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Poland Shoots Down Drones In Its Airspace During Russia's Ukraine Attack; Russian Aerial Bomb Kills At Least 24 Civilians In Rural Ukrainian Village; Israeli Strike Targets Hamas Leaders In Qatar; Nepal PM Resigns After Deadly Crackdown On Youth Protests; Macron Names Ally Sebastien Lecornu As New French PM; Macron Appoints Sebastien Lecornu as New French Prime Minister; Qatari PM Slams "Terrorism" by "Rogue Player"; Apple Unveils New Tech as Consumers Weigh Cost of Upgrades; Ethiopia Inaugurates Africa's Largest Hydroelectric Dam; Interview with Former U.S. Ambassador to Ethiopia Tibor Nagy; Dozens of Containers Fall Off Ship at California Port. Aired 1-2a ET
Aired September 10, 2025 - 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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LYNDA KINKADE, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and welcome. I'm Lynda Kinakde. Ahead here on CNN Newsroom, Poland shoots down Russian drones that entered its airspace and NATO aircraft scramble in response.
Israel defends its strike on Hamas leaders in Doha, but Qatar's prime minister calls it terrorism.
And researchers in Argentina have discovered ancient crocodile they say hunted dinosaurs.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Live from Atlanta. This is CNN Newsroom with Lynda Kinkade.
KINKADE: We begin with breaking news out of Poland. The military, they are accusing Moscow of an act of aggression after Polish and NATO forces scrambled to shoot down Russian drones that violated its airspace. Prime Minister Donald Tusk has confirmed a military response operation is underway following multiple airspace violations.
Polish and NATO jets were scrambled following reports from Ukraine's air force that Russian drones were headed towards the country's airspace. During the incident, Polish authorities shut down several major airports, including Warsaw International, and urged its citizens to stay indoors. The exact number of Russian drones over Poland remains unclear.
We're joining us now for more is senior military analyst and retired U.S. air Force colonel Cedric Leighton. Thanks so much for joining us.
COL. CEDRIC LEIGHTON (RET.), CNN SENIOR MILITARY ANALYST:P You bet, Lynda. Always good to be with you. KINKADE: So this marks the first time Poland has taken direct military
action against airborne threats from Russia crossing into its territory since the war began. Just how significant is this moment?
LEIGHTON: But it's very significant, Lynda. One of the key aspects of this is the fact that the Poles felt compelled to shoot down at least some of the drones. Now, we don't know, as you mentioned, how many drones or even where they actually fell in Polish territory.
But it's pretty clear from some of the postings that we've seen from Polish government officials that drone fragments can be found on Polish territory. So the Polish authorities are looking for those drone fragments. They've asked people to make sure that they stay away from those fragments, but that they inform the police that those fragments are there and that they can actually be located.
So the Poles are obviously a frontline state. They're clearly sensitive to this kind of violation of their airspace. And it really marks the first time that there's been a concerted effort not by the Russians to potentially take their drones into Polish airspace, but also a concerted effort by the Poles to respond with strength to these kinds of actions by purportedly by the Russians.
So it's a major change in the tenor of the basically frozen conflict that has existed between Poland and Russia up until this point.
KINKADE: Yes, exactly. This isn't the first airspace violation by Russian drones, but certainly the first time Poles has activated its air defenses, scrambled its fighter jets. From a military perspective, what does this reveal about Poland's readiness to respond?
LEIGHTON: Well, what it looks like, at least right now, is that the Poles have a very heightened state of alert. And, you know, obviously their alert phase has increased quite a bit because of the incursion of these drones. But the fact that they were able to respond so quickly indicates that they were already in a heightened state of alert. And that very fact is, I think, symptomatic of them being a frontline state, basically because they border both Ukraine and Belarus.
Ukraine, of course, engaged in the war with Russia, Belarus, a Russian ally. And it also shows that with heightened tensions, there's an exercise that the Russians are going to be conducting with Belarus on, starting on Friday that is going to also cause the Poles to have heightened readiness state, and heightened alert state. They've crossed the border with Belarus.
And that also indicates that they have been looking at this for quite some time from an intelligence perspective and of course, from a forced deployment perspective as well.
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KINKADE: So what's your perspective on Russia's objective? Is it deliberately provoking NATO, testing its rules of engagement? LEIGHTON: You know, when you look at the way the Russians have
conducted these kinds of operations, you have to suspect that there is a deliberate approach that they're taking here. And that deliberate approach in this case would very much be to test Polish defenses. They want to see how quickly the Polish polls respond to these kinds of actions, what kinds of measures they take. You know, what kind of jets are they scrambling, how often from which airports, from which air bases.
You know, what are their procedures for civilian responses to this, such as shutting down their civilian airports like the Warsaw airport, as you mentioned. So they're looking at all of these things. They're trying to assess how quickly the Poles will respond to a incursion of this type.
And they can kind of assess them based on these, you know, these actions that they are witnessing on the part of the Polish government. They can then determine whether or not they have to change their efforts if they want to surprise Poland at some future point or if they're just assessing it from an intelligence perspective.
But clearly it has operational significance for the Russians. And I firmly believe that they're assessing this from an intelligence perspective and they probably want to operationalize those findings at some point in the future.
KINKADE: Colonel Cedric Leighton, always great to get your analysis. Thanks so much for joining us.
LEIGHTON: You bet, Lynda, anytime.
KINKADE: A Russian aerial bomb has killed at least 24 people and injured dozens more in an attack on a rural Ukrainian village in the eastern Donetsk region. All of the victims are believed to be civilians, according to the officials there. CNN's Nick Paton Walsh brings us the latest. But first, a warning. The following report may disturb some viewers.
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NICK PATON WALSH, CNN INTERNATIONAL SECURITY EDITOR (voice-over): It is short and ghastly to watch, but tells you all you need to know. More than 20 bodies, their civilian clothes ripped away. Pensioners gathered to collect the monthly payouts that kept them alive in war torn Donetsk.
Likely a 250 pound aerial bomb did this to a gathering under the trees in Yarova. There are two moments here we can show you that bring the callousness home. This Ukrainian post service fan, distinctively civilian even from a drone high above. And these two children's yellow slides, a highly visible warning not to strike.
Ukraine's Zelenskyy clear yet again what this means. It is terrible. There is not enough strong reaction from global actors, he said. This is exactly what Putin perceives as permission to continue the war. The dust had barely settled from the weekend's record assault. The
Ukrainian prime minister with the remarkable task Monday of showing Western diplomats around the ruins of the key government offices her team frequents, hit by a Russian cruise missile intercepted. President Trump has said a lot since the record attack on Sunday.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you ready to move to the second phase of sanctions against Russia or punishing for how is your call --.
WALSH (voice-over): But also that he'd speak to Putin soon and European leaders could visit yesterday or Tuesday. None of this has happened yet.
Drones dictating the front lines here. Ukrainians hunted by them. Russia is advancing and looks set for another key push in the East. Ukraine short on people and the ferocity of support it seeks. This bus hit on a key road to the east by a Russian drone. A sign another main highway is lost. Space for free Ukraine shrinking. Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, London.
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KINKADE: Now to the growing global condemnation of Israel's unprecedented attack in Doha, Qatar. The target of the strike were Hamas leaders negotiating a potential ceasefire in Gaza. Hamas says the attack failed to take out its senior leadership, but it did kill five members. We're told a Qatari security official was also killed.
Qatar is one of the United States closest allies in the region. President Trump has been trying to distance himself from that strike, saying it was not his decision and that by the time he found out, it was too late to intervene.
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DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: He's very unhappy about it, very unhappy about every aspect. And we got to get the hostages back, but I was very unhappy about the way that went down.
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KINKADE: Qatar's prime minister visibly angry over the attack, denouncing it as terrorism.
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MOHAMMED BIN ABDULRAHMAN AL THANI, QATARI PRIME MINISTER (through translator): The Israeli attack that took place today on Qatari soil can only be called state terrorism. This message says that there is a rogue player in this region. We believe that today we have reached a pivotal moment where there must be a response from the entire region to such barbaric actions.
(END VIDEO CLIP) KINKADE: The Israeli Prime Minister defended the strike, saying the days when the heads of terror enjoyed immunity anywhere are over. Hours later, Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel accepted a new U.S. ceasefire proposal and that the Doha attack could speed up the end of the war. CNN's Paula Hancocks has more now from Doha.
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PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Qatar is making its anger very clear after Israel targeted Hamas leadership here in Doha on Tuesday. Now, Hamas has said that five of its members were killed, but the negotiating team is still alive, that they survived.
We know that the main negotiator, Khalil al-Hayya, was just on Monday meeting with Qatar's Prime Minister. We understand from officials that the Prime Minister was trying to push Hamas to agree to this latest U.S. proposal that's on the table for the cease fire hostage deal.
We did hear from Qatar's Prime Minister this Tuesday evening and he said that what happens was state terrorism. He has said that there is a message to the entire region, there is a rogue player in the region, clearly referring to Israel.
He also said that it was clear that Israel was trying to sabotage the talks by trying to target the negotiating team itself. Now this is something and an accusation that we're not just hearing from Qatar. We have been hearing that from many countries around the Gulf, around the Middle east, even some further afield, questioning the timing and questioning why Israel would decide to try and kill the negotiating team at a time when there is a new proposal on the table, a proposal that the U.S. President, Donald Trump appears to have been putting his vocal approval towards.
We did have a statement from the White House and it appears as though the U.S. President is not happy with what has happened, pointing out that Qatar had been working very hard, bravely taking risks. And that is a key point here.
Qatar is a key U.S. ally. There is a very large U.S. air base, military base here in Doha. In fact, it is the biggest in the Middle East. There is a very close relationship between the leader of Qatar and of the United States. So for Israel to carry out this strike, it will be interesting to see what fallout there is from the U.S. side and also from whether or not this means that the cease fire hostage talks are off, whether that means that it is finished.
Now, the strikes that happened just a little earlier this Tuesday happened in a fairly affluent area of Doha. We understand it's an area where there are a lot of families, a lot of expatriate families, and it is something that was not warned about.
Now, there were suggestions that Qatar had been warned ahead of time, as the U.S. we understand, had been warned ahead of time. But the Qatari prime minister was very clear in saying that simply was not true. It was baseless. They got the warning 10 minutes after the attack started. Paula Hancocks, CNN, Doha, Qatar.
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KINKADE: The Hostages and missing Families forums say family members of Israeli hostages held in Gaza are following the developments in Doha with deep concern and heavy anxiety. The mother of Israeli hostage Martin Zakunu (ph) says the strike serves as a death sentence for her son, adding Netanyahu, quote, essentially executed him. The Israeli prime minister says Hamas could end the war immediately.
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BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: This action can open the door to an end of the war. End of the war in Gaza. Israel has accepted the principles of the proposal put forward by President Trump to end the war, beginning with the immediate release of all our hostages, which have been held in the dungeons of Gaza for 700 days. If President Trump's proposal is accepted, the war can end immediately.
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KINKADE: Like to bring in Gil Dickmann. His cousin, Carmel Gat, was a hostage killed in captivity. He joins me now from Tel Aviv. Thanks so much for your time.
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GIL DICKMANN, COUSIN OF MURDERED HOSTAGE, CARMEL GAT: Thank you.
KINKADE: So, Gil, what was your immediate reaction when you heard that Israel's prime minister had approved a strike in Qatar, a key mediator in the hostage negotiations, in an effort to target the Hamas negotiators? Do you believe this move jeopardized the chances of bringing the other hostages home?
DICKMANN: Well, to be honest, the first thing I thought was that I'm very worried about the hostages that are there in Gaza because this attack puts their lives at a very high risk. We know that Hamas is using these kind of excuses to hurt the hostages, and we urge them not to do so.
We know that when Haniyeh was striked just a year ago, my cousin was killed one month later. And I really hope that Hamas does not use this as an excuse to hurt the hostages and to even do worse things to them. And I really hope that they're not going to use it as an excuse to hurt the negotiations, to stop the negotiations. And I really don't know whether this attack was who was really killed there because Hamas's high leaders were assembling in the building.
But I really hope this does not jeopardize the negotiations for an end of the war and a hostage deal, because the most important thing is that we stop this war. We end this war and get the hostages out. That's what we care about. That's what most of the Israelis care about. That's what makes us celebrate when we actually end this war and get the hostages out. KINKADE: And you recently made a direct appeal to the U.S. President
who. What role do you believe the United States should take right now to help secure a ceasefire and the release of the remaining hostages?
DICKMANN: I think we have an opportunity right now because of what Prime Minister Netanyahu said, that this opens the door to end the war. The way I see it, the war has been open for a very long time. And because Hamas has agreed to end this war and get all the hostages out, and Israel has agreed to this, it is time, not for doing more of these things, but to get an actual negotiation between Israel and Hamas. It could be with Qatar, it could be with Egypt. It doesn't really matter to us.
And I think it is Trump's chance to get this over with and maybe even his chance of getting a Nobel Peace Prize from this by getting a deal, the ultimate deal, between Israel and Hamas and getting hostages out. My cousin is no longer alive. She was held in captivity until August 2024, when Trump was not in office.
He's in office right now, and he can make this deal even after what we saw yesterday in this attack in Qatar. I think there is still a chance for a deal, maybe even a bigger chance because for Netanyahu, this could mean a beautiful into the warmth of his side.
KINKADE: Gil, we're just showing a picture of your cousin Carmel. What do you want the world to know about her? Not just how she died, but how she lived.
DICKMANN: Carmel was a beautiful person and she had the power within her to be strong for the sake of others. She was in captivity with two youngsters and she was doing yoga with them in captivity to try to keep them safe and secure and their soul as well as their bodies healthy in captivity as much as she could.
And I really want us to look at her and see the woman that were strong enough to try and look for others who needed her help. That's what we need to do right now, to look at the people who need most of our help. This is the innocent people who are held in captivity. For 48 people are held in captivity. You saw the pictures of Iyatal David (ph), who was held without any food, being starved by Hamas.
Look at him and make whatever effort you can to make sure he has food and is released by Hamas as quickly as possible. You can't for Carmel it's too late. It's not too Iyatal and for all the other hostages. That that's the most important thing.
KINKADE: And Gil, just finally, you've been outspoken about the government of Israel. Has Prime Minister Netanyahu failed you failed your cousin failed other hostages like her?
DICKMANN: Netanyahu failed us. He failed me personally, and he failed Carmel because she was murdered in captivity and he had chances to get her out. And for me, it's an ultimate failure. But 48 hostages are still there, and he has maybe the last chance not to fail them as well. So I urge him, finish this. End this war. We don't want to see any
more horrible pictures from Gaza of hostages being starved and maybe even being killed.
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Like to my cousin, end this war. Get the hostages out. This is your last chance.
KINKADE: Gil Dickmann in Tel Aviv. We really appreciate your time. We are sorry for your loss. Thank you very much.
Anti-government protests in Nepal have sparked a political shakeup. The prime minister is out amid the country's worst unrest there in decades. We're going to get the latest in a live report coming up next.
Plus, France has a new prime minister just one day after the government collapsed and he faces an uphill battle. We'll bring you the latest next.
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KINKADE: Nepal's prime minister has resigned after the worst unrest the country has seen in decades. Health officials say at least 22 people were killed, hundreds more injured after security forces fired live ammunition, tear gas and water cannons of protesters in several cities.
The demonstrations, led by young people, were sparked by widespread corruption, economic uncertainties and a ban on social media platforms which was seen as a form of censorship that has since been reversed.
CNN's Kristie Lu Stout is live for us in Hong Kong. Good to have you with us, Kristie. So despite the prime minister's resignation, the unrest has intensified. What's the latest?
KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You know, Lynda, the situation in Nepal remains tense after days of deadly clashes and social unrest. I just got off the phone and spoke to a 20 something resident of Kathmandu and he said last night he couldn't sleep. He said right now the streets of Kathmandu are calm, but he can feel just that palpable sense of tension. Young protesters remain angry. They remain defiant. This despite the fact that the Nepalese prime minister has resigned.
Nepal has been on fire with young protesters setting on fire a number of government buildings, including the parliament building, the Supreme Court, as well as the residents of the former prime minister. I want to show you this dramatic drone video that shows this capital city on fire.
In this video, we'll bring it up for you. You'll see that the government residences have been set aflame. Protesters can be seen roaming around the area as fires burn in the background, black plumes of smoke rising. Earlier in the day, these ministers were evacuated.
As you can imagine, the air quality was affected in Kathmandu with scenes like this playing out across the city. These protesters that set these fires, they are young, they are angry and they are demanding change. I want you to listen to this.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It is very good for our country. Now I think, like U.S. youth will stand and develop the country.
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LU STOUT: These protests are being led by young people between the ages largely of 13 and 28. So this involves school children, university students, as well as young employees, young workers and the unemployed as well. This is why it's been called the Gen Z protest.
Initially, what sparked these protests was a ban on social media. The government lifted that ban on Monday. But since then the demonstrations have intensified and the list of grievances has widened and they include, and let's bring it up for you, concerns about government corruption, concerns about a lack of economic opportunities, opportunity, concerns about the recent use of lethal force on the protesters. Also anger against so called nepo-kids. These are the entitled children of government officials who have been on social media flaunting their wealth and causing much anger among the protest movements.
We did hear from Nepal's army chief of staff. He's calling for calm. He's calling for peace and for talks. Watch this.
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GEN. ASHOK RAJ SIGDEL, CHIEF OF STAFF, NEPAL ARMY (through translator): What is of paramount interest to us, and it is our common duty, is to ease the current difficult situation, to protect the national heritage, public as well as private properties, common citizens, diplomatic missions, and to give a sense of security to the public.
Thus, in order to take the country out of this uncomfortable situation through peaceful measures, I would request the protesting group to cancel the plans to protest and call for talks.
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LU STOUT: The unrest is the worst Nepal has seen in decades. At least 22 people are dead, hundreds of people wounded. The international airport is closed. Travel advisories have been issued. In fact, the U.S. State Department is urging citizens to shelter in place until further notice. Back to you, Lynda.
KINKADE: All right, Kristie Lu Stout for us in Hong Kong, thanks very much. Well, just a day after the French government collapsed, President
Emmanuel Macron has named his fifth prime minister in less than two years, who now faces the daunting task of seeing the country out of financial turmoil while leading a new government braced for mass protests. Melissa Bell is in Paris with the latest on the political deadlock.
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MELISSA BELL, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: France has a new prime minister Sebastien Lecornu, the outgoing defense minister, has been appointed by the French president and tasked with trying to form a government.
Sebastien Lecornu, just 39 years old, is considered a Macron loyalist. He had been drawn from the French traditional mainstream political right when he joined the ranks of Emmanuel Macron's party back in 2017. He served as a minister throughout that first and second term.
Now he becomes prime minister at a particularly daunting time, following in the footsteps of Francois Bayrou and two other centrist prime ministers who tried and failed to govern in relatively quick succession.
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There had been hopes on the political left that the French president might choose someone from their ranks. In fact, no, not just someone considered an ally. But, as I say, someone drawn from the political right.
So it will be interesting to see whether he manages to cobble together the consensus within the mainstream right, left, center parties in France's national assembly that he needs in order to push through what are expected to be some very difficult budget cuts.
This is precisely what had brought down his predecessor, the idea that money needs to be shaved off the 2026 budget, even as the clock ticks towards the end of the year, when that budget has to be approved by France's parliament. And even with credit rating agencies like Fitch looking on Friday at whether or not to downgrade France in the face of this looming budget crisis.
Melissa Bell, CNN -- Paris.
Growing international backlash after Israel targets Hamas leadership in Qatar. How the U.S., Qatar and other countries are responding. That story next.
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LYNDA KINKADE, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back. You're watching CNN NEWSROOM.
I'm Lynda Kinkade. Good to have you with us. There is growing international backlash to Israel's unprecedented
attack on Hamas leadership in Qatar, a key mediator for Gaza ceasefire talks. U.S. President Trump says he is very unhappy about every aspect of how Israel carried out the strike. And Qatar's prime minister described it as state terrorism.
Hamas says the attack killed five members but failed to assassinate the group's negotiating delegation. A Qatari security official was also killed.
Israel's prime minister says the targets were directly responsible for the October 7th attack.
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BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: They perpetrated the worst attack on the Jewish people since the Holocaust.
Now they were meeting in the same place, exactly the same place where they celebrated the savagery almost two years ago.
At the beginning of the war, I promised that Israel would reach those who perpetrated this horror. And today, Israel and I have kept that promise.
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KINKADE: The activist group behind the Gaza aid flotilla says one of its main boats was struck by a drone at a Tunisian port on Monday.
Tunisia's national guard disputes that claim. However, video released by the group shows an object falling from the sky and exploding on impact with the boat.
All six passengers and crew are safe. The vessel is one of dozens attempting to break Israel's naval blockade and deliver aid to Gaza.
In a statement, the Global Sumud flotilla says, quote, "Acts of aggression aimed at intimidating and derailing our mission will not deter us."
The U.S. Supreme Court has allowed the Trump administration to temporarily freeze billions in foreign aid payments. It puts on hold a lower court ruling that required officials to spend that money by the end of the month.
On Tuesday, Chief Justice John Roberts issued a temporary order intended to give the justices more time to review the case. At issue is $4 billion in foreign aid, including for global health and HIV programs that were approved by Congress but deemed wasteful by President Trump.
And the U.S. Supreme Court says it will hear arguments in early November over President Trumps unprecedented global tariffs. His administration is appealing a lower court ruling, which found many of those import tariffs were imposed unlawfully. Last month, the federal appeals court affirmed that the power to
impose taxes and tariffs lies solely with Congress under the Constitution.
For now, the tariffs are staying in place while this moves through the courts. The government has argued that overturning the president's actions could force the U.S. to return up to $1 trillion in tariffs already collected.
Apple has unveiled its latest line of iPhones and updates to its wearable tech. The iPhone 17 and the iPhone Air are now available for preorder and will ship to customers starting next week. But tariffs are already impacting both the company and the customer.
Karin Caifa reports.
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KARIN CAIFA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Apple on Tuesday announcing the latest iPhone, among other gadgets, and trying to get consumers hyped in uncertain economic times.
TIM COOK, CEO, APPLE: iPhone air is a total game changer.
CAIFA: Apple's latest gadgets land as President Donald Trump's trade war squeezed the company's bottom line. The tech giant expects to take a $1.1 billion tariff-related hit just this quarter and as consumers eye big ticket purchases more carefully.
ABRAR AL-HEETI, SENIOR TECHNOLOGY REPORTER, CNET: It has to be worth it for someone to say, ok, let me trade in my device and get a phone that costs more than $1,000.
CAIFA: CNET senior technology reporter Abrar al-Heeti says Apple's recent offerings and sales have had ups and downs.
AL-HEETI: This does feel like a really critical time for Apple to stand out. Whether it's, you know, making its devices more powerful or rolling out something like a thinner iPhone.
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AL-HEETI: This is the time for it to say we are still an innovative company. We are still on top of our game.
CAIFA: In the tariff environment, Courtney Lindwall of "Consumer Reports" says their price tracking analysts have noticed tech companies overall taking a more conservative approach to new products.
COURTNEY LINDWALL, "CONSUMER REPORTS": Companies are not putting out as many new models and those models maybe aren't taking as many leaps forward with new features, innovation.
So it just seems like in general, there's a bit more, perhaps conservatism and like. companies are waiting to see.
As consumers, Lindwall says, reason with the value of an upgrade.
LINDWALL: Making folks feel like there's something worth it to go out and buy, something exciting to go out and buy. So I'm sure Apple is feeling that pressure.
CAIFA: In Washington -- I'm Karin Caifa.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KINKADE: Ethiopia's new hydroelectric dam, the largest in Africa, is now officially operational.
Coming up, we'll unpack why the project along the River Nile is causing tensions with its neighbors.
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KINKADE: Africa's largest hydroelectric dam has been officially inaugurated in Ethiopia and is expected to provide the country with more electricity. The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam runs along the Nile River, a crucial water source for neighboring countries including Egypt and Sudan.
But the development deepens a rift with Egypt, which has opposed the dam due to fears it could restrict its water supply. Ethiopia's prime minister assures Egypt there is no threat.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ABIY AHMED, ETHIOPIAN PRIME MINISTER (through translator): Ethiopia built the Renaissance Dam to prosper and to enlighten the region, never to hurt its brothers.
I would like to confirm to you, in front of the Ethiopian people that we will never retain your fair share of the water at any point.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: Independent research shows that so far, no major disruptions to downstream flow have been recorded.
Joining us now is Tibor Nagy, former assistant secretary of state for Africa and former U.S. ambassador to Ethiopia.
Ambassador, great to have you with us.
TIBOR NAGY, FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR TO ETHIOPIA: And thanks so much for having me, Lynda.
KINKADE: So this Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam is now fully operational, becoming the largest hydroelectric facility in Africa after nearly 15 years in development.
What does this achievement mean to the people of Ethiopia, both in terms of everyday life and long-term development?
It's a huge achievement because it, in effect, is going to double the amount of electricity that's available for the people of Ethiopia.
Right now, I mean, Ethiopia is the second most populous country in Africa, and out of the 120 million people, it's estimated that there's about 60 million currently who do not have access to electricity.
And so hopefully this will bring electricity to just about everybody in the country.
KINKADE: Yes, life-changing. And what makes this project particularly remarkable is how it was funded. It wasn't through foreign loans or donors, but almost entirely by the Ethiopian people -- an estimated $5 billion.
How unusual is that in your experience for a major infrastructure project of this scale to be financed domestically in Africa.
NAGY: Very, very unusual. I mean, you know, we know there's the Chinese Belt and Road initiative and in other countries that do major infrastructure projects and usually involve, you know, multilateral donors and loans and things like that.
But it is remarkable for the Ethiopian people to pay for this themselves, both the people inside Ethiopia and then, of course, the huge diaspora.
So it is -- it is something to be extremely proud of.
KINKADE: Yes. And no project, of course, of this magnitude comes without controversy. Ethiopia's upstream position on the Nile has sparked concerns among downstream neighbors, especially Egypt and Sudan. Just explain those core issues for us.
NAGY: Yes. Historically, Egypt held all the cards. It was basically that Egypt gets to decide, you know, 100 percent usage of the Nile.
And there are two Niles, a lot of people may not know that, the Blue and the White. The Blue coming from Ethiopia carries about 80 percent of the water.
And here's the interesting thing. Egypt does not put one drop of water into the Nile, but historically it had all the cards and how it was used.
The power dynamics have really changed. And now the up-river countries have basically decided that they also should have their say.
So the old treaties that go back to, I believe, 1902, have now been abrogated by this new Nile Basin Cooperative framework agreement, which the up-river countries have all signed on to but Sudan and Egypt have not yet signed on to.
KINKADE: Yes, certainly they are raising their concerns. Do you believe that the U.S. should take a stronger stance in mediating the dispute here, or is it best left to regional actors like the African Union?
NAGY: I think that it's best to leave it up to basically Sudan, Egypt and Ethiopia to come up with a deal, because whenever an outside force tries to put their thumb on the scale, then it ends up just delaying an agreement, which is going to have to come, you know, whether Egypt wants it or not. But it has to come.
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KINKADE: Yes. And just finally, what are the biggest opportunities for U.S. and Ethiopian economic cooperation in the next 10 or 15 years.
NAGY: Well, you know, Ethiopia is probably one of the countries in Africa with the greatest potential. Right now, they have extremely serious domestic issues. Once they are resolved, Ethiopia could launch very quickly to be a middle-income country.
And it is the key country in the Horn of Africa for future prosperity and stability. So very much in the U.S. interest to cultivate them as a long-term partner.
KINKADE: Ambassador Tibor Nagy, great to have you on the program to get your perspective. Thanks so much for joining us.
NAGY: Thanks so much, Lynda. All the best.
KINKADE: You too.
Still to come, a new stand at a New York City subway station has a new owner. And commuters are stopping in their tracks to check out Rex and his dino store.
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KINKADE: Welcome back.
A shocking sight at the port of Long Beach in California as dozens of shipping containers topple off a massive cargo ship. Authorities say they're investigating just how it occurred.
Jasmine Viel with KCAL News has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ADRIAN PHILLIPS, PORT WORKER: I've never seen a container fall off a ship. They don't fall off.
JASMINE VIEL, KCAL NEWS: The port of Long Beach says nearly 70 containers fell off the ship, named the Mississippi. Records show it had just arrived from China and was being unloaded.
PHILLIPS: Every container is probably a different merchandise. It's not all the same. There's 3,000 to 5,000 containers on a ship.
VIEL: The port's fire department using water streams to slowly guide the floating containers toward a nearby loading bay. DYLAN THOMPSON, OIL RIG WORKER: Had to have been possibly something
swaying from the cranes to knock over a bunch in a row.
VIEL: Dylan Thompson works on a nearby oil rig. He says he's surprised no one was injured. The port says a smaller, clean air barge connected to the Mississippi was hit by several falling containers.
THOMPSON: Very dangerous.
VIEL: No injuries have been reported with this spill but a lot of lost cargo.
Look at what we can see just here, floating in the water -- boxes and lost slippers, everything from blankets to even furniture.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's 50 containers that were lost. That means the merchandise that was in there is not getting to its destination.
VIEL: This all happening at one of the nation's busiest ports that handles trade valued at $300 billion annually.
Last year, the port says it handled more than 9.6 million container units, achieving the busiest year in its history.
But those cargo operations temporarily suspended as they secure the ship and determine what went wrong.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I've heard it happening out in the seas, rough waters. But not here. It's a mess.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KINKADE: Mess, indeed.
A new exhibit in London is showcasing the career of music legend David Bowie. The David Bowie center at the V&A East Storehouse opens to the public on Saturday.
It features 90,000 items from Bowie's archive. They span his career not just as a pioneering musician, but also as an actor, writer and designer. Fans, students and researchers can view the collection by appointment.
Researchers have discovered a new species of crocodile big enough to take on dinosaurs.
[01:54:43]
KINKADE: A team from Argentina and Japan found the specimen in South America's Patagonia region. It was more than three meters long, with 50 blade-like teeth.
Experts believe it lived about 70 million years ago. One of them explains the difference between this discovery and today's crocodiles.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) FERNANDO NOVAS, PALEONTOLOGIST (through translator): It was a crocodile that was more terrestrial than crocodiles living today.
Although they walked on four legs like their living relatives, unlike them, the legs were positioned under the body. It was a predator that had enormous teeth, very high, very pointed canines.
Surely With that, it could give a strong bite, retain prey. We assume that the animals these enormous crocodiles preyed on were dinosaurs.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: And speaking of dinosaurs, or in this case, a dino-store, commuters in New York have gotten quite a surprise when they came across a towering T-rex manning an old bodega.
He's part of a subway program exhibit that turns unused or abandoned spaces into art.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SARAH CASSIDY, ARTIST: I made Rex with my own hands. And it was the most exciting art piece that I've ever made.
But it was definitely like a process of, you know, like you know, how heavy is he going to be? How much space is he going to take? How is he going to fit, you know, in the bodega?
But obviously, you know, having a dinosaur bodega, who is the, you know, the owner, like running the store very much brings the whole thing to life.
We made him specifically, like leaning forward a little bit with a kind of like "so what can I get you" kind of position.
And, you know, he's a -- he's a great host to all of his wonderful dinosaur products serving the dinosaur community of New York.
AKIVA LEFFERT, ARTIST: My favorite thing is just like they do like triple takes. Like, first they just like, see it. They're like, oh, there's a store. Then they're like, wait, that's not a store.
And then they're like, go look closer at it. And then they, like start looking at like individual products. And then they just like kind of go from thing to thing.
It's playful. You go out, you see, just like something like really silly in the world. And my hope is that people respond to that feeling of play.
CASSIDY: It's a love letter to dinosaurs -- to dinosaurs. It's also a love letter to New York City and bodegas and, you know. And just -- and just our daily commute, our daily life and just imagining things a little bit different.
A parallel universe with dinosaurs? Sure. Why not? Does it not just sort of, like, bring a little lightness and joy to your day? Like that's -- that's sort of the goal.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: We all need a little bit of joy.
Thanks so much for joining us. I'm Lynda Kinkade.
CNN NEWSROOM continues with the lovely Rosemary Church and Becky Anderson in just a moment.
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