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Obama in China for His Last G20; Philippine President Declares 'State of Lawless Violence' after Bomb Blast in Davao City; Tropical Storm Hermine to Disrupt Labor Day Traffic. Aired 4-5a ET

Aired September 3, 2016 - 04:00   ET

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


[04:00:11] GEORGE HOWELL, CNN ANCHOR: A diplomatic tango. The president of the United States now in China for the G20 summit, one of his last opportunities to shape his foreign policy legacy.

In the path of the storm. Hermine turns north disrupting holiday weekend travel along the U.S. East Coast.

And high alert in the Philippines. The country's president declares his nation is in a "state of lawless violence" after a deadly explosion in his own hometown.

From CNN World Headquarters in Atlanta, welcome to our viewers here in the United States and around the world. I'm George Howell. CNN NEWSROOM starts right now.

It's 4:00 a.m. on the U.S. East Coast. The U.S. president is in China for his last G20 meeting with world leaders. President Barack Obama will hold bilateral talks with the Chinese leader, Xi Jinping. The summit is key for his legacy of expanding U.S. relations with countries in Asia.

Mr. Obama is also scheduled to meet with the president of Turkey. That meeting will be their first since the failed coup attempt that happened in that country. CNN's Athena Jones is live in Hangzhou, the city that is hosting the G20. And Athena is live.

Athena, thanks for being with us. So let's talk the first about the significance of the fact that this is the president's last time with world leaders at this meeting. What are his priorities going into it?

ATHENA JONES, CNN CORRRESPONDENT: Hi, George. That's right. This is his 11th trip to Asia. And we have heard a lot on of talk about the rebalance, the focus of U.S. foreign policy on Asia. But this is, of course, the G20. And after those meetings today with President Xi, they'll meet -- they'll begin the G20 summit.

And this is important to talk about the global economy, to encourage growth using monetary and fiscal policy and also structural reforms to try to boost growth across the world.

They will also talk about counterterrorism. A whole series of issues are on the agenda. But this is important because this is the president's last big meeting with world leaders as president before he becomes a lame duck. He will travel again later in the fall for an APEC meeting in South

America. But this is the last chance to meet with these leaders. So you talk about the meetings today with President Xi. Tomorrow he will meet with President Erdogan from Turkey.

He will also have a chance to meet for the first time the U.K.'s new prime minister, Theresa May. And he'll have a chance to, as I said, talk about efforts to spur growth on the world stage.

And when it comes to China, there's a whole series of issues on the agenda. Everything from trade and investment to differences, for instance, over territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

Take a listen to what the president said his message would be to President Xi about conflicts in the South China Sea.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Part of what I've tried to communicate to President Xi is that the United States arrives as its power in part by restraining itself. And when we bind ourselves to a bunch of international norms and rules, it's not because we have to. It's because we recognize that over the long term, building a strong international order is in our interest. And I think over the long term will be in China's interest as well.

So where we see them violating international rules and norms, as we have seen in some cases in the South China Sea or in some of their behavior when it comes to economic policy, we've been very firm. And we have indicated to them that there will be consequences.

But what we have tried to emphasize to them is if you are working within international rules and international norms, then we should be partners. There's no reason that we cannot be friendly competitors on the commercial side and important partners when it comes to dealing with many the international problems that threaten both of us.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JONES: Now it's not entirely clear what those consequences will be that the president spoke of dealing with China's actions. But the South China Sea and maritime issues are areas of difference.

But areas of agreement between the U.S. and China include climate change. And we expect that to be another focus. Both countries have said they plan to ratify the Paris Agreement on climate change, aimed at reducing carbon emissions.

And we could see news on that as soon as this weekend's summit -- George.

HOWELL: It will be interesting, also to see the outcome of these sideline meetings, specifically that with the Turkish president, Erdogan. Athena Jones, live in Hangzhou City, where it is 4:04 p.m. Athena, thank you so much for your reporting. We'll stay in touch. Moving on now to the United States. Tropical Storm Hermine, it is

marching up the East Coast this morning with damaging winds and heavy rains, leaving floodwaters in its wake. Just take a look at that. Very, very high waters there. In fact, a flash flood watch, it is in effect right now for parts of the Carolinas. Tens of thousands of people there are without power.

Hermine ripped into Florida's Big Bend region on Friday as a Category 1 storm. It is the first hurricane to come ashore in that state since Wilma struck Florida 11 years ago. Hermine is on track to reach the Atlantic coast in the coming hours where it could regain strength once again as it mixes with warm water.

Thousands of people are being affected by this storm, including those who planned t| go to the beach just for a long summer holiday weekend. Let's bring in our meteorologist, Derek Van Dam, who is following it in the International Weather Center.

Derek, what's the latest?

DEREK VAN DAM, CNN METEOROLOGIST: George, the timing couldn't have been worse. This storm is sprinting along the East Coast. I mean, take a look at this, it's now right off the coast of the Carolinas. And it is racing in a northeasterly direction as 22 miles per hour.

This is the latest from the National Hurricane Center. Current sustained winds 60 miles per hour. But what's interesting to note is that we are about to put the breaks on this storm in a big way. And that is going to impact many places along the New England coast.

Let me break it down for you. What we have here is the tropical storm now exiting the Carolinas near the Atlantic Ocean. And we have got a blocking pattern setting up. This is known as a Rex Block, it's a fancy meteorological term.

But what you need to know at home is that this area of high pressure to the north and this area of high pressure to the east is going to present the area of low pressure, which is the tropical storm, from moving very quickly, at least the next several days.

Right now it's moving fast. But in the future it's going to stall out and this is going to create potential hazards for the entire Midatlantic coastline all the way to the New England coastline.

Look at our computer models. Lots of confusion going on right now. But let me try and break it down even further so you can understand. Once the storm exits the land, it enters into the relatively warm waters of the Gulf Stream. Temperatures in the lower 80s there. Prime conditions for the storm to continue to develop, maybe see some more tropical-like characteristics once it enters that area.

Lots of people comparing this to Hurricane Sandy from October 2012. The big difference here is that Sandy was much larger in size in terms of the wind field compared to Hermine. So this is a much more compact storm that we're working with right now. So it's going to take some retrograding of the storm, meaning that it has to move westward to actually impact the coastline of this area, as we two into the next three to five days.

But in the interim, we have flash flood watches, as you mentioned, George, a few minutes ago. That's for the coast of the Carolinas. Cape Hatteras got hit hard overnight with tornadoes. Some injuries coming out of that area.

Look at the winds across this particular region, gusting over 45 miles per hour. Storm surge will be a major concern. Chesapeake Bay into the New Jersey Harbor as well. So something we want to monitor very, very closely.

And, George, we mentioned how ill-timed this particular tropical threat actually is. I want to show you one last thing from the National Weather Service. I've never seen this before. They have four days' stretch where they have on their national website tropical storm conditions every single day heading into next week. Wow. Unbelievable. Don't want to be there in Atlantic City.

HOWELL: That means a lot of rain. Derek Van Dam, we will stay in touch with you as this storm continues to push northeast. Thank you.

VAN DAM: All right.

HOWELLS: "America's Choice 2016," the U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is trying to reach minority voters. And Saturday he is set to attend service at a primarily African-American church in Detroit, Michigan.

After that, the church's pastor will interview Donald Trump. The Republican met with African-American community leaders Friday in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Trump has been widely criticized for poor minority outreach and doesn't poll well with minority voters.

As for his rival in the race for president, Democrat Hillary Clinton, the FBI released notes from its investigation into her use of a private email server. Supporters and critics of the former secretary of state say these notes prove their respective cases.

Our Joe Johns has a breakdown for us.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Wow.

JOE JOHNS, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The FBI's formerly classified report on its investigation into Hillary Clinton's private email server reveals there was a lot she said she could not remember when being questioned by agents. The report indicates 39 different times Mrs. Clinton said there were things she did not recall or remember according to the FBI's notes on her interview.

The documents providing insight into why the FBI did not recommend charging Clinton even with classified information on her private server, including 81 email chains that contained sensitive information.

JAMES COMEY, FBI DIRECTOR: Although we did not find clear evidence that Secretary Clinton or her colleagues intended to violate laws governing the handling of classified information, there is evidence that they were extremely careless in their handling of very sensitive, highly classified information.

JOHNS: In her more than three-hour interview with the FBI, Clinton could not recall any briefing or training by State related to the handling of classified information. She said she could not recall every briefing about how she should preserve her records when she left the State Department. The FBI noting she was recovering from a concussion and blood clot at the time.

Clinton said she relied on her aides to use their judgment when emailing her and could not recall anyone raising concerns about information sent to her private account. She also said she did not know that a "C" marking on a document meant it was classified and even asked interviewing agents for clarification.

Some of the classified emails that caused the most trouble for Clinton discussed the CIA's covert drone program which should never be discussed on any unclassified email systems. The report says Clinton stated deliberation over a future drone strike did not give her cause for concern regarding classification.

CLINTON: Welcome to all of you.

JOHNS: But one of the things Mrs. Clinton seemed conclusive about was her motivation. She told the FBI she used her personal email server for convenience and not to evade freedom of information laws.

Attorney General Loretta Lynch followed the FBI's recommendation and passed on prosecuting Clinton, who eventually admitted using a private email server was a mistake.

CLINTON: I would certainly not do that again. That is something that at the time, as even Director Comey said, seemed like a convenience, but it was the wrong choice.

JOHNS: Donald Trump wasted no time seizing on the release saying, quote: "Hillary Clinton's answers to the FBI about her private email server defy belief. I was absolutely shocked to see that her answers to the FBI stood in direct contradiction to what she told the American people."

(on camera): The Clinton campaign got what I wanted on Friday. It called for the release of these documents in order to avoid selective leaking of the information by her opposition. But the problem for Hillary Clinton's campaign is that it breathes new life into a story that has dogged the Democratic nominee since before the primaries, giving critics fodder to question her honesty and truthfulness.

Joe Johns, CNN, Washington. (END VIDEOTAPE)

HOWELL: Joe, thank you.

For some context on all things political, let's bring in CNN politics reporter Eugene Scott, live by phone from Washington this morning.

Eugene, let's talk about these emails, these notes that have been released. Clinton wanted that information made public. And she claimed that she used her personal email for convenience and not to avoid freedom of information laws. But the notes do raise questions that her critics are seizing as proof of dishonesty.

We may be having trouble here with Eugene Scott. Again, Eugene is our politics reporter. We'll go back to Eugene.

Can you hear me, Eugene? This is George in Atlanta. Yes, I think we're having some issues there. We'll get back to Eugene a little later. But, again, the big headline today, these notes that have been released by Hillary Clinton of her -- through the investigation and also Donald Trump and his outreach to African-American voters. That is set to happen today in Detroit.

This is CNN NEWSROOM. Still ahead, a deadly explosion tears through a crowded market in the Philippines. That country's president vowing a swift response. And he's already taking action.

Plus, a miracle at sea. A young migrant gives birth to twins on a rickety crowded ship. An incredible story.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOWELL: Welcome back to NEWSROOM. I'm George Howell. We were talking just a bit before the break about politics. I wanted to bring in our political reporter, Eugene Scott, to talk about these lines again out of the race for the White House.

The FBI notes that have been released on the use of -- Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server and Donald Trump reaching on out to African-American voters. Let's bring in Eugene Scott now on the phone.

And, Eugene, so Hillary Clinton wanted these notes to be released. But now her critics are saying that they have proof of dishonesty.

EUGENE SCOTT, CNN POLITICAL REPORTER: Yes. Very much so. But that's not what the Clinton campaign is saying these notes actually prove. As you recall, as you heard Joe Johns say, there were 39 separate occasions where Clinton told the FBI that she did not recall or remember key elements of training or the classified information process.

And the FBI used that, among other things, as proof that her intentions here were not necessarily negative but to make checking email more convenient above all else.

HOWELL: Eugene, when it comes to her standing right now in the race, does this continual drip, drip, drip, does it affect her?

SCOTT: Very much so with independent voters. They are people who think that if this conversation continues, it could suggest that something happened that is questionable.

But to those who have moved beyond believing that this is something alarming, I'm not quite sure what impact this will have. Much of the pushback that we saw yesterday to these findings were from people who appear not to already be supporting Hillary Clinton.

So whether or not this finding will be a key shifter or game-changer for people already not on board isn't clear right now. But it doesn't appear to be the case.

HOWELL: And also, Donald Trump today will be visiting an African- American church in Detroit, and will also be interviewed by the pastor of that church. As Donald Trump is presently polling low with minority voters, in the single digits with African-Americans, how will this move today impact his outreach?

SCOTT: Well, I've been talking to people in Detroit all week. And I'll be covering the story today. And there seem to be people who, even if they are not supporting Trump yet or don't plan to support him in the general election, are certainly interested in hearing him out and if he truly believes that he has the best plan to improve issues affecting many black voters in urban areas such as high unemployment and the education gap in terms of opportunity.

They want to hear him out. And so I think for many people this will be an opportunity for Donald Trump to speak to these issues that he says he has the best solution for.

HOWELL: Up until now, Donald Trump has been making this outreach. But, again, in audiences without many African-Americans present. So this will be a change in that. And as you say, we'll have to see how that plays out in the race.

Eugene Scott live by phone for us. Thank you so much for being with us and your insight.

Now to the Philippines. That country's president is calling a deadly explosion in his own hometown Friday an act of terrorism. The explosion ripped through a popular night market in the Davao City, killing at least 14 people, dozens more wounded there.

President Rodrigo Duterte has declared a state of lawless violence. Duterte is vowing to confront those responsible. CNN is live in the Philippines this hour. Journalist Maria Ressa joins us by phone for more in Bataan province.

And, Maria, let's talk, first of all, about what you know about this explosion and who could be behind it.

MARIA RESSA, JOURNALIST: Well, George, at this point although the government declared a state of lawlessness, the authorities have still released no concrete information about the explosion that killed at least 14 people.

The man in charge of the investigation has actually refused to confirm the explosion was caused by a bomb. However, on Saturday morning, national radio station DZMM said that the Abu Sayyaf group claimed responsibility for the blast in an interview with a man who calls himself a spokesman for this group.

But by the afternoon that same man spoke with another news group and claimed that it wasn't the Abu Sayyaf, it was Daulat Ul Islamiya, which, if you look at that name, it's a very familiar name, very similar to Jemaah Islamiya, once al Qaeda's arm in Southeast Asia. They both mean "Islamic community."

The short answer to your question is it is still unclear who actually is behind this blast.

HOWELL: With the president's declaration of a state of lawless violence, it means now that there will be increased police and military presence on the streets. It also authorizes checkpoints. What is the declaration to this change, this declaration by this president?

RESSA: Cautiousness. But at the same time the attack seems to make the move -- seems to make it warranted. What people have been asking is where -- how far do these powers go? And how far will the government go?

What the armed forces of the Philippines decided that they will be more visible. They plan -- the entire country is in a state -- President Duterte called it to create a state of lawlessness over the entire Philippines.

So you see metro Manila also in a state of heightened alert. This all comes after a push by the Philippines government, the most intensive crackdown against the Abu Sayyaf in Jolo.

You have roughly 8,000 troops going into an area that -- this is the largest number of troops ever to have gone after the Abu Sayyaf. And you're talking about roughly 400 members of the Abu Sayyaf. So that's a lot of troops in that area. Filipinos are watching closely.

HOWELL: Maria Ressa, live on the phone with us. Thank you so much for the reporting and we'll continue to monitor this.

We've been telling you about the thousands of refugees and migrants who are still trying to make a dangerous journey across the Mediterranean. One of those who made it a young woman. She gave prematurely to twins while aboard a flimsy packed vessel off Libya's coast.

Ben Wedeman has her story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Eight days old and little Hiyap responds to his mother's touch. Born at sea with his brother Evenezer, the twins are doing well. Their mother, 26-year-old Merhawit Tesfamariam delivered a month premature on board a rickety boat off the Libyan coast.

She and the twins were flown by helicopter to Palermo's Cervello Hospital. After a long and treacherous journey from her native Eritrea across the Sahara Desert to Libya, fortune smiled down upon her when all seemed lost.

She was very lucky, says Dr. Antonio Perino. It was premature delivery of twins in a crowded boat in the Mediterranean. Any complications could have been grave with the risk of death for both the mother and the twins.

Merhawit explains that she and her husband left Eritrea to Sudan to escape open-ended mandatory military service. She had already served three years. But short of money, her husband stayed in Sudan and she paid human traffickers thousands of dollars to take her to Libya.

There she stayed for five months in Tripoli sleeping on the dirty floor in a warehouse. Pregnant, she never saw a doctor the whole time she was there.

Traffickers loaded her and thousands of others dozens of boats along the Libyan coast last week. On the second day at sea, she went into labor. Other women on the boat helped in the delivery.

What followed, she recounts, was hours of anguish and pain. Without food or water, she was terrified the babies wouldn't survive. But now the ordeal is over. She and the twins are safe and sound.

She hopes to eventually be reunited with her husband to settle in Britain or possibly the United States where she has relatives. Her life is still fraught with so much uncertainty. Yet, despite it all, she can savor a moment of joy.

Ben Wedeman, CNN, Palermo.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOWELL: Ben Wedeman, thank you so much for that report.

You're watching CNN NEWSROOM.

Still ahead, Russia's president praises the hacking of a U.S. political party. But he says, hey, it wasn't him. Next, Vladimir Putin's interview and what he says about the race for the White House.

We are live in Atlanta this hour, across the United States and around the world. You're watching CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOWELL: A warm welcome back to our viewers here in the United States and around the world. You're watching CNN NEWSROOM. It's good to have you with us. I'm George Howell with the headlines we're following for you this hour. The president of the Philippines calls Friday's explosion at a market in Davao City an act of terrorism. At least 14 people were killed, 71 wounded. President Rodrigo Duterte has declared the nation is in "a state of lawless violence." That means there will be an increased military and police presence and checkpoints there.

The FBI has released notes from its interview with Hillary Clinton back in July. The U.S. presidential candidate repeatedly said that she could not recall key details related to the handling of classified information.

Clinton has been under scrutiny for use of a private email server while she was secretary of state.

Spain could be heading for a third election this year. The country's interim prime minister has failed again to win a vote of confidence in parliament. Lawmakers must come to an agreement by the end of October. Otherwise, elections will be called.

In a few hours the U.S. president will be holding bilateral talks with the Chinese president, Xi Jinping. Barack Obama is in China for his last G20 meeting as U.S. president. Mr. Obama is also likely to meet with the president of Turkey.

President Vladimir Putin of Russia will also be at the G20. And he and President Obama are not scheduled to officially meet with each other, but their relationship is somewhat strained over allegations that Russia hacked the Democratic National Committee.

Mr. Putin says that he was not behind the hacking but he thinks that it was a public service. Elise Labott has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ELISE LABOTT, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A carefully worded denial and praise for the stunning cyberattack against the Democratic National Committee. Both coming from one of the leading suspects, Russian President Vladimir Putin.

VLADIMIR PUTIN, RUSSIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): Does it even matter who hacked the data from Mrs. Clinton's election campaign office? The important thing is the content that was given to the public.

LABOTT: In an interview with Bloomberg News, the former KGB agent turned Russian leader now calling the theft and publication of emails from the Democratic Party servers in July a public service, and saying there is no reason to bother investigating who was responsible for the breach.

PUTIN (through translator): There is no need distract the public's attention from the essence of the problem by raising minor issues connected with a search for who did it.

LABOTT: The messages, including disparaging conversations about Bernie Sanders between the Democratic Party's then-Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz, and party officials led to Wasserman Schultz's ouster as the Democratic convention was just beginning.

In the wake of the release, Donald Trump praised Putin and encouraged the Russian government to try to hack into Hillary Clinton's private email server.

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Russia, if you're listening, I hope you're able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing.

LABOTT: Putin's first public comments about the hack come as source told CNN last month the U.S. intelligence community is convinced Russia was behind the hack, along with recent attempted breaches at The New York Times and several think tanks in Washington, raising concerns about Russia's intentions.

But Putin says he isn't taking sides in the U.S. election.

PUTIN (through translator): I would like to work with the person who can make responsible decisions and implement any decisions that we reach. Their last name doesn't matter.

LABOTT: Experts is say Putin's comments about the cyber attack appear to be carefully crafted, especially his denial.

PUTIN (through translator): I don't know anything about it. And on a state level, Russia has never done this.

LABOTT: One former ambassador to Ukraine points to Putin's use of the phrase "state level," which essentially gives the Russian leader an out.

JOHN HERBST, FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR TO UKRAINE: Mr. Putin has made a practice of conducting quasi-official operations for state purposes. That in a sense puts one layer away the activity from the government. Again, the same reason why mafia dons hire hitmen who are not part of their organization.

LABOTT (on camera): Now Putin didn't take sides in the interview. In fact, he didn't have much enthusiasm for either candidate. The Clinton campaign says Putin's comments suggest at least he is endorsing foreign interference in the U.S. election.

A spokesman for the campaign calling this a national security issue, saying the American people deserve answers about potential collusion between the Trump campaign and the Kremlin.

Elise Labott, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOWELL: Elise, thank you. The United States says that it will ask Beijing again about an American who Chinese authorities say probably died in China 12 years ago. A media report is repeating claims that David Sneddon was abducted while hiking in China. The report says that he was taken to North Korea to work as an English tutor for leader Kim Jong-un. That is according to Yahoo! News Japan citing South Korean officials.

The U.S. State Department says they have no evidence to confirm that report. Earlier his brother sent David a message on CNN that his family hasn't forgotten him. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JASON SNEDDON, BROTHER OF DAVID SNEDDON: I think that's what we worry about most is he has -- there's no communication for him, we believe. And we just haven't forgotten. And we're not going to stop until we at least know what happened. And we want you to come home.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: CNN reached out to the North Korean embassy in Beijing, but our calls were not answered.

We have some good news this day for Brazil after the Zika virus threatened the Rio Olympics. The World Health Organization says the games appeared to have been Zika-free. This says that there have been no confirmed Zika cases among people who went to the games both during the Olympics and since they have come home.

The organization congratulated Brazil on its public health measures during the games.

The late Mother Teresa, she was known as the saint of the gutters. Catholics around the world revered her compassion for the poorest of the poor. Mother Teresa will be declared a saint by the Roman Catholic Church on Sunday. CNN's Alexandra Field visited the city in India where Mother Teresa served, and spoke with people who knew her personally.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Mother Teresa's face was known all over the world. But before she belonged to everyone, she belonged right here in Calcutta. This is the house that she lived in, it's the house that she worked in, it's even the house that she died in.

CHHANDA CHAKRABORTI, MOTHER TERESA'S CO-WORKER: She is a ray of intense light.

FIELD (voice-over): Chhanda Chakraborti worked alongside Mother Teresa for years caring for others.

(on camera): What were the last word that you said to each other?

CHAKRABORTI: Mother, give us blessing. And she said, please, you go on working like that.

FIELD: It brings a tear to your eye.

CHAKRABORTI: This is my asset (ph).

FIELD (voice-over): The two saw each other for the last time four days before Mother Teresa's death. Her body lies here in her house near the small bare room where she lived.

(on camera): What Mother Teresa was known for, what she won a Nobel Prize for, the reason that so many people regarded her even as a living saint though was because of all the work that she was doing outside of these doors.

DR. KINGSHUK CHATTERJEE, HISTORY PROFESSOR, UNIVERSITY OF CALCUTTA: Hello.

FIELD (on camera): Thanks for chatting with us.

(voice-over): Dr. Kingshuk Chatterjee is a history professor at the University of Calcutta.

(on camera): How did she change this city where so much of her work started?

CHATTERJEE: Generally, this is a person who probably in some way was helping assuage the conscience of the city for the way were ignoring the marginal amongst them.

FIELD (voice-over): Her outreach to abandoned children, to the dying and the destitute, to the lepers garnered her international attention. Her organization, the Missionaries of Charity, would extend its reach around the world. But in Calcutta, they consider the nun who came from Albania and swathed herself in a sari one of them.

CHATTERJEE: When people talk about Indians who have won the Nobel Prize, Mother Teresa's name comes up among the first although she was not even born in India, nationally.

FIELD: For some, the city is still synonymous with Mother Teresa, although the Catholic population here is tiny. Among the many Hindus who live in Calcutta, a Catholic canonization is likely to be considered just a piece of her legacy.

CHATTERJEE: Most of the people wouldn't know what it means to be a saint. It doesn't really matter. If she recognized, her service is being recognized, a lot of people will feel happy.

FIELD: Her house here is still filled with her missionaries and her friends.

CHAKRABORTI: We love mother. We will love mother. And we stay with mother like before.

FIELD: Nineteen years after her death, they believe they are carrying out her work in Calcutta.

Alexandra Field, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOWELL: Alexandra, thank you.

Next here on CNN, Sir David Attenborough talks with us about his legendary career as a naturalist and a broadcaster. Stay with CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOWELL: The legendary naturalist and broadcaster Sir David Attenborough has covered some of the most endangered species of our time for more than 60 years. And he's nowhere near putting up his feet.

His passion for nature and protecting our planet and his hunger for exploration are all as vibrant as ever. CNN's Christiane Amanpour has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: You turn 90 this year, and you are still going gangbusters. What is the secret of your passion and you energy still today?

SIR DAVID ATTENBOROUGH, BRITISH BROADCASTER & NATURALIST: Well, I think it helps to be interested in what you are doing. And, of course, an awful lot of people including me would actually pay for what I'm doing, to be truthful, and so why stop? And but it's a lottery, isn't it?

I mean, you know, I know a lot of people tougher than me or whatever, all sorts of things, but you can't do it anymore. I mean, it's not their fault that they can't remember things -- well, I can't remember a lot of things. But, you know, not being able to walk is pretty bad.

AMANPOUR: But you have so much energy. You are so active. What do you remember about how you first got fascinated in this world of wildlife?

ATTENBOROUGH: I think that every child born is interested in the world of wildlife. And by the age of 4, they are still interested. I mean, I took out and got someone, he turned over a stone, he said -- oh, look, what a treasure, a slug. You know -- and of course, he's right, you know.

What were those funny things on the front floor? How can it see? What does it feed on? How does it even move?

AMANPOUR: And people have come to know and love you in your programs because of the way you relate to the animals, and you never seem to lose that whoa, that wow factor.

What if you could would be your biggest wow factor in terms of the animals that you have met and frankly communicated with?

ATTENBOROUGH: Well, I mean, you can't -- I can't communicate with a tiger, you know. I can't completely communicate with a jellyfish. We are primates.

And we can, but -- and we can communicate with other primates. There are other things, too. I mean, we can communicate with dogs and we can communicate with dolphins if you are clever enough. AMANPOUR: Well, you say primates. And, of course, there is that classic footage of you with the gorillas, where you were doing a presentation to camera and all of a sudden, the gorilla sort of took over.

We are just going to play it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ATTENBOROUGH: There is more meaning and understanding and exchanging a glance by the gorilla than any other animal I know.

And this is how they spend the most of their time, lounging on the ground, grooming one another. Sometimes, they even allow others to join in.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

AMANPOUR: It never gets old, Sir David. It never, ever gets old.

ATTENBOROUGH: Well, it couldn't have happened, of course, except for an amazing, amazing woman called Dian Fossey, who habituated those. So they were accustomed to her.

Again, you know, I get all kinds of unjustified credit and reflected glory. People think how clever. Dian Fossey made that possible, not me.

AMANPOUR: How did you get into this business? In other words, you know, there you were loving your fossils, you were working at the BBC at radio, but how did you get to be a presenter? Was that sort of a pre-ordained journey?

ATTENBOROUGH: Well, I mean, it's a showbiz thing. I mean, you know, somebody falls down and I got a chance. I first went to Africa with a lovely man called Jack Lester. He was a curator of reptiles in London Zoo and was there to collect reptiles. And I thought it was a good idea to make a program about how a zoo man does that.

Technically, he got very ill after the first program. And because there was a live ingredient in it, the program was going to come on next week and the director of television, BBC, said, Attenborough, you were there, now the person there, you do it.

So I did, with somebody else.

AMANPOUR: Wow, waiting in the wings. I did actually read an anecdote that it wasn't actually such a smooth ride. One of your first attempts at broadcasting was sort of mixed.

And looking at that picture now, I'm going to point out to it, because they said, no, we don't want Attenborough back again because he got way too big front teeth.

ATTENBOROUGH: That's true. And the man who produced that program, that very first interview when I was used as an interviewer, he retired. And there he was, (INAUDIBLE). Attenborough, I think it's -- Attenborough is an intelligent young man, but he should not be used as an interviewer because his teeth are too big.

(LAUGHTER)

AMANPOUR: One of President Obama's biggest privileges, he said, was actually sitting down and interviewing you. I mean, talk about a reversal of roles.

What was that like for you?

ATTENBOROUGH: Yes. As a matter of fact, he -- while we are walking through the Rose Garden, in the way one does, he said to me, of course, you know, I'm very interested in the natural world because I was born in Hawaii, and I grew up in Hawaii. And I said, in that case, you would know the Humuhumunukunukuapua'a. And he said, oh, you know about that, do you? To see what I did.

And the Humuhumunukunukuapua'a...

AMANPOUR: You mean that's real?

ATTENBOROUGH: ... is a state fish of Hawaii. Little coral fish. A beautiful fish. Kind of triggerfish.

He knew. And so his talk about knowing the natural world wasn't just, you know, put on to the occasion. He knew.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOWELL: Sir David Attenborough with our own Christiane Amanpour. You can see more her interview on our website. It's all at CNN.com.

Coming up, it's healthy to stay loose and limber on flights. But this woman, well, may be taking it a little too far. How a flight attendant reacted, when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOWELL: Welcome back to CNN NEWSROOM. I'm George Howell. So if you know what this image is behind me, we think that you will absolutely relish this next story. Here's why. It is Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Company now turning 100 years old. So it had to muster 1,916 hot dogs into a really long line, that symbolized 1916. That is the very year that that New York company was founded.

Hot dog-eating champ Joey Chestnut, well, he just had to be there for it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOEY CHESTNUT, 9-TIME NATHAN'S EATING CHAMP: They really are amazing. If they weren't amazing I wouldn't be able to eat 70 in 10 minutes. Nathan's hot dogs, it is a 100-year-old recipe. And in this day and age where everybody is so healthy, it is awesome to see that, you know, it is kind of a comfort food as Americans we're not going to feel guilty about eating.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: He likes hot dogs. Nathan's even set a Guinness world record of the longest line of hot dogs, 292 meters, or 958 feet.

And a lot of hot dogs will be eaten this Labor Day weekend here in the United States. This holiday marks the end of summer for many people. And millions of people booked flights to get out of town to call the season a wrap.

But as Jeanne Moos reports, some passengers bring on their own brand of in-flight etiquette with them.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): As if shoes on the armrest, bare feet on the tray table, ponytail over the screen aren't bad enough, how about a headstand on an aisle seat?

RAAD MOBREM, PASSENGER: We were all laughing because this was, in my opinion, the best in-flight entertainment I've ever had.

MOOS: Raad Mobrem whipped out his phone and captured this passenger limbering up on a two-hour United flight from L.A. to Mexico. He started a live tweet making up names from the moves, from the dragonfly shuffle, to the raptor spirit.

But when she started to do a second headstand, a flight attendant intervened. And Raad tweeted "my face right now."

MOBREM: She is saying, like, Miss, if you could please stop doing that. And the lady is like, I guess. She was a little weird. I'll be honest. But she seemed like a sweet lady too.

MOOS: At least she wasn't naked wearing a pillowcase over her eyes or giving herself a pedicure or trying smash the door to the jetway.

(on camera): The lady doing the headstand told the flight attendant said she wasn't feeling well.

This latest example of a passenger misbehaving comes just as American Airlines has launched a new ad campaign.

(voice-over): A campaign showcasing how the greatest flyers are supposed to behave. They like babies, but bring noise-canceling headphones. They always ask before they raise and lower the window shade. But shouldn't you ask before raising your legs?

MOBREM: In all fairness to her, she did it really well.

MOOS: So well she didn't even wake up the guy sleeping next to her.

MOBREM: We told him afterwards when he woke up. And we showed him videos and he could not believe it.

MOOS: Feet in the air, at 35,000 feet, Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOWELL: And that is the passenger you don't want to sit next to.

Thank you so much for being with us. I'm George Howell at the CNN Center in Atlanta. I'll be back after the break with more news from around the world. Stay with us.

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