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Eighty-Seven Doctors Sign Letter Urging Arizona Not To Reopen Schools; U.S. Lawmakers Race To Reach New Stimulus Bill; UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson Praises Encouraging Oxford Vaccine Results; Iran Executes Alleged Spy Who Helped U.S. Locate Soleimani; NASA's Mars Rover Congratulates UAE'S "HOPE" Probe. Aired 11a-12p ET
Aired July 20, 2020 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: America as a whole is not doing well. People are lapsing in their caution.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It is worrisome that we have gone beyond regular ICU capacity and are now converting non-ICU beds to ICU beds.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The United States is going to disappear, I'll say it again.
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It is going to disappear. You're right and I'd be right. I don't think so.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right.
TRUMP: I don't think so you know what it doesn't disappear because I think right probably more than anybody else.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Live from CNN Abu Dhabi, this is "Connect the World" with Becky Anderson.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL HOST: Well, this hour a new vaccine shows promise in helping solve the pandemic more on that later this hour. First,
though, to the situation in America I'm Becky Anderson.
In the U.S., COVID-19 draining hospital capacity by the minute, states across the country are obliterating their own records for the number of new
cases, and critics say President Donald Trump is refusing to acknowledge the catastrophic damage as far as it's done to the country.
Look at this. That's the U.S. in green, leading the world by roughly 60,000 deaths. That margin alone exceeds all but one country's total death toll.
Cases in states like Nevada are sharply on the rise. There you see the city's replica of the Statue of Liberty trying to send a message about
wearing masks.
In southern states like Louisiana and Florida, they stand among the hardest hit in the nation. Major U.S. cities are on the verge of another shutdown,
the Mayor of Los Angeles telling CNN his city opened too quickly and he's on the "Brink of another stay-at-home order".
Mostly it is at the state level are determined to keep their economies open, but they are starting to realize that face masks are needed in order
to do that. Authorities in California have started handing out tickets to those not complying with mask orders.
Today the State of Arkansas is going to start ticketing people who aren't wearing masks when they can't socially distance. Well, Mr. Trump oscillates
between protecting the public altogether and wanting schools to reopen. In Arizona dozens of doctors have now signed a letter to the Governor pleading
with him not to let kids go back to school just yet.
Well, the state reported its highest daily death count over the weekend since the pandemic began 147 people sadly lost their lives according to the
COVID tracking project in John Hopkins University.
Well, despite that, the Governor there wants classrooms to reopen in mid- August, only a two-week delay. Here's how the Mayor of Tucson, Arizona responded.
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MAYOR REGINA ROMERO (D), TUCSON, ARIZONA: Scientifically, it does not make sense, and as parents, we should all be mortified that the Governor is
expecting us to send our kids back to school in mid-August.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: We can see the complete disconnect, it seems, in so many states between the sort of state level and a more local level. Let's bring in
Miguel Marquez who is live from Phoenix in Arizona. You're speaking to people on the ground. What are they telling you?
MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN U.S. CORRESPONDENT: Well that they're worried about where all of this is going? The big picture for the United States is that
you have one country and 50 different plans, one for each state.
Arizona is run by a Republican Governor who is very close to the President. The state was slow to shut down, but when it did at the end of March, it
shut down completely, put in a stay-at-home order, shut down those schools.
At that time there were about a thousand cases a week. Early May the President came out here, he went to a mask factory, he met with the
Governor. Masks, as you know, have become a political sort of issue here where one's politics aligns as to whether or not you believe you should be
wearing a mask.
The Governor, shortly after the President's visit, opened up the state. Not like California, not like New York, not like other states that have done
staged sort of reopenings, it was a light switch. They opened everything back up, and you can watch the numbers.
They absolutely explode after that May 15th opening in Arizona. Last week there were about 26,000 cases across the state. The positivity rate in the
state is enormous. About a quarter of the people being tested right now on a 7-day average are testing positive for the virus.
We spoke to one doctor in Maricopa County, the largest county by population in Arizona, and he said that he is watching friends; nurses, techs and
other doctors get sick now from the virus.
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DR. FRANK LOVECCHIO, EMERGENCY CARE PHYSICIAN: So people are sick, the nurses are sick. And when this started, I'm a researcher. I wanted to save
the world. I had all these ideas to solve this, my colleagues and I had all these ideas to solve it.
I just want to make it out of this thing alive. You know that's it, that's my goal. I'm in the age I could die and I don't want to get it. So I don't
want to get it. I'm worried; I'm worried about the winter. I'm worried that a lot of people are being naive about this.
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MARQUEZ: That doctor has seen about half a dozen people or so that he knows get sick from it. Right now the big question is schools, they were meant to
open August 1st. The Governor has pushed it back to an asp rational date of 17th of August.
Others there are doctors who are now sending letters, 87 doctors have now set a letter to the Governor saying, wait until October, possibly farther.
It is one of those vectors opening the schools that they are very, very worried about here. Becky?
ANDERSON: And understandably so. Miguel, thank you for that, critics reaming President Donald Trump over a lack of leadership over all of this -
the reason best illustrated by his interview is Fox News which went out on Sunday when he called the nation's top infectious disease specialist, a
member of his own Coronavirus Task Force, an alarmist.
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CHRIS WALLACE, FOX NEWS HOST: One of your closest aides, one of your right- hand men, Daniel Scovina, put out this. Have you seen this? Dr. Fauci shows him as a leaker and an alarmist?
TRUMP: I don't know that he's a little bit of an alarmist. That's okay.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: I want to bring in CNN's John Harwood at this point. He's reporting on the goings on in Washington and has been doing it as longer as
anyone. He's probably forgotten more about Washington and its politics and anybody will ever know. John, President Trump says his relationship with
Dr. Fauci is very good. So why, then, is he still criticizing him?
JOHN HARWOOD, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: He's criticizing him, Becky, because Anthony Fauci is telling truth that Donald Trump doesn't want to
hear or accept. Donald Trump is running for re-election. He is addicted to saying that he is succeeding in every situation. He's clearly failing in
this situation.
The United States is on fire with Coronavirus, and Anthony Fauci, by calling attention to that fact and urging much stronger action than the
President is willing to take is somebody that the president wants to smack down.
We've seen him do this consistently on issues from testing to mask wearing to the prevalence of the virus to, to the mortality of the virus, and it's
one of the reasons why the American people have come to completely discredit what Donald Trump says about the Coronavirus, and it's why he's
trailing so badly against Joe Biden in the polls?
ANDERSON: And the polls are reflecting that, as you rightly say. John, thank you John Harwood for you in Washington. President Trump, in the
meantime, continues to say he is right about the pandemic, insisting it is going to disappear.
Just think about that for a moment as we look at the latest update for U.S. numbers. These numbers are staggering, and they are growing. The Centers
for Disease Control expecting thousands more COVID deaths in the U.S. by mid-August. Critics are calling Mr. Trump the Denier in Chief. Well, still
the President says he isn't keen on masks at least.
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TRUMP: I want people to have a certain freedom and I don't believe in that, no. And I don't agree with the statement that if everybody wears a mask
everything is just disappearing. Well, all of a sudden everybody started wearing masks and as you know, masks cause problems, too. That being said,
I'm a believer in masks. I think masks are good.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Okay, let's sort of pick this apart, shall we? CNN's Health Reporter Jacqueline Howard has known all of this and she joins me live. And
I just want to listen to the U.S. Surgeon General. Let's have a listen to what he said and then we'll discuss it.
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DR. JEROME ADAMS, U.S. SURGEON GENERAL: If you're going to have a federal mandate, you have to have a federal enforcement mechanism, and right now,
again, as a scientist, as an educator, I would rather help people understand why they should cooperate wearing a mask? And how they benefit
from it versus simply saying we're going force you to do it, particularly by sending in federal troops and using federal mechanisms?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Okay, why is he saying that?
JACQUELINE HOWARD, CNN HEALTH REPORTER: You know that's a great question. So his argument is that he thinks that it's better to educate the public
about mask wearing, but don't make it mandatory to wear a mask.
So he's saying that he thinks if you kind of mandate someone to do something, they're more inclined to break the rules versus just educating
them.
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HOWARD: But it is interesting because we do have data showing that masks are effective, especially when combined with other guidelines like social
distancing and, you know, avoiding people who are sick and washing your hands.
Masks play a role along with those other guidelines and really stopping to spread the Coronavirus. There are two studies that show us the
effectiveness of masks. One, I have them here. "The Lancet" finds that chance of transmission is 17.4 percent when not wearing a mask or
respirator, but the chance of transmission drops to about 3.1 percent when you do wear a mask.
And then there is another study out of the journal "Physics of Fluids" and it finds that when you cough, that cough can travel on average about 8
feet, you know the respiratory droplets that you put out when you cough, those can travel 8 feet just when not wearing a mask.
But when you do wear a mask, that distance drops to about 2.5 inches to about 8 inches. That shows that masks really can help block the spread of
what are called respiratory droplets when you cough or sneeze.
And it's just really interesting to hear the arguments from U.S. officials, like the Surgeon General, when we do have this data out showing that masks
are effective.
ANDERSON: Well, thank you for that. There's clearly a cohort of people out there who are, let's call them, anti-maskers. Whatever anybody says, be it
from the regular sort of man in the street or your neighbor just appreciating whether you wear a mask or not, or you wearing a mask, but it
would help if the message was coming from up top, wouldn't it?
As we've been hearing, when it comes to masks, some see them as necessary protection, while others see the lack of one as a symbol of freedom.
Fundamental difference is playing out literally in your face. Caught between the two sides are front line workers like bus drivers and
restaurant workers. Pete Muntean takes a look.
PETE MUNTEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Lily Damtew's Coffee Shop in Alexandria, Virginia is now aligned with messages of support, but it is when she
delivered the message to a customer that masks are required, that things got ugly.
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LILY DAMTEW, COFFEE SHOP OWNER: I told him you know, you need to wear a mask to get service, and he told me, no, I don't have to. I said, yes, you
do. He spit on my feet and he went up the street. It was just sad. It was very upsetting.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MUNTEAN: Her story is just one from across the country of those in the service industry now on the front lines of enforcing new rules. Damtew was
harassed one day after she reopened after being closed for months.
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DAMTEW: If I knew things like that would happen, I wouldn't be open.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MUNTEAN: The Trump Administration has not instituted a federal mask mandate.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: I leave it up to the Governors. Many of the Governors are changing their mask into they like the concept of masks, but some of them don't
agree.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MUNTEAN: 39 states have made some sort of masks requirement.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How about you just leave. Please leave.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MUNTEAN: In California, bartender Rebecca Hernandez found herself on the receiving end of a customer's racist tirade. Hernandez said he refused to
wear a mask.
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REBECCA HERNANDEZ, BARTENDER: When it comes down to whether or not you want to risk your safety or not, that's a really hard place to be. But
definitely a federal nationwide mandate or a law would be incredible.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MUNTEAN: More than 20 major retail chains, including the GAP, Best Buy and Dollar Tree wrote on cnn.com that states must pass laws requiring masks.
Dr. Anthony Fauci is also putting the onus on state and local leaders.
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DR. ANTHONY FAUCI, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES: Be as forceful as possible in getting your citizenry to wear
masks.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MUNTEAN: A message that Lily Damtew hopes comes through loud and clear for her sake and all those facing fights over face coverings.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAMTEW: I'm not going to give up. I'm still going to ask you to wear a mask if you come to my store. If you come to my store without a mask, I'm still
going to ask you to wear a mask. I'm not backing down.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MUNTEAN: Pete Muntean, Alexandria, Virginia.
ANDERSON: Well, the tension can be cut with a knife as EU leaders talk about giving their economies a shot in the arm, still at the talks with
Brussels with implications of the future of the union itself. Plus the lifelines of tens of millions of Americans are at stake as lawmakers three
begin to hash out a new Coronavirus relief package, that after this.
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ANDERSON: There's a massive effort underway to save two of the world's largest economies. One in the trillion-dollar range needs to be hammered
out in America, the other in the EU, where the dollars and cents are lower but its state could be the very existence of the project itself.
Talks are going into overtime in Brussels on how to resuscitate the European economy from this coronavirus crisis? About an hour ago, EU
leaders were reportedly set to see a compromise proposal on a massive financial recovery deal.
Tense negotiations have been underway for three days now, but the leaders are still not seeing eye to eye. What's on the line? Well, the economy for
almost 450 million people, Melissa Bell joining us from Paris with the latest.
Look, this isn't the first time the European Union has faced a threat. It's had its fair share of crises, but this is the deepest recession in almost a
century. We are once again seeing the divisive nature of many of these countries. Where do the divisions lie at this point?
MELISSA BELL, CNN PARIS CORRESPONDENT: They are profound Becky, and clearly we've seen that over the course of the last three days. Those fraud
negotiations going on through the night with tempers frayed and really no common ground.
At the heart of this is how this 750 billion-euro recovery fund will be raised, will be divided out into loans and grants, essentially how the EU
is going to function? Because you're right, Becky, there have been crises before.
We've talked about existential threats in the past. This time, of course, it is the scale of the recession that the bloc is facing, but also, the
fact that I think, the only remedy that some amongst the 27 can see is this idea of debt sharing that so many European countries, the most frugal in
particular and fiscally conservative, have rejected outright for as long as the European Union has existed.
The idea is that of that 750 billion, some of it, Becky, will be given in grants to those hardest hit countries. Spain for instance the countries
that really need the money the most that money would be raised, given to them, but they wouldn't solely be responsible for giving it back.
In fact that would come in grants and the loans would then be neutralized. So what you're talking about is debt sharing. I think it is a measure of
how serious this crisis that until now, the Germans that had been profoundly against any idea of debt sharing within the EU is fully behind
this plan.
In fact, what this negotiation began with was frankly the German accord that was reached in May that essentially saw 500 billion-euro in grants
given to the neediest countries in terms of coronavirus. A lot of haggling still to go four or five countries, the frugal countries that are still
resisting the idea that too much of that money would be given in grants, insisting instead that it is loans.
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BELL: So really what you're talking about is what kind of European Union you're going to have, and when you look at how profound the divisions are
and the fact that if they don't come up with a solution, some of these economies and the single marketed self are threatened with collapse. You
have an idea of how momentous these talks are, Becky?
ANDERSON: Yes, that's fascinating. I mean, in the past let's just remind ourselves these crises have revealed this sort of disconnect between the
rich are north and the poorer, more challenged south. It's not quite that easy, though, and you just talked about the frugal sort of - countries, for
example.
It's important to remember for our viewers who perhaps our members of countries that don't live in the European Union that this is a very
different set of countries altogether in one bloc. And it's never easy?
BELL: It's never easy, and we've seen that unity challenged over and over again. Go back, Becky, to the 2009 Greek debt crisis. You'll remember the
solution that was found then, and the debates were very similar to what they are now, in terms of how countries need to support each other even
while maintaining European integration?
At the time the solution that was found were loans. Those countries, Greece and Italy, had to repay the loans that were given to them. Now we've moved
so far that it is grants we're talking about. That's what's really changed everything, and what means that those more frugal countries that they've
described in the press within the European Institutions.
And we're talking about Denmark, Holland, we're talking about Sweden, Finland has joined them now in Austria, they have been very steadfast to
say, we need to think about government. We need to think about how this money is going to be spent, how it is going to be raised?
And we need transparency. It is a question also how much power is given to Europe as it takes on this crisis? And if countries like France and Germany
who have warned of this existential crisis get their way, that if these grants are given, this idea of debt sharing is accepted by Europe, and then
the European project will have been saved. If that doesn't happen, it's very unclear from here, Becky, to see how this crisis can be resolved even
while European integrity is maintained?
ANDERSON: Yes, I mean, I didn't think you would hear the leaders talking about an existential threat, but they have definitely said that the EU
stands on a threshold here. This is a really watershed moment and incredibly important.
It may not look like the most picture-rich, exciting story when you see these leaders in the corridors of power, as it were, in Brussels, but an
extremely important story for the 400 million people who live and work in the European Union. Thank you, Melissa.
The U.S. is now down to the wire for lawmakers back on Capitol Hill to hammer out the next round of stimulus there. Unemployment benefits that
millions of Americans rely on to help pay for food, housing and other essential items are set to expire at the end of the month.
Well, there are some sticking points between Republicans and Democrats as always, but in these unprecedented times, workers are in no mood for their
politicians in Washington to be bickering. They just want to know, will I be able to pay the bills next month?
John Defterios is covering all of these developments for us on this in the House quite literally from Abu Dhabi. I mean, I guess that the question
here was what is on the table and will people in the states those who are most hard up, will they be able to pay their bills come next month? That's
all they want to know.
JOHN DEFTERIOS, CNN EMERGING MARKETS EDITOR: It's a very tight deadline, Becky, that's for sure. And this is a high stakes poker, if you will,
because the Republicans are starting very late in the process. There are literally 500 million Americans with their livelihood at stake to your
point and your question there.
That's how many have applied for benefits over the last what four months of the deep pandemic. So what we have today is Senator Mitch McConnell, the
Majority Leader, going to the White House to meet with President Trump. Steve Mnuchin the Treasury Secretary and Mark Meadows is the Chief of
Staff.
The later was suggesting on the weekend shows in the United States that the Republican package is about a trillion dollars. And the President kind of
has his priority list here. At the top of the list, and he says if I don't have it, I perhaps may veto the bill which would make it very difficult on
Americans themselves, is the payroll tax cut because he thinks it's an incentive for American corporations to start rehiring, some see it as
corporate largesse.
And this challenge for the President and Senate Republicans who are up for re-election. Billions of dollars for education, but on the condition, by
President Trump, that children go back to school same thing for college students that flies in the face of medical science right now so again, a
difficult sell for the Senate Republicans.
[11:25:00]
DEFTERIOS: Finally the unemployment benefits, Becky, an additional supplemental handout on a weekly basis is $600, so very important of course
for those who have to make payments under the crunch here and then are unemployed.
The Republicans are trying to be fiscally conservative and cut that down to two or four hundred dollars, right and does the President decide to endorse
that and take that to Capitol Hill and to king of fight that out with House Democrats or not.
ANDERSON: John Defterios on the U.S. stimulus bill, John thank you for that. An awful lot of talk going on our behalves I guess, as Western
Intelligence Agencies accuse Russia of stealing their vaccine secrets. A Moscow lab says it's very close to perfecting one. I want to get an
exclusive look behind its closed doors.
And U.S Secretary of State Mike Pompeo headed for the UK growing tensions with China, likely dominating his talks with the Prime Minister Boris
Johnson that coming up after this that coming up after this.
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ANDERSON: Welcome back. You're watching CONNECT THE WORLD with me, Becky Anderson, live from Abu Dhabi for you, more on our top story for you now.
The Coronavirus pandemic that keeps getting worse by the day, certainly in the United States the number of states there set a new records in the
country as a whole continues to report tens of thousands of new confirmed numbers every day.
States governments are increasingly looking orders to wear masks as they fight to keep their economies open. All this where the man at the helm and
who refuses to acknowledge the reality, President Trump saying he will eventually be proven right and that the whole thing will simply go away.
Well, it won't, right now the latest on the updates to perhaps the most pressing story of all, a solution to the pandemic a vaccine. British Prime
Minister Boris Johnson from an Oxford Vaccine trial is encouraging, but he warns we're not there yet and further testing will be necessary.
Preliminary data suggest that treatment being developed by Oxford and Astra Zeneca is both safe and effective. All of the participants given the
vaccine saw anti-bodies and T-cells develop in response good signs.
Anna Stewart has where the vaccine is being developed for what would be an incredible moment in time and very quick. Anna, what everybody wants to
know this hour is what does this mean at this point?
ANNA STEWART, CNN REPORTER: Well, Becky, in terms of looking at all the candidate vaccines around the world, and there are well over 140 of them
out there, this is one of the frontrunners. The one developed by Oxford University and Astra Zeneca in partnership. This has already entered phase
3 of human trials around the world, here in UK, also in South Africa, also in Brazil.
[11:30:00]
STEWART: So this is one of the vaccines if it can jump through all these hurdles and get regulatory approval. This is the one of the ones that could
be the first to the market so one of the ones that could actually help in terms of easing lockdowns and hopefully putting an end to the pandemic as
we know.
Now the results we've had from this very first phase, so this is just the preliminary days and its phase 1 and phase 2 that combine those phases for
this one. They've tested over a thousand healthy adults. They have shown that they can get an immune response in terms of antibodies and T-cells
both from one dose and a stronger immune response actually from a second dose.
So that is something that they now need to consider are they going to continue with one dose or one with the booster dose in their phase 3 trial
and as they come out with that one? There were some side effects that are not uncommon.
People were advised to take Paracetamol before having this vaccination that was more side effects with this one than a control vaccination. But nothing
serious, nothing adverse. And that is what you test for at this level of the phasing.
Phase 3, of course, is 10,000 people. On mass, different demographics, how does it affect all people, how does it affect young people? Are there any
very rare, very serious risks and side effects there? So that's what they're looking for next.
Absolute early dose, the early as this vaccine could come to market is September, but that is actually being delayed by the fact that there is a
very low rate of spread of the virus here in the UK where they initiated that phase 3. Becky?
ANDERSON: Fascinating. And let's just remind us that the British Prime Minister saying that early results from this trial are encouraging, but
Anna, he warns we are not there yet, and further tests, of course will be necessary. Thank you. Anna Stewart is in Oxford.
Russia says it is on the brink of perfecting its Coronavirus vaccine. CNN was given an exclusive look inside Moscow's Gamaleya Institute that carries
out the work. Its assertion comes amidst acquisitions by U.S., UK and Canadian Intelligence Agencies that Russian hackers targeted to other
countries' vaccine research Matthew Chance with this report.
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: For Russia the search for a Coronavirus vaccine is a global race. And so, this research live in Moscow hopes to
win. Access to the Gamaleya Institute is tightly controlled. No CNN cameras were allowed through these doors. But they did give us exclusive footage of
the sensitive scientific work taking place inside, a unique glimpse of Russia's rapid push for Coronavirus vaccine.
Then even sent recorded comments from their Director who controversially injected himself before human trials officially began.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ALEXANDER GINSBURG, DIRECTOR, GAMALEYA INSTITUTE: It has become a task of unprecedented complexity. In a very short time, we have to create a vaccine
against this disease.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHANCE: But that need for speed in Russia means corners may have been cut. Russian soldiers, all volunteers, according to the defense ministry, were
used in the first phase of human trials. And now allegations denied by the Kremlin that Russian spies have been hacking U.S., British and Canadian
labs to steal their Coronavirus secrets. Allegations also rejected by the Head of the Organization, funding much of Russia's corona virus research.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHANCE: Russia desperately needs to develop and wants to develop a vaccine. Isn't that one reason why the Kremlin would try and get ahead, by stealing
other nations' vaccine secrets?
KIRILL DMITRIEV, CEO, RUSSIAN DIRECT INVESTMENT FUND: Well, first of all Matthew, we are very surprised by timing of this because basically it
happens the next day after we announce that we expect approval of a vaccine in August.
CHANCE: Sure, but how do you explain that extraordinary spin? I mean, other countries are working flat. Why would Russia be so far ahead? There are
allegations at our concerns that this country is being cutting corners when it comes to its research.
DMITRIEV: Our vaccine is based on a proven vaccine platform. It was a vaccine against Ebola, it was a vaccine that against mars, and our
scientists just substituted Ebola and MERS - was a spike of the Coronavirus.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHANCE: Adjusting in all vaccine to work with the new Coronavirus instead, details remain sketchy, but it's that clinical strategy, not hacking,
officials say, giving this Russian lab the edge. Matthew Chance, CNN, Moscow.
ANDERSON: Well, it's no secret that China's reputation has taken a dent over the pandemic since America led the way on getting its allies to take
aim at the country of accusations and it failed to do enough to stop the outbreak. The U.S. President calls it the China virus. It's yet another
example of how COVID-19 is changing almost everything about our world.
[11:35:00]
ANDERSON: So today the UK says it has serious concerns about Hong Kong's new security law, and that's prompting London to make changes to its
extradition agreements. Foreign Secretary Dominic Rapp says the changes are immediate Canada and Australia has already announced similar changes and
they concerns about security crackdowns implemented in the territory by Mainland China.
And U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrives in Britain soon, these new Hong Kong restrictions as well as China is a ledged human rights abuses,
Soviet's Uyghur minority will be on the agenda when he meets Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Pompeo will also discuss economic recovery from the corona
virus pandemic when he meets with other British officials.
Our International Diplomatic Editor Nic Robertson joining us now from 10 Downing Street. And everybody is suffering as a result of COVID-19, not
least the UK and the U.S. Is this the time to be picking a fight with the world's second largest superpower? Many people are asking themselves why at
all these days.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: This is the moment that's sort of been forced upon everyone. The pandemic has hit the world.
But if you look at the trajectory of U.S. diplomatic relations with China and Britain leaving the European Union and looking for a favorable trade
deal with the United States, the pressure grew and grew on the United Kingdom to fall in line with the U.S. policy.
And then perhaps as a result in part of President Trump's policy towards China, China has now passed that national security law, and it's effective
over Hong Kong. And that, of course, raises the stakes for Britain's relationship with China because of its special relationship in the past
with Hong Kong.
And it feels that the treaty that was signed - British treaty that was signed back in the '80s has been violated with these new national security
laws in Hong Kong. So the whole table of diplomatic relations has been changed. Coronavirus is really a troubling background that heightens,
perhaps, some of the stakes here.
But I think this has been a longer diplomatic road, and that's what we've seen today with the Foreign Secretary saying, look, articles 55 to 59 of
that new national security law, we can't trust that if we maintain the extradition treaty, the people we extradite back to Hong Kong wouldn't end
up in court in China. And that's a red line.
ANDERSON: Nic, the wider story here is the emergence of British foreign policy and in a post-Brexit world isn't it? What does Britain look like
going forward?
ROBERTSON: Right now Britain is looking more aligned with U.S. foreign policy, and that's what the Prime Minister is being criticized of by some.
That said there are some of the Prime Minister's own backed ventures that say that he's not going far enough with the Chinese authorities that they
would like to see measures taken that would be more similar to the United States, sanctioning senior Chinese officials from Xinjiang for human rights
violations against Uyghurs.
You had the Foreign Minister in Beijing today warning Britain about going down that trades, and there would be a resolute response of Britain's
comments as we can about Dominic Rapp's comments this weekend about the Uyghur minority and how the Chinese are treating them a break of
international law?
So the language is heating up. So this does put Britain much more aligned at the moment with this dividing world order between the United States and
China. Certainly the UK is more aligned with that. That's what we're going to hear more of when Secretary of State Mike Pompeo comes here.
That's what this meeting is going to deal in substance with detail about how the countries can be more aligned, and that free trade deal between
Britain and the U.S., that will be part of the discussions, too.
ANDERSON: Fascinating. Nic, outside 10 Downing Street, thank you. Let's get you up to speed on some of the other stories that are on our radar right
now from right here in the Middle East.
And Iran has executed a man accused of helping the U.S. track down the country's top military Commander, Hassan Soleimani. The alleged spy was
linked to the CIIA and sentenced to death for allegedly working with foreign intelligence agencies.
Soleimani was killed by U.S. Drone Strike in Iraq in January. Iran's Foreign Minister met with his Iraqi counterpart in Baghdad where he
expressed his regret for Soleimani's killing. He called the U.S. Drone strike a terrorist operation.
[11:40:00]
ANDERSON: Meanwhile, Iraqi officials confirmed more than 2000 Coronavirus cases, on Monday that brings the total to nearly 100,000 cases in the
country. Ousted Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir and more than two dozen other people will stand trial on Tuesday.
Sudanese officials say Al-Bashir will face charges in the 1989 coup that brought him to power. If convicted, he could get the death penalty. We're
coming to live from Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, the country today celebrating a monumental symbol of hope. A historic launch and a new
chapter of space exploration, we'll bring you inside that and get you an inside look.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Well folks, this is sound of a lift-off, the sound of history, a rule of hope. The UAE's Hope Mars Mission is now bossing to the mighty red
planet, launching not only a prop, but a new era of space exploration.
All the theatrics of a space launch - with an entirely new twist. That was the first ever countdown for a rocket launch in Arabic. As the Arab world's
first ever mission to another planet rockets towards the heavens, this is the UAE's mission to mars happily named "Hope" for reasons economic and
scientific.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHEIKH MOHAMMED AL-MAKTOUM, DUBAI RULER: We as a people do not know despair and we do not know the impossible. And that is why we chose the name the
Hope probe.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Its trip there will see it run through the solar system alone for seven months flying itself into albeit around the red planet by early next
year, a long trip for a craft hurtling an astronomical pace of some 121,000 kilometers per hour, fast enough to get from London to New York in two
minutes flat. Once it arrives, it will start soaking update about the Martian atmosphere. That could help us make changes at home, on earth.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SARAH AL-AMIRI, DEPUTY PROJECT MANAGER, EMIRATES MARS MISSION: What this program allowed us to do is develop a very complex system that needs to be
robust, work semi-autonomously, and be able to collect scientific data that is viable for the long-term understanding of our planet.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[11:45:00]
ANDERSON: But while the launch took place from a tiny island just of Mainland Japan, it's a real story, is a journey from the Emirates to Mars.
And it's not only a story of pure hope, but one of ambition. The UAE is trying to start a new era in space exploration, transform its economy and
so its fate, it needs to move on from its economic dependence on pumping oil out of the ground, especially as COVID-19 calls the slump in prices.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OMRAN SHARAF, PROJECT MANAGER, EMIRATES MARS MISSION: Reaching Mars is not the main goal here. It's a mean for a much bigger goal. It's about the
future of our economy, about creating the pulse of our economy. It creates an innovative and competitive economy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Every single one of the engineers and scientists who built the probe is Emirate, and so, the price tag which a science minister said was
200 million was never really an issue.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHARAF: Somebody asked me, how much will this project cost? And I replied, this is an investment, it is not a cost.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: It is then both the probe itself and the country sending it towards the heavens a step into the unknown. But the hope is the Mars probe
will prove to be a giant leap in the right direction.
Well, a grand control in Dubai has received its first signals from the Hope Probe. The Emirates Mars Mission control room is where that is all
happening, and that is where we have connected with Omran Sharaf who you just saw in my report, Project Manager of the Emirates Mars Mission. I
asked him why the UAE set its sights on the red planet. This is what he said.
SHARAF: So why Mars is basically their government wanted to put a big goal and an ambitious goal for its youth. And also to send a message as you
mentioned earlier to the Arab youths, that's inspired them to go into sciences and technology.
So there are objectives behind the mission that are linked to the UAE and there are also the scientific objectives. So scientifically if you look at
it, the reason why humanity is exploring Mars is because scientists believe that the planet might have been a certain point similar to earth in its
feature.
However, it reached a point in which it started losing its feature, and one of the big parts of its reasons behind is basically the loss of the
atmosphere. So better understanding what happened on Mars could help us better understand that can just - could happen or happening around our
planet.
ANDERSON: It's a busy month for Mars, the UAE competing with the U.S. and China, both of which are launching similar missions this summer. Both have
massive resources, it has to be said, how are you hoping that your mission will stand out, and what will success look like to you? What would
constitute a major breakthrough discovery, sir?
SHARAF: So the emirates mentioned before that the space program is more of a mean and a tool for a much bigger goal, so going to Mars is not the main
objective here. It's about stimulating different sectors and using this mission as a catalyst for a disruptive change in the academic sector and
the economic sector and industrial sectors.
So basically the government wanted to expedite the change in these sectors, wanted to create the R&D culture amongst the youth and have them go into
S.T.E.M., so that's why it looked into Mars. So when it comes to comparing to what maybe other nations do, which usually have just focused on science
is for us, it's about science but it's also about other objectives.
ANDERSON: Fascinating. Supporters of the Black Lives Matter movement will tell you that every new day is a challenge to hold people accountable in
order for real change to take place. In the world of sport, arguably no one has been a better example than Formula One Star Lewis Hamilton who calls it
like he sees it. Details on that are just ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:50:00]
ANDERSON: Formula One Star Lewis Hamilton has been very outspoken in supporting the Black Lives Matter movement and as called out some of his
peers over the last few weeks. We're joined by World Sport Don Riddell and Don, Hamilton again on Sunday voicing displeasure and some of the other F
One drivers, why?
DON RIDDELL, CNN WORLD SPORT ANCHOR: Becky, thank you. Whatever happens in Formula One this year, it's going to be historic. The Coronavirus has
dramatically shortened the season. On the track it could also be the year that the British driver Lewis Hamilton ties Michael Schumacher for seven
world titles. He's leading the pack after three races.
He's also leading by example, off the track, speaking out again after the Hungarian Grand Prix on Sunday, and criticizing his fellow drivers for not
taking the issue of racism seriously enough. Before the race, Hamilton took a knee, but many other drivers actually arrived late to the demonstration
which they've been doing now out of every race so far this season.
Afterwards he told the media "There is definitely not enough support for it. It's like it's gone off the agenda. It's lacking leadership. From a
drivers' point of view, many seem to be of the opinion they've done it once and they're not going to do it again"
On a social media post afterwards, Hamilton said that the lack of unity in F-One was embarrassing, but this fight hasn't distracted him from being a
top racer. On Sunday, he dominated Grand Prix from pole position, opening up a huge lead within just a first three laps. From there he canted the
victory taking the lead in the driver standings for the first time this season.
Now that every year since 1956 the Ballon d'Or Award has been given to the best football player in the world but not in 2020, the coveted prize has
fallen victim to COVID-19. The prestigious award is chosen by a journalist and it has been given to the best male player for the last 64 years.
In 2018, female players were also included. The global pandemic has brought havoc on the football season. All the major European Leagues were suspended
for months and some actually never returned. European Championship and COPA American tournaments were also postponed until 2021.
An within the last hour, we have also learned that the Men's T-20 Cricket World Cup in Australia which should have been played this October and
November has now been pushed back and delayed until 2021.
The football season in England is finally reaching a conclusion. The Premier League will be completed next weekend and the finalist now set for
the FA Cup competition. It's going to be an all London affair between Chelsea and Arsenal.
Chelsea advanced on Sunday with a 3-1 win against Manchester United, a win that was notable for two goal keeping blunders by United's keeper David De
Gea. The first allowed Olivier Giroud to score right at the end of the first half.
De Gea then fumbled a shot from Mason Mount who right at the beginning of the second half and then midway through the second period, Chelsea made
sure of the victory, wrapping up the win, a goal that was actually credited as a known goal to United's defender Harry Maguire. United did score a late
penalty, but it was no more than a constellation.
There was however some good news for United because Leicester's defeat in the Premier League might have opened the door for them to finish in the top
four and hence claim a place in the Champions League next season.
Spurs beat Leicester City by 3-0 and Tottenham striker Harry King was hailed for his performance. Two quick goals effectively settled the game
before half time. Take a look at his second strike. It was a delightfully curled shot. Leicester have been in the top four from the last week of
September through until the last week of July and yet they could be about to miss out on a place in the Champions League.
Here is the table Liverpool of course ramped up the total weeks' ago. Manchester City will finish in second place. But the top four is still in
place for Chelsea, Leicester and Man U. Manchester United are currently a level on points with Leicester, but as you can see, they do have a game in
hand.
There is a new number one in world golf and the Spanish player Jon Rahm announced his ascend to the summit in emphatic style winning the memorial
tournament by three strokes. Rahm said it was one of the best performances of his life and the margin of victory could have been even greater.
[11:55:00]
RIDDELL: He was leading by eight strokes of the turn, but he was hit with the two-shot penalty because his ball moved by just a fraction before
chipping in on the 16th green. Rahm has now emulated his idol of Spanish legend, Seve Ballesteros in getting to world number one. And he was
congratulated by one of the all time great Jack Nicklaus as you can see there Becky, a cautious fist pump there between the two men, a sign at the
times. And - the 80-year-old Nicklaus has revealed that both he and his wife tested positive for the Corona virus back in March, but good to see
he's doing a lot better now.
ANDERSON: Yes, fantastic, good stuff. Thank you, sir.
RIDDELL: Alright.
ANDERSON: Well, we would like to end this two-hour show on the little satellite that could today. A final dose of hope, if you'll forgive my
endless pun on that word this show, the UAE's first mission to Mars headed off hours ago. It's far more, though, than the sum of its parts. So it's
the first step in a symbol of a new future for the country, this country. And here's what it means to that future kids.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Assalamu Alaikum, my name is - and I'm very proud of the Emirates Mars Mission.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: As a kid the Hope Mission is my hope.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Because this country has achieved many bests despite its young age, we as youths constantly have sources of inspiration and the
confidence to do anything.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This moment is giving me a push and it is giving me a hope to create more content - things that I never thought I'd be able to
do.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The more we learn about the stars in our solar system the better prepared we're to advance ourselves as a civilization here at
home.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Now, - when you're going to change your mind about desert people. We're turning that possible and do possible.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Kids and young adults. It's nice to have friends wherever you go, and "Hope" has already been making quite an impression. NASA's Mars Rover
took to Twitter as Mars Rovers do to better "Hope" up congratulating on the launch and naturally adding that it looks forward to having a body to
explore the red planet with.
Despite being rather busy zipping along at 121,000 kilometers per hour, "Hope" still had time to tweet back a quick, see you soon. Look after your
mates, hey? The world doesn't just need faith, it needs ambition, raw, undiluted ambition, ambition to soar to space, ambition to make a vaccine.
We'll keep tracking both stories over the days, weeks and months ahead. Remember to look after yourself and look after those around you. At the end
of the day, all we have is each other. Take care, stay safe and be well. Good night.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
