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Blinken Meets Israeli, Palestinian Leaders on Mideast Tour; Olympic Co-Sponsor Calls for Games' Cancellation; Former Johnson Adviser to Face Parliamentary Probe; Middle East Diplomacy; Memorials and Calls for Reform One Year after Murder; Indian Farmers Begin Mass Protests Despite COVID Risk; Tropical Cyclone Yaas Makes Landfall in Northeast India; Cena Apologizes to China for Calling Taiwan a Country; Ship Could Sink Any Moment and Spill Oil near Sri Lanka. Aired 1-2a ET
Aired May 26, 2021 - 01:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[01:00:29]
LYNDA KINKADE, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, everyone. I'm Lynda Kinkade. You're watching CNN NEWSROOM live from CNN's world headquarters here in Atlanta. Good to have you with us.
Ahead this hour:
A big check and improved relations. America's top diplomat works to shore up the Israeli-Hamas cease-fire and America's standing amongst Palestinians.
Plus, the major Japanese newspaper and Olympic cosponsor calls for the Tokyo Games to be canceled.
And changing course. A "Fast and Furious" star did some major backtracking after controversial remark about Taiwan.
(MUSIC)
KINKADE: The U.S.'s top diplomat is in the Middle East and will be meeting with Israel's president this hour.
Antony Blinken is there to shore up a fragile ceasefire after 11 days of fighting left behind scenes like this in Gaza. He met with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, promising more than $100 million in direct aid from the U.S. He also pledged the U.S. would reopen the consulate in Jerusalem.
Blinken's first meeting was with the Israeli prime minister to discuss security. And he warned Israelis and Palestinians not to take actions that would incite violence.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANTONY BLINKEN, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: Across the meetings I've had so far, I've heard a shared recognition from all sides that steps need to be taken, work needs to be done to address the underlying conditions that help fuel this latest conflict. This cease-fire creates space to begin to take those steps. Attending to the urgent humanitarian needs of Palestinians in Gaza, and helping rebuild is a key starting point.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: Well, coming up, we have more on Blinken's day of Middle East diplomacy.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KYLIE ATWOOD, CNN U.S. SECURITY CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A delicate cease-fire between Hamas and Israel remains in place, as Secretary of State Tony Blinken visits Jerusalem and Ramallah, making clear that the U.S. opposes any move that could shatter the peace.
BLINKEN: That includes settlement activity, it includes demolitions, it includes evictions. It includes incitement of violence. It includes payment to terrorists.
ATWOOD: The cease-fire coming after 11 days of violence, leaving more than 200 Palestinians dead and taking the lives of more than a dozen Israelis.
Blinken called the losses on both sides profound.
BLINKEN: Casualties are off the reduced to numbers. But behind every number is an individual human being, a daughter, a son, a father, a mother, a grandparent, a best friend.
ATWOOD: Blinken meeting with leaders from both sides. With Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas committing to rebuilding the U.S. Palestinian relationship, announcing the U.S. will be reopening its consulate in Jerusalem. Which serves as a diplomatic post for U.S. Palestinian relations, in which the Trump administration closed, saying the U.S. plans to send more than $38 million in urgent humanitarian support to Gaza in the West Bank.
But Secretary Blinken called the violence symptomatic of a larger set of issues, saying this during his meeting with Abbas.
BLINKEN: Asking all of us to help rebuild Gaza, only makes sense if there is confidence that what is rebuild is not lost again because Hamas decides to launch more rocket attacks in the future.
ATWOOD: With Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Secretary Blinken discussing Israel's right to defend itself.
BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: Thanks to President Biden and you for firmly supporting Israel's right of self-defense.
ATWOOD: And replenishing Israel's Iron Dome defense system, that Israel says intercepted more than 1,000 rockets fired from Gaza towards Israel.
(END VIDEOTAPE) ATWOOD (on camera): Another thing that came up in these meetings was Iran. Prime Minister Netanyahu standing next to Secretary of State Tony Blinken, reiterating Israel's opposition to the U.S., reentering the Iran nuclear deal. This, of course, as the U.S. is engaged in a diplomatic process to salvage the deal.
[01:05:05]
Now, Blinken acknowledged that Israel and the U.S. have differences over the Iran nuclear deal but said that they fundamentally agree that Iran should not be allowed to acquire a nuclear weapon.
Kylie Atwood, CNN, the State Department.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KINKADE: CNN political commentator Peter Beinart joins us from New York. He's also the author of the "Beinart Notebook" on substack.com.
Good to have you with us.
PETER BEINART, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Nice to be with you.
KINKADE: Now, when we look at this particular issue, this foreign policy issue with not a top priority for the U.S. president at the start of the administration. But given the trip that is underway, how do you think it's gone so far with the U.S. secretary of state?
BEINART: Secretary of State Blinken met with a very important Palestinian human rights activist named Issa Amro in Hebron. And I think that was very important because doing that gives Issa, who happens to be a friend of mine, some protection from being jailed or even killed by Israel. But the larger problem is that American policy doesn't really make a lot of sense. The U.S. wants to rebuild Gaza but it does not want to deal with Hamas. But Hamas runs Gaza.
And the U.S. is not willing to use any of its leverage, the $3.8 billion we give Israel every year, to try to restrain Israel from doing things like evicting Palestinians from their homes even though it's those evictions that set off this violence.
So, I don't think American policy right now really makes a lot of sense.
KINKADE: In meeting with the Palestinian leaders, U.S. secretary of state spoke with the need for hope for the Palestinians have. And he offered $360 million to help rebuild Gaza. How does the U.S. ensure that those funds don't go to Hamas?
BEINART: The problem is that Palestinians have not been allowed to elect their leaders. There was about to be a Palestinian election in which Hamas was going to run. And they have a right to run even though they oppose the two-state solution.
Just like lots of Israeli parties run and win seats in the Knesset even though they opposed to two-state solution. The Palestinians don't get a veto over who Israelis elect. So, why should Israelis or Americans get a veto over who the Palestinians elect?
And -- but the United States and the Israel, and Mahmoud Abbas decided to cancel that election because they were afraid that the winners wouldn't be the winners that we want. That's the wrong way to think about it. Palestinians have the right to choose their leaders, even if you don't always like the choices that they're going to make.
And ultimately, what is best for the people of Gaza is a legitimate unified Palestinian leadership that could start to act on behalf of the Palestinian people.
KINKADE: The ceasefire which began Friday came after 11 days of intense violence. Listening to the U.S. secretary of state and the Israeli prime minister, it certainly sounds like this ceasefire is very fragile.
I want to play a little bit about the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: We too will give meaning to our commitment to self-defense if Hamas breaks the calm and attacks Israel, our response will be a very powerful.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: I mean, fragile is the key word here really. It certainly sounds like things could flare up at any point in time. The question is, how much will the U.S. get involved?
BEINART: The problem is the U.S. is deeply involved. Every Palestinian knows how deeply the U.S. is involved because, again, we helped to fund the Israeli military. And we guarantee Israel's international impunity at international institutions like the U.N. and the International Criminal Court.
So, when the United States says it doesn't want to be involved, it's disingenuous. We are involved. We are deeply implicated in the fact that Israel controls millions of Palestinians who lacked basic rights. The way in which we don't want to be involved is actually trying to hold Israel to account for those behaviors and trying to get Israel to change its policy in a meaningful way.
So, Benjamin Netanyahu can say, well, when Hamas disturbs the calm, but for millions of Palestinians in East Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza, who are under Israeli control, and don't have the most basic rights of citizenship in the country in which they live, the right to vote for the government that dominates their lives, there is no calm. What there is, is oppression.
And we know across the world when there is oppression, sooner or later there's likely to be tragic violence.
KINKADE: And just quickly, how much headway did the U.S. secretary of state make? BEINART: I don't think you made very much headway. Because I don't
think the United States is really dealing with the underlying issues here.
[01:10:01]
The underlying issue is if you have a population that is denied the most basic rights, you're not going to have peace. And you're not going to have stability. You maybe have periods of cease-fire. But it's only going to be a cease-fire.
We know from our own country in the U.S., from South Africa, from Northern Ireland, all around the world, unless you deal with those deep underlying issues of oppression, which the Biden administration is not really dealing with, you're not going to be able to create a lasting peace.
KINKADE: CNN political commentator, Peter Beinart, thank you very much.
BEINART: Thank you.
KINKADE: Well, Blinken isn't the only one trying to send a message in the Middle East this week. Russia says it can operate long range bombers out of Syria. Russian state media reported three of the warplanes have arrived at an airbase north of Damascus for training.
The move comes as the U.S. confirmed its summit with Russia is set to take place next month in Switzerland. Discussing cyberattacks, maybe on the agenda for Presidents Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin.
Here's what else the White House wants to push forward.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JEN PSAKI, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: The leaders will discuss the full range of pressing issues as we seek to restore predictability and stability to the U.S. Russia relationship. More specific to the question, we expect they will spend a fair amount of time on strategic stability. Where the arms control goes, following the extension of new START, obviously we're both members of the P5-plus-1 as well as those negotiations are ongoing. The president will raise Ukraine, underscoring America's support for Ukraine sovereignty and territorial integrity. He will also plan to raise Belarus and convey grave concerns as he has now done publicly.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: Well, the U.S. president now says sanctions against Belarus are in play but he doesn't want to get ahead of any announcements. His comments come just days after Belarus force the diversion of a Ryanair flight and then arrested a dissident journalist on board.
Leaders across Europe are also issuing strong responses.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) EMMANUEL MACRON, FRENCH PRESIDENT (through translator): This unacceptable act, this violation of international law calls for condemnation and the toughest reaction possible. We've therefore decided to strengthen the measures of individual and economic sanctions to ban the Belarusian airline from accessing European airports, to ask European airlines not to fly over Belarus territory which our airlines will do, and to ask for an independent international investigation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: Well, in Germany, Chancellor Angela Merkel says the explanation authorities in Belarus have given for the force landing of Ryanair flight are, quote, implausible. She said discussions will focus on what's actions the United Europe can take.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANGELA MERKEL, GERMAN CHANCELLOR (through translator): We've had intensive talks on this question. Everybody has agreed to describe this as unprecedented as more than deserve. This is an unacceptable act by the Belarusian authorities. A forced landing that endangered civilians and led to the arrest of the journalist Roman Protasevich and his partner Sofia. We condemn this decisively and we have asked Belarus to release both immediately.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: A new video of the companion has been released. When day after the journalist appeared in a separate social media video.
CNN's Frederik Pleitgen has the details.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, in the aftermath of the Belarusian authorities forcing a Ryanair jet to land in the Belarusian capital of Minsk, and then, of course, arresting an opposition journalist who was on board. We can see the situation is continuing to escalate.
One of the things that's happened since then is that on a pro- Belarusian government Telegram channel, the companion who was traveling with Roman Protasevich, her name is Sofia Sapega. She was also paraded on a video there, where she allegedly makes a confession saying that she was working for a Telegram channel that released the identities of workers of Interior Ministry of Belarus.
Now, of course, it was had to point out there is a real possibility she was forced to make the video, or to speak in the video under duress. It only comes about 24 hours after Roman Protasevich himself was in a similar video also in custody of the Belarusian authorities in Minsk and in that area where he is also said he was working together with the authorities, confessing to the authorities, and there as well the Belarusian opposition figures of the Belarusian opposition have said that they strongly believe that video was also made under duress.
Now, all of this is causing massive condemnation in Western countries of the United States in the form of U.S. President Joe Biden came out and he put out a statement where he said all of this was, as he put it, an outrageous incident, that jet having to land, the opposition journalist then being arrested.
[01:15:01]
The Biden administration also saying that right now, it's looking at options to possibly punish the Lukashenko regime.
Now, of course, that's something that the European Union has already done. The E.U. at its council meeting deciding that were going to put new sanctions in place. But also deciding that they were going to blacklist the Belarusian flagship carrier Belavia and not allow it to fly in European Union airspace, or to European Union destinations.
One of the things that we are already seeing is that more and more E.U. carriers are avoiding Belarusian airspace. There's certainly been a number of them who have said that they are not going to fly to Minsk anymore.
Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Berlin.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KINKADE: Well, as Fred said, more and more airlines are cutting off flights to Minsk. Latvia's airBaltic is a latest to join the group. It's suspending flights from its capital to the Belarusian capital. It's also avoiding Belarusian airspace. More than 1,500 airBaltic flights may be impacted.
The airBaltic CEO spoke with CNN earlier.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARTIN GAUSS, CEO, AIRBALTIC: It's a very, very serious incident if you look at what the flight did. And at risk was put at a civil aircraft. And we shouldn't have that flying because we have global standards in aviation and if they are not insured then something has to happen. From an airline point of view we want to have maximum safety and flying all over the world has to be safe. If not these air spaces are avoided.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: Latvia is one of just 3 E.U. countries bordering Belarus and sanctions move ahead, the European Council president sent out this tweet. He's calling it's Europe in action, as you can see you've lights are already shutting the skies over Belarus.
Well, now to another blow for Olympic organizers, the top Japanese newspaper, one of the official partners of the Tokyo Games just published an editorial calling for the games to be canceled due to the pandemic. "Asahi Shimbun" accuses Prime Minister Suga of putting on the games against the will of the public.
CNN's Selina Wang joins us from Tokyo where the Olympics are set to open in less than two months.
It certainly is crunch time. And, of course, Selina, this is not just a leading newspaper in Japan. It is, of course, an official partner of the Tokyo Olympics.
How big a deal is this?
SELINA WANG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Linda, that's exactly right. This is extremely significant and the question here is, does this lead to a domino effect that allows other major newspapers and sponsors of the games to come out, calling for cancellation of the games?
And this comes on top of mounting opposition to the games in Japan with poll after poll in the country showing that the majority of people here do not want the games held this year. Now, I just spoke to Jules Boykoff, a political scientist at studies the Olympics and he says that what you saw "Asahi Shimbun" did in this editorial was a remarkable act, that it is difficult to break the corporate silence but by writing this editorial, it has essentially created permission to allow others to follow in its footsteps.
Now, in this editorial, the paper writes that, quote, we don't think it makes sense to hold the Olympics to Paralympics in Tokyo this summer. The distrust in opposition towards the ruling government, the Tokyo government, an Olympic officials, are widespread as they haven't tried to address people's doubts and concerns.
We asked Prime Minister Suga to calmly and objectively assess the situation and decide whether to cancel the event this summer. Now for some context here, this is one of the most prestigious newspapers in Japan, it's known as being the left leaning publication that it's not been critical of the more conservative ruling party.
But it is clear that this is part of a snowballing effect of opposition to the games, not just from the public but from doctors, high-profile leaders, investors, and now a major sponsor -- Linda.
KINKADE: We'll see how this plays out. I mean, it really is getting quite close to when the Olympics are meant to start.
Selina Wang in Tokyo, thank you.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's former chief advisor returns to parliament this week for the first time since resigning last year. So, will that messy breakup influence what he says about the government's response to COVID-19?
And when year after the murder of George Floyd, a growing push for police accountability.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: What is different here in Minneapolis? And what is different in the fight that you all are trying to wage?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The difference now is that there is more awareness of the atrocities that the Minneapolis Police Department has been getting away with for decades.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[01:22:02]
KINKADE: Welcome back.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's former top advisor will face parliament in a few hours time to answer questions about the government's response to the coronavirus pandemic. After the messy falling out between the two men last year, the inquiry has the potential to deal a blow to Johnson's political career.
CNN's Bianca Nobilo has the details from London.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BIANCA NOBILO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Machiavelli and Dominic Cummings separated by five centuries but often compared, caricatured for their cunning, ruthlessness and influence on men in power.
When Prime Minister Boris Johnson brought Cummings into Downing Street as an adviser, it was divisive. Cummings' disdain for the establishment and casual dress set him apart as a maverick. He was the architect of the controversial campaign for Brexit which redrew the political map.
DOMINIC CUMMINGS, FORMER JOHNSON ADVISER: You guys should get outside of London and go to talk to people who are not rich remainers.
His role was immortalized by Benedict Cumberbatch in HBO drama.
After delivering Brexit and Johnson's 2019 historic election victory, Cummings seemed indispensable.
BORIS JOHNSON, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: You must stay at home.
NOBILO: The turning point came at the peak of Britain's COVID-19 crisis, when the country was under strict lockdown.
Cummings was forced to explain to an outraged nation why he traveled 260 miles from London to his hometown for childcare support, and had been seen visiting a beauty spot behind the castle.
REPORTER: It seems there was one version of the rules for you and one version of the rules for everyone else.
NOBILO: Still Johnson stuck by his man.
JOHNSON: I think you follow the instincts of every father.
NOBILO: Although that did not last forever.
JOEY JONES, FORMER ADVISOR TO THERESA MAY: Boris Johnson is somebody who likes to be liked. Dominic Cummings is someone who relishes being a Patagon (ph) villain. You can see how that sort of relationship might come under strain and ultimately come apart at the seams.
NOBILO: It did about 6 months ago when he quit.
Since then, a briefing war has ensued between Number 10 and the prime minister's former right-hand man. Cummings compounded the scandal about whether or not to permit assert had planned to use donor money to renovate the Downing Street flat, calling his behavior unethical, foolish, and possibly illegal.
He also questioned Johnson's handling of the pandemic which cost over 150,000 lives in the United Kingdom's. On Wednesday, Cummings will give evidence to MPs about the government's COVID response, something he's urged parliament to investigate. It could be his most explosive revelations yet.
JONES: It's for the first time really that we will see that decision- making exposed in the sort of minute by minute detail by detail fashion from somebody who was absolutely in the room and at the heart of it all.
[01:25:01]
NOBILO: Advisers are never supposed to become the story. On Wednesday, we can expect Cummings to defy convention yet again.
Bianca Nobilo, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KINKADE: Well, let's discuss this further with CNN European affairs commentator Dominic Thomas via Skype from Los Angeles.
Good to have you with us.
DOMINIC THOMAS, CNN EUROPEAN AFFAIRS COMMENTATOR: Thanks, Lynda, and good to see you.
KINKADE: So Cummings is no doubt looking forward to having a very public platform to criticize his former boss. One commentator described it as a possible box office moment.
What can we expect?
THOMAS: What we can expect is that Dominic Cummings has set it up that way because over the past few days, he's been tweeting about this, getting folks ready for this intervention.
Now, he is going to appear in front of a legitimate and parliamentary committee that is investigating the government's response to the COVID pandemic. And so, to that extent the evidence he provides that will be documented, substantiated and so on, we'll have an impact on deliberations in the way in which this committee goes about doing its business.
The big question is ultimately balancing out that impact with his particular motives because as it's already been pointed out, this is somebody that's been around Boris Johnson for a long time, and one would ask as to why he's speaking out now and why he didn't at the time, and if indeed he did find the government response to be so problematic.
And so, ultimately, what we have here is a kind of tale of revenge, of resentment, of bitterness that is playing out. And what we're going to have to see is how also this balances out against Boris Johnson's track record on all of these issues.
KINKADE: Yes, you make a good point, because we know that more than 127,000 deaths in the U.K. have been attributed to COVID-19. As you say, Cummings was the PM's advisor. He is not an innocent bystander. How much will people need to take what he says with a big grain of salt?
THOMAS: Well, I think that's ultimately going to be -- we don't know what is going to be come up with. But some of the evidence will be compelling. This is not a figure who is especially light in the British establishment. His actions, sense of entitlement during the early periods of lockdown, his unwillingness, really, to sort of repent have not endeared him to the public.
What is interesting however is that ultimately, everybody knows that Boris Johnson, his response to the COVID pandemic, has been ineffective. He downplayed it. He was infected with the virus very early on. He ignored the advice of the scientific community and on top of all of it he has made repeated offensive, and in some cases, really insensitive comments about the sort of populations that were getting -- that were dying, you know, because of it.
But this is also a prime minister, let's not forget, delivered Brexit, won a general election, give the conservative party a majority and has not seen in over 30 years. You've got to go back to the Thatcher years to see that. And the opposition is divided.
I'm not sure at this stage even though there are, in these kind of muddied waters many people in the conservative establishment that could see themselves as prime minister, I'm not sure there's an appetite to have a 4th conservative prime minister in a period of about 10 years. And so, ultimately, what we're going to see is the possible long term damage to Boris Johnson.
Let's not forget that ultimately at the end of the story, the vaccine rollout in the U.K., even if the death toll is the highest in Europe, you can argue the Great Britain and U.K. are doing far better with vaccination than other European countries at the moment. I think that is the paradox of this situation.
KINKADE: And you make a very good point. I mean, despite the fact the prime minister got a lot of criticism for his initial response to the pandemic, and no doubt we will hear Cummings shed light on that, he has been praised for the swift rollout of the vaccination program. With that in mind, how much damage can Cummings really do?
THOMAS: Boris Johnson has a tendency to offend people, and to survive scandal after scandal. I think in many ways, his position is secure because of the way in which he delivered on Brexit, the general election results and so on. But around him after all the different elections, there's a lot, in some ways, Cummings' firing from the cabinet is a product of the infighting.
And so, it's not as if Boris Johnson has around him a kind of scaffolding that is especially stable. And one could argue that Boris Johnson's prime ministership could disintegrate quite quickly.
[01:29:54]
The question is really is what Cummings is able to come up with at this particular stage that is really going to shed any kind of different light on things that folks already know about Boris Johnson. And it does seem that at this particular moment, even allegations of sort of you know, corruption, misuse of public funds, making offensive comments and so on, have not at this stage, at this particular moment destabilized him sufficiently.
And I think the fact that Cummings is so tainted because of his involvement with Boris Johnson and the lack of kind of friendliness that he has in the view of the British public, it's hard to see him completely destabilizing the prime minister.
LYNDA KINKADE, CNN ANCHOR: :We'll certainly be watching to see how this plays out. Dominic Thomas, good to have you with us. Thank you.
THOMAS: Thank you, Lynda.
KINKADE: Well, Israel is cautioning the U.S. against reviving the Iran nuclear deal. But nuclear development is not the only potential threat Iran poses to the region.
We're going to have details next on CNN NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KINKADE: You are watching CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Lynda Kinkade. Good to have you with us.
Syrians are heading to the polls today in an election that's seen as a rubber stamp for President Bashar al Assad. He is expected to easily win a fourth term in office. But western nations are condemning the election as neither free nor fair.
The U.S., U.K., France, Germany and Italy are urging countries to reject the vote as an attempt by the Assad regime to regain legitimacy after a decade of war against its own people.
The Syrian civil war killed hundreds of thousands of people and so far has driven 11 million from their homes.
Elsewhere in the Middle East, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is pledging $5.5 million in immediate disaster assistance to Gaza. It's part of a much larger package to help Palestinians rebuild after 11 days of Israeli airstrikes.
But the top U.S. diplomat says the militant group Hamas must not benefit from the aid. Blinken is wrapping up his visit to Israel and the West Bank, heading next to Egypt and Jordan.
He spoke Tuesday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who urged the U.S. not to return to the Iran nuclear deal.
[01:34:46]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: I can tell you that I hope that the United States will not go back to the old JCPOA because we believe that that deal paves the way for Iran to have an arsenal of nuclear weapons with international legitimacy.
ANTONY BLINKEN, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATES: We'll continue to strengthen all aspects of our long-standing partnership. And that includes consulting closely with Israel as we did today on the ongoing negotiations in Vienna around a potential return to the nuclear agreement.
At the same time, as we continue to work together to counter Iran's destabilizing actions in the region.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: Well, Iran has long said it has no intention of using nuclear technology for weapons but the potential is something Israel obviously take seriously. And that's not the only way Iran poses a threat to the Jewish state.
CNN's Oren Liebermann explains.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): The rockets might be made in Gaza, produced locally by Hamas and Islamic jihad, but much of the technical know-how comes from Iran.
During 11 days of fighting between Israel and Hamas, Iran cheered for Gaza from a distance. An overt moment in the ongoing shadow war between Israel and Iran.
Iran's supreme leader wrote on Twitter, I thank God for his aid in the honor bestowed on Palestinian fighters. I extend my congratulations for victory over Zionist criminals.
Since the end of the 2014 war, Hamas has built up an arsenal of about 15,000 rockets according to the Israeli military. Firing barrages that at times overwhelmed Israel's Iron Dome Aerial Defense System.
The Israel-Egypt blockade of Gaza has made it increasingly difficult for Iran to send assistance into the Strip. The Israeli military believes some rocket parts are still smuggled in for assembly but far more Iran has focus on getting technical expertise, weapons development and money.
ISMAIL HANIYA, HAMAS POLITICAL LEADER: I thank those who have provided funds and weapons to the fearful resistance, the Islamic Republic of Iran who are not frugal towards this resistance with money, weapons and techniques.
LIEBERMANN: Even so a spokesman for Israel's foreign ministry told CNN they saw no specific signs of Iranian involvement during two weeks of fighting.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hardly mentioned Iran during the fighting. But he blamed the regime for their overall support of militant groups.
NETANYAHU: Iran not only supports completely the Islamic jihad in Gaza and give them all the financing. They also give weapons to Hamas as well as to Hezbollah. And they provide the scaffolding on which these organizations really work.
LIEBERMANN: The normalization of relations between Israel and Arab countries in recent years has push Iran to the sidelines of the Middle East.
But this recent fighting was a chance for Iran to reassert itself in the region.
After the fighting, Palestinians celebrated what they saw as a victory over Israel, far inferior Hamas standing up to a stronger, technologically superior Israel.
Iran celebrated in its own way. One day after an unconditional ceasefire they unveiled their latest drone, an apparent imitation of a U.S. Predator or Reaper Drone which they named Gaza.
(on camera): The Biden administration was also very quiet on Iran during approximately two weeks of fighting between Israel and Hamas but likely for a very different reason. On Tuesday another round of talks in Vienna began on Iran's nuclear program and a possible return to the JCPOA, the Iran nuclear deal. And that the Biden ministration has signaled is its priority in the Middle East.
Oren Liebermann, CNN -- at the Pentagon.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KINKADE: Well, there was grief. But there were also smiles when the family of George Floyd spent time with the U.S. president at the White House.
They gathered one year after Floyd was murdered by a Minneapolis police officer. The meeting was private but some of Floyd's family members spoke out afterwards.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PHILONISE FLOYD, BROTHER OF GEORGE FLOYD: He's a genuine guy. They always speak from the heart. It's a pleasure just to be able to have the chance to meet with him when we had that opportunity to do. We are just thankful for what's going on.
TERRENCE FLOYD, BROTHER OF GEORGE FLOYD: Being here today is an honor, You know? To meet with the president, and the vice president and for them to show their concern to our family. And for them to actually give an ear to our concerns.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: Well, the Floyd family is also set to meet with negotiates for the police reform bill that is under consideration in the Senate, many who have marched in protest of police brutality and racial injustice, saying change is taking too long.
Omar Jimenez shows us the situation in Minneapolis, and how Floyd is being remembered there.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): A year after George Floyd's murder was captured on camera over several, agonizing minutes, America is still searching for change to last generations.
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JIMENEZ: In Minneapolis, a day of celebrating the life and legacy of Floyd was mixed with somber reflection.
BRIDGETT FLOYD, GEORGE FLOYD'S SYSTER: We are here and it's been a year, it's been a troubling year, a long year. But we made it.
JIMENEZ: She and others later paused for a moment of silence. The mayor of Minneapolis joining in.
MAYOR JACOB FREY, MINNEAPOLIS: George Floyd is going to save the world. He is going to change the world. He is going to make sure that we look internally at ourselves, acknowledge our shortcomings and make sure that we all do better from here.
JIMENEZ: It's not just in Minneapolis. Places across the country like Atlanta, Dallas and more honoring the sobering anniversary. The symbolism is unquestionable. The long term impact remains in question.
B. FLOYD: My message to the president, get your people in order. So that is my reason I'm not being in D.C. today. And it's ok because I have no doubt in my mind the bill is going to get passed. And when it get passed, that's when I make my way to D.C.
P. FLOYD: I think things have changed. I think that it's moving slowly. But it's making progress. I just want everything to be better and life because I don't want to see people dying the same way my brother has passed.
JIMENEZ: Minnesota state representative John Thompson's friend, Philando Castile was shot and killed by a Twin Cities police officer in 2016. That officer was found not guilty of manslaughter charges the following year.
Thompson feels the pace of policy change hasn't kept up with reality.
JOHN THOMPSON, MINNESOTA STATE REPRESENTATIVE: Nothing's changed, just the names, it will be another name added to this long list of names until we get some real accountability pieces put into law here in the state.
We could have saved George Floyd's life in 2016 when Philando was murdered. We could've saved Daunte Wright's life when George Floyd was murdered had we just like looked at police accountability pieces seriously and said we're going to put an end to this right now.
JIMENEZ: But others who have tried to work with police for reform say that the momentum from the year that past could lead to a meaningful future.
(on camera): What is different here in Minneapolis? And what is different in the fight that you all are trying to wage?
IAN D. BETHEL, PASTOR, NEW BEGINNINGS BAPTIST MINISTRY: The difference now is that there is more awareness of the atrocities that the Minneapolis Police Department has been getting away with for decades. That is the difference.
JIMENEZ (voice over): Omar Jimenez, CNN -- Minneapolis.
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KINKADE: Well, for the second time in just over a week another powerful tropical cyclone is slamming India. Coming up, we will have a look at how Cyclone Yaas is impacting India's eastern states.
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KINKADE: Well, tens of thousands of farmers begin a massive protest in India moments ago despite warnings the gathering could become a COVID super spreader event. The country has just surpassed at least 27 million coronavirus cases. But the farmers have been demonstrating for months against a series of agriculture laws which they say could devastate their livelihoods.
CNN's Vedika Sud joins me now from New Delhi. And obviously there were strong cause for these farmers not to gather over fears of cases of coronavirus raising in the country. Do we know how many farmers are turning out to these protests?
VEDIKA SUD, CNN REPORTER: Lynda, as of now from the farmers' union that we've heard from, they say about 50,000 people will be gathering at the Delhi-Punjab border. Punjab is the state bordering Delhi and that is where they are going to be protesting.
Now, remember harvest season has just gotten over for these farmers. They were busy with the harvest process and now they are back at the border. They will be carrying black flags, they'll be protesting against India's prime minister Narendra Modi and his government because they say that the new laws that have been introduced are anti- farmer.
I've been speaking to these farmers for over six months now ever since the protest started. They've been to their camps (ph) as well a couple of months ago.
When you speak to them about these huge congregations, Lynda, that they're part of, obviously they say we'd rather die of COVID-19 than die of hunger. So it's quite clear that these protests will carry on. They are ready to sit at the sites and keep protesting.
There will be quite a few of them, that will be a part of this protest today. That is just about gathering steam. Barricading is taking place in this area to make sure that the farmers don't enter the national capital region of Delhi.
Just a couple months ago on 26 of January which is commemorated as Republic Day here in India, you did see violent scenes between the farm unions and their representatives and the Delhi police. And that turned out to be highly violent at a huge scale as well.
So, yes this could turn into a super spreader but the farmers are very clear and adamant they're going to carry on with these protests. They feel that that being bullied by bigger corporate houses at the moment with the new laws that are being introduced. And they want all three laws to be repealed. They say we will not rest until that is done, Lynda.
KINKADE: All right. Vedika Sud in New Delhi. We will stay across the story. Good to have you on the case. Thank you.
SUD: Thank you.
KINKADE: Well, in addition to the dissent and its terrible battle with COVID, a powerful tropical cyclone mad landfall in northeastern India a short time ago. Cyclone Yaas is battering the region with strong winds, heavy rain and storm surges.
Hundreds of thousands of people were evacuated ahead of landfall. And cyclone Yaas is the second tropical cyclone with hurricane-force winds to hit the country in a little over a week.
Meteorologist Pedram Javaheri joins us now with more. How are things looking right now, Pedram?
PEDRAM JAVAHERI, CNN METEOROLOGIST: You know, this is the worst-case scenario as far as the landfall in the last hour or so and the storm coming to shore with these winds of 120 kilometers per hour.
So we're in the height of what the folks here are feeling with these strongest winds and the storm surge battering these coastal communities.
Came to shore with 120 kilometer per hour winds. That's equivalent to a category one hurricane. You're got to keep in mind here, this area very much prone to significant damage. We've seen it before. In fact, you look at the data for the most destructive, the costliest and deadliest tropical systems on our planet.
You look at the top 35 of those storms, guess where 26 of those 35 storms have made landfall? A few of them have made landfall in Asia. A few across the United States. 26 of them have made landfall right in this particular area of the northern Bay of Bengal.
That's why this area is so prone and susceptible. It's a low-lying landscape. And of course, structures that are vulnerable to impacts tropical systems.
And you take a look, water temperature is in the middle thirties Celsius among the warmest on our planet. Very much conducive to see these strengthening systems develop and strengthen rather quickly.
And the only element of good news was the storm really didn't have enough time to further intensify. But 2 to 3 meter storms surge going to leave significant damage here. You look at the Ganges River, the Delta, very much on the lower end of the sea level, about 9 meters on average above sea level.
And then anytime you look at displaced water across the open waters here and you bring that storm surge to above say 2 or 3 meters, that is when you begin to really disrupt of course, push water into possibly the upper level of buildings there.
So that's what we're watching carefully. And then you compare it to what has just happened here over the last week. the stronger cycle ever to impact Western India, that was (INAUDIBLE). And then this comes ashore, the shortest duration with in 2 tropical systems eight days apart here that we've seen in modern records. So a lot of tough conditions there for our friends across India.
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KINKADE: Yes, certainly they are dealing with a lot right now. Our thoughts are with everyone there in India. Pedram Javaheri. Thanks so much.
Well, still to come here on CNN NEWSROOM, Sri Lanka says it might be too late to prevent this burning cargo ship from spilling hundreds of tons of oil into the sea. The race to stop an environmental disaster next.
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KINKADE: Welcome back.
Will China forgive John Cena? The Hollywood star gave an impassioned apology to the Chinese people on Tuesday via Weibo. And he spoke in mandarin. Cena says he is very, very sorry for calling Taiwan a country during a promotional interview for the latest film in the Fast and Furious franchise. Cena, who is starring in the F-9 claims he misspoke. But the incident shows how mindful Hollywood and businesses have been about political sensitivities in China.
Our correspondent Will Ripley is following this live for us from Taipei. Will, it certainly did sound groveling the way he made this apology, trying to backtrack that statement.
WILL RIPLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Lynda, I am very, very, very, very sorry that I have to talk about this again. But guess what? I'm going to have to talk about it again and again and again.
Yes, you mentioned Hollywood, big business -- they are more mindful. But it's not because they had some sort of epiphany. It's because China means business when it comes to issues like Taiwan, Hong Kong and Tibet, these red line issues.
And what John Cena did, although for most outside observers in the west it would appear to be an innocent mistake. He's speaking in mandarin, not his first language. And he was talking to a broadcaster here in Taiwan saying this is the first country where you can watch F- 9.
And it could've just been a lost in translation kind of thing. Although Cena has been studying Mandarin for a couple years but because he used the word "country" that has blown up. He has 600,000 followers on Weibo which is China's main social media platform. 7,000 responses to that.
As some have said groveling apology where people are saying he did not go far enough. Because they want him to actually come on in mandarin and say Taiwan is a part of China.
Now, here in Taiwan they don't necessarily feel that way. This island of 23 million has been governing itself for more than 70 years since China's civil war ended. But over in Beijing they view this as a renegade province that they can take back at anytime. And any suggestion to the contrary can get businesses and Hollywood stars, and pretty much anybody, in a whole heck of a lot of trouble.
You think about the airlines back in 2018, AA, Delta, United, they risked sanctions because they had Taiwan on a map as a country.
And that's of course, China is one of the biggest air travel markets. It's also one of Hollywood's biggest international market, the most important as a matter of fact Lynda, because F-9 made $136 million over the weekend just in China.
Money talks. And that is why you saw this apology from John Cena.
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KINKADE: Money talks indeed. We know.
Will Ripley in Taipei. Good to have you on the case, thanks.
Well, the burning cargo ship off the coast of Sri Lanka is expected to sink potentially at any moment. Officials fear more than 300 metric tons of oil and other chemicals could be spilled into the sea.
Specialists from the Indian Coast Guard and the Netherlands are on the scene to help. The big concern now for Sri Lanka is protecting about 30 kilometers of delicate coastline which includes a protected home to marine life and mangroves.
CNN's Anna Coren has more.
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ANNA COREN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Big black smoke billows over it container ship in the (INAUDIBLE) sea off the coast of Sri Lanka as the MV Express Pearl burns out of control.
An oil slick spreads along the water surface, an impending natural disaster potentially unfolding. This Singaporean vessel carrying more than 1,400 containers of cosmetics and chemicals, including 25 tons of nitric acid, caught fire last Thursday after an explosion on board.
The crew thought they had contained the blaze until there was a second explosion on Tuesday. Two people were injured, the Sri Lankan navy managed to safely rescue all 25 crew members.
DHARSHANI LAHADAPURA, HEAD, MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AUTHORITY (through translator): Because of the rough seas and heavy winds last night, the fire intensified. There was also an explosion in one of the containers. With the explosion the fire spread rapidly.
COREN: The ship which has left Hazira port in India bound for Singapore has been waiting for entry into Colombo port. It was anchored 9.5 nautical miles off the coast when the explosion occurred.
Due to the intense heat of the ongoing blaze authorities are unable to get close enough to put out the fire. The fear now, according to the states fishery minister is that the ship containing 320 metric tons of oil could sink causing an environmental catastrophe.
Nearby, Negombo Lagoon one of the largest in Sri Lanka, is home to more than 5,000 fishermen who depend on the pristine marine environment for their livelihood.
Debris from the ship has already washed up on the coast. And the community has been told not to engage in any fishing activities. The Navy and Coast Guard have begun erecting oil booms to prevent an ecological disaster.
However the government has confirmed to CNN that they do not have enough oil booms to contain the potential spread.
A team from the Netherlands has been assisting with the operation. A preliminary investigation by the navy indicates the fire started after a chemical reaction on board. Anna Coren, CNN -- Hong Kong.
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KINKADE: Well, thanks so much for watching CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Lynda Kinkade. Good to have you with us.
The news continues on CNN with my Aussie mate Rosemary Church. Stay with us.
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