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One World with Zain Asher
Zelenskyy Praises "Real Leaders" in Europe Amid Rift with Trump; Zelenskyy Expressed Frustration with Trump in Recent Interview; Controversy Over Starshield Access Deepens Kyiv's Rift with U.S.; Houthi Rebels Launch Deadly Attack on Yemeni Presidential Palace; Son of Israeli Ambassador Critically Injured in West Bank Attack; Israeli Settler Attacks on Palestinians Continue in West Bank. Aired 11a-12p ET
Aired October 16, 2026 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[11:00:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BIANNA GOLODRYGA, CNN HOST, ONE WORLD: Hello, everyone. Live from New York, I'm Bianna Golodryga.
ZAIN ASHER, CNN HOST, ONE WORLD: And I'm Zain Asher. Coming up on "One World", Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy rallies support in Brussels
amid increasingly strained relations with President Trump.
GOLODRYGA: Plus, Israel is just weeks away from their legislative elections, with voters heading to the polls for the first time since
October 7th of 2023. We'll discuss the highly inconsequential campaign with our guest, Israel's Ambassador to the U.S.
ASHER: And fighting rampant gang violence in Haiti. CNN's Nick Paton Walsh, on the private security firm that is now helping Haitian police. All right.
I want to begin with the growing rift between Washington and Kyiv. Ukraine's President says that he feels that he is losing a strong partner
in the U.S. while President Trump says that Volodymyr Zelenskyy is quote, more difficult to deal with than Vladimir Putin.
GOLODRYGA: It's quite a statement to make. Zelenskyy is in Brussels today and notably thanked what he called the real leaders in Europe for their
support. He has said he feels betrayed by Donald Trump's recent deal with Putin, allowing Russian diesel exports.
ASHER: Another factor widening the rift with Washington, Ukraine said access to SpaceX's Starshield system was restricted this week, severely
hampering military communications and operations. It's not clear what led to the episode. Elon Musk says that only the U.S. military and President
Trump can actually make those kinds of decisions.
But two senior American officials tell CNN the Starshield restrictions were not ordered by President Trump.
GOLODRYGA: And of course, Zelenskyy has called Trump's decision to allow Russian diesel exports a gift to Putin. On top of that, Zelenskyy said
Ukraine didn't get an intelligence warning from allies ahead of a recent Russian attack. He expressed all of that frustration in a recent interview
with the "Financial Times".
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE: The diesel deal. I don't want to be involved. If he attacks us, we will respond. This our rule. Don't
involve us to some diesel deals. If you ask us to help with the situation, of course, like the partners. We will help, but we're asking you.
So, energy ceasefire. If not energy ceasefire, it doesn't depend on you. OK. The question, can you give me missiles for Patriot? Because when I will
not attack them, because you asked me not attack them, they will attack me. It's fair if you will give me with what to defend. It's the minimum what I
ask.
No, I think yes. And when I'm asking this, your answer is blocking Starlink. So, how to deal with this? To speak more, to explain more, and to
hold position, our position, the position of Ukraine, of our people. That's what I do.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ASHER: Meantime, as you can see here, the carnage continues. This video surfaced on social media showing what Ukraine says was a Russian drone
attack on a supermarket. This is in the Odesa region. President Zelenskyy says that at least three people were injured.
GOLODRYGA: Let's talk more about this -- Fred Pleitgen and this growing rift between the two leaders. The gloves are off, really, Fred. This is
probably the worst in terms of the relationship between the two leaders and, I guess, two countries, since that infamous showdown at the White
House at the Oval Office last February.
In this interview with the "Financial Times", President Zelenskyy went on to suggest that President Trump favors autocrats, strong men. And he also
didn't hold back when he was asked whether he thought that he was being put to blame for President Trump's low approval ratings and the concerns over
his war in Iran. Tell us more.
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, absolutely. That was at this EU summit today during a press briefing that
took place. It was actually in response to a question from a reporter from Sky News who asked, look, do you think that you are being made a scapegoat?
Because President Trump is obviously having a challenging time ahead of the midterms in the United States, and also because diesel fuel is obviously
quite expensive, and generally energy prices are an issue in the United States. And Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, just remained
silent.
He remained silent for I think it was around 15 seconds, and towards the end of that silence, he started smiling and then saying, that is my answer
to that question. Obviously, saying he's not going to answer it directly, but in some ways, obviously that smile saying a lot more than many words
would have.
[11:05:00]
He didn't really mention President Trump by name and some of the criticisms that he uttered, but one of the things that he did attack head on was that
diesel deal between the Trump Administration and the Putin Administration, which obviously brings diesel fuel not just to the United States but also
to international markets.
The Russians saying that some of that diesel fuel is already on its way, is already being released. The Trump Administration obviously touting that
deal. Volodymyr Zelenskyy saying the opposite. He says he believes that it won't do very much for global energy markets simply because the amount of
diesel isn't enough.
And he also says one of the things that he believes it does help is Russia's Leader Vladimir Putin because it fills the coffers of the Kremlin,
as Zelenskyy put it, to continue what the Russians call their special military operation in Ukraine. There was another interesting nuance that we
picked up was that Volodymyr Zelenskyy also warned that he believes that a deal like that sets a precedent for sanctions relief against Russia, saying
he believes that.
For instance, it could start with a diesel deal, but then move to something like a natural gas deal in the future as well. So certainly, a word of
warning there from Volodymyr Zelenskyy. As far as Starlink is concerned. That was another huge issue at the EU summit, and the Ukrainians they're
making clear they don't want to use and they don't use Starlink to actually attack targets inside Russia with their drones, but purely for defensive
purposes.
Here's what the Ukrainian leader had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ZELENSKYY: We were using Starlink to intercept jet-powered jihads that are attacking our civilians, infrastructure, and are killing our families, we
are using it for mid-strikes, middle-range strikes against military targets. So, we were no longer capable of doing that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PLEITGEN: So, the Ukrainian Leader is saying there essentially that they use Starlink for defensive purposes, obviously try and take down some of
those Russian drone slash missiles, essentially those drones that are jet powered. The big issue the Ukrainians say for them is the coming winter,
and they say energy issues, energy questions were left, right, and center at that EU summit.
Something they're very concerned about in the next coming months, the weather. Obviously, Zain, Bianna, gets very, very cold in Ukraine very
quickly.
GOLODRYGA: It does, and it was notable that President Zelenskyy said that they would continue to strike Russian energy and gas facilities despite the
reprimand from President Trump saying they don't have another option at this point. We'll continue to follow all of these developments. Fred
Pleitgen, thank you.
ASHER: Right, now to a deadly attack on the Yemeni presidential palace. Iran-aligned Houthi rebels fired missiles and drones at the palace on
Thursday, killing five people and injuring 16. Yemen's Health Ministry said.
GOLODRYGA: Among the dead were two members of the Yemeni Prime Minister's security detail. The Houthis say they were targeting what they allege are
Saudi military operations inside the compound in Aden. These strikes mark one of the highest-profile attacks on the Yemeni government.
Meantime, Yemen's military says that it has killed a prominent Houthi commander.
ASHER: "The Washington Post" photo journalist is in hospital after she was attacked by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank. A group of
Palestinians she was with were also targeted as well, and we want to warn you that some of the video we're about to show you is indeed very
disturbing.
GOLODRYGA: Heidi Levine was on assignment at the annual olive harvest. At one point, the group saw dozens of settlers running toward them. This video
shows an exchange of people throwing rocks at one another -- appears to be lying on her side on the ground.
She says the settlers kept kicking her. This assault is part of a wave of similar attacks reported across the West Bank.
ASHER: Let's discuss all of this with Jeremy Diamond, who is joining us live now from Jerusalem. So, two points I want to make here is that the
attack on Heidi Levine, who I understand that you know and you've crossed path with several times, "The Washington Post" photo journalists, it really
does highlight, you know, for journalists in the West Bank covering some of the violence there.
What you are at risk of, Jeremy, as you know all too well. I mean, you have experience being sort of taunted and ambushed. And obviously we see the
video of Heidi Levine being sort of kicked and beaten on the ground. But it also highlights what Palestinians who live there go through all the time,
and often times the IDF cannot be relied upon to always intervene.
Just walk us through what sort of promises and what the Israeli government is saying about how they are going to stop this from happening going
forward, Jeremy.
JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: Well, if you look at Israeli settler violence in the West Bank over the last three years, it has been
steadily rising, doubling over the course of the last three years, where we're now seeing some 200 attacks a month against Palestinians in the West
Bank.
And what we are also certainly seeing now is that journalists in the West Bank, identified with press vests on them and helmets, as Heidi Levine was
today, are also being targeted by these Israeli settlers.
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And that's exactly what happened to Heidi Levine, a veteran photojournalist who has a lot of experience in the field, including in the West Bank, as
she was surrounded by a group of Israeli settlers who pushed her to the ground, beat her for several minutes before ripping her cameras, her gear,
her passport, her phone off of her body, and stealing that stuff away, leaving her on the ground, bloodied, bruised, and very much in shock.
Several other journalists and activists and medics in the area then came in to get her out as settlers tried to pursue them once again. She was taken
to a hospital where she's been treated for moderate injuries. She was clearly shaken up as she spoke with several journalists at that hospital,
and she described this attack lasting for several minutes.
She said that the settlers simply seemed like monsters attacking her, and she also said that she doesn't have any faith that these settlers will
ultimately be prosecuted by the Israeli police, and that's because we have seen a continuous cycle of impunity in the West Bank, as only about 6
percent of all cases in the West Bank of Israeli settler violence against Palestinians are ultimately resulting in any kind of indictments.
Now, Heidi Levine was attacked alongside multiple other Palestinians in different parts of the West Bank today. We saw several people who were
bloodied in attacks. We saw multiple vehicles, including a fire truck, that were set on fire. And part of this is because we are now in olive harvest
season in the West Bank.
And it seems like just like last year, olive harvest season in the West Bank is becoming synonymous with a dramatic increase in Israeli settler
attacks against Palestinians, as these settlers have increased the number of outposts and settlements in the West Bank, and are now also trying to
keep Palestinians from harvesting their olives, oftentimes on privately owned Palestinian land.
The Israeli military, for its part, has said that these are quote, grave and unacceptable acts. But we have seen time and again, as the Israeli
military has said, that they are going to confront this Israeli settler violence, yet it still continues.
ASHER: Right, Jeremy Diamond, live for us there. Thank you for that.
GOLODRYGA: Well, President Trump says Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked him for support in the upcoming Israeli elections, but he doesn't
plan to get involved.
ASHER: Yeah, the comment came during a Newsmax interview on Thursday, where he discussed Iran and the two men's relationship. Trump praised their
military partnership, but added, politically, he does not trust anyone.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ROB FINNERTY, NEWSMAX ANCHOR: Benjamin Netanyahu is running for re-election very soon. I know that you and he have been close. Do you plan on being
involved in that at all? That process --
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Well, they'd like me to be. Yeah, they'd like me to be. Look, I've had a very good
relationship with him. We've had good success together. We took out the number one sponsor, as they call it, state sponsor of terror, Iran.
Iran doesn't have a navy, doesn't have an air force, doesn't have anti- aircraft. I mean, Iran is a country that's a failed country right now. Iran, other than if you read like "The New York Times", they tell you how
well they're doing. They're doing a great job.
FINNERTY: Yeah.
TRUMP: No, Iran doesn't have leadership. Iran's first tier leaders are gone, second tier leaders are gone, some of their third-tier leaders are
gone, and they've asked us to please stop, and we do because we're negotiating with them. But we had a very successful partnership, you know,
in terms of a military partnership.
The people of Israel they say, if I ran for prime minister, I get 99 percent of --
FINNERTY: Do you trust Netanyahu?
TRUMP: I don't trust anybody.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GOLODRYGA: All right, let's bring in Yechiel Leiter, the Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Mr. Ambassador, welcome to the program. Before we get into all
of these news headlines to discuss with you, I do want to ask you what was a personal blow for you and your family on September 23rd.
You were on your way actually to the studio for an interview with me when your son Neria was gravely injured in a terror attack back in Israel. Our
thoughts continue to be with you and your family, and wishing him a speedy recovery. How is he doing right now? What are doctors saying about his
prognosis?
YECHIEL LEITER, ISRAELI AMBASSADOR TO THE U.S.: Well, Bianna, first of all, let me thank you for caring for asking about my son Neria. You know, I lost
my oldest son in Gaza to Palestinian terrorism to Hamas, and Neria was hit by a Palestinian terrorist who drove into him actually at about 50, 55
miles an hour.
[11:15:00]
He was gravely injured, head injury. His head was slammed into a cement block, and he was on the operating table with an open brain for about eight
hours. Over the past three weeks, he's been able to breathe by himself, we've reached that point where he's not on a ventilator anymore, and or a
respirator.
We're very hopeful that he'll be able to make a recovery, but the injury is very severe. Right now, he's still in a deep coma, and we're surrounding
him 24/7 with love and prayers. I just want to thank you and all the people out there who've been praying for him, we appreciate it deeply.
ASHER: My goodness, Mr. Ambassador, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry to hear about your son and what you're going through. I remember Bianna was talking
about the fact that you were on your way to do an interview with us when you got the news, and I, again, both of us really do wish that he has a
speedy recovery and he comes out of that OK.
LEITER: Thank you so much.
ASHER: I do want to talk to you about some of the violence, some of the violence that we're seeing, particularly in the West Bank. I'm sure you've
seen the reports about this "The Washington Post" Reporter, Heidi Levine, who was really badly attacked. She was kicked. She was beaten.
And I was speaking a second ago to our reporter on the ground there, Jeremy Diamond, about just what sort of risks members of the media experience as
they report on the violence in the West Bank. Heidi Levine was essentially saying this was our Jeremy Diamond was saying this that Heidi Levine was
essentially saying that she did not trust that some of the settlers who kicked her and who beat her would be held accountable because of the track
record of that.
Just give us your thoughts on this the surge in violence against not just Western journalists, but of course Palestinians who live and work in the
West Bank experience this all the time. It is a critical time right now in Israel because of the upcoming elections. What sort of steps is Israel
going to take, both before and after the elections, by the way, to ensure that this violence really does either reduce, if not in some way, shape, or
form, come to an end.
But I think equally as importantly, the settlers are held accountable for their actions, Mr. Ambassador.
LEITER: Well, thank you so much for the question. There's a lot to unpack there, but let me just say right up front, unambiguously and unequivocally,
that gratuitous violence perpetrated by anyone, the Jews or Arabs, is completely unacceptable, and those perpetrating the violence have to be
brought to justice.
If we have not yet reached a passing grade on bringing Jewish vigilantes to justice, then we've got to do a better job, and I'm convinced that we are
going to do it. I've been at government meetings, I've heard the prime minister speak emphatically, putting a stop to this.
There's one thing, though, I must say about Jeremy's reporting, and it's a little bit problematic. And I say this as someone who has very personally
experienced Palestinian terrorism over the years, including the loss of my oldest son and the injury of my second son. Look, the numbers really need
to be shown without selective morality.
In 2025, there were 26 Jews killed by Palestinian terrorists. There were two Arabs killed by Jewish vigilantes or Jewish terrorists. So, when we're
actually showing the numbers and showing what's going on the ground, I think a full depiction of reality needs to be focused on.
And I think that there's been a, you know, almost like a campaign about Jewish settlers in Judea and Samaria in the West Bank. There's 600,000
people living there, and you're seeing a group of 50, 60, 70, 80, or 200 of these vigilantes. They have to be stopped. They will be stopped.
They will be brought to justice. But let's not forget the fact that we're dealing with a situation of large-scale Palestinian terrorists, numbers of
tens of thousands of people in organized terror cells that are planning to blow busses and shoot at people, Molotov cocktails, rock throwing, and so
on.
So, the army has to be as successful in dealing with the Jewish vigilantism as it is with quelling Palestinian terror. No question about it.
GOLODRYGA: Well, wouldn't you argue that they're not succeeding on that front. If this is just a handful of juveniles, vigilantes, we've been
covering this. We've been having these conversations. You've been having to respond to these stories for months, if not years on end.
There does seem to be a sense that they get away with some of this activity, or at least they have a feel that they have a hall pass or can
act with impunity, and that sort of speaks to the larger issue of how the prime minister is responding to this. Because on the one hand he says it's
unacceptable, on the other hand he says that he wants to bring back his current coalition.
[11:20:00]
If he wins the elections in just a matter of a few weeks, Itamar Ben-Gvir's his national security minister. I know he has promised, or he says that he
won't be defense minister, but given your job here as the representative of Israel in Washington, having to answer to these questions in these repeated
attacks.
Does that not make your job that much more difficult when the prime minister says that he wants to keep this same government if he wins?
LEITER: Well, actually, Bianna, the prime minister has said on a number of occasions that he wants a broad government, not the same government, a
national unity government. That's what he hopes to aim for. He also said that Mr. Ben-Gvir would not only be not defense minister, but wouldn't be
the minister of police again either.
Even though it's important to emphasize, he's much, much more of a figurehead. He doesn't create policy for the police. And nevertheless, what
you're saying is true. We need to do more. We need to do a better job. I would just say that you know we've been focused ever since October 7th on
these seven front wars.
We're attacked really at all our borders, and we're very stretched security wise. Not an excuse, but understand that the focus has been on Hezbollah in
the north, Hamas in the south, the Houthis firing missiles, the Iraqi militias firing missiles, and of course, Iran, which is for us an
existential threat.
So it could be that you know security-minded individuals are focused primarily on the existential threat to the country, and we haven't given
enough attention to this problem, but we will. It's not acceptable to 99.9 percent of Israelis, and we're going to put a stop to it.
ASHER: And speaking of Iran, just because that's what you touched upon a second ago. I mean, obviously, this war has been raging on for many months
and far longer than President Trump, or I assume even the Israelis would have anticipated when the war first started at the start of the year.
What would Israel consider to be an acceptable end game for Iran? And what diplomatic solutions or diplomatic arrangements would Israel accept as an
alternative to further military strikes?
LEITER: Well, great question. We've set out three goals for dealing with Iran. Number one, of course, that they cannot achieve a nuclear weapon.
Number two, they cannot have a massive number of ballistic missiles. We saw what they can do. And number three, they can't support the proxies in the
Middle East anymore.
And you know, really, when we take into account all the problems, we have now with the Straits of Bab al-Mandab, for example, that's the Houthis. The
Houthis are being funded by Iran. The people of Iran don't have what to eat or drink. Their economy is in shatters, and yet Iran just sent Hezbollah in
Lebanon 200 million dollars over the past three months.
So, this really has to end if we want stability in the Middle East. If we want to see a Saudi Arabia emerge as a partner both with Israel and UAE,
and everybody feels less threatened by this menace seeking regional hegemony. We need to see this regime fall, and we need to see the people of
Iran, 80 percent of whom oppose this regime, get their country back.
You know, we had a great relationship with Iran up until this psychotic Khomeini took over in 1979. We had direct flights from Tehran to Tel Aviv,
back and forth, and that could be the situation soon again. We need to see a situation where Iran, supported by China and Russia, no longer reach for
regional hegemony and threaten not only the region but the world.
GOLODRYGA: Yeah, we continue to wait for that pressure from President Trump, specifically as it relates to Russia and China and their support for
Iran. Before we let you go, I do have to ask you to respond to the president saying that he doesn't trust anybody when asked if he trusts
Prime Minister Netanyahu.
Does Prime Minister Netanyahu trust President Trump?
LEITER: Well, you know, Bianna, I think if the president would have endorsed Prime Minister Netanyahu, would be the first time in history that
a president has endorsed a prime ministerial candidate, or vice versa. We don't get involved in those kinds of things. It would be politically
incorrect.
Do I think there's a great deal of trust between the two men? Look, I've been together with them in the Oval Office. I think now eight or nine
times. They have a friendship that goes back 40 years. And I think there are things that are said that are politically correct, and you know we stay
away from mixing into each other's domestic politics.
But I think there's a great relationship between the two men. I think it's been proven over the past year.
GOLODRYGA: Spoken as a true diplomat. Ambassador Leiter, thank you so much for the time.
[11:25:00]
Again, our thoughts are with your son Neria, wishing him a speedy recovery. Thank you for joining us.
LEITER: Thank you so much. All the best to you.
ASHER: All right, still to come here on "One World".
GOLODRYGA: A community is in mourning following a deadly school shooting. The investigation underway as small city searches for answers. That's up
next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ASHER: Right, schools are closed, and an Oregon community is in mourning after a deadly school shooting.
GOLODRYGA: Yeah, that's where three young children and a teacher were killed in Bend, Oregon, Thursday. Police say the 16-year-old attacker shot
through locked doors and then forced his way into the elementary school. Bystanders saw the teen and followed him into the school, then fatally shot
him before officers arrived.
An investigation is underway, but officials say it's not clear whether the teenage shooter had any connection to the school or what his motive was.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHIEF MIKE KRANTZ, BEND POLICE DEPARTMENT: Officers at the scene located five people who had succumbed to their injuries, including the suspect. The
deceased at the scene include three children, ages 5, 8, and 11, and one teacher. One seven-year-old child and one 54-year-old teacher were
transported by Bend Fire to St. Charles Bend with critical injuries.
The families of the victims have all been notified.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GOLODRYGA: CNN's Nick Watt joins us now from Bend, Oregon. Nick, I wish we could say that we're shocked by yet another school shooting. The pain never
recedes when we hear about, especially young children being the victims of these shootings. But once again, I think this is the 50th shooting, school
shooting we've seen so far this year alone.
Police responded within three minutes. This was a fortified school, and yet we have a tragedy unfolding. What are we hearing from officials?
NICK WATT, CNN U.S. NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, listen. Three minutes. This all happened within three minutes. We heard from a teacher in the
school who said that she saw the gunman, 16-year-old gunman carrying a long rifle. She saw him through her classroom window, saw him walking into the
school, notified the office. 911 calls went in.
[11:30:00]
By the time police arrived, a community member had followed the gunman into the school, and shot the gunman, but not before that gunman was able to
kill three children, ages 5, 8, and 11, and a teacher. And we have a 7- year-old child and another teacher, as we just heard, fighting for their lives right now.
Let's hear a little bit about what that teacher has to say about what happened.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KATHY SHEIL SMITH, SILVER RAIL ELEMENTARY TEACHER: The looks on their faces was really hard to see. It's trying to calm them down, you know. And some
kids were praying. Some kids were consoling other kids. I'm sure that every teacher at the school thought today is a day that I am going to die, save
my kids.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WATT: So, we're expecting some more details at a press conference later investigators keeping details pretty close to their chests as this
investigation unfolds, as they try to figure out what could have prompted this 16-year-old to carry out this horrific act. Was there some sort of
connection to the school?
Had he cased, out the school? We don't know yet. Now, new locks were put on the classroom doors here back in 2022, enabling people to lock the
classrooms from the inside. There was also a vestibule system. We don't know quite how far into the school this shooter got, but we do know it was
picture day.
So, kids were dressed up in their finest. Three of them now dead. Another fighting for life. Back to you.
GOLODRYGA: Yeah, there are no words. Nick, thank you. I know we'll be getting more details later from officials in the press.
WATT: Yeah.
GOLODRYGA: Briefing that they will be providing. Thank you. We'll be right back.
WATT: Right.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ASHER: All right, welcome back to "One World". I'm Zain Asher.
GOLODRYGA: And I'm Bianna Golodryga. Here are some headlines we're watching today.
[11:35:00]
Ukrainian Leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy is in Brussels for a European Union summit. He praised what he calls the real leaders in Europe as his
relationship with Donald Trump deteriorates. European leaders rallied around Zelenskyy, pledging their continued support for Ukraine.
ASHER: Yemen's Health Ministry says that five people have been killed after an attack on the presidential palace. Iran-backed Houthi rebels say they
were targeting alleged Saudi military operations. Meantime, Yemen's military says it has killed a prominent Houthi commander.
GOLODRYGA: Schools are closed in a small city in Oregon today after three young children and a teacher were killed in an elementary school shooting
yesterday. 16-year-old attacker was fatally shot by a bystander. The motive of the teenage attacker is unclear.
ASHER: New pictures have been released of Pope Leo following his lung cancer surgery. The Vatican says the pontiff is showing steady improvement
and is expected to make his first public appearance on Sunday. The Vatican says preparations are continuing for the pope's planned trip to South
America in November.
Right, with just 18 days to go until the U.S. midterms, tensions are boiling over in some of the tightest Senate races. In a debate in Maine on
Thursday night, Democratic nominee Troy Jackson told Republican Senator Susan Collins to shut up after she suggested a protester was one of his
supporters.
GOLODRYGA: And in Alaska, Republican Senator Dan Sullivan went after his Democratic challenger's character, claiming Mary Peltola mistreated her
staff. She pushed back, calling many of the allegation's fabrications or exaggerations. President Trump campaigned for Sullivan just this week as
Democrats tried to break a nearly two-decade losing streak in Alaska's Senate races.
ASHER: Meantime, President Trump continues his midterm blitz with a rally later today in Georgia. He's throwing his political weight behind
Republican Representative Mike Collins, who's trying to unseat Democratic incumbent Senator Jon Ossoff. CNN's Alayna Treene is joining us live now
from the White House.
It's interesting because one of the things that John Ossoff said, Alayna, is I'm surprised that Georgia Republicans want the president here. The
president coming to town reminds Georgians that Donald Trump and Mike Collins, obviously he's tying the two together for obvious political
reasons, have pushed policies that have driven the cost of groceries, fuel, and healthcare to their all-time highs.
He brings up an important point, is that you know Trump campaigning with Mike Collins? I mean, is that going to do more damage than actually help
him? Given how unpopular the president is, Alayna.
ALAYNA TREENE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely, and especially in a state like Georgia, I would note Bianna and Zain that the president
obviously he's been on a frenetic pace in visiting a lot of these different states ahead of November 3rd, but many of them have really been deeply red
states.
You look at you know just this week he was in Alaska and Montana. He's also been to Alabama, Tennessee. The list of red states goes on. Georgia though
is a swing state. It is a proper battleground state, and so his presence there could actually be more hurtful perhaps than it has been in some of
the other places that he's been visiting.
Now I do want to be clear, Dalton, which is where the president is headed tomorrow, or excuse me, today this afternoon, he's actually set to depart
here shortly. Where he's heading today is a more conservative district. It's more friendly to Republicans and to the president.
I can assure you, the people that they have picked to get into the room will likely be some of the president's fiercest supporters from the state.
But it still does raise that question to your point of will Mike Collins and also the gubernatorial candidate Rick Jackson will they benefit from
the president's presence here?
I'm also curious to see if the president tries because of this to change his messaging at all to try and make it a little bit more toward the
middle, do away with some of the you know more deeply conservative rhetoric and language that he uses that might play well other places than it would
in a place like Georgia.
But it's a great question. The other thing I would bring up as well is Georgia is also was the epicenter really of where the president fought a
lot of his you know false claims of election fraud, and that's something that has been very deeply tied to people in the state as well.
How he addresses that tonight could also be something that potentially could hurt Republicans. We'll have to see.
ASHER: -- for that. All right, still to come here -- sorry, I thought it was your read, not mine. Still to come here on "One World", a nation being
torn apart by gang violence. CNN is on the scene in Haiti to get a first- hand look at a mercenary operation run by a U.S. security tycoon.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: About seven or eight shots have kind of flown over us. We've heard the crack.
It's a sign that the gangs are still really close by and don't want the police over to feel comfortable down here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:40:00]
GOLODRYGA: The United Nations Security Council has renewed sanctions against individuals and groups fueling gang violence in Haiti. The U.N.
says thousands of people have been killed or injured in recent months. The political chaos has forced upcoming elections to be postponed indefinitely.
ASHER: Yes, the government battles to regain control. Nick Paton Walsh reports from Port-au-Prince on a controversial mercenary group now entering
the fray. A warning, the following video contains material that may be harmful or traumatizing to some audiences.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WALSH (voice-over): Haiti is so stifled and tormented by gangs, the fight against them has spread to hills outside the Capital, Port-au-Prince.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are in misery. Kenscoff is in misery. The bandits killed our families, our kids. We had to run away far from home.
WALSH (voice-over): Here in Kenscoff, they were pushed out, but stormed back in again, killing and kidnapping dozens of locals in revenge. We
joined police on a days-long advance to reclaim tiny remote villages with blaring faces for security.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The guys are shooting. We cannot stay here. We are exposed.
WALSH (voice-over): But as we move in with the police, the gangs use the fog and hills to keep shooting.
WALSH: You can see that debris barrier there. I mean, another way the gang slowed the police down. About seven or eight shots have kind of flown over
us. We've heard the crack. It's a sign that the gangs are still really close by and don't want the police over to feel comfortable down here.
There's another one.
WALSH (voice-over): More barricades lie ahead. Locals eager on the road to get back to homes they've not seen for two years. The barricades dismantled
and burned, so the gangs can't return and remake them.
WALSH: It was an extraordinary scene of locals just flooding in to kind of reclaim their own streets after the gangs are being pushed out.
WALSH (voice-over): A ritual praising the heavens, overshadowed by ruin.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The gangs leave their youngest members behind while they run away.
[11:45:00]
WALSH (voice-over): Hours earlier, two helicopters used a pause in the rain to land a police SWAT team in the hill tops. The helicopters are part of
American security tycoon Erik Prince's operation here, bringing new capabilities and the experience of foreign ex special forces, but not for
free.
And these are the first pictures of Prince's private security fighters in Haiti, who led the push with specialized Haitian police in what's called
the task force.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I hear a lot of things about you.
WALSH (voice-over): He tells the police where to position. Nobody has seen their operations in Haiti before, and this drone footage shows gang members
fleeing. Erik Prince made his name and millions in Iraq with Blackwater sullied and reprimanded over civilian casualties there.
His ties to Blackwater long severed, he is now selling a new idea, that private security mercenaries to their detractors can tackle security or
gang problems for failing states that can't.
ERIK PRICE, FOUNDER, VECTUS GLOBAL: Yeah, that's the bad city, right? That's the bad part, right there.
WALSH (voice-over): He was first sent to Haiti as a Navy SEAL 32 years ago, and now he gave CNN his first interview and access to his operation here.
PRINCE: This is when we started a police truck like the one we rode in here on. Pretty much one of those was lost every week, attacked, ambushed,
burned, the occupant slaughtered, butchered. That's done now because there's much better response, quicker air support, drones, whatever that
prevents the police from being overmatched. That's really why we're here.
WALSH (voice-over): Over 2,000 drone strikes on varied targets in the past year. A task force source said here, and what they said was a gang Molotov
cocktail factory. Prince wouldn't reveal his annual fee of likely tens of millions of dollars, but on top of that, he gets a 10th of any new customs
revenue generated if his Lena operation ends smuggling at dozens of illegal border crossings.
WALSH: Did you put a number on what your contract is worth in terms of what the Haitian government pay you?
PRINCE: The previous UN force is that our cost is 1/6 of what their annual camp cost was, so it's a fraction of a fraction of a fraction.
WALSH (voice-over): He had aimed to free up key roads within a year here, but hasn't. Although the UN has said this year has seen the gang spread in
the capital halted, even reversed.
WALSH: You haven't killed any major gang leaders yet. Have there been challenges in some of the operations you're doing? Is not killing top
leaders' part of your strategy?
PRINCE: Look, insurgencies are not defeated by taking out just leadership. I know there's been obsession of that in the United States, but wars are
won by taking significant numbers of enemy manpower off the battlefield. We are in the process of doing that and enabling sovereignty to resume.
WALSH (voice-over): To grasp the enormity of the collapse and daily trauma, we head to the once vibrant downtown of the capital, so long gang held,
sways of it are now overgrown, as though nature is tired of the violence and wants to take back control.
We patrol at dawn, with the new UN-mandated gang suppression force here, soldiers from Chad. First light, when those who live under the gangs, make
their daily break for it to head out to the rest of the world on foot through rivers of sewage and trash to reach work or food.
A body lies abandoned in the road, likely dumped there overnight. We go back with them at dusk to see it all happen again for the home trip.
WALSH: Talk about how desperate life must be here to attempt this in the daylight must simply be terrifying. It's eerie being here inside an armored
personnel carrier, but they're risking it out on the street here in the dark, many of them carrying looks like food for their homes, things back
into gang-held areas.
WALSH (voice-over): The promise of a quick fix at a price that's still out of reach. Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, Port-au-Prince, Haiti.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GOLODRYGA: And you can watch CNN's Nick Paton Walsh's full report on Amanpour. That's 01:00 p.m. here in New York and 06:00 p.m. in London.
Right here on CNN. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:50:00]
GOLODRYGA: Well, fourth wing book lovers are all over the internet, anxiously chatting about the rumored casting of the romantasy novel. I can
say it. Romantasy's novels' new TV series for fans. It's all about who will play the main characters, Dragon Rider's Violet Sorrengail and Xaden
Riorson.
ASHER: According to Deadline, Variety, and The Hollywood Reporter, they're all reporting this. Esther McGregor, the daughter of Scottish actor Ewan
McGregor, we all remember him, and Emilio Sakraya are reportedly set to star in the fourth wing series. Entertainment industry outlets are also
reporting the show will land on Prime Video.
CNN has reached out to Amazon MGM Studios, which has yet to confirm the rumored casting.
GOLODRYGA: So, let's bring in CNN's Lisa Respers France for more on the proposed fourth wing Dragon Riders, as much as I tried to sell it, Lisa, I
have to be honest with you, our viewers, Zain, I don't really know much about this --
ASHER: Listen, when we read, we butchered everywhere, you can butcher the pronunciation of every name, we butchered. So, I think the viewers know,
honey -- We don't know.
GOLODRYGA: Our producer -- I think, is a huge fan, as are millions of others who are so desperate to see this come to the TV series. What can we
expect to see, Lisa?
LISA RESPERS FRANCE, CNN SENIOR ENTERTAINMENT REPORTER: Well, all you need to do actually is go on TikTok because Book Talk is on fire, and they can
tell you everything that you need to know about this. One thing is that Emilio has long been desired to play Xaden, so they're super excited about
that casting.
But you know, here's the thing about when you bring books to either the small screen or the big screen, you already have a built-in audience,
right? With the fans who love the book, and in this case, this is a five- book series with the fans who love the series. But at the same time, they very much have in their head what they expect the main characters to look
like.
And so, we have a little bit of that reaction of people who went on social media to express how they're feeling about this casting. So, we had one
person who said, you know, I'm squirming, and I can kind of see the vision, Prime. They never let us down, so they're putting a lot of trust into Prime
that they're going to bring them what they want.
That was I don't even want to butcher her name. She's a book reviewer said that, and then we had someone who said Violet's not blonde, but I know we
can fix that. I'm not loving it, but I'm not hating it. So, they're going to give Esther McGregor, I think, a little bit of leeway.
They want to see her get that hair dyed before they fully sign off on her being cast. But you know, it is a romantasy romance slash fantasy.
[11:55:00]
There's a lot of action in it. It's based on you know these two characters who are love interests, and Violet plays well Violet is the character that
Esther is going to, you know, is reportedly playing. And Violet is an interesting character because she wants to be a historian, what they call a
scribe in the book, like her dad.
But her mother forces her to instead get into training to be a Dragon Rider, which is an incredibly dangerous job to have, and a lot of people
don't survive it. So, people just want to see how this is all going to play out in the series, and folks are pretty excited about it.
I got to say, I'm a little excited too. Even if you don't know much about it, you still can be excited about a new series coming our way.
ASHER: Wait, did you call it romancy or romantasy?
FRANCE: I called it rome -- I don't even know what I said -- I think it's romantasy. Isn't it romantasy?
ASHER: It's the most embarrassing moment. Listen, my excuse with Bianna is that we spend so much of our time studying geopolitics.
FRANCE: Right.
ASHER: So, when it comes to entertainment, we're like, oh my god.
FRANCE: -- I mean --
ASHER: Just get through it. Just get through it.
FRANCE: Just say romance fantasy.
ASHER: What's your --
FRANCE: Just say romance fantasy. My excuse is that I'm so excited about all of it. I can't even keep the word in my head.
ASHER: That was quick, girl. That was quick. OK.
GOLODRYGA: You got our back, Lisa.
FRANCE: Always, always.
GOLODRYGA: Thank you.
FRANCE: Thank you.
GOLODRYGA: Thank you -- voice here. All right, stay with us. Stay with CNN. We'll have more "One World" after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
