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Tens of Thousands Evacuated as a Potential Chemical Leak or Explosion May Happen at an Aerospace Facility in California; NASCAR Honors the late Kyle Busch Before Sunday's Coke 600 Event; Pope Leo to Present his First Encyclical as Pontiff. Aired 3-4a ET

Aired May 25, 2026 - 03:00   ET

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

[03:00:00]

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POLO SANDOVAL, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT: Hey everybody, this is "CNN Newsroom" and I'm Polo Sandoval, live in New York.

Happening right now, an all-night mission underway at a California airspace facility where a chemical tank could explode. Tens of thousands of people have already been asked to evacuate. We'll tell you why a crack in that overheating tank may actually be a positive development.

And from largely negotiated to no rush for a deal, we'll look at the conflicting comments coming from the White House when it comes to Iran.

And would you fly in a plane being piloted by A.I.? You may not have to, we'll take you along with a CNN reporter who did just that.

UNKNOWN (voice-over): Live from New York, this is "CNN Newsroom" with Polo Sandoval.

SANDOVAL: Officials say that a crack in an overheating chemical tank at an aerospace facility in Southern California may be relieving some of the pressure that's built up inside. But they say that there's still a very real risk for a catastrophic explosion. It's about midnight at the site where crews are currently working to determine if a crack goes all the way through this tank that you see there being hosed down by officials to keep it cool.

About 50,000 residents of the surrounding area are currently under evacuation orders due to a risk of exposure to the toxic and highly flammable chemicals inside. Evacuees at a nearby shelter are sharing their ongoing anxiety as they wait for more information from officials.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PATRICIA RIVERA, EVACUEE: I'm scared because I don't know what's going to happen and I don't know if anything that already is in the air is going to affect us or if it blows, what's going to happen. The unknown is really scary.

ROBERT PARMER, EVACUEE: We got an evacuation notice and we had to get out, so we did. I've worked in refineries my entire life, so I know the danger of the chemicals that they're talking about.

What I don't understand is why they haven't been able to contain this. If this was in a refinery, this would have been contained already.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANDOVAL: In the last hour, we heard from the acting chief of the Orange County Fire Authority, T.J. McGovern. My colleague Rosemary Church asked him about the efforts to determine the condition of the unstable chemical tank. Here's what he said.

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T.J. MCGOVERN, INTERIM FIRE CHIEF, ORANGE COUNTY FIRE AUTHORITY: We are conducting an operation throughout the night, again, with the goal as the following, and this is what's important. We are doing our operation tonight to confirm that the pressure has been released and the bloody threat is eliminated.

So that is our goal tonight because that is a catastrophic, worst-case scenario that we've all been talking about, that occurrence of a bloody. But I want to be clear to everybody, you know, we're not there yet, so we still got to go through this operation tonight. We have to vet it in the morning and reassure that cylinder, that tank, is not pressurized.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANDOVAL: In the next hour, we'll be exploring that angle. You'll hear from an engineering professor to learn more about that worst-case pressure scenario that the fire chief was talking about.

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ANDRE WHELTON, ENGINEERING PROF., PURDUE UNIVERSITY: It's pressure that's building up in this tank, kind of like a soda can that you leave in your car. And if you leave that soda can in your car too long, it will explode if it gets hot enough.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANDOVAL: Turning now to the War with Iran.

Officials from Tehran and Washington, they are now signaling that they are closing in on an agreement to turn the current ceasefire possibly into a long-lasting resolution to the conflict. Both sides are currently talking about a memorandum of understanding that will address all outstanding issues. But exactly what's in that framework at this hour, that is still unclear.

A senior U.S. official has told CNN that the blockade of Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz would loosen proportionately in response to Iran adhering to the proposed deal. Well President Donald Trump is already boasting about this possible 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."

[03:04:59]

Let's discuss and head over to CNN's Nada Bashir, who's live from London. Nada, we've heard similar statements coming from the Trump White House before when it comes to this conflict. Is there anything that you're hearing right now that indicates at this time that a deal with Iran could actually be within reach?

NADA BASHIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, we are still certainly hearing positive indications from White House officials, including U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. In his latest comments, he did indicate that there had been some hopes that there would be some good news to share this weekend.

That certainly hasn't been the case. He has said that he wouldn't read too much into this, however, and that, in his words, it takes a little while to hear back. So clearly, they are still focused on hammering out the details of this memorandum of understanding.

He has described it as a pretty solid deal on the table at this stage. But, of course, we are here waiting to hear from the Iranian side and also to hear that final confirmation of what that deal actually looks like.

Now, of course, this is a memorandum of understanding, not a final deal. The indication from officials is that this was set out essentially a 60-day time frame for those finer details, for those key aspects of the deal to be met and ironed out before a final peace agreement can fully be reached.

And we've previously heard from the U.S. President indicating that there are some key terms from the Iranian regime that cannot be fully realized in his eyes and his perspective until that final agreement is reached.

Now, in terms of what we do know about the deal currently on the table, we have been hearing from sources and White House officials who have indicated that the key focus, of Iran, but it would also crucially be focused on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, allowing the shipping road to be freely opened.

And, of course, Iran wants to see the blockade on its ports lifted. Now, there has been some suggestion that this would be a proportional lifting in response to the opening of the Strait of Hormuz. Iran, of course, wants to see this completely lifted.

Iran also, of course, looking at the nuclear side of things, there has been some indication that there would be a positive response on that front. President Trump certainly has been quite confident in his statements that he can secure a deal which would see Iran agree to ensure that it can never essentially obtain and develop a nuclear weapon. But, of course, again, these finer details are still being worked out

and ironed out as part of this memorandum of understanding. Clearly, at this stage, no final deal on the table.

SANDOVAL: CNN's Nada Bashir with that live report from London.

Let's head over to Geneva, Switzerland, now and speak to Ali Vaez. He's Iran Project Director at the International Crisis Group. Ali, it's always great to have you with us. Thank you for your time.

ALI VAEZ, IRAN PROJECT DIRECTOR, INTERNATIONAL CRISIS GROUP: Good to see you, Polo.

SANDOVAL: You just heard my colleague right now basically saying that there's a lot that we do not know for sure quite yet. However, a U.S. official is telling CNN that the critical details of that deal, they are still being worked on. But what is your read on how close the U.S. is to reaching that initial framework for an eventual peace deal?

VAEZ: I think the parties are closer than ever before to the finish line. But as is the norm in these negotiations, nothing is agreed until everything is agreed. And at this point, not everything is agreed to.

And in the past, we have also seen President Trump moving the goalposts or hesitating when he sees some domestic backlash to making a deal with Iran. So, there is no guarantee, but I think the odds of crossing the finish line this time around are pretty high.

SANDOVAL: The closest that we've ever been, as you put it. That's certainly significant.

I want you to listen to Democratic Senator Cory Booker as he expressed some skepticism about the deal in the works right now. The senator basically said that he expects it to leave Iran in an even better position than it was with the Obama-era deal, the JCPOA. Listen to how he described it and some of his criticism, and then we'll discuss.

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SEN. CORY BOOKER (D-NJ): The President said he went into this to deal with their nuclear program. This does not deal with that.

Before he became President the first time, they had no highly enriching uranium. They had sent it out. Now they have it because of him.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANDOVAL: So, obviously, when we finally have details of that framework, it will certainly be highly scrutinized, especially by the President's critics. But for now, I'm curious what your assessment is. Do you see the Trump administration essentially being forced to give up some of their valuable bargaining chips, perhaps even unfreezing some of Iran's assets? VAEZ: There is no other way. If we are to be able to get a deal with

Iran, they would have to benefit from it and they would need economic retrieve. Otherwise, why would they compromise?

[03:09:55]

And the reality is that all of this was avoidable if the President had stayed in the previous deal that was negotiated in 2015 and tried to improve it rather than breaking it completely, destroying trust, and then trying to build a new agreement on its ruins. And when that didn't work, engage in two acts of aggression against Iran.

But at the end of the day, if there is a deal -- a final deal, it is going to see Iran suspend its uranium enrichment for a long period of time. And in that sense, it might be an improvement to the Obama-era agreement.

But we're still far away from that. At this point, what we're talking about is a framework that would end the hostilities and would start the process of reopening the Strait of Hormuz. We have very general terms about Iran's nuclear commitments.

The details will have to be negotiated later. And those details might never be finalized, just like the Gaza ceasefire agreement that never went into phase two.

SANDOVAL: It's just remarkable how, in our discussion now and talking about the different back and forth between two countries, when it was in early March that President Trump said that there would be no deal with Iran except unconditional surrender. What a dramatic shift.

Let's talk about the Israel angle of all this. They're obviously watching this closely, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu being very clear that he would not want to walk away unless this issue of Iran's nuclear capabilities would be resolved. What do they want in this initial framework? What does Israel want?

VAEZ: Look, I think Israel is not interested in anything that amounts to behavior change. Iran changing its nuclear policy or not having access to nuclear technology. Iran giving away its ballistic missile program.

It really fundamentally wants regime change because it has a problem with the nature of this regime. And that is why it sold this agreement to the United States, this war to the United States, as an easy way of getting rid of a regime that was ripe for defaulting. Well, that hasn't turned out to be the case.

This regime was much more entrenched and resilient than expected. And therefore, now Prime Minister Netanyahu is trying to portray what is basically a strategic defeat as an operational victory. But at the end of the day, Israel, I think, would be unhappy with any agreement that would leave this regime in place and would provide it with financial resources.

And that would be President Trump's choice, that if he wants a deal, there is no way other than agreeing that this deal would be with this very Iranian regime and that it would have to benefit from it if it is to agree to a deal.

SANDOVAL: Yes, it's very clear that it's virtually impossible for President Trump to make everybody happy with these negotiations that are ongoing. Ali Vaez, as always, pleasure talking to you. Thank you so much for joining us.

VAEZ: Great pleasure. Thank you.

SANDOVAL: Well CNN's Jeremy Diamond is in Tel Aviv with Israel's reaction to where things stand in these ongoing talks.

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JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: Well, it was only a few days ago that the Israeli Prime Minister was on the phone with President Trump telling him that he thought it was a mistake to call off planned strikes against Iran.

The Israeli Prime Minister was advocating on the phone for a return to all-out war against Iran. But now, President Trump indicating that a deal with Iran is nearly negotiated. And the Israeli Prime Minister got back on the phone with President Trump on Saturday evening.

But this time, the Israeli Prime Minister understood where things were headed. And now, in a post on social media, the Israeli prime minister is trying to diminish any notion of daylight with the U.S. President. This is the post that the Israeli prime minister posted in which he says that he and President Trump agreed that, quote, "any final agreement with Iran must eliminate the nuclear danger."

He also said that his and President Trump's policies remain unchanged, that, quote, "Iran will not have a nuclear weapon." But this is perhaps the most interesting part of this post. He says that President Trump, quote, "reaffirmed Israel's right to defend itself against threats on every front, including Lebanon."

And that is very notable because this points to one of the potential points of disagreement here between the U.S. and Iran and how each side is interpreting this budding agreement. And we've seen this movie before as it relates to Lebanon. The Israeli Prime Minister here is trying to retain the ability to carry out strikes against Hezbollah, despite the fact that Iran seems to believe that this agreement would mean that there would be a total ceasefire in Lebanon.

And what we've seen over the last month and a half, as there has been already a ceasefire in Lebanon, is daily Israeli strikes against Hezbollah and Hezbollah also carrying out attacks against Israeli troops in southern Lebanon.

[03:15:06]

But this is just one of several different potential areas of disagreement as this agreement is coming close to fruition. We've seen already the ways in which Iranian media is talking about this potential deal and the way in which U.S. officials are talking about it.

And there are a range of disagreements. Everything over exactly how open the Strait of Hormuz will be following this agreement to whether or not Iran has privately made any commitments about reining in its nuclear program going forward. However, there's also a major disagreement, it seems, over Iranian frozen assets.

Iranian officials describing in state media that those assets being unblocked would be a first step in any agreement, but the United States indicating this won't happen until the Strait is reopened. It is a reminder that until every single word in this agreement is actually finalized and both sides sign on the dotted line, this deal is not yet done.

Jeremy Diamond, CNN, Tel Aviv.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANDOVAL: Still ahead here on "CNN Newsroom," Russia's air assault on Ukraine this weekend. It included a hypersonic ballistic missile strike. It's a rare approach.

The very latest on the war and Russia's willingness to use some of these weapons. Don't go anywhere.

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UNKNOWN (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)

SANDOVAL: You hear from Ukrainians and it is clear that Russia's deadly strikes on Kyiv this weekend are leaving not only physical but also psychological scars. Emergency workers right now clearing debris from destroyed residential buildings, shops and also cars. At least four people were killed in the onslaught as Moscow fired hundreds of drones and missiles toward the Ukrainian capital early Sunday morning.

And one of them, a new hypersonic ballistic missile. The oceanic speed and trajectory make it nearly impossible for Ukraine's air defense systems to stop. It's only the third time that Russia has used this weapon in this war.

Let's go to Barbie Latza-Nadeau joining me from Rome as she follows developments in this war. And Barbie, this appears to be one of the biggest bombardments that we've seen near Ukraine's capital. What else are you hearing? BARBIE LATZA NADEAU, CNN REPORTER: Yes, you know, I mean, this is very

worrying, of course, here in Europe. And we've heard from a number of European leaders calling this a reckless escalation.

We've heard from the French President and the German chancellor with that language. But it is absolutely worrying. The use of this hypersonic ballistic missile that is so unstoppable by the air defense systems makes it even more deadly.

Now, let's listen to what President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had to say about this attack.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOLODYMYR ZELESNKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT: And this is chivalrous goals. The museums, schools, just apartments. The museum of Chernobyl, which was built, by the way, on the 40th anniversary, it was built just one month ago.

And so they attacked, they saw this museum, they attacked this exactly to the museum. It's just crazy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LATZA NADEAU: And, you know, just listening to him, you're talking about civilian targets there. You're talking about the buildings, the residential buildings, but also museums and schools.

And, you know, this is an endless war, it seems, with everybody's attention now more on Iran than Ukraine. It's almost becoming a forgotten war.

And for anyone who thought that, you know, Putin is thinking about stopping this Russian President anytime soon, I think when you look at an attack like this, so long into the war, so deadly, so dangerous to the population, there's just little sense that this is going to end anytime soon, Polo.

SANDOVAL; Yes, this strike a reminder that this conflict also merits attention. Thank you so much, Barbie Latza-Nadeau, for that live report from Rome.

The Democratic Republic of Congo is intensifying its health screenings because of that worsening Ebola crisis. Still ahead on "CNN Newsroom," an update on the global fight to limit the deadly outbreak in Central Africa, and also why women appear to be disproportionately affected by the outbreak.

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SANDOVAL: Welcome back to "CNN Newsroom." I'm Polo Sandoval in New York, and these are today's top stories. Officials in Southern California, they're currently working to confirm that a crack in an overheating chemical tank at an aerospace facility may be relieving some of the pressure inside. But they still caution that there is still a risk of catastrophic explosion, risk of an explosion. About 50,000 people currently under evacuation orders due to the risk of exposure to the toxic and highly flammable chemical inside this tank.

In the U.S. and Iran, they appear to be inching towards a framework deal that would ease hostilities and also extend the window for current negotiations. According to a senior U.S. official, they've agreed upon both parties would have 60 days to resolve outstanding issues in an effort to build a more robust, long-lasting agreement.

And it was a solemn day at the Coca-Cola 600 in North Carolina, tens of thousands of NASCAR fans, they watched from the stands, and this as NASCAR CEO honored Kyle Busch and also paid respects to his family. He died on Thursday due to complications from severe pneumonia. Daniel Suarez, one of Busch's proteges, wound up winning that race.

The World Health Organization is currently teaming up with the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention trying to coordinate a continental response to the deadly Ebola crisis. The announcement comes as the WHO's executive board is set to host meetings in Geneva, Switzerland, on Monday and Tuesday.

The organization's director general is estimating that there are now more than 900 suspected Ebola cases in Central Africa. Regional conflict is also disturbing. There are growing concerns over potential cross-border transmission.

And over the weekend, the Democratic Republic of Congo tightened health screening checkpoints around Bunia. The city is reportedly at the center of the outbreak.

Let's get more now and head over to Dr. Peter Piot, who co-discovered the Ebola virus and is currently a professor of global health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Dr. Piat, thank you so much for taking the time to join us.

PETER PIOT, PROF. OF GLOBAL HEALTH, LONDON SCHOOL OF HYGIENE AND TROPICAL MEDICINE: Thank you.

SANDOVAL: You have seen the progression, obviously, since the beginning of efforts to stop this virus in its tracks. It is a stubborn virus, as we've learned in the last couple of weeks, with this outbreak now ranking as the second largest on record per Africa's CDC. How much more can we expect cases to go up, in your view, as weeks go by?

PIOT: Well, Polo, for me, this is the worst-case scenario. A deadly strain of an Ebola virus, a new type, you know, without a vaccine, in an active war zone, with very poor people, displaced people, refugees, and under-equipped health facilities. And we heard the number of cases is going up very rapidly. And in the absence of a vaccine, all depends on access to patients, so that we can isolate and we can protect their families. And that's what, you know, an armed conflict is standing in the way.

[03:30:01]

And that's why I'm calling really for an Ebola truce, you know, something like that enables all those who are involved in controlling the epidemic and caring for patients to do their work.

SANDOVAL: With it now being decades since the discovery of this virus, Doctor, are you surprised that there still isn't that vaccine that authorities, that health officials can turn to in its battle against this virus?

PIOT: Yes, we already have an Ebola vaccine that was tested in 2014 in West Africa and was very effective also in the previous big outbreak in Kivu, in the same part of the Democratic Republic of Congo. But this is a rare and new strain of Ebola virus, Bundibungyo, and has only caused two very limited outbreaks. And the vaccine doesn't work, so this is also a priority to develop a vaccine but that's going to take six months or so.

In the meantime, we really have to do, you know, the regular things, isolating patients, detecting them. But again, the virus doesn't respect front lines.

And, you know, you can't ring-fence a virus if you can't get into the ring. And there are precedents for that. UNICEF organized years ago, starting in El Salvador, days of tranquility. Also in Afghanistan and others where there was war, and so that the war infractions agreed not to, you know, to prevent all these efforts.

I think without that, I'm very worried that it's going to be very hard to bring it under control.

SANDOVAL: Yes, Doctor, thank you for pointing that out, the vaccines for previous strains and not this one that still continues to be transmitted. I wonder if you can also speak to how women appear to be suffering the brunt of this outbreak.

An official with the United Nations Population Fund shared that because of the caregiver burden and the role that women play in many of these communities that have been hit particularly hard, that women represent over 60 percent of the infections in this latest outbreak. In your view, Doctor, is there anything that can be done to curb the spread among women?

PIOT: Yes, this is a disease of compassion in a sense because it's the caregivers that are in the first place affected because Ebola infection, contrast to COVID, and that's why it's not going to be a pandemic, you know, it requires very close contact with someone who is actually ill, is symptomatic, or who's already dead.

So it's the caregivers in the family, it is also healthcare workers, they're at high risk and we already have four who died, and it's during funerals when people take care of the body. And that's one of the reasons that women who often care for patients in the family are at high risk. But it's really the risk for anybody who is, you know, taking care of these patients.

That's why protective equipment is so important to protect healthcare workers because there is already a major shortage of them. So that's the last thing that we can afford for the poor people in this region. And also that we need to make sure that we can diagnose as soon as possible, so diagnostic facilities to prevent people also from transmitting it to others.

SANDOVAL: Doctor, I have a little under a minute left with you. The warning from health officials is that more countries have been affected beyond just the DRC and Uganda, likely 10 countries, according to health officials. I wonder if you could just, in the last few seconds I have with you, what is your sense of the potential regional and perhaps even global impact of this outbreak?

PIOT: Yes, I think the World Health Organization is doing a good job of declaring it as soon as possible, you know, of an emergency. But also, I'm worried about the Great Lakes states, so it's DRC, Rwanda, Burundi, Kenya-- sorry, Uganda and South Sudan.

Beyond that, I'm less concerned because, as I mentioned, you need really close contact. But the borders among these countries are, you know, very transparent. People move all the time.

And so this is where the best protection for the world is to invest massively with supplies, with money, with, you know, access to patients in the region itself.

SANDOVAL: Yes, it is a part of the world that's struggling with insecurity and with conflict. Dr. Peter Piot, thank you so much for your time and for offering your insight. Thank you.

PIOT: Thank you very much.

[03:35:08]

SANDOVAL: We're going to switch gears after the break.

A salon giving back to the community, one haircut at a time. Why are these women receiving free services? They say that this will likely help them with their start anew.

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SANDOVAL: Welcome back, I'm Polo Sandoval in New York and here are your business headlines.

Oil markets have responded positively to the latest developments in the U.S.-Iran talks. Brent crude, which is the global benchmark, and U.S. crude prices both dropped on Sunday. JPMorgan analysts expect oil prices to average $97 a barrel through the rest of the year, and that's if the Strait of Hormuz is reopened by early next month. It seems that Americans are packing the highways and airports for this

Memorial Day holiday weekend. AAA is estimating that 45 million people will either fly or drive at least 50 miles from their home, which would actually be a new record. And that's because we continue to see also those skyrocketing gas prices and airfares.

And it was a successful box office debut for the Star Wars film "The Mandalorian and Grogu," which is on track now to rake in $165 million around the world for this weekend. Despite its success, the opening still ranks as the smallest of any Star Wars film for Disney.

Now to the U.S. state of Michigan, where women hoping to return to the workplace are getting a fresh look to go with their fresh start. Stylists spent the day giving them some free makeovers. Our Tony Geftos with their story.

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TONY GEFTOS, JOURNALIST (voice-over): More than a hairdo.

New day, fresh start.

GEFTOS (voice-over): These women are getting a redo.

You look all raggedy, you think about all the bad stuff that you've gone through.

GEFTOS (voice-over): It's a makeover courtesy of Lush Hair Studio for five women living at Grace Centers of Hope.

From rehabilitation to making sure that they have jobs, to making sure that they have homes that they can later call their own.

[03:40:04]

CHELSEA CONTWAY, STYLIST: I see myself in these women and, you know, it could have been me too.

GEFTOS (voice-over): The shelter in Pontiac offers women and their children a second chance.

MICHELLE MERITT, SHELTER RESIDENT: I'm getting my GED, I'm learning new life skills.

UNKNOWN: Before I went to Grace, I went to jail for 45 days and then I went to Grace and I've been there ever since, seven months, and I've been seven months sober.

SANDY SUPER, LUSH HAIR STUDIO OWNER: They are women that have either had some sort of addiction or had some kind of issues, abuse in their lives and had some really rough times. And as they're getting through and getting ready to go out back into the workforce, we wanted to have them come in and give them full makeovers to make them feel beautiful from the inside out.

GEFTOS (voice-over): Sandy Super is the owner of Lush Hair Studio in West Bloomfield. She and her staff toured Grace Centers of Hope, then decided to give back the best way they know how.

PARKER BERRY, STYLIST: I love making people feel confident and feel better about themselves and like their best selves, so this really ties right into it.

MADELINE EXNER, STYLIST: I'm super stoked to be helping them out and donating my time.

LAURA CARDEW, SHELTER RESIDENT: Being homeless really traumatizes you. Living outside really traumatizes you.

GEFTOS (voice-over): Laura Cardew is 40 years old. She's been at Grace one month. Before that, at one point, she lived in a tent.

CARDEW: If it wasn't for Grace, where would I be right now? I'd be back out on the streets, I'd be back in that tent trying to work things out.

GEFTOS (voice-over): These makeovers are meant for these women to face forward--

CARDEW: Oh my God!

GEFTOS (voice-over): -- be seen--

UNKNOWN: Oh my God, I love this.

GEFTOS (voice-over): -- and reveal their true selves.

CARDEW: Thank you!

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANDOVAL: It's great to see those smiles. For our international viewers, "World Sport" is next. And for those of you watching here in North America, I'll join you again in a few moments with more of your headlines here on "CNN Newsroom."

[03:45:00]

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SANDOVAL: Tens of thousands of NASCAR fans, they honored the late two- time NASCAR Cup champion, Kyle Busch. And this happened on Sunday at the Charlotte Motor Speedway. And his family was there for that tribute. Busch passed away on Thursday from complications from severe pneumonia that eventually progressed into sepsis.

Busch was meant to compete in the Coca-Cola 600, which ended with a win for one of his proteges, Daniel Suarez, during the shortened race due to some rainy weather. CNN's Rafael Romo with that story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RAFAEL ROMO, CNN 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 Lennox, aged 11 and 4. This was his heartfelt message to the grieving family.

STEVE O'DONNELL, CEO OF NASCAR: You and your children are NASCAR family forever. And Brexton and Lennox, your dad loved you with all his heart.

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 okay 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.

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, and 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.

The most winning list in history. Future Hall of Famer. What's not to love?

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, at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina.

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SANDOVAL: Soccer legend, Lionel Messi, suffered an apparent leg injury during Inter-Miami's match against Philadelphia Union on Sunday. ESPN reporting that he could be seen holding his upper left thigh following a second half free kick. However, Messi did not require any additional help while leaving the pitch.

The injury scare comes just weeks before the start of the FIFA World Cup. While Messi has not officially said whether he'll be competing in the global tournament, he is expected to headline his home country's roster, Argentina, the defending champs.

And the English Premier League season came to a dramatic end over the weekend and it included a moment that was decades in the making. "World Sport" Don Riddell with those highlights.

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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 Paulinha getting the ball over the line.

Everton made them sweat at the death. This is Antonin Kinski with the big save to preserve Tottenham's lead. It finished 1-0, meaning that Spurs stay up and West Ham go down despite the fact that the Hammers also won their last game.

A mixed emotions for Man 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.

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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.

And it turned out to be a record-breaking campaign for their captain Bruno Fernandes, his 33rd minute assist for Patrick Dorgue 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.

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SANDOVAL: Thank you, Don.

In the coming hours, Pope Leo will be presenting his first encyclical letter as pontiff entitled Magnifica Humanitas which is Latin for magnificent humanity. Vatican sources are saying that it will be addressing the protection of human dignity in an era of artificial intelligence and the letter is expected to focus on the impacts of A.I. on warfare, workers' rights and also the ethical risks of the growing technology.

And artificial intelligence, it could be soon be coming to a cockpit near you. CNN's aviation correspondent Pete Muntean hopped into the passenger seat for a first-hand A.I. ride. Look at this.

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PETE MUNTEAN, CNN AVIATION CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): I'm in the co- pilot seat of a Cessna. And I'm about to find out what happens when the pilot flying is not human but artificial intelligence.

Tim Burns is the chief technology officer at Merlin Labs, a Boston start-up developing a system that can be bolted into existing airplanes. Merlin says its system can fly the plane, talk to air traffic control and even help make decisions about weather and routing.

TIM BURNS, MERLIN LABS CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER: We're trying to capture the judgment and abilities of a real aviator.

MUNTEAN (voice-over): Merlin says it has completed hundreds of test flights to see how the system performs in real-world conditions, though it is likely years away from carrying passengers.

In the back of the plane, one of the company's engineers is monitoring what the A.I. is doing in real time.

MATT DIAMOND, MERLIN LABS PILOT: I don't know if I know exactly what I'm in for here.

MUNTEAN (voice-over): Alongside me is test pilot Matt Diamond, who on this flight won't be doing much piloting at all.

MUNTEAN: So this is just a manual takeoff?

DIAMOND: This is going to be an automated takeoff.

MUNTEAN (voice-over): Meaning the A.I. system is flying the airplane from the very start.

MUNTEAN: Nicely done.

MUNTEAN (voice-over): The next part of the demonstration, communicating with air traffic control. Merlin's system displays its language processing on an iPad as it listens to a mock controller, repeats the instruction, and then flies the airplane to match it. CONTROLLER: Magic 01, turn left, heading 090, descend 2000.

A.I. VOICE: Left 090 and down 2000 Magic 01.

MUNTEAN: We're at about 1500 feet now over Newport, Rhode Island and we just turned on to the final approach here at Quonset State Airport. Now this is going to be an automated landing and the system will fly the airplane all the way down to the pavement.

DIAMOND: It's a challenging problem for the automation, but once you crack the code, it's so much easier on the pilot.

MUNTEAN: You seem pretty confident over there. You seem pretty relaxed. Should I be this relaxed?

MUNTEAN (voice-over): As a pilot and a bit of a control freak, this is not exactly easy for me. But the system lines up with the runway and flies a gradual descent all the way to touchdown.

DIAMOND: Smooth, easy, right on center line.

MUNTEAN (voice-over): Even still, putting A.I. in control of an airplane raises big questions about safety and trust. Merlin CEO Matthew George.

MATTHEW GEORGE, MERLIN LABS CEO: What we're building is certainly very sci-fi, but we're doing it in a responsible incremental way.

MUNTEAN: Will this put pilots out of jobs?

GEORGE: It won't. This is sitting alongside pilots, not necessarily replacing pilots, and enabling those pilots to do more of what they do best, which is operate aircraft safely.

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MUNTEAN (voice-over): That could be appealing to airlines worldwide, which will need to hire more than 600,000 new pilots over the next 20 years, according to Boeing.

Merlin has already secured a $100 million contract with the U.S. Air Force to eventually fly cargo planes without pilots on board at all. But convincing passengers may be the hardest part.

MIKE TANNEMBAUM, PASSENGER: As long as it's safe and more efficient and tested out in advance, I'm for it.

MEG MCKNIGHT, PASSENGER: I don't know if I trust A.I. in the air. I doubt I'd trust it.

STEVE COLEMAN, PASSENGER: I like the idea of humans having control. I don't like the idea of machines having control.

MUNTEAN (voice-over): Pete Muntean, CNN, Quonset, Rhode Island.

(END VIDEOTAPE) SANDOVAL: Now to a unique tradition that's marked the climax of Hong Kong's annual Cheung Chau Bun Festival. 12 people, they scrambled 14 meters right up a tower that's nearly 50 feet to grab as many buns as they could.

The climbers had a 3-minute limit. They received points based on how high they were able to snatch buns. And according to the tradition, getting a bun from the top of the tower actually brings luck to their family.

At the end, a bun king and bun queen were crowned.

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JANET KUNG TSZ-SHAN, BUN QUEEN (through translator): This year made me really happy because it was my 11th year participating. And it was the most competitive year yet. Angel Wong was right next to me, and on my left was the former bun king.

Everyone was really nervous. My goal was to reach the top faster than everyone else, and I managed to do it, so I'm thrilled.

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.

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SANDOVAL: Did I hear right? 11 bun champions under his belt?

I appreciate you joining us, I'm Polo Sandoval in New York. I'll be right back with you again in a moment with more "CNN Newsroom."

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