Return to Transcripts main page

CNN News Central

UNICEF: 420 Children Being Killed In Gaza Every Day; Tupac Shakur Murder Suspect Pleads Not Guilty; Ex-Police Officer In Tyre Nichols Case Agrees To Plead Guilty To State And Federal Charges; Sources; AI Behind Fake Stories Appearing ON Microsoft's Homepage; Aired 3:30-4p ET

Aired November 02, 2023 - 15:30   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:30:09]

JESSICA DEAN, CNN HOST: The death toll in Gaza has now passed 9,000, and that's according to figures released today by the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Ramallah drawn from sources in the Hamas- controlled enclave.

Also today, the main UN agency in Gaza says its fuel supplies are completely depleted and the last remaining public services in Gaza have completely collapsed.

Joining me now is UNICEF spokesperson Ricardo Pires. Ricardo, thanks so much for coming on.

We know the executive director of UNICEF spoke to the U.N. Security Council this week in part calling for a ceasefire and especially for the protection of children. That being said, at this moment, it does not appear a ceasefire is happening in the immediate future.

So what can you do to help those civilians who need the help that you're trying to give?

RICARDO PIRES, UNICEF SPOKESPERSON: -- less 25 days for children.

We have reportedly over 3.6 thousand children killed since the beginning of this conflict, 7,000 at least reportedly injured. So that's an average of over 420 children either killed or injured every day.

So what we're trying to call for, or what we are appealing for is an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. So these numbers can hold.

Let's imagine, for example, if we get a three-day pause, we're saving nearly 1,000 children already or more. So for now, that's what UNICEF is doing. We're calling for a ceasefire. We're calling for the immediate release of hostages as well that are being held in Gaza.

And on the ground, our colleagues, our brave colleagues who are still staying and delivering are trying to support the best way we can. But the truth is the situation is very desperate. Supplies are getting in and they're not sufficient. Whatever is happening on the ground with children, they are not safe. There is no safe place for them to stay.

And for UNICEF, unless we have that space to work to operate, to distribute our supplies, to have the logistics aligned with our partners on the ground and the corridors open, not only in Rafah, but other corridors as well. It becomes very difficult to deliver for children and the real cost of this war will be measured in children's lives.

DEAN: And you mentioned the Rafah border crossing, which is now allowing foreign nationals and some Palestinians to get out of Gaza. But additionally to that, there are some aid trucks that are able to get in. Are you hopeful that that can at least provide some aid? How do you think that opening of that gate and that crossing affects you all's efforts?

[15:35:02]

PIRES: Well, Jessica, at this point, any effort is a glimpse of hope for hundreds of thousands of children suffering in Gaza. Some of them, under the rubbles, still lost. Some of them who've seen their houses collapsed, their parents being killed, so they're traumatized, they're scared.

And they need support. They need to feel like the world is somewhat engaging and trying to take them out of this hell situation that they live right now. UNICEF managed to get 34 trucks into Gaza, which is a very small number compared to the needs.

It's a small drop in the ocean. Obviously, it's good to have supplies getting in. It's good to have clean water getting in, some food, some medical supplies and hygiene kits, so they don't have -- children don't drink contaminated water and are exposed to waterborne diseases, but it's not enough. It's very little compared to the needs on the ground.

DEAN: And I know that there have been intermittent communication blackouts there in Gaza. You have staff, as you mentioned, that are on the ground there. How are you communicating with them? Just logistically, how is that working?

PIRES: So whenever communications are established, we manage to get in touch with our staff and we can account for their safety, but when the lights are out, that's when we're really concerned -- we're really concerned about what's happening on the ground, not only to our staff, but also to children.

Let's remind the audience that half of the population in Gaza is of minors of 18 -- 0 to 18 years of age. So it's a whole generation being threatened by conflict and violence. And again, UNICEF is calling for that humanitarian ceasefire and for the release of all the hostages. So children can stop paying the highest price for this crisis.

DEAN: Right. And some of those hostages, as you mentioned, children as well.

Ricardo Pires, thank you so much for being with us. We appreciate it. And still ahead, the suspect in Tupac Shakur's murder just appeared in court. We'll have details on that next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:40:45]

DEAN: Law enforcement sources tell CNN, the FBI executed a search warrant today at the home of Brianna Suggs, who is the chief political fundraiser for New York City's mayor.

Sources say the FBI agents took phones, computers, tablets, and files from Suggs' home. What prompted that search though remains unclear. Our sources say the FBI also searched several other homes, as well as a Brooklyn-based construction company.

Mayor Eric Adams' office referred all questions to his political campaign, which said it will comply with any inquiries as appropriate.

Boris?

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN HOST: Just a short time ago in Las Vegas, Duane Keith Davis pleaded not guilty to the 1996 murder of Tupac Shakur in a Nevada courtroom.

CNN's Stephanie Elam has been following the case. Stephanie, what can you tell us about what happened in court? What else are you learning?

STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. So it was really a quick moment this morning in court, Boris, as we heard Davis actually enter his plea. And then also hearing from the prosecutors that they do not intend to seek the death penalty in this case.

Now, he was arraigned today. It was supposed to happen two weeks ago, but the judge allowed him time to find legal counsel. However, that didn't happen. So he was given public defenders today, because the judge said that she wants to continue to get this court case moving along.

Obviously, this was one of the biggest mysteries is who killed Tupac Shakur. And law enforcement officials saying they've put enough together to say that they do believe that it was Davis, also pointing to his own statement, saying that he was actually there in that white Cadillac just over 27 years ago that pulled up next to the vehicle that Tupac Shakur was in.

He was shot four times and died six days later. It's interesting to note that the other three people in that Cadillac have already passed on. But what law enforcement officials say is they do believe that he was the one calling the shots. That Davis was calling the shots that led to this tracking down of Tupac Shakur and then ultimately to his shooting.

So this is just the beginning of it. The next time that we'll see any proceedings in this, that we possibly could see Davis in court, is on November 7th. But obviously, things getting started here. And one of the biggest mysteries in hip hop and in rap, who killed Tupac Shakur law enforcement saying they know who that person is. And they do believe that it is the man who also goes by Keefe D.

SANCHEZ: Stephanie Elam, thanks so much for the update.

Jessica?

DEAN: Now, to new developments in the death of Tyre Nichols, the 29- year-old black man who was beaten by Memphis police officers in January.

One of the five former Memphis police officers charged in that case has now pleaded guilty to state and federal charges and is now cooperating with that investigation.

CNN's Ryan Young is following the case. Ryan, what are the new details you're learning?

RYAN YOUNG, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, this is so important when you think about the country that was gripped by this video. The video was so excessive. It was so difficult to watch and people reacted to it.

As we show you this video, I want to tell people, look, it is graphic to remember, this was called (INAUDIBLE) camera. Tyre Nichols was driving when he attempted to pull him over. And then he ran from officers. And then you see a beating sort of continue for 31 minutes.

Well, one of those officers, Desmond Mills Jr. has pled guilty to excessive force and obstruction of justice and state-related charges.

But as you can understand, this has been very painful for not only the city of Memphis, but for Tyre Nichols' family who still can't understand why this young man was beaten so savagely.

[15:45:02]

Take a listen to his mom and his dad.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROWVAUGHN WELLS, MOTHER OF TYRE NICHOLS: This big man, he looks to be about 200 pounds, was beating up on my son. So just imagine 200 times five. That's a thousand pounds beating up on my son.

This is really the first time I actually heard somebody tell and say what they actually did to my son.

RODNEY WELLS, STEPFATHER OF TYRE NICHOLS: To hear how this man beat our son with a baton, several times, a man that weighs twice what my son weighs, waited on the other officers to come to kick and beat and punch him, was very, very difficult for me and my wife to listen to.

For that same officer to plead guilty to all the charges was great day for our family.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

YOUNG: Yes. Jessica, I've actually talked to Ben Crump this afternoon. He's saying he is pleased with how the federal investigators have moved forward.

Let's not forget that Desmond Mills Jr. will be helping in this case. But as we leave this story, let's not forget how this young man lived his life. He was someone who enjoyed skateboarding and taking pictures.

And, of course, on the internet, you can see some of the great pictures he took on Instagram. This community still remembers the fact that during this beating, he was calling out for his mother over and over again as he was beaten by those officers.

And even at the end of it, it didn't even seem like they rendered aid before he died. It's just a tough story. And now these steps are finally starting to take place.

Jessica.

DEAN: Certainly. I remember that video. It is haunting hearing him calling out for his mother.

Ryan Young for us. Thanks so much.

Up next, how artificial intelligence is spreading false claims and conspiracy theories on one of the world's most visited websites.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:50:24]

DEAN: Microsoft is making a mess of the news after replacing staff with AI, artificial intelligence, and it's led to Microsoft's homepage publishing false and bizarre stories.

SANCHEZ: And these aren't just silly stories about big foot or UFO, Elvis babies. They're serious and they're showing up on one of the world's most highly traffic websites where millions of Americans get their news every day.

Donie O'Sullivan joins us now. And, Donie, a reporting that all of this came after Microsoft laid off journalists and started having AI do their work.

DONIE O'SULLIVAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right. Look, I mean, msn.com, a lot of people will remember it. Might be surprised that, you know, it is still a huge massive homepage for so many people. It's because, you know, when you buy a new PC, a new laptop, oftentimes even phones or tablets now, it comes with that Windows Microsoft software loaded up onto it already.

And as a result, people have a some form of Microsoft homepage. Now on those home pages, they put news and a lot of times news from credible major news organizations, including CNN. And up until 2018, Microsoft said it had 800, 800 editors working first around the world kind of curating this experience to make sure that misinformation wasn't making its way onto these home pages that are viewed by hundreds of millions of millions of people.

But what we have learned through speaking to people who have been laid off by Microsoft and others familiar with what is going on at the company is that they have basically replaced most, if not all of their editors, with artificial intelligence.

And what we've seen observing this as we've reported on this over the past few months is all these a lot of incredibly, just factually false stories, including a lot of stories about President Biden supposedly falling asleep at a memorial.

A minute silence for the Maui wildfire victims to some just really hyper partisan stories and -- that are attacking as it happens, Democrats and President Biden.

But then also kind of random stories, for instance, saying that a politician in California resigned over a scandal, which just didn't happen at all.

One other was in obituary for a former NBA player who died expectedly, and this obituary that seemed to be created using AI call this NBA player useless.

So all these things are happening. Microsoft kind of apologizes each time but nothing seems to change.

DEAN: Right. So it sounds like that's about it like you just get an apology but it keeps happening.

O'SULLIVAN: Yes. And, look, we asked Microsoft questions about this and we gave them actually a month -- a month to respond. They had very, very few specifics to say. They wouldn't say how many editors they still employ.

They put out a rather vague statement saying that they are reviewing their processes and want these things to live up to their standards, but clearly, in the right now it's not working.

SANCHEZ: Really fascinating the way that AI is churning out those stories, the story selection and then specifically what they're writing about. It's really fascinating.

Donie O'Sullivan, thanks so much.

So artificial intelligence might be causing problems for Microsoft, but it's allowing The Beatles to release a brand-new song even though two members of the Fab Four are no longer with us. We'll play you the song when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:55:16] SANCHEZ: A brand-new Beatle song is out and it features every member of the Fab Four. It's called "Now and Then." And they're doing it with a little help from artificial intelligence. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(MUSIC)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DEAN: OK. While you decide if you -- if you like it or not, John Lennon wrote and recorded the demo of the song before his death in 1980. So that's where it starts.

The remaining three Beatles that worked on the song until 1995, but were unable to separate Lennon's voice from the sound of the piano. Then in 2001, George Harrison died.

Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney then stopped working on the song for more than two decades.

SANCHEZ: And that's where AI comes in. It was used to isolate Lennon's voice from a demo track for a 2021 docu-series and, voila, a new Beatles track was born in my humble opinion.

DEAN: And we'd like to know it.

SANCHEZ: Maybe best left on the cutting room floor. What do you think?

DEAN: It is slow. It does not have a fast pace But that's OK.

SANCHEZ: It does not. It does not.

DEAN: Yes. They only -- and feel like we keep getting new music.

SANCHEZ: Yes.

DEAN: As the technology improves.

SANCHEZ: And we'll likely see much more of a coming soon. Jessica, thanks so much filling with us this week.

DEAN: Thanks for having me.

SANCHEZ: We'll all be back tomorrow, right?

DEAN: OK. Yes.

SANCHEZ: All right. We'll see you then. "THE LEAD WITH JAKE TAPPER" starts right now.