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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin
COVID Cases And Deaths in U.S. Drop to Lowest Levels Since Last Summer; Belarus Activist Arrested After Fighter Jet Intercepts His Flight; Ceasefire Between Israel And Hamas Militants Enters Day 4. Aired 5-5:30a ET
Aired May 24, 2021 - 05:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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LAURA JARRETT, CO-ANCHOR, EARLY START: New questions this morning about the origins of the coronavirus turns out several Wuhan lab workers were hospitalized weeks before COVID spread around the world.
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CO-ANCHOR, EARLY START: A fighter jet intercepts a commercial flight to detain a Belarus opposition activist. A global outcry over the move by Belarus' strong man.
JARRETT: And a triumph for the ages. A historic win for Phil Mickelson at the PGA Championship.
ROMANS: That was incredible!
JARRETT: Just amazing. Welcome to our viewers in the United States and all around the world, we are live in Beijing, Berlin, Gaza, the White House, Tokyo and Rome as only CNN can. This is EARLY START, I'm Laura Jarrett.
ROMANS: And I'm Christine Romans, it is Monday, May 24th, exactly 5:00 a.m. in New York. Let's begin with some encouraging news on the pandemic front, folks. The seven-day average of COVID cases and deaths in the U.S. dropping to the lowest levels since early last Summer. The number of Americans hospitalized cut in half since February, that number hasn't been this low since September, and it is trending down.
JARRETT: That is good news. As the nation looks forward to the end of the pandemic, there are new questions this morning about the origins of the virus. CNN has learned a U.S. Intelligence report found several researchers at a lab in Wuhan, China, had to be hospitalized back in November of 2019 right around the time COVID began to circulate. Steven Jiang is live in Beijing for us. Steven, good morning to you, so we knew that these workers were sick, but we didn't know exactly how sick.
STEVEN JIANG, CNN SENIOR PRODUCER: That's right. That's the most important new detail. In this report that they were so sick they had to be hospitalized. Now, the Chinese government has now responded to the latest report rejecting it with a foreign ministry spokesman quoting a statement from the Wuhan Institute of Virology, saying staff at the institute had never come into contact with a COVID-19 virus before December 30th, 2019, and none of them had contracted this virus so far. Now, you have to acknowledge that because we still don't know what these researchers were sick with.
So, there's no definitive evidence here. And that's something even U.S. Intelligence officials have acknowledged. And for their part, the Chinese have again pointed to this World Health Organization-led investigation in Wuhan early this year with the members from that team visiting the labs in Wuhan and talking to the scientists and concluding that it was extremely unlikely the virus was leaked from the lab. But that investigation itself of course has been roundly criticized by the U.S. and other governments because of that W.H.O. team's inability to access complete raw Chinese data. So, given how politically-charged this issue has become, it's increasingly unlikely the Chinese are going to change their mind about. So, the only thing we're sure about, Laura, is this debate is going to rage on.
JARRETT: Yes, a lot of questions on this one for sure. Steven, thank you.
ROMANS: All right, to America's other health crisis. A weekend of deadly gun violence in America. The deadliest since last weekend. The carnage includes 14 people shot at a house party in New Jersey, 15 shot at a concert in South Carolina. There were fatal shootings in five other states as well. A disturbing familiar pattern as more people emerge from pandemic isolation. We get more from CNN's Natasha Chen.
NATASHA CHEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Christine and Laura, it's been a violent weekend from coast-to-coast, and particularly challenging for communities mourning the death of young people. On Friday morning, a six-year-old boy in Orange, California died in what California Highway Patrol described as an incident of road rage. Investigators are looking for a white sedan after someone allegedly fired into the car the boy was in killing him in the backseat.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And he said, mommy, my tummy hurts. So, she went and she picked him up and he was bleeding on her. Please help us find the people that did this to my little brother. He's only six and he was so sweet.
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CHEN: A 14-year-old was killed in North Charleston, South Carolina late Saturday night. A 16-year-old was killed in Columbus, Ohio, the same night, and a 15-year-old was killed in Chicago in a drive-by shooting. These are just some of the approximately 7,300 shooting deaths that have happened since the beginning of the year, not including suicides. This number is more than 20 percent higher than the same period of time in 2020. And more than 40 percent higher than the same period in 2019. The Democratic-led house passed legislation for background checks and closing loopholes back in March, but it stands little chance of passing the Senate where it would need the support of the super majority. Christine and Laura, back to you.
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JARRETT: Natasha, thank you for that. Now to an incredible story out of Belarus. A leading opposition activist arrested after the president ordered a fighter jet to escort his commercial flight to the ground. CNN's Fred Pleitgen joins us from Berlin. Fred, a lot of condemnation on here for obvious reasons with one notable exception.
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, the only exception being Russia, of course. Moscow being the main backer of the regime in Belarus of Alexander Lukashenko, especially after those protests that took place in Belarus last year. And you're absolutely right. I mean, this was really something that Europe has not seen in a very long time. In fact, the boss of the airline in question, which is an airline called Ryanair from Ireland. He called this a state-sponsored hijacking, saying that the plane was essentially forced to land on the orders of the Belarusian president.
Now, the Belarusian authorities there have confirmed that a fighter jet came up and escorted that plane to the capital of Belarus, which is Minsk despite the fact that, that plane was actually a lot closer to Lithuania where it was actually supposed to land. Now, after the plane landed, this opposition figure and journalist named Roman Protasevich, he was taken off the plane and arrested. He's an extremely important figure. He co-founded a social media channel that essentially brought to light a lot of the police brutality that was going on in Belarus and also helped organize the protest there last year and, of course, that is one of the main reasons why many people believe that the Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko wanted to get his hands on him.
In fact, there are other folks in the opposition from Belarus who are saying that he could face the death penalty even because he's on a terrorism list there. International condemnation, of course, coming from all around. From the State Department, for instance, you have the Secretary of State putting out a statement last night, I want to read you part of it, he said, quote, "this is a shocking act perpetrated by the Lukashenko regime endangered the lives of more than 120 passengers" -- of course, on board that plane -- "including U.S. citizens. Initial reports suggesting the involvement of the Belarusian security services and the use of Belarusian military aircraft to escort the plane are deeply concerning and require full investigation."
Now, the U.S. says, Laura, that they're also working closely together with their European counterparts. Certainly, Europe takes a lead on this simply because of the fact that this was a European Union plane traveling from one European capital to another European Union capital, European Union meeting later today to deal with this issue, Laura.
JARRETT: So, Fred, last Summer, the president of Belarus declared victory in that disputed election, and as you mentioned, it led to those huge protests we saw for weeks. But little, if any real change. So, what is the current status on the ground there?
PLEITGEN: Well, you're absolutely right. I mean, it led to a very little change, but one of the things that we do have to point out is that the Belarusian opposition is still very much alive and is actually still coming out and protesting as well. There are regular protests that happened. There are still a lot of people who are being detained, but there's also a massive crackdown that continues in that country. A lot of the main leaders of that opposition who remained in Belarus have been detained or are in jail, Like for instance, Maria Kalesnikava, who was one of the main leaders, others have been exiled like Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya who is now in Europe.
And who by the way, actually said that she took that very same flight only about a month ago, and she said she was very happy that the same thing didn't happen to her. So, the crackdown continues. And really, the thing that is keeping Lukashenko in power right now is very much the backing of the Kremlin. And so far, from what I'm seeing, the first reactions coming out of Moscow though only just coming as we're on air right now, it seems as though Moscow continues to back Lukashenko even after this incident, Laura.
JARRETT: All right, Fred, thank you so much for breaking all that down for us.
ROMANS: All right, eight minutes past the hour, Jewish teens choked and chased with a bat for refusing to repeat anti-Semitic statements. The NYPD now increasing their patrols in Jewish neighborhoods.
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ANTONY BLINKEN, SECRETARY OF STATE: I think there has to be. I think both sides are reminded that we have to find a way to break the cycle because if we don't, it will repeat itself at great costs and at great human suffering on all sides.
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JARRETT: A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza is entering its fourth day. If it holds, rebuilding Gaza could still take years with several obstacles standing in the way. CNN's Ben Wedeman is in Gaza this morning. Ben, of course, one of the biggest issues is making sure that this relief money goes to those who need it the most.
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Laura, we've seen time and time again since 2008, a war followed with lots of destruction followed by reconstruction. It can happen. It does happen. But the question is, who does the money go to when it gets in here? Qatar over the years has funded Hamas with Israel's approval, it should be pointed out, just in order to keep the Gaza Strip running. But I think if you talk to anybody here, they'll tell you fundamentally, the problem is that since 2007, there has been a joint Egyptian-Israeli blockade on Gaza.
It's supposed to stop weapons from coming in. But clearly, that hasn't worked. But what it has done is really made this strip of land with 2 million people in it increasingly impoverished. And you speak to most young people in Gaza, they have never stepped foot out of Gaza. They have never been on a plane or a train. And basically, people are desperate here to be able to work. I was speaking with one man the other day who told me, look, the housing around me, my neighbors, they have three, four, five sons, hardly any of them have a job. The only job they can get is working with Hamas.
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Whether they agree with it or not. And everybody tells you, lift the blockade, the economy will grow. Opportunities will increase. And sort of the basic tensions and anger that exists here will in a sense dissipate once people have an opportunity to improve their lives and perhaps to widen their horizons and actually get out of this place, Laura.
JARRETT: Ben Wedeman in Gaza for us this morning, thank you, Ben.
ROMANS: All right, back here in the U.S., New York City Police stepping up their presence in Jewish communities following two scary incidents in Brooklyn over the weekend. Now police believe the same group of men began punching two Jewish teens after they refused to repeat anti-Jewish statements and yelled anti-Semitic remarks at four Jewish men in front of a nearby synagogue. This is part of a series of attacks that include a beating near Times Square, a fire cracker thrown at Jews in the Diamond District, the NYPD reports hate crimes are up 71 percent from this time year ago.
JARRETT: Seventy one percent. Still ahead, no bridge in sight for Biden's infrastructure plan even though the White House dropped its price tag substantially.
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TOM VILSACK, SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE: If you want to talk about frustration, you need to talk about the frustration that rural folks have about an aging infrastructure across the board. And the fact that they don't have high speed internet access, which puts them in a competitive disadvantage. I think everybody understands and appreciates the necessity of fixing our bridges, our roads, our ports, our in-land water ways. Broadband has to be part of this infrastructure plan. It's the 21st century infrastructure. It is essential.
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ROMANS: The Biden administration pushing a 21st century infrastructure plan. The White House now offering a comprise, cutting the cost by 25 percent, but that doesn't seem to be gaining traction with Republicans just yet. Jasmine Wright is live at the White House. And Jasmine, from the very beginning, the president and his top aides and deputies have said we are open to negotiation. Let's start a conversation here. A lot of Republicans were concerned about the price tag. They've made it a little skinnier, but still, that is not -- it doesn't flying quite yet.
JASMINE WRIGHT, CNN REPORTER: That's right Christine. Republicans did not receive it warmly, and that's to put it nicely. But White House officials are now pushing back saying that this reduction shows a real willingness on President Biden's part to find comprise, to find a middle. And that reduction really comes from down, from $2.25 trillion to $1.7 trillion, that reduction comes from some major concessions from the White House that includes reducing money for Broadband as we heard. Vilsack just saying includes reducing money for that traditional infrastructure railroads, bridges, roads, as well as removing completely money for research, development and innovation elements.
So, now one White House official told me over the weekend that the ball is in Republican court to come back to the White House in kind. And White House senior adviser Cedric Richmond really repeated that sentiment on "STATE OF THE UNION" yesterday. Take a listen.
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CEDRIC RICHMOND, SENIOR ADVISER TO JOE BIDEN: I think the president coming down $550 billion off of his initial proposal, I think shows the willingness to negotiating good faith and in a serious manner. And the real question is whether the Republicans will meet the effort he will not let inaction be the answer. And when it gets to the point where it looks like that is inevitable, you'll see him change course.
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WRIGHT: So, Christine, as a possibility kind of grows, President Biden may have to change course, something interesting happened in the Senate. A group of bipartisan senators released a transportation package on the Public Works Committee that sought to increase funding for railroads, bridges, roads by about $300 million in five years. But of course, that falls far short of $1.7 trillion, and it honestly falls short of just the infrastructure component that President Biden has put in the bill. So, a couple of questions going forward are, one, do Republicans come back? And if they do, how do these two parties that are now so far apart find comprise, find a middle?
ROMANS: Yes --
WRIGHT: Christine?
ROMANS: Find a middle? So important. All right, thank you so much Jasmine, nice to see you. Laura?
JARRETT: All right, a former FBI analyst has been charged with illegally taking highly-classified documents including materials related to Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda and keeping them in her home for over a decade. The 48-year-old Kendra Kingsbury who previously held top secret security clearance could now face up to ten years in prison on these felony charges. Prosecutors allege some of the documents contained intelligence sources and methods, cyber threats and other highly sensitive matters. The indictment does not include allegations, I should mention, that Kingsbury shared this information. Just when you think it can't get any worse, the war on masks on the
house floor escalading now. One member of Congress comparing it to the holocaust.
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ROMANS: All right, good Monday morning, this is EARLY START, I'm Christine Romans.
JARRETT: I'm Laura Jarrett, almost 29 minutes past the hour here in New York. New intelligence this morning raising questions about the origins of COVID in China. A U.S. Intel report finds three researchers at China's Wuhan Institute of Virology fell ill back in November of 2019. Now, the Trump administration previously said the team members were sick, but we didn't know about the severity of their symptoms until now. The "Wall Street Journal" first reported the new Intel. Here is one of the reporters.
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MICHAEL GORDON, NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT, THE WALL STREET JOURNAL: You can't say that it was COVID. You can't say it was a seasonal flu, but circumstantially, it's quite significant because the first known confirmed case of COVID-19 in China is December 8th. And so now, here you have researchers in the lab going to the hospital, just in the weeks prior to the known outbreak. And so, there's a lot of interest in this in the U.S. government because it could be a tell- tale sign that the virus escaped from the lab. Not that it was a biological weapon or that it was in any way engineered by the Chinese. But perhaps they took a virus into the lab to try to work on a potential vaccine and inadvertently it escaped.
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