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Zelenskyy Replaces Ukrainian Defense Minister, Citing Need For New Approaches; Zelenskyy, Macron Discuss Logistics Of New Grain Deal; South Africa Says No Evidence Of Arms Shipment To Russia; 44 Injured, Thousands Left Without Power As Typhoon Haikui Hits Taiwan; China Wants To Limit Children's Smartphone Use; Africa Climate Summit 23 Convenes in Nairobi; Migrant Child Dies in U.S. Custody; Stolen Child Reunited with Mother 42 Years Later. Aired 1-2a ET
Aired September 04, 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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MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome, everyone. I'm Michael Holmes. Appreciate your company. Let's take a look at the stories we're following for you this hour on CNN Newsroom. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy replaces his defense minister amid Kyiv's ongoing counter-offensive. Dozens injured, thousands without power as Typhoon Haikui lashes Taiwan and China considers limiting screen time for kids in an attempt to cultivate good morality.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Live from CNN Center. This is CNN Newsroom with Michael Holmes.
HOLMES: Welcome everyone. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy overhauling the country's military leadership in the middle of a major counter-offensive. Volodymyr Zelenskyy announcing Sunday he's dismissing defense minister Oleksii Reznikov. Reznikov had served in that role since before Russia's invasion appointed in November 2021.
In recent months, the President has cracked down on corruption. Reznikov hasn't been directly implicated but Mr. Zelenskyy said it is time to make the change.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): Oleksii Reznikov has been through more than 550 days of full scale war. I believe that the ministry needs new approaches and other formats of interaction with both the military and society as a whole.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Mr. Zelenskyy says he's nominating Rustem Umyerov, a Crimean Tatar and former lawmaker who currently leads the country's privatization fund. He's played a role in the Black Sea grain deal and other wartime negotiations. Malcolm Davis is a senior analyst of Defense Strategy and Capability
at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute. He joins me now from Canberra. Always good to see you, sir.
Reznikov hasn't himself, as we said been directly accused of corruption. But there have been a number of scandals in the ministry, you know, things like procurement practices and so on. Do you think he's removal is part of what's been an anti-corruption push by Zelenskyy?
MALCOLM DAVIS, MILITARY ANALYST: I think almost certainly. Zelenskyy's key focus apart from winning the war is ensuring the peace after the war. And that means bringing Ukraine into NATO and the EU and to achieve that they have to be free of corruption at all levels of government.
So whilst I think there's been no indication whatsoever that Reznikov himself was corrupt, I think he's failed to stop corruption occurring within the Ministry of Defense. And so clearly, as Zelenskyy has decided that now is the time to move him on to a different role and bring an Umyerov to replace him.
HOLMES: Now, we'll talk about him in a moment. Reznikov had led the ministry as we said, since before the start of the full scale invasion, how effective was he in the role? And how might his departure impact readiness and so on?
DAVIS: So I think he's been very effective under very difficult circumstances. Very few defense ministers have to actually manage defense policy during wartime. And he's done that exceptionally well in the sense that he's been front and center and engaging with Western countries to ensure that Ukraine gets weapons that they need, and gets them in reasonable quantities.
I think one area where maybe there has been a challenge is getting the critical types of weapons such as, you know, armored fighting vehicles, main battle tanks, in particular, the F-16s, and also long range missiles quickly enough.
But this is not really Reznikov's failure per se. It's more a failure of the West in the sense of being overcautious in supplying Ukraine with those critical capabilities. So, I think he has been effective in so many ways.
HOLMES: Yes. What do we know about his replacement Rustem Umyerov? I think it's significant. He's a Crimean Tatar in the environment of what's going on, particularly in the south. But what do we know about it in the context of, you know, these gains on the battlefield recently.
DAVIS: The very fact that he is Crimean Tatar, I think is highly significant. It reinforces the perception that Ukraine is focused on regaining control of Crimea. And if you look at their kind of offensive, that is exactly where that counter offensive is focused.
So having a Crimean Tatar and with Umyerov, as Minister of Defense, I think is a good move by Zelenskyy. It establishes probably greater rapport with the people in the Crimean peninsula to be able to manage the situation after Ukraine hopefully wins this counter-offensive.
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HOLMES: What is your read on the advances in the counter-offensive in a tactical sense? What do you think Ukraine needs to achieve before, you know the rains come, autumns not far away. And then of course, winter.
DAVIS: Yes, and I think that's a valid point is that time is not on their side. Their counter-offensive was delay because of a slow response by the West to supplying the types of capabilities that they would need, such as the tanks and the oven fighting vehicles.
So they're now battling against the clock. They're advancing south towards Melitopol from Tokmak. Tokmak is the next big target for the offensive if the Ukrainians can break through the Russian lines there and they have indicated they're broken through that first line of defense. They can then bombard Tokmak, or at least the Russian forces around Tokmak and make Tokmak unusable as a resupply area.
And that makes it virtually impossible for the Russians to hang on to Crimea. It sets them up for an advanced deeper into Crimea via Melitopol in the spring of 2024, but they would certainly have to hunker down during the rains and winter period of '23, '24.
HOLMES: There are those who've criticized the pace of the counter- offensive, but you mentioned first line of defense, those defenses are formidable, aren't they, and Russia had a long time to put them in place. So what do you make of their pace given what they're up against?
DAVIS: Well, I think that they're being cautious in an appropriate sense, they're not concentrating forces needlessly, that could then bring in Russian long range fighter to decimate Ukrainian forces. They're advancing on a wide front.
But they are making gains. They've apparently pushed through the Russian first line of defense. They're now advancing potentially further than that. But we still have yet to see how tough those defenses are behind that first line of defense, and whether the Ukrainians can widen that breech sufficiently to pour through heavier forces like armored fighting vehicles, and main battle tanks.
If they can, then they certainly can make rapid advances before the winter, essentially deny the supply lines for the Russian forces in Crimea, and then establish a good position from which they can poise to advance into Crimea in the northern spring of 2024.
Obviously, the Russians will try and defend that as much as they can. But there is some question about just what is the quality of Russian troops behind that first line of defense, and I think it will be critical to see just how effective that Russian defense is.
HOLMES: Always great analysis, Malcolm Davis. Good to see my friend. Thanks so much.
DAVIS: Thank you.
HOLMES: Mr. Zelenskyy spoke by phone with the French president Emmanuel Macron on Sunday about the logistics of creating a new black sea shipping corridor for grain exports. Russia pulled out of a previous deal that guaranteed safe passage around a Russian blockade.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan negotiated that agreement, and he set to meet with the Russian President Vladimir Putin in the coming hours and you shipping deal, obviously on the agenda.
Now, this coming a day after Russia attack port facilities near the Danube River that Ukraine uses for food exports. The attack site is just across the border from NATO member Romania. It drew swift condemnation with Romania saying it contravened international law.
Ukraine says more than two dozen Russian drones were used in overnight attacks in the Odesa region adding that most of them were shut down. Ukraine is also putting drone technology to work for its own purposes. CNN's Melissa Bell with that.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Here we can see Russian military equipment hidden in this small forest.
MELISSA BELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voiceover): Ukraine security service preparing for raid across enemy lines.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It is an infrared camera, right?
BELL: In a war of artillery, and drones, and plenty of creativity.
BELL (on camera): It looks almost like a like a toy.
PIXEL, SBU DRONE PILOT: It is Jenny's toy was some upgrades and some innovations with some magic.
BELL (voiceover): Enough magic that this specially made drone will travel far beyond the Zaporizhzhia frontline. In search of a Russian air defense system, it flies deep into enemy territory towards the town. That is one of the main objectives of the Southern counter- offensive, Tokmak.
PIXEL: We are approaching the target. We are approaching the target.
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BELL: At the other end of the phone and watching the same screen, a HIMARS unit is ready to launch. The callsign of this drones unit commander is Bankir, a reminder of his life before the war when this land was still Ukrainian.
PIXEL: Now you can see on the road this is Russians vehicles moving. This is checkpoint Russians. You can see in back. Left, left. Aim left.
BELL: But tonight, they've been unlucky. The air defense system they wanted to hit is no longer there.
PIXEL: We're coming home. The target is not there.
BELL: Home for tonight is a field about 15 kilometers north of the front line, using only red lights to avoid detection. They've got a bird's eye view of the battle below and what's happening beyond.
BANKIR, COMMANDER, SBU UNIT: We are hunting for them for some time, we have some results. We know where they are hiding. We know where they are moving. So it's a question about time just to find them.
BELL: And each time it flies, the drone records precious information, the state of Russian defenses, vehicles and systems being moved, even if tonight a Russian air defense system and its four to five officers were unbeknownst to them spirit.
BELL (on camera): Are you disappointed?
BANKIR: No, no, we're not disappointed. This is our service. It's our work. And we will be -- we will continue to do it.
BELL (voiceover): Until he says every last inch of Ukrainian territory has been freed however long that takes. Melissa Bell, CNN, in Zaporizhzhia region.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES" South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa is trying to put to rest allegations that his country supplied arms to Russia. He says an independent panel has found no evidence that weapons were loaded onto this Russian cargo ship, the Lady R near Cape Town last December.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CYRIL RAMAPHOSA, SOUTH AFRICAN PRESIDENT: None of the allegations made about the supply of weapons to Russia have been proven to be true. And none of the persons who made these allegations could provide any evidence to support the claims that had been leveled against our country.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: The U.S. Ambassador to South Africa made the claim earlier this year saying he would bet his life on it.
Turning now to some intense weather situations across the globe, first to Taiwan where no deaths have been reported. But more than 40 people hurt after Typhoon Haikui hit the island Sunday afternoon. Right now the storm has moved into the Taiwan Strait and is heading towards the southeast China coast. As it approach Taiwan, some 7,000 people rushed to flee their homes. The island's electricity provider is still working to restore power to
tens of thousands of customers. More than 200 flights have been delayed or canceled and officials suspended the school and workdays in several counties and cities.
And in Spain, storm warnings are still in effect through Monday for cities from Madrid to Barcelona. That's on the heels of massive flooding from the storm known as Dana. One visitor said he and other travelers had to act quickly to stay safe as torrential rains swept across the country.
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JUAN CARLOS PENAFIEL, VISITING FROM BARCELONA (through translator): We organize amongst ourselves to make ropes with towels and bed sheets and use them to pull two young men who are grabbing onto columns. We pulled them to the top floor and save them. It was terrifying. Very, very scary with small children, women. Nobody showed up. We were left alone to save ourselves. It was terrifying.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Officials are warning against unnecessary travel in the Madrid area today and Atletico Madrid match was severe has been postponed.
And in Northern Greece, firefighters are dealing with Europe's deadliest plays this summer. The wildfire has been blamed for the deaths of at least 20 people. It's destroyed homes and businesses and burned through forests through wildfires are common in Greece during the northern summer. The government says climate change has made them much more intense this year.
Officials say some 70,000 people remain stranded in the Nevada desert after heavy rains swamped the annual Burning Man festival, up to three months of rain fell between Friday and Saturday leaving behind thick ankle deep mud. Ongoing rain on Sunday has now forced organizers to postpone the main event the burning of a large wooden effigy. CNN's Camila Bernal with more.
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CAMILA BERNAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): It is still muddy, it is still messy for thosuansd of people who are stranded here in Black Rock City.
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Where we are right now is the main entrance and exit point to the festival. So thousands are expected to exit here on Monday. We saw many, many cars trying to get out because this is the entrance of the playa. So here behind me is where people are getting stuck in that mud.
And I want to show you what that mud that cakey mud looks like. This is what a lot of people are walking hours in, and you're seeing it in their shoes, they are covered in this mud is what you're seeing on this bike, it makes it impossible for not just bikes, but also for cars and RVs.
Here behind me this RV, they told me that they were stuck here for hours trying to get out of the mud. So it is difficult to get out. And the concern of course, is for people who did not bring enough supplies, enough food, enough water and need to get out. Here's one person that I talked to who told me she just needed to get out to date.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's quite expansive out there and it probably took me three hours of slogging to walk just from my camp to the road. And I did get a little bit of a hitchhike into in the back of someone's truck. But yes, it's just really thick, dense mud. So wherever it's wet, it's just heavy and sticky. And it's a real sloppy mess out there. Most everything's turned off, but there's still some people partying.
BERNAL: And everybody that I've talked to has remained extremely positive telling me they're making the best out of a very difficult situation saying they're still having fun that they've enjoyed this festival. Unfortunately though, authorities did report one death, they said a body was found in the playa they did not give any details as to what happened and organizers here are continuing to tell people to be safe. They're getting prepared to get thousands of people out of here so they're telling them that this is going to be a long process the exodus as they call it. Camila Bernal, CNN, Black Rock City.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: Chinese authorities are considering placing limitations on screen time for young people. After the break, we'll tell you about the proposals and get reaction to them. Stay with us.
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HOLMES: China is considering placing limits on screen time for kids and teenagers in a bid to curb internet addiction and cultivate quote, good morality. All devices would be required to have a built in minor mode, which would restrict screen time based on age. CNN correspondent Ivan Watson has more on the proposed rules and reaction to them.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTENRATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voiceover): It's an all too familiar seeing a child begs his mom for one more minutes on her phone. A daily battle over devices.
China's answer minor mode, a proposed law to order tech giants to limit Children's screentime and shut off apps. For one tired parent the proposed rules would be a relief.
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CRYSTAL GUO, MOTHER (through translator): This would be wonderful. If it were true, there would be less anger between us, mother and son. He just can't keep his phone out of his hands. WATSON: Under the new mode, children under 18 will get a maximum of two hours on smartphones per day and will be locked out overnight. But Beijing's top down approach has its critics.
ANDREW COLLIER, MANAGING DIRECTOR, ORIENT CAPITAL RESEARCH: The broader worry I have is that China under the current leadership is imposing a very strict cultural moralism on their citizens, which is not going to be necessarily helpful for their personal growth or for the future of the Chinese economy.
WATSON: As part of China's broader digital crackdown, minors are already banned from gaming on weekdays. Social media apps have time limits, and some parents ship their children off to boot camps to kick internet addiction. Mengtai Zhang, who was sent to one of these camps at 16 says Beijing's latest rules won't work.
MENGTAI ZHANG, ATTENDED INTERNET ADDICTION CAMP: Without these structural changes, limiting children's time on video game war won't change anything for the addiction. If they find a way to create a more meaningful space for children to spend their time together, and have their parents relax for from the work, situation will be much better.
WATSON: Children are also finding ways around Beijing's rules. This 10-year-old explains.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): Some kids use their parents ID to log in. They never put their phones down. They'll look at it until the battery runs out.
WATSON: The new guidelines order internet providers to highlight socialist and patriotic content and promote family values. This mom hopes the rules will also mean more outdoor play right?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): It takes away from your time to play exercise and read. It takes away from your time to do more interesting things.
WATSON: But her son says parents need to lead by example.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): It's not easy to control myself. Adults can't either.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): Don't speak about us adults speak about yourself.
WATSON: A battle over screen time that's far from over. Ivan Watson, CNN, Hong Kong.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: And joining me now from Hatfield, England. Barry Ip, Senior Lecturer at the School of Physics, Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Hertfordshire. Good to see you, sir.
I want to talk more about the broader issue. But when it comes to China's moves, is it realistic to have rules like this coming from government as opposed to parents is that even, you know, enforceable or achievable?
BARRY IP, SENIOR LECTURER, SCHOOL OF PHYSICS, ENGINEERING AND COMPUTER SCIENCE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF HERTFORDSHIRE: Yes. Hi. Hi, Michael, your report is actually very interesting and touches on all of the sort of really big issues that everybody faces, not just those in people in China.
In terms of takedown, yes, I mean, it is realistic in that sense. I mean, it's a policy that mirrors other facets of what we do in society, right, whether we drive a car or any other kind of regulatory matter. So in terms of the implementation, I mean that's kind of the kind of tricky thing, ultimately, is it going to be successful? Is it going to work? Is it going to help parents?
As a parent myself, you know, I always think that sort of questions you're asking, you know, is it going to be effective? And I don't think we can really tell until it's actually taken hold for at least a year or two. I'm not sure that that is actually going to work. Because I mean, like you said in your report, children are very clever these days. And they can think of ways of, you know, getting around these kinds of systems, which, like my children can sort of navigate around as well, when I use my own system to try to, you know, limit screen time and things like that. It's a very, it's very difficult. Yes.
HOLMES: Yes, I guess a few years ago, China imposed top down rules on, you know, on video games, and then they limited live streaming by children's social media apps, and so on, have those rules achieved anything? And what is China worried about?
IP: Yes, well, have those rules change anything? Yes and no. I mean, ultimately, I should say that all of these rules and these ways of implementing these restrictions come down to the parent. The parents still has to initiate this system, right? I mean, as this new policy states very clearly, the parent has to has to has put it on, in fact, or turn it on, right.
So if the parent does nothing, then nothing's going to work. Right? And even if the parent does something, it still requires monitoring. Still require some sort of maintenance to check whether the child is actually following through or not, as you know, in your report, it says shouldn't even get around these things. OK. If -- when it used to be systems.
HOLMES: Right.
[01:25:00]
The other question about, you know, do they work? And what was your other parts of, sorry?
HOLMES: Well, I was going to transition to the global issue because it is a global issue, of course, what are the impacts of excessive time spent on devices via games or TikTok or whatever?
IP: Yes, well, the impact is actually very significant, I mean, for adults is a different thing. But for children, you're talking about things like excessive screen time, not being not interested in other things that maybe a child should be interested in, like going out to play socializing with people, right. But the big thing is actually addiction.
And in recent years, that has been much more recognized by lots of authorities that there is such a thing as gaming addiction, or, you know, addiction to screens, right. So this is a very major issue, not just in China, as we said, all over the world. I mean, you know, in my family, I mean, I've seen the effects of this.
HOLMES: Yes.
IP: As soon as you give a child a screen, it's very, very difficult for a child to make a judgment in terms of how much is too much time, when do they stop. And even if a parent tells them to stop, we've all been there where, you know, the child doesn't want to stop, and they will throw a tantrum, or something bad will happen that you kind of don't expect.
HOLMES: So what then would be the best approach for parents and educators? And what could or should be the role of government?
IP: Yes. Well, that's, again, a very big question. I mean, in terms of parents, we have to -- we have to ultimately realize that we have to take the responsibility because the children are under our protection, right? No government or no school is going to be able to do that job for us in a way that we would like it. OK, as much as we want to think about that.
So the parent has first and foremost priority. And then schools, yes, schools do have to play a role. But again, I mean, in the schools that I've kind of been in touch with, and that I've spoken to, even schools have significant trouble kind of controlling that element of screen time. So I'm -- there's all sorts of things that are brought about by kind of the use of social media and children being engaged with that in ways that maybe they shouldn't, OK, within the schools sort of environment sometimes. And so that's another problem.
In terms of government, the Chinese government is actually doing something that I don't think many other governments have attended so far, which is a centralized system, or centralized policy, where we have to remember why is something like this important, right or wrong. It's because as a parent, sometimes you don't know how to control this stuff. You don't know how to help your child, right? Or you don't know how to stop them for having too much screen time.
Now, if it comes from government, you have a central portal of information. There is at least a national policy that, right. Whether you implement it or not, is up to you. But there is something there, right. So if the government doesn't do it, then it's again down to the parent.
Now, if as a parent, when I go on to an app store and try to look for parental control apps, the list goes on forever. Which one of those should I use? Right. Now, I've been through this myself, right? You pick any one that you think is good, you spend half an hour or an hour setting the system up. And then eventually you find that it doesn't quite work in the way that you want it to. Right.
So it's a whole minefield out there. Does government solve the problem? No, I don't think government can solve the problem. Because there's so many technologies involved. There's so many sort of factors involved in how you actually implement this.
HOLMES: Right.
IP: But it comes down to the parent. If the parent wants to do something like this, they can do it. They can do it now without government.
HOLMES: Yes. Yes.
IP: But that's a very hard thing, isn't it?
HOLMES: It's a better -- yes, it's about strong parenting. And you're right. It's a different age than lead away when I grew up. Barry, we're going to leave it there. We're out of time. Really appreciate it. Thanks for getting up for us.
IP: You're welcome. Thank you, Michael.
HOLMES: All right. We'll take a quick break here. When we come back we'll have more on the Africa climate summit now convening in Nairobi and the climate challenges the continent is facing. It's a seminal moment for Africa.
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HOLMES: Welcome back. You are watching CNN NEWSROOM with me, Michael Holmes.
Now world leaders, scientists and environmental activists are convening in Nairobi, Kenya to address the urgent consequences of climate change on the continent. The three-day Africa Climate Summit '23 will explore solutions to the particular impacts climate change is having and will have on the continent.
Participants are putting particular focus on drought and other weather-related developments, the changing climate's escalating impact on migration, and ways to fund climate mitigation initiatives in countries saddled with debt.
I spoke last hour with Rebekah Shirley, who is at the summit in Nairobi. She is the deputy director of the World Resources Institute. And I asked her, when it comes to global climate change conversation, does Africa get forgotten?
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
REBEKAH SHIRLEY, DEPUTY DIRECTOR, WORLD RESOURCE INSTITUTE: First of all, of course as the least contributor to climate change, 5 percent of global historic emissions and actually about 2 percent when you remove emissions from South Africa, we are oftentimes not in the headlines as an emitter.
But also, the science is now very clear. The latest reports from the IPC says that Africa is actually the continent warming fastest on earth, faster than any other continent.
We have a number of countries on the continent already reporting more than one degree Celsius on average of temperature increase. And that has led to multiple impacts.
But you know, not being an economic powerhouse on the continent or on the planet, obviously, that is oftentimes not seen.
And then thirdly, I would say the big challenge for us in Africa is therefore not as emitter but as the most vulnerable means that our challenges are really around adaptation and responding to the loss and damage happening across the continent.
And that is something that others have to pay for, though oftentimes not making headlines.
HOLMES: Yes, you know, there are so many impacts that are particular to Africa. I mean the International Organization for Migration, you know, in 2022, various disasters caused more than seven and a half million people to be internally displaced. They say tens of millions could be displaced in the next few years.
What are the effects of that on people, families, communities?
SHIRLEY: Yes. The largest effect that we are seeing on the continent so far from climate change relates (ph) to this change in rainfall patterns you were talking about earlier that lead to drought and the drought leads to, you know, situations where we have a scarcity of resources, which leads to people conflict, community conflict, and of course, the immigration and the migration that you are talking about.
Also, human rights conflict which is really important as well. What does this mean for people? As a culture, food is the mainstay of the economy in Africa. Half of all jobs and livelihoods, a third of the economy.
So, when that is the most vulnerable sector to climate change, it obviously means big impacts to communities, big impacts to families and households, and cities as well.
HOLMES: This summit is the biggest gathering of its type in Africa's history. I mean it is a significant moment. What needs to come out of it?
SHRILEY: It is significant because this is not -- this is the first time that African heads of state through the auspices of the African Union are convening themselves, Michael, not just being convened on the continent climate agenda. So, over 20 heads of state are here right now or piling in.
It is a major moment for the future of climate action in Africa. Not just because it is the first summit of its kind, but what it's anticipated to yield, which is a roadmap for low carbon development across the continent.
[01:34:59]
SHIRLEY: So what needs to come out of this is of course that declaration, that Nairobi declaration of how the continent is going to move forward. We also need to see transformative thinking on the way that we finance both the laws and (INAUDIBLE) adaptation but also the investments opportunities that Africa represents to the world as a hub for climate solutions. And that narrative is something that is quite new coming out of this summit.
HOLMES: Yes. And the thing is the money that is being promised to Africa for mitigation has generally not shown up. There is a limit to what African nations can do on climate change when they are not the primary source of the problem, as you point out. Just 3 percent, I think, is the official number -- percentage of global emissions.
So what then does the world need to do to help Africa mitigate the worst of the climate change impacts? Top 20 ages (ph) is coming up in November for example.
SHIRLEY: In terms of helping African adapt to climate change, it is supporting adaptation, financing, and loss and damage financing.
But actually, even though not a big part of the emissions challenge, Africa can be a major solution hub for decarbonizing the world's challenge.
You know, the focus of this summit, as I mentioned, is to demonstrate, to articulate the investment opportunity that Africa represents, the untapped clean energy resources, the world's major stock of critical minerals, the world's last remaining carbon free forest, the Congo basin.
Millions of hectares of land waiting to be brought back to productivity through restoration, and of course, the youngest population on the planet. All of that means we can actually think about Africa as a manufacturing and industrial -- green industrialization hub before the low carbon commodities that we all need.
So, there is actually an opportunity for Africa to be able to help the world, and that is the positioning of the summit.
HOLMES: And potentially a hugely consequential summit. Good luck with it, and hopefully you get the results that you need.
Rebekah Shirley, thanks so much.
SHIRLEY: Thank you for having me.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: Now, in the day ahead, the leader of Gabon's military coup is set to be sworn in as the country's transitional president. It comes almost a week after General Brice Oligui Nguema -- sorry -- and members of Gabon's presidential guard seized power from President Ali Bongo. The coup aimed at the political dynasty of the Bongo family which had been in power for more than 50 years. It also marks the eighth military takeover in west and central Africa in three years.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is vowing to take strong steps, as he put it, following the riot on Saturday among Eritrean migrants in Tel Aviv. He called a special ministers' meeting on Sunday to create a plan to deal with the migrants involved and said he wants to deport them.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELIE PRIME MINISTER: This is rioting. It is bloodshed. It is savageness that we cannot accept.
Therefore, the first thing that I am going to do is to wish a recovery to the policeman who were injured in the effort to restore order.
We are seeking strong steps against the rioters including the immediate expulsion of those who took part.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Now, the riot erupted during an Eritrean Independence Day celebration near the embassy on Saturday, when Eritrean government supporters clashed with opponents.
Israeli authorities say at least 114 people were hurt, including 49 police officers.
An eight year old migrant girl dies in the custody of U.S. Border Patrol. Her parents say authorities did almost nothing to help their struggling child when she fell ill shortly after crossing the border. Their story, coming up.
[01:38:50]
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HOLMES: Mexican Senator Xochitl Galvez sis the new opposition candidate for that nation's presidential election. Next year, she will face off against the party of the incumbent president, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who is required to step down at the end of his six year turn.
Galvez is a 60-year-old computer engineer with a straightforward and sometimes salty way of speaking. She is hoping to become Mexico 's first female president. And her most likely opponent is another woman, former Mexico City Mayor Claudia Scheinbaum.
More than 10,000 unaccompanied migrant children were in U.S. Custody at the end of August, according to new federal data. That number, 30 percent more than just one month earlier.
The staggering increase comes as we are learning more about the death of an eight year old girl while in custody of U.S. Customs and Border Protection earlier this year.
CNN's Rosa Flores reports.
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ROSA FLORES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Eight-year-old Anadith Tanay Reyes Alvarez loved pink, hugs and hearts.
What dreams did Anadith have?
She wanted to be a doctor?
But her dreams were cut short. She died in U.S. Customs and Border Protection custody this spring.
ROSELLE REYES, ANADITH'S MOTHER: They killed her little by little.
MANUEL ALVAREZ, ANADITH'S FATHER: They should have called an ambulance. They should have taken her to the hospital. They didn't do any of that.
FLORES: Her Honduran parents, Manuel Alvarez, and Roselle Reyes (ph) say they migrated to the U.S. for their family's safety and say their daughter had sickle cell anemia and a heart condition.
She was running around, she was happy?
She was fine when they entered immigration custody in south Texas on May 9th. Their nightmare started a few days later when they say Anadith was diagnosed with the flu.
She says that they were all transferred, immediately to another location, a border patrol station.
FLORES: In Harlingen, Texas where they say they were kept in cold jail cells, and given old sleeping pads and mylar blankets to sleep on the floor.
So it was there that she says that her daughter started feeling sick.
That's when you started asking for medical attention for your daughter.
These parents say their daughter developed a fever and started vomiting. According to CBP, the agency investigating the death, between May 14th and May 17th, Anadith saw contracted medical personnel nine times and was prescribed Tamiflu, ice packs, fever- reducing medications, and a cold shower.
But her parents say their daughter needed hospital level care.
She would have to lose consciousness for them to call an ambulance. What crossed through your mind?
She says she felt helpless. On May 17th, eight days into their immigration detention, and the day their daughter died, CBP says a nurse practitioner reported denying three or four requests for an ambulance to be called or for Anadith to be taken to the hospital.
Anadith's parents say, one of the pleas came directly from their daughter.
She says that her daughter told border patrol I can't breathe, I can't breathe from my nose, I can't breathe from my mouth.
What did you think at that point?
She says she felt devastated and did the only thing she could do. Carry her daughter in her arms and ask for help again.
She says that she was told go back to your cell, take your daughter back to your cell, give her electrolytes, and everything is fine.
Anadith's dad said he knew the end was near when his daughter locked eyes with him.
ALVAREZ: She gave me her last look.
FLORES: And he saw the life in her eyes go out.
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ALVAREZ: When my daughter saw me she just did this.
Dad they killed me, is what she made me understand.
FLORES: And it was then that they asked for an ambulance?
REYES: Why didn't they seek help before? 20 minutes before, one day before. Why?
FLORES: After the ambulance arrived, they say all they wanted was a little compassion, but that was denied too.
They didn't let you go in the ambulance with your daughter? How did you go to the hospital?
So you were in a border patrol van. You couldn't see the medical attention that they we're providing to her?
These parents say they felt humiliated and discriminated against throughout the entire process.
According to CBP, Anadith died at the hospital, but her parents believe Anadith died inside the jail-like border patrol station.
You think your daughter died in your arms?
ALVAREZ: Yes, that's what happened. FLORES: A Harlingen Fire Department incident report obtained by CNN stated Anadith was unconscious and unresponsive when paramedics arrived.
Anadith's casket was covered with ribbons, roses and balloons in her favorite color. And while these parents say they forgive those who didn't save their daughter, they cannot forget.
REYES: When I see children playing, I remember my daughter.
FLORES: Everything reminds them of their little piece of joy taken too soon.
The family has been struggling since they were released from detention. Their spokesperson says that they have not been able to find housing in New York. Their attorney says that they are in removal proceedings, which means that they could get deported.
Now, CBP did not respond to our request for comment regarding the allegations made by this family in our story, but the agency does say that it has taken steps to correct the deficiencies that have been identified through the ongoing investigation.
As for cause of death, according to the death certificate, Anadith had an extreme response to a bacterial infection, with acute sickle cell crisis.
Rosa Flores, CNN -- Houston.
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HOLMES: Terrible story.
Now, in Chile, a joyous ending to 42 years of sorrow. A mother who was told her son died at childbirth got a stunning phone call telling her he was actually alive.
But as Rafael Romo now tells us, many babies were stolen there in the 1970s and 80s. And this reunion is heartbreakingly one of just a few.
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JIMMY LIPPERT THYDEN, STOLEN FROM BIRTH: When I arrived in Chile, I felt like a lost puzzle piece. A piece that had been lost for 42 years.
RAFAEL ROMO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It's a birthday party that had to wait for more than four decades.
THYDEN: They stole 42 years. But they will not steal 43.
ROMO: Jimmy Lippert Thyden is celebrating with the family he never knew he had.
THYDEN: I am blessed at the fact that I have a loving family on both sides of the equator. ROMO: His story begins in 1981 in Valdivia, a city in southern Chile.
THYDEN: My mother -- my ma, she gave birth to me one month premature. They told, you know, oh he looks jaundiced. You know, he looks yellow. We need to put him in an incubator and they carried me out of there before she could hold me, before she could name me. They carried me out and then they came back and told her that I had died.
ROMO: Thyden says that it was all a scheme to make money out of unsuspecting foreign families looking to adopt children, especially Americans who had no idea what was going on.
Your adoptive family in the United States had no idea that you had been stolen as a baby?
THYDEN: They never believed for one second that they were buying a child. They never would've done that.
ROMO: During the dictatorship of General Agusto Pinochet in the 1970s and 80s, babies were funneled to adoption agencies, some from the upper classes, taken, or given up to protect reputations of their mothers and some from the lower classes where children were simply stolen.
Chilean authorities say many priests, nuns, doctors, nurses and others conspired to carry out illegal adoptions.
Authorities told us the number of stolen babies could be in the thousands. But the investigation into the adoptions has languished over the years as some of the hospitals where the children were born have shut down as we have found out over the years.
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ROMO: For many women, in this country, what this hospital in ruins means is a place where their children were stolen, a place that became a nightmare for them.
They were looking for a place where they would deliver a healthy baby. Instead, they left empty-handed.
Constanca Del Rio, the founder of Nos Buscamos says that after Jimmy Thyden got in touch with them she recommended a DNA test.
THYDEN: Hello, my name is Jimmy Thyden.
ROMO: When a match came back a few weeks later she says she knew the next step was making a phone call to a woman who had believed for decades her son had died shortly after being born.
"She couldn't believe it," she said. "She thought it was a joke in poor taste because she had been told her premature baby boy had died."
THYDEN: She didn't know about me because I was taken from her at birth and she was told that I was dead. And that when she asked for my body, they told her that they had disposed of it. And so we've never held each other. We've never hugged. And today I'm
going to get to do that for the first time.
ROMO: After several agonizing months, Jimmy Thyden was finally able to travel to Chile to give Maria Angelica Gonzales, his biological mother, the hug that had to wait for 42 years.
What would you like the world to know about what happened to you? What do you want people to know about your case?
THYDEN: I want them to know that there is tens of thousands of children like me. We tell our story, we do these interviews because we will tell all these stories until every child is found.
ROMO: How do you get back the time lost? "You can't," Jimmy Lippert Thyden says. In the end, he added, the wisdom about what happened came from one of his daughters who told him if the bad thing hadn't happened she wouldn't be here and thanks to that her father now has not one but two families who love him deeply.
Rafael Romo, CNN -- Santiago, Chile and Atlanta.
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HOLMES: Still to come on the program, Pope Francis' message to China during his visit to neighboring Mongolia. More on the pontiff's historic trip after a quick break.
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HOLMES: Four crew members from the International Space Station splashed down off the coast of Jacksonville, Florida las hour. You see it happening there.
They returned aboard a SpaceX crew dragon capsule had been delayed due to Hurricane Idalia.
Two NASA astronaut, an astronaut from the United Arabe Emirates and a Russian cosmonaut were later helped out of the capsule. They had been aboard the space station since March.
Pope Francis on his way home from Mongolia a day after celebrating mass in a country with a Catholic community of only about 1,500 people. It was the first ever trip there by a pontiff. And during mass he urged Catholics in neighboring China to be good citizens and good Christians. A rare instance of the Holy Father publicly addressing the issue of religion in China.
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HOLMES: A gathering of the faithful in one of the smallest and most remote communities of Catholics in the world.
[01:54:57]
HOLMES: On Sunday, Pope Francis celebrated mass in Mongolia, a country with a population of around 3 million people, but only about 1,500 Catholics and nearly all of them came to see the Pontiff.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm so happy that Pope Francis visited Mongolia. I got emotional when I attended mass. I think it furthered my spirit. I'm very, very thankful.
HOLMES: But Vatican watchers say this trip to Mongolia wasn't just about spreading the church's message to a country where no pope has visited before. It was also strategic and a chance to ease tensions with two of Mongolia's neighbors, China and Russia.
Relations between the Vatican and Moscow have deteriorated since the invasion of Ukraine. And there have been tensions with Beijing over its treatment of religious minorities and a controversial agreement to jointly appoint bishops in China.
But on Saturday, in words thought to be directed at China and Russia, the Pope said the church is not a threat to governments and secular institutions.
And during mass, he made yet another overture by sending greetings to his Chinese followers.
POPE FRANCIS, ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH (through translator): To the people, I wish the best and to go ahead. Always make progress. To Chinese Catholics, I ask you to be good Christians and good citizens.
HOLMES: Some small groups of worshippers traveled from China for the service which was more of a low-key affair than other papal trips that can draw over a million people.
But this woman who came from Hong Kong said it was worth the journey.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How did it feel?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Amazing. Because he is my father and today I joined a mass and I feel very amazing.
HOLMES: The Pope leaves Mongolia, no doubt encouraging the Catholic base there. Whether he made any headway with Mongolia's neighbors remains to be seen.
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HOLMES: And finally Florida honor Jimmy Buffett, the iconic singer and songwriter who died on Friday.
Hundreds of fans marching is his adopted hometown of Key West on Sunday, singing and dancing to his tunes, honoring his life.
Buffett died after battling a rare skin cancer for four years. He was 76. His breakthrough hit was "Margaritaville", of course, it was his only top ten song and became his signature.
Thanks for watching, everyone, spending part of your day with me. I'm Michael Holmes. CNN NEWSROOM continues with my friend and colleague and favorite Canadian Paula Newton in a few minutes.
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