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Biden Urges Netanyahu to Finalize Hostage Deal; Impact of Heat on Health and Athletic Performances; ISIS-Linked Groups Pose Security Threat Ahead of Olympics; Natural Disasters Force China to Confront Climate Change; California's 'Park Fire' Grows Explosively; Harris Lays Out Foreign Policy Priorities; Breakdancing Makes Olympic Debut. Aired 12-12:45a ET

Aired July 26, 2024 - 00:00   ET

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

LAURA COATES, CNN ANCHOR: Tune in. The two-hour special, "HOW IT REALLY HAPPENED: THE ATLANTA OLYMPIC BOMBING," airs Saturday at 9 p.m. Eastern.

[00:00:12]

Thank you all for watching. "ANDERSON COOPER 360" starts right now.

JOHN VAUSE, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Coming up here on CNN NEWSROOM.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KAMALA HARRIS, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: As I just told Prime Minister Netanyahu, it is time to get this deal done.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: The White House ups the pressure on Israel's prime minister for a ceasefire in Gaza and the return of Israeli and American hostages held by Hamas.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Who would think of a 13-year-old as a terrorist?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: Target Paris: how a resurgent ISIS is using TikTok to recruit terrorist teenagers to attack this year's Olympic Games.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: An emergency worker clings on to this warming as she's hoisted into a boat.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: And dramatic rescues across Southern China as Typhoon Gaemi makes landfall, bringing torrential rain and flash floods.

ANNOUNCER: Live from Atlanta, this is CNN NEWSROOM with John Vause.

VAUSE: The Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, travels to Mar- a-Lago Friday for a meeting with the Republican presidential nominee, Donald Trump.

Netanyahu needs ongoing U.S. support to continue his war in Gaza. But on Thursday at the White House, President Joe Biden urged Netanyahu to agree to a ceasefire as soon as possible and secure the release of Israeli and American hostages being held by the militant group Hamas.

Netanyahu met separately with Vice President Kamala Harris, the presumptive Democrat nominee for president, who's also pushing for a ceasefire deal. While Harris expressed her support for Israel, she added, she will not be silent about the suffering in Gaza.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: I've said it many times, but it bears repeating. Israel has a right to defend itself, and how it does so matters.

I also expressed with the prime minister, my serious concern about the scale of human suffering in Gaza, including the death of far too many innocent civilians.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: And after Prime Minister Netanyahu spent time with the relatives of American hostages on Thursday, they said they have not been this hopeful in months that a ceasefire deal could happen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JONATHAN POLIN, FATHER OF ISRAELI-AMERICAN HOSTAGE HERSH GOLDBERG- POLIN: We've got a rare moment now where the current president of the United States and anybody who might become president of the United States -- both Vice President Harris and Donald Trump -- are all aligned in saying this deal must get done now.

So, anybody on any side who makes them mistaken political calculus that there's benefit in waiting. We'll find out that that logic is wrong. The deal must happen now.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: Our coverage begins with CNN's Jeremy Diamond reporting in from Tel Aviv.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, fresh off his address to Congress, Prime Minister Netanyahu sitting down with President Biden, with Vice President Kamala Harris, as well as the families of the eight American hostages still being held in Gaza.

DIAMOND (voice-over): We didn't get a ton out of that Oval Office meeting, at least that we saw with the cameras publicly between the prime minister and President Biden. A lot of pleasantries being exchanged. Prime Minister Netanyahu noting President Biden's strong Zionist credentials.

But what we did get was more out of the families of those hostages, who met with the Israeli prime minister, alongside President Biden in an expanded meeting.

And surprisingly, perhaps, a lot of optimism coming from those families.

JONATHAN DEKEL-CHEN, FATHER OF ISRAELI-AMERICAN HOSTAGE SAGUI DEKEL- CHEN: We feel probably more optimistic than we have since the first round of releases in late November, early December, where a little over 100 of Israel's hostages were released.

And we got absolute commitment from the Biden administration and from Prime Minister Netanyahu that they understand the urgency of this moment now, to waste no time and to complete this deal as it currently stands, with as little change as humanly possible within it.

DIAMOND (voice-over): Now that optimism from Jonathan Dekel-Chen, extremely notable, in part, because the families of these hostages, they rarely get their hopes up. They've endured so much over the course of these last nine months, so many ups and downs, so much false hope, that to hear that kind of optimism is notable in and of itself.

But then, of course, there's the fact that he had just emerged from a meeting, not only with President Biden, but crucially, with the Israeli prime minister.

And these families of hostages have repeatedly indicated that they don't have a lot of confidence in the words of the prime minister, in his stated commitment to bringing these hostages home, in part because many of them believe that he is far more committed, as he was in his speech in his address to Congress just the previous day, to the notion of fighting this war until Hamas is defeated, prioritizing this war over the return of the hostages.

[00:05:19]

Now what comes next is the critical question here. That delegation of the Israeli delegation was supposed to head to meet with the mediators on Thursday. That trip was delayed after President Biden's meeting with prime minister for Netanyahu was pushed until Thursday.

But now that that has happened, it's expected that, in the coming days, very likely at the beginning of next week. That Israeli delegation, led by the Mossad director, will transmit the Israeli response.

And then, of course, the question will be what Hamas's answer will be.

DIAMOND: Jeremy Diamond, CNN, Tel Aviv.

(END VIDEOTAPE) VAUSE: Joining me now is Steven Cook, senior fellow for Middle Eastern Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations. He is also author of "The End of Ambition: America's Past, Present, and Future in the Middle East."

Good to have you with us.

STEVEN COOK, SENIOR FELLOW, MIDDLE EASTERN STUDIES, COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS: It's great to be with you, John.

VAUSE: So, Netanyahu met separately with the U.S. president and vice president, but both made clear to the Israeli prime minister the time has come for a ceasefire.

Here's Kamala Harris speaking after her talks with the Israeli prime minister.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: As I just told Prime Minister Netanyahu, it is time to get this deal done. Let's get the deal done so we can get a ceasefire to end the war.

Let's bring the hostages home, and let's provide much-needed relief to the Palestinian people.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: We're told that both sides are very, very close here, but there are no second prizes when it comes to an agreement on a ceasefire for how close you get. You know, without a deal, both sides being close, it's relatively meaningless.

So, is the Israeli prime minister here, in a way, playing for time? Is he rolling the dice that maybe, you know, Donald Trump will win come November, and he'll have a much favorable or much better sort of U.S. administration, much more favorable to Israel?

COOK: Well, I think his time frame is a little bit shorter than January 2025. The Knesset goes out of session on July 28, and it's exceedingly difficult to bring down a government once the Knesset goes out of session. And it will be out of session until October.

So, Netanyahu may feel that, after the 28th, which is in just a couple of days, they'll have more room for maneuver and will be able to finalize a deal.

But he's clearly getting the pressure from the president, the vice president, and the presumptive Democratic Party nominee, as well as the families of at least the American hostages, who were also in meetings with the president and the prime minister.

So -- but as you know, John, over the course of the last six months, we've been told that they're very close, they're very close. And something happens. And of course, there was another party here, and that's Hamas. And Hamas has to agree, as well. VAUSE: All right, that's a good point. Now -- but after that meeting

with Netanyahu, Harris made the point that Americans needed, you know, to have a different viewpoint when it comes to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. They need to look at it with much more nuance. Here she is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: It is important for the American people to remember: the war in Gaza is not a binary issue. However, too often, the conversation is binary, when the reality is anything but.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: You know, that is a big ask in a lot of ways, but is it an indication that U.S. policy towards Israel would shift under a president -- President Harris, as opposed to the almost unconditional support which we saw under President Biden, support which really cost him a lot politically?

COOK: Well, I think, if you listen very carefully, Vice President Harris was criticizing the moral absolutes, which undoubtedly, Prime Minister Netanyahu signaled in his speech before Congress yesterday.

But she's also criticizing the left wing of the Democratic Party, which also operates in this binary world when it comes to this conflict.

So, it may very well be that there is some change, at least rhetorically, from a President Harris, should she be elected.

But nevertheless, I think it was very, very smart for her to signal that this conflict is a million shades of gray, rather than the absolutes either Prime Minister Netanyahu talked about yesterday, or the moral absolutes with which protesters and other critics of Israel and its conduct have approached the conflict since last October.

VAUSE: And it's complicated, to say the least. Netanyahu seems to be covering all these bases here. And while he is in the United States, he's meeting with the Republican presidential nominee, Donald Trump, on Friday.

It should be noted that, despite Trump's very pro-Israel policies while in office, his relationship with Netanyahu soured, in part because of this. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NETANYAHU (through translator): I would like to start with congratulating Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. I have had a long and warm personal connection with Joe Biden for nearly 40 years. And I know him as a great friend of the state of Israel.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[00:10:04]

VAUSE: That was Netanyahu congratulating Biden on winning the 2020 election.

It may seem petty for Trump to hold a grudge, but that's what he does. Is this the only thing which has soured the relationship?

COOK: No, I'm actually one of the few people who read Jared Kushner's book about his time in the White House. And what Kushner, who was a senior adviser to his father-in-law on Middle East peace, relays is that both he and the president, President Trump, were deeply mistrustful of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and believed that Netanyahu would short-circuit the peace plan or the deal of the century that President Trump unveiled.

And indeed, he tried to do that a number of times.

So, President Trump, actually, throughout his time in office, was despite his -- the outward appearances of a very close relationship with the Israeli prime minister, was actually rooting for his opponents to win in the series of elections that were held during Israeli elections during Trump's tenure.

VAUSE: An interesting point to finish on.

Steven Cook, thanks for being with us. Appreciate it.

COOK: My pleasure.

VAUSE: Well, like father, like son. Joaquin Guzman Lopez, the son of notorious drug lord El Chapo, was arrested by U.S. authorities in Texas Thursday.

He was taken into custody alongside Ismael Zambada Garcia, who is known as El Mayo and thought to be the current leader and co-founder of the Sinaloa drug cartel.

Federal officials say both men were arrested without incident after arriving in El Paso on board a private plane. The Justice Department describes the Sinaloa cartel as one of the most violent and powerful drug trafficking organizations in the world.

Both men are facing several charges for allegedly smuggling tens of thousands of pounds of drugs, including fentanyl, into the United States every year.

Sinaloa's other co-founder, El Chapo, was convicted in the U.S. in 2019 on ten counts linked to federal drug offenses.

Even before the curtain goes up on the Paris Olympics, the games have been rocked by the first allegations of cheating.

Bev Priestman, the head coach of Canada's women's football team, has been suspended for the remainder of the game for the allegations that drones were used to spy on rival teams.

Women's football took center stage Thursday with the U.S. easily defeating Zambia. Trinity Rodman opened the scoring for the Americans with a turn and shot. Then two more goals came within eight minutes for a final score, three-nil.

Thursday saw a new record in women's archery, with South Korea's Lim Si-Hyeon scoring 694 points in the individual ranking round.

And will see or won't she? Two years after Celine Dion was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, the French-Canadian singer will reportedly sing at Friday's opening ceremony, which for the first time, will be held in -- not inside a stadium. But instead on the famous River Seine with -- which weaves its way through the French capital.

And rain is in the forecast for Paris in the coming hours, with showers possible for the opening ceremony, along with windy conditions. Rain also expected all day Saturday, clearing by Sunday.

And when the clouds do clear by the start of next week, the heat will return, with daily temperatures expected well above average.

Joining us now for more on the impact of the heat in Paris is Claudia Brown, a health scientist with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Thank you for speaking with us.

(DOG BARKING)

CLAUDIA BROWN, HEALTH SCIENTIST, CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION: Sure, happy to be here.

VAUSE: And glad your dog is there, as well.

Already this week, the planet has twice set the new record for the hottest day. And here's the forecast for Paris.

High temperatures will range from 32 to 35 degrees Celsius, 90 to 95 tweets Fahrenheit, early next week, above the average high temperature for this time of year, 26 degrees Celsius. That's 79 degrees Fahrenheit.

So, in other words, it will be hot and a lot hotter than usual. So, let's start with the impact that will have on elite athletes. How will that impact their performance and also their health?

BROWN: So, heat has serious health impacts, and heat-related illnesses, though, are preventable if you follow some key steps; though the athletes are going to be outside, a lot of them, not able to maybe adjust their schedules.

So yes, it can absolutely have an impact on their performance as their bodies may be overheating with the abnormally warm temperatures.

VAUSE: Is it -- is it dangerous for their health in any way?

BROWN: Absolutely. Heat is very dangerous. It -- you know, heat- related illnesses range in severity from heat rash and muscle cramps to heat exhaustion and heat stroke, which is actually deadly. So, when people are experiencing those symptoms, you know, we say it's

so important that you seek medical care and keep an eye out, also, for those around you that may be experiencing those symptoms.

VAUSE: Well, Paris is expecting more than 15 million visitors for the Olympics, as well. And as these temperatures soar, here's what the Red Cross is planning. Listen to this.

[00:15:02]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FLORENT VALLEE, DIRECTOR OF EMERGENCY AND OPERATIONS, FRENCH RED CROSS (through translator): Today between 350 and up to 900 first-aid workers will be on duty in shifts throughout the day to provide emergency services during the Olympic Games.

For the opening ceremony on Friday, 395 first aid workers from all the associations will be taking turns to ensure safety and to deal with injuries and heat.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: So, just what's the best advice for anyone who will be in Paris and will be dealing with these average -- you know, higher than average hot temperatures?

BROWN: So, what we always say -- say is stay cool, stay hydrated, and know the symptoms of heat-related illness. And if you do yourself or know someone near you that is experiencing shortness of breath, dizziness, headaches, nausea, seek medical -- medical care immediately, because time is of the essence when these things happen.

VAUSE: And the British Association for Sustainable Sport recently made a number of recommendations on how to deal with rising temperatures. Among them, better guidelines to decide when sporting events to likely be postponed or outright canceled; better technology to monitor heat and body temperatures; as well as greater sharing of resources and information about heat illness between the different sporting federations.

All that's, you know, great you know, for the future. But should there be discussion at any point that maybe holding the Olympics in summer is not a great idea on a warming planet? Maybe it should be shifted entirely to what may be a cooler time of year.

BROWN: I can just say that, you know, it's not recommended that people exert themselves in high temperatures. It's very dangerous. So, that's something to consider when planning events like these, where there's going to be so many people exercising outside.

And also, you know, as you mentioned, spectators that are sitting in these stands for hours on end, you know, watching these events. It can really become dangerous. So, something to consider as for planning these things, absolutely. VAUSE: Clair [SIC] Brown, thanks so much for being with us. We really

appreciate it.

BROWN: Thanks for having me.

VAUSE: Israel is warning of a possible terror threat facing the Israeli delegation and Israeli tourists at this year's Olympics.

The warnings are based on intelligence gathered from Israel's national security council, which has already led to at least two arrests earlier this year.

Security experts are warning that ISIS, once thought defeated, is making a resurgence, notably with the help of social media. As CNN's Nick Paton Walsh reports, the terror group is now trying to recruit teenagers.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT (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, 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 aged 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 outreach. 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's remnants emerges as their latest offshoot, ISIS-K, originally based in Afghanistan, becomes increasingly focused on the West and powerful in nearby Turkey.

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 its brutal attack on a Catholic church. And Turkish court documents obtained by CNN portray a vast network of ISIS-K radicals in the city.

[00:20:08]

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.

Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VAUSE: When we come back, Typhoon Gaemi makes landfall in Southern China, bringing torrential rain to a region already soaked by months of deadly downpours and floods.

And a monster fire devastates the historic town of Jasper as it sweeps through Canada's largest national park.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VAUSE: For the second time in just weeks, a small flotilla of Russian warships is heading to Cuba.

One of Russia's most modern warships, as well as a nuclear-powered submarine and two other ships, made that journey last month. This time three more ships will arrive Saturday.

Cuba is depicting all of this as a regular practice among friendly countries.

The United States said last month's visit was not a threat, but Moscow's repeated show of force near U.S. shores comes amid high tensions between both countries over Washington's ongoing support for Ukraine.

And the White House remains concerned about the collaboration between China and Russia after their bombers conducted joint air patrols near Alaska.

On Wednesday, U.S. and Canadian fighter jets intercepted two Russian and two Chinese bombers, according to military officials. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin says it was not a surprise and that Russia and China are always testing America.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LLOYD AUSTIN, U.S. DEFENSE SECRETARY: It's the first time that we've seen each two countries fly together like that. They didn't -- they didn't enter our airspace. I think the closest point of approach was about 200 miles off the -- off of our coast.

So -- but this is a thing that we track very closely. We're able to intercept. And if it happens again, if there's any kind of a challenge from any direction, I have every confidence that NorthCom and NORAD will be at the ready, and we'll be able to intercept.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: According to Beijing, the joint air patrol with Russia is part of an existing program which began in 2019.

Beijing also says this is the eighth time the two militaries have conducted similar operations.

Typhoon Gaemi is continuing its path through Southeastern China. It could bring up to 400 millimeters or 15 inches of rain to an already soaked province.

In a summer marked by natural disasters, the world's largest greenhouse gas emitter is now forced to come face to face with the deepening challenges posed by climate change.

CNN's Marc Stewart brings us the very latest now, reporting in from Beijing.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARC STEWART, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Tropical Storm Gaemi blasts China with another round of heavy rain, the latest blow in a summer of flooding.

A frantic rescue in central China. An emergency worker clings onto this woman as she's hoisted into a boat.

She points to her grandparents, still trapped in the fast-moving floodwater.

Further South, another scene of desperation, as elderly people are carried to safety after a deadly flash flood hits their village.

In another province, this is what's left of a water-ravaged bridge, submerging at least 25 cars, claiming more than a dozen lives.

Scenes of devastation like this water-covered home, as government scientists warn China is sensitive to climate change. Recent disasters have cost the world's second largest economy more than 10 billion in economic losses in the first half of the year.

Over 32 million people have been impacted, according to government data.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): According to the flood forecast for the critical period of July and August, floods may occur in all seven major river basins.

STEWART (voice-over): As muddy water rages across the landscape, China, a country working on a green energy future, faces the immediate challenge of extreme weather.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

STEWART: And people here in China, quite frankly, are craving for some kind of reprieve. It was just days ago that a province in the Northwest part of China saw record-setting rain dating back to the 1960s.

And yes, this tropical storm has now been weakening, but if you consider how saturated the ground is already it just makes this battle even more difficult.

With all of that said, some progress is being made on the flood front. The government is developing technology that is creating a much easier notification system; easier to monitor the issues. Infrastructure is improving.

But a lot of observers feel this is not happening fast enough, in particular, in smaller rural, mountainous villages where a lot of elderly people live and the resources just aren't there.

So, John, unfortunately, I have a feeling this is going to be a topic that we'll be talking about many times ahead as we still deal with the second half of the summer.

VAUSE: Yes, it's actually one of the strengths of the Chinese government is the mobilization of resources at these moments. It's telling that they are struggling at this point in time.

Marc, thank you. Marc Stewart there in Beijing.

Well, the deadliest landslides ever in Ethiopia have claimed the lives of more than 250 people. And local authorities are warning the death toll could nearly double, with the threat far from over from further slides.

The U.N. warns thousands remain at risk, including children and pregnant women.

Africa's second most populous country, Ethiopia, has seen mass displacements in recent months because of flooding triggered by heavy rains, according to the U.N.

Well, two fires are devastating Canada's largest national park, leaving street upon street in a town within it, reduced to ash and ruins.

Parts of Jasper National Park in Alberta are burning, and 25,000 residents and visitors have fled the town of the same name.

Jasper's mayor says, "The fire has ravaged our beloved community." In an emotional statement, Provincial Premier Danielle Smith estimated that up to half of the town's buildings may have been damaged or destroyed.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DANIELLE SMITH, PROVINCIAL PREMIER, ALBERTA, CANADA: My thoughts are with the people who have evacuated and are watching this, as well. And also those who are still in the community. Make sure if you can leave, please leave safely. Take care of yourself.

Also to the emergency responders and firefighters. We -- we wish you all the luck in fighting this fire and keeping safe, as well.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has approved federal assistance for evacuation efforts, as well as firefighting.

High winds and extreme temperatures have caused explosive growth in a California wildfire.

CNN's Michael Yoshida has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MICHAEL YOSHIDA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The Park Fire in California exploding overnight, growing to more than 45,000 acres in just four hours, fueled by temperatures topping 100 degrees and wind gusts between 20 and 25 miles per hour.

YOSHIDA: The size of these embers are like dollar bills. They're hot.

YOSHIDA (voice-over): The fire has burned an average of 50 football fields per minute since it started Wednesday. Mandatory evacuations have been ordered in Butte County, where the state's deadliest wildfire, the Camp Fire, killed more than 80 people in 2018.

[00:30:07] Across the Western United States, first responders are battling dozens of wildfires.

In Oregon, the Durkee Fire remains the largest in the country, forcing some to evacuate.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It wasn't a knock. It was a pound, a pound, pound, pound, pound. Open up the door. Get out now, leave now.

YOSHIDA (voice-over): High temps, extremely dry conditions, and strong winds are fueling the fire, which has injured people and destroyed homes and other structures. The Red Cross has set up an evacuation center to provide displaced residents with food supplies and a place to stay.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'd bring records, just to be on the safe side. And any special medications. They should definitely bring those, as well.

YOSHIDA (voice-over): In Washington, I'm Michael Yoshida reporting.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VAUSE: When we come back here on CNN, a closer look at the meeting between Kamala Harris and the Israeli prime minister as well as her views on the crisis in Gaza and other foreign policy issues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VAUSE: After just four days as the Democrat presumptive nominee for the president, Kamala Harris appears to be setting her own agenda on foreign policy: notably, taking on the -- the conflict in Israel and the Palestinians. And notably, the war in Gaza.

She did express her serious concern about the humanitarian crisis during a meeting with the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. And then after that, speaking to reporters, she laid out where she wanted to be a -- wanted to be a very clear position, saying Israel has a right to defend itself, and how it does so matters.

She called on all sides to push for a ceasefire deal and, eventually, a two-state solution.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: Ultimately, I remain committed to a path forward that can lead to a two-state solution.

And I know right now it is hard to conceive of that prospect, but a two-state solution is the only path that ensures Israel remains a secure Jewish and democratic state; and one that ensures Palestinians can finally realize the freedom, security, and prosperity that they rightly deserve.

(END VIDEO CLIP) VAUSE: This was her first foreign policy test since becoming the presumptive presidential nominee. Also, an opportunity to start finetuning a message to U.S. voters.

CNN's Kayla Tausche has details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: We choose freedom.

KAYLA TAUSCHE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Kamala Harris, ready to bring it on.

HARRIS: That's right, bring it on.

TAUSCHE (voice-over): Rallying teachers and releasing her first campaign ad.

(MUSIC: BEYONCE, "FREEDOM")

TAUSCHE (voice-over): Less than a week after Trump's call for unity, the gloves are off.

DONALD TRUMP (R), FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT, 2024 PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE (via phone): I get a kick out one thing. They say, Sir, you just got hit with a bullet. Maybe he's changed. Be nice. And I'd love to be nice, but I'm dealing against real garbage.

[00:35:07]

TAUSCHE (voice-over): And four days into her presidential campaign, Harris refining her case.

HARRIS: So, Project 2025 is it plan to return America to a dark past. Donald Trump and his extreme allies want to take our nation back to failed trickle-down economic policies, back to union busting, back to tax breaks for billionaires. Donald Trump and his allies want to cut Medicare and Social Security.

TAUSCHE (voice-over): Harris sounding eager to confront Trump on the debate stage.

HARRIS: And I'll tell you, I'm ready to debate Donald Trump. I have agreed to the previously agreed upon September 10 debate. He agreed to that previously. Now appears he's backpedaling, but I'm ready.

TAUSCHE (voice-over): Now Harris faces her first foreign policy test since rising to the top of the ticket, meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as the U.S. tries to clinch a ceasefire deal, a position she was early to stake out.

HARRIS: So, before I begin today, I must address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. What we are seeing every day in Gaza is devastating. And given the immense scale of suffering in Gaza, there must be an immediate ceasefire. TAUSCHE (voice-over): On a private call Wednesday, sources tell CNN her campaign telling major donors her stance may differ from Biden's, and it may take a few more days to figure that out.

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: I want to thank President Trump.

TAUSCHE (voice-over): On Capitol Hill this week, Netanyahu praising Trump before meeting him at Mar-a-Lago on Friday. Trump is also calling for a truce.

TRUMP (via phone): I want them to finish up and get it done quickly. You've got to get it done quickly, because they are getting decimated with this publicity. And you know, Israel is not very good at public relations.

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VAUSE: Well, nearly two weeks since he was the target of an assassination attempt, and Donald Trump is now saying the Secret Service should have kept him from the stage at that rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

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TRUMP (via phone): The biggest mistake they made is allowing me to go. There wasn't even a car. It was like a tent, but the tent was, you know, safe. Nobody knew you were there. And they shouldn't have let me go on the stage.

Now, they just weren't communicating properly with the local police. Different groups of people knew there was some nutjob on the roof, and he was up there. And the one woman, a real Trumper -- she's got "Trump" all over. And she's screaming, There's a guy with a gun on the roof! And that was, you know, quite a bit before I walked up to the stage.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: The former president had been praising Secret Service agents for their bravery, but now he says the incident is a blight on their reputation.

In a moment, it's not your traditional sport. Is it even a sport? Just ahead, busting down the barriers between art and athletics right? Break dancing -- yes -- makes its Olympic debut.

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VAUSE: So, what really is a sport? Is chess a sport? The Russians say it is. Is ice dancing? How about breakdancing?

Whether it is or isn't, it will be featured at this year's summer games, and CNN's Melissa Bell introduces us to a group of break dancers hoping to pop and lock their way to Olympic gold.

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MELISSA BELL, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): From the sidewalks and subways of the South Bronx to the Paris Olympics. Breakdancing is about to take center stage.

MENNO "BBOY MENNO" VAN GORP, DUTCH BREAKDANCER: It's not like the Olympics picked us up from the street and be like, hey, what those guys doing on the street is nice. Let's grab this, you know. We -- we already really set, also, our community on a huge platform ourselves.

BELL (voice-over): A huge platform that's already global. From the U.S. to France, Pakistan, India, Libya, and Yemen. And for a dance that is highly competitive, judged along specific criteria.

SOFIANE "BBOY SOSO" KINZI, FRENCH NATIONAL BREAKDANCING TEAM COACH: Originality, execution, musicality, technique, and vocabulary. So, you need to be the most complete in your dance, show you master all part from making (ph), and to mix or and to make the best position and the months with the music.

BELL (voice-over): Now, breakdancing is coming to the Place de la Concorde, where battles will be held at the very end of the Paris games.

France's team is working on its moves and its confidence.

NOE "BBOY NEOSAN" SOBESKY, FRENCH BREAKDANCER: You just have to be the most connected to the moment possible. I think that's the key. For me during a battle, it's forget everything, and just face the opponents and be there, hear the music, look at the crowd, look at the judges and enjoy the moment.

BELL (voice-over): A far cry from its early beginnings and an opportunity for the world to discover just how far breakdancing has come.

Melissa Bell, CNN, Paris.

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VAUSE: Should have mentioned synchronized swimming, as well. The one with the nose plugs.

Don't forget to watch our special one-hour program, "AIMING FOR GOLD," Friday at 7 in the evening, Paris time. That's 1 p.m. Eastern in the U.S. All of our correspondents covering the Olympics in Paris will introduce you to the inspirational athletes competing at the games.

In the meantime, thank you for watching CNN NEWSROOM. I'm John Vause. Please stay with us. My colleague Michael Holmes will have more news at the top of the hour. Meantime, stay with us. WORLD SPORT starts after a short break.

See you next week. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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