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Palestinian Death Toll in Gaza "Grim Milestone for the World"; Biden and Harris to Tout Lower Drug Prices at Maryland Event; Ukraine Claims New Advances in Russia; Taliban Mark Three Years since Afghanistan Takeover; Taylor Swift Resumes Tour; WHO Declares Mpox Global Health Emergency; Greek Sculptor Vows to Rebuild after Fire. Aired 10-11a ET
Aired August 15, 2024 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST (voice-over): We start the second hour of CONNECT THE WORLD with what the U.N. human rights chief calls a "grim milestone"
for the world. The health ministry in Gaza, reporting 40,000 Palestinians killed there since the start of the war last October 7th.
That amounts to one out of every 55 people who lived in Gaza before the war. Now CNN cannot independently verify those numbers or how many
combatants might be included in the tally. But we do know that the majority of the dead are civilians, including many women and children.
That milestone reached on the same day that ceasefire talks are resuming in Doha. Dateline Doha, extremely important today and that is where we find
Jomana Karadsheh -- Jomana.
JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You know, Becky, it's being described as a grim and horrific milestone, more than 40,000 Palestinians killed over
10 months of war.
That is, according to the figures released today by the ministry of health in Gaza. They believe that the death toll is higher than that. They say
that there are thousands of people who are unaccounted for. They believe, up to 10,000 people could be under the rubble.
And while we can't verify these figures, Becky, we have seen, day after day over the past 10 months, this constant stream of images of bloody children,
maimed, dead children coming out of Gaza.
And according to these figures, like you mentioned, they say the majority of those killed are women and children, nearly 17,000 children.
The Israeli military says that they do everything they can to avoid civilian casualties. They blame Hamas for embedding itself amongst the
civilian population.
But what are the civilians in Gaza to do?
They have nowhere to go. They are trapped inside Gaza and nowhere is safe. Not even designated safe zones by the Israeli military has been spared. And
we have to -- there's one thing you can't deny, is the impact this war that is being described by the U.N. as a war on children, the impact that it is
having on children's lives.
I want viewers to take a look at our report, Becky, which is just a small window that captures what life is like for children in Gaza, the reality in
Gaza for children. And we have to warn viewers that the images that they're about to see they might find disturbing and graphic.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KARADSHEH (voice-over): Everything we're about to show you was filmed over the course of four hours in a single day, a snapshot of 10 months of war
for Gaza's children. Nothing can erase what these little eyes have seen but they've come here to try to forget, even if just for a little while.
Most of these children were on their way to queue up for water, one of the newfound hardships of this miserable life when they stop for a makeshift
puppet show. Cans, cardboard and string, it's a distraction but kids have to relate to their make believe friends with stories just like theirs.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (Interpreted): When the war happened, everything was bombed and destroyed. We were displaced to the south. Dad was worried about
us and we are searching for safety.
KARADSHEH (voice-over): 12-year old Tala longs for the days when she had a hold in Gaza City.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (Interpreted): Life is unlivable. I only live for my siblings and parents. Here, I stop thinking about all that's on my mind. I
watch the show and play with kids.
KARADSHEH (voice-over): This might seem like a surreal scene but at times of war, life does go on, as does the horror. In the same area of Gaza,
injured children arrive into one of the last, hardly standing, hospitals. It's a constant stream of casualties from an Israeli strike nearby.
Among them, a severely injured toddler. He clings on to the stranger who brought him here. There's no room left. They leave him on the floor.
[10:05:00]
His cries, his pain, drowned out by the chaos. Outside, another ambulance pulls up with another boy here for the morgue. It wasn't the bombs that
killed him.
He starved to death, his father says, as they prepare him for burial, His emaciated body lays bare for the world to see what Israel Siege has done to
Gaza's most vulnerable.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (Interpreted): Put us somewhere safe and then fight as much as you want. I wish God would take us all and let us follow this
child. I'm holding it together now but when I leave here, I'll probably collapse. Maybe I'm pretending to be strong. But inside, I can't take it
anymore.
KARADSHEH (voice-over): The broken father, like, so many parents who helplessly watch their children die in their arms, their suffering has
become a statistic by which the world that watches on measures the awfulness of this war.
His name was Mohammed Abu Khalub. He was only nine, born with cerebral palsy. He died by a garbage dump where his displaced family was forced to
camp. Back inside the emergency room, that toddler is still on the floor, barely conscious, surrounded by medics but no family by his side. No one
knows his name. Thousands of children, like him, have arrived to hospitals injured and alone throughout this war.
We found that toddler days later at another hospital. His name is (inaudible) in intensive care. He hasn't uttered a word since the attack.
The shock is still clear behind his glassy eyes, the dirt still under his fingernails. It's his aunt who's here with him. His mother was seriously
injured.
Kamal still doesn't know his 14-month old sister is gone. Days after our cameraman filmed him in the ICU, we received the news that Kamal did not
survive. He was three. One day, showing how fragile existence is in this place where life, death and stolen moments of joy meet.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: The report that you just showed us, Jomana, couldn't illustrate any more starkly just how important it is that a deal on a ceasefire is
struck at this point. I have to ask very specifically about Hamas' responsibility in this because they are accused of using civilians as human
shields in that densely populated strip of land.
What responsibility do they have to work with the intermediaries there in Qatar, where you are, where these talks have now started to stop this?
KARADSHEH: You know, Becky, the rules of war are clear. All parties to a conflict, according to international law, have the responsibility to
protect civilians and to spare them what we have been seeing unfolding in Gaza over the past 10 months.
And you hear people like the father in our report there, saying that, you want to fight, go on fighting. Just put us somewhere safe and continue this
war.
And this is something that people in Gaza have not had. And over the past few months, what we have seen is people inside Gaza are not only saying
Israel has got to stop this, more and more people are speaking out against Hamas as well. They just want this war to end. They just want their
suffering to end.
But what you have, Becky, as well, is, if you speak to international experts and observers, they will tell you that Hamas is designated by many
countries as a terrorist organization.
But you would expect more from a country like Israel that is considered a Western democracy in how it prosecutes this war. And this is why you have
seen so much criticism of how Israel has been conducting its war in Gaza. People saying that it has not taken, has not made enough efforts to avoid
civilian casualties.
As we mentioned, people have nowhere safe to go. And so we are looking at these talks with so much at stake, the lives of Palestinian civilians,
children, like Kamal, who it's too late for right now. And of course, the lives and the fate of Israeli hostages.
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With more than 300 days in captivity. And the issue is here. Yes. You have unprecedented pressure being put on here on Hamas, on Israel by the
mediators, by the U.S., by Qatar and the Egyptians.
The question has always been and continues to be whether there is the political will by both Israelis and Hamas to finally reach a deal.
ANDERSON: Jomana, thank you. Stay with me. I want to bring in more of our colleagues to discuss this. Jeremy Diamond then is in Haifa in northern
Israel. Alex Marquardt is in Washington.
Let me start with you, Jeremy. The prime minister met with his team, the Israeli team that is now in Qatar ahead of these most recent talks.
What was the mandate?
What did he tell them to go in with?
Do we understand at this point?
JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: Well, Becky, my understanding is that the Israeli prime minister has given his team slightly more wiggle
room, a slightly more expanded mandate to engage in negotiations and try to reach a deal.
But my sources also still have doubts about whether or not it is enough to bridge the gaps that still remain between Israel and Hamas. And I think one
key thing to understand, as we look to try and understand and analyze the outcome of these negotiations today, is ultimately what is the basis for
these talks.
What is the basis for the meetings that are happening today?
Because we know that Hamas has said they want to see a deal based on the framework that was agreed to by Israel and Hamas on or around July 2nd.
Since then, what has happened is the Israeli prime minister has made a series of additional demands that were not included in that framework
agreement.
Including, for example, demanding that Israeli troops retain control of that Philadelphi corridor, the border between Egypt and Gaza, and also some
kind of mechanism to enforce and prevent armed men from going from southern Gaza to northern Gaza during this ceasefire.
We know that there have been a lot of discussions on both of those points over the course of the last few weeks to try and address some of the
Israeli concerns without totally giving into them because Hamas would not agree to those terms.
And so the question is today, where is Israel going to stand on those two points?
And what are the mediators willing to give them and not give them there as they try and craft what has been described to us as a bridging proposal to
bridge the gaps between Israel and Hamas?
And ultimately what's going to happen today, while Hamas isn't participating in these talks, they have said that they will engage with the
negotiators after. And frankly, that's different rhetoric but it's not all that different from how these talks have happened at other crucial moments.
This is pretty much what we have called before proximity talks, meaning Israel is meeting with the heads of intelligence from these various
countries in a room. And then the mediators are going to another room, where Hamas is in that same hotel building sometimes and then delivering
their message. And then it goes back-and-forth.
And so it does seem that at some point today, after the Israelis meet with the heads of the intelligence for the U.S., Qatar and Egypt, that message
will then be transmitted to Hamas.
And then it's going to be a question of do we have even the basis for moving forward?
Or is it clear that these two sides remain in very, very different positions?
ANDERSON: Alex, Joe Biden, a month ago now, said that the Israel-Gaza war should end now and that Israel must not occupy Gaza. A month later, these
talks have begun. The U.S. delegation is there to help mediate the end to this conflict.
What sort of leverage do they have at this point over Israel to try and ensure a swift end to this war and the release, of course, of those
hostages?
ALEX MARQUARDT, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Well, Becky, the U.S. has massive leverage over Israel. It's just a question of whether
they want to use that leverage. And so far, there is no indication that they're going to.
Whether you're talking about holding back arms sales, whether you're talking about the votes at the U.N. and the veto in the Security Council,
whether you're talking about the cases at the ICC or ICJ, the U.S. has shown no willingness to use any of that leverage to get Israel to pull
back.
It was back at the end of May, if we're talking about the timeline, Becky, that the president laid out this framework for the ceasefire plan. And in
the following 2.5 months, it has not come to fruition.
The U.S. is desperate to get this ceasefire deal across the line, not just to ease the suffering in Gaza, not just to get those Israeli hostages home
but because they believe that it will help calm the region, prevent a wider war from expanding.
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Observers, experts believe, officials believe that, if a ceasefire goes into effect, that it will prevent possibly retaliation by Hezbollah and
Iran, which could come at any moment. So they really want to see this get across the line.
Not least because there's also an election in this country in a couple of months' time and Joe Biden would like for a ceasefire to be in place before
that election actually happens. So the U.S. really wants to see it get off the ground.
But they don't necessarily have confidence that it will eventually end the war and turn into a permanent ceasefire. Here's a little bit of what the
White House's John Kirby had to say earlier today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ADM. JOHN KIRBY (RET.), COORDINATOR FOR STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS, WHITE HOUSE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL: Both sides need to show compromise. Both
sides need to show some leadership here.
We are now talking about the implementing details of the deal itself, the smaller gaps that we absolutely believe can be narrowed in terms of how the
deal was executed. It's not about a debate in Doha today about the deal itself, the structure of it.
It's now about implementing. And sometimes, when you get to the end of the negotiation and you're talking about those kinds of details, that's when it
gets the hardest and the most gritty.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARQUARDT: Becky, we've heard a lot of optimism and positivity from the White House, talking about how narrow the gaps are and essentially saying
it's just the implementation, the choreography that needs to be nailed down.
But I agree with Jeremy. There are some massive sticking points that still need to be addressed. The question over the IDF presence within Gaza, that,
with their withdrawal, the question of whether Gazans can return to the north in an unrestricted way.
Which Palestinian prisoners are going to be allowed to come out of those Israeli prisons?
How many of the initial 33 hostages are in fact alive?
There are a lot of major elements in this ceasefire that really need to be figured out today. So in speaking with sources today, of course, they hope
they can make movement and progress on those fronts.
But I'm not hearing much of an expectation that anything will be decided imminently, Becky.
ANDERSON: Our correspondents laying out just how high the stakes are in Doha, in Qatar.
To both of you, thank you very much indeed.
And amid the risks of a wider conflict, Middle East mediators are desperate not to see another front open up. But ominously, we are hearing of more
casualties of violence in Lebanon.
Health officials say three people have been killed in Israeli airstrikes in the south of the country. We've also been listening to the White House
special envoy to Lebanon.
Amos Hochstein is in Beirut. He says the ceasefire talks present what he calls a window for diplomatic action to end hostilities between Hezbollah -
- Lebanese-based, of course -- and Israel. Ben Wedeman in Beirut, listening to what Hochstein had to say earlier and joins us now.
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Becky. Well, Hochstein, he was last here in June and really the message was the same,
that the United States is trying to work out a truce in Gaza.
And he's hoping that that will have a positive knockon impact regarding the tensions between Hezbollah and Israel. And broader than that, of course, on
Hezbollah. Now he did say that it's even more urgent than ever.
He met with the usual round of Lebanese leaders but perhaps most importantly he met with Nabih Berri, whose the speaker of the Lebanese
parliament, a member, the leader of the so-called Amal movement and its political party, which he's basically -- Nabih is the man who passes the
messages between the United States and Hezbollah.
But what we're not seeing is a lot of optimism that this visit was any different from his previous visits. And speaking with diplomats here in
Beirut, there is the impression that, yes, the United States administration is eager for some sort of ceasefire in Gaza to lessen the tensions.
But perhaps not eager enough to actually use the kind of leverage and power it has over Israel that our colleague, Alex, was talking about just a few
minute ago -- a few minutes ago.
And the worry is that, at this point, Israel has crossed a series of red lines going back to April 1st, when it struck that Iranian diplomatic
complex in Damascus. And just recently, just two weeks ago, killing Fuad Shukr, the senior Hezbollah commander here in Beirut, and then Ismail
Haniyeh in Tehran.
And the feeling is that, even though Hezbollah and Iran have made it clear that they do not want to engage in a full-scale war, diplomats and others
here are not so confident that Netanyahu feels the same way.
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The worry is that the United States hasn't really restrained him as it's calling on Iran and Hezbollah to restrain themselves. And that perhaps he
sees this as his moment politically, militarily, strategically to make decisive strikes on both Hezbollah and Iran.
ANDERSON: Ben Wedeman in Beirut.
Ben, thank you.
Well, Ukraine is claiming new gains every day in Russia. This as more Russians pack up and leave the fighting. We will have the very latest in a
live report for you.
Plus Donald Trump veers off message and lobs more attacks at Kamala Harris in an event meant to focus on the economy. More on that after this.
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ANDERSON: It is a busy day on the campaign trail as the clock ticks down to the U.S. U.S. presidential election in November. We are 82 days out.
Republican nominee Donald Trump plans to host a news conference later today in New Jersey and his running mate, JD Vance, is in Pennsylvania this hour,
speaking at a campaign event there.
All this on the heels of Trump's speech, ostensibly on the economy on Wednesday in North Carolina, during which he worked in some -- quite a lot
of jabs at his Democratic opponent, Kamala Harris.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT, 2024 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Really what she needs to explain is the present suffering that she's caused along
with Joe Biden.
And by the way, their team, you know, she's trying to throw him overboard. She doesn't want to know who he is anymore. She doesn't want to talk about
him anymore. She says, let's not bring this guy in. Let's not bring him in.
No, no they were a team.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Kamala Harris will be in the spotlight to add an event later today to discuss progress on a plan to lower drug prices. And she will be
joined in Maryland by Joe Biden in their first formal joint appearance since Mr. Biden left the presidential race.
CNN's Alayna Treene is following the Donald Trump campaign and the man himself in New Jersey. Arlette Saenz watching Kamala Harris closely; she is
in Washington for us.
And let's start with you, Arlette.
What are we hearing or expecting to hear at least from Harris and Biden about this event later today?
ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Becky, President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are teaming up to highlight an existing economic
policy they believe is benefiting American voters.
The two will be appearing for the first time on the road since Biden bowed out of the 2024 race to talk about their efforts to lower prescription drug
costs. They specifically will be highlighting a provision of the Inflation Reduction Act, which gives Medicare the ability to negotiate drug prices
directly with drug companies.
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They are expected to tout the fact that this could potentially result in $6 billion in savings for the federal government and $1.5 billion in out-of-
pocket savings for seniors. It comes at a time when Harris is really aiming to walk a very fine line. She is running on parts of the Biden agenda while
also trying to chart a course of her own.
Now Harris, President Biden and his overall Bidenomics messaging did not fare well in polling. But there are elements of Biden's economic policies
that have sat well with voters. That includes efforts to cut the cost of insulin and other prescription drugs.
For her part, Harris is expected not to talk about the economy broadly in the way that Biden did but really talk about individual ways to help
Americans. Tomorrow she will be outlining an economic proposal in a speech in the battleground state of North Carolina.
Harris is set to call for a federal ban on price gouging in the food and grocery industry. It comes at a time when the high price of groceries has
been a concern for consumers, at a time when inflation has been persistent.
It all comes as Harris recognizes that the economy remains a key concern for voters heading into November's election. And her campaign is trying to
pick off pieces of the economy, economic policy that they believe will sit well with voters when they head to the ballot box in November.
ANDERSON: Let me bring you in, Alayna. We know that we're expecting to hear more on Kamala Harris' economic policy in the next 24 hours or so.
Donald Trump ostensibly speaking about his economic sort of vision during his speech in North Carolina yesterday.
He holds a press conference today in New Jersey.
Are we learning any more at this point about anything substantive with regard economic policy from Trump?
ALAYNA TREENE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: He did touch on some of those policy points briefly including his plan to reduce taxes and cut them by another
10 percent to 20 percent. But a lot of what yesterday's goal was for Donald Trump was to draw a contrast with Kamala Harris.
And he did do that. You know, there's been a lot of talk of needing him to stay on policy. He definitely veered off script many times during that
speech in North Carolina last night. But he did have some parts where he weaved in the messaging that I know his campaign was urging him to discuss.
Part of that is they've been following what the Harris campaign is doing very closely. They knew that she was going to be talking about health care
today and her economic message in North Carolina tomorrow. And so that's what Donald Trump focused on.
And he really tried to gear some of those attacks toward that messaging, including he claimed that she wants to get rid of private health insurance,
that she wants to give taxpayer funded health insurance to every person in America, including illegal immigrants.
He claimed that, on the economy, that she's trying to copy what Donald Trump is doing with her announcing recently that she also supports getting
rid of taxes on tips. That was really the contrast that his team had wanted him to paint yesterday.
And he did do some of it but I have to say, Becky, despite all of the pressure he is getting from people within his own campaign and also within
his own party, both privately and publicly, about urging him to stay on message, he went off script repeatedly.
He attacked Harris, he attacked her laugh, he belittled her. He said -- he went after her running mate, Tim Walz. So I'm curious to see what will
happen today at this press conference.
I know that, at the top of the press conference today, he is supposed to talk about the economy again, more largely. But we know how Donald Trump
does when he takes questions from the press and he often doesn't stay on message, either. So I would stay tuned for that.
ANDERSON: Yes, absolutely.
Good to have you both. Thank you very much, indeed. And CNN's Stephen Collinson has just written an opinion piece about the race for the White
House.
He says in part, quote, "The question for Trump as Harris surges is how much he's already hurt himself with his tantrums and false claims that
Biden's replacement on the Democratic ticket represents some kind of coup."
Read more of his analysis on our digital platforms and there is plenty more political coverage for you there and on your CNN app.
Well, Ukraine's military chief says, Ukrainian forces are pushing deeper into Russia, picking up territory there just in the past hours. He says
they've advanced another 35 kilometers since the incursion into Russia's Kursk region began last week. And he says Ukraine now controls more than
1,100 square kilometers.
Moscow claims that it took back a village captured by Kyiv. CNN's Fred Pleitgen following the latest developments for us from Berlin.
Counter statements or a counter narrative from Kyiv and from the Kremlin at this point.
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Do we understand exactly what is going on on the ground and why it matters?
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, first of all, you're absolutely right as to these counter narratives that are taking
place but at the same time it certainly does appear as though the Ukrainian forces are still on the move.
They are in Western Russia and going deeper into Western Russia. It was quite interesting to hear the president and the general -- chief of the
general staff, Syrskyi, saying that the Ukrainians are now 35 kilometers inside Russian territory.
And that number that you just mentioned, 1,150 square kilometers of territory, now the Ukrainians say apparently under their control. One of
the things that we've seen from the Ukrainians is they have put out some pictures of alleged prisoners of war that they've taken.
In fact, they said that yesterday, as they were sweeping that area, they gathered the largest number of prisoners of war in one go, which is over
100. The Ukrainians, of course, say what they would like to do is exchange those prisoners of war that they've now taken for Ukrainians that are still
in Russian custody.
So by all means, even with these narratives and counter narratives that we are seeing, it certainly doesn't seem as though the Ukrainians are on the
brink of being pushed out or even starting to get pushed out by the Russians.
In fact, they are apparently still operating freely, at least in some of those areas.
One of the other things that we picked up on, Becky, which we thought was quite interesting, is that the Ukrainians now say they want to put in place
a military administrator for those areas in Russia that they've taken under their control to help the civilian population that has remained in those
areas.
Those certainly don't appear to be the words of a military and of a country that's looking to leave that area anytime soon. Another thing that we've
also checked on as well, the Ukrainians yesterday saying that they conducted the largest amount of drone strikes on Russian air bases.
There's now satellite images that have come out that show an air base in Voronezh in Russia with apparently substantial damage to several hangars.
Becky.
ANDERSON: Fred Pleitgen is on the story for you.
Fred, thank you.
Still to come, three years of Taliban rule. Three years of the world failing Afghan and women. Next I'm going to speak to Afghanistan's former
ambassador to the U.S. and the U.N. about whether she sees any potential for positive change.
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ANDERSON: It's just after 3:30 in London. Welcome back to CONNECT THE WORLD. I'm Becky Anderson, normally broadcast out of Abu Dhabi in the UAE.
The Taliban are celebrating the three-year anniversary of their return to power in Afghanistan, holding a military parade at what was the former U.S.
airbase in Bagram, which was once the center of coalition operations.
This was the scene three years ago after the militant group retook Afghanistan's capital after almost two decades after being driven from
Kabul by U.S. troops. They have reimposed strict Islamic law and stifled the rights of women.
And as a result, it has been almost three years since the Taliban banned girls from attending secondary schools. UNICEF estimates that that has
impacted over 1 million girls.
And joining me now is Adela Raz. She was the first female ambassador of Afghanistan to the United Nations and her country's last ambassador to the
United States. She's also served as deputy foreign minister.
And it is a real pleasure to have you on today. I'm very grateful for your time. Just reflect if you will, on the last three years.
ADELA RAZ, FORMER DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER, AFGHANISTAN: Thank you, Becky. And I'm pleased to be here.
This is a tough question. If you may ask any Afghan and especially Afghan woman to reflect on the past three years, the last three years have been
painful, hard, difficult and truly beyond a shock to see what is happening in Afghanistan.
And basically see the reverse and the nightmare of what every Afghan woman once had before, which was the return of Taliban and their restrictive
rules and not allowing women to have their basic rights and the fundamental rights.
And at the core of that is really the education which you truly mentioned. But beyond education today, you've seen Afghan women are banned from going
independently outside. Their restriction in terms of work outside of their home.
And at the same time, the financial constraints that they are feeling as well as the country face. So it's a heartbreaking situation right now.
ANDERSON: And to illustrate just how damaging the Taliban's rule has been on women, I want to bring up this map. Nearly 200 women and girls have died
or disappeared trying to escape Afghanistan to Iran or Turkiye since the Taliban took over three years ago.
Of course, an important part of this moment in history was Joe Biden's handling of the situation and his pulling of American troops out so
abruptly. Here's vice president and now presidential candidate Kamala Harris, was one of the last people in the room with him three years ago
when that decision was taken.
You were the ambassador at the time, of course.
And in a recent interview, you said this of Kamala Harris, quote, "I'm not questioning her ability and capacity. Not at all because I strongly believe
in strong women and I think she is one of those.
"but I felt when I started to have conversations with the larger diplomatic community in Washington that she was dealing with a challenging portfolio.
And the issue of Afghanistan was not really brought into her file."
I do want to ask you what we might expect of Kamala Harris if she gets elected on Afghanistan.
But before I do that, can you just expand little more on your experience in the wake of the fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban and the reception that
you got in Washington, for example?
RAZ: Of course. I really started at a time when I just got into the office and, within 1.5 months, this all happened. And so my stay in Washington at
the time was very short and very limited. But during that stay, I did realize that the decision really came from the president himself at the
time.
And it was hard for me to really identify the best way possible that could influence his decisions because, by then, I had realized that he, the DOD
and the security sector were advising him in a sense. And a learning camp of (ph) the complication that could have happened in Afghanistan in terms
of the fall and the return of the Taliban.
And of course, what we're seeing right now. But that's basically what my takeaway was. But as many of us --
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RAZ: -- know now -- and we knew at the time to a certain level that this was a very strong decision that came from the president himself and he was
very committed to, for the right reason, because it was -- it was 20 years of engagement in Afghanistan and had to end in one way.
But of course, I think it could have been maybe mitigated. But simply restating what I said in that interview, the role of the VP, at the time, I
believe it was pretty limited to, just because the portfolio that she was dealing, it was the immigration issue in the U.S.
And that was in the North American side. So in that sense, the Afghanistan file was really the security having security file and that was dealt much
more with the security and the U.S. (INAUDIBLE) --
ANDERSON: Yes. Let me ask you this.
We are beginning to see the people that Kamala Harris is bringing on board to help her frame her foreign policy. And we're looking at those with quite
some experience that she's bringing on, for example, on her Middle East file.
What are your expectations, should she win the presidency in November, for Afghanistan through her lens?
RAZ: Of course, I think it's given. Despite that, I'm very critical usually in a way when we expect more from a woman because I feel that's
pretty unfair. But I think naturally in the case of Afghanistan, it's a case where -- and the core of it is the fallback and the regression of
women's rights.
And as the first woman president, if she becomes, I think this would be of significant and truly a gesture that she portrays, that women's rights do
matter to her. And the expectation that Afghan women have, as is exactly in the same line, that she understands as a woman, as a mother, as a --
(CROSSTALK)
RAZ: -- as a sister. And I think that's where we feel that she will be very -- hopefully, very progressive and very proactive.
ANDERSON: And what of the other presidential candidate --
(CROSSTALK)
RAZ: I don't know if I will have the right judgment. But I think no matter which president comes in, if it's her or president Trump, I think the issue
of Afghanistan, unfortunately, after the three years that we have seen, it hasn't been basically forgotten or reduced or somehow got better. It gotten
worse.
So I feel it would be a significant concentration of their foreign policy in a sense that they must respond to what is happening in Afghanistan and
in multiple ways, not only in terms of women's rights.
I think there is tremendous and real and true security challenge and we're starting to see that and as well as humanitarian crises.
ANDERSON: It's good to have you. We'll have you back. Thank you very much, indeed, for your time today.
RAZ: Thank you.
ANDERSON: And we'll be right back.
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[10:45:00]
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ANDERSON: Well Taylor Swift is scheduled to resume her Eras tour under tight security in a matter of hours. She kicks off the first of five shows
at London's Wembley Stadium. This will be Swift's first time on stage, of course, since the recent foiled terror plot that forced her to cancel shows
in Vienna.
Salma Abdelaziz is live from London's Wembley Stadium.
And how has security been fortified in and around the stadium, Salma?
SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Becky.
So we're on this walkway. Of course, that leads up to Wembley Stadium. You will see the Swifties all behind me, thousands of them walking to that
stadium and they're moving quite quickly, Becky, because those are the security restrictions.
You are not allowed to congregate outside the stadium. If you don't have a ticket, you cannot come here. That's what authorities have asked for. That
means no tailgating move right on to Wembley.
And we've been speaking to fans, including this group of fans out here.
If I can get you guys close together, I know we were talking about how do you feel?
Do you feel safe, especially after what happened in Vienna?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I feel like, you know, they wouldn't let the show go on if they felt like there was any risks and London's a big city that knows
how to handle big crowds.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The mayor of London said that it was going to go ahead. We just feel really lucky to be here. Like a lot of my friends
thought it was going to be canceled maybe. So excited and glad it's happening.
ABDELAZIZ: You're feeling that sense of a safe space that (INAUDIBLE).
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, you know, it's incredible to trade bracelets with people. I really feel like you're part of something that's kind of
motivated by love and excitement and art.
ABDELAZIZ: Thank you guys so much. I hope you have an amazing show tonight.
And that's what you're really hearing from Swifties.
Yes, of course, there was a concern but many of them feel like it's important to join each other in these safe spaces. The Swifties in Vienna
last week, Becky, they responded to this potential act of hate really with love, with compassion, with getting together, with exchanging friendship
bracelets.
And that's exactly what's taking, place here. In London. And you can expect that Taylor is going to have a huge welcome on that stage tonight as she
starts five soldout concerts in London.
ANDERSON: Salma, thank you.
And some news just in. The Associated Press reporting at least one arrest has been made in connection with the death of actor Matthew Perry.
A reminder, that Perry was found dead in his hot tub last October with ketamine in his bloodstream. Police said earlier this year that they were
working with federal officials to find out why the 54-year-old had so much of the drug in his system.
Authorities have scheduled a news conference in Los Angeles to announce details in the case in the coming hours.
Well, health officials are concerned that the mpox or monkeypox outbreak in Africa is just the tip of the iceberg. Still ahead, new steps to contain
the virus as its more dangerous strain spreads.
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ANDERSON: The mpox outbreak in Africa is now officially a global health emergency.
The World Health Organization, WHO, made the declaration on Wednesday after a more deadly strain of virus spread to new -- four new provinces.
[10:50:00]
Until recently, that strain was contained to the Democratic Republic of Congo. Mpox has infected more than 17,000 people in Africa this year,
killing more than 500 of them. The WHO chief is concerned that the virus could keep spreading.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. TEDROS ADHANOM GHEBREYESUS, DIRECTOR-GENERAL, WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION: It's clear that a coordinated international response is
essential to stop these outbreaks and save lives. A public health emergency of international concern is the highest level of alarm under international
health law.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, can spread through close contact between people or through contaminated items. The WHO is moving to
ramp up vaccinations and other health measures. Senior medical correspondent Meg Tirrell is live with us from New York.
And what more do we know at this point?
MEG TIRRELL, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Becky, it really is the fact that this is a strain that is different from the one we recall was
circulating and really swept the globe between 2022 and 2023.
Mpox is sort of separated into two groups, clade I and clade II. And that previous health emergency was around clade II, which is considered a less
severe form of this virus. Now we are seeing a version of clade I that is - - has been in the DRC but is now spreading to other countries in Africa.
And as you pointed out, there have been now more than 17,000 suspected cases in 13 countries, 500 deaths. And to think about that, that is
considered to be more transmissible and more severe.
If you compare it to what we saw the last time the World Health Organization declared this public health emergency of international concern
around mpox, that affected 111 countries with more than 87,000 cases. There were 140 deaths there.
This is considered to be a much more severe strain. And there is concern around that so they are watching this very closely. The director general of
the World Health Organization yesterday saying the situation is, quote, "very worrying."
Both the current situation they are seeing in DRC and neighboring countries but also the potential for this to spread further within Africa and
potentially beyond, including affecting a lot of children.
ANDERSON: Meg, how does the declaration then of a global public health emergency change the picture?
What's the WHO asking the world to do in response?
TIRRELL: Well, they're asking for both donations to fund the response, which they say, right now, they estimate to be about $15 million. And they
have released some of their own funding.
But they're asking for donors to step up there to help with the response. They're also asking other countries to donate vaccine. And the U.S. has
said that it is doing so with some of the vaccines.
There are two vaccines that can be used for mpox and we vaccinated a lot of people here in the United States. And for that reason, it's not that there
is a lot of built-up immunity here.
But these countries need access to vaccine. And so there is a request for countries that have vaccine supplies to step up and donate them.
ANDERSON: Good to have you, Meg, thank you.
Police in New Zealand are racing to track down dozens of fake candies that contain a potentially deadly dose of methamphetamine. Two children and a
charity worker were treated and released from hospital after they tasted the candies, which were distributed by a charity.
Now the pineapple flavored lollies were donated by an unidentified person. Testing found they contained three grams of meth, which is about 300 doses.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GLENN BALDWIN, DETECTIVE INSPECTOR, NEW ZEALAND POLICE: Forensic testing has been carried out with one of the lollies, with the confirmation that it
is methamphetamine. Where police are treating these lollies as fully contaminated until we can prove otherwise, it is vital they are taken out
of circulation soon as possible.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Police don't suspect the charity of wrongdoing. They believe the sweets may have been produced by drug traffickers, who didn't intend to
donate them.
And before we go, after five years of near complete isolation, North Korea is reopening to international tourists. That's according to two Chinese
tour (ph) companies, which say limited tourism will resume by December,
North Korean borders have been largely sealed since the start of the COVID pandemic. And only small tour groups were allowed in very specifically from
Russia. Well possible future destinations include the purported birthplace of North Korea's late leader, Kim Jong-il, whose son, Kim Jong-un, now runs
the country.
Well, the Greece fires have destroyed homes and businesses across the country. But one sculptor who's lost his life's work in the blaze is vowing
to rebuild. CNN's Eleni Giokos spoke with him.
[10:55:00]
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ELENI GIOKOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Emotions just too strong to hold for this local Greek sculptor who lost everything in the fires.
VANGELIS ILIAS, GREEK SCULPTOR (through translator): I've lost part of myself, part of soul, my state of mind is here.
GIOKOS: This is what's left of his pieces carefully carved by hand using an ancient Greek technique.
Years of work reduced to rubble. So Vangelis has also stored some of his most prized possession, some of the work he does for fun in this container.
There's a secret lock inside. You can't open it.
The metal is completely melted. And if you look inside, completely dark and the smell of smoke so evident.
He just doesn't know the status of his work right now and he needs to bring someone in to cut this open.
Many like Vangelis were not ensured. They now depend fully on the government assistance plan. Residents can get up to 10,000 euros in aid.
Vangelis estimates 60,000 euros worth of damage but that's not really what hurts.
ILIAS: When I work on my artworks, I don't do it with money in mind. I work with creativity, aesthetics and my spiritual state is the guiding
principles.
GIOKOS: But the fire won't win, says Vangelis. He has vowed to rebuild his life's work stone by stone.
ILIAS: I believe this won't ruin me because I will put in personal work. I believe not. I believe not and I will fight for it. A flower must bloom
from the ashes.
GIOKOS: Eleni Giokos, CNN, Penteli.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: And that is it for CONNECT THE WORLD. I'm Becky Anderson in London. Stay with CNN. "NEWSROOM" is up next.
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END
