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Isa Soares Tonight

Palestinians Living in Fear as Settler Violence Continues to Surge; Meta Fined $25B for Misleading Consumers on Data Privacy; U.N. Climate Report: 1.5C Warming Limit No Longer Achievable. .S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff Calls Russian President Vladimir Putin a Humanitarian; Russia Releases Retired U.S. Teacher Stephen Hubbard from Prison. Aired 2:-3p ET

Aired October 21, 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, "a humanitarian" -- that's how U.S.

special envoy Steve Witkoff is describing Russian President Vladimir Putin after Russia released 74-year-old American prisoner Stephen Hubbard. We'll

bring you the latest reaction.

Then, as is U.S.-Ukraine relations strain, can Europe step up to the mark? I'll discuss with Spain's Foreign Minister. And then expansion with

impunity. A special report on how Israel has reshaped the occupied West Bank under Prime Minister Netanyahu. That and much more ahead for you this

hour.

We do begin this hour, though, with a sense of deja vu. The Kremlin says it is willing to resume three-way talks with U.S. and Ukraine next month. But

so far, there's no sign Russia has budged from its hardline conditions to actually end the war.

And the announcement follows today's three-hour meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff. A Putin aide

says Moscow wants to discuss a security framework for both Russia and Ukraine once the war ends.

Witkoff also met with an American freed by the Kremlin after being imprisoned for four years. Seventy-four-year-old Stephen Hubbard is now on

his way home. The retired teacher was accused of fighting as a mercenary in Ukraine, charges the U.S. State Department said were bogus. Witkoff was

effusive in his praise for President Trump following Hubbard's release. Have a listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STEVE WITKOFF, U.S. SPECIAL ENVOY TO RUSSIA-UKRAINE & MIDDLE EAST: He's a 75-year-old man, and you talk so much about my President, President Trump

being a humanitarian. You are a humanitarian also, sir, and I salute that. I commend you, and I thank you again.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SOARES: Well, while the U.S. special envoy may describe him as humanitarian, the Russian President as routinely, often brutally cracked

down on any opposition in his country. There are still Americans that remain behind bars in Russia, and the Russian leader is wanted by The Hague

on charges of war crimes in Ukraine. Worth remembering that.

Sadly, Ukraine reports at least four people were killed and another 11 wounded in new Russian attacks. This video, geolocated by CNN, shows smoke

as well as fire rising from a large market following reports of drone strikes by Russia.

Our CNN senior international security reporter Jennifer Hansler is with us now from the State Department. Jen, I mean, let me start off with what more

you can tell me about Witkoff's meeting with -- in St. Petersburg and specifically about this prisoner swap.

JENNIFER HANSLER, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL SECURITY REPORTER: Well, Isa, according to the United States, they did not actually exchange anything for

this prisoner swap. However, it should be noted that President Trump, in his own words on Truth Social, did link his recent waiver of Russian

sanctions that were set to be put in place under the Lindsey Graham law with the negotiations around Stephen Hubbard's release.

He said in a post that if sanctions had been put in place, those negotiations would have come to a halt. So, essentially, they are saying

they did give sanctions waivers, at least in part due to their efforts to bring Stephen Hubbard home, which of course, would be something that is

given to Putin.

Now, when it comes to Hubbard, this is a former school teacher who had spent decades teaching English abroad. He had moved to this eastern

Ukrainian city way back in 2014, and he was detained by Russia in 2022 as they occupied that city at the start of their war against Ukraine.

Now he spent four years behind bars in Russia after being accused of working as a mercenary for Ukraine. The State Department said that that was

false. His family said that was false, and today, he has finally secured his release that was announced in that meeting between Witkoff and Putin.

Now, there was this remarkable moment before they left St. Petersburg on their way back to the United States, where Witkoff met with Hubbard. And he

also brought a representative of the Russian government in to meet with him as well. Kirill Dmitriev, I want you to take a watch of that moment.

[14:05:00]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STEPHEN HUBBARD, RETIRED U.S. TEACHER RELEASED FROM RUSSIAN PRISON: Nice to meet you very much, and thank you very much for all your effort.

WITKOFF: This is Kirill Dmitriev, he had a lot to do with this happening. We just met President Putin, who sends you blessings and wishes you good

things.

HUBBARD: OK, good --

WITKOFF: From today, it's a new life for you. I met your son --

HUBBARD: Oh, really --

WITKOFF: Father Joseph, father Joseph. He's incredible, your boy.

HUBBARD: Yes.

WITKOFF: He's incredible. Should we call him?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANSLER: Now, our understanding is that Hubbard has been able to speak with both his son as well as President Trump. The family did express their

thanks to the Trump administration for bringing Hubbard home. And he is now on his way back to the United States to be able to meet with his family,

Isa.

SOARES: Yes, and as you were talking, Jen, I'm seeing now, I am being told by my team -- I'm going to bring it up, actually, President Trump has just

posted on Truth Social image of Stephen Hubbard and family coming home from Russia.

This is a photo from inside the plane, it says "should have been done a long time ago." He's then going on attacking Joe Biden and the Democrats. I

won't read out the words, but you see, Stephen Hubbard making his way home.

An important moment, of course, both for Hubbard and indeed for his family. But, Jen, let me -- let me keep you with me for just a second, because I

want to get your take on this reporting from the "Wall Street Journal", because they have been reporting that Elon Musk is responsible for ordering

basically a slowdown that you and I have been discussing of Starlink.

There has been so much confusion with Musk himself pointing the finger to the United States government. Trump then said it wasn't him. I want to play

what a Republican Congressman, Brian Fitzpatrick, who is a member of the House Intelligence Committee, had to say about this. Have a listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. BRIAN FITZPATRICK (R-PA): We've got to call the witnesses, got to bring them in, put them under oath, and get to the bottom of it, because

this is -- this is a very serious matter. It cannot be glossed over. We cannot just move past this.

This is a serious issue because lapsing Starshield in that manner, that costs human lives. There's got to be consequences to that. So, my first

reaction, Kaitlan(ph), when I read it, if it is in fact, Mr. Musk that ordered this, that is likely a violation of the law.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SOARES: So, just pick on that and give us a sense of what you're hearing. I mean, this is a U.S. House Republican. Are you hearing from other

Republicans having concerns about this and Musk's role in this?

HANSLER: Yes, there is absolutely a large amount of bipartisan concern when it comes to the administration's latest moves when it comes to Russia

and Ukraine and the snarling of the both Starlink and Starshield system.

And as you noted, there is not a lot of clarity about what exactly has happened with those speed restrictions that President Zelenskyy said today

are still in place. We have heard from the White House saying that the President did not direct any action to this effect.

Elon Musk said that when it comes to Starshield, which is this military grade system, he has no control of it -- over it. He said that is a Defense

Department entity. So, we're not hearing a lot of answers as to who exactly ordered this slowing down.

Now, on Capitol Hill, they are calling for investigations into what exactly has gone down here. And there is also concern in Kyiv about the reliability

of these systems. Isa.

SOARES: Thank you very much, Jen, for talking us through all of this. Jen Hansler there for us at the State Department. Well, let's stay with this

story, because European leaders have been watching the U.S. ratchet up its rhetoric and its action indeed against Ukraine with increasing alarm.

I want to bring in Spain's Foreign Minister, Jose Manuel Albares Bueno, he joins me now from Madrid, a well-known face here on the show. Foreign

Minister, great to have you back on the show. I really do want to pick up with my colleague there, Jen Hansler was referring to and talking about

this reporting over Starlink and indeed the chaos and the fear that the absence and the slowdown has caused across Ukraine.

"Wall Street Journal", as you heard her say there, is now reporting that Musk is responsible for making that call. Just your reaction.

JOSE MANUEL ALBARES BUENO, FOREIGN MINISTER, SPAIN: Of course, I have no information and no clue on whatever these allegations have a basis or not.

Where I can really see is how Russia has been scaling up its war of aggression, how we've seen more and more civilians and civilian targets

being hit by Ukraine.

[14:10:00]

And I think it's a work of commitment and our responsibility to give all the help possible to the government of President Zelenskyy and to the

Ukrainians, just to defend the civilians and international humanitarian law. And we must do that through humanitarian aid, through political and

diplomatic backing, and also through Intelligence and military equipment as Spain and all Europeans, we are doing.

SOARES: Yes, and just to be clear, I wasn't asking Foreign Minister for you to confirm that story. I just wanted to get your take on -- and really,

you know, a man, albeit one of the richest shaping really the war in Ukraine.

The Polish Prime Minister said, I think it was last week, he said, big man, you are playing with politics, politics with your product again. You heard

a House Republican in the United States talking about potentially calling for an investigation.

Just your thoughts about Musk's power when it comes to Ukraine and him intervening. How should Europe feel about this?

BUENO: I think that anyone that has the possibility of helping Ukraine, of giving the right information to the Ukrainians to protect something as

basic as their civilians, children, women, old people that have nothing to do with this war of aggression of Russia, should do it.

That's very clear. That's what we are doing in Spain, the Spanish government and all Europeans. So, on that line, I think everyone should

behave. What we want is peace. But a just and lasting peace. And that means that the sovereignty and the dignity of Ukraine must be respected.

And the best way of doing it is giving them the information, the Intelligence, the equipment, the humanitarian aid that can help them to do

it.

SOARES: Right, I am not -- I'm not hearing, obviously, any criticism of Musk. And the reason I'm asking about this is because Musk, I think on the

back of a tweet on October the 10th, he said Zelenskyy has gone too far. So, the question I'm trying to get to is, you know, to what intent?

But also, other questions being asked on this side is, where does this leave Europe? Because I'm hearing kind of growing calls, Foreign Minister,

for European alternative to Starshield. Is this being discussed? Is this possible? And would you back it?

BUENO: There is one thing I've been saying for many months. It's high time that Europe make a step forward for their own sovereignty. And our American

friends are inviting us to do it both in trade and when it comes to our own security, and our security goes through having more and more aware

deterrence in our own hands.

And also, to creating our own digital market for both commercial and also for security purpose. And that doesn't go against NATO. That it is still a

fundamental and key alliance for Trans-Atlantic security. All on the contrary, a very strong European pillar with a strong military, with the

deterrence in our own hands and with our own digital sovereignty will reinforce NATO.

But very clearly, we have to do it because we have a war that has lasted already for five years. That was started by one Russia, it was a war of

aggression. Ukraine was no threat at all to the sovereignty of Russia. And I wish -- I wish be stuck -- start tomorrow. But unfortunately, so far

through all these years, Russia has always chosen war.

SOARES: A war that was started by Russia and who Witkoff, the U.S. envoy called Putin a humanitarian. I don't know what you think about that, but

it's just -- let me get your take. What did you make of that comment, calling him a humanitarian? Is President Putin a humanitarian?

BUENO: When you see -- of course, not. When you see the number of civilians that are killed, innocent people, when you see how every day, the

electricity, the heating capacity of Ukraine is being destroyed, when you know that the war was a war of aggression and thousands and thousands of

people are dying every year.

Of course, humanitarian wouldn't be the word that I would use, but I'm in favor of dialogue with Russia. If the dialogue has a real content for a

genuine peace, or at least a genuine --

SOARES: Yes --

BUENO: Ceasefire, that Ukraine has a say --

SOARES: Yes --

BUENO: And the say is yes, let's go for the dialogue. And that when there are concerns --

[14:15:00]

SOARES: Yes --

BUENO: Or there are aspect that have an impact on us as Europeans, especially our security, we also are at the table.

SOARES: Yes, and I know we're running out of power -- time, Foreign Minister, let me ask you this. You're talking about high(ph) dialogue, and

I think it's important we try and talk about this. President Zelenskyy, I'm not sure if you saw, he was asked in an interview today about a peace deal,

the potential freezes, the frontlines. I want to play what he said. Have a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Would you accept a peace deal that freezes everything the way it is right now, where you still keep 75 percent or more of your

country, regardless of how it started, would you be -- would you accept where it is right now?

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, PRESIDENT, UKRAINE: Yes, we -- right now we have to freeze, and I think this is a real way to end this war. We call it

ceasefire or stop killing like President Trump called it. Freeze and stop. And of course, this is minimum what we need from Russia today.

Then, of course, we will go to President and to Europeans and we will ask security guarantees. The most important, it's this, and also security,

peace.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SOARES: So, Foreign Minister, I mean, freezing the frontlines means Russia will maintain over what? Eighty percent roughly of the Donbas region. How

do you -- how do you read this? Or is this just a negotiating tactic?

BUENO: I think that when it comes to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, only the Ukrainians can speak and have a say.

President Zelenskyy was very clear there. He was also asking something that looks very logic to me, security guarantees to make sure that this is not

just a pause between a new war that will ask for new demands.

So, our position has always been backing President Zelenskyy and the Ukrainians, that they will have the final say when it comes to their

territorial integrity and their sovereignty, and that when our security, the security of the Europeans is affected, we also have the final say.

SOARES: Foreign Minister, always wonderful to have you on the show, Jose Manuel Albares Bueno live for us there in Madrid. Thank you very much,

Foreign Minister, appreciate it. We'll have more now --

BUENO: My pleasure --

SOARES: On the war in Ukraine -- you're very welcome, where a new generation of Russian jet-powered drones are wreaking havoc right across

the country. They are much faster and indeed more difficult to intercept. Our Nick Paton Walsh gets a rare look at a captured drone and the western

main components inside. Have a look at this.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's that raw, terrifying and new.

(EXPLOSION)

WALSH: The jet engines of the latest Russian drone horror in Ukraine's skies, faster, more precise and deadlier.

(EXPLOSION)

WALSH: Here, causing students to flee in Kyiv.

(EXPLOSION)

WALSH: CNN got a rare glimpse of what makes the Geran-4 jet-powered Russian drone so terrifying. Defense Intelligence Ukraine sent us video of

one of their experts dismantling a trophy model, one that didn't blow up when it was downed. And they are fast up to 375 miles an hour because of

these jet engines.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): The difference is that this engine is more powerful. It is produced in China by Telefly. But now Russia is

capable of making a full copy.

WALSH: They show us the brains, components they say were made in China, the labeling of which the Russians have scratched off to hide their

origins. And what's key? This so-called mesh modem, which bounces signals off other drones in the sky to make a network.

That means they can send video and radio live feeds back to Russian operators. Horrific precision like this in Kyiv, possible because the

Russian operators can see live feeds of where they're going and what they will hit. The Geran-4 are fast.

You have to be lucky to hit them, and they still come tumbling down. Russian video gloats at this new capability, their new toy mass produced in

their enormous Alabuga factory in the east and the Kyiv bridges that it hit.

But this is not a Russian only creation. We're shown how it relies on lots of western parts bought anywhere and anyhow on the open global market.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is a flight control unit, this one have different boards. This is a Texas Instrument, U.S.-made component.

WALSH (on camera): Right --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And you can see --

WALSH: Every single one of them --

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All boards.

[14:20:00]

WALSH: How do you know they're Texas Instruments if they've scratched off the markings?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You can see here it's in the right angle --

WALSH: OK --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You can see the true marking.

WALSH: Doesn't it shock you that this is still available to them?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's not shocking because it's not a military component. It's a common use. You can buy it everywhere in the -- we're

living in a free, open world and it's very difficult to broke these chains, world chains with markets.

WALSH: There's no suggestion Texas Instruments has any role in supply, and they told us they strongly oppose Russian use on all shipments to Russia

are illicit and unauthorized. What's new today will tomorrow be old in a horrific race to learn, improve, kill, and then repeat it all over again.

Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, Kyiv.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SOARES: Well, protests are spreading across major cities in Europe, showing no sign, really of slowing down today. Demonstrations continue to

crop up in France, in Portugal, Greece and other nations, with more planned for the weekend.

The protests are largely driven by spiraling cost of living, with many focused on high housing as well as fuel costs, as well as concerns about

the quality of education, rioting and looting have broken out in places like Italy and France, where authorities are trying, as we've been

reporting this week, have been cracking down.

And still to come tonight right here on the show, U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance weighs in on a fierce controversy over a campaign ad in Ohio.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SOARES: As the clock ticks down, the urgency is ramping up. Candidates across the U.S. are in a full sprint as they campaign for votes just 13

days until the Midterm elections, with early voting already underway in many states.

A new CNN poll shows Democrats are leading Republicans by 10 percent nationwide amid broad concerns as we've been telling you about the economy.

But the GOP has had a huge cash advantage to flood the airwaves with ads.

President Donald Trump's own campaign war chest still has nearly -- get this, $181 million to spend on Republican House and Senate candidates.

Well, President Trump heads for South Carolina today, a red state with a surprisingly competitive Senate race.

[14:25:00]

Mr. Trump's closing arguments are increasingly focused on fear, warring -- warning Americans, of course, about culture, religion, civilization are

under threat. And he says the U.S. could burn like France if Democrats win, blaming protest violence there on migrants and jihadists.

Well, Mr. Trump also repeatedly attacks Michigan Democrat Abdul El-Sayed, who is battling to become the first Muslim in the Senate. El-Sayed, whom

President Trump's -- Mohammed -- has a new ad embracing his faith as a core part of his identity.

He will have a final debate tonight with Republican Mike Rogers as new polling shows their race is too close to call. Meantime, Vice President

J.D. Vance is wading into a fierce controversy over an ad by Vivek Ramaswamy, a Republican running for governor of Ohio.

Today, Vance told Republicans to, quote, "stop whining about the ad" and, quote, "go win the race." The ad has drawn bipartisan criticism for

featuring this strange mother of Ramaswamy Democratic rival, Amy Acton. Have a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONNA ARTHUR, MOTHER OF AMY ACTON: It's not easy for a mother to say this, but Amy has a serious problem. She is a liar. She lies about her past. She

says she grew up living in a tent, none of that is true. She's lied her entire life. My daughter needs help and she can't help you if she needs

help herself. Don't vote for people who lie. Don't let her become your governor.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SOARES: Right, let's get more on this. I want to bring in our Political Director David Chalian who has seen -- has covered many elections and

Midterms. And I mean, David, it is getting pretty ugly out there with names -- a couple of accusations and racial language and bigotry that is being

used so far.

But this -- I mean, this ad has really inflamed kind of the Ohio governor's race. Talk us through the ad, how Acton is responding and what these

tactics tell us about the race.

DAVID CHALIAN, CNN POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Yes, unfortunately, Isa, ugly is not a new adjective to describe American political campaigns, but you are

right. We are certainly at that phase. You know, the -- to your question about how the Acton campaign has responded, they responded very quickly,

seemed, you know, somewhat prepared for this line of attack to come their way at some point in the campaign, they put out their own video with

Acton's brother speaking about the abuse that they faced as children in the home.

And you know, Acton has been estranged from her mother for more than 50 years. And this goes back to allegations against her stepfather at the time

of abuse, when she was 12 years old. And that's when her last contact with her mother was.

But what I think -- to look at the politics of this, what you were reporting just a moment ago about Vice President Vance in Ohio today, his

home state, and delving into this in a way of almost not just doubling down, quadrupling down on it, leaning in, no retreat, no surrender, no

matter how controversial the ad may be, Vance sees this as an opportunity to press forward that that's the way you move through controversy in a

modern American politics.

And people like his boss, Donald Trump, have had success doing that at times. So, it's not the most off the wall theory that, that may be the best

way through for them. But what it speaks to me is, this is no longer a campaign or a moment in this campaign where the Republicans in Ohio and

Ramaswamy's campaign is trying to win over independents.

They are in a moment of trying to gin up as much enthusiasm as they can from the Republican base, that has been a little lackluster, given Donald

Trump's standing and trying to do everything they can to juice up turnout among Republicans. And one way to do that is to lean heavily into, like,

the latest kind of culture-war situation.

SOARES: And David, not only lackluster, but I mean, they have been, as we have been seeing pretty much on the defensive, and I wonder if you can

touch on the new polling, because the polling, it seems every week we get new polling that really the numbers don't do particularly well.

President Trump's approval rating has hit now a new low, 32 percent. Can you talk us through for an international audience besides, I mean, the

economy -- is -- are Republicans, as we see President Trump doing this multi-state campaign blitz, are they tackling the economy? Are they

engaging people on the economy? What are you hearing?

CHALIAN: I mean, the candidates in these races across the country are trying to keep that focus. The problem is Donald Trump has the biggest

megaphone, and he is not always, as you know, relentlessly --

SOARES: Yes --

CHALIAN: Focused on the economy. And the 32 percent overall, his approval rating on the economy in our brand-new poll, Isa, is at 27 percent. That is

just astonishingly low. And we are seeing -- he's at a record low approval with Republicans. I mean, obviously it's a big number, 74 percent approve

of him, they're Republicans.

But that is the lowest he's been with Republicans, so, there's some fraying in his own coalition. And that is largely due to economic concerns about

his policies causing voters economic pain even his -- some of his own Republican faithful feel that way.

SOARES: Yes. Economy followed by corruption in government, which, you know, it was really striking when I looked at the numbers. David, really

great to see you. Thank you very much.

CHALIAN: Thank you so much.

SOARES: David Chalian live there for us there in New York. Thank you.

And still to come right here on the show, we'll take you to the West Bank where Palestinians are living in fear as Israeli settlers -- settler

violence there continues to surge. That's just ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SOARES: Welcome back, everyone. As Israelis go to the polls in less than a week, the issue of settlements in the West Bank is a major international

issue, particularly a surge of violence against Palestinians, journalists, and diplomats in the Occupied Territory. Following the October 7, 2023

attacks, Israel's government sought to legalize settlements in the Occupied West Bank, which were first built illegally as outposts.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has condemned the violence, but the extremist assaults have continued. On Friday, Washington Post

journalist Heidi Levine was injured. One day later, a group of European diplomats was attacked. As CNN's Jeremy Diamond reports, no government has

advanced settlement expansion as aggressively as Israel's current one.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): For more than two decades, these attacks have been an inescapable reality for

Palestinians in the towns of Khusra and Jalud.

Israeli settlers, often descending from a hilltop outpost named Esh Kodesh, have broken windows, set homes on fire, and beaten local residents.

BASHAR QARYOUTE, PALESTINIAN PARAMEDIC (through translator): You can't even describe the tragedies we've witnessed inside this ambulance. We've

seen tragedies, disasters, bodies, injured.

[14:35:00]

DIAMOND (voice-over): Bashar Al Qaryoute has been a medic here for 25 years, witnessing that settler violence up close.

DIAMOND: As we're driving through the town, I mean, it's like every 20 seconds or so, Bashar is stopping to point out yet another place where a

settler attack took place.

DIAMOND (voice-over): For as long as Bashar has driven his ambulance, Esh Kodesh has stood here illegally under both international and Israeli law.

But that changed in December when the Israeli government retroactively legalized it. Israel's finance minister, who directed the approval process,

was among the first to show up at the newly minted settlement, which is still considered illegal under international law.

But the violence didn't stop. It intensified. Esh Kodesh is one of 104 new settlements approved by the Israeli government since 2023.

In just this area alone, Esh Kodesh is one of six new settlements, five of which were previously illegal outposts. Settlers have established hundreds

of these outposts over the last three years, affecting dozens of Palestinian communities across the West Bank. That's because where there

are outposts, there is almost always violence. Attacks against Palestinians have surged, doubling in the last three years.

Mahmoud Tubasi is all too familiar with that reality.

DIAMOND: He says he watches this security camera, his two homes there, 24 hours a day.

DIAMOND (voice-over): Three months ago, Israeli settlers forced him to flee the homes he built for his family.

DIAMOND: What would happen if you went back?

MAHMOUD TUBASI, VICTIM OF SETTLER ATTACKS (through translator): They would kill me.

DIAMOND (voice-over): That nearly happened last month, after the Israeli military acted on a Supreme Court order to return the Tubasis (ph) to their

home. More than 100 settlers attacked, hurling stones and setting fires. Tubasi sees it as yet more evidence of the Israeli government's support for

violent settlers.

TUBASI (through translator): Why does the army have the power to stop Palestinians, but when it comes to these settlers, suddenly it has no

power? No, the army has exactly the same power. It simply does not want to stop them.

DIAMOND (voice-over): It is a cycle of impunity Tubasi first experienced 25 years ago, when he says he was shot by an Israeli settler near the Esh

Kodesh outpost.

TUBASI (through translator): Instead of imprisoning him, instead of restraining him, they legalized the settlement as a reward. This confirms

that the government encourages every settler to attack Palestinians.

DIAMOND (voice-over): Facts on the ground bear that out. A month after the government legalized Esh Kodesh, settlers established new illegal outposts,

and violence surged. We saw firsthand how settlers besieged another home in the area. The Israeli military deployed troops, but failed to clear out the

settlers. The Israeli prime minister has condemned the violence, but he has also downplayed it.

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: The settler violence thing is a tremendous hoax. Not because there isn't settlers -- it's not settlers,

actually. It's about 150, 200 juvenile delinquents who are doing this.

DIAMOND (voice-over): Netanyahu's government, the most right-wing in Israel's history, has emboldened the settlers, funneling more than $6

billion to settlements, including $450 million to support newly legalized outposts. His ministers of defense and national security have weakened law

enforcement of Jewish violence against Palestinians, with only 6 percent of cases leading to an indictment.

Bashar's colleague was shot and killed while driving this ambulance. He says no one was ever arrested, and the attacks continue.

QARYOUTE (through translator): It's terrible. Whenever I go out in the ambulance, I expect that I might not come back. I expect I won't return

home.

DIAMOND (voice-over): Bashar says much of it can be traced back to the government's outpost legalization.

QARYOUTE (through translator): After that, the settlers in Esh Kodesh bared their fangs. Their ambitions grew significantly. Anyone who commits a

crime is supposed to be punished, but instead, they are rewarded for committing crimes, and this is very dangerous precedent taking place in the

Esh Kodesh area and this entire area southeast of Nabius.

DIAMOND (voice-over): The cycle is now repeating itself across the West Bank. Settler playbook now well-established.

[14:40:00]

DIAMOND: Israeli settler attacks against Palestinians are on the rise right now amid the olive harvest season in the West Bank, and that's

drawing out a number of foreign activists who are trying to protect Palestinians in the field from those settler attacks.

And on Wednesday, one of those foreign activists was the Democratic congressional candidate Brad Lander, and he, alongside dozens of other

Jewish American activists, were detained by the Israeli military as they were out in the field. The military said that they were posing an

unspecified security risk because they hadn't coordinated this harvest visit with the Israeli authorities. Lander was ultimately released hours

later, but dozens of other activists remained in custody.

Jeremy Diamond, CNN, Jerusalem.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SOARES: And our thanks to Jeremy Diamond and his team for that report. We're going to take a short break, but we'll, of course, see you on the

other side.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SOARES: Welcome back, everyone. We have some breaking news for you now. Meta has been ordered to pay $25 billion by a judge in New Mexico in a

ruling that have found the company had misled consumers over data privacy but also about data safeguards.

Meta has been hit with a fine after a two-week trial. And the jury finding the company had intentionally misled the public about the way it handled as

well as it controlled Facebook user data stemming, if you remember, for the company's Cambridge Analytica scandal. And that was almost, what, 10 years

ago. This fine is the latest Meta has faced over privacy issues. Meta has not yet commented.

But breaking news for you this hour, Meta has been ordered to pay $25 billion by a judge in New Mexico. We'll stay across this story for you.

Now, a new U.N. climate report is out, and it's a stark reality check, really, for the goals of the Paris climate agreement. The report shows that

global temperatures will go past the agreement's 1.5-degree Celsius warning target. It is one of the first admissions from officials that missing that

key mark will be, quote, imminent as well as unavoidable.

And the news comes in the lead-up to the COP31 global climate discussions that's set to take place next month that happen in Turkey. And during the

summit, leaders will discuss how severe weather could impact already pretty dire humanitarian conditions.

Countries like Somalia have already felt those extremes, from devastating floods to droughts and lack of water, as well as livestock. And this year,

the Somali government and humanitarian organizations will also need to prepare for the potentially strong El Nino.

[14:45:00]

And this is the first of a series of conversations we are doing here on the show, in the lead-up to the summit.

For our initial discussion, I'd like to bring in Mohamed Abdi. He's the Somali country director for the Norwegian Refugee Council. Mohamed, welcome

to the show. Really appreciate you being with us.

Look, as I was saying there to viewers, this latest climate report doesn't make for very optimistic reading. You and your team, I should say, are

indeed on the front lines of not only a humanitarian crisis, but also a climate crisis. I'll talk about the humanitarian in just a moment. But on

the climate front, Mohamed, how is this impacting people's lives on a day- to-day basis?

MOHAMED ABDI, SOMALIA COUNTRY DIRECTOR, NORWEGIAN REFUGEE COUNCIL: First of all, thank you for having me in your program, Isa.

I would say Somalia is currently facing climate crisis. And the communities that we work with, the communities that we support are on the receiving

end. Consider these numbers. 5.4 million people are acutely facing food insecurity. And 1.9 million of them are actually facing emergency level of

hunger. About 1.8 million children are malnourished. These are not just numbers, but families that have lost their means of survival, that have

lost their livelihoods.

Somalis mostly depend on livestock and agriculture. And because of the drought, they have lost their livestock. They are unable to do farming.

That means the means of survival has vanished. We talk to many families that have been affected by climate change and they are on the brink of

starvation.

SOARES: Mohamed, the numbers are staggering. I was looking in terms of food insecurity. Over 6 million are facing hunger. And you were talking

about, obviously, not only livestock but agriculture. How are people accessing food then?

ABDI: I would say, to be honest, as humanitarian organizations, we are trying as much as possible to provide assistance to those who need them.

It's been estimated at the beginning of the year approximately 4.8 million people require humanitarian assistance. But because of lack of funding, we

are forced to prioritize, hyper-prioritize. We are forced to leave out families that would have otherwise received humanitarian assistance. And

we're only able to support half of those that require our assistance.

So, there are a lot of people that actually are on the brink that would have otherwise received humanitarian assistance.

SOARES: Yes. And look, the U.N. -- I was looking at some data, the UN said at the start of this year that it was seeking $852 million for Somalia. I

mean, we have seen, I've heard not just from yourself but all the other, from NRC, and other NGOs talking about the shortfall that you were talking

about there in funding, Mohamed.

But look, the climate shocks that we are seeing, I mean, Somalia, you know, is on top of all the climate shocks is facing 30 years, of course, of

conflict. You have extremes. You're facing extremes. Not only, as we said, severe flooding, but also severe drought. As you were talking, we were

looking at a displacement settlement. I'm not sure if we've got this footage, but it's like, how does that -- what kind of impact does that have

on the more than 3 million, I think something like 3.3 million people displaced?

ABDI: Yes, there are about 3.3 million people that have been displaced. This year alone, around 800,000 people have been displaced. And close to 70

percent of those people have been displaced because of the drought. And the reality is that the fact that almost 70 percent of those have been

displaced because of the drought, many more could be displaced because of the impending El Nino.

In 2023, when we had a major flooding in Somalia, 1.2 million people were displaced. And 8,000 animals were lost by the people that have been

displaced. And around, I would say, 8,000 acres of farms were also destroyed because of El Nino. This year, we are told that El Nino could be,

could cause massive suffering for those people, and millions of people will be affected by the impending El Nino.

SOARES: Yes, really dire. And of course, with El Nino, of course, being expected to be felt in the face of El Nino, expected to reach its peak, I

believe, until the end of the year. Mohammad Abdi, really appreciate you taking the time to speak to us there from the RNC in Nairobi, in Kenya.

Thanks very much, Mohammad. Appreciate it.

Now, bringing it over here to the U.K., the British government is giving the green light to a major new gas field in the North Sea.

[14:50:00]

U.S. President Donald Trump has welcomed a decision posting the U.K. government should go full blast, his words, with the project.

Wednesday's announcement comes amid concerns over global energy security as the conflict in the Middle East drags on. But it's a proposal that has

faced pushback from environmental groups. Officials say the jacked-off gas field will start supply gas to British homes and businesses as early as the

end of this month.

Anna Stewart joins me now. She's across this story. And, Anna, look, you and I were discussing this earlier. This has faced pretty significant

backlash from environmental groups. What are you hearing from them, and how is the government responding to these environmental concerns that are being

raised?

ANNA STEWART, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, environmental groups aren't happy. They had successfully pushed back on this project. It was successfully

challenged in court a few years ago, but now the government has approved it. And clearly, drilling for gas is a negative in terms of the

environment. However, the fact remains that the U.K. is reliant on gas as part of its energy mix.

Part of that problem is to do with the grid. Even though the U.K. produces tons of renewable energy, lots of wind, on really windy days, the U.K.

actually pays wind farms to turn off because it will overload the grid. So, right now, the U.K. is reliant on gas.

And there is an argument that perhaps it would be better environmentally to drill it locally than import it. That is certainly the argument from the

CEO of Octopus Energy, Greg Jackson. I spoke to him recently. And here's what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GREG JACKSON, CEO, OCTOPUS ENERGY: And I'm forced to buy the gas from halfway around the world because we won't take any more out of the North

Sea. When you're shipping gas across the world, you use enormous amounts of energy because you have to compress it into the ships that carry it. It

uses about 1 percent of its energy every day just to stay compressed as it's being shipped. And then you lose a load of energy when you decompress

it. Meanwhile, if we get it from the North Sea, you save all of that energy. That's better for the climate.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STEWAT: Climate activists, of course, Issa, do not agree with that assessment.

SOARES: Yes, absolutely, Anna. Look, I know the question isn't how much it would save in costs, right? Very briefly, how much would it save? I know

we're running out of time, but very briefly.

STEWART: It will generate around, at its peak, up to 6 percent of the U.K.'s gas needs. It won't move the needle in terms of bills because in

terms of how much gas costs for U.K. customers, that's based on international markets, so really not much of a difference. It will create

27 jobs. So, I mean, economically, the argument is actually probably less sure.

SOARES: Yes. Absolutely fascinating. Anna, thank you very much indeed. We're going to take a short break. See you on the other side.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:55:00]

SOARES: Pope Leo held his first general audience at the Vatican since undergoing lung cancer surgery. The 71-year-old pontiff waved to crowds and

blessed babies while riding in the Popemobile through St. Peter's Square, as you can see there. The Pope had the lower lobe of his right lung removed

on October 13th. His doctors said the surgery was successful and without complications. During Wednesday's gathering, the Pope took a moment to

address the crowd. Have a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

POPE LEO XIV (through translator): The first thing I would like to say to you is thank you. Thank you for the support of your prayers. Thanks be to

God for his generosity. Let us all renew our trust in the goodness and mercy of God.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SOARES: Wonderful to see him. And that does it for us for this hour. Do stay right here. "What We Know" with Max Foster up next, I shall see you

tomorrow.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:00:00]

END