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CNN International: Turbulence Hits Singapore Flight; Kenyan President Lands in U.S. Ahead of White House Visit; Norway, Ireland, Spain to Recognize Palestine. Aired 4:30-5a ET

Aired May 22, 2024 - 04:30   ET

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

[04:30:00]

FOSTER: Welcome back to CNN News. I'm Max Foster. Here are our top stories today.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei led funeral prayers over the coffins of late Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and other officials earlier today in Tehran. Large crowds have gathered on the streets to pay final respects to those who died in the helicopter crash on Sunday. The cause of the crash is still under investigation.

Norway, Ireland, Spain, all recognizing a Palestinian state beginning next week. The Norwegian Prime Minister cites the ongoing war in Gaza and says it could give renewed momentum to the idea of a two-state solution with Israel.

Basketball star Caitlin Clark has signed a multi-year endorsement deal with Wilson Sporting Goods, the official basketball supplier of the WNBA. It makes Clarke the first-ever female athlete to have her own collection with the company.

Now, an investigation is underway after extreme turbulence hit a Singapore Airlines flight, leaving one passenger dead and more than 70 others injured. The flight from London to Singapore was diverted to Bangkok due to the medical emergency and the scale of it on board.

CNN's Richard Quest has the details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RICHARD QUEST, CNN ANCHOR AND BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Singapore Airlines flight 321 was nearing the 10-hour mark and passengers were getting ready to eat breakfast. Suddenly, the plane encountered extreme turbulence over the Ayeyarwady Basin in Myanmar. That extreme turbulence left one person dead and dozens of people injured.

It led to the pilot declaring a medical emergency and diverting the aircraft to Bangkok. Emergency crews set up triage before passengers arrived. They watched the 777 land smoothly and taxi normally down the runway.

Then the medics carried severely injured passengers on stretchers while shaken passengers were escorted off the plane by emergency workers. Video from inside the aircraft shows the aftermath of the horror that the passengers experienced at 37,000 feet.

The ceiling broke open, oxygen masks deployed throughout the aircraft, luggage compartments collapsed, the food, drinks and other trash was strewn on the floor.

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 and also found one man had died.

This kind of incident rarely happens where there is death after a plane is hit with severe turbulence.

QUEST (voice-over): The hospital in Bangkok reported that six people were severely injured. The deceased was a 73-year-old British man who suffered from a heart condition.

In a statement, Singapore's president expressed condolences to the family and loved ones of the deceased. And the Singaporean authorities are now sending investigators to Bangkok.

Boeing which manufactures the 777 released a statement saying it's in touch with Singapore Airlines and is ready to support them.

Singapore Airlines is one of the world's safest carriers and regularly tops the surveys for best airline in the world. But it proves severe turbulence can happen to any flight. A recent study found the total annual duration of severe turbulence had increased by 55 percent over the last four decades because of climate change.

MILES O'BRIEN, CNN AVIATION ANALYST: It's becoming more common and there appears to be a climate change link. As the planet warms, it warms in an uneven manner. Both north and south, clear air turbulence problems happen.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: Anna Coren joining us from Hong Kong. It's not going to help nervous flyers all of this, is it? Particularly when you hear what Richard was saying there.

But I'm interested in the Singapore Airlines statement. Obviously, they have got a very good record. But you can't interpret it as an apology, can you? Because they're expressing their sorrow for what happened. But an apology would make them culpable, it would make them responsible. So we need to look a bit at the language there.

ANNA COREN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, look, Max, I mean, we heard from the CEO of Singapore Airlines earlier today on a social media post. He offered his condolences for the family. And as we heard from Richard's report, you know, an investigation is underway.

But we understand, Max, that there were storms in the area. But, you know, passengers on board said that in the lead up to this incident, you know, the seatbelt sign wasn't on. There was no warning. [04:35:00]

I mean, as we heard, they were halfway through serving breakfast. So people were walking around the cabin, using the bathrooms and then suddenly the plan shook, tilted and violently dropped.

So that's when you saw people flying through the cabin, hitting the roof. You know, everything loose became a projectile. A British man, 73 year old Geoff Kitchen, he died on the plane.

We understand that other passengers tried to give him CPR for 20 minutes, but he unfortunately passed away. His wife was also on the plane. She was among the 71 people who were injured, six in a critical condition, being treated in Bangkok. And we were waiting for an update from the hospital.

But the people on board, you know, they were obviously shell shocked as they got off, but some did speak to the media. Let's have a listen to this passenger who praised the crew.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANDREW DAVIES, SINGAPORE AIRLINES PASSENGER: I didn't see any member of cabin crew that wasn't injured. They all every single cabin crew person I saw had had an injury of some sort. My heart goes out to them, actually, because they were doing their job and they're quite vulnerable as well, because they're on the airplane. They weren't seated. They obviously didn't have the seatbelts on because they were doing going about their duties. So they were extremely vulnerable. And as I say, not one of them was uninjured that I could see.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COREN: Now, the Singapore Transport Ministry, they will be leading the investigation. But because this is a Boeing airliner, a 777, the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board is also sending representatives. Now, experts believe that this could have been clear air turbulence that the plane hit.

Now, this is very difficult for pilots and radar to detect. But turbulence related, you know, accidents, you know, they are common. But deaths, Max, are incredibly rare.

FOSTER: No, it's absolutely frightening. Anna, thank you so much.

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.

(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 government.

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)

FOSTER: While his country begins its police deployment to Haiti, Kenya's leader will be meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden at the White House today. The visit comes as Russia and China continue to grow their investments on the African continent while America's pull in the region is waning.

Larry is watching this very closely because America's got to make a bit of effort, more than it normally would, arguably, if you look back historically, when America would be seen to be in a much more powerful position in terms of its African relations.

LARRY MADOWO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The times have changed, Max, and America has to make a much bigger effort. Part of the reason is because China has made a big splash across the African continent, building shiny things, stadiums and roads and railways and ports that everybody can see. Monuments to its growing power and influence on the African continent. While European powers and the United States haven't always kept up dollar for dollar and also getting for a lot of criticism from African countries for lecturing them constantly about human rights and making sure that there is democratic processes in these countries.

That is a backdrop for this visit by President William Ruto to the White House today. The first state visit by an African head of state since 2008.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MADOWO (voice-over): 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. SECRETARY OF COMMERCE: 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 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 why we think we're the partner of choice.

[04:40:00]

MADOWO (voice-over): 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 weapon 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 (voice-over): African nations want the 24 year old AGOA renewed before it expires next year. But some, like Rwanda, have been blocked from accessing the U.S. market. That country's president, Paul Kagame, stood his ground in a dispute linked to a 2019 ban on some clothing imports, a move designed to develop its local textile industry.

PAUL KAGAME, 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 the secondhand clothes. And we told them no. So they say, OK, we will strike you off 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 (voice-over): China has overtaken the U.S. in soft power on the continent, according to a recent Gallup poll.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MADOWO (on camera): President Ruto and President Biden are due to meet with some American CEOs at the White House today trying to promote Nairobi as an attractive investment destination.

But I want to show you this video of President Ruto meeting with the comedian Steve Harvey in Atlanta. Even though America's soft power may be waning here on the continent, everybody loves Steve Harvey and culturally is still a strong kind of tastemaker for the rest of the world. President Ruto and his wife were very excited to meet Steve Harvey. Steve Harvey told him that Kenya is on his vision board. He invited him to Kenya.

So in that way, that is the one side where I guess that American influence is still so strong. Even if you're the president of Kenya, when you meet Steve Harvey, you're excited -- Max. FOSTER: Yes, absolutely. Lucky guy. Larry Madowo in Nairobi. Thank you so much.

We'll be right back after this quick break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FOSTER: Let's get some more on that breaking news we brought you earlier in the hour. Norway, Ireland and Spain will recognize the Palestinian state beginning next week.

Nic Robertson heard about this. He came straight in because it's significant because of the countries that have decided to do this.

[04:45:00]

Obviously, there are other countries that already recognize the Palestinian state.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yes, powerful, political and important message for the Palestinians. That's the way that Simon Harris, the Irish Taoiseach Prime Minister, is framing it.

And I think what we heard from Norway's Prime Minister really kind of sets it out very clearly, the view here that the only way to have peace in the Middle East is to have a two-state solution. And the only way to have a two-state solution is to have a Palestinian state. Therefore, recognizing a Palestinian state is an effort to draw attention to the requirement to do that.

If we go back just a week or so, the U.N. Security Council, 143 of the 193 members wanted to bring Palestinians in fully to the U.N., not recognition as a state, but bring them in, you know, and you only get to be a member, a full member like that of the U.N. if you're a state.

So there is a broad support for this. But there's also been very quick and angry reaction from Israel. The Israeli Foreign Minister, Israel Katz, is saying he's calling in or recalling rather his ambassadors to Norway and Ireland.

And he's framing this as Spain and Norway and Ireland sending a message. He says to terrorists that basically terrorism works. This is the message that will be understood in by Hamas, in Tehran.

So this is a very emotive, angry response. But these positions taken by these European governments are considered positions. And I think the Irish Taoiseach, he framed it this way.

He said, look, you know, we look at each situation by its case, but we're judging essentially the suffering of what's happening with the Palestinian people that we need to make a new decision about what's happened.

FOSTER: It's interesting. They came all at once. Presumably, they were coordinated. It's not going to make much difference on the ground right now, is it? Immediately. But is the intention here to pressure other countries like the U.K., perhaps ultimately the U.S., which is an ally to all of these countries to do the same?

ROBERTSON: Yes, it would seem that the United States would be unlikely to get ahead of the political position in Israel, although the United States has said that the only real peace here can be a two state solution and that ending the war in Gaza would open the door to that. And and has been working extensively diplomatically in the region.

But I think, you know, the decision that is has been coordinated here by Spain, Norway and Ireland will resonate around more sympathetic nations within the European Union.

Sweden is the only country that has independently itself previously recognized the Palestinian state. So it opens the door to that, which may put pressure on others like the U.K. But I think the United States is unlikely to get ahead of a government in it -- in Israel.

FOSTER: We apparently just had a statement from Hamas saying Hamas calls on other countries to recognize Palestinian state. After that, they've welcomed it, obviously. And they're pushing for other countries to follow.

ROBERTSON: Absolutely, I mean, this is this is the political wind in their sails that they've been sensing has been turning based on the fact that more than 35,000 Palestinians inside Gaza have been killed following Israel's offensive after the brutal attack by Hamas on October 7th. And when you look at the situation just now and as we heard from the ICC earlier in the week, they're calling to account to international legal standard account by the prime minister of Israel and the and the leader of Hamas or the leaders of Hamas.

So there is this sort of growing political pressure that that's that that's building a greater awareness of the details of what's happening. For example, we've heard a lot about this new, new peer that's been put in place in Gaza to bring in humanitarian aid. Well, the aid, the United States says, is getting onto the pier and to the end of the pier, but no further.

Look at what Kareem Khan from the ICC said that essentially these are crimes when a population is starved wholesale.

FOSTER: But isn't this statement from Hamas exactly speaking to Israel's point? They are showing leadership saying, we agree. Thank you for these moves.

But obviously, Hamas would not be the leadership in Israel's eyes in any situation.

ROBERTSON: And not in many countries eyes.

[04:50:00]

FOSTER: Yes. And it's just it creates the question of who would run this area as well. I mean, Hamas is talking about Jerusalem being the capital of this Palestinian state. So already you're seeing this can of worms being created from this.

ROBERTSON: It's very clear what Hamas wants and Hamas's ability to be a future negotiating tables in any resemblance of the form it's in today, these things don't exist. As we watch the situation right now. It's not conceivable that Hamas would be the Palestinian voice at a table determining what a Palestinian state would be. That's not going to go down with the international community.

They're recognized across the board by many countries as a terrorist organization. So that position is unlikely to change.

But the fact that for Palestinians that it tries to move the ball forward diplomatically, what the Irish and the Norwegians and the Spanish have done, is significant.

Powerful symbolically, the Irish Taoiseach called it. Symbolically and politically, it does drive conversations, whether it's in Brussels at the EU or other capitals about what should be done. But at the moment, while the war is happening in Gaza, of course, that's unlikely to change. And while the current government is in place in Israel, it's widely perceived that's not going to change.

You know, I think you sense a degree of frustration on the parts of Norway and Spain and Ireland at the moment, that they've watched the situation. They've watched this and been frustrated, frankly, and particularly in the case of the Irish, frustrated that the United States hasn't used greater diplomatic leverage on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to end the war, to find terms to end the war. A lot of rhetoric, but they would think not enough pressure.

So what you're seeing here is a degree of frustration that they think brother nations aren't doing enough.

FOSTER: We've heard from Mahmoud Abbas as well, who's obviously the president of the Palestinian Authority, which presumably these countries would be more willing to work with than Hamas. But they're giving the same message, saying the president called for other countries to follow the example of Norway, Ireland and Spain, which chose the path of supporting the achievement of peace and stability and consolidating the rules of international legitimacy and international law.

ROBERTSON: Look, there's a real fundamental here. I think everyone thought after Hamas's attack and Israel went after Hamas leadership and Israel said that they were going to absolutely wipe them off the board, that if that was the case, then essentially the world would be well rid of a terrorist organization like Hamas. But Hamas has proven to Israel and to the world that they are able to be resilient at the cost of tens of thousands of Palestinian lives of their own citizens.

They've proven that they can be resilient and that resiliency has brought them to this point, that the suffering of their people, and this has been a part of their methodology in their fight, they bring about suffering on their own people. And therefore, the world reacts with frustration, with anger, and in the past has told Israel to stop its conflicts in Gaza and has brought them to a crashing halt much, much sooner. But this is different.

So Hamas has proven in a way to Israel that they are resilient, and that resiliency has brought them this global international pressure. These are world realities. And I think there are frustrations you would see in the government in Norway and Spain and Ireland right now, that Israel is not recognizing this changed position, that they haven't been able to destroy Hamas, and therefore, ultimately, they're going to have to deal with the reality of what's there now.

FOSTER: OK, Nic Robertson, thank you so much. We'll get more reaction, of course, at the start of the day on that. We'll be back in just a moment.

[04:55:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FOSTER: The Prince of Wales hosted a garden party on Tuesday on behalf of his father, King Charles. There he is. Despite the rain, the dapper-looking Prince William mingled with guests, including many who were invited to Buckingham Palace in recognition of their public service. King Charles and Queen Camilla weren't in attendance, nor was the Princess of Wales, of course, who continues to stay out of the public eye during her cancer treatment.

Prince William did welcome some of the other younger royals to the event, including his cousins, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, and there's Zara Phillips as well.

Now, Stonehenge in England is famous for its connection to the movements of the sun. You might not have known that, but researchers are using a rare lunar phenomenon to study its lesser-known links with the moon. It's called a lunar standstill and happens every 18 years. It's when moonrise and moonset are furthest apart along the horizon, and that's due to happen in January 2025. In the meantime, you may notice the moon to be unusually low and high in the night sky. It's poetry too. Researchers hope this little-known event will help better explain Stonehenge's design. But why it's built? That's the big question.

Now you can take your furry companion for a first-class plane ride, can you believe? The world's first luxury airline for dogs is set to kick off its maiden flight on Thursday.

Bark Air -- is this a joke? It's not a joke -- will fly dogs of all sizes and their people from New York to Los Angeles in comfort and in style.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MATT MEEKER, CO-FOUNDER AND CEO, BARK: First-class experience for the dog, a business-class experience for people. Along the way, the dog's treated to a lot of pampering, including -- you see the pillows and blankets all over, they're covered in pheromones that make the dog more comfortable.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: The airline is currently only flying between New York, London and Los Angeles. The price for a one-way international flight is only $8,000. That's for one dog and its human companion.

I think it's very nice of them to bring them along. Sorry. And $6,000 for a domestic trip. Now, tickets include treats, toys and an onboard spa, so it's totally worth it.

Thanks for joining me here on CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Max Foster in London. CNN "THIS MORNING" is up next after a quick break.

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