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Connect the World
Flight Follows Normalization Deal Between Israel, UAE; How Will Violence In U.S. Cities Impact Election?; Diplomat Mustapha Adib Designated As Prime Minister; India Passes 64,000 COVID-19 Deaths, Third Most In World; Using Tech To Protect The Amazon; Jared Kushner In UAE To Lead U.S.- Israeli Delegation. Aired 11a-12p ET
Aired August 31, 2020 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[11:00:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN Abu Dhabi, this is CONNECT THE WORLD with Becky Anderson.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL HOST: This hour the Senior Adviser and son-in-law of the American President thanking Saudi Arabia for allowing him
to fly over the Kingdom's air space on a direct flight to Abu Dhabi from Tel Aviv on an Israeli jet. We are connecting a world on a day many thought
we would never see.
So, indeed, right now Donald Trump's main man on the Middle East is here in Abu Dhabi after an historic journey direct from Israel. You are looking at
Senior White House Adviser Jared Kushner on the first ever commercial flight between Israel and United Arab Emirates.
Kushner praised Saudi Arabia for allowing the plane to cross through its air space, the first time ever for Israeli Airline Alal. Sources say
Kushner hopes Israeli officials can convince other Arab leaders to attend a White House ceremony to mark the legalization deal between Israel and the
UAE. Look at this.
On the side of the jet, you can see the word peace translated into Arabic and Hebrew Salam and Shalom a viable goal, just a wing and a prayer. Well,
Kushner himself is optimistic take a listen, but to a warning, the roar of the jet is a tad overpowering.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JARED KUSHNER, SENIOR WHITE HOUSE ADVISER ON MIDDLE EAST: I bring greetings from President Trump to greet the people of the United Arab Emirates. We
just completed a truly historic flight, the first ever commercial flight from Israel to Arab world country. This will hopefully be the first of
many.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Oren Liebermann was part of what was a select group of journalists on that flight. He is now here in Abu Dhabi and how was the
mood on that flight, Oren?
OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Optimistic, excited. It was a big moment not only for Alal but also for Israel and for the United Arab
Emirates. You heard it in the statements from those who spoke at this. You heard it from Jared Kushner, Meir Ben Shabbat he is the Head of the Israeli
National Security Council and you heard it from Robert O'Brien the Head of the National Security Adviser in the United States.
This is a big moment. The last time there was an agreement of this nature between Israel and Arab state was in 25 years ago between Israel and
Jordan. So this has been a long time coming, a long time in works behind the scenes with the relationships, the covert relationships between Israel
and the United Arab Emirates.
But now you see all of that come to fruition. Now you see all of that come to light and that is what Kushner was so keen to highlight as were the
other speakers. Making it not only the historic moment between Israel and the UAE, but they're painting this as part of something bigger, a changing
Middle East hoping to get other countries to normalize relations and begin that process as soon as possible.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KUSHNER: This is a historic flight. We hope that this will start an even more historic journey for the Middle East and beyond. I prayed yesterday at
the wall that Muslims and Arabs from throughout the world will be watching this flight, recognizing that we are all children of God and that the
future does not have to be predetermined by the past.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LIEBERMANN: For all of the enormity of this day and for everything that happened today, there are some questions that won't get away from this day,
and that is three separate and specific issues. First, there is always the question of annexation. Is Israel still going to annex parts of the West
Bank?
The UAE made it clear when they announce this deal, that the stopping of annexation was part of this. Kushner when speaking to us said that
annexation had been suspended and right now both Israel and the United States were focusing on this agreement that is between Israel and the
United Arab Emirates.
But Kushner was keen to point out as was Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the Trump Administration's vision for peace is what they still intend
to work on and that plan still calls for Israel annexation of some 30 percent of the West Bank.
[11:05:00]
LIEBERMANN: The other question here, specifically for the United Arab Emirates, will it get the Lockheed Martin F-35, the latest American fighter
jet? They've said that they hope this makes it easier. Kushner has suggested it would.
But Israel has made it clear in the past at least that it object. Now from the statements we heard both from Kushner and others it seems that process
is moving forward, and as long as it continues to do so unimpeded, the impression we got from those we spoke with is that the UAE is on its way to
F-35s.
And then, of course, the bigger question in the region, as it has been for so many years, where are the Palestinians in all of this? And it seems
Kushner was more than happy to move on without them on this case. He views the administration's vision for peace here as their chance to get back on
board if they want to come back to the table.
But he also made it clear that they're ready to move on with the United Arab Emirates and essentially anyone else who is ready to normalize
relations. That will now be the key challenge. Can they build on this momentum, the momentum between Israel and the UAE working on agreements in
science, technology, health, finance and other areas and get other countries to follow the lead, or will, at this point, the UAE be standing
on its own? Becky?
ANDERSON: Oren Liebermann is here in Abu Dhabi. CNN's Sam Kylie was at the airport as the delegation arrived from Israel.
SAM KILEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: This is a terrific moment for Jared Kushner, a moment for the Trump Administration to Trump
it, a diplomatic breakthrough, a symbolic moment of the normalization of the relationship between the United Arab Emirates and Israel, with the Star
of David flying alongside the emirate flag.
But for the Palestinians, this is not a moment to put history behind them; this is a moment that they say represents nothing short of a total
betrayal. Many critics of this deal are asking what it is that the emirates really got in return for normalizing relations.
The emirates have said well they're keeping the two-state solution alive by slaving the Israelis to suspend their plans of annexation large chunks of
the West Bank. But critics are saying that that suspension is not permanent, Benjamin Netanyahu has made that very clear that it could happen
in the future.
But ultimately also the emirates are saying that they at least now will have a voice with the Israelis, they will have the opportunity to affect
Israeli policy in the future, and above all, they want to do business. They want to do military business.
They want to get involved in buying more and more capacity for the Israelis to surveil the population. All of that IT energy that's been bottled up in
Israel, they want a part of.
ANDERSON: Yes, Sam at the airport is away from there now and has more on who gains what of course going forward? It would be easy to see today's
events clearly through the prism of the Trump Administration, a foreign policy win for Donald Trump in the run-up to the elections.
There is certainly merit in that narrative, Sam, but to do that would be to minimize the historic nature of what we have witnessed today. Let's start
there. This flight and this accord between Israel and the UAE just do explain the context here why this is such an historic step?
KILEY: Well, since the Israeli occupation of the West Bank in 1967, arguably before then, but certainly since 1967, the Gulf nations that were
coming - being born in the modern sense over that same sort of period have made it an absolutely center point of their international relations, that
they would not normalize relations with the Jewish state until there was freedom for the Palestinians in a Palestinian state living side by side in
peace with Israel on the West Bank, and of course, on the Gaza strip.
That was the basis for the pan Arab Saudi propels now nearly 20 years ago that formed the basis of the philosophy behind this whole attitude coming
out of the Arab Middle East. Now the reality is, certainly in the view of many Palestinians over the years.
And frankly as the generations of - younger generations have taken over in the Gulf nations, they've gotten bored, frankly, with the lip service
toward the Palestinian cause. They want to get more involved, perhaps, in the real politics, the real diplomacy from the emirate position.
They can now exercise influence with the Israelis, they can put perhaps the Palestinian perspective but they're also as I was saying there at the
airport, very keen to do business on a military and technological, agricultural and cultural front.
All of that fitting in very neatly with the Kushner/Trump idea that the Palestinians in particular have to put history behind them but of course,
they're not, in reality, talking about history Palestinians.
[11:10:00]
KILEY: They're talking about what is life like in the present as a consequence of what has happened to them historically. The Palestinians
seem to have been - at least the leadership there have not really galvanized much energy in objecting either to the major Trump deal that was
proposed under Jared Kushner or, indeed, to this normalization with the relationship between Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Abu Dhabi.
It will be very interesting to see what happens next in terms of other Arab nations around the world, around the Middle East, rather, and whether they,
too, believe that the time has come to move things on? I think this is a sort of toe in the water f you, if you like, for many other Arab nations,
Becky.
ANDERSON: Yes. Sam Kiley in Abu Dhabi thank you, Sam. While President Trump is brokering peace deals abroad, some say he is stoking violence at home.
Let me take you through the tale of two cities, Portland in Oregon and Kenosha in Wisconsin both erupting in protests over racial injustice and
police brutality.
Let's start with Portland where tension has been seething between Democrats and the president since the shooting of George Floyd three months ago. One
person was shot and killed in this weekend's protests. We saw President Trump praising a caravan of his supporters, great patriots after they
clashed with protesters there.
The president on Twitter called Portland's Mayor incompetent and a fool, threatening to send in the National Guard. The Mayor pushing back says he
is still willing to work with Mr. Trump. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TED WHEELER (D), PORTLAND, OREGON MAYOR: He's classic Trump. Mr. President, how can you think that a comment like that, if you're watching this, is in
any way helpful? It's an aggressive stance, it is not collaborative. I certainly reached out, I believe in a collaborative manner, by saying
earlier that you need to do your part and I need to do my part and then we both need to be held accountable.
Let's work together. Wouldn't that be a message? Donald Trump and Ted Wheeler working together to help move this country forward.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: So why the accusations, then, that the U.S. President will be happy to see such chaos? Well, more on that in a moment. On Tuesday
President Trump set to visit Kenosha, even though Wisconsin's Governor is pleading with him not to come.
In a statement the White House said, "President Trump looks forward to visiting on Tuesday and helping this great city heal and rebuild". The
state's Lieutenant Governor explains why he is not welcome.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MANDELA BARNES, WISCONSIN LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR: You look at the incendiary remarks that the president has made, they centered an entire convention on
creating more animosity and creating more division around what's going on in Kenosha?
So I don't know how given any of the previous statements that the president made that he intends to come here to be helpful. And we absolutely don't
need that right now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, the U.S. President supporters say that he effectively wants to see himself framed as the law and order candidate. This is certainly
what his outgoing Senior Counsel, Kellyanne Conway, had to say late last week.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KELLYANNE CONWAY, COUNSELOR TO PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: There was a quote today from a Restaurateur in Wisconsin saying, are you protesters trying to
get Donald Trump re-elected? He knows. And I guess Mayor Pete knows that the more chaos anarchy and vandalism and violence remain. The barred is for
the very clear choice on who is best on public safety and law and order?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, Joe Biden heavily criticizing Mr. Trump's law and order approach. Who will win the day? That means Election Day, of course, which
is just 64 days away. Let's bring in CNN's Master of the political polls the Wizard Oz Mr. Harry Enten. New polling Harry we're getting all of us
looks at data collected after the conventions. What does that data show at this point?
HARRY ENTEN, CNN POLITICS SENIOR WRITER: Yes, I mean, look Becky, its limited data, but we do know that coming out of the conventions, it does
not seem like President Trump got a bounce out of those conventions.
We can see that pretty well and then ABC News IPSOS polls that measured the candidates' favorability. And what we see is now that Donald Trump's
favorable rating stands at 31 percent before the convention it was 35 percent.
[11:15:00]
ENTEN: It's in fact Biden who got the bounce in that data. And more than that if you were to look at the horse race data between Biden and Trump and
compare it where we were four years ago between Clinton and Trump, what we see is that Biden not only has a wider lead, he is up by point but also
that he is over the 50 percent mark, a mark that Clinton never reached.
So it does indicate at least at this time with the limited data that Biden is holding his lead and is in a stronger position than Clinton was four
years ago.
ANDERSON: It is, though, the swing states that matter, right?
ENTEN: Yes. Yes, you know obviously it's this swing states that matter. We have an Electoral College here. You have to get to 270 electoral votes and
you can look at the five closest swing states from 2016.
Essentially Joe Biden needs to win at least two of these that includes Florida, three if it doesn't, and what we see is that Joe Biden does hold
the lead in all of the five closest swing states that Trump won in 2016, though it should be pointed out that, A, this data is limited from the
post-convention time period, and B, it is a closer race than we see nationally though with Biden still ahead.
ANDERSON: We've got, what, about two months ago before Election Day. I know that you say that these early polls are more meaningful this year why?
ENTEN: The clear reason why is that more Americans say they're going to vote early by mail than in any year prior, and what we know is that ballots
are already going to start getting sent out to important battleground states in 2020.
North Carolina it is going to be sent out on September 4th. That is this week when the first ballots are getting sent out, and it's not just North
Carolina, there are a slew of states from Pennsylvania to Michigan, these important great lake battleground states where the ballots are going to
start getting sent out this month.
So Trump, he does have time to turn it around but that time perhaps is more limited than you might think given that the Election Day is not until
November.
ANDERSON: All right. Well, a lot of folks still seem to be thinking that Joe Biden is going to lose despite this current data. What do you make of
that?
ENTEN: Yes, this is so fascinating, right? I talk with so many people and they go, oh, I don't trust the polls, they were wrong last time. And so
then they sort of dismiss the polls, and in fact, by a 5-point margin Americans nationwide believe that Trump is going to win.
Well, here's what I would say. Back in 2018, Americans dismissed the polls that were showing Democrats are going to take back the House, and, in fact,
they did take back the House. Look, Becky, polls have margins of error. They're not perfect we still have two months ago but they are scientific,
and I would rather rely on something scientific than my own intuition which to be perfectly honest is not that great.
I follow the numbers. The numbers say Biden is ahead, and I suggest to folks following the race, it's wiser to follow the polls than to pull
something out of thin air.
ANDERSON: Fascinating. Have a listen to what once Democrat lover turned Trump supporter has to say about why he switched aisles?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I voted Democrat my whole life. I voted Obama both terms. I voted for Hillary in 2016 and then I just had this wake-up call,
because the left is angry and hostile.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Your thoughts?
ENTEN: Look, there is, you know, some portion of the electorate that feels that way. 4 percent of Clinton voters say they're voting for Trump this
time around but that is very small portion. There are a ton or at least more Trump supporters from 2016 who say they're going to vote for Joe Biden
this time around, but the fact is most voters are going to vote for the same party they did in 2016.
What we're really looking at, Becky, is this sliver of voters. Biden just needs to pick up a few extra Trump voters from 2016 and he'll win. At this
point the polls indicate that he will. But, of course, with two months to go we'll just have to wait and see.
ANDERSON: Absolutely. Before you go, sir, I know you like questions out of the blue, so here is a final polling quiz for you. It is multiple choice -
you're favorite.
ENTEN: Oh, yes.
ANDERSON: Even better, there is no sampling error here and the results are immediate. Harry, who is your favorite CNN Anchor and it can't be Chris
Cuomo, right?
ENTEN: It can't be. It's you, Becky, of course obviously. Come on, that's the easiest question in the world. That's like me asking my mother who her
favorite child is. She'll actually say both of us, but I'm going to pick you because you have me on the air right now and I just don't want to get
in trouble.
ANDERSON: Good lad. All right, we'll have you on again for the next two months.
ENTEN: Thanks.
ANDERSON: Ahead on the show, political upheaval in Lebanon. More on the man set to become the nation's next Prime Minister. How he is promising to lead
the country out of crisis? And the world passes 25 million cases of Coronavirus. Some are asking if we should speed up the vaccine approval
process. I will discuss that with one of CNN's medical experts.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:20:00]
ANDERSON: Well, nearly a month since a deadly blast rocked Beirut and only hours before the French President returns to Lebanon, Parliament designated
a new Prime Minister Mustapha Adib. Mr. Adib Ambassador to Germany until now made his acceptance speech and then headed to two neighborhoods heavily
damaged by the deadly explosion on August 4th.
After months of protest over corruption and a tanking economy, that blast was the final straw for much of the public. Thousands demanded that the
government resign, and it did. On September 1st, Lebanon marks 100 years since the country established a greater Lebanon.
You see President Macron visiting in the days after the Beirut blast; he is set to return in the next hour for that anniversary. But he is also calling
on the international community to step in or risk yet another civil war in Lebanon.
Well, joining me now from Beirut Associated Press Correspondent Sarah El Deeb who covers Lebanon as well as Sarah. And it is good to have you on.
Let's talk about the day's news firstly. What can you tell us about Mustapha Adib?
SARAH EL DEEB, ASSOCIATED PRESS CORRESPONDENT: Thanks for having me, Becky. Well, he was designated as Prime Minister this morning after a surprise
agreement among the different political leaders last night, that he should be their choice for Prime Minister.
It was quick, it was swift and it was also most unexpected. These things usually take a lot of time. In Lebanon there was a lot of bickering and
disagreement among the different political leaders. But it also conveyed a sense of urgency and it also came, like you said, hours before the French
President arrived, or is due to arrive.
He is Lebanon's Ambassador to Germany. He's relatively young compared to many in the political leadership in Lebanon, and he's not a stranger to the
political life in Lebanon, either. He's a Former Adviser to a Former Prime Minister in Lebanon and he has worked on election laws before, he's worked
on reform of security in the sector.
He's a law professor. So he's somebody - and he was Chief of the Cabinet for a year, at least, in 2011. So he's familiar to the political class. The
agreement around appointing him happened last night, and like you were saying, it was just before Macron arrived, and we were not - we had not
foreseen this happening.
ANDERSON: Let me ask you this, because I want to talk about Emmanuel Macron arriving in the next hour in a moment.
[11:25:00]
ANDERSON: Adib needed the backing of most of the Parliamentary blocks that's how politics works in Lebanon, including Iran's backed Hezbollah and
the Saudi backed - the party of the Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri. Just how significant was that backing?
EL DEEB: it's a very good question in the context, given the context. Usually it's a very difficult process. But what happened also is that Adib
received the backing of the Sunni leaders, the Former Prime Ministers as it were. And this is a political cover that's necessary.
As you know Becky, the Prime Minister in Lebanon, according to the power sharing secretary in agreement, has to come from the ranks of the Sunni
Muslim community. So he received the backing of the Former Prime Ministers, and that was also a surprise, because they came together and they named
him.
And we had heard other names before that were not agreed to or accepted by the other groups that he named, such as the Iran-backed Hezbollah group or
the other political players in the country. So the fact that he had the backing of the Former Prime Ministers was interesting, and it's a
significant cover.
I think it is also in the context, given the amount of demands for change and the people's case in which the political leadership has been running in
Lebanon for decades, I think this was not necessarily a very welcomed consensus or agreement.
I think there is a lot of demand for changes, and many people saw the fact that he was a quick consensus candidate by the political leaders that most
people are demanding to see go was also casting a little bit of a shadow of doubt on how much of agent of change the new Prime Minister is if we're
talking about the dimension of Lebanon's problems?
ANDERSON: Let's just play some sound from Mustapha Adib after accepting the nomination. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MUSTAPHA ADIB, LEBONESE PRIME MINISTER-DESIGNATE: In these hard times that our nation is going through, there is no time for talking and promises. It
is time to work with the cooperation of everyone in order to heal our country and bring back hope to our people for a better future, because all
Lebanese are extremely worried about the present and the future.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: He says there is no time for talking, no time for promises and wishes. Clearly his intention is to get on with things. And this is all
happening, of course, ahead of the French President's visit today, who has said, if we, and I quote him here, abandon Lebanon, there will be civil
war.
There will be those that will accuse the French President of failing to acknowledge the role that the French played a century ago in establishing
the power-sharing sectarian system that has completely failed the Lebanese people, and his critics will say the very reason that the country stands on
the brink your thoughts?
EL DEEB: I think, like you said, his visit was welcomed and criticized all at once. But I think, again, given the severity of the situation in
Lebanon, and not only a threat of the brink of civil war but the brink of bankruptcy and a brink of social increased poverty and increased
unemployment and hyperinflation.
I think there was a sense that his visit indicated a sense of seriousness about the level of international commitment or international interest in
getting things done in Lebanon. If left to their own devices, the Lebanese politicians can take a really long time to agree on things, to find
consensus, to work out power-sharing deals behind closed doors that can drag on for months, if not years.
We were at one point without a president for two years because there was no consensus among the political leadership. So I think, yes, there was a bit
of mixed feeling about Macron's visit to Lebanon, but the fact that Mustapha Adib was named overnight in a surprise agreement was a way to talk
about something with the French President when he comes.
Not only did he say he would not leave Lebanon alone, but he told French reporters I believe that he said he's going to try to work something out
when he's here. That's also what this thing is, is the hundred million dollar question.
[11:30:00]
EL DEEB: But he wants to have - he wants to at least appear to have that hand on. And I think for many people in Lebanon who are again fed up and a
little mistrustful of their leadership, this was not completely unappreciated.
ANDERSON: I understand, and your analysis is excellent. It is what he wants to achieve. He talked about a political pact, didn't he, when he was there
a month or so ago. It's what he wants to leave, as it were, after this trip which will be the $64 million question and that we will report on as and
when we get the information.
For the time being, Sarah, it is really good to have you on, and we know on the streets of Lebanon, of course, men and women and children are just
getting on with rebuilding their city. They are not waiting for the politicians to get their act together. They do not trust them. Sarah, thank
you.
When we come back, 25 million cases of COVID-19 worldwide could a vaccine be coming sooner than expected? Plus, football clubs looking to scoop up
Lionel Messi may want to think twice. The Spanish league says he comes with a hefty - get this $833 million release clause more on the megastar's
latest potential move to leave Barcelona up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: As we watch the number of new COVID cases tick ever higher, it is sometimes easy to forget that every one of those numbers is a human life,
someone who has to deal with being ill and the fear of knowing that this disease can be fatal.
According to Johns Hopkins University, the global number of Coronavirus cases has now topped 25 million, and the W.H.O. says 90 percent of the
nations on earth have experienced disruptions in regular health services due to hospitals and doctors dealing with COVID. The United States is
poised to hit 6 million Coronavirus cases. It just took three weeks for the U.S. to add a million cases.
The Head of the Food and Drug Administration in the U.S. now tells the "Financial Times" he would be willing to approve a vaccine before phase 3
trials are complete, and White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx said that while she is hopeful for a vaccine, Americans have
the power to help control the spread right now.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. DEBORAH, WHITE HOUSE CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE COORDINATOR: Don't wait for the vaccine to do the right thing. Do the right thing today, because if we
do the right thing today we go into the fall with much fewer cases.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[11:35:00]
ANDERSON: In India, another grim reality as the country passes Mexico with the third most COVID-19 deaths, with more than 64,000 - U.S and Brazil have
more. In India now seeing more new cases every day than any other nation in the world, CNN's Vedika Sud has more.
VEDIKA SUD, CNN REPORTER: India had surpassed 364,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19. It is also reported almost 75,000 new infections on a daily basis
for the last five days. While India has the third highest number of cases across the world, it has also reported the third highest number of
confirmed deaths after the U.S. and Brazil.
According to India's Health Ministry India's fatality rate stands at less than 2 percent, medical experts say, one reasons for the surge in COVID-19
numbers in India is aggressive testing. India has tested over 42 million samples as of Monday morning.
The next phase of easing restrictions starts from the 1st of September. Metro rail services will resume from the 7th of September, but this will be
in a graded manner. Here in India's Capital, New Delhi, over 1.5 million people use the metro rail services.
According to India's Health Ministry, 43 percent of India's COVID-19 numbers are from three states, the western state of Maharashtra and the
southern states of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Vedika Sud, CNN, New Delhi.
ANDERSON: Well, let's bring in CNN's Senior Medical Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen. Let's talk vaccinations to begin with. In the United States, the
Head of the FDA, Elizabeth, says its agency could consider authorizing a COVID-19 vaccine before phase 3 trials are complete.
That and other government statements have had some prominent physicians calling for an independent review of vaccine applications in addition to
the FDA. What do these doctors want, and why do they think it's necessary?
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Becky, there have been so many statements that have made the public nervous. You mentioned one of
them. For example, last week, I think you and I talked about how in the United States the government with the CDC, the Centers for Disease Control,
said, oh, we don't need to test people necessarily if they don't have symptoms, even if they've been in close contact with someone who has COVID.
If you don't have symptoms, you don't necessarily need to be tested. Things like that, that are highly questionable, highly debatable, raising a lot of
skepticism and a lot of hesitation in the U.S., people in the U.S. are not so excited about getting this vaccine. CNN polling shows that 40 percent of
Americans don't want to get it when it comes out.
And so, that is making a group of very prominent doctors, not doctors on the fringe, doctors at Harvard, doctors at New York University, doctors at
the University of North Carolina say, you know what, we need an independent body to review the vaccine data before it's allowed on the market, or else
Americans are going to say, well, the FDA, we don't trust them, anyhow so there is a feeling that there needs to be another layer for Americans to
trust the outcome, Becky?
ANDERSON: In his defense Stephen Hahn says he will consult his FDA Advisory Committee which has numerous independent vaccine experts on it. So the
question then remains, why do these doctors want more than that, Elizabeth?
COHEN: Because they're concerned, they say these experts that are part of this FDA advisory committee are independent, but they say there are couple
issues here. One, they're part of an FDA Advisory Committee, and just being sort of under that rubric will make many Americans suspicious of them.
Also that same Advisory Committee has folks who work for pharmaceutical companies, have folks who work for the U.S. government. And so, they feel
like it's a little tainted. Whether or not people should feel that way is another question, but the honest answer is that people in the United States
are more skeptical than ever. They're not feeling very trusting. And so, anything connected to the government makes people a little bit hesitant.
ANDERSON: Yes, fascinating. All right, a recent CDC report shows that 94 percent of the people who died from COVID had underlying health conditions.
Now, that begs two questions. What do we mean by "Underlying health conditions"?
And it does make you wonder, the flu kills an estimated half a million people a year, and we're approaching flu season. How many of those who die
of the flu every year die because of their underlying health conditions? Do you get my point here?
[11:40:00]
COHEN: Yes, so let's take a step back, actually, and take a look at the CDC report. The CDC folks just looked at death certificates and found that 94
percent of them listed something other than COVID. COVID and obesity, COVID and renal failure, COVID and hypertension, it is unclear to me whether
these things existed before people had COVID or after. Obviously the obesity existed before, but when I see renal failure or success, it makes
me wonder.
So, did they have COVID and that put them in renal failure, and so, the doctor rightfully put both on the death certificate. It is unclear. I think
the bottom line here is that, we know that people with underlying conditions, whether it's obesity or hypertension or diabetes, are more
likely to die of COVID than people who are completely healthy.
Having said that, there are sadly many, many people who were completely healthy that did die of COVID. Now to get to your question about the flu,
it's the same thing. You are more likely to die and have complications of the flu if you have other serious medical conditions.
But, as we report every year, many, many people do die of the flu that were completely healthy beforehand, whether it's children or adults. So the
bottom line for both of these is everyone should be concerned about getting these diseases, whether you're healthy or not, and in the case of flu, you
can actually do something about it.
You can actually get a flu shot. Here in the U.S., they are currently available and there is a push to get more people to get the flu shot
because not enough people do in the United States.
ANDERSON: Finally, the argument goes, you can't lockdown forever, but when you don't lock down, it blows up in your face. We've seen that in the
states and we've seen that once again across Europe and elsewhere. So is our only solution, a vaccine or risk total bust at this point?
COHEN: Right. I think the approach according to all the experts I've talked to the approach to getting us out of this mess is going to be multi-
factorial, more than one thing. Obviously a vaccine would be great. There are many that are being tested now. We don't know if any of those are going
to work and how well they will work.
It is possible that we're going to get a vaccine that's only, say, and 50 percent effective. That likely is not going to get us out of this pandemic.
And we're testing more and more of them, but it could take months and months to get one that works any better than that.
So, we have to see what ends up happening, what ends up going out on the market. But there are other things we can look at. A good treatment, a good
therapeutic would be enormously helpful. If we knew that if someone got sick with COVID, that there was a really good treatment that had an
excellent chance of getting them better that would really be a game changer.
And, of course, all the steps that we can take such as wearing masks and doing social distancing, those can also go a long way. It's not going to be
just one thing that gets us out of this.
ANDERSON: Elizabeth Cohen is in the house. It's always a pleasure. Thank you.
COHEN: Thanks.
ANDERSON: Well, skipping out on the Coronavirus test, playing a huge role in a huge sports story. La Liga says Lionel Messi's contract with Barcelona
is still valid. Now that news comes just days after the Argentine footballers' shock demand to leave the club shook up the world of sports.
Well, is now another stunning development? On Sunday, Messi's teammates arrived in Barcelona for a mandatory pre-season COVID-19 testing. But after
failing to show up, the Spanish football governing body says if Messi wants to leave Barcelona, it would cost - get this - $833 million. That figure is
based on a release clause.
All eyes are now on the premier league's Manchester City which appears to be the favorite to sign him, but would they foot the hefty bill to gain the
superstar? Of course, Messi has won every major title with Barca, the only club that he's played for.
His hopes for a clean split with the team remain up in the air. His contract ends at the end of this coming season. The big shake-up comes
after Barcelona is crushing quarterfinal loss in the champions' league a few weeks ago.
We're following that story, and then we get more of course we will bring it to you. All right, coming up here on "Connect the World" Amazon tribes
enlisting the help of technology to help protect their land from deforestation in Brazil, a "Call to Earth" is next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:45:00]
ANDERSON: "Call to Earth" is a call to action for the environment to share solutions to critical issues like global warming, like deforestation or
plastic waste. It is a long term priority for all of us at CNN to work with you, our audience, to drive awareness and inspire change so that we can all
engineer a sustainable future.
Now, in this week's report, how indigenous communities in the Amazon are using new tools to protect their land fighting deforestation from the
ground up? Have a look at this.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Amazon tribes are learning to use technology to help protect their land from the impact of deforestation by illegal loggers and
land grabbers in Brazil.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
AWAPY URU-EU-WAU-WAU, MEMBER OF THE URU-EU-WAU-WAU TRIBE: Nature for us is the life of the Indian. We don't want to see the jungle chopped down. If
you chop it all down, it will definitely be harder and there won't be a river or hunting or pure air for us.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: 28 year old Awapy uru-eu-wau-wau is one of a new generation learning to use drones to detect deforestation, is part of a
training program for indigenous communities and others who work in forest protection run by the world wildlife fund and local NGO, the -
Environmental Defense Association.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We really accept the technology - and pretty quickly start to use it.
FELIPE SPINA AVINO, SENIOR CONSERVATION ANALYST: We know that in Brazil, the government doesn't have all the resources needed to protect the Amazon.
It's very important that they are a part of this process.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Awapy's tribe that over Uru-Eu-Wau-Wau first came into contact with people from outside their community in the early 1980s, their
land is a protected area of almost 7,000 square miles of rainforest in the Brazilian state of --.
An increase in a legal deforestation and force fires is threatening their indigenous way of life, destroying the force they depend on for growing and
gathering food and for clean air and water.
Adam - Awapy and his team use the drones to find undocumented areas of deforestation, collecting high resolution images, video and mapping data to
use as evidence when reporting illegal activities to the authorities.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Look at the size of the deforested area here, it's huge. We think they join up here too; there is no end to it.
JESSICA WEBB, SENIOR MANAGER FOR GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT: The key is not to think of the technology, of course, as a silver bullet, but it's carrying that
tool along with indigenous knowledge that makes it so much more powerful. Having an intricate history and understanding of, you know, what are the
areas that are most important to protect? Where are their roots that animals passed, they need to be --.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Keeping the force and tact is crucial to protecting the rich biodiversity of this Amazon region, home to offer 180 species of
mammals and more than 600 species of birds. It is also vital to the state's water supply.
[11:50:00]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
IVANEIDE BANDEIRA, FOUNDER KANINDE ETHNO-ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE ASSOCIATION: Water from there irrigates all the fields outside of it. It irrigates the
soil, the pastures. If you destroy the water, you are destroying your economy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: For his work protecting the forest, Awapy says he has faced death threats from land grabbers and a legal logger, but he is
determined with the help of this technology to continue the fight for future generations.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
AWAPY: My hope is that while I'm alive, I want to see the jungle standing and the jungle intact. That is my hope.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: And we will continue showcasing inspirational stories like this as part of the initiative at CNN. Let us know what you are doing to answer
the call with the #calltoearth. We will be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: White House Senior Advisor, Jared Kushner led a U.S. Israeli delegation to Abu-Dhabi today on historic flight from Tel Aviv in Israel.
It was the first Israeli commercial flight from the country to UAE.
And the flight carrying top U.S. and Israeli government officials, was allowed to fly through Saudi-Arabian airspace, cutting flight time down to
three hours from a projected seven hours had they not been given permission by Riyadh.
It is an historic first as part of the deal normalizing relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates. And there will be more to come as
Israel and the UAE gets down to business, quite literally.
But on the diplomatic front, there are some really interesting twists and turns here. CNN's International Diplomatic Editor, Nic Robertson joining us
now live from London to break all of this down for us and the significance of this is what's important in the first instant.
It's been a busy week in the region. We got Macron just about to arrive in Lebanon. But let's start with the UAE and the Israeli deal here. Just
explain the context for this and why it is being touted on a bipartisan basis, it has to be said in the states, as an historic step forward for
Middle East peace.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yes, this is certainly something that the Trump Administration wants to tout as a success. It's
certainly not the Middle East peace deal, the big Middle East peace deal between Israelis and Palestinians that Jared Kushner had been test by
President Trump to achieve.
So this if you will is sort of salvaging some of the wreckage from failing to get that big deal that Trump said would be possible, and that they were
working towards. He's been a big supporter of Israel, hugely supported of course by Israel.
So one way to interpret what we're witnessing here, absolutely historic as it is, is both the UAE and Israel cashing in, if you will, perhaps not so
much literally, but figuratively, on what they want from the Trump administration while President Trump is still a President. Because there
will be elections in 63, 64 days, and it's not clear that he will still be President after that so for both of them, there have been gains here.
[11:55:00]
ROBERTSON: Undoubtedly for Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, all the business opportunities going forward, what it does for him, leverage in
his negotiations with the Palestinian is hugely important for the UAE, perhaps giving them quicker and faster access to what they want which is a
stronger defense position which includes U.S. F-35 fighter jets. So I think if you step back, that's perhaps a fraction of the bigger context here.
ANDERSON: Yes, a shrewd move, then, perhaps it could be described as by the two parties who have signed up to date. Jared Kushner will be heading to
other countries in this region when he leaves the UAE, including two others in the gulf, Bahrain and Oman. He says this is a step in the right
direction. What can we expect out of those trips, if anything?
ROBERTSON: Both Kushner and President Trump - said there will be other countries that could follow on President Trump and quite quickly following
along in the UAE's footsteps. It doesn't appear that that's going to happen on the Kushner's trip right now.
I think the mood music from Bahrain is going to - you can expect to absolutely echo that in Saudi Arabia, no surprise. There I think is
significant, of course that the flight today flew over Saudi Arabia. It does indicate that there is a degree of support for bigger aspirations of
United Arab Emirates and Israel plan to do here.
But Saudi Arabia made its position very clear, and that's the dominant view in the gulf that you can expect many others, including Bahrain,
specifically, to that, there will be no normalization of relations with Israel until there is a two-state solution.
That's what the king of Saudi Arabia has said. But I think this sort of subtext to all of this is, it's increasing pressure on the Palestinians,
and that is something that's not just coming from the UAE here, but that is a view from Saudi Arabia and others in the gulf as well.
So, you know, the clock is ticking for the Palestinians. That's the message. That, if you will, is what Kushner has been able to achieve. So
don't expect him to be getting any other deals normalizing relationships with Israel right now. Do expect the potential for that in the future.
ANDERSON: Nic Robertson is in London. We await the arrival of Emmanuel Macron, of course, to Lebanon. That's something Nick and I will discuss
tomorrow, Emmanuel Macron in Lebanon due in the next hour or so. It is an important trip. And we'll be back with more coverage on that tomorrow. Good
night.
END
