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B.1.1.529 has Spike Protein Dramatically Different from Original COVID; Growing Concerns Over COVID Variant Discovered in South Africa; Inflation and Supply Fears Hang Over Black Friday Shopping; U.S. Lawmakers Head to Taiwan Despite Beijing's Warning; Growing Push for Solutions to Europe's Migrant Crisis. Aired 4-4:30a ET

Aired November 26, 2021 - 04:00   ET

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

[04:00:00]

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ISA SOARES, CNN HOST: I'm Isa Soares in London with breaking news for you this hour. Concern is growing over a new Coronavirus variant that researchers fear can evade immunity and may be more transmissible. Now the variant was first detected in South Africa.

It has prompted the UK to suspend flights from six African countries, adding them to its travel read list. Germany and Italy are now taking similar measures, and the EU Commission set of repos, all member states do the same. Let's get more on the story. Barbie Nadeau is in Rome with the European part of the story.

But we begin with David McKenzie in Johannesburg with more on the emergent variant and David, what more are you learning at this hour about this variant and how effective vaccines may be against it here?

DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well Isa, we just don't know what the impact on vaccines will be. It's just way too early to tell. It does speak to the quick reactions from South African scientists who have used their genomic surveillance and the quirk in this particular variant that allows it to be picked up by regular PCR tests to notice that it is increasing rapidly in this part of the continent and also possibly in several other parts of the region.

Now, it must be stated, it's not so much about where the variant is it's about who has the capability to identify the variant and that capability is in South Africa. Why is it wearing Well, it has multiple mutations. By far the most mutations we've seen in the spike protein that is a very important part of the virus's functionality that could and I stress could impact transmissibility, and also whether it can break through previous infection and immunity from vaccines.

So far, we don't know the answer to that question. And South Africa's level of infection is still very low, but it is climbing and the province I'm in. So it's record level of increase since mid-August, just yesterday. So it's very early days. But this is a concerning variant amongst several that have been identified. We'll have to watch it very closely. And in the meantime, these travel bans have been put in place, and it seems are increasing towards this region Isa.

SOARES: Indeed, and I know you'll keep on top of this story for us as soon as there's more developments. David does bring it to us, David McKenzie for us there in Johannesburg. Well, CNN Contributor Barbie Nadeau is in Rome.

Barbie, as you heard David say the country's already suspending flights from some African countries. We heard the European Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen on delay, and she tweeted let me just show it our viewers.

The EU Commission will propose in close coordination with member states to activate the emergency brake to stop air travel from the Southern African region to the variant of concern B.1.1.529. So Barbie seems that European countries are starting to really get worried to try and prevent the spread of this variant. Talk us through the restrictions that they are considering here.

BARBIE NADEAU, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: We've already got several countries, including Italy and Germany who have banned travel from any anyone who's been in that region for the last 14 days. Now, of course, the number of cases is rising so rapidly all across Italy, they just want to stop a new variant from making that worse.

We you know, we haven't seen travel bans now for six months, they were lifted during the summer for the most part. So it's really, really you know, shows you I think how serious this is, once again, here we are sort of deja vu travel - starting with the travel bans. That's how this started, you know, when the pandemic really kicked off.

But country by country, we're going to see these restrictions from South Africa. And then of course, what's next? Well, there'll be restrictions with from countries where the other cases are growing and vice versa. That's, of course, where we're headed Isa.

SOARES: And Barbie, do we know when these restrictions come into effect for Italy and Germany here?

NADEAU: Immediately, they're effective immediately. So you know, it's worrying - it's completely worrying, especially in Germany where the case numbers just keep rising astronomically there.

SOARES: Yes, we've seen the numbers rise for several - for several days' consecutive days in Germany. Of course, vaccination rates, not as high in some places, some parts of Europe. But I'll know your turn and stay on top of the story. It's a developing story this hour. Barbie Nadeau for us in Rome thank you very much, Barbie.

Well, the new variant discovered in South Africa is markedly different, as we heard at the top of the show, because it carries an unusually large number of mutations. Now, researchers fear can evade immunity and can maybe more transmissible.

Earlier, CNN spoke with Cardiologist Dr. Eric Topol about what just what sort of dangerous this new variant to pose, have a listen.

[04:05:00]

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DR. ERIC TOPOL, CARDIOLOGIST: The big question now is will our immune response from vaccines or prior infections be blunted by this variant if it proves to be one, that that interferes with our immune response that isn't clear yet. Those are the lab studies that have to be done in the days ahead.

And so we're grateful to the South African scientists who are on this. But the main thing here is we have ways to defend against it against all variants. But we don't know yet whether it's going to really challenge our vaccines, which have already had the issue of the waning which is when you got to the European situation where there's a lack of vaccinations plus the waning of six months and beyond.

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SOARES: Dr. Eric Topol there speaking to CNN an earlier about the new COVID-19 variant well the rising cases and the new variant are rattling stock markets now as you can imagine. Let me show you the picture in Europe markets open about an hour ago, FTSE down at about 3 percent XETRA DAX just over 2.5 Paris CAC much steeper, really 3.5 percent so really red hours right across the board here in Europe.

In terms of stocks, and if we stay with that European stocks within Ryanair stocks, airline stocks down 15 percent IAG 17 percent, EasyJet 15 percent Lufthansa 11 percent. That is a fear, of course for airliners, as you see the cases rise, and this new variant.

If you look at U.S. markets they're expected to open lower when trading began as just a few hours. DOW Jones down 2 percent expectations NASDAQ, S&P also really rattling markets, the news of this new variant and what it may mean for the economy for airline industry, and so forth.

If we look at Asia, Asia Pacific region, we have seen steep losses there too so really a fear of contagion from Asia, which is wrapping up its day to Europe and as we just saw there, potentially to the United States.

Well, despite markets falling it is a big day for the U.S. economy. Many stores across the country are now open for the biggest shopping day of the year and that is Black Friday but with a supply chain shortage due to pandemic and fears of inflation shoppers might find higher costs and some empty shelves. Vanessa Yurkevich has more for you.

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VANESSA YURKEVICH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): It's been a blockbuster season for retailers. Sales rose by 1.7 percent just last month, beating expectations. BILL BOLTZ, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OF MERCHANDISING LOWE'S: The consumer is shopping earlier and they've been shopping earlier. And we think that they'll continue that pattern throughout the holiday season.

YURKEVICH (voice over): The biggest shopping day of the year is still Black Friday.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you so much.

YURKEVICH (voice over): The Lowe's has been running sales since October, trying to capitalize on the 46 percent of shoppers who plan to buy earlier than normal this year.

KATHERINE CULLEN, SENIOR DIRECTOR, NATIONAL RETAIL FEDERATION: We're seeing consumers really move up their holiday shopping timeline, not just for this historical trend, but also because of some concerns around supply chain disruptions and inventory issues.

YURKEVIC (voice over): And there's no indication 30 year record inflation is stopping shoppers from spending.

CULLEN: We are expecting for the overall holiday shopping season that retail sales will grow somewhere between 8.5 and 10.5 percent, which is certainly much higher growth than the level of inflation.

YURKEVICH (voice over): And it's not just growth but record spending up to nearly $860 billion in the last two months of 2021. 2 million more people are expected to shop from Thanksgiving Day through Cyber Monday this year compared to last.

BOLTZ: Those are trends we're certainly seeing as it relates to how the shopping patterns happen at Lowe's right now.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Total is 34.56 please.

YURKEVICH (voice over): But the surge in early holiday shopping is overwhelming some smaller retailers.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Having people come early was making me a little nervous.

YURKEVICH (voice over): Brandy - owner of "The Little Apple" in Philadelphia says supply chain issues delayed key holiday merchandise.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Two of my large orders I ended up having to cancel.

YURKEVICH (voice over): And while she says she's had to raise prices to offset higher freight costs. She says shoppers are still buying and is expecting a larger than normal crowd on Black Friday.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: People are still coming to shop small on Black Friday as well, which has been a new phenomenon that's just started in the last couple of years. YURKEVICH (voice over): But there may be another phenomenon for early shopping and lots of it this holiday season something that can't be defined by a number or economic indicator.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The holidays of course bring people together and that's the spirit that you know people are trying to capture and by coming out in shopping and buying gifts and things that are special thinking of their loved ones. I think people have just been craving that for so long. Now they finally feel comfortable enough to do it again.

YURKEVICH (voice over): Vanessa Yurkevich, CNN, Philadelphia Pennsylvania.

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SOARES: Well, airports across the United States source sky high number of travelers this Thanksgiving holiday. The Transportation Security Administration says air travel hit a pandemic high on Wednesday. CNN's Pete Muntean breaks down the holiday rush and gives us a look at what to expect for the journey home.

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PETE MUNTEAN, CNN AVIATION CORRESPONDENT (on camera): We continue to see huge numbers at airports across the country. The TSA just said there were 2.3 million people screened at airports across the country on Wednesday. That is a new record of the pandemic the highest number we have seen since March of 2020.

Double than the number from this time last year 88 percent of the number from 2019 back before the pandemic, it seems we are on pace to meet the TSA's projection that a total of 20 million people will take to the skies for Thanksgiving.

There was a lot of concern that airlines simply could not keep up with this big onslaught of people remember airlines got a lot smaller during the pandemic. Just check flight aware no major cancellations on Tuesday or on Wednesday and TSA Administrator David Pekoske tells me the agency and the airlines have been coordinating on this for months.

DAVID PEKOSKE, TSA ADMINISTRATOR: We're ready. We've looked at passenger volume projections. We've worked with carriers and with the airports and collectively we're ready for the Thanksgiving holiday and our goal is to make it as safe and secure and as enjoyable for people as we possibly can.

MUNTEAN (voice over): We are only partway through this mega travel period. The TSA says Sunday after Thanksgiving is typically the busiest that's when everybody who left home for the holiday will begin coming home all at once. United Airlines anticipates 450,000 people on its airline alone on Sunday Pete Muntean, CNN, Reagan National Airport.

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SOARES: Well, U.S. President Joe Biden's getting a little rest and relaxation over the long holiday weekend. He and First Lady Jill Biden met with members of the Coast Guard on Thursday wishing them a happy Thanksgiving. CNN's Jeff Zeleny has more on what's ahead for the president.

JEFF ZELENY, CNN CHIEF U.S. NATIONAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: President Biden First Lady Jill Biden and their family spending a long holiday weekend on Nantucket and island off of Massachusetts, returning here to a place where the Biden family has been going for more than four decades.

Of course, the first time President Biden coming as Commander in Chief, he made a brief visit on Thanksgiving morning to a U.S. Coast Guard facility here. He met with service members virtually from around the world from all six branches of the service, the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines Coast Guard, and indeed the Space Force. Afterward, he had this to say about what the troops mean for America.

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JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: --all over the world. I've watched the South China Sea I'm watching that Iraq, watching the South America wherever they are. People wonder what America is. They look and they see them. That's who they see. They don't see us here. They see them. They make me proud.

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ZELENY: So the president scheduled to light the Christmas tree here on Nantucket on Friday evening, before spending the rest of the weekend here returning to Washington on Sunday, of course has a busy December ahead, trying to get his agenda passed but for now, at least a Thanksgiving respite here on Nantucket. Jeff Zeleny, CNN, Nantucket Massachusetts.

SOARES: Thank you, Jeff. Well, five U.S. lawmakers are in Taiwan meeting with government officials despite warnings from Beijing to call off their trip. It comes as Beijing has been stepping up the pressure on the self-governing Island to reunite with the mainland.

CNN's Will Ripley joins me now from Hong Kong. And will this visit do you think by U.S. lawmakers drive potentially an even bigger wedge between China and Taiwan because the relationship hasn't been great so far?

WILL RIPLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It certainly doesn't help Isa, you know, in context, it's not like this doesn't. You know, it's this is not that unusual. There was another visit another delegation of U.S. lawmakers just a matter of weeks ago, so they've had two visits like this now, in the past month.

This visit by five U.S. lawmakers, including representative Elissa Slotkin, a Michigan Democrat who said on Twitter that when news of the visit broke, she actually - her office got a message from the Chinese Embassy telling them to cancel the trip. And they didn't call off the trip.

And there could potentially be repercussions theoretically, but they're in Taiwan to talk about issues that are important. Her district it's an auto making district, so they want to talk about the chips that are used to power automobiles.

Of course, Taiwan is home to TSMC, the world's leading chips manufacturers of semiconductors, one of the many issues that this group of lawmakers are going to discuss, but it is a very sensitive time anytime that lawmakers' show up in a U.S. government plane.

They didn't fly in a military plane unlike the last group of U.S. lawmakers and a previous congressional visit where you know there - you have this massive image of an American military aircraft landing in Taipei that infuriated Beijing.

And of course, we saw huge numbers of Chinese warplanes flying into self, Taiwan self-declared Air Defense Identification Zone shortly thereafter when that happened back just late September and then the warplanes came in early October.

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RIPLEY: But this - it is a time that the U.S. lawmakers really have to be careful here because yes, Taiwan is one of those rare issues in the United States that unites lawmakers across the aisle. Republicans and Democrats seem to be rallying in support of Taiwan and kind of shared disdain for China, which is it becoming an increasingly assertive and aggressive some might say competitor.

And also has had a lot of bad PR as of late, including, of course, the saga of the tennis star who's believed to have been disappeared in silence Peng Shuai, even though she's been prayed around in what are believed to be propaganda videos.

Taiwan issues a red line issue for China, Isa, which is what, makes this tweet from Representative Nancy Mays of South Carolina, particularly upsetting and I'm holding it up on the phone here, because I'm not even sure it's still on Twitter, we were just looking forward and it couldn't get it to load.

But it said, just touched down in the Republic of Taiwan. There is no republic of Taiwan. It's called the Republic of China. It's known as Taiwan colloquially, but when you say Republic of Taiwan, that would be tantamount to Taiwan declaring its formal independence, which even though it has its own military and its own democratically elected government, they have never gone so far as to formally declare their independence from the mainland, because in the eyes of Beijing, that can be tantamount to an act of war.

So these U.S. lawmakers representing the United States and Taiwan need to be a little more careful about things that they say regarding a very sensitive issue of cross strait relations.

SOARES: Yes, I'm pretty sure that's going to ruffle some feathers in Beijing. Will Ripley for us there in Hong Kong. Thanks very much Will, good to see you. I want to bring you some breaking news coming into CNN.

Now Israel has recorded its first case of the new B.1.1.529 Coronavirus variant that we were telling you at the top of the show. That it's been discovered in South Africa. The country announces seven Southern African countries well to be placed on a red list. This follows as we told you the top of the show, not just Israel's decision, but we now have Italy and Germany and Europe potentially looking at doing the same.

Now this variant that has been discovered in South Africa as we told you in the breaking news about 20 minutes or so ago, is research believe that it's much more transmissible and we do not know at this hour, whether it can evade vaccination, whether vaccinations will still be able to protect us so huge concern.

We have seen countries acting fast. We've seen stocks taking a plunge this hour, and European stocks, Asian stocks and U.S. Futures also down as well as airline stocks. We'll stay on top of this breaking news for you this hour.

Now, a group of executives known as Citgo6 has been detained for years now in Venezuela. Ahead we'll hear from one family who says American leaders aren't doing enough to bring them home.

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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: U.S. government has failed us.

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SOARES: In the English Channel as France un-invite Britain from a team meeting.

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SOARES: Now two days after dozens of migrants died in the English Channel and despite vows of cooperation, the French Interior Minister says he will no longer meet with his British counterpart in Calais on Sunday. The upcoming - upcoming talks - the - crisis work France's idea, but both sides have been bickering about who's to blame for the latest tragedy.

On Thursday, the British Prime Minister sent a letter to French President asking among other things for France to take back migrants who crossed the channel. But a French government spokesman said is now calling that letter totally inappropriate and poor in substance their words.

CNN's Arwa Damon is standing by live for us in Istanbul, but first I'm going to go to Jim Bittermann in Paris. And Jim look, this has always been a bit of a political hot potato. Now, this political crisis has escalated with both sides, blaming each other here.

JIM BITTERMANN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Real bitter exchange this morning Isa. In fact the French government spokesman said that the letter that Boris Johnson sent to Emmanuel Macron was totally inappropriate, not so much that the letter was inappropriate, but also that it was published that it was leaked out to the press.

It was supposed to be a letter between the two between the prime minister and the president. And there it was in the press. So that's really irritated the French and the government spokesman said this morning. It's a letter that's pouring substance because it does not respect all the work that's done by our coast guards, by our police by our gendarmes by our rescuers at sea, that on a daily basis, most mobilize themselves and it was - it's a very bitter exchange.

And in fact, the government spokesman said that the Home Secretary who was supposed to come to this meets with the France and its European partners about this subject that the Home Secretary has been disinvited from this meeting. So quite a bitter exchange this morning and I think it's we haven't seen the end of this exchange yet.

There's been no reaction from the British government. Just another thing Isa this morning is that we've heard from some of the people who are involved trying to rescue those immigrants up there two days ago, the ones that were drowning at sea and quite dramatic testimony from a fisherman Karl Maquinghen who, in fact was out when his ship and his boat, trying to help but to no avail. Here's what he had to say.

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KARL MAQUINGHEN, FISHERMAN: A horror movie. It's simply a horror movie to see so much death next to us. It's really a horror movie. It's shocking. People dead children I don't know how to explain the rest to you just horror frankly horror.

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MAQUINGHEN: Screams that I've never heard before they'll stay in my head forever.

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BITTERMANN: And Maquinghen said what will stay with him also is the idea that if only he had arrived on the scene 10 minutes earlier, maybe he could have done more Isa.

SOARES: These are truly horrifying. Jim Bittermann for us in Paris thank you so much Jim. I want to go to Istanbul while our Arwa Damon joins us now. And Arwa as politicians bicker, I mean, we really forget those making this treacherous journey, you have covered the migrant crisis at length for us; help us understand what has changed here.

Why are we seeing excuse me Arwa an increase in migrants mostly Iraqi Kurds, from what I understand, risking it all to make this journey, what has changed?

ARWA DAMON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well Isa, it's not necessarily that something has changed, per se. But perhaps that focus shifted away from the migrant and refugee crisis following the peak numbers that we saw taking place a few years ago.

But even though Europe and a number of other countries have put measures into place to shut down borders to make the various different crossings, more challenging for migrants and refugees, people never really stopped trying to get towards what they perceive to be, will be a better life.

And a lot of this is still being driven by the same factors. It's violence, its economic depression; it's a lack of opportunity. It's a lack of hope and faith in one's own homeland that is really driving families, individuals to try to move towards something better, because that's in our human nature.

A parent is always going to want to provide better for their child, be able to feed their child educate their child and when it comes to the story of the Iraqi Kurds that is very much at the core of it. The Kurdistan region of Iraq and this is perhaps one of the biggest tragedies of it all was known as the other Iraq.

That is how it was being marketed because it wasn't plagued by the widespread violence that the rest of Iraq has seen. The economy there was booming oil companies were tripping over each other, trying to get a slice of the pie.

But that only lasted until about 2013 when a number of factors kicked in to include disputes between the Capital of Iraqi Kurdistan Erbil and Baghdad when widespread corruption became even more out of control when a number of measures that the government of the Kurdistan Regional area began to remove certain subsidies that the population was highly reliant on.

When unemployment reached sky high numbers when oil took a big hit during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and all of this has resulted in middle class families in Iraqi Kurdistan really feeling that economic bite and really beginning to feel as if their own government because of the various different bickering arguing factions because of the tensions that exist, because of the government feeling - the corruption feeling that their own government is no longer going to be able to provide them with a sustainable, realistic future that they can believe in.

But really, Isa no matter what the factor is that drives people to make this journey unless those factors themselves are addressed. Nothing is going to change.

SOARES: Absolutely. Until you get to the heart really of the issue. We're going to continue unfortunately to see tragic incidents at sea like we have seen the last two days. Arwa Damon for us there in Istanbul, Turkey thanks very much Arwa good to see you. Still ahead right here CNN investigation into the Citgo6 how Venezuelan - arrested and imprisoned this group of oil executives that is coming up?

Plus new restrictions go into effect trying to end the violence in the Solomon Islands. We'll have a live report on that. You are watching CNN Newsroom.

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