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G7 Leaders Agree To $50 Billion Loan For Ukraine At Annual Summit; President Biden Says He's Not Confident Gaza Ceasefire Deal Will Be Reached Soon; Displaced People In Gaza Finding It Harder To Relocate; Trump Visits Capitol Hill For First Time Since January 6 to Meet With GOP Lawmakers; Russian Navy Pounded near Home While Flexing Muscle Abroad; Russia Gives Go-Ahead for Evan Gershkovich to Stand Trial; Hamas Official Talks War in Gaza, Hostages, Ceasefire; Elon Musk Wins Vote for Huge Tesla Pay Award; Rising Temperatures Put Malaysia's Sea Turtles at Risk; K-Pop Star Hugs 1,000 Fans after Completing Military Service. Aired 1-2a ET
Aired June 14, 2024 - 01:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, and welcome, everyone. I'm Michael Holmes. Appreciate your company. Coming up here on CNN Newsroom. G7 leaders prepare to wrap up their summit in Italy after approving a massive loan for Ukraine paid for with frozen Russian assets.
Israel's military operations in Gaza making it increasingly harder for displaced people to find anywhere to go. And Israeli troops take a page from the history books using an ancient catapult to thwart Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Live from Atlanta. This is CNN Newsroom with Michael Holmes.
HOLMES: Leaders of the world's biggest economic powers are just a few hours away from their second and final day of meetings in Italy. Artificial Intelligence and a visit from Pope Francis are on the G7 summit agenda for Saturday.
Day one was dominated by Ukraine and agreement on a $50 billion loan for Kyiv to be paid back with by interest from Russian assets frozen when the war started. U.S. President Joe Biden also signing a 10-year security commitment with his Ukrainian counterpart. It includes training for Ukrainian forces, weapons and military equipment and greater intelligence sharing.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOE BIDEN, U.S. PRESIDENT: Our goal is to change the Ukraine's credible defense and deterrence capabilities for the long term. A lasting peace for Ukraine must be underwritten by Ukraine's own ability to defend itself now and to deter future aggression.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: President Zelenskyy also calling on G7 leaders to come up with a plan to rebuild Ukraine after the war similar to the Marshall Plan, which helped rebuild Europe after World War II. More now from CNN senior White House correspondent MJ Lee who is traveling with the president.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MJ LEE, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): President Joe Biden back on the world stage, but unable to escape a deeply sensitive and painful saga for his family back home after a full day of meetings with fellow G7 leaders here in southern Italy the President signing a historic bilateral security agreement, on everything from training Ukrainian armed forces to joint cooperation on weapons production and intelligence sharing. Biden pledging America's continued support for its ally.
BIDEN: Our goal is to change the Ukraine's credible defense and deterrence capabilities for the long term. A lasting peace for Ukraine must be underwritten by cranes own ability to defend itself now and to deter future aggression.
LEE (voice-over): The President also facing questions about his son Hunter, who just days ago was convicted on three felony gun charges. Biden publicly commenting on that painful development for the first time.
BIDEN: I'm extremely proud of my son Hunter. He has overcome and addiction he has. He's one of the brightest, most decent men. I know. I said I buy by the jury decision. I will do that. And I will not pardon him.
LEE (voice-over): When reporters asked whether he would commute Hunter sentence, Biden giving a one word answer. President Zelenskyy, who had also spent time with Biden the previous week in France, thinking the U.S., including members of Congress are continuing to send funds to aid Ukrainian wartime efforts.
VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT: Thank you very much, Mr. President, for your leadership, which is reflected, in particular in this agreement, and I'm very grateful to all Americans.
LEE (voice-over): The Biden-Zelenskyy news conference capping off the first day of the G7 summit, but no issue looming larger than Russia's continuing assault on Ukraine. The G7 alliance wishing to send a collective message to Vladimir Putin, you will not outlast us.
Biden racing to cross the finish line on a number of initiatives ahead of his November election. His rival, former President Donald Trump and his isolationist foreign policy views could throw into question the strength of America's continued support for Ukraine whether the G7 moves could be undone.
DONALD TRUMP, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT: Why are we hundreds of billions of dollars more money? Why is this happening? Why is Europe spending a fraction of the money that we're spending?
LEE (voice-over): The President also announcing Thursday a $50 billion loan program for Ukraine paid for by interest accrued from hundreds of billions of dollars in frozen Russian assets. MJ Lee, CNN, Fasano, Italy.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
[01:05:07]
HOLMES: David Sanger is a CNN political and national security analyst and New York Times White House and national security correspondent and the author of "New Cold Wars: China's Rise Russia's Invasion, and Americans Struggle to Defend the West." Always good to see you.
So let's start with that U.S.-Ukrainian security arrangement, because Joe Biden has been trying to reassure allies that the U.S. will continue back in Ukraine, even if Donald Trump wins reelection. But of course, as we've been talking about Trump does when he could absolutely pull out of any security agreements. How concerning is that for other G7 members or NATO members for that matter in terms of continuity and stability?
DAVID SANGER, CNN POLITICAL AND NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: Michael, good to be with you. This is a G7 meeting of leaders who can't count on much continuity and stability, not just because they don't know the fate of President Biden and American leadership of the Western alliance, but because they don't know in many cases their own fate.
If you looked around the table yesterday, this beautiful olive wood table that the Italians had made for the event, what did you discover? President -- Prime Minister Sunak of Great Britain, who could very well, it's probably widely predicted to lose in a few weeks time. A weekend, President Macron has just had to call snap elections, and unpopular Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany, same thing for Prime Minister Kushida of Japan.
So when President Zelenskyy came to meet all of them the other day, he had to be looking at this and saying, gee, what's this table going to look like next year? And what will they be willing to sign? And as you and as MJ pointed out, this is just an executive agreement. It's not a treaty.
And so President -- former President Trump, if elected to office could walk away from it as he walked away from the Iran deal.
HOLMES: Yes, absolutely. Yes. Good point about who's going to be there next year at this G7. Also, news Thursday on this idea of the $50 billion loan to Ukraine using interest on frozen Russian assets. How significant is that for Ukraine? What impact will it have, particularly when it comes to you know, sort of things like infrastructure and so on?
SANGER: Well, it's a big infusion of cash, as soon as it's executed, may take a while to execute. You know, for more than two years now, people have been wondering, what do you do with that $300 billion of the Russians somewhat inexplicably left sitting in western financial institutions prior to the invasion of Ukraine.
And they didn't want in most cases, particularly the French, but others as well, to invade the principal, because they were afraid that we'll be setting a precedent that deposits of central bank deposits put in their institutions were not safe.
But everyone agreed that you could use it to generate income. And so the loan will be issued for $50 billion, there'll be three to $5 billion, at least in interest that will be poured off of the 300 billion, so a pretty conservative estimate of what they could get for it, and that will repay the loan. So they're getting that satisfaction that the Russians are repaying loan for Ukraine.
HOLMES: Right. You've been there. What else can we expect from this gathering claim? It's an issue Africa assistance and development programs to dissuade migrants from leaving Africa. What else is on the agenda? What struck you about the dynamic?
SANGER: The other interesting thing that's on the agenda is artificial intelligence. And the Pope is coming and I believe that we were correctly briefed, may well be participating in the AI discussion as well. And so that'll be pretty high level. But it's part of this effort to get countries behind the idea of ethical AI users.
And you've seen the U.S. do conversation already with Chinese on this topic. You're seeing it now among the G7 as well. They've invited some other leaders including Prime Minister Modi of India will be here fresh from his recent election victory but a better one because he lost a good sizable part of his majority.
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But this will be an interesting way that first immerse these leaders in some of the AI related issues in addition to migration and climate, which we've, of course seen discussed here before.
HOLMES: Yes. Good to have you on the spot and good to get your analysis. As always, David Sanger thanks so much.
SANGER: Great to be with you, Michael.
HOLMES: Cheers. Well, while at the G7, President Biden said he is not confident there will be a ceasefire in Gaza soon, but says he has not lost hope either and called on Hamas to step up. CNN's Paula Hancocks with those details.
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PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: With talks on a potential hostage ceasefire deal seeming to be in limbo, the Biden administration at this point is blaming Hamas. We have heard from the U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who was just in the region that sees questioning whether Hamas is negotiating in good faith.
This after they came back with their official response on Tuesday, which U.S. officials say did have a number of amendments, including on issues that had previously been agreed by Hamas.
Now, the U.S. President Joe Biden was asked about whether he was confident of a ceasefire. He was asked this in Italy for the G7 meeting. And he said, no, but he also pointed out that he still has hope. But the Biden administration really putting pressure publicly on Hamas saying it is now up to them to come back to the table and say yes, Secretary Blinken saying it's really up to one man.
ANTONY BLINKEN, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: You have one man who's probably somewhere deep underground in Gaza for Hamas, Mr. Sinwar, who's making all of these decisions. Well, he's relatively safe underground, the people that he purports to represent, they're suffering every day. So if he has their interests at heart, he will come to a conclusion to bring this to a conclusion. That needs to happen and it needs to happen now.
HANCOCKS: Hamas for its part, though, has rejected the criticism saying that they believe they are showing the necessary positivity. We have also heard from Hamas saying that the amendments that they have suggested are in the interests of the Palestinian people. Paula Hancocks, CNN, Jerusalem.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: The last time Donald Trump was near the U.S. Capitol, his followers stormed the building, of course, well now three and a half years later, Trump was returning to the Hill to meet with Republican leaders find out what they talked about in the meetings.
Also, Russia is navy flexing its muscles overseas, but gets a bit of dose of reality, closer to home port.
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HOLMES: Nearly 1 million Palestinians have been displaced by ramped up Israeli military operations in the southern part of Gaza. A new report from the Norwegian Refugee Council says displaced people in Gaza are finding it increasingly harder to relocate due to overcrowding, clogged streets, and surges in transportation and other costs.
Those trying to escape the fighting are arriving in places at least partly in rubble most of the time, or tent cities and there's nowhere else to go. Human waste piling up and spreading diseases like Hepatitis.
Shaina Low is a communication adviser for the Norwegian Refugee Council. She joins me now from Jerusalem. It's good to see you again.
The NRC has spoken about these horrific conditions for the displaced clearly with the breadth and ferocity of Israeli bombardment. So it must be difficult for displaced people to relocate anywhere in Gaza right now. What are they doing?
SHAINA LOW, COMMUNICATION ADVISER, NORWEGIAN REFUGEE COUNCIL: People are struggling to move wherever they think that they can find relative safety. But what we've seen, particularly with the carnage of last week, is that there really is no safe space for people to flee to. We're seeing places that Israel has unilaterally declared as humanitarian zones being targeted. We're seeing humanitarian spaces being targeted and turn it in -- including last week two WFP warehouses were struck, the U.N. school which should never know you when premises should ever be violated last week that was struck a U.N. school was struck, killing over 40 Palestinians.
HOLMES: Yes.
LOW: Really, there is no safe place for Palestinians to flee to.
HOLMES: In addition to the great work that the NRC does, I was reading UNRWA today they tweeted on Thursday, and I want to quote from it. As of June the night over 330,000 tons of waste have accumulated in or near populated areas across Gaza, posing catastrophic environmental and health risks. Children rummage through trash daily, and we see in the tweet, heartbreaking photographs. And we got them on screen here now of that.
And then there was another tweet that said children can spend six to eight hours a day collecting water and food carrying heavy weights, and walking long distances, quote, children are losing their childhood because of this war.
From the work that your organization is doing, what has been the impact of what's happening on kids, some of these images are just heartbreaking.
LOW: Children, just like all Palestinians throughout Gaza have been facing the forces of displacement over the last eight months, many children have been displaced multiple times. They've lost families. There are over 20,000, orphans and unaccompanied children throughout Gaza right now as a result of the last eight months.
And you have to remember also that the school year was entirely canceled. And so children are not only experiencing devastating loss and witnessing incredible death and destruction. But they're also missing out on their childhoods and their opportunities to learn.
We've been trying at NRC to provide whatever educational opportunities we can at working on recreational activities, trade conducting trainings and helping children cope with their trauma. But the needs are just simply unprecedented. And when people are struggling to find food, clean water, medicine, a place to sleep, it's very difficult to execute any of these education programs.
HOLMES: Yes. And as you point out, though, some of the sites that they are seeing day to day. The NRC's head of operations in Gaza Suze van Meegen, she spoke on the issue, on this issue too, and what she called a, quote, accumulation of solid waste and the health problems that it's creating. Israel, of course, has destroyed so much infrastructure, including sewage infrastructure, how is that destruction playing out in real terms for Palestinians, health and otherwise? LOW: At this point, there's really no way to escape the smell of the sewage and even the sewage itself. I heard from a colleague this week that they were talking to a displaced person who had woken up in the middle of the night to find that sewage had flowed onto them as they were sleeping on the ground. The conditions are just simply unimaginable with little to no waste, sanitation and waste services.
We are seeing rises in the spread of communicable and preventable diseases and of course a lack of medicine and the collapsing health sector has led to as well to people getting much sicker and not being able to fight off illnesses that they should be able to fight off or not even encounter under normal circumstances.
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HOLMES: Remember last time we spoke, we talked about the most important aid crossing, the Rafah crossing, which has been shut down basically, since Israel began its offensive in Rafah. I mean, I think we spoke a couple of weeks ago. I mean, Suze van Meegen again, she said, quote, even the poultry just assistance is now completely diminished. It beggars belief that that crossing is still closed.
LOW: The Rafah crossing is still closed. And from what I've seen reported this morning, there is some aid getting into the Kerem Shalom crossing in Rafah. But aid agencies are struggling to be able to access that aid. We have 42 trucks worth of aid that has entered Gaza. But we are simply unable to access the roads are not passable. We need coordination with the Israelis to ensure that our trucks and the people we send to go and collect that aid will be safe and free from harm.
And getting aid throughout Gaza has become more and more difficult. So even the tiniest amount of aid that may be entering into Gaza is often inaccessible for aid agencies to even collect and be able to distribute throughout the Enclave.
HOLMES: Yes, I mean, you've got to wonder whether the world's becoming immune to some of the images coming out of Gaza and forgetting that these people. The World Food Programme called conditions apocalyptic this past week. I mean, what are the risks of this just sort of becoming wallpaper?
LOW: I think we've seen already and I see it myself in the terms of the number of interview requests that I get that the world is tiring of hearing the same stories day in and day out. But I urge your viewers, we cannot look away. The people of Gaza deserve so much more.
Palestinians simply want to have a future. They want their kids to grow up in an environment that's safe and where they have the opportunity to thrive just like parents anywhere around the world. And we owe it to the people of Gaza to continue to push for a ceasefire, to continue to push for a surge of aid to come in and to push donors to fund that aid so that the people of Gaza can finally start moving on with their lives and begin their recovery.
HOLMES: Yes, and the level of destruction quite apart from the deaths and the injuries just unbelievable. Shaina Low with the Norwegian Rescue Committee. Thank you so much. Good to see.
Well, for the first time since leaving office after the January 6 2021 riots, former U.S. President Donald Trump returned to Capitol Hill on Thursday, Senate Republicans applauding Trump after their closed door meeting. His thoughts with House Republicans was supposed to be about policy. But sources say spent most of the time ranting about various topics such as questioning why pop star Taylor Swift would support President Biden over him and describing the City of Milwaukee where Republicans that just so happens will hold their conventions this summer as horrible. He also he prays on GOP lawmakers.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: We met, as you know, with the full House, Republican House today and we had a tremendous meeting with them also. And there's great unity. This is an outstanding group of people. I'm with them. 1,000 percent. There was me 1,000 percent we agree just about on everything and if there isn't, we work it out. And we've had -- I've had a really great relationship with just about everybody here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: CNN's Manu Raju now with more on how Trump was received on Capitol Hill.
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MANU RAJU, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: A pep rally. That's what some Republicans said in the aftermath of Donald Trump coming back to Capitol Hill the first time he has visited Capitol Hill since January 6, 2021. Of course, at that time, Trump supporters came into this building, attacked the building, creative destruction, violence in his way as the Congress was trying to certify Joe Biden's electoral victory. But that was not a subject of discussion behind closed doors.
In fact, in the Senate discussion in particular, that did not come up even though that had been a major source of consternation between Donald Trump and many Republicans, including the top Republican. Mitch McConnell, the GOP leader who had said in the aftermath of January 6, that Donald Trump was morally and practically responsible for the events of that day.
In fact, they have not spoken actually since December 2020. But on Thursday, they interacted in fact they had a warm interaction. They shook hands and at one point, Donald Trump even praised Mitch McConnell saying that he praising him and crediting him for electing more Republican senators along the way, a sign of how the party is falling in line very quickly behind Donald Trump.
[01:25:03]
And when I asked much of Republican senators today and House members about whether there was any dissension 11 to January 6 came up, they said, no.
Did he talk about January 6? UNIDENTIFIED MALE: About what?
RAJU: January 6 that come up?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No.
RAJU: The House Republican meeting was there any dissension?
REP. MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE (R-GA): Oh, no, I saw nothing but overwhelming support for President Trump.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, I didn't sense any dissension. But, you know, I didn't catch everybody's response, either.
REP. MATT GAETZ (R-FL): It was a pep rally environment for President Trump.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He is the leader of the party, and he happens to be the guy who was chosen by the overwhelming majority of Republicans to be the nominee. Who are we to say no.
RAJU: Now Trump's remarks both to the House and the Senate were a bit unwieldy rambling at times. And in fact, in the House, one thing he did talk about it, which was light on policy, one thing he did discuss was abortion. Of course, the issue of abortion has been so complicated for Republicans in the aftermath of the Dobbs decision. He warned Republicans not to go too far on that issue, fully recognizing that it could blow back against the GOP in November as it has in recent election cycles. Manu Raju, CNN, Capitol Hill.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: And its first abortion decision since Roe v. Wade was overturned two years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously rejected a lawsuit challenging the Food and Drugs Administration approach to regulating the abortion medication with Mifepristone. The court ruled that doctors and anti-abortion groups that filed the legal challenge did not have the standing to sue. Paula Reid with more on that.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PAULA REID, CNN CHIEF LEGAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: It is rare to get a unanimous decision on an issue like abortion from the High Court. But here are the justices collectively decided to sidestep the question before that which is whether the FDA had exceeded its regulatory authority when broadening access to this drug, mifepristone.
And there are a lot of stakeholders watching this very closely, including women who would need access to this drug, the FDA as any possible decision restricting their regulatory authority would have an enormous impact on many industries, including, of course, the pharmaceutical industry. And of course, depending on which way this went, it also could have had an impact on anyone seeking office this year.
But right now they have effectively preserved the status quo. But because the justices did not decide the issue, and instead just sort of tossed it out based on standing, it is possible even likely that this issue could return to the High Court in the coming years.
Now for anyone who has concerns about the Mifepristone but does not have standing to bring a lawsuit, here's justice Kavanaugh advice for them, quote, citizens and doctors who object to what the law allows others to do. They always take their concerns to the executive and legislative branches and see greater regulatory or legislative restrictions on certain activities.
So now all eyes on another abortion case before the justices they release most of our key opinions are the next few weeks. This next case is out of Idaho, and deals with what you do when you have a state with more restrictive abortion laws and that comes up against the more permissive federal laws. All eyes on that case, certainly one of the top ones the justices will decide for the next few weeks. Paula Reid, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: And alleged secret spy missions snooping on Russian tanks at the behest of the CIA. Still ahead, Russia lays out what the U.S. says are bogus allegations against Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and formally sends him to trial.
Plus, a fireball flying through the air like something right out of medieval times. Why this 16th century weapon is back in action.
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HOLMES: NATO is expected to have a bigger say in future military aid for Ukraine and the training of its troops.
I want to show you live pictures now from Brussels where the alliance's defense ministers have been arriving for the final day of their meeting, looking at one of them going in now. They're expected to finalize an agreement on giving NATO greater control over efforts towards Ukraine.
Some officials say NATO is concerned that Donald Trump, who is skeptical to say the least of military support for NATO and Europe, could win the next U.S. presidential election.
But for the alliance's secretary general, it's a common-sense decision.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JENS STOLTENBERG, NATO SECRETARY GENERAL: More than 99 percent of all military support Ukraine is provided by NATO allies. So it makes sense that NATO takes on a greater role in these efforts.
This will put our support on a firmer footing provide predictability for Kyiv and address both immediate and long-term needs. (END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Russia's navy is making a show of force by conducting exercises in the Atlantic and sending its warships, of course, as we've been reporting to Cuba.
But closer to home, the Kremlin's mighty fleet is getting a tough reality check courtesy of Ukraine.
Fred Pleitgen explains.
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FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Ukrainian sea drones racing to attack a Russian warship near Crimea in the Black Sea. The cheap unmanned vessels have allowed Ukraine to decimate Vladimir Putin's Black Sea fleet.
"Their weapons are not designed to deal with such small sea drones", this soldier says, "in most cases they use anti-ship guns."
It's a far cry from the power Moscow was trying to project, not far from the U.S.'s shores, sending some of their most advanced warships to Cuba.
Russia's ministry of defense saying that the frigate and a nuclear- powered sub, quote, "practice the use of high precision missile weapons by computer-based maritime simulation at the ship-based groupings of a mock enemy."
Vladimir Putin has invested heavily in Russia's navy, which now has a permanent base in Syria, and boasts hypersonic missiles.
It's no paper tiger, but also not an invincible force as Ukraine has shown. Ukraine's sea drones as well as sabotage and air-launched missiles have destroyed about one-third of Russia's Black Sea fleet since the spring of 2022, Ukraine says.
Including large landing ships like this one, blown up in Crimea at the end of last year, and submarines destroyed in a dock. The Russians have even lost the flagship of the Black Sea fleet, the Moskva, to what Kyiv says was an attack by Ukrainian-made missiles. And the fleet's headquarters in Sebastopol was struck by missiles last year.
The repeated humiliations pushing Russian ships further and further away from Ukraine and eventually leading to the dismissal of Russia's navy chief in March.
Not so long ago, Russian state media would celebrate the navy's single aircraft carrier, the Admiral Kuznetsov, the Jewel in the Crown. But the ship has long been plagued by mechanical problems and has been in dock for years and more months. Some Western analysts predict it will never set sail again.
Despite Putin's glorification of Russia's naval prowess, many of its warships appear vulnerable to both air and sea attacks and lack the technology to compete with western navies, or even cheap maritime drones made in Ukraine.
Fred Pleitgen, CNN -- Munich, Germany.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
[01:34:52]
HOLMES: Russia has given the legal go ahead for detained "Wall Street Journal" reporter Evan Gershkovich to stand trial. He is facing espionage charges, the first U.S. journalist arrested in Russia since the Cold War.
After being jailed for more than a year, prosecutors are finally spelling out what they say he allegedly did.
Matthew Chance reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CHIEF GLOBAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Well, Evan Gershkovich has now been formally indicted for espionage by the Russian authorities and his case moved to a court in Ekaterinburg, about a thousand miles from Moscow, where he was originally arrested back in March last year.
In a statement, Russian prosecutors accused Gershkovich of acting on instructions from the CIA and of collecting secret information on a tank factory in the city. The factory was named as Uralvagonzavod which produces and repairs military equipment.
Gershkovich did this according to Russian prosecutors, with quote, "careful measures of secrecy", although no evidence has yet been produced to backup those allegations.
It's also unclear when the trial will actually get underway, but what we do know is that Evan Gershkovich, the U.S. government to "The Wall Street Journal" have all categorically denied the espionage allegations.
In a new statement from "The Journal's" editor in chief it says that the Russian regimes smearing of Evan is repugnant, disgusting and based on calculated and transparent lies. It also says the case against Evan Gershkovich is an assault on the free press and calls on the U.S. government to redouble its efforts to secure his release.
Matthew Chance, CNN -- Moscow.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: New exchanges of fire between the Israeli military and Hezbollah along the Israel-Lebanon border. Lebanese media say one person died from a strike in the southern part of the country, ten others wounded. The Israeli military saying 40 rockets were fired from Lebanon toward northern Israel and the occupied Golan Heights setting off at least ten fires.
This is the latest fallout from the assassination of a senior Hezbollah commander earlier this week.
And Israeli troops involved in these cross-border flare-ups have an unexpected new weapon of choice.
It's a type of historic catapult known as a trebuchet. It is being used to fling at least one fireball towards Lebanese territory, this video on social media.
Israeli media says that the likely goal is to burn shrubbery and make it easier to spot militants trying to reach the border. We're hearing the trebuchet is a local initiative not being used on any widespread or official basis.
Catapults began to lose military relevance in the 15th century after gunpowder started getting a little more popular and efficient.
Now to a CNN exclusive. Rare insight directly from a senior Hamas official about the war in Gaza, the hostages held for more than eight months, and the prospects for a ceasefire.
CNN senior international correspondent Ben Wedeman with the story. A warning his report contains some graphic video.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Since the 7th of October last year when Hamas militants streamed into Israel, killing hundreds and grabbing hostages, the war in Gaza has been an unrelenting nightmare of death and destruction. Talks to end the war are once again bogged down, as every day the death toll mounts.
In Beirut, we spoke to senior Hamas leader Osama Hamdan, one of the few privy to details of the ceasefire negotiations. But not privy, he claims, to the condition of the 120 hostages still in Gaza.
How many of those 120 are still alive?
OSAMA HAMDAN, HAMAS POLITBURO MEMBER: I don't have any idea about that. No one has any idea about this.
WEDEMAN: "The Wall Street Journal" recently reported that messages from Gaza Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar to mediators and other Hamas officials included one in which he allegedly said the deaths of civilians in Gaza is a necessary sacrifice. Hamdan insists the messages were fake.
After eight months of this war, more than 37,000 Palestinians have been killed, probably more, more than 80,000 injured. Was it a necessary sacrifice for the people of Gaza?
HAMDAN: You seem that you can't start from the beginning. Let's start from page number one. Why talk about the page (ph) of the 7th of October? What about the Israeli occupation?
[01:39:52]
WEDEMAN: No, I'm talking about what came after the 7th of October.
HAMDAN: Exactly. Well, the 7th of October was a reaction against the occupation. What came after that, it shows the real face of Israel. It shows how Israel is occupying the Palestinian lands, demolishing the situation of the Palestinians, killing the civilians. It's not the first time they are killing the civilians.
WEDEMAN: I mean, Hamas is an organization. Does it regret what it did on the 7th of October given what happened afterwards?
HAMDAN: We are living with this for the last 75 years as Palestinians.
WEDEMAN: Now, CNN spoke to one of the doctors who treated the four Israelis who were freed on Saturday, and he said that they suffered mental and physical abuse. And what do you say to that?
HAMDAN: Well, he's an Israeli. He has to say what the Israel authorities are asking him to say.
If you compare the images of both before and after releasing, you will find that they were better than before. I believe if they have mental problem, this is because of what Israel have done in Gaza.
WEDEMAN: But in addition to what has been said about the four recent hostages freed, there have been also claims about the dire conditions others faced while in captivity.
The fate of the remaining hostages hangs in the balance. At the G7 summit in Italy, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he was hoping that Hamas would agree to the latest U.S.-backed ceasefire proposal.
ANTONY BLINKEN, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: The response we got was unfortunately not the yes that we were looking for. A yes that virtually the entire world has given.
WEDEMAN: OK, Mr. Hamdan, simple question. Why hasn't Hamas yet agreed officially to the U.S.-backed proposal for a ceasefire?
HAMDAN: We said it's a positive step but we need to see the facts on the ground. We need to know what exactly the president means by saying a ceasefire, our withdrawal.
WEDEMAN: What is left? What do you need?
HAMDAN: We need an Israeli -- a clear position from Israel to accept the ceasefire, a complete withdrawal from Gaza and let the Palestinians to determine their future by themselves.
WEDEMAN: Are you optimistic at this point in time that you will reach some sort of agreement?
HAMDAN: Well, I think if the United States administration acted in the positive way, seeing the situation not only in the eyes of Israel, we can reach soon an agreement.
WEDEMAN: And in the absence of an agreement, this war goes on with no end in sight.
Ben Wedeman, CNN -- Beirut.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: The Tesla CEO Elon Musk, gets an eye-popping bonus. Coming up, we'll find out what shareholders had to say about his pay package.
That's after the break.
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[01:44:54]
HOLMES: Now when companies go to Washington to testify, they're often scolded for doing something wrong. But on Thursday, Microsoft president Brad Smith went to Washington with a voluntary mea culpa for some recent cyber security failures.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRAD SMITH, PRESIDENT, MICROSOFT: as you can imagine, you get a report, you look at it. It's difficult to read. You sort of think, how are you going to react.
When I sat down with Satya Nadella Microsoft chairman and CEO, we both resolved immediately that we would react without any defensiveness, without equivocation, without hesitation, and we would instead use this report to make Microsoft and the cybersecurity protection of this country better.
Thats our goal. And part of that frankly involves accepting responsibility, apologizing to those that were impacted.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Microsoft (INAUDIBLE) at the center of two widespread hacking campaigns in the last year, allegedly carried out by Chinese and Russian spies. A report issued by the U.S. Cyber Safety Review Board found that the tech giant committed a quote cascade of avoidable errors that allowed hackers to breach Microsoft's network, including the email accounts of senior U.S. officials.
Well, Apple edged pass Microsoft on Thursday to become the most valuable company in the United States. Apple stock soared following announcements this week that its newest iPhones will include generative A.I. features.
Apples market cap closed at roughly $3.29 trillion on Thursday just beating out Microsoft's $3.28 trillion.
On Monday, Apple announced a partnership with ChatGPT creator OpenAI to power some features on the iPhone.
Now Elon Musk has won the largest CEO pay package in U.S. corporate history from Tesla shareholders. And if you're wondering -- if you're working paycheck to paycheck, you're going to find the numbers truly eye-watering.
CNN's Clare Duffy with the latest on a historic award of money.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CLARE DUFFY, CNN BUSINESS WRITER: The majority of Tesla shareholders have voted to approve CEO Elon Musk's massive compensation package, as well as a bid to move the company's state of incorporation from Delaware to Texas.
The vote could mark a big payday for Elon Musk. The compensation package includes options to buy Tesla stock at a reduced price that's worth around $50 billion.
It also marks a big win for Musk. Shareholders originally approved the package back in 2018, but a Delaware judge threw it out earlier this year after a shareholder lawsuit that the board had failed to prove that it was fair.
But the board has argued that the pay was necessary to keep Elon Musk engaged in his duties at Tesla.
When his attention could otherwise be dedicated to his many other companies, including SpaceX and the social media platform X.
And it appears that most shareholders agreed, Tesla shares ended the day up nearly 3 percent on Thursday following the vote. It's a sign that investors were happy to be paying up to keep Musk happy.
It's also a sign of continued confidence in Musk's leadership, despite the sales slump that Tesla has experienced in recent months. But it's not guaranteed that just because Musk won this vote, he will get this pay day as the issue is still tied up in Delaware courts.
But it certainly gives Musk a confidence boost and potentially gives Tesla lawyers some points of argument as they defend this compensation package for Musk in court.
Clare Duffy, CNN -- New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: The number of females sea turtles is on the rise in Malaysia. Why are the numbers going up and what do conservationists say about the consequences? We'll find out when we come back.
[01:48:41]
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HOLMES: Authorities in Greece say a pair of tourists are missing after going on separate hikes on two different islands while the country endures a blistering heatwave. We've got images of 59-year-old American Albert Calibet (ph), who went missing seeing on Tuesday. Also lost is 74-year-old Dutch tourist who went missing on Sunday. Emergency crews and volunteers are searching for both men. A
spokesperson for the Greek police told CNN on Thursday that there is no news about either of them.
Now the effects of climate change are many and varied, of course, and causing troubling consequences throughout our world.
CNN meteorologist Elisa Raffa reports now on how sea turtles in Malaysia are at risk.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ELISA RAFFA, CNN METEOROLOGIST: These sea turtle hatchlings are being moved to shadier patches. The rising surface temperatures in Malaysia are changing the sex ratio among sea turtles, which is dependent on its environment. According to scientists, incubation temperatures over 30 degrees Celsius can lead to all female baby turtles.
NICHOLAS TOLEN, SEA TURTLE RESEARCHER, UNIVERSITY OF MALAYSIA TERENGGANU: We hypothesize about 29.1 degrees Celsius is our pivotal temperature point. So, what would produce a 50/50 male female sex ratio. So understanding that basically is such a very small span, a very small range of degrees.
RAFFA: For decades, the population of marine turtles has been in serious decline across the country, often due to the harvesting of their eggs, overfishing, and lack of policy enforcement. Observers at the Chagar Hutang Turtle Sanctuary in the Malaysian island of Redang are already seeing fewer males being hatched in recent years.
Now, volunteers are carefully moving the eggs to cooler parts closer to the island's rainforest and away from the hot sands.
TOLEN: Sea turtle conservationists were concerned that uncontrolled global warming in the future, in the next 15, 20, 30 years will be detrimental to sea turtle nesting populations worldwide because it will feminize sea turtle hatchling populations, which will then lead to less productivity less female turtles being able to mate and lay more eggs.
RAFFA: Researchers say that artificial incubators are not a viable option as they might disrupt the hatchling's understanding of the Earth's magnetic field, and they will not be able to find their way back to the nest.
MOHD UZAIR RUSLI, SEA TURTLE RESEARCH UNIT, UNIVERSITY OF MALAYSIA TERENGGANU (through translator): We are concerned that if we produce these turtles and release them into the ocean, they will lose their sense of direction and won't know where to swim.
And for sure, such turtle mothers won't nest back here in Terengganu when they've reached adulthood because they aren't familiarized with it.
RAFFA: Climate change might have a detrimental effect on the sea turtle population, and it might only get worse from here. Due to the lasting effects of El Nino, increasing heat waves are being prolonged in the country.
In Redang, after hatching, the sea turtles are moved to a small nursery before being released at night. These little ones will wobble their way into a cooler future.
Meteorologist Elisa Raffa, CNN, Atlanta.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: Well, it seems Taylor Swift is in her earthquake Era. Video -- have a look at this.
That's video of the megastars Edinburgh show on Saturday. And doesn't do her fans justice as they literally made the earth move, that's according to the British geological survey. As a matter of fact, earthquake readings were detected almost four miles from Murrayfield Stadium (ph) on each of the three nights she performed there.
This isn't the first time Swifties have made an earth-shaking impact. Last year, Taylor Swift fans cause seismic activity equivalent to a 2.3 magnitude earthquake at her two shows in Seattle, Washington.
Now, 1,000 lucky fans of the K-pop group, BTS got up close and personal with one of their idols, Jin, the oldest member of the group, gave each of them a warm hug after finishing his mandatory military service in South Korea on Wednesday.
CNN's Mike Valerio with that from Seoul.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MIKE VALERIO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: They are quite possibly the luckiest super fans in the world. A once in a lifetime hug from BTS superstar Jin.
[01:54:50]
VALERIO: It's just a day after Jin finished his compulsory military service with the Korean Army, the pop icons, BTS Army, as fans are known, are now filled with Jin jubilation.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you for everything. Thank you for the music. Thank you for giving me this beautiful community, this beautiful family full of love.
VALERIO: They came to Seoul by the thousands. Nan from southern California is still in shock.
She and BTS bestie Michele, won coveted tickets to Jin's welcome back concert.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It was -- I'm still having a bit of an out-of- body experience. It's completely unreal.
My daughter was with me and she told me, oh, that's fake. That's not true because I've entered these things several times. Never had -- I mean what are the chances right?
VALERO: Yes, yes, yes. Right.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So it was amazing and I'm still sort of floating.
VALERIO: But the golden ticket truly is a chance to hug Jin. That's the golden ticket. Wow.
Men Chin Shania (ph) from Bangkok is one of those fantastically fortunate fans.
She won a ticket from an online raffle to hug Jin. Yoon Jong (ph) painted these gorgeous portraits of Jin and the rest of BTS. But there's still a bit of sorrow that she didn't win one of the hug raffle tickets.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I stayed the night up crying. Yes, for real. I stayed the night up. I couldn't even do my makeup.
VALERIO: The man himself, also grateful for his new army family.
JIN, BTS MEMBER (through translator): It was so fun for the last year and six months. It's such a relief. I met so many good people.
VALERIO: These fans are now ready for J-Hope (ph), the next of BTS' seven members to finish compulsory military service.
The BTS Army now ready for a new beginning.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's the start of the next --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, the next phase.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The next phase.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
VALERIO: And when you finish the day like today, its truly amazing. All the things that well be traded with you. A woman from Florida making this photo card of her favorite headshots of Jin. The superfan from Thailand, we showed you earlier, she bake these cookies in the shape of a cartoon character that Jin made.
A truly global experience thanks to one of K-pops biggest names.
Mike Valerio, CNN -- Seoul.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: I'm Michael Holmes. Thanks for spending part of your day with me.
Do stick around. CNN NEWSROOM continues with Australia's very own Anna Coren in Hong Kong next.
[01:57:13]
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