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Nearly 110,000 have Fled Rafah Since Evacuation Order; Campaign Cash Wars; Protests Over Israel's Entry into Song Contest Finals; Trump Returns to Court for Hush Money Trial; Survivors in "Gaza Ward" Struggle to Move Forward; New Poll Reveals Popularity of Ozempic and Similar Drugs. Aired 9- 10a ET
Aired May 10, 2024 - 09:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[09:00:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST, CONNECT THE WORLD: Well, this is a scene in New York as we near the end of what has been a momentous week in the hush money
trial after Donald Trump's defense team tried to undermine Stormy Daniels story on the witness stand. It's 9 am there in New York. It is 5 pm here in
Abu Dhabi. I'm Becky Anderson. You're watching CONNECT THE WORLD.
Also ahead Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says his country will stand alone if it has to. That's after U.S. President Joe Biden said he
would stop sending Israel certain weapons if the IDF launches a full scale invasion of Rafah. And the Eurovision Song Contest becomes the latest
target for activists protesting Israel's conduct of its war against Hamas.
When angry and defiant Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel will go in alone and fight with its fingernails if necessary to eliminate Hamas in Gaza. The
Israeli Prime Minister responding to U.S. President Joe Biden's warning that a full scale invasion of Rafah would result in a shutdown of some
American weapons deliveries. Well in an interview on an American talk show, the Prime Minister remains hopeful that the two leaders could find common
ground.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: I've known Joe Biden for many years, 40 years and more. You know, we often had agreements but we've had
our disagreements we've been able to overcome them. I hope we can overcome them now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Right now, U.S. officials are backing Israel's claim that its ground operation in Rafah is limited. But CNN has learned there is doubt
within the Biden administration about Israel's ultimate intentions and the flood of Palestinians fleeing Rafah. Since Israel's Monday evacuation order
is approaching 110,000.
The U.N. says there is nowhere for them to go in Gaza that is safe. Well, there is a lot to unpack here in what is a critical stage of this conflict.
Jeremy Diamond is connecting us from Jerusalem. And let's start with the latest on the ground in Rafah. What are the details as we understand?
JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, two days after President Biden threatened to withhold further American shipments of weapons to Israel if
it moves forward with a ground operation of full out ground offensive in Rafah. We are seeing no signs that the Israeli military or its political
leadership are backing down from plans to continue expanding military operations.
For now the operations do remain limited to the Eastern part of Rafah, for the most part other than a few strikes that seem to have taken place in
southern as well as in Central Rafah. But we are hearing defiance from Israel's political leadership, including the Israeli Prime Minister, the
Defense Minister, both of whom have made clear over the course of the last 24 hours.
That the president's rhetoric that his threats about munitions shipments are simply not going to change what Israel views as an essential mission to
take out Hamas' last bastion in Rafah those four Hamas battalions that remains ensconced in the city. And so that appears to leave us in a place
where it's very likely that we will see the Israeli military expand into an all-out ground defensive in the population centers in Rafah, which
President Biden has described as a red line for him.
We don't know when that could happen. But what we are already seeing on the ground, Becky, is the fact that even just this limited ground operation is
having enormous ramifications on the ground in terms of the flow of humanitarian aid, that Rafah border crossing has been closed all week to
aid crossing into medical evacuations out of Gaza to aid workers who go in and out through that crossing point.
We've seen one of Rafah's three functioning hospitals now shut down as a result of the evacuations and we're also seeing the mass displacement of
people more than about 110,000 people according to UNRWA have now left Rafah fleeing for the Al-Mawasi coastal area as well as the areas around
Khan Younis and Central Gaza.
[09:05:00]
And what they are often finding there is areas that are simply not suitable for human habitation. These are sandy areas with very little
infrastructure, no sewage infrastructure in many of these areas Western Khan Younis has been, you know, decimated in some respects by a previous
Israeli military operations there. And that is ultimately the crux of the problem here.
And one of the reasons why the U.S. has been so adamant in its objections to a ground defensive in Rafah is that there are very few places, safe
places, places with adequate food, water and shelter for these 1.4 million people living in Rafah to go.
ANDERSON: And Israel's offensive on Rafah also having ramifications, of course, for the prospect of a ceasefire and hostage deal. Jeremy, we are
learning more about what is being called a pause in those talks. What do we mean by this?
DIAMOND: Yeah, according to U.S. officials, there has been a pause in the talks now as a result, they say, of Israel's military operations in Rafah.
We saw yesterday as the both the Israeli and the Hamas delegations left Cairo after several days of talks. The Israeli delegation, I'm told left
Cairo only after submitting its response to Hamas' latest counterproposal.
The framework that Hamas has agreed to voicing with the Israeli delegation voicing its objections to that framework listing several of the key points
of disagreement and also making clear I'm told to the mediators that they were going to continue those military operations in Rafah.
There is simply an enormous disagreement at this stage between the United States and Israel over that operation in Rafah, but also on the impact that
operation could have on the top. The Israelis very much believe that the increased military pressure on Hamas and Rafah is what will lead Hamas to
compromising further at the negotiating table that is not necessarily the sentiment of others involved in these negotiations.
And so for now, it appears that the major gaps between the two sides have not been bridged. The key parties have left Cairo. Negotiations will still
continue efforts among the mediators in particular, but it doesn't appear that any kind of breakthrough is imminent, and instead a major Rafah
offensive seems much closer to happening, Becky.
ANDERSON: Jeremy, has ever good to have you. Thank you. Jeremy Diamond is in Jerusalem. Well, the Palestinians in Rafah and indeed across Gaza, of
course are in desperate need of humanitarian aid. But a new shipment is sitting on an American Navy cargo ship off the coast of Gaza because the
U.S. continues to face obstacles as it tries to make its floating pier operational.
We are hearing sea conditions and weather are causing problems more than that as we get it. Well, a much quieter day is expected as court resumes
later this hour in Donald Trump's hush money trial, the former president arriving at the courthouse just a short time ago.
The attention turns back today to Trump's former aide who on Thursday described to jurors what it was like working at the White House. But it
comes in the aftermath of explosive testimony from adult film star Stormy Daniels more than six hours' worth over two days where she described in
lurid detail her alleged sexual encounter with the former president. CNN's Kara Scannell has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KARA SCANNELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Back on the stand Stormy Daniels the adult film star at the center of Former President Donald
Trump's hush money case.
DONALD TRUMP (R), FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT AND 2024 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: -- you'll see some very revealing things today.
SCANNELL (voice-over): Trump's lawyer Susan Necheles spent over two hours attacking Daniels' credibility during Thursday mornings cross examination.
Necheles pointed to Daniels' history of making pornographic films saying you have a lot of experience making phony stories about sex appear to be
real.
Daniels responded, Wow. That's not how I would put it. The sex in the films is very much real. Just like what happened to me in that room, referring to
her alleged sexual encounter with Trump, which he denies. Daniels previously testified that the night of their alleged affair she felt faint
while she saw Trump posing on the bed in his T shirt and boxers.
Necheles question why that scene would be so upsetting since she appeared in about 150 sex films. Daniels testified it was because she was not
expecting a man twice her age to be naked. Necheles -- are you Daniels gained publicity from her story and media appearances, like her interview
on 60 minutes.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST: And you had sex with him.
STORMY DANIELS, AMERICAN PORNOGRAPHIC FILM ACTRESS AND DIRECTOR: Yes.
COOPER: You were 27 he was 60 were you physically attracted to him?
DANIELS: No.
SCANNELL (voice-over): And she argued Daniels profited off the alleged affair pointing to a book deal and documentary, Daniel selling her gear on
our website like #TEAMSTORMY T shirts and going on a strip club tour called Making America horny again.
[09:10:00]
I mean, which Daniels testified she fought tooth and nail against. As she celebrated Trump's indictment by selling merchandise like her saint of
indictments candle, Daniels retorted, not unlike Mr. Trump. Trump's lawyer trying to find inconsistencies in her story presses Daniels about her
dinner with Trump.
COOPER: Did you to go out for dinner that night?
DANIELS: No.
COOPER: You had dinner in the room?
DANIELS: Yes.
SCANNELL (voice-over): Necheles said Daniels changed her story. On Tuesday, Daniels testified they did not have dinner. Daniels defended herself saying
just because they met for dinner does not mean they ate, saying I've maintained that I didn't see any food. It was dinner but we never got food.
The two also went back and forth about an old tweet Daniels send that said she is quote the best person to flush the orange turd down. Necheles argued
the tweet meant she'd be instrumental in putting Trump in jail. Daniels disagreed saying I don't see instrumental or jail anywhere in that you're
putting words in my mouth.
Also on the stand Trump's Former White House Assistant Madeleine Westerhout whose desk was right outside the Oval Office. The jury reviewed a contact
list of people Trump spoke most to, which was sent to Westerhout that included Cohen Tabloid Executive David Pecker, among others.
Westerhout testified about an email confirming a February 2017 meeting between Trump and Cohen in the Oval Office. Prosecutors allege Cohen and
Trump worked out the reimbursement for the hush money payment at the crux of the case in the Oval Office that month. She also confirmed that in her
experience, Trump like to read things before signing them.
Westerhout explained that checks were regularly sent about twice a month from the Trump Organization to Washington. She described bringing them in
for Trump to sign and we then FedEx them back to the company. Kara Scannell, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Well, CNN's National Security Reporter, Zachary Cohen closely following the trail from Washington. I do want to start by asking about
Michael Cohen, who is of course Trump's former lawyer and fixer, Kara, mentioning him there in her report. We have learned in the last few minutes
that Cohen is expected to testify on Monday. What should we expect?
ZACHARY COHEN, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY REPORTER: Yeah, Becky, this is sort of the moment we've been waiting for this entire trial. And it's something
that the prosecution has tried to prepare the jury for since their opening statement. They know that Michael Cohen is a complicated witness. He's a
convicted lawyer.
He's somebody who the defense attorneys are going to try to undercut and undermine the credibility of and yet every witness that has come forward
has really reinforced this complication to the jury, so they like Stormy Daniels should be prepared to hear Michael Cohen's testimony.
And ultimately, the prosecution is going to try to get the jury to listen to the facts as they come out of Michael Cohen's mouth. Obviously, the
defense attorneys are going to try to highlight his unpredictability and unreliability as a witness. So this is really the moment though, this is
the person who alleges to have first-hand knowledge of the reimbursement scheme at the core of this indictment, and he's the only one who can
testify to that firsthand knowledge that we've seen so far.
ANDERSON: Donald Trump's attorneys argued for a mistrial, which the judge has denied, at the end of this week and after hours' worth of testimony by
Stormy Daniels. What has been the impact of testimony this week on the defense case?
COHEN: Yeah, Becky, the judge in this case, actually criticizing the defense attorneys after denying their motion for a mistrial, essentially
saying, raising questions about their strategy, a shift in strategy that centered around failing to object when Stormy Daniels aired some salacious
details about her encounter with Donald Trump.
That was something that judge said that he preferred did not come out in court and the jury did not hear, but the defense attorneys failed to object
and Stormy Daniels was allowed to testify about those details. And ultimately, this does come back to credibility, right.
This comes back to a window into Canada defense attorneys convinced the jury that witnesses like Stormy Daniels, or witnesses like Michael Cohen
who may be complicated or not credible, and we're going to see if they're able to do that more successfully with Michael Cohen, because it does
appear that prosecutors were successful in having Stormy Daniels come off as a credible witness despite some of the salacious detail around her
engagement with Donald Trump.
ANDERSON: It's good to have you sir. Thank you. Right well, still to come. While Donald Trump is busy with his criminal hush money trial, the Biden
camp, fully focused on making its considerable war chest even more of an advantage. In fact, tickets to just one of President Biden's upcoming
fundraisers are reportedly going for $100,000.
[09:15:00]
More on that, after this and it is said that the music is the universal language of mankind but this year there is discord at the Eurovision Song
Contest, why? We'll have that for you.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: You're watching CONNECT THE WORLD. I'm Becky Anderson. We now have information on what is a highly anticipated report to the U.S.
Congress regarding Israel's conduct in Gaza and whether it has violated international humanitarian law. Well, CNN has learned that Secretary of
State Antony Blinken will report to Congress possibly as soon as today that Israel did not violate the terms for its use of American weapons in Gaza.
That is according to CNN Contributor Barak Ravid. Now the pending report has already led to deep divisions inside the State Department where some
offices have expressed doubt over Israel's assurances. Our Kylie Atwood is at the State Department for us. And she joins us now.
I mean, this report likely to further inflame divisions not just at the State Department at home and abroad, should it reveal, what we are
expecting it to reveal? Do we have any more details at this point?
KYLIE ATWOOD, CNN U.S. SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Right now, Becky, we don't. Our details are really, you know, hinged on what Barak Ravid has reported,
as you were saying that the report, you know, the top line is not going to find that Israel violated the terms of use for U.S. weaponry, which would
essentially mean that they didn't violate international humanitarian law, as they use U.S. weaponry in Gaza.
But we are still waiting for the report to actually go to Congress. It goes from the State Department to Congress as soon as today or potentially in
the coming days. It was due earlier this week. But the administration said it was slightly delayed. And one interesting part to look at Becky will be
not just what the State Department says about the assurances that Israel provided them with rhetorically.
But any evidence that Israel gave them that they were indeed justified in their strikes, particularly those that killed many Palestinian civilians.
Were they actually going after Hamas targets to that end to justify that they were actually acting in accordance with international humanitarian
law.
And another part of this report is also going to make a determination as to whether Israel impeded humanitarian delivery into Gaza. And that's a key
part too, because U.S. officials have repeatedly you know, tried to cut this one, very delicately saying that Israel has to do more that they have
been making strides, but they aren't doing enough.
So what the Secretary of State, what determination he makes, in terms of what Israel has been doing over the course of the last few months here will
be pretty significant. So watch and see when this report actually goes to Congress, we should note two things, Becky, first of all, part of it is
expected to be public.
Part of it is expected to be classified. And it doesn't require a change in policy. Those as we have said it could put immense pressure on the Biden
administration to further curtail weaponry to Israel or to further condition that weaponry. And it also comes the same week, of course, that
as we have discussed, at great length.
[09:20:00]
President Biden has decided to put a pause on some of those weapons shipments to Israel, those 2000 pound bombs, citing concerns about the
damage that they could do in those densely populated areas in Rafah, as the administration is really trying to put pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu not to go ahead with a full scale invasion into Rafah.
ANDERSON: I mean, never -- very directly have those sorts of bombs, these 2000 pound bombs that have been used by Israel killed people in Gaza in the
past, and it was quite clear that the U.S. President was aware that has happened. His point being that they are potentially going to curtail any
further shipments of those if the Israelis go into the very densely populated areas of Rafah.
That is a red line, as far as the U.S. President is concerned, at the moment would be really interesting to see what period of time over what
sort of period of time this report is alluding to as well. After all, this has been a seven month conflict at this point. Kylie, it's always good to
have you thank you very much indeed. And we await more on that story. It is important.
Well glitzy spectacular over the top, some of the ways we would typically describe the annual Eurovision Song Contest. And if you've watched it over
the years, you'll know what I'm talking about this year. You're going to have to add controversial. Pro-Palestinian protesters filled the streets
near the Eurovision venue in Sweden this year after Israel became one of the 26 finalists.
The Grand Final is Saturday night or others turned out in solidarity with Israel. The Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told singer in golden quote,
you've already succeeded. Let's get more now from CNN's Anna Stewart. What can we expect protests wise, at least at the Grand Finals tomorrow?
ANNA STEWART, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, I think the City of Malmo is going to be very, very busy. Pro-Palestinian protest, organizers are expecting up
to 20,000 people to show up which is even more than the 15,000 people who are actually expected to go to the arena to watch this big song contest
tomorrow night.
So it's certainly going to be a busy one and Swedish police have said it's going to be one of the largest security operations the city has ever seen.
Now protesters would like to see Israel banned from the Eurovision Song Contest. Clearly that's not happened. There are also calls for people to
boycott the event. Take a listen to one of the protesters from yesterday.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MATILDA VARATTA, PROTESTER: -- and what we would like to see is that they disqualify Israel like they did with Russia. When Russia invaded Ukraine --
it is not true that the Eurovision is not political. It has always been political, and it will always be. So it's just a failed excuse.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STEWART: Accusing the organizer the EBU there essentially have double standards given they did ban Russia in 2022. They banned Belarus in 2021.
And you can go back through the decades. This is a contest that is often overshadowed by politics despite the motto united by music. I remember
Yugoslavia, for instance, being banned in the 1990s, so very much overshadowing this event, Becky.
ANDERSON: What are the chances of Israel winning at this point?
STEWART: That will be a very interesting one, I'd say no, but I think almost more interesting will be what we might see in the arena because of
course there are lots of rules from the EBU about how you're not allowed to take flags in as the audience members of it's not a participating country
or territory.
So I know Palestinian flags allowed, will they get them all? What about the booing from the crowds during the Israeli act? And what about contestants
on stage who aren't allowed to make a political statement, aren't allowed to do anything like that?
But in the past they have even in 2019, the Icelandic Act actually pulled out a Palestinian flag then and received a huge fine. So I think there will
be a lot to see in the City of Malmo and on the stage a lot to watch, Becky.
[09:25:00]
ANDERSON: I've just pulled up a tweet from Eurovision news, which is interesting. I'm not even sure that you've seen this share. Let's just
bring it up who will receive most points from tele/online voting in the Grand Final? This has Israel first at this point.
Now I think it's just important to remind people that over the years this has always been a bit controversial, hasn't it Anna, because that online
and telephone voting as it's been, you know, over the years can be very, very loaded?
STEWART: Hugely.
ANDERSON: It is not difficult people have said or its critics have said to kind of force fight somebody up the ranking. So it's going to be it's going
to be interesting to see what happens. We'll keep an eye on that. That is just the betting that's going on at present through betting agencies.
Anna, good to have you thank you. Well still come on CNN, Donald Trump's criminal trial in New York is set to resume after the former president's
latest motion for a mistrial was rejected by the judge. Plus newly released body cam footage the moment police in Florida shot a U.S. airman in his own
apartment, more on that, after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: In New York, Donald Trump's criminal trial resumes today after well salacious testimony from Stormy Daniels and a second motion for a
mistrial from the Former U.S. President's defense team. Now Judge Merchan rejected that motion on Thursday as well as a request by Trump's lawyers to
have his gag order amended. The defense argued the case should be tossed out because Stormy Daniels has changed her story.
[09:30:00]
Meantime, cross examination of a Trump aide who worked in the White House is expected to continue when court resumes today and we have just learned
from a source that Trump's Former Attorney Michael Cohen, is expected to begin his testimony on Monday. I want to bring in Jeff Swartz.
He's a former judge. And now a Law Professor and I, before we talk about what's happened this week, I do want to talk about the potential for
testimony from Michael Cohen next week. This is the next most important part and perhaps the most important part of this trial. Remind our viewers
around the world who he is, and why his testimony could be so important?
JEFF SWARTZ, FORMER MIAMI-DADE COUNTY COURT JUDGE: Michael Cohen described himself as the fixer, the guy who took care of things for Mr. Trump over a
number of years. In this particular case, though, it appears that in his attempt to be the fixer, he was foul. He alleges he was following the
instructions of Mr. Trump and a couple of other people within the Trump's sphere.
And that he basically in my opinion, was the bag man, he's the guy that got the money to the person who's supposed to have it. He dealt directly with
Mr. Pecker at one point and he dove directly with Stormy Daniels' attorney, what he's going to do is tie up this conspiracy, we've seen a lot of the
peripheral people testifying.
They are -- they have set up the corroboration of the things that Michael Cohen said. And at this point, when Mr. Cohen takes the stand, he's
supposed to tie in all of these people together as to what they did, and he becomes important. But there are the witnesses who testified before him
that I think probably hurt Mr. Trump more than Michael Cohen is going to, but he, Mr. Cohen will be the most contentious of all of the witnesses.
ANDERSON: Yeah. And that we're going to hear more from a former White House aide later today. Without getting caught in the weeds here. Let's step back
for a moment to date. What do you make of the case from or the performance of the prosecution and the defense? And where do you see this lightly
headed at this point?
SWARTZ: OK, I think the state has done what they're supposed to do as much as it wasn't spectacular. They put on witnesses they needed to, to set the
pillar posts, and to create the conspiracy and the actions of other people. The main thing they really had to prove in all of this was the fact that
Mr. Trump was aware of it, and that his purpose in doing all of this was related to the election.
And I think they've done a fine job of doing that up to this point. I think that they performed well. I think the defense performed as well as they
could with two major problems that have been created and were exposed yesterday. Number one, in the opening statement, Mr. Blanche made a huge
error by denying that there ever was in a relationship between Stormy Daniels and Mr. Trump.
Thereby opening up the road for all of the testimony that Stormy Daniels testify to all those salacious specifics of what occurred and all that
happened inside that room on that particular evening, to try to substantiate that there was such a relationship. And that was a huge error
on his part.
The second error on their part was that they then did not object to certain things that were coming in that had been excluded by the judge then tried
to move for a mistrial saying wait a minute, she said those things in particular, the thing about Mr. Trump using a condom.
And at that point, the judge had to step up and say, wait a minute, you had a chance to object, you objected to a lot of things. You did not object to
that, on top of which you've now gone into all of that on cross examination. Therefore, waiving all of your objections, I cannot grant a
mistrial on something that you did not preserve air on.
And so therefore, your motion is denied. And those were two huge errors. The cross examination yesterday by Ms. Necheles was just awful.
ANDERSON: It's good to get your perspective. Thank you and viewers, just so that, you know, court has started again. Good morning, Mr. Trump, says the
judge, and we will get as much for you on that as we can add throughout the hours to come of course, no cameras in the courtroom.
So we've got reporters in there and they are live reporting through what is the -- you can get that on the CNN app while Donald Trump is saddled with
the Stormy Daniels criminal hush money trial.
[09:35:00]
U.S. President Joe Biden is on the West Coast on what is a big fundraising swing. He is looking to maintain what is, his cash advantage built early
against Donald Trump. Tickets to a fundraiser in San Francisco today could set you back $100,000. Then tonight the President will be in Seattle.
Tickets there go up to 50 grand. Senior White House Reporter Kevin Liptak, joining me now. How did President Biden build up such a sizable war chest
so early and for the benefit of our viewers, who may not be as familiar with U.S. politics are in an election year? Why is this war chest so
important? What does it get spent on?
KEVIN LIPTAK, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Well -- in Biden's case, it's getting spent on television ads, they've spent tens of millions of dollars
already you know, six months before the election on the airwaves targeting very specific voter groups, you know, African, Americans, women trying to
get Biden and his message into Americans living rooms.
But when you ask how Biden built up this sizable cash advantage, one of the reasons is he ran mostly uncontested in the Democratic primary. So he and
his team kind of had the democratic donor base to themselves as President Trump was competing in a Republican primary.
And the Republican donors were sort of scattered about him and his rivals and the President's team, President Biden's team really used that time to
their advantage really building up this campaign war chest and when you look at the numbers that we have the last numbers available are from the
end of March.
President Biden had twice the amount of cash that President Trump had in his campaign coffers, President Biden had $85 million, and Trump had $45
million. Now as the Republican nomination contest ended, as President Trump consolidated support, you do see him starting to catch up.
He has held these fundraising events at Mar-a-Lago that raised you know, tens and tens of millions of dollars in the last month in April, he has
told donors that he raised $76 million, which is catching up with President Biden, I think the real difference that you're going to see is how they
spend this money.
President Biden, as I said, spent it on campaign ads. He has staffed up in the battleground states. Part of what the money that Trump is raising is
going to, are his legal fees. He's sitting in court, those lawyers are very expensive and his supporters and his political committees are spending a
lot of the money that they're raising on those legal fees.
ANDERSON: Senior White House Reporter, Kevin Liptak in the House. Thank you, sir. We'll get you now to what is the deadly police shooting of a U.S.
airman in his own home. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin says he is closely following reports emerging about the death of Roger Fortson.
Now Florida deputies released body cam footage of the shooting maintaining they went to the correct apartment following a disturbance call. Fortson's
family says the police are wrong and that they want answers.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHANTEMEKKI FORTSON, ROGER FORTSON'S MOTHER: I need you guys to tell the truth about my son. I need you to get his reputation right.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
FORTSON: If you have a heart if you have a niece or nephew, any young person in your life tell the truth about my son
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Nick Valencia following the story for us, Nick.
NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Becky, social justice activist or enrage saying that this is the latest example of police in America lying about
what really happened. In fact, during a press conference yesterday, famed Civil Rights Attorney Ben Crump, who's now representing the Fortson's
family, said the initial statement from the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Department seemed to indicate that this shooting didn't happen inside
Fortson department but rather outside and that that Deputy feared for his life and that's why he had to use fatal force.
There's also a dispute though about a claim made by Crump during that presser. He said that he believes deputies went to the wrong address when
they were responding to a disturbance in progress call. The sheriff's office has pushed back on that claim. Now we want to show you the body cam
footage that they released yesterday but before we do, we want to warn you that it is extremely graphic.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sheriff's office, open the door. Shot the gun.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VALENCIA: -- the video there did not show those gunshots but you hear those gunshots in real time and it's just a matter of seconds before the gunman
or rather the deputy opens fire on Fortson, a 23 year old Senior Airman.
[09:40:00]
He was active in the U.S. Air Force as Senior Airman as I already mentioned that but Fortson was on a FaceTime call with his girlfriend a witness to
the shooting who says there was no disturbance in progress at all. We want to show you this FaceTime video and in it you could hear Fortson struggle
to breathe. And even still, the deputy says he's giving him commands to drop his weapon and stop moving.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: -- stop moving --
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VALENCIA: You saw that shooting there with your own eyes. Now listen to the Okaloosa County Sheriff describe in his words what he believes happened.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ERIC ADEN, OKALOOSA COUNTY, FLORIDA SHERIFF: What we do know at this time is that the deputy did announce himself, not once but twice. Mr. Fortson's
comments indicate that he did acknowledge it was law enforcement at the door and he arrived at the door with a firearm in his hand. The deputy
knocked on the correct door. He did not cover the people, or otherwise obscure its view in any way.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VALENCIA: Fortson was idolized by his family and during a very emotional part of that press conference yesterday. His mother says that, you know
where they're from people like him don't go the places that he was going. He has passed as a result of his injuries. The FDLE is now investigating
this and that deputy, Becky, has been put on paid administrative leave, Becky.
ANDERSON: Good to have you Nick. Thank you, Nick Valencia. Well still come, a new poll shows one out of eight adults in the United States have taken
the wildly popular weight loss drugs like Ozempic or Mounjaro. Have a closer look at the data, next in a live report.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: The United Nations General Assembly is due to vote today on whether to revive a Palestinian request to gain statehood. This resolution
would call on the U.N. Security Council to reconsider a Palestinian bid to become a full member of the United Nations.
Now, you'll remember last month the U.S. vetoed a Security Council resolution that would have recognized a Palestinian state. There is no veto
in the General Assembly. More than that as we get it. Well the vast majority of Gaza's hospitals destroyed. Some people wounded in Gaza are now
getting medical treatment elsewhere. And some of them are in Qatar.
[09:45:00]
CNN gained rare access to Hamad Hospital in Doha which is treating some of the most severely injured. Jomana Karadsheh was there to document some of
their stories. And again, I have to warn you some of the images in those report are graphic.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Behind every door is a story of what war has taken, and what it has left, shattered lives, broken
bodies and tortured souls. This is the Gaza ward -- Hamad Hospital, where you find just some of the scores countless critically injured. Some would
say they're the lucky ones who barely escaped death and the hellhole Gaza and its hospitals have become.
DR. HASAN ABULHEJLEH, CONSULTANT ORTHOPEDIC SURGEON AT HAMAD MEDICAL CORPORATION: -- had a very severe injury. From the injury, he had an above
knee amputation on one side and the below knee amputation on the other side.
KARADSHEH (voice-over): Now patients spent months with open wounds and arrived here with drug resistant infections, making their cases even harder
to treat.
ABULHEJLEH: I've been working in orthopedics around 2021 years, and the kinds of injuries the severity of the injuries, the types of bone loss and
infections we faced with the -- patients are beyond whatever I've seen before.
KARADSHEH (voice-over): But even those who've lost so much have found solace in having their children safe and by their side. Raneem sits alone
in her hospital bed, no one by her sight, the vacant look in the eyes of a woman who seemed deaf. It was on October 24 as Khan Younis was under
Israeli bombardment, at an event eight months pregnant was in bed cradling her one year old son Azuz (ph) to sleep.
RANEEM HIJAZI, SON KILLED IN GAZA: I had a feeling something bad was going to happen. So I held him tighter. Whatever happens to me happens to him.
You don't feel the strike itself. You just open your eyes and you're under the rubble. I woke up screaming I was feeling around to find my son.
Suddenly my mother in law came screaming Azuz (ph). She found him over my belly. She picked him up. His body was in her hands and his head dropped
onto my belly.
KARADSHEH (voice-over): When Raneem got to hospital, they thought she was dead. Her baby girl was delivered by C section.
HIJAZI: They delivered her and she took her first breath. I came back to life.
KARADSHEH (voice-over): With an amputated arm and serious injuries to her legs, Raneem couldn't even hold her baby girl before she was evacuated out
of Gaza. Her daughter is now in Egypt. She's watched her grow in photos. Baby medium now is as old as this war. And he says most days not even her
daughter is giving her the will to live anymore.
HIJAZI: It's over life has ended. There's no more joy. I shut my eyes and all the memories overwhelm me. I saw the baby formula I used for my son and
I felt I was dying. And it was just baby formula. You can only imagine what happens when I see his picture, or videos or his toys or his clothes. The
pain will never go away. We give birth, only to lose them.
KARADSHEH (voice-over): Every woman we spoke to in this ward has lost a child some more. Shahed married the love of her life Ali (ph) a 26 year old
university professor. When the war started she was seven months pregnant with her first child.
SHAHED ALQUTATI, CRITICALLY WOUNDED IN GAZA, LOST HUSBAND AND A BABY: A week before the war we bought everything for the baby, every clothes every
single t shirt --
KARADSHEH (voice-over): On October 11th, a blast hit their home Ali (ph) and Shahed found them on the street. Shahed lost her leg Ali (ph) both legs
and his arm. They called out each other's names before they were rushed to hospital. But Ali (ph) didn't make it. Two days later their baby girl
they've named Sham (ph) arrived into this world lifeless.
ALQUTATI: It's really hard -- very hard that because this is, like, my everything you know, my everything, this is my everything suddenly
disappeared.
KARADSHEH (voice-over): Shaheds nightmare didn't end here. She was one of hundreds of patients trapped in Shifa hospital when it came under Israeli
siege. Like other patients forced out her father had to push her on a wheelchair for hours to get through Rafah.
ALQUTATI: When we reach Rafah, like my injury was and all infections like the hospitals is not sickly and to go in at if I want to go to the hospital
-- I will die.
[09:50:00]
KARADSHEH (voice-over): Despite everything she's gone through a resilient Shahed somehow still smiles.
ALQUTATI: No one will feel the pain here like I'm -- with my -- with the people staying happy, like laughing but when I'm like alone I feel
something painful here. I cannot be any heal from that.
KARADSHEH (voice-over): In every corner of the sward a story of pain and grief too many for us to tell the journey to recovery for the few who make
it out begins here. But how does anyone ever heal from this. Jomana Karadsheh, CNN, Doha.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Well, the U.K. is now out of eight short and shallow recessions. Recession though nevertheless, official figures show the economy grew by
0.6 percent in the first three months of the year, driven these statistics show by what has been described as widespread growth in the service sector.
Or the FTSE touching a new intraday high for its part, the Bank of England now expects U.K. GDP to expand by 0.5 percent this year. That's double the
pace forecasts in February. And Wall Street's high in early trading building on Thursdays rally. Well for a look at the growing popularity of
medications like Ozempic now.
A new survey finds one out of every eight adults in the United States that's 12 percent, has now taken these prescription drugs meant to manage
diabetes or heart disease but often used for weight loss. And Americans are taking these drugs despite the high price tag which can cost about $1,000 a
month.
CNN Medical Correspondent, Meg Tirrell joins me now from New York. What else is this polling telling us? What does it reveal about what's going on
here, Meg?
MEG TIRRELL, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, we know that these are very popular drugs and that millions of people have taken them in the
United States and increasingly in other countries as well. But this really shows us just how big this potentially is. And putting this into context,
we know that these medications have been in shortage.
The makers, Novo Nordisk, and Eli Lilly have not been able to keep up with demand even though they're expanding their manufacturing capacity. Novo
Nordisk CEO told me recently, really one of the biggest expansions of this kind in pharmaceutical history, he compared it to the COVID vaccine effort,
for example.
So there are ton of people taking these medications. 12 percent of U.S. adults in this KFF poll suggested they had ever taken one of these
medications. These are called GLP-1 receptor agonists. They include Ozempic and Mounjaro which are approved for type two, diabetes and Wegovy and
Zepbound which are approved for weight management.
Now, 6 percent of people in this poll said that they are currently taking one of these medications. That's about 15 million Americans. So it's a huge
number of folks. Among the people with diabetes, they were most likely to have said they'd ever tried one of these more than 40 percent.
[09:55:00]
About 26 percent of people with heart disease had ever taken 1 in 22 percent of people whose doctors had said they had obesity or were
overweight so more people are trying to get on these and the companies just can't make enough, Becky.
ANDERSON: We know they are expensive. I guess that begs the question, can people afford them? And are people aware of any side effects here? Or is
there a kind of sort of cloud of, you know, sort of -- I can't even think of the word that I'm looking for here. Are people aware of what they are
taking at this point?
TIRRELL: Yeah, you know, the side effects are fairly, I think, well communicated, the main ones are feeling nauseous or other GI side effects
and those can be pretty prevalent. A lot of people feel those. And those drugs are designed to be started at low doses and escalated over time in
order to try to limit how bad people feel when they take them.
In terms of more serious risks, these are being very widely studied as millions of people take them increasingly widely studied. So there are some
more serious risks like stomach paralysis, for example, but those are incredibly rare. I know in terms of the price tag that is a huge problem
for a lot of people as you said $1,000 per month out of pocket without insurance and insurance coverage is difficult, Becky.
ANDERSON: Meg, apologies I mispronounce your name at the beginning Meg Tirrell, thank you. I'll be back with another hour of CONNECT THE WORLD,
after this short break. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
