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CNN International: Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu Disbands War Cabinet; Biden, Stoltenberg Praise Member Countries' Defense Spending; U.S. Surgeon General Urges Warning Labels on Social Media Apps; Bannon Vows Investigations, Prosecutions if Trump Wins; Boston Celtics Win Record 18th Championship. Aired 4:30-5a ET

Aired June 18, 2024 - 04:30   ET

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

[04:30:00]

MAX FOSTER, CNNI HOST: Welcome back to CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Max Foster. Here are some of today's top stories.

Around 270 million Americans are dealing with temperatures at or above 90 degrees Fahrenheit this week. Cities in the Midwest and the Northeast, including Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, could see days of record-breaking heat. Some areas are expected to be 15 to 20 degrees above normal.

At least 11 people are dead, and more than 60 missing after two migrant shipwrecks appeared off southern Italy. Officials say a wooden sailboat carrying migrants began sinking on Monday, and a second boat caught fire and overturned. It's believed 26 children are amongst those missing.

Thailand will become the first country in Southeast Asia to legalize same-sex marriage. The Kingdom's Senate approved a marriage equality bill a short time ago. The bill passed overwhelmingly, with 130 senators voting in favor and only four against. It still requires endorsement from the king, which is considered a formality.

Now we have new details on the Israel-Hamas war and a massive anti- government protest 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 the Security Cabinet will now decide matters regarding the conflict. This comes more than a week after opposition leader Benny Gantz withdrew from the war cabinet.

CNN's Paula Hancocks is live for us in Jerusalem. How do you read all of this going on at the top of the government? Is it chaos?

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Max, it certainly seems as though there was a fair bit of communication issues yesterday when this all came about, and on Sunday. We do know with the war cabinet itself, this was effectively a three-person team. You also had three observers, but you had the Prime Minister, the Defense Minister, and then Benny Gantz, who has since resigned because he says that Netanyahu does not have a day-after plan.

So that appears to be the reason that that has been disbanded. Now, there was pressure from the far-right elements within the coalition to be able to fill the void of Benny Gantz's departure. And that would have been problematic, certainly when dealing with the Biden administration, who would not necessarily support these far-right elements making decisions on the war in Gaza, certainly internationally as well. So that could well have been part of the reason why that was disbanded.

Benjamin Netanyahu now saying that there will still be smaller groups that he will create to try and make the more tactical decisions. But the security cabinet, which is larger, will make the decisions on the day-to-day strategy.

Now, we heard as well from Matt Miller, the State Department spokesperson, saying that the U.S. and the Biden administration does not believe that this will change the fundamental assessments of the war between Israel and Hamas. So an internal political change, it appears, to try and deal with the departure of Benny Gantz.

FOSTER: In terms of a tactical pause, lots of confusion about that as well. And it doesn't seem to be working for anyone anyway.

HANCOCKS: Yes, so this is something that the Israeli military decided over the weekend. It will be a pause that's a road going into Gaza from the Kerem Shalom crossing, where we were yesterday, and then up the Salah al-Din Road, which is like the north-south artery of Gaza. Now, the military said it was to make sure that there could be safe distribution of aid.

But we have spoken to international groups on the ground, the U.N. as well in Gaza, and they have said that sometimes it is simply too dangerous to get to this crossing to be able to access these areas because of the sense of lawlessness within Gaza at the moment. And then just last night, we had another reminder of how dangerous it is for those trying to move trucks around. We heard from the European Hospital in Gaza that eight volunteers were killed in an Israeli airstrike as they were trying to get to some of the commercial trucks to move them to another area.

Now, we've reached out to the IDF for comment on this. We haven't heard back at this point. But it just underlines the dangers of trying to distribute aid within Gaza.

It's not just getting the aid into Gaza, which still is problematic, we hear from many of the U.N. agencies and international aid groups. But it is then trying to navigate the dangers of getting it around to those who need it, not just from Israeli airstrikes, not just from fighting between Israel and Hamas.

[04:35:00] But also, you do have looting. You have gangs that are in Gaza because the rule of law has broken down over the past eight months of this war. So it is an extremely dangerous place to be. We've heard from the U.N. that it is the most dangerous place on Earth for a humanitarian aid worker to be at this point -- Max.

FOSTER: Paul Hancocks, live in Jerusalem. Thank you.

Now, NATO is celebrating what it calls good news for the alliance, for the U.S. and also for Europe. But it certainly won't make Moscow happy. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg met with the U.S. President Joe Biden at the White House on Monday. He announced that more NATO member countries than ever have reached target defense spending.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JENS STOLTENBERG, NATO SECRETARY GENERAL: Across Europe and Canada, NATO allies are this year increasing defense spending by 18 percent. That's the biggest increase in decades. And 23 allies are going to spend 2 percent of GDP or more on defense this year.

That's more than twice as many as four years ago. And demonstrates that European allies and Canada are really stepping up and taking their share of the common responsibility to protect all of us in the NATO alliance.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: CNN senior White House correspondent Kayla Tausche has more on what that announcement means for the alliance and also for President Biden.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

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, 2 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.

During Stoltenberg's 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 challenge the status quo of the alliance, as well as continued bloodshed on the battlefield in Ukraine. Now more than two and a half 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.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: The head of Boeing plans to apologize for the company's recent safety issues in U.S. Senate testimony later today. According to prepared remarks released by Boeing, CEO Dave Calhoun will admit to problems with the company's culture. But he plans to push back on claims the plane manufacturers retaliated against whistleblowers.

The testimony reads, in part: Our culture is far from perfect, but we are taking action and making progress. We are committed to making sure every employee feels empowered to speak up if there is a problem.

Now, Boeing has been under intense scrutiny, with numerous federal investigations and congressional hearings following the blowout of a door plug on an Alaska Airlines flight back in January.

The U.S. Surgeon General 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 that social media platforms are a key contributor to the mental health crisis amongst young people, with teens spending several hours a day on the apps. Here's what Murthy told CNN about his push.

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DR. VIVEK MURTHY, U.S. SURGEON GENERAL: I'm 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'm 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) [04:40:00]

FOSTER: But how likely is it for that type of legislation to pass through Congress? Well, CNN contributor Kara Swisher weighed in.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KARA SWISHER, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: I feel like it's a stunt, but a good stunt, to bring people to be talking about the issue and maybe looking at it more carefully.

I don't think it's going to pass, though. It's endless information, endless entertainment. People aren't used to being bored anymore for a long time now. That's not a new, fresh thing. But these phones take it up a notch.

You know, you have to always be looking at something and watching something. There's always a piece of news. And so it creates that kind of, you know, attention deficit disorder that's a real issue where everyone's paying partial attention, continual partial attention to things.

And so, again, I think something like there are some very big issues about young men and being isolated, young women feeling self-esteem issues on these platforms. And so the question is, how do we handle that? What's the best way to do it? And there is some regulatory relief here. It's just a question of what should be.

And the last thing is it runs into the First Amendment, right? We should be able to do and say and watch what we want. And so that's another issue.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: Now, as the Atlantic hurricane season kicks off, two potential tropical systems are threatening parts of the U.S. and Mexico this week. One potential tropical cyclone is brewing in the Gulf of Mexico, and a tropical storm watch has been issued for parts of Texas and Mexico. If it picks up steam, the system will be called Tropical Storm Alberto.

The other potential tropical system is stirring in the Atlantic. If it develops, it will produce thunderstorms near the Bahamas before moving towards the southeast U.S.

Next, longtime Trump ally Steve Bannon vowing investigations and prosecutions if the former president wins a second term. More on his fiery message just ahead.

France beat Austria in their Euro 2024 match, but their star player was left with a serious nose injury and a bloody jersey. Coming up, a look at how that happened.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[04:45:03] FOSTER: Former Trump adviser Steve Bannon had hoped he would be serving his prison term in what's known as a club fed, a comfortable type of facility in the federal system. But sources say that's not going to happen. Instead, he's set to report to a low-security federal prison in Connecticut next month, where he'll serve a four-month sentence for contempt of Congress.

However, the longtime Trump ally isn't letting his legal troubles keep him from supporting the former president on the campaign trail. CNN's Tom Foreman reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

STEVE BANNON, FORMER TRUMP ADVISER: Are you prepared to fight? Are you prepared to give it all? Are you prepared to leave it all on the battlefield?

TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In a fiery shout to the MAGA faithful, Steve Bannon, a former adviser to Donald Trump, is demanding prosecution of anyone tied to the former president's wide ranging legal problems, including current President Joe Biden and his family.

BANNON: It's a family of feral dogs. We're going to have to fumi- -- we're going to have to fumigate and have an exorcism. You are going to be investigated, prosecuted, and incarcerated, OK. We are not going to stop.

FOREMAN (voice-over): It echoes a call by the conservative Heritage Foundation for the Justice Department to no longer act as an independent body, but to prosecute whomever a reelected Donald Trump would choose, which Trump has suggested could include President Biden and many other Democrats.

DONALD TRUMP, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT, 2024 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: When this election is over, based on what they've done, I would have every right to go after them.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's been convicted of 34 felonies, found liable for sexual assault.

FOREMAN (voice-over): That push from team Trump, however, is slamming up against the toughest campaign ad yet from Biden and maybe even reinforcing the message for some voters.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This election is between a convicted criminal who's only out for himself and a president who's fighting for your family.

FOREMAN (voice-over): It's all paving the way for our titanic debate hosted by CNN and less than two weeks. There will be no live audience and mics will be cut when it's the other persons turn to speak, ruling out Trump's inclination to shout down opponents and Biden's sharp comebacks.

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Would you shut up, man?

TRUMP: Listen --

FOREMAN (voice-over): But will that be enough to contain the chaos after months of Trumpers advocating all out battle.

STEPHEN MILLER, FOUNDER OF AMERICA FIRST LEGAL: We can't just sit back and say, oh, I hope everything corrects itself. You have to get in the game, Republicans.

FOREMAN (voice-over): Team Trump insists its campaign is not about revenge. Still, it's hard to miss its fast-growing fury over the rapidly approaching election.

BANNON: Ladies and gentlemen, it's very simple, victory or death!

FOREMAN: Of course, Steve Bannon has his own legal problems and date with jail, but he has said he will continue speaking out from behind bars if he can, and this much is already clear. Even if Team Trump wins again, they're not really interested in a truly peaceful transfer of power.

Tom Foreman, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: Police in California are looking for an armed robber who targeted someone on U.S. President Joe Biden's security detail. The president was in Los Angeles for a star-studded campaign fundraiser on Saturday night. The U.S. Secret Service says one of their members was robbed at gunpoint after leaving work and had their bag stolen. The victim fired their service weapon during that incident, but it's unclear if the suspect was hit. Police say they did find some of the Secret Service members' missing belongings.

Now, the city of Boston getting ready for one of the biggest celebrations since the Tea Party. The Celtics are the new NBA champions. Details ahead.

[04:50:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FOSTER: The Boston Celtics are celebrating the thrill of victory after winning their record-setting 18th NBA championship.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They're all on their feet here at the Garden. Get ready to raise an 18th banner, Boston. The Celtics are once again the winningest franchise in the history of the NBA. It's an 18th title for the Celtics, the 2024 NBA champions.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: Imagine being there. Boston beat the Dallas Mavericks 106-88 to win the series in five games. Jayson Tatum -- you saw him there. He led all scorers with 31 points. Jaylen Brown added 21 points. He was named the most valuable player in the finals.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAYLEN BROWN, BOSTON CELTICS GUARD/FINALS MVP: I think we learned. I think we learned from all our mistakes, all of our adversity. I think it's made us stronger, made us tougher. And all season, you could see it.

You know, we started from the jump. We made all the sacrifices. We played both ends of the ball at a high level. We didn't skip any steps. And this was the result.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: The Celtics finished the regular season with the best record in the NBA. They lost only three games throughout the entire playoffs.

Rory McIlroy finally talking about his heartbreaking second-place finish at the U.S. Open. The world number three lost out to Bryson DeChambeau in a down-the-wire finale on Sunday. He hasn't won a major title in 10 years. McIlroy posted on Instagram that Sunday was probably the toughest day in his nearly 17-year professional career.

He especially lamented missing putts on the 16th and 18th holes. But McIlroy says he's always been resilient and feels closer than ever to winning his next major championship.

Now, France won their first match in the Euro 2024 tournament. But they lost their star player to a serious nose injury. You can see Kylian Mbappe here, his face hitting the shoulder of Austria's Kevin Danso. In the 85th minute, Mbappe had just headed the ball, but the momentum took him right into the defender.

Look at the shape of it. He finished the game on France's bench, and ESPN cites the French Football Federation as saying he won't need surgery. So that's good news.

[04:55:02]

On social media, Mbappe asked his followers if they can have any ideas for masks. There's no word if he'll be able to play in the team's next match, which is on Friday against the Netherlands.

Ukraine lost their first Euro 2024 match on Monday. But many fans say just showing up was a win for the country. Those soldiers fighting against Russia's invasion watched the match in their vehicle. And Ukraine lost 3-0 to Romania in their tournament opener.

Fans say the team couldn't train properly at home and had to go abroad to prepare for the tournament. One fan watching at a bar said just taking part in the event during a war is a victory.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

COLDPLAY, FEELS LIKE I'M FALLING IN LOVE: It feels like I'm falling in love You're throwing me a lifeline This is for a lifetime ...

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: That is Coldplay's latest track called Feels Like I'm Falling In Love. Their new album Moon Music is set for release on October 4th. And the band is hoping it'll be the most sustainable record yet.

Vinyl copies of the album will be made from old plastic bottles. And CDs will be made from recycled plastic. The band says its most recent tour cut its carbon footprint by 59 percent compared to previous ones.

And finally this hour in Chicago, people and their furry friends trying to beat the heat at a special dog beach as temperatures touch the highs 90s in that area. As you can see the dogs were having pretty good fun in that hot weather. Temperatures in Chicago are expected to be in the 90s today as well. As much of the U.S. in the midst of that heat wave as we were talking about earlier on.

Thanks for joining me here on a cool Tuesday. It is CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Max Foster in London. CNN "THIS MORNING" though is up after this short break.

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