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Two Powerful Earthquakes Strike Venezuela; Iran Hits Cargo Vessel in Strait of Hormuz; Turkey Defeat Team USA; Quake Toll Rises To Around 235 Dead And 4,300 Injured; U.S. Supreme Court Rules Haitians, Syrians Can Be Deported; Hundreds Die As Europe Endures More Record-Breaking Heat. Aired 2-3a ET

Aired June 26, 2026 - 02:00   ET

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

[02:00:00]

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BEN HUNTE, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT: Hello, wherever you are in the world. You are now in the "CNN Newsroom" with me, Ben Hunte, in Atlanta. It is so good to have you with me.

Coming up on the show, a desperate search for survivors in Venezuela after two powerful earthquakes strike the area. Iran hits a cargo vessel in the Strait of Hormuz, according to the U.S., testing the limits of the agreement between the two nations. And a last-minute win. Turkey hands Team USA its first defeat in the World Cup.

UNKNOWN (voice-over): Live from Atlanta, this is "CNN Newsroom with Ben Hunte."

HUNTE: Welcome. We begin in Venezuela where emergency crews are racing to find survivors of deadly twin earthquakes. A massive search and rescue effort is underway across the country. So far, roughly 235 people are dead and more than 4,300 are injured. Those figures are expected to rise as first responders sift through the rubble.

Hundreds of people are trapped under debris or missing after the quakes collapsed houses and buildings in the capital Caracas and throughout the country. Many people lost everything and there is an urgent need for aid and shelter. Venezuela has felt nearly 140 aftershocks following the back-to-back earthquakes on Wednesday evening. The second quake was the strongest to hit the country since the year 1900.

Have a listen to how one survivor describes the fear and emotions he felt when the tremors struck.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNKNOWN (through translator): We recovered what we had there. I don't think I was able to save anything else there.

UNKNOWN (through translator): How was the moment? How was it? UNKNOWN (through translator): How was it? It was horrible. It was horrible. It was something I had never felt in my life. It's horrible. It's what we felt here yesterday. Too much, too much, too much.

UNKNOWN (through translator): Did you feel at any moment that you were going to lose your life?

UNKNOWN (through translator): Yes, you know.

UNKNOWN (through translator): What went through your mind?

UNKNOWN (through translator): Like, this is it for me. This is it for me. I couldn't do anything else because I grabbed my wife, my son. I hugged them and, you know, that was it. This is it for me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNTE: The two earthquakes were so powerful. CNN contributor Stefano Pozzebon felt the tremors hundreds of miles away in neighboring Colombia. He is following the crisis from Bogota.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

STEFANO POZZEBON, CNN CONTRIBUTOR (voice-over): Chaos, confusion, and fear. These were the scenes as not one but two earthquakes rocked Venezuela in a matter of seconds. Massive buildings collapsed to the ground in the capital Caracas. The country's main international airport was forced to shut down after feeling the ripples and destruction of the tremors. Acting President Delcy Rodriguez declared a state of emergency as search and rescue operations continue looking for survivors.

The 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes hit at around 6 p.m. local on Wednesday. The epicenter was the country's northeastern coast. Venezuelan authorities said they registered around 140 tremors throughout the country.

UNKNOWN (through translator): I was here when I managed to get dressed. He helped me. And all the walls were cracked. We managed to open the door however we could. There was a cloud of smoke that wouldn't let us see. And when we went downstairs, the scene was like a horror movie.

POZZEBON (voice-over): The coastal state of La Guaira was hit the hardest. Three-story houses were flattened into piles of debris and major highways split in half. Many fear aftershocks, have taken shelter in outdoor squares and parks.

JOSE TERRAZA, VENEZUELA EARTHQUAKE SURVIVOR (through translator): We slept here on the pavement and that bench. Well slept. Nobody could sleep last night, and nobody wants to go back inside now.

POZZEBON (voice-over): Venezuelan authorities are calling it the worst natural disaster to hit the country in nearly three decades. This comes in the midst of political and economic instability. The United States and neighboring countries have offered aid and supplies. The real cost of the tragedy is still impossible to predict.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTE: Jorge Jraissati is a Venezuelan economist and president of the Economic Inclusion Group. He joins us from Washington. Firstly, I just want to say thank you so much for doing this for us and giving us your time. I know this is incredibly traumatic.

[02:04:58]

My team really, really appreciates you speaking to us tonight So, thank you.

JORGE JRAISSATI, VENEZUELAN ECONOMIST, PRESIDENT OF ECONOMIC INCLUSION GROUP: Thank you for raising awareness about this situation.

HUNTE: Of course. You have been speaking to friends and family in Caracas. What have they been telling you so far and what's the current mood on the ground there?

JRAISSATI: The situation is full frustration. People are really frustrated. They're scared because they know that they don't have a state that will fulfill its role. So, they know that nobody is going to go there and help them. So, right now, the mood of most Venezuelans is that they're really trying to find ways to organize themselves, organize their communities.

But it's really a tragedy, you know, because this earthquake destroyed the life of -- we don't know the number of people. We know that hundreds of people have been killed, and we know that many thousands of people have been disappeared. So, really, most people are in shock.

I know friends, I have family actually, that their apartments were broken, and the fear of losing a loved one in this situation. And for my people, it has been -- it has been a lot. It has been over 20 years of bad news. So, we really hope that this is the end of this tragic night that we have felt in Venezuela.

HUNTE: We really do hope so as well. The death toll does continue to rise and officials fear that it could climb much higher than it is currently. Where are rescue efforts being focused at the moment? What are you hearing about the scale of the response?

JRAISSATI: The scale is minimal, really, in comparison to what it should be done. There have been foreign countries helping the United States since early in the morning, announced help is coming to Venezuela, and some of them already arrived to Venezuela. There has been from the side of the U.S. not only help on the ground, but there has been easing of OFAC sanctions on Venezuela, specifically done to allow not only non-profits to help Venezuelans but financial institutions to be able to respond to this situation.

So, from the U.S., there has been help. There has been help from El Salvador. There has been help from other countries. And the European Union is already moving towards that direction. HUNTE: Venezuela was already facing enormous economic challenges before these earthquakes. How much harder does that make it to respond to a disaster like this?

JRAISSATI: It makes it extremely more difficult because, right now, the problem is that in Venezuela, we don't have a functioning state. We don't have a state that has the capacity, the technical capacity, the financial capacity or the willingness to really help. We don't have the procedures. We don't have the measures. And as a result, we don't have a capable state.

And from the side of the population, really, is that our people have been in a situation that is so extremely precarious that nobody has the finances to overcome this situation. Right now, in Venezuela, 50 percent of people live in extreme poverty, 80 percent of people live in poverty. So, more people don't have the cash flow to actually mitigate this problem.

So, right now, that is what everybody is feeling. And I'm very concerned about the fact that we don't have the financial capacity as a country to give people what they deserve, which is that they deserve to have their life back to them.

HUNTE: When the search and rescue operation does eventually come to an end, what do you think would be the biggest challenge for Venezuela to move forward?

JRAISSATI: The biggest challenge right now is that in Venezuela, we have an economy that is not growing. We have an economy that is producing more poverty. We don't have enough investment. And we really don't have economic freedoms or economic rights. In Venezuela, people still live in an extremely repressive and hostile economic environment. So, what we really need to do is that we really need to rebuild our economy.

And the most important thing right now is that every person that lost their apartment, their house, their place to live, we need to find a stable solution because it's not fair for them. So, from a humanity perspective, we really need to find ways to give these people shelter with dignity. That's what I will focus on.

HUNTE: It is awful. And, obviously, we're giving our best to everyone that is there in dealing with this. And thank you so much to you, Jorge, for your time this evening.

JRAISSATI: Thank you, sir. I appreciate it.

HUNTE: There are no claims of responsibility yet after the latest strike on a commercial vessel in the Strait of Hormuz. The U.S. is pointing a finger at Tehran, saying an Iranian drone hit the cargo ship on Thursday. A British maritime group says the vessel was damaged, but it reported no casualties or environmental impact.

[02:10:00]

The incident happened as shipping traffic was starting to pick up on the heels of the interim agreement between the U.S. and Iran. The UN is now suspending its evacuation of about 11,000 seafarers who have been stranded in the Gulf because of the war.

The strike opens more questions about that interim agreement the U.S. and Iran signed last week. CNN's Kristen Holmes explains.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: So, the agreement and the negotiations, I mean, part of the 60-day negotiations, the 60-day deal that reopens the Strait of Hormuz says that in exchange for the United States removing the naval blockade, that Iran will ensure or to the best that they can ensure the safe passage of these commercial vehicles or vessels through the Strait of Hormuz. That is clearly not what they did here. It does not say only have these vessels go through Tehran's route.

And that is what we heard from the Iran Revolutionary Guard. They put out a statement before they actually attacked this ship. And they said in it that safe passage through the strait was limited to routes designated by Tehran and that other routes were unacceptable and completely dangerous. Well, they're dangerous because of Iran and Iran striking them. They are flexing every single muscle they have here, saying they control the strait, saying that if you don't listen to the way that we want to control the strait, we are going to attack you. And that's what we saw here.

Now, what's also interesting about this is there has been no comment from the White House on this. And what we've seen really in the past several days is that the White House, the administration, has been willing to not necessarily give Iran any kind of leeway here but trying not to rock the boat. They want this deal to work, they want these negotiations to go through, and they want to be out of this war.

We have known that for some time. President Trump looking for this off-ramp. But what this does is that, technically, it appears it actually breaks the deal if it is Iran that is attacking this ship when they were supposed to be to their best of their capabilities keeping these vessels safe through the Strait of Hormuz. So, what does that mean for the naval blockade?

And, again, we have not heard any actual comment from the White House on this. But, of course, we know they're watching this very closely as they're trying to get through this negotiating period and get a final deal on the table.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTE: Israel says it is temporarily reducing forces in Lebanon to try to sustain what the military calls long-term operations in the region. In a letter to CNN, the Israeli Defense Forces said it will withdraw several thousand troops in both Lebanon and Gaza. The letter made no mention of giving up territory. The IDF said its forces are withdrawing so they can go through -- quote -- "readiness training." The IDF is facing a manpower shortage after more than three years of war in Gaza and now, of course, in Lebanon, too. Since March, Hezbollah has launched more than 7,000 rockets, missiles,

and drones at Israel and Israeli forces. That is according to Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar.

CNN's Jeremy Diamond takes a look at Hezbollah's deadly arsenal.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A Hezbollah drone cruises undetected over Southern Lebanon, propellers whirring until its target comes into view. A group of six Israeli soldiers caught off guard in front of a tank. The feed cuts at the moment of impact, which killed a 19-year-old sergeant. He is the first Israeli soldier to be killed by this type of drone, but not the last.

The Lebanese militant group Hezbollah has deployed these cheap explosive strapped first-person view drones to deadly effect. Dozens of videos from Hezbollah show they've struck tanks, air defense systems, and unsuspecting troops in Southern Lebanon and Northern Israel. The Israeli military says Hezbollah's drones have killed at least 12 soldiers since the current conflict erupted in March, one- third of all fatalities. The key to their lethality? A spool carrying miles of thin fiber-optic cable that keeps these drones tethered to their pilot rather than emitting easy-to-detect radio signals.

Ukraine has been combating these fiber-optic drones for two years. But Ukrainian officials say their Israeli counterparts didn't heed their warnings about the emerging threat.

The Israeli military now scrambling to catch up, deploying mesh netting like this to protect troops operating in or near Lebanon and providing them with shotguns and fragmenting rounds to take out approaching drones. The military is also enlisting the private sector to help track this new threat using acoustic, optical, and radar-based sensors.

SHAI KURIANSKI, CEO, AIRWAYZ: So, what we're seeing here is a scenario where we want to protect this area. When a drone is crossing the line, the protected line, according to the policy, then the controller will get an alert, and we know that there is a threat coming.

[02:15:03]

DIAMOND (voice-over): Shai Kurianski's company, Airwayz, is among those springing into action to give Israeli troops advance warning of incoming drone threats.

KURIANSKI: Something very small that you can hardly detect is coming toward you. It does not transmit anything. You must fuse the data for multiple sensors to map the sky accurately. This is what our system does. DIAMOND: So, do you feel a real sense of urgency to solve this

problem?

KURIANSKI: It's our children out there in Lebanon that are getting those FEV explosives, and we will not wait with that. Of course, it's urgent.

DIAMOND (voice-over): Jeremy Diamond, CNN, Tel Aviv, Israel.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTE: OK, the World Cup is heating up as more teams secure spots in the next round. Still ahead, who is moving on and who is headed home after a string of high-stakes games on Thursday? And a stern challenge before next week's win or go-home round of the World Cup. Coming up, who came out on top when Team USA faced off against Turkey? See you in a moment.

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[02:20:00]

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HUNTE: Welcome back. The World Cup is getting closer to the knockout stage with more teams clinching a spot in the second round. Ecuador pulled off an upset on Thursday, beating Germany, a four-time World Cup champion 2-1. Both teams are set to advance. The same applies to Japan and Sweden, which tied 1-1. Japan is taking the number two spot in Group F followed by Sweden at number three. The Netherlands came out on top after beating Tunisia 3-1.

And in Group D, Australia and Paraguay tied nil-nil. That means that the Socceroos are advancing. But Paraguay do still have a chance as third-place finishers.

Turkey stunned Team USA with a last-second win on Thursday, handing the Americans their first defeat in the World Cup. This was the Americans' final game before the knockout round starts next week. Turkey is already out of the World Cup.

CNN's Andy Scholes reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: I tell you what, I mean, you could not tell that there were no stakes in this game based on the atmosphere. It was just electric outside the stadium beforehand, inside of the stadium that entire game. I mean, it was just unbelievable. But, as you said, USA had already won the group coming into this one. Turkey, they were already eliminated from the World Cup. But this match still turned out to be incredible. I'll show you the highlights of how it all went down.

Early on, this stadium had the chance to erupt right away because off a corner, Auston Trusty, he buries the goal three minutes in, and the U.S. would take a lead almost immediately. It was the second fastest goal in U.S. World Cup history. The defense, though, for the U.S., showing some cracks. You know, it was a whole new back line playing for the U.S. in this one.

Turkey, who hadn't scored at all in this World Cup on more than 60 shots, finally found the back of the net twice. They took a 2-1 lead into the half. But the U.S., they responded. Forty-ninth minute, there was a throw, and then Sebastian Berhalter, he was just awesome in this entire game, he leveled the match at two with a one-timer.

And then in the 58th minute, kind of the moment all of these fans here were really waiting for, Christian Pulisic making his return from injury, and then every time he touched the ball, I mean, the crowd just went wild. All the fans really wanted a goal from him so badly. He came close a couple of times. But the U.S. never able to get that go-ahead goal.

And then in the 98th minute, everyone thought this game was just going to end in a tie, but Turkey, on the last kick of the game, would win it. The crowd in the stadium was just absolutely stunned at that point. Final ended up being 3-2, Turkey. But the U.S. still wins the group, and they say that they're not going to lose any momentum with this result. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNKNOWN: The first two games, incredible. Again, I think, today, they showed that even their second string could come in, compete against a world-class team. We're so excited for the next round.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNKNOWN: It's a weird feeling. I'm a lifelong USA team. It's weird to think that we lost. But it didn't really mean anything. We're still going through first place in our brackets. I mean, this experience was phenomenal, and I couldn't wish for anything else. Obviously, that last goal sucked. But, at the end of the day, it is kind of crazy that we played with basically our entire subs, and we still showed out against one of the better teams in the world.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHOLES: Yes. So, those are actually the fans that were leaving the stadium. As you can hear, they're still optimistic about the U.S. chances going forward in this World Cup. Here's what the players had to say after that last-second loss.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNKNOWN: I think we saw the second half, how we came out. and I think we deserve more. At one moment, you know, we slipped in the last- second game. You know, I think we're proud of (INAUDIBLE). You know, I think the guys did well. You know, we fought. And, you know, unfortunately, not to get a result, but we'll be ready for sure.

UNKNOWN: You can always take these things as feel. You know, for having that moment, you know, on the last one where they score. It's tough.

You know, we wanted to walk away with, you know, no loss in the group stage, but, you know, we've got to take it as it was still a fantastic group stage. We had so many really, really good performances. And even before the group stage, you know, the friendliest, we're at a top level. I'm not worried whatsoever. You know, we're going to move on to the next one and be ready to go for Bosnia.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[02:24:58]

HUNTE: All right. A massive search and rescue effort is underway in Venezuela. The death toll is rising after two back-to-back earthquakes clapped homes and buildings. We have the latest on that crisis. Plus, an American was vacationing in Venezuela when the powerful earthquakes rocks the country. He speaks about the dangerous situation that he faced just ahead. See you in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:30:04]

BEN HUNTE, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back.

Rescuers are racing to find survivors in Venezuela after two powerful earthquakes rocked the country on Wednesday. At least 235 people have died. More than 4,300 were injured, and many more remain missing in the largest earthquake to hit the country in more than a century. Officials fear the death toll will be much higher as crews dig through the rubble. Many survivors are left on the street with nowhere to go, creating an urgent need for humanitarian aid and shelter. Countries around the world are pledging support and resources.

A U.S. Marine Corps general has arrived in Caracas to help lead the U.S. military's response. Venezuelans are reeling from the physical destruction of their country and the lack of government coordination. In the aftermath.

CNN's Osmary Hernandez in Caracas with the latest for us.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

OSMARY HERNANDEZ, CNNE CORRESPONDENT: We are walking in Los Palos. This is a neighborhood located in the east of Caracas and one of the most affected after the power earthquake that broke Venezuela. Let's see, how is the situation where the rescuers are working in the area? They are trying to remove the debris and try to rescue some people because around there are some relatives waiting for news about them. They say that they have not communication with them for so many hours.

At this moment, they are trying to rescue four young men in this building and at the same time, the feeling in the area is with pain, with sadness, also with fear, still with fear. Some people spend the night in squares. Also in public spaces because they do not know if the cracks like this one that we can see in this building can affect the structure and can make that building collapse. Like other four buildings in this same area, but also in the middle of

this a chaotic situation. We can feel the solidarity of the people, people who come here to bring with them medicines, food, water, some masks. Because in this area you have to wear a mask like this one and because there are so many, so much power around and sometimes it is difficult to breathe, it is difficult to see. And people, they are some volunteers here working to help people and to help also the rescue, to support the rescue with food, with water and waiting for the international aid.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTE: An American in Venezuela says he narrowly avoided getting trapped when the earthquakes hit.

Jason Wang was on a mountaintop and about to get on a cable car when the building started to shake.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JASON WANG, EARTHQUAKE SURVIVOR: I was waiting in line to go back down the mountain by using the cable car, and I was actually next up to board the cable car. I was recording myself going into the cable car, and all of a sudden, like the building started shaking and the floor started moving.

And then mass panic, like everyone that was in line inside the building, we were all running for the one exit. It just happened so fast and the shaking lasted about -- I mean, it felt like a long time. I think it was up to a minute, and we did not know what was going on because as you mentioned, the cell phone got cut out. I could not look up any information, could not call for help. So, we were pretty much on our own after that.

Luckily, the building, nothing happened to the building. We did see like floors outside starting to crack, but luckily the building was intact. We were hoping that the cable cars would resume. So, I waited 45 minutes, but then I could tell that something was not right. So, I was one of the first to decide to start walking down because I knew the later, we waited, the more people would get stuck and the darker it would get and the more difficult things would become.

I mean, the first part was not too bad. The roads were good. And then a few hundred yards in, there were no more roads. It just got completely destroyed. Landslides from above, like just covered the roads and tons of fallen trees. You just could not get through it.

And a lot of rubble. I even saw some houses that were completely destroyed along the way. Yeah. So the only way to get through is by, you know, these civilians, they came with machetes and chopped the trees up so that they created a tunnel for us to like literally walk through the trees.

[02:35:12]

There were several sections like that along the way down. (END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNTE: The danger is far from over in Venezuela, amid the search for survivors, the country is bracing for more aftershocks and further damage, too.

CNN's Allison Chinchar has more on what the next few days could hold.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALLISON CHINCHAR, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Venezuela is a very seismically active place, so having earthquakes here is not uncommon. What is uncommon was having this doublet. Meaning you had two earthquakes back-to-back that were very close together, and in a very short period of time. So, we had the initial 7.2 magnitude quake. And then less than a minute later, we had the magnitude 7.5 -- very, very close together, which unfortunately in turn triggered some substantial damage to not only where the epicenter was, but a lot of the surrounding areas.

Now, one thing to note is they may not seem like they are all that far apart. The magnitude difference is only 0.3, but this is an exponential scale that is used. So, it is essentially two times as big and nearly three times as strong as the earlier quake that occurred.

Now, one of the biggest things that they are going to have to deal with in the coming hours and days are the aftershocks. Typically, when you have a main quake, that is a 7.5 magnitude, you will then have an aftershock. At least one of them of magnitude 6.5 or greater. You will have roughly 10 at a 5.5 magnitude or greater, and roughly 100 of them that are at magnitude 4.5.

This is important because -- because of the original quakes being so strong, you have a lot of homes and businesses and buildings that are now structurally compromised. So even something like a 4.5, which does not really seem like it is that big of a quake, that size, magnitude quake that occurs as an aftershock in turn, could cause subsequent damage to a lot more buildings and homes. So that is something they are going to have to keep a close eye on.

The other thing, all of the rescue operations that are taking place are also going to have to contend with some rain showers. We have rain and even some thunderstorms in the forecast, not just over the next day or two, but really the next several days. And that is going to cause concern. So you have not only the aftershocks, but you also have the rain.

And it is important because knowing we are going to have several days in a row of rain, that is also when you end up picking up the vast majority of your aftershocks. Most of them occur within the first one to seven days after the main quake takes place.

So, this is going to be yet another thing they have to keep a close eye on in the coming days, as more aftershocks occur, and also more shower chances begin to move into the area.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTE: Immigration has been a centerpiece of President Trump's agenda. Now the Supreme Court has handed him two significant wins. Details in a moment.

And Europeans and tourists alike are enduring more record-breaking temperatures. We will tell you when they can expect a break from this heat wave. See you in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:42:51]

HUNTE: The Trump administration scored two wins on Thursday in its efforts to limit immigration. The Supreme Court ruled that immigration officials at the U.S.-Mexico border can turn away asylum seekers before they enter the country. The justices also allowed the Trump administration to end temporary protected status, or TPS, for hundreds of thousands of Haitians and Syrians living in the U.S., TPS protects people from being returned to countries struggling with war or natural disasters. In dissent, Justice Sonya Sotomayor warned that, quote, "more people will die".

As many as 350,000 Haitians could be affected by that TPS ruling, and many of them are in the U.S. states of Florida, Ohio, New York, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania. Ohio Republican governor calls the ruling a mistake that is not good for the country or his state. Haiti has been in chaos since at least 2022, with heavily armed gangs controlling much of the capital and the countryside.

Florida's hospitality industry could lose hundreds of workers if so many Haitians are forced to leave the U.S., many of them do say they plan to fight the high court's ruling.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SANTCHA ETIENNE, BLACK ALLIANCE FOR JUST IMMIGRATION: We're going to stick together. We're going to keep on fighting.

TESSA PETIT, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, FLORIDA IMMIGRANT COALITION: The battle is not over. My people, they can't go back. It's real. The reality in Haiti is real.

PAUL CHRISTIAN NAMPHY, POLITICAL DIRECTOR, FAMILY ACTION NETWORK MOVEMENT, LEAD ORGANIZER: There is no grounds for terminating Haiti TPS based on the country conditions inside Haiti. This is absolutely absurd

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNTE: Parts of Europe are facing another day of a record breaking heat wave. Temperatures have spiked above 104 Fahrenheit in Paris and other towns and cities across France. In Rome, tourists tried to stay cool using paper and battery-operated fans. Across the country, five heat-related deaths have now been reported, including a vineyard worker and a homeless man. A rare red extreme heat warning has been extended for a third day into

Friday for parts of southern England.

[02:45:07]

And the Netherlands issued its first ever red alert for heat for Friday.

Spain broke national temperature records this week, with the heat turning deadly very quickly. 212 deaths have been linked to the heat wave there over the past four days. The forecast does call for a bit of easing toward the weekend in the UK and France, with the most significant relief coming on Sunday.

Let's get more now from CNN's Saskya Vandoorne in Paris.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SASKYA VANDOORNE, CNN PARIS BUREAU CHIEF: It seems nowhere in France is escaping this punishing heat wave. More than three quarters of the country is now in the red alert zone. That is the highest alert for heat waves, meaning there is a danger to life.

And that' what authorities are saying, that first and foremost, this is a public health emergency, especially for the elderly and for young children.

Now hospitals are under increasing strain as they try and cope with the influx of patients. So, they have been allocated more resources and more personnel. How are people coping here in Paris? Well, I am at the Canal Saint-Martin. Before you were not able to swim here. It was not allowed. But authorities have opened spots along the canal to help people cool off.

There are lifeguards who are also stationed here, as authorities have urged people not to jump into rivers or swim in unauthorized swimming spots.

Saskya Vandoorne, CNN, Paris.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTE: The days of collecting passport stamps could soon be coming to an end. Countries all around the world are rolling out digital e-gates that verify travelers' identities electronically. They are speeding up border crossings, but phasing out a long-time travel tradition.

CNN's Charline Bou Mansour has more

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHARLINE BOU MANSOUR, CNN SENIOR JOURNALIST: Is this the end of passport stamps? The 100-year-old ink stamp tradition is being phased out in some countries and replaced by digital e-gates.

This could quietly end a much-loved travel ritual for some, collecting passport stamps. And now, it's playing out on social media.

CAITLIN, TRAVEL VLOGGER: 2026 is the year that we are having unique experiences. Again, these are three things you can do to have a unique experience.

MANSOUR: Caitlin is a travel vlogger who likes the physical aspect of travel memorabilia.

CAITLIN: It is kind of sad. I feel like my generation, we kind of still want to hold on to like those kind of more traditional ways of like travel, even like to like be talking about it with my friends about like how much we love passport stamps. Like I think it shows that we really would not want that kind of thing to go because it is just a really fun memory.

MANSOUR: How do you think e-gates have changed the feeling of crossing borders?

CAITLIN: It is just like a lot of technology that maybe just does not really feel needed. And I do not necessarily think it actually takes any less time, and like physically speaking to someone.

MANSOUR (voice-over): In April, the European Union finished rolling out its Entry Exit System across 29 European countries in the Schengen area. The change is part of a broader global trend. Countries like Australia, Japan and Canada already use biometric data at border crossings, while the United States has announced plans to expand similar systems.

While travel documents and stamps of some kind have existed for centuries, it was not until the early 20th century that modern passports began to take shape. Ink and rubber passport stamps were only universally standardized after the 1920 Paris conference, and customs formalities on passports.

Before this, early international travel documents were primarily signed and stamped with wax seals by governing authorities and monarchs.

Tom Topol is a passport historian who collects old travel documents.

TOM TOPOL, PASSPORT HISTORIAN: Before 1914, you could actually travel without a passport. A passport was optional for Europe. It is definitely the end of passport stamps. What Europe just did is the end of an accident 100 years ago. Initially, the outbreak of World War One, all the countries involved wanted to avoid enemies and spies entering the country.

So, the passport was introduced. This is vanishing with the EES system. Then the question is, do we really need passports with 36 and more pages? Because if you don't get stamps anymore, then it is really the question how will the physical passport look like in the future?

MANSOUR (voice-over): Yes, the e-gates and biometric checks will drastically reduce wait times compared to manual stamping, but this will change the way some people collect memorabilia forever. [02:50:05]

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Everything you should know before buying a Louis Vuitton passport holder. Every single city across the world has their own city stamp.

MANSOUR (voice-over): Some travelers have started collecting commemorative stamps and unofficial passports, including luxury versions like those made by Louis Vuitton.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Are you traveling to London or Singapore soon?

MANSOUR (voice-over): Jamm is a travel creator who doesn't want to see passport stamps go away forever.

JAMMCAVV, TRAVEL CREATOR: Passport time is very emotional to me. It is like your memories. It is like, you know, a physical stamp and you can flip through your -- your passport and remember the travel and the memories that you accomplished in your life.

MANSOUR: How do you feel about wanting to collect stamps and have something physical in a digital world?

JAMMCAVV: I like -- I like that memories. It is something that you can actually physically show your children, your grandchildren. Digital, I feel like it can get lost in the system. Having that memories physically with you, you can have it for all the generations to come. You can keep it in a box with some pictures and your kids and grandchildren can see it. Do you know what I mean?

It should be optional. Or there should be like a line. If you want to do a physical stamp.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTE: All right. King Charles will not be moving back to Buckingham Palace. Why the monarch is breaking with recent royal tradition, when we return.

Plus, a religious robot. Some say it has actually happened, but the Pope is weighing in on the possibilities. That is straight ahead after a short break.

Stay with CNN.

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HUNTE: Welcome back.

A historic shift for the British monarchy. Royal officials say King Charles will not move into Buckingham Palace after its decade-long renovation, instead choosing to remain at Clarence House. Officials say the palace will continue to serve as the primary venue for official functions. The decision ends nearly two centuries of Buckingham Palace serving as the monarch's primary residence. Meanwhile, newly released figures show King Charles paid more than $17

million in taxes last year. It is the first time that the figure has been made public.

Robots made to look like humans are appearing all over the world. Some have even been seen in religious buildings and mosques, such as one robot in a United Arab Emirates.

[02:55:05]

But with distinctions blurring between humans and machines, the Vatican is now urging caution.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTE (voice-over): In the U. A E, a humanoid robot, made its debut last year. The robot is named Bu Sunaidah and wears traditional Emirati dress. The human like machine went viral on social media earlier this year after its creator company posted it, appearing to pray at a mosque. The robot's social media comments filled up with those saying robots cannot follow a religion.

The robot's creator agreed, saying it was not intended to be a believer.

YOUSIF LOOTAH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, LOOTAH GROUP: A robot is not, cannot be Muslim or cannot be in a religion. It is a robot. We take it. We take it to improve our life, to help the elders, to educate our kids ,to help people, you know, through hospitality.

HUNTE (voice-over): In South Korea, robots can even become official Buddhist monks. Last month, four humanoid monks led the procession at Seoul's annual Lotus Lantern Festival. One of those robots, Gabi, became the country's first robot monk when it was ordained last month.

Like the other religious events with robots, the festival also came with mixed opinions. Some on social media said robots are not appropriate for the religious ceremony, while others praised the inclusion.

VENERABLE JIN-YONG, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, YEON DEUNG HOE PRESERVATION COMMITTEE (through translator): I have even seen robots and A.I. working alongside people all over society. Buddhism is about embracing and accepting everything, so I thought, why not include robots in our parade?

HUNTE (voice-over): Pope Leo XIV joined the debate last month. In an official letter, the Pope said A.I. cannot be involved in religion the same way that humans can. So-called artificial intelligences do not undergo experiences, do not possess a body, do not feel joy or pain. Do not mature through relationships and do not know from within what love, work, friendship or responsibility mean.

As for the future of humanoids, production around the world is speeding up and so are the questions about their role in human life.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTE: Okay, that's all I've got for you. Thank you so much for joining me and the team. I'm Ben Hunte in Atlanta. And of course, we'll be right back with more CNN NEWSROOM.

See you in a moment.

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