Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Newsroom
E.U. Pissed Off with AstraZeneca's Slow Delivery; DHS Warns of a Copycat Attack; President Biden Looking Closely at Climate Change Problems; China Poses as U.S. Top Security Concern; Some Asian Nations Form Loose Coalition to Counter China; WHO Team Investigating Origins Of Virus Leaves Wuhan Hotel; White House Addresses Vaccine Distribution Issues; Supply Of Vaccines Not Meeting Demand In U.S.; School System Reopens After Jump in Student Suicides; WHO Fears Poorer Nations Won't Have Access To Vaccines; Amateur Investors Trigger GameStop Surge; Mastermind Of Daniel Pearl's Murder Released From Prison; The Price Of Opposing Vladimir Putin. Aired 3-4a ET
Aired January 28, 2021 - 03:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[03:00:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR (on camera): Hello, and welcome to our viewers joining us from all around the world. You are watching CNN Newsroom. And I'm Rosemary Church.
Just ahead, the European Union and the U.K. clashing over claims to a vaccine against a backdrop of rising cases and lockdowns. Up to two weeks a team of World Health Organization scientists just left quarantine about to start their investigation into the origins of the coronavirus, and we are live in Beijing.
And amateur online investors are leading the revolt against big Wall Street funds, sending shares of a video game retailer soaring, even the White House is weighing in.
Thanks for joining us.
Well, delay vaccine deliveries, new travel restrictions, and a virus that shows no signs of slowing. This is a situation across Europe where officials face new challenges in their fight against COVID-19. Among them the escalating spats between the European Union and AstraZeneca.
The pharmaceutical giant says it will not be able to supply as many vaccine doses as expected in the coming weeks dues to production problems. But the E.U. is demanding is demanding the company deliver, saying doses produced at U.K. plants could be used to fulfill its order.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STELLA KYRIAKIDES, EUROPEAN COMMISSIONER FOR HEALTH AND FOOD SAFETY: Not being able to ensure manufacturing capacity is against the letter and the spirit of our agreement. We reject the logic of first come, first served. That may work at the neighborhood purchase, but not in contract. And not in our advanced purchase agreements.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHURCH (on camera): The U.K. is dealing with its own hurdles. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson says the reopening of schools will be pushed back as officials work to vaccinate more people.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BORIS JOHNSON, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: If we achieve our target of vaccinating everyone in the foremost vulnerable groups with their first dose by the 15th of February, and every passing day sees more progress towards that goal, then those groups that have developed immunity from the virus about three weeks later, that is by the 8th of March. We hope it will therefore be safe to begin the reopening of schools from Monday the 8th of March.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHURCH (on camera): The U.K. also rolling out a new policy of unforced hotel quarantining for travelers from 30 countries.
And our correspondents are tracking all of the developments. Cyril Vanier is standing by in Paris, and Nic Robertson is live from London. Good to see you both. Cyril, let's go to you first, and get the latest on this row between the E.U. and AstraZeneca. What are you learning?
CYRIL VANIER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Rosemary, aside from a slight de- escalation and the harsh rhetoric coming from the E.U. against vaccine maker AstraZeneca, not much change yesterday after the third meeting between the two sides this week. The row is still at an impasse, and the fundamental problems that AstraZeneca cannot -- will not be able to produce the number of vaccine doses that had promised the E.U. has not been fixed.
Now the E.U. has asked that some doses made in the U.K. be rerouted to the continent. There's been no answer from AstraZeneca on that so far, so no indication that that will actually happen. And of course, the tragedy here, it's not just an industrial/contractual legal question, because all of these delays are measured in lives lost or saved, Rosemary.
The European vaccination program has been slow. They thought, no pun intended, the AstraZeneca vaccine would be a shot in the arm for the rollout, that they hoped would begin next week. And now it seems it won't be happening at the pace and scale that Europeans had hoped.
CHURCH: Very frustrating, indeed. Cyril, all of this comes as European nations are dealing with the second wave. What's the latest on how they're responding to that?
VANIER: It's not good. The picture is not good, Rosemary. Portugal has been recording record death tolls several days in a row, Spain has had over the last fortnight the 16 percent of its total COVID infections since the beginning of the pandemic.
[03:05:03]
Numbers also trending in the wrong direction here in France. Many European countries looking at a third wave of the coronavirus. It is resurgent here on the continent. Countries are either in some form of lockdown, or going to enter a tighter lockdown soon. That could be the case for France.
And again, this underscores why the vaccination program was so important. And there is no question that the E.U.'s rollout is lagging behind the U.K. About 2 percent of the European populations that we're supposed to -- that are up for vaccination have been vaccinated so far. Compare that to 10 percent in the U.K.
One of the reasons is that the Pfizer vaccine, as we know it comes with profound logistical issues, because it has to be stored at these deep freeze temperatures, and that is why the European Union was waiting with bated breath for the AstraZeneca vaccine, which can be stored in a regular refrigerator, rosemary.
But as we've now established, that won't be happening, or not, I should say, --
CHURCH: Yes.
VANIER: -- not at the pace that Europeans have been hoping for.
CHURCH: Yes. This has been a challenge for every single nation in the world. Thank you for that, Cyril. Nic, let's go to you now, because we've all been watching the way British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been dealing with this pandemic. Flip-flopping on many of his decisions, and you've been looking into that. What did you find?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR (on camera): Well, Rosemary, the British prime minister again, is confident that Britain supply of vaccines is in place, and he's confident that the manufacturers will keep good on their contracts here.
But despite sort of having a relatively and relative turn to Europe rosy picture on the rollout of vaccines, the prime minister here is facing huge criticism on the number of deaths in the U.K, and he's facing criticism from inside his own party that he is not doing enough to lay out how the country is getting out of a rollout.
But what he's finding a lot of pressure, that he cannot seem to escape, is answering why he has been slow to make many decisions that have cost lives.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHNSON: I am deeply sorry for every life that has been lost, and of course, as prime minister, I take full responsibility for everything that the government has done.
ROBERTSON (voice over): More than 100,000 dead. U.K. P.M. Boris Johnson's credibility under fire. Questions piling up.
KEIR STARMER, LEADER, BRITISH LABOUR PARTY: The question on everyone's lips this morning is why? So, can you tell us why he thinks that the United Kingdom has ended up with the death toll of 100,000, the highest number in Europe?
JOHNSON: Mr. Speaker --
ROBERTSON: Wednesday, Johnson dodging that question, but bending two weeks of pressure to quarantine Brits arriving from 30 different nations. A U-turn.
JOHNSON: We will require all such arrivals who cannot be refused entry to isolate in government provided accommodation.
ROBERTSON: A year into the pandemic, Johnson's COVID-19 track record is littered with reversals. The oppositions say cost lives.
STARMER: It's a damning indictment of how the government has handled this pandemic. Repeating the mistakes over and over again.
ROBERTSON: Johnson's first U-turn, at the beginning of the pandemic.
JOHNSON: We can turn the tide within the next 12 weeks.
ROBERTSON: Four days later, forced to declare a national lockdown.
JOHNSON: You must stay at home.
ROBERTSON: Johnson's optimism often preceding climb downs.
JOHNSON: We will have a test, track, and trace operation that will be world beating, and, yes, it will be in place, it will be in place by June the 1st.
ROBERTSON: For months, and much criticism later, finally admitting shortcomings.
JOHNSON: I share people's frustrations, and I understand totally why we do need to see faster turnaround times, and we do need to improve it.
ROBERTSON: Johnson's defense? He follows government scientist's advice.
JOHNSON: When the data changes course, we must change course too.
ROBERTSON: Some reversals, more humiliating than others. U.K. soccer star Marcus Rashford helping humble the P.M. into a hasty U-turn on free school meals. Johnson's Christmas U-turn came next.
JOHNSON: We don't want to, as I say, to ban Christmas, to cancel it.
ROBERTSON: Days later, a new variant and runaway infections, Johnson effectively spiking Christmas plans for millions.
JOHNSON: As prime minister, it's my duty to take difficult decisions, I must tell, you we cannot continue with Christmas as planned.
[03:10:03]
ROBERTSON: In 2021, critics say some lessons still not learned. The U-turns continue, January 3rd, telling parents to send their children to school.
JOHNSON: Schools are safe, very, very important to stress that, the threats to, the risk to kids to young people is really very, very small.
ROBERTSON: Next day, shuttering schools in another national lockdown. Something he'd previously called a last resort, nuclear option.
JOHNSON: Primary schools, secondary schools, and colleges across England must move to remote provision from tomorrow.
ROBERTSON: Where Johnson is building back some credibility is the U.K.'s vaccination program, more than seven million people have received first doses so far, better than any other European nation. But with a death toll still peaking, it's buying him no respect from his critics, even as he announces schools could reopen March 8th.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTSON (on camera): Well, the prime minister is expected to go to Scotland today to try to strengthen the U.K. United Kingdom union. He is unlikely to get any less criticism there on this issue of why the death toll is so high. Certainly, that's the case being put forward in some of the Scottish newspapers today.
Typically, on these visits to Scotland, though, the prime minister doesn't really get to mix and mingle on the streets. Maybe he won't hear that from the public, but it's certainly being written about in the papers in Scotland today, why the death toll in the United Kingdom is so high. Rosemary?
CHURCH: The numbers are just horrifying. CNN's Nic Robertson joining us from London with that report. Many thanks.
The Biden administration is warning Americans to be alert for potential violence by domestic extremists in the coming weeks and months. U.S. Department of Homeland Security warns that some extremists may view the U.S. Capitol riot as the catalyst for more unrest.
CNN's Jessica Schneider explains why this alert is so unusual.
JESSICA SCHNEIDER, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: This is a bulletin from the Department of Homeland Security, and it is significant because it warns about threats from domestic extremists. Typically, when we see advisories like this from DHS, it's to warn about foreign terrorism threats. Like for example, about a year ago when there was an advisory released about Iran-related threats after the U.S. strike that killed Iranian general Soleimani. But in this case DHS is warning about domestic extremists and the violence that they might cause because of the results of the 2020 election or even COVID restrictions. Now there is no specific threat here, but DHS s putting it this way, saying that they do not have any information to indicate a specific credible plot.
However, violent riots have continued in recent days and we remain concerned that individuals are frustrated with the exercise of governmental authority and the presidential transition, as well as other perceived grievances and ideological causes fueled by false narratives could continue to mobilize a broad range of ideologically motivated actors to incite or commit violence.
Now this bulletin also says that domestic extremists have been emboldened by what they perceive as the successful attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6th and that there could be further violence all the way into the spring.
Now this comes at the same time that there is increasing concern about the safety of congressional members. Some of the newer or lesser known members of Congress, they just don't have the amped-up security like congressional leaders do. And this is leading to concerns.
I've spoken to staffers on Capitol Hill who say that when they go home with their members, that's when there is the concern, they don't have the security. So now additional security is being added, some local police departments are giving security to these congressional members when they get to the airport or when they get home to make sure they are safe.
But a lot of concern coming on the heels especially of this new DHS bulletin warning, of these domestic extremist threats.
Jessica Schneider, CNN, Washington.
CHURCH: Glenn Schoen is a security management consultant, and an expert in terrorism and security. He joins me now from the Hague in the Netherlands. Good to have you with us.
GLENN SCHOEN, SECURITY MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT: Thank you.
CHURCH: So, the Department of Homeland Security warns a potential violence by these domestic extremists in the wake of the January 6th assault on the capital, which apparently emboldened these groups. How serious is this and how far might these extremists go, do you think?
SCHOEN: I think it's an extremely serious situation. If we think about the fact that within the United States, when we look at the actual incidents of right-wing violence, they have far outweighed in terms of proportion.
[03:15:03]
It's about 70, 75 percent of all incidents in the terrorism and extremism field in the United States have been right wing-related over the past 25 years. So, when we look at the volume alone, it's a concern, and actually this is been a bigger threat than we've recognized, and it's often because we've given it different labels.
But as well what we know about right-wing extremism, when it comes to the really violent end of it, is that this has a capability behind it in terms of armament, in terms of the people who were involved with this movement who are trained, in terms of the lethality per incident.
So when we actually look at shooting such as we had in El Paso, with the Walmart shooting, such at the synagogue in Pittsburgh, the historic black churches in South Carolina, actually per incident a right-wing terrorism kills more people than other forms of terrorism, whether we're talking about Islamic extremism, or we're talking about left-wing extremism. So I think for the future here the concern is quite serious.
CHURCH: yes. I think a lot of people will be surprised to hear that. And of course, we have seen a number of Republican lawmakers clearly intimidated by these domestic terrorists. Senators Graham and Rubio come to mind. How did the U.S. get to this point where lawmakers are essentially doing the bidding of terrorists? Because they fear for their lives or their livelihoods.
SCHOEN: Yes, of course, unfortunately, you know, right-wing extremism has been a factor, a limited factor in the U.S., U.S. politics for a long time. And I think what we've seen is the whole debate around the discussion of some of the core thoughts and thinking that right-wing terrorism wraps itself around.
When we think about small government, we think about ethnocentric racists, essentially white supremacy, and the anti-immigration point, then we see these points come together on the right, but as well also in the larger political realm over the past four years.
So, I think a lot of right-wing extremists have seen the past four years as a chance basically to see their agenda come to the fourth, to see their agenda become more accepted, to become part of a larger movement. Even if not all of the people around them are that extreme. The extremists have basically piggybacked on a larger political movement here.
And they feel emboldened. It's clear that we see the volume of concern going up with the U.S. law enforcement and U.S. intelligence officials. That this really is the bigger threat for the future and that 6th of January was the big galvanizing event for them.
CHURCH: So, what needs to be done to turn this around? How do you stop them from being emboldened? Do you need a situation where you make an example of all those who went into the capitol building?
SCHOEN: I think not necessarily a lot of scholars, a lot of academics, a lot of security professionals still have a discussion on the definition of terrorism when we look at something like 6th of January, was that terrorism in all instances? Was it also other forms of transgression?
I think the bigger issue here now comes looking at the future we're going to have to have a major refocus of our resources, our attention, our expertise, our intelligence apparatus away from the past 20 years where it's been focused on Islamic extremism and we are going to have to be shifting a lot more of that towards right-wing extremism and right-wing terrorism.
Only about 20 percent of the U.S. law enforcement intelligence apparatus is focused on this domestic threat, most of it is actually more pivoted towards looking outside the U.S. and that par within the U.S. Islamic extremism.
So, it's going to be a major effort, and people I talk to in law enforcement the feeling I get is this is going to be their biggest pivot literally in decades to deal with this new threat as an emerging terrorist threat within the U.S.
CHURCH: It is certainly extraordinary. Glenn Schoen, many thanks for your expertise on this matter. I appreciate it.
SCHOEN: Thank you.
CHURCH: President Biden is reversing several Trump environmental policies. Details on the sweeping measures he is taking to battle the climate crisis. That's next. Plus,
America's new top diplomats as China poses the most important foreign policy challenge of the Biden administration. A live report from Hong Kong, next.
[03:20:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHURCH (on camera): Welcome back to CNN Newsroom.
U.S. President Joe Biden is dismantling the Trump administration's environmental policies. He signed a flurry of new executive actions on Wednesday to combat climate change including pausing new oil and gas leases on federal land. And cutting subsidies for the production of fossil fuels. Mr. Biden is making it clear that following the science is important to his administration.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Finally, as with our fight against COVID-19, we will listen to the science and protect the integrity of our federal response to the climate crisis.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHURCH (on camera): President Biden is also promising to take steps to spur job growth. John Kerry, his climate envoy held out the possibility that workers in the carbon fossil fuel industries would be able to move to jobs that don't pose a health risk.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) JOHN KERRY, U.S. PRESIDENTIAL ENVOY FOR CLIMATE: Workers have been fed a false narrative, no surprise, right. For the last few years, they've been fed the notion that somehow dealing with climate is coming at their expense, no, it's not. What President Biden wants to do is make sure that those folks have better choices, that they have alternatives, that they can be the people who go to work to make solar panels.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHURCH (on camera): So, let's talk now with Michael Gerrard, professor and faculty director of the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at Columbia University. Thank you, sir, for talking with us.
MICHAEL GERRARD, PROFESSOR & FACULTY DIRECTOR, SABIN CENTER FOR CLIMATE CHANGE LAW, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY: Thank you.
CHURCH: So, President Biden signed executive orders Wednesday to address what he calls the existential threat posed by climate change, and he plans more far-reaching actions to combat carbon emissions, and help polluted communities.
Now considering that the Trump administration denied the very existence of climate change, I'd be interested to get your reaction to those moves so far.
GERRARD: So, President Biden is going in exactly the opposite direction of President Trump. He on inauguration day revoked most of the executive orders that Trump had issued. On climate change, he issued many of his own. He has installed throughout the government very strong climate advocates. He's doing everything he can to undo what Trump did on climate change and to move far beyond.
CHURCH: Now of course, President Biden can't continue to go it alone, can he, with executive orders. He is going to need help from Congress for his more ambitious climate goals. How much bipartisan support would you expect him to get going forward?
GERRARD: I think only a limited amount of bipartisan support for many of the things but we already saw last month that there was bipartisan support for one important bill on reducing a certain kind of chemical called HFS. But actually, there is a lot that President Biden will be able to do without Congress.
He does have and his agencies have a good deal of authority to do much, but not all of what they want to do are climate change.
CHURCH: And Republicans in the oil and gas industry, they are raising concerns about job losses here, President Biden says his approach will actually mean more jobs, but that message has landed on deaf ears.
[03:25:05]
So, what do you say to those who focus on the possible job losses ahead? GERRARD: There are far more jobs in solar and wind than there are in
coal. And the amount of new construction that will take place in order to have the massive increase in renewable energy capacity that Biden is calling for will create far more jobs than it will be lost as a result of reduction in fossil fuels.
CHURCH: And how much do you expect President Biden to achieve on climate change issues on the international stage?
GERRARD: On Wednesday, the president and John Kerry, a special envoy on climate change announced a number of measures that they had already taken steps to rejoin the Paris climate agreement. They are going to come forward with a new set of plans to comply with the Paris goals. They've said that they may impose tariffs on other countries that don't comply with their climate goals.
They said that they will consider other countries compliance with the climate goals and reaching trade agreements. They said that they're going to come back on federal assistance to fossil fuel projects abroad. They will resume funding the green climate fund. There's a whole host of international measures that the Biden administration is undertaking. Again, in completes contrast to what happened under President Trump.
CHURCH: And just very quickly, environmentalist of course would say still not enough. What would you say to that?
GERRARD: I would say that President Biden is doing just about everything he can with his existing authority, he's going to ask Congress for more authority but he's doing just what he can.
CHURCH: Michael Gerrard, many thanks for talking to us. I appreciate it.
GERRARD: Thank you.
CHURCH: The new U.S. Secretary of State, Antony Blinken used his first full day on the job to lay out the many foreign policy challenges facing the U.S. including Iran, Russia, and the Middle East. Blinken was officially welcomed to his post by several dozen State Department employees, he told him that he was committed to rebuilding morale within America's diplomatic corps.
At a press briefing he singled out China as one of the administration's top foreign policy priorities.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANTONY BLINKEN, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: I think it's not a secret that the relationship between the United States and China is arguably the most important relationship that we have in the world going forward. It's going to shape a lot of the future that we all live. And increasingly, that relationship has some adversarial aspects to it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHURCH (on camera): Ivan Watson has this report.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): This is a sneak attack, a war game beneath the iconic heights of Japan's Mount Fuji, where the U.S. military practices landing small teams of marines deep behind enemy lines. The scenario imagines they're raiding an island in Asia and blowing up missile launchers that threaten U.S. warships.
GENE HARB, U.S. MARINE CORPS: Well, we're training for specifically here as a peer or a near peer competitor who has advanced weapons systems, who has the ability to conduct orbiting via satellites.
WATSON: After nearly 20 years battling insurgents in Central Asia, and the Middle East, the U.S. military is training to fight a much more sophisticated enemy in Asia.
Is Asia in the midst of a power struggle right now?
RORY MEDCALF, HEAD, NATIONAL SECURITY COLLEGE, AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL UNIVERSITY: Yes, the short answer is yes. This is now the center of gravity for influence in global economics and politics. China is seeking to be a dominant power, or an imperial power, and many countries in this region don't want to see this dominance happen.
WATSON: One of the biggest international challenges facing President Biden is a relationship with China that grew increasingly hostile under the Trump administration.
BLINKEN: President Trump was right in taking a tougher approach to China. I disagree very much with the way that he went about it in a number of areas, but the basic principle was the right one.
WATSON: In a speech to the World Economic Forum this week, China's leader called for more cooperation, not conflict.
XI JINPING, PRESIDENT OF CHINA (through translator): The misguided approach of antagonism and confrontation be it in the form of Cold war, hot war, trade war or tech war would eventually harm every nations' interest and sacrifice people's welfare.
WATSON: But China under Xi Jinping has been quick to flex its military and economic muscles.
[03:30:01]
UNKNOWN: You surrender now, Surrender.
WATSON: Using its growing power to intimidate neighbors says Richard Heydarian, a political scientist and author from the Philippines.
RICHARD HEYDARIAN, POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES: I mean, China, a blogger has practically all major neighbors with the exception of Russia, right? I think that says a lot about how China is also mishandling its foreign policy and its relations with other countries.
WATSON: Look at these points of tension. Taiwan with the islands military had scrambled to meet increasingly frequent overflights from Chinese warplanes. The Himalayas, where Chinese and Indian troops have been fighting deadly border skirmishes. The South China Sea, where the U.S. and other navies have stepped up their own naval maneuvers around China's man-made islands, which are part of Beijing's strategy to claim virtually all of the sea for itself.
And the East China Sea, where war planes and warships jockey around islands claimed by both Japan and China. All potential flash points in this regional power struggle.
The competition in Asia also involves trade, technology, and even public health. The world is watching to see how Biden confronts this complicated 21st century contest.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WATSON (on camera): Now Rosemary, with some pretty deep bipartisan agreement about distrust, about China that is in the U.S., the Biden administration seems very comfortable with inheriting the legacy of sanctions and beefed up U.S. military presence in Asia.
It says that its strategy will be to continue to challenge China but to try to bring in traditional U.S. allies into more of a coalition to counter violence Beijing's influence in the region.
For Beijing's part, well, it was slamming sanctions on the outgoing Trump administration even asked Biden himself was being sworn in to be presidents. But it does seem to be open to more cooperation with this new U.S. administration, Rosemary?
CHURCH (on camera): We shall watch to see how this relationship works out. Ivan Watson, many thanks and we will be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHURCH: WHO scientists have just left the hotel where they had been quarantining to start field work in Wuhan, China. The World Health Organization has faced many hurdles to get to this point. And even now, experts warn that finding answers about the origins of COVID 19 won't be easy.
Our Steven Jiang is following the team's progress, he joins us now live from Beijing. Good to see you, Steven. So, the WHO team starts its investigation into the origins of the coronavirus. The big questions of course, are, are they going to get much cooperation from China? And what are they likely to find if anything one year later?
[03:35:15]
STEVEN JIANG, CNN PRODUCER (on camera): That's right, Rosemary. These are big questions not only for the 13 members of the WHO team but also for millions of people around the world. As you say, they have left their quarantine facility and we understand they are headed into a new hotel. But we are not sure if they're going to start their field study today. But during the quarantine some members have telling us, they were in touch with each other and also with their Chinese counterparts.
And they are also very much aware that their long delayed mission is under a global spotlight, but they say, they are scientists, not politicians. So, they're trying to focus entirely, or purely, on science. But as you say, they also -- they understand, this is going to be difficult process and that's why they are trying to manage expectations saying some other studies into origins of other outbreaks have taking years to complete.
So, they may not have quick answers. And indeed outside experts have been very skeptical in terms of what they can find because it has been a year since Wuhan was placed under that strict lockdown. The city has been repeatedly disinfected, sanitized, and really scrubbed to clean of any traces of this virus.
So it is not really sure what kind of firsthand evidence or samples they can collect at this point. That's why, even before this mission began, the U.S. delegation to the WHO actually demanded the Chinese to give these experts access to caretakers, former patients, and lab workers in Wuhan.
As well as, share all scientific studies into human, animal and environmental samples collected from the now closed seafood market that was suspected to be the origin of Wuhan. But Rosemary, at this point, this is such a politically-charged issues. But we may not have answers anytime soon, Rosemary?
CHURCH (on camera): Yes. Understood. Steven Jiang, bringing us the latest there from Beijing. Many thanks.
Well, the White House coronavirus briefings are back at the Biden administration COVID team held their first one on Wednesday. They addressed vaccine distribution issues and offered a level of transparency in sharp contrast to the Trump administration.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANDY SLAVITT, SENIOR ADVISER, WHITE HOUSE COVID-19 RESPONSE TEAM: We are taking action to increase supply and increase capacity. But even so, it will be months before everyone who wants a vaccine will be able to get one.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHURCH (on camera): Well, January is already becoming the worst month for the U.S. since the start of the pandemic with nearly 80,000 COVID deaths. But the White House says it's on track to meet its vaccination goal of 100 million shots in 100 days. CNN's Nick Watt has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) JEFFREY ZIENTS, WHITE HOUSE COVID-19 RESPONSE COORDINATOR: This is an
(inaudible). 400,000 people have died. Everything is on the table, the states are getting better, the federal government is ramping up its support. We have a long way to go.
NICK WATT, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): To vaccinate enough Americans, just over 25 million shots actually in arms so far. So, what else is new?
SLAVITT: We are releasing more supply. Activating FEMA. And deploying many more personal.
MARCELLA NUNEZ-SMITH, CHAIRWOMAN, COVID-19 HEALTH EQUITY TASK FORCE: We are launching a robust national public education campaign to make sure people know about this vaccine, the facts, and not the misinformation.
SLAVITT: To the very specific question of whether or not a factory can be retrofitted to mass produce another vaccine, that's something that is under active exploration.
WATT: This, the first official Biden administration COVID-19 briefing, the president did not appear. Just scientists, and experts. What's in line on vaccines right now? The feds were distributing 8.6 billion doses a week, saying they will up it to 10.
GOV. PHIL MURPHY (D-NJ): It's not enough but it is a big step in the right direction. Let there be no doubt about it.
GOV. LARRY HOGAN (R-MD): The demand for vaccines, will continue to far exceed the supply that will be available to us.
WATT: The goal, sometime this summer, if not for Moderna and Pfizer to double dose every adult in America. Johnson & Johnson's vaccine hopefully rolling out soon-ish. But --
CARLOS DEL RIO, EXCUTIVE ASSOCIATE DEAN, EMORY UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE GRADY HEALTH SYSTEM: Up to now, if you look across the country, we are vaccinating more wide wealthy individuals, and in fact the disease is more in poor African-American and Hispanic individuals.
WATT: Black and Hispanic Americans are dying at three times the rate of their white compatriots. But a CNN analysis of 14 states banded as of last week, white people were on average more than twice as likely to have received a shot.
NUNEZ-SMITH: We're going to have to take extra steps to get to some of the people who are hardest to reach and that work is already happening now.
WATT: Right now average new case counts are rising in Nebraska alone. But --
ROCHELLE WALENSKY, CHIEF INFECTIOUS DISEASES DIVISION, MASS GENERAL HOSPITAL: Now is not the time to travel. If you must, be safe.
[03:40:00]
WATT: The feds are monitoring those seemingly more contagious mutations first found in the U.K., Brazil, South Africa, and there are ways to stop even more mutations. Masks on faces, vaccines in arms.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WATT (on camera): Now one concern with these variants is that the vaccines might not work against them. Dr. Fauci again reiterating the vaccines we have, work against all these variants, maybe not quite as well. But well enough. And also, the vaccine makers are already looking into how they can tweak the vaccines to make sure they are the best that they can be against these fast spreading variance. Nick Watt, CNN, Los Angeles.
CHURCH (on camera): The 5th largest school district in the United States is bringing students back into the classroom after an alarming rise in student suicides. Nevada's Clark County's school system which includes Las Vegas has been fully remote learning since March of last year.
And in the nine months since, 19 students have taken their own lives. The year before there were nine suicides. While there's no evidence of a direct link between the deaths in remote learning school, officials are worried.
Clark County's school superintendent spoke with CNN's Chris Cuomo.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JESUS F. JARA, CLARK COUNTY SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT: When you see that everything is gone to the isolation, the self isolation in home, not saying I was a former high school principal, everything has closed down, you know, the athletics, the sports and that's what keeps the kids engage in our schools.
And when you see them in virtual classrooms, you know, I substituted a class myself to see and when you are looking into the screen, all you're seeing is numbers, because they are not turning on their cameras. It's like your talking to the black hole. And you're missing that social interaction with students, our teachers are struggle, we all are. And you know as adults, you know when you're coming in here and trying to figure things about how to get our kids safe on our campuses. It's hard on me.
So, then I think about a 15-year-old. I think about a 14 year-old going through the computer all day long and without the break with the lunchroom, the getting on the bus, the normal things in life for them. That's why we are doing everything that we can to help.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHURCH (on camera): Remote learning also appears to have an impact on grades. Most schools in the districts say that more students are failing their courses than last year. Well, as the U.S. and other wealthy countries rush to buy more COVID
vaccines. The head of the World Health Organization warns poor nations could be left behind. And that equal access is key to ending the pandemic.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TEDROS ADHANOM GHEBREYESUS, DIRECTOR-GENERAL WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION: Even the fullest vaccines be deployed, the promise of equitable access is at serious risk. We now face the real danger that even as vaccines bring hope to those in wealthy countries, my job (inaudible) could be left behind. The emergence of rapidly spreading variants makes the speedy and equitable rollout of vaccines all the more important. For me first, I'm going to lead the worlds poorest and most vulnerable people at risk is also self defeating.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHURCH (on camera): It's old school versus new school, trading on Wall Street this month. And it has been wild. How a social media group is driving at game stop shares through the roof. We'll take a look at that.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[03:45:00]
CHURCH: Well, the eyes of many investors will be on a small U.S. video game retailer when Wall Street opens. Today, shares of GameStop are on a week's long tear. Yesterday the stock closed near $345. That is a 200 percent jump from the day before. And an 1800 percent jump from the start of the month when it was just $19 a share.
The stock's wild ride has been fueled by small time buyers on social media. They have been squeezing Wall Street titans who have bet against GameStop by shorting the companies stock. The growing number of financial experts say this is not going to end well for the little guy and could even be a sign of bigger issues in U.S. markets.
CNN's John Defterios joins me now from Abu Dhabi with more. Good to see you, John. Wow. Has Wall Street met its match in the form of a website and day trainers here? And what will fallout be eventually?
JOHN DEFTERIOS, CNN EMERGING MARKETS EDITOR (on camera): Well, we talk about momentum on Wall Street and we talk about momentum that we're seeing right now, and this is coming from Main Street, no doubt about it. It's almost a Main Street versus Wall Street with the former having the upper hand. Because they're following Reddit, as you're suggesting. In a page there called Wall Street bets. They have a handful of stocks, but I think GameStop is no doubt about it, it has the most pronounced rise.
If you take a look since the start of the year, at 1700 percent, Rosemary. Extraordinary 400 percent since Friday and it was up while Wall Street was down yesterday. AMC entertainment, as cinema chain, Macy's, bricks and Mortars in terms of retail has been striking blackberry no longer, but the interesting thing here is that the hedge funds have been betting against those stocks out of a borrowing against, another having to borrow to keep their doors open.
So it's extraordinary that the kind of turn of affairs here. And we are almost at the stage, Rosemary, where Wall Street has to watch Reddit and WSB, or Wall Street Bets. So they're not on the wrong side of the trade for the day trade, but 2 million of them, there's force behind the trends we are seeing today.
CHURCH: All right, many thanks, John Defterios joining us there from Abu Dhabi.
Well, there has been a shocking twist in the 2002 murder of American journalist Daniel Pearl. His family's attorney says the mastermind of that atrocity and three others have been acquitted and freed from prison on order of Pakistan's Supreme Court. British national Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheik had been sentenced to death, but that was later reduced to seven years in prison, but now apparently he is out.
So let's get the latest details of this breaking news right now. CNN's producer Sophia Saifi is tracking developments. She joins us now live from Islamabad, Pakistan. So, what more are you learning about, it is a shocking twist.
SOPHIA SAIFI, CNN PRODUCER (on camera): I mean, Yes Rosemary, I mean the (inaudible) families actually just released a statement in which (inaudible) travesty of justice. Which puts journalist not only in Pakistan, but all around the world in danger. This is a case that has been going on since April last year in 2020. When a local port in the province of (inaudible), had decided to overturn Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheik's you know, conviction.
As well as the other three accused as being involved in this horrific murder of Daniel Pearl which has sent shockwaves around the world back in 2002. Now Ahmed Omar and the other three men, had been in jail for almost 18 years. So back in 2020 of April, this had been a shock. There have been many appeals against the decision of the local high court. It had now reached the Supreme Court at the end of last year. And it had been languishing in the Supreme Court for many weeks.
[03:50:00]
So this decision has been -- has come as a shock to a lot of activists here in the country. People were not expecting this. There was a tribunal of three judges out of which two decided against the appeal of the Pearl family, against the appeal of the government. Because the Pakistani government had also appeal against the ruling by the local high court.
Now, it's just -- we don't know what's going to happen next. We had seen information when the decision was made by the local high court that these men would be released earlier. We have seen a lot of rumbles from the United States. This is probably going to have a bit of a diplomatic, you know, impact on Pakistan's relationship with the United States. So we just have to wait and see what decisions come next. But in terms
of like the most higher senior court of Pakistan, the APEX court of the country. It is a's high as it gets. And it's a shocking decision. Rosemary?
CHURCH: So what happens now with these four men? Where will they go? Will they have to go into hiding?
SAIFI: Well, we've seen a similar cases, not as horrific as this one there's been a lot of back and forth, there had been appeals, etc. But because this is a decision made by the Supreme Court, there might be, you know, taken out of the country. Under you know, some cover something. There might be some reaction from the American embassy. We have, you know, seen very strongly worded statements from the U.S. State Department when this case started happening back in April.
Even last month in December 2020, when the lower high court, (inaudible) high court, the provincial high courts, had rejected these by the local government in that province. There had been a lot of back and forth between the State Department and Pakistan's foreign office. So, we are just going to have to see the repercussions. We do know that these men are currently still in jail. There are now allowed to walk free. And we just have to wait and see what happens once their particularly release from jail.
CHURCH: Alright, Sophia Saifi, many thanks for keeping an eye on all of those details with that breaking news. We appreciated it. We will of course continue to follow this story and bring you the details here on CNN.
Well, Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny will appeal his detention in Russia later today. Just ahead, if history is any judge, it seems he faces long odds in his bid to be released.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHURCH: Alexei Navalny's lawyer says that Moscow court will hear the Russian opposition leader's appeal of his 30-day detention order later today. Navalny has been in custody since returning from Germany, where he was treated for Novichok poisoning.
On Wednesday, Russian police searched his home, offices of his foundation, and a TV studio he uses for his YouTube show. Navalny's allies are calling for another round of national protest this Sunday to demand his release. CNN's Matthew Chance is following the story from Moscow. He joins us now live. So, Matthew, Russian court will hear an appeal for Navalny in just a few hours. How is this like to turn out?
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (on camera): You're right. I mean, that is what Russia -- Navalny's lawyers are doing right now, preparing for that appeal for his detention. He was arrested as you mentioned, when he returned from Germany earlier this month having recovered from suspected Novichok nerve agent poisoning.
[03:55:12] But, we have to say, Rosemary, expectations are pretty low. The
lawyers for Alexei Navalny, are going to get what they want and he's going to be set free any time now. In fact, the Russian authorities appeared to be increasing the pressure on the Russian opposition leader and the allies around him.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHANCE (voice over): It's always been the Kremlin's instincts to silence its critics, why these Russian police are raiding the offices of Alexei Navalny in Moscow, say's supporters. And the family apartment, banging on the door, even while the opposition leader is held in jail. This is real pressure being ratcheted up on the man the Kremlin appeared to see as a major threat.
He's already survived and agonizing attempt on his life, with a nerve agent. Now the anti corruption campaigner faces multiple criminal proceedings and years, potentially, behind bars. He's only the latest to feel Vladimir Putin's wrath.
Take (Inaudible), once Russia's richest oligarch, he famously fell out with Putin by funding opposition groups and highlighting official corruption before being arrested, and serving 10 years in a Russian jail, while his oil company (inaudible) was broken up.
Looking back, I was one of the lucky ones, he told me, from exiled in London. I lost the decade of my life in prison, but others who challenge Putin have paid a far higher price, he tells me. That list is long.
Russia's most prominent investigative journalist, Ana (inaudible) shed light on Russian operations in a brutal war in Chechnya before being gunned down in her apartment building in 2006 on Putin's birthday. Then there was Boris Nemtsov, the fears Putin critic and opposition leader shot dead in 2015, outside the Kremlin's walls, as he walks home from a restaurant.
The Kremlin denies any connection with the killings, opposition figures say beatings and threats are commonplace. Political opponents are also shamed and discredited, sometimes with secretly recorded sex tapes, like this one of a former Russian Prime Minister turned Kremlin critic. Mikhail (inaudible) says the new U.S. administration must now take the global lead to protect Alexei Navalny.
Personal sanctions must be imposed by President Biden and others in the West on those closest to Putin, he tells me. This would be extremely painful for Putin's entourage, and will affect the stability of his power, he says.
It would also show Alexei Navalny himself and tens of thousands across Russia protesting for his release. That they have powerful allies.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHANCE (on camera): The Kremlin is also bracing for more nationwide protests this weekend as calls grow for the release of Alexei Navalny. But as I say, at the moment, the authorities are showing no sign at all of backing down.
CHURCH: All right, senior international correspondent, Matthew Chance, joining us live from Moscow, many thanks. And thank you for joining us. I'm Rosemary Church. Kim Brunhuber will be here with more news after a short break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
