Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Newsroom
Trump to Meet with Putin in Alaska Next Week, Zelenskyy Not Expected to Attend; Police Officer Killed in Shooting near CDC in Atlanta; Texas Dems Remain out of State; New Condemnation of Israel's Plan to Take Over Gaza City; Trump Administration Seeking $1 Billion Settlement from UCLA; U.S. Law Enforcement to Begin Interviewing Unaccompanied Migrant Children in Government Custody; Renewed Arsenal on Quest to Reclaim League Title. Aired 5-6a ET
Aired August 09, 2025 - 05:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[05:00:00]
(MUSIC PLAYING)
KIM BRUNHUBER, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Welcome to all of you watching here in the United States, Canada and around the world, I'm Kim Brunhuber. This is CNN NEWSROOM.
President Zelenskyy pushing back on Donald Trump's statements about ceding land to Russia. We're live in Kyiv with the latest on a much anticipated meeting between Trump and Putin.
And Trump is intensifying his push to redraw voting lines in key states. Why some leaders are jumping for the chance to redistrict, while others weigh their options.
Plus, a wildfire raging near Los Angeles is prompting evacuations. We'll take a look at the forecast and the firefighting efforts underway.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): Live from Atlanta, this is CNN NEWSROOM with Kim Brunhuber.
BRUNHUBER: We're getting the first reaction out of Ukraine to a summit between U.S.
President Donald Trump and Russian president Vladimir Putin, aimed at ending the war there. The two leaders are planning to meet in Alaska next Friday without Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
On Friday, president Trump suggested a potential peace deal could call for Ukraine to give up territory to Russia and freeze the current lines on the battlefield.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
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)
BRUNHUBER: But a short time ago, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy seemed to reject that idea. 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." Here he is.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): Ukraine is ready for real solutions that can bring peace. Any decisions that are against us, any decisions that are without Ukraine are also decisions against peace. They will not give anything. They are dead solutions. They will never work.
And we all need a real, living peace that people will respect. We are ready to work together with president Trump, together with all our partners, for a real and, most importantly, a lasting peace, a peace that will not fall apart because of Moscow's wishes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRUNHUBER: I want to go live now to Kyiv and to CNN's Nick Paton Walsh.
So Nick, more details emerging about this meeting between Putin and Trump.
What more can you tell us?
NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Alaska, Friday, obviously formally part of Russia, sold in 1867 to the United States for just over $7 million back then; a very relevant location for a meeting of that import.
Now we know from Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov that return invitation has been sent to president Trump, he says, potentially inviting Trump to Russia, even talking about economic opportunities between the two countries.
Look, Ukraine is clearly the main focus of this. But even before the meeting's begun, it is already overwhelmingly framed in Russia's favor. This is the first invitation for Putin for a decade to the United States. He'll be the first Russian president to go to Alaska.
He will sit opposite Donald Trump, a man over whom he appeared to have some extraordinary influence, and lay out, I think, the terms that he would accept for some kind of peace settlement.
Ukraine won't be there. Ukraine already today on the sidelines, trying to explain that it can't accept the idea of ceding territory. The first formulation vaguely leaked over the past 24 hours or so. European officials suggesting that Ukraine might be asked to give up what it still controls in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions in the east. Just a reminder, Russia is close to encircling Pokrovsk and
Konstantinovka in those areas. But Ukraine still has significant control over Slovyansk and Kramatorsk, two other key towns.
And this deal potentially could ask Ukraine to pull out of all of that in exchange for a ceasefire. Trump holding out the idea of maybe territory being swapped. It's hard to see what Russia would give back to Ukraine. Maybe the areas in Sumy and Kharkiv along the border that it's been occupying recently, calling it a buffer zone.
But overwhelmingly a win for Putin if he's managed to get Trump to push Ukraine toward handing over Donetsk and Luhansk.
Is that something Zelenskyy could risk trying to push through the Ukrainian political elite here and through public opinion that will be harshly against it?
[05:05:00]
Pro peace, yes, but unlikely to want to give up territory for the sole gain of a ceasefire, given the suspicion that Russia rarely sustains those over a protracted period of time. Trump, already suggesting Zelenskyy will have to get together all the things he needs to push any kind of deal through.
So here we are yet again, a familiar moment, where Russia gets to dictate what it would like to Trump. Trump seems to back it, predominantly. Talking in the Oval Office or in the White House yesterday, almost as though peace was upon us and the war in the past tense.
So much more to be done ahead of Friday. But even before these two men have met the framing of what could potentially happen so distinctly in Moscow's favor. And that's clearly got everyone here deeply concerned.
BRUNHUBER: Well, yes, let's drill down on that a bit more.
This deal that apparently is so much in Russia's favor, how is that playing there in Ukraine?
WALSH: As you said just now, Zelenskyy making it clear that they can't give land to the occupier.
Look, you know, thousands of Ukrainians have died holding the front lines as they currently stand. Thousands potentially for the towns we're even talking about, Pokrovsk Konstantinovka, Kramatorsk and Slovyansk.
Russia is making clear gains on the front line and, through this summit on Friday, will be buying themselves time. It's unlikely that they will emerge in the early hours of what will be Saturday here, with a deal that Ukraine can immediately sign on to and, more importantly, to an immediate ceasefire.
Putin has always said, when pushed by the U.S., Europe and Ukraine for an immediate ceasefire over the past months -- remember, this is not the first time we've been here and any distraction at all. He's always said a ceasefire requires lots of technical work and monitoring, et cetera.
So it's unlikely that, suddenly on Saturday, we will have the guns falling silent here in Ukraine. It's more likely we'll see more meetings, maybe a proposal being taken to Ukraine, maybe the Europeans stepping in, trying to amend that proposal or change Trump's thinking or even persuade Ukraine to accept that kind of proposal.
We're into a very dangerous moment here because Putin is getting what he wants on the front line. slowly right now. He's getting what he wants diplomatically, which is an invitation to the United States to meet Trump on a bilateral meeting that Ukraine has got nothing to do with.
In which the topic of discussion is going to be Ukraine handing over land in exchange for the war stopping. So it's already very much in Russia's favor.
Is Trump the man to push back and leave Putin departing that meeting feeling uncomfortable?
Not on the history we've seen so far. And so I think we're into a defining week for this war, potentially. And we've still got six days to this meeting even happened. Six days ago, it wasn't even a thought. Kim.
BRUNHUBER: I appreciate that. Nick Paton Walsh in Kyiv. Thank you so much.
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 from his injuries. The alleged gunman was found dead near the scene. CNN's Ryan Young has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
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.
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)
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.
[05:10:00]
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.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
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.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
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.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BRUNHUBER: Police have captured a man accused of killing four people in a Montana bar. They took Michael Paul Brown into custody after a week long multi-agency manhunt in the Montana wilderness.
Brown, an Army veteran, was seen on security video fleeing The Owl Bar, where four patrons were shot and killed. Authorities haven't said what charges he'll face. Wildfires are spreading throughout the Western U.S., fueled by a
dangerous mix of extreme heat, low humidity and blustering winds. The Canyon wildfire just north of Los Angeles has burned more than 5,000 acres already. Officials estimate it's now 25 percent contained but are urging thousands of people to evacuate L.A. County.
CNN's Nick Watt brings us a closer look at firefighting efforts there on the ground.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
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.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BRUNHUBER: As summer heat lingers over the Western U.S., a wave of warm weather is prompting heat alerts in Eastern states as well. Parts of the Midwestern Plains have already seen temperatures well above average. Now parts of New England could set daily heat records this weekend.
We're also keeping an eye on the tropics, where coastal communities are bracing for hurricane season. A storm system brewing in the central Atlantic has weakened in recent days. Early models indicate it's unlikely to threaten the U.S. But experts expect more storms to materialize off the African coast soon.
Still to come, Texas Democratic lawmakers are refusing to return to the state despite warrants for their arrest. We'll have the latest on their fight against a new congressional map in Texas that could give Republicans five more seats in the House.
Plus, Texas isn't the only Republican controlled state the Trump administration is focusing on in their hopes of redrawing congressional maps. We'll have a closer look at their plans next. Stay with us.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[05:15:00]
(MUSIC PLAYING)
BRUNHUBER: Texas state Democrats are refusing to return to the state. They're trying to stop Republicans from pushing through legislation to redraw congressional maps.
Republicans are pressuring the Democrats to come back by issuing civil arrest warrants against them. Legal experts say these warrants might be hard to enforce outside of Texas. The Democrats also face a daily $500 fine.
Texas' Republican lieutenant governor, Dan Patrick, says he wants lawmakers arrested.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR DAN PATRICK (R-TX): They're turning their back on Texas. They deserve to be arrested and brought back and if they can be removed from office, they deserve that, too, because they are not serving the Constitution in my view.
They're not serving their constituents, which they vowed to do. They are on the run. And if we can find them and cuff them, we need to bring them back.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRUNHUBER: By refusing to return to the state capital, the Democrats are preventing legislature from having a quorum. That's the minimum number of members that must be present for legislation to be considered. CNN's Steve Contorno has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
STEVE CONTORNO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: With more than 50 Texas Democratic lawmakers still outside the state on Friday, the House of Representatives in Texas was forced to gavel in and gavel out for the fifth consecutive day.
Thwarting Republican plans to put forth a new congressional map that could potentially net them five additional seats in Congress. However, Republicans there were not stopped from escalating their threats against Democrats.
Attorney general Ken Paxton filing a lawsuit on Friday, threatening to remove some Democratic lawmakers from office. Democratic state caucus chair Gene Wu saying he doesn't have the power to do that.
[05:20:00]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GENE WU, TEXAS STATE HOUSE DEMOCRAT: And we'll say this as we say -- have said it many times, we will not be broken by these antics. We are not here to play games. We are not here to make waves, to go viral or do any of that stuff, like governor Abbott and Ken Paxton.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CONTORNO (voice-over): Meanwhile, a national redistricting arms race could soon be underway. California Democrats, led by governor Gavin Newsom, said that they intend to put forth their own maps that could potentially help Democrats offset some of the Republican gains in Texas.
If Republicans there go forward with that plan, those new maps could be revealed as soon as next week and voted on later this month.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. ZOE LOFGREN (D-CA): We cannot stand here and just shrug as Trump and the Republicans try and rig the rules so they can avoid responsibility for the damage that they have done to this country.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CONTORNO: Texas Republicans will try to reconvene again on Monday. They have until August 19th until this current special session ends. But Texas governor Greg Abbott has said that he will summon lawmakers back to Austin over and over and over again, as long as it takes -- Steve Contorno, CNN, Chicago.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BRUNHUBER: Now Texas is just one Republican-controlled state in the White House's sights when it comes to redistricting. Trump allies are also putting pressure on others, including Ohio, South Carolina and Missouri. But the administration is finding out not everyone is ready to fall in line.
Take Indiana. Vice president JD Vance went there Thursday to meet with governor Mike Braun and other Republican leaders. But so far they seem to have limited interest in redistricting. That's partially due to the cost of holding a special session but also concerns of undermining Republican incumbents.
As Braun himself put it, "We listened."
For more on what's happening in the Hoosier State. I'm joined by Kayla Dwyer. She's the statehouse reporter for the "Indianapolis Star" newspaper.
Really great to have you up this morning for us. Thank you so much.
So a fairly diplomatic response from Indiana's governor there, which says a lot, right. So when the vice president came to town, from what I understand, it was quite a -- quite a scene at the statehouse. There were black curtains, basement entrances.
Take us through what that was like and what all that secrecy maybe says about how uncomfortable some Indiana Republicans are with this redistricting push.
KAYLA DWYER, STATEHOUSE REPORTER, "INDIANAPOLIS STAR": The visual was quite telling, I will say. The black curtain was there as soon as I got there at 8 am in front of the governor's office. It was clear that, you know, there would be no talking to the media or the public before or after.
The statehouse started to fill up that early as well, with people who were obviously very unhappy with this idea. It grew very raucous. And in fact, as soon as protesters learned that Mr. Vance was in the building, they let out a 70-second-long boo, a chorus of booing.
The -- it is definitely a conundrum for Indiana leaders. You know, we are already a very heavily Republican state. Seven of our nine seats are Republican and safely so. And so the idea of trying to carve out more Republican districts is really a squirmy idea for incumbents.
As you said, you know, we have the northwest Indiana, where the seat of Gary, outside of Chicago, you could carve that up and maybe gain one seat. There's some counties up there that have trended toward Trump in recent years.
But if you carve up the 7th District, which is Indianapolis, and give some of those voters up north to Victoria Spartz, she could be seeing some tossup elections like she used to before our lawmakers took out Indianapolis from her district. BRUNHUBER: All right. So there might be a little bit on the line
there for Indiana Republicans. But as you say, I mean, it is a solidly red state. You might think that the governor, you know, wouldn't want to push back against Trump.
What does he have to gain by not just kind of going along with this?
DWYER: That's the tension, right?
He, governor Mike Braun, was endorsed by president Trump in his gubernatorial primary, which was very competitive. And that was seen as the thing that, among others, that helped him pull ahead of the pack.
And so, in some sense, Braun owes Mr. Trump. And so there's that tension, combined with state leaders that, really, I'm sensing, don't have any enthusiasm for this whatsoever because of the aforementioned reasons. So I think, you know, there could be a middle ground here of Indiana taking the idea seriously and studying it.
[05:25:00]
And coming to the conclusion that perhaps, you know, this could end up backfiring and resulting in more tossup seats and actually a net zero for Republicans. And if that argument is convincing, then governor Braun gets to have it both ways. He took seriously the president's proposal and found that it actually would hurt the president.
BRUNHUBER: Right. OK. So let's look at the other side here. Democrats staged a big rally in the statehouse, calling it sabotage, corruption.
Are they gaining any traction with this message or is it just all political theater since they don't really have any power?
DWYER: You know, I'm seeing that message resonate with voters across the aisle as well a little bit. You do see some prominent, you know, conservative radio hosts even talking about this as rigging elections, this idea of further gerrymandering the state.
So it's not just a Democratic push to call this wrong. In fact, I've heard from a GOP lawmaker in the state, who called it silly and wrong and said that he's heard from overwhelmingly negative responses in his inbox from his Republican voters toward this. So I really don't think that this is a popular idea.
And I should say it is true, though, that Democrats, in terms of the tools at their disposal, don't -- the pulpit and that messaging is about all they have. We have a super minority. We need two-thirds of the legislative body to make quorum. And Republicans can do that by themselves. So there will be no fleeing to Illinois from Indiana this time.
(LAUGHTER)
BRUNHUBER: All right. Excellent. Well, so I saw the lieutenant governor came out as being behind redistricting. So looking at this down the road, I mean, is the governor just kind of
delaying the inevitable here?
I mean, what happens if president Trump really turns up the pressure?
Can he resist?
DWYER: I think there is some a waiting game going on. They want to see what does play out in Texas before deciding to spend Hoosier taxpayer dollars on exploring this. So that is part of the reason why I feel like there's a stalling going on.
But ultimately, you know, when push comes to shove, I do think probably you might see our party, the Republican Party, falling in line. And when, if -- if and when that happens, despite private protesting from state lawmakers, they'll do it. Is sort of what, you know, political experts and observers are telling me.
BRUNHUBER: It will be interesting to see how this all plays out, not just in your state but across many states here. Kayla Dwyer, thank you so much for being with us. Really appreciate it.
DWYER: Thank you.
BRUNHUBER: All right. The U.S. Justice Department is moving forward with its request to have grand jury exhibits and transcripts released from the Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell cases. The DOJ asked two federal judges to allow the release of these documents. It's not clear how much information is in the grand jury transcripts.
Now this comes as the Trump administration faces continued backlash over lack of transparency regarding the Epstein investigation. The DOJ did ask both judges to hold off on making a decision until they hear back from victims, who may object.
And some victims have said they feel like the Trump administration is using them in political warfare.
We're getting indications that Israel is laying the groundwork for its expected takeover of Gaza City. But as the Israeli military gets ready, condemnations get louder. We'll have that story ahead.
Plus, what the Trump administration now wants from UCLA as it continues to put pressure on American universities. We'll have that story and much more coming up. Stay with us.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[05:30:00]
(MUSIC PLAYING)
BRUNHUBER: Welcome back to CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Kim Brunhuber. Let's check some of today's top stories. (MUSIC PLAYING)
BRUNHUBER (voice-over): U.S. president Donald Trump and Russian president Vladimir Putin will meet next week in Alaska. They're 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."
A police officer is dead after responding to a shooting at the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, Georgia. Police say a man fired at CDC buildings with a rifle. When police arrived, the gunman opened fire on them, hitting one officer who later died. The alleged gunman was found dead from a gunshot wound.
Thousands of people are evacuating Los Angeles County. They've been forced from their homes by the rapidly spreading Canyon wildfire that burned nearly 5,000 acres in less than a day.
Further north, the Gifford Fire has reached megafire status after burning more than 100,000 acres. It's the state's largest wildfire this year and is only 15 percent contained.
BRUNHUBER: 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 isn't to occupy Gaza but to liberate it from Hamas.
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 inside and outside the country.
For more, let's head to Berlin, where we're joined by Sebastian Shukla.
Sebastian, we're seeing more and more international condemnation. Take us through the reactions.
SEBASTIAN SHUKLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, good morning, Kim. The international condemnation and reaction to this Israeli cabinet and Benjamin Netanyahu's proposal to launch this offensive on Gaza City has gathered force and has remained to gather more momentum as more people and more countries have come out to criticize the move.
What is interesting, though, is that Benjamin Netanyahu, as you alluded to, appears to have softened his tone.
Now whether that is as a result of this condemnation, widespread as it now seems to be, or whether this is just a clarifying of the Israeli position, I'd like you to take a listen to what the prime minister had to say before that security cabinet meeting. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Will Israel take control of all of Gaza?
[05:35:00]
BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, PRIME MINISTER OF ISRAEL: We intend to, in order to assure our security, remove Hamas there; enable the population to be free of Gaza and to pass it to civilian governance that is not Hamas and not anyone advocating the destruction of Israel.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SHUKLA: so you see there that the prime minister, Netanyahu, seemed to say that the intention was for Israeli forces to occupy the entirety of Gaza. That has now been rolled back.
He took to social media last evening to say, we are not going to occupy Gaza. We are going to free Gaza from Hamas.
Now what we see, that may be just a change of tone and a clarification. But what is certain is that, Israeli forces, the IDF, as you were just showing those satellite images, are mustering, preparing for whatever this occupation may be on Gaza City.
That satellite photo that we showed earlier shows Israeli forces mustering near the crossing from Israel into Gaza, just two miles away from Gaza City. It is certain now that that those forces will cross into the Gaza Strip to occupy, at least temporarily, Gaza City.
But the condemnation that has come out from Israel's closest and staunchest allies has been vociferous. We have the UAE; there is France, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Canada, Ireland have all come out and condemned this move.
But none of them have been as have been as clear or carried as much weight, perhaps, as the move made by Germany and Friedrich Merz, who said, I am going to suspend all military arms exports to Israel for anything that may be used for future attacks on the Gaza Strip.
And that marks a major shift in tone here for Germany, a country that has stood by Israel for so many years following the persecution of Jews here after the Second World War.
And it marks a continuation now of that policy by Friedrich Merz, saying to Israel, clearly trying to say to Israel that Germany is not going to stand idly by now as the situation in Gaza unfolds. Your aims remain unclear. And those horrific images coming out of Gaza as pertaining to that awful, catastrophic humanitarian situation unfolding there. Kim.
BRUNHUBER: All right. Appreciate you bringing us up to speed, Sebastian Shukla, thanks so much.
The Trump administration is ramping up its battle with Harvard University. It's now threatening to take over the school's patents. That's according to a letter the U.S. Commerce Secretary sent to Harvard.
Howard Lutnick said he's launching an investigation into Harvard's federally funded research programs. He said the White House believes the university has breached some of those requirements for the programs.
It comes after the Trump administration froze billions of dollars in funding for Harvards research.
And CNN is learning exclusively that the Trump administration is seeking a $1 billion settlement from the University of California/Los Angeles.
The White House began withholding millions in funding from the school last week, prompting UCLA's chancellor to warn of devastating effects on its research mission. CNN's Betsy Klein is following the latest developments.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BETSY KLEIN, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, the Trump administration has been taking aim at elite higher education institutions, looking to implement sweeping policy changes at the same time they're trying to extract significant concessions.
And it was just last week that the federal government froze nearly $0.5 billion in federal research funding for UCLA. But we learned that UCLA had come back to the negotiating table with the White House, trying to strike a deal to restore some of that funding.
But the White House, the Trump administration, laying an early marker in a draft resolution agreement that set the terms of a settlement at $1 billion. CNN was able to exclusively obtain that draft resolution and review it. And I want to be absolutely clear that UCLA has not yet agreed to this proposal.
But I want to take you through some of the provisions. One, UCLA pays the federal government $1 billion, plus $127 million to settle Title VII civil rights claims.
There will be a resolution monitor to oversee compliance. They will require revised policy -- policies for protests. They will mandate the end of race and ethnicity-based scholarships, ensure recognition for female athletes in women's sports.
And the UCLA hospital and medical school will be required to stop performing gender-affirming care procedures. Now in turn, the federal government is expected to restore that frozen federal funding to UCLA if the agreement is reached.
But UC System president J.B. Milliken casting this proposal really as a nonstarter. He said earlier this week, "We offered to engage in good faith dialogue with the department to protect the university and its critical research mission.
[05:40:04] "As a public university, we are stewards of taxpayer resources and a payment of this scale would completely devastate our country's greatest public university system as well as inflict great harm on our students and all Californians."
I also heard from California state senator Scott Weiner, a Democrat. He said it, this proposal, is, quote, "morally unacceptable" and, quote, "mob boss behavior" by president Trump.
But for now, UCLA, its chancellor says, is evaluating its best course of action. A lot of questions here about whether and how they can move forward with a potential deal -- Betsy Klein, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BRUNHUBER: A CNN exclusive uncovers a new plan in president Trump's crackdown on immigration. When we come back, the escalating focus on unaccompanied migrant children. Stay with us.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(MUSIC PLAYING)
BRUNHUBER: Sources tell CNN that the Internal Revenue Service began sharing sensitive taxpayer data this week with immigration authorities searching for undocumented migrants.
The Department of Homeland Security signed an agreement with the Treasury Department in April. It requires the IRS to turn over data on immigrants who are already facing deportation orders and are under federal criminal investigation.
Now it comes as the Trump administration secured a big win in its battle with U.S. district court judge James Boasberg. On Friday, a federal appeals court halted his criminal contempt proceedings against White House officials involved in a high-stakes immigration case.
They were accused of violating his orders earlier this year, to stop using the Alien Enemies Act to deport alleged Venezuelan gang members.
All right, now to another CNN exclusive. We obtained an internal notification that U.S. law enforcement is planning to interview unaccompanied migrant children in custody at shelters across the country.
[05:45:00]
That includes more than 2,000 children who arrived at the southern border without a parent or guardian. CNN's Priscilla Alvarez has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PRISCILLA ALVAREZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: All of this is stemming from the president's criticism of the Biden administration's handling of migrant children and skepticism among administration officials about the federal program that is charged with the care of unaccompanied children.
But there are significant red flags that are being raised. For example, there are already processes in place if a child is signaling that they may have been victims of human trafficking or some other nefarious activity.
In those situations, they do often -- they, for example, being attorneys -- bring in federal law enforcement. And they also usually conduct those interviews off campus.
The concern here is that by bringing federal law enforcement for blanket interviews with children in these shelters, that they could be exposing this already vulnerable population and, in some cases, retraumatizing children.
Now in a statement, Health and Human Services spokesperson Andrew Nixon said, quote, "We are committed to working with our partners to identify criminal activities that threaten unaccompanied alien children, to root out both trafficking and fraud."
In another statement, the Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said, quote, "As of July 24th, 2025, more than 59,000 of the backlogged reports have been analyzed and processed, reports concerning unaccompanied kids."
She goes on to say that they have resulted in more than 4,000 investigative leads, including fraud, human trafficking and other criminal activity.
Now these interviews that are expected to happen with children in custody already builds on ongoing efforts; for example, the targeting of legal services for children in custody or other wellness checks that are happening where Immigration and Customs Enforcement is going to the homes of these children who are in the United States.
And all of this together, advocates, experts and former officials say, could have a chilling effect on children, on immigrant families, particularly if the proper precautions are not taken -- back to you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BRUNHUBER: The commander for the famed Apollo 13 mission has died. NASA reports Jim Lovell passed away 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 moon landing but an oxygen tank explosion forced them to head back to Earth, surviving a risky splashdown in the South Pacific Ocean.
The 1995 film "Apollo 13" dramatized the ordeal. Actor Tom Hanks, playing Lovell, said the famous line, "Houston, we have a problem." Lovell made a brief cameo as a Navy ship captain but he never made it to the lunar surface. He was 97 years old. Stay with us. We'll be right back.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[05:50:00]
(MUSIC PLAYING)
BRUNHUBER: An NFL preseason game was suspended after an alarming injury on the field Friday. Detroit Lions player Morice 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.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAN CAMPBELL, HEAD COACH, DETROIT LIONS: He is breathing, he is talking. It's good. He's got some movement. So -- and now they are running more tests.
Something like that happens. It puts things in perspective. So just praying for Mo. I asked that everybody prays for him.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRUNHUBER: The 24-year old played on the Lions practice squad last season.
Retired quarterback Tom Brady has been cast in bronze. The honor comes from the New England Patriots, the team he led to six Super Bowl wins. You see there, the statue 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. Brady said the statue isn't just for Pats fans, it will also give all the Jets fans something to throw their beers at as they leave the stadium every year.
Arsenal opened their English Premier League season on August 17th against Manchester United. The team toured Asia ahead of the season and are hoping to win a Premier League title. Manager Mikel Arteta tells CNN top trophies are what it's about for the Gunners this season.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(MUSIC PLAYING)
MIKEL ARTETA, MANU GUNNERS MANAGER (voice-over): We all knew that it was going to be a very important window. I think we lost some very important players as well in the summer and we had to refresh.
We had to add quality in this squad and we have to add the right depth as well, because it's one of the things that last season for sure, we missed. And I think so far we achieved all that. It's still a period of probably a lot of things will happen still.
But I think the moment right now, I think we're in a really good place.
The thing that impressed me the most is probably his conviction. So when I spoke to him and the first feeling that I got when I explained in, OK, this is what we want, this is the context, this is the external demands that you're going to feel as well.
He's, "I'm ready for it," you know and really looking forward to it. And it was a motivation. It was enthusiasm, energy. And that's the way to handle it. You know, obviously his track record speaks for himself. We don't need to talk about it.
And what he's done in the last few seasons with the sporting. So it's now about replicating all the situations into our team and help us with the players that we already have to achieve our goals.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
ARTETA (voice-over): You need your best players, the majority of the squad available in the right moments.
[05:55:00]
You can achieve that. Your chances are much bigger than if you don't, you know. And we are very unfortunate last year to lose some key, key players for big parts of the season, especially when we're looking to win the Premier League and the Champions League.
That's what we want to be, to be talking about these things. The pressure can be to win. The pressure can be to win Champions League or to avoid relegation. There is always pressure. But the good thing in our case is that is to deliver at the highest level, the highest trophies. And that's what we want to be.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRUNHUBER: A new winner has been named in this year's World's Ugliest Dog Competition. Have a look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRUNHUBER (voice-over): Meet Petunia. She's a 2-year old hairless French bulldog mix who took home the crown at the quirky annual event held at the Sonoma County Fair in California.
Now despite its unflattering title, the goal of the competition is to show all dogs are lovable, no matter what.
ELIZABETH BURCHFIELD, DOG OWNER: Yes, he's just -- he's cute but at the same time, he's a little -- he's a little ugly. So I think people like that. The tongue is always a plus and, yes, I think that's it. They just like his little spicy personality.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRUNHUBER: 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 two baby vultures learn to identify 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.
Well, that wraps this hour of CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Kim Brunhuber. For our audience in North America, "CNN THIS MORNING" is next. For the rest of the world, it's "AFRICAN VOICES: MY DRIVE."
