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Commemorating Victory in Europe Like Never Before; Global Vaccine Race; U.S. Unemployment Rate Soars. Aired 10-11a ET
Aired May 08, 2020 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[10:00:23]
HALA GORANI, CNN ANCHOR: Well, during unprecedented global adversity for this generation, we pause today to remember another moment in history.
Victory in Europe, 75 years ago today, when the Allies powers proved that a concerted unified effort could prevail over some of the greatest challenges
humanity had ever seen.
Hello, everybody, and welcome to CONNECT THE WORLD. And it's Friday today. I'm Hala Gorani.
Also, over the next two hours: the worldwide race for a coronavirus vaccine. I will speak to the head of that effort at Imperial College
London. They got a lot of funding to fast track a vaccine.
And more than 20 million jobs were lost in the U.S. in April, what the lockdowns are doing to the world's economy and how they will impact you.
(MUSIC)
GORANI: Well, today is the 75th anniversary of the Allies victory over Germany in World War II.
In any other year, Europe would be celebrating with parades and pageantry and large crowds lining the streets European capitals, but, of course, it's
not any other year as we know now. The coronavirus pandemic has rocked the continent. There are no large celebrations or big crowds.
But the emotion is there. There are observances on a much smaller scale as the pageantry is replaced with poignancy. The U.K. observed a two-minute
moment of silence led by Prince Charles today.
(VIDEO CLIP PLAYS)
GORANI: Well, Prince Charles there and Camilla, Prince Charles recovered from his bout with COVID. He laid a wreath at the War Memorial at the royal
family's estate in Scotland. His wife Camilla whose father fought in the war laid flowers there.
Later, Prince Charles will read a portion of the diary from the V.E. Day written by his father, King George VI.
And a somber ceremony, an emotional ceremony in Paris today.
(VIDEO CLIP PLAYS)
GORANI: French President Emmanuel Macron, you see his prime minister, Edouard Philippe. Macron laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier,
quiet moment during a day of drastically scaled back observances.
We're going to take a tour of the continent now before we tell you more about the coronavirus pandemic.
Nick Paton Walsh is in London. Melissa Bell is in Paris. And Fred Pleitgen is in Berlin.
So, Nick Paton Walsh, let's start with you here in London.
So, scaled back, but, you know, I did see people lining the street with the two meter social distancing requirement in place, you know, wanting to mark
a very important day in history for the U.K. and the continent.
NICK PATON WALSH, CNN INTERNATIONAL SECURITY EDITOR: Yes, at this point being broadcast on some U.K. media is Winston Churchill's speech. That's 75
years ago, at 3:00 in the afternoon, that's the local time here, in London, marked the announcement of the surrender of the Nazis, an unconditional
surrender.
People invited to hear that speech again today and perform a toast to the memory of those who died and those who fought and survived in that
intensely bitter conflict. But around me here too, Hala, you can see in Hyde Park, the advice to still stay at home, that is still the government
advice, isn't something you're seeing here en masse. I think many Britons are not so much marking V.E. Day, but the extraordinary weather that has
come with it.
Later on today, we will hear a prerecorded message from the queen at 9:00 and Boris Johnson has himself put a speech out to the public and himself
actually held a Zoom call with one of the older veterans of World War II who he calls a credit to his generation and awesome.
So, the country doing what it can to honor this remarkable occasion, but I have said, he's standing here in Hyde Park in Central London, it is
startling to see the volume of people essentially acting on the advice they think they're going to hear on Sunday from Prime Minister Boris Johnson
about what they can do in the future. They're already out in large numbers here, picnicking, sunbathing as we possibly suggest the new advice may end
up being, and it is remarkable I think to see, just how busy Central London is despite the fact that no change has been issued in government advice --
Hala.
GORANI: Yes, very much noticed that today as well. I tried to go shopping for food, by the way, I wasn't sunbathing or anything, and I could
noticeably, you know, see more people out and about.
Melissa Bell, in Paris, we saw Emmanuel Macron lay the wreath there at the Arc de Triomphe at the top of the Champs-Elysees. What's the mood there
today?
MELISSA BELL, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It was very somber, much smaller than it normally is, a closed ceremony that saw the president go
from the statue of Charles de Gaulle further down the Champs-Elysees all the way up to lay the wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Normally
on this day, school children gather in their villages around their schools to mark the moment as well. None of that took place this year.
In fact, on the Champs-Elysees, which have been entirely closed off and with the rest of Paris on lockdown, you could hear a pin drop. It was quite
extraordinary. These are the last few days of what's been a fairly tightly enforced stay at home order. Hala, of course, Monday, that is partially
lifted.
Here in Paris, some restriction will stay in place. But by and large, people are going to be out on the streets of France once again. The big
question is, what that will mean for the COVID 19 figures that have stabilized the last few weeks and dropped off Sunday. Will think rise
again? The government said it will not hesitate to put in place another stay at home order if necessary.
And the reason is simple, Hala, in places like Paris, what the doctors are telling us is that the hospitals couldn't cope with the second wave.
GORANI: Yes. Melissa, thanks very much.
Now we go to Fred Pleitgen in Berlin. V.E. Day is not an official holiday in Germany. It is a holiday today, though, in Berlin. Fred Pleitgen joins
me live with more on what's going on there, 75 years on from defeat in World War II for Nazi Germany.
How are Germans observing this day today?
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Hala.
And, of course, where I'm standing right now is really an iconic place as well, it was one of the final battlegrounds of World War II, several days
before that final surrender, the Reichstag that in the middle of Berlin was, of course, where Soviet soldiers then ousted the Nazi leadership and
took over Berlin in the final days of World War II before that final surrender.
And you're absolutely right. Normally, the end of World War II is not something that is celebrated in Germany. It's not a public holiday in
Germany. It is, however, today in Berlin, a public holiday as they look back on 75 years of liberation from Nazi rule.
Solemn is the way that public officials have gone about today as well. Angela Merkel laid down a wreath, laid down flowers at the Neue Wache,
which is sort of a memorial to soldiers who have died in all wars but is usually the one also where German leadership comes to remember the fallen
of World War II, especially of the Allies as well, who liberated the Germans from Nazi rule.
The German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier was also there. Angela Merkel, by the way, also held a call today with Vladimir Putin, the president of
Russia, both of them remembering these days as World War II came to an end and both of them saying that obviously what was achieved by defeating
fascism and Nazi rule is something that was very important today and should never be forgotten.
The German president held a speech earlier today and he said that for three generations now, the Germans have understood that this day May 8th of 1945
was a liberation, it was a loss, of course, of the war, but it was also a liberation from tyranny and from Nazi rule. And he said that right now, in
these days of the pandemic, it is important to remember that while Germans cannot celebrate this day or commemorate this day with the people who may
have already also witnessed those days, those people are not alone. As he put it in his speech today, they are all, of course, in everyone's hearts
and everyone's minds and it is something that everybody in Germany is thinking about today.
So, certainly, as is always the case in Germany, a very solemn day, no celebrations here in the streets. But certainly, you can really feel at 75
days after the liberation from Adolf Hitler's rule, people here in Germany still very much understand the gravity of the moment and then also, of
course, the resurrection of this country and the society then become one most powerful economic nations in the world -- Hala.
GORANI: Sure.
[10:10:00]
Very briefly, there were enough lockdown restrictions -- you know, there was enough of a lifting of the lockdown restrictions for you to get a
haircut, which is something I saw on your social media.
PLEITGEN: Yes, that is correct. That is correct. I was able to get my first haircut since I think it was the end of January today, part of the
lifting of the lockdown here in Germany.
GORANI: OK.
PLEITGEN: I don't know if we can really quick, if we can pan, you can see the field here. There are also a lot of people out here. That's part of the
lifting of the lockdown as well. That's been going on over the past couple of days here in Germany after Angela Merkel said this country is now out of
the first phase of the coronavirus pandemic. People are now able to go into a little bit larger group, still fairly small groups, shops will be opening
soon, restaurants or shops already -- larger shops opening, restaurants as well.
So, you can feel that's being lifted a little bit, but Angela Merkel, of course, saying people need to keep in mind that social distancing still is
important so that doesn't go back into a snapback and the lockdown has to come again.
GORANI: All right. Fred Pleitgen, thanks very much, in Berlin. I envy you. I have -- I need a haircut too. Thanks very much.
And to Melissa Bell in Paris and Nick Paton Walsh in London as well.
Now, back to the serious matter of COVID-19, and the pandemic that has made sure no joyous crowds will be packed together anytime soon, let's bring you
up to speed on the latest. Johns Hopkins University reports that nearly 3.9 million people have been infected with the coronavirus worldwide. And of
those, more than 269,000 people have died.
More countries will begin lifting their lockdown in the coming days. In the U.S., 47 of 50 states will be partially open by Sunday.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson here in the U.K. will announce easing of restrictions for Britain this weekend, but under, quote, maximum
caution. The stay at home edict, we understand, might be dropped.
France will ease restrictions on Monday. Norway plans to reopen, all schools next week.
Meanwhile, Russia is still not ready to lift any of its safety measures. Moscow's mayor has extended COVID-19 orders until the end of the month as
cases there continue to rise.
So what is the next frontier? Obviously, it is a vaccine. And there are more than 100 vaccines under development around the world according to the
World Health Organization.
Robin Shattock is the -- with the department of medicine in Imperial College London, and he is leading the team working on a vaccine there. He's
received recently some government funding to fast track the initiative and he joins me now live from London.
Thank you for being with us.
First of all, where are you now in this effort to find a vaccine?
ROBIN SHATTOCK, HEAD OF MUCOSAL INFECTION AND IMMUNITY, IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON: So we are progressing our vaccine to human trials and we
anticipate that we'll start with in the midst of June. And if those go well, we'll be moved to doing large scale trials by October.
GORANI: OK. Now, what do human trials entail?
SHATTOCK: Well, the first phase is to test whether a vaccine is safe. And that's really the most important criteria to start off with, because any of
these vaccines are going to be used in the general population. People who may well not actually get on well from COVID-19, so we really need to make
sure if they're going to be very broadly used that they're very safe.
The second criteria is to see if they make the right type of immune response that we would predict would be protected. But we won't know
whether that really is the case until they move into large scale trials. And see if they prevent infection in the wider community.
GORANI: Yes. And in layman's terms, what makes your vaccine or your initiative special or different? Do you inject into human volunteers, I
understand a synthetic version of the virus? Could you explain what that means?
SHATTOCK: Yes, so it is not a synthetic version of the whole virus, essentially we use RNA genetic code and we take the sequence that only
codes for the surface protein, the bit that is exposed on the surface of the virus, the only part that the immune system needs to see to make an
appropriate immune response.
So in ways we're tricking the body to think it has seen the virus, but has only seen part of the virus. So that when you're exposed to it naturally
out in the community, you already have an immune response that can recognize the virus and hopefully stop it from infecting the individual in
the first place.
GORANI: So then do you need these volunteers who received this limited version of the virus to then go back out into the community and encounter
it naturally? How will you determine if this is working?
SHATTOCK: Yes. Right, so we're essentially it would be what we call a randomized placebo-controlled trial.
[10:15:03]
So half the individuals would get the active vaccine, and half will get the placebo. We're not actually asking them to go out and take any undo risks
but we are just expecting as part of natural infection out in the community, we will be able to see whether the vaccine is preventing
infection relative to the placebo.
GORANI: I see.
Now, you only received funding two weeks ago, I understand, from the government. But from what I read you are hoping, waiting for government
funding, even government attention early on in the pandemic and you didn't get it. Is that correct?
SHATTOCK: Well, it's not totally correct. We had some funding to get through the initial stages. What happened recently is that we have been
given significant funding to accelerate into large scale trials. So that was what we needed. We have been given the green light and that means now
that we can be, you know, really active moving things as fast as possible.
GORANI: All right. But getting this funding at this stage, has that delayed your effort at all? Would it have been more helpful to get it a few
months ago, say?
SHATTOCK: Well, you know, hindsight is always a beautiful thing. And, yes, if we had more funding we might have been able to move faster. If we had
started earlier, we might have been able to move faster. And I think it is not really constructive to look back.
Actually, what we're focused on is making sure we can do things as fast as possible now in order to be able to see whether our vaccine, you know,
among the other candidates that are out there, is competitive and whether it has an important role to play.
GORANI: So that's my next question is obviously looking to the future and the question everyone will ask you is when, when if this is successful will
there be a large scale vaccination program available using what you are developing, if it is successful, what you are developing at Imperial
College London?
SHATTOCK: Well, I think what we'll see is there will be a kind of competition against the different vaccine candidates, not in terms of
trying it beat one another, but to see which is the best at preventing infection. And given the essentially we need a vaccine for the world, we'll
probably see the different vaccines that work are rolled out in different parts of the world as we start to increase the number of doses, before we
get to a solution that can produce the billions of doses that may be required for a global solution.
So I think we'll see a phased approach. The first candidates that are shown to work will be ramped up as quickly as possible. Hopefully, we anticipate
that there may be several of those, so that we can see them being used in different parts of the world as we start to kind of create a network of
access to vaccines globally.
GORANI: Right. But essentially from the -- what I heard from experts around the world, and yourself as well quoted is really this year would be
too ambitious, right? We're looking at potentially mass vaccinations early as next year.
SHATTOCK: Yes, next year is a realistic option. Even if it is next year, that still faster than it has ever been done before. So, I can understand
that people --
GORANI: Yes.
SHATTOCK: -- may feel frustrated it is not faster, but, you know, this is moving at lightning speed for vaccine development, which would normally
take a ten-year cycle.
GORANI: Right. And I have to go, but I have one quick last question, would you be concerned about a second wave? I mean, now, we're seeing countries
around the world lifting lockdown restrictions, what -- how justified is the worry that, you know, we may see kind of the virus lessen and the
infection rate lessen but see it come back later this year?
SHATTOCK: Well, I think we're worried, whether it will be a classical second wave or we'll see multiple waves as we kind of unlock and need to
lock down, surely the virus is going to be around for a long time. And unless a vaccine is out, we'll probably see most of the world will
eventually be exposed to this virus.
GORANI: All right. Thank you so much for joining us, Robin Shattock of Imperial College London, leading this effort to find a vaccine. Obviously,
I wish you and your colleagues the best of luck.
SHATTOCK: Thank you.
GORANI: All right, we are going to take a quick break. When we come back, we are going to talk about the single worst day in the history of the U.S.
job market. After the break, we'll put in some dismal numbers in perspective.
[10:20:01]
Plus, we'll speak with the U.N. high commissioner for refugees about the humanitarian effort in the fight against coronavirus. These are some of the
most vulnerable people in the world. How do you protect them?
We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GORANI: Welcome back.
The U.S. just released its worst jobs report since the great depression. The U.S. has lost 20.5 million jobs in April, in just one month. That
pushes the unemployment rate to 14.7 percent by all accounts a simply devastating couple of months for American workers and for the American
economy. These are the highest monthly numbers since the government started tracking them.
Richard Quest joins us now from New York with more.
Is this -- where does this fall in terms of why expectations were today for this -- these jobs numbers?
RICHARD QUEST, CNN BUSINESS EDITOR AT LARGE: Ironically, Hala, this number is lower than had been expected. As a result, some thought it might be 22
million, with an unemployment rate of 16 percent. And now that's very small comfort that it is not that bad, because we still got May to go through.
And this set of numbers doesn't really take full account of the jobs lost at the end of the month in April.
Look, there is no getting away from it, this is a dreadful, awful set of numbers that doesn't really fully explain or understand the destruction to
people's lives that has taken place, those who lost jobs who are finding it very difficult at the moment to manage unemployment benefit, whose
companies are going out of business.
Now, that's the way it looks. The only bright spark in all of this, Hala, is within that 20 million, 17.5 million said they were temporarily
unemployed. Now, they may be having a false hope of how quickly they'll be back at work, but it does suggest that this is a complete and utter
aberration because of COVID and that things will turn around from May, June, July onwards.
GORANI: And the government stimulus in place, is it -- what do economists say? Will it be enough? Because the president of the United States seems to
think third quarter all will be rosy again. But then you have some economists and experts saying, hang on, that's definitely not a certainty.
QUEST: No, no, the stimulus plan will not be enough. More will be required. And what he's talking about is that, yes, when you open up the
economy again, when people go back to work, there will be a bounce. So, if second quarter is down 34, 35 percent of GDP, the third quarter will be up
15 percent. That's literally nothing more than a bounce.
[10:25:02]
We have to look to the end of the year and into next year to see just how much has been recovered from what was lost. And the president said
yesterday, he believes 2021 will be phenomenal. One has to say he's probably on his own in that view.
I do not see many economists who are seasoned and looking at this and saying that they think next year will be phenomenal. By the way, the awful
perversion of markets, I can see on the screen, you know, up 1.3 percent, that is partly because the number wasn't as bad as expected, partly because
reopening is under way, and there is a certain amount of hope and a prayer that when it does get going, the president might be more right than not.
GORANI: All right. Richard, we'll see you a little bit later on "QUEST MEANS BUSINESS."
California is taking some steps toward slowly reopening today. But there is a battle going on between the state and some local officials on how to do
this.
Dan Simon has our report from northern California.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAN SIMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Marsha Miller has owned this hair salon for 35 years. On Monday, she and her daughter reopened it.
Anxious clients filed in.
MARSHA MILLER, OWNER, HEADLINES SALON AND SPA: And I cried through the whole thing because I couldn't -- I was so happy that it turned around on
me.
SIMON: It has been an emotional whiplash because the very next day, California regulators said she needed to close back up and not doing so
could jeopardize her license.
Still, Miller is staying open.
MILLER: We haven't gotten a paycheck in six weeks. We haven't gotten unemployment. What are we supposed to do?
KRISTI GOLDBY, BUSINESS PARTNER, HEADLINES SALON AND SPA: Emotionally, it's been hard this last week. I mean, watching my mom who's -- this is her
life, you know, and I took it on as my life a handful of years go. And so for us, it's emotional. It's emotional for our staff because now they feel
conflicted to support us but they are scared.
SIMON: What you're witnessing is a tug-of-war going on right now between rural California and Gov. Newsom. Yuba and Sutter counties in Northern
California have reported only 50 positive cases of the virus. Its leaders decided it was safe for some businesses to reopen in defiance of Newsom's
stay-at-home orders.
GOV. GAVIN NEWSOM (D-CA): They put those businesses at risk -- not only the health of their communities at risk.
SIMON: Nonetheless, restaurants here now have dine-in customers. It's an image you won't see in other parts of the state.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: These little mom and pop businesses, they've got to open up in order to be able to survive.
SIMON: Linda's Soda Bar and Grill in downtown Yuba City is a local institution.
LINDA MCKENNA, OWNER, LINDA'S SODA BAR AND GRILL: The customers were ecstatic. Somebody walked in and said it's like Christmas morning. So, yes,
they're thrilled that they can come back in and see their friends they haven't seen for a while.
SIMON: But restaurants, too, are also putting themselves at risk in defiance of the governor -- at least those that serve alcohol. The state
ABC -- Alcohol Beverage Control -- is informing restaurants they could face disciplinary proceedings which could include losing their liquor license by
remaining open.
HENRY STUEVE, OWNER, KRANKIN HANKS SPORTS BAR AND GRILL: I considered the Red Coats showed up yesterday and shut me down.
SIMON: For Henry Stueve, staying open was a risk he couldn't take.
STUEVE: It's crippling to our business if we lose our license. We wouldn't have a sports bar. It's kind of -- you know, you wouldn't have one.
SIMON (on camera): So you said I need to shut down.
STUEVE: So we shut down.
SIMON: Well, state regulators say they are sympathetic to the plight of these businesses but clearly, this is a warning and these places need to
decide if they're going to remain open.
Dan Simon, CNN, Yuba City, California.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GORANI: Coming up on the program, in the southeastern United States, new developments in the killing of an unarmed black man jogging down a street.
Two men are now in custody, two months after the killing. We have a live report next.
Also, the U.N. is looking to protect the world's most vulnerable as the coronavirus spreads into refugee camps. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:31:24]
GORANI: The United Nations Refugee Agency is appealing for more help to fight the coronavirus pandemic. The U.N. says $6.7 billion is needed to
assist fragile countries, help displaced people, and refugees as well as the virus spreads. Now, fear is rising over outbreaks in places not
equipped to handle COVID-19.
Now, already rich countries are interesting problems, but imagine if COVID- 19 breaks out in significant way in a war torn country or refugee camp. Those are people there who struggle with food insecurity, a lack of
shelter, poor healthcare systems, if they have a healthcare system at all, and that was before the pandemic even began.
Let's get more on the need for this multibillion dollar fund. I'm joined by the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, who comes to us
from Geneva, Switzerland via Skype.
So, obviously, you've heard the devastating economic news and the unemployment arising to historic levels in countries like the U.S. and
Europe. And yet you're asking for almost $7 billion.
What is your hope that countries will come through with this funding when they themselves are facing very difficult economic times?
FILIPPO GRANDI, U.N. HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEE: Absolutely. And this is a very valid point. I fully appreciate these needs.
You know, I'm from Italy. My country has been hit violently by this pandemic. So I know what people feel, loss of health and loss of
livelihoods, but I have two points here that I always make. One is that if the world leaves unattended any possible epicenter of pandemic, the
pandemic will come back. It will halt everybody at.
So, we have a common interest in addressing all situations. And second, there is an element of solidarity here for people as you said that have
nothing already. If the pandemic hits there and it has not hit in dramatic fashion yet, but if it does, it could be pretty devastating for millions of
people.
GORANI: And what is the situation in refugee camps, in war torn countries and some very densely populated refugee camps in, say -- where Syrians are,
you know, in Jordan, for instance, where Syrians were fleeing the war, now live or in parts of Africa, what are you hearing?
GRANDI: So far, like I said, we have not witnessed major outbreaks. We have seen small outbreaks, cases, but not major outbreaks. The reasons are
difficult to analyze at the moment.
We know too little about this pandemic. It may also be due to insufficient reporting, but we have not seen major overcrowding of test centers, for
example. So, we need to use this time, which may well be the quiet before the storm, to step up to the maximum extent all preventive measures that we
can put in place.
At the water supply, shelters for quarantine wards, medical supplies, protective equipment for humanitarian workers that work in contact with
these communities, that's what we're doing now and that's why we're asking for this additional resources.
GORANI: Yes. And have you heard back, you're asking for resources from U.N. member countries, are you getting pledges anywhere near what you're
requesting?
[10:35:00]
GRANDI: Absolutely. Let me give you an example, because, of course, my organization UNHCR is part of the bigger U.N. and NGO as (ph), right?
So, for example, we have an initial appeal, about a month ago, $2 billion, our share was $250 million. We got almost all of it funded. And let me tell
you something very interesting, 20 percent of the money that we got was given by individuals and businesses.
So, by the private sector and the general public. I still count on that solidarity. Perhaps this pandemic, I don't want to sound unnecessarily
idealistic, but this pandemic has made us all realize unless we have solidarity with each other, we won't get up -- get out of this nightmare.
GORANI: Right. So, what about healthcare workers who assist in the refugee camps and in refugee areas? You said that they are concerned, some of them,
that they may not have the protective equipment that they need, in the case the pandemic starts to spread in a significant way in those areas. Are they
right to be concerned? Are they lacking in protective equipment there?
GRANDI: It's been -- it's been really very difficult. You know, it's been difficult for rich and powerful countries to get protective equipment.
Imagine for humanitarian organizations, but it's improving now. We just shipped hundreds of thousands of masks and gloves and other protective
equipment.
And, remember, it is not just health workers. It is all humanitarian workers need to have this interaction with the populations they're serving.
They need to register people. They need to distribute food or other relief items. There is a lot of contacts.
So, we're trying to substitute as much as we can with remote interaction, but not everything can be done like that. Healthcare is one example. There
is other examples as well. So it is a big challenge that we're trying to address.
GORANI: I'm struck by something you said. You said there have been instances of infection with COVID, but they were limited. And I'm wondering
as to your theory as to why that is.
Are there protocols in place if an infection is detected and a refugee camp or an area where refugees or vulnerable people congregate to kind of shut
things down? Or what is your theory on why that is?
GRANDI: Look, you know, I'm not an expert, and I would be very hesitant to put forward theories. A lot of things have been speculated about, you know,
age range, which is usually -- you know, these are usually younger people.
Perhaps familiarity with epidemics that, you know, means that people are more able to respond when measures need to be taken to control those
pandemics. But it could simply be the way this pandemic moves, the patterns of movement have not yet reached those countries.
This is what we fear the most, in fact.
GORANI: Right.
GRANDI: This is what we fear the most.
But can I say one other thing, sorry, very quickly, which is very important? If the health pandemic is yet to come, perhaps, unfortunately,
the livelihoods crisis, the last of daily wages of very fragile incomes on which these refugees depend has placed these people and other people
affected by conflict, this has hit very hard Venezuelans in South America, Afghans in Southwest Asia, Syrian refugees in Lebanon, and it has hit also
the communities hosting them.
So this is really already now an emergency.
GORANI: Yes. And as you mentioned, businesses and individuals accounted for 20 percent of some of the fund-raising recently and people watching
this certainly will be made aware of the need as well.
Thank you very much, Filippo Grandi, U.N. high commissioner for refugees, for joining us on CNN.
GRANDI: Thank you, Hala.
GORANI: And Australia is planning to reopen its crippled economy by July now that its coronavirus outbreak appears to be under control. It needs to
do that because Australia as well relies on foreign visitor and tourism like so many countries. The Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced three
step plan for relaxing restrictions.
In the first phase, people can have up to five visitors in their homes. While restaurants and retail stores will be able to get back to business.
In the second phase, up to 20 people will be allowed in movie theaters, gyms and beauty salons. And, finally, in step three, up to 100 people will
be able to gather and interstate travel will resume.
[10:40:02]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SCOTT MORRISON, AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER: We move ahead with reopening our economy. And our society with a clear plan and a clear framework that
shows Australians the road ahead. The next step beyond this will be to build the confidence and momentum that will see our economy get back up and
running, and get Australians back up on their feet and moving ahead with confidence.
And then we can reset our economy for growth in the years ahead, in this new environment, so it can deliver the jobs, guarantee the essential
services that Australians rely on, keep Australians safe and take care of this amazing country that we have the great responsibility of looking
after.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GORANI: The prime minister of Australia.
Earlier, all eyes on the sporting world were on South Korea as the country becomes the first to resume a major football competition since the outbreak
began. Just hours ago, the K League tweeted this photo at the start of the match showing the historic moment with the caption no handshakes today.
Other safety measures included no excessive spitting or talking and no spectators were allowed.
No excessive talking. OK. I would -- I would fail that test.
South Korea is also testing the waters in other sports. Its baseball season started on Tuesday. And instead of a packed stadium, organizers got
creative placing banners with photos of fans in the stands. Somehow I just -- it is just not the same, but better than nothing.
Short break coming up. Much more news after that.
But, first, John Defterios explores carbon capture in today's "Energy Challenge".
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOHN DEFTERIOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Manmade carbon emissions are driving global warming. If you want to tackle climate change, we need to reduce the
amount of carbon dioxide we're putting into the atmosphere.
One way is to be more energy efficient, so we use less fossil fuels. Another is to replace fossil fuels by using more renewable energy.
But some researchers and industry leaders are work on yet another way, capturing carbon dioxide and using it in an industry or putting it in
storage. It's called carbon capture utilization and storage. Industry is a source of almost one quarter of CO2 emissions.
But if industries can trap the CO2 as it's released, it can be kept out of the atmosphere.
Nature has its own forms of carbon capture. Plants remove CO2 from the air. When plant matter, for example, wood chips, is burned for energy, it
releases CO2 into the atmosphere. But as long as the plants harvest it for energy are replaced by new ones, in theory, the in ones will absorb the
same amount of CO2, making the process carbon neutral.
And perhaps most ambitious of all is to pull the carbon dioxide out of the air. It's called direct air capture.
ADAM SIEMINSKI, PRESIDENT, KAPSARC: They look like big air conditioners, but rather than chilling the air, they're actually taking the air, removing
carbon dioxide and you can either permanently store that in some way or even better re-use it in some other industrial process. Making something
like methanol or fertilizers can all be done through direct air capture.
LASZLO VARRO, CHIEF ECONOMIST, IEA: The big economic challenge is that this is a cost. The facility which is at with the carbon (INAUDIBLE) the
carbon storage will always be more expensive than the same facility without carbon storage.
DEFTERIOS: And that means these types of projects may need tax credits or grants to capture investment to fight climate change, especially when it
comes to carbon capture.
John Defterios, CNN Business in the Ghawar Field.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:46:24]
GORANI: Welcome back.
In the United States, a former police officer and his son have been arrested and charged with the murder of an unarmed black man who was killed
more than two months ago, jogging down the street, 25-year-old Ahmaud Arbery was jogging through a neighborhood on February 23rd in southern
Georgia, there is a picture of him with his mother, when police say he was confronted by these two men and shot dead after a struggle.
The arrests were made Thursday after a video emerged appearing to show the deadly encounter.
CNN's Martin Savidge is live in Brunswick, Georgia, following this.
And I understand there is a demonstration. You're at a demonstration there, demanding justice for the victim.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: That's correct, Hala. In fact, this is the largest demonstration to date for Ahmaud Arbery.
Part of the reason is that due to the pandemic, there were limits on crowds. That has begun to ease. The temperament and the frustration has
backed off some, but people are still very determined here and it is a mixed crowd, black and white, that are demanding justice.
Many of them are saying it's not a celebration despite the arrests that have been made, it is just the very first step in a long road.
Here is more about how this case all came to be.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SAVIDGE (voice-over): Nearly two months after the fatal shooting of Ahmaud Arbery, two men are now arrested. Gregory McMichael, a former police
officer, and his son Travis now face murder and aggravated assault charges, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
"The Daily Mail" obtaining photos of the moment they were apprehended.
JASMINE ARBERY, AHMAUD ARBERY'S SISTER: We feel last night some relief. This has been a long run (ph), it's been a long time, it feels like it has
been a long time. So this day was a turning point in recovering my brother's case and getting justice for him.
SAVIDGE: Arbery was shot and killed while jogging near Brunswick, Georgia, on February 23rd. Gregory McMichael told police he believed Arbery was
responsible for recent break-ins in the area.
Something people in the area may have believed as well.
DISPATCHER: And you said someone is breaking into it right now?
CALLER: No, it's all open, it's under construction. And he's running right now, here he goes right now.
DISPATCHER: OK, what is he doing?
CALLER: He's running down the street.
LEE MERRITT, CIVIL RIGHTS ATTORNEY: There is nothing that is going to connect Ahmaud the victim to any criminal behavior, certainly nothing that
will lead to his death. So, as you can imagine, if he entered the property that wasn't his that was under construction, arguably it's a trespass, but
nothing that would have warranted a citizen's arrest, and certainly not a death sentence.
SAVIDGE: Earlier this week, a video posted to a local radio station's website that appears to show the final moments of Arbery's life, you can
see Ahmaud jogging down the street in what appears to be the McMichaels waiting ahead of him.
Gregory McMichael claims a struggle ensued over his son's shotgun and then -- three shots that left Ahmaud Arbery dead.
ARBERY: I believe it was a hate crime.
CHRIS CUOMO, CNN HOST: How so?
ARBERY: It was one black guy and three white guys.
CUOMO: How does that make you feel, that that might have been what took your brother's life?
ARBERY: As if his life wasn't respected.
SAVIDGE: The video has sparked outcry nationwide and protests throughout the state of Georgia. Despite police having the video shortly after the
shooting, no arrest was made.
House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler is calling for the Department of Justice to investigate the incident and Georgia Governor Brian Kemp
applauding investigators for their swift action, adding that justice will be served.
[10:50:05]
GOV. BRIAN KEMP (R), GEORGIA: Earlier this week, I watched the video depicting Mr. Arbery's last moments of life. I can tell you it's absolutely
horrific and Georgians deserve answers.
Thankfully that district attorney has agreed to allow us to help and do an independent investigation. I have no doubt in my mind that it will be fair.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SAVIDGE: Authorities say there could still be additional arrests. The crowd is frustrated because it took over two months to get to the first
arrest and it happened only after state law enforcement got involved. Local authorities did not make this arrest. And it should be pointed out that
today would have been Ahmaud's 26th birthday -- Hala.
GORANI: Thank you, Martin Savidge, live in Brunswick, Georgia.
Still ahead, how funeral homes are ensuring dignity in death and one of the countries hit hardest by the virus.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GORANI: Now, funeral workers are seeing the human costs of the virus pandemic in ways that few of us do. And giving each victim dignity in death
is becoming more demanding.
Phil Black takes a look at the physical and emotional challenges of that.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PHIL BLACK, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): We all know this is a time of death, of lost so great it's difficult to comprehend. But Tony
Oxley knows what it really means, the numbers of people dying. Their faces, their families' grief.
TONY OXLEY, AD OXLEY FUNERAL SERVICES: I was called out last night. A dear old gentleman, it was his wife of many years who passed away.
BLACK: Tony's job is collecting and moving bodies. He's never been busier.
OXLEY: It can be challenging, but I love it. I haven't had a day off since -- since it started.
BLACK: Tony works a patch of territory along England's southern coast. The job has become a constant race around the clock, chasing COVID- 19's
relentless body count.
OXLEY: The day's changed already. We're now going to go to collect some deceased from various places.
BLACK: The phone rings and Tony moves, dashing between hospitals, private homes, care facilities.
OXLEY: I collected an elderly lady from a nursing home there and have just brought her here. I'm now moving on again to another nursing home where
somebody else has passed away.
BLACK: So many people are dying in this area there aren't enough places to store them. So Tony's job now includes shuffling bodies between funeral
directors with spare capacity.
But it's not only the vast numbers challenging those who are trying to ensure dignity in death. These funeral workers in London follow Muslim
tradition. It's an intimate, deeply respectful process, washing and wrapping each person before burial.
But safety is now a key concern. Every body must be treated as a potential COVID-19 risk.
Issa Assam has been a funeral director for 25 years.
[10:55:03]
He says he's needed all his experience to endure this pandemic.
ISSA ASSAM, FUNERAL DIRECTOR: I've watched a few war films. That's the closest we've got to experiencing something like this in our lifetime.
BLACK: This day brings Issa a new professional and emotional challenge.
ASSAM: There's a request of a very small baby passing away. I need some paperwork from him.
BLACK: A small, stillborn baby, and the baby's mother, both victims of COVID-19. Once collected, they lie side by side in the van. The baby, in
the adult-sized coffin.
ASSAM: It's very sad. I've never experienced that one, ever in my life.
BLACK: Issa wasn't prepared for this.
ASSAM: It's a tough challenge. It's a tough one. For me, it's very, very tough. Very painful.
BLACK: Later, Issa arranges another special request. His hearse is driving by a London hospital, so the staff can honor one of their own.
They're clapping for Abdul Hafiz, an ambulance care assistant, another COVID-19 victim.
Only a close few can attend his funeral. They must stand apart to pray, and can only approach his grave one at a time. When the ambulance came for
Abdul, his family didn't know it was the last time they'd see him.
(on camera): Tell me what it's like to lose a brother this way.
TARIQ GELLALEDIN HAFIZ, ABDUL'S BROTHER: It's like to lose brother is like to lose half of you. You lose half of you.
BLACK (voice-over): In this time of death, most of us are shielded from its awful reality, what those numbers really mean. While around us, a
committed operation strives beyond its usual limits to ensure every person who couldn't be saved from COVID-19 is respectfully mourned and remembered.
Phil Black, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GORANI: We'll have a lot more after a quick break.
Stay with CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GORANI: Hello and welcome back to our continuing coverage of the coronavirus pandemic. I'm Hala Gorani.
Ahead this hour: marking the V.E. Day during in a pandemic. While they cannot gather to celebrate, citizens across Europe pause to reflect on the
allies' victory over the Nazis 75 years ago.
Then --
[11:00:00]
END
