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What We Know with Max Foster

Sean "Diddy" Combs Acquitted Of Most Serious Counts; House Begins Procedural Votes On Trump Agenda Bill; Pentagon To Pause Some Weapons Shipments To Ukraine; Paramount Settles Trump's "60 Minutes" Lawsuit; Hospital Official: Dozens Killed In IDF Strike On Gaza Cafe; Several Deaths Connected To Heat-Related Causes. Aired 3-4p ET

Aired July 02, 2025 - 15:00   ET

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

[15:00:18]

MAX FOSTER, CNN HOST: The rapper Sean "Diddy" Combs is found not guilty of the most serious charges against him, but could still face a lengthy jail

sentence.

This is WHAT WE KNOW.

A bail hearing set for about two hours from now, after jurors returned a mixed verdict in the Sean "Diddy" Combs sex trafficking trial. While the

music mogul was found guilty on two prostitution charges, he was acquitted of three other counts, including sex trafficking and racketeering

conspiracy that could have got him life behind bars.

As Elizabeth Wagmeister now explains, that sparked dramatic scenes in the courtroom.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ELIZABETH WAGMEISTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: Combs, after being led out by marshals. As he was being led out, he knelt down in front of his

chair and bowed his head down as if he was praying. When he stood up, he faced the gallery and he began to clap, prompting the gallery to clap and

cheer.

Combs's attorneys. They all exchanged hugs in the gallery, continued to cheer for him. I mean, what a moment.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: Well, prosecutors say they have grave concerns that Diddy could go free on bail. The attorney for prosecution, witness Cassie Ventura, says

he'll continue to fight on behalf of survivors.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DOUG WIGDOR, ATTORNEY FOR CASSIE VENTURA: He's never been held responsible for anything in his lifetime. He was acquitted on charges when he was in

New York with a gun case. And now he is a two time convicted felon, two federal charges.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: Well, CNN's Leigh Waldman has more now from outside the court in New York.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LEIGH WALDMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We can see NYPD putting out additional barricades behind me just outside of the Sean "Diddy" Combs courthouse

after he was acquitted of more serious charges by the jury here, but found guilty of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution as it

relates to his ex-girlfriends, Cassie Ventura and the woman testifying under the alias Jane.

(voice-over): The jury in the federal trial of hip hop mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs has come to a verdict, guilty on the charge of transportation to

engage in prostitution, but not guilty of sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy. The jury, made up of eight men and four women, heard from 34

witnesses called by the prosecution, including two of Combs' former girlfriends. Cassie Ventura and a woman testifying under the alias Jane.

Both women testified Combs forced them to engage in sexual encounters referred to as freak offs and hotel nights.

Ventura spoke on the stand about violence she endured throughout the course of her 11-year relationship with Combs. Jurors watched this hotel

surveillance video from 2016 showing Combs dragging and kicking Ventura several times throughout the course of the trial.

Ventura's attorney read a statement from her after she testified.

WIGDOR: I hope that my testimony has given strength and a voice to other survivors and can help others who have suffered to speak up.

WALDMAN: Combs' defense team never denied allegations of domestic abuse, but instead argued the two women participated willingly in the sexual

encounters. Jurors heard from Combs former personal assistants, a male sex worker and other former employees.

The defense rested its case after less than 30 minutes, only reading text messages into the record. Combs did not testify.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: Leigh Waldman reporting for us there.

So, what we want to know is, is Sean Combs looking at serious jail time?

Let's bring in CNN legal analyst Joey Jackson. Joey is also a defense attorney.

Thank you so much for joining us, Joey.

So, we've got this bail hearing. You know, what will be considered there. And could Combs walk free today?

JOEY JACKSON, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Yeah. So, Max, good to be with you.

That's the open question as to whether he'll walk free. But there really wouldn't be a reason why he should not. It'll certainly be up to the judge.

It's a discretionary decision.

But two things will be at issue. Number one, is he a flight risk? Number two, is he a danger to the community?

Remember he has been held in on this case for a significant period of time, almost a year. Why? Because there was the determination made by a court, a

judge, and there were various rounds of that where he came back with his attorneys. That is Mr. Combs saying, hey, can you release me while I wait

for this proceeding?

The prosecution's argument is, hey, your honor, he's facing a life sentence with respect to the racketeering charge. We cannot release him, in as much

as he's very well-resourced, he could flee. So, certainly, he's a flight risk.

And by the way, your honor, as it relates to the conduct charge, he's a danger to the community. Look at all he was doing, right, said the

prosecution at that time. With respect to alleged bribery, with regard to extortion, with regard to arson, with regard to drugs, with regard to this

and that.

Well, the circumstances today have changed and they have changed because the jury has said that he is not a racketeer.

[15:05:04]

That is, he's not a crime boss. He was not running, says the jury, a criminal enterprise, he is innocent of that with regard to what the jury

determined.

Also, as it relates to the sex offenses for sex trafficking, which could have done kept him in for a minimum of 15 years. A jury has spoken as to

that and said he didn't coerce, compel anyone into any sexual activity of a commercial variety. He is not guilty.

And so, the sole remaining issue and charges that he was convicted of. Yes, they're felonies. Yes, they're serious. Is this transportation for

prostitution that carries a maximum of 10 years?

Last point, Max, and it's this. Although it carries a maximum of ten years, this is a federal case, and you have federal sentencing guidelines. And

under those guidelines, if you calculate them, he -- it really looks like about 14 to 21 months that he could do under those guidelines.

Now to be clear, there will be arguments by the prosecution judge. There are two separate charges, your honor. We should stack the time, meaning on

charge one, right? It's up to ten years. You can add count two, the other charge up to ten years. There's all this other conduct, judge, you can

consider.

But at the end of the day, let's be fair. And let's be clear. The issue today should be around those two issues. Does he and will he flee? He'd be

a fool if he did because he's pending sentence. And number two, is he a danger to the community?

So, the judge will have to really consider is Mr. Combs, if I allow him to be free, is he going to really harm anyone? And I don't think under the

circumstances where you were just cleared and he's at the point now where he's going to try to have to rebuild his life and his reputation, he would

harm anyone.

So those are the arguments that will be on full display at 5:00 today, when a judge has to make that determination.

FOSTER: And just quickly, would that be a quick decision, do you think because of the, you know, how you've outlined it, just there.

JACKSON: So, I don't know that its going to be a quick decision. The judge, as you know, has asked for the parties to brief the issue, meaning

to put in writing what your arguments are. They did that at 1:00, if that. The judge thought that was satisfactory, max, he would have made a decision

on what we call submission. He did not. He's putting it over for oral argument at 5:00.

So, it's not that it'll be quick. I think the judge wants to be right and wants to be fair. To be clear, last point, being a celebrity right has its

advantages and disadvantages. People should be treated as people. Whether you're celebrity, you shouldn't get any more favorable treatment, but you

certainly shouldn't get any less favorable treatment.

And so, the judge has to do the right thing based on the law, the facts, and the nature of the circumstances, which is the acquittal as to three

counts, one related to RICO, two related to the issue of sex trafficking, and only consider really the two issues for which he was convicted, in

addition to some of the conduct as to why the conviction came about today.

FOSTER: Okay, Joey, we'll watch it very carefully. Thank you so much for giving us the, you know, the considerations of the judge today.

Now, at this hour in the U.S. House, divided Republicans are trading fire over President Donald Trump's sweeping domestic policy bill. Procedural

voting has begun on the legislation, with Mr. Trump and his allies on Capitol Hill putting pressure on Republicans to pass it so the president

can sign it by Friday.

But party hardliners say they're not prepared to accept the Senate's version of the bill.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. CHIP ROY (R-TX): We sent them a product. We liked it in some respects, could be better in others. The Senate has now made some changes.

Some are good, some are bad.

Now we've got to look at the total product and decide what it's about. It's not take it or leave it. Why don't you take it or leave it legislating? How

about we send it back to him and we say, take it or leave it, right?

So, the Senate doesn't get to be the final say on everything. Got to work this out.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: Let's speak to CNN's Arlette Saenz on Capitol Hill.

Arlette, thank you for joining us. So how many hold, you know, holdouts as President Trump got to convince -- I think we've got a problem with her

sound. Have you got us, Arlette?

Okay. We're going to come back to Arlette once she fixed her earpiece there.

Now, if the bill does indeed pass, it would lead to a major cuts in Medicaid, leaving millions of Americans without health care coverage. Those

cuts could hit rural hospitals especially hard, even forcing some of them to close.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REPORTER: Did it change your mind? Are you a yes on the vote?

REP. TIM BURCHETT (R-TN): It puts me a little closer. We're going to meet a little bit here and go over everything and make sure we got all our

facts.

SARAH JANE TRIBBLE, REPORTER, KFF HEALTH NEWS: One in four adults in rural America are enrolled in Medicaid. So, when you cut Medicaid, it affects

that.

Nearly 50 percent of the babies born in rural America are born under Medicaid. And so, when you think about just the basic economics of how

hospitals and clinics get the money that they have to operate and serve those communities, they're already operating on a shoestring budget. And

when you start cutting out patients who can pay, that really has a very quick and lasting impact.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: Well, we'll have more on this later in the show, but for now, we're also looking at the Pentagon halting some weapons shipments,

including air defense missiles, to Ukraine. This follows a review of military spending and U.S. support to foreign countries.

[15:10:02]

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says his government is trying to clarify the situation around the decision, but one of his advisors said it

would be, quote, inhumane for the U.S. to stop supplying missiles. The Kremlin welcomes the development, saying it will help end the war sooner.

This, as Ukraine says North Korea is set to triple the number of its troops fighting for Russia. According to Ukrainian intelligence, North Korea is

sending as many as 30,000 more troops to bolster Russian forces along the front lines. The country covertly sent 11,000 troops to Russia last year.

CNN's Nick Paton Walsh has more on that.

Okay, we are having some technical issues. We will come back to Nick as well a bit later on.

But for now, we're going to have a quick break and come back to you.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FOSTER: At this hour, in the U.S. House, divided Republicans trading fire over President Donald Trump's sweeping domestic policy bill.

We go to Arlette Saenz. She's on Capitol Hill.

So, I just wanted to understand, Arlette, how many holdouts there are and what the president is doing to pressure them.

ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Max, there are still a number of holdouts on President Trump's domestic agenda bill, which very much remains

in flux at this moment. To just give you a paint a little picture of what's happening right now. The House is actually -- actually been holding a early

vote on a procedural measure for over an hour now, and they are now keeping that vote open as they are trying to get more conservatives and potentially

moderate holdouts on board with this bill.

Now, President Trump actually hosted a number of holdouts at the White House today to talk through some of the concerns. I caught up with one of

those. Congressman Tim Burchett, a Republican from Tennessee, and he said that after his meeting with the president, he is moving closer to yes. Take

a listen.

[15:15:02]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REPORTER: Did it change your mind? Are you a yes on the vote?

REP. TIM BURCHETT (R-TN): It puts me a little closer. We're going to meet a little bit here and go over everything and make sure we got all our facts

straight. But like I said, the president was very informative.

You know, I always hear these reports about him raising his voice and cussing at people. And it was nothing like that. I wouldn't mind if my

daughter had been in the room with us.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: Now there are concerns among the -- across the GOP caucus. There are conservatives who think that the Senate passed a bill, adds too much to

the federal deficit, doesn't do enough to offset some of that spending that's included in that bill. There are others who have concerns, more

moderate members who have concerns about the steeper cuts being made to Medicaid.

So, these are all issues that House Speaker Mike Johnson is trying to navigate as he is trying to stitch together that support for this bill.

Republicans can only afford to lose three votes, and there are more than a handful of potential holdouts who are out there.

But right now, House leadership is trying to work with these various lawmakers, trying to see if they can move them to the yes column. Now, it's

expected that there would be a vote on the rule to pass the bill. And if that passes, then later on they would be holding a vote on final passage.

It could come today, it could get pushed towards tomorrow. But these lawmakers are working with a very real time crunch. As President Trump has

said, he is hoping to have that desk, that bill on his desk to sign by the July 4th holiday, which is this Friday.

FOSTER: Yeah. What's the alternative path, then, if it doesn't get approved tonight.?

SAENZ: If it doesn't get approved tonight, then they may have to go back to the drawing board. So first they need to clear that procedural hurdle on

the rules. There were some lawmakers who were suggesting that they might be trying to hold up that rule by voting no on it.

If it doesn't pass on final passage, they probably would have to go back to the drawing board. There are some who have called for it to go back to the

Senate, for the House to make their own changes, go back to the Senate, or potentially have a conference where both chambers come together to work on

it.

But House leadership and President Trump have said that that is not the route that they think it should go. And they've been hoping that they would

be able to get it pass through the House without any changes after the Senate had passed it just yesterday.

FOSTER: Arlette Saenz, thank you. A long night ahead.

A federal judge has just blocked a Trump administration policy that stops migrants from claiming asylum at the U.S. border with Mexico. The judge

ruled the administration overstepped its authority by trying to bypass immigration laws. One rights group called it an enormous victory for those

fleeing danger. The Trump administration expected to appeal that ruling.

Tesla has reported yet another plummet of its electric car sales. The company is facing backlash from CEO Elon Musk's political activities and

more competition from other electric carmakers. Tesla reports its sales fell more than 13 percent. That's the largest year to year drop in the

company's history.

The 384,000 cars it sold last quarter is 60,000, less than the same period a year ago, but it appears investors feared worse numbers. At the moment,

Tesla shares are up close to 5 percent.

Entertainment giant Paramount paying $16 million to settle a lawsuit brought by Donald Trump. Trump sued the company in 2024, claiming election

interference. He said that when "60 Minutes", which airs on Paramount's CBS Network, ran an interview with Kamala Harris, it edited the interview to

make her look good and to harm him.

While legal experts said Trump had almost no legal grounds for the complaint, Paramount evidently decided it was good business to settle

anyway. It says the $60 million payment will go to Trump's future presidential library. A major reason for the settlement may be Paramount's

plans for a merger.

Let's bring in CNNs chief media analyst, Brian Stelter, for more on that.

There are two sides to this, aren't there, Brian? I mean, you know, a purely commercial view is that maybe this was the right decision because it

allows the company to move forward commercially, but there are a lot of people on the shop floor at CBS who are pretty horrified.

BRIAN STELTER, CNN CHIEF MEDIA ANALYST: That's right. This is about corporate priorities versus journalistic principles. The journalists at CBS

News were aghast at the idea of a settlement. They were even more concerned that the parent company might try to apologize to Trump for what was a

perfectly normal interview with Kamala Harris.

CBS engaged in standard editing practices. Every network does it, including Trump's network, Fox News. But Paramount wanted to get this deal done, get

this settlement done in order to get its big mega merger approved by the Trump administration. Clearly, Paramount bosses believed that there was a

kind of quid pro quo here, some sort of connection between Trump's lawsuit against CBS and administration, approval of the merger.

[15:20:03]

Of course, officially, Paramount says there is no such connection. The government says there is no such connection. But we are increasingly seeing

in Trump's second term in office how there's a transactional nature to some of the -- some of the government behaviors here, some of the government

actions.

And so, in this case, CBS News journalists were horrified by the idea that Paramount was going to pay Trump to get the deal approved. But there was

one sigh of relief today, Max, and that was Paramount agreeing to no apology, no statement of regret.

It's a little bit of a win for those journalists who were afraid CBS would try to apologize for itself. But as you said, $16 million going to Trump's

future presidential library, it's going to be quite a library.

FOSTER: A lot of people outside the U.S. may not understand how revered "60 Minutes" was. I mean, what's your view about the credibility of CBS

News with this? I mean, are they going to be comfortable, you know, watching a channel where they feel there is some compromise at some level,

or at least the journalists are being pressured at some level in a way.

STELTER: Right. Well, this is part of a broader phenomenon in American news media right now. Trump trying to intimidate networks large and small,

in some cases suing in some cases trying to defund them in the case of PBS and NPR. Some of these battles are still underway.

I mean, we've seen it here at CNN this week with Trump trying to threaten CNN. These cases will continue. And what ultimately matters is corporate

ownership and what the owners do. In the case of Paramount, you know, the bosses think they were doing the right thing for shareholders by getting

closer to this merger being approved. There's a lot of money at stake.

Now, CBS News, though, has to rebuild its credibility. And that's a process that will take time.

But we have seen this before. Disney's ABC struck a settlement deal with Trump last December. Yes, there was some minor reputational damage, but I

would argue no long term harm. I think the same might be true at CBS as well.

The difference is that Democratic senators in the U.S. say they want to investigate this Paramount payoff, because they're concerned it might

amount to a bribe. So, we will see if those Democrats are able to advance that in some way.

Right now, they don't really have the powers to investigate the deal, but if they're able to get back in the majority in the U.S. maybe they'll

investigate it in the future. And again, more broadly, this is about ownership of media at that level, Max.

FOSTER: Yeah. And there's so much changing in the industry, isn't there?

Brian, thank you.

Still to come, what's next for Sean "Diddy" Combs? After a mixed verdict in his high-profile sex trafficking trial. We'll take a look.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:25:50]

FOSTER: Sean "Diddy" Combs attorneys are asking a judge to release him from custody for now. In about an hour, at his bail hearing, we could find

out if he walks free, at least until his sentencing.

This comes after a New York jury found him guilty on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution, but acquitted him of more serious

charges. Combs was found not guilty of sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy, which could have put him in prison for life.

Let's go straight to Kara Scannell, who's outside the courthouse in New York.

So, it's a big decision, isn't it, for the judge tonight. But I spoke to Joey Jones earlier and he thinks it -- thinks it might be quite a clear

decision because just because he's a very famous figure, he shouldn't necessarily be treated differently from a regular guy.

KARA SCANNELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Max, that's exactly what it's going to come down to, the judge having to make this decision of whether Combs

should be released from the Bureau of Prisons, where he's been in custody since his arrest in September, to his family until he is sentenced for

those two charges of transportation for prostitution that he was convicted of.

Now, the judge usually sets a sentencing date just a few months after a conviction, so it would only be a reprieve of a few months that Combs would

be out on bail before he would be sentenced again for those offenses.

His team is saying that their -- Combs is not a danger to the community. He was acquitted of the most serious charges of racketeering conspiracy, which

included elements such as witness tampering, bribery, arson and also acquitted of the sex trafficking offenses. So, they're saying he's not a

flight risk.

His family was here throughout the trial, it's evident that they would he wouldn't abandon them, as they said. And they're saying that he should be

released. He's not a danger to the community.

The prosecution opposes this. They say that he is a danger to the community, and they submitted letters to the judge today. There was one

from a witness who testified, Deonte Nash. She was a friend of Ventura and had worked as Combs' stylist. He is urging the judge to keep Combs in

confinement until his sentencing, as well as Cassie Ventura herself.

Her lawyer filed a letter today in which he wrote, Ms. Ventura believes Mr. Combs is likely to pose a danger to the victims who testified in this case,

including herself, as well as the community. So, pretty strong to have an alleged victim in this case asking the judge to keep him behind bars. It

will be ultimately up to the judge.

One of the factors that Combs lawyers is arguing for his release is that while he is facing potential prison sentence, it is not one of the more

lengthier sentences that he could have faced if convicted of the serious charges. His lawyers are arguing that he would face maybe 21 to 27 months

in jail. That's about two years, and Combs has already been in a jail for ten months. So, they're saying that this is not as serious. And so he

should be able to come home before he is sent in again.

But the prosecution saying that they believe that they're going to argue that he received at least a minimum sentence of 4 to 5 years, possibly

more, once they put more work into this calculation. But a lot at stake. And if the judge agrees to release Combs for at least a couple of months,

we could see him walk out that door behind me at some point later today -- Max.

FOSTER: It'll be an extraordinary moment.

Kara, thank you so much.

The man accused in the deadly stabbing of four University of Idaho students has changed his plea to guilty. Bryan Kohberger did this in order to

eliminate the possibility of receiving the death penalty. The 30-year-old was charged with four counts of first degree murder. It happened in 2022 at

the apartment of four University of Idaho students.

Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskyy says details have been clarified over the Pentagon's decision to pause some weapons shipments, including air

defense missiles, to Ukraine. This comes after a review of military spending in U.S. support to foreign countries, an adviser to President

Zelenskyy said it would be, in his words, inhumane for the U.S. to stop supplying missiles.

While the Kremlin is welcoming the move, saying it will help end the war sooner, what we don't know is will the U.S. stop weapons shipments cost the

war to Ukraine really? Could it make the big difference?

[15:30:00]

Joining me now is Ambassador Kurt Volker, former U.S. ambassador to NATO.

Thank you for joining us.

Obviously, Zelenskyy is being, you know, very measured with his language. But behind the scenes, they're really worried, aren't they, in Kyiv about

what impact this will have. Because the missiles from America are vital. I mean, how much difference do you think this will make to the war effort?

KURT VOLKER, FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR TO NATO: Yeah. So obviously, they are concerned, and these are air defense missiles, to be clear. Russia has been

launching massive overnight attacks on Ukraine well for months and months now. But just in the past few weeks, they've been substantial. And so, they

are in need of continued supply of air defense equipment.

Now, that being said, first off, it's not clear that this is a final decision from the U.S. This is coming from the Pentagon, but it's not clear

that the White House asked for this or is behind it. We'll have to see.

And second, European allies do have capabilities that they can provide to Ukraine. And as they are ramping up their defense spending and their

ability to do that, they may be willing to transfer more of existing systems to Ukraine and replenish behind them. So, while, of course,

Ukrainians are worried, this is not the final straw here.

FOSTER: Would Europe be able to make up for these particular weapons that aren't going to be sent from the U.S.?

VOLKER: Not the particular weapons. The Patriot missiles are the most significant, you know, fast reaction, high altitude, very effective air

defense systems against missiles. And that is something that Europe really relies on for the United States as well. They also use Patriot missiles,

but short of that, there are a lot of other things coming into Ukraine, particularly the Shahed drones that other systems can take out. And you

reserve the use of these patriots or these anti-missile missiles for really the most dire attacks from these hypersonic or, you know, long range and

very fast Russian missiles.

FOSTER: Do you understand the reasoning behind cutting back here? It doesn't seem to be on principle, from what we understand, to cut back

weaponry to Ukraine. It's really about stockpiles and the amount it's costing America to effectively fund these other wars.

VOLKER: Yeah. I think what you have here is the pentagon expressing some concern about depletion of stockpiles and therefore positing a choice, I

would argue a false choice between supporting Ukraine or making sure the United States has what it needs to defend itself and its allies. So they're

saying it's either/or black and white.

I really don't think that's the case, because the more Ukraine is able to defend itself and defeat Russian forces, the more security that builds for

our European allies and for the United States. So it's not a zero sum, but there is a concern from the Pentagon about that, and we'll see if higher

level decision makers sustain this or see some of the nuance in the way it really works.

FOSTER: You can understand why a lot of Americans do feel, you know, there are problems at home. Why are we spending all this money on foreign

endeavors? But just explain why, you know, it's in America's interests, perhaps, to be -- to make sure that Ukraine doesn't lose this war.

VOLKER: Yeah, well, the most obvious explanation is what President Trump said in the Hague last week. If Putin prevails in Ukraine, he's not going

to stop there. He has declared an intention to rebuild the Russian empire. That includes a lot of countries and territories that are now part of the

E.U. and NATO, and that's going to plunge us all into a major war.

So, none of us want that. We do not want to be in a major war. And so, it is important for us that Ukraine actually stop Putin in Ukraine and not

allow him to win there and move on to other places. That's the number one reason.

FOSTER: Okay. Thank you so much, Kurt Volker, for joining us today.

Well, Ukraine says North Korea is set to triple the number of its troops fighting for Russia. According to Ukrainian intelligence, North Korea is

sending as many as 30,000 more troops to bolster Russian forces along the front lines. The country covertly sent 11,000 troops to Russia last year.

Here is CNN's Nick Paton Walsh.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT (voice- over): They brought near ruthless tactics, the rumblings of a war going global, 11,000 North Korean troops helped Russia expel Kyiv's soldiers from

its border of Kursk, but that, it seems, is just the start.

CNN has learned up to 30,000 more may be headed to the front lines, according to Ukrainian intelligence, for use in a summer offensive, with

Moscow hungry for manpower and Pyongyang keen to school its troops, in brutal trench and drone warfare.

[15:35:00]

They were first seen here in October, but recently the routes used then could be active again. A troop-carrying Ropucha ship was seen here on May

the 18th. The same type of vessel at the same Russian port used in transports last year, experts said.

Ukraine also assesses Russia will refit transport planes like the one seen on the tarmac here again in June at North Korea's Sunan Airport, to move so

many North Koreans, likely air or rail, will take them across Siberia to the front line. Ten kilometers east of Kursk, this camp is enlarged in

recent months. Further evidence of North Korean build up.

CNN has geolocated to hear this six-minute video report from a part Korean, Russian correspondent. The report surfaced 48 hours after the Kremlin's

first admission of the North Korean deployment.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (translated): Such a good bunker. Warm.

PATON WALSH: They're not only training, but appear to have new long term bunker accommodation and equipment. The tastes of home red Korean pepper

and homemade propaganda, it says, revenge for our fallen comrades.

This Russian instructor says his new trainees are aged 23 to 27.

RUSSIAN INSTRUCTOR (translated): They guys arrive in good physical condition. Their fighters are as good as ours. The enemy runs away first.

And the enemy does run, because it's afraid of a gun fight.

WALSH: And there's a translation sheet to get over the language barrier, which meant the first units operated separately from the Russians.

State media has shown videos of both countries now training together.

Here, in the same training ground, a Russian shows how to use a shotgun to take down a drone. Others practicing clearing buildings together.

More signs are open. Putin's top presidential adviser, Sergei Shoigu, visiting Kim Jong Un here for the second time in a fortnight, announcing a

thousand mine clearers and 5,000 military construction workers to rebuild Kursk region. Perhaps a sign Moscow is indeed short of the manpower it has

sent mercilessly into the fight, but also that it is not short on allies who share their ruthless commitment.

Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: Now, talking peace and waging war, Israel is escalating deadly strikes in Gaza amid international efforts to secure a ceasefire. What's

next? We'll take a look for you.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:40:53]

FOSTER: An Israeli official says his country has accepted the latest ceasefire and hostage proposal for Gaza, and Hamas says it's now

considering the plan, adding that its serious and ready for a deal. But there still appears to be a major gap on how a temporary truce would unfold

and who would be left in charge.

Hamas wants a permanent ceasefire and a pullback of Israeli forces. Israel's prime minister today vowed to eliminate Hamas entirely. Israel is

escalating airstrikes as a ceasefire inching closer. Gaza's health ministry says 142 people were killed in the last 24 hours alone, including the

director of a prominent hospital along with his wife and daughters.

We're learning more about the casualties of a strike earlier this week, too, on a cafe in Gaza City. Authorities say most of the 41 people killed

were women and children. The cafe was a well-known spot for both students and journalists seeking Internet access.

Our Jeremy Diamond has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Mohammed combs through the debris of another Israeli airstrike, looking for anything his

sister has left behind.

This is the place where my sister was when she was killed. This is her blood, Mohammed says. Twenty-three-year-old Nita was killed at this seaside

cafe where she and other students and journalists came to connect to the Internet and try to escape the reality of war.

"I can't describe the shock I went through. No one can describe the shock," Mohammed says.

This teddy bear was hers, a gift her friend brought her that fateful day. Now that and her purse are all that remain.

This was the chaotic scene moments after eyewitnesses say an Israeli missile smashed into the bustling cafe. At least 41 people were killed,

according to the director of Al-Shifa Hospital. Most of them women and children.

The Israeli military declined to answer questions about why it targeted the cafe, saying it, quote, "struck several Hamas terrorists," and that the

incident is under review.

Just five weeks ago photojournalist, Ismail Abu Hatab had filmed another airstrike from that very same cafe. Now his body is draped in a white

shroud. And his family cries out in mourning.

Inside Ismael's room, his father Hussein recounts the moment he learned his son had been killed in that cafe strike. He told me, "Ismael is a martyr.

The words Ismael is a martyr were very, very, very hard on me. Unconsciously, I ended the call."

Ismael is the 228th journalist to be killed by the Israeli military during the war, according to Gaza's Government Media Office. The 33-year-old's

photos had been featured in exhibitions in the U.S. and Europe. But beyond his talents, his parents say the world has lost a kind person who never

hesitated to help others. And his mother has lost her eldest son and confidant.

After she buried him, she says, she came directly to his room and lay on his bed.

"I remembered everything beautiful, everything beautiful," she says. "Everything he had was beautiful."

That beauty now ripped from this world.

Jeremy Diamond, CNN, Jerusalem.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: Just in to CNN, and just days before Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to visit the White House, all ministers in his

Likud Party are calling for annexation of the West Bank before the end of the month. Israels speaker of parliament joined that call as well. Their

statement says, quote, the strategic partnership backing in support of U.S. President Donald Trump create a window of opportunity.

Aaron David Miller is a former State Department Middle East negotiator.

I want to be careful about the language here, but we're talking about sovereignty over a region that takes in the West Bank, right?

[15:45:05]

What do you understand this statement to mean?

AARON DAVID MILLER, FORMER STATE DEPARTMENT MIDDLE EAST NEGOTIATOR: I mean, look, let's be clear, the government guidelines talk about a Judea

and Samaria. That's the governments name for the West bank already being sovereign Israeli territory. And over the last several years since the

inauguration of his government in December 2022, the government has pursued a series of policy moves on the West Bank that are annexationist in

everything but name. In fact, they, I think annexation is -- we're on the cusp of creating that as a reality.

This is pressure from Likud ministers, including the defense minister, to ensure that the prime minister doesn't sign on as part of the looming

ceasefire agreement to any extension that might involve negotiations, a transitional government headed by the Palestinian authority in Gaza,

building a bridge, so to speak, for negotiation between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.

Frankly, I don't think Benjamin Netanyahu will raise this with the president last time this occurred, when Donald Trump floated his deal to

the century plan in 2020. In 2020, the president was incredibly angry at Netanyahu, who announced at the time legalization of Israeli settlements.

There's enough on Trump and Netanyahu's plate with respect to good news that I'm not sure the prime minister is looking right now for an

endorsement of a next West Bank that could easily come in the months, in the months to come, as the administration may well return to that original

deal of the century, which would have offered Palestinians 60, 65 percent of the West Bank. The remaining 30 percent largely area c, where the

settlements are, where the military zones are, where the nature reserves are. And that's 60 percent would basically become part of the state of

Israel, wouldn't -- would not surprise me. Within the next year that the Trump administration bought on to that policy.

But there's a lot of water under the bridge here. And I don't think Netanyahu is looking for a fight right now with Donald Trump.

FOSTER: But the West Bank effectively becomes part of Israel. Is that right? Is that what the reality will be, and what would it mean on, you

know, for life there? What would it look like?

MILLER: Well, I mean, it would be a sort of a one state reality where the government of Israel annexes, what, let's say 60, 70 percent of the West

Bank leaving area A, according to the Oslo agreements, in control of the of some interim or permanent Palestinian government governance that would

control the major Palestinian cities.

The Israelis have no desire to do that. So, Karim, Jenin, Nablus, Ramallah, the -- Israel does not want that. Even these hawks don't want that. But

annexing the prime real estate portion of West Bank, where the 500,000 settlements are including east Jerusalem, which has already been annexed, I

think that, frankly, is in the cards.

And obviously what it does, it essentially hangs a closed a closed for the season sign on any alternative pathway out of the horror and misery that

we've seen since October 7th.

FOSTER: Okay, Aaron David Miller, thank you so much for your insight on that. It's just coming to us. So, a lot to digest.

Still to come, several deaths across Europe being blamed on the heat wave. We'll go live to Spain for an update there.

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[15:51:27]

FOSTER: This heat wave across Western Europe is now being blamed for several deaths in Spain. Firefighters believe two people were killed by a

heat related wildfire. In France, two people died from heat related causes in the heat forced another 300 people to seek medical help.

Joining us now from Madrid is CNN Espanol's Pau Mosquera.

Thank you so much for joining us.

Just describe what it's been like to be there.

PAU MOSQUERA, CNN EN ESPANOL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Max, right now here in Madrid, as you can see, we have a summer storm overhead. It was not

predicted at all. And let's see what happens. And if it's useful to refresh a little bit, the atmosphere in here, because it's almost 10:00 at night.

And here the thermometer is still registering 31 degrees Celsius, which is around 88 degrees Fahrenheit.

It certainly is that this first heatwave of the summer is having no mercy in much of Europe. Here in Spain, most of the center, the south and the

east of the country has been today under heat warnings because the temperatures were expected to climb above 36 degrees Celsius, around 97

degrees Fahrenheit, and actually, this prediction has been exceeded in some cities in south of the country. For example, in Seville, where I was

earlier this morning, and where the mercury reached the 41 degrees Celsius, I can tell you that it felt suffocating. The air was so hot that it felt so

thick, and it even was difficult to breathe.

But this situation is not exclusive of the Iberian Peninsula, as at least a dozen of European countries have been today. Under the same warnings. It is

actually the case of our neighbors in France, where the authorities yesterday recorded the hottest day of all the year. They registered that

quite unusual temperature of 38 degrees Celsius.

Actually, the authorities decided to close the summit of the Eiffel Tower to prevent any tourists from potential risk. And with situation -- this

situation on the table, Max, many are wondering when are we going to get any relief from this heat?

Well, many weather agencies in Europe are actually predicted that from tomorrow and on, we're going to have a cold mass of air that will be

entering from the northwest of the country and will start to refresh some cities, but actually, it's not clear whether Spain is going to benefit from

this cold mass of air, because here in Madrid, in the capital, they are actually predicting that over the last days of this week, were going to

have temperatures above 30 degree Celsius -- Max.

FOSTER: Wow. Okay, Pau, stay cool. Thank you very much.

Now here, the princess of Wales, reflecting on what she calls the really difficult aftermath of chemotherapy. Catherines comments came during a

visit to the wellbeing garden at Colchester Hospital. She hasn't spoken much about her cancer treatment, but she opened up to patients at the

hospital about her personal struggle.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CATHERINE, PRINCESS OF WALES: You know, you put on a brave face, but stoicism through treatment. Treatments done, so I can crack on and get back

to normal again, but actually that the phase afterwards is really, you know, it's a really difficult journey. You know, you're not necessarily in

the clinical team any longer, but you're not able to function normally at home as you perhaps once used to. And actually, someone to help talk you

through that, show you and guide you through that, sort of phase that comes after treatment. I think it's really valuable.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: Well, this is the princess of Wales's first public appearance since her unexpected withdrawal from royal ascot, which was a couple of

weeks ago.

Now, finally, visitors to a beach in Rio de Janeiro were greeted with an unexpected sight, a Magellanic penguin was spotted in the warm waters

there, swimming amongst the people, enjoying the water and sun, and the penguin is native to Patagonia, a region spanning parts of southern

Argentina and Chile, and was likely off course, we can say that, from his or her migratory route, which was the usual one.

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

"QUEST MEANS BUSINESS" is up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PAULA NEWTON, CNN HOST: Indeed, it is another day, another record for the S&P 500. I mean, investors just keep trucking along there. I mean, the Dow

was down marginally there, but the Nasdaq also ticking up --

END

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