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CNN International: Questions Swirl After Khan "Assassination Attempt"; Russian Attacks Leave Millions In The Dark; Imran Khan Was Shot In The Leg; Police Have One Man In Custody For Shooting Khan; Zelenskyy: Russian Attacks "Terror Against Energy Sector"; Zelenskyy: IAEA Inspection Proves Ukraine Is Not Developing A "Dirty Bomb"; U.N. Security Council To Meet On NK Missile Launches. Aired 8-8:30a ET

Aired November 04, 2022 - 08:00   ET

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

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MAX FOSTER, HOST, CNN NEWSROOM: Hello and welcome to CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Max Foster in London. Just ahead, questions swirling today about who was responsible for an apparent assassination attempt on former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, plus, Ukraine's President says Russian attacks against energy facilities are terror, leaving millions in the dark, CNN's Christiane Amanpour is live in Kyiv for us this hour. And, ready to run, Donald Trump hits the campaign trail ahead of U.S. elections, but does he have his eyes on a bigger prize?

Now, in the coming hours, we do expect to hear from Imran Khan. The former Pakistani Prime Minister is expected to speak just a day after being shot in the leg at a rally near Lahore.

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FOSTER: As you can see, he was riding in an open truck when shots rang out. At least one person was killed in that incident, several wounded. Police have one man in custody who they say confessed to the attack.

In the video, Sofia Saifi joins us live from Islamabad with an update on the situation. And, it's good to hear at least that he is well enough to speak, Sofia.

SOFIA SAIFI, CNN PRODUCER: Yes, Max. He was injured in his leg. He is currently been shot in his thigh. There is a bone that's been chipped in his leg as well. Those are the latest health details that we received late last night from his close aides when they had a press conference. With regards to the investigation, there is that video that you mentioned earlier, there was a man who has not been identified, who spoke about his reasons for attacking Imran Khan. He gave a religious explanation. He said that he was - his rallies were playing music while the call to prayer was happening. We haven't been able to identify who that person is and under what circumstances that video was made by the Police. So, we're not going to be airing it on CNN.

But, this is, of course, an investigation that always had the potential to be politicized, and that's what we're seeing unfold here in Pakistan. Imran Khan has come out, has sent a statement through his aides last night in which he has said that he wanted the nation to know that it is the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, and a senior intelligence official, Major General Faisal, who is behind this attack on Imran Khan.

And, in response, the Interior Minister has responded saying that this is a grievous, irresponsible statement. Now, the government is saying that this incident took place in the province of Punjab where Imran Khan's party, the PTI, is in power self. It holds the provincial government, and the PTI is saying, Imran Khan's party, that the Inspector General of Police needs to be removed from office, and we're still waiting and seeing what Imran Khan is going to say once he finally speaks to the media, like you said, just exactly 24 hours after he was shot. So, a continuing situation here in Pakistan. Max.

FOSTER: Thank you. We'll bring that statement as well as soon as it comes from the former Prime Minister.

Now, terror against the energy sector, those words used by Ukraine's President to describe Russia attacks against energy facilities. Volodymyr Zelenskyy says the attacks have left 4.5 million people across Ukraine without power. He also says a just completed inspection by the International Atomic Energy Agency proves that Ukraine is not developing any "dirty bombs", as Russian President Vladimir Putin has claimed. Earlier today, Kyiv's Mayor reported 450,000 households without power in the capital. And, that's where we find CNN Chief International Anchor Christiane Amanpour, and it's getting cold there, at least that season is starting, Christiane.

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: You're absolutely right, Max. The season is starting, and this country is now in its fourth week of a so-called new phase of this war, suffering setbacks on the battlefield. It's clear that the Russians have decided to try to take out the vital civilian infrastructure that actually keeps the lights on. It keeps the heat on. It keeps the water running. And so, there is going to be a huge amount of counter offensives here on the ground in the civilian infrastructure trying to fix it. The Mayor of Kyiv has said that there are some 450,000 households in this capital city alone without electricity today.

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And, we visited an apartment last night. We visited a business this morning, where we're seeing rolling blackouts. They have to contend with hours and hours and hours of limited power, and that has affected them. But, the message we're getting from everybody, despite the hardships, is that this is not going to break our spirit. And, in the words of some, the Russians may want to cause us to surrender and to accept their occupation. We would rather be here without energy, but free and independent. That is the message and that message isn't changing.

In the meantime, I also spoke to two senior members of an American Congressional bipartisan delegation, Republican Senator Rob Portman of Ohio and the Democratic Senator Chris Coons of Delaware, who are here to offer solidarity continuously, not just on the battlefield but in this moment of civilian infrastructure being attacked. And, they're saying, despite what might happen in the midterms and a shift of power in the U.S., support for this country will not waver.

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ROB PORTMAN, U.S. REPUBLICAN SENATOR: This is not the time for us to back off. In fact, it's a time for us to redouble our efforts, because the Ukrainians have shown their bravery, their courage on the battlefield, that they are making progress, have made tremendous progress in the last two and a half months. It's because of that, out of desperation that Vladimir Putin is doing what we see behind us here tonight. He can't win on the battlefield. So, instead, he is turning to attacks on the civilian population.

CHRIS COONS, U.S. DEMOCRATIC SENATOR: But, I think the overwhelming bipartisan majority of members of Congress respect that the Ukrainians have fought fiercely, have fought bravely. Americans have stood for freedom at home and abroad for decades and decades. And, I find it hard to believe that we would abandon the Ukrainian people right now as they are facing, in some ways, the most challenging test of this war.

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AMANPOUR: Now, just to be clear, the U.S. said, in fact, the Senators told me that the new, more highly effective anti-air defenses are coming. They should be arriving very, very soon here. They absolutely need it to ward off these cruise missiles and the Kamikaze drones that the Iranians are supplying to the Russians. We understand from the U.S. that there is a growing, in my words, access of collaboration between Russia and Iran on weaponry that's being used now in this battlefield and including in civilian areas, in civilian - in the cities. So, this is very important for them now to get as much of that anti-missile defense in place.

As well, the two Senators told me that they are currently now in The Hague, in the Netherlands, trying to get with the ICC, the International Criminal Court, some kind of special tribunal set up to prosecute alleged war crimes by Russia against this country, including in this term, this legal term, the crime of aggression. Back to you, Max.

FOSTER: We've also had this accusation, though, from Russia saying that Ukraine is developing a "dirty bomb" or planning to use a "dirty bomb", and inspectors have dismissed that, as I understand it.

AMANPOUR: They absolutely have. We've had the IAEA over here a couple of times, in fact, absolutely going and looking to see whether that's true. They say it's absolutely not true. And, as you know, the United States and Ukrainians say that that's simply fake news or potential false flag that the Russians might have planted in order to escalate. And, we talked again with the Senators about does Vladimir Putin and the Kremlin get the message that any use of tactical nukes would have terrible consequences for Russia? And, the Senators said, absolutely. And, last week, Putin himself said they would use no nuclear weapons. And, the Russian Ambassador to the UK also said to me nuclear weapons are out of the question.

But, nonetheless, this is a fear that has plagued this whole conflict since the very beginning.

FOSTER: OK. Christiane Amanpour in Kyiv, thank you very much indeed for the update.

The UN Security Council is set to meet in the coming hours with Pyongyang's litany of provocations topping the agenda. The U.S., UK, and France are amongst the nations that called for an open meeting after another tense episode on the Korean Peninsula, South Korea scrambling dozens of fighter jets after the Military reported seeing around 180 North Korean warplanes flying near the border. This all follows an unprecedented flurry of North Korean missile launches this week. And, as the U.S. and South Korea extend their joint Military drills, CNN's Will Ripley has more details for us live in Seoul. What do you expect of this meeting, Will?

WILL RIPLEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, they have a lot to talk about, specifically what the U.S. and South Korean response is going to be if North Korea takes this and pushes it to an even further level. Of course, I'm talking about this seventh underground nuclear test that is expected to happen either imminently or hours, days, months. I mean, we really have no way to know. What we do know, according to U.S. and South Korean Intelligence, is that the North Korean nuclear site at Punggye-ri is primed and ready.

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All that needs to happen is for a button to be pushed by Kim Jong-un, they can conduct this nuclear test. So, how will the South Koreans and the United States respond? Well, if this week gives us any indication, it could be a very hard line response, just like what we've seen after a North Korean missile fell south of the Northern Limit Line, the de facto maritime border between North and South Korea. South Korea fired its own missiles to the exact same spot in the north. In other words, a tit for tat type of escalation. And then, of course, you have these fighter jets scrambled in response to the North Korean warplanes detected near the border.

The number of North Korean warplanes, 180, is actually less than the number of U.S. and South Korean warplanes, which is 240 or so, engaged in operation "Vigilant Storm", which is what North Korea has said they've been infuriated about all week long, and they've threatened strong repercussions if these war games by the U.S. and South Korea don't stop.

Now, of course, North Korea always uses this as an excuse, these pre- scheduled war games even though North Korea conducts its own Military drills on a regular basis. But, if North Korea decides to go ahead with that seventh nuclear test, what will the response be from the U.S. and South Korea, Max? I think that is number one on the agenda at the Pentagon in the coming hours.

FOSTER: Will Ripley, thank you for joining us from Seoul, South Korea. The Iranian President hitting back at U.S. President Joe Biden for saying that the U.S. was going to "free Iran", is what Mr. Biden said at a campaign speech in California on Thursday.

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JOE BIDEN, U.S. PRESIDENT: Don't worry. We're going to free Iran. They're going to free themselves pretty soon.

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FOSTER: Responding to that, Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi said, "We are free - we were freed 43 years ago, and Iran will never be your milking cow". Iran has repeatedly blamed the U.S. and its allies for whipping up anti-government anger. The demonstrations were sparked seven weeks ago after a 22-year-old woman died in the custody of Iran's so-called morality Police.

Now, the world's richest man, Elon Musk, is set to start laying off employees at Twitter in the coming hours, an all-staff memo sent Thursday evening told workers to expect an update on their employment status by 12 p.m. Eastern time today. The cuts follow reports that Musk who bought Twitter for $44 billion planned to lay off half of the company staff. At the last count, Twitter had 7,500 employees.

Still to come, Donald Trump takes to the campaign trail with U.S. midterms just days away, and teases another possible run for the White House. A closer look, coming up next.

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FOSTER: Welcome back. Can Donald Trump win the White House again? Well, he certainly hasn't given up on politics. The former president is out in force on the campaign trail ahead of next week's crucial U.S. elections. He was in Iowa last night.

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But, look at what he has got coming up, on Saturday, Pennsylvania, Sunday, Florida. Monday, he'll be in Dayton, Ohio. He has been speaking at events, of course, in those big sort of showbizzy events that he likes to do, and this was probably his biggest hint about his plans for the White House, potentially.

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DONALD TRUMP, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT: In order to make our country successful and safe and glorious, I will very, very, very probably do it again. OK? Get ready. That's all I'm telling you, very soon. Get ready. Get ready.

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FOSTER: A not so subtle hint, you could say. What are his chances then of getting into the White House, or at least the latest numbers we've got between him and Biden? You can see. It's neck and neck. Actually, Trump has got a slight edge on Biden there. Let's go to Sioux City, Iowa, where Trump - the Trump rally took place where he made those comments.

CNN's Jeff Zeleny is there for us live. What did you make of those comments as they unfolded, Jeff?

JEFF ZELENY, CNN CHIEF U.S. NATIONAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Well, Max, look, I mean, the former president has been inching ever closer to teasing Iran. So, he added a couple more varies very, very probably, and he said, get ready. But, he did not give a timeframe. But, look, at this point, it would be far more surprising if he did not jump back in and have another bid for the White House than if he would. He has been teasing this, talking about it really for the better part of a year or longer.

So, the question is exactly when? We're told likely the end of this month. But, the bigger point to all this is, are Republicans interested in seeing him come back? And, that's a question that we'll have to see play out.

FOSTER: He has also got this major challenge, hasn't he, these legal cases hanging over him? I guess everyone is fully informed on them. But, we've got a list of them here. They could prove very challenging for him. Are they going to get in the way of his run for the White House?

ZELENY: Look, it's a long list, as you say, as you're showing, I mean, it is a very long listed. It's also - almost really difficult to keep track of, because they're in so many different jurisdictions. And then, he returned fire yesterday and filed suit in Florida against the New York Attorney General. And, of course, the January 6 Commission is still investigating his role in trying to overturn the election. It goes on and on and on. Will it have an impact on his presidential bid? It's not going to have an impact on his decision to run. He will cast himself as a martyr and use some of these legal challenges, is ammunition really, to fuel his comeback.

But, the question is, the substance of these allegations in many of these jurisdictions are quite serious. He is still being investigated by the Department of Justice, if he had a hand in overturning the election, sparking the insurrection. So, yes, they're very serious. But, that's one reason that he may want to jump in. So, the prosecution is slow a bit. And, we reported yesterday, my colleagues on the Justice Department, we reported that, look, they may appoint a special prosecutor to oversee this investigation now if he runs for president. So, it'll muddy the waters, no doubt.

FOSTER: He will have competition within the Republican Party. So, who is likely to run against him in those primaries?

ZELENY: Look, that's one thing that's very interesting, will he keep anyone out of the race? The Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who has been rising in popularity, in ways good and bad, he is up for re- election here in the U.S. as well, but expected to win on Tuesday. So, look for him to be a big competitor against Donald Trump. They've been sort of going head to head, some friction between the two of them. They'll be holding competing rallies on Sunday, actually, in the State of Florida. So, he is certainly one of them. But, there is also a long list that includes Mr. Trump's former Vice President, Mike Pence. He has been out campaigning aggressively. He has a book coming out next week. So, this is really going to be interesting to see if Trump's moves keep anyone out of this or if there is going to be a very big Republican field.

And, of course, on the other side, the biggest question of all, Max, politically speaking in the U.S., is Joe Biden going to run again for president? That's something we also obviously have our eye on as well.

FOSTER: Absolutely. Jeff Zeleny, thank you very much indeed for joining us today. Do join us on Tuesday for an in-depth special coverage of the crucial U.S. midterm elections which will determine the control of the Congress - of Congress. It starts at 4 p.m. Eastern time. That's 9 p.m in the evening.

In London. Paul Pelosi, the husband of U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, is out of hospital and recuperating at home, six days after he was violently attacked in his home. Pelosi required surgery for a skull fracture but is expected to make a full recovery.

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U.S. Capitol Police say the home was not being actively monitored at that time because the Speaker wasn't in Washington, or was in Washington, rather, not at home. The Department of Homeland Security revealed on Thursday that Pelosi's alleged attacker is a Canadian national who is in the U.S. illegally.

Now, just ahead, a tragic situation in China becomes more desperate by the day. Why outrage is growing over Beijing's strict COVID policy?

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FOSTER: The British Home Secretary who is at the center of a widening scandal over her attitude and handling of immigration, traveled to two migrant processing centers in southeast England where concerns have been raised about overcrowding. Charities have been warning about dire conditions there and underscored by reports of a young girl throwing a bottle over a fence with a note describing sick detainees and a pregnant woman. The first day visit follows controversial comments by the Home Secretary on migrants in Parliament this week.

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SUELLA BRAVERMAN, BRITISH HOME SECRETARY: The British people deserve to know which party is serious about stopping the invasion on our southern purse and which party is not. Some 40,000 people have arrived on the south coast this year alone, many of them facilitated by criminal gangs, some of them actual members of criminal gangs. So, let's stop pretending that they are all refugees in distress.

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FOSTER: She also accused many arriving Albanians of "abusing our modern slavery laws". The Prime Minister of Albania says her remarks are fueling xenophobia.

Now, outrage and agony in China as desperate parents demand justice. Children are dying as the country sticks to a stringent zero-COVID policy. CNN's Selina Wang reports from Beijing.

SELINA WANG, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: A 14-year-old girl lies in bed conversing at a COVID quarantine facility in China. Someone comes over saying the kid has a fever of 104 degrees Fahrenheit and no one is coming. She died soon after. A man who says he is the girl's father posted this video online, filming his daughter's body. He is demanding justice. I beg the Communist Party to investigate, he says. CNN hasn't been able to independently verify the videos. They've been censored in China.

Along with these videos of a father desperately trying to revive his three-year-old son, he can't get his child to the hospital fast enough because of the COVID restrictions in Lanzhou City. The boy later died. Enraged residents took to the streets, swarms of armed Police held them back. In Lanzhou City, some were forced to quarantine outside in the cold, in parking lots. This viral video, which CNN could not verify, shows others forced to stay in male bathrooms, sleeping under urinals.

In year three of the pandemic, every positive case in close contact is still sent to government quarantine facilities like these.

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And, this one, the video says it's a quarantine site for kids in Harlan (ph) Province, a little boy jumping on bricks to avoid the pool of dirty liquid. This is where they use the bathroom. To stop parents crowd outside to protest. Protesters rushed to the streets of Masa (ph), demanding the end of a lockdown that's lasted for more than 80 days. And, in Lanzhou (ph) City, workers are fleeing Apple's biggest iPhone plant after a COVID outbreak. Masses of workers carrying their luggage, walk long distances across highways, through villages, even farm fields. Those left behind at the factory claim living conditions are subpar. Videos appear to show workers literally fighting for boxes of supplies.

China's leader Xi Jinping claims zero-COVID puts lives above all else. But, for many, it's precisely the policy itself that's ruining their lives. This woman sobs on the ground crying that after she was caught with her mask pulled down, the government suspended her business for 30 days, losing the month's income. Metal spikes, which the man filming says, were installed on a compound gate to prevent residents from leaving or red plastic barriers. This one separating a father from his daughter. The little girl, worried, asks her dad how he is going to get home. But, her father, like millions across China, likely has no idea when he can go home or when all of this will end. Selina Wang, CNN, Beijing.

FOSTER: Thanks for joining me here on CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Max Foster in London. The World Sport with Alex Thomas is next.

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