Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

IDF Announces "Tactical Pause" Along Gaza Route For Humanitarian Aid; Muslims Observe Eid Al-Adha In The Shadow Of Israel's War On Gaza; Zelenskyy Wraps Two Day Peace Summit In Switzerland; French Protesters Turn Out To Oppose Far-Right Shift Ahead Of Snap Election; Chinese Premier Lands In Australia On First Such Visit In 7 Years; Fears of a Wider Conflict Amid Israel-Hezbollah Tensions; Kenya Investigating Allegations against British Soldiers; New Report Debunks Disinformation about Renewable Energy; Big moments at Euro 2024. Aired 1-2a ET

Aired June 17, 2024 - 01:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[01:00:26]

MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and welcome, everyone. I'm Michael Holmes. Appreciate your company coming up here on CNN Newsroom, a bottleneck of humanitarian aid sitting on the side of the road. Despite what Israel is calling a tactical pause along a route in southern Gaza, overlooked for decades shocking allegations of gang rape and sexual violence by British soldiers in Kenya. The details on the investigation ahead. And debunking the misinformation around renewable energy a new report exposes the lies about solar wind and electric power.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Live from Atlanta. This is CNN Newsroom with Michael Holmes.

HOLMES: The Israeli military's latest tactical pause as they put it in southern Gaza is getting underway again this hour but there's been no let up in the fighting in and around refer. The Israeli military says the pause is designed to allow aid to get from the Kerem Shalom crossing into central Gaza, an Israeli official telling CNN.

The Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was unhappy when he heard about the announcement Sunday until he was assured that the fighting in Rafah will continue. And I'll show you a map now the route that the IDF posted Kerem Sholom is in the lower left of your screen there the red line marking the route aid trucks will take free of fighting hopefully to reach the European hospital.

Journalist Elliott Gotkine joins me now live from Tel Aviv. So what is the status of this pause it is limited to one road. Was it surprising to you and others that the Prime Minister and Defense Minister at least initially seemed unaware of it when it was announced then the far right Itamar Ben-Gvir was furious about it.

ELLIOTT GOTKINE, JOURNALIST: Michael, it all seems a little bit shambolic, doesn't it, because this whole tactical pause wasn't trailed anywhere really. It kind of came out of the blue this announcement on Sunday that this tactical pause which is just going to affect local time until 7:00 p.m. in the evening, today, so it's just going into effect today and it started on Saturday, the Israeli military said.

This announcement came out on Sunday, and then it was swiftly followed by a clarification, saying that this tactical pause does not mean that there will be a cessation in hostilities in the southern part of the Gaza Strip, especially in the southernmost city of Rafah which Israel sees as Hamas has lost readout and where it must do battle with Hamas to destroy its last remaining battalions.

So what we understand is that this initial announcement went out Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, apparently only learned about it through media reports. And they're also Israeli media reporting that you Yoav Gallant, the defense minister also didn't know about this announcement coming out in advance.

So effectively, you have the two men there were three of course, until Benny Gantz left the war cabinet last week, the two men who comprise Israel's war cabinet, which manages this war against Hamas, seemingly being unaware that this tactical pause was something that was going to happen, which, you know, certainly raises questions about, you know, who knew what and who actually made this decision.

Indeed, as you say, far-right minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir coming out and saying that in his words, the evil fool who made this decision for a tactical pause should lose -- should be fired from their position, not least, given what happened over the weekend, which was a deadly incident explosion there Rafah, that killed eight soldiers, at least 10 Israeli soldiers being killed over the weekend in fighting in the Gaza Strip.

So in the wake of that, Itamar Ben-Gvir saying that this was even less appropriate than it otherwise might have been. But of course, the point of this tactical pause is to enable more humanitarian aid to get to the people that need it most in the Gaza strip that had already was already not enough, then it's gone down to a trickle since Israel took over the wrath of border crossing because Israel -- Egypt closed it, saying that it couldn't guarantee the safety of humanitarian aid truck drivers.

On top of that the Kerem Shalom crossing, which I know you just had up on a map that has come under rocket fire from Hamas as well. So that's not always been opened. So the amount of aid getting through there has gone down to a trickle. This tactical pause was initially welcomed by the likes of the main Palestinian refugee agency, UNWRA and UNICEF cautiously welcome but even UNICEF saying that look, this is no substitute for a silk full ceasefire.

And just in the last half hour or so CNN has received a statement from a couple of U.N. agencies saying the situation on the ground has not improved as a result of this tactical pause.

[01:05:08] Because there are still a lack of law and order to guarantee the safety of this humanitarian aid, getting to where it's needed most, Michael?

HOLMES: All right, Elliott. Appreciate the update there. Elliott Gotkine for us in Tel Aviv. Despite Israel's, quote, tactical pause to allow more aid into Gaza, there was little for Palestinian Muslims to celebrate on Sunday, Eid al-Adha is normally a joyous celebration. There were prayers amid the rubble. You can see it there. This was in Khan Younis. But with many Palestinians hungry, there wasn't much of a feast.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAHMOUD ABDEL JAWARD, PALESTINIAN IN GAZA (through translator): As you know, the Eid is for all Muslims and for us is sacrificing animals to shed blood but this Eid there isn't any sign of that. Rondo, sacrificed animals. Now we sacrifice ourselves. We sacrifice our own bodies, but there's no Eid celebrations in Gaza.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: Antony Loewenstein joins me now from Sydney, Australia. He's the author of the "The Palestine Laboratory: How Israel Exports the Technology of Occupation Around the World." Always good to see Antony.

I've been there's been a plethora of reports out of Gaza recently from the U.N., U.N. backed groups and others, alleging incredibly serious actions by Israel from starvation to arbitrary detention, unnecessary killing and maiming of children. And worse, I mean, reports have accused Hamas of war crimes as well, we should say, but what is the totality of these reports when it comes to how Israel is prosecuting this war?

ANTONY LOEWENSTEIN, AUTHOR, "THE PALESTINE LABORATORY": Absolutely devastating. And the only major party which says that everything is going fine is Israel, every single leading human rights organization in the world, the ones you mentioned, everyone in Israel, the human rights organizations within Israel, Palestine, certainly Gaza, are all saying the same thing, which is people are particularly in the north of Gaza, but also elsewhere, are often starving malnutrition, there are thousands and thousands of young Palestinian kids, some of whom are dying from starvation.

So the idea that we're going to believe the Israeli government, you have a sadly, long history of lying about the facts on the ground in Gaza is absurd. And this is the reality it is utterly devastating and apocalyptic, where the rate of malnutrition and death is some of the worst we've seen in the last decade. It's just horrific.

HOLMES: Yes. I wanted to ask you about this too, because, you know, while Gaza is going on, there's been a lot happening in the West Bank, and not much of it good for Palestinians, the Israeli government announced Sunday that it is going to, quote, strengthen settlements in the occupied West Bank didn't define what that means. What do you make of it? Why, why now? How might that impact the fracture to say the least relations with the Palestinians, and for that matter, the outside world for Israel?

LOEWENSTEIN: I mean, this is essentially in one level business as usual, of course, because Israel, definitely before October 7, but certainly since has been hugely expanding settlements. And essentially, as my Palestinian friends say, to me, it's like the Wild West there now. There is no law and order for Palestinians, the rate of death for Palestinian civilians is off the chart, the amount of soldiers, Israeli soldiers and settlers working together to take Palestinian land ethnically cleanse their territories off the chart.

And ultimately, this is really goes to the heart of global impunity. There are still huge amounts of American charities, Australian charities allowed to give money to settlement, building settlement work, there is no real attempt by the U.S., by the White House, by any other serious country to stop these funds coming in.

And the idea somehow that the West Bank could explode at any one time there is a real possibility of an explosion. I mean, just in the last few weeks on one day alone, in May, about two weeks ago, seven young kids were killed in Janina one day, civilians were killed. And this is happening day after day after day.

HOLMES: And ongoing settler violence against Palestinian people and property. All of this that we've been discussing raises the issue of Israel's relationship with the United Nations more broadly, as an as an organization and with its various aid agency, how fraud is that impact -- how fraud is that relationship? What's the impact? Where do you see it headed?

LOEWENSTEIN: Well, it's not good. And essentially, what's been happening since October 7, it was already pretty bad before is it for many U.N. workers, often foreign workers living in Israel or Palestine, they essentially only get a few months of visas and they have to go back and reapply and often they're not given visas.

I mean, essentially, Israel basically the far right there talks about getting rid of the U.N. entirely. The fact of the matter as if the U.N. picked up tomorrow and left in Gaza, in the West Bank, there'd be no real humanitarian support in mass. That's the reality. So Israel knows that.

[01:10:00]

So on the one hand, a lot of this is just hot air. On the other hand, the relationship is fracturing because countless U.N. reports long before October 7, but certainly since documenting yes, Hamas war crimes, to be sure, but also the massive amounts of Israeli war crimes in Gaza and the West Bank, and the idea that Israel is deliberately starving civilians in Gaza, that is a fact that virtually every human rights organization is now saying, including the UN.

HOLMES: Before I let you go that, I mean, the reality is that going back to Gaza, that eight months into this war nearly, well to nine months, really, Hamas leadership is intact. Hamas is on some levels. Still fighting has the capability to do that. As we saw with the eight IDF soldiers killed Saturday. On top of all of that more than 100 Israeli hostages are still being held. There is no day after plan, which much of the world is demanding? Where does all of that leaves Netanyahu and his political position right now.

LOEWENSTEIN: He hopes that everything can be kicked down the road. And of course, Israel on one level is split between some people who believe in so called Greater Israel, which includes obviously settlements in Gaza. But actually beyond that, literally this week, there is a conference happening in Israel for people who believe that greater Israel should include other countries in the Middle East, Lebanon, Syria, and that might sound crazy to listeners. But that is the vision of many people.

Netanyahu, I think hopes that Trump will win in November. And essentially that he's allowed, therefore to do even more damage to Palestinians. His aim long-term, is to make any Palestinian self- determination impossible, which is why without outside pressure, sanctions and boycotts his situation will not change, because the problem here is not just Netanyahu. It's the fact that the majority of Israeli civilians based on polling, do not believe in Palestinian self-determination. The problem is the population not just the political elite there.

HOLMES: Always great to get your analysis. Antony Loewenstein there in Sydney for us.

LOEWENSTEIN: Thanks Michael.

HOLMES: Thanks, Antony.

LOEWENSTEIN: Thank you.

HOLMES: Now Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrapped his peace summit in Switzerland with a warning there will be no lasting peace if Ukraine doesn't maintain territorial integrity. Now this comes after the Russian President Vladimir Putin unveiled his terms for so called peace proposal on Friday, which included maximalist demands, which many called a demand for surrender.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HOLMES (voice-over): A path to peace in Ukraine was the ultimate goal that after a two-day summit in Switzerland, attended by more than 100 countries and international organizations, that outcome is still elusive.

From the beginning, there was little chance of making meaningful headway. Russia was not invited. China did not attend. Still, it was a show of continued support from Ukraine's Western allies. Although Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy did offer a one way for peace talks to begin.

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): Regarding negotiations with Russia, I think I've said it in a detailed manner. Russia can start negotiations with us tomorrow, not waiting for anything if it retreats from our lawful territory.

HOLMES (voice-over): Russia has dismissed the summit and on Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin laid out his terms for peace talks, namely the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from four provinces that Moscow only partially controls and claims to have annexed and Ukraine abandon its bid to join NATO.

Proposals neither side will accept. Even at the summit there were some divisions on a final statement, which most delegations signed, reaffirming the importance of Ukraine's territorial integrity and political independence and calling for Ukraine to once again control the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.

But there were key holdouts who did not sign the communique, including India, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates, who have trade relations with Russia.

Attendees say a follow up Summit is possible. And the joint statement cited the need for dialogue between all parties in order to reach peace, though just how and when to engage with Russia was left unanswered. And some leaders left skeptical.

URSULA VON DER LEYEN, EUROPEAN COMMISSION PRESIDENT: 14 is not serious about ending the war. He's insisting on capitulation. He's insisting on ceding Ukrainian territory, even territory that to date does not is not occupied by him. He is insisting on disarming Ukraine leaving it vulnerable to future aggression. No country would ever accept these outrageous terms.

HOLMES (voice-over): Meanwhile, the war grinds on with Russian forces still hold Being a fifth of Ukraine and gaining ground in some frontline villages.

[01:15:05]

There haven't been peace talks in more than two years. And the discussions held in Switzerland right now make no difference on the battlefield.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOLMES: Still to come here on CNN Newsroom, an Australian state creates a parliamentary position to address shocking levels of violence against women. We'll hear from the man appointed to that post when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: Protests against the far right continue to rock France over the weekend with demonstrators and police clashing in Lyon on Sunday. It comes as the country prepares for a snap election in the coming weeks. It was called by French president Emmanuel Macron after his party was beaten by the far-right in recent European Parliamentary elections. The leader of the right-wing national rally party says he's ready to take power, if chosen as prime minister.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JORDAN BARDELLA, NATIONAL RALLY LEADER (through translator): I will not be the associate of the president at the French people trust me I will drive the nation's policies to be very clear proposals through concrete priorities purchasing power, security, immigration. And yes, I wish to build a government of national union with people who don't necessarily come from the National Rally.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: One French minister says Mr. Macron's decision to dissolve parliament made people worried and confused. But he added that the President's supporters should not give up.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNO LE MAIRE, FRENCH FINANCE MINISTER (through translator): So I'll only say one thing. Let's fight. Let's fight in the morning. Let's fight in the afternoon. Let's fight through the night. Let's fight everywhere in the country. Let's fight because we can win in this parliamentary election. Victory is possible dig deep inside.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: Australia's Prime Minister's officially welcoming their Chinese Premier Li Qiang who is on a four-day visit to the country. It is the first visit to Australia by a Chinese Premier in seven years and the latest sign of boring relations between Beijing and Canberra.

CNN's Kristie Lu Stout joins me now live from Hong Kong. Second day of Premier Li's visit to Australia. Panda diplomacy and Adelaide signs of closer ties today bring us up to date.

KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, absolutely, Michael. China has added Australia to its list of visa free countries. This is a clear sign of improving ties as the Chinese Premier Li Qiang continues his four-day visit to Australia. This is the first visit to Australia by a Chinese Premier since early 2017. And it's a visit that is designed to showcase that relations between China and Australia are stabilizing.

They are improving despite years of tension over trade and over foreign interference. Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and the Chinese Premier they met earlier today and on the agenda you had trade and energy of regional security, climate change, human rights as well as the fate of a jailed Australian writer named Yang Hengjun.

[01:20:06]

Now Yang is a pro-democracy blogger. He's a spy novelist, who is currently facing a suspended death sentence on espionage charges in China and supporters have been urging the Australian Prime Minister to allow was transferred to Australia on medical grounds.

Now, we also heard from Prime Minister Albanese earlier today, and he hailed the stabilization of ties with China. Now earlier in this visit on Sunday, the Chinese Premier started his trip to Australia with a visit to a winery and Adelaide Zoo where he announced that Beijing would provide a new pair of giant pandas. And while in Adelaide, he said that China Australia relations were quote back on track.

And on Sunday, we heard from Australia's foreign minister, and she said that leaves visit was, quote, really important in showing stabilize ties. I'm going to show you what she said speaking oddly (ph), this is what we heard from Penny Wong. This is what she told the ABC she said this quote, that it comes after two years of very deliberate very patient work by this government to bring about a stabilization of the relationship, unquote.

Now trade, of course looms very large in this relationship between these two countries between China and Australia. China is Australia's largest trade partner. China is also an investor in Australian mining projects.

In fact, on Tuesday, we will be visiting the mining state of Western Australia and will likely call for greater access to Australia's critical and sensitive mining sector. Back to you, Michael.

HOLMES: All right, Kristie Lu Stout there in Hong Kong. Always good to see my friend. Thank you so much.

Staying in Australia, where 31 women have been killed in gender based violence this year. The state of Victoria has now created a new position Parliamentary Secretary for Men's Behavior Change. Recent rallies against gender based violence help to probe the government to take action. The new post is a state level office but Australia's Prime Minister says the problem is a national crisis.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANTHONY ALBANESE, AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER: We want to change this. We want to change this in a way in which we all have to take responsibility. Because violence against women is not a women's problem to solve. It is a whole of society problem to solve, and men in particular, have to take responsibility.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: And the statistics on domestic violence in Australia are truly horrifying, according to the organization, Our Watch, one woman is killed every nine days by a current or former partner, one in three women has experienced physical violence since the age of 15. And one in two women experiences sexual harassment in their lifetime.

And I'm pleased to be joined by the man appointed to the new position Tim Richardson, Victorian State MP and Parliamentary Secretary for Men's Behavior Change. Welcome Minister. I guess the real shame is that there is a need for a Parliamentary Secretary for men's behavior change anywhere. But here we are. And we just heard the statistics, very sobering. And one other one too.

Intimate partner violence contributes more death, disability and illness in women aged 25 to 40. More than any other preventable risk factor. So tell me more about how this initiative is going to change that. And how difficult is it to turn that ship around?

TIM RICHARDSON, VICTORIA PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY FOR MEN'S BEHAVIOR CHANGE: Thank you, Michael. And good to be with your viewers. Yes, those are startling statistics. And we've seen people across Australia take to the streets to call for changes and that enough is enough. And as we heard from our Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, it starts with a whole of community approach.

And so this role appointed by our premier in Victoria Jacinta Allan, looks to -- put that accountability at boys and men and that is not all men, but all men and boys can make a difference. And it starts with us. And some of those damaging stereotypes and norms that we see in community and the cultural change that we need to go on into the future is going to make that change.

HOLMES: Yes.

RICHARDSON: The Australian government has a target to end gender based violence in a generation and starts in our communities.

HOLMES: I'm an Australian, albeit an expat here in the U.S. for decades. And, and you know, Australia, I think you and I can agree has had a historical culture of the perhaps macho outback tough type of bloke, I think you even called it rusted on stereotypes.

But you know, is Australia or Victoria any worse than other countries? Or perhaps is there just more of a desire to move proactively to change those things that we were talking about?

RICHARDSON: We still want people to have positive masculinities and positive role models, but we're saying that the change in attitudes towards women have been good upstanders in community starts with all men and boys. And so that's -- that sort of culture and that jovial American nature that we know as Australians are that can coexist, but the perspective arts with each and every one of us and treating women and girls with respect and not having a tolerance for some of the -- some of those damaging gender based norms.

[01:25:08]

And as you said, more women than not in Australia have experienced sexual harassment, and one in five have experienced sexual violence. So, we need to change that over time. And but role modeling is really important. And I think that starts with all men and boys. And that's the mission that we're on here in Victoria.

HOLMES: Yes, of course, women's rights took huge leaps forward in the 70s, and 80s, and so on. But do you think there's been something of an alpha male resurrection in recent years in a negative sense, not in that sort of larrikin type way, I mean, it sometimes feels that way here in the US.

And I was reading when I was looking into his story in Australia, I know one popular radio host called Creating Your Position, part of what he said collective punishment on men, and quoting again, treating all men like an enemy. How do you I don't think that's true, by the way, but how do you combat that?

RICHARDSON: Yes, well, I reflect on my own circumstances, as a father of two young girls, and I want them to grow up in a community that has respect and safety for all. And so it's not saying that all men need to change behavior, but we all have a role to play, and we can all make a difference. Being good upstanders, having great role models in our lives, is a really important thing.

And when we see the innovations in social media and technology, and some really poor and damaging attitudes towards women and girls, we know we're losing ground in that space as well. And so we need to see what does positive and healthy masculinity is look like? What does it look like to be a good boy and man in our community, and stand up and support one another and have those conversations and be able to lead by example, I think that's the real critical thing.

And so it's not about you know, taking on masculinities. As such, it's about positive and healthy role models and masculinity is not, I think, anyone that thinks that they're, you know, someone close to them there. It might be their sister, it might be their mom, it might be my two kids that I reflect on, and we want them to grow up in a healthy and safe society. And that starts with all this.

HOLMES: Yes. Apart from the obviously far more important impacts on women, which are the physical and emotional ones. I was reading through there's an economic cost as well. Australia's Our Watch website pointed out the Violence Against Women in Australia costs Australia $21.7 billion a year. So there are a myriad impacts of this.

RICHARDSON: Well, that's exactly right, Michael. So there's the there's the social traumas, and the lived experience traumas that go on, but then there's a whole societal and economic costs, and that's lost productivity, workplace outcomes, the cost of to our judicial system, or the housing that to support victims survivors, the work that you go on in male accountability and perpetrator accountability.

So all of those investments take tens of billions of dollars, there's got to be a better way. But if we're going to end gender based violence in a generation, like the Australian government has the plan. It starts with a societal and cultural change. And that will have economic benefits here in Victoria.

We role model that as well by having half of our boards, our government boards, women in leadership, and I think that's a really important role to show and showcase pathways for women's women and girls, but also societal attitudes as well. You see women in leadership, and it really benefits those societal norms and stereotypes as well.

So yes, the economic costs is massive. If that's all people's motivation was about economics. It makes sense that from a societal and a community and safety standpoint, we can't waste the day.

HOLMES: Well put if I can invoke my Australian heritage after 30 years. It's a bloody good idea and good luck with it, Tim Richardson. Appreciate it. RICHARDSON: Thanks for your time, Michael.

HOLLMES: Sean "Diddy" Combs has returned to his symbolic he returned his symbolic key to New York City. That move follows a request by the Mayor Eric Adams after footage obtained by CNN surface of the rapper assaulting his then-girlfriend in 2016. The rapper who grew up in Harlem received the key in September last year. Combs has been named in eight civil lawsuits since November 7 directly accusing him of sexual assault.

Cross Border attacks between Israel and Hezbollah are ramping up why experts are worried this might lead to a wider conflict in the region.

Also, shocking allegations against British soldiers stationed in Kenya are being investigated after being overlooked for decades. Details when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[01:31:50]

MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back.

You're watching CNN NEWSROOM with me, Michael Holmes.

Now, Israel's government says it wants to quote, "strengthen Jewish settlements in the Occupied West Bank. Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office says Israels security cabinet will look at proposals at its next meeting. This all coming after four countries recently recognize an independent Palestinian state.

Israel's foreign ministry says the recognition was in its view a reward for terrorism. Netanyahu's office also said Israel considered taking action against the Palestinian Authority.

Earlier this month, the PA applied to join South Africa's case against Israel at the International Court of Justice. No real definition on what that strengthening of settlement means but most people could guess.

A top Israeli general meanwhile says recruiting from the Ultra- Orthodox Jewish community for the military is quote, "a clear need".

Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi told troops during a visit to Gaza, the move is quote, necessary to decrease the need to deploy thousands of reservists. His comments come amid a fierce political debate in Israel over current exemptions for military service enjoyed by the Ultra-Orthodox community. The country's supreme court is also discussing the issue.

Meanwhile, tensions continued to escalate at. Israel's northern border with Lebanon, Israel and Hezbollah have been ramping up cross-border attacks after months of low-intensity fighting. There are concerns about another war stretching Israel's military while it's still fully engaged in Gaza. And also ramping up incursions into the West Bank and also ramping up insurgents into the West Bank. But there are some in Israel who say the country should take broader action on that northern border.

CNN' Ben Wedeman with more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Every day the message goes out from south Lebanon in slick propaganda videos accompanied by a stirring soundtrack. Hezbollah is ready to go from daily skirmishes to full-scale war with Israel.

Mired in what appears to be an unwinnable war in Gaza, Israel has vowed to turn its military might on Hezbollah.

Earlier this month, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the border saying, we are prepared for very strong action in the north.

But the Iranian-backed group is by far the most formidable, battle- hardened foe Israel has faced on its borders since the 1973 October war.

After its guerillas forced Israel to pull out of south Lebanon 24 years ago in 2006, Hezbollah fought Israel to a standstill. Although the war left parts of Beirut and much of southern Lebanon in ruins.

[01:34:50]

WEDEMAN: Retired Lebanese Army Brigadier General Elias Hanna knows the militant group well.

BRIG. GEN. ELIAS HANNA, LEBANESE ARMY (RET.): Hezbollah is an exclusive club, well disciplined, monitored, and they have, which is the most important issue a charismatic leader.

(INAUDIBLE)

WEDEMAN: Since October, Israeli strikes have killed more than 300 Hezbollah fighters, including last week, high ranking commander Taleb Abdallah given a hero's farewell in Beirut.

At the funeral, senior Hezbollah leader Hashim Safi al Din warned "We will increase our operations in intensity and force, in quantity and quality."

Analysts believe Iran has provided Hezbollah with an arsenal of sophisticated long-range missiles capable of reaching Tel Aviv and beyond.

Until now, Hezbollah has mostly limited strikes to military targets along the rugged mountainous frontier hitting Israels extensive network of surveillance posts.

It also says it has taken out an iron dome battery, the backbone of Israels missile defenses. And has used ground to air missiles to shoot down three top of the line Hermes 900 drones in the process forcing tens of thousands of Israelis to flee their homes in the north.

Hezbollah is learning faster than Israel can adapt, says Hanna.

HANNA: They are learning. It's like learning process. It's like trial and error. So as far as you go in time, you are seeing more intensity, more combined use of weapon. And then more in-depth and more effectiveness against the Israelis. And what is the problem that the Israeli have no answer for that.

WEDEMAN: Since October, Israelis bolstered its forces on the border and held exercises to prepare for war. Hezbollah is also ready for war. A war that is just one miscalculation away.

Ben Wedeman, CNN -- Beirut.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOLMES: Crowds of Malawians are paying respects to Vice President Saulos Chilima, whose body is lying in state in the country's capital.

Chilima died in a plane crash with nine other people last week. Malawi, observing an official 21-day mourning period which ends July the 1st.

On Sunday, he was honored in a ceremony by the country's president and interim opposition leader along with dignitaries who said they remembered Chilima as a leader with a zeal for peace, prosperity, and a bright future for Malawi.

Kenya investigating claims of sexual assault committed near a British training base, north of Nairobi. Locals revealed horrific tales of gang rape and other forms of sexual violence by British soldiers to a parliamentary committee investigating the troops conduct.

Similar complaints have been made for decades. We warn you some may find the subject matter disturbing in Larry Madowo's report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LARRY MADOWO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: She is just 17 but Marian lives alone in this single room house. A mixed-race girl in rural Kenya when nobody looks like her.

MARIAN PANNALOSSY, SEARCHING FOR FATHER: They actually call me poor white girl (ph). I don't know why they call me poor white girl (ph) they only see why you just look for a connection that you will go to your own people. You don't belong here.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Marion's mother, Lydia Juma, was among hundreds of women who accused soldiers from the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK) of rape.

She was interviewed in this 2011 documentary.

LYDIA JUMA: Because in our tribe, you can't can report that thing. It's a big shame. If go and say that you have been raped. MADOWO: Lydia Juma died two years after that interview, and Marian has

never met her father.

She has to fend for herself in a society that ostracizes her. You have not lost hope of finding your father someday.

PANALOSSI: No. I never lose hope.

MADOWO: Mixed race children keep being born in the remote villages where the British Army trains in Kenya, Generica Namoru said she was a consensual relationship with a British soldier where she worked up their base but she claims he has never supported her since she gave birth.

GENERICA NAMORU, CLAIMS SOLDIER ABANDONED HER: I'm a woman with a white child. It's not easy for my family, especially because of Charles' expenses. she's suffering for no good reason

MADOWO: So you just want him to take responsibility for his daughter?

[01:39:48]

NAMORU: Yes. Nothing else. I want him to take care of education, health.

MADOWO: Have you ever received a cent from him since she was born?

NAMORU: I never seen any cent tape.

MADOWO: Generica is jobless and says she has unsuccessfully tried to petition local authorities and the British army to find her ex- boyfriend.

The British High Commission told CNN, it cooperates with local child support authorities in paternity claims but the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights says the U.K. government has made no effort to hold soldiers accountable in such cases.

MARION MUTUGI, COMMISSIONER, KENYA NATIONAL COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS: These children really deserved British citizenship. They are British kids, their fathers were British.

MADOWO: So the British government is just not interested in resolving these cases.

MUTUGI: We don't think they are interested. WE call it BBBB, British Boys Behaving Badly.

MADOWO: The U.K. pays Kenya about $400,000 a year to allow up to 10,000 British soldiers to train in the country.

Kenya renewed the five-year deal in 2021 despite opposition from some local groups, lawmakers and human rights defenders.

MUTUGI: we have also had cases where this women and people who have reported have been intimidated. So there is a conspiracy to make sure that justice does not happen for these women.

MADOWO: allegations of rape and other crimes, including murder by British soldiers in Kenya date back to the 1950s. These elderly women accused BATUK officers of rape in the 70s and 80s in a landmark case in LONDON, over 20 years ago.

Ntoyle Lenkanan says she was one of them.

NTOYLE LENKANAN, ACCUSED BRITISH SOLDIERS OF RAPE: I was going to fetch water when I was ambushed by a group of British soldiers who were hiding in the grass, near the river. One of them grabbed me and raped me.

MADOWO: In 2007, Britain's ministry of defense dismissed over 2,000 claims of rape from mostly Maasai and Samburu (ph) women, saying, quote, "There was no reliable evidence to support any single allegation."

The government in Nairobi, lost the case files without explanation.

A royal military police investigation concluded that most of the Kenyan evidence appear to have been fabricated. One Kenyan official called it a cover-up. They did not conduct DNA tests on any of the 69 mixed race children alleged to have been born as a result of rape by British soldiers.

Lawyer Kelvin Kubai is working to (INAUDIBLE) the case in Kenyan court.

17-year-old Marian will be the lead plaintiff, taking up a fight her mother didn't win in her lifetime.

KELVIN KUBAI, LAWYER: It is traumatic and it's psychologically disheartening to people Marian and many others who continue to see the British training (INAUDIBLE) with all these unresolved trauma and historical injustices.

MADOWO: Larry Madowo, CNN, Nanyuki, Kenya.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOLMES: The British high commission told CNN, it takes all allegations raised by the community seriously and ensures thorough investigations but added that all sexual activity which involves the abuse of power, is prohibited.

Now some Americans having trouble accepting offshore wind energy production because they're afraid of hurting whales. But that specific fear comes from disinformation.

Up next, how a new report is debunking dozens of false claims about renewable energy.

[01:43:23]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) HOLMES: Record-breaking flooding is forcing more than 11,000 people to flee their homes in southeast China.

Chinese state media says heavy rainfall across Fujian and Guangdong Provinces has caused 17 rivers to flood, triggering power outages and other damage. One county recording 375 millimeters of rain over the past 24 hours. Landslide alerts have been issued for multiple counties.

Now the fight to replace fossil fuels with green renewable energy is an uphill battle in the United States and some other countries around the world and that's partly because of widespread misinformation. And in some cases coordinated disinformation.

But now the Sabin Center for Climate Change law has released a new report that has identified and debunked 33 pervasive false claims about electric vehicles and wind and solar energy.

Here are some of the claims disproven in the report. That electromagnetic fields from solar farms are harmful to humans, that low frequency noise from wind turbines are dangerous to humans, and that electric vehicles actually have a net negative effect on climate change. All false.

Jacob Elkin is an attorney and research scholar with the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at Columbia Law School.

It's good to see you, sir.

Briefly, what were the most surprising myths which had taken hold, had an impact? On the climate and renewables debate.

JACOB ELKIN, SABIN CENTER FOR CLIMATE CHANGE LAW: I think two myths immediately come to mind for me.

The first in the context of offshore wind development is the idea that offshore wind farms off the coast of the United States are a serious threat to whale species.

and the second, in the context of solar development is the idea that solar development will threaten United States food supply through displacing a lot of farmland that is currently being used for food production.

Both of these ideas are things that have been researched very substantially. And there's really no evidence for either. But still when an offshore wind farm is proposed or when a solar farm is proposed oftentimes epicenter of the opposition to those projects are these two false claims.

And I think that's especially concerning because we do know that climate change does pose a serious threat to endangered whale species and in the long term, threatens to disrupt some degree of food production in the United States and globally.

HOLMES: Yes, it's the climate change is causing the disruption, not the renewables. What surprised you most about the pervasiveness of the false claims, how widespread they are.

I think the pervasiveness is very, you know, surprising. It's the same common trend, time and time again, when a solar project and offshore wind farm or an onshore wind farm is proposed very quickly opposition starts organizing. Thats driven by the same false claims, misinformation, and disinformation that for the most part is just not true.

And again, these are things that, you know, have been researched very substantially and have been found to be lacking.

HOLMES: Yes, this was a very scientific study. Did you find or suspect that it's more than ignorance that leads to these myths. That perhaps there's a deliberateness to the misinformation. And if so, to what end?

ELKIN: I think there's very little question that at least some of this is deliberate. For instance, research out of Brown University has shown that fossil fuel interest groups have been tied to think tanks that are behind a lot of the anti-offshore wind movement in the eastern United States.

And I think there we have sort of two industries going up against each other but I think a lot of this is not deliberate. I think a lot of what we see is people hearing about a wind or solar project that is proposed near where they live? Going online to try to find information about that project.

[01:49:47]

ELKIN: And through no fault of their own coming across bad information that then shapes their outlook where we hope our report can be helpful.

HOLMES: But one of the problems I imagine is that these myths aren't just in the dark recesses of the Internet or fringe Facebook groups, are they?

I mean, you mentioned the whales. Former President Donald Trump, he's decried renewables, said that the noise from wind farms could cause cancer, as you pointed out, that they could kill whales and birds and so on. He's anti-electric vehicles.

What -- what is the impact of that size of megaphone?

ELKIN: I think it can have a really serious impact in the United States. We basically be need to be setting new records for how much clean energy infrastructure is being built every single year to meet climate change targets.

And so, you know, when you have someone with a very large platform spreading false information, if that's slowing down the build-out of this infrastructure that that causes serious impacts, the climate and also the job growth in the United States and to, you know, it gets rid of some of the local revenue that these projects can bring. HOLMES: Yes. Yes. We're almost out of time. But I wanted to ask you, you know, as a research scholar who's involved in something as detailed as this and you can see the report online, it is a very scholarly document.

But as a researcher, is it disheartening that as our planet seemingly crumbles around this climate wise that there are these deliberate attempts to discredit potentially climate saving technologies?

ELKIN: in a sense, yes. But I think more than disheartening, it really just emphasizes that there's a lot of work that needs to be done to get the right information in front of decision-makers at every level of government. And so that the people who may be living near these projects have the right information as well.

And I'm optimistic that that's possible even if in the short-term it is a bit disheartening.

HOLMES: Yes. Yes.

Great conversation. Wish we had more time. People should check out the report. It really is worrying and it's excellent. Jacob Elkin, thank you so much.

ELKIN: Thank you for having me on.

HOLMES: After the break, England starts out stronger at Euro 2024. We'll have all the highlights for you in just a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: England off to a winning start in their Euro 2024 campaign, while Denmark's Christian Eriksen makes a big return to the tournament, three years after a cardiac arrest.

CNN's Don Riddell with the highlights.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DON RIDDELL, CNN WORLD SPORT: Yes. The European Football Championship on Sunday, England made their first appearance. Remember the three lines (ph) made it all the way to the final last time around, losing only on penalties to Italy.

This time they've entered as pre-tournament favorites. This team has so many quality players. One of the youngest is also one of their most mature. Jude Bellingham has had a wonderful debut season with Real Madrid. That powerful header gave them a 13th minute lead against Serbia.

And England might have doubled their advantage 30 minutes from time when Captain Harry Kane's header was tipped on to the crossbar. That was a crucial save by the Serbian goalie.

Just moments later, England needed their goalkeeper, Jordan Pickford to keep them in the lead. That was another vital save. England held on for a tough one-nil win. Earlier in this Group C, what a moment for Denmark's Christian Ericksen. Last time he played in the Euro, he almost died of cardiac arrest.

[01:54:48]

RIDDELL: And in his first game back in the competition he scored that goal against Slovenia.

But the Danes had to settle for a point, Slovenia equalized 30 minutes from time, and it was a special moment.

Erik Janza's deflected shot resulted in his country's first goal of Euros in almost a quarter of a century. One-all the final score.

So England tops this group. Nice start with them. They've got three points. Denmark and Slovenia on one. Serbia -- no points at the moment.

The early match on Sunday was in Group D, where Poland and the Netherlands went head-to-head in Hamburg. Poland missing their legendary striker Robert Lewandowski (ph) with injuries but they still took the lead through Adam Busker (ph) in the 16th minute albeit against the run off play.

At the Dutch (ph) through level in the 29th minute with a deflected shot from Cody Gakpo (ph) but the games seem to be heading for a drawer which would have been a disappointing result for the Dutch considering their superior possession, and their 20 attempts on goal.

But their persistence paid off in the last ten minutes. Substitute Wout Weghorst was sent on to shake things up and just two minutes later, he delivered, rifling home. The winner for a 2-1 score.

The Dutch had looked really good coming into this tournament. I think they'll be relieved to have kicked off with all three points in their opening game.

So the Netherlands have three points, but there's another opening game to come in this group. That will be France. One of the favorites as well. They'll be playing Austria in Dusseldorf on Monday. Ukraine will also be returning to the Euros. They'll be playing Romania also on Monday.

Back to you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOLMES: Our thanks to Don Riddell there.

Now, Bryson Dechambeau became U.S. Open champion for the second time when he sank a final part, par (INAUDIBLE) after a topsy turvy day of golf in Pinehurst, North Carolina.

Known as the scientist for his precise and sometimes eccentric approach to the game. Dechambeau applied his calculus to win one shot -- when by one shot out of the bunker at 18 to save power. It was a great shot and one over for the round, six-under for the tournament, secured his second championship in five years.

It was a great last round of golf.

Thanks for watching CNN NEWSROOM, spending part of your day with me.

I'm Michael Holmes.

Stick around, CNN NEWSROOM continues with my friend and colleague Anna Coren, next.

[01:57:09]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)