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Trump: U.S. Will Soon Review New Peace Proposal From Iran; Trump On Iran Proposal: "Can't Imagine" It'll Be Acceptable; Residents Worried About U.S. Troop Reduction In Germany; Civil Rights Group Challenge Alabama's Move To Redraw Maps; Mifepristone Maker Asks Supreme Court To Restore Mail Access; London Exhibition Showcases The Power Of Photojournalism. Aired 5-6a ET

Aired May 03, 2026 - 05:00   ET

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

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[05:00:30]

KIM BRUNHUBER, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome to all of you watching us here in the United States, Canada and around the world. I'm Kim Brunhuber, this is "CNN Newsroom."

President Trump says he'll review Iran's newest peace proposal as Pakistan pushes for more talks. We're live in Islamabad with the latest.

Millions are reeling after Spirit Airlines shuts down. The impact this could have on summer travel.

Plus, an emergency appeal to the Supreme Court. What a new court ruling means for people trying to use abortion pills.

ANNOUNCER: Live from Atlanta, this is "CNN Newsroom" with Kim Brunhuber.

BRUNHUBER: The ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran remains in effect as President Donald Trump says he's reviewing a new proposal from Iran to end the war. But he appeared unimpressed, saying, quote, "I can't imagine that it would be acceptable." Iran's state affiliated news agency reports the 14-point proposal was sent through a Pakistani intermediary.

And while details are few, the plan calls for permanently ending the war on all fronts, including in Lebanon. It also includes withdrawal of U.S. military forces from the region.

Meanwhile, Tehran is poised to approve a law that would place restrictions on which vessels can pass through the Strait of Hormuz. Under the law, ships from so called hostile countries will be required to pay reparations to obtain a permit for passage.

CNN's Paula Hancocks is standing by for us in Abu Dhabi. But first, I want to go to Nic Robertson, who is in Islamabad, Pakistan.

So, Nic, take us through what we do know about this latest proposal, President Trump's reaction and what all this might mean for negotiations.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yeah, this idea that the United States should pull back its military so it's not in a position to threaten Iran or at least pull back some distance from Iran. We don't know what distance was specified. It really seems to fit with a briefing we had here just a couple of days ago from a senior Iranian official, which said, OK, the way to unblock and get the talks going was for both sides simultaneously to lift their blockades on the Strait of Hormuz.

But he then went on to say, but how do we guarantee security there? How do we guarantee that the United States doesn't move in and take control of the Strait of Hormuz? So, that really seems to correlate.

And also this idea that we continue to hear from Iranian officials in the parliament pushing through legislation that would give them administration rights, legal administration rights in their view to control the Strait of Hormuz. You just detailed some of the points in that. Israeli ships wouldn't be able to go through.

Any ships related to the United States and its allies would have to pay war reparations to go through. These appear to be sort of non- starters. So, the Iranian media is talking about them, saying that they are indicating that they may be in part of the deal.

We don't know that because it hasn't been explicitly laid out by either side. And the mediators here are not laying it out. The Iranians are saying that the mediators here continue to do their diplomatic work. And that really fits a picture of what we saw last night.

President Trump saying that he was getting more details to sort of add to his already understanding of what the Iranian proposal was, while at the same time backing away from the idea that it put out the day before, which was he would be better off without a deal. All of that fits a picture that we hear here in Islamabad that this is rather than thinking of this as a discreet.

Here's an Iranian proposal and everyone now, which went in Friday, by the way, and everyone now waits for President Trump to respond to that proposal. I guess probably more instructive to think about a situation where there are messages going backwards and forwards. Indeed, there seemed to be a moment last night where early evening in the United States, where President Trump was sort of on the verge potentially of coming out and making a conclusive decision.

But that does seem to be a level of indecisiveness about what he's doing. But that does seem to reflect the idea that communications are going backwards and forwards. You know, we don't know that it's detailed negotiation on the nitty gritty of what's inside the Iranian proposal. But it does seem to be both sides testing out what the other is saying. So, like a flow of messages, if you will.

BRUNHUBER: Things still very fluid as you describe them, Nic.

[05:05:01] I want to go to Paula now. I mentioned earlier those new restrictions in the straight. What's Tehran saying?

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kim, Tehran clearly wants to change facts on the ground or at the very least use its newfound power over the Strait of Hormuz as leverage when it comes to talks. So, the latest we've heard has come from press TV. This is state affiliated media. And they have said that Tehran's parliament is poised to pass a law which would effectively give Tehran the decision of who is allowed to use the Strait of Hormuz. This critical waterway to allow gas and oil from the Gulf nations to the rest of the world and, of course, from Iran to the rest of the world.

Now, as you've laid out, really, the basic elements of it is that Israel would not allow be allowed any vessels. That's hostile countries. And there you can probably read the United States and others would have to pay a reparation to have a permit to be able to get through.

Even those countries that Iran may consider to be friendly towards them in their minds would have to have coordination with Tehran. So, it's effectively the parliament passing a law that they are in control of the Strait of Hormuz. It's not an element and a fact on the ground that is going to be accepted by the U.S. or Israel or even the Gulf nations, which rely on the Strait of Hormuz to be able to get their oil and gas to the rest of the world.

Now, what we have also been seeing is, of course, that oil price, which has been fluctuating. It is still high. Nothing like what we saw just a few days ago, though, when Brent crude hit about $125 dollars a barrel.

But we are hearing from industry executives and analysts that that more could be to come, that worse could be to come, saying that the -- that the buffer that many countries had of this supply has been severely depleted over the past couple of months, pointing out that this paralysis of -- of oil and gas flows from the Gulf is going to have a deepening impact over the coming weeks.

Now, they're pointing out, for example, Exxon Chief Executive has been speaking to shareholders, saying there is more to come if the Strait remains closed, pointing out that the pain could get worse.

Now, when it comes to these Gulf nations as well, they are also looking ahead to the possibility of hostilities resuming between Iran and the U.S. They know full well that Iran will be targeting them once again. If that happens, the U.S. State Department says that they have fast -- fast-tracked billions of dollars of arms sales to key allies.

Now, this includes air defense systems for Kuwait and Qatar. Clearly, those systems would have been depleted seriously during the past couple of months as they were trying to intercept missiles and drones being fired from Iran towards them.

Also, an approval of laser guided rockets for Qatar, the UAE and Israel. The totality of these sales, we understand, is somewhere around eight billion dollars. So, even as we are seeing the discussions about diplomacy, a potential deal, proposals, plans, there are plans in place to make sure that that the U.S. allies can defend themselves sufficiently should the diplomatic track fail and should hostilities resume.

Kim?

BRUNHUBER: All right, I want to thank both of you for giving us a full picture of where things stand right now. Nic Robertson and Paul Hancocks, thank you so much.

The Israeli military and Hezbollah are continuing to trade fire despite the declared ceasefire in Lebanon on Saturday. The Israel Defense Forces said it struck some 70 military structures and 50 infrastructure sites belonging to Hezbollah, the pro-Iranian militant group. The IDF has warned residents in nine towns and villages in southern Lebanon to evacuate ahead of new strikes.

Lebanese state media reported that an Israeli strike on a mosque killed at least three people. Meanwhile, Hezbollah says it attacked Israeli troops and vehicles in one southern Lebanese town. CNN's Oren Liebermann joins me now from Jerusalem.

Oren, what's the latest?

OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: We're seeing another evacuation warning issued by the Israeli military for issue for parts of southern Lebanon and beyond. The latest evacuation warning includes at least several areas, towns and villages north of the Litani River. That is north of the areas occupied by Israeli forces in southern Lebanon.

You see Israel expanding its effort to try to dislodge and destroy Hezbollah's forces in southern Lebanon. They haven't issued an evac warning for the Beqaa Valley or Beirut. They have scaled back on that under U.S. pressure when the ceasefire went into effect. But you still see a concerted and what very much looks like an escalating effort to try to destroy Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.

[05:10:11]

The Israeli military said they struck scores of Hezbollah military infrastructure sites and military facilities on Saturday. As you see, this effort very much continued. The Lebanese Ministry of Public Health also says three people were killed in an Israeli strike on a mosque.

We have reached out to the IDF for comment on that strike. But you see what is very much an open conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, even if there is a nominal ceasefire between Israel and the recognized Lebanese government. Hezbollah, meanwhile, has continued its attacks. The Israeli military said they intercepted projectiles coming from Lebanon, that is, from Hezbollah, along the Israel-Lebanon border. Hezbollah has used drones very effectively, not the rocket and missile arsenal it was known for, but first-person drones to target Israeli forces in southern Lebanon and in northern Israel. So, you see this ongoing and very much what appears to be an escalating conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.

In the middle of all of this, the U.S. Embassy in Beirut and the Trump administration are trying to push forward a diplomatic track, saying that it would be a benefit to both sides if President Donald Trump was able to host what would be a landmark meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun. The U.S. Embassy in Beirut said that meeting could lead to Lebanon's territorial integrity, meaning a withdrawal of Israeli forces, but first it's unclear if Hezbollah would agree to that or abide by a ceasefire, if Israel would agree to withdrawing its forces after such a meeting, and it's not clear that Aoun, the Lebanese president, is in a position right now with continued Israeli strikes that he'd be willing to meet Netanyahu.

Kim?

BRUNHUBER: I really appreciate that. Oren Liebermann, thanks so much.

President Trump says the 5,000 U.S. troops being withdrawn from Germany that the Pentagon announced is only the first step. On Saturday, he said he plans to cut a lot further than the number announced the day before. Republican congressional leaders are already pushing back against the move, and so are residents of a German town near the Rammstein Air Base, which is the headquarters for the U.S. Air Forces in Europe. They say their economy will take a major hit.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MURAT KAPLAN, LANDSTUHL RESIDENT (through translator): In any case, it would hit hard because this area is very dependent on financially, and I think it would cause a great deal of damage.

MARIA RAFTOPOULO, LANDSTUHL RESIDENT (through translator): Americans weren't just part of society. Some of them really did live among us quite normally. Not all of them were isolated, but they provided jobs, they rented houses and flats. I know from my family that this has also enabled many people to pay off their mortgages, through granny flats and other flats. And even though there are fewer Americans now, they still provide jobs, they still rent, they contribute to the region doing as well as it does.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: The U.S. decision came just days after German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the U.S. was being humiliated by Iran. Germany now says the U.S. move was anticipated, and it shows that Europe has to do more for its own security.

A day of disruption for thousands of Spirit Airlines passengers and employees after the discount carrier announced it was shutting down a little more than 24 hours ago. A social media user on one of Spirit's final flights captured a crew member's emotional message. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So, we've been in the air since 1983, what is that, 43 years and unfortunately that's over. So, thank you for your support over the years and onward and upward, right?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: Spirit ticket holders are being issued refunds, and other airlines are offering so-called rescue fares. But the abrupt cancellations and lack of customer service stranded thousands of passengers nationwide. CNN's Gloria Pazmino takes us through the empty Spirit terminal at New York's LaGuardia Airport.

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GLORIA PAZMINO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You're going to see inside this building, essentially completely desolate, except for some maintenance workers, some people who have been walking through this terminal, actually with moving boxes, packing supplies and packing office materials throughout the day. The sole coffee shop that was inside of this terminal was open, was full this morning, empty, but still full of supplies. It has now been emptied out. All of that supply, all of that food has been emptied out.

And as you can see, it's a ghost town. You can't go anywhere. The terminals are not working. The departure hall is shut down. There's a security back there just making sure that people don't end up walking through those doors.

BRUNHUBER: Earlier, CNN spoke with Brandon Keene, a pilot with Spirit Airlines, and he described what the last couple of days have been like and expressed sympathy for what his colleagues are going through.

[05:15:03]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRANDON KEENE, SPIRIT AIRLINES PILOT: Myself and my peers are coming off of being furloughed for 15 plus months. So, many of them had other flying jobs that they had left to come back to Spirit, something to kind of fill the void while they were waiting, only to be kind of turned down here three weeks they had left to come back to Spirit, something to kind of fill the void while they were waiting, only to be kind of turned down here three weeks into it. So, that's a -- that's a hard one for them.

The only real thing, the communication we got was an email from the chief pilot, I believe roughly six or seven p.m. last night. And then I woke up to an email at 116 from the CEO, basically stating that the doors were closing and, you know, this wasn't the outcome that he had hoped for. Obviously, at least 10 applications went out today. And who calls me? Those are the options I start getting. I've got an interview and whatnot.

The ones I really feel for, though, Ben, are the ones or the captains, the 15, 16, 17-year captains. You know, in their mid to late 50s, they've got, you know, less than 10 years left of their career and they held seniority. They had a great lifestyle and great pay. And they can't necessarily bring that over to one of the legacy carriers like United or American. They start at the bottom like everybody else does. So, that seniority starts over.

Some of the regional airlines will hire them as direct entry captains and honor their years. But the pay is still not going to be what they had or the lifestyle. So, those are the guys that I really feel for.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: All right, still to come here on "CNN Newsroom," an update on talks to potentially reschedule the White House Correspondents' Dinner, as some attendees still grapple with the aftershock from a thwarted shooting incident.

Plus, Southern states, including Alabama, are racing to redraw their congressional maps after a key civil rights law was weakened by the Supreme Court. We'll look at what it means for Alabama voters. That's coming up. Stay with us.

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[05:20:57]

BRUNHUBER: Alabama's Republican governor is calling a special legislative session hoping to draw a new congressional map less than two weeks before primary elections. Have a look here. This gives you a sense of what's at stake. The map on the right shows how Alabama is currently represented in the U.S. house by five Republicans and two Democrats. That followed the courts ordering the creation of a second congressional district with a sizable black population.

But this week's U.S. Supreme Court decision dramatically weakened what's left of the Voting Rights Act. The new ruling makes it much harder to challenge redistricting plans as discriminatory against voters of color. Some Republican states are jumping at the chance to possibly redraw their legislative maps to give themselves a partisan advantage. But it might not be so easy. Alabama is facing challenges from civil rights groups who are asking the nation's top courts to stop that effort.

Ruth Serven Smith has been reporting all of the latest developments. She's an editor at "AL.com" and she joins us now from Birmingham, Alabama.

Thanks so much for being up early with us here. So, as I said, Alabama's governor called this special session just a few days after the ruling. The state moved fast. I mean, were Republicans basically, you know, waiting there with their pens ready?

RUTH SERVEN SMITH, EDITOR, AL.COM: Good morning, Kim. Yes, that is exactly what happened. As soon as the Callais decision came down, Republicans in the state began asking the governor to call a special session and they have been strategizing about how to turn the Republican majority in our congressional delegation from five representatives to seven representatives. The complication, of course, is that Alabama is under a federal injunction from the courts to not redistrict until 2030. Kay Ivey initially said that she would not redistrict. She got a lot of pressure from her party. And then on Friday, she reversed that decision.

And so, we will have a special session on Monday. But effects of the special session will only kick in if the Supreme Court hears Alabama's arguments and allow it to redistrict. So, it's a little bit of a complicated situation. And we will all be watching next week to see what happens.

BRUNHUBER: Yeah, absolutely. And we were just showing that map there with the two Democratic districts, including the one with the big black population there. We're showing it again. So, take us through what's actually on the line here for black representation in Alabama.

SERVEN SMITH: Yeah, absolutely. You know, this is a really important topic for the state. Of course, it's the home of some of the iconic moments of the civil rights movement. And so for a long time, black voters and black Democrats have been fighting for increased representation in the state. This specific effort has been going on for five years. But of course, it's been going on for decades in the bigger picture.

Currently, Alabama has two House Democratic representatives, Terri Sewell and Shomari Figures. Figures was only recently elected after that redistricting effort you discussed. And his district is one of the ones that will be targeted in this redistricting effort.

Now, initially, Alabama wanted to only have one majority black district. The state, though, is 27 percent black. And so judges and a special master told Alabama, no, you need to go back and increase African American voters' representation and chance to send a member of their choice to Congress.

So, Shomari Figures district especially is in play. But in the bigger picture, too, and people in the state have been talking about this all week, there could be other congressional districts at play. The special session is expected to address our state legislative seats.

And then moving forward down the line, it's possible that local government districts could be redrawn as well in ways that could potentially disadvantage African American and Democratic voters.

[05:25:04]

BRUNHUBER: You talked about this being complicated. I was trying to follow as you were talking about the timeline there. So, just set me straight. So, the May 19th primary is already underway. You know people have literally voted. I mean, if these maps change, what happens to those ballots? Or can they change for this -- this election?

SERVEN SMITH: Right. That is all currently up for discussion. I talked with several people who are strategizing different options. Again, some of this hinges on how quickly the Supreme Court hears Alabama's arguments. That case is Allen v. Milligan.

But some options on the table are that Alabama still holds its primaries and then calls special elections for districts affected by redistricting. The Supreme Court would have to allow that. Other options, I mean, Louisiana has thrown everything out. I don't think that's on the table here. But it could end up being a proposal that the legislature considers this week. In that case, ballots will have to be reprinted. As you noted, some ballots, absentee ballots, have already been cast.

And so, I would expect at the end of the day for all of this to get tied up in litigation. And this is already very confusing for voters in this state. People are sending me questions about what does this mean for me? What does this mean if my district changes? And there will be a lot of explaining to do for individual voters to understand what's going on.

BRUNHUBER: You've been talking to people across the board here. And I was struck by this. I mean, this weekend is the anniversary of the 1963 Children's Crusade. A thousand kids marched against segregation where you are in Birmingham. You know, many Americans have seen those horrific pictures of kids being blasted by fire hoses, attacked by police dogs. I mean, the folks there who lived through that, what are they telling you?

SERVEN SMITH: Yeah, absolutely. And that's one reason why this week and this Supreme Court decision really feels really raw for people in Birmingham. I spoke with someone involved in a foot soldiers organization last week. And he said, look, we've been doing this work for a long time. We are prepared to keep doing this work if we need to. Other African-American legislative representatives called this a slap in the face to everyone who fought, led, even died in the voting rights movement.

And so, yes, this is something that is living memory for many people in this state. And they are really disappointed that the Supreme Court has rolled back some key protections of the Voting Rights Act.

BRUNHUBER: Listen, that was a really great breakdown of a really important story, and we really appreciate having you on, Ruth Serven Smith. Thank you so much.

SERVEN SMITH: Thank you.

BRUNHUBER: Talks to reschedule this year's White House Correspondents' Dinner are starting to gain some momentum following the chilling shooting incident just over a week ago. The alleged gunman has now been charged with attempting to assassinate the president. But as the dust settles, questions still remain over what exactly happened that night.

Now, some attendees have ruled out returning for a redo of the press event citing trauma and security concerns. Multiple journalism organizations are offering assistance to this year's WHCA president, who remains committed to honoring scholars, award winners, and the First Amendment. Sources familiar with the planning say the board is considering a new event within the next 60 days.

U.S. reproductive rights may soon be back before the Supreme Court as the maker of an abortion drug appeals or lower court ruling will explain the case and get perspective from a doctor. That is coming up. Stay with us.

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[05:32:17]

BRUNHUBER: Welcome back. I'm Kim Brunhuber. Let's check some of today's top stories.

President Trump says he will soon review a new plan from Iran to end the war, but on "Truth Social" he posted that he, quote, "can't imagine that it would be acceptable." Iran's state media reported on Saturday that Tehran sent a 14-point proposal to the U.S. through a Pakistani intermediary. The plan calls for ending the war on all fronts, including Lebanon.

Trump also says the announced pullout of nearly 5,000 U.S. troops from Germany is only a start. He says he plans to go much further with the plan amid pushback from some Republican lawmakers. More than 30,000 U.S. troops would remain in Germany after those 5,000 are withdrawn.

Travel confusion at U.S. airports with thousands of Spirit Airlines customers left stranded after the discount carrier shut down early Saturday. Ticket holders are being issued refunds, and other airlines are offering so-called rescue fares with most capped at around $200,000.

The makers of the abortion pill Mifepristone filed an emergency appeal with the Supreme Court on Saturday. They're asking that the drug remain available through the mail. A day earlier, a federal appeals court temporarily reinstated a requirement that the medication be obtained in person only. Women have been getting the pill without an in-person appointment since the COVID-19 pandemic.

CNN's Camila DeChalus has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CAMILA DECHALUS, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Well, this is quickly turning into a major legal battle over abortion rights. At this point in time, the manufacturer of the abortion pill Mifepristone, they just filed an emergency appeal to the Supreme Court, and they're asking the justices to step in and pause a lower court ruling that for now temporarily bans anyone from receiving the abortion pill through mail.

Now, let me tell you why this is really significant, especially the timing around this. This appeal comes just a day after the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reinstated a nationwide ban that the abortion pill has to be picked up in person, that they no longer can get it through mail.

Now, critics of this ruling, they argue that this can significantly limit people's access to any method of abortion and would create new hurdles for patients. However, others that are in support of this ruling, they're really arguing that this is more about reestablishing tighter safety controls.

Now, in the appeal, the attorney for the manufacturer, they wrote, what should a patient do if they cannot obtain an in-person appointment immediately? And they're essentially, their main argument here is that this lower court ruling is presenting significant challenges to those that need the abortion pill and that we're not planning to go to do so in person and that we're relying on telehealth appointments or in the mail to receive the abortion pill. So, at this point in time, now, all eyes are on the Supreme Court on whether they're going to take up this case and temporarily pause this lower court ruling as a bigger legal fight now continues around abortion rights.

[05:35:08]

Camila DeChalus, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: All right, for more on this, I want to bring in Dr. Kristyn Brandi. She's a board-certified OB-GYN and a fellow with Physicians for Reproductive Health. And she joins us now from Montclair, New Jersey.

Thank you so much for being here with us. Really appreciate it. So, as a doctor who prescribes this medication, what does the ruling mean for your patients right now?

DR. KRISTYN BRANDI, BOARD CERTIFIED OB/GYN: Thanks so much for having me. So, for my patients right now, it means that we're having a lot of chaos and confusion in figuring out what is available and not available for people. Even in my state of New Jersey, where abortion is legal, about one in four people seeking abortion right now in the U.S. are provided this via telehealth. And this has been a game- changer for access for folks that are using this as a lifeline in states where there are bans. And it's currently very disruptive for people that are able to access this care in states without bans.

BRUNHUBER: OK, but, you know, I want to get at one of the questions asked in that report. People will say, look, you can still get this medication. You just have to go, you know, pick it up in person, basically. So, why is losing the option to get it through the mail or through telehealth such a big deal?

BRANDI: It's a great question. I think that we are so used to other types of healthcare being done in person, but slowly we've been moving to telehealth for a lot of different types of care, including abortion. And that's for a lot of different reasons. People can take off time from work, need to find childcare. And particularly now after the Dobbs decision, many people are having to travel multiple states to find an in-person person to seek, to get this care. And so, this is something that is really disruptive for people that are, you know, down the street and just want to get this medication. And for those that are having to travel multiple states to get this care. For everybody, it's creating a lot of noise out there around people's ability to access this care. And you're right, people can access this care safely. And providers have pivoted to different regiments that we can offer patients via telehealth. But right now, it's really preventing people from getting the evidence-based care that they need.

BRUNHUBER: You talk about the confusion so many women have about what's allowed, what's not allowed. Are patients or doctors even worried about being prosecuted for prescribing or obtaining this medication, especially when you're talking about, you know, crossing state lines?

BRANDI: Unfortunately, yes. It's something that there are some states that are working on bills called shield bands to protect providers that are giving this medication to their patients. But it's still something that is untested. And a lot of providers are worried. And having this ruling is making things even worse and making people more scared to be able to provide this care.

BRUNHUBER: The other side effect, I guess, possibly, is that patients might start looking to get this online from unregulated sources or different countries, let's say, just to get around this ban.

BRANDI: Yes, and we've already been seeing that in the United States since the Dobbs decision, that people have been self-managing their abortion for a while and seeking these medications online. And so, this also disrupts that of people being able to access this medication because really no one should be able to get this medication by mail right now. And so, it's really creating a huge barrier for anyone that's trying to seek this care.

BRUNHUBER: So, if this does go to the Supreme Court, I mean, given the makeup of the Supreme Court and the sort of headwinds against abortion that we've been seeing in this country, I mean, do you have any hope that the legal system will sort this out, I guess, positively from your point of view, before your patients really start feeling the consequences of this?

BRANDI: I mean, I think it's -- it's hard to say because we're already feeling the consequences. We're already getting calls from patients in different offices in different states asking if they can get the care that they have scheduled. I would like to hope that the system will work as it should and that the legal system will look at the decades of evidence that show that this medication is safe and the years that show that it is safe via telehealth.

But unfortunately, I know that the legal system has already disrupted care via the Dobbs decision. I'm unfortunately not optimistic, but we're just going to keep pushing and making sure that people can get the best care that they can.

BRUNHUBER: All right, I really appreciate your perspective on this. Dr. Kristyn Brandi, thank you so much.

BRANDI: Thank you.

BRUNHUBER: A British woman has won the right to be sterilized as a method of permanent birth control after exposing double standards in the UK's National Health Service. The woman says she was denied government-funded sterilization for 10 years on the grounds she might regret her decision. The procedure involves tying a woman's fallopian tubes to prevent pregnancy. At the same time, her health care provider had been funding vasectomies for men, a permanent method of male contraception. An investigation found her lack of service was unfair, inconsistent, and based on subjective reasoning.

[05:40:10]

An exhibit highlighting some of the defining moments shaping our world today will soon open in London. Coming up, a preview of the power images coming from journalists around the globe. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BRUNHUBER: Timmy the whale is finally free. He's back in open waters after a weeks-long saga that stole the hearts of millions around the world. The humpback whale, dubbed Timmy by fans, was first spotted in early March off Germany's Baltic coast.

Far from his natural Atlantic habitat, Timmy's health deteriorated as he repeatedly got stuck in shallow sandbanks in the following weeks. Well, several rescue attempts failed. But in the final successful try, Timmy was towed in a water-bearing barge around Denmark and released into the North Sea.

The United Nations wants the world to recognize the importance of a free press. Today, May 3rd, is World Press Freedom Day, a tradition started by the U.N. more than 30 years ago to highlight the need for journalism that isn't controlled or restricted by any government. A prominent exhibit set soon to open in London will highlight some of the recent powerful images from journalists.

CNN's Isa Soares reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JON WILLIAMS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, RORY PECK TRUST: Of the 129 journalists who were killed last year, around 90 of them were in Gaza. And most of those, they were not journalists at the start of the war.

ISA SOARES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right.

WILLIAMS: They have picked up the baton as others have fallen and continued to tell the story. And Mariam is a good example of that. Mariam was a freelancer, despite working with "A.P."

SOARES: Yeah.

WILLIAMS: She was a freelancer. It's just a tragedy that she's one of the more than 200 Palestinian journalists who have been killed over these past two and a half years. SOARES: And I think this is an important point to just bring to the viewer's attention that Rory Peck, like "CNN," like "BBC," like so many others, continue to this day to ask, to push, to press the Israeli government to let us into Gaza.

[05:45:07]

WILLIAMS: And not to -- because --

SOARES: Demean at all.

WILLIAMS: Absolutely. But in order to relieve the pressure on the Palestinian journalists who, for the past two and a half years, amidst everything else --

SOARES: Yeah.

WILLIAMS: -- of trying to find shelter, trying to find food, worrying about their families, have continued to go to work.

SOARES: Yeah.

WILLIAMS: And as I said to you last time, I cannot believe that in the history of journalism there has been a demonstration of such commitment to the craft of journalism as we've seen in the last two and a half years.

SOARES: And this exhibition paints a picture of just the crises we are facing, the world is facing, because right here, just as I turn to my right and my left, U.S. immigration stories that have really been front and center in the news. We've got one here. Talk us through these two, Jon.

WILLIAMS: So, this, I think, is an extraordinary image, which you see the office from ICE putting their hand through the window and the glass shattering. And on the second one, from the "Associated Press," we see federal agents, they had moments before gone into that house with a battering ram and the woman who lives in the house had come to the door, outraged that her front door had been torn down and they then went and arrested her husband.

SOARES: And I want to go back to this photo because you see a Mexican flag, but this is actually United States.

WILLIAMS: It's Los Angeles, yeah. Just the way the composition of this, it could almost be an oil painting. Just the way that the car is burning in front of you through the smoke. You see the guy with the Mexican flag. This is the United States in 2025, as it was, is extraordinary.

SOARES: What role, what responsibility, these decades later, centuries later, does the President of the United States have when we're talking about, you know, democracy, values, journalists, who just last week, of course, continues to attack journalists.

WILLIAMS: For decades -- SOARES: The responsibility of that, Jon.

WILLIAMS: For decades, the United States has been the defender of journalism at best results. So, when journalists were detained in Egypt or elsewhere, it would be the United States that would work quietly behind the scenes to get them out and to ensure that the First Amendment was respected. The tragedy now is that it's actually those days have gone. And actually, not only is the United States not lifting a finger to help journalists overseas, journalists of the United States are being arrested and detained. Just look what's happened in Minnesota.

SOARES: When you and I spoke, was it two years ago? We spoke a lot about Ukraine. A war that has been forgotten, particularly forgotten by the United States. The conversations you've had, Jon, with journalists who have covered Ukraine, how do you see this moment?

WILLIAMS: It shows that normal life goes on. And it speaks to the resilience, not just of the journalists, but of the population of Ukraine. It is a key moment because unless we continue to support the Ukraine people and the journalists in Ukraine, then we won't know what's going on.

I mean, and that's why, in terms of the title of the exhibition, Witness, Truth and Trust, nowhere is that better defined, in a sense, than in Gaza and in Ukraine, where we are entirely reliant on people to be our own witness, to bear witness. And from that flows the truth and trust. And if we have no truth, we have no freedom.

SOARES: When you look at all these images, all these photographs, what are the messages that the photojournalists, the journalists are telling you? Is there a unifying message?

WILLIAMS: Let's just remember, this was journalism's deadliest year ever. And the message that it sends to me is that actually the courage of our colleagues, they are there because they are determined to tell the truth. And they believe the truth deserves an audience. And that's what they do day in, day out. And so this exhibition is absolutely about celebrating the courage and the commitment of our colleagues, wherever they are. Because without them, we have no truth.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: We'll be right back.

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[05:52:42]

BRUNHUBER: The NBA playoffs served up a Game 7 thriller between the Boston Celtics and the Philadelphia 76ers. Despite trailing in the series three games to one, Philadelphia remained defiant, coming out swinging during Saturday's final matchup. They led by as much as 18 points in the third quarter. The Celtics would claw their way back, cutting the deficit to just one point several times in the fourth quarter. But it wasn't enough to stop the Sixers, who held on for the win 109 to 100. Philadelphia now advances to the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Knicks in New York on Monday.

And then later today, we have two more Game 7 showdowns tipping off in the East. First up is the Orlando Magic versus the Detroit Pistons. Then it's the Toronto Raptors against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Golden Tempo has won the 152nd run for the Roses at Churchill Downs. The Colt surge from behind to take the first leg of the Triple Crown by a nose at 23 to 1 odds. And Golden Tempo's stunning victory was history-making.

Cherie DeVaux became the first female trainer to saddle a Kentucky Derby winner. CNN's Andy Scholes has more from Churchill Downs.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: What a finish, what a race. And we got to see some history here at the 152nd running of the Kentucky Derby as Cherie DeVaux became the first ever female trainer to win the Derby as Golden Tempo went from last place all the way to the front to win the race by a nose, an incredible comeback.

And Golden Tempo made its move on the outside after the final turn, it was in a dead heat with one of the favorites, Renegade, but was able to edge him out. And Renegade was nearly the first horse to win from post one since 1986.

But a historic upset win for Devaux in her first ever Derby start, Golden Tempo had 23-1 odds to win the race, but it's proven he is a comeback horse, starts slow but closes with a fury.

And what a weekend for Jockey Jose Ortiz, he also won the Kentucky Oaks on Friday night on always a runner and everyone from Devaux to Ortiz, just super emotional after this incredible win.

CHERIE DEVAUX, GOLDEN TEMPO TRAINER: I honestly don't know. I'm just -- I'm glad that I could be a representative of all women everywhere that we can do anything we set our minds.

JOSE ORTIZ, GOLDEN TEMPOR'S JOCKEY: To have my mom and my dad here today, it's very special. And I just wish my grandpa was here, but I know looking for heaven, he's very happy that I get my goal, my life dream goal achieve and is just amazing.

[05:55:15]

SCHOLES: And Ortiz extra emotional because this was his first Derby win and his brother was the jockey for Renegade, who he barely beat out. So, I'm sure a little bit inside he felt bad for him.

But just what a win and comeback for the entire Golden Tempo team. And I'll tell you what, I was watching on the first turn in the stands, everyone when Golden Tempo won was rather stunned because I think a lot of people had money on the other favorites in the race, like myself I did not do well picking the horses, but, luckily, for my family, my son, picked Golden Tempo because our dog's name is Goldie. So, at least someone in my family's going home with a winning ticket. (END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: All these Sakura cherry blossoms in Toronto's Hyde Park are now in peak bloom, meaning at least 90 percent or more of the blossoms are open. And thousands of visitors headed to see them on Saturday. Now, the flowers only last about four to ten days once they're open. The trees were a gift from Japan nearly 70 years ago to show support of Japanese-Canadian refugees following World War II. And one man who lived in Toronto for 40 years said it was his first time seeing the blossoms. He said, quote, "I think I'll come back next year." Well, worth the wait, I guess.

That wraps this hour of "CNN Newsroom." I'm Kim Brunhuber for our viewers in North America. "CNN This Morning" is next. For the rest of the world, it's "Connecting Africa."

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