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Omicron Could Cause Over Half Of Europe's COVID Cases; Biden Outlines New Steps To Combat COVID Through Winter Months; 9-Year-Old Afghan Girl Sold Into Marriage Rescued; Rare Look Inside Lab Sequencing COVID Variants; China Faces Host of Challenges Ahead of Winter Games; U.S. Warns of Serious Consequences if Russia Invades; German Army Honors Chancellor Merkel with Grand Tattoo; United Completes First successful, 100 percent, Sustainable Fuel Flight. Aired 1-2a ET
Aired December 03, 2021 - 01:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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[01:00:26]
PAULA NEWTON, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and a warm welcome to our viewers joining us from all around the world, I'm Paula Newton. Ahead right here on CNN Newsroom, the very latest on the global spread of Omicron. We are getting reports that reinfection in fact, maybe more likely.
A story of freedom for a nine-year-old girl once forced into marriage, a CNN's report helped lead her to safety.
Also, the end of an era the German military pays its respects to outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel.
And we are tracking the latest developments here on the fast moving Omicron variant of the Coronavirus. Now health experts in Europe say the mutation could account for more than half of the infections on the continent within just the next few months. Finland Greece, India and now Malaysia are the latest countries to report cases. Omicron has now been identified in at least 33 countries and territories.
Germany meantime has announced a nationwide lockdown for the unvaccinated banned from all but the most essential businesses. And German leaders are backing a plan for mandatory vaccines by February. Now the World Health Organization is sending a surge team to South Africa meantime, to deal with rising infections. South Africa has seen a 153 percent increase in just the past four weeks.
Now with the variant, now a global concern. CNN correspondents of course are positioned right around the world to bring you the very latest and we have a report from David McKenzie in Johannesburg. But first we want to begin with Fred Pleitgen in Berlin.
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FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Well, Germany has announced some pretty tough new measures to try and come to terms with this most recent wave of infections during the Coronavirus pandemic. Outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel and her designated successor Olaf Scholz, they went in front of the press together and announce those tough measures.
And what it all amounts to is essentially a lockdown for unvaccinated people. It means that unvaccinated people are going to be locked out of most businesses here in Germany except for the most essential ones like for instance, supermarkets, and also pharmacies but it means for instance, that people who are not vaccinated can't go to indoor sports facilities or restaurants or cultural facilities either.
All of this is of course a drive to try and get more people here in this country vaccinated. Germany has one of the lowest vaccination rates in all of Western Europe. And the government also announced a big drive to try and get more people to take shots. The government says that it wants to administer around 30 million shots by the end of this year. That of course, means both initial vaccinations, but then also booster shots as well.
Both Angela Merkel and her successor also said that they are in favor of mandatory vaccinations. But they also say that that is something that the German parliament needs to decide on. Fred Pleitgen, in Berlin.
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DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Scientists say that South Africa is seeing an exponential growth of positive cases of COVID-19. They attribute this to the Omicron variant which is taking hold here in this province and large parts of the country and region. The WHO says this is behind the large surge in cases from the African continent.
Now, here in South Africa, there is a sense that vaccinated positive cases are protected in some way even against this troubling variant. But there is some bad news. Scientists say that there is an indication of increased reinfection due to the Omicron variant.
What that means is if you've had the virus with a previous variant, you might in fact, get it again with this one. They do say though, if you've had previous immunity, you should be protected from severe disease. But obviously this gives the virus more room to move around. Take a listen to a top microbiologist.
ANNE VON GOTTBERG, SOUTH AFRICA NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR COMMUNICABLE DISEASES: We monitor these reinfections for the beta and for the delta wave and we didn't see an increase in reinfections over and above what we expect when the force of infection changes when the wave stops. However, we are seeing an increase or Omicron.
MCKENZIE: For Africa, maybe a bellwether for the rest of the world. The next few weeks will be critical to see whether cases in hospitals surge and not just positive cases surging.
[01:05:12]
Countries all over the world are confirming cases of Omicron. The head of the WHO said, this is expected. This is what viruses do. But still, there are these strict travel restrictions and travel bans, mostly affecting Southern Africa that politicians and leaders here say are punitive and don't in fact, help the fight against this virus. David McKenzie, CNN, Johannesburg.
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NEWTON: Now meantime, the director of the WHO in the western Pacific says the Omicron variant will, in fact, eventually come to most countries in that region as well. And they are urging governments to prepare now.
For more on that, we are joined by Blake Essig. He is live for us in Tokyo. And you know, take a look at Japan here, Blake, you've lived there for quite a while now. It's in a great position, right? Low case count, high vaccination rate. And still they have closed their borders to foreigners. It's a dramatic move that will no doubt affect the economy. But did they feel that they absolutely had to do it?
BLAKE ESSIG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You know, Paula, I think, I mean, you hit the nail on the head. I mean, the seven-day average across Japan less than 100 cases, the vaccination rate near 80 percent for the entire population of Japan.
But given the circumstances, given the unknown regarding this new variant, Japan has chosen to continue to keep its borders closed from tourists, which it has done for the past roughly two years. Japan has a goal of about 40 million tourists per year, not having your borders open, makes it difficult to reach that goal. And as such the businesses, bars, restaurants have really suffered here.
But I will tell you, having lived here just the past couple months, because the case count has become more under control, the vaccination rate is high, life has started to somewhat return to normal. Bars and restaurants that I didn't even know existed in my neighborhood are now open again.
And so you do see a lot more people out and about, but everybody's still wearing masks. The vaccination rate is high. And all of those factors are helping to help resume life back to some sense of normal.
Now, all that being said, well, I know it's disappointing to hear WHO officials made it clear today that this pandemic is far from over and that we must adapt, manage the way that we deal with this virus and cope for it. As there are no question going to be future surges.
And so far, just in this region, regarding Omicron, cases have been identified in several countries, including two here in Japan, seven in Australia, four in Hong Kong, five in South Korea, two in India, and Malaysia just reported its first case today. This case involves a student studying at a local university who had arrived in Malaysia from South Africa on November 19. That is before the first reported case of the new variant was reported to the WHO, Paula. NEWTON: Yes. And Blake, thanks for giving us an insight into what life is like in Japan. I mean, it stands in stark contrast, not just to what other countries are going through, but what Japan went through at the beginning of the pandemic and then again around the time of the Olympics. We'll continue to keep an eye on certainly the stats coming up Japan. Appreciate it.
Now meantime, U.S. President Joe Biden is outlining his plan to combat COVID over the coming winter, including tough new guidelines for travelers headed into the United States. You want to listen to this. Anyone inbound to the United States will now face stricter testing requirements starting Monday, and that includes a negative COVID test, right, one day before your departure, not 72 hours as it has been. All foreign nationals as well must be fully vaccinated. Mr. Biden is also extending the mask mandate for travel.
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JOE BIDEN, U.S. PRESIDNET: This tighter testing timetable provides an added degree of protection as scientists continue to study the Omicron variant. And we are extending the requirement both internationally and domestically to where mass for travel on aircraft, trains public transportation through the winter months.
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NEWTON: Dr. Shoshana Ungerleider is an internal medicine physician at California Pacific Medical Center, and she joins me now from Santa Fe, New Mexico and it is good to see you again.
We seem to believe that we had this thing licked, right, that we were going to get through this. The variant is definitely a curveball. I want to ask you first about those new measures announced by the Biden administration materially. How much do you believe that this can change the trajectory of infections and if not infections, at least illness?
DR. SHOSHANA UNGERLEIDER, INTERNAL MEDICINE PHYSICIAN, CALIFORNIA PACIFIC MEDICAL CENTER: Well, Paula, you know, certainly having a negative test 24 hours prior to air travel adds an extra layer of protection.
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The idea is that testing just before the flight will help catch more positive cases, although we do know cases of this new variant were present in Europe prior to the identification of Omicron by South African scientists. So most likely, it's been spreading globally, including here in the U.S. under the radar for a while. And we're only just now picking it up.
You know, there's quite a few important questions about Omicron that are being investigated by the scientific community. And I think we'll likely be living with some uncertainty on just how problematic this new variant is, for a few more weeks, which I know is really hard for people. But for now, I think we have to stay tuned. And I do think that tightening international travel restrictions may buy us some extra time.
NEWTON: You know, buy some extra time certainly with tightening the borders. But there are problems, you know, within countries, the United States, obviously being one with the low rate of vaccination, but you know, Fred (INAUDIBLE) who just talking about Germany, it's trying to get tough. Do you think, you know, punitive measures can work? They've not really had much of an effect so far.
UNGERLEIDER: Well, what Germany is doing is certainly a bold and aggressive move. I think that they're the imminent concern is that Germany's fourth COVID wave will overload their hospitals, which I think is a founded concern as deaths from Coronavirus are on the rise there. We know these COVID vaccines have been proven to be safe and very effective at preventing hospitalizations and deaths from SARS- CoV-2.
So, whatever people are waiting for to convince them to take a shot, that time has certainly passed. And I think severely limiting what people who are unvaccinated can do in their day to day lives, maybe enough of an incentive for them to take the vaccine, but I you know, we're going to have to see.
NEWTON: Yes. I wonder if this new variant, I know you were very clear that it will take you know, several more days, if not a few weeks to really find out what it's all about. Should we be hopeful, though, that in terms of the way this is going to evolve, that it could in fact, lead to perhaps more infections, but milder illness?
UNGERLEIDER: You know, Paula, we just don't know, right. There's so many unanswered questions. Globally the scientific community is really working together to not only look at things like vaccine effectiveness against this new variant. They're looking at the -- in the lab to see just how well things like, you know, our new antiviral treatments, our tests are able to pick up this new variant.
And I think while this new variant is certainly concerning, it's so important that we stay focused on the current reality of this pandemic. You know, Delta remains the dominant variant worldwide. And as we head into this summer holidays, hospitalizations here in the U.S. from COVID are up 20 percent from our most recent low point on November 10. And we only have 60 percent of Americans fully vaccinated. In Europe, we know many countries are seeing their largest surges yet.
We know how to stop this virus from spreading. It's so critical that people get vaccinated if they haven't yet. And if you haven't gotten boosted, and you're eligible, do not wait, go get that booster dose, encourage everyone you know to do the same thing right away. I think we all need to show up with as much immune protection as possible for the holidays. And certainly we say this over and over. But vaccines really are our best defense. And they have stood up really well, to all the variants so far. NEWTON: Yes. And for those of us fortunate enough to be able to walk down the street, literally and get a vaccine good for us. We just heard as well here that, look, it's been months we've been talking about a global vaccine project. And still it hasn't happened. Do you think that now is the time, and I mean, a global effort we're on the ground, you're not just giving them vaccines, right, giving them the infrastructure to actually administer those vaccines.
UNGERLEIDER: It's critical, Paula. We need to get as many vaccines in arms and do whatever it takes across the globe to do that as fast as we can. And I think the U.S. has really done more than any other country to help other nations we've sent out, I think more than 250 million doses of vaccine we've committed to another billion more. And we need to do this, not just for humanitarian reasons, but also for our own self-interest, right, because until the world is fully vaccinated, we very well may have to contend with more problematic variants.
NEWTON: Dr. Shoshana Ungerleider thanks so much appreciate.
UNGERLEIDER: Thanks for having me.
NEWTON: A nine-year-old girl speaks out after being rescued from child marriage in Afghanistan. CNN's exclusive story that led to an international outcry. Still ahead, you'll hear that little girl how she feels about her newly gained freedom.
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NEWTON: Last month, we brought you a distressing story about child marriage in Afghanistan. Now many of you were particularly disturbed by the case of nine-year-old Parwana, who was sold into marriage to a 55-year-old man for around $2,000. Her father said it was his only option to feed his family.
Now CNN was granted rare permission to document the disturbing sale and the handover. After an international outcry following our story, the U.S. based nonprofit Too Young To Wed got involved and rescue Parwana. CNN was their document it and Anna Coren brings us once again her exclusive report.
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ANNA COREN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): An Iranian love song plays from a cassette as a driver navigates his way through the snow dusted Leman (ph) Valley in northwestern Afghanistan. Ground in the back of his station wagon is a mother and her six-children, who have just left behind a life of constant struggle and hardship. All they've ever known.
Among them, nine-year-old Parwana. our cameraman Sidiki (ph) asked her how she's feeling. I'm so happy she says with a beaming smile.
CNN met Parwana dressed in pink in an internally displaced camp in Badghis province back in October. The father claims he was selling her to feed the rest of the family, as a humanitarian crisis grips the country.
He'd already sold his 12-year-old into marriage, and told CNN that unless the situation improved, he would have to sell his four remaining daughters as well, including the youngest just two.
If I didn't have these daughters to sell he asked, what should I do?
Parwana's buyer who lived in a nearby village confirmed he was taking the nine-year-old as his second wife.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): I'm 55 years old. I have a wife with four daughters and a son. I bought her for myself. I will wait till she becomes older.
COREN: CNN was granted rare access to film the final payment and handover. The buyer asked for it to take place at a house in his village and not the camp for security reasons. He paid a total of 200,000 Afghanis just over 2,000 U.S. dollars for Parwana in land, sheep and cash.
This is your bride, please take care of her says Parwana's father. Of course I will take care of her, replies the man. As he drags her away, she whimpers.
Moments later, she digs her heels into the dirt, refusing to go but it's hopeless.
CNN story caused an outcry.
JAKE TAPPER, CNN HOST: A distressing story out of Afghanistan showing the heart --
COREN: The network was inundated with offers of help from the public aid organization and NGOs wanting to assist Parwana and the other girls featured in our story.
[01:20:05]
The U.S. based charity Too Young To Wed took the lead. Its founding executive director Stephanie Sinclair has been working to end child marriage and help vulnerable girls around the world for almost 20 years. She says the perfect storm is brewing in Afghanistan. And it's the girls that are suffering.
STEPHANIE SINCLAIR, FOUNDER, TOO YOUNG TO WED: I know these stores are difficult to watch and they're difficult to do. And they bring them around a lot of concern. But at the same time, we need to keep people understanding that this is happening we need to keep ringing the alarm bell. Understand these are real girls and real lives and they can be changed.
COREN: Within Badghis province, there was widespread backlash towards Parawan's father and the buyer after our story went to were with claims they brought shame on the community. Even the Taliban told CNN the practice is forbidden.
MAWLAWI BAZ MOHAMMAD SARWARY, BADGHIS PROVINCE INFORMATION AND CULTURE DIRECTORATE (through translator): I request everyone not to sell their children. Child marriage is not a good thing. And we condemn it.
COREN: Women's rights activist and U.S. citizen Mahbooba Siraj, who chose to stay in Kabul after the Taliban swept to power in August to run her women's shelter, says Parwana's case is just the tip of the iceberg.
MAHBOOBA SIRAJ, AFGHAN WOMEN'S RIGHT ACTIVIST: It is a lot of misery there is a lot of mistreatment. There is a lot of abuse is involved in these things, and it will keep on happening with the hunger, with the winter, with poverty.
COREN: As a result of the controversy caused by the story and intervention from the charity, Parwana was allowed to return home after almost two weeks with the buyer's family. Since Parwana has been rescued, I'm very happy for them, says Parwana's father.
He admitted to CNN that under duress from the community and some local media outlets, he changed his story out of embarrassment for what he had done and apologized.
The buyer is unreachable for comment, but the debt is still outstanding.
Too Young To Wed then organized to have Parwana, her mother and siblings removed from the camp with the father's permission.
Before our journey to neighboring Herat province was broken up with some childhood fun before arriving at the motel.
The children who've only ever lived in a tent, the novelty of being warm, fed and safe, wasn't worrying them.
They rescued me. They've given me a new life says Parwana. I thank the charity for helping me.
A few days later they moved into the safe house. Parwana's mother, 27- year-old Reza Gul has never lived in a house. She was sold into marriage at 13 and has since had seven children, six of whom were girls.
Most days in the camp she would beg for food. And often her family would go to sleep hungry. Now all she wants is to give her children a better life.
I have a dream a wish they go to school and start an education, she says. I have a lot of wishes for them.
Too Young To Wed has already begun distributing aid to Parwana's impoverished camp among others.
While the small charity is prepared to bridge the gap, they're calling on the large aid organizations to step up.
SINCLAIR: These are communities that have relied on international aid for the last 20 years. And so with a lot of that aid stopping, these people they will stop needing support and we can't let them pay the price because ultimately girls always pay the biggest price.
COREN: I speak to Parwana on Zoom through my colleague Basir.
(on camera): Hello, Parwana. I'm Anna.
PARWANA MALIK (through translator): How are you? How are you feeling?
COREN: I'm very good. Thank you. How are you?
MALIK (through translator): I'm fine. I'm so happy. I'm safe. I rescued.
COREN (voice-over): Then she asks, when are you sending me to school? She wants to study and become a doctor or a teacher. But fairytale endings are few and far between for girls in Afghanistan, even more so now than ever. Anna Coren, CNN.
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NEWTON: And our thanks to Anna Coren who has stayed so devoted to that story. Now, if you would like to help girls like Parwana, please visit tooyoungtowed.org. You can learn more about their work in Afghanistan and how you can actually be part of the solution.
Coming up right here on CNN Newsroom, the Omicron variant is now in five U.S. states. We go inside one COVID testing lab is it raises to detect it. Plus, Beijing is facing a host of challenges ahead of the Winter Olympics how China is preparing for the games. That's coming up.
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NEWTON: Now with the first cases of Omicron variant confirmed in the United States now, the effort to track the COVID virus is of course intensifying. A highly specialized lab in North Carolina is at the forefront of detecting the ever changing virus.
CNN's Dianne Gallagher now, an inside look and has this story for us.
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DIANNE GALLAGHER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This is the front line in the hunt for Omicron in the U.S. after you finish that often uncomfortable COVID test.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You're doing great. Perfect. Next nostril.
GALLAGHER: It's usually shipped to a place like MAKO Medical Laboratories just outside of Raleigh, North Carolina. MATTHEW TUGWELL, DIRECTOR OF GENOMICS, MAKO MEDICAL: 10,000 square feet just COVID processing.
GALLAGHER: MAKO sequences samples taken in more than 40 states.
TUGWELL: 30,000 per day is how many we're processing right now. So that's about 100,000 or so per week.
GALLAGHER: Labs like this are key in detecting the Omicron variant in the United States because of what they do after identifying a positive test.
TUGWELL: As of right now we are at the point where we're sequencing every positive that we get.
GALLAGHER: Genomic sequencing complicated and expensive testing that reveals the precise genetic lineage of the virus is the only way to identify new COVID-19 variants. MAKO was one of just over 60 labs that does sequencing for the CDC National Strain Surveillance Network.
LAUREN MOON, SEQUENCING MANAGER, MAKO MEDICAL: I would say it takes between two to three days to actually fully get the sequence from confirming a sample as positive to library prepping the DNA and then to actually sequencing that library.
GALLAGHER: The World Health Organization and the CDC declared Omicron a variant of concern after it was flagged by scientists in South Africa. A mutation in the Omicron variant causes a peculiar test result called an S gene dropout.
MOON: N gene is the blue curve. And then the green curve is the S gene. It would normally be up there with them. Yes, typically they're all grouped pretty closely together.
GALLAGHER: Making a suspicious case easy to spot for expedited sequencing.
TUGWELL: We have about six samples right now that have that signature S gene dropout.
GALLAGHER: But sequencing is required to confirm Omicron because it isn't the only variant with that type of marker. Scientist at MAKO say they've seen many different variants throughout the pandemic. Some like Delta become the dominant strain, while others fade quickly or never take off. Right now there's no way to know what type of impact Omicron could have on the US. But they agree that when it comes to cracking COVID, knowledge is power.
[01:29:48]
TUGWELL: Every time they transmit from a person to another person, it's another chance for the virus to mutate and change into something different.
So, you know, being able to monitor it, it really highlights the importance of testing, right? because without the testing, you really have no baseline to understand what's going on.
GALLAGHER (on camera): Now one of those so called suspicious samples did wrap up sequencing, and it turned out it was not the omicron variant. There are still 6 that are finishing off that process.
The expectation is the sequencing should be completed sometime on Friday. And those results will be reported to the CDC. But of course, labs like this are receiving tens of thousands of new samples from COVID tests every single day. And so these numbers are fluid and will likely change in the weeks to come.
Dianne Gallagher, CNN -- Henderson, North Carolina.
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PAULA NEWTON, CNN ANCHOR: Joining us now from New York is Syra Madad. She is a senior director of the systemwide Special Pathogens Program at New York City Health and Hospitals. And thanks so much for being with us.
Right off the bat in terms of what we have been learning in the last few days about this new variant. It's not catastrophic right, but there are some things that people have to be aware of.
SYRA MADAD, NEW YORK CITY HEALTH AND HOSPITALS: That's right. I mean right now the information that we have is very preliminary. It's very early. So there is the good news and then there is the bad news.
So right now the good news is in terms of our diagnostics, like PCR and antigen tests -- those are still holding up. In terms of vaccine efficacy, that's the big question -- one of the key questions around this new variant. Do the current COVID-19 vaccines hold up?
If the previous variants like delta and beta and lambda have any indication, they probably will still hold up in terms of -- against severe disease and illness and hospitalization and death.
It's unclear how well they're going to impact infection. So that's still a big question mark.
We're also learning today in terms of the rate of reinfection could be as high as three times for those that weren't actually infected previously. And that's coming out of, you know, South Africa.
And again, this is all very preliminary information. So there's the good news and there's the bad news, but there's still a lot that we need to continue to learn.
So I would say in the coming days, we'll probably find a little bit more about how transmittable this variant is. And then probably in another week or two we'll find out a little bit more about how severe this variant is compared to delta. So some more data is going to tell us over time.
NEWTON: Yes. We'll need about another week to 10 days, remote though obviously that infections have been going up in South Africa, and so have hospitalizations unfortunately.
Here's that I -- the point I want to get at with you. And you've been doing this on Twitter.
You're trying to keep people calm and informed. To that end, you tweeted, "We are not powerless against the omicron variant. As the Surgeon General says we have the tools to combat, right, just like we did for delta," you say. "Vaccinate, boosters, mask, testing, ventilation."
We've been at this for nearly two years now. What fundamental aspect of this do we keep missing?
MADAD: Well, I think first, you know, variants are going to be part of our everyday lives. And it's unfortunate to say that this new omicron variant is not going to be the last one just like delta isn't going to be the last one.
We're going to continue to see more variants, because there is going to be continual, you know, viral transmission around the world.
The best way to slow viral transmission and this, you know, virus from replicating is to vaccinate as much as possible. And that's where we have about 8 billion vaccines already in arms, but certainly not enough. We need to continue to do that.
But I think we've learned a lot these past two years in terms of how this virus behaves. It doesn't, you know, just automatically, you know, circumvent the laws of physics or, you know, we just don't know what to do.
We're not back at square one. And that's the big thing I want people to understand, we're not back at square one. And what we mean by that is that we have, you know, still safe and effective vaccines that work well, we have masks that we know that reduced transmission levels. We have good ventilation that we know will continue to help us. Testing.
All these key measures are really going to help us in that layered approach to keep our risk low.
NEWTON: Yes. And another point that you keep making and you made it in CNN.com an editorial, is that 80 percent of counties in the United States have, right now, at this hour, very high levels of community transmission.
And you say, if they would just do the masking, the testing, the isolating. Why do you think that has continued to be controversial? Because it certainly doesn't bode well for public health, and how we handled the very concept of public health.
MADAD: Well, I think the one, you know, wildcard besides the variant is human behavior. And it's very hard to predict how people are going to react to this type of news, whether they're going to be complacent, or whether they're going to be much more vigilant.
[01:34:58] MADAD: And we've seen it go both ways. You know, we're two years into this pandemic, as you've mentioned, there's a lot of pandemic fatigue both here in the United States and around the world.
People want to put this pandemic behind them, and rightfully so. Everybody is tired of it. But the fact is that the virus is still out there. It's going to continue to spread because there's still a lot of susceptible and vulnerable populations, individuals that haven't even had one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Individuals that are fully vaccinated but they're, you know, six months out from their primary series so we're seeing waning immunity. So we want to make sure, you know, those individuals get their booster doses.
So there's a lot that we can continue to do to protect yourself. It's just really about us making those choices. Do we want to make the choice of protecting ourselves and our loved ones and putting this pandemic behind us. Or do we want to risk that and continue to think that the pandemic is over, when it's not?
NEWTON: Yes, and I think so many people have been asking for so many months now. What does this look like, what does living with this look like? And I think we're about to figure that out in the next few months.
Thanks so much for being here with us. Really appreciate it.
MADAD: Thank you for having me on.
NEWTON: China is doubling down on its strict zero COVID strategy in an attempt to reassure the world it can control the spread of the virus. Now as the Beijing Olympics near with a little over two months, can you believe it, to go until the Winter Olympic games, China is battling a COVID outbreak in its inner Mongolia region and has yet though to report a case of the omicron variant.
Now, China is also facing pressure as concerns grow over tennis star Peng Shuai. The International Olympic Committee says it believes she is safe and well after holding another call with her on Wednesday. But the IOC has not released any video of the call or pictures or audio.
The head of the Women's Tennis Association says these exchanges are very much orchestrated. And despite these challenges, China is still pushing ahead with the games, of course.
CNN's David Culver is following all of it for us from Beijing. David, you know, obviously the situation within China in terms of case counts and hospitalizations is significant.
And the question I have for you, how has the vaccine campaign been going in China. And what is the efficacy of their vaccine?
DAVID CULVER, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It is significant, but when you compare it to other countries, Paula, people may find that laughable to look at the numbers. You're talking about double digit of new cases each day. But you're right. Within China, that is significant because they have this zero COVID policy approach, one that they will not back away from.
Now as far as the vaccinations are concerned, they have made progress. They are nearing their herd immunity, which, you know, is well over 80 percent. But the concern is the efficacy of those vaccines, certainly against the variants that we have seen surface already.
And you have to also consider that they haven't really had a full out test, if you will, against the domestic population here because of the extreme containment measures that are in place. Measures that are unlikely to be lifted ahead of these upcoming games.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CULVER (voice over): Two months before the start of the winter Olympic games, a new COVID variant is surfacing globally. But Beijing is hoping its strict COVID defenses will keep omicron away. It won't be easy.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I do think it is cause for concern. This is the last thing that organizers would want. This is just not the big question mark that anyone would want at this moment.
CULVER: While the new variant has not yet been reported within mainland China, there are several confirmed cases in neighboring Hong Kong.
A foreign ministry spokesperson saying that the omicron variant will pose some challenges, but they are confident the winter Olympics will be held smoothly and successfully as scheduled.
China already has some of the toughest containment measures in place, mass testing by the tens of millions. Strict digital contact tracing and targeted community lockdowns -- all part of our daily lives here.
(on camera): This is as close as we can get to some of the iconic Olympic structures from 2008, repurposed for the winter Olympics. But now, sealed off in a COVID bubble of sorts.
(voice over): On top of the health concerns, growing calls for Olympic boycotts, as Beijing continues to deny widespread allegations of human rights abuses.
The Women's Tennis Association suspending tournaments within China, as it reiterates calls for a Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai to be able to speak freely and openly. Peng briefly disappeared last month after she accusing a top Communist Party official of forcing her into sex.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What we now, in the early stage is what I think is a full scale ideological battle, that ultimately could culminate in the United States and other western nations engaging in a full boycott of the Beijing Winter games in 2022.
CULVER (on camera): But it seems here within China, most folks are unaware of the controversy surrounding these Olympic games. Instead you would get stores like this filled with Olympic merchandise.
[01:40:00]
CULVER (voice over): And folks here shopping, seemingly filled with a lot of excitement and joy, even national pride.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): We are very excited. Beijing just hosted the 2008 Olympic games and now it's the winter games again. This is truly exhilarating.
CULVER: Even with mounting uncertainties, much like 2008, China is expected to put on a spectacular show. Question is, will folks watching from outside be wowed or see it all as a fancy facade, covering up an increasingly authoritarian state?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CULVER: I think one thing, Paula, that we can pretty much guarantee here, is that these bubbles will be strictly enforced. And so when we talk about people coming in -- personnel, athletes -- for these games, those of us who are here in China will not be able to get anywhere close to them, if we were not within one of those credentialed bubbles.
And they will make sure that that separation between the society here, and those potential imported cases, keeps in place.
NEWTON: Yes. With optimism we say, right, the Japanese Games were not a super spreader event and certainly great confidence that these won't be either.
David Culver, thanks so much. We'll continue to check in with you ahead of the games.
Now, as military tensions ratchet up along Ukraine's border with Russia, a high stakes meeting between the top diplomats of Russia and the United States. A report from Stockholm and what they had to say.
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NEWTON: Now, as Russian forces continue to build up strength near Ukraine, America's top diplomat met with his Russian counterpart on Thursday to discuss the growing tensions, but before that meeting an informal dinner to the night before reportedly turned tense when the Ukrainian and Russian foreign ministers began trading sharp words.
CNN's Matthew Chance is in Kiev with more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well top diplomats from the U.S., Russia and Ukraine, engaging in what is described to me as a diplomatic clash at an informal dinner earlier this week. That's according to one Ukrainian government source with knowledge of the incident. The Russian and Ukrainian foreign ministers apparently trading barbs over the conflict in Eastern Ukraine at the dinner with the U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken forced to chime in on the side, of course, of Ukraine, a version of events described -- confirmed to CNN by a western official as well, familiar with the incident.
Russia's foreign minister, though, pushing back on the characterization of the atmosphere as tense. But confirming to me that the dinner, ahead of formal meetings in the Swedish capital, Stockholm, between Secretary Blinken and his Russian and Ukrainian counterparts, actually took place amid spiraling concerns about the buildup of Russian forces near the Ukrainian border. Russia says it wants legal guarantees that NATO will not expand further east towards its borders.
U.S. Secretary of State warning of severe consequences if Russia, again, invades Ukraine saying that it's now up to Moscow to back down. Take a listen (ph).
[01:44:58]
ANTONY BLINKEN, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: It's now on Russia to de- escalate the current tensions by reversing the recent troop buildup, returning forces to normal peacetime positions, and refraining from further intimidation and attempts to destabilize Ukraine.
CHANCE: Right. Well, Ukraine also reacting indignantly to Russia's call for NATO to back off.
The country's foreign minister saying that Russia should have no say whatsoever in discussions about Ukraine's relationship with the western military alliance.
So all these talks underway, so far failing to break that diplomatic deadlock.
Matthew Chance, CNN, Kiev.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NEWTON: Josh Rogin is a CNN political analyst and "Washington Post" columnist. He joins us now from Washington.
Josh, really good to see you.
JOSH ROGIN, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Hi, Paula.
NEWTON: Just to try and tease out some real news lines from what happened today because it is hard when they go in there, and they start firing off barbs back and forth.
Of course, Sergei Lavrov said, you know, the United States is risking a nightmare scenario narrow. I think that the United States already understands what's at stake here. And yet, did it seem like anything got done during this meeting? ROGIN: Right, I think it's important to say, first of all, that this
escalation was caused by actions on the Russian side. A buildup of (INAUDIBLE) 2,000 troops and tanks, et cetera. So Lavrov's assertion that the United States is making the situation more dangerous seems a little out of whack with events.
But regardless, I do think that we learned a lot about the respective positions of both countries in this after this meeting today.
Lavrov said what he wanted. He wants a separate dialogue on Ukraine with the United States. Tony Blinken, the secretary of state didn't comment on that really.
And Tony Blinken told Lavrov and the press what the United States wants, which is for the Russians to unilaterally draw back their escalation on their side of the Russia-Ukraine border. But there is no sign that Lavrov has any intention of doing that either.
I think the big question is what is the U.S. prepared to do first of all, before any innovation, to deter Russia from going forward with it. And second of all if they actually do go through with it, what's the threat, what's the punishment? And is it something that the Russians really care about?
That's what we don't know. That's what the two leaders did not reveal and I think that's what most observers are looking for.
NEWTON: Yes. If you look at the situation or the way that Joe Biden decided to meet with Vladimir Putin so early in his presidency though. It does seem as if they -- both leaders understand that know that they have a basis from which to negotiate on any conflict. But things will just go well for both countries, as opposed to where they are right now.
I have to ask you Josh, you know, the national security team in Washington right now, especially when it comes to the military itself and military planners, they've been quite blunt about what's at stake here, and what they believe will happen in the coming months.
I mean how seriously do you think the White House is taking that intelligence right now?
ROGIN: You know, there is no doubt that there is a very, very high level of concern inside the White House, inside the State Department, inside the U.S. military because, they simply don't know. Even U.S. Intelligence agencies don't know what Putin is planning, and if he's really going to cross that line that they're threatening him not to cross.
And of course, that's the way that Putin wants it, our uncertainty is his advantage and he's preserving that advantage. In order to keep relevance, and to keep the attention of the administration.
And I think there's some gamesmanship on both sides to be sure, but everybody I talked to in the Biden administration says the same thing, they say. We believe there's a real possibility that a escalation could break out.
We don't know exactly what Joe Biden is going to do if that happens. And you know, that not knowing is really what puts Ukrainians in a tough position. It puts our allies in a tough position.
Because they can't really coalesce around a defensive strategy until the United States decides what that strategy is going to be, and if they can follow it. So I think tensions are getting very, very high.
NEWTON: Just before you go Josh, I do want to ask you about more broadly the national security team, whether it's Antony Blinken or Jake Sullivan. They've got a lot of balls in the air right now.
I mean -- and the track record so far, you know, by their own admission has not been great. Do you think there's going to be any re- tooling there? Changes at all?
ROGIN: Oh, it's clear, that you know, Biden campaigned on America coming back in the world and that he made big promises and raised big expectations that America's revive role leading Democracy, Freedom, and Human Rights. And it's very clear that the administration has fallen short of those expectations for the reasons that you mentioned. Because they've got a lot on their plate.
[01:49:48]
ROGIN: And their main effort now is just to not have any more crises. They've got COVID, they've got China, they've got, you know, a possible Taiwan contingency.
They're going to have a summit of democracies next week, that they really haven't prepared very well for.
So yes, there's a very small number of people inside the top ranks of the Biden administration who can really make these decisions, and that sort of the problem is a bottleneck. And you know, if they don't fix something in the senate year actually do what they say and sort of increase America's presence at all these various and growing issues.
I think a lot of our allies our partners are going to conclude that America is not coming back, and that this is just the way it is now and then they're going to go their own way.
NEWTON: Yes. And it is, obviously, when you have allies, NATO allies, countries like that already questioning their commitment going forward in the coming months to so many different issues that they really have a lot of the work to do.
ROGIN: That's exactly right.
NEWTON: Josh Rogin, thanks so much. Appreciate it.
ROGIN: Anytime.
NEWTON: Now dressed in full regalia, Germany's armed forces bid farewell to their chancellor of 16 years on Thursday. Ahead of her departure next week, a procession of soldiers carrying flaming torches honored Angela Merkel with the highest military ceremony for a civilian called the Grand Tattoo.
Mrs. Merkel gave a speech thanking the pandemic workers, and wishing the incoming chancellor and the country future success.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANGELA MERKEL, GERMAN CHANCELLOR (through translator): It is now up to the next government to find answers to the challenges that lie ahead of us and to shape our future. For that, dear Olaf Scholz, I wish you and the German government led by you all the very best, good, fortune, and best of success.
I'm convinced that we can continue to shape the future well, if we don't succumb to discontent, and pessimism. But like I said elsewhere three years ago, get to work with John Hart, at least that's what I always did, in my life in east Germany.
And all the more so wanting freedom, it's this joy in the heart which I wish on all of us, and in a figurative way for our country also in the future. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NEWTON: And in keeping with tradition, the chancellor picked three songs for the ceremony, one of which caught many listeners by surprise. Take a listen.
As per her request, the military marching band played German Punk singer Nina Hagen's 1974 hit, "You Forgot The Colour Film". Mrs. Merkel earlier explaining that she considers the song a nod to her past.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MERKEL: The song was a highlight of my youth. The song also came from east Germany. And coincidentally it is still played in a region that used to be my constituency. So, everything fits.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NEWTON: It's nice to see that side of her. Now, the German parliament is expected to officially elect Olaf Scholz as new chancellor next week.
Still ahead here on CNN newsroom, a history making flight turns one man's trash into another man's jet fuel. Could this soon be the norm for air travel? Details, coming up.
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[01:54:48]
NEWTON: Now if spiders and bugs make you squirm, you might want to look away now. That's what I'm going to do. I'm going to read my script from here.
Colombian authorities stopped hundreds of creepy crawlies from being smuggled out of the country to Europe on Thursday. Among the creatures they received? 232 tarantulas, 67 cockroaches --why, why -- nine spider eggs, and a scorpion with seven of its young. Ok, I had to go -- I had to peak there.
Two German citizens were detained and claimed, that they were transporting them for academic purposes. But Colombian officials, say that they lacked the required document permits -- documented permits and will be prosecuted.
Ok. I'm going to look up here again. Wow.
Now, a milestone in aviation history, and one that also offers hope for a greener future: A United Airlines flight from Chicago to Washington using fuel made from a mixture of corn, and sugar.
CNN's aviation correspondent, Pete Muntean, was on board for the history making flight.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The first ever 100 percent sustainable fuel port --
PETE MUNTEAN, CNN AVIATION CORRESPONDENT: From the moment you step on board, it is cleared this is not your regular flight.
The passengers are executives and politicians. Flown by test pilots this plane is labeled "experimental".
Since the fuel on board is not traditional jet fuel, this is what's called sustainable aviation fuel, processed from sugar and corn. It is powering this United Airlines 7 37, in one of its two engines. A first for a flight carrying passengers.
SCOTT KIRBY, CEO, UNITED AIRLINES: This is an important and historic for global aviation.
MUNTEAN: United CEO Scott Kirby says this test could one day, combat climate change. The Biden administration's goal, is no aviation carbon emissions by 2050. An industry, that contributes to about 30 percent, globally.
Sustainable evasion fuel cuts emissions by up to 80 percent. But, it is up to 8 times more expensive than regular fuel, and right now, in limited supply. But it is a start with electric airplanes, too far in the future.
KIRBY: There's simply no battery technology even theoretical technology. It has enough energy density, that you could put enough batteries on the airplane, to get an airplane this big, with this many people, flying this far.
And so what works in a lot of other transportation industries, won't work for aviation. MUNTEAN: This test touched down in Washington, with a message.
Airlines, wanting tax credits to lower the cost, and the FAA to approve the fuel more widely.
Manufacturer (INAUDIBLE) says that this fuel is molecularly similar to jet fuel, it is a direct replacement.
It means all the infrastructure, the planes, the engines, is already to go today, right now.
So just hopefully, someday is not really big event, it's just the normal way we do things.
MUNTEAN (on camera): United Airlines, says these test will continue, but it says now the ball is in the court of the government to raise the limit of sustainable aviation fuel allowed on board a plane like this, which will thereby lower the cost.
By the way, this is the plane, used in that test. It is a normal Boeing 737 max 8, no specific modifications. In fact it's about to go back out and fly passengers again, albeit with normal jet fuel on board.
Pete Muntean, CNN, Dulles International Airport.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NEWTON: And I want to thank you for watching CNN NEWSROOM. I am Paula Newton.
Another edition of the CNN NEWSROOM is up next with Kim Brunhuber.
[01:58:19]
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