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Connect the World
279 Schoolgirls Rescued Days After Being Abducted At Gunpoint; Why Are COVID-19 Cases Rising In Much Of The World; United States Sanctions Dozens Of Saudis But Not The Crown Prince; United States Now Has Three COVID-19 Vaccine Options; Damien Hirst Speaks To CNN About Art In Time Of COVID-19; "Age Of You" Examines Human Feelings. Aired 11a-12p ET
Aired March 02, 2021 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[11:00:00]
ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN Abu Dhabi, this is "Connect the World" with Becky Anderson.
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST, CONNECT THE WORLD: Tonight we take you to a place where young school kids have become bait for vicious and recurring
abductions. Hundreds of abducted Nigerian schoolgirls are now back in the arms of their families a relief and happy ending to be sure but these mass
kidnappings from schools keep happening there this one the third just since December.
Officials say this latest group of 279 girls were taken by armed men in the Northwestern State of Zamfara on Friday, a regional government spokesman
claims no ransom was paid instead he says a group of "Repentant bandits" helped secure the release.
Parents cried tears of joy, their daughter's return their pain and worry absolutely unimaginable over these past few days. Nigeria's President has
pledged to go after those responsible for this mass abduction. CNN's Stephanie Busari reports.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STEPHANIE BUSARI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): It's been a harrowing few days, but now these girls can smile again. Taken from this school by armed
men, they are being reunited with their families. For some parents is too much as they finally give in to their emotional just.
YAKUBU SANI, FATHER OF ABDUCTED GIRL: It is like I was born now. Now, I feel very fine, we thank all mighty Allah.
BUSARI (voice over): The girls 279 of them were abducted last Friday, when armed men raided their school in Northwestern Nigeria State of Zamfara.
They attack in the dead of night took school security by surprise.
LAWAL ADLI, SCHOOL SECURITY GUARD: They broke the small gate and I heard them saying shoot him. So I hid myself. They entered and shot anyone who
attempted to help me.
BUSARI (voice over): A gunman took the girls to the nearby forest, where they were forced to walk barefoot at gunpoint. They were returned just four
days later, most of them with no serious injuries.
UMMA ABUBAKAR, ABDUCTED SCHOOLGIRL: Most of us got injured on our feet, and we could not continue trekking. So they said they will shoot anybody who
did not continue to be walked across the river. And they hit us and then asleep under shrubs in a forest.
BUSARI (voice over): This is the latest in a string of kidnappings in Northern Nigeria, raising questions about the safety of schools in this
area. So much so that parents are now asking whether they should send their children to school in an area of the country, which already has low
attendance rates.
Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari welcomed the release, and said his government was "Working hard" to bring an end to these grim and
heartbreaking incidents of kidnapping and promised that the military and the police would, "Continue to go after the kidnappers" concerns likely far
away from these minds at least for the time being.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Stephanie Busari joining us now from Lagos in Nigeria. And Steph, I just want to play you a part of my interview with UNICEF, this was just
last week and it was in relation to another kidnapping, have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PETER HAWKINS, UNICEF NIGERIA REPRESENTATIVE: It's incredible that nobody knew about a group of people going into a school and taking anything up to
300 girls away with them. The logistics of that and its own requires enormous amount of planning and enormous amount of support network. Someone
must have known somewhere along the line that this was going to happen.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Steph, what's going on here? Just how systemic is this?
BUSARI: Well, Becky it's a very complex picture. Kidnappings are not new in Nigeria, you'll remember the days of the Niger Oil Delta, where, you know,
they were largely done to make a political statement. And then you have seven years ago with Boko Haram and the Chibok girls, also another
political statement, but now it's become opportunistic.
It's more about going in attacking these soft targets, getting money, and they rarely admit it. But the government does pay ransoms. So it's really
about opportunistic kidnappings because they know that they can get money out of it.
And it's become systematic because many Nigerians now fear traveling on the roads, they will, face some sort of attacks or kidnap. Just last week, or
two weeks before a bus load a busload of passengers were taken off the streets, and driven to forests and all manner of ages in that bus from
toddlers to babies to elderly people.
[11:05:00]
BUSARI: So this is the daily reality now that Nigerians confront Becky, with these kinds of rising numbers of kidnappings that are just nothing to
do with political statements anymore, but opportunistic, you know, and kind of happenings.
ANDERSON: Yes. And Steph, you know, I've heard this described almost as a growth industry, these kidnappings, what's the government doing about it?
BUSARI: Well, so President Buhari, as you saw tweeted earlier, and, you know, kind of made tough talk about police and military going after these
kidnappers. And he also recently changed the heads of the armed forces in this country who I think they were recently confirmed by the Nigerian
Senate.
So Nigeria is going to get new heads of armed forces in all the key defensive areas. So people are hoping that those changes will bring about
more security because one thing that people are really talking about here is this rising sense of not feeling safe, not feeling safe going to
traveling around the country not feeling safe in schools?
You know, where exactly can they feel safe? So the government is trying to do something about it. The military is overstretched. But Nigerians are
saying something needs to happen very quickly.
ANDERSON: Steph, just while I've got you, I know that Nigeria has just received its first COVID vaccines from Covax today how's the country coping
with the pandemic and how is it impacted the country's economy?
BUSARI: So Becky, Niger is a big country and COVID. And it has big problems as you've been hearing and couldn't be this just one of those problems.
It's not the problem like elsewhere in the world that everybody's grappling with. It's just one of the things that Nigerians have to grapple with on a
day to day basis.
Many are preoccupied with making ends meet. During the lockdown last year, it really affected the economy, and particularly those who work in the
informal sector, who make their daily living on a day to day basis.
And also Nigeria has been affected by the crash in the global oil prices, that's the major export here so not as much money coming into the coffers
as previously so and also coming out of recession in and out of recession since 2016.
So Nigeria is in a bit of a kind of precarious place, economy wise and COVID is pretty much impacted that but it's just one of the many problems
that this country is grappling with right now Becky.
ANDERSON: Stephanie Busari is in Lagos in Nigeria. Steph, thank you. The birthplace of Abraham, more history about to be made Pope Francis heads to
Iraq next week or later this week. In fact, for the first ever people visit to the country and there is plenty on the pontiff's schedule.
Francis will visit six cities in three days and plans to sit down with top Shia religious leader Grand Ayatollah Ali Al Sistani, there are worries
too, not only about security, but about the potential for super spreader events. As you know, from watching this program Iraq is struggling to deal
with rising COVID cases.
Well, CNN's Ben Wedeman is in Baghdad for you this evening. And our Delia Gallagher is standing by in Rome where I want to start and because I know,
Delia that you've just returned from a Vatican briefing on what is the first ever papal visit to Iraq, this trip entails risks both COVID related
and indeed safety related, and yet the Pope still wants to take those risks. Why, and what's the plan?
DELIA GALLAGHER, CNN VATICAN CORRESPONDENT: Well, let me tell you, Becky, that at that briefing, we really push the Vatican Spokesman on the question
of the wisdom of taking this trip at this time, during a pandemic, mostly because the Pope himself last month said in an interview that should the
cases in Iraq, a seriously increase the cases of COVID that he would reconsider the trip.
And as you've said, that is the case now, in Iraq, the Pope's own Ambassador to Iraq, the Papal Ambassador to Iraq tested positive on Sunday
for COVID. Of course, the Pope is vaccinated and the entourage is vaccinated, but most Iraqis are not and that is the concern.
Well, the Vatican Spokesman said that all health precautions have been taken for this trip. The Pope will not be traveling, for example, in his
Pope-mobile, he'd be traveling in a closed car so people on the streets won't be able to see him in the one major gathering that they will have an
Erbil in a stadium which can hold 35,000 people there limiting that to 10,000 people which he says the organizers assure him are ticketed people
and will be socially distance.
[11:10:00]
GALLAGHER: So of course, much of this depends on the organization in Iraq. It doesn't depend so much on the Vatican. So we'll have to see Becky going
forward, how well, the Iraqis are able to encourage people not to come out?
Of course, you know, I've been on a lot of papal trips, when the Pope is in town, everybody wants to come out, even if he's in a closed car. So I think
it's going to be a difficult thing from that point of view. But certainly concerns have been raised about just how wise it is to take this trip at
this time, even waiting just a few months, letting them get the vaccine, and so on.
But of course, the Vatican Spokesman says no, the Pope really wants to go. This is almost a kind of culmination of a dream for the Vatican, because
even back as far as John Paul II, he wanted to go to Iraq, he wasn't able to do it.
As you mentioned, it's a hugely historic religious importance. And there are a number of important meetings that the Pope will be holding. So the
trip is on Becky.
ANDERSON: Yes, you and I covered his trip here in 2019 and of course, in Jordan, before that. I'm well aware of the crowds that can that can gather,
to just get a sight of the pontiff. Ben, this is a hugely significant and symbolic trip, and not least for Christians in Iraq, whose population has
massively shrunk because of ISIS.
And today, parliament voting to recognize the crimes committed against Christians and Yazidis and indeed, other groups as genocide. I just wonder
how people are reacting on the ground.
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, certainly Christians here in Iraq are very excited about the visit; we spent time in
northern Iraq. We've been going around to Baghdad as well, signs are going up, welcoming the Pope to Mesopotamia, and many of the churches have been
spruced up.
But it's also a time when the Christians sort of are taking a step back and looking at what has become of their once very vital and prosperous
community. Until about 2003, there are about a million and a half Christians in Iraq. Now there are perhaps at most 300,000, many are leaving
or have left the country for a variety of reasons.
Now, for instance, we went to a church today, the Sayidat Al-Najat Church in Baghdad were on the 31st of October 2010 58 worshipers were slaughtered
in an attack by the precursor to ISIS.
And what we heard was words of excitement about the coming of the Pope, but a realism that his visit really isn't going to change the fundamental
problems they face here in terms of discrimination, in terms of instability, in terms of the corruption that all Iraqis have to grapple
with.
But there are some people here who look at the fact that just a few years ago, it looked like ISIS was on a rampage in the country. It they do feel
that with the Pope coming here to Iraq, after all, it's suffered from especially the Christians, that in a sense, some of their troubles they
have overcome.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FATHER RAED ADEL, SOLE PRIEST LIVING IN MOSUL: This site was used as the main center of the - the center of ISIS leadership. So this is an important
issue, the visit of the Pope to this site that was the central administrative center of the Islamic State. This is where the Islamic State
said, we will go to Rome, occupy Rome, and cut off the Head of the Pope.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WEDEMAN: And of course, the pope is only going to be here from the 5th of March to the 8th of March. It's a highly symbolic, very important visit
from Iraqi Christians but they realized that once the Pope goes back to Rome, they still have the same problems. They've been dealing with problems
that are getting worse for years, Becky.
ANDERSON: Ben Wedeman is in Baghdad and Delia Gallagher in Rome for you this evening thank you both. Coming up, as its critics question whether the
Biden Administration is going far enough in punishing the Saudi Crown Prince for Jamal Khashoggi murder. We'll talk with one U.S. lawmaker who is
calling for more accountability.
COVID-19 cases again on the rise in much of the world even as vaccine rollouts accelerate these sobering new comments from the Head of the World
Health Organization. Plus, Damien Hirst tells me he is not a warrior, but the artist admits he had a few nervous moments organizing an exhibition of
his work in the pandemic style. Remotely my interview with the "Turner prize" winning artists is just a little later.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:15:00]
ANDERSON: Sending a message to Russia over the poisoning and imprisoning of the Kremlin Critic Alexey Navalny, the European Union and the United States
imposing sanctions on several Russian officials. The U.S. says its intelligence committee has - community has high confidence Russia Security
Service poisoned Navalny last summer.
Russia denies involvement Navalny currently serving time in a Russian penal colony. CNN's Matthew Chance is connecting us with these latest
developments from Moscow. Matthew.
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Becky, thank you, thanks very much. Well, just early on today, I was at that penal colony,
which is in the Vladimir region of Russia where Alexey Navalny has been sent and where we will be spending the next two and a half years.
Meanwhile, as he begins that period behind bars, both the United States and the European Union, as you say, have announced targeted sanctions against
individuals and other entities associated with his poisoning with a suspected nerve agent.
The Americans have announced that seven people they haven't named have been identified with travel bans and asset freezes. They've also identified 14
entities, as they call them that are associated with the production of chemical weapons and they've been added to a sort of growing list of United
States sanctions on Russia.
The European Union within a few minutes before that actually announced their list of four individuals who they've identified as being linked
within Navalny poisoning and have identified as being under new European Union sanctions.
Including the chief prosecutor in Russia, the head of the investigative committee, the head of the prison service, as well has been named as being
on the European Union sanctions list as well as a guy called Victor Zolatov, who's the Head of the National Guard is a close ally of Vladimir
Putin. And he sort of runs the sort of Special Operations police forces that often crackdown on protests.
There's also somebody who a couple of years ago challenged Alexey Navalny to a jewel and so he's been, you know, particularly linked with Alexey
Navalny and his plight for some years there.
ANDERSON: Matthew is in Moscow for you, Matthew, thank you. Well, Sweden's Foreign Minister who Co-Hosted Yemen's Donor Drive just telling me last
hour that she was disappointed by the amount of money raised less than half but there she was at least less than half of what was being asked for, but
she is at least somewhat optimistic to see that Washington is now showing more engagement in Yemen the virtual drive raising just $1.7 billion.
Antonio Guterres he was the Head of the UN Of course says getting aid or cutting aid, amounts to a death sentence for Yemenis starving after years
of famine and civil war.
[11:20:00]
ANDERSON: Meantime, the Biden Administration facing blowback for its decision not to single out Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince for sanctions so
Mohammed bin Salman's name was conspicuously missing from the list of dozens of Saudis now banned from entering the U.S. as punishment for the
2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
This even though a U.S. intelligence report says bin Salman personally approved the Khashoggi operation. Here is what the White House had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JEN PSAKI, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: Historically, the United States through Democratic and Republican Presidents has not typically sanctioned
government leaders of countries where we have diplomatic relations.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, officials also say going after systemic issues in the Kingdom is the best way to prevent more killings like Khashoggi's.
Well, not everybody agrees. Democratic Congressman Tom Malinowski, Vice Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee tweeted "I applaud President
Biden for declassifying the finding that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the murder of Jamal Khashoggi. But naming MBS without
holding him accountable undercuts our message to the Saudis. Today, Representative Andy Kim and I introduced a bill to correct this".
Well, Tom Malinowski joins me now via Skype from Washington. Your bill, as I understand it, and will effectively affirms that was certainly affirms
that the Crown Prince will be denied entry into the U.S. and requires the administration to certify the Saudis are no longer engaging in a pattern of
intimidating their critics in the U.S. as a condition for further arms sales. Sir, have you received a response or reaction to this yet?
SEN. TOM MALINOWSKI (D-NJ): I've been speaking to the Biden Administration. And you know I really do applaud what they did. It's a big deal for the
President of the United States to say that MBS, the putative leader of Saudi Arabia is a killer, and that he was responsible for this particular
murder. That's going to follow MBS for the rest of his life.
But it is important that there be some consequence attached to that otherwise, we're going to continue to signal to the Saudis that somehow MBS
is in a special protected category, that he can continue to get away with this kind of stuff in the future and that somehow the United States is more
afraid of losing favor in Riyadh than Riyadh is afraid of losing favor in Washington. It should be the other way around.
ANDERSON: 76 Saudis are now banned from entering the U.S. as part of America's efforts. It seems to punish Saudi Arabia over the murder of Jamal
Khashoggi. Washington knows, with respect has made its position very clear. Saudi Arabia is a U.S. ally and there are other ways to teach them a lesson
than punishing the Crown Prince.
I just want our viewers to have a listen to what Middle East Commentator Ali Shihabi told the BBC about this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ALI SHIHABI, AUTHOR & COMMENTATOR ON THE MIDDLE EAST: At the end of the day, they realize and they understand that the Crown Prince is playing a
very important role in restructuring the country in fighting a reactionary Islamic ideas and movements in the region and in Saudi Arabia, and in
implementing very important change.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: A lot of that is true and well supported around this region and a lot of Saudis inside the country do like the Crown Prince for the changes,
the difficult changes that he is undertaking. So that does indeed beg the question is the good you are getting better than the bad.
I guess the point is the White House drawing a line under this, and there will be those who suggest that you do the same to which you say what, or to
whom you say what?
MALINOWSKI: I think it's interesting that people are now arguing that this is an important relationship and that we need the United States needs to
take it upon ourselves to protect this relationship. But what are we protecting it from?
We're protecting it from the absolutely reckless actions of Mohammed bin Salman. This is a Saudi leader who unlike any previous Saudi leader,
reached beyond Saudi Arabia into the United States to murder an American resident.
A Washington Post Journalist, somebody who does the same job that you do in effect, and that you don't do that.
[11:25:00]
MALINOWSKI: That's not a human rights issue that is an affront and an attack on the United States. You don't claim to be a United States ally,
and do that. And MBS was not the only person in the United States that I'm sorry that Jamal Khashoggi was not the only person in the United States
that MBS tried to kill, apparently.
So it is absolutely vital for the preservation of a healthy relationship between the United States and Saudi Arabia, to draw a line and to say, you
do not do this. And if you do this or any other leader around the world does this they will be held accountable.
ANDERSON: I mean the Biden argument is that keeping good relations with its key ally in the Gulf is in America's interests. And we've heard that
argument has been laid out now a number of times by the White House since the release of the - or the declassification of that report.
So I do want to just get your thoughts on Yemen, which of course, both Saudi Arabia and the U.S. have a stake in and yesterday was the pledging
donor conference for Yemen, the UN Secretary General calling it disappointing. And that was the least of what he said, funds fell far short
of the three and three quarter billion aid target. And Jan Egeland, the Head of the NRC was visiting Yemen on the ground, told me this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAN EGELAND, SECRETARY GENERAL, NORWEIGIAN REFUGEE COUNCIL: I can be very clear; the shortfall will be measured in lives lost in children's lives
lost. The children and the youth, the women, the most vulnerable, whom we all must agree have nothing to do with this senseless conflict among grown
men, that on both sides are willing to quarrel and fight each other to the last China.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: The U.S. pledging $191 million, sir and as Vice Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, I just want to pick your brain on what you
believe or what more you believe the U.S. should be doing in Yemen, to avoid a famine in 2021?
MALINOWSKI: Well, in just three weeks, the Biden Administration has turned our policy towards Yemen around as you know, the Trump Administration was
backing the Saudis providing military assistance vital to Saudi Arabia keeping this war going, that has now ended with that that puts a lot of
pressure on the Saudis to come to the table.
Biden has appointed a U.S. Envoy to promote a diplomatic solution to this horrible conflict. And at the same time, yes, we absolutely do need to do
more. And I would support spending more to deal with the humanitarian situation.
But you know I can't help bringing it back to our previous conversation. The reason why we are spending billions of dollars to try to keep people in
Yemen alive is because Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, started a war that everybody urged him not to, because he recklessly believed that he
could get away with it.
And now we have to clean up the mess that Saudi Arabia helped to create. We have to clean it up, because we have an obligation, a humanitarian
obligation to do so. But let's not forget, who bears ultimate responsibility. I'd like to see the Saudis and the Emiratis pay for this,
by the way, they can afford to do it, they created the problem.
They should not be turning only to the United States and the Norwegians and the Brits and the French to again pay for cleaning up their mess.
ANDERSON: 430 million, let's be transparent about this $430 million, pledged by Saudi Arabia 230 million, pledged by the Emiratis and 6 billion
spent by them I am told over the past six years in a knock through the UN track necessarily and the argument in this region was certainly from the
Saudi Arabia from the Kingdom is that this the threat posed by the by the Houthis is an existential threat to Saudi Arabia.
So you've made your points and we appreciate your time on the show. Thank you very much indeed for joining us.
MALINOWSKI: Thank you.
ANDERSON: Well ahead on "Connect the World".
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't see any distinction among these vaccines get whatever you can.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: The U.S. gets the third COVID vaccine option this one by Johnson & Johnson still many Americans struggle even to get an appointment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:30:00]
ANDERSON: As more and more countries get their hands on lifesaving COVID vaccines the World Health Organization warns global cases in four out of
six regions have risen for the first time in seven weeks. Here you see a Covax shipment arriving Africa's most populous country Nigeria, the W. H.
O. Director General reminding the public that vaccine alone will not keep you safe. Have listen to what he said at a news briefing earlier.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TEDROS ADHANOM GHEBREYESUS, WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION DIRECTOR GENERAL: This is disappointing, but not surprising. We're working to better
understand these increases in transmission. Some of it appears to be due to relaxing of public health measures continued circulation of variants and
people letting down their guard.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: It's a similar warning in the United States. The Director of the Centers for Disease Control there saying now is not the time to relax. But
a third company's vaccine is providing some hope in the U.S. The first batches of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine are being delivered to vaccination
sites.
There you see workers at a distribution center signing packages before they are sent out. Lucy Kafanov reports.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LUCY KAFANOV, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): The U.S. Coronavirus vaccine pool now has the third option with Johnson & Johnson's shot possibly going
into arms starting this morning. Their vaccine only requires one shot and does not need to be stored in a freezer.
DR. JONATHAN REINER, CNN MEDICAL ANALYST: This is a big deal. It's a very effective vaccine, just as effective in preventing death and
hospitalization as the two MRNA vaccines, but it's much more efficient vaccine to use since it's you know one and done.
KAFANOV (voice over): About 3.9 million doses are already shipping out. And Johnson & Johnson says they will send about 16 million more by the end of
the month. The company's vaccine was already tested against the new highly contagious variants seen in South Africa and Brazil.
ALEX GORSKY, CEO, JOHNSON & JOHNSON: While we're encouraged and we're confident in the current vaccine that we have, you've always got to be
preparing for the future, and frankly, for the unknown. So we're doing that as we speak.
KAFANOV (voice over): About 10 percent of the U.S. adult population is already fully vaccinated. And now with Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson and
Johnson's vaccines, all receiving emergency use authorization, health experts are urging the public to get the first one available.
DR. REINER: I don't see any distinction among these vaccines get whatever you can.
KAFANOV (voice over): But for many, just getting an appointment is a difficult task.
JEFF ZIENTS, WHITE HOUSE COVID-19 RESPONSE COORDINATOR: Scheduling remains for far too many people too frustrating, and we need to make it better.
KAFANOV (voice over): Some states are continuing to roll back restrictions like Massachusetts removing indoor dining capacity limits at restaurants
entirely and Chicago students starting to return to public schools for the first time in nearly a year.
[11:35:00]
KAFANOV (voice over): But as restrictions ease the CDC Director sending this urgent warning,
DR. ROCHELLE WALENSKY, CDC DIRECTOR: Please hear me clearly at this level of cases with variants spreading us stand to completely lose the hard
earned ground we have gained. Now is not the time to relax.
KAFANOV (voice over): Dr. Rochelle Walensky also noting that the new Coronavirus cases and deaths are plateauing at a high level.
DR. WALENSKY: We cannot be resigned to 70,000 cases a day 2000 daily deaths.
KAFANOV (voice over): And that's extremely concerning to health experts, even with more vaccine doses on the way.
DR. ZEKE EMANUEL, FORMER BIDEN TRANSITION COVID-19 ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER: If we ease up too early. Those curves are just going to reverse and go up.
They've already begun to sneak up.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Lucy Kafanov reporting for you there. We have been talking a lot on this show about vaccines and indeed, about vaccine inequality. If you
are a regular viewer, you will know that. Well, the White House says that the U.S. has no plans at this point at least, to share its vaccine supply
with its neighbor, Mexico. What House Press Secretary was responding to a question at a news briefing ahead of Monday's virtual meeting between the
country's presidents?
Earlier Mexican government official told CNN that Mr. Obrador was expected to ask Mr. Biden to share some of the U.S. supply. Let's bring in our Matt
Rivers who is live for you from Mexico City. What is the current COVID situation there Matt?
MATT RIVERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the situation, Becky, is that Mexico needs more vaccines. They've vaccinated right around 3 million people at
this point, most of which have only gotten a first dose at least so far, and it is a constant struggle for Mexico to try and source more vaccines.
Which brings us to the meeting on Monday, as you reported, we spoke to a foreign ministry official before that meeting on Monday, and he told us
Lopez Obrador was going to ask Biden to share the vaccine supply. This morning, Lopez Obrador confirmed that he did that, and basically said it
was a good conversation with Biden, but the Biden did not commit to sharing their vaccine supply.
Mexico has contracts in place right now, for right around two dozen doses of the Pfizer vaccine. That's a vaccine, of course, produced by an American
company, but they've only received about two and a half million doses. And obviously, in a country of 130 million, they need a lot more than that.
But I think the realistic thing here is that Lopez Obrador wants to show his population, he's trying to get more vaccine supplies from vaccine
makers in countries that make them. But on the other hand, he's realistic that Joe Biden is not just going to take 25 million doses, let's say and
ship it down here to Mexico at a time when most Americans are still not yet vaccinated.
Of course, all World Health Organization bodies are saying there are concerns over vaccine nationalism. Everyone around the world deserves a
vaccine, Latin America is one of the highest regions in terms of risk and need for these vaccines.
But Becky, I'll just put it to you this way. Imagine if Joe Biden gets on - addresses the nation in the United States and says I know you guys want
vaccines, but we're going to send 30 million doses right now to Mexico. Imagine how that would play out in the U.S?
Unfortunately, there are political realities at stake in the United States and Mexico and both leaders are trying to find a way to find that middle
ground.
ANDERSON: Meantime, we know that, of course, vaccines are a fantastic tool, but only a tool in the toolkit. And we know things have been tough in
Mexico. So we'll return to you when and see where this story takes us in the days and weeks ahead. We thank you very much indeed for joining us.
Well, as the U.S. keeps much of its vaccine supply for itself Covax stepping in to fill the gap in Latin America. On Monday, Colombia became
the first country in the region to receive vaccines through that program. Covax run by the World Health Organization and other groups. Its goal is to
supply vaccines to countries whose pockets are not deep enough to compete with wealthier countries.
The pandemic of course has ravaged some countries in the region, not least, the situation in Mexico but now that more vaccines are on the way something
new is starting to emerge. And that is a glimmer of hope. Stefano Pozzebon reports.
STEFANO POZZEBON, JOURNALIST: Colombia has become the first country in the Western Hemisphere to receive vaccines through the Covax mechanism. And
what it says a number of doses they landed here in Bogota on Monday afternoon was limited, only 117,000 of the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine.
The moment marks a significant development not just for Colombia, but for the whole of Latin America. Covax was set up by the World Health
Organization at the beginning of the pandemic to try secure equal access to vaccinations for every country in the world.
[11:40:00]
POZZEBON: While the Western countries such as the United States or Canada or the European Union have so far secure the most off the vaccines
available on the international market, countries such as Colombia, Peru, Ecuador or Brazil, were unable to compete and have to rely on Covax to
receive extra doses to complement their vaccination campaigns.
Colombia has so far been able to secure only little over than 40 million doses of the vaccines that directly from the manufacturers and its awaiting
20 million more to reach the herd immunity. For CNN, this is Stefano Pozzebon, Bogota.
ANDERSON: Well, the very latest on the COVID pandemic around the world of course, is at cnn.com. Well, up next high concept and high prices, you'll
know Damien Hirst, for gaining fame with animals in formaldehyde. Well, decades later, he is one of the world's wealthiest artists and he's been
telling me how he keeps his work current? My interview with Damien Hirst is up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Take a look at this. It's cherry blossom time, especially if you collect Damien Hirst. The Turner Prize winning artist is offering special
prints and he says he's fine with Crypto Currency.
But you all need more than a little of it. Damien Hirst is one of the world's most successful living artists with a survey of his work currently
spread across the snow of Samurai Sea, took time out to tell me about his passions, and quite frankly, what keeps him awake at night? Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: From skulls smothered in diamonds, to sharks frozen in formaldehyde, and treasures imagined from the deep. One of the original
young British Artists Damien Hirst is perhaps one of the best known and could very well be among the very richest artists alive today. And now amid
all pandemic, he's been forced to reinvent how he pulls it all together? And he chose to try it out in Switzerland. I spoke to him recently from his
studio in London.
DAMIEN HIRST, ARTIST: I've never been to somewhere else, but I've got a good friend called Oscar Humphreys, who is the curator and he came to me
and he has kind of crazy ideas. And he wanted to do a show that really never been done before. And it was you know, it was a lot of effort because
of COVID because of Brexit you know, lock down everything.
ANDERSON: So you had no direct involvement in the installation of these words is all done remotely right?
HIRST: Yes, remotely, but also none of my assistance went out there. None of my text with everybody has been face timing and zooming and I realized
at the end of it is, you know, it's the first exhibition I've actually done where I didn't visit. I didn't go out there and I didn't even send a member
of staff out there. So the whole thing was being done remotely, which I didn't think was possible.
[11:45:00]
ANDERSON: It's amazing. Have you got a favorite?
HIRST: In out there? I mean, I really like the piece which is put on the lake by helicopter because it is in the middle of a frozen lake and they've
never put a sculpture there. And it was really hairy and scary doing that. And, you know, because you got to be brought in by a helicopter.
So I mean, it looks, I mean, it looks really beautiful. It looks like it's always been there in the end, but the effort and the energy and the fear
and the darkness involved in it was mental. And even now I look at it I have sleepless nights where I imagine it might sink to the bottom.
ANDERSON: It hasn't as of yet, right?
HIRST: No.
ANDERSON: Let's talk about COVID. And the resulting lockdowns, of course England in its third national lockdown, you and I are speaking from your
workshop in Soho in a car parking. Soho as I understand it, how is this past year affected you?
HIRST: I mean, I've been really lucky because I've been kind of - I was sort of drifting towards a more solitary type of art, like I just did my
exhibition in Venice, where I used like, 200 people to create that with people in Italy, people in Germany from all over the world, you know,
Carver's and installers.
And it was a real major involvement with lots of people and lots of logistics to get that together. And then since then, when that started, I
kind of like drifted into a studio on my own. But like, it's, you know, it's really how I started, it's just me with a paintbrush in studio
painting so then, really with lockdown that just continued and actually really suited me.
And so I mean, I kind of feel sorry for anybody who doesn't manage to kind of keep working because it's like, you know, that, you know, they're very
paranoid times makes you really nervous and worried about things, you know, without you realizing it creeps up on you. And I think without painting,
well, you know, I couldn't have kept saying, really?
ANDERSON: How concerned are you about the impact that COVID has had on not just your own business, but the industry in general?
HIRST: This exhibition that we put on, it's like, it's going to change the way that I do exhibitions in the future, because I've learned that you can
actually do it remotely, which I never knew that before. I'd always thought do it, you know, roughly, I'm doing some models, then when I get there,
I'll make sure everything's right.
I think you can use that - you have to try and use that as a positive in some way and finally, given all this mayhem.
ANDERSON: Do you think digital virtual exhibits going forward might help to make the art world more accessible?
HIRST: I - two lockdowns while that my show has been on really impacted it really badly. And I ended up having about 8620 people visit, that's all
that we manage the whole time, which are not many people for an exhibition of mine.
You know, I did a show at "The Tate" which had about half a million. But so what I did is I went round, I filmed every single piece of work with me
talking about and I put it on my Instagram, and I've had about 3 million visits to that.
And so you just think, oh my God wasn't your gallery, you know, it's like, it kind of starts to seem like galleries are set for Instagram have
something more virtual, but I think it's exciting. And that is chicken. Chicken by Damien Hirst.
ANDERSON: Damien, take me back, if you will, you were at the very heart of the young British Artists Movement, which is now what we're talking now on
30 years ago. On reflection, just walk me through the good and the bad times, if you will.
HIRST: I mean, it was all good times, it seems like to me that really, I remember for about 20 years, I seem to be celebrating and thinking that we
could last forever and you know, great things were happening. We were changing the world or felt like it was, you know, there was a lot of
excitement.
There was, you know, a lot of money, there was a lot you know, I remember when I was when I was very young, I was into my parent's music I wanted to
be - I wanted to meet the Beatles. And then Punk came along. And I was into that I was a bit too young. I was like, 12 in 1977, when the Sex Pistols
were taken off, and I wanted to be part of that, and I couldn't.
But then when I got to art school, I ended up hanging out with Blur and Oasis and you know hanging out in London in the Groucho club, and it seemed
like a party that was going to go on forever. And I you know, I mean, I celebrated really, and it was, it felt really, really good.
So for 20 years, it was like that. I mean, I suppose now. I mean, I don't drink anymore. I'm getting a bit older. And you know, I still feel like I'm
around and I'm making very different work. I mean, I'm not, you know, I look at my old work, and I think, oh, I'm not sure about that.
ANDERSON: Why? Tell me why?
HIRST: You know, I made spot paintings, and I kind of made them thinking that it was an infinite series that was going to go on forever. And I've
totally felt like that, whereas now they feel like the work of a younger man or something like that, and they feel a bit dated.
And I've actually, you know, because I've sort of started painting and getting more involved and throwing the paint around a little bit like what
I'm doing here behind me. These paintings, the cherry blossoms that I'm doing, you know, that it just seems so different, like by different person,
but you know, I don't know maybe I'm getting older. Who knows? Maybe--
ANDERSON: Well, Damien we're all getting older. We're all getting older.
HIRST: Watch who said that?
[11:50:00]
ANDERSON: Are there times that you look back on specifically that you can remember that you think, wow, how did that happen?
HIRST: Those not so much good stuff, you know. And I remember being offered shows by galleries all over the world. I remember like, I remember being
offered shows by New York galleries and thinking, and at one point, just thinking all my favorite galleries that offered me a show except one.
And I remember getting upset that the one gallery and often missed the show. And it's like you thinking what a, you know, what an amazing position
that is to be in that, you know, if you think and you want a set of offers, which was just crazy, really, you know, as well, because I would, you know,
I'd been a kid and I grew up in Leeds, and I'd gone to the art library and thought.
I remember my ambition was to just have one book with my name on it, and I thought was impossible. So to suddenly, you know, be a household name. I
remember one of the biggest points was when my mum phoned me up and said you're a crossword clue in her crossword every day.
And that was really, you know, she thought you've entered the public consciousness. It's unbelievable, you know, how did this happen? And that's
when she started took it really seriously when I was a crossword clue.
ANDERSON: That's brilliant.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Breaking news today as the markets across the globe drop bad times for the economy, meaning good times, though, for at least
one artist. After a record breaking two day event at Sotheby's, British Artist Damien Hirst managed to sell his work for nearly $200 million.
ANDERSON: Listen, what did mum think in September 2008, when the auction of your work, went for a record breaking? What was it $200 million? That was a
record for a one artist, auction?
HIRST: I mean my mom was shocked I think a lot of people were. It was just a lot of money, wasn't it? It could have been a disastrous thing. So I was
relieved, really more than anything, because it was as that week was coming up, things started to go wrong, because you know, it seemed like a party
that was never going to end.
And then suddenly, it was like, everything was going wrong. And I managed to just creep through and have that amazing sale at the end of it.
ANDERSON: What do you hope your legacy will be on the art world thing Damien? Or is?
HIRST: Oh my God, no, legacy, yes, scary. I don't know. I mean, I always thought that you kind of want to get you know it's not really about what
you do. It's about what you tried to do. So I think, you know, it's like, for me, I just want, you know, kind of young is to just, you know, to just
be amazed and to believe that anything's possible.
So, you know, I mean, I suppose what sounds to me with famous people or rich people or people who are so I've met is you get you can be
disappointed when you actually meet people. So I don't have a legacy that somehow doesn't end in disappointment.
ANDERSON: And how about your 16 year old self, what would you say to that kid? He just wanted his name on that one book in that library.
HIRST: I don't think you could say anything to him, because he probably wouldn't listen. But I guess, believe, am a good one to say, isn't it? As
you may know, when I when young guys asked me for advice, and so you just got to believe you know, there's a great line that Andy Warhol said, which
I've always loved, which is, is that if people don't like your paintings make more and keep making them how much they don't like them. So I think
that's good advice.
ANDERSON: Anything keeps you awake at night, sir.
HIRST: I some can sometimes be kept awake, running through what I'm, you know, new ideas. Again, you know, I cannot sleep through excitement about
new ideas, which is good, but no, I don't really get worried. You know, I've got a 15 year old son, and he didn't like the dark zombies, and things
like that, but I quite like zombies. So I'm alright in that department.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Damien Hirst, what a fellow? Still ahead tonight, unraveling the mystery of human feelings also a new exhibit that shows us how and why we
feel? And the role technology plays?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:55:00]
ANDERSON: Well, parting shots for you tonight take a deep dive into something unique to all of us our feelings. In idea of introspection,
examining our own thought process is especially relevant in this second year of a global pandemic.
And it's laid out in stunning detail in our exhibit in Dubai, called "Age of you" the exhibits curator, Shuman Basa shows us how the new daily
conveyor belt of change we experience impacts? How we feel? Have a look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: "Age of You" is an exhibitions about how the idea of individuality has changed first because of technology and even more
recently, because of the pandemic. In the 21st century, the most valuable resource isn't oil or gold its how you feel. And it's how those feelings
are transformed into tradable data and information?
How the insights of our minds and our souls are changing because of the extreme present? We can see this reflected in several of the works in the
exhibition. People have very strong reactions about what they read? What they see? What they hear?
We intended to evoke a whole range of emotions and people. And from that kind of awakening about how the world is changing them right now? What if
we're changing into something unfamiliar and new? What is that thing? What if the future is dictated by the unintended consequences of who we are?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Thank you for joining us. It is a very good evening from Abu Dhabi.
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END
