Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Newsroom
U.K.'s Boris Johnson Faces No-Confidence Vote Over Scandals; Intense Fighting In Eastern Ukraine; Baby Formula Plant Back Up And Running; Study: Cancer Drug May Help Even Worse Breast Cancer Patients; Study: Diabetes Drug Helped Patients Lose Up To 20.9 Percent Of Body Weight; World's Biggest Four-Day Work Week Pilot Begins; Police: Gunman Kills Judge, Had "Hit List" Of Government Officials. Aired 1:30-2p ET
Aired June 06, 2022 - 13:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[13:31:43]
ANA CABRERA, CNN HOST: Boris Johnsen could be out of a job by the end of the day today. The British prime minister is facing a new confidence vote within his own conservative party.
That vote got underway moments ago. If he loses this vote, Johnson will be forced to resign.
As prime minister, Johnson has been a strong ally of the U.S. But a scandal involving secret staff parties held during the country's COVID lockdown and his handling of the inflation crisis have now put Johnson under fire.
And if you want to know the sentiment in the U.K. right now, this is what happened when he showed up to a celebration for the queen over the weekend.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(BOOING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CABRERA: CNN's Bianca Nobilo is joining us now.
What is the sense on where this is headed, Bianca?
BIANCA NOBILO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Ana, it's a moment of the prime minister's greatest political peril since he's been in office or throughout his political career.
Right now, his own lawmakers are voting whether or not they want to keep him or oust him. He requires 180 of them to vote in favor of him in order to stay in post.
But in reality, it's going to take a lot more than that in order for him to continue with any semblance of political authority and power going forward.
One of the reasons he's in so much trouble is the discontent and agitation against the prime minister comes from across the party. It's such a broad and desperate constituency from those on the far right to those in the progressive wing.
They all agree on one thing, that they want a different leader.
So tonight, around 4:00 p.m. your time in the United States, we'll find out if Boris Johnson has won that vote.
The M.P.s I've been speaking to, Ana, in the last few hours, feel like this is looking worse for the prime minister as the day goes on.
If you asked me earlier today, it was an obvious yes he would survive. But now, it's looking more difficult and the mood is grim within the Conservative Party -- Ana?
CABRERA: We heard the boos over the weekend at the events for the jubilee. And we have this new snap poll today showing that six in 10, approximately, British adults want him to be voted out.
If that happens, if he's voted out, what does this mean for global relations with U.S. and other allies? Do you see an impact beyond the U.K.?
NOBILO: Certainly. The prime minister's character and policy priorities when it comes to global affairs will reshape depending on who is in the building behind me and who has that post.
In terms of the United States, I would say that the most immediate effect of Boris Johnson's departure would be losing a very obvious and stalwart ally on Ukraine.
Obviously, the United States, the U.K. has been right behind them in terms of providing Ukraine the aggressive and defensive weapons.
Consider the long-range rocket systems. The U.S. has sent HMars (ph). The U.K. is right behind sending the long-range rocket systems to try and push Vladimir Putin back.
On other terms, the Conservative Party, whoever is at the helm tends to favor and prioritize the transatlantic relationship. So that, at least, will remain consistent.
Whoever is the prime minister of the party will be somebody who wants to prioritize the relationship with President Joe Biden.
CABRERA: OK. Bianca Nobilo, in London, we know you'll keep us posted on this vote that is underway right now.
[13:34:59]
Meantime, let's pick up where she left off. Britain sending more advanced rocket systems to Ukraine, like the U.S. This, as Russia intensifies its aerial attacks on multiple fronts, including its first missile strikes on Kyiv in weeks.
Plus, experts are growing increasingly concerned about nuclear safety in Ukraine, saying a plant controlled by Russia is now missing multiple key safety protocols.
And there was this. Chilling video showing a Russian cruise missile flying very close to a Ukrainian nuclear facility.
CNN's Ben Wedeman is in eastern Ukraine.
Ben, just how intense is the fighting there in eastern Ukraine right now?
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Ana, about an hour and a half drive from here, in the town of Severodonetsk, the fighting is intense.
We've seen Ukrainian and Russian forces going back and forth trying to gain control of that critical city, which really has been a battleground for weeks and weeks.
I was there much of the month of April, and there was still, back then, intense Russian bombardment on that area.
Now, overnight President Volodymyr Zelenskyy actually went to that area. Not to the city of Severodonetsk. But to a town right next to it which overlooks it, very much within range of the Russian artillery.
And his visit underscores just how much importance the Ukrainian government is putting on this critical battle here.
And to refer to what Bianca was talking about, what the Ukrainians desperately need in this battle, where the Russians are taking full advantage of their numerical superiority when it comes to artillery, is they want the long-range missile systems that the United States and the U.K. have said they will provide to the Ukraine.
Because these will allow them to fire upon Russian forces but be out of range of the Russian artillery. These are very precise high-tech artillery pieces that would really give the Ukrainians an advantage.
And, of course, the government here has expressed its gratitude and appreciation to the United States and the United Kingdom over their pledge to provide these weapons.
But these weapons are desperately needed now, and it will take time to train Ukrainian personnel in how to use them and actually bring them to where they are needed most, which is where I am -- Ana?
CABRERA: We've seen that will to fight continue to be strong there in Ukraine.
Ben Wedeman, thank you for your ongoing courageous reporting. I definitely appreciate that.
Back here at home, the plant at the center of a nationwide baby formula shortage is back up and running. But what is it making exactly, and when will parents see it on store shelves?
Plus, a former Wisconsin judge is murdered. And he wasn't the only official on the suspect's hit list. What we know just ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[13:42:52]
CABRERA: The baby formula crisis gripping the U.S. may soon be easing a bit. The Abbott plant at the center of the recall that helped trigger this shortage is back up and running. But it's only producing specialty formula for now.
CNN's senior medical correspondent, Elizabeth Cohen, joins us.
Elizabeth, how long until parents no longer have to worry about whether they'll be able to find formula?
DR. ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: It looks like it's going to be some weeks until you can just sort of waltz into your supermarket and see it like it was.
The Abbott plant reopened and they're going to start by making a formula called EleCare. It's a hypoallergenic formula for children with allergies or specific conditions. That's expected to appear on shelves June 20th. So even that won't be instantaneous.
Similac, which is one much more commonly used among babies, and other products will take longer than that.
This week's shipments of formula, in general kinds of formula, not just specialty formula, are expected to be imported from the U.K. and Australia this week. So we'll see how quickly those can end up on shelves.
So heading in the right direction. But if you're a parent walking into your local store, you're not going to see this difference today, most likely.
CABRERA: OK. We're going to stay on that. Thank you for the update.
I had someone ask about a pair of interesting studies, one for cancer, the other for weight loss.
First, fill us on the new study suggesting a cancer drug already in use may benefit more breast cancer patients.
This sounds wonderful. How so?
COHEN: Yes. So this is, as you said, a cancer drug that's already used by some women with breast cancer. This study suggests it should be used by more women. And these are women who have advanced cancer. It's metastatic, meaning it has spread, and surgery is not an option for them.
Let's look at what this study published in the "New England Journal of Medicine found."
They looked at 557 patients with what are called HER2-Low breast cancer. I know that sounds like mumbo jumbo but, if you have this breast cancer, you know if you're HER2-Low.
So the drug, called Enertu, is already used by other women with cancer. With the drug, survival was 23.4 months. Without the drugs, survival was 16.8 months. So that is a difference.
[13:45:09]
There were two deaths from lung disease that were linked to the drug. About two deaths. So that's something that doctors will have an eye on if you get this drug, to make sure they monitor for that lung disease -- Ana?
CABRERA: And this weight loss drug? Fill us in.
COHEN: Yes. This weight loss drug, let's look at that. Also a drug already out on the market. This time, it's for folks with diabetes. It's called Tirzepatide.
Participants started at an average of 230 pounds or so. The placebo group, over about a little less than a year and a half, lost 3.1 percent.
The folks on the highest dose of the drug lost about 21 percent of their body weight. That's a big difference.
Some of the folks that took the drugs had some sort of G.I. problems. It will be interesting to see if doctors choose to use this more for their patients overweight or obese -- Ana?
CABRERA: I'm sure there are a lot of people listening, saying what do I need to do to try it out myself? Obviously, talk to your doctor I guess is the place to start.
COHEN: Yes.
(CROSSTALK)
CABRERA: Thank you very much, Elizabeth Cohen.
COHEN: Thanks.
CABRERA: OK, listen to this. Shorter workweek, same pay? Maybe too good to be true? But for thousands of workers in the U.K., this is a reality now.
CNN's Rahel Solomon is here to explain what it's about.
I like the sound of this.
RAHEL SOLOMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I do, too. There's one catch. It's just that it's a pilot at this point. It's just a trial. Here's how it's going to work. It's the largest pilot of its kind.
This four-day workweek, 3,300 workers, 70 companies. It's going to takes place over six months in the U.K.
This is an association with a four-day workweek group, also researchers from universities like Cambridge, Oxford and Boston College.
Before this trial, Ana, the largest was in Iceland. That was 2,500 workers over four days.
Some of the organizers behind the campaign say that the goal is to give a voice to those who want to work less. But also that this is a solid, sound business improvement strategy.
Why does this matter, of course, is because the job market here in the U.S. is red hot. There are 11.4 million job openings.
We've heard Chairman Powell, from the Federal Reserve, talk about how there are 1.9 open jobs for every one person looking for a job.
So there's a real imbalance in the jobs market. And this could perhaps be one way to incentivize workers who is feel like at this point they have the upper hand. They have lots of options.
This could be one way for businesses to try to encourage workers to work for their company and perhaps even add a bit more work/life balance.
CABRERA: Right.
SOLOMON: And doesn't that sound good?
CABRERA: Maybe it's a win-win for the businesses as well. I'm sure in some industries, fewer days of work could save some costs for them as well as a business.
Do you see this going from the U.K. to the U.S.? Any rumblings of the U.S. following suit?
SOLOMON: We know there was a bill in California. That's now on hold. That may come back next year. That was called the Four-Day Workweek bill.
But to your point, Ana, you know, it's all about dollars and cents. Sometimes for companies.
I want to point to interesting stats. In Iceland, they found that reduction of working hours maintained or increased productivity.
In New Zealand, where they did a study in 2018, they found that engagement levels rose between 30 percent and 40 percent.
So the case in terms of productivity has been made, at least, in these studies. So perhaps adding some additional sort of encouragement and steam behind the idea. And, Ana, just last week, we talked about lunchflation. That's a real concern for people who are being asked to come back into the office.
It's not just additional time that it takes to your day to come into the office but also the additional expense.
CABRERA: Yes, no kidding. And I think about when I have a few extra moments of my own time, it gives me an extra recharge to help with productivity that you point out.
I'll be curious to see where this --
SOLOMON: Me, too.
CABRERA: -- pilot ends up.
Thank you, Rahel.
[13:48:59]
A retired Wisconsin judge is dead, and we're now learning the suspect had his eyes on other targets, too. More on the hit list and who was on it, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[13:53:32]
CABRERA: Police say a former Wisconsin judge, shot dead in his home, was just one target on a hit list of prominent officials. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers were all allegedly on the list.
And we're learning the man killed, Judge John Roemer, had a personal connection to the suspect. Court records show Roemer had sentenced the alleged gunman to six years in prison back in 2005.
CNN national correspondent, Nadia Romero, is in New Lisbon, Wisconsin.
Nadia, what more do we know about this suspect?
NADIA ROMERO, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Ana, so many people in this small community knew Judge John Roemer and they're talking about what happened here.
We know the suspect has a criminal history dating back in the state of Wisconsin to the early 2000s. He was convicted of armed burglary and firearm charges.
As you mentioned, Judge John Roemer and the suspect, 56-year-old Douglas Uhde, crossed paths in 2005 when he was sentenced to six years in prison.
Right behind me, there's a police barricade set up on the road leading to the home of that former judge, John Roemer. That is where the incident happened on Friday. You can see the police tape here. This is still a very active
investigation.
We're getting more details as to how all of this came about. So we know that this happened early Friday morning when a call came in that there were shots fired at this house.
When investigators had failed negotiation attempts with the suspect, they went inside, found the former judge dead and found the suspect in the basement with a self-inflicted wound.
[13:55:07]
Now, you mentioned that there were other people on that hit list for the suspect. And we've asked law enforcement authorities to give us more of an idea of how he was connected to the judge and to all the other people, those heavyweights, big political leaders.
And they're still saying they're going to work on those details as this investigation continues -- Ana?
CABRERA: OK, Nadia Romero, disturbing story. Thank you for that.
That does it for us today. Thank you for joining us. I'll see you back here tomorrow, same time, same place. Until then, you can always find me on Twitter, @AnaCabrera.
The news continues right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
