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CNN INTERNATIONAL: Britain Celebrates Platinum Jubilee Celebration Of Queen Elizabeth; Zelenskyy: Russia Controls 20 Percent Of Ukraine; U.S. Reels From Another Mass Shooting In Tulsa; Gunman Kills Four In Tulsa Medical Building, Shooter Dead; Uvalde Mayor Says "Negotiator" Tried To Call Gunman Inside School; Beijing Enforcing Strict Rules To Contain Outbreak; U.K. Celebrates 70-Year Reign Of Queen Elizabeth. Aired 2-3p ET
Aired June 02, 2022 - 14:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[14:00:00]
LYNDA KINKADE, HOST, CNN NEWSROOM: Hello everyone, I'm Lynda Kinkade, you're watching CNN NEWSROOM live from Atlanta. Tonight, celebrations for Britain's longest reigning monarch. The queen's platinum jubilee kicks off in style. We're live at Buckingham Palace with all the details of the day's festivities.
Then, a warning from President Zelenskyy as he says Russia now controls 20 percent of his country. We'll have the latest on Russia's invasion of Ukraine. And later, yet, another deadly mass shooting in the United States as the public demands action, President Biden gets set to address his nation tonight.
We begin in the U.K., and a once in a life-time celebration of a monarch like no other. Thousands have turned out to commemorate the queen's platinum jubilee, an unprecedented occasion marking 70 years on the throne. Four days of festivities are now underway after a stunning display of pageantry at Buckingham Palace. Our Max Foster was there.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MAX FOSTER, CNN ROYAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A monumental moment in history, one we won't see again in our lifetimes. Queen Elizabeth II marks 70 years of service, and just a couple of years away from being the longest reigning monarch in world history. To the awe and joy of thousands of her supporters who came from all corners of the globe to witness this once in a life-time event.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I just loved the queen. She served so selflessly for the last 70 years, dedicated her life to the country, I'm so grateful to her for that. I'm so proud of her, you know, so, I just wanted to come over and say thank you, really. So this is me just saying thank you to her for her service.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think it's a once in a generation type of event, and to be able to be here is just amazing. And I can tell you, the appetite back in the U.S. for not only this celebration, but the royal family is through the roof. FOSTER: A special trooping of the color, a military ceremony kicking
off before day-long celebration, and even Seamus (ph); the mascot dog of the Irish guards. Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, and Kate, Duchess of Cambridge are the first royals to arrive with the queen's great grandchildren, closely followed by Princess Anne, Prince William and Prince Charles.
The heir to the throne stepping in for the queen of the parade crowd, as he will each time she's unable to attend an event due to her mobility issues. All part of the gradual transition to his monarchy that comes next. Prime Minister Boris Johnson amongst the guests, nicknaming her Elizabeth the Great. Indeed, the queen of 15 nations, her jubilee was also commemorated across the Commonwealth with the lighting of beacons in New Zealand, Fiji and India.
But the event was also marked by the absence from the symbolic balcony appearance of Prince Andrew, Prince Harry and Meghan, no longer working royals, and Prince Andrew having contracted COVID.
And despite concerns about her state of health, the queen beams during the fly past with her loyal subjects cheering her every move. Perhaps the same can be said for her great grandchildren. Their presence also a symbol of the passing of the baton. One that was passed to her back in 1953, and now she is preparing to hand the baton to her next in line.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KINKADE: Well, Max Foster joins us now from Buckingham Palace, where he's joined by Emily Nash; the royal editor for "HELLO! Magazine". Good to have you both with us on this day of celebration. I want to start with you first, Max. The queen certainly seemed to be in her elements after canceling so many engagements in recent months, and we've spoken about those recently. She certainly looked like a picture of good health today, beaming from the balcony.
[14:05:00]
FOSTER: Yes, she's really prepared for this. She took a break in Scotland. She's canceled a few events to make it all manageable. She's aware the public needs to see her. Her whole strategy throughout her reign is to be seen to be believed, just one of her mottos.
And you know, for her, to see the crowds that came out today and the response is really important, because she knows she's doing something right. The sort of thing only happens every ten years. So, you can see why she was so thrilled. Also, lots of intricacies behind the scenes. No, they probably didn't want Andrew and Harry on the balcony and all of the optics that came with that.
They managed it very cleverly. They haven't upset anyone. The Sussexes are still here. And also, we didn't really know if we were going to get here with the pandemic and with the queen's health. So, all in all, with it all going so well, it's been a triumph, really.
KINKADE: It certainly looks that way. And to you, Emily, certainly a big day for the queen's grandchildren. We saw some beautiful visuals of the grand kids in the car on the way to the palace. I want to play some of that visual because you can see seven-year-old Princess Charlotte, it's seemingly looking to put her brothers, her younger brother's hand down.
He was enthusiastically waving throughout that procession to the palace. And one person did comment on social media that he should pace himself, he's got a life-time of waving ahead of him.
(LAUGHTER)
EMILY NASH, ROYAL EDITOR, HELLO MAGAZINE: I mean, absolutely, but you can't fault his enthusiasm. You know, he's fully invested at the age of four, and he knows what's coming, I guess. But it was fantastic to see them, and it will have brought the queen huge joy, you know, to have the great grandchildren there, four generations of the royal family rep on that balcony earlier today. And this is about them saying look, we're here to stay, there is continuity here, and she will be taking comfort from that, you know, in the twilight of her reign.
KINKADE: Yes, absolutely. And Max, as you mentioned earlier, the queen has certainly had plenty of challenges, much disruption in her family over the years. As you mentioned, her grandson, Harry, leaving the royal post. But Harry and Meghan, although not officially part of the ceremony, they were there to celebrate. They're at the palace. Just explain what sort of role they'll have there in the next few days if any.
FOSTER: Well, they won't be on those official moments of the balcony- type thing, but they will be folded into family moments. So, very likely to see them tomorrow at the St. Paul's service, which is a national event commemoration for the queen's reign, but also seen as a family event. Obviously, with the family firm, you've got to balance these things all the time.
I think what's significant here is that Harry and Meghan have come here, they're sticking to the rules or, you know, sticking to the program, effectively. They're going to official engagements only, they're not trying to steal any limelight by having separate engagements, and also the royal family are embracing them in that sense.
So, I think there's a massive sets of progress from the disaster that they've had over the last couple of years. I think that's really heartening, and I think the queen will be heartened by that. And it's obviously all done for her. Harry is so close to her, really respects her. I don't imagine they're going to come back into working royal roles, but they're certainly part of the family and the queen made that very clear today.
KINKADE: Yes, exactly. And Emily, speaking of royals no longer working, we didn't see Prince Andrew up there on the balcony. He has, of course, been embroiled in controversy over the last few years. Why wasn't he in attendance? NASH: Well, he wasn't there simply because he is no longer officially
a working member of the family. And the queen made it clear that after careful consideration, she was going to limit those on the balcony just to those who actively carry out duties on her behalf. But we've heard this evening that Prince Andrew has tested positive for COVID today, so, any suggestion that he may have turned up for example, to the thanksgiving service tomorrow, to any of the other family events over the next few days has now been dismissed.
You know, he's going to be isolating at Royal Lodge Windsor, we're not going to see him at any point during celebrations.
KINKADE: And Max, just finally to you. Elizabeth was just 25 years old when she became queen. She's seen so much change in the last 70 years. And looking at the huge crowds that came out today, it's incredible that she seems, at the age of 96, so popular. What do you put that down to?
FOSTER: You know, these things are also kind of all arbitrary, but today as good a measure as any, when you have everyone coming out and celebrating and just wanting to capture a glimpse of her. I think she does transcend the monarchy, she is a global figure, she is the most famous woman in the world, probably the famous person in the world. She's revered.
She never expresses any opinions, so she doesn't create any sort of divisiveness, and I think that's so unique in this current environment we're living in, with the recent rise of populism with the concerns, you know, the way lockdowns were handled in recent times.
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How many figures are out there who aren't divisive, who are public figures? I think that's really, you know, what's proven her to be, you know, Elizabeth the Great, as Boris Johnson is now calling her. She is cemented in our world history. And I think people want to pay tribute to that. Perhaps younger people aren't as into her, perhaps they will get into her as they get older. We just don't know. I think she's revered even by those who don't believe in monarchy.
KINKADE: Absolutely. Well, our thanks to you, Max Foster, Emily Nash, got a big day of celebration, you better pace yourself, another three days to go. Thanks so much. Well, I want to turn now to Ukraine. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Russia controls 20 percent of his entire country. He also says the Donbas is almost entirely destroyed. Russia has vowed to quote, liberate the region" on behalf of pro Russian separatists.
It's now focusing its offensive on capturing Severodonetsk. Ukraine has lost at least 80 percent of the city that says it has no plans to withdraw its troops. Mr. Zelenskyy says it's not that just the territory that Russia is trying to steal, but also Ukraine's children. He says more than 200,000 children are being deported to Russia so far, many of them sent to remote areas. CNN can't independently verify that number. Well, let's get more now from CNN's Melissa Bell in Odessa, Ukraine.
Melissa, that is just absolutely staggering number. The fact that the Ukraine's president has come out and said 200,000 Ukrainian children have been deported to Russia. What more can you tell us?
MELISSA BELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right. I mean, there is -- there has been in this part of the world, Lynda, an old Soviet-era policy of those kind of mass population deportations. As you say, we have no means of verifying those figures, because that 20 percent of Ukraine that President Zelenskyy says is now in Russian hands, is a part of the country that the free press simply doesn't have access to.
It isn't just the western media. It's very difficult for Ukrainian journalists now to be working there, those we've spoken to will not speak on camera. They're extremely worried about any communications out. And these last couple of days, we've seen an entire communications blackout. And of course, that is of extreme concern to Ukraine, because when you look at that territory now under Russian control, the fear is that, that line could harden.
And that has an impact, of course, not just for those Ukrainians who are trying to get north of that line, back into those parts of the country controlled by Kyiv. But also we found, for some of those Ukrainians trying to get back to their homes and some of the cities that they've been fleeing these last few weeks as a result of the violence.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BELL (voice-over): Alive and safe, but stuck in Zaporizhzhia some of the families that fled the Russian bombings of southern Ukraine. Others have just found themselves on the wrong side of a line that has hardened. Some of these families now living in their cars have been here for weeks.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
BELL: Olena Barbak(ph) came from the Black Sea town of Skadovsk to buy medicine for her elderly parents. She's now living with others in the open air. "Look", she says, "he's just had surgery. My husband is without a leg." This grandmother is recovering from a stroke. "I can hardly sit", she says. "My legs are swollen, can I just get back to Kherson or is this some kind of cruel joke? Please, just let me die in Kherson, at home."
Some of the families bringing their anger to Zaporizhzhia's regional administrative building.
ALEXIS IZMAELOV, MARIUPOL RESIDENT: What's the problem, why?
BELL: Like Alexis Izmaelov who fled Mariupol with his wife, but has had no contact with the rest of his family for three months.
IZMAELOV: They still stay in Mariupol, and during three months, I have not had any contact. What happened to my father as my sister -- I like to come back and help. I like bring them to -- Ukrainian. BELL: Marina Notanova who's in charge of social services for the
greater Zaporizhzhia region says humanitarian aid has been hard to bring because her teams to the south of the city are now without communications. She tells us that it will also be necessary to tell those trying to return of the dangers they face.
"It's very dangerous there", she says, "so, this will be discussed with them at this new filtration camp. To find out why they want to go and whether they understand the risks."
[14:15:00]
She says that beyond the water already being provided here, there will soon be a medical center, showers, and a room for mothers and children. For now, these families wait, just hungry to get home.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BELL: Lynda, beyond the fighting and of course, the extraordinary cost to civilians so far of this war, there is an entire country, really, of lives interrupted. The fighting age men are obliged to stay in Ukraine, millions have had to flee. And there are of course, all those civilian deaths that have yet to be properly counted.
Notably in cities like Mariupol where we now are getting a picture of tens of thousands of civilians possibly having died in those first few months of the war. Very difficult to confirm the figures because that city is tonight in Russian hands. Lynda.
KINKADE: Yes, almost 100 days into this war, still learning details about some of the atrocities which happen in some of those cities. I want to ask you about what the president said in terms of how much Russia now controls. President Zelenskyy said Russia now controls 20 percent of Ukraine. Melissa, where do the battle lines lie right now?
BELL: It is a long stretch of lines. President Zelenskyy today estimated it has about a 1,000 kilometers going from Kharkiv down to Mykolaiv. And essentially, that line, beyond the intense fighting that's happening around Severodonetsk falling even now into Russian hands, and cities like Sloviansk that are under heavy Russian bombardment there in the Donbas, it is all along that line that, villages for instance, south of Zaporizhzhia are being shelled.
It is an important counter-offensive that is now underway however in the south of the country, around Kherson. Bear in mind that, this is the western-most city. It is west of the Dnipro that happens to be in Russian hands so far.
Ukrainian armed forces are trying to make the most of the fact that Russian forces seem to have concentrated their efforts and continue to do so on the Donbas, to try and take some of those villages that lie to the east of the Dnipro river, really trying to cut off Russian forces there.
That would be a big gain for Ukrainian armed forces. But again, for the time being, I think it is the fact of that 20 percent of the country being in Russian hands and a longer continuous stretch of country with that hardened line, that is of particular concern. The worst-case scenario for Ukrainians at this point is not simply that they don't manage to push that line back, but that, that line should stand, Lynda.
KINKADE: All right, Melissa Bell, our thanks to you and the team there in Odessa, Ukraine. we will speak again very soon. Well, still to come tonight, new warnings about a possible U.S. recession, even though one common feature of recession is missing. We'll discuss that next. Also ahead.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(CHEERS)
(CROWD CHANTING)
CROWD: Johnny!!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: That is the sound of a jubilant Johnny Depp fans outside the courthouse, Wednesday as the verdict came in for his trial against Amber Heard. We'll have that story, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:20:00]
KINKADE: Welcome back. The bitter court battle between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard is over at least for the moment. Both former spouses were found liable for defamation in dueling lawsuits. But it is a big legal victory for Johnny Depp who won significantly more in damages. He says he's got his life back, but Heard's attorney told "NBC" that Depp's lawyers demonized her client.
Heard calls the verdict a setback for women, and she says she's going to appeal. One thing is for certain, it's divided public opinion online. CNN's Jean Casarez followed the court case and joins us now live to discuss. Jean, good to see you. So, this was quite a unique trial when you've got two actors airing their dirty laundry, making accusations at each other. And in real-time, we had people weighing in on this trial on social media.
JEAN CASAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's so true. Now, the courtroom is very insular, right? And it's the jury that mattered in this case. And the jury sat very close to the witness box, and they listened to testimony for eight weeks, a 1,000 hours of testimony, I think a 100 hours of testimony, maybe. But many hours of testimony. So they based their verdict on what they heard in court.
And to read the headlines, to read the articles, that really doesn't give you everything. It gives you an overview. But the devil was in the details in this case. And it was a huge win for Johnny Depp, because he brought this case, saying that op-ed defamed me. What you said in that was not true. So the jury had three statements that Johnny Depp said, this is -- these are the main three things that defamed me.
And they found across the board that he was right. That he had been defamed. And I think for Amber Heard, it is -- it is such a stark reality because the jury awarded 5 million in punitive damages, punishment, more less, the $10 million in compensatory. But the punitive damages awarded to Johnny Depp from -- and by Amber Heard, she must give it to him. But there is a cap in Virginia for those.
But anyway, my point is that the definition of a punitive damage is someone that recklessly and intentionally knew with willful intent, that they are saying something that is not true. And that is significant.
KINKADE: It is. And Jean, it's also interesting to note that there was a similar court case involving Johnny Depp in the U.K. Why did Depp lose that case in the U.K. and then win this case in the U.S.?
CASAREZ: Interesting question. No jury in London in the U.K., it was a judge. Different evidence. There were different rules of evidence. Every court is different. So, the rules of law and the witnesses that were in this case were not in that case conclusively. I mean, there were some overlap. But obviously different judicial system and a jury --
KINKADE: Yes --
CASAREZ: Of his peers.
KINKADE: Yes, fascinating case. Jean Casarez, good to have you with us. Thanks so much.
CASAREZ: Thanks, Lynda.
KINKADE: Well, the head of the largest American bank says the U.S. economy is headed for stormy times. JPMorgan Chase's Jamie Dimon warns that inflation, rising interest rates and the war in Ukraine could create what he calls an economic hurricane. Well, former White House Economic adviser Larry Summers even says a recession is likely in the next two years.
But some economists are quick to point out that the labor market is still very strong. CNN's Rahel Solomon is following all this, joins us now from New York. Good to see you, Rahel. So --
RAHEL SOLOMON, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Good to see you there --
KINKADE: A hurricane warning for your money is what we heard from the boss of America's biggest bank. He said it's not clear what type of hurricane is coming. But it is bearing down on the economy.
SOLOMON: Yes, you never want to hear one of the most prominent Wall Street CEOs say hurricane and money in the same sort of sentence or economy in the same sort of sentence. But here we are, Lynda, I want to read for you these comments in part. Jamie Dimon saying look, right now, it's kind of sunny, things are doing fine, everyone thinks the Fed can handle this, saying that hurricane is right out there, down the road coming our way. We just don't know if it's a minor one or a super storm Sandy. He pointed to some of the reasons you've already talked about, Lynda.
[14:25:00]
Inflation distorting the economy, the war in Ukraine, also talking about the actions that the Fed will have to take to try to rein in inflation as it hovers near 40-year highs. At the same time, he did say that there were some sunny spots in this forecast, right? That would be the strong jobs market here in the U.S., that would also be the consumer continuing to spend.
So, you still do have these sort of bright spots in the U.S. economy. But again, when you have a CEO like Jamie Dimon, one of the most recognizable American CEOs saying that it looks like there is a hurricane down the road, and also notable, Lynda, just last week, last Monday, we were talking about his comments last Monday, saying that there were storm clouds dissipating. And so, it sort of feels like an about-face from those comments quite recently, but also some pretty strong language with it.
KINKADE: Yes, exactly, and he also spoke about the fact that food prices are surging, and so too, oil. But he said that record oil prices may continue to rise, obviously because of the fallout of the Ukraine war.
SOLOMON: Yes, in fact, he's calling for oil to hit perhaps as high as -- I hate to even say it, $150 to $175 per barrel. Now, you know, we got that news from OPEC-Plus earlier today, that essentially OPEC-Plus would be adding production, ramping up production. And the hope was that, that would help. But as we can see in the oil markets, it didn't seem to help, the idea being that, perhaps, that won't be enough to lower prices at the pump.
We're seeing Brent still trading higher by about 1 percent, now or $117 per barrel. So Lynda, not even far off from that estimate of $150 a barrel. But it is a stark warning coming from someone very influential, and when he speaks, Lynda, the world listens.
KINKADE: Yes, exactly. And of course, I want to talk inflation, Rahel, because we heard a year ago, the U.S. Treasury Secretary saying that she didn't think inflation would be a major problem. A year later, she says she was wrong. What's being done right now to tackle inflation?
SOLOMON: Look, I mean, I think, you know, the messaging from the White House is quite clear. It is their top economic priority. Look, I think this is primarily within the domain of the Federal Reserve who has signaled that they will be raising rates quite significantly, at least, about half a percent we expect in the next two meetings, and maybe a quarter percent and meetings to follow. So, they're raising rates. They're you know, attempting to sort of cool demand.
But the challenge of course for them is that, they want to cool demand without sort of slamming the brakes, right? They want to sort of lower demand and sort of cool the economy without really triggering the economy into a recession. We know, they don't have the greatest track record of being able to do that. Larry Summers talked about that right here on CNN, yesterday, saying, look, it's not necessarily impossible, but history doesn't necessarily give them a lot of hope.
KINKADE: Yes, not really looking so good right now. Rahel Solomon, that hurricane on the way, thanks so much. Well, still to come tonight, another mass shooting in the U.S. This time a gunman takes aim at a hospital complex in Tulsa, Oklahoma, killing four people, including authorities say, his own doctor. A live report from Tulsa ahead.
And that, of course, came a week after the massacre at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, where grieving families are seeking answers over the police response to that shooting.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:31:30]
KINKADE: Any moment now, NATO Secretary General is expected to deliver remarks at the Pentagon where the U.S. Defense Secretary Jens Stoltenberg is meeting today with U.S. officials to discuss the strength of NATO and an upcoming summit in Madrid. It comes as the alliance is considering its next steps in the war in Ukraine. We will monitor that for you and bring you the latest from Washington as it comes to hand.
Well still in the U.S. and so far this year, there have been more mass shootings than days. And many are looking to the President for answers. Joe Biden will address the nation on guns in the coming hours at 7:30 p.m. Eastern.
And it comes after yet another mass shooting. This one at a hospital complex in Tulsa, Oklahoma on Wednesday. A gunman killed four people before apparently turning the weapon on himself. At a news conference just hours ago, Tulsa's police chief says the suspect had been a patient of one of the victims, a doctor who had performed back surgery on the gunman last month.
There have been 20 mass shootings in the US since the school massacre in Uvalde, Texas, which happened just nine days ago.
CNN's Lucy Kafanov is in Tulsa for us and joins us now live. And I'm sorry to say, Lucy, you've gone from one massacre to another. We heard from the Tulsa police chief a few hours ago saying that this gunman just began firing at anyone and that he bought this AR-style rifle on the same day as he carried out the shooting.
LUCY KAFANOV, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Lynda. And it's tragic really that just last week, I was standing in front of a hospital in San Antonio, Texas talking about the victims of the Uvalde shooting with you and here we are in front of the St. Francis Hospital campus talking about the shooting that took place yesterday.
Police have identified the suspected gunman as Michael Louis, he said -- they said that he entered the campus yesterday with that AR-15 style rifle which I should add was the same style rifle that was used in Uvalde and the Buffalo supermarket shooting prior to that. He purchased the weapon the same day he had the intent, according to police to kill his doctor, a man named Dr. Preston Phillips and anyone who came in his way. We know that because a letter was found on the body of Michael Louis, by police and authorities.
And I want to walk you through the timeline here. We know that on May 19th, Michael Louis went in for back surgery. He saw Dr. Preston. He was released on May 24th. After the release, he kept calling the clinic complaining of back pain seeking additional treatment. He was scheduled and saw, in fact, Dr. Phillips on May 31st. He had another treatment.
We then understand then yesterday on June 1st, he went in at 2:00 p.m. He purchased this AR-style weapon from a gun store, semi-automatic rifle, and just about two hours later entered this campus and opened fire. Took place on the second floor. Police responded quickly the first phone call, 911 call came in in around 4:52 p.m. By 5:00 p.m., police were certainly on the scene.
But I want to focus on the victims as well, the people who lost their lives. We have Dr. Preston Phillips, 59 years old, the surgeon who treated the gunman. We know that he's previously gone on several medical missions to Africa.
[14:35:02]
He volunteered with a nonprofit organization that provided surgical services to those in need. He helped a lot of people, not just here in the United States. He was killed alongside Dr. Stephanie Husen, a 48- year-old sports medicine specialist. Also Amanda Glenn, she was a receptionist who was at that office. She lost her life that day, as did William Love, a patient who was in the office.
We understand from police that he actually helped someone else escape with their lives. He was critically wounded. The medical team was unable to save him. The doctor here breaking down into tears recounting that moment. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. RYAN PARKER, ST. FRANCIS ASSOCIATE CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER: We so wanted to be able to utilize our skills and training to save these precious lives. The family of Mr. Love, I'm so sorry, we couldn't save you. We are grieving with you.
When I woke this morning, I really just wanted this to all be a bad dream. But this is the reality of our world right now. And today, our world and our St. Francis family are devastated.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAFANOV: The reality of the American world, Lynda. Back to you.
KINKADE: Yes, exactly. This is very much a U.S. problem. As I mentioned, the U.S. President will address this issue at 7:30 p.m. Eastern in the coming hours. We will bring that to you live.
Lucy Kafanov for us in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Thank you very much.
Well, the Texas town of Uvalde is engulfed in grief with more funerals happening today for the young children killed in last week's school massacre. Mourners is saying goodbye today to 11-year-old Maranda Gail Mathis and 10-year-old Nevaeh Alyssa Bravo. Her name is heaven spelled backwards. Well as family and friends mourn those killed, more details are emerging about controversial and the controversial police response to this shooting.
The city's mayor says a negotiator trying to reach the gunman by phone during the attack. CNN's Nick Valencia reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DON MCLAUGHLIN, UVALDE MAYOR: Our hearts are broken. Our hearts are broken for 21 family members.
NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Uvalde Mayor Don McLaughlin speaking out in an interview saying he rushed to Robb Elementary School once he heard of the shooting, but heard no 911 calls from students or shots fired.
MCLAUGHLIN: Look, when the call came out that there was a shooter at that school, I left and I went to that scene within 15 minutes. And while I was there, you know, I did not hear the 911 calls. I can assure you ahead we have been aware of it, or I would have been aware of it. I would have been screaming. I did not hear him. That doesn't mean they weren't blaring on every radio there.
VALENCIA (voice-over): He says he was at the nearby Hillcrest Funeral Home with a negotiator who was trying to get the gunman on the phone.
MCLAUGHLIN: The moment he went in that classroom, they started calling him. I wasn't there at the initial, but in the moment, he went in that classroom, they were trying to get numbers in call.
VALENCIA (voice-over): McLaughlin maintains trust in the law enforcement investigation despite his frustrations with the changing narrative.
MCLAUGHLIN: They've had three press conferences in all three press conferences. Something has changed. I'm not part of the investigation. But, I mean, what I am part of I think the truth will come out. And if we made mistakes, we'll own those mistakes.
VALENCIA (voice-over): The Texas Department of Public Safety says they are no longer answering questions on the matter. All questions and inquiries from now on will be fielded by the District Attorney's Office. Uvalde D.A. Christina Busbee says, once the investigation is complete, she will, quote, "Review it and see if there are any criminal charges that need to be brought."
This, as there is mounting criticism directed at Uvalde. School Police Chief Pete Arredondo. Arredondo spoke to CNN earlier Wednesday and says he is cooperating with the investigation, despite previous reports saying otherwise. He refused to give any substantive response to why he decided not to apprehend the gunman sooner.
SHIMON PROKUPECZ, CNN CRIME AND JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: You have an opportunity --
CHIEF PETE ARREDONDO, UVALDE SCHOOL DISTRICT POLICE: And sure and we're going to --
PROKUPECZ: -- to explain yourself to the parent.
ARREDONDO: And just so you know, we're going to do that eventually, obviously.
PROKUPECZ: When?
ARREDONDO: And whenever this is done and let the families quick grieving, then we'll do that, obviously.
VALENCIA (voice-over): Mayor McLaughlin says he has not spoken with Arredondo since the shooting, but confirmed he is cooperating with DPS.
MCLAUGHLIN: Mr. Arredondo is not a Uvalde police officer. He works for the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District. I have no jurisdiction or over him whatsoever. I've reached out, but like I said, I haven't talked to Pete.
VALENCIA (voice-over): This as the community continues grieving and bearing the 21 victims. On Wednesday, the funeral for teacher Irma Garcia and her husband took place. Garcia shielded her fourth grade students from the bullets. Garcia's husband Joe died just two days after the shooting after a medical emergency. This picture shows mourners around the pair as caskets.
[14:40:01]
DPS Trooper Juan Maldonado also honored his friend teacher Eva Mireles and says he was with her the moment she died at Robb Elementary.
JUAN MALDONADO, TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY: It was an honor to spend the last moment with Eva, as she left this earth into a greater place. Eva is a fighter. And she did everything she could to protect her babies, and that's her students. So, we know she did everything she could and she protected them to her last breath.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KINKADE: That was CNN's Nick Valencia reporting there.
We're going to take a quick break. We'll be right back. Stay with CNN.
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KINKADE: Welcome back. In Shanghai, officials and once again sealed off several neighborhoods after detecting seven new COVID cases. It comes just a day after the city loosened district two month lockdown. Officials are allowing most residents to go into public spaces as long as they test negative for COVID. But many residents have had to wait hours to take the tests. Officials have apologized and say they'll try to improve the wait times.
And Beijing is also easing some of its COVID restrictions, but to keep things under control, authorities is still enforcing a number of measures and keeping residents under constant surveillance. CNN Selina Wang shows us.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SELINA WANG, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This is part of my daily routine in Beijing.
(on-camera): All right, doing my temperature check.
(voice-over): Mandatory testing for the city's 20 million plus residents.
(on-camera): I've got to show them my passport and they have to type it in every single time.
(voice-over): Beijing halted almost all public activity for weeks. Over just a few dozen daily COVID cases.
(on-camera): Non-essential stores have been shut down including schools and gyms, and all in restaurant dining is banned indefinitely.
(voice-over): The capital recently reopened some venues like malls and parks with limited capacity and visitors have to show proof of a recent COVID test. But still, the biggest crowds often appear to be parades of COVID workers spraying disinfectant all over the streets.
(on-camera): So it's green, I'm good to go in. I need this green code to enter any area in Beijing. If it turns red, then I could be stuck at home or sent to quarantine.
(voice-over): Through the smartphone apps, authorities can carefully track the movements of virtually all of China's 1.4 billion people.
(on-camera): Grocery shelves here fully stocked. Beijing officials clearly trying to show people that no matter how long this partial lockdown lasts for people are going to be fed --
[14:45:08]
(voice-over): Not like in Shanghai where people struggle to get enough food when they were locked down.
(on-camera): This is a building where a positive COVID case has been found. You can see the workers in hazmat suits, the blue barrier around the building. This is to keep the people who live there locked inside, but it also serves as a warning to other residents. There's a fear that if you spend too much time by a lockdown building, your QR code could turn red. (voice-over): Just one positive COVID case can get an entire building bus to government quarantine. This is just one of the many high risk areas in Beijing. Residents avoid even transiting through the red dots on the map.
(on-camera): It's lunchtime in Beijing's most popular food district. Normally people here would be gathered crowded shoulder to shoulder but now it is essentially a ghost town.
And even here there are signs reminding people to avoid crowds and security guards on the loudspeakers telling people to distance themselves. But after more than two years of these on and off restrictions, people are getting frustrated. Every part of our days are tracked and surveilled. People are concerned that this control is here to stay long after COVID is gone.
Selina Wang, CNN, Beijing
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KINKADE: Well still to come tonight, back to our top story. The Queen celebrating her Platinum Jubilee. We'll take a look back at her 70 years on the throne.
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KINKADE: Well, this just in to CNN, Buckingham Palace says the Queen will miss the national service of Thanksgiving in St. Paul's Cathedral in London on Friday. In a statement issued just moments ago that palace said the Queen experienced some discomfort during Thursday's jubilee celebrations and that it is with great reluctance that she won't attend tomorrow.
And it was indeed a momentous day in Britain today and the Commonwealth. Buckingham Palace pulling out all stops to make her majesty's seven decade reigning as Queen, and as the U.K. begins four days of public holiday. Here are a few moments in which history was commemorated.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(Cheering and Applause)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[14:51:19]
KINKADE: We know the British monarch has sat on the throne longer than Queen Elizabeth II. She served her country now for an incredible 70 years, experiencing the highs and lows of history, as well as her own personal life.
CNN's Max Foster has a look at her extraordinary reign.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) MAX FOSTER, CNN ROYAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): After the death of her father, King George VI, 25-year-old Elizabeth known as Lilibet to friends, assumed the throne. Crowned at Westminster Abbey on June the 2nd 1953. This was the first time the public was able to witness this sacrosanct event.
Elizabeth allowed live television cameras in to capture the ceremony, in a powerful signal that hers was a new, open and relevant monarchy.
QUEEN ELIZABETH II, QUEEN OF U.K.: I declare before you all that my whole life whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service, and to the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong.
QUEEN MARGRETHE II OF DENMARK: That was an example, which I very much felt that when I grew older, that was what it was about. You dedicate your life to your country.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was with her marriage to the Duke of Edinburgh, that perhaps we first realized the personality of our queen to be.
FOSTER (voice-over): On November the 20th, 1947, Princess Elizabeth had word her childhood sweetheart, the tall and dashing Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark. The following year, their marriage bore Elizabeth's heir Prince Charles.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sir Winston Leonard Churchill came to receive her majesty and the --
FOSTER (voice-over): Her first prime minister was Winston Churchill. And during her rule, she's met every acting U.S. President Paul Wan (ph), meetings she always prioritized.
Stiff upper lip in public, this little footage to show the sense of humor this wife, mother and grandmother is reputed to show behind closed doors. On occasion, there has been little to laugh about however.
QUEEN ELIZABETH: It just turned out to be unhonest or rebellious.
FOSTER (voice-over): During the 1990s, three of her four children were divorce, Charles most famously, and then that crash.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Getting word that the French government has informed all of us that Princess Diana has died.
FOSTER (voice-over): The Royal families restrained response collided with a British public convulsing and heartache. Elizabeth learned she's never merely a mother or grandmother, rather a queen to her people, no matter what.
Over more than a decade, public faith in the Royals gradually rebuilt. The Queen was visibly thrilled by the show of support for the wedding between her grandson, William and partner Kate in 2011. The family soon welcomed several additions, including Prince George, future heir to the throne, born in 2013. In 2021, at the age of 99, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, passed away. Senior Royals attended the funeral scale back due to coronavirus. Elizabeth was forced to stand alone as she watched his coffin lower into the royal vault at Windsor Castle. Bidding farewell to her husbands of 73 years, the man she described as her strength and stay.
For more than half a century, Elizabeth had led an empire before overseeing its managed decline.
[14:55:04]
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The royal pair stop first at the soon to be independent colony before touring their Dominions in the West Indies.
FOSTER (voice-over): Known as the Commonwealth, and association of now independent countries, 15 of which have kept the Queen as a symbolic head of state. After 70 momentous years, her Majesty celebrates her Platinum Jubilee, the longest serving British monarch in history.
Max Foster, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KINKADE: And finally, one of the most adorable ways to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee, a pop up koji cam in London, how very British. That Leadenhall market allowed people to take photos with Queen Elizabeth's favorite dog breed corgis. And as part of the celebrations marking her 70 years on the throne.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We've been queuing for about two hours but it was worth it because they bought the corgis out so we could pet them while we waited to pass (ph)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. It didn't feel that long.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No. It's OK.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It was really sweet. I loved it. Honestly, I thought was really nice. I think we like dogs, we're dog lovers, so it was really nice experience.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: According to the pop up organizer, the Queen has owned corgis since she was just 18 years old.
Thanks so much for watching tonight. I'm Lynda Kinkade. Stay with us. "QUEST MEANS BUSINESS" is coming up next.
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