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CNN International: Wong Pleads Guilty In Second National Security Case; Germany Blames Russia For Drone Attack On Leipzig Airport; Data From Narwhals Show Scale Of Ocean-Melt In Arctic. Aired 4:30-5a ET

Aired September 02, 2026 - 04:30   ET

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

[04:30:00]

IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Prosecutors accused him of meeting with foreign officials, including then-U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and then-Senator Marco Rubio, and lobbying them, not only in these meetings but also on social media, to impose sanctions on Hong Kong and Chinese government officials. The U.S. did, in fact, impose sanctions on some of these officials. The defense attorney, the lawyer, made the case that Wong has been behind bars for years now.

He'll also that he effectively has learned from his mistakes and argued that the judge should reduce a potential 10-year sentence to half of that, so that this man who's turning 30 soon can have some hope for the future. The crackdown on Wong and many of his former colleagues came after a year of real turbulence here in Hong Kong in 2019, when huge pro-democracy protests often then devolved into weekly clashes between demonstrators and police with clouds of tear gas on the streets. Again, the Chinese government imposed a national security law, and that has been used to round up lots of these former activists and opposition politicians.

Most of them are either behind bars right now or have fled into exile. Now, the crackdown has been criticized by Western governments, including the U.S. government, as well as human rights organizations. The Hong Kong government put out a statement saying that, "Freedom of commenting on and criticizing government policies remains uninhibited as long as they do not violate the law. The lawful exercise of free speech must not be conflated with taking actions to collude with a foreign country to impose sanctions to harm one's own country."

The Chinese and Hong Kong authorities, they argue that they've brought stability back to this international finance hub. However, as a result of that, we do not see any longer the protests and demonstrations that used to be ubiquitous in this city prior to 2020. And much of the free press that had once existed here has been shut down by the local authorities.

Ivan Watson, CNN, Hong Kong.

POLO SANDOVAL, CNN ANCHOR: Germany says that it's taking measures against Moscow in response to a drone attack against Leipzig Airport last month. German officials say that Russia was behind it. CNN's Fred Pleitgen with more.

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Germany is holding Russia responsible for a drone attack at the Leipzig Airport that happened in early August when an explosive laden drone flew onto the premises of the airport in Leipzig but then failed to explode.

Now, the German interior minister and the German foreign minister came forward in a press conference and squarely laid the blame on Russia. The interior minister saying that the make of the drone, the explosives, but also the way that this operation was conducted pointed to a high degree of sophistication. And he said that German law enforcement as well as German security services have come to the conclusion that the Russian government is to blame for this drone attack.

Now, the Germans are also saying that they believe that this is part of a wider hybrid campaign by the Russians against Germany. In fact, the interior minister saying he believes that all of this will continue.

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ALEXANDER DOBRINDT, FEDERAL MINISTER OF THE INTERIOR, GERMANY (through translator): The federal government sees a need for appropriate and necessary action in this regard. The federal government is responding to this hybrid attack in Leipzig in a proportionate and measured yet equally resolute manner. Let me make it clear. We are not at war. But we are the daily target of hybrid warfare.

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PLEITGEN: Now, the Germans then announced a flurry of measures against the Russian Federation. On the one hand, they say they are going to close a Russian consulate in the western city of Bonn and also a Russian cultural institution here in the city of Berlin. They also say they are going to restrict further Russian's ability to enter here into Germany and also continue to go after what they call the Dark Fleet, which is, of course, a fleet of tankers that the Russians allegedly move to illicitly move oil despite international sanctions against the Russian Federation.

The Russians themselves have also come out and responded to all of this and managed to get in touch with the spokeswoman for the Russian foreign ministry, Maria Zakharova. She obviously denied all of these allegations. She accused Berlin of seeking a pretext. She also said that Berlin itself, the Germans themselves, are deeply involved, as she put it, in stoking the war in Ukraine and also, she claims, responsible for harming Russian civilians.

[04:35:06]

The Russians also came out and warned that any, as they call it, anti- Russian measures will be met with a response.

Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Berlin. SANDOVAL: Officials say that the ELN guerrilla group is responsible for Monday's deadly attack in Colombia. One person was killed and 15 others were injured when a car bomb exploded near a police station in Norte de Santander. The injured include seven police officers and eight civilians. Authorities are now offering a $15,000 reward for any information leading police to an arrest.

And U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright is currently in Caracas, Venezuela, finalizing what the White House is touting as the biggest oil deal in world history. The Venezuelan National Assembly did back that agreement in a vote on Tuesday. It would give the U.S. majority control over more than 65 billion barrels of Venezuelan oil reserves. It would also significantly expand America's current reserves. Trump administration also says that U.S. oil giant Chevron plans to expand its operations in Venezuela. Company officials are expected to join Wright during his visit today.

And still ahead in this hour of CNN Newsroom, including some pretty fascinating scientific research here. And it has to do with narwhals, what they're teaching us about climate change and its impact on the Arctic.

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SANDOVAL: Nepal's prime minister says that there is no doubt that climate change contributed to the catastrophic flooding along the country's border with China. In a social media post on Tuesday, the prime minister said the temperatures in the Himalayan region have actually increased by up to 1.8 degrees Celsius, or that's more than 3.2 degrees Fahrenheit.

[04:40:04]

The rapid warming is believed to have led to unstable conditions among Nepal's glaciers. And a new scientific report is now suggesting that there were early signs in the days leading up to that landslide and subsequent floods, including water from ice and snow melts turning brown, as well as a crack appearing to spread into the surrounding bedrock.

Narwhals, they are known for their long spiral tusks, which are actually teeth, and are often referred to as the unicorns of the sea. But these magnificent creatures, these mammals, they are now helping scientists collect data on a remote and very hard-to-study corner of the planet, at the rugged coast of East Greenland, and its crucial ocean currents.

Scientists actually outfitted six of these creatures with transmitters, and then they tracked them for about three years as they swam through the region there. And Narwhals, they brought back some data that is quite concerning. You see thousands of records of water temperature and saltiness.

They actually show that the Arctic is experiencing a phenomenon known as Atlantification. Well, that's when warm, salty water from the Atlantic pushes into the Arctic Seas, and that, in turn, then melts glaciers and threatens the ice sheet.

We go now to the Danish capital and speak to Susanne Ditlevsen, who is a professor of statistics at the University of Copenhagen. Thank you so much for joining us, Professor.

SUSANNE DITLEVSEN, PROFESSOR OF STATISTICS, UNIVERSITY OF COPENHAGEN: Thank you to you.

SANDOVAL: So what is it about these particular mammals that made them ideal candidates for the research, before we get into the research itself?

DITLEVSEN: Well, they are quite fantastic, because these are animals that live only in the Arctic. They like the ice. They like to go below the ice, and they like to go very, very close, underwater to the glaciers, fronts. And these are places that are really harsh for humans, and they're really hard to get to. And that means we can collect data from areas where we would not be able to go.

And the second thing about these Narwhals is that they dive deeper than practically any other of the whales. They are among the three deepest diving of the whales. So they go to 1.5 kilometers, and we have data all the way through the water column now of salinity, that's the content of salt, and the temperature. And it gives us a very, very clear picture of how the ocean is looking all through down the depth.

SANDOVAL: That's fascinating. So basically, with a single -- one of these mammals, you can then get a better idea going deep underwater and get more of a range in temperatures then. So what is the most valuable takeaway --

DITLEVSEN: Yes.

SANDOVAL: -- and perhaps the most concerning out of this research, Professor?

DITLEVSEN: So, what is happening is that very cold and fresh water with very little salt is coming down from the Arctic, from the north. And then Atlantic water, which is warmer and much saltier coming up from the south. And then the colder water from the Arctic lies in a layer above the warmer water because they have different densities.

And what we can see now is when we combine the data that we have collected from the Narwhals, where we get a more complete picture of the entire water column and the spatial distribution. We can combine that with historic measurements from ships. And we can see that much more warm Atlantic water is getting up towards the north. And the layer on top, which is the cold water from the Arctic, is getting thinner. And the warm water from the Atlantic goes all the way into the fjord systems.

We have the Scoresby Sound fjord system, which is the largest fjord system in the world. And they get all the way, more than 300 kilometers, into where the glaciers fronts are. And then the glaciers that go below water are now hitting with their feet, you could say, the warm water. And that means that the melting of the glaciers are not only happening from above due to global warming, but now also from below. And that means that the process of loss of ice masses are accelerating. So that's quite worrying.

[04:45:02]

SANDOVAL: And is the result essentially higher sea levels because of this?

DITLEVSEN: Yes. They are, of course. If we get increased melting off from the ice sheet and from the glaciers, there will be an increase in sea level. And we already see an increase in sea level. We have seen that over the last 50 or 100 years. But of course, you need a lot of ice to melt to see just a few millimeters. But even a few millimeters or centimeters of sea level rise, it might sound as a little, but it is not. Because if you think about extreme events, such that there could be flooding or events like that, then just a few centimeters more will make these floodings much, much more severe.

SANDOVAL: And Professor, I have less than a minute left.

DITLEVSEN: So we will see increase in sea levels.

SANDOVAL: Of course. And I have less than a minute with you. I'm wondering if you could just expand on the research that showed those details about crucial systems of ocean currents. I understand that the research found that it could be headed towards potential collapse. I mean, what could that mean?

DITLEVSEN: Yes. So now this study is only showing what is happening in the Greenland Sea or along the east of Greenland. But of course, this Atlantification, that means more Atlantic water coming up, might be a sign of what is called the Atlantic Medial Overturning Circulation. So the AMOC, some is calling it the Gulf Stream, that this is weakening. So that is warm water being transported in the surface up towards the Arctic.

And there, because it is more salty and it also becomes more cold because it gives up the heat to the atmosphere, then it sinks down and comes back. So it's a huge pump of ocean currents that is, let's say, a temperature exchange of the entire globe. And we are very worried about a possible collapse of this AMOC, as we call it. Of course, our study cannot directly show anything about that.

But there are model studies that have shown that if this AMOC is weakening just south of Greenland, it will mean that for a period of time, there will be more Atlantic water flowing over towards the North Sea or towards the Greenland Sea. And that is what we see in our study. So this could also be a sign of a weakening of these really crucial ocean currents that mean something for the global climate.

SANDOVAL: It is such important work and absolutely fascinating that we have a group of Narwhals to thank for bringing us that data that then you and your fellow experts can process and interpret for us, as this is certainly such an important issue and further evidence of the impact of climate change.

DITLEVSEN: And we are very excited about having them also. Yes.

SANDOVAL: Yes. Professor, do come back any time. Thank you so much for accepting the invitation to better explain your research. Thank you.

DITLEVSEN: Thank you so much for the invitation.

SANDOVAL: It's our pleasure.

[04:48:26]

And still much more ahead here on CNN Newsroom, including the latest out of Mexico and their president and her country's relations with the U.S., including on some critical matters such as immigration and tariffs. We're going to bring you some of the highlights from President Claudia Sheinbaum's second State of the Union speech.

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SANDOVAL: All right, before we bring you this next story, a warning that some of the video may be disturbing to watch. Authorities in Colombia are currently searching for the motorcyclist who survived this astonishing collision. This surveillance camera capturing the man crashing into a passing bus and then basically ending up inside of it before getting up and then leaving the scene. He hit the bus at a very high speed and was not wearing a helmet.

I want to show you a view now from inside the bus, which fortunately appeared to be mostly empty. The two occupants quite surprised about what happened there. He obviously was pretty stunned as well, but seemed to shake it off. He left the motorcycle behind at the scene and authorities told the local reporters that he ran a red light and they're now trying to track him down. I'd probably check the local head trauma unit.

The app that revolutionized road trips in the 90s is now officially back on the map, MapQuest. It is now the most popular iPhone app after refusing to rename Lake Ontario to Lake America. You remember President Trump's executive order last week rebranding the Great Lake, which comes amid a tense trade war between the U.S. and Canada. MapQuest officials say that the app usage is up roughly 50 times compared to a week ago. And it has already overtaken apps like ChatGPT and ESPN Fantasy Sports in the Apple App Store.

Mexico's president delivering her State of the Union speech to mark the second anniversary of her administration, Claudia Sheinbaum dedicated part of her remarks to the relationship with the United States. And she addressed issues including tariffs, security, and the treatment of Mexican immigrants in the United States. Here's CNN's Valeria Leon reporting from Mexico City.

VALERIA LEON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum delivered her second State of the Union address here at the National Palace in Mexico City. She acknowledged the challenges with the U.S. government while defending the rights of Mexican immigrants living in the U.S.

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CLAUDIA SHEINBAUM, MEXICAN PRESIDENT (through translator): Perhaps the most painful issue has been the treatment of Mexican nationals and the deaths of 17 of our citizens in detention centers and during enforcement operations. In addition to pursuing diplomatic channels, we decided to file legal complaints in these cases.

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[04:55:02]

LEON: Sheinbaum's second year was also shaped by Mexico's complex relationship with the Trump administration. Mexico began renegotiating the USMCA trade agreement in the middle of a global trade war while Washington increased pressure on Sheinbaum's government to deliver results on security, migration, and drug trafficking.

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SHEINBAUM (through translator): Our relationship with the U.S. government has faced challenges. But we have always chosen to seek common ground.

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LEON: The Mexicans we spoke with focused on how she handled the international pressure.

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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She's the first woman president of our country, and despite all the international pressure she's faced, I think she's done a good job.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: From my perspective, I think she has defended our sovereignty as she should. She has rejected proposals from the U.S. President, and I feel she's on the right track.

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LEON: But Sheinbaum has faced criticism over her government's response to corruption scandals, involving several members of her own MORENA party, including U.S. charges against Sinaloa Governor Ruben Rocha Moya.

And while security and political tensions tested the relationship with Washington, business leaders saw an opportunity to move forward on trade.

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OSCAR DEL CUETO, PRESIDENT, AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF MEXICO: We are facing a new way to do business. And I don't see this like a pressure from the U.S. government into Mexico. I see this like collaboration.

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LEON: President Sheinbaum ended her second year with strong public support, due in part to the popularity of her social programs.

Valeria Leon, CNN, Mexico City.

SANDOVAL: And thank you so much for joining me. I'm Polo Sandoval in New York. Our live coverage continues with CNN Headline Express in a moment.

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