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Moscow Mayor: Number Of Infected Much Higher Than Reported; BOE: United Kingdom Economy Heading For Worst Crash In 300 Years; UFC Becomes First Sport In United States To Resume; President Donald Trump Engages In Testy Exchange With A Nurse; Safaris Move Online As Conservation Tourism Declines. Aired 11a-12p ET
Aired May 07, 2020 - 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)
HALA GORANI, CNN HOST: Welcome back to our continuing coverage of this Coronavirus pandemic. I'm Hala Gorani. This hour, European countries slowly
open up after lockdown. Spain, Italy, and soon the U.K., we'll give you the latest guidance on what is likely to happen.
And Germany is even on track to restart its top-flight football league. We could see a kickoff this month, even. Plus, international travel may be
restricted, but you could have an exotic adventure in your own living room. CNN has the exclusive story of South African Safaris going online.
Just in, CNN is learning that a member of the U.S. Navy who serves as one of President Donald Trump's Personal Valets has tested positive for
Coronavirus. This is, of course, raising concerns about the President's possible exposure to COVID. A source tells CNN Mr. Trump was upset when he
was informed Wednesday that the Valet had tested positive and he was retested for the virus by the White House physician.
CNN White House Correspondent John Harwood is live with more. So, the President was retested. We don't have John Harwood right now, but just
reiterating our breaking news, and that is that a - that one of the Valets working in contact with the President of the United States, Donald Trump, a
member of the U.S. Navy, has tested positive for Coronavirus.
From what we understand, the President was made aware of this diagnose and this test result on Wednesday, which would have been yesterday, and was
upset by it and was retested by the White House Physician. We're going to hopefully reconnect with John Harwood and I believe John is with us. John,
if the President was retested, as he received the results of this test yet?
JOHN HARWOOD, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Hala. We're told that both President Trump and Vice President Pence have tested negative after
getting word that this member of the U.S. Navy, who works in the White House as a Valet to the President, who started showing symptoms on
Wednesday.
He was tested positive. Obviously, that's very alarming news inside the White House. They have been telling us for a while that members of the
White House staff and people coming in close contact with the President were being tested repeatedly.
The President of the United States and the Vice President were tested subsequent to this alarming news. They tested negative. But obviously, this
is news that shakes up everybody in the White House and we'll be watching closely to see what develops in terms of whether anyone else on the staff
tests positive and just what the course of this situation is.
GORANI: And who else would this Valet have come into contact with in the administration? Do we know?
HARWOOD: Well, this is somebody who is working closely with the President, who is serving the President, and so the aides closest to the President who
would be - are people who potentially would be in contact with the Valet, other members of the White House staff, other members of the President's
personal staff, all of those people are of concern in light of this news.
GORANI: Yes. And do we know if any other members of the administration have been tested or just the President and the Vice President?
HARWOOD: Well, we've been told for the last several weeks that people working closely with the President have been tested over and over to ensure
that this is a safe working environment for the President of the United States.
So, yes, we, on a continuous basis, have been assured that no one in the White House had tested positive. Now, we have the first known positive test
for somebody on the white house staff, working closely with the President, and that's something of concern.
GORANI: All right. And last one, do we know if that's why the Valet's test results were revealed, because people working in close contact with the
President are required to get tested often?
[11:05:00]
HARWOOD: Yes, they are getting tested often and this particular valet had shown symptoms therefore he got tested. I don't know what intervals people
are being tested on. I think weekly, is the guidance that we've gotten for people working closely with the President.
But once the symptoms were displayed by this Valet, he was quickly tested, found to be positive, and that is what in turn triggered the Pence and
Trump tests promptly on Wednesday, which were negative.
GORANI: Thank you very much, John Harwood reporting live from Washington. Now, a dire warning for the U.K. economy some of these numbers is
absolutely staggering. The Bank of England says the COVID-19 pandemic will lead to the deepest recession the country has seen in more than 300 years.
That's three centuries.
You heard that right. It comes as officials are deciding when and how to lift lockdown measures? The Prime Minister's Spokesman says any easing of
restrictions will be done with maximum caution. Boris Johnson will address the nation on Sunday and is likely to drop the government's stay-at-home
message.
Let's bring in CNN's Nick Paton Walsh. He is live in London. So what are your sources telling you about what the Prime Minister will announce in the
next few days?
NICK PATON WALSH, CNN INTERNATIONAL SECURITY EDITOR: Well, they're still finalizing details, a cabinet meeting today. And this could change in the
days ahead. But as it stands, and an official close with the policy as it's being formulated said, look, we are likely to see the current message which
is stay-at-home protect the NHS stay lives drop just that home bit.
That will be a substantial change in message to the British people, but it won't really reflect a massive change in the lockdown restrictions. I'm
also told that they can possibly tell people that they can define their social group.
Now quite hard to find that - may involve, for example, saying that a household can spend more time with another household and kind of increase
the number of people you're allowed to see outside of those who live in your own home.
We may also see some outdoor stores like garden centers, hardware stores, possibly be allowed to reopen, but I'm told the places like pubs,
restaurants, cafes and department stores, big shops themselves, they will not be opening for the foreseeable future.
So you talked about the economic warnings there, and that's weighing heavily on the U.K. government's mind here, as is, too though, the fact
that they don't want to be seen, to be hurrying into sort of a binary, on/off lockdown situation.
Sunday will be a very gradual easing. And it's not clear at this stage exactly how long these new restrictions will be put in place for, Hala?
GORANI: Thank you, Nick Paton Walsh. Scotland's First Minister is not onboard with the Prime Minister's decision to ease restrictions. Nicola
Sturgeon says lifting lockdown measures too early could be catastrophic for Scotland.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NICOLA STURGEON, SCOTTISH FIRST MINISTER: It is my preference, if possible, for all four U.K. nations to make changes together at the same pace,
because that certainly helps us give clear, consistent messages to you, the public. The Prime Minister decides that he wants to move at a faster pace
for England than I consider is right for Scotland, that is, of course, his right. I will respect that and I will not criticize him for doing that.
But I hope you understand, and indeed, I hope you agree that I must make adjustments informed by the evidence that are right and safe for Scotland.
I will not be pressured into lifting restrictions prematurely.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GORANI: All right. And that is the view from Nicola Sturgeon. As far as Spain is concerned, people are breathing some fresh air for the first time
farther away from their homes than they have been over the last two months.
Take a look at these people in Barcelona. They're able to exercise outside from 8:00 to 11:00 in the evening. Meanwhile, Spain has extended its state
of emergency for at least two more weeks, but certainly there is a relaxation and a loosening of some of these measures, that have produced a
flattening of the curve, of the COVID curve in Spain.
And the Italian government has signed a new protocol that will allow public religious gatherings and weddings. The new order goes into effect on May
18th. Ben Wedeman is live in Rome. What is this new protocol, then, are the gatherings allowed to be larger than they have been?
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: They're just going to allow them to happen in the first place. Keep in mind, Hala, that there
haven't been any masses in Italy since the 9th of March.
We're in front of the Church of Santa Maria Dei Miracoli on Piazza Del Popolo in Rome where in theory, beginning on the 18th of May, there can be
weddings and masses, but it will be up to the individual priests that are overseeing the ceremony to determine how many people should be allowed in
the Church at any given time?
[11:10:00]
WEDEMAN: They're going to have to keep a meter between themselves. The priests and the congregants will have to wear face masks and hand sanitizer
will have to be made available, as well. But as I said, this is a big change from the complete closure or ban on that sort of activity that's
been in place now since March.
Now, as of this past Monday, however, they did allow funerals to take place, but in the case of funerals, only 15 people can attend in those
instances. Also changing is perhaps sooner rather than later is that the Italian Prime Minister, Giuseppe Conte has suggested that the current ban
on restaurants and bars fully reopening which was tentatively scheduled for 1st of June may be moved somewhat sooner.
Under pressure from the tourists, sort of leaders in the tourist industry here, here we're in front of Dal Bolognese another famous restaurant here
in Rome, just off of Piazza Del Popolo. At the moment they're only allowing takeout and delivery to customers. But we've seen, for instance, that the
tourist sector has taken a massive blow.
Some statistics just out, in the month of April, foreign tourist numbers dropped by 92 percent. And in April, foreign tourist, those numbers dropped
by 99 percent. We heard today from the President of the Veneto region in Northeast Italy, where Venice is located, who called upon the government to
allow everything to reopen right now.
Because he said that it's a matter of life or death that they simply need to get back into business if this tourism sector is to prevent, to be
stopped from collapsing completely, Hala?
GORANI: Thank you, Ben Wedeman. You know, on the one hand, you understand health officials who say, look, you need to keep lockdown restrictions in
place if you want to save lives. On the other hand, you do feel sympathy for people whose entire livelihoods depend on tourism, on people coming
into their restaurants.
In France, for instance, there are even long lines now at food banks in Paris. They are becoming the new norm in some places, as Coronavirus
restrictions plunge France into a deep recession. This Roman Catholic Parish alone gives out 150 bags of food a day.
It was originally a program to feed the homeless, but now because unemployment is on the rise, it serves a rising number of people in need
who are just - who just feel like they don't have the funds to simply buy food that they need to stay alive and feed their families.
Also in France, the airline, the National Airline, Air France is rolling out new safety measures starting Monday. Face masks will be mandatory on
all flights, as the airline tries to resume suspended services across Europe. This is what the company's CEO said about the plan.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BEN SMITH, CEO, AIR FRANCE-KLM: With the latest assumptions we're taking, we see the European borders opening, at the earliest, sometime in
September. So we are basing that, we're basing that we are basing our schedule around that.
So we're viewing, by the end of the year, 40, 50 percent maximum activity versus the last year, and then very slow, we're not seeing a return to 2019
levels until at a minimum, 2022, an absolute minimum.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GORANI: And in Poland, almost 15,000 people have been infected by the virus and more than 700 have died. And now the coalition government is postponing
its next Presidential Election, it says to prevent further spread of the virus.
That is causing some concern, by the way, in the EU. The new date has not been announced yesterday, but voting will be done by mail. And we've been
talking over the last few days about Russia and how in the beginning, the numbers there were relatively speaking, low but now the country is
experiencing a very worrying surge in Coronavirus cases.
More than 11,000 new cases were reported in just the last 24 hours. Our Senior International Correspondent, Matthew Chance, is joining us from
London with more on that. So every day, we speak about what's going on, every day in the last few days, about what's going on in Russia, but these
numbers are not going down. They're staying quite high.
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: And this figure of 11,000 and just a few more is the highest single daily rate of expansion of
the number of infections that we've had since they began taking that grim record and so the numbers are certainly going in the upwards direction.
[11:15:00]
CHANCE: What the authorities say is that that's partly to do with the fact that they're increasing the number of tests that they're carrying out, so
they're identifying more of the people that are infected with Coronavirus.
They also say that they believe that the situation is stabilizing, and they point to the fact that the number of hospitalizations is less, they say,
than the number of people who are discharged from hospital. So in that sense, there are some positives in all the statistics that are coming out
of Russia at the moment.
But I think the key one is that the Russian, the Mayor of Moscow Sergey Sobyanin has himself admitted that these official figures that we're
getting every day are not exactly accurate. They're just the tip of the iceberg.
He reiterated again today that from the screening studies that they've done in the Russian Capital, the belief was that between 2.5 to 3 percent of the
population of that city may be infected with Coronavirus. That's 250,000 to 300,000 people, just in the Russian Capital.
And so - and they still haven't identified all of them. But that's what the modeling suggests inside the Capital of Moscow. So given that, within the
past few hours, Sergey Sobyanin has made the point that when the lockdown comes to an end on May the 12th, when it's meant to come to an end on May
the 12th, that's not going to be - that's too soon as far as he's concerned for the City of Moscow.
And he's extended it right now until the 31st of May, with a few exceptions factors are going to be able to go back. He's making it compulsory for
anyone who goes outside to wear face masks and gloves. But essentially the lockdown measures for most people in the Russian Capital are going to be
extended or have been extended until the 31st of this month now, Hala.
GORANI: Thank you, Matthew. One in five, that's how many American workers have filed for jobless benefits since the Coronavirus began. Coming up,
we'll look at what, if any, relief is on the way for the U.S. economy.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GORANI: Well, we just got a grim snapshot of the U.S. economy. Last week, another 3.2 million people filed for first-time unemployment benefits. That
is in addition to the 30 million who have already filed since this crisis began.
Richard Quest joins me now for some perspective. So we were expecting, obviously, a big rise in jobless claims. Tomorrow, there is a big monthly
number coming out. What impact will this have on the U.S. economy because, as you know, the Bank of England is saying the U.K. economy could shrink by
14 percent this year?
RICHARD QUEST, EDITOR-AT-LARGE: And we've already seen forecasts from JP Morgan, Bank of America, that the second quarter alone could see a
contraction of 30 to 40 percent. So if you take for the year overall, you're looking at a very, very sharp, sizable contraction.
[11:20:00]
QUEST: Not - I mean, not unlike that forecast from the Bank of England. You've got to look at these job losses in two ways. Firstly, you can see
the reason why? It doesn't make it any better and it sort of lessen the appalling blow to people's lives. But we know why? The economy has been put
into a free fall, into a deep freeze.
Now you have to start really getting to grips with the reopening. And Hala, as the reopening takes place, how many of those jobs actually come back?
And how many may not come back for, say, several years? This is why - it is perverse.
I can absolutely see viewers saying, the perversion of the markets going up while over 300 points Hala, while at the same time, another 3 million
people are out of work and on unemployment.
GORANI: And the big question is going to be, okay, we all know now, and it was obvious to anybody who has been even half a wave during this pandemic
that the economic impact of these lockdowns will be devastating. The big question now is, when we do reopen, how long until we get back to sort of
normal economic growth numbers? That's the big question.
QUEST: Right, that's going to be a long time. There'll be initial bounce back and Q3 and Q4 will look very impressive in terms of GDP, in terms of
growth manufacturing PMI and all those numbers because you will actually see obviously a substantial bounce back.
But Hala think about of the down leg of the "V" that we've just committed lot more like that actually. And now as we restart, we start to come up
this side on the other side. But will we ever get to that is not what's going to happen. You may get halfway up, you may get a bit more or a bit
less, but the core is going to be.
It comes down to what Anthony Fauci has been saying. What price are Americans prepared to pay in terms of cases and deaths to have the economy
reopen again and jobs being created? And we're getting that in real time at the moment.
And don't forget one final point, Hala. The jobs numbers don't include, for example, those who are on various government schemes like PPP who may well
have lost their jobs if the government hadn't been there paying the wages exactly the same in the U.K., by the way exactly the same with the job
protection scheme.
GORANI: Well, we're going to talk about the U.K. now. And by the way, hope you're feeling better, Richard?
QUEST: Thank you! Yes, I'm feeling--
GORANI: You're back?
QUEST: It's a unique cough and I still - I've still got that, but not infectious.
GORANI: Good! I'm glad to hear that! I'm glad you're doing well and you look well. You look well.
QUEST: Thank you.
GORANI: All right, we'll see you on-air a little bit later today. Well, just like the U.S. Richard was talking about, the U.K. labor market is on
its knees. About a fifth of workers have been furloughed. Former Chancellor Norman Lamont says many of those workers may not have a job to return to.
He joins us now from London. Lord Lamont thanks for being with us. What do you make of these startling numbers, these projections from the Bank of
England? They were looking at a contraction of the U.K. economy this year of 14 percent and unemployment potentially above 9 percent for the United
Kingdom. What is your reaction?
NORMAN LAMONT, FORMER BRITISH CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER: Well, of course, these figures are grim, but they're not surprising. They've already been
trailed by the independent official office for budget responsibility.
So I think everybody was expecting something like this and I think we will find, quite frankly, there are many countries in the world that have
similar figures. This is not a surprise. The great unknown is to what extent will the economy bounce back that some people think or to what
extent will there be permanent effects that will take years to crack?
GORANI: What do you think?
LAMONT: Well, I think that there will be a hangover from this that will go on for some time. It is possible that there are some sectors that will
bounce back quite quickly possibly say manufacturing.
I find it difficult to see how the services sector, particularly hospitality, entertainment, tourism, airlines and restaurants can bounce
back other than very, very slowly? Because it looks as though - we don't know exactly what the government is going to do, but social distancing is
going to be a requirement for a long time to come.
[11:25:00]
LAMONT: And many of these firms and these sectors will be distant with social distancing. I think some sectors might recover quite quickly, but
others I think will really have permanent scars or will take a long time to recover.
They need to get through, a number of companies taken out bank loans or even avail themselves or government schemes but will find themselves
indebted, and this will mean that they will not necessarily want to have the same number of employed people they had before.
GORANI: And this type of long-term economic pain, obviously, it's - in the U.S., some states are taking a different approach. They're saying look, a
complete lockdown or a very stringent lockdown is not worth it. We would rather open up again.
There will be more deaths, but at least we will, you know, not suffer the worst of the economic consequences. Do you understand the countries and
states in America who are taking a different approach here? Or do you think that would be irresponsible?
LAMONT: Well, I don't think it would be acceptable to much public opinion in Europe, I don't think it would be acceptable to much public opinion in
Britain, but having said that, I think people are getting more and more worried, businesses in particular about what is happening to the economy?
It's a very fine judgment, because actually if the pandemic had a second spike, that would be deeply damaging to the economy anyway. It's a balance
between health and the economy. It's not a choice between them.
You've got to go for both objectives a healthy economy and a healthy population, as well. You've got to do both. And judging exactly when you
withdraw your measures, support employment in order to have budgetary, it's a very, very difficult call.
GORANI: Yes, and do you think the Boris Johnson government made the right call or were they too late? They were quite criticized for acting too late.
They had three weeks to prepare when Italy was at its peak and there were fewer cases in the U.K., they should have shut down then?
LAMONT: I think many people feel that testing should not have been put to one side, as it appeared to be early on in the pandemic. And now people are
going back to get tested and we've got to get up and be better at tracing, as well. But this all came very, very quickly. I beg your pardon?
GORANI: I'm sorry; I didn't realize my microphone was on. Lord Lamont, I was just asking if you were in London, but that's okay. Please finish your
thought.
LAMONT: I'm definitely in London. All I was saying is its very wise after this pandemic - pretty quickly.
GORANI: Thank you very much Norman Lamont, the Former Chancellor of the Exchequer here in the U.K. and who is definitely in London. Thank you so
much for joining us this hour. Coming up on CNN?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Having multiple shots on goal against this pandemic is a great thing.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GORANI: Shots on goal, in this case, means, don't get excited, football is not happening again, apart from Germany. It means multiple vaccine trials
that are promising. We'll see when a successful one might come about, next.
And football in Germany will return this month, but it will be under new normal conditions. We're live in Berlin with that. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:30:00]
GORANI: Well, around the world, researchers are scrambling to find a Coronavirus vaccine. There are dozens of initiatives, but only a handful
has reached the human trial stage. Here's Elizabeth Cohen.
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Melissa Honkanen has just been injected with an experimental vaccine against COVID-19. She's a human
study subject in one of the most ambitious and important medical endeavors ever.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MELISSA HONKANEN, VACCINE TRIAL PATIENT: I want to be able to help people and have people not be dying alone.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COHEN: Her vaccine was made by Pfizer. Currently, around the world, eight teams have vaccines in human clinical trials. Three in China, one in the
U.K. at the University of Oxford, and three in the U.S., one by INOVIO Pharmaceuticals, one by Pfizer Pharmaceuticals, and one by the National
Institute of Health.
The NIH was the first to start clinical trials on March 16th the most - in China on April 28th. They're all in the beginning stages, making sure at
this point that the vaccine doesn't hurt anyone. At INOVIO, one of the U.S. companies so far they've enrolled 40 study subjects.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOSEPH KIM, CEO, INOVIO PHARMACEUTICALS: You want to demonstrate that the vaccine is safe in these small subsets.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COHEN: Later, these teams will do studies with thousands of people. Some people will get the vaccine others will get a placebo, basically a shot
that does nothing. Then they'll wait and see who contracts COVID and who does not. In January, Dr. Anthony Fauci said it could take a year to 18
months to get a vaccine on the market.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. MARK MULLIGAN, NYU VACCINE CENTER: A one-year timeline here or maybe a little better if we're very lucky. That's a blazing process for vaccine
development.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COHEN: One way to make that happen, make large amounts of vaccine even before you know if it's going to work, but remember--
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COHEN: Is it possible that a vaccine for COVID-19 might just not work?
KIM: It's possible. The world has been trying to develop a vaccine against HIV or AIDS for the last 40 years, unsuccessfully.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COHEN: But with so many efforts around the world and more on the way--
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KIM: I think having multiple shots on goal against this pandemic is a great thing.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COHEN: The hope is that one of them will work out to bring the world back to normal. Elizabeth Cohen, CNN reporting.
GORANI: One of the ways the world could get - or will get back to normal is if we get sports back, right? Well, football returns to Germany on May 16th
except it won't be normal, because it will be in an empty stadium. That's the official word from the Head of the German Football League.
And this comes one day after Chancellor Angela Merkel eased some restrictions to allow these games to renew. Fred Pleitgen is in Berlin. So
what will be the - you know, the protocols in place to ensure this is all done safely?
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I think you're absolutely right, Hala. I think it's not really going back to normal, it's
going back to what the Germans would call Corona normal or the new normal, I guess.
And the German Soccer League is really only allowed to start playing again because they have a hygiene concept that they've been working on for weeks,
maybe even for months, that they presented to the German governments and state governments, where they've now said under these circumstances, you
will be able to play.
First and foremost, that means there are not going to be any fans in the stands. All of these will be on TV. And there are some other restrictions,
as well. All of the players get a lot of Coronavirus tests. A lot of tests are being done at all stages, not just before the first game or the first
training, but it's a continuous process.
And of course, thousands of tests are necessary to be able to do that. That's also led to a little bit of criticism here in Germany, where there
has been a lot of testing going on, but there are some people who are saying, look, for normal people, it's not that easy to get Coronavirus
tests.
[11:35:00]
PLEITGEN: Why should soccer players get them all the time, just to be able to put a show on television? The other thing that's going to happen is
before the first match, which is on May 16th, all of these clubs are going to have to go through what they call a quarantine camp, a training camp,
where they all have to be together, it's one week long, to make sure they don't get exposed to people from the outside.
There has been testing already going on for the players. There has been some training going on. Ten players and personnel of the German Football
League have tested positive for Coronavirus, for COVID-19. Nevertheless, this is now going forward.
Obviously, a big boost to sports in Germany a lot of people have been waiting for it. But there is also some criticism here in Germany here as
well. As I've said some people have said, look, why should soccer players get special treatment? And then also some people are simply saying, soccer
without fans, not sure it's really worth it, Hala.
GORANI: All right, well - not worth it? I mean, you'll get the TV rights, presumably, back. You'll get some of the money, some of the sponsorship,
all of those things that also will help the economy kind of get back on track in Germany.
PLEITGEN: Absolutely. And of course, those are the main things that the clubs are talking about. A lot of these football clubs are saying, look,
some of them or have already got into some serious financial trouble. The league is getting into some serious financial trouble.
Also of course having to play things like player's salaries other staff salaries as well, they need money from TV rights. But of course, you do
have some purist fans also some fan representatives who say that for them, games without spectators simply aren't real matches.
So there are some who say, look, could we wait a little longer? Does this, for instance make football or first division football, at least, too
elitist? Does it make it something that's too much of a big business and too little really for the fans?
That discussion is something that certainly is going on. But of course, football is such an important good here in this country that of course has
won four world cups and puts a lot of money also into the development of players and into the football national team, that it's really something
where a lot of people have been saying, we've been waiting for this come back and waiting to see it, Hala.
GORANI: And you can get a cardboard cutout of yourself placed in the stadium?
PLEITGEN: That's one of the things that you can get. There are instances where people can get a cutout cardboard of themselves. However there's a
serious note also as well, that the teams are saying, the last thing that they would for instance want is for fans to actually come to the stadium or
to come to some sort of makeshift public viewing and then may be mingle there.
So they're saying, look, get your cardboard cutout, if you would like, but don't go and try to conglomerate with other people in one place. Because of
course, that's what football for many people is about is watching it with other folks and that just isn't possible at this point in time.
GORANI: Right. All right, well, I guess some thing is better than nothing. Anyway, thank you very much, Fred Pleitgen. Meanwhile, one sport is set to
get back in action. This weekend the Ultimate Fighting Championship will hold its first fight since the outbreak began. Our Patrick now reports
that's putting the UFC President under scrutiny.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's brash.
DANA WHITE, UFC PRESIDENT: There are no guarantees in life. Nothing is a hundred percent. It's not a hundred percent guaranteed I'm making it home
safe driving home after this interview.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's unapologetic.
WHITE: If you're a critic, you're always going to find ways to criticize this. I don't care what your opinion is or what you think.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And Dana White is bringing his sport, the ultimate fighting championship back first in the U.S. after the global pandemic
shuttered sport around the globe.
WHITE: I believe that we can pull this off and do it safe. I don't think that you're going to see crowds back at live sports for a while. Look, we
have families too, I have a family. I don't want to hurt my family. I don't want to die. This is well-thought-out. You know, I'm flying down to
Florida. I'm staying there for ten days. I'm sleeping in the hotel. I'm doing everything that everybody else is doing.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: White tried to bring back the UFC in April, but their media partner, ESPN, shut it down. Meanwhile, among White's other roles is
one that sees him helping to advise U.S. President Donald Trump on reopening America's economy.
WHITE: Everyone is motivated to try to figure this thing out and bring back sports. And the President feels like sports are probably the first thing
that needs to be figured out. Get some sports back on TV. Then we figure out how to get people back to work safely and then you figure out how to
get kids back to school?
[11:40:00]
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Three fight nights in eight days will take place in Florida with the blessing of local and state authorities. But while other
sports are still too concerned about spread to host any kind of competitions just yet, the UFC President has also been keeping one eye on
the future with plans for his much wanted fight island remaining on track to begin in mid-June.
WHITE: The Island was a concept we came up with, where we could get people in from anywhere in the world. We could bring people to the United States
we could bring people from Russia. We could bring people from China whatever it might be to this Island. Set up the infrastructure where we
could do the proper, you know, everything is clean, the testing and everything that we need will be done there. And, you know, it's basically
for our international fights.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Trying to return during the pandemic comes as a high- profile risk, but White sees UFC as up for the challenge.
WHITE: These are the times that you find out who's real and who's not? Who do you want to be in a foxhole with? Do you want to be in a fox hole with
me or some of these other guys? I could be home right now.
I could be in my swimming pool, hanging out with my kids at home. I'm not. I'm out here trying to figure this thing out. This is very expensive. It's
not cheap. That's why other people don't want to go right now. It's expensive. Nobody that's working this event is somebody that doesn't want
to work. They want to work.
The fighters want to fight. We haven't laid off one employee at the UFC, so this isn't a matter of; oh I need to get a paycheck. It's a matter of us
trying to get back to some type of normalcy and figuring out a safe way to do it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GORANI: All right. Still ahead, some of the day's other big stories. A coalition government in Israel now appears to be much closer after a major
court ruling. We're live in Jerusalem that and other world news stories, coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GORANI: Welcome back, more now on the Coronavirus pandemic. And health care workers are among the most vulnerable in the fight against COVID-19.
They're exposed to a lot of people who are infected.
At least 90,000 health care workers across the globe have been infected themselves with the virus, according to a report by the International
Council of Nurses. Now, that news comes as President Trump hosted a group of nurses inside the Oval Office Wednesday for National Nurses' Day.
The event was intended to honor health care workers, but things got testing when the President challenged one nurse's claim about what she is
experiencing on the front lines?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHOPIA THOMAS, NURSE: I think it's sporadic. I talk to my colleagues around the country. Certainly, there are pockets of area where PPE is not ideal.
But there is an unprecedented time. I've been reusing my N-95 mask for a couple of weeks now.
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Sporadic for you, but not sporadic for a lot of other people?
THOMAS: Oh, no, I agree, Mr. President.
TRUMP: Because I've heard the opposite. I've heard they are loaded up with gowns now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[11:45:00]
GORANI: Well, the President's current assessment notwithstanding, in the earliest stages of the pandemic, it was abundantly clear the U.S. didn't
have enough medical supplies available. Sara Murray explains one big reason why the country was caught off guard?
SARA MURRAY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: As Governors, doctors, and nurses desperately pleaded for supplies from the federal stockpile to protect
against the deadly Coronavirus--
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're running low on masks.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They don't have the proper equipment. They go into those rooms with fear.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We need these resources now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MURRAY: Suddenly a little-known division of health and human services, the strategic national stockpile, was front and center but there wasn't nearly
enough in store to arm the entire nation to fight the Coronavirus pandemic.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: Many of the states were entirely unprepared for this. We're not an ordering clerk.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MURRAY: Trump was slow to use the Defense Production Act to get the private sector to ramp up production and states wound up in an international
bidding war for medical splice.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GRETCHEN WHITMER, MICHIGAN GOVERNOR: We're all competing against one another. It shouldn't be states having you know a wild west fight over
this.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MURRAY: When they turn to the stockpile for quick relief, it was under stocked, its federal stewards in disarray.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
J. B. PRITZKER, ILLINOIS GOVERNOR: Here in Illinois, we've maybe received 10 percent of what we've needed, so they've turned it back to the states
and said, well, you guys are on your own.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MURRAY: Other states say they received vital supplies that were expired, deteriorating work or malfunctioning. A spokesperson for HHS said states
should inspect products as they arrive, and they acknowledged that states received less than they hoped for, but each state "Received its fair
share".
Overall the Federal response appeared erratic. Jared Kushner the President's son-in-law and Senior Adviser was brought into help manage
supply chain challenges, but another controversy was created when he claimed the stockpile was meant for the Federal Government, not for states,
in direct contradiction to the website about the stockpile.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JARED KUSHNER, WHITE HOUSE SENIOR ADVISER: The notion of the federal stockpile was it's supposed to be our stockpile, not supposed to be states'
stockpiles.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MURRAY: The day after Kushner made those remarks, the government's website was changed from a long mission statement saying, it steps in for a public
health emergency severe enough to cause local supplies to run out to a shorter statements that says, supplies can be used as a short-term stopgap
buffer.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DEBRA KATZ, ATTORNEY FOR DR. RICK BRIGHT: There was no sense of urgency.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MURRAY: The picture was made more complicated when a whistle-blower alleged the stockpile system had been corrupted by outside lobbyists. Dr. Rick
Bright was recently ousted from a top position at HHS. He says when he began pressing his bosses to increase mask production months ago, the cries
fell on deaf ears.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KATZ: We didn't increase mask production. There was no effort to do that. What should have happened, as soon as this pandemic hit.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MURRAY: Created in 1999 the stockpile includes about $8 billion worth of supplies for the U.S. to deploy in natural disasters, terrorist attacks,
and pandemics. It's shielded in secrets. Exactly what are in the stockpile and where it is housed are classified.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: When I took this over, it was an empty box.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MURRAY: Trump has blamed his predecessor, Barack Obama, for failing to replenish supplies after a 2009 swine flu outbreak, which the Obama
Administration failed to do partly because Congress wouldn't approve funding increases for the stockpile. A Coronavirus relief package that
passed recently included $16 billion for replenishing the stockpile.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: We're building up our stockpile, again, like crazy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MURRAY: But experts say it will take more changes, like increasing domestic manufacturing for medical gear for the U.S. to be prepared for the next
pandemic. Sara Murray, CNN, Washington.
GORANI: And Israel's High Court has cleared a major league hurdle in the push to form a government. Oren Liebermann is in Jerusalem with that story.
What's the latest?
OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: So Hala, this was the question about can an indicted member of Knesset, in this case, Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is tasked with forming a government?
It was one of two major legal hurdles for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as he sought to end more than a year and a half of political deadlock, and
become Israel's sitting Prime Minister without any question, without any political crisis or deadlock.
And the High Court ruled that he could. There was no impediment for an indicted member of Knesset to become Prime Minister or to be tasked with
forming a government so clearing that hurdle out of the way.
They did say that didn't downplay in any way the significance of the charges he faces, including bribery and fraud and breach of trust that
trial scheduled to start in just a just a couple of weeks. Now that doesn't mean this is over, although at this point, Netanyahu has the necessary
recommendations from members of Knesset to form the government and there is a swearing in ceremony scheduled for Wednesday.
But there are more legal hurdles, potentially, at least, ahead. And that's because the High Court decided they wouldn't rule yet on the coalition
agreement, which requires fundamental changes to Israel's basic law and governing how the government itself actually functions?
The court ruled it would only way in on that if there was a petition and after the necessary laws were passed. Well, those laws finished being
passed today and immediately petitions against those laws were filed.
[11:50:00]
LIEBERMANN: So it looks like the High Court will now take up the question of the coalition agreement itself, which again requires fundamental changes
to Israel's basic law. It's another legal hurdle ahead. The High Court has also said it's not really rushing to weigh in here.
It could delay some of its decisions into when for example they would kick into effect? I'll give you an example of what that refers to? Netanyahu is
under this coalition agreement is scheduled to serve for 18 months, at which point he becomes what's call an alternate Prime Minister.
Does Israeli law allow for an alternate Prime Minister to be indicted, that is to face indictment? That's one of the questions the High Court could
weigh in on when it needs to, which is in a year and a half. So it's been a complex legal question.
One the High Court has to some extent sidestepped, but it has cleared the way for Netanyahu to be tasked with forming a government which will happen
today. It will take two weeks, it is not expected to take that long with the government swearing in now scheduled for Wednesday, but there'll still
be plenty of time Wednesday for some reason is delayed. Hala, at this point, everything is looking good for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
GORANI: All right. Thanks very much, Oren. It won't really be the same, but you can visit museums, go to concerts, and even go on a Safari online. CNN
has an exclusive look at how safaris are trying to survive this pandemic. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GORANI: Kenya's Health Minister has announced a lockdown in two Coronavirus hot spots. The effective neighborhoods were sealed off just hours after the
announcement. Kenya has resisted a nationwide lockdown with just over 600 total confirmed cases, but the government suspects that number could be
higher.
It's offering to pay for treatment and quarantine to encourage people to get tested. And in Senegal, families with loved ones who have died of
Coronavirus abroad are going to court, trying to bring their remains home.
The government has decided against repatriating the bodies for fear of spreading the virus, leaving families without the chance to mourn or
perform religious ceremonies.
Now, Safaris and conservation tourism generate millions of dollars and jobs across Africa, but with local and international travel shut down, the
animals have come out into the open and the safaris have gone online. David McKenzie has this exclusive report.
DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: In South Africa, the elephants at least are free to roam.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's just beautiful. The light is just stunning.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MCKENZIE: But its conservation tourism industry is under lockdown, which means Trishala Naidu and her cameraman are some of the last people left in
sands. They broadcast animal sightings twice a day for free.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRISHALA NAIDU, WILD LIFE GUIDE: The truck seems to be stuck on its tusk.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MCKENZIE: That people would normally pay thousands of dollars to see in person. It's live.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NAIDU: You still have this feeling like; you know what I can do it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MCKENZIE: And unscripted.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What did you see?
NAIDU: We see wild dogs. I had a dog feeling today.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So there's a pack of wild dogs that have just come in the middle of our interview to this small dam and this is incredible to
see. My entire life of coming to the bush, I have never seen wild dogs like this. You beautiful puppies, just gorgeous!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MCKENZIE: Wild earth was around long before the pandemic, but now its viewership of safari live has short up five fold.
[11:55:00]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Jameson 6 in the USA.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Call it a leopard.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: For our viewer's world to be able to be here with us sharing this experience.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MCKENZIE: Graham Wallington never imagined his company's success could signal a collapse of the industry. Across Africa, nearly 8 million tourism
jobs are now at risk.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GRAHAM WALLINGTON, CEO, WILD EARTH TV: That's what we've got to figure out now. We've got to figure out how we can build private safari experiences.
How we can create online experiences that can get revenue, you know, down here to the people and keep this whole conservation engine running.
JAPIE VAN NIEKERK, OWNER, CHEETAH PLAINS: We need people to sustain this nature and to sustain these businesses.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MCKENZIE: Owners here know it's not as easy as locking their front doors and coming back when the pandemic is over.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NIEKERK: Tourism keeps the rhinos alive, keeps the elephants alive and keeps the lions alive, the leopards. Tourism pays for that. No one else
will.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That is own thumb.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Look at this. We've managed to come right with our kitty cats.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Someone stuck in their apartment in Italy or New York, what does this mean, do you think, for them?
JAMES HENRY, WILD EARTH GUIDE: I hope that it means some kind of healing. The whole of our species has been infected or affected by one thing. And
there's a tremendous feeling of solidarity. Nature is just doing its thing. Nature just carries on.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MCKENZIE: But for this iconic reserve to survive, they desperately need to adapt. David McKenzie, CNN, Sabi Sands, South Africa.
GORANI: Now, we've been told, not all heroes wear capes, but for street artist Banksy, they do in this depiction, anyway. He donated this new
painting to the University Hospital Southampton in the U.K. It shows a child playing with a nurse doll wearing a cape while batman and spider-man,
the usual go-to action figures, are totally ignored.
The Hospital Executive calls it an inspirational backdrop to pause and reflect in these unprecedented times. This is fantastic great donation and
more coming up next. We'll be going live to the Coronavirus briefing here in the U.K. Stay with CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[12:00:00]
END
