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What We Know with Max Foster

State Media: Russia Releases Details Of Peace Memorandum; Ukraine Strikes Russian Air Bases Ahead Of Peace Talks; FBI Investigating Colorado Attacks As "An Act Of Terrorism"; Right Wing Candidate Karol Nawrocki Wins Poland Presidency; Court Filings Could Outline Alleged Harm To Harvard; NATO Chief Urges Europe To Strengthen Defenses; Dozens Killed And Injured Near Aid Hub In Gaza. Aired 3-4p ET

Aired June 02, 2025 - 15:00   ET

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

[15:00:24]

MAX FOSTER, CNN INTERNATIONAL HOST: Ukraine stuns with a bold attack in Russia putting fresh pressure on ceasefire negotiations.

This is WHAT WE KNOW.

Russia has released the details of its peace memorandum with Ukraine. According to Russian state media, Moscow is calling for international

recognition of its control over Crimea, along with four mainland Ukrainian regions. It follows the latest round of peace talks in Turkey. The talks,

which involved low level delegations from both sides, took place just a day after Ukraine's audacious aerial assault deep inside Russia.

Our chief international security correspondent, Nick Paton Walsh, has the latest.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: I think it's how unexpected these attacks were that's led to their impact being

quite so intense and how extensively across Russia they appear to have had reach, as far as halfway across Siberia, the Belaya Airbase, targeted in

Irkutsk.

Ukraine's security service, using mobile wooden houses, homes with significant roof cavities to hide the drones inside them. The roofs would

then slide off, releasing these particular drones, 117 of them hitting one base Olenya just outside the Arctic circle in Russia, clearly places that

Russia felt their most important long range strategic bombers were indeed safe. The Tupolev 95 propeller driven, you can see those being hit again

and again in the Belaya Irkutsk base by these first-person attack drones flying in one by one and causing devastation across a runway.

And I think this is potentially playing into part of Ukraine's success here. The low-tech nature of what they use. But the high sophistication

through which it was indeed deployed. And of course, now Russia having to try and enhance security for its remaining part of its bomber fleet, well

see potentially in the months ahead how much impact this is going to have on Russia's ability to cause horror for Ukrainian civilians every night in

the nightly bombing raids that they indeed commit.

But, of course, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, hoping potentially an attack like this will push Russia closer towards some sense of

diplomacy. But ultimately, Monday's talks in Istanbul very little progress there. Russia emerging, suggesting that maybe there could be some sort of

very limited location specific ceasefire, maybe a more extensive exchange of dead soldiers bodies or prisoners down the line.

But presenting a memorandum that Ukraine had long waited for with some of its most maximalist demands, demand in Ukraine surrendered territory it

still controls, even suggesting Ukraine demobilize its military. Many things that will essentially be a nonstarter for Ukraine, and suggesting,

perhaps that Moscow is still hoping to slow roll this peace process.

Ukraine itself still insisting on a 30-day unconditional ceasefire. But a reminder from these attacks across Russia that again and again, Ukraine is

able to use targeted, sophisticated attacks using good intelligence to upset the scales against its much more sizable and better equipped

adversary here.

But another surprise in this war, now in its fourth year. But no surprises. I think that it's done little to speed Russia's move towards diplomacy.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: Nick Paton Walsh reporting for us there.

Now, the British Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, says his government will be building new attack submarines as it moves towards, quote, warfighting

readiness. The goal is to replace the country's current class of seven subs with 12 new ones. For decades, experts have called for a modernization of

Britain's armed services, especially when considering Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

Now, the suspect in what the FBI has labeled an act of terrorism in Boulder, Colorado, is being charged with a federal hate crime. Mohammed

Sabry Soliman is expected in court later this hour.

CNN's Whitney Wild has more now on the investigation.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WHITNEY WILD, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT CORRESPONDENT: Law enforcement is providing more detail about Mohammed Sabry Soliman's immigration status.

According to the chief spokesperson for the department of homeland security, he entered the U.S. in August 2022 on a nonimmigrant visitor

visa, a B2 visa. He filed for asylum in September of 2022. He was granted a work authorization in March of 2023, but that authorization expired in

2025.

And according to the Department of Homeland Security, as well as the White House, Mohammed Sabry Soliman, 45 years old, was in the country illegally.

There are many more questions to answer about how he was able to, you know, fly under the radar after his work authorization expired. But CNN's John

Mueller is reporting, according to his sources, that he had actually filed for asylum as early as 2005.

[15:05:05]

So, again, a long list of questions about what happened between 2005 and what happened today. The other questions that were hoping to learn more

answers to when he makes his initial appearance today at 130 mountain time here in boulder is why he chose this location, why he chose that day, why

he chose that group.

What we know is that federal law enforcement executed a court authorized action at an address associated with this case, as far away as Colorado

Springs. That's almost two hours from here. So, the questions are, you know, did he travel from Colorado Springs to Boulder? We just don't know.

And we're hoping to learn more information about that today.

Law enforcement is making very clear they believe this was a targeted attack. The FBI is calling this a terrorist attack. And law enforcement is

using a couple key pieces of evidence to make that claim. The first is that he yelled "free Palestine" during the attack.

And then again, according to John Miller's sources, he told police afterward that he did it to avenge his people. At this point, he is facing

multiple felony charges. He is in custody in Boulder. Again, we will hear much more about this case this afternoon at 130 Mountain Time when he makes

his initial appearance.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: Whitney Wild reporting for us there.

Turning now to the presidential elections in Poland, the right wing populist candidate, Karol Nawrocki, has been declared the winner. He beat

out the liberal candidate, who was the mayor of Warsaw, also the favorite to win.

Here's Michal Sznajder (ph) from our affiliate TVN 24.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MICHAL SZNAJDER, TVN 24: In a nail-biting finish, Karol Nawrocki has been elected as Poland's new president, securing victory by the tiniest of

margins against Warsaw's pro-E.U. mayor Rafal Trzaskowski.

While officially an independent, Karol Nawrocki received strong backing from the right wing populist and nationalist Law and Justice Party, which

governed Poland for eight years until losing power some 18 months ago. His campaign also notably received an endorsement from Donald Trump.

Karol Nawrocki's win marks a significant consolidation of right-wing influence in Poland. This outcome is poised to create potential clashes

with Prime Minister Donald Tusk's centrist government, given the Polish president's power to veto legislation. Karol Nawrocki is also known for

frequently criticizing the European Union. This outcome could have profound implications not only for Poland's internal politics, but also for its

relationship with the E.U. and its standing on the international stage.

For instance, Karol Nawrocki has stated he would oppose Ukraine's membership in NATO.

In Warsaw, Poland, I'm Michal Sznajder, TVN 24.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: Thank you for that.

Now, how much damage has Donald Trump already done to Harvard? We could get an answer to that question in court documents out today. Harvard is

expected to include that information in a filing that outlines its case to restore more than $2 billion in federal grants that have been frozen by the

Trump administration.

It's worth noting that this case is completely separate from Trump's efforts to bar Harvard from admitting international students.

Our crime and justice correspondent, Katelyn Polantz, is tracking this for us.

They're basically going to have to explain, Harvard, aren't they, why they need this money and why they feel it's unfair, actually, a bad move for the

country to stop it coming to Harvard.

KATELYN POLANTZ, CNN CRIME AND JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: How it's hurt them, and also what they've learned from the Trump administration. We are

watching today in this crucial filing. This is one of the cases in Harvard versus the Trump administration.

There's a couple different cases, but this one, it's about more than $2.2 billion that Harvard was getting in federal funding. That has been frozen.

They don't get it anymore. It had been coming from agencies like the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, the

Departments of Agriculture, Energy, Defense, Housing and Urban Development.

And, Max, that money was being used for research -- as researchers at Harvard to do research that would help people, generally, in the United

States who were suffering from diseases. That's the medical research, or more specifically, members of the United States military who may benefit

from the technology that Harvard develops both on the medical frontiers as well as for the battlefield. All of those things were things that Harvard

was working on, that their researchers cannot now, because the federal funding has been pulled.

This filing today, though, it is the full summation of the arguments that Harvard wants to make in court as to why this approach by the Trump

administration, they believe is unconstitutional, infringes on their ability to make academic decisions, research decisions on their campus. And

also, it is something that will rely on evidence that has been gathered in the coming weeks behind closed doors, the administration and the federal

agencies turning over what happened internally, what their paperwork says about pulling these funds or freezing these grant funding projects at

Harvard, what the discussion was like within the Trump administration.

[15:10:05]

Harvard's lawyers will have that and will be able to bring things out of that into this filing. So that's why we're watching it so closely. It is

indeed separate from that student visa program fight. When the administration tried to block international students from coming to

Harvard, a judge stepped in very quickly and has put a pause on that. International students are still allowed there, but now, Harvard is moving

forward with this other case, the grant funding case.

We do expect a ruling sometime this summer, just in the coming, coming weeks. After some oral arguments, after some filings from the Trump side as

well, it will be one to really watch here, though, because it is the full picture of what Harvard has felt so far from the Trump administration and

why, as far as they can learn, the Trump administration has locked down so much to hurt Harvard in recent weeks -- Max.

FOSTER: We wait to see what comes out. Katelyn, thank you so much.

Now, a new search is expected to start on Tuesday in Portugal in connection to the disappearance of Madeleine McCann. The toddler vanished in 2007

whilst on vacation in Portugal with her family. According to our sister station CNN Portugal, police will search the house and surrounding areas

where suspect Christian Bruckner lived. German prosecutors named Bruckner as the sole suspect in the case. The investigation will look for any trace

of the child's body.

Now, coming up, a dire warning and call to action from the head of NATO. We'll tell you what he said at a summit today about Russia's war of

aggression.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FOSTER: NATO secretary general is urging European nations to strengthen their defense and deterrence in the face of Russian aggression. Mark Rutte

spoke at a summit in Vilnius today as NATO's eastern and Nordic members gathered with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

[15:15:01]

Rutte is urging Europe to boost defense spending.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARK RUTTE, NATO SECRETARY GENERAL: We are facing the most dangerous security environment in decades. Russia's war of aggression continues.

Terrorist threats persist. We are not at war, but we are not at peace either. So, we must continue to strengthen our deterrence and defense, and

that means pivoting.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: What we do not know is how far the U.S. will go to support Europe against Russia.

Joining me now, Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vindman. He is the former director for European Affairs with the National Security Council.

I really appreciate you joining us today.

I mean, not just Rutte. We also heard from other leaders, one in Germany and also the British prime minister today talking about how effectively we

need to be on a war footing here in Europe. Is that something you agree with?

ALEXANDER VINDMAN, FORMER DIRECTOR FOR EUROPEAN AFFAIRS, NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL: So in a lot of ways, the secretary general was preaching to the

choir in Vilnius, the eastern flank of NATO certainly feels this threat acutely. They were subject to soviet power for a long time. They always

thought that Russia, as an imperial power would come would be a looming threat.

It's interesting that you now have the Germans, the Brits. There was a traditional East/West divide, the Western European nations were a little

bit less, concerned about the near-term. I think that there's now a convergence of threat perceptions. It's not all across Europe. And that's

why I think the secretary general is talking about to make sure all of Europe consolidates around this idea and the spending.

I think that there is in a lot of ways, we're already in a state of war between Russia and the authoritarian world and democratic world. It's not

all in the military dimension. That's where most folks. Look, it's in the political, it's in the informational, it's in the economic sphere.

And there is a hybrid war characteristic to the military confrontation, where the Russians are attacking whether that's the elections like they did

in Romania buying far right parties, engaging in cyber warfare engaging in sabotage operations throughout Europe, those things are already occurring.

What we want to avoid is and what we want to deter is Russia from being particularly adventurous, like they did with this war against Ukraine in

2022 by deterring them, by making sure that Europe looks powerful and strong and that its spending and building the capabilities. So, it's not

just about what it says, it's about what it does. It's the capabilities and the intent to defend itself that that are critically important.

FOSTER: It's pretty extraordinary. The UK buying submarines to defend itself against Russian ships and vessels in British waters. I mean, there

have been sort of incursions, haven't there, up until now. But they're actually defending themselves.

And you mentioned the eastern flank. There are countries there that really do think that Russia is going to go for them next. Countries like Latvia,

Lithuania, Estonia, right.

VINDMAN: Well, I think for the western nations, it is back to a little bit of a Cold War playbook. I mean, these are lessons that were learned and

lost, forgotten. And this is the way the Soviet Union was operating to threaten critical communications nodes, potentially target.

Western capitals like the U.K. investing in submarines, investing in aircraft carriers, investing in new planes and platforms is not something

that you could just turn on a faucet and things miraculously appear. These are years-long, in certain cases, decades-long investments in order to

build those kinds of capabilities.

So, the fact that the U.K. is interested in doing this now can yield results in five, ten years. But that is the horizon they should be thinking

about because Russia is not going away as a threat actor anytime soon. It might not have the immediate capabilities to threaten Europe as a whole. It

is having a hard time already in Ukraine. It's on the losing end of that war, whether it realizes or not.

So, it's going to take some time to recover, lick its wounds. But that's also a three, five, seven-year time horizon. So just as these massive

capabilities are coming online from the west is when Russia might be adventurous and provocative in the future. And that's what strategic

planners, that's what leaders need to be preparing for.

FOSTER: Yeah.

(CROSSTALK)

VINDMAN: The Eastern Europeans are working on a much shorter time horizon.

FOSTER: There would also --

VINDMAN: You know, Russian, you know, agents --

FOSTER: I just want to ask you about the Americans because part of that strategy in the past would have had America deeply embedded in any sort of

plan. It feels as if that's not the case anymore. This is Europe working together on its own, and any help they get from the U.S. would be you know,

a bonus.

VINDMAN: Yeah. It's a terribly sad state of affairs.

[15:20:00]

I think the fact is that the U.S. is unpredictable and unreliable under the Trump administration.

I think that there are countervailing forces in the traditional Republican lane that understand the criticality of our relationships with the

Europeans, with NATO, and that they're attempting to continue to bolster the camp that says we need to stay engaged, as well as focus on what's

going on in the Pacific and warning off China. We still have to stay engaged in Europe and support the Ukraine, the Ukrainian war.

But unfortunately, at the top you have the president and the vice president and, the, you know, the advisers that are thinking in more isolationist

terms. So, Europe does have to spend more. The most optimistic scenario I could give you is that after the Trump administration, almost four years

from now, when the United States has a different administration and we come back to each other and start to rebuild, just like Biden did on the back

end of a first Trump administration, the Europeans will be stronger partners.

They'll be -- they'll have invested in capabilities, and they'll play a much, much bigger role in European security. So that when the U.S.

continues to invest resources both in Europe but also in the Pacific, that the combined assets, the combined capabilities are much, much more robust

about pushing back, the authoritarian world that is kind of surging.

FOSTER: Yeah. Alexander Vindman, really appreciate. I mean, these are big thoughts, aren't they? But thank you for giving us yours on it.

Still to come, almost 200 wildfires burning across Canada as the country calls for help.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:25:33]

FOSTER: Returning to our top story. A ceasefire is still out of reach after Russian and Ukrainian officials met for a new round of peace talks in

Turkey. Following those talks, Russia released the details of its peace memorandum with Ukraine, according to Russian state media. Moscow's calling

for international recognition of its control over Crimea, along with four mainland Ukrainian regions.

All of this comes just a day after Kyiv launched a massive surprise attack that's sending a clear message to the kremlin this war is not over yet.

CNN's Nick Paton Walsh is tracking the story for us.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WALSH (voice-over): A bird's eye view of humiliation. Ukrainian drones halfway across Russian Siberia. Seconds from hitting the Kremlin's most

prized bombers.

But the data was bad for Moscow, 117 drones hitting 41 long range bombers across Russia. A Ukrainian security source said.

A torn-up skyline here in Belaya. Exactly what Moscow dreaded and Ukraine needed, a boost to its flagging morale, damaging Russia's war machine, for

sure. But maybe also its calculus in peace talks.

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT: Our Operation Spiders Web yesterday proved that Russia must feel what its losses mean. That is what

will push it toward diplomacy.

WALSH: Ukraine hit Irkutsk, 4,500 kilometers away from Ukraine, where Google Earth still shows similar propeller-driven aircraft in the open. But

they also struck Olenya right on the Arctic Circle. Similar planes also on Google. Another example of something that just was not meant to happen in

Russia's brutal war of choice.

The how was as extraordinary. Ukraine's security service head Vasyl Malyuk commenting here.

VASYL MALYUK, UKRAINE SECURITY SERVICE HEAD: How beautiful it looks, this airbase Belaya.

WALSH: And releasing these images of the wooden mobile homes they used the roof cavities of to hide the drones. Before their release once Ukraine said

all their operatives were out of Russia. The planes hit mainly the Tupolev 95 and Tupolev 22, the Ukrainian source said, aging, easy to damage, hard

to replace.

They were partly behind the nightly terrors that beset Ukrainian civilians. Whether these strikes make a dent in this daily toll will take weeks to

learn, but it may also damage the Kremlin quicker away from the front lines, its pride hit hard, although state TV put on a fierce display of why

Russia has been pummeling Ukraine so relentlessly.

It may also, too, change its thinking, perhaps towards peace talks that continued Monday in Istanbul, and of how long Russia can sustain this war

if Ukraine keeps throwing painful surprises its way.

Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: Doctors Without Borders is condemning the killing of dozens of people waiting for food in Gaza, saying it shows a new U.S.-Israeli backed

aid mechanism is dehumanizing, dangerous, severely ineffective.

CNN's Jeremy Diamond tells us what led to the mass casualties in southern Gaza.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: Well, eyewitnesses on the ground, doctors at local hospital as well as the Palestinian ministry of

health say that the Israeli military opened fire on crowds of Palestinians who were headed to an aid distribution site in southern Gaza. This all

happened in the pre-dawn hours of Sunday morning.

The Israeli military, for its part, says that the military, quote, did not fire at civilians while they were near or within this aid distribution

site. But here's what's interesting: an Israeli military source has acknowledged to us that the military did indeed fire what they described as

warning shots towards people about one kilometer away from this aid distribution site. And that's notable because what we understand from a

video at the scene where the gunfire was taking place is that this all took place at the al-Alam roundabout, which is about one kilometer away from

this aid distribution site.

And we know that the aftermath of this attack was quite grisly, with eyewitnesses talking about individuals getting wounds, gunshot wounds to

the head and to the chest, doctors describing a very similar situation as well. Eyewitnesses also said that many people fell to the ground to try and

avoid the bullets. Some of them got up to try and flee and they were shot in those moments.

[15:30:04]

Doctors Without Borders has said that according to the patients they treated, there was gunfire coming from snipers, from tanks, as well as

gunships in the Mediterranean Sea. Now, all of these individuals were at this site for one reason, and that was because they were trying to get to

this new aid site run by the U.S. and Israeli backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.

And this is precisely the kind of danger that humanitarian aid officials have been warning about for weeks, as they've been sounding the alarm about

this new aid distribution mechanism, which has just a very small, limited number of aid sites in southern and central Gaza, forcing many Palestinians

to walk miles, sometimes in order to get to these sites, and also having to travel through these dangerous combat zones and through Israeli military

positions.

The U.N.'s -- the UNRWA's executive director, Philippe Lazzarini, he has said that aid distribution in Gaza has now, quote, become a death trap. He

and other aid officials are calling for Israel to open up the borders to Gaza and allow large quantities of humanitarian aid to flow in through

traditional channels, rather than through this Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.

Jeremy Diamond, CNN, Tel Aviv.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: A flotilla loaded with aid heading towards Gaza right now, aiming to break Israels siege and raise awareness of the worsening humanitarian

crisis. You can see the ships progress on this live tracker just making its way from Sicily.

Climate activist Greta Thunberg amongst those on board. She helped load the ship before departure, made an emotional appeal as well, urging the world

to stand on what she calls the right side of history. Now, wildfires are forcing thousands of people in western and central Canada to leave their

homes. Two provinces have declared month-long states of emergency.

And much of the country is at extreme risk of wildfires. That is the highest level on Canada's fire scale. Almost 200 wildfires are burning

right now, and few of them are under control.

Joining us, CNN's Paula Newton.

I mean, you've had previous years like this. How's this one in comparison?

PAULA NEWTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, we certainly have, Max. And, you know, as you said, almost 200 fires, more than half, in fact, are out of

control at this hour. We have about 25,000 people evacuated.

And to answer your question, Max, listen, it's early and already, we have a land mass half the size of Switzerland that is burning right now. It is

burning right through western Canada, especially to the north. And given the situation, the fact that we are so early and the fact that the rain and

the winds are just not cooperating, this is the critical week, Max.

And you're right to point out that we've been here before, right? 2023 was unfortunately the banner year. And in that year as well, you saw so much

smoke heading from Canada into North America. That is happening again this week. In fact, Max, think about it. They could be affected. Air quality

could be affected as far south as Georgia and Florida from these fires.

That's how large they are. And they continue to burn out of control what is needed. More equipment, more firefighters. The United States is helping.

But as so many Canadian officials have made clear, you know, even if you look at things like aerial water bombers, those are on backorder, Max.

So, no matter how much equipment you seem to be able to get up in the sky, and sometimes they can't fly because of the smoke problem, but it tends to

just get larger every year. And that is because of the pervasive climate conditions. I want to point out, max, that that year that you talk about

2023.

Scientists here in Canada have studied that year, and they had said that more than half of the severity of the wildfire in 2023 was caused by

climate change. So, they modeled it. And they thought if this had happened 70 years ago, would those firefighters have been as severe? No, they would

not have been. What does that tell us about the year to come? Very scary conditions.

So unfortunately watch this space. As you say, Canada already at the highest threat level for wildfires this year.

FOSTER: Okay, Paula Newton, appreciate the update. Thank you.

Researchers estimate that nearly 40 percent of the world's glaciers are on course to disappear, meaning their melting is irreversible and will add to

sea level rises. So how do we fix it? We can't. But the scientists who conducted the study say the only way to keep it from getting worse is to

lower global temperatures, even by the smallest amount.

A former employee of Sean "Diddy" Combs says he put tracking devices on the car of his ex-girlfriend. The woman testifying under the pseudonym "Mia",

was on the stand for a third day in the sex trafficking case against Combs. Mia also said she couldn't break free of combs because she was

psychologically under his control.

Combs is accused of racketeering and sex trafficking. He's pleaded not guilty.

Joining us outside of court is CNN's Elizabeth Wagmeister -- Elizabeth.

[15:35:06]

ELIZABETH WAGMEISTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: Hi there.

So yes, Mia was on the stand for three days, just getting off within the last hour. And it was a grueling, lengthy cross-examination. Brian Steele,

who is one of Sean Combs' defense attorneys, questioned her all day Friday and most of the day today, and a big bulk of his cross-examination was this

idea of continued communication, particularly continued communication, after she was no longer employed by Sean Combs.

They passed out literal binders with exhibits that showed text messages and emails and posts of Mia continuing to communicate with Sean Combs. And they

were very kind and loving messages. Now, she explained that of course, she had continued communication, and of course, it was kind, loving messages,

partly because of the power that Combs held. But also, she said that there were good times, and she said that the highs were very high, but that the

lows were very low.

Now, she was also asked by Combs defense why she never told anyone about this alleged sexual assault. You may remember that during her testimony

last week, she said that she was sexually assaulted by Combs on more than one occasion. One of those occasions, she alleged that she was raped by him

after being woken up in the middle of the night because she was living with Combs as a condition of her employment.

Well, I want to read you a direct quote. This is why she said that she never told anyone. Quote, because it's the worst thing I've ever had to

talk about in my life. She was asked by prosecutors if she's ever talked about this, and has ever been able to talk about it without looking down.

I want to kind of paint a picture. During her testimony, she was constantly looking down. She had her bangs covering her face, so she was partly

concealed talking at a very low tempo and sometimes getting choked up, nearly on the verge of tears. And she said that she has not been able to

talk about this without looking down. She said she only told her therapist before, and then prosecutors, and she said the reason why she's testifying

today is because, quote, I couldn't look my niece or my goddaughter in the eyes if they when they grow up. May God forbid go through something like

she alleges that she went through.

So, some very emotional testimony. But over the course of the three days, Mia did stick to her story. So that story never changing, and she was very

honest. And again, she did admit to this continued communication with Sean Combs.

FOSTER: Elizabeth, thank you for the update on that case.

An Australian woman accused of killing three people with the world's most toxic mushrooms took to the stand for the first time on Monday in her

defense. Erin Patterson is accused of feeding her estranged husband's parents, aunt and uncle beef wellington that was laced with death cap

mushrooms. Days later, all except the uncle died in hospital. Patterson's defense lawyers say this was all a, quote, terrible accident. Her testimony

is expected to resume on Tuesday.

Still to come, the man suspected of attacking people gathered to support the Israeli hostages in Gaza will soon face a judge. For the first time,

we'll speak with a former FBI agent about the case.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:41:30]

FOSTER: We are waiting on the first court appearance for the man accused of attacking a group of people at an event for Israeli hostages on Sunday in

Colorado. Mohammed Sabry Soliman is being charged with a federal hate crime. Police say he threw Molotov cocktails into the crowd while shouting

"Free Palestine!" Eight people are injured. The FBI says Soliman told investigators he wanted to kill all Zionist people.

Online, President Donald Trump wrote attacks like these will not be tolerated. The president says his heart goes out to the victims. So, what

we want to know is what happened in Boulder, Colorado.

Joining me now is CNN law enforcement contributor, Steve Moore. He served as supervisory agent with the FBI.

Thanks for joining us.

I mean, what are your sources telling us about this?

STEVE MOORE, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT CONTRIBUTOR: Well, it's kind of interesting that they're charging him, excuse me, with hate crime rather

than terrorism. There must be some more -- the situation must fit into those blocks a little bit better than it fit into the terrorism block.

FOSTER: What's the difference?

MOORE: Well, hate crime -- hate crime doesn't have to be necessarily politically motivated. It can be simply a crime based on race, creed,

color, sexual orientation. While terrorism, you're actually having to prove that the person was trying to influence politics or society by their

attack.

FOSTER: Are you seeing more of these types of attack?

MOORE: Well, yeah, there was one in my in my hometown during a protest where the fistfight occurred and a man was actually killed with it when his

head hit the pavement. So, yeah, these things are on the rise. And when you get a -- any society that's as polarized as ours is right now or polarized,

frankly, as the world is right now, you're going to find some people who have difficulty or have no capability of discussing issues rationally or

dealing with them as, as normal people would.

FOSTER: I mean, we're looking at the statistics here. Eight injured, a range of ages. They included a holocaust survivor. They want to keep going

to these events, don't they? I mean, whatever your political view or your personal views or your beliefs you know, you want to exercise your right to

demonstrate, to show support.

Do you feel that's more difficult in America at the moment?

MOORE: It's, you know, anywhere you're going, I think it's more difficult in America, but it's more difficult around the world. I mean, you're seeing

the kind of attacks against. Protesters all over the world. I mean, you're getting it on a smaller scale. I think in the U.S., possibly a more deadly

scale.

But you know, and, you know, then you get into the specifics of this person being here illegally, and all of a sudden, you're spinning off in different

directions.

FOSTER: Yeah. And that's speaking to a lot of the politics right now, isn't it? How difficult does that make it for the FBI to investigate this fairly?

Because everyone's so polarized, or the local law enforcement rather.

[15:45:06]

MOORE: Well, I don't think the FBI is going to have any problems investigating this fairly as long as they get witnesses. I mean, this is

you don't have to agree with either side to make a decision based on what you hear or saw. You see, you saw one person with accelerants lighting

people on fire and screaming pro-Palestinian and anti-Israeli diatribes. So that's just -- that's just one plus one equals two. That's not going to be

hard to prosecute at all.

What would have made it difficult is if there had been counter attacks, basically, if the other side had had retaliated against him, then you start

to get into some gray areas. But at this point, they just defended themselves and defended the injured people until police arrived.

FOSTER: We're hearing, that he planned an antisemitic attack for a year, according to the FBI. I mean, this is unusual, isn't it, for a hate crime?

I mean, not unusual for terrorism. Normally.

MOORE: No, and it is, you know, and, Max, I think this thing kind of straddled the border between terrorism and hate crime. So, it wouldn't be

unusual for terrorism. It is somewhat unusual for a hate crime, but sometimes, they're very hard to differentiate between.

This was not an elaborately planned hate crime. I mean, as horrendous as this could be, we're not talking about a car driving through a crowd of

people at 60 miles an hour.

I don't think he was -- he planned this well, I don't think it was a specifically, intelligent plan. Obviously, but it could have been planned

for that long. And you know, you wonder if -- when he decided to go from I've got to do something to the mechanism he used.

FOSTER: Okay. Steve, thank you very much. We'll get more in the next hour or so as I understand it. So, it should start making more sense. Thank you

so much.

Now, Mount Etna's largest eruption in over a decade, forcing a whole group of tourists to leave incredible pictures. We'll show you them and we'll

speak to someone on the island.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:50:16]

FOSTER: A huge volcanic eruption on the Italian island of Sicily has sent tourists running for safety. One tour company says it had 40 people on the

active volcano when it erupted. Officials say they are contacting all tour operators to make sure everyone is accounted for. Many of the roads leading

to the popular tourist destination are now blocked off, 1.5 million people visit it each year, and experts say this is mount etnas largest eruption in

more than ten years.

I want to bring in Gaetano, the owner of a villa in Sicily very close to Mount Etna.

Thank you so much for joining us. What did you see today?

GAETANO, OWNER, TENUTA CARBONE VILLA: Good evening. Good evening.

About the eruption was a very nice to see, but at the same time, it's not so dangerous. You can see by image, but anyway, it's something so powerful

from nature, but need to see and enjoy the -- what nature can do it. Maybe from outside, it's possible to understand, like it's dangerous. But it's

only dangerous in the main point, in the high point of Etna. But it's important to visit with a very good guide.

FOSTER: It is a stunning scene, but do you think tourists were overreacting to it by running away?

GAETANO: Yes. They're running away because was like, a shock. It was without any notice. And there was enough noise and the smoke from Etna was

very, very high. And many people escaped from the main crater.

But the problem is only in the high point, not in the part of Etna close to the house. But this is enough safe.

FOSTER: So, you're not worried at all about it. And it's just the foreigners that were concerned do you think?

GAETANO: No, I'm not too worried about it because I was born in Sicily. And for me, to see, almost like every year or many times in the year, this

eruption is something normal.

FOSTER: Do you find it interesting that were covering it and the world media are covering it?

GAETANO: What? What?

FOSTER: Do you think it's interesting that everyone's talking about it around the world? Do you think it's just the pictures?

GAETANO: Yes. It's very interesting. It's very interesting because it's something that can happen only here in Sicily. For the kind of eruption,

because the kind of volcano is different than other kind of volcano in Europe. And it's a show that need to watch on presence.

FOSTER: Are you -- are your bookings going to be up or down because of this do you think?

GAETANO: For the water?

FOSTER: Will your hotel bookings go down because of this, or could they go up because people want to come and see it?

GAETANO: The people come up because in the up is full of little crater and all crater. And from there it's possible to see unbelievable escape, but at

the same, at the same time is very dangerous if you don't go with someone that know very good Etna. Because Etna is very big landscape, very big

area, and they need someone that know very well because it's impossible to go alone without a guide. Very dangerous.

But if you go with a guide that know every part of Sicily, every part of volcano, you can -- you can say you can go there without problem. And in

Sicily, especially in Catania, we have like (INAUDIBLE) is like, a volcanologist that check every day, every second the condition of volcano.

FOSTER: Okay, Gaetano, thank you very much. I'm glad you're safe. And everyone's safe, and you're enjoying the view as opposed to being worried

about it. Thank you so much.

Now, around 250 million honeybees escaped out of a commercial truck that was hauling them. It overturned in Washington state on Friday, 70,000

pounds of honeybee hives inside rolling over with it near the Canadian border. The driver apparently didn't make a tight turn all that well,

causing the rig to roll into a ditch. The driver wasn't injured, thankfully, and beekeepers helped the bees re-hive and get back with their

queen.

[15:55:03]

Dior has a new top designer at the helm. The French fashion house named Jonathan Anderson as its new creative director. The 40-year-old's

appointment brings menswear, womenswear and haute couture under his purview. It's a big job. The award-winning Irish designer northern Irish, I

believe, generated buzz over the last decade, thanks to his quirky designs. Dior hopes Anderson's new role will reignite slumping sales.

Now, in what's being called a turnaround of the year, defending classical chess champion Gukesh Dommaraju defeated his rival Magnus Carlsen. Carlsen

slammed his fist on the table, I'll let you see it for yourself, in frustration after suffering a shock loss at the 2025 Norway chess

tournament. It was on Sunday.

After his fist slam, Carlsen shook his opponents hand and left the scene, ignoring the media. Gukesh became the youngest ever world chess champion

last year at the age of 18. He said 99 out of 100 times I would lose. Just a lucky day.

I'm Max Foster. That is WHAT WE KNOW.

"QUEST MEANS BUSINESS" up next.

END

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