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U.S. Military Fires At, Seizes Iranian-Flagged Ship; Eight Children Killed in Louisiana Mass Shooting; Authorities Search for Motive After Deadly Shooting in Kyiv; China Shores Up Diplomatic Ties During Iran Conflict; Looking for Answers about Massive Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill; Leaving North Korea: A Journey 10 Years in the Making. Aired 12-1a ET

Aired April 20, 2026 - 00:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

POLO SANDOVAL, CNN ANCHOR: Everybody, it's great to start the week with you. I'm Polo Sandoval joining you live from New York, and here's what's coming your way here on CNN NEWSROOM.

[00:00:45]

Escalating tensions in the Strait of Hormuz as President Trump says that the U.S. Navy has fired upon and seized an Iranian flagged cargo ship. A live update on the way.

And as the war rages on, China using the situation to their advantage. How Xi Jinping is spearheading new diplomatic efforts.

Plus, a decade of careful planning, a treacherous storm, and hope for a new life. Hea how one family risked everything to escape from North Korea.

ANNOUNCER: Live from New York, this is CNN NEWSROOM with Polo Sandoval.

SANDOVAL: First this hour, heightened tensions and uncertainty in the Middle East as the U.S. seizes an Iranian flagged cargo ship ahead of another potential round of talks with Iran.

The U.S. military says that a destroyer fired several rounds towards the vessel that was attempting to violate the U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports. Well, that ship now in U.S. custody.

Iran threatening retaliation and is again blocking the passage of most ships through the Strait of Hormuz.

And all of this playing out as Donald Trump and the White House say that a U.S. delegation is getting ready for more negotiations ahead of a soon-to-expire ceasefire.

The U.S. president renewing threats to target Iran's bridges and power plants if a deal can't be reached.

Let's go now live to CNN's Ivan Watson, who's following the developments out of the Middle East.

Ivan, good to see you again. What else do we know about the circumstances surrounding the seizure of this ship?

IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Right. Well, it's been a pretty active weekend, with both Iran and the U.S. apparently opening fire on commercial shipping in different incidents over the course of the weekend.

In this case, CENTCOM -- that's the U.S. military -- and President Trump have claimed responsibility for this. The details issued by the U.S. military are that this commercial vessel, this cargo ship, the Touska, had moved forward towards the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas and had refused to stop for a period of six hours and was moving at a speed of about 17 knots, I believe.

This is an example of what the U.S. military says is the kind of warning that they were issuing to the ship when apparently they ran out of patience, the U.S. Navy. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Motor vessel Touska, motor vessel Touska, vacate your engine room. Vacate your engine room. We're prepared to subject you to disabling fire.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WATSON: OK, so then this U.S. destroyer, the Spruance, according to the U.S. military, fired on the engine room of this Iranian cargo ship and disabled it.

Then, subsequently, the U.S. military says it deployed Marines, U.S. Marines to seize the ship.

We don't know whether anybody was hurt in this incident. We don't know what the makeup of the crew is.

We have been able to track the vessel as it was moving towards the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas. And around 5 p.m. Iranian time. So that's kind of 17 hours ago. That's when the ship, which had been on its way from Malaysia, abruptly made a U-turn and then disappeared from the map, suggesting its transponder was turned off.

The U.S. had previously issued sanctions, the U.S. government, against this very vessel.

So, the U.S. is imposing its blockade on Iranian ports and ships coming to and from them. They say that -- the U.S. Navy says it's turned back at least 23 -- 25 commercial vessels thus far.

And this is coming on top of allegations that Iran opened fire on a number of ships trying to navigate -- transit the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, with the Indian government going so far as to summon Iran's ambassador to complain about Iran's opening fire on two Indian ships. All of this adds up, Polo, to heightened tensions in the final days of

this ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran, and raising questions about the likelihood of another round of peace talks.

[00:05:08]

SANDOVAL: And amid those allegations, talk about possible negotiations with the U.S. confirming that it's sending negotiators to Pakistan for talks, Ivan.

But has Iran publicly confirmed if it plans to send a delegation of its own?

WATSON: Not really. We've heard conflicting statements from Iranian state media about whether or not negotiators will be traveling to the Pakistani capital, Islamabad.

One report saying, yes, there was a plan for a team to leave on Tuesday. The Pakistani prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif, held a phone call with Iran's president on Sunday, but there was no specific mention of another round of talks coming out of that.

In the meantime, what we've had is both the U.S. accusing Iran of violating the ceasefire by opening fire on ships, and Iran's military, accusing the U.S. of violating the ceasefire and accusing the U.S. of an act of piracy by opening fire and then seizing this Iranian state shipping company-owned ship on Sunday.

So, if anything, there are heightened tensions right now and actual rounds being fired, which raises some real questions about where is the diplomacy going at this point. Watch and see.

In the meantime, it is scaring markets. We have reports of oil prices going up some 4 percent since the U.S. Navy enforced its blockade and captured this Iranian ship on Sunday.

SANDOVAL: Ivan Watson, thank you so much for that reporting.

Let's expand a little bit on that last point that Ivan made, which is global markets as they're reacting to the latest instability with a mix of concern and also some cautious optimism.

Both U.S. and international crude oil benchmarks, you see them up, at least -- at least for now, below $100 a barrel there, but nonetheless, certainly significant increase there. Just an idea of where they stand.

Also want to give you an idea of where Asian markets are at the moment. You can see almost across the board with KOSPI up about a little over 1 percent. You see the rest of the trading happening ahead of the workweek here.

Joining us live from Doha, Qatar, is Mehran Kamrava. He's professor of government at Georgetown University in Qatar.

Professor, it's always great to have you. Thank you so much for joining us.

MEHRAN KAMRAVA, PROFESSOR OF GOVERNMENT, GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY IN QUATAR: Thank you.

SANDOVAL: So, you heard some of that latest reporting right now coming from Ivan, coming from the region. Just in your -- in your eyes, how consequential is the USS's seizure of that Iranian vessel?

KAMRAVA: Well, the ceasefire has been pretty shaky and fragile. And this makes it even more fragile.

And particularly, coming just before the resumption of negotiations, there's tremendous pressure on the Iranian team not to negotiate with the United States because of its -- its history of two rounds of unsuccessful negotiations back in June of 2025 and then again in February of 2026.

So, this really increases pressure on both sides in -- heading into Islamabad.

SANDOVAL: Yes. So, let's explore one of those sides, which is Iran here and kind of the delicate balance that they probably have to strike right now.

On one hand, they're vowing to respond to this incident from over the weekend and their ship being seized, but they also face the possibility of returning to the -- to the negotiating table. How does Tehran sort of strike that balance, in your view?

KAMRAVA: That's a really good question. I think we need to separate rhetoric from reality. And rhetoric from Tehran coming out is that Iran has already retaliated against American warships in the Persian Gulf and in the sea of Oman, using its drones.

And so, it could very well be that, even despite this latest incident, the Iranians are willing to continue negotiations in Islamabad. So, I think we need to separate rhetoric from reality.

SANDOVAL: And then, of course, the question of -- of what could be on the horizon here, if both of these sides were to return to the negotiating table, as we certainly all hope will be the case soon.

In your view, though, Professor, in order for the next round of any talks to be successful, what are some of the conditions that I assume each side should get, in order to give both the -- you know, both Iran and the U.S. a sense that they each want? I don't know if there's any other way for this to come to a close.

KAMRAVA: Right. One of the perennial complaints by Iranian negotiators is that, at the last minute, the American team moves the goalpost.

[00:10:04]

And so, the United States wants a severing of Iran's ties with its proxy groups and end, of course, as President Trump has said repeatedly, to Iran's nuclear program. For the Iranians, release of Iranian assets and lifting of sanctions

are critically important. They now have an additional point, and that's some sort of coordinating role insofar as traffic from the Strait of Hormuz is concerned.

And I think that last point, control over the Strait of Hormuz, is something that the Iranians are willing to negotiate away. But sanctions relief and release of Iranian assets are something that they will definitely insist on.

SANDOVAL: Do you think that the Iranian regime would be willing to perhaps, hand over or facilitate the transfer of its uranium stockpile, if it means getting some of those concessions when it comes to sanctions or its -- or its assets?

KAMRAVA: It's really hard to tell. I think in the past, we have heard from Tehran that it's willing to come to some sort of compromise whereby multinational actors are involved, maybe an international consortium on Iranian soil.

But President Trump has had maximalist demands. He wants a complete end. Apparently, the Americans want a 20-year end to Iran's enrichment activity. The Iranians have proposed five years.

SANDOVAL: Also, I believe we may have been showing some images just now of -- of Iran's supreme leader, some older images.

Just curious of what you -- what you make of the fact that we are yet to see Iran's supreme leader, especially during such a crucial time of not only this delicate ceasefire that appears to still be holding but potentially winding down or set to expire. But also, these talks.

I mean, the fact that we are yet to see him even in video, does that surprise you?

KAMRAVA: It is. It's obvious that he is not ready. Or maybe he is injured to the point that he cannot appear before the camera.

But I think what's important is, in lieu of the supreme leader, a number of Iranian politicians -- the foreign minister, the speaker of Parliament, the president -- have come up with a division of labor that has kept the country functioning in wartime.

And I think what we're seeing moving forward is perhaps, at least for the foreseeable future, a reduced role for Iran's supreme leader and, instead, an increased role on the part of technocrats.

All of these figures I mentioned -- the president, the foreign minister, the speaker of parliament -- are seen as capable technocrats within the political system. And I think the system has so far been functioning.

SANDOVAL: Yes. Professor Kamrava, as always, thank you so much for coming on and sharing your insight. I really appreciate it.

KAMRAVA: Thank you. SANDOVAL: Well, Ukrainian officials are currently launching a

terrorism investigation into Saturday's mass shooting in Kyiv. Still ahead, an update on the tragedy that has shaken the capital of a country that's already at war.

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[00:18:01]

SANDOVAL: Now to an absolutely heart-wrenching story to the United States. The community in Shreveport, Louisiana, currently mourning after eight children were killed in the deadliest U.S. mass shooting since 2024.

The mass shooting happened early Sunday, and police have now identified the gunman as the father of seven of the eight children who were killed. All of them were between the ages of three and 11.

Authorities say that the gunman also shot and critically wounded two women. One of them was -- is his wife. More details now from CNN's Jenn Sullivan.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JENN SULLIVAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A horrific tragedy rocking the community of Shreveport, Louisiana. A series of shootings Sunday, leaving eight children dead.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My heart is saddened.

SULLIVAN (voice-over): Investigators say the shooter is related to at least some of the victims and are calling this a domestic violence attack.

CPL. CHRIS BORDELON, SHREVEPORT POLICE DEPARTMENT: Seven of the eight children that were killed, we do believe to be his children.

SULLIVAN (voice-over): Police say the shooting rampage began just after 6 a.m. Sunday. Victims were found in three homes. The suspect carjacked a vehicle and led police on a chase.

MAYOR TOM ARCENEAUX (R), SHREVEPORT, LOUISIANA: It rattles the entire city. This is -- this is something that, when something like this -- it affects us all.

SULLIVAN (voice-over): The shooter was killed in a shootout with police.

GRAYSON BOUCHER, SHREVEPORT CITY COUNCILMAN: This is nothing but pure evil. Over 30 percent of our crimes and 30 percent of our murders in the city of Shreveport are domestic in relation. Now, that number has gone up.

SULLIVAN (voice-over): There have been at least 114 mass shootings in the United States so far this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive. And this marks the deadliest shooting in two years. U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnon, who represents the Shreveport area,

released a statement saying, quote, "We're holding the victims, their families, and loved ones, and our Shreveport community close in our thoughts and prayers during this incredibly difficult time."

I'm Jenn Sullivan, reporting.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SULLIVAN (voice-over): Pope Leo XIV calling on the people of Angola to build a new society based on love, peace and justice.

I want to show you some of the large crowds that greeted the pontiff as he arrived for holy mass, just outside the capital of Luanda on Sunday. You see him aboard the Popemobile there, among the faithful.

[00:20:10]

More than half of Angolans currently identify as Catholic. The first American pope spending several days there as part of his four-country tour of Africa.

Some 100,000 people attended this Sunday morning mass. Pope Leo urging them to overcome divisions created by nearly three decades of civil war. He described Angola as a beautiful yet wounded country.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

POPE LEO XIV, LEADER OF CATHOLIC CHURCH (through translator): And just as the eucharist reminds us that we are one body and one spirit, united to the one Lord, so we too can and wish to build a country where all divisions are overcome forever, where hatred and violence disappear, where the wound of corruption is healed by a new culture of justice and sharing.

Only in this way will a future of hope be possible, especially for the many young people who have lost it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANDOVAL: Pope Leo also continuing his calls for global peace, praising the ceasefire in Lebanon and also condemning new attacks in Ukraine.

Well, the head of police in Ukraine's capital city is stepping down following a deadly mass shooting that left at least -- at least six people dead.

The official's resignation came after video emerged, allegedly showing two officers running away from the sound of gunfire during Saturday's shooting. Both have been suspended, pending an investigation into police conduct.

Fifteen others were injured that day in what investigators are calling an act of terrorism.

CNN's Sebastian Shukla with more on the search for a motive in this.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SEBASTIAN SHUKLA, CNN FIELD PRODUCER: A truly shocking incident took place on Ukraine's capital on Saturday, one that has left several dead and a dozen or so people injured, including a child.

SHUKLA (voice-over): Harrowing video circulating online of the attacker shows him walking down a street wielding a weapon, and then apparently shooting somebody at point-blank range. Authorities say that he killed four people on those streets.

IHOR KLYMENKO, UKRAINIAN INTERIOR MINISTER (through translator): The shooter, who was born in 1968, was most likely a pensioner. He lives nearby. He walked down the street, starting from Darnytskyi (ph) Street.

On his way, he shot four of our citizens, and he also shot a fifth person who was being held hostage in that shop.

SHUKLA (voice-over): The shooter, not named by authorities but confirmed as a 58-year-old male born in Moscow, then entered a supermarket, where he took hostages.

Authorities swooped on the supermarket and began negotiating with him to free those hostages for around 40 minutes, which he did eventually do, but not before he killed another person.

The incident took place in the Holosiivskyi district of Kyiv, a largely residential suburb, Southern part of the city, where you would find the usual shops, restaurants, and grocery stores.

Very little detail, though, has been released about the motive behind this attack. But officials are calling it a terrorist act and that the shooter had spent a lot of time in the Donetsk region of Ukraine's Eastern region.

President Zelenskyy has said that every detail must be examined. The whole affair, though, has really shaken the city of Kyiv, which does say something for a city and a nation that has been under near constant attack for over four years now, following Russia's invasion.

SHUKLA: But incidents, particularly ones like this, have been so rare.

Sebastian Shukla, CNN, Berlin.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANDOVAL: Still to come here on NEWSROOM, China accelerating its diplomatic efforts amid the war with Iran. I'll be speaking with an expert about how Beijing is reacting to this time of global conflict.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[00:28:25]

SANDOVAL: Welcome back. I'm Polo Sandoval in New York, and these are some of the big stories that we're following.

Iran's military has warned that it will be responding after U.S. forces fired upon and seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship on Sunday.

President Trump says that the U.S. Navy acted when the vessel tried getting past the U.S. blockade in the Gulf of Oman. He also accused Tehran of violating the current ceasefire agreement.

Eight children are dead in Shreveport, Louisiana, in what is now the deadliest mass shooting in the U.S. in two years. Police say seven of the victims were the shooter's own children. He also shot and critically wounded two women, one of them his wife, according to authorities.

The shooter was later killed by police.

A deadly mass shooting in Ukraine's capital is being treated as an act of terrorism, but it's also prompting an investigation into local police conduct.

Two officers were suspended after video emerged, allegedly showing them fleeing the sound of gunshots during the shooting on Saturday.

Kyiv's head of police announcing that he is resigning over his officers' behavior.

China has been quietly strengthening ties with world leaders amid the turmoil surrounding the war with Iran. In the last week, Beijing hosted multiple high-level meetings with officials like Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.

Some experts suggesting that China is taking a measured approach to maintain delicate relations with both the U.S. and Iran. President Xi Jinping also hosting Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, doubling down on making sure that their tight bond perseveres.

And all these moves come about one month ahead of an expected in- person summit with U.S. President Donald Trump.

[00:30:06]

Joining us now is Neil Thomas. He's a fellow on Chinese politics at the Asia Society Policy Institute.

Neil, thank you so much for joining us.

NEIL THOMAS, FELLOW ON CHINESE POLITICS, ASIA SOCIETY POLICY INSTITUTE: Thanks for having me.

SANDOVAL: So, let's get started on China's role on the world stage. I'm curious, in your view, how is China potentially seizing on an opportunity to offer perhaps more stability while the U.S. seems increasingly unpredictable, shall we say?

I mean, are you seeing more countries perhaps turning to China as one that can offer a little more stability and diplomacy? THOMAS: In the past few months, actually, we've seen a flood of

leaders from Europe, from the developing world come to China, and that's continued in early, intensified in the few weeks since the Iran's conflict started.

Just a few days ago, the Spanish prime minister, Pedro Sanchez, was in Beijing, and he was very directly calling on Xi Jinping to play a bigger role in the conflict and to try and bring it to an end.

So, that's exactly what a leader like Xi Jinping wants to hear: to be in a position where the world is turning more to China to try and solve its problems.

The big question now, though, is you know, will Beijing actually do anything?

SANDOVAL: Yes, no, it's a fascinating dynamic when you have this sort of parade of world leaders that are looking to court China. While the president potentially deepens the country into further isolation right now with this war.

I'm wondering if we could shift gears now and perhaps preview this upcoming visit between President Trump and the Chinese president, Xi Jinping.

How does that visit that is scheduled for next month, how does that potentially shape China's posture in the war with Iran? I assume it's a -- it's a fairly complicated situation to be in. It doesn't -- China doesn't want to antagonize Trump, but at the same time preserve its -- its influence with Iran.

THOMAS: That's exactly right. My understanding is that the top priority for Chinese foreign policy in the coming little while is to maintain stability in U.S.-China relations.

Because that stability means that Trump isn't trying to target Beijing with new sanctions or export controls or other types of damage.

And that works out just great for -- for China as it tries to become more self-reliant and more self-dependent in its own supply chains for high technology.

So, it's really important, this summit that's coming up. Beijing is putting the success of that summit above, taking action in other parts of the world that could alienate the United States. So that, I think, is one of the factors that have led to a relatively muted response from Beijing so far.

SANDOVAL: Staying on Iran, Neil, for viewers around the world who perhaps may not be familiar, I wonder if you can bring us up to speed on just how much influence China has over Iran. And considering the negotiations, even the ones from last week and the ones that could potentially happen in the days ahead, how helpful has that kind of influence been thus far?

THOMAS: China was responsible for purchasing the vast majority, something like 90 percent, of Iran's oil exports before the conflict.

So, China is very important for Iran, but it's not necessarily the same the other way around.

China actually has a very diversified set of energy sources. It has really good relations with Iran's sworn enemies in the region, the Gulf countries like Saudi Arabia and UAE.

So, China is playing a balancing act. It's trying to maintain good relations with Iran. It's come out to criticize the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. It's continued to trade with Iran.

But it really hasn't done much to -- to lobby the United States or other actors in the region to bring this conflict to a close. And it was Pakistan that played the really major role in that initial ceasefire that got agreed a few days ago.

So, China is trying to make sure that it can have it all ways and not burn any of its bridges in the region. So, it hasn't kind of taken a really decisive leadership role as of yet.

SANDOVAL: And because of that, you know, balancing act, as you describe it, the very delicate situation that -- that it's in. Do you see a point, though, when China may feel that it will be forced to actually do more, to be more than just sort of an observer here, especially as it continues to deplete its reserves?

THOMAS: It is possible. So, China has a few months' worth of stockpiles when it comes to oil and other energy inputs from the region.

[00:35:06]

But if this conflict, this instability in the Strait of Hormuz does become, you know, a new normal in global relations, if it is still impacting global energy prices in a few weeks, and especially a few months' time, then yes, I think we will see China start to take a more direct interest in trying to get things back to normal.

And that could potentially be a watershed moment for China's role in global diplomacy. We're not there yet, but I think this is a huge watch point for the next few months.

SANDOVAL: Neil Thomas, pleasure having you on. Thank you so much for your insight.

THOMAS: Thank you.

SANDOVAL: And survivors of Hong Kong's deadliest fire in decades are beginning a painful return to the ruins of their former homes.

Starting on Monday, residents of the Wang Fuk Court apartment complex are being allowed limited access to retrieve some of their personal belongings.

You may recall last November, a blaze fully engulfed the high-rise residences, killing 168 people. The six-building complex was undergoing renovations at the time.

More than 4,000 people called it home, many of them elderly people.

The cause of the fire, that is still under investigation by an independent committee. But public outrage remains high over reports of missed fire risk warnings and also possible evidence of unsafe construction practices.

A massive fire has displaced thousands of people on the Malaysian part of the island of Borneo. On Sunday, authorities said that about 1,000 homes were destroyed.

Strong winds spread the fire quickly through the tightly-packed community on stilts over the water.

Initial estimates say that more than 9,000 people have been affected by this, but no deaths have been reported so far.

Malaysia's prime minister says that the government is currently working to help those in need.

Fishermen in a Mexican coastal community are struggling to make a living right now. They're feeling the impacts of a massive oil spill that happened over a month ago off the Southern coast of the state of Veracruz.

The spill also spread into several nature reserves since it was first reported in early March.

Mexico's president maintains that the cleanup is under control. However, some environmental groups are accusing the government of not being honest about what's happening.

CNN's Valeria Leon shows us why some fishermen can't sell their catch.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

VALERIA LEON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Fishermen's nets sustained with tar. The most visible face of an environmental tragedy stretching over 600 kilometers, or 400 miles, of the Gulf of Mexico.

An oil spill that began on March 2 and whose causes are still unknown. While Mexican authorities say the oil is seeping from three different sources, including a ship that has not yet been identified, environmental organizations dispute that version.

They say the root of the spill is a leak from a pipeline operated by Pemex, Mexico's state-owned oil company.

Whatever the source, it has dealt a major blow to the region. Turtles, fish and other marine life have been found washed up on shore, coated in oil.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): We never imagined something like this would happen. And now look. This has affected us as restaurant owners and everyone who depends on tourism. LEON (voice-over): For local fishermen, it has upended their

livelihoods, now that they are unable to work in the waters they depended on for decades.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): Since March 2, we haven't been able to fish. We usually catch crabs and oysters, but now we can't, because no one will buy them.

LEON (voice-over): Mexico's government said at least 800 tons of crude have spilled into the ocean. Cleanup crews have been deployed, but residents say the damage is still visible, and the economic impact is already being felt.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): The local community has gotten together to clean the beaches because we depend on tourism.

LEON (voice-over): President Claudia Sheinbaum has downplayed the impact, saying the situation is under control, adding that during holy week, hotel occupancy in the coastal city of Veracruz reached around 80 percent.

CLAUDIA SHEINBAUM, MEXICAN PRESIDENT (through translator): There are ongoing cleanup efforts. The beaches have been cleaned and people were able to safely go into the beaches of Veracruz.

LEON (voice-over): As the cleanup continues, questions remain over what caused the spill and whether the leak has been stopped. Meanwhile, both the region's ecosystem and its local economy stand on the brink of disaster.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[00:40:01]

SANDOVAL: Our thanks to Valeria Leon for that report.

Meanwhile, there's this massive effort to save a humpback whale that's really captured the world's hearts.

Over the past four weeks, rescuers have repeatedly tried to get -- get that whale back into open waters after it became stuck on sandbanks along Germany's Baltic Coast.

Members of the public are calling the whale Timmy. Well, this latest attempt is a complex operation. Rescues -- rescuers are digging trenches underneath Timmy to try to maneuver the whale into a tarp.

Well, they plan to tow him out of the Baltic, around Denmark and into the Atlantic. The elaborate efforts could be Timmy's last chance. We'll continue to follow this one.

One North Korean family wanting a different life. And they found it after ten years of preparation. Just ahead, their story of perseverance.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) [00:45:37]

SANDOVAL: North Korean state media reporting that the country carried out test launches of upgraded short-range ballistic missiles.

Some of these photos released show leader Kim Jong-un watching the launches, along with his daughter and other military officials.

Reports say that the launches were to test new types of warheads and their capabilities for concentrated suppression attacks.

The missiles were fired at an island target zone about 136 kilometers, or about 85 miles away.

Well, very few people successfully defect from North Korea. Well, one family did after preparing for more than ten years.

Two brothers, they plotted and planned under the guidance of their father. While their father did not live long enough to start a new life with his family elsewhere, his ashes actually made the trip to South Korea nearly three years ago.

In all, nine members of the family made this perilous journey. CNN's Mike Valerio shares her story of perseverance.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

GRAPHIC: I was so tense that my heart was pounding in my ears as if it was hitting my head. It was silent and still, with no one speaking at all.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

GRAPHIC: It was pouring rain that night. The waves could have easily crashed our boat against the rocks, causing it to sink right away.

MIKE VALERIO, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This small fishing boat carried Kim Il-hyeok, his pregnant wife, and seven other family members, hoping to survive one of the most dangerous escapes from North Korea, a journey they say they planned for more than a decade.

As Kim settles into his new life in Seoul, he told us how his escape began with his father and his brother.

KIM IL-HYEOK, DEFECTED FROM NORTH KOREA: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

GRAPHIC: My father said, "There is no hope in this society. There is no way to change it. There is a vast, free world out there. Let's go to South Korea." That's how it all started.

And my father sent my younger brother to the sea. While working at sea, my brother built close relationships with local security officers, to prevent any suspicions. He bribed them and eared the trust of party loyalists.

VALERIO (voice-over): For more than ten years, Kim and his brother practiced their plan, sailing near the closely watched sea border between North and South Korea. It's a boundary called the Northern Limit Line, or NLL.

KIM: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

GRAPHIC: We disguised ourselves as if we were going out to fish to make it less suspicious. When we got near the NLL, a patrol boat started following us like it was chasing us. We always calculated the time it would take for them to catch up.

We would say, "We're not trying to defect. We're just out here to make money." Then we would be released. We went through this process several times.

VALERIO (voice-over): Kim says he finally decided his family needed to leave when the regime became even more repressive and COVID spread across the country.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

GRAPHIC: Things became extremely difficult during COVID. People focused on survival. Many people starved to death. Every day, we would wake up to stories of deaths and robberies.

VALERIO (voice-over): Kim later picked the precise timing for their defection: May 6, 2023, 10 p.m.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

GRAPHIC: We specifically chose a day with tidal warnings. As the warning was issued, the waves grew higher, and a typhoon came in, so the North Korean patrol boats retreated. My sister-in-law, my brother's mother-in-law, my mother and my wife passed through a minefield and hid by the rocks on the shore.

My brother's two children were also with us. When we put them in sacks, we told them to stay silent and not move at all. To avoid detection, we moved at a slow speed. Even the engine sound was low, like "thump, thump, thump."

The children didn't fall asleep and stayed completely quiet. When I opened the sacks, their eyes were wide open.

[00:50:14]

With the GPS on our boat, we confirmed we'd crossed the NLL. Then we saw Yeonpyeong Island. It was lit up like daylight, while we were in total darkness.

When we were rescued, the [South Korean] navy came and talked to us with a loudspeaker, asking if the engine had broken down. They must have wanted to check our intentions.

"No, our engine isn't broken. We're North Korean fishermen, and we've come to defect to South Korea."

My wife was very emotional, because we had left her family behind. Her eyes were swollen from crying so much.

It felt like a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders. I was filled with relief, thinking, "It's finally over," and my tension just melted away.

GRAPHIC: Kim and his wife now have two children, both in South Korea. Kim is working hard to support his family as they build a new life in Seoul.

He's sharing his story to help the world understand what life is like for North Koreans.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANDOVAL: And our thanks to Mike Valerio for bringing us that story.

So, still on the way, what would the English Premier League be without some drama? Just ahead, a recap of Sunday's thrilling top off -- top of the table showdown between Manchester City and Arsenal.

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[00:53:20]

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hi, everybody. Look at that. Wow hi, everybody.

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SANDOVAL: A homeowner in California got quite the surprise. And a basket full of some unexpected visitors when a hot-air balloon landed right in his backyard.

He told CNN that he learned about it from someone who rang his doorbell and saw the balloon come down early Saturday on his property.

Well, apparently, the pilot said that the winds had died down, forcing the balloon to make this safe emergency landing. The crew eventually flew it back over the house and onto the street, where the truck had arrived to haul the balloon away.

And after Manchester City's narrow defeat of Arsenal in a blockbuster encounter on Sunday at the Etihad, the two English giants are now poised for the most dramatic title race in years. Here's CNN's Patrick Snell with more.

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PATRICK SNELL, CNN WORLD SPORT: It really was a super Sunday in the English Premier League, and no much bigger than that huge blockbuster title showdown between the leaders, Arsenal and second place Manchester City. SNELL (voice-over): You know, the Gunners were six points ahead of

City at kickoff, but they would fall behind here at the Etihad, thanks to a moment of world-class play from City's Rayan Cherki. Great finish for the opening goal of the match. Just brilliant from the Frenchman.

But just over 100 seconds later, Arsenal levelist (ph) Kai Havertz putting pressure on City goalie Gigi Donnarumma, and the ball just flies into the back of the City net. The giant Italian keeper will want to forget that one as quickly as possible.

Sixty-five minutes on the clock, the winning goal. Erling Haaland stepping up to win it for City. He may not be scoring for fun currently, but that goal is absolutely priceless. It's really well worked. And the unmarked Norwegian can't miss from there, and he doesn't. A vital goal at just the right time for the hosts.

[00:55:08]

Deep into stoppage time, though, Arsenal with a great chance to level. But Havertz can't keep his header down, and City breathe a huge sigh of relief.

Manchester City and their players know the significance of this two- one victory. The title race has swung dramatically now. And Arsenal, not for the first time in recent seasons, are officially wobbling.

BERNARDO SILVA, MIDFIELDER, MANCHESTER CITY: Very big, obviously, because that puts us in a position where, if we win the game in hand, we were on the same points. And if you look two weeks ago, this didn't look very likely, this scenario.

So, yes, a tough game, a good game. And we're happy. We're happy that we can be on the same points.

MARTIN ODEGAARD, CAPTAIN, ARSENAL: It's always pressure, always noise. And that's the part of being a football player at this level. So, that's completely normal to us.

And we're just going to keep going, stay focused on ourselves like we've done the whole season. And as I said, just look forward to the next game now and bounce back, get a win there and move on. That's -- that's all we're going to do, you know.

So, that's a part of football, and you have to live with that. And, yes, that's a good thing, I'd say.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Still believe?

ODEGAARD: Of course.

SNELL (voice-over): City's vital win now taking them to within three points of Arsenal.

City also have a game in hand, too. Could it be any more exciting?

SNELL: It's a case of watch this space. And with that, I'll send it right back to you.

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SANDOVAL: Thank you, Patrick.

This Chinese humanoid robot crushed the human half marathon world record. The robot, called Lightning, finishing the race in Beijing in just 50 minutes and 26 seconds.

That's about seven minutes faster than Uganda's Jacob Kiplimo, who actually set the record last month in Lisbon.

Unlike last year's Beijing race, the robots weren't controlled remotely. They navigated the course on their own.

The record-setting performance marking a huge stride in China's race to outpace the U.S. in the robot industry. First board chasing in Poland, and now some running robots in China. It was a pretty good week for humanoids.

Thank you so much for joining us. I'm Polo Sandoval in New York. I'll be back with you with more CNN NEWSROOM after the break.

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