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Lebanon Prime Minister Announced Resignation Of Government Amid Angry Protests; One Week Since Devastating Explosion In Lebanon; CNN Speaks To Lebanon's Former Justice Minister; Man Helps Repatriate South Africans Stranded In China; Belarus Opposition Candidate Flees Amid Protest Crackdown; Collin Morikawa Reflects On PGA Championship Triumph. Aired 11a- 12p ET
Aired August 11, 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]
HALA GORANI, CNN INTERNATIONAL HOST: Tonight, two realities as the world hits 20 million cases of COVID-19 and Lebanon's government calls it quits
for the second time in less than a year.
Hello, everybody. I am Hala Gorani. This is CONNECT THE WORLD. It's was perhaps only a matter of time but in just over six months the world has now
surpassed 20 million confirmed cases of COVID and almost 750,000 deaths according to Johns Hopkins University. The United States with less than 5
percent of the global population is home to a quarter of all known infections, but according to the U.S. President, there is nothing to worry
about.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I do want to say that I think at the end of a fairly short period of time, you're going to be in very,
very good shape all over our country.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GORANI: Well, except the top experts at the World Health Organization disagree with that take.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This virus is proving exceptionally difficult to stop.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We know that if the virus has an opportunity to spread, it will, and it hasn't gone away.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GORANI: Well, we'll have more on the Coronavirus pandemic and Russia's claim of a new vaccine a little bit later in the newscast. But let's take
you to Lebanon now. A vigil is starting this hour in Beirut to mark the exact moment one week ago when the port warehouse blew up, killing more
than 160 people.
These are live images coming to us from Beirut. And these are images from a few days ago after that massive and devastating explosion obliterated
entire streets and neighborhoods of the Lebanese Capital. What you were seeing earlier were live images coming to us from a very somber march
there, and earlier we saw people hold up pictures, presumably pictures of those who lost their lives.
And yesterday these are other images from the Lebanese Capital of people protesting and demanding justice and accountability. Once again we're back
to these live images. These are banners held up in honor of those who lost their lives, demanding justice and demanding accountability. That picture
is live right now.
These are still live, and this is a fire truck, obviously first responders bore the brunt of the impact. Many of them were sent to that initial fire
that sparked the secondary explosion, we believe, of ammonium nitrate. They are being greeted, applauded by the people gathered there near the port
with Lebanese flags flying over the crowds.
Let's go to our bureau Chief Ben Wedeman. He is live in Beirut with more on what to expect in the coming days after that cabinet resignation, Ben?
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Hala, we're right down the street from that vigil. We had to get a bit of a distance away
because the music was so loud. Now, it was exactly at nine minutes past 6:00 pm last Tuesday that that blast happened in the port, which is just to
my right.
And all the neighborhoods that were adjacent to that port, particularly Mar Mikhael and Karantina, which are on my left, were severely damaged then
they're still picking up the pieces and trying to sort things out in that area where we've seen an incredible outpouring of volunteers coming to help
residents of that area.
Of course the music is really kicking in. What we're hearing is the Lebanese national anthem - maybe their audio system isn't quite working
well at the moment, but, of course, now, Hala, Lebanon is in political limbo for the limbo. For the second time in nine months, the government has
fallen, and this government of Hassan Diab fell because of this blast last Tuesday.
Prime Minister Hassan Diab announces the resignation of his government. Less than a week after the catastrophic explosion in Beirut's port that
many here likened to an atomic bomb since then, the capital has been rocked by protests and clashes. The anger focused not so much at Diab's government
as it is against the failures of the Lebanese state at large.
[11:05:00]
WEDEMAN: And adding insult to injury, the government represented by the security forces appeared to sit on its hands as Beirut residents dug out of
the rubble. Did anyone from the state come here, I asked Siham Tikyan (ph), who was injured in the blast. Frankly, the word that you said - and I won't
say it - is not present in the dictionary. "It" by which Siham means the state doesn't exist in the Lebanese dictionary.
The blast was just the latest of Lebanon's calamities and the economy is free farm. The local currency the Lira has lost much of its value.
Unemployment has sky rocketed while the World Bank projects that half the population will fall below the poverty line this year.
Prime Minister Diab promised he would address all these things this year, but his promises proved empty. He promised to fight corruption, but the
system of corruption he said in his speech is bigger than the state.
Negotiations with the International Monetary Fund for a bail out went nowhere as Lebanese leaders dicker among themselves and failed to commit to
fundamental reforms. And with Hezbollah a major backer of his cabinet western and Arab Gulf governments were hesitant to provide either aid or
political cover.
It now falls to the same sectarian power brokers who formed Diab's government to form the next one. And as the famous saying goes, the
definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting to get results.
In closing, Diab, who now takes over as caretaker Prime Minister, appealed three times to God to protect Lebanon? And Lebanon at this point needs all
the help it can get. And it's not clear, Hala, how long Lebanon will have this caretaker government?
It doesn't have a very good history in terms of quick formation of new ones. Since 2018, Lebanon went through one nine-month period of a caretaker
government and then another two and a half months at the end of this year, and it began last year in the beginning of this year. I can tell, Hala,
that I have just lost my connection with you, so back to you.
GORANI: All right, Ben Wedeman, thanks very much for that report. We'll work on that connection and get back to Ben in the coming hours. As Ben was
referencing there, there is a vigil and people gathered to honor the dead and demand justice. Let's take a look once again at what's going on at
Beirut's port right now.
Is that a Church bell and a Muslim prayer? All right, it is 6:09 pm in Beirut, a vigil to honor those who lost their lives, at least 160 people in
that massive explosion, as well as a vigil and demonstration to demand that political leaders in Lebanon be accountable for what happened and take
responsibility for what happened.
We heard Church bells as well as a Muslim prayer, sort of coinciding and overlapping in quite a beautiful way. We just heard in Ben's report several
cabinet ministers and parliament members resigned before the entire government stepped down.
[11:10:00]
GORANI: We just heard in Ben's report several cabinet ministers and parliament members resigned before the entire government stepped down. One
of them was this woman Marie-Claude NAJM she's the Foreign Justice Minister, and she joins me now from Beirut. Thanks for being with us. You
were, I believe, the third cabinet member to resign your post. What made you decide to do this, to step down?
MARIE-CLAUDE NAJM, FORMER LEBANESE JUSTICE MINISTER: First it was the huge demonstrations in the streets. I thought it would be - it's important to
accede to the requests of the people after the blast, the tragedy, of last Tuesday, and I want to pay tribute to all the victims and their families.
That was the main issue, to tell you the truth, because there were lots of people on the streets and sometimes it became violent, and I didn't want to
see any more risks taken of losing lives, or, which is less important, damaged properties.
GORANI: Well, despite the resignation and despite in fact the entire cabinet resigning, demonstrations are continuing. People are still very
angry. In fact, when you visited an area damaged by the blast, you were verbally attacked and sprayed with water by angry Beirutees. They blame the
entire political class, including you. How did you feel about that?
NAJM: We understand that, although I understand that because what's happened, actually, is an institutional failure, and it's the result of all
the mismanagement that has accrued over 30 years with the last six months. It's very hard to - six month and to tell you the truth resignation of some
ministers or even of the government would not solve the issue and people know it and this is why they probably stay in the street, because they want
more, and they have a right to ask for more.
The mismanagement I'm talking about, actually, on the one hand, there is a deliberate structure that was put in place, a huge responsibility in the
Lebanon state, and people may be accountable as possible there is a climate of uncertainty, confusion, the resolution to which--
GORANI: But Marie-Claude Najm, if I can just jump in about what you're describing we've heard for the last week, but it's really more than just
kind of complacency, it's active neglect, active corruption.
Reuters has seen documents, they're reporting, that the President and the Prime Minister were sent letters by security officials saying that there
was a huge risk at the port because of unsafe explosives, that they received a letter on July 20th. Did you see any such letter? Were you aware
that these warnings were issued at that point?
NAJM: I want to answer this very clearly. There is an investigation, of course, and we insisted to transfer the investigation to the Supreme
Judicious Council, which is the highest judiciary court in our country which is preceded by magistrate who is highly appreciated and respected
among people.
So all of the issues that you're mentioning, everything would be investigated, and personally, I see that investigation has to go all the
way to claiming responsibility. As far as I'm concerned, you need to know who is responsible for what?
In every country, you have - how to say - institutions that are responsible, others that are not. You need to have - what to say, I'm not
finding the words I'm sorry, English is not my first language - so you need to have--
GORANI: You need to have the proper process. You as the Justice Minister, as a member of this government, were you at any level at any time made
aware or looped in to the danger that was present at the port because the Prime Minister and the President were both sent letters. Were you at any
point made aware?
NAJM: I was made aware of an investigation that was currently being conducted by the general prosecution, and as far as the Minister of Justice
is concerned, we do not investigate, we just make sure that there is an investigation ongoing on this issue, and that's what happened.
But I mean, this issue has been going since 2013, as I understand, and I think there are things that need to be properly investigated. And I can
assure you something, that no one--
[11:15:00]
GORANI: If it is - if it is the case, but I just need to get from you, from a high-level minister in the Diab government who has resigned, but if it is
the case that the President Aoun and Prime Minister Diab were told, in no uncertain terms, that there was a risk at the port that would obliterate
Beirut and then they did nothing, if the investigation reveals this, should the President resign?
NAJM: No, first we need to determine what's happened? If there are such letters, what happens, who answered, who sent, what are the
responsibilities of each and everyone, what are your - do you have jurisdiction over what?
I cannot say this. This is an investigation. This is up to the investigation. I mean, you're asking me to answer something that is not
defended. I don't have that actually so it is early to answer that. Certainly if there is a liability, yes, I would say yes, of course. I would
say yes if there is a liability.
GORANI: The issue is the people of your country don't trust that there will be a transparent process. They believe that the judiciary has been gutted.
You must agree that on some level the transparency and independence of the judiciary has been harmed in the last several years. You must agree with
that. So, therefore, how can you be confident that the judiciary will conduct this investigation fairly? How can you be confident of this today?
NAJM: No, what I'm confident of, I'm going to be very honest with you. The judiciary has been compromised by some judges because judgments were late
almost consistently and you know that justice delayed is almost justice denied.
This drama, this strategy, is a test for the Lebanese judges. A step to the judges to win back the confidence of the population and my job here is to
make sure not, of course - I'm not concerned by the content of the investigation, the judicial independent investigation, we are the political
forces.
But I am here to make sure that if there is anything going wrong in the investigation not to accept it and to go and talk about it. I would not
stay silent if something is not going as it should go. I can assure you of this because the Lebanese people have suffered so much, I cannot accept -
I'm a mother, and I'm thinking of the children who lost their lives. I would have to accept in this tragedy justice is not done. I can assure you
of this wherever the responsibility lies.
GORANI: All right, you're making that promise, but here let me just put something else to you, because this is also something that's angering your
fellow citizens. You tweeted after the blast, the port disaster is an unforgivable disaster. I called for assistance from international experts
to help uncover the truth.
There is no tent over anyone's head no matter the position. Now Michel Aoun the President is rejecting the very notion of an international
investigation or international help. This is the President of your country whose party supports you, so there is a disconnect there?
NAJM: No, we're not rejecting international help. The country requires international help. We're required international help. We require
international experts there were crime scene Thursday, the French teams were there, I was there I saw them. There is another team that has been
sent by the French investigation because there was an investigation open in Paris to some of the victims. So I'm not at all rejecting. We asked for it.
We asked for the specialized investigation.
What the President Aoun was saying, what you are mentioning, is that we're not going to do an international court or to international enquiry, because
I mean, we have a Lebanese judiciary, we have judges. We want to win back and to - how you say - to win back the confidence of the Lebanese people in
the judiciary.
Now I honestly think the judiciary has no other chance but this one to prove that it can win the trust of the Lebanese people. This is a test and
it will not be as it was before. It could not be as it was before because people are here. There is a journalist scrutiny, there is an international
scrutiny. The media is here, I don't think that the judiciary would lose this.
GORANI: All right.
NAJM: I can assure you that.
GORANI: All right. Well, you've made the promise many times on our air. The Lebanese people, I'm sure, will have an opportunity to hear you and see if
they're able to get past their mistrust on this one.
[11:20:00]
GORANI: Marie-Claude Najm, thank you very much for joining us, the Justice Minister who resigned shortly after the blast.
NAJM: May I say something?
GORANI: Yes, briefly, uh-huh.
NAJM: Very briefly, it's not just the question of promise. When I make a promise, there is a consequence. The consequence is to get the truth and
not to stay silent if what I say is not followed. I will not stay silent. This is something that you can quote me off and then people will be the
judge.
GORANI: All right, Marie-Claude Najm, thank you very much for joining us. I appreciate it, it's a difficult time for your country.
NAJM: Thank you.
GORANI: For everyone's sake, I hope the country emerges from this. Thank you. In the 1950s, Russia's Sputnik satellite jump-started the space race.
Will Russia's Coronavirus vaccine, also named Sputnik, do the same for the vaccine race, lots of skepticism on this one we'll take a look.
Plus a South African man living in Canada manages to get a hundred South Africans stranded in China back home. How did he do it?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CARMEN JOHANNIE, STRANDED SOUTH AFRICAN CITIZEN: I called him my Guardian Angel from day because that's literally what he was, literally the only man
that could help us.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GORANI: And one day after Lebanon's government calls it quits, we'll hear why activists say the country's old guard must be swept away completely.
That's later this hour. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GORANI: We've reached another significant and somber milestone in the battle against the Coronavirus. The number of confirmed cases has now
surpassed 20 million, and even though the U.S. has just 4 percent of the world's population that has a quarter of the world's just over 5 million.
As the world marks this sobering number, Russia announced some what it called positive news.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VLADIMIR PUTIN, RUSSIAN PRESIDENT: A vaccination against the Coronavirus has been registered for the first time in the world this morning. I know it
works quite effectively, it forms a stable immunity.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GORANI: All right. It is called Sputnik. It's named after the first satellite sent into space, and just as that satellite launched in the space
race, Vladimir Putin the President hopes that Sputnik jump starts a vaccine race. Now the vaccine is already approved for use by Russia, but phase III
trials will continue as it is administered.
As for safety, Mr. Putin says the vaccine has gone through all the necessary checks. In fact, he says his own daughter has taken the vaccine.
[11:25:00]
GORANI: To be clear, no one has seen any of that scientific data or peer reviews from the vaccine. Matthew Chance is in Moscow with those details.
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Russia has now proved what it says is the world's first Coronavirus vaccine despite major
concerns about its safety and effectiveness in a video conference with top officials. The Russian President, Vladimir Putin, announced that the
Russian vaccine, which they named Sputnik B, has undergone what he called all necessary checks.
And it is now registered for use. Putin also said one of his own daughter has been vaccinated an extraordinary statement and a sign of just how much
confidence Russia wants to show it has in what it is casting as a huge contribution to the victory against the Coronavirus. Earlier a prominent
Russian pharmaceutical industry body called on Russian officials to dispose of the vaccine, saying it could put people's lives at risk.
In a letter to the Health Ministry pointed out that crucial phase III human trials had not yet been started. Russia's Health Ministry says front line
workers and teachers will be the first to be vaccinated. Critics say Russia's push for a vaccine comes amid of intense political pressure from
the Kremlin came to tackle the country's raging Coronavirus pandemic and to portray Russia as a global scientific force. Matthew Chance, CNN, Moscow.
GORANI: Well, it's the type of story you might see in a movie. One man at his computer in Canada and a woman stranded all the way in China did what
the South African government couldn't. CNN's David McKenzie explains.
DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Two South Africans abroad, one stranded in China because of the COVID-19 travel ban, the other starting a new life
in Canada.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHANNIE: When he sent out a message, he said that anybody stuck in China - anybody stuck in China needs to contact him, so I sent him an e-mail.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MCKENZIE: Brought together by that first message and Carmen Johannie's unshakeable determination to get home.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHANNIE: All we had to hear five months was, be patient, be patient, and that's the hardest thing you can say to someone.
TERTIUS MYBURGH, MAPLE AVIATION: Oh, that's me, me alone my phone.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MCKENZIE: Tertius Myburgh seemed an unlikely savior, sitting in his dining room table in Canada with barely enough credit on his phone. Pulling of a
risky mission that South Africa's National Career said was impossible.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MYBURGH: I actually got bombarded with phone calls and e-mails and everything from people at south that are stuck and people are running out
of money because the world becomes very small. It's almost he felt as if they were forgotten.
JOHANNIE: It was a team effort that he did, and then I just realized like how many people were actually relying on us? The pressure was hectic.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MCKENZIE: Johannie quickly became aviation veteran Myburgh's vital link to more than 100 South Africans stranded for months in China and their anxious
families back home. His plan released air Zimbabwe's only airplane and crew, and rely on Zimbabwean diplomats to get enormously complex COVID-19
clearances.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHANNIE: I called him my Guardian Angel from day one because that's literally what he was, literally the only man that could help us.
MCKENZIE: It's a very emotional journey you've been on.
JOHANNIE: This was very hard. It was extremely hard. It was something I never wish on anybody.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MCKENZIE: The 30-year-old 767 that once carried Robert routing from Harare to Johannesburg to Bangkok to change a faulty engine, then to Kuala Lumpur
to pickup stranded Chinese sea farers to help offset the cost. Then on to Guano back to Kayo to Wuhan, then to Johannesburg.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MCKENZIE: And it seems that things that could go wrong did go wrong.
JOHANNIE: 100 percent. It's a matter that you look back and you laugh and you say you can't believe it, but it was real.
MYBURGH: To find space for this engine and to get it to route all the way out of Harare and eventually get into Bangkok, that was a mission on its
own. How can I say to them, it's become too difficult? How can I go and sit in the garden in a barbecue because I made it easy for myself but all these
people are stuck there?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MCKENZIE: The South African government said they are legally obliged to assist all citizens who are distressed abroad. It did eventually help with
passenger permissions for arrival in South Africa and the groups' quarantined in this hotel.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHANNIE: The TV room and we've got a beautiful kitchen there. There has been times where like reality has hit, and there's other times where it
just feels like it's not real.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[11:30:00]
MCKENZIE: But Johannie knows her five months ordeal is finally over, thanks to one man. David McKenzie, CNN, Johannesburg.
GORANI: One person can really make a huge difference very inspiring. Up next, Beirut's blast is igniting with some activists are calling
revolutionary rage the latest from the capital.
And as Lebanon looks for a new way to govern, the opposition leader in Belarus forced to flee her own country she says, for the sake of her
children, protestors are facing a crackdown. A live report is just ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GORANI: One day after Lebanon's government threw in the towel and one week to the day since Beirut was shattered by a catastrophic blast, people are
wondering how to rebuild the capital and the country. The international community has so far pledged about $300 million in emergency aid, but
Lebanon seems to need a complete overhaul. These are images from yesterday, by the way.
The explosion is just the latest disaster to hit the country already in the midst of an economic meltdown and political turmoil. And now the country
must choose its third Prime Minister in less than a year. Days of angry protests triggered the government's collapse with Hassan Diab and his
cabinet all resigning yesterday. Protesters say the government had to go over last week's massive blast. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HASSAN DIAB, LEBANESE PRIME MINISTER: This devastating catastrophe that hit Lebanese in the heart which was the result of chronic corruption in the
country and the regime. Previously I said the corrupt establishment hit all parts of the country. However, I discovered that the corruption
organization is bigger than the state, and the state is controlled by this and it cannot face it or get rid of it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GORANI: Well, our Sam Kiley is in the middle of Beirut watching the protests and hearing from activists who say it is time for Lebanon's
dynastic politics to be swept away.
SAM KILEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: If you're in the Lebanese opposition, this is democracy in action. 30 or 40 yards down the
street it's barricaded there is the - to call it end for the Lebanese parliament. The demonstrators are absolutely dead set, they've told me, on
getting into more and more government buildings to try and demonstrate that the government itself is really a - hopeless, it is a sort of joke.
[11:35:00]
KILEY: As the cleanup continues after thousands of tons of fertilizer is believed to have blown up and destroyed parts of Beirut. Activists are
adamant that Lebanon's sectarian system, its dynastic politics, corruption and negligence led to the blast.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SAMIRA EL AZAR, PROTESTER: When we go to the parliament, when we go to their houses, we go to each place to get them down; they will go to a place
they will not be able to get to by the streets, ever. They killed people is a big thing to us.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KILEY: Lebanon's government has been dissolved, but the parliament with 128 seats which is shared among Christians, Sunnis, Druze, and Shia remains,
and there were no prospects yet of elections. But Walid Jumlatt the Druze leader who inherited his role from his father and has arguably benefited
from the existing system is pessimistic that even early elections would bring change.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WALID JUMBLATT, LEBANESE DRUZE LEADER: When I see the protesters, the revolutionary, when I saw them and I see them yesterday, and they want to
change Lebanon. They want the new Lebanon but the obstacles to change a new Lebanon are in the specific point. Aligns of minorities and electoral load
because you cannot change Lebanon through let's say - it's impossible.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KILEY: Close to the epicenter of Tuesday's blast, the Kataeb party's headquarters is in ruins. It's a largely Christian Maronite Party. Its
Secretary General was killed in the explosion, his bloody handprint still visible. The grandson of the party's founder and son of a former President,
nephew of another President who was murdered, Samy Gemayel supports the street protests.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SAMY GEMAYEL, LEBANESE MP: We are all from families that were part of the old Lebanon. This is how the new generation didn't come from nowhere, and
it's our duty to do our own revolution, each one in his society and the place where he is.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KILEY: But in Martyr's Square, protestors now include former Lebanese Commander Leader, Colonel Georges Nader. He wants to see the old guards
sweat to way entirely.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COLONEL GEORGES NADER, FORMER LEBANESE COMMANDO LEADER: Change is coming and I recommend daily peacefully or we will go to their homes and do it by
force.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KILEY: That night it was the protesters who were eventually swept away but not for long. They have plans to harness public anger over the Beirut blast
to a more powerful revolutionary rage.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GORANI: A Former Soviet Republic erupts with more protests, says the opposition presidential candidate, who said the vote was rigged, flees the
country. For the Belarusian President, Alexander Lukashenko, it is a day of congratulations from the leaders of Russia and China. He has been described
for a long time, because he's been in power for a very long time as Europe's last dictator.
Now he claims he won re-election by a landslide, but the opposition candidate who wants a recount says she had to flee with Lithuania for the
sake of her kids. I want to bring in Fred Pleitgen who is tracking this story from Berlin.
Berlin and Germany also saying the whole process was undemocratic, right? Talk to us about the leader of the opposition there who went silent for a
little bit, people were worried about her yesterday, and then she kind of came out and said, I have to leave the country.
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, you're absolutely right, Hala. It was certainly a time last night when all of a
sudden Svetlana did go silent. And it was unclear where she was.
At that point in time, she had been at the election commission the central election commission in Belarus have been in there for a very long time,
apparently. And then came out and simply told some of our associates, look, I've made up my mind and then all of a sudden disappeared.
And that only this morning, but then actually the Foreign Minister of Lithuania came out and tweeted and said that actually she had already fled
the country and had come to Lithuania and was there safe with her children.
That was a little later in the day that she then sent out a video message where she was clearly in distress, which was a little bit cryptic, where
she said that the children are the most important thing, and said that she had made a very, very difficult decision.
And so, now where associates are saying she was forced to flee the country, the Lithuanians are saying that she was interrogated for some seven hours
and was then made to flee the country. So certainly this is something that's causing even more anger as you can imagine in capitals around
Europe.
The Germans are now pondering possible new EU sanctions against Belarus, all of this of course Hala coming as the situation in Belarus remains
extremely tense. And as you have these riots that have been going on for the past two days, that continue to not abate, but it seem to be escalating
if anything at all. Last night for the first time, one person died during those riots.
[11:40:00]
PLEITGEN: A lot of people once again were arrested. There was tear gas that was being used, there were stun grenades that was being used. And for the
first time also the protesters there attempted to erect barricades to sort of try to barricade themselves in.
Those were quickly torn down by the authorities, but you certainly get the impression, Hala, that this is not showing any signs of dying down. The
opposition also today has called for a general strike, an indefinite one. They, of course, want talks with Alexander Lukashenka and they continue to
say that they are the ones who won this election and they feel election itself was fraudulent, Hala.
GORANI: All right. Thank you, Fred Pleitgen. Coming up, masks are just not sexy. That's where how one club owner in Central Bay feels about a new mask
mandate on the beach. We'll talk to the Deputy Mayor of Central Bay on the decision to mandate masks out in public. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GORANI: Well, it is summertime in Europe, the time to go on holiday, the time to spend some time at the beach. This video was taken last month in
the South of France. It was crowded with people basking in the sun and enjoying the promenade, but now you might see a very different picture on
French beaches.
Masks have now become mandatory in parts of France that have been hardest hit by the Coronavirus, including some beach resorts. France has seen a
sharp uptick in cases over the last few days. More than 9,000 cases were recorded in France in the last week.
There is even speculation that Britain, the UK, might remove France from its list of quarantine-free countries, re-imposing mandatory 14-day
isolation for people coming into the UK from France.
Joining me now is the Deputy Mayor of Saint-Tropez, Georges Giraud. Thank you for being with us. So, are you now mandating, requiring that beachgoers
in Saint-Tropez wear masks out in public everywhere? How is it going to work?
GEORGES GIRAUD, SAINT-TROPEZ DEPUTY MAYOR: Well, Hala, it's my pleasure to be with you. Actually the obligation is to wear a mask in the city. The
prefect of our department - gave the obligation to wear a mask outside in an area in the centre of the city of Saint-Tropez, okay, not on the beach.
And this decree was a real relief for people, because bar and restaurant owners could give the obligation to their clients to wear a mask and
respect social distancing and all protective measures. And the local people and tourists appreciate, they really appreciate being - well, in security
being safe.
[11:45:00]
GIRUAD: It was appreciated from tourists and local people, I think.
GORANI: So are people all following the rules, or are you having to stop people and tell them to put their mask on? Because when you're in Saint-
Tropez, which is a fantastic vacation spot, it's hot, the sun is out, you're wearing shorts, you're in your bathing suit top, whatever, kind of
the last thing you want to do is have a big mask on your face. Are people following the rules?
GIRAUD: Actually, for the first two days last weekend, the police had the mission to explain and ask people to wear a mask, and it was okay. People
really did what they were asked to do. Now the police are supposed to give fines to those who do not respect the rules, but I don't think they had the
opportunity to give fines because people do what they are asked to do, again. There is no problem at all in this.
GORANI: Okay. I'm sure you've seen this photo. It was in the "Washington Post" a few days ago. It was from Nicky Beach, which is one of the very
kind of like trendy beaches in Saint-Tropez, where there is no social distancing, people are splashing in the pool, and everybody is having - and
spraying champagne. When you see pictures like this from July 21st, is it a surprise that the number of cases of COVID have spiked in your part of
France?
GIRAUD: You said July 21st. This is a very long time ago. Because as you know, the situation is evolving day after day, and today, August 11th, the
situation is completely different. Some beaches have some clusters, so they decided to close and start their activity to be tested.
And I think that the population where they got aware of the situation. And as I said, the order of the perfect to wear a mask was a relief for bar and
restaurant owners and they could oblige some people to wear masks.
GORANI: No, no, I understand your point, but the reason July 21st is relevant here is because COVID is lagging. I mean, you catch it and it
shows up several weeks later, so it's not that the situation is the same, it's that the infections perhaps are seen after a few weeks.
But, you know, Club 55, the other kind of super trendy beach, the owner said, this is not a sexy look. It's not a sexy look. It's the antitheses of
all that Saint-Tropez represents. I mean, he has a point, right? So how do you expect people to be excited about coming to Saint-Tropez, while having
to wear this mask?
GIRAUD: You know, those beaches that you mentioned are not on the territory of Saint-Tropez, but on the territory of another commune --. So - our
police is not on duty on that territory. But when you see that wearing a mask is not very sexy, I completely agree with you.
But I think that the stress is to be put on young people so that they can understand that contagion can be a spread through them, through young
people. And I think that they are starting to get aware of that.
GORANI: How much has this hurt business for your city? I mean, the COVID pandemic, the fact that you don't have any Americans, you don't have any -
a very few Russians, big spending tourists in a place like Saint-Tropez. What kind of hit have you taken financially?
GIRAUD: That's exact. As you mentioned, we have no Americans, very few Russians, et cetera, et cetera. But we have many Europeans and French.
French people and European people have decided to make their holidays in a different way. Instead of going the real far away in the work, they decided
to go to France.
And, well, actually, presently, the City of Saint-Tropez is full up, but the clients are not the same. Less Russians, less Americans who have a
better income and will spend more money, we have to say. At the moment, we are counting, starting to count how much this would cost for the public
expenses for our city.
[11:50:00]
GORANI: Got it. Got it. All right, George Giraud, thank you very much, the Deputy Mayor of Saint-Tropez. Thank you for joining.
GIRAUD: You're welcome.
GORANI: He won Gulf's first Major of the year and almost dropped the trophy. We caught up with the PGA Champion.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COLLIN MORIKAWA, WON PGA CHAMPIONSHIP IN FIRST APPEARANCE: There is probably a lot of memes and a lot of jokes and it will never get past me
that I dropped part of the trophy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GORANI: Well, Don Riddell is at the CNN Centre with more on sport, and I understand the bubble format is here to stay.
DON RIDDELL, CNN WORLD SPORT ANCHOR: I would say so, Hala, at least for sports that want to be able to play their games on time. The NBA, we've
discussed on this show, seems to have mastered the bubble concept at Disney World in Florida.
The UFC President Dana White says it's the only way to get it done. European football's governing body UEFA has decided to finish out their
Champions League season in 1:30 in Lisbon in Portugal while, the Europa League is played out across select cities in Germany.
And all of the players were expected to abide by strict lockdown regulations. Manchester United are hoping to end the strong 2020 with a
trophy. They qualified for the Champion's League on the final day of the Premier League season.
Now they're two wins away from winning the Europa League. It was an anxious night on Monday though their quarter final game against Copenhagen went
into extra time but at Bruno Fernandes penalty proved to be the difference. Since arriving in February, he has helped transform the team and he
continues to have a massive impact on their fortune.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OLE GUNNAR SOLSKJAER, MANCHESTER UNITED MANAGER: I don't know how many shots we had in total mostly close to 30 half of them probably on target on
the key period, probably the game of his life. It was really good.
Then again, I could say we need to be more clinical in knockout games. But delighted that we're through another semi-final for this team, and now the
next challenge is to go one step further or hopefully win the last one as well.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
RIDDELL: Mutual fans are hoping for a final between Manchester United and Inter Milan and that possibility is still in the cards after inter knockout
by Leverkusen. The Italians made a good start, taking the lead in the 15the minute when Nicolo Barella put the ball into the far corner.
The former Man U striker, Romelu Lukaku was involved in that goal, and he then gave into a 2-1 lead to six minutes later. Thanks to another ex-Man U
player. He was actually young who made that goal. Lukaku now has scored in his last nine Europa League games that is a record, two ones for here. This
will be enters for a semi-final appearance in any European competition, since winning the trouble in 2010.
The other two quarter final matches will be played in the coming hours Woves against Sevilla should be fun. The Spanish team loves this
competition they've won it five times since 2006. The other semi-final plays will go to either Shakhtar Donestsk or Basel.
Now for many college graduates these days, finding a first job can be rather challenging. But just 15 months after leaving university, the
American golfer Collin Morikawa is already on top of the world. He's won three times in the PGA tour, including a major tournament, the PGA
Championship on Sunday. I caught up with Collin the next day and he admitted the whole thing had been kind of a whirlwind.
[11:55:00]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MORIKAWA: I haven't had much sleep or haven't eaten a lot of food. We're just running a lot of adrenaline right now. I got little taste of what it's
like, to win a major championship to what those other players have won before, and I definitely want it again.
It's crazy to think back a year ago that I would just some guy walking along the Berkeley College campus just like any other student athlete out
there. There wasn't really much that separated me other than, you know, I was pretty good at golf. I still hope to fly under the radar as Collin
Morikawa as much as I can. I don't think I'm at that point yet where people are just going to start recognizing me.
RIDDELL: How long would you have set yourself to get to this stage in your career when you left college?
MORIKAWA: Whether it's been golf or life, whatever it is, I always try and take it as much and just try and learn. I don't think you can teach
competitiveness. I love to compete at everything we do. You and me can have a coin flipping contest and I'm going to try and beat you no matter what
even though it's all luck.
RIDDELL: What did your mom and dad say once you had some privacy after the --?
MORIKAWA: It was crazy, because on Friday, my mom never told me this, but they had a balloon fly up from someone else's yard into their trees in our
house, and it was just number one. It was a one balloon just floating in the trees and it never popped.
It stayed there, they left it there. And that's pretty special. And I think that balloon meant something. They might have known that from the start of
the week.
RIDDELL: What was going through your mind when you lifted the trophy and the lid started slipping?
MORIKAWA: There is probably a lot of memes and a lot of jokes and it will never get past me that I dropped part of the trophy, or the lid, at least,
in my first major championship. But it's going to be something I remember forever. You know, it just all added to just a little more laughs and a
little more smile for the week for everyone to talk about.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
RIDDELL: Terrific champion, very well played. Nice guy, too, and it seems there he's keeping his feet firmly on the ground. Hala, back to you.
GORANI: All right, thanks, Don. We'll see you soon. More news is next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
