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CNN International: Ukraine Claims Small Gains as Counteroffensive Ramps up; New Charges Against Trump in Documents Case; Florida Ocean Temperatures Top Nearly 38 Degrees Celsius; N. Korea Hold Military Parade To Mark "Victory Day". Aired 8-8:30a ET

Aired July 28, 2023 - 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, CNN ANCHOR "NEWSROOM": Hello, you're watching CNN "Newsroom", I'm Max Foster in London. While Russian President, Vladimir Putin seeks support from American, African rather, leaders in the Ukraine came to repelled Russian attacks in the east and gain territory on the Southern front.

Then protesters in Niamey burned French flags as President Emmanuel Macron warns Niger's coup is dangerous for the region. He says he's ready to support sanctions. And more than 150 million people in the U.S. are under heat alerts from the west to the east coast where we live in Miami, Florida, where the oceans temperatures have also broken records.

Russia's Ministry of Defense says it destroyed a drone launched by Ukraine to attack the Moscow region overnight. No comment yet from Kyiv. But it comes just days after this military took credit for a drone attack on the Russian capital. Meanwhile, after months of slow progress on the battlefield, Ukraine appears to be ramping up its counter offensive, and claims U.S. forces are consolidating gains along the southern front.

The video appears to show Ukrainian troops rolling into a strategically important village in the occupied Donetsk region. Afterwards being described as a difficult a very long fight. Salma joins me now. We've heard these positive pronouncements from Kyiv before but the progress is very slow.

SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Extremely slow. And I mean these are very modest gains, Max, very, very modest gains. We're talking about tiny villages. We're talking about settlements, we're talking about the consolidation of gains which is essentially means that Ukrainian forces take territory and then they have to actually solidify that they control that territory.

Why is it so slow? Why is it taking so long? Well, just as Ukraine has been preparing for months, so has Russia I've video to show you of one of the areas. This is a Dragon's Teeth defensive line that's been built by the Russians. If you look at that video, what you are looking at right there is concrete and rebar pyramid that are three rows deep.

These types of defensive lines stretch hundreds of miles. And of course, they make it impossible for tanks to go through. This is just one kind of defensive method that's been put up by Russians. You also have mines that have been laid into place you have Russian forces that have been mobilizing themselves shelling Ukrainian position.

They're also backed by air support. Remember, Ukrainian forces are reporting in some places along the battlefield that it's like a hellscape. First, they're shelled by Russian forces then they're struck by Russian helicopters with bombs. It keeps Ukrainian forces so far out in many places that they're beyond the range of even shelling Russian positions.

So this is a huge logistical challenge. I mean, you also have to remember you have hundreds of miles of frontlines that we're talking about the length of Ukraine, and what Ukraine is trying to do right now is, of course, no sudden moves. It has limited resources. It has a limited number of troops.

It has a limited arsenal. It needs to focus that on softening Russian targets. And that's exactly what's happening in the south in a place like -- , where Ukrainian forces have been very focused on hitting Russian artillery positions, Russian weapons depots, and you're going to continue to see that strategy.

Nothing can happen overnight here it requires Ukraine finding vulnerabilities capitalizing on those vulnerabilities and slowly but surely working its way into trying to cut some of those defensive positions. I just showed you.

FOSTER: OK, Salma, thank you so much for that. The Special Counsel investigating Donald Trump has brought new charges against the Ex- President in the classified documents case. Three new charges were added on Thursday, including two obstruction counts, Prosecutors allege Trump urged a Mar-a-Lago employee to delete security camera footage that had been subpoenaed by the Justice Department.

All of this comes as we await a decision from the Special Counsel about potential charges, in a separate case focused on efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election. CNN's Katelyn Polantz joins me live from Washington D.C. and this latest evidence does sound pretty damning?

KATELYN POLANTZ, CNN SENIOR CRIME AND JUSTICE REPORTER: It does. There's a lot here in this new indictment. We had a pretty robust indictment before but this new indictment not only does it add charges, it adds a defendant a man named Carlos De Oliveira a maintenance worker for Donald Trump at his resort in Mar-a-Lago.

It also adds to the story. So before we essentially had a story in two parts, where Donald Trump was accused of retaining classified and national defense records after the presidency at Mar-a-Lago mishandling them, knowing he had them when he shouldn't have had them where he should not have had them, such as in bathrooms, on a stage in the resort just out in the open generally. Then that second part of the original indictment really was about this idea of moving those documents around the resort at Trump's direction that he used his co-defendant Walt Nauta, to try and hide them from the federal government when the federal government wanted them.

This third part that the Justice Department is filling out now with this additional indictment that was filed today, oh, I'm sorry yesterday in the Southern District of Florida in court, it talks about what happens after that.

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Where there was surveillance footage picking up that movement of boxes that Trump directed. And the Justice Department now believes they have evidence showing that Donald Trump his co-defendant, Walt Nauta man who's essentially his body man, a political aide and Carlos de Oliveira, this new third defendant.

That they were trying to get surveillance footage showing the movement of these records around the resort deleted that they asked another person about deleting that footage that is the basis of much of these charges. But there is another aspect to this that is quite tantalizing here for what we may see at trial and it's the Donald Trump himself is charged with a 32nd document.

So there were 31 documents he was charged with retaining unlawfully after the presidency, the 32nd document that he is now charged with a new charge. Prosecutors say that relates that is the document that he had an in Bedminster in July 2021 when he was showing it, waving it around to people in the room.

Waving it around to a biographer and talking about how it was a military activity plans from the Pentagon that had been given to him by a general for bombing Iran. So really a crucial document and one that the Justice Department has a lot of evidence around, not just because they have the document itself or a version of it that they're charging here want to take it to trial.

But they also have that audio tape of Donald Trump that we have heard before, of him talking about this document, holding it, waving it around and describing it.

FOSTER: CNN's Katelyn Polantz, thank you indeed for that. Now, this hour, it's believed the President in Niger is still being held in the presidential palace two days after soldiers declared a military coup. Despite international condemnation, the country's military gave its support to the coup on Thursday.

Outside the National Assembly, protesters burned the French flag and raised the Russian flag, Niger as a Former French colony. Today, French President Emmanuel Macron called the coup deeply dangerous for Niger and the whole region. Larry Madowo is monitoring the situation from Kenya and taking in, increasing international reaction to this.

LARRY MADOWO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Increasing international condemnation too, Max. We have heard now from the French President Emmanuel Macron, who said he's spoken several times with the the ousted President of Niger, Mohammed Bazoum.

He says his well, and he has said that France is strongly condemning this ousted of the democratically elected leader of Niger who was a courageous leader, he called him. Who was making the necessary reforms and investments that his country needs. I want you to listen to some more of what President Macron said.

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EMMANUEL MACRON, FRENCH PRESIDENT: Niger coup is perfectly legitimate, is deeply dangerous for Nigeriens, for Niger and for the whole region. This is why we call for the release of President Bazoum for the restoration of constitutional order. And we support the regional organizations in particular the CEDEAO.

On the decisions, it will have to take mediation or condemnation and sanctions against the putschists if they were to progress and finalize the project.

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MADOWO: The CEDEAO is echoes that is, the Economic Community of West African States, which is now calling for a summit on Niger in Abuja at the Nigerian capital on Sunday, but that was French President Emmanuel Macron speaking just hours after we saw on the streets of Niamey, the Niger capital people burning French flags.

They're sitting down with France, and they're putting up Russian flags -- . They shouted -- down with France. And these are pro military protesters. They support this military takeover because some of them feel that President Mohamed Bazoum was a puppet of the West.

In the last few hours also, we've seen a state television a general claiming to be the leader of a Transitional Council that is the Brigadier General, Abdourahamane Tchiani. He has shown up on state television there claiming to be the leader of that we're still working to confirm exactly who is in charge of.

We know that the military, the Army Command did support the military man that took over the country. So there's a lot to sift through here. But truly a great concern, especially because we still don't know where if indeed, President Bazoum is in the presidential palace if he's safe and what happens to him now.

FOSTER: OK, Larry, thank you for bringing us now. Its day two of the Russia-Africa summit taking place in St. Petersburg, and in just a few minutes Vladimir Putin set to speak. He's often late though earlier the Russian President said the Kremlin is carefully considering a peace plan proposed by African leaders to end the Ukraine war.

On Thursday he attempted to ease their concerns about the food supply shortage after Moscow pulled out of the Black Sea Grain Deal.

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North Korea marked 70 years since the end of hostilities in the Korean War with the military parade was held in Pyongyang first the evening according to state media intercontinental ballistic missiles were on display while new unmanned spy planes were flown.

In attendance was Kim Jong-Un alongside Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and a member of the Chinese Politburo. Marc Stewart has been following this story and he joins me now from Tokyo and a message was sent from Vladimir Putin via the Defense Minister.

MARC STEWART, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Indeed, Max. And this was basically a thank you speech from Vladimir Putin to North Korea's leadership. And it's not clear if this was a presentation that was given to this leadership group in a written form or for something from Putin on videotape.

But he did acknowledge North Korea support of Russia during the Ukraine war. In fact, if we look at some of the reporting from state media, it goes on to say that Russia feels Putin feels that this support emboldened the two nation's determination to cope with Western nations it gives them some empowerment.

So this comes at a time as North Korea presents a very bold military parade. It comes at a time when we have seen delegates in North Korea from both Russia and from China. And this is also a moment in time where for the next few months or last few weeks, we have seen increased tension in this region.

It was on July 12, that we saw North Korea launch an intercontinental ballistic missile it was in the air for 74 minutes. It is seen as significant a type of missile that some analysts feel could reach the United States. In addition, in recent days, we have seen an American submarine in the waters of Korea, South Korea, and a submarine that has nuclear capabilities.

That mere presence, Max, has also drawn approval or disapproval I should say disapproval kind of nation from North Korea.

FOSTER: Marc Stewart in Tokyo, thank you. Israel's opposition party leader Benny Gantz is warning of a potential coup in his own country. If the Supreme Court strikes down a new judicial reform law, and the Prime Minister refuses to abide by their ruling. Benny Gantz, seen here says the PM must respect the court's decision, even if he disagrees with it.

In an interview with CNN's Wolf Blitzer, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu refused to say if he would abide by such a potential ruling.

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NETANYAHU: In Israel, we have the Supreme Court have a lot of checks. But there are no balances. For example, on the court on the decision that we passed on reasonableness, understand what that is. It's like the court can nullify any decision by the government, by the executive by saying it's unreasonable.

Not because it's illegal, not because they're using other checks that they have plenty of things that they could do. They can nullify, and appointments like the Supreme Court would be able to nullify an appointment by President Biden, not by saying that there's a conflict of interest that exists today in Israel.

That it's undo process that exists today in Israel, that it's not proportional that exists in Israel. But just by saying, we don't think this appointment is reasonable. That doesn't exist in America. It doesn't exist in most democracies, not to the scope. And that's the minor correction that we made.

That is now called the end of democracy. If that's the end of democracy, there are no democracies, because none of them have this.

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FOSTER: Now the court expected to hear appeals against the law in September. In the U.S., more than 150 million people are under heat alerts today. Temperatures continue to climb dangerously in the southwest. And now the unrelenting heat has made its way to the northeast.

New York City, we'll likely see some of the hottest temperatures of the year with a heat index of about 40 degrees both Boston and Philadelphia declared heat emergencies. CNN's Meteorologist Derek Van Dam joins us from Miami Beach, Florida where the ocean temperatures have also been seeing record high numbers, Derek?

DEREK VAN DAM, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes, Max, you know that heat wave you're talking about on land actually transpired in the oceans directly behind me and yesterday, we went on a scientific expedition with some of the world's top coral scientists from the, University of Miami Rosenstiel School.

We were going to investigate how these delicate coral reefs and their ecosystems are coping with this unprecedented marine heat wave. And now if anyone can tackle this problem, it's them. They're very inspired. They're very motivated and they're also on these front lines of this particular climate emergency.

You remember coral reefs actually provide a natural barrier for the southern Florida area and into the keys as well as the Caribbean from hurricanes storm surge, but also provides billions of dollars to the state from tourism, right? So we want to protect these coral restoration efforts are underway, but unfortunately there has been reports of 100 percent Coral mortality.

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So we went underwater, we scuba-dived with these experts. We took samples and we saw the bleached coral. We saw the coral that unfortunately died from this extreme heat that there and the stress that they are feeling. But really, there was some hope. And I wanted to get the first reaction from the scientists who were doing the scientific survey, as we surface from the waters below. Have a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) LIV WILLIAMSON, MIAMI ROSENSTIEL SCHOOL: It's pretty horrifying. You know, I'm really heartened that some of those corals are still hanging on. I'm heartened that they're all alive. But I'm very worried about their next few ones.

ANDREW BAKER, MIAMI ROSENSTIEL SCHOOL: And I think what's really saddening for here is that this is one of the few reefs in Miami Dade County where you can still see really big old colonies, and they're clearly bleaching pretty badly.

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DAM: So they called it a coral cliff hanger. This isn't the end game, they told me but they are concerned because it's still July, and we have the warmest months ahead of us. So they are concerned that this advancement from south to north of this severe coral bleaching will take place.

And it's going to approach some of the countries the United States most expensive real estate that lines this coastline here. And without those coral reefs again, we lose that barrier and protection from Hurricane. So we need to see what happens in the months ahead. Does the water cooled down?

It's certainly possible. We need a tropical system to kind of get the cooler waters from the oceans below. That would certainly help but it's something we just need to monitor, Max, but really an incredible experience yesterday -- at the same time.

FOSTER: Yes, Amazing to see the pictures. Derek, thank you so much for bringing us that. Still to come, Vladimir Putin's Africa summit aimed at strengthening ties in Africa but other, other reasons he needs their support. We'll take a look after the break.

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FOSTER: Well, day two of Vladimir Putin's Russia-Africa summit is underway in St. Petersburg. This comes days after Russia pulled out to the Black Sea Grain Deal, which had allowed for the safe export of Ukrainian grain. The Russian President said on Thursday, he would not only fill the gap left by leaving the deal but also provide free grain to six African countries.

And today, Putin said the Kremlin is carefully considering African leaders proposals for peace in Ukraine, and noted that Russia has written off $23 billion in debt owed by African countries. Let's bring in CNN's David McKenzie live from Johannesburg. I mean, how representative was this group of all of Africa would you say and what are they hoping to get out of it?

DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, I think it's a greatly reduced group of African leaders at the summit but still very substantial. Earlier today, you had President Ramaphosa of South Africa, saying that African leaders can have some impact in a negotiated peace. About a lot of the topic of discussion and the significance, at least in the early part of the summit has been around at Russia pulling out of that grain deal, which has impacted pretty steeply the overall global grain prices which impacts a lot of African countries now.

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Late yesterday he said he would give for free its substantial amount of grain to six African nations. Interestingly, the U.N. General, Secretary Guterres, Secretary General, I should say on the sidelines of the U.N. in New York said that handful of donations as he called it wouldn't really have an impact to counteract the fact that Russia has pulled out of that grain deal.

Putin has wanted to talk more about his trade, education, health and person to person links with various countries on the African continent. And you have seen him there on stage with these leaders. And that is certainly a symbolic win for the Kremlin. This is the biggest meeting of its kind since the start of the Ukraine war, Max.

FOSTER: And in terms of the South African President are quite controversial when it comes to the role he's played with Russia -- America, you know, relations on both sides. How's he been going into this? And what's the response been like?

MCKENZIE: The President himself has played it relatively carefully. But it's the ANC, the African National Congress that has been more out there, as well as several other leaders in this country over the past several months. Now, the criticism from Western diplomats and others is that South Africa says it is in their words, not aligned.

But in practice, it has shown support for Russia when it comes to the Ukraine war, we've of course, had many abstentions, or several abstentions by South Africa to you and General Assembly refusing to condemn Russia, you've also had the controversies around the naval exercises here in South Africa earlier this year, which included the Russian Navy.

And of course, the allegations by the Americans that South Africa loaded weapons onto a sanctioned Russian vessel bound for Moscow. All of this adds up to questions as to whether there is some kind of behind the scenes pro-Russian policy. And that is substantially worrying to some experts, given how important the EU and U.S. trade relationship is to this country. Take a listen.

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STEVEN GRUZD, RUSSIA-AFRICA ANALYST AT SAIIA: I think South Africa is playing a dangerous game here. And indeed, sometimes politicians are putting the political party the ANC before the needs of the citizens because it just doesn't make sense to be so closely associated with Russia, when the stakes are so high and there's so much at risk.

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MCKENZIE: You mentioned that Africa peace initiative. This is something we're going to pass a touchdown at that summit. So far, no real progress on that, but it's maybe too early to tell down the line who knows. There are some countries in Africa that are seen as an independent interlocutor between both Russia and Ukraine, Max.

FOSTER: David McKenzie, OK, thank you. Still to come, July 2023 is on track to be the world's hottest month on record why scientists say we've gone from global warming to global boiling.

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FOSTER: Climate scientists say this month is set to be the hottest in human history. The U.N. Secretary General says the planet has moved from a period of global warming to one of global boiling and that world leaders must act now to stop things from getting even worse.

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Gabe Cohen has more on how bad things have got.

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GABE COHEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): It's now the planet's hottest month in human history.

DR. CHRIS RODRIGUEZ, WASHINGTON, D.C. EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT: We need people to make sure that they're staying hydrated. We need them to stay indoors.

COHEN (voice over): When 150 million Americans are under heat alerts Thursday, being told to stay inside, driving up demand for cooler air, causing a dire strain on the country's largest power grid that covers 13 States and D.C. impacting 65 million people amid this hot weather alert that will last through at least Friday.

This after Texas's independent energy grid has faced record demand amid soaring temperatures. The heat wave sent temperatures above 110 degrees for more than three weeks in parts of the Southwest, and at least 25 people died from the heat in Arizona alone.

DR. JESSE BRACAMONTE, MAYO CLINIC HOSPITAL: That's the heat. The heat causes problems period -- out to people who is alive from heat related illness or heatstroke.

COHEN (voice over): In Texas officials say scorching temperatures have led to a record spike and medical calls.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We are way over already.

COHEN (voice over): And in California, the heat is creating conditions for more wildfires. In States as far north as Minnesota where July is usually in the 80s the asphalt is now buckling in the heat reaching into the hundreds. Farmers, they are worried that the temperatures will also destroy their profits.

SUMMER KUEHN, BLUEBERRY FIELD OWNER (ph): I have a prayer that I hope is answered that our fruit that is still green and pink can actually weather the heat storm.

COHEN (voice over): Here in Washington the Mayor declaring a public emergency.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You got a cooling towel already.

COHEN (voice over): Converting city buses into makeshift cooling centers for vulnerable and low income people without regular access to air conditioning and shelter.

ROBERT SEEKFORD, WORKING IN SUMMER HEAT (ph): It's not unbearable, but it's tough. It's hard. I mean it wears you down especially at 61.

COHEN (voice over): The Biden White House now addressing the country wide heat emergency directing the Labor Department to issue a nationwide heat advisory for workers. But some protections fall on States.

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: We should be protecting workers from hazardous conditions and we will and those States where they do not I'm going to be calling them out.

COHEN (on camera): And so emergency officials here in the northeast and other parts of the country that are experiencing these brutal temperatures say they are extremely worried about the people who are still spending time outside despite the heat here in Washington. The heat index Thursday was close to 110 degrees. The weather Friday expected to be similar. Gabe Cohen, CNN, Washington.

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FOSTER: Thanks for joining me here on "CNN Newsroom", I'm Max Foster in London. "World Sport" with Amanda is up next.

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