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President Donald Trump Falsely Claims 99 Percent Of Virus Cases Are Harmless; Australia Closing Off New South Wales And Victoria Border; Nine Arrested Under New Hong Kong Law Released On Bail; Iran: Fire Caused Significant Damage At Nuclear Site; Oscar-Winning Film Composer, Ennio Morricone, Dies At 91. Aired 11a-12p ET
Aired July 06, 2020 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[11:00:00]
KIM BRUNHUBER, CNN INTERNATIONAL HOST: Hello and welcome to CONNECT THE WORLD. I'm Kim Brunhuber in Atlanta. Ahead this hour Coronavirus cases keep
reaching new highs in the U.S. as health officials say the rush to reopen fueled this violent surge across the nation.
But as American lives are on the line, the U.S. President falsely claims that 99 percent of virus cases are harmless. Brazils' largest city is
reopening even those cases surge there a report from Sao Paulo coming up.
The United States is emerging from its Independence Day weekend with medical experts warning of another post-holiday surge in COVID-19 cases. 32
states are now reporting an increase in new case numbers from the week before.
California set a one-day record Sunday for any U.S. state during the pandemic with more than 11,000 cases, and a more troubling indicator, a
surge in hospitalizations. Several states are at record levels now.
Officials in many of the states there opened up early now admitting they should have waited. Within days the U.S. will top 3 million confirmed
COVID-19 cases, by far the most in the world. Nearly 130,000 Americans have died, but President Donald Trump continues to downplay the danger. Rosa
Flores reports.
ROSA FLORES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: As the number of new confirmed Coronavirus cases continues to surge throughout the country, images from the Fourth of
July weekend are likely to add to health experts' concerns. Crowds gathering at this Michigan beach party with no social distancing or face
coverings.
At the Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri, people packing waterfront restaurants and filling pools. And at this water park in Wisconsin, masks
were required for employees but not guests once inside.
And on the West Coast, L.A. Beaches were closed for the holiday weekend, but
San Diego saw busy beaches and boardwalks as the state reached a high in new cases Sunday with nearly 12,000, according to Johns Hopkins University.
With Coronavirus cases now on the rise in 32 states, local and state officials say the federal government needs to do more.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAYOR KATE GALLEGO (D), PHOENIX, ARIZONA: President Trump was in my community chose not to wear a mask and he's having large events while I am
trying to push people that you need to stay at home.
GOV. PHIL MURPHY (D-NJ): We need a national strategy. We're only as strong as our weakest link right now. We went through hell. We cannot afford to go
through hell again.
MAYOR DAN GELBER (D), MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA: We're not on the same page. There is not unity in our community or any community right now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FLORES: President Trump still sending mixed messages about the virus, downplaying the recent spikes with this false claim.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Now we have tested almost 40 million people. By so doing we show cases, 99 percent of which
are totally harmless.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FLORES: FDA Commissioner Dr. Stephen Hahn refusing to defend the claim.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. STEPHEN HAHN, FDA COMMISSIONER: So, I'm not going to get into who is right and who is wrong. We have seen a surge in cases. We must do something
to stem the tide and we have this in our power to do it by following the guidance from the White House Task Force and the CDC.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FLORES: In Texas, officials are issuing dire warnings after hospitals in at least two counties hit full capacity, urging Texans to social distance and
use masks to stem the surge.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SYLVESTER TURNER, HOUSTON, TEXAS MAYOR: If we don't get our hands around this virus quickly, in about two weeks, our hospital system could be in
serious, serious trouble.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FLORES: Florida eclipsed 40,000 new Coronavirus cases in the first four days of July and set a single day high of 11,458 new cases on Saturday.
Officials in southern Florida concerned about the growing numbers, fearful for the impact on their own hospital system.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: These huge spikes we're seeing right now obviously mean that in a week or two we're going to see even bigger people showing up,
more people showing up to hospitals and intensive care and on ventilators.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRUNHUBER: Thank you to Rosa Flores for that. You heard in Rosa's report President Trump's claim that 99 percent of Coronavirus cases are harmless
and the FDA Commissioner's refusal to acknowledge that claim as false. So, I want to discuss that with Senior Washington Correspondent Joe Johns.
Joe, I mean, this continual refusal to acknowledge the severity of the Coronavirus pandemic here will President Trump bear political price for
this at the polls, do you think?
JOE JOHNS, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Certainly that's possible. And I think it's also important to say that the President has cast his lot
with an improving economy here in the United States. He's promised the voters that the economy will improve by the time we get to Election Day.
[11:05:00]
JOHNS: And everybody here at the White House is quite clear on the fact that the only way you can get an improved economy is if the voters and
consumers here in the United States have confidence that Coronavirus is under control. So that's the President's reason, his motivation, if you
will, for telling people that Coronavirus isn't as bad as it seems.
I think the other piece of that is just earlier today, the White House Chief of Staff, Mark Meadows, talked to reporter's right out here on the
driveway he backed up that 99 percent claim, which on its face seems pretty ridiculous.
Where they apparently are getting it from is the appearance that about 1 percent of individuals who comes down with Coronavirus ends up dying. But
that doesn't account for the 20 percent or so who come down with Coronavirus and face severe illness, have to go on a respirator or have to
get oxygen. But they all are trying to sell this idea that Coronavirus isn't as bad as it seems, Kim.
BRUNHUBER: All right. Thank you very much, Joe Johns. More than 200 scientists from around the world are calling on the World Health
Organization to recognize COVID-19 as airborne. The authors of the letter cite evidence that virus can float, suspended in air on droplets, but the
W.H.O. currently says the Coronavirus is spread from person to person in close contact.
The scientists claim the organization is avoiding the word airborne because it could make people more afraid. But our next guest says the W.H.O. has
accurately warned the public of transmission risks. Dr. Paul Hunter is a member of the W.H.O.'s Infection Prevention Committee, and as a Professor
of Medicine at the University of East Anglia.
Professor, thank you for joining us, so, that letter warning about the dangers of droplets suspended in the air are lingering there potentially
affecting people who breathe it. How big a danger do you feel that poses?
DR. PAUL HUNTER, PROFESSOR OF MEDICINE, UNIVERSITY OF EAST ANGLIA: Well, I think can I just correct you here, that the letter isn't arguing about
droplets, they're arguing about aerosols. And there are two very different things. The W.H.O. has repeatedly and consistently said that this disease
is droplet-spread.
Now the thing about droplets is that they're quite large that - greater than 5 microns. But they do tend to fall out to the air - fairly quickly.
Aerosols are much smaller, less than 5 microns, and they tend to stay around in the air.
So, it is not airborne related to aerosols which are less than 5 microns droplets spread still spread through the air, greater than 5 microns but
tend not to stay around. And so, what the letter is arguing about is aerosol spread, not droplet spread. Everybody accepts that droplets are the
primary route that this infection is spread.
BRUNHUBER: So to make the distinction there, we're talking about, let's say, sneezing and coughing that would produce, you know, the droplets, but
let's say breathing, you know, for a period of time, maybe singing, that would produce the aerosols. And the W.H.O. says that that is not dangerous.
HUNTER: Right. I think the talking and laughing and speaking and coughing produces both aerosols and droplets. And, indeed, sometimes droplets that
the water evaporates and they turn into aerosols. I think the issue here is not really whether aerosol spread can happen to COVID-19.
And the issue is actually whether it happens sufficiently, frequently that we actually need to take into accounting that and modify our control
measures? And that is the area of disagreement. And I think the issue here is that if you accept these droplets, then much of what we're doing at the
moment or much of what W.H.O. and most countries are recommending is sufficient to control droplets.
The evidence is that aerosols might cause additional risk is still under debate, it's still not absolutely cast. But certainly my view is that the
balance of evidence is suggesting that actually aerosols, although aerosol infection can happen, they probably, in the scheme of things, aren't
actually that important in the spread of the infection or in the control of the infection.
[11:10:00]
HUNTER: The problem is if you're going to control aerosols that are a heck of a lot more cost. One of the things that's interesting, a number of the
authors of that letter seem to be senior people in companies that would actually make quite a lot of money from a move towards more aerosol
precautions.
BRUNHUBER: Well, let's put their motives to one side. We've certainly heard from many scientists who wouldn't stand to profit that they believe that
this is happening. Isn't part of the problem that there is a lag between, you know, the scientific evidence that's been demonstrated in repeated
studies versus what we're actually seeing in places like bars, churches where people are speaking and singing and not necessarily, you know,
coughing on each other, so that anecdotal evidence is mounting up, and people are ringing the alarm bells here?
HUNTER: Talking generates droplets. I'm sure you sat having dinner with somebody across the table and you're talking about something, and you've
occasionally feel splashes on your face from the person opposite from you talking? Those are droplets. And that's how the disease is spread, and that
can explain most of the outbreaks that have been described with COVID-19.
So, yes, you've got to keep your distance. Yes, you have to preferably meet outside if possible yes you have to have good ventilation but some of these
other issues that are actually becoming very costly. There is no really good evidence that that's the case.
And some of the outbreaks - the church outbreaks, one of the things when you're singing are that you project droplets, potentially project droplets
much further away from yourself. So I think - I accept, though, that aerosols can occasionally spread infection.
But whether they actually do that sufficiently to warrant additional measures that would actually control the epidemic is, in my view, certainly
quite doubtful.
BRUNHUBER: You keep mentioning the cost. Is that what's driving this, the burden on the countries is so huge that it would be disproportionate to
focus on that?
HUNTER: No, I think, I mean, W.H.O., when it makes its recommendations, generally do not take into account the costs of what their recommendations
are. And certainly that was never really part of the debate that I've been in. It's largely been in what the science has been saying.
Yes, RNA occasionally found in aerosols, but generally they are - very rarely has it been shown that they are infectious RNA droplets and
particles in aerosols. There is very little evidence, in fact, there is no evidence that I'm aware of that aerosol spread has actually happened in
healthcare settings where the infection is spread over considerable distances from one room to another.
And so, in the absence of - so the balance of evidence is very much still in favor of droplets rather than aerosols as being the thing that we should
be targeting. And it is a shame because we spend - nations have spent a lot of time and effort into getting a very clear message across about what are
the important things you need to be doing to protect yourselves.
And when you have this sort of debate in public, I think it does undermine public trust and the advice we've been given. And I think there is good
evidence that when these sorts of debate, particularly one - advice particular one, I don't think that it was necessary, but you end up making
people confused, and they then are less likely to do what they are being asked to do and what is necessary to control the epidemic.
BRUNHUBER: Last quick question before we go. As regards the W.H.O., what will they do with this letter? Will they review it? Will they take it into
consideration?
HUNTER: Well, absolutely. I mean, although I attend this particular area, I'm not part of the W.H.O. hierarchy, so I don't know what is being done at
the moment in W.H.O. regarding this. The W.H.O. has always, in my experience, taken view of the wide range of scientific opinion on any
topic, and it will be doing that again.
It will be reviewing all of the evidence and using a wide range of particular expertise and range of scientists, as it has been doing amongst
- most things that it has being so far this year.
[11:15:00]
BRUNHUBER: Alright. Thank you very much, Dr. Paul Hunter, for joining us. We appreciate it.
HUNTER: Thank you.
BRUNHUBER: New local lockdowns are being imposed in Spain to try and put a lid on two coronavirus outbreaks. The restrictions were announced over the
weekend affecting about 270,000 people in the Catalonia and Galicia regions.
In Catalonia police set up check points around the main hotspot to prevent people from going in and out. The outbreak in Galicia started in local bars
and let a dozens of new cases. These are the first lockdowns and Spain lifted its national state of emergency last month.
As Spain works to prevent coronavirus come back, some scientists there are pouring cold water on the so-called herd immunity theory. They conducted
what appears to be the largest study on the subject in Europe, and their conclusion about achieving herd immunity with COVID-19 is, don't count on
it.
Now Al Goodman is in Madrid with more or so. Let's start on that study. What can you tell us about it?
AL GOODMAN, JOURNALIST: Hi, Kim. Well, this was 61,000 participants across the nation, a representative sample, the Spanish authorities say, and only
5 percent had Coronavirus antibodies. That is to say, some contact with the virus that is to say theoretically some immunity. But that also means that
95 percent did not have any contact.
So the Spanish study which was published in the prestigious medical journal "The Lancet" this day, comes out and says that Spain is very far away from
this so-called herd mentality. The only way you would get there, the study says, is if you were willing to accept what they call the collateral damage
of many, many more deaths, more than the 28,000 already in this country due to the Coronavirus among this acceptable population and then overburdening
of the hospitals like the one across the street from me and the health systems across the country.
Now "The Lancet" published a companion piece of commentary by two virus experts from Geneva who said basically that herd mentality or herd immunity
is unachievable. Let's go back quickly to these outbreaks around the country having come out of this nationwide three-month lockdown.
They're trying now to upgrade the contact tracing so that they can surgically go in and cut off some areas. But that area in Catalonia and
Northeastern Spain that you talked about, 200,000 people in this county are ringed by police officers blocking the roads in and out now.
That started with seasonal farm workers, about 500 cases there now, with 200,000 people locked down. In the Northwest of Spain along the Atlantic
Ocean, those villages in Galicia, the people in the bars, more than 100 cases, but 70,000 people locked down.
So that's the kind of measures that the Spanish regional authorities now following the lead of the Spanish national government have been taking to
try to lock down this and prevent any renewed widespread outbreaks. Kim?
BRUNHUBER: All right. Thanks so much Al Goodman, in Madrid. Coming up, South Africa has one of the highest Coronavirus infection rates in Africa
and one of the lowest death tolls. After the break, we'll look at their strategy for keeping patients alive. And Brazil is starting to reopen, but
is the country headed for the same resurgence as some American states? We'll take a look.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK0
[11:20:00]
BRUNHUBER: Officials in Australia have closed off the border between New South Wales and Victoria earlier than anticipated, the decision to impose
travel restrictions was taken after all of Melbourne was deemed a Coronavirus hot spot. Australian journalist Angus Watson has more.
ANGUS WATSON, JOURNALIST: Well, 3,000 people across nine public housing units went into their second day under complete lockdown in Melbourne,
Australia, on Monday. They're not allowed to leave their house for any reason, and they're under police guard as their government tries to keep
them safe from COVID-19.
127 cases in Victoria, the Southern Australian state detected on Sunday, 16 of those in these very highly densely populated towers where the government
is very worried that Coronavirus could just rip through and really infect people who already have underlying health conditions there.
So that's the local effort to try to stem this outbreak in Australia. There is also a nationwide one. The border between Victoria and New South Wales,
the two most populous states in the country, closed now as of Tuesday night, midnight local time.
No one will be able to travel between Victoria and New South Wales to try to keep a lid on this, to try to keep this Coronavirus outbreak in Victoria
and not let it spread to the rest of the country. Angus Watson in Sydney.
BRUNHUBER: South Africa has one of the highest recorded rates of COVID-19 in Africa, and yet one of the lowest death tolls. Doctors there say the key
to keeping patients alive is only to use a ventilator as the last resort. CNN's David McKenzie has more.
DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Friday night in the cape flats, lockdown is over.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JUDITH MITCHELL, WESTERN CAPE EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES: And weekend specifically when it opened south--
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MCKENZIE: Paramedic Judith Mitchell just started her shift. This is just her second call.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MITCHELL: So, is it safe to go to?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MCKENZIE: So there is a man lying in there with his weapon still next to him. He's still moving. The ambulance team is very nervous about going into
this area, and this is the kind of violence they have to deal with every night.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm not worried about COVID anymore. I think I'm more worried about the shooting.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MCKENZIE: Not worried because each day crews know that the COVID-19 patients they drop off at this emergency field hospital have a very good
chance of walking out just a few days later.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. LEE WALLIS, WESTERN CAPE HEAD OF EMERGENCY MEDICINE: Our death rate is slowing. That isn't really what we've modeled; it's not what we've
predicted. We thought deaths would continue and actually be climbing quite dramatically 100, 1000, 10,000.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MCKENZIE: Western Cape Head of Emergency Medicine, Lee Wallis, says early models predicted a catastrophe here.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WALLIS: In a way it's lucky that - later in this pandemic. Definitely we learned huge amounts from China, from Europe, from the U.S.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MCKENZIE: What they learned, use ventilators as a very last resort.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WALLIS: And the body doesn't do us well in those conditions. This virus causes lot of damage to both the lungs and the blood vessels and the lungs,
and you really need the body's own system to fight as much as possible.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MCKENZIE: They started early on high-flow nasal oxygen instead, using gallons and gallons per minute for every patient, keeping them active and
alert.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WALLIS: They looked it, patient said, we were to week ago incubating this patient, and they were having better outcomes. We're now using this oxygen
and that walking out of the hospital.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MCKENZIE: Every patient on oxygen here gets anti-coagulants to reduce the risk of blood clots, steroids too, confirmed by the results of a recent
Oxford study showing they could save lives in the sickest of patients.
The virus is now moving faster than ever here with days of record increases in confirmed cases. The epicenter is moving quickly to Johannesburg.
Doctors say predictions are a dangerous game.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. CLAIRE KEENE, MFS MEDICAL COORDINATOR: We are being faced with so much failure in this whole COVID scenario. I think we've used the time well, but
we've always going to question ourselves, did we use it enough? Did we do enough with the time that we were given during lockdown when the epidemic
slowed?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[11:25:00]
MCKENZIE: But they hope that the lessons they learned treating patients in Cape Town will continue to save lives across the country as the pandemic
surges. What do the empty beds tell us?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WALLIS: This is a hospital of hope, so I think they should give us hope that we can cope with the pandemic.
MCKENZIE: Empty beds are good news.
WALLIS: Empty beds are good news, absolutely.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MCKENZIE: David McKenzie, CNN, Cape Town.
BRUNHUBER: There are staggering new numbers from Brazil. Officials say there are 1.6 million people who have confirmed cases of the virus and
nearly 65,000 have died. Despite that, the country's largest city is reopening Monday. Sao Paulo's bars, restaurants and hair salons are back in
business.
Rio de Janeiro allowed bars and restaurants to reopen over the weekend. Many of those businesses are opening their doors for the first time since
late March, but there are concerns it might not be safe to open back up at this time. CNN's Bill Weir is in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
BILL WEIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Greetings, Kim, from a more busy Sao Paulo. Rush hour not what it used to be pre-Coronavirus, but today is the biggest
phase of reopening we'll see today. Bars, restaurants, shops, salons allowed to be open for six hours today.
You can see folks here in the - Brazil socially distancing in line through the glass there. The vast majority of folks we're seeing on the street are
masked up, which is a stark contrast to the attitude of the President of Brazil.
It seems like President Donald Trump of the USA and Jair Bolsonaro of this country are almost in a race to see who can have the most infections and
the most fatalities, even as the rest of the world manages to flatten their curve, and much of it has been politicizing of the pandemic in very trump-
like fashion.
He fired his top health minister as they argued over social distancing rules. The replacement lasted only a month. Now it is a royal army general
that is running the pandemic response in this nation of 212 million people.
And as the congress actually tried to pass a mask bill mandating that you wear them inside, President Bolsonaro vetoed that and vetoed the
requirement of masks in churches and schools and shops indoors as well as one that would have provided free masks for the poor.
About 14 million people live in villas in Brazil, three to a room, where sanitary water is a challenge, not to mention sanitizers and masks. So,
there are worries about those communities taking off as big cities now open back up.
But at the same time, Brazil has a long history in the public health sector of being sort of at the vanguard of Latin America after the HIV and Zika
crises, but that health system was being privatized by Bolsonaro, part of his campaign promises as well, which added a whole other layer to that.
At the same time there are two major vaccine trials just underway here in Brazil, one from China, one from the University of Oxford in which
thousands of Brazilians have volunteered to take part in that trial as the race for a cure gets closer and closer.
But right now, the story here is as the infections spike, as the death rate reaches towards 65,000, it seems to be that the economic pull from the top,
from President Bolsonaro, is to open up this economy and take their chances on the body count. Kim?
BRUNHUBER: All right. Thanks so much. Still ahead, authorities in Hong Kong aren't letting this man out on bail thanks to the city's new National
Security Law. We'll look at how the rules are already changing daily life.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:30:00]
BRUNHUBER: Welcome back. Let's go to Hong Kong now where a young man accused of terrorism and inciting secession has been denied bail. He is one
of hundreds of people who were arrested during Wednesday's protests and one of 10 people charged under a new so called national security law imposed on
the City by Beijing. Anna Coren reports.
ANNA COREN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The first person to be charged under Hong Kong's new sweeping at national security law that came into effect less
than a week ago creating a climate of fear and uncertainty in the city has been denied bail and will remain behind bars.
23-year-old - who appeared here in West Kowloon magistrates court arrived in a wheelchair after he rode a motorbike through the streets of the city
on July 1 holding a flag with the slogan liberate Hong Kong a revolution of at that time.
Well, shortly after he crashed into police injuring himself and 3 police officers. The prosecution said that because the crowds were cheering as he
drove past holding the now legal flag he was inciting secession. He's also being charged with terrorist activities because it injuring police.
Well 9 other people were also arrested that day under the national security law but what will released on bail. A total of 370 people were arrested on
July 1st mostly for unlawful assembly. When I spoke to Tom's lawyer Laurence Lau after the court appearance he said that his client was in good
spirits both mentally and physically.
But due to the highly sensitive nature of his national security law the band sedition subversion terrorism and colluding with foreign forces he
would not divulge any information about the case. Instead saying "These are challenging times for Hong Kong, the city is facing its darkest hour"
With China now family in control by implementing this new national security law they're a grave fears as to what this will mean for the city's freedoms
especially the freedom of speech the freedom of the press and freedom of assembly?
Well over the weekend the books by pro democracy activists were removed from public libraries including one from high profile activist Joshua Wong.
The 23-year-old who quit his party Dennis is still which then it disbanded a day before the national security law was implemented appeared in a
different court today on 3 charges for organizing and inciting protests last year.
Wearing a black T-shirt that read they can't kill us all he pleaded not guilty to the charges. Anna Coren, CNN Hong Kong.
BRUNHUBER: And the last hour I spoke with the Former Governor of Hong Kong Chris Patten.
CHRIS PATTEN, FORMER GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG: I believe that China rose up it's a great country and would keep its word would keep your actual treaty
is particularly one that's being launched at the United Nations.
And by and large until Xi Jinping came along the present dictator in China and they didn't do too badly but things have taken a turn for the worse and
it's the greatest assaults I think on a free society with greater.
The insult on a free society as anybody can remember in the last 50 or 60 years which is why it's been so widely pronounced.
BRUNHUBER: Do you think this is a clear breach of the agreement put into place when the colony was handed over?
PATTEN: Yes. Everybody I think recognizes that it's a clear breach of the joint declaration. It's a clear breach of the basic law which is the mini
constitution which China itself designed for Hong Kong - because Xi Jinping's regime in Beijing is particularly nasty.
[11:35:00]
PATTEN: And it's taking advantage of the fact that the rest of the world is focusing on fighting the Coronavirus which of course and started in China
and it perhaps worse because of the initial secrecy by the Chinese about it and he's taking advantage of that to pick fights with everybody.
I'm from here India in the West to Japan in the - particularly now Hong Kong. And they would allow people like Joshua Wong to stand in the
Legislative Council is I think pretty fanciful label trying to stop it. And because they know that if people like Joshua Wong and other Democrats
running those elections that will win a landslide.
BRUNHUBER: Well, you know basically what we're seeing now all these you know people were being arrested for banners and books being banned. I mean,
does it show just exactly how wide ranging this law is?
PATTEN: It really does. And what we have to recognize is two things about it and there's no way any in nature about them. And things aren't ever
quite define the decision. What do they mean by secession? What they mean by collusion?
You only find out with Chinese law with the rule of fair when it actually - when it actually the topper falls on you. Secondly there is an
international extra territoriality about it because what the Chinese regime is saying in this law is that even if you are not a Chinese citizen even if
you're not a citizen of Hong Kong.
And even if you're outside Hong Kong and China if you do anything which appears to against this law you could be arrested as soon as you step foot
in Hong Kong or China. So it has been a deadly affect not only on the academic community not only on India's but also I suspect on some aspect of
business is what this affect us is end the freedom of information which is very important for good business.
BRUNHUBER: And pro-Beijing officials insist this new law will not erode freedoms in the city. CNN's Ivan Watson spoke with Hong Kong Justice
Secretary Teresa Cheng.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Do you think a majority of the population supports this law here in Hong Kong?
TERESA CHENG, HONG KONG SECRETARY OF JUSTICE: I think they do. I really think they do because it's--
WATSON: What is the problem is that popular opinion polls show your Chief Executive is very unpopular and that China's policies here in Hong Kong are
deeply unpopular. There was no effort to pass a referendum to get any mandate of popular support for this. This was imposed on the people here.
So it's hard to claim that a majority of the population supports this especially if opposition activists are closing down their political offices
out of fear right now and clearing their history of social media?
CHENG: Right, as a whole number of questions that let me start with them. And I think it's important to bear in mind where I started just now that is
national security is the sovereign right. And in fact for every state that is one of the most important things.
For every national and in particular in Hong Kong as I said were very international city. We look at people here as Hong Kong residents who come
from all over the world. They still have been the legions to Hong Kong because you know as a matter of common law there is a concept of temperate
legions as well.
But they all love Hong Kong has a home. They all want Hong Kong to be stable and prosperous. They all want to move forward from the difficult
times that we had last year. The national security law will give us just that environment for us to come down stop all that.
And one of the thing that has to be observed and it's worth mentioning that the there is no retrospective effect. So in other words it's a clean break
everybody now knowing what should not take place.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BRUNHUBER: Now as CNN's Ivan Watson speaking with Hong Kong Justice Secretary Teresa Cheng. Tensions between Washington and Beijing are ramping
up once again over the South China Sea for the first time in 6 years to U. S. navy aircraft carriers moved into the region on July 4th American
Independence day. China just wrapped up its own naval exercises near a disputed island chain state media says China is ready to repel any U. S.
attempt to challenge its claims.
Iran says a fire at its top nuclear facility was worse than initially announced. The nation's atomic agency now says the blaze caused significant
damage at the Natan's nuclear science. Officials originally described the damage is limited because of Thursday's fire remains unknown so as the
reason behind two other back to back industrial accidents that's hit Iran over the weekend.
The Coronavirus pandemic has decimated air travel and in Latin America that means layoffs and an industry that won't recover for years. What employees
are proposing to try to save their jobs?
[11:40:00]
BRUNHUBER: Plus human health care workers are helping other countries that have been hard hit by the coronavirus just ahead why the U.S. wants them to
stay home?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BRUNHUBER: India has now surpassed Russia in overall numbers of Coronavirus cases. On Monday India's Health Ministry reported more than 24,000 new
infections in just 1 day that brings the country's total to nearly 700,000.
India now takes Russia's former spot as the third worst hit country by the virus behind the U. S. and Brazil. Now meanwhile Mexico surpassed France's
death toll over the weekend with more than 30,000 people now confirmed dead. Mexico's Health Ministry also reported nearly 4700 new cases on
Sunday just days after parts of the country began to re open.
As expected the pandemic is wrecking havoc on the economies across the globe. And in Latin America airlines have been particularly hard hit. Now
Stefano Pozzebon takes a look at how that's affecting the industry's workers.
STEFANO POZZEBON, JOURNALIST: Leeslie Barragan folding her uniform for the last time. Like hundreds of other Colombian workers in the flight industry
she lost her job because of COVID-19.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LEESLIE BARRAGAN, FORMER FLIGHT ASSISTANT: It has been my whole life stream to be a flight attendant for - and now I have to say goodbye to that dream
not because I didn't do my job because of Coronavirus.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
POZZEBON: The futurist is frightening for the single mother and her family. They're moving because they can no longer afford their flat. Leeslie story
is not unique across Latin America businesses are scaling down as the International Monetary Fund predicts this pandemic will trigger the
harshest economic recession in decades.
Airlines in particular are taking a hit as people stop traveling for work and for pleasure Latam, Avianca and Aeromexico three of Latin America's
major carriers having filed for bankruptcy since May. Normally one of the biggest hubs in the region Bogota's Airport is all but closed.
This vending machine used to sell snacks. He has now been real quick to sell facemask but there's nobody here to buy them. You can almost feel
eerie atmosphere walking around these holes that are now completely empty.
This airport is working hard to provide increased safety measures for the flights will finally resume. The International Air Transport Association
thinks the aero industry won't recover until 2023. So the impact on jobs like Leeslie's could be long standing.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARRAGAN: Both my mother and my daughter depend on me. Mine was our only salary we have no other income. And we have to pay rent, food and school
fees now.
[11:45:00]
POZZEBON: In a statement to CNN Avianca said dismissals like Leeslie's case reflected post COVID operations would be much more reduced ones will be
allowed to fly again. With limited road infrastructure traveling by air is often the only way of connecting cities and businesses.
To avoid further layoffs some workers are coming up with preventative solutions. The Colombian Pilots Unions say they have proposed a voluntary
pay cut across the board as long as Avianca doesn't release a single pilot in the next 2 years.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JULIAN PINZON, AVIANCA PILOT: Our proposal is simple don't fire anyone. We supplement our own wages and when you only pilots they already are part of
the company and trained.
(END VIDEOCLIP)
POZZEBON: While Captain Pinzon waits for Avianca's response to the offer he and thousands of other flight crew members are flying blind searching for
hope on the horizon. Stefano Pozzebon CNN.
BRUNHUBER: Unlike many Latin American nations Cuba is crushing the Coronavirus curve. It's even sending health care workers to other countries
to help fight. Yet the program isn't without controversy. CNN's Patrick Oppmann explains.
PATRICK OPPMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Cuban health care workers make ready to go fight on the front lines of the Coronavirus outbreak. These doctors and
nurses will be treating patients in Cuba though here the number of New Delhi cases of the virus has dropped down to the single digits.
They're traveling to countries where the pandemic still rages out of control or lack health care resources. Dr. Viviana - is headed to
Martinique his second international mission. We fought Ebola in West Africa - tells me that was a high risk situation. You never get used to it you
become experienced. I feel I'm prepared.
Cuba is now send doctors and nurses to fight Coronavirus in 30 countries. In all likelihood Cuban doctors have battle they operate in more countries
than anyone else. The first Cuban medical brigade to leave the island to confront the Coronavirus received a standing ovation - airport when he left
Cuba for Italy.
In more than two months later received a hero's welcome when they came home. They're being cheered on as they drive through the streets of - and
they're heading to an isolation center where they will spend the next few weeks in quarantine to make sure they did not bring the virus back home
with them.
Fidel Castro first started sending medical assistance to show solidarity to other developing nations and earn some positive headlines for his upstart
revolution. He named the International Medical Brigades for Henry Reeve an American General on the Cuban side in the war for independence from Spain.
But it's the U. S. government to Cuba's old Cold War foe that is now urging other countries to refuse Cuba's help. According to the Trump
Administration these doctors aren't heroes, they are victims.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MIKE POMPEO, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: Up to 50,000 Cuban doctors have been forced by the Castro regime and the human trafficking situations in more
than 60 countries around the globe. They are the regime's number one source of income.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
OPPMANN: Do you assess the Cuban health professionals are not given their full salaries that the host countries pay the Cuban government for their
services. And that they are forced to work in hazardous conditions. Accusations of mistreatment angrily rejected by the doctors and nurses we
spoke to.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The majority of Cuban medical professionals choose to step forward Doctor Cabos Mesa says we're not forced or obligated to do our
work not inside the country or outside the country. It's part of our preparation.
Cuba says these brigades are an example of medical solidarity. U. S. claims they are a business to keep Cuba's communist leaders in power. Cold War era
grievances we'll have to wait for another day as this Cuban doctor heads the airport combat an outbreak the does not recognize borders or ideologies
or political differences. Patrick Oppmann, CNN.
BRUNHUBER: Formula One was the latest for making a gesture in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement but not all the drivers elected to
kneel? Find out what Lewis Hamilton have the say on that matter?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:50:00]
BRUNHUBER: Another major sport is back in action but the action once again wasn't the biggest story. Don Riddell can tell us more, Don?
DON RIDDELL, CNN WORLD SPORT: Kim, thank you. The Formula One season finally got started on Sunday four months later than originally planned of
course because of the Coronavirus. But the racing in Austria was totally overshadowed by the 6 time world champion Lewis Hamilton who is leading the
charge for equality and greater diversity.
Hamilton is Formula One's only black driver. Ahead of the race he gathered with all the other drivers to promote the message and racism. Not all of
the drivers took a knee but Hamilton declined to criticize who stood saying the fight is about equality not politics for promotion. Hamilton's Mercedes
team is racing an old black livery this season. A pre race grid penalty meant that he finished in fourth place but his teammate Valteri Bottas took
the checkered flag.
Afterwards Hamilton said "I'm really, really grateful to those who did kneel along with me. I think it's still a really powerful message but
ultimately whether or not you kneel or do not nail that's not going to change the world. It's a much, much bigger issue across the world. I think
everyone has a right to their own personal choice and for me personally it was what I felt was right to do."
Meanwhile in London a British sprinter is accusing the Metropolitan Police of racial profiling after she and her partner were pulled over and
searched. Bianca Williams with her partner Richardo DeSantos and their 3 month-old child when they were stopped and footage of the incident has now
been posted on social media by their coach Linford Christy.
Williams told "The Times" newspaper that she felt it was racial profiling. Saying "It's always the same with Ricardo they think he's driving a stolen
vehicle or he's been smoking cannabis. Its racial profiling the way they spoke to Ricardo like he was scum dirt on their shoes was shocking"
The MET Police told CNN that they have reviewed the incident and they are satisfied that there are no misconduct issues. CNN is currently speaking to
the athletes involved. We will bring you that comments when the interview is complete.
For many people this year extended periods of lockdown have been concerning and frustrating. But some have spent the time learning new skills or trying
to improve on old ones. Take the American Golfer Bryson DeChambeau for example he is known as the Gulf scientist. And he has emerged from his
laboratory looking radically different.
Since he played a tournament last DeChambeau has added 40 pounds of body masks or courtesy of a tide of protein shakes and pumping an awful lot of
fun. He used as additional strength and power to just blow the field away at the rocket mortgage - rocket mortgage classic by 3 strokes.
And his stats will make pretty worrying reading for his rivals. He's now the first player since 2004 to lead a tournament in driving distance, shots
gained off the tee and also passing.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRYSON DECHAMBEAU, SIXTH CAREER VICTORY: As much as I want to be selfish it's really not. It's the exact opposite. I wanted people to see a
different play style of the game. I knew there was an opportunity to do that and I wanted to show people if you work hard enough you do your
absolute best you give everything you've got you can achieve amazing things. And that's what I was able to do and that's what we were able to do
as a team.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
RIDDELL: Kim, that is his first tournament victory of the year, his 6th overall and if he keeps playing like that I think more again coming 2020
back to you.
BRUNHUBER: Amazing story. Thanks so much Don. Legendary Italian film composer Ennio Morricone has died at the age of 91. The Oscar winner became
a household name with his instantly recognizable melodies from famous westerns like "The good, the bad and the ugly". Delia Gallagher has a look
back at the life and musical legacy of Ennio Morricone.
[11:55:00]
DELIA GALLAGHER, JOURNALIST: The musical master behind more than 500 compositions legendary Italian composer Ennio Morricone died on Monday at
the age of 91. He broke onto the scene more than half a century ago with his groundbreaking scores for - getting western including "The good, the
bad and the ugly".
Morricone worked for films, television programs popular songs and orchestra. We see that dozens of the world's including Oscars, Golden
Globes, Grammys and --. His last academy award was in 2016 for Best Original Score for Quentin Tarantino's "The hateful 8".
His music was often accompanied by the cracking of whips, gun shots and sounds inspired by --. Morricone broke his femur some days ago and died
during the night in a clinic in Rome. In a statement his family said he dedicated a moving memory to his audience from his affectionate support he
always give the strength of his creativity.
Tributes poured in from around the world. The fellow composer Hans Zimmer saying he was devastated.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HANS ZIMMER, COMPOSER: Ennio was an icon, and icons just don't go away. Icons survive forever.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GALLAGHER: Morricone worked in almost all film genres from horror to comedy. And some of his more are perhaps more famous than the films he
wrote them for. Making human of the world's most adored and recognizable screen composers. Delia Gallagher, CNN Italy.
BRUNHUBER: Thanks for joining us on CONNECT THE WORLD. I'm Kim Brunhuber in Atlanta. The news continues on CNN.
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