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Deadly 6.0 Earthquake Hits Afghanistan; President Xi Jinping Promoting Chinese Leadership, Meeting with World Leaders in Summit; China Readies Military Parade; Israeli Government Discuss Gaza Takeover; President Trump to Deploy National Guard to Chicago, Governor Pritzker Says No Communication from Washington; Poe Leo XIV Comments on Gun Control; France Prepares To Loan Fragile Bayeux Tapestry To London. Aired 2-2:45a ET

Aired September 01, 2025 - 02:00   ET

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

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BEN HUNTE, CNN HOST: Hello wherever you are in the world. You are now in the "CNN Newsroom" with me, Ben Hunte in Atlanta, and it is so good to have you with me. Coming up on the show, hundreds are feared dead in Afghanistan after a devastating earthquake. We're bringing you a live report of the very latest.

A major gathering of world leaders in China. Putin and Xi seeking to transform the current world order to shift power away from the U.S.

And the Israeli military is moving forward and plans to take control of Gaza City despite global pressure to end the war.

Let's get right to the breaking news that we're following from Afghanistan. A state-run media there is reporting that hundreds of people are dead following a strong earthquake near the eastern border with Pakistan. CNN's Hanako Montgomery is joining us live. Thank you so much for being with me, Hanako. What is the latest?

HANAKO MONTGOMERY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Ben. It's good to see you. So, as you said, the death toll is expected to be much, much higher as we get more information from Afghanistan in the coming hours and days. In fact, in a statement, the Afghanistan Health Ministry said, quote, "the number of casualties and injuries is high, but since the area is difficult to access, our teams are still on site."

And this really speaks to just how difficult it's going to be to actually get to those in need. And it actually also speaks to how high the death toll could be then. And there are several factors here that I'd want to note. The first is the fact that this earthquake was quite shallow. The earthquake measured about eight kilometers in depth and usually with earthquakes the more shallow they are, the more damage they can cause.

Now the second key factor here is the location of where this earthquake actually hit. Eastern Afghanistan as you said. Now Eastern Afghanistan is quite rural and many of these homes are actually made with mud bricks. Those are not earthquake proof, they're not earthquake resistant, so it could mean a lot more damage. Now, the third factor here is the fact that in Afghanistan, there have been years and years of conflict and political and economic turmoil, which could mean it's more difficult to get resources to those in need.

Now, the fourth and final factor here that could contribute to a higher death toll, Ben, is the time of day that this earthquake actually occurred -- 11:47 p.m. local time. Now that's usually a time when most people are getting ready for bed or they're asleep. So it means that it's more difficult for people to respond quickly, to evacuate their homes in the event of an emergency. So again, rescue operators could find themselves sifting through rubble as they try to find any remaining survivors.

Now, in terms of the rescue operations currently underway, the government has said that rescue teams have been dispatched from the capital and also from nearby provinces. But again, due to landslides and aftershocks that have happened after that initial 6.0 magnitude earthquake, the rescue operations are going to be a bit more difficult and they are going to be hindered slightly.

And again, these factors are really what we saw back in 2023 when an earthquake of a similar magnitude, 6.3, ravaged the country as well, killing more than 2,000 people. And again, Ben, as we get more information in the coming hours, we will update you in terms of how those operations are ongoing and how many people are feared dead. Ben?

HUNTE: Thank you for those updates, Hanako Montgomery. Appreciate it.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping is touting his country and its partnerships as a stabilizing force in what he calls a quote, "fluid and chaotic moment in history." That message comes on the final day of a landmark security summit in Tianjin, China. Mr. Xi is hosting leaders and dignitaries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, including Russian President Vladimir Putin.

On Sunday, Mr. Xi praised the group as a quote, "pivotal force in advancing a new type of international relations" as he positions China as a powerful counterweight to the United States and the West. CNN's Steven Zhang joins me now from Tianjin. We've seen some of the headlines from the past few hours. While opening today's session, China's president said the world is facing turbulence and transformation and that leaders need to oppose bullying behavior. Was that a clear swipe of President Trump?

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STEVEN JIANG, CNN BEIHING BUREAU CHIEF: Well, Ben, you know, these days Donald Trump is always the elephant not in the room when it comes to international relations. But what's also interesting, noteworthy of course, as you said, Xi made a point about saying the world is facing lot of uncertainty and chaos, but what he did not say, of course, is a large part of that was caused by his close friend and partner Putin who is sitting right there. And Putin actually already spoke at this Monday opening session as

well, reiterating a lot of Russia's long-standing talking points about the war in Ukraine, blaming the U.S., blaming the West. But he also mentioned he would brief other leaders in attendance about the talks he held recently with Donald Trump in Alaska about efforts to end this war.

But Putin also very much echoing Xi when it comes to the growing importance and influence of this organization that both countries co- founded 24 years ago because they're really trying to present this alternative vision for the world in which the international order is not dominated by the U.S. and its alliances. And in their words, this is going to be a fairer multipolar system where smaller countries, developing countries will have a bigger say in regional and international affairs.

And that vision of course made perhaps more appealing thanks to what Trump has been doing as he continues to upend global trade and America's traditional alliances and partnerships, including countries like India, which for years had been groomed to become a counterweight to a fast-rising China. But because of all these unexpected negative turns in India's relationship with Washington, now we see India's Prime Minister Modi here in Tianjin, his first trip to China in seven years after a years-long diplomatic deep freeze between the two countries because of their border disputes and clashes.

Now, Modi is all warm and fuzzy with Xi Jinping talking about friendly neighborly relations and reviving all these bilateral ties on multiple fronts with Xi praising him for making the right choice. And then you know in this kind of multilateral settings, what's more revealing often doesn't come from formal settings or speeches, but out of these candid photo moments, which we have seen plenty in the past two days with Modi and Putin, for example, sharing a car ride to the meeting venue.

And just earlier on Monday, Putin, Modi and Xi having this huddle session, a lot of hearty laughter to show their close rapport, not to mention that a moment on Sunday night when Xi greeted Putin in such an animated fashion that was highly unusual for the usually restrained and stoic Chinese leader, really a lot of smiles and gesturing, showing how close the two men remain to be despite the growing Western pressure on Putin to end this war in Ukraine, despite pressure on China to do something about it.

It's just highly unlikely Xi would do or say much about this at this summit about his friend Putin, and that of course is in spite of China's public claim of neutrality in this war as well as its pledge to become a potential peacemaker. Ben?

HUNTE: Well, all right. Thank you, Steven Jiang. Appreciate it.

Beijing is preparing to host a massive military parade following the summit this week. The expected guest list includes more than two dozen world leaders like Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korea's Kim Jong-un. CNN's Marc Stewart reports.

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MARC STEWART, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A synchronized show of strength in China, soldiers march in formation late into the night. A dress rehearsal for a massive military parade, celebrating 80 years since World War II ended.

(On camera): What kind of message do you think this parade will send to the world from China?

Li HONGMEI, BEIJING TOURIST (through translation): I believe that this military parade will have a big international influence especially in showcasing our military might. It's going to be a great event.

STEWART (voice-over): There's excitement here among the locals. A rare chance to get up close to these war machines.

And this mysterious site. Warheads wrapped like gifts until the big reveal. Fighter jets soar in the sky as the world's largest military is set to show off its latest additions, including drones and hypersonic weapons.

A point of pride as China faces constant tension with the U.S. and its allies over its claims to the South China Sea and Taiwan.

(On camera): We're driving here along Tiananmen Square. The seats are now empty, but this is where we will see Chinese officials and world leaders, including Russia's Vladimir Putin. And the parade will extend here along Chang'an Avenue for miles.

The 70-minute parade is a chance for Chinese President Xi Jinping to show off in front of world leaders, as he did during the victory parade 10 years ago. Parades like this eclipse similar events in the United States.

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The bold display comes as China asserts itself as a strong superpower.

UNKNOWN (through translation): Now China is acting more outward- looking and more assertive. I think this is in line with China's current strength.

STEWART (voice-over): Strength now tested by the U.S. trade war and a shaky domestic economy. The show of muscle aims to bring feelings of stability to the billion plus people who live here and sending a message to the world, China is a force. Marc Stewart, CNN, Beijing.

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HUNTE: Israel appears ready to proceed with its military takeover of Gaza City despite mounting pressure at home and abroad. On Sunday, the Israeli security cabinet reviewed the military plans. Two Israeli officials tell CNN, that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is also considering a full annexation of the West Bank or partial annexation of selected settlements. Outside the meeting, Israeli protesters called for the release of

hostages and a ceasefire deal with Hamas. Israel hasn't responded to the latest proposal, which Hamas accepted two weeks ago. Over the weekend, the Israeli military carried out intense strikes in and around Gaza City, killing at least 71 people.

The International Committee of the Red Cross is one of many groups condemning Israel's plan to take over the city. Red Cross president says a mass evacuation of Gaza City is unfeasible and incomprehensible.

Earlier, we spoke with the spokesperson of the International Committee of the Red Cross and asked what conditions Palestinians in and around Gaza City are facing to prevent them from evacuating.

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STEVE DORSEY, SPOKESPERSON, INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE OF THE RED CROSS: Yeah, they are being forced to endure areas where there are no roads, where there are piles of rubble, where there is no access to clean, safe drinking water, to medical care, to food. In many places throughout the Gaza Strip, there are massive areas of unexploded ordnance as well. So this is really impossible to do in a safe and dignified way for a city, largest city in Gaza, a half million people.

And we know many of these people, these civilians will be staying behind because many of them are starving, they're sick, they're disabled, they're elderly, they're injured, and they have nowhere else to go.

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HUNTE: Okay, still to come, a massive deployment of federal troops and agents may be headed to Chicago, but the Illinois governor says no one has told him anything about it. More details just ahead.

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HUNTE: Lawmakers on Capitol Hill are getting ready to head back to the office after their August break. They rushed out of town amid the Jeffrey Epstein file saga, going home to their districts to face voters after passing President Trump's signature tax bill. Congress will have to deal with funding the government right away, because the funding deadline is September 30th. Congress may also decide if it will impose new sanctions on Russia and how to address some of Trump's latest firings.

Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker says no one in Washington has told him about plans to deploy the National Guard to Chicago. Sources tell CNN potentially thousands of troops and hundreds of federal agents as well as armored vehicles could be in the city as soon as Friday. President Trump is looking to push these large-scale immigration and crime deterrent operations in major cities across the country during the ire of democratic leaders like Pritzker. He continues to push back against any potential move, saying in part, quote, "no one in the administration, the president or anybody under him has called anyone in my administration or me. So it's clear that in secret they're planning this. It's an invasion with U.S. troops if they in fact do that."

Meanwhile, the U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security is offering the same potential federal presence to other cities.

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KRISTI NOEM, U.S. HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY: I'd encourage every single big city, San Francisco, Boston, Chicago, whatever they are, if they want to help make their city safer, more prosperous, allow people the opportunity to walk in freedom like the people of Washington, D.C. are now, and enjoying going out to eat at night and not having to worry if they're going to be a victim of a carjacking or a robbery, they should call us.

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HUNTE: Earlier I spoke with Savannah Bermann, a Senate correspondent for the "National Journal." I asked her how the president's moves are affecting politics in Chicago and what lawmakers are saying. Here's a part of the conversation.

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SAVANNAH BERMANN, SENATE CORRESPONDENT, NATIONAL JOURNAL: I was just in Chicago where I had a chance to interview some Chicago based representatives who are running the Senate Democratic primary there, Representatives Robert Kelly and representative Krishnamoorthi. And they talk about how much this is already coming up on the campaign trail as they're talking to constituents, as they're getting out and talking to voters, and how much this is resonating with not only people in Chicago, but people downstate as well.

And you know, Krishnamoorthi told me in an interview that he thinks it's illegal, that he thinks it's going against the Posse Comitatus Act. And Representative Robin Kelly as well said it was very hypocritical. So, it's not something that's only being addressed here at the federal level and it's not only something impacting people here in D.C. It's something that's really trickling downstate as well in Illinois.

HUNTE: We have heard Democrats call the police and move illegal and unconstitutional. How much legal weight does that argument actually carry and could lawsuits potentially stop the deployments?

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BERMANN: Absolutely. As we know, that this is already being tied up in the courts. Trump's earlier sending of National Guard troops in Los Angeles is also facing its own kind of precipice in the court as we're awaiting some judge decisions there as well. So, it has a lot of legal ramifications and a lot of questions here over exactly what his authority is. Now, if President Trump decides to send National Guard troops to Chicago on the same premise as Los Angeles, there aren't riots happening in Chicago like there were in Los Angeles for him to declare that emergency for.

Now, could Republican governors send their National Guard troops to a blue state like Chicago and Illinois? And I think that's one of the legal questions that a lot of experts are asking, and if that's the route that Trump and Republican lawmakers will be taking here. So there's a lot of legal questions happening in this case, and a lot of it is being tied up in the courts currently.

HUNTE: You can hear our entire discussion in the next hour right here on CNN.

Okay, Pope Leo has spoken out on what he described as the pandemic of arms, the Pontiff's message for his international audience when we come back. Don't go anywhere.

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HUNTE: Father Dennis Zehren addressed his Minneapolis congregation for the first mass since the shooting that killed two children and injured 18 other people. The service brought together a grieving community. It was held in the school's auditorium just steps away from the sanctuary where the shooter fired through stained-class windows at students in prayer.

Pope Leo is pleading for an end to what he called the pandemic of arms following his Sunday Angelus prayer in St. Peter's Square. This was his first public comment on gun control since becoming head of the Catholic Church. The Pope also offered prayers to the victims of the shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis.

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POPE LEO XIV, HEAD FO THE CATHOLIC CHURCH: We include in our prayers the countless children killed and injured every day around the world. Let us plead God to stop the pandemic of arms, large and small, which infects our world.

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HUNTE: CNN Vatican correspondent Christopher Lamb has more for us.

CHRISTOPHERR LAMB, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Pope Leo XIV making a strong appeal to end the proliferation of arms that he sees across the world today and speaking after the tragic shooting at a Catholic school in Minnesota. Leo XIV, the first American Pope in the Church's history, speaking in English on Sunday as he condemned the pandemic of arms both large and small. Leo XIV making his first public remarks about the question of gun control since his election on the 8th of May this year. Of course, Leo able to speak in English as his mother tongue and therefore his words having a greater resonance as he spoke out about this pandemic of arms which he sees. Leo, when he initially responded to the school shooting sent to Telegram which offered his condolences to the victims but didn't get into the question of gun control.

Today, he (inaudible) into that territory albeit diplomatically. He called for prayers once again for the victims and for all children who are caught up in violence, who are being injured and killed he said every day. Now, Leo XIV in keeping with his predecessor Pope Francis who condemned the arms trade, Leo has done that repeatedly. Pope Francis also called or warned about the widespread use of guns by civilians, which he said could become a habit.

Leo didn't quite go as far as France is today, but making his views very clear about the widespread proliferation of arms, both large and small, and which he sees as injuring and damaging the lives of children, killing children in so many places today, and particularly following that tragic school shooting in Minnesota. Christopher Lamb, CNN. London.

HUNTE: A controversial cultural exchange between France and England aims to temporarily relocate a medieval tapestry to London. Coming up, we'll unpack the excitement and the backlash. See you in a bit.

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BEN HUNTE, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back.

Crowds flocked to view the priceless Bayeux Tapestry in France over the weekend, before it moves to London's British Museum. This comes as part of a cultural exchange between the two countries, while the Bayeux Museum undergoes a two-year renovation.

Although the loan is temporary, there's a growing concern that relocating the nearly 1,000-year-old work of art could cause significant damage to it. Over 60,000 petitioners have already spoken out against French President Emmanuel Macron's decision to move it. Despite this, the British Museum believes its conservationists are equipped to handle the fragile transfer.

Well, joining me now to dive deeper into all of this live from Oxford, England, is Trevor Rowley. He's an emeritus fellow of Kellogg College at the University of Oxford.

Let's kick off with a bit of a background. Why is the Bayeux Tapestry considered such an important piece of history? Why does it matter so much?

TREVOR ROWLEY, EMERITUS FELLOW OF KELLOGG COLLEGE, UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD: Well, it's a unique artifact. There's nothing like it anywhere in the world. It's nearly a thousand years old. And it tells the story of an extremely important event in English, British and European history, the conquest of England. [02:35:11]

HUNTE: The origins of the tapestry are still debated. What do we know about who actually made it and where it was created, and why?

ROWLEY: Well, I think that there's a lot -- most people now believe that it was sponsored by William's half-brother, William the Conqueror's half-brother, a man called Odo, Bishop Odo of Bayeux. He was a man of considerable self-regard who wanted to make a big splash after the conquest.

But we believe that it was actually made in England, in Canterbury, at the abbey of Saint Augustine's, which had a workshop, a needlework workshop, which had a very high reputation.

HUNTE: The tapestry is due to come to the U.K. in 2026 during the Bayeux Museum's renovation. Tell me how significant it is that this is heading to London?

ROWLEY: Well, I think it's immensely important and immensely significant because it hasn't actually been in this country in England since the 11th century. So, it's nearly a thousand years, and so it'll give the opportunity to a very large number of people, particularly younger people, to see something which they'll have heard about and will have seen pictures of, but they'll never have actually seen the, you know, the magnificence of the -- of the real thing.

HUNTE: But there has been a lot of controversy surrounding the move, right? Some art historians argue that transporting this tapestry could cause some serious damage. How real are the risks of moving such a fragile thousand-year-old object?

ROWLEY: I think that there's always a risk when you move art objects, particularly fragile ones like this. But it has been moved in the past. It was moved in 1944. It was taken to the Louvre to celebrate the liberation of France. It was moved into a chateau for safety at the beginning of the war.

So, it has -- it has been moved. And I think that there are enough safeguards to make sure that it will not be damaged in any significant way. And I don't believe that those people who are responsible for it, the conservators, both in London and in Paris, would allow it to be moved unless they were absolutely certain that it would be safe.

HUNTE: So, with that being said, then why do you think that there's such a strong backlash and all of these people have signed this petition?

ROWLEY: I guess, I don't know, maybe there's a political reason for this. I think if you if you set up a petition and somebody will sign it, I don't -- I don't know what the real motives are behind the -- the movement against it, but I don't think that it's a genuine concern. Or at least it is a genuine concern. But I think that it has already been answered by those professionals whose job it is to ensure that artifacts like this are conserved. HUNTE: If there is political, say, these people who have signed this

petition do get their way. Would you be disappointed if it doesn't make it to the U.K.?

ROWLEY: Oh, I would be immensely disappointed. It is such an amazing work. It's -- it is full of humor, of pathos, of tragedy. Everyone can associate with it.

It is -- it is -- accessible to people of all ages and can be interpreted a very wide range of levels. It's an -- it's an extraordinary document. And the chance to get to see it in this country is terrific. And I would be desperately disappointed if it didn't arrive here.

HUNTE: Okay, let's see what happens. Learn a lot from that. Thank you. Trevor Rowley from Kellogg College at the University of Oxford.

ROWLEY: Thank you. Thank you very much.

HUNTE: A startling sight at a Pennsylvania amusement park had guests rushing into action. If you look closely at this, you can see a child in this video walking high up on a monorail track at Hershey Park on Saturday, shocking the crowd gathered below. Wow. Crazy.

A bystander climbed onto the roof of a concession stand, then onto the tracks to rescue that child. He passed the child to another man, who safely returned the boy to his family.

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The rescuer later credited his dad instincts for kicking in.

Wild, gosh.

Thank you so much for joining me. Thats all I've got for you. I'm Ben Hunte in Atlanta.

"WORLD SPORT" is up next. Then I'll be back in 15 minutes with more CNN NEWSROOM. See you in a moment.

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