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One World with Zain Asher
Maduro and Wife Face Charges Over Alleged Torture of Americans; CNN, MS NOW & Politico in Court to Restore White House Access; Protests Over School Conditions Rock France for Another Day; Government Softening Tone as Student Protests Sweep France. Aired 11-11:30a ET
Aired October 08, 2026 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[11:00:00]
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BIANNA GOLODRYGA, CNN HOST, ONE WORLD: Hello, everyone. Live from New York, I'm Bianna Golodryga.
ZAIN ASHER, CNN HOST, ONE WORLD: And I'm Zain Asher, you are watching "One World".
GOLODRYGA: We begin with breaking news from New York, where prosecutors have just brought new charges against the ousted Venezuelan President and
his wife related to the alleged torture of Americans held in Venezuelan government custody in recent years.
Nicolas Maduro and his wife Celia Flores were captured in a U.S. military raid from the presidential palace in Caracas back in January. They have
pleaded not guilty to narco-terrorism conspiracy and other charges, and are being held at Brooklyn's Metropolitan Detention Center.
Flores is expected to appear at a hearing today. Her lawyers will ask a judge to place her under house arrest for health reasons. CNN's Jennifer
Hansler is joining us live now from the State Department. So, just walk us through these new charges the allegations that Nicolas Maduro and his wife
allegedly tortured Americans that were in Venezuelan prisons.
JENNIFER HANSLER, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL SECURITY REPORTER: Well, that's right, Zain and Bianna. These charges were just announced a few minutes
ago. They each face Maduro and his wife a new count of conspiracy to commit torture. Now, there are a number of allegations of torture that are laid
out in this superseding indictment of torture against both Americans as well as Venezuelans who were detained under Maduro's government.
Prosecutors allege that when he became president back in 2013, he quote authorized the use of torture against specific individuals and oversaw a
system designed to use torture, arbitrary detention, and violence as a means of repression against the political opposition. This is coming from
the indictment that was just released.
Now there are a number of disturbing allegations that are detailed in this indictment. According to this, there was one American who was tortured,
including with electric shock on his arms, legs, and genitals, asphyxiation, beating, deprivation of food, torture.
Another unnamed American cited in this indictment was said to be told that he was only alive because the Venezuelan government saw him as a bargaining
chip because he was a U.S. citizen. Now there have been dozens of Americans who were detained by the Maduro government over the course of his years in
powers, as well as members of the Venezuelan political opposition who also faced allegations of severe torture and even death in the Venezuelan prison
system.
Now, both Maduro and his wife were already facing charges after, of course, being brought to the United States in that dramatic overnight raid by U.S.
military officials earlier this year, they were facing charges of narco- terrorism. Both of them had pled guilty to those charges.
We are waiting to see in this hearing with Maduro's wife whether or not she pleads guilty to this, whether she's arraigned on these new charges. So, a
lot to watch here, but these are significant new charges brought by the U.S. government against the Former Venezuelan President, Zain, Bianna.
ASHER: Hansler live for us there. Thank you for that.
GOLODRYGA: Well, at this hour, CNN, MS Now, and Politico are back in court, asking a judge to extend his earlier order that restored White House access
to the news organizations after President Trump banned them.
ASHER: Yeah. Last month, President Trump banned the outlets from the press pool. The administration says it was on national security grounds, but
lawyers for the three news outlets argue it's unconstitutional. The judge temporarily restored their access until the court settles the matter.
All right, it is 5o'clock in the afternoon right now in Paris, and once again, thousands of people are flooding the streets of Paris, the capital,
and other cities as well, marching for better school conditions. Students there say that they are just getting started.
GOLODRYGA: These are live pictures from Paris, where the crowds are swelling every hour. University students, teachers, and unions are marching
along with high schoolers. They want more teachers, smaller class sizes, and better buildings, among other things.
ASHER: There have been hundreds of arrests and dozens of injuries since demonstrations began three weeks ago. The French government is promising to
debate a budget proposal that includes more than 70 billion dollars for education. It's also changing its approach to the protests after an initial
heavy-handed response by police.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEBASTIEN LECORNU, FRENCH PRIME MINISTER: Contrary to what some people say and repeat, law enforcement has not been instructed to confront high school
students. Their mission is to protect property, but above all, people to enforce the law and to allow access to educational establishments.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GOLODRYGA: CNN's Melissa Bell is in the midst of protesters in Paris and joins us now.
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It is interesting, Melissa, because earlier today, it did seem as though things were dying down. 150 schools closed versus up to 900 just earlier
this week. And now things are clearly picking up again behind you. What are you hearing from those that have turned out?
MELISSA BELL, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: That's --
GOLODRYGA: Oh, I believe we may have lost Melissa's signal.
ASHER: -- lost Melissa. Melissa, can you hear us still?
GOLODRYGA: All right.
ASHER: All right. Hopefully, we'll get Melissa back in the show. She was obviously in the middle of protests in Paris, where high school students
have been protesting --
GOLODRYGA: -- do you have her back?
ASHER: Oh, we may have Melissa back. Melissa, can you hear us?
GOLODRYGA: OK, it's an unstable line.
ASHER: All right.
GOLODRYGA: We'll check back again.
ASHER: Yes. All right. The 87-year-old woman whose eviction from her Madrid home caused a national outcry has died.
GOLODRYGA: Yeah, Maria del Carmen Abascal known as Maricarmen was forcibly evicted from her home on September 23rd after a private investment company
raised her rent by more than 2,000 euros. She quickly became the symbol of the Spanish crisis and protests.
ASHER: Yeah, following news of her death, the protesters at the encampment set up in her support, lit candles and held a minute of silence. The moment
of remembrance was followed by chants, including the fight continues, and it's not death, it is murder, in their words.
More on how the protests develop and what they mean for the government. CNN's Pau Mosquera joins us live now from Madrid. For those of us who, or
those people rather, who haven't been following this story. Just remind us what happened with Maria del Carmen in terms of how her eviction, because
her rent increased multiple fold almost overnight, her eviction sparked these massive protests.
People sort of protesting the housing situation in Spain, and she was actually forcibly removed from her apartment in a stretch, and of course
now passing away two weeks later, Pau.
PAU MOSQUERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That did, Zain, Bianna, and actually Maricarmen's eviction shifted the debate from other prior issues, like, for
example, the migration crisis in Selta, which we have been talking a lot. But Maricarmen's being forced out from the apartment gathered the attention
not just from the national media but from media all around the world because she quickly became a symbol of the housing crisis that is affecting
many different cities all across the globe.
Actually, the news of her passing came like a huge shock for many. We saw like dozens of protesters that are camping out at Madrid's Puerta del Sol,
where we are right now, going and marching through the parliament, which is just 300 meters away from where we are, to blame politicians for her death,
because they believe that lawmakers didn't do everything that was on their hands to prevent Maricarmen from being forced out from the apartment where
she had lived for around seven decades.
Others decided to stay here at Puerta del Sol to hold the vigil and also organize a makeshift memorial like this one. Here we have seen, Zain,
Bianna, how over the morning thousands of people have come to bring messages of support for the family, also flowers to light a candle in her
memory.
And just as an example, I'm reading out from one of the multiple messages, Maricarmen. Thank you for your fight, because Maricarmen actually ignited
the demonstrations that we have seen all across the country over the last few days. Demonstrations that have taken to the streets with this
encampment, thousands protesting, demanding lawmakers' effective measures as to tackle the housing crisis.
That said, it is quite clear that the housing crisis will be now one of the main issues on where the election campaign will revolve around, not on
whether if it's necessary to reform, but on what kind of reforms needs housing in Spain, Zain, Bianna.
GOLODRYGA: I think we've got Melissa Bell signal back up. Let's go back to Melissa, who is in the midst of protesters in Paris. Melissa, can you hear
us?
BELL: I hope I'm back. There was a little bit of tear gas, and I think they're starting to be able to. They want to clear the square. The first
time they've seen that. Let's just try to get a little bit closer. As you can see, there are many thousands of students have turned out.
We don't have the figures yet of how many people have come out here to the Place de la Bastille, but a lot of high schoolers. And again, what we've
seen, Bianna and Zain today, are a lot of grown-ups. Unionists have come out to support them.
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They say that their demands are correct, and they want to come out. They want to come out and support them. I think we'll have to get back to this
later. As you can see, a lot of very excitable high school students are here now.
GOLODRYGA: Yeah.
ASHER: Yeah.
BELL: We've just had the first whiff of tear gas. The police clearly trying to get the crowd off the square. There were many more young people up there
on the Place de la Bastille earlier. Fewer of them now were surrounded now by those police cars, but as you mentioned a moment ago, that watch forward
really to try and avoid some of what we've seen these last few weeks.
Several 100 people wounded, among them many students, but also teaching staff. We've seen at some of the barricades and a lot of police men and
women. There are already some 20 investigations under way to look at those incidents. The interior ministers say were isolated.
For his part, he believes that police response has been proportionate. But clearly, a lot of the anger that we saw on Tuesday and again today is about
the violence that the students say they had at those barricades.
ASHER: Yeah, obviously very symbolic that these protests are taking place at the Place de la Bastille, very significant in terms of the French
Revolution. All right, Melissa Bell live for us there. Thank you so much. Appreciate it.
GOLODRYGA: Animated students.
ASHER: Yes. In Ukraine, the deadliest single attack so far this year. Authorities say at least 33 people were killed in a Russian strike in the
Donetsk region.
GOLODRYGA: Yeah, two public busses caught fire in what local officials say was a deliberate attack on civilians. The area's public transportation
system has now been shut down. This attack comes one day after dozens were killed in a massive Russian air attack across the country.
ASHER: Ukraine says that Moscow has been stepping up its drone and guided bomb strikes in cities located in the so-called Fortress Belt. Fred
Pleitgen is tracking these developments.
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: What happened is obviously very important in all of this, and this happened at 10:00 a.m. in
the morning in the town of Kramatorsk, when two municipal busses, as you put it, were hit by what appears to be a very large munition.
That's one of the things that we could see from some of the footage that was released, it seems as though one of the busses was completely destroyed
immediately by that munition, and the other one appears to have caught fire. As of right now, 33 people have been confirmed to have been killed,
and many, many more have been wounded.
Certainly, the work there of the crews continues at this point in time, as this is definitely a very big incident that took place, but the other thing
that's also significant is where this took place, and this is in Kramatorsk, as we've noted, and that's a place that's part of that fortress
belt that the Ukrainian military and the Ukrainians continue to hold in the Donetsk area of Ukraine, which is obviously one of the main areas that the
Russians have been trying to take.
Now the Russians have been chipping away at that fortress belt, which also has three other towns in it, and certainly the front line has been moving
closer and closer to those towns. So, if we look at a town like Kramatorsk, a year and a half ago, or a year ago or so, that would have still been the
rear echelon in the war between Ukraine and Russia.
Now that is pretty much the front line and so it's well within the range of Russian drones it's well within the range of missiles and aerial bombs. And
certainly, life there has become a lot more difficult for the folks on the ground. The local authorities have immediately stopped all municipal
transport and they're also urging people to actually leave Kramatorsk and go to safer areas of Ukraine as the fighting there moves closer and closer.
Again, the Russian military continuously chipping away at that fortress belt, and Kramatorsk is certainly one of the most important towns that the
Ukrainians still hold in that Donetsk area in the east of Ukraine.
ASHER: Fred Pleitgen reporting there. Right, the World Health Organization is pushing for more transparency from Russia following the recent death of
a worker and a Siberian lab that studies the plague.
GOLODRYGA: Yeah, this after reports of a second case of illness linked to the worker. Russia's health watchdog has denied those reports. Right now,
the W.H.O. says that it is unable to provide a quote, full risk assessment about the potential threat to the public as it needs more information from
Russia. Russia claims there's no epidemic risk.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Is the plague in Russia a bio weapon?
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Well, we don't think so. We're going to find out soon enough, but we don't think so. And
if you listen to them, it's under control. You know, people have said that before about other things. So, we hope it is.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ASHER: Russia says it has completed monitoring 90 percent of those in contact with a lab worker, and that nearly 5,000 tests revealed no
dangerous pathogens. Right, still to come here on "One World".
GOLODRYGA: Two red states are suddenly looking a lot less predictable ahead of the U.S. midterms. What's fueling the shift, and can Democrats
capitalize? That's ahead.
ASHER: And the U.S. Gulf Coast is bracing for impact with Hurricane Isaias. We'll tell you where it is now and when it might slam into the southern
U.S.
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GOLODRYGA: Well, moments ago, several explosions heard in Saudi Arabia's capital of Riyadh. One witness tells the Associated Press that a large
blast was heard at the city's international airport.
ASHER: That airport is once again closed early in the week. Houthi rebels attacked it, and another Saudi airport in the southern city of Abha,
according to Saudi Arabia's top aviation officials, three people have been killed and 36 others injured.
GOLODRYGA: The deadly violence marks the latest sign that conflict in Yemen is spilling across the border. Saudi Arabia is working to straighten its
defense ties with allies. Earlier this year, it's strengthened its defense ties rather. Earlier this year, it signed the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement
with Turkey and Pakistan.
The agreement means that an armed attack on one member is considered an attack on all. Meantime, the U.N. is condemning the airport attacks and
offers this warning about the humanitarian crisis in Yemen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STEPHANE DUJARRIC, U.N. SPOKESPERSON: We call again on all parties to exercise restraint, urge them to uphold their obligation under
international humanitarian law, and to refrain direct attacks on civilian and civilian infrastructure, and also to take care in sparing those
civilians.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ASHER: New data released by the U.N. suggests that more than 200,000 people in Yemen have been displaced in recent weeks.
GOLODRYGA: Well, voter frustration across parts of the U.S. is turning two Republican strongholds into battlegrounds, giving Democrats a surprising
opening ahead of the midterms.
ASHER: Yeah, new CNN polling shows Ohio's Senate race could be a major pickup opportunity. Only 36 percent of likely voters there approve of the
job that President Trump is doing.
GOLODRYGA: A similar scenario in Iowa, with 58 percent of likely voters there disapproving of the job Trump has done so far. Trump won both states
by double digits in 2024, but a majority of voters give him low marks on the economy, calling his policies saying that his policies are driving up
costs.
CNN's Alayna Treene is at the White House with more. Yet another sign that this perhaps, as some sources have even said earlier this week to CNN,
could be a bloodbath for Republicans just a month away at the midterms. Just talk about how the White House is responding to this, and specifically
the concerns that voters have about the economy.
ALAYNA TREENE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, look, I think these polling numbers are certainly troubling, Bianna and Zain. We are 26 days
away now from the midterm elections. These approval ratings, 36 percent as you mentioned in Ohio, 41 percent in Iowa.
These are both states the president won by double digits back in 2024, and we're seeing this trend with other red states as well.
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I mean, if you asked the president's political operation, other Republican strategists, and advisers to him six months ago, what they would think
about some of these races, particularly in these districts and states that are very red, they would have argued these are safe. Do not waste your time
and money there.
But we are seeing that changing, and that's why you're also seeing the president spend his resources, particularly his most valuable resource, his
time in a lot of these red states. If you look at just where the president was over the last week, last night he was in Texas.
That was time to the state to try to boost the Senate candidate there, Ken Paxton, in less than a month. He's also been to Oklahoma, Alabama, Ohio,
Nebraska, all places that I think many people did not expect him to need to spend so much time playing defense in. And then I also think you know when
you look at these poll numbers.
And we've seen some of this already actually today from some Republicans and people here at the White House dismissing these poll numbers,
dismissing polls more broadly, arguing that polls tend to be wrong, but -- and that may be true. But then take a look at where they are spending their
money.
And again, their time, and that's what I think is a true indicator of some of the concerns people are having. I mean, Republicans have been forced to
pour well over $100 million, Bianna and Zain, into the Texas race between Ken Paxton and James Talarico, trying to boost the Republican there.
They've also, you know, pleading for millions more to be spent defending Senate seats in Alaska, Iowa, Ohio, as these polling numbers show as well.
And one other thing that I think is so important to note is what the strategy is here, because we're talking about the president going to all
these different places.
And there is a concern that his polling numbers are dragging down Republicans across the board, especially when the top issue is about the
economy and the how Trump policies have increased costs and the cost of living overall. Those are really bad marks that the president is getting,
and that is a huge concern for Republicans across the board.
So, the president, his strategy is really now less about trying to persuade new voters or voters like these, some of these more independent, moderate-
leaning conservatives, and all about trying to get his loyalists out to the polls on November 3rd. But just 26 days left to go. A lot of work still
that has to be done Bianna and Zain.
GOLODRYGA: All right, Alayna Treene, thank you.
ASHER: Thank you, Alayna. All right, Hurricane Isaias is a Category One storm, packing winds of more than 80 miles an hour. Now the Gulf Coast is
bracing for more impact.
GOLODRYGA: Yeah, take a look where the storm is right now, churning in the Gulf of Mexico. Here's what's interesting about the storm, wind shear near
the coast could disrupt and weaken the storm. Hurricanes usually get stronger as they spin. The wind shear could dispute that spin, disperse
that spin rather, and send it out -- send its outer bands further out.
ASHER: Meteorologists expect it to bring life-threatening storm surge in areas between Mississippi to the Florida Panhandle. This is video from
Panama City Beach, Florida, where residents are getting sandbags to protect against flooding.
GOLODRYGA: Yeah, some areas are issuing mandatory evacuations. Some schools will be closed Friday. You can see the long lines at gas stations before
heading out of town.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
Yes, I was running out of gas and realizing that the storm was coming up in a couple days, so I just really wanted to be prepared to fill up. Got my
generator some gas too. Took my dog, got her some food at Sam's as I was out today as well.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ASHER: When the storm makes landfall, likely on Friday night, it will be the first hurricane to make landfall in two years.
GOLODRYGA: All right. Well, a British court has been hearing a legal challenge brought by Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, the Former Duke of York.
Thames Valley Police and the king's younger brother have agreed that warrants used to search his properties earlier this year were issued
incorrectly.
ASHER: Yeah. However, judge is yet to decide whether any of the material seized must be returned in February. Mountbatten Windsor was detained and
questioned on suspicion of misconduct in public office. No charges were filed, but police said that their investigation is ongoing.
GOLODRYGA: And we are getting a first look at Ping Ping, the male half of the giant panda pair now in the U.S. on loan from the Chinese government.
ASHER: Yeah, last week we saw the female panda for the first time. The public will be able to see them at the Atlanta Zoo starting November 6th.
That's the opening day for the new giant panda habitat. It's been expanded and upgraded to include new climbing structures and a pool in each day --
How adorable is that?
GOLODRYGA: Hopefully, they can get along and perhaps even mate. That is the goal here. All right. After nearly 10 months in space, four astronauts are
heading home.
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NASA SpaceX Crew-12 is expected to splash down in a matter of minutes. The crew includes two Americans, one European, and a Russian cosmonaut.
ASHER: Yeah, the replacements Crew-13 are already aboard the International Space Station, having arrived last week.
GOLODRYGA: We'll be following their arrival. Do stay with CNN. There's more "One World" in about 30 minutes' time. But CNN "Creators" is coming up
next.
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