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What We Know with Max Foster

Wildfires Rage As Europe Battles New Heat Wave; Palestinian Families Trapped As Settlers Block West Bank Homes; Trump Dismisses Concerns About Conditions Aboard USS Lincoln; Mangione Admits Killing Thompson, Pleads Guilty To Stalking. Aired 3-4p ET

Aired August 14, 2026 - 15:00   ET

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

[15:00:27]

ISA SOARES, CNN HOST: Fires rage across Europe.

I'm Isa Soares, in for Max Foster. This is WHAT WE KNOW.

Europe is struggling this week. Historic temperatures and multiple wildfires are complicating efforts to get people to safety.

In Croatia, 14 people were taken to hospital after a fire raged overnight. More than 1,000 people had to evacuate the area.

And after surviving the hottest day of the year on Thursday, wildfires are racing across parts of the U.K. This includes the West Midlands, where

several houses you can see there were burned to the ground.

Stefano Pozzebon has the very latest for you.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

STEFANO POZZEBON, CNN CONTRIBUTOR (voice-over): A tower of smoke looms over holidaymakers in northern Greece on Thursday. The fast-moving forest

fire sending tourists and locals fleeing hundreds on small boats, emptying two popular resorts in peak holiday season. From the sky and the land, fire

crews battled to stop the blaze, one of many wreaking havoc across the continent.

As Europe swelters in record-breaking heat, dry conditions are helping wildfires race across the region. Spanish crews worked through the night

fighting a fire in the country's northeast that burned through 20,000 acres and forced more than 900 people from their homes.

In Croatia, seven people were in hospital in life-threatening condition early Friday after strong winds whipped up a fire around the popular

tourist town of Omis on the Dalmatian coast.

Fires in France and Germany have also led hundreds of residents to evacuate.

Usually temperate Britain has not been spared, as the country baked on its hottest day of the year on Thursday, fires spread across central England,

burning farmland and houses to the ground.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Not all horses, but we saved them.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I heard a scream and all the trees along the railway track were exploding. They weren't just setting fire, they were exploding,

so we just grabbed everything and left.

POZZEBON (voice-over): With no sign of rain, authorities here and across Europe remain on high alert.

Stefano Pozzebon, CNN, Rome.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SOARES: Thanks to Stefano for that report.

Well, that's a picture across Europe. In the U.S., drenching storms are rolling over the flood-ravaged Midwest. Indiana's governor has declared a

statewide disaster emergency, this after experiencing a 1 in 1,000-year rainfall on Wednesday. Today, Iowa and Illinois face flooding rain.

Extreme weather also striking Japan. Chiba City is one of the worst hit spots. Authorities there say record rainfall has left eight people dead. In

just one day, parts of the region received nearly three times the average August rainfall. At one point, around 7,000 passengers were stranded at a

nearby airport. Look at those images, pretty staggering.

Let's discuss all these developments with our chief climate correspondent Bill Weir live from New York.

And, Bill, I know every summer you and I have this discussion, especially when it comes to Europe, what we see, these wildfires. This summer though,

it's felt very different to me. I mean, it's felt very apocalyptic, the temperatures of extremes here in the UK. You know, we've seen back-to-back

heat waves.

Just when you look at the picture that we've just painted right there for our viewers from the U.S. to Europe to Japan, what can you take away from

that and compare it to previous years?

BILL WEIR, CNN CHIEF CLIMATE CORRESPONDENT: Well, I think, you know, we've now sadly reached a point where the discussion was all about mitigation.

Let's fix the source of the problem, net zero goals, getting off of fossil fuels and transitioning. The other big part of the climate crisis, though,

is adaptation, hardening our communities to what is already here. And now it feels like even those who are resistant to talk about climate change

before now have to address the adaptation piece of this.

Europe is maybe 20 percent electricity, 20 percent of homes in Europe have electricity versus 75 percent in North America. So, there's just the heat

as a -- as a silent killer, especially on vulnerable folks in older places. There's now this fire situation.

I was just reading that for the first time in history, more carbon is being emitted from fires. There's some 40,000 wildfires burning around the globe.

More is coming from these wildfires than from pollution, from man-made emissions right now. And that's a scary thing because we can control the

emissions.

[15:05:01]

Theoretically, there's no political will to do that. But we're seeing what is happening is this weather whiplash. Every one degree of warming Celsius,

the atmosphere holds 7 percent more water. It gets exponential as it gets even hotter now. So, a pleasant summer rain shower can now be, like you

saw, one in a thousand-year storm in Indiana.

You can get a years worth of rain in a day because this hotter atmosphere dumps that water. But then inversely, it also has the power to evaporate

and dry out croplands and turn all that fresh vegetation from a wet winter into fire fuel in the summer. And what places are best equipped to deal

with that will often determine how fast your community can get back up on their feet.

The Tour de France last stage shortened because they needed those first responders to attend to fires elsewhere. And so, countries are now taking

stock of, wow, what do we need in this new normal? Smoke days cancellation for school wasn't a thing before. Now school districts have to think about

smoke days and that lost.

So, you know, on days, weeks like this, it feels like it can happen all at once, but, you know, All weather is local, and the sun will come out in

some places tomorrow, and the political will that needs to sustain through a long period of time to address this is what's lacking these days.

SOARES: Yeah, and look, political will hasn't been there, even though we have seen the deaths, of course, and the destruction, maybe the economic

impact can tell you here, across the U.K., trains being cancelled because the tracks couldn't sustain the heat. Maybe the political will be there

once they see the impact on this it can have on the economy.

Bill, great to see you as always. Thank you very much indeed.

Bill Weir there for us in New York.

Now, let's turn to the Middle East. Tensions remain high in a West Bank village as Israeli settlers surround the homes of Palestinian families,

leaving them trapped inside.

New video shows IDF soldiers taking down a settlers' tent outside a home, with a settlers lay rebuilding the tent using the tarp left behind.

Soldiers were also seen blocking activists from going up to the house to deliver food and supplies to the Palestinians.

Just yesterday, on this very show, the Israeli government said the situation in the village was over.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DORON SPIELMAN, SPOKESPERSON, OFFICE OF ISRAELI PM: It's an incredibly unfortunate situation. I would say everybody, certainly in the upper

echelons of Israel, including the people that are living in Judea and Samaria, which is this area, what you call settlements is really the

historical area of the Jewish people, have outright condemned this. It's deplorable.

The -- by this point, it's stopped that the damage has been done. I mean, the family has already been communicated with the top general in the area.

The army is there. The outpost has been taken down.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SOARES: Well, as Israel's right-wing government looks to tighten its grip on the West Bank, the Israeli defense minister suggests it should be police

and not the IDF responsible for law enforcement there. A human rights activist whose group is in contact with the two of the families under siege

in Qusra spoke earlier to CNN.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ZIV STAHL, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, YESH DIN: One of the families and other families in the village has returned to their homes, but one family, the

Hassan family, is still away from its home and the military is occupying their home. Settlers are -- they're out and about walking near the house.

They come and they go. And the military is still in the village.

The shade itself is now down. The military took it down, but it's been like that for two days now. The military takes it down and then the settlers

come and rebuild it. And it's kind of like a cat and mouse game.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SOARES: Well, in the last hour, I got an update from CNN's Jeremy Diamond in Tel Aviv about the village in Qusra.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, we've stayed in touch with the families inside those three homes that have been besieged by

Israeli settlers for the last six days now. And I can tell you that these Israeli settlers are continuing to be in the area around those homes.

Today, once again, they tried several times to erect and actually did erect that tent in front of those homes, including one that is owned by an

American citizen. The Israeli military quickly came around and dismantled the tent once again and told the settlers to leave the area.

But this has become a game of cat and mouse, effectively, between these Israeli settlers and the Israeli military in this area. And the real

question is what happens once the Israeli soldiers, the additional reinforcements that have been deployed to this area, leave? Because as of

now, we have no expectation that a large group of Israeli soldiers are going to remain in Qusra beyond this weekend. And the question becomes what

happens when these settlers, who have shown no intention of slowing down so far, when they continue to come back to the area.

And so, the issue really does not seem resolved, despite the Israeli Prime Minister's office suggesting yesterday that it has been. In addition to

that, we have these statements by the Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz saying that he has told the Israeli military to prepare to hand over

control of these types of law enforcement issues over Israelis to the Israel police. The Israeli defense minister's statement critically did not

distinguish between areas under Israeli and Palestinian control, which more broadly could raise concerns about an effort to try and extend Israeli

civilian law across the West Bank, which would effectively be a move towards annexation.

But the reality here is that no one in Israel really expects these statements by the Israeli defense minister to become a reality. But what it

does reflect is the notion that he is trying to, you know, put aside the Israeli military's role in this situation. He said today the army's role is

to combat Palestinian terrorism and not to chase hilltop youth, a term that is used for these violent settlers who've been carrying out these actions

in Qusra.

And effectively what it means is that he wants the Israeli military, which is responsible for carrying out for enforcing the law in these areas, and

then it would hand over these settlers if they detained them to the Israeli police, he is basically sending a message that he doesn't believe it's

their responsibility. But currently it is the Israeli military's responsibility. And what we've seen so far in Qusra and in other areas of

the West Bank is that the Israeli military has failed to carry out that responsibility, and it is leading, it seems, to the continuation and the

escalation of this phenomenon of settler violence in the West Bank.

SOARES: Well, thanks to Jeremy Dimon there for us in Tel Aviv.

Well, Donald Trump is brushing aside reports of poor conditions on board a U.S. aircraft carrier in the Arabian Sea. Just a short time ago, the

president was asked about complaints from the family members of sailors on the U.S. Abraham Lincoln -- USS Abraham Lincoln. The Lincoln has been

deployed in the region for almost nine months. And there have been reports of sailors going overboard.

But the president seems unconcerned. Have a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REPORTER: The family members of U.S. service members are concerned about the conditions onboard the USS Lincoln.

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Well, no, that ship is moving. No, they're not. That ship is moving right now, or very shortly,

and it's being replaced with another very similar ship.

REPORTER: Has the deployment gone on too long? Are you worried about the mental health concerns?

TRUMP: No, no, no. Not nearly long enough. Thank you, everybody.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SOARES: Well, as the president mentioned, a new carrier group is being deployed to the Middle East to replace the Lincoln. The Pentagon says that

move was previously planned, not in response to reports of deteriorating conditions on the carrier. But the families of the Lincoln's crew are

frustrated at how long this deployment has lasted.

Have a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FATHER OF U.S. SERVICE MEMBER ON USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN: I want them to come home. And all of us as parents have some questions about the length of time

that it's taken and the distribution of military assets. Obviously, I -- humbly, I cannot speak to that because I don't know anything about it, but

we would love to see a situation where relief can come in a timely fashion.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SOARES: Let's get more on this. I want to bring in CNN military analyst, retired Air Force Colonel Cedric Leighton.

Colonel, great to have you back on the show. Let me just pick up, first of all, with that comment from President Trump, basically saying that

deployment has not nearly been long enough.

How do you think that would land with some of these families?

COL. CEDRIC LEIGHTON (RET.), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Lisa, it's great to be back with you. Not very well is the answer. That, you know, it's a very

callous remark, and I'm sure they would invite President Trump to spend some time on a deployment like this so that he actually understands and

spend the entire nine months with the ship's crew. So, yeah, that's not exactly what they're looking for in this particular case, I think.

SOARES: Yeah. And look, we're now, Colonel, learning there was a second reported overboard incident involving sailors in the strike group. If you

are a commander and you're hearing this, what would you be thinking? Would you be thinking this is an isolated, these are isolated incidents or are

these signs of a deeper problem potentially here?

LEIGHTON: Yeah, normally one of the things that I would do in a situation like that as a commander would be to see if there is a deeper problem.

There are obviously instances where these cases are isolated and they're just concerning that particular individual or maybe a small group of

individuals. But normally in spaces like an aircraft carrier or any Navy ship or other confined spaces that the military would occupy, there is --

you know, there's a tendency for these things to breed and to become much larger.

So, you have to be very cognizant of what's going on. You have to know your troops. You have to understand their motivations, their problems, their

concerns. And I think that's one of the things that is a danger, quite frankly, when the officer cadre is a bit divorced from the enlisted cadre,

and it becomes really, really important for everybody in a position of responsibility, especially commanders, to pay attention to even individual

members.

Now, it's very hard to do, of course, with 5,000 people, but you have to make an effort, and you have to make sure your subordinate leaders and

subordinate commanders do the same thing.

SOARES: Such an interesting point because the Navy has been telling CNN that it has not observed an increase, and I'm quoting here, in suicidal

ideations or attempts aboard the Lincoln.

The question I have is, how would they know? I mean, how would you measure something like this, Colonel? I mean, and would there be a stigma about

asking for mental health support given, I mean, just speak to just the size of it, first of all.

LEIGHTON: Yeah, one of the big problems, and you mentioned the size, is that is a real difficulty because you really don't measure suicidal

ideations until an incident has occurred from a statistical standpoint and from a big service or big Navy perspective. That is something that is done

once something has occurred. So, it's very hard to measure something that goes on in an individual sailor's head, and that becomes a critical

component here.

And that's why, to my previous point, it really becomes incumbent upon the command staff and the commanders themselves to really get to know their

people and to help them where they can with difficult situations that may crop up, whether it's family issues or performance issues. There are a lot

of different things, different variables out there, but these are the kinds of things that become really paramount in a situation like this.

SOARES: Yeah. And the White House, I think, is important to point out, Colonel, that the White House estimated originally that the war in Iran

would last, what, four to six weeks, right? We're just taking us back. It's been a while.

Do you think that the shortages and the strains that we have seen, do you think if it had gone just to that time, it would have been a problem? And

if so, I mean, is this down to planning? Is this a lack of foresight by the Trump administration? Of course, President Trump's saying deployment not

nearly long enough. How do you see this?

Just frame it.

LEIGHTON: I think one of the big issues, Isa, is that there are, you know, there was a lack of planning when it comes to the way this war was

conducted and, you know, quite frankly, executed from an operational perspective. So, when you look at the statements from the White House and

from other places saying that this is going to be a very short war, it kind of reminds you of historical situations like World War I, where everybody

thought they'd be in Berlin by Christmas. This is kind of the modern analogy to that.

That is obviously not what happened back then, and it's clearly not what's happening right now. Iran is a very complex country, a very complex

adversary, and the failure to appreciate that then comes into these situations like you see on board the Lincoln, because failure to plan

results in missed meals, in bad food supplies, in lack of port visits, all of these kinds of things.

And you can't plan for everything, but you can certainly plan for many things. And that's what you have to do as a military planner and as an

operator. And that is, I think, where things fell short. I think the military was surprised that the president wanted to go and attack Iran at

the moment that he did. And the problem was that this wasn't prepared well enough.

And, you know, that becomes, I think, a critical issue for the men and women in uniform.

SOARES: Colonel, really appreciate you taking the time to speak to us. Always value your insight. Colonel Cedric Leighton there, thank you.

And coming up right here on the show, Luigi Mangione pleads guilty to federal charges and admits to killing United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson.

So why has his plea thrown the state case into question?

We'll have that after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:22:42]

SOARES: Luigi Mangione, the man accused of fatally shooting health insurance CEO Brian Thompson, has pleaded guilty to federal stalking

charges. He also told the court that he did kill Thompson and knew that he was doing -- what he was doing was illegal. Prosecutors say there were no

accommodations or indeed concessions in exchange for his plea.

Have a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAMIE MCDONALD, U.S. ATTORNEY, SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK: From the beginning, we have brought the full force of the federal government to bear

in this case. In this prosecution, we have consistently pursued the maximum penalties under the law as necessary and just punishment for these crimes.

The result achieved today now allows our office to seek the maximum penalty allowed, life imprisonment.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SOARES: But his plea to federal charges is now calling into question the state case against him, where he has pleaded not guilty to second-degree

murder. His defense has filed a motion for the state case to be dropped, citing double jeopardy protections.

Well, the family of Brian Thompson released this statement. Let me read it out. "Today's guilty plea marks an important step toward justice for Brian

and for our family. While nothing will ease the pain of losing him, we are grateful that the federal justice system has held the person responsible

for this heinous act accountable. Now we look to the court to ensure that sentencing reflects the severity of this crime. We remain mindful that

additional proceedings in New York and Pennsylvania are still to come, and we will continue to seek the justice Bryan deserves."

Let's get more on this. CNN's Leigh Waldman joins me now from New York.

So, Leigh, good to see you. Just bring me up to date then. Give us a sense, first of all, what was like, what he said, Mangione said, inside that

courtroom.

LEIGH WALDMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Isa, it's good to be with you.

It's the first time we've heard from now 28-year-old Luigi Mangione himself as he walked the court through his actions that day. He told the judge, "I

came to New York. I made a 3D printed gun, fitted it with a silencer and a magazine," and, quote, "on the morning of December 4th, 2024, I shot Mr.

Thompson in Manhattan and he died," unquote.

The prosecutor was asked by the judge, "Did Mr. Thompson know what was happening to him between the first and second shot that Luigi Mangioni took

that day?" He said, "Yes".

Now we know Brian Thompson's family was inside of this courtroom and the courthouse behind us and they were very emotional. You could hear a pin

drop as Luigi was talking. But as he said, yes, we knew -- he knew what was happening between that first and second shot. That's when his family, his

widow, got visibly emotional, hearing Mangione described in his own words his actions that day.

Now, we know that they have been fighting this state case while this federal case is continuing forward. He made that guilty plea to two federal

stalking charges, but the state case he was in court earlier this week facing those charges as we proceed forward. But now his defense attorneys

are trying to have some of those charges dropped, including the weapons charges and the murder charges that he is facing in association with the

state charges.

It's something that his lawyers addressed in a press conference outside of this courthouse today, but it's also something that we heard from the NYPD

Commissioner Jessica Tish saying that should not happen and also the prosecutors saying that should not happen. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KAREN FRIEDMAN AGNIFILO, ATTORNEY FOR LUIGI MANGIONE: As Luigi explained in court today, he endured years of severe debilitating pain following a

broken back while struggling to navigate our healthcare and health insurance systems. Like the thousands of people who have reached out since

this tragedy to share their own experiences, he believed that the system had failed him and destroyed his life.

JESSICA TISCH, NYPD COMMISSIONER: Violence is not a cause, murder is not a message, and a killer is certainly not a hero.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WALDMAN: Now we know that with this guilty plea for those two federal stalking charges, Mangione could still face a penalty of life behind bars.

There was no plea agreement reached ahead of today's guilty plea from Mangione, so that means everything is on the table for this judge

overseeing this case to take into account. She's going to take into account what he said today, that guilty plea, but also his actions leading up to

and following the shooting death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.

He'll be back in court on the December 18th to face what his sentence will be.

SOARES: Leigh, appreciate you laying it all out for us. Leigh Waldman there for us in New York. Thank you very much indeed.

And still to come right here on the show, parts of Europe are consumed by wildfires, and this year's El Nino may be the strongest on record. Ahead,

as scientists explain how we know these extreme weather events are caused by human-induced global warming.

We'll have that discussion after a very short break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:31:17]

SOARES: Welcome back, everyone.

Europe is being ravaged by the effects of extreme heat. Here in the UK, a very unusual sight. Wildfires, as you can see there, ripping through homes.

The fire service in the West Midlands region is calling it one of the most significant incidents in its history. That's here in the U.K.

This is Croatia, the scenes there were almost apocalyptic. Wildfires along the coast have forced hundreds to evacuate. Not only are homes and lives at

stake, but historically significant sites. Emergency crews removed 1,000- year-old bones of the three kings from a historic monastery in Spain as the flames got closer.

Well, the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says El Nino may shatter records this year, authorities say it could be among the

largest El Nino events in historical record. But now they're saying there is a 70 percent chance it will be the strongest on record.

El Nino, you may recall, is an irregular climate event characterized by hotter than average ocean temperatures in parts of the Pacific. And that

warmer weather can transfer vast quantities of heat into our atmosphere, triggering drought in some areas and flooding in others. While scientists

have no doubt, a great deal of the extreme weather we are seeing is being caused by human-induced global warming.

Joining me now, Michael E. Mann, the Presidential Distinguished Professor of Earth and Environmental Science, as well as the director of the Penn

Center for Science, Sustainability and the Media at the University of Pennsylvania. He is also the co-author, as you can see there, of "Science

Under Siege".

Michael, welcome to the show. I mean, the picture I've just painted, not just in Europe, I know we're seeing also really dice scenes in the United

States, but here on this side we have extreme heat, drought, wildfires, devastating floods across the northern hemisphere. And it does feel very

apocalyptic.

When you listen to what we've just laid down and what we are seeing, what do you take away and how does it compare?

MICHAEL E. MANN, PRESIDENTIAL DISTINGUISHED PROFESSOR OF EARTH & ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE: Yeah, well, thanks. It's good to be with you.

Although the topic that we're discussing here obviously is not -- it's not a happy topic, right? Because we are seeing the consequence of our

continued warming of the planet for the burning of fossil fuels, increasing the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. It's warming up the

planet. It's also changing wind patterns and ocean currents and shifting rainfall and drought patterns.

And so, you have this climate change factor, think of that as a rising tide. And on top of that, you've got a wave. El Nino is a wave.

And what happens is when the crust of that wave combines with the rising tide of the warming of the planet, you see new levels of warmth. You see

new levels of impact on wind patterns, on storms, on extreme weather events. And so, that's what we're seeing.

We're seeing the combination of the warming of the planet from fossil fuel burning. Now we've got a big El Nino on top of it. And there's some

question about whether El Ninos might be getting larger because of human- caused climate change.

But leaving that aside, the combination of those two things is now creating unprecedented weather.

SOARES: Do you think, I mean, we were talking about El Nino earlier, how do you assess then, given everything you've just outlined, how should we be

preparing? What is your assessment of what the El Nino that will face come autumn and winter?

[15:35:02]

MANN: Yeah. Well, the El Nino, in a sense, is sort of giving a taste of where we're headed. In a matter of a decade or so, we will be at permanent

levels of warmth. equivalent to the warmth, we're going to see this year in part because of El Nino. So, what it tells us is this is the stuff that's

coming, the stuff that we see play out this summer and into next year when we will really see the impacts on North America. Most of the North American

impacts actually arise during the fall and winter of that El Nino.

So, we haven't seen the worst consequences for the U.S. yet. And when we see those consequences, we need to understand that while they're temporary

to some extent because of the effect of El Nino, they will become permanent if we don't stop warming the planet.

And the good news is that that's up to us. If we reduce our carbon emissions, if we bring carbon emissions to zero, the planet stops warming

up. So, there's no physical limitation to action. Right now, it's just a political obstacle that we face.

SOARES: Yeah. Let's talk about that. I mean, you brought it up. I think it's so important. previous years we've been talking a lot about

mitigation. Now we're seeing, I mean, we're looking at images, as you're talking, Michael, from Stourbridge in England. I have never seen wildfires

in the U.K.

In the last hour I got an alert on my phone from the government basically saying, warning, no barbecues, et cetera. I've never seen anything like

this.

We are seeing people dying across Europe. We are seeing fires. We are seeing floods. What more evidence do we need to see political will?

MANN: Yeah, I could barely breathe the air outside of my home in Philadelphia because of the Canadian wildfires and the dangerous levels of

wildfire smoke. So, we are seeing now in a very profound way the consequences of human-caused warming. Getting at your question about

adaptation versus mitigation.

My good friend John Holdren, the former presidential science advisor under Barack Obama, has put it this way, our response to this crisis is going to

be a combination of three things -- mitigation, adaptation and suffering, and what that really means is we've got to prevent the warming that we

still can and the worst consequences that will come with that while adapting to those changes that are now inevitable and to the extent that we

don't do that, we will see more and more suffering. And that's what we're seeing play out this summer. We're seeing that suffering.

SOARES: More suffering and more extreme weather, you think, is this it? Is this what our future now entails? Extreme, be it extreme rain, is what

we've seen in Japan and the Midwest, and then extreme drought, you know, we're seeing in this part of the world.

MANN: Yeah, so some of this was predicted long ago. You make the planet warmer, you're going to have more heat waves, more intense heat waves, more

frequent heat waves. You warm up the ground, you dry out the ground, you're going to get worse drought. You combine the heat and drought. You're going

to get worse wildfires.

And ironically, a warmer atmosphere holds more moisture. So, when you do get rainfall, you get more of it. You get more of that flooding. And so,

all of that is playing out.

But there's another factor that the models haven't done a good job capturing. Our own research shows that the pattern of warming of the planet

is changing the behavior of the that stream in a way that isn't very well captured by the models. So, we get those very stagnant, persistent high and

low pressure systems that give us those heat domes, those flooding regimes.

And if anything, our models are probably underestimating the extent to which climate change has increased the occurrence of these sorts of weather

extremes, and it's probably underestimated the extent to which this will get even worse if we don't stop the warming of the planet.

SOARES: That is very troubling, Michael. Very troubling indeed. Really appreciate you taking the time to speak to us.

Michael Mann joining us there from Philadelphia in Pennsylvania. Thank you, Michael.

Now, it is the final moment of trade on Wall Street and stocks are slightly lowest, 3:38 Eastern. Falls in tech stocks see the U.S. market ending the

week, as you can see there in the red, almost down two tenths of a percent.

This is our Business Breakout.

Only 13 ships managed to make it through the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, a far cry from the 120 per day that used to go through before the war in

the Gulf began. A British maritime group says one ship trying to get through was struck by a drone, though no one on board was injured and the

ship wasn't badly damaged.

A new report by a leading maritime intelligence group says there is no safe way to move goods through either side of the Arabian Peninsula. Iran and

the U.S. have bottled up the Strait of Hormuz and Houthi attacks from Yemen have made it unsafe to navigate the Bab al-Mandeb Strait at the end of the

Red Sea.

[15:40:06]

American consumers are pulling back on spending amid high prices. The U.S. Commerce Department says retail sales fell 0.6 percent in July over the

previous month. That is the largest drop in more than a year. One economist says there's been a pervasive belief that high prices will continue to be

burdensome for consumers.

A French ban on social media for young people has just been stopped. The nation's top court ruled the ban is too broad and infringes on people's

privacy. It also ruled the ban did not consider the specific risks of each platform or individual situation of each minor.

Our Anna Cooban has more for you.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANNA COOBAN, CNN BUSINESS & ECONOMICS REPORTER: France just tried to completely ban social media for everybody under 15, but the country's

highest court just struck that decision down. Only last month, French lawmakers voted overwhelmingly to block kids under 15 from opening new -

accounts starting on September 1st and to wipe out all existing accounts by January next year. This was a high-profile project for President Emmanuel

Macron's second term, one that he hoped would be in place by the beginning of the new school year.

But all bills in France need to be scrutinized by what's called the Constitutional Council. They determine if the bills comply with the French

constitution. Now, the council ruled that a blanket ban was just way too broad. It violated freedom of expression and raised privacy concerns.

Because to keep the kids out, the law would force everybody, even adults, to show their digital ID and prove their age just to log on.

France was hoping to be the first EU country to bring in such a ban, hot on the heels of Australia, who has banned it for under-16s. And the U.K. has

announced similar plans. The country's parliament will vote on the proposals in December, while Spain, Greece and Denmark are also looking

into similar age restrictions.

Elysee said that Macron is determined to push through the reform before the next presidential election in the spring. And he has tasked his prime

minister, Sebastian LeCornu, with working as quickly as possible on a new version of the bill which takes into account the council's concerns.

Anna Cooban, CNN, London.

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SOARES: Thank you very much, Anna.

And still to come, it's been five years since the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan created chaos in Kabul. We'll take a look at how the country is

doing since the Taliban takeover. That report after this very short break.

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[15:45:35]

SOARES: Well, it's been five years since the U.S. pulled out of Afghanistan. You may remember these dramatic scenes of people rushing to

the U.S. military planes trying to get on the last flights out of the country. After two decades of war, the Taliban launched an offensive

against U.S. and NATO troops.

Since then, the Taliban has cracked down on women's rights and education for girls. Last hour, I spoke to Jan Egeland. He's the Secretary General

for the Norwegian Refugee Council. He says countries and donors are turning their back on Afghanistan. Have a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JAN EGELAND, SECRETARY GENERAL, NORWEGIAN REFUGEE COUNCIL: The NATO countries that left in 2021, they gave aid in 2022 and 2023 and then forgot

about their promises. We have now not now funding even to run the schools that we can run for girls. We cannot employ all of our female aid workers

that we are able to negotiate with the Taliban that they can stay on post and help their sisters in great need in Afghanistan.

And then we have to tell them, but there is no more money from the U.S. and from Europe anymore. So, you have to be let go and the aid to women and

girls cannot be given anymore. It's heartbreaking and we have to return to some solidarity to long suffering Afghans.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SOARES: Yeah, I've learned there.

Well, CNN's Isobel Yeung takes a look at the current state of the country.

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ISOBEL YEUNG, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): These images marked the end of America's longest war. The Taliban were back in Kabul. Airport crowds of

Afghans desperately trying to flee as the country entered an uncertain era. Some parents were even willing to hand their children over the airport

fence. Anything to get them out of a Taliban controlled Afghanistan.

Five years later, the Taliban government has survived.

They say they're bringing much needed stability and security after decades of war. But at the same time, Afghan women and girls now face some of the

starkest restrictions in the world.

According to the United Nations, more than 100 decrees and directives have cut off their access to education, employment and public life. Girls over

12 can no longer attend school. Women are restricted from working as lawyers, doctors or in NGOs. Women can't travel without a male guardian or

even visit parks.

MAHBOUBA SERAJ, AFGHAN WOMEN'S RIGHTS ACTIVIST: They don't have money to buy anything. They don't have any place to go to. They're not allowed to.

So why should they walk on the streets? They don't want to get out. So they're staying home. It's by force and it's been happening by force from

day one.

YEUNG (voice-over): For Afghan children another crisis is unfolding. Nearly one in 10 children under five is suffering from acute malnutrition,

according to Save the Children. The organization says that since humanitarian funding has dried up, nearly 600 health clinics have been

forced to close.

Last year, we traveled to Afghanistan to see what the withdrawal of U.S. aid was already doing to the country's fragile health care system.

We met Mohammed Omar, who had severe malnutrition and meningitis. His grandmother (INAUDIBLE) was in the middle of explaining his condition to us

when we noticed Mohammed had stopped breathing.

Is he breathing?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Pardon?

YEUNG: Is he breathing?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You need to go.

YEUNG: We need to go. Sorry. Move, move, move.

Yeung (voice-over): Mohammed's mother returns to the room and the most devastating news.

Mohammed's death came as Afghanistan's malnutrition crisis was worsening. The World Food Programme estimates nearly four million Afghan children will

suffer acute malnutrition this year without urgent investment.

Now, Afghanistan is no longer in the chaos of the takeover. But as the country remains internationally isolated and heavily dependent on

humanitarian assistance, the uncertainty for millions of Afghans has not gone away. It has become their new reality.

Isobel Yeung, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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[15:52:24]

SOARES: Well, Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey has grossed more than a billion dollars worldwide, and the film is finally making its official

debut in China.

So how will audiences react as it makes its voyage across the country?

And Mike Valerio asked them.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MIKE VALERIO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Is China the biggest test yet for "The Odyssey"?

VALERIO (text translation): Why do you want to see "The Odyssey"?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): It's already trendy and the reviews are positive. The prerelease promotion was done very well, so I'm

very interested in it.

VALERIO (voice-over): The blockbuster just opened in China, sailing into a market where Hollywood has been struggling to get Chinese audiences into

theaters.

Domestic movies now dominate China's box office, a growing trend. Only one or two Hollywood movies will crack the annual top 10 highest grossing list,

but Christopher Nolan may be different.

MR. HE, BEIJING MOVIEGOER (through translator): I really look forward to seeing how the Director Nolan is going to tell this story.

BRENT LANG, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, INDIE WIRE: Christopher Nolan is now a brand unto himself. People really go out just because Christopher Nolan's name is

above the title.

VALERIO (voice-over): And Nolan's films have already made similar box office journeys in China before. "Oppenheimer" made about $60 million here.

"Interstellar" and "Inception" were hits, too. On Chinese social media influencers are summarizing Homer's epic poem and key characters to tell

those scrolling what they need to know before watching "The Odyssey."

It's playing on hundreds of iMax screens across China, and people on their socials are talking about which iMax theaters in their cities offer the

best experiences.

Nolan, Matt Damon, and Charlize Theron all came to Beijing for a splashy premiere, and Nolan's interview with Chinese podcaster Jong Chul went

viral, racking up tens of millions of views.

JONG CHUL, CHINESE PODCASTER: Are you a bard for a civilization at dusk?

VALERIO (voice-over): But does all that buzz actually translate into Chinese moviegoers buying tickets?

LANG: The local product has gotten so much better in China and so much more popular that they've gotten a little out of the habit of going to

Hollywood films.

VALERIO: "The Odyssey" could help show if Chinese audiences are ready for another Nolan epic, and if that could help lead them back to Hollywood.

Mike Valerio, CNN, Beijing.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SOARES: Thanks, Mike.

Well, it seems 9,000 people in England threw their vote in the bin and were perfectly happy about it. That's because they voted for this guy, that's

Count Binface, who came second in place, second place in Thursday's by- election in Clayton. That's because they voted for this guy, that's Count Binface. who came second in place, second place in Thursday's by-election

in Clacton-on-Sea.

[15:55:00]

His 9,000 votes were not enough to get the self-described intergalactic space warrior elected, but he wasn't behind that far -- it wasn't that far

behind for form party leader Nigel Farage, who won the election with 22,000 votes and keeps the seat in Parliament.

Ever the optimist Count Binface put his second place finish in perspective.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

COUNT BINFACE: And I thought to hear the verdict, of the Claptonites was the least I could do. And why? Because I've had over 9,000 votes, guys.

Now, in Makerfield, eight weeks ago, I got 95 votes. So, against Nigel Farage, compared to Andy Burnham, I am 1,000 times more popular.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SOARES: Really is all about perspective.

That does it for us. Thanks very much for your company. I'm Isa Soares. This is WHAT YOU KNOW. Do stay right here. We'll have much more news after

a very short break.

END

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