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Trump Administration Defends Family Separations; Merkel Has Two Weeks to Reach Migration Deal; Trump Wants Another $200 Billion in Chinese Tariffs; U.S. and South Korea Call Off August Military Exercises; Weaponized Gaza Kites Used to Start Fires; Melania Trump 'Hates To See' Children Separated From Their Families at Borders; Compulsive Gaming Could Be Mental Health Problem; Kane Scores Twice As England Edge Tunisia 2-1; Russia Face Egypt In Key Group Game Tuesday. Aired 2-3a ET
Aired June 19, 2018 - 02:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): The U.S. president digs in, defending his policy of forced family separation at the border, despite growing criticism and outrage that it's inhumane and un- American.
Kim Jong-un takes another international trip. The once reclusive leader is back in Beijing for the third time in three months.
Plus, the World Health Organization weighs in on video games, why it says an addiction to them is a legitimate mental health disorder.
Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us from all around the world. I'm Rosemary Church and this is CNN NEWSROOM.
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CHURCH: The White House is struggling to contain the growing outrage over separating children from their families trying to cross the border into the United States. Video from one center in Texas shows children inside what look like cages made of chain link fencing.
Since the Trump administration announced its new policy, at least 2,000 children have been taken from their families and placed in facilities like this one. Jeff Zeleny begins our coverage.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TRUMP: Just remember, a country without borders is not a country at all.
JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): President Trump facing intense fire tonight over what kind of country the U.S. is becoming when it comes to immigration.
TRUMP: The United States will not be a migrant camp and it will not be a refugee holding facility. Won't be.
ZELENY (voice-over): These searing images of children separated from their parents, at times behind chain link fences, have sparked withering criticism from across the political spectrum, the White House not backing down from its zero tolerance policy of separating children from their parents when apprehended at the border.
It's led to the removal of nearly 2,000 children in the last six weeks. The president vented on Twitter. In a flurry of messages, he blasted immigration in Europe and the U.S., finally demanding, change the laws.
TRUMP: I'll say it very honestly and say it very straight.
ZELENY (voice-over): To be clear, the president is doing neither. He's blaming Democrats rather than accepting responsibility for his administration's actions.
We cannot get them even to the negotiating table. And I say it's very strongly the Democrats' fault. They're obstruction, they're really obstructionists and they are obstructing.
ZELENY (voice-over): Yet no matter how many times he says it, it's just not true. While Democrats and Republicans have been at odds over broader immigration laws, it's incorrect to blame family separation on Democrats.
KIRSTJEN NIELSEN, HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY: We have to do our job. We will not apologize for doing for our job, we have sworn to do this job. This administration has a simple message: if you cross the border illegally, we will prosecute you.
ZELENY (voice-over): Homeland Security secretary Kirstjen Nielsen defending the practice, one day after she misleading said on Twitter, "We do not have a policy of separating families at the border, period."
Attorney general Jeff Sessions, who first unveiled the zero tolerance policy two months ago, argued today it was a deterrent.
JEFF SESSIONS (R), U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL: Anyone that brought a child with them would be given effective immunity from prosecution and would not be prosecuted. Word got out about this loophole and the results were predictable.
ZELENY (voice-over): But CNN has learned the new hardline policy has not slowed the pace of migrants trying to enter the country illegally. Since the prosecution initiative, as it's called inside DHS began, there's been an uptick of people trying to cross the border.
Outrage pouring in from Republicans and Democrats after these scenes filled television screens over Father's Day weekend of children and parents being separately warehoused in a former Walmart and other sites across Texas.
Former first lady Laura Bush taking the rare step of weighing in on a policy debate, writing in "The Washington Post," "This zero tolerance policy is cruel, it is immoral and it breaks my heart.
"In 2018, can we not, as a nation, find a kinder, more compassionate and more moral answer to this current crisis?
"I, for one, believe we can."
Michelle Obama retweeting those words saying, "Sometimes truth transcends party."
The current first lady, Melania Trump, voicing concern but suggesting there's enough blame to go around. Her spokeswoman saying, "Ms. Trump hates to see children separated from their families and hopes both sides of the aisle can finally come together to achieve successful immigration reform."
Even loyal Trump allies, like former communications director, Anthony Scaramucci, called for an urgent change --
[02:05:00]
ZELENY: -- saying the controversy is damaging the president.
ANTHONY SCARAMUCCI, FORMER WHITE HOUSE COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR: He's a television star. He understands that this is not good for him and it's not good for the Congress if we want to win the midterm.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHURCH: CNN's Jeff Zeleny reporting from the White House.
The nonprofit investigative group, ProPublica, says they know what family separation at the U.S.-Mexico border sounds like. They recorded this disturbing audio at a U.S. Customs and Border Protection facility last week. We should note CNN has not been able to verify the authenticity of this recording.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (Speaking foreign language).
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (Speaking foreign language)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (Speaking foreign language) UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (Speaking foreign language).
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CHURCH: Very distressing there. And U.S. Homeland Security secretary Kirstjen Nielsen insists the children are being treated well with meals, medical care, TV and movies. She denied claims of child abuse and she said the vast majority of children held in detention centers were sent to the U.S. alone by their parents.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Have you seen the photos of children in cages? Have you heard the audio clips of these children wailing that just came out today?
KIRSTJEN NIELSEN, HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY: I have not seen something that came out today. But I have been to detention centers. And, again, I would reference you to our standards. I would reference you to the care provided, not just by the Department of Homeland Security but by the Department of Health and Human Services when they get to HHS.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Is that the image of this country that you want out there, children -- ?
NIELSEN: The image that that I want of this center is an immigration system that secures our borders and upholds our humanitarian ideals. Congress needs to fix it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHURCH: Joining me now to talk more about this controversial policy and the politics behind it is Julian Zelizer, he is a Princeton University professor as well as a CNN political analyst.
Thank you for being with us.
JULIAN ZELIZER, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Thanks for having me.
We have all now heard those heartbreaking audio recordings of children crying out for their mothers and fathers. We have seen the pictures of toddlers sobbing while their mothers are cuffed at the border, the images of young people and families in cages.
Have you ever seen anything like this before in America?
And what do you think the president is trying to achieve here?
ZELIZER: Well, we certainly haven't seen this in recent years. There's obvious historic moments, like the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II and this evokes some of those memories.
But this is horrific to watch. And I think many Americans in both parties feel that way.
The president is very clear in what he's doing. He's using this as leverage to get the kind of immigration bill that he wants, one that's restrictive. And he's basically enforcing this zero tolerance policy and moving forward, regardless of the outcry.
CHURCH: And President Trump blames the Democrats for the separation of children from their parents at the border. But it's his zero tolerance policy that's forcing these separations.
So why doesn't he get on the phone and end it now and work on the immigration legislation that he wants to get through as a separate issue?
Of course, one has to wonder, is this all about the funding of the border wall?
ZELIZER: Well, I think he's using this as leverage to get exactly what he wants. And he believes that if he holds out long enough, both the Democrats, who are a minority in Congress, and Republicans, who might not support him, will cave and give him what he wants just to move forward from what's going on right now on the borders.
Let's also remember, this is appealing to some parts of President Trump's own political base. He's thinking about 2020 and, here he is, cracking down on undocumented immigrants in a tough fashion. So I think, on both fronts, he images this works in his favor.
CHURCH: The numbers don't show that, though, do they?
We're seeing a number of Republicans stepping out saying, no, this is not acceptable. We do know, too, that attorney general Jeff Sessions and White House chief of staff John Kelly have previously, just a matter of weeks ago, said the separation of these children from their parents t the border was designed --
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CHURCH: -- to deter migrants from trying to get into the United States. But now the Trump administration denies that and says it is just following the law.
So what is the real story here?
And if it's just about the law, why separate the children?
ZELIZER: No one is forcing the president or the administration to do this. This is not about the law. Other presidents from both parties have refrained from doing anything like this. And this is a choice by the administration.
And it's hard to know exactly why they're doing this, separating children from their families. But the most apparent reason is it is punitive. And that is the goal of the policy, to be punitive. And President Trump is hoping that either his opponents in Congress cave to what he wants sooner rather than later or that public opinion gradually changes over time, as it has with other issues that he has dealt with.
I'm not sure if that will happen. But I think that's what he's hoping for. But this is a -- it's very punitive mechanism for achieving leverage on Capitol Hill.
CHURCH: And some people are calling this child abuse. Others suggest it is a humanitarian crisis.
Is that what we're witnessing here in America?
ZELIZER: I think it's a fair criticism and I think many people feel that way. And this is not just a humanitarian crisis that's created by a natural disaster, this is created by policy decisions from the President of the United States. And so that's the question.
Does that create the kind of political pressure that moves Republican members of Congress to do more than just say, we don't like this or we don't agree?
The Republicans control Congress. The Republicans have the power to force the president's hand. And that's the question.
Will they do that or will they sit by, complain, but allow this to happen?
CHURCH: It will be interesting to see if more Republicans join with Senator John McCain. And they are basically calling for him to rescind this family separation policy. We'll see what happens. Julian Zelizer, thank you so much for joining us. We appreciate it.
ZELIZER: Thanks for having me.
CHURCH: President Trump is also wading into the middle of Germany's immigration row. Its coalition government is locked in a battle over migrants.
"The people of Germany are turning against their leadership as migration is rocking the already tenuous Berlin coalition. Crime in Germany is way up. Big mistake made all over Europe in allowing millions of people in who have so strongly and violently changed their culture."
But in fact, Germany's crime levels are not up; they are down. 2017 saw the lowest number of crimes committed in Germany since 1992, according to Germany's federal ministry of the interior. And the number of non-German suspects dropped almost 23 percent from 2016 to 2017.
The U.S. president tweeted those comments the same day as Chancellor Angela Merkel announce she will try to reach a deal with the European Union leaders on migration policy. If she doesn't make that happen within the next two weeks, her fragile coalition government could collapse. The details now from CNN's Atika Shubert in Berlin.
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ATIKA SHUBERT, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: On Monday, there were fears of a looming showdown between Angela Merkel and her interior minister, Horst Seehofer, over the issue of immigration. Seehofer basically wanted to unveil a 63-point plan to reduce migration to Germany. And he had a specific provision that Germany could reject asylum seekers at the border if they had already applied for refugee status in another E.U. country.
Now Merkel rejected that plan because she disputed that one point. She said that freedom of movement was a core principle of the E.U. Take a listen to what she said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) ANGELA MERKEL, CHANCELLOR OF GERMANY (through translator): That's why we believe uncoordinated rejections at our borders as a country at the heart of Europe could lead to negative domino effects, which could also be to Germany's detriment and ultimately lead to the questioning of European unity.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SHUBERT: Instead, Merkel offered a compromise, two weeks for her to try to negotiate a number of bilateral agreements, which would allow Germany to return asylum seekers back to the country where they had originally asked for asylum.
Now she has to work overtime, especially with countries like Italy and Greece, who are already feeling overburdened and overwhelmed with the number of asylum seekers they have.
She met on Monday night with the new Italian minister, Giuseppe Conte, and on Tuesday, she will meet with French president Emmanuel Macron as well as the president of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker.
Now she has until July 1st. Then, she must come back --
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SHUBERT: -- and report to members of her own party, to lawmakers and try and turn down the heat on this simmering political crisis -- Atika Shubert, CNN, Berlin.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHURCH: Ms. Merkel also spoke about Italy refusing the Aquarius, the ship carrying migrants rescued last week in the Mediterranean. She said she supports Italy's effort to reduce the number of migrants arriving.
Next week the E.U. will hold a summit to discuss immigration solutions with Italy and Malta turning away that migrant ship. The subject continues to be a divisive matter. A new poll by IPSOS asked Italians what they thought about their government turning away the Aquarius; 59 percent say the government was right to close its ports to migrants and 24 percent say Italy shouldn't refuse their entry, while another 17 percent are unsure what their government should do about immigration.
While North Korea may be basking in its newfound friendship with the United States, its leader is showing respect to its northern neighbor. We'll have the details for you coming up.
Plus weaponized kits, the low tech threat that has put Israel on high alert. We're back in just a moment.
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CHURCH: President Donald Trump has fired the latest shot in America's potential trade war with China. On Monday Mr. Trump ordered officials to find another $200 billion worth of Chinese goods to face new tariffs.
This comes after China matched the Trump administration's tariffs on $50 billion worth of U.S. exports. The president believes the tariffs will push China to change its practices on acquiring U.S. intellectual property and technology.
Late Monday, China's commerce ministry responded in a statement, saying this, "If the United States loses its senses and comes up with a new list, China will be forced to strike back hard and launch comprehensive measures that match the U.S. move in quantity and quality."
Speaking of China, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will spend Tuesday and Wednesday there. This comes a week after his first summit with President Trump. So let's get the details on the trip. We're joined by Matt Rivers in Beijing.
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CHURCH: Good to see you, Matt.
Kim Jong-un is in Beijing on his third trip there in three months with the Singapore summit high on the agenda when he meets with Xi Jinping.
What are they likely to talk about?
MATT RIVERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I think they will discuss what the conversation was like between Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un and what was discussed and how Chinese strategic interests play into that.
You mentioned this is the third trip Kim Jong-un has made to China in the last several months. It is amazing, when you consider how fast this concept of Xi Jinping going abroad and meeting with other leaders has been normalized.
It was couple months ago it was major breaking news when Kim Jong-un left North Korea for the first time and met with a foreign leader for the first time when he came here to Beijing. And several months later he's met with the U.S. president. Now coming here to China is already starting to feel routine in some sort of way.
That is just incredible. We can't really put enough emphasis on that. And you're seeing a sustained diplomatic push from Kim Jong-un reaching out to foreign leaders and also by coming to China understanding that as its ally and main economic benefactor, no country is more important than China in terms of how North Korea communicates, who they communicate with in negotiations with the United States.
CHURCH: Our Matt Rivers, joining us from Beijing, many thanks as always. President Trump had pledged to end what he called war games during his summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. So the U.S. and South Korea are calling off an annual joint military exercise scheduled for this August.
Alexandra Field is in Seoul South Korea with the implications of all this. She joins us now live.
This took South Korea and Washington by surprise when the president made the initial announcement last week at the summit.
What's being said in Seoul now that the official announcement that the drills have been called off?
ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Frankly it seemed to take the world by surprise when the president made that announcement and some speculated whether Kim Jong-un, the North Korean dictator, learned about this before allies in the region did.
You had South Korean officials who said they're working to understand what it meant when the president said he's putting an end to the war games. But these allies are working together and we have had statements from the South Korean officials and U.S. officials that they have worked together.
They've decided to stop planning for these August exercises. It's unclear what happens next. We know there's going to be a meeting at the Pentagon among high-level officials to start the planning for what happens next.
But these are large-scale exercises. These particular exercises, held in August, have been held for more than 40 years now. They are defensive military training exercises, which Defense officials say are about maintaining peace and stability in the region.
President Trump said they're provocative and ill-timed during a period of good faith negotiation with North Korea, which is why he said they need to stop.
The question is, what happens after the August drills are called off?
And what exactly does the president mean by war games?
That's not a military term. You have officials in the U.S. and here in South Korea who need to work to interpret that into military guidance, to determine that means anything beyond these large-scale exercises and the next large-scale exercises scheduled for spring. They've also got to look at what other military activities this could or could not include -- Rosemary.
CHURCH: It certainly confused a lot of people, particularly in the Pentagon. President Trump has made it clear that these joint military exercises could start up again if North Korea fails to hold up its side of the bargain.
So what might it take for that to happen? FIELD: And that's the line from South Korea as well. Defense officials in South Korea who seem to be on board with the idea of putting an end to this exercise as long as North Korea is taking actions toward nuclear action and remaining engaged in talks.
it's debatable whether or not they've taken any actions towards denuclearization but South Korean saying destroying a test site was a good demonstration from North Korea. President Trump himself put it a bit more succinctly. He tweeted that the drills could be started again -- or that the war games, rather, could be started again immediately if talks break down with North Korea.
To say they could begin again immediately is perhaps a bit misleading. Maybe he means the planning, again, these are exercises that require a great deal of planning. These August exercises last year involved some 17,500 U.S. service members, another 3,000 who came to South Korea for these drills, participation from about seven different other countries as well last year.
So these are major exercises that really do take a lot of planning --
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FIELD: -- but clearly the administration says it's time to put a pause on this at least for now -- Rosemary.
CHURCH: Keeping a very close eye on that. Alexandra Field, joining us from Seoul in South Korea, nearly 3:30 in the afternoon. Thanks.
A low-tech weapon is creating fires and serious concern in Israel. CNN's Ian Lee is reporting on this latest threat from Gaza.
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IAN LEE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A brush fire scorches a forest in Southern Israel. Firefighters battle the blaze. But no matter how hard they try, they can't extinguish the cause. Hundreds of kites and balloons from Gaza that carry this firestorm.
LEE: Fires like these have caused over $2 million in damages. When I speak to firefighters, they say that number is likely to rise as they battle between 20 and 30 blazes a day.
LEE (voice-over): Nearby, farmers work the field. They keep an weary eye. Hundreds of acres of farmland have been reduced to ash. So far, no one has been hurt.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): You need to keep alert. The fire could whip up without you knowing. If your tractor stalls in the middle of a straw field, you could be burned to death or suffocate from smoke.
LEE (voice-over): Israel recently retaliated against what they call terror kites and balloons, with the air force striking nine targets in Gaza. UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): If anyone believes these routine of kites and fires in the south of Israel is just going to keep happening, they are wrong.
LEE (voice-over): The kites will continue, at least that's what Gazans say. It doesn't take much, some sticks and plastic and a bag of dried plants and coal. A low-tech weapon challenging Israel's high-tech defenses. They're part of a larger month-long protest movement along the border with Israel in which over 100 Palestinians have been killed and thousands injured.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): My message to Israel is stop threatening protesters and kite makers because, no matter what you do, even if you target us with rockets, we will not stop. Our protest is peaceful.
LEE (voice-over): When the kites are ready, the wind drifts them across into Israel. Kamikaze drones try to knock them down with limited success.
And this is where Gazans hope those kites land here in dry fields that can quickly turn into a brush fire.
LEE (voice-over): Raining fire from above, all the while stoking tensions along a fence dividing Gaza and Israel -- Ian Lee, CNN, in Kissufim, Israel.
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CHURCH: The Trump administration is under fire for separating families at the U.S. border with Mexico. Still to come, we will see why parents are taking the risk and what happens if they get turned away.
And former associates of President Trump changing their stories about speaking to a Russian offering dirt on Hillary Clinton.
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[02:30:33] ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: A very warm welcome back to our viewers joining us from all around the world. I'm Rosemary Church. I want to update you now on the main stories we've been following this hour. U.S. President Donald Trump is once again falsely blaming Democrats that his administration's policy of separating immigrant families at the U.S. border. The president says the U.S. will not become a migrant camp or refugee holding facility. Critics say the policy borders on child abuse.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has two weeks to reach agreement with the E.U. on a new immigration policy or face the possible collapse of her coalition government. Her party's junior partner once tied to restrictions on asylum seekers trying to enter Germany.
Disturbing new audio is drawing attention to the plight of migrant children separated from their families at the U.S. border of Mexico. The nonprofit investigative group ProPublica made the reporting last week inside a U.S. Customs and Border Protection facility. And we should note CNN has not been able to verify its authenticity.
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CHURCH: CNN's Don Lemon spoke with the human rights attorney who released that audio and a senior reporter from ProPublica.
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JENNIFER HARBURY, HUMAN RIGHTS ATTORNEY: There's a range of ages. Some of the older kids in the room were unaccompanied minors that would probably be teenagers. But there's just few of those. The rest of them were very small children as you can hear on the tape, you know, some four-year-old, five-year-old, six-year-old, seven-year-old in that range.
DON LEMON, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Ginger, we talked a little bit about the six-year-old girl, but we hear the one child asking officials to call her aunt and she even recited the phone number there. You called that number, you spoke to the child, and what did she say?
GINGER THOMPSON, SENIOR REPORTER, PROPUBLICA: She talked about how terrifying it was for her to get a call from her six-year-old niece after having traveled a month from Central America through Mexico across the border. The little girl was crying and saying, you know, aunt, I'll behave myself. I'll do -- I'll be a good girl, but please come get me because I'm alone. And she's, you know, she's here going through an asylum claim of her own and is in a legally precarious place particularly now.
LEMON: The aunt?
THOMPSON: The aunt. And so she's sort of at a loss of what to do.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHURCH: Terrifying situation for that young child and at least 2,000 children had been separated from their families since the Trump administration adopted its policy in April. Still, many families say the risk is worth the potential reward. CNN's Gary Tuchman reports.
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GARY TUCHMAN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: In the border town of Nogales, Mexico, the other side of this gate is the United States and right next to the gate sitting on the ground are migrant families living and sleeping outside hoping to be allowed to proceed just a few more feet into America. Amalia is from Guatemala. Her son Kevin is seven and Ubers three. What do you want to do in the United States? The 29-year-old mother says I want to go protect my children and have a better life for them. Amalia says she fears for her in Guatemala because of gang violence. As other people with passport and documents pass through the gate, these migrant families wait and hope for what is known is a credible fear interview with U.S. Customs and Border Protection. They say only one person has been called in for an interview all day. Louisa is from Southern Mexico and has three children with her. The 46-year-old says, I'm scared. My kids are all I have in my life. I live for them. I'm scared for them. Half the mothers here heard about the children who have been separated from their parents after crossing into the United States. Each mother we talked with said they heard nothing about it weeks ago when they left their towns.
[02:35:07] Miriam came from Guatemala with her two-year-old son, Franco. The 23-year-old says, I am scared. I'm hearing rumors now they could take my child away. Amalia says, there have been people telling me they're going to take our kids away, but I'm not sure. So why are these women willing to take such a risk? Amalia says because if I go back, they're going to kill me, so this is the better option. The west government claims children will not be taken away from parents who turn themselves in at legal ports of entry. Many others including the ACLU and immigrant advocacy groups dispute that claim. But what definitely does not bode well for any of these women we talked with is the recent decision by the Trump administration to overturn asylum protection for domestic violence and gang violence victims. I asked the U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer on the other side of the gate this question. And when do you start letting the migrants in for their interviews?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So we need to make sure we have enough assets to do it. My supervisors are working it. If you want, you can go and ask a supervisor.
TUCHMAN: OK. We did. The supervisor said they were not permitted to comment out of this office. The migrants here who have been provided food, water, and diapers by volunteers say they don't want to lose their place in line so they're not leaving. Miriam says she will not allow anybody to take her toddler away. What's happening now will not deter her, she says. And if she gets sent back to Guatemala. I will come back, Miriam says. I want to be in the United States. I will come back again. Gary Tuchman, CNN Nogales, Mexico.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHURCH: War, violence, and other types of persecution forced more than 68 million people to flee their homes last year and that's according to a new report from the U.N. Refugee Agency which says a number of displaced people hit a record high in 2017. The report says 1 in every 110 people on the planet is a refugee, internally displaced or seeking asylum. The long running war in Syria played a major role in driving the numbers up. But so did unrest in South Sudan, Congo, and the forced exodus of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar.
Well, the migration crisis will top the agenda when German Chancellor Angela Merkel meets with French President Emmanuel Macron in the coming hours. She is trying to reach a new deal on migration policy with the E.U. leaders to save her fractured coalition government. CNN's Melissa Bell reports. This comes as hundreds of African migrants finally reached a temporary safe haven after a week long ordeal at sea.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MELISSA BELL, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Preparing to dock at last. After more than a week at Sean: rocked by both political uncertainty and bad weather, the Aquarius has become a symbol of a European migration policy in disarray. After being rejected by Italy, the 629 migrants celebrated as their ordeal finally came to an end in Spain. These migrants will now be able to apply for asylum here in Spain but also in France with Emmanuel Macron saying that he is determined to fix a system that has long been broken.
EMMANUEL MACRON, PRESIDENT OF FRANCE (via translator): Finally, we would like to be able to move forward together with our partners in the months to come on the overhaul of the Dublin system. The arrival of men and women who leave their country of origin whether for economic or political reasons, risks, situations related to asylum cannot be the responsibility of a rival countries.
BELL: The so-called Dublin rule stipulates that migrants must seek asylum in the European country in which they first arrive which is meant that countries like Italy and Greece have for years borne the brunt of Europe's migrant crisis. A rule that successive Italian governments wanted to reform for years, a message forcefully rammed home by the closing of Italian ports on June 10th and the stranding of the Aquarius at sea. The French president described the tactic as cynical and irresponsible. But Italy clearly intends to continue with it even as the Aquarius prepares to dock in Spain, Italy's interior minister warned other NGO ships now in the Mediterranean that they should find other non-Italian ports to head towards. A move that puts extra pressure on Emmanuel Macron and Angela Merkel as they prepare to meet again to discuss European reform with the right of Angela Merkel's own fragile coalition insisting on the need to see the Dublin rule not so much changed as strengthened. Melissa Bell, CNN Paris.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
[02:40:05] CHURCH: Changing stories yet again about former associates of U.S. President Donald Trump and contact with Russians. CNN's Sara Murray has details now about the latest admissions.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SARA MURRAY, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Another long time Trump advisor and another previously undisclosed meeting with a Russian promising dirt on Hillary Clinton. Roger Stone now admitting in May 2016 he met with a Russian who offered non-specific damaging Clinton information in exchange for $2 million from Donald Trump according to a letter to Congress from Stone's lawyer. Stone says he declined the offer and President Trump's lawyer, Rudy Guiliani, says he doesn't think Trump knew about the meeting.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Was President Trump aware of this meeting?
RUDY GIULIANI, LEGAL COUNSEL TO DONALD TRUMP: I doubt it. I certainly didn't know about it. It's news to me.
MURRAY: After the 2016 encounter, Stone texted with his colleague Michael Caputo who worked as an advisor on the Trump campaign and helped arrange the meeting. How crazy is the Russian, Caputo asks. According to The Washington Post with reviewed the texts messages and first broke the news of the meeting. Stone replies, wants big money for the info, waste of time. The Russian way, Caputo response, anything at all interesting? No, Stone replies. Stone has repeatedly insisted he did not collude with the Russians during the 2016 campaign.
ROGER STONE, POLITICAL CONSULTANT: Where my testimony is both complete and entirely truthful. I'm not involved with any collusion, coordination, or conspiracy with the Russians or anyone else. And there's no evidence to the contrary.
MURRAY: But both Stone and Caputo failed to acknowledge the interaction with the Russian when they testified before the congressional investigators. The public is now learning about more meetings members of the Trump team had with Russians after months of denials and omissions from the White House and those around Trump including Donald Trump Jr., Jared Kushner, and Paul Manafort. Caputo's lawyer says his client was reminded about the meeting in his interview with Special Counsel Robert Mueller's team last month. In separate letters, the House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes, lawyers for both Stone and Caputo insist their clients testified truthfully. Now, Caputo is claiming the meeting with the Russian was part of a law enforcement effort to frame Trump campaign operatives and cited records suggesting the man Stone met with is a Russian national who has claimed to be an FBI informant. The Russian man who has used the name Henry Greenberg and Henry Oknyansky denied he was working for the FBI when he met with Stone according to The Washington Post. Greenberg said in a court filing his work with the FBI stopped sometime after 2013.
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MURRAY: Now, Adam Schiff who is the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee says in retrospect, Roger Stone's testimony appears inaccurate or deliberately misleading. He is once again calling on the committee to release all of the transcripts to Special Counsel Robert Mueller, so the special counsel can determine whether any witnesses perjured themselves in their testimony before his committee. Sara Murray, CNN Washington.
CHURCH: Now, usually, video game makers love it when their product is called addictive. But, now, the World Health Organization says that is a problem. We'll explain why. And later, Panama makes its World Cup debut only to have Belgium spoil the party. All the action from Russia on CNN NEWSROOM when we come back.
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[02:45:59] CHURCH: Welcome back, everyone. Well, parents have long been concerned about the effects of video games. What some have called digital heroin. But can playing video games truly be addictive? The World Health Organization, now says yes. CNN, Sanjay Gupta, has more.
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EVAN PORTER, RECOVERING VIDEO GAME ADDICT: I pretty much started playing video games seriously in like, fifth grade. And the amount of use got like fifth grade, sixth grade, and then, like seventh grade, and then, eighth grade, and like ninth grade, it went straight up. That's when my life really started deteriorating.
KIEREN PORTER, MOTHER OF EVAN: He was basically online all the time, every waking moment. And he would refuse to go to school, he wouldn't eat with us, he lost weight, he was up all night.
SANJAY GUPTA, CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: And like any mom, Kieren Porter, became increasingly concerned about her 16-year-old son, Evan. But she didn't know just how serious the problem was.
Now, the World Health Organization is for the first time calling gaming disorder in mental health condition.
VLADIMIR POZNYAK, MEMBER, DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE, WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION: We should be clearly defined behavioral pattern, which is of such intensity and to such nature that it takes precedence of all activities which have been important for an individual in the past.
GUPTA: That was Evan to a tee. Nothing was more important than his ability to get online and game. Overwatch, Team Fortress 2, Counter Strike, Global Offensive," games that are designed to keep you playing for hours.
HILARIE CASH, CHIEF CLINICAL OFFICER, RESTART CENTER FOR DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY: I think it's really helpful to understand that once an addictive process takes hold of someone, they do lose control. Their impulse to just go online, and game, and do whatever else they want to do online. That is stronger than whatever it is they tell themselves they should be doing.
GUPTA: Hilarie Cash is a co-founder of reSTART, an inpatient treatment program for video game addicts. It's outside the Seattle and about as far away as you can get from screens. Picturesque, peaceful, and most importantly unplugged.
E. PORTER: It's a pretty big difference like growing up from screens to on-screen all night to no screens.
GUPTA: What happens here at reSTART is no surprise, lots of therapy, time outdoors, and an emphasis on interpersonal interactions.
CASH: We are social animals and we actually need to be civically present with one another. Face-to-face where we can see and hear, and touch, and smell each other.
GUPTA: It's still early days for reSTART, they've graduated 19 adolescents in the last year and a half. But here's the problem, the real world is still filled with triggers for gaming addicts.
E. PORTER: Alcoholic? Knows that he can't ever have alcohol again. Someone who's addicted to cocaine can never have cocaine again. The technology addict? A technology addict, I mean, it's pretty hard to live without technology.
GUPTA: Doctor Sanjay Gupta, CNN, reporting.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHURCH: Something to think about, right? Well, Monday's World Cup open up the England came down to the wire. And look at the last minute heroics and reaction from the team's captain, just ahead here on CNN NEWSROOM.
AMANDA DAVIES, CNN INTERNATIONAL SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: A teams from across the globe battle it out. We're on the ground here in Russia, capturing the spirit of the 2018 World Cup.
ALEX THOMAS, CNN INTERNATIONAL SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: From the drama and emotion on the fields, all the fans are experiencing off the pitch. We cover it all every day.
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[02:51:18] CHURCH: England's Three Lions staged a dramatic comeback and Belgium's Red Devils look more like a contender than ever. CNN "WORLD SPORT" anchor, Patrick Snell, joins me now with the very latest on the World Cup all very exciting, isn't it?
PATRICK SNELL, CNN INTERNATIONAL SPORTS ANCHOR: That's it really is.
CHURCH: Because England came out on top. So, what were the highlights of that? What will that mean going forward for --
SNELL: The Three Lions roaring. Yes, they've got the job done, they beat Tunisia, know now which is really good -- really good from an England perspective. But it's just the first match, it's just three points in the bag. They still got to go on and get the job done as far as other group games are concerned.
But, you know, I would do want to start with that game against Tunisia. Because this was very much the Harry Kane show. I will say this so England far from convincing at times in the second half, Rosemary, had a dream start when the -- that man, Captain Kane let's call him, gets the ball rolling there, putting England ahead.
But here's a concern, they actually allowed the Tunisians back into the game. They kind of a needless penalty given away by Kyle Walker. It's converted by so (INAUDIBLE) that made it 1-1, the most unlike list of levelers.
But in stoppage time, it came to the rescue again there's no marking there by the Tunisians. Kane takes full advantage, 2-1 England win it. Delight for the head coach Gareth Southgate, just look at that raw emotion. Let's hear from the main man himself, Captain Kane, speaking up about it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) HARRY KANE, FORWARD, ENGLAND NATIONAL FOOTBALL TEAM: It is always in the back of your mind that is going to be one of them days. The ball just weren't falling to our player at the right time, but that's what the character is about. That's why you worked so hard to go to 90- plus minutes and thankfully we got one in the end.
GARETH SOUTHGATE, MANAGER, ENGLAND NATIONAL TEAM: And I'm personally delighted and but I know, he will feel that -- you know, the pride in leading his country to a win in a World Cup match tonight is the most important thing.
SNELL: Another European nation flexing its muscles would be Belgium who many people feel could well go deep in this tournament? They're the world's number three ranked team, and they're off to fly against Panama.
Stunning strike therefrom (INAUDIBLE) Smith since the ball just flying to the back of the net. They've been frustrated earlier on in the game but that's the way to make the breakthrough.
That is really the Romelu Lukaku, show the Man United forward is going not once, but twice yet, that is Kevin De Bruyne over the right foot there with the assist their superb goal from Belgium. And there was more to come from Lukaku, who really is a confidence player, and when he gets that confidence here, Rosemary, he is going to take some stopping. Belgium, 3-0 winners over tournament debutants, Panama.
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CHURCH: Wow, very exciting.
SNELL: Really is.
CHURCH: Really have a wonderful job, don't you? And because --
SNELL: I do. Loving this World Cup is so much going on. Yes.
CHURCH: I know. Do get to watch it and then, report on air, wonderful. So looking ahead --
SNELL: Yes.
CHURCH: What are the matches for Tuesday? And what should we all be looking at?
SNELL: Yes. This is some great storylines that three games on the slate for Tuesday. Let's bring them up and just show you the ones that we're going to be seeing there.
Colombia, they got to be quarterfinals four years ago in Brazil against the Japan. He got Poland against Senegal there. But the one that's really catching my eye in Group A involves the host nation, Russia, and Egypt.
Now, the Russians off to fly the beats. Saudi Arabia, 5-0 in that opening group game and that was really impressive. But let's kind of home in on Egypt and their star player, Mo Salah. There's been so much talk about him in the build-up to this tournament. He's had a sensational season in English Premier League with Liverpool, scoring over 40 goals in total in all competitions.
But here is the key, he got injured in the Champions League Final against Real Madrid, shoulder ligament injuries. He didn't play in his country's first game against Uruguay, they really need him back for this one because they really do need to get some points on the board.
Egypt know they're playing in their first World Cup since Battalion 90 that was the best part of three decades ago. They've never had a World Cup victory, in fact. If they have Mo Salah back and functioning, they're in with a chance.
But as I say, Russian confidence is soaring right now to the way they opened up their campaign.
[02:55:19] CHURCH: Well, yes.
SNELL: It's all to play for, really exciting.
CHURCH: If he doesn't play, then, you think Russia to get this?
SNELL: I think it's going to be really tight game anyway, but I think the fervor of the home fans that are getting behind the Russia National Team right now is really, really impressive. That's almost like having an extra man on the pitch in your favor.
But Egypt have quality, they have quality they just need to get that self-belief and it all hinges, I think, on Salah. Because he's very presence on the pitch. I think we'll just give a huge boost to the rest of the team.
CHURCH: Yes.
SNELL: So, we'll see how that pans out.
CHURCH: Yes. His confidence is 90 percent of it, right?
SNELL: Absolutely. Yes.
CHURCH: I want you to just standby because I want to get your take on this. A number of animal oracles have been making predictions for the World Cup for the Russia Egypt match on Tuesday, specifically. Two top oracles have the conflicting picks. First here's Farah the falcon from Dubai.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're into the second round of group games and Farah the soothsaying saker falcon is just getting into a strike. I'm expecting a good old-fashioned battle here, it's Russia versus Egypt. I wouldn't fancy betting my life on this one that is the shore. Let's see which way Farah goes in. It's mother Russia. Collegiate, and well she switched to Egypt, Egypt that is named.
CHURCH: Well, Spartak the lemur from the Yekaterinburg Zoo, also picked Egypt. But that's actually good news for Russia, that's because zookeepers believe Spartak picks the losers cup to eat from, at least, based on his track record.
ANNA ANDREYCHUK, KEEPER OF SPARTAK (through translator): He did the same for the first match, eating Saudi Arabia. So, I think he's eating those teams that are going to lose. That's what we think and what we can see.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHURCH: OK, so that's one Oracle for Egypt. One for Russia will soon find out which species is the synthetic one, right?
SNELL: Yes.
CHURCH: But, which do you think? I mean, just --
SNELL: I'm now Oracle. I do think --
CHURCH: Oh, come on.
SNELL: I think it's going to end honors even. I think it's going to be a 1-1 draw. That's my best path pick if you like.
CHURCH: All right. Well, we'll see you tomorrow, and we'll be able to talk about it.
SNELL: Don't hold me to that, though.
CHURCH: Thank you so much, Patrick Snell. Appreciate it. And we'll be right back with another hour of CNN NEWSROOM after the short break. Remember to stay connected with me on Twitter @rosemarycnn. See you soon.
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