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CNN INTERNATIONAL: NATO Summit Wraps Up; Xi Jinping Visits Hong Kong; SCOTUS Curbs EPA On Carbon Emissions; Joe Biden Accuses SCOTUS Of "Destabilizing" U.S.; Destructive Floods In India And Bangladesh; Alleged Duchess Of Sussex Bullying Report; Jailed Egyptian Activist's Family Fear For His Safety. Aired 2-3p ET

Aired June 30, 2022 - 14:00   ET

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

[14:00:00]

ELENI GIOKOS, HOST, CNN NEWSROOM: Dubai. Tonight, world leaders wave goodbye to the NATO Summit, quote, "more unified than ever. We wrap up the commitments made." And then China's president says Hong Kong has, quote, "emerged from the ashes", and his first visit to the city in five years. And the United States Supreme Court stifles America's climate policy, making it much more difficult for the government to regulate carbon emissions.

Great to have you with us. Now, Russia's president wanted less NATO, instead he is getting more. And that's according to NATO's Secretary- General Jens Stoltenberg, speaking after the historic summit that ended with a military alliance, seeing itself as stronger and more focused than ever.

NATO is set to gain two new members, Finland and Sweden. And it's planning to significantly expand its force readiness along its eastern flank. U.S. President Joe Biden says none of this should come as a surprise to Russia.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Before the war started, I told Putin that if he invaded Ukraine, NATO would not only get stronger, but we'll get more united. And we would see -- we see democracies in the world stand up and oppose his aggression and defend the rules-based order. And that's exactly what we're seeing today.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GIOKOS: Right, and Stoltenberg says part of Russia's quote, "big and huge mistake is underestimating Ukraine's resistance". He also says NATO members are guided not only by tactical mission to preserve peace in Europe, they're also following a moral imperative.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JENS STOLTENBERG, SECRETARY-GENERAL, NATO: They are ready to stand by Ukraine, to provide support to Ukraine, and for as long as it takes. I think these meetings are important just to convey that message, to reinforce the message, and to support each other. Knowing that this of course also have consequences, and for us, and that we are paying a price for this war.

But the price we are paying is something we can measure in money, the price the Ukrainians are paying is something you measure in lives. They're paying with their lives.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GIOKOS: Right, to get some analysis on this, we've got CNN diplomatic editor Nic Robertson joining us from the NATO Summit, and we also have Salma Abdelaziz standing by in Kyiv for the latest in terms of what we're seeing on the ground in Ukraine. Nic, great to have you with us. And more united than ever, NATO, is what we're seeing. Consequential summits. More deployment, you know, moving into a very different strategy and expansion, Sweden and Finland joining.

In terms of your assessment of what was discussed, and where to from here from NATO, do you believe that there was significant tectonic shifts that occurred during the summit?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Look, if you're looking for the sort of significant lights on the horizon here, the sort of lights, if you will, the stars that NATO was following, one is, Russia is a threat. Terrorism is also a big threat. But China is a security and stability challenge to the -- to the NATO nations and their people. So when you look at that, it is very clear Russia had the initiative going into the Ukraine war.

It said it wasn't going to do it, it had the build-up of troops, it did it. NATO reacted by supporting Ukraine. But this is now their response. NATO is very much off its back-foot, very much now setting out where it's going to be going in the future, seeing Russia as the threat, deploying the troops and the equipment, and having other troops on greater standby, to be ready, having air force is better positioned, should the Russian threat increase.

But Russia's perspective on this, and we've heard from Vladimir Putin, he's been very clear. He's saying that it's -- that it is NATO that's the threat. That's what he's said all along, but this is now a reality that it's going to have to deal with. And the Chinese, for their part, are responding to NATO marking them up as a -- as a strategic challenge, if you will. The Chinese are saying that it is NATO that is a relic of the cold war era.

So both China and Russia are responding verbally to what NATO is doing by saying, NATO is the problem. So NATO setting out the direction of travel, and what it's going to do. But China and Russia very clearly pushing back, and this is the nature of what we're going to see, now, for months if not years to come.

What precise shape it takes on the battlefield of Ukraine isn't clear. That battle is still open, and it's ongoing.

[14:05:00]

And NATO really has a lot more to do to make good on its commitment that it's talked about here.

GIOKOS: So vital in terms of what you said. You know, how that's going to play out on the ground. We've got Salma Abdelaziz standing by for us in Kyiv. Here is the reality. As these discussions are going on, new commitments on the table, right? We know the sense of urgency that is occurring, Salma, but also the battle is fierce. And there are cities that are at risk right now.

SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN REPORTER: Absolutely. I think when it comes to Ukraine, there is always a mix feeling when it comes to NATO. It's a club they are clearly not a part of, but at times, they feel that they are defending on the ground. President Zelenskyy has said time and time again, that the lives being lost on that battlefield, they're not just being lost for Ukraine. He believes the Ukrainian military is standing up for the ideals of the rest of Europe, for the ideals of NATO, for the ideals of democracy.

That this is the last stalwart, if you will, against President Putin's aggression. And that he is fighting that fight without the protection of NATO. Now, you're going to hear President Zelenskyy, of course, welcome the military aid being provided by NATO members, like the United States. But there is a race against time here, Eleni. Because Ukrainian forces are outmanned, they are outgunned, they are using Soviet-era weapons, largely on those front lines.

And the ammunition to put into those Soviet-era weapons is running out around the world. That means that Ukrainian troops need to be trained on NATO weapons, and they need to get those NATO weapons quickly on the battlefield. And in the meanwhile, again, this is an active fight, Russia is gaining inch by inch more territory. It is a superior military force, it has more manpower, it has more weapons, It has, if you will, the greater appetite for brutality.

By that I mean, pounding residential areas. Essentially, using that superior military might to grind the Ukrainian defensive positions, whether that be in the Donbas, of course, where that is a very key region. But also all along that eastern front. And we're talking about a really huge front line here, Eleni. Over a 1,000 kilometers of active fighting, that total eastern front is about 2,500 kilometers.

And I think everyone who is watching this war will agree that President Putin is playing the long game here. When NATO says it's willing to support Ukraine for as long as it takes, that could very well mean, for years, Eleni. So, you have to wonder for President Zelenskyy's part, how will NATO continue to support a weaker military force, that is the Ukrainian army, bolster it quite literally, possibly for years against President Putin's growing appetite for Ukrainian territory.

GIOKOS: Yes, such a good point. And Zelenskyy has said he wants the war to end at the end of this year. Nic, I want to bring you back in, because I think when we look at sort of world powers, starting to become a lot more vocal. You mentioned China quite a few times. And here's the thing.

If China is speaking out against NATO, are we going to see a significant schism occurring globally, where you're seeing an alignment happening, and what that would mean in NATO and the West's efforts to try and get this war under control and end the war by Zelenskyy's target at the end of the year?

ROBERTSON: I don't think anyone is confident that the war is going to end at the end of the year. They don't know the twists and turns it's going to make. They do see European Union --

GIOKOS: Yes --

ROBERTSON: Diplomats, definitely see, and that's something that is understood and felt at NATO as well. China has made its choice, it hasn't if you will, given the full-throated support to the -- to Russia's war in Ukraine. But it has decided to side with Russia in this. It is stepping up its relationship. President Xi and President Putin vow to do that before the invasion began, at the beginning of the Olympics earlier on this year.

So the commitment was made, it's been affected in reality, that China is in effect supporting Russia in this. And Russia and China both see themselves as major world powers who are working together to win over nations like -- important nations like India, to their side, and to have their narrative win. And their narrative is clear. Their narrative is that it's NATO who is the aggressor.

And they're trying to win allies to their side. So, schism is coming in terms of trade, in terms of economies, in terms of -- in terms of military position, and in terms of geopolitical conversations and a really big test of that will be the G20 later this year in Indonesia.

GIOKOS: Such an important point, right? Because we've even seen other emerging markets trying to get part of their economic bloc.

[14:10:00]

Nic, it's a conversation I'm sure you and I are going to have many times over the next few weeks. Salma Abdelaziz in Kyiv, Nic Robertson, thank you so much to both of you. All right, let's move on. And then there is one spot in Europe that military experts warn could become NATO's Achilles heel. It's a small strip of farmland, and it's between Lithuania and Poland, and it's nestled between Belarus and the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad.

Lithuania's president is asking for NATO's support against enemy just next door. CNN's Nina dos Santos joins us now from the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius. Good to see you, Nina. And here is the thing. We don't know what the Russians' next target will be. And they're looking for these weak spots, we've seen it play out in various parts in the eastern flank. But give me a sense of the fears that are emerging right now, and the true risks that are at play?

NINA DOS SANTOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the Lithuanians still remember the days of Soviet occupation. This is a country that only regained its independence back in the 1990s. So when you speak to people who remember those days, they don't have to be that old. They have memories and stories to tell that are often very painful. And for that reason, they're desperate to avoid allowing Russia to make any aggressive moves on this territory.

It's very sensitive, of course, because Russia, they do share a border here with Lithuania. It's for this reason that you've heard NATO has decided to beef up its presence, quite substantially, in this part of Europe. With permanent bases that are going to be set south of the border from Lithuania and Poland. But also, Lithuania campaigning for foreign troops to have a permanent base here as well.

It will take years, however, for these forces to arrive, and reinforce the security dynamics of the Baltics. In the meantime, though, Lithuanians themselves are joining various paramilitary organizations to make sure they're ready just in case.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DOS SANTOS (voice-over): Having a neighbor like Russia keeps Victor Kudiskics(ph) up at night, armed with his machine gun and a Maltese terrier, he's literally the first line of defense. If the Kremlin's troops at the end of his street take one step onto NATO's soil.

(on camera): That's where Russia starts.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, Russians.

DOS SANTOS: At the end of your street?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

DOS SANTOS (voice-over): Victor(ph) says he can see the soldiers after dark with his night vision goggles. He points to a shooting range over the hill. You often hear the shots, he says, from there. Soviet occupation is a deeply personal memory in this part of Europe.

Victor(ph) says his own father was among the quarter of a million Lithuanians to be sent to gulags, where many perished. So, when Russia annexed Crimea, Victor(ph) joined Lithuania's historic volunteer militia. The Riflemen Union, run by a regional commander also desperate to avoid a return to Russian rule.

EGIDIJUS PAPECKYS, COMMANDER, RIFLEMEN 4TH REGIONAL COMMAND: Everybody has the same story, somebody was shot by a Soviet, for example, by a Soviet regime or sent to Siberia just because we are Lithuanians.

DOS SANTOS: The Riflemen membership has increased ten-fold since the war in Ukraine began. Young and old keen to get trained up. "Every Lithuanian knows that Russia is a threat", says this new recruit in his 30s. And in this part of the southern Baltics, that threat feels very real.

(on camera): I'm standing on what is currently one of the world's hottest borders, right inside NATO territory. It's attractive land called the Suwalki Corridor between Lithuania and Poland, which also lies to the west here, between Kaliningrad, the heavily-fortified nuclearized Baltic outpost of Russia, and over there, the Kremlin's ally Belarus, about 60 miles in that direction. The fear is, that if Ukraine were to fall, Russia's army could roll right through here.

GABRIELIUS LANDSBERGIS, FOREIGN MINISTER, LITHUANIA: We always said that we need additional ally troops within Lithuania territory, in case Mr. Putin or his friends will try something.

DOS SANTOS: Lithuania's move to block the transit of some goods to Kaliningrad has raised the stakes, just as NATO leaders meet, and Russia has already retaliated with ongoing cyber attacks.

MARGIRIS ABUKEVICIUS, VICE MINISTER OF DEFENSE, LITHUANIA: We have started witnessing an increase and more intensity in cyber activities against our state institutions, against some critical operators, especially transport.

DOS SANTOS: Realizing it may get just one shot at protecting the Baltics, the alliance will now more than double the 3,000 troops stationed here today. When they arrive, the riflemen will be ready.

PAPECKYS: We are ready to fight with NATO, to get up with NATO shoulder-to-shoulder.

DOS SANTOS: Papeckys and his fellow volunteers have faith in NATO's protection, but living so close to Russia, they also have to be ready for anything.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

DOS SANTOS: Well, Eleni, Lithuania feels this very clearly because it is the corridor to the rest of the Baltics. And if this particular stretch of land were to be captured, some military scenarios envisage the whole of the Baltics being cut off in just a matter of days.

[14:15:00]

Remember, this is an area where the security dynamics are changing at record speeds -- with Sweden and Finland joining, that means, the whole of the Baltics sea will now be a new NATO area. And that is why countries like this are so sensitive. Also remember that, when it comes to warfare, that doesn't necessarily have to be with soldiers and troops. It can also be hybrid warfare like cyber attacks. And Lithuania continues to be buffeted by those. Eleni?

GIOKOS: Yes, all right, Nina, thank you so much for breaking that down for us. And from the challenges facing global diplomacy, to rather undiplomatic comments by global leaders. Vladimir Putin is lashing out after G7 leaders poked fun at his infamous shirtless horseback rides. The British Prime Minister joked last week that he and his counterparts should perhaps try a similar look to show they are tougher than Mr. Putin.

In turn, the Russian president said seeing any of the G7 leaders topless would be, quote, "disgusting sight". Don't know how to feel about that story. All right, well, still to come tonight, a political shake-up in Israel, a dissolved government, taking -- prime minister. That all coming up.

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GIOKOS: Welcome back. French President Emmanuel Macron told the NATO Summit hours ago that NATO is not an alliance against China, but it must take into account, quote, "systemic challenges that China poses". Now, the alliance updated its strategic concept to include very similar language, and Beijing is now firing back. It is calling into NATO a cold war remnant, and accuse the alliance of creating problems around the world, and imaginary enemies.

Now, the Chinese president is in Hong Kong, Friday will mark 25 years since the former British colony was returned to Chinese rule. And Hong Kong's new chief executive John Lee is set to be sworn in. It's Xi Jinping's first trip outside the mainland since the COVID pandemic began. But a number of local and international journalists included -- including from CNN will not be there.

[14:20:00]

And that's because they have been prevented from covering the official ceremonies. The Hong Kong Journalist Association says at least ten applications were rejected, for quote, "security reasons". Now, for many, it's just another example of the erosion of freedom in Hong Kong. Beijing had promised it would preserve the territories freedoms and autonomy for half a century. But under Xi Jinping, the one country to use this principle seems mostly to exist in name only. CNN's Ivan Watson takes a closer look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

IVAN WATSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A massive police deployment in central Hong Kong on June 4th. To stop what used to be an annual tradition here. A candle light vigil for the victims of the 1989 Tiananmen Square Massacre in Beijing. For 30 years, the vigil attracted tens of thousands of peaceful participants until the practice was banned in 2020, they say due to COVID-19.

In fact, the authorities have banned all independent street protests, while also cracking down hard on the city's political opposition.

DENNIS KWOK, FORMER HONG KONG LAWMAKER (through translator): People are living in a state of fear.

WATSON: For eight years, Dennis Kwok was an elected Hong Kong lawmaker until the government disqualified him from running for office in 2020.

KWOK: There are so many of my colleagues who are either in jail or have been arrested.

WATSON: Speaking from self-imposed exile in the U.S., Kwok argues the freedoms Hong Kong enjoyed started coming under threat when Xi Jinping took control of the ruling communist party in 2012.

KWOK: Hong Kong is one of the symptoms of where China is going, and I'm afraid that the country is taking a turn for authoritarianism of a kind which we haven't seen for many decades. WATSON: This year marks Xi's tenth year as the leader of China.

CY LEUNG, FORMER HONG KONG CHIEF EXECUTIVE: He's a very affable person.

WATSON: CY Leung previously worked as Beijing's appointed chief executive of Hong Kong. He's also an enthusiastic supporter of Xi.

LEUNG: Well, on the environmental front for example, I mean, he's a key and major driving force behind basically cleaning up the country. And also his anti-corruption efforts on all levels in the country.

WATSON (on camera): This would be in your opinion, the highest marks? His kind of biggest --

LEUNG: Yes --

WATSON: Accomplishment?

LEUNG: Yes, I would say so, and also development of the economy.

WATSON (voice-over): Xi has asserted China's hard and soft power overseas. Building man-made islands and military bases in contested waters of the South China Sea. Under his rule, China has made huge trade and infrastructure investments around the world, as part of the Belt and Road Initiative. In 2018, China's ceremonial parliament removed presidential term limits, paving the way for Xi to potentially rule for life.

CARL MINZNER, SENIOR FELLOW FOR CHINA STUDIES, COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS: He looks back at the '50s and possibly the '60s, and see that if I can bring back some of the political ideology and the vibrancy of that period, this can help combat sloth and corruption and other problems with the Chinese system.

WATSON: Xi's time in office is also seeing dramatic expansion of a high tech state surveillance system used to chilling effect in China's Xinjiang region, where western governments accuse Beijing of detaining up to 2 million Uyghur Muslims and members of other ethnic minorities in internment camps. Traumatized victims of this crackdown questions Xi's legacy.

ABDUWALI AYUP, UYGHUR ACTIVIST & FORMER POLITICAL PRISONER: What are we going to leave behind? Genocide? Cruelty? Dehumanization? This kind of cruelty, and do you want this becoming the culture? Become like the behavior? And then do you want to expand this behavior to defend a country like this? Do you want in the world, you become -- you create this system, digitalized prison in the world?

WATSON: The Chinese government rejects criticisms of its human rights records, arguing it uses lawful measures to maintain security against violent extremists.

(on camera): In mainland China, officials offer cash rewards for tips about hostile forces. While here in Hong Kong, this public awareness campaign wants people to be on the look-out for possible terrorism. (voice-over): After a decade in power, Xi Jinping says he is making

China great, but his government seems to talk about internal and external threats more than ever. Ivan Watson, CNN, Hong Kong.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GIOKOS: Israel's parliament has dissolved itself, and meaning the country will soon face its fifth election in fewer than four years. So, it's happening once again.

[14:25:00]

Today, Foreign Minister Yair Lapid seen moving to the right, will take over as caretaker prime minister, ending Naftali Bennett's brief run as Israel's leader. The move opens up the possibility of former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to return to power. For more on this, we've got Hadas Gold joining us from Jerusalem. Good to see you, Hadas. Yair Lapid has four months, I guess to make, you know, some kind of impact.

But everyone is talking about the possibility of Benjamin Netanyahu returning. What is the likelihood? What numbers does he need to hit?

HADAS GOLD, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Benjamin Netanyahu has been elated about this government's collapsing, that he will return to power, claiming that he will bring hope back to the Israeli people. And this despite the fact that he is facing an ongoing corruption trial, one that he often has to go, be physically in court for in a Jerusalem courthouse.

But when you're looking at the numbers, it is true that his Likud Party, when you're looking at the polling numbers would get the highest number of seats, somewhere in the mid-30s. And the second highest party behind them is actually Yair Lapid's centrist Yesh Atid Party.

But there's something like a dozen seats behind him in those polls. But in order to actually become prime minister in Israel, you have to get a majority in parliament, that's at least 61 seats. And when you do the political math, the puzzles of trying to put together which parties would sit with Netanyahu, when you look at their poll numbers, it's still not clear that Netanyahu would get that 61 seat majority.

He might be something like two or three seats behind. But the opposition, something that might be led by Yair Lapid, doesn't necessarily have the numbers either. Now, four months is quite a long time. Yair Lapid will now have four months as a caretaker prime minister. He's going to be welcoming President Joe Biden in the next two weeks. This here is going to be big moments that he is hoping will show to the Israeli public that he can be a prime minister, that they should keep him in the position come those November 1st elections.

For Benjamin Netanyahu, he will have those four months to try to convince some people who would naturally normally be his political allies to join him once again. But it is Netanyahu himself really, who is the roadblock to really a right-wing government. Because of his corruption trial, because of his political history with some of these other political leaders. If it wasn't Netanyahu in charge, many here believe that a right-wing government would easily get a majority. Eleni?

GIOKOS: All right, Hadas Gold in Jerusalem. Thank you so much. We're going to a short break, and still to come, the U.S. Supreme Court issues two final rulings, ending one of the most controversial terms in its history. How its decisions could affect the environment as well as immigration just ahead.

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[14:30:00]

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(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN (D), PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The one thing that has been destabilizing is the outrageous behavior of the Supreme Court of the United States in overruling not only Roe versus Wade but essentially challenging the right to privacy.

We have been a leader in the world in terms of personal rights and privacy rights. And it is a mistake in my view for the Supreme Court to do what it did.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GIOKOS (voice-over): That was U.S. President Joe Biden, speaking about one of the most consequential terms in the U.S. Supreme Court history.

Just days after the justices overturned the landmark ruling that established a woman's constitutional right to an abortion, they announced as well their final two rulings of the term, setting off a firestorm of controversy once again.

The new ruling facing the most pushback dealt a seismic blow as well, to efforts to find fight climate change. It limits the U.S. government's ability to regulate carbon emissions from coal fired power plants.

But the implications go far beyond the environment. The court cuts back a government agency authority in general, a move that could also affect other areas of policy as well.

Today's other rulings narrowly coming through as well, siding with the Biden administration, allowing it to end a hardline immigration policy that began under former president Donald Trump.

It forces some asylum seekers to wait in Mexico while the U.S. processes their cases to be hurt. We've got Rene Marsh in Washington and Priscilla Alvarez in Hidalgo, Texas.

Welcome to both of you. Great to see you. Priscilla, I want to start with you. The ruling was 5-4 and states

that immigration rules now basically mean that the federal government can use their discretion to end the program.

What does it mean for immigrants at the border right this minute?

PRISCILLA ALVAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We are still waiting for how quickly this is going to go into effect. In the long term, this would mean the Biden administration can end the policy that forced asylum seekers, who were not from Mexico, from Central or South America, to wait in Mexico during the duration of their immigration court proceedings.

This was an unprecedented measure that took effect under Donald Trump. Previously and for many years, migrants were allowed into the United States, be released or detained while they went through their immigration court proceedings.

The Biden administration had called that so-called remain-in-Mexico policy inhumane, saying it came at a steep human cost. So this is a major victory for the Biden administration as it moves to end the policy.

This still has to go through some additional legal proceedings, so we don't know how quickly this decision is going to take effect. But the big picture is that migrants will no longer be subject to this policy, should the administration have its way by ending it.

I tell you, I have heard from multiple immigration attorneys and advocates, who have been celebrating this decision today, saying it gives the asylum seekers the opportunity they should've had from the very beginning.

GIOKOS: Rene, I want to come to you and talk about the reversal of the EPA regulation.

Does this mean that the U.S. will not have tools to know just exactly what is being admitted from some of the dirtiest industries?

RENE MARSH, CNN AVIATION CORRESPONDENT: What this really means is that it will curb their ability to do this in a very aggressive way. It does not mean that the EPA will not be able to regulate CO2 emissions from places like power plants. We just heard from the EPA.

[14:35:00]

MARSH: And they said they are still working toward the issue of curbing admissions, the head of the EPA saying in the statement he is committed to using the full scope of the agency's authority to protect communities and reduce pollution that is driving climate change. And they are looking at other options to do. This

It makes it more difficult for this agency to aggressively curb these emissions but they are clearly saying in a statement that they are figuring out ways to work around today's decision. You are right. This is a blow to the Biden climate agenda. Remember,

he wants to cut climate emissions by 50 percent by the end of the decade. This ruling makes it so much more difficult.

It is a win, however, for coal power plants, for coal producing states as well, especially when you consider that greenhouse gas emissions, the largest source or the second largest source of these emissions, is coming from these power plants.

What this ruling does today is it has the EPA and the administration resetting on how they can go about making sure they can continue to address climate change in an effective way, in light of a ruling that really hampers and curbs their authority in this area.

They give us the impression in the statement that they are actively working to figure that out right now as we speak.

GIOKOS: Look, the U.S. has in the past been criticized for not taking an aggressive stance toward the climate change agenda, where everyone else in the world has been had to account.

What is the prognosis in terms of this decision in the U.S.?

What impact would that have on the rest of the world?

MARSH: That's a good question. We're talking about the United States, the Supreme Court. But climate is something that has no borders. So the impact we can safely say will reverberate on the international stage.

The U.S. will not be seen as a leader in the space if we are unable to meet our goals. Clearly, this decision today makes it a bit more difficult for the U.S. to reach its goals.

Then you have a situation of other countries, other nations, other major polluters, who will look at this and say, if the United States is not being aggressive about curbing these emissions, then why should we?

Then you have a domino effect, on aggressive movement, to curb these emissions. It really kind of sets things back a bit. It is not in the realm of where scientists say we need to be, which is to be aggressively and dramatically curving these greenhouse gases within a very short window.

That has been a warning from the scientific community for quite some time now.

GIOKOS: Code red, right?

This is an interesting decision at a time when the whole world is supposed to come together. Rene Marsh, Priscilla Alvarez, thank you so much for bringing us those insights.

Today was a monumental at the U.S. Supreme Court for another reason. Ketanji Brown Jackson made history, formally becoming the first African American woman to become a U.S. Supreme Court justice.

She replaces liberal Supreme Court justice Stephen Breyer, who stepped down at noon on Thursday. Jackson was a U.S. appeals court judge before winning Senate confirmation to join the Supreme Court.

As we just heard, today's Supreme Court's EPA ruling could dramatically alter America's efforts to reduce its emissions. But the impact of decisions like this reach beyond borders.

Right now nations across the world are being hit by extreme weather. Let's take east India for example. Devastating floods are drowning agricultural lands and destroying farmers' hopes for this year's harvest.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): It will not be possible to continue farming after the floods. The people who used to work in the fields, there is no work for them. They are now staying at home.

What will they do now?

It is even more challenging for them now.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GIOKOS: More than 130 people in India worst hit region have died as a direct result of the flooding and landslides. Across the border in Bangladesh, the floods are hitting even harder; 7 million people are in desperate need of shelter.

Some towns are almost entirely underwater. Organizations working in the area are sounding the alarm, saying, vital roadways are being cut off. CNN's Vedika Sud has this report from Delhi.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

VEDIKA SUD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The situation in Bangladesh and parts of Northeast India remain grim. Hundreds of thousands of homes at the border are underwater.

[14:40:00]

SUD (voice-over): More than 200 people have died. This is the worst flood in memory. In Bangladesh, more than 7 million people have been impacted. They are in desperate need of emergency aid and shelter.

Torrential rain has caused the rivers to overflow, submerging towns and villages in northeastern Bangladesh. According to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, two districts still hit around the water, roads leading to the region have been cut off due to flooding. Bangladesh is home to about 700 rivers, overflowing is a frequent problem due to extreme weather events.

In northeast, India over 150 people have died. Over 270,000 people are displaced off embankments road raged (ph). Environmentalists blame the extreme weather events in the region to global climate change -- Vedika Sud, CNN, New Delhi.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GIOKOS: And extreme conditions in Japan as well, which is battling a sweltering heat wave. Offices in Tokyo went dark today to try to conserve electricity. As the grid strains under the demand for mass air conditioning plus the unexpected shutdown of a power plant.

It's Tokyo's hottest June since records began. Temperatures in the capital hit more than 100 degrees Fahrenheit, around 38 degrees Celsius.

Still to come tonight, a political crackdown, a hunger strike and a desperate family ahead. We will bring you the story of jailed Egyptian activist Alaa Abd El-Fattah.

And how does the British royal family react when it receives human resources complaints?

A long awaited report on how the palace handles those explosive allegations that Meghan Markle bullied staff.

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GIOKOS: Welcome back. I'm Eleni Giokos in Dubai.

Buckingham Palace has completed a review into how it handles human resources complaints. And that includes the explosive allegations that Meghan Markle bullied staff while she was living on royal property.

According to the palace, the independent report made several recommendations but they are staying tightlipped on exactly what they are.

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GIOKOS: CNN royal correspondent, Max Foster, explains why.

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MAX FOSTER, CNN LONDON CORRESPONDENT: Allegations surfaced last year in "The Times" newspaper that the duchess drove out two personal assistants from her Kensington Palace household that undermined the confidence of her first staff member.

At the time, a spokesperson for the Sussexes dismissed "The Times'" report as a calculated smear campaign. The palace, though, did hire a law firm to investigate the handling of the allegations. And that work is now complete, we are told.

Several recommendations were made to improve HR procedures in the palace. But they won't give any detail. No public money was used, they point out. A senior royal source only added that they recognize that those people who participated in the review participated on the understanding that there would be confidentiality in those discussions with the independent legal firm.

And therefore they have a duty to respect that confidentiality. That's why we are not hearing more -- Max Foster, CNN, London.

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GIOKOS: Our series "Mission: Ahead" explores big, bold missions in science and technology to change the way we move. Today, we meet a former creative director of Windows XP who went on to help design the original Xbox and build some of HTC's earliest smartphones.

Remember those?

Now he's turned his hand to another industry and is working to make polluted city streets greener. CNN's Rachel Crane has the story.

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RACHEL CRANE, CNN BUSINESS INNOVATION AND SPACE CORRESPONDENT (voice- over): It's a gloomy day in Taiwan's capital, Taipei. But according to Horace Luke, it's not just the rain to blame.

HORACE LUKE, CHAIRMAN AND CEO, GOGORO (voice-over): You know, if you think about all the, noise all the dirty, air all of the heat, these are muggy. Every vehicle on the side of the street is not washed are different shades of gray.

CRANE (voice-over): The former designer is on a mission to add some color. His company, Gogoro, has developed a range of electric smart scooters with swappable batteries. So when riders are running low, they could turn up to a swapping station like this one and change to a fully charged battery.

While electric two-wheelers have been around for decades, in many cities in Asia, you are more likely to come across their gas and diesel fuels counterparts. You'll probably see a lot of them.

LUKE: Most people in the West don't realize how essential two wheelers are for Asia. Where we are today in Taiwan, there are 14 million two wheelers rolling around. The amount of dependency these people really have on these two wheelers for everyday life to taking their kids to school, going to the supermarket, running to work.

CRANE (voice-over): For riders strapped for time, battery swapping offers some valuable advantages. It's faster than filling up the tank and Gogoro stations actually outnumber gas stations in major cities in Taiwan. But more electric scooters on the road doesn't come without risk.

CAO ZHEJING, TONGA UNIVERSITY: The safety concern comes largely from the exposure of batteries. It's very dangerous in public space. CRANE (voice-over): Luke says battery swapping can make e-scooters

safer.

LUKE: We have a lot of safety measurements, I would say. Almost 14 different layers of safety precautions that allows us to manage the network, anything from overheating issue to a functionality issue. Those are caught by our system of servers. They're always monitoring every battery on the grid.

CRANE (voice-over): This system could even give back to the grid, according to Luke.

LUKE: Another project we're working on is being able to now push back the energy, taking those batteries and put it in things like, for example, into traffic lights that we can back up the traffic light for three hours during a brownout.

CRANE (voice-over): This grid isn't entirely green, though. Most electricity in Taiwan is still generated by fossil fuels, according to 2020 figures.

LUKE: Later on, hopefully, the demand size is big enough, we can influence the supply cycle for energy.

CRANE (voice-over): Gogoro is also expanding into larger scooter markets like China, India, each with its own complex energy infrastructure. For Luke, it's another chance to go back to the drawing board.

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GIOKOS: All right, we are going to a short break. Stay with CNN.

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GIOKOS: Eleven years after the Egyptian uprising, Alaa Abd El-Fattah is still paying a steep price. He is one of the country's best known activists but he has spent years behind bars and he has been on hunger strike for more than three months.

Now Britain's foreign secretary plans to raise the case with his Egyptian counterparts, Nada Bashir reports.

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NADA BASHIR, CNN REPORTER (voice-over): Almost eight years behind bars and now nearly 100 days on hunger strike, British Egyptian activists Alaa Abd El-Fattah is still languishing in a Cairo prison. The pro-democracy blogger became a leading opposition voice during protests in Cairo's Tahrir Square in 2011. His sister Mona tells me his detention is part of a broader crackdown on dissent in Egypt.

MONA SEIF, EGYPTIAN ACTIVIST AND SISTER OF ALAA ABD EL-FATTAH: Ever since Abdel Fattah al-Sisi came to power, he has been very keen on setting an example of a few profiles of activists and journalists and certain lawyers and human rights defenders.

BASHIR (voice-over): Since President al-Sisi came to power in 2014; Alaa has spent most of his days in prison. And in 2019 he was re- arrested and later sentenced to a further five years behind bars for allegedly spreading false news after he shared a Facebook post highlighting human rights abuses in Egypt's jails.

It's a charge laid against many political prisoners in Egypt and one which would see Alaa placed in Cairo's notorious tour prison for 2.5 years.

SEIF: They stripped him off his clothes. They left him in his underwear, they were blindfolded him and he was beaten up as he entered the prison several times and he was told that he never make it out of here.

BASHIR (voice-over): According to Human Rights Watch, Egypt is facing one of its worst human rights crises in many decades, with tens of thousands of government critics currently in detention.

In a recent appeal to E.U. leaders, the organization warned that torture and extrajudicial killings and custody have become endemic, with detainees allegedly facing routine beatings, electric shocks and even rape.

BASHIR: Despite well documented human rights abuses, the British government has continued to strengthen its ties with Egypt for a multibillion dollar trade deal to cooperation on defense and security.

But after weeks of campaigning ballots, family and supporters, Britain's foreign secretary says she will finally raise Alaa's case with her Egyptian counterpart.

LIZ TRUSS, BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY: We are working very hard to secure his release. Lord Ahmed has met with the family and I am seeking a meeting with the Egyptian foreign minister.

BASHIR (voice-over): But Alaa's sister, who was also now on hunger strike, fears that government action may come too late.

SEIF: The Egyptian authorities have managed to push Alaa to a dark place that he's never been to before.

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SEIF: Last visit, he was kind of shouting at us that we should snap out of the notion that we'll be able to save him. And what we can do is make the political price of his death higher. BASHIR (voice-over): As weeks go by there is a growing sense of despair. One that is all too familiar to Richard Ratcliffe. He campaigned for the freedom of his wife, Nazanin, for nearly six years before the British government was finally able to negotiate her release from detention in Iran earlier this year.

RICHARD RATCLIFFE, CAMPAIGNER: There's a kind of desperation. It's not as if there's a clear plan of what you want the government to do. You just want the government to use its powers and to get your loved one home.

BASHIR (voice-over): CNN has reached out to Egypt foreign ministry for comment on our last case but has yet to receive a response. Alaa's hunger strike, meanwhile, edges closer and closer into life threatening territory.

And pressure is mounting on the British government not only to secure his freedom but to take tougher action against President al Sisi's regime -- Nada Bashir, CNN, London.

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GIOKOS: Thanks very much for watching. I'm going to now leave you with some music from the Kyiv Symphony Orchestra, who played at the NATO summit last night. That's absolutely beautiful.

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