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U.S.-Israel War with Iran; Venezuela Earthquakes; FIFA World Cup Highlights; Bolton Plea Deal; Texas to Require Bible Stories in Schools; Skywalker's Lightsaber at Auction. Aired 5-6a ET

Aired June 27, 2026 - 05:00   ET

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

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SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Hello and a very warm welcome to our viewers all around the world and in the U.S. I'm Salma Abdelaziz in London. Let's get into the headlines.

The fragile ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran is facing a new test. We have a live report on the latest strikes and the state of those peace talks.

Plus, Venezuelans are desperate for aid after devastating earthquakes. A volunteer on the ground shares the latest on the aftermath.

And schools in Texas could be required to teach Bible stories in their classrooms. What we know about this new proposal and the opposition it faces.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): Live from London. This is CNN NEWSROOM with Salma Abdelaziz

ABDELAZIZ: We're getting initial reactions from Tehran after the latest round of U.S. strikes on Iran. On Friday, the U.S. Central Command said it struck a series of Iranian military targets after an apparent Iranian drone attack on a ship.

That could be a major test for the U.S.-Iran interim agreement that was signed only 10 days ago. In response, a top Iranian lawmaker slammed the U.S., saying the attack came right in the middle of negotiations.

Again, president Donald Trump called the Iranian attack foolish but said on Friday that Tehran still has some military muscle.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: We still have a fight. They have some capability, not much. They're not winning or anything. But they have some -- they can still shoot.

(END VIDEO CLIP) ABDELAZIZ: Meanwhile, diplomats say Israel and Lebanon have just made their first steps toward a potential future peace deal. They signed an agreement with the U.S. on Friday. Israel says its forces will pull out of two areas in southern Lebanon, which will be handed over to the Lebanese military.

Our Paula Hancocks is monitoring all of these developments and she joins us now live from Abu Dhabi.

Let's start, of course, with that exchange of fire in the Strait of Hormuz, Paula.

Has the deal fallen apart here?

Are we looking at a resumption of full-scale military operations by the U.S. and Iran?

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Salma, what we heard after the Central Command confirmed that they had carried out these strikes was from a U.S. official, saying that it does not reflect a return to major combat operations, at least for now.

So there is a chance that this was an isolated incident. It was in reaction to what the U.S. said was an Iranian drone that had hit a vessel transiting the Strait of Hormuz.

Now we have also heard from Central Command that what they were targeting was specifically military targets, so missile and drone stocks and also some coastal radar sites.

We heard as well from Tehran, from the ministry of foreign affairs, saying that they condemned what the U.S. had done, that this was a violation of the memorandum of understanding and that they had, through the Revolutionary Guard, ordered defensive strikes against U.S. military targets in this region.

We haven't had confirmation from Central Command whether or not that actually happened or whether there was any damage. So there is a chance this could have been an isolated flareup.

Certainly what we have seen in the Strait of Hormuz, that there had been an increasing number of vessels that were transiting the crucial waterway earlier in the week, on Wednesday, there were more than 70 vessels; Thursday, more than 50.

But then, of course, later Thursday, this vessel was struck. Now we've heard as well from the U.S. vice president JD Vance.

He has posted on social media, and I'll quote, "Iran signed a ceasefire agreement. We have honored it. If they have disagreements about how the MOU is being applied, they can pick up the phone. But violence will be met with violence."

The U.S. president as well, calling the decision to strike this vessel, which Iran has not claimed responsibility for a, quote, "foolish" violation. So it is the first time that we've seen this kind of flareup since the

memorandum of understanding has been signed. There's no clear indication that either side, though, has the appetite at this point, Salma, to really push back into significant military operations.

ABDELAZIZ: So for now, the diplomacy continues between Iran and the U.S. But there's also been this parallel track of negotiations taking place in D.C. this week between Israel and Lebanon.

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Are there any substantive results there?

HANCOCKS: So the three sides have come to a trilateral agreement. This is Israel, Lebanon and the United States, which has been mediating these talks. It comes after four days of talks in Washington this week.

Now crucially, it doesn't include Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed militia group, which has been fighting against Israel for many years now. Hezbollah has rejected the talks and has also rejected this agreement that has been signed.

We have heard from the Israeli prime minister as well, talking about the deal. It would include the Israeli military pulling out of two areas that it currently occupies in southern Lebanon, one just north of the Litani River, one south. This is what prime minister Netanyahu had to say about the agreement.

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BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, PRIME MINISTER OF ISRAEL: The most important thing is that, first of all, Israel remains in security zone in southern Lebanon. This is a great achievement and we are maintaining it as long as Hezbollah does not disarm, as long as there is danger to the state of Israel. This is also a great blow to Iran.

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HANCOCKS: The Israeli military also said earlier that they will temporarily withdraw some of their troops from southern Lebanon, also from parts of Gaza as well.

Now the U.S. secretary of state, Marco Rubio, who's been very involved in mediating these talks, was very positive about this agreement, saying it's the beginning of the beginning but also very realistic as to how difficult the process going forward is.

The territory that the Israeli military will pull back from will be given to the Lebanese military. This is part of the pilot program to try and give territory back to the Lebanese state in the hope that Hezbollah does not move back in and take over these areas in southern Lebanon, Salma.

ABDELAZIZ: Paula Hancocks there on all the developments in the region. Thank you so much for those updates. Emergency crews are urgently looking for survivors for more than two

days after the deadly twin quakes in Venezuela. CNN video shows rescue teams working on the scene in the hardest hit area, where officials say more than 100 buildings have collapsed.

The images show widespread damage from two of the strongest quakes to hit Venezuela in more than a century. Many people remain trapped under the rubble or missing and residents are absolutely desperate to find their loved ones.

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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): My mom lived here, Maria, 82 years old. My brother, Ivan; my daughter, 20 years old and the boyfriend who was over here, they came to bring food to my mom. And the last contact I had with them was at 5:45 in the afternoon.

After that, we didn't know anything about them. Honestly, from the heart, in the name of all of Venezuela, please, we beg you, please help. To the whole world, please help us.

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ABDELAZIZ: Elite U.S. search and rescue teams from California and Virginia are deploying to Venezuela. Video from the State Department shows the teams arriving there on Friday, with more expected.

And more than 48 hours after these earthquakes, frustration is now growing in Venezuela over the government's response. Some residents say there is not enough rescue crews or heavy machinery. That's leaving communities to search for victims and clear up on their own.

Hospitals are also reporting a shortage of critical supplies. And Venezuela's top lawmaker says at least 920 people were killed and more than 3,300 injured in this disaster.

I want to bring in now Elias Ferrer. He is the founder and director of analytics firm Orinoco Research and the bilingual media platform, Guacamaya. He joins me from Caracas.

Good morning. I know there is so much happening right now. Thank you so much for making the time to talk to us.

ELIAS FERRER, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, GUACAMAYA: Yes. I mean, there is a lot of work going on, volunteering work here in Venezuela, which, you know, I'm also getting involved because everyone is going out to do it. So -- but yes, it's always good to give the issue more visibility.

ABDELAZIZ: And I know you've been directly in those affected areas just recently to help people.

What does it look like there?

What does it feel like?

What is the atmosphere? Take us to that location.

FERRER: So I mean, in Caracas, where I am right now, there have only been a few buildings that have collapsed. In a way, I mean, all things considered is almost a thankful thing I think that we can be thankful for. But yes, I mean, there are these areas near the coast. So in the state of La Guaira, which have been absolutely devastated.

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And it has been, you know, very hard to just walk around because you see all this destruction, all these buildings. And there have been completely collapsed, not even just none. But I think that there is a -- I mean, there's a strange atmosphere, right, where everyone wants to help out. And I think this is super important, right?

Everyone is out there, trying to bring food, medical supplies and so on because, I mean, the state, you know, the government has sent out teams and even the military to some parts and so on.

But for the most part, we don't -- they didn't have enough preparation. They didn't have, you know, heavy machinery to deal with the situation. So it's really down to ordinary people.

And, you know, something fascinating, I think, that we can see is that, in some places, there is too much aid arriving in certain distribution centers, which I think is something to be hopeful for.

I also think that something that has helped morale a lot, really, in the streets of Caracas, at the very least, is to see all of these countries making announcements and, you know, showing that they're sending rescue teams and machinery and other kinds of aid.

I think that's something that's been very important, given that the state has not been able to give an adequate response, that, at least, you know, the international community is going to be helping

ABDELAZIZ: So you're talking about ordinary people stepping up and doing what they can and giving what they can. The international goodwill that has poured into Venezuela -- and a lot of that comes down to the fact you're saying that the Venezuelan government simply can't handle this.

This is a country that's been suffering an economic crisis for years. Talk to me about what infrastructure is there to help with this crisis and what's missing.

FERRER: So I mean, the main thing is, when there are buildings in the rubble, you need heavy machinery to, you know, remove all of the pieces and/or maybe to like dig tunnels through the rubble to rescue people.

Because, I mean, obviously there have been all of these efforts to bring people out of these buildings, many of them alive, which is something, you know, that we can really be thankful to all of the teams of firefighters and volunteers and so on. But in many cases, there's no way -- there are not enough machines,

essentially; not enough tractors and trucks and all of that and -- or cranes. And also in some cases, it's not possible to take them to certain areas.

I mean, in La Guaira, essentially, there is one road going along the coast. Essentially, you know, it goes both ways. But if there is something blocking this road, there's no way to get to the other side of the state, right?

Because it is kind of squeezed between a mountain, the mountain and the sea. So you know, logistics are very difficult, especially in that area. And also there is only one highway between -- and one really road between Caracas and La Guaira.

So obviously it has been very difficult, even when there is machinery and some aid, to get to the most affected areas. The other thing is all of the victims that are coming from La Guaira who cannot even -- or some even in Caracas, who maybe their building is not even destroyed.

But it's not possible to go back into those buildings, you know. And this is the case, you know, that even people that I know personally, they're facing this situation.

So now the key issue is, you know, what do we -- what does the government do?

And what do people do to help with thousands, tens of thousands of people probably, who cannot go back to their homes?

Many are staying in parks or, you know, in relatives' houses if they're more lucky in many cases. But you know and there are many volunteers taking food and, you know, hygiene supplies and so on. But what's going to be really important now is, you know, where can they go live, at least in the medium term, right?

ABDELAZIZ: And you're talking about tens of thousands of people here who have been potentially made homeless by this crisis, a government that is weakened.

Do you fear that this will make Venezuela ever more subordinate to the United States, ever more dependent on the United States?

FERRER: Well, I mean, this is something that could happen. And to the extent that, I mean, you know, because first we had this relationship that was caused by a military action, right?

In January 3rd, where, you know, the U.S. military took Nicolas Maduro, you know, captured him, I think it wouldn't -- it's not going to be a bad thing necessarily that, I mean, for now, we're just seeing, you know, search and rescue teams and machinery and so on.

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Coming from the U.S. as they are coming from loads of other countries. And, of course, you know, Latin America, Europe and so on.

What I think maybe there could be -- a deeper relationship of dependency could be if the U.S. is very much involved in the reconstruction of the country. Right. And -- but this is something that at the same time.

You know, the Trump administration has been saying that it doesn't want to do in Venezuela or anywhere else, you know, this nation building and projects. It has been always saying that it doesn't want to do that.

So I mean, we would have to see if this is going to send some rescue teams. And, you know, there's some, military -- like engineering military units trying to fix the wrong way in the international airport of Maiquetia near Caracas.

But you know, we will have to see, you know.

Are they going to be building housing units for all of these, refugees, for example?

And that's not very clear for now.

ABDELAZIZ: Elias Ferrer there. He has been volunteering in Caracas, Venezuela, helping those who need it most. Thank you so much.

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ABDELAZIZ: Russian-installed authorities in Crimea have declared a state of emergency to deal with an economic issue. Authorities there have already suspended children's summer camps, tourism and fuel sales in response to attacks from Ukraine. Some of the locals were unfazed.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): I would not say the state of emergency has had any significant impact. I didn't feel it. People are a bit tense. But overall everything is fine. The situation is stable.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): Yes, there is water today. But on the first day there was no water. Now everything is fine with the water.

QUESTION: Did you stock up on water?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): Yes I did. On the first day, that is on the day of the strike, there was a problem. I filled the bathtub with water but it was not needed.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ABDELAZIZ: Despite those views you heard there, not everyone feels the same. CNN's Ivana Kottasova has the details on the pressure some residents are facing.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) IVANA KOTTASOVA, CNN SENIOR PRODUCER: Life in Crimea is becoming very uncomfortable. There are widespread power outages across the peninsula and local authorities have warned residents that their power is not likely to come back anytime soon because of Ukrainian drone attacks.

There's also a problem with fuel. Many gas stations across the peninsula have run dry and the ones that still have supplies have been banned from selling fuel to local residents.

Now it is really no surprise that people are trying to get out of Crimea. But even that is becoming very difficult because the only way from Crimea directly into Russia is via a bridge. And that bridge is a frequent target of Ukrainian drone attacks, which means Russian authorities have to close it down on regular basis.

On Friday alone, we saw thousands of cars queuing trying to get across the bridge and out of Crimea -- Ivana Kottasova, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ABDELAZIZ: Dozens of Ukrainian soldiers are spending their first day back home after four years in Russian captivity. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says 160 of them were released on Friday as part of a prisoner swap with Moscow.

A video released by Ukraine shows them hugging and calling their relatives shortly after the swap. Mr. Zelenskyy says they've been held since 2022.

Russia says the same number of its prisoners of war were released by Ukraine. This video shows them boarding a bus in Belarus before heading home to Russia.

After the break, we're going to take a look at Friday's World Cup matches as the teams continue to fight for those coveted knockout round slots.

And Europe is sizzling under a deadly heat wave that is rewriting the history books. When we return, the country that just hit its all-time record.

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ABDELAZIZ: The race to reach the World Cup knockout stage delivered more drama during Friday's six games, continuing one team's fairytale story and ending the World Cup dreams of heavyweight Uruguay.

Cabo Verde heads into its next chapter after the team eliminated Saudi Arabia in a scoreless draw. With a population of just half a million, that tiny island nation is now the smallest country to ever reach a World Cup knockout stage.

Belgium rounded out their group stage with a 5-1 win over New Zealand, advancing to the next round. And Belgium ended New Zealand's World Cup campaign while clinching the top spot in their group.

Egypt made history, reaching the knockout round for the first time after a 1-1 draw with Iran. Now Team Iran must wait for the final group stage results to learn whether they will advance.

Team USAs match in the win-or-go-home knockout round is on Wednesday, when they play Bosnia and Herzegovina. CNN's Andy Scholes was at the World Cup fan zone in Los Angeles and asked how far people think Team USA can go in this year's tournament.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Top of the group, Amy. We are ready. Let's go.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I am absolutely sure that the USA is going to win the World Cup.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're not stopping until the finals, baby.

ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORT CORRESPONDENT: Our USA fans are more optimistic than ever that they can make some noise at this World Cup. Some even think that they can actually win it but what do other countries think about that?

Do you give the U.S. any chance of winning?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, no. Sorry, guys.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That's great. But France is going to win.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You know, they don't have, like, that good of a rap sheet but they're playing really good. You can't deny that. They do have a chance.

SCHOLES: What do you say to that?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, sorry. This time it's Brazil.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The U.S. team?

SCHOLES: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think they're pretty good.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's literally no chance.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I look forward to seeing what they can do but I don't know.

SCHOLES: Do you think the fans are right to think that they can win it?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Maybe. Maybe.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think they have the potential to go, if not all the way, very close. Very close. They're looking very nice.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Of course not.

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We are better, man. France going to win this year.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is not the sport for the -- any U.S. team.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ABDELAZIZ: Today is the final day of group stage games before the knockout round begins. Colombia will face off against Portugal in a battle for the top of Group K in Miami. Croatia is set to play Ghana, knowing a win could keep their World Cup hopes alive.

And defending champion Argentina will close out its group stage against Jordan in Dallas.

A broad heat dome is expected to bring dangerously hot and humid conditions to the eastern half of the United States in the coming days. In the South this weekend, heat and humidity will intensify and expand toward the Midwest and the Great Lakes.

By early next week, the National Weather Service says tens of millions of people will be under a major or extreme heat risk from the Deep South to as far north as Minnesota and as far east as New York next week.

In Europe, a historic week of sweltering heat is ending with yet another record shattered. On Friday, Germany experienced the hottest temperature in the country's history.

The day before, the U.K. and Switzerland posted their hottest record temperatures. The previous day, it was France and Paris. Major events have been canceled and officials have opened up a section of Saint- Martin Canal for swimming. Our Saskya Vandoorne has more for us.

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SASKYA VANDOORNE, CNN PRODUCER: It seems nowhere in France is escaping this punishing heat wave. More than three-quarters of the country is now in the red alert zone. That is the highest alert for heat waves, meaning there is a danger to life.

And that's what authorities are saying, that, first and foremost, this is a public health emergency, especially for the elderly and for young children. Now hospitals are under increasing strain as they try and cope with the influx of patients. So they've been allocated more resources and more personnel.

How are people coping here in Paris? Well, I am at the Canal Saint-Martin. Before, you weren't able to swim here. It wasn't allowed. But authorities have opened spots along the canal to help people cool off.

There are lifeguards who are also stationed here, as authorities have urged people not to jump into rivers or swim in unauthorized swimming spots -- Saskya Vandoorne, CNN, Paris.

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ABDELAZIZ: The United States, China, even the pope, a global coalition is coming to Venezuela's aid after the deadly earthquakes. We'll have more on their efforts just ahead.

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ABDELAZIZ: Welcome back. I'm Salma Abdelaziz. Let's check some of today's top stories.

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ABDELAZIZ (voice-over): A top Iranian lawmaker is accusing the U.S. of launching strikes in the middle of negotiations again. U.S. Central Command said it hit Iranian military targets on Friday. The action was described as a response to an earlier Iranian strike on a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz.

Meanwhile, Bahrain is condemning what it said were Iranian drone attacks on its territory on Saturday. That's according to the state news agency. Iran said earlier it had carried out strikes against targets linked to U.S. forces in the region without identifying the targets or saying where they were located.

And Russian-installed authorities in Crimea have declared a state of emergency to deal with economic issues. Officials there have already suspended children's summer camps, tourism and fuel sales in response to Ukrainian attacks. Some residents have experienced disruptions in power and water services.

Relief efforts are intensifying in Venezuela two days after deadly twin earthquakes devastated the country. Rescue teams are combing through the rubble, searching for survivors. Officials say at least 920 people were killed and more than 3,300 injured in two of the strongest quakes to hit the country in more than a century.

A coalition of aid and rescue teams is mobilizing to Venezuela to offer emergency assistance after those catastrophic earthquakes. CNN's Isabel Rosales has more on the massive relief effort.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) ISABEL ROSALES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: International rescue teams are on their way and on the ground in Venezuela, bringing critical manpower, equipment and expertise to support search efforts, like this unit from the U.K.

RUSS GAUDEN, U.K. ISAR NATIONAL COORDINATOR: So as soon as we land, we'll bolt into the network that's already there. We'll work with colleagues, international colleagues and the local responses to build that bigger picture. Teams will be deployed straight away into the field.

ROSALES: Help is also coming from across Latin America, including specialized search and rescue units from Colombia, Chile, El Salvador and Brazil, as well as tons of medical supplies and hundreds of military personnel from Mexico. Mexican volunteer groups are also deploying.

VICTOR MANCERA, TOPOS MEXICO (translated): Sometimes, we have found people who have been buried for more than seven days. So that is what we are going for, to try to recover more people alive, right?

ROSALES: The U.S. is pledging a $150 million in aid, sending the USS Fort Lauderdale and dispatching its own elite rescue teams skilled in excavating collapsed buildings.

BATTALION CHIEF ROBERT SCHOENBERGER, SPECIAL OPERATION DIVISION, FAIRFAX COUNTY FIRE AND RESCUE: The first key is to detect, right, just to make sure that we're even in the right vicinity. And then we move into not just detecting but then a location of where we exactly start to dig.

ROSALES: Beijing has deep ties with Venezuela and many Chinese funded companies are assisting with rescue and cleanup efforts. Teams from Spain, France, Germany and Switzerland are also on the ground.

But despite the outpouring of help, international agencies say recovery efforts will take months and damage from the quakes is slowing some responses.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The airport is damaged. That is presenting a real obstacle right now to getting in supplies at scale. But for to meet the needs, we're going to need airport access. There are telecommunications issues. Internet connectivity is very patchy.

ROSALES: Additional support also coming from Pope Leo who sent an initial donation of more than a $100,000 for the victims -- Isabel Rosales, CNN, Atlanta.

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ABDELAZIZ: President Trump accused Democrats of being an existential danger to the country on Friday just days after a handful of self- identified Democratic Socialist candidates won primaries in New York.

[05:35:05] The president called the Democratic Party "godless communists" on social media and said they were the biggest threat to the country since its founding. He continued in that vein during remarks Friday evening in Washington, D.C.

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TRUMP: It's happening right now in New York and California but you'll start living in squalor. You'll live in squalor. There will be no food. There will be no housing. There will be no military. There will be no law and order. There will be no nothing. There'll be no nothing.

You'll be a third world inhabitant in every way and everyone will suffer or die. You'll suffer or die. This is what happens.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ABDELAZIZ: The U.S. government is allowing the limited release of a powerful new AI model. Anthropic has received approval to make its Mythos model available to a select group of companies and organizations. The company says the model will be used by a small group of cyber defenders and infrastructure providers.

Despite cybersecurity concerns, experts have warned the technology could help hackers and other bad actors find and exploit security vulnerabilities. Anthropic says it is working with the U.S. government to address those risks.

President Donald Trump took a social media victory lap on Friday after his former national security adviser, John Bolton, pleaded guilty to one charge of unlawfully retaining national security information. Bolton has accepted a plea deal. He now faces a substantial fine and possibly time in prison.

A federal judge in Los Angeles has declared a mistrial in the Palisades arson case. The prosecution accused Jonathan Rinderknecht of starting the deadly Palisades wildfire in 2025.

But after a day of deliberation, the jury told the judge on Friday they were deadlocked. Despite the mistrial, the prosecution says it intends to retry the case. Nick Watt has the latest.

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NICK WATT, CNN ANCHOR AND NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: So 10 of 12 jurors were not guilty, two for guilty, and they were at a standstill. They could not reach a unanimous decision. So a mistrial.

Now one of the jurors, Juror Number Four, did come out and speak and gave us an insight, a little insight into why and how this went down. So she said she didn't like the government maligning this guy's personality for just being human.

The government say Jonathan Rinderknecht, 30-year-old former Uber driver, was angry at the world, hated the rich, pissed off at the world -- their words, not mine -- and that he lit this fire as revenge. This juror said she didn't like them maligning him in that way. She also said there were too many holes, not enough proof.

You know, the prosecution say Jonathan Rinderknecht was the only person on the hill the night the fire broke out. But this juror said, you know, the cell phone data is incomplete. There are holes.

So the other key issue here, Rinderknecht, is accused of lighting the fire in the early hours of January 1st. He was apparently annoyed he didn't have a date or a party to go to New Year's Eve.

That fire, he called 9-1-1 a bunch of times, as did other people. The fire department came, put it out but it was still burning in the roots underneath what's called a holdover fire. And apparently hikers saw the smoke, you know, in the next few days reported it.

Nothing was done. So on October -- sorry; January 7th, the fire blew up again, became the Palisades fire, killed 12 people, burned 37 square miles.

This one juror said, why should one guy be held responsible when there was negligence on behalf of other people?

So what happens now?

He is being kept in custody and the government says they will retry this case in October. There are also a bunch of civil cases, suits against the city, suits against the state, et cetera.

But Jonathan Rinderknecht right now, despite 10 of 12 jurors disagreeing with the U.S. attorney who says the evidence is great, he will be back on trial for the same alleged crime come October. Back to you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ABDELAZIZ: A Utah judge has ruled that the death penalty will remain in place as a possible punishment for the man accused of killing Charlie Kirk. Tyler Robinson faces murder and other charges for allegedly gunning down the conservative activist last year.

But the judge did side with the defense on another issue. He ruled that the prosecutor, Christopher Ballard, violated a court order banning both sides from speaking to the press. High profile conservative activist Charlie Kirk was shot to death on a Utah college campus last September.

Bible stories are headed into some public school lessons. After the break, what the new requirement means for Texas classrooms.

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ABDELAZIZ: The Texas State Board of Education is now requiring millions of public school students to study Bible stories in the classroom. The board approved a new list of required reading that includes Bible verses alongside classic literature. CNN's Ed Lavandera has more from Dallas for us.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ED LAVANDERA, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Over the course of this past week, the Texas State Board of Education heard from hundreds of people over hours and hours of public testimony in whether or not the state should adopt Biblical teachings into the state's English and social studies curriculum.

This was a debate that lasted for much of the week but, in the end, the Texas State Board of Education has voted to approve this new curriculum, which essentially infuses Biblical teachings at every grade level from kindergarten to 12th grade for more than 5 million public school students across the state of Texas.

Supporters say that this goes a long way into teaching the role of Christianity in the development of the United States and its role within Western culture. Critics say this is a clear violation of the separation of church and state, that it excludes the points of view and the teachings of non-protestant Christians, as well as Jews and Muslims.

There was one Republican who voted with Democrats against this curriculum and this is what she had to say.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Teachers need to be have their autonomy. They've been selecting books for decades, for years. This is nothing new. This is not a new concept to teachers. We are simply giving them a mandated list, which I believe is unconstitutional. But regardless of what I believe, let's not take their autonomy away.

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LAVANDERA: Now this new curriculum won't be phased in immediately. It will start in 2030 and then phase in to the higher grades over the next few years after that.

But education experts say they know of no other state in the country that has gone to these lengths to infuse Biblical teachings into the public school curriculum -- Ed Lavandera, CNN, Dallas.

[05:45:00]

ABDELAZIZ: I want to bring in now Jonathan Friedman. He's the managing director of U.S. free expression programs at PEN America. It's a nonprofit organization that tracks and opposes book bans in schools.

Good morning to you. Thank you so much for making the time to speak to us today.

JONATHAN FRIEDMAN, SY SYMS MANAGING DIRECTOR OF U.S. FREE EXPRESSION PROGRAMS, PEN AMERICA: Yes, my pleasure.

ABDELAZIZ: As you just heard our reporter there, Texas has now approved plans to make Bible stories mandatory for all public school students.

Can you give me your thoughts on this as part of this larger trend, to not only add religious teachings but also detract from other sources of information through book banning in U.S. curriculums?

What do you think?

FRIEDMAN: Well, that's just it. You know, this isn't happening in isolation. We're talking about an effort that has been going on now for five years, to chip away at the library books that students have access to in Texas and Florida, in many states in the country. And that's taken many different forms.

But a lot of the time, what happens is you have a vague law and you have a school district that, you know, obeys in advance or goes beyond what exactly the law precisely demands. But ultimately what happens is they close down libraries or they remove all kinds of books.

Sometimes it's because of individual parents' challenges to books. Sometimes it's because of school boards, sometimes it's because of politicians exerting direct pressure on school districts.

But Texas has been, for a number of years now, one of the leading states that is banning books. And it affects all kinds of texts. I mean, even just in the past few months, we had a district in Texas that removed upwards of 1,000 books. Many of them did ultimately go back.

But for a period of time, they removed all kinds of books, including biographies and memoirs of George W. Bush, President Obama, because these books within library systems are considered for, quote-unquote, "adults."

Now it's just very silly. You know, there's a long history of books being divided as to whether they are children's books or young adult books. But all kinds of classic books, memoirs, biographies are still classified as adult books.

And so, you know, you'd laugh at the foolishness here but the absurdity is real. I mean -- and now the Bible, this new Bible list that is mandating all kinds of texts in -- across the state is, you know, going to contribute to that.

You have a situation where it is impossible to say that teachers have much autonomy for what students are learning. You have the books that are being pushed out. You have the books and the materials that are being pushed in.

(CROSSTALK) ABDELAZIZ: If you don't mind me interrupting here, let's put the book banning aside for one second. I want to go back to what's happening in Texas. I think supporters of this would say to you, look, the Bible is simply a literary work. It has a huge impact in history.

Why shouldn't we be required to read it for that reason alone?

What would you say to that?

FRIEDMAN: Well, I mean, what an important point. Like, of course, the Bible should be something that people can learn about in schools.

It's one thing, you know, to think about the secular nature of public schools in the United States, where part of the First Amendment guarantees that public institutions, public schools included, are, because of the establishment clause, separate from the enforcement and endorsement of a particular religion.

So yes, of course, there are ways to study the Bible. But this is, you know, sets up a situation where it doesn't seem like that's the point. They are mandating, not just saying it's an option, they are mandating a very specific set of texts from the Bible that really does approach government-mandated religious teaching.

And, you know, you could say, well, schools learn about religion all the time.

But how are they going to enforce the fact that teachers should not be proselytizing, that this should not be theological teaching?

What happens when you have all kinds of kids who, let's say, do not believe in the Bible and are going home and talking about what they're learning in school and what they're learning are Bible stories?

I mean, it does start to raise some questions that aren't really very clearly being answered right now.

ABDELAZIZ: And on that book banning, I guess one could say, as a parent, look, I can get any book I want with a click of a mouse.

Why should I be worried if it's in my kid's library or it's being teached (sic) in their classroom or not?

What would you say to that?

FRIEDMAN: You know, one of the key principles when we think about this is voluntary inquiry. It's like the idea that like, no one is going to make you read that book. I can read what I read in a school library. You can read what you read. We might have different standards for our children.

But when we think about foreclosing the availability of books, narrowing what it is available, combined with dictating what we all must read, what you're doing is setting up a situation where teachers, you know, aren't going to have much freedom to supplement the list.

[05:50:00]

And, you know, there's a lot of ways in which even this law says teachers, you know, can have the choice. There can be local control, supplementing the mandated list.

But a lot of the testimony from teachers over the past, during the consideration of this new policy, they've said that they're not going to have time to even, you know, finish just getting through this list.

And then, of course, there's all kinds of books on this list that are classic books. There are books that, you know, of course, kids should be able to read and, you know, do -- you know, could make sense as part of curriculum in schools.

It's not that every book on this list is the Bible alone. But what we have to think about is the diversity of texts that are on there, the diversity of narrators.

And it really doesn't square with the diversification that has been happening in children's literature over the last decade or so, where many young and a new generation of authors are telling more diverse stories that match the diversity of children in the United States.

ABDELAZIZ: Jonathan Friedman there on the struggle, the fight, the battle over curriculums in the United States from PEN America. Thank you so much for your time.

FRIEDMAN: Thank you.

ABDELAZIZ: From rookie of the year to champion, when we come back, the American woman who scored her first career tour win in this year's Rio Pro.

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ABDELAZIZ: U.S. Sawyer's Lindblad (sic) won big on Friday at this year's world surf league championship tour in Rio de Janeiro. This is her first career title after being named 2024 Rookie of the Year. It's also her first time ever competing in the Rio Pro.

Brazil's reigning world champ, Yago Dora, also triumphed in the men's final, clinching his first win of the season.

Some iconic artifacts from Hollywood movies and the music world will go on the auction block in New York next month. Fans of "Star Wars" will have a chance to pick up Luke Skywalker's severed hand holding a lightsaber. The starting bid is $1 million.

Other items include the hat worn by the Wicked Witch of the West in "The Wizard of Oz" and a pair of commemorative ruby slippers made for the film's 50th anniversary. Heritage Auctions is also selling lyrics handwritten by the late John Lennon.

A giraffe that escaped a ranch in rural Texas has finally been found. But she's not home just yet. The ranch owner says Gracie the giraffe managed to scale a steep, rocky area where his -- the other giraffes don't normally go. She'd been missing for about two weeks.

The sheriff's office says she was found during an aerial search near the ranch on Friday. Now he's putting a team together with a vet to safely capture Gracie and bring her back home.

Thank you so much for joining us. I'm Salma Abdelaziz in London. For our viewers in North America, "CNN THIS MORNING" is coming up next. For the rest of the world, it's going to be "AFRICAN VOICES."