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CNN International: Blocked From Bumble; Anger In Iraq And Iran Over U.S. Airstrikes; U.S. Forces Conduct Airstrikes In Iraq And Syria. Aired 11a-12p ET

Aired December 30, 2019 - 11:00   ET

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

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[11:00:16]

MAX FOSTER, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Escalating tensions in the Middle East. The U.S. military strikes on a militia group in Iraq and Syria too late to leave. Tens of thousands of people caught in the path of bushfires in Australia, And the aid agencies appeal to the international community to help millions of Zimbabweans. And an actress is blocked from the Bumble dating app just for being a self. This is CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Max Foster live from London.

Well, we begin with news that Iran has seized another ship in the Persian Gulf. Iran state-run news agency says the ship was detained for smuggling and 16 Malaysian crew members were arrested right now. It's not clear what nation's flag The ship was sailing under. The seizure comes after Iran's anger response though to weekend us airstrikes in Iraq and Syria. Iran calls it an escalation and its foreign minister wants the U.S. will face consequences.

The U.S. says the strikes are targeted facilities used by a militia group linked to Iran wrong that has carried out attacks on American military personnel. That militia group is calling on its forces to "Drive the brutal American enemy out of Iraq." Senior International Correspondent Arwa Damon is watching the story for us from Istanbul. Journalists Ramin Mostaghim is in Tehran and Lieutenant General Mark Hertling, our CNN military analyst is in Florida today.

First of all, to you, Arwa, I mean, scant details so far, not least what flag they were sailing under but what do you know?

ARWA DAMON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Very little at this stage just that those 16 or so, Malaysian sailors were detained. But as you were saying there, this comes after what can only be described and perhaps not adequately as a fairly tense situation playing out in Iraq, but between Washington and Tehran after the US carried out those strikes. And as we're hearing carried out those strikes against the will of the Iraqi Government.

Secretary of Defense, the American Secretary of Defense had called the Iraqi caretaker Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi about half an hour before these attacks took place. Adel Abdul Mahdi ask that the U.S. not carry them out. But as we now know, they did. Three strikes happening in Iraq, two in Syria against this militia called Kataib Hezbollah that has a fairly dark and complicated history in Iraq.

It was among the more prominent militias under this umbrella called the special groups that were fighting it, U.S. forces also fighting in the Iraqi civil war that was unfolding at the same time carrying out some pretty horrific attacks not just against the U.S. military but also against the Sunni population. And then fast forward to 2014. ISIS taking over and then this very same group along with other Shia militias ended up under the umbrella of the Iraqi security forces, in theory.

But part of this entity called the Popular Mobilization Forces that were instrumental in driving ISIS out of some areas. This is a group that has long been a thorn in the side of the U.S. military. They carried out a fairly devastating strike on Friday at a location that houses U.S. personnel near Kirkuk. They're killing one U.S. contractor and wounding others. Look, America has been to a certain degree perhaps restrained when it comes to responding to Iran coming very close to the point of actually carrying out some sort of strike but pulling back if you'll remember over the summer, there were those oil tankers that were targeted according to the U.S. by Iran in the Persian Gulf.

And then of course, you had the Iranians shooting down a U.S. drone, but this particular retaliation by the U.S. has the Iraqi government very concerned because the country can hardly afford to be an even greater proxy battlefield between Washington and Tehran, Max.

FOSTER: OK. Ramin, obviously lots of people already linking this detention of the ship with the Malaysian crew members on board to these recent escalations and tensions that Arwa has been talking about, but it's not unusual, is it? For ship be taking into smuggling?

[11:05:01]

RAMIN MOSTAGHIM, JOURNALIST: Max, this is the sixth one, the sixth seizure of the boat or ship or smuggling fuels in the Persian Gulf. So, it is not a new case. It is one of the cases that happens from time to time. But the timing of this seizing the boat with 16 Malaysian crew is not -- I mean usual and the timing says that, once again, Iran and America are getting engaged in a battle of proxies in Iraq and Syria.

And this is another aspects of escalation of potentially the Persian Gulf. But this very case of seizing the boat smuggling fuel is not very important, although now. We have heard that IRGC has issued and confirmed it means that IRGC wants to flex the muscles and to show that yes, you are killing the Hashd al-Shaabi and you are attacking to their basis. Now we can retaliate in the Persian Gulf.

And also we can we reserve rights to encourage the Iraqi Hashd al- Shaabi to retaliate and take revenge. So this is one side the escalations of the battle of the proxies in the region in the Middle East, I can say. And at the same time, a foreign policy apparatus in Iran is showing some somehow reservations and restring for example, the spokesman of the Foreign Ministry, accompanying Mr. Zarif to Moscow has warned America that we -- I mean, America should wait for the consequences of the illegal attack and terrorist attack what you say.

But at the same time in a joint press conference, Zarif and Lavrov, Zarif didn't raise the issue of attacks. So it means that there is a one side self-restraint from an Iranian side. But the proxy wars in Iraq is gaining momentum. I can say, Max.

FOSTER: OK. Lieutenant General, likely to be a response from the U.S. in response to what's happened in the Gulf now. I mean, how does this go from here?

LET. GEN. MAX HERTLING (RET.), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Well, you're talking Max about two different styles of warfare. There's, first of all the economic warfare that's taking place within the gulf with the seizure of ships. That's troubling across the board because it interferes with the shipping of oil to various countries throughout the world and it is economic warfare.

Then on the other hand, you have an asymmetric proxy war. We have seen the warnings from the Trump administration, about the potential for these kinds of strikes. Based on the intelligent intelligence that Iran has wanted to unleash their Popular Mobilization Forces across the spectrum everywhere from the border of Iran, with Iraq, to Syria and even into Israel. So you're going to see a continued potential for proxy attacks like we've seen.

The administration has held back and has been somewhat patient as Secretary Pompeo said this morning after the strike against the UAV a few months ago, and then the strike against Saudi Arabian oil fields, but now there was an American citizen killed in the strike up K-1 Base. What's interesting though, to me, linking the tactics with the strategy is the K-1 as Arwa said just a minute ago is just south of the City of Kirkuk in Eastern Iraq.

The strikes took place in Western Iraq and Syria. So they were strategic strikes, they hit targets as a warning and they're called defensive strikes. I'm not sure I understand that terminology. But they were strikes saying, sending a message from the United States to Iran of stop the proxy fight against force - U.S. forces and Iraqi forces. And Arwa so pointedly made clear, the Iraqi government, which is suffering, a lot of this domestic disturbances right now is pulled into this chaotic situation.

And they have to account for their Shia citizens, as well as seeing many who don't want Americans on their soil conducting strike, and pulling the Iraqi government into these proxy wars. So it's going to be continually complex and disturbing as this continues. And I don't think we've seen the last of these kinds of exchanges between Iran and the United States in the territory of Iraq. And it'll be interesting to see what the Iraqi government does about this.

FOSTER: Well, that's it, isn't it? What are you looking for, Arwa? Obviously, the Iraqi Government will be wanting more resources from the U.S. in order to respond to effectively, they would argue is partly their fight. [11:10:10]

FOSTER: But those resources being pulled out, aren't they?

DAMON: Yes. And it's really complicated, Max, because, you know, first of all, this particular militia, as we've been saying, is part of this Popular Mobilization Force and that ostensibly falls under the umbrella of the Iraqi security forces. But the reality is that the Iraqi government, the Iraqi Ministry of Defense does not necessarily have that much control over this unit as a whole and most certainly does not have control over the action of a militia, like Kata'ib Hezbollah.

And at the same time that all of this is unfolding, Max, you also have the country and complete and total political turmoil. Effectively it's caught in this sort of identity crisis to a certain degree. On the one hand, it's being pulled by these young protesters that have been in the streets for months right now demanding an end to all outside influence, including Iran's influence, which is something that is quite surprising to hear so openly being stated on the streets not just to Baghdad, but in the countries predominantly Shia south.

And then you have the forces, the officials that Iran is backing trying to make sure that they don't lose their grip on power. The Iraqi president has missed two deadlines so far to name a new prime minister after Adel Abdul Mahdi resigned in the beginning of December. He's now in a caretaker position. The president, Barham Salih has stated that none of the candidates being put forward by the main Iraqi political blocks are suitable because they are viewed -- he views them as too many others in the streets as being too closely affiliated with Iran.

So, on the one hand, you have elements within the country trying to move it out of the grips and the influence and the shadow of Iran that it has been under and on the other hand, you have these forces trying to ensure that that doesn't happen. When you add this kind of a strike to that mix, one, you end up basically telling the Iraqi government that yes, you know, you will violate their sovereignty no matter what.

You also to a certain degree end up undermining the Iraqi government that is already struggling immensely with its own credibility. And you send some fairly dark signals to the Iraqi population, you know, as a whole, because they also look at this and realize that their country is becoming this proxy battlefield. So, you know, on the one hand, some may argue that the U.S. does need to respond, and yes, it does need to protect its own personnel.

But others will tell you that these kinds of actions are very detrimental to the stability of Iraq when it already is incredibly unstable.

FOSTER: And Lieutenant General, we talked about the U.S. as one united force as well, but obviously with In the military there's a lot of confusion about what House policy on the Middle East. HERTLING: Well -- and that's very true and if I can just add to what Arwa said, the fact that Barham Salih has been faced with some of these decisions on who takes over the new government as a new prime minister has been very troubling and as we've seen most of the attacks by the Kata'ib Hezbollah have taken place in the western part of Iraq. It was fascinating that this most recent rocket attack which killed Iraqi citizens as well as a U.S. contractor occurred in Kirkuk.

Some would say a Kurdish region and knowing that Barham Salih is a Kurd himself as the president trying to manage this very difficult political situation draws more impetus to having solutions. But again, the United States is a little bit confused -- the U.S. military I'll speak for the military is a bit confused about the policy of what we are exactly doing in Iraq right now. We are continuing to contribute as part of the inherent resolve, the operation, which is geared toward continuing the efforts against the remaining remnants of ISIS, which are still in the country.

And at the same time attempting to partner with the Iraqi security forces, and again, as stated, within the Iraqi security forces, yes, the PMF. The Popular Mobilization Front contributed significantly to the defeat of ISIS during the period of Civil War. But at the same time, they are not seen by the Iraqi security forces as being part of the National Security Alliance.

So that -- this is where all this contention comes in. They represent a Shia block, the PMF represents a Shia belief within Iraq that bears its allegiance to the Ayatollahs in Iran. So that brings even more confusion to this and that is why it's continuing to be a complex situation. And again, the strikes were -- I believe, meant to be a deterrent for future attacks against U.S. forces as well as Iraqi security forces.

[10:15:04]

HERTLING: But I think what we've seen as a result from some of those attacks, we're going to see both continued economic work for on the part of the Iranians as well as some of these proxy forces -- the Iranian proxy forces within Iraq continuing this attempt to strike both Iraqis and the U.S. forces.

FOSTER: OK. Mark, also Arwa and Ramin, thank you all very much for bringing your context to this. Meanwhile, in Somalia, U.S. forces are involved in another series of airstrikes on Sunday, they worked with Somalia's government to target Al-Shabaab militants. The group is being blamed for car bombing in Mogadishu. They left at least 85 people dead and more than 100 wounded.

Official say Sunday strikes killed four members of the group including a senior operative. Farai Sevenzo is in Nairobi and neighboring Kenya for us. Thanks for joining us, Farai. Obviously Al-Shabaab is still very strong.

FARAI SEVENZO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely, Max. It is the, you know, even though they haven't claimed responsibility, it is the one al-Qaeda affiliated terror group. We know throughout this region. Excuse me, and I remember back in January, they attacked a hotel here in Nairobi, killing over 20 people. Now, Saturday's truck bomb attack is the most deadly in Mogadishu this year.

Of course, people are still finding bodies. So that's why the deaths was shot up from Saturday 79 to 85. Today and another woman we understand from our guy there died in Turkey. Turkey and Qatar have sent medical help. We have to send to the 22 seriously injured people have been taken to Qatar for some help. Now, government spokesman Ismael Mukhtar Omar told CNN on Sunday that this was -- these airstrikes you mentioned were a direct response to that truck bomb on Saturday.

Now Somalia government has partners in trying to fight our Al-Shabaab. They've got African Union troops, Kenya defense forces are sometimes down there. And of course, they have the huge cloud of the U.S.- Africa command. But still as a terror organization, they're very difficult to pin down, Max, because they seem to melt back into the society.

And of course let me just read you what Major General William Gayler, the Director of Operations for U.S.-Africa Command said in a statement Sunday, he said, Al-Shabaab, they are a global menace and their sights are set on exporting file is regionally and eventually attacking the U.S. homeland itself. So, it is a very, very case situation. And of course, just one more thing to add this this truck bomb went off at Benadir University.

So the people that are really suffering from the scourge of Al-Shabaab in Somalia, the Somalis themselves, especially, you know, young people, young students want to be their country's future, Max.

FOSTER: We've heard a lot about the defections from Al-Shabaab. But they are clearly still a very strong fighting force and they're managing still to recruit people amid all of the unrest in that region.

SEVENZO: Well, it's apparently seems so. I mean, just speaking to you from neighboring Kenya with this country where I operate from is always on consistent lookout for people crossing over a very porous border from Somalia and hitting places that are way up there by the border attacking police people. So it's not just Somalia itself, it's the neighboring countries too.

FOSTER: OK. Farai, thank you. More on that. Still ahead for your CNN NEWSROOM. Raging fires take the life of another firefighter in Australia and forced thousands to flee. Details ahead. Plus, the U.S. holiday season is marred by violence attacks on a Texas church in a New York rabbi's home.

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[11:21:24]

FOSTER: In Australia, authorities are moving forward with Sydney's annual New Year's Eve fireworks celebration despite a total fire ban. This as more than 100 fires burn across the country. And most aren't contains the prolonged drought and intense winds. Any promise to make matters worse. CNN's Rosemary Church has more.

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ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: As the New Year approaches, Australian authorities have a clear message for anyone in Eastern Victoria.

ANDREW CRISCO, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COMMISSIONER: If your holiday in that part of the state, it's time that you left.

CHURCH: Tens of thousands of residents and vacationers in South Eastern Australia are being told to evacuate as strong winds and soaring temperatures fuel massive bushfires. Across the country extreme warnings in effect as firefighters battle dozens of blazes. The worst place near Sydney, where fireworks are said to be late on New Year's Eve, despite a total fire ban there. Officials say the world famous display will ring in 2020.

SHANE FITZSIMMONS, COMMISSIONER, NEW SOUTH WALES RURAL FIRE SERVICE: Obviously, this is not a -- this is not a new thing. New Year's Eve and other events coincide with bad fire weather and total fire bans. But what we will be doing is working with local fire and rescue. The authorities and just making sure that any perceived risk based on the conditions are ameliorated appropriately to ensure that I can go ahead safely.

CHURCH: Despite assurances from officials calls grow louder to cancel the fireworks. More than a quarter million people signed a petition to scrap the event asking that millions of dollars usually spent on the display be redistributed to efforts like firefighting and animal care instead. But organizers say canceling would only hurt local businesses.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Preparations for the celebrations began 15 months ago, which means that most of the budget largely used for crowd safety and cleansing measures has already been spent. So canceling would have little practical benefit for devastated communities.

CHURCH: In some of those devastated communities, homes and businesses are left in ruins. Since September the prolonged fires have left little (INAUDIBLE) for those fighting the destructive flames. And they're often volunteers.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Payments for income lost -

CHURCH: The prime minister says volunteers will now be compensated for their efforts in the worst head state of New South Wales.

STEWART TEMESVARY, VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER: 15, 16 hours shifts in a row, you're exhausted at the end of that and you might have one day break and then they want you to go again. It's tough, it's tough. The payment is just a recognition of what we're doing. It doesn't compensate us for what we're losing. But its recognition.

CHURCH: Some volunteers saying they appreciate the acknowledgement after fighting weeks of raging fires that show few signs of stopping. Rosemary Church, CNN.

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FOSTER: Well, another volunteer firefighter has died battling the raging bush fires in New South Wales. This makes him the third firefighter to die in connection to these blazes. Anthony Bradstreet from New South Wales Rural Fire Services joins me now. Thoughts are with you. How's everyone holding up?

ANTHONY BRADSTREET, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT MANAGER AT NSW RURAL FIRE SERVICE (via telephone): It's obviously a very challenging time for many of our firefighters. And unfortunately, this death of one of our volunteers yesterday, follows fairly, fairly quickly after that the deaths of two volunteers of the fire last week working very close to Sydney. So, a very challenging period for our firefighters and it comes after a very long period of sustained firefighting effort across the state.

[11:25:08]

FOSTER: They're exhausted, aren't there is that one of the issues here or with these isolated cases?

BRADSTREET: It definitely is something that we are having to manage with our firefighters across New South Wales. We have seen firefighting operations continue across Northern New South Wales, and then progressing down through central and now southern parts of New South Wales since early August. So we have seen a period of almost five months of sustained firefighting where we have seen almost 3.6 million hectares bush land burnt across New South Wales.

FOSTER: Are you having an issue with recruitment at the moment because of the, you know, the extreme conditions but also the reports of these deaths really emphasizing the dangers that firefighters put themselves through every day?

BRADSTREET: It's actually one of the -- one of the real characteristics Australia. We have a very strong volunteer and culture. The Rural Fire Service in New South Wales is 70,000 members strong. And one of the things we do know about major fire events is that it does encourage more and more citizens to put their hand up and say that they want to help out as part of the firefighting effort.

And in many other roles behind the scenes supporting their local community. So over the past few months, we've seen a real surge in people volunteering to be a part of the Rural Fire Service. Obviously, we can't get them straight into the field straightaway. We do need to give them some training, the skills and the resources to operate as a volunteer firefighter, but it is a big part of Australian culture that we do have a very large volunteer firefighting innovation services workforce. And they do dig deep and put in these efforts during these periods of emergencies.

FOSTER: Are there firefighters in the rural areas as supportive of the fireworks in Sydney, would you say or do they find it that distasteful? BRADSTREET: Look, I think that with the process that we have in place to consider application for exemption from a total fire ban, it's based on risk, we're obviously not going to be letting anything proceed, that present an undue risk to the community. So, particularly for the Sydney fireworks, they want appropriate planning fire protection in place and consideration of the weather conditions for those fireworks.

And on the balance of it, the decision was made for those fireworks to proceed. That's certainly not the case across New South Wales, a number of fireworks display -- displays weren't granted exemptions, because they weren't able to manage those risk accordingly.

FOSTER: OK. Anthony Bradstreet, thank you for speaking to us and bringing us the story of your incredible firefighters. Still ahead on CNN NEWSROOM, a wave of anti-semitic violence in the U.S. What authorities are doing to stop it? And a Sunday morning service turns deadly at the Texas church. A church camera captures the terrifying attack.

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FOSTER: This holiday season there have been two horrifying attacks on people at religious gatherings in the U.S. The latest is in Texas where a gunman opened fire inside the church during Sunday services. Two people died before he was shot and killed by parishioners. The Texas attack followed in the wake of a stabbing rampage that was inside a rabbi's home near New York City during a Hanukkah celebration.

Five people wounded in that instant. New York's governor calls it an act of domestic terrorism. First, let's go to our Lucy Kafanov who is standing by in White Settlement, Texas in this extraordinary story that unfolding inside the church.

LUCY KAFANOV, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Extraordinary story, Max. Families here are grieving today but they're also praising the two heroes who took down this gunman. This attack taking place yesterday on Sunday during church services. The gunmen walking in wearing dark clothes, he sat in the back of the church for some time, got up seemed to interact with one of the parishioners before taking out this long gun and opening fire.

Two armed church volunteers swiftly responded, they shot him, they took him down. The whole thing unfolding on camera because the services were live streamed. The footage, incredibly graphic. Take a look.

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KAFANOV: It's difficult to listen to, it's difficult to watch. Unfortunately, this was not the first shooting on a house of worship here in Texas. In 20 17, 26 people died in a different attack on a church and the wake of that attack the state here changed the laws to allow licensed handgun owners to bring weapons into houses of worship. If the church, the synagogue, the mosque allows it.

It also allowed volunteer groups to act as guards and that is why you have these two armed individuals responding so quickly. Law enforcement here and the parishioners and the priests, pardon me, the Minister, praising them as heroes. Take a listen.

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JEFF WILLIAMS, MAYOR, ARLINGTON TEXAS: Citizens who were inside that church undoubtedly saved 242 other parishioners.

BRITT FARMER, SENIOR PASTOR: Today is one sermon I'll never preach. It'll go away, which is called leaving a legacy. And two men today left legacy. The congregation is going to build on that legacy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAFANOV: Now, Max, we're waiting for another update from authorities that should be taking place in the next few hours. Some of the information that we're expecting. The community here certainly is hoping for the identity of the shooter. We know the FBI described him as a transient person who had roots in this community. We know that he's had multiple encounters, run ins with the law, previous arrests.

He has not been on any sort of a watch list. And so, I think a lot of the folks here will be listening for information about whether he had a motive, what that might have been, was he simply a sick individual or was there more to the story to the senseless act of violence at another house of worship here in the United States. Max?

[11:30:06]

FOSTER: Yes. Grim news. Lucy. Thank you very much indeed. A British woman is being found guilty of lying to Cyprus Police about being gang raped back in July. The woman who was 19 years old at the time, claimed she was raped by a dozen teenage Israeli really tourists. She later recanted a state police, but her lawyers insist she was coerced into the retraction. They cite numerous irregularities in the case the.

The British woman was sentenced next month and could face a year in jail. Short while ago I spoke with one of the British woman's lawyers, Michael Pollack. He explains the confusing details of the case.

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FOSTER: First of all, we've been hearing, you know, we've been seeing members of the family, we've been seeing this young woman come and go, but obviously not being able to identify her. I mean, what sort of state are they all in right now?

MICHAEL POLLACK, AYIA NAPA BRITON'S LAWYER: Well, I think we're all -- we're all very disappointed in today's ruling. But although we're disappointed, we're not surprised, really, we were prepared to lose at this stage. Simply because of how the trial played out in front of us. For example, the judge a number of times in the transcript, five or six times has said, oh, this is not a rape case, I'm not hearing a rape case, I'm not deciding on rape.

And he stopped our separate lawyers from fully exploring evidence, which went towards the fact that she was raped. And so that kind of gave us a flavor as to where the trial was heading from a very early stage. So we're disappointed with it, not really surprised.

FOSTER: Can you just address this central issue, which is the statement that she signed, the other side saying just so willingly, it's a statement where she retracts the allegations that she initially made. What's the issue there as far as you're concerned?

POLLACK: With regards to that statement, she -- that was taken on a -- on a day when the female police officer she been dealing with was not available. We say that wasn't by chance. She was taken in a locked police car to the police station. She was kept there for seven hours -- over seven hours without a lawyer, without a translator. And she says immense pressure was placed upon her to give that retraction statement.

She was actually sending social media messages to her friends saying they've said I'm a lawyer. They threatened to arrest all of you. They said the next time I'll see my mother will be in handcuffs if I don't give them a retraction statements. So that's what she said and we brought expert evidence along to the trial from a psychologist, Dr. Christine Tizzard who explained to the teenagers had PTSD and how that affects someone when they put under pressure.

We also brought evidence from a forensic linguist job, Dr. Andrea Nini from the University of Manchester. And he looked at the retraction statements. And the officer in the case had said - had told the court, the words in this statement and the words of the teenager there, her words she gave them willingly. And the teenage said, that's not -- that's not the case. But Dr. Nini is a forensic linguist. So he looked into the combination of words in the retraction statements, and he said it's highly unlikely those words were the words of a native English speaker.

FOSTER: Because the judge says there's a much simpler explanation here. He says that she retracted her statement. She gave a false statement because she felt embarrassed after finding some of the group had filmed her having sex on their mobile phones.

POLLACK: Well, it doesn't -- it doesn't quite make sense to me in regards to films that -- let's make it quite clear. There's no filming of consensual group sex. There is -- there are film showing other youth trying to get into the room where she was with one boy she was seeing on this -- on this -- on this holiday. And it doesn't -- for me make a good explanation for why she would put herself through everything that she's gone through since giving the -- making the complaint to the police.

She spent four and a half weeks in prison and she's gone through a whole trial process. And the evidence, the expert evidence seems to show in regards to retraction statements, and that she was placed under pressure to do it. It wasn't her words, highly unlikely to be the words of a native English speaker was out expert evidence. And prosecution didn't turn up with any of the expert of their own.

And perhaps they thought they were starting from position or advantage, they didn't need to bring that evidence along to the trial. We brought expert evidence along.

[11:40:05]

POLLACK: We fully explained why she would -- why she would give a retraction statement in those circumstances.

FOSTER: The British government says they continue to support the British woman and her family following her arrrest. It's been a deeply distressing case. Do they share the same view as you as far as you're concerned? What sort of interactions have you had with the British government?

POLLACK: Well, the High Commission in in Nicosia, they were very helpful in arranging visits when she was in prison for 4-1/4 in the shed selling because they are present. And they attended a number of the first hearings in the case, and then after that, they told me they're unable to continue attending the hearings. And there hasn't been much communication with us since then.

And I think British people need to realize when they go overseas, if they think they're going to rely on the -- on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to help them they're going to be in for a nasty surprise when they do get into trouble there.

FOSTER: OK. Obviously the Foreign Office disputes are saying they are supporting her but, Michael, thank you for speaking to us.

POLLACK: Nice speaking to you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: And on the -- on the other side of this case, the lawyer for the Israelis accused of gang rape applauds the court's decision to convict the British woman. The lawyer also says the woman should take responsibility for accusing his clients, and he's seeking civil process and the damages demand against her.

Now to add horrific attack at a New York rabbi's home. Saturday night stabbing rampages, the latest in a wave of anti-semitic attacks in New York this month. This past week, there were attacks on Jewish people every day in the state. Some days there were even multiple instances marring this year's Hannukah with hatred. CNN spoke with one of the survivors of the attack. He explains how he helped stop the stabbing.

Brynn Gingras is in Monsey, New York with that latest anti-semitic that took place. You can take us through the general responses there.

BRYNN GINGRAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Max. Their response has been shocked to be honest with people in this community. It was in this house behind me where 100 people were gathered for the seventh night of lighting the menorah for the Hanukkah season and that's when police say the attacker came through the door holding a knife, some described as long as a broomstick and went on a rampage.

And there were people inside who were fleeing, there were also people inside that were fighting back right on the spot. And it's important to note, Max, that even with all that happening, five people injured, one very seriously. They continue their celebration of the Hanukkah season last night, having a parade, having the last candle lit on the menorah. Taking a stance really that they aren't going to let -- act like this, bring them down or fight their or deter their spirit I should say.

Also a really important to note, Max, so we've been sitting out here all morning and cars going by, there's people from this community that are coming by and going into the rabbi's house. But there was one couple that came by not too long ago. A particular note, it was a Muslim couple, a man and his wife with their young child and they brought flowers to the door of the rabbi's house, and they came out here and talk to us and really wanted to convey the point of it's not about your faith.

It's not about these acts that should define any sort of religion. It's about humanity. And I want you to listen to what she told us.

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AZADEH HAIATI, CAME TO PAY RESPECTS: The reason I'm here is because I read the news yesterday and it was so shocking for me to read that these people are praying in their homes and celebrating in their homes. And someone comes knocking on the door and want to hurt them. And did hurts them, it's beyond -- it's beyond insanity. I don't know what to call it. It's like -- it's not even -- I'm not even out preaching and someone hates me and does anything. I mean, what -- how much -- how much can we sink?

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GINGRAS: And honestly she said she was surprised that she didn't see more people bringing flowers here this morning for this community. Now as far as the attack, this suspect he has been in court yesterday, he was charged five counts of attempted murder and his bail was set at $5 million. He's going to be back in court on Friday. Authorities really not giving any details about a motive right now.

His family has released a statement saying he has mental health issues. But again, more details of that investigation are still coming out at this hour. Max?

FOSTER: OK, Brynn. Thank you. Still come. Dust, droughts and desperation, the very real impact of climate change delivering a blow after blow to Zimbabwe. And now the United Nations is calling on the world to help. That's next.

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FOSTER: Southern Africa is being hammered by the climate crisis. The region is getting hotter and drier. Now the U.N.'s World Food Program says a drought in Zimbabwe has left millions at risk of starvation. And he's looking to the world to step up and help Deputy Director of Communications at the World Food Program. Gregory Barrow joins me here. And now, just take us through how bad things are at the moment. And you know, the speed of change actually over the world might not be aware of.

GREGORY BARROW, DEPUTY DIRECTOR, COMMUNICATIONS, WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME: This is a desperate situation where the talking about one of the worst droughts in over a decade in Zimbabwe and we're talking about a drought that has affected in fact, the whole of the Southern Africa region. Just to give you a sense of how quickly we're having to move in the next weeks we're just about to enter what's known as the lean season.

This is the time when there is less food available than any other time of the year and the World Food Programme is having to literally double the number of people it's feeding up to 4.1 million in the coming weeks. That's out of around 7.7 million that are actually hungry and need food assistance. And what has caused this is a combination of successive years of drought and a macro economic meltdown in the country that has really left some of the vulnerable people in the countryside and the city is really desperate for the kind of assistance that we can provide.

FOSTER: When people talk about these droughts, they might suggest that you know, they happen every year and you can't necessarily build up the sort of pattern that you're talking about but you're seeing this is an undeniable long-term change in weather patterns, aren't you?

BARROW: There's no doubt that this is a challenging place to have an agricultural economy if you're a smallholder farmer. It's always been challenging but the patterns that we're seeing in Zimbabwe and regionally, showing that the droughts are longer and more severe when the rainy seasons come, the rains are less predictable. And sometimes the rains are much heavier. That causes flooding. And that inflicts its own problems.

You'll recall that earlier this year, there was the massive cyclone that hit Mozambique in that region, that was bigger than any cyclone, anyone could remember in living memory. So the whole region is experiencing these kinds of weather extremes. And this is really what's pushing millions of people across southern Africa to the very edge.

FOSTER: You described the breakdown in authority and parts of that region. And the solution then isn't just pass resources over to local authorities, local governments. So what are you asking the world to do?

BARROW: Well, on the one hand, national governments then appreciate that there is the need for economic reform, particularly in Zimbabwe, but right now we need humanitarian assistance. The World Food Programme needs $200 million rapidly to mobilize the operation that's required to meet the needs of those 4.1 million people. If we get money today, it takes us three months to move the foods where it's needed because the whole region has been affected by this drought.

[11:50:06]

BARROW: So, food stocks in the whole region of Southern Africa are very, very low. Normally, we could buy in countries like Zambia or Mozambique or Southern Africa, but most of those food stocks have been exhausted. So we have to ship food in we have to move it by truck by road. We have to get it to people rapidly. So we need to mobilize those resources from the international community immediately.

FOSTER: Or what the government is saying when you go and meet them, ask for those resources?

BARROW: Governments are saying we're overstretched, the World Food Programme is asking us for lots of assistance if it's not Zimbabwe, it South Sudan or it's the Sahel region. But we're saying that those requirements in Zimbabwe are immediate. They need the assistance right now and we need that to be made a priority.

FOSTER: And in terms of private sector donations, that's also tough at the moment, isn't it? It does seem to be a decline in giving more probably from the richer countries to this region.

BARROW: I think the private sector over recent years has definitely stepped up. If it's not giving money, it's giving expertise, it understands that there is a role. It's providing logistical support for agencies like the World Food Programme that need trucks and planes, it's there. But we can always ask for more it, we always need it. And in this particular situation, we need it very, very soon.

FOSTER: And in terms of the media, as you say, if people respond to this plea, it's not actually going to have an immediate impact or be two or three months down the road. But are you concerned about January going into this season? How concerned are you and what sort of casualties you hoping to avoid?

BARROW: Well, we hope to avoid anyone reaching a point where starvation is a factor that they're dealing with. We have some resources now, but we need so much more. That's why we're doubling the scale of our operation up to 4.1 million people. If we can get those resources we have the trucking capacity, we have the fuel reserves ready, we have the staffing capacity on the ground.

We just need the funds to get the food bring it into the country and get it to the places in Zimbabwe where those communities so desperately need it.

FOSTER: OK, Greg. I appreciate your time and good luck with the effort. Still to come, you've been blocked. That's what one popular dating app did Sharon Stones account. Those details just ahead.

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FOSTER: 16-year-old Greta Thunberg has become a leading voice in the climate change debate but in a British radio interview Greta's father says she suffered from depression for years. He says his daughter stopped going to school and wouldn't eat and only recovered after she took up the climate cause. Thunberg says even though he and his wife had initial misgivings about greatest activism, it became big supporters after they saw her improvement. He says he didn't join the movement to save the climate, he did it to save his child.

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FOSTER: Now and A-list celebrity took a chance with a dating app and it didn't go so well. The dating app Bumble blocked Sharon Stone's accounts after users reported her account is fake, but it wasn't a fake. The 61-year-old Basic Instinct actress posted on Twitter. I went on the Bumble dating site and they close my account. Some users reported that it couldn't possibly be me. Hey Bumble, is being me exclusionary?

Don't shut me out of the hive. Eventually Bumble restored her account. The company says they reached out to Stone with an apology and says they "Hope it will be easier to find a honey." That was CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Max Foster in London. Thank you for watching. The Express is next.

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