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Isa Soares Tonight

Venezuela Reeling After Being Hit By its Strongest Earthquake in a Century; Europe Struggles with Another Day of Searing Heat as Death Toll Continues to Rise; France Confirms its First Ebola Case. U.N. Commission: Israel "Deliberately" Killing Palestinian Children; 188 Killed in Powerful Twin Earthquakes in Venezuela; Case of Ebola Outside of Africa. Aired 2-3p ET

Aired June 25, 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, Venezuela is reeling after being hit by

its strongest earthquake in a century. More than 180 people are dead and many more are missing. We'll be live on the ground with the very latest in

just a moment for you.

Then Europe struggles with another day of searing heat. The death toll is growing as temperature warnings extend through the end of the week. Plus,

France confirms its first Ebola case, and the W.H.O. is issuing a fresh warning that the outbreak is outpacing the response.

I'll speak to the head of W.H.O. Africa later in the show. I do want to begin the hour with breaking news. The frantic search to rescue survivors

after deadly back-to-back earthquakes in Venezuela. The most powerful the country has experienced in a century.

It is a situation, really, a Red Cross official says, it is the worst the organization has ever seen. And we're about to show you some disturbing

video. The 7.5 quake struck less than one minute after the 7.2 foreshock. At least, 188 people were killed and more than 1,500 are injured.

The death toll is expected to rise and many people are still missing at this hour. Mass destruction is everywhere really, you look. Many homes are

uninhabitable and infrastructure has been absolutely, as you can see there, devastated. Schools are closed.

Metro and railway services suspended. And the government is urging people to stay home. While one woman who escaped a damaged building described the

scene as being like a horror movie. So many people endured similarly traumatic scenes when the twin quakes hit.

One of hundreds of thousands of moments just like it. Two earthquakes, 39 seconds apart. The most powerful Venezuela has seen in more than a century,

striking on a public holiday evening across several states. A friend in Caracas sent me this voice message. Cleveland Katakya(ph) had made it out,

but are still waiting to hear from several others.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

SOARES (voice-over): Families outside on the streets in squares, just too frightened to go back inside. On social media, images only now coming

online. Luis Reyes(ph) and the elderly woman he cares for doing what thousands across Caracas did on Thursday night. They slept on the street.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

SOARES: By daybreak, the damage is clear to see. This footage aired on state TV shows the utter devastation. And for the millions who fled

violence and a crumbling economy in Venezuela in recent years, the night brought its own particular torment.

Communications severed across the capital, the airport, as you can see, effectively destroyed. It falls to the acting President, Delcy Rodriguez,

to lead the response. A government still finding its footing after Nicolas Maduro's capture by the United States in January, now facing the worst

natural disaster in Venezuela in over a century.

Her government announcing a $200 million emergency fund. The death toll already in the hundreds and rising.

DIOSDADO CABELLO, INTERIOR MINISTER, VENEZUELA (through translator): We have ordered by instructions from the President, to cut off so that

everyone is aware of the direct gas service to buildings, because we have some damaged structures, we do not want any kind of accident with the gas

to occur.

SOARES: Venezuela has already lived through political rupture, economic collapse, and the loss of millions of its people to emigration. For a

country that already given so much, now this.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[14:05:00]

SOARES: Well, Los Palos Grandes neighborhood, that's in eastern Caracas is one of the most impacted areas, as Osmary Hernandez is there on the ground

and sends us this report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

OSMARY HERNANDEZ, CNN EN ESPANOL CORRESPONDENT (on camera): We are walking in Los Palos Grandes; this is a neighborhood located in the east of Caracas

and one of the most affected after the power earthquake that broke Venezuela. Let's see, how is the situation where the rescue are working in

the area.

They are trying to remove the device and try to rescue some people, because around, there are some relatives waiting for news about them. They say that

they have no communication with them for so many hours.

At this moment, they are trying to rescue four young men in this building, and at the same time, the feeling in the area is with pain, with sadness,

also with fear, still with fear. Some people spend the night in squares, also in public spaces because they don't know if the cracks like this one

that we can see in this building can affect the structure, and can make that building collapse.

Like other four buildings in this same area. But also, in the middle of this, a chaotic situation. We can feel the solidarity of the people, people

who come here to bring with them medicines, food, water, some masks, because in this area, you have to wear a mask like this one.

And because there are so many -- so much power around, and sometimes difficult to read, it's difficult to see. And people -- there are some

volunteers here working to help people, and to help also the rescue to support the rescue with food, with water and waiting for the international

aid.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SOARES: Our thanks to Osmary there. Well, Tony Frangie Mawad is a Caracas- based journalist who joins us now from there. Tony, thank you for taking the time to speak to us. You heard there from our correspondent I've been

speaking to many Venezuelans, many in Caracas.

Can you give me a sense of what the situation is like where you are? Just paint us a picture of what overnight, it's been like.

TONY FRANGIE MAWAD, JOURNALIST: Well, thank you so much for having me. Right now, we're experiencing a very sad day in Venezuela. As you show many

areas of Caracas have been hit, but also especially outside Caracas, for example.

La Guaira, which is a coastal town, just on the other side of the mountains that surround Caracas, and that's where most of the buildings have been hit

according to open-source information. We're talking of almost 200 buildings that have collapsed through the country.

And there's reports also from open source of around 30,000 missing people at the moment. So, we do expect the high number of casualties in Venezuela.

And we have to be -- also been experiencing a lot of aftershocks during the last few hours and especially during last night.

So, it's quite an overwhelming moment in Venezuela, and definitely, one of the worst natural disasters to hit the city in decades.

SOARES: Yes, and La Guaira, like you said, Tony, is one of the most affected areas. It's closed, of course, to the -- to the airport. Many

viewers may know. Can I ask what -- how did you -- did you feel it? Speak to your personal experience, first of all.

MAWAD: Well, I was in Caracas when it happened in my own home. I was about to leave to go to watch a World Cup match with my friends, and I took the

elevator, and when I was in, it started to shake from side to side and go down really fast.

That's when I realized there was an earthquake going on. But at first, I didn't -- thought it was such a big one, because in Caracas, sometimes we

tend to have soft or short, you know, little quakes. But apparently, the moment I managed to get some signal back, I start to see in some WhatsApp

groups that, there were reports of buildings falling in Caracas, which had never happened since 1967 at least.

So, that's when I started to realize how bad things were. My sister was with my nephews in the movies, so, when she arrived home, maybe half an

hour later, she starts to show me videos and photos she took on the way home.

She came from an area near Palos Grandes where Osmary was reporting, and there were plenty of buildings. Many of those well-known with clear damage

on their -- on their infrastructure and architecture, and also collapsed here --

SOARES: And that must have been so terrifying -- that must have been so terrifying for your nephews and nieces, of course, as they see this. Osmary

was hinting at this, pointed to this, is the fact that and I -- for many of the people I spoke to as well, Tony, is that, they -- many of them couldn't

sleep at night because they were so scared of aftershocks.

[14:10:00]

But also, this point that Osmary was making that some of the buildings, some of them did collapse, but some have huge cracks. So, they -- really

big concerns about the structural aspect of the building. Where are people -- where are people staying? Where are people going? Speak to what's being

done to help those without a home right now.

MAWAD: So, in the case of La Guaira, I know it's a really big mess right now with many buildings that haven't even been reached yet by rescue

efforts, because there's also, you know, the weakness of services here. And of course, the previous crisis Venezuela hasn't gone in.

But in the case of Caracas, thankfully, a big part of our buildings were built or reinforced after the '67 earthquake. So, the city, I think could

have gone much worse than it actually did. So many people did live in their homes in Caracas, but also in public squares, in boulevards, in public

parks, and even in the gardens or lower floors of their own buildings or homes.

I know of people who even slept in their cars. So, there's clearly also a lot of Caraquenians, people from Caracas is living in open spaces and

public spaces in the city.

SOARES: Yes, I know some people who also slept in their cars for being scared, of course, of what may happen. The question now very much focused

the intention on trying to save as many people as possible under the rubble.

And it really is a race against time. Tony Frangie Mawad, thank you very much, Tony, really appreciate you coming on the show. Thank you. (SPEAKING

IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

Now, the disaster in Venezuela will be one of the first major tests of the U.S. relationship with the country. In January, the U.S. captured former

President Nicolas Maduro on drug-trafficking charges. Since then, U.S. officials have developed a new diplomatic relationship with acting

President Delcy Rodriguez.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio says the government has been in touch with President Rodriguez about aid. Secretary Rubio also says the U.S. has sent

help. Have a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARCO RUBIO, SECRETARY OF STATE, UNITED STATES: We were already deploying a search and rescue teams from Fairfax County, Virginia, and Los Angeles.

There will be some others we'll add. That's their most immediate need right now, is search and rescue efforts.

They have a bunch of collapsed buildings, and so they'll need a lot of help in terms of digging through that. The airport there is badly damaged, so

we'll have to rely on the Department of War to deploy assets there. And then, we're also helping them with some overhead imagery, especially in

coastal areas where they don't have full visibility over what the damage has been and what the impact has been.

Those are the acute like short-term needs over the next 48 to 72 hours, because in search and rescue, you're trying to get to people while you can

still save their lives. They're buried under rubble.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SOARES: So, Kevin, you've been hearing from not only correspondents on the ground, but also, of course, that reporter on the ground also in Caracas,

it's very desperate and many people are incredibly worried about their loved ones unable to -- being able to hear from them.

What clarity are you getting? I know we heard there from Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, but is it clear from you what is being sent and when?

KEVIN LIPTAK, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Well, we did hear some more specifics from a senior official at the State Department who said that

among the American resources that would be heading there would be search and rescue teams.

And you heard that from Rubio as well, but also medical and humanitarian supplies. It's not clear exactly when they will get there. Of course,

getting into the Caracas airport could be difficult because, as Rubio says, it has been damaged, but they may rely on American military assets from the

Pentagon who have some experience in landing in difficult situations to try and get on the ground there.

The other aspect of this that you heard Marco Rubio talking about, was trying to corral some of the monetary donations from the -- fairly large

Venezuelan-American community, particularly in south Florida, who will be trying to rally behind their home country and try and get some of that

monetary assistance down very quickly.

And what President Trump himself said earlier today on Truth Social was that he had instructed, quote, "all agencies" of our government to get

ready to move quickly. He says we will be there for our new and great friends. Sort of alluding to this diplomatic realignment that I think is

allowing this very swift response on the part of Washington.

Remember, the United States reopened the American Embassy in Caracas at the end of March. They had been embarking on this three-phase process to try

and stabilize Venezuela after the ouster of Maduro, try and boost its economy, and then eventually have elections down the line.

Now, Marco Rubio was asked whether this would put a hamper in some of those efforts into the broader stabilization process. He acknowledged that it

probably would, but that really, the focus right now is to try and get as much help as possible onto the ground there.

[14:15:00]

And so, you are seeing a fairly quick and rapid response from the United States. But obviously, the needs there will be enormous. So, just how much

support the U.S. will be providing is something to watch very closely going forward.

SOARES: Indeed, Kevin, really appreciate it. Kevin Liptak for us there in Washington. Well, another day, another extreme heat endurance test for

Europe as national temperature records are broken yet again. And that includes right here in the U.K. with the record June high of 36.4 degrees

Celsius.

That's more than 97 Fahrenheit. And this level of heat is deadly. In Spain, officials say 212 people have died over the last four days. And in France,

at least, 48 people have drowned in the past week. That is according to a "Reuters" report.

And the impacts are rampant. Nearly 10,000 French schools are shut, hundreds in U.K. are either closed or cutting hours, and transport networks

are in turmoil as train lines buckle under the heat. Anna Stewart joins us now from a pizza restaurant in London.

For more, Anna, and Anna, I can tell you it must be scorching in there. Speak to the impact this is having. I mean, I got a message earlier from my

school from -- them saying you can pick up your kids early tomorrow at midday. I can't work, I can't, that's not possible.

ANNA STEWART, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, lots of schools are already shut, Isa. So, I think you're quite lucky.

SOARES: Yes --

STEWART: Listen, in a heat wave, who wants to work or go to school frankly? But of course, we all have to. And not all work takes place in a

nice air-conditioned office. We've spent the day questioning how hot is too hot to work, going around a number of workplaces, like construction or dry

cleaners, or, of course, the kitchens of many restaurants where temperatures have been hitting 48 degrees centigrade.

I have a little moment for her, taking her around with me. This is around 118 degrees Fahrenheit. It's hot. In the U.K., there is no upper limit

legally in terms of how hot a workplace can be. Employers are made to make sure it is quite reasonable.

But what does reasonable really mean? Let me introduce you to Zee(ph). He has been working at this restaurant in Brent since it started last year.

Zee(ph), how are you doing? And how hot has it been? Is it unbearable?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It is quite unbearable most definitely. But we're surviving. We are surviving.

STEWART: I mean, it's hot in a pizza restaurant at any time, I imagine. But normally, you get a bit of relief, don't you?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes --

STEWART: It's hot all over.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You even get a bit of relief, but like during this heatwave, it's like where we came from, it's quite unfortunate. I actually

describe opening the oven, my house is like opening the gates of hell. It is quite exhausting, but everybody deserves a piece. So, we still come

here, put in the hours and we greet everyone with a smile.

STEWART: And we are thankful because it's probably going to be my dinner tonight, Isa. Also, some restaurants are struggling with fridges and with

air conditioning. Everything is kind of buckling under the pressure. Have you had any issues here?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, it's quite unfortunate really. Like at the back of the restaurant, I think the temperature gets to like 39 degrees, which is

like really stuffy, because the air conditioning just doesn't work. And the fridges over there, we have loads of drinks in them. None of them are cold.

So, it's just a really big uphill battle. Like we're constantly rotating things from different fridges to make sure that things can all get cold.

Customers get cold drinks, and then we're constantly circulating fans in one spot, fans in another spot because we want everybody to at least feel a

breeze.

We don't want people to like pass out due to heat exhaustion or anything, so we try. You have to be very creative. That's what I'm learning about

this.

STEWART: I'm positive, I think. Thank you so much, Zee(ph), I look forward to ordering a pizza from you shortly. Isa, everyone is doing their best. I

think the attitude here is very much keep calm, not cool and carry on. A fun twist for you. I know you love a little bit of British legislation.

While workplaces don't have to legally have any kind of upper limit to temperatures, they do have to provide thermometers in the workplace, so

workers in the U.K. are allowed to know just how unbearably hot it is in the workplace, but they may not be able to do anything about it. Isa?

SOARES: I -- and speaking of legislation and heat, I saw on your social media, you've been walking around London, different methods of transport

with a thermostat, Anna. Just explain this to our viewers --

STEWART: Yes --

SOARES: Because it speaks to just how hard it is, and the impact it's having on public transport as well.

STEWART: Yes, actually, you can see my trusty thermometer somewhere in the background. It's measuring around 48 degrees centigrade right now in this -

-

SOARES: Wow --

STEWART: Restaurant. It is so hot and transport is buckling under the pressure. I was on a bus earlier today outside, I don't know, it's 33

degrees centigrade. It went up to about 38-39 degrees very quickly on the bus. It is so hot. And yes, there are -- lots of people have been saying,

it's not the right time to travel.

Network Rail has told people, not to get on a train unless it's absolutely essential, because of the fear that it is all going to buckle. And at the

same time, everyone has to go about their daily work. Fun times.

[14:20:00]

SOARES: Keep calm. Kim, like you said, Anna, keep calm and carry on, right? Good to see you, Anna. Thanks very much. Anna Stewart there. Now,

just hours ago, if you were watching the U.S. Supreme Court upended decades of U.S. policy on immigration, giving a major win to Donald Trump.

The courts conservative majority sided with the President in two cases. First, the court said migrants cannot apply for asylum unless they are

already on U.S. soil. That means that migrants who approach the border, but don't cross it have no means of pleading their case.

Liberal justice Sonia Sotomayor was scathing in her criticism of the ruling, evoking the image of Jews during the holocaust being denied help

because they had not yet reached the U.S. The second ruling will allow the Trump administration to end temporary protections that had been granted to

people fleeing war and violence, both in Haiti, Syria and indeed elsewhere.

And it could result in the deportation of more than a million migrants who have been in the U.S. for years. Immigration advocates say that could lead

to thousands of deaths. And you may recall that Mr. Trump railed against the Haitian refugees during the 2024 presidential campaign, claiming they

were eating cats and dogs.

Well, this hour, the top Republican in the House is meeting with Donald Trump at the White House. Mike Johnson is trying to convince the President

to sign a popular housing bill that drew bipartisan support. But Mr. Trump has refused to sign as a protest over Congress not taking up his

controversial Election Security Bill.

Johnson is in a tough spot, really, because there is almost no chance the voter ID bill will pass Congress, despite Mr. Trump calling for it. We'll

stay across that for you. And still to come tonight, new calls for accountability after a U.N. Commission said it has indisputable evidence

that Israel is deliberately killing Palestinian children. The head of that commission joins me just ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SOARES: Welcome back. Well, Save the Children says a new U.N. report must mark a turning point in accountability for the suffering of Palestinian

children. An independent U.N. Commission of Inquiry says Israeli forces continue to commit genocide by deliberately targeting children in Gaza,

even after the ceasefire last year.

It says it has identified Israeli military units responsible for the killing and injuring of Palestinian children.

[14:25:00]

The U.N. report says Israel is, quote, "attacking the very capacity of the Palestinian people to exist by killing their sons and daughters", noting

that some attacks have wiped out several generations. Israel has repeatedly denied committing genocide and is slamming the new report as blood libel.

We're joined now by the Chair of that U.N. Commission of Inquiry, Srinivasan Muralidhar. Srinivasan, welcome to the show, really appreciate

you being with us, coming to us live from Geneva. This report of our viewers --

SRINIVASAN MURALIDHAR, CHAIR, U.N. COMMISSION OF INQUIRY ON OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY: Thank you --

SOARES: Having read out, really recommend everyone reads it. It really does make some truly horrifying reading. And according to your report, the

children in Gaza have been killed. They've been deprived of basic necessities.

They've been ill-treated in detention, subjected to sexual and gender-based violence. Before we go into the legal findings of this, can you just share

with our viewers what your investigation revealed or it reveal -- reveals right now, rather, about the lived reality of childhood in Gaza.

MURALIDHAR: The lived reality is this, the child does not know when the next bomb is going to fall. Every day, there are airstrikes. The ceasefire

actually is observed in the breach. Children wake up to an uncertain future. And this is not a cliche expression.

Evacuation orders are issued at very short notice. After 7th October 2025, Israel has drawn an imaginary yellow line of control, and children can --

you know, in the course of playing outside their house somewhere, go near the yellow line at the danger of being shot in cold blood.

There have been instances of young children picking up firewood and being shot. So, children are waking up to a very uncertain future, 97 percent of

all schools in Gaza have been completely destroyed. Twenty two out of 38 universities completely destroyed.

Healthcare facilities non-existent. Five of the six pediatric hospitals completely destroyed. Neonatal wards completely destroyed. So, you are

forcing a population by forcible transfers into the southern part of the Gaza Strip.

And even there today, if you go to Rafah, there is no building standing. So, you only have displacement camps in which 700 people are sharing one

toilet. There is a sewage line running in which children are playing. It is horrific. So, you had the emergence of, you know, diseases like polio among

--

SOARES: Yes --

MURALIDHAR: Palestinian children. So, we are looking at a very bleak future for even the surviving Palestinian children.

SOARES: Yes, and Srinivasan, you know, the report really doesn't mince its words. In fact, it repeatedly says in the report that Palestinian children

were deliberately targeted. Those are the words you -- "deliberately targeted".

Just what is the strongest evidence that led the commission to conclude intent rather than recklessness or disproportionate use of force. Speak to

that to that evidence. The strongest evidence here.

MURALIDHAR: The strongest evidence is the use of what I would call, a combination of quadcopters, sniper rifles and drones. Quadcopters are pre-

fitted with thermal imaging cameras, which tell the person viewing the screen whether the image on the screen belongs to a child or an adult.

Israeli soldiers are -- record -- are seen speaking on videos which they have uploaded on social media, or it's on the television channels in

Israel, where they proudly proclaim that it is like a game for them. They can sit anywhere and shoot Palestinians by just looking at a screen.

They get commended by their commanders for using this kind of a tactic. The second thing is, we're finding that these gunshot wounds are specifically

directed at the head and the neck, the upper portions of the body for maximum damage.

So, you have a ten-day-old baby while breastfeeding, being shot through the head using a quadcopter weapon. And the baby is now in permanent paralysis.

Then the kind of pellets used, you know, these are cube-shaped pellets which enter the body, the baby's body is very small, and then it travels

through the body, causing maximum damage to internal organs.

So, this time in Geneva, we held public hearings where three doctors participated, and they told us that they haven't seen this trend of

injuries specific to children. The adult is holding the child, the child is injured, adult is not injured.

So, you can clearly make out from these trends that children are very specific targets for the Israeli defense forces. And this is not surprising

when you think of the utterances of far-right politicians in Israel, who say that every child is a future terrorist, and that every child in Gaza

has to be eliminated.

These statements we have quoted, this mentality has then percolated to the Israeli defense forces and the soldiers who then think they can act with

impunity. How else would you explain an Israeli soldier filming himself proudly proclaiming having killed a child? I mean, this is unbelievable.

SOARES: Well, let me tell you, then, because we asked the Israeli foreign minister, as you can imagine, Srinivasan, for a comment. They've come back

to us, and they basically call the report a libelous sham that relies on demagoguery rather than evidence and argues that the commission lacks an

incredible verification mechanism for its claims, as you can see there, whose very purpose is to single out and vilify Israel rather than seek the

truth. How do you respond to that?

MURALIDHAR: One is that every time we prepare a report, a draft of the report is sent in advance to the Permanent Commission for Israel in the

U.N., and we ask for their comments. We send it even to the Palestinian Authority. The Palestinian Authority gives its comments. We incorporate

some of their comments into our reports. The Israeli authorities never respond.

After becoming a chair, I sent a note verbal to the Permanent Mission for Israel. No response. We want Israel to engage with the commission. We want

them to come forth with whatever material they have. If they want to prove us wrong, let us see the material they have. We adopt completely scientific

methods. We have explained the methodology in Paras eight and 10 of our report.

We cross-verify the facts. We don't rely on just one source. We use, you know, geolocation techniques. We have military analysis of weapons used, of

the bullets used. We have medical evidence. We have forensic evidence. We have analysis of electronic evidence. And it's a very, very rigorous

process. I can confidently state we have a team of 12 people, professional, and completely committed to uncovering the truth. So, they never, ever rely

on only a single source of evidence.

Having said that, I would invite Israeli authorities to look at the evidence we have. They're prepared to share with them the evidence we have.

Let them see it for themselves, because there is no purpose to be served in falsely accusing anyone.

Now, Israel prepared an 18-page rebuttal to the latest report, and there is no denial by them of the evidence, incriminating evidence that Israeli

soldiers have placed on social media and on the web. They have not denied any of that. And then they accuse of being silent on the violence of Hamas.

And here I want to point out that just on 15 June 2026, we submitted a report to the Human Rights Council on non-state actors, which includes

settlers in West Bank, their actions, and the activities of Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups in Gaza.

SOARES: Srinivasan, we really appreciate --

MURALIDHAR: And there, we have specifically adverted to the violence --

SOARES: Finish your thought. Finish your thought.

MURALIDHAR: committed by Hamas against children. Yes.

SOARES: Thank you. Srinivasan, we're running out of time. But I'm --

MURALIDHAR: So, as you keep saying, there's no purpose --

SOARES: -- very grateful. No purpose. Finish your thought. I don't want you end mid-sentence.

MURALIDHAR: Yes. While I deeply understand the anguish. But, you know, facts speak for themselves. I would really wish that the Israeli

authorities engaged with us. We are still prepared to do that.

SOARES: Srinivasan, thank you very much for taking the time to speak to us. Thank you.

Now, we're just getting a full look, really, at the devastation, as we've been showing, from two major earthquakes in Venezuela still to come

tonight. We'll speak live to a journalist, Mary Triny Mena, who is in the country. That's after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:35:00]

SOARES: Back to our top story. Volunteers and rescue workers are frantically searching for survivors in Venezuela following powerful twin

earthquakes. More than 188 people have been killed, and those numbers are expected to rise, perhaps even dramatically. Two earthquakes hit the

country. One a magnitude 7.2, and moments later, a magnitude 7.5. The second was the most powerful one to hit the nation in a century.

In addition to those killed, nearly 1,500 people have been injured, and hundreds are now missing. Venezuela's acting president, Delcy Rodriguez,

has declared the state of La Guaira a disaster zone. Our journalist, Mary Triny Mena, has this report for us from Venezuela.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARY TRINY MENA, JOURNALIST: I'm at Playa Grande. This is one of the areas most devastated by the two earthquakes that took place Wednesday in

Venezuela.

Here there's an active survivor rescue, and there are neighbors and rescue teams trying to locate the people that are still inside of these buildings,

like this man, Carlos Baez (ph). Carlos is a neighbor, and he's trying to get in touch with a lady that is in that building. He is waving at us.

Every time Carlos talks to her, she's trying to wave their hand with the red cloth that is -- So, many people that are trapped from yesterday are

trying to get the sense of the time that they are being stuck there and trying to make the efforts to bring more rescue teams, more people to this

area that is still with many people alive, and they want, of course, that they are out of this situation as soon as possible.

La Guaira, as I said, is one of the areas most devastated in Venezuela, especially the international airport of Caracas that is located here. As

you can see, there's a lot of rubble and debris in these buildings that I'm in right now. An entire complex of buildings are devastated.

For CNN, Mary Triny Mena.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SOARES: Our thanks to Mary for that report. Well, as we mentioned at the top of the show, condolences and pledges of support for Venezuela are

pouring in. The E.U. says it's already providing help on the ground. France has deployed a team of 85 specialized search and rescue operators.

Germany's defense ministry says it can make transport aircraft available to help bring in humanitarian aid to Venezuela. And Spain is also offering

emergency assistance.

Our Pau Mosquera is in Madrid for us. And, Pau, I am seeing what, in the last, let me think, less than eight minutes or so, that the Spanish foreign

minister in Spain, Jose Manuel Alvarez, is saying that dozens of Spanish citizens are missing in this quake. What more can you tell us?

[14:40:00]

PAU MOSQUERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Isa. The latest that we know from the foreign affairs ministry is that around 68 Spanish nationals

are missing there in Venezuela. And that's why, from the ministry, are asking us to find out what's going on in Venezuela. The people living in

the areas most affected by this double quake to call to the consulate, to the embassy, to give any information relating to all the people that is

missing.

So, you have an idea, Isa, on the national statistics office say that there are around 150,000 Spaniards living nowadays in Venezuela. But, again,

repeating, 68 are reported missing, Isa.

SOARES: Yes. And the concern I've had, and speak to this, is that I wasn't able to speak to a lot of my friends in Venezuela. And for those, for the

diaspora, that must be a huge concern. Speak to those stories.

MOSQUERA: That's it, because Spain is home to the largest Venezuelan community in all of Europe, with around 700,000 people living in here. And,

actually, during this morning, we have been in front of the Venezuelan consulate, which is very close to where we are, to gather the views, the

worries of the different Venezuelans living in Madrid, and that they have their families there back in Caracas, in the capital, or in the coastal

state of La Guaira.

And many of them have spent the last few hours in anguish, in uncertainty, waiting for news, as they have heard nothing at all of their loved ones

since midnight local time, which is the time that the earthquake struck Venezuela. They were very worried, because they were trying to get in touch

with their relatives, sending messages via cell phone, but getting no answer at all.

And also, adding to this, Isa, the Venezuelan community present here in Madrid are trying to help everyone that may have someone that is reported

missing. But they also want to send some love, some message of unity to all the people in Venezuela, with a prayer service that will take place here

behind me at St. Helena Parish that is located downtown Madrid.

They are trying to gather as many people as possible to pray for the victims of this earthquake, but also to send some good energy to all the

people that are suffering right now. Isa.

SOARES: Pau, thank you very much. And as Pal was talking, these are live images coming to us from Caracas. Can I just listen in to what he's saying?

Do we have audio? No, we don't seem -- do we have this? Can someone confirm whether we have audio from there, so I can hear it? We don't. But it does

seem that he was speaking there quite loudly. It gives us a sense that they may have found someone under the rubble.

I'm just trying to hear. Give me a second. What we do know -- OK. So, they're asking for people to come up to help. I think they're trying to

lift some of the rubble, from what I understood there. What we know, the very latest, of course, at least 188 people have been killed, and now

continues, as we have seen, a desperate search for survival -- for survivors, people using, as we've seen throughout the day, using their bare

hands, trying to get to loved ones. We know that 1,500 have been injured by Venezuela -- in Venezuela's double earthquake, and, of course, so many more

missing.

We are going to continue -- I couldn't hear him, so apologies. We're going to continue to monitor this. If any developments, hopefully some good news.

Goodness knows Venezuela does need all the good news possible after a really tough political and economic year. We'll stay across this. Any

developments, of course, we'll bring them to you.

And still to come tonight, the first case of Ebola in the current outbreak has been reported outside of Africa. That, plus the latest on the spread of

the virus from a world health expert. That's next.

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[14:45:00]

SOARES: Well, the World Health Organization says there are more than 1,000 confirmed cases of Ebola and 277 deaths from the virus in the Democratic

Republic of Congo. Two people in Uganda have died as well. The WHO director general says care and testing have expanded, but conditions remain

challenging. France is reporting the first case of Ebola outside of Africa in this latest outbreak. The French health ministry says the aid worker

tested positive after returning from humanitarian mission in the DRC.

I want to bring in Dr. Mohamed Yakub Janabi, who is the regional director for Africa at the World Health Organization. Doctor, welcome to the show.

Let me just pick up with what we've been hearing from the WHO. I think this is important. Basically saying that care and testing have expanded, but

conditions remain challenging. Is this what you are seeing, what you and your teams are seeing on the ground?

DR. MOHAMED YAKUB JANABI, AFRICA DIRECTOR, WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION: Yes, that's correct. This remains a very serious and evolving public health

emergency, particularly in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. As of now, we have had over 1,000 confirmed cases and nearly 300 deaths have been

reported across multiple provinces, with the highest concentration, of course, in Ituri province.

So, the outbreak is unfolding in a highly complex context marked by insecurity, population displacement, and frequently cross-border movement

and significantly humanitarian needs. So, these factors make detection, contact tracing, and response operations a little bit challenging.

But I have to say, at the same time, there are clear reasons for caution and optimism. National authorities, communities, WHO, Africa, CDC, and

partners have really mounted a very large coordinated response.

Ebola is a virus we know how to stop. And early detection, isolation, and contact tracing, safe barriers, and community engagement work.

SOARES: And doctor, as you break it all down for us, I mean, is the epidemic, has it reached its peak, you think, in Eastern DRC, or is the

worst yet to come?

DR. JANABI: I wouldn't say worst yet to come, because as you have heard earlier, we have moved from 30 testing samples to 2,000 over a day, over

nine laboratories which we have had. So, I think when, if you ask me on operational side, we are getting better, and the community has started to

build the trust which initially was not there.

[14:45:00]

SOARES: Yes. So, that is indeed, and it's -- from what I've been seeing as well, communities are heeding your advice, and that trust is growing. Where

are you seeing then, doctor, the biggest challenges? Because as your viewers will know, it was declared a public health emergency in mid-May.

Are you -- is the WHO getting the resources, the funding, the international support to meet this challenge?

DR. JANABI: I wouldn't say, our initial budget was about $518 million, really, but this, we are going to do the evaluation, I think, is it day

after tomorrow or early next week, to see how much we have, because those were pledges. And you have to know, it's 300 miles from Kinshasa to Ituri.

So, to -- it's a challenge to get everything on the ground, but as of today, I can tell you over 100 tons of consumables are already on the

ground. We have over 100 -- I think 130 of our WHO staff already on the ground.

So, initially, there were all this logistic of getting our international experts to get visas, but things are much, much better now.

SOARES: That is very good news. We could do with some good news. And there's more good news, it seems, because from what I understand, trials

for two antivirals are expected to start next week. What more can you tell us about that, Doctor?

DR. JANABI: Yes, exactly. These are the -- you know, the worst thing about this Ebola Bundibugyo was that we don't have any licensed therapeutics,

neither the vaccines. So, I'm pretty optimistic now with the fast tracking which has been done by the government to test these two antivirals, the MMP

or 134 and Remdesivir, which is already given. So, I'm very optimistic with the combination of good surveillance, case tracing. I'm optimistic.

And really, let me just capitalize. People think this is the worst Ebola, but I have to say it's too early and not responsible to label this the

worst Ebola outbreak ever, because the largest Ebola outbreaks on record is still the 2014-2016 in West Africa, which caused more than 30,000 cases and

over 12,000 deaths. So, this is more, if you put together, there are more deaths than ever.

SOARES: Doctor, thank you very much indeed for coming in. Really appreciate it coming us live there from Dar es Salaam in Tanzania. Thank

you.

And still to come tonight, Team USA eyeing a record third group stage win in a row tonight against Turkey in California. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:55:00]

SOARES: Well, we are just an hour away from two matches in the final round of group stage play at the World Cup. Today's matches include Ecuador

versus Germany, Tunisia versus Netherlands, and Japan versus Sweden. Then later on tonight, USA take on Turkey in California. The co-hosts are hoping

to notch three group stage wins in a row, which of course would be a first.

Remember Merlin the Duck? Well, it seems he ran out of luck. Mexico's wildly popular and unlikely World Cup ambassador was a night entry ahead of

the team's big game on Wednesday. FIFA regulations say animals are not allowed in venues. Merlin, wearing his tiny green Mexico jersey, as you see

there, has become an international sensation on social media and an official mascot of the team. We wish him, of course, all the best.

That does it for us tonight. Do stay right here. "What We Know" with Max Foster is up next. I'll see you tomorrow. Have a wonderful day.

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[15:00:00]

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