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Vladimir Putin Making Landmark Trip To Pyongyang; Joe Biden And Jens Stoltenberg Praise Member Countries' Defense Spending; Thousands Evacuated In Northern Israel Amid Hezbollah Attacks; Los Angeles County Fire Burns More Than 6,000 Hectares; Extreme Heat Wave Scorching Parts Of The U.S.; U.S. Surgeon General Urges Warning Label on Social Media Apps, Putting Such a Label on Apps Requires Action From Congress; 11 Dead, 60+ Missing Off Italy's Southern Coast; Reform U.K.'s Nigel Farage Unveils Contract With Voters, Pledges to Get Migration Under Control, Cut Taxes for Smaller Businesses; Soccer Star Mbappe Calls on French Youth to Vote; Boston Celtics Win Record 18th Championship. Aired 2-2:45a ET

Aired June 18, 2024 - 02:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

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[02:00:39]

ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us from all around the world and everyone streaming us on CNN Max. I'm Rosemary Church.

Just ahead, from Russia with love. Vladimir Putin is making a landmark trip to North Korea deepening ties with Kim Jong-un.

Blistering heat sets in across large parts of the U.S. with about one in five Americans now under heat alerts, and forecasters say relief could still be a week away.

And mental health in a digital age. The U.S. Surgeon General is urging Congress to put warning labels on social media apps.

ANNOUNCER: Live from Atlanta. This is CNN NEWSROOM with Rosemary Church.

CHURCH: Good to have you with us. And we begin this hour with Vladimir Putin's power trip, a two day visit to North Korea aimed at strengthening ties. But the Russian president's visit is raising concerns among the U.S. and its allies in Europe and the Pacific.

Satellite images show preparations are underway for a large parade in central Pyongyang, including construction of a grandstand on Kim Il Sung Square. Mr. Putin has written an article for a North Korean newspaper praising Pyongyang for its unwavering support on Ukraine. While the White House accuses North Korea of sending weapons to Moscow.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) JOHN KIRBY, WHITE HOUSE NATIONAL SECURITY COMMUNICATIONS ADVISOR: What we are concerned about Trevor is the deepening relationship between these two countries. Not just because of the impact it's going to have on Ukrainian people because we know North Korean ballistic missiles are still being used to hit Ukrainian targets. But because there could be some reciprocity here that could affect security on the Korean peninsula.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Let's go live now to CNN's Ivan Watson, who's following developments for us from Hong Kong. Good to see you, Ivan.

So, what can we expect to come out of this meeting? And how significant is it coming at this time?

IVAN WATSON, CNN, SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Sure. Well, this will be -- with Putin expected to arrive in Pyongyang Tuesday night, this will be his first return visit to North Korea since 2000, that's nearly a quarter century ago. And my, how much has changed in that time.

First of all, Vladimir Putin has been in power basically for a quarter century nearly in Russia. But also, Russia has gone from being kind of a welcome member of the international community, a member of what had been known as the G8 to now being nearly as isolated and ostracized as North Korea itself was back in 2000 when Putin met face-to-face with Kim Jong-un's father, who was then the ruler of North Korea.

In anticipation of this trip, aids to the Russian president have said that they're expecting both sides to sign a new strategic partnership agreement. And we are looking to Vladimir Putin's open letter to North Koreans that was published in a North Korean newspaper to get other hints and insights.

Now, first and foremost there, Putin writes, "We highly appreciate the DPRK's unwavering support for Russia's special military operation in Ukraine. Take a look at that, nearly more than two years after Russia's full-fledged invasion of Ukraine. The Kremlin still calls it a special military operation, not a war.

And then, the -- Putin goes on to say that Pyongyang was and remains our staunch like-minded ally and supporter ready to resolutely resist the desire of the collective West to prevent the formation of a multipolar world order based on justice," and it goes on there.

So, very much here, Moscow aligning itself with Pyongyang as opponents of the U.S. and of Western democracies. And the two leaders are going to sit down now. Pyongyang is accused of providing Russia with ammunition that is currently being used on the Ukrainian battlefields. G7 leaders just issued a statement the number of days ago, condemning North Korea's ongoing nuclear weapons program which it is being sanctioned for, and also condemning what G7 leaders see as the increasing military to military rapprochement between these two countries, Rosemary.

[02:05:14]

CHURCH: Ivan Watson joining us live from Hong Kong, many thanks. Well, meanwhile, NATO is celebrating what it calls good news for the Alliance for the U.S. and for Europe, but it certainly won't make Moscow happy. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg met with U.S. President Joe Biden at the White House Monday, he announced that more NATO member countries than ever have reached target defense spending. That comes just before the Alliance's annual summit in July.

Stoltenberg and President Biden also spoke about the warm relations between Russia and China. The NATO chief says China is trying to make the world believe it is neutral in the Ukraine war, but it's actually tipping the scales in favor of Russia, and it should pay a price for their behavior.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JENS STOLTENBERG, SECRETARY GENERAL, NATO: Publicly, President Xi has tried to create the impression that he's taking a backseat in this conflict, to avoid sanctions and keep trade flowing.

But the reality is that China's fueling the largest armed conflict in Europe since World War II, and at the same time, it wants to maintain good relations with the West. Well, the Beijing cannot have it both ways.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Stoltenberg's visit came with Biden facing a tough reelection challenge from one of NATO's most prominent critics. CNN's Senior White House Correspondent Kayla Tausche looks at why the White House was so happy to see him in Washington.

KAYLA TAUSCHE, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: With less than one month before Washington hosts the annual NATO Summit in mid-July, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg paying a visit to President Biden at the White House, where the two hailed significant progress in expanding the number of Alliance members who are meeting a defense spending benchmark. That benchmark two percent of each country's annual economic output. And now, 23 countries out of 32 members are currently meeting it. That's more than double the statistic from just a few years ago, and that statistic was a point of ongoing criticism from former President Donald Trump and the current GOP opponent.

Jens Stoltenberg visit to Washington, he made remarks outlining several priorities for the Alliance as the months proceed. Those include allowing NATO to take a leadership role in the deployment of military aid and the training of soldiers for fighting on the battlefield.

He also said that more costs need to be imposed on China for its material assistance of Russia on the battlefield in Ukraine.

But this all comes amid far right movements on both sides of the Atlantic that currently challenged the status quo of the Alliance, as well as continued bloodshed on the battlefield in Ukraine now more than 2-1/2 years at war. With war still raging, President Biden told Stoltenberg, he wished he could stay another decade.

Stoltenberg's term is set to expire this year with a top Dutch official expected to take his place. And of course, President Biden too will face voters in just a few months.

Kayla Tausche, CNN, the White House.

CHURCH: Michael Bociurkiw, who is a global affairs analyst, and a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council. He is also the former spokesperson for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. And he joins me now from Odessa in Ukraine. Good to have you with us.

MICHAEL BOCIURKIW, SENIOR FELLOW, ATLANTIC COUNCIL: Thank you for having me.

CHURCH: So, President Biden and Jens Stoltenberg met in Washington Monday ahead of the NATO Summit, and just after the G7 and Ukraine peace summit in Switzerland over the weekend, what was achieved at this Washington meeting, and of course, the peace summit?

BOCIURKIW: Sure, well, good to be with you. I think what we're seeing in the wider perspective, Rosemary is NATO, G7 allies of Ukraine, working together over time in a very fast pace to fireproof long term sustainable military support to Ukraine because, well, two things, a lot of them are not going to probably be in power in a few months' time given all the elections going on.

And secondly, we could face the prospect of Republicans taking over the White House, which could really hamper aid to Ukraine.

So, this is all a great strategy. And the other thing I think they have in the back of their minds is that taxpayers, unfortunately, are getting increasingly wary of supporting the war in Ukraine with all the troubles back home.

So, they're looking at things, for example, like unfreezing Russian assets to help Ukraine as well, as you know, for example, what NATO is proposing, 40 billion euros a year in support for Ukraine.

So, these are all moves that are really really welcomed -- being welcomed in Kyiv.

[02:10:00]

CHURCH: Yes, as you say, Stoltenberg said last Thursday, didn't he, that he had proposed NATO Allies provide Ukraine a minimum of 40 billion euros a year for as long as it takes. So, what is the latest on battlefield games and of course international support for Ukraine?

BOCIURKIW: Well, look, I was at the Ukraine Reform Conference in Berlin just a week ago. And then we had that peace summit and support is very, very strong.

However, you do have some big holdouts, for example, that final communique that was signed in Switzerland, big countries like India, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, UAE did not sign. Now, those by the way, happened to be a member of the BRICS, bloc of nations that includes Russia. And I think we're also getting signals from them that they'd like to see Russia at the negotiating table.

That is something I don't think Kyiv is yet prepared to do. But the next summit could be in Saudi Arabia. And you could see Russia there.

And then on the battlefield, we're getting kind of a status quo situation right now. But what Zelenskyy, Rosemary, is doing right now is trying to explain to the West what Russian occupation would mean.

For example, he used the word (INAUDIBLE) or crazy in Ukrainian to describe Republicans and their demands that Ukraine give up territories. That's a non-starter to hear in Ukraine.

CHURCH: And of course, despite struggles to gain ground along parts of the front line, so one area where Ukraine seems to be having a string of wins, the Black Sea for a country without a Navy Ukraine says it's managed to take out a third of Russia's Navy, and they've kept exports following across the sea, despite Moscow's withdrawal from the Black Sea Grain agreement last year.

So, what more can you tell us about how Kyiv is pulling all of this off?

BOCIURKIW: Sure. It's pretty incredible. I made my first visit to the port just on Sunday. And officials there told us that that support feeds about 400 million people around the world, including in a lot of poor countries. And we're able also to see at the Black Sea security forum, one of those high tech marine drones that have destroyed as you said, so much of the Black Sea fleet.

So, they're leveraging technology, they're using innovation, they're standing up to Russia, busting through the Russian naval blockade of the Black Sea to get food to world markets. It's pretty incredible for a country that doesn't have a Navy.

Having said that, they still have challenges, for example of getting more men and women to the battlefront, conscription is a big issue here.

But I think once the military aid starts to come to the battlefront big time, you're going to see a significant changes in the statuses of both militaries.

CHURCH: Right. And of course, meantime, Russia's President Putin is set to arrive in North Korea in the coming hours to meet with Kim Jong-un on the issue of Ukraine, among other topics. What risks does this strengthening and deepening relationship pose to Ukraine, of course, the world?

BOCIURKIW: Yes, well, look, I'm glad Stoltenberg got called out China for its backdoor support of Ukraine. And we all know what North Korea has been doing since the start of the war, even before the start of the war, helping Russia pass through Western sanctions, but also providing a lot of military aid. Look, Russia, let's be frank about this. Russia has very few friends

left in the world. And it has to turn to rouge countries like North Korea to get support to fund its war machine.

So, I think you're going to see a deepening of those ties. And we all know how much support North Korea needs as well in terms of money and food from Russia oil. So, that's probably what you're going to see happening.

CHURCH: Michael Bociurkiw, we want to thank you so much for joining us. Appreciate it.

BOCIURKIW: My pleasure. Thank you.

CHURCH: In Central Ukraine, at least 22 civilians, including three children were wounded by a Russian missile attack on Monday. Local officials say a Russian cruise missiles struck the Poltava region, damaging apartment buildings and a kindergarten and knocking out power for several hours.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says it's important for Ukraine to strengthen its air defense systems to respond to Russian attacks.

We have new details on the Israel Hamas war and a massive antigovernment protests in Jerusalem. Israeli police say they arrested at least nine people after thousands gathered outside the Knesset and then marched to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's home calling for new elections. Authorities say those detained were arrested on suspicion of attacking police and trying to set a fire.

Meanwhile, there appears to be deepening political rifts within the Israeli government, Benjamin Netanyahu disbanded his war cabinet, announcing that the security Cabinet will now decide matters regarding the conflict.

[02:15:01]

Now, this comes just over a week after opposition leader Benny Gantz withdrew from the War Cabinet and the Israeli military says Defense Minister Yoav Gallant approved the tactical pause to allow more aid into Gaza.

But when Netanyahu heard about that pause, he called it unacceptable until he was assured that fighting in Rafah would continue according to an Israeli official.

The IDF claims it's killed more than 500 Hamas militants in the Rafah area since early May. And the United Nations says more than one million Palestinians have been displaced from the city during the same timeframe. And only about 65,000 people are left there now.

The U.S. is trying to prevent an escalation in the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah along Israel's border with Lebanon, U.N. Special Envoy Amos Hochstein met with Benjamin Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders on Monday. Israeli President Isaac Herzog's office says they discussed

Hezbollah's rocket attacks on Northern Israel, and the Israeli military says it killed a key Hezbollah rocket and missile operative in southern Lebanon Monday. The fighting has driven many people from their homes along the border.

CNN's Oren Liebermann has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): On the main drag in the city of Kiryat Shmona in Northern Israel, Amatsya Dahary works alone, taking orders from customers who won't come in person.

AMATSYA DAHARY, NORTHERN ISRAEL RESIDENT: There is no people here in the city. My customer don't come to my gallery. And I feel very alone here.

LIEBERMANN (voice-over): The stores and restaurants near his frame shop are closed. The city is nearly empty under constant threat of rocket attack from Hezbollah in neighboring Lebanon. But Dahary shows up to work here every day.

DAHARY: I think it's wrong to leave Kiryat Shmona. I think everybody had to be here.

LIEBERMANN (voice-over): The first launches fell in this city soon after October 7th.

LIEBERMANN: This was the safety room, the security room, and the mortar tore right through it.

LIEBERMANN (voice-over): The city was evacuated two weeks later. The charred remnants of a life hastily, abandoned, visible inside.

Mayor Avichai Stern says less than 10 percent of the people here have stayed.

Since the 8th of October, we've been attacked every day, Stern says, I don't think there's any nation in the world that would be prepared for its citizens to be fired upon every day.

At a nearby location, the mayor shows us a much larger rocket that hit the street. It's shrapnel tearing into nearby homes.

Also, this, Stern says, this is shrapnel. Look and here, you'll find them in every place.

Along Israel's northern border, once thriving villages have become ghost towns. In Shlomi, the spirit of the country may be strong, but its people have left. Approximately 60,000 people have been evacuated from the north to hotels across the country.

According to Israel, Hezbollah has fired more than 5,000 rockets and drones since the start of the war. Israel has carried out strikes against Hezbollah targets and commanders amid fear of a simmering conflict boiling over into a war.

We are approaching the point where a decision will have to be made, says Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi, and the IDF is prepared and very ready for this decision.

In recent weeks, the North isn't just under fire, but on fire, sparked by Hezbollah attacks and missile intersects. Locals caught this video of an interceptor explosion, which rained burning shrapnel on the area.

Firefighters are still coping with smoldering embers that reignite in the dry conditions. A fire that keeps burning on a border that threatens to do the same.

Oren Liebermann, CNN in Northern Israel.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: Still to come, fire crews are hoping more favorable weather and weaker winds will serve to help them gain the upper hand on a huge wildfire near Los Angeles. We'll have details when we return.

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[02:21:29]

CHURCH: Welcome back everyone.

Crews battling a huge wildfire in California's Los Angeles County could get some help in the day ahead with high humidity and wind gusts expected to ease. The so called post fire has now burned more than 6,000 hectares and is about 20 percent contained after breaking out on Saturday.

CNN's Camila Bernal has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CAMILA BERNAL, CNN U.S. NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Firefighters are describing this fire as creeping underground, moving slowly and they say that at any moment, things can change. And that's why they're so concerned about the wind and they expect these winds to remain high through Tuesday. So firefighters are saying that they have been able to keep the fire lines, but that it is still very challenging work because of the high speeds of the wind gust in this area.

You're seeing some of the crews here on the ground attempting to put out any hotspots so that you don't get those new fires because of the wind in this area. You're also seeing some of the crews in the sky using these helicopters to do water drops. So, it is a joint effort between the different crews in this area to try to gain some containment here is what officials are saying about this fire.

FLEMMING BERTEISEN, U.S. FOREST SERVICE: It means we're going to be tested. Especially tonight, ridge top winds are going to be calling for 50 mile an hour winds on ridge tops and during the day, valley winds 25 plus. So, we're augured (ph) in and we're making a stand.

BERNAL: And climate change also greatly impacting the way these fires are spreading. You know, firefighters telling me that because of the rain that we got here in California over the last couple of days, you have a lot of vegetation and in particular, you have a lot of grass and that is what firefighters call fuel to this fire in particular. They say that it spreads quickly and so you add in the wind, the low humidity, the high temperatures, and that's what makes this fire just so dangerous and so tough for these firefighters that are working around the clock.

Camila Bernal, CNN, Lebec, California.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: Meantime, a long lasting and expensive heatwave is underway for much of the U.S. The Midwest and the Northeast could see record breaking temperatures that could last for days. Some areas are expected to top 15 to 20 degrees above normal.

CNN's Chad Myers has more.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ZACH ISCOL, COMMISSIONER, NEW YORK CITY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT: We are in the path of extreme heat, bringing along potential health risks in the forthcoming days.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST (voice-over): Summer officially arrives in the northern hemisphere this week, and with it, a heat wave not seen in decades. From the Midwest and Great Lakes to the northeast, more than 260 million Americans or roughly 82 percent of the U.S. population could see temperatures above 90 degrees. Nearly 200 daily high temperature records could be tied or broken in major cities, including Boston, D.C., Chicago, St. Louis, Detroit, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and New York City.

And little relief is expected even at night with low temperatures not dropping below the middle 70s.

ISCOL: Extreme heat is the most dangerous weather phenomenon we have in New York City. We lose over 350 New Yorkers a year on average to heat.

MYERS (voice-over): Caribou, Maine, which prides itself as the most northeastern city in the U.S. could hit their hottest temperature ever Wednesday, with a forecast of 99. That's three degrees higher than their all-time hottest high temperature on record.

[02:25:07]

Boston is forecast to be nearly 100 degrees on Thursday, which would be their earliest 100-degree day in 99 years. And it's not just the high temperatures causing concern, but how long they're expected to stick around. Pittsburgh, which hasn't seen a single day go over 95 degrees in more than a decade. It's forecast to see six consecutive days above 95 degrees.

And Philadelphia is expected to see five straight days at or above 95. If it seems like these scorching heat waves are happening more and more each year, it's not your imagination.

DR. ASHWIN VASAN, COMMISSIONER, NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND MENTAL HYGIENE: While very hot days are, of course, normal, the number and the duration of these hot days we are seeing each and every year is not, the risks to our planet present risks to our health. And heat is, of course, the deadliest of all extreme weather events here in New York City and across the United States.

Chad Myers, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: A search is underway for three missing tourists in the Greek islands. Albert Calibet went missing after going on a solo hike on June 11th. The 59-year-old American is one of several tourists who have gone missing in recent weeks as a blistering heat wave scorches the country.

To give you a sense of just how hot it is, the temperature was 40 degrees Celsius the day he went missing. That's more than 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

Two French women are also missing after going on a walk. Police say one of them sent a distress message to the guesthouse where she was staying.

Up next, an urgent call to action from the U.S. Surgeon General who's warning about the threat social media poses to children's mental health. We'll explain.

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CHURCH: Welcome back everyone. The U.S. Surgeon General is urging Congress to put a warning label on social media apps much like the ones you see for cigarettes and alcohol.

In a New York Times op-ed, Dr. Vivek Murthy argues social media platforms are a key contributor to the mental health crisis among young people, with teens spending several hours a day on the apps. Here's what Murthy told CNN about his push.

[02:30:00]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. VIVEK MURTHY, U.S. SURGEON GENERAL: I am quite aware of the fact that this is a complicated issue and that it may be hard for Congress to take action on this. And I am also aware that this is a challenging year for Congress to act. But the truth is none of that matters to our kids. None of that does anything to assuage the pain and struggle that parents are going through right now. It is our moral responsibility as a society to take care of our kids. And in that mission, when it comes to social media, we are not doing well. We are failing.

But we have a chance to get it right. And that's why I believe that to put kids first means passing the kind of legislation that would protect them from the harms of social media now, because our kids cannot wait.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Joining me now from Los Angeles is Child Psychiatrist, Dr. Victoria Dunckley. She is also the author of "Reset Your Child's Brain: A Four-Week Plan to End Meltdowns, Raise Grades, and Boost Social Skills by Reversing the Effects of Electronic Screen-Time."

Thank you so much for joining us.

DR. VICTORIA DUNCKLEY, CHILD PSYCHIATRIST: Thank you, Rosemary.

CHURCH: So, U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy, we heard him there. He is demanding Congress pass legislation to put warning labels on social media apps similar to those we see on cigarettes and alcohol. He says social media can be extremely damaging to the health of young people, particularly, but also adults. So, what is your reaction to his suggestions and how likely is it that warning labels like this will make any difference?

DUNCKLEY: I was actually really excited to hear him say that. I think it will actually -- I think it actually can make a big difference. We know that warning labels do help, especially like the tobacco warnings. We did see tobacco use drop significantly and continue to decline after that. So, I think parents really are ready to hear this message, but they feel helpless to do anything. But I do feel like the younger generation -- for kids who are in -- or parents of kids in elementary school age, they are hearing all this research. And I think it is going to be those parents that are more -- have a conviction and the resolve to really prevent their kids from using social media.

I already hear parents talking about having packs to band together as their kids get older to stay away from social media. It is the parent -- but the parents who are in kind of the thick of it now are parents of teens really feel helpless. So, I think having that warning will help them.

CHURCH: And Dr. Murthy says social media can have detrimental effects on mental health and increase the risk of depression for adolescents. So, how strong is the evidence that this is indeed the case?

DUNCKLEY: It's overwhelming, I would say. I think we know in general that screen time is psychoactive. It is depressant -- it's depressogenic in general, screen time. The social media adds extra layers on there. So, we already know that screen times disrupt sleep, it changes brain chemistry, it increases stress hormones, it kind of shifts blood flow, so that kids can access the more developed parts of the brain. It affects impulse control and attention and mood regulation. And then social media adds extra layers on top of that. So, it not only exploits the reward pathways but because it is social, it meets -- needs it is meeting all these developmental needs that are very strong during especially adolescence and in particular, early adolescence. So, the need to role-play, to be seen, to belong, all of those things are being exploited by very sophisticated techniques.

So, we actually see like for younger adolescents, with their brain lights up even more strongly than an older adolescent's brain like when they are getting social media cues. So, we know their brains are extremely vulnerable and they are not as able to -- they don't have the impulse control or the executive control to stop using it. So it is really -- really setting them up to be depressed. So all of these brain changes are happening even if they are using it in an inappropriate way and we also see that kids who are prone to being depressed or anxious or have poor social skills, those kids are the most vulnerable and they are having even stronger effects.

So, all these effects are playing out. Clinically, we are seeing acuity levels that I have never seen before in 20 years. It is not sustainable. I mean, kids are cutting, they are self-harming. They are overdosing. A lot of them have eating disorder issues and we are seeing it. It is more so in girls, but we are seeing this in boys and young men also. So it is just not sustainable, and it is hard on the clinicians as well because the acuity is so high and it just takes a tremendous amount of resources.

CHURCH: So given that evidence, how likely is it then that Congress we will go ahead and pass legislation to put warning labels on social media apps? What pressure is being applied here?

[02:35:00]

DUNCKLEY: I think -- I am hoping that will actually happen. But, my concern is that if we rely on the social media companies themselves to police themselves, to change algorithms to not be delivering all this (ph) dangerous content, for them to be monitoring for bullying and pornography and all those things, it is just not going to happen. So I think what really needs to happen is to have these medical warnings, so that parents are equipped to see what is really going on and also to say no, and for it to be OK for kids to say no. Until they -- we need to set them up, so that they can live in a healthy way and not be setting them up to be depressed and anxious.

CHURCH: Dr. Victoria Dunckley, thank you so much for joining us. We appreciate it.

DUNCKLEY: Thank you, Rosemary. Appreciate it.

CHURCH: At least 11 people are dead and more than 60 missing after two migrant shipwrecks off southern Italy. Officials say a wooden sail boat carrying migrants began sinking on Monday and a second boat caught fire and overturned. It is believed 26 children are among those missing. The central Mediterranean is one of the world's most dangerous migration routes. This year alone, the U.N. estimates 631 migrants and refugees have died or disappeared trying to cross the Mediterranean. In all, more than 70,000 migrants have arrived in Europe this year across the Mediterranean region, the vast majority by sea.

Parliamentary elections in the U.K. are more than two weeks away and Reform Party candidate Nigel Farage is unveiling what he calls an unashamedly radical contract with voters. It is pledging to get illegal migration under control, cut taxes for smaller businesses, and more.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NIGEL FARAGE, REFORM U.K. PARTY LEADER: I've said from the start, this should be the immigration election, I have no doubt about that. I think the population explosion, the impact that it has had on people's lives is the dominant issue. But we think the only way to really fully restore sovereignty, to decide who can come in, who can stay is by leaving that European Court of Human Rights. It is completely out of date. It is not serving the purpose for which we signed up to back over 70 years.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Farage says he would freeze non-essential immigration, push migrants arriving on small boats back to France and impose an extra payroll tax on companies that hire foreign workers. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced the snap elections in May. His party wants a binding cap on legal migration. Labor led by Keir Starmer is widely expected to win the election. It plans restrictions on visas, training foreign workers where there are domestic shortages, and a focus on stopping human smuggling gangs.

France's snap election campaign is now underway. President Emmanuel Macron's Centrist Alliance is hoping to avoid a loss to France's far right. Macron called the elections after far-right victories in the EU elections, candidates had until Sunday to register. In this video, you can see the ballots already being printed. The first round of voting happens on June 30th. Meanwhile, France's most famous footballer is weighing in on the campaign. Kylian Mbappe is urging young people to vote, saying, he's against extremes and divisive ideas.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KYLIAN MBAPPE, FRANCE CAPTAIN (through translator): I think we are at a crucial point in our country's history. We need to put things into perspective and have a sense of priority. The Euros (ph) play an important part in our careers but I think we are citizens above anything else, and I don't think we should be disconnected from the world around us, especially when it comes to our own country. I think we are a generation that can make the difference.

We see today that the extremists are at the gates of power. We have the opportunity to choose the future of our country. That's why I call upon the youth to go out and vote. I really hope we make the right choice. And I hope we are still proud to wear this jersey.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Mbappe is playing for France at the Euro 2024 tournament. One of his fellow footballers, Spain Keeper, Unai Simon says he is not sure athletes should talk politics.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

Unai Simon, Spain Goalkeeper (through translator): I think many times, we have the tendency to express opinions on certain matters, and I don't know if we should be doing it or not. I don't know if we should be doing these things because myself, sitting here in front of you, I am a football player. My task is football and I am a professional in this sport. So, I think that the only thing I should be speaking about here is sports matters.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: And we'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:42:05]

CHURCH: Welcome back, everyone. The Boston Celtics have written another page in the NBA record book with their 18th league championship. They beat the Dallas Mavericks 106 to 88 to win the series in five games. Jayson Tatum led all scorers with 31 points. Jaylen Brown added 21 points. He was named the Most Valuable Player in the finals. The Celtics finished the regular season with the best record in the NBA, they lost only three games throughout the entire playoffs. Well done.

And thank you so much for joining us. I'm Rosemary Church. "World Sport" is up next. Then, "CNN Newsroom" continues with our Max Foster in London.

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[02:45:00]

(WORLD SPORT)