Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

India Reports More than 300,000 New COVID Infections; Israel to Hold a Memorial for Those Killed in the Stampede in Mount Meron; Nepal Bans Flight Coming From India; Asian Countries Extends Lockdowns and Restrictions Due to High Cases of New Infections; Manchester United Fans Protest U.S. Owners; Afghan Army Base Back in Control; Blinken: China Poses A Threat To Rules Based Order; Biden Admin Seeks To Reshape U.S. Standing Abroad; 4 Dead After Boat Capsizes Off California. Aired 2-3a ET

Aired May 03, 2021 - 02:00   ET

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

[02:00:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROBYN CURNOW, CNN HOST: Desperate to breathe and desperate for aid, India struggles with the COVID catastrophe.

Selling democracy to the world, the U.S. sends its top diplomat overseas warning about the dangers of China.

And excitement at Old Trafford, but it's not the kind you expect. Fans invade the pitching protest. We'll tell you why they're just so upset. Thanks so much for joining me this hour. I'm Robyn Curnow. You're watching CNN.

India is hurdling towards 20 million COVID cases as it records more than 300,000 cases a day for the 12th day in a row. Now, the country is also reporting more than 3,400 new deaths. Now, India's Supreme Court is ordering local authorities to show what actions are being taken to curb the surge.

The people are battling to get much needed medical oxygen and in some states, vaccination drives are being pushed back to a shortage of shots. And then also, several regions including the capital New Delhi have imposed lockdowns and restrictions.

I want to go straight to Anna Coren. Anna is following all of these developments. Anna, hi. Just talk us through these lockdowns and whether or not they're going to make any difference.

ANNA COREN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's interesting, Robyn, because it's up to the states, individual states, and it's also up to the individual cities. The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, said several weeks ago he will not impose a nationwide lockdown like he did last year during the first wave. That lasted for two months and it was a great deal of economic pain.

Now, he saying it's a last resort. But as you are seeing, you know, in the states and cities, officials there are taking upon themselves to try and stop the spread of the second wave, which is just claiming so many lives.

Another, you know, global record for daily infections today. The health ministry saying that as of today, 2.2 percent of the population has been fully inoculated. But as we've been reporting, a severe shortage of vaccines. An arrival of Russia's sputnik vaccine came on the weekend, but that drive, that nationwide drive that was going to vaccinate everybody over the age of 18 as of the 1st of May, many states have had to suspend that because they just don't have enough vaccine for all of its citizens.

So, the aid shipments that are coming in from more than three dozen countries around the world, we know that the United States has offered raw materials. They are currently being sent, which will be made into local vaccine. The third of the six shipment from the United States arrived with over 1,000 oxygen cylinders.

We also know the U.K. has sent more than 400 oxygen concentrate as and then France sending eight oxygen generators. And they should look after about 250 patients, each. But, these oxygen shortages, Robyn, are being felt, you know, not just across the country, but in the capital Delhi.

There was another case over the weekend where a hospital ran out of oxygen and eight people died. It's not the first time this has happened. We have heard these stories time and time again over the past couple of weeks in the height of this second wave.

CURNOW: Anna, where is Prime Minister Narendra Modi in all of this?

COREN: Yes, it's a very good question. I think people are asking, where is he? We know that he held a cabinet meeting yesterday to discuss the acute oxygen shortages as well as the strain on the frontline workers, the doctors and nurses.

They're talking about bringing in final year medical students to help try and leave (ph) the burden. He is also talking to officials about converting nitrogen plants to oxygen plants. I mean, the acute shortage is there so much so that the Supreme Court is telling the central and state governments that they must stockpile oxygen and they need to relieve the situation in Delhi ASAP as of today.

But you know, Modi, he is tweeting. He is tweeting about the state election results, which came in overnight. His party, the BJP, lost in a humiliating way in West Bengal where he hosted at least 20 rallies. They poured money and manpower into trying to win that state for the first time.

[02:04:59]

Critics say, all of those events where you can see thousands of people cram together were superspreader events. The BJP, only won one of the fiver legislative elections that were held over the last couple of days. But, it is staggering to think that the prime minister in the height of a national emergency is MIA. The last time the public heard from him was in a monthly radio address

over a week ago. And people are desperate to hear from their leader, who many say has seriously mishandled this pandemic.

CURNOW (on camera): Anna Coren, thanks so much for keeping us updated on this. Thank you. So Indians with infected loved ones face an overwhelmed health care system as Anna was saying, that can also provide no help at all. A "New York Times" journalist documented one man's desperate quest to get medical aid when his father and mother fell seriously ill with the virus.

Ajay Koli caught the world's attention by using Twitter to call for help, as you can see here, and to share his pain after his father died and his mother's illness worsened. Well, earlier, I spoke with journalist ____ about what unfolded.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KARAN DEEP SINGH, REPORTER AND VISUAL JOURNALIST, THE NEW YORK TIMES: Well, to his surprise, his tweet goes viral and he starts getting a flood of messages, both direct messages, tweets. There are some people who are telling him to call these phone numbers. When he calls the phone numbers, most of them are switched off.

He wonders, they've probably run out of oxygen. And then there are others who were able to attend his calls, but then they say you have to pay 45,000 Rupees for one cylinder and all we have for you is a cylinder. We don't have any apparatus for you. We don't have any tube masks, nothing.

And we're not going to give you any receipt. There are no guarantee this is going to work, but this is all we have. And, in that moment, Ajay has, you know, this thought that what if, what if my mother dies. What if I'm not able to help? So he's calling these people come to me --

CURNOW: And his dad has just died.

SINGH: His father just died and also because of oxygen, he was not able to get the oxygen cylinder that he asked his sister, (inaudible) to arrange.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CURNOW (on camera): Singh also told me that, Ajay Koli's mother is feeling better and testing negative for the coronavirus.

And Brazil registered another 1,200 COVID deaths on Sunday and nearly 29,000 new cases. The country has recorded a total of more than 407,000 deaths, only the U.S. has had more. New cases in Brazil have fallen since the peak in late March and local governments have eased restrictions. Infectious disease experts say that will keep deaths elevated for months.

In the coming hours, Israel's parliament will hold a memorial for the 45 victims killed in a stampede on Friday at a religious festival. That memorial will be followed by a special debate to allow lawmakers the opportunity to address criticisms over the handling of this mountaintop site where the stampede occurred.

Meantime, new video has emerged showing desperate scenes in the enclosed walkway where the stampede happened as the crowd tried to make its way to the exit. For more, I want to go straight to Jerusalem. Elliot Gotkine joins me now with more on this video, which is really heartbreaking to see. Elliot.

ELLIOT GOTKINE, JOURNALIST: Robin, I've watched it several times and each time is just as harrowing as the last. You know, you can see the pain and the suffering etched on the faces of the crowd there that have been kind of squeezed and pinned into this particular area. You can hear the wails and their cries for help.

And you can even hear in English people shouting, you know, my leg, sir, he's crushing my legs. I'm begging you, I'm begging you. And at the same time, you can see the stewards in high visibility verse with the police trying to get the crowds to stop pushing forward, but the crowds seemingly unable to do so.

Another you can them. It looks like there may be some railings there in front of the crowd kind of dividing the stewards from the crush, which is what was people being pinned against there. So, really, quite a harrowing video.

And at the same time, we've got more details now on the victims. At least 10 of the 45 who were killed in the stampede were under the age of 18. The youngest, just 9-years-old (inaudible) who died along with his 14-year-old brother (inaudible). The oldest victims was 65, a rabbi called (inaudible). And we also understand from the U.S. embassy in Jerusalem that at least -- that six of the victims were U.S. citizens.

One of them, (inaudible) who was buried after the Sabbath on Saturday evening. His funeral took place there. He was just -- he got engaged just two weeks ago to the daughter of a rabbi in New York, Robyn.

[02:10:02]

CURNOW: And what do we know about this memorial service and of course, this debate that's going to take place in the Knesset this afternoon?

GOTKINE: Yes. So this is due to take place of 4:00 p.m. local time, which is 9:00 a.m. eastern time. And first of all, there will be a memorial service to honor the 45 victims who died in the early hours of Friday morning at that religious festival on Mount Meron.

After that, there will be a debate and we've been told that each Knesset member, each member of the parliament here, which you can see just behind me, will get three minutes to talk. Now, most will probably just express their condolences and their sorrow and show solidarity with the victims.

Some may feel the need to address criticism, such as the lawmakers from the ultra-orthodox parties, including Interior Minister Aryeh Deri. They will have the first opportunity, really, to publicly answer some of the criticisms that have been leveled about them at their alleged complicity in this going on. And then, opposition members may probably call for a state committee of inquiry to really get to the bottom of this tragedy. Robyn?

CURNOW: Okay. Thank you very much, live in Jerusalem, Elliott Gotkine there. Thank you.

So still to come, India's neighbors are putting in place travel restrictions as the country struggles with a catastrophic surge in COVID cases.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[17:15:00]

CURNOW: Hi, welcome to all of our viewers in the U.S. and all around the world. Thanks for joining me. I'm Robyn Curnow. You are watching CNN. So, new details on our top story this hour. India has recorded more than 300,000 coronavirus cases for the 12th consecutive day.

Hospitals, morgues and crematoriums are overwhelmed. And people are scrambling to find the oxygen that their loved ones need to stay alive. And much-needed medical supplies are though arriving from around the world, as countries step up to help.

But now, several nations including Nepal are restricting travel from India. Nepal will ban all commercial flights from India, Brazil, and South Africa starting at midnight on Wednesday. And commercial domestic flights will be suspended on Monday.

Nepal, like many of India's neighbors, is feeling the impact of this COVID crisis next door. I want to talk about that with Kristie Lu Stout. Kristie joins me now from Hong Kong with more on how regional neighbors are really concerned about the domino effect of what we're seeing in India.

KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): It is a domino effect, Robyn, as the outbreak worsens in India. Infections are rising across Asia, especially in neighboring Nepal. On Sunday, Nepal hosted 7,130 new cases in COVID-19, its highest daily rise, so far.

The situation there getting increasingly difficult. We have this statement. We'll bring it up for you, from Nepal's ministry of health. In it, it says this, "As the number of infections has increased beyond the control of the health system, it has become tough to provide hospital beds for care."

Local lockdowns have been imposed in cities like Kathmandu that has prompted many Nepalese to flee from the cities to the countryside further potentially spreading the virus. Nepal, as you just mentioned, has made additional announcements. It has sealed the land border with India. It's also restricting, banning all flights coming from India as well as two other countries starting from Wednesday midnight. Look, Nepal is not the only country in Asia taking these measures.

From Pakistan, to Bangladesh, to Thailand, nations are imposing lockdowns and restrictions in an effort to push back the pandemic.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

STOUT (voice-over): Buddhist monks in Sri Lanka praying for divine help to stop a deadly wave of the coronavirus that is sweeping across India.

KOLUPITIYE MAHINDA SANGARAKITHA THERO, CHIEF PRELATE, KELENIYA BUDDHIST TEMPLE: Buddhist monks and Buddhist people in this country want to share our sympathy with the people of India.

STOUT (voice-over): India is grappling with the world's worst COVID- 19 outbreak with record numbers of infections and deaths. And the crisis has spilled across the border into Nepal where the capital is now under a 2-week lockdown. Officials say the rate of infections there has increased beyond the control of the health systems in several districts, most of which are near the border of India.

Before the restrictions went in effect, people crowded bus stations to get out of the city.

PAVITRA PARIYAR, PASSENGER: There is fear of coronavirus. We may die of coronavirus if we stay here so we are going back to our villages.

STOUT (voie-over): In Sri Lanka, more than 100 areas across the country are under lockdown because of a jump in infections in April. Schools are closed and employers are being asked to limit the number of people reporting to work.

The Philippines is extending its lockdown in many cities until mid- May. Last week, the country surpassed 1 million confirmed cases, stretching hospital resources, especially in the country's capital where the outbreak is at its worst.

ROSE MARIE ROSETE-LIQUETE, HOSPITAL DIRECTOR: Beds, we don't have enough beds. They are all full already.

STOUT (voice-over): Thailand is converting a check-in terminal in its main airport into a vaccination center.

PHASIN SRISAYAM, THAI AIRWAYS STAFF (through translation): The airport has a lot of space and the team has managed good social distancing.

STOUT (voice-over): Bangkok, recently closed public parks, gyms, and daycare centers until May 9th and introduced fines of up to $640 for not wearing a mask in public.

Pakistan is cutting 80 percent of incoming international flights in the next few weeks to try to curb the number of cases there. The military, also stepping in, to patrol the streets in cities like Lahore to enforce mask-wearing and to make sure shops close at 6:00 p.m. Countries across the region taking measures to contain the spread of

the virus, but it may not be enough for some places. Singapore announced it is tightening its entry restrictions, closing its borders to visitors from Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

STOUT (on camera): Experts have pointed out that the best hope to get out of the COVID-19 crisis is vaccination, but in hotspots like India, and increasingly Nepal, vaccination programs there have gotten off to a slow start. Robyn?

[02:20:06]

CURNOW (on camera): Thanks for the update there. Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong. Thank you.

So some signs of pre-pandemic life are returning in Europe. Restaurants in Greece are re-opening after six months of lockdown. Customers will be served outdoors for now.

Italy re-opened beach resorts on Sunday even though the weather wasn't ideal for sunbathing as you can see here. Most of the country's regions have been designated yellow zones, with a relatively low risk of COVID. The country has recorded more than 121,000 COVID deaths, the second highest toll in Europe behind the U.K.

And then live music made a comeback in Liverpool, England. About 5,000 people came to a mask and social distance free music festival after testing negative for COVID. They all promised to get tested again five days later, and the data will be studied to understand the effects of crowds, on the spread of the virus. But science wasn't at the most on the mind of these festival goers.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNKNOWN: It was just so good, it so amazing.

UNKNOWN: It's just amazing.

UNKNOWN: It's been too long.

UNKNOWN: It has. It's been two years or so we went to a concert, and now I'm back again. It feels amazing.

UNKNOWN: Feels amazing. It's the best feeling.

UNKNOWN: And just starting to see people with like no masks on and just enjoying themselves. It's good to be back, honestly.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CURNOW (on camera): Pure joy, isn't it? And then also, 6,000 fans cheered the return of bullfighters in Madrid for the first time since the pandemic began. Spectators wore face masks and sat separated in fumigated seats. The arena was filled to about 40 percent capacity. Matadors faced seven bulls in a contest to raise money for jobless bullfighters and other workers.

Meanwhile, anger is mounting towards the American ownership of Manchester United Football Club. I want to show you the scene at Old Trafford just hours before the team were set to play Liverpool in a Premier League match.

Fans are upset with the Glazer family who own the team and its role in a failed attempt to form a break away super league. The match versus Liverpool was postponed to a later date.

I want to go live now to Patrick Snell. Patrick has been following this and certainly fans still not getting over what they see as a betrayal.

PATRICK SNELL, CNN WORLD SPORT (on camera): Robyn, you are spot on in terms of assessing the fans move. We got World Sport coming your way by the way in about 25 minutes from right now for our viewers worldwide. But, these images really resonating globally, didn't they, Robyn? Shocking and rocking the world of football and beyond I have to say.

We're all still reflecting on what went down during Sunday's mass protests. United's iconic Old Trafford Stadium, the images. Look at these. These are very, very powerful indeed. This was the scene there, and hours ahead of the schedule fixture between Manchester United and Liverpool.

The two great titans of the English game was due to take place. And the protesters actually chanting, "We Want Glazers Out," a reference to the club's Florida-based owners. Owners' perceived essential to their now failed to break away European super league.

That's a really powerful aerial shot as well. An aerial shot above Old Trafford Manchester, flares thrown, damage to camera equipment. We now know, Robyn, two police officers were injured. The two teams, United and Liverpool didn't even get to the ground to play. They were stuck at their respective hotels.

The match initially delayed then postponed. Now, bring in Manchester police, what are they saying? Well, they said over 1,000 fans had gathered at the stadium, around 100 or so actually breaking through on to the pitch. You can see that that is a very powerful message to United's owners.

Another 200 by the way, protesting at the Lowry Hotel in Salford. That's where United team stayed before home games. The team, I can tell you, did eventually leave that hotel several hours later on Sunday evening. I want to just bring in now the views of some of the fans who've gathered at Old Trafford earlier during the day on Sunday. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNKNOWN: The reason there is so much frustration, is they've not communicated with the fans for 16 years. And that leads to this kind of anger we've seen on this level. UNKNOWN: They'd only think about money, don't they? You know. That's

all they are interested in, money. That's their only motivation. They don't care about English football. They don't know the culture.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SNELL (on camera): That is a reference to those Florida-based owners, the Glazer family that I mentioned. Entirely appropriate though that we do get to part of a Manchester United statement issued on Sunday which read, "Our fans are passionate about Manchester United, and we completely acknowledge the right to free expression and peaceful protest. However, we regret the disruption to the team and actions which put other fans, staff, and the police, in danger."

Big question now, Robyn, when will this fixture, a massive fixture on the global football calendar, when will it be played? We don't know it yet, but we'll keep you posted you can be sure.

[02:25:02]

CURNOW: I know you will. Patrick Snell, thank you. Always on top of it. Appreciate it my friend.

So, the Biden administration is making foreign policy a priority this week. Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, is speaking out about the biggest challenges facing America overseas. We have that story. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CURNOW (on camera): And Army base in Afghanistan is again under the military's control after briefly falling into the hands of the Taliban. Insurgents took the base south of Kabul, which was reclaimed by the Afghan National Army after hours of fighting.

It comes as the U.S. ramps up efforts to remove its military presence by September. Joint Chiefs chairman, General Mark Milley says the Afghan army has been leading the fight for some time, mainly relying on U.S. contractors for support. But Cindy McCain, wife of the late Senator john McCain who served as chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, says the withdrawal must be done right or else it was all for nothing.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CINDY MCCAIN, WIFE OF LATE SENATOR JOHN MCCAIN: I've often thought what John would say right now, what he would be feeling and thinking about the pullout and I think it would be more about how we pullout. Many lives were lost and unless we do this the correct way and I believe we will, I believe in the president, that the whole effort will be for nothing unless we do it correctly.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CURNOW (on camera): Well, President Joe Biden and his administration are looking to reshape America's image abroad. The U.S. Secretary of State is overseas this week. Anthony Blinken is in London with a packed schedule ahead of the first face to face meetings of G7 foreign ministers in more than two years.

America's top diplomat tells CBS "60 Minutes" that when it comes to foreign policy, Washington's biggest concern is China.

[02:29:59]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANTHONY BLINKEN, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: I think what we've witnessed over the last several years is China acting more repressively at home and more aggressively aboard. That is a fact.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What's China's goal?

BLINKEN: I think that over time, China believes that it can be and should be and will be the dominant country in the world.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROBYN CURNOW, CNN HOST: Secretary Blinken is expected to talk with counterparts from Asia in the coming hours, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations as well as India have been invited to the G7 foreign ministers meeting for the first time. So joining me now is David Sanger, CNN Political and National Security Analyst.

He's also the national security correspondent for The New York Times, David. Hi, lovely to see you again. I just wanted to ask you, obviously, Mr. Blinken has arrived in London. No doubt, the American message is going to be multilateralism is back. But is it that easy?

DAVID SANGER, CNN POLITICAL AND NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: Certainly not. And I think you've seen that already. You know, there was in the first 100 days, I think it was incumbent on the administration to say, we're listening to you, we actually want to hear your ideas. We're supporting NATO, so forth, and so on. Now, they're in the harder issues of how you actually manage some of these relationships.

And as you've seen, even in the first 100 days, there are some significant differences. The United States is steadfastly against Nord Stream 2, the gas pipeline that would run out of Russia and route around Ukraine. The Germans, for example, are still pushing for that. We have seen a reluctance in Europe to take a very hard line on China, in part because of the trade implications. So we're back. The good news is we're back to sort of the more normal differences that you would expect to see between the United States and its European allies.

CURNOW: So let's then talk about China. Mr. Blinken has given an interview on American television where he said China is acting more repressively at home, more aggressively outside. We all know that. He also said China wants to overturn the rules based order. The big question is, what does America - does Biden's foreign policy team plan to do about that? And how is he going to have conversations with the G7 members about the issues that he considers are pressing on the issue of China?

SANGER: What's interesting is the phraseology that you mentioned, Robyn, is what you heard from President Biden himself, in his message to Congress just a few nights ago, marking his 100th day. They have not yet put together their full range China policy. I don't think we're going to see that until the summer. But some elements are already clear.

While there is a lot more tension and some things that resemble the old Cold War, this is primarily a battle about technological supremacy. It is not one as much of the kind of Military confrontation that dominated the cold war with Russia after World War II. That means trying to understand how the United States and Europe would cooperate on technology starting with 5G, but moving on to artificial intelligence, robotics, autonomous vehicles, and so forth.

All areas where they are concerned about the Chinese domination of networks, because who controls the network is probably more important in the next couple of years than who controls the sea lanes of commerce that we've traditionally worried about? Then there's the question of how hard you push the Chinese on human rights, whether that's Hong Kong, whether that's suppression of the leaguers that's how they are acting more repressively at home.

And then finally, there is the question of how much you go invest in having a Military presence in the Indo-Pacific. And here we've seen the British for the first time begin to deploy out in that region as well.

CURNOW: David Sanger, there speaking to me a little bit earlier on the G7 summit that's taking place in London. I'll be right back with more news.

[02:35:00]

CURNOW: As we mark World Press Freedom Day, Paula Hancocks shows us the dangers of reporting on Myanmar's crisis, Paula.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Ye Wint Thu spent the first weeks after the Military coup on the streets of Yangon, talking to protesters.

YE WINT THU, DVB ANCHOR: This is the last fight for the country. They don't give up.

HANCOCKS: An anchor for media company DVB. He and his colleagues rushed to the office on the morning of the coup to collect their equipment then worked from home. A month later, the Military cancelled their media license along with others. They then went underground.

WINT THU: I had to do my job. Whether it's dangerous or not.

HANCOCKS: When you were able to report on the streets, I mean, what concerns did you have what dangers did you face? WINT THU: You know, I could die. I could die on the street like I had

to be really, really careful not to get arrested on the street.

HANCOCKS: He was placed on a wanted list when one of his reports was shown at a Military press conference. A friend told him to run.

WINT THU: So I've got a call. So it's your time now so run. So I had to run like within 10 minutes.

HANCOCKS: In hiding, he is still working. Despite the daily internet shutdowns, relying on images from protesters. He says this Military crackdown does not feel new. When he was four his father, a democracy activist was imprisoned for 10 years. More than 70 journalists have been arrested since February 1. According to the UN, more than 40 of them are still behind bars. Some have not been heard from since they were taken.

SHAWN CRISPIN, COMMITTEE TO PROTECT JOURNALISTS: Myanmar's press freedom crisis is becoming effectively a humanitarian crisis for its journalists, right? They're being held in prison. There are reports that they're being tortured in prison. Many are in hiding, and others are leaving the country altogether.

HANCOCKS: 10 years ago in Yangon, I spoke to journalists who were cautiously optimistic for an opening up of media as the Military appeared to accept limited democracy.

THOMAS KEAN, JOURNALIST IN MYANMAR: I wouldn't say that you, you can't have articles about the Military, but they're going to be looking at it very closely.

[02:40:00]

HANCOCKS: And crossing out quite a lot?

KEAN: Yes, yes.

HANCOCKS: Those days are long gone. The photographer who filmed this does not want to be identified as he is also on a warrant list. He says he can now only film security forces from behind closed doors. When he could still go outside and cover the protests, he said he never felt safe. He describes one sit down protest in Mandalay, where security forces suddenly started shooting into the crowd.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They didn't care who they hit, or who they killed. I was so worried and I didn't know where to run. I just grabbed those around me and ran. We were all so scared. I was running for my life.

HANCOCKS: He says he hasn't been paid since the coup. A problem for many inside the country. Daily Life is a struggle. He's hiding in a separate place away from his wife and young son to try and protect them.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I had to send him to another safe house, as the Military was arresting anyone in the house if they can't find that person on the list. HANCOCKS: He praises the efforts of citizen journalists doing the job

that he is no longer able to do, documenting the brutal military crackdown, risking their lives to show the world what's happening in Myanmar. Paula Hancocks, CNN Seoul.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CURNOW: Thanks, Paula, for that report. So World Sport is next for all of our international viewers. Thanks for joining me wherever you are in the world but for all of you folks here in the U.S. and in Canada, the news continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:45:00]

CURNOW: Welcome back. So at least four people are dead after a suspected smuggling boat overturned off the coast of San Diego in California. Authorities say there were about 30 people on board when the vessel crashed against the reef and capsized on Sunday. Officials say most people made it to the shore, six were rescued from the water.

Nearly two dozen have been taken to the hospital. San Diego Lifeguard Lieutenant Rick Romero spoke to CNN about the chaos at the site of the accident.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LT. RICK ROMERO, SAN DIEGO FIRE & RESCUE LIFEGUARD (voice over): I was one of the first responders on scene. It was a big mess along the coastline. There were people actively drowning, getting pulled up rip currents. There were people on the base of the shoreline there not for support whether there's bystanders doing CPR down below.

CURNOW: U.S. Customs and Border Patrol say they've been beefing up patrol operations after a recent increase in maritime smuggling attempts.

JEFF STEPHENSON, U.S. CUSTOMS & BORDER PROTECTION: We're putting more resources out on the water to interdict vessels like this. And we announced it in advance to try to deter as much as we could to kind of send the message to smugglers. The sea, ocean is inherently unsafe. The reality is crossing the border illegally is unsafe no matter the method, especially at sea. You know with water temperatures being what they are. And as a lifeguard described high surf. It's a very dangerous scenario and the smugglers really just don't care about the people they're exploiting.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CURNOW: Authorities say the two suspected smugglers on board will face federal charges. And just hours from now the family of Andrew Brown Jr. will lay him to rest without many of the answers they're seeking in his death. Brown was shot on April the 21st as deputies were trying to execute an arrest warrant. His death has sparked outrage across the U.S. and civil rights activists are demanding transparency and accountability.

On Sunday, the family led a march for criminal justice reform. Natasha Chen is in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, and has more on that, Natasha.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NATASHA CHEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Protesters marched Sunday afternoon starting from here at the waterfront all the way to Andrew Brown's house, where he was shot and killed by sheriff's deputies on April 21. Then they moved on to the Pasquotank County Sheriff's Office all the while demanding transparency.

At this point family members and the Brown family attorney tells me that only two family members have actually seen the 22nd footage from the body camera that was shown to them last week. At this point, a judge has said that the family may see more body camera footage in the coming days, but that it should not be released to the public at this time.

We talked to a cousin and an aunt of Andrew Brown Jr. who told us how difficult this moment has been.

LILLIE BROWN CLARK, ANDREW'S AUNT: I just don't understand, you know, what are they trying to accomplish? What is the purpose of having the video? What is the purpose of having taxpayers pay for body cameras if they're not going to be seen? I think we're grieving but we're doing what we have to do because of the way that things happen. We have to be here, we have to support, we have to protect. We know that we have a long road ahead. This is literally just the beginning.

CHEN: The Brown family walked at the front of Sundays March. At the same time there was a public viewing for Andrew Brown's body and there will be a funeral held Monday at noon at the Fountain of Life Church where Reverend Al Sharpton is expected to speak. Natasha Chen, CNN, Elizabeth City, North Carolina.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CURNOW: And U.S. president Joe Biden is taking his economic plans directly to the American people. He's got several stops planned across the U.S. this week hoping to sell trillions of dollars in spending. Here's Arlette Saenz with more on that on that. Arlette.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: President Biden starts the week out on the road as he is looking to build support for his massive $4 trillion economic proposals. The President will be visiting a school in southern Virginia with his wife First Lady Jill Biden as they are looking to sell that $1.8 trillion American families plan which focuses on child care, paid family leave and free community college.

Later in the week, the President will be traveling down to Louisiana as he is really looking to promote both that infrastructure bill and that families plan to the American People. Now his White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain outlined some of the thinking of why they are going out into the country to seek support for this these measures. Take a listen.

[02:50:00]

RON KLAIN, WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF: The proposals the President's put forward, have broad support. They have broad support in the country. They have support from Republican governors, Republican mayors. I think what we'll have to see is whether or not Republicans in Washington join the rest of America in broadly supporting these common sense ideas to grow our economy and to make our families better.

SAENZ: Now, Republicans have balked at the price tag for these proposals, and they've come forward with their own smaller, pared down version of an infrastructure package. The President has said he is willing to negotiate with Republicans on these measures, but that if they come offering just a fourth or a fifth of what he has proposed, that will be a no go for him.

The President has said he will host Republicans here at the White House at some point. The question is what give and take will both sides be willing to offer as they're trying to seek a deal on these infrastructure plans. Arlette Saenz, CNN, the White House.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CURNOW: So let's discuss more with Thomas Gift, Director of the Center on U.S. politics at University College London. Thomas, hi, lovely to see you again. President Biden's economic plans have drawn comparisons to FDR and the New Deal in the Great Depression. Mr. Biden wants this to be a once in a lifetime, once in a generation investment.

So based on Arlette's reporting there, how much of a chance has he got of making this a bipartisan deal at all?

THOMAS GIFT, DIRECTOR OF THE CENTER ON U.S. POLITICS AT UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON: Well, I think Biden's first 100 days have certainly been characterized by a much more ambitious agenda than most experts predicted. And as you point out, we've already seen these comparisons to FDR, I think that shift is being driven by a couple of variables. One is the progressive wing of the Democratic Party becoming more empowered as a result of the Georgia runoff elections.

And the second is where Biden senses public opinion is trending. A new poll by NBC found that 55 percent of Americans think that the government should do more to solve the country's problem. But the real question, as you asked is, can this get passed? I think it's going to be a seriously uphill battle. I think that any bill that we ultimately get is going to be the result of compromise.

In the end, Joe Biden really can't go any further to the left than the most moderate member of the Senate. And that's Joe Manchin so I think that there is a desire for bipartisan compromise here. But anything that we get is going to be much less both in terms of the price tag, and also the kinds of provisions that it includes. CURNOW: And then also, of course, and this is, this is a reason for

it, we're seeing more and more on the ground division in the Republican Party, this push and pull between more what is Trump's base, essentially still on congressional leaders. And it's not just about Mitt Romney getting booed. I want you to take a listen to these.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SUSAN COLLINS, U.S. SENATE REPUBLICANS: I was appalled that Mitt Romney, he's an outstanding senator who serves his state and our country well. We Republicans need to remember that we are united by fundamental principles such as a belief in personal responsibility, individual freedom, opportunity, free markets, a strong national defense, those are the principles that unite us.

We are not a party that is led by just one person.

GEORGE W. BUSH, FMR PRESIDENT OF UNITED STATES: You can only be Republican if, then the ultimate extension of that is it ends up being a one-person party.

STEPHEN HAYES, CEO/EDITOR, THE DISPATCH: But there are more of those people today than there were in the Republican Party during your tenure.

BUSH: I hope not.

HAYES: Either that or they're louder, right? Many members of Congress, I mean, they were talking about starting a caucus.

BUSH: Yes. Well, you know, it's - to me that basically says that we want to be extinct.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CURNOW: What do you make about those comments?

GIFT: Robyn, both Republicans and Democrats right now suffer from fractiousness within their own parties. But I think that the level of vitriol within the GOP really rises to a different level right now. The unwelcome reception that Mitt Romney received at the Utah Republican convention. It's just one case in point.

Seeing someone like that, as was just pointed out, really a principal of Republican who spent his whole life advocating on behalf of conservative causes, get booed by the GOP, it's really embarrassing to the party. But I do think that all of these comments that you just showed really reveal the extent to which the GOP still suffers from these two warring factions, the pro Trump wing, and the wing that is much more moderate.

At the same time, you know, in Washington, I think some of those tensions within the Republican Party will at least to an extent, be concealed by a fairly united front against Biden's agenda. Republicans may disagree on a lot. They certainly disagree about the direction that the future party should go, but especially in the Senate right now, Mitch McConnell continues to be extremely effective at winning votes and ensuring solidarity in opposition to Democrat endorsed legislation.

[02:55:00]

So most of these fights are going to continue on into 2022 and most likely into 2024. In the meantime, though, I still think that we will see fairly united opposition by Republicans to the democratic agenda as it's currently constituted.

CURNOW: I want to keep on talking about this, Thomas, because what is your assessment of this Arizona election, Arizona election audit. It's been called ludicrous but politically, it seems still seems to be expedient for Republicans to still say Mr. Trump lost the election. Why does that big lie still hold political benefits?

GIFT: Yes, it's a great question, Robyn. I mean, the Arizona audit, I think is extremely alarming because it continues to breathe oxygen into this false narrative that the 2020 election results can't be trusted. There's nothing in principle in wrong with conducting an election audit. But in Arizona, there has been zero evidence of fraud or vote rigging.

And it's obvious that this is purely designed to score political points with the base. Auditors are declining to confirm that the process will be overseen by bipartisan representatives, reporters were initially restricted from observing the audit. So this really isn't about identifying the truth or ensuring electoral integrity. It's really about the opposite.

It's about clinging to Trump's big lie, as you said. And while Republicans may think that this audit has some resonance with their base, there is a real fundamental danger here that underlies it. And efforts like this, I think will continue to subvert public trust and voting, which in effect will have big implications for trust in U.S. democracy.

CURNOW: Thomas Gift, always good to speak to you. Thank you. And thank you for watching. I'm Robyn Curnow. CNN Newsroom with Rosemary Church is next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)