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Connect the World
British MP: Sanction By China Is A "Badge Of Honor"; Brazil's Alarming COVID-19 Spike; Expert: We Must Help Brazil Contain P-1 Or Suffer Same Fate; Military Crackdown On Protesters Grows Bloodier Each Week; Oak Trees From French Revolution Used To Repair Cathedral; Duke University Testing Pfizer's Vaccine In Children Under 12. Aired 11a-12p ET
Aired March 26, 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]
LYNDA KINKADE, CNN HOST: China calls the claim baseless and today UK is asking China to prove it by allowing the United Nations full action into
the region. Well, that request coming from Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab on the same day Beijing slapped sanctions on several British organizations,
MPs and other individuals.
If the latest tit for tat response through sanctions on China imposed earlier this week by the UK, the EU, the United States and Canada.
Yesterday we brought you exclusive reporting around the lost Children of Xinjiang that elicited a pretty strong denial from China's Ambassador to
the U.S.
International Diplomatic Editor, Nic Robertson is certainly following the story from us - for us from London and joins us now live. Good to have you
with us again, Nic. So of course, the UK is far from alone when it comes to hitting China with sanctions for these human rights abuses after presenting
a lot of evidence.
We've also seen, obviously, the U.S. and the EU, also hand out sanctions, why then did China just retaliate against the UK?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Well, I think China is trying to do the same sort of thing that Russia does, and that is separate
out those who are aligning against that. President Biden has made it very clear, he will build a coalition, an alliance of partners who share
likeminded values, and democracy, cherish human rights, et cetera.
And to try to curtail China's abuse of human rights and abide by the sort of international global rules based system that exists right now that is
valued by democracies around the world. So it seems that in this particular case, China is trying to and it is going to and has put sanctions on other
people in other countries.
But it is going to try and pick off countries individually, because that's the way in the same way that Russia does another autocracy. It's that's the
way it sees it best achieves its agenda and weakens those nations and weakens the alliance against that.
And President Biden was very clear in the press conference that he gave just yesterday, saying he sees the challenge right now, as we go through
what is essentially the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the period of huge potential change in the world.
He sees the issue now as democracy essentially versus autocracies, like China, and he makes it very clear, not looking for confrontation, but
expect steep competition is his word. And he is not going to lose out in that competition. This is how he framed it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: China has an overall goal. And I don't criticize them for the goal. But they have an overall goal to
become the leading country in the world, the wealthiest country in the world and the most powerful country in the world. That's not going to
happen on my watch, because United States is going to continue to grow and expand.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTSON: So by targeting politicians and entities in the UK, politicians who are very well respected in this country for their standards based
approach to international human rights well respected in this country, to target them is to send a message to the UK, your business interests in the
future, which do seem to be dimmed this time, are going to be compromised if you continue to criticize us in China.
KINKADE: All right, Nic Robertson, we are going to stay on this story as always. Good to have you with us joining us live from London. Thank you.
Well, my next guest is among the British individuals and organizations sanctioned by China today, Parliament Member Iain Duncan Smith calls it a
badge of honor. He says it is government's duty to call out Chinese abuses and genocide of the Uyghurs.
Iain Duncan Smith joins me now from London. Good to have you with us, sir. So you were one of nine individuals and several organizations in the UK,
sanctioned by China, you're calling it a badge of honor. Just explain why?
IAIN DUNCAN SMITH, BRITISH CONSERVATIVE MP: Well, it's not a surprise that the Chinese government has attempted to sanction individuals in the UK.
They already did it to individuals in the European Union, following Monday, this week, early Monday.
The European Union, the British government, America, Canada, et cetera all introduced what we call Magnitsky sanctions on individuals in China guilty,
as evidenced in the documentation of involvement with direction of and determination of what essentially I would call genocide, but has been
framed as significant and appalling abuses of human rights practiced on the Uyghur people an ethnic minority in Xinjiang region in China.
So I wasn't a surprise. In fact, we thought that numbers would actually be sanctioned. But that means essentially, that our criticisms are getting
through to them. That's what I referred to this as speaking for those who have no voice and to where the attack on our sleeves is aware as a badge of
honor.
[11:05:00]
KINKADE: Under these sanctions, you're prohibited from entering Chinese territory, any assets you have in China could be frozen. And obviously, any
of these institutions are barred from doing business with China, the ones that are also facing these similar sanctions. How will this directly impact
you?
SMITH: Well, in all probability it doesn't directly impact me I don't have assets in China and I don't have any genuine business links in China. And
as much as I'd love to go and visit Xinjiang region, you know, they've banned anybody authority from visiting there at all.
And they've been carrying out a whitewash or what you know, literally is redolent of the 1930s and 40s and the Nazi Germans appalling use of
concentration camps. This is very similar to what's going on in Xinjiang, so I don't really expect or wasn't expecting to go there.
You know, I'm sorry that they've sought to do this, but it is very much in keeping as your reporter said, Chinese are in a very aggressive mode at the
moment, since President Xi Jinping came to power, and is now the supreme leader.
He's carried out a very aggressive policy of both abroad and at home, anybody that doesn't agree with him at home is suppressed and dealt with
and so the Tibetans, the Uyghurs, Christians, the Falun Gong. Now I understand the inner Mongolians all have their languages, banned
reeducation, as they call it, in other words, labor camps, et cetera. All these things are brought to bear on them.
And abroad, you know, they've taken over the China Seas, annexed it with no historic rights to it. They've had terrible disputes with India on the
border some Indian soldiers have been killed. And they have basically been trashing the China British agreement in Hong Kong and threatening Taiwan.
So you know you can see that his attitude is we're going to be the biggest country. We're going to be the most powerful country. And we don't have to
listen to a word that any of these rather weak nations who believe in things like human rights and democracy, have to say to us. We are going to
be dominant again.
And I think this is the big challenge, and the West has to wake up, the free world has to wake up to this challenge and deal with it.
KINKADE: So what else can be done? Because the British Prime Minister has said he stands by all of you who have stood up to China? What more can be
done?
SMITH: Well, I think we have to come together in the free world. And both agree, first of all, that China is not just a competitor China is becoming
a very dangerous strategic opponent. You know, the truth is, China sees the free world as a mistaken group, you know - news, you know, we are countries
that have really any become powerful in the last couple of 100 years.
As you look at China's, I think, see them as this Middle Kingdom that that is only restoring its natural place in the world, and that dominance and
assertive dominance is what they are after. So we have to decide whether we're going to continue to rush to China to feed their economy with our
investments, and our business.
Or are we going to start looking to retrieve some of that business, particularly the strategic elements of our business, back from China into
the free world, our allies and friends, and start to put pressure on China to change?
You know, the reality is, as long as we keep running to them, they rather casually ignore almost everything that we say or do. And governments have
been reluctant to call out this abuse. They should have been calling it out years ago. But they haven't and that's because, you know, they're worried
about their business ties and their trade ties. And China knows that.
So China literally warns them, this is a shot over our bows were these people are being sanctioned, because they're a nuisance, because they speak
out which they wouldn't be allowed to in China. The next step is going to be we're going to start dealing with your trade arrangements and your
finance et cetera.
So China isn't ever going to back down, we have to be able to build that alliance. That gives us the potency and the capability to put pressure on
China. Number one is trade. They have to grow by five and a half percent a year. Otherwise, they shrink, and that's the critical element for them. And
that's their Achilles heel and that's where we should be starting.
KINKADE: Iain Duncan Smith always good to get your perspective. Thank you so much for your time today. We appreciate it. Well, for the second time
this week, there's been a transportation accident in Egypt, this time with deadly results.
A train collision in Egypt has claimed at least 32 lives in India dozens of others. The railway authorities there's some have called an emergency brake
causing the collision.
[11:10:00]
KINKADE: Now this happened on Friday, just south of Cairo. Our Ben Wedeman is in Cairo where he's following the story. Ben, just bring us up to speed
with what you know.
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, this accident happened just before noon, local time when, as you said, somebody on this
train bound from Luxor in Southern Egypt to Alexandria on the Mediterranean Coast, apparently pulled an emergency brake on this train causing a train
behind it, to collide with it.
And what we've seen is the pictures are clearly there's just horrific damage. As you said at least 32 dead, the latest 91 injured and this is in
a country that has a long history of these absolutely awful train crashes due to the poor maintenance of their railway system.
We have heard both President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi and Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi said the same the day's responsible will be punished.
But what we've seen over the years is after similarly, if not worse, railway accidents. Somehow they keep occurring year after year. And they -
the situation is not getting better. Lynda?
KINKADE: Yes, it certainly isn't. We are going to stay on that story as we find more details out about that collision. But I also want to talk to you
Ben about and now the story if you can stand by for us. Now, the company that owns the Ever Given says that giant container ship that is wedged in
the Suez Canal could be floating again by Saturday.
The ship and its 20,000 containers have been blocking the canal since Tuesday when it ran aground now. Hundreds of ships were trying to use the
waterway many of them are now sitting nearby in a lake. Now that clog in the canal is costing companies an estimated $400 million every single hour.
Ben certainly hard to get your head around those sorts of figures. But it speaks to the significance of this canal is very crucial trading route.
WEDEMAN: Yes, this is a major artery between Europe, North America and Asia. And what we've seen already that some ships bound for the
Mediterranean from North America are now diverting around the African Continent because of this ongoing crisis.
Now, as you mentioned, the owner of the Ever Given is saying that perhaps the ship will be floated. On Saturday, the Egyptian authorities are busy
dredging around the ship. They have a goal of moving 20,000 cubic meters of sand and mud. And they're going to deploy two large tugboats tomorrow to
try to free that blocking the Suez Canal.
But at this point, you know, depending on who you speak to some people say yes, it's a possibility, tides will go up it will make the get this
operation easier. On the other hand, some people are saying that this ship is seriously stuck. And that there's going to - they're going to have to,
for instance, perhaps empty some of the fuel onboard the ship.
And this, of course, is one of the largest container ships on Earth or perhaps they're going to have to bring in floating cranes to remove some of
the thousands of containers on that ship. But certainly what this has done has really damaged the reputation of the Suez Canal regardless of how or
what has happened.
We know that for instance, as a result of global warming and the shrinking of the polar ice caps, increasingly, there is talk of using that route to
bring goods from Asia to Europe to avoid for instance, the Suez Canal. Keep in mind, of course, that the Suez Canal is extremely important for Egypt
economically, and strategically, Lynda.
KINKADE: Yes, it certainly is. We will be watching this closely over the coming days and potentially weeks, if it does, indeed take that long. Ben
Wedeman in Cairo for us thanks so much.
Well, coming up the country with the world's second highest COVID-19 death toll reports another alarming record. And now there's concern that what's
happening in Brazil could have a global impact, we'll explain that. Plus--
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And have something but it's the beginning of something else.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: Centuries old trees are getting a second life as part of a reconstruction France's Notre Dom Cathedral.
[11:15:00]
KINKADE: CNN goes inside the rebuilding of this landmark coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KINKADE: Well, in Brazil, sadly another record setting day with COVID-19 running wild and the country's healthcare system collapsing under the
weight of the pandemic. More than 100,000 COVID-19 cases were recorded on Thursday alone exacerbating an already dire situation.
Intensive care units are facing critical shortages from oxygen to medicines necessary to intubate severe cases. And we're now learning Brazil's private
hospitals could have run out of other medicines used to treat COVID-19 patients in just a matter of days.
CNN's Matt Rivers joins us now from Sao Paulo. Matt, it certainly is heartbreaking day after day and what you're seeing that now not only
intensive care units, just completely full but oxygen running out.
MATT RIVERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, you know, Lynda, we've been here now in Brazil reporting for a little over two weeks. And when we first got here
two weeks ago, I think the system was beginning to collapse. I think now, two weeks later, in many, many places across this country, the healthcare
system has collapsed.
There's no other way to describe that. You mentioned the amount of cases that were recorded yesterday that single highest number in a single day
since this pandemic began. The Private Hospital Association here in Brazil say they're going to run out of anesthetics used to treat COVID-19 patients
within the next three or four days.
The signs just keep mounting. I want to show our viewers a couple of clips here I want to start with a clip of some ambulances. This was footage given
to us by a source here in Brazil. And what you can see is there are 12 ambulances waiting outside of a hospital in Sao Paolo, all of them with
patients inside.
They are waiting because the hospital will not accept patients and this is happening all across the city. Ambulances respond to calls, they have
nowhere to go. If hospitals aren't accepting patients that means the system has collapsed.
I want to show you another foot another clip from inside of a hospital in the Federal District here in Brazil, where the federal government is. In
this video, you can see an oxygen tube that is literally being run from one window across an open courtyard into another room.
The reason that's happening is because on the other side, that's where the oxygen source is. But there are so many patients in the room where the
oxygen is that they can't fit any more patients in there. So they have to put patients in another hallway. The only way they can get oxygen from the
source to the patient is by running oxygen tubes out of windows.
That is the kind of thing that is happening all across this country right now. ICU occupancy rates in nearly every single resilient state are at or
above 80 percent many of them have simply collapsed. This has been the trend over the past few weeks Lynda, and unfortunately, you talk to people
here in Brazil.
[11:20:00]
RIVERS: No one really believes we've hit the peak yet in this country. In other words, the worst days of this pandemic could be yet to come.
KINKADE: It is a horrifying prospect. And right now, you're seeing many more young people succumb to this virus and we have in the past.
RIVERS: Yes, you know, that's the other trend that we've been hearing. And this goes all the way back to the first reporting trip that we did this
year in Brazil back in January, when we were in the Amazonian City of Manaus. And back then we were hearing from an ICU doctor who said, the
difference that this wave compared to last year is that we're seeing more young people in the ICUs getting severely sick, they don't have co
morbidities.
They don't have, you know, other issues that might exacerbate COVID. They're otherwise healthy, and yet they're getting sicker, and they're
dying more. That is something we've heard in my house. When we've spoken to doctors in Rio de Janeiro in Sao Paulo, all across the country it's the
same kind of anecdotal story being told.
And what we're hearing from health officials is that the ICU data does back that up, there are more young people ages, you know, 50 and below that have
severe illness than before. There are a lot of theories about why that is ranging from a variant here called P-1 that's more transmissible to the
fact that younger people are simply exposing themselves more to this virus.
But whatever the reason, you know; no one is being spared right now, in Brazil. The numbers are, you know, so high and really, whether you're young
or you're old, it doesn't really seem to matter at this moment.
KINKADE: Yes, it certainly doesn't. Matt Rivers, always good to get your pointing to get that perspective on the ground thank you very much we will
be watching out for your report later today. Thank you.
We are going to stay on the story in Brazil because there is obviously concern that what's happening in Brazil was spill beyond its borders
becoming more of an international threat. The World Health Organization says the P-1 variant first identified in Brazil has now spread to at least
41 countries.
Epidemiologist Eric Fiegl-Ding warns the world has not awoken to the dire potential reality the P-1 variant could represent. He says we must help
Brazil contain it or risk suffering the same fate. Well, Dr. Eric Fiegl- Ding joins us now from Washington.
Firstly, just give us your take on what we are seeing unfold in Brazil, a country that dismissed this COVID pandemic from the very beginning under
its leadership under the president who called this the little flu and we are now seeing it run rampant there.
DR. ERIC FIEGL-DING, EPIDEMIOLOGIST & HEALTH ECONOMIST: Yes, it's very worrisome. And I agree with Matt Rivers reporting there. Brazil is under
siege its mortality has succeeded 300,000 deaths from COVID that's been identified so far.
And Brazil's current trend is that the current per capita debts is actually exceeded the highest per capita debt that even the U.S. saw during its
peak, and the worst is still yet to come. This virus, if it's not contained poses a national and global security threat.
Not interest in terms of starting a new pandemic because this one is not only more transmissible than the old one, also possibly more transmissible
than even the British B-117 variant, as well because it's two to two and a half times more transmissible, but also re infection risk.
And it also poses risks to collapsing Brazil's economy, which has a major country can also reach hugely impact other economies. And finally, the
third risk is that if an unchecked pandemic can be completely ignored by authoritarians like Bolsonaro, it poses huge risk that other authoritarians
will try to use the same playbook to ignore and dismiss the suffering of thousands and thousands of people. And all three poses huge risks to the
world.
KINKADE: If you could break it down for us in layman's terms about how these variants come about? How the COVID-19 strain mutates?
DR. FIEGL-DING: So the mutation is a combination of reasons mostly, the more people it can infect the more playground opportunities it can use to
develop a bad mutation. And especially if you find someone who is elderly or Immuno-compromised, and then the virus can replicate inside of their
Immuno-compromised body for longer time. It is the perfect storm.
And many Harvard studies have shown that it's these kinds of situations where the virus floats in more people and longer and each person that has
the potential to mutate. And I always remind people a virus can't mutate if it can't replicate, and this is why containing the virus is so important,
but right now Brazil doesn't even have enough vaccines.
[11:25:00]
DR. FIEGL-DING: It didn't even order 130 million vaccines until last week when ICUs were at 90, 95 percent capacity that is not staying ahead of the
virus. And that's why Brazil right now is in a world of trouble, because the vaccines are not coming for many months.
KINKADE: And Eric, that mutant strain we are seeing that is more contagious and lethal than the original is now spreading. It's now invading regional
countries around Brazil, right?
DR. FIEGL-DING: Right. It's also infected into Paraguay, Uruguay, and Chile. Paraguay are seeing record high ICU as well. Paraguay is one of the
wealthiest countries in South America they're also not containing Paraguay. ICUs are maxed out, they're out of oxygen. Chile has one of the highest
vaccination rates in the world and Santiago, Chile still seeing a surge and in a lockdown because of this.
Meanwhile, Brazil, there's no lockdown. And I won't even point out in British Columbia, Canada, British Columbia, Canada, you think, for this
place there is from Brazil has one of the largest outbreaks and pockets of P-1. There's more P-1 per day in British Columbia, Canada than all of the
U.S. combined, cumulatively, and that's just really scary.
So this P-1 variant that it's highly contagious is already a part of the world. And we have to wake up to this and stop it and send aid to Brazil
now.
KINKADE: And just quickly, researchers have found that some people infected with COVID-19 are infected with at least two strains. In Brazil, what sort
of challenges that pose for scientists trying to come up with vaccinations?
DR. FIEGL-DING: Well, the vaccinations do work. They work against B-117 as well, it does still likely work for the P-1. But the problem is if it is co
infected have two strains in the same person that actually adds opportunities for recombination, which is the other mutation method in
which of viruses swap material within each other and can create hyper mutated strains and variants.
This is why the more we let this virus circulate the more problematic variants we'll see. We cannot play this whack a mole yo-yoing situation. We
have to unify as a world to stop these pandemics because if we hoard vaccines in one country, and not release enough to help others, it will
come back to bite us here in America as well.
KINKADE: Dr. Erica Fiegl-Ding good to get your perspective on all of this, as we've heard so often now, no country is safe unless all countries are
safe. Good to have you on thank you.
Well, still to come on "Connect the World" it looks like a possible break during the conflict in Northern Ethiopia doesn't signal an end to the
fighting that is included reports of mass killings. We're going to have a live report coming up.
Plus, for the first time this year in oil tanker docks in Northern Yemen, it could be a key step towards delivering food to starving people there.
We'll talk with a Norwegian Refugee Council's Point Person in Sanaa.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:30:00]
KINKADE: Well, at least another nine people have been killed by Myanmar's military during pro democracy protests on Thursday. That's according to a
local advocacy group which - is 320 people who've been killed since last month's crew. The UN officials say the international response is falling
short, that limited sanctions by individual countries and not enough to stop the bloodshed.
One reason the military is deeply embedded in the country's economic system. Ivan Watson explains.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
IVAN WATSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): The military in Myanmar is responsible for much more than February 1st coup ensuing crackdown against
protesters. The military has also long been heavily involved in the business of making money.
CHRIS SIDOTI, UN INDEPENDENT INTERNATIONAL FACT-FINDING MISSION ON MYANMAR: The military has a tentacle in almost every part of the Myanmar economy.
WATSON (voice over): Chris Sidoti was a member of United Nations fact finding mission which published 2019 reports on the economic interests of
the Myanmar military. It concluded that the same generals who've been accused by the UN have committing human rights abuses against ethnic groups
like the Rohingya are also in charge of two of the biggest conglomerates in the country Myanmar Economic Holdings Limited and Myanmar Economic
Corporation.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Today, NEC is one of Myanmar's leading conglomerates.
WATSON (voice over): Their portfolios include banks, oil and gas extraction, mining, ports, hotels, telecommunications, breweries, and even
a golf resort. A separate 2020 report by Amnesty International exposed the unique relationship between individual combat divisions and the
conglomerate and VHL.
MONTSE FERRER, AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL RESEARCHER ON BUSINESS AND HUMAN RIGHTS: Almost every single top officer of the military holds shares in
this large business conglomerate that's collecting profits and dividends.
WATSON (voice over): At the top of the pyramid this man Min Aung Hlaing the Commander in Chief of Myanmar's Armed Forces, he declared himself ruler of
the country during the coup of February 1st. But the UN report also identifies him as Chairman of the Patron Group, part of NHS's corporate
leadership.
He's essentially a business mogul in an army generals' uniform. That unusual position highlighted at the 2018 launch ceremony for - a cell phone
company joint venture between a Myanmar military owned conglomerates and a telecommunications company owned by the Vietnamese Military Min Aung Hlaing
shared the stage with Vietnamese top brass.
At a press conference weeks after the coup, a military spokesman seemed to anticipate the junta would face international criticism. He said sanctions
are expected and they've come from mainly Western governments.
BIDEN: New executive order enabling us to immediately sanction the military leaders who directed the coup, their business interests as well as close
family members.
WATSON (voice over): The Treasury Department targeted two adult children of Myanmar's top general accusing them of benefiting "From their father's
position and malign influence". Washington also sanctioned the adult children's companies, including a restaurant and Media Production Company
and a chain of gyms called Ever Fit.
WATSON (on camera): Despite the sanctions, I can still access an app from Ever Fit on my iPhones' app store. I can also download another app called
OCCDS and that stands for the Office of the Commander in Chief of the Defense Services. It's basically a public relations media platform for Min
Aung Hlaing, the Military Dictator of Myanmar.
WATSON (voice over): On the bloody streets of Myanmar's cities and towns, the death toll continues to grow. The military seeks to crush the popular
uprising against the coup. The struggle over the future of democracy in Myanmar is also a battle over who will control the country's economy. Ivan
Watson, CNN, Hong Kong.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: We're not to a big development in a conflict tone region we've reported heavily on where civilians have been the victims of atrocities.
Ethiopia's Prime Minister says Eritrea has agreed to withdraw its troops from Tigray.
[11:35:00]
KINKADE: Abiy Ahmed acknowledged just this week that Eritrean troops had entered the northern region of Ethiopia. They've been helping Ethiopian
soldiers try to crush forces loyal to Tigray's ruling party. Thousands of civilians are believed to have been killed in that fighting some of the
victims of massacres.
Our Nima Elbagir has been following the story. She is next door to Ethiopia in Sudan's capital Khartoum, and joins us now live. And Nima, you have been
vital to the reporting on this story. This certainly is a significant development today.
NIMA ELBAGIR, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It is a matter of days, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed went denying that the Eritreans were
fighting alongside his forces to - it, and then to flying to - to meet with Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki to agree what he calls a timetable of
withdraw.
You can understand why many of those people that we have spoken to in the past many of those who've lost loved ones, many of the survivors of the
violence inside Tigray don't quite believe that this will actually happen. They're already calling Lynda for some kind of international mechanism,
some kind of UN body to check that, in fact, the Eritreans have left.
And that's not taking into account the concerns that they have around the Ethiopian Amharic militias that have fought alongside Ethiopian soldiers.
Both parties are accused alongside the Eritreans of committing atrocities.
So while this is obviously the result of a lot of international pressure, for many of those on the ground, they want to see the how before they
believe that this will actually have an impact Lynda?
KINKADE: All right, Nima, if you could stick around for us, I also want to ask you about another key story. A fuel ship has just docked at the Port of
Hodeidah in Yemen. And it could be the difference between life and death for so many Yemeni people.
Now the Saudi led coalition that's been fighting Houthi rebels in Yemen, agreed to ease its blockade and allow four tankers to unload. And Nima,
you've just returned from Yemen, obviously thousands, millions of people desperately need supplies desperately need food.
ELBAGIR: Absolutely. And it's important to note that this easing and we don't know if it's temporary, we don't know if it's permanent. But this
easing of the blockade, it matters and it will help people. But actually, when you break it down those four ships, three of them are carrying fuel
headed for private sector factories, only one will actually go to the public sector, only one will be able to make sure that the hospitals still
run that the electricity runs.
That one ship it's called the Thuraya (ph), the fuel it's carrying only makes up 8 percent of the needs in Northern Yemen where the vast majority
of Yemen's population are. So it is an important step forward.
It comes after our investigation triggered calls by the UN by the Head of the WFP the World Food Programme to lift the blockade. It is a step
forward. But unfortunately, they will need to see so much more to try and pull the people of Yemen out of this crisis Lynda.
KINKADE: Nima, you mentioned the World Food Program 360,000 children are at risk of dying because of this desperate need for food. Just talk to us
about the logistical challenges in getting these supplies to them.
ELBAGIR: That's what this all comes down to. It comes down to fuel not just as a necessity, electricity or water, but fuel as a necessity for getting
both food and food aid to these children and when the children go to these hospitals, desperately malnourished, because the food and the food aid
haven't been reaching their communities.
These hospitals themselves are almost shuttering because of a lack of fuel. It is the basic necessities of life and to block fuel from a starving
population actually meets the bar for war crimes. Under UN - under one of the UN resolutions around starvation is a weapon of war.
So this is a really important step but no one should be under any illusions that this is enough to pull Yemen away from the brink of famine. The people
that children have yet needs so much more help Lynda before they can come back from the precipice.
KINKADE: Nima Elbagir, always good to have you on those two very important stories. Thanks so much for joining us. Well, you are watching "Connect the
World" we're going to take a quick break. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:40:00]
KINKADE: Welcome back. You're watching "Connect the world" I'm Lynda Kinkade. Well, it's been nearly two years since the world watched in horror
as France's Notre Dom Cathedral went up in flames. The fire ravaged the roof of the iconic 13th century church destroying a spire.
We know oak trees dating back to the French Revolution of being chopped down for the landmarks reconstruction. CNN's Jim Bittermann has the
details.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JIM BITTERMANN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): It was one of the most heartbreaking sites of a tragic afternoon. The towering
spire, the Cathedral of Notre Dom came crashing to the ground as a devastating fire swept through the roof but now a more encouraging image of
spires crashing down.
In a forest South of Limon, France, a harvest of mighty oaks is underway. The first of 200 year old trees needed to rebuild this fire and roof
support beams destroyed by the fire in all 1000 trees will be needed.
While there has been some opposition from environmental groups about the use of centuries old trees to rebuild Notre Dom. The forestry people here
say it's a testament to their richness of natural resources in this country. In this forest alone, there are more than 100,000 trees that are
over 150 years old.
At the church itself, there is no resounding pipe organ playing just yet. But as CNN discovered when it got rare access to the cathedral, the walls
have been cleaned and stabilized some of the stained glass windows and ancient stones statuary already restored.
There remains a gaping hole in the roof, though covered only with plastic to keep out the elements. For that workers are now building 90 foot tall
walls of scaffolding inside the cathedral, which will eventually support a temporary platform for restoring Notre Dom's unique vaulted ceiling, much
of which was destroyed or damaged in the fire.
Architects say once the platform is in place, precisely engineered wooden arches will provide the bracing to reconstruct the Styrofoam stone ceiling
vaults. Once all that is done, the engineers will turn their attention to rebuilding the roof itself, reconstructing the spire and replacing the
interior roof beams using the oak that is now being cut exactly in the same fashion as those that were destroyed in the fire.
There were hundreds of ideas from the public suggesting more modern ways to rebuild Notre Dom. But in the end, President Macron decided that it should
be rebuilt exactly as it was, albeit with better fire protection. Reconstructing the cathedral as it was seems to be more or less a popular
idea.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's cultural building, it belongs to everybody. So I think it's very important for everybody to rebuild it in the same way. I
think in the classical way.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We should respect the monuments and the century when it was made and the methods that were used to build it.
BITTERMANN (voice over): Back amid the ancient oaks knowing they'll be used for a noble purpose suits the forestry managers just fine.
[11:45:00]
PAULINE DELORD, NATIONAL FORESTRY OFFICE: We know it's the end of something, but it's the - it's the beginning of something else. This piece
of wood is going to have a second life and maybe even longer than the life he had in the forest.
BITTERMANN (voice over): Jim Bittermann, CNN in the Varsey Forest of France.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: We just heard from Pauline Delord in Jim's report, she manages the forest where they centuries old oak trees grow and joins us now from
France. Good to have you with us.
DELORD: Hi.
KINKADE: I like to quote where you said it's the end of something. It might be the end of science, but it is also the beginning because these beautiful
oak trees will now be admired in a new form.
DELORD: Yes, that's definitely true. Those trees are more than 200 years old. And they will probably last longer, or that's what we hope on the roof
of the cathedral. So yes, it's something beautiful for them. It's a beautiful second life, definitely.
KINKADE: And the idea of a contemporary redesign was for Notre Dom was shut down was dismissed by the French President. And it's now going to be an
identical restoration so sourcing a really good oaks, the best oaks is key here.
DELORD: Yes, it was very important to find the right type of oaks with the right dimensions. And it has been a lot of work for the foresters. But we
managed to do it. And now we found all the trees that are needed by the architects to rebuild the flesh of Notre Dom.
KINKADE: And what's quite fascinating I was reading, the oaks that going to come from all corners of France, not just from one region.
DELORD: Yes, that's true. We really tried to have oaks coming from all parts of France, from different forest. 200 forest about and from public
forest and also from private forests. So all types of forest are represented and will be encouraged.
KINKADE: And just talk us through the process. What happens once the trees are cut?
DELORD: Well, they will be connected to the saw mill, and then we will be - that will take a few months, between April and September. And then the
beans will have to dry and they have to dry between a year and a year and a half. And that after this drying period that they camp out and just we'll
try to - we'll start working the wood.
KINKADE: Wow!
DELORD: It takes a long time.
KINKADE: It's a lengthy process a very expensive process. But no doubt many people in France can't wait till the cathedral is rebuilt.
DELORD: Yes, we'll be very happy and the French Pastors will are very proud to be able to contribute and to give this wood to public cathedral.
KINKADE: What's good to see that restoration work is underway? Good to get your perspective with us on those beautiful 230 year old oaks. Thanks so
much for your time, Pauline.
DELORD: Thanks, bye.
KINKADE: Well, ahead on the show. Imagine enrolling your child in a COVID vaccine trial. That's what parents have 144 children under the age of 12
are doing this government's fight to get them back into the classrooms. We're going to have a live report when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:50:00]
KINKADE: Welcome back. Well, schools all around the globe are trying to strike a balance between keeping children safe from COVID-19 while
providing them with crucial classroom time. Duke University is testing Pfizer's Coronavirus vaccine in children under the age of 12 and results
are expected by the end of 2021.
But the Pfizer vaccine for children aged 12 to 15 might be ready for the upcoming school year. For all the details CNN Health Reporter Jacqueline
Howard joins me now from Atlanta. Good to have you with us, Jacqueline. So the big questions, obviously, how much of a dose will children need? How
long would the immunity last? Just take us through the trial?
JACQUELINE HOWARD, CNN HEALTH REPORTER: Right, those are the questions that this trial is going to answer, Lynda. So how the trial works? You have to
keep in mind that currently the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine is administered as a two dose shot 21 days apart in adults, and the dosage in adults is 30
micrograms.
So for this study and children what researchers are doing? They're going to start with 10 micrograms. They're going to see if that's well tolerated,
then they'll move on to 20. If it is, and if that's well tolerated, then they'll move on to 30 micrograms. So that's what's happening first in this
trial.
And Lynda Pfizer told us here at CNN now that the trial is underway at least two children already have received their first dose of vaccine. This
is looking at children under the age of 12 so this is happening, things are moving quickly. But what happens next after the dosage is determined, and
it's found to be well tolerated?
Next, researchers are going to see how efficacious the vaccine is in children? And for that researchers are going to give some of the children
in the trial the vaccine, and then some of the children in the trial will receive a placebo.
Researchers will compare that data and see how much protection the vaccine gives to those who have been vaccinated, versus what the data show in those
who have not been vaccinated, those who have been given a placebo.
So once all of those data are collected, once the researchers take a look at the results, then we can anticipate seeing Pfizer seeking authorization
for the vaccine in children. And keep in mind Lynda, Pfizer is not the only vaccine maker that's currently testing its vaccine in children.
Here's a list of the three vaccines that are authorized here in the United States. You see on the list, Moderna is also currently testing its vaccine
in children. Just last week, Moderna told us the first children were vaccinated, and it's pediatric trial. Johnson & Johnson, which was the
third vaccine authorized here in the United States. It says that it plans to test and children very soon as well.
So Lynda, you can imagine all eyes are on these trials, there's a lot of interest and what the results will show in young children, Lynda?
KINKADE: There is a little conjecture of just how much children can actually spread COVID-19 given that they don't seem to get as sick as older
people. How do they take that into consideration when carrying out these trials?
HOWARD: That's right that is something that's, you know, being looked at and that's being questioned. While that's taken into consideration Lynda,
you have to keep in mind that even though we have not seen a lot of data, suggesting that children can spread as much or as well as adults.
There's still this question of well, is that because of behavior or is it because of another factors? What that means is could children carry less
viral load than adults or are there other factors at play?
[11:55:00]
HOWARD: So while that's been looked at the current dosage and schedule for vaccine are still continuing. So while that's being looked at that really
has currently not an impact yet on how these trials are being run?
There's still interest in continuing the two dose schedule for Pfizer, for instance, 21 days apart. There's still interest in looking at the dosage
amount starting at 10 micrograms moving to 20, moving to 30. So it's interesting, Lynda, I mean, we are more than a year out of this pandemic,
and we're still learning more about the Coronavirus.
How it causes COVID-19? How it spreads among children versus adults? So this is something that is currently being actively studied and researched
still, more than a year after the pandemic was declared.
KINKADE: And Jacqueline, the big question for parents who have kids headed back to school whose kids might still be at home right now doing home
schools how soon might they be able to get the vaccine? Will it be available by the start of the next school year, which here in the U.S.
starts late August, early September?
HOWARD: Here in the U.S., with the start of the next school year, Pfizer says that this could be possible for children ages 12 to 15. But this all
depends on how quickly a trial results are finalized, as well as what the results show.
So this all does depend on what's found in these trials. But we have heard from Pfizer that we could see the vaccine ready for children ages 12 to 15
by the start of the upcoming school year. That's what Dr. William Gruber, Pfizer's Senior Vice President of Vaccine Clinical Research, that's what he
said just yesterday. So it'll be interesting to see based on the trial results, whether that goal is reached?
KINKADE: And if that all goes well they will look to trial this on younger children. Jacqueline Howard, good to have you with us. Thanks so much.
HOWARD: Thank you.
KINKADE: And thanks to everyone for joining us for this edition of "Connect the World" I'm Lynda Kinkade you can catch me on twitter @lyndakinkade.
Stay well. Stay safe and good night.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
