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South Korea's Foreign Minister To Head To U.S. Monday; Erin Patterson Sentenced To Life In Prison; Fugitive Father Presumed Dead After Shootout In New Zealand; French PM Faces Confidence Vote Monday; U.S. Increases Military Presence Off Coast of Venezuela; Carlos Alcaraz Defeats Jannik Sinner in Men's Final. Aired 1-2a ET

Aired September 08, 2025 - 01:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[01:00:36

BEN HUNTE, CNN HOST: Hello, wherever you are in the world, you are now in the CNN Newsroom with me, Ben Hunt in Atlanta. And it is so good to have you with me.

Coming up on the show, President Trump hints at potential new punishments for Russia as Moscow is accelerating a string of intense and deadly attacks on Ukraine. An Australian woman who murdered three people with poison mushrooms will spend the rest of her life in prison. Why this case captured the world's attention. And as tensions between the U.S. and Venezuela are building, CNN gets a rare look inside the South American nation's militia.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Live from Atlanta, this is CNN Newsroom with Ben Hunte.

HUNTE: Welcome. U.S. President Donald Trump says he will speak with Russia's Vladimir Putin very soon. This all comes as the president grows more and more frustrated with a lack of progress towards peace in Ukraine. He's now signaling that the U.S. is ready to move to the second phase of sanctions against Russia as Moscow's war rages on.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: When do you plan to speak to President Putin next? And what might --

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Very soon. Over the next couple of days.

Look, we're going to get it done. The Russia, Ukraine situation, we're going to get it done. I have confidence we're going to get it done.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNTE: Russia launched its largest aerial assault of the war early on Sunday. It deployed more than 800 drones striking a government building in Kyiv for the very first time. President Trump's Ukraine envoy said that this massive attack is not a sign that Russia wants to end the war. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is urging his allies to take action against Moscow.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): Clearly, Russia is trying to inflict pain on Ukraine with even more brazen attacks. This is a clear sign that Putin is testing the world whether they will accept or tolerate this.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNTE: CNN's Alayna Treene has more for us from the White House.

ALAYNA TREENE, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: President Donald Trump spoke with reporters Sunday evening and said that he plans to speak to Russian President Vladimir Putin in the coming days. He said he plans to call him very soon and added that he has confidence he would be able to get the war settled between Russia and Ukraine, but added that he's still very disappointed with the pace and progress of negotiations. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: It's such a horrible waste of humanity. So, no, I am not thrilled with what's happening there, I will tell you, I think it's going to get settled. So I settled seven wars. This, I would have said, would have been maybe the easiest one to settle of all. But with war, you never know what you're getting.

But we're going to get it. I believe we're going to get it settled. But I am not happy with them. I'm not happy with anything having to do with that war. It's just such a waste of great humanity.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TREENE: Now, those comments there mirror what I've been told in my conversations with people here at the White House and throughout the Trump administration, that Trump has grown increasingly frustrated with how Putin has been handling this. You heard that he said in those remarks there that he thought this might be one of the easiest wars that he could try to settle, and it's proving to be the hardest. And that's in part because he had been hoping, particularly at the beginning of his second term, that he would be able to sit down with Putin or at least get him on the phone and be able to find a way to resolve the war. Clearly, that has not happened.

Now, those comments also follow what the president told reporters earlier Sunday that he's planning to move forward with a new phase of sanctions on Russia. I would remind you that we've actually heard this threat from the president in the past, over the past several months, really. But each time he's pushed that back. And part of that, I'm told, from White House officials is because he's worried that inflicting economic pain on Russia could end up blowing up these negotiations. But all of this comes of, as we've seen, Russia continue their relentless bombing campaign on Ukraine.

Something we've heard from other officials today on Sunday, including Keith Kellogg, his special envoy for Ukraine, that it shows that Russia has no signs of stopping this war or wanting to find a peace deal at the end of this. All to say, we're waiting to see whether the president actually gets on the phone with Putin in the coming days. He also mentioned he might see some European leaders coming to the White House to further discuss this. Stay tuned for all of that.

[01:05:09]

Alayna Treene, CNN, the White House.

HUNTE: Two Israeli officials say the U.S. has put forward new cease fire principles in a renewed effort to bring an end to war in Gaza. One Israeli official says the principles call for Hamas to release all hostages being held in Gaza on day one of a cease fire and for Israel to halt its assault on Gaza City. If accepted, President Trump would ensure a cease fire hold as long as negotiations continue. Mr. Trump had this to say about the prospect of a deal.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: I think -- I think we're going to have a deal on Gaza very soon. It's a hell of a problem.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What gives you that --

TRUMP: Again, it's a problem we want to solve for the Middle East, for Israel, for everybody. But it's a problem we're going to get done.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNTE: The renewed push for a deal comes as Israeli strikes hit several sites in Gaza City on Sunday. Health officials say at least 41 people were killed. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is said to be considering Mr. Trump's proposal, says his military is now deepening the operation inside and around Gaza City.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: We are destroying terror infrastructures, we are destroying incriminated terror towers and we have set up another humanitarian area to allow the civilian population in Gaza to leave for a safe place and receive humanitarian aid there. About 100,000 people have left Gaza so far. Hamas is trying to do everything so they won't leave, so they would stay there and act as a human shield for it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNTE: CNN's Jeremy diamond is following developments and has more from Tel Aviv.

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: Well, a new American cease fire and hostage release proposal aims to get all of the hostages back home and ultimately end the war in Gaza. The United States has put a new proposal on the table calling on Hamas to release all of the 48 remaining hostages held in Gaza on day one of this proposal in exchange for a ceasefire and Israel halting its latest assault on Gaza City. Both sides would then enter into negotiations to end the war and President Trump would guarantee that a cease fire would hold as long as negotiations to end the war continue.

Now, this is significant because this is the first U.S. proposal since the United States withdrew from the ceasefire and hostage release negotiations in late July. And on social media, President Trump has posted saying, "The Israelis have accepted my terms. It is time for Hamas to accept as well. I have warned Hamas about the consequences of not accepting. This is my last warning that there will not be another one."

Now, the Israelis, for their part, have not confirmed that they have actually agreed to this proposal. But we did hear from the Israeli prime minister's office and they said that Israel is, quote, "seriously considering" President Trump's proposal and that they said that it appears that Hamas will continue in its refusal.

It is important to note here that this proposal, under this proposal, Hamas would essentially be giving up all of its leverage up front, relying only on assurances from the United States that a cease fire would hold as long as these negotiations to end the war actually continue. But Israel would not have to commit to an end of the war up front, which could ultimately become somewhat of an impasse here. These negotiations to end the war in Gaza will likely be extremely contentious. Israel is insisting on maximalist terms to end the war, including, of course, the release of all of the hostages. But beyond that, they want to see Hamas out of power in Gaza and they also critically want to see Hamas completely disarmed, which has been a red line for Hamas, the militant group inside of the Gaza Strip.

It's important to note that previously we were talking about temporary deals for only some of the hostages. And even under those terms, Hamas would be getting, you know, the withdrawal of Israeli troops from certain parts of the Gaza Strip. That is not something that we're seeing here yet. But there are a lot more details still to be revealed. And also clearly that this proposal would likely be subject to negotiation itself. We will see whether it can jumpstart the process once again of trying to get some of those hostages home and ultimately ending this war in Gaza.

Jeremy Diamond, CNN, Tel Aviv.

HUNTE: Well, Hamas issued a statement late on Sunday saying it received through mediators some ideas from the U.S. administration. It said it welcomes any move that helps end the fighting and expressed its immediate readiness to sit at the negotiating table to discuss the release of all Israeli host. Hamas said it wants a clear Israeli commitment to end the war in exchange.

[01:10:10]

The Israeli military says a Houthi drone hit the arrivals hall at an airport in southern Israel on Sunday, injuring two people and causing a temporary pause in air traffic. Video from Ramona Airport shows shattered windows and glass covering the floor. The IDF says no warning sirens sounded ahead of that strike and the incident is now under review. Iran backed Houthi rebels in Yemen have repeatedly fired projectiles at Israel in retaliation over the war in Gaza.

In the coming hours, South Korea's foreign minister will head to the U.S. as countries deal with the fallout of last week's massive immigration raid in Georgia. The U.S. and South Korea have struck a deal to send roughly 300 workers home after they were detained by federal agents. The workers were among 475 people detained on Thursday. During a large scale raid, plant is jointly operated by South Korea based companies Hyundai and LG Energy Solution.

Well, let's keep going on this. CNN's Mike Valerio joins me from Seoul with more.

Mr. Valerio, thanks for being with me. What is the latest that you're hearing about all of this?

MIKE VALERIO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's the timing, Benny, of when the foreign minister, you know, one of the highest ranking officials in government here in Seoul is going to go from this part of the world all the way over to Washington, D.C. to try to defuse this situation, which seems to be heading downward, not in some sort of a crescendo situation like were Friday into the weekend. So the latest reporting that we have from our producer Yoonjung Seo, so here in the Seoul Bureau is at 7:40 p.m. local time is when Foreign Minister Cho is going to set off to the United States.

More importantly though, for the human dimension of the people involved here is when will the 300 plus South Korean nationals detained by ICE be heading back to South Korea? That timing as of yet is unclear. We're trying to firm up our reporting. It seems as though we could, and I stress could, be looking at Wednesday for a return here to South Korea, but that is not firmed up as of yet.

I'll tell you though, when we're talking about people on the streets of Seoul throughout South Korea, looking at this video that has been circulating throughout social media for days now, there is -- you know, it's hard to talk about feelings in the round for an entire country, but there is largely, Benny, a feeling of people being astonished looking at this video from an ally and saying, again, paraphrasing for the sake of our discussion, saying in the sense that if there were visa irregularities, problems, people overstaying, you know, I was just out on the sidewalk a couple seconds ago, a lot of people don't understand why the federal government, why immigration authorities could not say, hey, you have a problem with your visa contractor xyz, here's how to get it sorted out. But to come to the site and put people with chains around their waist and handcuffed and then lead them to detention, that is what people, when they do express that they have problems with this operation, what they're expressing. It is a complicated feeling, though, because South Korea relies on the United States not only for its defense against North Korea, close to 30,000 troops, American troops here in South Korea, it relies on the United States for trade. So there is the long standing friendship and ties that these two countries have. That is what is coloring the reactions from this part of the world early on a Monday afternoon.

We're just waiting for the next part of the saga, which is when exactly will these South Koreans be brought home, Benny.

HUNTE: Yes, there's a lot going on. These are some wild times. Valerio, bring us the latest as always.

VALERIO: Yes.

HUNTE: Thank you.

[01:14:09]

An Australian court has handed down a sentence in a case that gripped the world's attention. Details ahead of Erin Patterson, sentencing for killing three people with death cap mushrooms. Plus, police in New Zealand believe they've shot and killed a fugitive father who's been on the run with his children for years. The latest on that armed confrontation after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HUNTE: Welcome back. Erin Patterson, the woman convicted of murdering three people with a meal that included death cap mushrooms, has been sentenced to life in prison. She served a beef wellington made with the deadly mixture to four people, including the parents of her estranged husband who had been invited to the meal but pulled out the day before. His parents both died from poisoning. The sole survivor, his uncle, Ian Wilkinson, spoke after that sentencing.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

IAN WILKINSON, SURVIVED ATTEMPTED MURDER: We're grateful for their skills that brought this truth to light. And I'm also very grateful for the kindness and compassion they showed us, me and my family, throughout the long process that has brought us to this day.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNTE: The sentencing was broadcast from the Victoria Supreme Court in Melbourne because of the intense public interest in the case, but judge said the crime was clearly premeditated.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JUSTICE CHRISTOPHER BEALE, VICTORIA SUPREME COURT: Not only did you cut short three lives and cause lasting damage to Ian Wilkinson's health, thereby devastating the extended Patterson and Wilkinson families. You inflicted untold suffering on your own children whom you robbed of their beloved grandparents.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[01:20:15]

HUNTE: Patterson will be ineligible for parole for at least 33 years.

Joining us now is Penelope Lierz, reporter for Nine News Australia and the co-host of the podcast "The Mushroom Trial: Say Grace. Thank you so much for being with me, Penelope. How you doing?

PENELOPE LIERSCH, REPORTER, 9NEWS AUSTRALIA: Yes, thank you so much for having me on, Ben.

HUNTE: Thank you for being with me. This trial has truly gripped Australia and to be honest, the world too. I'm hearing there are books, documentaries and movies apparently all on the way. Why do you think this has captured so much public attention?

LIERSCH: Yes, really from the time this story first broke following the lunch at Erin Patterson's home, the eyes of the world have been on it. I think it's the elements of a few different things. The fact that Erin Patterson is a woman, we don't see it as often that women are found to be mass murderers or serial killers in this case. The fact that the murder weapon was poisoning as well, the use of death cap mushrooms, lacing beef wellingtons for her in laws, it does seem to be something that has really gathered people's attention and really garnered a lot of focus around the globe. And I think also the fact that this happened in quite a small regional town in Victoria in an area called Gippsland, an area that's fairly conservative, people, you know, very involved in this story of the Baptist church there.

One of the victims, the only person to survive this deadly lunch of the lunch guest, pastor Ian Wilkinson, leads the congregation that Erin Patterson herself had attended and was part of, as well as her other in laws who she invited to the lunch at her home and essentially lured there on a fake cancer diagnosis to feed them this meal. So I think it's all of those different elements that people have really become quite fascinated about and follow this trial because of that.

HUNTE: Your podcast has had more than a million downloads. What made you decide to focus on this case? And are you surprised that so many people have tuned in to every single twist and turn?

LIERSCH: Yes, I think what surprised a lot of the media here in Australia, not just people listening to our podcast, but then listening to other multiple podcasts, other news reports, all on this particular trial and topic. It seems people have really wanted to know every single thing that has been going on in relation to it. Myself and my co-host also called Erin, we did a previous podcast on another trial here in Australia as a way to try and help people understand the court system. A lot of people think that things here work like they do in America, and it's really very different the way evidence is allowed in and out and what actually is presented in a courtroom. So to help people understand how a jury gets to a verdict.

And we wanted to do the same thing with this trial. But we think also the fact that there was this attention on it meant that people really did want to know what had happened every single day in court in different elements, not just what would be in the headlines of a newspaper article or on the television news that night. So that's why we sort of really wanted to do this longer form podcast where we use a lot of voice actors throughout the trial because there's not cameras or recording allowed in Australian courts to bring all of the testimony of the like so people can follow along. And then now that we've got to this point after the verdict, of course we have a lot of other people speaking to us and we're able to bring people some of the real voices in real life as to what's happened.

HUNTE: This is very fresh news, but what has the reaction been like from the victims, families and other people involved in this case?

LIERSCH: Well, after Erin Patterson was handed this life sentence today, we always knew she would get life, but she's been given this 33 non parole period. So whether she lives into her early 80s to be able to apply for parole remains to be seen. But we've seen the victims, the families, just being so stoic throughout this entire process. We heard through the victim impact statements a few days ago, a few weeks ago, about how this has impacted every aspect of their lives. The judge today referencing that it's traumatised four generations of their entire family.

And today, Pastor Ian Wilkinson for the very first time addressed the media outside the court. He read a bit of a statement and he really made note to thank all of the people who brought this case to the courts, the justice system, the police, the legal teams, and then also the health workers who tried so hard to save his loved ones and managed to miraculously, in some ways, save his life.

And his message was really one of kindness. We know in court he has offered to forgive Erin Patterson for what she's done to him. And he also again today, really pleaded for people to show kindness and to keep showing up in these jobs that are done in our society that he says really keep all of us and our community alive. So the victims and their families, while they haven't said a huge amount in terms of the emotional toll, this particular news today has taken on them. They really have been that stoic, very, very generous in the way that they have sort of been there to thank people and not say a lot else.

[01:25:15]

HUNTE: And now what's next? What's next for the podcast? Is there more to say about this case? Was it just on to the next one?

LIERSCH: Yes. Well, there will be a bit more to say about this case. Erin Patterson now has 28 days with her legal team to lodge an appeal to the Court of Appeal in Victoria. Usually the sentence is handed down before someone can lodge that appeal against their actual conviction. We are expecting her to appeal against the conviction.

She still maintains this was an accident, that she's innocent and she's shown no remorse. So that will be the next stage. We've still got quite a few episodes to come of things that weren't able to tell people at the time as well as the reaction to what's happened today with the sentence. But then if we do see an appeal lodge within that 28-day period, it will probably be another year before we see an appeal actually going through to the court system if it is allowed to go ahead. So it's certainly not the end of this story for now.

HUNTE: OK. Well, for now, Penelope Liersch, thank you so much for being with us. And for more on the case, you can check out Penelope's podcast, "The Mushroom Trial: Say Grace." Thank you again. Speak to you soon.

LIERSCH: Thanks, Ben.

HUNTE: After years on the run with his three children in a dense New Zealand wilderness, a fugitive father is believed to have been killed in a police shootout on Monday. Officials presume the man to be Tom Phillips, but a formal identification is still pending.

Phillips and his children vanished in 2021. Despite widespread efforts to locate them, they remained elusive while likely living off the grid. CNN's Marc Stewart joins us live from Beijing to talk all about this.

Marc, there is so much going on with this case and now the police are racing to find the children too. What more have you had so far?

MARC STEWART, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Indeed, Ben, the top priority right now is the safety and the well-being of these children, ages nine, 10 and 12. One of the girls was found, but a boy and girl are still missing. And among the many concerns, number one is weather. In this part of New Zealand, the temperatures overnight are expected to dip very low and will get very cold. That is a complicating factor.

In addition, this region where the search for the children is taking place is very wooded, it's very dense, there's a very thick forest. So it will make it very difficult to see and to navigate the terrain. This latest chapter, though, really unfolding overnight when someone spotted a break in at a farm supply store. There were people on board an ATV, a four wheeler. Police were alerted.

They gave chase. They actually put spike strips out to try to stop this vehicle. And indeed they did. When an officer approached, that officer was shot at a very close range. Then another officer arrived and then shot who they believe to be Thomas Phillips. Let's listen to a police official speaking a short time ago from New Zealand.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JILL ROGERS, DEPUTY COMMISSIONER, NEW ZEALAND POLICE: There are a number of police staff who are actively looking for the children, which remains our number one priority at this stage, to find those children alongside supporting our injured colleague and his (inaudible) and our other police staff. And obviously, this is devastating news for Tom Phillips, his family as well and is the outcome that nobody wanted.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STEWART: And this is a drama that has been unfolding since 2021. One of our affiliates, RNZ, was able to talk to the children's mother who goes by Cat (ph). She said that she was deeply relieved that the ordeal has come to an end. But Ben, this is such a big case in this part of the world, whenever there has been any development, it has certainly been big news. So certainly a lot of attention in New Zealand, but also across the Asia Pacific as this unfolds, Ben, in the hours ahead.

HUNTE: And I'm sure you'll be bringing us the latest as that does unfold even more. Marc Stewart in Beijing, thank you so much for now.

France's government is facing yet another test as the country's prime minister prepares for a parliamentary confidence vote. Coming up, the latest on the debt crisis that is dividing that nation. See you in a moment (ph).

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[01:34:48]

HUNTE: Welcome back.

You are watching CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Ben Hunte.

The French prime minister faces a no-confidence vote in parliament on Monday. It's an attempt to push through his controversial 2026 budget. Francois Bayrou says it's a matter of national survival as the country's public debt balloons.

The $51-billion savings plan would freeze pensions, cut healthcare and scrap two public holidays. The French government is deeply divided. President Emmanuel Macronron's Centrist Party lost seats to both left and right-wing parties in last year's snap elections.

Now a right-wing leader, Marine Le Pen is pushing to vote Bayrou out and there may be enough votes to make that happen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARINE LE PEN, FRENCH RIGHT-WING LEADER (through translator): France is in a state of democratic asphyxiation to a level we never experienced under the Fifth Republic.

And in eight years, this crisis of representation, this absence of well-founded political legitimacy caused by the parties of the system has only worsened plunging the entire nation into uncertainty and anxiety.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNTE: Joining me to discuss live from Edinburgh, Scotland is CNN European affairs commentator Dominic Thomas. Thank you so much for being with me, Dominic. How are you doing?

DOMINIC THOMAS, CNN EUROPEAN AFFAIRS COMMENTATOR: Great. Thank you so much for having me on, Ben.

HUNTE: Thanks for being with me.

After Macron lost his parliamentary majority, we have seen successive governments exposed to no-confidence votes. Can you just break down for us what could happen over the next few weeks?

THOMAS: Well, what could happen is really the debate today where the French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou will speak to parliament, different parliamentary groups, parties and so on will get a chance to respond. But ultimately, by the end of today, we should see a confidence vote in his prime ministership.

And if they lose that vote, a majority vote based on whoever's present in the chambers on that particular day, he will be forced to resign. And Emmanuel Macronron will find himself in a situation where he'll have to try and appoint what will be a fifth prime minister since he was reelected in 2022.

Or go back to the option of dissolving the parliament, with the likelihood that it will not produce a different configuration that the one is there now.

And so it's sort of an uphill struggle for kind of democracy, legislative power and so on that this president continues to face during his second mandate, Ben.

HUNTE: This does seem pretty messy. How is the French public currently reacting to what looks like another round of political paralysis?

THOMAS: Yes. Well, we've seen this in many ways, you know, around Europe. It's a sort of disintegration or erosion of mainstream political parties. And it has led to kind of increasing volatility.

And this volatility has translated into greater disillusionment ultimately with elected officials often providing the kind of oxygen for marginal or far-right political parties here.

But I think that what has plagued Macron throughout his now -- his two presidencies is ultimately he's an incredibly visible and active person on the international scene. But from the very beginning, it's domestic economic issues that have been the challenge for him going all the way back to the Yellow Vests social and economic movement, through pension reform, raising the retirement age and implementing cuts to healthcare.

And the general public see this latest budget measure as a movement in that direction rather than pushing for a kind of recalibration of the economic model that would look at greater taxation on wealth, on industry and so on.

So there's a sort of challenge of a vision as to where France is going here in the 21st century, balancing its sort of dire economic, budgetary situation with new transformative business practices moving forward here, Ben.

HUNTE: And while all of this is happening, we've seen polling in France showing a majority of people want Macron to resign rather than name a new prime minister.

What does that signal as we look to the 2027 presidential race?

THOMAS: Yes, well, that's a really important, you know, aspect of it. I mean, it's important to understand that so many of these European nations have different political systems.

The French one is a semi-presidential system. And Emmanuel Macronron sees himself as an elected president with a mandate to serve until 2027. And so for him, the question of resignation is completely off the table.

It's the government that he appoints that subsequently has to receive that legislative support in order to move forward.

[01:39:35]

THOMAS: And I think that as we get closer and closer to that 2027 presidential election, it's going to be increasingly hard for him to create a government that will make its way through the parliament in terms of a -- of a vote of confidence, as more and more micro parties become increasingly reluctant to serve in any of his administration precisely because they're positioning themselves for 2027.

And ultimately, this sort of paralysis, argument, divisiveness is precisely what has always helped Marine Le Pen, whose politics of kind of fear around immigration, around the economy, and around a kind of broader populist agenda, benefits from this kind of disillusionment with traditional mainstream parties.

HUNTE: Well, let's keep talking about that, because how do you think that this crisis is going to boost Marine Le Pen's prospects now and also in 2027?

THOMAS: Well, it's going to be incredibly difficult for Emmanuel Macronron to appoint a new government. The question is where does he go? Thus far, he's moved towards prime ministers from the center or from the center right.

It's unlikely that anyone from the socialist left or from any of those other, more extreme left parties or more extreme right parties would be willing to work with them.

So we're looking moving forward, whether he dissolves the parliament or not, which ultimately will just reproduce a kind of fractured configuration that will make it almost ungovernable as one moves forward.

This, of course, benefits Marine Le Pen because she can continue to talk about how the mainstream traditional political parties are proving inept at managing the needs and businesses of France today and of the French people.

And so it's unlikely that any, you know, ironically, the choice of a vote of no-confidence would be to actually change something.

But in this particular case, it will not change anything at all. It will simply amplify the divisiveness that we see on stage right now in France.

So it's a -- it's a crisis of sort of democratic practice in a way where a parliament is unable to legislate without the support.

And when you have a president sitting from another political configuration that is incapable of pushing an agenda forward without relying on a set of political parties, that at any one moment can vote you out if they decide that your legislative line is not the one that you're elected to to pursue.

HUNTE: Yes, there is a lot going on in France. Let's see what happens next.

Dominic Thomas, for now thank you. Appreciate it.

THOMAS: Thank you.

HUNTE: Let's have a check of the Asian markets now. Japan's Nikkei is surging one day after Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba announced he would resign as leader of the world's fourth largest economy. The move came less than a year after Ishiba took office.

And since then he's seen his ruling coalition lose its majorities in elections for both houses of parliament amidst growing voter anger over rising living costs.

Ishiba says he has instructed his Liberal Democratic Party to hold an emergency leadership race and will continue his duties until his successor is elected.

As tensions flare between the U.S. and Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro is asking his citizens to join the country's militia.

Next, CNN joins some of those militia members on the streets of Caracas.

[01:43:04]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HUNTE: Welcome back.

The Trump administration is facing intense pressure to provide legal justification for the military strike that killed 11 people off the coast of Venezuela. The U.S. fired on a boat that the White House says was full of drug smugglers. Officials have offered no proof at all to back up that claim.

The U.S. is bolstering its military firepower in the region, positioning ships, weapons and thousands of U.S. forces near Venezuela.

President Nicolas Maduro says it's part of an effort to overthrow his government. And some Venezuelans say they are afraid of an all-out military conflict.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SERGIO HOGUERA, VENEZUELAN RESIDENT (through translator): Some don't know if they'll wake up alive tomorrow because of possible bombing. I would say it's irresponsible because people want peace.

ROSALIA LEON, VENEZUELAN RESIDENT (through translator): We don't want war. We don't want war. We are not at war with anyone. In my lifetime, I have never experienced wars. The thing is that war is their main sustenance. Well, that's their

problem over there.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNTE: President Maduro is urging Venezuelans to enlist in the country's militia.

CNN's Stefano Pozzebon has more on the civilian group dedicated to protecting Venezuela.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

STEFANO POZZEBON, CNN JOURNALIST: On a regular day, Hector Carrillo is a pastry chef working early shifts to bake cookies and cakes for his community in a slum outside Caracas.

But when duty calls Carrillo is a reservist and a member of the Bolivarian militia, a civilian force tied to Venezuela's military, ready to defend the nation.

As sources tell CNN, the White House is considering strikes on Venezuelan territory, allegedly to hit narco traffickers, Carrillo warns any U.S. intervention against Venezuela would be catastrophic.

HECTOR CARRILLO, MEMBER OF VENEZUELAN MILITIA: I've been almost 30 years in the army and I still feel prepared to defend the fatherland.

[01:49:46]

CARRILLO: I would tell him, do not think about it because it will be bad. It will be the end of the American empire.

POZZEBON: In recent days, President Nicolas Maduro has called for a special mobilization of the militia.

"Our mobilization will be permanent and never stop. The armed forces will deliver the plans for people to sign up." Maduro told the nation claiming as many as 8 million Venezuelans signed up.

Experts dispute these numbers, or how effective this corps would be in real combat.

While militiamen like Hector are unlikely to deter any intervention plan from President Trump, they definitely send a message to everyone in the community, the government is on every street.

Today, Carrillo's job is to provide security at this government fair where citizens get access to basic services like subsidized medicines or medical consultations while the militia patrols the street.

Top prize at the spinning wheel, Super Celita, a super woman modeled on Maduro's wife, Celia Flores.

Seems like I didn't win.

At the heart of the fair is the food stall with Maduro looking on.

One of the tasks of the militia is to oversee the logistics of the government handouts, which are crucial for vast parts of the Venezuelan population as the minimum wage here is still less than a dollar a month.

Used to living under an authoritarian government, most Venezuelans seem unmoved by the prospect of U.S. strikes. Even Maduro now strikes a more cautious tone.

NICOLAS MADURO, VENEZUELAN PRESIDENT (through translator): Please don't let yourselves be deceived for one more fratricidal war in South America and in the Caribbean.

POZZEBON: The White House says more actions are coming against the Venezuelan leader.

While here, his supporters close ranks prepared for what is next.

Stefano Pozzebon, CNN -- Petare, Venezuela.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTE: Carlos Alcaraz has claimed the men's singles title at the U.S. Open. Ahead, CNN talks to the newly-crowned champion about claiming the title and the top spot in tennis. That's coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HUNTE: Carlos Alcaraz has defeated Jannik Sinner to win his second U.S. Open men's singles title. With that victory, Alcaraz also takes over the world number one spot in tennis from Sinner.

CNN's Andy Scholes caught up with the champion after the match.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANDY SCHOLES, CNN WORLD SPORT: Carlos, congratulations. You only dropped one set on your way to your second U.S. Open title. And now the number one ranked player in the world once again.

How does it feel to make -- to get this win?

CAROL ALCARAZ, U.S. OPEN CHAMPION: Well, it was a -- it was a great feeling. And it is a great feeling.

You know, my goal -- my goal, you know, since I got chance, it was almost at the beginning of the year. And I achieved that. For me, it's great. So I just -- it's something that I'm working for, and I'm really happy to be able to lift this trophy today.

[01:54:43]

SCHOLES: You and Jannik have won the last eight Grand Slam titles. Do these kind of wins have a little more meaning when you -- when you win against your biggest rival? ALCARZ: Yes, absolutely. When you're -- I think it's a better taste

when you win a Grand Slam or a tournament when you beat the best player in the world.

So for me, it's great to play as much as I can with Jannik in the biggest tournaments, in the -- in the biggest stages.

So for me, yes, it's a better feeling when I -- when I beat him I can, I can say -- I can say all the things about it.

SCHOLES: Yes. Second youngest in the open air to get six Grand Slam titles. Only 22 years old.

What are we thinking when you're all said and done? 20, 25, 30?

ALCARAZ: Well, I don't know. I mean, I can't -- I can't stop here, to be honest. I can't take anything for granted. So I just have to keep it going.

I wanted to keep improving, to keep giving my 100 percent if I want you to win more -- more of these trophies. So it's a long journey, but I'm ready to take it.

SCHOLES: Did you use the golf swing celebration with the trophy?

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTE: Skywatchers around the world gathered to view a total lunar eclipse, which is also called a "blood moon". Here we can see the stunning display over Switzerland.

This phenomenon occurs when sunlight is refracted and filtered as it passes through the earth's atmosphere during a total eclipse covering the moon's surface in a coppery red glow.

Mariah Carey was full of emotions on Sunday night when she took home her first MTV Video Music Award. That's right. After 35 years of producing iconic chart-topping hits.

The "We Belong Together" singer was honored with the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award. That's MTV's version of a lifetime achievement award.

Carey poked fun at the milestone after performing some of her top hits, and reminisced on old performances with other singing greats like Whitney Houston. She's logged 19 number one hits on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and that's more than any other solo artist in music history. And that looks like her "One Sweet Day" finally came along.

Love that.

Well, that's all I've got for you. Thanks for joining me and the team.

I'm Ben Hunte in Atlanta. And I will see you next weekend.

CNN NEWSROOM continues with Rosemary Church after this short break. Rosemary, over to you.

[01:57:16]

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