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Car Drives Into Vancouver Crowd, Several Killed; Trump, Zelenskyy Meet Ahead of Pope Francis' Funeral; Basilica Opens for faithful to Visit Tomb of Pope Francis; At Least 25 Killed, 800 Injured in Iran Port Explosion; Canadian Voters Weigh U.S. Relationships in Upcoming Election; Thousands Stranded in Mexico Amid Migrant Surge; The Fate of Crimea in Any Ceasefire Agreement. Aired 5- 6a ET
Aired April 27, 2025 - 05:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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[05:00:37]
KIM BRUNHUBER, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to all you watching us here in the United States, Canada, and all around the world. I'm Kim Brunhuber. This is CNN Newsroom.
President Trump shows his frustration with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, even as Moscow makes a new offer regarding Ukraine. Trump's trade war has become a rallying point for opposing sides in Canada's upcoming election. Look at the impact his policies are having ahead of the vote.
And thousands gather at St. Peter's Basilica to mourn the Pope's passing. We're live in Rome with what we know about the upcoming conclave.
ANNOUNCER: Live from Atlanta, this is CNN NEWSROOM with Kim Brunhuber.
BRUNHUBER: All right, we'll have those stories in a moment. But first, we're following a developing story from Vancouver. Police say several people have been killed and multiple others are injured after a car plowed into the crowd at a street festival. The reported suspect is a 30-year-old Vancouver man who's been arrested. Now, moments ago, the Vancouver police posted on X, quoting here, "At this time, we are confident that this incident was not an act of terrorism."
The street festival was celebrating Filipino heritage. The Philippine consulate general in Vancouver expressed its deep concern and sympathies to the victims. And here is a grief-stricken Vancouver City Councilor Pete Fry.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PETE FRY, COUNCILLOR VANCOUVER CITY: I heard the news and came here.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It sounds like it's going to be a tragic day for the city. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What are you feeling right now, bud?
FRY: Horrible. I'm pretty choked up. I don't even know what to say. This was a great, wonderful event, huge community event. And to have it end in tragedy like this, it won't break us or the community, but it's horrible.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRUNHUBER: And Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney wrote on social media, quote, "I offer my deepest condolences to the loved ones of those killed and injured, to the Filipino-Canadian community, and to everyone in Vancouver, we are all mourning with you."
U.S. President Donald Trump is questioning whether Russia wants to end the war in Ukraine and is threatening more sanctions, even as Moscow now says it's ready to hold direct talks with Kyiv, no strings attached. The Kremlin statement came just after Mr. Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the Vatican on the sidelines of Pope Francis' funeral.
Now, we haven't heard details about what was said, but Zelenskyy called it a meeting that had potential to become historic.
Trump later posted that Russian leader Vladimir Putin could be stringing him along, saying, quote, "It makes me think that maybe he doesn't want to stop the war." In that post, he also posted the idea of sanctioning Russian banks.
Meanwhile, Russia says it's ready to hold peace talks with Ukraine with no strings attached. Now, that's been something the two sides haven't done since the early days of the war. And Russia claims it's regained full control of its Kursk region, where Ukraine launched a surprise incursion last year. Ukraine says its forces are still conducting defensive operations in parts of the area.
The meeting between Presidents Trump and Zelenskyy was their first since the infamous clash they had in the White House in February. CNN's Nick Robertson has more on the latest, apparently less confrontational meeting.
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NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: You're looking here at images of an event we didn't know was going to happen, a meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskyy, a meeting on the margins of Pope Francis' funeral. They're sitting inside the Vatican, inside St. Peter's Basilica, and joining them there, there's Emmanuel Macron, the French president, Keir Starmer, the British prime minister. The Ukrainian officials say the meeting with President Trump was very productive, lasted about 15 minutes, but in one of the images there, Emmanuel Macron has his hand on Vladimir Zelenskyy's shoulders. Very powerful image.
Remembering that just a few months ago, back in February, the last time President Zelenskyy met President Trump, it was a tempestuous meeting, the U.S. president pressuring to accept peace on terms he didn't want to accept, telling him that he wasn't appreciative enough of the U.S. support. A tempestuous meeting.
[05:05:02]
Zelenskyy now having the backing of the French president, the British Prime Minister in those talks, and the symbolism writ larger than even just being in the Vatican. While Pope Francis' funeral is being prepared, a pope who wanted peace in Ukraine, who was all about peace in his life, that this meeting should take place so symbolic.
Nic Robertson, CNN, London.
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BRUNHUBER: The Vatican is holding a mass that marks the second day of nine days of mourning after the funeral of Pope Francis. Now these are live pictures of the crowds in St. Peter's Square. The pope was laid to rest on Saturday at Rome's Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore. It's now open to the public for those who wish to pay their respects at his tomb. And we're getting our first look inside since his funeral. Francis asked that the tomb not have ornate decoration. He wanted just an image of the cross he wore as an archbishop of Buenos Aires and the Latin inscription of his papal name, Franciscus.
More than 250,000 mourners attended his funeral.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He was different. He was not afraid to speak. And according to me, in my opinion, he was always ready to give a voice to the voiceless.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yeah, I mean, he's just different. Really humble. Loved the poor people. He went to the border between Africa and Europe and went to Iraq or Iran. And I think he was the best, still the best, actually.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRUNHUBER: I want to go now to CNN's Rafael Romo, live in Rome. And, Rafael, I can still see that huge crowd behind you there at the Vatican. What's the latest?
RAFAEL ROMO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, that's right, Kim. St. Peter's Square has filled up again, perhaps not as much as yesterday for Pope Francis' funeral. But we see huge crowds filling most of the open space this time. It's mainly young people who are here for the morning mass for Pope Francis. The mass started about half an hour ago with Cardinal Pietro Parolin presiding.
Prior to the mass, Kim, the crowds here at St. Peter's Square recited the Rosary. This is, as you mentioned before, the second day of the Novendiali, the nine days of mourning after the Pope's funeral. Of course, the Pope is now buried this morning at 7 a.m. The Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore opened to the public to allow the faithful to pay their respects at Pope Francis' tomb.
In the last hour, the Vatican announced that Pope Francis' tomb in a niche in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore can now be visited by the faithful as the Church commemorates the late Pope with the second day of the Novendiali.
Cardinal Rolandas Makrickas, a Lithuanian Catholic prelate with an administrative role at the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, said after the Pope was laid to rest that he now, quote, "rests in this Marian shrine so dear to him under the loving gaze of his mother here venerated under the title of Salus Populi Romani." That's a Roman Catholic title associated with the venerated image of the Blessed Virgin Mary here in Rome.
In the last hour, cardinals were expected to pass through the Holy Door and pray at the tomb of the Pope at Santa Maria Maggiore, the rite known as the Entombment of the Roman Pontiff began yesterday at 1 p.m. local time after the funeral mass and the ceremony presided over by the Irish-American Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the Camerlengo, who had been tasked with not only making arrangements for Francis' funeral but who will soon also help organize a conclave to choose Francis' successor.
Kim?
BRUNHUBER: Interesting. All right. Thanks so much, Rafael Romo in Rome. Thanks so much.
Well, a hopeful but cautious picture is emerging from Oman after leaders from the U.S. and Iran wrapped up the third round of nuclear talks on Saturday. The Iranian foreign minister and President Trump's Middle East envoy led the delegations.
Technical experts also met to discuss Iran's nuclear program and what a deal would look like. Experts have described the latest round of talks as a more difficult phase of technical negotiations. Oman, a key facilitator in these discussions, said talks will continue next week.
Local media report that more than two dozen people are dead and hundreds are injured after a massive explosion in Iran's biggest port. Officials say the blast was likely linked to chemicals being stored in the port complex, but an exact reason has yet to be determined. Iran's president has ordered an investigation into the causes of the incident. Earlier today, a government spokesperson said the situation at the port is now under control.
Larry Madowo joins us now live from Nairobi. So, Larry, many questions about all this. So far, not too many definitive answers. So what more do we know about what happened?
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LARRY MADOWO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We know that most of this fire is now under control according to state media quoting local government officials. They say 20% is what they have left to complete putting this fire completely under control. It's been almost 24 hours since this explosion happened in Bandar Abbas region that's in southwestern Iran, and it caused extensive damage to just port facilities.
This is a major container port terminal, but also to surrounding buildings. And also because of this thick plume of smoke that rose in the air and is still being seen in the air, in the city, authorities have told residents to stay indoors, to avoid outdoor activities because of an increase in pollution in the air.
So far, state media say 25 people have been killed. A short while ago today, they amended that to 28 people have been killed, 800 people injured, and they said six people were still missing. They've only identified so far 10 of the people who were killed in that. Eight of them are women. The big question is what caused this explosion. Iran's oil and refining company has been quickly pointing out that this was not caused by any of its facilities. None of the oil pipelines or refining facilities were involved in this fire. One other theory is that the fire began in the chemical section of the port. It's an expensive port that covers nearly 6,000 acres. That will be investigated, authorities say, after the fire is put out. The Interior Ministry is in charge of that.
A state of emergency has been declared, and three days of mourning in the province where this took place. And a lot of questions about how this happened, especially when the United States and Iran were beginning third round of talks in neighboring Oman about their nuclear program. So far, no clear definitive answers about the cause of the fire, but the damage will take some time to fully account for. If you saw all-night rescue services, people were getting pulled out of some of the rubble there, and there were firefighting planes well into the night still trying to put out the fire, Kim.
BRUNHUBER: All right, I appreciate that update. Larry Madowo, thanks so much.
Well, Canada goes to the polls on Monday with tariffs and trade tensions with the U.S. looming large. Now the top issue for many voters is how to respond to a U.S. president who says he wants to make their country the 51st state. We'll hear from voters when we come back.
Plus, the diplomatic tug of war over Crimea with the future of the occupied Ukrainian region on the line. Those stories and more coming up. Please stay with us.
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BRUNHUBER: Canadians go to the polls on Monday to elect their federal members of Parliament. Current Prime Minister Mark Carney leads his Liberal party against five other national parties including main rivals, the Conservatives, led by Pierre Poilievre.
Now the campaigns have been energized by opposition to Donald Trump's controversial tariffs and talk of making the country a U.S. state. The Liberals' leading margin in national opinion polling shrank somewhat recently as the American president was keeping quiet about Canada, but that didn't last. Now he's saying he might further increase the tariffs on Canadian auto imports.
CNN's John King went to Ontario to find out what voters are thinking as they face a highly unusual set of election circumstances this time around.
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JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The Rock Maple Lodge spans 200 acres, more than 2,000 maple trees, 11 miles of lines to carry the syrup back to be boiled, filtered, and bottled.
PETER HAMILTON, CANADIAN VOTER: There we go.
KING: This is Peter Hamilton's business and his escape.
HAMILTON: Every year we've got to drill another hole.
KING: He also farms wheat, soybeans and corn, sells some timber.
HAMILTON: So to be here 54 years and absolute just thrilled that we're able to do this. KING: Sounds like you're working harder now though.
HAMILTON: I would like to go back one more time to play some hockey.
KING: A proud Canadian now more than ever. Yes, a lifelong Conservative but "Canada first" is Hamilton's motto as voters here pick a new parliament and a new prime minister.
HAMILTON: The bottom line is the Liberals and the Conservatives got to work together here. They can't be nit-picking and arguing amongst each other. We have to work together to make this country go ahead.
KING: Work together he says because suddenly the United States feels so far away. Rock Maple Lodge is in Ontario just 65 miles from Toronto. It's just 100 miles to the border and Buffalo, but it doesn't feel that close with Donald Trump in the White House.
HAMILTON: There is no friends, no more. The biggest thing in Canada is we have friends all over the world. How many friends does Americans have right now?
KING: The Trump effect on Canada's election cannot be overstated. You see more Canadian flags now. More of these signs too.
Federal elections here are often defined by East versus West. Urban versus rural. English versus French. Liberal versus Conservative. But Trump versus Canada defines this one.
Just weeks ago, some of the flowers here at Lola Blooms came from the United States. Not anymore. Sisters-in-law Lindsay Smith and Kaitlynn Strain are buying elsewhere now. Their answer to Trump's threats of tariffs or making Canada the 51st state.
LINDSAY SMITH, CANADIAN VOTER: It's more Donald Trump. I feel like he's a bully in this situation. We're supposed to be allies. We thought we're on like a friendship level.
KING: Some of the vases and other hardware still come from the states. But Smith and Strain are looking for alternatives.
KING: And when you hear him call your prime minister "governor" or say that, you know, this would make a great 51st state, what's that make you think?
KAITLYNN STRAIN, CANADIAN VOTER: Very insulting.
SMITH: We need a strong leader who won't stand up for bullying.
KING: They both traditionally support the Green Party but both are leaning Liberal this time.
KING: If the Liberals are going to win or the Conservatives are going to win, you want them to win by what? A healthy enough margin --
STRAIN: Exactly.
KING: -- so that they're viewed as a strong leader?
SMITH: Yes.
STRAIN: Yes, very much.
SMITH: You put your vote where it counts a little more in this situation.
[05:20:03]
KING: And is that just because of Donald Trump?
SMITH: Yes.
STRAIN: Yes. Unfortunately.
SMITH: Yes.
KING: Canadians see this as much bigger than who gets the most seats in parliament and gets to pick a prime minister. It's about spending more in the military. Buying local. Finding new markets and new partners. Dropping any thought the ruts with Trump can just be smoothed over.
TOBY GORMAN, CANADIAN VOTER: I put up a flag myself. I never thought I would put up a Canadian flag. But I think when it comes down to crunch time, Canadians really gather up.
KING: Toby Gorman is an environmental journalist and author and a pickup hockey player in the Canadian Beer League. Passionate about the climate crisis but likely to pass on his top choice this election in hopes he can help Liberals win a big enough mandate to counter Trump.
GORMAN: If it was any other election without the U.S. situation, without, you know, the crisis we had going on, I would probably go with green.
Just push it.
KING: Gorman says he is hardly alone here in rethinking everything.
GORMAN: We're just sick of him, you know? And it's only been three months into the term and, you know, he's getting to an excess, he wants to crush us economically. I think, at first, it was kind of like losing your best friend or it's like, you know, what just happened, like, what's happening. But now, I think, we're at the point where it's like, well, we can move on.
KING: That's a big shift.
This election defined by the belief Canada and the United States are suddenly more rivals than neighbors. Suddenly, no longer skating in the same direction.
John King, Courtice, Ontario.
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BRUNHUBER: And for more on this, I'm joined live now by Alex Marlin from Halifax in Nova Scotia. He's the professor of trust and political leadership at Acadia University. Really appreciate having you on this morning on this. It's just really a striking election. I can't remember anything like it. The Liberal leader seemingly ignoring his chief rival and said campaigning against a man who isn't running, Donald Trump.
ALEX MARLAND, ACADIA UNIVERSITY: Yeah, this has really been something. And Donald Trump's fingerprints are all over this election. When Justin Trudeau stepped down, Mark Carney came in, became the new prime minister, called an election campaign. I mean, up to that point, Canada looked like it was going to have a conservative government led by Pierre Poilievre as Prime Minister. And things have gone sideways for the Conservatives. They're on track not to win this election. And a lot of the reason for that is Donald Trump and his threats against Canada.
BRUNHUBER: All right. So let's talk about the man you named there, the leader of Canada's Conservative Party, Pierre Poilievre. I mean, this must be a nightmare for him. Just a few months ago, he seemed certain to win. I saw he had, you know, at some point a 25 point or 20-point lead. But then Trump -- the problem for Poilievre is he's a populist like Trump, sort of talking all the time about wokeness and using as a slogan, Canada first. So where does that leave him? How has he been trying to distance himself from Trump now?
MARLAND: Yeah, it's been a bit of a predicament. I mean, in many ways, you know, it's important to keep in mind that both the Conservatives and Liberals are not that far apart in public opinion. The Liberals are only ahead by a little bit. But the electoral system in Canada means that the Liberals, if they're ahead by a little bit, are going to win by a lot in terms of the seats. What has really created a problem for Pierre Poilievre is he hasn't
been able to use the same sort of vitriol and attacking style that he used against Justin Trudeau that works so effectively, that now is being portrayed as somebody that is very much like Trump, when so many Canadians, particularly people on the political left, are absolutely anxious about the influence of the United States over Canada.
BRUNHUBER: All right. So Time magazine published an interview with Trump on Friday. Again, he was talking about annexing Canada. I mean, this is a real concern with voters, even though it is so absurd. I mean, do you get a sense that they'll be voting strategically, sometimes even changing parties, as it were, fewer people voting for some of the less popular parties like the NDP or the Green Party, all because of this perceived threat of Donald Trump?
MARLAND: Oh, my goodness, yes. And in Quebec, there's the Bloc Quebecois, the separatist party that often is quite popular. And there are many people who support Quebec sovereignty who are saying, no, no, no, we need to vote liberal because we need to support Canada in the face of these threats from the United States. It really is unsettling to many people on the political left. They're the ones who are all coalescing with the Liberal Party. And this has turned into a two- party race.
So in Canada, we often have five political parties or four political parties that are really contesting elections. But this time, it's between the Liberals and the Conservatives. All of the other parties, even the Bloc Quebecois, are going to really be in trouble on election day.
BRUNHUBER: Yeah, it's just fascinating to watch this. More broadly, I'm wondering, sort of a philosophical question here. For a long time, Canada was seen as something sort of in opposition to the U.S., that they're just not America. That's their identity. But with this election seemingly defined by this single American issue, is there a danger again that the country is kind of sliding back into that old vision of itself?
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MARLAND: Well, frankly, in many respects, Canada is very similar to the United States. We have far more in common with the United States than with pretty much anywhere in the world even more so than Great Britain.
And so I think, though, there's also this latent nationalism in Canada. And under Justin Trudeau, we were really told to be embarrassed of being Canadians. There were lots of reasons why we should be apologizing for all the faults that existed. And so there was this pent-up demand to be proud about being a Canadian. And so all of a sudden, the Canadian flag is flying all over the place. You can walk down streets and see Canadian flags that isn't very common in this country otherwise.
BRUNHUBER: Yeah, it's just really interesting to see how the dynamic has just absolutely flipped on its head. I'll be so curious as a fellow Canadian to see what happens come Election Day.
Alex Marland in Halifax, I really appreciate having you on. Thank you so much.
MARLAND: My pleasure.
BRUNHUBER: All right, still ahead, we'll bring you the latest on the Gaza ceasefire and hostage exchange negotiations. You're watching CNN. Please stay with us.
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BRUNHUBER: Welcome back to all of you watching us here in the United States, Canada and around the world. I'm Kim Brunhuber. This is CNN Newsroom.
All right, I want to check on some of today's top stories. At least 28 people are dead and 800 are injured after a suspected chemical blast in Iran's biggest port. Six people are still missing, according to state media. Iran's president has ordered an investigation into the cause of the massive explosion.
[05:30:10]
Rome's Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore is now open to the public for those who want to wish to pay their respects to Pope Francis at his tomb. The Vatican is holding a mass that marks the second day of nine days of mourning after his funeral. More than 250,000 people attended the service on Saturday.
U.S. President Donald Trump is questioning if Russia really wants peace in Ukraine, or it's just stringing him along. He posted about it on social media after meeting with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy at the Vatican Saturday. The two were there for Pope Francis' funeral.
Meanwhile, Russia is now offering to hold unconditional peace talks with Ukraine.
President Donald Trump says he believes U.S. ships should be able to travel through the Panama Canal and Egypt's Suez Canal, quote, "Free of charge." He says he's asking Secretary of State Marco Rubio to take care of the situation immediately.
The president's comments come as he threatens to retake the Panama Canal while accusing the country of charging high rates to use it. The American built canal was controlled by the U.S. until a 1977 agreement gave it to Panama.
Honduras says it will follow any orders a U.S. district judge makes in a mid-May hearing in the case of a 2-year-old U.S. citizen who the judge says was deported to the Central American country. The Trump administration said the mother asked that the child be deported with her, but the judge says, quote, "The court doesn't know that."
Well, here's what court documents tell us. The child was taken into custody during a routine check-in. Her father told ICE she was a U.S. citizen repeatedly. Now, during one call, he could hear, quote, "his daughters crying." ICE would not let him give provisional custody to his sister-in-law, a U.S. citizen, and told him he'd be detained if he tried to pick up his daughter.
Meanwhile, immigration authorities arrested the wife of an active-duty Coast Guard member at a naval air station in Key West this week. Visuals say the woman's work visa was expired and her name was flagged during preparations to move into on-base housing. And a Russian dissident who's a Harvard researcher is awaiting a judge's decision on her deportation.
Kseniia Petrova has been held in Louisiana since her detention two months ago. She says she fears she will be imprisoned if returned to Russia because she opposes the war in Ukraine.
So, as the Trump administration fortifies the U.S.-Mexico border, the Department of Homeland Security is launching a multimillion-dollar messaging campaign. The series of adverts aims to deter migrants from entering the country illegally. Now, this is thousands of asylum seekers now find themselves stranded outside embassies in Mexico.
CNN' Valeria Leon has more.
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VALERIA LEON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The face of the migrant crisis is visible here on the street in Mexico City, where dozens of Venezuelan migrants are camped in front of their country's embassy, waiting for confirmation of a humanitarian flight back home.
ARELYS GONZALEZ, VENEZUELAN IMMIGRANT (through translator): We sleep here on the street, supporting one another.
LEON: Seated on a rough cardboard on the sidewalk in the city's upscale Polanco district, Arelys Gonzalez describes how Trump's return to office affected the life she had started in the U.S. a year ago.
GONZALEZ (through translator): Because I was afraid, I didn't go out. I didn't spend time with anyone. I went straight home from work and from home to work.
LEON: In one fell stroke, the Trump administration shut down the CBP One app, an electronic resource used by asylum seekers in the U.S., leaving Jennifer Pastor and thousands of others stranded in Mexico.
JENNIFER PASTOR, VENEZUELAN WITH CANCELED CBP ONE APPOINTMENT (through translator): My appointment was canceled. I had already bought everything, the ticket to travel, because I had my appointment scheduled for February.
LEON (on camera): The shifting U.S. immigration policies under the Trump administration have changed the plans of many migrants, who now have to wait in this line to be processed for asylum in this government office located in the state of Mexico. And to prevent scams, the government has put up signs like this one, clarifying that this process is completely free of charge. (Voice-over): But the process here can take a while.
JUNIOR ORTEGA, DISPLACED FROM CATATUMBO, COLOMBIA (through translator): This is the second time we've come here. We came yesterday, but there was no one here to help us.
LEON: The Mexican Commission processed more than 78,000 asylum requests in 2024, and the year before, over 140,000. The immigration advocacy organization Sin Fronteras describes this new era of immigration as one where Mexico has been transformed into a barrier blocking entry north.
ANA TOLEDO ARANDA, SIN FRONTERAS (through translator): We've noticed that Mexico has become a retaining wall. Today, Mexico is a huge barrier.
[05:35:06]
LEON: With the U.S.'s hardline approach to immigration, Mexico finds itself dealing with thousands of unexpected arrivals, now waiting for a solution to their legal limbo.
Valeria Leon, CNN, Mexico City.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRUNHUBER: A U.S. Circuit Court's judge was arrested in Wisconsin on Friday. The Justice Department says Hannah Dugan was trying to help an undocumented migrant avoid being arrested by immigration agents. The judge is facing charges of obstruction and concealing the individual from arrest. The Justice Department also announced criminal charges against a former New Mexico magistrate judge and his wife. They were arrested for allegedly tampering with evidence related to the federal investigation of an undocumented migrant. The Justice Department says that migrant is suspected of belonging to a Venezuelan gang.
I want to give you an update on our top story out of Vancouver, where authorities say several people have been killed after a vehicle ran into a crowd at a street festival. A short time ago, police posted on X that they are confident that the deadly incident was not an act of terrorism. The festival was a celebration of Filipino heritage, and authorities say multiple people were injured in addition to the fatalities. Police say they have arrested a suspect, a 30-year-old Vancouver man.
Well, the future of Crimea hangs in the balance as the U.S. pushes for a peace deal in Ukraine. Still ahead, we'll talk to a researcher who works behind the scenes collecting information about what's happening in the occupied region. Stay with us.
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BRUNHUBER: Russia claims it's pushed Ukrainian troops out of its Kursk region. That's the area where Ukraine launched a surprise incursion last year. In August, Ukraine says it seized almost a thousand square kilometers in Kursk. The land was considered a possible bargaining chip in peace talks. But in recent months, Russian forces regained ground with the help of an estimated 12,000 North Korean troops. President Vladimir Putin says Kursk will be a springboard for future Russian operations. The Ukraine forces says they are still conducting defensive operations in parts of the region.
[05:40:16]
And one of the most contentious debates in talks between the U.S., Russia and Ukraine is the fate of Crimea. Russia illegally annexed the peninsula more than a decade ago. Very few countries recognize the move. But in an interview with "Time" magazine, President Trump said that part of a U.S. peace proposal is an agreement that Crimea will, quote, "stay with Russia."
He scolded Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Truth Social for calling control over Crimea a red line for Ukraine. Crimea has been recognized as part of independent Ukraine since the country split from the Soviet Union in 1991. Around 2.5 million people lived in Crimea before Russia annexed the peninsula in 2014.
Now, since then, the Ukrainian government says more than 64,000 people have fled to other parts of the country. Some Crimean NGOs say that number may be twice that.
All right, joining me now is Elina Beketova. She was born in Crimea and began her career as a journalist there. Elina is now with the Center for European Policy Analysts. And she's also the author of Behind the Lines, which compiles information on the occupied territories of Ukraine. And she joins us now from Pascagoula, Mississippi.
Thank you so much for being here with us. So, it seems Crimea is becoming increasingly central to the outcome of peace negotiations. You've heard President Trump say that Crimea will stay with Russia. So, if you could speak to President Trump, what would you tell him?
ELINA BEKETOVA, NON-RESIDENT FELLOW, CENTER FOR EUROPEAN POLICY ANALYSIS: Thank you so much for having me today. And we've heard different statements. You know, one day it's one statement, another it's another. But what we're seeing is Donald Trump trying to put pressure on both sides to push for a ceasefire.
President Zelenskyy said that this idea about Crimea staying with Russia hasn't been officially offered to Ukraine. And President Donald Trump wrote on True Social, nobody is asking Zelenskyy to recognize Crimea as Russian territory.
And he asked for a fair question. If Zelenskyy wants Crimea, why didn't they fight for it 11 years ago when it was handed over to Russia without a shot being fired? The truth is, Ukraine didn't have any army or support back then.
It had just 5,000 poorly equipped soldiers and no help from partners, even after giving up its nuclear weapons for security guarantees. But today, we all understand that if this doesn't work, letting Russia keep Crimea would only encourage more aggression, not just against Ukraine, but across Europe. So, that is why Crimea is Ukraine.
BRUNHUBER: But, you know, President Zelenskyy himself admitted that Ukraine doesn't have the weapons to retake Crimea. So, I mean, isn't what Trump said just a recognition of the reality? I mean, why does recognition matter if Russia effectively controls it?
BEKETOVA: Well, it's true that Ukraine currently lacks the weapons needed to regain control over Crimea. But as Ukraine has emphasized, the international community has various tools to put pressure on Russia and bring territorial issues to the forefront. If you remember, in fall 2022, Ukrainians had enough means and support, and they could liberate parts of Kharkiv and Kherson Oblast.
So, when Ukrainians have enough support and means, they can liberate their territories. But right now, we're not talking about that, because for many, you know -- many years, people from Crimea were told that Crimea will be regained control by diplomatic means. So, the world should keep just the policy of not recognizing Crimea as part of Russia, just like they didn't recognize Soviet control over the Baltic states after World War II.
The Baltic states fought for 50 years to regain their independence. And it's possible that Crimea may need a long wait, too. But it's just important, you know, sanctions related to Crimea should stay in place and be enforced as long as Russia continues its occupation.
BRUNHUBER: All right. So, I want to pivot to the ongoing peace talks. I mean, what did you make of that striking image of the two presidents, Trump and Zelenskyy, sitting knee-to-knee talking yesterday? I mean, does it give you hope that President Trump might be changing his mind on Ukraine and put more pressure on Moscow instead?
BEKETOVA: Well, yes. The meeting between President Trump and President Zelenskyy at the Vatican could be a hopeful sign for Ukraine. Both sides shared positive messages, and even a short 15-minute meeting can matter, especially if it helps move forward talks on the ceasefire or future support.
You know, the U.S. remains Ukraine's strongest ally, and it's important to keep pressure on Russia to accept the ceasefire that Ukraine is already ready for. But Russia's demands are extreme. They don't want Ukraine to exist as a sovereign country. That is why Ukraine still needs serious security guarantees, and that is what the coalition of the willing is meant to provide, especially from European partners.
[05:45:06]
We've also seen Donald Trump question whether Putin really wants peace, or if he's just dragging this out. If that's the case, then tools like banking pressure and secondary sanctions might be necessary. Trump has even mentioned sanctions on countries buying Russian oil, which could be a signal on a tougher stance if Russia doesn't come to the table in good pace. So, yeah, the meeting brings hope, but there is still a lot of work ahead. BRUNHUBER: A lot of work ahead. I want to get to that. I mean, you are in the U.S. I mean, how hard has it been to see this country pivot away from supporting Ukraine? And how do you try to win back their support at this crucial time?
BEKETOVA: Well, you know, I feel that right now what I have just said, we're just hearing different statements. It may not reflect the policy. So it's just like the testing of allies. It's testing of different sides. But hopefully the support of Ukraine will stay. And, you know, being from Crimea, that's true.
There are many millions of people and several millions of people. And whenever you hear someone questioning whether it's Ukraine or not, it questions the whole identity of people. And, you know, we're talking about two million or even more than two million of Ukrainians from Crimea.
So hopefully it won't violate the international law and it will stay Ukraine as it is in the Ukrainian constitution. So that is why we just will hope for the best. But of course, we hope that there will be the ceasefire, because right now it's the main thing for Ukraine.
BRUNHUBER: Yeah, absolutely. Listen, really great to get your take on all this, Elina Beketova. Thank you so much.
BEKETOVA: Thank you so much for having me.
BRUNHUBER: Senior Hamas leaders and Egyptian officials met in Cairo on Saturday with the aim of brokering a ceasefire prisoner exchange deal with Israel. An Egyptian official told CNN that Israel has been invited to meet with negotiators on Monday. It's not clear if Israel has accepted the invitation.
More than 2,000 Palestinians have been killed since Israel resumed its war in Gaza just over a month ago. That's according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health. In Israel, thousands protested on Saturday, calling on the government to end the war in Gaza and release all of the hostages. Protesters criticized the Prime Minister's handling of the war and warned the further escalation only harms the survival chances of the remaining hostages.
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EINAT HAR, PROTESTER: When the Hamas started the war, we have to go and hit them. But right now, this is enough. All the hostages should be come home now.
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BRUNHUBER: For the first time in his two decades in power, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has named a vice president. The 89- year-old chose his longtime confidant, Hussein Al-Sheikh. Now, the decision was approved by the Palestine Liberation Organization on Saturday. Abbas has long refused to name a successor or second in command, even as he became increasingly unpopular and ineffective.
We'll be right back. Please stay with us.
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[05:52:09]
BRUNHUBER: So many experts expected University of Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders to be one of the first 10 picks in this year's NFL draft, but that didn't happen. Sanders was finally selected on Saturday, the final day of the draft by the Cleveland Browns. He was picked number 144.
Five quarterbacks were chosen before Sanders. Now he apparently isn't letting that bother him, posting him on social media that he's thankful for the opportunity to play the game he loves. He is the son of Hall of Famer Deion Sanders.
The Oklahoma City Thunder are the first team to advance the second round of this year's NBA playoffs. The Thunder won four straight to sweep the Memphis Grizzlies. Potential league MVP Shai Gilgeous- Alexander had 38 points on Saturday, leading the Thunder to 117-115 win. Oklahoma City will play either the Denver Nuggets or Los Angeles Clippers in the Western Conference semifinals.
Wrexham Football Club have just achieved promotion for the third consecutive season. That's making their Hollywood owners and their soccer fans in Wales worldwide very happy. CNN World Sports Patrick Snell has the story.
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PATRICK SNELL, CNN WORLD SPORT: Well, it really is the incredible underdog story that we simply cannot get enough of. Wrexham Football Club, a team based in Wales, but totally rejuvenated by Tinseltown itself. We're talking Hollywood.
Wrexham are co-owned by actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, who brought the then struggling club back in 2021. The last two seasons, though, had seen the team celebrating back-to-back promotions to take them into the third tier of the English football pyramid. On Saturday, they had the chance to make it a third straight promotion and get to the second tier, just one away from the Premier League.
They had to beat Charlton, though, and Oliver Rathbone putting them ahead on 15 minutes. This after Wickham lost to Leighton Orient earlier in the day. Sam Smith with a stunning second goal just three minutes later. And then nine minutes from time, Smith again with a header and cue the celebrations. The co-owners are loving it. Wrexham seal the 3-0 win and book their spot in the second-tier championship for next season.
Wrexham returning to that second tier, by the way, for the first time since 1982. So what could be next? Well, the Premier League. Let's hear now from two very happy co-owners.
ROB MCELHENNEY, WREXHAM CO-OWNER: That's for tomorrow to think about. Today is just enjoying the moment. RYAN REYNOLDS, WREXHAM CO-OWNER: We're allowed to wait until tomorrow?
MCELHENNEY: Well, yeah, I mean, we could probably wait until 12:01.
REYNOLDS: OK, yeah, I could do 12:01.
MCELHENNEY: Yeah, that's fine. And then tomorrow, we'll talk about it.
REYNOLDS: I'll erase the whiteboard. I put up it to halftime.
MCELHENNEY: Yeah, it might get a little pricier from here on out. But we're just going to enjoy the moment.
REYNOLDS: Yeah, we are. That's for sure. That is for sure.
SNELL: It is an amazing story. You know, when the Hollywood co-owners took over, Wrexham was struggling in the lower levels of the football system. But since the injection of hope in the town and the money in the team as well, what a transformation we have seen with every euphoric moment as well of the journey. Documented in the docuseries "Welcome to Wrexham."
[05:55:15]
For now, you know, this story is far from being over. It's back to you.
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BRUNHUBER: Well, the saying a crying baby is a healthy baby has its own meaning in Japan. 160 babies participated in Saturday's Nakizumo, or crying sumo festival in Tokyo. The babies, as you can see there, are lifted into the air by sumo wrestlers, while priests gently try to make the infant cry. 400-year-old Japanese tradition is based on the belief that a baby's strong cry wards off evil spirits and signals good health.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): Since our baby is usually always smiling, we wanted to try to see if he will happen to cry.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): There's an old saying that crying leads to healthy growth, so we wanted our baby to cry a lot following that tradition, but he ended up not crying.
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BRUNHUBER: Hundreds of cyclists filled the streets of London Saturday, as you can see, dressed in their best tweed. This is the annual tweed run. Each rider chose a vintage fashion style, and some rode antique bikes.
They've cycled for 10 miles past London landmarks like the Palace of Westminster and St. Paul's Cathedral. Many of them spent weeks preparing their outfits. Listen to this. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHRIS EDWORTHY, TWEED RUNNER: It's a bit like Goodwood Revival, isn't it? It's a bit of heritage. Everyone has to make an effort, otherwise you stand out. So, and there's some fantastic outfits here today.
STEVE CLYDE, TWEED RUNNER: For me, it's the attention to detail. It's you look at everyone's outfits, and you think they've really put some thought into that. So, it's something that I've always been very keen about, you know, making an effort with your outfit. So, this is very much up my street.
VERITY DI MASCIO, TWEED RUNNER: Everyone here is just a little bit eccentric, yes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRUNHUBER: That wraps this hour of CNN Newsroom. I'm Kim Brunhuber. For viewers in North America, CNN This Morning is next. For the rest of the world, it's African Voices Changemakers.
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