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CNN International: British Prime Minister Announces Vote Will Be Held July 4; Haley Pledges to Vote for Trump Despite Rocky Relationship; Ebrahim Raisi to be Buried After Final Funeral Ceremonies; Female IDF Soldiers' Families Release Hamas Abduction Video. Aired 4:30-5a ET
Aired May 23, 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]
MAX FOSTER, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back to CNN News. I'm Max Foster. Here are some of today's top stories -- in Iran.
Funeral ceremonies are underway for Ebrahim Raisi. The late president will be buried later today in his hometown of Mashhad. Raisi and eight others were killed in a helicopter crash on Sunday.
Rescue crews are searching for people trapped under debris after a stage collapse in heavy winds at a presidential campaign rally near Monterrey, Mexico late on Wednesday. At least nine people were killed. Dozens more are injured. The candidate, Jorge Alvarez Maynez, is OK but is now suspending his campaign events.
China has started two days of military drills around Taiwan. It comes just days after Taiwan swore in a new president. China says the drills are punishment for separatist acts. China considers Taiwan part of its territory. In response, Taiwan's defense ministry criticized the drills as irrational provocations.
U.S. President Joe Biden welcomed Kenya's president to the White House as part of William Ruto's historic state visit. It is the first time an American president has hosted an African leader for a state visit since 2008. The White House will roll out the red carpet tonight for a glitzy black-tie dinner celebrating 60 years of U.S. relations with Kenya. Mr. Biden praised the strength of that partnership on Wednesday. He and Mr. Ruto met with Kenyan and U.S. business leaders to discuss innovation and cooperation.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WILLIAM RUTO, KENYAN PRESIDENT: Secretary Raimondo was in Kenya and we agreed with her on the kind of investments, the level of investment, the type of investment that needs to be fashioned between our two sides. And my being here today is a confirmation that we are moving from ideas into action and from opportunities into investments. And hopefully, we will be able to sign off some of those investments.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FOSTER: President Ruto referring there to his meeting last month with U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo. The Biden administration is looking to counter Russia and China's growing influence in Africa. Mr. Biden has yet to visit the continent as president, despite promising to do so. He said on Wednesday, he plans to go in February, though.
Britain's prime minister has set a July 4th date for a snap election. This Conservative party widely expected to lose if the polls are right.
Rishi Sunak took in the rain at 10 Downing Street and said now is the moment for Britain to choose its future. The prime minister admitted the Tories have had their struggles but said a vote for the opposition Labour party risks going back to square one.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RISHI SUNAK, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: Our economy is now growing faster than anyone predicted, outpacing Germany, France and the United States. And this morning, it was confirmed that inflation is back to normal. This means that the pressure on prices will ease and mortgage rates will come down. This is proof that the plan and priorities I set out are working.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FOSTER: Clare Sebastian's here with more details about whether or not he had to go to the dry cleaners straight away after that.
CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, I mean, it would certainly seem so. And this is something that the newspapers have picked up on the Daily Mirror, Drown and Out focusing on the rain. They say under a cloud, Mr. Sunak heads back into number 10. Even the broadsheets looking at the sort of the gamble of this timing. This is the Guardian left leaning newspaper, Sunak's big gamble. But they also indulge themselves. Things can only get wetter.
FOSTER: But why would you hold an election when your polls are so bad?
SEBASTIAN: Right. Well, I mean, this is the big question. And I think many even in his party were blindsided by this.
We can take a look, I think, at some of the latest polling, which shows that people, when asked whose plan they preferred, 42 percent said Labour, only 27 percent said the Conservative Party. Similar numbers if you ask people who they would vote for.
FOSTER: The invisible poll.
SEBASTIAN: Right, exactly. But those are the numbers. And similar if you ask people who they would vote for in a general election tomorrow. This seems to be a decision that boils down to economics.
We got the inflation numbers yesterday morning, just before this announcement that set off the speculation. They were at 2.3 percent, which is the lowest we've had in a while. And certainly a lot lower than the peak of 11 percent, which was the same month that Rishi Sunak took over. So you can see that his reign is really that sort of the downwards --
FOSTER: His reign, I like that.
SEBASTIAN: -- that you see there. So it seems to be a recognition that this, you know, this good news would put the wind in their sails into the election. But also, I think if you look at the small print of those inflation numbers, they did not slow down as quickly as some had expected.
Services are still sticky. Petrol prices actually went up. It doesn't seem to portend an imminent Bank of England rate cut.
[04:35:00]
And many even think that inflation could tick up in the coming months. So I think there is a sense that just like we had the Labour anthem blaring out during Rishi Sunak's speech, things can only get better. But the conservative calculation is that things actually cannot get better from this point. And that is why they decided to go now.
FOSTER: The reign isn't over yet. I just thought of a better headline.
SEBASTIAN: There you go.
FOSTER: In terms of Keir Starmer, so the very likely next Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, what can you tell us about him, because is not a recognizable figure, even in the U.K., to be fair.
SEBASTIAN: Yes, no, he admitted it himself in his speech yesterday that he joined politics late. Before that, he was the head of the Grand Prosecution Service, prosecutor, lawyer by trade. I think, you know, he's been criticized certainly by the Conservative Party for not having a clear enough plan.
He is trying to also bring the Labour Party back into the mainstream after a historic defeat under Jeremy Corbyn in the last election. It was their worst election.
FOSTER: So more Tony Blair.
SEBASTIAN: Yes, it was their worst election since 1935. So more along those lines. He is, however, saying that he plans to scrap this very controversial policy, the Rwanda policy that the government has just got through, where people who arrive in small boats could be deported to Rwanda.
The Prime Minister, speaking on in several interviews this morning, said that he now does not expect flights to take off before the election, but they would take off after the election. So that then sets up this election as a sort of referendum on this highly controversial and very expensive policy as well.
FOSTER: OK, Clare, thank you.
Former Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley has made a big political U-turn. She now says she will vote for Donald Trump in November, even though they traded insults like these.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NIKKI HALEY, FORMER U.S. REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: At some point, maybe we should say the reason that America keeps losing is because of Donald Trump.
I feel no need to kiss the ring.
Donald Trump got out there and just threw a temper tantrum.
We lost in 2018. We lost in 2020. We lost in 2022. And Donald Trump's fingerprints were on all of it. How much more losing do we have to do before we realize maybe Donald Trump is the problem?
DONALD TRUMP, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT, 2024 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I purposely mix up a name like Birdbrain. You know who Birdbrain is, right, Nikki?
Nikki Haley has made an unholy alliance with rhinos, never Trumpers.
She's not right to be president. I know it very well, the wrong thought process.
She's not tough enough. She's not smart enough. And she wasn't respected enough.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FOSTER: Well, Haley made the new announcement during her first public remarks since conceding the Republican presidential election in March. But as Jeff Zeleny reports, her about face could be a political opening for President Joe Biden.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NIKKI HALEY (R), FORMER REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I will be voting for Trump.
JEFF ZELENY, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): With those words today, Nikki Haley became the biggest Republican rival to fall into line behind Donald Trump.
HALEY: Trump has not been perfect on these policies. I've made that clear many, many times, but Biden has been a catastrophe.
ZELENY (voice-over): Haley returned to the public stage for the first time since suspending her presidential campaign to deliver a foreign policy address.
HALEY: A dangerous worldview has risen on both sides of the aisle. Once again, it threatens our prosperity and security. We need to take this one seriously.
ZELENY (voice-over): But her remarks about the threats facing the U.S. were overshadowed by a remarkable political 180 of her own, pivoting away from being Trump's nemesis --
HALEY: How much more losing do we have to do before we realize maybe Donald Trump is the problem?
ZELENY (voice-over): -- to becoming his supporter.
HALEY: I will be voting for Trump. Having said that, I stand by what I said in my suspension speech. Trump would be smart to reach out to the millions of people who voted for me and continued to support me, and not assume that they're just going to be with him and I genuinely hope he does that.
ZELENY (voice-over): Since leaving the race in March, the former South Carolina governor has stayed out of the public eye, reconnecting with her family, aide said, including putting her husband, Michael, who returned from a year-long overseas deployment.
But even in her absence, she's been winning votes and won Republican primary after another.
HALEY: This is a wake-up call.
ZELENY (voice-over): Exposing a potential challenge facing Trump in unifying the party, particularly in suburban areas of swing states, like outside Philadelphia, where Haley received nearly 25 percent of the vote in both Chester and Montgomery counties.
While Trump has not extended an olive branch to Haley or her supporters, the Biden campaign has targeted them through digital ads like this.
TRUMP: Nikki Haley has made an unholy alliance with RINOs, Never Trumpers.
ZELENY (voice-over): Hoping to remind her supporters of those insults and trying to win over voters eager to keep Trump from returning to the White House.
[04:40:00]
The Biden campaign is closely studied Republican primary results, CNN has learned, even in deep-red states like Indiana, where Haley received more than 21 percent of the vote earlier this month. It's an open question. How many of those voters are lodging a temporary protest against Trump or actually open to supporting Biden.
Haley did not say whether she would campaign for Trump or if she's still believed the argument she made against him for more than a year.
HALEY: You got to acknowledge the fact he can't win a general election.
ZELENY (voice-over): But she made clear she was back in the Republican fold for whatever the future may hold.
HALEY: We have to face the hard truths and do harder work, but I have faith that we'll rise to meet the challenge before us. If any country can still make it happen, it's ours.
ZELENY: Now, Haley's decision to support former President Donald Trump, hardly a bombshell. She is, after all, a Republican. But the question is, how much will she campaign with the former president in the months before the general election?
Those questions are unknown. But the Biden campaign still believes there are voters out there who supported Nikki Haley who simply do not want Donald Trump to return to the White House. So we will see what Nikki Haley does if she campaigns aggressively for Donald Trump or perhaps focuses on her own future.
Jeff Zeleny, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
FOSTER: Let's get back to Fred Pleitgen. He's in Mashhad, Iran, where we have the funeral today, Fred, of the former president.
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, you're absolutely right, Max. We're here in central Mashhad. And you can see behind me is the Imam Reza Shrine.
As you can see, some folks have already come out here to also commemorate, of course, the Iranian president who was killed in that helicopter crash, Ebrahim Raisi. We saw some of those live pictures of the body of Ebrahim Raisi arriving on that plane from Birzhan. Birzhan is, of course, in the South Khorasan province, which is really the homeland of Ebrahim Raisi.
But if you look at here, you look at Mashhad, you look at the shrine of Imam Reza, that, I would say, is the spiritual homeland of Ebrahim Raisi. And, of course, where he has a lot of his political support as well. And, in fact, in 2021, right after Ebrahim Raisi became the president of Iran, one of the first campaigns -- one of the first stops he made after becoming president was right here.
We were actually also here as well, as he gave his speech inside the Imam Reza Shrine. He has big ties here, family ties. His father-in-law is the prayer leader at the Imam Reza Shrine.
So, definitely, what you see here is a lot of people who are supporters of Ebrahim Raisi, and, of course, who right now are in mourning after his death. There have already been some people saying prayers here. As you can see, a lot of folks are already coming down as we're waiting for that funeral procession to happen here through the town of Mashhad.
The procession itself is about five kilometers long. But, as you can see around me, there's already a lot of people who have showed up here, a lot of people who are coming out who want to pay their final respects. As later on, after the casket arrives inside the Imam Reza Shrine, there will again be funeral prayers, and then he will be laid to rest inside that shrine, which, of course, is so important here for the Islamic Republic of Iran -- Max. FOSTER: In terms of what happens after this, I don't want to jump too far ahead because today is such a big important day, but there are many people who won't be fans of the president wondering what the process is next to elect a new one.
PLEITGEN: Yes, exactly. That's, of course, also part of the process as well. And I think there were two things that we're seeing in Iran right now, is that the Supreme Leader of Iran has come out, and he has said that, of course, the country needs to be in mourning.
You can see around here, around Mashhad, around Tehran as well, that those cities right now are plastered with posters showing Ebrahim Raisi, showing also the others who were killed in that plane crash. But at the same time, the Supreme Leader has also said that the country will move on politically very quickly.
Of course, they have already set a date for the next presidential election. That's set to be on June 28th. And, of course, right now, what you're going to be seeing after all the mourning is done, after those who died in the crash will be laid to rest, is that there will be a process set in motion to designate the candidates that are going to be allowed to run in that presidential election.
And it's going to be very interesting to see which candidates are allowed to run, which candidates are not allowed to run, whether or not you're going to see the country move in a more conservative or in a more moderate direction.
So right now, of course, very important political times here also in this country. But, of course, this week will be the week of mourning. And then, of course, laying the president's body to rest -- Max.
FOSTER: OK, Fred, thank you. We'll be back in a moment.
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(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
FOSTER: The families of seven female IDF soldiers kidnapped by Hamas have released graphic footage of their abduction back in October, October the 7th. They are hoping it will increase the pressure on Israel's government to secure their release. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he is horrified by the video.
A warning, Bianna Golodryga's report contains graphic video.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translated text): You dogs we'll step on you.
BIANNA GOLODRYGA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Horrific new video released of Israeli female soldiers captured at their base at Nahal Oz along the Gaza border on the morning of October 7th, revealing the violent nature of their abduction and the brutality that they experienced at the hands of Hamas. The video obtained by CNN was previously released by Hamas, then edited by IDF, and later released to the families of the hostages.
In it, you can see several female IDF soldiers, all border observers, their faces bloodied and bruised, their hands bound as they're forced against the wall.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translated text): Our brothers died because of you -- we will shoot you all.
GOLODRYGA (voice-over): They are outnumbered by Hamas militants who are heard in a chaotic scene shouting, praying and interrogating the soldiers.
Five of the seven women seen in the video are currently still believed to be held captive by Hamas 229 days after being taken. The three most prominently seen in the video are Liri Albag, Agam Berger, and Naama Levy, all 19 years old.
NAAMA LEVY, IDF HOSTAGE (voice-over): I have friends in Palestine!
GOLODRYGA (voice-over): We spoke with Naama's mother, Ayelet Levy Shachar shortly after the video was released.
DR. AYELET LEVY SHACHAR, MOTHER OF HOSTAGE NAAMA LEVY: She was part of a youth program promoting peace. She met with -- when she was on a delegation to California, she met with different youth from Israel, Palestine, Jewish Americans.
GOLODRYGA (voice-over): This previously released video of Naama being pulled out of a Jeep, her pants bloodied, raised concern about Hamas using sexual violence as a weapon of war.
A United Nations representative issued a report following a visit to Israel and the West Bank earlier this year.
PRAMILA PATTEN, U.N. SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE SECRETARY-GENERAL: We also have reasonable grounds to believe that such violence may still be ongoing against those still held in captivity.
GOLODRYGA (voice-over): The families of these soldiers agree to release this video now out of frustration over what they view as inaction from officials, including Israeli officials, to prioritize a hostage deal.
The Hostage and Missing Families Forum releasing this statement in part: The video serves as an indictment for a national failure and the abandoning of the hostages.
SHACHAR: We feel that time and time again, the negotiations are not proceeding due to different reasons. Obviously, the Hamas have there, they're part of it. This cannot be a side story. And so, yes, I think this is the video that we agonized over if we should be, you know, having it published, et cetera, and some of the families didn't even -- some of the family members didn't even watch it until now.
[04:50:00]
I think it should be shown to citizens in order to promote this, to mobilize our government to put this in the top priority, and to move ahead and bring them all home.
GOLODRYGA: Is it true that some members of the government did not want to watch this video?
SHACHAR: The ministers and members of the government where were asked to watch a version of this video in their meetings, and some of them refused and said, you know, we want to sleep OK at night, so we don't want to watch this now. So, if this is the reaction when their duty is to watch all these materials of October 7 and everything from that point on, this is their job, so they can make correct decisions. Then, you know, we would think that we should just put it out there for our citizens and for the world to see.
GOLODRYGA (voice-over): Bianna Golodryga, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
FOSTER: Well, this just into CNN, Israel's war cabinet has directed the country's negotiating team to resume talks to try to secure the release of the hostages held in Gaza. That's according to Israeli officials. It's unclear when those talks will resume.
The decision comes after that report you just saw where the families of seven female Israeli soldiers captured by Hamas released graphic footage of their abduction.
We're also getting this word, the International Court of Justice says it'll issue an order on Friday on modifications to provisional measures in the Israeli genocide case. South Africa asking for additional restriction against Israel pertaining to its military actions in Rafah. Israel says it is acting in accordance with international law and calls South Africa's genocide allegations morally and factually distorted.
We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
FOSTER: It's just over a few days left, really, until the end of this year's Cannes Film Festival. The 77th edition of the glamourous event has already created buzz around films set to make their theatrical debuts. That's soon, those debuts.
CNN's Saskia Vandoorne wraps up the highlights so far.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SASKIA VANDOORNE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's that time of year again when Hollywood glamour comes to the French Riviera.
The 77th annual Cannes Film Festival is underway. This nearly two-week event has been full of starlet moments, extraordinary fashion, and show-stopping red-carpet events, including the arrival of the Olympic flame.
The torch was carried up the famous steps of the Palais des Festival for the viewing of the documentary "Olympique", a film featuring Olympic and Paralympic champions.
However, the real stars of the festival are the films themselves, including Francis Ford Coppola's "Megalopolis", "The Substance" starring Demi Moore, and the new buzzworthy "Mad Max" saga from Warner Bros Pictures, which shares a parent company with CNN.
CHRIS HEMSWORTH, ACTOR: That wasn't hope, that was instinct.
VANDOORNE: Mexican drug lord musical "Emilia Perez", by French director Jacques Audiard starring Selena Gomez, Zoe Saldana, and Karla Sofia Gascon received a nine-minute standing ovation.
JACQUES AUDIARD, DIRECTOR, "EMILIA PEREZ" (through translator): It's that when you show your film here, it's really seen by the whole world. And that's it. I know that I'm very anxious every time I come. I'm very, very, very anxious. And it doesn't get easier with the years.
VANDOORNE (voice-over): Japanese animation Studio Ghibli, became the first group to be awarded the honorary Palme d'Or, which usually goes to an individual.
[04:55:02]
Another film causing a stir is "The Apprentice", a biopic about former U.S. President Donald Trump. A spokesperson for the Trump campaign said it would be filing a lawsuit over the film. Director Ali Abassi said the former president should watch the movie before taking any legal action.
ALI ABBASI, DIRECTOR, "THE APPRENTICE": I don't necessarily think that this is a movie that, you know, he would dislike. I don't necessarily think he would like it. I think that he -- I think he would be surprised.
VANDOORNE (voice-over): The film depicts prominent lawyer Roy Cohn and Trump in his early years as a real estate mogul.
Jurors for this year's festival include director Greta Gerwig and actresses Lily Gladstone and Eva Green.
PIERFRANCESCO FAVINO, ACTOR, CANNES FILM FESTIVAL JURY MEMBER (through translator): It's an honor. It's a pleasure for me. As a film lover and also a cinema goer, it's like being a kid in a candy store. And being surrounded by people I admire and respect is marvelous.
VANDOORNE (voice-over): The International Film Festival will end this weekend when the Palme d'Or is awarded.
Saskia Vandoorne, CNN, Paris.
(END VIDEOTAPE) FOSTER: In the spotlight, more than 150 items belonging to Princess Diana and other royals up for auction, if you're interested. The head of Julian's Auctions reportedly called this the biggest offering of Diana's memorabilia since she did an auction herself in 1997. The event will be held in Los Angeles on June the 27th, with items also available online at juliansauctions.com.
The most hyped item is a midnight blue strapless tulle gown, which Diana wore to the Phantom of the Opera premiere in 1986. We're told it's expected to fetch bids of several hundred thousands of dollars.
Apple Music has released its list of the 100 best albums of all time.
Lauryn Hill, her top seller, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, was named the number one album. Also in the top ten. Jackson's -- Michael Jackson's Thriller, The Beatles' Abbey Road and Prince's Purple Rain. Beyonce's critically acclaimed Lemonade was in the tenth spot. You'll have your own choices, of course.
But thanks for joining us here on CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Max Foster in London. CNN "THIS MORNING" is up after the break.
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