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U.S. Economy Grows at 2.8 Percent Annual Rate in Second Quarter; U.S. President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Hold Key Talks; Netanyahu Lashes Out at Critics in Address to U.S. Congress; Vice President Kamala Harris to Rally in Texas before Meeting with Netanyahu; ISIS Groups Threaten Security ahead of Olympics; White House Disavows Anti-Semitic Scenes at Antiwar Protests; U.K. Officer Suspended after Videos Surface of Beating; Call to Earth: Plastic Oceans; Typhoon Gaemi Makes Landfall in China; Canadian Soccer Staffer Responsible for Dronegate Gets Suspended Sentence. Aired 10-11a ET
Aired July 25, 2024 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[10:00:00]
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ERICA HILL, CNN ANCHOR AND U.S. CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Welcome to the second hour of CONNECT THE WORLD. I'm Erica Hill in today for Becky
Anderson, at 10:00 am here on the U.S. East Coast.
Just ahead this hour:
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HILL (voice-over): The very first campaign ad from U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris. Both Harris and President Joe Biden are expected to meet
today separately with the Israeli prime minister. That's in the coming hours.
And this, of course, comes on the heels of Benjamin Netanyahu's controversial speech to the U.S. Congress.
In Europe, meantime, extremism experts are seeing a troubling resurgence of ISIS-K. New reporting shows how the terror group is recruiting teenagers.
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HILL: Before we get to those very important headlines, though, I do want to bring you up to speed on the latest U.S. economic numbers released just
a short time ago. The world's largest economy growing at an annualized 2.8 percent in the second quarter and that is considerably stronger than
estimates.
Of course, important to remember, too, this 2.8 percent is the initial estimate from the U.S. Commerce Department. It will be revised. It's still
a very strong number there.
So how is Wall Street feeling about this latest GDP report?
As you can see about a third of a percent, a little bit more if you're looking at the Dow, there. Wednesday of course, this comes on the heels of
Wednesday's sell off. CNN's Paula Newton tracking all of this for us here in New York.
And Paula, as you told me last hour, when this number came and you had to throw out all your notes.
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PAULA NEWTON, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT: I don't mind telling you. I threw them all out. I'm sure a lot of economists around the world did as
well. Listen, this U.S. economy just will not quit. And that's at every level.
It doesn't matter if you're talking about the consumer and what they're spending on. Because they're also spending on discretionary items. But also
businesses. They really stocked up, built up those inventories, were spending on things like inventory but also spending on software, spending
on equipment.
This was an economy really in absolute balance right now. And why do I say that, Erica, it's because inflation is also under control. You know, you
would have pulled so many people two years ago when we were still trying to figure out a way through -- out through the pandemic.
And they would've said, can the U.S. economy do this, can they continue to grow robustly and still keep inflation under control?
Well, it's happened, they've done it. And I think sometimes is you see the market hears sometimes that market is ahead on these kinds of things. That
is really not such an extraordinary action. But there right now, worried more about earnings in fact and they'll get some of those earnings through
the second quarter.
Having said that, though, if you're looking at the U.S. consumer, if you're looking at U.S. businesses, as I said, absolutely robust and much more than
expected. You're talking a doubling from that last from the first quarter.
A few things to keep in mind here though, this also now puts the spotlight squarely on Jerome Powell and interest rates in the United States. I don't
have to remind you, Erica, interest rates are as high as they've been in more than a generation.
The housing market here in the United States still is the one I'd say really bleak spots for so many people that are looking to move or just
trying to find affordable housing. It looks like next week, when the Fed chair meets with the Fed committee, that likely an interest rate cut is not
in the cards. That was pretty much off the table already.
But you have to think about what he might do in September.
Does he believe this is an economy that can take an interest rate cut?
Because again, they do not want inflation to come up anywhere near the 3 percent. It came in much lower than expectations the last month and they
want to keep it that way, Erica.
HILL: All right.
Paula, appreciate it. Thank you.
Just a few hours from now, American and Israeli leaders are set to meet at the White House for talks that could prove critical in finally reaching a
ceasefire in Gaza.
That meeting between Joe Biden and Benjamin Netanyahu, of course, comes a day after very important speeches by both men. In his primetime address
from the Oval Office, Mr. Biden speaking about his decision to drop out of the U.S. presidential race.
Insisting again, the future of democracy is at stake in this upcoming election and that he's stepping aside to unite his party as well. Prime
minister Netanyahu in his address to the U.S. Congress defending Israel's war with Hamas, blasting his critics and the protesters who had gathered
outside.
He notably did not talk about the status of ceasefire negotiations. After his meeting with President Biden, Mr. Netanyahu will then meet with the
vice president, who, of course, is now the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, Kamala Harris. CNN's Arlette Saenz is back with us
this hour, joining us from the White House.
In terms of expectations from the White House about this meeting between the president and the prime minister, what is the administration saying?
How much do they think it could influence where these ceasefire talks go?
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ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Erica, President Biden has made clear that trying to find an end to this conflict in Gaza will be one of
the key priorities he is facing heading into this final six months in office.
And that is directly where he will turn his attention to today. He will host Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu for a meeting here at the
White House, the first time the two men are meeting in person since Biden had traveled to Israel in the days after that October 7 attack by Hamas.
And one key thing that they will be discussing in this conversation is the need to try to reach some type of agreement to end the conflict through a
ceasefire and also return hostages back home to their families.
President Biden has been quite optimistic about the prospects of negotiations resulting into a deal. Just a few days ago, he said that he
does believe that they are on the verge of achieving one.
But administration officials are also clear eyed heading into this meeting. Currently senior administration officials say that they do not believe
that Netanyahu is stalling or delaying a deal to end this conflict.
But they did say if they do come to that conclusion, that they will ultimately make their views on that clear in the coming month. Now in
addition to that one-on-one meeting Biden is set to have with Netanyahu, the two men together will be meeting with the families of the American
hostages who are believed to be held in Gaza.
There are currently five Americans believed to be alive and three others' families whose the remains of their loved ones are believed to be held in
Gaza. So that will also be an important meeting this afternoon.
Then the attention focuses to Netanyahu's meeting with Vice President Kamala Harris. For Harris, there are several key issues relating to this
meeting, one watching how she will navigate Netanyahu and the conflict in Israel as she is now running for president.
So far, she really has been, for the most part, in lockstep with President Biden in the administration's handling of this conflict. You have seen some
differences in their language and the way that they talk about this conflict.
For instance, back in March, she delivered a speech in Selma, Alabama, where she talked about the humanitarian impact that Palestinians are
feeling on the ground there in Gaza as this war has endured now for quite some time.
She will also have to advocate the angst within her own Democratic Party, something that President Biden was facing when he ran for president. There
is still frustration among young voters, also Muslim American and Arab American voters, about the way that this administration has had handled
this conflict.
But it it'll be interesting to see how exactly Harris will chart her own course when it pertains to Netanyahu and to this conflict between Israel
and Hamas as President Biden has insisted that he would love to find some type of end to this conflict before he leaves office.
HILL: Arlette, appreciate the reporting. Thank you.
Former president Trump, Donald Trump, is also meeting with the prime minister. He and Mr. Netanyahu will meet on Friday. But in a phone call
earlier today with "Fox and Friends," Trump drew a preview of what he may tell the Israeli pm.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT: He's coming to see me. I want him to finish up and get it done quickly. You got to get it done quickly because
they are getting decimated with this publicity. And Israel is not very good at public relations. I'll tell you that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HILL: He also said not for the first time that he believes the October 7 attack in Israel wouldn't have happened had he been U.S. president at the
time.
During his address to Congress, Benjamin Netanyahu didn't hold back when it came to addressing his enemies, including protesters, Iran and the
International Criminal Court. Although he made some references to efforts to bring the hostages home, most of his speech was really focused on
Israel's ongoing military operations within Gaza.
And he also downplayed the country's role in the humanitarian crisis there. CNN's Jeremy Diamond is in Jerusalem; Lauren Fox is on Capitol Hill.
Lauren, let's start first with that reaction on Capitol Hill. Of course, there was a lot made of who was and who was not in the room. And also what
was happening outside as this address was happening.
LAUREN FOX, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes. I mean, going into this speech yesterday, we knew that there were Democrats who were going to be
boycotting it, dozens of them.
And one of the representatives who actually attended the speech but the only Palestinian American member of Congress, Rashida Tlaib, she was
sitting toward the front and even she held up a -- basically a sign that said "war criminal" as Benjamin Netanyahu was giving this address.
And I will tell you that the reaction to her from Republicans was really strong. There were many Republicans I talked to yesterday after that
speech, who said that they thought that she should be fined for breaking house rules, that they argued that that was beyond what should have
happened.
Even some of her Democratic colleagues argued that that was inappropriate. We also saw yesterday some of those who did not attend, speaking out about
the speech that Netanyahu gave yesterday. Here was Nancy Pelosi.
She said, quote, "Benjamin Netanyahu's presentation in the House chamber today was by far the worst presentation of any foreign dignitary invited
and honored with the privilege of addressing the Congress of the United States.
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"Many of us who love Israel spent time today listening to Israeli citizens whose families have suffered in the wake of the October 7 Hamas terror
attack and kidnappings. These families are asking for a ceasefire deal that will bring the hostages home.
"And we hope that prime minister would spend his time achieving that goal."
And I will note even before this speech, there were many Republicans that I talked to who had hoped for a clearer message from Benjamin Netanyahu about
how he planned to get the hostages home.
Including the families of American Israeli hostages, many of whom Democrats were arguing that Netanyahu should meet with while he was in Washington.
HILL: Lauren, appreciate it.
Jeremy Diamond is in Israel, of course, for us.
In terms of the reaction to this address, I know you're also doing some fact checking of the address as well, Jeremy, what is the reaction inside
Israel today?
JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's certainly quite different than what we saw inside the Congress yesterday as the Israeli
prime minister was giving that speech.
And I think I can best distill it but by focusing on one line that the Israeli prime minister delivered, which was he said that, "I will not rest
until all their loved ones are home," referring to the hostages.
And in that very chamber, the Israeli prime minister got a standing ovation from the mostly Republican audience that he was speaking to. The people who
didn't stand up and applaud during that moment were the families of the hostages who were in attendance.
And that's because so many of the families of these hostages feel like the Israeli prime minister is stalling. They feel like he is talking about
bringing back hostages when he is actually the one who holds the keys to a potential agreement.
And if you look at the overall content of the speech delivered by the Israeli prime minister last night, it was very clear that, while he did
give a nod to a former hostage, Noa Argamani, who was in the audience, he did talk about bringing the hostages home.
Overwhelmingly the tone of his speech, which came perhaps on the brink of what could be a potential ceasefire agreement, was overly -- overtly
focusing on the notion of continuing to fight in Gaza until victory rather than preparing to reach a ceasefire agreement.
There's no question that the Israeli prime minister got quite a bit of praise from his right-wing allies for the speech because of that very
reason. But in Israel, the irony of this is that a lot of these lawmakers were standing up and applauding because they want to be viewed as pro
Israel.
But the irony is that if he gave that very same speech in Israel, it's very likely that you would have far fewer standing ovations and far less of the
crowd actually standing up to applaud the prime minister.
And that's because of the frustration. Not only do about 70 percent of Israelis think that Netanyahu should step down as prime minister but they
are also frustrated because they feel like there is a deal that could be reached now.
And for one reason or another, the Israeli prime minister has not yet taken that step. Now we do know that the Israeli prime minister is set to send
his delegation to meet with the mediators once again. He wanted to wait until after his meeting with President Biden in order to do so.
But we also know that that response I'm told is expected to include several of the Israeli prime minister's 11th hour demands that were not in the
original framework that has been the basis for this agreement.
And so it's a big, big open question as to whether or not Hamas will agree to those terms. But we could very much find out in the next week or so
whether or not there was actually a ceasefire agreement that can be brokered -- Erica.
HILL: Everybody watching and waiting for that.
Jeremy, appreciate the reporting as always. Thank you.
Vice President Kamala Harris for her part now in full election mode. Earlier this morning, the Harris campaign releasing its first ad -- you see
a little bit of it there. Just about an hour from now, the presumptive Democratic nominee will speak to members of a national teachers' union in
Texas.
And then of course, she returns to Washington later today, where Harris will meet with the Israeli prime minister. CNN's Priscilla Alvarez is in
Houston.
That, of course, is where the vice president will start her day. So a big focus on who she'll be speaking to today.
The fact that this ad just came out and there are a lot of questions as well about this meeting coming up later today and just how much more we may
learn about where the vice president stands when it comes to Israel and the war in Gaza versus where the president is and just how much daylight there
is between the two of them.
Is the campaign addressing that at all?
PRISCILLA ALVAREZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Today is really focused on unions for the vice president and talking about labor. Of course, this
was the first union, the American Federation for Teachers, that endorsed the vice president when she was put at the top of the ticket.
It's also one of the phone calls that she made on Sunday, again, following President Biden's announcement that he was going to withdraw from the race.
[10:15:00]
The vice president is going to be largely focused on that and also the fact that they are trying to strike a balance this week between an
acknowledgment of President Biden abruptly leaving the race and trying to define her campaign.
And that is what we saw this morning in their first campaign video of Vice President Harris on the trail. Watch.
(VIDEO CLIP, HARRIS CAMPAIGN AD)
ALVAREZ: Of course, some of the issues that the vice president is touching on there -- reproductive rights, gun violence -- and also one thing that
we're likely to see a lot of, that no one is above the law. The vice president looking to prosecute the case against former president Donald
Trump.
And doing so in notable stops along the way this week: battleground Wisconsin; Indianapolis to address a Black sorority and then again, here, a
union event where she will be addressing them underscore unions (ph).
But Erica, also to your question about her meeting with the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, I have talked to aides for months now. And
they have always said that she is in lockstep with the president.
But she has been also a critical voice in the Biden administration in terms of talking about the plight of Palestinians. She had that notable address
in Selma, where she talked about the dire conditions in Gaza. So those are the types of issues that we expect her to address with the Israeli prime
minister.
But this does bookend a week where she has had a momentous start to this campaign, where they're trying to keep that momentum while also working on
fine-tuning her own policies so that she is -- that there isn't a foot (ph) of daylight with the president.
Because of course, as she has said herself, it is also her record. But that there is just enough for her to define herself in the months to come --
Erica.
HILL: And there is also a whole lot of speculation about that short list for V.P. candidates.
Any further indication that it's being narrowed this morning?
ALVAREZ: Well, they are certainly working around the clock. This is the most accelerated search of a vice president or for a vice president in
history. This is happening within less than two weeks. We anticipate that she'll make an announcement before August 7th.
And she has a team of people working on this. Former attorney general Eric Holder, who is leading a team, looking through documents, public
statements, searches of family, et cetera, to try to find who may be the best fit for her.
She of course, is also very involved in this process. So this is the list so far that we know of that are under consideration. It includes names like
Josh Shapiro, Mark Kelly as well as Roy Cooper. But where this goes from here still unclear. These are conversations that are still very much
active, very much ongoing.
And we will know in a short amount of time but it is certainly consuming a lot of time for this campaign, who has had a very truncated timeline to
find her running mate.
HILL: Yes, that's for sure. Priscilla Alvarez live for us in Houston this hour.
Appreciate it. Thank you.
Donald Trump using Joe Biden's Oval Office address to go after both the president and the vice president today. In a post on social media, Trump
bashing the speech as, quote, "barely understandable," calling both Biden and Harris a great embarrassment to America.
And in is first campaign rally since President Biden ended his reelection bid, Trump doubled down on his attacks on Kamala Harris, saying she's a
much worse candidate in his view than Biden.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: Kamala Harris is the most liberal elected politician in American history.
Did you know that she's an ultra liberal politician?
She's absolutely terrible. She's, as you know, more liberal than Bernie Sanders.
Can you believe that she's rated far more liberal than Bernie?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HILL: You'll notice, of course, that the former president continues to intentionally mispronounce the vice president's first name.
As for that comparison to Bernie Sanders, does it stand up?
CNN's Kaitlan Collins asked the man himself.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN HOST: I have to ask you about something that Donald Trump said at a rally tonight when he was attacking Vice President Harris.
He said she is, quote, "more liberal than Bernie Sanders."
Is that how you would put it?
SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I-VT): Probably not. It is just possible for the 83rd thousandth time that Trump is lying. No, I don't think that is the case.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HILL: So as things stand today, there's no clear leader in this now transformed presidential race. According to a new CNN poll, you see there,
Trump holding 49 percent of support among registered voters compared with 46 percent for Kamala Harris.
[10:20:04]
That is, of course, within the margin of error, as you can see there. So back to a bit of a dead heat.
Coming up, a live report now on how ISIS linked groups are posing a major security threat across Europe. And this, of course, coming ahead of the
Summer Olympic Games. Stay with us.
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HILL: The opening ceremony for the Olympic Games in Paris, it will mark, of course, the official start of the games on Friday, though some events
are already underway and Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo saying that the weather could pose a problem for the opening ceremony, should it rain tomorrow.
But she remains optimistic. The opening ceremony, of course, set to take place outdoors along the banks of the Seine. The river, though, as you'll
recall, has been the focus of a fair amount of scrutiny amid pollution and water quality concerns and the efforts to clean it up for events to be held
there.
But she insists it's safe for athletes during the competition. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAYOR ANNE HIDALGO, PARIS: I love the water, I love the sea, I love the rivers. But it's more than that. It's cleaning the Seine, cleaning the
seine is cleaning our life. Cleaning the Seine is for our generation and next generation live with the natural.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HILL: The mayor of course, also recently took a swim in the Seine to show that it was safe. Meantime as the Olympic Games get underway, CNN is
closely following the potential threat that ISIS poses, not just to the games but frankly across Europe.
CNN's Nick Paton Walsh joining me now to explain how the terror group is actually seeing a resurgence, thanks to social media in no small part,
Nick.
NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Look, I think it's fair to say, over the past years in Europe, across the West,
perhaps the terror threat seemed to be something that was perhaps a part of daily life when it did emerge.
It's certainly less of an omnipresent concern to people but large events like the Olympics keep military security services on intense alert.
France very ready, they say, to try and stop any potential attack. But the threat has certainly changed.
And you'll see here reports about how it appears that teenagers are being reached out to on social media platforms by ISIS linked recruiters and how
nearly two-thirds of the attacks and plots we've seen in the last nine months have indeed involved teenagers.
And, two, the troubling rise of an ISIS affiliate called ISIS-K, normally considered active in central Asia but increasingly edging in their ambition
and location closer to Europe.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WALSH (voice-over): Once battered but now flourishing in the shadows, ISIS seemed crushed in Syria. But ahead of the French Olympics, extremism
experts are seeing a troubling resurgence.
[10:25:00]
One disturbingly targeting teenagers using social media platforms like TikTok to recruit. According to a landmark study by researcher Peter
Neumann, nearly two-thirds of ISIS related arrests in Europe in the past nine months have been of teenagers.
PETER NEUMANN, PROFESSOR OF SECURITY STUDIES, KING'S COLLEGE LONDON: We're also seeing groups like ISK, Islamic State Khorasan, specifically targeting
young teenagers and a lot of these young teenagers, they may not be very useful.
They may mess up. They may change their mind. But at the end of the day, some of them may actually be quite useful, not least because they are less
suspicious.
Who would think of a 13-year old as a terrorist?
WALSH (voice-over): This study collates public data on the arrests, some startling. Two teens, age 16 and 18, arrested in April and May for plots on
the Olympics, one with a bomb belt. A 14-year old on a mall, a 15-year old on a synagogue and a 15- and 18-year old plotting together.
Germany, too, made arrests of an 18-year old for a knife attack plot and also three teens, age 15, 15 and 16, for an ISIS-inspired plot.
NEUMANN: So ISK is by far the most ambitious and aggressive part of ISIS right now. They are trying to target young people on the internet with a
lot of social media outrage that we've seen.
A lot of platforms like TikTok, especially, attracting younger people, teenagers, young teenagers, almost through algorithmic amplification,
drawing them into bubbles.
WALSH (voice-over): TikTok said they stand against violent extremism and take down 98 percent of terror promoting content before it's reported to
them.
The new reach of ISIS' remnants emerges as their latest offshoot, ISIS-K, originally based in Afghanistan, becomes increasingly focused on the West
and powerful in nearby Turkiye. A U.K. security source telling CNN the so-called directed terror threat
plots instructed by remote from afar have become a greater concern over the last 18 months with ISIS-K, the most potent group under scrutiny
ISIS-K reappeared violently in Istanbul earlier this year with this brutal attack on a Catholic Church. And Turkish court documents seen by CNN
portray a vast network of ISIS-K radicals in the city.
Some detainees from a plot to attack the Swedish consulate describe how they got orders from ISIS-K's external operations chief, known only as
Rustam, hiding in the Pakistan-Afghanistan border area.
One said how Rustam deletes his Telegram messaging accounts every 15 to 20 days as a precaution after he would contact me with another username.
Turkish police have launched a vast wave of raids against ISIS-K, one shown here last year.
Alone saying 426 ISIS suspects were arrested in 122 operations. Yet ISIS- K's ambition grows with experts fearing they seek to make their brutal name and that the red lights of terror are blinking again.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WALSH: And this ultimately is that changing threat here. And the struggle for governments around the world, namely the Biden administration, is
messaging is really that terror is under control because of the various things they've put into place.
Yet at the same time facing criticism that the science of red lights blinking, as you heard there, continue to persist. We've also just been
hearing today of seven arrests in Belgium, not, say authorities, they're necessarily linked to the Olympic game.
But you can't exclude through the timing that this may be a bid to try and tamp down on any potential plotting. But we're seeing a very different
threat here, potentially ISIS-K, Russian speaking Tajiks, some of them, moving closer toward Europe. Definitely a new type of threat and one
continually evolving.
And you saw there targeting the younger and younger, essentially an attack that sees any kind of success a win for these groups as they try and make
their name again, Erica.
HILL: Yes, absolutely, Nick. Such important reporting as always. Thank you.
Still to come here, Vice President Harris preparing to meet with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu. What the two are expected to discuss,
just ahead.
Plus protests in England after a video of police and a violent confrontation at the U.K. airport goes viral. One officer now suspended.
The political and the community reaction just ahead.
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HILL: The words "Hamas is coming" spray painted on a statue, references to Nazi Germany, the Holocaust and other hateful anti-Jewish graffiti in
Washington. The White House is condemning these blatant displays of antisemitism seen at protests in Washington on Wednesday.
But before and during Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu's address to the U.S. Congress, a spokesperson saying, quote, "Antisemitism and
violence are never acceptable, period."
CNN teams were at the protests, reporting live. Here's a closer look at what they saw.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We are seeing at the base of the Capitol on Third Street are several coalitions of protesters, different messages,
different movements here.
But the basic message is they don't want him here. They're not pleased that he was invited here. Security has really been ramped up here. You've got
police walking the streets all over this area, kind of confining these protesters to one area here.
Fencing all around the Capitol is pretty much unscalable. The Capitol Police have said that a breeze of (ph) a contingent of officers, they even
included officers from New York City to be here.
MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It all ended here at Union Station. This is the remnants of one U.S. flag that was burned here.
Over in the distance there, you can see the ashes there. That's the remnants of another flag.
I want to show you sort of the Bell over here though, the Liberty -- they copied the Liberty Bell that's out in front of the station. That's been
covered in graffiti.
And then the Columbus Memorial has also been covered in graffiti here.
And Jonathan, if you could show all three U.S. flags on the three flagpoles; massive flagpoles out in front of Union Station have been pulled
down. And Palestinian flags have been put up in their place.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HILL: Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu will be meeting of course, with President Biden. And then later on today, Vice President Kamala Harris
today at the White House. Harris, of course, skipped that address to Congress yesterday, noting a previously scheduled campaign event.
When the two do meet, though, Harris will have to confront the Israel-Hamas war. Of course, this is one of the most wrought foreign policy issues in
the United States right now. And it has been a major issue for Democrats, certainly moving into this election.
Joining me now CNN's Edward-Isaac Dovere.
Great to have you this hour. And as we dig into a little bit in terms of your reporting, this has been a real issue for Democrats, Democrats who
historically have always wanted to be the big open tent party. They want to welcome everybody. They have had a very difficult time in terms of handling
both their messaging on the Israel-Hamas war.
And not only the messaging, right, but coalescing the party when it comes to just how critical certain groups have been, particularly progressives,
Gen Z voters.
What changes now with Kamala Harris at the top of the ticket?
EDWARD-ISAAC DOVERE, CNN SENIOR CORRESPONDENT: Now, look here.
[10:35:00]
You're right. Before the last month of all the Democratic infighting about Joe Biden, the issue of Gaza and Israel was really divided. The Democratic
Party continues obviously from those images that we saw to be a divisive issue for Harris.
There have been accusations that she's supported the anti Israel protesters. She has not. What she has done though, is been notably
different from Joe Biden in some of the emphasis that she has been putting on more talk about empathy for the Palestinian people themselves and for
the people who are supportive of them.
That is something that a lot of people have wanted out of Joe Biden but haven't gotten as much as they wanted, as he has been standing lockstep
with Israel and not leaving any daylight there.
HILL: There also has been this push, perhaps, maybe not from as many elected officials but what you're certainly seeing, I think, from some
surrogates over the last few months is perhaps more of a push toward the -- you know, multiple things can be true at once, that there can be this
united stance between the president and the vice president.
Not a lot of daylight in where they stand. And yet there can also be an acknowledgment that there are things that are not going well, on the ground
and there is an intense humanitarian crisis.
How much is the campaign working, if it's clear, to make that a part of the messaging, to play up both that and the fact that, as you point out, the
vice president has been very supportive of Israel. A number of people noting, too, of course, her husband himself is Jewish.
DOVERE: Yes, and not only Jewish but has been -- has been speaking out on behalf of Israel over the last months since October 7th. This is a tough
issue for them. Doug Emhoff, her husband, appeared on a Zoom call last night as a surprise appearance for some Jewish and Israel-supporting
Democrats. Let's just take a look at what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DOUG EMHOFF, SECOND GENTLEMAN OF THE UNITED STATES: Let me just make this clear. Vice President Harris has been and will be a strong supporter of
Israel as a secure democratic and Jewish state.
And she will always ensure that Israel can defend itself, period. That's who Kamala Harris is.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DOVERE: But look, that's him saying, let me make this clear because obviously there are those who feel like it hasn't been clear in the
reporting that I have -- and it's up on our site now -- one of the things that I did was I asked Harris' office whether she considers herself a
Zionist.
As Joe Biden, as recently as two weeks ago, was again saying that he feels like everybody should be. And you don't have to be Jewish to be. Her office
didn't give me a direct yes or no to that answer, gave me a long statement that talked about her support for Israel as a country and its security,
while also standing up for Palestinians.
That speaks to the complexity of this issue. Zionism was, for a century, a term that just meant being in support of Israel. But in the last bunch of
months, since October 7, we've seen, especially on the Left, a feeling that that term now means all sorts of other things that are politicized and
negative.
And Harris avoiding saying yes or no to that term directly.
HILL: Yes.
It is remarkable how the meaning seems to have changed in just the last several months as you point out. Edward-Isaac Dovere, always excellent
reporting, as you point out, it's on the website and folks should definitely check it out. Thank you.
DOVERE: Thank you.
HILL: Meantime, in Gaza, heavy casualties have been reported in the city of Khan Yunis following Israeli airstrikes.
Video published on social media and verified by CNN on Thursday shows smoke rising over the city. This is after a large explosion. Local journalists
said several people were killed and injured by air attacks.
A doctor at the Nasser medical complex telling CNN the hospital was overwhelmed by people with critical injuries, including severe burns and
missing limbs.
Hundreds of protesters meantime, gathering outside a U.K. police station overnight at Greater Manchester. A police officer has been suspended. The
mayor of Greater Manchester now calling for calm. That's all after this disturbing video emerged. You see it here.
Of the police violently beating at least three people in Manchester at the airport in the north, in north of England. The Muslim Council of Britain
says it is, quote, "deeply shocked and alarmed," and is now calling for an independent investigation. CNN's Clare Sebastian joining me now from
London.
That video is disturbing, to put it mildly.
What do we know about what happened here, Clare?
CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes.
Erica, on the one hand, we have the footage that has emerged, several clips that spread really quickly online and has sparked public outrage. They seem
to show, as you said, initially, one man on the floor who's kicked and then has his head stamped, done by police.
In another incident we see a man getting pepper-sprayed in the face by a police officer. But on the other hand, and I should say we cannot
independently verify what happens before the scenes that unfold in these videos or directly after.
But the Greater Manchester police service has filled in some of the details from their perspective. They have said that armed police responded on
Tuesday evening to an altercation between members of the public at Manchester airport. During that response, tensions, a bit of escalated.
[10:40:00]
And they say that three police officers were injured. One female officer had her nose broken; several needed hospitalization. They were worried
because they are armed police officers, that the tension was so high that their firearms could be taken off them, which perhaps go some way to
explain the response.
But they are not trying to justify this. They've also said that they are truly shocked by that video. And what we have now is a concerted effort by
officials, including the British prime minister, to try to defuse tensions and get across the message that this is being handled. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KEIR STARMER, U.K. PRIME MINISTER: Well, I have seen the footage and, for that reason, I do understand the public concern. Obviously, action has now
been taken in relation to the suspension of an officer. And the home secretary is already having those discussions with the mayor of Manchester.
I think they've already happened or they've been taking place as we speak. And she has made sure she's kept updated on developments ever since the
incidents. And so obviously there's a process now that will go into place. But I completely understand the public concern, having seen the footage
myself.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SEBASTIAN: Well, there is an independent investigation underway by the U.K.'s police watchdog.
They say that they're reviewing a lot of video, including CCTV, that the investigation is in the early stages. But they are looking at the level of
force used by one officer. There are as well -- and I should say, we do not yet know anything about the identity of these men.
But there are still questions being raised and criticism coming out from Muslim faith groups about this and questions as to whether or not there was
a racial element to this police response. As of yet, we don't have any further information on that, Erica.
HILL: A lot of questions.
As I know, you'll continue to push for those answers. Clare, appreciate it. Thank you.
Typhoon Gaemi has made landfall now in China. Just ahead here, a closer look at how the storm's path of death and destruction, the trail that it
left behind in both the Philippines and Taiwan and what China can perhaps expect now.
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(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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HILL: As you know, plastic pollution is a growing threat to the future of this planet, especially when you look at the ocean, where much of that
plastic waste ends up, harming animals and possibly your health.
Today on "Call to Earth," we hit the water with an organization that has an ambitious mission to clean up the world's oceans, rivers and coastlines.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(MUSIC PLAYING)
BILL WEIR, CNN CHIEF CLIMATE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This is the mouth of Guatemala's Motagua River, where it quite literally dumps into the Gulf
of Honduras and ultimately the Caribbean Sea.
Topping the list as the country's longest river, it's also one of Central America's most polluted, a tangible reminder of a much larger global
crisis.
ALEX SCHULZE, CO-FOUNDER AND CEO, 4OCEAN (voice-over): It's estimated that every 60 seconds a dump truck full of plastic is entering the ocean.
[10:45:03]
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WEIR (voice-over): Florida native Alex Schulze first came face-to-face with this issue on a surf trip to Bali with a fellow ocean-loving friend.
SCHULZE (voice-over): And that's where we saw a crazy amount of plastic pollution on the coastlines.
WEIR (voice-over): In 2017, they launched 4ocean, two American surfers with an ambitious and what some called "crazy dream" to clean up the ocean.
SCHULZE (voice-over): Once people say, what's even the point of even trying.
But we believe that each step is a step in the right direction.
WEIR (voice-over): Cleanup started locally, like in the nearby Florida Keys, where Alex and the team worked to protect mangrove estuaries from a
constant threat.
TONY ERNST, DIRECTOR OF CLEANUPS, 4OCEAN: This type of derelict fishing gear and ghost nets pose a lot of dangerous to the mangroves.
Number one it's going to inhibit the natural growth of the mangrove. And mangroves are important to our coastlines because it's our first line of
defense against any extreme or increased weather systems that come through.
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WEIR (voice-over): But these days, a primary focus is put on their two international locations: Bali, Indonesia, where the idea was hatched; and
here in Guatemala, where it is the start of rainy season, a time of year when the country's biggest river can grow much bigger.
KEVIN KUHLOW, COUNTRY MANAGER, GUATEMALA, 4OCEAN: The Rio Motagua is a huge river. And in such a little country, the water levels can rise and
fluctuate even at 10 feet overnight in which we experienced that the last year.
WEIR (voice-over): it's a staggering amount of plastic that flows through this river each year. According to 4ocean, more than 18 million kilograms.
To help stem the flow of garbage, they built a containment boom system in 2023 and installed it further upstream. Eventually the waste gets put into
what they call super sacks loaded onto a barge.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): This is our second barge that the Quetzalito team has loaded this month.
WEIR (voice-over): And brought back to their facility in the seaport town of Puerto Barrios, where workers meticulously sort and weigh everything
they've collected.
The highest quality of plastic is transformed into bracelets, which are sold to help finance their operations, while other materials get made into
different products or upcycled into building materials.
They've even been able to turn some of the plastic waste into energy. While an ocean free of plastic is the ultimate goal, there's very much a human
element to what they're doing as well.
JOSH LIBERMAN, CREATIVE DIRECTOR, 4OCEAN: It's extremely important that we engage and empower local communities to do these cleanups.
In Java, in Bali, in Guatemala. A lot of times these are fishermen, fisherwomen whose livelihoods have been taken away because there's so much
plastic in the water. So what were doing is we're giving them a new job that enables them to clean their local community, while also making a fair
living wage.
WEIR (voice-over): Today 4ocean has collected over 16 million kilograms of waste worldwide.
A remarkable achievement born from a crazy idea but a solution they recognize is only a Band-aid for now.
SCHULZE (voice-over): We're trying to drive as much attention as possible to this issue so that we can drive change within the industries to cut down
on the amount of plastic that's being consumed and ending up in the ocean in the first place. We say it a lot that cleaning the ocean alone will not
solve the ocean plastic crisis.
We have to stop it at the source and turn off the tap.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HILL: Let's hear what you're doing to answer the call with the #CalltoEarth. Stay with us.
We'll be right back.
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(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:50:00]
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HILL: Flights are gradually resuming out of Frankfurt after activists, climate activists with Oil Kills and Last Generation protested against the
use of fossil fuels.
Several of them actually gluing themselves to the tarmac. The groups said they were also sought to disrupt operations at several other airports,
including London's Heathrow. The incident comes a day after climate activists also disrupted flights at Germanys Cologne Bonn Airport.
Typhoon Gaemi in -- is making -- has made landfall now in Mainland China, this of course, after leaving a path of destruction in the Philippines and
Taiwan. Landslides and flooding are responsible for at least 13 deaths and displacing some 600,000 people in the Philippines.
The storm is also blamed for the death of at least two people in Taiwan. CNN's Marc Stewart has more from Beijing.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MARC STEWART, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The images of the damage left behind by Typhoon Gaemi show just how relentless and unforgiving the
storm has been.
Right away I want to show you some pictures from the Philippines. In Manila, the capital, we've seen rescue teams at work in small boats in the
street. We've seen families rescued with children wrapped in towels or ponchos.
Video and images show people wading through chest-deep water. Some people are even clinging precariously to overhead power lines. Businesses are
closed. School is not in session and flights have been canceled.
One city in the north of Manila saw the evacuation of more than 55,000 people, including 16,000 families sheltering in evacuation centers. This
according to a post by the government on the social media platform X.
We should point out the typhoon itself didn't make landfall; rather the destruction is from its powerful outer bands.
Taiwan also hit hard. What's interesting there, the mountains serve to deflect and recurve the storm. As a result, the East Coast saw more impact
than expected with powerful storm surge, extreme winds and heavy rain. And here in China, any rain is of concern as we've seen a summer of intense
flooding -- Marc Stewart, CNN, Beijing.
(WEATHER REPORT)
HILL: Let's get you updated on how things are going in Paris. U.S. Olympic athletes in France for the Summer Games, they received a high profile
visitor just a short time ago. First lady Jill Biden stopping by the U.S. training facility with other members of the U.S. delegation.
We also have a few updates for you before leaving you this hour. British tennis star Andy Murray announcing he's pulling out of the singles
competition in Paris. The three-time grand slam champion has said he'll retire after these games.
But it doesn't mean he's pulling out entirely. He is still going to take part in the men's doubles in Paris with his partner, Dan Evans, saying he
wants to concentrate on that, that practices have been going well.
You may recall very recently he had a surgery to remove a cyst from his spine. He's the only man in tennis history to win two Olympic singles gold
medals.
What we're also learning French authorities handing down an eight months suspended prison sentence to a Canadian women's football official for
allegedly spying on a closed-door training session by the New Zealand team, spying with the use of a drone.
[10:55:00]
Canada's Olympic Committee said two staff will be sent home immediately over the incident.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HILL (voice-over): An enthusiastic welcome there for the Palestinian team arriving in Paris ahead of the opening ceremony for the Olympic Games.
That, of course, is tomorrow night.
They're among the more than 10,000 athletes competing this summer. Be sure to join us for our special one-hour program, "Aiming for Gold." It airs
this Friday, 7:00 pm Paris time; 1:00 pm Eastern here in the U.S. We'll bring you the sights and sounds from the opening ceremony of the Olympic
Games in Paris.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HILL: Thanks so much for joining me on CONNECT THE WORLD today. I'm Erica Hill in for Becky Anderson, coming to you from New York. Be sure to stay
with CNN. "NEWSROOM" with Bianna Golodryga is up next.
[11:00:00]
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