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U.S. Missionary Group Kidnapped In Haiti; Venezuelan President's Alleged Moneyman Extradited To U.S.; Russia Hits New Record For Daily COVID-19 Cases; Funerals Held For Victims Of Latest Afghanistan Mosque Bombing; Most COVID-19 Cases In Africa Go Undetected; Using Psychedelics In Mental Health Treatment; NASA Launches Mission To Explore Asteroids. Aired 2-3a ET

Aired October 17, 2021 - 02:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

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ROBYN CURNOW, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): I'm Robyn Curnow, thank you for joining me, you're watching CNN.

Coming up on the show, an act of terrorism, that is what police in the U.K. are calling a murder of a member of Parliament.

Also a small town in Norway, rocked by violence. The events that led to the bow and arrow attack that killed 5 people.

Protests against Italy against a vaccine mandate for workers, why some, say it is a form of discrimination.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): Live from CNN Center, this is CNN NEWSROOM with Robyn Curnow.

CURNOW: Great to have you along, this hour. We are following breaking news out of Haiti. I want to go straight to our Matt Rivers, who has the latest on a group of missionaries who, appear, to have been kidnapped -- Matt.

MATT RIVERS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The latest information we have, up to the moment, as of right now, is 17 American missionaries, kidnapped, at this point. They were traveling by vehicle on Saturday from one part of Haiti to another.

They had, actually, visited an orphanage, in one part of Haiti. They were traveling by vehicle, to another part. And it was along the route there, in the Port-au-Prince area, the capital area, where they were kidnapped, by gang members.

Basically, this is an ongoing situation at this point. I can tell you, is we were doing stories about kidnappings months ago. When we were, there after the Haitian president was assassinated, July 7th. This has been an issue that is played Haiti for a long time.

This year, specifically, a significant spike in kidnappings. And I have a couple statistics I can read to you.

Since January, at least 628 kidnappings have taken place, 29 of, them before this latest kidnapping 29 of whom, were foreigners. That is according to data from a nonprofit group, that tracks this, in Port- au-Prince.

All these gangs, do this for ransom money, which they are were often paid, sometimes to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars. Depending on the analyst you speak 50, 50 percent of Port-au-Prince is in the hands of gangs, Robyn.

So it is an extremely dangerous time, for people, right, now in Port- au-Prince. And, this latest kidnapping, is just further proof of a horrific situation, right now, in that country's capital.

CURNOW: Thank you to Matt Rivers, for that report. We will continue to monitor that story.

Venezuela, pushing back, after a close ally of a its strongman, Nicolas Maduro, was handed over to the U.S. The suspect is accused of running a corruption network, for Mr. Maduro.

He was detained, in Cape Verde last month but as of Saturday he has been extradited to the U.S. Freedom for the alleged money launderer has become a rallying cry, for Maduro supporters. And, in an apparent retaliation, Caracas goes after American oil executives.

Stefano Pozzebon has the details, from Colombia. Stefano?

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STEFANO POZZEBON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Five U.S. citizens and a U.S. (INAUDIBLE) resident, who were serving house arrest in Caracas, Venezuela, were picked up by the country's security service on Saturday, just hours after Alex Saab, a Colombian financier, who works very close with embattled leader, Nicolas Maduro, was extradited, from the Cape Verde, to the United States.

He was first arrested, in Cape Verde 2020. Saab faces charges of money laundering in Florida, related to his activity as a government contractor in Venezuela. The men, detained in Caracas, are known, collectively, as the CITGO 6.

They are former executives of U.S. oil refinery CITGO. And their arrests, in Venezuela, since 2017. They are facing corruption charges, which they deny and, they were moved to house arrest, just in April, this year.

One of them was able to send a video message to his family, shortly before his detention.

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JOSE PEREIRA, VENEZUELAN DETAINEE (through translator): We are here, recording this video, because at this time, we are very worried.

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PEREIRA (through translator): And our families are very worried. We don't know what's going to happen to us, now that Alex has been extradited. We are worried and our families are very worried.

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POZZEBON: Saab is now expected to face a U.S. court, in the coming weeks -- for CNN, this is Stefano Pozzebon, Bogota.

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CURNOW: To the U.K., where a government source tells CNN that the suspect in the fatal stabbing of MP David Amess is Ali Harbi Ali. He is described as a 25-year-old British national of Somalia heritage.

Police are investigating the cases as a terrorist incident. Now the fatal attack, the second in 5 years against a member of Parliament, has heightened security concerns for all lawmakers.

Prime minister Boris Johnson and Labour leader Keir Starmer were among the dignitaries, paying their respects on Saturday, visiting the church where he was murdered. The prime minister, later tweeting, he laid a wreath for the lawmaker, calling, him a much loved colleague and friend.

Despite being in Parliament for nearly 40 years, Sir David Amess was, relatively, unknown to the larger public. But in his constituency, he was very, very popular. We are now learning why, as Salma Abdelaziz explains.

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SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): David Amess doing what he loved the most, serving his community.

DAVID AMESS, BRITISH CONSERVATIVE MP: These people have proved that music is magic and that dreams can come true.

ABDELAZIZ (voice-over): He helped organize this event in 2019, where 200 people with learning disabilities performed at the famous Royal Albert Hall. It was a dream he accomplished with his friend of 25 years, David Stanley.

DAVID STANLEY, FOUNDER AND CEO, MUSIC MAN PROJECT: I think Sir David Amess was probably the proudest he had ever been and he was in his element at that moment, telling the audience that, we have done it, we have achieved our goal.

ABDELAZIZ (voice-over): Stanley teaches music to people with disabilities. And as news of the brutal stabbing broke, he was with his students.

STANLEY: Some of them were becoming aware of what had happened. And as we always do we, used music to somehow come to terms with what was happening on that Friday. ABDELAZIZ (voice-over): The 69-year old passionately represented

Southend and Essex for nearly 4 decades. First elected to Parliament in 1983, he was one of Britain's longest serving MPs. Amess was a Conservative but seen as a moderate voice at a time of divisive politics.

AMESS: I would ask my right our noble friend if you would find time for debate on World Animal Day.

ABDELAZIZ (voice-over): The father of five was also a dedicated animal welfare advocate and a huge dog lover. He was also fiercely dedicated to the needs of his constituents. His friend, Father Jeffrey Woolnough, told us.

JEFFREY WOOLNOUGH, EASTWOOD PARISH PRIEST: He was just so easy to like. If you wanted something done, you just had to ask Sir David Amess. And you can bet your bottom dollar that would happen, you really could.

ABDELAZIZ (voice-over): Now Woolnough is consoling a heartbroken community.

WOOLNOUGH: We are carrying this together, there is not an individual loss unless you're the family but, the community, we must grieve together.

ABDELAZIZ (voice-over): Grieve and come to terms with the life of a public servant extinguished too soon -- Salma Abdelaziz, CNN, Leigh- on-Sea.

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CURNOW: In COVID cases and deaths, are surging in Russia. On Saturday, the government reported more than 1,000 COVID deaths for the first- time, ever. New cases, also hit a record high, for a 3rd day in a row.

Authorities, blaming the surge on the low vaccination rate. Just 31 percent of the country, fully vaccinated. And a recent survey found that many people are hesitant to take the Russian made Sputnik V vaccine.

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ANNA NAZAROVA, EMERGENCY DOCTOR (through translator): There must be more adequate campaign to get more people vaccinated, more advocacy.

ILYA DEMIDOV, EMERGENCY DOCTOR (through translator): It's no big secret. There are a lot of fake vaccinations. People buy certificates. They don't trust it, so they don't get vaccinated, so there is no protection.

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CURNOW: We are joined from London by Nada Bashir. Nada, hi. If you could just talk us through what is happening there,

in Russia, certainly a real concern about the number of rising cases.

NADA BASHIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This is a very worrying trend in Russia, particularly, as many of you will remember over the last year or so, the struggling health care picture from Russia. Really, coming under pressure, as those cases rose in the last few months. What we are seeing now, is worrying.

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BASHIR: The number of deaths over the last 24 hours, on Saturday, coming over 1,000 new records. But we are also seeing a record number of cases being recorded, 33,208, just 24 hours, according to authorities, on Saturday.

This, is a particularly, worrying trend. It is a worrying for 2 reasons. We're going into the winter months, we see more people spending times, indoors and of course, seasonal flu raising concerns.

That can add pressure to the health care sector. As you mentioned, that vaccine uptake, in Russia, is low, 31 percent. And, there is concerns that hesitancy, in Russia, to get the jab, will push the country into further crisis as we near those winter months.

We have heard from Russian president Vladimir Putin, on Tuesday, urging citizens to go out and get the jab. He has urged Russians to listen to the medical experts and to trust the advice, to get the vaccine.

Now they know that many lawmakers are reluctant to go into lockdown and that could be the incentive as they're keen to avoid the harsh measure of putting the country under full lockdown. So as we near those winter months, the government are, really, trying to push for the vaccine rollout to be accelerated.

CURNOW: I want to get your take on the next story. Some European countries are seeing a backlash against latest measures, to keep the public safe. In fact, in Italy, people took to the streets to protest the country's so called, green pass requirements for workers.

The, pass, actually showing proof of vaccination, negative test results or recent recovery from coronavirus.

There are also protests in Switzerland, passes required there as well to enter bars, restaurants and fitness centers. So let's just talk through this backlash that we are seeing, in Europe.

BASHIR: Pockets of vaccine hesitancy, across Europe, we have seen some government taking the stricter measure, enforcing screen passes, these health passes, across different nations, across Europe.

What we see in Italy, as of Friday, is that green pass. Anyone on a payroll or public, private sector, workers now, required to show the screen pass. It shows whether or not you've been fully vaccinated or recently recovered from coronavirus infection or received a negative coronavirus estimate, within the last 48 hours.

People who refused to carry out the screen pass, to have this with them, could risk being fined up to 1,700 as well as all being suspended from, work without pay. So that is some harsh penalties and it's part of the government effort to encourage more people to get out and get that vaccine or to comply with the coronavirus restrictions.

We saw this in Italy, 3 major docking ports, workers protesting against this pass, many, reluctant to be pressured into getting this vaccine.

We saw that in Switzerland, as well. But in France, last year we saw very low intention rates, in polls, people saying that they would actually take the vaccine. However, after French president Macron announced, in July, this year, that there would be a health pass, after similar measures, asking people to show they have had that vaccine or had a negative test, in order to participate in everyday recreational things, like going to restaurants, clubs and bars, even taking trains across the country, we did see a surge of people getting the jab.

Now we seen many people getting fully jabbed and many centered on the one dose. So there are benefits there in other countries in Europe, maybe seeing France, as an example, to push these sorts of measures -- Robyn.

CURNOW: Thank you so much for that update there. Nada Bashir, in London.

Attacks claimed by ISIS, casting doubt on the Taliban's ability to keep Afghans safe. The country's new rulers are saying what they will do to protect Shia Muslims. That is coming up next.

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CURNOW: Welcome back.

In Afghanistan, Shia Muslims have been digging graves and holding funerals, after another bombing at one of their mosques. At least 32 people, killed, on Friday, in a suicide attack, claimed by ISIS-K. Paula Newton, has more, which also has some graphic parts. Please be warned.

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PAULA NEWTON, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Row after row of dusty graves, a crowd gathers in Kandahar to burn the dead.

Relatives weep as their loved ones are lowered into the ground. It was just a day earlier the victims were at the city's largest Shia mosque for Friday prayers, a solemn moment that was abruptly silenced, when a group of suicide bombers set off their deadly explosions.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): My own brother died in that attack. My brother had 2 little children. He had a home to live in. He had everything. The pain of the loss cannot be described in words. It's a matter of the heart.

NEWTON (voice-over): Members of the Taliban visited some of the wounded in hospital, the group reaffirming its pledge to bring peace and stability in the embattled country. Officials in Kandahar say special security officers will guard Shia mosques and those responsible for the attack will be punished.

The terror group ISIS-K claimed responsibility for the Kandahar attack, as well as a similar assault on a Shia mosque in Kunduz the week before. Members of the country's Shia minority have long been persecuted.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): The entire world should condemn this. The Islamic world should condemn this. It should be condemned from every corner of this proud nation.

NEWTON (voice-over): But it's these continued assaults on civilians, even on the Taliban itself, that are spreading doubt that the new leaders of Afghanistan can actually bring peace and whether Taliban protection is enough to prevent more mass graves like this -- Paula Newton, CNN.

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CURNOW: Coming up on CNN, a staggering number of COVID cases are flying under the radar. Why the official caseload reported in Africa could be just a tip of the iceberg. That is next.

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CURNOW: Welcome back.

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CURNOW: Former president Bill Clinton could be discharged from a hospital in California in the coming hours. He has been in intensive care, since Tuesday, getting treatment for sepsis, after a urinary tract infection spread to his bloodstream.

A source says, he remains into the hospital because the antibiotics he needs must be given intravenously. On Saturday, his wife, Hillary, and daughter Chelsea, paid a visit. A spokesperson tells CNN, the 75-year old was making excellent progress and is in great spirits.

The World Health Organization says they are flying blind, when it comes to fighting COVID-19 in Africa. The group now, estimates, doctors catch only one in 7 cases on the continent. If that is accurate, it would, mean Africa is seeing about 59 million cases so far. Only about 8 million, having been officially reported.

The organization says most cases go undetected because patients don't have symptoms and never getting tested. The WHO, now launching an effort to step up testing, in 8 African countries.

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CURNOW: Joining me from Dubai is Dr. Ngozi Erondu, a senior scholar at Georgetown University and an associate fellow at Chatham House.

Doctor, it's wonderful to have you on the show. Please break down these WHO statistics that we're hearing about testing on the continent.

DR. NGOZI ERONDU, ASSOCIATE FELLOW, CHATHAM HOUSE: Sure. Thank you for having me. When we were looking at one in 7 cases being detected, what that tells us, it's from the people we are capturing, some who are traveling, going in and out of airports or land crossings, those who have surgeries or operations at hospitals and people who have symptoms, that actually, come to the facility, those are the people being captured and tested.

We know this is problematic. We know, up to 70 percent of cases, actually, are asymptomatic, meaning, no symptoms of COVID, so they won't go to the health facility. We also know the Africa strategy is centered on PCR, which is an accurate test to show if the virus is in someone or they don't have the virus.

We are all probably familiar with PCR, a swab in your nose and it's sent to a lab. That requires quite a bit of infrastructure. Many of us who had traveled, have had to pay high prices to get a PCR test. So that makes it inaccessible to most Africans.

So most people are not getting tested. If you're not one of these three areas, you're not getting tested as well. So that is why we're missing so many cases on the continent.

CURNOW: You're making a great point, because Africa has such a young continent. A lot of these cases are asymptomatic. And while people may not be getting sick as such, they are spreading the virus.

That is the key, isn't it?

So what is interesting, also, is attempting to capture them, at the very least know if they're sick or not, some of the same plans are being used that scientists used around Ebola for example, this ring fencing around communities.

Explain to us, why is that effective?

ERONDU: It's very exciting, actually. This strategy, the WHO has recently introduced, is really, focused on rapid diagnostic tests, of highly accurate ones that are approved by the WHO. That allows for a symptomatic case, to test around 100 yards on that case, to see if the people around them are infected with COVID. That means, if you're asymptomatic, you can, still, know your results.

You can still know what to do and how not to impact and infect other people. As I said, this is not just really effective with Ebola but also with polio and smallpox.

There are several diseases that they're not going to react or show the same level of symptoms So it's a very effective strategy. And I'm excited that it's being introduced into Africa.

CURNOW: It is one weapon, in the arsenal against this virus. The vaccine is, clearly, the main one, the big hitter.

How does that play into this real focus, now, on these specific countries that are being targeted for testing?

What's the issue with the vaccinations, as well?

ERONDU: The plan is for the testing strategy, for the vaccinations and an increase in rapid diagnostic testing. The WHO will start with about up to 10 countries, though I'm sure they would like to scale up, as quickly as possible, once they work out the operational kinks.

But you are right. Really, to get control of COVID and to protect more lives, we need vaccines in Africa. Africa really did try to be on the offensive when it came to vaccines.

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ERONDU: So the WHO, Gavi and public and private partnerships all around the world, just a few months after the pandemic started, this accelerator for COVID tools was created.

And, in April of 2020, the COVAX facility was created. If you know of COVAX, you know it was this mechanism to prearrange vaccines and negotiate prices in advance. So everyone, whether in a high income country or low income country, would have access to affordable vaccines.

Unfortunately, COVAX has failed and many rich countries undermined it, COVAX, by negotiating higher prices with vaccine manufacturers. As you heard, this vaccine inequity is the result of that. Many countries in the West have much more vaccine than they need.

If you look at low and middle income countries around the world, only 3 percent have at least one vaccination; whereas across the high income countries, it is 60 percent of the population who has at least one vaccine shot. So it's a huge disparity and it's sad. We shouldn't be in this situation.

CURNOW: No, we shouldn't. And it is a real issue and, hopefully, the increased awareness creates some sort of momentum.

Just, finally, the question of vaccine skepticism, it's all over the world. But also, it's in Africa. In South Africa, for example where I am from, there is availability of vaccines, to many people and it's not being taken. How do you bridge that gap between suspicion and then the

availability, even when it is there?

ERONDU: I think, many African countries are doing, exactly, what we have been doing in different Western countries: increasing messaging, demonstrating the effectiveness of the vaccine, really encouraging, I think, starting with the most vulnerable, so the elderly, people who are compromised but can take the vaccine, starting with that.

And saying, protect your loved ones, really, make sure that they are vaccinated and make sure they're OK. They are much more likely to get vaccinated. One of the things that I love about being African and I love about Africa is this collective responsibility, this duty to family and taking care of each other.

So I think, more and more countries, will promote that message of protect yourself but protect your loved ones by getting vaccinated when you can.

CURNOW: Dr. Ngozi Erondu, really thank you for joining us. Thank you for all the work you're doing. Let's hope the WHO's plan, really, is successful. Great to have you on the, show, Doctor.

ERONDU: Thank you, Robyn.

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CURNOW: Coming up, a new approach gaining momentum in health mental health treatment. Why some people believe psychedelic drugs could help people overcome anxiety, brought on by the pressures of the pandemic.

Also, like the famous Beatles song, Lucy is in the sky with diamonds. Lucy, being a NASA spacecraft, sent to gather clues about the beginning of our solar system. Details ahead.

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CURNOW: Welcome back. I'm Robyn Curnow.

We have been reporting, for a long time, about hospitalizations and deaths caused by COVID. But now we are starting to learn just how devastating the pandemic has been for people's mental health.

Researchers, at the University of Queensland, recently, publishing a study in "The Lancet" medical journal. They estimate, without COVID, there would've been less than 200 million cases of depression worldwide last year.

But with the pandemic, the number jumped to 250 million. The study says anxiety disorder surged by more than 25 percent. Now an alternative way to treat mental health issues is gaining momentum. Researchers are looking at the possible therapeutic benefits of psychedelic drugs.

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CURNOW: Joining me from Belmont, Massachusetts, is Rick Doblin, the founder and executive director of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies.

Great to have you on the show, Rick. We've seen a huge increase in people experiencing depression, anxiety, a variety of other mental health concerns that they've experienced over the past 1.5 years, with COVID.

How can psychedelics help?

RICK DOBLIN, FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, MULTIDISCIPLINARY ASSOCIATION FOR PSYCHEDELIC STUDIES: Well, as you say, it is great to be with you here today. There's been an enormous amount of grief. There's 700,000 people who've died of COVID in America.

So there is an enormous amount of suffering, grief and trauma, from health care workers and all. And psychedelics, by themselves, are not what we are saying is helpful. What we are saying, is in psychotherapy, that the psychedelic's help be more effective.

We call it psychedelic assisted psychotherapy, in particular addition, with MDMA or psilocybin mushrooms. And we are finding that these are tools that help people get to the core of their problems. They help people to be free of drugs, rather than need something on a daily basis.

But they have to have multiple sessions, surrounded with therapy, to go in deep. It takes a lot of courage but these are breakthrough drugs according to the FDA. We have finished one phase III study, which was published in "Nature Medicine," in May, which had incredible results.

Two-thirds of the people that had severe, chronic PTSD, around one- third of them, who had previously prepared to commit suicide but didn't do or didn't succeed, that two-thirds of them, two months out, no longer had PTSD.

And in the control group that just got the therapy, it was 32 percent. But the work with psilocybin for depression and anxiety, we've done social anxiety studies with MDMA. And that will be incredibly problematic after COVID, as people start to come out into social spaces.

CURNOW: Why is it that something like psilocybin, which some people will know as magic mushrooms, why is it that that works, particularly with something like depression?

How can it help folks as they come out into normal society again, as the pandemic, hopefully, peters out in the coming months and years?

DOBLIN: Yes, hopefully it will. I think that, when we talk about how it works, we need to realize these substances have been used for thousands of years. How they do it is what we are learning more about, recently, within the last few decades, with modern neuroscience.

I think under COVID, there is a sense of isolation. Never before has the world felt so united, because of COVID. We knew that we had a similar threat, a similar strategy, all around the world. And we knew that it was connected, the way that the virus would spread. So the good side of COVID, is we understand our collective humanity.

The bad side of it, is that we have more, fear more anxiety, more depression and more struggles, political struggles, climate change and people are anxious. They are not comfortable with other people. So really, we are going to have a lot more work to do, coming out of COVID.

And psychedelics can both help people feel our connection but then, work through our fears and our anxieties, particularly with so many people committing suicide, particularly, veterans and others. I think that it is a major contribution, that psychedelic assisted psychotherapy can make a major impact all over the world.

CURNOW: What is important, as you say, many of these drugs have been used, spiritually; 30 years ago there was a resurgence in terms of experimenting with this as an option.

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CURNOW: But now, what you are saying is this is mainstream, particularly in the last few months. We've seen a number of studies, a number of examples and I think you've been involved with the Veterans Association here, where this is becoming mainstream. And, it is not something that hippies do on the sideline.

DOBLIN: That is exactly right. We do have bipartisan support, from across the political spectrum. We just, on Tuesday, a few days ago, worked with a project, where the first veteran, inside of the V.A. system, received MDMA assisted therapy for PTSD.

And we've been working toward that goal, for 31, years since 1990, when we first approached the V.A. It is becoming mainstream. There are psychedelic research centers at Harvard and Yale, at NYU and Mount Sinai and UC San Francisco, all over, they are popping up, at major academic institutions.

We do know more about how they work through these brain scans. The psilocybin weakens, you could, say -- relax is a better word -- the sense of self. And you see a much larger world. That's called the default mode network, is relaxed with psilocybin and LSD and other substances like that.

MDMA, we now know, promotes oxytocin, our hormone of love and connection, within mothers. We know that actually promotes new neural connections and prosocial areas of the brain. It reduces the fear in the amygdala, for how people have fear associated with traumatic memories so they can work with them. It is becoming, mainstream and we think, by the end of 2023, perhaps

they will have generated the data we need to show the FDA to make it into a prescription medicine.

CURNOW: Thank you so much for joining us, Rick Doblin, really appreciate it and the work you're doing. I know that many people will find some relief in a lot of the work that you've done. So thank you, appreciate it.

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CURNOW: In two weeks, world leaders will meet Scotland, to tackle one of the most pressing crises of time, climate change. The COP26 climate conference couldn't come in a more crucial moment, with so much at stake and our planet is rapidly warming, causing extreme weather events, around the world.

This year alone, we've experienced enormous, floods, deadly floods, storms, historic droughts, massive wildfires. But amongst the biggest concerns are rising sea levels.

What will our future look like, if nothing is done to fix the crisis?

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CURNOW: Now a NASA spacecraft, is going where no other spacecraft has gone before. Lucy, named after a famous Beatles song, is soaring toward Jupiter's orbit --

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CURNOW: -- to collect data that could help explain how the solar system formed billions of years ago. Kristin Fisher explains.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 3, 2, one, lift off. Atlas 5, takes flight.

KRISTIN FISHER, CNN SPACE & DEFENSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Lucy is finally in the sky. The NASA spacecraft is on a 12-year mission, covering 6.4 billion kilometers, to fly past eight ancient asteroids.

Lucy is the first mission to investigate the Trojan asteroid swarms, which are asteroid clusters along Jupiter's orbital path. Armed with cameras, a thermometer and an infrared imaging spectrometer, Lucy will collect the first high-resolution images of these asteroids.

The spacecraft gets her name from the Lucy fossil, an ancient human ancestor, whose remains transformed the study of hominid evolution. NASA hopes its Lucy transforms the understanding of the evolution of the solar system. Both the fossil and the spacecraft's name are nods to The Beatles' hit, "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds."

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RINGO STARR, FORMER BEATLE: Lucy is going back in the sky with diamonds, joining all the love there (ph). Anyway if you meet anyone up there, Lucy, give them peace and love from me.

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FISHER (voice-over): And Lucy does indeed carry a diamond as part of a beam splitter assembly. About 3.5 years from now, after making a few fly-bys of Earth for a gravity slingshot boost, Lucy is expected to reach her first objective, an asteroid named Donaldjohanson, in the asteroid belt between Earth and Jupiter.

She'll then travel to the Trojan asteroids, all named after the heroes of Homer's "Iliad."

KEITH NOLL, ASTRONOMER, NASA'S GODDARD SPACE FLIGHT CENTER: The power of what Lucy is able to do by having so many targets, we can construct all these comparisons between all the different varieties and the diversity that we see in the Trojans, the unexpected diversity, the different colors, the different collisional histories.

It's really a repository of fossils, as we like to say, of things that happened at the earliest stages of solar system evolution.

FISHER (voice-over): The spacecraft, a little more than 14 meters from tip to tip, is powered by two giant solar arrays, that will expand outward like Chinese folding fans. They'll carry Lucy farther away from the sun than any other solar-powered spacecraft.

Lucy will never return to Earth but she won't be the last to visit the asteroids; NASA plans to send more. China and Russia are teaming up on an asteroid mission in 2024 and the UAE in 2028 -- Kristin Fisher, CNN.

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CURNOW: Well, that didn't take long. Spotify says Adele's new single, "Easy on Me," is the service's most streamed song in a single day.

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CURNOW (voice-over): Adele released the song on Friday, along with a music video that already has almost 60 million views on YouTube.

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CURNOW: Thank you so much for watching, I am Robyn Curnow, "MARKETPLACE AFRICA" starts right now.