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CNN International: Titanic Bound Sub Suffered Catastrophic Implosion; India's Prime Minister Modi Honored with State Dinner and Rare Speech Before U.S. Congress; 20 Million Under Heat Alert Across Texas Friday; Ukraine Pushes Back Against Critics. Aired 4-4:30a ET

Aired June 23, 2023 - 04:00   ET

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

[04:00:00]

MAX FOSTER, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and warm welcome to our viewers joining us in the United States and all around the world. I'm Max Foster in London. Bianca is off for the day. But just ahead on CNN NEWSROOM.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The debris is consistent with a catastrophic implosion of the vessel.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The collective we did not remember the lesson of Titanic. The arrogance and the hubris that sent that ship to its doom is exactly the same thing that sent those people in that sub to their faith.

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Two great friends, two great nations and two great powers. Cheers.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Many Americans disagree and the actions by Congress today and by our own president.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's when it just started pouring hail. There was some golf ball-sized pieces. It was crazy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANNOUNCER: Live from London, this is CNN NEWSROOM with Max Foster and Bianca Nobilo.

FOSTER: It is Friday, June 23, 9:00 a.m. here in London, 5:30 in the morning off Canada's eastern coast. Where officials are trying to figure out why that Titanic bound submersible imploded. Debris from the craft was first located Thursday morning not far from the Titanic's wreckage. All five passengers on board were killed and still not clear if their remains can ever be recovered. CNN's Miguel Marquez has more on what we're learning about what went wrong.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

REAR ADM. JOHN MAUGER, U.S. COAST GUARD: The debris field is consistent with a catastrophic implosion of the vessel. MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN SENIOR U.S. NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): A catastrophic implosion. Five crew members onboard the Titan submersible gone, the vessel torn to pieces by extreme pressure.

PAUL HANKINS, DIRECTOR, SALVAGE OPERATIONS AND OCEAN ENGINEERING: We found five different major pieces of debris that told us that it was the remains of the Titan.

MARQUEZ (voice-over): The destruction of the vessel so great, debris found in two different areas just in front of the Titanic, the wreckage they hoped to view.

The debris 1,600 feet from the Titanic's bow and consistent with where it would have fallen if there was an implosion as the ship was descending to the great ship on Sunday.

CARL HARTSFIELD, WOODS HOLE OCEANOGRAPHIC INSTITUTION: 200-plus meters from the bow, and consistent with the location of last communication for an implosion in the water column. And the size of the debris field is consistent with that implosion in the water column.

MARQUEZ (voice-over): OceanGate, the company that owns the now destroyed vessel saying in a statement: These men were true explorers who shared a distinct spirit of adventure and a deep passion for exploring and protecting the world's oceans. Our hearts are with these five souls and every member of their families during this tragic time.

All indications so far, the implosion happened shortly after the Titan lost contact with its mother ship an hour and 45 minutes into what was expected to be around a nine-hour dive.

REAR ADMIRAL JOHN MAUGER, U.S. COAST GUARD: We've had sonar buoys in the water nearly continuously and have not detected any catastrophic events.

MARQUEZ (voice-over): Colin Taylor was aboard the Titan last year, knew the OceanGate founder and P.H. Nargeolet, and says everyone onboard would have known the risk they were taking.

COLIN TAYLOR, WENT ON THE TITAN SUBMERSIBLE LAST YEAR: You know when you get into it that it's not without risk. This is not for the fainthearted.

MARQUEZ: There was such hope for a miracle and it came to such a tragic end. The question now what? Officials say they will continue to survey the debris field to see if they can recover anything from it and possibly, if they can recover the remains of the victims. But given the catastrophic event, that may be impossible. Back to you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: The U.S. Navy says it detected what sounded like an implosion in the area where the Titan was diving on Sunday. But it was determined not to be definitive so search efforts continued. Ocean explorer and "Titanic" director James Cameron says he learned about likely explosion or implosion earlier this week and knew that it was meant for those on board.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAMES CAMERON, "TITANIC" DIRECTOR: I let all of my inner circle of people know that we had lost our comrades, and I encouraged everybody to raise a glass in their honor on Monday.

[04:05:00]

I think there is a great, almost surreal irony here which is Titanic sank because the captain took it full steam into an ice field at night on a moonless night with very poor visibility, after he had been repeatedly warned by telegram, by Marconi Graham, by radio during the day that that's what was ahead of him. And so, I think we are also seeing a parallel here with unheeded warnings about a sub that was not certified. Where the entire deep submergence community actually -- or not the entire community but a large number of them got together to write a letter to OceanGate, the company, and say that we believe that this could lead to a catastrophe.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: He went on to say that he thought it was unconscionable that the OceanGate team apparently did not go through a rigorous safety process for its submersible. Family and friends of the five victims are now grieving, the men on board were fathers, sons, explorers, and industry leaders. CNN's Paula Newton has more. We have more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAUL-HENRI NARGEOLET, FRENCH TITANIC EXPERT (through translator): The 24th of July 1987, was my first dive to the Titanic with two team members and it was an unforgettable moment.

PAULA NEWTON, CNN ANCHOR, CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): That was Paul- Henri Nargeolet, a 77-year-old Frenchman who made more than 30 dives to the Titanic, earning him the nickname Mr. Titanic. David Gallo is Nargeolet's close friend, colleague and oceanographer himself.

DAVID GALLO, OCEANOGRAPHER AND FRIEND OF NARGEOLET: I'm sure he did everything he could or would do everything he could do to make sure that they had every chance of surviving whatever it was.

NEWTON (voice-over): For Stockton Rush, the chief executive of the firm behind the dive, he was also on board. The experience of those involved was always crucial to the mission.

STOCKTON RUSH, OCEANGATE FOUNDER AND CEO: There are five individuals who can go on each dive, three of those are what we call mission specialists. So, those are the folks who helped finance the mission, but they're also active participants. So, why we're not a fan of the "tourist" term is because these are crew members.

NEWTON (voice-over): One of those crew members is the British billionaire and explorer Hamish Harding. Part of two record-breaking trips to the South Pole, he also held a world record for the fastest circumnavigation of the globe via poles. Last year, he went into space with Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin company.

HAMISH HARDING, BRITISH BILLIONAIRE AND EXPLORER: I've always wanted to do this. And this year's experience of looking out of the window is something I'm looking forward to.

NEWTON (voice-over): In a post on social media before the dive, he described being proud to be part of the Titan's expedition.

Also on board, Shahzada Dawood, who comes from one of Pakistan's richest families and lived in the U.K. with his wife and two children. He had taken his son, Suleman, just 19 years old, along with them. A family statement asked for privacy and prayers when the sub went missing.

A search that was called impossible, now over. The Titan and the five people on board now lie at the bottom of the ocean.

Paula Newton, CNN, Halifax.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: In the coming hours, India's Prime Minister will be a guest of honor at a luncheon hosted jointly by the U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Later, Narendra Modi is expected to meet with prominent U.S. tech executives, as well as members of the Indian diaspora.

The Biden administration is keen to improve relations with India at a time when China has been exerting more and more global influence. Thursday night's lavish state dinner, only the third of the Biden presidency -- featured a vegetarian menu to accommodate Mr. Modi diet. The president offered his toast to his guest.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: A toast to our partnership, to our people, to the possibilities that lie ahead. Two great friends, two great nations, and two great powers. Cheers.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: Earlier Mr. Modi was given the rare privilege of addressing a joint meeting of Congress where he got an enthusiastic reception. Except for a small group of Democrats who boycotted the speech. One of the Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, who spoke about it earlier to CNN.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. RASHIDA TLAIB (D-MI): I was telling Prime Minister Modi, with the rare honor -- rare honor of a joint address, Congress undermines. We do. We undermine our ability to be a credible advocate for the rights of religious minorities and journalists around the world. I think it's shameful to honor the abuses by allowing Modi to address the Congress, but I think our country, the United States must never, never sacrifice human rights at the altar of political expediency.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: CNN's Manu Raju has more now from Capitol Hill.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MANU RAJU, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Capitol Hill on Thursday. Giving the rare honor of the foreign leader to address a joint meeting of Congress. Many House members and Senators sitting in the chamber of the House, listening to Modi's speech. And where he stressed the common bonds between Americans and Indians, and about the alliance between the two countries. Particularly amid the threat from China.

[04:10:03]

Something that the United States see as essential with the partnership with India. Which is one reason why President Joe Biden has given Modi a red-carpet treatment as he has come to the United States. Well, everything from a state dinner, to a meeting with the press. As well as a private audience with the president, and the Prime Minister of India.

But addressing the United States Congress earlier in the day on Thursday, Modi made clear that he believes that the United States alliance and relationship with India is essential. And that he believes that it will continue to grow in the years ahead.

NARENDRA MODI, INDIAN PRIME MINISTER: We come from different circumstances in history, but we are united by a common vision. And by a common destiny. When we are partnership in progress, economic resilience increases. Innovation grows. Science flourishes. Knowledge advances. Humanity benefits. Our seas and skies are safer. Democracy will shine brighter, and the world will be a better place.

RAJU: Now Modi on Capitol Hill was greeted by Congressional leaders, including Speaker McCarthy who escorted him into the House. Later he met with other Congressional leaders, including Democratic leader, Chuck Schumer, as well as Senate Republican leader, Mitch McConnell.

But there was some members of the progressive caucus in the House who refused to attend Modi's speech, that includes Congresswoman Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez of New York, others who had criticize Modi over concerns that India is backsliding on some key democratic ideals such as freedom of the press, as well as silencing some political opponents in India.

Modi was asked about this at the White House. He pushed back on the notion that India is no longer a democratic country, amid concerns of his heavy-handed approach that his critics say has essentially caused the country to backslide on some of the democratic ideals.

But nevertheless, the United States sees India, the world's largest democracy, as a essential partnership -- partner amid the growing threats from China.

Manu Raju, CNN, Capitol Hill. (END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: CNN's Vedika Sud joins us live from New Delhi. How is it going down then, Vedika? Is everyone tuning into it?

VEDIKA SUD, CNN REPORTER: Well, a lot of them are, especially the Indian media. Let's give you a sense of how the Indian media has been viewing this through to two newspapers that were out this morning. This is "The Times of Indian," and it says the sky is not the limit says Modi as India U.S. ties go to the moon and beyond. And that's because of some of the deals that have been signed between the U.S. and India.

Now the "Hindustan Times" talks about a new dawn for India-U.S. ties. And right to the side you can also see a reference to the questions that were asked to Modi in a very, very rare moment there where the Indian Prime Minister was asked a question on the growing concerns over human rights in India. And his response was exactly, no democracy if there is no human rights.

So, that was a top headline internationally as well, Max, because like I said, it's very rare to have the Indian Prime Minister respond to the media. In the last nine years that he's been Prime Minister in India, we hardly heard him or seen him at the news conference or speak to the media. So, he did take those questions and clearly, he was a bit out of his comfort zone there as well. It was a trade-off.

Meanwhile, for the U.S. President Joe Biden, we did hear from the White House, previously before his visit that he will be lecturing India on human rights concerns. But the president would be talking about it both privately and publicly. He will be addressing how democracy is important to both nations, which he did.

But for me, what stood out also was the geopolitical equations really playing out here. When you had Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing the Congress, these two sentences really stood out to me and I will tell you why after we hear Modi speak.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MODI: Mister Speaker. The dark clouds of coercion and confrontation are casting their shadow in the Indo Pacific. The last few years have seen deeply disruptive developments with the Ukraine conflict, war has returned to Europe.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[04:15:00]

SUD: So no direct reference to China there, but he did speak about the Indo-Pacific region and again, no referenced Russia but he did refer to the war that's taking place. And this is exactly what Joe Biden really wants, to draw India into a closer, Max. He knows India is the counter weight to China in Asia and that's why this relationship needs to be so strong and so robust. But also, Modi is aware that Russia has been a traditional partner, a

longtime ally perhaps -- for there weren't for a better word here -- and that's what the fine balance really is for India. To maintain both these relationships without one getting in the way of the other.

China, of course, being a huge issue for India. And remember India is the only country in the recent past that's militarily confronted China at the line of actual control. So the effort here from Joe Biden will be to draw India as close as possible in the coming years. Back to you Max.

FOSTER: OK, Vedika Sud in New Delhi. Thank you.

In Texas, people are getting a bit of relief. Temperatures will be a few degrees cooler than the past few days at least. But don't let that fool you. Because heat alerts will continue until the end of the day on Friday for some 20 million people across Texas and surrounding states. And by the start of next week, another round of dangerous heat will have again impacted the state. Dallas, Houston, and other cities will see temperatures above 100 degrees Fahrenheit or about 38 degrees Celsius.

More extreme weather is forecast for Colorado after dangerous hail, earlier this week.

That was the chaotic scene of the legendary Red Rocks Amphitheater Wednesday night. Nearly 100 people attending the show were injured by the pelting hail. Authorities say at least seven people were taken to hospital. People hid under benches, crowded bathrooms, and even concession stands. Anywhere they could find shelter.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: T minus ten seconds. People were like walking down as fast as they could and then this hail started pelting like everyone in the head.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: All of the sudden people started like running, they were tripping over each other, we're to trying to run for cover.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: Former One Direction star Louis Tomlinson was supposed to play but he never took the stage because of that weather. In a tweet he said he hoped everyone made it home safely.

Beijing set a new heat record for the month of June on Thursday. It was almost 106 degrees Fahrenheit or 41.1 degrees Celsius in the Chinese capital. Several other locations across northern China also hit record highs. A few cities even set records for any month of the year. Temperatures are expected to remain well above average throughout the weekend.

Nearly half a million people in India are suffering through severe weather of a different kind and that is dangerous flooding. More than 1,300 villages in the northeast Assam state have been affected. At least one death has been reported so far. Thousands have been forced to take shelter in relief camps.

Ukraine is pushing back against criticism that its counteroffensive moving too slowly. Kyiv's response to the critics is, don't get too many ideas from Hollywood. We'll explain.

Also ahead, President Biden's son Hunter was back at the White House for last night's gala state dinner. His first public appearance since a plea deal announced.

Some IRS whistleblowers now allege he got off too easily.

Plus, is your city the most liberal city in the world? We'll find out which one is top of the new list.

[04:20:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FOSTER: Ukraine's air defenses are claiming success in the latest wave of Russian missile attacks. Kyiv says it shot down all 13 missiles targeting airfield in the western part of the country overnight. But Ukraine says Russia fire did get through in the Zaporizhzhia region where it killed at least two people.

Meanwhile, Russian installed officials say it will take only a few weeks to repair a key bridge to Crimea. Damage by a Ukrainian strike on the Chonhar bridge is now closed to traffic after an apparent missile attack on Thursday morning. It's one of the few crossings that connects Crimea with the occupied part of southern Ukraine.

On the diplomatic front, Kyiv is taking political flack from allies over what many say as a slow pace of its ongoing counteroffensive, but Ukraine's Prime Minister responded to that criticism, with a reality check of sorts.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DENYS SHMYHAL, UKRAINIAN PRIME MINISTER: Counteroffensive is not Hollywood movie. It's not easy work. Counteroffensive is a number of military operations, sometimes it's offensive, sometimes It Is defensive, sometimes it could be tactical pauses. Unfortunately during our preparation for this counteroffensive, Russians were preparing too. So, there is so much mine fields which really make it slower to I mean movement into their head.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: Nic Robertson joins me now for more on that criticism of Ukraine's counteroffensive. I mean, the reality is that so many countries have put so much into this, they're desperate to see some progress.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: And they are so far removed from the war. What the Prime Minister was saying there was also what President Zelenskyy has said, he knows that it's not quite meeting expectations but it isn't Hollywood. I heard exactly the same language when I was in Ukraine from officials

a couple of months ago and from troops on the front line as well. Because they're in the reality of it. You know on the one hand you have Jens Stoltenberg, the NATO Secretary General saying, we've sent these 1,550, however many armored vehicles it is, et cetera, et cetera, and the tanks. And that sort of creates a perception that, you know, they've done their bit. The countries have done their bit and it's now over to Ukraine.

And I got a reflection of that from talking to a delegate who was at that conference yesterday where the Prime Minister was speaking at the recovery conference in London. He said it's amazing, everyone here is like patting themselves on the, back for getting this money and funding Ukraine's recovery and rebuilding, he said.

[04:25:00]

But we haven't even won the war. We haven't even won the offensive. So, there's this sort of dichotomy, those difference of view of, you know, on the one hand, we've done a lot of support you and we think you're ready. But on the ground reality is, the fight is much, much harder. And I think that's why we're hearing the pushback, as you said, or bridge that reality from Ukrainian officials in Kyiv. Who told our Matthew Chance just yesterday, that look, we haven't really begun the counteroffensive properly. There's more to come.

And I think President Putin -- I've heard that as well a couple days ago when he said Ukraine still has, you know, it's reserves and there was more it could do in the counteroffensive.

I think the ground reality is, this is a really tough fight. I mean, if we think back to World War II and the storming of the beaches in Normandy, it was a massive event. It took a huge amount of planning and a huge amount of effort. And it was a huge wave of soldiers. Ukraine doesn't have those resources. It has to be wily. It has to probe and look for ways through. And that in essence is what it's doing. And that's why officials are still saying this is sort of shaping operations.

FOSTER: Is there pressure from the weather? Because obviously, they don't want to get into the situation last time they did with the weather effectively as they get into the, winter, holds them back. So there's a bit of time pressure considering it's all slowdown.

ROBERTSON: You know I think every military analyst would probably have their own view on this. But there is a view that says, look, push Russia back into positions that it then cannot re-counteroffensive out of this year. Meaning, get them into those positions right before the rain hits. So that they cannot come back at you. So that you can fortify and set up your supply lines for you most forward positions for the winter.

You know, I think from Ukraine's perspective again, this is -- we're having a Hollywood type discussion about a Hollywood type war. The reality is, Russia has a very strong defenses, and they need to find a way to outsmart them and probe somewhere and find a way to weaken them, to push forces one way. And then use their, you know, use that as a diversion and come out somewhere else.

It's not easy. It's a real war. I think, again, when you step away from the actual battlefront, you forget what it's like. I was there, you know, not to overstate this. But when you're there in the trenches in the frontline and you're with the troops and seeing them training as they come running out of their armored personnel carriers, to go forward and storm positions. And you look at that camera footage of when they have done that actually in the real fire fight, it is not easy. You do not take a lot of ground quickly. It's hard. You are up against a very real enemy.

And this is why the concern is that Putin will be able to run the steam out of this counteroffensive, and turn this into a very long, prolonged trench warfare for which he can rebuild his forces in Russia and armaments, and maintain those lines, and therefore maintain the ground he's taken.

It is hugely important -- this counteroffensive. But it's not -- it's not easy. In essence, Ukraine needs more resources. A month or so ago, we were hearing they don't have quite enough. I think that's a reality that hasn't changed.

FOSTER: OK, Nic, thank, you.

In Moscow, yesterday setbacks in two different courtrooms for an American journalist and Russian opposition leader. "Wall Street Journal" reporter Evan Gershkovich lost an appeal to end his pretrial detention while he awaits trial. Gershkovich faces up to 20 years in jail on espionage charges which he denies. The U.S. ambassador to Russia says he is extremely disappointed with the court's decision.

And Russia's Supreme Court has dismissed an appeal by Alexey Navalny who wanted to access writing materials whilst he's in prison. The opposition leader is facing a new trial on charges of extremism that could lead to another 30 years behind bars. He's already serving more than 11 years on fraud charges, which he and his supporters claim are politically motivated.

Still ahead, more of our top story in the fate of the Titan submersible, and its passengers. Officials now shift their efforts into finding out what went wrong.

And later, a U.S. judge has blocked one states impending ban on abortion drugs.