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White House Deploys National Guard Troops Amid California Unrest; Colombian Presidential Hopeful Shot, Suspect Arrested; Kharkiv Reels from Massive Back-to-Back Strikes. Aired 3-4a ET

Aired June 08, 2025 - 03:00   ET

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

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[03:00:00]

LYNDA KINKADE, CNN ANCHOR: Hello. I'm Lynda Kinkade.

Let's get via our breaking news. U.S. President Donald Trump is deploying National Guard troops to Los Angeles after a second day of protests against immigration detentions. The U.S. military's Northern Command says it will be in control of those troops. And the defense secretary says, active duty Marines are ready for mobilization as well. Authorities say multiple people have been detained in downtown L.A.

California Governor Gavin Newsom is highly critical of these developments, calling Hegseth's threat deranged behavior. This was the scene earlier.

Law enforcement authorities in riot gear deployed tear gas and flash bang grenades just as they did during protests on Friday.

Our Julia Vargas Jones was on the scene and filed this report from downtown L.A.

JULIA VARGAS JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I am in downtown Los Angeles where protesters have been gathering outside the federal building that houses ICE and USCIS. It is also at detention center. They're saying, release the 118 people that were arrested in ICE operations this week. They're saying there's no room for ICE in Los Angeles. And they just moments ago cheered, saying that the National Guard will not make a difference. They will continue to resist.

And we have been seeing some scenes of defiance, both here in downtown Los Angeles as well as in Paramount, California, were earlier on Saturday, ICE had a staging area and then clashed with protesters there, deploying some tear gas in a scene that developed for hours and hours later across the highway in Compton, California. We saw a car set on fire by protesters holding a Mexican flag there as they set that vehicle on fire. That's, again, about an hour south of where we are now in where we saw action today.

But last night, this was also a scene of protests. It seems that Los Angeles is responding to this and that is being echoed by the officials here as well. The mayor of Los Angeles, Karen Bass, saying that she was angered by this, calling it its terror tactic, Governor Gavin Newsom saying that these were cruel operations that were taking place here in Los Angeles and saying that bringing the National Guard would only fan the flames of these protests that are so far under control, the LAPD issuing a statement later on Saturday saying that the protests in L.A. City were peaceful.

Now, President Donald Trump did speak about this on Truth Social. He posted saying that there were looters across town and that the National Guard was needed in order to bring back the order to this town and these authorities here pushing back on that narrative, saying things are under control. Peaceful protests are taking place and people have the right to protest. Back to you.

KINKADE: Our thanks to Julia there.

Well, a short time ago, President Trump posted a new statement on social media saying, great job by the National Guard in Los Angeles. After two days of violence, clashes and unrest, we have an incompetent governor and mayor who were, as usual, unable to handle the task.

He goes on to say, from now on, masks will not be allowed to be worn at protests. What do these people have to hide and why?

Well, earlier, we spoke with Juliette Kayyem, CNN senior national security analyst, and former assistant Secretary with the Department of Homeland Security, and she explained the law enforcement and legal perspective on the events taking place in Los Angeles.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JULIETTE KAYYEM, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: In the United States and in democracy, there are protests. Most are peaceful, most are lawful and we go on as a democracy. In this case, there were unlawful and in some instances not peaceful protests, unlawful in the sense that you cannot, no matter what your opinions are about ICE, disrupt a federal law enforcement action. No one -- so that's what's on the ground.

What's at debate or concern today is the response because, you know, you want to respond to the threat level. California has dealt with this unrest and has said so because, generally, we allow local and state authorities to address civil protests and civil unrest.

[03:05:10]

But Donald Trump determined that what he was seeing would justify in his mind the federalization of these troops. This is unprecedented in the sense that you almost never, and in my memory, I've been in this field, I oversaw a National Guard, I understand military civilian operations, does a president federalize a National Guard with a protest by a governor for a situation on the ground that, while unrestful, is not to the level where you would want to deploy federalized troops. They report to the president of the United States now.

So, what kind of conversations are going on? What kind of training has happened? What kind of rules of engagement? What's the mission? What kind of weaponry will or will not be allowed, given rules around the use of the military and civilian society, something called the Posse Comitatus Act, we haven't seen any of that.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KINKADE: Estrellazul Corral is a social worker in Pasadena who works with the unhoused population. She was there at the protests and joins us now live from Los Angeles. Thanks so much for your time.

ESTRELLAZUL CORRAL, SOCIAL WORKER: Yes, thank you for having me.

KINKADE: So, for two days in a row, you know, you've been out there among the protesters chanting out about ICE. We've heard that people have been hit with tear gas, with rubber bullets. What have you experienced?

CORRAL: Well, exactly that. I was just tear gassed this evening before I got home. And last evening, you know, we were confronted actually with LAPD, which is Los Angeles Police Department, after they were called because ICE felt they were being intimidated even though we were peacefully just protesting that, you know, we wanted our citizens to stop being terrorized by them.

So, you know, it's pretty alarming. It's scary. But I think we are all out there because we feel that ICE is coming into our communities and purposefully trying to scare us. They're coming in with military-type gear, with tanks into working class communities and specifically targeting predominantly Hispanic areas, like Los Angeles, you know, the warehouse district and the flower market and the fashion district area. And those are people just working, you know? They're just trying to work and living.

KINKADE: Was there a particular case or an incident that galvanized your involvement in this movement?

CORRAL: You know, I think one of the things, and the story that's happening, that's unfolding is, you know, individuals are trying to follow what, you know, the protocols and the process and going in for their usual checks with immigration and checking in. And there was one woman who's 20 years old. She was doing her check-in with immigration. Her next court hearing was going to be for her to see if she was going to get asylum and then they detained her.

And, you know, so people are trying to do it the right way, even though the system is difficult to navigate. It's very hard. It's a long, arduous process, but they're still trying and then they're still being punished for it. There's been tents in the federal building being put outside because there're so many individuals that are cramming into these cells. People have been without water for 12 to 24 hours. And, you know, we're just not going to stand for that.

KINKADE: We know tonight, well, in the last few hours 2,000 National Guard troops were ordered by the U.S. president to disperse you and other protesters. How will you and others respond when they do arrive? Are you going to be protesting again tomorrow? CORRAL: Absolutely. And I think, you know, the more they try to spark fears, the more we're adamant that this is our community, this is where we live, these are our children, our mothers, our fathers, you know, our sisters, our brothers. And we are going to make sure they know that we are speaking out for them and we're having a voice for them. And we're not going to let them terrorize our community.

KINKADE: The LAPD says the protests in L.A. City are peaceful, but elsewhere, earlier on Saturday, we saw a car set on fire. Just explain the overall goal of these protests.

[03:10:00]

CORRAL: Yes. The protests I have been at have been peaceful. We've had cardboard signs. I think in any situation you're going to have individuals who are going to act in impulsive -- you know, impulsive ways, and so we can't control everybody. But our goal is for it to be peaceful, for them to hear that we're not accepting federal ICE agents coming into our communities, you know, purposefully presenting themselves in a scary, very military way. That's not how this should be done. If the goal is to protect communities against, you know, crime, it just doesn't make any sense.

So, you know, I can't speak to individuals that there was a car set on fire. I don't know that situation. But every -- you know, where I was at, it was peaceful. At the end of the night, there was six of us. I was actually on the sidewalk and, you know, police still had their batons drawn on us, still had their gas, you know, grenades or whatever they call them, pointed at us. So, you know, I just think they're creating escalation, not us.

KINKADE: Estrellazul Carrol, we appreciate your time and sharing your perspective with us. Thanks so much.

CARROL: Thank you so much for letting me speak.

KINKADE: Well, Raul Reyes is an attorney and immigration analyst and spoke to us a short time ago saying that people in Los Angeles are upset because federal agents started rounding up people who are not dangerous criminals.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RAUL REYES, ATTORNEY AND IMMIGRATION ANALYST: L.A. is about 50 percent Latino, right? The city of Paramount is 80 percent-plus Latino. One in ten people in L.A. County are undocumented. So, you have a community already on edge, already experienced tremendous anxiety over this administration and the ramp up in immigration enforcements. And just for context, I think it's important to remember that these large-scale protests downtown and in Paramount did not happen until ICE agents began conducting arrests in courthouses when people were doing their immigration hearing check-ins and in other workplace raids.

And these are the types of actions that are not going after serious dangerous criminals or drug traffickers. They're targeting just everyday folks who have been here, most of them a long time, or who are undocumented. So, it doesn't surprise me that there's this pushback from the communities when they feel that their schools, even their hospitals, the courthouses are not safe.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KINKADE: Ukraine's second largest city takes fire from Russia twice in a single day. Still ahead, the aftermath of the deadly strikes in Kharkiv, which Ukraine's president says shows Moscow's real goals.

Plus, why the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation says it wasn't able to deliver food Saturday after a chaotic week at the group's distribution hubs.

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[03:15:00]

KINKADE: Welcome back. Colombia's president is vowing to hunt down whoever was behind the shooting of a political rival. President hopeful Senator Miguel Uribe was shot at a campaign event in Bogota on Saturday. He is reportedly in hospital in a critical but stable condition. A suspect has been arrested.

CNN Contributor Stefano Pozzebon has more now from Bogota. And a warning, his report does contain graphic content.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

STEFANO POZZEBON, CNN CONTRIBUTOR (voice over): Shots fired aimed at the heart of Colombian democracy. Presidential candidate and Senator Miguel Uribe shot while holding a rally in the capital, Bogota. Emergency services intervening, then a rush to the hospital.

The presidential election is more than a year away, but the campaign is now tainted with blood, a return to the past to an era when bullets rather than ballots were the rule in Colombian politics.

SERGIO GUZMAN, POLITICAL ANALYST, COLOMBIA RISK ANALYSIS: It had been a couple of decades since any Colombian presidential candidate had been assassinated on the campaign trail, and Miguel Uribe's assassination attempt today reveals that we are going back in time significantly.

The question now is how the different political factions react, the effect that this assassination attempt will have on the presidential race and the tone with which the president and the ruling party take this further.

POZZEBON: The grandson of a former president, Uribe family was already touched by Colombia's history of violence. His mother noted journalist Diana Turbay was kidnapped and killed by narco traffickers in 1991.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro canceled a visit to France to attend the situation, calling for his countrymen to reject political violence.

GUSTAVO PETRO, COLOMBIAN PRESIDENT: Dr. Miguel Uribe is alive, and because of that, everything today is focused to fundamentally keeping him alive.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

POZZEBON (on camera): And as the latest development, we understand that Colombian authorities have apprehended one person, a minor, just 15 years old, in relation to the crime. He has been seen as the perpetrator of the attack and he was using a nine millimeter handgun.

Authorities are also offering a further $700,000 to anyone who is able to provide further information about the masterminds and the motives of this attack, as the presidential candidate and senator, Miguel Uribe, is still fighting for his life here in Bogota.

For CNN, this is Stefano Pozzebon, Bogota.

KINKADE: The Ukraine's second largest city is trying to get back on its feet following two waves of back-to-back strikes by Russia. Officials say Kharkiv was pounded by Russian glide bombs Saturday night, just hours after the city saw its worst attack since Moscow launched its full scale invasion. Five people were killed Saturday and more than a dozen were wounded.

Witnesses described the chaos that broke out as residential buildings were hit and people scrambled to get to safety. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the strikes pure terrorism and said they show the Kremlin's real face.

[03:20:02]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT: No matter what anyone says, these Russian attacks are not retaliatory. They are intended for destruction, complete destruction of life. That is their goal.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KINKADE: Well, Ukraine and Russia trading blame over a prisoner swap that failed to materialize. Moscow said it would've been the largest such exchange since the war began and would've included both living POWs and the remains of dead soldiers.

Sebastian Shukla reports.

SEBASTIAN SHUKLA, CNN PRODUCER: A prisoner swap between Russia and Ukraine has descended into a blame game and left the whole process in utter disarray. On Saturday, Russia accused Ukraine of failing to keep their word following agreements made in Istanbul on Monday over an arranged prisoner swap, the second between the two warring nations.

The Russian Ministry of Defense posting graphic videos and statements on Telegram said they had arrived at the location with 1,200 frozen bodies of dead Ukrainian soldiers in refrigerated trucks. Videos from the exchange site, which are graphic, show the Ministry of Defense workers opening the doors of those trucks where white body bags are clearly visible, where the ministry claim that those are just the first bodies of Ukrainian servicemen with thousands of others following behind.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There are 1,212 bodies in the convoy, three more echelons, each with 1,200 bodies and one motorized echelon, which will also carry 1,200 bodies are being prepared for the departure in the near future. The total number will exceed 6,000 people.

Unfortunately, the Ukrainian side has not confirmed the exchange today. It has been postponed indefinitely.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SHUKLA: The Ukrainians, for their part, have responded to that accusation by saying the two had agreed to a swap, but that the date had yet to be agreed. Ukraine's coordination headquarters for the treatment of prisoners of war warned the Russians to stop playing dirty games and return to constructive work.

But the fact it didn't happen and the trading of accusations may be the most telling of all. Efforts to bring a stop to the fighting showed no signs of being heated. And over the last two nights, Ukraine has been pummeled by Russian attacks, the latest on the second largest city of Kharkiv, just 20 miles from the Russian border. And overnight, the mayor, Ihor Terekhov, said that 40 explosions had dropped his city and left three people dead. And that was followed by fresh attacks on Saturday afternoon that appeared to have taken place with at least one person dying after an attack on the children's playground.

And those attacks come after a huge barrage, one of the largest of the war, was launched across Ukraine, with 400 drones and 40 missiles launched to all parts of the country. These consecutive attacks seem to be the retaliation for the audacious and meticulously planned Ukrainian intelligence attack launched from deep inside Russia that President Putin vowed to retaliate against. He even told President Trump inasmuch in a phone call between the two men earlier this week.

What remains unclear though at the moment is whether this prisoner swap will get back on track and whether President Putin has finished sending his response, or if more attacks may or should be expected, forcing innocent Ukrainians to run for shelter once again.

Sebastian Shukla, CNN, Berlin.

KINKADE: We are going to take a quick break. We'll be right back with much more news. Stay with us. You're watching CNN Newsroom.

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[03:25:00]

KINKADE: Welcome back to CNN Newsroom. I'm Lynda Kinkade. Let's check today's top stories.

More clashes and arrests in Los Angeles this weekend over the ongoing immigration crackdown in the U.S. Late Saturday, the president authorized the deployment of some 2,000 National Guard troops, which will be under the control of the Northern Command. The defense secretary says, active duty Marines are on a alert.

Ukraine's president is accusing Russia of pure terrorism following its back-to-back strikes in Kharkiv. The city was hit by two waves of attacks Saturday, including the worst strikes there since the war began. It's believed to be retaliation after Ukraine targeted Russian air bases last weekend.

Colombian Senator and prospective Presidential Candidate Miguel Uribe was shot at a campaign event in Bogota Saturday. Your 39-year-old Democrat center party member is reportedly in a critical but stable condition. Police have arrested the suspect.

Well, no signs of a makeup between the U.S. president and the world's richest man. On Saturday, Donald Trump said Elon Musk would, quote, pay the consequences, unquote, if he follows through on his threat to challenge Republicans who vote for the so-called big, beautiful bill.

CNN's, Betsy Klein is following the latest developments.

BETSY KLEIN, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: White House officials spent the end of the week trying to diffuse and downplay that explosive breakup between President Trump and billionaire Elon Musk.

Now, this all started because of disagreements over the president's sweeping domestic agenda that is working its way through. Congress Musk believes that that bill will add too much to the federal deficit. Of course, it quickly devolved as the two began trading personal insults on dueling social media platforms owned by each of the men.

But this could have very real world consequences. Musk, at one point, indicated openness to the possibility of impeaching the president, removing him from office and installing Vice President, J.D. Vance, but, of course, he has vowed to spend millions of dollars in the 2026 midterm elections on Trump-aligned candidates. All of that is now in question amid this feud.

The president said that there could be serious consequences in an interview with NBC News if Musk chooses to donate and back Democratic candidates who run against Republicans who vote in favor of this bill. Separately, the president is also threatening to review some of Musk's business' federal contracts. That, of course, could have billions of dollars in impact.

Now, the president has told his staff to stay focused on this so- called big, beautiful bill, working its way through the Senate right now.

[03:30:07]

He also told his vice president, J.D. Vance, to speak diplomatically when asked about the situation. And for his part, the president has been quite muted when asked about it himself. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REPORTER: What's your view on Elon Musk as of today? Have you heard from him at all? Has your team --

DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: Honestly, I've been so busy working with China, working on Russia, working on Iran, working on so many. I'm not thinking about Elon.

REPORTER: Do you have any plans to speak with Mr. Musk? This was one of your closest advisers.

TRUMP: No, I don't have any plans.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KLEIN: And yet this feud has spawned gossip across Washington and the West Wing with one former Trump aide saying that everyone is talking about it. And even though the president says he doesn't care, we have reported that the president is privately polling allies and advisers on whether they believe that some of Musk's behavior over the past few days has been impacted by his reported drug use.

Of course, all of this comes at such a critical moment for the president's signature legislation that faces key deadlines coming up and very tight margins in Congress.

Betsy Klein, CNN, traveling with the president in New Jersey.

KINKADE: Well, Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the man wrongly deported by the Trump Administration to El Salvador in March, remains in a U.S. federal jail. He's facing criminal challenges, including transporting thousands of undocumented people to the U.S.

Our Rafael Romo reports.

RAFAEL ROMO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kilmar Abrego Garcia remains in federal custody after he appeared in court Friday night here at the federal courthouse in downtown Nashville. He will have his next court appearance next Friday for his arraignment and detention hearing.

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced Friday afternoon that Abrego Garcia has been indicted on two criminal counts in the middle district of Tennessee. According to the indictment unsealed Friday, Abrego Garcia and others are accused to being part of a conspiracy going as far back as 2016, in which they, quote, knowingly and unlawfully transported thousands of undocumented aliens who had no authorization to be present in the United States and many of whom were MS-13 members and associates.

But Abrego Garcia and his family say he fled gang violence in El Salvador and have denied allegations he's associated with MS-13. This is part of what Attorney General Bondi said about the case when she announced Abrego Garcia had been returned to the United States.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PAM BONDI, ATTORNEY GENERAL: Our government presented El Salvador with an arrest warrant, and they agreed to return him to our country.

Abrego Garcia has played a significant role in an alien smuggling ring. They found this was his full-time job, not a contractor. He was a smuggler of humans and children and women.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMO: In March, when Abrego Garcia was mistakenly deported to a notorious prison in El Salvador, an immigration and customs enforcement official told CNN he was sent there due to what the official called an administrative error. Multiple Trump administration officials had said it was not up to them but the government of El Salvador to return him to the United States.

An attorney for Abrego Garcia told CNN how his legal team found out he was returned to the country.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SIMON SANDOVAL-MOSHENBERG, KILMAR ABREGO GARCIA'S ATTORNEY: We learned about it on T.V. just like the rest of the country. What's clear -- this just makes crystal clear what we've been saying, frankly, for the past two months is that they've been playing games with the court. It just goes to show that they've been more interested in dragging his name through the mud than in actually sort of going through with proper court proceedings, just like it's been since day one.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMO: In a new development Saturday afternoon, President Trump said it was not his decision to bring Abrego Garcia back to the United States. The Department of Justice decided to do it that way, and that's fine, Trump said in a phone interview with NBC, adding that he expects it will be a very easy case for federal prosecutors.

Rafael Romo, CNN, Nashville.

KINKADE: The Israeli military claims it's killed the leader of a Palestinian militant group that took part in the October 7th terror attacks. The mujahideen brigades confirmed that Assad Abu Sharia's death, along with his brother. An Israeli airstrike hit their family home in the Sabra area of Gaza City, according to the enclave's civil defense. Hamas-run media reports that strike killed at least 15 people and injured several others.

Well, the controversial U.S.-backed aid group in Gaza says it has closed its distribution sites on Saturday, allegedly because of direct threats from Hamas. The group did not give details about those threats. A Hamas official told Reuters news agency that he has no knowledge of such alleged threats.

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation was contracted to deliver aid and food after an 11-week Israeli blockade of Gaza.

[03:35:02]

The group has been fiercely criticized by humanitarian organizations for an alleged lack of neutrality.

I want to welcome Olga Cherevko, a spokesperson for the U.N.'s office for the coordination of humanitarian affairs in Gaza. She joins us on the phone from Deir al Balah, which is about 14 kilometers south of Gaza City. I appreciate your time.

So, I just want to ask you first about the aid situation because we know that Israel blocked all humanitarian aid to Gaza for months, including fuel. Eventually, some was allowed in under this Israel-U.S. distribution point, but that process was plagued with issues, including people being fired upon, and then obviously, as I mentioned, paused on Saturday.

From a humanitarian perspective, what's been the impact?

OLGA CHEREVKO, OCHA SPOKESPERSON IN GAZA: Good morning, Lynda. Thanks for having me. Yes, the impact, of course, has been absolutely devastating. What we are seeing on the ground is more and more people in a very desperate situation who are being effectively put at risk to and given the choice of either starving to death or having to risk their lives to feed their families. And this should never be a choice for anyone.

KINKADE: And from what you've been seeing on the ground, what is the current status of essential supplies including food, water, fuel, and are there any areas where access is particularly dire?

CHEREVKO: Well, if we take -- if we look at the territory of Gaza, over 80 percent of it is now falling either under displacement orders or is in very difficult to access areas. And the state of aid is dire. I mean, very little has entered since the 19th of May, which is when this partial allowing of very limited aid was announced.

And, I mean, people are really in no better situation today than they were before the 19th because very little is entering. Much of it is restricted. And to actually make a difference, we have to have unrestricted flow of aid entering Gaza over a sustained period of time, as well as we have to be enabled to actually do the job that we know how to do.

KINKADE: Yes, exactly. And I want to ask you about these reports that Israel is supporting a local militia in Gaza that opposes Hamas. From a humanitarian standpoint, what are the potential risks of this development for civilians and, of course, aid operations and general instability in the strip?

CHEREVKO: I mean, I think we have a situation that has been extremely dangerous and volatile for a very long time. And, of course, we've been demanding for an enabling environment in which we can safely operate. And this is one of the elements. And, of course, besides the offensive, there are many other factors that impact our work, and that is the fact that sometimes we're given very dangerous route to cross. We are operating a lot of times after dark because the green light is given so late in the day or, you know, the state of the roads, of course, is in atrocious state because of the hostilities that are taking place.

KINKADE: How long have you been on the ground there now in Gaza? And how much longer will you remain there?

CHEREVKO: I mean, I'm based here. I have spent almost five years in total in Gaza, including about 12 or 13 months of this current war. So, yes, I mean, I'm based here where we are as the U.N. and as the humanitarian community, we are determined and committed to sustain and delivering in the way we always have. But, again, we need to have unrestricted entry of aid. And not just aid, we need also commercial sector and things to actually function at a basic level of normality for us to be able to address the needs.

KINKADE: So, at this point in time, what are the concrete actions? What are the pressure can be applied from international groups, whether it be governments or aid institutions to help protect civilians and to ensure that they get access to humanitarian supplies?

CHEREVKO: Well, it's obviously -- ultimately, I want to say that there's no humanitarian solution to this issue, and it has to be done through political, through economic pressure for the decision-makers who can actually make a difference to apply this pressure, to ensure that international law is enforced, to ensure that the civilians' needs are met as the international law requires.

[03:40:20]

KINKADE: All right. Well, we appreciate all the work you're doing, Olga Cherevko. Thanks so much for your time and all the best.

CHEREVKO: Thank you, Lynda. Thank you.

KINKADE: Well, today is World Oceans Day. Ahead, how the United Nations is using this state to warn people about the biggest threat to the world's marine ecosystems. We'll have that story next.

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KINKADE: Welcome back. It's World Oceans Day, the annual event raising global awareness of the issues impacting our oceans. Rising sea temperatures, pollution, overfishing and deep sea mining are among the most critical to be discussed at the U.N.'s Ocean Conference, which is in France this week.

During a recent interview with Prince William, environmental advocate, Sir David Attenborough, outlined the severity of the situation.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAVID ATTENBOROUGH, BROADCASTER AND ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCATE: What we have done to the deep ocean floor is just unspeakably awful. I mean, if you did anything remotely like it on land, everybody would be up in arms.

[03:45:04]

Something must be done before we destroy this great treasure.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KINKADE: Well, the U.N. says its upcoming summit aims to accelerate action on protecting the world's oceans. Earlier, I spoke with French M.P. Eleonore Caroit, and asked her why efforts to restore a cleaner, healthier ocean are more urgent than ever.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ELEONORE CAROIT, FRENCH PARLIAMENT MEMBER: There is a rise of global awareness of the importance of the ocean, and we're all gathered in Nice for the UNOC 3, that's the United Nations Conference on the ocean, and it is important to say the ocean and not the oceans because it's all interconnected. And what you do here in Nice will have an impact in the Pacific and everywhere else in the world.

So, we're all connected in this topic and there are very big issues that we need to address. Plastic pollution is one of them. Maritime transportation and how it pollutes the ocean, MPAs maritime protected areas and how we harmonize them. There're several topics within that topic, but we're all working together here in NICE to achieve global commitments and harmonize our regulations.

KINKADE: Yes. And, of course, this is the third United Nations Ocean Conference in Nice. And I understand you're going to be hosting a Parliament of the Sea. What exactly is that?

CAROIT: Well, this is the first time parliamentarians from around the world gather together during an UNOC conference to be part of it, to take their responsibility. Because parliamentarians are usually not invited to these great gathering or just as observers, when indeed it is them that vote the legislation that will allow you to then put in place the agreements that are taken at the COPs at the UNOCs.

So, we are working on one main issue, which is the ratification of the highest (ph) treaty, the BBNJ. We're still missing a few countries for this treaty to be able to enter into force. And this has been a tremendous parliamentarian work, but there are other aspects and other topics that we need to work together and harmonize our home legislation if we want to achieve results.

KINKADE: Yes. I mean, there's a lot of work to be done. Just thinking about the mounting threats that oceans face from warming waters and overfishing to pollution and plastic waste entering our food chain, in your view, what is the most urgent challenge right now, and where should global efforts be focused?

CAROIT: So, the high seas is one of them because the high seas, it's the ocean, the seas that does not belong to any country, that it's beyond the national jurisdiction. And this is where everything is happening. It's in no man's land. There's no regulation. People are polluting without any consequences. And once we get the treaty to enter into force, there'll be a possibility to regulate what is happening in the high season, even to create maritime protected areas in those zones that do not belong to countries. And that is going to be huge. And to remind you, that's 60 percent of the surface, the global surface of the sea.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KINKADE: Well, the showdown in the French Open men's final is just hours away. World number one Jannik Sinner will face defending champion Carlos Alcaraz. We'll have a preview next.

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[03:50:00]

KINKADE: Well, the horse, Sovereignty, has now won two parts of the Triple Crown. He won the 157th running of the Belmont Stakes on Saturday. Sovereignty, also won last month's Kentucky Derby. On Saturday, the call (ph) best of second place Journalism by thundering past him in the stretch. Though his win gives Sovereignty victory and two legs of the Triple Crown, his team did pull out of the Preakness Stakes race last month. Journalism won that race and was the only horse to run all three legs of the Triple Crown.

Well, on Saturday, American Coco Gauff claimed her second career Grand Slam singles title coming from behind to defeat the world number one, Aryna Sabalenka.

Now, it was a thrilling French Open women's final, as our CNN Patrick Snell reports.

PATRICK SNELL, CNN WORLD SPORT: Well, what an absolute classic of a final. It was breathtaking Entertainment at Roland-Garris on Saturday as top ranked Aryna Sabalenka and the USA's Coco Gauff went head to head and it is the American player who's celebrating her second career Grand Slam singles title.

Strong wins would be a factor throughout this contest in the French capital, but it would be Sabalenka seeking a fourth Grand Slam singles crown who began superbly to race into a 4-1. But the American player knows a thing or two about winning on the Paris clay. Remember, she won the women's doubles title last year in Paris, and it was no surprise when she fights back to level a match shot for a piece.

Coco then crucially breaking her rival's serve to send this epic 80- minute first set to a tiebreaker with incredible passing shot there, really terrific stuff from Gauff. And then, but that is when the Belarusian star really up to a game at 5-5 in that tiebreaker. And then came the point that clinched it, just brilliant composure and skill from Sabalenka as she takes the opener.

But Coco Gauff all fired up and what a comeback in the second as she powers her way through it to level the match. Gauff winning it six games to two and we're headed to the decider. Sabalenka looked flustered in terms of her body language, despite winning that opening set, was in trouble again in the third as all the momentum swings Coco's way. A vital moment here as the U.S. star gets the break of serve to go 4-3 up in the all important deciding set, and from there, she would not look back.

Coco Gauff wrapping up a famous victory, her second major singles title in one of the most incredible, sensational major finals we have seen in a long, long time. She can hardly believe it, overcome with emotion there. Oh, what a moment for Coco Gauff. Our congratulations to her, just sensational, a lot of comeback.

And with that I'm going to send it right back to you.

KINKADE: Our thanks to Patrick Snell there.

Well, TNT Sports' Sloane Stephens caught up with Coco after winning her second Grand Slam title.

[03:55:05]

Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Coco, amazing match today, 2025 Roland-Garros champion. How does it feel?

COCO GAUFF, WOMEN'S CHAMPION, FRENCH OPEN 2025: Yes, it feels great. It was tough. I don't think either of us were playing great, but I knew as soon as I stepped in the court, when I felt that it was windy, it was going to be one of those matches. So, I was just trying to give myself the best chance and fight every point.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Before the match, I said, she's a fighter, but you're an even better fighter. How deep did you have to dig in order to pull that out?

GAUFF: Really deep. I think especially that last game, you know, I was obviously very nervous, but I think that was, you know, something I'm really proud of, just managing to get another ball back and trying to play with the condition. So, yes.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Okay. We conquered this. What's next?

GAUFF: Hopefully, another one. Yes, definitely another one. But for now, I'm just enjoying this one and, yes, I'm just glad to get another title to my resume.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Congratulations.

GAUFF: Thank you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KINKADE: One more clash on the clay remains at Roland-Garros. World number one Jannik sinner will face off against the defending champion, Carlos Alcaraz, in the men's final taking place in the coming hours. Sinner's path to the French Open final wasn't without drama and spectacle. On Friday, the Italian oustered 24-time Grand Slam winner Novak Djokovic in straight sets. Now, it's been 15 years since Djokovic, a three-time Roland-Garros champion in his own right, lost in straight sets in a major semifinal. Sinner is looking to capture his fourth Grand Slam title, while Alcaraz, who recently turned 22, will be vying for his fifth.

Well, that does it for this edition of CNN Newsroom. I'm Lynda Kinkade, thanks so much for your company.

Stay around. CNN Newsroom continues with Kim Brunhuber After a short break.

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