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CNN International: Russian President Putin on Rare Visit to North Korea; Blinken: U.S. Still Pausing Shipment of Heavy Bombs to Israel; Boeing CEO Faces Senators, Victims' Families at Safety Hearing. Aired 4:30-5a ET

Aired June 19, 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]

ELENI GIOKOS, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back to CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Eleni Giokos. Here are some of today's top stories.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin are sitting down for talks in Pyongyang. It's Putin's first visit to North Korea in 24 years. The Russian state news agency says Kim expressed his support and solidarity for Russia's military operation in Ukraine.

Cyril Ramaphosa will be sworn in later today for a second term as President of South Africa. He will head a coalition government since his party, the African National Congress was unable to secure an outright win in last month's general election.

NVIDIA is now the largest publicly traded company in the world, taking the title from Microsoft. Its computer chips are essential in producing processes that power artificial intelligence systems. NVIDIA's stock is up roughly 174 percent for the year.

Well, Russian President Vladimir Putin is thanking North Korea for its, quote, consistent and unwavering support for Russian policy. Those comments coming during his visit to Pyongyang as he sat down for talks with the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un. According to TASS, that meeting including the signing of a new strategic partnership agreement and an invitation for Kim to visit Moscow.

We've got CNN's Ivan Watson joining us from Hong Kong with more. Good to see you, Ivan. And this coming through just a short time ago, that Putin and Kim signing this new strategic partnership pact. And we've got to remember, these pacts have been signed before between the two countries, who basically replaced the previous ones.

Why is this one strategic and specific? What do we know about how the relationship between Russia and North Korea has evolved through the years?

IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, we don't actually know how this is different. The Kremlin official who signaled that this would be signed, this new strategic partnership, he insisted that this is not confrontational and also indicated that it is kind of an evolution of a handful of previous treaties and bilateral declarations that the different governments in Moscow and Pyongyang have made in the past.

But it does show, I think, also the fact that this is the second face- to-face meeting between Putin and Kim Jong-un in nine months. It does show a warming of ties between these two governments. And if you're wondering why they seem to be getting closer right now, take a listen to what Kim Jong-un had to say during their meeting earlier today in Pyongyang.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KIM JONG-UN, NORTH KOREAN LEADER (through translator): The DPRK expresses full support and solidarity with the struggles of the Russian government, military and the people, which are conducting special military operations in Ukraine to protect its own sovereignty, safety and territorial stability.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WATSON: It is Russia's war in Ukraine that I believe has pushed the Kremlin closer to the most isolated country in the world, North Korea. It is because Vladimir Putin is more isolated internationally now than he was even three years ago. And his statements have been full of condemnations of what he describes as imperialistic U.S. behavior in the world, a desire to redraw a world order to make it more multipolar and putting him in line with North Korea's regime. Which faces sanctions from the United Nations Security Council and which Russia has actually made moves to help protect North Korea from those types of sanctions in just the last couple of months.

So that is something that is driving these two countries, these two strongmen closer together. Of course, the White House and the South Korean government have accused North Korea of supplying Russia with conventional weapons, like potentially thousands of containers worth of -- full of artillery rounds, something that North Korea has denied -- Eleni.

GIOKOS: All right, Ivan Whitson, thank you so much for that update. Good to see you.

Well, Israel is warning Hezbollah there could potentially be an all out war after the Iran backed militant group published a nine minute long video of military and civilian sites in Israel.

Now the video appears to show sites in highly populated Israeli cities close to the Lebanese border, hinting that Hezbollah could strike major targets there.

Meantime, America's top diplomat is confirming an ongoing pause of a heavy bomb shipment to Israel as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tries to ramp up pressure on the United States. Antony Blinken says the Biden administration is reviewing the 2,000?pound bomb shipment that was paused last month over concerns they may be used in densely populated areas in Gaza.

[04:35:00] Now in a video message, Netanyahu says it's, quote: Inconceivable that the U.S. has been withholding weapons and ammunitions from Israel and added that Blinken has assured him the restrictions would be lifted.

We've got CNN's Scott McLean with us from Istanbul, who will uncover all these top lines. I mean, firstly, I want to start off with Hezbollah and Israel and, you know, the concern about there being an escalation and just what we've been seeing on the rhetoric fronts. And even with this video that was released. What do we understand about the risks right now?

SCOTT MCLEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Sure. So, you have a senior U.S. official, Eleni, named Amos Hochstein, who has been doing some shuttle diplomacy over the last few days. And Monday, he was in Israel. Yesterday, he was in Lebanon meeting with a Hezbollah ally, among others. Trying to turn down the temperature on this whole thing and try to encourage a more diplomatic solution to the ramp up in hostilities that we have seen over the last few days and weeks.

But, frankly, the secretary of state, Antony Blinken, was asked about whether that strategy is working. And he was pretty blunt in saying that, look, because of this back and forth that we have been seeing lately across the border, there is always, still remains the possibility of a miscalculation, which could lead to something wider.

Already, you have 150,000 people across both sides of the border who have been displaced from southern Lebanon and from northern Israel as well. You have Hezbollah saying that they're not going to stop their attacks on Israel until it stops what it's doing in Gaza. And now Israel is saying that they are ready.

The military has approved a plan for all-out war in Lebanon should it come to that. And the foreign minister yesterday made pretty clear that Israel is getting closer to that point where it may need to go to war.

Now, Antony Blinken, Eleni, was also asked yesterday about this whole back and forth with the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, who put out this video specifically to foreign journalists to make two points. One, saying that the U.S. is holding up weapons and ammunition shipments, and two, that Blinken says that he's doing everything that he can to remove that bottleneck. He's referring to a closed-door meeting in person the last time Blinken was in Israel.

The White House said, frankly, they genuinely did not know what the prime minister was referring to because they say that there has only been one weapon shipment that has been held up and is under review, 3,500 bombs, about half of them 500-pound bombs, the other half, 2,000-pound bombs. These are weapons that can do an enormous amount of damage, leave a huge crater, send shrapnel hundreds of feet in every single direction.

And Blinken was asked about this yesterday, and specifically he said that, look, that shipment is under review. Everything else, is moving as normal. But he was also pressed on whether Netanyahu was telling the truth about his claim that Blinken says that he is trying to remove these so-called bottlenecks.

Listen to the exchange.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANTONY BLINKEN, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: Again, I've been as clear as I can possibly be.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You have assurance that the (INAUDIBLE)?

BLINKEN: I'm not going to talk about what we said in diplomatic conversations. I can just say, I can just say, again, that we have a commitment to make sure that Israel has what it needs to defend itself against a whole variety of threats.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MCLEAN: And that has been the White House's line and the Biden administration's line for some time, that they will make sure that they will do everything that they can to make sure Israel has what it needs. They just don't want those weapons to be used in a dense urban environment, Eleni, like Rafah.

GIOKOS: All right, Scott McLean, thank you so much for that update.

Now, NATO could be close to selecting its next Secretary General. The Dutch Prime Minister, Mark Rutte, is widely expected to be selected as the military alliance's next leader. The organization's current leader, Jens Stoltenberg, endorsed Rutte.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JENS STOLTENBERG, NATO SECRETARY-GENERAL: I think Mark Rutte is a very strong candidate. He has a lot of experience as Prime Minister. He's a close friend and colleague. And I therefore strongly believe that very soon the alliance will have decided on my successor. And that will be good for all of us, for NATO, and also for me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GIOKOS: Stoltenberg's comments come after Hungary's Prime Minister, Viktor Orban, said the current is ready to support Rutte's bid after being assured that Hungary will not be expected to take part in NATO's activities in Ukraine.

According to the rules, all 32 NATO members must unanimously agree to pick the next leader of the military alliance.

Orban is also making clear his support for former U.S. President Donald Trump. Orban unveiled Make Europe Great Again as the new slogan as part of Hungary's official motto for its upcoming turn at the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union.

[04:40:04]

It's a clear nod to Trump's Make America Great Again catchphrase. Now the two leaders have not hidden their affinity for one another.

Trump hosted Orban in Mar-a-Lago in March.

For the first time, Boeing's embattled CEO has answered directly to U.S. lawmakers about the company's troubled safety record.

He also came face-to-face with the families of passengers killed in two Boeing crashes. Dave Calhoun endured a grilling from Republicans and Democrats alike at a Senate subcommittee hearing Tuesday. He was questioned about allegations that the company has cut corners, put profits over safety and retaliated against whistleblowers.

Right as the hearing began, Calhoun turned around and apologized directly to the families of Boeing 737 MAX victims. A combined 346 people were killed in crashes in Indonesia and in Ethiopia in 2018 and 2019.

Now, before the hearing, another Boeing whistleblower came forward, accusing the plane maker of hiding faulty parts from regulators.

Our aviation correspondent Pete Muntean has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PETE MUNTEAN, CNN AVIATION CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Tonight, the head of Boeing says he is responsible for the company's repeat failures spanning years. It is the major admission from a relentless blasting by senators. The first public hearing since January's dramatic door plug blowout brought Boeing quality control into question.

SEN. RICHARD BLUMENTHAL (D-CT): This hearing is a moment of reckoning.

JOSH HAWLEY (R-MO): You don't recognize the Boeing that has airplanes falling out of the sky?

MUNTEAN (voice-over): Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun walked into a hearing room at capacity with critics. In the audience, families of those killed in the two 737 MAX 8 crashes held signs saying the company has blood on its hands.

DAVE CALHOUN, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, BOEING: I would like to apologize on behalf of all of our Boeing associates spread throughout the world.

MUNTEAN (voice-over): It is the newest acknowledgement by Boeing of its faults. From the certification of its planes to problems on factory floors.

BLUMENTHAL: These are chilling allegations.

MUNTEAN (voice-over): The bombshell here from committee chair Richard Blumenthal, a new whistleblower account that Boeing hid substandard parts from the FAA and still put them on airplanes. Blumenthal says the worker spoke up but was told to shut up.

BLUMENTHAL: How many of your employees have been fired for retaliating against whistleblowers?

CALHOUN: Senator, I don't have that number on the tip of my tongue, but I know it. I know it happens.

MUNTEAN (voice-over): The account in this hearing makes more than a dozen Boeing whistleblowers to speak to the committee. Here, senators from both parties pressed Calhoun on quality control. He outlined an overhaul plan.

CALHOUN: Our culture is far from perfect, but we are taking action and we are making progress.

MUNTEAN (voice-over): Though his promises did little to settle critics.

HAWLEY: Why haven't you resigned?

CALHOUN: Senator, I'm sticking this through. I'm proud of having taken the job. I'm proud of our --

HAWLEY: Proud of this record?

CALHOUN: -- safety record. And I am very proud of our Boeing people.

HAWLEY: You're proud of this safety record?

CALHOUN: I am proud of every action we have taken.

MUNTEAN (voice-over): Calhoun is staying on as Boeing CEO until the end of the year.

Samya Stumo was killed in the 2019 737 Max 8 crash. Here her mother said she has no faith in a Boeing turnaround.

NADIA MILLERON, DAUGHTER KILLED IN BOEING PLANE CRASH: When they get pressed for time and they need to produce a lot of planes quickly, they throw all of their safety rubrics out the window.

MUNTEAN: Here is what is next for Boeing. A decision from the Justice Department about whether or not the company will face criminal charges for the fatal 737 Max 8 crashes. Senator Blumenthal is a former federal prosecutor and here he left no doubt about where he stands. He says he wants to see accountability and families do too.

Pete Muntean, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GIOKOS: And still to come, a night in jail for Justin Timberlake, who was busted in New York for allegedly driving while intoxicated. What the pop star is saying about the incident. I'll be right back. Stay with CNN.

[04:45:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) GIOKOS: Justin Timberlake's latest tour could face some delays due to legal troubles in New York. The pop star was charged with driving while intoxicated early Tuesday after being pulled over by police in the Hamptons, an upscale community on Long Island. CNN's Brynn Gingras has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRYNN GINGRAS, CNN U.S. NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Megastar Justin Timberlake pleading not guilty to driving while intoxicated after spending the night in a Hamptons jail. A source said Timberlake was leaving this hotel in downtown Sag Harbor, New York, seen here in surveillance video.

GINGRAS: Police allege the pop star blew through this stop sign before heading in this direction. For six more blocks, police say Timberlake swerved lanes and they pulled him over. It was here where they say he had slurred speech, unsteady footing, and he failed a field sobriety test.

GINGRAS (voice-over): According to court documents, Timberlake's eyes were bloodshot and glassy, and there was a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage emanating from his breath.

He also refused a breathalyzer three times. The pop star allegedly telling police, I had one martini and I followed my friends home. Authorities report giving him water twice while they held him overnight ahead of arraignment.

This happening in the downtown district of Sag Harbor, a Tony enclave of the Hamptons where celebrity run-ins are frequent. As for Timberlake, his locally based attorney and reps aren't commenting. Timberlake is currently on tour promoting his latest album.

This is Timberlake's first arrest, but the latest headline in a string of scandals that have recently plagued the pop star. Some fans turned against the singer earlier this year when Timberlake appeared to brush off criticism after ex-girlfriend Britney Spears revealed in her 2023 memoir that Timberlake encouraged her to get an abortion.

Timberlake also came under fire in 2021 following a documentary about Spears' career, as well as renewed questions in the wake of the Me Too movement about his role in the infamous Super Bowl incident with Janet Jackson.

He did apologize then and admit that he benefited from a system that condones misogyny and racism.

The former NSYNC-er and 10-time Grammy Award winner will return to New York next week, set to perform at Madison Square Garden.

Brynn Gingras, CNN, Sag Harbor, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[04:50:00] GIOKOS: Nintendo is finally giving video game players what they've been asking for, for years. The company announced a surprise new Legend of Zelda game Tuesday and for the first time in the franchise nearly 40 year history, you'll be able to play as Princess Zelda herself. Usually she takes a backseat to the male protagonist, Link, but this time Zelda gets to save the kingdom with her magical powers.

The Legend of Zelda is one of Nintendo's most beloved properties, featuring creative puzzles and innovative gameplay. The newest title is due to release in September.

Now, the Edmonton Oilers keep their Stanley Cup dreams alive, beating the Florida Panthers on Tuesday. Find out if history is on their side just ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GIOKOS: Welcome back. Now, there will be a game six in hockey's Stanley Cup finals. The Edmonton Oilers defeated the Florida Panthers last night.

Now, the Oilers appeared close to elimination after losing the first three games of the series, but they have won back-to-back games since. Only once in Stanley Cup history has a team come from this far back to win the cup 80 years ago.

[04:55:00]

Game six in the best of seven series is Friday in Edmonton.

Now, the ratings are in for one of the most highly anticipated WNBA games of the season. Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese faced off Sunday in what CBS says was the highest rated game in 23 years. Clark's Indiana Fever beat the Chicago Sky.

Now, the network says the game averaged 2.3 million viewers, peaking at nearly three million. Reese and Clark has been linked since their college rivalry when Reese's Louisiana State defeated Clark's University of Iowa for the 2023 NCAA championship.

The Paris Olympics are just over a month away, and we now know some of what Team USA will be wearing. Athletes will be sporting these red, white and blue uniforms at the opening and closing ceremonies. Ralph Lauren has been dressing Team USA for the game since 2008, and the company says the collection draws inspiration from the dynamic and vibrant host city and embraces a patriotic spirit reflected in a signature palette of red, white and blue.

Now, all eyes will be on Germany and Hungary today as they face off for a Group A match at Euro 2024.

But one furry football fan might already know the outcome. I love this story. Walter, a 35-year-old orangutan, left no doubt about his prediction when he picked a sack of fresh fruits decorated with a Germany football scarf, and he also correctly predicted Germany's win against Scotland last week. Walter also took the Hungarian scarf with him, which could suggest that Hungary will score a goal at the end. Absolutely brilliant.

Well, thanks so much for joining us here on CNN NEWSROOM. CNN "THIS MORNING" is up next. After a quick break, I'm Eleni Giokos in Dubai.