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CNN International: U.K. Air Traffic System Experiencing "Technical Issue"; Spain's Football Federation to Hold "Urgent" Meeting; U.S. Commerce Secretary Begins Chinese Visit; Russian Confirms Yevgeny Prigozhin Died in Plane Crash. Aired 8-8:30a ET

Aired August 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: Hello, welcome to CNN "Newsroom", I'm Max Foster in London. Just ahead, the Women's World Cup is starting to feel like a memory but the controversy over this unwanted kiss will not go away. We live in Valencia.

A drama unfolds on two fronts in just two hours as the cases against Donald Trump and his allies enter a new phase and a migrant crisis in Lampedusa. The Italian government is looking for a solution after a record number of migrants arrived over the weekend.

But first, we've got some breaking news into CNN Britain's National Air Traffic service warning the international flights may face delays due to what it's calling a technical issue. This is a live look at the planes above the U.K. NAT right now priority getting planes in the sky on the ground as opposed to the other way.

The National Air Traffic System on NATS says traffic flow restrictions have been applied in order to maintain safety but U.K. airspace isn't closed. NATS says engineers are working to find and fix the fault and planes are being landed manually which of course slows the whole system down and has a huge knock on effect, probably to other countries as well.

We'll keep across that for you. In the coming hours Spain's Football Federation would have what it calls an extraordinary and urgent meeting. It comes after FIFA suspended Federation President Luis Rubiales for 90 days after he kissed star player Jennifer on most of the Women's World Cup.

Medal ceremony for its part of the Federation is defending Rubiales who is called the kiss mutual it's accusing most of lying and is threatening legal action against her. Jennifer Hermoso has said repeatedly that the kiss was not consensual. Her teammates on the 2023 World Cup winning squad and dozens of other athletes say they won't play for Spain until Rubiales is fired.

Amanda is with us. It's extraordinary how long this is taking how much investigation into something that is you know, we've all seen and how the player seems to be getting the blame so far? AMANDA DAVIES, CNN WORLD SPORT: Yes. And up to this point, the Spanish Federation, the RFEF have stood by their man, Luis Rubiales he's been President since 2018. But he's a UEFA, Vice President of European football's governing body but it is now being reported that the Interim President after Rubiales was handed that suspension Petro Russia has called this meeting.

They've said to evaluate the situation in which they find themselves and to look at the decisions or actions that have been taken. We don't know the form that the meeting will take. We don't know how long it will take. But it is a step that the Spanish football federations have taken.

And there was always an Astros for a lot of people there at that final and watching around the world over Spain winning this World Cup because of the complaints over many years, multiple complaints about the setup, the organization's the structures, the treatments, around the players, and the coaches that haven't been taken seriously.

They've been brushed under the carpet. But I think the thing that has made what has played out over the last eight days makes so many people sick to the stomach is how it has played out the utter defiance -- Rubiales.

FOSTER: The aggression.

DAVIES: The aggression, the stance of the Federation and the fact that European football's governing body UEFA up to this point has said nothing, they are the people who should have been taking the lead instead its well footballs governing body FIFA who have put in these disciplinary measures as things stand.

And I think the bigger picture is for all the progress we've made at the Women's World Cup. The stuff to celebrate that we saw play out in Australia and New Zealand. It just shows so how so far we have to go. But at least these questions aren't -- .

FOSTER: Yes, we're going to sit at a teak are a bit later on in Spain as well to get the view from there. Amanda, thank you. A record breaking number of migrants arrived by boat at an Italian island over the weekend. The Red Cross says more than 4200 migrants arrived in Lampedusa.

The Italian military has started transferring the migrants to the Mainland. 113,000 migrants have arrived in Italy so far this year, double the numbers compared to last year. The government plans to meet this week to come up with an emergency plan to combat the rise.

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CNN's Barbie Nadeau is in Rome and joins us now. I mean, this story keeps coming back doesn't it, but we've got to remember how big these numbers are getting?

BARBIE NADEAU, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Yes, you know, I mean, this is a really astonishing number of people. The problem though is kind of twofold at this moment. Because that 4200 people that's a record that arrived on the island of Lampedusa, many of them arrived from Tunisia because there are no rescue boats out there.

The Italian government has sequestered three of the NGO rescue boats for breaking various laws that they put in place to try to stop them from rescuing migrants. And so you've got the boats actually arriving. That's why these numbers are so big. That's why the photos and images are just so astonishing.

Now the Italian government under Georgia Maloney reconvening this week after the long holiday break, they say they're going to look at two different things. First of all, they're going to look at maybe for the first time ever ways to allow people to immigrate legally into the country.

That's never been a priority. Certainly not one that Giorgio Maloney has campaigned on, certainly. And the other thing we're going to look at are faster ways to deport people once they figure out where they're from, and if they're not from refugee producing countries to get them out of there.

But they're really calling on the rest of Europe to help you know, Italy is the most porous longest water border in all of Europe. And the problem we've been saying that telling this story for years and years now the problem is always that it leaves one that has to deal with it and they want the rest of Europe to help.

But you know, there's inclement weather coming that will stop the boats for the short term, but the season is just underway now. The boats will be coming for a very long time, Max, still.

FOSTER: OK, Barbie, thank you. The U.S. Commerce Secretary has begun several days of meetings with top Chinese officials in Beijing and Shanghai. Gina Raimondo says a stable relations between the U.S. and China are profoundly important. She met with the Chinese Commerce Minister on Monday calling the discussions very open and pragmatic.

She says they reached a number of agreements. Let's bring in CNN's Beijing Bureau Chief Steven Jiang with more. I mean, there's one thing that two countries do agree on and that's that the economies are intertwined and dependent on each other.

STEVEN JIANG, CNN BEIJING BUREAU CHIEF: That's where I, Max, and the fact she is here being the fourth cabinet level U.S. official to visit China in about two months, really shows there is political will to put a floor on this free fall in this relationship, especially after that balloon incident early this year.

Now, you know, there is some expectations that she is able to deliver some tangible results out of this trip in the form of perhaps, with the Chinese promising more access to certain U.S. companies or sectors or perhaps buying more Boeing jets. Now she is scheduled to have a press conference on Wednesday evening at Shanghai's Pudong International Airport, where Boeing has a large facility.

There is also talk about her visiting to Shanghai Disneyland, of course, to highlight the success of such bilateral economic cooperation. But the challenge for her of course, is her agency. The Commerce Department is also the one that's been issuing a growing number of export controls targeting China, especially in the fields of advanced computing and semiconductors.

The Biden administration, of course, has recently proposed to restrict American investments in these fields as well. So all of that greatly angering the Beijing leadership with Xi Jinping, the Chinese leader himself increasingly talking about a self-reliance in key technologies to free China from the American chokehold, because as he puts it, America is out to get China to contain China's rise.

So renowned, of course, is going to make the argument to her counterparts that the export controls out of national security concerns is very narrowly focused accounting for only 1 percent of Americans export to China. So there's still a lot of room for growth for cooperation.

But that kind of argument may not be very convincing to her Chinese counterparts when it comes to difference between de-risking as American officials have been putting it versus decoupling, but what's helping her mission of course, is the Chinese economy is facing its strongest headwinds in decades.

So the Chinese leadership has been putting on this more business and investor friendly face at least outwardly so that gives them a more wiggle room to really stabilize this economic relationship, Max.

FOSTER: Steven Jiang in Beijing, thank you so much for bringing us that. Now, an incident at a school in India sparking shocking outrage, video has emerged showing a teacher telling students to slap a classmate who is Muslim. CNN's Vedika Sud has the story and I warn you, you might find it disturbing.

VEDIKA SUD, CNN REPORTER: Police in India's northern state of Uttar Pradesh are investigating a deeply disturbing video that shows the teacher asking at least three students to slap a fellow classmate who was Muslim, the incident which took place on Thursday.

According to CNN affiliate CNN News-18 has gone viral on social media sparking widespread outrage and condemnation. In the 39 second video, which CNN has viewed, shows classmates take turns to slap the boy on the face forehead and his waist. The teacher who can be seen in the frame asked for the students to slap the boy harder for allegedly forgetting his time stable.

The boy can be seen crying through the video. According to a statement released by the police, the teacher made some objectionable comments in class.

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She said "mothers of Mohammedan students don't pay attention to the child studies which impacts their performance". On Friday, the police issued a statement saying that a case has been opened against the teacher and that legal action will be taken. However, the teacher Tripta Tyagi speaking to CNN News 18 on Friday said the video that has been circulated online was edited.

She claims to have been under pressure from the student's parents to be strict with him. She said she's disabled and unable to get up she instructed the other students to discipline him. Tyagi has issued an apology. Speaking to CNN the father of the student denied the teachers claims and said his son has been moved to another school but feels restless and scared.

Opposition Leader Rahul Gandhi has blamed the Modi government for inciting religious violence in the country. In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Gandhi said, "Sowing the poison of discrimination in the minds of innocent children, turning a holy place like school into a marketplace of hatred. There is nothing worse than this that a teacher can do for the country.

This is the same kerosene spread by the BJP which has set every corner of India on fire." The state of Uttar Pradesh is governed by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu nationalist party, Janta party. Its controversial Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has often been criticized for his anti-Muslim rhetoric. CNN has reached out to the Pradesh police officials for more details. Vedika Sud, CNN, New Delhi.

FOSTER: Two pivotal court hearings are taking place less than two hours from now on both election subversion cases against Donald Trump in Georgia Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis is set to lay out key evidence and legal arguments in the racketeering case against the Former President and his alleged co-conspirators.

The hearing involves a push by Former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows to get his case charges moved to federal court separately in Washington D.C., a federal judge is holding a hearing on when Trump's trial will take place on special counsel Jack Smith's elections aversion charges.

CNN's Katelyn Polantz joins me now live outside the federal courthouse in Atlanta. Let's go through what we got today then how it different all we saw last week, Katelyn.

KATELYN POLANTZ, CNN SENIOR CRIME AND JUSTICE REPORTER: Max, this is going to be quite a pivotal day for the criminal cases against Donald Trump related to the 2020 election. There are two cases one in the state of Georgia and one in Washington D.C. brought by federal authorities.

Both of the hearings today started at the same time. And they are both being handled by federal judges today. So in Georgia, a federal judge will be looking at part of the case that the District Attorney has some of the evidence that she has already.

And then in Washington D.C., the federal judge there will be checking in with the lawyers on both sides, essentially laying out a timeline potentially for a trial in that case against Donald Trump in federal court, that federal court case against Donald Trump in D.C. The timeline has not been set, but it's quite possible.

That will be one of the first trial dates we get out of all of the criminal indictments against Donald Trump for next year, or potentially even at the end of this year, which is what the Justice Department is asking for there. But here in Atlanta, this proceeding we have today related to the state case against Donald Trump and 18 others in the state of Georgia, we're trying to interfere with the election result here.

What are happening in this courthouse are the judges taking a look at whether the case can move from the state system into the federal judiciary, because Mark Meadows and potentially others were Federal officers at the time of their activities after the election the things they're accused of doing that are now alleged crimes.

What's happening in court is there will be evidence presentation, there will be witness testimony, and there will be discussion of the things that Meadows was taking part in including setting up phone calls with Donald Trump and officials in Georgia. And the judge may not make a decision today on what to do with the case. But it's an important moment where we get to see a little bit of a mini trial for the first time, Max.

FOSTER: Katelyn, thank you. We'll be watching. Still to come that World Cup kiss dividing players and some officials in Spain. What will it mean for the football chief for the center of the storm?

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FOSTER: Let's take a closer look at our top stories we mentioned earlier Spain's Football Federation holding an emergency meeting later over its President Luis Rubiales. It all stems from this kiss after the country's World Cup victory player Jennifer Hermoso insists it was unwanted despite Rubiales claims.

That it was mutual so with all of this controversy, how long can Luis Rubiales last? Atika Shubert joins us now from Valencia, Spain and a closer look. How to say Atika, so many items are managed earlier? So many people from outside the country so baffled not just what happened but the response and the defiance within the Spanish football industry particularly at the top. I mean, how divided is Spain about this?

ATIKA SHUBERT, JOURNALIST: I think Spain is clearly divided by it and Spanish football is divided. Because while we are seeing a lot of a very aggressive defense by the Royal Football Federation, the Spanish Football Federation for Rubiales. We're also seeing many players and coaches actually condemning him.

I mean, not only have the Spanish women's team now, refuse to play until he either resigns or is removed, but we've seen coaching staff resign as well, complaining against what he has done against this incident. So I think there are deep divisions here and it marks a turning point.

I mean, Spain has already made great strides in women's rights legislation, gender legislation, but this is clearly an incident clearly shows that there is still a deeply entrenched views, particularly on women participating in sport. So it will be interesting to see what happens in about two hours' time.

When, the Federation meets with the regional heads whether or not they continue to defend Rubiales or whether we're going to see some of those deeper divisions within the Federation itself, Max.

FOSTER: In terms of what might happen today, Amanda said that it's not entirely clear what today's meeting is about and how it's going to reach some sort of conclusion at the end. I mean is it a debate about whether or not he's going to be fired?

SHUBERT: It's not clear what exactly if there will be a decision that comes out of it. What we know is that the world's governing football body FIFA has already provisionally suspended Rubiales for 90 days, he's not allowed to participate in any international national level football events.

But also that Spain's Sports Council has already taken steps issuing, filing a complaint with a tribunal. Now those are the first steps to suspending him here in Spain. So what's likely to happen in this meeting is debate about what to do next, what are the next steps?

There is also the possibility that this could have international repercussions whether or not this gets out to other regional bodies in Europe such as UEFA. These are all things that are possible and are likely to be discussed in that meeting. But the key is whether or not Rubiales will in fact, stay.

At the moment, he is not even acting as President. There is a Vice President acting in his place because of this FIFA suspension. But that's not enough for his detractors who say that he must be removed completely.

FOSTER: Atika in Valencia, thank you so much for bringing us that insight. We'll be watching the meeting very closely today. Still to come in CNN "Newsroom", where did it all go wrong, a look back on the complicated relationship between Vladimir Putin and Yevgeny Prigozhin.

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FOSTER: After days of uncertainty, Russia says it has confirmed this weekend that Yevgeny Prigozhin was amongst the 10 people killed in last week's plane crash. Several people gathered at a makeshift memorial in Moscow to remember the Wagner boss who died two months after leading a brief uprising against the Kremlin. CNN's Matthew Chance has more from Moscow. We warn you his piece contains some graphic images.

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well this is final confirmation that the Wagner boss is in the dead after Russian investigators say genetic analysis of the 10 bodies recovered from Wednesday's plane crash confirms that Yevgeny Prigozhin was on board and was killed is a sudden, if not altogether surprising it one of Russia's most controversial figures.

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CHANCE (voice-over): He carved out a pivotal role in Russia's Ukrainian war, often visiting his Wagner mercenaries near the frontlines in Bakhmut, where it's sent them to fight what became a very personal battle, not just against Ukrainian forces. But with Russia's own military leadership, whom we regularly condemned as incompetent, as thousands of his hired fighters were killed.

Here Prigozhin points at a pile of dead bodies next to him and launched into a tirade. Those who didn't give us ammunition will go to hell and eat their intestine he says. Then he named Russia's Defense Minister and Army Chief, you animals are sitting there he says and think you have the right to decide their lives he builds.

It was extraordinary criticism of Russia's High Command. And he followed it up with unprecedented action, leading what he called a march for justice towards Moscow, effectively a Wagner military uprising that challenge Kremlin authority. A deal was done to call off the rebellion.

This Prigozhin's forces advanced on the Russian capital. The furious President Putin called it a stab in the back from a man he regarded as loyal. He was in the service to the Kremlin first as its catering contractor in the 1990s that earned Prigozhin the nickname Putin' chef and Prigozhin emerged as one of Russia's most powerful figures.

His Wagner mercenaries at the behest of the Kremlin were active in Ukraine, the Middle East and several African states were human rights groups accused them of horrific abuses. But Prigozhin was much more than just Putin's chef turned Putin's warlord, he was Putin's troll, as well.

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Setting up this notorious troll factory in St Petersburg, the Internet Research Agency where internet provocateurs were paid by Prigozhin to distort the U.S. political debate around 2016 presidential elections. Prigozhin was sanctioned by the U.S., but denied any involvement in election meddling.

He denied links with Wagner too. With Russia's full scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 that mask was discarded. After his abortive uprising in June Prigozhin and his Wagner forces were officially exiled to neighboring Belarus. But the Wagner leader continued to travel freely even visiting the Kremlin to discuss the group's future role.

Prigozhin's most recent video showed him speaking in an unidentified African state, where he said he and Wagner would continue to promote Russian interests, but it wasn't to be. Back in Russia, his private jet was recorded plunging from the skies on a flight from Moscow to St Petersburg.

Russian investigators confirm all 10 people on board including Prigozhin were killed, a dramatic end to a controversial figure.

(END VIDEOTAPE) CHANCE (on camera): While there are still many questions about how that plane was brought down, the Kremlin dismissing allegations that it was involved as absolute lies. Russian officials say investigators will release their findings, but few are expecting the real cause of the crash that killed Russia's Wagner Mercenary Chief to be revealed soon. Matthew Chance, CNN, Moscow.

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

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