Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

U.S. & Iran Signal Progress In Efforts To End War; Russia Used Powerful Hypersonic Missile In Attack On Kyiv; Trump Says Iran Deal "Largely Negotiated," Does Iran Agree?; The Enhanced Games Encourage Athletes To Use Drugs; Thousands Attend Tribute For NASCAR Racing Legend. Aired 12-1a ET

Aired May 25, 2026 - 00:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[00:00:37]

BEN HUNTE, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, wherever you are in the world. You are now in the CNN Newsroom with me, Ben Hunte in Atlanta, and it is so good to have you with me.

Coming up on the show, Donald Trump says he is in no rush to make a deal with Iran, but time is on the side of the U.S. This comes as we learn new details on a proposed framework of a deal that's being discussed between Washington and Tehran.

Russia has used a new hypersonic missile in one of its biggest bombardments yet on Ukraine. But did the attack reveal a weakness in its war strategy? And we'll look at the very controversial new competition where performance enhancing drugs are now allowed.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Live from Atlanta. This is CNN Newsroom with Ben Hunte.

HUNTE: Welcome. Let's begin with the war with Iran. And officials from Tehran and Washington now signaling they are closing in on an agreement to turn the current ceasefire into a long lasting resolution to the conflict. Both sides are talking of a memorandum of understanding that will address all outstanding issues. But what's actually in that framework still remains very unclear.

A senior U.S. official tells CNN the blockade of Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz would loosen proportionately in response to Iran adhering to the proposed deal. President Donald Trump is already boasting about the impending deal, saying in part, "If I make a deal with Iran, it will be a good and proper one, not like the one made by Obama, which gave Iran massive amounts of cash and a clear and open path to a nuclear weapon. Our deal is the exact opposite. But nobody has seen it or knows what it is. It isn't even fully negotiated yet."

Well, all markets have responded positively to that news. Brent crude, the global benchmark, fell to about $99 a barrel on Sunday, and U.S. crude dropped almost 5 percent to about $92 a barrel. Let's bring in CNN's Ivan Watson live for us from Hong Kong. Good to see you, Ivan. There are serious signs of optimism here. That's clear. Is this the strongest signal yet that this conflict may actually be winding down now?

IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Oh, boy, that's a tough, tough question to answer, because we've been on such a roller coaster since the ceasefire was declared kind of first week of April, where one day to the next, you'd go from hearing threats from President Trump to him dangling a possible deal. But there are signals coming out of both Tehran and out of the Trump administration that some kind of an agreement might be on the horizon.

It's being described as a memorandum of understanding, though U.S. officials have said we're still days away from the possibility of this being signed. They say that they're still waiting to hear Iran come back with response to some wording that the U.S. has requested. We've had mixed signals coming from the Iranian state media. But as it stands, this is kind of what we're hearing about what this would look like.

The main goal for the first phase of this would be for reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran, of course, closed in the first days after the U.S. and Israel launched this war at the end of February. And U.S. officials have said as Iran would reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the U.S. would withdraw its blockade of Iranian ports.

And then you'd go into a countdown, perhaps 30, 60 days, to begin negotiations about Iran's nuclear program. Of course, that, Iran's nuclear program, was the casus belli. That was the reason why the U.S. and Israel announced they launched the war in the first place to get rid of Iran's nuclear program.

But as we see from the first kind of descriptions of this possible memorandum of understanding, it's not dealing with the nuclear program. It's dealing with Iran shutting down the strategic waterway and plunging the globe into an energy crisis. That is what it appears to be dealing with first, if it doesn't, in fact, take hold. Ben?

HUNTE: OK, thank you so much, Ivan Watson in Hong Kong. We appreciate that. Thank you.

[00:05:00]

With us now from Washington is Ali Alfoneh, senior fellow at the Arab Gulf States Institute. And hopefully we have you, sir. Yes, we do. And let's just start with where things stand this morning. Both Washington and Tehran are signaling progress. But what do we actually know about where these talks are right now?

ALI ALFONEH, SENIOR FELLOW, ARAB GULF STATES INSTITUTE: Well, the fundamental problem is that President Trump is sending mixed signals and we are also hearing different signals coming out of Tehran. President Trump, you know, yesterday told us that we're extremely close to a deal. Today, he says that he's not in a rush to make a deal with Iran. And by the way, he also posted a photo of a bomb, you know, thank you for your attention to this matter, was the text on his post on Truth Social. So we have difficulties knowing how serious he is. On the other hand, we are hearing representatives and strategists of the Revolutionary Guard in Tehran saying that they are fundamentally disagreeing with certain parts of U.S. demands, particularly when it comes to payments to Iran. Iran says that it wants war reparations.

It also says that it wants access to its frozen assets abroad up front, not after living up to some kind of deal. And there are also some other elements. So it's difficult to be very optimistic at this point. I think we still need a few more days to find out how serious both parties are.

HUNTE: Well, before that, there are some serious signs of optimism. Do you think this is the strongest signal yet that this conflict may actually be winding down?

ALFONEH: It is my impression that President Trump has reached the conclusion that the war was not such a big success. He has found out that he was deceived by Prime Minister Netanyahu, who claimed that the war would be extremely easy. It would be very short. And President Trump and the U.S. would be victors of the war very fast. And he has realized that this is not possible.

On the other hand, the Iranian regime also needs access to money in order to rebuild the country. Iran has to provide for its population. So both parties are strongly motivated. The only question is, who believes, you know, who can last longer? Because there is also the element of midterm elections in America. And this war is not a popular one. The question is, which party is going to blink first?

HUNTE: Yes, we are hearing about a memorandum of understanding, but so few details right now. What do you think are the biggest unresolved issues that still need to be settled here?

ALFONEH: Well, the biggest issue is the one which is not even on the table. And that is what is to be done with 400 kilograms of highly enriched uranium. The Iranian statutes are saying that if Iran gives up that 400 kilogram of highly enriched uranium, Iran has nothing to defend itself with. Iran will be subject to more attacks by the U.S. and Israel. The other element is the question of Iran's access to frozen assets abroad.

The Iranian party says that it wants access to the money up front. The U.S. says Iran can get access to it as a reward for good behavior. So there are fundamentally big issues, you know, that divide the two parties.

HUNTE: Oil markets have already reacted positively to these developments, we just said. How much pressure is there on all sides to avoid more disruption to the global economy?

ALFONEH: Well, I do not believe that the Iranian party is particularly concerned about the global economy. As a matter of fact, I think that they're interested in wreaking havoc on the global economy in order to prevent and also to deter future attacks from the U.S. and from Israel against Iran. They have practically taken the global economy hostage in their field and fight with Israel and the United States. The U.S. party obviously looks at things very, very differently, particularly President Trump has to think about the midterm elections and very unhappy voters. He came into office with very good sense of what Americans wanted, including not involving the U.S. in forever wars in the Middle East. And yet this is exactly where we are right now, I believe, thanks to Prime Minister Netanyahu's manipulation of President Trump.

HUNTE: You have argued that some expectations at the beginning of this conflict didn't actually materialize at all. If it does end here, how has the reality differed from what many people predicted?

ALFONEH: The Iranian regime can claim victory because it survived assassination of Iran's head of state and most of the top military leadership. And this, I believe, has even surprised some of the Iranians. On top of it, Iran has also managed to restrict access and passage through the Strait of Hormuz. This has been a much more powerful instrument than the Iranians actually thought themselves.

[00:10:12]

On the U.S. side, I think that President Trump has learned the lesson that he ought to listen to his own advisors, particularly to the good advice of his own Vice President, before listening to the advice of foreign leaders. Foreign leaders are pursuing their own national interests, but the good civil servants in the U.S. government and the Vice President of the U.S., first and foremost, are thinking about U.S. national interests. And I hope that this is one of the lessons that President Trump has learned from this.

HUNTE: Not to be super negative about this, but what are the warning signs that we should be watching for over the coming days that could tell us that these talks are starting to come off of the rails?

ALFONEH: If we begin to see unreasonable demands from both parties, truly unreasonable demands, you know, that would be a bad signal. And I'm also expecting a number of parties, including Israel, to try to sabotage the deal. No deal, an agreement between Iran and the United States, can be a good deal from Israeli perspective. And that's very sad.

HUNTE: OK. Ali Alfoneh, thank you for your insights. We appreciate them. Speak to you again soon.

Onwards, the potential deal to end the war with Iran may not extend to Israel's ongoing conflict in Lebanon. An Israeli official tells CNN that President Trump told Prime Minister Netanyahu Israel can, "Maintain freedom of action against threats on all fronts, including Lebanon." Lebanese state media reported Israeli strikes in the country's southern region on Sunday. Israel has maintained its bombardment across the country.

And that is despite a ceasefire that you remember was announced last month. Both sides have accused each other of truce violations. More than 3,000 people have now been killed in Lebanon since March 2nd. All right. Coming up, Russia's air assault on Ukraine this weekend included a hypersonic ballistic missile strike, the latest on that war, and Russia's willingness to use even deadlier weapons next.

And later, an update on new efforts by global health organizations to combat the worsening Ebola crisis in Central Africa. See you in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[00:16:50]

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): We have no balcony, no windows left. I can see that the furniture is smashed. The feelings inside are very painful. I think my mother and I will be processing this for a very long time.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNTE: Russia's deadly strikes on Kyiv this weekend are leaving physical and psychological scars. Emergency workers are clearing debris from destroyed residential buildings, shops and cars. At least four people were killed in the onslaught as Moscow fired hundreds of missiles and drones towards the Ukrainian capital early on Sunday morning.

One of them, a new hypersonic ballistic missile. The Oreshnik's speed and trajectory makes it nearly impossible for Ukraine's air defense systems to stop it. It's only the third time that Russia has used the weapon in this war. And CNN's Sebastian Shukla has more for us.

SEBASTIAN SHUKLA, CNN PRODUCER: A devastating night for the residents of Ukraine's capital as Moscow launched one of the largest attacks the city has ever seen, 600 drones and 90 missiles, including the highly kinetic and powerful Oreshnik cruise missile, one of the deadliest in Russia's arsenal, was launched at the city.

This attack appeared to be a retaliation strike ordered by President Putin that called on his generals to come up with an attack plan following a Ukrainian attack on that Moscow claimed struck a college dormitory, killing 18 people. Moscow called that attack a terrorist incident. But last night's attack left at least four people dead and 60 people injured, according to Ukrainian officials, with the focus being of this attack on the capital city.

The brutal nature of these attacks was also captured by CNN's teams on the ground, which speaks to the brutality of the attack, with plumes of smoke visible across the city from various different vantage points, terrifying the city's residents.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): I was so scared. Honestly, I thought it was my last day. The building shook. My windows were blown out. And only then I started running away. I reached the bathroom to hide myself, at least there.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): The bathroom is intact. Every other room was destroyed. The windows were blown out together with their frames. If I had stayed in the bedroom, I could have been crushed just like that. I tried to get out. The doors were blown into the staircase. I had to climb over them. And then I saw the second floor had caught fire.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SHUKLA: Attacks like these are becoming more prevalent as the war in the east in the Donbas dries to an attritional phase. Neither side is able to make small gains, let alone take huge swathes of territory. Ukraine, though, has been recently able to deflect insane amounts of damage on Russia's oil and gas facilities, with Western intelligence officials telling CNN that they've managed to wreak billions of dollars of damage on those facilities.

Sebastian Shukla, CNN, Berlin.

HUNTE: We're joined now by CNN contributor and former Moscow bureau chief Jill Daugherty. She's also an affiliated scholar with the Georgetown University Center for Eurasian, Russian and East European Studies. It's good to see you, Jill. Can you just bring us up to speed on this latest Russian attack? Where does this fit into the broader picture of the war? And why does this feel so significant?

[00:20:13]

JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Well, you'd have to say the scale of it, number one. This was a massive attack. It hit primarily Kyiv, but it hit other parts of Ukraine. It had 600 drones and 90 missiles. And the missile that everyone is paying attention to, and there were several that are like this, but this is the Oreshnik. And it is a hypersonic missile. It travels extremely fast, Mach 10, which is 7,600 miles per hour, roughly 13,000 kilometers per hour.

And it is very expensive. So Russia would not use this just because there's a purpose in this. And the purpose, there are many, but I think the first one would have to be, what are they trying to do? Number one, intimidate Ukraine in a major fashion, and also intimidate Europe, which has been coming to the fore more and more. Russia, let's say attacking at least verbally European help for Ukraine. And then it also sends a message, I think, to the United States, which is, we are going to wipe Ukraine. We, meaning Russia, are going to wipe Ukraine off the map. Therefore, they cannot win. And that is a message. Obviously, a lot of people do not agree with that message. But it's a message that Putin wants to send to President Trump.

HUNTE: The scale of this attack has led some to ask whether Putin is acting from a position of strength, or whether this reflects pressure he may be facing militarily and economically. Where do you sit with that?

DOUGHERTY: Yes, well, no question at home. He's facing a lot of issues. The economy is not doing well. There's been a lot of pushback from Russians about internet crackdowns, et cetera. But I think this particular event, and it was sparked by an attack, which Russia is calling a terrorist attack on a college dormitory inside one of the Russian occupied territories, Luhansk, in Ukraine. And Ukraine denies that it was a terrorist attack. It says that it actually hit a drone center.

But this has created real problems for President Putin, because it is a major issue, you know, for young people to die in a dormitory. So he has to show that he's strong. And I think this is, you know, again, part of the rationale that he's using.

HUNTE: Russia does say that these strikes were retaliation for what it describes as Ukrainian attacks. But stepping a bit back from that immediate explanation, what do you think that Putin is trying to achieve strategically right now with this?

DOUGHERTY: Well, you know, let's stand back, as you said, and I think he's giving up on the ability of the Trump administration to put adequate pressure on Ukraine to give Putin what he wants, which is the Donbas region, and to essentially, you know, give up the entire war. He does not believe, or at least it appears he doesn't believe that the Americans can actually, you know, push Ukraine to do what he wants.

Therefore, you know, he has to show the war is over, we've won. And oddly enough, even as the indications are that Ukraine is doing quite well, especially with drone warfare. And I saw some of this, by the way, on a trip that I just came back from military exercises by NATO. Drone warfare is the name of the game. And the Ukrainians are doing quite well on that. So Putin, you know, does have problems. And I think there is a growing amount of frustration that he has about this war, and where it's going, how he cannot even end it, but it's not going to end the way he anticipated with the administration in the United States.

HUNTE: European leaders have strongly condemned these strikes and Zelenskyy is again calling for more help. What are you expecting from European allies?

DOUGHERTY: Well, they are obviously furious. And they are calling on the community, especially in Europe, to get together and discuss sanctions, probably steps international steps to put more and more pressure on Russia. Now, we have heard that before, but they can increase sanctions. And then the most important thing is that they begin to help Ukraine with their own weapons because the United States has basically stopped giving weapons to Ukraine. It's up now to the Europeans to do that. But that is a very difficult task.

[00:25:09]

They have to completely retool their production of weapons in a very fast manner. So that's I think it would be, you know, rhetorical, economic, and other types of pressure. And then also very quickly gear up for helping Ukraine and also protecting Europe.

HUNTE: OK, we'll leave it there for now. But thank you, as always, Jill Dougherty, appreciate your insights. Thank you.

DOUGHERTY: Thank you very much, Ben.

HUNTE: Just hours after a Russian strike hit her home near her family home in Kyiv, Marta Kostyuk took to the court in the first round of this year's French Open. The strike came during the night with photos showing shattered buildings just meters from where Kostyuk's mother, sister and aunt were staying. Despite all of that shock, she went on to win her match 6-2, 6-3, admitting later that she wasn't sure how the news would impact her on the court.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARTA KOSTYUK, UKRAINIAN TENNIS PLAYER & 15TH SEED: Well, I have this picture of my parents' house and everything around it. I had to live through it and deal with it and go out and play. I didn't know what to expect from myself. I didn't know how my focus is going to be, how I'm going to be able to, you know, control my emotions or my thoughts.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNTE: In the coming hours, Pope Leo will present his first encyclical letter as pontiff entitled "Magnifica Humanitas" or Magnificent Humanity. Vatican sources say it will address the protection of human dignity in the era of artificial intelligence. The letter is expected to focus on the impacts of A.I. on warfare, workers' rights and the ethical risks of the growing technology. Pope Leo is expected to break from tradition and present the letter himself on Monday from the Vatican.

OK, the U.S. and Iran are working to iron out details for a potential 60-day ceasefire agreement. Coming up, how both countries are approaching this new phase of very high-stakes negotiations. See you in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[00:31:58]

HUNTE: Welcome back. I'm Ben Hunt. Let's take a look at today's top stories. Ukraine's European allies are condemning Russia's use of the Oreshnik hypersonic ballistic missile. That was just one of the 90 missiles and 600 drones that Moscow launched against the Kyiv region this weekend. At least four people were killed in the strikes and dozens were wounded.

The U.S. and Iran appear to be inching towards a framework deal that would cease hostilities and extend the window for current negotiations. That is according to a senior U.S. official. If agreed both parties would have 60 days to resolve outstanding issues in an effort to build a more robust and long-lasting agreement.

Oil markets have responded positively to that news. Brent crude, that is the global benchmark, and U.S. crude prices both dropped on Sunday and they do continue to fall. JPMorgan analysts expect oil prices to average $97 a barrel through the rest of the year that is if the Strait of Hormuz is reopened by early next month.

Despite President Trump signaling that a deal with Iran could be announced over the weekend, officials are warning it may take several more days to finalize that wording. Both countries also appear to still be at odds over key sticking points in future negotiations, including reopening the Strait of Hormuz as well as dismantling and restricting Iran's nuclear ambitions.

CNN's Julia Benbrook has the latest details for us from the White House.

JULIA BENBROOK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Important to emphasize here that any detail specifics of a deal between the United States and Iran are still being worked out. And President Donald Trump is now saying that he is not in a rush to come to a deal and that he believes time is on his side. I want to pull up one of his posts from Sunday where he said, "The negotiations are proceeding in an orderly and constructive manner. I have informed my representatives not to rush into a deal in that time is on our side. The blockade will remain in full force and effect until an agreement is reached, certified and signed. Both sides must take their time and get it right."

Now in recent remarks, Secretary of State Marco Rubio did say that he believes some progress has been made in recent days. He once again reiterated the goal here for the administration. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARCO RUBIO, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: What is the goal here? The goal here ultimately -- the ultimate goal is that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon. Iran can never possess a nuclear weapon. The President has been clear about that they will never possess a nuclear weapon certainly not as long as Donald Trump is president of the United States.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BENBROOK: A senior administration official tells me that the framework agreement would then give the United States and Iran 60 more days to come to a final deal, that a deal would make sure that Iran cannot possess a nuclear weapon and is committed to giving up its highly enriched uranium. Now how that stockpile would be disposed of, that would be decided during a later phase. When it comes to the Strait of Hormuz that official says that it would be demined and open for business.

[00:35:03]

They did not go into detail though on how that critical waterway would operate going forward, still a lot of questions here. And again, the President is now saying he is not in a rush to make a deal.

Julia Benbrook, CNN, the White House.

HUNTE: Growing uncertainty over the Iran war is dividing lawmakers on Capitol Hill. Republican senator Thom Tillis didn't mince his words saying he believes President Trump's deal with Iran doesn't make sense. He spoke with CNN's Jake Tapper.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SEN. THOM TILLIS (R-NC): We were told about 11 weeks ago by Hegseth and the Department of Defense that they had obliterated Iran's defenses and it was just a matter of time before we had the nuclear material. Now, we're talking about a posture where we may accept the nuclear material remaining in Iran, how does that make sense at all? Also a 60-day ceasefire and expecting that they're going to clear the Strait of Hormuz before the terms of the deal are established, also seems questionable to me.

There are a lot of things that need to be explained. And as I've said before, any agreement with Iran that isn't subject to ratification by Congress is going I think going to be doomed to fail just like the agreement we're trying to replace which was the felt agreement by Obama.

JAKE TAPPER, CNN ANCHOR: It is unclear as of now that the Trump administration is going to be able to get a better deal than Obama got without even having to fire a shot. You just mentioned Secretary Hegseth, do you think the President has been advised well by Secretary Hegseth on this?

TILLIS: No. I actually -- if you take a look at the assessment that Hegseth gave, at the end of the day, regardless of who collected the information, Hegseth owns it by being Secretary of Defense. When you tell the President that you have obliterated Iran and you're in a position to burn it pretty much dictate terms and now you see what we have, when you see Hegseth pull back on operations in Poland when Ukraine -- when Russia is raping, killing, murdering, torturing countless people in Ukraine, when you see these mistakes made by Hegseth, I actually, I think with all these mistakes in total, it's beginning to make Kristi Noem look like a five-star recruit.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTE: The World Health Organization is teaming up with the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to coordinate a continental response to the deadly Ebola crisis. The projected six-month plan includes a $319 million budget to cover all 55 member states in the African Union. Funds will primarily boost response efforts in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda as well as expand outbreak preparedness in 10 other high-risk African countries. DRC officials now estimate more than 200 people have died from the virus.

Emergency crews are racing to stabilize the dangerous overheating of a chemical tank at an aerospace facility in Southern, California. About 50,000 residents of the surrounding area are now under evacuation orders due to risk of exposure to the toxic and highly flammable chemical that's held in a tank. Some evacuees say they are cautiously optimistic after officials announced a development on Sunday that may reduce the risk of a catastrophic explosion.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) THU HA NGUYEN, FMR. CITY COUNCIL MEMBER: They said it cracked last night happened, that mean the spill they can't deal with but at the same time release the pressure. That mean the risk -- the percentage risk of explosion reduce as well. So that kind of hopeful a little bit that no explosion, but we always expect the unexpected and we always prepare.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[00:38:49]

HUNTE: All right. Imagine an elite athletic contest in which competitors are encouraged to use performance enhancing drugs. That is now a reality. Coming up, we'll take you to the enhanced games that was held this weekend in Las Vegas. See you in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HUNTE: Welcome back. The inaugural enhanced games are just wrapping up in Las Vegas. In the final events, the men's 50 meter freestyle swim a world record was broken by Kristian Gkolomeev. I'm so sorry to him. That means he takes home $1 million bonus. Called by some, the steroid Olympics, the games allowed competing athletes to use performance enhancing substances. They were vying to break world records in swimming, track and field weightlifting, 42 athletes competed and just for opted to do so without using any banned drugs. The first place winner in each event was awarded $250,000. Some Olympics leaders and the World Anti-Doping Agency condemned the event as dangerous and irresponsible.

Joining us now to talk more about the enhanced games is Tracey Holmes. She's a sports journalist from Sydney, Australia who has covered the Olympic Games. It's good to see you, Tracey. What actually happened at these first enhanced games there? And did the event actually live up to the huge hype that was surrounding it?

TRACEY HOLMES, HOST, "THE SPORTS AMBASSADOR PODCAST": Look, probably not. But I think that was because all of the initial hype was we deserve to see the general public the most that a human body can do. And if we help them with these supplements and performance enhancing drugs, then we'll be able to really measure what the human body is capable of.

[00:45:00]

Now, there was a lot of talk about world records, obviously. But as you mentioned in the introduction, there was only one world record on the night and that was in the final event and is capable of now There was a lot of talk about world records, obviously But as you mentioned in the introduction, there was only one world record on the night and that was in the final event. And the Greek swimmer is name is Kristian Gkolomeev. He also set a world record in training for the enhanced games last year. So he's now $2 million richer. But he's the only one that managed to pocket $1 million for a world record tonight.

HUNTE: That is pretty incredible. And also the pronunciation of that name is pretty incredible as well. I would not got that. A lot of people did expect what records to start falling as a result of this. But as you say it has happened, but not really in the numbers that were expected. Does that challenge the idea that enhancement alone or dramatically changes performance?

HOLMES: I think that's a really good point. And I was spending a lot of the session while all of the events were on for the past five hours or so looking at some of the comments that were being made on YouTube as people were tuning in from around the world. And I could see that there was a bit of a distinction, you know. And one view of course is that nothing replaces hard work. You need to have talent as well, commitment and dedication over many, many years to be at the top of your game.

And if you're at the top of your game, it's normally around mid 20s, maybe late 20s, you can stretch it into early 30s if you're in a particular sport that suits that. But a lot of the other comments that were being made was, oh, well, this just proves that if they're on steroids and they can't beat the world records then it means everybody at the Olympics is. And I don't think that's the case because I think it's very, very difficult to beat the testers to beat the Intelligence that the World Anti-Doping Agency runs under now and to be a drug cheat and get away with it.

So it was interesting. You mentioned also that there were four athletes that were competing out of a total of 42 who agreed to compete without taking drugs. Well, three of those ended up winning their events on the night. That was the men's and women's sprints, 100 meters on the track. And also one of the swimmers in the 50 meter backstroke Hunter Armstrong. So it was really interesting.

I think it put into perspective that supplements are not going to make you a world record holder or a world champion. They might help you recover, which everybody knew. But, you know, and I think they toned this back during the five hours saying basically, we want you to be able to be your best selves and we've seen athletes tonight or in their mid 30s who haven't raced for maybe eight years and are setting personal bests.

So they're not going to set the world on fire. But they're performing better than they ever did eight years after their prime and that's what these supplements can do.

HUNTE: So critics including Anti-Doping officials do say that this all normalizes dangerous behavior. What are the biggest concerns around athlete safety and long-term health?

HOLMES: I think this is the big question that no one has been able to answer yet because these sorts of supplements and protocols and, you know, intakes that these people are having. We don't know what the long-term impact is. And we won't know for many years to come. So that's the warning sign. However, we do know that in the general public there is a growing interest in this kind of longevity, you know, supplements taking and people are using them. We know people use them in gyms. We know people are using them as lifestyle drugs to keep away all of those elements and all of those instances we see where the aging process takes its toll. I come from Australia. We have a very sunny, you know, disposition here. I've got the wrinkles to prove it. And so these are people who are trying to steer away from that and avoid some of those issues. So, you know that long-term debate is still one that will continue no doubt because we don't know the safety for years to come.

HUNTE: This is honestly so fascinating, I'd love to keep talking about this, but we are out of time for now. Tracey Holmes, thank you so, so much. Speak to you again soon

HOLMES: Thanks, Ben.

HUNTE: We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[00:50:41]

HUNTE: Tens of thousands of NASCAR fans honored the late two-time NASCAR Cup champion, Kyle Busch, on Sunday at the Charlotte Motor Speedway, and his family was also there. Busch passed away on Thursday from complications from severe pneumonia that progressed into sepsis. CNN's Rafael Romo has the latest for us from North Carolina, as the NASCAR community mourns one of its legends.

RAFAEL ROMO, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: There was a somber and solemn moment of silence before the race started here at the Charlotte Motor Speedway, followed by bagpipes playing Amazing Grace for the crowd of nearly 100,000 gathered here for the Coca-Cola 600 race that Kyle Busch would have participated in. NASCAR CEO Steve O'Donnell spoke publicly here at the racetrack, sharing words of encouragement for Samantha Busch, Kyle Busch's widow, and their two children, Brexton and Lennix, aged 11 and 4. This was his heartfelt message to the grieving family.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STEVE O'DONNELL, CEO OF NASCAR: You and your children are NASCAR family forever.

ROMO: And Brexton and Lennix, your dad loves you with all his heart.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMO: There have been many emotional tributes here at the Charlotte Motor Speedway from officials, fans, and fellow race drivers like Tyler Reddick, who said that, "Wherever the bar was, Kyle was constantly racing it." We also heard from a foreign driver, Mexico's Daniel Suarez, who told reporters that in his 2015 season, Busch would call him every week just to make sure he was doing OK, which made him respect him to a whole different level.

As the driver, Busch often reveled in playing the villain and was given the nicknames Rowdy and Wild Thing, something that fans we spoke with were remembering here at the racetrack.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HUNTER TEETER, NASCAR FAN: Kyle Busch was so good, you loved to hate him, especially coming from fans that didn't really pull for him. But like you said, the way he raced, I mean, he is, as all the cup drivers said, everybody in the garage has said, he is one of the best to ever do it.

MICHELLE LUHRS, NASCAR FAN: The fans are here to honor him. Even those that disliked him, everyone's going to honor him because he was such a great driver, you know. I mean, the most winning list in history, future Hall of Famer, I mean, what's not to love?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMO: In a post on X, NASCAR published a photo of an empty seat with a sign inscribed with the name of Kyle Busch, who today would have been sitting there with fellow drivers for a pre-race briefing. The caption for the photo read, a seat that simply cannot be filled. Kyle Busch's legacy was also honored and recognized today at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on lap 18.

Rafael Romo, CNN on Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina.

HUNTE: The English Premier League season came to a dramatic end over the weekend. Law of London Club Arsenal won the trophy for the first time in 22 years. They finished top of the table with 85 points after a victory at Crystal Palace. But there was plenty of excitement elsewhere on the final day of play with many eyes on the bottom of the table. World Sports, Don Riddell explains.

DON RIDDELL, CNN WORLD SPORT: The Premier League went out with a bang on Sunday. On the final day of action, there were cheers and tears and just absolute scenes. The spotlight was brightest at the foot of the table, where Tottenham have been staring down the threat of relegation for months. They had to beat Everton in order to survive. And this was the kind of goal you score when you're fighting for your lives. Joao Palhinha getting the ball over the line. Everton made them sweat at the desk.

This is Antonin Kinsky with a big save to preserve Tottenham's lead. It finished 1-0, meaning the Spurs stay up. West Ham go down despite the fact that the Hammers also won their last game.

A mixed emotions for Manchester City on their last day of the season. Saying farewell to their legendary manager Pep Guardiola. He's stepping down after 10 extraordinary years in charge. He won the Champions League, six Premier League titles, 17 major trophies in all. It is the end of an era at the Etihad.

What a season it became for Manchester United. They were awful for half of it. But then they turned things around with their new manager Michael Carrick. They ended up in third place and returning to the Champions League. [00:55:02]

And it turned out to be a record-breaking campaign for their captain Bruno Fernandes. His 33rd minute assist for Patrick Dorgu against Brighton was his 21st assist of the season. More than anyone has ever managed before. And he made it a day to remember by getting a goal for himself later on. United easing to a 3-0 win.

Eight Premier League teams will feature in European competitions next year. Chelsea will not be among them. They lost to Sunderland on Sunday. And that means Sunderland are heading to the Europa League. It's going to be their first European appearance in over half a century. Their joy was absolutely palpable.

And the champions, Arsenal, finished on a high beating Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park. But this was the moment the fans wanted to see. The Gunners hoisting the trophy for the first time in 22 years. And Arsenal might have even more to celebrate soon. They are playing Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final next weekend. Back to you.

HUNTE: A very unique tradition marks the climax of Hong Kong's annual Cheung Chau Bun Festival, 12 people scrambled up a tower 14 meters, that is nearly 50 feet tall, to grab as many buns as possible. The climbers had a three-minute limit. They received points based on how high they snatched the buns. And according to tradition, getting a bun from the top of the tower brings luck to all of their families. Look at that. At the end, a bun king and a bun queen are chosen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KWOK KA-MING, BUN KING (through translator): Winning the championship for the 11th time feels pretty special. I was feeling a bit tired at the start, maybe because I had been waiting for so long. And I made a small mistake early on. Luckily, I was able to recover and catch up, securing enough nine-point buns to win.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNTE: OK, that is all I've got for you. Thank you so much for joining me and the team. I'm Ben Hunte in Atlanta. And of course, we'll be right back with the next hour of CNN Newsroom and so much more news right after this very quick break. See you in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)