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Top Generals From U.S. And Ukraine Meet As Russia Intensifies Its Attacks; Ukraine: New, Deadly Barrage Of 80-Plus Russian Attacks Overnight; Russia's War On Ukraine; Uvalde, Texas Shooting Response, DOJ Examined 13,000 Pieces Of Evidence; More Than 170 Colleges Offered Admission To A High School Senior; Interview With 16-Year-Old Senior At International High School Of New Orleans Dennis Barnes; Tirzepatide, an Injectable Drug from Eli Lilly, Can Treat Obesity. Aired 10:30-11a ET

Aired April 27, 2023 - 10:30:00   ET

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

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[10:30:00]

SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: This morning, we're learning America's top generals held a phone call with their Ukrainian counterparts. This is according to Kyiv officials. The conversation comes just after Russia launched a new barrage of deadly assaults, more than 80 attacks reported overnight.

CNN's Nic Robertson joins us now from Kyiv. Nic, let us know what more that you're hearing about these phone calls this morning and what was said.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Well, we know that the Ukrainians gave General Mark Milley and National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan an account of how they feel the battlefield is looking at the moment. Of course, huge expectations on the Russian that Ukraine is about to launch a counteroffensive. So, no doubt they both have a better understanding of what the Ukrainians are actually thinking at the moment. We know that they discussed the supply of weapons and ammunition.

There are certain types of ammunition that Ukraine particularly wants at this time in the -- in advance of what they're calling, not a counteroffensive but actually a spring summer campaign. They're giving the idea that this fight this summer when it comes is not just a quick offensive and over after a few weeks. So, this will be a long hard- fought campaign through the summer.

It is very clear from the conversations we're having here, and I expect this is part of a discussion, that the Ukrainians want to make sure when this big campaign begins, that they have everything in place that they. And perhaps, as well, the generals would have discussed what the weather has been like recently, it's been pouring down a bit rain today. We've been in the north.

[10:35:00] The fields are flooded up there. And what that means on the frontline roads where there might be a counteroffensive in the future, they're very heavily bogged down in mud and not really in a state of use for the movement of troops quickly to a fate a -- to affect a good counteroffensive.

But in terms of Russia's response strikes overnight on Mykolaiv in the south, four S-300 surface-to-air missiles fired there, one person killed, 23 injured, one of them a child. And then further north in Zaporizhzhia, again, an area where Russia thinks that Ukraine might launch a counteroffensive through that area, Russia launching 83 different strikes, seven air strikes, five UAV's there, two multiple rocket launcher attacks, 69 different artillery strikes. All in that one area. And we know there that two men were killed in those strikes. So, Russia, keeping up an offensive where it thinks Ukraine potentially might launch its counteroffensive from.

SIDNER: All right. Nic Robertson, thank you so much for all of that and all those good details. Appreciate it.

John.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: This morning, a Justice Department team is combing through the 13,000 pieces of evidence connected to the Robb Elementary School massacre in Uvalde, Texas. It's been nearly a year since the mass shooting that killed 19 fourth graders and two teachers at the school. More than 200 people have been interviewed as part of this review of the law enforcement response. Remember, it took officials 77 minutes to take down the gunman after he entered the school despite what was a large turnout quickly from local and federal agencies.

CNN's Shimon Prokupecz who was down there from the very beginning is with me now.

SHIMON PROKUPECZ, CNN CRIME AND JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: We were there together, you know, trying to unravel this. I remember, you know, just about a year ago when you and I were both standing outside the school, questioning authorities as to what their response was. And think about the fact that we're here a year later and we still don't have all the answers.

BERMAN: And now, the federal government is looking for answers too. So, what do they have and what are they looking at that maybe we haven't seen before?

PROKUPECZ: So, a lot of it, I think it can be institutional. You know, what were the practices of the police department for training? What was the communications between these other officers and the agencies that were involved?

And remember, there were some 400 law enforcement officials on scene from several different agencies, some that we've never even heard about before until this happened that show up at the scene. It's a chaos. No one's taking control. They know kids are inside. They're getting 9-1-1 calls from kids that are inside and no one just takes action.

So, the key thing they're looking at is leadership. Why was there such a lack of leadership on scene? What was the command structure? There was no command, there was no incident command which was a big, big problem because no one was taking charge. No one was really making any decisions. A lot of the blame, John, as you know has been placed on the school police chief who was fired by the school board.

But you know, that blame is really now shared by everyone, by all the other different law enforcement agencies that were there as our reporting has really showed, none of them took charge. And then finally, they went in and killed the gunman.

BERMAN: How eager are the state agencies to cooperate with the federal investigation?

PROKUPECZ: So, that's a really good question because it's been a bit of a problem because you have a district attorney there who's been investigating this. We don't really know what she's investigating. And she's basically refused to allow some people to cooperate in investigations. And she's kind of -- I mean, parents believe she's been interfering the mayor there of that city, feels that she's been interfering in the investigations. And I think that's part of why we're seeing this delay as well.

But think -- I mean, this is year. There was a lot of evidence. There is hours and hours, I mean, thousands of hours of body camera footage, some of which -- most of which I've seen. There are -- almost every officer who's on scene there was interviewed. So, they have to go through all of that. And I'm not sure this is going to be done any time soon. There's still so much work that they need to do.

BERMAN: And you keep digging. Shimon Prokupecz, thanks so much for the work that you've done, you and your team. Thanks so much for being with us.

Kate.

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: A high school senior in New Orleans being quite simply amazing. 170 acceptance letters, $9 million in scholarships, and he's only 16 years old, and he joins us next.

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SIDNER: A New Orleans high school senior is celebrating a major accomplishment. 16-year-old Dennis Maliq Barnes is not only graduating two years early, he also has been accepted to more than 170 colleges and has received more than $9 million in scholarship offers. His school says it is a new world record, and we are lucky enough to have him joining us now.

Dennis, thank you so much for being here.

DENNIS BARNES, ACCEPTED TO 170+ COLLEGES, HOLDS RECORD WITH 170+ COLLEGE ACCEPTANCE LETTERS, RECEIVED $9M+ IN SCHOLARSHIP OFFERS: Thank you so much for having me. How are you?

SIDNER: Well, I'm doing good. But I'm feeling a little unaccomplished compared to what you have been able to. How did you do this? 170 colleges, hat is a lot of applications to fill out, sir

BARNES: I'd give -- about the strength that God had given. I'd give God all the praise for one. I definitely have a very supportive group of people behind me. I have my parents, my counselor Ms. Denise James. They were all instrumental, especially Ms. James at getting me through this journey.

[10:45:00]

I'm very excited. This is something that I'm very happy that I was able to accomplish. It's -- it feels really good.

SIDNER: It's a lot of work. We are looking at a picture from the internet, from high school of New Orleans, and all of the places that you could potentially go. I know this is hard with 170 options, but have you made a decision yet?

BARNES: No, ma'am. That is, of yet, I'm looking to make a decision early May, and that really should be soon as next week, it's coming faster than I anticipated. But I'm sure I'm going to have a decision.

SIDNER: You clearly are an overachiever. You have done so many things already. Graduating two years early. Can I ask you what it is, have you thought about what you want to do? It's always a hard thing because not everybody knows, and that's OK, what they want to do when they leave college. Have you thought about that? Do you have an idea?

BARNES: Yes, ma'am. It's very interesting what I want to do. I want to do computer science. I want to get a bachelor's degree in computer science and then later move on and pursue law, a law degree. The idea behind it is pretty much you understand how -- OK, we have property, we have different assess that we need a lawyer for that used to be defended in court.

Well, I've taken that concept and applied it pretty much to computer science. We have developing technology. We have, in a tease (ph), with intellectual property. And those are concepts that are being developed in things that we don't fully understand. Well, my thinking behind it and the reason for me that want to pursue law after a bachelor's degree in computer science is I want to be able to be a part of that law. We're going to need lawyers for those types of things as well.

SIDNER: Yes, we're going to need them to understand the technology, as well as the implications. That is a fantastic idea. Congratulations to you on all the hard work and to your family. They clearly raised a really cool dude. We appreciate you coming on the show.

BARNES: (INAUDIBLE).

SIDNER: All right. Thank you so much.

John. BERMAN: Yes, making us all feel like underachievers now.

So, a treatment for diabetes that could be the next weight loss drug. The manufacturer are now seeking to fast-track FDA approval.

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BERMAN: We do have breaking news. Long time television host and one time mayor of Cincinnati, Jerry Springer has died. His manager confirmed the news this morning. Springer was the host of the syndicated talk show, "The Jerry Springer Show" for nearly 30 years. The show you will of course remember for its outrageous guests and scenes like that and people chatting Jerry, Jerry, Jerry from the audience. As I said, before any of this, he was actually a politician. A very young mayor in Cincinnati, Ohio. Jerry Springer was 79.

Kate.

BOLDUAN: To some medical news now. It could be more efficient than Ozempic. That's what Eli Lilly is saying about their diabetes and weight loss drug following a new round of tests. It's called tirzepatide and sold under the name Mounjaro. It's used to treat type II diabetes but the company says, it's -- in its new studies show that it also leads to substantial weight loss and they're now seeking FDA approval to use the drug to treat obesity.

Let's get over to CNN's Elizabeth Cohen, she's got much more on this. So, Elizabeth, what's Eli saying about the -- what they're seeking in terms of approval and this new research that they put out?

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: So, Kate, they say that they are going to seek approval for this drug as a weight loss drug. And I want to be very clear about the data I'm about to give you. It has not been published in the "Medical Journal" so it hasn't been peered reviewed. This is just straight from Lilly. No one has edited this. So, we always like that editing but here we go. I'll tell you what they said.

They said that they looked at more 900 than people who are obese of overweight and also had type II diabetes. On average they were starting at about 222 pounds and they lost, the study was 17 months- long, they lost 34 pounds. So, that is really pretty impressive weight loss if that's what -- that last analysis turns out to be.

But -- and this is a big but, there were side effects. There were side effects such as nausea or diarrhea, and that was one in five people. One in five people had nausea or diarrhea, that's not a small number. And there were also a fair number of people who had other unpleasant side effects like constipation. I mean, it was -- some of these are really not fun.

But even worse, the company, Eli Lilly, says that there can be serious -- there may be serious side effects like pancreatitis, kidney problems, thyroid cancer. So, you know, I think patients are really going to -- want to think about whether or not they want to take these risks. For some who are morbidly obese, and they are going to run into all sorts of terrible health problems because of that, taking these risks might be worth it. Kate.

BOLDUAN: Yes, and then -- but then as we've seen with Ozempic, there's a big question of need or want and then you do really need to weigh those side effects. Is this a drug that people need to take for life? Like, what is the effect of this drug?

COHEN: You know, it's interesting. So, our colleague, Poppy Harlow, asked an Eli Lilly doctor, will people need to take this for life? She didn't really answer Poppy's question. But what she did say was, look, there are conditions like blood pressure where you do need to, typically, take drugs for life and nobody questions that. It's a chronic disease and so is obesity. So, let's take a listen to Dr. Nadia Ahmad.

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NADIA AHMAD, MEDICAL DIRECTOR, ELI LILLY: We really need to embrace and acknowledge, as a society, that when we are talking about weight management, we're talking about obesity, a chronic serious medical disease that deserves treatment.

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COHEN: So, again, this drug would be, if it gets FDA approval, intended for people who are, you know, their obesity is making them ill, not for people who just want to loss five pounds to look good in a bathing suit. But we all know what ends up happening, those people end up getting access to the drug too. Kate.

BOLDUAN: All right. First and foremost, let's take those peer reviewed studies and that lengthy approval process. An important approval process from the FDA. Thank you, Elizabeth, for that.

Sara.

SIDNER: South Korean President, Yoon Suk Yeol will speak to congress in just a matter of minutes. It comes as his country and the United States announced a new key agreement to deter North Korean aggression.

Also, former Fox news anchor, Tucker Carlson, breaking his silence after being fired. More on what he had to say, next.

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