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Ukraine: Defense Forces Are Advancing Step By Step; Biden To Speak On Tackling Climate Crisis; More States Expanding Medicaid Postpartum Coverage; Grammys Restrict Music And Recordings Created By AI. Aired 3:30-4p ET

Aired June 19, 2023 - 15:30   ET

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

[15:30:00]

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN HOST: Could this be Putin's new battlefield tactic in action? Russia releasing this video saying that it shows a tank packed with tons of explosives being detonated remotely in a Ukrainian stronghold. This is a video that also seems to shows the tank hitting a mind shortly before exploding, which may complicate Russia's claim here.

In the meantime, a senior Ukrainian official says Kyiv's forces have recaptured eight southern settlements over the last two weeks. Russia's defense ministry is denying that though. They say it successfully repelled Ukrainian advances. So, let's try to get the story. The real story here from CNN's Ben Wedeman, who is live in Zaporizhzhia. Ben, what is the latest from the front lines?

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, what you heard this morning from the deputy defense minister of Ukraine that the Ukrainians had managed to liberate 113 square kilometers or about 44 square miles in southern Ukraine, and that they had, as you said, liberated eight settlements.

But we know from this afternoon that one of those settlements the town of Piatykhatky, it has been the scene of intense fighting. And it's not altogether clear who controls it at this point. Now President Zelenskyy said the fighting is most intense in the southern part of Ukraine and that's actually just about an hour, the front line. That part of the front line from where we are.

Now, the Russians, even the Ukrainians concede have laid massive mine fields and moved reserves to the area south of here, south of Zaporizhzhia. So it's not a surprise that they have had months to prepare for this offensive and that they have laid out defenses to make it very difficult for the Ukrainians to make progress.

Having said that, we should keep in mind that we are just in the opening phases of this offensive. It's widely considered that the Ukrainians are involved in what's called a shaping operation. Basically to find out where the weak points in the Russian front lines are. They have yet to commit the bulk of their forces to the fighting. But so far, the fighting, even the Ukrainians will concede, has been very difficult with high casualties on both sides -- Brianna.

KEILAR: They have a tough task ahead of them. Ben Wedeman live for us from Zaporizhzhia, thank you -- Boris.

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN HOST: Back in the United States President Biden is set to deliver a speech in California next hour focused on fighting the climate crisis. The White House says the president will announce nearly $600 million in climate investments. CNN's Priscilla Alvarez joins us now live from Palo Alto, California. So Priscilla, what details are emerging that we'll anticipate will come from the president later?

PRISCILLA ALVAREZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Well, Boris, he's expected to announce more federal funding for climate resilience. But this West Coast swing is really building on several campaign-related stops over the last week. Going from gun safety to the economy just over the weekend to now the focus being on climate.

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So while here, President Biden is expected to tour the coastal wetland and discuss the actions that his administration has taken on climate resilience. That includes now $575 million in federal funding for this purpose as well as an announcement that President Biden will host a climate summit in the months to come. So we're expected to hear more of that when he gives his remarks later this afternoon here.

And he will likely also nod to what was the first ever joint endorsement of four major environmental groups. All of this as President Biden revs up his campaign into 2024. Just over the weekend he spoke to a crowd of union members about the economy. We can expect at that union event he nodded to the environmental group's endorsement. So we'll hear more of that likely today as the administration and the White House really focusses on what he has done with governing and what actions they've taken on climate change.

But then also focusing on the campaign because also, Boris, while President Biden is here, he's going to attend some high-dollar fundraisers ahead of that critical first quarter deadline. So all of those threads coming together here in California during his three-day visit. We'll hear first from him later this afternoon with those remarks where he will be courting those climate groups and environmental justice groups -- Boris.

SANCHEZ: We look forward to that, Priscilla. Just want to point out, President Biden appears to have landed in California. These are live images. By his side several top key officials, including California Governor Gavin Newsom who the president is speaking about right now. So Priscilla Alvarez, keep us posted on the very latest with the president's trip. And Jim, we'll send it over to you.

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN HOST: Well coming up next, a Florida deputy is sucked into a drain trying to save a victim from flooding. 30 terrifying seconds underwater all caught on his body camera. Stay with us.

And Texas now joins a grows a growing list of states that is extending the period during which new mothers can qualify for Medicaid. We'll show you why this is coming at such a crucial time.

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SCIUTTO: Some of the headlines we are following at this hour. The death toll from the migrant shipwreck in the Mediterranean continues to rise. There are conflicting reports of just how many people died. Greece says the death toll has risen so far to 81. Pakistan though says more than 300 of its nationals died in the disaster. There were an estimated 750 people packed on board the vessel. Goodness, look at those pictures. It capsized and sank last Wednesday 50 miles off the coast of Greece. Just over a hundred people who were on the boat have been rescued. A massive search continues for others missing.

And take a look at this historic rescue caught on a police body camera. A foot officer rushed into rising floodwaters during a torrential downpour only to get sucked into a drain pipe himself with a trapped motorist. The darkness you are seeing is the man submerged underwater as seen on his body camera in that drainage pipe. The officer and the man were pulled under a four-lane road trapped about 30 seconds. They eventually resurfaced on the other end of the road -- the other end of that pipe, thankful to be alive.

And finally Republican officials in Kansas are on alert after at least 100 letters containing a suspicious white powder were sent to state lawmakers and public officials there. The Kansas Bureau of Investigations has been testing some of those letters and said so far, they have found no biological agents of concern -- Brianna.

KEILAR: All right, important news for moms. More states are extending the time that new mothers qualify for Medicaid after giving birth from the required 60 days postpartum, to a full year. Texas the most recent state to do this. CNN health reporter Jacqueline Howard is joining us now on this story. Which is really a growing trend, Jacqueline. Tell us why.

JACQUELINE HOWARD, CNN HEALTH REPORTER: It is, Brianna. And I can tell you, this is incredibly important because we already know that one in three pregnancy related deaths occur. In that time period postpartum of up to a year. So that means if we see more women with access to insurance coverage like Medicaid in that postpartum time period, then if she experiences a life-threatening complication postpartum, she'll have greater access to the care that she needs. Potentially reducing the number of pregnancy related deaths that we see postpartum.

And Brianna, I have been watching this trend closely. And when you look at a map of states that either already have extended Medicaid postpartum or they have plans to do so or pending legislation to do so that leaves only three states, Arkansas, Idaho and Iowa where we have not seen this kind of movement to extend Medicaid postpartum. So the three gray states you see on that map there. So that does show this is a growing trend that's impacting, according to the Biden administration, impacting more than 500,000 Americans annually in this country, Brianna.

KEILAR: Can you tell us how many child births are covered by Medicaid? HOWARD: We do know it's about 41 percent. So that's about four in ten

births nationally, which kind of gives you a snapshot again of just how many people across the country potentially will be impacted by this trend to extend Medicaid postpartum.

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And as I mentioned before, Brianna, this does appear to be an approach from states to really tackle the maternal health crisis in this country and reduce the number of pregnancy-related deaths that we see postpartum nationwide.

KEILAR: Yes, we talk about it a lot. It is a huge issue.

HOWARD: Exactly.

KEILAR: All right, Jacqueline Howard, thank you so much for that.

SANCHEZ: This just in to CNN, the Coast Guard has announced it's going to hold a news briefing at 4:30 p.m. on the search and rescue effort for that missing submersible and the five people aboard. It's believed to be 900 miles off the coast of Cape Cod near the wreckage of the Titanic. CNN is going to bring you that to you live. Stay with us.

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SANCHEZ: The Grammys keeping it real. Cracking down on artificial intelligence. The recording academy has rolled out several new rules that will allow some AI as long as a real person adds a meaningful contribution to a song or recording. But only human creators are going to be eligible for the highly sought awards. CNN's Chloe Melas joins us now. And Chloe, these rules are interesting because they do allow for some AI but there has to be a specific amount. I think it's 20 percent of human contribution, that is right?

CHLOE MELAS, CNN ENTERTAINMENT REPORTER: Yes, that is the bare minimum. And Boris, artificial intelligence is a hot topic right now. We're seeing it with the writer's strike in the guild. Wanting it to be addressed by studios, as how they are going to deal with AI because it is here to stay for the foreseeable future. And now we're seeing the recording academy going ahead and implementing their own rules and guidelines.

So I want to read to you what the recording academy president told grammy.com about this just the other day.

He says, we are going to allow AI music and content to be submitted but the Grammys will only be allowed to go to human creators -- like you said, Boris -- who have contributed creatively in the appropriate categories. If there is an AI voice singing the song or AI instrumentation, we will consider it, but in a song writing based category it has to have been written mostly by a human.

But if you see with that language, Boris, they are keeping the door open. Because who knows where this is going to go potentially five years from now or maybe even less.

SANCHEZ: It is going to disrupt everything, especially the creative arts. You actually spoke with a famous song writer about all of this. What did they share with you?

MELAS: So I spoke to Billy Mann who used to be the president of BMG and he's written with artists like Pink. And here are some of the interesting points that he just told me moments ago in a interview.

He says that it wouldn't surprise him if big recording artists eventually licensed their voices to be used almost as an open source vocal suite. So than therefore these artists would get a percentage of that. But again, that's then getting ahead of it. Look what's happened with streaming platforms, he points out, like Napster and other where's these artists had to adapt.

He also says that maybe -- this is interesting -- potentially the Grammys might have its own category for AI music in the future. But I did speak to a multi-time Grammy award winner and well-known entertainment attorney Doug Davis, who's the son of Clive Davis, who said AI could not own its own copyright. So he doesn't see how that could potentially happen. But as you see, this is a debate and this is something very interesting to watch. That we're only going to see evolve in the future.

SANCHEZ: It's so fascinating and it could lead to a reexamination of copyright law. We'll have to wait and see. Chloe Melas, thank you so much -- Brianna.

MELAS: Thank you.

KEILAR: To quote Tom Hanks, there is no crying in baseball, unless your brother does the unthinkable. We're going to explain this one ahead.

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SCIUTTO: So, nothing like a relaxing Father's Day watching baseball with your kids. At least that is idea, right? So see this guy, that is Pat Mulligan -- poor dad. I think I've been there. A Red Sox fan watching his favorite team play the Yankees with his sons Charlie and Jack. So the question is, why does the older brother Jack look to miserable in this renaissance painting from the baseball game. Tell us.

KEILAR: Well, because a nice fan gets a foul ball and hands it to younger brother Charlie -- there you go, right there. But Charlie -- oh, he shucks it back right on to the field and Jack, look at him. Devastated. Devastated. And then poor Charlie realized what he's done and he's devastated too. Beyond. OK, but look, dad has to console them and then later Father's Day saved. The Red Sox --

SCIUTTO: He gets a jersey?

KEILAR: Yes, they found out what happened and they gave Jack and Charlie those signed jerseys and baseballs.

SCIUTTO: That's a pretty good trade I've got is say.

SANCHEZ: That's a sweet deal.

SCIUTTO: That's a big deal, a signed jersey.

SANCHEZ: Apparently when Charlie was asked why he threw the ball back, he told announcer at the game that he just wanted to have a good throw. What do you do with a baseball?

SCIUTTO: I mean, you can't -- you can throw it back if it's the other -- like if the other team hits a home run.

SANCHEZ: Especially Yankees and Red Sox.

SCIUTTO: If you are Yankees and Red Sox, that kind of thing. But if you're a little kid, you kind of want to lower that --

KEILAR: Would you really do that though? Even if you're -- OK you're looking at a freak.

SANCHEZ: Absolutely, I absolutely would I would.

KEILAR: You would totally throw back.

SCIUTTO: You would throw a Heat basketball back.

SANCHEZ: I may try to hit one of the players. Anything to get an advantage. I'm joking. Guys, I'm joking.

KEILAR: No, really you would throw it back.

SANCHEZ: I think I would.

KEILAR: Would you?

SCIUTTO: I mean, if I'm with my kids and it is at a Mets game or something, I'd keep the ball for my kids.

SANCHEZ: I'd throw the kid.

SCIUTTO: I mean, if you're going to get a signed jersey though but there's no guarantee at that moment you're going to get signed to like to come through.

SANCHEZ: It's true.

SCIUTTO: So, there's that.

KEILAR: They save the day for Pat Mulligan. I'll tell you that. Oh my goodness, he doesn't know who to console. He has no idea who to console.

SCIUTTO: I've been there those shoes before with two boys at a baseball game and I know how it works. Although the burying your head under seat, that's another thing.

KEILAR: Sometimes that works for many things in life.

SANCHEZ: Many things in life, yes.

Hey, thank you so much for joining us this afternoon. Don't go anywhere, because "THE LEAD WITH JAKE TAPPER" starts in just seconds.