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Republicans To Begin Convention In Coming Hours; German Doctors: Alexei Navalny Poisoned By A Toxin; Source: Pompeo To Record Speech From Jerusalem; Tropical Storm Laura Kills At Least Nine Across Caribbean; South Korea's President Warns Current Crisis Worse Than First Wave; Assessing PSG's European Campaign. Aired 11a-12p ET
Aired August 24, 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]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Live from CNN Abu Dhabi, this is CONNECT THE WORLD with Becky Anderson.
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BECKY ANDERSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL HOST: This hour there is no business like show business, and doesn't the American President just know it. He is
looking to outdo his rivals all this week. It is a big week for Donald Trump.
The Republican National Convention has been called to order after days of tough news for the U.S. President. One of his most trusted advisers is
leaving the White House, his Former Chief Strategist was arrested on fraud charges, and over the weekend we heard a secretly recorded tape of his
sister describing him as a liar and a fake.
He is surely looking for a convention boost, planning to one-up the Democrats' mostly virtual convention from last week. He is promising more
live programming and a top aide says he will make daily appearances.
The president is trailing in the polls but with tight races in battleground states, the stakes couldn't be higher. The Republican Convention opens
after the Democrats spent a big chunk of their convention blasting the president's response to the Coronavirus pandemic.
He may sight this number tonight cases steadily dropping in 39 of the 50 U.S. states. What you probably won't hear from him are the numbers of
deaths, which we all know by, now lag behind cases. Those numbers are up, sadly, in 19 states.
And there are new questions about whether President Trump is trying to pressure health officials into speeding up the vaccine timeline. He's
accused the USFDA, the Food and Drug Administration, of links to the so- called deep state, implying that anti-Trump elements within the FDA want to delay vaccine trials to hurt his re-election chances.
The Republican National Convention will be a family affair for President Trump as CNN's Ryan Nobles tells us Republicans are promising some
surprises as well.
RYAN NOBLES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The Republican National Convention kicks off tonight and President Trump will make an appearance every day,
according to a source familiar with the planning.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JASON MILLER, TRUMP CAMPAIGN SENIOR ADVISER: You're going to see a great uplifting message from the president and from our allies, and Chuck, when I
tell you some of these stories that you hear, there are going to be some breakout stars, some people that you would not expect to be supporters of
the president, and it's going to tell a very beautiful story.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NOBLES: Trump has told his team he wants it to be bigger and better than the Democratic National Convention last week.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We're going to have a great convention coming up and I look forward to it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NOBLES: And despite most of the speeches being given remotely, President Trump and Vice President Mike Pence are expected to appear in person in
Charlotte sometime today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RONNA MCDANIEL, REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION CHAIR: Well, he will be in North Carolina, unlike Joe Biden who didn't go to Wisconsin, the state
where he held his convention.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NOBLES: Throughout the week, President Trump's family will be the focal point of the convention, with Donald Trump Jr. speaking tonight. Some of
the president's biggest allies, Congressman Matt Gates, Jim Jordan and Steve Scalise will also speak tonight, as well as Former Ambassador to the
United Nations, Nikki Haley.
And Martin Practicia McLawsky the couple who were seen in this viral video waving a gun at protesters outside their home. They face a charge of
unlawful use of a weapon stemming from this. A source tells CNN that one night President Trump will be appearing alongside a group of health care
workers who have been responding to the pandemic.
The speakers throughout the week will try to make the best case for the President Trump's re-election by focusing on his first term achievements.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JARED KUSHNER, WHITE HOUSE SENIOR ADVISER: Unlike the Democrats last week, where there was a lot of complaints they didn't offer much better way of
policy or solutions. President Trump will be laying out real policies, real visions and real solutions.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NOBLES: And President Trump says it won't be negative.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: I think the overall it is going to be very positive as opposed to dark a very, very positive message.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: That was Ryan Nobles reporting. Let's bring in CNN White House Reporter and great friend of this show Stephen Collinson. Stephen, your
news letter meanwhile in America which is a very jolly good read, folks, starts today with the following.
You can criticize Donald Trump for a lot of things, but he could never be accused of failing to toot his own horn, and toot it he will. What is
likely to be more his convention, Stephen, than the Republicans', correct?
STEPHEN COLLINSON, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Right, Becky. If the problem that Donald Trump is facing, the political problem, is that there
is not enough Trump. I think we can safely say that he will remedy that week.
[11:05:00]
COLLINSON: The question is however, is a parade of Donald Trump every night, guests and speakers that might be more at home on conservative Fox
News than on mainstream television. Is that the best way to reach the voters that Donald Trump needs to win back and to catch up with Joe Biden
in this race in which he's trailing by about nine points with two months to go?
That's the question, I think. There is no doubt this convention will really please Donald Trump's ever loyal base. The question is will it do the job
of adding voters, and that's what Donald Trump really needs to do, especially female voters in suburban areas where he's losing badly right
now.
ANDERSON: You concede in your latest tome that he could have an opening here.
COLLINSON: Right. I think the Democratic Convention last week was very effective in portraying Joe Biden as an empathetic figure as somebody that
is going to follow science during the pandemic, is going to bring the United States together, sort of opposite to Donald Trump who has used
division as a tool of power.
But there wasn't a great deal of focus on the Midwest rust belt states where Donald Trump did very, very well in the 2016 election, and where he's
been doing slightly less well in places like Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin. But those are places where the election will be won.
If Donald Trump can again appeal to those voters who feel disenfranchised by globalization, they've seen their jobs disappear by technical revolution
and they're angry. He could weaponize some of that vote in the same way he did in 2016 and close the margins in some of those swing votes.
I don't think we saw a great deal of concentration in those voters during the Democratic Party Convention last week.
COLLINSON: And it was a great miss, wasn't it, back in 2016. At the National Convention the Republicans are giving a roll call as we speak for
their nomination for party candidate. Stephen, no surprises for getting this one, they just announced that it is Donald J. Trump. Let's have a
quick listen in.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We proudly cast our 29 votes to nominate President Donald J. Trump.
(APPLAUSE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Pursuant to the announcement of the delegation and the rules and procedures of this convention, Alaska 29 votes, President Donald
Trump. America Samoa, nine delegates with the following nine for President Trump.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Tabitha from the territory of American Samoa where we produce more NFL football players and military members than anywhere in the
United States.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, as I say no prizes for guessing who the nomination was going to be. Stephen, Donald Trump has never tried to win the character
contest, which is a big talker, of course, for his opponent Joe Biden. This is a man you can trust. This is a man with character, Biden supporters say.
Does that matter?
COLLINSON: It's an interesting question. I don't think it would matter necessarily in a normal general election, although generally in American
elections, the person, the candidate who is liked the most personally tends to win. But we're in the middle of a pandemic, an economic crisis.
Nearly 180,000 Americans have died. The theory that the Democrats are pursuing is that somebody who has really been through life's challenges,
who can empathize with tragedy, someone like Joe Biden is exactly what the country needs at this moment to heal?
It's almost a convergence of a man's character and life and destiny from the Democrats point of view. Trump is never going to win the character
question. Even his closest and most enthusiastic supporters will never say he is a perfect, empathetic man.
The campaign did try to deal with a little last year by saying you know the challenges America faces are great that no one needs a nice guy. We need
someone to shake up Washington. But I think they're going to try and chip at that image of Biden put forward last week, portray him as a hostage to
the left, somebody who elects sort of as they would leftwing facets smarts to American citizens.
[11:10:00]
ANDERSON: In just the last few hours, the Biden campaign has announced the launch of Republicans for Biden with support from dozens of former GOP
members of Congress. What more can you tell us, and how influential or not might they be?
COLLINSON: I think the Biden Campaign will hope that these are the epitome of more moderate Republicans living in some of the well healed suburbs
around the United States big cities who feel alienated and disgusted by some of the personal shown by Donald Trump.
The thing is though that the Republican Party is now Donald Trump's party. And while we can kind of mock the president for dominating this convention
making it all about himself, the party, 95 percent of voters in that party, support the president and approve of what he's doing?
So in that sense, I don't think it would have that much influence. Just take a look at potential 2024 candidates like Mike Pompeo, Nikki Haley.
They're showing up to the Trump Convention. They're not on the distant wing of the party.
ANDERSON: Yes, fascinating. Very briefly just how big of a loss will Kellyanne Conway be? She has announced she's leaving the White House.
COLLINSON: I think she'll be a loss to the president. He doesn't have many people that were there at the beginning where still around him. She added
to the chaos, et cetera the White House put the - the White House operates on what happens inside Donald Trump's head and what he says at one minute
to the next, and I don't think it will really change the way this White House operates in any way.
ANDERSON: Thank you, sir. Meanwhile in America, is the newsletter as I said a jolly good read you can find that at cnn.com. Do remember, CNN has full
coverage of the Republican National Convention that kicks off later today at 7:00 pm on the East Coast in America.
More now on what is a developing story out of the German hospital treating Alexei Navalny. It says the Russian Opposition leader was poisoned. His
daughter's in Berlin say tests have found an unidentified toxin in his system.
Navalny is in an induced coma and in serious condition after getting sick on a plane in Russia last week. Many observers quickly blame the Kremlin.
And let's get to Russia where Mathew Chance who is standing by for us in Moscow. So he was poisoned, fact, say the Germans. What are the details, as
we understand them?
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, in some ways it's not an unexpected action, but it is no less shocking. Remember, the diagnosis that the
Russian doctors had given Alexei Navalny in the Siberian city of Omsk was that he had some kind of metabolic disorder that it had led to a plunge in
his blood sugar levels.
They said they found no evidence, either in his urine or in his blood, of any kind of poison. That's not the conclusion that's been released after
just a few days of examination by the doctors in that clinic in Berlin.
They're essentially saying - the statement is in front of me here - they're saying that they found that he has been intoxicated by a substance from the
group called Colin Esterase inhibitor they've so far been unable to identify which exact substance and of course I don't know would Collin
Esterase Inhibitor is?
But for my research so far it's a whole family of substances and chemicals that can be used both in the treatment of conditions like Alzheimer's but
are also present in pesticides and things like that. So obviously a few more days of research, doctors say, will be needed to establish exactly
what the substance is?
But remember those images that we saw on board the aircraft when it made an emergency landing in Omsk on Thursday after Mr. Navalny was taken so
seriously ill. You can tell from the audio and the video there that he's absolutely in a terribly distressed situation.
He was unconscious by the time, it seems, he got to the hospital, and now he's been evacuated to Germany. The doctors are still saying that he's in
an unconscious state. Presumably he's still on a ventilator to help him breathe as well.
And even though his situation remains stable, according to the last update we had from the doctors, he's obviously in a very, very serious condition
indeed, Becky.
ANDERSON: How is the Kremlin going to deal with this news?
CHANCE: Well, that's a good question. Look, fortunately, or unfortunately, we have plenty of experience of seeing how the Kremlin deals with
allegations that political rivals, dissidents, critics have been poisoned by them?
[11:15:00]
CHANCE: We don't have to go back very far to remember the Scrip House in Salisbury in England surrogates his - Former Spy his daughter Yulia they
were poisoned with multi cell which is a military grade nerve agent.
Back in 2006, Alexander Litvinenko was poisoned with a radioactive isolate plutonium 2010. On both those occasions, the Kremlin has issued, despite
the evidence in many occasions, has issued a categorical denial that this was anything to do with them.
And we haven't heard from them directly on this allegation right now, it's obviously been too soon, but my expectation is we're going to hear the same
kind of denials from them this time as well, Becky.
ANDERSON: Matthew Chance is in Moscow. Thank you. The U.S. President has authorized a plan he calls historic. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration
are granting emergency use for authorization for what's known as convalescent plasma that is for a treatment for COVID-19.
It is made using the blood of people who have recovered from the disease, and it's being given to tens of thousands of COVID-19 patients in hospitals
for quite some time now, but some of the world's top scientists point out that the data on it is inconclusive. White House Trade Adviser Peter
Navarro criticized what he called the politicization surrounding the plasma.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PETER NAVARRO, WHITE HOUSE TRADE ADVISER: Convalescent plasma, that's like going after Bambi. This is the most - its proven safe and effective.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: That's Peter Navarro there on the announcement from the White House. Well, the Champions' League season finally came to an end Sunday.
Bayern Munich is back on top of European football. Can beaten finalists PSG build, though, on what was a successful campaign? We'll discuss that later
in sports.
Plus convention speech by one top Republican already causing quite a stir. In Jerusalem, the U.S. Secretary of State's mix of politics and diplomacy
has some critics calling foul. And what would happen if more Arab nations moved to normalize nations for Israel? What Palestinians are saying, up
next?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back. As U.S. Republicans gather to officially nominate President Donald Trump for a second term, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo
will be taking part in the proceedings from the midst of a diplomatic swing through the Middle East.
The top U.S. diplomat met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a short while ago, assuring him that Israel will retain a military advantage
on the any future U.S. arms deal with the United Arab Emirates.
[11:20:00]
ANDERSON: The U.S. politics also on Pompeo's agenda. A source says he will record an address for the Republican convention praising White House
Policies on Israel and indeed on China now the fact that he is going to do that breaks longstanding tradition that political activities off limits the
top level cabinet members especially when they are on foreign soil.
We'll our Oren Liebermann is in Jerusalem with more on Pompeo's trip. And Oren, these F-35 fighter jets this is quite some deal. This potential sale
of these fighter jets to the UAE a big talker, much confusion as to whether the deal brokered between the UAE and Israel came as a promise to sell
these U.S. fighter jets to Abu Dhabi. Why is that important? What did Pompeo say in any way adding to this confusion and controversy?
OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: We'll get a better sense if it's in the normalization agreement between Israel and the UAE
when we see an actual agreement. Right now the words, ideas, thoughts and texts behind those agreements are being worked on, so we'll see what an
actual document with the wording is put forward, and then we'll see the fallout from that.
Jared Kushner has made it clear that he believes the Israel/UAE normalization agreement will make it easier to sell the Lockheed Martin F-
35 to the UAE. The question of course especially from Israel's perspective and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's perspective is first does Israel
maintain its qualitative military edge something the U.S. is obligated to help Israel maintain.
And second, did Netanyahu himself sign off on the sale of F-35s, the U.S.'s latest fighter jet to the UAE? He continues to deny that he knew nothing
about this despite it was part of an agreement while Secretary of State Mike Pompeo gave a different answer.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MIKE POMPEO, SECRETARY OF STATE: There was a legal requirement that goes back to quantitative military edge. We'll continue to honor that, but we
have a 20-plus-year security relationship with the United Arab Emirates as well where we have provided them with technical assistance and military
assistance.
We'll now continue to review that process continue to make sure that we're delivering them with equipment that they need.
MIKE PENCE, U.S. VICE PRESIDENT: I have to say simply that this deal did not include Israel's acceptance of any arms deal, and I don't know that any
arms deal that has been agreed upon. It may be contemplated. Our position hasn't changed.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LIEBERMANN: Some very different answers there from Pompeo and from Netanyahu. Pompeo making it clear that the U.S. rather would keep in mind
Israel's Q&E, quantitative military edge as it works on what appears to be an arms deal and perhaps a very large one to the UAE, one backed by Kushner
and one backed by the UAE Secretary or Minister of state of Foreign Affairs on what Gargash who said UAE has been looking to get F-35s for some six
years now, and they too believe that this agreement would make it easier.
ANDERSON: Oren, Mr. Pompeo's address to the RNC while he is in Jerusalem breaking with longstanding tradition, political activity, quite frankly,
off limits for top-level cabinet ministers, particularly when they're on foreign soil. What's the significance, do you think, of delivering that
speech from Jerusalem?
LIEBERMANN: Well, perhaps President Donald Trump's strongest base is the evangelical base, and he has looked to Jerusalem to essentially electrify
and motivate that base from moving the embassy to Tel Aviv to Jerusalem recognizing Israeli sovereignty in the goal un-hides. All of this has been
to jazz or at least to some extent has been to jazz up the evangelical base, and this can certainly be seen as part of that.
Pompeo has been a big part of the outreach to the evangelical base. He's in the past made visits to the western wall as well. He spoke about the
importance of Jerusalem and the thinking of the Trump Administration, especially of course when it comes to foreign policy, and this can be seen
as an extension of that.
Speaking at the RNC and essentially an unprecedented move for a Secretary of State, especially on an official visit, speaking directly to those
voters to try to get them energized, even if foreign policy is not exactly a big reason why people come out to vote in November?
ANDERSON: Absolutely. Look, Pompeo's trip includes a stop here in the UAE. It also includes stops in both Bahrain and Sudan, countries that many
people assume and think will follow the UAE soon normalizing relations with Israel.
What happens to the prospect of a Palestinian state if, indeed, we do see this domino effect, more Arab states normalizing relations? And what is the
story on the ground amongst the Palestinian people?
LIEBERMANN: The Palestinians and the Palestinian leadership have essentially been furious with the UAE for normalizing agreements without
any move on a Palestinian peace process.
[11:25:00]
LIEBERMANN: Part of the reason after 20 years ago at this point is that normalization would come after there was a Palestinian state, a two state
solution an end to the Israel/Palestine conflict. The UAE essentially said look, we're not waiting, we're going around that.
There had already been quite a bit of friction between the UAE and the Palestinians and here we saw much more of it with the UAE going straight
towards normalization with Israel. Will others follow suit or will they wait for some action on the Israeli/Palestinian conflict?
The Saudis have made it clear at least as of now they're waiting. They won't normalize with an agreement the Moroccans as well, but Sudan and
Bahrain are two of those countries that might or considered likely to normalize relations as well, perhaps even ahead of any sort of major
movement on the Palestinian state.
Remember, Netanyahu met the transitional leader of Sudan either earlier this year or late last year, and is Bahrain that hosted the first part of
the unveiling of Trump Administration's plan for Middle East peace, even if that went nowhere it was still a significant statement that Bahrain wants
to move forward, that's U.S. and perhaps Israeli relations.
ANDERSON: And very briefly to the point of this normalization with the suspension of annexation, what is going on with regard to annexation? This
was a temporary suspension. Can we expect that to become a concrete decision to start annexation?
LIEBERMANN: I think in the near future, you're not going to see any moves on annexation, especially as Netanyahu doesn't want to jeopardize in any
way normalization agreement with the UAE. But because of the nature of Israeli politics, Netanyahu can't openly admit that.
So he'll say it's a temporary suspension of annexation. Realistically, I think it was Jared Kushner who said annexation isn't happening any time
soon. Perhaps if it was a few years down the road and we remain at the point where we are which is to say the Trump Administration and the
Palestinians still refusing to talk, and perhaps at that point and who knows how far away that is, Netanyahu gets the green light from the White
House to annex.
ANDERSON: Yes, fascinating. Oren, always a pleasure thank you sir. Oren Liebermann is in Jerusalem. Well, the man responsible for killing 51 Muslim
worshippers in New Zealand's worst mass shooting will soon learn his fate in the sentencing phase of his trial. Brenton Tarrant was in court on
Monday, his sentencing hearing started court watch say he showed no emotion.
Tarrant pleaded guilty to the deadly shooting at two mosques in Christchurch last year. The court has been hearing from victim survivors
and family members. Take a listen to some of the emotional testimony so far.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAYSOON SALAMA, MOTHER OF VICTIM: May you get the severest punishment for your evil act in this life. And in the hereafter, we know that Allah is the
most just, you transgressed and you thought you could break us. You failed miserably. We became more determined to hold tie to Islam and our beloved
ones.
MOHAMMED ATTA AHMAD ALAYAN, FATHER OF VICTIM: My heart is yearning for administration of justice to the victims of the heinous massacre and the
call for the reinstatement for his penalty for the brutal consciousness crimes. It is said that justice should be balanced where the seriousness of
the crime should be balanced by the consequences.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, the hearing will continue for the next several days before the high court decides on Tarrant's fate.
Two tropical storms are heading to the U.S. Gulf Coast as one of them leaves destruction and several deaths across the Caribbean. We're live for
you in Cuba. And California burning with hundreds of wildfires Homes and businesses are under threat from these blazes. We will hear from a winery
owner who watched his entire livelihood go up in flames.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:30:00]
ANDERSON: Well, it's a very busy week for the U.S. President. He has just begun.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This convention will come to order!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: And with a bang of the gavel, the 2020 Republican National Convention is underway in the State of North Carolina. They've decided not
to change any of their policies, meaning the policies under Donald Trump are here to stay.
Mr. Trump will officially accept his nomination for re-election as President of the United States of America on Thursday. He is breaking with
tradition and speaking, though, all four nights of the convention.
In the meantime, we are monitoring back-to-back tropical storms heading toward the U.S. Gulf Coast. Despite weakening, Marco is expected to make
landfall on the Louisiana Coast in the coming hours and brings strong winds and flash flooding along with isolated tornadoes. Following close behind is
Laura.
That tropical storm has killed at least nine people in the Caribbean and left nearly half a million without power in the Dominican Republic alone,
Cuba already getting battered by tropical storm Laura. Patrick Oppmann is live for us in Havana. And just describe what you've being seeing around.
Just how bad is it?
PATRICK OPPMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Right now it looks lovely. I mean, a light breeze, the wind has picked up a little bit. Further ease down the
Island has stormed approaches where I'm it's a very different story.
We're talking about coastal flooding, we're talking about trees, electric polls being uprooted and knocked down, people losing the roofs of their
homes. But as the day goes on, the situation here in Havana will look very different. By tonight we should have some of those strong winds. There have
been reported guts of up to 60 miles per hour, 100 kilometers per hour.
So this evening in Cuba, people have been warned by the government to get home early today and be prepared to ride out the storm throughout the night
in Havana. This isn't going to be a big storm like we've seen it in years past.
But Becky, it really is remarkable. The end of last week we had tropical storm Marco affecting the western portion of Cuba, now we have just in the
space a couple days later, a different tropical storm hitting the rest of the island. It's something that is really almost unprecedented here.
ANDERSON: Yes, and look, we know that Cubans are not unfamiliar with these tropical storms, of course, but this time we've seen nearly 100,000 Cubans
evacuated. Just how prepared is the island to handle this kind of internal displacement?
OPPMANN: Well, the problem, of course, is this is happening as Cuba, like the rest of the world, deals with another crisis, the Coronavirus pandemic.
While this island has done a good job for the region of controlling the numbers here, when you're talking about 100,000 people most of them going
to stay with relatives, moving about the various provinces, of course that is going to increase the spread of the Coronavirus.
But you talk to Cuban officials and they say they have to deal with the immediate threat, people who live in coastal areas that will be flooded as
a result of the storm. So that is what they have to deal with right now, and we will see in the days and the weeks ahead, how much this increases
the number of new Coronavirus cases, but really between a rock and a hard place here, because people have to get out of those areas that they know in
the coming hours will flood, Becky.
ANDERSON: Our man in Havana. Patrick, thank you. Well, the timing of these storms is what's important. Chad Myers joining us now from the Weather
Center. Just walk us through what we understand to be going on, Chad.
CHAD MYERS, METEOROLOGIST AND SCIENCE REPORTER, CNN: I'm going to talk about Marco first and then I'll talk about Laura.
[11:35:00]
MYERS: I'm going to talk about Marco first and then I'll talk about Laura. I know that's kind of backwards because it should be L and then M, but
Marco really started much, much closer to the islands to Cancun and has moved on up into the gulf of Mexico.
Right now it's about 65 to 85 KPH. Not a very big storm, but it will be a very big rainmaker. There will be 100 to 200 millimeters of rain as this
area of rain moves across New Orleans big city, below sea level. Anything that rains in that city needs to be pumped up and over the levees and back
into the Mississippi, so it will rain quite a bit there.
Down to the south, this is the storm that Patrick is going to deal with. This is the storm that's trying to gain strength. It has done so even in
the midst of being over Haiti and the D.R. significant flooding. I've seen such dramatic pictures of flash flooding in Port-au-Prince and Haiti. As
we've seen at 200 millimeters at least. It's hard to judge there aren't even that many reporting stations reporting because there's so much water
there.
So where does it go from here? It does go over Havana, very close anyway. Patrick's weather will probably start to go to about 80 KPH by late tonight
and then it moves on up in the parts of Texas or the State of Louisiana as a fairly big storm 165 for KPH.
There you have to understand that this could be all of way from Houston, a major metropolitan area, to almost New Orleans, almost. Right now it looks
like most of the computer models are sliding closer to Houston than into Louisiana. It's still about 48 hours from any type of real landfall or
close to it. And then finally it moves on up.
What's in the way here, Becky? The entire offshore oil field for the U.S. men and women being evacuated from these offshore platforms, because at
165, many of these platforms will be at least very difficult to be on, and you wouldn't want to be there. Eventually it moves towards Washington, D.C.
but that's by Saturday. Becky?
ANDERSON: Yes. Let's hope they're safe, and you're absolutely right, I would not want to be there. I'm sure you wouldn't, either, Chad. Thank you.
Right now California reporting more than 600 new wildfires in just over a week, it seems like the ones that you're seeing here are happening across
the state.
Now this is caused by a combination of warm and dry weather and some 12,000 lightning strikes since mid-August alone. These fires have scorched more
than half a million hectors in the state. The Governor has declared a statewide emergency and the White House have approved a major disaster
declaration. Have a listen to one resident whose vineyard burned to the ground.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GERRY LULIANO, OWNER, LA BORGATA WINERY & DISTILLERY: We had built this about 15 years ago, my dad and I built the whole thing here, moving out to
California to follow our dream and the winery. You can see the tasting room behind us and some holding tanks, and you can also see the forklift and a
whole bunch of bottles. It's just - I had to watch it burn down, and we had no warning, so it's pretty rough for me and my whole family.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Very personal story. Still ahead on "Connect the World," one of India's most impoverished states is taking a double hit from disasters,
both flooding and the Coronavirus pandemic more on that coming up. Plus we'll take a look at how other parts of the world are coping with COVID-19.
We'll have pandemic updates from our reporters across the globe.
(COMMERCIAL BEAK)
[11:40:00]
ANDERSON: India now has more than 3 million Coronavirus cases, a milestone that it crossed over the weekend. On top of that, one of the country's
poorest states also facing another disaster, flooding Vedika Sud with this report.
VEDIKA SUD, CNN REPORTER: Overcrowded hospitals, lack of medical staff and a health care system that is on the verge of collapse. Bihar, one of
India's poorest states is in the midst of the huge twin crises.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PRATYAYA AMRIT, BIHAR PRINCIPAL SECRETARY OF HEALTH: On the one hand we have a very severe flood situation, and on the other hand, the Corona
impact on the state, so it's a dual challenge for us.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SUD: A tough COVID-19 hospital in Bihar's capital Patna was in the midst of controversy in July. Reports of bodies abandoned in wards for hours, even
days, went viral. The hospital has assured an investigation into the incidents. In the second week of July, Shatrudhan Kumar, the son of a
COVID-19 patient, recorded this video of a body lying right next to his mother's bed in the same hospital.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHATRUDHAN KUMAR, BIHAR RESIDENT: I called the hospital authorities to remove the body. They said the body would be removed within half an hour.
It was finally removed after two days.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SUD: While the hospital did not respond specifically to Kumar's allegations, he admits he did not have enough staff to handle bodies. They
say new protocols are now in place to avoid such incident.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RAMANA LAXMINARAYAN, SENIOR RESEARCH SCHOLAR, PRINCETON UNIVERSITY: All because the infrastructure is really not up to snuff. Most of these deaths
will likely happen outside of Patna and that's where the cases will be. But it's also where the hospital capacity really doesn't exist to attack the
epidemic.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SUD: Although 160 miles away from Patna city, in the village of Ismailpur, this LK (ph) facility theaters to all the 50,000 people. It has 40 beds and
just one doctor as of now. Sanitation levels are poor. Over 8 million people have already been affected by the floods in Bihar. With
overpopulated relief camps, maintaining social distance remains a challenge.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LAXMINARAYAN: The flooding is definitely going to make things worse in Bihar because of the crowing of lot of people into the flood relief camps
where the conditions for easy transmission of COVID exists.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SUD: For a state that has a population larger than Egypt, the health care system is overstretched, leaving Bihar gasping for breath. Vedika Sud, CNN,
New Delhi.
ANDERSON: Well, researchers in Hong Kong say, a 33-year-old man is the first confirmed person to have COVID-19 twice. The University of Hong Kong
says its study will be published in the journal clinical and infectious diseases. Now the man got COVID-19 for the second time, 142 days after he
was first infected.
The first time he showed symptoms, the second he did not, but he was screened at the Hong Kong airport upon returning from Europe and was found
to be positive. The study also says more research is needed.
Well, Italy is reporting more than 1000 new cases for the first time since May, remember, it was once Europe's epicenter, while South Korea's
President warns the second wave of Coronavirus cases there may be more severe than the first. Our reporters were on the ground with updates for
you from around the world.
PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Paula Hancock's in Seoul. Another triple-digit rise in new Coronavirus cases here in South Korea. And health
officials say we haven't yet reached the peak of this surge given the fact that if you look at the last week's cases, a fifth of them have untraceable
infection rates that the main area of concern is still a cluster at a particular church here in Seoul.
[11:45:00]
HANCOCKS: Almost 900 cases related to just that one church. The President Moon Jae-in says this is a new crisis and it's the worst since the pandemic
began. More than 1800 schools have suspended their in-person teaching.
BARBIE NADEAU, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: I'm Barbie Nadeau in Rome. We're here in Italy. Health officials are very concerned about a new spike in Coronavirus
cases. For the second day in a row, health officials have reported more than 1,000 new infections. Now these are numbers we haven't seen in this
country since the lockdown was lifted back in May.
They say most of these cases are young people who are coming back from holidays where they haven't been practicing safe social distancing, where
they haven't been wearing face masks and where they brought COVID-19 back here to Italy. The real concern, of course, is that school is supposed to
start next month.
DAVID CULVER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm David Culver in Beijing where the masks are coming off, at least in certain spaces. Beijing health officials
have eased the policy making it so that during outdoor activities, when folks are not standing too close to one another, they can breathe a bit
easier and remove the face coverings.
This is really indicative of how confident the authorities here in China's Capital are in preventing further spread of Coronavirus, but just like we
saw here in June, cluster outbreaks can and have happened. And with them a swift return of the many restrictions on day-to-day life.
WILL RIPLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Will Ripley in Hong Kong. Australia passed a grim milestone over the weekend. More than 500 people have now
died from COVID-19 in that country, the majority of them in the State of Victoria which remains on lockdown after a massive second wave with
thousands of new cases being reported in recent weeks.
The majority of them tied to failed quarantine procedures at a hotel where security guards became infected after what's being blamed on improper
training, not wearing enough PPE, even delivering food orders while they were unknowingly infected with the virus.
ANDERSON: Some pictures just coming in to us of what is being called a terrorist attack on the Arab gas pipeline in the Syrian capital of
Damascus. Now, a U.S. state department representative says it was, "Almost certainly caused by ISIS".
The blast caused blackouts across the country. The caretaker energy minister says electricity has been restored to vital service in Damascus
and to parts of Holmes and Hanna province. As we get it, we'll take a quick break back after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: The Polish football star Robert Lewandowski is one of the most prolific goal scorers in the world. Although he didn't score this weekend,
he did have a very, very big smile on his face.
This is why Lewandowski pictured in bed with the European cup after his team Bayern Munich won the Champions' League finalist, Bayern's sixth
European cup title. But is chaps what is his first so no surprise that he took it to bed. Here's Don Riddell, Don.
DON RIDDELL, CNN WORLD SPORT ANCHOR: Becky, he did look very pleased with himself, didn't he? We finally have European Football Champion. 85 days
after the champions' league final should have been played. Munich claims the sixth title in an empty stadium in Lisbon, of course, because of the
Coronavirus.
[11:50:00]
RIDDELL: Bayern beat Paris Saint-German by 1-0 the decisive moment coming in the second half when Kingsley Coman hit the ball into the back of the
net. It was no less than they deserved, a solid team performance from one of the most established sides on the continent.
They now have made history, too, Bayern the only team ever to win every game in a Champions' League season. But it was bitterly disappointing for
PSG, who spent roughly a billion dollars on their team, and they're still looking for a first European Cup.
The winners get to right of the history, but the losers who have fascinating story here to our Contributor Darren Lewis can tell us more
about that. Darren, this was PSG's first final. But they so desperately wanted to win it. Some of their fans even turned violent afterwards. 148
people were arrested. So when all the dust is settled, how do you think this team will appraise this season in Europe?
DARREN LEWIS, CNN WORLD SPORT CONTRIBUTOR: Well, it's a good question, Don, unsurprisingly, it's been a very chastening defeat for the PSG - players
and the club's Qatari owners. As you rightly say, the Champions' League is the big trophy that they're desperate to win.
They cleaned up in domestic French football. But in Europe they really did believe that this would be their year after finding the competition too hot
beyond the quarterfinals in recent seasons. But Bayern Munich were just too good in landing the six European cup and PSG with their 400 million pound
forward line of Neymar and Kylian Mbappe, and DiMaria, they simply couldn't land a blow.
Overall, I think they'll see this year as progress, but the competition, Don, will be hotter still next season with the likes of Manchester United
and Chelsea back in the tournament and so many of the other powerhouses around Europe strengthening for another short athlete title. So, I think
that wait could go on.
RIDDELL: Yes, it is so competitive, isn't it? It is an achievement that they got to the final, they've never done that before, but they just want
the whole thing. You referenced this incredible front line they have. Neymar, Mbappe and DiMaria, clearly they have very, very talented
individuals, but if they're going to go all the way, what needs to change? What's the one thing, maybe, that's missing?
LEWIS: Well, - has been defending them and saying that Neymar in particular, we saw him in tears at the end of last night's game. He's been
saying that Neymar and Kylian Mbappe, the France striker, they can't do everything for the team. And that's the big different Don between PSG and
Bayern Munich.
Bayern Munich, very much a team, young players, a really rich mix of young players and experienced, very capable campaign as Becky referred, Robert
Lewandowski who scored 15 goals in this tournament alone and over 50 goals for the entire campaign for club and country.
But beyond him, he has a wonderful supporting cast, Kingsley Coman, Serge Gnabry, Thomas Muller, players who can step up when he doesn't deliver. PSG
don't have enough of those, and I think they can't keep trying to buy their way to the top. They've got to develop some young players and they've got
to build a team in the mode of a bind if they want to win the Champions' League.
RIDDELL: It's true what they say, right? Money can't buy you love. There is so much pressure on Neymar's shoulders. He didn't score in any of these
knock out games that are played after the Coronavirus lockdown, but he played pretty well, right? What do you think of his performances and has he
done enough to silence his critics?
LEWIS: I think he'll only do enough to silence his critics when he can inspire the club, the fans to another title, a European title. It's all
very well winning domestically. But as has been said, lots of people see the domestic league in France as not that competitive given that PSG win it
every year.
So what he has to do is something like a Reynaldo does, a Portugal and for Real Madrid before he left for - inspire them to a title. Messi has done
that on a number of occasions, as we all know, for Barcelona. Neymar has to do it to silence his critics for PSG, and he hasn't yet done it at all.
RIDDELL: So, Darren, no sooner has this season finished then the next one is about to begin of course because everything has been delayed so much.
Really curious to get your take on who you think could challenge for the European Cup next May?
We've talked about Bayern looking great, PSG almost there, Barcelona are in complete disarray, strong premier league teams back in. Who do you think is
going to be in the final next year?
LEWIS: Well, I think Manchester City will back Pep Guardiola to reinforce and he does need to do so given the defense of lapse inside the pad, which
have caused in the premier league title and have cause d them deal in the Champions' League. So, I think the big challenge will come from them.
They took him to Bayern Munich of course to try and get the European success they enjoyed under - and he couldn't deliver there. He was needs to
do it for Manchester City to silence the people that say that he needs a Messi to be able to lift the greatest crown in European club football. I
think the big challenge will come from them next season.
[11:55:00]
RIDDELL: All right, Fascinating stuff, we're waiting to see Darren, good to see you as always. Thank you.
LEWIS: You too.
RIDDELL: Well, it was another night of incredible drama in the NBA playoffs and the young Slovenian Star Lucaka Doncic is quickly making it all about
him. We've known for some time that he is special. But what the 21 year old did for the Mavericks against the L.A. because he was extraordinary.
This buzzer beats in over time won the game and tied the series up 2-2. They capped a 43-point performance. He's the youngest NBA player in history
to record a 40-point triple double in the playoffs. And according to ESPN, he's the only player after Michael Jordan to score 40 points and then hit a
playoff buzzer beater, while his team was losing the game.
That was brilliant. And finally, they say the cats have nine lives. I'm not sure how many lives motorbike racers get. But Mavericks Vinales (ph) have
surely used up two of them in the span of just eight days.
A week ago, he was one of the riders who cheated death when two bikes Scott flew right across the track. He was just milliseconds away from a
potentially fatal impact. And then on Sunday he was approaching a corner when he realized that his brakes have failed. He quickly decided that it
was better just to take his chances and jump off.
And he looked as though he was on a slip and slide before he slowed to a halt. He was largely unscathed, but his bike was not so fortunate, and it
is a testament to the makers of those racing suits that he has still got all of his skin on his body today. Becky, that could have been much, much
worse. Boy, is he a lucky guy.
ANDERSON: Yes. Wow. There's nothing more to say, is there? Thank goodness he survived it. Amazing. All right, thank you.
RIDDELL: Sure.
ANERSON: well, it's just gotten started and it is racking up its first big moment. The Republican Convention has been teasing a tantalizing surprise
all morning. What or rather perhaps who, could it be? Well, we're just seeing Mike Pence pop up. It clearly wasn't him.
We're going to keep covering for you as the roll call marches on Donald Trump rocks up more and more votes, making his nomination official. That's
it from us. Stay with CNN.
END
