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Speakers Stoke Culture Wars as They Make Case for Trump; New Video Captures Police Altercation with Blake before Shooting; Republicans Mix Government Business with Politics; Europe Battles Resurgence of COVID-19 Cases; Africa Declared Polio Free by WHO; Lionel Messi Tells Barca He Wants to Leave. Aired 10-11a ET
Aired August 26, 2020 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[10:00:00]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MELANIA TRUMP, FIRST LADY: I urge people to come together in a civil manner so we can work and live up to our standard American ideals.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST (voice-over): The U.S. first lady striking an empathetic tone, one that her husband has struggled to attain.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MIKE POMPEO, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: This is a deal that our grandchildren will read about in their history books.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON (voice-over): And he is hoping to broker some more; this hour, Mike Pompeo's quest for Middle East peace.
Plus, some good news. What was once one of the world's gravest diseases that wreaked havoc on children and families is now nearly gone.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
ANDERSON: Well, it's 9:00 am in Wisconsin, it's 10:00 in D.C., 6:00 in the evening here in Abu Dhabi. This hour, the world's most powerful country
seeing a racial tension spark into violence yet again.
I'm Becky Anderson. Hello and welcome to CONNECT THE WORLD.
We start this hour with a look at two very different Americas. There's the America of Kenosha, Wisconsin, where there is outrage and now deadly
violence sparked by the police shooting of a Black man in his back.
And the America on display at the Republican National Convention, some 1,200 kilometers away in Washington, where Republicans are making the case
to re-elect president Donald Trump and where he's being presented as a savior to all manners of woes. Let me take you through both.
In Kenosha, Jacob Blake is now paralyzed from the waist down after being shot by police. There is still no word from them about why he was shot in
the first place. There is, though, some disturbing new video of the incident which we will show you in a moment.
Well, this hour police there looking for whoever shot two others to death during a third night of protests in the city. Another person was wounded.
This is what it looked and sounded like in the protests ahead of that shooting.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON (voice-over): So that is the reality on the ground in one state.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: But what about the reality painted by the American president?
Because Republicans are trying to sell Mr. Trump as a champion of Black Americans. Notably showing him issuing a pardon to a convicted bank robber,
who is now an advocate for prison reform.
That is even as a cadre of guests in the second night of the Republican shindig gave very incendiary speeches, seemed bent on inflaming America's
so-called culture wars on issues ranging from abortion to the environment to religious freedom.
It's a very us versus them dynamic and one designed to be red meat to the base. But the first lady, Melania Trump, came out to directly acknowledge
America's racial injustice and called for people to rise above it. She spoke from the White House Rose Garden as President Trump looked on.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
M. TRUMP: I urge people to come together in a civil manner so we can work and live up to our standard American ideals. I also ask people to stop the
violence and looting being done in the name of justice and never make assumptions based on the color of a person's skin.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, back in Wisconsin, the family of Jacob Blake is waiting for answers about why he was shot. Sara Sidner has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PROTESTERS: This is what democracy looks like.
SARA SIDNER, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Anger and anguish in Kenosha, Wisconsin, as protests continued for the third night and police
deployed tear gas on demonstrators staying out past curfew after bottles were thrown at them as unrest grows in response to what happened to Jacob
Blake, the man shot seven times in the back by police, as three of his children looked on.
Authorities still not explaining what caused the officers to fire.
[10:05:00]
SIDNER (voice-over): A second video now shows the incident from another angle with Blake appearing to struggle with officers before he walks around
his SUV and is shot. The man who filmed the first video that went viral, which shows the shooting, told CNN what he saw Sunday.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
RAYSEAN WHITE, WITNESS: I didn't hear Jacob say anything at all but I heard the officers screaming, "Drop the knife, drop the knife." I didn't
see a knife in Jacob's hands and he pulled his pants up with both hands.
SIDNER (voice-over): Blake's attorney says he was not violent.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
BENJAMIN CRUMP, ATTORNEY: What we see is very clear. If there was a scuffle or what have you, he's not swinging at any officer, he's not doing
anything to attack officers. He is trying to get away. There is no (INAUDIBLE) video that justifies this brutal, excessive use of force on
Jacob Blake Jr., point blank, period.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
SIDNER (voice-over): This morning the U.S. Justice Department and FBI reviewing whether to launch their own investigation into the shooting while
Blake's family is demanding justice, saying he is now paralyzed from the waist down and may never walk again.
JACOB BLAKE SR., JACOB BLAKE'S FATHER: They shot my son seven times, seven times, like he didn't matter. But my son matters.
ZIETHA BLAKE, JACOB BLAKE'S SISTER: How much more inhumane treatment are we going to have deal with before the world makes a change?
SIDNER (voice-over): Athletes also speaking out with reports that some NBA players are considering boycotting the first game of the playoffs.
MARCUS SMART, BOSTON CELTICS: You know (INAUDIBLE). We tried the protests. It's not working. So obviously something has to be done.
SIDNER (voice-over): Blake's mother sending this plea for peaceful protests.
JULIA JACKSON, JACOB BLAKE'S MOTHER: Please, don't burn up property and cause havoc and tear your own homes down in my son's name.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Well, that was Sara Sidner reporting and she joins us now.
Thank you for joining us.
What's the very latest there?
SIDNER: There is a manhunt under way, a manhunt for someone who is accused of shooting and killing two people, another person wounded. What we are
seeing in the streets here has absolutely terrified some of the residents.
This is all in light of what happened to Jacob Blake, the African American father, who was in a tussle with police and then went around his car, tried
to get into his car and was shot seven times in the back while his children sat inside of that vehicle.
Protests erupting for the last three days here. But this is something different. This is an additional amount of violence that has entered the
city of Kenosha and that has residents very worried.
There were several people that we can see on social media videos, who were standing around; they were armed, saying that they were protecting
businesses, for example. We have now seen some social media video of a man with a long gun, walking down the street, people chasing after him,
screaming, "He just shot somebody."
And the man trips and falls, people try and get to him. They try and grab him. And that man then fires again, hitting one person, who crumples to the
ground; hitting a second person who then moves -- tries to move out of the way and then walks towards police with his long gun across his chest.
He is a white man with a long gun, walking towards police and police pass him by. Not one vehicle but several police vehicles pass him by as he's
walking up to them with his hands up.
There are a lot of folks asking questions about why Jacob Blake is shot seven times in the back, who was not visibly armed, certainly didn't have
anything strapped across his chest and why this man, who had just shot someone -- and you can see this on the video -- was not apprehended.
We do understand now there is a manhunt under way. The sheriff telling one of the local newspapers here, "The Milwaukee Journal," that he believes
there are vigilantes in the street and that they are unlawfully going around, trying to take matters into their own hands. There is a lot of
concern that this will escalate things here in Kenosha. Becky?
ANDERSON: Sara Sidner reporting from Wisconsin. Thank you.
Well, the flare-up in race relations comes as President Trump is making his case for a second term at the Republican convention. Several speakers there
have claimed Mr. Trump is better suited to handle the nation's race issues than Joe Biden.
Here's CNN's Jeff Zeleny with a wrap of everything that happened on night two of that convention.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The second night of the Republican National Convention smashing political norms. And
blurring the lines between government and politics.
CHAD WOLF, ACTING HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY: Congratulations. You're now citizens of the United States of America.
ZELENY: The president appearing in a naturalization ceremony in the White House, conducted by acting homeland security secretary, Chad Wolf.
[10:10:00]
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: There is no higher honor and no greater privilege and it's an honor for me to be your president.
ZELENY (voice-over): The event raising concerns it could have violated the Hatch Act, which prevents members of the executive branch, except the
president and vice president, from taking part in political activity. In a late-night statement, a White House official defending the move:
"The campaign decided to use the publicly available content for campaign purposes. There was no violation of law."
Secretary of state Mike Pompeo breaking with precedent, making an appearance at the convention from Jerusalem. Pompeo made a full-throated
endorsement of the administration's foreign policy, praising policies in the Middle East, China and North Korea.
POMPEO: Delivering on this duty to keep us safe and our freedoms intact, this president has led bold initiatives in nearly every corner of the
world.
ZELENY: Two of the president's children, Eric and Tiffany Trump, continuing the dark themes from night one of the convention, painting a Joe
Biden presidency as a threat to America.
ERIC TRUMP, SON OF DONALD TRUMP: And in view of the radical Democrats, America is a source of the world's problems. They want to destroy the
monuments of our forefathers. They want to disrespect our flag.
TIFFANY TRUMP, DAUGHTER OF DONALD TRUMP: This is a fight for freedom versus oppression, for opportunity versus stagnation, a fight to keep
America true to America.
ZELENY: And Kentucky's attorney general slamming Biden for his past comments about black Americans.
DANIEL CAMERON, KENTUCKY ATTORNEY GENERAL: I also think about Joe Biden, who says, if you aren't voting for me, you ain't black; who argued that
Republicans would put us back in chains; who says there is no diversity of thought in the black community.
Mr. Vice President, look at me. I am black. We are not all the same, sir.
Joe Biden is a backwards thinker in a world that is craving forward-looking leadership.
ZELENY: Melania Trump striking a different tone than most of the night's speakers during the closing speech of the evening, refusing to attack Biden
or Kamala Harris. Speaking from the White House Rose Garden, the first lady was one of the few who addressed the coronavirus pandemic that has killed
nearly 179,000 Americans.
M. TRUMP: I want to acknowledge the fact that since March, our lives have changed drastically. The invisible enemy, COVID-19, swept across our
beautiful country and impacted all of us. My deepest sympathy goes out to everyone who has lost a loved one.
ZELENY: The first lady also addressing the racial unrest in America, calling for unity and empathy.
M. TRUMP: It is a harsh reality that we are not proud of parts of our history. I encourage people to focus on our future while still learning
from our past.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: That was CNN's Jeff Zeleny reporting.
Well, it wasn't only Republicans watching the big show. Democrats, of course, paying attention, too, including my next guest, Andrew Yang. He
made a run for the 2020 Democratic nomination and then he endorsed Joe Biden.
He's now a CNN political commentator and says Democrats need to do a better job of connecting with middle America. And he's got some thoughts on the
pandemic and how it's battering the U.S. economy.
Welcome back, sir. We have plenty to cover. You're joining me today from New Jersey. Last night, you tweeted, quote, "Watching the RNC is very
motivating," by which you meant what, Andrew?
ANDREW YANG, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Well, we see very clearly the message the RNC has. It was one part denial of the reality that many, many
Americans find ourselves in because of the pandemic shutting down local businesses -- my wife and I aren't sure if our schools will open this fall
-- and one part fear mongering.
So watching the RNC was very motivating for me and many other Americans to make sure that we can turn the page for the United States and put this
administration behind us.
ANDERSON: Stephen Miller's school of thought, a big player in the Republican Party -- certainly in the Trump administration. He's -- his
policy is that hope doesn't sell but fear does.
YANG: Well, we're certainly seeing that recipe manifested in their message.
(LAUGHTER)
YANG: I mean, there was a lot of fear. They're going that somehow the suburbs will disappear in Joe Biden wins. And the message was about
preserving a certain vision of America.
But many Americans watching last night or the night before saw a dystopian vision of a different kind being presented.
[10:15:00]
YANG: And one thing, you know, I think would be very, very aggravating for Donald Trump is that his TV ratings are down. They're getting lower ratings
than the DNC convention last week. And we know Trump loves his ratings.
But I think a lot of it is that Americans know what to expect from Trump. They have been seeing it for four years. And many more Americans were
interested in what the Democrats were offering and what the next administration could look like, rather than what this administration looks
like every day.
ANDERSON: And we had Democrats' message last week. If the polls are to be believed, this is Joe Biden's race to lose.
But in the newsletter, "In America," our colleague Stephen Collinson, writes, and I quote, "Republicans do have an opening. They can do a better
job than Democrats of highlighting the anger and economic disenfranchisement of working class communities devastated by globalization
and a technological revolution that destroyed blue collar jobs."
And you and I know, Andrew, that that is effective, correct?
YANG: Well, that's in large part what I ran on when I was running for president but it's very difficult, if you're the incumbent, to say that
we're going to make things better if you're seeing your main street businesses close, if you're seeing your factory disappear. Because Trump's
in power. You know?
It's hard to run on a change message when you're the president. You know?
So that --
ANDERSON: Well, you said --
(CROSSTALK)
YANG: I agree -- I agree --
ANDERSON: You said -- yes. Sorry. We're jumping all over each other. You said that the Democrats need solutions. So you say that you ran on that.
Do you genuinely believe that the Democratic ticket provides those solutions at this point?
YANG: I do, because you know that the problem facing most Americans right now is really jobs and economics, where we have lost tens of millions of
jobs and 42 percent of those jobs are gone for good.
Like we need to start addressing the new reality. And that -- that's the centerpiece of what Joe was talking about when he said we need to have a
new deal in the United States of America, which points out that this is a generational crisis.
And you didn't get that from the RNC. You certainly didn't get any plans or proposals. Instead, you just got sloganeering that America is on the
comeback trail. But we need actual investment and leadership from our government and not slogans.
ANDERSON: We are following the money, sir. The U.S. Federal Election Commission says that Donald Trump's campaign war chest has about $1.2
billion. Joe Biden's team has raised about $700 million. Money matters, Andrew.
Does that worry you and your Democrat colleagues?
YANG: Well, certainly, you can see the money gap is closing virtually every day. And, of course, you'd rather have more money than your
competitor.
But I will say again that Americans know what they're getting with Trump. It's one reason why he's losing. It's one reason that Joe has a significant
lead and it's tough for the advertising campaign to change one's experience over a period of years. It's not like people don't know who Donald Trump
is. We all know who he is.
And it's going to be difficult for the money to move public perception that significantly in the brief period of time we have left. But he's raising
money every single day because so many Americans want to turn the page. And I think you're going to see those numbers come close to parity over the
next number of weeks.
ANDERSON: All right because, you know, I was going to follow up there and say, look, you are a money guy. You're a math guy. Money does --
YANG: I'm a money guy.
ANDERSON: With 70 days to go.
YANG: It does matter. But you'd much rather be the change candidate in the most miserable time in living memory -- and Joe and Kamala made a very
strong case last week as to why they're the right team to turn the page because most Americans are looking around and saying, like, this is the
worst I have ever seen this country and we need something different.
ANDERSON: Well, the ticket -- the Joe Biden-Kamala Harris ticket described during this convention as one of radical socialists, left-wing fascism.
[10:20:00]
ANDERSON: Burning cities and liberals who want to shut the economy, abolish suburbs, grab Americans' guns, rewrite the country's history and
open up the borders to marauders and surrender to foreigners. I stole most of that from Stephen Collinson.
But he is absolutely right. That is exactly what is being said. That's the narrative and clearly an effort to drive the Democrats' numbers down. I
mean, again, it's -- if the polls are to be believed, this is Joe Biden's to lose.
How does in the next 70 days does the ticket counter that narrative?
YANG: The fun thing is watching Republicans try and cast Joe Biden as some extremist radical because most Americans look up and say, wait a minute,
that doesn't line up at all with the Joe that I have gotten to know over the last number of years and decades in public service.
To me, the major inflection points that await us are the debates. And the debates are significant opportunities for both sides. The money is going to
get plowed into advertising in the swing states. And you'd rather have more of that than less of that.
But if you look around the battleground, a lot of states that you would not think Republicans would have to spend money in are up for grabs. I just saw
a poll yesterday, saying that Joe was up in Texas.
So if you have a bigger war chest but you're forced to spend that money over more and more of the country and more and more advertising markets,
the cash advantage disappears very quickly.
ANDERSON: With that, we have to leave it there. It's always a pleasure. Thank you very much, indeed, for joining us.
Call it a victory lap but the top U.S. diplomat is all smiles here in the UAE. That's ahead.
Also, Europe ramps up coronavirus restrictions as cases surge once again. We'll tell you how that can affect your travel plans.
And a shock from the football world as superstar Lionel Messi says he wants to leave Barcelona. It doesn't get any bigger than this. We'll explore what
went wrong, so wrong, for the Catalans later this hour.
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ANDERSON: In just the last few hours, America's top diplomat went through Abu Dhabi. Topping the agenda, the U.S.-brokered deal between Israel and
here, the United Arab Emirates. It's all part of what you would call a victory lap for U.S. secretary of state Mike Pompeo.
While here in the region, he touted the deal in a recorded speech to the Republican National Convention.
[10:25:00]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
POMPEO: Just two weeks ago, the president brokered a historic peace deal between Israel and the United Arab Emirates. This is a deal that our
grandchildren will read about in their history books.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, Oren Liebermann is joining us.
The first secretary of state in living memory to speak at political convention and from Jerusalem. There's an investigation by the House as to
whether it broke federal law and regulations. But the actions are likely to sway undecided voters.
How is this trip being assessed locally?
OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It's the same conclusion; it's not like this speech, the decision by the secretary of state to speak in
Jerusalem in a political capacity, is going to be the deciding factor here. There are far bigger issues on voters' minds.
Those here who like Donald Trump, those who are pro-Benjamin Netanyahu have no issue with Secretary Pompeo speaking here.
Those on the other side have an issue. It's not a deciding factor, I would say, for people here and it's probably not for people in the United States
here. Unusual though it was, precedent and norm breaking though it was.
Even if the House Democrats are going to investigate and this is coming under scrutiny and criticism from former State Department and former
government officials, it's not likely to change anything.
In fact, it seems the Trump administration seems to revel in this ability that it has to break prior norms from both Democratic and Republican
administrations.
ANDERSON: So as far as the trip then is concerned, we have heard a number of Trump administration officials, including Jared Kushner, now ready to
escort Israeli government officials to the UAE, between Israel and the United Arab Emirates next week.
How is this all going down in Israel?
LIEBERMANN: Well, the government here -- I would go beyond that to say the general population here is incredibly excited about that opportunity.
Whether they do or don't like how this process is playing out and will play out, certainly the normalization agreement, when it will be finalized and
signed between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, is a historic agreement, something to be very excited about.
Next week as you pointed out, Jared Kushner will be here. He is taking or will take what is being touted as the first commercial flight between
Israel and the United Arab Emirates. It's unclear what exactly about this will be a commercial flight. That is a flight for hire, whether it's to
carry people or to carry freight.
This will be government officials, an American and Israeli delegation. Perhaps it will allow family members to pay for tickets so they can call it
a commercial flight. But other than that it doesn't seem like it adds up to what you and I would consider a commercial flight.
It wouldn't be the first flight between the two destinations by commercial carrier. Let's not forget that Etihad Airways flew here twice, carrying
medical supplies. Once unmarked in a white airplane and the second time a month later in full Etihad Airways in a with the UAE flag on the side.
So we are waiting for more clarification and which airline will do the carrying. It will be first time El Al landed in the UAE and that's a
milestone.
ANDERSON: Thank you, sir.
Well, during Secretary Pompeo's speech, the Republican convention that we were talking about earlier, he took -- came at one of the Trump
administration's favorite punch bags.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
Pompeo In China he's pulled back the curtain on the predatory aggression of the Chinese Communist Party.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Next hour, we're live in Hong Kong to dive deeper into that.
Several European countries putting new measures in place to curb the spread of COVID-19 yet again. See how these changes could affect travel. We are
live for you in Paris with more.
Plus, some of the world's most powerful people want to know exactly what happened to Alexei Navalny. We are live in Berlin for the condition of the
deepest thorn in the Kremlin's side.
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[10:30:00]
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ANDERSON: Governments across Europe are battling to control a resurgence of coronavirus cases. Germany is planning to end mandatory COVID-19 testing
of all travelers next month due to limited lab space.
But German health experts still say 40 percent of the country's new infections came from people who traveled abroad.
Italy also says holiday makers and young people are helping drive its new surge.
Meantime, the U.K. reversing its previous guidance, now requiring secondary school students who live in areas covered by lockdowns to wear masks.
In Ukraine the former prime minister remains in serious condition after contracting the COVID-19 and now they're limiting travelers to help to
contain the recent spike in cases. And French health authorities say the recent uptick in cases there is, quote, "worrying." Melissa Bell is live in
Paris with more.
Melissa?
MELISSA BELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Becky, good afternoon. It's a worrying rise in the number of European countries that we have seen in the last
couple of weeks. These are countries that had fairly successfully managed the lockdowns and the gradual returns to normal life.
Since the end of July and certainly this month of August what we have seen are worrying numbers in France, Spain, Greece, Croatia and Germany, people
returning from holiday. It's to do with the traditional August summer break. People have been heading south and mixing again.
And little by little, governments are trying to bring them under control. So here in France, more and more draconian measures about the wearing of
masks.
And then the entire city of Marseille will require when you're in the streets to be wearing a mask at all times. Of course that means an extra
strain on police services.
This had been a crisis of various European health care systems. They are no longer on the brink. What's rising is the number of new cases and
specifically those amongst the young. They haven't yet submerged the health care system.
So the front line battle here in Europe, Becky, goes from the hospital wards and from the shoulders of health care workers to the streets and to
the shoulders of cops.
ANDERSON: Melissa, when you speak to people, you know, on the streets of Paris and elsewhere, how do people feel about this?
How long do people genuinely believe this is going to be an issue, that it impacts their lives in such a big way?
BELL: I think for the time being, certainly what we have seen on the streets of Europe and we were down in Marseille, patrolling with the
police, what you hear is that people seem to understand in these European countries because the message is from the governments have been pretty
clear that this is for their own safety.
We really didn't see much reluctance at all and when the policemen stopped them to remind a mask in Marseille, they put it on very quickly and no
fines were issued at all.
It's nearly $160 here in Europe -- in France, rather. But for the time being, the authorities are reminding people, rather than being punitive or
heavy-handed with the fines. But of course, that will change. Clearly, the government here in France is looking ahead to the return to school and to
work next week.
[10:35:00]
BELL: Pupils over 11 are obliged to wear masks next Tuesday and anyone working in an open plan office are obliged to wear a mask also.
It is in time that both the shouldering of that burden on the extra police forces is likely to wear thin and also the patience of people. For the time
being, though, people do understand these are worrying figures and that if wearing a mask is what it takes to bring them down, then so be it.
ANDERSON: Absolutely. Melissa, thank you. Melissa in Paris for you, folks.
Well, some high profile names calling for a transparent investigation into the suspected poisoning of the Kremlin's best known critic.
U.S. secretary of state Mike Pompeo breaking the Trump administration's near silence on Alexei Navalny and the head of NATO is joining a chorus of
global voices wanting to get to the bottom of exactly what happened.
German doctors indicate that the Russian opposition leader was indeed poisoned last Thursday before boarding a flight from Siberia to Moscow.
Observers are pointing the finger of blame at the Kremlin. The Kremlin playing it cagey, saying the government would like to know what caused
Navalny's condition but it strongly doubts that it was poisoning.
Well, Phil Black is in Berlin where Navalny is being treated. He joins us there live.
And, Phil, the Kremlin says it wants to know what caused his condition but they are certainly reticent to agree to an investigation at this point.
PHIL BLACK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, that's right. So they've effectively set the bar that they say it must be met before they launch an
investigation.
So on one hand, you have this now international consensus, certainly among key Western powers, expressing concerns, condemning the likely poisoning of
Alexei Navalny; as you mentioned, Mike Pompeo, the latest there.
They want a comprehensive investigation. They want accountability, they want transparency for Navalny's family and the Russian people. But what we
have heard from Russia so far in response to the work going on here at the hospital here in Berlin suggests that that's not likely to happen ,
certainly not imminently.
Those doctors say they believe that, yes, he was likely poisoned. They believe that he was exposed to a substance from a group of chemicals but
they have not specifically identified the substance yet.
And that is the point the Kremlin, Russia, has really grabbed a hold of. And they say the doctors are getting a hold of themselves, rushing if you
like.
So on one hand, Russia say, yes, we would like to know what happened to Navalny but if you don't know for certain he was poisoned, you haven't
identified specifically what the substance was, then it is simply too early to start an official police investigation, where you believe, at the center
of that, the central theory is that, yes, indeed, he was poisoned.
So they have set this bar which may not be able to be met because, remember, Navalny's family, his supporters, they will tell you that Russia
deliberately delayed Navalny's departure from Russia to Germany for independent care as a specific tactic, they say, to ensure that, by the
time he got here and doctors began working on him and trying to answer those fundamental questions, that by that point there was so little of
whatever this substance was in his system that it was simply no longer detectable.
ANDERSON: How is he?
What's his condition at this point?
BLACK: So very seriously ill, from the most recent statement from the hospital. But he's not in imminent threat of death. It just now seems he
has a long recovery ahead of him.
And really what's not clear is what his quality of life will be at the end of that recovery.
To what degree will his recovery be successful?
To what extent will his quality of life be the same?
And what that means in the Russian context is to what extent will he still be able to play an active leading role in the fight for political change in
Russia, Becky?
ANDERSON: Phil Black is in Berlin, thank you, Phil.
Well, on this show, you're watching CONNECT THE WORLD with me, Becky Anderson. A public health victory in Africa. Yes, you heard me right. The
World Health Organization declares polio eradicated from the continent. What the group says needs to happen to fully wipe it off the face of the
Earth is up next.
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[10:40:00]
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ANDERSON: The coronavirus pandemic has consumed every aspect of our lives for well over six months. But today I wanted to take a break and bring you
a public health success. The World Health Organization has officially declared polio eradicated in Africa. That's right.
The disease that once paralyzed 75,000 African kids a year has been eliminated. Well, the announcement follows four years without any cases
reported on the continent. It took the cooperation of the African government and almost 9 billion polio vaccines delivered to Africa since
1996.
Well, during our COVID times, this triumph exemplifies how vaccines can be used successfully for disease eradication.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. TEDROS ADHANOM GHEBREYESUS, WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION: In the end, money spent eradicating polio is not a cost; it's an investment, an
investment in a healthier and more productive future in which polio no longer robs children and prevents them from becoming everything they could
be.
A future without polio may have once seemed impossible. But in the words of Nelson Mandela, when people are determined, they can overcome anything.
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ANDERSON: Well, a brief look now at the recent history of that effort to eradicate polio.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Dr. Salk and his colleagues have beaten an insidious, deadly enemy, the scourge of infantile paralysis. The battle has been won.
The war is not yet over.
ANDERSON (voice-over): Over half a century later, the war against the debilitating disease now in its last mile. According to the Global Polio
Eradication Initiative, 99 percent of wild polio has been eradicated in the past three decades.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Polio can be eradicated. Two of the polio virus strains are gone and only type 1 polio remains and that only in Pakistan and
Afghanistan.
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ANDERSON: Well, the World Health Organization warning if they fail to reach every last child at risk, well, the number of cases could once again
rise into the hundreds of thousands. Joining us now is Michel Zaffran, the director of the WHO's Global Polio Eradication Initiative.
I have to say a huge congratulations. This is a massive achievement. Years of hard work. Do explain to our viewers what went into this success.
MICHEL ZAFFRAN, WHO: Well, indeed, Becky, an extraordinary success for the African continent and the African countries. What it means is that, you
know, we have actually, over the past 25 years, sort of have seen an intense coordination across countries to vaccinate all children on the
continent, through coordinated efforts, synchronized national immunization days and millions of volunteers who have been involved in these efforts.
[10:45:00]
ZAFFRAN: We have also had to employ sort of a very innovative approach, particularly over the past four years, with the last reservoir in the wild
virus in Africa was in the northeastern part of Nigeria, where the group, Boko Haram, was sort of limiting access and limiting vaccination to the
population there.
We had to use the satellite imagery, to use sort of a special strategies to look at the areas where the virus was circulating and vaccinate the people
coming in and out, as well as doing fast entry points into those areas which were difficult to access.
Some people have risked their lives and, unfortunately, some health workers have their lives in doing this extraordinary piece of work. But there we
are, the wild polio virus has eradicated. The last time we saw it in Nigeria was in September of 2016.
(CROSSTALK)
ANDERSON: Yes, this is remarkable. Unless we forget why this matters, behind these numbers, of course, victims and survivors. Let's just hear
from a couple of survivors about why this matters.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're very delighted with the announcement of polio free in Nigeria and Africa tonight. So welcome that development. And we
don't expect our children and our younger ones to follow the same route.
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ANDERSON: What happens next, I guess, is the big question. Vaccinations, as I understand it, will have to continue to keep the virus from coming
back and, as I understand it, coronavirus is disrupting that effort, sir.
ZAFFRAN: Yes, indeed. First of all, the (INAUDIBLE).
ANDERSON: Now that is very frustrating.
(CROSSTALK)
ANDERSON: OK.
We've got you back?
ZAFFRAN: Can you hear me?
ANDERSON: Apologies, you froze. Start again. Yes, we can hear you, sir.
ZAFFRAN: OK, yes, indeed. The wild virus continues to circulate in Pakistan and in Afghanistan. And as long as it survives in two countries,
it remains a risk not only for Africa but for many other countries with weak health systems and where children are not being vaccinated.
So therefore, we absolutely need to continue to vaccinate until the last reservoirs of the wild polio virus in Pakistan and Afghanistan are wiped
out. The coronavirus pandemic has indeed sort of been a problem. We have had to stop vaccination activities since March.
And, of course, during that period, the virus has had a chance to stretch in Pakistan and Afghanistan and we absolutely need to resume those
activities as soon as possible so that we can eliminate and eradicate the virus once and for all.
ANDERSON: And what can we learn from the eradication of polio through vaccination on the African continent that we might use to ensure that
coronavirus isn't the same sort of scourge going forward?
What have we learned about the importance of vaccinations?
ZAFFRAN: Well, first and foremost, we learned that vaccines work. So if we do have a vaccine against COVID-19, you know, it will be -- if it is
licensed and proven safe and effective, it will be a tool to fight the disease.
But look, what we also learned, the strategy we put in place throughout Africa as well as in Pakistan, Afghanistan, to actually fight polio has
been tremendously useful to fight COVID-19, to inform communities, to trace contacts, to identify the cases, to do the laboratory detection of the
virus.
So this public health infrastructure that was founded by the countries but also by the international communities is tremendously useful. And we need
to actually ensure that countries can sustain that on the long run because, without such public health infrastructure, it's going to be difficult to
actually vaccinate the communities and stop COVID-19 and any other public health intervention.
ANDERSON: With that, we'll leave it there. We thank you very much indeed for joining us. And again, lest we forget why this is such an important
story, 350,000 kids globally were paralyzed by 1988 from the polio disease. It is an infectious disease that was once endemic in 125 countries.
[10:50:00]
ANDERSON: Cases decreased by 99 percent through mass vaccination and, as we have been discussing, now only seen in Pakistan and Afghanistan. But
concern that, of course, this good news could be eliminated, should these vaccines not get to those who need them the most. Thank you.
We'll take a short break. Back after this.
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ANDERSON: Well, we have been speaking a lot this hour about America's reckoning over race following the police shooting of another Black man,
Jacob Blake.
The pain from the race struggles spilled over to the NBA playoffs on Tuesday night. Los Angeles Clippers head coach Doc Rivers told reporters
he's sick of hearing Republicans try to make white America afraid of Black America.
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DOC RIVERS, LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS HEAD COACH: Just watching the Republican convention and this -- they're spewing this fear, right, like all you hear
Donald Trump and all of them talking about fear. We're the ones getting killed. We're the ones getting shot.
We're the ones that were denied to live in certain communities. We have been hung. We have been shot. And all you do is keep hearing about fear.
It's -- it's amazing why we keep loving this country and this country does not love us back.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Powerful words. Don Riddell with me.
Yes, Don, take it away.
DON RIDDELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, thanks very much. This country really is going through something quite extraordinary at the moment, Becky. We're
hearing it a lot and the reactions a lot from professional athletes, notably the NBA, which is the most progressive sports league where all the
athletes and players are all encouraged to speak out.
Doc Rivers clearly emotional there and we heard the similar sentiments from LeBron James 24 hours previously.
It's really tough. The players are finding it especially tough because they're now in the bubble. They can't get out. They can't be with their
people, their fans, their friends, their communities. They're kind of stuck down there at Disney World in Florida because of the coronavirus.
Some of them are now openly saying that they don't really want to be playing basketball anymore. Certainly basketball is not the only focus for
them. And they could be there for a considerable period of time if the playoffs keep going, if their team stays in the playoffs.
But it is really, really, really hard for them. But they are going to continue to speak out about it for sure.
ANDERSON: I know, you have a couple of other big stories out there that you want to ensure our viewers are across in the world of sports.
What have you got?
RIDDELL: Well, Lionel Messi is the big story in Europe, no doubt about that. Becky, when you're the best player in the world you expect to be
playing for the best team winning the biggest trophies. And if you're considered one of the best of all time, then you won't put up with
mediocrity for very long.
For so long Barcelona and Lionel Messi were a perfect match. At one point the Catalan team he was the star of was considered to be the greatest team
ever assembled.
[10:00:00]
RIDDELL: But that isn't the case anymore. Barcelona have been getting weaker in recent years and their 8-2 defeat to Bayern Munich in the
Champions League semifinals was the final straw. Now Messi wants out but he's still got a year to go on the contract.
The fans just cannot bear the thought of seeing him leave. They are angry at the way that the Barcelona board has handled recent events. And many of
them gathered at the stadium on Tuesday to expression their frustration, their disappointment and emotion.
If he leaves -- and that's big if -- it will be a big football story.
Amanda Davies, I guess we should start with what went wrong?
AMANDA DAVIES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I mean, I think you summed it up very well, Don. You have to say there are still a lot of ifs, buts and maybes in
this issue but there isn't just one cause, is there?
There is no doubt that, over the years of Lionel Messi's relationship with Barcelona, which has been so fantastic, there have been a couple of
occasions, where we have been talking about the possibility that he might leave.
For example, when he was so disappointed and hurt around all of the focus on the tax scandal. But there is no doubt that this is the moment where he
is closer to leaving than he has ever been up to this point.
Why?
Well, you feel that this year really all of the issues that have been building at Barcelona in recent times have come to a head. It started, you
know, all the way back in January with the sacking of Ernesto Valverde; the players wanted their former teammate, Javy, to come in. He didn't come in.
It was Quique Setien, who is no longer the manager. He has already been replaced by Ronald Koeman and that sums up how Barcelona have lost their
way. It's not the Barcelona that we have known in recent times, the consistency that traditionally has been there within the club.
The Barca way, the DNA that has really gone through the ranks of the club in years gone by, there's a feeling that that has been falling apart. There
isn't the relationship that there has been in the past between the boardroom and the dressing room, which you talked about.
The president, Josep Bartomeu, he said he feels this is a sporting crisis, not an institutional one. There is no doubt that there is that separation.
There are problems on the pitch as well. We have an aging squad at Barcelona with, yes, an overreliance -- an overreliance that has been there
for a very long time -- on Lionel Messi.
All of those issues can be glossed over if a team, the likes of Barcelona, is winning trophies, they are getting silverware. And the problem for the
team in recent times that hasn't been the case. And the big one particularly that's been missing is, of course, the Champions League.
And Messi really went out on a limb, you might remember a couple of years ago, at the end of the 2019 season, after the humiliation of defeat to
Roma, to Liverpool, early excess (ph) he stood on the pitch and he said to the fans, we are going to bring this back to the camp now. That is my
promise to you.
And then, of course, we had, just a few days ago, that humiliating 8-2 drubbing to Bayern Munich and that does seem to have been the final straw,
as you said. Handing in all of the transfer requests, the immediate transfer requests, which is causing such shock waves throughout football.
But as you mentioned a lot of questions as to whether it will happen, when it will happen and what happens next, Don.
RIDDELL: Yes, we have to see if he can get out of the contract and if he does, who could even afford him?
Amanda Davies, thanks very much. Perhaps we'll continue this conversation in the next hour.
But for now, Becky, back to you.
ANDERSON: Thank you very much indeed, to both of you.
Well, coming up, we will speak to the pastor of Jacob Blake's mother. His reaction to the shooting of her son is just ahead.
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END
