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Tensions High at G7 Summit; Anthony Bourdain Dead at 61; U.S.- North Korea Summit; Growing Concerns over Plastic Pollution in Oceans. Aired 12-12:30a ET

Aired June 9, 2018 - 00:00   ET

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


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CYRIL VANIER, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Walk with smiles at the G7 summit while Donald Trump talks tough to U.S. allies, the U.S. president also said he'd like to see Russia back in the group.

And the U.S. president already has an eye on his next destination with three days to go before he meets North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Singapore.

Plus we mourn the loss of one of our own, Anthony Bourdain, traveler, chef, storyteller.

Live from the CNN Center here in Atlanta, I'm Cyril Vanier. It's good to have you with us.

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VANIER: So no verbal fireworks at the G7 summit in Canada, at least not in public. The acrimony on Twitter the day before over U.S. trade tariffs hasn't boiled over. Whether the seven countries can produce a joint statement is still an open question.

U.S. president Donald Trump arrived late, he missed a scheduled meeting with French president Emmanuel Macron. The two leaders did sit down together later. Mr. Trump also met with Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau, with whom he had jousted before the summit.

And Mr. Trump caused another rift when he suggested that Russia should be readmitted to the G7.

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DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We have a world to run and in the 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.

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VANIER: Some distance away in Quebec City, protesters marched through the streets to complain about the G7's economic policies. No major incidents reported there.

CNN European affairs commentator Dominic Thomas joins us from Bonn in Germany.

Dominic, first of all on the Russia thing, why does Donald Trump want Russia back in the G7?

From the U.S. point of view, what's the advantage to that?

DOMINIC THOMAS, CNN EUROPEAN AFFAIRS COMMENTATOR: It's quite extraordinary and yet maybe not so. First of all, it's completely inconsistent with U.S. policy, which, just a few weeks ago, saw a brand new round of sanctions being imposed on Russia.

And secondly, it's completely at odds with the ongoing Mueller investigation and it seems to draw further attention to the complicated relationship, to say the least, between Trump and his campaign.

But I think beyond that, when one looks at the context, let's just say, of Russia and the U.S., it's actually probably much more in common than perhaps we've been looking at initially.

I think that, first of all, if we just look at Russia in the post Cold War era, so many European countries that used to part of the sphere of influence of the Soviet Union are now part of the E.U. or countries in that region that want to belong to this particular space.

And Russian president Vladimir Putin has been working assiduously to try to undermine and weaken those institutions. And we know that Donald Trump himself has a deep dislike for multilateral agreements for the European Union.

And in fact, when it comes down to it, there is much more in common between Donald Trump and countries like Hungary, Poland and, most significantly, Italy, that just brought to power a coalition government that has also been saying these kind of statements about bringing Russia back into the fray.

So Donald Trump seems to ignore, first of all, or downplaying the significance of ejecting Russia from the G8 because of its total ignorance and respect for international law and because of its undermining of those particular institutions.

So when it comes down to it, I don't think Donald Trump shares the values of the people around him at the G7 summit at the moment.

VANIER: And this something that's been lost on no one, I think. Trump talks tougher at the moment with allies than he does with rivals.

Does he value traditional allies like Canada and Europe?

THOMAS: I think when one looks at the priorities of the G7 as they're set out at this meeting, starting off climate, total disrespect for the Paris accord and for that relationship and with historical allies. When one looks at the question of security and peace, of course

there's support for the attempt at denuclearization the Korean Peninsula but the tearing up --

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THOMAS: -- of the Iran deal was a further affront to those particular relationships.

And, most recently, on the question of trade and jobs, the imposition not only of tariffs on the European Union and its friends and allies but justifying them through the security clause is a further affront to this particular relationship.

So I think really, when it comes down to it, and we see this now in the way in which the gathering of this group at the G7, except for the Italian prime minister, are considering yet again an environment in which it's the G6 or the G5 without the United States being incorporated in there.

We're seeing increasing resistance in the European Union and from leaders who used to consider themselves allies of trying to figure out how to go about doing business and politics without relying on the United States.

But it's profoundly disrespectful to these individuals and leaders.

VANIER: Dominic, the specific issue which caused the rift at this summit was trade. Listen to what the French president, Emmanuel Macron, had to say.

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EMMANUEL MACRON, PRESIDENT OF FRANCE (through translator): I think on trade there is a critical path but there is a way to progress all together. We had a very direct and open discussion. And I saw the willingness on all the sides to find agreements and to have a win-win approach for our people, our workers and our middle classes.

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VANIER: Is it possible to find a win-win solution or is it a zero-sum game?

If the U.S. wins, Europe and Canada lose?

THOMAS: On the previous issue of climate, it was Emmanuel Macron that spoke out, let's make the planet great again, right, in his play on Donald Trump's let's make America great again.

I think in this particular case, one should not expect anything out of the U.S. president. But this particular issue of steel and aluminum does not make sense to American industry.

So it's interesting to see how he's taken this position, which really has a lot more to do with trade and China and so on and so forth. And I would not be surprised if, on this particular issue, they find some kind of way of reaching some kind of agreement and he does back down on this.

But he won't back down on the other issues.

VANIER: OK, CNN European affairs commentator, Dominic Thomas, thank you very much.

THOMAS: Thank you.

VANIER: Something we wish we didn't have to report that is personal to the people in this building, CNN's Anthony Bourdain, he was a colleague of ours, a one of a kind storyteller and on Friday he took his own life.

Chef, TV host, modern-day explorer, he was many things to many people. And with his show, "PARTS UNKNOWN," good conversation and good food became one of the best things on TV. Erica Hill looks at an extraordinary life cut short.

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ERICA HILL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Anthony Bourdain was found in his hotel room in France, where he was shooting an upcoming episode for his show. He took his own life. As news of his death broke, the reaction was swift and heartfelt.

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ANTHONY BOURDAIN, CNN HOST (voice-over): I don't even know what this is.

I love you, noodles.

HILL (voice-over): Called the original rock star of the culinary world, the Elvis of bad boy chefs, Anthony Bourdain was a cultural icon.

BOURDAIN: Ooh, delicious.

HILL: His mission: to explore the world, meet the most interesting people and, of course, find the best food.

BOURDAIN: We ask very simple questions.

What makes you happy?

What do you eat?

What do you like to cook?

And everywhere in the world we go and ask these very simple questions, we tend to get some really astonishing answers.

HILL (voice-over): Born in New York and raised in New Jersey, Anthony Bourdain began working in kitchens as a teenager, eventually becoming a celebrity chef.

BOURDAIN: Going to 70, 370, need a side of au poivre.

HILL (voice-over): A best-selling author and TV host.

BOURDAIN: What do you think?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I love this.

HILL (voice-over): Behind the success, Bourdain struggled with demons, including an addiction to heroin, which he says began in a Cape Cod restaurant when he was just 17.

BOURDAIN: There was some dark genie inside me, that I very much hesitate to call a disease, that led me to dope.

HILL (voice-over): Bourdain spoke openly about his struggles and about the person who inspired him to do better.

BOURDAIN: I have a 7-year-old daughter now, who I never would have had. I never would have thought. I looked in a mirror and I saw somebody worth saving or that I wanted to at least try real hard and save.

HILL (voice-over): Using his celebrity to raise awareness about opioid addiction, along with his advocacy, Bourdain remained a passionate explorer, bringing his adventurous spirit to CNN in 2013, where he shared his insatiable curiosity with audiences around the world on his series, "PARTS UNKNOWN."

BOURDAIN: All right. You're going to -- I will walk you through this.

BARACK OBAMA, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: You're going to have to walk me through this.

HILL (voice-over): Former President Obama, who joined Bourdain on "PARTS UNKNOWN" in Vietnam, tweeting, "He taught us about food but, more importantly, about his ability to bring us together --

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HILL (voice-over): -- "to make us a little less afraid of the unknown."

BOURDAIN: People tend to be proud of their food. They let their guard down when they talk to you. You see them at their most vulnerable and revealing in a lot of ways. So even people with whom you have really fundamental disagreements and maybe believe different belief systems, if you're going to intersect anywhere, it's going to be over food.

Ah, the real deal.

HILL: Bourdain's passion resonated with so many, including millions who never met him, yet who greatly admired everything he introduced them to and the way he opened their eyes and their hearts to the world.

His dear friend, fellow chef, Eric Ripert, tweeting, "Anthony was my best friend, an exceptional human being, so inspiring and generous, one of the great storytellers who connected with so many. I pray he is at peace from the bottom of my heart. My love and prayers are also with his family, friends and loved ones."

Anthony Bourdain was 61 -- in New York, Erica Hill, CNN.

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VANIER: Tributes to Anthony Bourdain are pouring in from around the world. Here's a few of them.

Chef Gordon Ramsay, "Stunned and saddened by the loss of Anthony Bourdain. He brought the world into our homes and inspired so many people to explore cultures and cities through their food. Remember that help is a phone call away."

American astronaut Scott Kelly, "Just saw the sad news that Anthony Bourdain has died. I watched his show when I was in space. It made me feel more connected to the planet, its people and cultures and made my time there more palatable. He inspired me to see the world up close."

Actress Mia Farrow, "Maybe we all wanted to hang out with him. He was cool, fun, frank, insightful. He introduced us to distant lands and to people with different traditions. And without ever preaching, he reminded us that we humans are far more alike than different. Thank you, Anthony Bourdain."

If you or anyone you know need help, family member, friend, colleague, please reach out to the International Association for Suicide Prevention. They can guide you on how to get help wherever you are, whatever time of day. It's iasp.info, click on help. We're back after this.

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VANIER: Less than three days before the leaders of the United States and North Korea sit face-to-face and shake hands. Donald Trump will become the first sitting U.S. president to meet with a North Korean leader.

He says he hopes for, quote, "a friendly negotiation" in Singapore. And he responded to critics who say he's underprepared for this historic summit.

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TRUMP: I always believe in preparation. I've been preparing all my life. You know these one-week preparations, they don't work. (END VIDEO CLIP)

VANIER: Now if he does need help, he can always lean on Dennis Rodman, who's also going to Singapore. The former basketball --

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VANIER: -- star has been to North Korea several times. You see him there next to Kim Jong-un. That was during his playing days and he calls both leaders his friends. Let's bring in CNN's international diplomatic editor Nic Robertson.

Nic, first of all, let's get this Dennis Rodman thing out of the way.

Is there any chance, any chance, he can actually have an impact on this summit?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: You know, one of the interesting things that President Trump said about Dennis Rodman a few hours ago was how good he was at rebounds.

And that was something President Trump picked up on there. He said it was quite surprising for a basketball player who wasn't that tall to be so good on the rebound.

Look, when it comes to these talks, it's a hugely fraught situation; everyone knows it's tense. Everyone knows that both President Trump and Kim Jong-un can be particularly unpredictable, maybe even a little bit volatile.

Who knows how it will go face-to-face. But if there is a rebound to be picked up, if there's a need for somebody to go hold the other's hand, figuratively, and say, look, he didn't mean that, he meant this. Let's go back and talk about this a little more. The ability to perhaps be the glue that keeps them together may be a little longer.

Mike Pompeo, secretary of state, talking about the meetings, saying it depends how much time they can have together to develop this relationship and if they've got that additional bond of this excellent rebounder in the shape of Dennis Rodman, then maybe it has just more legs than it otherwise might have done.

VANIER: I watched Rodman during his basketball days. If you had told me at the time he would, somehow, 20 years on, find himself in the middle of a U.S.-North Korea nuclear summit, I, like everyone else, would not have believed you.

You've covered many of these summits before, these hugely important, big-ticket summits.

Have you ever covered one so important where you had so little idea of what would happen?

ROBERTSON: I think this has to be among those. I mean, where there's so much at stake. If we think of it regionally, the United States' global power and influence is waning to a degree and China is on the rise to a degree.

So there is a big power shift play in the region. And this issue over North Korea is sympathetic of that. It involves nuclear weapons. It could be hugely volatile. Hundreds of thousands of people could die if it all goes wrong.

Yet we don't know -- again, Secretary Pompeo spoke today to several regional broadcasters and one of the insights he gave was these talks will be trying to find what language it is, what mutual assurance on security both sides can have, what sort of political common ground can there be to develop the relationship before getting on to that very taxing and most difficult of issues, the denuclearization.

So there are some things we know about it. We know money is key to Kim Jong-un; we know that President Trump can use the ultimate threat of violence against Kim Jong-un as well if he deems that necessary, because, as we keep hearing from the State Department, Kim Jong-un's nuclear missiles don't make him safe; they make him less safe.

And if that is the language the State Department is using, there's perhaps a fire and fury version that President Trump has in his back pocket here for Kim, which is, you need to get rid of them and this is what's going to happen if you don't.

VANIER: He certainly has suggested that right now he is using carrot but he's got the stick, if only because he has got more U.N. sanctions he can impose on them or push to be imposed on them should these talks break down.

CNN's Nic Robertson, thank you very much. We'll talk to you again.

When Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un meet in Singapore, they will be surrounded by luxury. CNN's Hannah Vaughan Jones gives us a look at the resort where the summit will happen.

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HANNAH VAUGHAN JONES, CNN HOST (voice-over): It's known as Asia's favorite playground, Sentosa Island, a world traveler's paradise, whose name means peace and tranquility in Malay.

The 500-hectare island resort is located just off Singapore's southern coast, featuring white sand beaches, several golf courses, casinos and theme parks. The holiday destination posts some 20 million visitors each year.

There are more than a dozen hotels on the island, one of which is the Capella hotel, which has been the chosen location for talks between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and U.S president Donald Trump.

The hotel property spreads over 30 acres of rainforest, large but secluded, making it ideal for security reasons.

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JONES (voice-over): The building's facade is 19th century colonial, surrounded by lush greenery. The leaders may run into a few peacocks, which roam freely in the hotel grounds.

A basic room at the five star hotel starts at roughly $600 a night. It features 112 rooms, some with views of the South China Sea.

Although we don't know exactly where within the resort this historic meeting will take place there are two presidential suites. Both are actually historic stand-alone houses. These colonial manors are secure and private, the perfect spot for a historic meeting between two world leaders -- Hannah Vaughan Jones, CNN.

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VANIER: As the Chinese and Russian presidents meet in Beijing, an explosive new report alleges that China hacked a U.S. Navy contractor. "The Washington Post" says the Chinese got their hands on a trove of data tied to submarine warfare.

Allegedly they even stole plans to develop a supersonic anti-ship missile. Officials tell "The Post" the breaches happened in January and February.

The Chinese espionage is not limited to hacking. A former CIA case officer has just been convicted of spying for Beijing. Kevin Mallory was accused of transmitting secret and top secret documents. A Virginia jury found him guilty on Friday. He now faces life in prison.

The U.S. says another one of its troops has been killed in Africa. The militaries says a U.S. Special Operations member was killed Friday in Southern Somalia. Four other were wounded in an enemy attack. It occurred during a large operation against Al Qaeda-linked Al-Shabaab. U.S. forces were working with Somalia and Kenyan troops.

The U.S. president's former campaign chair has been hit with new charges in the Russia probe. Special counsel Robert Mueller's office filed the indictment against Paul Manafort on Friday. It also added his business associate, Konstantin Kilimnik, as a defendant. They now face obstruction of justice and conspiracy to obstruct justice charges over alleged witness tampering. Kilimnik is said to have ties with Russian intelligence.

On the heels of World Oceans Day, we're left with the stark fact that nearly each day 8 million tons of plastic gets dumped into the ocean.

Is there anything we can do about it?

We'll have a conversation with an expert next.

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VANIER: You've heard this by now, millions of tons of plastic waste are literally poisoning the oceans and strangling wildlife, from takeout containers to straws and water bottled.

A leading marine biologist here in Atlanta has seen firsthand the crippling effects of human consumption. CNN's Lynda Kinkade spoke to him to see how we can stop the damage before it's too late.

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LYNDA KINKADE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): If pollution levels continue at their current rate, in the next 30 years there'll be more plastic in the ocean than fish. That's according to the United Nations' environment program.

Dr. Al Dove, you're a marine biologist, the head of conservation and research here at the Georgia Aquarium.

What exemplified this problem this week with the whale that died from 8 kilograms of plastic in its belly, how does that happen?

AL DOVE, MARINE BIOLOGIST: It's a tragedy that's unfolding in the ocean.

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DOVE: Every day, unfortunately, and a lot of it out of sight, out of mind. But it happens that marine life can't discriminate often between plastic trash and the food items they want to eat. So that whale in Thailand was a great example of an animal who ate so much plastic it became a threat to that animal's health and ultimately contributed to its passing.

KINKADE: You do a lot of research on whale sharks and how they filter the water from the ocean. They obviously have a lot of plastic in them in any of these areas where there there's a lot of rubbish.

DOVE: If you were going to design an animal that would filter plastic off the surface of the ocean, it would look a lot like a whale shark. It's got a large mouth and likes to feed at the surface and, unfortunately, that filter feeding mechanism they have can't discriminate between little pieces of plastic and little pieces of food.

So they end up ingesting this stuff. And we don't know yet what impact that has on their biology but we suspect it's not good.

KINKADE: And we also see these incredible, shocking imagines of sea turtles with plastic straws and plastic utensils stuck in their nostrils. And that's not uncommon, is it?

DOVE: No, this is a really striking imagery that we see of sea birds and turtles and other animals that are being impacted by this plastic pollution that finds its way into the ocean. And it's really the leftover effect of our disposable consumer lifestyle.

KINKADE: And manta rays, we saw that incredible vision from an Australian dive off the coast of Indonesia, manta rays just swimming amongst rubbish.

DOVE: They have the same problem that whale sharks do, which is they're also filter feeders. And unfortunately, that part of Indonesia really is at the epicenter of the ocean plastic crisis.

KINKADE: Of course, this ends up in our system as well. Anyone that eats seafood eventually will eat the toxins from the plastic that these fish are consuming.

DOVE: We can't pretend that we're not part of the ecosystem of the ocean system; 3 billion people rely on the ocean for protein every day. And so if that protein is impacted by plastic, then that problem that we've created is brought back to us through the seafood chain.

KINKADE: So 8 million tons of rubbish, of plastic is ending up in the ocean every single year.

What can we do about it?

DOVE: That's the equivalent of about one dumpster of garbage going into the ocean every minute, 24/7, 365. But the good news is there are relatively simple things that we can do. And these are things that we already know about, about recycling, just say no to the plastic straw, refuse anything that's a single use plastic item.

Bring your own cloth bags to the supermarket. And just be mindful of exactly how much single use plastic there is in your life and avoid it whenever you can.

KINKADE: Dr. Al Dove, great to have you with us. Thank you so much.

DOVE: Thank you so much.

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VANIER: Great interview there by Lynda Kinkade. And that was at the Atlanta Aquarium.

Thank you very much for watching CNN NEWSROOM, I'm Cyril Vanier. I'll be back with the headlines in just a moment. For now, Kate Riley with "WORLD SPORT".