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Connect the World
EMA To Announce Results Of AstraZeneca Review; AstraZeneca Rollout Continues In Many Countries; Netanyahu Courts Arab Voters Ahead Of Tuesdays' Election; First International Trip By Biden Cabinet Officials; Cubans Risking Their Lives In Dangerous Boat Journey To United States; Archeologists Discover Dead Sea Scroll Fragments In Israel. Aired 11a-12p ET.
Aired March 18, 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]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LYNDA KINKADE, CNN HOST: Hello and welcome to "Connect the World". I'm Lynda Kinkade filling in for my colleague Becky Anderson, good to have you
with us.
Well, any moment now we're waiting to hear a decision from the U.S. drug regulator that could impact the future of the COVID-19 vaccine rollout in
Europe and beyond. Now the European Medicines Agency is set to release the findings of its emergency review of the AstraZeneca vaccine in response to
reports of blood clots in a small number of people who were vaccinated.
Now this comes at a critical time when the EU is already facing a vaccine shortage, and Coronavirus cases are on the rise. Well, the EMA's Executive
Director has clearly stated that the benefits outweigh the risks. But over the past week, more than a dozen European countries have hit the pause
button on administering the AstraZeneca jobs, waiting until today's ruling to decide what to do next.
Although skepticism is only adding to Europe's already chaotic vaccine rollout, and it's not just Europe waiting for the results of the EMA's
emergency review, the rest of the world is watching. Now we are covering the story from all angles. Now Frederik Pleitgen is in Berlin, Jim
Bittermann is in Paris and Cyril Vanier is in London.
I want to start first with you Fred, good to have you with us. We are seeing this third wave of Coronavirus cases picking up now and there is a
desperate need to really ramp up vaccinations. What are we going to see play out after these findings are presented?
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, you know, we've been asking around about that Lynda and you're absolutely right. If
you look at countries like for instance, Germany, that third wave, as they say here really seems to be gaining momentum at a rapid pace.
If you look at the number of new infections here in this country alone, it really has been staggering as to how much higher it is compared to for
instance, just a week ago. So there certainly is a desperate need for people to get vaccinated as fast as possible.
Of course, that vaccination campaign and a lot of European countries have been sputtering, but the Europeans were just trying to get it on track. And
AstraZeneca, of course, is key in trying to get it on track, certainly here in Germany. And that's why so many people are looking forward to the
decision that we hope will happen fairly soon.
We've been in touch with actually two states here in Germany, the State of Berlin and the State of Brandenburg. And in Berlin, they told us that if
the EMA decides that it would be appropriate to continue, or to start using AstraZeneca again, that as of tomorrow, they believe that people are going
to get that vaccine again, those vaccinations will start.
Now in the State of Brandenburg, which is right next door, they told us that it would probably take till Monday until AstraZeneca vaccine will be
administered once again, because they've called off all the appointments that they've gave - that they've given people to get the AstraZeneca
vaccine.
And they say it's just a logistical issue for them and a scheduling issue to try and get that back on track. So it really depends on where you are on
a lot of these countries. But certainly, from what we're hearing, not just here in Germany, but also other countries, like for instance, what we've
heard from Italy as well, they want to get moving as fast as possible if the European Medicines Agency says they believe it is safe to once again
start using the AstraZeneca vaccine, Lynda.
KINKADE: Right. Thanks so much, Fred. I want to go to the Jim for a little bit more on that because we know that AstraZeneca's vaccine accounts for
less than 20 percent of the hundreds of millions of doses ordered by the EU.
But this is of course a critical part of the early rollout of vaccinations. Of course France and Italy have already said they're ready to resume as
soon as they get the green light.
JIM BITTERMANN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Exactly. France believes that they can get things started right away. And in fact,
President Macron said as much the other day this whole rollout here has been very, very chaotic. And as a consequence, vaccine skeptical -
skepticism is running quite high.
There was a survey taken after the suspension took place on Monday, and only 20 percent of the French said that they had any confidence in
AstraZeneca. So this news conference that we're going to see here, in the next few minutes, may go a long way or may go some way anyway, to alleviate
some of that skepticism and with good reason.
Because the COVID numbers here are just rising dramatically overnight. Tuesday, they were 29,000 so odd people that new cases of COVID. Overnight,
Wednesday, it was 38,000. The numbers are exploding and the government knows they have to do something.
And in three hours from now, the government medical officer the chief minister is going to be on TV explaining what new restrictions will take
placing here in France because they've got to do something. The whole thing, the whole controversy over AstraZeneca was something that many
people have been funneled by including the European Director of the World Health Organization. Here's what he had to say about the situation.
[11:05:00]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HANS KLUGE, W.H.O. EUROPE REGIONAL DIRECTOR: As of now, we do not know whether some or all of the conditions have been caused by the vaccine or by
other coincidental factors. At this point in time, however, the benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine far outweigh its risk, and its use should continue
to save lives.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BITTERMANN: And even the Prime Minister here said he had no fear about the AstraZeneca vaccine, he would get a shot of it whenever it's available to
him.
KINKADE: All right, good to have you on the story for us, Jim. I want to go now to Cyril for more on that, because, as we do know, 11 million people in
the UK have already had at least one dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine. And there's certainly a lot of pushback there in the UK against the skepticism
we're seeing in the rest of Europe.
CYRIL VANIER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely. Then, many here in the UK, from the prime minister to the experts on down to wide parts of the general
population have been baffled by the fact that so many European countries saw fit to stop their vaccination campaign with AstraZeneca at precisely
the time when they're being caught up in the third wave and they needed so badly.
You know, this country knows what it's like to be hammered by a third wave of Coronavirus. There were 60,000 cases a day at the very beginning of this
year that is now down to 5000. In no small part thanks to this vaccination program which relies so heavily on AstraZeneca.
Now, the experts here and the regulatory agency in the UK has looked at the data says it understands the concerns, but it sees no more blood clots
occurring in the vaccinated population than they do in the non vaccinated populations population.
So as far as they're concerned, from a scientific perspective, there is no reason to suspend use of the AstraZeneca vaccine. And that is something
that has been that has been trumpeted by the Prime Minister here, Boris Johnson, who is himself going to get his first dose of the vaccine very
shortly.
KINKADE: Absolutely. I want to go back to Fred, because we just hearing now that this press conference from the EMA that was due to have at any moment
is now being pushed back. And now an hour although from what we've heard over the last few days, it sounds like they say that the benefits of this
vaccine far outweigh the risks.
PLEITGEN: Yes, that was something that the European Medicines Agency was continuing to say. We also just heard that it was going to be pushed back
an hour, because apparently some of those discussions are still ongoing.
But one of the things that the Head of the European Medicines Agency, Emer Cooke said that, of course, they do need to look at all the things that
have happened, and all the reports that came in from all of the member states.
And I can tell you one thing from here in Germany is that they've obviously been continuing to monitor their situation. They were one of those
countries that actually had quite a few of these cases of blood clotting happening in people who had before that to take in the AstraZeneca vaccine,
they had seven to begin with, they're now up to 13 cases.
So it is something where they believe that could be linked to that. So it is certainly something where new information continues to come in. And new
information continues to have to be evaluated by the European Medicines Agency. And that might be one of the reasons why things are taking a little
bit longer.
Of course, also, one of the things that we always have to say about the European Union is that decisions there take quite some time, there's a lot
of member states that are involved, there's a lot of experts that need to be heard. And so therefore, some of these things can take a little bit can
take a little bit longer.
So it's not necessarily something that is surprising, or that says anything about whether or not any sort of assessments are going to change. But the
European Medicines Agency, for its part has said, despite the fact that some of these cases have been happening, but they still by far believe that
the benefits outweigh the risks of the AstraZeneca vaccine.
And that, of course, is also something that quite frankly, a lot of people in other member states had been saying as well, as a lot of them had been
hoping that this is a vaccination campaign can get back on track is as fast as possible.
But even the Head of the European Commission Ursula Von Der Leyen yesterday, when she had heard press conference, she was very critical of
the AstraZeneca Company saying that there have been delays, but they had not fulfilled their promises and how much vaccine they were going to
deliver.
But she also said that she does still have faith in the AstraZeneca vaccine. So it certainly seems to be the case that the authorities here in
Europe have faced in that vaccine. But of course they also need to look at all the evidence that's out there and see whether or not they find
something because of course they all also say that the health and safety of people here in Europe is always paramount, Lynda.
KINKADE: Frederik Pleitgen, Cyril Vanier and Jim Bittermann good to have you all with us on what is my first day back in the studio in a very long
time. Thanks so much.
Well, Senior Medical Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen is also following the developments on this story she joins us now live.
[11:10:00]
KINKADE: Elizabeth always good to get your take on this and how this investigation is going on? Can you just talk us through the EMA
investigation, what they are assessing and how they are weighing in terms of what they're saying so far that the risks, it seems that the benefits
outweigh the risks?
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Lynda, I think our colleague Fred just made an excellent point, which is that there are a lot
of voices to be heard from. I think the sort of the dominant voice has been, look, blood clots are relatively common, I think we all probably know
someone who's had a blood clot.
So the fact that we vaccinated 17 million people with AstraZeneca. And some of them afterwards, or a period of time afterwards had blood clots is not
surprising. It doesn't mean that the vaccine caused it blood clots can just happen. I think one of the things that these experts who were in this
meeting, which apparently is going on longer than was previously thought is, wait a minute, are there any rare occurrences of blood clots?
And I think, in other words, are there occurrences of relatively rare types of blood clots that we're seeing in large numbers? And Fred referenced some
concerns about that in Germany with cases there. I think that's where they're going to be really focused. There are some common types of blood
clots. And there are some relatively uncommon ones.
I think they'll be focusing on some of the uncommon ones, to see if those are coming up in numbers that are of concern among AstraZeneca vaccinees.
Now, having said that, I have spoken to expert after expert after expert over the past couple of days, and really the common thread is, look, this
vaccine works.
We have seen it work quite well in the UK, there is a feeling that individual European countries, besides the UK are sort of reacting out of
emotion rather than acting out of data. But this is a tough one. There are a lot of things to sort through. It is not surprising that these talks are
going on longer than then had been thought Linda.
KINKADE: Just talk to us about the issues that come from the vaccination program being suspended, because we are obviously seeing infection rates
rise. Talk to us about how this could potentially give rise to more contagious variants?
COHEN: Yes, so this is obviously a terrible time to be suspending a vaccination roll up. There are other vaccines around but of course, this is
one of the main ones. It's been used in very large numbers in Europe. And it would be great if they could keep using it and feel safe about using it.
Number one, to prevent people from getting COVID just to prevent deaths and hospitalizations but as you pointed out, the more COVID spreads; the more
you give variants a chance to arise. When there's not much COVID around, you don't have a chance for variants to happen.
When you have a lot of COVID around that virus, every time it moves from person to person has a chance to mutate and become a mutation that might be
challenging. So mutations are fine, they don't matter. Other mutations are a problem. They can cause more severe illness. They can cause of certain
variants can spread more easily than others.
For example, the UK variant would fit into that category, and some variants can pose a bit of a challenge to vaccines. We've seen that with the South
African variant. So you want to - it's unfortunate that this vaccination program has been suspended at a time when there's so much COVID around.
KINKADE: Absolutely, Elizabeth Cohen, always good to get your perspective on all of this thank you so much.
COHEN: Thanks.
KINKADE: Well, despite the controversy over the AstraZeneca vaccine in Europe, some parts of the world aren't hesitating to use it. CNN's Kim
Brunhuber connects us to Asia and Australia.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KIM BRUNHUBER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): To the sound of snapping cameras, Thailand's Prime Minister becomes the first person in the country
to get AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine. His shot in the arm kicks off its use across the nation.
PRAYUTH CHAN-OCHA, THAI PRIME MINISTER: I've been ready to get vaccinated for quite a while. I'm thankful for all the medical staff who has been
working to get the vaccine for the Thai people. Today I'm boosting confidence in the vaccine for the general public.
BRUNHUBER (voice over): Thailand is continuing AstraZeneca's rolled out after a brief pause following European reports of bleeding blood clots and
low platelet counts found in a small number of those who received the vaccine. While it's been suspended in more than a dozen EU countries most
of Asia seems to be deeming it safe.
Indonesia is the region's only nation to say AstraZeneca vaccine is currently suspended but from Thailand to India to South Korea to Australia
vaccination campaigns continue in the fight against Coronavirus.
PAUL KELLY, AUSTRALIAN CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER: In any large vaccine rollout we do expect us see unusual events and we monitor very closely and
carefully for those.
[11:15:00]
KELLY: But this does not mean that an event that happens after vaccination has been given is indeed due to that vaccine. So we do always take it
seriously we do investigate. But in this situation, I can absolutely say that I remain confident in the AstraZeneca vaccine, that it's safe.
BRUNHUBER (voice over): AstraZeneca meanwhile, is doubling down on the safety of its vaccine. It says that of the 17 million people vaccinated in
the EU and the UK so far, blood clots were "Much lower than would be expected to occur naturally in a general population".
The World Health Organization said in a statement Wednesday that it believes, "The benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine outweigh its risks".
That may be especially true in countries like India, where COVID deaths continued to rise. In a pandemic that's claimed more than 2.5 million lives
worldwide. Kim BRUNHUBER, CNN.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: Well, there's Jordan, it clamps down on a runaway COVID outbreak protesters are taking to the streets. We'll look at why they're angry and
what's next for the hard hit Kingdom?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We were surprised to see this is working. It's effective. We really believe in cooperation with the liquid.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: And can Israel's Arabs help save Benjamin Netanyahu's political career, we'll have more on his unlikely news strategy just ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KINKADE: Welcome back. Well, the Coronavirus pandemic in the last year has brought about many emotions mostly fear and worry. But in Jordan has now
turned to anger. Well, demonstrations broke out this week after several people died in hospital because of an oxygen shortage.
Some of the anger was also directed at the government's handling of the pandemic, a year after imposing emergency laws. Well, the reality in Jordan
just passed half a million Coronavirus cases. That's in a country of only 10 million people.
The Kingdom's daily infection rate is also hitting daily highs. Jomana Karadsheh is monitoring the situation in Istanbul and joins us now live.
Jomana, good to have you with us obviously last year, Jordan was a success story when it came to COVID far from that situation now with half a million
cases. Just tell us what's happening?
JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It's really hard to believe Lynda that this is the country we were talking about last year about its handling of
the pandemic. Really the situation changed dramatically over the past six months or so as the country opened up.
And what's going on right now as you mentioned shocking numbers coming out of Jordan in the last hour even we have heard from the Jordanian Health
Ministry reporting another more than 9000 cases confirmed and reported today 74 deaths. This is in a country of 10 million as you mentioned.
[11:20:00]
KARADSHEH: They are reporting higher numbers than any other Arab country right now. The government is blaming this on the variant first identified
in the UK that's been spreading in the country since January. It's also blaming the population saying that people are not following the most basic
of restrictions, like wearing masks.
Last week, we saw the government imposing some old restrictions, putting them back into place, like extending the nighttime curfew a Friday
lockdown, and suspending Friday prayers and church services. But some will tell you that this is really too little too late for what the country is
going through right now.
Some experts in Jordan are recommending some sort of a circuit break a few weeks of a lockdown to try and bring down this surge. But this is something
Lynda, the government cannot afford. They use that card early on in the pandemic. They did that for a few months, and it really hurt their economy.
And they also have the population as you mentioned there when we saw those videos of some of the protests that happened earlier this week, there's a
lot of discontent with the government's handling of the pandemic and the economic conditions in the country.
So a very tough situation for the government, it's got to do something, because what's at stake right now is the health care system that is being
pushed to the brink of collapse. A lot of warnings from officials several hospitals in the country say that they have reached full capacity, military
hospitals, field hospitals that were set up to deal with it, overflow are starting to fill up right now
So a lot of concern about where they go from here and it seems like they're going to have to impose some sort of drastic restrictions to try and bring
down the surge that their healthcare system Lynda just cannot cope with.
KINKADE: Absolutely, 500,000 COVID cases, certainly a far cry from what we saw earlier last year, Jomana Karadsheh good to have you with us thanks so
much.
We are just five days out from Israel's next general election. It's the full time Israelis would go to the polls in less than two years. And it's
crunch time for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Now he's looking to form new alliances as he tries to cling to power to avoid a corruption trial by
getting his Likud Party and majority in the 120 say Knesset once and for all.
Mr. Netanyahu is going off to voters that you would have thought rather unlikely. CNN's Hadas Gold has more in that now from Jerusalem. Good to see
Hadas, so Netanyahu is now pitching to Arab voters certainly a far cry from his stance towards Arabs last time.
HADAS GOLD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Lynda Israeli elections can be like a Rubik's Cube sometimes so many different ways to turn but only one or two
key moves unlock the path to power and that's why we're seeing Netanyahu reach out to these Israeli Arabs. Now but these are voters that he and his
party have previously been accused of trying to suppress.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOLD (voice over): Just last year, a campaign video like this from Benjamin Netanyahu would have been unthinkable - literally the father of - in Arabic
language way of embracing the Israeli Prime Minister. Contrast that with this video from 2015, stoking fear of Israel's 20 percent Arab minority to
scare his Likud Party base to get out and vote.
BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: The rule of the right is in danger. Arab voters are moving in droves to the polling stations left wing
organizations are busing them in.
GOLD (voice over): This election is expected to be so close that one or two seats could determine who will be the next prime minister. That's why
you're seeing a possibly surprising sight from Benjamin Netanyahu campaigning amongst an electorate he was previously accused of deriding.
Netanyahu's Likud Party has new promises to these voters, peace agreements with regional allies, and a cabinet position for a special minister of Arab
affairs.
TZACHI HANEGBI, ISRAELI CABINET MINISTER: We were surprised to see that it is working. It's effective. They really believe in cooperation with Likud.
So we went on with this strategy and so far so good.
GOLD (voice over): It may be working. A recent poll by Tel Aviv University found nearly 25 percent of Israeli Arab voters think Netanyahu is the best
candidate for Prime Minister. In the village of Thaibeh the tension ahead of this election is evident on the streets, with Jewish Israeli protesters
trying to convince the locals to vote against the Prime Minister.
One of them yells at passing cars that Netanyahu was a liar and that they need to kick him out. But she's interrupted by a local man Asbarga Ismail,
who says there's no one like BB only BB Netanyahu, there is no one stronger than him.
Not everyone in Thaibeh is a fan though and for some the disillusionment spreads across the Arab parties as well. Mahmoud Amsha says that for the
first time in his life, he may leave his ballot blank.
[11:25:00]
MAHMOUD AMSHA, LIVES IN TAIBEH, ISRAEL: You don't have to be very smart to see that we are disappointed. First of all violence crimes, murder, the
murder of also woman and children second thing infrastructure third thing the unemployed people you know what I am at home all the time because I
don't feel secure. Shouldn't they care about me?
GOLD (voice over): Dr. Ahmad Tibi is a veteran of Israeli politics, a member of parliament here for more than 20 years. He says it's foolish for
an Arab voter to think that voting for Netanyahu will give them power to address Arab issues.
AHMAD TIBI, MEMBER OF KNESSET: Netanyahu is the problem. He is not the solution. He's the - he's real rightist, right ideology with opportunism.
But he's rightist.
GOLD (voice over): In such a small country, Netanyahu's success may hinge on whether he can convince just enough of these voters to forget the past.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GOLD (on camera): Five days to go until this election that Lynda might not even actually paint a clear picture because there are 13 parties who could
win representation in the parliament. But the question will remain as it has been now here for years, which of these parties will be able to build
an actual functioning coalition, Lynda?
KINKADE: All right, Hadas Gold for us, good to have you with us on that story. Thanks so much. Well, I want to go to Britain now where the Prime
Minister is calling for cultural change after the murder of Sarah Everhard. The killing of the 33-year-old Londoner earlier this month has sparked a
debate over how the UK deals with male violence against women?
The Prime Minister Boris Johnson says the government will do everything it can to make the streets safer for women. Suspect accused of being involved
in Everhard's abduction and murder was a serving London police officer. Wayne Cousins is expected to face trial in October. His next court hearing
is scheduled for July.
Well, still to come on "Connect the World" China says it has no room for compromise on key issues. That's just hours before its first face to face
talks with U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken. We're going to go live to Hong Kong for the details.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KINKADE: Welcome back. We're just hours from now the U.S. and China will hold their highest level face to face talk since President Joe Biden took
office. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken is in flight now to Alaska where he'll meet with his Chinese counterpart and other officials.
He left so facing a very tough mission. China wants a reset in relations yet says it has no room for compromise on key issues that concern the
United States.
[11:30:00]
KINKADE: Well, earlier today Blinken, along with the U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin met with South Korean President Moon Jae-in. The South Korean
spokesperson said during those talks that President Moon stressed the need for a joint strategy to tackle the threat from North Korea.
Well, CNN's Ivan Watson is following all the developments from Hong Kong and joins us now live. Good to have you with us, Ivan. So looking at this
meeting, set to take place in Alaska between the U.S. Secretary of State and his counterpart there. Obviously, there are a lot of contentious issues
to discuss with China, off the top my head trade, human rights and security.
IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: There are and there's tension building up to this meeting. You've had this week, the U.S. declare
sanctions on 24 top Chinese officials accusing China of chipping away at Hong Kong's autonomy and removing democratic freedoms.
China firing back, saying that it has countermeasures in the works we don't know what they are yet, and calling this interference in China's internal
affairs. Both sides Lynda seem to be trying to lower expectations. You have China's Ambassador to the U.S. speaking to journalists in Alaska saying
that he doesn't have high expectations for this meeting.
You have the White House basically saying that the meeting could be difficult. President Biden and the Chinese Leader Xi Jinping, they did
speak by phone last month. This is the first face to face meeting. And the Americans have been going into it making very clear that they will
challenge China on human rights when it comes to Hong Kong when it comes to China's Xinjiang region and Tibet.
And also that they've been meeting with their allies in the region just now South Korea, notably before that Japan and issuing joint statements with
the Japanese. They've been quite critical of China and its posture, particularly its territorial claims in the East Sea and in the South China
Sea that has clearly gotten under Beijing's skin.
And the Chinese Ambassador you know through some bars when it came to this U.S. effort to build a coalition ahead of this face to face meeting, take a
listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CUI TIANKAI, CHINESE AMBASSADOR TO U.S.: Some people may think that having conversations with other countries before meeting with China may help to
put pressure on China. I don't think this move is necessary or useful. It's just like someone walks alone at night and sings to give himself courage it
actually doesn't help.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WATSON: Yes, and that diplomat went on to say don't expect any compromise or concessions from the Chinese delegation at this first round of face to
face talks on China's core issues, Lynda.
KINKADE: Right. And Ivan, of course, I want to touch on the recent meeting we've just seen take place between U.S. officials and South Korean
officials and the president. They want to arrange a meeting as soon as they can with Moon Jae-in and President Biden and of course, they have a lot to
discuss a major concern is about North Korea right now.
WATSON: Yes, and, you know, this is important because you have a new U.S. administration. Things were tumultuous at best under the Trump
Administration. And clearly there is an effort here from the Biden Administration to reach out to the strongest U.S. allies in the region,
South Korea being a treaty ally, a joint threat with North Korea and its nuclear and missile program.
And if that was something that both the South Koreans and the American diplomats reasserted that that North Korea and its nuclear and missile
program would be a priority for them, reminding both sides the alliance that has gone back to the Korean War in the 1950s. And how important that
is, that the U.S. is clearly trying to bring two important allies in Asia, Japan and South Korea together.
So a joint statement talked about trying to enhance trilateral cooperation. There's been tension between those two countries in recent years. And
clearly again, this is indicative of the Biden Administration's priority on coalition building on scrapping that idea that the Trump Administration
promoted America going it alone but instead of instead trying to work together with this network of allies to face these common challenges.
North Korea which has refused to respond to efforts from the Biden Administration to reach out to Pyongyang and China though you don't see
China's specifically mentioned in the joint statement that came out between the U.S. and South Korea.
[11:35:00]
WATSON: Anthony Blinken, the Secretary of State repeating that China is an impotent actor when it comes to negotiations with North Korea. But that's a
line that we've heard from American administrations going back for decades, Lynda.
KINKADE: Certainly is Ivan Watson for us in Hong Kong. Good to have you with us a lot to break down there. Thanks so much. 21 U.S. states led by
Texas and Montana are suing the Biden Administration of a one of the very first things the president did when he came into office. They're suing
because he revoked the permit for a controversial pipeline project.
The Keystone XL pipeline would carry Canadian crude oil tar sands into the U.S.; President Joe Biden revoked the permit to help fight climate change.
Well, there's another fight over pipelines underway this one in Minnesota. CNN's Bill Weir speaks with indigenous activists camping along the
Mississippi River. Parts of the new pipeline are supposed to cut through.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BILL WEIR, CNN CHIEF CLIMATE CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Way up north where the mighty Mississippi is a twisty ribbon of ice. This is the new front in
an old fight. It is called Enbridge Line 3, a Canadian pipelines set to run through the woods, wetlands and wild rice of Minnesota. Setting up another
native's versus Goliath clash over energy, sovereignty and our life threatening addiction to fossil fuel.
So how much of this fight for you is about the immediate concerns of a leak that would spoil the water and land? And how much is it about stopping
manmade climate change?
TARA HOUSKA, TRIBAL ATTORNEY: For me, it's all the things at once. So it's this spills, right, which always happened with pipelines. It's the
disruption itself of just the pipeline going into 800 wetlands 200 bodies of water, then there's the climate change piece the emissions of this 50
coal fire plants absolute insanity.
WEIR (voice over): Line 3 starts in the tar sands of Alberta where forests are replaced with open pits and toxic legs so big you can see them from
space. Since it is scraped and steamed into a thick sludge tar sand oil takes tremendous amounts of water and energy to push through a pipe. And
one study found Line 3 will contribute as much planet warming pollution as 50 coal fired power plants.
What is Enbridge's position overall, on climate crisis?
MIKE FERNANDEZ, CHIEF COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER, ENBRIDGE: We brave, climate change is an issue. And in fact, almost as our name implies, right,
Enbridge we're very keen about trying to build a bridge to the energy future.
WEIR: So at what point in order to break this addiction? Do we say you know what; we're going to start with the worst? We're going to start with the
black tar heroin as we detox our way toward being clean.
FERNANDEZ: Yes, I think the real challenge here is that we have a demand for energy. And the reality is, even as we see great growth in renewables;
we're still going to need some fossil fuels for the years to come.
WEIR (voice over): After President Biden pulled Trump era permits and killed the Keystone XL. Those who lost the battle at Standing Rock have
found fresh hope. The tribes and their allies who failed to stop the Dakota Access oil from flowing. Just watch the first Native American Interior
Secretary get confirmed. And now they pray that the president or a judge will stop Line 3.
WEIR: But that's a much bigger ask. Unlike Keystone XL which was starting from scratch Line 3 is a replacement and of the 340 miles that will cut
through Minnesota 40 percent of it is already in the ground.
WEIR (voice over): To outrace a quarter White House order Enbridge is working as fast as the thawing ice and growing process will allow.
HOUSKA: There have been over 130 people have been arrested so far, in just the last few months fighting Line 3, we've got people that have been
crawling into the pipeline itself that have been changed the machines. I mean, it's an all out struggle for Mother Earth that's happening here.
BARRY SIMONSON, PROJECT DIRECTOR, ENBRIDGE LINE 3 REPLACEMENT PROJECT: We do respect everyone's view on the project. We respect safe protesting what
we don't want is individuals to become unsafe or trespass. And we ask our workers for de escalations don't engage, because it goes back to safety,
integrity and the last one respect.
WEIR (voice over): The truth is that the carbon emissions aren't coming from pipelines, they're coming from cars. And so if you really want it to
go directly to the source, you could protest car dealerships, you could protest gas stations.
WEIR: When you compare a job on a pipeline, compared to a job building turbines or solar panels or drilling for geothermal doesn't pay the same.
KEVIN PRANIS, MARKETING MANAGER, LABORER'S INTERNATIONAL UNION OF NORTH AMERICA: That's an excellent question. In Minnesota because of the work
we've done over the past few years, our laborers working on the pipeline and our work laborers work in building wind turbines are making the exact
same money.
[11:40:00]
WEIR (voice over): For one side of this fight it all comes down to supply and demand, while the other demands a supply of energy that doesn't come
with 1000 mile pipes droughts, floods, fires and rising seas. It's a debate that will define the 2020s and beyond. Bill Weir, CNN, Palisade Minnesota.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: Well still ahead, desperate Cubans are risking their lives for the hope of a better future.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She says that her father has to be alive somewhere, but where we can't take it anymore. We are desperate.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: And CNN exclusive, we'll look at the voyage from Cuba to the United States a perilous journey that not all survived.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KINKADE: Welcome back. Desperate Cubans are taking drastic measures to reach the United States as the situation in their homeland grows even
direr. It's become nearly impossible to legally leave Cuba these days since the U.S. has stopped issuing visas and almost all international flights
have been cut.
But with food shortages and worsening economy groups of Cubans are braving a dangerous journey at sea for a final chance at a better life. CNN's
Patrick Oppmann has this exclusive report from Cuba.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PATRICK OPPMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): As the tiny boat carrying Cuban migrants approaches the Coast of Florida, a police helicopter
infrared camera captures the moment when things go terribly wrong. All eight people who are aboard this boat for more than 16 days in February
survived.
The Coast Guard told CNN they're seeing an increasing number of Cubans trying to make the dangerous and illegal journey to the U.S. Some are
stopped on rickety boats (ph) known as Roof Ticos (ph). Some found on deserted islands where the Coast Guard airdrop supplies before rescuing
them.
Others are not so lucky. In the town of - in Cuba - keeps vigil for her daughter and two young grandchildren who are missing after the smugglers
boat they took mysteriously sunk this month. The toys and shoes the children left behind sit neatly in their room.
Their mom hoped to reunite with her husband in Florida Beatrice tells us. My daughter is a good mother. She says she wouldn't have done this if
everything wasn't safe. If everything wasn't OK she wouldn't have put into this folder and everything.
Just down street - says her husband Pepe, was on the same boat trying to go to the U.S. to better provide for his family. She says she doesn't know
what to tell teenage daughter.
[11:45:00]
She says nothing happened to her father. She says that her father has to be alive somewhere but where we can't take it anymore. We are desperate. Cuba
has been hit hard by the impacts of the Coronavirus and increased U.S. sanctions under the Trump Administration.
Tough economic conditions in the past led to waves of Cubans fleeing the island by boat. It's nearly impossible to leave Cuba legally these days.
COVID and still unexplained health incidents among U.S. diplomats here caused the U.S. to stop issuing visas at the embassy in Havana.
The State Department report says as of November, there were more than 78,000 Cubans on a waiting list for immigrant visas. Cubans are unable to
receive visas at the U.S. Embassy here. And the pandemic has shut down most international flights to and from this island.
For many Cubans desperate to leave now, the dangerous dirty by boat is their only option. Beatrice prays for a miracle for her daughter and
grandchildren that they find them that they don't stop looking she says whatever the news is that we know what happened. It's more upsetting to not
know.
But just days after our interview, Cuban officials announced that the search for the missing boat has ended and like too many other Cubans
Beatrice's family is now lost at sea. Patrick Oppmann, CNN, Cuba.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: You're watching "Connect the World". I'm Lynda Kinkade, we'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KINKADE: Welcome back. Disneyland says it will reopen at the end of April. The California theme park has been closed for more than a year, but plans
to resume operations with limited capacity on April 30th. State guidelines allow Disney to reopen with 15 percent capacity in April but Disney says it
will take weeks to hire and train thousands of workers just staff the park.
And from a reopening in the U.S. to a grand opening in Japan Super Mario fans of all ages can now live out their video game dreams at Super Nintendo
World in Osaka. The theme park launched today after several delays due to COVID-19. CNN's Selina Wang was able to get a sneak peek of all the fun and
adventure.
SELINA WANG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: After multiple pandemic delays the world's first intensive theme park is finally open to the public. On opening day
there's excitement to the people are pouring in. Some attendees told me that they're getting emotional saying their childhood games come to light.
Now this park here in Osaka was supposed to open last year ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and along with the Olympics, it was expected to bring
in an influx of tourists and economic activity. But the porosity here is limited and Osaka state of emergency was only recently lifted.
[11:50:00]
WANG: But none of that is stopping the excitement we're seeing here today. Here we go entering Super Nintendo World through the warp pipe, follow me.
And here we are a life size replica of Nintendo's most popular games. You've got Yoshi's Adventure, Bowser's Castle and Fieser's Castle and all
the iconic characters.
After nearly a year long delay because of COVID-19 this theme park in Osaka's Universal Studios, Japan is finally open to the public. We're
getting a sneak peek before the big crowds come in. But this is how things looked during COVID your temperature is taken up the entrance. Hand
Sanitizer is everywhere. Masks are required at all times except for in mask results.
So I can interact with Mario and Luigi but there are rules against touching and one of the few places in this ballpark where I can take my mask off or
in this photo off area with Mario and Luigi. And actually on the ground here there are markers to prove that I need to be a certain distance away
from them. So I am being socially distanced from Mario and Luigi.
Park officials say that this all cost about half a billion dollars to construct and more than six years to develop. Now the gaming industry and
Nintendo especially got a big boost during the pandemic. As more people were stuck at home inside playing Nintendo games.
Games have become real life in this part, the whole park is interactive, and you can even compete against other people here. And just like in the
Mario video games, I've got this power band on my wrist. And I can just punch up on these blocks and I get points in the Mario app on my phone.
And this is what many fans are most excited about Koopa's Challenge a real life Mario Kart race through Bowser's Castle. Alright, I'm about to get on
a real like Mario Kart ride got to put on the augmented reality headset here. Clip it in. Alright, let's go.
The augmented reality headset got a little bit of getting used to but I was racing through the Mushroom Kingdom next year Princess Peach, Mario and
Luigi I'm not great at the video game version of Mario Kart I think I might have fared slightly better in the real life version.
For Nintendo this is an important step beyond its core business of video games and consoles. It's cashing in on its treasure trove of intellectual
property and iconic characters here in the store and in the restaurant. Pinocchio's Cafe, we're here in the Mushroom Kingdom and mushroom themed
food is everywhere. It looks like cartoon food, but it's edible.
She told me when I saw all this I got emotional. I've been playing Nintendo games since I was small. It's not exaggerating to say that Mario games
raised me. This is all beyond my expectations. She told me I feel like I'm in the Mario World. I get worried about COVID when I take off my mask to
eat, she said but the park is taking safety protocols so I feel safe.
Japan's borders are still closed so international travelers aren't allowed in this park yet, but there are plans to open Super Nintendo World in
Florida, California and Singapore. Mario Creator Shigeru Miyamoto says he wants the whole world to come visit when the pandemic is over.
This opening comes as a global theme park industry has been struggling and they're opening in a patchwork around the world. In fact plans to open
Super Nintendo World in Orlando have reportedly been delayed until 2025. Analysts tell me that this is part of Nintendo's strategy to transform
itself from a video game company into an entertainment company.
And I asked the CEO of Universal Studios Japan what Nintendo games they plan to bring to light next? He wouldn't give me any specifics but did say
that they are going to continue to invest in this part. A Comcast Executive also recently said that they expect this Nintendo theme park to be a major
driver of its theme park visit back to you.
KINKADE: Thanks very much. Well, archaeologists searching for ancient artifacts in Israel. Hit the jackpot. They found dozens of fragments of a
Dead Sea Scrolls, the first discovery of its type in decades. Hadas Gold shows us more of this rare treasure and other artifacts on earth during the
expedition.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's the most amazing thing I encountered I found I seen in my life.
GOLD (voice over): In these remote caves near the Dead Sea Israeli researchers found dozens of fragments of Dead Sea Scroll bearing biblical
text. Written in Greek and dating back nearly 2000 years these new pieces of a biblical book have been unearthed for the first time in over 60 years.
OREN ABLEMAN, SCROLLS RESEARCHER, ISRAEL ANTIQUITES AUTHORITY: What we found is new parts of the puzzle of this rather large manuscript. The
manuscript is of a translation into Greek of the 12 Minor Prophets from that from the Bible.
[11:55:00]
GOLD (voice over): Archaeologists have been working in these caves and cliffs of the Judean Desert since 2017 to prevent the looting of
antiquities.
EITAN KLEIN, ISRAEL ANTIQUITIES AUTHORITTY: Survey in this scale was never conducted in the Judean Desert. We surveyed more than 100 kilo meters of
the cliffs of the Judean Desert. And you can see the results.
GOLD (voice over): More historic elements were found a 6000 year old skeleton of a child, rare coins and a complete basket thought to be the
biggest and oldest intact basket in the world.
HAIM COHEN, ARCHEOLOGIST, ISRAEL ANTIQUITIES AUTHORITY: We're looking at the basket, which is about 10,500 years old. And it's kind of huge. It
contains about between 90 to 100 liters, and it's all intact.
GOLD (voice over): Centuries of a hot and dry climate means this basket made from plant material may yield new information on how products were
stored before pottery was invented. From just a few millimeters to a thumbnail in size these fragments may look small, but experts say they
could provide a huge insight into the history before and after the time of Jesus. Hadas Gold, CNN Jerusalem.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: Well, thanks so much for joining us. I'm Lynda Kinkade. Still to come, the European Medicines Agency will hand down its findings on the
AstraZeneca vaccine in the coming moments. We're going to stick around to bring you that when it happens.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KINKADE: Hi, I'm Lynda Kinkade in Atlanta. The European Medicines Agency is set to hand down its findings on the AstraZeneca vaccine any moment. I'll
bring you that when it happens but in the meantime I'm going to hand you over to my colleague John King with Inside Politics.
END
