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Connect the World
Tour of China Communist Party "Holy Sites"; A Warning as China Marks Communist Party Centennial; Trump Organization Statement: CFO Being Used As "Pawn" to Harm Trump; Extreme Heat Fuels Dozens of Wildfires in 12 U.S. States; Delta Variant Fuels New Restrictions, Delays Reopening; Bill Cosby Released From Prison in Stunning Court Reversal. Aired 11a-12p ET
Aired July 01, 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)
ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN, Atlanta. This is "Connect the World".
LYNDA KINKADE, CNN HOST, CONNECT THE WORLD: Welcome to "Connect the World", I'm Lynda Kinkade filling in for my colleague Becky Anderson, good to have
you with us.
Well, we begin this hour with innovation in the heart of the Chinese Capital just a short time ago, along with flags and a flyover or marking
100 years of China's communist rule. Take a listen.
But even with all the choreograph spectacle Beijing wasn't really putting out great notes instead it had a message especially one for the West
President Xi Jinping warning that foreign forces attempting to bully the nation will in his words, get their heads bashed.
Here at CNN we are watching how this global power is attempting to reshape its narrative. David Culver went on the road in Shanghai where China's
Communist Party was founded. Does the places where the public can learn about the party? It's part history lesson, part indoctrination. Take a
look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAVID CULVER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): In a country where organized religion is strongly discouraged, there is faith of a different type widely
promoted here in China faith in the ruling Chinese Communist Party that is and this one of its revered holy sites, Yan'an in Central China.
CULVER (on camera): Yan'an is a place in which the party's founding fathers lived and worked before the communists took over Mainland China in 1949.
Just over my shoulder here, this is one of the spots where Mao Zedong called home for a brief time.
CULVER (voice over): CNN recently joining other international media for a carefully curated government tour, a visit to the historical places that
mark the party's rise over the past 100 years, so called a red tourists traveling here to make a pilgrimage of sorts, some more enthusiastic than
others.
The party's origins are central to a national curriculum aimed at indoctrinating the next generation. School children brought here on field
trips, adult students here to further their understanding of the party. And what's the idea behind coming here? What does it do for you long term?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I come here to study the party's history, to have a better grasp of the party's mission.
CULVER (voice over): We visited one Communist Party school that grooms its elite members, a pristine and modern university like setting.
CULVER (on camera): This is a campus where they gather business leaders, government officials, military officers, and they're brought here and
brought into lecture halls like this one that we're about to walk into to learn more about the theoretical and the party spirit education as they
consider it. Step inside.
CULVER (voice over): Classrooms filled with trainees taking notes. They come here for a few days to a few weeks. For - it's about learning to think
big, not climbing high.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Personally, I want to serve more people to help them improve their lives and pursue greater happiness.
CULVER (voice over): These could very well be the party and country's future leaders. While originally founded in Shanghai in 1921 China's
Communist Party did not take control of Mainland China until the end of a brutal civil war in 1949.
And since there have been missteps, failures and catastrophes that are often downplayed or even missing from the official narrative from the pains
of the Cultural Revolution to the blood of the Tiananmen Square Massacre.
But there are also undeniable successes, turning this once poverty stricken agrarian nation into the world's second largest economy, with a fast
modernizing military force that increasingly unnerved the United States and those triumphs take center stage.
[11:05:00]
CULVER (voice over): In a dramatic and elaborate production officials invited us to watch a show created to celebrate the party's founding,
showcasing its victory over Japanese occupiers and then the nationalists portraying a heroic journey, while projecting a future of promise and
prosperity and leaving the audience under a wave of red, and the party undoubtedly hopes awash with patriotism and gratitude for a century long
presence.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: Well, we have our team coverage for you now. And along with CNN's David Culver, who's live for us from Shanghai, we also have Ivan Watson
reporting from Hong Kong, and our Will Ripley is in Taipei. Good to have you all with us.
I want to start with you first, David, because this celebration was obviously a huge show of strength, but a very aggressive message from the
Chinese President, really a warning to foreign countries that you take on us and you take on the wrath of our entire nation.
CULVER: A highly choreographed performance, Lynda and you're right, a message not only to the domestic audience, one that has been rising in
nationalism in recent years, but also to the rest of the world.
And the U.S. in particular, while not mentioned specifically, it was rather obvious that it was directed towards the U.S. because you heard President
Xi Jinping, who also of course, carries the title of General Secretary of the Communist Party of China, say that he would not allow China to be
bullied that he would not allow China to be contained. You can listen a bit more to some of the strong words that he chose.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
XI JINPING, CHINESE PRESIDENT: At the same time, the Chinese people will never allow ourselves to be bullied, oppressed or enslaved by any foreign
powers. Anyone who dares to try will find their heads bashed bloody against a great wall of steel, forged by over 1.4 billion Chinese people.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CULVER: A bit of context, the English translation comes across a bit stronger than the Chinese use of some of the phrasing that you heard there.
Nonetheless, it is a series that are down and it is directed towards the rest of the world and the U.S. in particular.
We've heard China repeatedly push against the U.S. and other Western democracies that have criticized everything from human rights to what the
U.S. has seen as increased assertiveness in the South China Sea.
And China has said these are domestic affairs. These are internal affairs; essentially mind your own business. And of course, they're pushing forward
in this trajectory of great success.
And we can't deny those successes. I mentioned some of them just a few minutes ago in that piece. But at the same time, there are the obvious
missteps and catastrophes that once again, remained omitted from the narrative today and will likely not be included in the 12 months to come.
Because this is the start of what will be a whole year of celebrating the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party, which of course
started right here in Shanghai Lynda.
KINKADE: Yes, certainly a big year for China. I want to come back to you, David in just a moment. But first, I want to go to Ivan for the reaction in
Hong Kong, which recently has seen a crackdown by major by Mainland China, as specifically on its democracy movement and its free press.
IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It has, I would probably interpret this as almost a triple anniversary here, the 100 years
of the Communist Party, the 24th year of the handover of Hong Kong from British rule to Chinese rule.
And a year in a day since Beijing in a kind of blitzkrieg move imposed a national security law on this former British colony that has been used to
basically crush what had been a protest movement against Beijing's encroachment on Hong Kong's autonomy.
Xi Jinping, no surprise is completely unapologetic about the moves that China has made to assert its dominance over the city, which has resulted in
really dramatic changes just over the course of the last year. Take a listen to what he had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JINPING: We will accurately observe the spirits of one country two systems and the approach of high autonomy in Hong Kong and Macau. The Chinese
government will ensure the central government will exercise full jurisdiction over Hong Kong and Macau, and to implement the legal system
and enforcement mechanisms for the two SIRs to safeguard national security.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WATSON: So under this national security law, the authorities have arrested more than 100 people, some of them politicians and opposition activists,
some of them journalists just last week, forcing the closure of the biggest opposition newspaper in the city, Apple Daily, which had functioned for 26
years here.
July 1 was an annual pro democracy march that had been conducted for 18 years. It was not allowed this year and no protest street protests, which
had been part of the fabric of the city for more than two decades have not really been allowed for the last year.
[11:10:00]
WATSON: The elections for the Legislative Council were postponed, ostensibly on public health grounds as well as protest marches. At the end
of the day, the organized political opposition here has been arguably dismantled over the course of the last year.
And we just do not see the kind of dissent that had been tolerated here for so long. We don't see the peaceful protests. And tonight we're just learned
that there was a stabbing of a police officer in the commercial heart of the city at 10pm. The Police have arrested a suspect.
We don't know if it's linked to any of this. But there's certainly been a dramatic change in this city. And Xi Jinping has helped ram this through
and change Hong Kong's political culture in record time. Lynda?
KINKADE: Yes, he certainly has, thanks to you, Ivan. And I want to go to you Will, for the response in Taiwan, which, of course is a major source of
tension for China, the Chinese President suddenly had a message for Taiwan and anyone willing to protect it.
WILL RIPLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You're absolutely right, Lynda, Beijing has described Taiwan as a red line issue. And one of those issues that they say
the West should not and must not try to interfere with, because, well, obviously, you saw their response with what was happening in Hong Kong,
when they felt that the West was influencing the pro democracy movement.
They swung the pendulum down with that national security law and leaders here in Taipei. We're watching very closely what happened during the summer
of 2019 and summer of 2020 in Hong Kong.
And they say that's precisely why they need to stand firm against the kind of language that Chinese President Xi Jinping was using when he talked
about crushing any concept of Taiwanese independence calls for a peaceful unification with a self governing island for more than 70 years.
That is not interested in unification. They say they're interested in a peaceful coexistence. But that certainly isn't when President Xi was
talking about.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JINPING: Resolving the Taiwan question to realize China's complete unification is the historic mission and an unshakable commitment of the
CCP, we should persist. No one should underestimate the result of will and ability of the Chinese to define the national sovereignty and the
territorial integrity.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
RIPLEY: Shortly after President Xi's remarks, there was a statement from the Taiwan Mainland Affairs Council. I'll read a portion of it for you. It
says the one party dictatorship has clamped down on people's democracy rights and freedoms.
It is even now using the name of national rejuvenation and become more dictatorial internally, softer language from Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-
Wen who attended a Military award ceremony this afternoon, talking about the importance of Taiwan bolstering its defenses right now.
That was a sentiment echoed when I spoke with Taiwan's Foreign Minister Joseph Wu. He said that this country needs to invest in asymmetric warfare
capabilities, because the simple fact is there are hundreds of Chinese missiles pointed at this island right now.
And Taiwan spends about 1/15 what Beijing does on its military. But what the message from this government, this democratically elected government
here is for Beijing is there would be grave consequences if they tried to force unification on an island that wants to continue governing itself as
it has for more than 70 years since the end of China's Civil War back in 1949.
Beijing has always claimed Taiwan as a row province that can be taken back at any time. And recent moves by the current leadership here in Taipei to
grow closer to the United States, including just yesterday, the resumption of long stalled trade talks is being watched very carefully in Beijing.
And of course, there are analysts wondering if China will continue to step up its acts of military intimidation along with disinformation campaigns
and cyber attacks, Taiwanese government reporting 20 million of those cyber attacks each and every month.
And experts we've been speaking with say the vast majority of them are coming from Mainland China. Lynda.
KINKADE: Incredible, Will. I want to go back to David because this of course, we are hearing the reaction in the region to this 100th
celebration, this 100th anniversary, but I'm wondering what the rest of the world is saying who's congratulating China on this anniversary, especially
given that in recent weeks, we have heard from a lot of leaders in the West, condemning China and calling China a threat calling out China for its
policies both at home and abroad.
CULVER: Yes, those Western democracies, including the U.S. not reaching out to offer their congratulations, you're hearing it from Sri Lankan
officials, Vietnamese officials. But I think most notable is a name that a lot of folks associated with Tesla in space and that is Elon Musk.
He tweeted his congratulations saying, essentially that China has been on a trajectory economically that has been of great success that has received a
lot of backlash in and of itself, people pointing to China's human rights records and questioning his motives behind that. I think some may just look
at the finances of it.
[11:15:00]
CULVER: And that is that he's heavily invested with the "Gigafactory" for Tesla right here in Shanghai, and had a major recall of nearly all Chinese
vehicles that they made Tesla that is just this past weekend.
You're also hearing from other business leaders, the Vice Chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, likewise, congratulating China and really even
commending their actions when it comes to handling of businesses, particularly with Jack Ma, the Founder of Alibaba, who was facing a lot of
backlash from Beijing.
So it's interesting to hear these individuals coming forward, but a lot of it is rooted in the economics, Lynda?
KINKADE: Yes, it certainly is a good point. David Culver for us, thanks to you and Ivan Watson and Will Ripley, good to have you all with us, thanks.
Well Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is defending his decision to yank Turkey out of an international treaty protecting women from violence.
Mr. Erdogan says the move should not be construed as a step backwards. And the fight to protect women is not over. But that's a little comfort to
loved ones who have suffered abuse at the hands of those close to them.
Protests are expected across Turkey as the country formally withdrawals from the treaty, which was commonly known as the Istanbul Convention. It
signed it a decade ago. CNN Senior International Correspondent Arwa Damon is in Istanbul Turkey for us, and joins us now live.
Arwa this is certainly devastating for all those who have fought to protect women and girls. Talk to us about the reaction you're seeing there today.
ARWA DAMON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: A lot of anger, Lynda, which is absolutely understandable and the irony is that Turkey was
actually the first country to ratify the convention.
But now Turkey will go down in history as being the first country to withdraw from a Council of Europe, international human rights convention
and what women here fear is that this will just embolden the perpetrators of domestic and other forms of violence and potentially their abusers as
well.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAMON (voice over): --come to terms with what happened to his daughter. This is their last photograph together. Surely he says something more could
have been done should have been done to save - and his unborn grandchild.
It's almost as if he had a premonition of what would come in a society that he says doesn't value women. He took on multiple jobs to educate her so she
could work survive on her own and never have to rely on a man. Sardar (ph) had begged his daughter not to get married, but she didn't listen. She was
just 16 and in what she thought what love.
Then Sardar says the beatings and abuse began. The family filed two complaints that resulted in a restraining order. Cezanne moved back in with
her father. If he had just been detained for three months, six months my daughter would be alive, Sardar mourns.
Her husband lured her into meeting up with him Sardar says, stabbing her 17 times, killing her and their unborn baby boy. If only this tragic story was
a rare occurrence in Turkey. Women's Rights Groups that track femicide rates here say that on average, one woman a day is killed by someone she
knows a family member, husband, boyfriend, and lover.
Three years ago - a domestic abuse survivor herself initiated free self defense classes. Some of those who attend want to protect themselves from
harassment on public transportation or in the streets. Others are in more threatening situation.
We are born into a society that villainesses women due to its patriarchal system as soon as we are born, - explains, our rage grows by the day. And
so too, does their fear, a fear that no woman should have to feel and yet all too many do.
Turkey's withdrawal from the Istanbul convention, a European Human Rights Treaty that aims to end gender based violence is an attack on women's lives
- says. The irony is that Turkey was actually the first country to ratify it.
[11:20:00]
DAMON (voice over): Her father says his daughter's organs were so butchered by their repeated stabbings that none were viable to be donated, just her
eyes.
Her only hope is the eyes of our daughter that remained in the world, he says, God willing, she will see the world with those eyes. Her aunt - feels
like she's going insane, she says she wants to smash in her head beat herself just to end the pain just for it to stop.
She had raised Cezanne as her own after Cezanne's mother left. She grabs my hands the same way she grabbed Cezanne's when she begged Cezanne for the
truth about her relationship with her abusive husband.
Cezanne's husband has been detained and is awaiting trial according to authorities; his plea is not yet public. The real crux is not with justice
once the crime has been committed. It's with the system's social and judicial that allow it to get this far. I want my child back. I want my
child back - wails. I can't forget, I can't forget.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DAMON: Lynda, it's really difficult to listen to that family's pain. I know that it is being echoed on a near daily basis across this country. And so
why would Turkey withdraw from a convention that it was the first country to ratify?
Well, based on what the government said back in March, when it initially took this decision that came into effect today. They said that the
convention had been hijacked by people who wanted to normalize homosexuality, and that this would degrade and erode Turkish family values.
The government has also said that its own legislation is strong enough to ensure sufficient protection for women, which on the one hand is true if
you look purely at the laws that Turkey has in place, but the crux of the issue is when it comes to the implementation of those laws.
And so what women now are really fearful of is that by ripping away the security blanket that the Istanbul convention was providing them that they
are going to be even more vulnerable moving forward.
KINKADE: Yes, absolutely heartbreaking. Thanks to you and your reporting, Arwa Damon for us in Istanbul. With the U.S. President and First Lady met
with exhausted first responders in South Florida and later today, they're going to meet with families who are still waiting for any news on loved
ones trapped in that massive building collapse in Miami.
We're going to go there live. Also vaccines versus a variant, we're going to look at how countries are racing to vaccinate people against the
Coronavirus as the Delta variant spreads.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:25:00]
KINKADE: Well, moving now to one of China's major critics, Donald Trump, the Chief Financial Officer of the Trump Organization has surrendered to
prosecutors to face criminal tax charges. A grand jury in Manhattan on Wednesday indicted CFO Allen Weisselberg and the Trump Organization.
So far there is no indication that Donald Trump all members of his family will be charged. Kara Scannell is in live for us in New York with more
details on all of this. And Kara, this is Trump's long time Chief Financial Officer. Just take us through what we expect today.
KARA SCANNELL, CNN REPORTER: That's right. So Donald Trump's longtime Chief Financial Officer Allen Weisselberg has been indicted by a grand jury. Now
we're waiting to see what these charges are. But they all relate to a tax scheme. According to prosecutors, they will be bringing these charges
today.
We understand that it relates to compensation and benefits that Wiesenberger and others at the company have received. These benefits
include things such as rent free apartment, company cars, bonuses and school tuition for one of his grandchildren.
The big question here is did Wiesenberger and the company pay the appropriate taxes on these sorts of benefits and compensation? Now
Wiesenberger surrendered this morning several hours ago to the DA's office behind me. We're expecting lawyers for the Trump Organization to arrive a
little later from now.
They will have an arraignment this afternoon, just around 2 p.m. Eastern time. And that's when we expect Allen Weisselberg will enter a plea of not
guilty. That's what his lawyers are telling us. And the Trump Organization will also enter a plea of not guilty.
Now the Trump Organization has come out against these charges, although they're still also waiting to see what they are saying that this is
political. This is a witch hunt. They actually said that prosecutors are using Weisselberg as a pawn in a scorched earth attempt to harm the former
president.
So I expect we're going to hear a lot more rhetoric about that. The big question here is with all this pressure on Weisselberg, does he agree to
cooperate? So far he has not. They'll see what these charges are today and be able to evaluate how serious they are. The question though it will he
cooperate and what could that mean for the former president?
KINKADE: Yes, fascinating, fascinating day to day Kara Scannell in New York. Thanks to you and CNN of course will have extensive coverage of the
arraignment of the Trump Organization? Chief Financial Operator, Allen Weisselberg, our coverage will start at 10 pm in Abu Dhabi that is 2 pm in
New York.
Well, the U.S. government has provided equipment and personnel after that deadly Florida building collapsing. Just ahead the President and First Lady
are offering something more comfort from a family who knows what loss means.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:30:00]
KINKADE: Welcome back. Well, the death toll has risen to 18 in that Florida building collapse and still 145 people are missing believe trapped in the
rubble. U.S. President Biden and the First Lady are there now and have just been briefed on the disaster.
And this word in the latest briefing from Florida officials at the search had to be stopped for a few hours for safety reasons. Well, with few
answers to provide to anxious family members, the U.S. President and First Lady have to offer something else and that is comfort.
After first getting a briefing, they are going to think responders, first responders, and later meet with families. CNN's Nick Valencia is in South
Florida where the difficult search now entering a second week.
Nick, but I do want to ask you about that visit by the U.S. President and the First Lady. The U.S. President in particular has dealt with grief a lot
and publicly the loss of his son, his daughter, his wife, he'll be there to offer support to families that are still looking for answers.
NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And Lynda, President Biden's firsthand experience with trauma and grief and mourning will no doubt be, you know,
something that he leans on when he talks to these family members to offer a very compassionate, no doubt compassionate tone.
But for these families of the unaccounted they don't want comfort at this point. They want to know where their loved ones are. They want to know the
whereabouts. They want to know if they're still holding on to hope in vain. This is still very much so a search and rescue mission.
But when you talk to these first responders on a one-on-one basis, the reality of finding someone alive in that debris now that we enter the
second week is dwindling may tell you themselves, they're going about it with hopes that they find a miracle.
But that miracle and the search for one had to be put on pods earlier this morning because of safety concerns for these first responders who let's be
clear, are putting their lives on the line. It's something that the Mayor of Miami-Dade spoke about earlier, at a press briefing.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DANIELLA LEVINE CAVA, MIAMI-DADE COUNTY MAYOR: As many of you have already seen, we were forced to halt operations on the collapse in the early hours
of the morning, due to structural concerns about the standing structure.
We're doing everything we can to ensure that the safety of our first responders is paramount and to continue our search and rescue operation as
soon as it is safe to do so.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VALENCIA: Miami-Dade Fire Chief went on to say that three monitors they had on cracks in the building went off earlier this morning saying that one of
the columns expanded up to 12 feet, which is just a huge shift, really underscoring the dangers and you know, the precarious nature of that
building.
And when you walk by it, you can just tell how difficult of a task at hand there is, as we talk to you here live on air another one of those buses
that has been taking family members to the site to offer some closure for some of these family members.
But there are so many here that haven't gotten it yet. Now we enter our second week, there is a lot of dwindling hope. And really people wondering
if they're clinging to hope in vain, Lynda?
KINKADE: Yes. I really feel for the families there given we are in day eight, still so many unaccounted for. But the most recent, I guess
identities, with those of children that have found out overnight.
VALENCIA: That's right. A body of a four-year-old was found in the debris as well as their sibling, a 10-year-old, you know, just showing how tragic
this was? There's still a six-year-old girl missing and her parents.
You know, I've been speaking to the friend of that family who goes back and forth that roller coaster of emotions for these friends. One day, they feel
as though that they won't get good news. And then they wake up and feel that you know their only hope is to pray for a miracle.
And if they put out positive energy into this world, according to this one family member that perhaps they will get some good news at the very least,
they want some closure and now that we're on day eight, the need for that closure.
They're really hungry for that right now at this point. And you know, unfortunately, it seems that they're not getting it anytime soon, Lynda.
KINKADE: All right for us, Nick Valencia, in Surfside Florida, thank you. Well, scorching temperatures in the Northwest of the United States are
finally going down a little bit. The extreme heat is worsening already what is a severe drought there. The hot and dry weather also providing perfect
conditions for wildfires with 47 blazes scorching hundreds of thousands of acres in more than a dozen U.S. states.
[11:35:00]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GINA MCCARTHY, WHITE HOUSE CLIMATE ADVISER: I think what you're seeing here is really what essentially is a new norm. We have to get used to the fact
that climate change is real. And I think people everywhere now acknowledge that because we can see it, but we are facing extreme heat. And with that
comes extreme drought. We have 46 percent of the population of the United States now living in areas that have drought conditions.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: Well, hundreds of heat related deaths have been reported in the north western part of the U.S. and Canada. At least 41 wildfires are
burning in British, Columbia. Most of the province is in high or extreme fire danger.
This, of course, is an increasingly global problem. Iraq is facing a severe heat wave right now. Iraqi authorities have announced a public holiday for
a number of provinces after temperatures in the Capital, Baghdad as well as other cities soared past 50 degrees Celsius.
That's to help people avoid working during the hottest hours of the day, especially as Iraq is continued to struggle with chronic power outages and
delayed reopenings and tougher new lock downs. I'm going to ask an epidemiologist all about how the Delta variant is changing and how
countries are responding to the Coronavirus? That's when we come back stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KINKADE: Welcome back. The World Health Organization says that Europe reported a 10 percent spike in Coronavirus cases, just in the last week.
Health officials are blaming the Delta variant for the quick spread of the disease that urging people to get vaccinated without hesitation.
The UK is heading towards another potential wave of Coronavirus cases with the Delta variant mostly to blame. The country just reported its highest
number of new infections since the end of January.
And the Delta variant has now been confirmed in all 50 U.S. states and it is spreading around the globe. Kim Brunhuber shows us where it's having the
biggest impact?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KIM BRUNHUBER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Plans to ease COVID restrictions now delayed in parts of France, strict new measures imposed in
South Africa. Fresh lockdowns in three Australian cities, new restrictions in Bangladesh, Indonesia, parts of Thailand and elsewhere in Asia.
They are among countries renewing the fight to contain the Coronavirus as the so called Delta variant reaches across the globe first detected in
India in February. Cases have now been reported in dozens of countries. In some places it's spreading quickly as countries struggled to vaccinate
their populations.
Public health officials warn the new strain is behind recent spikes in some countries like Russia, South Africa, and also Indonesia, where Red Cross
says there is a warning of a COVID catastrophe as the country's recent surge strains, hospitals and oxygen supplies.
[11:40:00]
BRUNHUBER (voice over): I worldwide it's on track to become the most dominant version of Coronavirus according to one W.H.O. official. European
health officials say it's 40 to 60 percent more transmissible than the alpha variant first identified in England, making it the most contagious
form of Coronavirus to date.
In the U.S. it now accounts for one in four cases and has spread to every state. In the United Kingdom, the Delta variant makes up nearly all new
infections. Although the UK had a relatively successful vaccine rollout, the variant is spreading quickly among the unvaccinated.
The current vaccines being used in the UK Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson are proving effective against the Delta variant. Still, experts say
the new mutations are changing the equation of herd immunity.
Adding to the concern a new and slightly changed version of the Delta variant called Delta Plus, which has been spotted in at least 11 countries.
Health officials are investigating whether it may be more resistant to vaccines? For now authorities say it's too soon to tell.
Instead they're warning the public stay watchful, but don't panic as an ever changing virus prolongs the world's fight to contain this pandemic.
Kim Brunhuber, CNN.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: Let's get more on all of this with Infectious Disease Physician Keith Neil, thanks so much for joining us today.
KEITH NEIL, INFECTIOUS DISEASE PHYSICIAN: Good day. It is morning there and afternoon here.
KINKADE: It is morning here. A few people have asked me why it's called the Delta variant. And we are now using of course the Greek alphabet to
describe these new mutations of the Coronavirus. But this one in particular seems to be the most aggressive and transmissible yet.
NEIL: I think it's certainly more transmissible than the alpha variant, which is more transmissible than the original strains we had at the
beginning of last year. I wouldn't necessarily call it more aggressive because at the moment is not causing more serious disease in the people who
get it compared to people the same age.
KINKADE: Right. So many countries, though, which thought they had seen the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic are seeing a surge in cases are countries in
Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, and now reverting back to lockdowns and restrictions as a result of this.
NEIL: Well, I think originally with the almost all factual results three, with the original wild type, it was relatively easy with minimal social
distancing to get on top of it. I mean, the estimated R value for this could be as high as seven or eight, which puts it very similar to things
like mumps, which are very quick at spreading.
The base bottom line is we do have the ability to stop disease. And that's vaccination and all the vaccines approved in the United Kingdom, Europe and
the United States appears to be effective.
KINKADE: And that's something I wanted to ask you about because even in countries with high vaccination rates, like the UK, like Israel, like South
Korea, are seeing a surge in cases as a result of this variant, but thankfully not a jump in deaths. And it really shows that these vaccines
are effective.
NEIL: I think one of the reasons, particularly in the UK, is that we are actually having a lot of cases, but we really have ramped up our testing,
particularly in areas where there's a lot of disease in an attempt to get hold of it.
So 20,000 cases a day now is not comparable to 20,000 cases a year ago. I think that's still 20,000 people infected, but direct comparisons of
numbers isn't appropriate. I think it's more appropriate is that we're down to sort of 10 to 20 deaths following COVID. And some of those won't
actually be COVID deaths.
KINKADE: Right.
NEIL: And we're certainly seeing a massive splurge. And that like we have in other waves, and that's down to vaccination.
KINKADE: We are certainly seeing in some countries like Brazil, as surging cases of which children have actually died. And we covered a report on it
and a story about a baby girl called Sarah. She was four months old when she was diagnosed with COVID-19 and a month later, she had passed away as a
result of this disease. Why are we seeing kids and babies more affected by this virus?
NEIL: I think globally because more people are actually becoming infected because it's so much better it's spreading. The other thing is that we do
know that when any new virus or bacteria gets into a population, it spreads most quickly between 16 and 25 year olds, and then spreads out across the
rest of the population. For COVID in Britain because the older population has been vaccinated, it's not spreading as well.
[11:45:00]
NEIL: Because even if you do catch COVID after vaccination you are 50 percent less likely to transmit it to other people after one shot of
vaccine. I'm not quite sure why we're seeing so many deaths in countries like Brazil, apart from Brazil is a big country, because we really haven't
seen children deaths in the UK or Europe anywhere near that degree.
KINKADE: Talk to us about people who are unvaccinated. How they can be incubators for new mutations of this virus and what it means for people
that are hesitant to get a vaccine?
NEIL: I think the more vaccine - the more virus that are dividing and multiplying the greater the each one this separate chance of the mutation
occurring. There comes a time when we sort of reached peak COVID infectivity when the viruses actually mutated to the most efficient form,
how close we are to that we don't really know.
My bigger concern is that people have said, oh, we've got to vaccinate the whole world. And then we'll be safe. Given the age structure of some
countries and in some countries in Sub Saharan Africa, over half the population is under 18.
We're never going to achieve herd immunity with the Delta - for the Delta which in many of these countries. And we're probably going to have to end
up managing COVID in the same way we manage influenza flu with annual vaccines, maybe not necessarily annual, but certainly boosters targeted to
the variants that are circulating.
KINKADE: Certainly sounds like we are going to have to live with this Keith Neil for us from Nottingham University good to have you with us.
NEIL: Thank you.
KINKADE: Well, Bill Cosby is freed from prison and back home right now. What he's accuses is saying after a court overturned the disgraced act his
conviction of a promise a prosecutor made "He is the God".
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KINKADE: Welcome back. Prince William and Prince Harry have put aside their differences to honor their mother the late Princess Diana. Earlier the two
brothers unveiled a statue at the Sunken Gardens at Kensington Palace.
Today would have been Diana's 60th birthday. This of course is William and Harry's second public appearance together since Harry and his wife Meghan
stepped down as Senior Royals and moved to California.
Well, our Max Foster is covering this story for Senior Royal Correspondent and joins us now live. Certainly all eyes on the brothers today to see how
their relationship is playing out given all the reports we've heard over the last few months that they're barely on speaking terms. What did you
notice?
MAX FOSTER, CNN ROYAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, actually, you notice how they're getting on incredibly well actually they came in together, they walked
towards the statue. They're talking to Diana's siblings there who were invited along with the sculptor and the gardener, and it looked as though
they're on very good terms.
I mean, how much can you read into that? It's very - there's undoubtedly, tension between the two. They're barely on speaking terms, but I think they
came to this event into the garden they grew up in to unveil the statue that they co-commissioned together. So this was very much a joint project
they were involved in every part of this process and then they were there to unveil it.
[11:50:00]
FOSTER: So I think that they wanted to make this a moment about Diana, frankly, and not about them. And I think that with their meter experience,
they managed to do that. And perhaps, you know, there is, or of course, it's going to be a connection there. They - this is the house they grew up
in.
And this was a moment where they found that, who knows if it's a longer term healing of this rift or not to wait and see.
KINKADE: Yes. You can only hope for that. And this, of course, is a permanent memorial to Princess Diana and all her work. Talk to us about the
Sunken Garden, because this was a place where William and Harry played that as kids, right?
FOSTER: Yes, so it is a private garden within the palace. And this is apparently one of Diana's favorite spots, and they've replanted it with
4000 flowers. And to make this statue a centerpiece, it's very much a tribute to their mother.
But yes, this is where Prince Harry would have played when they were young. But they also want this to be a public project, which is why our cameras
are invited in and the public will be able to see the statue.
They won't be able to go straight up to it because as I say it is a private garden, but they'll be able to see the statue in a place that was very
important to Diana and William and Harry, and get a sense of being in that space and remember her.
They talk about her life and legacy. This isn't just about Diana being a royal, not just about her being a mother. This is Diana as a public figure,
a humanitarian, someone who pioneered celebrity activism in many ways. And I think this is what this statue is about.
So you see children around her in the statue. Those are representatives of younger generations, really speaking to a lot of the work that she carried
out in her time and also it's an image from later on in her life when she felt more empowered.
KINKADE: And of course again on this trip, Meghan did not join Harry. Of course last month they welcome their second child a little baby girl. But
we have to leave it there for now Max, getting the wrap. Good to have you on the story. Thanks so much.
Well, it's not often you hear internet slang things flying around during a parliamentary debate. But this week, the Prime Minister of New Zealand
appeared to suggest that the opposition leader was a Karen.
In case you don't know Karen has become in turn for an entitled white woman who uses her privilege to make unreasonable demands. Jacinda's government
is proposing tougher penalties for speech that incites violence or discrimination.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JUDITH COLLINS, NEW ZEALAND NATIONAL PARTY LEADER: What is her response to Taylor O'Brien, who wrote "Jacinda Arden is wrong about her own hate speech
law completely and utterly wrong"? I've only as the prime minister wrong about the basic facts of the proposal. She is wrong to shut down debate on
hate speech input.
JACINDA ARDEN, NEW ZEALAND PRIME MINISTER: Mr. Speaker, I also disagree with that statement. And I also as it happens, disagree with the member
statement on Twitter, that somehow it will become illegal to call someone a Karen that is absolutely incorrect. And I apologize that means these laws
will not protect that member from such a claim.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: Well, a proposal for tougher penalties comes in response to the 2019 Christchurch mosque attack. Opposition parties say the rules would
hinder free speech and that existing laws are sufficient.
Well, after serving nearly three years in prison for sexual assault, disgraced actor and comedian Bill Cosby is free and back home why? CNN's
Jason Carroll explains.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Walking free, Bill Cosby leaving prison after Pennsylvania's highest court vacated his conviction.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He just said his heart was racing. He couldn't believe.
CARROLL (voice over): The 83-year-old former comedian now home after being released the court deciding that prosecutors violated his due process
rights. Writing the subsequent decision by successor DA to prosecute Cosby violated Cosby's due process rights. He must be discharged in any future
prosecution on these particular charges must be barred.
According to the court Cosby was originally promised immunity in exchange for testimony in a civil case. A decade later, a different prosecutor used
that testimony against him in his criminal trial.
BRIAN PERRY, ATTORNEY FOR BILL COSBY: We said from day one, we just didn't think he was treated fairly and that the system has to be failed. And
fortunately, the Supreme Court agreed with us.
CARROLL (voice over): In 2018, Cosby was sentenced to three to 10 years in state prison for drugging and sexually assaulting Andrea Constant. That
conviction came after a mistrial on the same charges. Cosby, once known as "America's Dad" has long fought for his release being denied appeal in 2019
and denied parole just last month. His conviction was the first high profile celebrity case in the "metoo" era.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Guilty! Guilty! Guilty!
CARROLL (voice over): And his release dealing a blow to the multiple women who accused him of sexual assault. A lawyer for three of the accusers
tweeting, he is not released because he is innocent.
[11:55:00]
CARROLL (voice over): He is released because a prosecutor promised him years ago that he would not be brought to justice. Andrea Constant the
woman at the center of the criminal case and her lawyers releasing a statement saying in part, today's majority decision regarding Bill Cosby is
not only disappointing but of concern, despite the ultimate outcome which resulted from a procedural technicality and we urge all victims to have
their voices heard.
But Cosby does have some support and former co star Felicia Rashad, he tweeted finally a terrible wrong is being righted. A miscarriage of justice
is corrected Jason Carroll, CNN Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: Well, that does it for "Connect the World". I'm Lynda Kinkade. Thank you so much for joining us today. "One World" with Richard Quest is
next, stay with CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
