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2 Dead, More Injured in Seattle Festival Shooting; Suspect in Pride Attack Shot Dead by Police in Berlin; U.S. Signals Pause in Iran Strikes Will Allow Talks to Progress; Ukraine's President to Meet with Trump in White House Tuesday; Firefighters Tackle Flames in Southwest France. Aired 12-1a ET

Aired July 27, 2026 - 00:00   ET

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

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAVID LETTERMAN, FORMER LATE-NIGHT HOST: Do you like to hang around with me?

[00:00:01]

PETER JENNINGS, FORMER ABC NEWS ANCHOR: No.

LETTERMAN: So, how you doing?

JOHN CLEESE, ACTOR/COMEDIAN: And I'll say it again: this is the stupidest show.

CHER, SINGER/ACTRESS: I thought that I would never want to do this show with you.

LETTERMAN: Now why? Because you thought I was a (EXPLETIVE DELETED)?

There's one rule I keep trying to abide by, and unfortunately, I only get to it about 12 percent of the time. And that is, it's only television. We're not doing cancer research, if the 40-year-odd history of commercial broadcasting has taught us one thing.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.

BEN HUNTE, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, I'm Ben Hunte. This is CNN. We are following breaking news this hour out of Seattle, Washington, where fire officials report at least two people are dead and more injured after a shooting at the Seattle Food Festival.

Witnesses tell CNN affiliate KOMO they heard, quote, "seven to eight shots" inside the venue and saw people fleeing.

The event hosts hundreds of local vendors and live music performances, too.

Police have yet to announce details on a suspect or whether anyone has been taken into custody. Joining me now is Justice Beitzel, who was at the food festival when the shooting took place. First, we are really glad that you are safe, and thank you for speaking to us at CNN.

Firstly, just how would you describe the scene when the gunfire erupted? And how quickly did people around you realize that this wasn't just fireworks or some other loud noise?

JUSTICE BEITZEL, EYEWITNESS: Well, even as we were sitting in an open area where there was a concert happening onstage, and we were eating just behind one of the food vendors, their area.

And I heard the gunshots. There were about 6 or 7 multiple gunshots. And then there was -- it almost sounded like an automatic going off.

And all of a sudden, I just saw a sea of people running towards us. We -- one of my friends, she was like a deer in the headlights, and she just sat there. So, I immediately picked her up and another friend and -- and pulled them back to -- to hide behind. There was a beer garden behind us, so we hid behind that and.

And -- and everybody got down. There were people hiding behind the food vendors' tents and people hiding behind trees, leaving their items behind. And the park pretty much cleared out as soon as possible. Loads of people were just being pushed to the ends.

HUNTE: As I say, we are so glad that you are safe.

You said online that you were only feet away when this did happen. What stands out most about how people responded in those first few moments? Did you see anybody injured, or did you see the person shooting?

BEITZEL: Did not see anybody injured or the people shooting. Later, I did see one woman being put into an ambulance.

I did pass a police officer on the way out, and he had mentioned that there were multiple shooters. And there were six victims at that time who had been shot, and one of them was a child.

HUNTE: My goodness. This is one of Seattle's biggest summer festivals, packed with families and visitors. How shocking was it to see violence break out in a place where people had gathered simply to just enjoy the weekend?

BEITZEL: You know, it's hard, because there was so much joy here for the World Cup. There were a lot of people coming together.

The sun is out, and Seattle doesn't get to see the sun very often. But when we do, a lot of people come out. And it was -- it was a beautiful day. It was something that happens every year. A lot of foodies here.

And for this to happen, it's just tragic. And I just pray for all of the -- the families who are affected, the people who were shook. There were a lot of people that were shook and still shaking. I ran into a couple that were in the parking garage, and she was -- she was still viciously shaking over it.

HUNTE: It is absolutely awful.

And just a note for our viewers: that we are seeing live images there from Seattle, Washington. We'll obviously bring you the latest as we get it.

As all of this unfolded -- unfolded, what kind of response did you see from police, and from first responders, and even members of the public who were trying to help?

BEITZEL: Well, I know that the police officers were very diligent about getting all of the people out of the park. And so, they were pushing people off to the side. They were immediately taping up the space to -- to secure it. There were tons of officers on site. I took a bunch of pictures of police cars and almost every entrance.

And, yes, so they were pretty quick and on the scene. I mean, there were already police on the scene anyways, just kind of safeguarding the space.

But yes, I -- the people that were -- I mean, there was a child that ran. And so, there was a father looking for -- for his daughter. And the couple that I ran into, they were helping to make sure that that child was being -- you know, was being taken care of.

And so, there were a lot of people coming together to make sure that -- that people were safe. There were a lot of people checking each other and just random hugs, just making sure that that people felt -- you know, felt that they were being heard and -- and feeling safe.

[00:06:13]

HUNTE: It is absolutely awful that you have had to go through this. You have said that you and many people with you are safe now, but it's difficult to imagine the confusion during an incident like this.

What was the atmosphere like, as so many people tried to get to safety?

BEITZEL: It was chaotic at first. A lot of people didn't realize what was happening.

I mean, if you've never heard gunshots before, they may just sound like small pops. I had heard them before, and so I knew immediately.

And -- and then when you see a sea of people running, you know, oftentimes people freeze; and they don't know what to do. But, you know, other people were just trying to make sure that those people got out of the way, that they were safe, that they took cover.

There were a lot of people hiding behind trees and in the beer garden, behind fences, and behind tents. And I mean, people just took cover where they could.

And people were curious, too. You saw people get up, and you saw people trying to peek around the corner. But I mean, the police were pretty on it. And they were -- they were pushing people to the edges and getting them out of there.

HUNTE: We are very glad to hear that.

Looking back now, what has stayed with you the most from those terrifying moments? And what are you thinking about tonight as investigators work to establish exactly what happened?

BEITZEL: I'm thinking about the -- the families and the people that were injured. I'm thinking about the trauma that -- of the people who saw it or the people that felt fear. I think anytime you feel fear, it's traumatic.

And I just -- I hope that that they find peace and that -- I'm just happy that everybody got to go home that could, and that we all can pray for those who -- who didn't make it. I hear that there were a couple that didn't make it.

HUNTE: Yes. And we will bring our audiences the latest as we do get it.

For now, Justice Beitzel, we are glad you're safe. And thank you so much for speaking to CNN. Appreciate it.

BEITZEL: Thank you.

HUNTE: OK, let's keep going. We're going to bring in Richard Kolko, a retired FBI supervisory special agent.

It is good to see you, sir, even under these circumstances.

What are investigators focused on in these first few hours? And what are the key questions they're trying to answer now?

RICHARD KOLKO, RETIRED FBI SUPERVISORY SPECIAL AGENT: Well, No. 1 is always life-saving. What they can do for the people that are injured, people that are wounded.

And of course, No. 2 is finding the person or persons that did this.

I've just been scouring the Internet myself, as I know many people are at CNN and around the world. The social media posts can lead you down a rabbit hole as far as what actually happened.

What you're seeing has to be validated. You know, you can't just take these videos at face value. There's got to be some investigative work done by the media or law enforcement. So, that work is being done.

So, right now, law enforcement's flooding the area, looking for any suspect. They're trying to get those witness interviews. My goodness, there's going to be plenty of video to look at. We know that. So, they've got to start collecting that, going through that and just beginning this investigation.

HUNTE: This happened at one of Seattle's biggest public festivals. From a security perspective, how difficult is it to prevent -- to protect, even, events like this?

KOLKO: Ben, that's a great question. This is the one that everybody fears. This is what's just called a soft target. They don't have the security. There's no magnetometers going through here.

There's 100,000 people strolling the streets, enjoying an evening in Seattle. They expect over 300,000 people over the three-day period, 100,000 people a day.

And as far as setting up, you know, rigid security for that just not feasible, not possible. And -- and so, it is the definition of a soft target.

But that depends. You know, once they find out who did this or why they did this. Is it something as a -- you know, is it gangs? Is it terrorism? Is it crime? They're going to have to figure that out. And that will take a little while.

Right now, we know how nervous America's been across the -- across the country for any acts of terrorism because of the ongoing conflict in Iran and the threats that have emanated from there.

But saying anything like that would be just absolutely jumping to conclusions. There was -- I saw videos where they said somebody was already arrested. Nothing like that's been confirmed.

So, the most important thing right now is, do what they can to save the people. Save the crime scene there. They have to start processing that as quick as they can.

And of course, any sort of manhunt to track down this person. And that person very likely remains armed. So, very dangerous, not only for law enforcement when they find him, but for anybody else that that person may encounter.

HUNTE: It is absolutely awful. Witnesses say that many people initially thought the gunfire was just fireworks. How much can that kind of confusion affect the emergency response?

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KOLKO: I think that's pretty standard. People just -- you know, even though we hear about so many shootings across America these days, your first indication or inclination is it is fireworks. That's what it sounds like.

People that aren't used to what firearms sound like, it very much can sound like fireworks. So, that takes a couple of seconds.

Then you start to see the people running, as we see in a lot of these social media videos. And -- and this is horrific. We've got two people shot and killed on scene. Five people, I believe, in hospitals, including a 2-year-old little boy. Horrible.

But also, many people can often be injured or even killed in the stampedes that occur after these shootings, once people see what's going on.

So, just even -- once the gunfire ends, that doesn't mean the danger has ended. And it's still a lot of danger for the people that are fleeing the area.

HUNTE: At this stage, what evidence will investigators be looking for to determine whether this was a targeted attack or a random act of violence?

KOLKO: Well, they're going to go to basic investigative methods here. They're going to want to do witness interviews. They're going to want to grab all the videos that they can. They're going to want to process the crime scene, see what kind of firearms: one gun, two guns. They'll talk to anybody they can who -- who saw that.

If this was some sort of, you know, crime or gang-related event, there would have been somebody who may have seen or heard something before it actually flared up to -- to the point of gunfire.

If it was a targeted attack, there may be somebody who had some idea that this was going on and saw somebody scouting out the area, looking suspicious, things like that.

So, all of that will come to light. It's going to take a while to get this. I understand Seattle Police Department is planning on a press conference. Hopefully, that will help answer some of the questions. And -- and hopefully they'll develop a photograph early in this investigation that they can get out.

Because my goodness, there's only so many Seattle police department and FBI and ATF agents in the area. But there's a lot of citizens out there. And if they see that photograph, there's a much better chance that they may recognize the person or have that piece of information that could be helpful to law enforcement.

So, somebody's got some idea, saw somebody running, carrying a gun, saw something before the shooting started. Now is the perfect time to pick up the phone and call Seattle P.D. or -- or the FBI.

HUNTE: Yes, indeed. We'll leave it there for now, Richard. But thank you so much. I'm sure we'll speak to you again later. Thank you for now. Richard Kolko.

KOLKO: Of course, Ben.

HUNTE: Thank you.

OK, onwards. The suspect in what German authorities are calling an Islamist terror attack at Berlin's Pride celebrations was shot dead by police following an extensive manhunt.

At least one person was killed and nearly 30 others injured in Saturday's van ramming and stabbing at the German capital's Tiergarten Park.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and other government officials visited the site of the attack on Sunday to pay their respects to the victims.

The attack came just hours after hundreds of thousands attended one of Europe's largest and longest running LGBTQ Pride parades in the area.

CNN's Fred Pleitgen has the latest for us from Berlin.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The Berlin police are saying that around 6 p.m. local time --

PLEITGEN (voice-over): -- that they did police action in the West of Berlin, in a suburb called Spandau. And there in a garden shed, they say that they found the suspect in this ramming attack, that they say that the suspect apparently then approached the police officers carrying a knife. There were shots that were fired.

And they say, in the end, the suspect was -- was killed by those police officers after those shots were fired.

Now, obviously, the investigation here is still very much going on.

Where I am right now is only about 100 yards away from where this ramming attack took place. This is right in the middle of a very central park in the center of Berlin, the Tiergarten. And that's also right at the edge of the route of that -- of that procession that took place, of that Pride parade that took place on the -- on the sidelines of which that attack took place.

Now, the police here and the German authorities are saying now that 29 people in total were injured in that ramming attack. One person was, of course, killed, was confirmed dead.

They also say that the suspect fled the scene after crashing into the tree and apparently injured several people using a machete or a knife.

As you can imagine, this manhunt was going on throughout the better part of the day. And here in Berlin, we heard helicopters overhead in many places for an extended period of time.

We ourselves also saw buildings that were put on lockdown, police officers outside those buildings, searching some of those premises.

They also went into the subject -- into the subway here in Berlin, looking for the suspect.

Now they say that in a garden shed in the West of Berlin, in that area of Spandau is where they found Abdul B., who had been named as a suspect and even was being looked for with a photo. And then in the end, after that police action took place, he was then killed on the scene.

[00:15:11]

They said they tried to revive him, that there were medics on hand, but that every help came too late for the suspect in all of this. Obviously, as you can imagine, there is still going to be a big

investigation going on. I can tell you from the days leading up to this parade, that there were a lot of barriers that were being put up. There was a big security concept for this parade.

And so, the authorities here are saying that they are, obviously, going to have an after-action report to find out exactly how a major vehicle managed to get into this park, and again, wound several people, in the end, leaving one dead, as well.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTE: All right. Stay with CNN for the latest developments on this deadly shooting in Seattle. We will have that and other stories after this short break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HUNTE: Hello, I'm Ben Hunte. This is CNN.

We are following breaking news this hour out of Seattle, Washington, where fire officials report at least two people are dead and more injured after a shooting at a Seattle food festival.

Witnesses tell CNN affiliate KOMO they heard, quote, "Seven to 8 shots inside the venue" and saw people fleeing, too.

The event hosts hundreds of local vendors and live music performances. Police have yet to announce details on a suspect, or whether anyone has been taken into custody.

[00:20:00]

And now some other stories. To the conflict in the Middle East.

U.S. military operations appear to be on hold after nearly two weeks of strikes against Iran. The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations -- that's Mike Waltz -- says diplomatic efforts have ramped up, and President Trump is giving talks with Iran some space.

Meanwhile, sources say the U.S. vice president and the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff have raised concerns about escalating the war.

CNN's Betsy Klein has the latest for us from the White House.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BETSY KLEIN, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: A halt for now in the fighting after what could be a very consequential meeting here at the White House on Friday.

KLEIN (voice-over): President Trump huddling with top advisors and cabinet officials to discuss options for a military escalation in Iran.

But after 13 consecutive nights of U.S. strikes on Iran, a relatively quiet weekend. One U.S. official telling CNN that military operations are on a hold as these diplomatic talks play out.

We heard from U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz, weighing in on that pause earlier Sunday. Listen.

MIKE WALTZ, U.S. AMBASSADOR TO THE U.N.: I've spoken with Secretary Hegseth. What the president is doing right now, as we've seen all along, is giving some talks, some space.

Talks are ongoing. They're happening at every level, from the more technical aspect of it all the way to the highest levels, of course, within both the Iranian government and the U.S. government.

KLEIN: In that Friday White House meeting, two sources telling CNN that Vice President J.D. Vance and chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, General Dan Caine, both raised concerns about escalation in this war.

President Trump has been threatening massive attacks on Iran for quite some time, including targeting critical infrastructure: things like roads, bridges, as well as that key oil hub, Kharg Island. And some have warned that that could constitute a war crime.

But Caine specifically raised concerns about depleting U.S. munitions stockpiles.

Asked to respond to that reporting, Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell saying in a statement, quote, "We have executed multiple successful operations across combatant commands while ensuring the U.S. military possesses a deep arsenal of capabilities to protect our people and our interests."

KLEIN: Now, sources say that other concerns were also raised to Trump during that Friday meeting, including the possibility of massive civilian casualties across Iran, a potential refugee crisis, as well as a broader regional conflict.

Now, there are few people within the president's inner circle who believe that these options for escalation are going to yield the results that the president is hoping for.

All of this as the president prepares for a high-stakes meeting on Tuesday with Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and less than 100 days to go until those midterm elections.

Betsy Klein, CNN, the White House.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTE: Tehran is condemning Ukraine's strike on an Iranian vessel in the Caspian Sea. Tehran says one person was killed and three were injured in a long-range drone attack.

Ukraine says it struck ships in the Caspian Sea that were transporting military cargo from Iran to Russia. But Iranian officials claim the vessel that was hit was carrying iron from Russia to Iran. Joining me now for more on all of this is CNN military analyst and

retired U.S. Air Force Colonel Cedric Leighton. It's good to see you, sir.

President Trump has threatened much larger strikes, but over the weekend, we have seen a pause in those attacks. How do you interpret that pause?

And is this a genuine opening for diplomacy or simply a quick moment before another round of military action?

COL. CEDRIC LEIGHTON (RET.), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Well, Ben, it's good to be with you.

I think it's really the latter: a quick moment before something else happens. Now, that's something else. Could be something kinetic. And that is probably the most likely scenario.

But there is a possibility that there might be a diplomatic off-ramp, or at least a further lengthening of this pause. And if that's the case, that might be a good thing. It might allow for -- for the negotiations and further cementing of, you know, some kind of an agreement.

But until that time, until we actually see something that is written on paper that can be validated, it really begs the question as to whether or not we can get there, given the current situation.

HUNTE: If this bombing campaign does resume, what meaningful military targets does Iran actually have left? And we have heard discussions about deeply buried sites.

Are there still targets that air power alone can realistically destroy? What does that tell us about the limits of an air campaign?

LEIGHTON: Well, certainly an air campaign does have limits. And, you know, one of the things to note about what we've been doing so far in Iran, what the U.S. has been doing so far in Iran, is that there have been a lot of strikes against targets that are open, that are not hardened, and some that have been hardened.

Those hardened targets are ones that the Iranians have rebuilt, as those that have been damaged. So, basically, what you see is an effort to go after command-and-control links, actual weapons themselves, weapons systems, weapons platforms; things like boats, drones, missiles, things of that nature.

[00:25:15]

The problem with targeting those assets and basically not being able to dynamically strike those targets, it really revolves down to one thing.

And that is this: the Iranians have a vast supply of missiles and drones and rockets remaining, and those -- that supply -- basically about two-thirds of what they originally had -- is something that they can still use fairly effectively.

And so, when we -- when we talk about the limits of an air campaign, it -- an air campaign is generally not sufficient to affect something like regime change or to coerce a country into surrendering just by itself.

You need some other means of coercion, whether it's a ground campaign, or a diplomatic effort, or something else to make that work.

And in this particular case, I don't think we're at a point where the Iranians have actually gotten to the point where they say that this is something that they don't want to do further.

They -- they believe that they can withstand these assaults, and they believe that they can prevail when it comes to their war aims, which include keeping the strait of Hormuz under their control.

HUNTE: Reports do suggest that the campaign has consumed a significant number of interceptors and other precision munitions. If those reports are broadly accurate, how much does that constrain America's military options for other potential global flare-ups, too?

LEIGHTON: Yes. So, the number of weapon systems that have been used in the Iran campaign is actually quite extraordinary.

You know, there are some estimates that indicate that over 1,400 Patriot missiles, like the PAC-3 missile or the PAC-6, have been used in this campaign. If that is correct, that is a vastly greater number than what has been used by Ukraine in the Ukraine-Russia war.

So, given that particular piece of data and the fact that it takes a long time, until 2029, to replace the Patriot batteries that we're -- the Patriot missiles that we're talking about, and longer to replace some other munitions, it stands to reason that the U.S. is going to be vulnerable in certain munition areas for other areas of the world.

For example, in the Western Pacific, should there be something with China where there is a -- some type of a conflict or, you know, God forbid, a war. That would be something there where there would be shortages, and it would be very important for the U.S. defense industrial base to replenish these assets as quickly as possible.

If that isn't done, if the 2030/2029 timeframe isn't exceeded, isn't beaten, and you know, made earlier, then the U.S. could have some significant shortfalls that could tempt a country like China to act, possibly against Taiwan.

So, if that's the case, that would be a real problem strategically for the United States.

HUNTE: Shifting a little bit now, Ukraine says it struck an Iranian vessel carrying military cargo linked to Russia, while Iran has threatened retaliation against Kyiv.

Are we seeing the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East becoming increasingly interconnected? LEIGHTON: Yes, this is a very interesting development. And, you know,

when you see that the Ukrainians, of course, have the range to attack shipping in the Caspian Sea, that, of course, puts a major supply line between Russia and Iran at risk.

If the Iranians go ahead and start to attack Ukrainian targets, that absolutely would be a widening of the war beyond what we're already seeing in the Middle East, where we're looking at the Bab el-Mandab, that strait that connects the Red Sea into the Indian Ocean.

That is one area where there's an expansion that is potentially going on right now. I -- and then this area with the Caspian Sea and possibly involving Ukraine, would be a much more significant expansion and could result in something that spirals into, at least, a regional war, if not something even more than that.

HUNTE: There is a lot going on, but you're on top of it, as always. Cedric Leighton, thank you so much. Speak to you again soon, I'm sure.

LEIGHTON: You bet, Ben. Thanks so much for having me.

HUNTE: Thank you.

The latest developments on this deadly shooting in Seattle. We'll, of course, have that and other stories after this short break. See you in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[00:33:22]

HUNTE: Welcome back. I'm Ben Hunte. We are following breaking news this hour out of Seattle, Washington, where fire officials report at least two people are dead and more injured after a shooting at a Seattle food festival.

Witnesses tell CNN affiliate KOMO they heard, quote, "Seven to 8 shots" inside the venue and saw people fleeing, too.

The event hosts hundreds of local vendors and live music performances. Police have yet to announce details on a suspect, or whether anyone has been taken into custody.

Let's take a look at some of today's other top stories.

U.S. strikes on Iran still appear to be on hold. The U.S. ambassador to the U.N. -- that's Mike Waltz -- says President Trump is giving diplomatic talks some space.

But he also reiterated the president's warning that the U.S. military remains locked and loaded amid the negotiations.

The suspect in the attack on Berlin's Pride celebrations was shot dead by police following an extensive manhunt. Authorities say Abdul Ballout was responsible for the van ramming and stabbing attack that left one person dead and 29 injured on Saturday. The Associated Press reports that the suspect was known to the police

and tried joining the Islamic State terror group last year.

July has been the deadliest month for Ukrainian civilians since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022. At least 377 people have been killed, and more than 2,100 wounded this month alone.

One of the latest victims is a 40-year-old woman killed in a Russian missile strike in Kharkiv on Sunday. Sixteen people were wounded, including the woman's children.

[00:25:07]

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is set to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on Tuesday. His pleas for more aid may fall on deaf ears, and that is because the U.S. ambassador to the U.N. -- that's Mike Waltz -- is appearing to blame the United States's dwindling munitions stockpile on military provisions to Ukraine.

Earlier, William Taylor, a former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, addressed those comments with CNN's Erica Hill.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WILLIAM TAYLOR, FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR TO UKRAINE: The Ukrainians are on the front foot. The Russians are on the back foot. The support from the United States has not been coming in terms of weapons.

But this license to manufacture Patriot is a good signal. It's not going to solve the problem right away, but it's a very good signal of support for Ukraine from the United States.

Ukraine is getting great support from the Europeans. And if the -- if the Americans will support will support that, that will help, as well.

ERICA HILL, CNN ANCHOR: When we talk about support, there was certainly, I would say, surprise, to put it mildly, among a lot of people, when Laura Loomer, of course, went to Ukraine, had this sit- down.

The impact that that has had back in the United States, also leading to some speculation about whether this is a bit of a shift when it comes to Ukraine's messaging strategy, if you will. Recognizing that perhaps, in the United States for support and, specifically, the support of this administration and the president, that Ukraine may need to look to alternate sources to help get that message out.

Do you see this as an effective messaging move for Ukrainians moving forward?

TAYLOR: So, Erica, I don't think this is a messaging change. I think what is -- what we're seeing is a change on the battlefield, and that's allowing the Ukrainians to demonstrate that they are actually winning on the battlefield. They're taking the war to the Russians, deep into Russia. Putin is on his back foot. As I say, he's got problems on the

battlefield. He's got problems economically. He's got a big political problem coming up if he institutes a draft, which he's threatening to do after his elections in September.

So, no, I don't think it's a messaging change. I think it's a substantive change that the Ukrainians are actually winning at this point.

HILL: And that is an important message to bring to President Trump, right?

TAYLOR: And President Zelenskyy will have that top of mind. President Zelenskyy is not asking for things right now. He is demonstrating that the Ukrainians have things to offer. We have -- the Ukrainians are offering to the United States drones and drone technology.

So, the Ukrainians are demonstrating that they are actually a net provider of security.

HILL: President Zelenskyy did say this weekend Ukraine has solid reports that Putin is preparing now an expanded mobilization in the fall, saying that this actually includes Russia receiving some 30,000 military personnel, several ballistic missile launchers from North Korea.

This comes on the heels of some really devastating casualty reports a few weeks ago, highlighting significant Russian losses.

What does this tell you when you talk about, you know, how well Ukraine is doing in this moment? But when you see this warning from President Zelenskyy about what Putin may be planning, how would you assess the military position of Russia in this moment?

TAYLOR: Clearly, the military position for Russia in this moment is dire. They are having great difficulties.

One of those reports, Erica, that you mentioned suggested, analyzed that the ratio of Russian soldiers killed to Ukrainian soldiers killed is 8 to 1. Eight to 1 Russians killed versus one Ukrainian. And the numbers are coming out in various things.

So, yes, you mentioned this possible mobilization, this draft. This could be Putin's undoing, political undoing. He's got big problems. He's not sure where to go.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTE: Let's go to Europe now, where more than 300,000 people have been displaced from their homes due to wildfires. Rising temperatures and no rain in sight means conditions could get even worse this week.

In Spain's Castilian province, thousands of hectares have burned. This is just one of several regions in the country fighting to push back the flames. Officials say the fires in Avila province are the biggest in Spain's

recent history.

Firefighting aircraft have been sent by Greece and Italy to help emergency crews in their efforts. It is now a waiting game for residents, anxious to get back to their homes and check what the flames have left for them.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARBARA ALVAREZ RODRIGUEZ, LOCAL RESIDENT AND EVACUEE (through translator): More than anything, I'm afraid, because of what is being lost: nature itself. Material damage is one thing, but that can be repaired, so to speak. What really hurts is the emotional loss.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNTE: In neighboring France, firefighters are taking advantage of lighter winds there before another oncoming heat wave can worsen conditions. The country is facing its biggest evacuation since World War Two.

About 220,000 people have been forced to leave their homes as flames engulfed communities, forests, and fields.

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Many are fleeing from France's Southwest region, specifically the Gironde and Landes departments. The fires are now just nine miles, or 15 kilometers, from the historic wine city of Bordeaux, where thousands of people are sheltering.

The city's mayor says, while communities around the city have been evacuated, it is not yet directly threatened.

CNN senior international correspondent Melissa Bell is in the Gironde region with more on the fires.

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MELISSA BELL, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Here on the edge of what has become this monstrous fire in the Gironde region, very little sign of the sun, so thick is the smoke that's covering the sky. You can see how dry the ground is. The particular vegetation of this part of France, all pine forests themselves very flammable trees, but also this vegetation you have on the ground: the bracken, the ferns, that after all of these successive heat waves have really been turned to kindling.

Here, the firefighters are trying to prevent the flames from crossing this very small stretch of road. And they used many fire trucks to help them do that. Many firemen as well, because on the other side of that road are houses and an electrical station that they want to protect.

But this is something these are scenes that are repeating themselves over such a vast area. This is a fire that has already burned through 42,000 hectares and displaced in this part of France alone, 220 000 people.

Melissa Bell, CNN, in the Gironde region.

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HUNTE: All right. Stay with CNN for the latest developments on the deadly shooting in Seattle. We'll have that and other stories after this short break. See you in a moment.

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HUNTE: Welcome back. We are following breaking news this hour out of Seattle, Washington, where fire officials report at least two people are dead and more injured after a shooting at a Seattle food festival.

Seattle's mayor says one suspect has been taken into custody.

I'm joined now by David Gutman, a reporter with "The Seattle Times." Thank you for being with us. What are investigators focused on in these first few hours, and what are the key questions they're trying to answer right now?

DAVID GUTMAN, REPORTER, "THE SEATTLE TIMES": Well, we haven't really heard anything from Seattle police yet. They should be speaking momentarily.

We're still not sure if they're looking for suspects or if -- we know one person is in custody, but we're not sure if they're looking for more people, or we're not sure who. If there were multiple people shooting. And we're not sure about motive either.

HUNTE: This did happen at one of Seattle's biggest public festivals. From a security perspective, how difficult is it to protect events like this?

GUTMAN: To protect events like this?

HUNTE: Yes.

GUTMAN: Well, this is kind of a food festival with dozens, maybe hundreds of vendors in a -- in a big public park complex. So, you know, there's no -- there's no real entry way. There's no -- you know, it's outdoors, and it's in a big public park.

So -- so, I don't know, beyond that, kind of how to answer other than its probably -- you know, if somebody is intent on shooting, it's -- it's not a secure location.

HUNTE: Witnesses do say that many people initially thought the gunfire was just fireworks. What are you hearing in terms of witness accounts?

GUTMAN: Yes, we're hearing that there were initially kind of a couple pop-pops that people weren't sure what they were. And then, really rapid barrage of gunshots that kind of caused panic.

And people were -- people were running. People were ducking down and hiding. We're hearing just, it was a really chaotic scene is what witnesses are saying.

HUNTE: At this stage, what do you think investigators are going to be looking for to determine whether this was a targeted attack or just a random act of violence?

GUTMAN: I -- I don't know enough to -- to answer that question. I think I don't. I don't -- I don't know if they're still looking for -- I don't know who they've arrested. I don't know if they're still looking for people to arrest.

I'm sure they're, you know, speaking with witnesses and collecting evidence. But beyond that, I don't know.

HUNTE: So, at this point, what more is your team hearing and what are you looking for in the next few hours? What do you think the developments are going to be?

GUTMAN: Well, the first thing we're looking for is -- is a statement from Seattle police, who hasn't said anything other than, you know, several hours ago, they said they were investigating a shooting.

We heard from the mayor's office that one person was arrested. But other than, you know, a one-sentence initial statement from Seattle Police that they were investigating a shooting, we haven't heard anything.

So, we're looking to hear from them about what happened. about if they've arrested people, if they're still looking for people, you know, and -- and yes, we're looking to learn more from Seattle police.

HUNTE: How surprised were you to hear that something like this has happened within your patch?

GUTMAN: Well, you're, you know, you're always surprised and, and -- and sad and dismayed and disappointed to hear that something like this has happened, you know, here.

And at the same time, shootings seem to happen pretty often in the U.S., and so, it's only a matter of time, I suppose, until one happens near where you are. Yes.

So -- so on one hand, certainly surprised and sad. And on the other hand, maybe -- maybe shouldn't be surprised.

HUNTE: OK. David Gutman, we're going to leave it there, but thank you for your updates. We do appreciate that. I'm sure we'll speak to you again later, if anything else does come to us. Thank you for now.

Stay with CNN.

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[00:53:58]

HUNTE: Welcome back. I'm Ben Hunte. We are following breaking news this hour out of Seattle, Washington, where fire officials report at least two people are dead and more injured after a shooting at a Seattle food festival.

Witnesses tell CNN affiliate KOMO they heard, quote, "Seven to 8 shots" inside the venue and saw people fleeing. The event hosts hundreds of local vendors and live music performances.

Police have yet to announce details on a suspect, or whether anyone has been taken into custody.

Other stories now. After massive protests across India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is creating a task force to overhaul Indias exam system. The youth-led demonstrations were a response to the leak and sale of exam papers.

Two million students had to re-sit the entrance exam for medical schools. That galvanized anger over the lack of prospects for young Indians.

Mr. Modi said exams should be trustworthy and that legislation would be introduced to tighten laws and increase penalties for exam leaks.

India's education minister resigned over the scandal, fulfilling a key demand of the Cockroach Janta Party, which was behind those protests.

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Flooding has killed at least 65 people in the Northeastern Indian state of Assam. State government data shows more than 60,000 people have been affected.

Farmlands have been covered in mud, and many rivers are swollen. Authorities say the Brahmaputra -- that's one of the world's largest rivers -- is above its danger mark in some places.

Many families are staying in relief camps after their homes were inundated. One mother described how she and her child narrowly survived.

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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): Thank God that my child and I survived this flood. We really didn't think that we would survive when we saw the flood waters.

We saved ourselves by climbing onto a tree. I have no words to describe that moment. I had an 8-year-old child with me, including the two of us. We were a total of five people who took shelter on that tree for around 13 hours before the rescue team came to save us.

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HUNTE: More than 700,000 people in southern China have had to relocate. That's after Typhoon Noul made landfall earlier on Sunday.

Heavy rain and gale force winds have spread across Guangdong province and neighboring Hong Kong.

Authorities warn heavy to torrential rain will continue until Tuesday. What is left of the typhoon, the strongest to hit China this year, is now a tropical depression in the middle of Hunan province.

OK, that's all I've got for you for now. Thanks for joining me in the team. I'm Ben Hunte in Atlanta. Of course, there is more CNN NEWSROOM after this quick break. See you in just a moment.

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