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Israel Bombards Gaza City Ahead of Planned Takeover; Dozens Killed in Israeli Strikes on Gaza; Trump Eyes Chicago for Federal Crime Crackdown; Abrego Garcia Threatened with Deportation to Uganda; Ukraine Marks Independence Day; South Korea and Japan Presidents Meet in Tokyo; U.S. Infant Mortality Rate. Aired 4-5a ET

Aired August 24, 2025 - 04:00   ET

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

[04:00:00]

KIM BRUNHUBER, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome to all of you watching us here in the United States, Canada, and around the world. I'm Kim Brunhuber. This is CNN Newsroom.

Israeli strikes killed dozens of Palestinians while families of hostages remaining in Gaza protest and expanded offensive. In the enclave. Donald Trump says Chicago is next in line for his federal crackdown on crime. We'll share what CNN has learned about plans to deploy the National Guard there. And Ukraine celebrates more than 30 years of independence. The nation's leaders vow never give up Ukrainian soil to foreign occupiers.

ANNOUNCER: Live from Atlanta, this is CNN Newsroom with Kim Brunhuber.

BRUNHUBER: Palestinians in Gaza are bracing for Israel's planned military takeover. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to hold a cabinet meeting this hour. Hundreds of thousands of people are preparing to evacuate as Israel continues to bombard the enclave's largest city video obtained by CNN shows black smoke rising after escalating Israeli strikes and shelling.

An attack on Deir al-Balah destroyed homes and Buildings. Gaza's Ministry of Health says at least 61 people were killed in the enclave on Saturday, and that includes three children, according to Palestinian State Media. CNN has reached out to Israel's military for comment. Residents in Deir al-Balah say IDF warned them to evacuate before the attack.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

YOUSEF MITWALL, WITNESS: Our message to the world, what shall we say after people were killed? Destruction. All the world sees what is going on in Gaza. It's a genocide. No homes, no buildings, no food, no drink, no life. We only have the breath.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: Israeli hostage families joined protestors in front of Israel's military headquarters in Tel Aviv Saturday. They again urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to secure a deal with Hamas that will end the war and bring the hostages home. A brother of one of the hostages says Netanyahu should accept a temporary ceasefire proposal that's on the table, and that would include the release of 10 living hostages and the bodies of 18 others.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

YOTAM COHEN, BROTHER OF HOSTAGE NIMROD COHEN: Netanyahu can bring home the hostages who are enduring holocaust-like conditions, but instead of accepting the deal, he's racing toward the conquest of Gaza. He repeatedly places obstacles in the way of an agreement and then blames Hamas. But anyone who truly wants to bring the hostages home does not launch a ground invasion of Gaza. Anyone who truly wants a comprehensive deal does not set impossible conditions.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: And joining me from London is CNN's Nada Bashir. So, Nada, let's start with those protests. A familiar message we're hearing. Take us through it.

NADA BASHIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right. We've continued to see these weekly protests and rallies. In fact, just last weekend we saw large-scale strikes taking place across Israel as well. Family members, relatives, representatives of the hostages held captive in Gaza taking to the streets, calling on the Israeli prime minister to do more to secure the release of hostages and to come to an agreement to establish what is at this stage a temporary ceasefire deal to secure the release of at least some of those hostages and bring temporary end to hostilities in Gaza.

Now, of course, as you mentioned, Kim, we do have a ceasefire proposal on the table that Hamas has accepted at this stage, according to mediators. The Israeli government has not yet moved to agree to this deal. In fact, what we've been hearing from the prime minister himself is that Israel remains steadfast in committing to its original war goals, that it wants to see the demilitarization of Gaza, the release of all hostages held captive, the destruction of Hamas and security control over Gaza following any sort of ceasefire or truce.

And of course, we are seeing that cabinet meeting expected to take place this morning. There is mounting discontent in Israel, mounting pressure on the government to take action, to secure a ceasefire agreement. But what we are also seeing simultaneously is the Israeli military gearing up for a renewed and intensified military offensive in Gaza City. As you mentioned, we've been hearing those evacuation warnings, some civilians in Gaza saying that they've been hearing quadcopters, sharing announcements from Israeli military officials telling them to evacuate.

[04:05:00]

And of course, for many of these families, some 1 million people who are in this part of Gaza City who are expected to evacuate. This is not the first time they have been forced to relocate, evacuate, flee time and time again to overrun makeshift camps, which then have also, in some cases -- in many cases been targeted and are not safe zones as they have been described.

As you mentioned, over the weekend, we've seen yet more air strikes, at least 60 people killed following around of Israeli strikes. And that military operation is expected to intensify in Gaza City where officials say from the Israeli military that they've already managed to encircle the city.

Now, of course, this comes as we continue to hear ramping up warnings from humanitarian organizations with regards to the dire situation on the ground and the impact that this military offensive will have. And this comes, of course, off the back of that devastating U.N.-backed report confirming that there is now famine in parts of Gaza and that it is expected to spread.

And what we are seeing internationally is growing condemnation and continued protests. Just yesterday we saw a huge protest taking place in several cities across Australia protesting the war in Gaza, calling for an end to the war. We have seen weeks and weeks of protests across other cities, across the globe, including here in London, where protests are almost weekly now.

So, clearly there is that mounting discontent and pressure growing on both sides to come to an agreement from all sides. But it really depends now on how the Israeli government plans to move forward with this current ceasefire proposal on the table whether the pressure is enough to stall or bring an end to what is this planned military offensive. And of course, whether we see any aid or an uptick in aid being let in following that devastating U.N.-backed report confirming that there is famine in Gaza. Kim.

BRUNHUBER: Nada Bashir in London, thank you so much. Well, after deploying National Guard troops in Washington, D.C., President Donald Trump suggested on Friday that Chicago would be next. Now, two officials tell CNN that the White House has been planning to send the National Guard to Chicago for weeks, as President Trump looks to continue his immigration crackdown and expand his s so-called anti- crime efforts.

Now, it's not clear when the deployment would start or how many troops would be sent. Chicago's mayor says he hasn't heard from the White House, but speaks regularly with the state's governor about possible federal actions.

Now, any deployment in Chicago would look more like the deployment in Los Angeles rather than the one in Washington, and that's because the president has more leeway in the U.S. Capitol. A former National Guard official discuss the plans with CNN and commented on their unprecedented nature.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAJ. GEN. RANDY MANNER (RET.), FORMER ACTING VICE CHIEF, U.S. NATIONAL GUARD BUREAU: It's very likely. In fact, I would say it's a hundred percent certain that he will expand these operations into other blue cities where the same way that he did with Los Angeles, he will take those forces from the governor and put them on duty under his control. It's -- these are unfortunately legal issue -- legal orders. The challenge is that, is it appropriate?

In my 36 years of military service, this would never ever have passed any consideration by the National Guard Bureau, let alone the secretary of defense or the president in my career.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: And CNN Senior Political Analyst and Bloomberg Opinion Columnist Ron Brownstein pointed out that on the campaign trail last year, then-Candidate Trump promised explicitly to send National Guard troops to cities run by Democrats. Here he is.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RON BROWNSTEIN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST AND BLOOMBERG OPINION COLUMNIST: Trump is not a person who often admits publicly to regrets. I mean, it's kind of a my way presidency. But he said frequently, after leaving office in 2020, that one of his regrets about -- only regrets about his first term was that he did not send a National Guard into more blue cities over the objections of Democratic governors and mayors.

And in that 24 campaign, he explicitly said repeatedly that he wanted to deploy federal military force into blue city for multiple purposes, participating in mass deportation, fighting crime, clearing the homeless. He is now moving down that checklist. And even that first deployment in L.A., I think it was pretty clear that the goal went beyond, you know, defending federal buildings or even participating in ICE raids. It was to numb Americans to the sight of heavily armored troops in the streets of Democratic run cities. That's an image that is foreign to American history, except that the worst moments of civil disorder and is much more common in authoritarian countries.

And I think there is no question that he is going to look for legal pretext to do this in more places, whether it's Chicago or New York or beyond. And you know, it is a fundamental challenge to the way we have understood the use of the military.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[04:10:00]

BRUNHUBER: The Trump administration may renew its attempt to deport Kilmar Abrego Garcia in the coming days. His lawyers received a preliminary notice as required by a federal judge. CNN's Rafael Romo tells us what it said.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RAFAEL ROMO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: One of the attorneys for the Salvadoran national is blasting the Trump administration's intention to deport Kilmar Abrego Garcia, calling it retaliation. The reaction came after CNN learned that the Department of Homeland Security may try to deport the Maryland father of three to Uganda, a landlock country in East Africa, nearly 8,300 miles away from El Salvador, his native country in Central America. This is according to an e-mail sent by a DHS official to his lawyers on Friday, only minutes after Abrego Garcia was released from a county jail in Tennessee.

The message reads in part, let this e-mail serve as notice that DHS may remove your client, Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia to Uganda no earlier than 72 hours from now, absent weekends.

We reached out to one of Kilmar Abrego Garcia's attorneys for reaction to the notice. In his statement, Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg said the following, the government's decision to send Kilmar Abrego Garcia to Uganda makes it painfully clear, he said, that they are using the immigration system to punish him for exercising his constitutional rights. There is a perfectly reasonable option available, Costa Rica, where his family can visit him easily, but instead, they are attempting to send them halfway across the world to a country with documented human rights abuses and where he does not even speak the language. This is not justice. It is retaliation.

On Friday afternoon, we witnessed the moment when Kilmar Abrego Garcia walked out of the Putnam County Jail in Cookeville, Tennessee surrounded by five men. He later post for pictures with his wife and three children, two of them holding flowers before making his first public statement in his native Spanish. This is what he had to say.

KILMAR ABREGO GARCIA, DEFENDANT (through translator): Today has been a very special day because, thank God, I've seen my family again after more than 160 days. And I'd like to thank everyone who has been supporting me.

ROMO: And reacting to Abrego Garcia's release on X, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem blasted what she called activist liberal judges who have, in her words, obstructed law enforcement from removing what she described as the worst criminal -- illegal aliens from the United States by ordering this monster loose on America's streets, this judge has shown a complete disregard for the safety of the American people. She said, we will not stop fighting till this Salvador and men faces justice and is out of our country.

He's been scheduled to appear for an immigration and customs enforcement interview on Monday.

Raphael Romo, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: President Trump is praising Texas lawmakers for approving a new congressional map. He took to Truth Social calling it, quote, "a huge victory for our America first agenda." The Texas Senate approved the new map this weekend. It's designed to give Republicans five additional seats in the House of Representatives. During hearings before the vote, Texas Republicans were candid about their motives.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STATE REP. PHIL KING (R-TX): I'm convinced that if Texas does not take this action that there is an extreme risk that that Republican majority will be lost. And if it does, the next two years, after the midterms, they will be nothing but inquisitions and impeachments and humiliation for our country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: As both political parties begin gearing up for the 2026 midterm elections, President Trump is repeating false claims about mail-in ballots, calling them, quote, "corrupt." In a post on social media, he pledged to lead a movement to end mail-in voting, but that would help or hurt Republicans at the ballot box? That's the question. CNN's Harry Enten runs the numbers.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HARRY ENTEN, CNN CHIEF DATA ANALYST: Hey there. With Donald Trump saying this week that he wanted to end mail-in voting nationwide despite the fact that he has no real constitutional authority to do so, at least according to most major scholars, I think it's really important to point out that one of the big reasons why Donald Trump won in 2024 was because of an improvement with mail-in voting.

Indeed, his improvement was so big that without his mail-in voting bump, he would've actually lost in 2024. What am I talking about here? OK. Trump's margin 2024 versus 2020. Among mail-in voters, get this, he did nine points better. He did nine points better in 2024 compared to 2020. Among in-person voters, get this, he did actually five points worse. He did five points worse. Therefore, the only reason that Donald Trump won in 2024 was because he did better with mail-in voting than he did back in 2020.

Now, this I think, is the really important thing when it comes to the Trump Republican coalition. They do better among voters of color. They do better among lower education levels, right, they do better among younger voters, all who have a lower propensity to turn out.

[04:15:00]

Therefore, Donald Trump should be try to be expanding the voting universe. Indeed, take a look at this statistic right here. Trump's 2024 presidential win. If all citizens vote, get this, his margin would've actually increased by one of three points according to most studies. I went back and I looked at every single election I could, studied every single one, he is the first Republican nominee for president on record that I could find that would actually benefit from universal voting. That is if every citizen or every eligible citizen voted. Donald Trump should be trying to get souls to the polls, not trying to limit their options.

Indeed, indeed, if you think about history, right, you think about mail-in voting, there's no reason to believe that it has to lean one way or the other, politically speaking. Indeed, go back, for instance, go back to the 2000 election, right? How Bush won Florida in 2000 and therefore, their election. Remember that election was decided by only 537 votes. There was a big Republican drive led by George W. Bush, the Republican nominee for president's brother, Jeb Bush, who in fact, of course, was the governor of Florida. And Bush said, vote from the comfort of your home. Indeed, that's what a lot of Republicans did, get this, among mail-in votes, get this, George W. Bush won by a hundred -- about 125,000 votes. That was able to barely, and I mean, barely overcome Al Gore's lead on election day in-person votes of about 124,000. What a difference history would've made if in fact there was not this Republican push for mail-in votes back in 2000, you might have ended up with Al Gore winning the State of Florida. In fact. I pretty much guarantee it. And more than that, you would've ended up with such a different history because Al Gore winning in Florida meant he would've won the election, would've meant we would not have had George W. Bush as the president, the 43rd president of the United States. And who knows what might have happened.

But the bottom-line takeaway from this is, Donald Trump is actually probably hurting himself by trying to move Republicans away from mail- in votes. There's no reason to believe that mail-in votes have to lean one way or the other politically, and Donald Trump would in fact benefit from greater turnout, much unlike the traditional Republican candidate. Back to you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: The Trump administration is implementing a new climate strategy. It's cutting forecasting tools, a move that could undermine scientist's ability to collect data. We'll find out how after the break. Please, stay with us

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[04:20:00]

BRUNHUBER: There's a new tropical storm in the central Atlantic Ocean. Tropical Storm Fernand is about 325 miles or 520 kilometers southeast of Bermuda. Sustained winds are nearly 40 miles or 65 kilometers an hour. Those storms moving northward and is expected to move well east of Bermuda before heading into the North Atlantic. Fernand is forecast to grow stronger into Monday, nearing hurricane strength, but it isn't expected to make landfall.

So, even as that new storm is developing, sources tell CNN that the Trump administration will cut back on support for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. It plans to reduce the number of next generation weather and climate satellites it will build and launch in the coming decades. And instruments for air and ocean pollution monitoring will be eliminated from the project. Well, that will reduce the amount of data available for use in weather forecasting and it fits with a pattern of slashing climate pollution rules by collecting less information in the first place, information that could lead to better forecasting, regulation, or enforcement. One, NOAA Official said, quote, "This administration has taken a very narrow view of weather."

All right. For more on this, I'm joined by Kristina Dahl, vice president for Science at Climate Central with researches and reports on the impacts of climate change. Thank you so much for joining us here again, really appreciate it. So, just to start, help us understand what these satellites actually do and why losing these monitoring tools matters right now.

KRISTINA DAHL, VP FOR SCIENCE, CLIMATE CENTRAL: The satellites that NOAA and NASA operate basically watch all aspects of our globe when it comes to our atmosphere and our oceans. So, they're really critical for things like looking at hurricanes as they're developing, as is happening in the Atlantic right now. They're important for looking at wildfires and the smoke from wildfires that's traveling thousands of miles around the globe.

They're important for measuring our heat trapping emissions of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide. They monitor sea level rise, ocean health, you name it. So, they really are our best tool for giving us a comprehensive picture of what's happening on the surface of the planet.

BRUNHUBER: So, really, wide ranging picture that we're getting there. We're hearing about these satellite cuts, sort of right as the effects of Hurricane Erin were just hitting the East Coast. So, let's use, you know, a hurricane as an example. How does losing that big picture view affect our ability to understand and respond to disasters like that?

DAHL: Yes. Well, you can imagine that our view of a hurricane that's happening mostly in the middle of the ocean is pretty limited from the surface of the earth here by whatever tools we have that can get to the middle of the ocean, whether it's a plane flying through a hurricane, whether it's buoys that are on the surface of the ocean. And so, these satellite images really give us a sense of the scale of the storm, of the trajectory of the storm, where it's heading, how fast it's heading, and that all plays into what sorts of effects we might feel from the hurricane on land, whether, it's, you know, heavy winds or heavy rain or, you know, currents being stronger, riptides.

So, it's really critical that we have both this surface observation system and an observation system from space so that we can keep people safe when things like hurricanes are evolving.

BRUNHUBER: Yes. It's not like they're getting rid of the weather satellites that we have right now, but certainly, I mean, the administration says that they want these, you know, weather satellites to focus just on weather forecasting. I mean, that kind of sounds reasonable on the surface. So, what do you think is wrong with that approach then?

[04:25:00]

DAHL: Yes. That approach is shortsighted because we -- when it comes to climate change, which we know is happening and has been happening for decades and will continue for decades to come, we need to understand how our greenhouse gas emissions are changing. Because as we change the composition of the atmosphere, we're changing our climate. We also need to understand how sea level rise is evolving because, as you warm the planet, you raise the level of the ocean, and as a result you see a lot more flooding along coastal environments.

So, all of those things you may not think of as day-to-day weather, but they're being monitored by these satellites and they are the reasons why we understand how our climate is changing and where we're headed.

BRUNHUBER: Now, some viewers out there might not be necessarily concerned about climate change, but I mean, pollution without sort of pollution monitoring satellites, how will we know if cities and states are meeting those air quality standards or if people are potentially being exposed to dangerous levels of pollution, you know, from wildfires or what have you?

DAHL: Yes, so we have monitoring stations for air quality all over the world, all over the country, but they are giving you measurements at specific points, right? And in the city where I live, in San Francisco, there is literally one official monitoring station, right? So, you can imagine that some of these stations are very far apart and you're not getting data in between them.

So, satellites are really important for gathering that sort of data in between these surface monitoring stations that are necessarily limited. So, when it comes to things like wildfire smoke, which has such profound implications for human health and wellbeing and has been linked to premature death, it's really critical that we understand where the smoke is, how much of it there is, and who it's going to be affecting so that we can both be monitoring, but also be designing health solutions that will help to keep people safe even in the face of things like wildfire smoke or other types of pollution.

BRUNHUBER: Yes, and this is all coming in the context of the Trump administration also cutting not just NOAA, but the EPA, the National Science Foundation and so on. So, we're getting such a reduced picture of what's going on with our climate and our country. We'll have to leave it there. Kristina Dahl, thank you so much for speaking with us. Really appreciate it.

DAHL: Thanks for having me.

BRUNHUBER: All right. Much more to come here on CNN Newsroom, including details on North Korea's latest missile tests that come ahead of a key meeting this week in Washington. That story and more coming up. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[04:30:00]

BRUNHUBER: Welcome back to all of you watching us here in the United States, Canada, and around the world. I'm Kim Brunhuber. This is CNN Newsroom.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says his country won't lose the war as it marks 34 years of its independence. In his Independence Day address this morning, he said Ukraine will take its future in its own hands. Here he is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): This is the Ukraine of today. And such a Ukraine will never again be forced in history to endure the shame that the Russians call a "compromise." We need a just peace. Our future will be decided by us alone. And the world knows it. And the world respects it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: Messages of support for Ukraine are coming in, including from Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney who's in Kyiv. He said Canada will be with Ukraine every step of the way as the country fights for its sovereignty. U.S. President Donald Trump sent a letter praising what he called Ukraine's unbreakable spirit. He also said, the U.S. supports a lasting peace that respects the country's dignity and sovereignty. Ukraine declared its independence from the Soviet Union on August 24, 1991, but the holiday came as Russia seems more determined than ever to take back control of its smaller neighbor.

Now, Ukrainian Independence Day is coming exactly three and a half years after Russia launched its invasion. Ukraine survived Moscow's initial onslaught in 2022 and managed to regain some of its territory. And as Ben Wedeman reports from the frontlines, Ukrainians want to keep on fighting.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A Russian train full of fuel goes up in a blaze of fire and smoke, struck by Ukrainian drones. This new era of warfare combines high tech with close-quarters combat, harking back to the First World War.

The same brigade that took part in the train strike is also fighting in the trenches. Infantry squad commander Yevgeny (ph) returned at five in the morning from a deadly six-man attack on a Russian position.

One of my men was killed, he says, two took shrapnel. Two of us got concussions from drone attacks and mortar fire.

His men managed to kill a Russian soldier, then had to withdraw and came here, well underground, where the war is barely audible.

WEDEMAN: This complex of bunkers and trenches is not the frontline. It's well away in the rear. The purpose is that they will be ready in the event the Russians push forward. And what we're hearing from senior Ukrainian officials is that they fear that the Russians are preparing for a major push in the Zaporizhzhia area.

WEDEMAN (voice-over): Until then, this is where troops from the 65th Mechanized Brigade rest and recuperate. Cramped and stuffy, yet safe. The cats, welcome company, also keeping the mice at bay. They're resting up for their next mission, defending the town of Orikhiv, or what's left of it. Only 800 of its original 14,000 residents remain.

Oleksandr (ph) is the only handyman left, with plenty to keep him busy.

Windows, doors, roofs. You can see for yourself. Everything needs repairs, he says. In the town's post office, the last vestige of normalcy, we meet Lyudmila (ph), who lives alone with her two dogs. Her day started with shelling.

[04:35:00]

When it hit, I thought that was the end of everything, she says.

To lighten her mood, I share pictures of hobbies and pets.

WEDEMAN: These are my potatoes.

WEDEMAN (voice-over): Communicating in a linguistic hodgepodge.

We shared a laugh. Her dog, Alfa (ph), shellshocked, was unmoved.

Far away, as the powerful talk war and peace, here, the powerless can only hold on and hope to live another day.

Ben Wedeman, CNN, Orikhiv, Southern Ukraine.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: This weekend, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung held a historic summit in Japan, and now he's set to meet in Washington on Monday with U.S. President Donald Trump. Amid the global diplomacy, North Korean state media reported the test launch of two new air defense missiles on Saturday. Days earlier, Pyongyang accused Seoul of fomenting tensions at the border. The Korean Central News Agency said the test launches were overseen by leader Kim Jong Un and other officials, and took place at an undisclosed location.

Now, President Lee broke with tradition on Saturday. His first international visit wasn't to the United States, but to Japan. The relations with Washington were still on the agenda. CNN's Hanako Montgomery has more from Tokyo.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HANAKO MONTGOMERY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This was a historic summit. For the first time since the normalization of relations, a South Korean president visited Japan before heading to the U.S. for bilateral talks. It also ended with the first joint statement in 17 years. The two countries pledged deeper cooperation on A.I., trade, and denuclearize the Korean Peninsula.

They announced plans to launch a joint task force to tackle shared challenges like aging in populations and following birth rates. They also underscored the importance of trilateral coordination with Washington amid global uncertainty. Here, the Japanese Prime Minister Shigero Ishiba at a joint press conference earlier on Saturday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHIGERU ISHIBA, JAPANESE PRIME MINISTER (through translator): I also believe that strengthening cooperation between Japan, South Korea, and the United States is extremely important. I am very happy to be able to share this view with the president.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MONTGOMERY: Now, that message matters more than ever. Both countries have come under pressure from a U.S. president who's upended longstanding foreign policy. Trump imposed tariffs, demanded higher defense spending, and has pushed both Japan and South Korea to pay more for hosting U.S. troops. With their most powerful ally, growing more unpredictable, Japan and South Korea appeared to be leaning on each other more than ever, despite a long and often tense history.

Japan's colonization of Korea, which lasted over three decades, left deep scars that have strained bilateral ties for years, but with growing concerns over North Korea's expanding nuclear arsenal, its coordination with Russia and its war in Ukraine, and China's increasing military aggression, analysts say both nations are prioritizing pragmatism. In a region marked by rising uncertainty, both countries are finding common ground in shared threats.

Hanako Montgomery, CNN, Tokyo.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: Mississippi declares a public health emergency over rising infant mortality rates. Just ahead, I'll speak with an expert on how this issue is impacting infants and mothers across the country and who's most at risk. Please, stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[04:40:00]

BRUNHUBER: Mississippi has declared a public health emergency over rising infant mortality rates. Now, this comes as the state recorded its highest rate in more than a decade, black babies in Mississippi are particularly vulnerable with more than 15 deaths for every 1,000 live births last year. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the National Infant Mortality Rate rose for the first time in two decades in 2022. Infant mortality rates that year were highest among states in the south and Midwest. Recent research has drawn some possible ties between rising infant mortality and abortion restrictions that went into effect after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.

All right. Joining us from Washington, D.C. is Dr. Michael Warren. He's the chief medical and health officer at March of Dimes, a nonprofit organization focused on the health of mothers and babies. Thank you so much for being with us early this morning. Really appreciate it. Very important topic. So, let's start with Mississippi. I mean, what's driving these heartbreaking losses?

DR. MICHAEL WARREN, CHIEF MEDICAL AND HEALTH OFFICER, MARCH OF DIMES: Well, Kim, good morning. Thank you so much for having me. Mississippi, as you shared, issued a public health emergency declaration around infant mortality, and in that declaration in particular, they noted an increase in neonatal deaths. Those are deaths in the first month of life, and typically, what we know causes those deaths are prematurity, maternal complications in pregnancy and birth defects.

And so, that is an area where Mississippi is going to be focused. And nationally, it's a place where we're focused because the United States is one of the most dangerous developed countries for childbirth.

BRUNHUBER: Yes. Just on that -- specifically on Mississippi, do -- I mean, do we have any idea of why those factors are increasing now? Why the deaths are arising now?

DR. WARREN: Well, those three factors, prematurity, birth defects, and maternal complications of pregnancy didn't just get high suddenly in Mississippi. Mississippi has historically had one of the worst infant mortality rates in the country, and we know that challenges remain. For example, 50 percent of Mississippi's counties are what we call maternity care deserts. Those are counties where there's no birthing facility like a hospital that does deliveries. There are no obstetric providers, like family physicians or midwives or OB-GYNs.

And so, we're not moving in the right direction. And so, it's not surprising, unfortunately, that those rates are getting worse.

BRUNHUBER: Yes. And those rates getting worse, especially among black families who've been hit particularly hard with infant mortality rates, near 24 percent higher than last year. You talked about those maternity care deserts. I mean, is this a healthcare access issue?

DR. WARREN: Well, as you might imagine, this is a complex issue. Healthcare access is one piece of this. But we also know, particularly when it comes to these disparities, and these disparities are not new, they've existed in the United States for centuries actually. Much of that is rooted in racism and discrimination. So, we all have a part to play in making sure that every mom is healthy before and during and after pregnancy, and that babies have the best possible chance for healthy start.

[04:45:00]

BRUNHUBER: Yes. Now, this emergency was declared in Mississippi, but that state isn't alone. We saw 24 states with rising infant mortality rates in 2024. So, are we looking at a national crisis that's been building for years?

DR. WARREN: You know, Kim, we are. When you look at those 24 states that had an increase, states like Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana already were among the worst states for infant mortality. But let's not lose sight of the fact that United States is one of the most dangerous developed countries for giving birth, whether we're talking about deaths of mothers during pregnancy or in the first year postpartum, or deaths of infants in the first year of life, we tend to do worse, far worse than many other developed countries. And so, this really is an important wake up call for all of us.

BRUNHUBER: Yes, absolutely. Now, I mentioned in the intro there is growing research suggesting that after the Supreme Court's Dobbs decision infant mortality jumped 7 percent in some months. I mean, how much is this rise in infant mortality tied in with the fact that many red states are restricting access to abortion and then the cascading effect it's having on maternity care?

DR. WARREN: So, Kim, you're right, there is growing research that shows an increase in infant mortality rates among states that have restrictive abortion policies. But let's not lose sight of the fact that as a nation, we already do really poorly when it comes to maternal and infant health. And March of Dimes, we lead the fight for all moms and babies. And so, we want to make sure, regardless of your ZIP code, regardless of the state you live in, that every baby has the best shot at a healthy start.

BRUNHUBER: Yes, absolutely. I mean, we're talking about the problem here, but in terms of solutions, I mean there are programs that are meant to address this, but there's talk about the Trump administration potentially cutting programs like Healthy Start that specifically target infant mortality. I mean, what would happen if families lose that kind of support?

DR. WARREN: You're so right to bring that up. So, Healthy Start is a great example. This is a federally funded community-based initiative, 115 communities across the country. And communities implement their own solutions to reducing infant mortality.

Right there in Mississippi, there are three of those programs, two in the Delta, one in Jackson, and those Healthy Start programs across the country have actually improved their infant mortality rates faster than the national rate. So, now is not the time to be taking our foot off the gas with doing this. We also know that the proposed changes to Medicaid through the recently passed H.R. 1, what some people call the big beautiful bill, has serious implications for access. And in places like Mississippi where it's already difficult to receive access, we're worried that's going to get worse.

BRUNHUBER: Yes, a good point to bring in Medicaid because that'll affect so many people out there. We'll have to leave it there, but really appreciate getting your expertise on this. Dr. Michael Warren, thank you so much.

DR. WARREN: Thank you, Kim.

BRUNHUBER: The nation of Sudan is suffering from its worst cholera outbreak in several years. It's being made worse by lack of clean water and limited hygiene infrastructure. CNN's Lynda Kinkade has detail.

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LYNDA KINKADE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: In a country torn apart by war, the most immediate threat at this makeshift clinic in Sudan isn't combat but cholera. Rows of patients lie sick on cots, weakened by the waterborne disease that has quickly spread through the Tawila displacement camp in Northern Darfur.

MOHLA IBRAHIM, CHOLERA PATIENT (through translator): I had something Like dizziness, and there was diarrhea. I was brought here. I was somehow better, but I became very sick when I came here. I've been here for four days. KINKADE (voice-over): More than 300,000 people have fled to Tawila to try to escape the fighting between Sudan's army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces or RSF.

But it's rainy season in Sudan which is making it more difficult to get clean water in the camp. The Norwegian Refugee Council reports that only 10 percent of people in camps there have reliable access to water, and even fewer have access to toilets -- conditions where cholera thrives.

The international aid group Doctors Without Borders says it's the worst cholera outbreak the country has seen in years. In just one week, its team saw 40 deaths from the disease in the Darfur region alone.

AHMED DAFALLAH, DOCTOR (through translator): Currently and over the past few days, the number of cholera patients is increasing so much. In a single day, we would receive 50 or 60 patients.

KINKADE (voice-over): Aid groups are ramping up efforts to curb the outbreak, but the ongoing fighting has choked off access to critical supplies and the crisis is deepening faster than they can respond.

TEDROS ADHANOM GHEBREYESUS, DIRECTOR-GENERAL, WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION: People are dying from a lack of access to health services and medicines. Ongoing fighting has displaced more people than any -- in any other crisis in the world. Health facilities are either out of service or only providing limited care.

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KINKADE (voice-over): Experts warn the window to contain the outbreak is closing fast. In neighboring Chad, more than 400 suspected cases have been identified since mid-July, most in Sudanese resettlement camps, a deadly threat for those who have already endured so much.

Lynda Kinkade, CNN.

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BRUNHUBER: As SpaceX looks to define the future of space travel, it's about to face a big test. The company's preparing for yet another Starship Mega Rocket Launch later today. We'll have the latest on their mission, just ahead. Please, stay with us.

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BRUNHUBER: A SpaceX rocket took off a couple of hours ago from Florida, loaded with cargo for the International Space Station. The successful launch is the company's 33rd commercial resupply mission on behalf of NASA to the station. The rocket has a new propulsion system, which could help boost the station's orbit. The heavy lifting for SpaceX is expected to come later Sunday night when it tries to launch its 10th test flight, the most powerful rocket ever constructed.

[04:55:00] The Starship megarocket's uncrewed prototype will attempt to deploy eight satellite simulators and relight one of its engines in space. Since its debut, the Starship model has experienced multiple disasters. The most recent flight in May saw the rocket spin out of control for a splashdown in the Indian Ocean. SpaceX's goals for Starship include sending an uncrewed mission to Mars in 2026 and returning NASA astronauts to the moon by mid-2027.

This year's Bridgestone World Solar Challenge is now underway as cutting edge solar powered cars race across the Australian outback. During Saturday's time trials, teams showcased some of their most innovative technology, including new aerodynamics stabilizing fins. The multiple day events began in the northern town of Darwin, and will cover roughly 1,800 miles or 3,000 kilometers. By Thursday, teams are expected to arrive in Adelaide along Australia's southern coast. Event organizers are hoping the competition keeps fueling sustainable energy solutions in the automobile industry.

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DANNY KENNEDY, JUDGE, BRIDGESTONE WORLD SOLAR CHALLENGE: It's important to improve the cars we've got because for about a hundred years we really haven't upgraded them. You know, they've been blowing up petrol and turning pistons and this kind of crazy old school feral combustion engine, which we also have learned more lately in the late 20th century is causing global warming, we've got to get off and just do better.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: Well, that wraps this hour of CNN Newsroom. I'm Kim Brunhuber. I'll be back with more news in just a moment.

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