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Americans Kidnapped in Haiti; Blinken Addresses Crisis in Haiti; Kenya Offers 1,000 Policer Officers to Send to Haiti; Trump Lashing Out at President Biden and Republicans; Trump Campaigning Despite Growing Legal Peril; Pence Trying to Win Over Republican Voters in Iowa; Putin to Attend Russia's Navy Day Parade; Moscow Under Drone Attack; Zelenskyy Visits Troops on Special Operation Forces Day; Millions Under Heat Alerts in the U.S.; Severe Storms Cause Damage in Washington, D.C.; Mass Protests Over Judicial Reform in Israel; Netanyahu Holds Weekly Meetings with Ministers; West African Leaders Holds Emergency Summit; Summer COVID Surge; New Boosters Targeting XBB Variant Out in September; Black Truck Driver Attacked by K9 Considering Law Lawsuit; Family in Arkansas Held in Traffic Stop After Officer's Mistake; World Cup Clash of Heavyweights; Mega Millions Jackpot Soars to Over Billion Dollars. Aired 4-5a ET

Aired July 30, 2023 - 04:00   ET

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

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[04:00:00]

PAULA NEWTON, CNN ANCHOR: And a very warm welcome to our viewers joining us from all around the world. I'm Paula Newton. Ahead here on "CNN Newsroom, kidnapped in Haiti. An American nurse and her child taken near the ministry where she worked.

Back on the campaign trail, Donald Trump lashes out at President Biden and the Republicans who he says won't stand up to him.

And Moscow under attack. Drones target Russia's capital as the country prepares to honor one branch of its military.

At this hour, the U.S. is working to free an American nurse and her child who were kidnapped in Haiti. That's according to the Christian Humanitarian Aid Organization she worked for. She and her child were reportedly kidnapped Thursday morning near the Haitian capital, Port- au-Prince.

Alix Dorsainvil is originally from New Hampshire. She moved to Haiti after her husband invited her to care for students at a Haitian school. Now, her husband is the director of the humanitarian organization and said his wife and child were taken while serving in their ministry.

A statement says in part, Alix is a deeply compassionate and loving person who considers Haiti her home and the Haitian people her friends and family. Alix has worked tirelessly as our schools and community nurse to bring relief to those who are suffering.

Now, the abduction came shortly after a warning by the State Department for Americans to leave Haiti. Just yesterday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken meantime had this to say about efforts to end the unrest there. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANTONY BLINKEN, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: We have very deep concern for the situation there, particularly with regard to violence and the activities of the gangs. We are, as I think as you know, the largest humanitarian donor to Haiti, but we are also very focused on working together with partners to try to help the Haitians restore security, restore stability. That really is the necessary foundation for being able to make progress on a political way forward as well as making sure that the humanitarian assistance can actually get to those in need.

So, we've been very focused on trying to put in place what's necessary for a multinational force, including finding a lead nation to take this on. And my expectation is that we will have some progress to report on that very soon.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: And in fact, there does seem to be progress. Kenya a short time ago announced it is offering to send 1,000 police officers to Haiti to help curb gang violence. They would also, they say, help train Haitian police forces. A U.N. Security Council mandate, in fact, is required for that offer to move forward.

Now, stay with CNN. We will continue to have more on that developing story.

Now, the imminent threat of more criminal indictments doesn't seem to bother Donald Trump very much, at least not when he's campaigning, appearing in Erie, Pennsylvania on Saturday, the president -- the former president was defiant about the legal peril hanging over him and claimed it was because he is a threat to President Biden's re- election. Take a listen.

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DONALD TRUMP, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT AND U.S. REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: These are vicious, bad people. As you know, Biden has ordered his top political opponent to be arrested. I've got to be arrested. They want to arrest me. That's only because we're winning. But now, the Biden administration is trying to make it illegal to even question the results or the outcome of an election.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CNN's Alayna Treene now was at Trump's rally and has our report.

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ALAYNA TREENE, CNN REPORTER: Well, I am here in Erie, Pennsylvania where Donald Trump spoke to a large crowd of supporters on Saturday. And as is typical with Trump's rallies, there's a big crowd and a lot of energy. But one thing that was interesting was the venue wasn't entirely full, and that's not normal for Trump's rallies. Yes, there were a lot of people there on Saturday, but there are also many empty seats.

But Donald Trump took to the stage at around 6:00 p.m. and he gave a pretty typical 2024 stump speech. He went through his agenda items for his campaign. He also walked through his highlight reel from his time in office. And he also spent a lot of time criticizing President Joe Biden. One thing that I found very interesting was that he made an appeal to Republicans and he told them that they need to investigate the Biden family more and also, to act on the information that they've gathered already.

[04:05:00]

And he said, any Republican that doesn't do that needs to be primaried. But he also spent a good amount of time talking about his own legal troubles. He railed against Special Counsel Jack Smith, he criticized the Justice Department, and he revived the well-worn playbook that we've seen him use time and time again when talking about the charges and the mounting indictments that are looming in front of him, which is to characterize them as election interference.

And I -- my colleague, Kate Sullivan and I caught up with some rally attendees as they were heading into the venue before his speech, and they told us that they think that Donald Trump is entirely right in the sense that they do think that he is the victim of a political witch hunt. And that really, the Biden family needs to be more focused on in an investigative context.

And so, I think you're going to continue to see Donald Trump using the same rhetoric as he moves forward and continues forward with his very aggressive campaign schedule.

Alayne Treene, CNN, Erie, Pennsylvania.

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NEWTON: Trump also posted on social media that he thinks he'll "probably" be indicted twice more. Now, once by the Special Counsel in the January 6th investigation, and again in Georgia over alleged election meddling in that state after his 2020 loss.

Now, three more charges were added by the Special Counsel last week in the Mar-a-Lago documents case. They include Trump's alleged efforts to get employees to destroy security video at Mar-a-Lago and his mishandling of a sensitive military document regarding potential attack on Iran.

Meantime, Former Republican Congressman Charlie Dent now serves as executive director of the Aspen Institute Congressional Program. CNN spoke to him earlier about Trump's apparent political immunity among his supporters, despite being embroiled in numerous criminal investigations. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) CHARLIE DENT, FORMER U.S. HOUSE REPUBLICAN AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ASPEN INSTITUTE CONGRESSIONAL PROGRAM: Well, as long as he has these legal storm clouds over his head, I think he's got real problems. You know, I get it in the primary among the base this is motivating a certain element of it and he's certainly doing well in the polls. But among the general electorate, particularly in a swing state like Pennsylvania, this is going to be devastating.

Erie is one of two of six -- is one of two counties in Pennsylvania, there's 67 counties. But Erie and North Hampton counties are the two counties that went for Barack Obama, Donald Trump, and then Joe Biden. These are truly swing counties. So, he's there for a reason.

But, again, Trump's legal problems and he's, you know, never ending looking backwards and grievance politics about what happened in the 2020 election I think are not going to help him in these swing states in marginal congressional districts. It's a real problem for the party. They all know it. They want him -- they Trump to go away, but these leading contenders against him are afraid to say anything to him because fearful of antagonizing his base, other than maybe except for Chris Christie, Will Hurd and Tim Hutchinson and a couple of others.

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NEWTON: OK. Now, meantime, Former Republican Congressman Charlie Dent, you just heard him there, of Pennsylvania, he was speaking to CNN earlier. Meantime, Mike Pence was in Iowa on Saturday hoping to win over voters with a personal and direct campaign tragedy. CNN's Kyung Lah looks at what's at stake right now for Donald Trump's former vice president.

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KYUNG LAH, SENIOR U.S. NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Former vice president Mike Pence continues his Iowa strategy of going county to county trying to convince voters one at a time to choose him in the Iowa caucuses. He spent part of his day here in Nevada, Iowa, talking to first responders, talking about public safety at the community level. And he told reporters afterwards that his campaign is slow and steady. He still is a couple weeks away before making that debate stage.

MIKE PENCE, FORMER U.S. VICE PRESIDENT AND U.S. REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I think -- you know, I think we're maybe a couple of weeks away yet, based on the pace of things coming in, because our focus is on the campaign. To be honest with you, you know, the criteria of 40,000 donors being added to the requirement of being at a certain place in the polls is somewhat new. We accept that criteria, and confident that we'll get there.

LAH: Pence did not directly attack Trump in this event. This comes on the heels of Will Hurd being booed off an Iowa stage after he took on Trump. And we spoke with caucus goers who say to us that they are dismissing these new charges in the indictment.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: People see through this as a political trial. It's just political by nature, so people see through that. And that they're supporting them in the polling is just reinforcing the fact that we see this as a politically driven trial.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't think Trump is undermining. I think the acts that he's being accused of will play out in court. I think they're doing a level fishing expedition, looking at all sorts of avenues of his life, and they're digging for things that are going to stick, and things that they're going to come up with. I think the Republicans are starting to catch up in looking at the Biden family corruption.

[04:10:00]

LAH: Trump continues his Iowa barn storming on Sunday.

Kyung Lah, CNN, Nevada, Iowa.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: Russian President Vladimir Putin is in St. Petersburg this hour, attending his country's Navy Day Parade. You are looking at live pictures right there in St. Petersburg. The Kremlin says he's being joined by several African officials today, and that includes four heads of state.

Now, this comes a day after he wrapped up the Russia/Africa summit where African leaders proposed an initiative to end the war in Ukraine. Mr. Putin says part of that plan could be the basis for peace, but he insists a cease-fire is not possible while Ukraine carries out its own counteroffensive.

Now, Russia is reporting the second Ukrainian drone strike on Moscow in a matter of days.

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NEWTON: This video shows an explosion and fireball after their purported attack Sunday morning. Military officials say they intercepted three Ukrainian drones, but two of them still crashed into a shopping complex. Now, that came on the heels of another drone strike on Moscow Monday, which did not cause serious damage or casualties.

Salma Abdelaziz joins us now from London. And you've been following all of this, including, you know, that naval parade now underway in St. Petersburg. We will wait to hear what President Putin says during that event. But in the meantime, audacious attacks by Ukraine on a few fronts. How effective have these air strikes been and what is the purpose of them in terms of Ukraine and what they're thinking?

SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I mean, you just played that video, Paula, of that explosion in the middle of a shopping district. You can imagine that was absolutely terrifying for the residents of Moscow that was in that area.

Yes, the drones from Ukraine have caused very minimal damage, no casualties, but that doesn't mean that they don't -- that they're not effective in what exactly they intend to do, which is to bring that war closer to Russians, to make them feel like it's not a conflict that's just over there in Ukraine, but a war that is at home.

I want to bring you one more piece of video. This is dashcam footage that, again, shows a moment that this drone strike occurred near this shopping complex. Again, you can just see that blast, see that explosion, understand how much that can affect families, residents, civilians who are trying to keep this special military operation, as President Putin puts it away from their homes. And on a day like this, of course, Naval Day, and we are bringing those live images when Russia is trying to show through pomp and circumstance the power of its military might, the power of its naval forces.

I can bet you Russian officials are ringing their hands a bit, hoping there's no other Ukrainian interferences by drone or otherwise during these celebrations. As you mentioned, President Putin is set to speak during this event. So, we'll see what he has to say. But it comes amid other very bold attacks by Ukrainian forces.

I want to also mention the Chonhar Bridge attack that occurred just yesterday. This is a bridge that of we have the map to pull up is a bridge that connects Kherson, Russian-occupied Kherson, to Russian- occupied Crimea. A very vital supply route that allows Russian forces to send ammunitions, troops, weapons, supplies up to that long land bridge.

Again struck, the second time in just about a month that it's been struck by Ukrainian forces in an attempt, of course, to choke out Russian troops on the battle field.

NEWTON: Yes. And it's a story that we'll continue to follow as those attacks -- they trade attacks on both sides of the border. Salma Abdelaziz, as we continue to watch, we just saw Putin there at that naval parade and we'll continue to bring you his comments in the coming hours. Salma Abdelaziz for us in London, thanks so much.

Now, meantime, Poland's prime minister says dozens of Wagner mercenaries in Belarus are moving towards a strategic corridor on the Polish border called the Sulvaki Gap. Now, it connects Belarus to the Russian enclave Kaliningrad. You'll see why it's so important there on the map.

Poland's prime minister says the troop movement is part of an ongoing strategy to try and destabilize the country. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MATEUSZ MORAWIECKI, POLISH PRIME MINISTER (through translator): We've got information that over a hundred of the Wagner Group mercenaries moved towards Grodno in Belarus, near the Sulvaki Gap. Why would they do it? Obviously to prepare another stage of the hybrid attack on the Polish territory. They may, in Belarusian border disguise, help illegal immigrants to enter Poland and destabilize it. But they may also try to infiltrate Poland themselves in immigrant's disguise. This would create an extra risk. (END VIDEO CLIP)

[04:15:00]

NEWTON: Now, thousands of Wagner troops are reportedly in Belarus after a failed military uprising in Russia. It was part of a deal negotiated by the Belarusian president, who has since asked Wagner to train his country's military.

The extreme heat wave continues to stifle large parts of the United States. More than 65 million people are currently under heat alerts from Southern California to the deep south. The dangerously high temperatures have claimed the lives of several people in Illinois, Texas, and Arizona. Parts of the southwest are expected to remain in a heat wave for several more days.

But in the coming hours, Phoenix may actually end its days-long streak of topping 110 degrees. And relief is on the way for people in the mid-Atlantic, as well, with the heat wave expected to ease this weekend for much of the East Coast.

There was widespread damage and power outages around Washington, D.C., after severe storms passed through the area Saturday. Now, the National Weather Service issued alerts for high winds. Emergency officials responded to multiple calls for trees and downed power lines. And the city's rail line also reported disruptions caused by downed trees and those same power lines.

At our last report, there were still 100,000 homes and businesses without power right across Maryland, Virginia, and D.C. Incredible pictures there.

Now, the Israeli government has pushed through its first law aimed at reforming the judicial system, but it's only outraged many Israelis who feel their democracy may be slipping away. That story when we return.

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[04:20:00]

NEWTON: In Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is holding his weekly meeting with cabinet ministers at this hour and it follows a tumultuous week in Israeli politics, including the passage of that controversial new law that has further angered many Israelis.

CNN's Fred Pleitgen has the latest now from Tel Aviv.

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FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, it seems almost like the protesters have been jolted and the protests themselves almost supercharged by the events that happened here in Israeli this week.

Of course, the Knesset waving through that first bill of the planned judicial overhaul by the Netanyahu government. And then, of course, the Supreme Court saying it wasn't going to deal with the case until September. One of the things that people have been looking for is how many people would actually take to the streets. But if you look around, you can see there are literally tens of thousands, and we that signature wave of Israeli flags. Of course, one of the main symbols here of the protests against the judicial overhaul.

We managed to speak to some of the protesters who were here, and here's what they had to say.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We feel that the problem will be in the court and not in the government.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Wherever I think the government is not taking care of us, the citizens, the only thing we can do is come here. This is the -- whether it's our duty, and it's the only thing we can do as citizens. We come here every week for almost seven months. The law that passed this week, maybe they thought we would be tired, but we're here to show that we are not tired, we're just beginning.

PLEITGEN: Now, there's a lot of things that the folks here are extremely angry about. Of course, one of the things is the fact that the Knesset waved through that first law, that judicial overhaul, and then, of course, also, that the Supreme Court itself decided not to hear the case until September.

But I think one of the things that also makes a lot of people very angry is the way that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has conducted himself in this. One of the things that many people tell us about is they're extremely angry, for instance, in the way he conducted himself in that interview we gave to our own Wolf Blitzer, where seemingly Netanyahu would not commit to abiding the by a Supreme Court verdict if the Israeli Supreme Court decides to shoot down that first law that was passed on Monday.

So, a lot of people here want to bring that anger to the streets, they say that they feel that they need to keep the pressure up on the government. They know the Supreme Court is going to deal with this law in September. They want to wait and see wants then, but they do say, until then, they are going to keep coming out and they are going to keep voicing their anger.

Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Tel Aviv.

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NEWTON: The powerful economic community of West African states is holding an emergency summit today on that coup in Niger. Now, the head of Niger's presidential guard, on the left, you can see him there, has warned the regional leaders not to send troops after he seized control from the democratically elected president. The E.U. and France have already said that they are suspending financial support and security assistance.

Now, civilians have been going about their lives amid the political upheaval, but there is growing concern that losing international assistance could further cripple the country. Niger's other big benefactor, the U.S., has not taken any actions so far.

CNN's Larry Madowo is monitoring the crisis now from Nairobi.

B (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LARRY MADOWO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The E.U. is hitting Niger where it hurts the most, whether it's a democratically elected president or cruel leaders declaring themselves in charge, they badly need aid. That budgetary support from the European Union from the U.S. and other international partners keeps the country on the move. And now, the European Union saying this, President Mohamed Bazoum was democratically elected. He is and remains the only legitimate president of Niger. He must be released unconditionally and without delay. The E.U. holds the coup leaders responsible for his safety and that of his family.

And that money question is something that the U.S. has only touched on. Antony Blinken, the U.S. secretary of state, became the first U.S. secretary of state to visit in March, and he's been talking about this struggling in Australia.

BLINKEN: We are united in condemning the actions that have taken place in Niger, calling for the immediate release of President Bazoum, calling for the immediate restoration of the democratic order in Niger. Our economic and security partnership with Niger, which is significant, hundreds of millions of dollars depends on the continuation of the democratic governance and constitutional order that has been disrupted by the actions in the last few days.

[04:25:00]

MADOWO: The European Union says it's ready to support future decisions against the regime in Niger, including sanctions on the regional body. The economic community of West African States has a summit on Niger coming up in the Nigerian capital, Abuja, on Sunday. But the African Union is also asking for the release of President Bazoum and says, these soldiers must go back to their barracks within 15 days. They have not been paying attention, because General Abdourahamane Tchiani, who is the head of the presidential guard and has declared himself the new leader of Niger, has been meeting senior government officials, he says they have to go back to work, and he's playing president as the International Community all tells him, no, we don't recognize you.

Larry Madowo, CNN, Nairobi.

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NEWTON: Now to Colombia, where a high-profile investigation has led to charges of money laundering and other crimes against a prominent congressman, who is also the son of President Gustavo Petro. Now, Reporter Stefano Pozzebon picks up the story from there from Bogota.

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STEFANO POZZEBON, JOURNALIST: Nicolas Petro, the son of Colombia's president, Gustavo Petro, was detained on charges of illicit enrichment and money laundering on Saturday morning, according to a statement by the country's attorney general.

Petro's son, who is a congressman here in the Atlantico Province here in Colombia, was placed under investigation by prosecutors in March over the accusation that he had taken money from drug traffickers in exchange for including them in his father's effort to broker peace with a criminal organization in the Caribbean region of Colombia, where the Atlantico Province is located.

The president, Gustavo Petro, commented on the news, saying that he was hurt and, of course, regretted the fact that his son had been detained, but he would not interfere with the investigation. On his Twitter account, he said that as a person and a father, so much self- destruction and the fact of one of my children goes to jail hurts me a lot. But as a President of the Republic, I assure that the prosecution has all the guarantees on my part to proceed in accordance with the law.

And together with Nicolas Petro, he's a former wife, Daysuris del Carmen Vasquez, was also detained on money laundering charges. The two have been taken to Bogota to stand for trial.

For CNN, this is Stefano Pozzebon, Bogota

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NEWTON: Now, Nicolas Petro has previously denied the accusations against him, saying in a statement in March that they were nothing more than political and personal attacks.

So, a new wave of COVID may be on the way this summer. We'll hear what scientists are saying about it and why they say it's not only thing that we have to worry about.

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[04:30:00]

NEWTON: So, more than 65 million people remain under heat alerts right across the United States from Southern California to the deep south. And parts of the southwest now are expected to remain in a heat wave for several more days. But relief, that relief that we're all looking for is on the way for the people in the mid-Atlantic and much of the East Coast.

CNN's Athena Jones has more now on how people in New York were trying to beat the heat, and of course, that humidity.

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ATHENA JONES, CNN U.S. NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: We're here in New York's Washington Square Park. This is the heart of New York University's campus. And we are dealing right now with a real temperature of 91 degrees, but a feels-like temperature approaching 98 degrees. Take a look around this park, though. You would not know from the number of people out and about here that we're approaching a heat index of 100 degrees. But this is one of the areas that New Yorkers come to cool off. We talked this week about the urban heat island effect, and that is cities and parts of cities with a lot of concrete, a lot of asphalt, not a lot of water sources, trees or grass, those areas can reach a temperature -- a feels-like temperature of 10 degrees hotter than the rest of the area. This is not one of those areas.

A lot of people we've seen throughout the course of the day have been getting in and out of that fountain, looking to cool off, and doing a number of other things to make sure that they can beat the heat. Take a listen to what some of the folks we've talked to told us.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You've got to be a lizard, you got to stay in the shade, you got to move slowly. You know, keep the heart rate low. Otherwise, you're just going to be sweating bullets, you know, it's too much. It's too much.

JONES: And what else are you doing? Are you going in and out, like looking for air-conditioning, any kind of water?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Any air-conditioning, you know, getting a cup of ice on the neck, on the forehead, you know, the whole nine yards. You got to play safe, you know.

JONES: Does this concern you at all?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 80 days of smog. You know, in the next 20 years, like this is -- we're past the point of no return, right? Like we have been. So, you know, it's just kind one of the things where it's the new normal and say la vie (ph), you know.

JONES: Of course, given this dangerous heat, city and state officials are warning people to take precautions, to stay hydrated, to stay out of the sun and to stay as cool as possible. Stay in air-conditioned rooms, if you can. But when it comes to air-conditioning, Con Edison, the power company, is also concerned about this heat taxing the power infrastructure. They're urging residents not to use all of your air- conditioners, if you have more than one. To run one at a time and run it at the highest comfortable temperature you can to avoid the dreaded power outages.

Athena Jones, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: The U.S. maybe heading for another wave of COVID-19 this summer. But please, no one panic. Scientists say it very likely will be milder than previous COVID surges. The CDC says that many COVID indicators are showing signs of a spike, although one major indicator seems to show that, you know what, it's already leveling off.

Experts say Americans are traveling a lot this summer. Hot weather is driving people indoors and vaccine protections are waning. And all of those continue to drive an uptick. But they also say that other pathogens are circulating at much higher levels this summer, so if you get something that seems like a bad cold, you know what, it may not be COVID after all.

Dr. Scott Miscovich is the president and CEO of Premier Medical Group USA and a national consultant for COVID-19 Testing. He joins us now.

And it is good to see you again, and always good to lean on your expertise. Because let's be truthful here, it's been a while since people have been thinking about this. So, for those of us thinking about it, give us a status report. How prevalent is COVID right now? Is it any more dangerous? Are you seeing hospitalizations increasing?

[04:35:00]

DR. SCOTT MISCOVICH, PRESIDENT AND CEO, PREMIER MEDICAL GROUP USA AND NATIONAL CONSULTANT FOR COVID-19 TESTING: Wow. And again, good to see you, Paula. It has been a while. I think there's multiple answers to that. Number one, the most concerning thing to us is, it's kind of hard to tell, because we're basically looking at wastewater for our best data.

The data is now so delayed from the CDC. The states have stopped reporting. And then, you combine that with the fact most people are testing at home, or they're not testing at all. So, any of the data we're getting is nowhere near as accurate as the data we've gone over the last three years. So, that's problem number one.

There is some OK data out of wastewater that shows trending that's going up this summer. So, that's our first concern for the United States and for the world. Now, hospitalizations are one of the pieces of data that we have that does show more concerning information. They've risen 10 percent in the last two weeks, and that's two weeks old, again, because the data is fairly stale.

But all regions of the country are showing increases in hospitalizations. There is no data showing it is any more severe. But one of the things we are concerned about is who's going in the hospital? It's our grandparents and its people over the age of 75 are dominating and next group is over 65, and the immunosuppressed, those people that we've been worried about that have been making up most of the statistics. So, there's some problems right now.

NEWTON: Yes. And given those problems, again, parse the advice for us. So many of us have had, you know, so many vaccines and boosters that we've lost count. And yet, many of us have not had any in the last year. What is your recommendation? Should we run right out and get it? Because on the other hand, some people say, look, I get the booster, I get the vaccine, it's number six, seven, whatever, I'm still getting COVID.

DR. MISCOVICH: Well, OK, so that's a very, very good question. And here's the answer we need to look at. Number one, one of the contributing factors to the now rise this summer is the fact that there are so few people that have been vaccinated recently. If you look back when the bivalent was available back in the fall, that's already well over six months for the elderly, and a lot people haven't had vaccine in a year. Well, what do we know about the vaccines? They're great for the first four months, for every age group, and then they start to slack at six months. The older you get, the less effective the vaccine is. So, that's why we're seeing some hospitalizations increase and why we're going to see the people of all ages are going to be more likely to be able to get COVID because they're losing their immunity.

NEWTON: And so, you would say, go out and get a vaccine right now, another booster?

DR. MISCOVICH: This is one of the things I'm being asked all the time when I'm seeing patients, and we're right at edge where I am actually telling people to hold off. Why? We now know the FDA has approved, the production is starting, there will be the upgraded vaccination that will be focusing specifically on Omicron and it's going to drop the original component of the vaccine that was in the bivalent, which is what we want now.

And that vaccine will be available in September, probably mid-to- latter at the latest, and there's going to be a massive push across the United States to get your flu shot and to get your COVID vaccine updated. And then, for the over 60, get that new RSV vaccine that is available.

So, I am advising my patients right now to wait until September, since it's right around the corner.

NEWTON: OK. Interesting. We're going to mark our calendars on that. Now, I don't have a lot of time left, but we've talked about it before, if we're getting more infections, long COVID is a problem. What are you seeing in that in your practice?

DR. MISCOVICH: Oh, I am running a long COVID clinic. So, I see people on a regular basis. The biggest symptom that is the most challenging is the brain fog, as we've heard of. And it just kind of just continues and lingers at any age, it's not specific to elderly, it's a little more advanced in people that don't have up to date or no vaccine is more problematic.

And the good news is I'm seeing it does improve slowly. We have some medications that we're using that have been approved in some trials. But the honest answer, Paula, is just prevent yourself from getting COVID because there is no real solid treatment for it, and it is still very active. It's still causing people to miss work.

NEWTON: Right. And perhaps many of us should take out those masks yet again. Dr. Scott Miscovich, thank you very much. Really appreciate it.

DR. MISCOVICH: Thank you, Paula.

[04:40:00]

NEWTON: In Arkansas, a family, including a young boy, held at gunpoint by Texas police after an officer's mistake. Now, the police chief is apologizing. That story and much after a break.

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NEWTON: A black truck driver who was attacked by a police K9 unit in Ohio describes his terrifying experience and says, he's considering legal action. Jadarrius Rose was unarmed with his hands in the air when a Circleville, Ohio officer released the dog on him.

The inspector wanted Rose pulled over because a missing mud flap. Rose spoke with CNN, accompanied by his mother by his mother and their attorney and said in those moments he feared he would die.

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JADARRIUS ROSE, TRUCK DRIVER ATTACKED BY K9: When the dog was biting me, I just was terrified. I thought I was going to lose my life. I was in pain. I really couldn't see what the officers was doing because the dog was biting me, and I was just in fear of my life and I just was screaming in pain. And I just didn't want to die. I didn't want to die in the hands of the police.

CARLA JONES, MOTHER OF JADARRIUS ROSE: I'm grateful. I'm thankful that my son is still living, because it could have went another way. It could have been another Tyre Nichols. So, I'm thankful. And I'm just grateful to God that God kept him.

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NEWTON: Now, the officer who released the dog has been fired. Rose says the family is still considering legal remedies, including suing the Circleville Police Department.

[04:45:00]

In Texas, a police chief is apologizing after a family was pulled over in a so-called high-risk stop due to an officer's error. The family, including a sixth-grade boy, was held at gunpoint until police realized that they were making a mistake.

CNN's Camila Bernal has that story.

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CAMILA BERNAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voiceover): An overwhelmed father.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You all pulled a gun on my son for no reason.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Can I explain it to you?

BERNAL (voiceover): Police say it was all a mistake.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I ran an AZ for Arizona instead of AR.

BERNAL (voiceover): On July 23rd, a Frisco, Texas police officer ran plates on a black dodge charger. But instead of typing AR for Arkansas, she says she typed AZ for Arizona. The information came back as a possible stolen car. Police say it was a high-risk traffic stop and at least one officer had his weapon drawn.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Everybody in the car, hands outside the window. Hands outside. Maintain your hands outside. Hey, find out if there's any weapons in the car.

BERNAL (voiceover): The family tells police they have a gun in the car.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: In the glove box. In the glove box.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If you reach in that car, you may get shot. So, be careful. Do not reach in the car.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I have bad anxiety. I'm trying. I'm trying.

BERNAL (voiceover): Demetria Heard was behind the wheel. In the car, were her husband, her son, and their nephew.

DEMETRIA HEARD, PULLED OVER IN HIGH-RISK TRAFFIC STOP: Look at my baby.

BERNAL (voiceover): They were on their way to a basketball tournament. She explains what it was like to see her sixth-grade son involved.

HEARD: They actually bring him in, cuff him, and put him in the car. They're walking to put him in the police car. And I'm already have been -- I'm crying, I've been hyperventilating.

BERNAL (voiceover): She says they were instructed not to move.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do not move.

HEARD: My husband explains to me that my nephew is in there literally screaming for his life, and telling him, uncle, we are about die.

BERNAL (voiceover): But finally --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The officer made a mistake on the plate. It was ran differently.

BERNAL (voiceover): -- the officer realizes it is a mistake.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: AR is Arkansas, correct?

BERNAL: An incident review is now underway.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm not justifying anything. I'm just saying like it wasn't the computer that read it, it was our human error that did this. And so, please forgive us, ma'am.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, I made a mistake.

BERNAL (voiceover): The ongoing review would identify further changes to the department's training, policies and procedures.

HEARD: And I thank God that we were not physically injured, but we have suffered a lot of mental and emotional trauma from this.

BERNAL: And in his statement, the chief of police admitting to the mistake, saying that the department does not hide from their mistake and instead learns from them. He says he spoke to the family and understands why they're so upset. Camila Bernal, CNN, Los Angeles.

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NEWTON: To the World Cup now, a clash of heavyweights lives up of to the hype. Ahead, how the heart-pounding match between France and Brazil unfolded. You'll want to see this.

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NEWTON: The 11th day of the Women's World Cup has been underway in Australia and New Zealand. In group A, Norway are currently the Philippines are leading five-nil with only few minutes left in that match. Meantime, co-host New Zealand are facing Switzerland for a chance to move to that next round, but so far, no one has scored.

Now, earlier, Morocco kicked things off by beating South Korea and trying to keep their hopes of advancing alive. Meantime, Morocco's win means Germany can qualify for the knockouts, stay with me here, if they beat Colombia in the hours ahead. We will watch for that.

Now, all of this follows an eventful Saturday full of late-game heroics, dominant performances, and at least one historic achievement.

CNN's Patrick Snell reports.

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PATRICK SNELL, CNN WORLD SPORT: Well, match day two nearly in the books in the Women's World Cup in New Zealand and Australia. Saturday, seeing a vital win for France over Brazil in Brisbane, one that came in highly dramatic fashion to a thrilling contest. And after 70 minutes of play, it would be Eugenie Le Sommer who puts the French ahead, really nice team play and a great finish. That's a really brave header as well for the first goal of the match there. Nice taken indeed. Remember, these two considered among the pre-tournament favorites to win this World Cup.

And early in the second half, it would be Debinha who restores parity for a country to make it one all, Brazil level, knowing they would have qualified for the last 16 with the victory in this one. But the highest drama reserved for right at the end, seven minutes from time, it's the French skipper, Gwenael Renaud, (INAUDIBLE) out ahead of this match, rising superbly to head home, find the back of the neck to shatter Brazil's resolve. France sitting a memorable victory two-one and another World Cup master class from the head coach, Herve Renard, who just can't conceal his delight there, full-time whistle.

Historic scenes for Jamaica meantime on Saturday after they record their first-ever win at a Women's World Cup. Just the one goal against Panama in Perth, but a goal steeped in history, Jamaica defender Allyson Swaby with a really nice header, again, early in the second half, securing all three points for her country.

The victory keeping alive the Caribbean nation's hopes of advancing to the next round of the Women's World Cup. The reggae girls holding on for a vital, emotion-filled victory over Panama. Congrats to them. What a moment for Jamaican football.

And they should delight in it. They face Brazil in their final group match. Panama having lost to Brazil four-nil earlier, can't progress ahead of France and Jamaica who lead group F with four points. France and Jamaica are joined top of group F now and now facing final decisive fixtures against Panama and Brazil respectively. The key date there, August the 2nd.

Elsewhere on Saturday, resounding victory for Sweden over Italy, this one in Wellington as the Swedes book their spot in the knockout stages with a match to spare. This was result never in doubt from the moment the Scandinavian nation finally taking the lead just before the halftime break. Amanda Ilestedt breaking the deadlock with the first of her two goals and, again, a really fine header, that one on 39 minutes.

And a real surge in momentum from the Swedes at this point, as Fridolina Rolfo doubling her country's advantage on 44 minutes. And then, it would get even better for Sweden as they again score this one in first half stoppage time, Stina Blackstenius standing her third for the 2003 runners up. Sweden (INAUDIBLE) winner. Italy suffering their heaviest defeat in Women's World Cup history.

[04:55:00]

Well, Sweden have already qualified, look set to progress as group winners given their vastly superior goal difference over the Italians. Italy can still advance, though, to the last 16 by avoiding defeat in their final group G fixture against South Africa on Wednesday.

South Africa must win to have any chance at all. Qualifying that win would be their first in World Cup history. And on that note, it's right back to you.

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NEWTON: It was so nice to see and hear. That's Lebron James' son, Bronny James, on the piano Saturday afternoon. And that's only days after the 18-year-old suffered a cardiac arrest at his basketball practice. Now, the pro basketball legend shared this video on Instagram, as Lebron and other family members watched, calling him, "a man of many talents."

King James, as Lebron is often called on the court, also posted grand rising, God is great. Bronny, you are amazing, simple as that. Adding, keep going, young king. We're here right with you every step of the way.

Now, in case you missed it, the Mega Millions jackpot in the U.S. shot up to just over $1 billion, and that's because no winning ticket matched all the numbers in Friday night's draw. Now, it seems $1 billion jackpots are becoming a bit of a thing. Just last week, one Powerball ticket sold in Los Angeles won $1.8 -- sorry, $1.08 billion.

Meantime, it's estimated the jackpot for Tuesday's night Mega Million draw will be the fourth largest prize in that lottery's history.

I'm Paula Newton. I want to thank for your company. I'll back become in just a moment with more "CNN Newsroom."

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