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Non-Committal Coney Barrett Completes Day One; Trump's Pennsylvania Rally: Unmasked And Up Close; COVID Continues Its U.S. Resurge; Vaccine Delays Highlight Reality; Liverpool, England & U.K.'S Toughest Restrictions; China Mass Tests After Small Cluster; Cristiano Ronaldo Tests Positive for COVID-19; IMF Warns of Long, Slow Economic Recovery; Apple Unveils Four Versions of the iPhone 12; Chilling Details Emerge about Alleged U.S. Terror Plot; Israel Attempts to Clean Its Rivers During Lockdown. Aired 1-2a ET
Aired October 14, 2020 - 01:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[01:00:00]
JOHN VAUSE, CNN ANCHOR: During her confirmation hearing, the nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court, Amy Coney Barrett, seemed to be a woman with no past, no opinions. A blank slate.
Even though she's likely to the most conservative of all nine judges.
A new surge of the coronavirus in the U.S. brings new warnings that hospitals could soon be overwhelmed and the daily death toll could spike into the thousands. Just like every credible health expert predicted months ago.
And an alleged domestic terrorist plot apparently targeted not one but two governors, both from states singled out by Donald Trump.
Donald Trump now has just 20 days to try and win back supporters who've deserted him in troves and turn around a faltering campaign for a second term.
And the plan seems to be more of the same. More bravado, more lies, more willful defiance of his own administration's guidelines to slow the spread of coronavirus.
CNN's Jeremy Diamond traveled to the president's latest super spreader rally in the battleground state of Pennsylvania.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: President Trump began the day on Tuesday attacking Dr. Anthony Fauci who's been talking about the very same rallies that President Trump hosted on Tuesday night, saying they are a concern.
Particularly because of the lack of any social distancing, there are very few masks being worn here. But the president carrying forward with this.
He plans to hold a rally every day or perhaps multiple rallies a day in the three weeks between now and election day.
The president on Tuesday in Johnstown, Pennsylvania spending much of his time attacking former vice president Joe Biden on issues like trade.
And also, of course, on the energy issues that are important here in Pennsylvania like fracking.
But the president making false claims about Biden's record. Claiming that he wants to ban fracking, that's not true. Biden only wants to stop the issuance of new permits for fracking on public lands but not ban fracking that's happening now.
And the president also making a play for an important demographic here in the state of Pennsylvania. And that is suburban women.
Listen to how the president approached that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I ask you to do me a favor. Suburban women, will you please like me? Please, please.
I saved your damn neighborhood. OK.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DIAMOND: Now what the president's referring to there is an Obama era regulation that sought to desegregate the suburbs. That is the Fair Housing regulation that President Trump has abolished and that he's now touting in his pitch to suburban women.
But what the president does seem to at least recognize here is that he is struggling with that key demographic which is so important to this must-win state of Pennsylvania.
But the problem is that the main issue on voters' minds, including those suburban women that the president is targeting is the coronavirus pandemic. And we know that cases in the United States are rising right now.
Despite what President Trump said Tuesday night about this virus disappearing, cases are rising in 33 states in the United States.
Jeremy Diamond. Johnstown, Pennsylvania.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: The Biden campaign appears to be wheeling out the big guns in the final days before the election with Barack Obama campaigning for his former VP this week.
Joe Biden spent Tuesday on Florida making a pitch to seniors.
Not since Al Gore ran for president 20 years has a Democratic nominee held a strong lead among voters 65 years and older and it seems this key conservative bloc is turning against Trump.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOE BIDEN, FMR. VICE PRESIDENT AND DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: It's become painfully clear as his careless, arrogant, reckless COVID response has caused one of the worst tragedies in American history.
The only senior that Donald Trump cares about, the only senior, is the senior Donald Trump.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: And the fight over Donald Trump's supreme court choice resumes Wednesday in the senate judiciary committee.
Amy Coney Barrett stonewalled questions on a range of key issues including health, care, abortion and gay rights.
Her confirmation is all but guaranteed and would cement a conservative majority on the court. Barrett insists, though, she will chart her own course.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R-S.C.), HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE CHAIR: People say that you're a female Scalia, what would you say?
AMY CONEY BARRETT, U.S. SUPREME COURT NOMINEE: I would say that Justice Scalia was obviously a mentor. And, as I said when I accepted the president's nomination, that his philosophy is mine too.
But I want to be careful to say that if I'm confirmed you would not be getting Justice Scalia, you would be getting Justice Barrett.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: Susan Hennessey is a CNN national security and legal analyst as well as executive editor of the "Lawfare" blog. She is with us this hour from Washington.
Susan, thank you for being with us.
What was interesting today, this game that Supreme Court nominees play with senators refusing to give definitive answers.
Like in this case where Barrett stands on the legality of the Affordable Care Act or Obamacare. And this is an issue which will come before the supreme court a week after the election.
And this is what she had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
[01:05:00]
BARRETT: I think that your concern is that because I critiqued the statutory reasoning that I'm hostile to the ACA. And that because I'm hostile to the ACA that I would decide a case a particular way.
And I assure that I am not. I am not hostile to the ACA.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: That that may be disappointing to one President Donald J. Trump who promised back in 2015 --
"If I win the presidency, my judicial appointments will do the right thing unlike Bush's appointee, John Roberts on Obamacare."
That's a reference to Chief Justice Roberts who sided with the four liberal justices in a ruling which actually Obamacare.
Is the reality here that the Democrats can't stop Barrett's confirmation but they can certainly hammer home what the political and real world consequences will be?
SUSAN HENNESSEY, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY & LEGAL ANALYST: Yes. So what we're seeing play out is the customary dance that surrounds these nominations all the time by which the nominee sort of pretends to not have any opinion whatsoever on cases that might come before the court.
Despite the fact that everybody in the room, the nominee included, everybody watching on television, knows full well the nominee has been selected precisely for those views on these various issues.
And so to hear Judge Barrett sort of suggest that well, she offered this very, very detailed statutory critique of why John Roberts was wrong on the ACA but there's no way to know how she might rule whenever this case comes up again.
Again, not unusual. Certainly it's consistent (ph) with how prior nominees have sort of acted.
That said, I think a little bit of a farce and pretty clear that she was in fact selected for that very purpose.
One thing that was surprising was the extent to which she was really, really reticent to even say relatively obvious things like whenever she was asked whether or not a president could unilaterally delay an election, sort of declining to answer that question.
That's a no-brainer. That's a really, really easy question to answer. And so Barrett really, really was taking things to the extreme in kind of declining to say anything substantive whatsoever.
VAUSE: Yes. She wouldn't even say voter intimidation was illegal. She sort of punted on that one as well.
There did, however, appear to be one crack in all of that stonewalling. It came over the issue of abortion and the supreme court ruling in Roe versus Wade which legalized abortion.
And whether or that was a super-precedent, a case so well settled that it was untouchable. Here she is, listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARRETT: The way that it's used in the scholarship and the way that I was using it in the article that you're reading from was to define cases that are so well settled that no political actors and no people seriously push for their overruling.
And I'm answering a lot of questions about Roe which I think indicates that Roe doesn't fall in that category.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: And when you look at her background, it's hardly surprising that this is where she stands.
Her record on opposing abortion; she delivered a lectures to the "Right to Life" club at the University of Notre Dame where she was teaching. She joined an anti-abortion rights faculty group there. Signed her name to a letter in a local newspaper criticizing what they called Roe's "barbaric legacy."
Many groups opposed to abortion rights have cheered her nomination, religious conservatives are thrilled, they believe this will be the end of legalized abortion in this country or at least limitations to it.
Why the cat and mouse game on this one? And why -- you said this is what they all do but in this case, she's through, she's confirmed. Why not just be honest?
HENNESSEY: Well she hasn't yet been confirmed, right? So she is still in the nomination process, and I do think it's part of this sort of tradition.
That said, it's not just clear that Judge Barrett is hostile to reproductive rights and abortion in her personal and private views but also into her jurisprudence.
She's been quite clear -- sort of her legal views on the topic.
That said, there's a little bit of sort of a game played with Roe V. Wade sort of in particular and this question of whether or not Barrett or the other justices might overturn Roe directly.
Really, the question here is about a series of cases and not necessarily whether or not the supreme court is going to overturn Roe and sort of get rid of abortion in one fell swoop. Or instead sort of take an approach of the death by 1,000 cuts.
And essentially interpret cases to be so restrictive of reproductive rights, of abortion rights, that essentially the right is functionally meaningless and independent (ph) on the state in which an individual actually lives. And so sort of this academic discussion based on the question of how strong the specific precedent is ultimately it is distractionary. Because, again, everybody in that room, everybody watching is well aware of where Judge Barrett and where Justice Barrett would ultimately rule on the question.
VAUSE: Very quickly. We had a letter from her former faculty members of Notre Dame. Almost 90 of them wrote an open letter calling for Amy Coney Barrett to essentially step down from all of this.
Saying that is the only way this can be resolved and end a the divisions within the country.
That's not going to happen though, is it?
HENNESSEY: I think there's no question that that's going to happen. But what that letter is getting to the incredibly unprecedented nature of this confirmation.
[01:10:00]
A vote that might come up as quickly -- sort of less than a week prior to a presidential election really in a circumstance in which it raises basic questions about the fundamental legitimacy of the court.
And if Judge Barrett was in fact confirmed, the legitimacy and public confidence in the court moving forward.
And these are members of her fellow faculty saying look, this is incumbent upon you to sort of be the adult in the room, put country over personal ambition.
Wait, just wait two weeks until we see who wins the U.S. election, who is elected president so that person can ultimately fill this seat.
That said, I think it's very, very unlikely Judge Barrett will answer that call.
VAUSE: Thanks so much for being with us. We appreciate it. And yes, you're right. It seems incredibly an unlikely outcome here.
HENNESSEY: Thanks for having me.
VAUSE: The number of coronavirus cases is climbing at alarming rates worldwide with Johns Hopkins University reporting 38 million people have now been infected.
Among them an 89-year old woman in the Netherlands, the first known person to die after catching the virus twice. Raising concerns and questions about immunity and antibodies.
And with the second wave which health experts have long warned about now here in the U.S., it seems a viable and safe vaccine is taking a lot longer to develop than many politicians had promised.
More details from CNN's Brian Todd. BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Another medical research setback. A therapy to help people with coronavirus put on hold.
A trial for an antibody treatment that Eli Lilly is developing, similar to what Donald Trump took when he had coronavirus is paused, due to a potential safety concern.
It comes a day after Johnson & Johnson said it paused the advanced clinical trial of its experimental vaccine because one of its volunteers suffered an illness. The company didn't say what the illness was.
This is the second phase three vaccine trial to be paused in the U.S. following AstraZeneca's pause last month.
Is the vaccine timetable in jeopardy?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. PAUL OFFIT, DIRECTOR VACCINE EDUCATION CENTER, CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OF PHILADELPHIA: I think it is likely that we will have a vaccine or vaccines by early next year. I think that these clinical pauses do slow things down somewhat but I think in the long run we will see these as a bump in the road.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TODD: But the number of states with increases in new cases keeps going up. Thirty-three states, as of Tuesday, trending upward. With the country averaging nearly 50,000 new cases a day.
Dr. Anthony Fauci said he's particularly worried about the central U.S.'s upticks in positivity rates.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. ANTHONY FAUCI, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES: Which is often and, in fact, invariably highly predictive of a resurgence in cases. Which historically we know leads to an increase in hospitalizations and then ultimately an increase in deaths.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TODD: In Nashville, Tennessee, officials are investigating this religious concert on Sunday. Hundreds of people crowding together, many not wearing masks.
Another potential super spreader that experts are now worried about? President Trump's crowded rally in Florida on Monday.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CROWD & MUSIC
(END VIDEO CLIP) (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. SEEMA YASMIN, CNN MEDICAL ANALYST: The problem is that while there are people who are being really responsible and careful when it comes to COVID-19, there are other people who are very cavalier, who are letting their guard down. And that puts everybody at risk.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TODD: Walmart isn't taking that chance. Temporarily closing one of its stores in El Paso County, Colorado where there's been a new spike in cases.
Meantime, the news on young people and school reopenings is mixed. A new report from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children's Hospital Association reports a 13 percent increase in child cases of coronavirus between September 24th and October 8th.
But in New York City where all eyes are on the nation's largest school district reopening for in-person learning, the mayor says only one person tested positive out of more than 1,700 that went through a recent round of testing.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAYOR BILL DE BLASIO, N.Y.: We've started our monthly sampling in every one of our schools. And this has just begun, it's going to grow.
But we're seeing very encouraging results and results that are consistent with what we've seen with the detailed testing efforts outside of schools.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TODD: And the mayor does report some other positive news outside of New York City schools. He said in those neighborhoods of Brooklyn and Queens where they saw those very worrisome clusters of coronavirus spikes recently, they're starting to see those areas level off in new cases.
The mayor saying the restrictions they put in place starting to possibly turn the tide in those areas.
Brian Todd. CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: Dr. Ravina Kullar is an epidemiologist and expert on infectious diseases. And she's with us this hour from Los Angeles.
Doctor, thank you for taking the time.
I don't if you saw it but a few hours ago on "FOX NEWS," former CNN and former MSNBC anchor Tucker Carlson seemed almost unhinged during an anti-mask tirade claiming the public has been lied to, masks actually increase the chances of spreading the coronavirus. Here's part of it.
[01:15:00]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TUCKER CARLSON, "FOX NEWS" HOST: Dissent used to be a defining feature of American life but no more. Now we have mandatory consensus.
Masks are good. Anyone who questions the utter goodness of masks is bad. What they're really telling you is that masks are magic.
What appears to be a flimsy cotton face covering is, in fact, a holy amulet that protects us from the disease more reliably than any modern medicine.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: And so it goes on. Carlson cites this CDC study which he claims found that almost
everyone who caught the coronavirus wore a mask either all or some of the time.
The problem is the study does not make that conclusion at all. It was picked up, misquoted on social media. Facebook flagged it as misinformation. The actual findings are quite the opposite. But beyond the poor and totally irresponsible journalism by Carlson,
just how dangerous is that sort of rant? At this point in time.
RAVINA KULLAR, SPOKESWOMAN, INFECTIOUS DISEASES SOCIETY OF AMERICA: Well, first of all, I want to thank you, John, for having me on.
And that is a very dangerous statement to be made because we are in the midst of this pandemic. We have over 38 million cases worldwide, about over one million people have died worldwide.
Here in the U.S. alone, over 220,000 people have died.
We know for a fact that masks do work, we know for a fact that physical distancing works.
We know for a fact that avoiding mass gatherings whether it's apeaceful protest, where it's a political rally, whether it's a college football game, all of those they work.
So this is very concerning that this late in the game when we are knee deep in this pandemic that there are points being made against a masks. Which are our only infection prevention measure we have. As well as those other measures which I pointed out as well.
VAUSE: President Trump was again out on the trail. He was telling his supporters life is great after COVID, something that more than 220,000 Americans are unable to say.
He claims to have immunity. And that came with a warning from Dr. Fauci. Here he is. Listen to this. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FAUCI: He has an immune response in him that very likely would protect him from being reinfected.
But we've got to be careful about that. Because we're starting to see a number of cases that are being reported of people who get reinfected, well-documented cases of people who were infected. After a relatively brief period of time measured anywhere from weeks to several months, come back, get exposed and get infected again.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: And those words seem to take extra meaning now that we know of this first case of someone dying from catching COVID-19 twice. And really, there were underlying health issues with this woman, she was a cancer patient.
But clearly they say that COVID-19, a second time, was the cause of death.
KULLAR: Yes. I think Dr. Fauci brings back a great point. That reinfection can happen.
But I want to take a step back and state that there have been 38 million cases worldwide. And to date, there have only been 22 reinfection cases.
So I think something to keep in mind is that we still don't know this whole picture of immunity; how long is someone immune for, is it -- from our studies, we've seen potentially three months.
So President Trump stating that he is completely immune, I think that's too early of a statement to be made.
We're still figuring out what immunity looks like, who develops immunity, who are those individuals that do get reinfected, what are some risk factors that they have? That story still has to be delved further into.
VAUSE: I want to talk very briefly talk about a vaccine. Because Johnson & Johnson's trial remain on hold after a volunteer became ill.
Listen to the company's CFO with more details. Here he is.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOE WOLK, CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER, JOHNSON & JOHNSON: We don't know even at this point whether that individual was in the placebo arm or the vaccinated arm.
And we just have to do a little bit more diligence through the independent external panel before we can make any conclusive decisions going forward.
But again, in speaking with our scientific team especially for a study that's this large, 60,000 patients, to have an adverse event or two unexpectedly is not uncommon.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: And that's the point here. Because this is sort of how vaccines are trialed. And this is why making those sort of statements, that a vaccine can be ready within weeks or days or months, whatever, just seems to be kind of pointless.
And in a way counterproductive because it undermines the credibility of the process, doesn't it?
KULLAR: That's correct, John. These randomized control trials, these clinical trials that are being conducted and these vaccines are looking at the efficacy and the safety.
So it's not uncommon for there to be these trials halted because there's some unknown illness that comes about in these patients.
[01:20:00]
Keep in mind, these are healthy volunteers that walk-in and they may develop an unforeseen illness whether that's related to the vaccine or not. Either way these vaccines trials are going to be halted, they're going to be investigated and they're going to be restarted.
So it does beg the question that will these clinical trials be done in one year or two years or will it take longer?
The fastest I've seen a clinical trial being done is the mumps vaccine, that got done in about four years. It typically takes about 10 years for these clinical trials to be completed.
But I'm very hopeful that -- these are Operation Warp Speed clinical trials being down in this pandemic and these trials are being halted because safety is key.
VAUSE: Yes. And that's the point, isn't it? That it's about the protocols and the safety measures which are in place. And that's why they're being stopped at the moment, right?
KULLAR: That's correct. Solely because of safety to reevaluate and reassess those patients and to determine whether it is safe to continue the clinical trials.
VAUSE: OK. Dr. Ravina, thank you so much -- Ravina Kullar, I should say. Thank you so much for being with us. Appreciate it.
KULLAR: Thank you, John.
VAUSE: Still ahead on CNN NEWSROOM. Harsh new restrictions on the city of Liverpool. The only part of England on very high alert is now warning of economic ruin.
Also, two days, seven million tests, four million results. Not one positive case.
The latest on how China is dealing with a small outbreak in just one city.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VAUSE: Nowhere in England are there more coronavirus cases right now than Liverpool. The northern city is now under the country's toughest restrictions which many believe were totally avoidable.
CNN's Selma Abdelaziz reports from Liverpool.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SELMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN REPORTER: Last call in Liverpool.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CROWD: (Laughter)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ABDELAZIZ: Pubs must shut their doors for at least a month.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Why hasn't London shut down?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ABDELAZIZ: Tougher restrictions were ordered after a surge in COVID- 19 cases.
CROWD: Hey, hey, hey --
ABDELAZIZ: But there is no socially distant farewell here.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CROWD: -- hey, hey, hey, hey. Hoo, ha.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ABDELAZIZ: The proud port city, birthplace of the Beatles, home to a championship football team is the first to be classified as very high risk. Under England's new three-tier COVID alert system.
The government says the decision was driven by the data. The city has the highest number of coronavirus patients in the entire country.
Local city councilman, Paul Brant, agrees the rapid rise in infections is a problem. But his consensus with London ends there.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PAUL BRANT, COUNCILMAN, PUBLIC HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE, LIVERPOOL CITY COUNCIL: A rather toxic mix of arrogance and ignorance at central government level has led us to the sorry state that we're in now.
[01:25:00]
I think that the evidence is clear now that a short sharp intervention three, four weeks ago would have avoided the mess that we're in now.
ABDELAZIZ: The country's top scientists agree. Three weeks ago, government advisory body suggested a circuit breaker. A short but complete lockdown to reduce case numbers.
Their advice went unheeded by Downing Street.
After months of controversy over the government's handling of coronavirus, many people here say they're running out of patience and they're running low on trust.
There's always been tensions between the north of the country and the central government in London but amidst the pandemic the mistrust is growing.
For now, the city's iconic Beatles tours are still running. But tour guide, Jay Johnson, says the country's ruling elite is failing its working class.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAY JOHNSON, BEATLES MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR: Because I've no faith in them at all. They keep changing their minds, constant U-turns, one after another.
I personally feel that the government isn't doing enough for us, the prime minister is not doing enough for us. The prime minister has never done enough for us.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ABDELAZIZ: And while public confidence dwindles by the day, the government is calling for immediate compliance to avoid a second wave of the pandemic that may be even deadlier than the first.
Selma Abdelaziz. CNN, Liverpool.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: In just two days, more than seven and-a-half million people in Qingdao, China have ben tested for COVID.
Already more than four million test results are in. So far not one new positive case.
Kristie Lu Stout following all of this for us from Hong Kong. She joins us now live.
And those numbers are great, they're impressive. But how reliable are they?
KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Reliability is the key question here when you're dealing with testing at such a scale. And the scale is just extraordinary.
Qingdao in just a matter of days, it has tested over seven and-a-half million people, over four million results have been returned. And so far, there have been no additional positive cases of COVID-19.
Of course, it was over the weekend when those 12 new cases were detected. And that's what prompted this mass testing blitz in this northeastern Chinese city of nine million.
And this, has happened before. When during the pandemic in China small clusters were detected in places like Beijing, Dalian, Xinjiang or Wuhan, that prompted a mass rapid testing operation.
Some people have said that this has proven to be very helpful in China's battles against the pandemic as it helps to bring down the overall infection rate.
But how did they do it at such a scale? Well, they do something called pool testing.
It involves hundreds of testing centers like you'd see on your screen right now -- thousands of staffers.
What the testers do is they take a pool of about three to 10 samples and test them at once. If it turns out negative, they move on to the next batch.
If it's positive, that's when they carry out individual tests to find out who inside the pool has tested positive for COVID-19.
Experts who I've been talking to this morning say that it's fast, it's precise but it may not give the full picture.
Listen to this from a top virologist based here at Hong Kong University.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. JIN DONG-YAN, PROFESSOR OF VIROLOGY, HONG KONG UNIVERSITY: I think that mass testing at this scale is actually a waste of resources. And it might not be helpful in many different contexts.
Because positive patients are actually being picked up over a range of time, it's not just a snapshot. So this is just a snapshot.
So it definitely -- it will miss a lot of positive individuals.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STOUT: Dr. Jinn Dong-Yan of Hong Kong University School of Medicine saying that the kind of mass testing operation happening this week over only five days in Qingdao may not be enough, it offers only a snapshot.
When on the back of certain super spreading events, you need at least one week, seven days, to be able to find additional positive cases. John.
VAUSE: Kristie, thank you for the update. Kristie Lu Stout there live in Hong Kong.
Well, one of the world's most famous athletes has tested positive for COVID-19. So what's the prognosis for Cristiano Rinaldo? That's after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[01:31:48]
JOHN VAUSE, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back, everybody. You're watching CNN NEWSROOM.
I'm John Vause with the headlines this hour.
Donald Trump's nominee for the U.S. Supreme Court is refusing to say how she would rule on some very key issues. Amy Coney Barrett brushed aside questions about health care, abortion, gay rights. She'll be back on Capitol Hill for day three of her confirmation hearing on Wednesday.
President Trump is calling suburban women voters in the battleground state of Pennsylvania. He claims he's saved the suburbs and protected law and order, a bad sign for the president. He's spending the last few weeks before the election campaigning in the state he won four years ago.
Another coronavirus drug trial is on hold. Eli Lilly says it's pausing its trial of a COVID antibody treatment for safety reasons. The company did not provide further details. And it comes just a day after Johnson & Johnson suspended phase 3 of its vaccine trial after a volunteer became ill.
Cristiano Ronaldo, one of the biggest names in soccer or football is among one of 38 million people worldwide who tested positive for COVID-19. Team officials say Ronaldo is in isolation and he's doing well.
CNN Sport's Patrick Snell is following the story. Patrick, good to see you. It's been way too long. Now we've got you here, just tell us all about, you know, what is going on with Ronaldo, how does this play out? And obviously, this is, you know, proof that no matter how big you are. No matter how big the star, you're all, you know, vulnerable to COVID-19.
PATRICK SNELL, CNN SPORTS HOST: John you're quite right. To Cristiano Ronaldo, a huge global footballing megastar, no question about this. Let's kind of retrace our steps because according to a statement on Tuesday form the Portuguese Football Federation, the 35-year-old Ronaldo, he was training with his fellow countryman last weekend, said to be doing well though John, without symptoms and in isolation.
Now the Juventus star will now miss his country's UEFA Nations League pick. They are slated for later on this day Wednesday against Sweden. As well as you'd imagine possibly upcoming matches for his club's side, the Bianconeri (ph). Now after Ronald's positive test, the federation also saying that every player subsequently returned a negative test on Tuesday morning.
Earlier in the week as well, just to reset for our viewers, worldwide, Ronaldo having posted a photo onto social media of himself, there's the image there, sharing a meal with his Portugal teammates there.
Now the former Man United and Real Madrid star just for a more global perspective here, John, -- recently becoming the first European player ever to score 100 goals for his country. His club's side Juventus, they're due to take on Barcelona who are led by fellow icon Lionel Messi. That's later on this month in the UEFA Champions League.
I do want to get to though the reaction from Portugal's head coach on how Tuesday's events all unfolded. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FERNANDO SANTOS, PORTUGAL MANAGER (through translator): I'm told he's doing well. Yesterday after taking the test the players went to their rooms. Then overnight we got the news.
[01:34:50]
SANTOS: Tomorrow Cristiano and the other players will be tested again. Obviously Cristiano has been isolated from the others from the start and will remain isolated. He is in his room. He says he wants to play. He talks to us from upstairs, from his balcony.
He is completely asymptomatic. He feels fine, without any symptoms at all. He doesn't even know what happened to him.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SNELL: The latest there John, on Cristiano Ronaldo. Back to you.
VAUSE: Ok so we're going from -- from football, let's go to golf because also one of the world's top ranked men's golfer is also in the same position as Ronaldo. What do you we know?
SNELL: Yes, another story we've been following very closely indeed. As you say top ranked in the world, also the 2016 U.S. Open champion Dustin Johnson also testing positive for coronavirus. The American now the second player in as many weeks to do so after his compatriot Tony Finau.
Now, back in March the PGA Tour actually underwent a 13-week shutdown due to the pandemic, John. But since returning in June, it's seen at least 15 players testing positive including now Johnson.
Now according to the tour, the 36-year-old was experiencing some symptoms late on Sunday evening. In a statement this reaction from Johnson. He's saying obviously, quote, "I am very disappointed. I was really looking forward to competing this week. But will do everything I can to return as quickly as possible.
He was due to compete in an event this week in Las Vegas, John. That is now not the case. Back to you.
VAUSE: Patrick, it's good to see you. A little element of normality coming back into our life with you here with us. We appreciate it. Thank you, Patrick. Good to see you.
SNELL: Thank you John/
VAUSE: With that we'll take a short break. We'll be back in just a moment.
You're watching CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VAUSE: The International Monetary Fund is warning of a long slow economic recovery ahead. The IMF downgraded its outlook for 2021, lowering its prediction for a global output from 5.4 to 5.2 percent.
Let's go to Eleni Giokos in Johannesburg right now for more on this. Ok. This seems to be crunch time right now, right.
On the one hand there is this desire, this need for central banks to increase debt, keep spending, prop up the economy. But there's also this growing concern that that level of debt just can't be sustained. Where does it go from here.
ELENI GIOKOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely. I mean look, you're so spot on, right. So the message here is, stimulate your way out of this crisis. Do what you can during this cataclysmic pandemic, that has created a catastrophe that we've never seen before.
And then the other messages is we'll do it wisely because the consequence is elevated debt (ph) levels. Now, when we look at the 2021 prognosis on growth, it is encouraging. But if I remove China from that story, it is very dire on a global scale.
In fact China is the only country that's going to go back to pre- pandemic levels, and pre-2019 levels to be frank. If we take a look at what's happening in the U.S. in Europe and even low income and middle income countries, that pain still exist.
[01:39:51]
GIOKOS: And importantly here, John, is that we are seeing such a huge impact on the size of the global economy. In fact the IMF is saying that the pain hasn't really been worked through yet and there are still many risks ahead.
Take a listen to what the chief economist said yesterday.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GITA GOPINATH, CHIEF ECONOMIST, IMF: The countries are not coming back up even by 2025 to their pre-pandemic projected path. The world economy is going to be 4 percent smaller than what we had projected pre-pandemic even in 2025.
So this is a long, slow ascent. And it still remains highly uncertain.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GIOKOS: Yes, I mean look, 4 percent lower, we're talking about $28 trillion being wiped off the global economy. That is an enormous figure and to trull recoup that you have to stimulate, you have to spend, you have to put money in the hands of both consumers. And then you also have to try and save businesses, John. But it's going to be a slow and long road ahead. And definitely not the v shaped recovery that people had been anticipating.
VAUSE: On the other hand on Tuesday, what seemed sort of a throw back to a time long since passed, Apple releasing a new generation of iPhones. One thing though is this pandemic, you're seeing consumer demand shift away from the smartphones for more sort of you know, notebooks and laptops as people don't get out much any more.
GIOKOS: Yes. I mean it's really interesting because Apple has been one of those stand out stocks over this time because people are on their cellphones and, of course, being online as much as possible. So we have a new phone, and we keep thinking about how much better, sexier, bigger, or smaller, can iPhone make their latest product. So iPhone 12 out and then you have a Pro Mac that is available and the cost point, the price point (INAUDIBLE).
I was taking a look at what -- people were saying on Twitter. Look it's over 1,000 -- sorry $10,000 for the lightest phone and then the cheapest which they've released an iPhone 12 mini is going to go for a around $700 or so.
And at the same break John, we keep talking about demand destruction, consumer spending coming under pressure, and the question is, you know, how people going to be (INAUDIBLE) over this time. 5G -- it's the first time they've gone into 5G. So definitely a lot of developments. I'm just curious to see what the uptake is going to be
VAUSE: Absolutely. Eleni, thank you. Eleni Giokos there in Johannesburg. Appreciate you being with us.
On that we'll take a closer look at everything Apple. And Ryan Patel joins us from Los Angels senior fellow at the Claremont Graduate University.
Ok Ryan, it's been a while. It's great to have you with us. Just speaking about Apple here. Compared to events in the past, it was a, am I right in thinking it was all a bit of a snooze? Just kind of like the hype.
RYAN PATEL, SENIOR FELLOW, CLAREMONT GRADUATE UNIVERSITY: I feel like every time you and I get together to talk about Apple, it always feels like it's a snooze, right. But it's actually a big deal for Apple because it's the first time since 2018, a new design on the phone itself.
But, you know, we can sit here and talk about all the features but really what this event was about, was about setting the future. Not so much short term, setting the future and yes, 5G is something that maybe they're a little bit late to the party, but they are pushing that forward with their new, you know, arsenal of phones.
But also there's something sneaky in all of this, John. And I told -- you and I have talked about this when they were $1 trillion to $2 trillion. It's about loyalty. It's about trust in brand building. And you see this kind of, you know, they're reinventing or kind of coming back into their home market again, with the new speaker, with the Mini.
And I think that's going to talk about the subscription model. Talking about what they want to do on the 5G. There's obviously a reason why they got the CEO of Verizon to come be a part of this. They are putting all their horses on getting people to pay that top dollar for that faster performance that people are going to walk and demand in the future.
VAUSE: So you say top dollar but, you know, if you look at the price point, you don't often hear the words iPhone and Apple and good value in the same sentence. But the big headline here is the price point.
Eleni mentioned this, the same cost for the iPhone 12 as the iPhone 11 basically. And there's every chance that price could be lower, the major carriers, offering incentives to win over new customers with an upgrade. You know, this is actually Apple at a good deal.
PATEL: Yes. And you know -- you and I last time we talked when they're almost to $2 trillion, we talked about what else is more. And this is why analysts, you know, every time around this year, they kind of roll their eyes and they kind of go, well, I don't know what they're going to do next. Can they keep the revenue going?
But Apple heard this. Apple' heard -- I mean they're pretty smart them when it comes to consumers. They know that they needed to get a lower price point. They know that they needed to address that, you know, consumer base. It can't be just one way. And they wanted to be a brand for everybody. As much as you can say for everybody, they wanted to be able to scale globally and to do that, you have to give variety.
What's interesting though is that what we're seeing during the pandemic is that demand for smartphones has actually gone down quite significantly. The International Data Corporation reports that the second quarter 2020 resulted in slightly better than expected numbers. The market was still down 17 percent year over year with visible signs of economic concerns.
So you've got everyone stuck at home, people are dusting off their laptops and their notebooks. And they realize they need it to be upgraded. So does this new smartphone launch -- does that turn around the business a little. And what does it -- how is it juiced (ph) to 5G uptake?
[01:45:03]
PATEL: Yes. This is a long term play, John, I don't think that they're looking for a huge uptick right away, especially in the middle of a pandemic. That's -- why they passed -- they pushed a normal event. They usually have a couple of months ago to now.
The 5G uptake, this is what Tim Cook said and you know, for me this was important. He pretty much want you not to connect to the public Wi-Fi. Think about that for a second, John.
He's saying that you use the 5G uptake. You stick in our ecosystem because it's more secure, it's obvious security is an issue. data protection is an issue. He wants to stay within Apple, within the realm. He wants you to connect their phone at home, not to compete even with Amazon. And then there'll be other kind of subscription services.
So 56, it's almost like you remember when you and I used to have to do the dial-up (ph)? It really used to be like, well, if it was half a second faster we'd be happy. Well, we live in a society now that we're so used to fast Internet. Now we complain if the Wi-Fi is down, why it's not fast enough and I think they're setting this up in a way to provide that experience in trucks.
And at the end of the day, it's about rush and where's you want have all your devices connected and Apple is banking that long term.
VAUSE: I'll be happy when they fix the ear buds.
PATEL: I was waiting for you to say that. They didn't announce a luxury piece, which I knew you would be all over it but, you know, maybe next time.
VAUSE: Absolutely, one day. Ryan, thank you. Good to see you.
I'm glad your well.
PATEL: Likewise.
VAUSE: Ryan Patel there in Los Angels.
Well, an alleged domestic terrorism plot in the U.S. now seems to have been targeting not one but two state governors.
As CNN's Sara Sidner reports, new details have been revealed in court testimony by an FBI agent.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SARA SIDNER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: New disturbing details about the alleged domestic terrorist plot in Michigan to take over state government. In federal court an FBI agent testified in June, the suspect discussed kidnapping not only the Michigan governor, but the Virginia governor as well.
They specifically had issues with the governors of Michigan and Virginia, he said, because of coronavirus related lockdown orders. Those also happen to be two of the Democratic governors, who President Trump attacked in April over their stay-at-home orders, tweeting, "Liberate Michigan" and "Liberate Virginia".
GOVERNOR GRETCHEN WHITMER (D-MI): We know, every time that this White House identifies me or takes a shot at me, we see an increase in rhetoric online, violent rhetoric. So there is always a connection.
SIDNER: The president responded denying any role in inciting extremists but yet again attacking Whitmer, saying she's doing a terrible job.
Attorney General Bill Barr has failed to speak publicly about the case, even as more details emerge. In the federal preliminary hearing, another new detail came to light in the alleged plot against Whitmer, that was not spelled out in federal or state charges against 13 men accused in the plot.
The FBI agent testified part of the plan to kidnap Governor Whitmer included snatching her from her north Michigan lakefront vacation home, taking her out to the middle of Lake Michigan, and leaving her stranded in a boat.
The agent said the plot wasn't all talk, there was plenty of action, and even video of the men firing their rifles fashioned with silencers.
We travel deep into the woods to an area residents say the FBI raided in Michigan. Deep in the woods around Luther, Michigan you can see one of the areas that was the alleged tactical training ground of some of the suspects. You see silhouettes of humans with dozens of bullet holes in them and you can still see dozens of bullet casings left behind.
CLIFF DEMOS, LUTHER MICHIGAN RESIDENT: Guns, semiautomatics, small, IED, bans (ph) those kind of things is what they were using up here.
SIDNER: And that is the norm?
DEMOS: No.
SIDNER: 175 miles away, the FBI raided another area agents say training took place. That house there with the confederate flag, her in Munis, Michigan is one of the homes the FBI raided in this alleged plot to kidnap the governor.
Now, we are able to talk to several neighbors here who said they noticed something unusual a day or so before the FBI shoed up. They heard a massive explosion emanating from this property. They said it rattled their floors and knocked their pictures askew.
The FBI agent testified that they have evidence one of the suspects attempted to make an improvised explosive device to blow up a bridge near the governor's home, to keep police at bay.
There was also a video play from inside the basement where one of the alleged plot leaders, Adam Fox, lived. Prosecutors say the men are caught on video speed loading their weapons in case there was a gunfight. The whole alleged plot has folks, in these villages concerned about self-styled militias they know are still operating around there.
DEMOS: Are there other militia groups here? You bet they are.
SIDNER: And are people beginning to be afraid of them?
DEMOS: They're beginning to be a little more concerned.
[01:49:53]
SIDNER: We're learning the Trump campaign ended up canceling a rally here in Michigan because it was supposed to be at a gun range where one of the former employees was actually arrested in this alleged kidnapping plot. That rally was moved to a different venue.
Sara Sidner, CNN -- Grand Rapids, Michigan.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: Early voting in the presidential election is underway in Texas with long lines and reports of two-hour long waits which are unlikely to improve after a federal appeals judge sided with the governor who limited the number of ballot drop boxes to one per district.
In parts of Georgia, the lines are even longer. Some voters literally spending all day waiting to vote possibly because of some glitches with voting software. The state is seeing a record turnout this year and CNN's Amara Walker spoke to voters in Atlanta.
AMARA WALKER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: If you think waiting in line for about three hours to cast your vote is pretty bad then things got pretty painful here at this polling site in Fulton County. The wait down on Tuesday, two to three hours but up north in Gwinnett County, about 30 minutes from here that wait time was 6 hours.
But you'd be surprised talking to people on the ground, they seem to be in good spirits, they were fired up about voting in this election saying the stakes are high considering Georgia is a presidential battleground state.
And one thing that I found interesting was some of the voters told me that they decided as the last-minute not to mail-in their ballots but instead it's such in person. That's because they felt more confident by voting in person as opposed to mailing in their ballots.
And local election officials tell me that is what's been contributing to the long lines and they're encouraging voters if you have an absentee ballot to mail it in. Here is more of what the voters have been telling us.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That is something I have to do. So it's ok, it's just a price you pay to cast your vote.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I have voted in every presidential election since I was qualified to vote, and I think it's important. I think we have a say, and I think we need to exercise our right to vote. I think this is a critical election in how our country acts as a civilization.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'd rather be out here doing my civic duty than not. I don't trust the whole mail-in voting thing, so I will be here, and I will sign it and make sure it goes where it needs to go.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm not too frustrated. We're just kind of hanging out and having a good time. So hasn't been too bad. I mean I wish they had come up with maybe a better system.
But I guess this is the best they can do right now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WALKER: All in all the Georgia secretary of state says that there was a record turnout for the first day of early voting. About 130,000 people already cast their vote, which is a 40 percent increase from the first day of early voting in 2016.
Back to you.
VAUSE: Amara Walker, thank you.
Well, in Israel, for some the pandemic lockdown is a chance for a much need environmental cleanup. We'll explain when we come back.
COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VAUSE: An Italian teenager known as the patron saint of the Internet is a step closer to real sainthood. The Vatican says Carlo Acutis was beatified in Assisi, Italy, securing a Brazilian boy who had a rare disease. Acutis died of leukemia in 2006. He was 15 years old.
But before he died, he built a Web site which traced the history of eucharistic miracles which has been used around the world.
[01:53:03]
VAUSE: Israel's second coronavirus lockdown is well underway. It involves tighter restrictions, have changed live and caused some hardships. It's also an opportunity to improve the environment.
Here's CNN's Oren Liebermann.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: On days when the Hasbani River slows to a trickle, it's the other thing stream that doesn't stop. The one Ofer Sivan is trying to hold back.
OFER SIVAN, UPPER GALILEE REGIONAL COUNCIL (through translator): When there is a quiet day with little going on and the current flow is very slow, it's possible to gather a lot of junk..
LIEBERMANN: Junk, trash, garbage -- call it whatever you want. It's all here, piling up just under the surface, the refuse from picnics held on the river banks and then thrown into the river.
SIVAN: We call them people in the banks, because he come here, They like to drink alcohol and when they finished drinking, they throw the bottle in the water, they throw a can, they sit in the water with their tables, with the food, everything you can imagine.
At some stage they get up, wipe the stuff in the stream and leave.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LIEBERMANN: In the midst of Israel's second general lockdown the parks around the rivers are close to tourists. During this rare period of quiet, Sivan and a small group who have permission to work on the river, are trying to make a difference on this important tributary of the Jordan River. Piece by piece they bring up trash for months and years ago.
REA SOFER, GOSHRIM KAYAKS: The level of trash is constant more or less. Every year people come to the banks to sleep, cookout, throw their trash in the water. It's the same amount every there.
LIEBERMANN: In 30 minutes of cleaning they fill two boats with trash, and they are close to filling a third.
There is so much trash in this river that you only have to go under for a few seconds.
Coronavirus has also contributed to the trash, discarded masks collect on the river side. Adding to the mess.
This is our home, I would not though trash in your backyard and for me this is my backyard. It's not nice.
This is a struggle, they say, they cannot win. It's not just the clean up that's needed. it's a complete change in the public's attitude. But they insist they owe it to each other and to the river to make sure it's the Hasbani River that keeps flowing a river that keeps all, and not the.
Oren Liebermann, CNN, northern Israel.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: Thank you for watching CNN NEWSOOM. I'm John Vause.
Please stay with us. Rosemary Church will take over at the top of the hour. Thanks for watching.
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