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Isa Soares Tonight
Protests Over Trump-Linked Luxury Resort in Albania; WHO Significantly Downgrades Suspected Case Count in DRC; DRC's First World Cup Appearance In 52 Years. Kyiv Hits Back as Ukrainian Drones Rained Down on a Major Oil Terminal in St. Petersburg; Overnight Missile Strikes and Retaliatory Attacks Between the U.S. and Iran Cast Doubt Over Diplomacy; Thousands in Albania Take to the Streets to Protest Over a Trump Family- Linked Resort.
Aired June 03, 2026 - 14:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[14:00:00]
ISA SOARES, HOST, ISA SOARES TONIGHT: A very warm welcome to the show, everyone, I'm Isa Soares. Tonight, Kyiv hits back as Ukrainian drones
rained down on a major oil terminal in St. Petersburg; the hometown of Russian President Vladimir Putin. We have the very latest for you.
Then overnight, missile strikes and retaliatory attacks between the U.S. and Iran cast doubt over diplomacy. We'll go live to the White House for
the latest on the state, of course, of the ceasefire.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(PROTESTERS CHANTING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: Plus, thousands take to the streets, you can see there of Albania over a Trump family-linked resort. I'll ask the Albanian Prime Minister
this hour whether the project should go ahead. We'll have that and much more.
But we do begin tonight with two wars that U.S. President Donald Trump has promised to end, with one of them directly impacting the other. We'll get
to the conflict in Iran in just a moment. But let me start this hour with Ukraine.
In an attempt to put Kyiv on what Volodymyr Zelenskyy describes as equal footing, Ukraine is launching increasingly sophisticated drone strikes deep
inside of Russia. And he warns it won't be the last time.
Hundreds of Ukrainian drones rained down on a critical oil terminal in St. Petersburg on Wednesday, as you can see there, which is Vladimir Putin's
hometown. It is the latest chapter in Kyiv's effort to ramp-up attacks on key Russian energy facilities.
Ukraine's military also claims to have struck a Russian warship it says was packed with guided missile weapons. Moscow, in turn, says it has destroyed
hundreds of Ukrainian drones. And the attacks happened just hours before the Russian President's signature economic forum opened in St. Petersburg.
The Ukrainian leader, meanwhile, has been meeting with NATO Secretary- General today, and called on Ukraine's European partners to step up. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, PRESIDENT, UKRAINE (through translator): Europe needs to move more quickly on its own anti-ballistic missile project. We all need
this. We are already working with several countries, France, Norway, Germany, Sweden, Denmark, Italy and other partners to build European anti-
ballistic capabilities.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: Let's get more on all these strands. Yaroslav Trofimov is the chief foreign affairs correspondent for "The Wall Street Journal". He's
also the author of "Our Enemies will Vanish", and was a finalist for the 2020 Pulitzer Prize for his coverage of the war in Ukraine.
Yaroslav, great to have you on the show. Look, I think it's fair, we were talking about this yesterday. I was talking to our Jill Dougherty about
this yesterday, and I think it's timely that we continue to talk about this, given, of course, how Ukraine is striking deeper into Russia and
inflicting as we've just seen there, some serious damage.
In the meantime, as we have been reporting in the last kind of 48 hours, we've seen Russia ratcheting up really its attacks by launching hundreds of
drones, dozens of missiles into the capital and other cities of Ukraine.
How do you -- how do you read this moment? How do you read the move by Russia? Is it desperation?
YAROSLAV TROFIMOV, CHIEF FOREIGN AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT, THE WALL STREET JOURNAL: Well, you know, let's look back at how it all started. For more
than a year since the full-scale war began, it was really a one-way street.
Russia was lobbing missiles and drones into Ukraine, and Ukraine didn't really have what to respond with. So now, slowly, but surely, Ukraine is
leveling the playing field and is inflicting a lot of pain on Russia, inflicting it on Russian energy infrastructure, on Russian military
targets, on Russian logistics.
And I think the goal in Kyiv is to compel President Putin and the Kremlin to, at the very least, some kind of ceasefire when it comes to strikes on
power stations, energy targets and long-range strikes overall.
So far, it doesn't seem like Russia is willing to agree to that. And we are seeing on Russia's side, an escalation of Russian strikes. However, you
know, the toll is evident in Russia. We're now seeing shortages of fuel in Russia, especially in Crimea.
And we're also seeing a pretty amazing success of the Russian middle -- so- called middle strikes or mid-range strikes that have paralyzed Russian logistics in pretty much all the occupied areas of southern Ukraine and
Crimea.
[14:05:00]
And that's really probably a game-changer, and it's only happened in the last few weeks. And we now are seeing that Crimea is completely out of fuel
with other shortages there.
SOARES: Just picking up on what you said, you know, trying to compel him, right? Pushing him to -- or trying to compel him to -- on the ceasefire
front. Are you -- have you noticed a shift at all, Yaroslav, in terms of the mood on the ground, the mood inside Russia, the language being used.
How much of a toll -- economically, we know, we also know on the frontlines. But read between the lines for us. What is -- what is the sense
you're getting from inside Russia of how much of a toll it's taken?
TROFIMOV: Well, it is clearly now a group of hawkish Russian commentators, officials, politicians --
SOARES: Yes --
TROFIMOV: Who are openly saying, look, this war is not going to plan, and going forward with the war the way we're waging it is really leading us to
diminishing returns. So, we're not going to get any better deal by continuing to, you know, get tens of thousands of Russian soldiers killed
or injured every month, and capturing very little in Ukrainian exchange.
This doesn't mean that President Putin is on board with this, and actually, we haven't seen any evidence that President Putin is buying this. His
public pronouncements so far are still very optimistic.
He keeps saying that the Ukrainian army is about to collapse, that the situation of the Ukrainian forces is catastrophic. So, he still seems to
believe that he can achieve the original goals of the war, which is the complete annihilation of Ukraine as an independent sovereign state and its
subjugation to Russia, something that most independent military analysts think is now beyond Russia's abilities.
SOARES: And, you know, we played a little clip there, Yaroslav of President Zelenskyy calling on European allies to kind of step up. And it
takes me back to the article you wrote; I think it was last week for "The Wall Street Journal".
And you write this, let me just read part of it for our viewers. "Russia is stuck on the Ukrainian battlefield and lashing out with massive strikes on
Kyiv. The growing fear in European capitals is that President Vladimir Putin will try next to reshuffle the cards by expanding the conflict to
Europe."
Just tell us from your reporting, how realistic this is, and how seriously European leaders, from the conversations you've been having are taking
this?
TROFIMOV: Well, European officials are taking this very seriously because they know that, you know, to avert a war, avert this sort of scenario, they
have to prepare. They have to invest in their own defense.
And that is exactly what countries closest to Russia are doing. You know, the Baltic states, Poland, Nordic countries in Germany. And now, if you
look at it from the Russian government's viewpoint, OK, so now they're stuck in Ukraine.
They cannot advance in part because the Ukrainian army is extremely sophisticated in the modern battlefield that is dominated by drones, and
just like the Russian army has this amazing experience of fighting this new kind of war.
What European armies don't have is experience, no other army really outside of Ukraine and Russia has this experience. And I think the temptation among
some Russian hardliners is basically this. Look, you know, we can achieve against the Baltic states or against Poland or against maybe some Nordic
states, something we cannot achieve in Ukraine.
And the goal is to split NATO to take advantage of President Trump's anger with many European countries, perhaps his unwillingness to come to the
defense of Europe and show that NATO doesn't really exist as a cohesive alliance.
Now, there are lots of risks with this approach, but we have also seen that President Putin is not averse to taking risks. And that's really where the
danger is now.
SOARES: And picking up on what you said there, Yaroslav, you know, we have seen President Trump, of course, threats to withdraw from NATO, we've been
reporting on them. We've talked about his back-and-forth on U.S. forces in Europe, his threats on Greenland.
How much has this not only undermined European deterrence, but has emboldened Putin, do you think?
TROFIMOV: Well, we don't really know. Obviously, deterrence is in Putin's head, and we don't --
SOARES: Yes --
TROFIMOV: Know what he's really thinking. But obviously, you know, it's -- if -- you know, any person in his position would look at President Trump's
statements, his doubts about defending Europe and the very concrete moves to pull out some of the American forces in Europe, and think that maybe
America's determination to defend Europe is wavering. Now, is it enough to actually risk a confrontation with NATO? Nobody really knows.
SOARES: Yaroslav, really appreciate you coming on the show, fantastic reporting as always. Yaroslav Trofimov from "The Wall Street Journal".
Well, another war that has no end in sight. It's the conflict with Iran.
Countries across the Middle East are condemning Iran's new attacks on both Kuwait and Bahrain today. Kuwait says one person was killed and dozens more
injured in attacks on vital infrastructure there, and that includes the international airport.
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Tehran says it carried out self-defense strikes after the U.S. fired on a tanker heading toward an Iranian hub for oil exports. It says it targeted
sites in Kuwait and Bahrain that allow the U.S. to attack civilian shipping. The back-and-forth strikes were some of the heaviest attacks
since the ceasefire began in April.
Meantime, Israeli and Lebanese diplomats are meeting for a second day in Washington to try and resolve a parallel conflict that is between Israel
and Hezbollah. U.S. President Donald Trump is acknowledging a heated phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the war in
Lebanon.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I wouldn't say angry. I was a little bit perturbed at his constantly fighting with Lebanon. You know,
at some point I said, Bibi, we've got to stop this. You've got to stop it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: Well, let's get more on this. Our Kevin Liptak joins me now there from the White House. So, Kevin, I mean, as the U.S. clearly continues to
work towards a peace agreement with Iran, we heard from Marco Rubio; Secretary Marco Rubio, talking about this.
We've seen that little clip of President Trump showing apparent -- expressing, I should say, apparent dismay over Israel and Lebanon. Just
talk us through what else he had to say and what he's been saying about, in particular, that conversation with Prime Minister Netanyahu.
KEVIN LIPTAK, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Right, and, you know, on the one hand, he seems to be trying to downplay some of the differences, saying
that he was perturbed. But I think very clearly, making evident that his objectives in some ways are beginning to diverge with Israel, and as we
enter, you know, the 12th or 13th week of this conflict.
And the way the President described it, I do think papers over in some ways just how he did that phone call actually began -- became, you know, the two
were exchanging expletives, the President calling Netanyahu effing crazy.
We also heard from Netanyahu today, which is interesting, also describing the phone call, saying that, yes, they had tactical differences and
tactical disagreements, which is how he described it, but that in the end, that they had common goals and that they always find a way to work out
their differences.
Despite you know, what is becoming clear, which is that he and President Trump just have very different views for how this conflict should be going.
You know, I don't think Netanyahu believes that all of the objectives that they had set out at the beginning of this conflict have been achieved,
particularly when it comes to Iran's nuclear program, when it comes to their missiles and drones, which we have seen just over the past 24 hours.
They retained some pretty significant capabilities on that front, or when it comes to Iran's support for the proxy groups, including Hezbollah in
Lebanon, which was sort of the origin for this dispute between the President and the Prime Minister.
President Trump, I think, has a very different view. He thinks that most of the objectives have been accomplished in this war. He doesn't really see a
reason to go back into open conflict with Iran. And that is, I think, the origin of their current dispute.
And it doesn't seem as if, despite the President's attempt to paper over it here, that, that has been resolved.
SOARES: And putting aside, of course, Lebanon and Israel or Hezbollah and Israel, what reaction, if any, have you had, Kevin, from the White House
regarding this uptick in violence, of course, that we have seen with Iran strike in Kuwait and Bahrain? Has the President responded, spoken to his
allies about how to respond to this?
LIPTAK: Well, we haven't heard from the President directly about it, which I think is interesting. We actually haven't seen the --
SOARES: Yes --
LIPTAK: President in public for almost a week now. He's been doing interviews, but he hasn't done a public event. I think the real imperative
on the part of the President and other members of this administration is to really try and downplay this in a lot of ways, to insist that the ceasefire
that's been in place since last month remains in effect, despite the firing not having ceased at all, and in fact, seeming to be ramping up.
And I think it all speaks to the objective to try and finalize this Memorandum of Understanding, which the President said now, more than a week
ago, was almost finalized, but which still appears to contain some differences between the two sides.
There does seem to be a real -- a driving force to try and maintain the ceasefire, even though it's becoming clearer and clearer that in a lot of
ways, it's a ceasefire in name only.
SOARES: Indeed, Kevin Liptak for us there at the White House. Thanks very much, Kevin. Well, it is unclear where negotiations stand between the U.S.,
as Kevin was saying in Iran right now. Our team is in Iran to get the view from within the country, and CNN operates in Iran only with the permission
of the government, but maintains full editorial control of its report. Here's our Fred Pleitgen.
[14:15:00]
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (on camera): We've just entered Iran, and we're currently driving towards Tehran. I
would say that the drive is probably going to take, well, north of 12 hours.
And we come here at a pretty decisive time as the United States and Iran are trying to inch closer to a Memorandum of Understanding that would at
first, end the hostilities between the United States and Iran, but also pave the way for negotiations for a broader peace agreement that could then
happen maybe a month, maybe two months down the line.
At the same time, the security situation, especially in the Persian Gulf area between the U.S. and Iran remains fragile and it remains volatile.
Just overnight, there have been attacks that went back-and-forth, the United States hitting some targets on some islands in the Persian Gulf, the
Iranians responding with ballistic missile strikes, targeting American installations in places like Bahrain and Kuwait.
So, all of that, of course, makes for a very difficult situation, as the two sides say, they are committed to try and reach some sort of agreement
to end this war.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SOARES: Our Fred Pleitgen and team on the ground there. And still to come tonight, the primary vote-count is -- in the U.S. goes on and on and on,
well, at least, in California. What we know so far in races that could tip the balance of power that is next.
And then later this hour, a correspondent just fired from a flagship U.S. news program is now accusing his former bosses of trying to curry favor
with the Trump administration. We'll bring you that story after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SOARES: Primary day in the United States could very well stretch into primary week in California, with votes there still being counted at this
hour. Democrats in the state may have dodged disaster as they avoided being locked out of key contests this Autumn.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass will face either former reality TV star Spencer Pratt or City Council member Nithya Raman in November. Bass is
under growing pressure to tackle homelessness in the city as it prepares to host the 2028 Olympics.
And three candidates also remain alive in the race for governor. Republican Steve Hilton and Democrat Xavier Becerra and Tom Steyer, as you can see
there. In Iowa, meanwhile, a rare defeat for Trump candidate. The President had endorsed Congressman Randy Feenstra for governor, but he lost the
Republican primary to Zach Lahn; a farmer who has never held elected office.
[14:20:00]
A lot for us to get through. Arlette Saenz is in Los Angeles. The votes trickle in. So, Arlette, let me start, I think, on the mayoral race because
it's something that just intrigued so many people, not just nationally, but also internationally. Are we getting a clearer image at this stage of the
results, and any idea when we may get them?
ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Isa, that's a question so many California voters are asking, as there is this very slow-waiting game for
these results to continue pouring in. For the incumbent Democratic Mayor, Karen Bass, she is breathing a sigh of relief as she has advanced to that
general election.
But there is still an outstanding question about who she will face off against in November. Now, these early results have shown that Spencer
Pratt, the former reality TV star, is in second place. But there is a potential that his lead over Nithya Raman, who is currently in third place,
could potentially narrow.
And that is because of the outstanding votes that still need to be counted. A lot of these later votes are anticipated to be Democratic votes, and so,
that could potentially factor into how this second-place spot is looking.
But Pratt is hoping that he can hold on to that second position. He really has tried to run and tap into a lot of the frustration against the current
Mayor, Karen Bass, for her handling of several issues here in Los Angeles including the homelessness issue, as well as the way that she responded to
those Palisade fires.
Spencer Pratt lost his own home in those fires and has really centered a lot of his campaign on pushing back on the way that Bass had handled that.
So, there's still a lot of outstanding questions about how this will unfold.
It could be hours, it could be days, it could be weeks. But no one is really sure. California is incredibly slow with their vote-counting in part
because of the size of the state. But also, they use universal mail-in voting, which allows voters to send in their ballots postmarked on election
day.
They just need to arrive at those election counting centers within seven days. So, there could still be quite some time before the full results are
known. Los Angeles is one of those areas of California that is especially slow at vote-counting. So, this still could be a very open question for
some time.
SOARES: And as we -- and as we look at the entirety of these races, these primaries, what can we take away, Arlette, just internationalize this for
us, for our viewers as we look ahead, of course, to those Midterms. What kind of image and forces are at play here?
SAENZ: Yes, I mean, every state is very different. California --
SOARES: Yes --
SAENZ: I think one thing that we have seen in both the mayor's race and in the governor's, race is that, there is still some type of appetite for some
establishment candidates. A lot of these races will be set up as an establishment versus outsider contest.
In the race for governor, you have Xavier Becerra, he's a former HHS Secretary, former Attorney General here in the state with a long political
resume. He was able to move ahead over Tom Steyer, who was the progressive candidate in the Democratic contest.
They're still waiting to see how that will shake out and who will be in that top position. But I think also, when you just think about a lot of the
other races that have played out across the country, not just in last night's primary, but primaries before, there has been a lot of Democratic
enthusiasm among their primary candidates.
And so, that is going to be something to watch heading into the November Midterm elections. Democrats right now are feeling very bullish about their
chances to take back the house and the Senate, in part due to some of the voter sentiment against President Trump and Republicans in Washington.
So, these are all dynamics that are playing out. There's cost of living issues. There's frustration with how high things like gas have gotten for
people across the country the way that the Iran war has impacted this.
Those are all factors that will be playing into voters' minds as they make their decisions heading into November.
SOARES: Yes, affordability does seem to be something that we keep tapping and hearing from voters about. Arlette, really appreciate it, thank you
very much indeed. I do want to stay in the United States and to an extraordinary shakeup, really.
One of America's most venerated TV news programs, known for decades for speaking truth to power. Hours after "CBS News" fired long-time "60
Minutes" correspondent Scott Pelley, he accused the network's new owner of trying to, quote, "curry favor with the Trump administration."
Now, Pelley says management instructed him to inject falsehoods, unverified claims and political bias into stories. He said "60 Minutes" lost its DNA
when other senior staffers were fired before him, adding, quote, "good people were silenced for defending the truth."
Pelley was fired a day after sharply criticizing the show's new leadership in a staff meeting. Executive producer Nick Bilton says Pelley hijacked
that meeting, accusing him of remarkable incivility and contempt.
The owner of "CBS" paramount has sought a close relationship with the Trump administration. It is now seeking government approval to acquire "Warner
Brothers Discovery", which includes, of course, CNN.
[14:25:00]
And our media chief analyst Brian Stelter says -- described Pelley's firings like an underwater earthquake. Brian, explain what you mean by
that.
BRIAN STELTER, CNN CHIEF MEDIA ANALYST: Yes, because this is happening not on camera, not on television. "CBS" viewers are not seeing any of this
happen right now. So, it is happening under the surface, but it's going to have a lot of ripple effects.
And that's not just through this week, but for the months to come. Three of the seven, you know -- "60 Minutes" had seven full-time correspondents a
week ago. Now it only has three. Our Anderson Cooper, Anderson Cooper also here at CNN decided to leave on his own. He announced that months ago.
Three other correspondents have now been fired. So, "CBS" has to figure out how to rebuild this program. But the bigger story is the one you see on the
banner on the bottom of the screen. The idea that Pelley is saying this is happening in order to curry favor with the Trump administration, means he
believes politics are at play here.
And it's very explosive that he is saying that. The "CBS" leadership team, mostly speaking on background, not on the record, says this is not about
politics. This is about culture. They say they're trying to reform an archaic, out-of-date show that needs to be dragged into the digital age.
And they're trying to bring in new younger talent to do so. Nick Bilton is an outsider; former tech reporter, I used to work with him at the "New York
Times". He's made films, he's written books, but he's not from the TV news world, and he's never worked at a place like "60 Minutes".
Bari Weiss believes that she needs to bring in people like Bilton to reform the show. But to Pelley, that's horrifying. And to some of his colleagues,
it's also very disturbing. So, you have a tug of war here, a power struggle over the future of "60 Minutes".
And this political cloud about whether it's an attempt to appeal to Trump is something that is hovering over all of this.
SOARES: Yes, and I read -- and correct me if I'm wrong. I did see that the "CBS News" editor in chief has addressed, right, Brian, the termination of
Scott Pelley. I mean, what has she had to say about that directly?
STELTER: Right, she said today on the morning editorial call that Bari Weiss said she wanted to find a way forward with Pelley. She tried to work
it out and she couldn't find a way, that they couldn't find a path forward.
Pelley has denied that, and has said that he was basically fired. He was expecting to get fired, and that's what happened. So, there's basically a
war of words between the two of them. But it is clear what Weiss is trying to do.
I think she wants to try to overhaul this news and this network news division. And in her view, bring it into the digital age. But many of her
critics believe she might be doing the right things in the wrong way, breaking things that are -- that are not broken and don't need fixing at
the time -- at the time being.
SOARES: Yes --
STELTER: So, this battle is probably going to continue, and we're going to continue to hear about it. Because at stake is not just "60 Minutes" or
"CBS News", but this idea of the role of a network news division and whether it can be insulated from politics, whether the --
SOARES: Yes --
STELTER: Editorial independence of "CBS" can be protected or not.
SOARES: And that is it. Look, let's address the elephant in the room, I mentioned that, and that is the takeover of CNN and "Warner Brothers
Discovery" by "Paramount" CEO, of course, David Ellison. I just wonder what questions are being asked because you write in your newsletter, "Reliable
Sources".
You say, the Paramount CEO, David Ellison owns the decisions and the disconcerting fallout" --talking about "CBS". So just frame that, given
what we are seeing.
STELTER: Right, Ellison, very urgently trying to get this deal approved so he can take over CNN and the rest of "Warner Brothers Discovery". And for
CNN staffers, everybody wondering, what will that mean? What will the "Paramount" era of CNN mean?
There's no obvious or easy answers, because "Paramount" is a complicated place right now. Yes, the company has made some moves to ingratiate itself
with Trump. Yes, it canceled Stephen Colbert's show, for example, but it also says it did that for business reasons, and at the same time, it
renewed another Trump critic, Jon Stewart of "Comedy Central".
So, for every suspicious or questionable move "Paramount" made, seemingly for political reasons, there are counter-arguments and counter-examples of
the company standing up to pressure and producing good journalism.
Ultimately, the viewers decide if "CBS" is doing its job. Viewers decide if CNN is doing the job that we need to do here. And, you know, I think
viewers will continue to have that ultimate vote.
SOARES: Brian, always great to have you on the show. Brian Stelter there - -
STELTER: Yes --
SOARES: With the very latest on that story. Appreciate it, good to see you, Brian. Now, protests across Albania over a proposed luxury resort with
links to President Trump's family. Still to come tonight, we'll speak to the country's Prime Minister about the controversial development.
And then later, CNN tours a rural Congolese hospital dealing with an Ebola outbreak. We'll show you how a community is coming together to fight the
deadly virus.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:30:00]
SOARES: Welcome back, everyone. A political storm is brewing in Albania. That's where protesters are sounding off against a luxury resort project
with ties to the U.S. president's family.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: Demonstrators there in the capital, Tirana, they're upset with a project linked to Ivanka Trump, President Trump's daughter, and her
husband, Jared Kushner. It's planned for an island off the country's southern coast, and critics worry about the massive development that will
do to the environment. The area's home to protected wetlands, flamingos, seals and sea turtle nesting areas. Trump recently spoke about what led to
her interest.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
IVANKA TRUMP, DEVELOPER: We were on a friend's boat, and we stopped for a swim. Effectively, that's how we found it. We swam to the islands, we went
on a hike, barefoot all the way up to the top, and we were just captivated.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: Ivanka Trump describing, of course, how she came across this beautiful patch of land. Joining me now is the Prime Minister of Albania,
Edi Rama. Prime Minister, very warm welcome to the show. Let me -- I'm hoping you can hear me. Can you hear me, sir?
EDI RAMA, ALBANIAN PRIME MINISTER: I hear you, yes.
SOARES: Oh, fantastic. Thank you for taking the time to speak to us, sir. Let me get, first of all, your reaction to the protests that we have been
seeing, both in the capital, in Tirana, coastal towns, over this development that is linked to Jared Kushner. How do you respond, sir, to
the protests and, indeed, to their concerns?
RAMA: First of all, thank you for giving me the opportunity because I hate to say it, but it is quite an impression to feel the burden of the fake
news coming even from very highly respected, in my eyes, outlets.
And just to rectify, you said protests across Albania. This is fake. There are no protests across Albania. There is a protest in the capital city.
[14:35:00]
We are in a hybrid war. Albania is under attack from enemies that we know very well. It's under attack from competition that is very, very strong in
our part of the Mediterranean. It's under attack from thousands and hundreds of thousands of bots that have been created to create all this
storm.
And, of course, in this protest, there are well-meaning people, young people, interested genuinely to the environment that have been misled big
time. There is not such a thing like a Trump family Ireland. There is not such a thing like the family of the American president taking over
protected areas where flamingos will be killed by them. These are all stories that, of course, get traction, but can't be far from the truth.
This is my take.
SOARES: Right. So, let me break this down. Right. So, let me break this down because we have seen and we have been hearing from those protesting in
the capital. In fact, let me play a clip, Prime Minister, from really one person, an ecologist, who has real concerns whether you share them or not.
Let me play it. Let me play it.
RAMA: Yes. I can --
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JONI VORPSI, ECOLOGIST: We can see that we don't talk anymore about how this project will affect the site because here are planned big buildings,
big residential houses, and we are talking for a new city. So, in this stretch of kilometers of land, of wildlife habitat, we plan to build a new
city. It's declared 10,000 rooms and what we hear now is even more. So, we won't have any more the protected area. The Delta of Viosa is completely
being destroyed.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: Right. So, that, hearing from him, is not fake news. The protests, I mean, I asked my producer, Laura, to put up, are also not fake news,
right? The protests that we have seen very clearly are not fake news. So, on the question of the project itself, Prime Minister, how are you and your
government addressing these environmental concerns they have? Because you said yesterday, you were quoted yesterday, and correct me if I'm wrong, you
said you are absolutely open to discussing it with anyone who has concerns. Have you been discussing these concerns with those people in the streets
who have worried -- who are worried about this project?
RAMA: Listen, thank you for putting that clip because it's exactly, it's exactly the portrait of someone who is misled or who is part of the
misleaders. Because, first of all, there is no project. He is talking about a project that he has never seen anywhere, but in fake pictures created and
thrown in the network of social media in Albania because we are in a hybrid war. The matter of the fact is --
SOARES: Right. So, the project -- so, let me just clarify. The project's not going ahead, sir?
RAMA: It's not -- they -- again, there is not a project yet.
SOARES: Yet?
RAMA: And again, it's not -- yes, there is not a project. So, you want to listen to me or you want only to speak yourself?
SOARES: I am going to listen to you. I know. I want to listen to you, Prime Minister, but I want to clarify. Prime Minister, you are accusing me
of fake news. I am trying to clarify for our viewers. You are accusing us. And I'm trying to clarify, with all respect, whether the project is still
on or whether it's been halted because, as you have seen, there have been, and this is according to POLITICO, Albania's special anti-corruption
prosecution office has started an open investigation into this project. So, how is this project still ongoing?
RAMA: Again, you don't want to listen. It's very clear to me. I'm listening. Because I'm not attacking you. I'm not attacking you. I'm
telling you the truth. And until you show me the project, you have to just listen to me because there is no project.
And to make this project -- they -- so, the group, which is not just Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump, is a broader group with very highly reputable
investors. They have engaged five among the best top architects of the world today. Kengo Kuma from Japan, Bjarke Ingels from Denmark, Emre Arolat
from Turkey, K-Studio from Greece, and Jean Nouvel from France.
[14:40:00]
And these people are working together with top engineers of environment, top people of social impact. In the meantime, it has been engaged one of
the biggest consultant companies for the environmental impact. Because the challenge is not to build the city. The challenge is not to pour concrete
on the head of flamingos. The challenge is to prove that development and nature not only can coexist, but nature and development need each other
because people deserve to live in a different type of environment where they have to enjoy and they have to pay respect.
So, the project is not yet there. The environmental impact is being worked on. You understand? And let me finish. And let me finish.
SOARES: Yes, go ahead.
RAMA: What is this? What's wrong with you?
SOARES: I said go ahead.
RAMA: Let me finish.
SOARES: There's no need to be disrespectful. I'm asking you to go ahead, Prime Minister. Finish your thought.
RAMA: Please let me finish because you brought POLITICO and you said there is anti-corruption.
SOARES: Go ahead. Go ahead. I'm letting you finish.
RAMA: It's fake news. It is an investigation about one of the landowners. It's private land. One of the landowners that has sold the property which
is bought through very transparent bank transactions. And the investigation is about that. It's not about the investment.
It's not about the project. It's not about Kushner. It's not about Trump. It's not about anything that is being brought in this melting pot to create
the sensational fake news that Albania is a place where we are killing flamingos. No, Albania is a place where today, now, as we speak, in this
room, on the other side -- listen to me, on the other side, there are some hundred of top architects in the world. Why? Because we are presenting
today this book.
This book, think like that, is full of projects of the new Albania that many, many others don't want to see coming. And we are not here to destroy
the country. We are here to make Albania a role model.
SOARES: Thank you for clarifying that, Prime Minister. Thank you for clarifying that.
RAMA: Yes. Thank you for clarifying.
SOARES: I think that is important. Thank you for clarifying that. And it's important that we hear from you. As soon as the project gets the green
light, of course, you come back to us and you let us know. It will be good to have you back on the show. We really appreciate it. And, of course, we
weren't saying that you were killing flamingos or anything. This is not what we said. But, of course, we'll continue to monitor -- I did not imply,
but we will continue to look at those protests and hear from the Albanians and their concerns.
Prime Minister Edi Rama, I really appreciate you coming on the show and for taking the time to speak to us, Prime Minister. Thank you, sir.
RAMA: Thank you.
SOARES: Our thanks to the Prime Minister, of course, for speaking to us about this. We'll stay on top of this story.
Now, signs of progress in the fight against Ebola as the World Health Organization downsizes its suspected case count. The WHO today confirmed
344 cases of the deadly virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo. And that includes 60 deaths. But the number of suspected cases there are now down
significantly more than 1,000 last week to 116. So, we'll keep an eye on those numbers for you.
We're going to take a short break, but we'll see you, of course, on the other side.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:45:00]
SOARES: Well, the star of the Netflix blockbuster Squid Game, actor Lee Byung-hun, is one of South Korea's most prolific actors. In his 30-year
career, his roles have spanned multiple genres across Hollywood and Korea. As part of our original K-Everything series, Lee sat down with fellow actor
Daniel Dae Kim to reflect on why Korean cinema has such a wide appeal.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LEE BYUNG-HUN, ACTOR: Journalists ask me, even in America too, why Korean content is so popular these days. I think it's an unpredictable storyline.
DANIEL DAE KIM, HOST, K-EVERYTHING: I've heard people talk about this as a sort of compressed modernization. That since the Korean War, since the
colonization, everything in Korea happened so fast. Poverty, hardship, success, and struggling with those things in a very compressed period of
time. Would you agree with that?
BYUNG-HUN: Yes. I think so. And Korea is a very competitive society. So, everyone is trying to survive in those competitions.
KIM: How would you describe houng in Korean?
BYUNG-HUN: Positive and happy energy.
KIM: Coming from where?
BYUNG-HUN: From the spirit or from their soul.
BYUNG-HUN (through translator): As a representative example, I think "KPop Demon Hunters," which is currently taking the world by storm, is one of the
closest examples of that kind of houng.
KIM: So, if you want to know what houng is, watch "KPop Demon Hunters"? You know, that's the first time we've ever worked together, by the way.
"KPop Demon Hunters."
BYUNG-HUN: Oh, right, right, right. I wanted to watch some movie that I'm involved in with my kids. So, I watched it with my son, 10-year-old boy. He
asked me, so who did you act? Do you see that fire? That's me. And then he asked me, are you a villain? So, I said, yes. And then he said, again? He
was so disappointed.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SOARES: And you can stream the full series on CNN All Access and on HBO Max. Still come right here tonight, a football comeback 50 years in the
making, but it's being overshadowed by the Ebola outbreak. We'll have a report on the DRC's road to the World Cup. That is next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:50:00]
SOARES: Well, four people are hurt after a bear got onto the grounds of a factory in Fukushima City, Japan, on Tuesday. According to CNN affiliate TV
Asahi, two male employees, one in his 20s, the other in his 60s, were attacked by the bear. The other victims are area residents, including an
elderly woman. Officials say their injuries are not life-threatening. As of last report, officials believe the bear is still in the factory and traps
have been set up, it seems, to capture the animal.
For the first time in more than 50 years, the Democratic Republic of Congo will get their chance to play on the biggest football stage of all. The DRC
face off against Portugal in two weeks, but the spread of the deadly Ebola virus back at home is overshadowing the team's historic return. Our Valeria
Leon has more for you from Mexico City.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
VALERIA LEON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In his native Swahili, Jovani Uwitonze remembers the country he left behind as a child, the
Democratic Republic of Congo. He arrived in Mexico alone at just 12 years old, a refugee fleeing violence. But what began as a journey of survival
became a journey of discovery. In a country obsessed with football, he found a new passion.
JOVANI UWITONZE, CONGOLESE CITIZEN (through translator): Mexico awakened my love for football. I think it was always there. I just didn't know it.
Being in a country so passionate about the game brought it out of me.
LEON (voice-over): In Mexico, the DRC team qualified for its first World Cup in more than five decades. A historic celebration, soon overshadowed by
a public health emergency that has already changed the team's road to the tournament.
LEON: The DRC team is scheduled to play in Jalisco, but as Mexico prepares to host this team, health authorities step up precautions, and also limit
travel from the most affected countries.
LEON (voice-over): Mexican airlines are now imposing temporary restrictions on international passengers who have been in the Democratic
Republic of Congo, Uganda, or South Sudan.
DAVID KERSHENOBICH, MEXICAN HEALTH SECRETARY (through translator): We're closely monitoring what may happen with Ebola. A travel advisory has been
issued.
LEON (voice-over): Mexican epidemiologist, Mauricio Rodriguez, say the outbreak is also a reminder of how global health emergencies can quickly
become international concerns.
MAURICIO RODRIGUEZ, EPIDEMIOLOGIST (through translator): The support the United States specifically provided for Ebola was withdrawn beginning In
July of last year, and the remaining funding ended when the U.S. left the World Health Organization in January of this year.
LEON (voice-over): For Jovani, the moment is bittersweet, after waiting years to see his country return to the World Cup.
UWITONZE (through translator): In Mexico people would ask me, why doesn't your national team go to the World Cup? And I'd say, one day, one day they
will.
LEON (voice-over): There is one thing Jovani has learned from football, not to give up on hope.
Valeria Leon, CNN, Mexico City.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SOARES: Now, it's a moment 27 years in the making. The New York Knicks are finally back in the NBA Finals and will battle against the Spurs in Game 1
in San Antonio tonight. While it's a historic moment for New Yorkers, it comes with a heavy price tag for those who want to witness tip-off live.
For the basketball game scheduled in New York next week in Madison Square Garden, the cheapest home tickets for the Knicks could set fans back
$4,000. That's just for the nosebleeds.
[14:55:00]
Our Matt Egan actually crunched the numbers and found it's cheaper for New Yorkers to fly to San Antonio to watch games 1 and 2 there than to attend a
final game at their own Madison Square Garden. And of course, cheapest for everyone would be to just, well, you guessed it, watch from home.
Now, and finally tonight, the Dalai Lama is known, as you all know, for his tireless activism and spiritual leadership. And now, he can add to the
highest honor in recording arts to his mantle. Earlier today, the Nobel Laureate finally received his Grammy Award for his spoken word album,
Meditations, at a special ceremony, as you can see there, at his residence.
The 68th Grammy Awards were hosted in Los Angeles earlier this year, but the 90-year-old was unable to attend. In a statement released to his
website, the Dalai Lama said he received, quote, "The recognition with both gratitude and humility." Who'd have thought? Congratulations to the Dalai
Lama, a Grammy winner, as you've seen.
That does it for us for this hour. Thanks very much for your company. Do stay right here, "What We Know" with Max Foster is up next. I shall see you
tomorrow.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[15:00:00]
END
