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Taliban to Allow Women to Attend Universities; Pakistan International Airlines Flight Lands in Kabul; U.K. Food Producers Deal with Lack of Workers, Truck Driver; Formula One Crash and First Sunday of NFL Season; Emma Raducanu Reflects on Her Historic Title; Prince Andrew Sued for Sexual Abuse by Epstein Accuser; Prince Charles Charity Investigated Over Russian Donations. Aired 4:30-5a ET
Aired September 13, 2021 - 04:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR: In just a few hours, the United Nations will hold an aid conference for Afghanistan in the hopes of raising $600 million in desperately needed humanitarian aid. Meantime, Qatar's foreign minister held talks with Afghanistan's Taliban leaders Sunday. He called on the Taliban to involve all Afghan parties in national reconciliation. And the Taliban's new higher education minister says women will be allowed to study in universities. They will be segregated by gender and will be taught by female teachers wherever possible.
Ivan Watson joins us now with more on this. He joins us from Hong Kong. Good to see you, Ivan. So, what is the latest on all developments out of Afghanistan and the specific issue of women in education. How can we be sure that the Taliban will do as they say?
IVAN WATSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's a very big question. First, let's get to some of the other developments. The work on trying to reopen and get Kabul's airport functioning again is still underway. There seems to have been another incremental step forward with Pakistan's flagship airline PIA announcing that it landed a plane at Kabul airport that flew from the Pakistani capital Islamabad. A special flight, as it was described, where a spokesman for the airline says some foreign journalists were brought into Afghanistan and then some World Bank employees were brought out of Afghanistan.
[04:35:00]
So, again, trying to get that airport back up and functional with help of countries like Qatar and we believe some Turkish specialists, as well. Meanwhile, we're seeing a reverse flow of air traffic from Uzbekistan. That's one of the countries where many members of the Afghan Air Force from the former U.S.-backed government fled to in those final chaotic weeks of Afghanistan as that government was collapsing in such spectacular fashion.
We've learned from multiple sources that about 175 Afghan air force pilots and air crew were allowed to fly out of Uzbekistan to the United Arab Emirates. They were part of this flow of more than 40 aircraft from Afghanistan into Uzbekistan. There are a total of about 465 Afghan Air Force personnel that ended up in Uzbekistan seeking refuge there. We also understand that there are about 140 other Afghan Air Force personnel in Jaikishan. Many of these who have gotten out to the UAE are applying for special immigrant visas to try to get to the U.S. Big question still looming is what is going to happen with more than 40 Afghan Air Force helicopters and planes flown to Uzbekistan that likely the Taliban would like to add to its arsenal.
On the final question that you raised, Rosemary, which is the treatment of women. You have the education minister for the new Taliban interim government, an individual who I might add faces sanctions from the European Union from years ago for being part of the Taliban. He was announcing that women would be allowed to study in universities with some very important conditions. Take a listen.
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MAWLAVI ABDUL BAGI HAQQANI, AFGHANISTAN ACTING MINISTER FOR HIGHER EDUCATION (through translator): When there is really a need, men can also teach women. But according to sharia, they female students should observe the vail. And there is a need for a curtain in the classroom so that the teacher can teach the students and by using some facilities such as TV screens or other modern devices.
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WATSON (on camera): Strict segregation there between the genders but 20 years ago, when the Taliban was last in power, they didn't allow women to get any education whatsoever -- Rosemary.
CHURCH: We will continue to stay on top of this. Ivan Watson, many thanks for bringing us all of that. Appreciate it.
Well, from empty store shelves to a lack of workers and truck drivers, food producers in the U.K. have had a tough few months. And many believe Brexit is to blame. CNN's Nina dos Santos joining us now live from London with more on this. Good to see you, Nina. So, just how bad is this right now? And what's the outlook in terms of future available food supplies?
NINA DOS SANTOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Rosemary. Well, anecdotally I can tell you you're starting to see it across all parts of the U.K. Not so much in lack of food or anything like that, but a lack of choice, at this point. Particularly when it comes to certain items in supermarkets but it's not just super markets. It's also electronic items, furniture, and so on and so forth.
This has started to affect a number of people. It started to affect a number of businesses, as well. One of the biggest restaurant chains has had to say that it had to reduce the menu of chicken products because it just can't get enough supplies. McDonalds has complained about supply issues. And in the nonfood sector, Ikea has had to say that about 10 percent of the product line, 1,000 items, is being affected by the logistics issues. So, what is the real problem? Well, it's largely a labor crisis, which
is being exacerbated by both COVID but also Brexit, as well. Remember, that the U.K. is a country that thus far until Brexit was relying very heavily on seasonal workers, particularly from Eastern Europe in the agriculture sector but also in the logistics sector, as well. We're talking about truck drivers.
And the real epicenter of the problem at the moment appears to be a shortage between 90 and 120,000 heavy goods vehicle drivers, at the moment. So that is preventing items from getting inside the U.K. It's also preventing those items from circulating to different supermarkets and so on and so forth. And it's becoming an increasingly heated political problem. As of course, the backdrop as the U.K. continued to negotiate retrospectively, if you like, over some of the finer points of the Brexit deal, in particular with regard to customs check on Northern Ireland.
That of course is the part of the U.K. that isn't in the mainland that was part of this really contentious Northern Ireland protocol deal with the EU that would see effectively a sort of border in the Irish Sea with the U.K. having to check goods, EU goods that's bound for the EU and EU goods coming in. That is another flash point in the ongoing post-Brexit era. And it is one of the things that is the backdrop to what we're seeing but it's also a labor shortage, as well -- Rosemary.
CHURCH: And this of course gets people very frantic understandably. Nina dos Santos joining us live from London, many thanks.
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And still to come, how Novak Djokovic fell short of making tennis history at Sunday's U.S. Open final. Back with the details after the break.
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CHURCH: A historic day in the NFL. Maia Chaka is now the first black woman to officiate a game in the league. She was on the field Sunday for the game between the New York Jets and Carolina Panthers. In a video tweeted by the NFL, Chaka said this historic moment to me is an honor and it's a privilege that I've been chosen to represent women and women of color in the most popular sport in America. Chaka is the third on field female official in the NFL.
Well, the first Sunday of the NFL season is now in the books! CNN's Patrick Snell has our minute in sports starting with a serious incident in Formula One.
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PATRICK SNELL, CNN WORLD SPORT: Well, we start with Formula One's superstar Lewis Hamilton speaking out. This after Sunday's high-speed collision with Dutch rival Max Verstappen at the Italian Grand Prix. The two drivers crashing at the first corner here. Verstappen's Red Bull car flipping up and landing on top of Hamilton's Mercedes. The seven-time world champion paying tribute to the new Halo protection device that he said stopped the crash from being a lot worse.
The first Sunday of the new NFL season seeing the Kansas City Chiefs coming off a loss in last year's Super Bowl falling behind early to the Cleveland Browns. But KC winning to a 33-29 victory behind a stellar play of star quarterback Patrick Mahomes who threw the three touchdowns and run for a fourth.
Damage from hurricane Ida pushing their season-opening to Jacksonville, Florida. But the New Orleans Saints making themselves at home with the dominating 38-3 win against the Green Bay Packers.
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And Russia's Daniil Medvedev celebrating victory at the U.S. Open in New York City. His first career major Sunday and a victory that denies Novak Djokovic a men's record 21st Grand Slam title and the calendar year slam as well.
And with that it's right back to you this Monday.
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CHURCH: All right, appreciate it, Patrick.
On Saturday 18-year-old Emma Raducanu won the women's final at the U.S. Open. She is the first British woman in more than 40 years to win a grand slam title. CNN sports Carolyn Manno spoke with Raducanu about her historic performance. Take a listen.
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CAROLYN MANNO, CNN SPORTS: I heard you a moment ago say that it's your dream to win a grand slam. How real has this moment being become for you now?
EMMA RADUCANU, U.S. OPEN WOMEN'S CHAMPION: It still hasn't sunk in, to be honest. Because after the match, I haven't really had a moment to just stop and embrace everything that's just happened. But yes, I can't wait just really sink in with my team tonight and enjoy and celebrate. And then when I get back home to see everyone at home. It's been seven weeks away now. So, to go home, I'm just excited to see my family and friends.
MANNO: You continue to get better as this tournament went on. And you mentioned that there are a lot of areas that you want to work on still. When people consider this fortnight, that you played 20 sets and won every single one of them, I mean, what is it about the journey that allowed you u to execute so flawlessly? What was your approach mentally?
RADUCANU: Yes, I think that you know, you can look at the score and be like straight sets every match but I think in every single one of those matches there were maybe a one or two points difference that between winning or losing the set. And I probably could have lost a lot of those sets but I managed to win. And even some of the score lines they didn't reflect how the matches were going and the dynamics. Because a lot were going to deuce games and that in tennis the margins are so fine, and you know, one point can make a difference between a set. So, I think that just my focus on the point ahead of me and what I was trying to execute point for point, game for game, not getting ahead of myself at all. And it just allowed me to be here 10 matches later with the title.
MANNO: I know you haven't had a lot of time to process this. But this is a season of change in tennis on the women's side. And both you and Leylah have really been tagged as the future here for what you guys have been able to do. I mean, how much do you feel that you and her can develop a rivalry that would be significant in the sport and take up the mantle in the sport?
RADUCANU: Yes, I hope so. I hope we'll play each other in more finals and matches on the tour and on these stages on such occasions like this. I mean, it's so enjoyable and so, grand slam final here to have two of us at a young and coming through, I mean, it's definitely just shows show strong the future of tennis is. And hopefully we'll be able to follow in the footsteps of some of the legends I've played and are playing now.
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CHURCH: Just incredible, isn't she?
Well, the 2021 MTV Video Music Awards celebrated the year's biggest artists including industry veterans and new names. Let's take a look at some notable wins. Justin Bieber was nominated for the most awards with seven. He walked out with two including artist of the year.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, wow! And the VMA goes to -- I'm so relaxed. Oliva Rodrigo!
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CHURCH: You heard it there. Newcomer Olivia Rodrigo who went viral on the social media app TikTok, won three awards. Her biggest wins were for best new artist and song the year with her first hit "Driver's License." Lil Nas X, known for his creative and controversial artistry, won awards for his song "Montero, "Call Me By Your Name," including video of the year. And the wildly popular Korean pop group BTS won two out of their five nominations including group of the year for the third year in a row.
And pop singer Britney Spears has announced her engagement just days after her father filed to end her conservatorship. Spears confirmed on Sunday in an Instagram post that boyfriend Sam Asghari had popped the question. The pair met back in 2016 when he co-starred in one of her videos. Spears mentioned in a court hearing earlier this year she wanted to get married and start a family.
And just ahead here on CNN NEWSROOM, Prince Andrew served with legal papers in a sexual abuse case. We will have the latest on two royal scandals live from Windsor. Back in just a moment. [04:50:00]
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CHURCH: And these are live pictures of Pope Francis as he visits Slovakia right now. The pontiff met with Slovakia's president just a short time ago. He's also scheduled to meet with civil and religious leaders today. Francis made a whirled wind visit to Hungary on Sunday and met with hardline Prime Minister Viktor Orban. The Pope is on his first foreign tour since his colon cancer -- or his colon surgery I should say, in July.
Well, the British royals are having a bad week. Prince Andrew has been served with legal papers in a civil case filed by one of Jeffrey Epstein's accusers who says the prince sexually abused her. And one of Prince Charles' charities is reportedly under investigation. According to Britain's "Sunday Times" a Scottish regulator said a Russian banker had tried to donate a six-figure sum to the prince's foundation. And royal correspondent Max Foster joining us now. Good to see you, Max. So, what is the latest on these two royal scandals?
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MAX FOSTER, CNN ROYAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, the second weekend of allegations around this donation scandal in the "Sunday Times." As you say, this latest one about a Russian businessman giving a certain sum -- that's disputed by the two sides here -- to the Royal Foundation -- Prince Charles' Royal Foundation. They later returned it when they realized that the donor here had been convicted of money laundering. But that conviction was later squashed. So more bad headlines, really, for Prince Charles. Although he's not directly implicated here, because the foundation is operated separately from his main office Clarence House in London.
And separately as you say, a pretrial hearing today in New York in the case that is being taken by Virginia Giuffre, who claims to be to have been trafficked by Jeffrey Epstein to Prince Andrew. This hearing is really about whether or not Prince Andrew was served papers. So, in order for this trial to proceed, he would have had been served papers. Giuffre's lawyer said the papers were served last week at his house here in Windsor. But we haven't had confirmation on that from Prince Andrew's side. So, we don't know how he is going to respond to that. So, what we are looking today is whether or not the judge feels the papers were indeed served under U.S., U.K. rules -- Rosemary.
All right, our Max Foster outside Windsor Castle, joining us there with an update, appreciate it.
And thank you for your company. I'm Rosemary Church. Be sure to connect with me on Twitter @rosemaryCNN. "EARLY START" with Christine Romans and Laura Jarrett is coming up next. Have yourself a wonderful day.
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