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Judge Extends Deadline For Deportation Information; Trump And Zelenskyy Discuss Proposed Pause; Israel Launches Ground Offensive In Gaza; Detention of Istanbul's Mayor Roils Turkish Politics; Palestinians Leave as Israeli Outposts Spring Up; China Expands State- Run Media as Trump Guts U.S. Efforts; Peruvian Fisherman Details Fight for Survival for 95 Days. Aired 1-2a ET

Aired March 20, 2025 - 01:00   ET

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

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[01:00:28]

JOHN VAUSE, CNN ANCHOR: Ahead this hour on CNN Newsroom. Look who's talking.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY, PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE: Over the recent period, this is probably the most substantive conversation.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VAUSE: Donald Trump calls the Ukrainian president sharing details of a partial ceasefire already violated by Moscow. Israel ramps up its military offensive with ground operations in Gaza.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ISRAEL KATZ, MINISTER OF DEFENSE OF ISRAEL (voiceover): Residents of Gaza, this is the last warning.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VAUSE: Remove Hamas from power, return all Israeli hostages will face complete destruction and devastation. And inching closer to a constitutional crisis.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KAROLINE LEAVITT, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: It's very clear that this is an activist judge.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VAUSE: After appearing to defy a ruling by a federal judge, the White House goes on the attack.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Live from Atlanta, this is CNN Newsroom with John Vause.

VAUSE: Just one word continues to spark confusion over an agreement for a partial ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia. Does it cover energy infrastructure or energy and infrastructure? The deal was brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump. He briefed the Ukrainian president Wednesday. But it's unclear if Russia has agreed to pause attacks on all civilian infrastructure or just energy infrastructure.

The White House says details will be worked out Sunday when talks begin in Saudi Arabia. Regardless, the U.S. President seemed optimistic after that conversation, posting on social media. Just completed a very good telephone call with President Zelenskyy of Ukraine. We are very much on track. Here's President Zelenskyy's assessment.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ZELENSKYY (voiceover): I believe it was substantive. Over the recent period, this is probably the most substantive conversation. The mood was right, sufficiently detailed. We discussed our next steps. The demands for partial ceasefire will probably.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VAUSE: According to White House officials, Zelenskyy asked for more air defenses, specifically Patriot missiles. President Trump agreed to work with him to find what's available, in his words, particularly from Europe. While the president is talking up progress in ending the war in Ukraine, there's still no sign Russia is willing to agree to an unconditional 30 day ceasefire, which Ukraine committed to last week. More details now from CNN's Alex Marquardt.

ALEX MARQUARDT, CNN CHIEF U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Presidents Trump and Zelenskyy were upbeat about the call that they shared on Wednesday, the day after Trump spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump briefed Zelenskyy on what was discussed with Putin. And now, Ukraine and Russia have both agreed to a narrow ceasefire focused only on energy targets in each country. Now, this comes as Russia continues to bomb a variety of other sites in Ukraine, including medical sites and railway facilities.

Now, the Trump administration said it would be sending technical experts, U.S. Officials to continue discussions with the Russian side in the coming days in Saudi Arabia. President Zelenskyy also said that he was ready to send a team to meet with American officials, saying that he and Trump told their advisers to work on this as quickly as possible.

The White House is hoping that this smaller ceasefire will grow to include ending the fighting in the Black Sea and all along the front line between Russia and Ukraine. But Putin has held firm with numerous conditions that he insists are needed, like the halt on all foreign military aid and intelligence support for Ukraine, which the U.S., and European allies have declined to agree to.

Now, U.S. Special envoy Steve Witkoff, who met with Putin last week, has argued that Putin wants an end to the war and is negotiating in good faith. But Putin critics argue that he's playing for time and giving President Trump a runaround. Regardless, what stands now is far short of the full and immediate ceasefire that the U.S. and Ukraine agreed to last week. And it is quickly becoming clear to the Trump administration that this is going to be a winding and potentially long path to get to that peace deal between Russia and Ukraine that President Trump has insisted he could achieve in 24 hours. Alex Marquardt, CNN, Washington.

VAUSE: To Canberra, Australia now, Malcolm Davis, Senior Analyst of Defense Strategy and Capability at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute. Good to see you, Malcolm. Thanks for being with us.

MALCOM DAVIS, MILITARY ANALYST: Thanks, John.

VAUSE: So here's the Ukrainian president speaking after he was briefed by the U.S. President about that conversation that Trump had with Russia's Vladimir Putin. Here's Zelenskyy.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ZELENSKYY (voiceover): The issue of territories will be the most difficult. I feel this. We understand this. It will be a challenge for all of us. We will defend Ukraine to the maximum on these matters, but it will be difficult for us. President Trump understands that legally we do not recognize any territories as Russian.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[01:05:11]

VAUSE: We're told that dividing Ukrainian territory was not raised during that Trump-Putin call, but it sounds like it may have been during the conversation with Zelenskyy. So is Zelenskyy here, sort of, if you like, preparing Ukrainians for the bad news? And what is that likely to look like when it comes to this final agreement between the United States and Russia?

DAVIS: Well, it's fairly clear that Putin is going to insist on controlling and keeping the Donbass, the Japariza (ph) Hassan, and obviously Crimea. And that would be a huge price for the Ukrainians to pay effectively for some sort of what I would call a peace in our time moment, which will not be a long term stable peace that endures. It will be a short-term ceasefire and peace arrangement that ultimately gives Russia time to rebuild its military capabilities in anticipation of launching a third war against Ukraine.

So I am very dubious to the fact that ceding land to Russia in exchange for peace actually delivers peace. All it does is give Putin the opportunity and the incentive to look to launch another attack to take more territory so they can do the same thing again in perhaps a year or two down the track.

VAUSE: Well, there seems to be no shortage of praise coming from the White House press secretary for her boss, President Trump, about this partial ceasefire agreement. Here she is. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LEAVITT: I think a couple of years ago, as you all reported on the war, it was incomprehensible to have a partial ceasefire in this conflict. And today that is true because of the leadership of this president.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VAUSE: Except it's not. It appears Russia violated the agreement within hours. Drone strikes knocking out power supplies to parts of eastern Ukraine. The very big glaring problem here is lack of any mechanism to enforce this partial ceasefire. But also a U.S. President who seems unwilling to apply any pressure on Moscow to keep his word.

DAVIS: Exactly. And that is the concern by the international community as they watch as the Trump administration seems quite happy to pressure Ukraine, but unwilling to put any pressure or any demands to the Russians. Now, whether Trump, down the track, starts to apply gentle pressure to Putin, I don't know. But I think that all the indications are at the moment that Trump is more interested in regenerating the U.S.-Russia relationship and in particular, strengthening his personal relationship with Putin. And he'll do that at the expense of Ukraine. And I would go so far as to say at the expense of Europe's security. So this is a really bad moment international affairs that could lead to a much more dangerous outcome for Europe in the coming years.

VAUSE: And this question of a possible Russian ceasefire violation was put to President Trump three weeks ago in that Oval Office meeting was fairly fiery with Ukraine's President Zelenskyy. Here's what Donald Trump said at the time.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JD VANCE, U.S. VICE PRESIDENT: She's asking, what if Russia breaks the ceasefire?

DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: But what if they -- what if anything? What if a bomb drops on your head right now? Okay? What if they broke it? I don't know. They broke it with Biden because Biden didn't respect him. They didn't respect Obama. They respect me.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VAUSE: The Ukrainian President has detailed 25 ceasefire violations by Russia since the invasion of Crimea back in 2014. Is there any reason to believe Putin won't violate any agreement which he enters into? And does this support Zelenskyy's claim that Russia just simply isn't serious about any kind of unconditional ceasefire?

DAVIS: Well, firstly, in terms of, you know, respecting President Trump, Putin regards Trump with utter contempt. So, I think that there's no reason to expect that Putin will hold true to any promise he makes to Trump in the future. And I think when you look at Russia's past performance in terms of its adherence to international agreements, of course, they're going to violate the ceasefire. I think that what you will see in months down the track, if there is a ceasefire agreement and maybe some sort of European coalition of the willing peacekeeping force that goes into Ukraine, you will see gray zone hybrid warfare actions occurring by the Russians to probe and test the resolve of Europe and also the United States, because Putin believes that he can get away with ceasefire violations, because Trump will do nothing in response.

And the longer we do nothing in response to those sorts of violations, the more aggressive and the more ambitious those violations will become. So I don't think any ceasefire agreement is going to hold. It will be violated by the Russians in short order and then ultimately fall apart down the track.

VAUSE: Yeah, it's not a great outlook for the future. Malcolm, but thank you for being with us. Thank you for your insights.

DAVIS: My pleasure. Always.

VAUSE: A day after Israeli airstrikes ended almost two months of relative calm in Gaza, Israeli ground operations have resumed dividing the territory in half, creating what the IDF calls a security buffer with Israeli forces once again in control of parts of central and southern Gaza.

[01:10:13]

The Israeli military released these images describing the offensive as targeted ground activities, part of a preemptive strike against the militant group Hamas, which Israel claims, without providing any evidence, was regrouping and preparing to strike Israel. Hamas describes the ground incursion as a new and dangerous breach of the ceasefire, which both sides agreed to in January and says it remains committed to that deal. At least 70 Palestinians were killed by Israel Wednesday. That's according to Hamas officials in Gaza, who also say more than 400 were killed a day earlier during Israeli airstrikes.

The return to war in Gaza by Israel has sparked angry protests with demonstrators clashing with police in Jerusalem. For the very latest now, here's CNN Nic Robertson reporting in from Jerusalem.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT, (voiceover): International UN workers rush to a Gaza hospital.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're going to get you out of here, all right?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So going to hospital together and then.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We'll get you out of Gaza, alright?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Stay strong.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You'll be all right, okay? ROBERTSON (voiceover): Five injured and one killed during a strike on

their residents, the UN says as Israel ramps up its war against Hamas in Gaza again. According to a weapons expert consulted by CNN, fragments recovered from the UN building are consistent with an Israeli tank round. Although Israel denies firing in the area Wednesday.

JORGE MOREIRA DA SILVA, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, U.N. OFFICE FOR PROJECT SERVICES: This synopsis premises was hit at approximately 11:30 a.m. this morning. Today's incident follows strikes yesterday, but also two days ago.

ROBERTSON (voiceover): Almost as if the war didn't pause. Gazans forced to flee their homes again. Scenes reminiscent of 2023 and 2024 as Israeli aircraft drop flyers in northern Gaza, warning residents to evacuate immediately. A massive military operation has started. This as Israel ratchets up its new offensive, launching targeted ground activities.

KATZ (voiceover): Residents of Gaza. This is the last warning. The airstrike against Hamas terrorists was only the first step. What is coming will be more difficult, and you will pay the price.

ROBERTSON (voiceover): Israeli protesters on the move too, motivated by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's return to war, marching in their thousands toward Israel's Knesset. Frustrations running high.

Former Defense Minister Benny Gantz, now in opposition, feeling the crowd's high octane anger. He'd come to lend support instead himself incensed by the crowd's criticisms.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. Gantz was the white hope. We voted for him, we voted for Lapid. They are our candidates in the parliament, and they are just polite. But now they have to show that they are with us, and then they have to show that they protest with us, and they have to show that they resist what Netanyahu is doing to this country.

ROBERTSON: Polling by an independent Israeli research company shows a steady but growing consensus for an end to the war in Gaza. More than 7 out of 10 Israelis want a complete withdrawal, and more than half say that Netanyahu should resign immediately.

ROBERTSON (voiceover): Inside the Knesset, however, Netanyahu seems stronger than ever. His far right ally, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gabir, rejoined the government, ending his boycott over the ceasefire. Nic Robertson, CNN, Jerusalem.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VAUSE: It's all about the separation of powers. In a moment, did the White House defy a court order from a federal judge? Is that about to happen again? Details in a moment.

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[01:19:09] VAUSE: The U.S. Justice Department has been given another 24 hours to hand over information to a judge about the deportation of alleged Venezuelan gang members to El Salvador last weekend. That judge is trying to determine if the Trump administration openly defied his order for a temporary delay in this operation, which was being carried out under executive order under the Authority of a 200-year-old law only used during wartime. The White House says its crackdown on undocumented migrants and mass deportations will continue, but did not say if deportations like last weekend's flights will happen again.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LEAVITT: The judge, in this case, is essentially trying to say that the president doesn't have the executive authority to deport foreign terrorists from our American soil. That is an egregious abuse of the bench. This judge cannot, does not have that authority.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VAUSE: The judge at the center of all of this, James Boasberg, has pushed back against those claims from the White House, saying the administration could avoid divulging the information about deportations by invoking privilege. But he also said he's unsure how compliance with his order for information would jeopardize state secrets.

[01:20:20]

We go to Washington now. CNN Senior Legal Analyst Elie Honig. Thanks for being with us. It's good to see you.

ELIE HONIG, CNN SENIOR LEGAL ANALYST: Great to be with you. Thank you, John.

VAUSE: Okay. Let's start. 59 days ago.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TRUMP: Preserve, protect, and defend.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The Constitution of the United States.

TRUMP: The Constitution of the United States.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So help me God. So help me God.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VAUSE: Donald Trump at his inauguration. So this goes to the very heart of American democracy. Civics 101. Explain why it is the presidential oath office is made to the Constitution.

HONIG: Well, so, first of all, I cannot believe that was only 59 days ago. Whether you love or hate what Donald Trump has done, it feels like a lot more than that. Here in the United States, our president serves the Constitution. Nobody is above the Constitution. This is a nation founded on ideas, on concepts. And the fundamental concept that Donald Trump has run up against time and again in his two months in office is separation of powers, the notion that we have three separate branches of government. All of them execute checks and balances on each other.

Of course, that's the Congress, which is the legislative branch, the executive branch, headed by the president and then the judiciary, the courts. And we've seen an unprecedented conflict between and among all three of them just in the last two months.

VAUSE: And all of this is laid out very clearly in the Constitution. Now, here's the U.S. President, and what he is about to say, what you about to hear, has zero relevance to what this initial legal dispute is about. Here he is. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TRUMP: And he actually said we shouldn't be able to take criminals, killers, murderers, horrible, the worst people, gang members, gang leaders, that we shouldn't be allowed to take them out of our country. Well, that's a presidential job. That's not for a local judge to be making that determination.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VAUSE: That's so misleading because most people would hear that, think, hey, you know, of course that's a good thing. We don't want murderers and bad people in the country. But the dispute here is about the rule of law and whether the president and the executive branch defied a ruling by a federal court, right?

HONIG: So let me make analogy. I was a Prosecutor here for 14 years. Everyone who I indicted, charged with a crime. I wanted to see that person locked up incapacitated whatever sentence was appropriate, but never outside of the rules. It was an equally important part of our job that we follow due process, that we follow the rules. And you're right.

So there's sort of two big questions in this case. The first one is sort of the merits question. Does this act, does this law actually apply to this situation? I know, we'll get to that in a moment. But the second, and I think more immediate concern is the Trump Justice Department openly defying the order of a district court judge.

The district court judge has now said three consecutive days, I want specific information from you, DOJ, about when those flights left the United States, who was on them, when they left US Territorial airspace, and when they landed. And for three days in a row, DOJ has responded with some variation of, well, Judge, we're not going to give you all of that information. And that is stepping into new ground.

VAUSE: So now this brings us to the Alien Enemies act, which is the authority which the President is trying to use here. And it doesn't just mean the so-called bad guys are deported, right? If you take this to the extreme, any Venezuelan national over the age of 14 living in the United States, legally or not legally, whether they have a visa or a green card or whatever, can be deported without due process. So what's to say any other ethnic group won't be declared an invading enemy and those minorities can be deported at the whim of the President?

HONIG: So this is a law, the Alien Enemies Act, that goes back to 1798. And what it does is it gives the president very broad authority to deport non-citizens even if they're here legally, non-citizens under either of two circumstances. One, if we are in a declared war with a foreign country, of course, that's not the case. Two, and this is the one that Trump is relying on, if you can show that there is an invasion or an incursion by a foreign government, and that's where I think the law is really being stretched here.

What Trump has declared in his official proclamation is, first of all, the presence of this gang, Trinidad TDA here in the United States is essentially an invasion. And then second of all, he says, well, even though it's a gang, they're sort of aligned with or somehow carrying out the will of the Maduro regime, the government in Venezuela. I think both of those contentions are stretches, but ultimately it'll be up to the courts to decide that.

VAUSE: But then the problem comes if the executive branch refuses to abide by a ruling of the court. And that's when you have a constitutional crisis, right?

HONIG: Yes. So I'm very sparing in my use of that phrase, constitutional crisis. I think sometimes people here in the United States use that phrase too quickly to just mean, well, something happened that I don't like. A judge came out or way I don't like. It's a crisis. Somebody got indicted or didn't get indicted. And I wanted it to be the other way. Constitutional crisis. I don't buy into that.

[01:25:08]

To me, a constitutional crisis is where the Constitution does not give us answer for what you do next. And if the executive branch, if the president says, I will not abide by a ruling of the judiciary, then we're in a constitutional crisis. But it is important to know, John, DOJ's official position in both of these cases has not been open defiance. I mean, they could have gone into court earlier.

You know what, you, Honor, we don't have to answer to you. We're not going to obey you. That's not been the position. Their position has been, we don't believe we've defied you. We're trying not to yet. At the same time, they've been pretty close to the line.

Also, we have to note, Donald Trump has been asked twice about this, including yesterday, within the last few weeks, and he has said both times, I do not believe in defying judges. I believe in appealing. He attacks judges verbally. But it's important that Donald Trump has said twice now, including just yesterday, I don't intend to defy judges. That's not what I do.

VAUSE: There is a gulf there between what is said and what is happening. And that's what we've got to keep an eye on. Elie, thanks very much for explaining all of this. It's complicated. Your insights and expertise very much appreciate it. Thank you.

HONIG: Thanks, John. All right.

VAUSE: Donald Trump again breaking with presidential norms by commenting on what he believes the Federal Reserve should be doing with interest rates, saying they should be cut to smooth the way for the introduction of more tariffs on imports. But the central bank is waiting to see the impact of the president's policies on the economy, which is now expected to be weaker this year than previously thought. Inflation set to be higher. Still, despite the uncertainty, Fed Chair Jerome Powell says the economy remains healthy.

And that sparked a rally on Wall Street that are closing up nearly 1 percent. CNN's Matt Egan. More details now from Washington.

MATT EGAN, CNN REPORTER: The Federal Reserve sounds a bit more concerned about the economy, and that's in part because they have very low visibility right now. They know the Trump administration has proposed sweeping changes on trade, on taxes, federal spending, and immigration, but they just don't know at this point how many of those proposals are going to actually kick in and what will the overall impact be on the economy. From all of these new policies that are being rolled out.

And so, the Fed is basically in wait and see mood right now because they just don't know which direction they should go. Should they be trying to boost the economy and prevent a recession by cutting interest rates, or should they be tapping the brakes to try to fight high inflation?

So they're basically staying where they are right now, kind of like a driver who's stuck in deep fog. Except right now, it's not real fog for the Fed. It's the fog of a trade war that could simultaneously hurt economic growth and also boost prices. And so while the Fed did not make any changes to interest rates today, they did make some significant changes to their economic projections, all of them moving in the wrong direction. The Fed is now calling for weaker economic growth in 2025, slightly higher unemployment, and significantly higher inflation. Take a listen to Fed Chair Jerome Powell explain exactly why the Fed is now bracing for higher inflation.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEROME POWELL, FEDERAL RESERVE CHAIR: Inflation has started to move up now, we think partly in response to tariffs, and there may be a delay, further progress over the course of this year. Forecasting is always very hard. And, in the current situation, I just think its uncertainty is remarkably high uncertainty.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

EGAN: And yet Fed officials are still penciling in two interest rate cuts this year. That is the exact same number the Fed officials were projecting the last time they put out these estimates back in December. Despite how much the economic environment has changed since then, it's hard to put much weight into these projections, given all the question marks right now. And I did ask Powell about whether or not he's concerned about some of this turbulence that we've seen in the stock market, eventually causing businesses and consumers to start spending less.

And Powell said that the underlying economy, the real hard economic data, it still looks solid. But Fed officials are on high alert to see whether or not some of these negative sentiment indicators spill over into the real economy.

Because of course, that is what could do real damage to the economy, and that is what could force the Fed to eventually come off the sidelines. Back to you.

VAUSE: But Eagan, thank you. Now, new Israeli outposts are encroaching on parts of the West Bank. In a moment, the results of that. Palestinians who've lived there for generations say they're being forced to leave.

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[01:35:01]

VAUSE: In Istanbul, tens of thousands of protesters defied a ban on public demonstrations Wednesday after police detained the city's mayor. Ekrem Imamoglu is seen as the main political rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Imamoglu was detained Wednesday, part of corruption and terrorism investigations, along with about 100 others. More details now from CNN's Paula Hancocks.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A key rival of Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has been detained. Just moments before he was taken from his home, Istanbul's Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu posted this video message.

"Hundreds of police officers have been sent to the door of my house," he said. "The house of the 16 million people of Istanbul. We are up against huge bullying but I will not back down," he says. "I love you all. I entrust myself to the people. I will be standing tall."

His detention comes just days before he was expected to be chosen as Turkey's main opposition party's presidential candidate.

Authorities said he was detained as part of corruption and terrorism investigations, along with detention orders issued for around 100 other people connected to the mayor, according to Turkish media.

"The day will come, the tables will turn." Protesters chanting outside Istanbul's police headquarters as critics denounce the detentions as political, part of an ongoing government crackdown on the opposition following Erdogan's major defeat in local and mayoral elections last year.

The head of Imamoglu's Republican People's Party called the detention a coup attempt against our next president.

Imamoglu's wife called the accusations against him laughable, blaming false information on social media.

"Such a thing is, of course, impossible," she said. "It cannot be. It is a huge slander. Everything will come out in the open."

HANCOCKS: Turkeys next presidential election is not scheduled until 2028, but some analysts say Erdogan could call for early elections to allow him to bypass term limits.

Imamoglu's detention comes one day after Istanbul University announced it had annulled his decree over irregularities. Without a university degree, he is disqualified from running for president.

"We will, of course, take this illegitimate decision to court," he said. Speaking alongside his family on Tuesday.

Demonstrations have been banned across Istanbul until March 23rd to maintain public order and many social media sites restricted. But some supporters still took to the streets to protest the mayor's detention.

Imamoglu has been a vocal critic of President Erdogan, who has ruled Turkey for more than two decades.

Paula Hancocks, CNN -- Abu Dhabi.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VAUSE: Former Israeli prime minister, Ariel Sharon often said, "do more, talk less," which seems to be exactly what Jewish settlers have been doing in the West Bank, quietly and steadily expanding the number of outposts while the world's attention was focused on the devastating war in Gaza.

Watchdog groups say dozens of illegal outposts have emerged since the October 7th Hamas attacks, with land being seized, sometimes violently and with impunity, and Palestinians terrorized into abandoning their homes, farms and communities.

More now from CNN's Nada Bashir.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NADA BASHIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: For decades, Palestinian shepherds have faced threats and violence at the hands of Israeli settlers. Dozens of rural farms like this one have already been abandoned as a result.

But such violence is only increasing. This is just one of several incidents documented by Israeli NGO B'Tselem over recent months. The organization says dozens of settlers descended on the Occupied West Bank village of al-Maniya in mid-February, attacking homes, farming equipment and even residents.

While Israeli police forces demolished the outpost established in the village by settlers. B'Tselem says the outpost was later rebuilt that same day.

Dozens of Palestinian herding communities have been impacted by the spread of outposts like this one. Essentially undefined settlements, usually made up of small structures or caravans.

Israeli anti-settlement watchdogs Peace Now and Kerem Navot say at least 49 outposts were established in the months following the October 7th attacks, an increase of nearly 50 percent since the beginning of the war in Gaza.

[01:39:49]

BASHIR: As of last December, the groups estimate that herding outposts covered almost 14 percent of the Occupied West Bank. That's an area of land roughly twice the size of Gaza.

And that's in addition to approximately 150 officially recognized settlements that have already been established in the West Bank.

Both outposts and settlements are considered illegal under international law. Satellite imagery analyzed by CNN shows how rapidly herding outposts have spread, as well as the gradual development of new roads connecting the outposts to established settlements, and in some cases, cutting Palestinians off from the land that they depend on.

In the northern village of Al Farisilya (ph), the local farming community has now been almost entirely depopulated. Back in February, we met the Daraghmeh (ph) family, at the time still desperately clinging on to their land.

"These hills are full of areas for our animals to feed. But now there are settlers over here, over there, and another one over there. We can't access these areas," Ahmed says. "The settlers come to scare our sheep and frighten our children. We've had to stop going up on the hills with our sheep, fearing they will come after us."

Ahmed's family says they have lived here for generations. The land, not only their home but also their livelihood.

"We've always lived here," Hussein says. "Our whole lives are here. Where else can we go?"

Since filming, members of the Daraghmeh family told CNN they were left with no choice but to abandon their homes. Acts of violence by settlers from nearby outposts are simply too much to bear.

Activists say outposts like those around the village of Al Farisilya are established with the purpose of laying claim to Palestinian land and pressuring Palestinian communities to flee through threats, physical violence and direct attacks on resources, including livestock and farming equipment, often with the protection from both the military and the state.

CNN has reached out to the Israeli government about allegations of its support for illegal outposts, but has not received a response. The Israeli military told CNN that it condemns violence in any form,

and that police are tasked with handling any Israeli violations of the law.

When asked about new roads we saw being developed around another nearby village, the IDF said the land had been seized for, quote, "operational needs", adding that the route is intended for use by security forces and that it has been developed in accordance with military orders.

DROR ETKES, FOUNDER, KEREM NAVOT: It's important to understand that this project, this herding outpost campaign or this project is a national project, it's a state project.

This is not a project which is initiated by individuals. It's a -- it's a project which the state of Israel is standing behind it. It's budgeting, yes. It's facilitating. It's protecting it.

BASHIR: The ministry of settlements, for example, has budgeted for outposts, which it calls young settlements, previously saying funds were carried out in accordance with all laws.

But the displacement of Palestinian herding communities is just one part of a deepening crisis in the West Bank. The U.N. says more than 40,000 Palestinians have been forced from their homes since February by an expanding Israeli military operation, with Israel's defense minister calling on the military to prevent the return of those displaced.

Stoking fears around the potential for a full annexation of the territory and crushing hopes for a pathway to a viable Palestinian state.

Nada Bashir, CNN -- in the Occupied West Bank.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VAUSE: Well, as the Trump administration considers major cuts to the Pentagon, China celebrates a potentially smaller U.S. presence in Asia and the Pacific. Details in a moment.

[01:43:51]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VAUSE: Budget cuts by the Trump White House may mean no increase in the number of U.S. troops based in Japan. And that is good news for Beijing, which continues to grow its influence in the Pacific, always with an eye on retaking Taiwan.

Here's CNN's Will Ripley.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WILL RIPLEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Chinese warships and fighter jets miles off the Taiwanese coast. Rare images from Taiwan's military. Beijing calls it joint readiness patrols. Taiwan calls it a growing threat from outside and within.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I was born in China, and now I'm standing in China's Taiwan province.

RIPLEY: Beijing's strategy is not just military. It's also about shaping narratives. This pro-Beijing social media influencer known as Yaya (ph), lived in Taiwan for years. She was granted residency through marriage. Now she faces deportation back to China.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Peaceful unification is much more difficult than unification by force.

RIPLEY: Taipei calls the influencer a national security risk, a type of risk some fear will only grow with the abrupt cuts to "Voice of America" and "Radio Free Asia." U.S. funded news organizations have long countered China's official narrative.

[01:49:49]

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: VOA was never about journalism. It was a Cold War propaganda weapon built by the CIA.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: From Xinjiang to Xizang, VOA has spread some of the most absurd lies about China.

RIPLEY: Chinese nationalists are also celebrating on the mainland's tightly-controlled Internet. Government censors even allowing praise of President Trump, calling him a "good comrade". "Trump finally did a good thing." "It's a rare good thing that is cheered in both China and the U.S."

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The Chinese government has often targeted Uyghurs as a security concern.

RIPLEY: For decades, they exposed stories Beijing wanted buried, from crackdowns on dissidents to Uyghur internment camps, vital sources of uncensored news during the Tiananmen Square massacre. Its future, now uncertain.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A 30-day halt to strikes on energy facilities by Russia and Ukraine.

RIPLEY: While America pulls back, China is expanding. Beijing is pouring billions into its state-run outlets like CGTN and China Daily.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: But let's be real, no one cares about VOA.

RIPLEY: Aggressively growing its media influence worldwide. VOA and RFA reached millions, including those in China, who bypass censorship to access outside news. Now that counterbalance is in jeopardy.

With America's voice fading, China's megaphone is only growing louder, and its military is only growing stronger.

The contrast is striking as one superpower, state-backed broadcaster goes dark, China's state-controlled outlets are arguably reaching more people than ever especially their English language state media and social media bolstered with the help of A.I. technology to communicate with English-speaking audiences in places like the U.S. and Europe and elsewhere.

In this shifting information war, Beijing is filling the void, some say, that's left by the U.S.

Will Ripley, CNN -- Taipei.

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VAUSE: The Trump administration is ramping up pressure on Iran for a new deal within two months to restrict Tehran's nuclear program. According to one source, the demand was made in a letter from President Trump to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Earlier this month, the U.S. president warned military action is an option if Tehran refuses negotiations. Iran's leader says talks with what he calls bully states will not resolve anything.

In his first term in office, Donald Trump withdrew from a nuclear deal with Iran negotiated by the Obama administration.

Well, months trapped at sea, no food, no water, waiting for rescue. Coming up, a Peruvian man shares how he survived alone and adrift in a very small boat for 95 days.

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VAUSE: Ben and Jerry's is suing its own parent company for firing their CEO. The ice cream icons claim David Stever was ousted because of the brand's progressive political views, accusing Unilever of breaching their merger deal by removing him without approval from the board.

No comment yet from Unilever, but last year it said it was looking to sell Ben and Jerry's and other ice cream brands, but has yet to complete a deal.

A Peruvian fisherman is back with his loved ones after spending a harrowing 95 days lost at sea.

CNN's Isabel Rosales reports on how he managed to survive.

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ISABEL ROSALES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: "Thank you God," this man says, "for giving me another chance." Tears flowing as he embraces his brother, a long-sought moment for this fisherman-turned-castaway.

MAXIMO NAPA CASTRO, FISHERMAN (through translator): I stick my head out like this. When I saw the helicopter, it was something sensational. I said ok, ok. ROSALES: For 95 grueling days, Maximo Napa Castro or "Gaton" was

stranded at sea. It was supposed to be a month-long trip. That is, until the boat's motor failed. As his food rations dwindled, so did his hope. Then came a choice to survive by any means necessary.

NAPA CASTRO: I was eating roaches, which also ran out. There was nothing. Then came the birds. They started to rest on my boat around 1 or 2 a.m. They fell asleep there and at that hour I had to hunt them. Didn't want to do it but I didn't have a choice. It was my life.

ROSALES: Eventually, Castro even resorted to hunting a turtle, not for its meat, but to drink its blood.

Now, a week after his rescue, he tells CNN's Jimena de la Quintana he lived each day just hoping for nightfall again. Sleep, his only peace as living became unbearable.

NAPA CASTRO: I even got a knife three times. Three times I got the knife because I couldn't take it anymore. But I told myself, calm down, Gaton. You can do it. You can do it.

ROSALES: One night, as Napa Castro waited for sleep to take him away, a loud voice screamed his name. A rescue worker in a helicopter. Then, an hour or so later, the lights of a boat. A light at the end of the tunnel. The castaway, now a survivor.

NAPA CASTRO: What motivated me? What saved me was my faith. First of all, I believe it was my faith in God. Because for several days I spoke to him because I let him know how important my family was. My mother, my children.

ROSALES: The first video call, a moment the fisherman once feared may never come. A teary reunion for a man who says he has a newfound appreciation for life.

Isabel Rosales, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VAUSE: 95 days lost at sea will do that to you, I guess.

Thank you for watching CNN NEWSROOM. I'm John Vause. The news continues after a short break.

See you back here tomorrow.

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