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U.N. Security Council to Meet on Russian Drone Incursions into Poland; Brazil Supreme Court Votes to Convict Bolsonaro for Attempted Coup; Speaker Johnson: Working to Enhance Security for Lawmakers; One Doula's Mission Transforms Maternal Healthcare in the Bronx. Aired 3:30-4p ET

Aired September 11, 2025 - 15:30   ET

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

[15:30:00]

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN HOST: CNN Chief Global Affairs Correspondent Matthew Chance is following this for us. Matthew, what are you learning about that UN Security Council meeting?

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CHIEF GLOBAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Hey Boris, well that meeting's going to be taking place according to our sources tomorrow, so it's not taking place tonight. And it's a sign of just how serious, seriously Poland has taken this incursion into its airspace by Russian drones, and not just Poland, but the Western allies as well. Already the Article 4 of the NATO alliance has been triggered by this incursion, and that's meant there's been, you know, kind of intensive talks between the Western alliance members about how to proceed.

It's now been taken to the Security Council, which means it's going to get a further airing in public but, you know, of course remember that Russia has a permanent seat on the UN Security Council. It has a veto because of that, so don't expect any sort of significant measures to be passed at the Security Council, but it will be debated at that high level.

Now Russia for its part has categorically denied any wrongdoing in the sense that it says that it hasn't deliberately targeted, it didn't mean to deliberately target anything inside Poland.

In the Russian media, basically the narrative is that look, this was amid a large-scale drone attack by Russia on targets inside Ukraine, but because of electronic jamming inside Ukraine it's possible that some of these drones inadvertently kind of were misdirected and entered Polish airspace.

That's not the position taken by Poland, and it's not the position taken by Ukraine as well. The Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy saying that this was not a coincidence, and that's a view that's been reflected by sort of many Western leaders, basically accusing Russia of trying to test Western responses and Western defenses against this kind of aerial assault.

Again, these are the issues that will be debated in the UN Security Council when that emergency session convenes, we believe tomorrow. Boris.

SANCHEZ: Matthew Chance live for us in London with the latest. Thank you so much -- Brianna.

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN HOST: We're following some breaking news out of Brazil. The country's Supreme Court has just voted to convict former President Jair Bolsonaro of planning to overturn the country's 2022 election.

CNN's Julia Vargas Jones is live in Los Angeles with some more on this. Julia, what can you tell us?

JULIA VARGAS JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Brianna, just moments ago we heard that decision, the charges that he was found guilty of a coup d'etat, taking part in an armed criminal organization, attempting to abolish Brazil's democratic order by force, damaging protected property. That was all during Brazil's very own January 6th and all of the moments and the planning that led up to that moment on January 8th, 2023.

Prosecutors accusing Bolsonaro not just of organizing, being the head of a criminal organization, but also attempting, planning to assassinate the now sitting president, then president elect of Brazil, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, his vice president, as well as one of the Supreme Court justices, the very justice that this week led the trial against him and seven other of his close allies.

Brianna, this trial has been the focus of a diplomatic spat between Brazil and the United States. It has cost Brazil 50 percent tariffs on all goods imported to the United States. The big question what we're looking at now is what other retaliation could come from the United States in coming days as this verdict has now been not quite reached, but as the Supreme Court has come to a majority to condemn president -- former President Jair Bolsonaro, he could face 40 years in prison.

Now, it could take still some weeks until he is taken. He is already under house arrest and barred from running for office until 2030 on separate matters. That has to do with questioning the validity of the elections prior to the 2022 election.

All of this coming to a head today, Brianna, as we heard from a justice, as she cast the final vote, I just want to tell you from Justice Carmen Lucia, she said, Brazil is only worth it because we can protect democracy.

And that's what the justices said they were doing today. It is quite a controversial trial, I have to say. President Jair Bolsonaro still has a lot of support from a big portion of the population in Brazil, and this has caused so much division. We'll see what comes in the days ahead.

KEILAR: Yes, huge development there. Julia Vargas Jones, thank you.

And right now, lawmakers on edge, many fearing for their safety after Charlie Kirk's murder. We'll have new reaction from Capitol Hill next.

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KEILAR: We have breaking news. We've just learned that FBI Director Cash Patel is headed to Utah to assist in the investigation into Charlie Kirk's killing. We're standing by for any updates there.

And we're also getting some new reaction from Capitol Hill, where many lawmakers are rattled and feeling vulnerable to potential threats. House Speaker Mike Johnson spoke about beefed up security for members earlier today.

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REP. MIKE JOHNSON (R-LA), HOUSE SPEAKER: We're in a deliberate review process right now to determine what measures are appropriate, how much we can allocate for that.

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We've got to protect people who run for public office or no one will. And that's heavy on our hearts and minds as we also, you know, work through the trauma of what happened yesterday.

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KEILAR: CNN chief congressional correspondent Manu Raju is live on The Hill for us. Manu, what are you hearing from lawmakers?

MANU RAJU, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, there's universal condemnation for what happened yesterday. And what we've seen over the last many years is escalating trend of political violence really occurring against politicians from both parties, against, of course, the conservative activists, Charlie Kirk and many others, and a call for change. You're hearing that from a lot of members on both sides.

But there is also sharp disagreement, too. That's being that you're hearing from some conservative members, particularly in the House, blaming Democratic rhetoric for what happened yesterday. You're hearing some Democrats responding, saying that Republicans' opposition to stricter gun safety laws is a reason for the violence as well.

So that blame is being traded on the floor of the House as well as outside on the House steps. And there's been some blame, of course, from the president of the United States last night when he was speaking on a video that was released by the White House. He cast blame on left-wing violence for a lot of these episodes that have occurred.

I put that question to one progressive Democrat, Alexandria Ocasio- Cortez, about the president's remarks and his blame for people on the left for these episodes of political violence.

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RAJU: The president, in his speech, he was very critical of left-wing violence. What do you think of that message? And do you agree with him that that left-wing violence is a problem?

REP. ALEXANDRIA OCASIO-CORTEZ (D-NY): There is no understanding, as we know publicly, of who this individual is, what their motivations were, where they came from. Whether it is a member of Congress, whether it is the president of the United States, to assume and assert and cast blame when the FBI has failed to even apprehend the assailant is absolutely an irresponsible action.

REP. RICHARD HUDSON (R-NC): I've gone through so many emotions since the shooting. That's kind of where I've landed, is we need to do better in this country, stand on truth, but love that other person that you're having the political disagreement with. And I just hope that he can inspire all of us in that way.

REP. TIMOTHY BURCHETT (R-TN): We've got to reevaluate what we're doing. I think we better start taking this serious. We always react, overreact after an event happens.

We need to react prior to that event happening. And our leadership is, hopefully, still prepared.

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RAJU (on camera): And one of the members that I spoke with there is Congressman Richard Hudson. He's the chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee. That is the committee that tries to hold the House Republican majority.

I asked him about the impact of Charlie Kirk, given that he was so influential among younger conservatives, helped mobilize conservatives, was actually influential in Donald Trump's reelection just last year. The impact of Kirk not being there, he said it would, of course, have a profound impact, but he was also hopeful that others would take the mantle and really be able to run with what Charlie Kirk has built in this conservative apparatus that he's put together over the last many years.

KEILAR: Manu, it would require a lot of resources. There would be a considerable cost to provide security to all members of Congress, or a lot of them. They don't get that, right?

What is the likelihood, because we're seeing such a heightened environment, what's the likelihood that they will actually receive protection?

RAJU: Yes, that is the real challenge that lawmakers have faced for years, especially in this era of political violence, because the leadership in the House and the Senate they're the ones who get 24- hour security detail, but rank-and-file lawmakers do not. That's what's causing so much concern among a lot of the members that I've spoken to as well. They say there should be some amped-up security, but it's unclear exactly what that would look like.

In response, some are saying perhaps we should have fewer outdoor events, perhaps we need to have more support from local law enforcement when we go back home to our districts and our states. And that's part of what is part of the discussions that are going on.

Speaker Mike Johnson indicated there will be a pilot program of sorts to try to figure out a new way to bolster security among some of the members. It's already been in place, so see if they can expand that program to other members as well. But it's such a difficult task, because so much of this job is out in the public, meeting with constituents, speaking at public events, sometimes speaking in outdoor events. Of course, those outdoor events are the ones that can be the least secure, but that's caused a lot of concern in the Capitol that much more needs to be done.

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What can be done is the question that they're all facing with.

KEILAR: Yes, Manu, thank you for that. Manu Raj, live for us on The Hill.

And ahead, the story of one woman's mission to transform maternal health care in the Bronx.

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SANCHEZ: Turning again now to our series, "CHAMPIONS FOR CHANGE". All this week, we've been recognizing people who are working behind the scenes, finding new ways to make life better for others.

KEILAR: And today, Abby Phillip introduces us to her champion, Myla Flores. Myla works in the Bronx, where maternal mortality rates are significantly higher than the national average, but she hopes to change that by providing holistic support to women in her community.

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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Part of like my anxiety when I was pregnant was that there was no birth center that was close by.

ABBY PHILLIP, CNN ANCHOR: I didn't realize how much support I would need with breastfeeding after.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's nice having a space to be able to let go.

MYLA FLORES, FOUNDER, THE BIRTHING PLACE FOUNDATION: One of the things I noticed about being a doula in the Bronx was that people didn't have access to the kind of care that they wanted.

PHILLIP: Myla Flores' journey to becoming a doula started when she was just 12 years old. Her teenage sister was pregnant and they were so close. She was there for every step of the way.

FLORES: I was involved in the pregnancy, the labor. I had no idea at the time that great care was rare.

PHILLIP: Myla saw firsthand the disparities that play out all across the country. In the Bronx, the maternal mortality rates are significantly higher than they are in the rest of the United States. And so she started The Birthing Place.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: When I started coming here, it felt like I was getting personalized care and it was more like holistic.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I felt really grateful for the services here because it made it accessible.

FLORES: We're creating a mini version of a birth center. So our clinic offers all of the services just short of being able to catch babies and have people stay for a period after they've given birth.

FLORES: So I just place my palms here, hold that for the whole length of the contraction.

PHILLIP: When you train doulas to provide culturally responsive care, how does that change the experience of childbirth for your community?

FLORES: It really helps people feel more seen and heard and connected.

PHILLIP: This is like a workout.

FLORES (voice-over): There's statistics that show that culturally aligned care, as well as access to midwives and doulas, help reduce mortalities and morbidities and unnecessary interventions.

FLORES: It feels good even not pregnant, right?

PHILLIP: It feels so good.

PHILLIP: I'm inspired by the work that Myla is doing because having a doula changed my childbirth experience. When I was pregnant with my daughter, that was the first time I learned that many Black and Brown women were choosing that option to find safer or supported birth options.

STEPHANIE VIDAL, NEW MOM: I think that women in the Bronx don't get the care that they deserve because it's expected that you will just take what you get and that's it. You have no options.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hi.

VIDAL: Going to the birthing place for my prenatal care, I felt like I was being seen by people who look like me.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm just going to check your blood pressure real quick, OK?

VIDAL: Everybody needs a Myla. She's family forever.

PHILLIP (voice-over): They're also taking this wraparound care into the community using the womb bus.

FLORES (voice-over): We're able to have outreach opportunities where the doulas in the community can connect with the people seeking a range of support.

PHILLIP: You have big dreams for a birth center. What does a birth center look like for The Birthing Place?

FLORES: I want families to step into our future birth center and feel a sense of home, comfort, no judgment. All people deserve access to this kind of care.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KEILAR: And Abby joins us now. Abby, thank you so much for taking us inside those walls. It's so important to see.

What was it like being in the doula class?

PHILLIP (on camera): Yes, it was a beautiful experience but a little bit like riding a bike for me because I was on the receiving end of having a doula when I had my daughter and so a lot of the things I kind of remembered. But they were showing me how to actually do it, how to do certain things that would help relieve the pain of moms as they're going through childbirth, how to offer them comfort, how to offer them support. And the amazing thing about that is that it's not just feel good.

It actually has real outcomes. It actually makes childbirth safer for these women, reduces interventions and allows them to have the births that they want so much.

It was such a great experience to be with those women who all of them came to that place, to The Birthing Place to try to give back to their communities. Some of them had been recipients of these services and after receiving it felt compelled to want to give back.

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And so it's something that honestly, Brianna and Boris, gives me so much hope because even when sometimes, you know, Washington and Albany, all these state capitals and the lawmakers are frozen in place, you've got real people who are out there doing the work themselves. It's extraordinary.

KEILAR: Coming together and making change. That is so important. Abby, thank you. Really appreciated that.

And be sure to tune in Saturday at 10 p.m. Eastern for "CHAMPIONS FOR CHANGE". That is one hour hosted by Dr. Sanjay Gupta. And we'll be right back.

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SANCHEZ: We're just moments away from the Dow Jones Industrial Average about to ring in a new record above the 46,000 mark for the first time. The S&P 500, the Nasdaq also on track for new highs. This rally coming after two troubling reports though on inflation and the job market.

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First, inflation jumped to its hottest reading since January. A sign that we are paying more for food, cars and clothes. And second, a tough sign for the job market as well.

KEILAR: That's right. There was this big jump in the number of people filing for unemployment for the first time. But that actually might be some good news for Wall Street, even if it's not great for Main Street because investors are betting it means the Fed might help out with an interest rate cut. We will see.

And thank you so much for joining us. "THE ARENA" with Kasie Hunt starts right now.

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