delta variant tightens its grip across the united states, new cases and deaths are rising, many states are seeing a common thread run running through them all. plus these confederate statues today are gone so what's next. and heat wave more than 100 record high temperatures could be smashed in the next few days. ♪ from washington great to have you with us, welcome to our viewers in the united states and around the world on this saturday, you're in the "cnn newsroom" . this is not a number anyone wants to see, united states surpassing 20,000 new covid-19 cases every day for the fourth day in a row. wrong direction, there. and 27 states say their case counts are on the rise again as the virus's delta variant spreads across the country, it's

now the dominant strain in the u.s., but vaccination rates lag across much of the country, head of the cdc point to 9 million people living in county where's the rates are lower than 40% and where covid capabilities are rising. where covid cases are rising, all of this as schools are reopening in just a few weeks. yesterday cdc said in-person learning must be a priority this year and they're calling on schools to promote vaccinations and schools should be cautious about removing measures don't know protect students. in maryland the numbers are better than most one of ten with fewest infections with 75% of adults guys at least one dose of the vaccine. maryland health officials say they fully vanccinated more tha half their residents. joining me now dennis schroeder, thank for coming on, here's what the state's communication director tweeted about june

data, saying 100% of covid-19 deaths in maryland occurred in people who were unvaccinated. 95% of new covid-19 cases in maryland occurred with people unvaccinated. 93% of new covid-19 hospitalization in maryland occur in people who were unvaccinated. how frustrating is for health officials like yourself? >> thanks, pam for having me on tonight. well, governor hogan has been very aggressive, which the numbers you saw, 75% of the adult population 18 and over has received vaccination, we're focused on getting the job done. in the last seven months we vaccinated 3.7 million people, which is why our numbers are lower. but we still have 1.4 million individuals 12 and over to get through. that's our focus. by doing that, we're really

encouraging the population, the more people we get vaccinated, the safer we'll be from these variants. >> yeah, what is the take away for you, when you look at these numbers of how covid is still impacting unvaccinated people? >> it's a grave concern. we have pivoted now to a community-based approach. we're going into communities. we know where we need to be and we are setting up clinics, working with trusted people in the community and that seems to be working. we are still having a very brisk vaccination rate throughout the state. >> what do you think -- i was talking to a congressman earlier about biden saying we're going to elevate door to door efforts and go directly to those who need this and there's a republican outcry about it, do you think the door to door grassroots effort is a helpful

tactic? >> we're staying out of the partisan issues. our focus is on people and we're going to go to wherever people are to get the vaccine. we're going to use whatever technique works, for example, we're working with hispanic owner of shopping centers in our community and she and her husband have been offering 10% discounts for those who shop there and get a shot for their staff and their shoppers and in the last several weeks they've vaccinated 500 people. you will notice from an equity basis our data according to kaiser foundation we're one of the second highest vaccinated hispanic and we're fourth highest for african-americans so we're focused on staying out of that debate. >> what is maryland doing right that other states could learn

from? >> well, governor hogan pushed from the very beginning to be very disciplined and we had our mass vax sites get as many people vaccinated as possible to shut off the spread of the disaster. disease. that's worked wonderfully and we've executed on his orders and got that done. we believe the more people we vaccinate the better it will be. >> where do you think maryland can do better, you have a high vaccination rate but there's still people even with vaccines available they're not getting it. >> well, we're reaching out to the unvaccinated community and talking to them. we're doing surveys. they're telling us what they want. one thing we really need is the fda to move along getting these vaccines approved. of course following the science

but they need to step it up. and we believe once that happens we're going to be able to reach a lot more people and that's what our survey data is telling us. >> that's what i was going to follow up what it revealed, the survey data. as you pointed out the fda hasn't given formal approval it's just been emergency operation does that seem to be the biggest issues for the vaccine hold out right now? >> about a third of them are telling us that, i think i seen that number in other publications around the country. about a third of the people are going to wait to see, of course we want them to do it in a scientific way but we really need to speed it up by whatever means possible. >> okay, and really quickly, what else do these surveys reveal? i just think it's really important understand their thinking >> we also -- we also are finding that physicians are the most trusted. our physicians throughout the

state, we have a primary care model in maryland and our primary care physicians have really stepped up nicely. that's another very trusted source and we're going to continue using that channel and we're also finding that pharmacies are doing a good job. >> dennis schroder thanks for making time for us on this saturday evening. we appreciate it. >> thank you, pamela, good to be with you. >> well, maryland isn't the only place facing a wave of coronavirus cases. the rapid spread of the delta variant is causing a uptick worldwide. we are stationed around the world following the latest developments in the global pandemic. >> reporter: this is christa from hong kong, now across asia the delta variant is fueling a growing wave of new covid-19 cases, in thailand the deaths are growing with new restrictions in bangkok and sur

andrewed provinces starting monday including mall closures and restrictions on travel. with the capitol with tightened restrictions. indonesia with a record number of deaths fueled by the delta variant with portable oxygen supplies running out in six towns. south korea with the highest level in and around the capitol seoul monday. the delta variant is ravaging the pacific-island nation of fuji, their mortgage with the mortgage u airy filled to capacity. >> -- 35 million by the end of the year. this is the first direct agreement unicief is working as procurement agency for the

african union after the worse week ever, cases up for seventh consecutive week, vaccination, so far, less than 2% of their population is vaccinated. >> now from london, where people are gearing up for the final match of the european championships when england faces off with italy, a lot of people concerned it could turn into a superspreader. prime minister johnson touting freedom day when all restrictions will end, including mandatory mask wearing, and saying their vaccination rate over 85% of adults have received the first dose of the vaccine. doctors and nurses are warning about delta variant highly transmissible variant that's spreading quickly, 1 in 160 people tested positive for the

virus in the weekended july 3rd that's why more than 4,000 doctors and nurses calling this a dangerous and unethical experiment and urging authorities to keep restrictions in is longer. >> thank you for our reporters covering the pandemic across the globe. half a million dollars, would it be worth it without the name biden on it. for the record, a new deal with the president's son have making crying out. plus three confederate statues in charlotteville have been removed, i will talk to the now college student who led this fight, what's next for her now that these statues are gone. rapid wrinkle repair® smooths the look of fine lines in 1-week, deep wrinkles in 4. so you can kiss wrinkles goodbye! neutrogena®

kinder bueno? woooooow. it's crispy. it's creamy. it's not your average chocolate bar. smooth milk chocolate, crispy wafer and creamy hazelnut filling. it's kinder bueno. usaa is made for the safe pilots. like mac. who can come to a stop with barely a bobble. with usaa safepilot, when you drive safe... ...you can save up to 30% on your auto insurance. usaa. what you're made of, we're made for. get a quote today. at capella university, we know smart comes in many forms. -good boy! -so we made flexpath the kind of smart that keeps up with you. with flexpath, you can earn your master's degree in 14 months for $14,000. that's the kind of smart i like. capella university -- don't just learn. learn smarter.

for people who are a little intense about hydration. ♪ neutrogena® hydro boost. lightweight. clinically proven. 48 hour hydration. for that healthy skin glow. neutrogena®. for people with skin. it's dry. there's no dry time. makes us wonder why we booked fifteen second ad slots. if you're 55 and up, t-mobile has plans built just for you.

switch now and get 2 unlimited lines and 2 free smartphones. and now get netflix on us. it's all included with 2 lines for only $70 bucks! only at t-mobile. ♪ i'm steven, i'm 52, and i'm a makeup artist. i met my husband in 2002. i miss those eyes. do you think you could fall in love again? i'm so ready, you know? so, what do you see when you look at yourself? i see a really long life lived of vast experiences. botox® cosmetic is fda approved to temporarily make frown lines, crow's feet and forehead lines look better. the effects of botox® cosmetic may spread hours to weeks after injection, causing serious symptoms. alert your doctor right away as difficulty swallowing, speaking, breathing, eye problems, or muscle weakness may be a sign of a life-threatening condition. do not receive botox® cosmetic if you have a skin infection. side effects may include allergic reactions, injection site pain, headache, eyebrow,

eyelid drooping, and eyelid swelling. tell your doctor about your medical history, muscle or nerve conditions, and medications including botulinum toxins as these may increase the risk of serious side effects. see for yourself at botoxcosmetic.com well, this morning in chartsville virginia two towering symbols of racial division came down, of confederal statues came down and

dropped and brought to storage. white nationists debates whether to move the statue and a rally turned violent and ultimately deadly as neo-nazis fought with counter protesters. now we're live in charlottesville. >> three hours on a saturday morning what they've wanted year the notorious statue of robert e lee that overlooked the park that held the rally also hoisted away. for the one who kicked off the effort to remove the statue was a petition drive in 2016 when she was in 9th grade. it was end of an effort that brought the world to her doorstep. >> looking back to that day in 2017 where people were here fighting over these statues,

someone eely died, did you think we'd see a day like that actually come down. >> no i wasn't going to believe it until i saw it. so when it was finally lifted off its ped after ol i had my moment and fully processes it wag happening. >> bryant convinced charlottesville but outside, was voted groups to defend the confederacy took it to court. >> we are a people. we will not be replaced! >> then white nationists, neo-nazis and other groups joined the cause. on august 2017 a woman was killed and several others injured as white supremacists and far right groups fought with counter protesters at a rally about the statues and that made the monuments a national cause and driver of a dark moment in

recent political history. >> very fine people on both sides. >> that created a national movement. >> no sitting president has ever said anything like that. and i realize that things weren't going to change very much with this president. >> but in charlottesville the statues still stood. to removal still tied up in court, the city council voted to shroud them in black days after the protest and in 2017 a judge ruled again they couldn't remove the statues and 2018 a judge ordered the coverings to be removed but charlottesville never changed its mind. the city kept fighting in court. which april virginia supreme court court ruled in its favor and then came saturday. >> we have the ability to remove the statue today that stood for 104 years and it doesn't need to stay a moment long zbler the end of a long and bloody battle for one city grappling with how to

tell the nation's story. >> have to find ways to celebrate the small wins, that's important, this work is long and hard, it's not the end or the beginning but is a win. >> cnn charlottesville, virginia. >> and we want to continue this conversation. zyana bryant joins me now, you just saw her in the piece, she's been leading this effort starting five years ago right, zyana, what was your reaction seeing these monuments come down after years of fighting and even bloodshed? >> i think it was a moment of triumph. i was honored to join the mayor this morning for her press conference. and i felt like it was a perfect moment for the statue to come down under the tenure of charlottesville's very first black woman mayor. the moment it was lifted off its pedestral everyone said look tun

around, i saw my nana running across the street, i said come on, v, we walked up the stairs and saw it come down together and saw it placed on the flat bed it was a very powerful moment. i was happy to be surrounded by people who were there for the entire fight and seen how brutal it has been to be on the frontlines with this issue. >> right you told my colleague that you didn't believe it until you saw the statue takesen down that indicates you really fought a tough battle these last several years, getting to this point where it was hoisted off of the platform. tell us about that journey. >> right this petition started off as a school paper about something i could change and eventually i turned it into a change.org pet ipglesias petition. and from there caught wind and the conversation hasn't stopped, in the city, at the university, on the state level, as we had to get a law change in order for us

to have locatities be able to decide the fate of their statues and monuments. so it's been a very long fight. in 2017 the statues were voted to be removed for the first time, even then i was like, yay, it's coming down. but there's been a long legal fight and there's been a lot that's happened in charlottesville since then, such as august 11th and 12th rallies and attacks, kkk rallies, organized by white spremtists and neo-nazis. >> this is a huge step, how much work is ahead in your view? >> i think that taking down statues is rate and i absolutely implore it but i think it's an empty gesture if it doesn't happen along with systematic and institutional change, in charlottesville there's conversation that need to take place about policing and the long legacy of bad interactions

with black people in charlottesville. conversations about educational equity, affordable housing, sustainability, all very racial justice issues and these statues only reflect larger and deeper systems that exist in this place and beyond. i think in order for us to have true progress it has to come with the redistribution of resources and a full reconsideration and shifting of systems. >> we have to ask, the platform is still there, they haven't removed that yet, what would you like to see replacing these statues? >> i would like to see some art from some local artist of color but i really want the community to weigh in on what happens next. i think, you know, the park and statue were dedicated with the intention of being a white-only space, as we progress forward as a community i hope the park and way we decide to transform it reflect our community values. >> zyana bryant great to have you on the show, and wow, your

hard work paid off as we see what happened in charlottesville today. thank you so much for coming on. >> thank you. >> and in florida the death toll ticks higher with 86 dead and 43 people still unaccounted for the grim job of removing bodies is und underway, crews working tirelessly. can see the personal toll it's weighing on them. >> i feel like i'm -- i'm physically digging but i'm also emotionally digging for more strength to continue. i think the first time it really hit me is when i found a passport with a baby and i found the entire family. of passports in there as well. those are the moments that i, ohh, i take a deep breath and kind of -- i'm very in my head

at that moment. >> passport with a baby my gosh but here is new video with a glimmer of good news, we can all use that, the cat that lived on the 9th floor of the south tiyre has been reunited with his family, a volunteer found her living near the reckage, the woman holder her is the daughter of the sister living in the building and in a video it was confirmed he's indeed their beloved feline. well, up next, a test of leadership is on full display on capitol hill as house minority leader kevin mccarthy tries to keep the more extreme member chz hischier party in check. a regu. but if you're a kid with diabetes, it's more. hischier party in check. of enjoying time with friends, party in check. f party in check. hi party in chec. . . . . undeluco ♪ among my patients i often see them have teeth sensitivity as well as gum issues. does it worry me? absolutely.

sensodyne sensitivity and gum gives us a dual action effect that really takes care of both our teeth sensitivity as well as our gum issues. there's no question it's something that i would recommend. breyers is always so delicious... i can tell that they used your milk, matilda. great job! moo you're welcome. breyers natural vanilla is made with 100% grade a milk and cream and only sustainably farmed vanilla. better starts with breyers. you need an ecolab scientific clean here. and you need it here. and here. and here. which is why the scientific expertise that helps operating rooms stay clean is now helping the places you go every day too. seek a commitment to clean. look for the ecolab science certified seal.

history says: fine jewelry for occasions. we say: forget occasions. (snap) fine jewelry for every day, minus the traditional markups. ♪ this is the tempur-pedic breeze° and its mission is to make sleep...feel...cool. so, no more night sweats. no more nocturnal baking. or polar ice cap air-conditioner mode. because the tempur-pedic breeze° delivers superior cooling... from cover to core. helping you sleep cool, all night long. during the tempur-pedic summer of sleep, save $500 on all tempur-breeze mattresses... ...and experience your coolest sleep this summer, with our best breeze savings of the year. this isn't just a walk up the stairs. when you have an irregular heartbeat, it's more.

it's dignity. the freedom to go where you want, knowing your doctor can watch over your heart. ♪ look...if your wireless carrier was a guy, you'd leave him tomorrow. not very flexible. not great at saving. you deserve better - xfinity mobile. now, they have unlimited for just $30 a month. $30 dollars. and they're number 1 in customer satisfaction. his number? delete it. deleting it. so break free from the big three.

xfinity internet customers, take the savings challenge at xfinitymobile.com/mysavings or visit an xfinity store to learn how our switch squad makes it easy to switch and save hundreds.

. a busy political week ahead and the biden white house tries to confront from now senior edit joor from national a review and cnn columnist, great to see you both. let's start with president biden's call with vladimir putin. he expected putin to act on the ransomware attacked, yet russia suggested the u.s. hasn't made any formal appeals. do you think putin is taking biden seriously? >> i think that there say long history now of vladimir putin not being compliant with requests or demands from the united states under presidents of different parties and i'm not sure that there's anything here that biden has done that is going to change that point of view on his part.

>> and kirsten, biden reiterated there will be consequences for russia, does he lose ground when he keeps saying there will be consequences and there weren't, said the same thing after the summit and ransomware attacks happened and he said it again. >> yeah, if you draw too many red lines and don't adhere to those red lines people don't take it seriously but it's extremely complicated relationship, it's a fine line any leader has to walk with vladimir putin because he's not the easiest person to deal with, obviously. but i assume, you know, joe biden is very much of the school of using diplomacy first and going down that track as far as you can. and then at that point you'll have to start having retaliation. so i think that he will do that, i just think it's a question of timing. >> on the republican side, you have house minority leader kevin mccarthy appearing to lose control of his caucus, extremist

like marjorie taylor greene, or matt gates create new controversies, is mccarthy's low-key approach paying off? what do you think it's doing for him? >> we have to remember kevin mccarthy has been around several cycles of republican leadership in the house. he was there with john boehner was kicked out because it was such a fractionous group of republicans and he was going to be the next house leader of the republicans but many people had doubt s about him. so he understands he's not in command of this group of people and he has to watch what he's doing. pts not a question of whether he should be cracking the whip, it's whether he can. >> what do you think kirs ten. >> yeah, i think that's exactly right. he doesn't really have a choice that is no way to defend his behavior.

i guess we always have a choice, right. he doesn't have a choice if he wants to stay in power, and so he obviously wants to stay in power and he just doesn't have any control over the people that are creating the problems, particularly because one of them, marjorie taylor greene, is beloved by donald trump. that is where the power is on republican party. from kevin mccarthy's perspective i can't stop her, i can't stop matt gates because they're aligned with the part of the party that has the most energy. so it is a pure calculated political decision. that doesn't make it ethical or moral, but that's what's going on. it's a calculated political decision that he's decided this is the way he maintains power and hopefully wins back congress and becomes, you know, the top dog. >> right, i mean, because he's a

looking at the midterm campaign, it's all about started, amid this you have cpac in dallas this weekend with trump expected to talk, is this as unified as the g.o.p. get. maga-mindset or bust is that where we are? >> obviously if you're someone like kevin mccarthy, you want unified republicans, you want differences papered over, and you want all of the attacks to be on the democrats. that's politics 101. you see the same thing on the democratic side with a lot of tension over certain figures that nancy pelosi doesn't have complete control of and would like to paper over. i think that is just not going to be something that is totally in the control of party leaders, because activist and different party actors like the matt gates of the world are going to do what they want to do mat gaetz

. >>t gaetz . >> one of the biggest issues is voting rights, voting restrictions, we seen in texas they just reintroduced new voting restriction bill. president biden is set to make a speech tuesday when it comes to s1 the sweeping voting rights bill can he expect to change minds or get enough support for something smaller like the john lewis act? >> i think it's unlikely. i want to say quickly there's no comparison between omar and marjorie taylor greene and matt gaetz so yes, the party has always had people that sometimes do things that upset the leadership. just want to be clear those are not comparisons. >> very good. yeah. in terms of this, no, i think at this point he needs to get rid

of the filibuster and there's an idea of the carve out of the filibuster where it is only used when something applies to the constitution. finding some sort of way around with manchin and krysten sinema against getting rid of the filibuster could we do it in the case where it's a crisis for the country and they don't deal with this we're not go to have elections, you know, people are not going to have trust in the electoral process which is basically the end of democracy which we've already seen eroding. he can give as many speeches as he wants but unless he finds a way to pass that bill no way to protect -- >> -- do you see this speech an exercise in futility, how much can his speech change this. democrats have been speaking out

about this for quite some time. kirsten. >> i think there's no harm in giving the speech, and probably the idea of it is to try to sway people, if you can sway the average person's opinion and convince them and try to build support than you can build support for whatever steps you need to take. basically say, i tried everything, and now i'm convincing people we're at a hair-on-fire crisis and if i have to go ahead and support abolishing the filibuster i was pushed into this, more important, there's no harm in it but itself is not going to solve the problem. >> going to ask from a conservative perspective in a state like texas one of 14 states putting in more restrictive voting laws how much of is about the fact they see writing on the wall with the numbers in texas, donald trump

won by a big ma won by a pretty narrow margin, how much is about giving republicans more advantage and democrats disadvantage. >> i think there's a long-standing belief in republican circles, not just texas republicans but republicans everywhere. states they won, states this he won big, states they lost, that it's too easy to vote, that there's too much fraud. that the system has to be tightened up, that high turnout is harmful to republicans. you can think of all kinds of things to say about those views but one interesting thing is the fact is this was a very high turn out election and republicans actually did pretty well, came within 90,000 votes of winning everything nationally and yet they still have this myth that high turn out is bad for them and something they have to stop. >> all right. i wish we could carry on this discussion, it's a great one. thank you both so much, look forward to having you both back

on. >> thank you. >> thanks. and up next, record heat scorching the west with some regions reach 130 degrees. we're live in las vegas. up next. >> going to stay hydrated with margaritas and ipa cespedes. that's why dove renews your skin's ceramides and strengthens it against dryness for softer, smoother skin you can lovingly embrace. renew the love for your skin with dove body wash. for people who are a little intense about hydration. ♪ neutrogena® hydro boost. lightweight. clinically proven. 48 hour hydration. for that healthy skin glow. neutrogena®. for people with skin.

ok everyone, our mission is to provide complete, balanced nutrition for strength and energy. whoo hoo! ensure, with 27 vitamins and minerals, now introducing ensure complete! with 30 grams of protein. do you struggle with occasional nerve aches, weakness or discomfort in your hands or feet? introducing nervive nerve relief from the world's number 1 selling nerve care company. as we age, natural changes to our nerves occur which can lead to occasional discomfort. nervive contains b complex vitamins that nourish nerves, build nerve insulation and enhance nerve communication. and, alpha-lipoic acid, which relieves occasional nerve aches, weakness and discomfort. live your life with less nerve discomfort with nervive nerve relief. you love rich, delicious ice cream.

but your stomach doesn't. that disagreement ends right now. lactaid ice cream is the creamy, real ice cream you love that will never mess with your stomach. lactaid ice cream. i just heard something amazing! now for the first time one medication was approved to treat and prevent migraines. don't take if allergic to nurtec. the most common side effects were nausea, stomach pain, and indigestion. ask your doctor about nurtec today. ♪ ♪ when technology is easier to use... ♪ barriers don't stand a chance. ♪ that's why we'll stop at nothing to deliver our technology as-a-service. ♪ trelegy for copd.

♪ birds flyin' high, you know how i feel. ♪ ♪ breeze drifting on by you know how i feel. ♪ ♪ it's a new dawn... ♪ if you've been taking copd sitting down, it's time to make a stand. start a new day with trelegy. no once-daily copd medicine has the power to treat copd in as many ways as trelegy. with three medicines in one inhaler, trelegy helps people breathe easier and improves lung function. it also helps prevent future flare-ups. trelegy won't replace a rescue inhaler for sudden breathing problems. tell your doctor if you have a heart condition or high blood pressure before taking it. do not take trelegy more than prescribed. trelegy may increase your risk of thrush, pneumonia, and osteoporosis. call your doctor if worsened breathing, chest pain, mouth or tongue swelling, problems urinating, vision changes, or eye pain occur. take a stand and start a new day with trelegy. ask your doctor about once-daily trelegy. and save at trelegy.com. jeff's been to the bottom of the ocean. the tops of mountains.

and wherever this guy runs off to. a life well lived should continue at home. with home instead care, older adults can stay home, safe, and happy. home instead. to us, it's personal. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ hey google, turn up the heat. ♪ ♪ ♪ tens of millions of americans in the west are under heat alerts this weekend, including nearly all of california. temperature records are likely to be smashed and there are big concerns the power grid won't be

able to keep up with the demand. this comes just days after the hottest june on record. cnn's reporter is in las vegas, it could hit an all-time high this weekend, is that right, camilla? >> yeah, pam, it's 115 at the moment. we could get to 117, that's the record-high here in las vegas. i can tell you a lot of the people here will take a picture and then headed back to a pool or casino anywhere with air-conditioning. national weather service telling people don't gamble with these dangerous conditions. people who live here know how to handle this heat. they're used to living in the desert but tourists are not. there's a number of people here for big ufc fight, the concerts, or just to have a good time and authorities are worried about the tourist who's may not know what to do in these conditions. i spoke to some, here's what they told me. >> you have to stay cool. it's definitely hot.

you need to water and stay hydrated. >> it feels like an oven is in my face. it's going okay, it's my first time here, her millionth time here, she's just showing me around. it's a good time so far. >> we left 68 degrees and came here today and -- >> -- scorching hot. >> yeah, my eyes are burning. >> this one from wisconsin. >> i had 52 as the low and 61 as the high. >> for people who doesn't know what it explains like. >> let me explain, when she said hot, this is like walking into a an oven wondering if you are going to make it out. >> and vegas is always fun but this weekend it really is dangerous. in addition to all of that the temperatures right now are only making the drought in the western part of the united states even worse. water levels are at record-lows in so many of the reservoirs, the fire danger extremely high, and then you have the possibility of power outages,

both energy providers here in this state and in california telling people to conserve power. especially during the peek hours, imagine being 115 degrees without power. that could be deadly, pam. that is what authorities here are trying to avoid. >> yeah, understandably. all right, camilla, live from las vegas, thanks so much. well, after a long pandemic hibernation americans are hitting the road in droves this summer and seeing much higher prices at the pump, one gallon of gas is well above $3, the highest in 7 years. now pete with more. >> reporter: the national average for a gallon of gas now $3.14 but so much higher in many places across the country. $3.49 in bethesda, maryland. the average is ticking up and up. only a year ago it was $2.18. a lot of factors at play here. there's brisk demand for driving according to gas buddy.

it says this past tuesday was the busiest tuesday for fill-ups since 2019, back before the pandemic. also a bit of a supply issue, opec failed to secure a deal to increase crude oil supply which is necessary for gasoline production and tropical storm elsa is impacting crude deliveries and gas production in the southeast. even still, aaa says people are undaunted and want to get out even though it anticipates the national average will be $3.25 later this summer. >> gas prices stay above $3 probably to the 3.10 to 3.20 range throughout the summer but people will figure a different way to budget, but they're taking the vacation this year. >> prices are so much higher in other parts of the country, gas buddy reports the average in california at $4.30. the white house says it's keeping the eye on the situation and pins the blame on oil prices

rather than politics. pete mon -- muntean, cnn maryland. up next president biden raising ethic ally brows the white house at issue and more. the conflict centuries in the making. we take you back 3,000 years the most coveted city in the world, jerusalem, city of faith and fury will premier on sunday july 18th at 10:00 only on cnn. shows 97% less breakage. strong hair with new dove breakage remedy. the harry's razor is not the same. our razors have five german engineered blades designed to stay sharp, so your eighth shave is as smooth as your first. and we never upcharge you for high quality. harry's.

available in store and at harrys.com. you love rich, delicious ice cream. but your stomach doesn't. that disagreement ends right now. lactaid ice cream is the creamy, real ice cream you love that will never mess with your stomach. lactaid ice cream. ♪

(vo) the subaru crosstrek. dog tested. dog approved. well, well, well. look at you. you mastered the master bath. you created your own style. and you - yes, you! turned a sourdough starter into a sourdough finisher. so when you learn your chronic dry eye is actually caused by reduced tear production due to inflammation you take it on, by talking to your eyecare professional about restasis®... which may help you make more of your own tears with continued use twice a day, every day. restasis® helps increase your eye's natural ability to produce tears, which may be reduced by inflammation due to chronic dry eye. restasis® did not increase tear production in patients using anti-inflammatory eye drops or tear duct plugs. to help avoid eye injury and contamination, do not touch bottle tip to your eye or other surfaces. wait 15 minutes after use

before inserting contact lenses. the most common side effect is a temporary burning sensation. ask your eye care professional about restasis®. now to trick out these lights. visit restasis.com to learn more. ♪ history says: fine jewelry for occasions. we say: forget occasions. (snap) fine jewelry for every day, minus the traditional markups. ♪

emergency planning for kids. we can't predict when an emergency will happen. so that's why it's important to make a plan with your parents. here are a few tips to stay safe. know how to get in touch with your family. write down phone numbers for your parents, siblings and neighbors. pick a place to meet your family if you are not together and can't go home. remind your parents to pack an emergency supply kit. making a plan might feel like homework, but it will help you and your family stay safe during an emergency.

hunter biden. the president's son, has been accused more than once of questionable behavior. in the past, some of the claims were either unproven, false, or notoriously exaggerated. often, by a certain, former president, who loves to lie. well, this, right here, on your screen, is some of hunter biden's artswwork. and he is selling it for the first time of the he's written about how painting helps him with his recovery from addiction, which no one would fault. but, for the record, whatever you think of his talent, he is about to cash in on it for what will, likely, be big bucks. we're talking pieces that could go for anywhere, from 75,000, to half a million dollars, each. >> for a first-time artist, it's a little bit out of scale with -- with normal pricing. they're fairly generic paintings. you know, they're, maybe, technically skilled, in a certain way. but they don't really have any life behind them. >> and here's where things get stranger. the biden white house knew

enough to see an ethics cloud forming but its answer is worth a closer viewing, too. sources tell cnn the administration entered into an ethics agreement with the new york gallery, selling hunter's works. the buyer will be kept anonymous. hunter biden, nor the public, will know the owner or even who else bids on it. and the gallery spots unusual behavior, like a superhigh bid or collector who doesn't seem interested, they're expected to turn down the offer. but there are no, clear ways that any of this would be enforced. you could buy the painting. then, post it on social media. suddenly, we would all know who that person is. they'd no longer be anonymous. and that's got a former government watcher painting a disturbing picture. >> it just is implausible that this art, from an unknown artist, would be selling at this price if it didn't have the biden name attached to it. the cashe saying you gown art b

the president's son. >> and final line is 15 feet away from the basket. never get me closer than 17 feet, because it really is a matter of the public trust. >> it, certainly, is a matter of public trust. could the secret buyer be a democratic mega donor, who happens to have a taste for art? a foreign tycoon with space on their wall and business to do in this country? the biden white house isn't the first to deal with family-ethics questions, as we know. whether it was jimmy carter's brother billy and his famous beer. or donald trump's best-known white house senior advisers, his daughter and son-in-law. a daughter, who was part of the administration, and who got more than a dozen patents from china, while the u.s. negotiated a trade deal. well, for the record, profiting off the presidency, when you are a member of the first family is always risky business. the white house press secretary says hunter biden, quote, has

the right to pursue a new career. but it is fair to ask, would this art fetch hundreds of thousands of dollars if the name biden wasn't attached to it? it doesn't take an art critic to know when something can come off as a bad look. well, just ahead, the cdc says it's back to school, in the fall. but are students adequately protected if vaccines aren't mandatory? does it worry me? absolutely. sensodyne sensitivity and gum gives us a dual action effect that really takes care of both our teeth sensitivity as well as our gum issues. there's no question it's something that i would recommend. open talenti and raise the jar. to gelato made from scratch.

raise the jar to all five layers. raise the jar to the best gelato... you've ever tasted. talenti. raise the jar. it's the lowest prices of the season on the sleep number 360 smart bed. it's the most comfortable, dually-adjustable, foot-warming, temperature-balancing... proven quality night sleep we've ever made. the new queen sleep number 360 c2 smart bed is only $899. plus, 0% interest for 48 months. ends monday. the tempur-pedic breeze° makes sleep...feel...cool. because the tempur-breeze° transfers heat away from your body... ...so you feel cool, night after night. during the tempur-pedic summer of sleep, save $500 on all tempur-breeze mattresses. this isn't just a walk up the stairs. when you have an irregular heartbeat, it's more.

it's dignity. the freedom to go where you want, knowing your doctor can watch over your heart. ♪ my name is monique, i'm 41, and i'm a federal contract investigator. as a single parent, i would run from football games to work and trying to balance it all. so, what do you see when you look at yourself? i see a person that's caring. sometimes i care too much, and that's when i had to learn to put myself first, because i would care about everyone all the time but i'm just as they are. botox® cosmetic is fda approved to temporarily make frown lines, crow's feet and forehead lines look better. the effects of botox® cosmetic may spread hours to weeks after injection, causing serious symptoms. alert your doctor right away as difficulty swallowing, speaking, breathing, eye problems, or muscle weakness may be a sign of a life-threatening condition. do not receive botox® cosmetic if you have a skin infection. side effects may include allergic reactions, injection site pain, headache, eyebrow, eyelid drooping, and eyelid swelling.

tell your doctor about your medical history, muscle or nerve conditions, and medications including botulinum toxins as these may increase the risk of serious side effects. see for yourself at botoxcosmetic.com [♪] if you have diabetes, it's important to have confidence in the nutritional drink you choose. try boost glucose control. it's clinically shown to help manage blood sugar levels and contains high quality protein to help manage hunger and support muscle health. try boost today. ♪ watch the olympic games on xfinity ♪ ♪ root for team usa and feel the energy ♪ ♪ 7000 plus hours of the olympics on display ♪ ♪ with xfinity you get every hour of every day ♪ ♪ different sports on different screens, ♪ ♪ you can watch it anywhere ♪ ♪ and with the voice remote ♪ ♪ you never have to leave your chair ♪ show me team usa. ♪ all of this innovation could lead to some inspiration ♪ ♪ and you might be the next one to represent our nation ♪

♪ this summer on your tv, tablet, or any screen ♪ ♪ xfinity is here to inspire your biggest dreams ♪ opreza: trabajar en recology es una tradición familiar.í, tomé la ruta de mi padre cuando se retiró despues de 47 años. ahora le muestro a la nueva generación lo que es recology como una compañia que pertenece a los empleados. estamos orgullosos de haber creado el sistema de reciclaje. convirtiendo a san francisco, en la ciudad mas verde de america... sigamos haciendo la diferencia juntos.

the number one women's tennis player in the world held on for her first-ever wimbledon title, today. australia's ash lee barty showing off her trophy after defeating czech republic. neither woman had ever been to a wimbledon final, before. it's been nearly-45 years since that happened. barty is also the first australian woman to take home a wimbledon title since 1980. right now, people who have gotten their doses of pfizer, the prime in the boost, as well as the prime in the boost of moderna or a single dose of j&j do not need to get a boost right now. >> it is not unusual for immune responses, after vaccination, to wane over time. does it remain above a level,

which we need to protect people? this statue is, finally, being surrendered. we are one, small step closer, to a more-perfect union. >> to the young people out there, i hope that this empowers you to speak up on the issues that matter. and to take charge in your own cities and communities. in just hours, entrepreneur richard branson hopes to become the first person to ride a self-funded rocket into suborbital space. >> i have had to wait almost a lifetime to be able to go into space. and hopefully, we can speed that process up for -- for many, many others. i'm pamela brown in washington. welcome to our viewers in the united states and around the world on this saturday. you are in the "cnn newsroom." four-straight days with more than 20,000 new covid cases, each day. as the highly-contagious delta