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The Brief with Jim Sciutto

CNN International: Israeli Strike Kills Children Near Clinic; Almost 3,000 People Killed Over Past Month in Gaza; Brazil Debates Response on Trump's Tariff Threat; Russia Launches Drone Assault on Kyiv; U.S. Weapons Flow to Ukraine Resumed; Pentagon Takes 15 Percent Stake in MP Materials; Judge Blocks Trump's Birthright Citizenship Order; Search Continues for Those Still Missing in Texas. Aired 6-7p ET

Aired July 10, 2025 - 18:00   ET

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

[18:00:00]

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us from all around the world. I'm Jim Sciutto in Washington. And you're watching

"The Brief."

Just ahead this hour, medics in Gaza say 15 people, including eight children were killed in an Israeli airstrike near an aid clinic. Israel

says it was targeting a Hamas militant. Russia launches another massive drone assault on Kyiv, as Ukraine's president Zelenskyy pushes for more air

support from allies. And a federal judge issues a new nationwide block on President Trump's executive orders seeking to end birthright citizenship.

First, those sources say an Israeli strike killed at least 15 people gathered outside a health center in Gaza. We do want to warn you that some

of the images we're going to show you are graphic. It's the nature of the story. Officials at the facility say eight of the victims were children

aged just two to 14.

The Israeli military says the strike targeted a Hamas militant. In a statement, it says, quote, "The IDF regrets any harm to uninvolved

individuals and operates to minimize harm as much as possible."

Almost 3,000 Palestinians were killed just over the past month, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Jeremy Diamond is in Jerusalem, brings us

details. And as I said, the images in the story are difficult to watch.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Children screams pierce through the smoke-filled dare in Central Gaza. But screams alone

cannot prepare you for the scale of the carnage unleashed by this Israeli airstrike.

This street is filled with the bodies of dead and injured children whose bodies are quickly loaded onto donkey carts. And then there are those

barely clinging to life, like this woman splayed on the ground.

They took my daughter, she says. Her daughter's fate has already been sealed in her blood-stained white dress, four-year-old Aya is one of eight

children killed in this strike. Aya her mother were among several families waiting to enter a health clinic run by Project Hope, an American nonprofit

whose operations were known to the Israeli military.

In her white dress, Aya is impossible to miss. Minutes later, two men walk by the clinic and then an explosion fills the air. That smoke is soon

replaced by an outpouring of grief.

Not my sister. No, not my sister, this boy cries.

The Israeli military said it, quote, "regrets any harm to uninvolved individuals" and is reviewing the incident. It said it was targeting a

Hamas militant who infiltrated Israel during the October 7th attacks, but declined to provide his name.

These four children killed in the targeting of a single militant do have names. Amir (ph), Mohamed (ph), Yasmin (ph), and Aya, still in her

bloodstained dress.

Mohamed (ph) wearing a makeshift plastic diaper is a testament to the desperate circumstances that brought his family to that clinic, amid

shortages of diaper and baby formula.

Speak to me. Amir's (ph) father pleads, hugging his son's lifeless body.

His brother Nidal joins him in mourning, but he hasn't just lost a nephew, his 14-year-old daughter Sama was also killed.

What happened is indescribable. It's a massacre. It's genocide, it's a crime against children, Nidal says. My daughter woke up with a headache and

went to get checked at the clinic. Suddenly, we heard the sound and came running to see all the children dead.

[18:05:00]

Sama's twin sister is inconsolable. Please wake her up. She's lying. I know her. I swear she's lying. As one sister mourns another, a father pleads for

it all to end. Sama is gone and the war is still ongoing, Nidal says, may the war be gone with Sama.

Jeremy Diamond, CNN, Jerusalem.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SCIUTTO: Just awful. Those poor kids. Well, Janti Soeripto is the president and CEO of Save the Children U.S. Thanks so much for joining.

JANTI SOERIPTO, PRESIDENT AND CEO, SAVE THE CHILDREN U.S.: Thank you.

SCIUTTO: This is sadly, of course, not the first time we've seen this. In this case, Project Hope, the American NGO that operates this clinic, said

that this strike, which hit directly in front of the clinic, that the IDF had been given the site's coordinates. And yet, it still struck. Do you, in

your operations there, have you been able to establish what Israel's rules of engagement are?

SOERIPTO: Look, this is absolutely horrific tragedy as your report just showed, but it is sadly all too familiar. And yes, I'm sure our colleagues

at Project Hope would've given the coordinates, as we do as well. We operate two primary healthcare clinics still in Gaza, not too far actually

from this one in Deir al Balah. And we give coordinates, when our trucks are moving or whether we want to do distribution, we give coordinates and

specify exactly what's in the truck, we're driving it, when the truck is going, et cetera, which roads they're taking. But sadly, those -- that

doesn't seem to always come through. So, that level of deconfliction, as we call it, has not been very effective and operational since the war began.

SCIUTTO: Right. Is it your sense, does this indicate to you that from Israel's perspective, if there is one or a group of militants or suspected

militants, members of Hamas, if they are present in a location, even if that location has civilians, including children around those people within

the vicinity, that in Israel's view, based on your experience, again, that that's an acceptable strike?

SOERIPTO: Well, based on results, that is what it seems to be. Because as I said, this is not the first time and not the only time this has happened.

So, that whole argument that it is unintentional is all well and fine, but clearly, you know, hospitals, healthcare clinics, schools are edifices that

are not supposed to be targeted.

So -- and as we see, you know, the death toll, the civilian death toll, and particular death toll of children in Gaza is unlike anything else we see

anywhere else in war zones anywhere in the world over these -- well, over the at least known history. So -- or recent history.

So, you are not supposed to target hospitals and schools, and that is happening. As -- almost as a matter, of course, with the argument that

there was a military target. That could well be, but there is no excuse for killing innocent children.

SCIUTTO: The toll is that more than 17,818 children have been killed over the past 15 months in Gaza. For aid workers and aid organizations, have you

seen any evidence that they are any safer today than they were after, for instance, incidents? And there have sadly been several where aid workers

have been killed, for instance, I think of the World Central Kitchen attack. Have you seen any evidence that Israel's gotten more careful since

then, that there's been better communication, for instance, between aid groups and the IDF?

SOERIPTO: No, sadly we haven't seen it. There has -- there is still ongoing communication. There is still ongoing an attempt at making this

deconfliction system work. We continue to give coordinates all the time since the resumption of the barricade, March 2nd. And essentially, the end

of the ceasefire. Our colleagues and children and civilians in Gaza are as -- probably at the worst risk ever in these past -- over these past 50

months.

We haven't seen any improvement. Not enough aid has made it through. Only about a third currently of aid requests or humanitarian requests for

letting drugs in, for instance, are allowed. We have seen no fuel come in. So, no, it is -- I was there last year. I thought it was as bad as it could

get, and clearly, I was wrong.

[18:10:00]

SCIUTTO: The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which is now in charge, this U.S.-Israeli organization now in charge of distributing aid, are the people

of Gaza getting any more food or other assistance they need today than they were before the establishment of the aid foundation or the Humanitarian

Foundation, or has it been a failure in your view?

SOERIPTO: Look I think this is wholly inadequate. The people of Gaza are certainly getting a lot less assistance, food and other aid than during the

-- what is it, the six or eight weeks in -- from January to March that there was a ceasefire. Then we had, what was it, 700, 800 trucks a day come

in. There was -- there were lots of distribution sites. We were able to operate child friendly spaces, some level of education areas, and of

course, primary healthcare clinics. We were able to do malnutrition treatment for young children at scale. Since March 2nd, that has really

whittled down to the bare minimum.

And as I said, with the lack of fuel, hospitals are almost at a standstill, the ones that are still standing. We have people in ICU. We have babies and

incubators that will stop working when fuel runs out.

SCIUTTO: Well, Janti Soeripto, we do appreciate the work that Save the Children is doing and attempting to do in Gaza, and thanks so much for

joining.

SOERIPTO: Thank you for having me.

SCIUTTO: Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva met with his cabinet today to prepare a response to President Trump's tariff threat to

his country. President Trump says he will oppose a 50 percent tariff on Brazil beginning August 1st. Why? To protest the trial of the former

Brazilian president, Jair Bolsonaro, who was accused of trying to overturn Brazil's last presidential election.

The U.S., we should note, runs a trade surplus with Brazil, unlike other trading partners it has targeted, this administration, $7 billion last year

for goods. It's not the first time President Trump has used tariffs to attempt to influence other countries' domestic policy, in this case, their

judicial system. The E.U. for its part is waiting to find out what tariff rate it will face from Washington along with India and others.

Joining me now, Alayna Treene from the White House. I wonder what White House officials are saying about this. I mean, this seems to be a blatant

use of tariffs for political ends, right? The President Trump likes Bolsonaro. He doesn't like that he is being tried for attempting to

overturn the election in that country. Do White House officials say that this is anything other than that?

ALAYNA TREENE, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: They argue that this -- the -- you know, trying to intervene on behalf of a political ally who is of

course facing prosecution for attempting a coup against the current government and presidency in Brazil is only part of the reason. Of course,

that is their words.

But as you mentioned, I mean, there's a couple key things here. One is that, remember, tariffs are actually in the authority of Congress to enact,

unless of course it is a national security issue. And that's what really has been the basis for all of the tariffs we've seen the president impose

on different countries, or at least even threaten on different countries.

And they argue though, you know -- or I should say the argument though there kind of falls short when you mentioned what you said, Jim, which is

that, you know, the United States actually enjoys a trade surplus with Brazil. Just to get even into more of that, the two countries had about 92

billion in trade together last year with the United States enjoying 7.4 billion surplus in that relationship. So, again, different from a lot of

the other tariffs we've seen.

The other thing I would note as well, of course, is that if you look at the flurry of letters that the president has sent to other countries discussing

the percentage of tariffs there he is planning to impose on those countries by August 1st, 50 percent, which is what he's threatening Brazil is the

highest figure of any of those letters. So, I think that's another important point to know here.

Now, I do want to get into what the president has said on this because it is, to your point, showing that he is trying to insert himself into another

country's politics and judicial system. He wrote in this letter to Brazil, quote, "The way that Brazil has treated former President Bolsonaro, a

highly respected leader throughout the world during his term, including by the United States, is an international disgrace."

A few hours later though, Jim, Lula responded saying that Brazil would respond in turn and retaliate with their own tariffs. He added, Lula, that

quote, "Brazil is a sovereign country with independent institutions that will not accept being abused by anyone." He went on to say that the

Bolsonaro case is the sole responsibility of the Brazilian judiciary.

[18:15:00]

So, look, I think a key question of course here is how they're actually going to get out of this, because the president essentially is seeming to

say in this that he's unwilling to lift these tariffs unless he sees some sort of intervention on behalf of Bolsonaro.

Now, I also think important context here is what we know that Bolsonaro told the Wall Street Journal a few months ago, which is that he felt and

had hoped that the Trump administration would intervene on his behalf with economic sanctions or something of the sort in this case. And so, all of

that together, of course, is why there's so much attention to what is happening with Brazil.

And this is a major escalation and a trade war with them. I mean, really the beginning of a trade war that we haven't seen with Brazil until the

president issued these threats. So, very unclear how they may get out of this. And if anything may change by that August 1st deadline, Jim.

SCIUTTO: Brazil sells a lot of coffee to the U.S. Folks might feel that tariff in their coffee cup. Alayne Treene at the White House, thanks so

much.

Well, Moscow has launched yet another ferocious bombardment on Kyiv. Hundreds of drones attacked the capitol overnight into Thursday. Ukrainian

officials say at least two people were killed, more than a dozen wounded. Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, is in Rome meeting with European

leaders at the Ukraine Recovery Conference. The Ukrainian president once again called on Kyiv's allies to continue and step up their support.

Tymofiy Mylovanov is president of the Kyiv School of Economics, also former Ukrainian Minister of Economic Development Trade and Agriculture joins me

from that conference in Rome. Thanks so much for joining, Tymofiy. Nice to have you back.

So, first, President Trump, this administration has been back and forth, one might have noticed, on aid support to Ukraine, intelligence sharing,

defensive missiles, other weapons systems. Now, the president says the U.S. will supply at least defensive missiles to Ukraine. Are you confident that

this is the new policy of the U.S. or do you fear that it might change again?

TYMOFIY MYLOVANOV, PRESIDENT, KYIV SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS AND FORMER UKRAINIAN MINISTER OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, TRADE AND AGRICULTURE: It might, at

least I think so. We have seen there is one element which is consistent, that there is no consistency, that there are changes depending on the

situation, and depending on the views of the administration. But the overall trend is in favor of Ukraine, in favor of support.

I think President Putin has been testing President Trump, and President Trump is seeing that President Putin is not serious about any kind of

ceasefire. And so, the attitude in divided house is changing.

SCIUTTO: Notable that the aid that is going to Ukraine now was approved under the last administration, the last Congress. So, this administration

and this new Congress in the U.S. has not approved any new military aid. Are you concerned that once the previous approved assistance runs out, do

you believe the U.S. will send more or will that be the end of it?

MYLOVANOV: Well, there is a chance, but it doesn't look likely at this point. And I think Europe has to step up and there are multiple attempts or

multiple approaches at work, and one of them is to try to use, European funding to buy the aid from the United States. And that is actually

consistent with what the administration would have liked. So, let's see what develops.

But I think I wouldn't exclude any outcomes. It could be that the U.S. will continue with the aid. It could be that Europeans will pay for the aid, or

it could be that the aid will run out and then Europe will have to step in.

SCIUTTO: So, what are you hearing there in Rome? Are you hearing that Europe is prepared to step in? Are they committed? We hear a lot of talk

about it but it's not quite unanimous in Europe.

MYLOVANOV: Oh, yes, absolutely. You know, for example, the Italian organizers, they don't even like the word defense tech or dual use. And

they ask -- for example, I'm moderated a session, and at this session we've been asked explicitly not to use defense tech word or any kind of lingua.

So, that's ridiculous. You know, if we're not ready to call things what they are, then maybe, you know, we're delusional.

On the other hand, for example, Merz was very, very clear today, early at the conference, about -- we're facing altogether in Europe from Russia and

how this threats has to be addressed with -- you know, with basically arming Europe and arming Ukraine.

SCIUTTO: The U.S., as you know and have noted, is reviewing its deployments around the world, including in Europe. Is it your view that the

U.S. is likely to reduce its footprint in Europe, its military footprint in Europe going forward? And I wonder if that does happen, what that would

mean for Ukraine's security?

[18:20:00]

MYLOVANOV: Well, you know, the real question here is beyond Ukraine. Of course, for Ukraine it'll be bad. But it also, you know, raises the

question what it means for the European security and whether Putin will want to try NATO or European basically countries at that moment.

And if the United States indeed decides to withdraw meaningful support from Europe, and it does very fast, and that will hurt Europe significantly.

Because Europe, at this moment, is not quite ready yet to fill the gap because it takes time, it takes political will, it takes financing, it

takes training. All that needs to be done. Europe has to get serious about this. But of course, if the U.S. withdraws too quickly this will hurt

Europe.

SCIUTTO: Well, good luck making your case where you are there in Rome. Tymofiy Mylovanov, we appreciate having you back.

Coming up, the Trump administration announced a deal it hopes will limit U.S. reliance on imported rare earths. The Pentagon taking a stake in a key

U.S. mining firm. The company insisting though that's not nationalization.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SCIUTTO: Welcome back to "The Brief." U.S. stocks finished Thursday session higher across the board. The NASDAQ and S&P 500 closing once again

at all-time highs. In the commodity markets, coffee and orange juice futures rallied on news of President Trump's 50 percent tariff threat

against a key producer, Brazil. Investors fear tighter supplies and so the prices go up.

In merger news, a major deal announced in the food industry. Nutella maker Ferrero is buying brick breakfast cereal giant WK Kellogg for more than $3

billion. Kellogg's shares rose 30 percent on the news. That's a lot of sugar.

Well, the U.S. Defense Department is announcing a massive new private sector investment intended to challenge China's dominance in rare earths.

The Pentagon is taking a 15 percent stake in the U.S. rare earth firm MP Materials, which runs the only operational rare earth mine in the U.S.

Under the deal, the U.S. will buy $400 million worth of preferred company stock, making it the firm's largest shareholder.

[18:25:00]

The news sent shares of the company soaring more than 50 percent in trading today. Washington and Beijing signed an agreement last month to stop the

pause on rare earths exports to the U.S. from China. But the Trump administration wants to bolster domestic production to guarantee a rare

earth supply going forward, including for weapons production. MP Materials insists the deal does not represent a U.S. takeover, and says it will be

good for U.S. taxpayers.

Ryan Castilloux joins me now, founder and managing director for Supply Chain Intelligence firm Adamas. Thanks so much for joining.

RYAN CASTILLOUX, FOUNDER, MANAGING DIRECTOR, ADAMAS INTELLIGENCE: Thanks for having me, Jim.

SCIUTTO: So, first, let's talk about the impact of this. China, of course, controls more than 90 percent of rare earth magnet production. So, this is

a 15 percent stake in one U.S. firm, $500 billion or so. Is that meaningful? Is that a meaningful investment? And over what time period

might you see this make a difference?

CASTILLOUX: It is a very meaningful investment and a much-needed leap forward towards diversifying away from China and establishing alternative

supply chains in the U.S. The increment of the investment, the ultimate production capacity of the magnet plant that is at the heart of this deal

is what is truly needed to move the dial towards diversifying away from China.

Organic markets have been at the helm for the past decade in the U.S. And we've seen smaller magnet factories coming into the pipeline. But what was

really needed was a massive investment in massive growth, which we've seen today through this announcement.

SCIUTTO: Under the deal, as I understand it, taxpayers will be on the hook, U.S. taxpayers, if rare earth prices fall below a certain guaranteed

payment levels. Is this actually a good deal for U.S. taxpayers or a potential risk?

CASTILLOUX: I think it's still yet to be seen on how that aspect of the deal will play out. So, having a floor price, if coupled with the right

tariff regime, that stops lower price materials from coming in the door helps, the DOD hedge against that possibility.

But I think there's also the potential for getting lost in the sticker shock of the investment amount, and not considering what the economic

benefits such an investment can yield downstream. So, the rare earth magnet industry globally is worth billions of dollars today, but it's critical and

it feeds into trillion-dollar downstream industries like automotive, aerospace, renewables, electronics, and beyond.

And having the secure supply chain to support that growth and to encourage manufacturers to set up shop at home in the U.S., to build their future

products there, can yield benefits that far outweigh any potential losses upstream.

Although, like I said, at this point, I think there is scope for a tariff regime to come in place that will really help enforce this price floor. And

ultimately, that serves as a new center of gravity for which prices outside of China can look to, can benchmark to. Whereas historically, one of the

major challenges getting an alternative supply chain up and running was that it -- the industry always looked to China for pricing. So, a lot of

encouraging developments out of this and I think others yet to come.

SCIUTTO: Now, the company says it's not a nationalization. In fact, Defense Department will have -- will be the largest shareholder here. I

mean, I remember a time when Republicans would say they're against picking winners and losers, but this is at least an unprecedented -- or is

unprecedented government step into the private sector.

CASTILLOUX: It's unprecedented in modern times, to my knowledge. The U.S. DOD, the U.S. government has typically involved itself through awards,

through grants, through loans, loan guarantees, and has been hesitant to pick champions. But like I said a few moments ago, the organic capitalist

market has had its chance, has played its hand, and the growth has simply been too slow, and a lot of that has been that it's up against an adversary

that doesn't play by the same rules.

In China, its industry is state controlled. It receives a number of incentives that aren't matched by the market outside of China. So, this is

a bold step forward, one that may be uncomfortable with some parties. But I think this one that was taken on the determination that it is absolutely

critical that now is the time to take that step. And frankly, some could argue that it's minutes after the 12th hour with China recently restricting

exports of those rare earth flows. But a step that's needed nonetheless, even if a bit late.

SCIUTTO: Yes, certainly a lot of U.S. companies were panicking when that - - when China had imposed those limits. Ryan Castilloux, founder and managing director of Adamas, thanks so much for joining.

CASTILLOUX: Thank you for having me.

[18:30:00]

SCIUTTO: Well, a grim and difficult task continues in Texas as rescue workers search for the more than 160 people still missing from last week's

Deadly Floods. We're going to have the details coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SCIUTTO: Welcome back to "The Brief." I'm Jim Sciutto. Here are more international headlines we're watching today.

Officials in Gaza say an Israeli strike killed at least 15 people gathered outside a health center. They say eight of the dead are children, age just

two to 14. Israeli military says it was targeting a Hamas militant.

E.U. naval forces rescued 10 crew members after a Houthis attack sank a ship in the Red Sea. Three people were killed. The U.S. mission to Yemen is

accusing the Iran-backed group of kidnapping. Some of the remaining crew members.

The Los Angeles Fire Department rescued all 31 workers who were trapped inside a collapsed tunnel. You see them in this scene being hoisted up to

the surface in safety. The crew was working on a municipal wastewater project that was under construction when part of the tunnel fell in. No

injuries were reported, thankfully.

Well, a federal judge has now issued a new nationwide block on President Trump's executive order seeking to end birthright citizenship in this

country. The order indefinitely stops the order, the executive order that is, from being enforced against any baby born after February 20th. This

despite a Supreme Court ruling last month that curbed the ability of judges to issue nationwide injunctions, unless they are dealing with a class

action lawsuit, which is the case here.

Here to explain, seen as Katelyn Polantz. So, Katelyn, I imagine some people watching this news who aren't legal experts will say, oh, wait a

second. I thought the Supreme Court said no nationwide injunctions.

[18:35:00]

But what it really did was open the door to this kind of case. Can you explain why and why this judge who was a George W. Bush appointee, we

should note --

KATELYN POLANTZ, CNN CRIME AND JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: That's right.

SCIUTTO: -- issued here.

POLANTZ: Yes. So, this is the case, go -- it went up to the Supreme Court and then it goes back down to the trial courts with direction from the

Supreme Court. Before judges were looking at the executive order from Trump presidency, the Trump White House, saying they would end the practice of

birthright citizenship. So, giving American citizenship to babies born to immigrant cares --

SCIUTTO: Law of the land for 115 years.

POLANTZ: Right. The Supreme Court said, you can't just strike this down and say that applies to anyone everywhere. You have to be a little bit more

specific about who it applies to. That's what class action means. It just means specifying the group. It means a lot more in the court context and

it's -- there's a lot of like specific things that courts do to certify a class to figure out who can be in a class, but that's really all it means

in practical terms. Specific group.

This specific group that went to this judge in New Hampshire, it just means that it's babies born February 20th or later of this year. That's the

specific group --

SCIUTTO: The day after the executive order?

POLANTZ: Right after the executive order. Yes.

SCIUTTO: OK.

POLANTZ: And so, this judge says, OK, we have the specific group. My court orders are going to apply to that specific group, and I'm going to strike

down birthright citizenship. Because the judge said, I've looked at this and there are a lot of issues with it, and he said it's highly questionable

constitutionally.

SCIUTTO: Yes. His language was scathing, describing Trump's kind of blanket order here. So, what happens now? Does this then have to work its

way back to the Supreme Court on the merits of birthright citizenship?

POLANTZ: Yes. And you know, there's a split from legal experts I've talked to about how it gets back up to the Supreme Court. Does it go as the full

case? Are there other cases that make it first? But what this judge has done is he said, I am granting this preliminary injunction. So, an

indefinite stop to the executive order. I'm going to allow babies born on U.S. soil after February 20th to get U.S. citizenship, birthright

citizenship, but he's paused it for about a week.

And so, the Justice Department's going to have the ability to appeal. They're going to ask an appeals court, can you put on hold this judge's

order so we can go forward with our plans to end birthright citizenship? We'll see what the appeals court says. They'll probably go to the Supreme

Court. But it could take a very long time because all the Supreme Court has done so far is addressed who can bring this? They haven't addressed --

SCIUTTO: They've haven't addressed the full issue.

POLANTZ: Yes. And can a district judge look at states outside of just the state that the trial court sits in? Can they do this nationwide? So, we're

going to have maybe more than one round.

SCIUTTO: Well, we should be used to it by now, multiple steps in the legal process in this country. Katelyn Polantz, thanks so much.

POLANTZ: Thanks, Jim.

SCIUTTO: Well just desperate search efforts continue in Central Texas after those devastating and deadly floods on July 4th. At least 121 people

confirmed to have lost their lives. 160 -- more than 160 remain missing. Five campers and one counselor from Camp Mystic, a camp where so many

little girls died remain among the missing.

Retired Lieutenant General Russel Honore, who led military relief efforts after Hurricane Katrina joins me now. Sir, it's good to have you on. Thanks

so much for taking the time.

LT. GEN. RUSSEL HONORE, U.S. ARMY (RET.): Yes, sir.

SCIUTTO: I wonder as you look at this with your experience, responding to disasters like this, the Guadalupe River, it flooded in 1987. You stressed

the importance of improving communications in isolated areas, and there'd been multiple attempts to do so. The local community had asked for help

from the state to pay for such systems and it didn't come. Was this a failure? Were failures in leadership -- did failures in leadership take

place that helped lead to a loss of life here?

HONORE: Yes, it's a failure to act. We've got people that's gone into the county committee meetings, discussing this topic. And in some cases, you

can go look at the documents. I heard a reading of one of them yesterday, and they kind of joked about not doing it. And then the others said it, it

was too extravagant for their community. But all that will come out, Jim, in the -- when they're held accountable. Because people will be held

accountable.

But most disturbing on that is the cool response we got from slow moving FEMA under this administration. You know, FEMA has four core missions,

prepare and respond. They get money every year from the president and the Congress to be prepared, to prepare and respond.

[18:40:00]

And they were very slow to move and didn't get SAR teams there until Monday. Normally, FEMA, under their preparedness and leaning forward, they

would've had SAR team's position before the river started to flood, Jim.

SCIUTTO: CNN reported, to your point, that the DHS secretary did not authorize the deployment of those urban search and rescue teams until

Monday, as you say. Are we seeing here then, in this disaster, consequences from the Trump administration's targeting of FEMA, an attempt to shrink

FEMA? FEMA's role in funding?

HONORE: Yes. I think they're literally taking President Trump for what his intent is, by literally slowing down FEMA response and letting the state

handle it. I don't think that's exact, because he is yelled in the past and before during the previous administration that they weren't moving fast

enough and FEMA wasn't moving.

Now, the interpretation of DHS, let's slow it down and let's save money. She has clearly said her -- she will review every contract over a hundred

thousand dollars. Well, to move a SAR team, the cost of that is about a hundred thousand dollars a day to have a SAR team deployed anywhere because

they come from all over the country. They're very highly trained and they've got a reset when they get done. And normally, FEMA would've had

those SAR search and rescue teams in Texas. And if they were not needed, they would've sent them home.

They cannot do that anymore because it takes five days normally to get a hundred thousand dollars contract approved by DHS because they have to rent

hotels and FEMA contract for that. They may have to rent the airplanes to move them there, FEMA contract for that. Now, all of that is slowed up

because they have to go through the secretary personally with all the other missions to get it approved before FEMA can spend money. And that won't

work under response. That has to be immediate.

And, you know, they're slow rolling FEMA from what I see right now, Jim, and this could have a devastating impact coming this hurricane season.

SCIUTTO: Do the failures here that we're -- and it's early because much investigation needs to be done, but we know a fair amount at this point. Do

the failures rise to the level of what this country saw in the run up to and during Katrina?

HONORE: I think so. I think so. After Katrina, there were congressional hearings, there were committees that were formed and reports and national

reports that were given out. And we revamped FEMA. We doubled the size of FEMA. We gave more money, more training. They were able to do more training

with the states. And they got more into the preparedness and more into the response and expanded the capacity of the search and rescue teams to be

able to preposition them and don't wait for the hurricane to come -- move them into the area, or in this case, before the floods come. And they focus

big on mitigation.

You know, there's some talk that FEMA was ready to, and they've got money to be able to do those sirens. And again, that will be bared (ph) lay open

wide in either congressional or state investigation. But the money was there for them to do it, and they failed to act. That's mitigation money.

That's money FEMA gives if you request it, but you've got to use it in accordance with FEMA regulations. And I'm not sure if they wanted to do

that, Jim. But this is why we need FEMA.

SCIUTTO: Yes. Well, General Honore, you've got the experience. We appreciate you sharing it with us.

HONORE: And my hat's off to the first responders, even the local ones, they did a good job going in. They were just late. The alert. And the

evacuation was a total fig in Kerr County.

SCIUTTO: Good Lord. And so many suffered as a result. Well, thank you, sir. We appreciate your thoughts.

When we do return, Kim Jong-un takes an idea from President Trump and runs with it. But just how practical is a seaside resort in North Korea? We'll

take a look.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:45:00]

SCIUTTO: Water slides, a beer hall, Highrise hotels, just some of the attractions at a new beachside resort in North Korea. A development

overseen by Kim Jong-un that supposedly can accommodate some 20,000 people, but in a deeply repressive country forbidden to most tourists, and whose

citizens face widespread poverty, who's going to visit? Will Ripley Takes a look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WILL RIPLEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Kim Jong-un's yacht glides ashore on North Korea's eastern coast. The Wonsan

Kalma Coastal tourist zone, miles of white sand beaches, water sports and luxury villas, 1,500 hotel rooms.

Wonsan was known as the ruling Kim family's favorite summer retreat, and one of North Korea's most active military testing grounds.

TRUMP: But they have great beaches. You see that whenever they're exploding their cannons into the ocean. And I explain, I said, you know,

instead of doing that, you could have the best hotels in the world right there.

RIPLEY (voice-over): President Donald Trump once pitched U.S. investment in Wonsan.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Were the doors of opportunity are ready to be opened, investment from around the world? One moment, one choice.

RIPLEY (voice-over): Today, seven years later, Kim beat Trump to the punch, building it on his own. The resort features grand hotels with

luxurious amenities, even international grade summit halls, a soft power backdrop perhaps setting the stage for diplomacy.

Kim did bring the Russian ambassador for the grand opening. These days, Pyongyang reportedly won't even accept Trump's letters at the United

Nations.

Kim's wife, Ri Sol-ju, made her first state media appearance in more than a year, often walking several steps behind her husband and their teenage

daughter, believed to be Kim Ju-ae. She often appears alongside her father at official events, fueling speculation she's being groomed as a possible

successor.

Kim personally inspected the Wonsan project at least six times, including once when I was there reporting for CNN.

RIPLEY: On the ground here in North Korea, now they're building a beachfront resort that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un came here to Wonsan

to inspect just yesterday.

How have things improved under Kim Jong-un?

RIPLEY (voice-over): Every day we see changes, he told me, like new construction.

The new resort includes a massive water park and a surf machine generating artificial waves. And this very real wipeout. Even grannies firing pistols

on horseback.

[18:50:00]

This retiree says she was moved to tears thinking about how their leader has given them such amazing benefits, even as much of the country still

struggles with food shortages, medical care and electricity.

Now, North Korea celebrates a resort. Kim built it without Trump, without aid, without compromise, and with every single one of his nuclear weapons

still intact.

RIPLEY: They built it. But who will come? Aside from locals, only Russian tour groups can visit the beach resort. Certainly, no Westerner. Not even

Chinese tourists, at least for now. It fact, it maybe quite some time before North Korea even comes close to filling those dozens of brand new

hotels designed to accommodate up to 20,000 people.

Will Ripley, CNN, Taipei.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SCIUTTO: And of course, the vast majority of the North Korean people live in deprivation. Well, coming up, the Wimbledon Women's Final is set. One

player got there after huge upset. Details when we return.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SCIUTTO: The women's finals set at Wimbledon and one of Thursday's semi- final matches is just a stunner. Amanda Anisimova beat the world's number one player, Aryna Sabalenka. Anisimova will face Iga Swiatek from Poland

who beat Belinda Bencic in the other semi-final. Patrick Snell now joins us now.

PATRICK SNELL, CNN WORLD SPORT: Hi there, Jim. Yes. Much to look forward to. What an achievement for the American player. I will say. Aryna

Sabalenka, the world number one, three-time major winner from Belarus left absolutely stunned after defeat to Anisimova Thursday's semis, a pulsating

contest. The temperatures there in the heart of England's capital city, soaring heat.

Both players gave it absolutely everything. Well, why wouldn't they? A place in the final on the line. Just a brilliant, brilliant effort from the

23-year-old from New Jersey. Seeded number 13. Really inspired tennis on route to powering her way to the first set, six games to four. But the

American player would be pegged back in the second set. Sabalenka, who's endured her own heartache and near misses over the years at Wimbledon, she

hit back and broke for a 4-3 lead en route to leveling the match there at the All England Club at one set of piece.

At this point, we all thought Sabalenka would go on to win, but no. Anisimova had other ideas. A wonderful display from the young American who

keeps alive her country's hopes now of a third women's major champ this year after Madison Keys won the Aussie Open in Melbourne and Coco Gauff and

her triumph at Roland-Garros in Paris.

And Amanda's success even more remarkable, Jim, given her return from an extended break away from the sport. You can see the emotion there etched

all over her face. She took time away from the sport to prioritize her mental health. Take a listen.

[18:55:00]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AMANDA ANISIMOVA, 23-YEAR-OLD AMERICAN SEEKING FIRST MAJOR TITLE: I think it goes to show that it is possible. And I think that's a really special

message that I think I've been able to show. Because when I took my break, a lot of people told me that you would never make it to the top again. If

you take so much time away from the game. And that was a little hard to digest because I did want to come back and still achieve a lot and, you

know, win a Grand Slam one day.

So, just me being able to prove that, you know, you can get back to the top if you prioritize yourself. So, that's been incredibly special to me. And

yes, it means a lot.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SNELL: Yes, proving the doubt is wrong. Now, in the final Amanda will face Polish star Iga Swiatek who, like Amanda, will be delighted to reach her

first ever Wimbledon Final. The five-time Grand Slam champ, well, she got the job done in style. We all know she's fueled by her personal favorite

dish of strawberries and pasta when it comes to a post-match meal, thrown some yogurt as well.

The Polish player, clearly hungry for more major successes. Just too good in the end for the Swiss player, Belinda Bencic who had done so well to get

to this point. But Bencic beaten very comfortably indeed in straight sets as Swiatek wins it two and love to advance to the final. And on that note,

Jim, I'll send it right back to you.

SCIUTTO: Patrick Snell, thanks so much. And thanks so much all of you for watching today. I'm Jim Sciutto in Washington. You've been watching "The

Brief." Please do stay with CNN.

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[19:00:00]

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