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Iranian Official: Donald Trump Cease Fire Extension "Means Nothing"; U.S. Missile Stockpile Much Depleted Due To Iran War; Deadly Shooting At Mexico's Teotihuacan Pyramids; Pope Leo Visits Equatorial Guinea To Cap Off Marathon Trip; Trump Says Ceasefire Extended, Blockade of Iranian Ports Remains; Iranian State Media Says IRGC Threatens Gulf Oil Production Sites; Xi Calls for Reopening of Hormuz, End to Iran War; Second Round of Talks Between Israel & Lebanon Set for Thursday; U.K. Prime Minister Facing Calls to Resign Over Former U.S. Ambassador Mandelson; Fed Chair Nominee, Kevin Warsh Says Trump Never Asked Me to Commit to Lower Rates; FBI Investigating Scientists' Deaths and Disappearances; Stolen Treasures Returned to Romania. Aired 2-3a ET

Aired April 22, 2026 - 02:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:00:40]

ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us from all around the world. I'm Rosemary Church.

Just ahead here on CNN NEWSROOM, Iran issues a new threat after President Trump extends a cease fire indefinitely.

Greeting the faithful, Pope Leo denounces the lust for power during the last leg of his Africa trip.

Plus, see the priceless 2500-year-old treasure from Romania returned after a daring museum heist.

ANNOUNCER: Live from Atlanta. This is CNN NEWSROOM with Rosemary Church.

CHURCH: Good to have you with us. Our top story this hour, President Donald Trump has decided to extend the cease fire with Iran, a move that's being met with distrust by Tehran. The president posted on social media that his administration is waiting for a unified proposal from the Iranian government, but he added that the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports will remain. A White House official says vice president J.D. Vance is expected trip to Islamabad to lead the second round of peace talks was called off after the announcement. Despite the uncertainty, here's what President Trump said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: W2e're not dealing with the nicest group of people, but we're dealing with them very successfully, and the blockade has been a tremendous success. They said two days ago, we will open the Strait. I said, no, we're not going to open the Strait until we have a final deal. No, no, we want to open the Strait. They said, we're not opening we totally control the Strait, just so you understand.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Iran is dismissing the extension as meaningless. An advisor to Tehran's top negotiator is calling it a, "A ploy to buy time for a surprise strike, adding that the time for Iran to take the initiative has come."

Meanwhile, state media is reporting that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is threatening to target oil production sites of Gulf neighbors who help Iran's enemies.

And earlier, a U.K. maritime agency reported that Iran attacked a container ship near the Strait of Hormuz.

CNN's Eleni Giokos joins us now live from Dubai. Good to see you, Eleni. And of course, now that President Trump has extended this cease fire indefinitely, where do things stand right now?

ELENI GIOKOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, I mean, there was so much confusion and a lot of contradictory messaging, and you know, until at certain point yesterday, President Trump was like, we're not going to be extending the cease fire, willing to restart the war, continue military operations in Iran. And of course, at the 11th Hour, just hours before the cease fire was actually meant to expire, we hear the news around this extension without any time stamp given, so perhaps indefinitely.

But he says that it's because of the fractured realities within Iran's government. And in fact, if I read the statement, and this is what he posted on to posted on Truth Social. He says, Because Iran's government is so seriously fractured, and not unexpectedly so, and he says, upon the request of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of Pakistan, we've been asked to hold off our attack on the country until such time as their leaders and representatives can come up with a unified proposal. He goes on to say that the blockade is going to remain intact, which, of course, is a sticking point for Iran.

But importantly, really, leading up to this announcement, Rosemary, we were anticipating that Vice President J.D. Vance was going to be headed to Islamabad for what would have been the second round of talks, as we were still waiting to hear news whether Iran was going to send a delegation for these talks.

Iran has been maintaining that what they've been seeing in terms of the U.S. naval blockade, they say it's an act of war, it's a clear violation of the cease fire. And you're seeing maritime confrontations, frankly, playing out.

But at this point in time, the fact that the United States says it's going to hold off on military attacks on Iran is a significant moment, perhaps opening the door for some kind of talks, or even waiting for this proposal that they're anticipating from Iran's leadership.

In the meantime, the IRGC coming out with another threat towards Gulf states, and they say any Gulf states that use their territory to strike Iran will face retaliation specifically on any oil production facilities, and they say that they've expanded their target list within the Gulf region. So, this also an important threat that's come to the fore.

[02:05:11]

When I talk about this maritime confrontation that's paying out, the Strait of Hormuz has become sort of a key point here in the negotiations and talks, and Iran is using it as a bargaining chip. And remember that Iran opened. Strait for basically a few hours and decided to close it. And then you had Iranian gunships targeting vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. India says two Indian flag vessels were targeted on Saturday. Then you had the seizure of a cargo vessel by the United States in the Gulf of Oman.

And then we also heard news yesterday about specifically, a cargo -- a tanker, pardon me, carrying crude was seized in the Indian Ocean. So, this is just a significant move towards escalation in the seas. And then you've just reported, Rosemary, the UKMTO saying that there's another incident just northeast of Oman, where you had Iranian gunships firing towards a cargo vessel, where it's damaged the bridge without any getting any warning message from the Iranians.

So, what we're seeing playing out in the seas is definitely going to have an instrumental effect in terms of what could potentially play out at the negotiating table, if that's still at play right now.

In the meantime, wait to see what kind of diplomatic off ramp could be achieved here seems that the key mediator Pakistan is very much involved in what happens on either side.

CHURCH: Yes. Indeed. Eleni Giokos bringing us the very latest there live from Dubai. Many thanks.

Well, joining us live from London is Negah Angha. She is a visiting fellow at King's College London and a former senior advisor at the U.S. State Department and National Security Council. Appreciate you being with us.

NEGAH ANGHA, VISITING FELLOW, KING'S COLLEGE LONDON: Good morning. Thanks for having me on.

CHURCH: So, after insisting he didn't want to extend the cease fire, President Trump ends up doing exactly that, extending it indefinitely at the request of Pakistan's Prime Minister. What's your assessment of that move, and where do you see this going?

ANGHA: Well, look, we're, I think, this morning, at the strategic impasse, where both sides have dug in, and Pakistan playing the mediator role, is trying to have each side sort of inch forward, a little closer, so that they can come to the negotiating table. You know, the US has been trying to escalate the cease fires, to be able to show some sort of room for a conversation, essentially, kind of a bit like a carrot.

But at the same time, President Trump has maintained the blockade. He wants to continue to tighten up pressure. His sort of tactic is all about coercive diplomacy. Iran has been very clear that it does not like reacting to his sort of coercive diplomacy and ultimatums.

So, where we are Washington is really left with very difficult options. One is to ease pressure to enable some form of diplomacy to take place, or has it continued to escalate into a broader confrontation. And it's really unlikely to force any capitulation, but it might increase global instability, which is where the regional dynamics and the regional conversations take place.

CHURCH: And when asked why Iran didn't turn up to the negotiating table for Tuesday's second round of talks. Iran's foreign minister spokesman said it was because of what he called contradictory messages and unacceptable actions by the American side. What's your response to that?

ANGHA: Again, Iran knows that it can essentially run the clock with the United States and with the Trump administration, so they are, in and of themselves, playing a little bit of these sort of coercive tools. They have been very clear that they don't want to be given an ultimatum in order to come to the table, but at the same time, they're just, you know, employing these very sort of coercive tactics to ensure that they maintain some leverage.

Again, Iran, right now feels like it has the upper hand, and it feels that it can dictate quite a bit, and they're also, at the same time gaging how far they can dictate with Washington before being forced to the table, and again being forced to the table. And we're not looking at, at this point, a comprehensive agreement. It could be even a political framework of

sort of essentially a peace negotiation.

[02:10:03]

CHURCH: And we know, of course, that Iran briefly reopened the Strait of Hormuz as part of the cease fire agreement, but closed it again in response to the U.S. military blockade of Iranian ports, it continues now in that vital waterway. So, what needs to happen next to open up the Strait and end the war?

ANGHA: I mean, we need to move from these symbolic de-escalation to real sequence de-escalation. And I think you again, as you said, you have these sort of rhetoric and pressure tools that each sides are using, whether it's the U.S. using the blockade and Iran using enforcing the Strait of Hormuz crossings.

And I think one of the things that we're also seeing is the U.K. and France are now planning a multinational mission for reopening the Strait of Hormuz after some sort of sustainable cease fire, because that also tells you that even allies don't think this will snap back to normal conditions. At this point in time, everyone is quite concerned in terms of, you know, the global repercussions, the economic repercussions, but Iran has learned that this is going to be their stick in the negotiations, not only with the United States but globally.

CHURCH: And how likely is it do you think that diplomacy efforts fail and the U.S. and Iran return to military action?

ANGHA: Look, I think there's quite a bit that we're going to have to see, I think, for the United States, for President Trump and the MAGA party, they do not want to enter into a forever war. They do want to move on.

You know, we have in the United States midterm elections are around the corner. This is going to have an impact. It also has an impact on the pocketbooks of the American public.

So, you know, there is an element, there is an incentive domestically, that the president will want to find some sort of diplomatic de- escalation. Again, I think, you know, we have a very narrow path, and there could be a political framework that essentially seizes fighting, some sort of cap on the nuclear file, some form of economic relief, and then pushing the discussion of peace negotiation sort of down the road and the nuclear file agreement down the road a bit more.

But I think there is an incentive to want to find a solution so that the U.S. isn't stuck in another forever war.

CHURCH: Negah Angha, thank you so much for joining us. Appreciate it.

ANGHA: Thanks for having me.

CHURCH: New analysis has found that the U.S. military has significantly depleted its stockpile of key missiles during the war with Iran. Experts say the situation has created a near-term risk of the U.S. running out of ammunition if another conflict should arise in the next few years.

CNN's Zachary Cohen reports from Washington.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ZACHARY COHEN, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL SECURITY REPORTER: Based on new analysis from the Center for Strategic Studies, and which, the findings of which have been confirmed by our sources familiar with recent Pentagon assessments, the US is running dangerously low on key munitions that it has expended during the war with Iran.

Now, these munitions are critical, not just for the U.S. but also allies like Israel and Ukraine, which purchases the weapons from the United States, the United States has had to surge and replace these weapons that they've already used with those that they've already provided to allies, creating a dilemma for the U.S.

But according to this study in our sources, the real problem could arise if the U.S. is forced to confront a near peer adversary like China, sometime in the near future, this conflict would require and expend munitions at a much higher rate than what we've seen during the war with Iran.

And just to give you an example of just how much these stockpiles have been depleted, the U.S. inventory of precision strike missiles has been -- is down to about 45 percent of what it previously was.

Also, the U.S. THAAD missile inventory. The U.S. s has used about half of those over seven weeks of war with Iran. These are missiles that are critical for intercepting ballistic missiles, key defensive munition on their own right. And also, Patriot air defense missiles, the U.S. has used about 50 percent of its existing stockpile during the course of the war with Iran.

Similarly, with the Tomahawk missiles, critical long range strike capability for the U.S. military, about 30 percent of the stockpile has been used thus far.

And the real problem arises because these weapons do take a long time to replace sources, and this new analysis do both project the timeline to replace these weapons from one to six years, and that's not enough time to fully get back to prewar levels if a conflict were to pop up before then.

[02:15:06]

And so, we're also told by sources that this is a problem. General Dan Caine, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, warned President Trump about prior to the war with Iran. This was something that he cautioned the president could not only affect the U.S. military, but also key allies like Israel and Ukraine. It's something that the Pentagon is actively trying to address by requesting a supplemental funding bill from Congress, but that's one that would not fix the problem in the near term if an additional war were to break out.

In the short term, we're told the US does have enough weapons in its stockpile to continue bombing Iran. But again, the question comes, what happens if another war arises next?

Zachary Cohen, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: Still to come, new details about the deadly shooting at Mexico's ancient pyramids and how officials are responding.

Plus, Pope Leo is wrapping up his trip to Africa with a whirlwind visit in Equatorial Guinea and another forceful message against corruption and tyranny.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:20:31]

CHURCH: Welcome back everyone. Mexico says it's boosting security after a deadly shooting at Mexico's ancient pyramids just weeks ahead of the World Cup.

Officials say Monday's attack was premeditated and the suspect acted alone. Mexico's president says archeological sites will now have security checkpoints, and that police are increasing World Cup security as a precaution. CNN's Valeria Leon has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

VALERIA LEON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm into Teotihuacan Pyramids in the state of Mexico, just 40 miles north from Mexico City. Here is a Pyramid of the Moon, where, yesterday, an attacker climbed those stairs and opened fire. He killed one tourist from Canada, and then he killed himself. He was identified as a 27-year-old from Mexico City. This place remains close, and here are two tourists from Italy.

How do you feel about what happened here yesterday?

GIANNI MAGRINI, TOURIST FROM ITALY: Honestly, I discovered everything like this morning. But yes, we changed these plans yesterday, just for scheduled organization. And yes, it was shocking, but yes, I understood today, really, that someone was murdered because we're told just that there were some shooting.

LEON: And inside this place, 13 people were injured. Eight of them are still in hospitals nearby, and authorities have confirmed that among the victims, there are tourists from the U.S., Canada, Brazil, Colombia and also Russia.

And this came as a shock, because Teotihuacan is the second most visited archeological site in the country. Last year, it received 1.6 million visitors, and it also has raised concerns, because Mexico gears up to receive the World Cup and receive, also more than five million visitors during this summer.

President Claudia Sheinbaum said this incident deeply pains Mexico. Also, Mexican authorities have confirmed they are in contact with the Canadian Embassy.

CLAUDIA SHEINBAUM, MEXICAN PRESIDENT (through translator): Our solidarity goes out to the family of the person who lost their life.

LEON: Security forces are being deployed here, and also they're investigating what are the motives behind this crime and what made this 27-year-old man open fire in the middle of the morning in one of the most iconic archeological sites.

Valeria Leon, CNN, Teotihuacan, state of Mexico.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: 10 days after Peru's general election, the official results have not yet been released, and now the country's election chief has quit. Piero Corvetto posted that his resignation was necessary and unavoidable so that the June runoff could be carried out with greater public confidence. The long wait for official results triggered allegations of fraud and

calls for Corvetto to be ousted. Election officials have been reviewing a slew of contested ballots that contain inconsistencies or errors.

So, it's not clear which presidential contender will face front runner Keiko Fujimori in the run off, but authorities are promising answers by May 15th.

Pope Leo XIV is embarking on a busy day in Equatorial Guinea. It is the last stop on his four-country tour of Africa. Earlier, he met with the country's long-term president and continue to share a strong message of peace.

CNN's Christopher Lamb reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRISTOPHER LAMB, CNN In Equatorial Guinea, Pope Leo, we're giving another strong speech, saying that humanity's future risks being tragically compromised by a failure to respect international law and ongoing wars. Leo, whilst in Africa, has been speaking out strongly for peace and for -- and criticizing what he sees as poor governance.

He said in Cameroon, for example, the world is being ravaged by a handful of tyrants, and he's also called out corruption.

Now, Leo is in a country where the president has been in power since 1979 he's the longest serving head of state, and this is a country that, despite its oil riches, many of the country live in poverty, and independent experts describe it as one of the most corrupt regimes in the world.

[02:25:15]

However, the country is overwhelmingly Catholic, and big crowds came out to meet the Pope on his first day here in Malibu.

Now, Leo on board the papal plane from Angola to Equatorial Guinea paid tribute to Pope Francis on the first anniversary of his predecessor's death. Leo said that Francis was a great gift to the church and to the world. He highlighted the Pope's work for fraternity and his emphasis on mercy a more inclusive Catholic Church.

Equatorial Guinea is the fourth country on Leo's Africa tour. He will be traveling across Equatorial Guinea on Wednesday before heading back to Rome on Thursday. This (AUDIO GAP).

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: China is mocking President Trump. We will have a live report from the regime.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:30:45] ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR OF "CNN NEWSROOM": The next round of talks between Iran and the U.S. are on hold. And President Trump has extended the ceasefire that was close to expiring. But the leader of the Iranian negotiating team says the truce extension means nothing.

Meanwhile, Iranian state media is airing a new threat. An Iranian military commander says any Gulf country that lets the U.S. use its land or facilities to attack Iran can "say goodbye to oil production in the Middle East." He says Tehran's target list now includes major oil fields and refineries, and names specific sites in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain.

We now go live to Islamabad. Maleeha Lodhi is the former Pakistani Ambassador to the U.S., U.N. and U.K. And we appreciate you joining us.

MALEEHA LODHI, FORMER PAKISTANI AMBASSADOR TO U.S., U.N. & U.K.: Sure. Pleasure.

CHURCH: So Iran was a no-show for the second round of peace talks, and now President Trump has extended the ceasefire indefinitely. Where do you see this going from here, given these new threats being issued by Iran?

LODHI: Well, Pakistani officials are still very hopeful. They're working very hard behind the scenes with the authorities in Tehran. And of course, you know, one should recall what happened the last time around. The last time too, there was very hard-line posturing by both sides before the last round of talks, that is. And it was only when Pakistan was able to persuade President Trump and, of course, the Iranian authorities for a ceasefire that the talks took place and in fact, the ceasefire paved the way for the talks.

So, you know, we're looking at something somewhat similar. And I think the assumption here is that both sides want an off-ramp from this crisis. They don't want to go back to war. But it is true, as you pointed out, there's very hard-line rhetoric coming out from Tehran. But also, we've seen mixed messages from President Trump himself. I mean, one minute he threatens Iran, the next minute he says he wants a deal.

And the Iranians are also, you know, in a way paying him back that compliment by, you know, sort of saying threatening things, but at the same time also leaving the door open for talks.

CHURCH: And of course, it was at the request of Pakistan's prime minister that President Trump agreed to extend the ceasefire to allow diplomatic efforts to take their course. What more can you tell us about in all of this? And what needs to happen next to get the two nations back on track to forge a peace deal?

LODHI: Of course, yes, Pakistan did make this request to President Trump for a ceasefire. And I think the announcement by President Trump for an indefinite ceasefire, you know, offered space and it offers enough ground for Pakistan to now continue its efforts with Tehran and try to persuade them. So when you say what else can Pakistan do, I think more of the same, which is to try to urge both sides to show the flexibility to not abandon the path of negotiations, to announce when they can come to Islamabad, because my city, the capital of Pakistan, is in virtual lockdown right now.

Preparations are in place. We are expecting both delegations. But, of course, we don't have an affirmative answer from Iran just as yet.

CHURCH: Right. And the spokesman for Iran's foreign minister said that the reason why the delegation didn't turn up to the negotiating table for Tuesday's second round of talks was because of contradictory messages and unacceptable actions by the American side.

What's your response to that?

LODHI: Well, I think both sides are accusing each other of violating the ceasefire. Both sides have adopted very hard-line rhetoric. To some extent, this is the kind of posturing one would expect ahead of talks. These talks are not going to be easy.

[02:35:00]

The talks are going to be very complex, very complicated. But I think we should sort of look at some of this posturing as calculated posturing to put pressure on the other side ahead of the negotiations.

CHURCH: And we know, of course, that Iran briefly reopened the Strait of Hormuz as part of that ceasefire agreement, but then, of course, closed it again in response to the U.S. military blockade of Iranian ports that continues in that vital waterway. What needs to happen next to open up the Strait? And what is your view of the U.S. blockade?

LODHI: Well, I think at the moment, it seems that any, you know, the future status, let's say, of the Strait of Hormuz depends on the talks themselves. I don't think we're going to see any movement from the Iranian side to open the Strait to all kind of maritime traffic. So they're not going to give up what is a strategic lever in their hands ahead of the talks.

But the talks themselves will have to address the issue of the future status of the Strait of Hormuz. As far as the blockade is concerned, obviously, that is linked to the issue of the Strait of Hormuz. And again, as President Trump has said now, that he will not end the blockade and that this is going to wait until there is an agreement.

So I think there are lots of issues that should have been negotiated before the talks in Islamabad. But it seems that now they will be part of the mix for the talks in Islamabad.

CHURCH: Maleeha Lodhi, many thanks for joining us. Appreciate it.

LODHI: Thank you.

CHURCH: Well, there is growing speculation. What if any role China will have in the U.S. and Israel's war with Iran? For more on that, let's bring in CNN's Will Ripley, who joins us live from Taipei, Taiwan.

Good to have you with us, Will. So what more are you learning about this and, of course, reaction in China to the war in Iran?

WILL RIPLEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Rosemary. Well, it's interesting because in the recent days, we're hearing now for the first time from Chinese Leader, Xi Jinping, publicly calling for the Strait of Hormuz to stay open.

Now, this is notable because Iran is China's closest ally in the Middle East, but China also has very important economic relationships with countries across the region, including Saudi Arabia. And it was actually in a phone call with the Saudi crown prince that President Xi made this comment.

Let me read you just a portion of the quote, Rosemary, if I may.

He said, "The Strait of Hormuz should remain open to normal navigation, which is in the common interest of regional countries and the international community." It was a few years ago that China helped bring together Saudi Arabia and Iran, helped them normalize diplomatic relations after many years. And now, there's growing pressure on Beijing to try to do the same, to use its diplomatic power to bring about an end to the Iran War.

And so publicly at least, they're projecting this image of a peacemaker, stability. And yet, on the Internet in China, a very different kind of message, an anti-American message is being allowed to spread freely.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RIPLEY (voice-over): China's censors not stopping new A.I. videos like these, mocking President Donald Trump and the Iran War.

On Chinese social media, the message is clear.

So far, he says, the biggest winner is neither the U.S. nor Iran. It's China.

DONALD TRUMP, (R) PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Good to see you again.

RIPLEY (voice-over): President Trump is set to meet Chinese Leader, Xi Jinping in Beijing next month. Online reaction, blunt.

Trump is not welcome to visit, and even if he comes, it's meaningless.

No need to come. Without credibility, what are you coming for?

That word keeps coming up, credibility, especially when it comes to ceasefire messaging.

The entire White House's credit score combined wouldn't be enough to even unlock a single shared bike.

Every day, Trump wakes up and reformats himself into a new Trump. Whatever version he is that day is the one that counts.

TRUMP: This whole thing is really about no nuclear. They cannot have a nuclear weapon.

RIPLEY (voice-over): In China, political speech is tightly controlled, but criticism of Trump seems to be spreading freely.

MARIA BARTIROMO, ANCHOR, FOX BUSINESS: How does that change the dynamic of this meeting with President Xi?

TRUMP: I don't think it does. I mean, he's somebody that needs oil. We don't.

RIPLEY (voice-over): China is Iran's biggest oil customer. Beijing also dominates green energy and claims to be cutting oil demand by more than a million barrels a day.

While others are still bashing their heads in over oil, we've already gotten ahead in the next era, he says. Solar, wind, batteries and electric vehicles. Chinese carmaker BYD now overtaking Tesla in global sales. At the same time, pressure on the U.S. dollar, the backbone of global oil trading.

This Iranian Embassy post says it's time to add PetroYuan to the market.

[02:40:00]

At one point, Iran considered allowing tankers through the Strait of Hormuz only if oil is sold in Chinese yuan, a senior Iranian official said. Some Chinese influencers say petrodollar is ending.

Beijing is not fighting this war, but on China's social media, many are already declaring victory.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

RIPLEY (on camera): While the U.S. is focused on the war, China is focused on something else, Rosemary. What comes after? Whether it comes to energy, currency, supply chains, and diplomacy, China is really trying to position itself right now to win, not necessarily by confronting the United States directly, but by presenting itself to the global community as the more stable alternative.

CHURCH: Well, Ripley, many thanks for that report. Joining us there live from Taipei, appreciate it.

Well, mourners gathered in southern Lebanon to grieve those killed amid the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. But the fragile 10-day ceasefire that has allowed them to return to their homes is set to expire over the weekend. Fresh cross-border exchanges are also threatening to unravel the ceasefire agreement with Israel and Hezbollah both accusing one another of violating the truce.

Secretary of State, Marco Rubio is expected to return for a second round of direct talks between Israeli and Lebanese officials in Washington, D.C. on Thursday. This time, he will be accompanied by the U.S. Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee.

The FBI is looking for links after the death or disappearance of at least 10 U.S. scientists connected to sensitive research. What some family members are saying, just ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:46:26]

CHURCH: British Prime Minister, Keir Starmer will face questions from lawmakers in the coming hours. He will address Parliament for the second time this week as the scandal around the former U.K. Ambassador to the U.S., Peter Mandelson, continues to heat up. CNN's Clare Sebastian explains.

CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Pressure is now mounting again on the British Prime Minister as his latest effort to contain the fallout of his appointment of Peter Mandelson as Britain's Ambassador to Washington seems to have backfired. Well, on Monday, we heard Keir Starmer blame officials at his foreign ministry for "deliberately not telling him that Peter Mandelson had apparently not cleared security vetting" but that they had overruled that.

Well, he did apologize to Jeffrey Epstein's victims. But on Tuesday, we got a somewhat different version of events from the very official at the Foreign Office that Starmer has now fired over this scandal, Olly Robbins. Here's how some of that has played out.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KEIR STARMER, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: Let me be very clear, if I had been told that Peter Mandelson or anybody else had failed security and had not been given clearance on security vetting, I would not have appointed them. A deliberate decision was taken to withhold that material from me.

OLLY ROBBINS, FORMER PERMANENT UNDERSECRETARY, BRITISH FOREIGN OFFICE: A position taken from the Cabinet Office was that there was no need to vet Mandelson. He was a member of the House of Lords. He was a Privy Councilor. The risks attending his appointment were well known and had been made clear to the prime minister before appointment. Now in the end, the FCDO insisted.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SEBASTIAN: Robbins also clarified Tuesday that Mandelson was considered a borderline case by the U.K. security vetting agency, but he says Mandelson was actually given security clearance by the Foreign Office because they felt they could mitigate the risks that were flagged, risks which Robbins said did not include Mandelson's ties to Epstein.

And Robbins also said that his office was under constant pressure from 10, Downing Street to get this appointment through quickly. Starmer's judgment now, once again, under scrutiny after previously acknowledging he knew about Mandelson's relationship with Epstein, but said that he did not know the "depth and darkness" of that relationship.

Mandelson meanwhile has said he regrets his relationship with Epstein, but has denied any criminal wrongdoing after his arrest in February of allegations of misconduct in public office. Well, the Head of the opposition Conservative Party here in the U.K. accused Starmer Tuesday of undermining national security with Mandelson's appointment. And the timing for all this could hardly be worse, just about two weeks before crucial local elections and less than a week before King Charles embarks on an already controversial state visit to the United States.

Clare Sebastian, CNN, London.

CHURCH: U.S. President, Donald Trump's pick to lead the Federal Reserve says he will not do Trump's bidding if he is confirmed. Kevin Warsh testified Tuesday before the Senate Banking Committee. He argues the Fed is failing to help Americans manage the high cost of living and he vowed to lead the central bank independent from politics.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KEVIN WARSH, NOMINEE FOR U.S. FEDERAL RESERVE CHAIR: The president never asked me to predetermine, commit, fix, decide on any interest rate decision in any of our discussions, nor would I ever agree to do so.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: That response may not sit well with the president who has repeatedly criticized the Fed for not cutting rates more quickly.

[02:50:00]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REBECCA QUICK, CNBC ANCHOR: Will you be disappointed if your new Fed Chair, if he gets approved, doesn't cut rates right away?

TRUMP: I would.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Warsh would replace Jerome Powell, whose term as Fed Chair ends next month.

The FBI is investigating the deaths or disappearances in recent years of at least 10 scientists connected to sensitive nuclear or aerospace research. The Bureau says there are questions about a possible sinister connection among the cases. CNN's Natasha Chen has our report.

NATASHA CHEN, CNN U.S. NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The circumstances of these dozen or so people vary widely, from people whose deaths had been publicly reported and explained with suspects arrested to people whose disappearances truly leave detectives stumped.

I've tried to reach out to as many family members and close friends of these people as I could, and the reactions also range widely, from some laughing this off as ridiculous to others hoping a federal investigation will finally give them some answers.

The request for briefings from the FBI, the Defense Department, Department of Energy, NASA, comes from the Republican-led House Oversight Committee. Here's the Committee Chair, James Comer.

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REP. JAMES COMER, (R-KY) CHAIRMAN, HOUSE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE: When I first heard about this, I thought, well, that can't be true. That sounds like some kind of crazy conspiracy theory. But once you see the facts, it would suggest that something sinister could be happening, and it would be a national security concern.

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CHEN: But there is nothing sinister in the eyes of Julia Hicks, the daughter of Michael David Hicks, a scientist who died in 2023. He was named in those congressional letters. There were internet rumors stemming from no publicly listed cause of death or available autopsy.

But his daughter told me, she's the one who found him when he passed and he had known medical issues. She said he worked at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory for nearly 25 years on near-Earth comets and asteroids, how to deflect them from Earth, nothing that she feels would put a target on his back. She told me, I can't help but laugh about it, but at the same time, it's getting serious, referring to this congressional attention.

And then on the other end of the spectrum, you have disappearances like that of Anthony Chavez, 78-years-old, who disappeared last year from Los Alamos, New Mexico. He was retired and had been a foreman overseeing construction of new buildings at Los Alamos National Laboratory, according to police.

A detective there told me he is at a loss. The clues show them that Chavez was home the day before he was reported missing, but left all his stuff left behind. And though he was a hiker and could have gone to one of the many canyons in the area, it was also pouring rain that day, and he didn't bring a jacket.

Chavez's best friend told me he tried to get the FBI involved initially, but he was hung up on. He says, it's about time the Feds look into this. He believes Chavez was abducted. I asked him to elaborate on that, but he said the Chavez family asked him not to say anything more.

White House Press Secretary, Karoline Leavitt, posted last week about what she called "recent and legitimate questions" about these troubling cases, that agencies would holistically review all the cases together and leave no stone unturned.

Now, the FBI declined to comment. The Department of Defense said only that it would respond to the Committee directly, and the Department of Energy referred questions to the White House. Natasha Chen, CNN, Los Angeles.

CHURCH: Last year, thieves stole several priceless ancient Romanian artifacts from a Dutch museum. Now most of those treasures are being welcomed back to Bucharest. We will have more on that after a short break. Stay with us.

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CHURCH: Welcome back, everyone. One of Romania's most important archaeological objects and two gold bracelets are back where they belong after more than a year. Authorities unveiled the 2,500-year-old golden helmet and two ancient gold bracelets that date back to 50 B.C. The treasures were recovered from thieves who stole them from a Dutch museum in January last year.

They're now in a special display case at the National Museum of Romanian History in Bucharest.

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ANDRAS ISTVAN DEMETER, ROMANIAN MINISTER OF CULTURE (through translator): We are all witnesses to a moment of great joy, namely the return home of the Golden Helmet of Cotofenesti and two of the Dacian bracelets, the royal Dacian bracelets, heritage pieces of exceptional importance for Romania but also for European cultural memory.

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CHURCH: Dutch prosecutors say another bracelet that was stolen is still missing.

Nearly 200 tourists were temporarily trapped on top of a hill in Rio de Janeiro on Monday when police launched an operation against a local gang. They were waiting to see the sunrise when a helicopter flew over the area and some people heard gunshots.

According to a tourism agency CEO, guides are trained to handle situations like this, but tourists were still worried.

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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): There were a lot of shots, a lot of shooting. We didn't know where they were coming from or if they could hit us or if they were close.

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CHURCH: Police say they have arrested people, seized drugs, firearms (ph). Thank you for joining me this hour. I'm Rosemary Church. I will be back with more "CNN Newsroom" after a short break. Do stay with us.

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