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Sources: Lebanon's Government Expected To Resign; Internal Donors Pledge Nearly $300 Million For Lebanon; U.S. Republicans And Democrats Trade Blame For Relief Package; Governor: Unidentified Victims May Be Foreign Workers; Lessons From Israel: Cases Surged After Schools Reopened; Twenty-Three-Year-Old Captures Year's First Golf Major. Aired 11a-12p ET
Aired August 10, 2020 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[11:00:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HALA GORANI, CNN INTERNATIONAL HOST: This hour Lebanon in crisis as the government there is expected to resign and the people of Beirut try to find
their footing again. I'm Hala Gorani. This is CONNECT THE WORLD.
Two government sources tell CNN the entire Lebanese government is expected to step down sometime today. Already at least three ministers and several
members of parliament have already resigned. The political fallout is coming in the wake of the explosion last Tuesday that obliterated a port
warehouse in Beirut and left large portions of the city in rubble.
The death toll is at least 160. Thousands upon thousands more are wounded and today the clearest video yet of that blast and its devastating impact.
Take a look. A man on his terrace shot the video. Video of the fire at a warehouse and then that absolutely gigantic blast that sent shock waves
right across the city.
Sam Kiley is on the ground in Beirut, where protesters have been demanding a government overhaul and he joins me now live. And I want to ask you first
about this expected resignation of the cabinet. What does it mean practically for the country?
SAM KILEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, it means that for the protesters, there has been some kind of consequence, that has flowed
from what their perspective would be at the very least gross negligence on the part of their government of the day, and governments of the past who
have had that 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate stored at the port in a particularly vulnerable environment, possibly right next door to or even in
the same building as some fireworks that were seized.
We have yet to fully confirm that but there's growing evidence that the initial ignition Hala, was indeed as a consequence of some kind of accident
involving fireworks. Now the protesters here who as we all know have been demonstrating here since October the 17th, for a major overhaul of their
entire political system seem so far to be somewhat indifferent.
Frankly to the possibility and even reports on the local media that it has already happened that the government has resigned and will be presenting
its resignation to the President Michel Aoun because they want everybody gone from this system, from the President, in fact many would say
especially the President down.
This also means that for the next period until there could be elections and then another government sworn in. The people running this country will
remain in position as a caretaker government, they will have no ability to legislate but they will have an obligation to administrate.
And so therefore for many people who are calling for change in this country it solves nothing. Earlier on today Hala I was talking to Walid Jumblatt,
an elderly senior politician of a political family. The leader effectively of the druid community here and - a much younger man, not quite 40 again
his uncle was a President his father was a President, his father founded the party Kataeb Party.
And in both cases they said that while stay were very much attached to the previous regimes, the Aoun Regimes, the regimes here in governments but in
a view of many here have manifestly failed, there needs to be change, there needs to be constitutional change.
But Hala in this country constitutional change would be impossible without a significant but the overwhelming majority of parliamentarians in terms of
the constitution and it could risk the communitarian structure that divides up seats in parliament between the different groups to Shia, the Sunnis,
the Druids the Christians and others who have guaranteed a number of seats Omar has guaranteed number of seats in order to keep the peace here.
It's that structure that has been credited with keeping the peace here since the end of the civil war about 30 years ago. But it is also that
structure which is now seen as the super structure for incompetence, negligence and high-level corruption by its opponents.
There is therefore I think real issue for many people here about the power of Hezbollah, which has a massive military, many tens of thousands here in
Lebanon. It's fighting also in Syria. It is a source of friction with Israel of course, and it is a significant parliamentary force. It's a
significant political force.
[11:05:00]
KILEY: Now, whether or not Hezbollah would do pretty well under a one man one vote system most people would agree it probably would. But it would
mean these bloc systems, the alliance for example that exists at the moment between essentially one of the Christian Mennonite parties and Hezbollah
would be perhaps untenable, give modernizers that more influence in the future.
So there's a lot of debate going on about the future constitutional structure of Lebanon. But for the time being nothing much will change even
if the government does fall.
GORANI: Now over the weekend there was a donors' conference with pledges up to $300 million to help Beirut rebuild. When you see the devastation,
before the crisis last year, you'd have a sign for $2 or $3 million, now you're $300 million to help repair Beirut and help the country get back on
its feet sounds really like a drop in the bucket.
I wonder, do we have any estimates about how much it's going to cost to get these huge portions of Beirut that have been devastated back to some sort
of habitable status here?
KILEY: The reconstruction that came after the civil war which has gone on for many years and a lot of the area most reconstructed if you like, the
downtown reconstruction was once again hit by this blast, not totally devastated but certainly gutted, cost many billions of dollars.
The estimates just for the disruption in and around the port are between 3 billion and 5 billion we understand but the figures could be much, much
higher and that is just for the infrastructure. But what's really interesting here, Hala, whilst there are an awful lot of people who want to
get out of the country, an awful lot of people want to stay and fix it and for them fixing the political structure's almost more important than fixing
the physical structures.
One of the reasons for that is that the economy has been in a catastrophic nose dive now for nearly a year with 80 percent of the value of the
Lebanese pound being lost against the dollar, the banks are frozen. People with savings even in dollars can't get to them.
There's a terrible economic paralysis here, and there is no enthusiasm of any kind from any international donor organization, whether it's the United
Nations or bilateral office potentially as Emmanuel Macron the French President said the other day.
He's not going to offering the Lebanese a blank check least of all to a government that doesn't have the effective support of its people. There
needs to be in the view of donors and many, many people we spoke to on the street and indeed it leading politicians who have had in the past a lot to
gain from the structures here, the need for a massive overhaul.
But there are very significant problems and road blocks on the way, not least some of the major political parties who have everything to hold onto
and a great deal to lose if there was an actual one-man one-vote system and then more widely it is speculation is to whether or not a one-man one-vote
system might lead to modernization or back to civil war, Hala.
GORANI: Right. That is always the conundrum with Lebanese politics, how do you reform it, will the reforms lead to greater transparency and
representation? Thanks very much. Sam Kiley is live in Beirut.
Pledges we just talked about these pledges they are pouring in from around the world to help Beirut in the wake of this disaster, nearly $300 million
has been raised through a virtual donors' conference hosted by France and the United Nation.
The emergency aid is being given without condition for now, but long-term financial help will depend on Lebanon's reforms all these leaders have been
saying. During Sunday's summit, French President Emmanuel Macron insisted the donation will not just be a blank check.
We heard him say that when he was in Beirut as well right after meeting with the country's leaders. CNN's Cyril Vanier is live in Paris for us.
Talk to us about where the money is coming from and where it will go?
CYRIL VANIER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hala, look, it's almost $300 million as you said, 252 million Euros to be precise and that money is going to
emergency humanitarian need. It's estimated that you know it is going to be spend disbursed over the next three months to take care of the absolute
most vital things.
First of all save lives, save lives with medical assistance, Hala that's not just the treatment now but also help rebuild some of the hospitals
whose windows were devastated, medical facilities, bring in vaccines, bring in medical personnel, so that's number one, save lives.
Thankfully that has already begun with many countries sending in aid teams since Tuesday's explosion. Number two is putting a roof over people's
heads.
[11:10:00]
VANIER: An estimated 300,000 people have been homeless, left homeless by the blast, so the U.N. was planning to deal with this in various ways, rent
homes for some of them, build shelters for others. Talking hundreds of thousands of people here, Hala, who don't have a roof over their heads?
Number three, rehabilitate infrastructure and I think some of our viewers might think well, maybe that's not the number one thing that needs to
happen. May be that's more of a medium to long term thing, it's not.
Because again the hospitals need rebuilding otherwise you can't treat patients in them. And the schools, Hala, 120 schools have been damaged,
that's up to 55,000 children who may see their learning, their education interrupted. That is also treated as a priority by the international
community.
So that's where the money is going to be going. You mentioned, Hala that this initial amount of money is giving to Beirut's and to the Lebanese
population. Bear in mind the wording here, Beirut's and the Lebanese population. The international donors did not say they were giving this to
Lebanon and certainly not the government.
That is given to Beirut without conditions, but then international donors have made it clear that they're willing to dig deeper in their pockets,
they're willing to help Lebanon recover from its current deep economic crisis. But for that, for the long-term help they want reforms from the
Lebanese government, the kind of reforms and political change that have eluded the country for so long, Hala.
GORANI: Question here? All right, Cyril Vanier, thanks very much. Now to the latest Coronavirus numbers, in the United States, that country has now
passed 5 million confirmed cases, by far the most in the world. The case count grew by 1 million over just the last 17 days, and the death toll is
also staggering, nearly 163,000 Americans have died now of COVID-19.
President Donald Trump continues to downplay the virus. He's voiced optimism that it will just go away. He's done that from the very start.
Here is what he said back in January, right after the U.S. reported its very first confirmed case.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We have it totally under control, one person coming in from China, and we have it under control and
it's going to be just fine.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GORANI: All right, we'll have more on the Coronavirus pandemic and the big challenges facing schools in the United Kingdom, among other countries, of
course, because it's countries around the world that are having to think about how to send their kids back to school? We'll do that later in the
program. So do stay tuned for that.
Let's get you up to speed on some of the other stories that are on the radar right now. The Afghan government is set to release another 400
Taliban prisoners that means that it is fulfilling its end of a deal to start direct peace talks with the group. President Ashraf Ghani said he'd
sign the order. The Loya Jirga the Council of elders called for talks to start immediately after the release.
Also among the top headlines Belarus's long time President Alexander Lukashenko says his country will not be torn apart. He is vowing to crack
down on protests that erupted after his "Landslide re-election victory." Belarus's main opposition candidate rejected the results, Germany among
other countries saying that the process was not transparent or Democratic.
Hong Kong media mogul Jimmy Lai has been arrested police accuse him and several others of violating Beijing's new very controversial national
security law. The billionaire owns "Apple Daily" newspaper, and has been one of Beijing's most outspoken critics.
Coming up, 85 days until the U.S. Presidential Election, the U.S. recorded a quarter of the world's Coronavirus cases, we'll look at how that is
playing into the race for the White House, coming up next.
Plus the British Prime Minister is on a mission to get students back into school next month. What's behind Boris Johnson's push to reopen? What are
teachers doing to prepare? How safe is it? And a warning for anti-mask wearers in Paris, cover your face or prepare for some financial
consequences. Those stories are coming up.
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[11:15:00]
GORANI: As the world approaches 20 million COVID cases, the United States alone is reporting more than 5 million of the 20. And with the next U.S.
Presidential Election looming the presumptive nominees are weighing in. Joe Biden, the likely Democratic Nominee, tweeted that 5 million is a number
that boggles the mind and breaks the heart, saying it shouldn't have gotten this bad.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump has been pushing his efforts to stimulate the U.S. economy, which he moved through with executive orders. But the
President's fix is more complicated than it may seem. CNN's Lauren Fox has that story.
LAUREN FOX, CNN CORRESPONDENT: With negotiations for new stimulus package at a standstill on Capitol Hill, President Trump tried to side step
Congress and take Coronavirus relief into his own hands signing executive orders.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: I think it actually works better if we do it the way we're doing it. You can't beat the deal we made.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FOX: But the President's move does not provide a clear path to help millions of Americans out of work.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. NANCY PELOSI (D-CA): My constitutional advisers tell me they're absurdly unconstitutional.
SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER (D-NY): Unfortunately the President's executive orders described in one word could be paltry.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FOX: Part of Trump's memorandum reducing the additional unemployment benefit from $600 to $400 per week leaving it to states to pitch in $100
for every resident enrolled. By Sunday, the President said it's possible the federal government could pick up the whole tab if a Governor requests
it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: It will depend on the state and they'll make an application. We'll look at it and we'll make a decision. So it may be they'll pay nothing in
some instances.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FOX: Earlier President Trump's Economic Adviser said states could afford it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LARRY KUDLOW, WHITE HOUSE ECONOMIC ADVISER: I think they'll be able to make room so based on our estimates the states will be able to provide the extra
$100.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FOX: But for states with budgets already stretched thin by the pandemic--
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NED LAMONT (D), CONNECTICUT GOVERNOR: Look that would cost about $500 million between now and the end of the year. I could take that money from
testing. I don't think that's a great idea.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FOX: And in another executive order, the President said--
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: So I'm protecting people from eviction.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FOX: In reality, Trump's executive order does not explicitly provide help for homeowners and renters. The President also promised to suspend payroll
taxes. That's money paid in to social security and Medicare.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: If I'm victorious on November 3rd, I plan to forgive these taxes and make permanent cuts to the payroll tax.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FOX: Trump's plan is actually a deferral, and only Congress has the power to change tax law. Meanwhile, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate
Minority Leader Chuck Schumer are looking to meet yet again with White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin to
try to work out a deal.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STEVE MNUCHIN, U.S. TREASURY SECRETARY: We've sent less House legislation on the things we agree on and knock these off one at a time and they've
refused to do that.
PELOSI: It's a stalemate because the Republicans had from the start never understood the gravity of the situation that we are in. The problem has
grown and it has become an enormous economic problem.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[11:20:00]
GORANI: Thanks to Lauren Fox for that report. Increasing Coronavirus infections are big, a big concern both in the United States and around the
world especially when it comes to schools. How, when do you send your kids back to school?
In the U.S., nearly 100,000 children tested positive for COVID-19 in the last two weeks of July, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics and
the World Health Organization says the pandemic is now skewing towards younger populations.
It reports that globally, case numbers in very young children and infants are seven times higher than in February, and for teens and young adults
that number is six times higher than it was in February. So of course the concern is yes, the kids catch it and then maybe they pass it on to adults,
maybe their teachers, maybe older members of their families. That's the story in the United States.
In Britain, Prime Minister Boris Johnson is pushing to reopen schools in September, saying it is morally indefensible to keep them closed. Primary
schools reopened back in June, but all others have been closed since March.
Now the government has pledged more than $1 billion to help students catch up, but the Prime Minister's push comes on the heels of a recent study
warning the UK could see a second wave this winter if schools open without a stricter testing system. Nic Robertson is live in London outside a school
that's preparing to open next month.
And the question many parents not just in the UK but around the world watching have, that question is how do you send because you don't want the
kids to stay home? I don't know any parents who want to keep home schooling their kids. How do you send them back to school and make it safe for them
and the adults around them?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: And the simple answer to that is it's very difficult. What teachers are doing and what schools
are setting up to do is to try to stagger the arrival of different age groups and different class groups into the schools. Stagger their break
times, stagger their lunch break times as well and try to sort of keep what's called here in the UK a bubble over a year group at high school or
in junior school here in a class group.
Try to improve the spacing, try to talk to kids about washing hands. I was talking to a teacher earlier today that said look we're going to get the
children back in the classroom. We're going to do the best job that we can and try to create an environment where the kids aren't just thinking about
Coronavirus all the time. They're thinking about their studies and that's what they want to do.
Now the Prime Minister said, he also said that it is really economically unsustainable to keep children out of school and if you read between the
lines there, while yes it's very important to get children back in the classrooms, yes their education can suffer if they aren't, the economy of
the country can suffer if their parents are not free to go to work but what we heard from the Prime Minister today speaking at a school, he made it
very clear his thoughts.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BORIS JOHNSON, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: It's not right the kids should spend more time out of school. It's much, much better for their health and mental
well-being, obviously educational prospects, if everybody comes back to school full time in September. It's our moral duty as a country to make
sure that happens.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTSON: And the government thinks it's got the statistics to back up what they say they're seeing and studies under way right now, that actually
pupil to pupil transfer of Coronavirus is not high particularly in the primary school group and there is little evidence they say of happening
between pupils and teachers. Caveats, though, they did say that these studies are in the early stages, Hala.
GORANI: All right, Nic Robertson, thanks very much. Before I let you go, is there any pushback from parents? Because I'm sure there's still concern
that this might be a little premature or not as well thought out as it could be?
ROBERTSON: Absolutely. There's pushback, there is a genuine concern that perhaps parents have at home an elderly relative or they're sheltering
someone or teachers themselves, also have somebody at home sheltering because they have compromised immune systems so there's that concern.
The Commissioner for Children in England has said look, there should be regular testing for teachers and pupils as well and we've heard from the
Head Teachers Association saying look, you know, although the Prime Minister said if it comes to pubs and restaurants being open or schools,
schools are going to stay open.
The Head Teachers or one of the Head Teachers Unions said look, we'd like a plan B. They offered a plan B, have one week in class and one week at home,
distance learning, virtual learning again, maybe it's not ideal, but have a plan B at least and that's the concern, that all of this is sort of get
everyone back in the classroom.
[11:25:00]
ROBERTSON: But if you don't have a plan B, the scenario begins to look very ugly, as they are right now, infection rates continue to climb.
GORANI: OK, thank you, Nic Robertson. The deadliest day of the COVID-19 outbreak is being reported in Australia's State of Victoria. There were 19
new Coronavirus deaths on Sunday, and strict lockdown measures are now in place, shuttering all but a few essential businesses there. There is a
special focus on care homes, where many of the new infections have spread during this second wave of the pandemic.
And in the French capital, you better cover up. Beginning today, Paris will require everyone over the age of 11 to wear a face mask in many busy
outdoor areas. Those caught bare faced could be fined $160 and anyone who violates the mandate more than three times in 30 days could go to prison
for six months. They are not messing around there.
In South America, Brazil's President are once again blasting lockdowns and the media, so pretty much the die metrically opposed approach to France.
This comes after his country passed a bleak milestone of 100,000 COVID deaths. Jair Bolsonaro tweeted "Misinformation kills more than the virus
itself".
Coming up, we will go to Lebanon where anger is swelling in the streets of Beirut days after the massive blast and the families are agonizing, waiting
for news of missing loved ones still. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GORANI: CNN has just learned the government of Lebanon plans to step down in the coming hours, according to two sources who add that the government
will be reduced to caretaker status soon after that, this comes less than a week after the explosion at Beirut's Port that claimed more than 160 lives
and wounded thousands of others.
The shock wave damaged or destroyed much of the capital within several miles of that epicenter. The blast also brought out protesters whose
seething anger at the government prompted clashes with security forces. That was over the weekend on Sunday.
Meanwhile, the crews are still searching for those who are missing. Beirut's Governor says fewer than 20 people are missing. Marwan Abud adds
that it is difficult to identify bodies because there's no DNA to match it to a family. Those who are not identified could very well be foreign
workers. Arwa Damon is on the ground in Beirut and she joins me now live with that.
[11:30:00]
GORANI: Arwa, you've been speaking to family members and loved ones of people who are still missing, and listening to their heartbreaking stories.
ARWA DAMON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Hala, and it's absolutely crushing to hear what this one family that we spoke to, went
through, trying to piece together the clues to get information to rescue teams in hope that they would be able to get to their missing loved one
before it was too late.
Michelle hasn't slept in three days neither has her sister-in-law with whom she shares the same name and a love for Joe, husband and brother. Michelle
struggles to form words and sentences in Arabic, never mind in English. Joe is an electrician at the port.
And this is the last video she got from him on Tuesday night. Minutes later, the entire building he was filming would explode. Jennifer, Joe and
Michelle's oldest child, was in Beirut.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHELE ADNOUN, JOE'S SISTER: So she heard the explosion and she start crying and shouting, "This is where my dad works."
MICHELLE TANIOS, JOE'S WIFE: She knew that's where her dad worked.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DAMON: The entire family was frantic, calling Joe nonstop.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ADNOUN: At midnight, Joe opened his phone for 21 seconds. Her father heard voices, deep voices that are what he said, and then nothing.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DAMON: Another call also seemed to have gone through on Wednesday, for 43 seconds, but there was silence on the other end. He must be alive, they
thought. They had to get to him. Joe is strong, clever. He would have figured out a way to save himself. They combed through videos shot by
others from other angles, looking for any clues to give teams locations to search.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAMON: You think that's Joe?
TANIOS: Yes.
DAMON: You think one of those people is Joe?
TANIOS: of course.
ADNOUN: We are sure. Then he was filming from here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DAMON: It's the building right in front of the Grain Silo, a building that is now buried but they still had hope. There's an operations room deep
underground. They heard there are bunkers. Three bodies were pulled out, but no Joe. Maybe he's deeper in, deeper under, somehow still alive.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ADNOUN: We have to keep searching.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DAMON: Michelle was born in the U.S. The children also have American passports. Joe was just about to get his visa, all that now seems like a
different reality.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TANIOS: He loved life, in every day.
ADNOUN: He wanted to go to America because it's better for his, for Jennifer and Joy, for Beirut's future, but not for him.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DAMON: The women are trying to shield the children from their grief. Jennifer doesn't know daddy is missing. Joy is thankfully too young to
fully understand. Maybe they will never have to tell the girls their daddy is dead.
That night, the fourth after the explosion, crews were searching around the clock. Searching the area where the family believed Joe would be found,
clinging to the hope that he would still somehow be alive. At 4:00 am, they sent us a heartbroken message. Joe's body had been found.
And Hala, you can just imagine the family's unspeakable grief and anguish at that, and you know Lebanon. You know the Lebanese. They almost take
pride in how they have perfected over the decades this sort of ability to soldier on, no matter what is thrown at them, whether it was the civil war,
or Israeli bombardment, running street battles in Beirut, targeted assassinations.
But this is different. This isn't the sort of thing that they can just try to muster their strength up, get through and allow for the continuation of
the status quo. Something has to change.
GORANI: Yes. And I guess that's my next question, because we are expecting the resignation of Diab Cabinet in about an hour or so. There is an
announcement that will be made by the Prime Minister. What will that change practically, tangibly in Lebanon to have a caretaker government without
more fundamental reform?
[11:35:00]
DAMON: It won't change anything, Hala, and that's a problem, what analysts and experts will tell you, this country really needs is an entire revamp
and overhaul of the electoral law that would then allow for a more inclusive government that wouldn't end up being dominated by the two main
parties one that would allow for more technocrats and more independent parties to take part in it.
And that would then eventually end up being more inclusive of the Lebanese population. And you also somewhat argue, you need to change the entire
structure of governance. Right now the Presidency goes to a Christian, the premiership to a Sunni, the speaker of parliament is a Shia, it's not
necessarily a merit based system.
And then on the other hand, you also need something of a shift in the ideology of how the majority of the population goes out to vote, which is
still largely along sectarian lines. But there is a sense that that is going to begin to shift, because what Lebanon has gone through recently
with the economic tailspin that has resulted in the money people make being, you know, worth 75 percent less than it was with COVID, with this,
none of this spared anyone in this country.
So there is perhaps the sense that people will shift and start voting away from tradition and more towards individuals who can actually begin to up-
end this decade's long system of political corruption and incompetence.
Then everyone will tell you that this is not something that happens overnight. It's going to be tough. It's going to be painful, but as
everyone will tell you, the status quo here, Hala, it just can't continue. You see the potential that this country has. You see the potential that
people have. The only way they're going to realize that is that the old guard steps aside.
GORANI: OK. And Arwa, I want to show our viewers images coming to us from Beirut, where protesters are starting to gather over the weekend. Of course
we saw sometimes violent clashes between the protesters and security forces and in some cases demonstrators stormed government buildings, set fire to a
portrait of the President, Michel Aoun, talk to us about the expectations today as we expect as we await this announcement by the Prime Minister?
DAMON: Well, that anger that you're seeing on the streets, I mean, yes, significantly and I mean significantly magnified by what happened here this
past Tuesday, but this has been going on since October.
People have been out demonstrating, because of the plummeting economy, because they're basically fed up with the political elite effectively
stealing from the population and you did have Saturday night very intense clashes with ex-ministries being temporarily taken over by these angry
protesters.
We saw some of that again yesterday, although to a lesser degree with protesters trying to push through and get towards parliament, breaking
through the barricades that keep them away from there, at least trying to.
It is the expectation that this kind of anger is going to continue to be vented in a similar fashion, even if this entire government does end up
resigning, because there is a realization right now Hala, among the population that just because the government resigns, that doesn't mean that
they can ease back on the pressure.
They've been down this road before, they have had governments resign before, new governments come into power. It's all effectively been the
recycling of the same figures and the same leadership, but in different positions. And the fundamental change that people want to see is not going
to come about by a mere reshuffle.
GORANI: Right. And it's also the system, the system itself that is putting the same people in power, the same type of corruption is allowed to keep
bringing and pulling the country down financially, economically. Thank you very much, Arwa, and we'll stay in touch with you.
Because as I was telling our viewers, we're expecting Hassan Diab the Prime Minister of Lebanon to make an announcement in about an hour, so we'll
bring you that live. The expectation is that the cabinet will resign and the government will become a caretaker government in anticipation of early
elections.
Just ahead on the program a new school year usually brings hope and excitement, but Coronavirus has replaced those emotions with fear in Israel
and in many other countries. And anger is joining fear on the streets of Israel, speaking of that country.
Protesters say the Prime Minister has overstayed his welcome, but Benjamin Netanyahu may have yet another new political strategy to survive all of
this. We will be speaking to a guest live after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:40:00]
GORANI: Welcome back. We're monitoring events in Lebanon where the government could fall within the next few hours. Several government
ministers and members of parliament have already quit including important pros the Justice Minister, the Finance Minister that was a key post because
he was the liaison for IMF talks.
Two sources tell us the rest of the government will step down as well reducing it to caretaker status. This follows public outrage over that
massive explosion in Beirut's port last week that killed at least 160 and leveled a huge part of the city.
Around the world, parents and government leader are awaiting lots of conflicting options when it comes to sending children back to school. In
the U.S. for instance some school systems like this one in the State of Georgia in the south have reopened and almost immediately closed their
physical campuses once again, when infections were detected, not much social distancing going on in high school.
Here in the UK, the British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson wants students back in the classroom by September saying it is economically unsustainable
and morally indefensible to continue to keep kids at home.
In Israel, children have already gone back to school, they returned in May after two months of lockdown. It seemed like the right call, but decision
makers have learned some incredibly difficult lessons once the kids finally did go back to school. Elliott Gotkine reports.
ELLIOTT GOTKINE, JOURNALIST: From teacher's pet to near bottom of the class, on some measures Israel is now grappling with one of the world's
worst COVID outbreaks. Schools like this one in Jerusalem - include President Reuven Rivlin and Novelist Amos Oz is a big reason why? Ari
Kaplan is Head of the Jerusalem Parent-Teacher Association.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ARI KAPLAN, HEAD OF JERUSALEM PARENT-TEACHER ASSOCIATION: We had a kid that is a super spreader. And because of it, we have like 150 kids were infected
by 25 teachers, it's a huge school, it's like 1,200 students. And they have brothers and sisters all around Jerusalem. We had like 25 schools that were
closed.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GOTKINE: Soon after the school reopened it had to close again. Well, students and staff went into quarantine. But it was almost certainly too
late. About half of all Israeli Coronavirus cases in June as Israel's second wave began could be traced to school outbreaks.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GABI BARBASH, FORMER CEO, TEL AVIV SOURASKY MEDICAL CENTER: I think Israel got too optimistic when it saw the numbers declining.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GOTKINE: Professor Gabi Barbash is one of Israel's leading disease experts. He says plans to reopen schools after the summer are premature.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[11:45:00]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GABI BARBASH, PROFESSOR: I think we're not ready for that. I think Israelis are seeing now 1,700 to 2,000 cases per day, new infections per day. It is
impossible to open the education system by the 1st of September, if that doesn't come down.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GOTKINE: The government is having none of it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
YOAV GALLANT, ISRAELI EDUCATION MINISTER: We are determined to start the school year in 25 days' time. I want to make it clear, though, not
everything will be perfect. With Corona, it is not possible to commit to full study program for everybody.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GOTKINE: The plan is the children up to grade two to attend school as usual, grades three and above will see class sizes capped at 18 per room.
And from grade five, learning will be split between school and home, with most of the teaching expected online. That of course assumes the plan goes
ahead.
Israel's dilemma is shared by many others. Reopen schools after the summer and risk another COVID surge or keep kids at home, and risk harming their
education and an already reeling economy. There's no easy solution. An extended summer recess could yet be on the cards. Elliott Gotkine, CNN,
Jerusalem.
GORANI: Well, anger has been increasing and it's been in fact spilling out onto the streets of Israel over the country's handling of the pandemic.
Protesters are also losing patience with Prime Minister Netanyahu over alleged corruption. Take a look.
15,000 demonstrators filled the streets of Jerusalem, near Mr. Netanyahu's residence over the weekend, they want him to step down in the phase of his
ongoing corruption trial. There are signs that he might steer the country to its fourth election in less than two years.
There's a lot to discuss. Let's bring in Israeli journalist Barak Ravid. Thanks for joining us. So, can he hold on, the Prime Minister in the phase
of all this anger, anger about the corruption scandal, about how he has handled the Coronavirus pandemic as well?
BARAK RAVID, JOURNALIST: Good afternoon, Hala. Well, look, Netanyahu is clinging on, and actually when you look at the public opinion polls, you
still see that he has a very, very strong base. The polls are not very good for him in the last several weeks.
If you look two months back, he was I think at the peak of his power ever now he is down quite substantially. But still he has a very, very strong
base that at least right now when you look and especially when you look at the opposition that is fractured and divided, he still - if he goes for a
fourth election he still has a very good chance of winning.
GORANI: OK, still has a very good chance of winning. But this frustration on the streets, though, what impact will it have, if it has any impact at
all because there is a significant portion of the population that's fed up with Netanyahu.
RAVID: Yes. Well, this is the million-dollar question here. What those demonstrations and protests will so in the next elections and whether they
will influence the political situation?
On the one hand, until now, I think we haven't seen a real influence on the map of the seats in the parliament. When you look at all the public opinion
polls, you still see that the two blocks, the right wing block and center left block are still even more or less with Netanyahu has bit of an edge
over his opponents.
But there is something which is meaningful, and this is when you look at the people who go to those protests, you see that the average age is
between 27 and 30. Those are people who are not politically involved until the last several weeks.
Those are people that said we don't care about politics. Nothing is going to change and now those people went to the streets. The reason they went to
the streets is because the COVID-19 crisis and the mismanagement of the crisis by the government affected them personally, their economic
situation, their personal situation, and they see no future for them.
So they are going to the streets. They've become more involved politically, and I think this is in the medium term and the long-term there will be a
major influence on politics.
GORANI: And Netanyahu has blamed the media coverage of all these protests, he is saying that the media is over blowing this. This is of course
something that in the United States people are used to hearing from Donald Trump, the U.S. President, attacking the media when the President is
unhappy with what they are reporting. I mean - what does Benjamin Netanyahu hope to--
[11:50:00]
RAVID: Well, Hala, you know Netanyahu was there first, with all due respect to
President Trump, Netanyahu was the first in attacking the media.
GORANI: OK.
RAVID: Well, as you said, you know, you see Netanyahu attacking the media. He calls the reports about the demonstrations fake news. He says that the
demonstrators are getting money from abroad. We heard the same slogans from many leaders around the world. You see the same thing in Poland. You see
the same thing in Hungary. You see the same thing in several other countries that are becoming less and less democratic.
But I have to tell you that when you compare it to a protest in the past, now I think it doesn't stick. Why? Because even the people who don't go and
demonstrate feel that something has changed, that the mismanagement of the COVID-19 crisis by Netanyahu was one step too far, and you don't see almost
anybody protesting or going to those demonstrations to support Netanyahu.
His supporters are mostly silent, and I think that this is what's changed now, that he's trying to make those demonstrations political, and until
now, it doesn't stick.
GORANI: All right, Barak Ravid, thank you so much for joining us. Really appreciate having you on CNN today.
RAVID: Thank you.
GORANI: So, picture this, you're 23 years old, and you've just won the biggest tournament of your life. How nervous are you? Well judging by this
trophy lift? I'd say pretty nervous. But it's just also very charming. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GORANI: What used to be the last Golf Major of the season has just become the first to be played this year. And the PGA Championship was full of
surprises. Here is Don Riddell to tell us more.
DON RIDDELL, CNN WORLD SPORT ANCHOR: Thanks very much, Hala. Yes, the leader board in San Francisco was staged with some really big names on
Sunday. Los have potentially exciting story lines too. Dustin Johnson and Jason Dave were in contention. But in the end, the trophy was lifted and
almost dropped by player that many of us had actually never really heard of.
This is the moment that changed the life of the young American Collin Morikawa, a booming drive on the powerful 16th hole that set him up for an
eagle putt. Now, at one stage on Sunday, during the back nine, no less than seven players shared the lead, but Morikawa broke free of that pack when he
made the putt.
The 23-year-old was only playing in a major tournament for the second time in his career, but he'd won twice on the PGA Tour in the previous 12 months
and this win takes him into the top five of the world rankings.
Now that broad smile might have been the picture of the day, instead, this wonderful moment is the one that went viral. As Morikawa struggled to hoist
the sizeable Wanamaker Trophy the lid fell off the top. Remarkably this guy was in college just 15 months ago, he was absolutely thrilled and he says
this is just the beginning.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COLLIN MORIKAWA, 23-YEAR-OLD JOINS JACK, TIGER, RORY AS YOUNGEST PGA CHAMPS: I'm Morikawa. I don't know about you guys. But I believed in myself
since day one. But any time you're in the conversation of the greats, Jack, Rory, Tiger, no matter who it is, if you're in that conversation, you're
doing something well. It doesn't stop here. I got a very good taste of what this is like, what a major championship is like?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[11:55:00]
RIDDELL: European football fans are eagerly anticipating the action ahead this week where the quarterfinal stage of both the Champions League and
Europa League tournaments and there's going to be at least one game every day this week.
These are anxious times, however, for Atletico Madrid, ahead of their Champions League game against RB Leipzig on Thursday, two of that players
tested positive for COVID-19. So that news delayed their departure for the game. They'll now travel on Tuesday, while the positive players will be
quarantined and will miss the match.
These are two Europa League games coming up in the next few hours and unlike previous more normal seasons, these games are not going to be played
over two legs, it's a straight one off knockout game.
Inter Milan will play Leverkusen while Manchester United are playing FC Copenhagen. Despite everything, it's been a good year 2020 for United and
their Manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. They won a place in the Champion's League on the final day of the premier league season, and now they're just
three wins away from lifting another European trophy.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OLE GUNNAR SOLSKJAER, MANCHESTER UNITED MANAGER: We went into this season knowing that Europa League is a great chance for us, one to get a trophy,
to get far in a tournament, but also to groom a few of the youngsters, and it was perfect for us.
I think if we'd been in the champions league this season, of course we all want to be in the champions league, but probably or maybe wouldn't have had
the chance to play the likes of Brandon as much as we have, Mason, so many of the young kids, and the players that have now started what's going to be
fantastic careers.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
RIDDELL: There's a lot of excitement around Solskjaer when he took over the United team. It then got a bit tricky, but they do now seem to be heading
in the right direction. Hala, back to you.
GORANI: All right. Don Riddell thanks very much. See you soon. And I'll see you on the other side of this break stay with CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GORANI: Hello, everybody, live from London, I'm Hala Gorani. Still with you ahead this hour, after the blast, a city destroyed, a government on the
brink of total resignation. What is next for Lebanon? We expect the Prime Minister to speak in less than half an hour.
END
