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Chaos in the Philippines; One Against All; Keeping Campaign Promise; Business Companies Defies Trump; Philippines in Alert After an Attack; Unstable Position; Bittersweet Chocolate. Aired 3-4a ET

Aired June 02, 2017 - 03:00   ET

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


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[03:00:00] (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: So, we're getting out but we will try to negotiate and we will see if we can make a deal that's fair, and if we can, that's great. And if we can't, that's fine.

NATALIE ALLEN, HOST, CNN: Donald Trump withdraw the United States from the Paris climate agreement satisfying his base and core supporters but what about the rest of the world?

GEORGE HOWELL, CNN HOST: Response has been seismic. We'll have that story. In the Philippines dozens of people dead official say they don't believe it to be terrorism. We have the very latest on the investigation on this shown.

ALLEN: The home search and snap election in the United Kingdom. And Prime Minister Theresa May may face a tough fight. We'll have a live report from London.

HOWELL: She may.

ALLEN: She may. Hello and welcome to our viewers all around the world. Thank you for joining us. I'm Natalie Allen.

HOWELL: And I'm George Howell from CNN world headquarters in Atlanta. Newsroom starts right now.

ALLEN: New development from the Philippines as our top story where at least 36 people are dead in an apparent casino robbery. Witnesses say a mask gunman stormed a resort in Manila setting fires to tables and shooting at gambling machines.

HOWELL: Initially, police thought this could be a terror attack. They now believe that is not the case. They believe it is a robbery. It appears to be that the gunman took his own life at a hotel room at the resort.

CNN's Alexandra Field is following the story live in Hong Kong with the very latest. Alexandra, of course, we'll get into the details of the investigation. But first, help our viewers around the world to understand the

situation, the chaos during these hours before officials could even get a handle on.

ALEXANDRA FIELD, CORRESPONDENT, CNN: And really, George, it was hours of chaos with SWAT teams descending on this resort this casino and hotel in Manila, the capital city of the Philippines. Hundreds of people finding themselves panicking, striving to get out of that casino. Some of them trapped inside with the windows locked rushing to get out as they heard the shots ringing out.

Police now describe the scene as a gunman walking into that casino armed with both a pistol, a machine gun and gasoline. They say that he was opening on gaming machines and setting tables on fire. But they don't believe that he shot any of the victims.

By the time the smoke cleared hours later and police were able to get into surveyed the damage they say they found 36 people had been killed. They don't believe that those people were shot. They believe that those people suffocated that they weren't able to get out.

They also found the body of the gunman. They say the gunman had lit himself on fire and shot himself. And they say that he was found with a bag of about $2 million worth of stolen casino chips. That's what leading investigators to say that the motive behind this deadly night of chaos was actually a robbery. They are denying the possibility that it could be terrorism. They are denying the possibility that this could be the work of ISIS.

Of course, that is the question that was immediately being asked as this chaos unfolded. Terrorism is something that the Philippines is currently confronting. Martial Law is currently in place in the southern island of Mindanao in the Philippines where ISIS-linked militants remain engaged in conflict with government security forces, George.

HOWELL: Do we know anything more, Alexandra, at this point about the person behind this.

FIELD: Investigators say that the gunman burned recognition but there was CCTV video of him entering the casino. Again, there was a security guard who was positioned at the entrance that he walked through. But the word from police that that security guard was scared off upon seeing this man enter in this heavily armed way.

They have released photos of the suspect. They say that they have also found Accord that he may have driven to the casino. They are looking at the registration on that vehicle in order to try and determine if he own that vehicle or if he may take or saw that vehicle.

So for now police have not publicly release his name but they are saying that it seems possible that he is a foreigner. George?

HOWELL: Alexandra Field, live for us following the story in Hong Kong. Thank you so much for the reporting. We'll stay in touch with you, of course, at a very grim situation there. ALLEN: Whatever the reason that loss of life is just horrible.

HOWELL: Indeed.

ALLEN: Well, now as the U.S. and climate change, government and corporate leaders around the world have been quick to criticize U.S. President Donald Trump for withdrawing from the Paris climate accord.

HOWELL: Even though the president explained his intentions well before the election the actual announcement it sent shockwaves around the world.

Jim Acosta has this report.

JIM ACOSTA, SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT, CNN: With the earth hanging in the balance, President Trump stayed true to his political orbit, ending U.S. participation in the Paris climate agreement.

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TRUMP: The United States will withdraw from the Paris climate accord.

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[03:05:03] ACOSTA: After a fierce debate inside the White House that pitted his top strategist nationalist Steve Bannon who favored pulling out of the deal against his own daughter who advocated staying in the agreement, the president said his administration will try to hammer out a new climate deal. Something of a consolation prize for Ivanka.

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TRUMP: So, we're getting out but we will start to negotiate and we will see if we can make a deal that's fair. And if we can, that's great. And if we can't, that's fine.

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ACOSTA: The speech was deep in campaign rhetoric as the president framed his choice as a win for American workers in the heartland.

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TRUMP: I was elected to represent the citizens of Pittsburgh, not Paris.

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ACOSTA: In the lost for nations Mr. Trump accused of mocking the U.S.

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TRUMP: At what point does America get to mean, at what point do they start laughing at us as a country. We want fair treatment for its citizens and we want fair treatment for our taxpayers. We don't want other leaders and other countries laughing at us anymore, and they won't be.

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ACOSTA: The president's move was instantly cheered by conservatives who feared the president would fail to keep a campaign promise repeated time and again.

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TRUMP: We're going to cancel the Paris climate agreement.

BARACK OBAMA, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: So this is the moment we finally determine we would save our planet.

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ACOSTA: Former President Obama who helped craft the Paris deal criticized his successor's decision, saying in a statement, "Even as this administration joins a small handful of nations that reject the future. I'm confident that our states, cities, and businesses will step up and do even more to lead the way and help protect for future generations the one planet we got."

He was also being rejected by leading American CEO's who had pleaded with the president to stay in the deal. Tesla's Elon Musk announced he's stepping down from the president's economic advisory board, tweeting "Climate change is real. Leaving Paris is not good for America or the world."

The president's daughter Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner did not attend the president's speech. The White House official said they were observing a Jewish holiday in the morning, with the official added Kushner on to keep a pre-scheduled meeting at the White House rather than attend the president's speech.

Jim Acosta, CNN, the White House.

HOWELL: Jim, thank you for the report.

You just heard President Trump a moment ago say that he was elected by the people of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania not Paris branch. The mayor of Pittsburgh he immediately pushes back against that remarks saying the city does not support Mr. Trump's decision. he spoke with my colleague Wolf Blitzer. Let's listen.

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BILL PEDUTO, MAYOR OF PITTSBURGH: I think that those that had been at the frontlines for the past 20 or more years now have a more serious commitment to make toward it. And we're not going to find the help in the federal government which means that cities around this country will bend together. And I've been talking to mayors around the country who agree. We are all going to follow the Paris agreement. Tomorrow I'll issue an executive order saying that Pittsburgh will meet our 2023 goals, Pittsburgh will meet our 2030 goals. We'll still follow through in that the basic of this. When I was in Paris I was there with 500 mayors from around the world, the largest gathering of mayors ever in earth's history.

And the actual implementation of Paris wasn't going to happen in Washington anyways. It was going to happen in the cities around this country and we'll just double down and make sure that it does.

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HOWELL: So the President of the United States appears to be alone in his basic unilateral decision here to abandon a climate agreement that the U.S. helped to write. And in the absence of leadership others are stepping in, China for one reluctant to embrace the Paris Accord now says it has no intention of going back.

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HUA CHUNYING, CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESWOMAN (through translator): Regardless whether other countries change their positions we will continue to uphold the idea of being innovated and open in the fight against global climate change.

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ALLEN: The governors of several U.S. states are openly defying President Trump as well on this topic. California's Jerry Brown says his take may begin working with Beijing instead of Washington to achieve its environmental goals.

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JERRY BROWN, CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR: So California will stay the course. We already embarked upon a very aggressive and imagine a program to reduce our own global greenhouse gasses and we're going to join with others. I'm going to China, we'll meet with high officials there. We'll have a China/California plan. We're going to meet with people representing a billion people, 30 percent of world's economy.

This is our under to coalition. It involves Canada, Mexico, country -- states and provinces in Germany, in China, in Mexico, all over the place.

[03:10:08] So, yes. What Trump has done it's wrong. It's going to cause damage but we will take this negative catalyst and we will mobilize the people of our own State of California and we will also join with people throughout the world. This is too serious to doing any less than that.

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ALLEN: More leaders defying this move by President Trump. French President Emmanuel Macron says he spoke with Mr. Trump shortly after the announcement telling him that Paris agreement is not renegotiable. Trump had mentioned that in his speech.

In Paris the city hall has been it in green to reaffirm the French capital's commitment to the accord and to fighting climate change. Mr. Macron is offering refuge to scientist in the United States who disagrees with the decision to leave the deal.

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EMMANUEL MACRON, PRESIDENT OF FRANCE: To all scientists and Chinese entrepreneurs, responsible cities as well disappointed by the decision of the President of the United States, I want to say that they will find in France a second (Inaudible) I call on them come and work with us to work together on concrete solutions for our climate.

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ALLEN: President Macron also tweeted this image in English "Make our planet great again."

Melissa Bell is in Paris for us. And yes, she's taking Mr. Trump's words and twisting it there his campaign slogan, Melissa, and certainly this new president of France wanting to stand up for what he believes in the direction he thinks the world to go.

MELISSA BELL, INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT, CNN: That's right. And it's something you're hearing from the European leaders across the board this morning. That reaction to last night's announcement which arrives quite late in European time from the Rose garden which of course represents the blow to the Paris deal.

But there is this morning really this renewed commitment, this determination to go beyond that and to glue back the bits in order to restate the commitment of the world to this important significance, achievement that have been found here 18 months ago.

Later today, the European Union and China will come out with this joint statement and about the fact that they intent not to just to continue cooperating but indeed to accelerate their cooperation to meet the targets of the deal.

And so, in a sense the biggest blow this morning is perhaps not so much to the deal itself because there is this gathering around, this gathering together of world leaders, this renewed commitment and determination perhaps even to accelerate towards the target that have been set.

The biggest close perhaps to America's reputation. I'll just show you the front page of Liberation, a French newspaper this morning "Goodbye America" in English there and dripping with oil. It is that sense that was express so clearly by Angela Merkel last week.

And that the suspicion here in Europe is that the long standing alliance between Europe and United States is simply no longer something that could be counted on.

Angela Merkel expressed it perhaps more clearly than most last weekend but it's been a growing suspicion and I think that the announcement that was made last night in the Rose Garden really confirms the fact that Europe is simply going to look to have elsewhere as it searches for alliances to deal with a global challenges that present themselves going forward.

ALLEN: The response has certainly been overwhelming against Mr. Trump from the world leaders.

Thank you, Melissa bell for us there in Paris.

Joining us now is Jonathan Pershing with the Hewlett Foundation. Jonathan, you worked on many climate issues involving United States for some time. I want to start by showing the cover of New York's the Daily News and how they presented what Donald Trump backing out of this climate agreement means to them. "Trump to world: Drop dead." Is that over exaggerating or is that kind of what he said?

JONATHAN PERSHING, PROGRAM DIRECTOR, HEWLETT FOUNDATION: I think it will be dealt (Ph) of what happens next. I think certainly he's rejecting the notion United States is going to contribute very much in the solution. And from that perspective, yes, it's a pretty blatant disregard for the communities of the world that are really worried about the program.

ALLEN: And so what is he asking for, how is he wanted this to be reshape? And what does that mean in the -- we don't have that much time, do we?

PERSHING: Well, you know, he didn't tell us. All that he told is he didn't like it and he was going to withdraw. He didn't talk about the problem. He didn't talk about the victims. He didn't talk about responsibility. He didn't talk about the kind of opportunities that become for business.

He merely said that he didn't like it and he was going to leave, and by golly, he was going to protect Americans but I don't think he is. he is going to lose an awful lot by this decision.

[03:15:07] ALLEN: Yes, explain that and how does the U.S. lose. Is it called innovation we'll be behind?

PERSHING: Well, I think it's a combination. Yes, innovation, it's a question of business opportunities. If you take a look right now at the world we are growing faster, United States in jobs and clean energy than pretty much any other sector. And those jobs are not just domestic, they're international.

So we have an opportunity to really see dynamism and huge commercial opportunity and that means jobs at home from this kind of new investment. And he's saying, sorry. Somebody else can have it. I'd like the old jobs back which probably will come back but boy, we can't have them, I'm not going to go back to that work. He's not looking forward. He is looking backward.

ALLEN: So China they are expected to take the lead on this than before they had really nothing to do with climate, but all of a sudden everyone is looking at China.

PERSHING: You know, it's interesting. So one of the things that I was involved with some of the agreement's between United States and China when I work for the president, for President Obama and the State Department.

Todd Stern was the lead negotiator with an enormous amount of work where president leaned in. And China ruled, China made a fundamental decision that this was going to be in their interest both to solve the climate problem but also because they could see big advantages commercially and economically.

And they stepped up. China is now making almost twice the investment in renewable energy as United States is making and it sees both the domestic market and international market. And we are essentially abdicating the field. We are saying as a government we don't care about this issue, you take that market. You take that opportunity, you make those investments. We'll watch.

ALLEN: Jonathan Pershing with the Hewlett Foundation. Jonathan, we thank you.

PERSHING: Thanks so much. Good to be with you.

ALLEN: We will continue to hear the fall out, I guess the next days ahead.

HOWELL: The next months, weeks, yes, years ahead.

ALLEN: All right. Well, mark the calendars. We have a date now for James Comey next appearance before the Senate committee investigating team Trump ties to Russia. We'll have that story coming up here.

HOWELL: Plus, the U.S. president doubling down on his controversial travel ban why he's urging the Supreme Court to reinstate it immediately. Stay with us.

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HOWELL: Welcome back to CNN Newsroom. I'm George Howell and Natalie Allen this day.

The U.S. President taking the Supreme Court, asking the Supreme Court to reinstate his travel ban that other courts have ruled unconstitutional. The controversial executive order it was meant to stop refugees and immigrants from six Muslim majority countries from entering the U.S. It's the so-called extreme vetting that Mr. Trump promised on the campaign trail.

ALLEN: Lower courts have repeatedly blocked the order calling it discriminatory. So now the Trump administration is asking the Supreme Court to allow the ban to go into effect until the court decides whether to review the case later on this year they're still pushing.

[03:20:05] HOWELL: yes.

ALLEN: Now there is a new development to the investigation of the Trump campaign ties to Russia.

HOWELL: Senate democrats are growing doubts now about the Attorney General Jeff Sessions and we now have a date for the former FBI Director James Comey's testimony.

CNN's Diane Gallagher has this report for us.

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ED MARKEY, (D) UNITED STATS SENATOR: As long as he's given permission by Mr. Mueller to do so they are potentially we could have bomb shells that begin to land next week.

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DIANNE GALLAGHER, CORRESPONDENT, CNN: And when James Comey testified next Thursday he could be ask about Attorney General Jeff Sessions meeting with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak. Following CNN's reporting that congressional investigators are examining whether Sessions had an undisclosed private meeting with the Russian ambassador in April of last year at the Mayflower Hotel.

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ADAM SCHIFF, (D) UNITED STATES REPRESENTATIVE: If these allegations proved to be correct they would be very serious because after all he failed to disclose his meetings with Russian ambassador when he testified, so that is an enormously serious charge.

GALLAGHER: Today, democratic Senators Al Franken and Patrick Leahy released three letters sent in March, April, and may of this day in which they ask the FBI to investigate whether Sessions lied to senators about previous meetings between Sessions and Kislyak, writing, quote, "We are concerned about Attorney General Sessions lack of candor to the committee and his failure thus far to accept responsibility for testimony that could be construed as perjury."

The Department of Justice responded saying, "The fact haven't changed. The then-senator did not have any private or side conversations with any Russian official at the Mayflower Hotel.

Foreign campaign policy adviser Carter Page, who the president recently tweeted would blow the democrat's case away with his testimony, was asked about his meetings with Kislyak on CBS this morning.

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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That you only met with him one time.

CARTER PAGE, FORMER CAMPAIGN POLICY ADVISER: Well, I mean, he was -- he was around for several days so -- and again, I don't like talking about confidential information. Everyone that was in that meeting had agreed that it's off the record and we're not going to disclose that.

(END VIDEO CLIP) GALLAGHER: But the president tweeted today that the big story is about the unmasking and surveillance of people. And House intelligence committee Chairman Devin Nunes tweeted this. Then committee issued four bipartisan subpoenas Wednesday but Nunes who promised to step aside from the Russia investigation back in April after becoming the subject of a House ethics probe into whether he revealed classified intelligence he issued additional subpoenas, targeting documents related to former Obama administration in his probe of unmasking.

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SCHIFF: We do oversight all the time of issues of unmasking and then (Inaudible) so I'm not sure why there was a necessity to issue subpoenas for agencies that are already working with us unless the goal was simply to get publicity or perhaps obscure the subpoenas that we're going out in a bipartisan way.

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GALLAGHER: This, as the U.S. whether to return this luxury compound to Russia after they were closed last year by the Obama administration as punishment for Russian interference in the U.S. election.

Russian President Vladimir Putin also speaking out today suggesting he and President Trump aren't friends after stressing the two have never met.

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VLADIMIR PUTIN, RUSSIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): He is a straightforward sincere man. You can't really classify him as a traditional politician. He never work in politics, therefore, this is a person with a fresh view of things whether you like it or not but this always very often brings something good.

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GALLAGHER: Now Putin also sounded like he was echoing Trump calling for a normalization of the U.S./Russia relationship. When it comes to their personal relationship well, the two presidents won't be able to say they haven't met officially for long. Both will be in Hamburg, Germany for the G20 next month and you could bet the eyes of the world will be on that handshake.

Dianne Gallagher, CNN, Washington.

HOWELL: Dianne, thank you for the report.

President Putin is also offering his take on the U.S. election meddling. He says it wasn't the Russian government, he makes that clear but he says it may have been, quote, "patriots fighting those who say bad things about Russia or even someone framing Russia.

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PUTIN (through translator): I can imagine that someone is doing this purposefully, building the chain of attacks so that the territory of Russian federation appears to be the source of that attack. Modern technology has allowed to do that kind of thing.

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HOWELL: Little wiggle room there. Clare Sebastian, live for us in Moscow this hour. Clare, very interesting to see the Russian president stepping a little closer to this controversy that is certainly a big topic of discussion here in the United States.

CLARE SEBASTIAN, INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT, CNN: Yes, absolutely, George. Extremely interesting. You and I have chatted multiple times over the last few months and most of the times I have to tell you the Kremlin has had very little to say about this.

But now we see not only along kind of session that Mr. Putin held with international and Russian news agency but also this kind of flowery language his elaborate description that he used. He also compared hack is to artist and said that you know, if they wake up in the morning and feel like acting a patriotic way then the Russian government has nothing to do with it.

[03:25:06] So I think we need to be careful as you say not to over interpret this, isn't Putin admitting to anything. If anything he is actually re-emphasizing the deniability that Russia feel that it has in this, that whether or not that hack can be trace to Russian soil establishing a link between it and the government is something else entirely now.

Of course, 17 U.S. intelligence agencies do believe there's a link. But you know, this is something in Russia that they still believe they can deny. But it is very interesting this evolution in tone that was seen from Mr. Putin from saying it is as little as possible perhaps trying very hard not to become more of a political liability to Trump than they are already to this very open, very frank and at times descriptive tone that we got from him on Thursday, George.

HOWELL: Open, frank, and some might even argue a bit embolden. The question here, you know, you are seeing the U.S. got a great deal of criticism for backing out of the Paris climate accord also the ruffled feathers that many felt from the G7 Europe saying that they may have to rely on other allies as oppose to the traditional allies, the United States that it's always been able to count on.

The question here, does Russia see an opening with all of these changes?

SEBASTIAN: I think it's interesting point, George. I think that's entirely possible. All of those things that you mentioned very much fit into Russia's vision of the world. You know, President Putin told yesterday about how a multi-polar world was being established and replacing the sense of monopolies clearly a reference to the United States and its dominance on the world stage.

Russia very much feel that it's a, you know, has a right to insert its interest in there on the world stage whether it be militarily or diplomatically and perhaps it does see an opening here.

I think there is also a sense that, you know, Mr. Putin is building up perhaps to his first -- his first meeting with Donald Trump which is set to happen in July on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Hamburg and very much looking to set the agenda for that. Perhaps also emboldened by the political chaos in Washington which plays very well here to a domestic audience, George. So there's a number of facts that play but it may very well be that they see an opportunity.

HOWELL: Clare Sebastian with the reporting live for us in Moscow. Clare, thank you.

ALLEN: Coming up, Britain heads to the polls in less than a week. We'll explain why Prime Minister Theresa May is in a tougher fight than she expected.

HOWELL: Plus, the U.S. President Donald Trump says quitting the Paris climate accord will be good for the U.S. The question, is that true? We'll look at the impact of leaving the agreement as CNN Newsroom continues.

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[03:30:00] GEORGE HOWELL, HOST, CNN: Welcome back to viewers here around the world. I'm George Howell. This is CNN Newsroom.

NATALIE ALLEN, HOST, CNN: Thank you for being with us. I'm Natalie Allen. Here are our top stories. In the Philippines, 36 people suffocated to death after an attack on a

casino. A gunman stormed a building in Manila early Friday leading to mass panic.

He eventually set fire to himself in a hotel room. Official say the attack was not terror-related but was a suspected robbery.

HOWELL: United States will no longer be part of the historic Paris climate accord that it helped to create. As expected the U.S. President Donald Trump Thursday announced that he was pulling the U.S. out of deal alleging that it was quote, "unfair." The Vatican called Mr. Trump decision, quote, "a disaster for the planet." The president though sees it differently.

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DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: In order to fulfill my solemn duty to protect America and its citizens the United States will withdraw from the Paris Accord.

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ALLEN: Well, not everyone was applauding. Apple CEO Tim Cook says he urge President Trump to stay in the Paris Accord. Mr. Trump now finds himself wih few allies among business leaders around the world, some have decided to leave the president business advisory council over this including this man, SpaceX CEO Elon Muck and Disney CEO, Robert Iger. HOWELL: President Trump is asking the Supreme Court to reinstate his travel ban. Lower court, as you'll remember have repeatedly blocked that order calling it discriminatory. The controversial executive order was meant to stop people from six Muslim majority countries from entering the U.S.

We are coming down to the final stretch of the U.K. election campaign. The latest polls though have some bad news with the Prime Minister Teresa May. Projections indicate the conservatives lead over Jerry Corbyn is shrinking.

ALLEN: Yes, the labor leader says that he isn't just fighting to win the election but leading a movement to change the government.

Our Max Foster looks at some of the mistakes that have made sliding in the polls.

MAX FOSTER, HOST, CNN: If Donald Trump's campaign mantra was make America great again, then Theresa May is strong and stable.

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THERESA MAY, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: We need to ensure we've got that strong and stable leadership.

The strong and stable leadership. The strong and stable leadership. And the strong and stable government.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: Her message, she alone can stir a Britain through the turbulence of Brexit.

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MAY: I have just chaired a meeting of the cabinet where we agree so that the government should call a general election.

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FOSTER: That was the April the 18th, and the cabinet did indeed agree. But it was also the first it heard of it. May has a reputation for making big decisions on her own. In the company of just a small group of advisors, but there was also a U-turn because she had consistently ruled out a snap election.

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MAY: I'm not going to be calling a snap election.

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FOSTER: She said in September and more recently. May argued that she needed an election mandate to strengthen her position in Brexit negotiations. But even that whip of flip-flopping because she'd initially campaigned to stay in the E.U. She's also changed position on national insurance, on foreign work approaches, and the acceptance of child refugees.

Her inconsistency is now an election issue.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If I was sitting in Brussels and I was looking at you as the person I had to negotiate with I think she's a blowhard who collapses at the first sign of gunfire.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: Her most damaging U-turn though could prove to be around social care policy. She's proposed that older people pay for their care from the value in their properties. The money would come out to their wills. Those affected include many call conservative voters.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why, Prime Minister, should we in my generation vote for you?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: Amid the backlash May backtracked, and said she was a cap on how much people were expected to pay towards their care. But we still don't know at what level. All this backpedaling it could be why May's numbers are tanking. In the weeks after she called election polls gave her party a lead of as much as 20 points. The latest surveys have the Labour Party closing in by single digits.

The Manchester bombing cause the pause in campaigning but should have bolstered Theresa May's as a strong and stable leader with her years of experience running the home office and policing.

[03:34:57] But if she's blamed for squandering a potential election landslide there will be calls for her resignation after the election. And if she goes straight away she'll be the shortest serving British Prime Minister in modern history.

Max Foster, CNN, London.

ALLEN: Sure she would like to have that distinction? Isa Soares is following this election for as she joins us now live from London. My goodness after that story by Max, you wonder where could she go from here.

ISA SOARES, INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT, CNN: Absolutely, Natalie. What started as what she thought may have been a walk over by the conservative party is become really a real contest, so what we have as Max was saying is a real change of fortunes for the conservative party because when she called the election back on April 18 she was in many ways expecting absolute majority for her party because that would strengthen her hand, Natalie.

Now that's gone from a 20-point according to YouGov which is in one of the main polling companies. Twenty point lead to just single digits. Three point gap between her and the conservative party. that's mainly because, Natalie, she's really flip-flopped many issues as Max was saying. She's no consistency.

But crucially also she really hasn't showed up -- showed up for key debates. This morning she was expecting to appear in a radio show women's radio program she's also not making an appearance. So many people are saying where are you? One party leader basically saying how can you call an election and not show up to take the question?

Now, because of this we have seen Jeremy Corbyn do particularly well. He's the leader of the Labour Party. He although he's not seen as prime ministerial and his policies are not clear, there is a gap for him and he is basically taking that gap.

And it's interesting because what we see now is Jeremy Corbyn leading, not leading policy but surging somewhat in the polls making do with those mistake. But make no mistake about it. Although Max was talking there about social care and the flip-flopping, Brexit is a key issue.

And I've gone out to speak to one -- some voters in one area of southwest London where people really are still not sure which way they will go. Take a look.

The battle for Britain can be found in every crane street corner, each window screen for a vote. Even across this bridge a divide is palpable. This is a legendary (Inaudible) Islands. A piece of land that has seen a share of divisionary of rock and roll with both the Rolling Stone and Mary Clapton having played here in the 1960's.

That rebelliousness has long gone. The one thing is still colorful, local opinion.

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LEE CAMPBELL, ARTIST: Well, I voted to remain because I've really like being part of Europe and I found it very comfortable to be able to hop across the channel whenever I wanted to without passport or anything. But it was lovely.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Britain and the U.K. in my perspective and other points of view are available is that it was a bit like a broken day on loveless marriage. Politically speaking we've already sleeping on the sofa on this bedroom.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SOARES: With the U.K. election fast approaching Brexit continues to see a divide for this couple. Despite their differences both Lee and Steve tell me they'll be voting for the liberal Democrats on June 8. Steve, though, is still reluctant.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I voted for labour in the past.

SOARES: Why not labour this time. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Jeremy Corbyn.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SOARES: The Liberal Democrats have been campaigning part in this community here in west London, hoping that their pledged to remain part of E.U. will rock voter's vote. But with so remain has already resigned to the fact they are going to leave the European Union is the Liberal Democrats strategist just a sinking ship.

Not so tells me former U.K. cabinet member and Lib Dem hopeful Vince Cable.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VINCE CABLE, LIBERAL DEMOCRAT CANDIDATE: I think the point we're making is there just isn't question of leaving or remaining. I mean, what the government is doing with conservative government is pursuing an extreme Brexit type of kind of U.K. type of Brexit which is extreme which is serving on single market because of (Inaudible) and all the research collaboration will do a lot of damage and we are arguing that it doesn't have to be like that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SOARES: For those undecided voters the liberal Democrat manifesto is clear. There the uni (Ph) party offering a second vote on Brexit. And in this corner of London where European links are strong this can win them votes.

And what we have today is the final Friday, Natalie, of campaigning and many people will be trying to make up their mind, although as you saw in that piece, some more I'm sure which way they will go. But this is the final Friday of campaigning and of course although we may not know by next Friday exactly who will win because of those polls as least it will somewhat clearer. Natalie?

[03:40:06] ALLEN: Fascinating dynamics to this little snap election. Thank you, Isa. George.

HOWELL: Isa there from that river as well. I have to recall there. Isa, thank you so much for the report.

Let's get some perspective on this from Richard Whitman in Cranbrook, Kent, England. He is visiting -- a visiting senior fellow at the Europe Program at Chatham House. It's good to have you with us this hour.

So let's go into this with the Prime Minister believe that she had a clear advantage to change her original stance and call a snap election but we've seen double-digit leaves shrink. Now the future not quite as certain portrait for Theresa May. Is this miscalculation in your view?

RICHARD WHITMAN, VISITING SENIOR FELLOW, CHATHAM HOUSE: I think it is miscalculation and either the decision to call the general election I think was accepted on the part of the public but the Tory have run a very, very bad campaign. And they've run an election campaign centered and build on Theresa May and mode of voters have seen of her alongside a pretty poor manifesto from the Tories.

The more were seen the slide in Theresa polls (Inaudible).

HOWELL: There have been a series of television events lately. Talk to us about the optics coming out of those events. How is she perceived by people?

WHITMAN: Well, what you'll find with Theresa May is really she's looking standoff which to the electorate. She doesn't appear to one to engage and that really reinforce this week by the big party leaders debate on Wednesday evening where she didn't show.

But cleverly the Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn and actually at the last moment there even though he wasn't -- he had said he wasn't going to show but then she wasn't going to turn up he decided to pitch in.

And that really became a kind of ongoing theme across the course of that debate, you know, whereas Theresa she's too scared to come and debate with the other party leaders, and so on and so on. So I think her build campaign around her then her not showing up really has become a problem for the Tories.

HOWELL: And work more about Jeremy Corbyn as well, at one point many critics saw him as a leader who didn't quite seem to connect but labour is gaining ground in popularity. What are your thoughts on his resurgence here?

WHITMAN: Well, I think what you're seeing is that Jeremy Corbyn actually wasn't that well-known by the electorate. I mean, a lot of what you were getting in the newspapers in particular was pretty hostile. But the more he's been on the campaign start the more he is kind of connected with voters and really what he sold himself on is kind of authenticity and that's really come across very, very well with the electorate combined with what really is kind of giveaway manifesto from labour.

I mean, the Tory manifesto looks, you know, pretty dry and pretty uninspiring but labour is offering a lot in terms of giveaways on student issue and then so on. And that really seems to be connecting with the voters.

HOWELL: Connecting with young people as well, yes?

WHITMAN: Absolutely. And you know, really the election story here is that when you look at the polling the young overwhelmingly appeared to be breaking for labor, the old overwhelmingly breaking for the Tory, so a key issue we're going to see next Thursday is whether the young turn out to vote because that's going to be a key determinant as to whether these opinion polls really do hold up in terms of suggesting that labour is running the Tory's slopes.

HOWELL: Richard Whitman, it's good to have you with us. Thank you so much for the insight today. The U.S President Donald Trump on Thursday made good on his pledge to

withdraw the United States from the Paris climate accord even though the U.S. was a driving force behind it.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was among world leaders expressing disappointment in the president's words.

ALLEN: His office put out this statement. "The Paris Agreement was adopted by all the world nations in 2015 because they recognize the immense harm that climate change is already causing and the enormous opportunity that climate action presents. The Secretary-General looks forward to engaging with the American government and all actors in the United States and around the world to build a sustainable future on which our grandchildren depend."

HOWELL: During the G7 summit that recently took place in Italy European leaders try to convince Mr. Trump to stay with the deal. Their dismay that he didn't do that was clear in this joint statement. Take a look here.

'We, the heads of the state and of governments of France, Germany, and Italy take note with regrets of the decision by the U.S. United States of America to withdraw from the universal agreement on climate change."

ALLEN: The statement goes on, "We deem the momentum generated in Paris in December 2015 irreversible and we firmly believe that the Paris Agreement cannot be negotiated since it is a vital instrument for our planet, societies and economies."

[03:44:57] HOWELL: Speaking of the British Prime Minister Theresa May she spoke to Mr. Trump by phone on Thursday and says the deal quote, "provides the right global framework for protecting the prosperity and security of future generations while keeping energy affordable and secure for our citizens and businesses.

ALLEN: President Trump says he's doing what's best for the United States, but is true? Our Cyril Vanier looks at what his decision means for generations to come.

CYRIL VANIER, HOST, CNN: As the United States pulls out to the Paris Accord, scientists and forecasters will be reaching for their thermometers. The goal of the climate agreement was to limit global warming and avoided to most catastrophic consequences. Tornadoes, droughts, and rising sea levels.

It's estimated that the global climate deal could limit the rising temperatures to 3.3 degrees Celsius by the end of this century if all countries meet their goals. Without U.S. involvement however, temperatures could rise 3.6 degrees. A significant difference.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration warns that seawater will expand and ultimately encroach on land. So how does this affect the average American? Well, the majority of Americans live in coastal states so rising water levels can have potentially large impacts. The president turned his back on climate commitments in the name of jobs and economic growth but leading U.S. companies like Apple, Facebook, and others say that leaving the Paris Accord will be counterproductive while the global transition to green technologies could be a moneymaker for decades. They fear being edged out of those markets and losing their competitive edge.

And the job's argument isn't exactly compelling either, pulling out of the Paris Accord may help the 160,000 American jobs in the coal sector but it could hurt the 470,000 in the wind and solar industries.

Ultimately, though, the president does not control all the levers of climate change. Large companies including energy giants have already begun investing in renewable energies and are unlikely to reverse course. And some U.S. states like California say they are willing to pick up some of the climate flak and accelerate their transition to green energy.

Cyril Vanier, CNN.

ALLEN: Ahead here, it is a sweet that many of us would love to indulge in every day.

HOWELL: But you might think twice. We learn the shameful side of parts of the chocolate industry. The story ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ALLEN: Well that doesn't quite like chocolate but did you know it often comes at a brutal cost to make it.

HOWELL: Modern-day slavery is still much of a reality in that industry even with children forced to harvest the beans there. Now one Dutch company has said enough.

Richard Quest has more as part of CNN's Freedom Project.

[03:50:05] RICHARD QUEST, HOST, CNN: A Dutch company is determined to fight slavery. Their weapon of choice chocolate.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HENK JAN BELTMAN, CHIEF CHOCOLATE OFFICER, TONY'S CHOCOLONELY: We're refining company and the reason that we are a company is not that we want t sell chocolate and not that we want to make money but we want to make the world a nicer place.

It's unbelievable that there are still over two million working illegally in cocoa today just for a present for you or for some other else to enjoy chocolate.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

QUEST: It all starts at the bottom of the supply chain with the cocoa beans themselves. Tony's Chocolonely only uses beans bought directly from their farm cooperatives in West Africa to grind the beans into liquid chocolate. The industry giant Barry Callebaut has become a strategic partner. But its factory in visa Belgium, it had to build a unique system that isolates Tony's beans from all others.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

XAVIER DE BUYSSCHER, PLANT DIRECTOR, BARRY CALLEBAUT: We have a specific process that is able to treat the beans and to roast them individually in their chest and then afterwards to keep it segregated through our process into a separated tank for Tony's. We want to go to a fully sustainable business in 2025.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

QUEST: The liquid is then molded by Belgian chocolate masters Altair who stamped ethical message into each bar. The unequal shape reflects inequality in the world. This detail is in keeping with the brands marketing to always remind the chocolate consumer why Tony's Chocolonely began.

In 2003, Dutch journalists exposed the trafficking of boys from Burkina Faso to the Ivory Coast. Former slaves spoke of life on the cocoa plantations.

(FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

QUEST: Three years later determined to prove chocolate could be made slavery they found it Tony's Chocolonely. Now run by an executive team the original founders have left the company but cocoa labor abuses remain in the headlines.

According to a 2015 study by Tulane University and the U.S. Department of Labor more than two million child laborers in cocoa production are exposed to hazardous conditions. There are reports cited endemic poverty as a major reason, trafficking and unethical practices continue to flourish.

Tony's believes their business model can have impact.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAN BELTMAN: This year we expect to raise around $15 million U.S. dollars. We only work for 7,000 farmers so we're a tiny company but if we can do it and the guys can do it as well, then we solve the problem of slavery in the valley chain of cocoa.

I'm going to push this hard as we can to actually force on the companies to work in the same way as we. Because there's no one in the world that wants to enjoy chocolate that comes from source of this a slave.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

QUEST: Richard Quest, CNN.

[03:55:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK) HOWELL: With the United States pulling out of the Paris climate accord, Beijing is now poised to take the lead in clean energy. And here's just one example of that. China is launching a new solar powered drone aircraft. Take a look there. The unmanned vehicle took flight in China's northwest region soaring as high as 20,000 meters.

ALLEN: that's so cool. I wasn't reading out, I was just looking at.

HOWELL: I mean, yes, look at that. It was amazing.

(CROSSTALK)

ALLEN: I was like, I know. By using solar energy to drone could stay in the air for months, maybe even years at a time. Chinese officials say the plane has both civic and military uses including natural disaster warnings, emergency rescues, and antiterrorism missions.

All right. More innovation like that. Right. OK. Back to the movies we go. What do you say, "Wonder Woman" source into North America this weekend but don't expect it in Lebanon any time soon.

HOWELL: Yes, the country has ban the film because Israeli actress Gal Gadot plays "Wonder Woman." Our Oren Liebermann reports this isn't the first time Gadot films stirred controversy in Lebanon.

OREN LIEBERMANN, CORRESPONDENT, CNN: Israel and Lebanon have been enemies for years and it seems that extends to the cinemas. Lebanon moved to ban "Wonder Woman" from theaters because the star of movie is Israeli actress Gal Gadot. Gadot served in the Israeli military as a combat instructor.

The ban will only affect about 15 theaters in Lebanon. There is a petition to release "Wonder Woman" in Lebanon regardless of Gadot's starring role. Why? Because of the amazing character of "Wonder Woman" the petition says, the rave reviews can hurt either.

"Wonder Woman" says history goes back to the rise of feminism in the U.S. when she first appeared in comics in the 1940's she was fighting the Nazis during World War II. This isn't the first time Gadot's movies have stirred controversy in Lebanon. There was an attempt to ban "Batman versus Superman: Dawn of Justice" because Gadot had a significant role in the movie also as "Wonder Woman."

But the film was eventually shown.

Oren Liebermann, CNN, Jerusalem.

HOWELL: Natalie, I have to see it. It looks like a cool film.

ALLEN: "Wonder Woman" makes a comeback.

HOWELL: Thanks for being with us. I'm George Howell.

ALLEN: I'm Natalie Allen. More news coming next with Max Foster. He'll be live in London for you.

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