Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

Europe's Heat Wave Shatters Temperature Records; North Korea: Missiles Were Warning To South Korea; Source: Trump Views Mueller's Testimony As Vindication; U.N. Says Heat Wave Has Hallmarks of Climate Change; Search for Murder Suspects Focuses on Remote Canadian Area; U.S. Reinstates Federal Death Penalty; American Citizen's U.S. Immigration Ordeal; The True Tale of the Fake Seal. Aired 1-2a ET

Aired July 26, 2019 - 01:00   ET

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


(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[01:00:00] GEORGE HOWELL, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: A continent where only five percent of the population has air conditioning now recovering from a record-smashing heatwave, but scientists say expect more sweltering conditions. North Korea says it fired missiles as a serious warning to South Korea that Kim Jong-un personally organized the test.

Also ahead this hour, a tiny swampy Canadian town now the center of a massive manhunt for two teenagers suspected of killing three people. We are live from CNN world headquarters in Atlanta and we welcome our viewers all around the world. I'm George Howell. The CNN NEWSROOM starts right now.

Around the world, good day to you. Parts of Europe are waking up a bit cooler, cooler temperatures one day after a historic heatwave shattered long-standing records. Several countries set all-time highs on Thursday including the Netherlands, Germany, and Belgium, each of them reaching at least 40 degrees.

In Paris, temperatures soared past 42 degrees breaking a record that was set back in 1947. And in the meantime, the United Kingdom experienced its hottest day ever in the month of July but it fell just short of an all-time high. Here's how people in London reacted to that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RICHARD CATTELL, RESIDENT, LONDON: What a great day. My brain has actually melted but I got a great time so -- that's all I can say about it. Today is beautiful.

SEFAN MAICIMENT, RESIDENT, LONDON: Not that I necessarily have a massive interest in it but like I do think the climate changes happening. I do think it's getting a lot warmer so I think that like you can clearly notice that year-on-year that like the place is getting a lot warmer, it's getting harder we're having these days. We're breaking records here and there. SANDRA HARTMANN, STUDENT: Yes, well, I think like everyone needs to

react like now. I think everyone like realizes now that it's serious but sure at least. So the response should be like each one of us like start changing things. You know, like little things like traveling less or like watching work, what do you eat or yes, stuff like that.

RON CROWDY, TOURIST: Well, they say it's global-warming. I don't know. I think they're just --the weather changes.

CAROLINE MCNAMEE, RESIDENT, LONDON: I'm enjoying it but yes I am worried about the impact of you know, climate change. I'm very concerned and trying to do my bit. I think it's very important that we are aware of this. And look, there's few drops of rain, now, there could be thunder on the way.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: Our Meteorologist Derek Van Dam following this. And Derek, even climate change deniers are sweating it out right now in these hot temperatures.

DEREK VAN DAM, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes. It's hard to deny especially when you talk about breaking all-time record temperatures countrywide for Germany, the Netherlands, and Belgium. By the way, Europe, the average household lay about five percent of the homes are fitted with air conditioning. So you can imagine just how uncomfortable it has been the past couple of days.

What I found as a scientist and a meteorologist, the most astonishing thing about this heatwave that we're experiencing is that the all-time countrywide record high temperatures, as in the heat has never been this high on Wednesday. Those temperatures only stood for 24 hours because we shattered them once again on Thursday.

And by the way, we also included Luxembourg there, they reached 39 degrees. This is real-time heat. And if you need more proof, here's a snapshot, a picture of downtown Paris, 42.5 degrees. We all know it even got warmer than that. The official temperature 42.6 degrees.

I mean, we are nearing almost doubling the average high temperature. So we're just about seven degrees shy of doubling the average high temperature. I mean, this is incredible amounts of heat. The previous record, by the way, was set in 1947 for Paris.

Everyone in Paris just doing what they can to cool off including finding the local fountains and well, trying to cool their bodies down, right? The problem is that the overnight lows aren't dropping that much as well so we're having trouble acclimatizing to this extended heatwave.

Now, the United Kingdom, they got in the record books yesterday as well but it was an all-time July record. High temperatures in Cambridge 38.1. That wasn't as warm as the all-time U.K. temperature which was set of course in the deadly U.K. heat-waver or well, I should say European heatwave of 2003. The good news is that the things are changing. The weather pattern

are starting to change. We're starting to see that orange and red be replaced with more of a green color, that means cooler temperatures are settling in. You could see we do have one more day of heat and Leone and the Frankfort region, but we will cool from here.

Look at Amsterdam's forecast 37 today but a significant difference as we head into the weekend and into the early parts of next weekend. Even though we have this cooldown, what we're starting to notice with our ongoing climate crisis across the planet is that the intensity and frequency of heatwaves is on the rise. And we're also starting to notice these heatwaves occur earlier in the summer months.

Usually in the month of August, that's when we experienced our hottest temperatures across the northern hemisphere, but of course, we had our first heatwave in June, now it's July we have our second heatwave, and who knows what the future holds. You can believe that more hot weather is on the way for Europe as we end off the summer months.

Of course, we're starting to see this fingerprint of climate change play out in front of us. There is a strong synergy between the evidence of climate change and things like heat waves, heavy rain events, and coastal flooding. George, back to you.

[01:05:55] HOWELL: Derek Van Dam, thank you. And later this hour we will speak with a geologist about Europe's heatwave and the role that climate change has had so far. On the Mediterranean, it is being called the worst tragedy of the year by the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees. At least 150 migrants hoping to reach Europe, they drown after their boat sank off the coast of Libya, women and children among those who drowned.

The International Organization for Migration says 145 people mostly from Eritrea and Sudan, they were rescued and have been returned to Libya. The UNHCR is calling for action.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHARLIE YAXLEY, SPOKESMAN, UNHCR: We understand another 150 people have tragically lost their lives this year. And if that's right, that would make this the worst tragedy on the Mediterranean this year, and it highlights once again the urgent need for action to address the Mediterranean situation to ensure that more lives are not unnecessarily lost.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: This makes about 600 people who've lost their lives marking that dangerous journey in 2019 with numbers expected to rise to 1,000 by year's end. Iran appears to be flexing its military muscle at a time of deepening tensions in the Persian Gulf.

According to a U.S. official, Iran has test-fired a ballistic missile with a range of about 1,000 kilometers. The official says it was launched from Iran's southern coast and landed in northern Iran. And North Korea says it fired two missiles into the ocean as a warning to South Korea. This ahead of next month's military exercises with the United States.

North Korean media report the launches of tactical guided weapon systems were personally organized by leader Kim Jong-un himself at a site on North Korea's East Coast. South Korean officials say it appears the North has a new short-range ballistic missile.

CNN Steven Jiang is following the story live in Beijing this hour. And Steven what more can you tell us about the weapon itself and the message North Korea is attempting to send here?

STEVEN JIANG, CNN SENIOR PRODUCER: Well, Georgia, as you mentioned, the North Koreans have made it very clear these latest launchers on Thursday were meant to ascend a very solemn warning to the South Korean military. Not only they say these launches were organized by Kim Jong-un himself but also that the South Korean side should not ignore them.

But the South Korean U.S. military command has said these launchers did not pose a direct threat to their defense alliance and would not impact their plans for joint military drills. And that sentiment or assessment seemed to be reflected in President Trump's remarks when he was interviewed on U.S. television on Wednesday -- on Thursday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: And in the case of North Korea, I'm actually getting along very well with him but we'll see what happens. I mean, you know, the sanctions are on, the hostages are back, we're getting the remains back. They haven't done nuclear testing. They really haven't tested missiles other than you know, smaller ones, the -- which is something that lacks test.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JIANG: So President Trump seems to be unconcerned about these latest launches. And experts have said it was not entirely surprising to see these launches either because the North Koreans have been expressing their frustrations with both Washington and Seoul in recent weeks due to the lack of on the nuclear talks process.

Now, remember, when Mr. Trump and Mr. Kim met in the DMZ last month, they agreed to resume working-level talks. But now that a month has passed, nothing has happened. So the North Koreans seem to be getting impatient in the past. When they want to express their frustrations, they have launched two missiles as well as recently as in May.

So if that's indeed case, George, we are probably not seeing the end of these launches given the increasing uncertainty of the nuclear talks between Washington and Pyongyang at least at this stage, George.

HOWELL: Steven, there's so many different relations -- the relationships to monitor and manage here. You've got North Korea and China, North Korea and Japan, North Korea and South Korea, North Korea and the United States. When it comes to South Korea, what is the status of that relationship?

[01:10:16] JIANG: Well, the relationship between North and South have of course you know, fluctuated and before these latest launches they seem to be warning up because of the several summits between the two leaders. But now we are seeing that kind of cooling off effect because of what I just mentioned.

The North actually in recent weeks has refused food aid from the south. And you mentioned China as well here in Beijing, officials also have an interesting response. They did not condemn the latest launches actually. They did not even expect expressed concern over these launches.

Instead, Beijing officials say the most important thing -- important thing right now is for Washington and Pyongyang to resume their working-level talks as soon as possible as the two leaders have agreed.

Now, it's interesting to note the Beijing response comes at this context of increasingly warm relationship between North Korea and China. Remember how President Xi Jinping paid a state visit to that country last month. So not only a Kim and Xi decided to cement their relationship, they want to open a new chapter that's being reflected in rebound trade volume between the two countries as well.

So that changed, that shift in the power balance, of course, strengthened China's hand in dealing with the U.S. on many issues including trade. So as you say a lot of players involved in this very complex picture, George.

HOWELL: At 1:11 in the Chinese capital there in the afternoon, Steven Jiang following story live. Steven, thank you for the reporting. Still ahead here on CNN NEWSROOM, Britain's new prime minister isn't wasting any time.

Boris Johnson's first addressed to Parliament, he told lawmakers that the government needs to turbocharge its preparations for possible No Deal Brexit. Johnson promising to renegotiate a Brexit divorce deal and says it will make Britain the greatest place on earth.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BORIS JOHNSON, PRIME MINISTER, UNITED KINGDOM: There is every chance that in 2050, and I fully intend to be around though not necessarily in this job. We will be able to look back on this period, this extraordinary period as the beginning of a new golden age for our United Kingdom.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: In the meantime, Mr. Johnson is facing pushback from challenges at home. Our Anna Stewart explains.

ANNA STEWART, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Prime Minister's very first statement in Parliament reiterated all of his main campaign pledges, but of course there was a major focus on Brexit. He spoke about the current withdrawal agreement that the U.K. reached with the E.U. of course under his predecessor Theresa May. He called it unacceptable.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHNSON: If an agreement is to be reached, it must be clearly understood that the weight of the deal goes by way of the abolition of the backstop.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STEWART: The new prime minister, of course, faces pressure closer to home. The main opposition party, the Labour Party, the leader Jeremy Corbyn hold a rally in which he was calling for a general election.

Now, one way he could actually trigger a general election is to table a confidence vote in parliament. That is something he could have done at Boris Johnson's first day as Prime Minister, and the last day that Parliament is sitting.

And actually, another opposition party, the Liberal Democrats, wanted the Labour Party to get behind this. Now Corbyn decided not to but that means that can't happen to the beginning of September when they all are back from the summer and back in Parliament.

Now, some MPs seem to start their summer break a little early. Former Prime Minister Theresa May and some of her former cabinet ministers was spotted at the cricket at Lords enjoying a drink and of course all the sunshine.

One could only expect that Boris Johnson won't be getting a break anytime soon. Anna Stewart, CNN London.

HOWELL: The FBI warns that Russia will try again to meddle in the 2020 presidential election in the United States, but is anyone in Washington listening? A White House Correspondent for the New York Times shares his thoughts ahead for you.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[01:15:00] HOWELL: The trial of an American rapper who has been charged with an assault will begin on Tuesday in Sweden and President Donald Trump is weighing in after unsuccessfully lobbying the Swedish prime minister to help free the performer ASAP Rocky. The President tweeting "very disappointed" in the prime minister for being unable to act. Sweden has let our African-American community down in the United States says Mr. Trump.

The Swedish P.M. says that he told Mr. Trump that his nations courts are independent. Here's a video of that incident which again I do warn you is disturbing. The prosecutor says ASAP Rocky and two other men kicked and beat the man with a glass bottle. The rapper's lawyer says he was acting in self-defense.

Here in the United States, the former Special Counsel testified on Capitol Hill but failed to jumpstart congressional calls for impeachment and as Republicans claiming victory and some Democrats examining next steps. Our Pamela Brown has this.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAMELA BROWN, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: The White House is claiming victory after former Special Counsel Robert Mueller's high stakes testimony.

KELLYANNE CONWAY, COUNSELOR TO PRESIDENT TRUMP: I thought yesterday was supposed to be this unbelievable movie better than the book and Bob Mueller was going to pave the golden road, the yellow brick road toward impeachment. Clearly, that didn't happen. It's not happening.

BROWN: The Trump campaign thrilled with the outcome and using the moment to urge surrogates on a conference call to underscore the President's message that Democrats will now suffer in 2020.

TRUMP: The Democrats lost so big today, their party is in shambles right now.

CONWAY: They can't get over the 2016 election. They haven't had a clue how to beat him in 2020. That's pretty obvious.

BROWN: Democrats for their part now plotting their next move and whether impeachment proceedings are still on the table.

REP. JERRY NADLER (D-NY): Today was a watershed day in telling the facts to the American people. With those facts, we can proceed.

BROWN: But House Speaker Nancy Pelosi threw cold water on the idea at least for now.

REP. NANCY PELOSI (D-CA): The fact that why I'd like it to be a strong case is because I don't -- it's based on the facts. The facts and the law, that's what matters, not politics, not partisanship, just patriotism.

BROWN: Pelosi privately told her caucus to do what's best for them but push back on the notion from some members that not pursuing impeachment is a violation of their constitutional duties.

PELOSI: It's not about me, it's about our caucus, it's about our country.

BROWN: Another battle brewing over immigration after a California judge halted President Trump's third country Asylum ban just hours after another judge said it could go forward pending lawsuits.

White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham slammed the judge's ruling as "the tyranny of a dysfunctional system." This as CNN has learned an exclusive new documents that hundreds of red flags were raised internally within the Trump administration about how families were being separated at the U.S.-Mexico border some months before the controversial zero-tolerance policy was announced.

The question remains will the President speak out, change his tune on Russian election interference in the wake of dire warnings from top officials. Now Kellyanne Conway, Counselor to the President wouldn't answer questions about whether the White House would support legislation to boost election security.

She did say though that she would need to see the bill that would compel campaigns to report to the FBI the foreign country offers assistance. She said she would need to see what was in that bill. This was a bill that Republicans blocked along with another bill that was supposed to boost election security. Pamela Brown, CNN the White House.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOWELL: Let's talk more about this now with Michael Shear. Michael, a CNN Political Analyst and a White House Correspondent for the New York Times joining this hour from Washington. Good to have you with us, Michael.

MICHAEL SHEAR, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Sure. Happy to be here.

HOWELL: Like so many things today, Michael, Democrats heard certain things from the testimony that they wanted to hear. Republicans like the house Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy heard other things vindication. Here's what he had to say about it. Let's listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. KEVIN MCCARTHY (R-CA): I hope yesterday was a historic day. I hope the failure of what they saw, what they thought they would actually try is the final chapter of this book that they have put us through.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: So looking at this straight down the line objectively, what are your big takeaways from Mueller's testimony and which side really benefited more from it would you say?

SHEAR: Well, look, all of these kinds of political moments on Capitol Hill are always staged by one side or the other, and part of the dynamics of Washington D.C. is who can spin the best. I think you know, the Democrats clearly hoped for more.

They hope that Robert Mueller would they proved to be the kind of witness that galvanizes not only the city but the country and the world, that people would be gripped by the testimony that clearly didn't happen. So I think the Democrats are spinning today as if that suggests well they didn't really expect that and they didn't want that happen and that they're just moving ahead just like they were the day before the hearing.

On the other hand, the Republicans clearly are hoping that you know, given the disappointment, that clearly the Democrats you know, privately really feel that the Republicans can use this as an opportunity to sort of put that final nail in the coffin and you know, try to put this behind them and more importantly behind the president. I think you know, part of their messaging is not only messaging for their constituents and members of the public, but also for President Trump. They want the president see that he -- that their supporters on -- his supporters on Capitol Hill are you know, kind of really driving home the message that they want this to end.

HOWELL: OK, but you know, where does this leave Democrats on what has been a divisive issue of impeachment?

SHEAR: Well, look, I think you know, in some ways they're kind of where they were before which is to say you know, it was pretty clear when the report came out, when the Mueller report came out that the substance of the Mueller report was not going to be enough to sort of drive the party directly to impeachment proceedings against the president.

There just wasn't enough there. There was too much division. And so I think they're left in essentially the same place which is you know, can they you know, set up a series of investigative hearings, can they call the fact witnesses like Don McGahn the former White House Counsel and Hope Hicks the former sort of communications aide to the President Trump.

Can they subpoena more information, documents, and gather information that at the end of the day they hope will lead to some kind of you know, consensus around impeachment. Or as Nancy Pelosi, the House Speaker would rather do, you know, sort of do a more sort of perfunctory approach and then move on to other issues.

That's the real danger for the Democrats is if they focus too much on this investigation that they risk communicating a message to voters that you know, they're obsessed with it and that they aren't working on things like you know, equal pay and the economy and immigration and some of the other things that people really care about.

HOWELL: Well, the former Special Counsel did underscore during his testimony that he did not exonerate President Trump. Mueller also indicated Mr. Trump though could face charges after leaving office. So given that statement, what would you say the implications are for Trump world should he lose come 2020?

SHEAR: Yes, I mean, so you know, one thing to keep in mind if you'll you know, remember that President Clinton was impeached and then not convicted in the Senate during his -- during his time in office, one thing that people may not remember is that the Justice Department kept the possibility of a prosecution of Bill Clinton for lying, kept that in reserve until literally the day before the inauguration -- the day before President Clinton was going to leave office and on that day they negotiated the deal with President Clinton to take away his -- that he would relinquish his law license in you know, in exchange essentially for not being prosecuted.

And that is still a possibility with President Trump. I mean, it's sort of unclear whether the Justice Department would do that given that this Justice Department is run by President Trump, but in theory, you know, there is that risk of possible prosecution hanging over the President's head.

[01:25:38] HOWELL: And then speaking also of the next election, I want to go to election interference. The FBI Director Christopher Wray had this stark warning about what to expect. Take a listen.

CHRISTOPHER WRAY, DIRECTOR, FBI: We expect much of the same in 2020 especially with new cyber tools that are continuing to fall in the hands of adversaries who would do us harm.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: And now, new warnings from the Senate Intelligence Committee report that Russia may have targeted numerous state election systems. What are your take from this warning, this report, and from Republican Party and President who don't strike the bell on the subject and the same sense of urgency?

SHEAR: You know, one of the things that I think we may find this time around -- and this is speculative but who knows, but you know, the public's awareness of kind of the dangers of sort of the online world, you know, not just in elections but in all kinds of areas has grown much more sophisticated.

You know, we used to you know, four or five years ago, we used to go on Facebook and some of these other sites and not give a second thought the information we are handing over to them. I think everybody is more sophisticated now about recognizing that along with those benefits of these you know, great online tools, there are also great risks.

And so you know, maybe as a -- as a positive thought here that it is possible that some of these warnings which we all sort of ignored collectively as a society, like oh, you know, don't worry so much about you know, online privacy, don't worry so much about fishing attacks and some of these things. We didn't really sort of have that in the public consciousness.

Going into 2020, I think people are going -- people generally are going to be much more aware of those dangers and you know, perhaps that will give some you know, some new power to the people both at the state and local level, but the federal government who you know, are sort of raising the alarm about this and that maybe will actually do something about it.

I mean, I think the big question mark is President Trump who obviously has shown no interest in kind of supporting that effort. But nonetheless, there have been folks in both parties and people like Chris Wray, the Director of the FBI who are ringing the alarm bells and so maybe that will happen.

HOWELL: It's a serious issue that does not seem to be going away. Michael Schear, we appreciate again your time and perspective. Thank you.

SHEAR: Sure. HOWELL: A little girl hangs on for her life after an airstrike in Syria leaves her dangling from the edge of a bombed up building. We'll have that story for you. Also, the search is on for two murder suspects that intensifies in Canada. Police now searching a remote region. We'll have an update on the manhunt as CNN NEWSROOM --

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[01:30:47] GEORGE HOWELL, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back to viewers around the world, you're watching CNN NEWSROOM, live.

I'm George Howell with the headlines we're following for you this hour.

Off the coast of Libya at least 150 migrants drowned on Thursday after their boat sank. It's believed some 300 people left on the dangerous sea crossing from the port east of Tripoli. The U.N. says more than 600 people have died on the Mediterranean so far this year alone.

North Korea says it fired two missiles into the ocean as a warning to South Korea, this ahead of next month's military exercises with the United States. North Korean media reports the launch was a tactical guided-weapons system but South Korean officials say it appears the North has a new short range ballistic missile.

Europe's historic heat wave -- it has shattered temperatures across the continent. Records have been broken. Paris experienced its hottest day on record while several countries set all-time highs. Scientists say the scorching temperatures are the result of a climate crisis.

The intense heat, of course, continues across Europe. The United Nations has issued a grim warning. The World Meteorological organization warns that heat waves like these could become the new norm.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CLARE NULLIS, WORLD METEOROLOGICAL ORGANIZATION: Heat waves are the hallmark of climate change. They are -- as we saw in June, they're becoming more frequent. They're starting earlier and they are becoming more intense. So it is -- you know, it's not a problem that's going to go away.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: To talk more about this, we have Jess Phoenix with. Jess -- the executive director and cofounder a Blueprint Earth joining this hour from Baltimore, Maryland. It's a pleasure to have you with us.

JESS PHOENIX, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, BLUEPRINT EARTH: Thanks for having me.

HOWELL: Jess -- fair to say, this has been a hot summer here in the United States and across Europe. They are definitely feeling the heat right now. By all indications this will be more the rule than the exception.

PHOENIX: That is correct. We can only expect to see more extreme weather events like these heat waves in the coming decades with climate change.

HOWELL: Let's talk more about that, the long-range outlook here. Taking this quote that's part of a report from the Union of Concerned Scientists. It reads as follows. Quote, "Extreme heat is poised to rise steeply in frequency and severity over the coming decades bringing unprecedented health risks for people and communities across the country."

What are your biggest concerns looking ahead in the years to come?

PHOENIX: Well, the main issue that I see is that climate change itself is a threat multiplier which means that if you have an issue and it's already bad like say terrorism or water or food scarcity or immigration challenges.

You throw climate change into the mix and it just complicates everything. It increases the difficulty of dealing with those issues exponentially. So I'm really concerned about not just one single effect but really the cascade of effects that we will see from a slow motion disaster in progress.

HOWELL: We hear the warnings. The time to act is now despite though climate change deniers and even governments and leaders that the U.S. President and the U.S. Vice President -- there are still those who don't quite seem to see the urgency.

There is though one teenage climate activist who sees the challenge as clear as day. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GRETA THUNBERG, CLIMATE ACTIVIST: I will start with the good news. The world as, a small number of people have been saying lately, will not end in 11 years. The bad news however is that around the year 2030 if we continue with business as usual we will likely be in a position where we may pass a number of tipping points.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: Greta Thunberg there, making the case -- a child, you know, a teenager who sees this is better than adults that there is a narrow window for humans to make some impact even if minimal that could make a difference but we're running out of time.

[01:34:53] PHOENIX: That's true. And what really is concerning is the inaction by certain governments -- U.S. government included when we have such a dire threat that is not going to go away if we don't take decisive action and that means government action. It mean s private industry action. It means every day citizen action.

These effects that we see from climate change will be not only irreversible but they will be even worse than what we have already thought about because, you know, the challenges of a changing world with the growing population seem to multiply. And adding climate change to that is only going to complicate things.

HOWELL: You know, you hear from the U.S. President when it comes to climate change that, you know, any action on climate change he says -- he wouldn't do anything to the detriment of the economy. Do you see that as, you know, the challenge or is the President seeing this wrong in your opinion?

PHOENIX: Well, he's completely wrong. And that seems to be sort of par for the course when it comes to science and this administration. I worked in coal mining and I worked in hard rock mining as well. And I can tell you that, you know, we do need to extract resources from the earth however coal mining is the way of the past.

We need to be looking into sustainable technology development and green energy innovation. We already have a lot of the technologies that are going to help us drive forward into a climate changing world but we need to continue doing the best in those.

Whenever we have a big change -- whether it's an industrial revolution type of change or a digital revolution type of change, we see economic stimulus from that. So from what I've seen, when we have investments in green and sustainable technology, we only reap the benefit

All right. Jess Phoenix -- we appreciate your time and perspective on this. Thank you.

PHOENIX: Thank you.

HOWELL: And now to Canada where the manhunt is on for two alleged killers. The search has led police to a thinly-populated and rugged region of Canada. They're searching a bushy, swampy, bug-infested area in the central province of Manitoba.

Police are trying to find these two Canadian teenagers. The team suspected of killing three people -- a Canadian, an Australian and his American girlfriend. Authorities say their search isn't easy but they're prepared for anything.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CPL. JULIE COURCHAINE, ROYAL CANADIAN MOUNTED POLICE, MANITOBA: I think it's tough. It's challenging terrain, it is vast, dense. So, obviously, I think a lot of challenges, which is why we have deployed so many resources, you know, including the emergency response team. The police officers that are up there are trained for these types of situations.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: And with more on this case, my colleague Paula Newton is here. And Paula what more can you tell us about the murders?

PAULA NEWTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You know, it has so shocked people in Canada, but obviously the victims and their families. I mean the key thing here, George, is these are teenagers. These are 18 years old and 19 years old. At one point remember, Canadian police thought they were missing, and perhaps the victim of serial killers.

Instead then, the twist right. They became the prime suspects. And why -- George? Police won't say exactly why. But to have that definitive answer, it meant that they had forensic evidence. The must have forensic evidence, solid forensic evidence tying them to these killings one way or the other.

In terms of the murder scene itself, it was said to have been quite violent, where the couple was killed, and have gotten violent. Interestingly enough as well, police won't say how the third murder victims was killed, we don't know why. They keep saying that they need to keep with the integrity of the investigation.

The point is here -- they are clear. These are the prime suspects and they have now charged those two suspects with the murder.

HOWELL: All right. And look, you know, we talked about the area that they are searching. It is remote. It is bushy. Bug infested. All that plays into the search, right.

NEWTON: Absolutely, it does. And you know, it is summer, so that's going to make it a little bit easier for them. But as many people there in the area have been saying, you're talking about -- we're talking about bug-infested, it would make it difficult even to walks in certain regions with those kinds of bugs after you.

Keep in mind, they don't have what you -- the supplies that you and I would be able to get. There haven't been any sightings in any stores, would they try to buy anything for obvious reasons.

Police say they could've changed their disguise. They are desperate. One thing that's going to be tough about them changing -- sort of change their disguise several times by now, they haven't noticed any reports that there been any other stolen vehicles. So they're thinking that perhaps they are on foot now.

Having said all that, whether or not they change their appearance, these two teenagers are six foot four. They would definitely stand out, even if they were in the wilderness.

I want you to listen now though to the father of one of them, you know, talking about the desperation that he feels for his son right now. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[01:40:02] ALAN SCHMEGELSKY, FATHER OF MURDER SUSPECT: Mounties are going to shoot first and ask questions later. Basically, he's going to be dead today or tomorrow. I know that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: Wow. NEWTON: I mean frank but an incredibly disturbing picture of families that are just distraught, again George -- trying to figure out why. How did all of this transpire? Why is it happening? And, obviously wanting to make sure that there is no other violence, whether it's to the teenagers or anyone else in the area. Police really sending -- marshalling all the resources they have on the ground and in the are for the search.

HOWELL: Why it's so important to the victims families, and now the where is certainly important for police as they continue this manhunt.

Paula Newton -- thank you again.

After a 16-year pause, the United States has reinstated the death penalty for federal crimes. Attorney General William Barr made it official by ordering the executions of five inmates on federal death row.

Here's a look at the countries that are still using the death penalty. As for the United States, the last federal execution was in 2003. There are currently 62 inmates on federal death row, this according to the Death Row Penalty information center.

Capital punishment is also legal in 29 states, but state executions are on the decline. Earlier, the Death Penalty Information Center director spoke with Amara Walker about the situation.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERT DUNHAM, DIRECTOR, DEATH PENALTY INFORMATION CENTER: The administration specifically chose these individuals because they felt that the crimes that they were convicted of committing would inflame the American public. Now, the thing -- I think one of the most important things to remember about the federal death penalty, is that most criminal laws are enforced at the state level, and it's something that states do very well.

And typically the federal government allows the states to handle these issues. For there to be a federal death penalty there's supposed to be some kind of distinct federal interest. In these cases, the press release that the Department of Justice issued indicated that they sought to execute these individuals because they had murdered children or elderly people.

Now, that is serious. That's very serious. But that isn't necessarily a federal interest. And so there's a serious question as to whether these should be federal death penalties, thing that would've been better left to the states.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: Anti-death penalty opponents say they will challenge the new policy.

An American teenager is released after a 27-day ordeal in U.S. immigration custody. Now he is talking about that ordeal. [01:42:50] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOWELL: This is a heart-stopping image. We want you to take a look at this here. This was taken moments after an air strike in Syria. A child, the one below in the green shirt teeters on the edge of a bombed out building in that province. She's barely hanging on as her the desperate father watches in horror from above.

The girl's older sister grabbed the little one's shirt to keep her from falling into the rubble. The girls were rushed to a clinic but the children's mother was killed in the air strike conducted by Russian-backed Syrian forces.

It's a mistake the United States immigration officials are scrambling to explain. A teenager -- an American citizen detained for more than three weeks and even though he could prove his citizenship with official papers, he was taken into custody. He was finally released after 27 days.

CNN's Nick Valencia spoke with him about that ordeal.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Francisco Galicia is home at last, but the reminders of his detention are never far away.

Sitting in his south Texas home the 18-year-old American says what he went through should never have happened even if immigration officials alleged he's partly to blame.

Immigration officials say that there was confusion about your status because there was conflicting documents. Do you think that this was about the documents? Or do you think that this about something else?

FRANCISCO GALICIA, AMERICAN DETAINED BY IMMIGRATION (through translator): They thought they were superior. They looked at us with such distaste. I think it was like a certain type of racism.

VALENCIA: For three weeks he slept on the concrete with nearly 70 others who were doing the same.

They didn't even treat you like human beings?

GALICIA: No.

VALENCIA: He survived off bologna sandwiches and says every three to four days he was given a wet wipe to clean himself.

You didn't shower at all --

GALICIA: No -- for 23 days?

VALENCIA: You didn't shower for 23 days.

GALICIA: For 23 days, it was a bad diet. I lost nearly 30 pounds. VALENCIA: In his 27 days in custody, Galicia said no one ever

believed he was American. At one point tired of trying to explain himself, he considered self-deporting to Mexico.

They just messed with your mind. GALICIA: Yes.

VALENCIA: How? Explain.

GALICIA: The truth -- threatening me that they were going to press charges. Charges for falsifying documents. The whole time insulting me that how could I not know where I was from.

VALENCIA: This all started on June 27th when Galicia along with his brother and two friends left their home in Edinburg and headed north. They were stopped at a checkpoint in Falfurias (ph) about a hundred miles north of the border while on their way to Ranger College in central Texas for a soccer camp.

Galicia, who was born in the U.S. but grew up in Mexico was carrying documents proving he was an American but he also carried a tourist visa that mistakenly listed his birth country as Mexico.

"This individual provided conflicting reports regarding status of citizenship after being apprehended. Situations including conflicting reports from the individual and multiple birth certificates can and should take more time to verify." CBP and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said in a joint statement Wednesday.

Galicia thinks border agents would he believed he was American if not for his broken English.

There are going to be people that watch this interview and say that you live in the United States, you're an American, you should be speaking English. You smile -- what do you say those people?

GALICIA: I don't speak English but I'm going to learn it. And I'll speak it later.

VALENCIA: Is this more of a reason to learn English now?

GALICIA: I have to learn to talk to everyone and everyone so that the next time this happens they'll believe me.

VALENCIA: Somehow he's able to laugh about his time in custody which he said ended after media picked up his story. But just a few days remove from the tension, he spends a lot of time thinking about those who aren't as lucky.

Our President talks about how there is a lot of bad actors, a lot of people that are here to do harm among those that are coming to this country.

[01:50:01] But you're telling you felt more scared being in the presence of the ICE officials and the immigration officials than you did with the migrants. When you are there, how many of the migrants would you say were here to do harm to the United States?

GALICIA: None. None wanted to come to do harm. All came in search for a better future.

VALENCIA: After being locked up with them he now considers some of them friends. He keeps a handful of phone numbers on tiny pieces of paper he received from those friends while in the facility. He's calling families in Central America to tell them their loved ones are still alive.

GALICIA: To see the suffering of other people it made me understand many things. One can live his life here in a certain way while other suffer.

VALENCIA: You speak for them now?

GALICIA: Yes. I mean I try to because they can't talk. I'm like their eyes and ears from there inside.

VALENCIA: Walking outside Galicia says the air to him smells fresher than before. Things look and feel different too. And so does he.

Even though he lives on the border prior to his detention he never paid attention to the migrant crisis. Now he's lived it.

Nick Valencia, CNN -- McAllen, Texas.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOWELL: He lived it.

We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOWELL: When is an official presidential seal not official? CNN'S Jeanne Moos has the embarrassing details for you.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Little did President Trump know his fate was sealed that the Presidential seal behind him wasn't as presidential as it should be. And someone would get fired over it.

Wow, is right. Look at that two-headed seal, the real seal has one eagle. It's the Russian Federation Coat of Arms that features two birds and the eagle in the real seal clutches arrows. But the fake was holding golf clubs.

The impostor seal proclaims of America's 45th president, 45 is a puppet in Spanish.

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: No puppet. No puppet.

HILLARY CLINTON, FORMER U.S. STATE SECRETARY: It's pretty clear.

TRUMP: You're the puppet.

MOOS: The parodied presidential seal was briefly projected at the recent Turning Point U.S.A. Teen Summit for conservative youth.

By the way, you think pranksters, somebody trolling President Trump behind his back. Trump critics tweeted "Give them a medal." Someone posted Putin clapping.

[01:55:05] But Turning Point U.S.A. says "We are sorry for the mix-up and meant no disrespect." Just a couple of hours before the event the Turning Point folks were asked to project the Presidential seal. A source says an audio visual aid did a Google image search to find the seal. Lots came up including the parody.

The source says the AV person didn't notice that it was a doctored seal. A seal that's sold on tank tops and throw pillows by a graphic designer known as One Turn Donny who told CNN he has a hard time believing someone used his design by accident.

There have been other seal snafus.

BARACK OBAMA, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We cannot sustain -- hoops. Was that my --

MOOS: Yes, your presidential seal.

OBAMA: They're sweating bullets back there aren't they.

MOOS: And someone back there at the trump event must have been sweating bullets. the audio visual person got fired.

Even if the President claps like a seal there is no excuse for showing a bogus seal with an eagle holding golf clubs like he's going to shoot a birdie.

Jeanne Moos, CNN -- New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOWELL: Well some things are just meant to be. Christmas is on December 25th, New Year's Day January 1st, and Halloween is on October 31st. After all it is All Hallows' Eve it's been celebrated for more than a thousand years.

But the Halloween and Costume Association has launched a petition drive to change Halloween to the last Saturday of October. The group says it would be safer and not interfere with work or school activities. And so far more than 65,000 people have signed on to that petition.

Thanks for watching CNN NEWSROOM. I'm George Howell at the CNN Center in Atlanta.

Paula Newton is up next with CNN NEWSROOM to continue our stories.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) NEWTON: Tragedy in the Mediterranean as a boat full of African migrants sinks. More than a hundred are missing and feared dead.

[02:00:01] The U.S. Senate Committee finishes a two year investigation into Russian interference with serious warnings for future elections.

Plus, how Europe is trying.

END