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Details Emerge Of Crash As Crowd Attends Funeral For Iran's President; Netanyahu Denounces Bid To Arrest Him Over Gaza War; Terrifying Turbulence On Singapore Flight; Trump Doesn't Testify As Defense Rests Case; Trump Campaign Deletes Video Mentioning "Unified Reich." Aired 1-2a ET

Aired May 22, 2024 - 01:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[01:00:28]

PAULA NEWTON, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, I'm Paula Newton. Ahead right here on CNN Newsroom. Iran says farewell to its late president as new details emerge about the helicopter crash that killed Ebrahim Raisi and eight others.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: The charges are completely false.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: Benjamin Netanyahu responds to allegations of war crimes by the International Criminal Court and a host of other questions in an interview with CNN and a Singapore Airlines flight hits severe turbulence killing one passenger and sending several others to hospital.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Live from Atlanta. This is CNN Newsroom with Paula Newton.

NEWTON: And we do begin this hour in Iran and you're looking at live pictures out of Tehran where the funeral ceremony for the late President Ebrahim Raisi is now underway. Large crowds are packing the streets of that capital city and officials from Russia, Turkey, India and Afghanistan are said to be attending the event.

Now, Raisi's body was flown to Tehran on Tuesday, where mourners gathered in the Grand Mosalla mosque to pay their respects to him, as well as the country's foreign minister and seven others, all of them were killed in a helicopter crash over the weekend.

Now, Tehran is just the latest stop in the funeral ceremonies that began Tuesday in the Northwest city of Tabriz. They will conclude on Thursday night in the city of Mashhad, where racy is set to be buried. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khomeini is expected to lead those prayers himself. CNN senior international correspondent Fred Pleitgen joins us now live from Tehran. And Fred, so good to have you on the ground there. And can you set the scene for us? I mean, these are pivotal historic events unfolding in quick succession. And it hasn't even been three days since this helicopter crash.

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIOANAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, I think you're absolutely right. I think it certainly is a pivotal event. And you can certainly see that on the ground here as well, as we're standing in central Tehran. I'm actually only a couple of streets down from the Tehran University where those prayers were taking place, of course, led by the Supreme Leader himself, they started very early in the morning hours at 7am.

And afterwards, the area that you see here, right here, this is called Revolution Square. This is where the bodies are going to be brought through where a lot of the folks that you see here, who are those folks who have come out to mourn are going to pay their last respects. I have to say from being down here on the ground right now, there are huge crowds that are turning out here to pay their final respects. A lot of people here coming with posters that were specially printed for these events, you can maybe see some of them.

You can see there's a lot of people, for instance, this is one of the ones that people have been showing this is one showing a very racy getting kissed by the late General Qasem Soleimani, who of course, was killed in a U.S. airstrike in 2020. That one of the big themes here. Thank you. That one of the big themes here is to portray those who were killed in this air crash as martyrs in the service of the Iranian state. And that is definitely something that you can see here throughout this town.

You see this big crowds here around me, Paula, but really throughout Tehran right now there are billboards that have gone out in the last 48 hours a little more since that crash happened. It seems as though millions of posters have been printed. So you can see that on the one hand, the folks who are in power here in Iran, they want to make this mourning very public.

They want to make this a state event which certainly it does appear as though it is but at the same time, there is that second part to this as well, where they also want to portray a sense of stability, where they obviously acknowledge that with the president of the Islamic Republic and the foreign minister, by the way, he's a very important figure here as well. It was really important for the foreign policy. They obviously have been killed, but they do say that the government services will continue without any disruptions. Paula.

NEWTON: Yes, extraordinary scenes, even just behind you, Fred. I'm wondering what did you get in terms of comments from people you were speaking to the level of emotion they might be showing or not? I mean, it's interesting that you held up that photo with Soleimani because we remember the almost spontaneous emotion that came out then after he was killed as you say in that airstrike.

PLEITGEN: Yes, absolutely. I was actually right here at this very place after Qasem Soleimani was killed with a funeral procession for him took place.

[01:05:00]

I would say that was probably still even just not bigger than what we're seeing here today but of course Qasem Soleimani was a towering figure also for the Islamic Republic of Iran. Nevertheless, of course, there is a real sense of mourning among the folks who have come out here today, not just of course, for the late president, but also for the others who were killed in that aircraft, especially to Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian.

But on the other hand, one of the things that we've been speaking to people about which is important as well, as they say, they want to know how things are going to move forward. Now that, of course, is the other thing that we've been talking about the fact that the Supreme Leader has said the acting presidents who was the first vice president before that, he also said that the government will continue to function in its normal way.

But at the same time, the authorities have also said that according to the Constitution, they have put in elections, presidential elections that are going to take place around 50 days from now on June 28. So they do give a sense that they want to move forward, they want state to continue. But of course, with a new president coming in the President does have significant powers here in this country. Even though of course, the Supreme Leader is the biggest towering figure in the Islamic Republic of Iran, the President certainly can set the policies of this country to a large degree.

And so a lot of people are waiting to see which direction Iran will go and whether it will become more conservative. Raisi, of course, was a very conservative president or whether or not because it might become more moderate, like it was before under Hassan Rouhani. Don't want to believe at least that that will happen.

However, that is going to be one of the interesting things that people are going to look at which candidates are going to be allowed to run. And then also, of course, how the new government afterwards is going to be formed. Paula

NEWTON: In the meantime, though, historic day of mourning, Fred, we're so glad to have you right there on the ground for us. We will continue to touch base with you throughout the coming hours. Fred Pleitgen for us live in Tehran. Thanks so much.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is once again lashing out at the pursuit of an international criminal court arrest warrant against him and its defense minister speaking to CNN's Jake Tapper on Tuesday, he said claims of war crimes are based on a pack of lies. He also denied allegations that he is starving civilians in Gaza as a method of war.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAKE TAPPER, CNN ANCHOR: Is a central part of the ICCs charges against you and Gallant is, quote, starvation of civilians as a method of warfare. Now, I know that Israel repeatedly claims that enough aid is getting in and there is not purposeful starvation and those claiming otherwise are misinformed are lying.

Is Israel going to send a delegation to The Hague to present any evidence to defend itself?

NETANYAHU: I think these charges are exactly as President Biden called them outrageous. They're beyond outrageous. This is a rogue prosecutor that has put false charges and created false symmetries that are both dangerous and false.

And the first of all cemeteries equates the democratically elected leaders of Israel were the terrorist tyrants of Hamas. That's like saying that, well, I'm issuing the, you know, arrest warrants for FDR and Churchill, but also for Hitler, or I'm issuing arrest warrants for George Bush, George W. Bush, but also for Bin Laden. That's absurd. Secondly, the charges are completely false.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: Now, Mr. Netanyahu also laid out his plans for Gaza once the war is over, saying Israel has no intention of resettling the Enclave. He says his goal is to defeat Hamas.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NETANYAHU: Now I have a very clear plan. I think the first thing the day after Hamas, Jake, is the day after Hamas, we have to get rid of Hamas. Otherwise, there's no future for Gaza, no future for peace and will be a tremendous victory for not only for Hamas, but for the Iran terror axis that backs it, and organizes Hezbollah, the Houthis and all these other sundry terrorist organizations.

So I think we have to defeat Hamas and we will defeat Hamas. Rafah has the last stronghold of Hamas terrorist battalions will defeat them that ends the intense part of the fighting. But once Hamas is defeated, what we have to do is have sustained demilitarization of Gaza. And yes on this, I think the only force that can prevent the resurgence of terrorism for the foreseeable future is Israel.

At the same time we want, I want a civilian administration that is run by Gazans who are neither Hamas nor committed to are --

TAPPER: So you're taking it off the table.

NETANYAHU: The thing that we need to do is -- no I'm not. I'm putting it on the table on the country. That's not --

TAPPER: I'm not saying you're taking off an Israeli occupation of Gaza. You're taking off the table and Israeli, you have to --

NETANYAHU: If you mean resettling -- if you mean resettling Gaza? Yes, there was never in the cards and I said so openly in some of my constituents are not happy about it, but that's my position. The third thing that I would do is have a reconstruction of Gaza, if possible, done by the moderate Arab states and the international community. (END VIDEO CLIP)

[01:10:00]

NEWTON: Joining me now is Stephen Cook, Senior Fellow for Middle Eastern Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations and the author of the book "The End of Ambition, America's Past, Present and Future in the Middle East."

I want to thank you for being with us. You know, Netanyahu took the rhetorical lead, as we have heard, in the last couple of days calling the ICC and its accusations the height of hypocrisy. You know, many Israelis are united behind them and feeling that way. You argue that the ICCs movement actually embolden Israel, especially when it comes to what's going on in Rafah right now. How so?

STEVEN COOK, SENIOR FELLOW FOR MIDDLE EASTERN STUDIES, COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS: Yes, I -- seems clear that Netanyahu and the Israeli people are united on this issue in believing that the ICC prosecutors request for warrants is unjust and unfair, and creates a false equivalence between the leaders, the democratically elected leaders of Israel as well as Hamas.

And the danger here is, is that now Netanyahu has more support, there already was significant support for a Rafah operation. But if he and Defense Minister, Yaov Gallant, who's also named in this request for warrants, believe and Israelis believe they have nothing much to lose, because no matter what they do, to protect themselves, they will be criticized and even potentially hauled before the International Criminal Court.

There's a likelihood that they will go very big in Rafah, where there was some indication recently that they were pursuing a more limited operation at the request of the United States.

NEWTON: I want to get to the book's title, right, it's directed says the end of America's ambition to find the elusive peace in the Middle East. What do you make of the Biden administration's moves to try and broker that peace, including, crucially, the fact that it would include Saudi Arabia, right, because, in fact, to your words, that would be ambitious?

COOK: Yes, I think that the effort to wrap a American Saudis security deal around a normalization deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia is too much. It is too ambitious. Right now, the best thing for the United States to do is to separate those issues.

And if there truly is an important argument to be made about security pact with Saudi Arabia, the President and his advisers should make it to the Congress, which will have to sign off on such a deal.

NEWTON: And going back to Netanyahu in the fact that before the ICC, he was facing a lot of internal political pressure that still exists. Do you see an outline for an end game for Netanyahu here?

COOK: No, I think that Netanyahu has been consistent in his vision, such that is of the day after in Gaza, which is no Palestinian state, no reinvigorated Palestinian Authority, and overall Israeli security control of the Gaza Strip. I think that's also something that has significant political support in Israel. I think his ideas about God Gazans taking over the administration of the area are unlikely to be successful.

So to the extent that he has a vision has an end game, it is one that is based on those three propositions no Palestinian state, no Palestinian Authority, and overall security control beyond that there really isn't much and I'm afraid it sets Israel up for a continued at least military control and Forever War in the Gaza Strip.

NEWTON: Yes, grim prospects indeed for everyone involved. Steven Cook, we will leave it there for now. Thanks so much. Appreciate it.

COOK: Thank you.

NEWTON: Several tornadoes have hit the U.S. state of Iowa killing at least one person Tuesday, a powerful line thunderstorms across parts of Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois, prompted tornado watches for those states just terrifying pictures. There are nearly 20 tornadoes reported right across the country.

The system was strong enough to force the temporary closure of the Des Moines International Airport. Now, Iowa officials say the city of Greenfield suffered devastating damage from one tornado which went straight through the center of town you're looking at those pictures now. One resident tells CNN there's basically nothing left.

Closing arguments are the next step in Donald Trump's hush money case then it goes to the jury. We'll look at the timeline of the trial and its most pivotal moments. Plus, a big blunder for the Trump campaign after he posts a video suggesting a Nazi Germany like future for America.

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[01:17:00]

NEWTON: The Trump patrimony trial is entering its final phase the defense rested its case on Tuesday without the former U.S. president testifying and the jury will begin deciding Trump's fate next week. CNN's Brynn Gingras brings us right up to speed.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRYNN GINGRAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The hush money trial of Donald Trump will soon be in the hands of a jury.

DONALD TRUMP, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT: Feel very good. I think we have a great vacation was put on.

GINGRAS (voice-over): Without hearing from the defendant at least in the courtroom.

TRUMP: The good news is that proven a case there is no crime. GINGRAS (voice-over): Instead, jurors will be left with the key moments from the prosecution's three star witnesses. Michael Cohen, the former Trump fixer and prosecution star witness spending 17 hours on the stand testifying he paid adult film actress Stormy Daniels quote, at the direction of Donald J Trump and for the benefit of Donald J Trump to cover up their alleged affair which Trump denies. Cohen said he paid the money to ensure that the story would not come out would not affect Mr. Trump's chances of becoming president of the United States.

In fierce cross-examination, the Trump defense got Cohen to admit he has at times been a liar and a thief. Also bringing up text messages and phone calls questioning Cohen's motives, including a tense confrontation between Cohen and defense attorney Todd Blanche over text messages Cohen sent to Trump's bodyguard Keith Schiller on October 24 2016.

Cohen had told prosecutors that he had reached out to Schiller to speak with Trump about the Daniels payment. But under cross- examination, Blanche read Cohen a text sent minutes before the call. Cohen texted Schiller, who can I speak to regarding harassing calls to my cell in office. The dope forgot to block his number. Schiller texted back soon after, call me.

The exchange key as prosecutors need to prove Trump knew about the payments and violated campaign finance laws by authorizing them. Prosecutors highlighting a different call Cohen made to Stormy Daniels attorney Keith Davidson, when Cohen expressed referring to Trump, I can't even tell you how many times he said to me, you know, I hate the fact that we did it.

Earlier in the prosecution's case, David Pecker, the former chief of the National Enquirer who called Trump a mentor, Pecker explaining how he worked with Cohen to catch and kill salacious stories about Trump, which defense attorneys painted as just usual business.

Stormy Daniels may have been the testimony that angered Trump the most as she walked jurors through her alleged affair in vivid detail. Daniels explained how Cohen's interest in her story skyrocketed.

TRUMP: You know I'm automatically attracted to beautiful. I just start kissing them.

GINGRAS (voice-over): After the infamous Access Hollywood tape and discussions about payments began days before the election. They were interested in paying for the story, Daniels set up Cohen and Trump. Defense attorneys painted Daniels as money hungry and driven by a hatred of the former president.

Am I correct that you hate President Trump? Trump's attorney asked. Yes, Daniels replied. You want him to go to jail if he's found guilty absolutely, Daniels responded. Brynn Gingras, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[01:20:10] NEWTON: U.S. President Joe Biden is accusing Donald Trump of using quote Hitler's language in a post on True Social which Team Trump has since deleted. Now, it's a video with images of a fake newspaper article that references a, quote, unified Reich if If Trump is reelected.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENATIFIED MALE: What happens after Donald Trump America.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: And there you will see it. It's the phrase that's highlighted. It's the term Reich and it's often associated with Nazi Germany under Adolf Hitler, who designed Germany as a Third Reich.

The Trump campaign released a statement saying they didn't create the video and that it was quote reposted by a staffer who clearly did not see the word while the President was in court.

Now the Biden campaign wasted no time pouncing on the gaff saying it shows Trump intends to rule as a dictator if he regains power.

Thomas Gift is the director of the Center on U.S. Politics at the University College London and he joins us now live, in fact, from Maryland. Thank you so much for joining us. You know, again, under the category of you can't make this up. There's no doubt this offended many Americans. But you and I both know, it, perhaps delighted a few as well. What do you make of the fact that the campaign didn't take it down so quickly?

THOMAS GIFT, DIRECTOR, CENTER ON U.S. POLITICS, UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON: Well, I think that there are one of two ways to construe this. It's either incompetence or it's nefarious, and neither is a very good look for Trump. And I think the problem is that Trump has just traffic and so much authoritarian rhetoric, that it's hard to give him the benefit of doubt In any scenario.

You know, you can see the pattern, Trump winks at extremists, but then he gives just enough plausible deniability to say that this doesn't represent his views. You know, that's been true over and over and over with his both sides comment at Charlottesville, it's true with his stand back and standby comment with Proud Boys. It's true with his bloodbath comment, back in 2020, you may recall, actually, Facebook took down Trump ads displaying a red triangle symbol used by the Nazis, which the Trump campaign at the time claim was associated with Antifa.

So, this isn't an isolated incident. It's really a trend. Obviously, someone at the Trump campaign thought that this isn't a good luck, we need to get this down soon enough. But you know, the damage has already been done.

NEWTON: You know, use a good word there and trafficking in the sense that they are in this milieu when they are producing these kinds of, you know, this kind of campaign and branding campaign props, I guess you'd call them and branding. And so that's what they came up with.

I want to talk to you, though, about some policy, that they are now putting out there some contentious comments from Trump and himself. In fact, I listened to him now indicating that he would support restricting access to contraception. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you support any restrictions on a person's right to contraception?

TRUMP: Well, we're looking at that, and I'm going to have a policy on that very shortly. And I think it's something you'll find interesting.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: Now, he later clarified, we have to say on social media posts that he says I will -- I have never and will never advocate imposing restrictions on birth control or other contraceptive. But what do you think the damage is there?

I mean, I don't know if he misunderstood the question that he was doing in that interview and then had to correct it. Or if again, it is a wink and a nod to that other base of the party that wants to see restrictions on contraception?

GIFT: Well, I think Trump realized soon enough that restrictions on contraceptives wasn't going to win in many votes. I'm not sure why he stumbled to get there really was an unforced error. But I do think that it fits into this broader challenge for Trump that links back to reproductive rights that links back to abortion, it links back to this post Roe v. Wade politics that have proven so difficult for Republicans.

I think Trump does realize that reproductive rights is one issue that can galvanize Biden's base. It seems like Biden or Trump essentially has been trying to tack to the center on these issues. You know, he's consistently invoke states rights to sidestep making clear statements, but, you know, in the end that may satisfy no one because there's a really real challenge here for Trump.

You know, the religious right will want Trump to come out harder for national abortion ban, they'll want restrictions on something like mifepristone and centrist voters will want the opposite. And I think Trump really waffling on contraceptives. It's not going to help them credibly commit to taking a moderate stance on these issues.

NEWTON: Exactly. The moderates will already wonder exactly when he gets in office, if he is reelected, what exactly he would do. I do want to talk to you about age obviously still a major issue on this campaign with President Biden but also with Trump.

[01:25:02]

You know, on the last few days, both candidates have seemed less than articulate to put a generously at the podium. How much do you believe this will continue to impact the campaign? Because let's face it, Americans are out of choices. These are the people that will present themselves as a choice for president.

GIFT: Exactly. I mean, that's one reason why I'm looking forward to the debates because that's really one opportunity to see these candidates in an unscripted format. I still do think that age is dogging Biden more than it is Trump fairly or unfairly. That is kind of a narrative that came out very early and something like that is difficult to shake.

But you're absolutely right. We see gaffes. We see misstatements from both candidates. And with Trump, they tend to be much more outlandish, but I do think that age is going to continue to be a factor. Ultimately, these candidates are so different. It's hard to imagine being a swing voter now much less a few months from now. They represent such different policies such different visions of the country to peg everything to age, I think it's going to be maybe be an issue that kind of fades into the backdrop.

NEWTON: Yes, it is a fair point and it will of course fade if on that first CNN debate at the end of June, they both of them come out swinging and can have a good performance. Thomas Gift for us. Thanks so much. Appreciate it.

GIFT: Thank you.

NEWTON: Now coming up for us. The U.S. says tons of aid is entering Gaza through its floating pier, but is it reaching the people who need it most, that's next.

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NEWTON: We're continuing to follow developments in Tehran where huge crowds have gathered to pay their respects to the late President Ebrahim Raisi who is being honored alongside the country's foreign minister and seven others killed in a helicopter crash this weekend.

Now, Iran announced offices would be closed and a public holiday observed for the day. Officials from Russia, Turkey, India and Afghanistan are said to be in Tehran for the ceremony.

[01:30:00]

CNN's Paula Hancocks is following developments and joins us now from Abu Dhabi.

And Paula, I know you've been covering this really since the moment that the helicopter went down. And yet now we're learning so much more about how this deadly crash unfolded from Raisi's chief of staff.

I mean, a lot of the details just floored me.

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Paula. This is the chief of staff speaking to state media in Iran. And he really gave some key details about the last moments the helicopters were in the air. So what he said is that they were in the eastern Azerbaijan province.

That when they took off and there were three helicopters in this convoy, the weather was fine. There was perfect weather conditions and no concerns.

So they took off around 1:00 p.m. on Sunday. But he says that 45 minutes into that flight the pilot of Raisi's helicopter who was in control of the convoy told the other two pilots to raise their altitude to try and avoid a cloud.

Now we understand from the chief of staff that once they had done that, they then realized that Raisi's helicopter had disappeared.

So about 30 seconds after raising the altitude, the helicopter that he was in, then tried to circle back, tried to search for where that helicopter had gone, but was unable to decrease altitude because of this cloud.

Now they had tried to make radio contact with Raisi's helicopter and failed. That is when they flew on and then landed in a copper mine.

Now, according to the chief of staff, they were able to make contact with the imam on board the same helicopter as Raisi. This was Tabriz's Friday prayers imam. He had answered the mobile of the pilot on board and said that they had crashed and that he was in critical condition.

Now, according to this interview, they say that he was then able to stay in contact a number of times with officials over the next three hours, at least before he died as well.

Now we understand from this interview that when they reached the location of this helicopter crash, they said that the condition of the bodies of the late President Raisi, of the late foreign minister Abdollahian including the other seven -- six onboard the condition of the body showed that they had died instantly. The imam was able to survive three hours more.

These are the details that the investigators will be looking at very closely, Paula?

NEWTON: Yes, absolutely Paula. And I mean, really it is very tragic to think that he survived for those hours and knowing everyone around him was already dead.

I want to ask you that there was a discrepancy about the weather right because the chief of staff did claim, in fact that the weather was fine when they took off. And yet we saw ourselves in the video that for hours afterwards, at least the weather was, you know, very, very bad in terms of driving rain, cold temperatures and fog.

HANCOCKS: So what the chief of staff has said is at the location where they were, where this inauguration of the dam project was, the weather was fine.

So when they took off at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday afternoon they felt they were no issues according to him, and it was 45 minutes into that flight when the pilots said that they had to increase their altitude to try and avoid a cloud system.

Now, we do know that where the location of this crash was, where the rescue teams were trying to find the location the conditions, you're right, looked absolutely dire.

We know from our own CNN meteorologists that there was low hanging cloud in that particular area where the crash took place. The temperatures were lower than the usual. The rescue teams were unable to put a helicopter into the air to try and help their search and rescue project because it was just too dangerous.

So of course, questions will be asked as to whether the pilots knew that the weather they were flying into was going to be so bad. And if they didn't know why didn't they know, Paula.

NEWTON: Again, all good points that you raise and things that will continue to be raised during this investigation.

Paula Hancocks for us following developments. Appreciate it.

The U.N. warns that Israel's military operations in north, south, and central Gaza are making it impossible to deliver aid to desperate civilians. One senior official says the situation in the enclave is worse than quote "hell on earth".

UNRWA says its distribution center and the World Food Programme warehouse in Rafah are low and supplies inaccessible forcing the agency to suspend food distribution in that southern city.

Meantime, the U.N. says the Kerem Shalom crossing from Israel is technically open but moving aid into Gaza is extremely difficult because of hostilities and logistical challenges.

The U.S. meantime says 569 metric tons of humanitarian aid has now reached Gaza across its new floating pier. But one U.N. official says security issues and convoy raids have kept the aid from being distributed to the people who need it.

[01:34:51]

NEWTON: The Pentagon acknowledges the issue.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAJ. GEN. PAT RYDER, PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY: The causeway has been able to get over 569 metric tons of aid into Gaza for onward delivery. So yes, very shortly I think you'll see aid starting to be delivered.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That has been delivered, right today?

RYDER: As of today, I do not believe so.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: Meantime, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insists Israel has been allowing food and medical aid to enter Gaza. Here's what he told CNN's Jake Tapper earlier.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: we were trying to get the aid in. We got the aid and Hamas was looting the aid. That's what was happening.

They were taking it for themselves or extorting the population. We were letting the aid in from the start.

And look, I've been -- this was my directive from day one. The day one thing was we have to provide, we comport with international law. We comport with the rules of war.

We have to get those trucks and we're getting hundreds of trucks every day in and that's been an aspect of our conducting -- conduct of war because we tried to get civilians out of harm's way.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: Now one of the last partially functioning hospitals in northern Gaza says the Israeli military is trying to force its closure.

A freelance journalist reporting for CNN in Gaza says a shell landed in the reception and emergency area of the Kamal Adwan Hospital on Tuesday. Some patients and staff fled the treatment center, but many more patients were unable to leave.

The Israel Defense Forces have been carrying out military operations in the Jabalya area near the hospital for more than a week now. The journalist reported heavy artillery fire in the area and tanks firing close to the hospital's entrances.

The hospital director accuses Israel of targeting the facility.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. HUSSAM ABU SAIFYA, DIRECTOR, KAMAL ADWAN HOSPITAL (through translator): It's dangerous.

We were working calmly then the Israeli occupation directly targeted the emergency room and reception. This was deliberate and those present are medical staff providing medical and humanitarian services.

They targeted us with the first missile, then the second, then the third. They want to force us out of this hospital. This hospital is the last one providing medical services in northern Gaza.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: The Israel Defense Forces say they are targeting terrorist cells, firing at their troops in the Jabalya area.

Now an investigation is underway after extreme turbulence hit a Singapore Airways flight leaving one passenger dead and more than 70 others injured. The flight from London to Singapore was diverted to Bangkok.

CNN's Ivan Watson is there with details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Injuries and death after a moment of terror 30,000 feet in the sky. A Singapore Airlines flight hit with severe turbulence, throwing some passengers around the cabin just moments after the seatbelt sign was switched on.

Lighting and air ventilation tubing spilling out from the ceiling. Food trays from breakfast littered across the floor.

Emergency workers raced to Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi International Airport on Tuesday afternoon after the flight turned deadly. Traffic control on the tarmac quick to redirect ambulances and set up makeshift medical tents for injured passengers.

Flight SQ321 departed from London and was en route to Singapore. But severe turbulence forced pilots to make an emergency landing in Thailand.

The condition of the skies resulted in the death of one person while aboard the flight. Many others now in critical condition with dozens more injured.

KITTIPONG KITTIKACHORN, GENERAL MANAGER SUVARNABHUMI AIRPORT (through translator): The plane landed at the airport and the medical team was sent to the scene. Many injuries occurred, so the airport had to issue an emergency plan. All our teams went to help.

WATSON: The airline has launched an investigation into the incident with the British embassy also deploying officials to support those in hospital. The passengers left with the question of how this all went so wrong.

Ivan Watson, CNN -- Bangkok.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NEWTON: Let's bring in Miles O'Brien. He's our CNN aviation analyst. And so good to have you on the story, Miles. I have been wanting to talk to you about what is going on in the cockpit when this happens.

I mean given your experience as a pilot, can you explain how and why this can't be avoided and what's going on with the pilots. I mean, they hit clear-air turbulence if that's indeed what this was. What are they doing at that point to try and stabilize the altitude?

MILES O'BRIEN, CNN AVIATION ANALYST: Well, they're initially just going along for the ride, Paula, relying on autopilot initially at least.

[01:39:46] O'BRIEN: But unfortunately, clear-air turbulence, if that is in fact what happened here, that seems to be the case, although there were some storm cells nearby which could indicate some other disturbances in the air.

Regardless of that, it's pretty difficult to -- I mean quite literally, they come out of the blue. And this is a thing that meteorologists can't predict, air traffic control can't see, and there isn't a sensor on board a flight deck of any airliner that can detect it.

And so it can happen suddenly like this.

Now, it is interesting that the seatbelt sign apparently was illuminated prior to this happening. So there may have been some concern on the flight deck or some reports by other pilots in the area of turbulence which believe it or not in this day and age, the primary way that we pilots know about turbulence is from hearing from the pilot that went through that airspace right before us.

So we can hear about it. We get these pilot reports and we can adjust our activities, maybe changed altitude or put on that seat belt light. In this case, very dramatic turbulence, very suddenly and quite a surprise.

And unfortunately we don't have technology to detect it.

NEWTON: And as you said, it's a concern even though the seat belt sign was on obviously, there's so many people who weren't buckled up.

I want to talk to you about this issue of climate change and how it might be contributing a bit more to turbulence. How so?

O'BRIEN: Well, if you think about what's happening with climate change, it is heating the planet unevenly, both by latitude and by altitude.

And so what that's doing is it is changing the way the jet streams move. These currents of air, which move at high altitude, sometimes hundreds of kilometers per hour.

And as they are disturbed and changed by these temperature gradients created by a changing climate these wind shear become more prevalent. And when we talk about wind shear, you can think about these rivers of air, these jet streams as kind of a layer cake. And the winds going one direction at one layer, and it can change at another layer.

And if there's a sudden change like that it changes dramatically and quickly, the lift which goes across the wing and that's what we call turbulence.

And so the researchers at the University of Reading (ph) tracked this for 50 years and have indicated there is a 55 percent increase in the amount of time airliners endure severe turbulence over the North Atlantic. So there's something going on here. But again, we don't really see or

know how to detect wind shear as we're flying and understanding this is really a difficult thing.

NEWTON: And given the incidents and what you just explained from that study, could it possibly also compromise the integrity of the aircraft itself because it's being jostled around so much more.

O'BRIEN: You bet. Now, this is a hearty airplane, the Boeing 777. Despite all the problems with Boeing, the Boeing 777 has not been implicated with any problems, has a sterling safety record.

But when an aircraft goes through this kind of turbulence, it is required to have a very significant inspection. And in the course of that inspection, they might determine that there was too much metal fatigue as result of this and it could be what we call 100 percent haul loss, you know, total.

That is possible in this case, but this aircraft will not fly without an inspection.

NEWTON: Yes. And again, as people have known, Singapore Airlines has an impeccable record and will obviously continue on with their investigation and let us know exactly what happened.

Miles O'Brien, though, we really appreciate your expertise. Thanks so much.

O'BRIEN: You're welcome, Paula.

NEWTON: Ok. Still to come for us, a multinational security mission aimed at battling deadly gangs in Haiti gets underway. We hear from America's top diplomat about what's expected.

[01:43:56]

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NEWTON: Kenyan President William Ruto will visit the White House on Thursday, the first official trip to the U.S. by an African leader since 2008. Now, the visit comes as Russia and China continue to grow their investments on the continent.

Larry Madowo now reports on the U.S. bid for influence.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LARRY MADOWO, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Kenya's president, William Ruto, beginning a historic state visit to the United States in Atlanta. His American charm offensive following last month's meeting with the U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, in Nairobi.

GINA RAIMONDO, U.S. COMMERCE SECRETARY: I said to him, we're not here to lecture. We're here to partner. We're here to learn from you. We're here to invest. MADOWO: Why is the U.S. the best over, say, China or Russia that also are making big moves into the continent? Why is the U.S. the best for African countries?

RAIMONDO: There aren't strings attached. It's a -- it's an opportunity to partner together. So that's what why we think we're the partner of choice.

MADOWO: China has built major infrastructure projects across Africa, despite criticism from Western countries about lack of transparency and predatory loans.

Russia's influence is also expanding, especially in weapons sales and military ties.

The Kenyan president is a key U.S. ally on the continent, and this week's state visit is the first by an African head of state in 16 years.

But William Ruto did not pick a favorite partner nation when asked directly ahead of his trip to Washington.

WILLIAM RUTO, KENYAN PRESIDENT: The best partner for us is the one that accepts to have a deal that is a win-win.

We will be having conversation about the Africa Growth and Opportunities Act, the AGOA, that gives us duty-free, quota-free access to the American market with our goods.

MADOWO: African nations want the 24-year-old AGOA renewed before it expires next year.

But some, like Rwanda, have been blocked from access in the U.S. market. That country's president, Paul Kagami, stood his ground in a dispute linked to a 2019 ban on some clothing imports, a move designed to develop its local textile industry.

PAULA KAGAMI, RWANDAN PRESIDENT: I wanted to clarify the level of hypocrisy and all kinds of stuff we have to deal with. You know, they forced it upon us. They say you must accept these secondhand clothes.

And we told them, no. And they say, OK. We will just strike you off of AGOA, which they did.

MADOWO: America's influence has declined in Africa.

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Africa is an indispensable global partner.

MADOWO: China has overtaken the U.S. in soft power on the continent, according to a recent Gallup poll.

Larry Madowo, CNN -- Nairobi.

(END VIDEOTAPE) NEWTON: A number of troops are expected to arrive in Haiti in the day ahead as part of a multinational security mission led by Kenya. That's according to a law enforcement source there who spoke to CNN.

Haiti's national police are battling deadly gangs that have seized control of much of the capital Port-au-Prince. The source says a delegation of Kenyan command staff arrived in Haiti on Tuesday ahead of the U.N.-approved mission.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken defended U.S. funding for the mission in a senate hearing. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANTONY BLINKEN, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: Haiti's on the precipice of becoming an all-out failed state. There's an opportunity now to do a few things.

First, we have managed to move to a better trajectory politically to get back to a clearly-mandated democratic governor. Second, the power of the gangs needs to be ended once and for all. And in particular, the Haitian national police, who are outmanned and outgunned need to be given the resources and support they need to regain control.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[01:49:53]

NEWTON: Meantime, Haiti's international airport resumed commercial flights this week.

CNN's Patrick Oppmann has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PATRICK OPPMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: After being closed for nearly three months because of ongoing gang violence, the airport in Port-au- Prince, Haiti, the main international airport in that country has reopened the first flight on Monday, traveled back from Port-au-Prince to Miami carrying people who have been stuck there for weeks and weeks and it has been incredibly dangerous and difficult to leave Haiti as its ongoing gang violence has raged for weeks and weeks displacing tens of thousands of people.

The only options for diplomats and the foreigners for the most part, was to take helicopter rides, risky helicopter rides out of Port-au- Prince, or to take the dangerous land crossing other parts of Haiti where they are able to fly out.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that he hopes that by the end of May or beginning of June, that U.S. airliners would be able to begin traveling more regularly to Haiti, that they would be able to restart their flights because so far there's just a handful of flights scheduled each day.

But he warned that while the gangs hold control over much of Haiti, that Haiti risks, increasing risks falling into the category of being a completely failed state.

There are representatives of Kenya's government in Haiti right now preparing a force of about a thousand soldiers that is expected to arrive in Haiti in the coming days or weeks.

They are expected to rig some security to this problem where the gangs have essentially taken over the streets. But it's unclear if they will have enough firepower to completely wrest back control.

Patrick Oppmann CNN -- Havana.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NEWTON: Still to come, bold choices and big explosions, CNN sits down with the stars of "Furiosa: a Mad Max Saga". We'll hear all about the making of the action adventure.

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NEWTON: The Academy award-winning action movie franchise Mad Max is back with its latest installment from director George Miller. It's called "Furiosa: a Mad Max Saga". And it dives into the backstory of a character fans have been begging to know more about.

CNN's Elizabeth Wagmeister sat down with the film's stars.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm Furiosa.

ELIZABETH WAGMEISTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: The Mad Max Saga rages on.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I want them.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I want them first.

WAGMEISTER: With (INAUDIBLE), the infamous war rig and high-octane action all colliding in a dystopian landscape in "Furiosa", the fifth movie in the decades' long franchise.

"Queen's Gambit" star Anya Taylor-Joy takes the lead as the kidnapped Furiosa, trying to get home to her sacred dream. Standing in her way is her captor Demented.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ladies and gentlemen.

WAGMEISTER: Look closely. Behind that prosthetic nose and gritty exterior is Aussie hunk Chris Hemsworth. Yes, Thor himself, this time in the role of the villain.

CHRIS HEMSWORTH, ACTOR: Who do we have here?

[01:54:46]

WAGMEISTER: First day that you both walked on set and saw each other, what were your reactions?

ANYA TAYLOR-JOY, ACTOR: I think it was straight off a makeup test and he came out with the nose and the hair. And I just went, "You're awesome do that.: Like this -- follow that. Whatever this is, this is just incredible.

HEMSWORTH: When Anya walked on set with the shaved head and you know, Furiosa in all her glory it was just like yes, here she is.

This was a huge departure from anything I've done before and less and less, I was seeing him as a villain and began to sort of feel for him and empathize. Not justify the horrible things he does. But kind of go, I'm seeing or understanding he's a product of the wasteland.

WAGMEISTER: Taylor-Joy steps into the character first portrayed by Charlize Theron in 2015's Oscar-winning "Fury Road". Director George Miller says he considered Theron to reprice her role in this prequal.

He even thought about using de-aging technology, but says he quickly knicks the idea, considering that Furiosa' age in the film ranges from ten to 26.

GEORGE MILLER, DIRECTOR: I saw the aging in the hands of really great filmmakers like (INAUDIBLE) "The Irishman" and Ang Lee in "Gemini Man".

And what you tend to do is only see the technology, you're not really watching the performance. I stayed away from that.

WAGMEISTER: And steered towards Taylor-Joy who Miller says he knew could take on the intense part.

MILLER: She's got that sort of mystic, a timeless quality, a wonderful intensity, almost regal.

WAGMEISTER: Did Charlize give you any advice or did you get to talk to her about this character that you now both have played?

TAYLOR-JOY: We have emailed a bunch, we met at the Oscars and she's just both lovely and gracious and cool as you could possibly imagine.

We are due a very long dinner just to swap war stories. I feel so lucky to share a character with her.

Elizabeth Wagmeister, CNN -- Los Angeles.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NEWTON: "Furiosa" hits theaters May 24 and is released by Warner Brothers Studios, which is owned by Warner Brothers Discovery, the same company that owns CNN.

I want to thank all of you for watching CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Paula Newton.

I'll be back with more news at the top of the hour. [01:57:02]

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