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Black Man's Death Met with Protests and Riots; Trump: 100K Deaths "A Very Sad Milestone"; Latin America Emerges as New COVID-19 Epicenter; China's NPC to Go Forward with National Security Bill; Seoul to Close Public Venues Due to New COVID-19 Cluster; Doctors in Russia in Jeopardy from both Disease and Public; Trump Seeks to Limit Social Media by Executive Order; Premier League Set to Return amid Pandemic. Aired 10-11a ET
Aired May 28, 2020 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[10:00:00]
HALA GORANI, CNN HOST (voice-over): Hello and welcome to our continuing coverage of the coronavirus pandemic. I'm Hala Gorani.
Now 100,000 people have died in the U.S. alone. We'll update you on exactly how much the world has lost to COVID-19.
Also this:
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GORANI (voice-over): Anger erupts on the streets of Minneapolis, Minnesota, after another killing of an unarmed black man at the hands of
white police. People in the U.S. and around the world are saying enough is enough.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GORANI (voice-over): And also this hour, China is moving ahead with what critics call a power grab in Hong Kong. How people there are reacting.
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GORANI: Welcome, everybody, to all our viewers around the world. We want to take a step back today and gauge the massive toll of the coronavirus
pandemic because today's headline numbers are pretty staggering.
The global death toll now exceeds 356,000 people. And the death toll in the U.S. has surpassed 100,000.
Just within the past few minutes, after not having initially done so, president Donald Trump took to Twitter, calling those 100,000 American
deaths "a very sad milestone."
His presumptive Democratic challenger, Joe Biden, commented on that number yesterday, with a tweet and video, honoring those who have died.
Now here in the United Kingdom there are also developments, contact tracing begins today in England and Scotland, already started in Northern Ireland.
Anyone showing COVID-19 symptoms will be asked to self-isolate for two weeks.
Is it too late, though?
Just as we are going to discuss a little bit later how the U.K. might have the highest death toll per capita of any other country in the world, we're
also watching Latin America. That part of the world is now the epicenter of this horrific pandemic with the most daily COVID-19 infections. Let's go to
Joe Johns, at the White House.
I just told our viewers, the president of the United States has only just tweeted about what he called a "sad milestone," 100,000 American lives
lost.
Why the delay in this acknowledgement?
JOE JOHNS, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Anybody's guess. We do know the president has not had the ability to empathize on a variety of
different subjects lately. And it has gotten even worse than it was before.
You really have to point out that it has been 12 hours or so since we reached the 100,000 mark officially. And the president has tweeted or
retweeted about 24 different messages before he got around to expressing his condolences to the 100,000 families who have lost family members.
And it is a bit unfortunate also that his White House press office got out ahead of the president, which they're very rarely -- very seldom do in
expressing condolences and saying the president has prayers for the people who have died and saying that he's talked about them before, quite frankly.
What the president has been doing has been trying to change the subject, quite frankly. He's tweeted about President Obama; about Michael Flynn, his
former national security adviser, and sent a bunch of different messages out there, clearly intended to create wedge issues, gin up support for his
base here in the United States.
And very simply, while a lot of Americans are trying to survive the coronavirus, the president has said every indication of what he's worried
about is the political survival of his presidency. Back to you.
GORANI: Yes. And by the way, I want to show our viewers what "The Washington Post's" front page looks like, where they in big bold letters
they mark the 100,000 milestone and there you have it for our viewers around the world.
I wonder, American public opinion, is it more in line with this type of headline, with the acknowledgement and concern that these numbers are high
or more in line with those who just want to kind of see the country start reopening again and the economy getting going again?
[10:05:00]
GORANI: Just as we're learning of another couple million people unemployed as a result of the lockdown?
JOHNS: Well, what we know is the president is very much about getting the country reopened. And he's pushing forward on that because he sees the
economy so closely tied to his own political aspiration of getting a second term.
The president's pushed it very hard. He's also created sort of that wedge issue over wearing masks, which is very confusing to the public, when you
think about it, because the CDC, the Centers for Disease Control, down in Atlanta, have said that they recommend wearing a mask.
A president in one of his tweets just today suggesting that wearing a mask is akin to slavery, though what the president said in his tweet essentially
was there are so many different points of view. He didn't endorse it.
But simply by retweeting it, that puts it in the mind of his supporters. The president's all about getting this country reopened. That's what he's
focused on and he's leading the administration. So a lot of people here at the White House certainly right behind him, Hala.
GORANI: All right, Joe Johns, thanks very much.
I want to let our viewers know too the president so upset at Twitter including a fact checking button under two of his tweets about mail-in
ballots has promised to sign an executive order targeting social media companies, among others, Facebook and Twitter.
So we will bring that to you live when it happens, unclear what time that signing might happen and what the exact wording of these executive -- of
this executive order will be.
So we have been talking about countries where the death toll has hit really staggering levels and staggering numbers. And the U.K. is one of those
countries because the United Kingdom had quite a bit of advance notice that the pandemic was coming toward them.
And that country has the second highest COVID-19 death toll in the world, only behind the United States. On Wednesday, more than 400 deaths were
reported in just the previous 24 hours. Let's bring in CNN's chief international correspondent Clarissa Ward in London.
And the "Financial Times" has done this analysis of excess deaths. If you take into account the excess deaths, it is possible that the U.K. in fact
has the highest per capita COVID death rate in the world.
CLARISSA WARD, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Hala. I think no matter which way you slice it, and when you're doing these sorts
of numbers games and looking at different models and talking to different statisticians, there are a number of ways you can slice it.
But no matter which way you look at it, the U.K. has an egregiously high death toll. And the government have been facing a lot of pressure over,
particularly as it prepares to start opening up the country in earnest.
Some of those small steps of easing the lockdown began a couple of weeks ago. But most of them are really going to begin as of next week on June
1st. We know that the prime minister Boris Johnson is going to sort of head the press conference, the daily press conference later. He's expected to
give an update on how things are standing here in the U.K.
Overall, the picture that the government is putting forward is one of a positive trend, of a major downturn in not just deaths but also infections.
And, of course, this famous R rate that the government is using as its sort of guiding light in terms of determining policy, the R rate is essentially
the rate of infection, the rate of transmission. And they want to see that rate stay underneath the level one.
The big part of making this work, they say, will be testing, which they feel they now have under control, after a significant lag, and tracing,
which begins today.
As of today, if you test positive for coronavirus, somebody will call you, take a list of everybody who you have had sustained contact with over the
last, you know, the previous week or two and then those people will then be called and told, even if they don't have symptoms, to self-isolate for two
weeks.
There won't be any sort of mandatory enforcement of this. But the government is very much hoping that people will do it out of a sense of
civic duty and that this will enable the government to better track and trace COVID clusters as they continue to form -- Hala.
GORANI: All right, Clarissa, thank you very much, at 10 Downing Street.
Now we were talking about how Latin America is now the new epicenter, coronavirus infections there are still rising. We're not seeing any
flattening of any curves. The region is now being called, as I mentioned, the epicenter of this worldwide crisis.
You can see here, hundreds of people lining up to go shopping at a mall in Brazil as they reopen, despite the risk of infection.
[10:10:00]
GORANI: CNN's Matt Rivers reports from Mexico.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MATT RIVERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): As the coronavirus sweeps around the world, the eye of this storm has landed on Latin America.
RIVERS: Describe the pandemic in Latin America.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The epicenter of the pandemic now.
RIVERS (voice-over): Death rates in many Latin American countries are already on the rise. While the average seven-day death toll for the U.S.,
the U.K. and Italy are all headed down, in Brazil, Mexico and Peru, the death tolls are spiking.
So why Latin America and why now?
Start in Brazil, with about 410,000 confirmed cases, the second highest in the world behind the U.S. President Jair Bolsonaro has all but ignored the
virus threat and still attends large rallies, saying the true problems are quarantine measures hurting the economy.
Many disagree.
"The virus is everywhere," says this woman in Rio de Janeiro. "I only go out when it is absolutely necessary." State governors have tried to make up
for a lack of action at the federal level but it has been at best a patchwork response nationwide as massive COVID-19 cemeteries now dot the
tropical landscape.
In Mexico, president Lopez Obrador downplayed the threat early on. He has since urged people to stay home but resisted implementing strict quarantine
measures. And just two days ago, Mexico reported its largest single day increase in deaths.
But even swift shutdowns haven't helped everywhere. Cases have skyrocketed in Peru even though it enacted a strict quarantine on March 16th. Streets
there and across Latin America have remained full because, simply put, people can't afford not to work.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's a daily challenge, they don't have savings, they live in very inadequate quarters.
RIVERS (voice-over): Poverty is rampant in many of the region's massive cities. Not only do people have to go out and earn a living but, at home,
densely packed neighborhoods make social distancing all but impossible.
It all adds up to a region starting to buckle under the weight of a global pandemic it is not equipped to fight -- Matt Rivers, CNN, Mexico City.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GORANI: We'll have more on the coronavirus pandemic in a little moment. But I want to talk to you about Hong Kong.
The pro democracy movement there may have come to a dead end. China's National People's Congress has voted to go forward on a new, very
controversial national security law. It will make acts of sedition, succession and subversion illegal and effectively outlaw the protests that
have roiled Hong Kong since 2014.
Hong Kong's leader says the law won't affect rights and freedoms. But protest leaders fear that China's secret police will now be able to come
into Hong Kong to arrest them. Critics say the new law violates the 1997 handover agreement that promised no Chinese interference with Hong Kong's
autonomy for 50 years.
It is supposed to be one country, two systems. Joining me now, former chair of the Democratic Party in Hong Kong, Emily Lau.
Thank you very much.
What are your main concerns, Emily Lau?
EMILY LAU, HONG KONG DEMOCRATIC PARTY: Well, Hala, I think many Hong Kong people are very worried that this national security law, which today was
passed by China's rubber stamp parliament, will spell the end of one country, two systems, because it means this national law will come into
force in Hong Kong very soon.
And mainland security people will come to Hong Kong and maybe to arrest people or even take them back to China, Mainland China, for trial.
And over there, of course, as you know, there is complete lawlessness. And so this promise of one country, two systems, 50 years that we can enjoy
freedoms, democracy, not democracy -- we haven't got democracy -- but freedom, the rule of law and personal safety is now all disappearing before
our very eyes.
GORANI: So what do you think should be done?
Because if you listen to the French foreign minister, he is essentially saying, you know, China is overstepping here. We hope they back down. But
really clearly saying we don't think Europe should be necessarily siding with one party or another.
The U.S., though, is threatening sanctions.
What do you want the international community to be doing right now?
LAU: Well, I hope the international community will speak out because Hong Kong is a very international city. You talk about the French government.
There are I don't know how many thousands or more French people living and working here.
[10:15:00]
LAU: There are close to 100,000 British people living here, 300,000 Canadians and maybe 100,000 Americans and there are many foreign companies
here, too. So I certainly hope all these governments will speak out and the European Union will --
(CROSSTALK)
GORANI: Is speaking out enough?
Is speaking out enough?
Because the speaking out has happened. We heard governments condemn China's actions time and time again. It doesn't seem like speaking out is what is
going to put any pressure on China to back down.
LAU: Well, I guess, first of all, they have to speak out. I hope it will be on the agenda of the E.U. meeting on Friday. And also the G7 meeting,
which will be in America, next month.
And the Americans are saying that the U.N. Security Council should also meet. And you are right, this talking is not enough. The Americans are
thinking of sanctioning China.
And I think countries which have the Magnitsky Act, which America and the U.K. does, the Australians are in the process of passing it, they use the
law to punish officials who are guilty of human rights violations by banning them, by freezing their assets and their properties. There are all
these actions that can be taken to show displeasure.
And the international community should know that they've got it wrong, many years. They thought that if they cozy up to China and China will adopt the
behavior of the civilized world. But it doesn't. It is getting worse and worse. So I think people should do something.
(CROSSTALK)
GORANI: Here's my question, if you are a -- an expat in Hong Kong, if you are to speak to the foreigners residing in Hong Kong, who, you mentioned
the numbers, we're talking hundreds of thousands of French, Brits, Americans, et cetera, would you say to these people they should reconsider
staying in Hong Kong?
That it might be too risky that China really is now going ahead with what some people are calling a power grab?
LAU: Well, I think it is risky. Whether it is for foreigners or for locals like myself if the national security people are going to come in, to demand
the laws. So what these foreigners living here should tell their government to speak out.
Because if things really go very wrong here, Hala, I don't know how many aircraft carriers do they need to send to Hong Kong to evacuate their
citizens?
And we don't want to be like the boat people, you remember last century, the Vietnamese people, boat people, they arrive in Hong Kong. And we don't
want Hong Kong people to become boat people going out into the South China Sea, seeking refuge.
I mean, this is terrible. Hong Kong is a very lovely city, free and vibrant and safe. And now we are at risk. So we hope our friends, all over the
world, in spite of the COVID-19 pandemic, we hope they will spare some time to help Hong Kong.
GORANI: Emily Lau, really appreciate your time on the program today, a former Hong Kong Legislative Council member, thank you very much for
joining us at this difficult time for Hong Kong.
LAU: Thank you.
GORANI: Coming up, protesters turn up the heat in Minneapolis. Buildings are set on fire as people take to the streets over the police killing of
another unarmed black man in the United States. Stay with us.
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[10:20:00]
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GORANI: I'd like to put this on a U.S. story now that has grabbed international attention because it is seemingly sad -- it is sadly and
painfully familiar.
The Minneapolis mayor says he thinks the police killing of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, was, in fact, murder. Several buildings in the city are
still burning today after they were set on fire during a second night of violent protests over George Floyd's death.
We're about to show that video of Floyd's arrest that some viewers will find disturbing. It is this footage that first sparked the outrage.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GORANI (voice-over): It shows a white police officer pinning George Floyd down to the ground, with a knee on his neck, as three officers stood by,
George Floyd, saying, "I can't breathe," over and over and over again.
He later died in hospital. He was handcuffed the entire time. Sara Sidner was in the thick of the chaos overnight as people's anger about this
incident boiled over.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SARA SIDNER, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: This is the police department, the 3rd Precinct here in Minneapolis. They have created a barrier around
the particular precinct that some of the windows have been smashed in, they have been battling back and forth with protesters, many of them throwing
water bottles, the police responding with beanies and responding by shooting tear gas.
But now you're seeing all those lights there, you're hearing people yelling at the police to put their hands up. Those lights are actually the fire
department because, just across the street, the Auto Zone is on fire.
So you can really see it, it is starting to billow. I'm going to have Scott (ph) push in. Now the sounds that you are hearing are flash bangs and
fireworks. Sometimes you hear the flash bangs from police. And many times you're hearing fireworks that are from the protesters, who are sometimes
blowing those off near different parts.
Now we don't know how this fire started at Auto Zone. But this whole area here, this whole city block here, has been a hot spot all day. East Lake
Street (ph), Minnehaha (ph), right there, they're starting to -- we're going to -- we're going to move back. They're starting to throw Molotov
cocktails. We're going.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GORANI: Well, anger and chaos, let's see where things stand in the city after hours of those protests that turned violent in some cases. Omar
Jimenez joins me now live from Minneapolis.
So the mayor wants it.
And I wonder, will the arresting officer, seen pinning George Floyd down, will he be charged?
OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): That's what protesters, that's what the family, that's what the mayor here in Minneapolis,
Minnesota, are waiting to see.
And my feeling at this point is that these protests won't stop until it seems that these charges are filed. And you see some of the frustration
manifesting itself on buildings here in Minneapolis.
This used to be a Wendy's restaurant here in Minneapolis. I know that because our crew had dinner here just two nights ago. And here we are on a
Thursday morning, coming upon and happening upon rubble.
And this is a similar sight throughout this at least two-block stretch here across the street from the Minneapolis police precinct. I'll walk you over
this way, you can see some of the smoke billowing in the air right now.
You saw my colleague, Sara Sidner's, reporting as the protests got a little bit more violent and as police were launching tear gas into the crowds and
you were seeing flash bangs play out as well.
After that was when we saw more looting and buildings being set on fire. What you're seeing right here used to be a six-story building and, in a
matter of hours, was reduced to just the foundation that we see standing here.
And when you talk about the foundation of these protests to begin with, it all centers on the death of George Floyd, how it unfolded and how it is now
being handled. We have mentioned the police officers were fired in this.
[10:25:00]
JIMENEZ: But the mayor, not only does he say he wants criminal charges to be filed, this morning he now says what this arresting officer did was
commit murder. And he hopes there are charges to fit the bill.
GORANI: I have to say, as I was going to, I am absolutely shocked by the background. It looks like you're walking in a war zone, a lot of
destruction, a lot of anger, a lot of frustration. Thanks very much, Omar Jimenez.
Many across the country are calling for change they want it now. My next guest is also pushing for more social justice. Rashad Robinson is executive
director of colorofchange.org. He's joining me live from New York via Skype.
Rashad Robinson, thank you for being with us. We're on CNN International, so we're seen all around the world.
Could you explain to our global viewers why this type of police brutality against black men is still such an issue in America today?
RASHAD ROBINSON, COLOR OF CHANGE: It is such an issue because those in power refuse to address it. They refuse to hold police accountable. The few
times we do get accountability for police officers, we end up not getting the long-term systemic change, changes to roles around unity that police
officers have, where they actually don't suffer the same consequences, changes to the way police unions can step in and prevent certain evidence
from being seen, ways in which police officers can turn off their bodycams and prevent video from being released.
And all sorts of ways time and time again, when there is video, when there is tons of evidence, we still don't get convictions and accountability. Put
all of that together with the fact that we don't have good data on policing in this country.
So people have had enough, enough of it. You know, for the viewers who are watching, we see uprisings around the world. You just had a segment in Hong
Kong, where people have had enough.
For black people who have been living in their communities and who have been treated like enemy combatants, for generation upon generation, and
expected some sort of change and demanded it, people are at a boiling point.
GORANI: Yes.
Is this racism or is it police culture or is it a combination of the two things?
ROBINSON: It is absolutely racism.
And racism is both individual and systemic, right?
It is individual, like, we can have individual interactions that can be racist. And then you can have sort of structures that both promote, keep in
place racism, allow it to flourish.
And in this case, we're seeing it in both regards. We're seeing a police officer that could sort of act in a way he would not have acted at all when
it comes to a white person, right?
And we could also imagine that if I had been out on the -- caught on video with my knee on someone's neck and it was on video and that person died on
video, that I would be arrested by now. Right?
So that we also have these sort of systemic culture -- we have two sets of rules, right. The fact of the matter is that, at the very least I wouldn't
be on the street right now. And the fact that these police officers are still free, still walking, the fact of the matter is that, time and time
again when these incidents happen and police officers get fired, they go off and they get jobs in other precincts.
So we know that the police officer that killed a young 12-year-old, Tamir Rice, in Ohio several years ago, has gotten reassigned someplace else and
so part of this is racism. But it is about both the individual and the structural ways in which it is allowed to flourish and allowed to create a
hostile climate for people in our community.
GORANI: Understood.
What is it like to be a black man in America, when you interact or have to deal with law enforcement?
ROBINSON: You know, it is -- I appreciate that question because I think, on a day to day basis, you have to recognize that you won't be believed,
that you won't be -- that you won't be trusted, that you won't be given sort of dignity and respect.
There is a video that has made a lot of traction here in the United States and maybe in different parts of the world as well, of a white woman calling
the police on a black man in Central Park recently. And she was being told to --
(CROSSTALK)
GORANI: Oh, it went viral. It went viral everywhere, Rashad.
(CROSSTALK)
ROBINSON: So your viewers have probably seen that. Very rarely do people sort of state their strategy so clearly. And if people watch that video,
what she was saying was, I am not being -- I am not being, you know, kind of talked to.
[10:30:00]
ROBINSON: Or I'm not in interaction with a man, I'm in an interaction with an African American man. Because she knew that by putting African American
in front of a man, she could sort of incite a certain type of behavior from law enforcement and incite a certain type of next step action.
She could use her sort of privilege and standing in society, her sort of leverage over him on the -- in the caste system that the United States has
in terms of race. She could use that over him.
So in terms of, like, not always having video that so clearly states the sort of strategy of race, where a white person can sort of recognize their
power over a black person and let them know, you will be in danger.
Because what white people know, whether they want to admit it or not, in this country, is that they experience a very different sort of world when
it comes to policing. When police can --
(CROSSTALK)
GORANI: So how can white people -- can I ask you this?
How can white people be part of the solution?
ROBINSON: Yes. Well, this will end tomorrow if the majority of white people stand up and say, not in our name, not in your name. So white people
have a couple of things they can do.
First, white people should, you know, vote in ways that ensure that the elected representatives believe in accountability and justice. They should
get involved in elections to elect new district attorneys around the country that will actually fight for justice, mayors and presidents, who
will actually care about police reform and racial justice and criminal justice reform in the United States.
They will speak to their friends, family and neighbors. Oftentimes when I talk to a white ally, they will talk about all the ways that videos impact
them but never oftentimes mention their family or friends.
It can't just be in someone else's family. There are folks in your family, there are folks in your networks that are susceptible to this type of
behavior or are actually part of the problem.
And part of this is getting your cousins, getting your uncles, getting your aunts, getting them in line as part of your responsibility.
And then the final thing that I invite white allies to do is to join organizations like mine, Color of Change. We are a movement of nearly 2
million black people and allies of every race, working to actually translate these horrible moments into strategic action, ways for people to
actually do something real about social justice.
So join us at Color of Change. Donate money to local organizations that can make change. There are many things that white people can do. But mostly we
need people to act to not just be --
(CROSSTALK)
GORANI: Really -- I really appreciate you joining us and talking very sort of tangibly and practically about what people can do and about experiences
that we should try to understand better. Rashad Robinson, thank you very much, the president of Color of Change, joining us from New York.
We'll be right back.
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[10:35:00]
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GORANI: Well, if there was one country celebrated and congratulated for dealing with this pandemic well, it was South Korea. And it still is. But a
cluster of new coronavirus infections has prompted officials to close public spaces in Seoul.
Health officials say more than 80 cases are linked to a cluster at one logistics center. So parks, theaters and other venues across Seoul and the
surrounding area are set to close Friday until mid-June. People are also being asked to stay inside and not hold events during that time.
Scotland is entering the first stage of its reopening, allowing drive- throughs, parks and recycling centers to reopen. It will also begin to test and protect contact tracing systems on the same day that neighboring
England begins its own contact tracing plan.
But even with the phase one reopening, Scotland will still be under a tougher lockdown than most of the United Kingdom.
Joining me now is Devi Sridhar, the global (INAUDIBLE) chair at the University of Edinburgh and she's part of the Scottish government's
coronavirus advisory group and was a special guest at the World Health Organization World Health Assembly.
Thank you very much for being with us. First of all, let me ask you about the track and trace, it is starting now. Some would argue it is a bit late.
Do you agree?
DEVI SRIDHAR, UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH: Yes, definitely. But I guess it is better late than never. Early serology tests are showing --
(CROSSTALK)
-- only 5 percent to 8 percent of the way through this. So we have to get on top of the virus now before it can spread further.
GORANI: Yes.
Do you think reopening, I don't know, a further loosening of lockdown measures in England, people are talking about maybe reopening pubs in June
and hotels and hospitality locations in July, do you think all of that is too early?
SRIDHAR: Personally, yes, I think so. Because I think there needs to be the public health infrastructure in place to have at least monitoring. We
have seen from East Asia that even the countries that aggressively moved early are struggling as they release physical distancing measures when
having monitoring in place.
The goal is that you have a system in place, as soon as cases emerge and there are clusters, you can extinguish them fast rather than actually
waiting until there is community transmission again and then you have to take harsher measures to lock down again, and so we don't want to get into
that cycle.
GORANI: Yes. Well, South Korea is a great example because they did a great job in the beginning. They mass tested and even there, you're seeing
spikes, you know, just originating in a single location, whether it's a night club or sports center.
What does that tell us about our future and other parts of the world?
SRIDHAR: Well, it shows it is a very fragile way forward and the on positive side, governments can do a lot to contain this virus. Political
will, a clear strategy, moving aggressively and early.
And this has less to do with country wealth and more to do actually with leadership. So I think that's one clear, positive lesson.
The next lesson is actually there is no easy answers, no silver bullet. This is a continual challenge for governments. And South Korea should
really be applauded for their efforts to test thousands of people to keep those nets going to try to catch anyone who's been exposed to the virus,
who may have caught it, and quickly get them into quarantine.
So I think it is a real lesson for other countries of the --
(CROSSTALK)
SRIDHAR: -- required.
GORANI: And the U.K. with potentially the highest per capita death rate in the world and the U.K. had ample warning that the pandemic was coming its
way, how much of a failure is this figure?
SRIDHAR: Oh, it is clearly a massive failure and what it came down to I think in March was -- in February as well, was a government that was very
distracted by Brexit, who didn't want to hear the news that actually there could be any other hit to the economy, than one that might be coming from
Brexit.
And the second thing is the idea that possibly herd immunity might be a way out of this, which is that you let the virus spread, you hope it is just
like a bad strain of flu, you build up some kind of immunity and move on.
But we've seen how actually that's quite a disastrous policy and that's unfortunately the position that the U.K. had had to -- it's put us in this
bad position now.
GORANI: Devi Sridhar, thanks so much for joining us. This of course, on the day the U.S. Hits 100,000 deaths. Thank you.
[10:40:00]
GORANI: The mayor of Moscow says some coronavirus restrictions will be relaxed on June 1st. The Russian capital has been hit especially hard, with
more than 170,000 cases. That's almost half the country's total, just in Moscow.
But doctors in Russia are battling the deadly virus and also facing hostility from authorities, the public and the media. CNN's Matthew Chance
explains.
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MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): They're under pressure like never before. But instead of being applauded
like in the West, doctors in Russia say that they're facing mistrust, even open hostility as they battle the coronavirus pandemic.
Doctors like Tatyana Revva, an intensive care specialist, reported to the police after this video about equipment shortages was posted on social
media. Now she says she fears being fired, even prosecuted after investigators gave her hospital the all clear.
DR. TATYANA REVVA, INTENSIVE CARE SPECIALIST: (Speaking Russian.)
CHANCE (voice-over): The desperation of Russian doctors and the overwhelming pressure on them has emerged as a grim theme in this country's
pandemic. One of these stressed-out medics was questioned by police for spreading false information after complaining about shortages in his
hospital.
The other on the left sustained severe head injuries, falling out of a window. Two other doctors infamously died under similar circumstances.
Public disdain may be one factor driving them to despair, not helped by rampant coronavirus current conspiracy theories, some propagated on Russian
state television. Analysts say a significant proportion of Russians believe the virus has been invented by doctors to control society (INAUDIBLE)
doctors are hiding the true extent of casualties from the public.
Either way, disinformation is corroding public trust in Russia's medical professionals.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Many people of course see doctors as heroes but for many of Russian society, doctors are traitors or villains because they are
participating in this hidden plans for controlling people. People don't believe in state medicine. They only believe in doctors who they know
personally.
CHANCE (voice-over): But it's the coronavirus itself that's killing Russian doctors en masse. Official figures put the number at just over 100
so far but health care workers have compiled a list of more than 300.
Even the government admits nearly 10,000 medical staff are now infected, including Dr. Stella Korchinska (ph), an X-ray specialist, who says she was
given practically no means of protection at her hospital and had to appeal to a opposition-backed doctors' union for equipment.
That did not go down well with the hospital administrators, who denied any shortcomings.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (Speaking Russian).
CHANCE (voice-over): You know it's bad when infection with coronavirus feels like a lucky escape -- Matthew Chance, CNN.
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Cyprus has a new way that it hopes will lure tourists to the island if you test positive for COVID-19 while on holiday there. Cyprus says it will
cover the costs of your accommodations, food, drink and medication. The only thing it won't cover is your airfare. In addition, Cyprus has a
hospital just for travelers with coronavirus. All tourists are required to be tested for the virus within 72 hours before traveling and this is really
an interesting initiative. Cyprus relies a lot on tourism money. So it wants people to fly there and make the trip there this summer. I'll be
speaking to the country's deputy tourism minister in next hour.
Coming up on the program, this Premier League player says his concerns about restarting the season led to abuse. Those details ahead.
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GORANI: Well, the sports world is trying to return to courts and fields and pitches but some star players are raising some flags. In the English
Premier League, for instance, one team captain, Troy Deeney, says he and his family are experiencing abuse over his reluctance to return. He spoke
exclusively to CNN's Darren Lewis.
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DARREN LEWIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): England's Premier League is set to return amid the coronavirus pandemic. Several high profile players
have questioned its decision to return on the grounds of health and safety.
One of those is the Watford captain, Troy Deeney. The charismatic force (ph) has voiced concerns over his son's health and that of black and
minority ethnic players. But after multiple discussions with the league, the 31-year old is now more at ease with the situation.
TROY DEENEY, WATFORD FC (voice-over): Over the weeks I've been fortunate enough to speak to Professor Jonathan van Tamp (ph), who works with the
government, he's been doing very good research and I think everyone can appreciate everything that the Premier League is trying to do (INAUDIBLE).
I don't think it is a pure neglect of we're going back to work and get on board or it is anything not like that. (INAUDIBLE). There is some
frustrating conversations but then there's also been some really good ones as well, similar to yesterday.
LEWIS (voice-over): (INAUDIBLE)?
DEENEY (voice-over): No, no. I just -- yes, I just said basically, when somebody said it is the same as, when it's the same risk of getting corona
while playing football or going to the supermarket and I said I've never had to jump for a header while picking up a cucumber.
LEWIS (voice-over): Although risks will still exist, Deeney believes only a very small proportion of players will decide not to return when the
season does resume.
DEENEY (voice-over): Quite a lot of players were very surprised (INAUDIBLE). I would be very surprised. I think ultimately what will happen
is the competitive nature of (INAUDIBLE).
LEWIS (voice-over): You said that players are concerned about coming out and speaking at the time. Obviously --
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LEWIS (voice-over): -- quite considerably.
But what were they afraid of at the time about saying?
Or why were they concerned?
DEENEY (voice-over): It's just the way (INAUDIBLE) so in a time where it is all about mental health and everyone says speak or speak out,
(INAUDIBLE), like for example, Danny Rose (ph) spoke out and (INAUDIBLE) swear words it wasn't ideal.
And I spoke out and we would get hammered and battered for it. It is not just us that gets hit, it's the (INAUDIBLE). You know, you'll be walking
down the street and people will be, like, I'm at work, you go back to work. Like, I didn't make you go back to work.
[10:50:00]
DEENEY (voice-over): So commenting in regards to my son, people saying, I hope your son gets corona and stuff like that and I'm like, that's the hard
part for me. So while I'm trying to be a better human being (INAUDIBLE) it is very hard for me to ignore things like that.
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GORANI: And still ahead, the U.S. president says he will sign an executive order today aimed at curtailing social media companies after Twitter fact-
checked two of his false or misleading tweets. Our chief media correspondent Brian Stelter joins me next.
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GORANI: Well, on Thursday, we get jobless numbers in the U.S. Today's jobless claims are out. They paint a grim picture once again. Another 2.1
million workers filed initial unemployment claims last week according to the U.S. government. And that means that, since the coronavirus pandemic
began, just about 40 million people have lost their jobs. That's one in four workers.
And another sobering fact, for 10 weeks straight, we have seen weekly jobless claims in the millions. That has never happened before the
pandemic.
Now Donald Trump posts on Twitter every day. It is his platform, it is his megaphone. But now the U.S. president is angry at Twitter because Twitter
fact-checked two of his tweets that had false or misleading claims embedded in them. So he plans to do something about it.
He'll sign an executive order today, aimed at curtailing the power of social media websites. CNN's chief media correspondent Brian Stelter joins
me now.
Now around the world, when you -- when we cover leaders who promise to muzzle or control publishers, newspapers, social media companies, we say
that those are authoritarian moves.
What is the U.S. president trying to achieve here?
BRIAN STELTER, CNN SENIOR MEDIA CORRESPONDENT: He's trying to challenge these big technology companies like Twitter and Facebook and make it easier
for those companies to be held accountable, to be held liable, to be sued for content posted by anyone, by you, by me, by anyone on those platforms.
This is part of a big fight that has been raging for a while already. There are calls from both the Left and the Right in the United States to revisit
what is known as Section 230, a little bit of text in a law from about 25 years ago.
That gives these platforms pretty much, you know, free reign without any liability for what users do. So this is an interesting issue. It has been
moving, it's been getting attention from lawmakers.
But now the president is all of a sudden just throwing a grenade into the room and creating all this chaos because his proposed executive order
doesn't really hold up. It is trying to direct a part of the government, the FCC, to change these rules.
But of course, it's up to Congress to change laws, not the FCC. There are a lot of flaws in his executive order. But once again, he's taking a really
important subject and personalizing it right in the wake of being fact- checked by Twitter.
And, frankly, I think he's going to complicate the discourse about what is a really important issue. And to your point, Hala, about authoritarian
tendencies.
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STELTER: We're already hearing from attorneys and lobbying groups that say this is an attack on the First Amendment.
GORANI: Yes, because it is seen also -- regardless of whether or not this is a legitimate discussion and debate, it is seen as retaliation for these
fact checks that Twitter attached to two of his tweets.
STELTER: That's right. These fact checks were very small; they barely even read as a fact check. It said get the facts about mail-in voting. The
president is on a campaign to cause people to believe the election in November will be rigged. It is a very dangerous thing.
Twitter was taking very minor action in that regard. But it was enough to provoke the president and his allies. He wants this as an issue in his re-
election campaign. He wants to scream citizenship and say he's being censored by fake technology companies.
But I think it's going to get a pretty forceful reaction to this draft executive order. The ACLU, for example, said in a statement minutes ago, as
much as he might wish otherwise, Donald Trump is not the president of Twitter.
This order if issued would be a blatant and unconstitutional threat to punish social media companies that displease the president. What happened
is if this kind of change was made, it would be easier for the president's critics to sue him for what he tweets about them.
He's -- the president has been tweeting these hateful lies about MSNBC anchor Joe Scarborough. If these rules were changed, it would be easier for
Scarborough or someone like him to sue the president.
GORANI: Quick last one on FOX News.
Did it largely ignore the 100,000 milestone, the 100,000 COVID deaths in America in its coverage?
STELTER: I think that's a fair assessment, yes. FOX has been covering practically anything but the coronavirus and the rising death toll. Yes,
there are some shows that do acknowledge it but for the most part, the president's defenders on television have moved on.
They want to talk about anything but the virus, even though we're at a terrible plateau in the United States, with some states still rising in the
number of cases and others at a terribly high plateau with the number of deaths that is just too much to bear. The president's allies, the pro-Trump
media do not want to talk about it anymore.
They want to move on, even though we are very much in the middle of a national emergency.
GORANI: All right, Brian Stelter, thanks very much.
We'll be right back after a quick break.
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