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Russian Officials Say Emergency Halts Traffic On Crimea Bridge; Putin Deciding If Russia Will Extend Grain Deal; Record Heat Waves Sweep World, From U.S. To Europe To Asia; U.S. Envoy John Kerry Heads To China To Restart Climate Talks; Kremlin Targets Schools In Pro-War Propaganda Campaign; Israeli Prime Minister Preps For Cabinet Meeting After Hospital; Excessive Heat Creates Dangerous Surface Temperature; Warming Waters Threaten Florida's Coral Reefs; China's GDP Growth Slows to 0.8 percent in Second Quarter; Iran's Morality Police Resume Headscarf Patrols; Alcaraz Defeats Djokovic at Wimbledon; Australian Women's National Football Team Calls Out FIFA; Salsa Dancing Finding New Fans in Nigeria. Aired 1-2a ET
Aired July 17, 2023 - 01:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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[01:00:25]
LAILA HARRAK, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome to all of our viewers watching from around the world. I'm Laila Harrak, Ahead on CNN Newsroom. Traffic shuts down on the Crimean bridge the only link between Russia and the annex Peninsula and a symbol of Russian occupation in Ukraine.
From dangerous heat to deadly flooding extreme weather sweeping most of the Northern Hemisphere and relief may not come as soon as many had hoped. Plus, the Women's World Cup set to get underway in Australia and New Zealand this week and players once again shining a spotlight on the pay gap between men's and women's teams.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Live from CNN Center. This is CNN Newsroom with Laila Harrak.
HARRAK: We begin with new details on what's been called an emergency on the Kerch Bridge. The only land link between Russian occupied Crimea and the Russian mainland. Unverified reports say two blasts hit the bridge just after 3:00 a.m. local time Monday. CNN has not independently confirmed that but Russia's transport ministry says the roadway on parts of the bridge is damaged.
Traffic on the span is stopped and officials say law enforcement and other agencies are at the scene. CNN's Scott McLean is tracking all of this from London and has the latest updates for you. Scott, what more have you learned?
SCOTT MCLEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Laila, yeah, so it is difficult to precisely verify at this point what's happening, but according to local telegram channels there were two strikes on the bridge at around 3:00 local time. So we're talking about five hours ago, the two strikes were about 15 minutes or so apart. Again, CNN can't verify this. But this is what local sources are saying at the moment.
Initially official said that there was just an emergency situation or an emergency incident that had been reported on this bridge. As you mentioned, traffic was backed up as well. Video emerging from the site that again CNN is working to verify seem to show part of the bridge damaged vehicles also damaged there as well.
Initial reports at least indicated that two people had been killed, one other was wounded. But again, this is early, those numbers may well change as well. And the local governor on the Russian side is also saying that local emergency services are coordinating to try to get people off of the approaches to the bridge because obviously traffic right now is at a standstill.
Separate to this, Laila, there was also overnight according to the Russian backed officials in Crimea, a drone attack the Russian say, coming from Ukraine on the city of Sevastopol. Now this is not near the bridge. It's on the other side of the peninsula. We don't have much precise detail about what if anything may have been hit. The Russians say that they fended it off. But they said that this attack was, quote, massive and prolonged.
Now, when it comes to this bridge, it has been a frequent target for a couple of reasons. But in it was just earlier this month that the Russian said that they shot down a Ukrainian cruise missile aimed at the bridge that caused it to be closed for some time a traffic backlogs in October of last year, as well, you remember that a semi- truck carrying explosives detonated on the bridge, causing two spans to be to be affected to be taken out or to be badly damaged. You see the video there.
There's two sections of this bridge as well. There's the vehicle traffic part of it. And then there's also a train line as well. And so it wasn't until February that all the lanes of traffic were reopened to traffic. But then the train part wasn't set to reopen until June of this year.
And this is, again, strategically important for Russia but also symbolically important. It is the only link between Crimea and mainland Russia or at least it's the quickest link obviously now there's the land bridge that you can take, but obviously it's a lot further around. So it is the easiest way for Russia to get supplies to that part of occupied Ukraine as well.
And also it opened in 2018. Vladimir Putin opened it himself driving across the bridge in 2018, after it was completed, after Russia illegally annexed Crimea back in 2014.
So again, this is a bridge that has value for the Ukrainians to strike. It also has value for the Russians to keep intact and surely it is a heck of a effort to try to protect this piece of infrastructure.
[01:05:02]
I should also mention that in May, oddly enough, there was an oil depot not far from that bridge that was also caught fire. Again, the Russians blamed the Ukrainians. But it's just one more piece here of that bridge that is obviously in the crosshairs of the Ukrainians surely, for a lot of different reasons, and perhaps that is what we're seeing today as well. But again, nothing from the Ukrainian side thus far, and obviously Russian officials haven't officially said much either at this point, Laila.
HARRAK: Scott McLean, thank you so much for that update.
On the last ship have protected under the Black Sea Grain Deal with Russia has left the port of Odesa in Ukraine. Well, now it's up to Vladimir Putin to decide whether any more shipments will be allowed. That deal which allow safe passage for Ukrainian grain will expire later on Monday unless Russia extends it.
President Putin has complained the agreement is unfair to Russia, but he has agreed to previous extensions, despite threatening to pull out. The United Nations as offered Russia some financial concessions.
Meantime, Mr. Putin is calling Washington's agreement to supply Ukraine with cluster munitions a crime, and he's denying his own forces have repeatedly used those very same weapons in Ukraine, despite widespread evidence that they have.
And in a complete turnaround a top Biden administration official confirms Sunday that the United States will allow European allies to train Ukrainian troops to fly F-16 fighter jets. The official says European countries could start training Ukrainians within weeks.
And inside Ukraine, Russian shelling has taken another grim toll on civilians, at least two people were killed and seven others injured in Kharkiv and Kherson, Sunday. Two of the wounded are children who officials say tried to play with an unknown object they found in the street.
Well, now to the extreme weather from excessive heat to deadly flooding that is sweeping much of the Northern Hemisphere. Severe flooding has claimed the lives of several people in the north eastern United States and dozens were killed from raging floodwaters in South Korea.
Meanwhile, the dangerous heat waves in Asia, Southern Europe and the southwestern United States are breaking more and more records by the day.
Well, first due to the flooding in the northeastern United States with more than 10 million people under flood alerts until early Monday morning. Five people in the state of Pennsylvania were killed by flooding over the weekend.
And as of Sunday evening, authorities were searching for a two-year- old girl and her nine-month-old brother who vanished after their car was trapped in a flash flood.
And here you can see the sheer power of the water and Connecticut, the mayor of one city posting this video saying do not underestimate the strength of the floods. Over the past month the northwestern United States has seen 200 to 300 percent of its average monthly rainfall. And you're looking at some of the devastation that can cause.
Authorities in South Korea meanwhile, say 40 people have now died from flash floods and landslides in the past few days. 13 people died in a flooded underpass in central South Korea. Extreme weather turned an ordinary road journey into tragedy. Michael Holmes tells us how it happened.
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MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voiceover): Working in mud and against the clock rescue is in South Korea pump water from a flooded tunnel. Acts of water redirected from the ones clogged underpass revealing some of the vehicles trapped inside. Dashcam video shows how quickly the tunnel filled up on Saturday. Local authorities say a levee broke after days of heavy rain across the country sending a rush of water through the underpass, some cars barely escaping the deluge.
But authorities say 15 vehicles including a bus were trapped in the tunnel along with their drivers and passengers. Divers have been painstakingly searching for them and have retrieved multiple bodies from the scene. Many family members of those thought to be missing gathered at a nearby hospital. Their misery compounded by the agony of a long wait for information.
One man says he's speechless and says he hasn't eaten for hours while waiting for authorities to brief him. The tragedy has shocked South Korea some people saying the government should have been better prepared after last year's torrential rains, which were the worst in 115 years.
One man who lives near the tunnel says authorities should have closed it when flooding was expected. He says he feels like this could have easily happened to him and he feels like part of himself died too.
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Heavy monsoon rains have caused dozens of deaths not just in the tunnel but across the country. Thousands of people forced to evacuate because of floods and landslides. In some areas riverbanks completely collapsed because of saturated ground, and meteorologists warn it could get worse, with as much as 300 millimeters of additional rain forecast to fall in some parts of the country over the next few days.
Other parts of Asia are also dealing with intense weather, southern China bracing for a powerful storm which is expected to last the area with strong winds and heavy rains in the next few days. And parts of New Delhi are still waterlogged even though water levels in the Yamuna River which flooded the city have receded. But the water hasn't drained away yet creating very wet and frustrating circumstances. For people just trying to move about the city. Michael Holmes, CNN.
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HARRAK: And more dangerous weather is headed for East Asia. Tropical Storm Talim has now strengthened into a typhoon in the South China Sea is carrying winds of 120 kilometers an hour, equivalent to a category one Atlantic hurricane. It's expected to make landfall in southern China in the next 24 hours. And forecasters warn heavy rainfall could trigger flash flooding and landslides.
And that's not all the extreme weather a powerful heatwave has been scorching parts of China and Japan. And China has now recorded its highest temperature ever, just over 52 degrees Celsius at one location. In fact, five weather stations in China have topped 50 degrees Celsius in the past day. Listen to what one tourist in Tokyo says about the extreme heat.
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COLINE GRISON, TOURIST FROM FRANCE: Yes, just walking around is exhausting because you were sweating without doing anything. And I feel like people here tolerate the heat way better than we as Europeans do because we're used to maybe lower temperatures in summer.
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HARRAK: While Americans are also sweltering in the southern and western parts of the U.S., about 35 daily high temperature records were broken on Sunday, and more than 80 million people are now under heat alerts.
Death Valley, California often the hottest place on earth set a new record of 53 degrees Celsius or 128 Fahrenheit on Sunday. Here's what a Death Valley Park Ranger had to say.
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MATT LAMAR, PARK RANGER, DEATH VALLEY, CALIFORNIA: What we're seeing here in Death Valley is certainly that things are getting hotter. Seven of our 10 hottest summers have come in the last 10 years. And that's you know, obviously a global trends.
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HARRAK: Well, in southern Europe, the heatwave has been relentless. And it comes right in the midst of the busy summer tourist season. People in France, Greece, Turkey, Croatia and Spain also sweltering. On the Spanish island of La Palma, a forest fire is only making matters worse, is burning out of control forcing at least 4,000 people to evacuate.
And in Italy at least one person has died and several tourists have collapsed from the heat. Italian authorities are advising people to stay hydrated and avoid direct sunlight during midday hours. CNN's Barbie Nadeau has more now reporting from Rome.
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BARBIE NADEAU, CNN REPORTER (on camera): It's another grueling day here in the center of Rome. We are here in front of the Roman Colosseum, where you can see behind me just how many tours are not taking the advice of the officials to stay inside during these hot hours of the day.
This is a very popular place for tour groups who want a tour of the Colosseum where they meet and gather. And we've just seen group after group come up here so that they can go down here below me to the Colosseum and go inside which of course is also not air conditioned or covered.
We're expecting Rome on Tuesday to hit a potentially record breaking high temperature and we're also expecting potentially the European high temperature to be broken down in southern Italy and Sicily. That record was set last year.
And it's not just Italy that suffering under this intense heatwave. It's also all of Southern Europe. The temperatures in Greece have caused the closing of the Acropolis, one of the most popular tourist attractions and it's just continuing this heat wave is expected to go on for several more days meaning as hot as it is today. It's a coolest day for the next several to come. Barbie Latza Nadeau, CNN, Rome.
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HARRAK: And U.S. climate envoy John Kerry is in Beijing for talks with his Chinese counterpart. They are discussing how to reduce their country's carbon emissions. China and the United States are the world's largest carbon polluters. And the backdrop for their talks couldn't be more appropriate.
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Their meeting in China's capital during the city's hottest ever recorded summer. Anna Coren joins us now live from Hong Kong. Anna, where do things stand between the U.S. and China when it comes to these climate talks?
ANNA COREN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Laila, look, I think there's a commitment to definitely on both sides to get momentum back on track regarding climate talks. China and the U.S., as you say the world's two largest economies are the world's two biggest emitters, accounting for 40 percent of global emissions.
So, you know, there needs to be cooperation and a concerted effort to drastically cut fossil fuel production to make an impact on climate change. And obviously lead by example. Climate talks came to a standstill between the two countries last August, after then U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan, Beijing seven talks in protest. A long list of other geopolitical issues have placed a strain on this fraud relationship.
But in the past month, there has been a real effort to improve this bilateral relationship. U.S. Secretary of State, the Treasury Secretary and now John Kerry, you know, he's in Beijing. Kerry is asking China to cut methane emissions and reduce its reliance on coal fired power. As we know, Laila, that's easier said than done.
HARRAK: Do the two countries and a respectively hope to get out of this meeting? COREN: Well, we understand that John Kerry has just wrapped up a four hour meeting with China's chief climate negotiators Xie Zhenhua. These men have history. They work together in 2021 for COP26 in Glasgow, and really made progress there.
Then they met on the sidelines of COP27 in Egypt of last year. And then in January of this year, the two talks via video link. So communications have continued despite the strain relations between the two countries. And then there's face to face meeting between Kerry and Xie.
You know, it's very important. It's about resuming this joint working group on climate cooperation before COP28 in Dubai at the end of November of this year. Kerry said this morning, it was imperative that China and the U.S. make real progress before this summit.
Kerry also said and let me read it to you, Laila. In the next three days, we hope we can begin that taking some big steps that will send a signal to the world about the serious purpose of China and the U.S. to address a common risk threat challenge to all of humanity created by humans themselves.
Kerry will meet with other Chinese officials, possibly even Xi Jinping. Kerry we know met with him when he was U.S. Secretary of State under Barack Obama and some experts believe that if that meeting is to take place, it would send a very important signal of Beijing's commitment to tackling global warming. Laila.
HARRAK: Very timely meeting for so many reasons. Anna Coren reporting in Hong Kong. Thank you so much.
And still to come, Russia's classrooms become bleak monuments to the country's fallen soldiers a special report on the Kremlin's efforts to stamp out the scent in schools and climate change and its impact on Florida's delicate balance of nature when scientists say a sun heat wave, doing real damage to one of the state's most precious resources.
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HARRAK: Classrooms across Russia are slowly becoming bleak monuments to the country's war debt is part of a patriotic program by the Kremlin and a means to stamp out early seeds of dissent against the war in Ukraine and the Putin regime. CNN's Clare Sebastian has the story.
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CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voiceover): The marching not perfectly in time. But what this ceremony lacks in military precision, it makes up for the propaganda value. These children in Central Russia will now get the chance to sit as a new desk. Blazoned with the face of one of Russia's war dead. A former pupil at this school killed just three days into the invasion. His grieving mother struggling through. These so called Hero Desks turning classrooms into bleak memorials have a death toll Russia has otherwise tried to hide are actually part of a government initiative. Russia's ruling party says they now number over 14,000, they were apparently include veterans of other wars.
DANIIL KEN, HEAD, ALLIANCE OF TEACHERS UNION: You see as a speech, his name, he was our pupil just several years ago. He tried to save our country and for young people, very young people. It's hard not to feel painful.
SEBASTIAN: Daniil Ken have an openly anti-Kremlin Teachers Union now living outside Russia says the atmosphere in schools changed overnight when the war started. Information so tightly controlled, he says multiple teachers have been fired, some even fined for speaking up.
A fate that Olga, a teacher in St. Petersburg, we've changed her name and disguised her identity for safety reasons, narrowly avoided.
OLGA, TEACHER: I also tried to convince my colleagues that our country has committed a crime. One week later, the director of the school invited me to talk and she warned me that if I continue, then she will have to appeal to special body on the state. She meant FSB.
SEBASTIAN: And then there are the not so subtle curriculum changes this video on the Crimean bridge, part of a new state controlled weekly lesson series launched last year called conversations about important things.
It's not just a transport crossing, the speaker explains, but a spiritual crossing. No mention of the huge explosion that caused part of the bridge to collapse a few months. History is being rewritten in the textbooks. This one now includes the so called Special Military Operation. And it's not just recent history.
OLGA: It is a historic fact that Russian stage began with the Kyivskaya Russia, so to say. But nowadays the new textbooks of history are issued where this idea is removed.
SEBASTIAN: Seems like this at a school in Crimea will also likely become much more common basic military preparation a throwback to Soviet times set to officially reenter the school curriculum for older classes.
KEN (through translator): It's a cheap, simple method of reaching a very large audience and to get across the government's position. It is in essence moral violence against children.
SEBASTIAN: CNN has reached out to the Russian Ministry of Education for comment on the purpose of these changes and gotten no response. Sitting at these Hero Desks in many schools are award for only the best students, a morbid incentive designed to breed a generation patriotic enough to accept a war whose consequences they are sure to inherit. Clare Sebastian, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE) HARRAK: In the coming hours, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will chair a weekly Cabinet meeting, one day after being released from the hospital. He was admitted Saturday for what doctors say was dehydration amid an ongoing heatwave in the country.
His office says the Prime Minister complained of mild dizziness before being admitted. A doctor says Mr. Netanyahu completed a series of tests and is in quote excellent condition.
[01:25:05]
Meanwhile, an Israeli man and his two daughters were injured in a shooting in the West Bank on Sunday. According to the Israeli military, the shots were fired from a moving vehicle at a Jewish settlement south of Bethlehem.
The girls had minor injuries but their father was seriously wounded. Authorities say three suspects including the gunman have been arrested.
Israeli authorities closed checkpoints around Bethlehem after the shooting. It comes after Israel launched a massive anti-terror operation in Jenin, north of the occupied West Bank earlier this month.
Joining me now from Jerusalem is Yaakov Katz, a senior columnist and former editor-in-chief for The Jerusalem Post. So good to have you with us. Good day.
Prime Minister Netanyahu chairing his first Cabinet meeting and momentarily since his health scare. What can we expect?
YAAKOV KATZ, SENIOR COLUMNIST AND EDITOR, THE JERUSALEM POST: Well, what -- besides for the health scare and we hope that Prime Minister Netanyahu is healthy and continues to live a healthy life but we have what's going on in Israel right now is a severe rift and division in society, Laila, you know, when you've been following also, with the judicial reform and the massive protests, the 28th week in a row on Saturday night, hundreds of thousands of Israelis took to the streets again.
And we're expecting tomorrow on Tuesday, a massive day of disruption, as the coalition led by Prime Minister Netanyahu continues to try to push forward this very controversial legislation, which would basically weaken the Supreme Court and take away some of its oversight.
It's called the reasonableness bill, that would basically deny the justices on the Supreme Court the ability to say, well, a government decision is unreasonable. It's unreasonable to appoint a former criminal to be a minister and the government and things of that like they are trying to strip the court of that capability. And this has the people out on the streets. So Netanyahu was coalition is primarily focused on that as we speak.
HARRAK: And as you alluded to at the start of your answer, you know, Israel's bracing for another big week of protests planned. I'm wondering what kind of impact are these massive rallies having? Because the government seems to be entrenched.
KATZ: Well, look, we know Laila that last time that the Prime Minister was trying to push all of the legislation in one massive package together, the massive protests stopped him and he froze everything for about two months, there were -- there was a semblance of negotiations being held between the coalition and the opposition. They failed and broke apart just a few weeks ago.
But now what the Prime Minister's strategy is, is to bring it piecemeal. So one, one piece of the overall reform at a time. At the moment, they're focused on this reasonableness bill that I mentioned earlier. But they're not yet talking about, for example, something that they did talk about in the past, which was how do we even appoint our Supreme Court justices, so changing the whole judicial appointments process in Israel and other parts of the larger package or reform.
So we've seen that it has been effective. This time you are right, though, that they have said they're pushing this and they're going all the way. This week, the internal Knesset committee will hold further discussions to finalize the final version of that bill that's supposed to be brought to a Knesset vote in the Israeli parliament, either Sunday or Monday of next week.
The coalition wants to get this voted on before the parliament goes into summer recess at the end of July. So the clock is definitely ticking. And I would expect to see a more of this boiling and possibly an explosion of more disruptions, more demonstrations, more protests, and possibly more violence.
HARRAK: So all of this and speaking of violence, I mean, all of this is also happening while tensions continue to be high across the occupied West Bank.
KATZ: Look, the terrorism that is happening. And we saw that attack yesterday, as you mentioned, the father who's still in serious condition and his two young daughters who were lightly wounded in this in this attack. This is something that goes on every -- sadly every week. You mentioned also the operation in Jenin just a few weeks ago when Israel finally went into the city, which had been the source of over 50 attacks inside Israel against Israelis. Right.
This is what Israel has been facing. Unfortunately, it comes from a number of reasons a weak Palestinian Authority, an increase in the power of Hamas and Islamic Jihad to well-known Iranian backed terrorist organizations.
But sadly, Laila terrorism has been part of Israel story, and I say this with great pain, but it's always been there. It's been since inception, there have been powers and forces that have tried to kill Jews from and deny them from the ability to live in the state of Israel.
And that's going to continue but it is going to impact politics as well because Netanyahu is always run on a ticket of I am Mr. Security, I bring security to Israel.
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HARRAK: Yaakov Katz in Jerusalem, thank you.
KATZ: Thank you.
HARRAK: And still ahead, how a surge in ocean temperatures is putting Florida's coral reef risk and what scientists hope to do about it.
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HARRAK: Welcome back to our viewers all around the world. I'm Laila Harrak and this is CNN NEWSROOM.
We've been recapping one of our top stories this hour. Extreme weather around the world is bringing dangerous flooding, wild fires and heat wave to several continents.
In Asia, a powerful heat wave impacting China and Japan. China has not recorded its highest temperature ever. Just over 52 degrees Celsius at one location.
Meanwhile, in southern Europe, an oppressive impressive heat wave comes right in the midst of a busy summer tour season. Climate scientists say temperatures could reach the hottest ever reported in Europe, as high as 48 degrees Celsius in Sicily and Sardinia.
People in France, Greece, Turkey, Croatia and Spain also sweltering. On the Spanish island of L Palma, an out of control forest fire making matters worse, forcing at least 4,000 people to evacuate.
In places sweltering under the stifling heat wave, doctors say they are treating more and more people for serious burns. CNN's Fredricka spoke earlier with Dr. Kevin Foster, a burn surgeon to explained how contact with extremely hot surfaces can cause unexpected injuries.
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DR. KEVIN FOSTER, BURN SURGEON: Well, anything that is exposed to direct sunlight, and directly to the heat can cause pretty bad burn.
But the things that we see are people who fall down onto hot asphalt, on to concrete. People who touch hot things in direct sunlight, for instance, door handles, upholstery inside of cars -- anything that you could think of. Water in your hose coming out is oftentimes close to boiling.
So the biggest problem we're having right now and our biggest problem in the summertime is asphalt and concrete. People who go down and get really bad burns because they can't get back up again.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR:: Wow. But they're shocked when that happens. So I mean, how are you treating them?
[01:34:50] FOSTER: There are a couple of things.
First of all when people go down and they don't get back up again they can get really bad burns in a very short period of time. On a hot summer afternoon with direct sunlight, asphalt or concrete sidewalks can be 170 to 180 degrees. And that can cause really bad burns.
The other thing that is really bad for patients is that if they go down and they can't get up, oftentimes they suffer heat shock by their internal temperature going up far beyond normal. So it can be kind of a double whammy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRAK: Researchers are more than a little concerned about a sudden heat wave off the coast of Florida. Water temperatures are soaring to record levels that could put one of this state's precious coral reefs at risk.
CNN meteorologist Derek Van Dam explains how the extreme heat has triggered coral bleaching.
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DEREK VAN DAM, CNN METEOROLOGIST: A heatwave off the coast of Florida is sending water temperatures to unprecedented highs. While that's not a problem for some swimmers, it is a major concern for coral reefs.
Corals thrive with ocean temperatures in the mid-80s but lately, they have been soaring into the 90s.
Where in the world are they measuring these off-the-chart record ocean temperatures?
Including this NOAA censor one research scientist showed me near Miami. It has broken its daily record the past four days in a row.
South Florida's abnormally warm water could put area corals on the verge of extinction.
DR. ANDREW BAKER, PROFESSOR, MARINE BIOLOGY & ECOLOGY, UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI ROSENSTIEL SCHOOL: You can tell right now it's --
VAN DAM: Dr. Andrew Baker is a professor of marine biology and ecology at the University of Miami's Rosenstiel School.
BAKER: The heatwave is more or less throughout the Caribbean at this point. Certain parts of the Caribbean like Belize are already bleaching and bleaching pretty severely. And Florida is where Belize was about a month ago.
VAN DAM: This is a healthy brown piece of coral. If it was to bleach, it would turn all white and could potentially die. That is what scientists are concerned about if this marine heatwave continues to build. Losing coral could be costly. Coral reefs generate billions of dollars for Florida's economy through activities like fishing and tourism, which wouldn't be possible without reefs to protect the species that rely on them.
KEN NEDIMYER, TECHNICAL DIRECTOR, REEF RENEWAL USA: We've been looking at several ways to make corals more thermally tolerant.
VAN DAM: Engineering coral that can withstand even a 5-degree temperature increase in our oceans will mitigate the effects of stronger marine heatwaves that are expected in the future.
Corals are one of the most sensitive ecosystems to the effects of climate change. Without them, we could lose a natural defense system as healthy corals help protect our coastlines during hurricanes.
NEDIMYER: And so reef restoration efforts that are ongoing right now are really taking steps to plan for climate change to try to make sure that we restore reefs to be suitable for future environments and not the victims of it.
VAN DAM: Ken Nedimyer is the technical director at Reef Renewal USA. He works to restore coral reefs in the Florida Keys and is hopeful about the future.
NEDIMYER: There are corals that can live in hotter water. We just have to find them and try to repopulate with them.
VAN DAM: After one year, Dr. Baker's research is hitting its initial milestones, already seeing results with corals surviving in slightly warmer temperatures.
BAKER: We've had a few pilot experiments out there on the reefs that we've manipulated to try to make corals more thermally tolerant. And this will be a natural test of that.
VAN DAM: Not ready to throw the towel in just yet. Optimism amid record-breaking weather patterns with no immediate signs of cooling off.
Derek Van Dam, CNN -- Miami.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRAK: China's economy slowed to less than 1 percent growth in the 2nd quarter of this year. That's according to new data from the National Bureau of Statistics released just hours ago.
Meanwhile, here's a look at how the Asian markets are faring right now. Not very well. All down.
The slowdown in China comes after a solid start to the year. Beijing saw more than 2 percent growth in the first quarter when the economy began to shake off the effects of years of pandemic restrictions.
But the post COVID recovery has faltered as Chinese exports fell the most in 3 years due to lower demand.
CNN's Kristie Lu Stout joins me now from Hong Kong with more. Good to see you.
Well walk us through the data and what it says about the pace of China's economic recovery after COVID.
KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Laila, Chinese economic growth is losing steam and growth is stronger if you compare it to last year and that was when those zero COVID measures, the lockdowns gripped the country but the pace of economic recovery is slowing down.
And adding to the overall negative picture, China's youth unemployment rate, we've learned today, has hit another record high of 21.3 percent in June. So the pressure is building on policy makers in Beijing to roll out more stimulus measures.
[01:39:55]
STOUT: Now according to the official data, that released earlier today, Chinese GDP grew 6.3 percent in the second quarter from the year earlier but it grew only 0.8 percent from April to June.
And according to economist Carol Kong (ph) she says this, quote, "The data suggest that Chinese post COVID boom is clearly over. The higher frequency indicators are up from May's numbers but still paint a picture of a bleak and faltering recovery and at the same time youth unemployment is hitting record highs," unquote.
Now economists say that China basically is counting the cost of weak demand both at home and overseas. Data that was released on Thursday showed that China's exports fell at their fastest pace in 3 years in June.
And another factor here something that has been called the scarring effects of zero COVID. The uncertainty that was caused by that harsh pandemic policy cost Chinese consumers, Chinese corporates to save more instead of going out and buying more and making new purchases and investments.
So looking ahead all eyes on an expected politburo meeting to take place later this month. The government has promised to make stimulating consumer spending a priority.
Back to you, Laila.
HARRAK: Can't China reach its (INAUDIBLE) growth target for the year of around 5 percent?
STOUT: Economists say that it appears that China is still on track to reach a very modest growth target of 5 percent this year. But any further deepening, worsening of its recovery would certainly derail that.
And that would undermine corporate confidence. That could lead to additional unemployment. That could also undermine consumer confidence and consumers would be even more motivated to save and to pay off their debts as opposed to spending more.
And that's why all eyes now are on this politburo meeting to take place later in July to see what new stimulus measures are needed. China's economy desperately needs it, the global economy is also watching and will be affected.
Back to you, Laila.
HARRAK: Kristie Lu Stout reporting from Hong Kong. Thank you so much.
The European Union and Tunisia have signed a deal, largely aimed at fighting human trafficking. The North African nation has been at the center of an increase in irregular migration to Europe.
Under the deal, Brussels will provide more than 100 million euros for Tunis to strengthen its border patrols. The E.U. says the migrant issue is part of a wider package that aims to boost economic ties and promote green energy projects.
Iran is cracking down on women's freedoms yet again. State media reports that the country's so called morality police have resumed controversial patrols to impose the country's strict Islamic dress code, including the hijab.
Officials say those who don't comply may face legal action. Some women, though are pushing back.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you think the morality police can prevent women from not wearing a hijab? They cannot impose it like before. The number of people who do not obey is too high now, they cannot handle all of us.
The last thing they can do is use violence and force against us. They cannot do it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRAK: Well, the move comes 10 months after the death of Mahsa Amini who died in police custody after she was detained for allegedly not wearing her hijab correctly.
Still to come, Carlos Alcaraz paid tribute to tennis legend Novak Djokovic after the two played an epic five-set thriller in the Wimbledon final.
[01:43:21]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRAK: World number one Carlos Alcaraz said winning Wimbledon is a dream come true. The Spaniard beat reigning champ, Novak Djokovic in a thrilling five-set men's final on Sunday.
Alcaraz prevailed after nearly five hours on center court. The 20- year-old becomes the thir5d youngest Wimbledon champion in the open era. And after winning, Alcaraz paid tribute to Serbia's Djokovic.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CARLOS ALCARAZ, WIMBLEDON CHAMPION: You know, I started playing tennis, watching you and since I -- since I was born, you know -- you already was winning tournaments. You know, it's amazing.
Probably you're laughing, but I would say -- you just say that 36 is the new 26. And you make that happen in (INAUDIBLE) it's amazing.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRAK: Australia's national women's football team is calling out FIFA for unequal practices between its male and female teams. The Matildas are bashing football's international governing body for offering less prize money to women's teams and less power when it comes to collective bargaining.
With just days until the start of the FIFA Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, the Matildas spoke out in a powerful video highlighting the need for change.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: 736 footballers have the honor of representing their country on the world's biggest stage, this tournament.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, many are still denied the basic right to organize and collectively bargain.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Collective bargaining has allowed us to ensure we now get the same conditions as the Socceroos -- with one exception. FIFA will still only offer women one quarter as much prize money as men for the same achievement.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRAK: I am joined now by Moya Dodd, a former member of the FIFA council, a lawyer and former vice captain of Australia's women's football team.
A very good day. So great to meet you. We're just a couple of days away now from the Women's World Cup kicking off in your country. Are you excited?
MOYA DODD, FORMER MEMBER OF THE FIFA COUNCIL: Absolutely, I don't think I've ever been more excited about a football tournament. This is going to be this month of their lives in Australian football.
HARRAK: Now I want to ask you, how do you reflect on the tournament especially as a former player.
DODD: Yes. Well, I happened to play in the very, very first game that FIFA ever organized of women's football and that was in 1988 at the pilot World Cup. There were several thousand Chinese children watching us, there was no -- we had no sponsorship. I had to pay the (INAUDIBLE) to go there and, you know, that was the
beginning of something I guess. But it's amazing how fast the game has progressed in those 35 years or so since we first played in international FIFA tournament.
HARRAK: Exactly -- how times have changed. But probably not enough because Australia's National Women's Football Team is calling out FIFA for unequal practices between its male and female teams. What exactly are they referring to?
DODD: They are referring to the unequal amounts of prize money that are offered at the FIFA World Cup. The men are offered four times what the women are offered, currently. And so, you know, and this is a long journey. We have to remember that women's football was banned for much of that last century. And the road to equality is a long one.
I think we have made some enormous strides. But the Matildas and others are pointing out that there is still a long way to go. And I think that the prize money is one aspect of it. The remuneration of the players is part of that. They call that collective bargaining, as an important right that I believe all players around the world should have.
But there are also many other inequalities that we see in football that have been from grassroot programs through to the development pathways that are available to teens, and even when you look at the amount of preparation time the host countries have for the women's World Cup. Australia and New Zealand have had only three to prepare.
[01:49:53]
DODD: We saw Qatar with 12 years and U.S., Canada, Mexico having eight years. So that makes quite a difference to the kind of legacy program that you can lock in, infrastructure programs for example. You know they have a long lee time.
So, you know, the more you look actually, the more inequality you see.
HARRAK: Let's focus now on the impact of the World Cup. What kind of influence does it have? You know, high profile event like the women's World Cup? What kind of impact does it have on girls and women's participation in sports?
DODD: Yes, I think every World Cup we say, oh this is a major turning point. And you know, every time we've been right it has been a pivot point. And I'm sure this one would be transformational as well.
It elevates women in sports to a level where it is the biggest news in the world for about a month. And we see the second biggest sporting event in the world, single sport event in the world is in fact, the women's World Cup.
So this is going to be elevated like the game has never before. They're expecting two billion in the television and online audience. There's a million ticket sold already here in Australia and New Zealand. So that visibility and, you know, the opportunity for young girls and
boys to look at that and to normalize that women too can be leading in sports in the top performers and seen exactly rather than as the many things that sportswomen have been seen as in the past often sexualized or whatever.
And I think, you know, the coverage, I'm hoping that the coverage of this World Cup will allow us to move beyond that, and allow these athletes to be seen and admired as athletes. And as role models for society in a broader sense.
HARRAK: Moya, what are you looking for as to any teams we definitely need to watch?
DODD: Well I'm sure that you'll be watching the U.S. teams because they are the current champions. I think that there's several teams that could win this World Cup. But there's also a lot of debut (ph) teams that we haven't seen before.
I mean I'm looking forward to the opening match between Ireland and Australia partly because I've got a bit of a blood line towards Ireland, as well as other few other -- you know, a few other mixes as most Australians do. You know, that's an example of debut new team that's coached by very experienced coaches (INAUDIBLE) and they're playing Australia, which is seen at almost every World Cup and is playing at home in front of 80,000 people in Stadium Australia.
So that's going to be a massive kickoff for the tournament in his country.
HARRAK: Absolutely. final thoughts from you. I'm going to put you on the spot. Who do you think might win the World Cup?
DODD: Well, I think Australia is one of several teams that could win it. You know there's so many vagaries that we don't know. There will be injuries. There'll be, you know, other kinds of things that we can't predict.
I mean I think my hope is that when every player steps up the field, whenever and however the World Cup ends, they feel that they have been able to be their best, perform at their best and they left everything out there.
And I think nobody can ask for anything more and if every player gets to that point, then I'll be happy for her and she should be proud of herself.
HARRAK: Moya Dodd, former member of the FIFA council, and former vice captain of Australia's Women's Football team. Thank you very much for this conversation. It was a pleasure meeting you.
DODD: Thank you for having me.
HARRAK: And we'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) [01:54:57]
HARRAK: People are dancing to the sounds of salsa in a place you might not expect, Nigeria. Now for some, it's about more than just the dance moves, it's also helping their mental health.
CNN's Zain Asher reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ZAIN ASHER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It may look like a typical bar in Nigeria's capital, Abuja. But you will not be dancing to Afro beats here. The house style is salsa. The male dancer Aneka Adindu (ph) is a salsa instructor.
No studio needed, he teaches guests right on the dancefloor, for guiding their moves and preaching acceptance of an intimate dance style that is uncommon in these parts.
EMEKA ADINDU, DANCE INSTRUCTOR: Because it is a couple dance. And when you dance with someone, there is no space for you to think about your sorrow because one, you are thinking about the music. You are thinking about the counts, the rhythm.
ASHER: That was what drew him to salsa. After a battle with depression, he now praises salsa for helping him get back on his feet.
ADINDU: Salsa was the only thing that could make me smile all those days I was battling, fighting my demons with my past, with my everything.
Salsa was the only thing that makes me feel like living. The most interesting thing about (INAUDIBLE) was salsa.
ASHER: This massage therapist could not agree more.
EMERN ANDERSON, MASSAGE THERAPIST: It was like my personal, social activity. And it has helped me distract myself from a lot of stress and ease myself.
ASHER: Mental health challenges are often dismissed with a spiritual diagnosis in many parts of Nigeria. But Adindu is set on promoting the art that gave him comfort.
ADINDU: I got happiness, love through dance and salsa with everything I passed through in my life. I've seen a lot. But I am going to give out it to the world. This is my gift to the world by giving out love and expressing happiness.
ASHER: And guests here are receiving the salsa love one step at a time.
Zain Asher, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRAK: Thanks so much for spending part of your day with me. I'm Laila Harrak.
Do stick around. My colleague Rosemary Church will be back with more news in just a moment.
See you next time.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
