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U.S Back in World Stage; World Leaders Will Observe U.S. Moves; Russian Court Has All Reasons to Keep Alexei Navalny in Jail; Trump Lawyers Not Buying the Bait; Rep. Greene's Demure Portrayal Did Not Stick on Lawmakers; Latest Forecast Predicts 630,000 Plus Deaths In The United States; Johnson and Johnson Seeks Emergency Use For Vaccine; 600 Plus Variant Cases Identified In The U.S.; Parents Organize To Get Chicago Schools Reopened; Economist Predict Jobless Rate Will Stay At 6.7 Percent; Nigeria Pushes Ahead With Registration Policy Amid Outbreak; U.K. Minister Claiming About 4,000 COVID-19 Variants Globally; Aftermath Of Brexit; Hong Kong Introduces National Security Rules For Schools; Play Resumes Ahead Of The Australian Open. Aired 3-4a ET
Aired February 05, 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]
MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR (voice over): What does that mean for America's allies and its foes.
The president also criticized Moscow's treatment of Putin critic Alexei Navalny, demanding his immediate release from prison. We'll have a live report from the courthouse where he's facing a libel case.
Also --
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE (R-GA): These were words of the past. And these things do not represent me, they do not represent my district, and they do not represent my values.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES (on camera): She's out. Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene has officially been removed from her committee assignments. Are Republican fractures slowly widening?
A warm welcome, everyone.
U.S. President Joe Biden did not mention his predecessor during his first major foreign policy address on Thursday, that he didn't need to. Everyone at the U.S. State Department knew exactly what he meant when he said the U.S. would no longer rollover in the face of Russian aggression, or when he told the agency's employees, they would not be politicized nor targeted for doing their jobs.
CNN's Phil Mattingly with the details.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: America is back. America is back. Diplomacy is back.
(APPLAUSE)
PHIL MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Today, President Joe Biden laying out the central organizing principles of his foreign policy.
BIDEN: We will compete from a position of strength by building back better at home, working with our allies and partners, renewing our -- renewing our role in international institutions, and reclaiming our credibility and moral authority.
MATTINGLY: The president's first visit to the State Department underscoring a stark shift from his predecessor.
DONALD TRUMP, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: I will always put America first.
MATTINGLY: Biden, laying out an indictment of the Trump administration's work across the globe, signaling a new approach on Russia.
BIDEN: The days of the United States rolling over in the face of Russia's aggressive actions, interfering with our elections, cyberattacks, poisoning its citizens, are over. We will not hesitate to raise the cost on Russia, and defend our vital interests and our people.
MATTINGLY: Aligning with allies to push back on the imprisonment of Alexei Navalny.
BIDEN: He's been targeted, targeted for exposing corruption. He should be released immediately and without condition.
MATTINGLY: With Biden providing glimpses of the administration's stance on China, pushing strength.
BIDEN: We will confront China's economic abuses. Counter its aggressive, coercive action to push back on China's attack on human rights, intellectual property, and global governance.
MATTINGLY: But with a willingness to talk.
BIDEN: But we are ready to work with Beijing, when it's in America's interest to do so.
MATTINGLY: And on the press.
BIDEN: We believe a free press isn't an adversary. Rather, it's essential.
MATTINGLY: Biden moving to end U.S. support for offensive actions in Yemen. While halting the drawdown of U.S. troops in Germany amid a global force posture review, and signing an executive order to boost refugee numbers even as he acknowledged the dramatically reduced levels will take time to rebuild.
BIDEN: It's going to take time to rebuild what has been so badly damaged. But that's precisely what we are going to do.
MATTINGLY: All serving as a baseline for a dramatic shift in U.S. posture.
BDIEN: We've taken steps to acknowledge and address systemic racism and the scourge of white supremacy in our own country.
MATTINGLY: As the U.S. grapples with its own deep divides.
BIDEN: Many of these values have come under intense pressure in recent years, even pushed to the brink in the last few weeks. The American people are going to emerge from this moment stronger, more determined, and better equipped to unite the world in fighting to defend democracy because we have fought for it ourselves.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES (on camera): And CNN international diplomatic editor, Nic Robertson, joins me now from London. Nic, I guess what allies no doubt are reassured that it is a new day. Do you think that some will fear that at some point there could be a Trump 2.0 and so we'll be wary of relying on U.S. leadership, certainly in the way they used to?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yes, I mean, I think that the Germans have already called for a sort of recalibrated relationship, where, you know, allies and partners retain, perhaps a greater measure of independence of action.
[03:04:56]
However, you know, I think there are a number of factors in play, obviously. Everyone minded by actually what was a relatively strong showing of President Trump at the elections of what's going on in the Republican Party at the moment, but you know, Biden will be judged on his actions, as well as his words.
And I think there is another thing to sort of look at here. When it comes to Russia and China, this sort of two very big foreign policy issues for President Biden, these are pretty much -- the concerns that pretty much that he has with them are pretty much shared by allies. So, there is an advantage to supporting President Biden at the moment. And that support for him, in the minds of allies, will perhaps strengthen the position of Democrats in the United States, if he can have a successful foreign policy and bring the benefits for the United States that he wants, then the Democrats perhaps have a longer time in power in the U.S.
And therefore, you know hitching their alliances and wagons to the U.S. is in their interests, rather than being too hesitant, give the support for a Democratic leader who doesn't have the tendencies of America first that President Trump had could be in everyone's interest. So, I think there's some of that. But he's going to be judged on his actions, it's not just his words, Michael, for sure.
HOLMES: Yes, exactly. And Donald Trump, of course, did damage to NATO, real damage. And the relationships with NATO partners. And Biden now freezing Trump's troop redeployments from Germany. How much repair needs to be done with NATO?
ROBERTSON: You know, I think that fundamental reassurance that it's an alliance that works together, that looks after mutual interests. Because working together is the strongest, and best platform for everyone involved, for the United States as well.
That, I think, is going to be a welcome, sort of reset. There was always a nervousness when President Trump came in the room at NATO meetings. I was told by officials there that they never knew quite what he was going to do. So that uncertainty is removed.
But the relationships, you know, are going to be better, but not necessarily rosy. I mean, President Biden has said that he's going to be tough from President Putin and is not going to allow, you know, the sort of turning a blind eye to human rights abuses like the imprisoning of Alexei Navalny.
But the sort of measures he's going to want exerted against Russia by European allies, particularly Germany, thinking that remembering Angela Merkel was so bruised by President Trump, particularly over Germany's NATO contributions, you know, Germany is still going to be in a perhaps slightly awkward position with the Biden administration.
They're going to look for Germany to perhaps stop its Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline cooperation with Russia. That's been a very important energy supply for Germany to kind of -- to advance. But the United States is not, it seems at the moment, going to support that.
So, the relationships are still, you know, are still in flux. But that NATO fundamental, that's really important. And I think there's going to be a lot -- everyone is going to breathe a little easier at the next leader's -- NATO leader's summit, Michael.
HOLMES: Yes. Yes. Nobody probably get pushed out of the way. Nic Robertson in London, I appreciate it. Thanks so much.
Matthew Kroenig is deputy director of Scowcroft Center for the strategy and security at the Atlantic Council. He joins me now from Washington. Thanks for doing so. Matthew, you are also a professor of government and foreign service at Georgetown University and author of "The Return of Great Power Rivalry".
I wanted to get, first of all, just your big picture impression of the president's speech, his foreign policy positions as outlined. There's a lot of reassuring of allies, some warnings on posture regarding Russia and China. Not a ton of specifics, and certainly no or else.
MATTHEW KROENIG, DEPUTY DIRECTOR, SCOWCROFT CENTER FOR STRATEGY & SECURITY, THE ATLANTIC COUNCIL: yes, that's exactly right. Overall, I thought it was a good foreign policy speech. He said that he wanted to reinvigorate America's alliances, reassert U.S. influence in international institutions, stand up to Russia and China.
But not to return to some kind of past of U.S. foreign policy but revitalize U.S. foreign policy for a new era. So, light on specifics as you said, but refreshingly boring after the past several years. I think it's the kind of speech that will be warmly welcomed by American allies and by the diplomats at the State Department where the speech was delivered.
HOLMES: Refreshingly boring, it's a good way of putting it. And to that point in many ways, I mean, despite the reassurances to our allies, you know, America, American diplomacy is back. I mean, Donald Trump happened once. Another Trump could happen again. Do you think some allies might now be tempted to not rely on U.S. leadership, certainly the way they used to?
KROENIG: Well, in my role at The Atlantic Council I do speak with European officials on almost a daily basis and they are enthusiastic about the Biden presidency. They're excited that Biden wants to restore America's traditional alliances.
[03:10:08]
At the same time, they say things will never be the same after the past several years, that they do need to hedge their bets. And there are discussions in Germany and France about more strategic autonomy for Europe. So, I think they are enthusiastic to this United States again. But also, somewhat weary and hedging their bets.
HOLMES: One specific was that the U.S. is going to end its support for offensive operations in Yemen. And I'm interested in your thoughts on how harmful the U.S. strategy has been regionally, given the past support for the Saudis and their prosecution of a war in Yemen which has brought anti- humanitarian disaster. How significant is it in that sense, regionally?
KROENIG: Yes. Well, U.S. policy in the Middle East has always been complicated, as you know. And the reason the United States supported the war in Yemen in the past is because the Iranians are on the other side and the Iranians are a traditional U.S. rival. But as you point out, it has been a humanitarian catastrophe.
And so, the approach Biden outlined today was actually pretty balanced. He said, he was careful to say he is going to stop offensive support to the war in Yemen, but didn't rule out the possibility of other types of support and was also clear that he would support Saudi Arabia in its attempts to defend itself from Houthi attacks, from Iranian attacks. So, I think he tried to lay out a more balanced approach today to the U.S. more in -- well. really U.S. support for the Saudi efforts in Yemen.
HOLMES: One other thing that stood out to me. You know, in the Trump administration of course, in a foreign policy sense, there was the enablement of strongman and admiration even, I mean, including Saudi Arabia and its leader Mohammed bin Salman. And you know, he called Egypt's El Sisi my favorite dictator, deference to Russia's Putin and so on. What has been the impact of that and what will or needs to change in your view?
KROENIG: Well, Biden was very strong today, I thought, on America's values. One of the first things he said in the speech was about the coup in Myanmar. He called on the generals there to relinquish power and turn control back to the civilians. He talked about having a summit for democracy, bringing America's Democratic allies from around the world together in Washington to talk about the need to work together against autocracies.
This has been a key theme of his throughout his campaign. Also, a key theme in my book, as you mentioned democracy versus autocracy in "Great Power Rivalry. So, I do think that this is a central issue in global politics today that Biden understands that and he said all the right things in the speech today about working with democracies against these revisionist autocracies like Russia and China.
HOLMES: Yes. A new day in the eyes of many. Matthew Kroenig, I really appreciate your expertise. Thank you so much.
KROENIG: My pleasure. Thank you.
HOLMES: Now Putin critic and Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny appeared at a libel hearing in Moscow just moments ago, facing a charge for allegedly defaming a World War II veteran. He says the charge like others he's faced is politically motivated.
Navalny, of course, was sentenced earlier this week to more than two and a half years in prison for violating his parole while he was being treated in Germany for poisoning. And a Russian doctor who treated Navalny before he left the country has suddenly died, according to the hospital where he worked.
Joining us now from the courthouse in Moscow is CNN senior international correspondent Fred Pleitgen. So, what happened at the hearing, and tell us about this doctor, as well?
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Michael. Well, so Alexei Navalny was brought here to the courthouse very, very early on in the early morning hours, much earlier than, for instance, he was brought to the courthouse at that last hearing on Tuesday. The trial then started fairly punctually. However, it started before his lawyers were actually present in the courtroom. They join things a little bit later.
The situation that we have right now is that the trial essentially is ongoing but is currently in a break because Alexei Navalny wanted to acquit himself with the court materials. Interestingly, when the judge asked why he hadn't done that so far, he said that he had other things going on, he'd been very busy.
Obviously, he has been in Germany getting treatment after having been on the -- subjected to the chemical substance Novichok. And so, therefore, now he is equating himself with all the legal materials.
But you're absolutely right, Michael. Of course, he is saying that he believes that this trial is politically motivated like the last trial against him where his suspended jail sentence was turned into a real jail sentence, that that was politically motivated as well. But you do see the authorities here to continuing to put on that full court press on Navalny and continuing to be under pressure.
[03:15:01]
One of the interesting things by the way, Michael, when we were out here, out of that last court on Tuesday, there were a lot of supporters of Alexei Navalny around trying to protest. They were obviously met by big force by the police. So far today we have not seen that.
Also, Navalny supporters have not called for protests either this weekend. They say that they want to move their actions till later on in this year when there's going to be Russian parliamentary elections coming up, Michael.
HOLMES: Right. And now let's talk about the U.S. President, Joe Biden, he spoke strongly about Russia, no more rolling over for Moscow, he said. And also, Alexei Navalny, he spoke about him. What realistically, what impact can U.S. pressure have on Navalny's case, what leverage does the U.S. have?
PLEITGEN: Well, you know it was really remarkable actually in that speech by President Biden, how much he spoke about Alexei Navalny. How much he said that he believe that Alexie Navalny was being put under this pressure for political reasons, and was being put in court for political reasons. How much impact that is actually going to have, and that really is very much up in the air.
What we're seeing right now, what we are seeing so far is that international pressure is not having very much of an effect at all. And you know, we've been asking the Kremlin about all this over the past couple of weeks, really, if the protests are having, are making a difference, that the fact that international governments are calling out Russian security forces for the way that they are dealing with these detainments, whether or not that's having any effect.
So far, what we are hearing is absolutely not. In fact, it seems as though the Kremlin is doubling down on that. Some of the things that we've heard from the Kremlin have really been remarkable, they've essentially said that yes, they're arrest or they've declined too many people to actually put them in detention facilities, or actually keeping them in buses for hours on hand.
But they say, look, it's their own fault because they go to these unsanctioned, as the Kremlin call them, protests. So, the Kremlin also saying that they're not even willing to consider any of the things that they're hearing from the United States.
That's also calling on the government here and on Russian security forces to uphold the rule of law, and to uphold human rights here in this country, the deterioration of human rights as the State Department has put it, as U.S. secretary of state has put it.
So far, the Russians show absolutely no sign of backing down from a very hard line towards Alexei Navalny and to those who are protesting on his behalf, Michael.
HOLMES: All right. Thanks for the report. Fred Pleitgen there in Moscow. I appreciate it, Fred.
And we are going to take a quick break. There is much more to come though on CNN, including a request from House Democrats to get former President Donald Trump on the record during his second impeachment trial. It didn't go very far.
Also, a Republican representative who supported QAnon conspiracy theories kicked off her committee assignments. It was a bipartisan vote, but barely. We'll have a full report when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES (on camera): Welcome back. Donald Trump's lawyers say he will not speak in his own defense when his impeachment trial gets underway next week.
[03:20:05]
On Thursday, Democratic House impeachment managers asked Trump to testify under oath in the Senate. It was an attempt to get him on the record regarding the riot at the capitol in January 6. But Trump's lawyers sent a terse reply writing in part, quote, "we are in receipt of your latest public relations stunt. The use our Constitution to bring a purported impeachment proceeding is too serious to try to play these games."
Now the U.S. House of Representatives has fired Republican lawmaker Marjorie Taylor Greene from her committee assignments. That move coming after past violent statements by the newly elected House member came to light. Greene was on the education and budget committees until the vote of 230 to 199 removed her. Only 11 Republicans crossed the aisle to vote with Democrats.
CNN's Ryan Nobles with more.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNKNOWN: We have order in the House.
RYAN NOBLES, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): The U.S. House voting today to remove freshman Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene from her committee assignments.
REP. TED DEUTCH (D-FL): Conspiracy theories and hate our malignant. They do not fade away. We must stand up to them and say enough.
REP. KEVIN MCCARTHY (R-CA), HOUSE MINORITY LEADER: Never before in the history of this House has the majority abused its power in this way.
NOBLES: The debate, including a last-ditch effort by the Georgia congresswoman to save her spot on two House committees. REP. MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE (R-GA): I was allowed to believe things
that weren't true and I would ask questions about them and talk about them. And that is absolutely whatever regret.
NOBLES: In a more than 10-minute speech amid a debate about her future, Greene attempted to put distance between herself and the vile conspiracy theories she said she once believed.
GREENE: School shootings are absolutely real. And every child that is lost, those families mourn it. I also want to tell you 9/11 absolutely happened.
NOBLES: In the past, Greene has promoted conspiracies such as there are not being evidence a plane hit the Pentagon on 9/11. And that the 2018 shooting at a Florida high school was fake or staged. She's also promoted the QAnon conspiracy.
GREENE: I never said any of these things since I have been elected for Congress. These were words of the past. And these things do not represent me.
NOBLES: But as recently as last December, Greene defended QAnon believers in an interview with CNN.
GREENE: I think it's unfair to criticize regular American people that just are looking things up on the internet.
NOBLES: During her remarks, Greene spent as much time attacking her detractors as she did, trying to clean up her past comments. Democrats said Greene's remarks were too little, too late.
REP. JAMES MCGOVERN (D-MA): I didn't hear anybody apologize or retract the anti-Semitic and Islamophobic remarks that have been made that have been posted over and over and over again.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NOBLES (on camera): And the final vote to remove Greene from the committees wasn't close, 230 to 199, 11 Republicans voting with the Democrats. Now Greene is still going to be a member of Congress. She is not expected to go anywhere. She's already raised a lot of money around this controversy. But she is scheduled to hold a press conference on Capitol Hill on Friday.
Ryan Nobles, CNN, on Capitol Hill.
HOLMES: CNN political commentator Doug Heye joins me now from Princeton, New Jersey. He is a Republican strategist as well and former RNC communications director.
Good to see you again, my friend. It was fascinating watching Marjorie Taylor Greene trying to make herself a victim Thursday, you know, absurd of course in the face of what she has literally said and written. How dangerous is the GOP forgive and forget attitude to her and her history? I mean, I know you tweeted on Thursday that the speech makes me embarrassed for Congress, my party and my country. DOUG HEYE, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: You know, when you see people
say 9/11 was real, school shootings actually happened, that that bar is so low, that that is clearly not acceptable. I think, Michael, one of the challenges for this is, look, I support removing her from committees. But let's be clear about things.
You know, Marjorie Taylor Greene was not elected to really be a work horse on any committee when, you know, a lot of Democrats have said because her comments on school shootings that he shouldn't serve on the education and labor committee. I agree. But she didn't go to Congress to be a real champion on the pension subcommittee of that committee, right?
So, we've penalized her but there really may not be a price for her to pay and, as you referenced, she can still play the victim of this. What I would caution my Republican friends on is this isn't the last time we are going to hear terrible, terrible statements from her, either things that she says in the future, or things that she says in the past. So we're going to need to have answers in the future.
HOLMES (on camera): Yes, I mean you do get that feeling, don't you? I just want to play for people just a small selection of her comments. Let's listen in.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
[03:25:07]
GREENE: The so-called plane that crashed into the Pentagon, it's odd there is never any evidence shown for a plane in the Pentagon.
There is an Islamic invasion into our government offices right now.
Kennedy getting killed in the plane crash, that's another one of those Clinton murders, right?
The only way you get your freedoms back, is that it's earned with the price of blood.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES (on camera): I mean, just wow! I mean, when we talk about the future of the party, is this it? That they actually support someone who said all these things? Is this not racing at top speed towards an extremist fringe of the party? And if so, what are the risks to party, and for that matter, country?
HEYE: Well, I think it goes back to decisions that and have been made not just four years ago with Donald Trump, but even before that. You and I have talked about this. To me, Donald Trump wasn't just the problem, he was also a symptom of what the problem was. He just exacerbated it and really put it on work speed. And that's put us to where we are today.
Donald Trump can't tweet. He can't go on Facebook to say the incendiary things that he has in the past right now. But he has -- he's inspired people to do that, which ultimately, you know, goes back to January 6th.
Meanwhile, the Republican Party has real problems on how it can move forward and real problems of division amongst itself. It's not a recipe for success. They could still take back the House in 2022. The problem with that, Michael, is Marjorie Taylor Greene is going to be the face of the Republican Party, whether she wants it or not, or other Republicans wanted or not.
And every competitive congressional seat or Senate seat, she is going to be an issue that Republicans are going to have to be talking about, not talking about what they want to do for their state or their district, that's a problem.
HOLMES: yes. They're going to have their own it. I mean, 200 Republicans voted to keep her on those committees. I mean, as you noted, too, I was reading today, I mean, the fact that House chair, Liz Cheney, won a vote on her position 145 to 61, what that shows as you point out, is that when the ballots are secret you see perhaps a different private caucus than the public one. What are Republicans so afraid of?
HEYE: Well, it's very simple, their voters. I dealt with this all the time when I work on House leadership. We would call them the vote no, hope yes caucus. These are members of Congress who would say to you on the House floor, yes, I know this is a good bill, it's a smart idea, but I can't vote for it. And that would be their excuse on everything.
And we knew that when secret ballots would come up, that ultimately these things would work themselves out, because they could be a bit more honest. That's why when a lot of people like Matt Gaetz were saying, we've got the votes to remove Liz Cheney, you knew it wasn't true.
If this were a secret ballot today, clearly, there would have been not nearly the support that there was for Marjorie Taylor Greene. Unfortunately, we don't always have that option.
HOLMES: Yes. Yes. Doug Heye, always a pleasure. I've got about another dozen questions but we don't have time. I'll talk to you again soon.
HEYE: That's always the case
HOLMES: It is, it is. Doug Heye there.
Now we are going to take a quick break. When we come back, the rollout of the new COVID vaccine could be just weeks away. The drug developed by Johnson & Johnson has a couple of advantages that the current vaccines do not have. We'll explain what they are when we come back.
And also, Joe Biden hoping for a big turnaround in America's economic crisis during his presidency. But the numbers coming up later today are expected to show just how difficult that is going to be.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[03:30:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR (on camera): And welcome back to CNN Newsroom everyone. I am Michael Holmes. I appreciate your company. Now there are encouraging signs that the pandemic in the U.S., and indeed around the world is beginning to ease somewhat. But many health experts are deeply worried that the downward trend might not last.
Forecasters at the University of Washington say and the current conditions, the death toll in the U.S. could reach 630,000 by June 1st. And in the worst-case scenario, it could even top 700,000. Now, U.S. Drug regulators are set to consider a third vaccine for emergency use, possibly by next month.
Johnson and Johnson's vaccine, not quite as effective as the others. But it does have a couple of advantages. It only requires one shot, instead of two. And, it can be stored at normal refrigeration temperatures, instead of the deep freeze the others need. America's top infectious disease expert, explains why it is important to get this new vaccine into the mix.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANTHONY FAUCI, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASE: Although it wasn't the 94 percent and 95 percent that we've seen with Moderna and Pfizer, in the critical area of keeping people out of the hospital, and making sure they do not die, it did very, very well. So, we now will have, if the FDA gives it the UA, they put in their application for that, we will know in a few weeks, whether or not it's going to happen. That if in fact it does, that will be yet again another good vaccine in the arm (inaudible) of our tools to fight this pandemic.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES (on camera): Now, of course, new variants of the virus do pose extra challenges, but even without vaccines, wearing a mask, of course, can help reduce transmission. So, the White House is now considering sending face masks to every American.
CNN's Erica Hill reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ERICA HILL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Masks for everyone? CNN learning, the Biden administration is considering a plan to send them to all Americans.
JEN PSAKI, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: There are a range of options on the table to help protect more Americans from the coronavirus and encourage people to mask up, but no decision has been made to do that.
HILL: Whether the government sends them or not, masks are still a must. RICARDO FRANCO, CENTER FOR AIDS RESEARCH, UNIVERISTY OF ALABAMA AT
BIRMINGHAM: (Inaudible) enough time, and we need to keep pushing, and not give this virus a chance to play well in the second half.
HILL: Fast spreading variance, now identified in more than 30 states.
MICHAEL OSTERHOLM, DIRECTOR, CENTER FOR INFECTIOUS DISEASE RESEARCH AND POLICY: We are really good at pumping the brakes after we wrap the car around the tree. What we need to do is anticipate this is coming.
HILL: The most common, first documented in the U.K., especially concerning on track to become dominant in Florida and California and --
ROCHELLE WALENSKY, CHIEF INFECTIOUS DISEASES DIVISION, MASS GENERAL HOSPITAL: There's increasing data that suggest that some of the variance would be 117 variance may actually be -- lead to increased mortality.
HILL: On Wednesday, the U.S. surpassed 450,000 COVID deaths. For nearly a month, daily reports had been stuck at or above, 3,000. Cases and hospitalizations however are improving. Including a dramatic shift in California, where new cases have dropped nearly 60 percent in the last month. This hospital, finally, dismantling its COVID overflow tents.
SISTER TERRY MAHER, MISSION INTEGRATION MANAGER, ST. MARY MEDICAL CENTER: We honor the sacred stories that, now, forever fold as we pack this up.
HILL: Vaccinations, slowly improving. The U.S. now averaging 1.3 million shots a day. But equitable distribution, still, needs a lot of work.
UCHE BLACKSTOCK, EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN: We need them to be even more acceptable. Global vaccination centers in schools and community centers.
HILL: New York City, launching dozens of pop-up sites this week. Opening day at Yankee Stadium, now set for tomorrow. With 15,000 appointments available, in the first week.
BILL DE BLASIO, NEW YORK CITY MAYOR: Having this Yankee Stadium site up will be a game-changer.
HILL: Vaccinations at the center of a standoff in Chicago. Over a return to in-person learning.
[03:35:04]
MAYOR LORI LIGHTFOOT (D-CHICAGO): We need our kids back in school. We need our parents to have that option.
LEANA WEN, FORMER HEALTH COMMISSIONER, BALTIMORE: If we, as a society, want to prioritize students returning for in-person instruction, the least we can do is to prioritize the health and safety of our teachers.
HILL: Teachers in Chicago also requesting testing, while overall transmission in schools remains low. A new study, suggest it could be cut in half with weekly rapid testing.
Johnson & Johnson, officially asking the FDA for emergency use authorization on Thursday. The single dose vaccine does not require the ultra low temperatures for storage as Pfizer's does, and of course, it is only one dose. It shown an efficacy of about 72 percent in U.S. trials. In New York, I Erica Hill, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES (on camera): And next now, you will hear from the leader of a parent organization in Chicago about what he thinks needs to be done to get school children back into the classrooms.
Now, there is another stark reminder that an economic recovery under the Biden administration will not come easily. Another 779,000 people, filed for first time unemployment benefits in the last week of January. And the unemployment rate is expected to stay stubbornly flat at 6.7 percent when the January jobs report is released later today.
John Defterios is in Abu Dhabi for us, following all of these things. It does appear that the jobs recovery seems to be stalling after, you know, a terrible -- what was a terrible report to close out in 2020. What are you expecting today, and will it add to evidence that a stimulus package, a big one, is actually needed now?
JOHN DEFTERIOS, CNN EMERGING MARKETS EDITOR (on camera): Well, that debate is taking place on Capitol Hill as you know, Michael. But I think this is very painful, because we have a very frail safety net in the United States, right. And a very low savings rate at the same time. So, people are hurting, indeed.
As you suggested, we've finished with a dud in 2020 in December, losing 140,000 jobs, so the recovery is not there. Here are the expectations for today. We can only go up when it comes to job creation, right, but only 50,000 jobs? That is, in a word anemic. You talk about the unemployment rate, that's historically high at 6.7 percent.
You take the tally from the last 11 months, there still 10 million people who have lost their jobs. We have a total of 18 million, still getting benefits, because if they are working again, it's below the level they were before. So, the pain is right across the board. That's about 10 percent of the working population.
And Michael, to your point about the stimulus package, we see Janet Yellen, the treasury secretary, reiterating the same message. You got to think big. Don't be shy when it comes to this next package. This was her yesterday on ABC.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JANET YELLEN, U.S. TREASURY SECRETARY: Seeing long lines of people waiting to get food around the country is something we should never see in the United States. Too many people have to worry about whether they will have a roof over their heads, and he wants to address that. This is really an urgent need. And we need to act big.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DEFTERIOS (on camera): Interesting words from a former Fed chair at the Central Bank of the United States. You need to act big. Yellen's repeating this message as well, we have to hone in on women and minorities, who suffered the most during the first 11 months of the pandemic, Michael.
HOLMES: Yes, I guess -- get your crystal ball out, look sort of medium term when the vaccine distribution really starts to impact the spread of the pandemic. How long might it take to recover the jobs that were wiped out by all of this?
DEFTERIOS: You know, I say this is the space in between, right? Economically, because the vaccines is getting rolled out, and at some point we are going to have a meeting point when the stimulus package comes in. And then you will see a spurt of job creation, maybe a size 500,000 jobs a month. That's according to the Congressional Budget Office, which, as you know, is a nonpartisan think tank that sits on Capitol Hill.
The bad news, they say it could take up until 2024 to rebalance the 10 million jobs that I was talking about. That is painful. And we know from the grabs with people coming out of high school and looking for work, the wage is going to be lower, because there's not that much competition for the hiring, right? So that's going to be very, very difficult going forward.
The good news. If you take a step back, we lost 3.5 percent of GDP last year. Projected to grow 4.6 percent this year. But we are going to have a debt hangover, which people are not focusing on. We've had $4 trillion put in, Biden is looking to put another $2 trillion, again. Michael, somebody's got to pay it back overtime.
HOLMES (on camera): Yes. We had this conversation all the time. John Defterios, in Abu Dhabi, thanks very much, we'll check in with you in the next hour.
[03:40:03]
Now, Nigeria is moving forward with its registration policy, requiring all citizens to link their national identity number to their phone line. But the looming deadline has led to overcrowding at registration sites, and sparks safety concerns as COVID hits record highs.
Stephanie Busari has more from us from Legos.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
STEPHANIE BUSARI, CNN PRODUCER (on camera): I'm Stephanie Busari here in Legos. It is the early hours of the morning, and a crowd is already forming here. As people gather to register their national identification numbers. Some of them have camped here overnight. Many are worried about losing their phone numbers after the government introduced a policy mandating that every citizen should pair their national identification number with their phone lines.
UNKNOWN: The system is totally wrong. You can't be sure that they (inaudible) end of the morning. There's people on both side is a risk.
UNKNOWN: Nigeria's are being extorted. Extorted.
UNKNOWN: It's still frustrating.
BUSARI: These scenes are playing out across the country, and the policy has caused panic, confusion and chaos, as people fear of losing their numbers. And many are wondering why the government is forcing them to gather during a pandemic and with COVID cases spiking in this, Africa's most populous country.
UNKNOWN: It is a risk. Look at this. Look at this line here. This man is not wearing a mask, as you can see. It's so frustrating. They don't care about the corona. They don't even care anymore.
BUSARI: The government says it is for security reasons, but many here are saying, the policy is (inaudible) out, with an unrealistic deadline to register citizens. Particularly, at a time when many want to limit close contact with others.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES (on camera): Stephanie Busari there. Now, the COVID pandemic, just got a little bit more complicated. Scientist say there are actually thousands of variants of the virus around the world. Coming up next, what is being done to fight that threat? We will be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Welcome back. More European countries are advising against the use of Oxford AstraZeneca's COVID vaccine for people 65 and older. Denmark, Sweden and Norway, just the latest nations to hold off. They blame a lack of data about the vaccine's effectiveness for the age group.
Plus, here is a sobering number. There are about 4,000 COVID-19 variance around the world. The U.K.'s vaccine minister also told Sky News, his nation is keeping what he calls a library of the variance. And that company is including Pfizer, BioNTech, Moderna, and AstraZeneca are trying to ensure their vaccines can take on any variant.
[03:45:07]
Let's talk more about all of this with CNN Salma Abdelaziz. Joining us now from London. And I guess, you know, where you are more than 10 million people have now received a first dose. It is a lot of people, but what steps are authorities taking to protect the gains? SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN PRODUCER (on camera): Well, those variants you
mentioned, Michael, 4,000 variants. About 4,000 variants identified by the U.K.'s genome sequencing program. That's the area of concern. That's what the authorities are worried about. It's important to remember, the U.K. is one of the first countries really to be hit hard by one of these variants. It's been devastating, it's still struggling as a country to try to overcome the crisis created by this.
So, there are steps, of course are being taken to make sure that the vaccination program isn't threatened by these many, many variants that have been identified by the U.K.'s authorities. They are saying that they are prepared, that they have this library ready that you mentioned, that any vaccines that need to be developed to deal with these variants, they are ready to do that. They will work with the manufacturers to do so.
But again, the key is that -- is this country's vaccination program because that's really the only weapon against this variant. Take a listen to what the vaccine minister said, Michael.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NADHIM ZAHAWI, U.K. PARLIAMENTARY UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR COVID- 19 VACCINE DEVELOPMENT: Our nation, Madam Speaker, is getting safer every day. As more and more people are get protected by the biggest immunization program in the history of our health service. Over 10 million people have now received their first dose of one of our coronavirus vaccines. There is almost one in five adults in the United Kingdom.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ABDELAZIZ (on camera): So, over 10 million people that is a lot of this country's key vulnerable groups. Those priority groups. Those who are elderly, those who are in care homes, the frontline health care workers, and the authorities are trying to take these steps, identifying the variance, keep them out of the country through travel restrictions. Keep people at home through lockdowns and other social restrictions and try to keep vaccinating people as quickly as they can, Michael, to keep these variants from challenging this country's health care system, again. Michael?
HOLMES (on camera): Yes. Absolutely Salma. Good to see you. Salam Abdelaziz there in London for us.
Now the United Kingdom, had a big party when it fully divorce from the E.U. Remember that? But London now having a bit of hangover. Despite a post-Brexit trade deal with Brussels financial services, well, they were gloss over and that has put London's position as a global finance leader into question.
CNN's Anna Stewart, reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANNA STEWART, CNN PRODUCER (voice over): The city of London has been a ghost town for much of the pandemic. Lockdown after lockdown, means many office workers are now our home workers. There are fears that Europe's unofficial capital of finance could remain quiet after the pandemic, due to Brexit.
UNKNOWN: The clock is no longer ticking.
STEWART: The E.U., and the U.K., finally reaching a trade agreement last year. In the 11th hour of negotiations. But it barely mentioned financial services, which accounts for nearly 7 percent of the U.K. economy.
BORIS JOHNSON, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: There's some good language about equivalents for financial services, perhaps not as much as we would've liked.
STEWART: Leaving the single markets means financial services firm in the U.K. have lost easy access to the European clients, known as passport-ing.
EMMA REYNOLDS, MANAGING DIRECTOR, THECITYUK: Passport-ing, in simple terms, meant that a U.K. based bank, or other financial service provider, could provide those services across the E.U., while at the same time, having a base in the U.K. We have lost that advantage.
And that was very much part of the European single market. So, that is why you seen banks and other financial services firms, set up subsidiaries in other member states, so they can serve E.U. clients who are most subsidiaries.
STEWART: Setting up subsidiaries in Europe is why some financial jobs have already shifted from the city of London to other European cities. Consultancy firm, E-why, put that number at around 7,500 jobs as of late September, although that is a fraction of the U.K.'s 1.1 million financial workforce.
It's not just jobs that have gone, so has E.U. jurisdiction. And that means, the U.K. can make its own financial rules and regulations. One key reason, the E.U. has only granted the U.K. limited market access. Equivalents only in some areas.
SIMON GLEESON, PARTNER, CLIFFORD CHANCE: So the (inaudible) that come down, is basically to use European regulation as a sort of trade wall, with the aim of trying to force as much business as possible out of London and into Europe.
STEWART: What emerges from ongoing talks between the E.U., and the U.K. is uncertain. One thing is for sure. Brexit will linger here for years to come.
Anna Stewart, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
[03:50:08]
HOLMES (on camera): Now, Hong Kong is introducing new guidelines on incorporating national security into the education system there.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNKNOWN: Let's learn about national security.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES (on camera): Here are the guidelines, along with that animated video being released by the Hong Kong education bureau in aim to bolster compliance with, what it is a controversial National Security Law, which came into effect last June. Kristie Lu Stout has been following all of this, joins us now from Hong Kong. I guess, after last month's mass arrests, the National Security Law crackdown, now, targeting schools. Tell us how?
KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): That's right. They are targeting the classroom. Right now, for the first time, since Beijing imposed this National Security Law in Hong Kong, in June of last year. The Hong Kong education bureau has released these guidelines, effectively bringing this law into the classroom.
Now under these new guidelines, students as young as six years old will learn the names of the individual, named, National Security Law offenses. Subversion, secession, terrorism, and colluding with foreign forces. They will also learn etiquette, the proper way to raise a flag, the proper way to sing the national anthem. They will also learned that people in the institutions that protect Hong Kong, including health care workers, Hong Kong police, as well as the People's Liberation Army.
Now, as for older students, secondary students, they will learn what constitutes a National Security Law offense, which is punishable with up to life in prison. Now this new curriculum also includes these, and you just showed a snippet of it. These instructional, animated videos, they are tailor-made for younger students. They come in Cantonese, as well as Mandarin, and English.
And in these videos, well bring it up for you, full screen. We see these cute animated kids, interacting with a wise animated owl, learning about the National Security Law. We heard earlier, from the Hong Kong government, in a statement that they released a, they laid out the goals for the guidelines.
In the statement, I'll bring it up, it says this quote, the fundamentals of national security education, are to develop in student a sense of belonging to the country and affection for the Chinese people, a sense of national identity, as well as an awareness of a sense of responsibility for safeguarding national security.
Michael, the Hong Kong government has been under immense pressure to reform its educational system after the pro-Beijing camp, and Chinese state run media blamed the liberal curriculum and educators here in Hong Kong, for the 2019 Hong Kong protests that involved thousands of students. Michael?
HOLMES (on camera): how then -- I mean, this is extraordinary to look at. I mean, this sort of link between what is propaganda, and what is education. I mean, how are educators dealing with this? How are they taking it?
LU STOUT (on camera): It's extraordinary to look. It's like National Security Law schoolhouse rock, you know, when you look at these videos. Look, there are some educators that welcomed the clarity. There have been months since the National Security Law was imposed where educators and principals did not know what red lines were.
So, now, we know the red lines. But there are some educators, and one, a vice chairman of the Hong Kong professional teachers union, who spoke out, and directly address this issue earlier today in a press conference. He expressed dismay and concern. Concern that teachers and parents, were not consulted before the Hong Kong government released these guidelines. Take a listen to what he said earlier.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
IP KIN-YUEN, VICE CHAIRMAN, HONG KONG PROFESSIONAL TEACHER'S UNION: There is a lot of sensitivities and unpredictability in the issue. It will bring about huge pressure, or even anxiety, among principals and teachers.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LU STOUT (on camera): Since the National Security Law was imposed in Hong Kong last year, June of last year, there has been pressure and anxiety for opposition lawmakers for dissidents and activists. Now, as you heard just then, there is pressure and anxiety for educators here in Hong Kong. Michael?
HOLMES: Wow. Extraordinary. Great report. Kristie Lu Stout, in Hong Kong, thank you so much.
Well, just one person who tested positive for COVID-19 shutdown players ahead of the Australian Open. More than 500 tennis players, staff, and officials had to get tested. Now, some good news, we'll have that, when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[03:55:00]
HOLMES (on camera): Well, they are serving up tennis again, in Melbourne, ahead of the Australian Open. Warm up matches were put on hold after someone linked to the tournament, tested positive for COVID-19. More than 14,000 test were then carried out in the surrounding area. And not a single new case was found, good news. As Angus Watson now reports, and shows how well Australia has tamed the pandemic.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANGUS WATSON, JOURNALIST (voice over): This is 2021 in Australia. Where Community transmission is rare, and nobody is in intensive care with the coronavirus. Instead, nearly 400,000 fans were packed into Melbourne's tennis center over the next two weeks for the Australian Open.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC, 2019 WIMBLEDON MEN'S SINGLE CHAMPION: I had goosebumps coming into the court, playing in front of the fans again, after 12 months.
WATSON: Arriving in January, the players discovered just how tough Australia had to be to get on top of the pandemic. All were forced into state-run quarantine for 14 days. 10, among the group of over 1,000 tested positive, pushing 72 players into an even stricter quarantine. With no practice, not even any fresh air.
CRAIG TILEY, CEO, TENNIS AUSTRALIA: We are in a pandemic, this is not going away tomorrow. In fact, I think we are going to be doing this again next year, and the year after. And we are going to have to manage through it.
WATSON: But there have been last-minute hiccups. All warm up matches Thursday were canceled, after over half of the Australian Open players and staff were deemed to be contacts of a new case. The first in Melbourne State of Victoria, in 28 days. A worker, at a quarantine hotel, where players stayed.
SHARON LEWIN, DIRECTOR, DOHERTY INSTITUTE FOR INFECTION AND IMMUNITY: We are continually getting importations from travelers, but we quarantine those. We do need to push the envelope a little bit on what can be achieved. We are all learning from this all the time. We are just in a different environment from the rest of the world, really.
WATSON: It is immediately obvious just how different the environment here in Melbourne really is too many places around the world. But it took one of the world's longest and strictest lockdowns. 111 days, to get cases down here from the hundreds per day, to zero.
LEWIN: I think it led to eradication by default. We always thought about aggressive suppression, but we actually got to eradication. And I can tell you, living with eradication, is pretty nice.
WATSON: As Australia has made strides in suppressing the coronavirus, hosting live competition has played an important part in healing this sports crazed nation. Getting to a match has helped people put tough lockdowns behind them, particularly here in Melbourne.
Fans turned out, as the Indian cricket team safely toured Australia, earning a famous win. While rugby Manchester had drawn tens of thousands. Tennis Australia CEO, Craig Tiley believes that Australia's success, particularly here at the Aussie Open, can be a model for other competitions around the world.
Should your success here with tennis give hope to the organizers of the Tokyo Olympics?
TILEY: I think it would be very difficult to deliver on those kinds of opportunities without rigorous quarantines program for athletes. It all began in a whole different level and scale, and there's a lot of smart people planning in that, but haven't done it yet. And we have, and so, you can take the small sample we have here, which is probably about 12 percent or 15 percent of what is over there. And you can just replicate it. And I believe, if you do, it would be a success.
WATSON: Australia's success in suppressing COVID-19 will be on show to the world, when the Open begins next week. Angus Watson in Melbourne, Australia.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES (on camera): And finally, the 55th Super Bowl on Sunday will pick the Tampa Bay Buccaneers against the Kansas City Chiefs. And while people love the big game, many do watch just for the commercials. Here is a look at just one.
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