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What We Know with Max Foster

White House: Guilfoyle Formally Resigns As Ambassador To Greece; White House Officials Criticize Zacharia's First Briefing; Vance Attends "Get Out The Vote" Rally In Texas; Vatican: Pope Recovering After "Successful" Lung Surgery; Duane Davis Sentenced To 40 Years To Life For Tupac's Murder; Six Flags Closes Nine Rides After Park Visitor Is Killed. Aired 3-4p ET

Aired October 13, 2026 - 15:00   ET

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

[15:00:36]

MAX FOSTER, CNN HOST: A stunning fall from grace for a former Trump family insider.

This is WHAT WE KNOW.

Beginning with the end of Kimberly Guilfoyle's controversial time as U.S. ambassador to Greece. The White House today announcing that Guilfoyle has

been asked to resign from her post. It comes on the heels of bombshell reports that she asked for money in exchange for access to Trump

administration officials.

Guilfoyle was engaged to U.S. President Trump's son, Don Jr., for four years. But when the president was asked about her earlier today, he was

keen to distance himself.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REPORTER: Guilfoyle, she was almost a member of your family. How surprised were you to learn about these allegations?

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: No, she wasn't a member of my family. She, I guess, dated my son a long time ago, but she didn't know.

She -- she was doing a good job, but we didn't like what we were reading.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: Well, in a social media post, Guilfoyle once again called the allegations false and says she intends to vigorously defend her name. The

White House now says it has formally received her resignation.

Our senior national security reporter Jennifer Hansler joins us now from Washington.

Some mixed wires obviously going on today, but she has gone, which does read as an admission of some sort of guilt.

JENNIFER HANSLER, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL SECURITY REPORTER: Yeah, Max, so this is, as you said, quite the stunning downfall for this person who was

once a key figure in the MAGA movement. The White House made that shock announcement earlier today at the new White House press secretary's first

briefing that they had asked Guilfoyle to resign from her post as the U.S. ambassador to Greece. Then we saw a short while after Guilfoyle putting a

post on social media, acknowledging that her time in the role was coming to an end but that she would still remain a supporter of President Trump and

they make America great movement.

She also again denied the allegations against her, but of course this comes after a slew of allegations and misconduct that Guilfoyle allegedly

perpetrated both before she took on the role in Athens as well as in the time leading up there and in that role.

Now among the most damning as you mentioned is this allegation of pay for play that she allegedly sought money in exchange for access to

administration officials. A former Trump donor said that Guilfoyle had asked him in a text message to wire him $100,000 to pay off her American

Express bill ahead of her confirmation hearing to become ambassador. She said that if he did this, he would be his, quote, "ride or die" in the

Trump administration.

Now, Guilfoyle has consistently said that these allegations are false, and even as recently as this weekend, sources tell CNN that she seemed

reluctant to resign and that she was seeking to rally support among administration officials to her cause.

However, there was mounting frustration around this, particularly from Secretary of State Marco Rubio. You'll recall that Rubio was just in Athens

last week, where he appeared alongside Guilfoyle at a number of events. One source told CNN that privately Rubio was frustrated that she insisted on

appearing with him at these events so often and so publicly.

However, when he was pressed about the allegations against her, he rebuffed the questions. He said that she had been doing a good job and he said that

this was not the time or place to answer those questions. He went after the press saying you guys walk around thinking that because some source told

you something and you recorded it, it's the gospel. It's not the gospel, of course. Fast forward a week later and Guilfoyle is resigning from that

role.

Now, we understand from sources that the State Department's Inspector General was looking into these allegations. It is unclear if that probe

will continue now that she has stepped down from her ambassadorship. However, there are still calls from Democrats in Congress to continue to

probe this allegation.

The House Foreign Affairs Committee Democrats said that resigning does not shield her from accountability. She used her position as a Trump official

to get rich. Congress must conduct oversight to understand how this happened and hold the administration accountable -- Max.

FOSTER: Yes, so there will be, you know, this won't be over, as you say, the Democrats saying she still needs to be held accountable.

[15:05:02]

But she's also clearly got a case she wants to defend as well, she's not entirely happy. with the finding here.

HANSLER: Yeah, that's right. We expect her. She was -- has alluded to this in her X post as well that she is going to continue to come out and deny

these allegations against her. And it is likely if the Democrats do take power in the House, they may try to call her in front of some sort of

hearing where she will be able to plead that case -- Max.

FOSTER: OK, thank you so much for that.

Well, that news about Kimberly Guilfoyle was broken during Katie Zacharia's first briefing as White House press secretary, but several of her

colleagues are already telling CNN they don't know how long it should last in that job. Zacharia's first briefing only lasted about 15 minutes, taking

just three questions before cutting things short.

There was criticism of a delivery, with one White House official calling it brutal. Others said the performance was unlikely to satisfy President

Donald Trump. Zacharia only started her job on Monday, but in her short time at the podium, she told reporters she is delighted with her new gig.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KATIE ZACHARIA, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: I want to thank President Trump for his trust that he has placed in me. I have wanted to work for him

for a very long time.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: Well, Zacharia is now traveling with Mr. Trump to Alaska for a midterm rally.

Our senior White House correspondent, Kristen Holmes, has seen a few White House spokespeople come and go.

I mean, what did you make of the performance? Of course, it's not an easy job.

KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: That's what I was going to say, Max. I mean, it's not an easy job. And as many people as I talked

to, even within the administration, outside Trump advisors who thought that she did not do a good job when she took the podium, I also heard an equal

number of people, again, Trump advisors, people inside the White House who were questioning why the White House had her go out two days after the job.

I had one Trump adviser asking me why would they do this to her, saying she should have been in front of murder boards practicing for this briefing for

weeks before she actually stepped into that room. I had someone else telling me that they thought it was a good thing that she broke this news

about Kimberly Guilfoyle because it would take some of the heat off of her performance.

Whether or not Donald Trump is going to do anything to change the current set of circumstances, really unclear. We know he had grown enamored with

her watching her on Fox News as a cable TV kind of pundit sitting on panels. But I talked to one source who noted that sitting on panels talking

about politics is so different than getting up there for the world, being the representative of the White House, being peppered by reporters

questions about the administration.

And I will note one of the only questions that she was asked about actual policy was regarding Ukraine and information sharing with Ukraine. She said

that she'd have to get back to the reporter. She clearly did not have an understanding of that.

So, we'll see how long this lasts. But this was her very first time up there at the podium. And like I said, there are a lot of people questioning

why they actually did that if they wanted her to succeed.

FOSTER: OK, Kristen, thank you so much for that. It was an interesting performance. We'll see what happens now.

Election Day in the U.S. is exactly three weeks away, so it's a crucial time. But early voting is already underway in some states, including the

battleground of Georgia.

All eyes are on a key Senate race there. Democrat Jon Ossoff has consistently led Republican Mike Collins in polls, and today, a top

Democratic super PAC canceled its current ad spending in Georgia, suggesting confidence in Ossoff's re-election.

Republicans from the White House on down are trying to hold onto support in traditionally deep red territory. Vice President J.D. Vance attended a get

out the vote rally in Texas today. He's walking a fine line between projecting confidence and tempering expectations.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

J.D. VANCE, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I think the nature of a midterm election is sometimes these races have more of an individual rather

than a national character. I feel good about where we are. We know that we're swimming upstream and I try to remind Republican voters all the time,

it is historically unusual for a president. who controls or his party controls the Senate and the House, usually that president that party will

lose the midterm election.

So, we know that we're swimming against some serious historical trends here, but I think that we have as good a chance as I've ever seen to really

defy those historical trends. So, we're not giving up anywhere. We're just trying to win the races that we can and focus where we can.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: Vance took digs at the Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico today calling him crazy. Republicans have held both U.S. Senate

seats in that state for decades. But Talarico is in a closer than expected race with Republican Ken Paxton.

CNN will hold a town hall with Talarico on Wednesday night.

Let's bring in CNN's Patrick Svitek in Washington.

Patrick, I mean, it's quite striking, that sound bite, isn't it, from the vice president, because it wasn't very bombastic.

[15:10:06]

It was cautious, and it felt like it was setting us up for possible disappointment in the polls.

PATRICK SVITEK, CNN REPORTER: Yeah, I mean, look, Republicans from Texas to Washington know that this Senate race in Texas has gotten uncomfortably

close. And so, that's why you've seen the vice president and President Donald Trump make repeated trips to Texas in recent weeks to try to get out

the vote for Ken Paxton. And what's really interesting about this is, you know, is where they're going in some of these -- in some of these trips.

Today, J.D. Vance was in Tyler, Texas, which is a very red part of an already pretty red state. And so, it seems like their problem here is that

they are trying to motivate their own Republican voters to turn out. They're not necessarily trying to change a lot of minds in this race. They

are just trying to motivate people who are already on their side to turn out in this race and turn out in big numbers.

And we've seen that in some other Senate races where Republicans are simply concerned about just set aside independents, set aside crossover Democratic

voters. They're just concerned about getting their people, their base voters to the polls, and I think this Texas Senate race is a prime example

of that.

FOSTER: So it's a case of damage limitation, almost, if they're just focusing on that red vote.

SVITEK: Yeah, absolutely. And in Texas, you know, the saying has always been among Republicans is that, you know, we can win these races because

there's more of us than there are of them. And in some case, that's true, but you need your side to turn out if you have those strength in numbers.

And so, in a place like Texas, Republicans have the numbers to win statewide races, but what you're seeing right now is an all-out effort by

the Trump administration to reach those voters and try to emphasize the stakes of this election so that they can be energetic and motivated to turn

out.

FOSTER: OK. Patrick Svitek, appreciate it. Thanks for joining us in Washington.

SVITEK: Thank you.

FOSTER: Now, Pope Leo recovering at a hospital in Rome after a successful surgery to remove a small growth on his lung. The Vatican announced a short

time ago that the surgery had gone according to plan, and the pontiff is back in his room at the hospital. The pope says the growth was caught

early, which should make it easier to treat. He's expected to remain in hospital for about a week.

Let's bring in CNN's Christopher Lamb in Rome.

So positive news. And we got it quite quickly, which suggests a decent recovery as well, Christopher.

CHRISTOPHER LAMB, CNN VATICAN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Max. I think a collective sigh of relief from the Vatican and across the Catholic Church

of this news that the popes Surgery was a success that it went according to plan. It was of course to remove this small growth on his lung. The pope

now recovering in the Gemelli Hospital here in Rome. The Vatican say it's about a week that he's going to be spending in the hospital.

I should say though that we are expecting a further update from the Vatican on the surgery and on the Pope's medical condition. When the Pope announced

on Sunday to the crowd in Saint Peter's Square that he was going to have this operation at this growth had been detected, there was a lot of

surprise and shock. I mean, one Cardinal said it was like a bolt from the blue. It wasn't expected because the pope is seen to be in relatively good

health. He keeps active. He likes to play tennis and swim, and so this has been a surprise and has caused a lot of anxiety in the Vatican.

But, you know, the news that the operation and the surgery has gone well is positive for everyone in the Vatican. And of course, the next thing is to

see how that recovery goes for Pope Leo.

He has got planned a major trip to Latin America in the early part of November, where he's expected to go back to Peru, a country that he served

as a missionary and a bishop for many years. That's a highly anticipated trip. And there's a lot of excitement, a lot of preparation going on for

that. But of course, an operation like this does raise questions about how that's all going to pan out. And we are awaiting, as I say, another more

detailed medical update from the Vatican about the Pope -- Max.

FOSTER: Okay, I look forward to hearing that. Christopher, thank you so much, joining us from Rome.

Coming up, brutal, awkward, and stilted. Those are just some of the words that Katie Zacharia's colleagues used to describe her first briefing as

White House press secretary. We'll ask one of her predecessors if the criticism is fair.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:17:48]

FOSTER: After precisely two days in her new role, White House officials are already wondering if Donald Trump's new press secretary is up to the

job. The early reviews haven't been kind for Katie Zacharia's much hyped and unusually short debut. During her first briefing, she took only three

questions and at one point accidentally referred to Donald Trump as her husband.

One White House official speaking to CNN described her performance as brutal, with others saying she looked unprepared, but Zacharia says she's

looking forward to what lies ahead.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ZACHARIA: I have wanted to work for him for a very long time. I'm looking forward to working with each of you as well, especially as we are in the

middle of the midterm blitz with energy and excitement never seen before in the history of midterms thanks to President Trump.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: What we don't know is, will Katie Zacharia's performance as press secretary keep Donald Trump satisfied?

Joining us now, Joe Lockhart, who was press secretary under Bill Clinton back in the day.

Thanks for joining us, Joe.

I mean, let's just take a moment to talk about the pressure of this position. Just explain what it's like up there. There's very few platforms

like it, right?

JOE LOCKHART, FORMER WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY, CLINTON ADMINISTRATION: Well, I think it's impossible to expect that she would have been prepared

for anything today. My experience, I worked for the president for two and a half years before I took the podium. I still went back to school, you know,

to learn all about the intricacies of foreign policy for two months, five days a week, eight hours a day.

So, to get hired last week and to be thrown out there today is very unfair to her. And I think the criticism that I've heard today is warranted, but

it's directed at the wrong person. It's not it's exactly what Donald Trump wants. He wants, like many authoritarian or authoritarian wannabe leaders,

want someone to just not tell the truth, but tell what he says and congratulate him on everything he's done.

So, while it was, yes, a brutal performance, I think the blame lies on Trump, not on her.

[15:20:05]

FOSTER: But we should point out the criticism is coming from within the White House. I mean, all of our sources --

LOCKHART: Uh-huh.

FOSTER: -- where they've been critical have been from within the White House. So that's even tougher for her to hear, isn't it?

LOCKHART: No, absolutely. You do not want the president to criticize you, but you need your colleagues to back you up. It's hard to see how that

could get backed up today because it was a terrible performance. But let's remember how things are judged in this White House. It doesn't matter what

the press thinks. It doesn't matter what the public thinks. It doesn't matter what your colleagues think.

The only person who matters is the president. And if the president was watching that, you know, her performing abilities were not great. She was

saying all the right things.

She praised the president up and down, talked about how he was the greatest president in the history of the world and the greatest person in the

history of the world. And that's what he wants to hear. And that's how she'll be judged ultimately.

FOSTER: What about the fact she took very few questions? I mean, could that be a strategy? Obviously, as her predecessor would go up to an hour,

would take any questions, was always very much in control.

But maybe that is a tactic to come out and just give a very clear speech, take a couple of questions and go. Maybe this is the new way we're going to

see things.

LOCKHART: Yeah, you know, it could be, although that seemed to be slapped together, so I wouldn't put too much importance on this foreshadowing a new

strategy.

The reality is Trump is his own press secretary, and the person who stands at that podium isn't there to explain or to contextualize or even at times

correct what the president says. They're there to be his cheerleader. So, we'll see if that's a strategy. Listen, we went seven months in the first

term without a briefing, so we may lose the briefings altogether.

But either way, their value to the American public, their value to the press, it's almost non-existent, you know, when you listen to what they say

and how they say it.

FOSTER: It's interesting, that idea about the briefings going away. They have, in many ways, become less relevant, haven't they, under this

presidency, because the president is in front of the cameras constantly and taking all sorts of questions himself, which wasn't the same for his

predecessors. So, in your day, we would rely more on you to hear what your president was doing in terms of policy, but that's -- it's not quite the

same anymore. So perhaps they are irrelevant now.

LOCKHART: Yeah, I don't -- I don't, you never know when someone's going to be relevant. And in this case, I think relevance is a bad thing for the new

press secretary because of the way they operate there. You don't ever want to get in front of the president, but there are days where the president

says something that's just not true. And it doesn't mean it's a premeditated lie, but you have to go out there and explain it and sort of

connect the dots for the American public, even if that does not put your president in the greatest light.

But from the beginning, that's not the way this administration is run. And we see this around the world. We don't see this in Western democracies. We

see it in places like North Korea, Russia, China, these authoritarian regimes that basically don't use the truth as a measure of what's

happening. They create their own narrative. They put it out through state- run TV, which in this case is Fox and all of their colleagues, all the people even to the right of them.

And it's not -- it is -- it is very novel, to say the least, to see this, you know, here in the United States. I don't think we've ever seen anything

like this before. And, you know, it is something that it's not just a loss for the American public to be able to understand what the president's

doing, what the government's doing and what the rest of the world can see the president's doing.

It's a real danger to our democracy in a time when our democracy is being attacked on so many levels.

FOSTER: Okay, Joe Lockhart, I appreciate your thoughts on that big moment today. Thank you.

Now, breaking news. The man convicted for the 1996 murder of rapper Tupac Shakur has been sentenced to 40 years to life in prison. Former gang leader

Duane Davis was found guilty of first-degree murder with a deadly weapon. Shakur was in a car off the Las Vegas Strip when he was ambushed and he was

shot six times. He died a few days later.

Nick Watt joins me now with more on today's sentencing.

I mean, it was at the high end of the sentence, right?

NICK WATT, CNN U.S. NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It was. Listen, Duane Davis, Keffe D, no one's saying he pulled the trigger, Max, but he was the shot

caller. He was convicted by a jury who took just three hours to deliberate. all, as you mentioned, about 30 years after Tupac Shakur was killed on his

way from a Mike Tyson fight at the MGM Grand in Vegas to a club.

Keffe D and three others allegedly tailed him. Keffe D handed a weapon into the back seat. Tupac was shot and died six days later of his injuries.

Now, the reason Keffe D is in this courtroom, the reason he's convicted and is going to much of the rest of his life in jail, if not all of the rest of

his life, are his own words. He spoke to investigators in 2008, told them his involvement in the killing. He also put out a book detailing his

involvement in the killing.

That is what has led to this. There was no weapon recovered. There were some very unwilling witnesses and some bad police work. It was Keffe D's

own words.

Today in court, no remorse from him. He sounded combative. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DUANE DAVIS, CONVICTED IN MURDER OF TUPAC SHAKUR: I just want my stuff back. They took it out of my house. Just want all my stuff back. All them

pictures, that photo log, that was my daughter's. OK. I just want my stuff back.

What?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Anything else you want to say?

DAVIS: I'm good. I'm going to appeal this case for sure.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WATT: Anything else you want to say, I'm going to appeal for sure. Now, two of Tupac's siblings also spoke. A stepbrother called for the maximum

sentence for Keffe D, and Tupac's sister spoke about the kind of dual loss here, like a generation losing a musical icon, a man dead at 25 who could

have achieved so much more in his life.

She also spoke about the personal loss to her and her family. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEKYIWA SHAKUR, TUPAC'S SISTER: Loss of Tupac, for a long time crippled my entire family emotionally and mentally. Both of my children were raised in

my grief. So, they have trust issues, abandonment issues, relationship issues. because the first 10 years of their lives I really couldn't get

over the loss of one brother, Tupac.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WATT: Now, Keffe D, no one says he pulled the trigger. He was the shot caller. It was all the background, was all this East Coast, West Coast rap

rivalry, the Bloods and the Crips gang rivalry.

Finally, now, after more than 30 years, somebody is paying a price for the death of Tupac. But as you heard him say in court, Keffe Dee, AKA,. Duane

Davis, plans to appeal -- Max.

FOSTER: Okay. Nick, appreciate it.

Now, tragedy at a theme park in the state of Georgia. Witnesses describe what happened after a man fell from a moving roller coaster. What are the

latest on that investigation?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:31:41]

FOSTER: We are learning new details about a deadly accident in a theme park in the U.S. state of Georgia. On Monday, a 42-year-old man from

Atlanta was killed when he fell out of a ride at Six Flags over Georgia. Witness -- according to witnesses, the man struck several other riders

before falling to the ground.

Here's how one witness described it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BEN EDWARDS, WITNESS: We saw mechanics and paramedics running towards down there. We realized that there was something bad that happened. Very tragic.

The first thing you think about is the people you're on the ride with. Being stuck up there, like, some people are really scared of that stuff, so

they need to do better.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: Well, the ride's manufacturer does have a good safety record. However, this ride, called Goliath, did not have a secondary set of safety

restraints. In response, Six Flags has temporarily closed nine rides at its theme parks across the U.S.

Isabel Rosales joins us now.

And you've been building a picture of what happened over the course of the day and it -- it's just horrific.

ISABEL ROSALES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely horrific. And the park, by the way, Max, was supposed to have been closed. It just so happens to have

been open outside of the weekend because it was a holiday, Columbus Day. So, there were families, kids out here celebrating. They were celebrating

school fall break, only to witness the last moments of this man's life horrible.

We now know his name and what he looks like. Let's bring up that picture. This is 42-year-old Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem. He worked for the Atlanta

public school system for 12 years. They're saying that he will be deeply missed by staff, by students. And he's gone.

And there's so many questions, how in the world could this happen? How did he get out of his seat? Was there a mechanical issue, human error? How

could this happen? This is the ride right behind me, Goliath, that teal ride right there. This is what's known as a hyper coaster going 70 miles

per hour.

That elevation, 200 feet, Max, and you can actually still look if you see right there deeper a car, a car that's still up on that incline. That was a

car following the one where this man fell out of somebody must have hit the emergency stop brakes once they realized something had gone horribly wrong

and those riders were evacuated and taken down to safety.

We spoke with Cici Nelson, a witness who said she saw the car head back into the platform and her stomach dropped when she saw that the seat was

empty and all these riders and hysterics understandably freaking out saying that someone had fallen. A different witness told our CNN affiliate that

Kariem hit the car three different times before falling down and ending up on the roof of one of these haunted house attractions, and that the man

appeared to be writing this with his son as his wife and daughter looked up from below on the ground.

And to make matters worse, it appears that in the moment that this all happened, he fell, it was the exact moment where the camera on this closer

captured those souvenir pictures and some of these riders actually got to see captured an image of this man's final moments.

I want you to listen to this mother who witnessed the aftermath of all this chaos.

[15:35:01]

Watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHERRY SUTTON, SIX FLAGS OVER GEORGIA VISITOR: Two of my children had just been on that ride maybe 20 minutes before. Whenever you go to amusement

parks, whenever you get in a car, whenever you live your life, it's always subject to risk. So, you just never know when something's going to happen.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROSALES: And you mentioned Max off the top that the Swiss manufacturer of Goliath here has a stellar safety record. That is true, but our amusement

park safety expert also noted that with this ride, it does not have a secondary restraint system. So, if something happens to that primary

system, you're out of luck.

Of course, this is still an active investigation. We don't know what was behind Kariem falling out of his seat. We'll keep you updated -- Max.

FOSTER: Okay. Thank you so much.

Now in the final moments of trade on Wall Street, stocks are slightly lower. The early gains for the Dow have disappeared, and it's now in the

red, along with the Nasdaq and the S&P 500.

This is our Business Breakout.

That roller coaster accident we mentioned is having a major impact on Six Flags stock. It's down by about 14 percent right now. Six Flags was already

facing tough financial times. Shares are down 50 percent compared to a year ago.

Netflix has secured the rights to broadcast the FIFA World Cup throughout Spain and Andorra in 2030. Netflix has agreed to make one match a day

available to a national broadcaster, as well as all matches featuring Spain's national team. Those who want to see more matches will have to

subscribe to the streaming service.

The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case about how Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency operated during President Trump's first

year in office. The case involves a request from a government watchdog that wants to see documents about how DOGE made decisions about slashing

government agencies.

In France, investigators are hunting down the hackers who targeted hundreds of supermarkets raising fridge and freezer temperatures to as high as 50

degrees Celsius. That's about 122 degrees Fahrenheit.

The cyberattack spoiled food and even caused fires. Many shelves in those supermarkets are now bare. France says it's coordinating with nearby

countries, as others could also be affected, as CNN Anna Stewart has been finding out today.

I mean, it's the nature of this hack which is so remarkable, let alone the damage it caused.

ANNA STEWART, CNN CORRESPONDENT: An absolutely bizarre hack that none of us could have seen coming and really damaging and a big risk, of course, to

food security. Hundreds of supermarkets impacted with fridges and freezers essentially turning into ovens overnight.

The spoilage of food, of course, costing a lot of money. The CEO of Intermarche, one of the biggest supermarket chains in France, was speaking

on BFM TV, a French network, and he said it cost tens of millions of euros nationwide in a single day, just to give you an idea.

Now, what we think has happened is there was a vulnerability in the software that essentially connects these fridges and freezers to the

Internet. Supermarket chains like to manage these fridges and freezers remotely for maintenance, which makes sense. The software used in a

specific incident was owned by a Danish company called Danfoss. Now they're saying those that have been targeted simply hadn't updated the firmware.

There was a released update back in August.

So that's potentially what happened. But who did the hack? Why? What the motive was? That is all completely unknown and this investigation is

underway, Max.

FOSTER: In terms of this concern about other countries being affected, I guess that's just the idea that obviously you could use the hack elsewhere

if it worked in one country.

STEWART: Yeah, there are concerns that other countries in Europe have been impacted. Those are using this software that haven't updated the firmware.

We haven't got anything confirmed yet.

But there's also the bigger risk. This isn't just, you know, fridges and freezers. Potentially when you look at cyberattacks when it comes to the

Internet of Things, which is devices connected to the Internet, you know, this is a big problem and it could get a lot worse.

So, cybersecurity experts are really concerned right now about what A.I. could do to make this even more vulnerable. And we're not just talking

about devices in supermarkets or businesses, but also in the home.

I don't know about you, Max. I have plenty of devices, lights, home pods, you know, security cameras all linked to the Internet. And the concern is

with A.I. as it progresses is that it could be used to hijack these devices.

And actually, that's something Anthropic warned about just this week, saying that we could be months away from A.I. having models that self-

replicate into each device, which means there would be no sort of on off switch centralized in that situation. It would be really hard to control.

So, plenty more risks, unfortunately, ahead when it comes to this area.

FOSTER: Yeah, chaos. Thank you, Anna.

Coming up, a long-awaited return. Formula One bringing a Grand Prix back to Africa. Where it will be held and when after this break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:42:57]

FOSTER: Formula One heading back to Africa. Rwanda has signed a 10-year deal to host an African Grand Prix from early 2030s. It is the first time

in decades that the race will be held on the continent.

Don Riddell has been looking at that. I mean, we're expecting something to happen in Africa.

And, you know, Rwanda is an interesting choice.

DON RIDDELL, CNN WORLD SPORT: It is an interesting choice, Max, and not everybody is happy about it. But it's also, as you say, been a long time.

The last time that Formula One raced in Africa was the South African Grand Prix all the way back in 1993.

F1's new owners, I mean, I say new they've been in charge since 2017. I mean, this has been something that they have been looking to do and I think

they're really thrilled with the choice of Rwanda.

The track hasn't been built yet but the site has been identified. It's near the new international airport in Kigali and it's going to use the sort of

all the natural elevation changes in the area, and I think there's a lot of excitement about the track. It's going to be great for Formula One in terms

of just the excitement about the sport on the continent of Africa. They estimate that there's about 100 million Formula One fans there, and it's a

really young demographic as well. I think 60 percent of them are under the age of 35.

So, that's all the good news for Rwanda and Formula One. The criticism comes from groups like Amnesty International, who accuse Formula One of

being susceptible to being used by countries who want to use Formula One as a form of sports washing. So Amnesty has accused Rwanda of arbitrary

detention, mass torture, complete repression of free speech. And there is also some criticism of Rwanda, which gets international aid money, putting

well, you know, basically building something like this when they accept international aid.

But they would say this is, you know, a project that helps with investment in tourism and ultimately grows the country going forward.

[15:45:00]

But depending on which side of the coin you are, this is great news, this is exciting news or perhaps something a little bit different.

FOSTER: Absolutely. Don, thank you so much. Thank you for joining us.

And still to come, tributes are pouring in for "Breaking Bad" star RJ Mitte. We'll take a look at the legacy he had on and off the screen.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FOSTER: RJ Mitte, the actor best known for his role in "Breaking Bad", has died at the age of 34. Officials in Texas say Mitte was found dead on

Monday after responding to an emergency call. Foul play, not suspected. Mitte, who lived with cerebral palsy, is being remembered as a talented

actor and a passionate advocate for people living with disabilities.

He played the son of Bryan Cranston's Walter White across all five seasons of the hit TV show "Breaking Bad".

And Cranston penned an emotional tribute saying, "Born with cerebral palsy, he never, ever allowed that challenge to be an excuse for anything. He met

the demanding shooting schedule head on with great determination. I loved him and thoroughly enjoyed being with him throughout the years on the

series. And after the spotlight on Breaking Bad dimmed, I'll miss you, son."

Cerebral palsy is a brain disorder that affects body movement and muscle coordination. Mitte spoke about the importance of greater representation

for people with disabilities and was an ambassador for United Cerebral Palsy.

What we want to know is, what did RJ Mitte's acting career mean to the cerebral palsy community?

Joining me now, Emma Livingstone, the founder and CEO of Up - The Adult Cerebral Palsy Movement.

Thank you so much for joining us.

I guess one of the things he achieved was you know, his condition was apparent in his acting, but it wasn't part of, you know, it wasn't a

central element of his character, which was, you know, very much welcomed, wasn't it, by people who had the same condition because it didn't define

him in that role.

EMMA LIVINGSTONE, FOUNDER, UP - THE ADULT CEREBRAL PALSY MOVEMENT: No, certainly the passing of RJ Mitte is felt across the community. He did a

lot to represent disability on screen in Breaking Bad, which was one of the biggest TV shows, and that really didn't matter. It showed people what

disabled actors can do.

And you're right, what resonated most was one of the biggest TV shows, and that really didn't matter. It showed people what disabled actors can do.

And you're right, what resonated most was that he wasn't there simply as a character with cerebral palsy, but he just showed how he got on with things

as many people do with cerebral palsy.

[15:50:06]

He showed that you can navigate challenges and get on with your life, and RJ helped people see that it's entirely normal to be able to live an

authentic life with a disability and that made a real difference to our community.

FOSTER: Yeah, and his colleagues are talking about at the same rate as everyone else as well he always showed up and he didn't let it hold them

back physically.

LIVINGSTONE: No, there are lots of things that we can do when we live with cerebral palsy and growing up with a disability certainly gives you

resilience. And I think that having that representation on screen is really helpful, particularly for our younger members of our community who don't

want to let those kind of barriers hold them back.

FOSTER: He was often drawn to roles that did involve disability, but different disabilities. I guess having one disability allows you some

insight to restrictions of other conditions. But, you know, it doesn't necessarily have to be central to your character. Am I right?

LIVINGSTONE: No, certainly. No, certainly here in the U.K., 24 percent of the voting population has a disability and it's time that we're considered

as the multicultural mix of our society and that disability is accounted for. Obviously, living with difference, you have empathy with other people

living with different types of disability.

And he certainly used his platform to raise the voices of those of us living with disability.

FOSTER: What are some of the cliches he managed to undermine that were so appreciated by other people with palsy?

LIVINGSTONE: Well, I think it was the fact that he was on screen as a character both doing good in the world and perhaps having the dilemmas that

everybody had that actually disability was just part of his character and that was not his entire identity.

I think that he showed that on screen, but he also showed that in his life. We want to be seen as people who can be parents, who can work in a variety

of jobs. and who can be valued members of society. And that cerebral palsy, whilst it takes some of our identity, is not the whole person.

FOSTER: Absolutely. Emma Livingston, really appreciate your time and talking to us about that remarkable life.

LIVINGSTONE: Thank you so much for having me.

FOSTER: We're going to look at the student protest -- thank you -- student protesters in France showing no signs of backing down after four weeks of

demonstrations.

Saskya Vandoorne. has more now on their demands.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SASKYA VANDOORNE, CNN PARIS BUREAU CHIEF: We're in the fourth week of these high school student protests and the momentum is still very much

there. We've been speaking with students. All day, we say their list of demands has not changed. They want more teachers, they want fewer students

in class, and they want billions more in education funding.

They say that the concessions given by the government just don't go far enough. And another major issue that has unfolded during these protests is

the level of violence that we have witnessed. These harrowing videos of teenagers who have been injured. One teen lost an eye after he was hit with

a rubber bullet. Another had his teeth smashed in after he was hit with a tear gas canister.

And all of these videos are circulating online, and they're galvanizing support for the movement. Students are saying that they're going to show up

again on Saturday, that they're going to be joined by yellow vests, by taxi unions. So, they expect Saturday to be even bigger than today.

Saskya Vandoorne, CNN, Paris.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: In the U.S., Cornell University has banned all social events at campus fraternity houses for the rest of the school year. The move comes as

the fallout continues from a former student's allegations that she was gang raped at a fraternity event. The case has sparked outrage on and off campus

over how the university handled the initial investigation. Cornell's president says the ban on fraternity social events will provide time for a

thorough review of fraternity life at the university.

Flights at Germany's Nuremberg Airport were temporarily suspended today after an emergency code was transmitted by error or in error by an inbound

plane. The Turkish carrier Corendon Airlines says its flight from Greece sent out the alert whilst in Croatian airspace due to malfunction.

[15:55:03]

The flight landed after being escorted into Nuremberg by fighter jets. Police tell CNN there is no danger. Everyone is safe on board.

Finally, tonight, a Qantas flight is grounded this weekend after a reported bedbug outbreak. The flight by Australia's national carrier was scheduled

to fly from Italy to Perth on Saturday, but passengers on an earlier flight complained about being bitten. That's according to CNN affiliate 9 News.

One person said the bedbugs were crawling over belongings, clothing, blankets. Qantas tells CNN is still investigating the incident and

apologizes to its customers.

I'm Max Foster. That's WHAT WE KNOW. Do stay with CNN.

END

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