Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Newsroom
Trump Wraps Up U.K. Visit, Walks Back Comments on Trade; GOP Lawmakers Oppose Trump's Tariffs on Mexico; Cardinal Pell Hoping to Walk Free from Charges; Gunman in Australia Kills Four; Parkland Chief Ousted, Facing Charges; Cardinal George Pell Begins Appeal Against Child Sexual Assault Conviction; Death Toll Rises To 60 Following Sudan Crackdown; Japanese Women Want A Law Against Mandatory Heels At Work; World's Biggest Firms Foresee $1 Trillion Climate Cost Hit. Aired 2-3a ET
Aired June 05, 2019 - 02:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[02:00:00]
(MUSIC PLAYING)
ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Hello and thanks for joining us, I'm Rosemary Church, you are watching CNN NEWSROOM.
Ahead this hour, Donald Trump goes from royal pageantry straight into British politics. He meets one Brexiteer and praises another during his second day in the United Kingdom.
Plus, the most senior Catholic official convicted of child sex abuse is now trying to be set free. We will have the latest on George Pell's legal appeal.
And later, a countdown to a global catastrophe. A new report that warns climate change is an existential threat to human civilization.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
CHURCH: Well, in just a few hours from now, U.S. president Donald Trump will join other world leaders on the coast of southern England to commemorate the 75th anniversary of D-Day.
The third and final day of his state visit will be filled with symbols of the special relationship between the two countries and follows a day of business and politics. Pamela Brown has our report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PAMELA BROWN, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): With the royal treatment now over, President Trump got down to business in London, praising the outgoing Prime Minister Theresa May after the two leaders met behind closed doors.
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: She's probably a better negotiator than I am, Jeremy.
BROWN: And weighing into who should replace her.
TRUMP: So I know Boris. I like him. I think he would do a very good job. I know Jeremy. I think he would do a very good job.
BROWN: And once again going after a top critic of his, London Mayor Sadiq Khan.
TRUMP: He's a negative force, not a positive force. And if you look at what he said, he hurts the people of this great country. And I think he should actually focus on his job. It would be a lot better if he did that.
BROWN: The president taking a milder tone from his tweet, right before landing in the U.K., when he called Khan a stone-cold loser and mocked his height.
For his part, Khan fired back today in an interview with CNN.
SADIQ KHAN, MAYOR OF LONDON: This is sort of what you expect from an 11-year-old, but it's for him to decide how he behaves. It's not for me to respond in the like. And I think it's beneath me to do childish tweets and name-calling.
BROWN: The most recent spat began when Khan called Trump in an op-ed in "The Guardian" newspaper a growing global threat and that he shouldn't receive the red carpet treatment in Britain.
QUESTION: Prime Minister, do you think that Sadiq Khan is a stone- cold loser?
BROWN: Prime Minister May didn't answer that question, instead pivoting to the importance of the alliance.
THERESA MAY, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: I would say to both the mayor of London and to Jeremy Corbyn the discussions that we have had today are about the future of this most important relationship between the U.S. and the U.K. BROWN: One of those issues, Brexit and the possibility of a trade
deal if the U.K. decides to lead the European Union. Today, Trump gave May credit for her handling of Brexit, which resulted in her resignation.
TRUMP: I think that is really teed up. I think they have to do something. And perhaps you won't be given the credit that you deserve if they do something, but I think you deserve a lot of credit.
BROWN: A big change from just two months ago.
TRUMP: I'm surprised at how badly it's all gone from the standpoint of a negotiation. But I gave the prime minister my ideas on how to negotiate it and I think you would have been successful. She didn't listen to that and that's fine.
BROWN: As for who should replace her, the White House announced the president would not be meeting with front-runner Boris Johnson, but he did meet with Brexit leader Nigel Farage.
NIGEL FARAGE, FORMER U.K. INDEPENDENCE PARTY LEADER: He was on top form, ebullient form, thoroughly enjoying the trip.
BROWN: And President Trump hailed the incredible intelligence-sharing relationship between the U.K. and the U.S., but what he didn't discuss concerns he raised in the past about British intelligence spying on his campaign.
He has made those claims previously without providing any evidence to back them up and British officials have flatly denied them -- Pamela Brown, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHURCH: And political analyst James Boys joins us now from London.
Good to see you.
JAMES BOYS, AMERICAN UNIVERSITY: Good morning, it's great to see you.
CHURCH: We watch President Trump and Theresa May in their news conference Tuesday where the president said everything is on the table when working out a trade deal with Britain, including its National Health Service.
Ms. May jumped in to clarify saying it would all be negotiated but, of course, the damage was done. Later on morning television, he set the record, saying this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: I don't see it being on the table. Somebody asked me a question today and I say everything's up for negotiation because everything is.
[02:05:00]
TRUMP: But I don't see that being -- that's something that I would not consider part of trade. That's not trade.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHURCH: So President Trump walking back his earlier comment about the NHS being part of a trade deal.
But this has many Brits on edge.
What are the implications of this?
And the optics of the U.S. moving in on British issues like this.
BOYS: Rosemary, there is some dispute whether Donald Trump was quite as brief as he could have been in that presser with the prime minister about what the NHS was . I think perhaps if it had been explained to him in that subsequent interview that he tried to walk that back.
As you point out, the prime minister was very quick to jump in to say, hang on a second, not so fast. Because quite frankly the National Health Service is seen as the third rail here in British politics and, if you touch it, you die.
And quite frankly any government who tried to privatized the National Health Service one way or the other by bringing in the Americans and perhaps Americanizing it any way, shape or form would be heavily criticized and I think would pay a heavy price politically here in the United Kingdom for that.
CHURCH: You don't think President Trump knew that he was talking about the National Health Service when he referred to that?
Are you saying somebody tapped him on the shoulder and said, by the way, when you are mentioning this, it's the medical system?
BOYS: I certainly think it's a possibility. If you look at that press conference that was held by the prime minister, there were two occasions for example when he was asked directly about Jeremy Corbyn.
When he referred in his answer to comments made by Sadiq Khan, I just wonder quite frankly whether he was quite as well briefed on some of the issues related to British politics as he could have been.
CHURCH: Interesting. But concerning at the same time.
What will a trade deal between the two nations look like?
Will it be the phenomenal trade deal that Mr. Trump has promised or he certainly promised on Tuesday?
BOYS: Of course any attempt to speculate what that trade deal would look like would be very, very difficult at this point. One of the bizarre things about the timing yesterday was that you had an entire entourage traveling over from Washington to meet with their British counterparts.
But, of course, it comes at a point when there is going to be a transition with the British leadership. So quite frankly, whatever was discussed yesterday will have to be revisited in a very short time period.
There were changes to the time scales in Great Britain, relating to the election of a new Conservative Party leader and by extension a new prime minister. And by July it looks like we will have a new prime minister in place and I guess, at that point, whoever that individual is, would want to revisit all agreements made over the past couple of weeks and months by the ongoing May administration.
And that will include any discussions which occurred yesterday.
CHURCH: I want to ask you this, President Trump denied seeing any protests, calling it fake news.
You're there in London, what did you see in terms of protest?
Why is it that the president apparently can't see them?
BOYS: It's important to remember, whenever the president travels around, he is with in a security enclave, the Secret Service and the British police have kept the president well protected. Even when he is traveling the very short distance from the American ambassador's residency in Regents Park to Buckingham Palace, for example, he's done so by helicopter, by Marine One.
He's made a very short road journey on The Beast, which I think some of your pictures have shown, when he avoided running over Larry the Cat, which was very impressive. But he's very much being kept away from the protests.
Those protests are not as large as they were a year ago, when the president was in town. I think they were kept very much restricted to areas around Westminster and in Trafalgar Square, where the leader of the opposition, Jeremy Corbyn addressed many of his supporters.
Generally, I think the crowds were smaller than last year; the mall, for example, leading to Buckingham Palace was sparsely populated when I was around there yesterday. So I think the crowds, both pro- and anti-Donald Trump, were less than they were 12 months ago.
CHURCH: Before we go, I want to ask you this, Theresa May has gone to great pains to emphasize what she calls the pressures and profound friendship between the two nations. President Trump praised Theresa May for her handling of Brexit, despite criticizing her two months ago.
What did you make of the overarching on both sides to end this relationship --
[02:10:00]
CHURCH: -- in a good place?
BOYS: I thought it was a very good sign, Rosemary. It's right, as you point out, that Theresa May is not necessarily known for her warmth. And Donald Trump certainly thrives on personal relationships.
So I thought the press conference that we saw yesterday was very harmonious. I think Theresa May was very much trying to set the store for what is to come, talking about the enduring relationship saying it would continue whoever was in office. I think it speaks to the long- term intrinsic relationship we have.
Far too many people believe it depends solely upon the relationship between the two leaders; where, of course, it goes a far great deal deeper than that, looking to do with security, intelligence, history, language and culture.
CHURCH: James Boys, we thank you for your analysis.
BOYS: Thank you. (END VIDEOTAPE)
CHURCH: In just a few hours, President Trump is to head for a D-Day commemoration and that's where Phil Black is now joining us.
Good to see you, Phil. The president will join other world leaders to emphasize the strong bond between the U.S. and Britain but also other countries involved. Talk to us about the symbolism of all of this and the shared history.
PHIL BLACK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It's going to be really powerful here today, Rosemary. They are going to be remembering what was a defining moment in Europe's modern history, history's biggest amphibious assault, a hugely complex military operation that saw 130,000 men transported across the English Channel to storm the beaches of Normandy under heavy fire, a further 18,000 dropped from the sky.
An incredibly complex operation, an international one that played a really key role in turning the momentum of the war, liberating Western Europe and ultimately, significantly contributing to the results of the war, the Allied victory.
And international operation that will be remembered here in Portsmouth because this is where a lot of the vessels set sail from, both from the city and areas nearby along the coast, 15 world leaders here will be significantly talking about just how important the international cooperation was in pulling off and planning and executing this military operation.
A big focus here today will also be on those who have memories of that day, of that operation, the surviving veterans, men, all in their 90s, hundreds of them who have memories, who experienced the day, the fear and the effort and the courage and, of course, the loss as well.
All of this will make for a really powerful memorial ceremony which will play out here within the coming hours -- Rosemary.
CHURCH: It's critical and, of course, we heard the queen's toast to the U.S. president on Monday, where she emphasized the importance of the relationship with the U.S. and, of course, other traditional allies, the shared sacrifices during the Second World War and postwar institutions that were set up to safeguard that hard-won peace.
It's a message the prime minister has also been stressing.
Is there a sense that that message has been received by the U.S. president?
BLACK: Well, I think it depends on who you ask. Certainly you are right; that is the message that has been public across every stage of the state visit. The relationship and the history, the alliance is much more important than the personalities or the characters that are leading these countries at any point in time.
That will be the theme of the proceedings here today. It will be about the importance of international cooperation, of multilateralism, of what can be achieved when countries work together towards a greater good. And the lasting legacy of that sort of work.
So I think once again, here today, it's not going to be a focus on individuals. It won't be a focus on the U.S. president specifically, on Donald Trump, although he's obviously an important guest. It's about the moment that took place here 75 years ago and the lasting legacy and the lessons that the world, the leaders and particularly those who take part in international relations can draw from that in today's age as well -- Rosemary.
CHURCH: Phil Black, joining us from Portsmouth, England, where it is 7:15 in the morning and we thank you for that preview.
U.S. Republican senators are publicly expressing opposition to President Trump's threat to impose tariffs on Mexican imports.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL (R-KY), SENATE MAJORITY LEADER: There is not much support in my conference for tariffs, that's for sure.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Will you try to block the tariffs?
[02:15:00]
MCCONNELL: Well, what I'm telling you is that we are hoping that doesn't happen.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHURCH: Even Mr. Trump's aides say the move to add tariffs risks slowing the U.S. economy. It's not known if Republican lawmakers have enough votes to block the president. But Mr. Trump says that they would be foolish to try. He says the tariffs are to pressure Mexico to stop migrants from crossing into the United States.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: The fight is out there, we have an early start of yet, this won't take effect next week. We will see if we can do something but it's more likely that the tariffs go on.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHURCH: American consumers will likely foot the bill if the U.S. places tariffs on Mexican imports and some jobs can be on the line as well. Erica Hill went to one of the states that would be hit hard, the swing state of Michigan, to get a sense of how people there feel about it.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ERICA HILL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A proud third generation Chrysler employee, Chris Vitale works on the engines of the future.
CHRIS VITALE, CHRYSLER EMPLOYEE: I am the engineer's hands. I put things together. HILL (voice-over): For years politicians have campaigned for the support of the country's nearly 1 million auto workers. Now their future is linked to immigration and the president's push for stronger borders.
VITALE: I feel like he wouldn't have to resort to that if we had a Senate and a Congress that would enforce the borders.
HILL (voice-over): Vitale, who voted for Obama twice, supports President Trump and his tactics.
VITALE: People have endured much worse than expensive avocados or a few more here and there to protect the country and I think this is valid, what he is doing.
SHAWN CRAWFORD (PH), AUTO WORKER: I think it's the wrong way to go about doing it. It makes us look awful in the eyes of the world. And quite honestly, I'm ashamed.
HILL (voice-over): Shawn Crawford just moved back to his hometown for a job at GM'S Flint, Michigan, facility after the auto giant announced plans to close the plant where he worked.
CRAWFORD: I've really seen the ups and downs of the auto industry.
HILL (voice-over): He worries about his future under Trump.
CRAWFORD: If you raise the price of these products less people are going to buy them. It's just common sense. And if less people buy these products that I'm building every day then they're going to have to lay people off.
HILL: How quickly do you think that could happen?
CRAWFORD: Well, in the contract it says they only have to give you 24-hour notice.
ANN WILSON, MEMA: This industry will not be able to survive in its current form with the increasing number of tariffs on Mexican goods. It just will not work and this will directly and immediately affect the American consumer.
HILL (voice-over): After 25 years in the volatile auto industry, Vitale believes they can weather a storm and is confident this president has his back.
VITALE: The idea that somebody would actually fight for us after being told for years and years, oh, you don't matter; you're going the way of the buggy whip and he's won legions of fans just for doing that.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHURCH: Thanks, Erica Hill, for that report.
He is the most senior Catholic official ever convicted of child sex abuse. Now this former aide to the pope could walk free. The latest on George Pell and his appeal.
And police are searching for a motive after a mass shooting in northern Australia. We'll cover that as well. Stay with us.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[02:20:00]
(MUSIC PLAYING)
CHURCH: A crackdown by Sudanese forces has killed dozens this week, at a time when Muslims are supposed to be marking Eid. Witnesses say paramilitaries and police opened fire on protesters in Khartoum on Monday. Doctors report at least 16 people are dead and hundreds are wounded.
The demonstrators were calling for civilian rule after the military ousted dictator Omar al-Bashir in April. On Tuesday, the country's military leaders said he wanted elections in nine months. He also said that all deals with the opposition are canceled.
Well, he was once one of the most powerful men in the Roman Catholic Church. Now former Australian cardinal George Pell is in court appealing his convictions on child sex abuse. The former Vatican treasurer was sentenced to six years in prison back in March for molesting two choirboys. If his convictions are overturned, he could walk free.
For more, Anna Coren joins us now from Melbourne.
Anna, how likely is it that George Pell will walk free?
What is at the heart of his legal argument?
ANNA COREN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Rosemary, court has just adjourned and very shortly we will see George Pell's legal team walk out of the Supreme Court in Melbourne, along with many people who have come to watch today's proceedings.
His legal team have been furiously arguing that these were unreasonable verdicts, that the testimony and the evidence by the sole surviving choir boy could not convince the jury beyond a reasonable doubt that George Pell was guilty of molesting those two choirboys back in 1996 and 1997 when he was archbishop of Melbourne.
We heard from his barrister early today and he said it was impossible for George Pell to commit these crimes.
He said, quote, "The offending not only did not occur but could not have occurred."
He said that there were 13 or at least 13 obstacles in the way of the conviction. He has to convince two of the three appeal court judges, who are forensically examining the evidence or the documents, the video testimony. That did a tour of the cathedral with the legal teams.
George Pell has been inside the courtroom; very soon, he will be taken back to the assessment prison in Melbourne a few blocks away. But he was there, in the dock, writing notes and listening intently.
Legal opinion is very much divided, Rosemary, as to where this will go. Some believe that he has a very strong chance of getting off and walking free. Others believe the court of appeal is reluctant to overturn the jury's decision.
There were only 12 Australians on the jury who heard the evidence of that sole surviving choir boy, not the media, not the public, only the jury and legal team and obviously the judge. They found him to be credible and trustworthy, so much so that they convicted George Pell of five counts of child sexual abuse.
But the choirboy who died in 2014 of a heroin overdose, his father believe that George Pell ruined his life. This was a young man who, at the age of 13, was molested by George Pell. And he says that George Pell ruined his son's life. We spoke to his lawyer a little bit earlier today, take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LISA FLYNN, ATTORNEY: I've spoken to her client this morning, he's feeling a nervous and anxious but also somewhat relieved that this day has come. Ever since George Pell --
[02:25:00]
FLYNN: -- did indicate that he was going to appeal the conviction, this has been hanging over our client's head. So, in some ways he is relieved that we will have a decision soon.
But obviously, he is also feeling really anxious that the court of appeal could overturned George Pell's conviction in relation to the sexual offenses against his son.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COREN: That was Lisa Flynn, the lawyer of the father of the deceased choir boy. Interestingly, today has been livestreamed; it's the second time the supreme court has done this. The reason being there is such a high public interest in this case and also for transparency.
Tomorrow we will hear from the prosecution of their case as to why the appeal should not be overturned and George Pell should serve his jail sentence.
I also note, Rosemary, he will be returning 78 and this weekend and will he walk out here a free man tomorrow?
We don't know. The court of appeal could hand its decision tomorrow. It seems unlikely at this stage; it might be in the weeks to come. But as we know, either way with the defense or the prosecution that they can appeal this decision to the high courts. It certainly isn't over as of yet -- Rosemary.
CHURCH: We will continue to follow this and we will await a decision on this, Anna Coren joining us live where it's just 4:30 in the afternoon. Many thanks.
Police say a man released on parole earlier this year has been arrested for killing at least four people during a mass shooting in Darwin, Australia. It's not clear what triggered the attack but police are ruling out terrorism. Our Michael Holmes has our report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This was the moment where Australian police took the suspect in multiple shootings into custody. It's one of the worst gun violence incidents Australia has suffered in decades.
MICHAEL GUNNER, NORTHERN TERRITORY CHIEF MINISTER: The alleged offender has been arrested and taken into custody. I understand, when an event like this occurs, especially considering recent global events, people's fears turn to terrorism. I can confirm that we do not believe this is a terrorism incident.
HOLMES (voice-over): Police say they're still trying to establish a motive for the suspect, who was released on parole earlier this year. He's believed to have used a shotgun as he moved to multiple locations to carry out the shootings.
REECE KERSHAW, NORTHERN TERRITORY POLICE COMMISSIONER: We've received a 0-0-0 call indicating there had been shots fired within the CBD area and a male armed offender was actively involved. We dispatched a number of our units and as a result of that, we were able to track down that particular individual and take him into custody.
HOLMES (voice-over): Gun crimes are rare in Australia, which has some of the world's toughest gun laws. Those laws introduced after 35 people were killed at Port Arthur in Tasmania back in 1996 -- Michael Holmes, CNN, Atlanta.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHURCH: To the United States now. The former sheriff's deputy who came up under heavy criticism for his actions during a school shooting is now facing charges. Surveillance video at Florida's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shows Scot Peterson taking a position outside the school.
Authorities say the gunman killed five students and one teacher while Peterson stood outside for 45 minutes. When the shooting ended, 17 people were dead. Parents of the victims spoke out.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RYAN PETTY, ALAINA'S FATHER: It's very clear he knew what was happening. It's very clear to me he knew where the shots were coming from inside the building. And it was very clear he took a defensive position behind a cement pillar and stayed there for 48 minutes, even while other law enforcement responded and went in the building.
LORI ALHADEFF, ALYSSA'S MOTHER: He needs to go to jail and he needs to serve a lifetime in prison for not going in that day and taking down the threat that led to the death of our loved ones. And he needs to be held accountable for his lack of action that day.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHURCH: Peterson faces charges of child neglect, culpable negligence and perjury. His attorney says the charges are politically motivated retribution against Peterson.
A quick break and then we will meet some of the G.I. babies born during the Second World War, whose lives were dictated by institutionalized racism. Their stories are just ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[02:32:19] ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Welcome back, everyone. You're watching CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Rosemary Church. Let's check out the headlines this hour. U.S. President Trump is promising a phenomenal trade deal with the United Kingdom. But his suggestion that the National Health Service will be on the table in talks was met with a median opposition.
He walked to comment back later, in a few hours President Trump will join world leaders at a D-Day commemoration. Cardinal George Pell arrived at an Australian court hours ago to appeal his child sex abuse convictions. He was sentenced to six years in prison for molesting two choirboys. His lawyers argued the former Vatican Treasurer did not get a fair trial. If judges overturned his conviction, he could walk free.
A doctor's group says at least 60 people are now dead after Monday's attack on Sudanese protesters. Security forces stormed the Khartoum City in as demonstrators called for civilian government. After the violence, the country's military leader said, he wanted elections in nine months. He also said all deals with the opposition are canceled. Plus President Trump turn to politics during his state visit to United Kingdom.
Large crowds gathered to protest his policies. They were just meters from where he was meeting with outgoing Prime Minister Theresa May. Erin McLaughlin reports from the center of those protests.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ERIN MCLAUGHLIN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: This is the closest the U.S. President has been to London anti-Trump protestors. And the so-called carnival of resistance. British humor on full display.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE) I may find myself answering for convictions.
MCLAUGHLIN: Complete with a Boris Johnson impersonator.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This to me a campaign you can get behind.
MCLAUGHLIN: And the Trump (INAUDIBLE) will stand.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Far enough, you can build a wall.
MCLAUGHLIN: Making a little money while poking fun. On Tuesday, the giant Trump baby blimp took to London skies for a second time.
SHEILA MENON, TRUMP PROTEST ORGANIZER: What we're using is very powerful, purist visual symbol for the general public to get behind to voice their opposition to Trump.
MCLAUGHLIN: Thousands took to the streets, bused in from all over the U.K. While the rain and wind damped in things a bit, the protest was very real. President Trump is currently meeting with Prime Minister May at 10 Downing Street. You see the gates of the Prime Minister's residents just over the highway. Protest happening at Trafalgar Square right over there. He's definitely within their shot.
But Trump insists, this all amounts to fake news.
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: You saw the people waving the American flag, waving your flags it was a tremendous spirit and love. There was great love, it was an alliance.
[02:35:04] And I didn't see the protesters until just a little while ago and it was a saw very, very small group of people put in for political reasons. So it was fake news.
MCLAUGHLIN: There was some love in the crowd for the U.S. President.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We know that CNN is fake news media. As most if I may say, no offense on you. We're here because Trump is the truth. He is a democracy.
MCLAUGHLIN: Was a minority view. Most here were hostile to the President and his policies.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Still love Americans but it's about time you have a revolution in your country.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: People would march more in America, right? I mean, I feel like they're done, they're just go on Facebook and they're really hit the streets.
MCLAUGHLIN: But this year not too many hit the streets of London either. A year ago, the showing was stronger. And the sun was out and President Trump stuck to the outskirts of London. This time he went to the heart of the capital. Sound a protest for himself. Perhaps not quite the turnout organizers had promised, the scene was far from President Trump's vision, a tremendous spirit and love. Erin McLaughlin, CNN London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHURCH: Well, 75 years ago the largest seaborne invasion in history was waiting to begin. It would change the world, it signaled the beginning of the end of the Second World War. And would help lead to the Europe we know today. It was D-Day. In the coming hours on the eve of the 75th anniversary, Britain will host a tribute to the thousands of allied soldiers who died. 16 nations have signed a compilation saying over the last 75 years, our nations have stood up for peace in Europe and globally for democracy tolerance and rule of law.
We recommit today to those shared values because they support the stability and prosperity of our nations and our people. We will work together as allies and friends to defend these freedoms, whenever they are threatened, it is their responsibility to show the unimaginable horror of World War II is never repeated. Well, as the world marks the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings, it's important to remember the toll World War II took on so many lives.
Among those who suffered the G.I. babies. Biracial children now in their seventies born to African-American servicemen and white British mother's during the war. CNN's Isa Soares has been speaking to those still searching for their identity in the U.K.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ISA SOARES, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: When African-American soldiers arrived in Britain in the Second World War, their bravery was instrumental in the war effort. But it was also the start of a story of love, loss and the lifetime of searching.
DAVE GREENE, G.I. BABY: That is the first one I can remember my mom showing me of this handsome chapter she was so in love with.
SOARES: Around 2000, mixed-race babies were born from relationship between black G.I.s and white British women. The romance is born for more time dances were torn apart by peace.
GREENE: She always spoke with great fondness of my father. She told me that she would have loved to have gone to the space.
SOARES: The U.S. Army refuses black G.I.'s position to marry their white British girlfriends or make paternity claims. And she loved your father he said?
GREENE: Yes. No doubt about it. No doubt about it. I don't think she ever got over him.
SOARES: After growing up in a white family, more than 50 years pasts before G.I. Baby Dave Greene track down and met his black father for the first time in Brooklyn. But many G.I. babies have never known the love of either of their parents. Hundreds of the mix races and so- called legitimate babies were put into children's homes. The stigma too much for many mothers to cope and what was then a very white Britain.
At Holnicote House in Somerset, West England, around 20 mixed-race G.I. babies were raced until they reach the age of five. At which point they were sent to other homes or abducted. Identity struggles began and sent away from other children I look like them. They adopted. Their identity struggles began when they were sent away from other children that look like them.
Deborah Prior and Carol Edwards were given up as babies by their mothers and live together at Holnicote. They both remember their time they're fundling.
DEBORAH PRIOR, G.I. BABY: There's a group of us that's all about the same age, all born '44 or '45. But in the cuts together we shared parties together, we played together and (INAUDIBLE) that was our family.
SOARES: Yes. But the pain of never really knowing their birth parents has defined their lives.
[02:40:02] PRIOR: We weren't allowed to be white, and yet we weren't black.
CAROL EDWARDS, G.I. BABY: As a teenager, I did question, who was I? Who am I?
PRIOR: It's like a missing piece.
SOARES: New research for the book Britain's Brown Babies has only found one child successfully adopted by his American father.
LEON LOMAX, G.I. BABY: This is after they picked me up from the airport and brought me home. I felt very lucky and very fortunate. It was really hard for him to find me, so that's another -- really unfortunate.
SOARES: Leon's mother gave up rights to him as a baby. But at the age of three his father tracked him down in a children's home and flew him to the United States. He still bears the scars of his mother's choice.
LOMAX: There's always kind of like a void and that void will always be there because I never got to meet her. I know as a kid it really hurt me when she left because I have a distant memory of standing in the corner of a crib crying real hard. I always said that my son --
(CROSSTALK)
SOARES: Leon's questions remain that she want to give him up or was she forced? Many years later he found out where his mother was. She tragically died two years previously. Her gravestone was all he got to see.
LOMAX: There was this a lot of questions that I wanted to ask her, my sister, you know, gave me this picture and she also gave me her wedding ring. Which I wear all the time and it's one of the best gifts I've ever gotten in my life.
SOARES: For hundreds of Britain's G.I. babies, distant memories of love offers some comfort but they will never clinch to desire for answers. Isa Soares, CNN Somerset, England. (END VIDEOTAPE)
CHURCH: That's a tough story to tell there. Well, up next, barren glacier and lethal heat. A new report is calling climate change an existential threat to us all. I've been talking to one of America's top environmentalists. His views on the dangers of climate change. That's coming up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHURCH: We are tracking a heat wave in India. Let's turn to our meteorologist, Pedram Javaheri who joins us now with more on all of that. And Pedram, the temperatures are just extraordinary?
PEDRAM JAVAHERI, CNN INTERNATIONAL METEOROLOGIST: They are, you know, it is the hot season, this is the time of year you expect heat but Rosemary as you said earlier, it's another level when it comes to amount of heat here. We're talking about eight consecutive days across cities such as Delhi that we've exceeded 40 degrees which is above average for this time of year. And you noticed heat warnings still widespread across the central and northwestern region of the country.
Works away towards Thursday and much remains the same across this region with extreme heat still in the forecast and waiting for the onset of them on soused to finally cool these temperatures off. But how about this? In Churu to the north there coming in with a high temperature of 50.3 degrees.
[02:45:00] That's in the shade without humidity and of course you factor in the heat in the seas, we're talking about 54 to 57 in a few spots. It's about 136 degrees Fahrenheit. How hot it feels across some of these cities. But notice Delhi here, temps since May 27th have stayed about 40 degrees. Again, eight consecutive days running above average and the next seven days, I'll tell you what, keeps it much the same here.
It's not only into the lower 40s but climb up to the upper and mid 40s by Sunday and Money. And finally as moisture increases later this week, we begin to see some changes as far as dropping temperatures. But go to the south, this is when you see the monsoons begin to take shape and the State of Chennai there, the area that watch very carefully this time of year to bring in some cooler temperatures and somewhat weather.
And with a country that's home to some 250 million farmers, you know, rainfall and the monsoons really play a significant role on their livelihood. And in fact, notice the past seven years, only one of these past seven years has actually provided surplus in the rainfall department. So a very dry spell in recent years and we're hoping to see some changes here at least in the next couple of weeks, Rosemary.
CHURCH: All right. Thank you so much, Pedram. I appreciate you keeping us up to date on the situation there. Well, the potentially lethal heat in India could be a sign of worse things to come. An Australian think thanks says climate change could devastate societies by 2050 posing an existential threat. The new information from the Melbourne-based group is not a scientific study but an attempt to model future scenarios based on existing research.
The group says a doomsday future is not inevitable but drastic action is needed now. Well, climate change carries a huge price tag as well, nearly $1 trillion to the world's biggest company. That is according to the charity CDP formerly the Carbon Disclosure Project. Nearly 7000 companies including Microsoft, Apple, J.P. Morgan Chase and Visa responded to its 2018 survey.
And it's not all bad news, you're not happy to hear that no doubt. Opportunities for new products and services to reduce environmental damage could be worth even more. So let's take a closer look at all of this with environmentalist Bill McKibben. Good to have you with us.
BILL MCKIBBEN, ENVIRONMENTALIST: Rosemary, good to be with you.
CHURCH: So two alarming new climate reports, the one from Australia suggest global warming could pose an existential threat by 2050. If swift and dramatic action is not taken. A warning of the displacement of more than a billion people, food shortages and the partial abandonment of large global cities. It is of course a doomsday scenario here. How plausible is it do you think?
MCKIBBEN: Well, look, today and India temperatures are reaching 123 Fahrenheit, over 50 degrees Celsius. We saw last summer the hottest temperatures reliably recorded in the history of the planet. 129 degrees in a series cities across the Mid-East and in India. The human body can survive at 129 degrees Fahrenheit but only for a few hours. It just can't cool itself off enough.
And so if we're already seeing those kind of temperatures with a one degree disintegrate global temperature increase, you understand why the scientists aren't convinced that that will mean large parts of the planet will be like that inside there for a few decades.
CHURCH: So what action can be taken right now to slow this process down?
MCKIBBEN: There's no mystery about climate change. It's caused by the combustion of the coal and gas and oil, we need to stop it. Happily, we have an alternative now, and the engineers have done their job in the pricing of solar panel or wind turbine has dropped 90 percent in the last decade. Monopoly, we have the fossil fuel industry in the way doing whatever they can to hold on to their old business model.
The only way to square that circle is for people to rise up the next big chance of course will be this global all ages climate strike in September 20th. We're helping to organize. We expect it to be the largest protest of that climate change in the planet's history and that's the kind of citizen effort that's going to take to push our leaders to do the right thing.
CHURCH: Right. And of course the other report from the Charity CDP warns that climate change could cost the world's largest public companies, nearly $1 trillion over the next five years. But adds that opportunities for new product and services to reduce environmental damage could prove profitable. What's your reaction to that report?
MCKIBBEN: Look, there's not enough money on earth to really cope with the scale of what's coming if we let global warming continue on (INAUDIBLE)
[02:50:06] the first thing to be -- is people who bear the brunt of this of course are people of the forest, people on the planet who've done the least to cause the problem. And they're probably not so worried about the entire economics of this now about the fact that their farms are simply drying up or that the ocean is overtaking an island or whatever. But for people in the rich world, look, this is the greatest economic challenge humans have ever faced.
Lord Stern said a decade ago that it would be our greater cost than World War I, World War II and the Great Depression combined when he revisited this report a few years ago, he said he had grievously underestimated the cost. So hang on to your pocketbooks, the cost of making the transition to remove all energy is infinitely smaller than the cost of just steaming ahead into a hot new world.
CHURCH: Right. And that report published Tuesday by CDP surveyed nearly 7000 large companies and the findings included Coca-Cola warning they may not be enough clean water to make coke. Bank of America's concern, customers made a fault on their mortgages if flood insurance becomes unaffordable due to these extreme weather conditions. Disney says it may be too hot to attend its theme parks and Apple worries it could lose millions in loss services and sales due to severe weather.
Now these are major concern for these big companies. So what are they doing to lobby and to combat climate change?
MCKIBBEN: Not enough is the short answer. They all have big lobbying operations in Capitol Hill or Brussels or all the other places that we matter. But they don't use them to go after climate change, they're always worried about a new tax break for their industry people or whatever it is. And so they left lobbying over climate change to the Exxons and Shells and Chevrons of the world.
And they've used their lobbying might to make sure that nothing ever change this. As I say, that's why citizens have had to stand up and it's why we've seen this massive global divestment movement from fossil fuel shares. It's why people are standing up to some of the big banks, that will be a big target during this climate strike in September 20th.
CHURCH: Yes. And you referred to that of course as well as that that's coming up in September. We've all been witnessing these global protests. Bareheaded by younger people for the most part trying to warn in the first part trying to warn the rest of the population about the threat posed by global warming. But for the most part, politicians and decision-makers appear not to be listening, right? Why are they not heeding these warnings? Is it because the threat appears too far away or is it because they reject any threat exist at all?
MCKIBBEN: No. It's because they're under the influence of the fossil fuel industry. The richest industry on the planet. But they're beginning to pay more attention as we watch the U.S. political scheme for instant, all of it -- political candidates are now coming out with ambitious climate plans. And that's because they are seeing people stand up. For the eight months, it's been mostly young people led by Greta Thunberg from Sweden.
And these massive school climate strikes. But they've now asked everyone to come together at the global climate strike, that for all ages climate strike. They're saying, look, it's not up to sixth graders to save the world, we'll do our part but we need other people standing up too. And so we've been very, very pleased to see the response to that. We think it will be the biggest day of the climate action in the planet's history.
CHURCH: September 20th, a big day for people to work toward. Bill Mckibben, thank you so much for your joining us and sharing your expertise on this issue.
MCKIBBEN: Rosemary, what a pleasure. Thank you.
CHURCH: Oh, very sobering there. Well, thousands of women take a stand against mandatory high heels at work. How this movement got its legs, that's ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[02:55:11] CHURCH: Well, in Japan women are putting their feet down when it comes to wearing high heels. A new movement is sweeping the country demanding they'd be able to wear flats to work. CNN's Clare Sebastian takes a closer look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Women in Japan are standing up to wearing high heels at work. Nearly 20,000 women have signed an online petition known as the #KuToo campaign. Asking businesses to relax their dress codes. The online movement says forcing female employees to wear heels his sexist.
YUMI ISHIKAWA, #KUTOO FOUNDER (through translator): Many people need to realize there is a fundamental sexual discrimination. We need to be angry about this, we've been talked to live with it for many years.
SEBASTIAN: Campaign organizers named the movement KuToo after a variation on the Japanese word for pain. They say the shoes hurt and hard to move around in. And even though some companies ask men to wear suits and ties, it doesn't compare to the discomfort caused by heels.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): My feet start hurting and it's painful to keep standing in heels. Sometimes my back even starts to hurt.
SEBASTIAN: The petition is now with Japan's health ministry which says it will review the request. Some Japanese women say they are hoping it will result in a little relief from the aches, bunions, and blisters after hard day's work.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): I feel free and relaxed after I come home and take off my high heels. They hurt my feet.
SEBASTIAN: Women across the world share their pain, actress Kristen Stewart walked barefoot at the can film festival last year to protest its rule on women wearing flats. And similar petitions in the U.K. and Canada have met with varying degrees of success. Organizers say they have high hopes for #KuToo to finally hang up their heels. And stomp out what they say is an old and unfair rule. Clare Sebastian, CNN New York.
CHURCH: Well done. We'll watch their process there. And you are watching CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Rosemary Church. I'll be back with another hour of news right after the short break. Do you stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
