Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Newsroom
South African President Visited the Fire-Hit Building in Johannesburg; Hong Kong, Southern China Braces for Typhoon Saola; Questions on Ethics Violations by a U.S. Supreme Court Justice has now increased even more; U.N. Proposes Terms for Renewing the Black Sea Grain Deal to Russia; UEFA Head calls Spanish Football Federation Chief's Behavior Inappropriate; Taylor Swift Drops Concert Movie in October. Aired 3-4a ET
Aired September 01, 2023 - 03:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[03:00:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BIANCA NOBILO, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us from all around the world. I'm Bianca Nobilo, live from London, just ahead for you on "CNN Newsroom."
(VIDEO PLAYING)
More drone strikes on Russian territory. We'll look at whether this is the beginning of a new phase of the war.
And right now, two typhoons ahead of for the Northwest Pacific threatening parts of China and Taiwan will take you live to Hong Kong with a closer look at super typhoon Saola.
Plus, UEFA's president finally breaks his silence on the kiss scandal involving Spanish football chief Luis Rubiales. We're live in Madrid with his response.
UNKNOWN (voice-over): Live from London. This is "CNN Newsroom" with Max Foster and Bianca Nobilo.
NOBILO: For the fourth day in a row, Russia is reporting Ukrainian drone attacks on its soil. Officials say air defenses intercepted one drone headed in the general direction of Moscow, while another one hit a city in the Kursk region Friday morning, damaging a building.
The operations at three Moscow airports were temporarily restricted after the attacks, but flights are now back to normal. Across the border, Ukraine says its troops are edging towards what could be the toughest line of Russian defenses in the south. It's happening near the village of Robotyne, which Ukrainians recently captured.
But now they're up against a maze of heavily fortified trenches and obstacles that Russia has been building for months. A Ukrainian brigade in that area acknowledges there is a tough fight ahead. Meanwhile, President Zelenskyy says Ukraine has successfully used a
new weapon that hit a target from 700 kilometers away. He did not give any details about the weapon or the target. CNN has not yet independently verified his claim.
Katie Polglase has been monitoring these developments for us and she's here in London with me, with more. Katie, drone attacks are increasingly a dominant element of Ukrainian military strategy. What happened last night and what impact did it have?
KATIE POLGLASE, CNN INVESTIGATIVE PRODUCER: Well Bianca, we saw another night of drone attacks and really these are happening on nearly a daily basis now. They are more common than not and that really speaks to the Ukrainian strategy here. Now it's worth noting, we're not seeing serious damage yet from really any of these attacks. But this has been a week of drone assaults on Russian territory, really quite far away from the front lines with Ukraine. And that is the tactic here, to bring the war home to Russia, to make the war be felt by the Russian people.
And it's worth noting here that while this is going on, we're seeing figures from the Ukrainian government that the drone manufacturing capacity, the number of drones they are building at home in Ukraine, is dramatically shooting up. They have been just in the last month, 200 drone manufacturers jumped to 300 drone manufacturers. Before the start of the war, there was just 30. So that really shows you the intention here, that drones and the use of them in this war is something that Ukraine is heavily prioritizing.
And you mentioned there the 700-kilometer weapon. It's a rather mysterious reference from President Zelenskyy there. And he said that Ukrainians had successfully launched a weapon that landed at a target 700 kilometers away. That is roughly 435 miles.
Now, we don't know where that is and we don't know whether we can independently verify it at this point, but it's worth noting that amidst the vast array of drone attacks that happened this week, one of them happened in Skov, which is just north of Moscow, really quite far away from the front lines and about 700 kilometers away. Could it be that? We don't know, but it's an interesting reference in a week of many, many attacks. Bianca.
NOBILO: Katie, we know that the counteroffensive has been grinding and progress has been slower than many of the Western allies would have hoped. But we're hearing that there are signs of progress. How is Ukraine achieving that and how much progress are they making?
POLGLASE: Well, as you say, Bianca, this is now the third month of this counteroffensive and the gains, the land gains have been marginal. But finally, we're seeing some light. We're seeing some hope that they are making some progress, quite significant progress really. Robotyne, they captured last week, they are now pushing south and east further towards this strategic hub of Tokmak that they are desperate to get to, one of these logistical hubs that Russia is using for a lot of its transportation, a lot of its war effort.
[03:05:05]
But along the way as progress is starting to be made there have been some friendly advice perhaps, some advice from allies that want to offer some wisdom but also potentially some frustration and so this is what the Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said yesterday as a result.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DMYTRO KULEBA, UKRAINIAN FOREIGN MINISTER: Criticizing the slow pace of counteroffensive equals to spitting into the face of Ukrainian soldier who sacrifices his life every day, moving forward and liberating one kilometer of Ukrainian soil after another. I would recommend all critics to shut up, come to Ukraine and try to liberate one square centimeter by themselves. Thank you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
POLGLASE: Now clearly there is some defensiveness, some frustration in that remark, but there's also a confidence because here Ukraine is thinking and feeling, it appears, that they are making some headway in this counter-offensive at last. They are making some progress and they are continuing to push forward and Bianca that is significant because they could take Robotyne and hold it and not continue pushing forward.
But instead what they've done is continue pushing into new territory and that is a sign of confidence.
NOBILO: Katie Polglase, great reporting there. Thank you very much.
A new video appears to show the Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin claiming to be in Africa just days before his death.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
YEVGENY PRIGOZHIN, WAGNER MERCENARY LEADER (through translator): For everyone discussing whether I'm alive or not and how I'm doing, it's currently a weekend in the second half of August 2023. I'm in Africa. So for those who like to speculate about my elimination, my private life, my work there or anything else, everything's fine, as a matter of fact.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NOBILO: Prigozhin seems bothered about his safety in that video, and the video was published on Wednesday by the pro-Wagner Telegram channel Greyzone. It's unclear when or where exactly the video was recorded.
Prigozhin's words suggest that the video could have been recorded on the weekend of August 19th. He, as you probably know, died in a plane crash just four days later on August the 23rd, along with nine others while en route to St. Petersburg. The crash came two months to the day after Prigozhin's attempted mutiny against Russia's military leadership. South African authorities are investigating a terrible fire that
claimed 74 lives in central Johannesburg. Flames began tearing through the building on Thursday around 1:30 a.m. local time, while many of the hundreds of people inside were sleeping.
Twelve of those killed were children. Some of the little ones who survived had been dropped out of the windows by parents. The five- story building had been home to a women's shelter and served as a court during apartheid. But had since been filled with informal settlements and been labeled a quote hijacked building. The South African president visited the site of the tragedy and called it a wake up call.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CYRIL RAMAPHOSA, SOUTH AFRICAN PRESIDENT: The lesson for us is that we've got to address this problem. and root and everything else root out those criminal elements because it is these types of buildings that are taken over by criminals who then levy rents on vulnerable people and families who need and want accommodation in the inner city.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NOBILO: The former mayor of Johannesburg has accused the national government of not dealing with the hijacked buildings problem. Earlier on, my colleague, Kim Brunhuber, asked him how many of these buildings there are in the city.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HERMAN MASHABA, FORMER MAYOR OF JOHANNESBURG (2016-2019): If you look at the building i can tell you there's more than a hundred of those such a buildings that you can really explode anytime it is for that reason i feel that does someone is going to be held accountable but unfortunately because our government is not interested in this matter when i was the mayor reported numerous cases of this hijackers are but unfortunately they were protected by law enforcement agencies.
KIM BRUNHUBER, CNN ANCHOR: Well, what do you mean that protected by law-enforcement agencies?
MASHABA: Well, when you report someone who is involved in criminality and nothing happens, I actually at one stage went to report the head of the police of the specialized unit called the walks. I actually reported him for defeating the ends of justice because all the cases as a mayor we were reporting to a law enforcement agencies, requested all the detectives to bring these cases to him. And I reported it as a case against him for defeating the ends of justice is how many years later nothing has happened.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[03:10:00]
NOBILO: More condemnation for the military coup in Gabon, with the African Union announcing plans to suspend Gabon from all of its activities until constitutional order is restored in the Central African country. The military junta that took over Gabon on Wednesday says the general who led the coup will be sworn in as transitional president on Monday.
Deposed president Ali Bongo appealed for help from other nations on Wednesday while being held under house arrest. The coup happened shortly after Bongo was declared the winner of Saturday's disputed election and that last part is key. Gabon is the latest of mostly former French colonies seized by a military coup.
Let's get some perspective now from CNN's Jim Bittermann who's joining us from France. Jim, France has clearly taken the stance of demonstrably and rhetorically rejecting these coup d'etat that are happening across countries that they have historic ties to. However there's also been criticism of France that they haven't used that historic influence to try and democratic principles are respected in the countries where these coups have occurred.
JIM BITTERMANN, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, it certainly seems that way. This is the seventh coup that we've seen, military coup in the last three years in West Africa and the region. And as a matter of fact, President Macron must be, I would think, appalled at what he sees going on. And it was only 48 hours before this coup that he was talking about the coup in Niger which took place barely a month ago, a month ahead of this coup in Gabon.
And in the case of Niger, in fact, he said that he was most worrisome for the French diplomats that he was speaking before. These are diplomats that assemble in Paris once every year. And then 48 hours later, we have this coup in Gabon, another former French colony. So it really is sort of a hand-wringing moment for the French, but for the whole world as Antonio Guterres, the Secretary General of the United Nations said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANTONIO GUTERRES, UNITED NATIONS SECRETARY GENERAL: Many countries face deep-seated governance challenges. But military governments are not the solution. They aggravate problems. They cannot resolve a crisis. They can only make it worse. I urge all countries to move quickly to establish credible democratic institutions and rule of law.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BITTERMANN: And I think most of the Western European countries would agree with that, but especially France, because they see this one domino after another seemingly to fall, and one country after another being inspired by the others. That's at least the analysis of the head of ECOWAS, the Nigerian president, who said that He thought, in fact, that this was an epidemic of falling dominoes across Africa.
So it's really something that has people here on edge. And also, you wonder exactly where the policy is going to go from here, because while the French have got 1,500 troops in Niger, troops that could be called into play to reinstall some of these governments, some of the governments, they may not want to, for example, Ali Bongo's government. He represents a family that has been in power there for 55 years, marked with a lot of corruption and untoward stories about their rule.
So it's not one that they would want to defend. Their election, as you mentioned, was questionable in Gabon, not so questionable in Niger, but still the actual use of force to reinstall a president is not something that France really wants to get into these days. Bianca?
NOBILO: Jim Bittermann, thank you so much. We always really appreciate your insights and knowledge on these matters. And on an unrelated note, what a majestic boat in the background there.
Now earlier on, my colleague, Kim Brunhuber, spoke with the director of the Africa Security Analysis Program at the International Peacekeeping Training Center in Ghana. And here's how he explained why many people in Gabon appeared to be celebrating the removal of the president whose family had ruled the former French colony for more than 50 years.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KWESI ANING, DIRECTOR, AFRICA SECURITY ANALYSIS PROGRAMME IN GHANA: This is a family, an internal family quarrel that has spilled over, but also because of external interference. France certainly does not want the opposition leader who is perceived as extreme and radical to take over power. So bringing in general in Wemba is some sort of a middle decision. This does not bring stability to Gabon at all. Who sees further instability within the military itself and the family struggles on continuing. This does not help in deepening the democratic processes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[03:15:00]
NOBILO: You're watching "CNN Newsroom "live from London today.
And just ahead, Hong Kong and surrounding areas are bracing for a possible direct hit from typhoon Saola. We'll take you there live.
Plus, a new estimate well into the billions on the damage from Hurricane Idalia, what President Biden is now doing to help in the recovery.
And Donald Trump pleads not guilty to trying to overturn his election loss in Georgia. Those stories and much more when we return.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NOBILO: Typhoon Saola is weakening a bit as it approaches Hong Kong, but forecasters are still warning that it's a very powerful and dangerous storm. At last report, it had maximum sustained winds of 220 kilometers an hour with gusts of around 270 kilometers an hour.
Saola is skirting the Hong Kong coast right now and could make a direct hit or spin away from the city. China has issued a typhoon red warning at its highest level across the Guangdong province. Forecasters are warning of heavy rain, violent wind and damaging storm surge in low lying coastal areas. Schools across the region are closed and air and train travel suspended.
Let's go live now to Hong Kong and CNN's Kristie Lu Stout. Kristie, I hope that you're hunkered down and unaffected by this. But of course, Hong Kong and southern China are bracing for the arrival of typhoon Saola. Tell us how they are preparing.
KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well Bianca, you're right. Here in Hong Kong, we are hunkering down and bracing for the arrival of typhoon Saola. The typhoon signal number eight was raised by local authorities and that effectively shut down the entire territory this Friday.
And that's the reason why I'm reporting from home, because businesses are closed, schools are closed, the Hong Kong Stock Exchange is closed, Cathay Pacific, the flagship carrier of Hong Kong also announced that it's canceled or suspended virtually all its flights to and from the city. We do have a statement from Cathay to share with you. Let's bring it up.
Cathay saying, quote, "with the exception of CX 840, September 1 flight to New York, JFK, all Cathay Pacific flights arriving in and departing from Hong Kong between 2 p.m. on Friday and 10 a.m. on Saturday have been canceled." Now the Hong Kong Airport Authority also tells CNN that some 366 flights total have been canceled and 40 more have been delayed.
We're also monitoring the situation in mainland China where on Thursday mainland Chinese authorities lifted the typhoon threat level to its highest level especially for Guangdong province. We know that in Shenzhen and Guangzhou, two major megacities in the south of China, schools have been suspended. Starting from 4 p.m. local time in Shenzhen, that's less than an hour from now, 40 minutes from now, businesses, markets will be closed. Their residents have been urged to stay indoors.
[03:19:58]
And Xinhua has been reporting that some 4,000 train services have been suspended across Guangdong province. China is not taking any chances here because of the recent impacts from extreme weather events just a couple months ago.
Beijing and surrounding Hebei province was affected and struggled through those record-breaking rains and floods that took the lives of dozens of people and displaced 1.5 million people. As for the situation here in Hong Kong, looking at my window, Bianca, the rain is falling more steadily, but forecasters warn conditions will deteriorate in the coming hours as the storm nears. Back to you.
NOBILO: And Kristie, if that wasn't enough disruption and potential danger, there's actually another typhoon that's approaching the region. Tell us about Haikui. LU STOUT: That's right. There are two typhoons that are targeting the
region right now. Saola and Typhoon Haikui. Typhoon Haikui has Taiwan in its sights due to make landfall in Taiwan on Sunday, bringing with it heavy rain. Then after that it will sweep through to Eastern China hitting Zhejiang province. That's about 100 to 200 miles south of Shanghai.
It is expected by the time it makes landfall in mainland China, that it will be weakening to about a category one or category two equivalent hurricane, not a super typhoon, but still a potent storm nonetheless. Back to you Bianca.
NOBILO: Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong. Do stay safe. Thank you so much for joining us.
LU STOUT: Thank You.
NOBILO: The U.S. National Hurricane Center is warning that the danger from tropical storm Idalia is not over. Forecasters say that life- threatening surf and rip current conditions will persist for the next few days off the southeastern coast. Meanwhile, in Florida, the cleanup is in full swing.
Moody's Analytics estimates the hurricane caused between $12 billion and $20 billion in damage. Towns with idyllic names like Keaton Beach and Cedar Key have been reduced to debris in some areas. Biden has approved a major disaster declaration for the hardest hit areas and he plans to tour the damage on Saturday.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOE BIDEN, U.S. PRESIDENT: To the people of Florida and throughout the southeast, I'm here to make clear that our nation has your back and we are not going to, we're not going to walk away, we're not going to give up, we're not going to slow down.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NOBILO: Turning now to the latest from Hawaii after wildfires ripped through Maui just weeks ago, killing 115 people. The state's governor told CNN Thursday a formal announcement on the number of people still unaccounted for will be made later on today. Governor Josh Green says that he believes the new number will be in the lower double digits, possibly less than 50.
The judge overseeing the election interference case in Fulton County, Georgia, says he intends to allow TV cameras and live streaming of all proceedings as the case moves ahead. But Donald Trump will not be there next week for his arraignment. Trump waived that court appearance on Thursday as he formally entered a not guilty plea for the fourth time since June.
CNN's Sara Murray has the details.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) SARA MURRAY, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Donald Trump officially entering his plea of not guilty in the sprawling racketeering case he faces in Fulton County, Georgia, where he and 18 other co-defendants were charged for their efforts to allegedly try to overturn the 2020 presidential election results in Georgia.
Donald Trump is now one of five, again, of the 19 co-defendants in that case who have entered not guilty pleas and waived their right to an arraignment. That means we're not going to see Donald Trump showing up next week in the Fulton County courthouse. We won't see him on camera there as many had expected.
And now it's a question of what happens next for Donald Trump's case. His attorney has moved to sever his case from other co-defendants, saying, well, there are some who want to move ahead speedily with this trial and move ahead to trial in October of 2023. Donald Trump is not one of them. His attorney says there's no way he's going to be ready for trial by then.
It's also possible we could see Donald Trump's team try to move this into federal court. They have not made that attempt yet, but others involved in this case have. Trump's team may be waiting to see how his other co-defendants fare in their arguments before they make their play to move Trump's case to federal court.
Sara Murray, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NOBILO: Two leaders of the far-right Proud Boys group have been sentenced for their roles in the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. A U.S. district judge sentenced Joseph Biggs in the gray striped shirt, you can see there, to 17 years in prison as one of the architects of the violence. It's among the longest sentences yet for a convicted rioter. Meanwhile, Zachary Reel received 15 years in prison. The judge says he was less of an architect of the plot than Biggs, but noted that Reel repeatedly during the trial. Both men were convicted of seditious conspiracy.
[03:25:02]
U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly referred to the January 6 event when he said, quote, "That day broke our tradition of peacefully transferring power, which is among the most precious things that we had as Americans. Notice I said 'had': We don't have it anymore."
For the second time in weeks, there are questions about the health of U.S. Republican leader Mitch McConnell. He struggled to answer a question on Wednesday, appearing to freeze while speaking to reporters.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REPORTER: That's okay. What are your thoughts on running for re- election in 2026?
SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL (R-KY), U.S. SENATE MINORITY LEADER: What are my thoughts about what?
REPORTER: Running for re-election in 2026.
MCCONNELL: Oh, awesome. That's good.
UNKNOWN: Did you hear the question, Senator, running for reelection in 2026?
MCCONNELL: Yes.
UNKNOWN: Alright, I'm sorry you all, we're gonna need a minute.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NOBILO: After consulting with the Kentucky senator and his neurology team, the U.S. Capitol physician said McConnell is free to continue business as usual. There's talk among some Republicans about calling a special conference meeting to discuss party leadership following McConnell's latest incident. Still, the Senate GOP conference expects to see McConnell next Wednesday at its usual weekly meeting.
Questions about possible ethics violations keep dogging the U.S. Supreme Court. The latest concern comes after Justice Clarence Thomas disclosed that he'd accepted private jet trips from a Republican mega- donor and vacationed at his luxurious estate. CNN's Tom Foreman has this story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A pair of private jet trips in 2022, a vacation at an Adirondacks estate in 2014. Those gifts to conservative justice Clarence Thomas from Republican mega donor Harlan Crow are among the disclosures in a newly released financial statement from the justice.
His lawyers say any earlier omissions were strictly inadvertent. But this latest news has court critics enraged.
UNKNOWN: How is it possible that we do not have a code of ethics that is binding upon the highest court in the land.
FOREMAN (voice-over): This film on Thomas was funded by the billionaire real estate man Crowe, who says he met the justice in 1996. They became friends, both loved Motown music and never discussed cases.
Yet earlier reports from "ProPublica" named Crowe and three other big businessmen as ultra wealthy benefactors of the justice, giving him at least 38 destination vacations including a previously unreported voyage on a yacht around the Bahamas, 26 private jet flights plus an additional eight by helicopter, a dozen VIP passes to professional and college sporting events, two stays at luxury resorts in Florida and Jamaica, and one standing invitation to an uber-exclusive golf club.
UNKNOWN: Justice Thomas has been living a life of extreme luxury for 30 years underwritten by at least four different ultra wealthy benefactors.
FOREMAN (voice-over): In a five page statement, a lawyer for Thomas called such hints of impropriety a partisan feeding frenzy and political bloodsport, insisting the justice has committed no willful ethics transgressions. Noting for example, Thomas says in the new disclosures, one of those private jet flights was due to an unexpected ice storm. Another, because of increased security risk tied to the court upending abortion rights law.
Thomas earlier said he was told he didn't have to report everything anyway. So other conservative defenders are calling this, as Thomas has, just generosity among friends.
KERRI KUPEC URBAHN, FOX NEWS LEGAL EDITOR: There's really only one fact that matters if you cut through the noise, and it's that Harlan Crow and all of these friends in question had no business before the Supreme Court. Full stop.
FOREMAN (on-camera): Still, some court watchers insist these wealthy donors and Thomas shared deeply held conservative views and with public faith and the justices already plummeting, those cozy relationships could prove costly to the court's reputation.
Tom Foreman, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NOBILO: Russia comes under new drone attacks from across the border, while Ukrainian ground troops edge closer to what could be the toughest Russian defenses in the south. That's ahead.
Plus, Chinese tech firms have entered the global A.I. race. Still ahead, how these companies hope to compete with ChatGPT and others on the cutting-edge of artificial intelligence.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[03:30:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BIANCA NOBILO, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back. I want to get back to one of our top stories that we're following this hour.
Ukraine says its troops are edging toward what could be the toughest line of Russian defenses in the south. It's happening east and south of the village of Robotnye, which Ukrainians recently captured. But now they're up against a maze of heavily-fortified trenches and obstacles that Russia has been building for months.
Across the border, Russia is reporting new Ukrainian drone attacks on two of its regions. Officials say one drone was intercepted while heading into the general direction of Moscow, while another one struck a town in the Kursk region, damaging a non-residential building. Friday is the fourth day in a row that Russian cities became the target of drones.
And those drone strikes mark a new phase of the war, potentially, as Ukraine takes the fight directly to the enemy. Russia has been subjected to a growing number of drone attacks on its soil in recent weeks, and just days ago, Russia was targeted with the largest wave of such attacks since the war began.
Matthew Chance has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Barely a night passes now when Russians somewhere aren't shaken by powerful drone attacks.
This recent barrage hitting an airport in the city of Pskov some 400 miles from the Ukrainian border.
Russian air defenses spread thinly unleashes firepower but faced with a major upsurge in drone attacks.
There were just too many targets to defend. Russian officials say at least four military cargo planes used to transport troops and equipment to the war zone were damaged.
Footage of the burning aircraft suggests destroyed. A significant blow to Russian logistics.
On Russian state TV controlled by the Kremlin, the drone strikes are barely mentioned. Instead, the focus is on Russia hitting Ukraine and targets being struck across the front lines by Russian forces.
But the Kremlin can't hide what's happening.
Russian civilians like these in the Bryansk region are sharing videos online.
[03:35:02]
This family were congratulating their daughter on her birthday as the drone strikes thud close by.
Stop the music, she tells her mom. That's the fourth explosion, she says.
On security footage in Bryansk near the Ukraine border, you can hear one of the drones before it hits.
Russian officials vowed a punishing response.
But Moscow's revenge attacks are no match for carefully planned strikes on targets picked to cause maximum disruption.
And to force Russians to see their Ukraine war coming home.
Matthew Chance, CNN, London. (END VIDEOTAPE)
NOBILO: For more analysis we're joined by Stephen Wright, a senior research fellow at the University of the West of England, Bristol, and he's an expert in avionics and aircraft systems. Stephen, great to speak to you this morning. Thanks so much for joining us.
First of all, if you could paint a picture of the relative capabilities of Russia and Ukraine when it comes to drones, because there's increasing signs of self-sufficiency from both. I'm reminded that at the beginning of the war, Ukraine was relying so much on commercial and sort of hobbyist drones for use on the battlefield.
STEPHEN WRIGHT, SR. RESEARCH FELLOW, UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST OF ENGLAND BRISTOL: Both sides have definitely expanded their capability. The interesting aspect of all this is one thing that drones always rely on, and that's electronics. And that's something that the Russians are conspicuously short on.
They had an attempt years ago to found their own electronics industry and it didn't really work and so they've been heavily relying on Western electronics effects and been smuggled into Russia.
The Ukrainians obviously have got the support of the whole Western world. The interesting joker in the pack as it were though is China and China pretty much holds the technology that's widely used in both sides vehicles.
NOBILO: Ukraine has started to up its attacks on Russian soil using drones. Right now though, they're not creating a huge impact on the ground and not having far-reaching military consequences. So what is the central purpose and is that likely to evolve?
WRIGHT: Absolutely, I mean, clearly the Ukrainians aren't going to bomb Moscow and Russia into submission with a few drones. It's one lesson that history has certainly taught us about the resilience of Russia in terms of taking cognizance on a tactical and also technological level, it forces the Russians of Moscow, particularly with the attacks there, to reveal their defense capability and perhaps more importantly, and this sort of points the way to how these sort of weapons are going to matter in the future, it soaks up these expensive, what I always think of as Cold War systems, using very, very cheap drones.
And so eventually, essentially, you're going to be able to overwhelm your sheer numbers and we're seeing that already with a few drones getting through as part of a mass attack. It's a whole new weapon of war and everyone and I mean everybody is exploring it as both a threat and an opportunity.
It's very interesting to see it evolving in this larger picture.
NOBILO: Certainly, I mean never have so many drones been used in a military confrontation before.
WRIGHT: Indeed.
NOBILO: What do the drone attacks that Ukraine has carried out on Russian soil so far tell us or expose about Russian defense capability that we didn't know before?
WRIGHT: Well, yes, they've certainly got some capability and we're certainly seeing their ability to use electronics. The Russians are very resourceful with the sort of equipment they have available.
Having said that, on the other side of the coin, the actual actuators, they're still essentially chasing these things with missiles and that's pretty much what everybody's trying to do at the moment. The whole world is really scrambling to come up with a whole new set of defensive technologies.
I know what I'd do and I know what I'd do to counter me as well and so this is the beginning of a much, much larger race and a whole new way of weapons of war, really.
From a warfighting point of view, perhaps what's more interesting as well is, we've just seen it in the previous report, was the destruction of Russian aircraft and their airfields by just smaller drones.
[03:40:08]
So, and that's where, yes, this really is starting to matter, because imagine the amount of treasure and effort and technology that would have to be deployed to destroy one of these aircraft in the air in order to be able to take one of these things out on the ground with relatively low technology and a handful of drones. That's really quite spectacular in my mind.
NOBILO: Yeah, you're absolutely right, Stephen. It really brings in another quite asymmetric component here. And of course drones serve so many purposes with surveillance and reconnaissance and also maritime drones. I wish we had more time, but hopefully we can speak again. Stephen Wright, thank you so much for joining us with your insight.
The United Nations has proposed terms to Russia for the renewal of the Black Sea Grain Deal, which is critical for global food supply. Secretary General Antonio Guterres said on Thursday that he sent a letter with concrete proposals to Russia's foreign minister. But Guterres warned that any renewal of the deal must be stable and not, quote, "move from crisis to crisis, suspension to suspension."
Russia's foreign minister Sergey Lavrov said Moscow wants to see some guarantees.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SERGEY LAVROV, RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER (through translator): As you know, President Putin has repeatedly officially stated clearly that all measures are taken not on the negotiations of the Russian part of the Black Sea package, but measures are taken to solve all problems that have remained unfulfilled. Despite the promises of the UN Secretary General, who efforts we appreciate. But as soon as the talks turn into more concrete decisions on the same day, we are ready to resume the Ukrainian part of the grain package.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NOBILO: Russia pulled out of the U.N.-brokered deal in July. The Black Sea agreement allowed for safe passage of Ukrainian and Russian exports of grain, fertilizer and other goods.
Still ahead for you today, FIFA's president condemns Luis Rubiales nearly two weeks after the Spanish football chief forcibly kissed a female player. We're live in Madrid with the latest.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NOBILO: In the coming hours, the coach of Spain's men's national football team is due to announce his squad line up for matches during the qualifying phase of Euro 2024. Luis de Lula Fuente can expect questions about Spanish football's chief, Luis Rubiales, currently under temporary suspension after forcibly kissing a player at the Women's World Cup final last month.
And now the president of UEFA, Europe's football governing body, has broken his silence. Aleksander Ceferin calling Rubiales' behavior inappropriate. His comments came just hours before the high-stakes Champions League draw which decides which teams will face off in the early stages of the competition.
[03:45:00]
CNN's Atika Shubert joins me now from Madrid. Atika when you listen to players on the women's team, they've been mentioning how frustrating it is that their incredible win has been overshadowed by this scandal. And there's really no signs of it abating.
ATIKA SHUBERT, JOURNALIST: No, not at all. In fact, the pressure just seems to be increasing. We're also waiting today for a possible decision from the sports tribunal on whether or not Rubiales will be investigated and suspended.
And keep in mind that the number of complaints against Rubiales has gone from the single complaint that was filed on the night of the World Cup to 16, everything from allegations of sexual aggression to abuse of power. So it really does seem to be increasing the pressure on him. And we spoke to the man who filed that very first complaint. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SHUBERT (voice-over): At the moment of Spain's triumph, an unwanted kiss now threatens to bring down Luis Rubiales, the powerful president of the Spanish Football Federation.
Rubiales apologized, but it was not enough, and he became the target of national anger, a wave against sexism and sport triggered in part by Miguel Angel Galan at his unassuming office in Madrid, officially the head of the National Training Center for Football Coaches, unofficially the longtime nemesis of Rubiales and the Football Federation.
He says he has filed more than 50 complaints against the Federation, one of which landed the previous president in prison. Now, he hopes to take down another with this kiss.
It was a sexist and intolerable act, a chauvinistic act, he said to CNN, by a president who is already plagued by corruption scandals and sexism.
Steeped in tradition, Spain's Royal Football Federation has long ruled over the nation's lucrative football fortunes. When this furor broke, Spain's prosecutor was already investigating Rubiales for trafficking in influence and bribery.
Allegations, Rubiales, has consistently denied. CNN has reached out to both the federation and Rubiales. Neither have responded.
And now women footballers have entered the professional ranks. They are demanding equal pay, rights and structural change, says the president of Spain's women's league, La Liga F, Beatriz Alvarez, who's had her own disagreements with Rubiales.
In that federation meeting, that totally delirious speech he made, she says, look at how they applauded him. It is unacceptable. It shows that more than the president has to change, the entire model has to change.
As the scandal grows at the Rubiales hometown church, his mother went on hunger strike to support her embattled son. Briefly hospitalized, she continues to defend his innocence, even as others close to him are speaking out.
His own uncle, Juan Rubiales, told Spanish news "El Mundo" that the kiss was just the tip of the iceberg.
I was not surprised by that at all, he said. He is an extremely arrogant man who has not acted as a president should. Instead of being a political leader, he wanted to be a warrior who sees ghosts and enemies everywhere, he said. In the end, his own worst enemy was himself.
Spain's historic win at the Women's World Cup, it seems, is forging a path for change in more ways than one.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SHUBERT (on-camera): It all means a crisis for the Federation. Keep in mind that Rubiales' uncle, Juan Rubiales, was actually his chief of staff at the Federation and claims to have witnessed a number of allegations of corruption and abuse of power. So all of this is beginning to resurface now.
But the Federation is trying to push ahead, business as usual, waiting for this press conference from Luis de la Fuentes, who I should point out is not just the coach of the men's team, but was one of the men who applauded Rubiales when he defiantly refused to resign.
Critics of Rubiales are saying it shouldn't just be Rubiales who resigns, but those who applauded him as well, such as de la Fuente. So he could be facing some of those questions at the press conference later today, Bianca.
NOBILO: Atika Shubert in Madrid for us. Thank you.
Spanish football star Aitana Bonmati called out abuses of power on Thursday during her acceptance speech after winning UEFA's Women's Player of the Year. The midfielder also voiced support for teammate Jenny Jaramoso, who was forcibly kissed by Spain's football chief at the Women's World Cup final.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
AITANA BONMATI, SPAIN MIDFIELDER, UEFA WOMEN'S PLAYER OF THE YEAR (through translator): We're not experiencing a great moment in Spanish football. We just won the World Cup, but nobody is talking about that much because things have happened I wish hadn't.
[03:50:02]
I think as a society we shouldn't allow abuses of power in a work relationship, as well as a lack of respect. So from my teammate Jenny, to all the women who suffer the same, we are with you. I hope we keep working to improve society.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NOBILO: Chinese tech firms are jumping into the artificial intelligence race. Two companies released A.I. bots to the public on Thursday, and they hope to rival the big names that we all know now, like ChatGPT and other global competitors leading this fast-growing industry.
CNN's Michelle Toh reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MICHELLE TOH, CNN BUSINESS: Chinese tech firms Baidu and SenseTime have just launched their answers to the ChatGPT craze, rolling out their A.I. bots today to the general public. The move marks a new milestone in the global A.I. race, which is heating up.
Baidu, for one, is now letting all users get their hands on its platform, which is dubbed ERNIE bot. The tool allows users to conduct AI-powered searches or carry out an array of tasks, from creating videos, to making newsletters, to providing summaries of complex documents.
Now the news sent Baidu's shares up immediately, surging more than 3 percent in New York on Wednesday and nearly 5 percent higher in Hong Kong on Thursday. Baidu is among the first companies in China to get regulatory approval for this rollout, and it's the first to launch this type of service publicly, a source tells me. Until now, ERNIE bot had been offered only to corporate clients or
select members of the public who'd requested access through a wait list.
Meanwhile, SenseTime, which is an A.I. startup based here in Hong Kong, also announced the public launch of its own platform today. The company's stock surged 4 percent in Hong Kong after the news.
Now Baidu has been a front-runner in China in the race to capitalize on the excitement around generative A.I., the tech behind systems like ChatGPT or its successor, GPT-4.
Baidu announced its own iteration back in February, giving it an early advantage in China, according to analysts. Since then, though, competitors like Alibaba have also announced plans to launch their GPT-style tools, adding to the list of Chinese businesses jumping on this bandwagon.
Now, Alibaba told CNN today it had filed for regulatory approval for its own bot, which was introduced in April. To stand out, companies are now showing off how their tech can be used for different scenarios. Baidu says its service is different because of its ability to generate various types of responses like text, images, audio and video.
SenseTime has touted a range of features which it says lets users write code more efficiently or receive personalized medical advice.
Michelle Toh, CNN, Hong Kong.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NOBILO: Still coming up for you this hour, a big reveal from pop star Taylor Swift, a preview of what she's bringing to the big screen just ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NOBILO: John Isner waved farewell to singles tennis on Thursday in a fitting way for the 38-year-old long career on the court. The 6'10" American was defeated by fellow countryman Michael Moore in the second round of the U.S. Open in a nearly four-hour long marathon match.
Isner held back tears and thanked the fans for their support. Among his career highlights, the 16-time winner on the ATP Tour took part in the longest singles match of all time. Winning a match at Wimbledon in 2010 after a staggering 11 hours and five minutes of play, breaking numerous records in the process.
[03:55:07]
Lewis Hamilton will remain a Mercedes driver in Formula One until at least the end of the 2025 season. That's after the team announced a contract extension on Thursday. The seven-time world champion joined Mercedes back in 2013. Hamilton owns the outright record for most race wins in F1 history with 103. He said, we've never been hungrier to win.
And pop star Taylor Swift is taking her record-breaking Eras Tour to the big screen. The megastar rolled out the trailer for her upcoming concert film on Thursday.
(VIDEO PLAYING)
It's called, imaginatively, Taylor Swift, the Eras Tour concert film. And starting October 13th, it will splash onto screens in the United States, Canada and Mexico, according to a news release from one theater chain. Tickets are already on sale. With Swift also posting this reminder, singing and dancing along in Eras attire is encouraged.
Speaking of exciting attire, one of the members of the supergroup ABBA is 73, but that's not stopping her from relaunching her solo career.
(AUDIO CLIP PLAYING)
That's Agnetha Falstog with her new single, Where Do We Go From Here. She soared to fame with ABBA in the 1970s, but was a successful singer in Sweden before that. ABBA has rebounded from retirement with its own new album, Voyage, and a virtual concert show. Agnetha's new song is included in a re-imagining of her 2013 album called A. She says it was made with a good feeling and that she's thankful that she still has her voice.
I'm Bianca Nobilo, live in London. And I'll be back in a few minutes if I can run to the other studio in time with more "CNN Newsroom" with Max Foster. See you soon.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
