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Top U.S. And Russian Diplomats Meet In Geneva To Discuss Ukraine Issue; Aid Flights Arrive In Disaster-Hit Tonga As Islands Aim To Keep Covid-19 Out; Former Pope Benedict Accused Of Inaction Over Child Sexual Abuse Cases; Hong Kong Culls Small Animals Over COVID Fears; Teen Pilot Becomes Youngest Woman To Fly The World Solo; Playing And Inspiring Through Adversity. Aired 2-3a ET
Aired January 21, 2022 - 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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[02:01:03]
LYNDA KINKADE, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, and welcome to have you is joining us from all around the world. You're watching CNN Newsroom, I'm Lynda Kinkade. Good to have you with us.
Just ahead, false to clarify, Joe Biden tries to clean up comments on how the U.S. will respond to a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine. And surveying the damage officials are finally getting a better sense of the utter destruction in Tonga as aid begins to trickle in.
And later, this is no ordinary landing. Meet the pilot who just broke two world records and she's only 19 years old.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: From Atlanta, This is CNN Newsroom with Lynda Kinkade.
KINKADE: Well, it's just past 8:00 a.m. in Geneva, Switzerland, where two of the world's top diplomats are hoping they can ease the simmering tensions between Ukraine and Russia. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to speak with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in just a few hours.
Their meeting comes as tens of thousands of Russian troops are amassed along the border with Ukraine. And as U.S. president Joe Biden tries to clarify comments he made on Wednesday that Ukrainian leaders described as stunning.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOE BIDEN, U.S. PRESIDENT: One thing if it's a minor incursion, and then we end up having a fight about what to do and not do, et cetera. I've been absolutely clear with President Putin, he has no misunderstanding, if any, any assembled Russian units move across Ukrainian border, that is an invasion.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: I'm going to go live to Moscow now. CNN International diplomatic editor, Nic Robertson, Is there good to have you with us, Nic. So in just a few hours, the U.S .Secretary of State will meet with the Russian Foreign Minister in Geneva, the latest in a series of diplomatic talks. What are the expectations today?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: I don't think the expectations are particularly high. We've heard President Biden say that he thinks that there's a real possibility that there could be, you know, an incursion by an invasion also is a possibility. He seems to think about Russian troops into Ukraine. So I don't think the expectations are high but the meeting, according to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, is about taking stock of the situation with the Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov trying to get an assessment of Russia's conclusions over the diplomacy of the past couple of weeks of presenting the United States conclusions about where they think they are, and also pointing out that the United States and its allies and partners. And here he says he means the g7 a Europe, the European Union, NATO are all speaking with one voice.
That is going to be slightly different -- slightly difficult message to get across, if only because of this sort of diplomatic wobble that President Biden introduced in his press conference Wednesday.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
ROBERTSON (voice-over): On the brink of a possible invasion, new satellite images show Russian troops and armor massed less than 10 miles from Ukraine's border. President Joe Biden expecting an attack.
BIDEN: My guess is he will move in. He has to do something.
ROBERTSON: On what to do about Putin's anticipated move, Biden appearing less sure how the U.S. and allies would respond.
BIDEN: It depends on what it does. It's one thing if it's a minor incursion, and then we end up having a fight about what to do and not do et cetera.
ROBERTSON: At NATO, Biden's comments causing concern. One diplomat telling CNN, there's some truth there, which didn't need to be said out loud. A day later, Biden clarifying his press conference comments.
BIDEN: If any, any assembled Russian units move across Ukrainian border, that is an invasion. But it will be met with severe and coordinated economic response.
[02:05:11]
ROBERTSON: But not before Ukraine's president tweeted his frustration. There are no minor incursions, no minor casualties. His foreign minister doubling down.
DMYTRO KULEBA, UKRAINIAN FOREIGN MINISTER: One can't be half invaded or half aggressive. Aggression is either there or not.
ROBERTSON: Hot foot from talks with both the President and Foreign Minister of Ukraine the day prior, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Berlin, meeting German, French and British Foreign Ministry officials trying to steady the slightly shaken diplomatic messaging and point up the cost of diplomatic failure.
ANTONY BLINKEN, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: And at its core, it's about Russia's rejection of a post-Cold War Europe that is whole, free and at peace. At stake, again, our principles that have made the world safer and more stable for decades.
ROBERTSON: In Moscow, where officials repeatedly insist they're not about to attack anyone, Biden's invasion comments not for the first time triggering a rebuff.
MARIA ZAKHAROVA, RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESPERSON (through translator): We are convinced that the purpose of this campaign is to create an information cover for the preparation of their own large scale provocations, including military ones.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
ROBERTSON: So the big pressure on Biden and Blinken today and the meeting with Sergey Lavrov is really for him to figure out is Russia, and these are his words, seriously and genuinely committed to a diplomatic dialogue, a diplomatic path here. There are two options for Russia. The Secretary of State says there's the diplomacy. And there's the other path that Russia could choose. What Russia has said very clearly as it wants a written response from the United States to Russia about Russia's security proposals.
This is something the United States is not been prepared to give so far, and Secretary Blinken said he wasn't prepared to deliver that written guarantee or that written response to Sergei Lavrov today, so it's not clear how much open the path is for diplomacy.
KINKADE: Yes, exactly. We shall see if there is any breakthrough today. Nic Robertson in Moscow. Thanks so much.
Jill Dougherty is an adjunct professor at Georgetown University's Walsh School of Foreign Service. She is also CNN's former Moscow bureau chief. Good to have you with us, Jill.
JILL DOUGHERTY, WALSH SCHOOL OF FOREIGN SERVICE, GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY: Thank you, Lynda. Glad to be here.
KINKADE: I want to get your perspective, Jill, on what realistically can be accomplished in this round of talks between the U.S. and Russia, given previous talks have failed to get any breakthrough?
DOUGHERTY: You know, this is a really dramatic moment. I really think, you know, it could be the end of diplomacy. I think there -- there's one purpose specifically that Secretary Blinken wants to carry out. And that is to ascertain, you know, where are the Russians, if that's possible, because so far they have been insisting on what they want, which is this written guarantee of security for Russia.
But it really is at this moment does it go forward? Remember the talks last week, could there be a second round? And if there isn't a second round, then what? Would it be that, you know, Russia rose into Ukraine or what? So it really is a very tense moment.
KINKADE: It really is. And given there has been no breakthrough, it's fair to say negotiations are supposed to be based on the idea that each side gives a little, yet neither side seems to be budging especially on the key points regarding NATO. Where is there room for common ground on these issues?
DOUGHERTY: I actually think there are. You know, if you look at the Russians, there are three things that they want no extension of NATO, which would include Ukraine, so no Ukrainian and NATO, no offensive weapons, close to the Russian border. And then finally rolling back NATO to what it was back in 1997, which would essentially eliminate a lot of the Eastern European countries.
So the United States cannot accept one and three, but they could have some room for, I'm going to call them negotiations, but discussions in areas like arms control, for example, weapons, missiles, intermediate short range missiles, where they could be stationed in that region, or transparency about military exercises.
These are things that potentially really could be a compromise area. But the problem is, so far Russia is saying take it or leave, it's the entire deal off for you. Or we don't agree to anything.
KINKADE: Yes, exactly.
[02:10:00]
Jill, in terms of weighing the diplomatic costs, what did Russia learn from its 2014 invasion of Crimea, and of course, Georgia in 2008, that informs any decision it might make now.
DOUGHERTY: You know, Crimea is kind of different. But take your point, that I think they learned that they could do it. They did it with a fig leaf, you know, a vote by the people, et cetera. But they do have Crimea, and they apparently are not going to give it back. So that's where we are.
And that could be one lesson that they are taking. But I think this is different. You know, this is a very big massed army on the border with Ukraine, and a real showdown. You'd have to say Crimea happened more quickly, more unexpectedly. And it was certainly less of a military operation.
KINKADE: Yes. So, in terms of U.S. lessons, what did the U.S. learn from the annexation of Crimea?
DOUGHERTY: Well, again, I'd say the same thing, you know, that it if -- they were not prepared. They didn't really quite respond to it. They couldn't stop it, and they have to live with it. But this is something else. You have the United States, European allies, NATO and others who have joined together to make it very clear that this if Russia does take military action, there will be severe consequences. We've heard this over and over again.
But this is really much more of a showdown. And it is a major show of force from the Russians, a military show of force, but from the west, so far, a diplomatic based on sanctions, but it could be military too. Because just look at today, where the United States and NATO agreed to let the Baltic countries provide military weapons to Ukraine. So things are happening, United States getting $200 million more to Ukraine for military equipment. So it is I think, you know, again, where they go with this is unclear, but I think it is a much bigger operation.
KINKADE: Yes, certainly as we will be watching those talks between the U.S. and Russia very closely later today. Jill Dougherty as always. Good to get your perspective. Thanks so much.
DOUGHERTY: Thanks Lynda.
KINKADE: Well, shipments of desperately needed water on their way to Tonga following that catastrophic volcanic eruption and tsunami. The Australian military ship Adelaide is now headed to Tonga, while planes and vessels from Japan and New Zealand are set to arrive Friday and deliver water desalination plants, among other relief suppliers.
The eruption and tsunami waves polluted water sources across Tonga creating water shortages. But the nation's top lawmaker told us a bit earlier that Tonga is already working to get back on its feet.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LORD FAKAFANUA, SPEAKER, TONGA LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY: There is a sense of optimism there's a sense of cleanup and recovery. People are out on the streets, sweeping volunteering their time to clear the runway so that if was planes can land and bring support and humanitarian aid.
People are trying to move on. Right now they need water and food. T here's no access to the water that we collect on the roof because of the ash fall contaminating the water source and tanks. Right now, people are just trying to get by and get back to work. Banking services are very limited. I hear there's only one ATM operating.
KINKADE: Well, Blake Essig is monitoring this situation and joins us now from Tokyo. And Blake, it's hard to believe it's almost a week since that intensely powerful volcano. Thankfully, those some aid is now arriving and more as expected in the coming days.
BLAKE ESSIG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You know, as you said, Lynda, international aid started arriving yesterday and today international call services have at least partially been restored in Tonga's main island of Tongatapu and one other island. Of course, Tonga is made up of more than 170 islands, its population of about 100,000. People is spread out over 36 of those islands.
So, while we are starting to get a clearer picture of the devastation caused by the volcanic eruption and tsunami, there's still a lot we don't know.
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ESSIG (voice-over): This is what it looks like now on Tonga's main island, fallen trees, homes destroyed agriculture ruined and ash covering just about everything. For several days, Tonga was essentially cut off from the rest of the world because of asphalt and damaged communication lines. After a massive volcanic eruption and tsunami, created an unprecedented disaster in the South Pacific.
[02:15:03]
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Water is the most (INAUDIBLE) right now?
ESSIG: But finally, some good news. With the airport clear to volcanic ash, flights from New Zealand and Australia carrying humanitarian aid and disaster relief were finally able to reach the island nation. And because Tonga has essentially been virus free throughout the pandemic, delivery of supplies was contactless and the aircraft were only on the ground for a short time to avoid creating an outbreak.
FAKAFANUA: Right now that humanitarian aid is arriving, and there were protocols for contactless drop off of cargo. And this is happening at the (INAUDIBLE) at the airport. That whole exchange was already contactless. So I believe, you know, we've had the last two years to practice that. And it'll be no different for the humanitarian aid arriving.
ESSIG: As a result of the volcanic eruption and tsunami, the United Nations says about 84,000 people, that's more than 80 percent of Tonga's population may have been impacted by the disaster and with communication lines still weeks away from being restored.
PITA TAUFATOFUA, TONGAN OLYMPIC ATHELETE: I haven't heard from my father. We have a family home on the main island of Tongatapu right on the water of the lagoon. I've got no idea what's happened to him or to the family home. I'm optimistic.
ESSIG: Some family members living overseas like Tonga's famous Olympic flagbearer are left feeling helpless, unable to check on loved ones.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
ESSIG: Now the shirtless Tongan Olympic flagbearer Pita Taufatofua has started raising funds to help Tango's recover. So far his GoFundMe page has raised nearly $600,000. In terms of international aid, more flights are expected to arrive with supplies, including about 500 tons of bottled water from Japan to help address the water issues. Australia is also sending a naval ship that will help, not only carry humanitarian aid, but also helicopters and small boats to distribute to some of those outer islands, Lynda.
KINKADE: All right. That is good. They are getting some of that helping in the country now. Blake Essig, thanks so much.
Sainiana Rokovucago is the Pacific head of Programs for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. She joins us now from Fiji. Thanks so much for your time.
SAINIANA ROKOVUCAGO, PACIFIC HEAD OF PROGRAMS, IFRC: Thank you, Lynda. KINKADE: So, I understand that a key underwater communication cable that connects Tonga to Fiji is damaged. Repairs not expected to begin until early February. How are you communicating with those on the island right now? And have you been able to find out any more information about casualties?
ROKOVUCAGO: Thank you, Lynda. We finally got to speak to our counterparts on the 19th of this month. And they reported that our team is well. And the support -- they're supporting the current operation that started the day after the disaster. And we're yet to hear any confirmation as we had the team that supporting the main operation on the island. And we also had a few of the volunteers that have travelled with emergency team that has travelled to the island.
So we're still waiting to hear when the casualties, but team have reported that they're supporting on the operation. They're distributing fresh water, and they're also distributing household relief items.
KINKADE: And we did see some aid supplies arrived from New Zealand and Australia which is great. Some of those hopefully have landed and I understand some more ships and aircraft from other countries will arrive in the coming days. What has changed now that that aid is finally arriving?
ROKOVUCAGO: Initially we had planned for -- we had preposition stocks supplies on the island to cater for 1,200 households. And our counterpart had confirm that that is sufficient considering the initial assessment and with the resources that we've been able to mobilize with Australian Red Cross and the New Zealand Red Cross and they have been supported by the government. We've got a ship that's live -- that's on its way to Tonga with water containers tarpaulins, solar lanterns, and shelter kits, which will be all part of what the team will be distributing on the island. So we have -- currently we have enough supplies that they're able to distribute and this will be to replenish what they actually distributed.
KINKADE: This volcano at the eruption was so powerful that experts are saying it's the biggest eruption the world has seen in 30 years. We've seen some of the satellite images and some of the images from those flights that have that have landed in the country, it is showing that Ash is smothered multiple islands, obviously, killing some of the agriculture polluting the water supplies.
[02:20:11]
As we spoke about disrupting the electrical infrastructure and cutting off roads, explain for us what will happen in the coming days, in the coming weeks ahead what will be critically needed?
ROKOVUCAGO: As reported by our counterparts the main priority there is water. The volcanic ash fall has affected the drinking water because they collect water tanks and also the main supply which are the borehole. So this have the ash fall and the tidal wave, the salt water from the tidal wave is inundated the water source. So the priority is water at the moment. And we were hearing from our counterparts and it has been confirmed that actually involved in the operation in distributing water, and the tidal wave that followed the eruption did bring in debris which the communities have been able to clean up, and they have been able to clean up their homes, and also the surroundings for movements around the island.
And so our counterparts have reported that the community is actually being born -- been mobilized to assist the government in its effort to clean up and to build back to normalcy.
KINKADE: And just finally, Sainiana, did people on the island have much warning before this volcanic eruption?
ROKOVUCAGO: You know, Lynda, we can account for the preparedness that has happened on the island, you know, with the humanitarian agencies. The Red Cross has been involved in this community preparedness and, you know, with the number -- there were a few casualties that they reported, but, you know, to say that the community was prepared because, you know, they're -- they did hear to the call by the government to move to higher grounds, you know, to move to high ground. So you can say that there was some sort of preparedness, you know, on the island. They had been prepared, you know, and to be able to move in a time where they could move, so we can say that there was a preparedness.
KINKADE: We appreciate your time and all the work your team is doing on the island. We'll have to leave it there for now. Sainiana Rokovucago, thanks so much for your time.
ROKOVUCAGO: Thank you.
KINKADE: Well, still to come, German investigators sreleased their report on sexual abuse allegations against Catholic priests in Munich, with some claims made while former Pope Benedict was the archbishop. That story ahead.
Plus, accusations of blackmail from number 10 Downing Street, aimed at silencing Boris Johnson's critics in Parliament. We'll have the details from London when we return.
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[02:25:09]
KINKADE: Welcome back. A report from German investigators finds that for Pope Benedict XVI failed to act on claims of child abuse when he was Archbishop in Munich. The inquiry looked at allegations going back decades and found hundreds of victims.
Four of the cases occurred during the five years the former Pope was Munich's Archbishop, then known as Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger. Investigators say he did nothing about the abuse. CNN's Vatican correspondent Delia Gallagher has more on the report and the response so far.
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DELIA GALLAGHER, CNN VATAICAN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): This is a massive report running more than 1,800 pages covering about a 75 year time period from 1945 to 2019, looking at cases of sexual abuse in the Archdiocese of Munich. It was just released on Thursday afternoon, and the initial responses from the Vatican and from Pope Emeritus Benedict say they need time to read it and look into the findings.
Cardinal Marx who is the current Archbishop of Munich is also implicated in the report for mishandling two cases of sexual abuse during his tenure. He is a close advisor to Pope Francis. He also gave a brief statement to the press on Thursday saying he would need time to read the report, and he will be holding a press conference next Thursday to discuss it.
This report was commissioned by the Catholic Church in Munich. It was part of their historical reckoning, part of their way of holding themselves accountable for what happened in the past. Reports like this have been going on in diocese throughout the world as part of the Catholic Church's effort at transparency.
This report, of course, all the more important because it does include the years in which the Pope Emeritus was Archbishop of Munich from 1977 to 1982. So now it is up to the Vatican to respond to these findings. We'll see what they have to say in the coming days. Delia Gallagher, CNN, Rome.
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KINKADE: Boris Johnson says he has no knowledge about his staff allegedly trying to bully lawmakers who want him to resign. The British Prime Minister is facing a rebellion within his own party over allegations that his staff held parties during lockdown. The Conservative MP now alleges at Downing Street campaign of intimidation and blackmail to silence the critics. CNN's Nina dos Santos has the latest.
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NINA DOS SANTOS, CNN EUROPE EDITOR (on camera): Just one day after Boris Johnson was urged to leave Downing Street and stepped down as prime minister by a former ally and member of his own ruling conservative party. While there were more allegations leveled against number 10 Downing Street's operation by the form of William Wragg, who is sa senior, a backbencher for the ruling conservative party, somebody who it must be said has been speaking out against Boris Johnson's leadership for some time.
He said that he had witnessed blackmail and intimidatory tactics leveled against him and potentially other colleagues in the party if they spoke out against Boris Johnson. This was what he said. And it did sound quite serious.
WILLIAM WRAGG, BRITISH CONSERVATIVE MP: Reports to me and others, of members of staff at number 10 Downing Street, special advisers, government ministers and others, encouraging the publication of stories in the press, seeking to embarrass those who they suspect of lacking confidence in the Prime Minister. The reports of which I'm aware, would seem to constitute blackmail.
DOS SANTOS: Well, Wragg recommended any colleagues who'd witnessed similar behavior to report it not just to the Speaker of the House of Commons, but also to the police as well. What did Downing Street have to say about this? Well, the prime minister himself was tackled on British television about it. And this is what he said.
BORIS JOHNSON, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: I see no evidence to support any of those allegations. And he's going what I'm focused on is what we're doing to deal with the number one priority of the British people which is a coming through COVID. And we've made enormous progress, thanks to the vaccine rollout fastest in Europe. The booster campaign has enabled us to open up we're moving back to the status quo anti- factor to plan A opening up our economy, got the most open economy in society in Europe.
DOS SANTOS: Well, a lot of this comes ahead of the much anticipated release as early as next week of a report compiled by a senior civil servant into what went on during the so called party gate scandal that has continued to rock Downing Street at a time when there are reportedly numerous allegations of gatherings taking place when people weren't supposed to be meeting up in confined spaces and having fun.
[02:30:00]
It seems as though that may well be what has happened here at number 10. Nina dos Santos, CNN in London.
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KINKADE: Well stood a common scene in NEWSROOM. So far, China has responded to COVID outbreaks with strict lockdowns. But a more recent measure has Animal Rights Activists are up in arms. We'll explain what's happening just ahead.
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KINKADE: You're watching CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Lynda Kinkade. Good to have you with us. Well, Austria is now the first country in Europe to mandate vaccines for all adults. The country's parliament passed a law on Thursday making it compulsory for all residents over the age of 18. It will be enforced beginning March 15 and Violators could face fines of nearly $700.
And in Israel students 18 and under will be required to take home COVID tests twice a week in order to go to school. If they test positive, they'll have to stay home until they recover. And in February, France will start to ease some COVID restrictions, sports, and cultural venues will be allowed to reopen to full capacity, and then later in the month nightclubs, concerts, and bars.
With China's strict zero COVID policy has taken a significant toll on the nation's economy and its people, it's impacting imports into the country and has forced entire neighborhoods to go into lockdown. But it's also taking a troubling toll on animals. We'll have more than, that I'm joined by CNN's Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong. And Kristie, it's quite a distressing story.
KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Especially for animal lovers out there. Look this week, the Hong Kong government issued a call order, a euthanization order for small pets including hamsters over concerns about COVID-19 transmission.
So a CNN team, we went to a culling center, and there we witnessed pet owners surrendering their small pets, as well as, animal welfare volunteers attempting to intercept them to save them and adopt them. The Hong Kong government has since issued a statement saying that it condemns such action and outrage here as you can imagine, is growing.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
STOUT (voiceover): In zero COVID Hong Kong, it's come to this. Owners are surrendering their small pets after a call order from the government over COVID-19 fears, an outrage from animal welfare workers. On Tuesday, the authority said that they will euthanize around 2000 hamsters, rabbits, chinchillas, and guinea pigs over COVID-19 transmission concerns after a worker and 11 hamsters at the Little Boss Pet Shop tested positive for the Coronavirus.
[02:35:00]
STOUT: On Wednesday, Hong Kong authorities strongly advise people who purchase hamsters after December 22, to hand over their pets to be tested and euthanized.
DR. EDWIN TSUI, CONTROLLER, CENTER FOR HEALTH PROTECTION: We can like with the possibility that the shopkeepers ware, in fact, was actually infected from the hamsters.
STOUT: The import of all small animals has been suspended. All Pet Shops selling hamsters have been asked to halt operations until their animals test negative. And around 150 customers of the Little Boss Pet Shop had been sent into quarantine.
We have not seen the transmission of COVID-19 from pets to humans.
VANESSA BARRS, CHAIR PROFESSOR, COMPANION ANIMAL HEALTH AND DISEASE: It's still at this stage in the pandemic. With, you know over several 100 million human cases of COVID, we haven't seen any pet to human transmission.
STOUT: The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the risk of pets spreading the virus to people is low. And many Hong Kong netizens are outraged. Tens of thousands have signed online petitions against the culling of small animals.
One Petitioner writes small animals have lives, please respect these poor lives and stop, making inhumane decisions. Along with a video of his pet a Facebook user posts, I won't hand over my hamster, this government is inhumane. And an artist depicts the Grim Reaper looming over a crying toy pet. Despite the outrage, authorities have continued with the call.
So far, city officials say they have euthanized over 1200 small animals over COVID-19 transmission fears more are expected to be cold by the end of the week.
Mr. Chan, a volunteer from the hamster rescue group says --
MR. CHAN, VOLUNTEER: (Speaking foreign language.)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What I worry the most is the traumatic experience for the children.
STOUT: The hamster rescue group says it intercepted at least a dozen hamsters at a culling center and volunteers plan to adopt them.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
STOUT (on camera): Now, too many here in Hong Kong, the hamsters are seen as the latest casualties of Hong Kong's zero COVID policy. And there's also a lot of concerns out there about whether other pets like dogs and cats could be affected as well. Like I posed that question to Vanessa Barrs, an animal health expert at Sydney University Hong Kong, she said there's no need to be concerned.
She pointed out that Hong Kong was the first place in the world to roll out a dedicated COVID-19 quarantine center for pets for dogs and four cats. And she also emphasized a message once again you cannot catch COVID from your pet. Lynda.
KINKADE: That is good to hear. Kristie Lu Stout for us in Hong Kong, thanks very much. Well, at least 17 people have died and dozens more injured after a huge explosion in western Ghana and Thursday. Officials say it happened when a truck carrying explosives for mining operations collided with a motorbike. The blast appears to have completely leveled one town in western Ghana, trapping people and animals in the rubble underneath collapsed buildings. Police say most of the people have now been rescued and sent to various hospitals. Well, still to come, a teenage pilot breaking records.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ZARA RUTHERFORD, TEENAGE PILOT & RECORD HOLDER: At first, I just wanted to go on this big adventure, but I never thought it'd be possible growing up. I just knew. I thought it was too expensive, too dangerous, too difficult and then I was finishing school and I thought actually this is the perfect time to do something crazy and fly around the world.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: And that is exactly what she did. We'll have details on her months-long adventure after a short break.
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[02:40:00] KINKADE: Very happy family reunion for a young British-Belgium woman. Not even out of her teams, but she has just accomplished a feat that no one her age has ever done. CNN's Hala Gorani reports her aerial adventure was full of challenges.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HALA GORANI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voiceover): A safe landing in Belgium and into the record books. This is 19-year-old Zara Rutherford setting a new world record, the youngest woman to fly solo around the world. Her journey has taken her to more than 30 different countries across five continents, traveling over 50,000 kilometers and all on her own in this tiny plane.
ZARA RUTHERFORD, TEENAGE PILOT & RECORD HOLDER: It's a pretty small plane. I'll show you some of the wings and the back.
GORANI: It is one of the fastest ultralight aircraft in the world, and specially adapted for this trip. Zara took off five months ago in Belgium and her trip has been anything but straightforward.
RUTHERFORD: Mentally, it was a huge challenge, especially flying over, for example, Siberia where it's just extremely remote and very cold so minus outside degrees Celsius and if the engine quits then I am hours from rescue and I don't know how long I can survive.
GORANI: She was stuck in the far east of Russia, riding out bad weather for 41 days in temperatures as low as minus 34 degrees Celsius. Her entire plane had to be de-iced before takeoff. Typhoons forced route changes over the Philippines and heavy smog was almost too much over India.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE) and stay at twelve o'clock in three months.
GORANI: All the while, she navigated both physical and political landscapes.
RUTHERFORD: Right now, I am flying to South Korea, so Russia to South Korea, North Korea is over that way. I'm not allowed to get too close to it because they don't like small airplanes flying around.
GORANI: And not to mention doing all of this in the middle of a global pandemic. But she has made it.
RUTHERFORD: At first, I just wanted to go on an as big adventure but I never thought it'd be possible growing up. I just know. I thought it was too expensive, too dangerous, too difficult and then I was finishing school and I thought actually, this is the perfect time to do something crazy and fly around the world.
GORANI: For the woman who's been flying for as long as she can remember, this is just the beginning. For Zara Rutherford who dreams of becoming an astronaut, even the sky is not the limit. Hala Gorani, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KINKADE: How wonderful. I love that story. Well, I'm Lynda Kinkade, thanks so much for spending part of your day with me. I will be back with much more news in about 15 minutes. For now, WORLD SPORT is next. Stay with us. You're watching CNN.
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[02:45:00]
DON RIDDELL, CNN ANCHOR: Hello there and welcome to WORLD SPORT. I'm Don Riddell at CNN Center. If Novak Djokovic hadn't got tangled up with Australia's Immigration Minister and their COVID policies or if he'd just been vaccinated against the Coronavirus, then he'd likely be storming through the field at the Australian Open right now trying to win the year's first Tennis Major tournament for a tense time.
But, of course, he's not. And in this alternate reality, his sensational deportation became a sliding doors moment for his first- round opponent, fellow Serb, Miomir Kecmanovic. One might have assumed that the world number 77 would have been knocked out in the first round. But Djokovic was gone, and he won and then won again and is still winning.
Having promised to avenge Djokovic and the perceived injustice that he faced gets, Kecmanovic cause an upset by knocking out Lorenzo Sonego On Friday, and he is now the last Serbian player left in the draw. He's never been past the second round of a major, but now he's into the fourth round in Melbourne. What a story this is becoming.
There aren't many former champions left in the field at the Australian Open, just two, in fact, left in the women's draw that is the defending champion, the two-time winner Naomi Osaka and another two- time winner Victoria Azarenka. She loves this tournament.
It's the only Major she's ever won, but it's been a while since she made a run in Melbourne. She hasn't won a match here since 2016 but is looking really good in 2022. On Friday, Azarenka thrashed Elina Svitolina in straight sets. She won the first eight games cruising into the fourth round with victory and just 67 minutes.
The Liverpool Football Club is famously short-handed these days, three of their top stars have been away on international duty at the Africa Cup of Nations. But in their absence, the Reds have still managed to set themselves up for a crack at another trophy. They are into their first Wembley final in six years.
On Thursday night, Liverpool beat Arsenal in the second leg of their League Cup semi-final after a goalless set draws at Anfield last week, Liverpool's Portuguese forward Diogo Jota was on fire with a couple of brilliant goals, clinching a two-nil aggregate win and setting up a big final against Chelsea next month.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid is through to the King's Cup quarterfinal in Spain but only after surviving a huge scare, Carlo Ancelotti's men were trailing one-nil and down to 10 men against the minnows of Elche when Isco scored in extra time, and Real's place in the last eight was only sealed when the forgotten man, Eden Hazard grabbed the winner with five minutes to go.
The Africa Cup of Nations is now heading to the knockout round but the group stage concluded on Thursday with another major upset. Earlier this week, the four-time champions, Ghana, were dumped out now the defending champions, Algeria, are following them home.
Algeria had been disappointing in this tournament in Cameroon, and they had to beat Ivory Coast to stay in but instead, they got hammered. The Ivorians were tuned a lot by halftime, thanks to goals from Franck Kessie and Ibrahim Sangare, and the result was put beyond any doubt with Nicolas Pepe adding a third goal after the break. So despite being one of the favorites at the start of the tournament, Algeria ended up finishing bottom of Group E. They are out.
The group's other game finished in a one-nil win for Equatorial Guinea against Sierra Leone, the only goal coming from Pablo Ganet in the first half. It was a disappointing night for Sierra Leone playing in the African for the first time in more than a quarter of a century. Now, they are going home.
There was both good and bad news for Tunisia in Group F. The good news is that they're through to the knockout round. The bad news is they still can't score penalties and they're going to be paying the best team next as Nigeria. Tunisia have endured the most extraordinary sequence of events, three penalties in three games, three different takers, and they have missed them all.
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RIDDELL: They all so had to play 45 minutes against Gambia with 10 men, and they lost the game right at the death when Ablie Jallow scored the winner for Gambia. And this is where we now go from here, the random 16 will commence on Sunday.
As I mentioned, Nigeria will play Tunisia, the Super Eagles are the only team that has won every game so far. On Monday, the host, Cameroon will take on the plucky tournament debutantes, Comoros. And look out also for the heavyweight clash next Wednesday between Ivory Coast and Egypt. Those two have won nine F cons between them.
There remains a great deal of concern about the Brazilian football legend Pele who has returned to the hospital this week for cancer treatment. Last September, the three-time World Cup winner underwent surgery to remove a colon tumor and the South Paulo clinic said that he was back for two days this week but was discharged on Thursday.
The 81-year-old condition was described as "clinically stable." It has been reported by Sports TV and ESPN that new tumors have been discovered in his intestine, liver, and lung. But the hospital only mentioned treatment for the colon tumor. Pele's business manager neither confirmed nor denied those reports.
Being on the cover of a magazine is a big deal even if you're a successful athlete. The American golfer Danielle Kang says this is what she used to dream of. And when it finally happened, what she did next was absolutely priceless.
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RIDDELL: Welcome back. The first event of the new LPGA season is underway. It's the prestigious tournament of champions at Lake Nona in Florida. Mexico's Gaby Lopez, winner of this event two years ago, is the first-round leader on five under par. But there is a star-studded group tied for second just a stroke behind including the U.S. Open champion Yuka Saso, who chipped in for Eagle at the 14th hole. That was brilliant.
The world number one, Nelly Korda, is also just a stroke off the lead, the Olympic champion picking up where she left off after a stellar 2021. And her sister, Jessica, the defending champion, is one further back at three under.
The world number 10, Danielle Kang, is also just one stroke off the lead and she's loving the game right now. The American golfer fulfilled one of her dreams recently. She's about to tell us all about that. And everybody's dream on tour came true with news of a massive boost in U.S. Open prize money. It's now up to $10 million. She's been chatting with WORLD SPORT'S Patrick Snell.
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DANIELLE KANG, AMERICAN PROFESSIONAL GOLFER: I was honestly speechless and thrilled at the same time. And for ProMedica to be partnering up with the USGA in progressing women's sports in general overall in furthering us in this opportunity, it's incredible because sometimes you just dream about it. So they made our job even a bigger dream and I couldn't have asked for somebody to step up and take that step with us and take that big leap with us and support interest in the women's sports.
PATRICK SNELL, CNN WORLD SPORT: You won the tour's first tournament back after the 2020's 6-month long hiatus due to this pandemic. We still -- we're still facing the ongoing global pandemic, aren't we? And we all have our struggles in life but how have you handled it all especially from a mental health perspective as well?
KANG: My mental health approach is I have to take a step by step and do the best I can and showcase that. I want people to never lose faith and be motivated or do whatever they need to do, whether it's how simple is getting out of bed, to going to work, to looking for new work, whatever it may be.
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KANG: So I think that sports have the power to -- it's the purity to motivate and push people that are watching and or that are supporting. So that's what keeps me going, the fans and then knowing that somehow somewhere I can motivate somebody around the world or help someone get through the day, that helps me keep going as well.
SNELL: I also saw a tweet from you recently. Never forget to dream because you never know when they may come true. Turn us out -- tell us how you've been living the dream and your message of inspiration to others to do the same.
KANG: Well, so a lot of people don't realize that it doesn't have to be as crazy as I want to be. I win 14 majors or 15 majors and the -- nowadays people are so caught up in being the fastest, being the best, being the most iconic, or breaking records. But to be honest, my dream was as simple as one of my goals was to be on the cover of Golf Digest.
I know that may sound kind of trivial for some people, but for me, as a woman golfer to be on the cover of Golf Digest 10 years ago, is something to just actually just fantasize about, and it happened. So you never know. The littlest things that you dreamt about, you never know what it's going to happen as long as you work hard, and you keep pushing towards your -- towards your goals. And for me is to play good golf.
And playing good takes care of a lot of things but sometimes it won't give me things that I even envisioned. But that's OK because when you dream big, sometimes you fall upon things that you never thought you would.
So, me becoming a major champion, me wanting to win the U.S. Women's Open, you never know what that's going to bring next. You never know if that's going to get me on the cover of I don't know, Women's Health mag or you can see yourself -- or at golf.com.
You just walked down the airport and I see myself on the stand and that's something that I only just -- that it didn't even cross my mind. It might have for a lot of other people, but not for me. So it's kind -- it's a kind of incredible for me to see that.
SNELL: I'm just watching this great video of you walking into an airport store there at JFK and signing the front cover of Golf Digest. I guess you could do that, right, because it's you.
KANG: I don't know if I can because I was kind of being very squeamish about it. I just -- I wasn't -- I did it. Well, people don't know what I was looking for. I'm happy that I was lucky to go.
SNELL: Does anyone come up to you and say, hey, what you doing? You've got to buy those now.
KANG: No, but I did buy two magazines for my friends who are unable to find them. And then the cashier asked me if I knew her. And I said, yes, I do and then she said -- I was like why? And she said, well, you're buying two. Normally nobody buys two magazines. So I was wondering I was like, oh yes. She says so you know her? I was like yes, she was. How do you know her? I said she's just a friend.
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RIDDELL: Just a friend. What a fun story. That's for WORLD SPORTS now, thanks for your company. I'm Don Riddell at CNN Center. See you soon.
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