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Isa Soares Tonight
Nicolas Maduro to Appear in U.S. Court; Mamdani Says NYC Lacks Authority to Arrest Netanyahu; U.S. Sends First Aid Flight to Cuba Amid Oil Blockade; India's "Cockroach" Protests. President Trump Warning on Social Media that the U.S. will Bomb or Destroy One Bridge or Power Plant Every Time Iran Targets a Ship in the Strait of Hormuz; President Trump Attends the Dignified Transfer of Four U.S. Service Members Killed in the Middle East; Zelenskyy Appoints a New Army Chief. Aired 2:-3p ET
Aired July 22, 2026 - 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: Hello, and a very warm welcome, everyone, I'm Isa Soares. Tonight, more strikes, more threats and
dwindling hopes of a diplomatic off-ramp between the United States and Iran.
U.S. President Donald Trump is warning on social media that the U.S. will bomb or destroy one bridge or power plant -- as you see there,
every time Iran targets a ship in the Strait of Hormuz. Targeting civilian infrastructure can be a war crime under international law.
In turn, a senior Iranian official warned that Tehran will consider striking infrastructure across the region. Iran's Foreign Ministry is
accusing the U.S. of using Pickaxe Mountain as an excuse to launch more attacks.
President Trump on Tuesday threatened an American strike on the site, if you remember, pretty soon. Earlier, the President attended the dignified
transfer of four U.S. service members killed last weekend.
A solemn moment there in Delaware. Three died in Jordan, another in Iraq. Let's get the very latest from our Kevin Liptak, who is at the
White House. And Kevin, let me start there, because this conflict, as we've heard in the last 24 hours, not only costing billions in dollars
and more importantly, as we saw from those images in Delaware, more importantly, lives.
Today, as we saw the dignified service of service members incredibly solemn moment. What more can you tell us about those young men and women
whose lives were lost?
KEVIN LIPTAK, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: You're right. And they ranged in age from 19 to 30. They spanned the entire breadth of the
United States, from Hawaii to New York, Texas to North Carolina.
Their names were Tyler James Feehan, Isabella Gonzales, Angel S. Rampersad and Michael Emmanuel Swinton, and they died on the other side
of the world. They died in Jordan and Iraq as a result of these Iranian strikes.
And as the President stands there watching as their flag-draped caskets move from the cargo jet across the tarmac and into those vans, he's
essentially watching the human consequences of his decisions go right in front of him.
You know, there's no audio on the feed of this ritual. That is a standard that the military has set. But having covered these, I think
the thing that you really do notice is the silence. There's no speeches, there's no music.
It's just sort of the sound of the auxiliary engines from the plane and the footsteps of those carry teams putting these cases into the vans.
But the reporters who were there today did say that, that silence was pierced by cries of anguish from the families.
They are positioned opposite the President on the tarmac. You can't see them as a reporter, but you can hear them, and they kind of puncture
what is otherwise this very solemn silence. It really is kind of a searing moment for the president, and nothing, I think, weighs on his
responsibilities as commander-in-chief more than watching this unfold.
You know, there's something called the Dover Test. It's something that presidents and military leaders have observed for decades and decades.
And it's the question of whether going up to Dover and watching this proceed is worth the decisions that he's making.
And also, are Americans with him on this as they too, observe what the President is doing in their name. Now, before the President went up
there, he suggested that it was meeting the Dover Test, saying that polls showed that Americans did support the conflict.
In fact, the polls show exact opposite. A "Washington Post" survey this week found that when Americans were asked whether the war was worth
fighting, 68 percent said no. And so, as the President weighs whether to escalate the conflict, whether to go after Pickaxe Mountain, whether to
strike some of these targets that he's threatening in Tehran as a result of the Iranian strikes on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.
This is something that he will have to consider, and something he will think about as he's talking about an escalation that could potentially
provoke a retaliation from Iran, that would put the thousands of American troops that are arrayed across the Middle East at further
risks. Isa.
[14:05:00]
SOARES: And as you talk there, Kevin, of the human consequences of his decision, as we looked, of course, at these images, incredibly solemn
images that can only imagine the anguish from those families there in Delaware. Speak to the pressures on the President.
You touched on that, but within -- from within his own party here, not just so much from the Democrats, from the opposition, the polling, of
course, very indicative of the mood in the country, but are we starting to see pressure points?
Are we starting to see voices from the Republican Party weighing, casting doubt over the strategy or lack thereof, of this war?
LIPTAK: You are starting to see that. And in fact, it has been sort of present throughout this entire conflict. You know, President Trump ran
as someone who promised not to become embroiled in foreign wars. He doesn't talk about that so much anymore.
And you do hear some of his staunchest supporters questioning whether the President could have gotten the United States into the type of
quagmire that he previously campaigned against.
And you saw that on full display yesterday when you had Hegseth; the Defense Secretary testifying about both the monetary costs of this
conflict, which Congress is being asked to approve, but also some of the human costs as well.
And one, what he sort of consistently said was that, this was all going to be worth it if it meant that Iran would not be able to obtain a
nuclear weapon. But I think it's clear at this point that the public is souring on the President's war.
And when you look at the polling, it's interesting to compare it to the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts, the types of wars and the exact wars, in
fact, that the President previously decried. You know, the negative 40 points split that the President finds himself in is worse, in fact, than
either the Iraq war or the Afghanistan war.
It took, you know, 12 years for the Afghanistan war to become as unpopular as the Iran war is now. And we're just almost four months into
it. And so, the President faces, I think, a very sour public attitude about what he's trying to do here.
And as he tries to plot a course forward, that will have to factor in his decision-making, particularly as more and more Republicans grow ever
more fearful that this is just going to be the overriding topic for the Midterm elections, not just the conflict itself, but also the economic
consequences.
And you are, I think, because of that, going to see more and more Republicans start to speak out a little more forcefully.
SOARES: Even though, the President, I think, said yesterday he doesn't believe that the war will impact the Midterms. Kevin, such important
context and analysis you added there. Thank you very much indeed, really appreciate it.
Well, President Trump has approved, meantime, a groundbreaking U.S. nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia. There is no doubt raising eyebrows and
setting off alarm bells across the Middle East. Now, a U.S. official telling CNN, the 30-year agreement would allow the kingdom to enrich
nuclear fuel for civilian reactors.
Of course, in theory, that could at some point lead to the production of nuclear weapons. It appears the agreement does not include the
normalizing of relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia. That could represent a significant blow to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu ahead, of course, of falls -- of the elections there in the Fall.
Let me go to Jerusalem and to our Nic Robertson. So, Nic, first of all, let me get your take on what you make of this nuclear deal of the Saudi
because like we said, it is raising eyebrows. And I saw the Israeli Democrat Party Chair, Yair Golan, he said this, I'm just going to quote
him.
"Nuclear capabilities without stringent monitoring requirements, without a framework of relations with Israel as a condition amount to a
dangerous reality for the state of Israel." Just frame this for us and how it's being received where you are.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yes, I think this goes back to the understanding under the Biden presidency, that part of
the broader deal where Saudi Arabia would normalize relations with Israel and it would get as part of that deal, part of it, civilian
nuclear technology and wherewithal to have its own civilian nuclear electricity generation.
Of course, that normalization with Israel fell by the wayside after Hamas' brutal attack on October the 7th, back in 2023. Israel's response
to it, Saudi Arabia has been very clear, no normalization with Israel unless there's a recognition of a Palestinian state.
However, Saudi Arabia has continued to want this, its own civil nuclear program, and has pursued that in its relationship with the -- with the
United States, and does seem to have successfully landed a deal with President Trump.
[14:10:00]
And it's a deal that's raising eyebrows, because it's not like the sort of standard deal, what's often been called the gold standard, if you
will, that the UAE had with the United States back in 2009, whereby the civilian nuclear power plant gets its enriched uranium from outside of
the country, it doesn't enrich it itself.
And there are stringent oversight from the International Atomic Energy Agency, the deal that Saudi Arabia seems to get is out with that. They
could do the enrichment, that's part of the plan, and they wouldn't be subject to what's called the additional protocols, which is some level
of additional inspection by the International Atomic Energy Agency.
That's why it's generating concern. But I think if you really step back, there are two things you can say about this, one is Iran would love that
deal, they get to enrich themselves and they have less oversight.
That's what they've been pushing for. And the other part is if Saudi Arabia wanted a nuclear weapon, it has access to one through its
military treaty with Pakistan, which was signed last year. Pakistan has nuclear weapons, and it's widely been understood Saudi Arabia was part
of the funding for that.
And that under the terms of this treaty, that could allow them, should they need it, to get a nuclear weapon. And I think you just add on that
other factor that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Saudi Arabia a couple of years ago said that if Iran got a nuclear weapon, then he
would move to do it immediately.
It -- we don't know all the terms of what the White House is going to lay out yet, I think that's worth saying too.
SOARES: Yes, I mean, there's quite an irony in this deal, given everything that's happening with Iran and trying to bring Iran to
negotiating table. Nic, good to see you, thank you very much indeed.
Well, four tankers trying to transit the Red Sea at another critical oil chokepoint have turned around following threats from Houthi rebels in
Yemen that is helping to push oil prices higher yet again. At one point earlier today, Brent Crude surged past $95 a barrel.
Now, just a bit below that 94.11 WTI just over 86. Now, to the war in Ukraine. And what appears to be a new strategy targeting the Russian
economy. Ukrainian strikes hit two warehouses today belonging to the Wildberries Company.
Wildberries is the Russian version of Amazon, a huge online retailer that is one of the country's biggest employers. Several Wildberries
warehouses, as you've seen there, have been hit in recent days as Ukraine tries to bring the reality of war to the Russian home front.
And the new attacks come amid a change in leadership as we've been telling you here on CNN, in the Ukrainian military. After days of
protests, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has sacked the long-time commander-in-chief of Ukraine's Armed Forces and brought in a much
younger replacement.
Protesters demanded a change as Ukraine embraces both drones and robots, a shift in military focus from men to machines. Our Nick Paton Walsh has
the very latest for you.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NICK PATON WALSH, CNN INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A generational shift, the younger Ukrainians doing the fighting now run
by a General near their age, 43-year-old Mykhailo Drapatyi.
Out Oleksandr Syrskyi, aged 60, who for years met the Soviet brutality of Russia with similar resolve and ruthlessness, nicknamed "the
Butcher", he became the face of the relentless, ugly toll of the war on frontline troops, sending people to die as something a wartime General
has to do along with always be winning to stay popular.
And while Syrskyi had notched up enough small victories, they did not save him from modernity. His wartime resume begins with the defense of
Kyiv, where thousands of locals bolstered the city's route of the Russians.
The Kharkiv counteroffensive in late 2022 saw Russia collapse, a startling reversal exposing poor command and supply lines for which
Syrskyi is credited.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
WALSH: But his rivalry with his boss, then commander Valerii Zaluzhnyi, many analysts have said, led Syrskyi to push a focus on the city of
Bakhmut during the next Summer, and leave the main push of the counteroffensive, Ukraine's main chance to break Russia's road to Crimea
with a flood of new western equipment to falter.
Zaluzhnyi lost his job months later to Syrskyi, who swiftly needed a win after so many slow losses, including Bakhmut. The response was daring
and stunning, if not strategically sound in the long run.
The first invasion of Russia since the Nazis, Kursk. A major embarrassment for Putin and a turn in the narrative until Ukraine slowly
left the next year. Ultimately, the war changed around Ukraine, and Syrskyi, as younger generation found tech could compensate for a lack of
brute force and people.
[14:15:00]
Mykhailo Fedorov; the disruptor-in-chief and new Minister of Defense leading the use of drones early to hit deep inside Russia, I.T., data,
open tenders for equipment transparency, questioning everything and robots and more robots.
Nothing could be farther from the Syrskyi way of war. But it began to work and gained popularity. The major metric in Zelenskyy's decision-
making. Fedorov, too popular, it seemed, when he openly clashed with Syrskyi, leaving the older General whose failings and frailty had been
the talk of Kyiv for months.
Suddenly, the victor when Zelenskyy edged out a rising star. That was until rare Kyiv protests switched to focus on Syrskyi, leaving Zelenskyy
with another popularity crisis, his own and in need of a new military commander.
A bizarrely open and fickle back-and-forth, democracy in wartime, some say, or the President ditching losers or out with the old and in with
the new and whatever just happened, they too, have to keep winning. Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SOARES: Well, with more on the shakeup in Ukraine military, we are joined by Michael Bociurkiw; a well-known face here on the show. He is a
non-resident Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council's Eurasia Center, and the founder of the "World Briefing" report on Substack.
Michael, great to have you back on the show. So, what do you make then, first of all, of Ukraine's new commander-in-chief? I mean, how worthy of
a successor do you think he is?
MICHAEL BOCIURKIW, NON-RESIDENT FELLOW, ATLANTIC COUNCIL & FOUNDER, WORLD BRIEFING: Good to be with you again, Isa. Well, young guy, 43
years old, very tech savvy, like the former Minister of Defense.
But, you know, I was thinking, as Nick was reporting there, I worked for the better part of the year in the Ministry of Health with the
Ukrainian-American acting minister. These are enormous bureaucracies pretty much married to the old ways.
So, it takes a lot of time to bring about reforms. I mean, we were blocked every step of the way, whether it was reforming, how drugs are
issued or how hospitals are closed. So, if you take an even bigger bureaucracy like the military, the Ministry of Defense, it's not easy
just by putting someone new at the top.
Having said that, the other kind of unresolved issue here is that Mykhailo Fedorov; the ousted minister, is not back at the cabinet table
as protesters are demanding. He has some vague promised role he hasn't accepted yet.
And now, the latest is, protesters have given the President until Friday to reappoint him to -- back to a cabinet position. So, a lot remains to
be seen here, seen here in terms of how things go, not only on the street, but in the presidential office and on the front line.
SOARES: And this goes back, Michael, to what Nick Paton Walsh was just saying there in his report of popularity crisis and talking about
Zelenskyy. And it's interesting because the "Washington Post" writes this, talking about this back-and-forth.
"Another theory is the simplest and the least flattering to Zelenskyy. Fedorov has become one of the most trusted public figures in the
country. Elections are suspended under martial law, but they will eventually come."
And Zelenskyy has been in office for seven years. Zelenskyy's reason for shake-up seemed to have driven by a mix of generational faction
fighting, corruption currents and egos." So, how much do you think -- do you think that Federov is a threat to President Zelenskyy?
BOCIURKIW: Pretty big. I also think that the former Chief of Staff, Mr. Zaluzhnyi, who is now ambassador to London, could be a threat as well.
But Fedorov has a lot of popularity on the streets. So, the protesters aren't going anywhere.
But I think with Mr. Zelenskyy, as I wrote in the "New York Times" last year, there is a bit of an ego problem here. There's also a bit of a
problem in terms of not listening to really sage advice, including from western educated technocrats.
So, I think the other thing he can do right now, and -- oh, by the way, remember when he ran, he promised to run only for one term, but yet, he
seems to not be too welcoming to ideas, for example, loosening martial law in western Ukraine where it's needed.
And I know you've spent a lot of time there. You know, lifting some of the martial law rules, opening airports, bringing back more of a sense
of normality in order to keep people there, and also to attract Ukrainians back from overseas.
There's some kind of block in Mr. Zelenskyy's head when it comes to doing stuff like that. I'm not saying he's becoming more authoritarian,
but he has to make some changes for this Ukraine as we know it to survive.
[14:20:00]
SOARES: And overall, Michael, correct me if I'm wrong, I feel Mykhailo's appointment has been broadly welcomed. But you're in Odesa,
so give us a sense of what Ukrainians want to see him achieve, for example, the next six months to really convince not only Ukrainians --
BOCIURKIW: Yes --
SOARES: But also, international partners that this reshuffle we're talking about, Michael, was the right decision.
BOCIURKIW: Well, I'll tell you, the immediate concern here is two. Number one is stopping the rockets from falling. I mean, just in the
past --
SOARES: Yes --
BOCIURKIW: Few hours down the street from me, for the first time, a drone came down and we've had rockets come one after the other,
unimpeded because there aren't enough defensive systems at work here.
And the other thing that's happening, and it's the first time I've seen this in four years, plus, covering this war, you are seeing the burnt
hulls of ships on the horizon because Russia is picking off ships here, foreign vessels carrying food to the world markets.
One after the other, almost on a daily basis, and yet, not much of a peep from the world. And don't forget, Odessa, its economy is very
dependent on what happens in that port. So, those are the immediate concerns here.
Also, as I said earlier, a little bit more democratic action from Kyiv. And what I mean by that very quickly is the removal of the elected mayor
here in the past few months and replaced by a Zelenskyy loyalist.
Things like that don't go over very well. There's a feeling that there's a lack of consultation. But again, the main thing right now is to stop
those rockets from coming down because it is as bad as it has ever been.
And I do worry, Isa, I really worry not only about the safety of people here, especially women and children, but also folks like you and me know
who we work with, Ukrainian anchor people --
SOARES: Yes --
BOCIURKIW: Are now messaged me -- messaging me, telling me we're broken and this war has to stop. So, I think that gives you a bit of a picture
of where we're at right now.
SOARES: Indeed, and it's terrifying to think, you know, nothing has really eased in the last year or so. Well, at least, it seems that the
rockets keep coming, increasing like you said, Michael, getting closer. What --
BOCIURKIW: Yes --
SOARES: Are people doing? Are they moving elsewhere? Give us a sense of what you are seeing kind of day in and day out.
BOCIURKIW: Yes, I was out today talking to people and we are seeing a pickup in mostly mothers and their children leaving either to go to
their Summer cottages if they have one, or to neighboring Moldova or Poland.
But then don't forget, you have a lot of men here who are forbidden to leave Ukraine because of martial law. And then you have a lot of seniors
who have been suffering at the best of times, have it very bad because they can't move.
And what's happening right now as well, to add to the level of anxiety is, these rockets come in so quickly, is that the alarms don't go off in
time, so, there's no chance you can run for a bomb shelter.
The amount of anxiety is very difficult for me to express, but action needs to be taken now because the other thing, as I wrote in an op-ed
coming this weekend is, I'm also afraid that we may be seeing more of a demographic hollowing out of Ukraine. And that's exactly what Mr. Putin
wants to see. So, yes, very concerning times.
SOARES: Yes, any looking for any fractures whatsoever, of course. And this changing of the guard of the defense almost playing --
BOCIURKIW: Yes --
SOARES: Potentially many feared into Ukraine's hands. Michael, always great to see you, really appreciate, do stay safe there for us in Odesa
in Ukraine. Michael Bociurkiw --
BOCIURKIW: You're welcome --
SOARES: Thank you, Michael.
BOCIURKIW: You're welcome.
SOARES: And just ahead right here on the show, French authorities investigate the mysterious death of a professional model scout mentioned
in the Epstein files thousands of times. We'll have that story.
And a date has been set for former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's trial in the U.S. We'll bring you both of those stories after a very
brief break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:25:00]
SOARES: And this just in to CNN, EU antitrust regulators have approved "Paramount Skydance's" planned acquisition of Warner Brothers Discovery.
But there is a catch. "Paramount" would have to drop its film distribution joint venture with "Universal Pictures".
The European Commission says "Paramount" would not be able to make any film distribution deal with "Universal" for ten years in Europe, either.
Warner Brothers Discovery is the parent company of CNN. The deal is facing tougher challenges in U.S. courts.
And this hour, U.S. Democratic senators are hosting a forum spotlighting what they call the Justice Department's abandonment of the rule of law
and its failure to deliver justice for Jeffrey Epstein's survivors.
While over in the House, Democrats are investigating whether the late sex offender acted as a foreign agent. Ranking Judiciary Committee
member Jamie Raskin says Epstein, quote, "acted aggressively on behalf of multiple foreign governments in order to influence policies of the
first Trump administration."
He is asking the Justice Department and other agencies to release all records relating to Epstein and 19 nations, including Israel, Saudi
Arabia and Russia. Well, amid the demand for answers about Epstein's foreign ties, French authorities are investigating the death of a
professional model scout mentioned in the Epstein file some 2,000 times. Our Melissa Bell has more on that from Paris.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MELISSA BELL, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (on camera): A French model recruiter linked to Jeffrey Epstein has been found dead at his
home in the suburb of Colombo, near Paris, according to prosecutors.
Daniel Siad had been the subject of renewed scrutiny in the wake of the latest releases of the Epstein files by the U.S. Department of Justice.
For over a decade, he'd arranged for the late sex offender to meet several models.
CNN's Katie Polglase recently interviewed Siad, who said he'd had no reason to believe the two women he'd recommended to Epstein had been
harmed by him, even though those two women told CNN, that they were indeed abused by Jeffrey Epstein.
DANIEL SIAD, LATE FORMER MODEL SCOUT: My work with him has been strictly professional. I never doubt that because I never heard anything
from anyone, I introduced him who came back to me that they had a bad -- a bad situation with him.
BELL: Siad said he believed that Epstein was a casting director for Victoria's Secret and for a modeling agency. CNN has found no evidence
to support that claim.
SIAD: I didn't know a lot about him until when he comes to Paris, and I told you again, he said, he said, he passed this -- he too, to the
government. So, for me, he is free man. He's clean. He was such a powerful person, and how can I not trust him?
BELL: Epstein's ties to the modeling industry are part of ongoing investigations, including a criminal probe launched this year in Paris
involving Siad, according to the city's chief prosecutor. Now, Siad's lawyer has pointed to the stress that the man was under due to the
unbearable waiting and I quote, "the stigma cast upon him".
Siad's lawyer's statement also calling for respect for his loved ones as they mourn, adding that he died and was innocent. Siad himself was also
facing accusations of abuse. A model accused him of rape when she was working in France in 1990. Siad had also denied that accusation.
His death certainly marks the latest macabre twist in the Epstein saga and a reminder of the ripple effects of the revelations from the Epstein
files and of the fact that they are far from over.
Melissa Bell, CNN, Paris.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ISA SOARES, CNN INTERNATIONAL HOST: Thank you very much to Melissa there. Well, the birthplace of one of the worst mass murderers in human
history has been reborn itself as a police station. Authorities in Austria repurposed the building where Adolf Hitler was born back in 1889
near the German border.
They hope the conversion will deter neo-Nazis from making a pilgrimage. Austria says the national police represents the exact opposite of the
building's previous symbolism, saying they stand for freedom, democracy and human dignity.
And still to come tonight, a date has been set for the trial of former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. We'll be live in New York with the
very latest for you.
Plus, Cuba in crisis. I speak to director of an aid group on the ground in Havana who warns the situation there is increasingly challenging.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SOARES: Welcome back, everyone. A date has been set for the criminal trial against former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife,
Cilia Flores. Earlier in New York, federal prosecutors and attorneys for the Maduro's agreed to a June 2027 start. The couple of players have
pleaded not guilty to charges, including gun running and drug smuggling. They were captured as a reminder some back -- some -- a bit of a history
here, captured by the U.S. military in January of this year and flown to the U.S. to face charges. After Maduro's capture Delcy Rodriguez was
sworn in as the country's acting president.
[14:35:00]
Maria Santana joins me now. And Maria, I mean, the hearing, from what I understand, was very brief. Right. It lasted something like 13 minutes.
You were inside. Give us a sense of the color.
MARIA SANTANA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, absolutely. Well, this was the first time that we had seen Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores,
since their last hearing last March.
And I'll tell you that he seemed to be in a very good spirits. He was very well groomed to seem to be sporting a fresh haircut, a trimmed
mustache. He seemed more at ease than his other previous appearances here in court. At one point, he was talking to his attorney. He was
joking with them. And he always makes it a point to say hello to the public. He says hi with his hands or with a nod of his head. And he did
that as he entered the courtroom and exited the courtroom this morning.
Now, the judge in this case, Judge Alvin Hellerstein, he did set the trial for ousted President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, to
start on June 1st, 2027 in, like you said, a very brief hearing that was solely focused on setting the pretrial schedule, a set of dates that was
already agreed upon by both sides. In this case, the judge thought perhaps that the timeline was a bit aggressive, but both sides felt
confident that they could go forward with a trial by that date in June.
Now, the defense also indicated that during the next couple of months, they were going to present several motions. The most important of them,
they are going to try to argue immunity, sovereign immunity for Nicolas Maduro. They allege that he was kidnapped by U.S. forces in Caracas and
that as the legitimate head of state of Venezuela, that he cannot be tried in a U.S. court.
Of course, the U.S. government does not recognize Maduro as the legitimate president of Venezuela. Not now, not at the time that he was
captured. If the judge were to agree with those arguments, the charges would be dismissed. But legal experts say, you know, there's very little
chance that that will happen. But, you know, they will continue with these motions.
And Maduro and Cilia Flores will continue to be jailed at the federal prison here in Brooklyn, where they have been since they arrived in New
York. Isa.
SOARES: Yes. A legally complex case. Maria Santana, thank you very much indeed. Well, staying in New York, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is
walking back a campaign threat to have Israel's prime minister arrested if he steps foot in his city.
The International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu back in 2024, accusing him of war crimes. Mamdani says his
office has reviewed all of its options and cannot legally execute that warrant.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ZOHRAN MAMDANI, NEW YORK MAYOR: Benjamin Netanyahu is a war criminal, the architect of a horrific genocide against the Palestinian people. He
is responsible for the killing of more than 73,000 people. It is clear that we do not have the independent legal authority to enforce this
warrant. The federal government, however, does. And I call on them to join the ICC and execute this warrant. And I want to be equally clear.
Benjamin Netanyahu is not welcome in New York City.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: While the U.S. isn't a member of the ICC and President Donald Trump has made clear that Mr. Netanyahu will not be arrested in, quote,
"any way, shape or form." The Israeli prime minister is expected to attend the U.N. General Assembly in New York in September.
Well, Cuba received a humanitarian aid shipment from the U.S. on Tuesday, the first part of a hundred-million-dollar aid commitment. The
flight carried prepackaged food and hygiene kits for up to 700 families. The shipment comes as Cuba faces an intense energy crisis, which has
been exacerbated by a U.S. blockade on oil shipments alongside economic sanctions. Havana's foreign minister said it's not against the aid, but
it, quote, "contrasts" with the reality imposed by the collective punishment inflicted by the United States.
Well, earlier in the day, I spoke with the Cuban director of the humanitarian group care. He is in Havana seeing firsthand the scale of
the crisis. I asked him how people there are coping.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
VALERIO GRANELLO, CUBA COUNTRY DIRECTOR, CARE: It is already almost six months that the new contingency, it is -- it has been applied to Cuba.
And we can see that the impact on the population, especially on the most vulnerable one and disproportionately on women and girls, because you
can only imagine that what does it mean not having reliable electricity out of not having availability of fuel for the daily life.
You need to think about that 84 percent of people in Cuba rely on electrical water pumps. This means that the vast majority of the
population now do not have access to a regular running water. And this means long queues. And it is most expensive.
[14:40:00]
And it is only usually the women that are taking care of this activity. Light comes on randomly in one, two hours per day, if you are lucky, and
mostly can happen during night. And this means that people have to wake up to run all their daily business.
For women, this means also to take care of their children because the school year it has been disrupted. Elderly day care institutions are not
providing the services that they were providing before. And these are all non-remunerated additional burden of work that women have to take
care of during the day.
SOARES: Yes. Look, just for our viewers, Valerio, to understand, we've been trying to speak to you for, what, two weeks. And the power, like
you said, is so sporadic, only lasting a couple of hours a day that it's been really difficult just to even connect with you to get your -- to
get this interview on our air.
But, you know, Cuba, as viewers will know, has faced significant economic pressures in recent years, including U.S. sanctions,
longstanding restrictions, as well as a decline in tourism. From what you are seeing, Valerio, how are families coping with these challenges?
I mean, what strategies are people using just to make ends meet? You were talking about power, right? I'm guessing food is spoiling because
fridges, they don't have electricity for the fridges. How are people managing?
GRANELLO: Yes. This is the daily struggle of everyone, and this is why Cubans are very resilient because of all these years of like the
situation that they have been facing. But this time it is quite unique. And because people, as there is no fuel and there is no electricity
available, they are recurring, for example, to cook with food or vegetables, charcoal on the street, for example. And this is also
affecting like it is increasing respiratory disease, especially for women that are taking care of cooking.
And there is a number of new electrical vehicles to move around the city, but also people are resorting more and more to horses and bicycle
or just moving by foot. Of course, it is a challenge because you cannot go everywhere as it was before. But people are trying their best to move
ahead despite of this situation. Unfortunately, there is less availability of support for vulnerable people as in the past.
And so, everyone has to try their best to buy food and buy water or whatever is needed for their daily life to the new economic private
sector that is emerging. But of course, this means an extra cost that most of the family cannot afford.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SOARES: And our thanks to Valerio Varanelli for that interview. It's taken us two weeks, like I said, to get that. Very important to hear
from what's happening on the ground. Our thanks to him.
And still to come tonight, India's government is under growing pressure. Thousands of young demonstrators keep filling the streets of the
capital. We'll have more on the protests next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:45:00]
SOARES: Now, to the world's biggest democracy, where young protesters in India's capital are demanding reforms from Prime Minister Narendra
Modi's government. They say the national exam system cheats millions out of opportunities. The Cockroach Movement, it's been called, which
started as an online joke, is now refusing to back down. For days, thousands of Gen Z's have taken to the streets, which has sometimes led
to violent clashes with police in New Delhi. CNN's Rhea Mogul brings us up to date with the protests.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RHEA MOGUL, CNN SOUTH ASIA REPORTER: Well, the mood in Delhi right now is definitely one of anger, but it's also one of determination.
Thousands of protesters have gathered and reclaimed their main protest site in the heart of New Delhi after police dismantled it earlier this
week. And many of them say that they're not going to leave until India's education minister resigns.
Now, this defiance comes after clashes between police and protesters that ended in a crackdown on protesters. And many protesters that we've
spoken to on the ground in Delhi say that that crackdown has only intensified their resolve and it's broadened their support as well.
Now, just yesterday, the political opposition in India capitalized on that anger, and they staged a sit-in protest outside Indian Prime
Minister Narendra Modi's residence. The leader of the opposition, Rahul Gandhi, said that he wanted Modi to resign, and he was briefly detained
by police during that sit-in. This started off as an online movement, but it's really grown into a much bigger political story.
Prime Minister Modi hasn't directly responded to the protesters, but yesterday he did send a message via a senior official from his party.
And that official said that Modi is and his administration is determined to stop paper leaks from happening. And he reassured the Indian youth
that they were important to his administration.
Now, it's very important to note that Modi is a leader who doesn't typically respond to criticism and he doesn't typically respond to wide-
scale protest movements. He's weathered a lot of, you know, storms during his 12 years in power. And that's just sort of his style.
But what analysts say, and they're watching this very closely, is that Modi can't, or any Indian government for that matter, can't afford to
lose the support of the young people in India because they're one of the largest young populations in the entire world. And they're such an
important political force for the country.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SOARES: Our thanks for Rhea Mogul there. Well, parts of Europe are dealing with another intense heat wave, increasing the severity of both
droughts and wildfires. Scientists say it's driven by climate change. Well, in southern France, hundreds have been forced to flee their homes
amid a fast-moving blaze east, as you can see there, of Marseille. One official says more than a thousand firefighters fought all night on
Tuesday.
And in a different fire to the west, two firefighters have died near the Bordeaux airport. And hundreds of firefighters are battling Spain's
largest wildfire of the year in the central Guadalajara province. Spain's prime minister says the country has had four times as many
wildfires a year than in 2025.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PEDRO SANCHEZ, SPANISH PRIME MINISTER (through translator): More than 100,000 hectares have been burned as a result of the wildfire or
wildfires across Spain. To put that into perspective, that is the annual average that Spain experienced over the past decade.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[14:50:00]
SOARES: Real reality for Spain and France and so many others. And still to come right here tonight, what is the best passport to have, you may
ask? Well, we'll give you the list of the passports that give you the most access to the rest of the world, that's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SOARES: For eight seasons, the hit TV show, "Outlander," followed characters around the globe and through hundreds of years of time
travel. When soon fans will have the chance to own their own piece of show's history as some of "Outlander's" most recognizable props and
costumes hit the auction block in London next month. Our Lynda Kinkade has all the details.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I know all of this because I'm from the future.
LYNDA KINKADE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The time-traveling TV series, "Outlander," has come to a close, but fans still have a chance
to own a piece of the hit show. Props, costumes, and set pieces from Outlander are set to go on auction at the London auction house Bonhams.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's me.
KINKADE (voice-over): The show ran for eight seasons after its premiere in 2014. And took fans around the world, from the Scottish Highlands to
America. Many iconic costumes from major scenes in the show will go under the hammer, with estimates that some items will go for several
$1,000.
MADELEINE CATER, HEAD OF SALES, BONHAMS AUCTION HOUSE: There's such a big range from all of the tartan from the early Scottish Highlander
episodes through to Paris, which was amazing sort of sumptuous, luxurious costumes through into America.
I think the red dress that Clare wears in season two is going to be a fan favorite. I think a lot of Jamie's costumes, particularly the tartan
costume and the kilt that he wears in the Battle of Culloden against his arch nemesis Black Jack. I think that's really going to see some
competitive bidding. And I think people are just really excited to own a part of this show.
KINKADE (voice-over): The auction has some experience when it comes to auctioning UK production memorabilia. Bonham's previously auctioned off
props and costumes from "The Crown and Downton Abbey".
CATER: We're really seeing that these long shows build such an audience, and it makes people really invested in it. And I think for a
lot of people, they have a real connection and an emotional connection to it now, and that history and that story. So, we think maybe some
private museums, some individual collectors. It's going to be really interesting to see where it all ends up.
KINKADE (voice-over): The live auction takes place on August 5th.
Lynda Kinkade, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
[14:55:00]
SOARES: Well, nine months after a stunning daytime jewelry heist, the Louvre Museum has reopened the Apollo Gallery to the public. Though
something is missing. There are no jewels on display there. Visitors admire the gallery's 17th century interior. They'll have to go to
different parts of the museum to see the jewels. Back in October, if you remember, thieves stole crown jewels worth more than $100 million in
just a few minutes. Multiple suspects have been arrested and the stolen items, well, they remain missing.
And finally, tonight, attention world travelers. The most powerful passport around belongs to Singapore. The island nation tops Henley's
annual list of the most desirable passports to own. Henley ranks passports based on the number of destinations their holders can visit
visa-free or visa-on-demand. In case you were wondering, Afghanistan sits at the bottom of the list. Afghan passport holders only have easy
access to 22 other countries. And there's the top, well, four, five, six, I don't know, top 10 or so.
That does it for us for tonight. Do stay right here. "What We Know" With Max Foster is up next. Have a wonderful evening.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[15:00:00]
END
