Return to Transcripts main page
Hala Gorani Tonight
CNN's Anthony Bourdain Dead At 61; Report: U.S. Suicide Rates Up More Than 25 Percent Since 1999; Trump Takes Aim At Allies As G7 Meets; Trump-Kim Set To Meet Tuesday In Singapore; U.K. Foreign Minister Takes A Shine To Trump; New Manafort Indictment Alleges Obstruction Conspiracy; U.K. Foreign Secy. Fears Softer Brexit; LGBT, Non-White Fans Warned By U.K. Foreign Office; Race Underway To Save Great Barrier Reef; Exploring Europe's Rising Tourism Destination Aired 3-4 ET
Aired June 08, 2018 - 15:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[15:00:17]
ROBYN CURNOW, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and welcome. I'm Robyn Curnow standing in for Hala Gorani tonight.
We're following two major stories, the loss of one of our own, we remember Anthony Bourdain.
And Donald Trump is meeting America's allies this very hour, and it is not the warm reception you'd expect from old friends.
So, the world has lost one of its greatest story tellers, and we here at CNN have lost one of our own. So, we begin the show with the sudden
passing of Anthony Bourdain, host of the travel show "PARTS UNKNOWN."
He was so many things to so many people, a chef, a tv host, a modern-day explorer. He brought faraway lands and exotic cultures right into our
living rooms, helping connect us all through food and conversation. Alex Marquardt looks back at an extraordinary life cut short by suicide.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALEXANDER MARQUARDT, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): For Anthony Bourdain, the recipe for understanding people, understanding
cultures around the world and creating a hit tv show couldn't be more straightforward.
ANTHONY BOURDAIN: We ask very simple questions, what makes you happy, what do you eat, what do you like to cook, everywhere in the world we go and ask
these very simple questions, we tend to get some really astonishing answers.
MARQUARDT: Bourdain was found dead Friday morning by a friend in a hotel room in France where he was filming for his award-winning CNN show "PARTS
UNKNOWN." The cause of his death was suicide.
Bourdain started working in kitchens at a young age and would become a celebrity chef and author, as he made his way into television. The
Smithsonian called him the original rock star of the culinary world, the Elvis of bad boy chefs. It was his way with words, his irreverence,
curiosity, ease and warmth that fueled his massive following.
Bourdain didn't shy away from talking about past demons, heavy drug use that included an addiction to heroin as well as cocaine use, so bad he said
he should have died in his 20s, but instead lived what he called a charmed life.
BOURDAIN: Massachusetts is quite small-town America.
MARQUARDT: He addressed his past head on while highlighting the opioid epidemic in Massachusetts in an episode of his show.
BOURDAIN: I thought I would start the show by returning to Provincetown, all the way out on the tip of Cape Cod, which is where at age 17 I started
washing dishes and started working in the restaurant business and as a summer job and began my sort of trajectory in both the restaurant business
and into drugs. Somebody who wakes up in the morning and the first order of business is get heroin, I know what that is like.
MARQUARDT: Bourdain came to CNN in 2013, bringing his show to a global audience. Throughout his tv career, he won award after award. It was the
food that lured people in, but viewers knew it was about so much more.
BOURDAIN: Incredible.
MARQUARDT: Quickly finding themselves immersed in an experience that focused on people, exotic places and faiths from around the world. He
insisted he wasn't a journalist, but over the years forged a unique still of storytelling that was unmatched.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CURNOW: Alex, joins us now live with more on this very sad story that touches all of us and there's certainly been a huge outpouring of grief
around the world -- Alex.
MARQUARDT: There really has. I mean, the news broke overnight, and in the wake of it, we have seen this tremendous outpouring of tributes from his
fans. He had a legion of fans around the world who followed him on these journeys from fellow chefs, from celebrities.
We've heard from astrophysicist, Neil de Grasse Tison, from Chef Gordon Ramsey. Perhaps the person, who in recent years was closest to him was
someone who had been his girlfriend, Asha Argento, the Italian model.
She tweeted shortly after this horrific news broke that "Anthony Bourdain, his brilliant, fearless spirit touched and inspired so many and his
generosity knew no bounds. He was my love, my rock, my protector. I am beyond devastated."
Bourdain had been here at CNN for five years. He had been working on his 11th season of "PARTS UNKNOWN," Robyn. You know well, we and our
colleagues here at CNN, many of us have been quite shaken by this today.
CNN put out a statement early this morning shortly after this news broke saying in part, "His love of great adventure, new friends, fine food and
drink, and the remarkable stories of the world made him a unique story teller. His talents never ceased to amaze us, and we'll miss him very
much." Feelings that are shared by many around here today and all around the world.
CURNOW: You're right. I mean, there's really been a real sense of sadness across CNN. I think because he was just such a big personality -- he had a
filthy mouth, always had a drink in his hand.
[15:05:08] He was naughty. He was kind of sexy as well. He ventured in all sorts of even if you didn't know him. He kind of struck a chord. You
felt like maybe you did.
MARQUARDT: Well, he had really lived life. He had all these twists and turns in his life. You heard in the piece he thought that he might die in
his 20s. It wasn't really until his 40s that he became a household name.
That's when he really shot to fame after becoming a celebrity chef and an author and making his way on to television. Then in his 50s, he had a
child. We should note that he does leave behind a young daughter who is a pre-teen.
To a person, everyone who he met said that he was genuine, that he was raw, that he was relatable, that his fame never went to his head, that he had a
genuine curiosity about the world, and he tried to convey what he saw, what he heard, what he ate in a way that it was fascinating story telling and
really made for compelling tv.
So, he really touched not just those who he visited, but those who went on that journey with him through that program. Robyn, I thought it was
encapsulated very well. We played a brief clip from 2013 when he won the Peabody Award. The judges praised him for expanding our palates and
horizons in equal measure. I thought that was very well said -- Robyn.
CURNOW: Yes, absolutely. Alex, thanks so much.
And as Alex has been telling us, tributes are pouring in from around the world, people from all walks of life. So, take a look at some of them,
former U.S. President Barack Obama made a guest appearance on one of Bourdain's episodes in 2016, I'm sure a lot of you remember this one.
They shared a meal in a little place in Hanoi in Vietnam. Mr. Obama tweeted today, "Low plastic stool, cheap but delicious noodles, cold Hanoi
beer. This I how I will remember Tony. He taught us about food but more importantly about its ability to bring us together."
And then celebrity chef, Gordon Ramsey says he's stunned and saddened. He tweeted that Bourdain brought the world into our homes and inspired so many
people to explore cultures and cities through food.
All of us here at CNN agree with our colleague, Ed Lavandera. He says, "A proper tribute would be wherever you live, venture down across town, the
tracks to a place you wouldn't normally go and find place to eat and talk with strangers."
Absolutely. Cheers. So earlier, I spoke with one of Bourdain's friends about his life and legacy. Art Smith is a former personal chef to Oprah
Winfrey. He says the world has lost an amazing voice and also a gentle spirit.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ART SMITH, FRIEND OF ANTHONY BOURDAIN: We met in South Beach at the (inaudible) Wine Festival where I threw a big party (inaudible) called the
Big Day Ice Cream. I was so touched that a man of his stature and his voice that reaches around the world would come and support and he was such
a gentle spirit.
You know, when you say that he brought this global audience, what he did was he used the food as a way to bring his message. His ability to show
the essence of humanity, he brought it to a place where the masses understood that, you know, we live in a rural world and we share it
together.
We all love food and we all come together with food. You know, I consider him the Einstein of chefs. I mean, you know, he wrote beautifully. He was
the first to really expose what (inaudible) like.
What life could be in a world that's so incredibly insane. He brought sanity to the world because he showed the beautiful world.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CURNOW: Art Smith for that. Now Bourdain's death comes just days after the suicide of another celebrity admired by so many people around the
world, fashion designer, Kate Spade. A new report says suicide rates in the U.S. have increased by more than 25 percent since 1999.
So, we're joined now by senior medical correspondent, Elizabeth Cohen. I mean, there's just so much hidden pain, isn't there?
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: There really is. I think it's important for all of us to take note today, as we have all week,
that you never know what someone is going through. These numbers really speak volumes.
According to this report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, in the U.S. that suicides have gone up 30 percent since 1999. That says a lot
right there. It sorts of speaks to the question in the same way how do we get better at treating cancer, how do we get better at treating heart
disease, how do we get better at preventing suicides.
CURNOW: And we know from CNN, from our bosses this morning, that Anthony Bourdain hanged himself while he was on assignment for CNN in France. But
the question is how do you help somebody? That is the big one.
[15:00:00] COHEN: Right. And so, the answer to that is that there are some signs that you can look for. You can look for signs and not just
sadness but real despondency, real despair, feeling like things are not going to get better.
You can also look for signs and change in people, things that someone might have done before that brought them great joy that they're not doing
anymore, and they've increasingly isolated themselves.
But I do want to say that it's very important for people to remember that sometimes you don't know. Sometimes psychiatrists and psychologists miss
the signs of suicide and their patients take their own lives. So while it's important to look out for these things, survivors should not blame
themselves if they miss them because professionals miss them.
CURNOW: OK. Thanks so much. Elizabeth Cohen, always good to speak to you. Thanks, Elizabeth.
Now, if you or anyone need help, a family member, a friend, a colleague as well, please reach out to the International Association for Suicide
Prevention. They can actually guide you on how to help and you can contact them any time of the day. We also have information on our own website,
including how you can make a difference in trying to prevent suicide. That's all at cnn.com.
And still to come tonight, standing side by side, but not seeing eye to eye. Donald Trump meets world leaders, and they're not entirely happy with
him. We're live in Quebec for the latest on the G7 Summit.
Plus, a summit the world will be watching. President Trump and North Korean Leader Kim Jong-un face off in Singapore on Tuesday over North
Korea's nuclear weapons. We'll take a look at what both sides are hoping to achieve.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CURNOW: Live pictures here. Beautiful scenes in Quebec and we know that is a working session going on between all the leaders of the G7 countries
that are meeting there at the moment. There it is there. These are live pictures, all of them sitting around that round table.
Some serious discussions to be had, and of course, Donald Trump coming face to face with many of these leaders, leaders from his country's closest
allies. So, that's a good thing, right?
Well, yes, but right now as we all know, it's been getting a little complicated because President Trump arrived in Canada for that G7 Summit
shaking hands with the prime minister, Justin Trudeau, and his wife.
And in the last hour, the world leaders also had a quick family photo. It was all smiles for the cameras, but they are certainly growing tensions.
So, let' get to Quebec City. That's where Paula Newton is monitoring all of these developments. She joins us now. Paula, we're watching these live
pictures of the working session, but that class photo, all smiles, did we get anything from the body language?
PAULA NEWTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I did. I'm not sure if I'm imagining things, Robyn. This isn't my first rodeo or G7 summit. So, I can tell you
that, you know, President Trump did not go out of his way to be very friendly or cordial to either Prime Minister Trudeau or President Macron.
That definitely does tell you something.
[15:15:11] This is still going to be a fairly chilly working session sides. Donald Trump did not really have any goals going into this. We know from
his closest advisers, in fact, that he was questioning why he even had to be here.
Having said that, I hear from officials on the other end that they are trying there best to deescalate things. We'll get more information in the
next few hours to see exactly what could be worked through in those sessions, in those working sessions.
I can tell you from the Canadian perspective, having worked on this summit in excess of a year, that they want to make sure that the things they put
on the table that at least Donald Trump lends an ear to that.
And that is, you know, continual to have that growth that has that inclusion of income inequality, gender equality, climate change.
Apparently, those things are not being discussed right now. We will see. It will be a bit of a free-wheeling working session.
I know that they've tried to carve out as much time as possible so that they can have some incredibly frank discussions. Keep in mind, Robyn, as
you've pointed out for the last few hours, Donald Trump goes right from here to Singapore to have that summit with the North Korean leader. And
that is also something that the allies want to talk to him about.
I mean, we are looking at these pictures. He's looking bit serious. Some of the other leaders were laughing and smiling. It looked a little more
relaxed than we expected. But either way, we know that Donald Trump kind of went into this looking to pick a fight. Tae a listen to what he said
before he took off on his way to Canada.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: We have a world to run, and G7, which used to be the G8, they threw Russia out. They
should let Russia come back in because we should have Russia at the negotiating table.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CURNOW: And Paula, the reason Russia is not at the negotiating table?
NEWTON: Yes, that was in 2014 when it annexed Crimea. It was unanimous. All the other G7 partners said Russia out. The fact that Donald Trump
would put this on the table, literally the morning that he was leaving for the G7, I might add already late for this meeting, he decided to put that
on the table.
Is him tweaking his allies a little bit and why? Not because they are all unanimous support about this, but what's been percolating behind the scenes
and that has been the fact that E.U. allies are not convinced that actually these sanctions with Russia should continue.
That has nothing to do with invite back into the G7 club to make it G8 again, but it does have to do with Donald Trump really trying to drive even
more wedges between those allies saying that look, you know, I'm not going to play nice.
You know, Robyn, I've said this to you before. There is a certain amount of transparency from Donald Trump, which some people might find refreshing.
The problem is that it becomes what everybody knows. It is the narrative and sometimes that makes compromise much more difficult.
I have to point out that what works for Donald Trump's base back home, E.U. leaders, Canadian leaders, Japanese leaders are still working with that as
well. Standing up to Trump, they'll still score political points.
But polls bear that out, and that's why at this point in time, it is seeming like historic allies, at this meeting that they prepare so long
for, won't really be able to come to much of a compromise.
I will be, though, that when we get some information from Canadian officials that they will try and put the best face they can on this entire
meeting.
CURNOW: OK, so we'll watch how it all plays out. Thanks so much, Paula.
Just as we mentioned, President Trump stunning allies again earlier today saying that Russia would be reinstated -- or should be reinstated to the
group of industrialized nations.
So, let's discuss with this CNN's global affairs analyst, Kim Dozier. She's live in Washington. Kim, good to see you. I want to bring up the
cover of this week's "Economist." It shows Donald Trump on a wrecking ball slightly ala Miley Cyrus but that's a whole other story. But either way,
wrecking ball diplomacy, those leaders there in Canada are having to deal with it.
KIMBERLY DOZIER, CNN GLOBAL AFFAIRS ANALYST: Well, Robyn, they see it as wrecking ball diplomacy. Donald Trump and his supporters see it as
breaking through a calcified system and long, tense negotiations that he thought weren't moving fast enough and producing change.
Remember him back at that first NATO Summit when he stood there and lectured all those NATO leaders behind him for not giving enough money to
NATO. And from his perspective since then, more of them have stepped and gotten close to that 2 percent of their GDP investment.
And he got praised at home. So, you can see him going into this summit thinking I'm going to do same thing. Shame them before the summit and see
what they do behind the scenes to meet my demands.
CURNOW: And we have seen some pretty open, tweeting between Donald Trump and Mr. Macron and Mr. Trudeau, bringing into stark focus just how perhaps
low this relationship has gotten.
[15:20:09] And Mr. Macron tried to flirt, tried to suck up to him. He's tried to threaten. Now it seems these leaders were trying to play
hardball, but really, can they?
DOZIER: Well, you know, it didn't help Mr. Macron back home, all that charm offensive with Trump so now they've got to signal both Trudeau and
Macron, to the folks back home we're standing to this bully.
There's another thing that's going on too. I think that they've both figured out that Trump does respect you pushing back as hard as he pushes.
So, I think this is them playing along with his rules.
The problem is in the future, if they are asked to do something more difficult, they might not have the goodwill from their populations and they
certainly might not feel the goodwill towards Trump when it's said something like, say, doing more for counterterrorism in Africa where the
U.S. wants to draw some of its forces.
CURNOW: And when we talk about European cohesion, because they're trying to put on a cohesive, unified face, particularly ahead of all of these
tariffs, in many ways you also see the challenges the Europeans face because Italy broke with the rest and said, well, maybe they agree with
Donald Trump on bringing Russia back into the fold. So, there is a huge sort of balancing act these leaders are having to do.
DOZIER: Well, Italy may be breaking from the fold, but from the other European leaders' perspective, this might be one of the best possible
things to drive them together. One enemy from the outside that makes them cooperate to present a stronger front.
CURNOW: And I want to bring up another cover, the "Time" magazine cover from this week, there it is. Donald Trump looking into mirror and he sees
himself as a king, as an absolute monarch. As there are two summits he's preparing for this one and then, of course, Singapore, what does that mean
for the North Koreans, so we can talk about his other allies deal with? How does the North Koreans then deal with a man who potentially sees
himself like that?
DOZIER: Well, from the North Koreans' perspective, he sees himself just the way Kim Jong-un sees himself. So, they'll probably have a good
conversation. They both consider themselves absolute rulers.
But Kim Jong-un does get his power checked as often as Donald Trump does. That's why we see Trump tweeting out his displeasure regularly at things
like his attorney general, the Mueller investigation, all of these checks and balances on every American president's power.
Congress has even said that they step in and demand the chance to approve the North Korea deal in the form of a treaty. Now, President Trump has
said he will deliver that to them, but let's see what happens after the summit. If he comes up with something that's too hard for GOP leaders to
swallow, Trump might change his mind.
CURNOW: The fact that this meeting is taking place at all, many people say this is a good thing, even if it is photo opportunity, even if Donald Trump
isn't as prepared as many would like him to be, even if he goes in there with attitude, as he says that his big gift to the situation, in many ways
just by being there has this shown that perhaps this wrecking ball diplomacy is working in some way?
DOZIER: Well, you can argue that Trump's combination of threatening North Korea and backing it up with military power but offering an olive branch in
the other hand has produced this. Conversely you could also argue that North Korea had to be ready for this first by having nuclear capable
ballistic missile and that it didn't matter who was in the American driving seat, they would have been ready for talks now and that Trump perhaps said
yes too soon.
CURNOW: OK. So great to have your perspective and your analysis, Kimberly. Appreciate it.
DOZIER: Thanks, Robyn.
CURNOW: So, as we've been speaking about, President Trump and North Korea Leader Kim Jong-un are preparing meet face-to-face in Singapore. Now this
summit will center on efforts to get North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons.
So, our Nic Robertson takes a look at what both sides are hoping to achieve.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR (voice-over): Soon barring missteps, this could be a reality, President Trump and Kim Jong-un
side by side, at stake it would seem nuclear Armageddon.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: North Korea best not make any more threats to the United States. They will be met with fire and fury.
ROBERTSON: The threat may have gotten the two to the table, for now at least Trump dialing down on the bad stuff.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Getting to know you meeting.
ROBERTSON: So, what do these leaders want from this? Kim face time with Trump. Recognition North Korea craves makes Kim big back home.
[15:25:13] And Trump keeps a campaign promise, kind of rocks his base back home. Even though none of these, Kim's nukes are being handed over,
despite this demand.
MIKE POMPEO, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: The complete verifiable and irreversible denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
[00:10:08] ROBERTSON: To get that, Kim wanted these gone, U.S. troops in South Korea. For now, it seems off the table and more of this, trade,
sanctions eased. He also wants to keep these, his conventional weapons and this, his army. So, he can keep lots of this (inaudible) obedience. And
this is how he wants to feel when it's all done, but if he gets it wrong, he might get this.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: If the meeting when I'm there is not fruitful, I will respectfully leave the meeting.
ROBERTSON: And then even this begin.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: They will be met with fire, fury, and frankly power the likes of which this world has never seen before.
ROBERTSON: Trouble for Trump, Kim is perceived to have given up very little and gained a good bit along the way. Lots of this, valuable face
time with other leaders, meaning he is unlikely to face maximum pressure sanctions again.
Still, after this, Trump gets to do this, walk away, leave the details to his deputies. That absent Trump cracking Kim's will could take years
leaving Kim doing a lot more on this -- and this -- and none of these get handed over anytime soon if ever. Nic Robertson, CNN, Seoul, South Korea.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CURNOW: Thanks to Nic for that report.
So, still to come tonight, the British prime minister struggles with cabinet chaos. Next, you'll hear Boris Johnson's candid criticism of
Theresa May. Has she completely lost control?
And with one week to go until the world cup kicks off in Russia, the U.K. Foreign Office issues a warning to minority fans about traveling to
matches. We'll have the details on that.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CURNOW: Welcome back. I'm Robyn Curnow. Now in the Russia probe, Special Counsel Robert Mueller has filed a new indictment.
[15:30:00]
Now, this is pretty big because it's against Paul Manafort, President Trump's former campaign chairman. The indictment also names as a
defendant. A close business colleague of Manafort who prosecutors have said has close ties to Russian intelligence. The new charges against both
men include obstruction of justice and conspiracy to obstruct justice.
Evan Perez joins us now from Washington to decode all of this legally. Is this related to reports of witness tampering? Hi, Evan.
EVAN PEREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Robyn. Yes, it is. It is related to the allegations that were made earlier this week. If you remember, the
special counsel accused Paul Manafort of trying to tamper with witnesses, trying to coach witnesses on what to say and how to perjure themselves
essentially in their testimony to the special counsel and now we're seeing the charges that are being brought against Paul Manafort, as you said,
obstruction of justice, conspiracy to obstruct justice. And another big development here is the naming of Konstantin Kilimnik. Now, he is somebody
who has appeared in previous court filings. The special counsel and prosecutors have cited him before but never by name. And they simply
called him somebody who has close association with Russian intelligence, somebody who's close to the Russian spy services. He worked very closely
with Paul Manafort for many years during the time that Paul Manafort was helping to lobby on behalf of the pro-Russian government at the time in
Ukraine.
This is all, of course, the genesis of Paul Manafort's legal problems. He's facing a series of charges here in Washington and in the nearby
jurisdiction in Virginia. All of those charges relate to financial crimes, alleged financial crimes, and failing to register as a foreign agent for
that work that he was doing on behalf of Ukraine. Kilimnik at the time was somebody who was living in Kiev and was helping him do some of that work,
again, with the Ukrainian government that was in power at the time. So these charges -- with these charges against Kilimnik, we now have the 20th
person that has been charged in this Robert Mueller investigation. It's been ongoing for now about a year.
So look, we expect that this is not the end of this investigation, obviously, that there are other pieces of this investigation that are still
in the works. Paul Manafort is supposed to go in trial in July, but the fact that they're adding new charges against him really causing the
question whether or not that can happen.
CURNOW: Many people ask why isn't he in jail?
PEREZ: Well, exactly. I think that's what the government is now arguing. We expect that later today Paul Manafort is going to respond to these
allegations that he was doing witness tampering. And so then the government is going to argue in a court hearing next week that Paul
Manafort should have his bail revoked. He's out on $10 million bond right now. And so they're going to ask for him to go in jail, go sit in jail
while he awaits trial.
CURNOW: Evan Perez, thanks so much.
PEREZ: Thanks.
CURNOW: Now, U.S. President, Donald Trump might not be getting on too well with his closest allies, but he certainly has a fan in the U.K. foreign
minister. In comments that were taped covertly and shared on BuzzFeed, Boris Johnson said he is increasingly admiring of the U.S. president, and
he has speculated on how Mr. Trump might deal with the U.K.'s Brexit negotiations. Take a listen.
BORIS JOHNSON, SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS: Imagine Trump doing Brexit. What would he do? He'd go in bloody hard. There'd be all sorts
of breakdown. All sorts of chaos. Everyone would think he'd gone mad. But actually you might get somewhere. it's a very, very good thought.
CURNOW: For more on all of this, let's go to London. Nina Dos Santos is standing by. Yikes. What's the reaction?
NINA DOS SANTOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This is rather embarrassing. Even for the -- and it's uncharacteristically candid comments here, Robyn, from
somebody who is quite characteristically outspoken here, Boris Johnson and often described as being wonderfully indiscreet, but even by his standards,
this really was strong stuff here. As you pointed out there, he was praising Donald Trump, largely for his negotiations with the European
Union, where obviously we know that we have the steel and aluminum tariffs that have been unilaterally imposed. And big concerns about that creating
a trade war. But also Trump's stance with China on various trade issues as well. So essentially, Boris Johnson was saying, well, the United Kingdom
in its Brexit negotiations could take a leaf or two out of Mr. Trump's book.
But obviously if you look at the two economies, the United States has a lot more negotiating power. We're talking about the world's biggest economy
here and obviously, the United Kingdom is in a very different predicament. I should point out that the government here in the U.K., obviously Theresa
May is over there in Canada for the G7, but still we've heard number 10 saying spokesperson that the government still has confidence in Boris
Johnson. Perhaps some less charitable words coming from the treasury where the Chancellor Philip Hammond who also came in for some of the criticism in
that covertly recorded tape. He said that a less combative approach to Brexit will be helpful, a more collaborative one from people like Boris
Johnson. Robyn.
[15:35:18] CURNOW: And there is more. What else did he have to say about Theresa May's leadership and Brexit?
DOS SANTOS: Well, there's plenty more. This is a speech that was recorded over the course of one hour on Wednesday at a dinner that was taking place
for about 20 MPs and also young activists who subscribe to a fact right version of the conservative party's views. It's a focus group that is more
factual leaning. So we're talking about free markets here. And that's the kind of audience that he was playing too. And he did criticize Theresa May
in a veiled way, but he said that her negotiations will get stronger from here, as we head towards the key June the 28th summit with Brussels. Take
a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHNSON: it will happen but and I think it will be irreversible. The risk is that it will not be the one we want.
So that's sacrificing all the medium and long-term gains and the tier of full term disruption. Do you know see what I'm saying?
DOS SANTOS: So he's talking about Brexit there saying that that there's a real risk here that -- and Brexit here is will be left disappointed with
Brexit and probably also the people who would have liked to see the U.K. remain inside the European Union will remain disappointed as well.
And, Robyn, the reason why all this is so significant is because it's coming on the very week when the United Kingdom finally came out with its
white paper after much public wrangling between the head of the department for exiting the European Union, David Davis, who at one point threatened to
resign over this. He's obviously pro-Brexit. And Theresa may, who favors a less hard, a softer Brexit, if you like and they did finally see eye to
eye on the issue of a customs backstop, which would prevent the U.K. from having a friction border with the rest of the European Union. The hard
border that it has is on the island of Ireland. They came up with a kind of fudge to that solution, and Boris Johnson there is saying as many people
on the remaining side suspect as well, as well as Brexiters like himself is that at the end of the day, people may not be happy with this deal,
whichever side of the equation they subscribe to. That's a real danger. He did say there might be a bit of a meltdown between now and the middle of
2019, but the important thing he said also was not to panic and to hold firm and fast. Robyn.
CURNOW: Yes. Maybe some of those things he would have also said overtly, not just covertly. But still, some eye-raising stuff. Thanks so much,
Nina dos Santos. Always good to speak to you.
So it's just one week to go until the World Cup kicks off in Russia. The U.K. government has warned LGBT fans that they face significant risk as a
quote, "If they travel to match is death." Sam Kiley has more.
SAM KILEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Relations between the United Kingdom and Russia are at an all-time low and they continue to be kept in that place by
a recent report coming from the parliamentary select committee on foreign affairs in the British parliament that is now been warning people from the
LGBT community and non-white visitors to the football World Cup that they could be in danger, in danger from far-right groups that are part of what
they called the Ultras, the Hooligans within the supporters of Russian teams and also from wider community given that there's an atmosphere that
is generally alter conservative now within the Russian body politic, if you like. And at the same time, there's been a recent report published by a
group, the soviet center here that shows that there's been a decline in far right activity but an increase in anti-LGBT slogans and particularly in
terms of racist chants. This has provoked perhaps several players within the British squad rather the English squad to say that they're extremely
concerned. The coach, the English coach, has said that the team has plans for how to deal with any kind of racial barracking that they may suffer
during the matches, but this does not include walking of the pitch, because that ultimately could mean that they would be disqualified.
Now FIFA, which runs the World Cup, is saying that they have options to stop, suspend, or even abandon matches if there are going to be these sorts
of racial chants conducted by fans here. And indeed for the first time actually have monitors will have at least three monitors in every single
World Cup game listening out for these sorts of abuses so that they can be monitored and controlled. But ultimately and talking privately with people
closely involved with the Ultras, closely involved with policing the World Cup including various diplomats, there is a lot of pressure coming from the
Russian authorities on the Hooligan groups and on ultranationalist organizations and others to make sure that this does not turn into a public
relations disaster, that the World Cup remains what the Russians want to see, which is a public relations triumph.
[15:40:33] CURNOW: OK. Sam, thanks so much for that. Sam Kiley there in Moscow.
Turning now to Guatemala. Hopes of finding more survivors of Sunday's deadly volcanic eruption are growing dimmer and dimmer. And now attention
turns to digging out whole neighborhoods buried under tons of ash. Patrick Oppmann is there.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PATRICK OPPMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It's hard to believe that this used to be a neighborhood where people lived. There are houses here. This was the
main street and now it is just tons and tons of volcanic ash that will need to be cleared before it can be liveable, before anybody can comeback.
We have our masks on, in case the wind changes direction, but the smell makes you somewhat dizzy. It is really just an overpowering odor. And you
can see as they're watering it down, the steam rises all these days after the volcanic eruption, that rock is still -- that volcanic ash is still
boiling hot. It is not safe to go there. And if this worker was not spraying it down, it will probably cause those sheet to melt or
malfunction.
He's trying to cool down that volcanic ash. It gives you an idea of how dangerous this is. This is why they're telling residents not to return,
because going a little further up the street, it could still take someone's life. And you look down over here, and this was someone's house. Again,
completely buried by volcanic ash.
We don't know if the people who lived in this neighborhood, that is now one color, the gray color of ash, got out in time. But, you can see what a
hell scape it's become and you can see how difficult it'll ever be for anyone to ever return to this neighborhood in Guatemala.
The smoke is coming off there, you can feel the heat emanating. I'm going to step back because it really is quite hot and we're going to leave.
We're even been told that we should only stay in this area for a short time. It is an incredible sight to see and it makes you wonder if anybody
could ever live here again.
Patrick Oppmann, CNN, near the Fuego volcano.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CURNOW: Thanks to Patrick for that extraordinary report.
Well, breaking news. We are learning that a U.S. service member has been killed in Somalia and four others have been wounded. The U.S. troops were
on a training mission with local Somali force when the attack occurred in the country's south. The four were wounded. They were evacuated out of
the area. Their condition is unknown. We will bring you more details as soon as we get them.
And still to come tonight, we take you to Australia on this World Oceans Day. Half of the Great Barrier Reef's coral has died because of climate
change, but can we still save the natural wonder?
And also, climate change isn't the only threat. Eight million tons of plastic gets dumped into our oceans every single year. We meet the school
kids taking action. That's also next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[15:45:45] CURNOW: Genetic engineering, artificial sun shields, submersible robots. That's just some of the high-tech that scientists are
testing out to protect Australia's Great Barrier Reef. But as CNN's Ivan Watson reports from Palm Cove, the reef can really use some help.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
IVAN WATSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It is World Oceans Day, and the developments on the Great Barrier Reef have been very difficult to say the
least. Marine heat waves over the last two year caused by climate change have killed off roughly 50 percent of the coral on this vast marine habitat
at some 2,300 kilometers long. Australia is now in a race to save what's left of the reef.
WATSON (voice-over): In aquamarine waters off the coast of Australia there is a world so fantastic that words cannot do it justice. A sprawling
marine habitat of coral reefs that's larger than Italy.
I'm at the Great Barrier Reef. It's one of the natural wonders of the world and it's in trouble.
CHARLIE VERON, RESEARCHER: This is the beginning of the (INAUDIBLE)
WATSON: Charlie Veron is the world's leading authority on the Great Barrier Reef. In a career spanning nearly half a century, he's discovered
a quarter of the world's coral.
Do you still remember the first time you came out and saw some of this?
VERON: I'll never forget the first time I did. It made the (INAUDIBLE) absolutely -- my life stuttered.
WATSON: The 73-year-old godfather of coral gives me a guided tour. With a few short strokes we dive into a vibrant underwater universe, a place where
living coral some of it centuries-old provide shelter and food for countless species of marine life, but then Veron takes me to a nearby patch
where the coral is dead, as far as the eye can see. These coral forest cooked to death by record marine heat waves in 2016 and 2017.
VERON: It got hot at all across of the Great Barrier Reef.
WATSON: In just two years?
VERON: In just two years.
WATSON: Australia is now in a race to save what's left of the reef. Oh, my God.
In April, the government pledge around $400 million U.S. to come up with ways to protect it.
LINE BAY, SENIOR RESEARCH SCIENTIST: All our pilot studies are suggesting that it's all possible to help the reef, help itself.
WATSON: Dr. Line Bay is one of the scientists at a government research center trying to genetically engineer heat resistant coral. This is an
example of plating coral from the Great Barrier Reef, but born and bred here in the laboratory four years ago and you can see how much grown in
that time.
Scientist are also experimenting with the kind of IVF treatment to boost reproduction in the wild. In this lab they test what they call a
sunshield, thinner than a human hair it could theoretically protect corals from the sun. This inventor demonstrates a submersible drone call the
RangerBot.
MATT DUNBABIN, PRINCIPAL RESEARCH FELLOW, QUEENSLAND UNIVERSITY: (INAUDIBLE) the mission.
WATSON: Guided by artificial intelligence, it's design to one day patrol the reef and protect the coral from predators. So far, these are just
pilot projects that could get funding from the government's new reef protection program.
BAY: There are still options available to us. If we start looking at it now. We just can't wait 20 years and then start thinking about this.
WATSON: $400 million save this reef.
VERON: No.
WATSON: Why not?
VERON: Because all is warming.
WATSON: Research shows record heat is killing coral at an increasingly frequent rate all across the planet. Australia alone cannot stop global
warming cause by the burning of fossil fuels. Scientists here warn unless that changes this incredible reef stands little chance of surviving.
[15:50:12] WATSON: There is another bright spot, perhaps. During my very memorable visit to the reef with Charlie Veron. He pointed to new baby
coral that has begun growing during what has been a more temperate 2018 after the record warmth of 2016 and 2017. There is resilience there. The
problem is that researchers say that bleaching of coral is happening more and more frequently on a global level, because of the heating up of the
earth's temperatures certainly in the last 30 years. And those temperature shocks don't give the reefs enough time, don't give the baby coral enough
time to grow and recover. They still haven't gotten all the research in from the growth and potential recovery of 2018. They're still working on
it. But that's part of why this is now so urgent.
Ivan Watson, CNN, Pal Cove, Australia.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CURNOW: Thanks so much to Ivan for that report.
Now, people around the globe mark the day by doing beach cleanups and holding marches. But in one school in London, they showed you that you can
help the oceans in as little time as it takes to eat your lunch. Anna Stewart now explains.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANNA STEWART, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Eight million tons of plastics are dumped in our oceans every year and much of it starts like a single-use plastic,
which of course you can find pretty much anywhere, but particularly in your shopping basket and in your fridge. You know, plastic bottles, food
wrappers, straws. Well, not here. Not today. And not in many schools all over the world who are celebrating World Oceans Day by having a plastic-
free lunch. And we are actually joined by some very special characters from CNN's sister network, Cartoon Network. There's Gumball and Darwin,
the fish.
Now, kids, why is it really important to cut down on plastics? Who does it save?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Fish.
STEWART: Say it again.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Fish.
STEWART: Fish, like poor old Darwin there. So today they've been having a plastic-free lunch. I know that your mommy packed your lunch. How hard
was it to have a plastic-free lunch?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hard.
STEWART: Very hard? Now, what did you miss? What sort of things do you like to eat that are covered in plastics?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Twix and Capri Suns.
STEWART: Twix and Capri Suns. Too much plastic there. We'll have to write to those companies and see what we can do. And how about you?
You're eating out of a reusable thermos glass. That's very good. Was it hard for your mommy to pack your lunch today?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
STEWART: And what did you miss?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Popcorn.
STEWART: You miss popcorn. All right. Well, we also have the teacher of these lovely children right here. Now, this isn't the only thing you've
done for Oceans Day. Tell me what else you've been up to.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And, yes, I've been working really hard this year. We've been writing petitions, writing letters, asking our (INAUDIBLE) to
stop using plastic straws and they've actually responded and they start using plastic straws now. So now we're asking our whole community, Brixton
to stop using plastic straws. So we're petitioning them still.
STEWART: Good work. And go none of those. Right. Now, you can also join the fight against plastic and you can take a picture of your plastic free
lunch with the #zeroplasticlunch. That's all from us, from here. But check out for all over the world.
Anna Stewart, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CURNOW: Thanks, Anna. And you are watching CNN. More to come after this short break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[15:55:03] CURNOW: Forget Paris and Rome. Budapest is one of the season's top European destinations. CNN explores the Hungarian capital with two
locals. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANNA: Hi guys. We are Anna and Marcy (ph). We are travel bloggers.
MARCY: We were born and raised in Budapest. We will show all the coolest places to take photos.
ANN: So let's go check them out.
MARCY: This place is a must-visit for the photographers because you can see the parliament building and the river Danube and all of the bridges.
ANNA: The best about taking pictures of Budapest is that you have so many options. You have such different places to visit. We have amazing
buildings, amazing architecture here. Yay!
MARCY: We go ahead to the (INAUDIBLE) garden.
ANNA: And it's kind of a secret. It's where the locals hang out.
MARCY: So I have a little gadget. This little drone is the best for here. I will fly this beast now.
ANNA: It's more like bird, not a beast.
MARCY: We are next to river Danube. It's usually chill here. I guess you had that. And right here in Budapest, this is the best place to take a
picture of the parliament.
ANNA: You have to make sure you take this picture at night when the lights are on from here, just across the river.
MARCY: I think that Budapest is the best place in the world, because the (INAUDIBLE) every season is different. Budapest has a lot of faces.
Everywhere you go, you can find a good spot where you can take photos. And of my hometown.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CURNOW: Well, I'm Robyn Curnow. Thanks so much for watching. Hala will be back on Monday. This is CNN and "QUEST MEANS BUSINESS" is next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
