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CNN International: Fire in a "Hijacked" Building Claims Dozens of Lives; Russia Claims it Foiled Ukrainian Sabotage Operation; Idalia Slams Florida, Now Soaking Carolina Coast; U.S. Senator Seems to Freeze While Speaking to Reporters. Aired 8-8:30a ET

Aired August 31, 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, you're watching CNN "Newsroom", I'm Max Foster in London. Just ahead, a fire tragedy that's still unfolding in Johannesburg after a blaze broke out in a five story building killing at least 73 people that are the live report from the scene.

Tropical storm Idalia brings heavy rain to North Carolina after leaving a trail of destruction in Florida. And there may have been eight military coups in West Africa, Western Central Africa in the past three years with Gabon being just the latest. We'll take you through what's sparking them all.

Well this hour Johannesburg firefighters are going through the charge remains of a building that caught fire. At least 73 people lost their lives and dozens more were injured when flames engulf what authorities they're call a hijack building. That's usually an abandoned building taken over by groups who lease it to people who can't afford to live elsewhere.

No word yet on what started the deadly blaze. David McKenzie is in Johannesburg joins us live and as you appear on air, the number seems to be going up, David.

DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: That's very extraordinary, this terrible tragedy and if you look at this building behind me, this five story building where people were trapped in the middle of the night early morning as a fire ripped through these heavily crowded apartments.

That were taken over by gangs and then leased out to people who couldn't afford to live anywhere else. I've been speaking to survivors about the terrible experience they went through. Firefighters are in this area they're trying to recover the buddies have been laid out on the streets.

They've been forensic teams here trying to start the difficult and painful process of identifying those who were killed in this fire once about it from Malawi describe how it was when the blaze started.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) WISEMAN MPEPA, FIRE SURVIVOR: People were making noise, yelling 'Fire! Fire! Fire', and when I woke up I actually see the gate, I saw the fire. After that I come back into my room, and then I broke the window. When I broke the window my head entered but my body has not entered.

So I come back in the gate the fire is full. After that don't have any plan, I just sit then something come to me.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The smoke?

MPEPA: Yes, the smoke with come to me, after that I just fell down, then from there I don't know anything till now.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MCKENZIE: He was sitting consoled by his friend three family members, Max, are still missing. If you look behind me, you get a sense of the awful attempts to escape this building. More than one person has said that they were locked in. These are blankets and comforters hanging from the Windows people falling out climbing out many of the victims tragically.

According to officials are children and many questions are now being asked about this concept of hijack buildings in South Africa where derelict buildings or gangs take over buildings in downtown Johannesburg, particularly previous administrations have tried to fix this problem.

Really speaks to deep inequality in this country and what people have to do especially migrants from the rest of Africa to try and survive. And if you look at this inferno behind me and as a result of this, there are going to be many questions asked just how this happened and why the loss of life was just so dramatic, Max.

FOSTER: OK, David in Johannesburg, thank you. Now, a day after the biggest drone strike on Russian soil since this war on Ukraine began. Regional officials say there have been additional attacks. The Governor of Russia's Bryansk region claims three drones were shot down on Thursday.

And he says Ukrainian sabotage operation there has also been thwarted. The Mayor of Moscow also says a Ukrainian drone bound for the capital city was destroyed.

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Meanwhile across the border Kyiv says it continues making progress along the southern front lines with troops advancing towards two villages near a settlement that was liberated last week. CNN's Melissa Bell joins me from Zaporizhzhia, would you say the pace of the progress is picking up, Melissa?

MELISSA BELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It is, say Ukrainian Officials, Max, steady. It isn't that it is going faster it is that he's continuing to make progress. And I think that was essentially what they were looking at, given how difficult the conditions are to the south of here, where that counter offensive has been making progress beyond Robotyne.

Towards one village to the east, one village to the south, it is extremely slow going. What we're hearing is that the Russian forces are counter attacking very viciously. There are extra reserves being brought and Russia is really putting up a fight not to give an extra inch of terrain.

And this is what some Ukrainian sources have been saying what a month of fighting this last month in these areas have shown is that this is not going to be given up without a fight. Still, they look at every inch, every meter that they managed to take as a success. They are looking to get to the Russian defensive lines.

And of course, this is going to continue to be extremely hard going and I think what you've seen this week, these increased drone attacks on Russian soil. And again, Ukrainians neither confirm nor deny them. But they do accept more broadly, when you listen to officials, that this has been a tendency that the war has increasingly shifted to Russian soil.

And again this week after that most the largest attack, as you mentioned, Tuesday night to Wednesday morning largest drone attack on Russian soil since the start of the war. What we heard was from an advisor to President Zelenskyy, that this was something that is happening and that something that could not be stopped this bringing of the war to Russian soil.

And so you've seen according to the Bryansk Governor, those three drones are heading towards Bryansk that sabotage operation that Russia claims was headed by Ukrainian secret services. Again, neither a denial nor a confirmation from the Ukrainians on that drone attack on Moscow constantly these attacks trying to take on logistical infrastructure.

So what you've seen for instance, on the night of the biggest attack was an -- airfields being struck oil depots. The point of these attacks is to try and limit Russia's ability to bring equipment, men to these lines where the Ukrainian say they're finally making some progress, Max.

FOSTER: OK, Melissa in Zaporizhzhia, thank you. The man who led Britain's military response to Russia's war in Ukraine has officially resigned. Ben Wallace had been Defense Secretary for four years. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said Wallace served the country with distinction.

Downing Street says Grant Shapps will succeed Wallace. Shapps had been serving as Energy Secretary before his promotion to the Ministry of Defense. The U.S. says Russia has grown so desperate for ammunition to use in Ukraine that is negotiating a major deal with North Korea to obtain all kinds of munitions.

U.S. officials are threatening to slap new sanctions on North Korea if it helps to rearm the struggling Russian military for its parts North Korea claims it's not negotiating an arms deal with Russia. Our Paula Hancocks is tracking this story from Seoul. I mean, we're trying to work out exactly what sort of deal may have been made between Russia, North Korea, but it's pretty hard to get to the bottom of.

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, so what we're understanding from this U.N., U.S. intelligence report, Max, is that back in July, when the Russian Defense Minister went to Pyongyang, he was seen standing at a military parade next to the North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

He was seen walking through an arms exhibition surrounded by weapons and military equipment. It was suspected that there were talks underway. We also heard from South Korean intelligence agency at that point, they said they believed that they were trying to make some kind of deal that potentially within that meeting.

They had proposed joint military exercises and they were concerned that there would be weapons given to Russia in return for missile and nuclear know how given back to North Korea. In fact, they did say at the beginning of this month, a Russian plane believes was believed to have transferred unknown military supplies from Pyongyang something CNN cannot independently confirmed.

But at this point, what the U.S. intelligence agency is also saying and the U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., is that if this is the case, then it means that it is a serious violation of the U.N. Security Council resolutions which Russia signed on to.

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LINDA THOMAS-GREENFIELD, U.S. AMBASSADOR TO THE U.N.: United States is now able to share that Shoigu's visit was more than just a photo op. Russia used this visit to the DPRK to try to convince Pyongyang to sell artillery ammunition to Russia.

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HANCOCKS: And late last year, we also heard from the U.S. and others intelligence agencies that they believe there had been military supplies that have gone from Pyongyang to the Russian mercenary group Wagner at that point. Now, this is something that obviously the U.S. is very concerned about.

It's something that both Moscow and Pyongyang deny is actually happening. But when the Russian Defense Minister was in Pyongyang, he brought with him a message from the Russian President from Vladimir Putin, who thanked North Korea for its, "firm support" of Russia when it came to Ukraine. No details as to what exactly that support entailed, Max.

FOSTER: Paula, thank you. Tropical storm Idalia is pounding parts of southeastern United States is losing strength as it moves along the coast of North Carolina but it's still bringing rain and flash flooding. Idalia slammed into Florida's Big Bend region as a Category 3 hurricane on Wednesday destroying homes, downing trees, flooding roads, and ripping roofs off houses. It's the most powerful storm to hit that region in more than a century. CNN's Carlos Suarez joins us from Tampa, Florida, a huge amount of destruction, but remarkably few casualties that we know about.

CARLOS SUAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's exactly right, Max, is so good part of the state of Florida is starting to dry out here in Tampa. The floodwaters have receded and the cleanup and recovery effort across Hillsborough County here is well underway. Just to the west of us is Pinellas County that is home to the Clearwater and St. Pete area.

That part of the state is also starting to dry out a lot of the flooding there has also receded. It's where we spent a good part of yesterday as the folks there were allowed to return to their homes if they had evacuated or there were two mandatory evacuation orders that were put in place ahead of this hurricane in this part of the state of Florida.

Both of those have since expired. Now it is a very different situation to the north of us about two hours from Tampa in Pasco County. The folks there really are dealing with a pretty dire situation to thousands of homes over there are currently underwater after this storm surge of anywhere between four to six feet made that part of the state of Florida nearly impossible to get to overnight.

We're told that at least 150 families had to be rescued 150 people rather had to be rescued from their homes as a state emergency officials in that part of the state of Florida are trying to deal with all of this flooding. Going into this storm, of course, the biggest concern was where it was going to make landfall.

That storm stayed just off the coast of the Tampa Bay area. And it continued to make its way north eventually hitting the Big Bend the panhandle of the state of Florida. And as you mentioned, Max it has now moved across parts of Georgia and the Carolinas where right now they're experiencing some wind and some rain.

But again, Max, at this hour here in Tampa. The good news is that this part of the state of Florida is starting to get back to normal. The folks that evacuated this part of the state are being allowed to return home after this near hit by this hurricane, Max.

FOSTER: Good news, thank you, Carlos. Let's bring in CNN's Meteorologist Allison Chinchar, who's actually looking at how the storm is still developing, Allison?

ALLISON CHINCHAR, CNN METEOROLOGIST: I was going to say it's not over just yet. Now we have started to see it weakened significantly sustained winds now down to 95 kilometers per hour. It's moving to the east, northeast of just about 32 kilometers per hour.

But we still have a lot of rain showers to go particularly across the states of Virginia and North Carolina and they've had a tremendous amount of rain so far. You have multiple flood warnings and flash flood warnings across the state because of how much rain has already fallen, stretching from northern Florida over into the Outer Banks of North Carolina.

We've had widespread amounts of 50 to 100 millimeters already just in the last 24 hours. But you'll notice these areas here with a red and even that purple color you've had in excess of 200 millimeters of rain that has already fallen. And now we're going to be adding more on top of it.

And it's not just one place South Carolina, Florida, even Georgia have all picked up at least 200 millimeters so far. And then North Carolina may be slightly lower. But again, that's the state where we're still seeing additional rain showers occur. That's going to be the case as we finish out the rest of the morning and afternoon hours by tonight.

Finally, the entire system being does move back out over open water, taking with it all of the moisture in the short term however still looking at about additional 25 to 50 millimeters dropped in some spots, maybe if you isolated locations of about 75 millimeters of additional rainfall.

From there, this system is going to continue off to the east dipping south and then possibly circling back up towards Bermuda. So areas of interest in Bermuda are keeping a close eye on this particular storm because as it continues to make its way across the waters again.

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It is still expected to maintain tropical storm strength as it does so. So you could still end up with some of these areas, Max, looking at very gusty winds that could lead to power outages and also the potential for some very heavy rainfall across Bermuda if that track does end up verifying in the next few days.

FOSTER: OK, Allison, thank you. We'll keep watching UEFA President has condemned the conduct of the Disgraced President of Spanish Football Federation it as inappropriate, Luis Rubiales refuses to resign 11 days after he forcibly kissed player Jennifer Hermoso that followed the team's World Cup victory, of course.

Now in an interview with the French magazine L'Equipe, the UEFA President said I'm sad that such an event should overshadow the victory of the Spanish national team. Rubiales has been suspended by FIFA and banned from all football related business for three months.

Are still ahead learning to survive in the line of fire, CNN visits one of Ukraine's southern towns, just miles away from Russian forces and daily shelling.

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FOSTER: Returning to one of our top stories Ukrainian troops are trying to break Russian defenses in their counter offensive in the south. But some civilians who live near the Battle of France are just trying to survive hoping that one day they'll stop being in the line of enemy fire. CNN's Melissa Bell has that story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) BELL (voice-over): The waters for the animals left behind. Svetlana draws some each week as she waits for her own supply or rather her villages. It's too dangerous for emergency services. So she will carry it the rest of the way. I can't abandon the people she says the elderly and she, "the Soviet era saying if not you, then who"?

But even in the center of Stepnohirsk, there aren't many people left. The Russians are only five kilometers away.

BELL: Residential buildings like this one have been on the frontline of this war for nearly a year and a half. The shelling say the few residents that are left here is day and night. About 500 to 600 civilians left in his town from several thousand before the war. So far, they say that the counter offensive hasn't made things much worse in terms of shelling nor though they say has it made things any better.

BELL (voice-over): Its dangerous everyday says Igor Samsonenko. Overnight, the roof of that house was hit. There was shelling yesterday afternoon, and a building was on fire just the other day. As we inspect the damage, done by last night's artillery fire, a Russian drone inspects us exploding just as we leave.

But little phases the local emergency services that have been showing us around. People are used to the war says Mikola Malikin before a shell interrupts him.

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Those the emergency services can't get to rely on people like Svetlana. She will now walk with what she can push on her bike for more than an hour towards enemy fire. But with her dog for company she says, she's never afraid. Melissa Bell CNN, Stepnohirsk, Ukraine.

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FOSTER: Germany, the United Kingdom, France, the United States have joined the United Nations and condemning the stunning military coup in Gabon. The country located in Central Africa but on the ground in Gabon many people are celebrating the news.

Wednesday, military leaders ousted and detained President Ali Bongo whose family has ruled Gabon for more than 50 years. The coup is the eighth in West and Central Africa since 2020, and the second after Niger in as many months. Most of the coups have occurred in Francophone countries like Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso and Chad. We'll be back in just a moment.

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FOSTER: For the second time in weeks, there are serious questions about the health of Mitch McConnell the Senate Republican Leader struggled to answer a question on Wednesday appearing to freeze while speaking to reporters. Manu Raju brings us the details.

MANU RAJU, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Now for the second time in as many months a health scare for Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell this after he froze back in one July in Washington for about 30 seconds during a press conference with reporters he later answered some questions.

His office said at that time that he was lightheaded and Republicans that he was dehydrated. Then the Senate recessed has been gone since late early August, where they have been trapped members have been back in their home states traveling across their country talking at various events as Mitch McConnell did on Wednesday in Covington, Kentucky.

There he spoke to a local Chamber of Commerce started to give a speech, answer questions. Many get a press conference with reporters at the event. At that press conference he was asked by a reporter about whether he will run for re-election in 2026. At that moment, Mitch McConnell once again froze for 30 seconds.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Your thoughts on running for re-election in 2026?

SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL (R-KY): Well, my thoughts about what?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Running for re-election in 2026?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Did you hear the question Senator, running for re-election in 2026?

MCCONNELL: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: All right, I'm sorry you all we're going to need a minute.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RAJU: In addition to the two moments in which McConnell froze There has also been other health scares this year, namely back in March and he fell down his head had a concussion broke some ribs was gone from the Senate for several weeks, had to go to the hospital where it recovered at rehab facility.

And he's had a couple of other episodes in which he fell this year. McConnell is a childhood survivor from polio. He's also 81 years old walk slowly, and there are questions about his health. He has indicated that he plans to serve as Republican leader through the rest of this Congress.

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He's the longest serving party leader of any party in the history of the United States Senate. But what will happen at the end of this Congress which is at the end of 2024 will be served and 2025 and 2026 as a Republican leader those are still open questions and also not saying if you'd run for re-election in 2026.

McConnell, who is 81 years old, according to his staff is still feeling fine, despite that episode is after said that he was feeling lightheaded. They also said that he went to go see a doctor before his second event that day, but there is no word yet on what the doctor said what the underlying cause was of this incident that has caused a lot of concern even among some of his allies.

But McConnell was on the phone with some of his allies in the aftermath of this incident, including some top Republicans, including John Thune and Shelley Moore Capito, and both of their offices telling me that Mitch McConnell was feeling fine. He sounded like his usual self and look forward to seeing him when the Senate returns on Tuesday. Manu Raju, CNN, Capitol Hill.

FOSTER: Before we go stargazers can see a rare spectacle in the night sky or Friday morning, it's blue Supermoon which peaked on Wednesday evening. This is a time lapse video of what it looked like, over Jerusalem look at that. A Supermoon is a moon that appears to be much bigger and brighter than a regular full moon because its orbital path is closer to Earth.

And Blue Moons are when there are two full moons in a calendar month. So August began with a bright sick moon and will end the same way this week not to be outdone the rings planet Saturn is also making its closest and brightest appearance of the year near the moon.

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

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