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Obama Addresses G20; Hermine Threatening Rain and Floods on East Coast; Philippines President Declares 'State of Lawless Violence.' Aired 5-6a ET

Aired September 03, 2016 - 05:00   ET

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

GEORGE HOWELL, CNN ANCHOR: The U.S. president in China attending the G20 summit in one his last opportunities shape American foreign policy. A live report is ahead.

Wreaking havoc. Tropical Storm Hermine rips across the southeastern part of the United States. Threatening floods and causing problems and (INAUDIBLE) holiday plans for people.

Plus, a "state of lawless violence." That is what the president of the Philippines declared after an explosion kills and wounds dozens in his own hometown. We will take you there.

From CNN World Headquarters in Atlanta, welcome to our viewers here in the United States and around the world, I'm George Howell. CNN NEWSROOM starts right now.

It's 5:00 a.m. on the U.S. East Coast. The U.S. president is in China for his last G20 meeting with world leaders. The summit is key for President Barack Obama's legacy of trying to slow down climate change and shifting American foreign policy to focus on Asia.

The president of Turkey and Russia, those presidents will also be at that summit. Mr. Obama is trying to ease tensions with both leaders. And Mr. Obama is scheduled to have his first meeting with the new British prime minister, Theresa May. CNN is live in Hangzhou, that is the city hosting the G20. And our Athena Jones is at that summit.

Athena, thanks for being with us. So first, let's talk about the significance of the fact that this is the president's last time with world leaders at this meeting. What are his priorities going into it?

ATHENA JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, George. You're right. In 60 something days, President Obama becomes a lame duck. But we know he's not going to fritter away the final days of his presidency. We hear him say often that he's going to run out the clock. And running out the clock also means running out the clock on the work of diplomacy.

So there is a lot on schedule, not just here at the G20 here in Hangzhou, but also in Laos, his next stop where he'll have a summit with Southeast Asian nations, the ASEAN summit. And the East Asia summit.

So a lot of meetings ahead. First on his agenda, is a meeting with China's president Xi where they'll talk about a series of issues, areas of agreement like climate change and working together to pressure North Korea to curb its nuclear ambitions.

And also areas where there is some difference, things like exchange rates, economic issues, some trade issues like the steel glut, the overcapacity, overproduction of steel by China and also maritime issues.

So he'll have those meetings with President Xi today. His eighth face-to-face with China's president. And as you mentioned, tomorrow he has a series of meetings. He'll meet with Turkey's president, Erdogan. They'll discuss the fight against ISIS in Syria and Iraq.

Likely to come up is Turkey's insistence that the U.S. deport or send back -- extradite Fethullah Gulen, who is the moderate Muslim cleric living in Pennsylvania that the Turks believe is behind that failed coup in July. So that's certainly likely to come up.

As you mentioned, he's going to have his first formal meeting with the U.K. -- the first meetings period with the U.K. minister, Prime Minister Theresa May. The Brexit is likely to come up there.

And then there's not going to be a formal meeting, but more like an informal pull-aside with Russia's president, Putin. And there they'll certainly talk about Syria and Ukraine. So a lot on the agenda from counterterrorism to trade issues to climate change.

And of course, TPP. Not all of the nations that are here for the G20 summit are party to the TPP, but several nations that are going to be at the ASEAN summit are part of the TPP. And we know that this is a centerpiece of this pivot to Asia, this rebalance to Asia.

The U.S. believes that it's very, very important to close this deal, to have congress pass this trade deal in order to secure America's influence in this part of the world.

So a lot for the president to talk about in these next few days -- George.

HOWELL: Athena, you mentioned these different meetings with the president of Turkey, President Erdogan, and also the meeting, possible meeting with Vladimir Putin. But, again, important to point out that the meeting with Vladimir Putin is not scheduled. And these two leaders definitely have differences.

JONES: They absolutely have differences. And we've seen from time to time where it's not a formal sit-down. But the leaders know they're going to be here, both of their staffs know they're going to be here. And they manage to find a way to have a less formal meeting.

So not -- you know, you sit down for a bilat -- or an expanded bilat, that's what the terminology here, but rather a pull-aside where they get a chance to chat. And they have big issues to talk about.

Ukraine may not be in all the headlines. But it has been a while now since Russia invaded Crimea. So that's still an issue. And then, of course, Syria where Russia is helping prop up the Assad regime. And so the hope is that Russia and the U.S. can work together to make

sure there is a real cessation of hostilities in Syria and allowing humanitarian access to cities like Aleppo that we've been seeing so much in the news.

So the bottom line is a lot of diplomacy is going to be taking place the next couple of days. And the meetings with Putin, Erdogan, and May are high on the agenda and important for the U.S. -- George.

HOWELL: Also, President Vladimir Putin pointing out that Russia at a state level certainly not behind, as he says, the hacking of the DNC. But that could certainly be a topic that comes up as these two major leaders come together.

CNN's Athena Jones live for us. Athena, thank you so much for your reporting.

Now when it comes to hosting the G20 summit, it is a big deal for China. Beijing rolled out the red carpet for G20 members, guest countries, and invited international organizations. Our Asia-Pacific editor, Andrew Stevens, has more now from Hangzhou, and the city that was transformed to impress these world leaders as they arrived.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANDREW STEVENS, CNN ASIA-PACIFIC EDITOR (voice-over): Hangzhou, one of the seven ancient capitals of China. Its historic West Lake a source of inspiration for poets and painters for centuries. Now the centerpiece of the G20 summit hosted for the first time by China.

World leaders, perhaps looking for their own inspiration in an uncertain economic landscape, will be cocooned here on the shores of the lake.

(on camera): But Beijing wants to show Hangzhou as the face of a new China, a China that's home to giant online companies like Alibaba, founded here in the city 17 years ago by Jack Ma.

(voice-over): The success of Ali has led to an explosion of online services companies which is providing a powerful new economic growth model. Young entrepreneurial Chinese across the country have been attracted to this fast-growing city to join companies like Ali and other online operators that cluster here and fill China's vision of services-led economic growth.

This city of 9 million is booming. GDP growth was more than 10 percent in the first half of the year. The national average less than 7 percent. But showcasing Hangzhou has a flip side.

A city in virtual lockdown and being emptied out. Factories have fallen silent, an attempt at clearing the air, construction projects around the city are now at a standstill, and shops are closing.

Security is tight and getting tighter. Our CNN crew was frequently questioned by police and security, stopped from filming, and constantly asked for credentials. But the real target of security it seems is migrant labor. This

migrant neighborhood is now virtually deserted. Many left as the factories closed ahead of the G20. But those who remain say they're being pushed to leave, as well.

This man tells me he and about 30 other families had their cooking gas confiscated after being told it was unsafe. The two rooms he shares with his wife and two children is now just one room. Police declared their second room an illegal structure.

"I don't know why it's illegal," he tells me. "It has something to do with the roof, but we've been here for 10 years, and nothing like this has ever happened before."

For those who stay, getting supplies is also becoming difficult. The city's central wholesale market, usually teeming mass of shops catering mainly to the migrant population, is now virtually empty.

For the residents who want to stay in their city, a visit to the West Lake now involves long delays and heavy security screening, police taking no chances ahead of the summit.

A summit that China hopes will reveal its old-world charm and new- world economic prospects to its most important guests.

Andrews Stevens, Hangzhou, China.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOWELL: Andrew, thank you.

Now in the United States, Tropical Storm Hermine, it is marching up the East Coast this morning with damaging winds and heavy rains and leaving floodwaters in its wake. In fact, a flash flood watch, it is in effect right now for parts of the Carolinas. Tens of thousands of people there are without power.

Hermine ripped into Florida's Big Bend region Friday as a Category 1 storm. It is the first hurricane to come ashore in that state since Wilma struck Florida 11 years ago. Hermine is on track to reach the Atlantic coast in the coming hours where it could regain strength once again as it mixes with warm water.

Let's go live now to our meteorologist, Derek Van Dam, who is tracking this storm.

Derek, what's the latest?

DEREK VAN DAM, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Well, George, the timing couldn't possibly be worse for Tropical Storm Hermine. In this storm, you used a great verb to describe it, marching along the East Coast. I think a better verb might be sprinting. Take a look at this.

This system now just starting to make its way into the West Virginia region, the Delmarva Peninsula. And it is racing in a northeasterly direction at 21 miles per hour. Latest from the National Hurricane Center has sustained winds of 60 miles per hour. Still the center of circulation over land.

What I want you to notice, though, is that this storm is going to -- we're going to apply the brakes to the system as we go forward over the next few days. And the reason why is because we have a blocking area of high pressure to the north and another blocking area of high into the Atlantic.

So that is going to prevent our tropical system from moving to the east which would typically be picked up by the jet streams, which is the upper-level winds. It's just not going to have that factor at this particular time. So this is making very difficult lives for computer models and for meteorologists trying to predict exactly where this will go.

The bottom line, though, is that this system has the potential to stall out across the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico. And let me show you what that means for you at home, if you're watching anywhere from let's say Philadelphia into Baltimore, perhaps into New York City.

Remember, we need temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico, at least water temperatures, to be above 79 degrees Fahrenheit to see tropical development. At least that fuel for the tropical development. And guess what, temperatures are in the lower 80s in that warm Gulf of Mexico water -- or I should say Gulfstream water.

And so that could potentially allow for the storm to see those tropical characteristics again once it enters the Atlantic Ocean.

Take a look at this. Many people comparing this storm with Hurricane Sandy from 2008 -- or 2012, I should say. The big difference here is that Sandy had a much larger wind field when compared to the much more compact Hermine that we're working with now.

So we've got a few things we need to work past in order for this storm to actually move in a westerly direction and impact the New England coastline.

The bottom line, in the interim, severe weather a possibility, flash flooding, damaging winds, and coastal storm surge. Here's the latest radar. You can see the Carolinas getting pounded with heavy rain. They have flood watches across that area. Wind gusts over 50 miles per hour.

And take a look at this, George, we the potential from the Chesapeake Bay through the Long Island Sound of two to four feet above normal high tide through the region into Sunday and Monday.

HOWELL: It's not only a soaker, Derek, but obviously people need to stay in touch with their local meteorologists. Stay in touch with us to keep watching this storm as it pushes through.

VAN DAM: I agree.

HOWELL: Derek Van Dam, thank you so much. The president of the Philippines says that his nation is a "state of

lawless violence," and he is ramping up police and military on the streets because of it. He made that declaration shortly after an explosion tore through a crowded market Friday night in his own hometown. That blast killing 14 people, dozens more wounded.

President Rodrigo Duterte says that explosion was an act of terrorism. Let's get the very latest on what happened there from journalist Maria Ressa, joining us now live by phone from Maurang (ph) in Bataan province.

Maria, first, let's talk about what you know about this explosion, what's the latest, and who could be behind it?

MARIA RESSA, JOURNALIST: Well, at this hour the head of the Philippine national police is actually giving more details as of now. It has been more than 12 hours. It happened around 10:30 in the evening last night. Very few details have been released about what exactly happened there.

The police, the man in charge of the investigation has not actually called it a bombing. In the last hour, there was a Mass for the Davao blast victims officiated by the archbishop in that area.

President Duterte himself has gone and met -- he has visited the Davao blast victims in the hospital. And now at this hour, we're hoping to get more details of who exactly is behind this.

HOWELL: Maria, let's talk also about the president's declaration calling this a "state of lawless violence." That comes with direct instructions. It means that there will be increased police and military presence on the streets.

It also means more checkpoints. It authorizes those checkpoints. So what has been the general reaction to that declaration?

RESSA: It has been -- I guess part of it is this is the mildest of the president's three emergency powers with the -- giving him the ability to call out the military along with the police on the streets.

To put this in context, over the last two months, there has been an intensive war against illegal drugs in this country. More than 2,000 people have been killed during that time period. There's a peace process that has been ongoing between both the communist rebels and the largest Muslim separatist groups, the MILF.

And he initiated the most intensive crackdown against the terrorism group Abu Sayyaf. It's on a blacklist, a terrorist blacklist by the United States and the Philippines.

So all of these combined have created a sense of uncertainty, a little bit of fear, and more information certainly is what we're looking for.

What we've heard from the witnesses at that night market is that a man, a medium-built man, came into an area where people were getting massages. He left a backpack, and that was what exploded. HOWELL: Wow. Journalist Maria Ressa on the phone with us following

this explosion and the investigation into it. Maria, thank you for the reporting. We will stay in touch with you to learn more.

This is CNN NEWSROOM. And still ahead, Donald Trump is trying to reach out to minority voters. But next, why some say that his visit to an African-American church is controversial before he even gets there.

Plus, what Hillary Clinton told the FBI about her email server. Find out what's in those investigation notes. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOWELL: "America's Choice 2016." The FBI has released notes from its investigation into Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server. Supporters and critics of the former secretary of state say these notes prove their respective cases.

Our Joe Johns has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Wow.

JOE JOHNS, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The FBI's formerly classified report on its investigation into Hillary Clinton's private email server reveals there was a lot she said she could not remember when being questioned by agents. The report indicates 39 different times Mrs. Clinton said there were things she did not recall or remember according to the FBI's notes on her interview.

The documents providing insight into why the FBI did not recommend charging Clinton even with classified information on her private server, including 81 email chains that contained sensitive information.

JAMES COMEY, FBI DIRECTOR: Although we did not find clear evidence that Secretary Clinton or her colleagues intended to violate laws governing the handling of classified information, there is evidence that they were extremely careless in their handling of very sensitive, highly classified information.

JOHNS: In her more than three-hour interview with the FBI, Clinton could not recall any briefing or training by State related to the handling of classified information. She said she could not recall every briefing about how she should preserve her records when she left the State Department. The FBI noting she was recovering from a concussion and blood clot at the time.

Clinton said she relied on her aides to use their judgment when emailing her and could not recall anyone raising concerns about information sent to her private account. She also said she did not know that a "C" marking on a document meant it was classified and even asked interviewing agents for clarification. Some of the classified emails that caused the most trouble for Clinton

discussed the CIA's covert drone program which should never be discussed on any unclassified email systems. The report says Clinton stated deliberation over a future drone strike did not give her cause for concern regarding classification.

CLINTON: Welcome to all of you.

JOHNS: But one of the things Mrs. Clinton seemed conclusive about was her motivation. She told the FBI she used her personal email server for convenience and not to evade freedom of information laws.

Attorney General Loretta Lynch followed the FBI's recommendation and passed on prosecuting Clinton, who eventually admitted using a private email server was a mistake.

CLINTON: I would certainly not do that again. That is something that at the time, as even Director Comey said, seemed like a convenience, but it was the wrong choice.

JOHNS: Donald Trump wasted no time seizing on the release saying, quote: "Hillary Clinton's answers to the FBI about her private email server defy belief. I was absolutely shocked to see that her answers to the FBI stood in direct contradiction to what she told the American people."

(on camera): The Clinton campaign got what I wanted on Friday. It called for the release of these documents in order to avoid selective leaking of the information by her opposition. But the problem for Hillary Clinton's campaign is that it breathes new life into a story that has dogged the Democratic nominee since before the primaries, giving critics fodder to question her honesty and truthfulness.

Joe Johns, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOWELL: Joe, thank you.

In the meantime, Donald Trump is trying to reach out to minority voters. He's set to attend a service Saturday at a primarily African- American church in Detroit, Michigan. After that, the church's pastor will interview Trump.

The Republican met with African-American community leaders Friday in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Trump has been widely criticized for poor minority outreach. And he hasn't been polling well with minority voters.

Let's talk now the plus-minus for Hillary Clinton when it comes to these notes, these FBI notes, and Donald Trump on minority outreach with CNN politics reporter Eugene Scott live via Skype in Washington.

Eugene, good to have you with us this hour. So these notes from the former secretary of state, Hillary Clinton wanted that information made public. But the notes raised questions that her critics are seizing on as proof of dishonesty.

EUGENE SCOTT, CNN POLITICAL REPORTER: Yes, and one of the issues that her critics are seizing on from these notes is that it appears that even after The New York Times reported about the private email use that some emails were deleted after the fact.

And there's also concern, of course, about conversations about drones happening that should not have taken place in email because of sensitivity.

But many of her supporters are still focused on the fact that she said that her intentions were not negative. She was not hoping to mislead anyone or hide any information, and that her decisions were primarily shaped by a desire for convenience.

And so depending on where you fall on this issue and perhaps even more so which candidate you find most problematic, that definitely will shape how you move forward in this election season following this disclosure.

HOWELL: Let's also talk about Donald Trump planning to visit an African-American church in Detroit, Michigan. But the question, will it help him, will it make a difference that he visits that church and that he is interviewed by the pastor of that church?

SCOTT: Well, as you noted earlier, yesterday Donald Trump also spoke with African-American voters in Philadelphia. And while he'll be interviewed today in Detroit, he will also meet a bit unofficially with some voters at the church.

So what I'll be interested in seeing is what voters take away from their time with Mr. Trump. I've been speaking this week with voters in Detroit to get their thoughts and ideas about what they hope he addresses.

He has been very clear that he thinks he has the best solutions for issues affecting black communities in urban areas. Whether or not he details -- provides details on those issues today in areas related to health care accessibility, education, and job growth, and unemployment rates will I think determine whether or not he has a change of heart.

He needs some voters to change their hearts and their plans this election season.

HOWELL: And, Eugene, also let's talk about the week that was. Donald Trump visiting Mexico, visiting the president of Mexico, Enrique Pena Nieto, and then going to Arizona to give a fiery speech.

After that fiery speech, we saw the fallout from within his own campaign, people leaving that campaign because of it. What is the net gain from what we saw Donald Trump do? I mean, did he achieve his aims there, or did he actually find himself handicapped because of it?

SCOTT: I was actually in Phoenix the day that Donald Trump gave the speech in Phoenix. And I think many people were surprised even within the campaign about how much pushback Donald Trump got from Latinos who had previously been supportive of his policies.

I think there's still time to clarify his immigration issues. There's still some questions that have been left unanswered. But whether Latinos who had previously been for Donald Trump will remain on board remains to be seen as more details are made clear.

But it's worth noting that his unfavorability ratings with Latino voters as a whole remain significantly high, so high that the likelihood of him winning Latino voters overall is very low.

HOWELL: There's the recent flap, controversial derogatory, you could even say, comment made by one of his surrogates that has certainly made news here recently. Eugene Scott live via Skype from Washington, thank you very much. We'll continue to watch the election as we get closer to Election Day.

SCOTT: Yes.

HOWELL: This is CNN NEWSROOM. Still ahead, doctors say a young migrant woman was very lucky. She gave birth to twins in a life-or- death journey across the Mediterranean. That story is coming up.

The Kurds are fighting ISIS. The Turks are fighting them both. Why Turkey's president says its Syria offensive is a success, still ahead.

We are live from Atlanta this hour, broadcasting across the United States and around the world. You are watching CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOWELL: Welcome back. To our viewers here in the United States and around the world, you're watching CNN NEWSROOM. It is good to have you with us. I'm George Howell with the headlines we're following for you this hour.

Donald Trump is trying to get minority voters to support him. He will visit a largely African-American church in Michigan on Saturday. But there's already controversy surrounding that trip. The church's pastor is under fire for giving the Trump campaign his interview questions in advance.

The FBI has released its investigation notes on his rival, Hillary Clinton. Her use of a private email server while she was secretary of state has been under scrutiny. According to the FBI, Clinton said 39 times that she didn't recall or remember training on how she handled classified information.

The forecast for Tropical Storm Hermine will take the storm past the Carolinas and into the Atlantic Ocean in the coming hours. But once there, it may stall for a while and possibly regain some strength. On Friday it ripped into Florida's Big Bend region as a Category 1 storm. It is the first hurricane to come ashore in that state in 11 years.

The U.S. president will be holding bilateral talks with the Chinese president Xi Jinping. President Barack Obama is in China for his last G20 meeting as the U.S. president. Mr. Obama will also likely meet with the president of Turkey. That meeting will be their first since the failed coup in that country.

China's heavy investment in Africa is likely to also be discussed at the G20 summit, but Africa will have just one representative at the summit despite the continent's growing influence. Eleni Giokos reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ELENI GIOKOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): South Africa is part of what's considered to be a premium group of nations, the G20. But for ordinary Africans on the street, membership in this international club doesn't seem like a big deal.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I totally have no idea what the G20 is. I think it's a summit basically.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: G20 is not about environmental something global?

GIOKOS: The G20 may not have the street cred, but some see advantages to membership in the group.

PETER DRAPER, MANAGING DIRECTOR, TUTWA CONSULTING: We would rather have a seat at the table than not, right? Talk to the Swiss, for instance. The Swiss have a huge financial sector. They're important in the European context. They're not in the G20. They want to be in the G20, but they're not.

GIOKOS: As the most industrialized nation on the continent, South Africa is the only African country with a seat at the G20 table. It also chaired the forum in 2007.

UZO IWEALA, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, VENTURES AFRICA: Underrepresentation is a crazy thing when I look at it. You've only got one country, South Africa, in the G20 when South Africa doesn't even have sort of the largest population on the continent of Africa.

Think that Nigeria and South Africa and perhaps some other African countries should be included in the mix.

GIOKOS: It seems bigger doesn't always mean better. The G20 have never replaced member nations with better-performing or bigger economies.

(on camera): But it does invite about six non-member countries each year. In the past Benin, Equatorial Guinea, Malawi, Mauritania, as well as Ethiopia have received invitations.

(voice-over): In 2008, the G20 showed its strength during the global financial crisis, initiating unprecedented coordinated action to deal with the economic meltdown. But just how much clout does the G20 have today?

GOOLAM BALLIM, CHIEF ECONOMIST, STANDARD BANK: Over the last seven or eight years, in tandem with a period of great instability, the G20, in attempting to bring some semblance of recovery and stability to the global economy has been very, very relevant. GIOKOS (on camera): As the global economy experienced tectonic shifts

in power in the last 15 years, so did the Group of Seven nations. It evolved into the G20 to include emerging economies. Africans now will expect this evolution to continue if the continent known as the last economic frontier is to have a greater voice.

Eleni Giokos, CNN, Johannesburg.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOWELL: Eleni, thank you.

Spain could be heading for its third election in a year. The deadlocked Spanish parliament rejected a bid by the acting prime minister to form a minority government. It was his second attempt in three days. A new election will be called if lawmakers can't agree on a compromise by the end of October.

Turkey's president claims its offensive in northern Syria is a success. Recep Tayyip Erdogan talked to reports at a news conference in Ankara Friday. Reuters reports that he said Turkey and its allies have removed ISIS fighters and Kurdish forces that Turkey considers terrorists from a very wide area.

Turkey's fight against those Kurds has drawn criticism from the United States. The U.S.-backed Kurdish YPG has been effectively fighting ISIS. Mr. Erdogan addressed the controversy. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RECEP TAYYIP ERDOGAN, TURKISH PRESIDENT (through translator): Right now the United States say the YPG militants crossed east of the Euphrates River. We tell them, no, they haven't. Let me say this, the proof that they crossed over east of the Euphrates River adheres to our confirmation. We will not believe that YPG or PYD crossed east of the Euphrates River by listening to someone's statement in the United States or anywhere else.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: Mr. Erdogan's comments come as Turkey clashed with protesters on the Syrian border. The Turks used teargas and water cannons Friday to break up a crowd near the Syrian city of Kobani. Kobani is a largely Kurdish area and a city official says that several people were injured there. The demonstrations were protesting Turkey's construction of a border wall. That's according to a leader in Turkey's pro-Kurdish HDP party.

Thousands of refugees and other migrants are still trying to make the very dangerous journey across the Mediterranean. Some of those -- many people make it, some do not. One of those is a woman who did make it. She gave birth prematurely, as well, to twins aboard a flimsy, packed vessel off Libya's coast.

And our Ben Wedeman has her story for you.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Eight days old and little Hiyap responds to his mother's touch. Born at sea with his brother Evenezer, the twins are doing well. Their mother, 26-year-old Merhawit Tesfamariam delivered a month premature on board a rickety boat off the Libyan coast.

She and the twins were flown by helicopter to Palermo's Cervello Hospital. After a long and treacherous journey from her native Eritrea across the Sahara Desert to Libya, fortune smiled down upon her when all seemed lost.

She was very lucky, says Dr. Antonio Perino. It was premature delivery of twins in a crowded boat in the Mediterranean. Any complications could have been grave with the risk of death for both the mother and the twins.

Merhawit explains that she and her husband left Eritrea to Sudan to escape open-ended mandatory military service. She had already served three years. But short of money, her husband stayed in Sudan and she paid human traffickers thousands of dollars to take her to Libya.

There she stayed for five months in Tripoli sleeping on the dirty floor in a warehouse. Pregnant, she never saw a doctor the whole time she was there.

Traffickers loaded her and thousands of others dozens of boats along the Libyan coast last week. On the second day at sea, she went into labor. Other women on the boat helped in the delivery.

What followed, she recounts, was hours of anguish and pain. Without food or water, she was terrified the babies wouldn't survive. But now the ordeal is over. She and the twins are safe and sound.

She hopes to eventually be reunited with her husband to settle in Britain or possibly the United States where she has relatives. Her life is still fraught with so much uncertainty. Yet, despite it all, she can savor a moment of joy.

Ben Wedeman, CNN, Palermo.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOWELL: The late Mother Teresa is a day away from being declared a saint by the Roman Catholic Church. Up next, her remarkable life and legacy.

Plus, Samsung issues a worldwide recall on its brand-new phone. What you should do if you bought a Galaxy Note 7, before it catches fire. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOWELL: The late Mother Teresa, she was known as the saint of the gutters. She was revered around the world as a beacon of compassion for the poorest of the poor. On Sunday, the Roman Catholic Church will declare her a saint.

CNN's Alexandra Field visited Calcutta, India, the center of Mother Teresa's work.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Mother Teresa's face was known all over the world. But before she belonged to everyone, she belonged right here in Calcutta. This is the house that she lived in, it's the house that she worked in, it's even the house that she died in.

CHHANDA CHAKRABORTI, MOTHER TERESA'S CO-WORKER: She is a ray of intense light.

FIELD (voice-over): Chhanda Chakraborti worked alongside Mother Teresa for years caring for others.

(on camera): What were the last words that you said to each other?

CHAKRABORTI: Mother, give us blessing. And she said, please, you go on working like that.

FIELD: It brings a tear to your eye.

CHAKRABORTI: This is my asset (ph).

FIELD (voice-over): The two saw each other for the last time four days before Mother Teresa's death. Her body lies here in her house near the small bare room where she lived.

(on camera): What Mother Teresa was known for, what she won a Nobel Prize for, the reason that so many people regarded her even as a living saint though was because of all the work that she was doing outside of these doors.

DR. KINGSHUK CHATTERJEE, HISTORY PROFESSOR, UNIVERSITY OF CALCUTTA: Hello.

FIELD (on camera): Thanks for chatting with us.

(voice-over): Dr. Kingshuk Chatterjee is a history professor at the University of Calcutta.

(on camera): How did she change this city where so much of her work started?

CHATTERJEE: Generally, this is a person who probably in some way was helping assuage the conscience of the city for the way were ignoring the marginal amongst them.

FIELD (voice-over): Her outreach to abandoned children, to the dying and the destitute, to the lepers garnered her international attention. Her organization, the Missionaries of Charity, would extend its reach around the world. But in Calcutta, they consider the nun who came from Albania and swathed herself in a sari one of them. CHATTERJEE: When people talk about Indians who have won the Nobel

Prize, Mother Teresa's name comes up among the first although she was not even born in India, nationally.

FIELD: For some, the city is still synonymous with Mother Teresa, although the Catholic population here is tiny. Among the many Hindus who live in Calcutta, a Catholic canonization is likely to be considered just a piece of her legacy.

CHATTERJEE: Most of the people wouldn't know what it means to be a saint. It doesn't really matter. If she recognized, her service is being recognized, a lot of people will feel happy.

FIELD: Her house here is still filled with her missionaries and her friends.

CHAKRABORTI: We love mother. We will love mother. And we stay with mother like before.

FIELD: Nineteen years after her death, they believe they are carrying out her work in Calcutta.

Alexandra Field, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOWELL: By the way, this is the official canonization portrait of Mother Teresa. It will be on display at St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican during the ceremony on Sunday.

Going now to a live event, the president of the United States in China. At this point, at the G20 summit. And, again, we know that he is speaking with President Xi Jinping to formally ratify the climate change agreement, the climate agreement that was agreed to in Paris last year. Let's listen in.

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: ... define the contours of this century more dramatically than any other challenge.

One of the reasons I ran for this office was to make sure that America does its part to protect this planet for future generations. Over the past seven-and-a-half years we've transformed the United States into a global leader in the fight against climate change.

But this is not a fight that any one country, no matter how powerful, can take along. It's why last December's Paris agreement was so important. Nearly 200 nations came together as a strong, enduring framework to set the world on a course to a low carbon future.

And some day we may see this as the moment that we finally decided to save our planet. There are no shortage of cynics who thought the agreement would not happen, but they missed two big things: investments that we make to allow for incredible innovation in clean energy, and the strong principled diplomacy over the course of years that we were able to see pay off in the Paris agreement. The United States and China were central to that effort. Over the

past few years, our joint leadership on climate has been one of the drivers of global action. In 2014, President Xi and I stood together in Beijing to announce landmark climate targets for our two countries to meet.

That announcement set us on the road to Paris by jumpstarting an intense diplomatic effort to put other countries on the same course.

In 2015, we stood together in Washington to lay out additional actions our two countries would take along with a roadmap for ultimately reaching a strong agreement in Paris.

This year, in 2016, we meet again to commit formally to joining the agreement ahead of schedule, creating the prospect that the agreement might enter into force ahead of schedule as well.

The United States and China are taking that step today as our two nations formally join the Paris agreement. Of course, we could not have done this extraordinary work without the strong support of the secretary general of the United Nations, Mr. Ban Ki-moon, who has been an outstanding leader on this issue, as well.

Now, just as I believe the Paris agreement will ultimately prove to be a turning point for our planet, I believe that history will judge today's efforts as pivotal. To the agreement that are in force, this has already been stated, 55 countries representing 55 percent of global emissions must formally join.

Together, the U.S. and China represent about 40 percent of global emissions. So today we are moving the world significantly closer to the goal that we have set.

We have a saying in America that you need to put your money where your mouth is. And when it comes to combating climate change, that's what we're doing. Both the United States and China. We're leading by example.

As the world's two largest economies and two largest commitments, our entrance into this agreement continues the momentum of Paris and should give the rest of the world confidence, whether developed or developing countries, that a low carbon future is where the world is heading.

Of course, the Paris agreement alone won't solve the climate crisis. But it does establish an enduring framework that enables countries to ratchet down their carbon emissions over time, and to set more ambitious targets as technology advances.

That means full implementation of this agreement will help delay or avoid some of the worst consequences of climate change and pave the way for more progress in the coming years.

This is the single-best chance that we have to deal with a problem that could end up transforming this planet in a way that makes it very difficult for us to deal with all of the other challenges that we may face.

President Xi and I intend to continue working together in the months ahead to make sure our countries lead on climate. Three years ago in California, we first resolved to work together to secure a global agreement to phase down the use of super pollutants known as HFCs. We're now just six weeks away from final negotiations.

We also have a chance to reach a global agreement to curb emissions from the global airline industry. One that actually has the support of industry. And today we're putting forward roadmaps to get both negotiations done this year.

On each of these issues, the United States and China have now developed a significant record of leadership on one of the most important issues of our time. Our teams have worked together and developed a strong relationship that should serve us very well.

Despite our differences on other issues, we hope that our willingness to work together on this issue will inspire greater ambition and greater action around the world.

Yes, diplomacy can be difficult, and progress on the world stage can be slow. But together we're proving that it is possible. I was reflecting before we came in here with Secretary General Ban Ki-moon about the meeting that we had in Copenhagen in my first year of my presidency, which was quite chaotic.

And I think it is fair to say that if you had looked at the outcome of the meeting, the prospects of us being here today, the prospects of a Paris agreement seemed very far away.

And yet, here we are which indicates that where there's a will and there is a vision and where countries like China and the United States are prepared to show leadership and to lead by example, it is possible for us to create a world that is more secure, more prosperous, and more free than the one that was left for us.

So to all of you who participated in this extraordinary effort, thank you very much. Thank you to President Xi. Thank you, Mr. Secretary General.

(APPLAUSE)

HOWELL: 5:53 p.m. in Hangzhou, China. You see the president of the United States, Barack Obama, there alongside the U.N. secretary general, Ban Ki-moon. Also the Chinese president, Xi Jinping.

These leaders there together to ratify the climate agreement that was agreed to in Paris just last year. This agreement to curb emissions around the world. The president mentioning that the United States and China are large contributors to that issue. And with this agreement, will cause significant decreases in emissions.

Also keeping in mind that this is the U.S. president's last G20 summit. The president there meeting with world leaders, will meet with the Turkish president. The two at odds or some issues, specifically the cleric Fethullah Gulen, who is presently here in the United States, who lives in Pennsylvania. Turkey wants him back in Turkey.

There are talks obviously about that issue. And there's a possibility, as well, of the president of the United States meeting with Vladimir Putin. A possible meeting but nothing official. That could happen as this meeting takes place.

But, again, the U.S. president there, his last G20 summit. And certainly the last opportunity for President Barack Obama to solidify his legacy when it comes to his leadership on the world stage with these world leaders.

Before we go, we want to share with you a survival story. Nine days after an earthquake leveled entire towns in central Italy, firefighters pulled a golden retriever named Romeo from the rubble. I want to show you this image. It's just a great thing to see.

His owners hadn't given up hope that he was alive. And when they went to try to get things from their damaged homes, they called his name. Sure enough, he barked in response.

After that rescue and the ordeal, nine days after being trapped in rubble, Romeo was indeed alive. You see him there wagging his tail. What a good story just considering all of the damage and certainly the death, the people who were injured in this terrible earthquake in Italy. So many towns that were leveled. But again, you see one good sign from that.

We thank you for being with us here on CNN NEWSROOM. I'm George Howell at the CNN Center in Atlanta. For our viewers here in the United States, "NEW DAY" is next. For viewers around the world, we'll continue on CNN INTERNATIONAL. Thanks for being with us. This is CNN.