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Hala Gorani Tonight
Europe Swelters From A Heat Wave, The Call For Calm From Zimbabwe's President As The Turmoil Still Swirls From Monday's Contentious Election, Deal Or No Deal; Alleged Russian Spy Was Discovered Working In The US Embassy In Moscow; Heat Wave Breaks Records IN Parts Of The World; China Threatens New Tariffs As Trade Dispute Escalates; Trump Renews Attacks On Media At Campaign Rally; Harvey Weinstein Seeks Dismissal Of Sexual Assault Charges; Suspect In Texas Doctor's Killing Commits Suicide. Aired 3-4p ET
Aired August 03, 2018 - 15:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HANNAH VAUGHAN JONES, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Hello, everyone. Live from London, I`m Hannah Vaughan Jones in for Hala Gorani. As Europe
swelters from a heat wave, we are live in Madrid where temperatures could break all records. Also tonight, the call for calm from Zimbabwe's
President as the turmoil still swirls from Monday's contentious election and starkly different messages over election meddling just hours after his
intelligence officials stand together to warn of Russia's efforts to influence the midterms, President Trump says again that it is a hoax.
Well, a very warm welcome to our viewers joining us from around the world. We are here on a hot evening in London where we've been treated to sizzling
temperatures all day, but the British capital has nothing on our European counterparts to the south. You are baking in temperatures, they aren't
just uncomfortable, they are downright dangerous at times.
In Spain and Portugal, some areas are on red alert as a mass of exceptionally hot air moves up from Northern Africa. We're talking
temperatures here of in excess of 40 degrees Centigrade, the surge of heat could leave people facing the hottest day ever recorded in Europe. Now,
authorities warn that the very young and the very old are most at risk from these temperatures almost 11,000 firefighters currently on standby to
tackle a potential forest fire as well.
CNN Espanol producer Paola Mosquera joins us now from Madrid. Pao, we're here in the British capital, there though in the Spanish capital, you are
really feeling the heat. Tell us what's been going on today.
PAOLA MOSQUERA, ESPANOL PRODUCER, CNN: Good afternoon, Hannah from Madrid where the temperatures had no mercy on us. The mercury already reached 39
degrees Celsius through the afternoon, which would be around 100 degrees Fahrenheit, this is because much of the Iberian peninsula is being affected
by this year's first heat wave which is expected to have temperatures to soar peaking at 45 degrees Celsius and already, just yesterday, in Cordoba
in the south of Spain and today in (inaudible) that's because the southwest of the peninsula is going to be the most affected by this heat, all the
places around the border, Portugal and Spain.
Forecasters have already warned potentially record breaking temperatures within all the peninsula though we still have not exceeded the European
continental record set on 48 degrees Celsius which would be around 120 degrees Fahrenheit that was set in Athens, the capital of Greece.
This hot spell is caused by a big mass of hot African air that is invading both Portugal and Spain and actually, the autonomous community of Murcia
already reported the first two deaths related to those extreme temperatures. Authorities throughout Spain have already warned vacationers
and populations to avoid walking in the middle of a street during the middle hours of the day as well as drinking as much water as possible.
But besides the temperatures, Hannah, the National Weather Service has reported that the ultraviolet radiation is going to be really high through
these last three days of heat wave as well as there is going to be a high risk of fire in the different forests through the country, Hannah.
JONES: Yes, and it's not just warnings from the authorities going out to locals in Spain, of course, this time of year, you get an influx of
tourists largely coming from Britain as well, from where I am, what kind of information is there for tourists who are just about to set off on their
summer holidays and into this heat wave?
MOSQUERA: Both Health Ministry and the Ministry of Interior have warned all the population and the vacationers to avoid the central hours of the
day which goes from midday to 4:00 p.m. and so they can stay in the shadow of streets or maybe staying at home by the presence of an air conditioning
which absolutely would make this fresher and easier for all of them, and also something very important is to keep themselves hydrated by drinking at
least 1.5 liters of water per day, Hannah.
JONES: Yes, good advice as always there. And aside from the tourists there and from the residents what about the economy in Spain? I'm thinking
about the agricultural sector, farmers, how have they been affected by these soaring temperatures?
MOSQUERA: Actually, there was a region that was actually really affected by this heat and I'm referring Huelva in the southwest of Spain. There was
a fire that was reported yesterday by 4:00 in the afternoon and right now, like one hour ago, the authorities have already reported that it is under
control, but it's estimated that this fire may have burned up to 1,400 hectares of this area.
[15:05:11]
MOSQUERA: So, for sure, this is going to affect all the people and all the farmers that are in that area, Hannah.
JONES: Paolo, we appreciate it. Thanks for your reporting there from the Spanish capital. Now, it's not just Europe sweating through this summer,
but what seems like the entire world -- from China to California, record heat waves have been recorded on four continents and in many cases, it has
been deadly. Andrew Stevens reports on that.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
ANDREW STEVENS, CORRESPONDENT, CNN: Taking shade is just not going to cut it in China if temperatures continue to rise as they have been. Scientists
predict that the nation's northern plain including Beijing is set to become the world's deadliest heat wave zone by 2070.
A study by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology predicts 35-degree heat combined with extreme humidity, even healthy people may not be able to
survive the six hours more in those type of conditions. The region is home to 400 million people. The land is some of the most fertile farming lands
in China.
In Japan, the heat is already deadly. This week, a record high temperature was set in Kumagaya City, northwest of Tokyo. At least 100 people have
died in Japan in the last month alone. Many of them elderly.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (Through a translator): Considering my age, I can't really push myself, so I am usually inactive or just stay at home.
STEVENS: And people are struggling to cool down in South Korea. Temperatures there hitting a record high in the capital on Wednesday. Then
there's Death Valley in the US state of California known for its scorching heat with a new record for the hottest month anywhere in the world, an
average of 42.3 degrees. As the dry, hot weather has made it hard to farm and to put out fires elsewhere in California.
In other parts of the world, not normally known for intense heat, Europe has set four record highs this week, after an already sweltering summer for
people all the way through Scandinavia to the edge of the Arctic circle.
FRANCOIS JOBARD, METEO FRANCE WEATHER FORECASTER (Through a translator): Many record temperatures were reached in Scandinavia where at night, the
thermometers didn't go below 20 degrees Celsius beyond the Polar circle. So that's really unheard of. Just the situation which has lasted
throughout June and July, it is quite remarkable.
STEVENS: For Spain and Portugal, it's thought the worst this summer is yet to come. Meteorologists expect heat waves across the world to get hotter
start earlier and to last longer. We can already see what effect that's having. Andrew Stevens, CNN.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
JONES: So, when is this suppressive heat going to let up. Allison Chinchar has more on that from our World Weather Center and Allison, it's
just 8:00 in the evening here in London and we are not used to this kind of temperatures. Everyone if you can hear is out on the streets of London
enjoying it at the moment, but it's set to get much, much hotter I guess, across the whole of Europe, tell us more.
ALLISON CHINCHAR, METEOROLOGIST, CNN: Yes, and I think the key thing is that you said, it's 8:00 in the evening there local time. This would be a
big deal if this was the high temperature in the afternoon, let alone you're now getting into the evening hours and it's still this warm.
Again, take a look, 39 in Cordoba, 37 in Madrid. Again, keep in mind, folks, this is 8:00 in the evening. This is not the high temperatures.
The high temperatures were even warmer than that, Cordoba ended up topping out at 44 degrees today. Keep in mind, their average is only about 36
degrees, even Lisbon, Portugal picking up at 42 for their peak temperature, the average there, only 28 degrees this time of year.
Now, when we take a look at all of Spain and Portugal, you can see where the excessive heat risks are. Really, it's going to focus in the western
regions here of Spain, but also pretty much entirely all of Portugal. It's not just the fact that you have the temperature, but even a little bit of
humidity added to that is going to create that heat index to feel like it's even warmer.
Again, Cordoba 44 for the temperature as we go into the day tomorrow. What that feels like temperature very similar at Lisbon, a temperature -- high
temperature tomorrow of 40 with the feels like temperature about 41 degrees. So, in the short term, this heat is still going to be here, but
gradually, once we get into next week, you'll finally start to see some of that milder air begin to come back in and that heat begins to break away.
The key thing to note is that even though we're getting a cool down, if you will, it's really just going to bring temperatures back to normal.
Madrid for example, 39, 38 then 39 -- by the time we get those temperatures back down to the low 30s by the end of next week, that really again, the
average is 33, that really just brings us back to normal.
Lisbon, look at this, going from 42 on Saturday, down to 25 and 24 by the middle of next week. That will actually be below average for a change.
[15:10:12]
CHINCHAR: But again, when we talk about this extreme heat, it's going to be in place, Hannah, for at least the next few days.
JONES: Yes, back to normal. I can tell you one thing, Allison, that that means everyone is going to be complaining here because back to normal --
but nevertheless, that's the picture in Europe. What about the rest of the world. Are things going to be back to normal cooling down there?
CHINCHAR: It depends on where you are talking about, but for a lot of these places, they'd like to go back to even just normal. Take a look at
this. So far 28,000 daily heat records have been set across the entire globe. Japan for example, hit their all-time record high at 41.1, South
Korea broke its all-time record heat, Pyongyang having it three days in a row of all-time record heat even Pakistan -- May of 2018, had a heat wave
that killed dozens of people, not to mention what we've been talking about in Europe, Africa, Oman and even the United States, Hannah, again, we've
had a lot of this intense heat, and for a lot of these locations, you still have got several more days before you really go and to finally start to see
some relief.
JONES: All right, Allison Chinchar at the Weather Center. Thank you so much indeed. We are going to bring our viewers some other news now and we
turn our attention to Zimbabwe where the main opposition leader says his party will challenge the results of this weeks' Presidential election.
Nelson Chamisa says the poll was fraudulent and illegitimate. He spoke after police stormed the hotel where he was set to give a news conference
and they briefly removed journalists and President-elect Emmerson Mnangagwa condemned the police action. He has called for unity. He says the vote
was conducted in a peaceful and transparent manner.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
EMMERSON MNANGAGWA, PRESIDENT-ELECT, ZIMBABWE: With regards to accepting or not accepting the results, Zimbabwe is enjoying democracy. Any member
of the public or any political party can proceed in terms of opposition in the electoral act to challenge the results in the polls.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
JONES: So there is still political turmoil after the African nation's first election for course since last year's ousting of the former
strongman, Robert Mugabe. CNN's David McKenzie joins us live now from the capital, Harare. David, the President elect there, Emmerson Mnangagwa
talking about peace and unity. I guess not speaking just to Zimbabweans, but also to the international community to creditors, to organizations, to
other countries as well to show that he is in charge and that Zimbabwe is open for business. Something of an uphill battle for him.
DAVID MCKENZIE, CORRESPONDENT, CNN: I think at this stage, yes. He is certainly trying to put that friendly face on the Zimbabwean regime and he
is trying to move through this electoral period without any major controversy. Well, unfortunately, too late for that.
You've had this ongoing dispute with the opposition refusing to concede saying that there is widespread fraud and rigging, though not yet providing
any evidence of that said fraud and rigging, Hannah.
JONES: And David, we've mentioned in the introduction to you there that there was this press conference that was due to take place at the MDC party
and that that was temporarily at least interrupted by riot police. Now, the President elect is saying that he doesn't approve of it. Nelson
Chamisa, the opposition leader says he doesn't approve of it, so one wonders who is in control of the police or the military at this time and
how much control do they have?
MCKENZIE: Well, at the very least, it's a PR disaster for the country that is trying to put on this friendly face. As I mentioned, you had these riot
police coming in when we were there, about to get the word from the opposition. They were relatively restrained, but a very strange moment.
Initially, they said they thought it was a political gathering of some kind and the legal gathering. What was very clear was the scores of cameras
there that it wasn't. And the treatment of the press is something that Emmerson Mnangagwa has said they want to change here in Zimbabwe which has
a pretty horrid history of the press and expression rights in this country.
So at the very least, it was an embarrassing moment not the image they want to get beamed across the world when they try to move through this
controversial election, Hannah.
JONES: And the opposition saying that this whole election was rigged, it was fraudulent. Nelson Chamisa promising that he is going to fight on
through the courts. What are international election observers saying now?
MCKENZIE: Well, you had very early on the Cyril Ramaphosa, the President of South Africa and the regional group, SADC, which is the Southern African
countries endorsing the election results and congratulating Emmerson Mnangagwa, that will be a very powerful tool in his political toolbox, but
you've still got the European Union, the US, the UK reserving judgment at this time. They all say that the voting day was reasonably ...
[15:05:16]
MCKENZIE: ... peaceful, it was peaceful but the aftermath of violence that saw these six people killed was very worrying and they want more
detailed release of those results so that they can cross check them and allow the opposition to cross check them, but at the same time, as I said,
there's been no direct evidence shown by the opposition of rigging. They promised they will show that and say they will use any Constitutional and
peaceful means they can to what they say be the rightful government of Zimbabwe, but I have to say, they face an uphill battle here to push aside
the power of the state, which was un-evidenced even with the riot police at that press conference today, Hannah.
JONES: Yes, and we hope that this of course doesn't spillover into even more violence on the streets in Zimbabwe. David McKenzie there, live for
us in Harare, thank you, David.
And still to come on the program this evening, an alleged Russian spy has been discovered working inside the US embassy in Moscow. We'll have the
very latest for you coming up.
Welcome back. Turning our attention to Europe now, and for months, journalists and commentators have loved making a cheeky reference to the
quiz show, "Deal or No Deal" when talking about Brexit. After all, the threat of the UK and the EU failing to reach an agreement has kept many of
us on the edge of our seats for so long. But today, we are upgrading our pop culture references going from the small screen to the big screen to
talk instead about the "French Connection."
That's because Theresa May has spent the day in France hoping she can gain an ally in the country's leader, Emmanuel Macron and it comes after what
could be a crucial time. Today, the Head of the Bank of England said the risk of a no deal Brexit is quote, "uncomfortably high," something which
very few people want to tune it to see.
Bianca Nobilo is here with me with more on this. Let's talk about Theresa May and Emmanuel Macron on their tatter tat to start off with. The French
press I understand it calling it a cry for help. Will she find a sympathetic ear on Emmanuel Macron?
BIANCO NOBILO, CORRESPONDENT, CNN: That's certainly what she's hoping for and it has been portrayed as such. In Europe, it's being counted in terms
of a desperate attempt to try and get support for her Brexit plan and the French President in particular have been fairly brutal about it. In the
UK, it's been received in a fairly similar way, what she is trying to do is to sell her Chequers plan, is to persuade through soft diplomacy, the
leaders of the individual EU 27, over the summit, over the summer to get behind her plan and then when the hard negotiations starts in the fall,
then she'll be in a better position.
However, this divide and conquer strategy is just not likely to work with EU especially with Emmanuel Macron because he stands on this incredibly
pro-European platform and he really is the bastion of the EU in all of its ...
[15:20:15]
NOBILO: ... four freedoms and he wants deep integration, so the idea of approaching him to start to pick off the leaders and get support for her
plan when Barnier is very skeptical about it, seems like an unusual approach.
JONES: Deal or no deal? This is the conundrum at the moment. The Bank of England's governor has just weighed on this particular debate. Let's
listen to what he has had to say and we'll talk off the back of it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARK CARNEY, GOVERNOR, BANK OF ENGLAND: I think the possibility of a no deal is uncomfortably high at this point, yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So, you're saying quite clearly that a no deal Brexit would be a disaster?
CARNEY: It is highly undesirable.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
JONES: Highly undesirable, is it accepted though -- generally accepted that a no deal Brexit is a bad idea?
NOBILO: It obviously depends who you are. I think apart from a fringe group within the conservative party of Brexiteers, yes, I'd say that was
true. However, there does seem to be a little bit of a change. I've been speaking to some economists this week, those who didn't support Brexit
initially like most economists in the UK didn't and they've said that actually, it would be suboptimal to have a no deal, but it would not
necessarily be as bad as the government's trying to make it out to be.
So, they recognize the fact that it is not the ideal scenario, but think that the government is obviously politicizing this and trying to present it
in a slightly starker and more destructive terms than it would be. They say that there are more mechanisms within the WTO which can be used as
cushioning if the UK wants to crash out. And then effectively, WTO rules could be used as somewhat of a de facto transition it itself.
JONES: But I am quite in the weeds, I apologize, the language there that is being used, I mean, we're talking about suboptimal crashing out. This
is not what people voted for really.
NOBILO: No, it wasn't and that's one of the central issues in all of this and in fact, members of Theresa May's party, former Cabinet Ministers like
Justine Greening who are pushing for this people's vote, referendum on the referendum. On making that argument, they are saying that these weren't
facts that were presented to people at the outset before the initial referendum and obviously, this isn't the Brexit that was painted by the
leave campaign during the referendum. So, that's certainly a point that many people are making.
JONES: All right, thank you for your enthusiasm and analysis on this topic of Brexit. Bianca, we appreciate it. Now, alleged Russian spy was
discovered working in the US Embassy in Moscow as it turns out, she had an been an employee there for more than a decade.
The US eventually figured it out during a review. She was having regular meetings with Russian intelligence without permission giving much more
information than she should have according to officials. Our Matthew Chance is covering this from Moscow.
MATTHEW CHANCE, CORRESPONDENT, CNN: Well, Hannah, this is a worrying security breach at a time of heightened tension between Russia and the
United States. A Russian woman who worked at the US embassy here in Moscow for a decade was fired after being caught red-handed apparently giving away
information to the Russian intelligence service, the FSB. US officials say the woman who was fired from a job in the embassy last year had regular
unauthorized meetings with the FSB, which is the successor organization to the KGB.
But officials say that as a Russian national working essentially for the US State Department here, she did not have access to any highly classified
material. She didn't give away any secrets we're told because her role at the embassy would have been limited to working on translations and things
like administrative support.
The US officials do confirm that she would have had access to the US Secret Service intranet, it's internal internet system, and Secret Service e-mails
which may have yielded some information she would potentially have been able to pass on.
While there has been no comment on the matter from the Russian side, the Russian Foreign Ministry in Moscow saying they have no idea about the case.
But it's generally understood that local staff employed in US embassies around the world are susceptible to recruitment by host country
intelligence agencies. A fact that is particularly true here in Russia.
The case as I mentioned has emerged as a particularly difficult time in US- Russian relations as the US grapples with allegations of Russian meddling in its political system. Details like this of a spy at the US embassy in
Moscow simply pours more fuel on the fire of those concerns. Hannah.
JONES: Matthew, thanks very much indeed. Matthew Chance there in Moscow for us. And we have another story that may sound like a scene from a spy
novel for you. Russian border guards are currently detaining an American man who officials say sailed their by accident. Russia says the US citizen
arrived from Alaska on a small boat after bad weather took him from the Yukon Village to the Bering Sea.
[15:25:16]
JONES: He then reached the shores of Chukotka exhausted, the proximity of these Russian regions to Alaska was a cause for concern of course during
the Cold War. A Russian state media had initially reported that he has crossed the border illegally adding that he had asked for political asylum
there. The US State Department though tells CNN that they are working with local authorities.
US Defense officials say Iran has launched a major Naval exercise in the Persian Gulf. The Pentagon is concerned that the drill may be aimed at
demonstrating Iran's ability to close off the Strait of Hormuz and disrupt maritime traffic in this region. The area is a key route for global energy
supplies with oil tankers and natural gas ships passing through.
Iran has threatened to close of the strait in the past, tensions have been high recently since President Donald Trump of the United States pulled
America out of the Iran nuclear deal back in May.
Now, the timing of Iran's Naval exercises is unusual. CNN's Nic Robertson now reports, the exercises are usually much later on in the year.
NIC ROBERTSON, SENIOR DIPLOMATIC EDITOR, CNN: So Hannah, what we've been hearing from US officials is raising concern in the region, but I've got to
tell you, it's going to be raising concern for these ships' captains out here. They are at anchor right now waiting to pass through the Strait of
Hormuz and I can see about 30 different ships around here and I am told in the haze, there's about 140 anchored out here waiting to pass through the
Strait of Hormuz.
What we're being told by US defense officials is that the Iranians are using smaller boats in this military drill that some of them have already
begun to return to port but unusually they say, this is unusual that these drills are happening at this time of the year, normally, they happen later
in the year, normally, as well, Iran announces these drills. So that's raising concern at a time when there is an increased war of words, if you
will between Washington and Tehran, and the commander of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, that's the military group in charge of these
Naval drills that are happening out here right now. He has said that if Iran is not able to export its oil through the Strait of Hormuz, then no
one else will.
That's part of a concern that threat has been echoed by Iran's President, but Iran's Supreme Leader, so you add on to that the fact that US sanctions
are going to begin next week to be re-imposed on Iran, you can see that there's a lot of questions, a lot of concern being raised here and if
you're one of these ships captains, you'd like to have an answer to that because you're going to go through the Strait of Hormuz and maybe those
training exercise is underway, you don't know what the implication is for when you come back on this trip or the next trip, so right now, a lot of
concern and a lot of it in the cabins of these ships. Hannah.
JONES: Nic Robertson, our Nic Robertson there on a boat very near the Strait of Hormuz, this crucial international shipping corridor. Now, to
another story, police in Sweden are being investigated for possible misconduct after a man with Down's Syndrome was shot dead while carrying a
toy gun. That is according to a local CNN affiliate there. The family of Eric Torell says he had run away from home with the toy which had been a
gift. Police later received reports of a man with a gun and they then moved in. They shouted at Torell to lay down his weapon, but his family
says he wasn't able to verbally communicate.
Torell was then shot and taken to hospital, but he could not be saved. His mother says she simply couldn't believe her son was dead.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KATARINA SODERBERG, MOTHER OF VICTIM (Through an interpreter): They asked if I was a mother of a boy named Eric Torell and I said, yes, why. Then
they told me that he unfortunately was dead. I said, no, that can't be right. There has got to be a mix up. How did he die? What do you mean?
And then they said that he was shot to death by three police at 4:45 in the morning out in the street and they took him to (inaudible) and his life
could not be saved. That's literally what they said.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
JONES: Just a heartbreaking story there. Still to come on the program tonight, more heartbreak in the homecomings of families in California.
People begin returning to what's left of their properties, but the dangers from those wildfires are still not over. Also, coming up, fake and
disgusting -- Donald Trump piles on the insult against the free press even amid a new outcry of his labeling the media the enemy of the people.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[15:30:15] HANNAH VAUGHAN JONES, CNN INTERNATIONAL HOST: Welcome back. It's been a scorching day here in London. But compared to other parts of
the northern hemisphere, rather, we may have got off very lightly indeed.
As we've been reporting, countries like Spain could be heading towards record-breaking temperatures this weekend. The brutal heat has already
broken records in the U.S. and across Asia. Death Valley in the U.S., southwest for example, just experienced the hottest month ever recorded on
earth.
And the soaring temperatures in California have played into what's quite simply a matter of life and death. More than 300 acres of land have been
scored by wildfires. Firefighters are slowly containing the blazes, more than 35 percent currently under control. People are already returning to
what's left of their homes. Our Scott McLean is on the ground in Redding, California with some of their stories.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SCOTT MCLEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Everyone that we've spoken to says, yes, they're going to rebuild here. This was a neighborhood that they really
loved. And as you can imagine, it was a pretty emotional experience though for them to come back and see their houses looking like this.
Especially when the neighbor's house looks like this, completely untouched. We actually spoke to the gentleman who lives in this house here. He
managed to successfully defend his house with just a garden hose. But fire officials here say he probably didn't understand the true scope of the
danger that he was actually in. That's because the woods behind his house were on fire and so were the houses here. And in the canyon in behind.
And we have new images of what this looked like from the air. It was actually a fire tornado, a phenomenon that is extremely, extremely rare,
especially in populated areas. I spoke to one gentleman who lost his house here and he said he just never saw this coming.
TODD SLAUGHTER, HOME DESTROYED BY FIRE: It was startling to us, because we thought there was no way the fire would get to us. There's a whole 200
acre subdivision which was flattened and scraped so there was no vegetation that could lead the fire here, but it came up a canyon and it looks like a
cyclone and then just hit what it hit and was over.
MCLEAN: This fire is 37 percent contained. That is undoubtedly good news, but the weather is changing. The winds have started to pick up. There's a
red flag warning for the city of Redding, meaning people should be on alert for higher than normal risk of fire. And that's partially because those
winds -- well, they're going to be pushing the flames back in this direction.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
JONES: Scott McLean there from Redding, California on those wildfires.
Now keeping America's economy strong is one of President Donald Trump's top priorities. And we got a new report card today on several key markers.
More jobs were added in July although fewer than expected while the unemployment rate ticked down to 3.9 percent. Experts warn that an
escalating trade dispute could put those strong numbers in jeopardy.
[15:35:05] Just today, China warned it is ready to retaliate if the Trump administration pulls the trigger on a threat to raise tariffs on $200
billion worth of Chinese goods.
Let's get more on all of this now with Clare Sebastian. Clare, let's talk about the figures to start off with. Unemployment down and more jobs have
been added. Is it all as good as it sounds?
CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's certainly being viewed, Hannah, as yet another strong report card on the U.S. economy. Yes, you're
right. The number of jobs added was less than expected. But as you say, the unemployment rate ticked down to 3.9 percent and the previous two
months of May and June were revised up. So, overall people are seeing this as a mark of a strong economy and a strong jobs market.
But there are also some concerns out there, wage growth remains a puzzle. It's still not keeping up with expectations despite the fact that there are
more job openings than the U.S. than people to fill them. But that in itself actually quite a good thing for the markets because it means we're
unlikely to see a more aggressive Fed when it comes to rate rises going forward. So overall, it's being seen as not too hot, not too cold. Unlike
your position there.
JONES: Very true. Let's move on to tariffs then. So China's already said it's going to retaliate to what Donald Trump has said he's going to
introduce. This is what Larry Kudlow, one of the president's chief economic advisers had to say as a sort of a threat to China, if you like.
This was on Fox News earlier.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LARRY KUDLOW, DIRECTOR, U.S. NATIONAL ECONOMIC COUNCIL: We said many times, no tariffs, no tariff barriers, no subsidies. We want to see trade
reforms. China's not delivering. OK. Economy is weak. Their currency is weak. People leaving the country. Don't underestimate President Trump's
determination to follow through. I'm just telling you. I can't speak for the communist party in China. I can't speak for our president. Do not
underestimate his determination to change trading practices on a fair reciprocal plane.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
JONES: Clare, what does he mean by that? Don't underestimate President Trump? Does that mean that Donald Trump's got something else up his sleeve
that he can throw at China?
SEBASTIAN: Well, I think for the moment, Hannah, he means that Trump is digging in. He is doubling down on this policy to ramp up tariff threats
until China backs down, until they lower tariffs and until they end unfair trading practices, like intellectual property violations.
Obviously, there's a real question over whether that's working. So far China has retaliated when the U.S. has imposed tariffs and it's promising
now to do more. It promised another $60 billion in tariffs on U.S. goods, should the U.S. follow through with its $200 billion.
So this is something that puts everyone at an impasse. Puts both economies in the firing line. But if it you look at what Larry Kudlow said today as
well. He talked about China's economy, how it's slowing, how the currency is depreciating. All of that is true. So you get the sense that the
administration is banking on the fact that China's economy isn't firing on all cylinders as a sign that perhaps they will blink first. So far though,
there's no sign they're willing to do that.
JONES: Thanks for your analysis, Clare. We appreciate it.
Now, we turn to what could only be described as a huge disconnect in the Trump White House over whether Russia is a dangerous threat to U.S.
democracy or not.
Just hours after President Trump's own intelligence chiefs warned that Russia is trying to weaken and divide America with ongoing efforts to
disrupt elections, Mr. Trump said this to a friendly crowd at a campaign rally.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Now, we're being hindered by the Russian hoax. It's a hoax. OK? I'll tell you what. Russia's very
unhappy that Trump won.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
JONES: Well Mr. Trump also took swipes at his favorite target, the news media, even amid an uproar over his press secretary refusing to answer
whether the media is indeed the enemy of the people.
Our senior White House correspondent, Jeff Zeleny was at that rally last night where the president was. He joins us from Berkeley Heights, New
Jersey. We're also joined by CNN White House reporter, Stephen Collinson.
Stephen, to you first. Let's talk about this disconnect. The president says that the Russia probe is just a witch-hunt, yet he managed to roll out
all of his top intelligence chiefs on the same stage just hours beforehand and they said something quite different. What's going on here?
STEPHEN COLLINSON, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: I think, Hannah, this is just going to add to this unsolvable riddle that surrounds the Donald
Trump's relationship with Russia. And his response to any questioning or suggestion that his election win in 2016 wasn't completely on the up and
up.
You're right. There was quite a show of force between the top intelligence national security officials at the White House on Thursday, yet, hours
later, the president seemed to completely undermine the message the White House that was trying to send that it was serious about tackling Russian
election interference, especially in the upcoming midterm elections and the 2020 election when Trump will stand up for reelection.
[15:40:10] I think in some senses, this was a case of the president playing to his crowd. He has a habit of telling people what they want to hear, but
it will add to a great deal of concern in Washington that the White House simply isn't serious about making Russia pay a price for the election
interference in 2016. In such a way as it may think twice about doing it again.
So when the president isn't on board with his administration, and is not just happened on this issue, it's happened on wider Russia policy and on
NATO, for example, when the president is not on board and pushing things in Washington, things don't get done. And I think that's the big concern
about all this.
JONES: Jeff, you were at the rally that President Trump held in Pennsylvania last night. We saw again some chants and what seemed to be
quite disgusting behavior, quite frankly, from some of the crowd then towards the news media. President Trump himself said that it was the fake
news, the disgusting fake news media that was to blame for the ongoing Russia witch-hunt and the like.
I'm wondering for our international viewers, Jeff, when you go to one of these rallies, as a journalist, when you're working, do you feel threatened
personally?
JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Not generally. I mean the reality is the -- there's a small number of people at these rallies who
really get more ramped up or amped up, if you will. They hang on every word the president is saying. And of course, there are people getting very
excited by what he's saying but in terms of being threatened, no. I mean, we've covered dozens and dozens and dozens of these rallies.
Certainly, people are animated. Certainly, it's gotten even more, I would say, heated since the president has been in office. But in terms of being
threatened, no. It's not like being on the frontlines of a warzone or anything. But I do think the president's language and words are important.
But he did not say last evening the media is the enemy of the American people. He has said that before. I expect him to say it again.
But when you talk to supporters individually, everyone certainly doesn't believe that it's -- that's the president being the president. But of
course some people do believe it and could act out on it.
But I think the reality here is as Stephen was saying, he was playing to his base. He was playing to the crowd in the room. His government could
be doing all it wants to do on election meddling. If he's not talking about it, if he's not bringing that presidential megaphone to it, the world
is not aware of it and Vladimir Putin certainly is not afraid of it.
JONES: And it matters what the president of the United States says.
Thanks to both of you. We have to leave it there. To Jeff Zeleny and Stephen Collinson, thank you.
Still to come tonight, Harvey Weinstein seeks to dismiss sexual assault charges that he faces. Up next, an exclusive interview with his lawyer on
why they think they have a shot at just that. Stay with us for more.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[15:45:04] JONES: Disgraced Hollywood movie producer, Harvey Weinstein is seeking the dismissal of sexual assault charges against him, that is
according to a new document seen by CNN. Weinstein's defense team claims that dozens of e-mails show that the women he allegedly raped was not a
victim, but in fact a consensual sexual partner and says prosecutors failed to show that e-mail evidence to the grand jury.
CNN's Chloe Melas is following developments on this. Joins us from New York now. This is a story about Harvey Weinstein that everyone is
following around the world, Chloe. Tell us the latest on his appeal.
CHLOE MELAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, recently, Harvey Weinstein pled not guilty to six felonies of sex crimes against him. Now, today, his
attorney, Benjamin Brafman filed a 159-page motion to dismiss the entire indictment. And in it, they produce several e-mails from an unnamed
accuser and they claim these e-mails alone will exonerate Harvey Weinstein because it shows that the relationship with a woman who claims that he
allegedly raped her years ago, was a consensual relationship that went on years after this alleged rape.
And I sat down with Benjamin Brafman just hours after he filed this dismissal. And you can take a look at a portion of the interview here.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MELAS: What would you say to people out there that say well, just because it may seem that in these e-mails this accuser continued to have a
consensual sexual relationship with Weinstein, that that doesn't dismiss a potential incident of rape years before?
BENJAMIN BRAFMAN, ATTORNEY OF HARVEY WEINSTEIN: In this case, you have one allegation of rape. And this is not a matter of shaming the victim. This
is not a matter of going after the victim. We are not attacking this alleged victim for things that she may have done with other people add
other times. Our position is that from these e-mails, you should conclude that she was never a victim. Period. And if you are never a victim, then
it's wrong for you to falsely accuse someone of rape.
And in our judgment, however serious and horrific the crime of rape may well be, I think it's equally horrific to falsely accuse someone of rape
when in fact these e-mails demonstrate that there was a loving relationship between these two people that may be offensive to some people now, but
didn't amount to rape.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MELAS: So there are several e-mails that his team, Harvey Weinstein's team, have published, that we have published on cnn.com. And they do
display a joking relationship with this accuser and Harvey Weinstein.
But I went on to ask Ben Brafman if there are going to be more e-mails released from some of these other accusers, because this is just based on
one alone. Now, again, this could go to trial in September. But they seem very confident that this is going to be completely dismissed.
JONES: Yes. And key, what you just said there, Chloe, was the fact that this is just one accuser, one victim, there are many, many more out there
who have allegations against Harvey Weinstein.
MELAS: Yes. Well, I mean you had about 80 women come forward since the New York Times and the New Yorker published their accounts of misconduct by
Harvey Weinstein, to which he has always said that he denies any act of nonconsensual sexual conduct with any of these women.
Now, in this particular indictment, there are three women. We are seeing e-mails from one of them. They would not say whether or not there was more
e-mails and text messages that would ever be produced.
Now, he also went on to say that we shouldn't compare this case to the Cosby case, which just unfolded in front of everyone. And they also say
that two of the women in this indictment whose names have been made public, that their charges should be dismissed because they aren't clear on their
dates. The dates that they provide are a span of months when they claim that these alleged incidents happened with Harvey Weinstein.
So it was a very lengthy interview. There's more to come. But this is something that we're going to watch unfold because it's changing by the
minute.
JONES: Chloe, thank you.
Now, the man suspected of killing a prominent Texas doctor two weeks ago has committed suicide. Police say Joseph Pappas shot himself in the head
as two officers confronted him. Pappas was accused of planning and carrying out the doctor's murder, probably as a revenge killing. Dr. Mark
Hausknecht was the first President George Bush's -- first President George Bush's cardiologist.
Let's get the latest now from Houston, Texas. CNN's Ed Lavandera is standing by for us there. Just bring us the background to this whole case,
if you could.
ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Sure. Well, this is a case that has really gripped the city of Houston here since going back to July 20th. It
was on a Monday morning. Imagine rush-hour traffic, there's an area of town called the Texas Medical Center, which is like this massive complex of
hospitals and medical buildings. And this prominent cardiologist by the name of Dr. Mark Hausknecht was riding his bike to work as he usually does.
He was gunned down on the side -- on the sidewalk of a busy street head-on from an attacker. We're told by his -- the victim's wife police that he --
police told her that he was shot three times. And then everything went quiet for quite a while.
[15:50:32] Police said that he was -- they believed he was targeted. And since the authorities here identified the suspect, they say the
investigators believed that this all dates back to a 20-year-old grudge. The suspect, a man by the name of 62-year-old Joseph Pappas, his mother
died on the operating table and Dr. Hausknecht was the doctor in that operating room. And that happened more than 20 years ago.
And investigators say that inside his home they found a lot of evidence suggesting that this man had taken a great deal -- painstaking efforts to
plot out this murder. And it all came to an end here in this neighborhood in Houston, not too far away from where he lives this afternoon.
JONES: Ed Lavandera live for us there in Houston, Texas. Thank you for bringing us the background to this case and for following the story for us.
We appreciate it.
All right. Still to come on the program this evening from the rooftops here in London, how Europeans are fighting the sweltering temperatures and
somehow managing to have a little bit of fun too. That is coming up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: it's unbearable. And it's unbearable because we're not used to it. There's no air con. You just stand up. It's like you're
in a shower.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I have to put something on (INAUDIBLE) it's just end of the world, really. I mean, I was looking forward to winter now. Roll on
rain.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Been here several times. This is the hottest I've seen. It's too hot. The three umbrellas we brought in our carry-ons are
nicely at home.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm from Spain and the weather, it looks like it's been so --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's very good. Very hot. Very beautiful sun.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Our parents told us that it was going to be cold. And that is --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're teachers, so we have the summer holidays off and we always know that July and August is always rubbish and this is hot
this time. But we shouldn't complain. Because it would probably go.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
JONES: Really, really shouldn't complain. I love that phrase there from someone. End of the world roll on the rain. Well, not going to get any
firm, hopefully, at least a week or so here in London. But there is nothing quite like a Mr. Whippy on a hot summer's day. If you're not
familiar with them, it's that special brand of ice cream you just saw melting away in the sun there.
People all over Europe are finding their own ways to try to beat the heat. In Paris, a good old-fashioned fountain swim could never take you too far
wrong. Over in Belgium, these pensioners got to dip their toes in the water of an indoor inflatable pool complete with rubber duckies, of course.
It wouldn't be quite the same.
[15:55:00] And our furry friends are finding some positively creative ways to keep cool too. This is my cavachon. My little bear, Barry John, taking
a dip in our local river. Been tweaking him earlier on today. And trust me, when I say it was quite the negotiation to convince him to come out. I
actually had to fish him out in the end.
But anyway, not to be outdone, King Charles Cavalier Spaniel Louie sent us this snap getting a well-deserved break in the south of France. Hi there,
Louie.
And Karen sent us this photo of Alfie who looks right at home in his private paddling pool in Yorkshire. Fit for a king there.
Finally, our boss Jill sent us this gorgeous slow-mo video of a pair of whippets. They've got to feel the sand between their courses with a run on
the beach in Hampshire. Wonderful stuff. And Barry John, my cavachon will no doubt be getting back in the river again tomorrow as the temperature
heats up.
Now, finally, the world can be an uncertain and sometimes unsettling place. But wherever you are, and however you may be feeling right now, for the
next 30 seconds, or so, I want to share a moment of joy with you. Take a look at this. A newborn baby rhino. How often do you get to see something
as pure and splendid as that? Well, not often is most certainly the answer.
This rare beauty, part of the critically endangered eastern black rhino- family was born at Chester Zoo here in England. And if he himself wasn't rare enough, his arrival came in the most extraordinary way, in broad
daylight in front of a group of stunned visitors. Wonderful stuff. Lucky them.
Thanks so much for watching us tonight. Stay with us here on CNN. "QUEST MEANS BUSINESS" is up next. Stay out of the heat.
END
