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Connect the World
Serbia Welcomes Home Djokovic After Deportation; Israeli Study into 4th Vaccine Shot Finds Enhanced Antibodies, But may not be Enough to Protect Against Omicron; Witness: Hostage-Taker Said he wasn't Going to Leave Alive; South Korea: North Korean Missile Tests "Very Regrettable"; UK Opposition Leader Says PM Johnson "Broke the Law". Aired 11a-12p ET
Aired January 17, 2022 - 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".
LARRY MADOWO, CNN HOST, CONNECT THE WORLD: I'm Larry Madowo at CNN Center. Hello and welcome to "Connect the World". The war in Yemen may now be
costing lives in the UAE. Three people were killed in suspected Houthi drone attacks around Abu Dhabi today; they struck near the city's airports
and hit three fuel tankers.
Houthi rebels fighting a coalition of Gulf States in Yemen have claimed an attack in the heart of the UAE. And they warned there may be more to come.
Our son Kylie has had a firsthand look at that war in Yemen. He joins us now from Abu Dhabi when those strikes are card. Saudi Arabia has condemned
these attacks as cowardly against the neighborly nation rather than nation of the UAE, he how is this being seen within the region Sam?
SAM KILEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, reasonably one can expect as ever with this sort of thing, Larry condemnation, what would
matter is anybody who's saluted it, and there's one country that might conceivably, if it were so inclined, and that would be Iran, which in the
past, has been backing Houthi rebels in their fight against the Saudi led coalition in support of what remains of the Yemeni government there.
It's a fractious, messy war that's been dragging on for some time that the Emiratis have been trying to get out of. They formally withdrew effectively
in about 2020. They do have the client militia on the ground, and reportedly from independent experts, and indeed, hence from the Houthi.
It's been recent help to some of those militias that have driven the Houthi back and cause some battlefield losses for the Houthi for the first time,
in some months. But this is a very significant escalation and poses a real problem for the Emiratis, you've got one dead Pakistani citizen, two dead
Indians killed in the ass, the drone attack on the fuel storage area, very wide, big area, south of the airport, south of the city.
When a fuel tank that stores fuel was struck and a chain reaction caused the fuel tanker to explode, three killed six injured there, and another
attack importantly, on the new Abu Dhabi International Airport under construction, not the one that's continuing to function.
There's no evidence at all that there was any disruption to flights coming into Abu Dhabi into this course coming at a time amidst Omicron and then
the terrible losses to tourism that the United Arab Emirates have suffered a very significant but also posing a problem for the Emiratis. Now, Larry,
as to what they do about this, do they retaliate?
And get back into some form of conflict in the Yemen? Did they ignore it? Do they try and use covert operations and again, this is not something that
they want to be seen doing or doing at a time when they're trying to warm relations with Iran reaching out level of rapprochement with Iran trying to
bring in Iran in from the cold, not-withstanding the very deep schisms that are between here in Abu Dhabi in Tehran over the Houthi conflict in the
Yemen Larry.
MADOWO: So these kinds of attacks are extremely rare, Sam. So what should we make of the fact that they went ahead and carried out an attack in the
hands of the UAE, the Houthi rebels, as they said?
KILEY: Well, you're right. They're extremely rare against the United Arab Emirates, it's still rare against Abu Dhabi to long and long way away from
Yemen or the Houthi controlled northern Yemen. It's not rare at all, when it comes to attacks inside Saudi Arabia that has been hit with short range
missiles, long range missiles, and drones surface to surface into international ballistic missiles, and sorts of Scud like missiles that has
not occurred in the past at all here in the UAE.
So what kind of technology was behind these drones is going to be the big question historically. And I mean, in the very recent history, of course,
it's been Iran that has been supplying this high level technology for long range missiles and indeed, short range drones, even drones, shipping
drones, waterborne drones, vehicle drones and these unmanned vehicles are something that the Iranians have pioneered very successfully.
They also have an extremely advanced a missile program, we've seen that in the pinpoint accurate attacks on U.S. forces in Iraq following the U.S.
killing of Soleimani. A few years ago, the then leader of the Iranian Kurd force they have the capacity so it will be the Iranians, who will be
suspected of supplying the technology behind these attacks whether or not they authorize them or order them is much harder to figure out Larry.
MADOWO: Alright, Sam Kiley with excellent regional understanding and context. We appreciate your time, sir. Novak Djokovic hopes of playing in
the Australian Open this year have been dashed.
[11:05:00]
MADOWO: He landed back in his home country of Serbia a few hours ago after being booted out of Australia. On Sunday, the tennis star who's
unvaccinated against COVID lost a court challenge to stay in Australia for his Tennis Open. And he's now reportedly banned from the country for at
least three years.
Serbia is welcoming home as welcome him home. Our Scott McLean is standing by live in Belgrade for more than that. But first I want to go to Paula
Hancocks in Melbourne for the reaction from tennis fans who won't get to see Djokovic played this week, even though some of them specifically bought
tickets to watch him play because he is a world number one, he's an exciting player. So how are they reacting Paula?
PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Larry, there's really a mixed reaction here. There was certainly a festive atmosphere on day one of the
Australian Open, some will be disappointed and they've told us they were disappointed they couldn't see Djokovic play.
But for many people, there was just a sense of relief that it had come to an end and had gone on for such a long time even Djokovic himself so that
he was uncomfortable being the focus for so many weeks, saying that he wished the tournament well wished the players all the best, and other
players are certainly happy to get on with playing tennis.
They were starting to get tired of being asked about Novak Djokovic, rather than being asked about their hopes and their chances. But when it came to
people in the grounds itself, many of them did believe the right decision had been made.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: For me, so many families have not been able to see family members across Australia in the world, just because they've not been
allowed to travel and borders have been closed. So to let someone in, that's not vaccinated, we will have to be sent silly. So I'm, yes, kind of
happy about it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think it was actually a good decision. We've all done the right thing. You know, in getting vaccinated, we're not allowed to
come here unless we're vaccinated. And I think it was a great decision. I'm disappointed for Djokovic; because I would have loved to have seen him, you
know, compete for his 21st slam event.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think it's sad that we're not going to say the best tennis player in the world play. But rules are rules--
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANCOCKS: One of those rules is if your visa is revoked, and you are deported from Australia, you cannot apply for a visa for three years. Now,
the Prime Minister Scott Morrison was asked about that today. And he did say he didn't want to put preconditions on it, but then maybe an
opportunity for a person to reapply in the right circumstances.
And they would deal with those conditions at the time if it happened. So I mean, the doors certainly close to Novak Djokovic, but it doesn't appear to
be locked at this point. And also, we're hearing from one of Djokovic's sponsors - they have said to CNN that they would like to speak to Novak
Djokovic, as soon as possible about the events which happened in Australia potentially could be of concern to Djokovic.
We know from Forbes, for example, that he has some $30 million a year in official endorsements. Forbes had him at the 46th richest athlete in the
world. Now we've asked for comment from some of the other sponsors. They're not commenting at this point, but just for one of his big sponsors Locust
to say that they want to talk to him about what has happened here in Melbourne will certainly be of concern to him and his team, Larry.
MADOWO: Absolutely. He will be hoping that maybe no other sponsors want to talk to him that that quickly. Alright, let's go to Scott McLean in
Belgrade, where the president there said that Australia had humiliated their star the biggest star in tennis, but for the people of Serbia, he's
still a national treasure, isn't he? And that's how they welcomed him back.
SCOTT MCLEAN, CNN CORRSPONDENT: Yes, you're absolutely right, Larry. Look, there has been near universal condemnation of Australia's decision to
deport their national hero. The Serbian Olympic Committee called it a huge injustice. The prime minister called it scandalous. The president called it
a media lynching.
Among other things, the question is, what does Novak Djokovic, think about all of this? And the answer is, by and large, we don't really know. He
landed earlier today at Belgrade's Nikola Tesla Airport and he was whisked off out of the airport without seeing really any fans at least the fans and
the press who were assembled outside of the VIP gate of the airport.
A lot of people would like to know what he thinks because of course his future in this sport, or at least for the next tournament depends on it.
The next big major tournament is the French Open Roland Garros.
Today the French Sports Minister said that there will be no exceptions to Frances new law, their new Vaccine pass law which requires proof of
vaccination for restaurants for theatres and for sporting venues and that includes for both the spectators and the fans as well.
The French President had previously said that he wants to piss off the unvaccinated and this certainly won't make Novak Djokovic happy nor will it
make his fans happy.
[11:10:00]
MCLEAN: Many of whom most of whom have stuck with him even the ones who are vaccinated and support vaccination by and large Serbs will tell you that
they support the right for each person to make their individual choice on this matter.
Now, Novak Djokovic may be portrayed elsewhere, certainly from the Australian perspective as this anti-Vaxxer but that's certainly not how
Serbs see him. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Everybody has their own thing, I don't think he's spreading evenly on vaccination, no vaccinations, if anything, he was
helping many countries in these difficult times by providing funding and donating so that people can get vaccinated. It's his choice, and he's got
his own reasons for opting to not get vaccinated. It's his human right to choose to not vaccinate.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MCLEAN: Now, Djokovic said in his most recent statement that he is uncomfortable with all of the attention, perhaps also uncomfortable with
this anti-Vax label. But at least for the time being, there are no indications that he plans to clarify his family has said that he's not
going to be speaking to the press at this time.
The bottom line here, Larry is Novak Djokovic his future depends on really two things, how long these vaccine mandates last in some of these
countries, and also whether he chooses to take the vaccine.
MADOWO: He may be uncomfortable with the attention or the anti-Vax label, but he's just become maybe the most famous anti-Vaxxer in the world in the
eyes of many people Scott McLean and Paula Hancocks many thanks to you both.
And let's talk about that because Djokovic his chances of competing in the French Open in May are also up in the air. The country Sports Minister,
tell CNN all professional athletes who want to compete in France will have to follow its new vaccine pass law.
Let me bring in now World Sport Anchor Alex Thomas to look at what that means for Novak because if he's the world's number one, Alex and he cannot
play in two majors, he's just missed Australia and couldn't miss the French Open in may then what that - what does - what becomes of his career?
ALEX THOMAS, CNN WORLD SPORT: Well, it was a huge question mark over. It's he's not a young man anymore, although he's obviously still playing tennis
well enough to be the world's number one and the outstanding player in the men's game currently 34 years older.
I think he is. And we know someone that like Roger Federer was still going strong into his late 30s. But the wider picture is this Novak Djokovic has
20 Grand Slam singles titles. He's level with Federer and Rafael Nadal who is playing at the Australian Open on that 20 mark.
The three of them are greats and icons of the game, head and shoulders ahead of the next best record for total numbers of individual Grand Slam
singles, sidles Djokovic was looking for one more to notch ahead of his rivals, and finish up his career as the greatest of all time.
If he's not able to play in these so called tennis majors, Larry, how is he going to get another one to his name is going to make it very tricky for
him? Yes, the news out of France wasn't great for him. In regards that French Open in May, that's the second the fourth annual Grand Slam
tournament's but also I think the French authorities did make a sort of hint that those could change again.
We know that during the summertime and it will be European summer by May, June July when Wimbledon's held August when the U.S. Open has held that
COVID infection rates go down that could play in Djokovic's favor, as long as there's still a political will to allow unvaccinated people and
certainly unvaccinated athletes to compete alongside the vaccinated ones.
MADOWO: That could be the political will but also the circus that comes with Djokovic, as we've seen from Australia, so it's going to be very
interesting. Alex Thomas, thank you. Coming up, China is changing its Olympic ticket sales plans. Why only a select few you may end up seeing
events in person.
And how do second booster shots affect resistance to COVID-19? We're getting a first look at that from Israel.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:15:00]
MADOWO: With Omicron variants driving a surge of COVID cases in China officials say the tickets to the Olympics will no longer be sold to the
general public. Instead, authorities will invite spectators who will have to stick to COVID rules before, during and after events.
And with less than three weeks to go until the game's Omicron cases have spread to Beijing and seven other cities. CNN's Selina Wang is joining us
live from Tokyo so they're not saying there will be no fan Selina; they just say that it will be tightly controlled. How will it work exactly?
SELINA WANG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, that's right, Larry. So the general public in China cannot buy tickets. We've known for a while now that
international spectators are banned. So when you turn on your TV and you see spectators in the stands at these Winter Olympics, there are going to
be people who were specifically invited by authorities to attend these games.
We do not know which groups will be invited? How many can attend? But we do know that they'll have to follow strict COVID rules before during and after
these games. The Winter Olympics in Beijing are set to be extraordinarily restrictive, even stricter than what I experienced at the Tokyo Summer
Games.
I'm travelling into Beijing in a couple of weeks' time but already I've downloaded the health app I'm tracking and inputting my health stats into
the app every single day inside the massive bubble. Once when I arrive I'll be PCR tested every day.
Me and the other thousands of participants will all be kept completely separate from the general public with a separate lane of transportation
only being able to go to dedicated venues and hotels and locations.
And then get this for people who are not vaccinated entering the games they have to quarantine for 21 days upon arrival and the local staff in China
and volunteers they have to quarantine for 21 days in China before they can return to their homes within the country Larry.
MADOWO: So China has zero COVID policy Selina does not mean that this could be open for interpretation maybe review because as cases are spreading
across the country, it means that everything will be shutting down.
WANG: And extremely high alert for the authorities after the host city Beijing just reported its first case of Omicron over the weekend, and we
saw a swift response the place where the woman who tested positive works that was immediately put into lockdown.
There was even video circulating of COVID workers delivering bedding and pillows into the office for the workers and employees who were trapped in
the building. And state media even publicized it detailed list of every single place that woman had been in the past two weeks and surveillance
showed that the woman had not traveled outside of Beijing in the last 14 days.
She hadn't been in contact with any confirmed case so that Larry raises concerns that Omicron is already spreading locally within Beijing. And
we've seen in response to just one case or a few cases throughout China.
Authorities react with a combination of SNAP lockdowns, Masks testing extensive quarantines and contact tracings. Now, while that has been
successful thus far, we've seen dramatically lower cases in China compared to other parts of the world.
The big concern is that this zero COVID strategy will not be as effective with the Omicron variants given one how transmissible it is? And two
reports that show China's homegrown vaccines are not as effective against the Omicron variants, Larry.
MADOWO: And we just got 17 days to go until the Winter Olympics. Selina Wang thank you.
Just moments ago, we got the initial results of a significant study into the efficacy of a fourth COVID vaccine shot. The study was done by one of
Israel's top hospitals. It finds there is an increase in antibodies after a second booster shot of the Pfizer vaccine.
But it may not be enough to effectively fight off the Omicron COVID variants. Our Hadas Gold has seen the results of that study and she joins
us now live from Jerusalem for health authorities around the world Hadas who looked to Israel for guidance because it's been a leader in
vaccinations what's the big takeaway from this study?
[11:20:00]
HADAS GOLD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: So the big takeaway from this today first of all its preliminary results this is before publication. But the official at
the Sheba Medical Center which conducted this study acknowledged the worldwide interest in just how effective the fourth dose of the vaccine
would be against Omicron?
And the results show that although they did see a nice increase in antibodies in - was a higher increase. Then during the after the third dose
the first booster they did not see that a fourth booster shot would be enough to prevent infection by Omicron.
So for some people, this might be a bit of disappointing results, perhaps they were hopeful that a fourth dose of the vaccine would prevent infection
against Omicron. But that's not what they found in this study to study was a small study, admittedly, it was conducted with one about 150 health care
workers at the medical center received a fourth dose of the Pfizer vaccine and around 120 received another dose of the Moderna vaccine.
And from they say that they found similar results so far between both doses now, they did say that they proved the fourth dose provides excellent
protection against previous variants, but not enough against Omicron.
Still, they say the officials say that it's very good to be vaccinated, everybody should be vaccinated with the first three doses of vaccine
because it does prevent against serious infection from Omicron.
But Omicron, it seems just too it's - just too infectious for these vaccines to provide full protection against infection. But the doctors did
say that they do think that it is a good idea to allow the fourth vaccine to vulnerable populations is something that Israel has already started
doing.
It's been giving a fourth dose of the vaccine to people over 60 people who are immune compromised. And so the doctors say that while the fourth
vaccine may provide a little bit of benefit, it's probably not enough. They're saying this right now probably not enough to support the decision
to give it to all of the populations at this moment, Larry.
MADOWO: Really fascinating. Israel is also seeing an increase in COVID-19 infections among children. And it seems to be having a bit of a problem
getting enough of them vaccinated. You've been to children's hospital in the country. What did you find out?
GOLD: Yes, Larry. So actually at this same hospital that did the study, they just reopened their children's COVID ward that had been shut down for
months because health experts here are expecting an influx of children who will be hospitalized with Coronavirus, just because of the sheer numbers of
positive case that they're already starting to see.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
GOLD (voice over): For months, this children's COVID Ward, at Sheba Hospital in central Israel set empty. Now it's reopened, and nurses are
suiting up again, as health experts estimate that COVID cases in children will soon surge to tens of thousands per day, Dr. Itai Pesach director,
Sara Children's Hospital at Sheba says that during the last way they had at their peak around 15 children in the COVID Ward.
DR. ITAI PESACH, DIRECTOR, SAFRA CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL AT SHEBA: Or they broke that number during this week. And I'm sure it's going to be higher,
because the rate of the positive people and positive children around the country is still rising.
GOLD (voice over): But something is different about this wave. Most of the kids in the COVID hoard weren't admitted because of COVID.
DR. PESACH: We found them to be positive while we were treating them from other for other illnesses. So the COVID actually complicates a little bit
conditions, we have to care for them, but otherwise poses no significant medical risk for them.
GOLD (voice over): Dr. Pesach is especially worried about the long term ramifications of so many positive cases. Children with even asymptomatic
COVID infections sometimes develop a debilitating disorder called PIMS, Pediatric Inflammatory Multi System Syndrome.
DR. PESACH: If Omicron does cause PIMPS, the vast the huge number of positive cases that we see would definitely bring a wave of PIMPS later and
PIMPS is a significant disorder. We know that the vaccine protects from PIMPS in very good in a very good way. So going back to the vaccine, if
most of the kids were vaccinated, we wouldn't have to worry about what's going to happen in a month now.
GOLD (voice over): But less than 15 percent of Israeli children aged five through 11 are vaccinated as health officials tried to get more life-saving
shots into arms. The education system is soldiering on.
DALIT STAUBER, DIRETOR GENERAL, ISRAELI EDUCATION MINISTRY: If you're in Israel, we are absolutely sure that open schools are the best option, even
under most difficult circumstances, and our policy is very clear to keep schools open under any circumstances.
GOLD (voice over): At the Gretz Elementary School in Tel Aviv, open windows for ventilation, masks, and a new kind of homework--
GOLD (on camera): Because of an intense demand for testing whether at home or performed by professionals. The Israeli government has decided to give
each student in the education system three free at home antigen tests.
GOLD (voice over): The schools COVID Coordinator Mirit Haviv can barely keep up with her student's positive tests and quarantines.
[11:25:00]
MIRIT HAVIV, COVID-19 COORDINATOR, GRETZ ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: It's crazy it's like a wave. It's like tsunami. It's not even just a regular wave. It's a
real tsunami that just flushes everything. That's it.
GOLD (voice over): But she agrees schools must stay open despite the risks.
HAVIV: I think it would be easier to shut down schools .Yes, but it's a problem. I'm a mother. I have two boys. And I know how hard for them it is
to stay at home. And I think it's more important that the kids will stay in some kind of a regular routine, come back to school every day, see their
friends. It's - I think it's much more important.
GOLD (voice over): And so the children in Israel continue on testing and hoping that they can make it through the tsunami.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GOLD: So Larry, despite the increase in cases and health experts are estimating that at some point, Israel will reach something like 100 to
200,000 new cases per day the Israeli government has vowed not to lock down essentially saying that now it's time to live with the virus and actually
just today they adjusted the quarantine guidelines.
Now vaccinated people who get a positive test will only have to isolate for five days and can be released if they get a negative result of a negative
on a home test on the fifth day, Larry.
MADOWO: Hadas Gold in Jerusalem thank you for your reporting. New COVID cases have topped 250,000 for a fifth straight day across India. On Monday
258,000 infections were reported over the weekend. COVID cases surpassed levels not seen since last May.
That's when India was in the grips of its devastating second wave of the virus. Election officials have extended a ban on political gatherings ahead
of upcoming state elections, and health experts have expressed concern about Hindu festival gatherings taking place this month.
Austria's Chancellor says his country will become the first nation in Europe to find adults who refuse to get vaccinated against COVID-19. There
will be some medical exemptions allowed but most unvaccinated Austrians over the age of 18 will face a fine of about $700. The fines should begin
in the middle of March.
Let's not forget the human toll of COVID around the world, more than 3 million infections and more than 5 million deaths. We have been tracking
COVID-19 cases since the pandemic started. Go to cnn.com for the latest as cases rise once again.
Tensions in Ukraine are growing today after the latest efforts at disrupting Ukrainian computer systems. Ahead on "Connect the World" the new
danger that follows Friday cyber-attacks on Ukrainian government websites and new information about the damage that cyber-attack caused.
And we're live from Texas, where we may have some answers in that synagogue hosted standoff. We'll bring you the latest on the investigation and its
growing ties to the UK.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MADOWO: Welcome back! I'm Larry Madowo at CNN Center and you're watching "Connect the World". The FBI says a hosted crisis that a Texas synagogue
this weekend was terrorism related. And the agency says the Jewish community was specifically targeted.
The suspects who did not survive was British. Now counterterrorism police in Greater Manchester, England say two teens have been arrested in the
case. CNN's Natasha Chen has more details.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NATASHA CHEN, CNN CORRRESPONDENT (voice over): The FBI has identified 44 year old British National Malik Faisal Akram as the man who held four
people hostage at a Texas synagogue on Saturday. The nearly 11 hour standoff ended after an FBI hostage team shot and killed Akram.
All four hostages are safe and unharmed. The situation began during the synagogue's live stream of its Saturday morning Sabbath. In the feed you
can hear Akram speaking it's unclear whom he is speaking to, but Akram can be heard saying he plans to die.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (In audible)
CHEN (voice over): In a statement to CNN one of the hostages Rabbi Charlie Citron Walker said in the last hour of our hostage crisis, the gunman
became increasingly belligerent and threatening. He credited the security training his congregation had taken part in and getting them through the
traumatic event.
JONATHAN GREENBBLATT, CEO & NATIONAL DIRECTOR, ANTI-DEFEMATION LEAGUE: This is the first time that anyone at ADL can recall a hostage taking at a
synagogue. But unfortunately, Jewish sites have been targeted again and again and again by extremists over the years.
CEHN (voice over): According to officials, Akram entered the United States legally in December. He was vetted and cleared prior to his arrival at JFK
Airport in New York five weeks ago. Federal authorities do not believe that this was part of a greater plot, but they are questioning how Akram was
able to travel to Texas.
According to law enforcement British intelligence officials tell their U.S. counterparts a preliminary search showed no derogatory information on Akram
once Akram arrived in Dallas, he spent several nights at a local homeless shelter. The Union Gospel Mission Dallas CEO Bruce Butler told CNN in a
phone call that we were a way station for him. He had a plan. He was very quiet he was in and out. Now the FBI is conducting a global investigation
to try to determine a motive.
MATTHEW DESAMRO, FBI DALLAS SPECIAL AGENT: I'm not ready to add any more any more about the demands that they were specifically focused on, on one
issue.
CHEN (voice over): According to two law enforcement sources, one possible motive was a desire to free - be serving an 86 year sentence in federal
prison in Texas for the attempted murder and armed attack of U.S. service members.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MADOWO: That was CNN's Natasha Chen reporting. Cybersecurity concerns are growing in Ukraine. The latest worry malware found in dozens of computer
systems and Ukrainian organizations. Microsoft warns the malware can wipe out data.
A cyber-attack on Friday impacted the Ukrainian government websites. Ukraine blames Russia. Moscow denies it. Ukraine Cyber Police Agency says
the cyber-attack destroyed what it calls external information resources.
But 95 percent of the impacted sites are back online. All this is happening after a string of international meetings aimed at defeating the Russia
Ukraine standoff ended without signs of progress. Matthew Chance is striking developments for us from Kiev and for Frederik Pleitgen is in
Moscow for us.
Let's start with Fred the European Union wants Russia to stop military threats against Ukraine. But what are the chances of a diplomatic solution
to the Russia Ukraine standoff?
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, right now it's certainly looking very slim and the science certainly isn't very good.
It was quite interesting. There was an interview by the Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov with our own Fareed Zakaria, that that was aired yesterday.
And one of the things that he said Is he said, look, he's really not sure whether or not these talks are actually going to lead to a new agreement.
But he also said that right now, he believes that the U.S. and Russia are quote on two very different tracks.
And he also called that very disturbing, so very difficult to see that there would have been any headway made so far in the corps the Russians are
saying they're demanding written answers from the United States from some of the demands that they've been making of the U.S. and of its NATO allies.
[11:35:00]
PLEITGEN: So which first and foremost are no more NATO expansion, pulling back some of NATO's forces from Eastern European countries, but really the
main one is that the Russians want a written assurances that Ukraine will not and will never become a NATO member.
Now, the U.S., of course, says that that's a non-starter, the Russian say; they're not really concerned about Ukraine itself. But they're concerned
about having NATO weaponry inside of Ukraine.
At the same time, the Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, he came out today, and he took aim at some of the remarks that were coming out of the
U.S. with U.S. security officials, claiming that Russia was apparently placing operatives in Eastern Ukraine for possible false flag operations
that could trigger an armed conflict.
The Russian foreign minister called that dis information, but he also said that the Russians are saying that time is running out for those answers
that they want from the U.S. as to whether or not any of those concerns or any of those demands that the Russians are making could be met, or whether
or not any sort of negotiations could be fruitful in the future.
So right now, Larry, it's really looking very, very difficult right now in relations between the U.S. and Russia, between the U.S. and NATO. And
certainly the rhetoric that we're getting here from Moscow, but quite frankly, also internationally does not seem to be pointing at any de-
escalation, Larry.
MADOWO: And it is a lot of rhetoric indeed. Matthew, talk to us about the field there in Kiev, after reports of that false flag operation that Fred
was just talking about this Friday, Cyber-attack, and last week's diplomatic talks that didn't seem to really have any positive outcomes.
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, I mean, in terms of the mood in Kiev, I mean, people are calm. And the reason for that
is that the core citizens a credible threat of the border of this country, is because the people in this country have, you know, to be frank lived
with the possibility of a Russian invasion, for many years, six or seven years now.
Since the conflict really, really flared up and part of their territory was annexed already by Russia. And so it's become a fact of everyday life and
in terms of the breakdown in the negotiations? Well, I think that's generated a greater degree of tension.
In fact, there's been an initiative suggested by the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, saying it should be an online conference call or a
summit between himself, President Biden and President Putin of Russia, to try and get to grips with this problem, see if the issue can be resolved
between the three of them.
But there's not been a positive response from the Russians at this point, or actually, even from the Americans either. But what we are seeing is sort
of, I think, consistent support from the United States at the moment for Ukraine.
At the moment tonight, there's a congressional delegation from the United States cross party in the City of Kiev, talking about the joint security
cooperation between the two countries, and how to deter what they regard as the Russian threat?
And they're going to be more meetings later on this week with the U.S. Secretary of State paying a visit to Ukraine as well. And so look, there
seems to be strong U.S. support at the moment for Ukraine. But what nobody knows is what action Vladimir Putin is going to take really the ball in his
in his court; will he go for more negotiations?
Will he decide to press the button, as it were on a on a full scale Military invasion? Or will it be some other kind of device that he uses?
Military technical solution is called it perhaps to ratchet up tensions in the region on a more permanent basis, Larry.
MADOWO: And nobody knows where Vladimir Putin's head is? And that will be an interesting one to know because that determines how this and where this
heads? Matthew Chance in Kiev and Fred Pleitgen in Moscow, thank you both gentlemen.
Let's get you up to speed now on some of the stories that are on our radar. Australia and New Zealand have sent aircraft to assess the damage in Tonga
this after a huge underwater volcanic eruption spawned a tsunami and fill the air with black ash.
Relief flights are preparing to bring supplies as soon as possible. So far, there have been no reports of mass casualties. A brutal winter storm has
been battering much of the southeastern U.S. bringing rain and snow.
Parts of North Carolina are under a state of emergency right now after getting as much as 30 centimeters of snow. Florida also saw tornadoes. The
storm is moving into the Northeastern U.S. right now. South Korea is calling the latest missile tests from North Korea very regrettable.
South Korea's Military said the two suspected ballistic missiles were launched from somewhere around Pyongyang International Airport early Monday
local time into the sea to the east. It was North Korea's fourth apparent missile test just this month.
Still ahead tonight the pandemic has left many in the world impoverished and hungry even as the rich cash-in.
[11:40:00]
MADOWO: I will talk to the Executive Director of Oxfam International about her idea to bridge the gap and help tackle vaccine inequality at the same
time. And later, I gale of outrage is blowing across the UK why this could be another bruising week for the embattled British Prime Minister.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MADOWO: The pandemic has cast a shining light of the world's global income inequality. And while so many people have suffered, the rich keep getting
richer, especially the ultra-rich. A new report from Oxfam says the world of - the world's 10 richest man has doubled since the Pandemic began. And
that's a one-time 99 percent windfall tax on the recent gains would raise enough to pay for vaccines for the world.
Oxfam Executive Director Gabriela Bucher says if these 10 men were to lose 99.999 percent of their wealth tomorrow, they will still be richer than 99
percent of all the people on this planet. In fact, this is not the first time a global aid organization has challenged billionaires to do more.
I want you to take a lesson to what World Food Program Director David Beasley told our Becky Anderson on this show back in October.
(BEGINVIDEO CLIP)
DAVID BEASLEY, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WORLD FODD PROGRAM: When the billionaires need to step up now on a one time basis, $6 billion to help 42 million
people that are literally going to die if we don't reach it. It's not complicated.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MADOWO: Do you see that running theme a one time basis. I want to talk about income inequality with Oxfam International as Executive Director,
Gabriela Bucher; she joins me via Skype from Surrey in England. Thank you so much for being here, Gabriela, your report talks of economic violence.
So I want to unpack that, for instance, how did the 10 richest men in the world get so wealthy when 99 percent of humanity is worse off because of
the economic devastation of the pandemic?
GABRIELA BUCHER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, OXFAM INTERNATIONAL: Yes, thanks very much, Larry, for having me on. And yes, Oxfam, as you may know, has been
tracking inequality for several years now. And billionaire wealth has been growing for the last 14 years.
But in the last two, coinciding with the pandemic, it has really skyrocketed. And it has been a billionaire bonanza. So while wealth has
been accumulated at the top 99 percent of humanity has been worse off as a result. And 160 million at least are sliding into poverty.
So there are very, very stark contrasts and the figures are really astronomical. And this is what we're highlighting. And the impact is really
that inequality kills.
MADOWO: Inequality kills you, mentioned a lot of people are falling into poverty especially because of the pandemic.
[11:45:00]
MADOWO: But also at the same pace an astonishing number of new billion as being minted during this same economic devastation.
BUCHER: Yes, so at a rate of around one billionaire every 26 hours, that has been emerging, and during this period, because of this accumulation,
and a lot of what governments did in terms of rescue packages for the economy in many of the rich governments, and injected a lot of money into
financial markets, and in the end value of the assets of billionaires more, and the Stock Exchange has been booming.
So that's part of the reason why so much more has been accumulated by those billionaires. So we've, we've really had a bonanza.
MADOWO: So Vaccine inequality is obviously--
BUCHER: --which of it a detriment of others. Yes, sorry.
MADOWO: I'm sorry; go ahead, you can finish that thought?
BUCHER: No, that's it at the detriment of the huge majority of humanity. So you know, the image of going into space, which has been in this year by
billionaires, has been quite striking in comparison to people really suffering from the effects of the pandemic both health and economic
consequences.
MADOWO: And one of those consequences is vaccine inequality. This is an issue I cover extremely closely on CNN, because I'm from Africa. I see the
problems we have in Kenya and many of African nations, only about 10 percent of the population in Africa is vaccinated, and many African nations
is struggling to pay for shots. Can taxing billionaires really paid for enough vaccines for the entire world?
BUCHER: So it could, and we're saying we have to look at alternatives, because one of the situations that has also emerged in the last couple of
years is greater inequality between countries. So that trend was going in the opposite direction.
So the gap was decreasing. But in the last couple of years, it has widened and one of the key drivers has been this vaccine inequality. And as you
say, only 10 percent of African people currently vaccinated. So that we need to think of other ways and one thing that Oxfam has called for is to
lift intellectual property rights on COVID vaccines so that they can be produced more readily in more locations and distributed more widely,
because every day that we delay vaccinating, it means that of course, economic consequences are deeper and starker and more people are likely to
fall into poverty.
So it's urgent and it has been urgent now for obviously, for 18 months, but we need to find out how we can unleash our collective imagination and our
resources that are there to make them available for the wider good.
MADOWO: So during this pandemic, Gabriela the billionaire space race has become one of the things we're all obsessed with. And we saw, for instance,
Richard Branson, spent a huge amount of money to go to space with Virgin Galactic Jeff Bezos, and his space exploration company, Blue Origin, he did
the same.
And some sea space tourism as the next step in human progress and achievement, despite the challenges we'll have here on Earth. Do you agree?
BUCHER: So I think we really have a planet that we need to look after. And the planet that we know it's reaching its limits, we have planetary bounds,
and we have a finite earth in which we all live. So we think investing in on Earth First on our resources, our natural resources, and primarily to
ensure that nobody on earth is dying from hunger, or dying from lack of access to health care, or dying from all the forms of violence that are a
result of extreme inequality, including gender based violence and racialized and ethnic violence.
MADOWO: That's a really fascinating place. We have to leave it there. Thank you so much. Gabriela Bucher, Executive Director of Oxfam International,
appreciate your time.
BUCHER: Thank you.
MADOWO: Just ahead on "Connect the World" will Prince Harry and his family be able to attend the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations later this
year? The answer might surprise you. First, the British Prime Minister trying to save his job as allegations of COVID lockdown party's growth what
the opposition leader is saying about it next?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:50:00]
MADOWO: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson could be facing another painful week. The Opposition Labour leader says Mr. Johnson, "Broke the law
by attending COVID lockdown parties as public anger grows, so to call for the Prime Minister to resign". CNN's Nina dos Santos is covering this for
us from London.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NINA DOS SANTOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Here on this Monday, it seems as though there is a big political cleanup operation going on. After
yet again more allegations of parties taking place during lockdown and also at a time that was particularly painful for the country.
And for the monarch, Her Majesty the Queen because there are allegations that two parties may have taken place well into the early hours before the
Queen had to attend on her own the funeral far much beloved husband of 74 years the Duke of Edinburgh when he passed away in April of last year.
None of this looks good for Boris Johnson. Many of these members of parliament are starting to say that they having to feel huge amounts of
correspondence by disgusted constituents, some of whom are asking for a new prime minister for the Conservative Party.
But because of the mechanics of how you unseat a sitting Tory Leader, it is unlikely at the moment that MPs have the critical mass to do so. Having
said that, though, the backdrop to all of this is that a senior civil servant is looking into these allegations of lockdown busting parties and
has been doing so for some time, our report is likely to be released pretty soon.
And ahead of that report, we might even see a purge of staff inside Downing Street. Perhaps as early as this week, the British press have speculated
this to try and get the operation back on even keel and to present a more professional outlook to the electorate.
You can also expect some policy announcements that could be pretty headline grabbing to win back voters things to tackle the rising cost of living in
the UK, the spike in fuel prices. And to level up, as they put it, the so called economic differences between parts of the United Kingdom in the
south which is quite prosperous, and also other parts in the north where it's felt that far more investment is needed.
Whether any of this will really take the heat off the party gates story and make it go away is also up for debate at this point.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MADOWO: Nina Dos Santos there in London. And let's get into UK. Prince Harry is challenging a government decision which bars him from personally
finding police protection when he and his family are in Britain.
His lawyers say the Prince wants to bring them for a visit during the Queen's Platinum Jubilee this year. But he's concerned for their safety,
especially after his own security was compromised, as they left a London charity event last year.
CNN's Royal Correspondent Max Foster is outside London and he joins me now. So Max, Prince Harry is not asking the British taxpayer to pay for his
police protection. He's offering to pay for it. But he's not allowed to do so why is that?
MAX FOSTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, he's basically saying there's a particular threat in the UK that he doesn't have in the U.S. or that he
he's OK with his private security team in the US.. But he needs additional state support in the UK, because he's faced threats and his family have
faced threats from extremist groups and particular individuals.
And as you say, he's offering to pay for it. And that has been rejected by the British authorities. So he's gone to judicial review. And he's hoping
for an outcome of that this all came out over the weekend because there's some tabloid reporting around it.
The Home Office, which is responsible for these sorts of things, basically said the UK government's protective security system is rigorous and
proportionate. I think behind the scenes you're hearing people this would hear from people this might be about president allowing a high profile
person to come into the UK and just hire the police.
That's not a principle that applies. Other people also saying that Prince Harry should have been aware of the lack of privileges that he now has as
he's left the Royal Family needs to accept that, but he clearly feels is a real threat to him and his family if they come over to the UK.
We don't know we don't have to confirm that he wants to come for the Jubilee. But that would have been one of the assumptions. The Queen hasn't
made his daughter. There's lots of questions about why they haven't been to the UK but he's been very clear he can't come unless he has police support.
[11:55:00]
MADOWO: And some of that tabloid reporting has said that the Queen may never meet Lilibet their daughter unless Prince Harry can pay for police
protection. So is there a likelihood that the Queen can intervene in this sort of situation? Or is it entirely up to the home office?
FOSTER: It's interesting because Harry's team did refer to this being discussed with the family summit where the terms of the Sussex is leaving,
were agreed. But no, the Queen has no say in this at all. It's a government issue. It's a home office issue.
And also the police would obviously have a say as well, but it's a principle really, our police officers available for hire for private hire,
and they never had been in the past. I don't think that is probably going to change right now.
But at the same time, Prince Harry thinks he's an exceptional case. So we'll see whether or not this review progresses.
MADOWO: And so is the headline here that if he cannot pay for police protection for that extra security he needs then he is not expected to go
back to the UK until this is sorted.
FOSTER: What he's basically said on his all of his representatives have been saying to me, he doesn't feel safe for them to come back to the UK.
And he's not just talking about the family. They also referred to an incident last year where Harry came on his own and photographers chased his
car and he felt that his security was compromised.
They just doesn't feel safe here. And not even with his own private security team. So it doesn't seem like a way that doesn't seem like to be a
way for him to return without that police support when you look at the various statements they've been putting out.
MADOWO: It's fascinating how much so much of this family's alive is fodder for the tabloids and that obviously complicates their life significantly
more. Max Foster thank you. And thank you for watching "Connect the World". I am Larry Madowo in Atlanta; "One World" with Zain Asher is next, stay
with CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
