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Growing Concern over Safety of AstraZeneca Vaccine; U.N. Says at Least 149 Killed since February 1 Coup in Myanmar; At Least Eight Dead in Three Georgia Spa Shootings; U.S. Secretary of State Talks North Korea Denuclearization ahead of Seoul Visit; Cubans Risking it All to Flee Country by Boat; Children Sign Pledge to End Modern-Day Slavery; Study: Pollution Levels Down Dramatically; California Governor Newsom Facing Recall; Suspect Apprehended in Atlanta-Area Shootings. Aired 12-1a ET
Aired March 17, 2021 - 00:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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JOHN VAUSE, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Hello and welcome to our viewers in the United States and around the world. I'm John Vause.
Coming up on CNN NEWSROOM, science and data appear to be losing out to group think and hysteria as more countries suspend the AstraZeneca vaccine even though E.U. regulators are the latest to publicly plead the benefits far outweigh any yet to be proven risk.
Refusing to kill a small but growing number of police officers in Myanmar, defying direct orders to open fire on unarmed civilians, many now fleeing the country in fear.
And North Korea, rebuffs a U.S. offer to renew talks with the latest intelligence showing what appears to be preparations for a test launch of a new and improved ICBM.
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VAUSE: The European Medicines Agency is the latest to make the case for the continued use of the AstraZeneca vaccine, arguing there is no scientific basis for suspending the rollout and the benefits of being vaccinated against COVID 19 far outweigh the risks, if there are any in the first place.
Still from Europe, to Africa, to Asia, government officials in defiance of fact, evidence and science, continue to order a hold on the use of this vaccine, claiming to be acting out of an abundance of caution because 37 blood clots were reported after 17 million doses were administered worldwide, a rate no higher than what occurs in the general population.
The European Medicines Agency has now scheduled a news conference later this Wednesday for an update on its investigation. Final verdict on the vaccine safety still expected the following day.
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EMER COOKE, EUROPEAN MEDICINES AGENCY: While the investigation is ongoing, we are currently, we are still firmly convinced that the benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine in preventing COVID-19, with its associated risk of hospitalization and death, outweigh the risk of these side effects.
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VAUSE: Even so, right now, at least 15 European countries, all the areas shaded in red, have ordered a full or partial suspension of the AstraZeneca vaccine with Sweden, Cyprus, Luxembourg, Latvia among the most recent to join the list.
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ANDERS TEGNELL, SWEDISH PUBLIC HEALTH AGENCY (through translator): It's still uncertain whether there is a link to the vaccinations or if this is a random event and therefore we are now carefully following the investigation taking place at the European Medicines Agency.
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VAUSE: The end result is almost 8 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine now sitting idle, as the rate of infection is surging once again across parts of Europe. This is on top of an already depressingly slow vaccine rollout, all adding to the number of people whose deaths from COVID-19 could have been entirely preventable.
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VAUSE: Dr. Eric Topol is a cardiologist and professor of molecular medicine at Scripps Research. He is with us from California this hour.
Doctor, thank you for being with us.
DR. ERIC TOPOL, SCRIPPS RESEARCH: John, good to be with you, thank you.
VAUSE: You know, I think it's important to hear a little more from the head of the European Medicines Agency, who actually went public with a statement Tuesday. It was unexpected, here she is with a little bit more on those blood clots.
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COOKE: I want to also stress that at present there is no indication that vaccination has caused these conditions. The number of thromboembolic events overall in the vaccinated people seems not to be higher than that seen in the general population.
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VAUSE: So Doctor, hypothetically even if there is a undeniable proof that's not there but the vaccine caused blood clots, will that be a big enough issue to scrap the rollout of the vaccine in the first place?
Or would that be what's considered an acceptable risk?
TOPOL: Right, well it's a very thorny issue because the other vaccine programs, like Moderna and Pfizer, have had these very rare clotting events, notably, the drop in platelet cells.
In this cluster of these events that you described, there are some. And in fact, in Germany there were the seven so called cavernous sinus thrombosis. That's a blood clot in the brain. So that is extremely rare and the fact that there is this cluster does cause for some concern.
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TOPOL: But on the other hand, the denominator here is so incredibly vast that the assertion that the safety and the efficacy of the vaccine outweighs this extremely low risk.
So that's kind of the balance here. Normally, if we weren't in the middle of a pandemic and if we weren't in the middle of starting of another new surge in Europe, this would be take your time and just go through all of this to get all the details.
Most of these events of clotting have nothing to do with the vaccine. A few or a limited number may have something to do with the vaccine. But still, the data are far in favor of the vaccine. The issue here though, is that it leads to this crisis or compromise in confidence in a vaccine. That's what's really troubling.
VAUSE: Yes, I want you to listen to Professor Marc Van Ranst. He's Europe's version of Dr. Anthony Fauci, talking about the consequences of the suspension of the rollout, here is.
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MARC VAN RANST, VIROLOGIST: If you do this, it has grave consequences. And it has grave consequences for the health of the Europeans. I'm sure everybody tries to do the right thing. But you can be overcautious and I think that is what is happening here in Europe today.
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VAUSE: So I guess the question is, is this an overreaction?
What would be the impact on trust and confidence in all COVID vaccines?
Thing about the AstraZeneca vaccine, it was cheaper, it was easier to store and it was widely being used in Africa. This will undoubtedly have some kind of impact.
TOPOL: Well, John that's really true. And now, this is a world story because this is the number one vaccine that has been ordered throughout the world. It's the least expensive and, indeed, we are relying on it.
So it's really important that this vaccine succeeds. And this, unfortunately, is getting away, hopefully it's very short term. But it would be good and hopefully in the next few days to see all the details of each of these patients who experienced a clotting event. Just so everyone's comfortable because if the medical community is comfortable that would help get over this hump, so that you know, all of the people, the clinicians, doctors can help reassure patients in these various countries, where there has been this temporary hold.
VAUSE: Yes.
Should we be more worried about headlines like this one on Tuesday?
"AstraZeneca vax flops against South African variant in early trial"?
TOPOL: Well, that's another chapter. Today there was a "New England Journal" paper on about 2,000 people in South Africa that had that variant, B.1.351, that is known to have this kind of immune evasion feature.
And the AstraZeneca vaccine did not work against placebo. That's the same group of people with the same variant where two other vaccines, Johnson & Johnson and Novavax, has worked.
So there is some softness to this vaccine for efficacy to the South African variant. But that's different, that's a very different matter than the issue of blood clotting events.
VAUSE: Yes, it just seems to be more realistic, something to be looking at and something to actually cause concern as opposed to these blood clots, which seem so incredibly rare. Dr. Eric Topol, thank you so much for being with us, appreciate it.
TOPOL: Thank you, John.
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VAUSE: In the coming hours, the European Commission will reveal what is effectively a vaccine passport which would offer a lifeline to the tourism industry, which has been decimated in the pandemic.
Officially, is called a digital green certificate. It will allow unrestricted travel during the northern summer. While many have welcomed the idea, the World Health Organization opposes any mandatory proof of vaccinations as a prerequisite for international travel.
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DR. MICHAEL RYAN, WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION: We have to be exceptionally careful, because, right now, we're dealing with a tremendously iniquitous situation in the world, where the likelihood of even offered or getting a vaccine is very much to do with the country limit, very much to deal with the level of wealth and the level of influence that you or your government has on global markets.
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VAUSE: European member states and Parliament are yet to officially approve the vaccine passports.
Once again, Brazil reporting the highest daily death toll from COVID- 19 since the pandemic began. More than 2,800 people have died on Tuesday, a dramatic increase from the previous record set last week.
The grim daily death toll expected to keep shattering records with intensive care wards reaching critical capacity and new patients refused hospital admission. And despite all of that, the federal government has not ordered and it is unlikely to order a national lockdown.
Some states are imposing their own restrictions in an effort to contain a surge in coronavirus cases.
The United Nations says at least 149 people have been killed in Myanmar since the February 1st coup. A journalist in the biggest city, Yangon, tells CNN, security forces are shooting again and a number of people have been hurt. Protesters set fire to barricades to keep police away.
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VAUSE: Meanwhile, the country's top religion body, a panel of high- ranking monks, has withdrawn its support for the military. The U.N. says communications blackouts are making it difficult to get information but hundreds of people are now missing and there are reports of detainees being tortured.
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RAVINA SHAMDASANI, UNHCR SPOKESPERSON: We are deeply disturbed that the crackdown continues to intensify and we again call on the military to stop killing and detaining protesters.
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VAUSE: Close to 300 police and government officers from Myanmar have crossed the border into India, to escape the military crackdown. CNN spoke with one official now in hiding. He told us about the grim and disturbing situation in Myanmar. CNN's Vedika Sud has this report.
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VEDIKA SUD, CNN PRODUCER (voice-over): Violent scenes on the streets of Myanmar ever since the military junta staged a coup forced this police officer to flee to India. He said he didn't want the blood of his country men on his hands. CNN is not disclosing his identity for his own safety.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): When more than five protesters gather and we can't break the crowd, we have orders to shoot.
SUD (voice-over): He says the orders by the military to arrest and shoot protesters were unacceptable to him. That's when he decided to escape, leaving behind his parents and siblings.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): They provide us with 100 bullets for G3, 100 bullets for M13, 100 bullets for 94, 50 bullets for 12 and 50 rubber bullets.
SUD (voice-over): CNN cannot independently verify this officer's allegations. We called Myanmar's embassy for comment. We were asked to email questions but we have not received a response.
The officer is one of almost 300 people, mostly police officers, government officials with families, who fled Myanmar and crossed into India's northeastern state of Mizoram after the military crackdown. Most refugees are supported by local activists.
Myanmar and Mizoram share a porous border that stretches more than 500 kilometers. The recent influx of those fleeing Myanmar is a growing concern, says the chief minister, Zoramthanga. The decision of their repatriation lies with the Indian government.
ZORAMTHANGA, MIZORAM CHIEF MINISTER: What they have to do is only to give them food and shelter because this is humanitarian point of view. Beyond that, everything depends upon the central government of India.
SUD (voice-over): The officer, who is currently in hiding, says people back home are living in fear.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): Civilians have to guard their neighborhoods through the night. They're already facing so many issues.
SUD (voice-over): Myanmar's military says its officers have been attacked. And the secretary of foreign affairs says it has been trying to maintain law and order. Authorities have been exercising utmost restraint dealing with the violent protests, he said.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): I want to see my family but only after dictatorship ends.
SUD (voice-over): He once dreamt of serving his country but now lives in constant fear, the fear of being handed back to Myanmar.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): If we are sent back to Myanmar, our life is in danger. There are no guarantees. We might be killed.
SUD (voice-over): With Myanmar in the midst of an intense political turmoil, the wait to return home could be a long one -- Vedika Sud, CNN, New Delhi.
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VAUSE: Still to come, the first visit to Asia by officials from the Biden administration resetting relations with China in a very public way, mending fences with some old allies.
And a district court in Japan overturns a ban on same sex marriages, ruling it is unconstitutional. Live in Tokyo with the very latest.
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VAUSE: At least eight people have been killed in a shooting spree at three massage parlors here in Atlanta, Georgia. Police have a suspect in custody. Investigators say four of the dead are Asian women. No motive has been publicly released.
But the nation's leading coalition addressing anti Asian hate and discrimination released a statement, saying, "This latest attack will only exacerbate the fear and pain that the Asian American community continues to endure. Not enough has been done to protect Asian Americans from heightened levels of hate, discrimination and violence.
"Concrete action must be taken now. Anything else is unacceptable."
Two senior U.S. officials are on the way to South Korea after a trip to Japan. U.S. secretary of state Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will meet their counterparts in Seoul. This as the U.S. says North Korea could be preparing to conduct its first weapons test since President Joe Biden took office. CNN's Paula Hancocks live this hour in Seoul.
Plenty of evidence around there that Pyongyang looks ready to test a new and improved ICBM.
What do we know?
PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: At this point, U.S. intelligence is assessing they could be close to carrying out that first weapons test, not just since President Biden took power but they haven't tested anything publicly since March of 2020.
We don't know exactly what they might be preparing to test. These were officials speaking to Barbara Starr on anonymity. They say U.S. intelligence in recent days has seen increased activity outside of Pyongyang.
This is a place where in the past there have been ballistic missiles made and also space launch vehicles made in the area as well. This doesn't surprise many people. This doesn't surprise many North Korea watchers.
What has surprised many of them is the fact that there hasn't been any kind of test so far. Usually there is a test after a new administration. That happened with president Trump and former President Obama. It also happened just before Pope Francis landed in South Korea a few years ago.
This is what North Korea does. It wouldn't surprise many and the fact that you do have two high-profile VIPs coming to South Korea and in the region, having just left Japan, could be another reason why this could be coming.
We don't know at this point if it could be one of those new improved ICBMs, the intercontinental ballistic missile that they showed off at the October parade last year. If it was something like that, that would be a significant provocation. And the U.S. would have to feel a need to respond.
VAUSE: On the balance of probability, when we say this is a test being done because they need this scientific information of a test, because you can only do so much with computers, how much of this is a demonstration to Joe Biden that they are serious about being in the nuclear weapons game?
HANCOCKS: It all depends on timing. If this happens when you have secretary of state Blinken in Seoul and the Defense Secretary Austin, clearly there is a political message behind it. It would be a message for the new U.S. president Joe Biden.
These weapons that have been shown last October, some of them have not been tested. The North Korean leader through North Korean state run media was clear that they needed to be tested at some point.
It's an expectation that they could be tested at some point. From the Biden administration, we know they have reached out to North Korea, saying diplomacy is the best option. At this point, they haven't heard anything in return.
We've heard from Kim Jong-un's sister that they warned the U.S., as they put, it not to kick up a stink so they can sleep easy for the next four years. There is a lot more activity rhetorically between the two sides at this point.
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VAUSE: Yes, maybe a cry for attention, Paula, thank you live from Seoul.
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VAUSE: Ambassador Chris Hill served as the assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs. He was chief U.S. negotiator with North Korea from 2005 to 2009. He's also the author of "Outpost: A Diplomat at Work."
Ambassador, thanks for being with us.
CHRISTOPHER HILL, FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR TO SOUTH KOREA AND IRAQ: A pleasure.
VAUSE: In tone and substance, the remarks made by Secretaries Blinken and Austin on Tuesday made it clear that there is a new administration in the White House, putting Beijing on notice. Listen to this.
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GEN. LLOYD AUSTIN, U.S. SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: While we were focused on issues in the Middle East, China has modernized its military. In addition to that, it has engaged in aggressive and, in some cases, coercive behavior. And some of the behavior has been directed against our allies in the region.
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VAUSE: Apart from the strong words there, China dominated almost all 90 minutes of the meeting between the secretary of state and Japan's foreign minister.
What's Beijing actually hearing from all of this?
These tough words and the warnings and the fence mending with traditional allies, how will that impact Beijing's behavior?
HILL: I think, first of all, Beijing looks forward to working with the Biden administration, that has a sense of organization, purpose and sequencing diplomatic events of this kind. That's not to say the Biden administration has a different view of Beijing.
I think Secretary Austin made it very clear, they are a very tough competitor and they've been very tough on some of our allies. But it's very important that the U.S. sit down with those allies and make sure we are singing from the same sheet of music. This is not a short term project, dealing with China. This will not last a couple months.
This will probably last the entire lifespan of the Biden administration. And so it's important get it rights, we talk to our allies and not have mixed messages. It's important we keep each other informed.
So I think it's a very good sequencing of first talking to the allies. Then talking to the Chinese -- and there are things we need to talk about but we need to make clear with our allies what we are doing, why we're doing it and make sure we're in sync.
VAUSE: The bigger picture here, is this the moment when two of Biden's major foreign policy ambitions intersect?
HILL: I think to some extent, that's absolutely right. We have extremely important allies in Europe and we will be working with those allies in Europe and they have some of their own issues, including dealing with China.
But I think dealing with some of these frontline allies like South Korea and Japan, going through the list of issues we have, a big part of it is China. But we also have North Korea, so I think it does show a real purposefulness of this trip.
Just as a professional diplomat, it's really nice to see the degree of organization. You get the sense that people know what their mission is and they know what they are going to be doing and what they're going to be doing next.
So for those of us in this profession, it's good to see.
VAUSE: Yes, it's reassuring on many levels. At the same time, North Korea appears to be ramping up its illicit nuclear missiles programs. The website today that closely monitors reports says that satellite images have detected increased activity at the radiochemical laboratory and uranium enrichment plant.
And the U.S. northern military command says the North Korean regime has also indicated it's no longer bound by the unilateral nuclear and ICBM testing moratorium announced in 2018, suggesting Kim Jong-un may begin flight testing an improved ICBM sometime soon.
On Tuesday, we found out that a U.S. approach to the North was rebuffed. Here is the secretary of state.
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ANTONY BLINKEN, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: To reduce the risks of escalation, we reached out to the North Korean government through several channels, starting in mid February, including in New York. To date, we've not received a response from Pyongyang.
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VAUSE: Is that unusual?
Is it the case that, after Kim Jong-un met one-on-one with president Trump on three separate occasions, has that set the bar for what Pyongyang considers normal diplomatic relations?
Talks at a low level are a nonstarter?
HILL: I think the North Koreans understand that the Biden administration is quite seized (ph) with the issue of North Korea. This is not a question of ignoring the issue as contacts suggested.
But I think it's also very appropriate that the Biden administration is reaching out to allies first and also will be talking to the Chinese. I suspect the issue of North Korea will also come out of that agenda in Alaska.
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HILL: So I think it's very important that the administration start dealing with this at an early date. How the North Koreans will handle it is hard to guess at this point.
In the past, they've fired off missiles. They've conducted tests as a kind of attention getter. It's not to be ruled out that this is what's going on now. But I think what's vital about how we handle this is that we work with partners and allies. And that seems to be the thrust of what we're doing.
VAUSE: We are out of time but to bring it full circle, is North Korea the issue that could break the ice between Beijing and Washington?
HILL: I think there's a number of issues. But it's important to sit down and go through all these issues. This problem didn't come up yesterday and it didn't start with the Trump administration. This is a big major league problem to deal with the Chinese and obviously progress on North Korea would be helpful.
VAUSE: Professor, thank you for being with us. We appreciate it.
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VAUSE: An instruct day (ph) for the rights of same-sex couples in Japan with the first ever judicial ruling on the legality of same sex marriage finding the government's failure to recognize same sex unions was actually unconstitutional. Blake Essig is following the story from Tokyo.
Blake, this is a landmark historic day in Japan. But it's bittersweet because the couples that brought this suit were denied compensation in this decision.
BLAKE ESSIG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: When you look at the case, these 3 couples from Sapporo that had filed this lawsuit were only asking for about 1 million yen, slightly under $10,000.
Compensation was never the focus. It was always about the verdict to allow and have the judge recognize that same sex couples being able to marry was constitutional.
That's what happened here today, a landmark decision. The lawsuit against the government was filed by these three couples who applied for a marriage application, denied by the government because they were same sex couples.
This is one of five similar cases currently moving through the court system across the country. This case will likely set a precedent for the verdict of those cases. But there is still a long way to go. This is a small step. There's still a long way to go for any meaningful change to happen here in Japan.
It will come down to the legislature passing a law, passing a bill or having this case move up through the court system to be taken by the supreme court and have a ruling there, which would essentially change the lot.
That's the goal from the lawyer representing the plaintiffs, who is hoping to move this up to the supreme court. Currently, Japan is the only G7 country that does not recognize same sex marriage.
Here in Japan, same sex couples are denied inheritance if their partner dies. They are unable to have joint custody of children. They are disqualified from public housing. Currently, there is no legislation that protects LGBTQ members from discrimination.
So as I said, while this is a landmark day for the LGBTQ community, there's still a long way to go to have Japan join the rest of the world when it comes to marriage equality.
VAUSE: Blake Essig there in Tokyo with the very latest on that ruling that just came down a short time ago.
The pandemic has created an economic crisis in Cuba. With nothing left and nothing to lose, some are trying to get out the only way they can, by boat. An exclusive CNN report in just a minute.
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VAUSE: I'm John Vause.
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The U.S. president, Joe Biden, has a message for migrants: Don't come to the U.S. now. Don't leave your towns and communities.
In an interview with ABC News, the present discouraged migrants from traveling while the immigration system in the U.S. is being overhauled. He also pushed back against criticism that relaxing immigration restrictions may have encouraged a surge of migrants at the southern border and made immigration reform even more complicated. Here's President Biden.
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GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS, ABC NEWS: Do you have to say quite clearly, Don't come?
JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Yes, I can say quite clearly, Don't come when we're in the process of getting set up. Don't leave your town, or city, or community.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: Hasn't stopped many from trying to leave Cuba by boat. For some, it's the only way out since they can't get a U.S. visa or even an international flight.
CNN's Patrick Oppmann has this exclusive report on those willing to risk everything for a chance at a new life.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Wondering offshore is that --
PATRICK OPPMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: As the tiny boat carrying Cuban migrants approaches the coast of Florida, a police helicopter infrared camera captures the moment when things go terribly wrong.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Air one, they just had a wave take him out. The boat is flipped over.
OPPMANN: All eight people, who were aboard this boat for more than 16 days in February, survived.
The Coast Guard told CNN they're seeing an increasing number of Cubans trying to make the dangerous and illegal journey to the U.S.
Some are stopped on rickety boats known as rusticos. Some found on deserted islands where the Coast Guard airdrops supplies before rescuing them.
Others are not so lucky. In the town in Caibarien in Cuba, Beatriz keeps vigil for her daughter and two young grandchildren who are missing after the smuggler's boat they took mysteriously sunk this month. The toys and shoes the children left behind sit neatly in their room.
Their mom hoped to reunite with her husband in Florida, Beatriz tells us.
"My daughter is a good mother," Beatriz says. "She wouldn't have done this if it wasn't safe, if everything wasn't OK. She wouldn't have put them through this. Her children are everything to her."
Just down the street, Dayami says her husband, Pepe (ph), was on the same boat, trying to go to the U.S. to better provide for his family. She says she doesn't know what to tell his teenage daughter.
"She says nothing happened to her father," Dayami says, "that her father has to be alive somewhere. But where? We can't take it anymore. We are desperate."
Cuba has been hit hard by the impacts of the coronavirus and increased U.S. sanctions under the Trump administration. Tough economic conditions in the past led to waves of Cubans fleeing the island by boat.
It's nearly impossible to leave Cuba legally these days. COVID and still unexplained health incidents among U.S. diplomats here caused the U.S. to stop issuing visas at the embassy in Havana. A State Department report says, as of November, there were more than 78,000 Cubans on a waiting list for immigrant visas.
(on camera): Cubans are unable to receive visas at the U.S. embassy here, and the pandemic has shut down most international flights to and from this island. For many Cubans desperate to leave, now the dangerous journey by boat is their only option.
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Beatriz prays for a miracle for her daughter and grandchildren.
"That they find them. That they don't stop looking," she says, "Whatever the news is, that we know what happened. It's more upsetting to not know."
But just days after our interview, Cuban officials announced that the search for the missing boat has ended. And like too many other Cubans, Beatriz's family is now lost at sea.
Patrick Oppmann, CNN, Caibarien, Cuba.
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VAUSE: CNN's fifth annual "My Freedom Day" campaign to end modern-day slavery has been felt around the world. We received thousands of social media posts from over 100 countries. And now CNN will aim to partner with at least one school from every country on earth to sign the pledge to help stop slavery.
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JULIA, STUDENT: I'm Julia from Luceto (ph), Italy, and I'm signing My Freedom Day pledge.
BRITTANY BUZZARD (PH), STUDENT: My name is Brittany Buzzard (ph). I'm from San Diego, California, and today I signed the My Freedom Day pledge.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It aims to protect against human trafficking and to make sure we are aware of where we're getting our goods from.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I pledged to spot anything suspicious about human trafficking and to post it on social media so other people can also raise awareness.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I will take into consideration for companies' business practices when buying things like clothes, chocolate and electronics.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I pledge --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I support My Freedom Day by saying no to slavery.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I feel free when I can skate.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I stand against modern-day slavery in any part of the world.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I pledge to fight human trafficking and modern slavery, I fight, I fight, I fight.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Stop modern-day slavery now.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If we work together, we can stop slavery forever.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I pledge to understand online dangers and speak up if I see friends who might be making a bad decision.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm signing the freedom pledge, and so are my friends.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What are we doing to help -- to help end slavery?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We want to live in a free world!
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We want to live in a free world! UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We want to live in a free world!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Here is (ph) My Freedom Day.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I support my Freedom Day. Thank you.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Freedom is for being happy!
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Freedom is for being happy!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Freedom is for being happy!
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I support My Freedom Day!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I support My Freedom Day!
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I support My Freedom Day!
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VAUSE: You can share your pledge on social media using the hashtag #MyFreedomDay. And tune in this weekend for a special My Freedom Day global forum hosted by Becky Anderson. Hear from hundreds of students across five continents on their efforts to spread awareness and eradicate modern-day slavery.
And I will be right back. You're watching CNN.
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VAUSE: Well, an unintended upside of the pandemic lockdowns has been a temporary improvement in air quality in many countries. A new report from I.Q. Air found that improvement in 84 percent of the countries and a result of decreased human-related emissions.
The downside: the report says pollution levels will likely rise as governments lift restrictions, economies and get back into gear.
CNN meteorologist Pedram Javaheri joins us with more on this, and in fact some of the studies have shown that the -- the bounce back is already happening, even worse than it was last year.
PEDRAM JAVAHERI, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Absolutely. You know, across places such as Europe, the European Space Agency actually telling us that we're seeing the spike just like you noted. The spike here catching up to prior pandemic levels very rapidly.
And what was an incredible turnaround, in a matter of just a few months. When the shutdowns happened, of course, major industry taking a massive hit. And put it all together, the polls here from the nations, according to the study, about 84 percent, as you noted, which turns out to be about 90 of the 106 nations that were analyzed actually showed improved air quality by a significant margin. Now, it's not all great news, and we'll get to that momentarily.
Because you'll take a look, again, the drop is significant. Really, a significant amount there in nitrogen dioxide, which is the primary component, pollutant there you find within car emissions.
So we know, of course, vehicles and people working from home, staying home, that reduces it.
The officials noting in the study that, when it comes to seeing this incredible drop in pollutant levels across the world, it show that this could happen in a very quick way. In fact, changes of urgent care is put into seeing these changes occur, you can see them happen rather quickly.
Of course, this came at a very, very large expense, but you take a look. Air pollution should not be taken lightly. We know it's the fourth leading cause in premature deaths around the world. So you put in cancer, you put in smoking, you put in heart disease. Air pollution's right behind there. And it counts for about 8 million deaths across the world, globally speaking.
And look at this. This is kind of a comparison of what happened in 2019, in February 2019, the pollutants levels in China. They dropped significantly there in February 2020. Notice almost a carbon copy of back in 2019. So we're back at it here.
And officials saying kind of a double-edge sword, because we're seeing extreme pollutant levels -- events that cause pollutants increase.
So take Australia, take South America, take areas around the western United States, where we saw wildfires. A lot of those wildfires are directly related to climate change, human-induced climate change, which of course, the wild fires lead to pollutants in the atmosphere. So cities such as Melbourne in Los Angeles, John, actually saw the pollution levels go up in 2020, versus prior years, even though the vast majority of the world saw a drop.
VAUSE: OK, Pedram, we like the update. Thank you very much for being with us.
Now, Britain's Prince Philip has been released from hospital and is back at Windsor Castle. The Duke of Edinburgh said to be in good spirits.
The 99-year-old was admitted to hospital a month ago. He's now recovering from heart surgery.
A royal source says the hospital stay was not related to any kind of health emergency; nor was it related to COVID-19.
Thank you for watching CNN NEWSROOM. I'm John Vause. I'll be back on top of the hour. In the meantime, WORLD SPORT is next after a short break.
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