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Omicron Putting Pressure on U.K. Hospitals; Governments Face New Challenges as Omicron Spreads; Largest U.S. Pediatric Hospitals Sees 4X Increase in Hospitalizations; India's Capital Announces Weekend Curfew; Prince Andrew's Lawyers Ask U.S. Judge to Dismiss Lawsuit; Trump Supporters Blame Insurrection on Everyone but Trump; Food and Fuel Shortages Leave Afghans Struggling to Survive. Aired 10-10:40a ET
Aired January 04, 2022 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[10:00:00]
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MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Four- month-old Grayson Perry, his tiny belly rapidly expanding and contracting, one of many children here with COVID-19, struggling to breathe.
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST (voice-over): The youngest victims: children's hospitals across the U.S., see a surge in admissions as doctors warn
vaccinations for kids are critical.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
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ANDERSON (voice-over): Plus, they are burning furniture, shoes, anything, to keep warm as winter sets in. This is the reality for thousands of
Afghans, the painful details from the International Committee of the Red Cross is just ahead.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON (voice-over): And --
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LISA, TRUMP SUPPORTER: January 6th attack was not the Republicans nor Trump. It was the Democrats were behind it all. They're the ones that
caused it all.
ANDERSON (voice-over): Almost a year after rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol, we hear from Trump supporters in denial.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: It is 7:00 pm here in Abu Dhabi. I'm Becky Anderson. Welcome to CONNECT THE WORLD from our Middle East broadcasting hub.
Too many restrictions or not enough?
Governments facing new challenges as this Omicron coronavirus variant continues to spread. France's parliament set to resume debate today on
legislation, mandating vaccines for many daily activities after opposition parties suspended debate on Monday night.
Nurses in England urging more restrictive measures amidst what they call extreme unprecedented workforce absences. The dark red areas on this map
seeing a 50 percent jump in new COVID-19 cases this past week, compared to the previous week.
CNN's Scott McLean from London, Cyril Vanier is in Paris.
Scott, the U.K. prime minister warning of pressure on hospitals, even as the government defends its current measures. There is a lot of mixed
message out there and certainly the association that represents nurses in England today calling for more restrictive measures.
Is it clear what's going on?
What is going on, obviously, is that governments are facing very difficult decisions, aren't they, at this point.
SCOTT MCLEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, to say the least, Becky. In two hours, we're expecting to hear from prime minister Boris Johnson in a press
conference, so surely we will have more clarity on his thinking.
But based on what he said so far, is that, look, yes, he expects there will be pressure on hospitals over the next couple of weeks, possibly even
beyond that. But he says that the hospitalization data at this point, certainly the death toll at this point, does not justify further measures.
That puts him at odds with many countries in Europe, which are piling on the restrictions, and even other nations of the U.K., which have gone
further to tighten restrictions on some parts of the economy.
Boris Johnson has suggested things like mask mandates, working from home, if you can, those are unlikely to have a massive impact on their own, on
the economy. But of course, now you have this other problem, that's because of the surge in cases and because of the requirement to self-isolate if you
tested positive, you have to stay home.
So of course, that's being felt across the economy. But where it really counts is in hospitals. Boris Johnson is not worried about the number of
people showing up at hospitals right now. He's worried about the number of hospital staff who are not.
Several health regions in the U.K. have declared critical incident because of staff shortages. If you look at a two-week period at the end of
December, the number of staff calling in sick because of the virus doubled in that period.
Things are even worse in London; this, of course, is the Omicron epicenter of the U.K. The nursing union calling for tighter restrictions in England,
a more cautious approach, as they say. They also want to know more about the justification and the data behind the decision-making in each of the
four nations of the U.K.
They're also wondering how on Earth the government plans to actually staff the temporary hospitals it has set up as a precaution, just in case they
are needed, given the staffing shortages that are being felt across the healthcare system right now.
Of course, it is not all doom and gloom in the U.K. There is good news.
[10:05:00]
MCLEAN: About half the population of this country has gotten their booster shot, which does much, much better against the Omicron variant. We know
that the virus is less severe, up to 80 percent less severe, compared to other variants ,for people who've had the booster shot.
But the real question that politicians must be thinking about at this juncture, at two years into the pandemic, how does this end?
Even of the creators of the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine is saying, look, it is not plausible, not reasonable to try to vaccinate the entire population
every six months. At some point, we have to just focus on the most vulnerable out there -- Becky.
ANDERSON: Tough times trying to balance protection versus the need to, quite frankly, Cyril, start learning to live with COVID.
What is going on as far as French authorities are concerned?
CYRIL VANIER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You can say that's exactly what France is trying to do, trying to learn with this virus.
Number one, what they're trying to do is get as many people boosted as possible. Half the people who had been fully vaccinated have now received a
booster shot, that the rates of administering booster shots was very, very high before the holiday period. About 1 percent of the entire French
population receiving the boosters every day, Becky. That is strategy number one.
Strategy number two, they're starting to adapt the rules to a new reality that is shaped by Omicron. And that reality is one of a very, very high
number of cases, a very high number of contact cases. The government is worried that this could cripple economic activity.
They are worried also it could jeopardize maintaining basic public services. And for that reason, they adapted their rules. So the general
idea to these new rules is close things less, whether it is workplaces, schools, close less and test a lot more.
So when people are contact cases, if they have been vaccinated, they no longer need to isolate. When people are infected, if they have been
vaccinated, the isolation period has been brought way down to a minimum of five days, provided you can show a negative test.
The idea, as you see it, the spirit is try and live with this, try and avoid closing classrooms, avoid closing workplaces and get people back to
their normal lives, despite the very high number of cases.
ANDERSON: Yes, a very, very difficult decision at present.
The British prime minister Boris Johnson will deliver a virtual COVID news conference later today. It starts in about two hours, that's 12:00 pm in
the eastern U.S. You can work out what time that is wherever you are watching. We will bring the details about what is being said on the show
that follows this one.
Instead of heading back to school after the holidays, thousands of children across the United States are in hospital, with more than 500 being admitted
daily. Doctors say the numbers are staggering and the majority of those infected are not vaccinated.
The country's largest pediatric hospital is in Houston, in Texas. That's where CNN's Miguel Marquez witnessed the suffering firsthand.
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MARQUEZ (voice-over): Four-month-old Grayson Perry, his tiny belly rapidly expanding and contracting, one of many children here with COVID-19,
struggling to breathe.
MARQUEZ: Are you afraid they're going to have to intubate him?
GAYVIELLE GOFF, MOTHER OF COVID-19 PATIENT: Yes. A little bit. It's just really scary. So I just hope that, you know, he's able to get better and go
home.
MARQUEZ (voice-over): Gayvielle Goff, mom to three, thinks her youngest picked up the virus at a Christmas family gathering. Her only job now,
keeping her son in good spirits.
GOFF: I do talk to him in like a little baby voice. I sing to him. I can't sing but he likes it.
MARQUEZ (voice-over): One of nearly 70 children now hospitalized at Texas Children's, a new record high for the nation's largest pediatric hospital.
In just the last two weeks, hospitalizations here have increased more than fourfold. Most unvaccinated or not eligible for vaccines from toddlers to
teens.
AMY WOODRUFF, MOTHER OF COVID-19 PATIENT: Our COVID journey began -- see, I don't even know my days. Brains are mashed potatoes. We began November
29th. Me and my daughter both tested positive for COVID.
MARQUEZ (voice-over): Amy Woodruff's daughter, Halie Mulanax, her 17th birthday the day we visited has been intubated in an induced coma for
nearly a month. She also gave birth nearly three weeks ago. She knows none of it.
WOODRUFF: She had a C-section in Amarillo on December 9th to a beautiful little baby girl, 3 pounds, 6 ounces.
MARQUEZ (on camera): And she has not seen yet.
WOODRUFF: She has not seen. And she was COVID negative, praise Jesus.
MARQUEZ (voice-over): From Pampa, Texas, Halie was moved to Amarillo, then Houston for advanced care.
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MARQUEZ (voice-over): Still unaware her 3-week-old daughter, Xylah Faye (ph), is 900 miles away in an Amarillo newborn intensive care unit.
MARQUEZ (on camera): What will you tell her when you can speak to her?
WOODRUFF: I don't even want to think about it. That's my little girl being away from her little girl. My heart bleeds for her.
MARQUEZ (voice-over): The omicron variant now ripping through the lone star state. Texas Children's preparing for even more sick kids as COVID-19
cases skyrocket.
MARQUEZ (on camera): What is your sense for what the next few weeks are going to hold?
NICOLE LEATHERS, NURSE MANAGER, PEDIATRIC ICU, TEXAS CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL: You know, I think the bar for resilience just keeps moving. You think that
I don't know how we can do this again and then we keep doing it again.
MARQUEZ (voice-over): As Texas Children's readies for a fourth coronavirus wave, already its ER is seeing a spike in kids suffering mild symptoms.
Their parents seeking testing, bogging down triage for the seriously ill.
BRENT KAZINY, MEDICAL DIRECTOR, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, TEXAS CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL: We're seeing a lot of patients present with mild respiratory
symptoms, cough, congestion, fever, known COVID exposures, et cetera, that really I think a lot of them are really seeking testing.
MARQUEZ (voice-over): Like previous waves, the sickest kids, those needing hospitalization, are having a tough time breathing.
MELANIE KITAGAWA, MEDICAL DIRECTOR, TRANSITIONAL ICU, TEXAS CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL: So they're getting a lot of respiratory symptoms as we've been
expecting. Pneumonias, needing respiratory support to help them breathe better.
MARQUEZ (voice-over): Viral spread expected to intensify in the weeks ahead and even if the omicron variant isn't as severe --
JIM VERSALOVIC, PATHOLOGIST-IN-CHIEF, TEXAS CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL: The problem is that with so many children and adults infected, even if the
percent -- percent hospitalization rate is lower, we're still -- we could see more children hospitalized over a very short period of time. So that
certainly puts a strain on our health care resources.
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ANDERSON: Children are the least vaccinated age group in the United States, especially those under 12. That was CNN's Miguel Marquez reporting.
In some parts of the world, it seems like a terrible replay of 2020, at home except for the most essential reasons. That's life in two Chinese
cities. The latest shutdown happening in the city of Yuzhou after two asymptomatic cases were reported -- just two.
Meanwhile, Xi'an, China, is nearly two weeks into a lockdown. Residents are complaining of slow food and a lack of medical assistance. Paula Hancocks
joins us with more insight on how things are evolving, not just in China but across the Asia region -- Paula.
PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: What we really are seeing is that this zero-COVID policy that China has is very much intact, you mentioned there.
This city is quite amazing. Residents are 1.2 million and they have locked down the entire city just because of two asymptomatic cases.
It is not the first time we have seen something like this. But they have shut down schools, public transport and only emergency services and
supplies can continue. But even those that work in those emergency services, for example, in supermarkets, before they go through the front
door, they have to show that they have a negative test.
Now when it comes to Xi'an, the 13 million residents city, it has been on lockdown since December 23rd. And we are seeing more and more examples on
social media of people struggling to get the basics. We are seeing many examples of people saying they cannot get enough food, groceries and also
medical attention.
Now authorities there have admitted that they are struggling to deliver the food to those who are in this lockdown area. But they are going to make
sure that they do better.
There was one, for example, one posting on Weibo that their father had a heart attack, they're unable to get him to the hospital because of the
lockdown, he was refused access. By the time he was accepted, he sadly passed away, it was too late.
That not the only example we're seeing of that. There are many concerns for those within those massive lockdowns. But it just shows this zero-COVID
policy in China is not going anywhere -- Becky.
ANDERSON: And things going from bad to worse, it seems.
In India, what is the situation there?
HANCOCKS: So in India, what we have seen today is record numbers of cases in both Mumbai and also in New Delhi and in the capital territory of Delhi
they announced a curfew for the weekend.
Officials saying to people, please do not go out on Saturday or Sunday to try and contain the outbreak. But they have said that they are not seeing a
radical increase in hospitalizations at this point. They're hoping that that is not just a lagging factor as it has been in many other places.
[10:15:00]
HANCOCKS: But in some of the states, Uttar Pradesh for example, other states, five of them, which have elections coming up, we're seeing massive
political gatherings, with thousands of people in the crowds, many not masked, many not socially distanced, which is really starting to concern
people.
In fact, Delhi's chief minister has announced today that he has tested positive. He was at one of those massive political gatherings.
So even though we are seeing in Delhi, for example, a curfew being put in place over the weekend to try and contain the outbreak and slow the
outbreaks of Omicron cases, when it comes to politics in India, we are seeing, in other states, these political gatherings and rallies will still
go ahead.
In fact, prime minister Modi himself also attending some and speaking at some of them -- Becky.
ANDERSON: You're monitoring the situation as well in Australia post the new year celebrations there.
What is the story?
HANCOCKS: Unfortunately, in Australia, we are also seeing a record number of hospitalizations. Up until this point, in New South Wales, the most
populous state, we had seen a vast increase in the number of daily cases.
But we weren't seeing that translating into people going into hospitals. That has now changed.
And that will be of great concern to officials in New South Wales, where a record number of hospitalizations, they say, the positivity rate at this
point is almost 28 percent in New South Wales, though they do point out they've actually changed the rules of close contact and those needing to be
tested, to try and ease the pressure on the testing centers.
ANDERSON: Paula Hancocks, always a pleasure. Thank you very much indeed.
You got a sense, viewers, of what is going on around the world.
Just ahead, a court showdown in Prince Andrew's fight against a civil lawsuit, claiming sexual assault, which he denies. Why his lawyers are
asking a U.S. judge to throw the case out.
And nearly a year after the January 6th riots, some Trump supporters still believe he had nothing to do with it. You will hear why after this.
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ANDERSON: Right, you're with CONNECT THE WORLD. I'm Becky Anderson.
At this hour, a federal judge in New York is set to hear arguments on whether to drop a civil claim of sexual assault against Prince Andrew. He
consistently denies any wrongdoing.
Lawyers for the Duke of York say a 2009 settlement agreement between his accuser, Virginia Giuffre, and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein
shields the prince from Giuffre's civil lawsuit. Today's hearing by video link comes a day after that settlement was made public.
[10:20:00]
ANDERSON: CNN's Max Foster joins us live from Hampshire, a lovely part of the world.
What can we expect?
Virginia Giuffre's lawyer calling this unsealed settlement "irrelevant."
MAX FOSTER, CNN LONDON CORRESPONDENT: It has literally just started a couple of minutes ago. And this is the critical hearing really for Prince
Andrew, because it is his best opportunity to have his case thrown out.
He's tried on multiple grounds before, has never been successful. This appears to be his best hope, according to legal analysts, because this 2009
agreement between Giuffre and Epstein does say that she accepts $500,000 in return for not pursuing any cases in relation to people connected to
Epstein.
But it doesn't name Prince Andrew specifically. So that might be an issue for Prince Andrew's team, because Giuffre's team say, basically that
agreement is entirely irrelevant, as you say, immaterial to the case in New York.
These things have to be argued out; they are shades of gray but ultimately today is so important, because the judge today will decide -- we don't know
whether or not we'll get the judge's ruling today -- but it is up to the judge really to interpret this agreement.
But fundamentally to just decide whether or not the agreement from 2009 with Epstein has anything to do with this case at all; if it doesn't, then
the case continues. And we go on to depositions and potentially a trial, Becky, in September to December.
ANDERSON: Is Prince Andrew likely to be a witness in that trial?
Will he be -- will he be spoken to?
FOSTER: He'll certainly be asked to depose by Giuffre's team. We know that. Sarah Ferguson is someone they've mentioned as well; also the Duchess
of Sussex, a whole range of people which will be very embarrassing to Prince Andrew but also to the wider royal family, I'm sure.
It is whether or not he agrees to be questioned by the other side, effectively. And from looking at the way he's handled the whole of this
case, it appears that I think he probably wouldn't. I don't want to sort of speak on behalf of his legal team. But he's done all he can to avoid this
case.
So if we can continue looking at the way he's behaved in the past, I think it is unlikely that he will want to be deposed; in which case, there will
be a judgment in his absence and he could be found guilty and damages could be paid to Giuffre.
We'll have to see how it all plays out. But from Prince Andrew's point of view, he's always denied any of these allegations from Giuffre's side. And
we expect him to continue making that argument. And, you know, it's pretty unlikely he's going to be accepted a deposition or give a deposition.
ANDERSON: He wants this civil case thrown out. It is in the judge's hands at this point. More as we get it. Thanks, Max.
Thursday marks a year since rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol after a Donald Trump rally. But they still defy its explanation. America has always been
seen as a bastion of democracy. And what happened last January 6th continues to poison the waters of U.S. politics. Donie O'Sullivan takes a
look now at the aftermath.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LISA, TRUMP SUPPORTER: January 6 attack was not the Republicans nor Trump. It was the Democrats were behind it all. They're the ones that caused it
all.
DONIE O'SULLIVAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on-camera): You really believe that?
LISA: I know it. And there is no way that a Republican would act that way. And there is no way that Trump had anything to do with what happened on
January 6.
O'SULLIVAN (on-camera): What about all the Trump supporters that have been charged and (INAUDIBLE)?
LISA: Because it's all Democratic judges and people that were on the take from the Democrats.
O'SULLIVAN (voice-over): It's been a year since the attack on the U.S. Capitol.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is our (INAUDIBLE).
O'SULLIVAN (on-camera): And because of disinformation, denial and diversion, Americans don't have a shared history, a shared understanding of
what happened here on that day.
ANITA GERMANO, TRUMP SUPPORTER: I think the whole reporting of it is a giant hoax.
MARGE MATHIEU, TRUMP SUPPORTER: We are very peaceful people. So it was a total setup to me. It was the FBI had set it up. I don't believe that they
were Trump supporters that did that.
O'SULLIVAN (on-camera): You said the whole things are set up. You don't really believe that, do you?
JEANIE JOHNSON, TRUMP SUPPORTER: I do. I do. Because Trump won the election. They, they've proven it over and over again.
LARRY, TRUMP SUPPORTER: I really don't think Trump had much to do other people that were supporters for him, somewhere involved but I think they
were enticed by the FBI. And by, you know, undercover agents.
O'SULLIVAN (voice-over): When I spoke to Trump supporters here in Washington on January 6, most were in denial about the results of the 2020
election. (on-camera): Do you accept that Biden won the election?
LUCIA, TRUMP SUPPORTER: Absolutely not. Biden did not win this election.
[10:25:00]
O'SULLIVAN (on-camera): On January 6, we walked with Trump supporters who marched from the White House where Trump was doing the speech here to the
U.S. Capitol. And as we arrived here, that is when the first security barrier was breached.
At the time, some Trump supporters told me they were happy with what happened here at the Capitol.
Are you proud of what happened here today?
PENNY ALLISON, TRUMP SUPPORTER: Absolutely. I think we should have gone on and yanks the -- our senators out by the hair and the head and throw them
out and said, no more.
TODD POSSETT, TRUMP SUPPORTER: I'm absolutely stand behind 100 percent what happened here today, 1,000 percent is terrible how this election was
stolen.
O'SULLIVAN (voice-over): Federal prosecutors have charged more than 700 people in connection with the Capitol rise and repeatedly documented the
rioters support for President Trump. But some people in right wing media have pushed the dangerous idea that it was all an FBI plus.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: FBI operatives were organizing the attack on the Capitol.
O'SULLIVAN (voice-over): There is absolutely no evidence whatsoever that this was some kind of false flag event staged by the Democrats or the FBI.
(on-camera): What would you say to people who say January 6 was the biggest attack on American democracy --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Absolutely rubbish.
O'SULLIVAN (voice-over): Plus, amid all the denial and deflection, I met one Trump supporter who said it was important to be real about what
happened on that day.
(on-camera): What do you think of the Trump supporters that stormed the Capitol?
ROZ LESSER, TRUMP SUPPORTER: Oh, you talk about misfound feelings. I'm seeing the folks from my side of the state that were there and they're not
the part of the campaign that we would like to have.
O'SULLIVAN (on-camera): Do you think some Trump supporters that say it's Antifa, it's Black Lives Matter, that they know that that's bullshit but
they just don't want to admit it's easier to blame someone else.
LESSER: Everyone is afraid to, you know, take the blame. It's that simple.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: That was Donie O'Sullivan.
Programming note: join Jake Tapper and Anderson Cooper for an unprecedented gathering inside the Capitol with the police, lawmakers and
leaders. "LIVE FROM THE CAPITOL: JANUARY 6TH, ONE YEAR LATER," begins Thursday at 8:00 pm Eastern. That is 5:00 am Friday, in Abu Dhabi.
You're watching CONNECT THE WORLD with me, Becky Anderson.
Hunger: it is a simple word with 100,000 faces in Afghanistan.
Is aid going to get to them or will, frankly, these people starve?
The International Committee of the Red Cross is asking for help.
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ANDERSON: Welcome back. I'm Becky Anderson in Abu Dhabi. You're watching CONNECT THE WORLD.
Kabul, Afghanistan, covered in white today. And with the snow, comes added hardship and a nation facing economic collapse that is, quite frankly,
difficult to stay warm. There are reports of hospitals cutting down trees so they have wood to burn, to keep patients from freezing to death.
The billions in foreign aid that had propped up the Afghan economy has dried up since the Taliban took over in August. Most Afghans made their
living in farming. The drought wiped out 40 percent of the countries' harvest this year.
The U.N. says 23 million Afghans face extreme hunger this winter. That's more than half of the country's population. The head of the Red Cross
delegation in Afghanistan tweeted this morning, just hours ago from Kabul.
"Temperatures might drop to -9 this week. I hear stories of people burning furniture, shoes or tires to keep warm. Due to economic collapse, thousands
of Afghans are left with nothing to cope with increasing challenges."
This is a story that sadly will be familiar to those of you who are regular viewers of this show. The man behind that tweet, Eloi Fillion, joins us now
live from Kabul via Skype.
You paint a very, very depressing picture. You are on the ground. Just describe what you are seeing, what you are hearing and what happens next.
ELOI FILLION, INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE OF THE RED CROSS: Thank you for having me, Becky. As you said, the situation for Afghan people is
deteriorating by the day. The population here has had to cope with the consequences of conflicts, which have destroyed part of the infrastructure,
displaced people.
And this has been aggravated now by a deepening economic crisis, which has been posed by the sanctions, imposed on Afghanistan, which has had a direct
negative impact on the banking system, on the private economy and as well on the payment of salaries of the people working in the public sector.
All this has led to impoverishment of large proportions of the population, which now is aggravated by that winter conditions, which are harshest here.
A lot of snow, as you have said, this morning and yesterday, which is the news on the longer term because it is replenishing water stocks (ph) for
the country.
But at the moment it is just adding an additional layer of difficulties for people, who are already suffering from a deepening economic crisis.
ANDERSON: International aid, especially from the U.S., that was propping up this economy, has stopped since the Taliban took over.
And there has been much discussion about how to get some liquidity into the system, how to physically ensure that people can be paid, that there are
jobs that can be financed, that aid money and aid can get through.
Is it getting through?
FILLION: Look, there is a lot of organization as the International Committee of the Red Cross, which are trying to provide humanitarian
support, through bringing in financing, bringing in as well different types of services.
But at the moment, what we are trying to do, collectively, is to support the different systems in the country. And for us, the International
Committee of the Red Cross, is mainly focusing on providing support to the health system in order to allow, as much as possible, hospitals to continue
running, to pay salaries for the staff, to be able to provide medicines, to be able to run generators in order to have energy into the infrastructures.
And but this is stopping short to be able to pay the salaries of all public servants in the country; for instance, in the education sector or in other
sector of the public services. And it is coming short as well as providing support to the private sector.
And here, what we can do, as a first and important positive impact, in order to maintain, for instance, health services to the people of
Afghanistan, to a certain extent, but it is really short of bringing the economy of the country to the level which is necessary for people not to go
deeper into the economic crisis and to lose their assets, to difficulties to provide food on the table and so on and so forth.
[10:35:00]
ANDERSON: For those watching who will want to hear from you, whether you think the Taliban is capable of helping the Afghan people get through what
is shaping up to be a very, very harsh winter.
FILLION: The main problem today is the lack of cash in the country at all levels of society; the private sector, the public sector, as I said before
and whoever is in charge, doesn't make much of a difference.
What will be key in the future and how the international community will relax, more or less, the capacity of cash to be injected into the economy,
salaries to be paid in the public sector, the private -- sorry -- the private sector being able to rely on a working, functioning banking system
in order for the wheels of the economy to start turning again and to allow people not to go deeper into poverty.
ANDERSON: So, yes, and this is a discussion that we have been having on this show with numerous guests. It is fantastic to have you on. You are
telling it as it is. The problem is, we keep hearing the same appeals.
How long do people on the ground have as this winter sets in?
FILLION: It is difficult to say. I can see this morning, already, increasing numbers of beggars in the streets. Friends of mine, who have
been living all their lives in Afghanistan or in Kabul, are telling me they have never seen as many beggars in the streets as now.
We hear a lot of stories of people having sold all their assets, as I said, this morning in my tweets, that burning -- some of their assets are,
burning trash, in order to keep them warm.
We hear a lot of people, especially in the health sector where we work, a lot of health workers who have not been paid for a long time, who have been
evicted from their house because they couldn't pay the rent anymore.
And they have to gather with other members of the family. So the pressure is really mounting on every family and a number of people who are reaching
that line of poverty, that put them down and they cannot recover at all.
And they need direct support from humanitarians, which is -- this support is not enough for everybody -- these numbers are increasing.
ANDERSON: With that, we will leave it there. And thank you for your work. And let's speak again soon.
Let's get you up to speed on some of the other stories on our radar right now.
Doctors say the Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro does not need surgery after they cleared an intestinal blockage. He was hospitalized in Sao Paulo
on Monday. His medical team says he took a short walk around in the hallway and he does not have a fever or any pain.
Fighting between rival guerrilla groups in northern Colombia has left as many as 23 people dead. The rival groups have long battled for control of
drug trafficking in the area. The president, Ivan Duque, said two military battalions would be deployed to help calm the situation.
A Hong Kong court sentenced pro democracy activist Chow Hang-tung to 15 months in prison for what it calls inciting an unauthorized vigil. The
charges stem from her group, the Hong Kong Alliance's annual vigil for the victims of the Tiananmen Square massacre. The event was banned last year
over COVID restrictions.
A darling of Silicon Valley now a convicted felon: a jury found Elizabeth Holmes guilty on four counts of wire fraud and conspiracy. She claimed her
company, Theranos, revolutionized blood testing and could detect conditions like cancer and diabetes with just a few drops.
She courted high profile investors as a bold young female entrepreneur; that is, until investigations into the company found it couldn't deliver
anything near what it promised. Holmes could face decades in prison and a quarter of a million dollar fine for each count.
Apple is the first company in the world to hit $3 trillion in market value. It reached the milestone briefly on Monday, when shares rose to an all-time
high before pulling back later in the day. Overall Apple's stock was up almost 35 percent last year, driven by strong iPhone sales and
subscriptions to Apple Music and Apple TV.
And Toyota expected to become the leader in U.S. auto sales for the first time ever when it reports year-end sales today. General Motors has held
that top spot for nearly a century. But Toyota sales topped GM in the first three quarters of 2021.
Both companies expected to see a sharp drop in the fourth quarter. GM hopes to regain the crown, though. The company says the launch of several new
vehicles and improvements in the supply chain will lead to growth this year.
[10:40:00]
(WORLD SPORT)
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