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U.S. Hits Brazil With Travel Restrictions; China Warns U.S. Over Hong Kong; President Trump Attending Ceremony At Arlington Cemetery. Aired 10:00-11a ET
Aired May 25, 2020 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:00:26]
ISA SOARES, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Hello and a very warm welcome to CNN's continuing coverage of the coronavirus pandemic. I'm Isa Soares in
London. This hour for you. The numbers in Brazil just keep on rising. 15,000 new cases in a 24-hour period.
And the U.S. is now hitting the travel, the country with actually travel restrictions we're bringing more than that.
In the U.K. controversies engulfing the government we are expecting to hear from Boris Johnson's chief adviser in the next few hours after he was
accused of reaching the lockdown. And after a weekend of protests on the streets of Hong Kong, China tells the United States to stop pushing its
policies there or there will be consequences.
We begin to sound though at Arlington Cemetery in Virginia. We'll show you some live pictures coming out of there. It is Memorial Day in the United
States, a solemn day. And at any moment U.S. President Donald Trump will lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. This year's tribute, of
course will be like -- unlike any other social distancing guidelines, of course now playing a large role.
These are live pictures coming to you from Arlington, Virginia. The public is not allowed inside the cemetery, only families. When that happens, of
course, we shall bring it to you live right here on CNN. While as Americans honor the men and women who lost their lives serving their country, this
Memorial Day, the COVID-19 Death toll is inching closer to release a staggering milestone. Nearly 100,000 people have now died from the virus in
the United States.
But President Donald Trump stay silent on the grim numbers over the weekend. Instead, he spent his time golfing and lashing out at his photos
on Twitter. CNN's Joe Johns had the latest now from Washington.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOE JOHNS, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: President Trump's spending much of the holiday weekend doing two things, golfing and tweeting. Sunday,
protesters gathered outside his course in Virginia, criticizing him for golfing while Americans are still grappling with the pandemic. One sign
declaring, I care, do you? This visit mark the 358 the President has made to one of his properties and the 266th trip he's made to one of his golf
clubs since taking office.
President Trump also reigniting his feud with former Attorney General Jeff Sessions, calling on him to drop out of the Alabama Republican Senate
primary.
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Jeff Sessions was a disaster as attorney general, shouldn't never been attorney general, he's not
qualified, he's not mentally qualified to be attorney general. He was the biggest problem.
JOHNS: The back and forth continuing throughout the weekend with the President again criticizing Sessions for recusing himself from the Russia
investigation. But Sessions firing back. I did my duty and you're damn fortunate I did. Meantime, the President defending his decision to golf,
tweeting, it was the first time he had played in almost three months. The President further took the opportunity to attack former President Obama and
former Vice President Biden for frequently vacationing and relaxing while in office.
Even renewing his attack on Obama for "Always playing golf," a line of attack then candidate Trump, often made against his predecessor.
TRUMP: It was reported today play 250 rounds of golf. Everything's executive order because he doesn't have enough time because he's playing so
much golf. I'm going to be working for you. I'm not going to have time to go play golf.
JOHNS: Trump even criticized Obama for golfing at the height of the Ebola response in 2014. That public health crisis sought for diagnosed cases in
the United States. But as the U.S. death toll from coronavirus approaches 100,000 noticeably missing from the President's tweet storm, any mention of
the Americans who have died instead tweeting positively about the nation's response writing, cases, numbers and deaths are going down all over the
country.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SOARES: And that was Joe Johns reporting there. He joins us now live from Washington. And Joe, like you just outlined is of course, a solemn holiday
at the President has been on the attack. We're waiting to see him. We're showing viewers live pictures from Arlington, Virginia. In the meantime,
Joe, we're seeing the President lashing out basically threatening the -- pull the Republican convention out of North Carolina. Explain to why -- to
us why that is.
[10:05:00]
JOHNS: Well, you know, the President has been considered a disrupter for a long time and this is an example of him being extremely disruptive. As you
know, the national political conventions every four years are the biggest shows in politics in the United States. This year, the Republican
convention, the President's party is scheduled to have its gathering in Charlotte, North Carolina in August.
The President tweeting today that if the Democratic governor of the State of North Carolina cannot guarantee that he will allow full attendance at
that convention, then Republicans may have to consider pulling back and finding somewhere else to go. That would be an enormous change. It would
mean certainly jobs for the City of Charlotte, North Carolina and that will also prestige because just a few years ago, they had the Democratic
Convention there.
It would be an enormous shift over a very short period of time for some other city to try to come up with the venue and the hotels and all the
other things attended to one of these conventions, and would create quite a lot of chaos. And when you read into this tweet or the series of tweets by
the President, it sounds a lot like at least a warning, if not a threat to North Carolina despite the fact that they're not going to know their
coronavirus situation today, as it's going to be an August. Isa.
SOARES: Joe Johns, as you're speaking there, we're looking at live images from Arlington, Virginia. We're expecting to see U.S. President Donald
Trump lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, such as for our viewers are aware and in case I have to interrupt, Joe. We also know that
the President plans to travel to Baltimore. How our officials greeting this visit by the President?
JOHNS: Well, this is something that the President apparently wanted to do very much. It's a visit to Fort McNair in the Baltimore area and part of
the Memorial Day celebrations here. This, of course, is something that the local officials in the State of Maryland have criticized because Maryland
like Washington, D.C. like Virginia, all this area that I'm standing in, have really had a problem with a spike in coronavirus cases.
And the Maryland officials have been encouraging people to stay home. They say the President's visit at this time in this way, sends the wrong
message. Isa.
SOARES: Joe Johns there for us. Thanks very much, Joe. Good to see you live for us in Washington. Of course we'll bring you more authors live images as
soon as we see President Trump there.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration is cracking down on travel from Brazil due to COVID-19. Now, most non-American citizens who have been in Brazil
during the last 14 days will not be allowed in here. You see the U.S. as well as Brazilian presidents meeting at Mr. Trump's resort that happened
back in March the 9th. Now the travel ban comes just two days after Brazil was declared the world's number two hotspot after the United States.
Brazil's healthcare system bursting at the seams. I think it's fair to say overwhelmed by the more than 347,000 confirmed cases. That is according to
John Hopkins University. Our Shasta Darlington is in Brazil's largest and hottest cities -- hits city, San Paolo, and she joins us now. And Shasta,
let's talk to us first about the reaction from the government of Jair Bolsonaro.
SHASTA DARLINGTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Isa, there actually has not been an official reaction from the President Jair Bolsonaro but his
administration was quick to point out that actually Brazil closed its borders to foreigners trying to come in back in March. So they really don't
see it a big deal that the problem is that the optics are just terrible, as you mentioned, coming as Brazil has surpassed the U.K. and then Russia as
now the country with the second most infections worldwide.
And frankly, it's far from peeking according to specialists. In fact, there were 15 -- the number of new cases exceeded 15,000 every day for the last
week. And Jair Bolsonaro hasn't really helped things. He's repeatedly downplayed the pandemic. He's attacked and insulted governors and mayors
who've implemented quarantine measures, saying that the hunger and unemployment that those measures will cause will be worse than the virus
itself.
And he was back out to this weekend at a pro government rally, greeting his supporters without a mask on taking pictures. So in the meantime, you have
the governors and the mayors reacting to this sort of double message that he's sending while they're trying to get people to stay home.
[10:10:03]
DARLINGTON: He's showing everyone look at me, you can go out, it's safe. In fact, the mayor of Manaus in the Amazon region, one of the hardest hit in
Brazil, spoke to CNN saying that he holds Bolsonaro responsible or at least co-responsible for the mounting death toll now over 22,000, Isa.
SOARES: And that's the message, Shasta, I believe he said he had about three weeks ago, when you and I were talking about Manaus. But on the
optics from Shasta, you know, we saw the anti-rally -" anti-lockdown rallies with Jair Bolsonaro there in San Paolo and across to something
that's been happening for some time now in Brazil. How much that the optics clearly everyone's looking at from the outside but within Brazil, within
San Paolo, indeed, Brasilia has that impacting him at all his numbers, his credit, his credibility?
DARLINGTON: Well, Isa, it's a difficult situation because as you know, you know, Brazil well. A lot of people do work in the informal sector and
because there has been limited help offered by the Federal government for these people who are now told to shelter at home to give up their jobs in
the informal sector, they now have no income, his message that that hunger and unemployment are going to hit them harder than the virus.
It does resonate, because they're receiving so little help and they really are looking at being hunkered down in the house without any income. At the
same time, his approval rating has been hit. It's now down about a third. It seems to be hovering there, though it doesn't seem to sink further, no
matter what he does. He's got a hardcore of supporters who will stand behind him.
The issue here is there are so many people who are feeling the pressure -- the economic pressure and who are weighing well, which is more dangerous
than getting this virus or not being able to feed my family for yet another month and this is a real dichotomy here in Brazil, Lisa.
SOARES: Shasta Darlington for us there in San Paolo. Thanks very much, Shasta. Good to see you. Now ahead on CONNECT THE WORLD, the British Prime
Minister's top advisor is at the center of the coronavirus controversy. His road trip during lockdown is causing calls for him to resign.
And more than a quarter of coronavirus deaths in England and Wales have occurred at care homes. Has the government failed their residents? We have
report on that after a short break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SOARES: Now pressure is mounting for British Prime Minister Boris Johnson to fire his chief aid. The growing scandal centers on Dominic Cummings
movements during the lockdown in the U.K. He drove across the country with his family to stay with his parents while his wife was exhibiting COVID-19
symptoms.
[10:15:00]
SOARES: That violated restrictions that were put in place by Mr. Johnson's government. Now the Prime Minister is refusing to sack Cummings and insists
that he acted responsibly. But it is fueling criticism from all sides. I think it's fair to say that Mr. Johnson has allowed his aides to disobey
the rules. Our International Diplomatic Editor Nic Robertson joins me now from Downing Street where Dominic Cummings is due to speak in the next
hour.
Nic, we are expecting to see also the President any moment, President Donald Trump at -- to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. So
apologies if I have to interrupt you. But talk to us about what we can expect to hear from Cummings today and apology of sorts or will he go on
the defensive here?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: It's completely extraordinary without sort of recent precedent that a -- that a government
aid will be giving a press conference with journalists I'll have to add with real live journalists in the garden of Downing Street given that the
Prime Minister gave a press conference yesterday, and the journalists were connected to it via video link as they have been over the past more than a
month.
So the circumstances of this press conference are quite extraordinary in themselves that a senior age should be giving a press conference. And I
think what we're seeing here speaks to the fact that the word -- we can expect Dominic Cummings to make a robust defense of his position in the
same way that the Prime Minister did previously. What additional information may he provide that he provided privately to the Prime Minister
yesterday afternoon where they met for many hours that gave the Prime Minister the confidence to come out and say that he thought that Dominic
Cummings would behave like any father, any parent would, that the Prime Minister wouldn't Mark him down for that.
But I think the perception in the country is the whole pandemic as everywhere has been hugely painful and the lockdown in particular, the most
painful part for people to be separated from parents and people they love and people have had to make terribly difficult choices to stay put at home
when a dearly loved parent or other relative close by is going through the symptoms, and then ultimately, in some cases, passes away.
People have had to make desperately difficult choices. And they've done what the government told them to do, which was stay at home and not make
those journeys. And on the face of it, it seems that Dominic Cummings has broken that and that really, I think, gets to the heart of the issue here.
There's huge loss of confidence in the government at this moment, but it does seem that the government is going to continue to try to keep Dominic
Cummings in his job, chief adviser to the Prime Minister.
SOARES: And Nic, Boris Johnson yesterday said that he had -- that Cummings actively -- responsibly legally I think he said and with integrity, I just
want to show our viewers, two newspapers that are normally really never agree -- they're never eye to eye with each other. This is what planet are
they on? This is the Daily Mail, if I can just bring that up. And then I want to show our viewers The Guardian, opposite side of the political
spectrum.
This is what The Guardian, no apology, no explanation Prime Minister bets all on Cummings. This is the first time I think they both -- these papers
both agreed on one story. But this this latest headline from The Guardian, it's the fact there's so many questions still unanswered. So are we
expecting Cummings to lay out the facts here?
ROBERTSON: One word suppose so that he is going to give a statement and then he's invited a handful of journalists in to ask some questions in this
very controlled environment. So that gives you the idea that that he may be about to do that. I mean, look, the Prime Minister yesterday spent many
hours with Dominic Cummings and we understand that Dominic Cummings explains the Prime Minister, why he did, what he did, when he did it, et
cetera.
And the Prime Minister was convinced to that position but here in essence is the Prime Minister sort of being judge and jury on this situation. The
leader of the opposition is calling for a thorough investigation. Civil servants have criticized the Prime Minister's handling of this. Members of
the Prime Minister's own party have said that they're receiving e-mails and messages from people in their constituencies saying, how can this be.
Essentially the government's taking one position for you in government and one position for the people in the country. So it's going to be very
difficult to see precisely what Dominic Cummings will do in essence here, in essence here, taking to the airwaves to try to convince the people of
Britain that the decision he took was the right one because that seems to be the direction of travel for the argument at the moment.
He was legal, as a Prime Minister said responsible as the Prime Minister said, acting with integrity, as the Prime Minister said. But people in the
country aren't convinced. So if Cummings is coming up in the afternoon, to give a press conference, surely his aim is to swing those views around.
SOARES: Well, let's see if he can do that. We'll bring that statement without actual speech to you here on CNN, Nic Robertson for us outside 10
Downing Street. Thanks very much, Nic. Well, a member of the Scientific Committee advising the U.K. government as Professor Steven Riker took to
Twitter this weekend, saying Mr. Johnson trashed scientific advice by defending Cummings. Professor Riker joins me now from just outside St.
Andrews in Scotland.
Professor, thanks very much for joining me. Explain to us why you think the Prime Minister trashed scientific advice by standing with Cummings.
STEVEN RIKER, PROFESSOR OF SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, UNIVERSITY OF ST. ANDREWS: Well, if you look at the good news story out of this pandemic fixed
entities one has been that thus far, the population has been largely united and united with the government in observing lockdown. And the reasons why
that's happened is I think there is a sense of we're in this together and we're acting for the common good.
And I think there are two problems of what's happened. The first is if you take that sense of we are in this together, there's a common us, and you
turn it into us. And then one law for us and one law for them, you faithfully undermine that relationship to the public, to the authorities,
which leads to trust and leads to adherence. And if you lower levels of adherence to the measures needed to combat COVID-19, then the infection
will increase and more people are going to die.
That's the first problem. The second problem is that if you look at the evidence, it suggests that many people were suffering from COVID-19, about
45 percent of the population was suffering. And yet people even despite that made the decision to observe lock down for the common good because
only if we made those sacrifices would we get through these hard times. And if then somebody at the very core of government says no, actually when the
going gets tough, you do what's good for you, as an individual and for your family, then you undermine, again, that spirit of sacrifice that pulling
together, which has been so important in getting us through COVID-19.
And what's more, if you then turn around and you say to those people, oh, well, if you really cared, you look after your kids, not only do you injure
people, you add insult to injury. So in many ways, I think that undermines what's happened, fatally undermines, that spirit of community, which has
been so powerful and done so much to carry us through these hard times.
SOARES: So what you're saying, professor is not just that Dominic Cummings is undermining the effort to fight the pandemic but you're actually also
saying that the Prime Minister by standing with Cummings is also undermining the fight to fight COVID-19. Is that what you're saying?
RIKER: I'm not politician. I'm not particularly interested in Dominic Cummings, what I am interested in is helping to get us through this
pandemic. And I think the problem is that the government in defending Dominic Cummings has fundamentally changed the message. I remember that a
while back that the governor of New York, Andrew Cuomo made the point he said, this isn't an I thing, you've got to understand this as a We thing.
And only if we see it in terms of we when get through these things. Now the problem is the government advice is now swinging back from it being a We
thing, you've got to observe these regulations difficult though it is for the good of the community for the We. If you turn it into you do what you
want to for the I, for you and for your family then again, you cause real, real problems. It's seeing it as we that is the biggest asset we've got.
It's the biggest way in which we can recruit the whole population to fight together -- sorry. There was lots of calls at the moment. Yes, so again --
SOARES: No worries, no worries. That gives me a chance to get -- yes.
RIKER: Hello?
SOARES: I think I've lost you that the end there. But let me ask you this. With the Prime Minister -- are you still with us professor?
RIKER: Yes. Yes, I am. Can you hear me? Can you hear me?
SOARES: Oh, what? Well, I can hear you perfectly now. Yes, I can hear perfectly. Thank you very much. We had Boris Johnson saying yesterday that
the -- Cummings followed the instincts of every father and every parents. Is that good enough an excuse? Is it fair?
RIKER: No. First of all, any parents and I'm a parent myself, many parents made agonizing choices. Many people weren't with their parents when they
died. Many people have been separated from their family. And no, they didn't do that. Not because they were bad parents, not because they were
bad people but because they cared for their community.
[10:25:02]
RIKER: And the second point is this. Living in civilized society is all about curbing our instincts. I'm not having the instinct to hit somebody
who walks me I'm have, you know, an instinct to steal something if I don't have enough money, but the whole point about a civilized society and the
whole point about the law is that sometimes we have to curb our instincts in order to live in an ordered society.
And I would have thought that's the first thing that a lawmaker and a law advisor should be aware of.
SOARES: Professor, you were saying earlier this is about protect -- is about the we, not about the I. We're expecting to hear from Dominic
Cummings in the next hour or so. Would an apology be enough to help protect, in fact, the I, the protect the We to make sure that people don't
go out to adhere to these -- to the rules? Or do you think he needs to say he was in the wrong?
RIKER: I think everything will depend on the way in which things are done and apologies seem to be something just to save your jobs will get us
nowhere, a genuine recognition that wrong was done, this undermined a critical principle and that none of us are above the law. All of us have
got to pull together in order to get through these terrible times. I think that's absolutely critical.
Because let me stress this. You know, I am involved in advise -- the advisory group, although at the moment I'm speaking as an individual but
I'm in fact involved in the group because I want to use the knowledge I have, the research I've done to help move us together forward to a time
where we are through this pandemic. And all of us have got to play our part. So the doctors and nurses are doing it, you know, the care workers
are doing it, the bus drivers are doing it academics hopefully will do it.
And above all, the government have got to be part of that exercise. They've got to be pulling together, they've got to be seen to be acting for the
common good. And rebuilding that trust is absolutely critical.
SOARES: Professor, I appreciate you taking time to speak to us. Thank you very much, sir.
RIKER: Okay, thanks. Bye.
SOARES: Now still ahead, Hong Kong reels from massive brought by -- heal the reels from a massive protest over new proposed new security law. But
now, China wants to draw the line for the U.S. over its policies in the city. We have the latest next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SOARES: Welcome back to CONNECT THE WORLD. I'm Isa Soares. I want to show you live images coming to us from Arlington Cemetery in Virginia.
[10:30:06]
SOARES: It's 10:00 -- almost 10:30 that in the morning. In the morning, the United States, U.S. President Trump is expected to lay a wreath at the Tomb
of the Unknown Soldier. We are waiting for President Trump there. Normally, as you'd expect, it would be quite a busy tribute, it's a solemn day, of
course, but this tribute will be really like -- unlike any other. Social distancing guidelines, of course, now playing a large role.
The public is also not allowed inside the cemetery. Only families and we're looking there -- a lot of the soldiers don't have masks, I saw but
obviously, a lot of them maintaining social distancing. We are waiting to see President Trump and I believe I can see him right. Let's take a listen.
[10:36:53]
SOARES: Moment of silence, a solid moment then Arlington, Virginia as President Trump laid the reef there at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier,
Next to him, Vice President Mike Pence, of course the reef honoring the fallen, the men, the women who have died were killed in battle. Live images
there from Arlington, Virginia for you and what was -- what is a very solemn day in the United States.
I want to take you now to China because China says there will be consequences if the U.S. keeps pushing his policies on Hong Kong. The
threat came after Sunday's massive protests against the proposed national security law in the city. Now Beijing says Hong Kong is nobody's business,
but China's. It's threatening countermeasures if the U.S. "Harms China's interests in Hong Kong." For more, let's go to Ivan Watson who joins us now
live from Hong Kong.
And Ivan there's already so much tension between Beijing, between Washington and that's now increasing big because of Hong Kong. What has
been the reaction there?
IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, we know that the police have announced that they have arrested at least 193 demonstrators
from Sunday's attempted protests, charging them with everything from illegal assembly to writing to possessing anything with intent to destroy
or damaging property. And that kind of protests, that scene of protests and more than six months of protests that we saw last year here in Hong Kong
against controversial government proposals have been described by the Chinese central government in Beijing as threats to China's national
security.
And that is why the Chinese government says it's introducing a security law that would criminalize subversion and treason and sedition, which has been
met from opposition camps here in Hong Kong by some leaders who have described this as the beginning of the death of Hong Kong and the freedoms
that this city has enjoyed since its handover from British rule to Chinese rule.
Freedoms that are supposed to be enshrined according to international treaties and its mini constitution until the year 2047. Now, China's top
diplomat, their Commissioner here in Hong Kong, he spoke to an assembly of foreign diplomats and business leaders and journalists earlier today and
his message to them was, don't panic. Take a listen to what he had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
XE FENG, CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY COMMISSIONE TO HONG KONG: There's absolutely no need to panic or worry that you may be unfavorably impacted.
Do not be intimidated or even misled and exploited by those with ulterior motives. And in particular, do not be a rumor monger yourself or join the
anti-China forces in stigmatizing and demonizing the legislation to less metal, obstructed or provoke confrontation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[10:40:12]
WATSON: So that gets to the crux of the problem there, Isa. This official was saying don't panic, this shouldn't affect you unless you rumor monger
or you talk to the people that the authorities here described as terrorists, as separatists, as agents of foreign governments. And it's not
just opposition activists in Hong Kong. It's established international chambers of commerce, business communities, the international companies
that have long been headquartered here that are wondering how will China define terrorists and separatists and agents of foreign countries because
in mainland China, the definition is very, very broad.
You can even publish an image of Winnie the Pooh on social media in China. You will be censored because it's seen as insulting of the Chinese leader
Xi Jinping. And there is real concern that a kind of police state culture could start to be introduced here in Hong Kong, particularly with the
announcement from senior Chinese officials that representative offices of national security would be established here. That's basically the Chinese
secret police. Isa?
SOARES: Yes. And as you just clearly outlined, Ivan, it's not so much how the law is written but the fear of how it may be interpreted. Ivan Watson
there for us. Good to see you, Ivan. Thanks very much.
Now in Spain's two biggest cities, life is getting more back to normal as they enter phase one of lifting locked down rules. Restaurants in Madrid as
well in Barcelona are now allowing customers to set up doors, churches are reopening, and some retail stores can resume operating. COVID-19 was
reminding ruinous killed more than 28,000 people in the country and as infecting more than 235,000.
Let's bring in CNN's Al Goodman who is live for us in Madrid. Al, give me a sense of what you're seeing today, I'm sure relief for many, but some I
assume, still very anxious.
AL GOODMAN, CNN MADRID CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Isa. Well, for the first time in 10 weeks of this confinement order which was meant to keep people apart and
it is brought down the levels of the new cases of the virus and all of the easing the pressure on the hospitals. For the first time, they can go out
to outdoor cafes. So take a look, I'm right here in my neighborhood. This is a place where I sometimes come.
These people are out. It's actually -- they're having a late lunch. In Spain, it's 4:30 in the afternoon here. They're just finishing lunch. And
all the way down these are two different restaurants with their outdoor tables. Now they're spaced apart. Normally that would be a lot more
crowded. This table here told us it's a little strange coming back to normal. Earlier this day, we were up just up the street across the streets
in the hospital, talk to some doctors, who said it was just such a relief.
These are doctors who treated COVID-19 patients in one of the main -- the main hospitals here in the capital, what a relief to get out. So under
phase one, which is where Madrid and Barcelona now are and about half of the country, people -- groups of up to 10 people who don't live together,
can actually come out and meet at a place like this or some other place, relatives, friends you can meet.
Now the rest of the country is further advance, more open on phase two. So meetings are allowed of up to 15 people, restaurant service, outdoors and
indoors, weddings for up to 100 people, all of this marching towards July when the government has just announced they expect to restart international
tourism here. Such a huge part of the economy. 12 percent of the GDP -- 2- 1/2 million jobs. They're trying to save some of that.
And so all of this is a gradual reopening. But again, trying to avoid a second wave. That's why masks are required in public everywhere in public.
If you're closer than two meters or six feet and I've got one on because people are passing around me all the time. Isa?
SOARES: Al Goodman there for us in Madrid in Spain. Thanks very much. Al, hood to see you. And you are watching CONNECT THE WORLD. I'll be back after
a very quick break. Just stay right here.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SOARES: Now COVID-19 has claimed almost 100,000 lives in the United States but as Americans observe Memorial Day things are looking like businesses
usual. CNN Rosa Flores reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ROSA FLORES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Scenes from the unofficial kickoff to the summer showing many Americans not practicing social distancing measures.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You wouldn't know a pandemic was going on by looking at the beach today.
FLORES: Over the weekend, people crowded beaches and parks and even restaurants and bars.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Everybody going to get sick one day. I mean, everybody. That's just life. I mean.
FLORES: This pool party in the Ozarks showing revelers nearly arm to arm.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let's just go ahead and shut down all eastbound.
FLORES: Take a look at this police footage from Daytona Beach, showing hundreds gathering in the streets.
MAYOR DERRICK HENRY (D), DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA: Our residents are excited about having access to their beach, so we're going to have to figure out
how we can control these crowds and, largely, how we can inform the visitors.
FLORES: Ocean City, Maryland's boardwalk packed with people, many of them without face coverings. Dr. Deborah Birx urging Americans to stay vigilant
with social distancing and wearing masks.
DR. DEBORAG BIRX, WHITE HOUSE CORONAVIRUS TASKFORCE COORDINATOR: We have said to people, is there's clear scientific evidence now by all the droplet
experiments that happen and that others have done to show that a mask does prevent droplets from reaching others. We need to be wearing masks in
public when we cannot social distance.
FLORES: The question of wearing a mask has become political, from President Trump repeatedly refusing to wear one in public to protesters gathering
outside state capitals, many without their faces covered, rallying to expedite the reopening process.
Ohio's governor says this should not be a debate.
GOV. MIKE DEWINE (R-OH): This is not about politics. We wear the mask. And it's been very clear. The studies have shown you wear the mask not to
protect yourself so much as to protect others.
FLORES: In Missouri, two hairstylists potentially exposed 140 clients to the disease while working up to eight days with symptoms.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think we need to comprehend the consequences of this. If we're going to work sick and sharing this illness with others, that's
not a good approach.
FLORES: And in Arkansas, a high school swim party helped spread the coronavirus to several people.
ASA HUTCHINSON, ARKANSAS GOVERNOR: They're young, they're swimming. They're just having activity. And positive cases resulted from that. And so it's
just an encouragement for us to be disciplined in our activities.
FLORES: With President Trump pushing for churches to welcome back congregants.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Church is essential.
FLORES: This church in New Jersey defying the state's stay-at-home order, restricting indoor gatherings to 10 people.
GOV. PHIL MURPHY (D-NJ): I would hope we'd get to houses of worship sooner than later. But we want to make sure we do it right, responsibly and that
we don't kill anybody by doing it too fast.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
[06:05:07]
SOARES: That was CNN Rosa Flores reporting. She's joining us now from San Cola in Florida. Rosa, give me a sense of what is happening where you are
today. I know it's Memorial Day, a crowd from what you see now the following guidelines?
FLORES: You know, here where I am in Pensacola, Florida, you can probably see the beach behind me. We are seeing people observe social distancing.
And how they're doing that, Isa, is they are putting the umbrellas out of the beach more than six feet apart. You of course need space in order for
you to do that. And here this beach is about 250 feet deep. And in this county, there's about 27 miles of beach.
So it allows them to actually do that. But as you saw in that piece, not in every corner of America, is this happening. There are instances where
people are gathering and they're not social distancing. And they're not wearing masks and, Isa, of course, that is the concern. Isa?
[10:50:07]
SOARES: But I'm guessing the majority of beach -- beaches in Florida have been adhering to social distancing Florida. Right, Rosa?
FLORES: Here in Florida where we've seen a mixed bag in Daytona Beach which is on the East
Coast of Florida. We did see video that that populated overnight showing people that were not social distancing. They were not wearing masks and the
mayor from that city from Daytona Beach saying, you know, government's needs to do a better job at informing the public, educating the public
about those dangers.
Here in Pensacola we did see that guy mentioned that people were social distancing, it just depends on where you go in the space is very important
because you need space in order to social distance and there are areas that are tourist attractions that don't have a lot of space. A lot of beach
area. And so that of course, is the huge concern. Restaurants are also what concern, retail stores here in Florida, Florida is still under phase one of
the reopening plan.
And what that means is that restaurants and retail are only open at 5 percent capacity. But then of course that also requires enforcement if
you're actually enforcing that. So authorities across the state and across the country, quite frankly, because each state is in a different phase of
the reopening plan are having to figure out ways to enforce it. And as you know, it's very difficult because every restaurant, every retail store
would have to be monitored in order for that to happen. Isa?
SOARES: Isa Flores for us for us in Pensacola in Florida. Thanks very much, Rosa. Good to see. Now sports fans have been eager for live competition to
return and now a few of the all-time greats have teamed up and teed off to raise money for pandemic relief efforts. The highlights committee to you
next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SOARES: Now two golf legends and two NFL quarterbacks have raised over $20 million for coronavirus relief efforts on Sunday. Tiger Woods and Peyton
Manning defeated Phil Mickelson, Mickelson and Tom Brady in the Champions for Charity Golf Match. World sports Patrick Snell has all the highlights
for you.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PATRICK SNELL, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It may have been wet and rainy, no caddies, no spectators, golf as we know it now. Instead though,
four global superstars who simply refuse to have their spirits dampened. There were cart cams, old rivals reacquainted, all miked up, and most
definitely not holding back.
TIGER WOODS, 15-TIME MAJOR WINNER: I had the coffee. I've got to activate the calves and I got to step on one here. Come on, baby.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Man does have some calves.
WOODS: Yes, ladies and gentlemen, this is what I have to listen to every time we play.
SNELL: There were also enticing challenges from the commentary booth at the event presented by Turners Sports, a division of CNN's parent company
Warner Media. The match champions for charity and all in support of COVID- 19 relief. NBA legend Charles Barkley.
CHARLES BARKLEY, NBA legend: You know what, Tom, because you're my man, $50,000 if you hit the green.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Nice.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Chuck, you saved yourself $50,000.
[10:55:06]
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You know, Tom, that was -- I should have just said if you could just keep it on the planet.
SNELL: On that occasion, Brady playing with Phil Mickelson was well off the green. Meantime, his longtime NFL rival, the now retired Peyton Manning was
partnering with Tiger Woods. Manning gleefully draining a 25-footer much to the Master's Champions' delight, as Woods also shared some personal
insights after further back issues earlier in the year.
WOODS: It's been nice to be at home and train each and every day and get some treatment on it. Get into a routine basically. You know, I didn't have
to play for a while, trying to peak for Augusta and trying to get ready for that. And, you know, obviously with this pandemic and everything that's
happened. We've all been, you know, very careful and I've had to stay at home. And it's been good in that regard and I've been able to spend a lot
of time with my kids which has been awesome.
SNELL: What followed at seven though was quite extraordinary. Brady, a 6- time Super Bowl champion, he and Mickelson's three down at this point. But the legendary quarterback with the perfect response, holing out from the
fairway after some apparent ribbing from that man Barkley.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Wow.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hey, T, hey, hey, man.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Chuck, Chuck, shut your mouth, Chuck.
SNELL: That shot alone earning an extra $100,000 courtesy of a donation from four-time major champion Brooks Koepka, a majestic birdy, but then
came somewhat a humbling fall from grace for the Buccaneers superstar.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: By the way, did you just add some rain pants or change pants or --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I split my pants. There was so much torque in that swing.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I got you.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
SNELL: In the end, this would be a close fought one up victory for Woods and Manning. Live sports back will be a debrief temporary distraction from
the devastating global pandemic.
Well, there's plenty of fun and frivolity out there on the court at times but there was also real power and purpose to Sunday in South Florida. And
now, four global sporting icons who can say they've played their part in helping to raise $20 million for COVID-19 relief efforts.
Patrick Snell, CNN, Atlanta.
(END VIDEOTAOE)
SOARES: Thank you very much, Patrick. And that's it for me because I'll be back in the next few minutes. Do stay right here with CONNECT THE WORLD.
We're taking a short break. See in about two or three. Bye-bye.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[141:00:08]
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