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Isa Soares Tonight
Biden And Harris Make Joint Appearance In Maryland; Hostage Families Demand Ceasefire As Israel-Gaza Ceasefire Talks Resume; Gaza Ceasefire Talks Resume In Doha; 40,000-Plus Palestinians Killed Since October; Ukraine Says It Controls 1,100 Square Kilometers In Russia; Arrest In Connection To Matthew Perry's Death; London Police Increasing Security At Swift's Concert. Aired 2-3p ET
Aired August 15, 2024 - 14:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[14:00:00]
JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The medical bills. Like to sell the house, you get a second mortgage. They're discussions that took place
in my house and your house. Kamala and I both get it. You know it isn't just about healthcare. It's about your dignity.
(CHEERS)
BIDEN: No, it's about your dignity. It's about peace of mind. It's about security. It's about taking care of your family.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes --
BIDEN: It's about giving folks just a little bit more breathing room. That's all. Look, I believe the healthcare should be a right, not a
privilege in America.
(CHEERS)
BIDEN: Kamala and I are here today to make a major announcement in our efforts to lower the extraordinary high prescription drug prices. Before I
do, I want to thank Governor Wes Moore --
(CHEERS)
BIDEN: After the Congress. I served in the Senate for 270 years --
(LAUGHTER)
BIDEN: I know it looked 40, but I'm a little bit older. The longest time I was too damn young because was only about 29 when I got elected, not too
damn old.
(LAUGHTER)
BIDEN: But I tell you one thing in between, one of the finest, most decent men I've ever worked with. I think of him, I think integrity -- Ben Cardin,
stand up, Ben, stand up!
(APPLAUSE)
BIDEN: I really mean it. I met many people I work with by their integrity, he does what he says and says what he does. Look, folks, also you know, and
that back when for the longest time she tried to pretend with me she was Irish and an American. She's a great friend, and she's one of the great
leaders in this country, stand for me.
(APPLAUSE)
BIDEN: Congressman Mfume, where are you? Stand up, man!
(CHEERS)
BIDEN: I've never once gone to this man and asked for help and I haven't gotten it. Not one single time. Thank you, pal, thank you. And your soon-
to-be senator.
(CHEERS)
BIDEN: First, the hell -- why you used you job -- I mean, the county executive? I was a county -- I was a county official. They expect you can
solve every problem you don't have the authority to do, you don't have enough money.
(LAUGHTER)
BIDEN: But I hope I'm looking forward, and I told her I campaigned for against whichever help the most. Knowing members of my administration, I'll
be able to say HHS --
(CHEERS)
BIDEN: They'll be able so to sell, seeing as administrator is here today. And let me say something, we're all thinking about my good friend, and he
is a really good friend for a long time, Steny Hoyer.
(CHEERS)
(APPLAUSE)
BIDEN: He represents the western shore of Delaware. You all think we're kidding. We have that fight all the time. I wish him a speedy recovery,
understand he's doing well. Folks, this is a fight, all of us have been fighting for a long time, taking on big pharma. We pay more for
prescription drugs. It's not hyperbole.
We pay more for prescription than any advanced nation in the world. I could take out an Air Force One and if you have a prescription from a drug
company in America and fly you to Toronto, Canada, fly you to Paris, France, fly you to Belfast, anywhere around the world and get you the same
prescription pill from the same company for 40, 60 percent less than we pay for it here.
Too many Americans can't afford the drugs they badly need for life and death. So, they skip doses, cut pills in half, forgo prescriptions entirely
because the prescription drugs are totally unaffordable. A woman I met, a nurse, she just met, she's paying $9,000, I'm assuming $900 a month.
Well, guess what, man? Going to pay nowhere near that, $9,000. She's going to pay guess what? Beginning in January, every single prescription drug she
has, including God forbid, she needs a really expensive drug or a cancer drug, maximum she ever has to pay is $2,000, period.
(CHEERS)
(APPLAUSE)
BIDEN: That's why from time out in the Senate, I worked tirelessly to give Medicare the power to negotiate lower drug prices.
[14:05:00]
Just like the Department of Veterans Affairs. In fact, I was reminded by staff today, one of the first major bills I worked on was in 1973. I co-
sponsored a legislation led by Senator Frank Church, let Medicare negotiate the cost of drugs, 1973, this fight has been going on. You know, the VA
pays, as they should, 50 percent less than Medicare because VA can negotiate the prices.
But for years, big pharma blocked Medicare from negotiating lower drug prices, the consequence, they're able to maintain the exorbitant price
increases and the profits are uncalled for. Look -- but this time, we finally beat big pharma.
(CHEERS)
(APPLAUSE)
BIDEN: And I might add with no help from the Republic, not a single Republican voted for this bill, period, not one in the entire Congress. And
the reason I say that is not to make a political point about them, not -- if they have gotten less, but guess what? They want to. They -- the guy
we're running against, what's his name? Donald Dumb(ph) or Donald whatever, they want to get rid of this?
But we passed. They're fighting to get rid of what we just passed, now, I'm serious. No help from Republicans passing Inflation Reduction Act, thanks
to the tie-breaking vote of Kamala who made it possible. So, it really matters. For example, taking insulin needed to treat diabetes, the guy who
invented this in a 100 years ago didn't put a patent on because he wanted it to be available for everybody.
He didn't even patent it. Well guess, you know how much it costs those companies to make that insulin? Ten dollars, t-e-n, and cigars too, $10.
Number one. Number two, to package it and ship it, you might get it up to $13. But there were charging up to 400 bucks a month for it. But now they
can't charge more than $35 a month.
(CHEERS)
(APPLAUSE)
(CROWD CHANTING)
BIDEN: It's a big deal! Look, $35 a month. These guys still making enormous profits, that's three times with the cost that they make it. You initialize
as you cap the costs for everyone on who needed that insulin. How many even know anybody needs insulin for diabetes? Raise your hand, OK, well, guess
what? For the next three months, we got here, I'm not leaving here and Kamala, when she's President, going to make sure if we don't get it done,
everybody should qualify for that $35 a month. Every American. I mean it!
(APPLAUSE)
BIDEN: Folks, that's not all. The same law I wrote -- we wrote, means starting in January of this year, every senior in the United States of
America, no matter what their cost of drugs, and like I said, some of these cancer drugs are 12,000 bucks a year, every single penny they spend, they
never have to spend more than $2,000 a year for all drugs, all drugs.
(CHEERS)
(APPLAUSE)
BIDEN: And we're going to fight the next year, everyone who qualifies for that as well. Look, all together are informed, not only save lives, but
here's the point, people aren't talking enough about. It saves the taxpayers billions of dollars. What we've done so far will save the
taxpayers the next ten years, $160 billion taxpayer lowering the -- I mean it.
Because they don't have to pay the price, exorbitant price that Medicare had to pay before they're going to pay $35 and the 400 bucks. Folks, and
their savings are only going to increase for American taxpayers because it matters. Look, but that's not all the Inflation Reduction Act did last
Summer, I announced under that law, Medicare is going to select, and as always, pass a law, 10 drugs a year going up to 22, yet, every single drug
every year.
Drugs treat from everything from heart failure, blood clots, kidney disease, arthritis, blood cancer, more. And today, I'm proud to announce
Medicare has reached agreement with all manufacturers on all 10 drugs selected in the first round of negotiations.
(CHEERS)
(APPLAUSE)
[14:10:00]
BIDEN: If you lower prices for all 10 drugs, will go on effect in January of 2026, not this January, next January. Negotiations to cut the prices of
these 10 drugs for Judy and others who are Medicare, nearly 40, 80 percent depending which drug it is. Let me give you one example, non-insulin
diabetes drugs cost $530 a month.
Some of you may know that. Guess what? It's now only going to cost $115.
(CHEERS)
(APPLAUSE)
BIDEN: By the way, these new prices of 10 drugs accumulative mean $1.5 billion less out-of-pocket for patients to the drug companies. Lower co-
pays for many of the 9 million seniors who take these drugs. That's not all. We're also saving the American taxpayer because of the new changes, 6
billion a year.
Because Medicare won't have to pay out them, imagine that, $6 billion a year. Well, we could do that for childcare and healthcare and so much more.
We're just getting started. And the law, I signed Medicare can negotiate lower prices for another 15 drugs next year, 15, the following and 20 after
that until every drug is covered.
(CHEERS)
(APPLAUSE)
BIDEN: That's the law now. This is another really big deal. It means that Americans can save more money and from lifesaving medications they need and
deserve, and bring peace of mind. It's hard to explain. Kamala and I are going to keep fighting and lower the prescription drug costs for everyone,
not just seniors.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
BIDEN: Is a fight that we have to continue --
(APPLAUSE)
BIDEN: Oh, but guess what? Surprise, big pharma doesn't want this to happen at all. The pharmaceutical industry last year spent $400 million lobbying
to Congress to stop this, $400 million. It worked pretty well. They didn't get one Republican voting for or against them. They all voted for them.
Republican allies stuck with them, and the ability of the federal government to negotiate lower drug prices was -- tried to be stopped.
Kamala and I and all in this room are going to keep standing up for big pharma. I fought too damn hard to yield now!
(CHEERS)
(APPLAUSE)
BIDEN: They're not backing down, and get this, you may have heard about the MAGA Republican Project 2025 plan.
(BOOING)
BIDEN: They want to repeal Medicare's power to negotiate drug prices. But big pharma back to charge whatever they want. Let me tell you what Project
2025 is. Beat the hell out of them!
(CHEERS)
(APPLAUSE)
BIDEN: I mean it! Or in January '25, total prescription drug costs will be capped at 2,000, no matter how expensive they are. In Summer, expenses was
12 a year -- $12,000 a month, I should say. Kamala Harris and Democrats in Congress will make sure a $2,000 cap covers everyone, not just seniors as
well.
Insulin will cost us $35 for everyone, not just seniors. Our project '25 will offer opportunity to lower costs for you, your families, instead of
handing big pharma big blank check. And look, and then the process, this is what you don't talk enough about. I don't think. In the process, we're
going to save the taxpayer.
The budget is going to be reduced by hundreds of billions of dollars. Hear me, hundreds of billions of dollars, just the first year. The first thing
we passed was $160 billion less that the government is going to have to pay out to pharma, but guess what? You can pay out for education, you can pay
out for your healthcare, you can pay out for so much more, or you can just simply reduce the deficit he has exploded.
Folks, that's what I call win. Folks, there's more. My predecessor and his MAGA friends in Congress tried to repeal the Affordable Care Act, which is
different, Obamacare.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes!
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes!
BIDEN: They tried to repeal it over 50 times, we stopped them! Along the way, I made the Affordable Care Act even stronger, protecting million more
Americans from free existing conditions. And guess what? There're over 40 million MAGA Republicans in Congress don't want to cut Medicare, and so,
they want to cut Medicare and Social Security. Why?
They want to give another -- here's what they're proposing. Just so you know what they're proposing, are proposing another $5 trillion tax cut for
the MAGA wealthy. By the way, this guy we're running against --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No!
[14:15:00]
BIDEN: When he was President, he gave a $2 trillion tax cut to super- wealthy. You know what that was? He generated the largest deficit any President has in American history.
(BOOING)
BIDEN: I love it because the public is talking about cut spending, you know, we have a 1,000 billionaires in America. You know what the average
tax they pay is? Eight-point-two percent. And it is to build -- say that you got to pay a minimum of 25 percent. Know what that would raise? Five
hundred billion dollars over the next ten years.
Imagine what we could do with that. Imagine the tax that we can cut for ordinary people. Well, look, Kamala and I have a better idea. We're going
to protect Medicare and Social Security, make sure the wealthy pay their fair share. That's how we want them to pay for.
(CHEERS)
(APPLAUSE)
BIDEN: By the way, that means making the tax code fair. Look, in addition, we also announced steps to crack down on any competitive practices in
healthcare. How many of you know we've been going after these called junk fees, junk health insurance plans? Once they look affordable, when you take
the cover off, you find out there's a number of hidden costs.
We're going after them and trying to get rid of them. We're also cracking down on surprise medical billing. For example --
(CHEERS)
(APPLAUSE)
BIDEN: When a patient goes in a hospital for surgery, if it turns out his anesthesiologist is not in his network --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Right --
BIDEN: You can get a surprise bill for another $1,000. Well, we're stopping that too to protect a million healthcare provide -- we're protecting 1
million Americans every month from unexpected medical bills. We're working on a band use of medical debt on credit reporting.
(CHEERS)
(APPLAUSE)
BIDEN: Years ago, I had two craniotomy because I had aneurysm. My bill, if I didn't have insurance was --
LYNDA KINKADE, CNN INTERNATIONAL HOST: We saw it live here on CNN, U.S. President Joe Biden there taking the stage with Vice President Kamala
Harris in Maryland. This is the first formal appearance together since he left the race last month. Well, you heard them talking about the
administration's efforts to cut the cost of prescription drugs and of course, drive down inflation.
The economy is a central issue for many American voters ahead of the Fall election, and something both presidential campaigns are very much focused
on this week. Well, for more perspective on all of this, I want to welcome Larry Sabato; the Director of the University of Virginia's Center for
Politics, as well as Caroline Heldman, a professor at Occidental College. She's also a Democratic strategist. Good to have you both with us.
CAROLINE HELDMAN, PROFESSOR OF POLITICAL SCIENCE, OCCIDENTAL COLLEGE: Good to see you.
KINKADE: And so on, everyone wants to know as much about the policy today as the optics, seeing both Joe Biden and Kamala Harris together for the
first time in three-and-a-half weeks. Kamala Harris, of course, speaking first, which would be unusual if she wasn't at the top of the ticket. First
to Larry, what was your key takeaway?
LARRY SABATO, DIRECTOR, UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA'S CENTER FOR POLITICS: Well, my takeaway was the enthusiasm is continuing. If anything, it's
intensifying. Back, Kamala Harris was able to transfer some of it to Joe Biden.
(LAUGHTER)
KINKADE: Yes.
SABATO: That was the -- that was the most enthusiastic crowd he's had in a long time. And of course, President Biden is going to be President for six
more months. He's speaking Monday night at the first day of the Democratic National Convention. So, this makes sense to put him forward for this time
period.
I think he'll be stepping back a good deal more as Kamala Harris becomes the face, not just of the Biden-Harris administration, but of politics and
government generally, that will help her more than anything.
KINKADE: And Larry, there was a lot of camaraderie. You heard in the tone of what Joe Biden had to say. He said when Kamala is in office, I'll help
her. When she's president, I'll be there, pushing through some of these policies. This week, very much, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are focused
on the economy.
In a recent poll, I just want to bring up -- shows that more Americans believe that Kamala Harris is better on economic issues than Donald Trump.
This is the polls, I mean, August, Harris at 42 percent, people trust him more on economic issues than Donald Trump? He's at 41 percent.
Whereas back in July, just a month ago, Trump was at 41 percent and Joe Biden when he was on the ticket, was at 35 percent. And certainly, the
inflation data we've got this week as well as this policy to lower the cost of prescription drugs working in the Democratic and the Democrats favor,
Larry.
SABATO: Oh, absolutely. Look, what's happened is people were relieved to see Joe Biden step aside, and then they saw Kamala Harris.
[14:20:00]
They thought they knew who she was vaguely, they didn't know any of the details. They hadn't followed Vice President Harris, and she was so young
and vigorous and detailed and what she was saying, despite what some critics have suggested, that she clearly impressed the electorate, not just
Democrats, but also independents, and that slice of Republicans who still had not reconciled themselves to Donald Trump.
So, on qualities, you know, honesty, integrity, sincerity, concern for average Americans, she has gone far above Donald Trump in a very short
period of time.
KINKADE: Yes, she really has. Incredible surge. I'll let you go, Larry, I know you've got to run. Larry Sabato, thanks for joining us. I want to ask
you, Caroline, though, because we did hear from sources telling CNN that the President was bitter, but seemed relieved and quite relaxed at finally
accepting that decision to drop out of this race.
We heard him today quite jovial, talking about, you know, being in the Senate for 217 years, and when he was elected, he was deemed too young for
office, now, he's deemed too old. And I want to play some sound from yesterday when he spoke to some influencers at a Creator's Conference at
the White House. Let's just take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BIDEN: You break through in ways that I think you're going to change the entire dynamic and the way in which we communicate. And that's why I
invited you to the White House because I'm looking for a job.
(LAUGHTER)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: And to you, Caroline, I mean, both yesterday and even today, the way Joe Biden is joking about the fact that he's leaving office, doesn't
know what's coming next. He seems more comfortable with that decision.
CAROLINE HELDMAN, PROFESSOR, OCCIDENTAL COLLEGE: He certainly does. And it's interesting what you're noting here, there is joy, right? And this
really is now the 2024 race. It's a campaign that's pitting Kamala Harris and Walz's joy against essentially apocalyptic language from Donald Trump.
And I think there was a real hunger for that, especially on the Democratic side.
Given that, you know, the last couple of elections have been voting against Donald Trump rather than for a candidate. And Joe Biden today -- wow, he
was actually meaner than we have seen him when he called Trump Donald Dumb. He talked about prescription drug companies and said we're going to beat
the hell out of them.
This is not a Joe Biden we have maybe ever seen, but I will also say the contrast today between Kamala Harris and Joe Biden was distinct. Biden was
slurring his words, he was repeating himself. He was confusing numbers. It was very clear that the Democratic Party made the right decision in putting
a lot of pressure on him to step aside.
KINKADE: Yes, you're right. There's still where those distinct stumbles -- but certainly, that the crowd and that energy was quite a amazing really
that momentum is continuing. When you consider that Donald Trump is going to speak in the coming hours on his economic policy, and despite the change
up at the top of the ticket for the Democratic Party, Donald Trump's criticism hasn't really changed. I just want to play some sound that it's a
mash-up by the "Daily Show". Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP (R), FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT, U.S. REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: For nearly four years, Kamala has crackled(ph) as the American
economy has burned. What happened to her laugh? I haven't heard that laugh in about a week.
(LAUGHTER)
That's why they keep her off the stage. That's why she disappear. That's a laugh of a crazy person. I will tell you if you haven't noticed, it's
crazy, she's crazy. They told her, don't laugh!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: That was not the sound I was referring to, clearly, but the measure was essentially contrasting what he said about Kamala Harris and
what he said about Joe Biden, constantly attacking their personality, how smart they are. It hasn't really changed for the most part. Do you think it
will going forward?
HELDMAN: Well, he's certainly going to try to paint Kamala Harris as having Joe Biden's economic record. And in fact, when I saw that they were going
to be appearing today on the economy, I was like, oh, do you really want to be -- does Harris really want to be associated with anything to do with the
Biden economic record?
But as you noted at the top of the show, she has actually closed the gap in terms of who can best handle the economy with Trump. She's also closed the
gap in five out of seven swing states, especially, you know, Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, being that clear pathway to victory for her.
So, if the election were held tomorrow, it would be her race to lose and the economy being the driving issue. It doesn't look like the Trump admin -
- the Trump campaign is actually going to be effective in painting her with a broad brush of Bidenomics, given that she's closed the gap.
[14:25:00]
And also these new initiatives, we'll see what's going to happen on Friday, but it looks like both Biden and Harris are really pushing against
corporate corruption, which I think will resonate with many Americans.
KINKADE: And of course, today's event wasn't exactly meant to be a campaign event. It was meant to be an administration coming out with a new policy.
But interestingly, as I pointed out, Kamala Harris did speak first. What did you notice about the body language between Joe Biden and Kamala Harris?
HELDMAN: Well, it was incredible how much he supported her and then how much the audience supported him, maybe because he stepped aside. It was
obviously a campaign event. I don't actually love this. I don't like it when Presidents use the office of the presidency during a campaign, whether
they're on the top of the ticket or not, and having the Vice Presidency running makes it really interesting. It gives an unfair advantage.
And we saw that today with Biden using the office of the presidency to physically and verbally support Kamala Harris. If you're a Democrat, you
love that. If you're a Republican, you might be saying, hey, this isn't fair.
KINKADE: And of course, Donald Trump likes to tell his story about a nation in decline, and how we're headed towards a looming depression if he's not
elected. But of course, it's quite a contrast when you see Kamala Harris and even Joe Biden today speaking, and that energy and that positivity
certainly welcome news.
Also that we had that great inflation report yesterday. We're going to leave it there for now, Caroline, we're being -- getting the route, but I
appreciate your time. Caroline Heldman, thanks so much.
HELDMAN: Thank you.
KINKADE: Well, in just a couple of hours from now, as we were discussing, former President Donald Trump will hold another news conference, and this
comes on the heels of his economic speech on Wednesday that included a number of personal attacks on Vice President Harris as well as others.
Aides have been pleading with Trump to stay on message and keep the focus on policy. Well, a devastating maelstrom in Gaza is a reminder of all the
lives that are at stake as mediators begin a last ditch effort in Doha to end the war. The U.S., Egypt, Qatar and Israel are all taking part in
ceasefire talks today.
Unlike previous negotiations, Hamas is not at the table, but working through mediators. The White House says the talks are off to a promising
start, but more needs to be done.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN KIRBY, COORDINATOR FOR STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS, NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL, WHITE HOUSE: 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, that the structure of it. It's now about implementing, and sometimes you know when
you get to the end of a negotiation and you're talking about those kinds of details, that's when it gets the hardest and the most gritty.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: Well, each day that passes with no deal, more people in Gaza lose their lives. Gaza's Health Ministry says the death toll now tops 40,000
people. And while we don't have a breakdown on how many militants compared to civilians have been killed, the Palestinian Ministry of Relief Affairs
says more than 10,000 women and 16,000 children are among the dead.
And securing a ceasefire is also critical for the families of hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza. They've endured an agonizing wait desperate
for their loved ones to come home. I want to bring in our correspondent, Jeremy Diamond is in Haifa, Israel, and Jomana Karadsheh is in Doha. Good
to have you both with us.
Jeremy, first to you. The mediators are at the table trying to hammer out this three-phase plan. The last one of which was put forward about two-and-
a-half months ago, and both sides agreed in principle. What are the sticking points right now?
JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, there are a number of key sticking points, and a lot of them have to do with some of the demands that the
Israeli Prime Minister has been making over the course of the last month since that framework agreement was first reached at the beginning of July.
And that relates to two key issues. The first of which being Israeli control of what's known as the Philadelphi Corridor, that strip of land
along the Egypt-Gaza border, where the Israeli Prime Minister wants to maintain troops, wants to stay in control, even as Israeli troops withdraw
from other parts of the Gaza Strip.
The second issue relates to the movement of people from southern Gaza to northern Gaza. And on that front, the Israelis had previously agreed after
months of resisting to allow unfettered access for Palestinians to go from southern Gaza to northern Gaza. But then the Prime Minister began insisting
once again on establishing some kind of security mechanism to prevent armed Gazans to go from southern to northern Gaza.
So, those are two of the key issues. But beyond that, there are also other finer issues that are still being negotiated, including the identities of
the Palestinian prisoners who would be released in exchange for Israeli hostages and several other key issues as well. And so, there really are a
lot of gaps that still do remain between these two sides.
And so, there is very little expectation that these talks, which we understand are still ongoing this evening, that these talks will result in
any kind of final agreement between Israel and Hamas.
[14:30:09]
There certainly is though the possibility, at least, of progress being made in these negotiations. And with that, of course, would bring the
possibility of lowering tensions in a region that really has felt like it is on the brink of war, on the edge, over the course of the last two weeks.
So, really critical negotiations. Ultimately, Lynda, I think it's going to come down to political will. Is the Israeli prime minister willing to get
to a deal? Is Yahya Sinwar, the head of Hamas, willing to get to a deal? It's clear that all the ingredients are there for them to get there, but
now it's up to them.
KINKADE: Yes, exactly. And to you, Jomana, 10 months into this war, there's still over 100 hostages in Gaza, but also, we're hearing from the ministry
of health in Gaza saying that the death toll of Palestinians is now over 40,000 people, men, women, and children, but they say the actual number
could be much higher.
JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Lynda, as these talks resume today, the world is reminded yet again of the real cost of this war. As you
mention this grim milestone mark today with more than 40,000 people who have been killed since the start of this war 10 months ago, this is
according to the Ministry of Health in Gaza, and they say that there are thousands of others who are unaccounted for, up to 10,000 possibly, they
believe, who are buried under the rubble.
So, the death toll could be even higher than that. And the majority of those killed, as you mentioned earlier, they say, are women and children.
And look, I mean, the Israeli military for months has been saying that they do what they can to try and avoid civilian casualties. They blame Hamas for
this high number of civilian casualties, although, they do dispute these figures as well. And they say it is on Hamas, because it embeds itself
within the civilian population.
But, Lynda, the question has always been, and you keep hearing this, what are civilians to do when they have nowhere to flee, nowhere safe in Gaza,
not even these designated safe humanitarian zones, as they're called by the Israeli military, have been spared the bombing campaign? And you see the
mounting criticism from so many countries, so many in the International Community against Israel for the way that it has been prosecuting this war.
But there's one thing that no one can deny here is that it is the civilians in Gaza who are continuing to bear the brunt of this war, nearly 17,000
children, according to these figures have been killed. And I want you to take a look at our report that captures the reality of war for the children
of Gaza. And we have to warn viewers, Lynda, that the images, they're about to see our graphic and disturbing.
(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 nine 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 belief friends with stories just like theirs.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): 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 Hala (ph) longs for the days when she had a home in Gaza City.
HALA (PH) (through translator): Life is unlivable. I only live for my sibling 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. His cries, his pain, drowned out by the chaos.
[14:35:00]
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's siege has done to Gaza's most vulnerable.
JABER ABU KALOUB, FATHER OF DECEASED NINE-YEAR-OLD (through translator): 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): A 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 Mohamed Abu Kaloub (ph). 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 Abdul Keman Al Aqqad (ph). 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.
Keman (ph) 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 Keman did
not survive. He was three.
This one day, showing how fragile existence is in this place, where life, death, and stolen moments of joy meet.
Jomana Karadsheh, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:40:00]
KINKADE: Welcome back. I'm Lynda Kinkade. CNN's Nick Paton Walsh is tracking Ukraine's ongoing incursion into Russia. Here's a closer look on
the ground in Sumy in Northeastern Ukraine.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: -- where Russia begins. It's startling to see the steady flow of military vehicles,
that probably an ambulance, and armor just passing through the Russian border point here.
That is the border post that clearly got heavily hit when Ukraine moved in hard over a week ago. Russia's border's here, completely undefended. It's
also remarkable. The freedom with which the Ukrainian military are moving around here, they simply aren't afraid of the drones that have hampered
their every move for the past months.
That says the border service of the FSB, the Russian security services of Russia. There's a bullet hole above the rules and bullet holes in the rules
themselves.
Now, this is what's so startling about this offensive, the volume. of western supplied armor that we're seeing passing back and forth. Their
passage through here up into Russia unimpeded in (INAUDIBLE) that Rochelle from Canada.
WALSH (through translator): Did you expect it?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): No, we didn't expect this operation. There's a task, we're doing it, no more no less. The final
result? No one speaks about that now.
WALSH: He was just saying about how frequently I've been going back and forth over the last week or so. And you get a real sense of the euphoria.
But ultimately, too, the enduring question is what is all this for? What is the end game? Yes, it's a huge embarrassment for Vladimir Putin, but
they're sending some of their best equipment deep into Russia. And I'm sure in the back of the minds of these troops is the question of what ultimately
are we going to achieve? And we still don't know the answer to that.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KINKADE: Our thanks Nick Paton Walsh. Well, still to come, police in Los Angeles have announced arrests in connection to the death of actor Matthew
Perry. We'll have the latest on their investigation in a live report next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:45:00]
KINKADE: Welcome back, I'm Lynda Kincade. News just in to us in the last hour or so, five people have been charged in connection to the death of
"Friends" actor Matthew Perry. They're accused of providing him with ketamine, a powerful surgical anesthetic that is sometimes used to treat
chronic pain and depression.
An autopsy said the actor's death last October was due to the acute effects of ketamine and subsequent drowning. Well, joining us for more is CNN's
Omar Jimenez. And, Omar, we're learning that among the five people arrested include two doctors. Authorities spoke about this a short time ago. What
are they saying?
OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. So, we have five people charged in total in connection with Matthew Perry's death. As you mentioned, two
medical doctors, his live-in assistant, but also, a woman who was known and described as officials as the Ketamine Queen.
Now, all of them, in one sense or another, are essentially charged with distributing ketamine to Matthew Perry in the weeks, in the days leading up
to his death. Two of them though were arrested today, as we understand from officials, that's the Ketamine Queen, as she's known, but also Dr. Salvador
Plasencia and the Ketamine Queen's name is Jasveen Sangha. They were both arrested today, though.
And when you look through what was announced by officials and what was put out in this indictment, you get to see a clear picture of what was
happening in the days leading up to Matthew Perry's death. For example, the way the prosecutors allege -- or the officials allege this worked is
essentially that Ketamine Queen was helping organize the supply here and that these doctors were helping facilitate some of that supply to get into
the hands of Perry, in which Perry's assistant was actually administering this ketamine despite not having any medical experience. That's all
according to the indictment.
And as we heard from the U.S. attorney in Los Angeles today, he said that their impression was that these were people that were taking advantage of
Perry's addiction at the time, that officials believe he slipped back into an addictive state in regards to ketamine in the fall of 2023. That's when
a lot of this activity ramped up.
He was found dead at the end of October 2023. So, you see how rapidly this seemed to progress here. And just to get to one specific incident. In this
final month, on October 12, 2023, this is a little over two weeks before he was found dead, the doctor allegedly injected Matthew Perry with a large
dose of ketamine that caused Perry to freeze up and his blood pressure to significantly spike to the point where he said something to the effect of,
quote, let's not do that again. That's what was included in the indictment.
Then a week later, a week and a half later on October 24th, despite telling a patient that Perry, quote, was too far gone and spiraling in his
addiction, one doctor, charged in this case, still placed an order for more ketamine to get into the hands of Perry.
And so, largely this indictment alleges that these people knew that he was having issues with this drug, potentially could abuse them, and was still
facilitating getting them into his hands in large quantities so much so to the point that he wasn't able to get them in a normal clinic setting.
KINKADE: Wow. Quite incredible. Five people charged in relation to the death of actor Matthew Perry, including two doctors. We will stay on this
story. Omar Jimenez, good to have you with us. Thank you.
JIMENEZ: Of course.
KINKADE: Well, still to come, Taylor Swift is set to perform for the first time since cancelling her Vienna shows due to a terror plot. We'll have a
live report in London next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:50:00]
KINKADE: Welcome back. I'm Lynda Kinkade. Police in London are increasing security for tonight's Taylor Swift show at Wembley Stadium. This is the
first of five shows following last week's cancellation of her concerts in Austria. That's where police uncovered an alleged plot to attack one of her
shows. Three teenagers have since been detained, and Austrian officials say at least two of the suspects have pledged allegiance to ISIS.
Well, joining us in London near Wembley Stadium is CNN's Salma Abdelaziz. Good to have you there for us, Salma. So, take us through the security
arrangements for tonight. Are police really stepping things up as a result of that terror plot?
SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, there was no stepping up in security, if you will, per se, since the events in Vienna. That's because
the London mayor, Sadiq Khan, said that already the highest security measures were in place. Already they were working with the venue, Wembley
Stadium, of course, behind me here to ensure that this is a safe place.
And you have to remember, of course, London has its own history with attacks on concerts. Remember in 2017, the Ariana Grande concert in
Manchester was attacked. 22 people were killed. That, of course, impacted how London handles all events going forward.
And so, the rules were made more clear, if you will, in this case, to concert goers who received e-mails from Wembley, outlining the plan. Again,
authorities said that anyone who did not have a ticket should not come to Wembley.
And I want to show you around because you're going to see, of course, that this area has been cleared up, and that's because fans have gone into the
stadium. And, Lynda, when we heard that roar, and I'm hearing some roaring again when Taylor Swift swept stepped out, there was a huge roar. And you
can just see all across this area here, this walkway here, it is a place where authorities want you, where police want you to just keep on moving.
Either you have a ticket to get into that concert hall or you don't, and you need to move on. So, that is what the security plan has been. There is
concern, of course, about people congregating. So, that meant for the Swifties, who, you know, love to sing, dance, get together, exchange
friendship bracelets, they had to do that either within dedicated fan zones or venues.
But what is so amazing to see, Lynda, is just the response to what potentially could have been a very hateful in violent attack on those
Swifties in Vienna. The response to it has been one of compassion, of love, of community, of exchanging friendship bracelets, and that will continue
over the course of the next five days as Taylor Swift performs those five sold out concerts scheduled here in London, the last of her European leg.
Lynda.
[14:55:00]
KINKADE: Yes, the last of her European leg. And I'm wondering, Salma, has Taylor Swift commented since that terror plot was uncovered in Vienna?
ABDELAZIZ: There haven't been detailed comments on that. And Taylor Swift is known to be very careful when it comes to handling her communications
and her PR. So, you can expect that she has responded by doing exactly what she does, which is getting on that stage, singing her heart out and
performing to her fans, Lynda.
KINKADE: And I hear you've been speaking to some of the Swifties there. What are they saying about this concert?
ABDELAZIZ: Absolutely. And of course, we brought up the issue of security concerns, their fears, their worries around what happened in Vienna, of
course, last week when authorities say that they foiled a suspected terror plot. Several of the Swifties I spoke to said yes, absolutely. It was top
of mind. But they felt that security precautions had been taken. They felt that they had received sufficient communication from Wembley Stadium, and
they felt it was time to re-establish that safe space that Swifties are so famous for.
KINKADE: Great to hear. Hopefully, it all goes really smooth tonight for all the fans. Thanks so much Salma Abdelaziz in London. Much appreciated.
And thanks to everyone for joining us. We appreciate your time. Stay with CNN. Newsroom with Rahel Solomon is up next. And I'll be back in just under
three hours with much more news. I'm Lynda Kinkade.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[15:00:00]
END
