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Japan, India Struggle to Contain COVID Surges; U.S. Spells Out Climate Goal; Navalny's Doctors Urge Him to Stop Hunger Strike; Search Intensifies for Missing Indonesian Submarine; China Responds to Report on Separated Uyghur Families; Bolsonaro Reiterates Goal to Stop Illegal Deforestation; Interview with Francesco La Camera; Innovations Take Flight in Exploration of Mars. Aired 1-2a ET
Aired April 23, 2021 - 01:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[01:00:14]
JOHN VAUSE, CNN ANCHOR: Hello again. I'm John Vause.
And coming up this hour on CNN NEWSROOM:
A COVID wave more like a tsunami. Hospitals are at capacity as India sets a global record for confirmed cases in a single day.
Climate crisis reboot, with the U.S. president setting an ambitious target to half the U.S. carbon emissions in less than 10 years.
And international search and rescue trying to find an Indonesian submarine. Fifty-three people on board, less than a day's supply of oxygen.
(MUSIC)
India's COVID crisis continues to spiral from bad to worse to catastrophic. The very latest pandemic number show infections are surging. More than 333,000 new confirmed cases in the past 24 hours. Shattering the record set a day earlier.
For the past four days, a million people have been infected with the virus. And hospitals are turning away patients and face dire shortages of oxygen.
Meantime, with the pre-Olympic surge in COVID infections in Japan, officials are expected to declare a state of emergency from Tokyo, Osaka, and two other prefectures.
For more now on both of these developments, CNN's Selina Wang is standing by in Osaka, Japan. We also have Kristie Lu Stout live in Hong Kong.
And that's where we'll begin with Kristie.
And while those official numbers coming out of India are staggering, many experts say because of under-reporting, the reality is it's many, many times worse. KRISTIE LOU STOUT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely. India is battling
mass deaths at a record level. And the situation is increasingly dire. We know that the Indian Prime Minister Modi is in high-level meetings right now to address the crisis, as he should, because India just announced 332,000, over that number, 332,000 new cases of COVID-19 in the country. This is a new grim record. The world's highest daily rise in the number of new COVID-19 infections since the pandemic began.
The deaths from coronavirus in India continues to spike, and experts say that the number is likely to be under-counted because of the nonstop cremations that are taking place across the country. The health system is in crisis, if not collapsing in certain areas of the country.
We know that there aren't enough beds. The Delhi health minister says the city needs 5,000 more extensive care beds. There's not enough oxygen. At least six hospitals in Delhi have run out of oxygen. Doctors are telling patients to stay at home, and to somehow find care there.
And desperate people have resorted to social media and taking to Twitter to beg for much needed supplies like medicine, like oxygen, like ICU beds with their sick loved ones.
I'm going to run through some examples of these tweets from verified accounts, these are media professionals that are not only covering the crisis, but they're trying to survive it as well.
You know, this tweet is from a media commentator Stutee Ghosh. She writes: Looking for an oxygen concentrator, very urgent, location Delhi. Any leads? Please help.
The next tweet is from an editor saying, name, Sandeep Verma. COVID positive, lung infection found as pneumonia, admitted at Metro Hospital. Need plasma of any group.
Nicola Careem, another journalist writes: SOS, please help my friend and colleague find a bed with ventilator for his cousin. His oxygen levels have dropped to 45. He's been waiting since 10:00 a.m. He's just 39 years old. DM, direct message if you can help.
Earlier, Indian author and journalist inside the country, Barkha Dutt, spoke to CNN passionately about the situation there. She said this is a time of national crisis. This is a time of national mourning.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARKHA DUTT, COLUMNIST, WASHINGTON POST: The health system has absolutely collapsed. And I use those words with full responsibility, and as a reporter who spent the last fortnight on the ground traveling across India, chronicling ICUs, cremation grounds, graveyards, and funeral sites. I do not believe that even now our political establishment has woken up to the enormity of what we are dealing with because nothing else can explain the fact election rallies in one of the eastern states of India are still ongoing, which means mass congregation. (END VIDEO CLIP)
STOUT: Many across this country are blaming the government for the crisis for allowing packed election rallies to take place, for allowing extremely massive religious ceremonies to take place with very little social distancing measures in place.
We know that the government of the prime minister, Narendra Modi, earlier this year, or rather, last year when he ordered that harsh extensive nationwide lockdown, he's been loathe to do that this time around because of the economic cost involved. But, it's led to this situation, this record number of new cases in the country, over 335,000 new cases of the coronavirus across India.
[01:05:05]
It appears that the country has let its guard down and the people are paying the price -- John.
VAUSE: In record numbers.
Kristie, thank you. Kristie Lu Stout live for us there in Hong Kong.
Let's get more on the situation in Osaka, in Japan. That is where Selina Wang is standing by live in Osaka.
Selina, this would be the third declaration of the state of emergency, and it comes just 3 months before the Olympics there. How concerned right now are officials there?
SELINA WANG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, John, that's exactly right. It is so hard to believe that we are just 3 months away from the Tokyo Olympics and the situation here in Japan just keeps on getting worse and worse.
The prime minister has imminently expected him to declare a state of emergency. That's going to cover several areas including Tokyo and here in Osaka. This is the third state of emergency since the pandemic started. The country is struggling to contain this 4th wave of COVID cases that are driven by more contagious COVID variants.
Now, what's interesting here is that Tokyo and Osaka and several other prefectures have already been under these quasi-state of emergency rules, which means that already bars and restaurants have been asked to close early. But still, across the country, COVID cases continue to rise, now topping more than 5,000 a day.
Right now, I'm here in Osaka which is currently the epicenter of this fourth wave. It's the hardest hit area. COVID cases continue to top records, almost each day. The governor here has said the medical system is on a brink of collapse.
And here's quite a staggering statistic, according to a government panel of experts, they say the more contagious COVID variants are accounting for about 80 percent of the current cases here. That is just staggering. Now, under the state of emergency declaration, authorities could impose even stricter measures. This couldn't include asking some department stores, large ones as well as amusement parks to closed temporarily.
But, John, the big question here we have to ask is how big of an impact is actually going to have on Japan's current wave? The reality of the situation is much like the rest of the world, very much COVID fatigue setting in here in Japan.
When I walk on the streets of Tokyo and Osaka, there are clout crowds in many areas. In department stores as well, and trains, too. Many of them continue to be crammed.
And right now, the prime minister is saying the state of emergency declaration wouldn't have an impact on the Olympics. But the reality of the situation is that you have less than 1 percent of the Japanese population fully vaccinated. You also have mounting public opposition and skepticism -- John.
VAUSE: Selina, thank you. Selina Wang there live for us in Osaka with the very latest on the situation across Japan.
Well, France and Germany are recording similar numbers of new daily cases. In France, the prime minister says it appears the latest wave has peaked.
But as CNN's Cyril Vanier reports, officials in Germany see something else entirely.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CYRIL VANIER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The E.U.'s two biggest countries, France and Germany, are both recording 30,000 infections a day, which is really high relative to their population sides. But Paris and Berlin are taking different approaches. For, France which saw infections surge recently, that's good news, 30,000 cases a day is an improvement on the previous week and it's a sign that recent restrictions are working.
The government believes that the peak of the third wave is now behind them, and schools will start reopening next week. Nonessential stores and restaurant terraces might reopen by mid May, the government there in a hurry to get back to a more normal life.
In Germany, however, 30,000 new cases recorded on Thursday, that puts the country back where it was in January. So, parliament just approved a new law that should allow for a more unified response to COVID. The central government will be able to impose lockdowns on areas that have a high infection rate, and that would end the patchwork response by federal states.
If there are more 100 cases per hundred thousand residents, for instance, the government will be able to impose curfews, limit private gatherings, and close shops in those regions. Even more cases, the government will be able to close schools in those areas.
Meanwhile, both countries vaccinating faster than they have until now, 22 percent of the German population has received one dose of the coronavirus vaccine, and one quarter of the French adult population will soon have received at least one dose.
Cyril Vanier, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: Restarting global efforts to fight climate change during a virtual summit. A number of world leaders promised big cuts in carbon emissions which are driving global warming.
And notably, for the first time in four years, the U.S. took a leading role in addressing the crisis which President Joe Biden said was a moral imperative. Day two of the summit hosted by the White House will begin the next coming hours.
[01:10:01]
On day one, President Biden made a full commitment to cut America's greenhouse gas emissions by half by the end of the decade. Japan's prime minister announced a goal of 46 percent reductions within two decades. President Xi Jinping of China, the world's biggest producer of CO2 gases, is aiming to be carbon neutral by 2060.
The 2-day climate summit is setting the table for a global conference later this year in Scotland. By then, many countries are expected to announce how they will meet their emissions targets.
We have more now from CNN's Jeff Zeleny reporting from the White House.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOSEPH R. BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The signs are unmistakable. The science is undeniable. And the cost of inaction keeps mounting.
JEFF ZELENY, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Tonight, Joe Biden reasserting the United States on the world stage as a leader in the fight against climate change.
BIDEN: This is a moral imperative, an economic imperative. A moment of peril, but also a moment of extraordinary possibilities. Time is short, but I believe we can do this.
ZELENY: The president unveiling an ambitious goal of cutting emissions in half by the end of the decade, a dramatic about face from the Trump administration's denial of the climate crisis.
BIDEN: Because scientists tell us that this is the decisive decade. This is the decade we must make decisions that will avoid the worst consequences to the climate crisis.
ZELENY: At the White House, the president convening 40 leaders from across the globe at a virtual summit on Earth Day. It was Biden's latest way of showing the world the Trump era is over. As Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping and even Pope Francis looked on.
BIDEN: We really have no choice. We have to get this done.
ZELENY: The president pledged the U.S. would cut its emissions in half based on 2005 levels by 2030. He also said by 2024, the administration would double the amount of money the U.S. offers to help developing countries ease their carbon emissions. The White House stopped short of saying how the U.S. would reach this goal, which touches nearly ever piece of the American economy.
The goals are part of the Paris climate agreement the White House rejoined on Biden's first day in office.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson among the leaders praising Biden for rejoining the global climate fight. He dismissed criticism the movement was only being embraced by liberals and elitists.
BORIS JOHNSON, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: It's vital for all of us to show that this is not all about some expensive politically correct green act of body hugging. This is about growth and jobs.
ZELENY: Johnson's words were striking, given his close association with former President Trump, who spent the last four years denying climate change and belittling attempts to fight it.
DONALD TRUMP, FORMER PRESIDENT: The United States will cease all implementation of the non-binding Paris Accord and the draconian financial and economic burdens the agreement imposes on our country.
ZELENY: But it is that Trump-to-Biden whiplash that makes some leaders around the world question America's commitment of the climate crisis.
JOHN KERRY, SPECIAL ENVOY FOR CLIMATE: You've destroyed your credibility, left the Paris agreement, how can we trust you? What's going to happen in the next four years?
ZELENY: John Kerry, the president's special climate envoy, said the United States could not fall back.
KERRY: There is a very powerful answer, which is no politician, I think, could change what is now happening globally in the marketplace. And that is part of the message of what's happened here today.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ZELENY (on camera): And day two of this climate summit continues on Friday here at the White House, when president Biden will join other leaders from across the world, talking about their commitment to fighting climate change. Now, all of this will continue the works and months ahead when these leaders meet face to face in Glasgow in November.
Jeff Zeleny, CNN, the White House.
VAUSE: This White House climate summit is a seismic shift from the denial and inaction of the Trump administration. The world's renewed effort to make up for lost time. On that, here's Fred Krupp of the Environmental Defense Fund.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FRED KRUPP, PRESIDENT, ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE FUND: We can never make up for the time we lost because the climate crisis is so urgent it's a breath of fresh air to have Biden and the team in there. And they've had a great first hundred days, and certainly, this commitment is one we're very pleased about. It is ambitious enough. The question is they got to have a great next hundred days to begin to detail how they're going to achieve it.
VAUSE: And that's the rub, the devil in the detail, you know, often with these sort of things. But while Biden was outlying specific goals, at the same time, China and India were not, which means now the situation with two of the three biggest carbon polluters on the planet, to yet commit to reduction target. That's a point which wasn't lost on the critics who are opposed spending trillions of dollars on this climate crisis.
[01:15:01]
One of those, Senator Lindsey Graham. Here he is.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R-SC): I believe climate change is real. I believe the Green New Deal is a terrible deal for the United States. You can't really solve the problem unless India and China are involved.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: So, is he right when it comes to India and China? They need to be involved and steadfast involved with goals and targets? How, if they are not, how does that complicate the overall global effort?
KRUPP: Well, absolutely. You know, China is the world's biggest emitter, bigger than the United States and India's coming on fast.
But China is involved. They have begun to act. They've pledged, in this agreement, or today, for the first time, to really limit their coal burning over the next 5 years. We like to see more. We need concrete action so they stop financing the countries around them, building coal power plants in the Belt and Road Initiative. We need to set ambitious goals for 2035. Part of President Xi's beautiful China initiative, it needs to be stronger.
India on the other hand has a very ambitious renewable energy target. We need them to implement it.
VAUSE: Yeah, because how important, though, is having the U.S. as the leader in this, sending out those goals, setting out those targets and taking the lead? KRUPP: It's so important. You know, all the countries in the world
want the applause of the world, and without the U.S. in the game, there was a very low bar. You know, now, with the U.S. back in the game, we can resume having a race to the top.
So, Biden's leadership here and how that sets off that race at the time is critically important.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: Fred Krupp there of the Environmental Defense Fund, speaking to me a little earlier.
Coming up on CNN NEWSROOM, the blunt message from Alexey Navalny's doctors, eat or die. Details ahead.
Plus, how the military coup in Myanmar could lead that country a failed state.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VAUSE: Alexey Navalny's own doctors have urged him to end his weeklong hunger strike immediately, warning if he doesn't, he will die.
From Moscow, here's Sam Kiley.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SAM KILEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: A group of opposition doctors, supporters of Alexei Navalny including his personal GP have now called on the Russian opposition leader to end his hunger strike. This dramatic step comes after they have received medical data from another team of independent physicians who've been able to see Mr. Navalny since he was moved from a hospital inside the penal colony to a civilian facility where they've been able to conduct tests on him, including neurological tests.
Now, their results as interpreted by his doctors indicate that he is in danger of brain damage, of renal failure, of potential heart failure, and has alarmingly low levels of sodium.
[01:20:06]
They are saying that in this instance, it is imperative that the Russian opposition leader give up his hunger strike, or in their, words there will be no patient to treat in the future.
Just hours before that, through his lawyers, Mr. Navalny was able to issue a tweet, acknowledging he had been very encouraged by high levels of support as he saw it for him and the opposition against Vladimir Putin during demonstrations across Russia on Wednesday, after and during which some 1,800 or more supporters of the opposition, some of them very close to Mr. Navalny, were detained for short and perhaps some, in some cases, longer periods. The opposition has also promised what they see is a success of those
demonstrations. They will be calling for more. But a lot of that is going to hang on the decision faced by Mr. Navalny now, as to whether or not he continues with his hunger strike. Now that he has at least had part of his demands met. And that is to have been seen and treated by independent physicians.
He's not yet got his own physicians to visit him, but this may be the point at which he decides to give up. If he doesn't, though, the whole issue becomes very, very much more dramatic series of historic events.
Sam Kiley, CNN, in Moscow.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: Once again, the Biden administration warned rush of consequences if Navalny dies. It's also criticized the Kremlin for treatment of protesters. Beyond that, it's not entirely clear what else the United States will do.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NED PRICE, U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESPERSON: Mr. Navalny I think embodies and in many way personifies what has befallen to the broader issue of human rights in Russia. The fact the Russian government has sought to silence Mr. Navalny has literally attempted to assassinate him using a banned chemical weapon. The fact that he now sits in their custody, the fact the Russian government has clamped down, including even in recent hours on those Russians who have peacefully taken to the street to do nothing more than to exercise the rights that are guaranteed to them under their own constitution, the Russian constitution. I think it's emblematic of what has become of human rights in Russia.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: The State Department confirms there have been private discussions between Moscow and Washington.
Southeast Asian leaders could face a critical test at the ASEAN Summit in Indonesia on Saturday over the crisis in Myanmar. Security forces have killed hundreds of people since the military coup in February, which ousted the civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Reports say the leader of the coup will attend the summit.
Myanmar's newly formed national unity government sent a letter to Interpol calling for his arrest ahead of that meeting. Leaders of the association of Southeast Asia asked the unity government of coup opponents to join the summit.
For more on the future of Myanmar, Charles Petrie joins us. He's a former U.N. assistant general and U.N. representative to Myanmar. He is with us from Angola.
Mr. Petrie, thank you for taking the time to talk to us.
CHARLES PETRIE, FORMER U.N. ASSISTANT SECRETARY-GENERAL : Yeah, you're welcome. Thank you for having me.
VAUSE: Now, you believe right now, Myanmar is on its way to becoming a failed state. We are talking about why and how that could happen in a moment. But just big picture here, what are the implications for the region, and that becomes a reality?
PETRIE: The implications are basically to look at the situation of Libya, to less extent Syria, some of the failed states and Africa. It becomes a space that isn't governed, without over arching governance. So, you have area -- you have a geographic space with broken down into relatively autonomous zones or areas, for the most part under the control of unaccountable authorities, many of them criminal.
So, it becomes a space where there is widespread suffering. There is criminal activity, transnational criminal activity, where diseases are not contained, not addressed. Of course there's COVID, but resistance malaria and tuberculosis. It becomes an area where neighbors and foreign powers are able to exert their influence, are able to take control over different parts of the country.
I think one of the fascinating aspects of Myanmar is the riches that are contained within. So, it becomes a space that from within can breed -- can help breed diseases, that will cross borders, where there is real physical and human suffering so people will move out of it.
[01:25:13]
But it also becomes safe haven for criminal type activities, transnational criminal type of activities.
VAUSE: By many accounts, three months of military role created Myanmar's economy. The banking system collapsed. There are food shortages in the major cities. Forget about any effort to contain the pandemic.
How long can this go on and what specifically have you heard about the situation inside Myanmar?
PETRIE: I think by the 1st of February, it actually demonstrated is how little control -- you know, how little control the Tatmadaw actually has over the country, and how fundamentally -- how the military's influence in the country has fundamentally changed. Before the opening, or the political -- relative political opening of Myanmar in 2011, the whole country was very much under the control of the military.
The military was present everywhere, whether it be in the administration, and economic activity through their control, either directly or indirectly of some of the wealth of the country. Even the regional commanders were part of the command structure, were in control of the groups that operated in the areas they had authority over.
In 2011, there was a fundamental transportation of the country, basically a separation between the military and the government structure, thought the government structure remain in the control of the former military, they took off their uniforms and decided that they were not -- that they need to reassert their authority over the country.
And when they triggered the coup, I think they basically opened up a Pandora's box.
VAUSE: So, you have a situation where there is economic collapse, these food shortages, and also, they had the military essentially acting as a unifying force for every other part of society, and politics is realignment if you like, is this the situation where you build towards having disarm sort of civil war, this conflict, which then the military can win, but it's a scorched earth policy. And that's when the country, Myanmar, is essentially left as a failed state.
PETRIE: I think it's less a question of how long. I mean, it -- how long it can last, but much more how far is it going to go and how far is the disarticulation of the country going to go. And if you look at other situations of failed states, you know, it can go for very long and very far because you have, the thing about a failed state is you have another equilibrium that establishes itself.
You don't have chaos and disequilibrium. You have a new form of equilibrium and a new form of governance equilibrium that's based on warlords, criminal networks. It's based on a form of feudal government structure as people in need turn towards the authorities that can provide at least the very minimum. And for the most part, these are going to be unaccountable actors in different parts of the country.
VAUSE: Charles, we're out of time. But thank you so much for being with us and we appreciate your insights because you have extensive experience inside Myanmar as well. So, it's much appreciated. Thank you.
PETRIE: No, no, you're welcome. You're very much welcome.
VAUSE: Foreign leaders, including the French president had been arriving in Chad for the funeral of President Idriss Deby who was killed by rebel forces while visiting troops in the north of the country. The same rebel forces are expected that could advance on the capital in the coming days.
France, the former colonial power of Chad, has backed the new military leaders. A military council led by the president's son is now running the country. The council promises to hold elections in 18 months.
Well, race against the clock to find Indonesia's missing submarine. More countries join in search efforts as oxygen supplies dwindle. Coming up, we'll have the very latest on the escalating search effort.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[01:32:02]
JOHN VAUSE, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back everybody. You're watching CNN NEWSROOM. I'm John Vause. Well, the search for a missing Indonesian submarine is ramping up. It's estimated the lost sub has less than 14 hours of oxygen, with 53 people on board. Indonesia is sending a warship equipped with high tech sonar to reach the site sometime in the coming hours. It's near Bali. And the U.S. is sending aircraft to further aid in the search efforts.
Families of those on board the sub are now in limbo. Some have been gathering on East Java, waiting for word on the fate of their loved ones.
CNN's Blake Essig is in the region following developments for us live from Tokyo.
I mean this 14 hours, it's kind of a guesstimate, based on the number of people on board, and the oxygen this sub normally carries. But it could be longer than that but it's certainly not a lot of time.
BLAKE ESSIG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. You know, John, I mean there are a lot of questions yet to be answered. But sadly the facts, as we know them right now, don't paint a positive picture for the 53 people on board the missing Indonesian submarine which still hasn't been located. Leaving loved ones who've gathered, waiting for answers.
Now, the search and rescue operation is focused on an area about 100 kilometers off the coast of Bali. Now, this is the area where contact was last lost with the submarine on Wednesday morning, the oil spill was spotted from the air shortly after.
Now, if the crew is still alive, and that is a big if at this point, navy officials say the submarine only has enough oxygen for the crew to survive until Saturday morning at 3:00 a.m. local time. But as you said, there a lot of factors that can determine whether that 3:00 a.m. timeline is accurate.
Now Navy officials say that this particular sub the Nanggala-402 has a dive capability of 500 meters, but is currently believed to be at a depth of about 700 meters. If that is the case, experts say that this submarine could implode under the pressure.
And it's also worth noting that this particular submarine was originally built in the late 1970s and doesn't have a rescue seat. Now, because of that experts tell CNN, it's salvation is entirely in its own hands.
All that being said, this is still a search and rescue mission. Indonesia is deploying 21 warships, three submarines, and five airplanes. Singapore, Malaysia, Australia and India have also sent ships. While the United States is sending airborne assets to help search for the missing submarine and the 53 people on board, John.
VAUSE: Yes. Well, we'll see what happens. This is a story which has a deadline, maybe 14 hours, maybe a little longer.
Blake -- thank you. Blake Essig there live in Tokyo. Here's a little more on the missing sub. Only five (INAUDIBLE) in the Indonesian Navy, the KRI Nanggala-401 is a type 209 diesel. It is built in 1977.
German company, HDW developed this class of sub for export. And the sub entered service for Indonesia back in 1981. There was a two-year refit in South Korea in 2012 that's when it ended.
[01:34:57]
VAUSE: The Indonesian navy says the sub can dive up to 500 meters, that's crush depth. But may have exceeded that depth by up to 200 meters this time.
To Sydney now and we're joined by Frank Owen with the Submarine Institute of Australia. He's a 30-year veteran of the Royal Australian Navy and not just a specialist in submarines, but also submarine rescue.
Frankie, thanks for being with us. We appreciate it.
FRANK OWEN, SUBMARINE INSTITUTE OF AUSTRALIA: Hello John. Thank you for having me.
VAUSE: I don't want to sound too pessimistic here or too harsh, but looking at the facts -- what are the chances that a 44-year-old submarine maintained by the Indonesian navy, retrofitted a decade ago, with a maximum operational depth of 250 meters and a crush depth of 500 meters is now on the ocean floor, in one piece, 700 meters beneath an oil slick?
OWEN: Well, you have joined many of the dots that are around there, John. And it's not for me to speculate, but if I were to add the facts up and put them together, I can't -- it wouldn't be unexpected for me to come to a similar conclusion, if I was to try and skirt around the issue.
VAUSE: Fair enough, I take your point.
Let's just assume this submarine is in one piece, there's not significant damage, it's sort operational in a way.
The next challenge is time and oxygen. Here are some officials from Indonesia on that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ADMIRAL YUDO MARGONO, INDONESIA NAVY CHIEF OF STAFF (through translator): So the ability of KRI oxygen in a blackout condition can last for 72 hours or three days. So that if contact is lost at 3:00, it will lasted until Saturday at 3:00.
Until now, we still have not had contact with our submarine KRI- Nanggala, while the search has been done intensively.
(END VIDEO CLIP) VAUSE: So that 72-hour countdown began a while ago. We're now in a situation where there's probably about 15 hours of oxygen. This submarine, normally has a crew of six officers, 28 enlisted, for a total complement of 34. Authorities in Indonesia say 53 are on board -- an extra 19 people.
We don't know what they were doing there but if they weren't there, how much more time would the crew have before depletion of oxygen?
OWEN: Well, that's an extra 55 percent of the crew, so you would be able to extend the time of that oxygen, probably by another 30 percent because it is the inverse of 50?
But the reality is, you can conserve oxygen by getting people to slow down their metabolism. All those estimates are based on a standard consumption of oxygen and, of course, generation of carbon dioxide. Those are two gases that are vitally important. Either the lack of oxygen, or the excess of carbon dioxide are a problem.
But the Indonesian navy said they had extra on board, they probably got extras because they're traveling the size of a submarine force and they need to have trainees on board to learn the art of submarining.
VAUSE: Frank, thank you so much. Frank Owen there in Sydney, an expert -- a submarine expert.
And we appreciate your time, Frank. Thank you.
OWEN: You're welcome. Thank you.
VAUSE: British lawmakers have unanimously passed a motion accusing the Chinese government of committing genocide against Uyghur Muslims. The motion is symbolic. It does not compel the U.K. government to act.
The Chinese government is accused of detaining up to two million people in camps in Xinjiang Province with survivors alleging widespread abuse. China's embassy in Britain released a response a short time ago. It reads, "The unwarranted accusation by a handful of British MPs that there is genocide in Xinjiang is the most preposterous lie of the century, an outrageous insult."
It goes on to write, "Whitewashing domestic human rights issues, while at the same time stating human rights farces concerning other countries smack of sheer hypocrisy and double standards."
Meanwhile China's government has now responded to a CNN investigation which shed light on a humanitarian crisis.
Last month, we told you about children from Xinjiang who were being ripped from their families. Amnesty International believes Beijing's policy towards ethnic Uyghur Muslims have split up thousands of families.
The U.S. and other countries have labeled China's treatment of Uyghurs as genocide. And you just heard Chinese authorities vehemently deny allegations of human rights abuses in Xinjiang claiming the actions are justified to combat religious extremism and prevent terrorism.
CNN's David Culver brings us an update now on his team's investigation.
DAVID CULVER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We began looking into this after the parents of these children reach out to us, desperate for answers and hopeful that they might be reunited with their kids.
We took their concerns to Chinese officials throughout our news gathering effort, sending them dozens of detailed questions about the families. We didn't hear back despite giving them ample time to reply.
[01:39:52]
CULVER: Since the broadcast of our story, however, the Chinese government and state media have launched a concerted campaign to discredit our reporting and claim the parents are terrorists.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CULVER (voice over): It is a familiar sight by now. Families of Uyghur exiles profiled by international media suddenly showing up on air and online in Chinese state media, stories and posts.
Here, 10-year-old Mushi Samamujan (ph), telling state broadcaster CGTN, she is living a happy life in her grandparents' house along with her younger brother.
(on camera): Let's try this.
(voice over): But just days earlier, when we unexpectedly found her in Kashgar's maze-like old town --
Telling her our colleagues had interviewed her father -- her reactions were quite different. Amidst her innocence and awareness not to say too much, she told us, she had not spoken to her father since 2017.
When we asked her --
(on camera): What would you want to say to him, if you could talk to him?
(voice over): "I miss him," she later told me.
(on camera): Can you tell me some of what you are feeling?
(voice over): "I don't have my mom with me right now. I don't have my dad either. I just want to be reunited with them," she told me.
We later showed Mujita's (ph) father, Mamujan Abdurahim (ph), the video of our encounter with his daughter and parents in Kashgar. He watched from his home in Adelaide, Australia overcome by grief for the years lost.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What kind of country does this to people? To innocent people? CULVER: More than one week after our story aired, in a written
statement sent to CNN, the Chinese government accused Mamujan (ph) of influencing his wife with extremist, religious and violent terrorist views.
China claims she returned to the country with an assignment of encouraging others to join overseas terrorist groups.
(on camera): It's locked on the outside, so unless they're gone for the day or they're gone permanently.
(voice over): The authorities added that Mamujan's wife, whom we tried to track down in Kashgar was sentenced to nine years in prison last June. The charge? Inciting ethnic hatred.
CNN's request to see additional details in the court verdict was rejected.
MAMUJAN ABDURAHIM, SEPARATED FROM CHILDREN: My name is Mamujan Abdurahim.
CULVER: Mamujan released a video statement, in response to China's statement, calling it, laughable. And again, pushing for his wife to be freed.
ABDURAHIM: My demand? For the Chinese government to release my wife (INAUDIBLE) and so many other innocent Uyghurs.
CULVER: CNN's report last month also highlighted the plight of another Uyghur family living near Rome. Nirhiban (ph) and Ablik Kim (ph) are still desperately trying to reunite with their four children.
Last year, Chinese officials stopped the kids from flying to Italy after they escaped to Shanghai. They were sent back to Xinjiang to live in a state orphanage.
After making a pass by the orphanage, we headed to one of the kids' schools. We had to see the kids. Eventually, a local official showed up and asked for about 30 minutes to get back to us.
(on camera): That was more than two hours ago. But they have yet to let us talk to the children.
(voice over): We later made contact Yaser (ph) through a video chat.
(on camera): Do you want to be with them? Do you miss them?
"I do," he says. He answered quickly. And kept looking off camera. Someone was directing him to answer.
"Tell them that you see your sister every day," the voice said.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's being coached.
CULVER: Despite the pressure that the children face every day, they even risk sending out a photo message to their parents. The four of them lined up, holding a sign in Chinese saying, "Dad, Mom, we miss you." A rare glimpse of an uncensored truth.
Following our report, the children say a state media team went to film them at the orphanage. A video was later circulated online showing an edited interview with the eldest sibling, Zumeriam (ph) who said, "My life is colorful and happy every day."
The Chinese government told CNN in a statement that the four children are leading a normal life and attending local schools. The authorities allege that the kids parents had abandoned them to become key members of a violent terrorist group But declined to provide CNN with evidence.
The Uyghur parents in Italy told us the Chinese accusations are baseless. Their eldest boy, Yasir, has since been in touch with his mother. He told her that he, and his siblings have faced repeated interrogation since our attempt to visit them. The children even tried to send a handwritten note to the Chinese authorities formally requesting to join their parents in Italy, who have secured Italian visas for them.
Their case has captured international attention since our story aired and was brought up in Italy's parliament, where the foreign affairs undersecretary said the government is working to help the family.
[01:44:59]
CULVER: Italian officials have been debating a resolution on condemning human rights violations in Xinjiang. And following the U.S. and other countries in labeling China's actions as genocide.
Even with Beijing becoming increasingly forceful and pushing back criticisms of its Xinjiang policy, the parents hope that added international pressure, will help them reunite with their children.
David Culver, CNN -- Shanghai.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: Well, the U.S.-led summit on climate change is bringing a lot of emphasis on renewable energy to replace fossil fuels but the price tag is steep.
Coming up, CNN speaks to the head of the U.N.'s Renewable Energy Agency about how much it will cost to save the planet. Do we have a choice?
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VAUSE: Day Two of the U.S.-led virtual climate summit begins in the coming hours.
On Thursday Brazil's president promised to tackle illegal deforestation in the Amazon. But later he slammed international critics who say he's being unfairly blamed.
Here's Shasta Darlington reporting on the presidential promises and why climate change activists remain skeptical.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SHASTA DARLINGTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Under pressure to act on climate change, Brazilians president Jair Bolsonaro appearing to moderate his tone at Thursday's virtual summit. He re-confirmed Brazil's goal to eliminate illegal deforestation by 2030 and said the country would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by almost 50 percent by the same year. Also announcing Brazil will reach emission neutrality by 2050, 10 years sooner than the previous target.
Environmental activists and indigenous groups reacted with skepticism however. Under Bolsonaro deforestation in the Amazon has hit record levels. Bolsonaro has openly encouraged development of the region, and defunded the agencies responsible for cracking down on everything from illegal logging to ranching and mining in the Amazon.
On Thursday Bolsonaro said he was going to double funding for enforcement and asked for international aid to help pay for it.
Special U.S. climate envoy John Kerry said he was pleasantly surprised by Bolsonaro's comments, but also said, the question is, will they do them?
Shasta Darlington, CNN -- Sao Paulo.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: So depending on how you look at it, a common neutral economy will need a massive investment of financing, or a trillion on dollar opportunity.
CNN's Becky Anderson spoke with the head of the U.N.'s International Renewable Agency in Abu Dhabi about the steep challenges still to come.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Flying, driving, drinking, thinking, and everything in between -- it takes an awful lot of energy to power our world.
FRANCESCO LA CAMERA, U.N. RENEWABLE ENERGY AGENCY: I'm certain that they will make a difference.
[01:49:46]
ANDERSON: And as head of the U.N.'s Renewable Energy Agency based in the futuristic set up of Masdar in Abu Dhabi, it's Francesco La Camera's job to persuade world leaders to clean up their acts, stick to their Paris Climate commitments to avert a disaster.
Last year was a watershed moment. More than 80 percent of all electricity capacity added in 2020 was renewable. But there's a long way to go, La Camera cautioned. The world needs to invest a massive, $131 trillion in clean energy by 2050 to hit its climate goals. LA CAMERA: We have to understand that in this exercise, fighting
climate change, the most important variable is time. So the more we delay action, the more difficult it will be to get there, where we should be to be in line with us containing the temperature -- the rising of temperature to 1.5.
So what is happening still now, the CO2 emissions are increasing in the last years except the last one because of the pandemic. But a rebound at least in the short terms is possible. So we need action now.
ANDERSON (on camera): Let's be quite clear and let's drill down here. Your 2021 report, found renewable energy production needs to grow eight times faster than the current rate in order to limit global warming. And the cost in terms of investment is over $130 trillion by 2050.
Are you telling me, that as we do this interview today in April of 2021, that the world is on track, to meet those investment targets that you have set?
LA CAMERA: The world today is not on track. We argue that it's going in the wrong direction. But there are clear signs, like what's happening in the markets, also in the international market, and there are these encouraging commitments by the U.S., European Union, and also from Japan, from South Korea, from South Africa.
Also the call of the Chinese government for 2060 carbon neutral is encouraging. So we are not on track, but we have hopes that this year could be -- this is the steps to change dramatically our way to 2050.
ANDERSON: President Biden has unveiled a green investment plan which he says will make America's power sector, 100 percent renewable by 2035. The E.U. has launched a green recovery fund for member states to invest in clean energy resources. How important are these government commitments?
LA CAMERA: They are absolutely encouraging and necessary. We need $4.4 trillion U.S. of investment each year.
ANDERSON: John Kerry says he hopes that he can work with China on the climate crisis despite what is going on with regard the relationship, the geopolitical relationship between Beijing and Washington.
I just want you to give us a sense of where China stands within the context of a climate-safe future.
LA CAMERA: The Paris Agreement was not possible without the U.S. and China working together. You have also to imagine that of the standard capacity last year, to under 60 gigawatts are in China. So they are trying to do something.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: After the break, NASA's little helicopter that could keeps doing what it does -- exploring Mars, like it's never been explored before. Details in a moment.
[01:54:06]
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VAUSE: In just a few hours from now, four astronauts will head to the International Space Station on board a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule. A live look -- a look now at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, it's coming up on 2:00 a.m. now, this is the scene just a short time ago. That is the SpaceX there on the launch pad, ready to go. This will be the 3rd ever cruise flight from Elon Musk's space company, the first to reuse a flown rocket booster and spacecraft. Two Americans as well as a French astronaut from the European Space Agency and a Japanese astronaut, will spent 6 months on the ISS after docking Saturday morning.
Nasa's Ingenuity helicopter has successfully completed a second flight on Mars, even more impressive than the first. On Thursday Ingenuity flew for almost a minute. It hovered in place made a number of turns, while it's colored camera captured images from different directions.
There it is.
Finally a very tight squeeze for a very big boat, this is a 94-meter super yacht, making its way through the narrow canals of the Netherlands. Tugboats are guiding it through the water past houses and churches as many just stood back and stared in amazement.
This wasn't a pleasure cruise. The vessel was heading from a shipyard to the sea at Rotterdam and for now there's only one route.
The painstaking journey takes between two to four days depending on wind and the bridge schedules. How about that.
I'm John Vause, CNN News continues after a short break with Michael Holmes.
Stay watching. You're watching CNN. Thank you.
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