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Trump's Budget Bill Faces Setback in the U.S. Senate; Closing Arguments Underway for Diddy Combs' Trial; Mysterious Fireball Spotted in Some Southeastern U.S. States. Aired 3-4a ET

Aired June 27, 2025 - 03:00   ET

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

[03:00:00]

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POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT AND ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to all of our viewers watching in the United States and all around the world. I'm Polo Sandoval in New York, and ahead here on "CNN Newsroom."

A brand new video of how the bombs that were dropped on Iran's nuclear facilities nearly a week ago were supposed to work. But U.S. officials giving no new evidence that the nuclear program was, in the words of President Trump, obliterated.

And Trump's budget agenda hitting a snag in the U.S. Senate, meaning more work needs to be done by Republicans. We'll tell you why.

And lighting up the skies, a rare fireball putting on a daytime show across the southeastern United States.

And welcome to the program.

Members of the U.S. House are set to learn more today about the U.S. strikes on Iran's nuclear sites in a classified briefing from the Trump administration. Now the Pentagon says that the mission went as planned and it's confident all bombs hit their targets. But there was no update on the damage assessments during the press conference on Thursday, you're looking at here.

The top U.S. general played test video showing how those bunker buster bombs are supposed to do the job. But when asked about the damage, he deferred to U.S. intelligence agencies. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, for his part, blasted the media for reporting on the Defense Department's own initial findings.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PETE HEGSETH, U.S. DEFENSE SECRETARY: Well, I can tell you what the chairman told me in the situation room and reminded us all, which is alongside what you just said, sir, is that the first reports are almost always wrong. They're almost always incomplete, right?

So your job is to step back and assess them. And that's why we're urging caution about putting it premising entire stories on biased leaks to biased publications trying to make something look better.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANDOVAL: More now from CNN's national security correspondent, Natasha Bertrand.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NATASHA BERTRAND, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: The Pentagon on Thursday morning released new details about the U.S. military's operation against three nuclear facilities in Iran over the weekend and disclosed some new information about just how much planning went into the bombing campaign against one facility in particular. That's Fordow Nuclear Facility, according to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, this operation got 15 years in the making.

And according to the chairman, the U.S. military is very confident at this point that the bombs successfully hit their targets at Fordow Nuclear Facility last weekend. And they went actually down the ventilation shafts of that nuclear facility, a very key detail that Chairman Caine revealed earlier, because, of course, that indicates that those bombs did not only have a surface level impact. They also went deep below the structure of Fordow and actually managed to penetrate the very deeply buried facilities that Iran has at that particular nuclear site.

And so the question remains, however, and something that the Pentagon didn't really touch on today because they said they don't have that level of fidelity yet, is how much damage was actually done to those very key underground facilities that are very much core to Iran's nuclear program? And that remains unclear because, as Chairman Caine said, there was no one on the ground at that moment to actually, of course, witness what exactly was damaged as a result of that bombing campaign.

And so while this was meticulously carried out, according to the chairman, according to military officials, including the fact that the bombs were going at the right speed and hit their targets really perfectly, according to the military, that full battle damage assessment is still yet to be completed.

And according to the chairman, again, that is going to be up to the intelligence community as they continue to gather information, including from within Iran sources that may be on the ground there, to really get a sense for how much this actually set back Iran's nuclear program. Because, of course, the administration has been fighting all week to try to combat a report that was publicized by CNN and others earlier this week, produced by the Defense Intelligence Agency, that said the U.S. strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities really only appear to have set back Iran's nuclear program by a couple of months at most. And that has infuriated the Trump administration.

And so they have been urging the public to wait for more information, of course, pouring cold water on that particular assessment, saying that they do not believe that it is accurate.

[03:05:08]

But at the same time, they have not yet presented new intelligence that would suggest that the Iranian nuclear program is, as President Trump has put it, quote, "completely obliterated."

And so the intelligence community is going to continue to gather information about this. But this morning, what we saw from the Pentagon was a lot of political bluster, frankly, from the Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, who was attacking the media, particularly over that report from the Defense Intelligence Agency.

And a lot of more substantive operational details from General Caine, but ultimately not necessarily disputing the reporting from CNN and others about how this assessment and this intelligence is still very early on, and the full battle damage assessment has yet to be completed about just how this impacted Iran's nuclear program.

Natasha Bertrand, CNN, in Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANDOVAL: And because of much of that reporting, several Trump administration officials, they are vowing to conduct investigations into the leak of early intelligence assessments of U.S. strikes on Iran. President Trump himself has said that any leakers should be prosecuted.

More now from CNN's Kristen Holmes from the White House.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: While senators sat down for their first classified briefing on those strikes in Iran, there are high-level conversations going on behind the scenes at the White House as to what information they're going to share with Congress, how they're going to share that information, and who exactly in Congress they're going to share that information with. They want to keep a controlled lid on who is getting this classified information.

Now, part of this is because there is a fundamental belief at the White House that this, the preliminary intelligence assessment that showed that there might not be substantial damage to those Iran nuclear sites came from Congress. And the reason why they believe that is because it had been uploaded into this secure system that is used for transferring intelligence -- highly classified information to Congress from the intelligence community. And after it was shared onto this system, shortly afterward, it leaked to several media outlets.

And now there is a belief that there are people who have access to these kinds of systems who are either Democrats or people who just don't like Donald Trump or President Trump, and they were going to use this information against the President.

And that's really what they believe happened with this preliminary intelligence report. So because of that, they are taking a whole look, dealing with other members of the administration, also with allies on the Hill, as to how they're going to filter through this information. Because again, they want to know who has what information, when, so they can also know if it's getting out there, who's putting it out there.

Kristen Holmes, CNN, the White House.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANDOVAL: Israel's Defense Minister says that his country and the U.S. have told Iran that it must hand over its enriched uranium. In an interview with Israeli media, Israel Katz says that it was clear that the strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities would not eliminate the nuclear material itself.

Katz says that the intention of Israel's attacks on Iran was to, quote, "neutralize capabilities." Now he claimed that following the strikes, Iran has no way to produce a nuclear bomb because the strikes destroyed the facility that actually converts the uranium into its solid form, which is used for the weapon.

Iran's Supreme Leader delivering a defiant message in his first public speech since the ceasefire between his country and Israel. In a pre- recorded statement, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said that Tehran will never surrender.

Details now from CNN's Fred Pleitgen reporting from Tehran.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Ever since the ceasefire went into effect, the Iranians have been saying that they believe that it's a big victory for them. They say that they believe that they essentially forced the Trump administration and the Israelis into the ceasefire.

And now the Supreme Leader has taken to the airwaves for the first time since the fighting ended, and he also praised Iran's military for what he calls a big victory.

AYATOLLAH ALI KHAMENEI, IRANIAN SUPREME LEADER (through translator): I would like to congratulate the great nation of Iran. With all those claims that the Zionist regime were making, they were almost crushed under the blows of the Islamic government.

PLEITGEN: The Supreme Leader also lashing out at the United States and specifically President Trump, saying that President Trump had called for Iran's unconditional surrender and that that simply isn't going to happen.

KHAMENEI (through translator): The U.S. President said that Iran should surrender. A great Iran and the word of surrender, they don't match. They don't match with each other, it's a joke, it's a ridiculous thing to say.

PLEITGEN: We know that the Supreme Leader is the highest and final authority here in this country. But in general, the clergy plays a huge role in shaping the doctrine of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

[03:10:08]

And today we went to Iran's second holiest city, the city of Qom, where there's a lot of religious seminaries, a lot of religious schools. And we asked clerics there how they feel about the situation.

PLEITGEN (voice-over): If Trump ever has goodwill, do not mess with countries and let people live their lives, he says.

This promise has been made by God, he says, that if you believe in God, he is the one who guides your arrows to the hearts of the enemy.

And he says they think they're able to stop us from our chosen path through bombing, killing and terror. This is why these terrors and wars will only strengthen our faith instead of weakening us.

PLEITGEN: So you can see there are members of the clergy in the city of Qom saying they're not willing to give an inch and that they are going to continue to confront with the U.S. and Israel.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANDOVAL: Our thanks to CNN's Frederik Pleitgen out of Tehran.

Let's go now to CNN's Nada Bashir, who's following developments live from this hour -- at this hour. So Nada, at this point, we're expecting a potential meeting with members of the Trump administration and Iran, possibly next week. As that -- as we prepare for that, I'm curious how this is actually being seen in the region, of course, talking about the Supreme Leader's statement and how this is perhaps even pushing the conversations towards a ceasefire in Gaza.

NADA BASHIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, look, Polo, as you heard there in Fred's reporting, this is certainly being framed as a victory within Iran, certainly by Iranian officials. And we've seen marks of celebration by the Iranian people themselves as well in the capital.

In the region, clearly, this is being met with cautious relief. There had been almost unified calls for de-escalation, particularly in the Gulf region, as we saw those 12 days of conflict raging on. And there has been concern around the potential for this to expand and destabilize the region.

So the real focus for regional leaders has been on de-escalation, certainly from the part of mediators, including Qatari officials. But as you mentioned, this is really pushing the conversation for many in the region towards Gaza once again.

Questions around whether or not a peace agreement between -- or rather a ceasefire between Israel and Iran, mediated by the U.S. and Qatar, could pave the way forward to restart negotiations between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. There is certainly mounting pressure from mediators and international leaders for a ceasefire to be agreed upon.

There's also mounting pressure, of course, within Israel as well. We have seen those continued rallies and protests. We've seen representatives and family members of the hostages still held captive in Gaza calling on the Israeli government, on the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, to now refocus, to look at Gaza and to ensure that there is a pathway to a deal that secures the release of hostages as well as a peace agreement that ensures a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

Now, we have been hearing from Qatari officials who have been saying, including the Qatari foreign ministry spokesperson, who have said that they want mediators to use this momentum that has been established following the ceasefire between Israel and Iran to push forward to a ceasefire in Gaza.

The Qatari officials have said that they have been in touch with all sides, including mediators, to try to push Israel and Hamas representatives to come back to the negotiating table and also calling on the U.S. President Donald Trump to also use this moment to push for a ceasefire.

And we certainly have been hearing similar indications from the U.S. President himself speaking to reporters at the NATO Summit earlier this week, suggesting that there has been some progress, some movement on that front. He even went on to say that he is expecting to hear good news soon.

But, of course, we have also been hearing from the Israeli Prime Minister, who has suggested that while this is a window of opportunity potentially to expand peace agreements in the region, the Israeli government and the Israeli military remains focused on its military objectives to completely and entirely defeat Hamas.

So what that essentially means for a ceasefire remains to be seen. The settling is that growing international pressure and focus on trying to move towards restarting those negotiations. Polo.

SANDOVAL: CNN's Nada Bashir with that report out of London. Thank you.

Rosemary Kelanic is a director of the Middle East program at the foreign policy think tank Defense Priorities. She joins us from South Bend, Indiana. Good to have you.

ROSEMARY KELANIC, DIRECTOR OF THE MIDDLE EAST PROGRAM, DEFENSE PRIORITIES: Oh, thanks so much for having me on.

SANDOVAL: Of course.

So the foreign affairs piece that you co-authored opens with if Trump is hoping for a quick return to diplomacy, he is likely to be disappointed, of course, referring to diplomacy with Iran. With a possible Trump-Iran meeting in the works, what kind of diplomatic work has to be done to try to reestablish even a measure of trust for Iran to actually go to the negotiating table, Rosemary, and actually begin those talks with the U.S.?

[03:15:01] KELANIC: Yes, so, I mean, they're starting from -- to say they're starting from scratch is probably an understatement. They're starting from negative at this point because, you know, the United States just bombed Iran. And even before the United States joined Israel's war against Iran, you know, Trump had been planning to meet with, well, not Trump personally, but the United States had been planning to meet with Iranian negotiators the Sunday after the Israelis began attacking.

And it's not a normal procedure for two countries to be within a negotiations framework and then another country to kind of swoop in and attack, let alone that one of the two countries to join that framework. So, you know, it's difficult. It's really difficult to regain trust after you've attacked a country, and especially after the reporting suggests that Trump had encouraged the Israelis not to attack and they did it anyway.

And so Trump needs to establish both that the United States is interested in peace for real and that it can restrain the Israelis from attacking, not just that the United States won't attack, but that both won't attack. So it's really about making assurances to Iran that we're not sort of dead set on having a big war with them.

SANDOVAL: All right. And we all know that one of the key figures in any potential negotiations would be Iran's supreme leader, the Ayatollah, as you know, making his first public statements since the ceasefire. I wonder what your takeaway is from that pre-recorded statement that was released of the 86 year old leader. What do you think is his ultimate objective in trying to release this and essentially make his presence known?

KELANIC: Well, I think it's just that he's showing that he's still here, that he's able to make an appearance and release a video. And he's not -- they have enough operational security that he can do that, even though he's presumably the subject of a manhunt by the Israelis potentially.

And what he said and what he communicated seems to suggest that he could be open to Iran having talks with the United States. He condemned the United States because, of course, he has to condemn the United States. But he didn't flat out say there's absolutely no way that Iran is going to talk to the United States now.

And so that can be seen as a suggestion that diplomacy is not completely dead, even though he did, of course, have to come out and say, you know, this was a terrible attack by the United States, blah.

SANDOVAL: Right. And certainly the intelligence committee right now still pouring through all these reports, through the mountain of data that still has to be gathered to finally get perhaps a little bit more certainty about the extent of the or the state, I should say, of Iran's nuclear program. But just looking at things, especially the last week or so from your assessment, what is the most dangerous thing that Iran could still potentially have access to? Is it the stockpile of enriched uranium that the administration maintains or suspects, I should say, was buried? KELANIC: Yes, so I think that we shouldn't lose the forest for the

trees on this. There's no way of knowing what they have sort of intact.

But I think the most dangerous thing that they have is that they have 20 years of nuclear knowledge built up, right. They have a whole generation of nuclear scientists and technicians, and they know how to build nuclear weapons.

And so even if the airstrikes destroyed all aspects of the current program, they could rebuild. And it's very unlikely that the airstrikes did, in fact, do that.

So that's what's dangerous going forward. They have to know how to rebuild a program. And now by attacking them, the United States has given them an incentive to go on and weaponized because they may be afraid that that's the only deterrent that they can get at this point.

Doesn't mean they're going to weaponize. But I think the chances are higher now than they were before the United States attacked.

SANDOVAL: Rosemary Kelanic, I really appreciate your insight and your expertise. Thanks for joining us.

KELANIC: Thank you so much for having me on.

SANDOVAL: Well, President Trump's Big, Beautiful Bill, as he calls it, is facing a major setback in the U.S. Senate after key provisions didn't quite meet the Senate strict rules. How Republicans are reacting is we'll bring you that next.

Plus, New York's mayoral race heating up as the incumbent officially joins the competition fresh after the Democratic primaries and a former governor now showing no signs of leaving despite losing said primary to a controversial Democrat.

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[03:20:00]

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SANDOVAL: All right, let's talk President Trump's domestic agenda, which appears to be facing a major setback after the Senate parliamentarian struck down key parts of his so-called big, beautiful bill. Members of Congress now planning to work through the weekend to modify the bill. The parliamentarian saying that certain provisions don't meet the strict rules that allow a bill to be passed by a simple majority.

Let's go to CNN's Manu Raju to explain.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MANU RAJU, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Donald Trump's massive domestic agenda is hanging by a threat. He is demanding this on his desk in just a matter of days by July 4th, that is a self- imposed deadline, but it's running into all sorts of problems. The United States Senate and the U.S. House right now is bottled up in the Senate because of procedural issues.

Remember, this bill they're trying to pass along straight party lines through a budget process known on Capitol Hill as reconciliation. The reason why majorities like to use that process is that it can -- bills cannot be filibustered by using the budget process.

But there's a catch. The bills need to meet the strict budget rules of the United States Senate in order to use that process, which cannot be filibustered, meaning that just Republican senators can approve this plan. Typically, most bills could be filibustered, meaning 60 votes are needed. Democrats and Republicans will be needed to overcome a filibuster.

But if this meets the budget rules, it doesn't can't be filibustered. But if it does not meet the budget rules, that means certain provisions will have to come out of this plan on Thursday. A big setback because one key provision to help finance this massive proposal in dealing with deeper Medicaid cuts was stripped from the proposal by the Senate parliamentarian, who said that the provision does not meet the Senate's strict budget rules.

[03:25:10]

So Republicans behind the scenes have been scrambling to try to resurrect that plan. There are other provisions also struck out by the parliamentarian as Republicans trying to put this bill back together. But that's just in the process.

Then there are the deep divisions between moderates and conservatives. There are some moderates who are worried about this bill cutting too much into the Medicaid program. Remember, that's the health care program for the disabled and for low income individuals.

They worry that those cuts could hurt their constituents. And then there are some of the more conservative members who are concerned about the more sweeping tax overhaul, multi-trillion dollar tax overhaul that, along with the new spending in this plan for border security, national security programs, deportation policies of Donald Trump.

This -- all bill could add more than $3 trillion to the national deficit over the next decade, according to some official estimates. Some of those conservatives want to cut deeper into spending. They don't want to spend more.

That division has been playing out for months and is now coming to a head as Republican leaders are trying to get this bill on the floor, make sure it complies with Senate rules, but also get the votes where they can only afford to lose three Republican votes in the United States Senate and they can only afford to lose three Republican votes in the United States House.

And one Republican congressman, Eric Burlison, told me that he is threatening to vote no on this plan unless it meets his concerns about the deficit. And he warned Republican leaders not to jam the House.

Do you think it's responsible for them to cut this deal behind closed doors and drop it in your lap and say, take it or leave it?

REP. ERIC BURLISON (R-MO): No, I mean, that's what Washington is good at, is kind of jamming people last minute, giving you something you haven't had time to read, haven't had time to get reflection or input from your district. And so, Yes, it's not it's not ideal.

RAJU: But Mike Johnson, the House speaker, still believes this could get to President Trump's desk by July 4th. But a lot has to happen from now until then in order to make it over the finish line.

Manu Raju, CNN Capitol Hill.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANDOVAL: The Trump administration says that Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the migrant who was wrongfully deported to El Salvador earlier this year, will be deported to a third country once he's released from custody. A Justice Department lawyer revealed the plans during a brief court hearing on Thursday.

Abrego Garcia was returned to the U.S. earlier this month and then arrested on human smuggling charges. Well, he is pleaded not guilty and remains in custody, but possibly could be released on bond.

You see, in 2019, a judge ruled that Abrego Garcia could not be returned to El Salvador for fear of gang violence. The thing is, that order does not apply if he's sent to a third country.

Well, the New York mayor's race, it's going to get a little bit more crowded. Incumbent Mayor Eric Adams officially launching his bid on Thursday for a second four year term as an independent candidate.

He wasted no time attacking Zoran Mamdani, who won the Democratic primary this week, saying that the state assemblyman was offering, quote, "handouts and fantasies" and that he would turn New York into what he described as a socialist city. Mamdani says it's all about making things avoidable for New Yorkers.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ZORAN MAMDANI (D), NEW YORK MAYORAL CANDIDATE: I understand what he's doing. He is trying to distract from his own record. His is a record where he raised rents on more than two million New Yorkers by nine percent, and he's considering another eight percent increase.

His is a record of raising the water bill to the highest in 13 years, supporting Con Edison when they wanted to increase New Yorkers gas and electric bills by $65 a month. I would much rather talk about me than I would about his record if I was him. And so that's what he's going to be doing over the next few months.

And we will continue to remind New Yorkers what's on the ballot, it's affordability. (END VIDEO CLIP)

SANDOVAL: And despite conceding the Democratic primary to Mamdani, Andrew Cuomo, former governor of the state, may not be leaving the race. In fact, sources telling CNN that he will likely stay on the ballot for the November election, this time running possibly as an independent candidate.

And coming up here on "CNN Newsroom," more of this video of a rare sight that lit up the skies over several U.S. states. Exactly what is it?

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[03:30:00]

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SANDOVAL: And welcome back to "CNN Newsroom." I'm Polo Sandoval, in New York. Let's check in now on today's top stories.

A second intelligence briefing for members of the U.S. House is scheduled for today. This after senators heard the latest on the Iran strikes from the Trump administration on Thursday. Now many Democrats acknowledged that there was severe damage, but they questioned the president's claim of total obliteration at those sites, Israel now saying that its strikes -- earlier strikes on Iran killed 11 scientists and hit more than 900 targets.

Donald Trump's domestic policy agenda is facing a major setback in the U.S. Senate. In fact, the Senate parliamentarian ruling that key provisions of the bill do not meet strict rules that would allow it to pass by civil majority. Let's back to the drawing board for Republicans who now plan to work through the weekend to revise the bill.

And New York Mayor Eric Adams kicking off his re-election campaign with attacks on his Democratic rival, Zoran Mamdani. Adams claiming that the state assemblyman is looking to turn New York into what he described as a socialist city. Mamdani says that he simply wants to make things more affordable for New Yorkers.

The prosecution rested in the case on Thursday -- rested its case, I should say, on Thursday in the federal criminal trial of Sean Diddy Combs. A U.S. attorney delivered a five-hour long closing argument portraying the music mogul as the leader of a criminal enterprise who used his power to abuse and traffic women.

Here's CNN's Elizabeth Wagmeister with more on the day's proceedings.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ELIZABETH WAGMEISTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: Prosecutors have concluded their closing arguments and the jury can get the case by the end of Friday after the defense presents their closing argument. Now, Sean Combs was supported in court by many of his family members,

more than we have seen in that courtroom since the beginning of the trial. That includes his three teenage daughters. They were sitting there as they heard prosecutors go into great detail about these so- called freak-offs. Prosecutors reminded the jury about the physical abuse against Cassie, against Jane.

[03:35:04]

Again, those freak-offs and all of the drugs that they alleged that he distributed with the help of his criminal enterprise. And again, his daughters were there for that. So were his sons.

Sean Combs' body language was a bit different than it has been for the rest of the trial. I noticed him looking down, slumped over at times, but he was very engaged. He was passing notes to his attorneys as he has done throughout this seven-week trial.

Now, the prosecution's through line of their argument is that this was a wealthy and powerful man. He used his power to control these alleged victims. And he was made all that more powerful from this criminal enterprise.

They said to the jury, we know you've heard the term racketeering and you're probably thinking of the mob or the mafia. They said that is not the case here. All that racketeering means is that Sean Combs created this enterprise where all of his staff members had one common goal, which was to protect him and was to enable him and help him commit these crimes.

Even if, prosecutors said, they testified that they did not commit any crimes. The prosecutor said, use your common sense. These staff members were texting drug dealers, they were helping distribute drugs. They knew where Cassie was, including when she was kidnapped, they said, and kept in a hotel room after Sean Combs stomped on her so that she could recover from her injuries that were visible while she was being hidden by Combs and his staff members in that hotel room.

These were just a few of the examples and the vast evidence that the prosecutors reminded the jury of. And again, the defense will present their closing argument and they will absolutely be chipping away at everything that the prosecution just laid out.

Again, the jury can get this case and can begin deliberating by the end of Friday. Back to you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANDOVAL: All right, thanks to Elizabeth for that report.

Meanwhile, a rare daytime fireball lighting up the skies, or at least it lit up the skies in the U.S. -- southeastern parts of the U.S. on Thursday. Residents across several states reporting seeing the phenomenon, which experts believe may have been caused by a meteor.

CNN meteorologist Allison Chinchar with more. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALLISON CHINCHAR, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Around lunchtime Thursday, just behind me here in Atlanta, a fireball lit up the skyline, not just in Georgia, but also nearby states such as South Carolina, North Carolina, and even Tennessee.

Now, this fireball is an exceptionally bright meteor, so bright that it could be seen even during the daylight hours, thanks in part due to clear blue skies in every single one of those states.

Now, a fireball specifically can be seen over a widespread area. That's why you saw so many states sending in reports. And those reports initially, even right after it happened, the American Meteor Society had more than 100 reports of the fireball.

In addition to that, there were also reports of a sonic boom, which, yes, can be generated by a fireball.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANDOVAL: All right, thanks, Allison.

Well Cote D'Ivoire in West Africa, it is the world's largest producer of cocoa beans. For decades, the country has exported its raw cocoa, allowing the more lucrative chocolate making to happen elsewhere. Well, now a new generation of entrepreneurs is working to change that.

Here's CNN's Eleni Giokos reporting.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ELENI GIOKOS, "CONNECTING AFRICA" ANCHOR (voice-over): A lush green canopy of trees covers much of the farmland around Azage.

But amongst the branches, leaves, and tree trunks, you will find an important crop that is sustaining the livelihoods of those that farm here. And under this other canopy, farming women are busy making chocolate.

GIOKOS: Got to dry it? What's the process?

AXEL EMMANUEL, CEO, LE CHOCOLATIER IVOIRIEN: Yes. The process is first fermentation for seven days.

After it, we dry it. We dry it at the sun around 10 days. When it is dry, the woman will roast it at the pan.

GIOKOS (voice-over): Axel Emmanuel is behind this enterprise. He left his job as a banker and trained to become a chocolatier.

EMMANUEL: I was very shocked when I entered the supermarkets. All the chocolate bar was imported, coming from Switzerland, Germany, France. I said, why not an Ivoirien?

GIOKOS (voice-over): In 2015, he went about setting up his own business and founded Le Chocolatier Ivoirien.

EMMANUEL: Me and my factory, we produce around 10,000 chocolate bar per month.

GIOKOS (voice-over): Wanting to keep more of the chocolate production process in Africa, Axel also sets about training female farmers to establish their own chocolate making businesses.

[03:40:02]

EMMANUEL: 2000 women since 2016. I begin, I go to the village, I go to the different places that produce cocoa.

ELIANE N'GORAN N'GUESSAN KONAN, PRESIDENT, AGNEBY TIASSA COOPERATIVE (through translator): Monsieur Axel Emmanuel taught us to make dark chocolate, butter, and powder. From there, we innovated and created pralines.

GIOKOS (voice-over): Despite their endeavors, cocoa bean exports remain a big business.

JEREMIE KOUASSI, DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT, COFFEE-COCOA COUNCIL, COTE D'IVOIRE (through translator): Before 2012, we were at about 20 percent local processing. Today, we are at 35 percent. Our country's ambition is to capture more value locally so farmers can benefit.

GIOKOS (voice-over): Back at the farm, the process of chocolate making continues. The luxurious hot substance is poured onto a cold slab, where it is folded repeatedly to get it down to a required temperature. Once set, it's time for some tasting.

EMMANUEL: Very nice.

GIOKOS: Magnifique.

EMMANUEL: Merci.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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SANDOVAL: At least 15 people were killed in an Israeli airstrike on a market in central Gaza, local health officials adding that several others were injured on Thursday. The market was reportedly crowded as food in Gaza remains very hard to come by.

In fact, only a fraction of the amount of food needed is said to be coming in. Just yesterday, we heard from an NGO say it's reduced to a trickle.

Israel has been keeping a tight lid on more aid. In fact, on Thursday, the controversial Israeli-backed aid group, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, was the only one allowed to distribute food. Israel has accused Hamas of stealing humanitarian aid, but major U.N. relief groups say that there is no evidence that a significant amount of aid is currently being stolen.

[03:45:02]

And violence is certainly escalating in the West Bank, where Palestinians say that a 15-year-old boy was killed by Israeli troops on Thursday. And this on the same day that a funeral was held for three Palestinians, reportedly killed in an attack by Jewish settlers. Thousands of Palestinians have been driven away from their homes and entire communities have been razed by Israeli military operations in recent months.

CNN's Nic Robertson has more on the deadly settlers' attacks.

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NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: According to the mayor of Kafr Malik, a small town in the occupied West Bank just northeast of Ramallah, he and a number of residents there say that dozens of massed and armed settlers, that's how they describe the people, came into their town, started setting fire to vehicles, setting fire to houses.

Now, they described in that village that they then came out to try to protect their property and threw rocks at these massed, armed settlers. Shots were fired, they say, according to Palestinian health officials in Ramallah, the Ministry of Health in Ramallah, that three people were killed, three Palestinians were killed, 10 were injured.

Now, the IDF has a slightly different accounting of what happened. They say that they were called out to a scene where there was a disturbance, a confrontation, they say, between Palestinians and Israelis. They say that the Israelis were not armed, and they describe a situation where people they describe as terrorists, and the implication here being in the Palestinian town, people they say were terrorists, then fired shots towards them, the IDF, and they identified targets and returned fire.

So there is a discrepancy in the accounts. But what it does seem to do is to fit the pattern of escalating settler violence in the West Bank that is aimed at driving Palestinians out of their homes and off their lands.

According to B'Tselem, an NGO that tracks the number of Palestinians killed inside the West Bank, they say that since the Hamas attack on October 7th, 2023, 918 people, Palestinians have been killed in this rising violence there.

Some, they say, by the IDF, a smaller number, far smaller number by through as a result of settler violence. But this appears to be another spike and trend in this escalating tension inside the West Bank.

Nic Robertson, CNN, Tel Aviv.

(END VIDEOTAPE) SANDOVAL: Well, Ukraine's Kherson region is now reeling from a Russian strike that left three people dead there. Officials saying that on Thursday, 13 others were injured in the attack, which caused multiple fires that you see here.

Just further north, Ukraine -- the Ukraine military says that it has, the Ukrainian military, I should say, it has already stopped a Russian advance in its Sumy region. Moscow's troops, they have been gaining ground there for several months now, but Ukraine says that the front line has now been stabilized and its troops are recapturing some of the territory.

Still ahead here on "CNN Newsroom," a lavish weekend wedding celebration is underway in Venice, where billionaire Jeff Bezos and his fiance, Lauren Sanchez, will soon be tying the knot. We'll have a report from Venice.

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[03:50:00]

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SANDOVAL: Well, billionaire Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez, they're about to get married in Venice. As CNN's Melissa Bell reports, that wedding is drawing both celebrities and protesters to the Italian city.

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MELISSA BELL, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Italy's floating city of love flooded with A-list celebrities, from Ivanka Trump to Oprah Winfrey and Kim Kardashian. They're all descending on a sweltering Venice for the multi-million dollar wedding of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and former news anchor Lauren Sanchez. Other big names include Tom Brady, Orlando Bloom and Mick Jagger.

Details of the nuptials are shrouded in secrecy, but we believe that 30 of the city's elite water taxis have been booked for the occasion, which is unfolding from Friday through Saturday, as well as every yacht port. Several accommodation venues have also been reserved for the 200 or so guests, including five Venetian luxury hotels and the Madonna dell'Orto church, where Reuters reports the first night's open-air festivities are taking place on Thursday.

Bezos' $500 million superyacht Coru was expected to be one of the main wedding locations, but it's just too big to be allowed anywhere near the city's most scenic waterways and will be anchored in the Venice lagoon instead. Some local officials in Venice are taking it all in their stride.

LUIGI BRUGNARO, VENICE MAYOR (through translator): We're used to having weddings and celebrations. We had the G7 last year, the Holy Father came. This is a city that was born to do diplomacy and trade, this is the history of Venice, the meeting of people and cultures. BELL (voice-over): But not everyone is celebrating. Activists from

Greenpeace rolled out a massive banner in San Marco Square on Monday, criticizing the lavish extravaganza. Tommaso Cacciari leads the "No Space for Bezos" protest group.

TOMMASO CACCIARI, ORGANIZER, "NO SPACE FOR BEZOS": When you see Venice not as a city anymore, but as a big theme park, a big kind of private dance hall, you know, where you can just hire parts of it or, like in this case, all of it, is exactly the problem. The message of this wedding party is that I am super rich and I can buy all Venice.

BELL (voice-over): Altogether, the festivities are expected to cost somewhere between 46 and $55 million, that's according to the president of Venice's local government.

BELL: In the last few days, the couple have reportedly donated to several charitable foundations here in Venice devoted to architectural and cultural preservation.

[03:55:06]

And according to a portion of the wedding invitation that was broadcast by ABC's "Good Morning America," they've suggested that guests not bring gifts, saying rather that donations will be made to these causes on their behalf.

BELL (voice-over): For now, all eyes are on the tech billionaire and his bride and whether or not they'll be able to tie the knot in relative peace.

Melissa Bell, CNN, Venice.

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SANDOVAL: I want to get you to this that's just into CNN, a potentially major breakthrough on U.S.-China trade. The Commerce Ministry in Beijing is now signaling that it will approve the export of rare earth minerals to the United States.

Now this comes just a few hours after the White House said that the two sides had reached a deal. Rare earth minerals, they are used on a lot of things, from your electronics to even fighter jets. And they also have become a key source of friction between the world's two largest economies during President Trump's trade war.

The agreement appears to formalize an understanding that was reached earlier this month during negotiations in London.

All right, now to Indianapolis and the WNBA matchup between the L.A. Sparks and the Indiana Fever. It was a packed house that showed up at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Sadly, though, you see her there, Caitlin Clark, had to sit this one out because of an injury. The Sparks jumping out to an early lead, but the Fever battling back thanks to a three-point shooting of Kelsey Mitchell.

Indiana led by eight after three quarters, but L.A. has a Kelsey of its own. You see, her name is Kelsey Plum, pouring in 21 points with six assists to lead the Sparks' comeback. Final score, 85-75, the Sparks ending a four-game losing streak with this snatch.

I want to thank you for joining us on "CNN Newsroom," I'm Polo Sandoval in New York. Our coverage continues with Becky Anderson in Abu Dhabi.

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