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Coronavirus in the U.S. Has Now Taken More Than 100,000 Americans; Protest Spark Over African-American's Brutal Death; Dr. Fauci Says Wearing a Mask Saves Others; Latin Countries Now the New Epicenter of Coronavirus; China's NPC Approves New Law for Hong Kong; China Approves Security Law For Hong Kong; Russian Doctors Facing Hostility; Coronavirus Pandemic, Britain To Formally Review Lockdown Measures; Boris Johnson, Cummings On Controversy A Political Ding- Dong; England To Launch Coronavirus Test And Trace System; Sweden's Unique Approach Yield Hope, Controversy; Sweden Breaks Status Quo With Relaxed Measures; Care Homes Account For About Half Of Sweden's Deaths; Moscow To Ease Restrictions From June 1; Russia's frontline Doctors Facing Hostility, Mistrust; Russian Doctors Decry Shortages, Rise In Hostility; U.S. Jobless Claims Last Week Forecast To Climb By 2.1 Million; European Union Proposes $825 Billion Rescue Plan; Coronavirus Stimulus Package; U.N. Predicts 70 Percent Drop In Tourism In 2020; Easy Jet To Lay Off A Third Of Its Employees; Launch Scrubbed, SpaceX Postpones Historic Launch Due To Bad Weather. Aired 3-4a ET

Aired May 28, 2020 - 03:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


[03:00:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, and welcome to our viewers joining us from all around the world. You are watching CNN Newsroom. And I'm Rosemary Church.

Just ahead, in fewer than 100 days since the coronavirus claimed is first victim in the United States, 100,000 Americans have lost their lives.

And from coast to coast, protesters are taking to the streets to denounce the death of George Floyd, an African- American who died at the hands of alleged police brutality.

Plus, when the whole world closed, Sweden remained open, but is the strategy working to stop COVID-19? We will take a closer look.

More than 100,000 people in the United States have now died from the coronavirus. A staggering and heartbreaking milestone in a very short period. It's only been 16 weeks since the first U.S. death was reported, since then, COVID-19 has killed an average of 900 Americans per day.

And even as the U.S. begins reopening businesses, churches, and public spaces, health experts warn of possible new surges infections. More than a dozen U.S. states are still trending upward in their number of new cases.

Well, meantime, the nation's top infectious disease expert is speaking out on ways to help prevent the spread of the disease.

As CNN's Jason Carroll reports, Dr. Anthony Fauci's comments are not fully aligned with President Trump's views and actions.

JASON CARROLL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Despite the president's mixed messaging on mask wearing, the nation's leading expert on the pandemic remains crystal clear. Social distancing and wearing masks works to help stop the spread.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANTHONY FAUCI, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES: I do it when I'm in the public for the reasons that, a, I want to protect myself, and protect others. And also, because I want to make it a symbol for people to see that that's the kind of thing you should be doing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CARROLL: What does not work is this. Scenes from now infamous lakeside pool party in Missouri this past weekend.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FAUCI: We all want to reopen. Everyone understands that. But when you see some of the scenes that we were shown just now, that's very troubling because that's inviting there to be an issue.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CARROLL: Fourteen states are still seeing increases of new cases, several of those in the south. Today, the nation's capital becoming the latest major city to announce its reopening. Starting Friday, barbershops, hair salons and outdoor restaurant dining all allowed, but with the warning.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAYOR MURIEL BOWSER (D-WA): Moving into phase one, means that more people can get infected.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CARROLL: In Florida, Disney World and some of the surrounding theme parks announced they hope to reopen to the public in July. With some new rules.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JIM MACPHEE, SENIOR V.P., WALT DISNEY WORLD: All of our cast members on our social distancing squad understand the policy and are encouraging and persuading just to ensure that they keep their masks on at all times. (END VIDEO CLIP)

CARROLL: While in hard-hit Miami-Dade County, the beaches and hotels will welcome people again starting Monday with some restrictions. Restaurants on South Beach's famed Ocean Drive have already opened their doors today. On the other coast, retail businesses churches and pools can reopen in California again with limitations and a word of caution.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. GAVIN NEWSOM (D-CA): We still haven't gone through the first wave.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CARROLL: And late this afternoon, Caesar's Palace and MGM Resorts announced they will be reopening their marquee properties in Las Vegas June 4th. The numbers continue trending in the right direction in nearly 20 states, including Texas and New York. The epicenter of the pandemic. New York City still under stay-at-home order, while Long Island just outside New York City has already begun phase one of reopening. With some construction, manufacturing, and curbside retail.

Looking ahead, many businesses is banking on hopes a vaccine will be developed by the end of the year. Dr. Fauci says it may not just be wishful thinking.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FAUCI: I still think that we have a good chance that all the things falling in the right place that we might have a vaccine that would be deployable by the end of the year.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[03:04:58]

CARROLL: Again, 100,000 lives lost, so many of those victims right here in New York City, which is why that number is particularly sobering to those who live here.

Jason Carroll, CNN, New York.

CHURCH: Joining me now is CNN medical analyst Dr. Celine Gounder, she is a former assistant health commissioner in New York City. And joins us now. So good to have you with us, doctor, and thank you for all that you do.

CELINE GOUNDER, CNN MEDICAL ANALYST: My pleasure.

CHURCH: Now, as the United States passes the grim and disturbing milestone of 100,000 deaths from COVID-19, we are reminded that other nations not only lost fewer souls, but they also got this virus under control. What mistakes were made in the U.S. to get this so terribly wrong? GOUNDER: Rosemary, I think this is going to go down as the great

American tragedy. I think, unfortunately, we did not think this could happen to us. We somehow thought that we were immune to something like this, both at governmental policy level as well as a public health level.

And so, we didn't take the measures that were needed. So, this was not about banning travel. This is about realizing that no matter what kind of travel restrictions there were in place, this is going to arrive on our shores and we need to take strict public health measures on the ground here to control it.

CHURCH: So, how do we turn this around? Top White House medical adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci told CNN that a 2nd wave or peak is preventable with actions. So, what actions does the U.S. need to take right now?

GOUNDER: Well, you know, I think going back in time first a little bit we needed to implement lockdowns once there was enough community transmission that other measures were no longer possible. We drag our feet on that, we did it too slowly, we didn't do it aggressively enough. And we're lifting those measures too quickly.

And in that time, when we had those social distancing measures in place, we should have been building the capacity to test, to do the contact tracing, to isolate people who are infected, to separate them from those who are not infected, and the whole idea there is to break chains of transmission.

We have not built that capacity. So we are really not in a better position now than we were before social distancing in terms of the public health capacity to respond.

CHURCH: And meantime, of course, the wearing of masks is now becoming politicized with President Trump mocking those who wear masks. Dr. Fauci told CNN that wearing a mask shows respect for others and stops the spread of the virus. How do you get that message across given some people won't wear them because the president refuses to and others think masks show fear?

GOUNDER: Well, I think stoicism is actually a stronger show of strength then deciding to be cavalier about this. I think the idea here is to show strength on behalf of your family, and your community.

Unfortunately, wearing a mask and abiding by public health recommendations has become politicized, where it's really a way of showing I'm a part of a certain political tribe as a part of a certain culture and that really is completely divorced from the science or what makes sense from a public health perspective.

CHURCH: And doctor, some experts are now suggesting that the six-foot WHO recommendation may not be enough in some indoor conditions because COVID-19 is spreading via aerosols, exhaled by highly contagious infected individuals showing no symptoms. So, what's your response to that? What should be doing now? GOUNDER: Well, from what we know, the settings that are most likely

to produce aerosols are in the medical profession when we, for example, do some certain kinds of invasive testing on certain patients, or when somebody is speaking loudly or singing. So, they are actually exhaling their secretions much more forcefully.

So, the kinds of places where we've seen this happen. For example, choir practices, dance clubs, sporting events would be another one that I would worry about where people are yelling and cheering.

And so, you know, I think there is no perfect distance that you could say is going to be absolutely safe, I think it's really about layering different protective measures and masks would be an additional one of those.

CHURCH: Yes, that seems to make sense. Each time we talk the mask seems to come up, doesn't it? So, Dr. Fauci says there is a good chance a vaccine will be ready by the end of this year. Do you agree with that, or do you think that's overly hopeful? Do you think we can all sort of hang on that?

GOUNDER: Well, I think, Rosemary, it really depends on what you mean by a vaccine will be ready. Is it ready for first line frontline healthcare workers? Is it ready for maybe very high-risk populations? Is that ready for the general population?

I think we are looking at least a year before something is available to the general population. So, for the average viewer you're at home, it's going to be a while yet.

[03:10:02]

CHURCH: So, we have to learn to live with this, and I guess masks seem to be the way to deal with that, don't they? Dr. Celine Gounder, thank you so very much for talking with us and again for everything that you do.

GOUNDER: My pleasure.

CHURCH: Well, the presumptive Democratic nominee for U.S. president is speaking out in compassionate tones about the milestone in coronavirus deaths. Just listen to what Joe Biden had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: My fellow Americans, there are moments in our history so grim, so heart-wrenching, that they are forever fixed in each of our hearts. A shared grief. Today, it's one of those moments. A 100,000 lives has now been lost to this virus here in the United States alone.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: But the president himself has yet to say a single word about his country's suffering the loss of so many lives. But experts have told CNN that thousands of lives could have been saved if the pandemic had been taken seriously early on. Donald Trump downplayed the threat for months, here's a look back at his comments.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: We have it under control. It's going to be just fine.

We think we have it very well under control. We have very little problem in this country at this moment, five. And those people are all recuperating successfully.

By April, you know, in theory when it gets a little warmer, it miraculously goes away.

The coronavirus, which is, you know, very well under control in our country.

We're going down not up. We're going very substantially down, not up.

When you have 15 people and the 15 within a couple of days is going to be down to close to zero, that's a pretty good job we've done.

KELLYANNE CONWAY, COUNSELOR TO PRESIDENT TRUMP: It is being contained. And do you not think it's being contained in this country?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm not a doctor, I'm a lawyer.

CONWAY: Well, you said, -- you said it's not being contained, so are you a doctor or a lawyer when you say it's not being contained? That's false. You just said something that is not true.

LARRY KUDLOW, DIRECTOR, U.S. NATIONAL ECONOMIC COUNCIL: So far, it looks relatively contained and we don't think most people -- I mean, the vast majority of Americans are not at risk from this virus.

TRUMP: We are doing a great job with it and it will go away, just stay calm. It will go away.

Some of the doctors say it will wash through, it will flow through. Very accurate, I think you're going to find in a number of weeks.

The FDA also gave emergency authorization for hydroxychloroquine.

And I say it, what do you have to lose? I'll say it again, what do you have to lose? Take it. It will be wonderful. It will be so beautiful. It will be a gift from heaven. If it works.

I said supposing you brought the light inside the body, which you can do, either through the skin or in some other way. And I think you said you're going to test that, too. Sounds interesting.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We'll get the right folks who could.

TRUMP: Right. And then I see the disinfectant, where it knocks it out in a minute. One minute. And is there a way we can do something like that by injection inside or almost a cleaning? Because you see it gets on the lungs -- (END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Well, just as some southern U.S. states are seeing an increase in new cases, Latin America is as well. The region has surpassed Europe and the U.S. to become the epicenter of the outbreak.

Countries such as Mexico, Peru, and Chile each have been reporting thousands of new cases daily. Peru's president announced a state of emergency, mandating social distancing through the end of June. But as you can see on this video, taken Tuesday, not everyone is practicing that basic safety measure.

Brazil leads Latin America with the most cases of the virus, reporting more than 20,000 new cases Wednesday. And more than 1000 deaths.

CNN's Nick Paton Walsh has an update from Rio de Janeiro.

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL SECURITY EDITOR: It's startling to see Copacabana Beach deserted, that is what the rules say here in Rio de Janeiro, and the times firefighters have been seen on the beach getting people off of it, but still the boardwalk here, at times, busy and sometimes people are they are not wearing masks, exercising and Rio de Janeiro potentially about, like many of the big cities in Rio about to see the worst of the peak in their week or so ahead.

Face mask aren't mandatory here, and many businesses closed, but the issue of course for Brazil is how the federal presidential level guidance has been significantly weaker.

Jair Bolsonaro, the President, at times calling this a little flu, playing down its severity and even now focusing more on the damage to the economy. The lockdown measures have been causing and in fact insulting the governors in cabinet meetings.

The video which was released by the Supreme Court as part of a separate investigation, insulting local officials who have implemented these lockdown measures.

[03:14:56]

So, many Brazilians here, frankly, looking to him for what they should do in their daily lives. And you have to remember too that the lockdown here has been in place for months. And so, some polling in fact suggested a slight increase in the reticence of people to go along with the more severe measures.

But this is of course, at the very worst of times. The numbers here in Brazil are increasingly bad. They are edging towards 400,000 cases confirmed, and those are just the people who have managed to get a test in a country where many occasions you've seem to need free coronavirus symptoms to qualify for one. So, it's likely the full picture is in fact worse.

The death toll at about 24,000 or so is bad, but modeling from the IHME in the United State suggest it could get to 125,000 by early August. That would itself be utterly staggering.

So, Brazil here, while frankly its natural iconic beauty not lost at all, it's a little more deserted, and I think deeply anxious as the week's progress as to how hard it will be hit by the virus' peak.

Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

CHURCH: And for the latest information and answers to your questions about the coronavirus epidemic stay with CNN. Anderson Cooper and Dr. Sanjay Gupta host a global town hall, Coronavirus: Facts and Fears. That's at 8, Thursday evening in New York, 8 Friday morning in Hong Kong.

Across parts of the U.S. crowds gathered for a second day to protest the death of George Floyd. A black man who died Monday in police custody in Minneapolis. After a white officer was seen kneeling on his neck for some nine minutes.

Demonstrators attacked highway patrol vehicles in California, some getting injured as police try to shake them off. In Minnesota, policed use proper spray and tear gas as crowds let their anger be known. Floyd's cousin told CNN, even though the officers involved in Floyd's death have been fired, it's not enough.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TERA BROWN, GEORGE FLOYD'S COUSIN: Firing them is a good start, but we want to see justice for our family. We want to see them charged. We want to have them arrested. What they did was -- was murder. And almost the whole world has witnessed that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: And we want to take you back to Monday in the events that sparked the protest. CNN's Randi Kaye breaks it all down for us, and we want to warn you, her report does contain some disturbing video.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Please. Please. I can't breathe. Please, man. Please.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RANDI KAYE, CNN INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER: This was the scene in Minneapolis Monday evening. That police officer has his knee buried in the neck of a man named George Floyd.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Please. Please. I can't breathe, officer.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Shut up.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You are going to kill me, man.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAYE: Officers have responded to an alleged forgery call and found Floyd sitting in his car. This surveillance video from a nearby restaurant shows officers making contact with Floyd. Then handcuffing him. Police would later say he physically resisted though that is not apparent from this portion of the video. Nor does the video capture the incident leading up to the arrest.

After police escort Floyd away, bystanders captured this video of Floyd faced down on the ground, still handcuffed, the officer's knee forcing his face into the pavement. Listen closely as the officer simply tells him to relax.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, you got him down man. Let him breathe at least.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Please, I can't breathe.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm just trying to help out.

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One of my homies died like that.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Relax.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Man, I can't breathe my face.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What do you want?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I can't breathe here.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get him up and get in the car, man.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I will.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get in the car.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I can't move.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I've been (Inaudible). Get up and get in the car.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mama.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They could have tased him. They could have mased him.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAYE: Floyd struggles on the ground for five minutes.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm through. My stomach hurts. My neck hurts. Everything is hurting.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAYE: Witnesses on the street plead with the officers to back off.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How long you are going to hold him down?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You are stopping his breathing right there, bro.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAYE: The officer does not remove his knee from Floyd's neck nor do the other officers do anything to help him. Soon, George Floyd lay motionless on the ground, his eyes closed. They say Floyd appeared to be suffering from medical distress and that he died at the hospital.

[03:20:02]

The four officers involved have been fired. Their chief pointing out the knee in the neck technique is not approved.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAYOR JACOB FREY, MINNEAPOLIS: What we saw was horrible. Completely and utterly messed up. We watched, as a white officer pressed his knee into the neck of a black man.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAYE: In response, protesters took to the streets of Minneapolis. Clashing with police who resorted to tear gas and non-lethal projectiles. In the pouring rain, protesters echoed some of George Floyd's final words.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(CROWD CHANING)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAYE: The FBI in Minneapolis has launched a full investigation. Though George Floyd's family is calling for the officers to be charged with murder. And they want justice.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Please, I can't breathe. Please, man. Please.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAYE: Randi Kaye, CNN, West Palm Beach, Florida.

(END VIDEO CLIP) CHURCH: And this just in, the National People's Congress in Beijing

has approved a controversial law for Hong Kong. We will go to Beijing for the very latest live.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHURCH: So, happening in just the past few minutes turned his national parliament has approved a controversial national security law for Hong Kong which criminalizes acts of sedition and terrorism.

Now, this coming as the National People's Congress meets in Beijing. The legislation has faced sharp criticism from governments all around the world and spark new protests in Hong Kong. More than 300 people were arrested as they took to the streets Wednesday night.

So, let's go now live to Steven Jiang. He joins us from Beijing. So, Steven, as we mentioned, it's just happened. China has approved the Hong Kong security bill, and now the U.S. may strip Hong Kong of its special trading status. Where is all of this going, and what is the impact of this new law? What will be the impact of it?

STEVEN JIANG, CNN SENIOR PRODUCER: Well, Rosemary, a bit of clarification. What the 3,000 or so National People's Congress delegates just approved is the decision to enact this law in Hong Kong. The actual legislative process of writing this law is going to take a bit longer but the much smaller standing committee of the NPC.

But the enactment of this law is never really in doubt given the NPC as you know is just a rubber stamp legislature of this country. But as you said, this is a hugely controversial law but Chinese officials have been saying for days about the necessity and the urgency to enact this law, and also really say they are determined and capable of doing so and asking the U.S. government to stop interfering in their internal affairs, and to abandon its double standard of national security.

[03:25:03]

Now of course, a lot of details of the law are still going to be worked out, but the authorities have already revealed some details that are disturbing to many people in Hong Kong, including, for example, potentially sending agents from one of Chinese government's most powerful and secretive agencies, the state security ministry to Hong Kong to carry out this law, because as officials and state media here put it, Hong Kong's own law enforcement agencies lack of professional officers with relevant experience and skill set.

But of course, the NPS, the National People's Congress is closing today and the leadership in Beijing, their focus is on the ceremony and afterwards the country's number two leader, Premier Li Keqiang is going to hold his annual press conference, and he is undoubtedly going to be asked about Hong Kong.

While he is unlikely to reveal any details about the so-called counter measures against the U.S., if the U.S. goes ahead to impose sanctions on China over Hong Kong, because as you know, in Washington, they are still weighing different options trying to punish the Chinese government while not hurting U.S. interest in Hong Kong or the citizens of Hong Kong.

But state media here has made very clear, Rosemary, that the Chinese government has taken this kind of factors into consideration when they are -- when they were thinking about this decision, and that they are ready and willing to accept the consequences and then absorb them.

And as one newspaper has put it, the Global Times, that the era of China being scared of the U.S. is now officially over. Rosemary.

CHURCH: And Steven, it has to be said Hong Kong or at least the people of Hong Kong looking like the big losers in all of this, why is this happening now?

JIANG: Well, this is happening now because from Beijing's perspective, this is long overdue. Remember, Hong Kong sovereignty return to China almost 23 years ago. But the Hong Kon local authorities just for years enable to pass a similar national security law.

The last name -- the last time they tried it in 2003, huge protesters turned up on the streets, really forcing the local government there to shove the bill and never really has reintroduced it.

So, over the years, you have seen all these demonstrations and protest including the latest protest movement in Hong Kong that began last year and still showing no sign of abating.

So, in the minds of the Beijing leadership this is really another reason why Hong Kong needs this law to really stop this foreign interference but also stops this local movements, not only from pro- democracy camp but also from a growing pro-independence movement.

So, that's why they decided to take this matter into their own hands because they are running out of patience with the local authorities in Hong Kong, Rosemary.

CHURCH: All right. Steven Jiang joining us live from Beijing. Many thanks.

Well, Hong Kong's second highest ranking official spoke exclusively to CNN about the controversial new national security law. Chief secretary Matthew Cheung insisted the law would not erode the city's Democratic freedoms, but he revealed he had little to no influence in the drafting of the legislation. Here's part of his interview with our Ivan Watson.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MATTHEW CHEUNG, HONG KONG CHIEF SECRETARY: Ninety-nine point nine percent of Hong Kong population will not be effective. They go about the lives to continue the investment in Hong Kong. Coming in and out of Hong Kong, people from the capital, information and so on. Foreign media is most welcome here in Hong Kong. IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Could someone

who was deemed or accused of being a terrorist, or of committing subversion be taken to mainland China for prosecution under this new law?

CHEUNG: As I said, all of these are details yet to be announced. And everybody is waiting for it. So, we are also following the developments closely. We'll cooperate fully in the process and reflect the views, aspirations and concerns of course of the local and international community.

WATSON: There are these concerns and people are raising these questions and you're saying trust us, it will get figured out but you personally don't have a say in the drafting of this legislation?

(CROSSTALK)

CHEUNG: As I said, the answers will be in the public arena before along.

WATSON: OK.

CHEUNG: The drafting process just takes a bit of time. But in the process, we take a few aspirations and concerns.

WATSON: Let me ask another question, you know, there's very strict censorship in nearby mainland China. Would that trickle into Hong Kong society, into social media sphere? Into media?

CHEUNG: I doubt it. I doubt it. Is Hong Kong's --

(CROSSTALK)

WATSON: Can you guarantee that?

CHEUNG: Well, it's common sense.

WATSON: China's foreign minister has warned of a new cold war between Beijing and Washington. Are you concerned that Hong Kong could become a casualty of that kind of confrontation?

CHEUNG: We can't rule out any possibility, but I really hope that that won't happen because any sanctions, for example, in Hong Kong, won't do any good. If you look at the figures for the last 10 years, the United States has always been enjoying a huge, the largest trade circuits amongst all these global trading partners with Hong Kong.

[03:30:00]

Thirty-three billion U.S. dollars just last year from Hong Kong. So, the trade balances heavily in the U.S.' favor not in Hong Kong's favor. It's a double edge sword, any sanction will do any good at all. Of course, they'll have Hong Kong, but it will definitely hurt the United States. You know, so, I really think that's irrational objective. As a Hong Kong belong, I can tell you that I strongly believe that

that piece of legislation will not damage Hong Kong at all. It will not rule Hong Kong's freedom. It will not undermine the systems. We will continue to push Hong Kong forward as a dynamic international open community.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR: And the U.S. Secretary of State warns the new law would mean Hong Kong is no longer autonomous from China. If that assessment is made official by the White House, it could jeopardize the cities special trading status with the U.S. Sources tell CNN President Trump could make a decision on that by Friday.

Well, in Russia, few displays of gratitude for doctors and nurses during this pandemic still to come. Instead of cheers, they face mistrust, and hostility.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHURCH: Boris Johnson's government is set to formally review lockdown measures later Thursday. But it comes as the controversy surrounding his chief advisor continues to swell. Dozens of Johnson's own M.P.'s are calling for Dominic Cummings to resign. And the government denies that introduce of plan reopen schools as a distraction. Johnson told the parliamentary committee, Wednesday he considers the Cummings controversy a political ding-dong.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BORIS JOHNSON, BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY: Yes, I do understand people's feelings, I do understand why people feel such indignation about the whole business, the pain of the whole business of the lockdown. But, I really also think that what they want now is for us to focus on them, and their needs, rather those in a political ding- dong about what one adviser may or may not have done. And to repeat an important one, which I think that you've ignored it, a lot of the allegations that were made about that advisor wouldn't simply not correct.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Nic Robertson has been following all of this. He joins us now live from London. Good to see you, Nic. So, the Prime Minister spokesman denies the plan to open schools was to distract from the Cumming's controversy. But others say that is exactly what it was. What more are you learning about this and of course, the review of the lockdown measures?

[03:35:05]

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, there is certainly there's the aspiration of the people in the country at the moment to see a change and an easing of a lockdown measures. The schools issue has been something that has been going on for a number of weeks before the Dominic Cummings, you know, affair and incident came to life.

The Prime Minister desperate in that 90-minute grilling by M.P.'s and he criticized by M.P.s from within his own party and the opposition party for the position that is taking over Dominic Cummings, but the Prime Minister very clearly saying on several occasions that he thinks it's time to move on, that the information has been put out there on the public domain.

Unfortunate for the Prime Minister, the vast majority of people in the U.K. believe that some of the things that Dominic Cummings said and put out in the public domain, rather than clearing the air, raised questions about his drive over 60 miles to a beauty spot there and back, to ostensibly as he said to test his eyesight. That really is not washing with the British population at the moment.

And also the fact that he went home, so his wife, will had covid-19 symptoms, he went back to the office which was against government advice. So, I think we are -- the Prime Minister at least feels that his moving out of it, and he maybe because people genuinely want to see things about the lockdown change.

CHURCH: Yes. Indeed. And Nic, I also want to ask, you the U.K. is set to launch a test and trace system to track the coronavirus in an effort to replace national lockdown restrictions, what do we know so far?

ROBERTSON: That is going to go into live action in about 24 minutes from now. This is a system whereby if you have come in contact with someone who has tested positive, then you can expect to be contacted by trackers working for the government, working for the national health service. So, how does this work?

If you've tested positive, you were taught to government employees are about 25,000 of them, about 7,000 clinical experts who will talk to you about who you've seen over recent dates. You yourself after testing positive will be expected to isolate for seven days, and anyone that you have come into contact with, in less than a meter, from about for less than a minute or around about a minute or two meters from about 50 minutes they will be expected to isolate for two weeks, 14 days. The Secretary of State for health is calling this a civic duty. This is how he explained it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MATT HANCOCK, BRITISH SECRETARY OF STATE FOR HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE: In the first instance, this will be voluntary. We think that there is a very, very strong instinct from the British people to follow these. So, when the NHS phones you up or contacts you and says, you must isolate. Then, we are confident that people will. Now, of course, we could also mandate that, but in the first instance we are not going to.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERTSON: So, the Prime Minister has also said that there could be sanctions like fines if people don't do this and follow the instructions, and all government ministers here are saying this test and trace is absolutely critical to coming out of lockdown to getting the things that people want, such as being able to see families and spend more time with friends.

CHURCH: OK. We will be watching to see how it works. Nic Robertson bringing us the very latest there live from London. Many thanks.

Well much of the world turned to strict lockdown measures, Sweden adopted a very different strategy to stop the coronavirus. But it's not clear if it's working. Sweden has imposed only very life restrictions on daily life, with the hope that it will result in enough people having antibodies to stop the disease. But as the death toll rises, so does the controversy. CNN's Phil Black reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PHIL BLACK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Sweden at the time of covid-19 has two very different faces. One is normal, fun, almost carefree, as happy groups enjoy the sunshine. It's easy to meet people who have embraced the official message of staying safe through their personal responsibility.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's about finding ways to enjoy the Swedish summer, but still remain respectful of other people doing so.

BLACK: While people joking around while lining up for restaurants.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We drank some hand sanitizer before we came. So I think we're good.

BLACK: But there is another face to this country, and it's twisted in grief.

LELI SEDGHI, DAUGHTER OF CORONAVIRUS VICTIM: It's horrible. He didn't deserve to die this way. I never -- I could've held his hand.

BLACK: Leli Sedghi's father was 92. He lived in a care home, she says he fell ill with covid-19 and died seven days later without ever seen a doctor.

[03:40:02]

SEDGHI: She gave him a shot of morphine, and she just left him there. Couldn't be with him. He died alone, and it's just haunting me. It is haunting me so heard.

BLACK: Sweden's most disturbing trend has been the vast numbers of people dying in care homes. It's been around half the country's total death toll, and is now a growing scandal. Many grieving families are telling similar stories of loved ones in these homes never receiving any medical treatment. These protesters accused Sweden's authorities of killing the elderly.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: People seem to think that it's OK to sacrifice people. As if they were worthless.

BLACK: Anders Tegnell, Sweden's state epidemiologist is leaving the country's covid-19 response.

We must be aware of these stories. Do you think this is happening?

ANDERS TEGNELL, SWEDEN'S STATE EPIDEMIOLOGIST: I think that is a very difficult question to answer. If you remember that these people are all very extremely ill, and normally you don't move these kind of people from their homes to hospital care.

BLACK: Tegnell's drive, Sweden's self-touched approach, no lockdown across the virus, mostly voluntary distancing, allowing it to spread steadily through the population, in theory, building immunity to help slow it even further. But now, months in, there is little evidence it's working. Tegnell rejects a recent survey by his own department which finds antibodies in only around 7 percent of people in Stockholm.

TEGNELL: The amount of people in Stockholm that have been infected so far should be over 20 percent by now, but it's a bit difficult to know, we believe that a downward trend we see at this point, it depends on that we have a lot more immune people in the country right now.

BLACK: Even if true, there is a terrible cost. Sweden's death toll now exceeds 4,000. Shockingly high at a country of around 10 million. The numbers have seriously ill and dying are dropping, but it's much slower than in other places now emerging from lockdowns. While most Swedes still support the country's distinctive approach, it is clear they will be living with its consequence, good and bad, for the foreseeable future. Phil Black, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: Well, Moscow will begin easing its covid-19 restrictions on movement and certain industries starting June 1st. Nonfood stores will reopen, and people will be allowed to take schedule walks in parks, and go fitness. The Russian capital has been hard hit by the pandemic. It's reporting more than 170,000 confirmed cases as of Wednesday. That is less than half the country's total.

Well, Doctors on Russia's frontline not only have to battle the deadly virus, but also faced criticism from authorities, the public, and the media. CNN's Matthew Chance has our report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: 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 tells CNN, she fears being fired even prosecuted after investigators gave her hospital the all clear.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE). CHANCE: 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 at his hospital, the other on the left sustained severe head injuries, pulling out of a window. Two other doctors infamously died in similar circumstances.

Public disdain may be one factor driving them to despair. Not helped by rampant coronavirus conspiracy theories, some propagated on Russian state television. And they say a significant proportion of Russians believe the virus has been invented by doctors to control society. Others say doctors are hiding the true extent of casualties from the public. Either way disinformation is corroding public trust in Russia's medical profession.

ALEXANDRA ARKHIPOVA, ANTHROPOLOGIST, RANEPA: 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 plants for controlling people. People don't believe in state medicine. They only believe in doctors who they know personally.

[03:45:22]

CHANCE: But it's the coronavirus itself that is killing Russian doctors on mass. Official figures but 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 Korchinskaya, an x-ray specialist who says she was given practically no means of protection at her hospital, and had to appeal to an opposition-backed doctor's union for an equipment, it didn't go down well with the hospital administrators who denied any shortcomings.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (SPEAKING FOREIG LANGUAGE)

CHANCE: You know it's bad when you know it's bad when infection with coronavirus feels like a lucky escape. Matthew Chance, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: Economic relief may soon be on sight for some European countries battered by the coronavirus pandemic. Just ahead, we will look at a proposed rescue plan. Back in a moment.

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CHURCH: Welcome back everyone. Well, the latest evidence of financial strain from the coronavirus will come in just a few hours when new U.S. unemployment figures are released. Analysts expect as many as 2.1 million Americans filed for benefits last week. That increase would push total claims to 41 million over a 10-week period.

And the European commission is proposing an 825-billion-dollar recovery fund to help lift its member countries from the crisis. The package includes grants and loans and funds to transition to green and digital technologies. Most southern European countries welcome the plan, but some fiscally conservative northern countries could still oppose it. To go forward, all 27 member states must sign of on the proposal.

And CNN's John Defterios joins us now live from Abu Dhabi. Always good to see you, John. So, two months ago when this virus lockdown the U.S. economy, we saw shocking jobless numbers, and while we are expecting a lower number this time, it's still extremely high, isn't it?

JOHN DEFTERIOS, CNN EMERGING MARKETS EDITOR: It is very high, 2 million plus is what we're looking at as you suggested there in your lead in. And we are at the dark days of March we had 6.9 million. So, it is an improvement, but that total above 40 million is shocking, and the U.S. Federal Reserve bank in St. Louis was suggesting it could finish up at 50 million when the covid-19 is all done with its decimation and the job front.

[03:50:18]

And you can have a say to the average employee trying to get back into the job market in the future. It's not going to be easy in the second half. But if you look at the stock market, we saw the DOW industrials up on Wednesday by better than 2 percent, because this is a slope going lower, Rosemary. They are looking at this number going below 2 million in the month of June if more businesses start to reopen.

But there is hesitation here that credit rating agencies, S&P, was suggesting that we had 1200 companies get downgraded here because of the corporate debt that they're carrying. And also the CEOs of Deutsche Bank and Black Rock, the latter controlling better than $7 trillion of assets worldwide are saying that the evaluations of the stock market just don't make sense with the plight of the average worker and the companies at this stage of the recovery.

CHURCH: Yes, and John, individual European countries have put forward their own stimulus plans, and now the European Union is pushing its own agenda. Why is there so much pushback though?

DEFTERIOS: Well, there's an economic pushback because we are talking about a wealth transfers from the north down to the south. Specifically, for two large economies of the European Union that would be Italy and Spain. Ursula von der Leyen is the President the European Commission says, we'll wheel it through.

I'm watching the core of Europe, that would be France and Germany, particular in Chancellor Merkel who said, this is going to be a tough, fight but we need to do it. I see it politically as a survival plan for the European Union. I know it sounds drastic, but this is a big test. They were slow on the issue of migration from Africa, and the plight for those migrants going in, and also for the southern states.

And again during covid-19, the actually sent out an apology to the Italians saying we should have responded at a more rapid pace. And this is the effort by the European Union right now, better than 820 billion dollars on the table. It's at large -- (inaudible)

(BAD AUDIO)

CHURCH: All right. We slowly lost you there. John Defterios joining us live from Abu Dhabi. We apologize for some of those most audio issues.

Well the U.N. tourism agency is predicting a 70 percent drop this year in global tourism with airplanes grounded, hotels closed, and travel restrictions all around the world due to the coronavirus. And it says those who do travel may head for the hills with rural mountain areas benefiting and beaches attracting fewer visitors. The U.N. reports this is by far the worst time the international tourism since 1950.

And we are seeing that hit the airline industry extremely hard. In just the last hour, CNN has learned that budget airline Easy Jet is going to lay off 30 percent of its employees as it tries to slash costs amid the global pandemic. The company says it doesn't expect demand to get back to what it was before the coronavirus hit for at least three years.

Well, it was supposed to be a rocket launched into the history books, but the weather had other ideas. Coming up, we will tell you when SpaceX plans to try again to send astronauts into space. Back in just a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[03:55:00]

CHURCH: In Florida, they came close to making history, but the weather had other plans. Wednesday SpaceX launch carrying two astronauts to the International Space Station was postponed due to thunderstorms. But the weather isn't going to stop them forever. CNN's Rachel Crane reports from the Kennedy Space Center.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RACHEL CRANE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: NASA and SpaceX has its historic launch of crew dragon was scrub just 16 minutes and 54 seconds before its scheduled lift off of 4:33 local time. The President and the Vice President where here when that scrub occurred. They had travel to Kennedy Space Center to witness what everybody hope would be a historic launch.

Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley were already strapped into the capsule as a million pounds of propellant of liquid oxygen and liquid kerosene where being pumped into the Falcon 9 rocket. The launch window was instantaneous, meaning that if it didn't take off at exactly the precise time to rendezvous with the International Space Station 250 miles above earth, the launch had to be canceled and that is what occurred.

But all is not lost. The launch is rescheduled for this Saturday at 3:22 local time. Until then, the astronauts will head back into quarantine. If successful, this would be the first time in nearly nine years that American astronauts are launching from American soil on American rockets and it would put SpaceX in the domain of governments. They will be the first private company that puts U.S. astronauts into orbit. So, fingers crossed. Mother nature is on our side. Back to you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: Wonderful. Thanks for joining us. I'm Rosemary Church. I will be right back with more news from all around the world. Do stay with us.

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