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Isa Soares Tonight
Austrian Police Seek Answers After Deadly School Shooting; Mayor Bass Holds News Conference; Deadly Explosions in Southwest Colombia; Dozens Killed in Gaza Aid Distribution; Scottish Lodge that Housed WWII Secret Agents for Sale. Anti-ICE Protests Spread Across the United States; Riots Erupt in Northern Ireland; Political Violence in Colombia Surges. Aired 2- 3p ET
Aired June 11, 2025 - 14:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[14:00:00]
ISA SOARES, HOST, ISA SOARES TONIGHT: A very warm welcome to the show, everyone, I'm Isa Soares. Tonight, mounting fear among migrant communities
as immigration raids spread across the United States. I speak with the journalist who accompanied ICE agents on a raid in Miami. Then anger and
rage in northern Ireland as rioters face off with police, setting fire to homes and cars in the town of Ballymena.
We'll have the very latest. And a surge of political violence in Colombia. We hear from a security analyst in Bogota, Colombia. And we bring you those
stories in just a moment. We begin the hour, though, with breaking news. Music legend Brian Wilson, the driving force really behind the Beach Boys,
has died. He was 82.
His family announced his death on his website, writing quote, "we are at loss for words right now". Wilson created some of the rock music's most
enduring songs, such as "Good Vibrations" and "God Only Knows". His career was marked by a decades-long battle between his musical genius, drug abuse,
as well as mental health issues. Our Stephanie Elam looks back at the legendary musician's life, as well as his legacy.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(BEACH BOYS SINGING)
STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): He was the mastermind behind the Beach Boys chart topping success. Brian Wilson was one of the
most influential composers in modern music. The Beach Boys joyful pop emerged at the vanguard of the California sound in the early '60s. It was
Wilson's creative genius that layered the bands five distinct voices into one perfect harmony.
BRIAN WILSON, LATE SINGER: I will just describe it as ethereal and masculine and feminine put together.
ELAM: Wilson and the other Beach Boys rode their signature sound wave through a string of hits -- "Surfin' U.S.A."
(BEACH BOYS SINGING SURFING U.S.A.)
ELAM: "I Get Around" --
(BEACH BOYS SINGING I GET AROUND)
ELAM: "Fun Fun Fun" --
(BEACH BOYS SINGING FUN-FUN-FUN)
ELAM: "And Help Me, Rhonda".
(BEACH BOYS SINGING HELP ME RHONDA)
ELAM: By the mid-'60s, Wilson experimented with new music and with drugs. He said an LSD experience helped him write the Beach Boys 1966 magnum opus,
"Pet Sounds". "Pet Sounds" is widely considered one of the greatest albums of all time.
(BEACH BOYS SINGING GOODBYE FRIENDS)
ELAM: During its studio sessions, the Beach Boys recorded "Good Vibrations", later released as a single, it became one of the most
influential tracks in rock history.
WILSON: The night we cut the vocals in RCA was one of the highlights in my life, teaching the guys the parts and, you know, it was just a departure
from anything we'd ever done before. It was probably our masterpiece.
ELAM: For seven months, Wilson experimented with multiple layers of track, echoes and reverb, using the studio as his instrument. "Good Vibrations"
produced at a cost of more than $400,000 in today's dollars, was dubbed a pocket symphony. But the drug-fueled creative blaze came at a cost, Wilson
said he began hearing voices around the time he used LSD.
By the '70s, his life had spiraled into an abyss of drug abuse, depression and seclusion. He disappeared from public view and fell under the sway of
discredited psychologist Eugene Landy.
(BRIAN WILSON SINGING GOD ONLY KNOWS)
ELAM: The 2015 biopic "Love and Mercy" dramatized Wilson's decline, his struggles with Landy, and his redemption with the help of second wife
Melinda. Wilson returned to the studio in the late '80s.
(BRIAN WILSON SINGING SITTING IN A CRUMMY MOVIE)
ELAM: He released over a dozen solo albums in the decades that followed. In 2012, he joined the Beach Boys for their 50-year reunion tour. Four
years later, they toured again to commemorate 50 years since "Pet Sounds'" release. Brian Wilson, a musical master who faced personal discord and
wrote enduring harmonies.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SOARES: And Brian Wilson was 82. I want to switch gears slightly and still stay in the United States because we have seen fear. We have seen doubt as
well as uncertainty hanging over Los Angeles as well as other major U.S. cities right now.
[14:05:00]
Many are asking various critical questions about the ongoing immigration raids, who is being detained and why? Where are they being held? And are
they given due process? Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass says the majority of ICE arrests on Tuesday were for violating a curfew. She says the idea that
federal intervention is needed is, quote, "just not accurate".
Attorney General Pam Bondi says more than 190 undocumented immigrants have been arrested in Los Angeles, and she's promising, in fact, more arrests to
come if necessary. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PAM BONDI, U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL: Right now in California, we're at a good point. We're not -- we're not scared to go further. We're not frightened to
do something else if we need to.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: Meantime, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth suggesting to members of Congress that the orders to send National Guard troops to
California could be expanded to other states. Hegseth also telling them that all the troops that have been deployed were trained for the mission.
But a U.S. official tells CNN, the 700 Marines mobilized to the L.A. area are still undergoing training. Well, protests and rallies are spreading,
really, from coast-to-coast over President Trump's hard-line immigration crackdown. In New York, a law enforcement source tells CNN, at least 45
people were arrested on Tuesday after demonstrators clashed with police near an ICE office, as well as immigration court.
There are also some tense confrontations, you can see there, in other major cities like Chicago, Atlanta, Denver and San Francisco. ICE agents also
carried out immigration raids on farms and factories. Dozens of workers from meat production plants in Omaha, Nebraska, were taken away in buses.
Bewildering company officials who say they had followed the law. Many protesters say they will continue to push back against the administration's
actions. Just take a listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're not scared of Trump. We're not scared of ICE, and we're going to stay out here to defend our immigrant community.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I mean, I'm glad that people are coming out and doing something, you know, what I mean? A lot of people look at what's happening
in L.A. and they're scared to come out of their houses or go protest or say anything. And it's like, you know, the government is going to be as fascist
as it can be to, you know, oppress the people it's trying to exclude from this country.
And we can't be afraid. Like we have to come out, we have to do something, and we have to help the people around us.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: And meanwhile, in Texas, the governor is deploying the National Guard to multiple locations around the state ahead of planned protests.
Well, let's get more perspective, really, from CNN's politics senior reporter Stephen Collinson. And Stephen, we have been seeing, you know,
protests, and we just outlined and showed little video boxes there for our viewers of these protests really spreading from Los Angeles because of
immigration raids, tempers flaring to Nebraska.
There's a wide-range of protests here. Can you just give me a sense of whether, you know, these actions benefit President Trump at all
politically, because, you know, he's doubling down, yet, Edward Luce from the "FT", who you know probably very well, says Trump's assault on
democratic norms are being -- are breathtaking. He said in scale and speed. Yet his approval rating is still at 45 percent. Speak to that.
STEPHEN COLLINSON, CNN POLITICS SENIOR REPORTER: I think that, that tells us that Trump hasn't lost a great deal of support from his election last
year. There is, I would say, around 38 percent to 42 percent of people who will support Trump whatever he does, I don't think the impacts of his
presidency, whether it's on trade, whether it's on immigration and other issues have really yet permeated down to all Americans.
Life doesn't seem that much different. Although, the great psychological pressure in Washington is building. But I'm not sure that is necessarily
felt by everybody around the country. These protests are interesting because the White House clearly wanted this confrontation in Los Angeles.
It exaggerated the extent of the unrest in order to send troops there to show that Trump was being tough.
Trump likes the accoutrements of the presidency. He wants to show himself as a strong man. That was something that was very appealing to many of his
voters, and they believe that they put Democrats in a very difficult position. So, when the governor of California, Gavin Newsom, gave an
address last night from the point of view of the White House, he was on the side of undocumented migrants who many Americans want to see out of the
country and on the side of inverted commas, "rioters".
[14:10:00]
So, those pictures of the demonstrations that you showed, they are spreading around the country, but they are still very isolated. But the
President's talent and demagoguery can create this impression that the country is on edge and that military force is needed, and he can normalize
the actions of an autocratic leader.
SOARES: And you mentioned California Governor Gavin Newsom who addressed the state today. I want to play a little clip of what he said, and we can
speak after. Have a listen to this, Stephen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. GAVIN NEWSOM (D-CA): Democracy is under assault before our eyes. This moment, we have feared, has arrived. He's taking a wrecking ball, a
wrecking ball to our founding fathers historic project.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: And today, what we are hearing is, I think it's applause from some Democratic voices, I think Senator Van Hollen told CNN that Newson is,
quote, "stepping up to meet the moment". There are others as well. Will we see more Democrats standing up to this President? Speak to that as well.
COLLINSON: Yes, and I think if you're a Democrat that's thinking of running for office, you're waiting for --
SOARES: Yes --
COLLINSON: The protests, for example, to hit your state, and wondering how you should respond, because every action that a potential presidential
candidate takes, for instance, Governor Shapiro in Pennsylvania, if it comes to his state, will be remembered in two years time when the
presidential campaign starts.
Democrats have been pining for someone to stand up to Trump, to try to give them some direction and a message that they can get behind after four
months of absolute turmoil, Newsom is doing that. But as we were saying before, it's a big political risk for Democrats.
SOARES: Yes, indeed. Stephen, appreciate it as always. Stephen Collinson there. Let's get more on the ICE raids that we have seen across the
country. Hamed Aleaziz is an immigration reporter for the "New York Times", he recently accompanied ICE agents on a raid in Miami. Hamed, welcome to
the show. We have seen -- and well, I was just speaking to our correspondent there.
We are seeing, you know, protests from coast-to-coast as these immigration raids continues. We spoke about, you know, factories in Nebraska, farms in
L.A., you've seen this ramped up enforcement. Just speak to what you have seen in this ICE operation in Miami. Just talk us through that.
HAMED ALEAZIZ, IMMIGRATION REPORTER, NEW YORK TIMES: Yes, I think what we saw was, you know, reflective of what's happening across the country where
it is no longer just ICE that is conducting these deportation operations on their own. But there are resources from across the federal government,
including the FBI, the DEA, the ATF, other entities that generally have nothing to do with immigration who are being called on to help ICE to boost
the number of people that they can send into American communities and find people they want to arrest and ultimately deport.
SOARES: And Hamed, I mean, that sounds a pretty significant large operation. Resources, I'm guessing large as well. But are they
differentiating between criminals and non-criminals. Just talk us through that, and in particular, what you saw when you went. Talk us --what did you
see?
ALEAZIZ: Well, one of the things that I saw when I was there was again, the other agencies helping ICE that the, you know, beefed-up enforcement
from the different, you know, the extensive number of officers who are on the ground finding people as well. We came across a case in which there was
an individual who was targeted by ICE for arrest.
And this individual was near their brother. The brother was going to take him to work, and because the brother was around the target, ICE was running
his information and ultimately decided to deport him -- ultimately decided to arrest him. And this is something called collateral arrest, something
that the agency is really doing more of during the Trump administration, where they'll have a certain target, an individual they're going after, but
anybody around them who is undocumented also becomes fair game.
And I think this speaks to the fact that, for a lot of people -- for this administration, for ICE, the idea of differentiating between a criminal and
a non-criminal is difficult because in their mind, individuals have committed crimes by crossing into the country illegally, and other factors
of being in this country illegally. So, they believe that, you know, it's important to not necessarily differentiate specifically.
SOARES: And Stephen Miller, the White House deputy Chief of Staff, I know this is something you've addressed as well in your -- in "New York Times",
said in May that ICE would set a goal of, I think, a minimum of 3,000 arrests a day, Hamed. From your understanding, are they meeting that? Is
that an official quota? And what kind of pressure does that put on ICE?
[14:15:00]
ALEAZIZ: Yes, I mean, you know, depending on who you talk to, quota or goal, the way it's been described is as a goal. But I will say that this
idea of 3,000 arrests and trying to get to that every single day is something that has permeated throughout the agency. And ultimately, at this
point, they have not hit 3,000.
There were some moments last week where they arrested more than 2,000 people, but those numbers ultimately dropped off and we haven't gotten
anywhere near 3,000 arrests a day. But I think as far as pressure goes, I think, you know, any time there is an administration that wants more work,
more arrests, this means that officers and agents will be working more, will be spending more energy on trying to, you know, meet these goals, meet
these -- you know, you know, numbers that are being expected.
SOARES: And I think, Hamed, it's really important that we humanize this story too. We heard from a couple of people and just how angry they are,
but also how nervous they are. These are -- and you've spoken to this life- changing moment for so many families. I was speaking to a Latino businessman roughly at this time yesterday on my show, and he told me that
95 percent of his staff, who, you know, 95 percent of Latino, he said, they're working and living in fear. Is this something that you have heard
from families in these communities? Can you -- can you address that?
ALEAZIZ: Yes, I think this is, you know, been the case since the beginning of the Trump administration. The fear is, you know, very much -- you know,
permeating throughout immigrant communities. People are very fearful of seeing ICE show up in their communities, seeing ICE come and get their
family members and friends.
You know, this is something that is a talking point throughout these communities. And I think, you know, ultimately, for this administration,
there is a desire for people to avoid potentially being picked up by ICE and ultimately deciding to leave the country on their own accord, something
known as self-deportation.
So, this is something that the administration has really advocated for, which is leave on your own, will give you money and will give you a flight
home, and you can avoid everything else. So, you know, in many ways, those two things are, you know, connected.
SOARES: Hamed, really appreciate you taking the time to speak to us. Thank you very much indeed. Hamed Aleaziz, thank you. Well, from the streets of
L.A. to the halls of Kennedy Performing Arts Center, Donald Trump's controversial agenda is sparking political as well as cultural divides. A
few hours from now, Mr. Trump plans to attend the opening night of "Les Miserables" at the Kennedy Center in Washington.
Some performers have told CNN they will boycott this performance. Protesters partisan takeover of the arts organization. Beyond the Kennedy
Center, we are watching a real life drama play out on social media. Trump's former close ally Elon Musk, now says he regrets some of those inflammatory
posts. The tech billionaire has deleted some of his comments attacking Trump, including his accusation the President is in the Epstein files.
CNN's Kevin Liptak is keeping a close eye on the drama from the White House and joins me now. So, Kevin, we have the world's richest man walking back
some of his comments, though he wasn't quite -- he hasn't quite specified the tweets that he's regretting in detail. Just walk us through how
President Trump and indeed, this administration is reacting here.
KEVIN LIPTAK, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Yes, he said he regretted some of them, was that his tacit implication that --
SOARES: Yes --
LIPTAK: Trump should be impeached, was it his linkage of Trump to Jeffrey Epstein, the world's most notorious pedophile? We may never know, but it
does seem as if they are on the track to reconcile. We are learning that the President and Musk did actually speak earlier this week, before Musk
put out that remorseful tweet.
And as we understand it, there were allies of both of these men who were trying to arrange some kind of detente. Musk spoke on Friday with J.D.
Vance; the Vice President and President Trump's Chief of Staff Susie Wiles that eventually sort of led to this thaw. We did see some indications that
this was underway over the weekend.
Musk actually deleted the Jeffrey Epstein tweet, he re-followed Stephen Miller on Twitter, he's the deputy Chief of Staff who Musk had unfollowed
earlier. And President Trump spoke in an interview earlier this week, adopting a somewhat softer tone, although he doesn't sound as if he is all
that interested in full reconciliation.
And so, you do see the two men sort of coming back together, I think the big question for the White House, at least, is what this all means for this
enormous piece of legislation --
SOARES: Yes --
LIPTAK: That sparked this feud in the first place. Musk saying that President Trump's mega bill would explode the deficit.
[14:20:00]
That's a concern that many Republicans still have. And it's not clear that these two men now getting along is going to make it any easier for that to
make it through the Senate.
SOARES: Yes, and everyone stopped talking about that in the last few days. And look, on the subject of drama, but also potentially of divas, we
mentioned that President Trump is going to go and see "Les Miz". I think the Vice President Vance is also going to be there. They're going to
Kennedy Center, the very body that the President accused of being too woke. Speak --
LIPTAK: Yes --
SOARES: To the irony of what's happening today.
LIPTAK: Yes, and this is actually his first time actually going to see a performance at the Kennedy Center. Usually, this institution is something
of an afterthought for American Presidents, but this is certainly been at the forefront of President Trump's attempt to kind of reshape the arts in
the United States.
And you see in his selection here of going to "Les Miz", as sort of an indication of where his tastes lie. He has always said he has a preference
for musicals of a certain vintage. And as someone who has listened to "Memory" from Cats at a lot of Trump rallies, I can tell you that the
vintage is the 1980s.
And so, that's what he will be watching tonight. I think there is, I guess, some irony, you could call it in the President going to see a musical about
the underclass rebelling against a king. I should note there are rallies scheduled for later this week, anti-king rallies against President Trump,
but nonetheless, this is what he will be watching tonight.
I think a question is whether he'll see the main performers or whether he'll see their understudies. A number of them have said that they will be
boycotting.
SOARES: Thank you very much, Kevin Liptak for us at the White House. Well, it took a phone call between the leaders of the world's two biggest
economies, but it looks like the United States and China have reached the framework of a trade agreement. In an online post, U.S. President Donald
Trump said, "our deal with China is done." You can see it there.
Mr. Trump says both countries will ease up on export restrictions and Beijing will supply full magnets and any necessary rare earths. Under the
deal, the U.S. will also allow Chinese students to attend American universities. President Trump and Xi spoke on phone last week. Just jump-
starting really trade talks which had stalled.
We will keep across that, any more details, we'll bring that to you. And still to come tonight, more police are injured in a second night of unrest
in northern Ireland. We'll look at what led to the chaos. And then, mourning in Austria as police now search for a motive in Tuesday's deadly
school shooting. Both of those stories after this very short break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:25:00]
SOARES: Police in northern Ireland are investigating major unrest as what they call racially-motivated hate crimes. Officials say hundreds of masked
rioters for two consecutive nights set fire to homes and cars and attacked police in the town of Ballymena. The chaos follows a protest over an
alleged sexual assault committed by two teenage boys. CNN's Nic Robertson has covered Northern Ireland extensively and has filed this report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR (voice-over): For a second night, anti-immigration rioters faced off with police in the small
Northern Ireland town of Ballymena. Dozens of mostly young men threw petrol bombs and rocks at the police. Police responded with water cannon and baton
rounds, ramming their armored vehicles through burning barricades. Seventeen officers were injured, two more than the previous night.
RYAN HENDERSON, ASSISTANT CHIEF CONSTABLE, NORTHERN IRELAND: This violence was clearly racially-motivated and targeted at our minority ethnic
community and the police. It was racist thuggery, pure and simply.
ROBERTSON: The violence also spreading to other towns, including the regional capital, Belfast. This Belfast lawmaker's own district was
impacted by racist violence just a few months ago.
CLAIRE HANNA, MP, BELFAST SOUTH AND MID DOWN: I am really worried about the potential for this unrest to spread. It is wanton aggression, violence,
destruction of property and intimidation of people.
ROBERTSON: Ballymena's tiny handful of migrants became the target Monday. Masked gangs smashing windows, kicking in doors. At least, one family burnt
out of their home. Their vehicle torched. Others in shock. What had begun as a peaceful protest for a young woman who said she'd been sexually
assaulted, turned violent following the charging of two teenage boys through a Romanian interpreter. The "BBC" reported some immigrant families
putting flags on their doors, hoping to keep attackers away.
HANNA: We've seen the horrific sight of ethnic minorities putting flags and explanations on their door, saying that their healthcare worker or that
they work in a local factory. And effectively, you know, pleading mercy.
ROBERTSON: Police now calling for reinforcements from mainland U.K.
HENDERSON: As part of my forward planning therefore, I have now activated the request for mutual aid resources from policing colleagues in Great
Britain.
ROBERTSON: Fueling concerns the riots will continue. The so-called marching season is beginning. A hangover from the region's bloody sectarian
past, and is often the most violent month in the year. Nic Robertson, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SOARES: And today marks the end of the two-week deadline the U.S. President Donald Trump set, if you remember, for Russia. He vowed to have
an answer on Russian President Vladimir Putin's willingness to end the war in Ukraine. However, the U.S. President has not yet made a decision on
whether to apply new sanctions on Moscow.
Overnight, Ukrainian officials say three people were killed and 59 injured in a fierce Russian attack on Kharkiv, that is Ukraine's second largest
city, reportedly hit by 17 explosions within nine minutes. Austria is in mourning as police search for answers in one of the country's deadliest
mass shootings. The country observed a minute of silence today.
Tuesday's deadly shooting happened at a local school in the city of Graz. Nine students and a teacher were killed after a gunman opened fire.
Authorities say the suspect is a 21-year-old Austrian man who attended the school but didn't graduate and took his own life at the scene. Our Fred
Pleitgen is in Graz in Austria.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (on camera): The pain and the agony still is very real and very deep here in Graz after that
school shooting that took place, leaving several dead, you can see here, in the city center. There's still a lot of people who are coming out and
lighting candles, also laying flowers.
And you know, the people that we've been seeing, many of them are just standing in silence, taking a moment, but others certainly also have tears
in their eyes. And the police have now come out as far as their investigation is concerned, and talked a little bit more about the victims
of the shooting.
They say that nine students were killed in this between the ages of 14 and 17, and that also later, a female teacher also succumbed to her wounds as
well. One thing that might be a little bit of good news is the fact the police is saying that no one of the injured people, the wounded people, are
in any danger for their lives anymore.
There's apparently one person with facial wounds that will require more surgery, but at the same time, they say that those people are at least out
of life's danger. As far as the shooter himself is concerned, the police also saying the investigation there is ongoing. They've already talked a
lot about the weapons that were used, but they also say that they found what appeared to be farewell messages as well. Here's what a police
spokesman told me.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): We were able to start the investigation immediately after the killing spree. In the meantime, we have
also carried out a house search at the home address of the 21-year-old suspect from the District of Graz and the surrounding area, and have been
able to establish that there was a suicide note, both in digital form via video message and in handwritten form. We were also able to find and secure
a pipe bomb, albeit it's a non-functioning pipe bomb at his home.
PLEITGEN: The police obviously saying that they conducted extensive searches at the property where the shooter lived. At the same time, one
thing that remains a mystery to them that's not clear is the motive in all of this. It's something the authorities say is being investigated. As far
as the community here is concerned, what we're hearing from folks here is that obviously right now for them, the pain is very real. The pain is very
bad, but they say the fact that so many people are coming out, voicing their support, also supporting those who are affected, shows that this
community here is strong and will remain resilient.
Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Graz, Austria.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ISA SOARES, CNN INTERNATIONAL HOST: And still to come tonight, Southwest Colombia rocked by a wave of deadly explosions. The mayor of Cali has a
message for people he calls bandit. We'll talk with a security expert about that after this break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:35:00]
SOARES: The mayor of Los Angeles Karen Bass is holding a news conference. Let's listen in.
KAREN BASS, LOS ANGELES MAYOR: You're not trying to keep anyone safe. You're trying to cause fear and panic. And when you start deploying
federalized troops on the heels of these raids, it is a drastic and chaotic escalation and completely unnecessary. These aren't the criminals the
administration is allegedly targeting, these are mothers and fathers, restaurant workers, seamstress, home care workers, everyday Angelenos
trying to make a living.
We've heard stories of unmarked federal vans parked near LAUSD school graduations, a U.S. citizen nine months pregnant who was hospitalized after
being detained by federal agents and an apparel business in downtown L.A. raided, where many Korean and Latino workers work long hours to support
their families.
Let me just say that I am very proud to stand here with the mayors, the leadership of so many cities. But you should take note that the individuals
that are here with me today are all leaders in their area, and we all stand in support and solidarity and call for the raids to end. Now, it's my
pleasure to introduce Mayor Lemons from the City of Paramount.
PEGGY LEMONS, PARAMOUNT MAYOR: Thank you, Mayor Bass, for bringing us together today and for your leadership in this difficult time. I stand
before you today --
SOARES: We're going to leave there -- that for just a moment, but we heard very briefly there from the mayor of Los Angeles, Karen Bass. We heard from
her yesterday roughly this time, she was talking just before we came on the show about the intimidation these raids are causing and the fear as well
being caused by the federal government. She said -- they said they're not targeting any criminals, pardoning -- they're targeting mothers, fathers,
every day citizens, people trying to make a living. Then gave an example of them targeting a pregnant U.S. citizen.
And she said -- she says, she stood there with many other members of government saying they're all stand in support in solidarity and are
calling for these raids to end. We'll keep an ear out, of course, in that press conference if anything else comes out of that. We'll, of course,
bring that to your attention.
I want to leave the United States for now and turn our attention to Colombia, because the mayor of Cali says a hundred new police officers have
arrived to support security efforts after a wave of attacks. And he had a warning for the perpetrator saying, quote, "We are coming for you."
More than 20 bombings and shootings were reported in Cali and surrounding areas on Tuesday. At least seven people were killed and 28 injured.
Authorities say two of the dead are police officers. Tuesday's violence comes as presidential hopeful, Miguel Uribe Turbay, remains in critical
condition after being shot over the weekend. The army is blaming a splint of faction of the Farc militant group for chooses attacks, but hasn't
actually offered any evidence.
Colombians suffered under decades of political violence and drug fueled terrorism. But the mainline Farc signed a peace deal, if you remember, in
2017 and was supposed to disarm. Many hope those dark years (INAUDIBLE) thing of the past. But the last several days have triggered fears the
country sliding back into a bloody conflict.
Let's get more. Sergio Guzman is the co-founder and director of Colombian Risk Analysis and joins me now from Bogota. Sergio, welcome to the show. We
have now seen some 20 attacks in the period of five, six hours, and that is just staggering and incredibly alarming for so many Colombians. Explain why
it's happening now, first of all, and then we can talk about who could potentially be behind this, but why now?
SERGIO GUZMAN, CO-FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR, COLOMBIA RISK ANALYSIS: Absolutely. Well, I think first it's important to mention it's not yet
clear that the attacks are connected. What happened with Miguel Uribe and what happened yesterday in Cali. They may be two separate events, obeying
different motives.
But what is incrementally true is that many of the arm -- organized armed groups leading narco trafficking organizations such as the Farc dissidents
feel an increased sense of threat by the government that has broken the ceasefire agreement with them already, and is looking to pressure the
government to accept either more beneficial situations for them during a negotiation process or are looking to weigh in on the future of the
presidential election.
SOARES: So, let's take us back a bit, because as we see these attacks and these explosions, and we mentioned that just before we came to you, these,
you know, attacks kind of represents that your -- an eerie throwback, of course, of the 1980s, the dark period of political violence in Colombia. Of
course, when, you know, the president came to power, President Petro, he not -- he -- promised, I should say, get my words right, he promised to
further peace, right? He talked about total peace, I think was what he said.
[14:40:00]
Where has that gone wrong? Where's that process gone wrong?
GUZMAN: Well, I think it's important to contextualize the violence of the -- many Colombians do feel a sense of recognition of our past and very
painful reminder of where we come from. But the events of today and the events of the 1980s are two different timelines, very different events have
happened in the 1980s, close to five presidential candidates were gunned down.
Right now, you know, it's not nearly that much. Pablo Escobar had put bombs in civilian areas, in other residential areas. That's not happening right
now. So, it's important to clarify. However, President Petro has negotiated with nine different groups. That's many more than the Colombian government
has negotiated in an effort to find total peace.
Some of these groups are regional based organizations. Some of these groups have more national objectives and approaches. The group that is alleged to
be responsible for the Cali attacks is much more regional in Southern Valle del Cauca, Northern Cauca.
SOARES: So, where has he gone wrong then, Sergio? He's been negotiating with these groups, where has he failed?
GUZMAN: Well, I think the most important failure is not promoting a better and more integrated security strategy because these groups have not just
been able to capture a sense of territorial control in some areas, but are now openly defying the government in some areas, particularly in the north
of Cauca, in places like Jamundi, in places like Buenos Aires, Cauca, these groups are now essentially de facto governing.
And the government's strategy, the security strategy has been nowhere near what is necessary to approach them. In fact, the government presented at
the start a very lenient position to many of these groups. Come negotiate with us. Come sit in the table with us. What are your demands? Do you want
a constituent assembly, et cetera, and whatnot. But then the government quickly realized these groups have no intention of reaching a political
settlement and are much more intent on maintaining the business of narco trafficker -- of narco trafficking as their main source of funding and are
not going to yield.
SOARES: Petro was supposed to go to Cali today. I'm not sure if he's still going. And he was supposed to go -- I think it was support -- in supposed
to be in favor of support of labor reform, I should say. Is this presence, do you think, Sergio, is this going to inflame the situation if he indeed
is still going?
GUZMAN: Well, I think that the political situation and the security situation are reaching a climax in Colombia. I don't think Petro will
attend events in Cali, although it was programmed that he would start them at 2:00 p.m., a public rally in support of the popular consultation for
labor reform. But I do think that the security threats against any public activity are high. And again, realize that many of these groups do do these
attacks knowing that the president will be there to show their capacity and their intent to target public officials or public events.
SOARES: Sergio Guzman, thanks very much. Sergio, really appreciate it. And still to come tonight, eyewitnesses say Israeli gunfire killed dozens of
people in Gaza near an aid distribution center. We'll have a live report from Jerusalem next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:45:00]
SCIUTTO: Welcome back, everyone. A source confirms President Trump told Benjamin Netanyahu to bring a quick end to the war in Gaza. He also told
the Israeli prime minister in a phone call Monday to dial down the rhetoric on Iran. Last month, President Trump said he told Israel not to do anything
to disrupt nuclear talks between the U.S. and Iran, and that he believed negotiations were very close to a solution. But in a podcast out today, he
said the talks have lost steam. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you think you're going to be able to stop Iran from enriching its --
DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: I don't know. I did think so. And I'm getting more and more less confident about it. They seem to be delaying,
and I think that's a shame. But they -- I'm less confident now than I would've been a couple of months ago. Something happened to them. But I am
much less confident of a deal being made.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: Meanwhile, on the ground in Gaza, another devastating milestone, Palestinian officials say more than 55,000 people have been killed from
Israeli strikes, including 17,000 children in 20 months fighting.
Earlier hospital officials said dozens were killed near two locations at aid distribution sites. Israel has warned people not to approach the sites
between 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. local time. Describing the areas as an active war zone. The starving residents desperate for food after nearly
two-month of Israeli blockade on all aid have often ignored the warnings, hoping for a chance, of course, to secure the limited supply of food.
Let's get more on several of these strands from our Oren Liebermann. Oren, good to see you. Let's start first with those dozens killed at the
distribution site. Do we know whether this is one of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation sites? Because we -- it wasn't clear what happened there. What
are you learning?
OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN JERUSALEM BUREAU CHIEF: So, there are two different incidents we're looking at where Palestinians were killed after hospital
officials say they came under Israeli fire. Both are along what's known as the Netzarim Corridor, an east west corridor in Northern Gaza under Israeli
control. At the eastern end of that, Al-Awda Hospital officials say seven Palestinians were killed and more than a hundred injured early Wednesday
morning when the officials say they came under Israeli fire. This is near one of the distribution sites from the controversial Gaza Humanitarian
Foundation.
The IDF says they fired warning shots at suspects who they say posed a threat as they approached, they said they're looking into reports of
casualties. This is a pattern we have seen play out on a near daily basis. When Palestinians find out that one of these aid sites is open, they are at
the point of desperation and frankly of hunger and starvation that they pretty much rushed the site, not in the thousands, but often in the tens of
thousands. And it is in this scenario that we have seen Palestinians shot and killed many days since those aid sites began distributing aid. That's
the first incident.
The second is on the western end of the Netzarim Corridor, that's where Palestinian officials say at the Nabulsi roundabout, which is a major
roundabout on the Coastal Road, at least 24 Palestinians were killed. When eyewitnesses say they came under Israeli fire, the IDF said they are not
aware of a shooting event during the daytime, but they're looking into the reports. Regardless, it is another deadly day here as there is a trickle of
aid going into Gaza.
SOARES: Yes. And we are grateful, Oren, for you to -- for clarifying that for us. And it seems that Gaza also was part of the conversation that
President Trump had with Prime Minister Netanyahu. Do we have a sense of how that conversation went from Netanyahu's side?
[14:50:00]
LIEBERMANN: Well, from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's side, it seems like, and this isn't really a surprise, that the focus for him was Iran
trying to sort of influence in any way he can, the negotiations between the U.S. and Iran. Netanyahu tried to tell Trump that Iran is just playing for
time and they're not serious about negotiations, and yet, it's clear from the U.S. side, the U.S. is very serious about trying to move these
negotiations forward.
Whether they have success there or not, we'll certainly see. But even the progress that has been made to this point is something Israel is watching
with extreme caution and concern. On top of that was a bigger issue for Trump than Netanyahu, and that's Trump pushing for an end of the war.
SOARES: Oren, appreciate it. Good to see you. Oren Liebermann for us there. And still to come tonight, a Scottish lodge with history. We'll tell
you the story behind this Highland property and what it is worth. That is next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SOARES: It is a half day in court for the cross-examination in the Sean Diddy Combs sex trafficking trial. One accuser being called Jane is back on
the stand. She's discussing the arrangement of sexual encounters with Combs at hotels. Jane has also discussed hiring escorts and drugs -- and drug
use. The prosecution hopes to show that associates of Combs taught Jane how to transport drugs. Sean Combs is accused of charges, including
racketeering and sex trafficking. He's pleaded not guilty to all charges.
New Zealand's government is facing a lawsuit from two climate law groups who say its plan to cut emissions is inadequate. They argue the strategy
relies too heavily on high-risk offsets like tree planting and claim the government slashed policies without public consultation. With just 5
million people, New Zealand is a small player when it comes to global carbon emissions, but it's still feeling climate change impacts from
coastal erosion to extreme weather.
Well, a remote Scottish lodge with a lot of history is now up for sale. The Inverlair Lodge isolated in the Highlands was requisition by the British
Special Operations executive during World War II. Its purpose was to house foreign agents who had been trained but could not be deployed. Its most
famous guest was Rudolf Hess, leading member of the Nazi party, who flew to the U.K. as a self-appointed negotiator in 1941. Few traces of the lodge's
history remain after its 1970s renovation. It's now on the market for $1.8 million.
[14:55:00]
And finally, tonight, you may have seen one, you may not have seen one. If so, you know the elf-like creatures known as Labubus are taking the world
by storm. I have not seen one, but I'm being told they're very popular. A first-generation figurine just sold for more than $150,000 at a toy auction
in Beijing. You heard that right? That is a staggering amount of money.
Labubu have bunny-like body with an elf-like pointy ears and a face and a mischievous grin with sharp teeth. The plush toy is one of the trendiest on
the planet, even causing brawls between some fans trying to get one. Wow.
That does it for us for tonight. Do stay right here. "What We Know with Max Foster" is up next. And I wonder whether he has a Labubu. Do you have a
Labubu? Do you know what a Labubu is? Max?
MAX FOSTER, CNN ANCHOR: What?
SOARES: Exactly?
FOSTER: Labubu.
SOARES: Labubu. Do you know what a Labubu is? Some squishy toy. Apparently sold for $150,000.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[15:00:00]
END