Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

A Red Carpet Welcome; Stepping Up Attacks; Taylor Swift Wedding Mania. Aired 3-3:30a ET

Aired August 31, 2025 - 03:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[03:00:00]

BEN HUNTE, CNN ANCHOR: 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, a red carpet welcome, China's president receives world leaders at a security summit designed as a counterweight to the west.

Preparing for a full scale military operation, Israel steps up attacks and cuts back aid in Gaza.

And wedding mania, we will look at the wedding trends that Taylor Swift could soon reset it.

Welcome. Several world leaders are converging in Tianjin China, where Chinese Leader Xi Jinping is hosting a major security summit. The Shanghai Corporation Organization is a group of ten Eurasian member states and other observer states. It was set up to form a counterweight to the U.S. and western countries.

China is taking the opportunity to tout its global leadership as Donald Trump upends U.S. relationships with various countries. India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a warm welcome for his first visit to China in seven years. He just met with Mr. Xi in direct talks and their country's mending divisions as India's friction with the U.S. grows.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is also in China, and he's set to stay for four days as he dodges pressure to end his war in Ukraine.

CNN's Marc Stewart joins me now from Beijing. Marks, thanks for being with me again. At least one high-profile meeting has begun. What can we expect to come out of this summit over the next couple of days, do you think?

MARC STEWART, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi. Good to see you, Ben. You mentioned all of these world leaders, including Vladimir Putin and India's Prime Minister Modi. These are a collection of world leaders who are going to give Xi Jinping a real credibility boost as he tries to lead China as the leader, the face of perhaps a new world order, trying to differentiate itself from the west, an alternative to the west.

We are hearing from Xi Jinping for really the first time, at least publicly, since this gathering began in Tianjin, which is about a 30- minute train ride from where I am here in Beijing. Let me read to you the statement or part of the remarks made by Xi Jinping during his meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said, the world today is swept by once-in-a-century transformations. The international situation is both fluid and chaotic.

These are words, these are themes that Xi Jinping has touched on before with world leaders, but this is kind of the first indication that we have heard from him since this conference began. You saw us in pictures with him meeting with the Indian prime minister, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and they talked about some of the progress that has been made between China and India concerning some of the tensions in the border areas of the Himalayas.

One point with that was not discussed, but will likely come up in the days ahead with Prime Minister Modi, with Xi Jinping and with Vladimir Putin, whether publicly or perhaps behind closed doors is this issue of Ukraine. China has not directly condemned Russia for its invasion of Ukraine. It's trying to portray itself as a neutral partner. Perhaps we could see China take on the role of negotiator, as India faces or is dealing with stiff penalties, tariffs, because of its large purchases of oil from Russia, China also facing the threat of tariffs because of its large purchases of Russian oil.

Ben, many of the themes that we'll be watching in the days ahead, but so far, this is going to be a summit that is going to be based on symbolism for its overall substance. Ben?

HUNTE: Well, let's talk about some of those days ahead because beyond the summit, there has been a lot of talk about a military prayed later this week. What are things like now where you are in Beijing not far from the site of that event?

STEWART: Right, Ben. It's hard to believe. Beijing is a population of around 21 million people. And during this parade, and already we have seen very high security, it's going to be very difficult to get around the city when this parade takes place, likely to see flight cancelations, school cancelations, road closure.

[03:05:05]

A lot of people are being told to stay home from work and to watch this parade, more than a billion people here in China and will obviously be broadcast by the state broadcaster across the country.

Objects are going to be a big part of this show. We are certainly going to see a lot of military vehicles, a lot of weapons, and a chance for China to show its military strength, but it's also a chance to show off its allies. Perhaps the moment the optics that we are anticipating is when North Korean Leader Kim Jong-un is there with President Xi and Vladimir Putin on Tiananmen Square, again, feeding into this narrative to the United States and the west that there are other points of view and there are other potential alliances or relationships already formed that have a lot of teeth and have a lot of strength. Ben?

HUNTE: There is a lot going on. We're going to stay with you for now. Marc Stewart, I appreciate it. Thank you.

Israel is stepping up attacks and cutting back on aid to Gaza as it prepares for its planned full scale operation in Gaza City. Hospitals, say, strikes like this one killed at least 47 people on Saturday. Several children were among the injured in that attack.

At the same time, a source tells CNN that Israel will halt airdrops over Gaza City and cut the number of aid trucks that are entering as part of its plan to evacuate residents from the city. But the International Red Cross says that plan is impossible. The group's president says, starving, disabled and injured Palestinians are not capable of moving.

All of this is going on, the Israeli military has identified the remains of the second hostage found earlier this week. He's 28-year- old Idan Shtivi. Officials say he was killed at the Nova Music Festival on October the seventh, and Hamas carried his body into Gaza.

Meanwhile, Houthis rebels say an Israeli airstrike this week killed the group's prime minister.

More on all of this now from CNN Jerusalem Bureau Chief Oren Liebermann.

OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN JERUSALEM BUREAU CHIEF: It took the Houthis several days to acknowledge the results of an Israeli airstrike on the capital of Sanaa, but they now say the strike, which we had reported targeted senior Houthis leadership, killed their prime minister, Ahmed al-Rahawi, as well as other ministers, though they don't detail who else was killed in the strike. They say it was a group of their leaders that were meeting in Sanaa, and that was where the Israelis struck.

It is another example of the Israeli military using its intelligence to target the senior leadership of Iranian proxies in the region. We saw it when Israel targeted and assassinated Hamas' political leader, Ismail Haniyeh, in Tehran, as well as when they killed Hezbollah Leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut, and strikes that have targeted Hamas leaders in Gaza. Now, we see that same M.O. being used by the Israelis to go after Houthi leaders after a number of ballistic missiles have been fired at Israel. As the Houthis say, they are standing in solidarity with the Palestinian people in Gaza.

We saw Israel's defense minister warn in December that they would start targeting Houthis leadership. And now, after the Israelis struck power plants, military bases, civilian infrastructure that they say was used by the Houthis, we see a shift in what Israel is targeting here as they go after the leaders of the Iran-backed rebel group.

Meanwhile, in Gaza, a source familiar with Israel's planning says Israel intends to halt airdrops into Gaza city, meaning that Palestinians, up to a million of them in and around Gaza's largest city, will be forced out of the city if they're looking for desperately needed aid. And that is part of Israel's bigger plan as it prepares for the takeover and occupation of Gaza City. The plan is to force the evacuation and then to move in with the military.

But we already see the military operating on the ground, in the neighborhoods around Gaza City, neighborhoods like Jabalia and Zaytun, and then we have seen strikes closing in on Gaza City itself. In the al-Rimal neighborhood of Gaza City itself, Israel said that they targeted a key Hamas terrorist without providing any more details about who they were targeting or whether they believed the target was killed in the strike.

Meanwhile, a Saturday night in Israel means there were more protests on the streets. This time, protesters holding a massive sign that's that called on President Donald Trump to, quote, make history and force Israel and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to accept the deal on the table, get to a deal to end the war and bring home the remaining hostages.

Oren Liebermann, CNN in Jerusalem.

HUNTE: Ukrainian officials say a prominent politician was shot dead in Aviv on Saturday. And a warning, the following images are disturbing. Andriy Parubiy was previously the chair of Ukraine's parliament. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says his, quote, horrendous murder was carefully planned. Police say the killer has not been identified and is still at large.

Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump is now casting doubts on whether the leaders of Russia and Ukraine will meet one-on-one.

[03:10:05]

But he seems confident that a trilateral meeting is still possible, even as Vladimir Putin Bombards Ukraine with massive new attacks. President Trump said he began arranging direct talks between Putin and Zelenskyy as the next step toward reaching peace. But Putin has not signaled he is willing to come to the table.

Anti-immigration protests erupt across the United Kingdom after a court ruling preventing the eviction of migrants from a government- funded hotel. We've got the latest.

Plus, Taylor Swift said yes. So, what comes next? The latest on the fairytale feature awaiting the pop star, her football hero, and their fans. That's coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HUNTE: Welcome back. Indonesia's president has canceled a trip to China as protests continue to rock his country. President Prabowo Subianto had been set to mark the anniversary of the end of World War II in Beijing on Wednesday, but he's dropped those plans amid escalating demonstrations that began days ago in Jakarta.

[03:15:00]

Protests on Saturday saw several regional parliament buildings set on fire, and local media reported that one was looted.

Joining me live from Indonesia with more on the protest is Endy Bayuni, a senior journalist with The Jakarta Post. Endy, thank you so much for being with me.

I wonder if you could just start by giving us the latest on the ground. How big are these protests now and how intense has the violence become?

ENDY BAYUNI, SENIOR JOURNALIST, THE JAKARTA POST: Well, Sunday morning, I think, it's quiet, but I think on Saturday night in the early hours on Sunday, there were attacks on the houses of three politicians and also the minister finance. So, things have not calmed down. Maybe they're going to return later today. It's very hot today to come out in the afternoon, but I think later when it's cooler, then they come out. Definitely as on Monday, the students will also be coming up to do their protests as well.

HUNTE: The protesters have laid out some demands. What can you tell us about them?

BAYUNI: Well, there are several. One of them is they want the salaries or the take home pay of the members of parliament to be scaled back because they say it's just too much. And then there's also demand for the government to roll back the taxes as part of the authority measures.

And there's also the demand for justice against the police officers who killed a taxi -- motorcycle taxi driver on the first night of the protest. He was basically run over by the military, sort of by the police vehicle, and he died and they turned him into a martyr. And now the demonstrations are rallying behind that and calling for justice.

HUNTE: The president has brought in the military to help the police contain this unrest. How significant is that move in Indonesia and could it risk escalating tensions further, do you think?

BAYUNI: Well, we have not seen that being implemented, but there's sort in order by the president of the military to help the police in dealing with what he called anarchy. But we know from the past that military is not trained to deal with, you know, demonstrations. We know they're trained to kill. So, we fear there's the concern that what the military is involved, there may be even greater casualties.

HUNTE: Can you tell me a bit about what role social media is playing in all of this? We see it around the world where people jump on social media and jump into riots based on what they're seeing, even though it may not be as factual as they think. Is social media making things better or worse in Indonesia right now?

BAYUNI: I will say both in a way because the mainstream T.V. are not broadcasting the full demonstrations. So, I think that the public get the benefit of some of the views from live streaming by seasoned people and journalists, and providing the image role, the television role. And I think one of that is the time when the police vehicle ran over this motorcycle taxi driver that went viral, and that actually angered many people. And this -- the demonstration immediately became big, much bigger than it should have been. So, that's one side of the story of the social media role.

But another one is, of course, we are seeing a lot of misinformation, disinformation, deep fakes, fake news proliferating. And many of the stories that we are seeing on social media, they're not accurate and they kind of make the situation worse because people are reacting to something that probably didn't really happen.

HUNTE: Can you just tell me a bit about how worried the government is that this could all escalate into a much larger political crisis just quickly?

BAYUNI: Yes. Of course, the fact that the president decided to stay in the country and rather going to Beijing is an indication that he takes these things very seriously, that he's already allowed or given the green light to the military to intervene.

[03:20:00]

So, this is a crisis because this could turn into an anarchy, big massive riots.

The political implications, of course, we have not seen yet, but I think we fear that there will be a track down on free speech as well besides, you know, cracking down on the demonstrations. Because these demonstrations are actually expressions of discontent by the people and should be guaranteed by, you know, in a democracy. But the iron key is something that in the military and sorry, the government has to deal with, for sure.

HUNTE: Well, I'm sure we'll stay in touch, but for now, I appreciate you, Endy Bayuni. Thank you.

BAYUNI: Thank you, my pleasure.

HUNTE: Anti-immigration protests took place across the U.K. on Saturday one day after a court barred the eviction of immigrants from a hotel that had housed a migrant charged of sexual assault. British police arrested five people at a protest near Heathrow Airport after masked men attempted to force their way into another hotel used by asylum seekers.

Immigration continues to be a dominant political issue in the U.K. The British government is currently housing over 32,000 migrants in more than 200 hotels across the country.

Meanwhile, similar protests were held in Australia where thousands gathered on Sunday to rally against immigration and mass migration. Australia's government condemned the governings, accusing the organizers of spreading hate and having ties to neo-Nazis. The March for Australia protests were held all over the country with a large event in Sydney. The organizers behind the demonstration said on social media that rallies were aimed at bringing an end to mass migration. Counter-protesters also turned out to show their, quote, disgust and anger. India and Pakistan have been dealing with another weekend filled of torrential rain and flooding. Monsoon rains pounded parts of India's Western Gujarat state on Saturday. The severe rainfall impacted several districts, inundating homes and submerging vehicles.

Meanwhile, in Pakistan, monsoon rains caused the Chenab River to overflow. Water entered villages in parts of Punjab province. Residents say the rushing water damaged homes and crops wrecking their livelihoods.

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's engagement is fueling a global buzz and with no date yet set. Speculation on a couple's plans is running so wild, fans are calling it America's royal wedding. And even world leaders are weighing in. New Zealand's prime minister is pitching his country as the perfect wedding or honeymoon destination. With a record-breaking billion dollar tour behind her, Swift's wedding era is expected to carry enormous cultural and economic weight worldwide.

Earlier, I spoke of Wendy El-Khoury, CEO of a Wedded Wonderland in Sydney about how the pop star bride's big day could influence the global wedding industry. Take a listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WENDY EL-KHOURY, CEO, WEDDED WONDERLAND: You have everyone's best friend, Taylor Swift, getting wedded. It feels very personal, a romcom-style proposal, something that is nostalgic, classic, memorable, just like Taylor's songs. It is from the age of 8 to 80. We believe that every single person who loves a good love story is ready for this wedding.

HUNTE: Do you think we're already seeing any wedding trends that are shifting? Are there celebrity choices that are filtering down to everyday couples already?

EL-KHOURY: Absolutely. We saw a classic style proposal with an old cut engagement ring, and that is something that we will see now interest in heirloom-style engagement ring, so a classic backyard proposal. Of course, there was $38,000 spent on florals, and we know that the ring costs upwards of $500,000. However, this was an intimate moment, a highly-curated personal moment, and we will see a shift from what we've seen as very large-scale weddings and a quiet luxury weddings into a classic wedding. And that's really something that we have already started to see trend on social media.

HUNTE: Well, let's talk a bit more about the potential for it to be quite an intimate affair. What do you think that the big day will actually be like? Is there potential for this to be a really secret ceremony and we just don't hear anything about it and then it just happens or not?

EL-KHOURY: I mean, I think that Taylor, you know, she considers her fans a lot and she will keep it authentic, real, of course, highly- curated, something that is quite nostalgic. We will see a lot of vintage-inspired color and old Hollywood glam come through.

[03:25:02]

I don't think she's going to leave her fans behind, but I do believe that the love story, just like their love story and their wedding day, will play out in its personalization, in its intimacy. But she will definitely include her fans through that journey.

HUNTE: And beyond the wedding industry itself, how do you see this influencing fashion and beauty and entertainment? Could this wedding change what we see on runways or red carpets?

EL-KHOURY: Absolutely. We are going to see the Taylor wedding dress takeover, and, of course, the Taylor Love story takeover. So, from fashion, beauty, lifestyle, travel, hospitality, and tourism, the wedding market and the peripheral effect of a celebrity wedding is extraordinary. And here we have two worlds come together, the music world and, of course, the football and the sports world, and like I said earlier, everyone's best friend.

We have watched her highs and her lows, all of her love stories, and we are seeing that happily ever after playing in real time. So, the economic impact of that, wherever she chooses to get wedded, whatever she chooses to wear, will impact the wedding industry and all other industries for many years to come.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTE: I love some good news there.

Swimmers lit up Copenhagen's waterways at sunset on Friday for the city's annual two-kilometer night swim. The stunning course wound past Denmark's parliamentary palace as swimmers towed colorful floating lamps lighting up the dark canal waters, transforming the city's picturesque waterways into a moving light show.

This non-competitive social swim is part of a larger series of events that brings together thousands of swimmers every year. Oh, that's nice. So pretty.

Thanks for joining me and the team. That's all I've got for you. I am Ben Hunte in Atlanta. Tech for Good is next, and then there's more CNN Newsroom at the top of the hour.

See you tomorrow at the same times.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[03:30:00]