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Trump to Meet with Putin in Alaska Next Week, Zelenskyy Not Expected to Attend; New Condemnation of Israel's Plan to Take Over Gaza City; Police Officer Killed in Shooting near CDC in Atlanta; At Least 10 Dead, Dozens Missing in Flash Floods in China; Trump Hosts Armenia-Azerbaijan Peace Signing; Famed Apollo 13 Commander Jim Lovell Dies. Aired 3-4a ET

Aired August 09, 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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BEN HUNTE, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Hello. Wherever you are in the world, you are now in the CNN NEWSROOM with me, Ben Hunte in Atlanta. And it is so good to have you with me.

Coming up on the show, the U.S. and Russian leaders say an in-person meeting is on to discuss the war in Ukraine.

But what will Ukraine have to say about it?

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu insists his country wants to liberate Gaza from Hamas, not occupy it. However, experts warn this plan could be doomed from the start.

And a police officer is dead after a shooter opened fire near the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. The latest on that investigation.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): Live from Atlanta, this is CNN NEWSROOM with Ben Hunte.

HUNTE: Welcome.

The stage is set for what could be a historic summit to end the war in Ukraine. U.S. president Donald Trump and Russian president Vladimir Putin are scheduled to meet in the U.S. state of Alaska in next week. They are set to discuss a potential peace deal that could call for Ukraine to cede territory to Russia.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R) PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: I'll be meeting very shortly with President Putin. It would have been sooner but I guess their security arrangements that unfortunately people have to make. Otherwise I'd do it much quicker. He would to -- he'd like to meet as soon as possible. (END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNTE: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy appeared to reject the prospect of ceding land to Russia. He says his country is ready to work together with president Trump toward peace but vowed the Ukrainian people, quote, "will not give their land to the occupier." Let's get more now from Kristen Holmes at the White House.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The announcement from president Trump of this sitdown meeting in Alaska next Friday was a really remarkable turn of events, given particularly how fast this has all occurred.

Now we know there has been a lot of negotiating behind the scenes, not just about where this meeting is going to be but also a potential deal to end the war in Ukraine.

Now speaking of Ukraine, one of the major questions that is still floating here is, what exactly is going on?

And how does this impact the Ukrainian President Zelenskyy?

When president Trump made this announcement about this meeting, he didn't mention Zelenskyy. In fact, he told our colleague, Kaitlan Collins, earlier in the week that he didn't want to pressure Putin to meet with Zelenskyy before the two of them sat down together.

So still questions as to whether or not Zelenskyy will even be there. But one thing to keep in mind is, for any plan, they'd have to have buy-in from Ukraine.

Now importantly, president Trump was talking about -- was asked about -- excuse me -- whether or not a deal with Russia would include Ukraine ceding some of its territory to Russia. Here's what he said.

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TRUMP: You're looking at territory that's been fought over for 3.5 years with, you know, a lot of Russians have died, a lot of Ukrainians have died. So, we're looking at that but we're actually looking to get some back and some swapping -- it's complicated.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: Now we were told that Russian president Vladimir Putin brought this plan that included ceding territory to Russia, Ukrainian territory, to Middle Eastern envoy Steve Witkoff when the two of them met earlier this week. Witkoff is then -- brought it back to the White House and back to president Trump.

One interesting part of all of this is that we were told that the United States and the White House wanted to have buy-in on a plan from the European allies. It's unclear whether or not they will actually get that. They were also hoping to have some kind of plan or framework of a plan

that both sides could agree on before the two leaders sat down together next Friday -- Kristen Holmes, CNN, the White House.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTE: And let's keep with it. CNN's Nick Paton Walsh is in Kyiv with reaction from Ukraine.

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NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: This summit between president Trump and Putin in Alaska on Friday, a moment certainly of international rehabilitation for the Kremlin head, who had his first visit to the United States for pretty much a decade.

And also on territory that once was part of Russia until it was purchased by the United States in the 1800s. So a key moment of great symbolism; also partly, too, because Ukraine won't be at that meeting.

And we have in the past seen the United States and Russia try to carve up deals that might potentially be in the Kremlin's favor without Ukraine at the table.

[03:05:05]

There are already some elements out there, suggesting some of the early permutations of what a deal might look like. A European official saying that it may well be that, in exchange for a ceasefire, Ukraine is asked to hand over the Donetsk and Luhansk regions in their entirety.

Now a reminder that two key towns in Donetsk are in fact under threat of Russian encirclement, moving fast around them during their summer offensive. Another two towns, Slovyansk and Kramatorsk, are very much still controlled by Ukraine.

And so it will be a huge lift domestically for Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelenskyy to sell significant concessions like that, maybe even in the long term, be very politically toxic for him.

President Trump was clear that he believes Zelenskyy is able to do that sort of thing, to garner parliamentary and domestic support for a concession like that. But there's huge mistrust here that the Kremlin would even stick to a ceasefire.

Remember, in the past, they have had political negotiations, diplomacy and then reinvaded, launched military operations again. So immense mistrust, certainly. And there will be deep concern, given Ukraine is not at the table there.

And, of course, too, at how the deadline of Friday has passed without significant secondary sanctions, as they were threatened by president Trump, actually being put into force.

Those against India, a major purchaser of Russian oil and gas, come in. And over two weeks from now, potentially, none announced against China. China and India's leaders on the phone to Putin, possibly helping some of this process along.

President Trump seemed to suggest that India may have been party to that as well. But it's moving particularly quickly here. And it does appear as though some bid by Russia to continue to play along with the idea of diplomacy or even some kind of ceasefire talk is gaining traction. It's certainly buying them time.

Yes, Friday is short notice. It's moving relatively quickly but there may be further processes after that in which Ukraine is asked to attend summits or be part of any further peace process.

A lot moving quickly, a lot in the Kremlin's favor right now. And let's not forget, one of the key elements in their favor, which is the front lines where Russia is seeing incremental gains turn now into more strategic progress. They need time for more of that. They're certainly getting it.

And they do appear to be having a significant change in the friendliness shown by the president of the United States, now inviting Vladimir Putin to the United States for a one-on-one meeting in a bid, Trump says, to try and bring this war to a close -- Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, Kyiv, Ukraine.

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HUNTE: Israel's prime minister is pushing back against a barrage of condemnations over his plan for a military takeover of Gaza City.

Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel's goal is not to occupy Gaza but to liberate it from Hamas. And he claims the operation will help free the hostages and demilitarize the enclave.

New satellite images suggest Israeli troops are already gearing up for the operation. This image shows a military buildup near the border with Gaza. Israel's security cabinet approved the operation on Friday, leading to outrage both inside and outside the country.

Sebastian Shukla is keeping an eye on those developments and he joins us from Berlin.

Thank you so much for being with me, Sebastian. Israel's proposal has been hit with intense criticism from some key allies.

What more can you tell us about the reactions we've seen so far?

SEBASTIAN SHUKLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, good morning, Ben, I want to just go back to start with those satellite images that you just showed. What we we're seeing there is a buildup of IDF or Israeli armed forces, vehicles, 100 or so vehicles about two kilometers away from Gaza City.

That stated first target of this supposed five-step plan in order to get back hostages and to eradicate Hamas from inside the Gaza Strip. We don't know when these operations are due to start.

But what we do know is that the Israeli government has set the deadline of October 7th. The symbolic two-year day, out of two years to the day anniversary of that horrific attack that was taken out on the Israeli people by Hamas, as the day to liberate Gaza City.

And as I said, to make it the first step of one of five in that liberation of the Strip in its entirety.

But to go back to the international reaction, it has been vociferous and condemning of Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israeli government almost across the board. We have France, Ireland, Canada, the UAE, Germany, who have all joined, expressed their condemnation of this.

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France in particular said that it condemns, in the strongest terms, the Israeli war plans, which in no way contributes to the security of Israelis, including the return of the hostages.

And here, where I am in Germany, there was the reaction yesterday from Friedrich Merz, the German chancellor.

He was one of the few leaders to actually make any concrete steps here, where Germany suspended arms sales to Israel, arms exports to Israel, for anything that would be viewed as potentially being used for any offensive in Gaza.

And that is a major shift here. But across the board, we've seen from the UAE and Saudi Arabia as well that there is there is little to no support and that lots of the concern of this seems to be around the day after, what happens after Israel occupies Gaza City.

And particularly with the continuing diabolical images we're seeing coming out of Gaza and the humanitarian catastrophe. Ben.

HUNTE: Yes. And you did mention Germany suspending arms exports there. The words from the chancellor seemed very strong for such a strong ally, right?

SHUKLA: They were very strong. And it's interesting here, because Germany and Israel have a very strong bond, which goes back to, you know, the times of post-World War II Germany and its support that Germany feels it needs to give and is obliged to give following the Holocaust and the persecution of Jews here during the Second World War.

It actually has become known as a Wirtschaftswunder (ph), as they call it in Germany, a national interest. It's a informal policy. But it means that Germany has been a vociferous, near constant supporter of Israel in all of its aims.

That, though, appears to be changing. And the yesterday was just the second or perhaps even third iteration that Friedrich Merz, the German chancellor, is saying no, Israel; no, Benjamin Netanyahu. What you are doing in Israel right now means that I will not stand idly by. He had said previously in May that he failed to see exactly what the

Israeli goals were, as an expansion of operations continued again in the Gaza Strip. So this is -- and the words from the chancellor and the actions are very serious and are and should be taken note by the Israeli government. Ben.

HUNTE: Thank you for being across that. I'm sure we'll speak again soon. Sebastian Shukla, appreciate it.

In the last hour I spoke with Yossi Mekelberg, an associate fellow at the Middle East and North Africa Programme at Chatham House. I asked him how Israel's new operation could affect the already devastating humanitarian situation.

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YOSSI MEKELBERG, ASSOCIATE FELLOW, MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA PROGRAMME, CHATHAM HOUSE: We can see from what has happened over the last 22 months, it's the same playbook of using more and more force, military force.

As Israel doesn't manage to achieve the aims that it set itself back in the aftermath of the terrible day of October 7th, defeating Hamas. This is ongoing. And now taking Gaza City will be the ultimate victory over Hamas and then the release of the hostages.

You know, we know there are still remaining 20 hostages, are in dire situation and only diplomatic efforts lead to -- lead to their release. Actually, the hostages were killed as a result of military operation or more than being released.

And in the meantime, the suffering of the -- of the Palestinian population, of the civilian population in Gaza is increasing. It's immense; less and less humanitarian aid. Whenever there is increasing military operation, it means more people killed and maimed.

And the health services, the hospitals completely collapsed. And this will, if such an operation in Gaza City, such dense, densely populated urban area, will only get worse. The hostages is at risk. And this became not Israel war. It became Netanyahu's and is very, very extreme ultranationalist, messianic people in government.

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HUNTE: A police officer is dead after a shooting at the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta. Police say a gunman opened fire outside several CDC buildings. Dekalb County police officer David Rose was shot and later died at a nearby hospital. The alleged gunman was later found dead nearby. CNN's Ryan Young has more.

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RYAN YOUNG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, tragic day here in the city of Atlanta. We have now learned a Dekalb County police officer was shot and killed responding to the active shooter that was taking place outside a CVS as a shooter directed a long weapon toward the CDC. There is video and photos of the windows inside the CDC, that we can

see some of the impacts from the bullets that were flying in there.

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We've learned no one at the CDC was injured but we did learn about that officer who was killed and the fact that he had a pregnant wife. Take a listen to Dekalb County officials talk about the officer who was killed.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

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LORRAINE COCHRAN-JOHNSON, DEKALB COUNTY CEO: This evening, there is a wife without a husband. There are three children, one unborn, without a father. There is a mother and a father as well as siblings who also share in this traumatic loss. Let's join together to give this family the support that it needs during this traumatic loss.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

YOUNG: Yes, and I've learned from a police source that apparently this shooter had not only two bags full of ammo but he had several weapons, including a shotgun, two handguns and that long weapon that he was using.

He was also dressed and prepared for the shooting. He had earmuffs to cover his ear while the shooting was going on, a surgical mask and a hat to cover his face.

At some point while he was firing, a nearby fire department heard it, called 9-1-1. When the officer arrived, he stopped shooting at the CDC, according to the source, and turned toward that vehicle with the officer inside.

Our John Miller is reporting that he found out from a police source that they believe the shooter was upset because he believed that he was sick because of a COVID-19 vaccine and that's why he was targeting the CDC. Atlanta's police chief actually talked about how they found the shooter on the second floor of the CVS. Take a listen.

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CHIEF DARIN SCHIERBAUM, ATLANTA POLICE DEPARTMENT: We later found the shooter on the second floor of the CVS. He had been struck by gunfire. We do not know at this time whether that was from officers or if it was self-inflicted.

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YOUNG: While this was going on, a shutdown was happening and hundreds of officers were running around and clearing some of the rooms. There was a daycare nearby with 92 school kids in the inside. We're told none of them were injured. But parents were obviously worried and concerned. They were released

later on. This is an active investigation. Georgia's GBI is taking over the investigation from the Atlanta Police Department as they try to figure out exactly what happened and why the shooter had the motive to go after the CDC -- Ryan Young, CNN, Atlanta, Georgia.

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HUNTE: A wildfire has burned thousands of acres in Southern California. Heat, wind and a lack of rain are making things worse for crews trying to contain it. The latest is just ahead on CNN.

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HUNTE: A growing wildfire north of Los Angeles is forcing thousands of people to evacuate. The blaze has burned more than 5,000 acres. Officials estimate it's now 25 percent contained but warn extreme heat and low humidity are creating dangerous conditions. CNN's Nick Watt brings us a closer look at firefighting efforts on the ground.

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NICK WATT, CNN ANCHOR AND NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, this is what fire season looks like in Southern California. This is the Canyon Fire. And I'm going to show you some of the mechanics of this.

So that is Hasley Canyon, a little community that firefighters were trying to protect. They tried to protect property and life. Those are their priorities.

How do they do it?

Well, Mike, if you pan over here, from the air, that pink stuff, that's called Phos-Chek. That is a flame retardant. And then look at these guys over here. You can hear, if I shut up for a second -- now, of course, they're not doing it.

They have chainsaws, they have shovels, they have hose. They are digging lines around this fire. So right now they say this fire is 25 percent contained. That's what it means. They've got containment around 25 percent of the perimeter.

So within it, we've also seen in the past half hour or so, little hotspots popping up. They hit those from the air and the ground because you don't want to leave any embers that could get picked up on wind and move the fire elsewhere.

Mike, if you come over here, you can see that's where these guys over here are doing as well. You can see a little bit of smoke still. They don't want any of that. You don't want any of these embers. So it is a meticulous process.

And look, I walked up here just carrying a microphone and I'm out of breath. These people have sometimes 45-50 pounds on their backs. All of that gear. It is hot, 100 degrees, nearly 100 degrees yesterday. This is hot, backbreaking work.

And you know, you think of firefighters. It's all kind of glamor and flames and excitement. A lot of the work is this work. It is the work trying to contain the fire. It's grunt work.

We were told this morning that the day would show us how well they had worked overnight. And so far it's looking good, 25 percent contained. That is a pretty good number.

We're not out of the woods. Temperature is still high. Humidity is still low. There is a bit of wind but they have done an excellent job in trying to contain this fire and saving homes like those -- Nick Watt, CNN, Hasley Canyon, California.

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HUNTE: A wildfire is threatening parts of Spain, causing the Spanish military to be deployed to help battle that blaze. The government of Castile and Leon had to close a local highway when the flames got too close. Officials hope cooler temperatures will help in the firefighting efforts.

Meanwhile, firefighters in Greece are battling multiple fires across the country. There are two. Gale force winds have caused the blazes to spread at a rapid pace. At least one person in a town southeast of Athens has died, while homes and farms were destroyed.

Another fire is burning a forest and olive groves in the region of ancient Olympia in southeast Greece.

At least 10 people have died and dozens more are missing after torrential rain triggered flash flooding in China. Rivers of muddy floodwater covered streets in the country's northwestern Gansu province, according to Chinese state media.

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President Xi has ordered an all-out rescue effort to find the missing. The downpours started on Thursday evening in the region's most vulnerable areas. Meteorologists say record rainfall has intensified in recent weeks due to extreme weather linked to climate change.

A slightly morbid loophole in Paris is allowing some people to buy their dream homes. But there is a catch: they have to wait until the current owner of the home dies. CNN Saskya Vandoorne explains all about it.

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SASKYA VANDOORNE, CNN SENIOR PRODUCER: On the day that Andre dies, will you be pleased that you'll be able to move in? VANDOORNE (voice-over): Buying an apartment in Paris isn't cheap but there's a quirky, slightly morbid loophole that could land you one at half the price. You're essentially betting on how long the seller is going to stick around.

It's known as "viager."

ILYA (ph), APARTMENT OWNER: I have a lot of time in front of me.

VANDOORNE (voice-over): Ilya (ph) was hoping to finally buy a dream home in Paris. After nearly a year of searching, she found a gorgeous, South-facing place for half the price of the others.

ILYA (ph): And I think it's really well-arranged.

ANDRE HELMAN, APARTMENT SELLER: For such a small apartment, it's exceptional.

VANDOORNE: This place is owned by Andre, who has no intention of moving out.

HELMAN: I needed the money and I needed the place. So this system allowed me to stay here as long as I wanted and get the money I needed.

VANDOORNE (voice-over): To buy Andre's apartment, Ilya gave him a single deposit in the range of 200,000 euros.

HELMAN: Once a year, there is a party here, the neighbors' party. It's very pleasant.

VANDOORNE (voice-over): But in a typical "viager," a buyer pays an upfront sum and then small monthly payments to the seller, who keeps living in the home until they die.

"Viager" sales make up just 1 percent of the French property market. But interest surged during COVID. And it's not just locals rolling the dice. More and more foreign buyers are getting in on the gamble, too.

Homa Ravel, an American Iranian, already has four "viager" homes for her kids and she's eyeing her first.

HOMA RAVEL, APARTMENT OWNER: I think in the beginning, friends and family were like, oh, really?

You got involved with that?

But this is helping the person. Like, I mean, this is a comfortable situation for them.

VANDOORNE (voice-over): But it's quite a bet. The longer the seller lives, the more you end up paying. And that upfront discount starts to shrink.

VANDOORNE: And you're comfortable with it being a gamble?

HELMAN: Oh, quite. After my death, I really don't worry about myself. The gamble is mainly for the -- the owner.

VANDOORNE (voice-over): It's all remarkably transparent. Listings don't just include the seller's age. They often estimate their life expectancy, too.

Most cases are uneventful. But in one instance, a buyer was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in a case involving a Madeleine and the death of an elderly seller.

VANDOORNE: So does it take a special type of person or a special type of mindset to accept the "viager" system?

HELMAN: Because of the death issue. I think that's why people feel uncomfortable. It's not my case. I'm -- as I said, I'm very lucky.

HELMAN (from captions): I'm really happy to have met you like this. I'm delighted.

HELMAN: For me, death is not an issue. It's just the end of life and it's OK.

VANDOORNE (voice-over): Saskya Vandoorne, CNN, Paris.

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HUNTE: OK. Armenia and Azerbaijan have signed a historic peace deal.

Why it's a big win for U.S. president Donald Trump -- next. Stay with CNN.

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HUNTE: Welcome back. I'm Ben Hunte. Let's take a look at today's top stories.

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HUNTE (voice-over): A police officer is dead after responding to a shooting at the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, Georgia. Police say a man targeted CDC buildings with a rifle. When police arrived, the gunman opened fire, hitting one officer who later died. The alleged gunman was found dead from a gunshot wound.

New condemnation of Israel's plan to control Gaza City, prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu says his country doesn't plan to occupy Gaza but to liberate it from Hamas. New satellite images show an Israeli military buildup on the border with Gaza.

U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian president Vladimir Putin will meet next week in the U.S. state of Alaska. They are set to discuss a potential peace deal that could call for Ukraine to cede territory to Russia.

Ukraine's president appeared to reject that proposal, saying the Ukrainian people, quote, "will not give their land to the occupier."

President Trump helped secure another peace deal, which, he has argued, should bring him closer to winning the Nobel Peace Prize. The leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan signed an agreement at the White House on Friday, vowing to end decades of fighting.

The deal also gives the U.S. exclusive rights to build a new transportation route through Armenian territory that will be named after the president. It will be called the TRIPP or the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity.

Nerses Kopalyan is an associate professor of political science at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and he joins us from Las Vegas.

Thank you so much for being with me.

How are you doing?

NERSES KOPALYAN, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF POLITICAL SCIENCE, UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA/LAS VEGAS: I'm well. Ben.

[03:35:00]

Thank you for having me.

HUNTE: You're so welcome.

Question: why did the Trump administration decide to get involved in a conflict that many Americans might not have even been aware of?

And what does the U.S. gain strategically from this?

KOPALYAN: Well, what you had basically a monumental moment where the United States under Trump administration was able to solve a 35-year old conflict in a volatile region that no other government or platform was able to address.

So in that context, the Trump administration viewed this as an important opportunity to display the capabilities of the Trump doctrine and seeking basically peace through strength.

And so what happened was, after the 2020 war, when Azerbaijan invaded Armenia territories in Nagorno-Karabakh, which is a conflict that goes back into the early '90s, you had a ceasefire that was very untenable and unstable.

And so the region remained in a state of flux and the security environment was quite complex. The Biden administration attempted to address the conundrum. They struggled with it because, for various reasons, the leadership in Azerbaijan was reticent to agree to peace by virtue of the power disparity that they enjoyed.

The European Union attempted to also serve as a mediating platform. It did not produce the results.

So when the Trump administration came in, they viewed this as an important opportunity.

A low-hanging fruit, if you will, that the administration, through a creative incentive structure and intense engagement with both sides and the ability to impose a certain level of pressure on Azerbaijan to bring them to the negotiating table, to basically achieve an outcome.

HUNTE: How does this deal affect Russia's standing in the South Caucasus, a region where it's been a key power and dominated for decades?

KOPALYAN: That is a very good question. Contextually, Russia is no longer the reigning hegemon of Eurasia or the South Caucasus. The Ukraine conflict has exponentially diminished Russia's power and Russia's ability to influence and shape developments.

And the South Caucasus, as you noted, a traditional sphere of influence of Russia, is no longer the case. And so what the United States did is they basically stepped into the South Caucasus and they took ownership of the Armenia-Azerbaijani peace process.

And in that context, a process that Russia was able to dominate for three decades, that was no longer the case.

Furthermore, what we saw is that the -- in the entire post-Soviet space, Russia's influence is consistently waning. And so the United States found this opportunity to move in and basically establish the South Caucasus as an area of interest for the United States.

HUNTE: How might this impact broader U.S.-Russia relations just one week before Trump and Putin are scheduled to meet?

KOPALYAN: What it does is it basically gives the United States more leverage on engagements with Russia.

We saw that the deadline that the Trump administration placed on Putin, with respect to coming to the negotiating table, with that deadline being today, Putin already offered his conditions for a ceasefire and thus will be meeting with Trump.

So we see a certain level of concern from the Kremlin that there are certain ways in which they cannot engage the Trump administration that would lead to punitive action.

And what we saw with the developments in the South Caucasus and basically United States addressing important parts of the Armenia- Azerbaijan conflict, is that the United States is displaying to the Russians that we really are not equals, that all America's capabilities to address regional issues, America has a much broader and stronger toolkit.

HUNTE: What do you think this agreement tells us about president Trump's broader foreign policy approach and how he wants to shape his own legacy? KOPALYAN: We've seen a pattern with his America First foreign policy. It's a doctrine that basically seeks to establish peace in volatile regions. And, of course, the underlying objective is to create a legacy as a -- as a peacemaker, to basically step into conflicts that have not been able to be addressed or solved by other mediating efforts.

And for him to be able to address that. And, of course, as I noted, the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict is an extraordinary case in point. It is a conflict that, for 30 years, was not being able to be solved. It went through war. It went through ethnic cleansing by Azerbaijan.

And right now it found itself in a state of instability. So the United States stepped in. In a matter of months, the administration was able to find a solution and one that not only brings stability to the region but also expands U.S. and Western influence in these parts of the world.

And so for Trump, right, all of these by design are achieving goals, by having deliverables. And all of these are going to cement his legacy from his perspective of being a prolific peacemaker in a volatile world where others have failed but he has succeeded.

[03:40:00]

HUNTE: Really, really interesting. Nerses Kopalyan, thank you so much for your analysis there. I appreciate it.

KOPALYAN: My pleasure.

HUNTE: Alexander Lukashenko's authoritarian rule in Belarus may be coming to an end. The Belarusian president told "Time" magazine he's not planning to run for another term. He also denied rumors that he is lining up his son as a successor.

Lukashenko is Europe's longest serving leader and was reelected in January for another five-year term. It was an election that his exiled opponents and Western countries have denounced as a sham.

OK, I'm Ben Hunte in Atlanta. For our viewers in North America. I'm back with more CNN NEWSROOM next. And for our international viewers is "WORLD SPORT." See you tomorrow.

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HUNTE: Welcome back.

A federal appeals court has ended criminal contempt proceedings against Trump officials. CNN's Katelyn Polantz has more on that and how the White House is pushing back against the courts. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KATELYN POLANTZ, CNN SENIOR CRIME AND JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: This presidency of Donald Trump and the Trump administration, they are picking a fight over and over again with many federal judges across the country.

And guess what?

It's going pretty badly for the judiciary or for at least some federal judges that are trying to hold Justice Department attorneys, Trump administration officials accountable.

Here's an example. Recently, there was a situation where Judge James Boasberg -- he's the chief judge of the federal court in D.C. -- he took issue with representations the Justice Department and the Trump administration were making in court in a very high-stakes and fast- moving immigration situation.

He found reason that he believed that he was being misled intentionally by the administration. He wanted to hold people in criminal contempt or at least look at that. But other courts, the appeals court above him, it put everything on hold so that Boasberg didn't have any power to move forward.

And then just on Friday, the appeals court said, no; there's not going to be a criminal contempt proceeding here. That was a 2-1 vote in the federal appeals court in D.C.

One judge on that court, a Trump appointee himself, wrote that they were going to put an end to the standoff now because it would defuse the tension between the judiciary and the Trump administration.

I was -- been speaking, though, to several former federal judges, as well as sitting federal judges on the bench now. And they're telling me things like the Trump administration, they believe, are trying to intimidate, threaten and just run over the courts in ways that they have never seen.

That was one retired federal judge. Another former judge told me, at the end of the day, the courts just don't have that many options to hold the Trump administration accountable if they don't follow court orders.

This is a situation where I then asked, are we in a constitutional crisis?

And the judges said, that's not the case yet because the Supreme Court is signing off on many of the things that the Trump administration wants to do at this point in time and not letting a standoff happen between the judiciary and the executive branch.

Though Steve Vladeck, a CNN legal analyst, he is also a constitutional law expert and a Supreme Court expert. I talked to him about a constitutional crisis and he said that, right now, the problem is that too many people are waiting for a crossing the Rubicon moment. When what we've seen to date is the Trump administration finding lots

of other ways to try to sneak into Rome. Things are bubbling up. There are many other situations still out there in court.

There's another case just on Friday that we heard about, where a Trump appointed judge in Rhode Island wanted the Trump administration to explain themselves about why they haven't paid out millions of dollars for housing programs in that state, in Rhode Island, related to low- income senior citizen housing.

The judge is giving the Trump administration an opportunity. But again, this is just another example of how slow these things move if the courts believe that the Trump administration isn't following court orders. And at the end of the day, there might just not be much there for judges to do -- back to you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTE: An NFL preseason game was suspended after an alarming injury on the field on Friday. Detroit Lions player Maurice Norris was trying to tackle Atlanta Falcons running back Nathan Carter. Carter's knee hit Norris in the head. Norris fell to the turf and appeared to be unconscious.

Medical staff from both teams rushed to help. While players stood nearby, an ambulance took Norris from the field to a nearby hospital. A short time ago, the Lions said Norris has feeling and movement in all his extremities and will stay in the hospital for observation.

Retired quarterback Tom Brady has been cast in bronze. The honor comes from the New England Patriots, the team that he led to six Super Bowl wins. The statue was unveiled on Friday to cheers outside the team's Hall of Fame. Brady was there for the reveal, along with his parents and children and several former teammates.

[03:50:00]

Commenting on the larger-than-life figure, Brady said this statue isn't just for the Pats fans. It will also give all the Jets fans something to throw their beers at as they leave the stadium every year.

The commander for the famed Apollo 13 mission has died. NASA reports Jim Lovell passed away on Thursday in Lake Forest, Illinois. Lovell flew to space on several missions, including Apollo 8, before NASA selected him to command Apollo 13.

The mission was planned as a third successful moon landing. But, as Lovell explained, an oxygen tank explosion forced them to head back to Earth.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JIM LOVELL, COMMANDER, APOLLO 13: I heard a loud bang. And the funny thing is, during our test phases, while we were in the spacecraft, Fred Haise made some -- made things kind of funny. You know, he would pull -- I think it was an oxygen valve of some sort.

He sort of gave a bang, too. And I thought at first, his -- because that was Fred, that -- why is he doing that again?

And then I looked up at him. I had been down on the command module. And I looked up at him and he had -- his eyes were as wide as saucers and I could tell -- he says, it's not me. And then, of course, things started to happen.

HUNTE: The crew made a risky but successful splashdown in the south Pacific Ocean.

Actor Tom Hanks played Lovell in the 1995 film based on the mission, Apollo 13. Jim Lovell was 97 years old.

CNN's Tom Foreman has more about the life and legacy of Naval pilot and officer Jim Lovell.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (OFF MIKE COMMENTS).

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNTE: Take a look at this. A massive water was spotted swirling just over Havana's famous seawall on Friday afternoon, a popular gathering spot for locals and tourists that stretches along Cuba's northern coast.

Witnesses reported moments of panic as the waterspout appeared to inch closer to shore but it dissipated without making landfall. No damages or injuries were reported following the rare weather phenomenon.

An extraordinary discovery in Peru, what archeologists call a breakthrough in the study of the mysterious Warriors of the Clouds civilization. Two ceremonial club heads have been uncovered in a remote region of the Amazon, along with more than 200 ancient structures.

The stone club heads are believed to be 1,000 years old. Researchers also uncovered a unique frieze with a zigzag design never before seen in the region. The Chachapoyas' civilization is believed to have lived between 900-1450 A.D.

As if being a zookeeper isn't already a pretty cool job, the staff at the Prague Zoo are now adding puppeteer to their list of special skills. The bird caretakers use a hand puppet that resembles adult vultures to help to baby vultures learn to identify with other birds and not humans.

The goal is to reduce the risk of the chicks having difficulty bonding with a mate later in life. The puppet show method has also been used with other birds at the zoo, including hornbills and magpies.

OK, let's go back now. More on the life and legacy of astronaut Jim Lovell. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Four times into space, more than 700 hours in the heavens, two times to the moon -- Jim Lovell came so very close to walking on the lunar surface and never made it. But he came close to tragedy, too.

LOVELL: Oh, I think individually we all thought, holy cow, what happens if we don't get home?

FOREMAN (voice-over): Lovell was a kid from Cleveland, born on the doorstep of the Great Depression, who loved rockets, became a naval aviator, a test pilot and then an astronaut through the Gemini and Apollo programs.

On the first mission to ever orbit the moon, Apollo 8, he joined his crewmates on Christmas Eve, 1968, to read from space from The Bible's Book of Genesis.

LOVELL: And God said let there be light and there was light.

FOREMAN (voice-over): It was, however, another dark utterance from Lovell that captivated the planet.

LOVELL: OK, Houston, we've had a problem here.

TOM HANKS, ACTOR, "JIM LOVELL": We have a main bus B undervolt.

FOREMAN (voice-over): As depicted in the hit film "Apollo 13," an onboard explosion had largely disabled the spaceship, scuttling the crew's planned moon landing and setting up a desperate slingshot maneuver to head home as a breathless world watched Lovell and his crew a quarter million miles away.

LOVELL: And I said, gentlemen, what are your plans here?

And they said, well.

[03:55:00]

As we go around the far side of the moon, we're going to take some pictures.

And I said, if we don't get home, we won't get them developed.

(LAUGHTER)

FOREMAN (voice-over): They made it. And as for me, Lovell made a cameo in the movie and the story of fearless engineering and faith in the moment became NASA lore.

CHIAO: People like Jim were pioneers they were out there hanging it out, taking pretty big risks at the time, you know, to go achieve things that we have not been able to recreate since 1972.

FOREMAN (voice-over): In a statement, Lovell's family saluted his professional career but said his personal roles as a father, granddad, family man mattered more.

"We will miss his unshakable optimism," they wrote, "his sense of humor and the way he made each of us feel we could do the impossible." -- Tom Foreman, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTE: Thanks for joining me and the team. I'm Ben Hunte in Atlanta. See you later.