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U.S.-Venezuela Tensions Looming After the Recent Strikedown of a Drug-Carrying Boat; Israeli Protests Continue Anew over Ceasefire Push; A Young Girl's Shattered Birthday Celebration Turned into a Big Event Thanks to a Viral Social Media Post. Aired 3-4a ET

Aired September 04, 2025 - 03:00   ET

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

[03:00:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us from all around the world and to everyone streaming us on CNN Max. I'm Rosemary Church. Just ahead.

Tensions rising between the U.S. and Venezuela. Why U.S. leaders say they carried out an airstrike on a ship in the Caribbean.

Progress toward peace between Russia and Ukraine seems to have stalled. What's in the way of an agreement to end the war?

And protesters in Israel take to the streets once again, how they're changing tactics to push the government for a ceasefire in Gaza.

Plus, a small birthday celebration turns into a viral sensation. We'll show you how hundreds of strangers made one girl's birthday truly special.

UNKNOWN (voice-over): Live from Atlanta, this is "CNN Newsroom" with Rosemary Church.

CHURCH: The U.S. is set to, quote, "wage war" on narco-terrorist organizations. That remark from Secretary of State Marco Rubio, just a day after a U.S. military strike on a boat allegedly carrying drugs from Venezuela.

The U.S. has offered no evidence about who or what was on that boat. But Rubio suggested the military took the most effective action.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARCO RUBIO, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: Let me say this. The United States has long, for many years, established intelligence that allow us to interdict and stop drug boats. And we did that.

And it doesn't work. Interdiction doesn't work because these drug cartels, what they do is they know they're going to lose, you know, 2 percent of their cargo. They bake it into their economics.

What will stop them is when you blow them up, when you get rid of them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: President Trump suggests the strike is an unmistakable warning to drug traffickers in the region. He said, quote, "a lot of other people won't be doing it again." The week's events have heightened tensions with Venezuela and President Nicolas Maduro, who President Trump claims is in control of a notorious criminal organization overseeing the drug trade.

CNN contributor Stefano Pozzebon is in Caracas with more details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

STEFANO POZZEBON, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: There is still a lot of questions unanswered around the news that was broken by the President of the United States, saying that the United States took out or blew up a speedboat with 11 alleged drug traffickers that was traveling from Venezuela. And we understand that the strike occurred on international waters.

We are in a country that has seen, of course, growing U.S. pressures in the last few weeks. We're talking about at least seven warships, as well as one nuclear-powered submarine that are roaming around the southern Caribbean Sea in front of the coast of Venezuela.

But if you come here to Caracas, you don't really feel like this is a country in high tension. You can see that we are in a suburb that is quite actually close to the Caribbean Sea, and life goes on as usual. Of course, it's a country that is still dealing with a deep economic crisis, and it's still a country that is working under an anti- democratic government.

However, it doesn't feel like that war is exploding or is coming to these streets. And that is also the message that I think the Maduro's government is trying to put out, not just to its own people, but to the international community as well.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: Joining me now to discuss this is Christopher Sabatini, a senior fellow for Latin America at Chatham House. Appreciate you being with us.

CHRISTOPHER SABATINI, SR. FELLOW FOR LATIN AMERICA, CHATHAM HOUSE: Thank you, Rosemary.

CHURCH: So, it was dramatic video, 11 people killed in a U.S. strike on an alleged drug vessel in the Caribbean. But where's the proof, and how risky is a deadly strike compared to an arrest and seizure of drugs that requires verification?

SABATINI: There's a lot to unpack here. First of all, this is a new and dangerous step on the part of U.S. drug interdiction efforts to shoot first and ask questions later. The video is out, it's been verified by independent sources, but it's 11 people on a speedboat. But first of all, speedboats carrying drugs don't tend to have 11

people. But second, Trump claims that it was heading to the United States, and there is no way a speedboat of that size could make it from Venezuela across the Caribbean to the United States. So, there's that.

[03:05:05]

But again, this is -- do we really need seven naval ships off the coast of Venezuela to interdict individual boats, speedboats mostly, of 11 or fewer people?

So, it's both a risky violation of international laws governing interdiction of drugs, certainly U.S. protocol on interdicting drugs, but also it's really, if you will, sort of hitting a small nail with a large sledgehammer. This is a really ridiculous, out-of-scope policy for boats of that size and probably will continue at this rate.

CHURCH: And given that, how dangerous is a strike like this in terms of triggering a conflict or potentially triggering a conflict in the region, with U.S. Secretary of State Rubio saying the U.S. is set to wage war on narco-terrorist organizations?

SABATINI: It's very risky. First of all, again, the shoot-first-ask- questions policy makes it even more risky because typically these boats are boarded, they check for drugs, and then they're arrested and the drugs are seized. So, we don't know, again, if this boat was in fact a drug, let's take the government's word for it.

But in the future, this policy of just shooting at boats that seem to be speeding somewhere risks that it could first of all take out boats that are laden with human traffic, if you will, sort of undocumented immigrants. It could also risk taking out regular fishing boats or even military boats that could suddenly escalate the conflict with the Venezuelan government and really turn this into a much larger conflagration than certainly Marco Rubio and Peter Hegseth are pretending it could.

But there's also the issue here is what are the boats really there for? And I argue that the boats are effectively there really to try to scare the Maduro government into basically collapsing or resigning and setting the stage for some form of transition.

I don't think it would be a democratic transition, certainly directed by those generals around Maduro, but this is more than just the drug interdiction efforts that Marco Rubio and others have claimed. This is really a larger policy of regime change.

CHURCH: You think it's that extreme? I mean, you talked about this overreach. You clearly feel that this type of strike raises questions about the intended mission of the U.S. naval operations off the coast of Venezuela.

And there's been a lot of speculation from it being a drug operation to the possibility of an invasion and many things in between. But that seems extreme. What's your basis for that understanding of what could be going on here?

SABATINI: I don't think an invasion is likely. There are only about 4000 military personnel on those boats in the submarine.

I think it's more about potentially taking out individual targets both in the ocean as well as potentially inside through drone attacks and the like. But it's also to send a signal. The administration has made very clear that they consider this government of Maduro illegitimate.

And indeed it is, it stole the elections last year. It has made very clear that it wants him out. It doubled the bounty on his head to $50 million.

And it's also leaked this document that it is giving free license to the Pentagon to take out those it has designated as heads of terrorist narco cartels. And it named high-level officials of the Maduro government those sorts of terrorists.

So this is really about trying to rattle the government. It's not about to intervene. But for a long time the Trump administration has bargained, including in its first term.

But what it can do is ramp up economic sanctions, try to ramp up political pressure internationally and domestically in the hopes that the military elements of the military will defect to remove Maduro. This is just taking this the next step, an invasion isn't likely, there could be more targeted kinetic attacks. But this is really about saber rattling.

CHURCH: Now, Maduro is not particularly popular in the South American region. But if the Trump administration were to move forward and try to take him out in some way or some change of regime, what would be the tolerance across South America for that?

SABATINI: That raises a whole series of questions, Rosemary. First of all, within the country, you're right. Probably in the Solon election of last year, Maduro got less than 30 percent, which he claimed, but probably far less.

So within the country, he's deeply unpopular. But any sort of effort to take out the head of state or even take out, again, a sort of selected type strike that we saw, for example, in Syria and Iraq against ISIS would certainly rattle the entire regional community. You would see governments from Brazil to Colombia speak out against violations of national sovereignty.

It would basically shatter U.S. relations and trust within the hemisphere, which were already severely weakened. So it would trigger a reaction. No one really wants to look like they're embracing Maduro or defending him, but they'll defend national sovereignty because that's a fundamental international norm.

[03:10:00]

CHURCH: Christopher Sabatini, many thanks for joining us. We appreciate it. SABATINI: Thank you.

CHURCH: Portugal is holding a day of national mourning after at least 15 people were killed and more than a dozen injured when a cable car derailed in the capital Wednesday. The Gloria funicular carries about three million people up and down a steep hillside in Lisbon every year, it has operated for more than a century and is used by both locals and tourists. Investigators have not released details on the victims, but say foreign nationals are among the dead.

Ukrainian allies in the so-called Coalition of the Willing are set to meet in Paris soon, where President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is seeking further support in the face of intensifying Russian attacks. Security guarantees for Ukraine, if a ceasefire with Russia can be reached, will be the focus of the talks. French President Emmanuel Macron spoke about that issue ahead of the meeting.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

EMMANUEL MACRON, FRENCH PRESIDENT (through translator): We Europeans are ready to provide security guarantees for Ukraine and the Ukrainians the day a peace agreement is signed. The question now is to know the sincerity of Russia and its successive commitments when it proposed peace to the United States of America.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: U.S. President Donald Trump is set to speak with Mr. Zelenskyy and European leaders in the hours ahead. He also plans to talk with Vladimir Putin in the next few days and offered a subtle warning when asked if he has a message for the Russian leader.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: I have no message to President Putin, he knows where I stand and he'll make a decision one way or the other. Whatever his decision is, we'll either be happy about it or unhappy. And if we're unhappy about it, you'll see things happen.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: The U.S. has been pushing for the leaders of Russia and Ukraine to sit down and discuss an end to the war. Vladimir Putin now says he's willing to meet inside Russia, an offer Kyiv calls unacceptable.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VLADIMIR PUTIN, RUSSIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): Donald asked me if it was possible to hold such a meeting. I said, yes, it is possible.

In the end, if Zelenskyy is ready, let him come to Moscow. Such a meeting will take place.

(END VIDEO CLIP) CHURCH: Robert English is the director of Central European Studies at the University of Southern California. He joins me now from Los Angeles. Appreciate you being with us.

ROBERT ENGLISH, DIRECTOR OF CENTRAL EUROPEAN STUDIES, UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA: Happy to join you.

CHURCH: So Ukraine's President Zelenskyy will meet with the Coalition of the Willing in Paris today after China's very public show of force and unity with Russia's President Putin. What do you expect to come out of these critical meetings?

ENGLISH: The meeting of European leaders with Zelenskyy will provide moral support and probably some more specifics about a plan for security guarantees in the event there's a ceasefire or a peace settlement.

But of course that peace settlement or ceasefire has to come first or it's all just hypothetical. And that we don't see in the near future. The Ukrainians are ramping up their deep strikes on Russian energy facilities and to some significant effect.

And of course, we see Russia pushing ahead not only on the ground, but in its airstrikes on Ukrainian infrastructure. So it looks as if the two sluggers are going to keep punching it out at least for the coming weeks and maybe months until they're ready to compromise and put some of these plans into practice.

CHURCH: And of course, French President Emmanuel Macron says that Europe is ready to provide security guarantees to Ukraine as soon as a peace agreement is signed, if that happens. But he says the big question remains about the sincerity of Russia. And then, of course, on Wednesday, Putin said he's willing to meet with Zelenskyy in Moscow, an offer Ukraine clearly calls unacceptable.

How sincere was that offer from Putin?

ENGLISH: Probably, I mean, it's not really serious. I mean, if the Ukrainians would agree, I guess it could happen. But he knows they won't agree to come to the aggressor's capital in the middle of a war.

So that's kind of symbolic. But what I'd like to call attention to is another problem, which is the gap between President Macron's commitment, what he says he's ready to provide. And that includes, of course, the British prime minister, the German chancellor, and other leading European powers.

They are all facing severe budget crisis, parliamentary crises. They might not even be in power in a few months.

And getting security guarantees, meaning foreign deployments of their troops to a conflict zone where they could conflict with Russia. And, of course, the expense of those deployments when they're all facing massive budget crises is not a sure thing at all.

[03:14:54] CHURCH: And Zelenskyy will also speak with President Trump in the coming hours. What do you expect to come out of those talks? Given Trump has been hinting at what he calls some very interesting developments in bringing peace to Ukraine without offering specifics. What do you think he means when he says that?

ENGLISH: You know, we've seen President Trump threaten, set deadlines with consequences, severe consequences. If Russia didn't come to the table, if there wasn't progress. But again and again, the deadlines have passed without effect.

Maybe this time there will be effect. President Trump has imposed some pretty stiff tariffs on India, trying to stop the Indians from importing Russian oil, which, of course, provides revenue for Putin's budget, he could hike those tariffs even higher.

But that would really be an inflammatory step because, of course, that's driving India, in the view of many analysts, into the arms of the Chinese, into the arms of the Russians, and upsetting this delicate balance in Asia where we have sought for 30 years to cultivate closer relations with India as a counterbalance to China. So our Asian policy is threatened by our Ukraine policy. If you see what I mean, they pull in opposite directions.

And so President Trump has a real quandary. His weapons, his leverage is very limited because of the backlash.

CHURCH: And, Robert, you mentioned the deadlines. Last month, President Trump gave Putin another two-week deadline to agree to a meeting with Ukraine's president or face potential consequences; that deadline expires Friday.

But as we've been discussing, Putin is suggesting Zelenskyy meet him in Moscow. And despite Kyiv rejecting this offer, how likely is it that Trump would accept that, that at least Putin has tried and therefore avoids any threatened consequences for Russia when Trump talks with Putin in the next few days?

ENGLISH: Good point. And I share your suspicion that Trump may let Putin off the hook, so to speak, because at least symbolically he agreed to a meeting. But, again, there's a lot of atmospherics, a lot of posturing here. And really what matters is not whether we have the leaders agreeing to meet, but whether they have agreement to halt the conflict.

And on that side, we're far from compromise. They remain far apart, which is why most diplomatic experts wonder why Trump keeps pressing for high-level summit meetings when the working-level, the ministerial-level officials have not yet narrowed the gap enough to make it worthwhile.

CHURCH: Robert English, thank you so much for joining us, we appreciate it.

ENGLISH: My pleasure. CHURCH: Kim Jong-un is making headlines not just for his visit to

Beijing, but also for who he brought along with him. Why, some say we could be seeing the future leader of North Korea.

Plus, the Russian and Chinese leaders caught on a hot microphone, what they're saying about advances in science and immortality.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[03:20:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHURCH: With all the military might on display and predictions of a new world order, talk of organ transplants and living to 150 was probably not something observers expected in Beijing this week. But that's what they got as Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin prepared to watch Wednesday's military parade. Here's what a hot mic moment picked up from their interpreters.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

XI JINPING, CHINESE PRESIDENT (translated): In the past, we used to say that very rarely people lived past 70, but these days, 70 years (you are) still a child.

PUTIN (translated): Those who are 75, 65, they have better. In a few years, with the development of biotechnology, human organs can be constantly transplanted so that people can live younger and younger, and even became immortal.

XI (translated): The prediction is that in this century humans may live to 150 years old.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Kim Jong-un's visit to Beijing for the Chinese military parade is noteworthy on its own, of course, but observers are also talking about who accompanied the North Korean leader.

CNN's Mike Valerio reports from Seoul.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MIKE VALERIO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Amid the red carpet welcome for North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, his armored train pulling into Beijing station flanked by members of the Chinese military, North Korea watchers immediately spotted a girl standing just behind Kim. Her name is believed to be Kim Ju-ae, daughter of the North Korean leader.

And we say believed because North Korea is shrouded in secrecy and so little is known about her. We don't even know exactly how old she is, preteen or young teenager. But we do know she in recent years has been seen trailing her father at high profile events, fueling speculation that she could one day be Kim's successor.

Her public debut, in fact, was at this 2022 Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Test launch. We only knew about her existence before the launch because American basketball star and Kim's friend Dennis Rodman told "The Guardian" newspaper in 2013 he held Kim's baby named Ju-ae.

Fast forward to this week, she's seen smiling as a high ranking official. The de facto chief of staff of the Chinese Communist Party greets her father. But the younger Kim was not seen at Wednesday's ceremonies at Tiananmen Square. Kim's daughter has been present more often at Kim's side for nearly three years instead of his wife Ri Sol- ju or his sister Kim Yo-jong.

[03:25:04]

Experts say events from presiding over North Korean military parades, attending sporting events, even inaugurating a new beach resort could be part of her training to lead.

There's also a potential message to the world that the Kim dynasty, which has ruled North Korea since its founding, could continue with Kim's daughter. She perhaps one day walking in the footsteps of her father side by side with those who hope to forge a new world order.

Mike Valerio, CNN, Seoul.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: President Trump welcomed Poland's new President to the White House on Wednesday. Karol Nawrocki was elected in June thanks in part to an endorsement from Mr. Trump.

Speaking from the Oval Office, Mr. Nawrocki praised the President's decision to keep U.S. troops stationed in Poland.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KAROL NAWROCKI, POLISH PRESIDENT: This is the first time in Polish history in 20th century and the 21st century that the Poles are happy that we have foreign soldiers in Poland. We will not stop.

Me, as the President of Poland, we are going to achieve 5 percent of GDP for military service. But with American soldiers on Polish soil, we solidify and we are secure.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Israeli anti-war activists are changing tactics ahead of IDF's expected all-out assault on Gaza City. Just ahead, protesters take their message to a place where political leaders can't ignore it.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[03:30:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) CHURCH: Welcome back to "CNN Newsroom." I'm Rosemary Church. I want to check today's top stories for you.

President Trump is doubling down after a U.S. military strike killed 11 people in the Caribbean. The President claims the boat was carrying a massive amount of drugs and belonged to a criminal group under the control of Venezuela's President. The White House has provided no evidence as to what or who was on board.

Ukraine's president is in Paris to meet with his allies in the so- called Coalition of the Willing as Russian attacks intensify. That meeting, set to begin soon, will focus on security guarantees for Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire with Russia. Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders also plan to hold a call with President Trump.

A hot microphone captured Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin talking about immortality at Wednesday's military parade in Beijing. Xi's translator can be heard saying it's predicted that in this century humans may live to be 150 years old.

Gaza City is bracing for Israel's full-blown military onslaught, but so far most civilians are choosing to remain. A senior Israeli official says about 70,000 have left the city out of around 1 million residents. Israeli drones have been dropping leaflets urging people to move south.

Meanwhile, anti-war protesters are changing tactics and taking their rallies from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Jeremy Diamond has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: Thousands of Israelis have come out into the streets of Jerusalem tonight to protest against this current Israeli government, arguing for a deal to free the Israeli hostages and against this military offensive that is gearing up in Gaza City.

You can see behind me thousands of people who are beginning to march towards the Israeli Prime Minister's residence. That is who so many of the calls tonight have been directed against, directly towards the Israeli prime minister, who so many here hold responsible for the current situation, for the fact that the hostages still are not home, and for the fact that more Israeli troops are likely to die in this military offensive.

And so you're seeing people here who are getting ready to march. You can see a lot of Israeli flags, as well as these yellow flags that represent -- that have come to represent the plight of the Israeli hostages over the course of this war.

I want to pause here as well to talk about what an extraordinary moment this is right now in Israel, and why so many people have showed up. They have showed up because they feel like this is the last opportunity to try and stop what is about to happen, and that is this massive Israeli military offensive to take Gaza City, and perhaps eventually to take Israel down a path of occupying the entirety of the Gaza Strip.

So many here have been parroting the words, not just of other activists and protesters, but of the Israeli security establishment, Israel's military chief of staff, the head of the Mossad, David Barnea, and the head of Israel's internal security service.

[03:35:06]

All of them, in recent security cabinet meetings, have been arguing against this military offensive, concerned that it will risk more soldiers' lives, that it will risk the lives of the hostages as well, and that it won't get Israel any closer to defeating Hamas.

But against the advice of Israel's security cabinet, of Israel's security establishment, I should say, the Israeli Prime Minister has chosen to move forward with that military offensive. Tens of thousands of Israeli reservists have been called up already, and so many here are trying to stop that from actually taking effect, concerned about the lives of soldiers, but also, critically, the lives of the hostages.

And, of course, many here also talking about concerns for the lives of Palestinians in Gaza City, nearly a million of whom could be displaced by this Israeli military operation. And already, in recent days, we have seen hundreds of Palestinians who have been killed by Israel's intensified bombardment and artillery shelling in preparation for that all-out ground offensive.

Jeremy Diamond, CNN, Jerusalem.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: A former Israeli diplomat believes those protests could be significant in more ways than one. Earlier, I spoke with Alon Pinkas, a former Israeli consul general in New York.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALON PINKAS, FORMER ISRAELI CONSUL GENERAL IN NEW YORK: A new poll that came out yesterday showed that 65 percent of Israelis want the war to end now and a hostage deal to be struck. Of those, half of those who voted for Mr. Netanyahu, 50 percent of those who voted for him, also want the war to end and for a hostage deal to be reached.

So the public sentiment is clearly against the prime minister. But you asked how significant this is.

It is significant in three ways. It is significant if it remains sustainable and durable, meaning if this goes on for a few more days.

Tomorrow we'll certainly see some demonstrations, because tomorrow has this symbolic 700th day of the war since October 7, 2023.

The second significant factor is that the IDF, the Israel Defense Forces, particularly the chief of staff, has also major reservations about the wisdom and efficacy of such a military action in Gaza City.

Yes, he has plans. Yes, effectively the military operation began through the encirclement of Gaza City. But no, we haven't seen a large-scale operation yet.

The third significant factor is that it provides the U.S., which is the major potential, and I emphasize potential actor here, it provides the U.S. administration with a justification to stop this before it escalates even further.

So yes, it is significant. But no, if it stops Rosemary in two, three days, then it's as if it never happened. The demonstrations.

CHURCH: Right, and if the Israeli government moves forward with its assault plans in Gaza City, in defiance of so many Israelis and, as you mentioned, the country's military chief, as well as some reluctant preservers, what might the consequences be in both Israel and in Gaza City?

PINKAS: Well, dire. In Gaza City it's a matter of life and death.

In Israel it's more political, although there are bound to be many casualties if Israel indeed launches a wide-scale operation, one that will take months, by the way. The military has warned the government that this is a matter of 12 months.

And the fact that Mr. Netanyahu is raising expectations with all kinds of platitudes and fortune cookie slips about a decisive victory, a moment of truth, we're on the precipice of the greatest triumph ever, that's not only because he has delusions of grandeur, which he does, but because he's deliberately and consciously laying the blame on the military if there's no success.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Rescue and relief efforts continue in Afghanistan, where a powerful earthquake killed more than 1400 people on Sunday. Several aftershocks have followed, including a 5.2 magnitude tremor on Tuesday. As CNN's Nic Robertson reports, villagers are reeling from the devastation.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR (voice-over): For these children, their first cooked food since the quake struck. Families in this remote village in eastern Afghanistan, forced to seek shelter in their fields.

More than two days after the magnitude 6 tremor hit the rugged mountainous region, aid agencies are only just beginning to reach the worst affected.

[03:40:09]

We need everything, we don't have food, this villager tells us. We don't have the means to cook because we lost our kitchens and firewood, we don't even have a pillow and a mattress to sleep on. Everything is gone.

The only way even these limited supplies are getting here is by helicopter. Firefighters with little more than picks and shovels joining the search for survivors. Many villagers still missing, but time is running out.

Recovery efforts pausing to pay respects. As they discover those who didn't make it through that awful Sunday night.

Homes here, testament to the quake's power and an object lesson to the scale of the calamity for communities whose buildings are boulders, rock and trees bound together by mud.

The majority of people from every household were killed. For example, there was a house where 19 people were living and now only one of them is alive, this survivor tells us. I'm in a state of shock right now and so is everyone else, our brains have stopped working.

The government says the death toll is still climbing. Over 1450 people now and likely to get worse.

DR. MUKTA SHARMA, WHO AFGHANISTAN DEPUTY REPRESENTATIVE: Being able to bring in the heavy equipment to rescue people, to remove the rubble is something which has not been possible to date in many sites. So really a very difficult situation on the ground.

ROBERTSON (voice-over): Seen from a helicopter, the scale of the challenge becoming clearer. Miles of dirt roads cut by landslides, only accessible on foot.

After shocks and heavy rain, a hampering relief efforts. But the challenge here goes way beyond just getting to those affected.

SHARMA: These are not wealthy people. These are people who are barely on the edge of existence. They eke out a living.

So for most of them, they have lost everything. They've lost their homes, they've lost their animals. And they're starting, when they start life again, really from zero.

ROBERTSON (voice-over): For many here, for now at least, shedding Sunday's trauma is still their biggest challenge.

It was like doomsday for us, he says. It was a test from God and I pray that the Almighty God doesn't test us like this again.

Nic Robertson, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: Still to come, the Trump administration is vowing to appeal a new legal setback in its battle to block federal funding for Harvard University. Back with that and more in just a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[03:45:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHURCH: A legal victory for Harvard University in its fight to restore more than $2 billion in federal research funding frozen by the White House. A federal judge ruled on Wednesday that the Trump administration unlawfully blocked the money, the judge rejected the administration's argument that it targeted the Ivy League University because of anti-Semitism on campus, calling that a smokescreen. The Trump administration told CNN it will immediately appeal the judge's ruling.

Vice President J.D. Vance says there are no immediate plans to deploy the National Guard to Chicago, seemingly contradicting President Trump. Mr. Trump said Tuesday, quote, "we're going in," in response to a reporter's question about sending federal troops to Chicago. But on Wednesday, the Vice President suggested nothing was imminent.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REPORTER: Is there more you can share with us about the President said he'd be sending in the National Guard to Chicago? Do you know how many members the National Guard or when exactly that's going to happen?

J.D. VANCE, U.S. VICE PRESIDENT: I'll let the president speak to that. I mean, look, there are no immediate plans, but the President has said he has the legal authority to protect American citizens, whether that's in Chicago or in Washington, D.C. Obviously, as the President has said, we want the governor to be a partner here.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: President Trump claims any troop deployment to Chicago is aimed at dealing with crime, but both local and state officials are against the move. On Wednesday, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker urged residents not to take their frustrations out on the National Guard troops.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. J.B. PRITZKER (D-IL): They're really good people. They don't want to stand on the street corners of the city of Chicago. They don't want to invade an American city.

The National Guard's men and women, they don't want to do that, they're being ordered to do it, but if it happens, I am hopeful that the people of Chicago will understand that those National Guardsmen themselves are not at fault.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: President Trump has already deployed the National Guard in Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles. On Tuesday, a judge ruled that protests in L.A. did not give the president the authority to send troops to the city.

[03:50:01]

Survivors of abuse at the hands of sex offenders Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell gathered in Washington on Wednesday to share their stories. It comes as lawmakers and many across the U.S. are pushing for more transparency from the White House on claims made about the Epstein files.

One woman says survivors have discussed creating their own confidential list of known abusers if all of the information in the Epstein case is not released. CNN's Arlette Saenz has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Survivors of Jeffrey Epstein delivered an emotional plea as they asked President Trump and lawmakers on Capitol Hill to be more transparent about the release of files relating to that alleged trafficking ring.

Nearly a dozen women detailed their abuse at the hands of Jeffrey Epstein, going into detail about the trauma that they experienced as they also pushed back on President Donald Trump who had called the matter a hoax that was promoted by Democrats. Here is a bit of what these survivors had to say on Wednesday.

HALEY ROBSON, EPSTEIN SURVIVOR: Mr. President Donald J. Trump, I am a registered Republican. Not that that matters because this is not political. However, I cordially invite you to the Capitol to meet me in person so you can understand this is not a hoax.

We are real human beings. This is real trauma.

SAENZ: The survivors spoke at a press conference hosted by Congressman Thomas Massey and Ro Khanna. That is the bipartisan duo trying to push forward with a House floor vote on releasing the full Epstein files. But that's run into resistance from the White House and GOP leadership on the Hill.

A White House official said anyone siding with Khanna and Massey would be committing a hostile act against the administration. And House Speaker Mike Johnson has remained opposed to that measure even as he's heard from these victims, arguing that the proposal that they've put forth has not done enough to protect these victims. But this is clearly an issue that continues to drive a wedge between President Trump and some members of his party as more are pushing for greater transparency, including those victims of Epstein.

Arlette Saenz, CNN, Washington.

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CHURCH: Live performances, thousands of attendees, and lavish gifts from the local government. Coming up, how one girl's 15th birthday celebration turned into a massive stadium bash in Mexico. Back with that in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) CHURCH: Welcome back, everyone.

In Latin America, a quinceanera is a traditional coming-of-age celebration that marks a girl's 15th birthday.

[03:55:02]

But one teen's milestone event nearly went unnoticed until a Facebook post turned into a viral sensation.

CNN's Ivan Rodriguez has details.

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IVAN RODRIGUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Isela Anhi Santiago Morales never dreamed of transforming into a princess for the night. The daughter of humble garbage collectors living in a small central Mexico town, Isela's parents stretched their savings to throw her a 15th birthday party.

It's a big year, marking a girl's traditional coming-of-age in Mexican culture, known as a quinceanera. But Isela was crushed when hardly anyone showed up.

ISELA ANHI SANTIAGO MORALES, CELEBRATING QUINCENERA (through translator): My parents made a small meal at my house. I invited some friends, and some didn't show up. And then my dad said that we would waste the food and posted on Facebook that there was enough food left over for 40 people.

RODRIGUEZ (voice-over): That simple post went viral.

SANTIAGO MORALES (through translator): I didn't think it would be so big.

RODRIGUEZ (voice-over): Roughly 2000 people from Mexico and even the U.S. came to support Isela, according to the Associated Press.

SARAI ROSALES, VISITING FROM DALLAS, TEXAS (through translator): It became national news. When we saw it on T.V. at home, we got excited and decided to come.

RODRIGUEZ (voice-over): A local photographer and a D.J. offered free services. The local government donated the town's stadium as a venue.

More than a dozen musicians performed for free late into the night. But even though the party was all about Isela, she asked people to donate toys to vulnerable children instead of giving her gifts.

SANTIAGO MORALES (through translator): Thanks so much for coming to my party and bringing the toys for me to give away.

RODRIGUEZ (voice-over): But there was another surprise waiting for her. A letter she opened on stage, gifting her a 969-square-foot plot of land.

And as if all that wasn't enough, the local government gave her a scholarship to continue studying. She hopes to be a teacher one day.

UNKNOWN (through translator): Because of all of you, her dream was made possible.

RODRIGUEZ (voice-over): A fairytale night bringing her an even brighter future.

Ivan Rodriguez, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: That's lovely.

American tennis player Amanda Anasimova is celebrating some sweet revenge at the U.S. Open. She is through to the semifinals after a stunning 6-4, 6-3 upset of Poland's Iga Swiatek.

Just a few weeks ago, Swiatek demolished Anasimova at Wimbledon 6-0, 6-0; the crowd in New York cheered on the underdog American who said she refused to let her Wimbledon loss define her. Next up for Anasimova, a showdown with Japan's Naomi Osaka.

I want to thank you so much for your company, I'm Rosemary Church. Have yourselves a wonderful day.

"Amanpour" is next, then stay tuned for "Early Start" with Brian Abel coming up at 5 a.m. in New York, 10 a.m. in London. Enjoy.

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