about the vaccine
efficacy, but we'll get the data about the immune response, and that is what we had with the Russian vaccine and with the Oxford AstraZeneca
vaccine.
We get those data, we read them ourselves, our staff, our scientists and the physicians and we critique those studies.
[11:05:00]
HORTON: And we send them out to their three or four external advisers who are also experts in the field. We get their comments back and then we
decide whether we're going to pursue the paper or not? And if we're going to pursue it, then we go back to the authors as we did with the Russian
investigators and the Oxford investigators.
And we ask them to revise their paper based on the reviews. And then we often peer review it the second time, and then through that iterative
process, we get what we hope is the best possible paper. And you know, I must say that the Russian investigators and despite the international
skepticism, really been fantastic to work with.
They have been very responsive and very sensitive to the critiques of their paper and very transparent in what they have told us about the safety of
their vaccine.
ANDERSON: And this is important, so to your mind, the vetting of Russia's vaccines by an organization like your own means effectively does it, that
they have met the same standards as Pfizer, AstraZeneca and others?
HORTON: They have absolutely met the same standards in terms of the quality of the trial and the reliability of the data about vaccine efficacy. I
would say that there is one caveat, Becky, and that is around the safety data.
At the moment, we don't have the full safety data for the Russian vaccine; they are still in the process of collecting that. What we do know is that
there are no serious adverse events from this vaccine, but we don't know enough about the minor and moderate adverse events.
So with that one proviso, I would say that this vaccine should have eventually got the green light for use, and indeed many countries have
already placed orders for the vaccine, countries in Latin America, across the Middle East and even in Europe.
ANDERSON: Yes, and here in the UAE, it is one of the number of vaccines which are now available in what is a mass vaccination program here which
covers everybody over the age of 16, and nearly a third of the population already vaccinated which is absolutely remarkable. Look, there has been a--
HORTON: Impressive.
ANDERSON: --there has been a lot of politics in this pandemic, not least in the provision of vaccines. I just wonder whether you are concerned that
even as so many viable candidates come forward that there is still a critical mass of vaccine hesitancy.
And whether you think that some of that hesitancy is as a result of some of this sort of the politics and diplomacy issues that we have seen at stake
in what is sort of the geopolitical sort of nonsense going on at present?
HORTON: No, I mean, Becky, I'm afraid that is absolutely right. If you go out to survey populations and ask them whether they would take a vaccine,
people are very sensitive about where the vaccine comes from, and who is making the recommendation about the vaccine? Typically for example, people
in Europe are more skeptical about vaccines that come from China than they are about vaccines that come from the United States.
So, people are indeed very anxious about what can sometimes seem like a geopolitical arms race, I'm not sure it was sensible for the Russian
vaccine to end up being called Sputnik, it gives the sense that there is this space race for who is going to get geopolitical supremacy?
ANDERSON: Yes, and you are probably right to that degree. Be that as it may, just in the last few minutes, we have learned that in its first
interim distribution forecast, COVAX has announced it plans to distribute 336 million AstraZeneca doses and 1.2 million Pfizer doses to countries
most in need.
That is just over 3 percent of the population in what are these 145 participating countries. We have been talking about the challenge of
getting vaccines out around the world, and the issue of vaccine inequality and even though we have been - I hope as a show, at the forefront of trying
to ensure that there is some equality, and quite frankly, the world has not been doing well enough on ensuring inequity of distribution, has it?
HORTON: No, it hasn't. Vaccine nationalism is the dirty secret of this, the dark side of the whole vaccine story. This me-first approach which we have
seen many countries adopt, it is a false prospectus. We are only going to be safe when all of us are safe.
[11:10:00]
HORTON: That means that we do need to get all countries fully - have full access to one of the vaccines that are currently available. It is no good
my country, the United Kingdom or the UAE or the United States being fully vaccinated if other countries are not, because we are going to be trapped
in our own countries unable to travel and still vulnerable across our borders.
So the units of success for vaccination are the whole planet. So this is why we need maximum cooperation not competition. It is in my interest that
every other country gets vaccinated as well as my own country and that is the same for every citizens and there are over 7 billion people on this
planet Becky, so that is a lot of people we've got to get vaccinated.
ANDERSON: Yes, and once again this - the UAE global hub and many companies working to ensure here that the logistics of supply work really well
through here to ensure that these vaccines get out to other parts of the world.
A couple of other things I really want to get your thoughts on. Firstly, the British researchers have released a study offering further suggestion
that the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine does appear to substantially reduce transmission of the virus rather than just simply preventing symptomatic
infections, how significant is that?
HORTON: Well, Becky, this is a study that is actually undergoing peer review with us right now, and the authors have released a reprint, because
they think it is such an important set of findings. So I want to caveat - by saying this it has not been fully peer reviewed just yet.
But what it is looks like is that this, the Oxford vaccine can reduce transmission by as much as two thirds which is a stunning discovery if that
is true. And what they did was they went out and took swabs from all of their patients in their trials and they measured the total burden of COVID-
19 over time and they found that the total burden was reduced by 67 percent, two third.
ANDERSON: Remarkable. Well, we look forwarded to the publication of those results. I do want you to take a listen to what the U.S. President's Chief
Medical Adviser Anthony Fauci said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. ANTHONY FAUCI, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES: One of the sobering things, Don, that we are finding out in South
Africa with these mutants, these variants that if you were infected with the original virus and the variants comes by, you really don't have much
protection at all.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: As you sit back and watch the data on global spread, which variants, Richard, are giving you the most concern? And for those who have
had the virus, what is the guidance surrounding getting the vaccine? You know, just how long should they wait after having had the virus is two
questions in that which are important?
HORTON: Well, look, Tony Fauci there is referring to the Novavax study from South Africa where they recruited people who had already had the infection.
It looks - as he said, it looks like having had the infection in the past, does not protect you from getting an infection with the variant in the
future which is very, very worrying indeed.
The risks that we are most concerned about are indeed the South African variant and the Brazilian variant and those are spreading. But the good
news is that the vaccines that we already have do seem to be able to protect against those variant infections, and in fact, the Novavax on study
show before this for the U.K., it protected very significantly 85 percent protection.
And even with the South Africa variant the Novavax vaccine had 60 percent vaccine efficacy, and so we do have vaccines that protect against the
variants but what we actually need, really need is this genome sequencing.
We need to be able to go out there and track the genomes of this virus around the world, because that is only the way we're going to pick up these
variants, and that is the big threat to the whole vaccine program. Another variant will pop up, and will subvert the vaccine.
ANDERSON: Yes. Scott McLean at CNN is being at one lab in Cambridge in England where this sequencing is going on. I know it is a hive of activity
there amid what is another national lockdown in the U.K.
Sir, it is always a pleasure to have you on, and your insight analysis is so important as we continue to cover both the good, the bad and the ugly of
this COVID-19 pandemic, thank you. One nation which is still to receive any COVID-19 vaccines at all is Colombia.
[11:15:00]
ANDERSON: The country is seeing another brutal wave of infections with a death toll of more than 54,000 and this disease as we well know does not
discriminate. Last week, just last week, the country's defense minister died after contracting the virus.
Front line workers are overworked and overwhelmed as they await the vaccine. Stefano Pozzebon now reports from inside one struggling hospital
there.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
STEFANO POZZEBON, JOURNALIST (voice over): Resources are running low inside of the intensive care unit as the dramatic second wave of Coronavirus is
putting hospital under siege. Inside of this hospital in - a working class suburb of Colombia's capital Respiratory Therapist Lina Perdomo says
January was the worst month since the beginning of the pandemic.
LINA PERDOMO, RESPIRATORY THERAPIST: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
POZZEBON (voice over): Until early January, these rooms were part of the pediatric wards, but as the hospital ran out of space, she says the
children hospitalized here had to be moved to make room for COVID-19 patients in need of ventilation. After ten months on the front line,
Perdomo and her colleagues are equally out of energy.
POZZEBON (on camera): Every time you enter those doors, every time you get out of those doors headed to take your things off to understand the
physical toll, the tiredness that this situation is causing for these health workers, and some of them have told us they have been working for
26, 27 days per month on a 10 hours, 12 hours and 15-hour shift. And this is why the vaccine is so crucial, because it is the only thing that can put
an end to all of these ordeals.
POZZEBON (voice over): While other countries in South America have already begun their vaccination campaigns, Colombia has yet to receive their first
doses. An analysis by Duke University shows that countries that participated in large scale vaccine clinical trials or with vaccine
manufacturing capabilities were able to secure earlier doses.
Colombia took part in single trial with fewer than 5,000 volunteers and has so far secured orders from manufacturers for enough doses to vaccinate 35
million people, about two third of the population. Colombia's Health Minister is defending the response aiming to assure citizens that help is
on its way.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Their plan is now due to start on February 20th, and the Columbian government claims that more than 70,000 health workers are being
trained to dispense the vaccine is proof of his resolve to curb the pandemic.
POZZEBON (voice over): But for Perdomo and her colleagues on the front line, three more weeks feel like an eternity. And just last week, therapies
in their own units died of COVID-19. A devastating loses that serves as a powerful remainder that the vaccine cannot arrive soon enough. Stefano
Pozzebon, CNN, Soacha.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
ANDERSON: Well, sobering stuff. Well, tributes are pouring in for Britain's beloved fund-raising hero Captain Tom Moore. You'll remember Tom passed
away on Tuesday from social media to Buckingham Palace so many messages of love and appreciation have been sent in honor of a man who captured the
hearts and donations of people around the world.
Britain's Prime Minister now calling for national clap to honor Captain Moore and all of the health workers he raised $33 million for.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BORIS JOHNSON, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: Captain Sir Tom Moore or Captain Tom as we all came to know him dedicated his life to serving his country and
others. His was a long life lived well, whether during his time defending our nation as an army officer.
Mr. Speaker, we now all have the opportunity to show our appreciation for him in all that he stood for and believed in. That's why I encourage
everyone to join in a national clap for Captain Tom and all of those health workers for whom he raised money at 6:00 pm this evening.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[11:20:00]
ANDERSON: Wonderful. Let me correct myself, he raised 33 million pounds or approximately $40 million. Well, London's famous Piccadilly Circus and
Moore's hometown also honored the 100-year-old war veteran with banners and bouquets of flowers. Captain Tom Moore as I say he raised more than $40
million for the National Health Service and its battle against COVID-19. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: On January 6th as protesters stormed the U.S. Capitol police officers were on the front lines giving lawmakers in the U.S. time to
scramble to safety. Well, today those lawmakers are saying thank you to an officer who gave his all.
A ceremony is just wrapping up for Officer Brian Sicknick one of five people who died of injuries sustained in those riots. Sicknick remains have
been lying on the Capitol Rotunda rare distinction for someone who is not actually in government. He was remembered as a quiet rock on the force. He
was just 42-years-old.
All congressional leaders spoke at the ceremony. Moments ago we heard from the Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. NANCY PELOSI (D-CA): I promised to Brian's family is that we will never forget his sacrifice. We must be vigilant as to what President
Lincoln referred to as the harsh artillery of time. We will never forget.
With your permission, may we be worthy to carry Brian in our hearts. We will never forget. Each day when members enter the Capitol, this temple of
democracy, we will remember his sacrifice and then others that day that fought so hard to protect the Capitol and the congress.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, Brian Sicknick's remains are about to be taken to Arlington National Cemetery which is just across the Potomac River in Virginia. Well,
moments before being sentenced to prison, Russian Opposition Leader Alexey Navalny held up a heart sign to his wife hoping to comfort her.
Well, as for Alexey Navalny, himself he will see little comfort over the next 2.5 years that's the prison sentence handed down by the Moscow court
on Tuesday. He was accused of violating his probation by not checking with the Russian authorities this despite him being in a coma at the time.
Well, outside anger over the court's decision spilled into the streets. Police took hundreds of protesters into custody a move that Kremlin calls
justified.
[11:25:00]
ANDERSON: Well, in a statement U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken says U.S. is "Deeply concerned by Navalny's sentence". The statement adds, we
reiterate our call for the Russian government to immediately and unconditionally release Mr. Navalny as well as the hundreds of other
Russian citizens wrongly detained in recent weeks for exercising their rights.
He said including the rights of freedom of expression and of peaceful assembly. Well, CNN's Fred Pleitgen was outside of the courthouse during
Tuesday's hearing, and he joins us now live from Moscow. Fred, that was the response from the U.S., how has the rest of the international community
reacted to Navalny's sentencing?
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi, there, Becky. Well, condemnation has been rolling in pretty much from the entire
world and from many countries in the world about the jailing of Alexey Navalny, also of course, some of the events that unfolded in central Moscow
last night.
In fact, after that court hearing, that you are absolutely right that whereas in front of the courthouse as the verdict was handed down, we did
go to Central Moscow and we saw some of those detentions that took place.
You have condemnation first and foremost coming from the European Union, and I want to read you some of the things that have come in. We have Ursula
Von Der Leyen, the Head of the European Commission of course who says "I condemn the sentencing of Alexey Navalny in the strongest possible terms. I
call on Russia to comply with its international commitments and release him immediately and unconditionally.
That's the Head of the European conditioning Prime Minister Boris Johnson of the United Kingdom put it this way. He said Alexey Navalny's decision to
return to Russia after being poisoned was a truly brave and selfless act. In contrast today's ruling was pure, obviously he said this yesterday, it
was pure cowardice and failed to meet the most basic standards of justice again also calling for Alexey Navalny's release.
And finally Emmanuel Macron the French President coming out and saying the sentence of Alexey Navalny is unacceptable, political disagreement is never
a crime French leader also calling for the release of Alexey Navalny.
And of course, Becky, we also asked the Kremlin about all this, while there was a conference call earlier today with the Spokesman for Vladimir Putin
Dimitri Peskov where he said that the Russian government believes that the protest that attempted to happen last night after that verdict was illegal
and that the police response was "Justified".
Also the Russian government seemingly not willing to give an inch on the fate of Alexey Navalny and they now are calling him the "Convict". And
Dimitri Peskov there says that the "Convict" would have absolutely no say as he put in how Vladimir Putin would be viewed in history, Becky.
ANDERSON: Fred Pleitgen is in Moscow for you. Thank you, Fred. Let's get you up to speed on some of the other stories that are on our radar right
now. And authorities in Myanmar are keeping Former Leader Aung San Suu Kyi in custody until February 15th on charges of violating import/export laws.
Reports say she is accused of illegally importing walkie-talkie radios - Sui Kyi's NLD Party was ousted Monday in a military coup.
Ugandan Presidential Candidate and Opposition Leader Bobi Wine say the government has detained or abducted 3,000 of his supporters since November.
Police say they are investigating all reports of disappearances. Wine is challenging last month's election outcome which handed victory to incumbent
President Yoweri Museveni.
Well, in Australia bushfires have destroyed at least 71 homes east of Perth. Australia and its media say hundreds of people spent Tuesday night
in evacuation centers as firefighters tried to tackle the flames. The Premier of Western Australia state calls it an unprecedented situation with
millions of residents under a Coronavirus lockdown as the fire there burn.
Well, ahead on "Connect the World" is a new Italian Prime Minister on the horizon. Well, a Former European Central Bank Chief accepts the task of
forming a new government but can he succeed? We will speak to one of Italy's Former Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, up next.
And the back to school debate remains a hot button topic for Europeans as new variant cases spread across the continent, details on that after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:30:00]
ANDERSON: Italy taking a big step towards securing a new government and a new Prime Minister. Mario Draghi, the Former Head of the European Central
Bank has accepted a mandate from the Italian President to try and form the country's next government.
Now if he succeeds, he will be the new Italian Prime Minister, but without a political background, he must now begin what is a daunting task of
gathering support from a fractured parliament? Why has this all happened?
Well, the previous government collapsed three weeks ago, and how? Well, the small but essentially a party Italia Aviva led by Former Italian Prime
Minister Matteo Renzi quit through ruling coalition's citing the Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte's handling of the COVID crisis and economic
recession.
Mr. Conte resigned as a result and further talks to resolve the coalition failed. Well, Matteo Renzi now strongly supports Mario Draghi in his
mission to form a unity government and Matteo Renzi joining me now from Rome. It's very good to have you with us, thank you. You supported the idea
of Mario Draghi as a new Prime Minister, why and what challenges do you believe he will now face?
MATTEO RENZI, FORMER ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER: I think Mario Draghi is the best for the role of the Prime Minister in Italy particularly in that
moment. Draghi was the Leader of European Central Bank. He's very talented man with a lot of admiration around the world.
The most important challenges today in Italy are first of all trade, vaccine, vaccination campaign is the only key to give stop to terrible
pandemic. The economy crisis yesterday, we received the official communication about the crisis of GDP minus 8.8 percent, the worst result
in the history of Italy.
[11:35:00]
RENZI: And the third for me as father, not as politician, the most important, the crisis in education, because unfortunately, we are one of
the countries with the low level of presence in class, in classroom of young students.
So education after economy that is our priorities and I think that Mario will be - Mario Draghi will be the number one in term of the quality,
capacity and vision. That is my hope, but I think that is of the country.
ANDERSON: Right. With respect, sir, the country plunged into this political chaos after you withdrew your party from Italy's coalition government as
you have pretty much pointed out due its post pandemic economic recovery plan. Italian media portraying you as the crisis creator with many
questioning why you triggered the political crisis at this point in the country at a time when it is grappling with such harsh health and economic
crises?
So I do have to ask you with respect why now? Do you believe that the Italians have understood the reasons why you triggered this crisis last
month?
RENZI: I think if you are a politician, if you are a leader, if you are a man who thinks about the destiny of your country, it is not important to
follow every day the polls and the likes of Facebook on the posts on Instagram. If you are a leader with the vision, you have the
responsibility, the duty to create the future.
OK. Let me be very frank. Italy is a great country, but we need a vision. Because that is time to create a vision exactly to get off this situation
of crisis and to exit from crisis. If you continue with the strategy of day-by-day, we will not be able to create that way out of crisis.
So, it is true. During the crisis, probably a lot of people don't understand the reason why now? Also, my inner circle of friends, and also
my family, a lot of people told me, Matteo, now is a time of crisis we cannot open up political discussion, but I think exactly in the crisis, we
have the responsibility to create the future.
And I think with Mario Draghi will be able to create the way out. Let me be very frank, I know Joe Biden because I worked with him when he was Vice
President I was Prime Minister. I worked with Mario Draghi when he was Governor of ECB.
We have a new leadership in Europe, in Italy and United States for me; it is a signal of great hope. Joe Biden and Mario Draghi will be crucial in
the next G-20 and in the relation of friendship within USA and Europe.
ANDERSON: Right. We will wait to see how this develops, of course, interesting points that you are making. Let's just finally discuss what is
going on in Europe at the moment, because this is an absolute crisis. Mario Draghi has been embedded in the European project as the Governor of ECB.
I wonder what your thoughts are on the unmitigated disaster that is the European vaccine rollout, and how you think Mario Draghi might be able to
help Italy and indeed the European project through his role as Italian Prime Minister going forward and just how concerned are you about what is
going on at present?
RENZI: I think when we were in the middle of crisis of Europe six years ago probably seven years ago, Mario Draghi was the Italian guy who saved
Europe. Now, I believe Mario Draghi will be a European guy who will save Italy with a recovery plan.
And at the same time if I know Mario Draghi and I know European Commission groups, I am sure we'll be able to push European Union in the right
direction particularly in vaccination campaign, because, you know, as you described just some seconds ago. We lost some opportunities as Europeans in
the vaccination.
[11:40:00]
RENZI: And I believe a man with equality and skill and leadership as Draghi should be very important also in the meeting of European Council to help
President Ursula Von Der Leyen and other leaders to come back again Europe in the role of leadership and not in the situation of trouble. So I am so
confident for Italy but also for Europe.
ANDERSON: Matteo, it is good to have you and we will have you back as we continue to watch the situation in Europe and indeed evaluate the progress
and success of a new prime minister in Italy. Thank you, sir.
Matteo Renzi there voicing his frustrations about what is going on with regard Italian schools and the education system during this pandemic, and
many of the European countries are keeping school doors closed to students as new Coronavirus variants spread rapidly, but is that too little too
late? CNN's Max Foster has this report.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
MAX FOSTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): The holidays are long over, but many classrooms across Europe are still empty. In the U.K., schools are
being closed to the vast majority of students since the beginning of the year. A surge in Coronavirus cases and new more transmissible variants have
forced the government to backtrack on the earlier promises to get children back in school for in-person learning.
JOHNSON: I must inform the House for the reasons that I have outlined it will not be available to reopen schools immediately after the February half
term.
FOSTER (voice over): But some education leaders say that government is being too slow in taking action.
KEVIN COURTNEY, JOINT GENERAL SECRETARY, UK NATIONAL EDUCATION UNION: We were saying to government that really they should be looking at allowing
schools to go to online teaching in the last few weeks before Christmas. I think if they had done that, we wouldn't have had quite the level of the
peak that we had in this country.
FOSTER (voice over): It is a similar story for many at Britain's neighbors. Schools in Portugal remained open even during the country's strict national
lockdown in early January, but a devastating increase in both cases and deaths have since pushed the government to enforce tougher rules ordering
the schools and universities to close for at least two weeks with few exceptions.
And the government says it is a necessary measure to stem the spread of the variant first found in the U.K., but some parents feel it is too little too
late.
PEDRO ALMEDIA, FATHER: This is a measure that should have been taken a long time ago especially before Christmas when there were fewer positive cases.
It would have had fewer consequences for our children's learning.
FOSTER (voice over): The lack of consensus on whether the school closures are necessary is evident across continent. Along with the U.K. and
Portugal, Germany and Ireland have opted to keep school doors closed to students under most circumstances.
Italy and Sweden are taking a regional approach allowing some in-person teaching in combination with online classes depending on local infection
rates while the Netherlands will allow kindergarten and elementary students to return next week.
And in France, Spain and Switzerland schools are open but with precautionary measures in place such as mask wearing, social distancing and
staggered attendance. One expert at a leading medical journal told CNN that whilst may not be consensus on the best approach, decisions on whether
schools should remain open need to be considered on the local level?
JANE GODSLAND, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, THE LANCET CHILD & ADOLESCENT HEALTH: Different countries have to make decisions based on their situation, not
all countries have the same level of infection, and I think schools, school closures should be considered within the local prevalent.
FOSTER (voice over): And while some evidence suggest that schools may not be drivers of transmission, scientists in the U.K. say that remote learning
can help restrict the spread of the virus.
GODSLAND: I think schools do have a role to play in restricting the spread of the virus, so closing schools can contribute to a reduction in the
transmission of the virus, but not in silo. Closing the schools alone is not going to be enough.
FOSTER (voice over): But with new variants on the rise in Europe and beyond, the issue of how soon governments are able to lift restrictions on
schools remains a divisive topic, from whether children need to wear masks to whether educators should be made to teach face-to-face, for now there is
little consensus and little clarity. Max Foster, CNN Hampshire, England.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
ANDERSON: You are watching CNN. We will be right back with CONNECT THE WORLD after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:45:00]
ANDERSON: If you are a regular viewer of this show, you will know that "Call to Earth" is a call to action for the environment. This is important.
It is a call to share solutions to critical issues like global warming or deforestation or plastic waste for example.
This week, we have been showing reports about endangered species and the people working to protect them. Well, in today's film the conservation
coalition comes together in Southwest China to protect the Yunnan Golden Monkeys, have a look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (voice over): This Chinese national treasure is more endangered than the panda. It's like and covered for its tone at risk.
Known as the wild man of the mountains, the Yunnan golden monkeys are black snub nosed monkeys are fighting for survival. In the high altitude
woodlands of Southwest China's Yunnan Province, they are hanging on for dear life and conservation groups say only a few thousand are left in the
wild.
XU HAO, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR, YUNNAN GREEN ENVIORNMENTAL FOUNDATION: Villagers rely on the mountains. In the old days they would
often climb the mountains for hunting and other activities such as gathering wood and cutting trees.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (voice over): Almost 100 monkeys are killed by hunters every year in the region according to the nature conservancy, but as part
of a forest mongering campaign, Xu Hao trains local villagers to patrol the monkey's habitat and look for old wire traps.
HAO: This is a wire trap, villagers put this thing on the mountain and tie it to the tree and use it to catch some animals.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (voice over): His team has installed over 100 infrared cameras in the forest to monitor the monkeys and some of their inquisitive
neighbors like the red panda, the Asiatic black bear and yellow throated martin.
Protecting the astonishing biodiversity of this region is the goal of the nature conservancy which has been working with local villagers for the past
20 years alongside government agencies and other partners.
In 2019, this conservation coalition established a protection network for these monkeys stretching across nearly 2,700 square miles. Their work
includes supporting local communities to create alternative livelihoods to hunting and logging like selling handy-crafts and training them enforced
monitoring.
[11:50:00]
HAO: The local people are increasingly able to realize the importance of protecting Yunnan golden monkeys. More and more villagers have joined as
rangers.
CHU XUEMING, FOREST RANGER: Every time I go to the mountains I see monkeys, if it's the same as before just like older generations, if you hunt like
that, you will almost never see the golden monkeys in a few more generations, so it is really good to protect them.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (voice over): Ensuring the monkey's survival for future generations hangs in the balance for all of the residents of the region.
LI PENG, CONSERVATION REPRESENTATIVE, LAOJUNSHAN NATURE CENTER: We need to consider the development of the local area and the community, but at the
meantime, we need to consider the conservation of the monkeys and hopefully we can make sure that people and the monkey can thrive at the same time.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (voice over): Proving the proverb it takes a village, the golden monkey populations in the village are finally increasing says Li
Peng. He says Laojunshan area now has around 300 golden monkeys and the total number across Yunnan and Tibet is around 3,000.
PENG: Hopefully the number will grow even more in the future. This monkey is like a flagship species in the area, one of the only kinds of animals
living in this high altitude, and so the existence of this species is kind of important and critical to the whole world.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: And we will continue showcasing inspirational stories like this as part of the initiative at CNN. Why, because it is important. And let us
know what you are doing to answer the call with a #calltoearth. You are watching CNN and we will be right back with "Connect the World" after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Right. Well, the Biden Administration having to work out its friends and allies around the world not least of which is of course here in
the Middle East. Turkish and U.S. officials are communicating as the Biden White House gains its footing on the global stage there has been so far no
president-to-president call announced though.
That itself says something that one would imagine a spokesman for Turkey's President said strengthening NATO, the COVID pandemic and military
procurement are all unfolding right now between the two, but sure to come up soon in these diplomatic discussions are likely energy jackpot between
the Eastern Mediterranean Sea and the regional scramble to stake a claim for it.
Welcome to the Eastern Mediterranean, warm blue waters and sleepy fishing villages. And now, home to what is perhaps Europe's most dangerous
geostrategic model. Over what could be the world's latest energy jackpot, and trillions and trillions of cubic millimeters of gas, but who could it
belong to? Well, that is where these clear blue waters get a whole lot murkier.
Let me explain. Greece, Cyprus, Egypt and Israel already diving into and pumping out the rich treasures underneath worth billions and billions of
dollars and they have all got to together to help build an ambitious project and nearly 2,000-kilometer pipeline carrying all that energy right
into Europe threatening to break Russia's monopoly on shipping gas there.
[11:55:00]
ANDERSON: That is only the beginning of why it is so complicated. Enter Turkey, this is what it is claiming as its waters, but then this is what
Greece claims as its exclusive territorial zone or EEZ. That is a term from the U.N.'s convention on the law of the sea. The problem is that Turkey
isn't signed up to that. So it doesn't even acknowledge Greece's claims.
Well, in the middle of it all, the tiny Greek Island of Kastellorizo that is almost 600 kilometers from Athens, but as you can see, it is incredibly
close to Turkey, just two kilometers from its shores. This small island where only a few hundred people live is the key to that gets what if gas is
discovered around there?
This Greek for sure, and so Greece claims the Island gives it a vast EEZ and that is the exclusive economic zone I told you about. But Turkey does
not agree. It does not think that such a tiny island could have the same rights as the countries with the long coastlines around it. And it is using
a lot of international case law to back up that argument.
Not far off is a much bigger island and potentially a much bigger political problem, and that is here, Cyprus. It is seeing Turkey and Greece sharpen
their words and sometimes more between each other since an attempted Greek coup led to a Turkish invasion back in 1974.
The country is still split between the Turkish Cypriot North only recognized by Ankara on the Greek Cypriot South that is internationally
recognized and a member of the EU. Well, this isn't just an academic debate over lines on a map.
Of course, the furious scramble to control this energy boom matters precisely, because of that complicated history between Greece and Turkey. A
history that has seen them go to the brink of war once before.
And I want to close out the show this hour with images from Capitol Hill where a ceremony has now finished for Police Officer Brian Sicknick who
died of injuries he sustained in the January 6th insurrection. His remains have been lying in honor on the Hill and those are the images now in
Washington. It's a very good evening from Abu Dhabi.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
