Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

Ken Paxton Wins Texas Republicans Senate Runoff; Iran Warns Of Retaliation, Says U.S. Violated Ceasefire; WHO Says 220 Plus Dead And 900 Plus Cases In Central Africa Ebola Crisis; WHO Says 220+ Dead, 900+ Cases in Central Africa Ebola Crisis; European Leaders Seek New Security From Russian Threats; Russian Threatens New Systematic Strikes on Kyiv; Record-Breaking Heat Scorches Europe Weeks Before Summer; Rescuers in Laos Trying to Reach Seven People Trapped in Cave; The Dead Sea is Slowly Dying as Lake's Water Level Drops; NASA Shares Updates on Plans for Permanent Moon Base. Aired 2-3a ET

Aired May 27, 2026 - 02:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:00:38]

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

Just ahead on CNN NEWSROOM, a massive victory for Trump-backed candidate Ken Paxton in Texas, and a critical test of the U.S. President's grip on the Republican Party ahead of the midterms.

Iran threatens to retaliate after the U.S. launches so-called self- defense strikes in the Strait of Hormuz.

Plus, its lowest point on the planet. The Dead Sea is in peril, and there's no consensus on how to save it.

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

CHURCH: Thanks for joining us. It is 2:00 a.m. in Washington, where American voters are one big step closer to November's midterm elections as Democrats try to take control of the House and Senate from Republicans, and the U.S. Senate race in Texas will be among the most closely watched. CNN projects state Attorney General Ken Paxton will win the Republican runoff against incumbent Senator John Cornyn.

Now this was the most expensive Republican Senate primary in U.S. history.

Cornyn actually got more votes than Paxton in the primary, but no candidate reached the 50 percent threshold. And then came the runoff and President Trump's endorsement of Paxton just over a week ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) KEN PAXTON, TEXAS ATTORNEY GENERAL: President Trump is the leader of our party, and his endorsement in this most -- is the most powerful force in politics. And I'm honored to have his support, and I look forward to working with him in the Senate to deliver for Texas.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Paxton will face Democratic state representative James Talarico in the November midterms. Talarico will host his first general election rally in the day ahead in Houston. He posted this campaign ad on social media shortly after Paxton's runoff win.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAMES TALARICO (D), SENATORIAL NOMINEE FOR TEXAS: The most corrupt politician in America just became the Republican nominee for the United States Senate. For 50 years, mega donors and their puppet politicians, like Ken Paxton, have stolen from us with their bribes, their bailouts, and their billionaire tax breaks. Ken Paxton has gotten away with it. They've all gotten away with it, but that ends this year.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: And the race begins. Joining me now, Democratic strategist and CNN political commentator Maria Cardona, and Republican strategist Katie Frost. Welcome to you both.

MARIA CARDONA, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Thanks, Rosemary.

Thank you.

CHURCH: So, a huge win for Donald Trump in yet another test of his primary influence after the man he backed, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton beat out incumbent John Cornyn in the GOP primary runoff, but it means Paxton's many controversies will take center stage now in his Senate battle against James Talarico in the midterms.

So, Maria, is this a gift for Democrats?

CARDONA: It's a huge gift for Democrats, though. I feel really badly for Texans in general.

Look, Ken Paxton is probably the most flawed candidate in the country right now, and it is going to give Democrats the biggest chance that they have had in decades of really winning a Senate race in Texas. The fact that the Republican Party now has to spend millions of dollars, hundreds of millions of dollars in deep red Texas tells you just how much in trouble the Republican Party is in Texas because of Ken Paxton's win tonight.

Look, the man is a criminal. The man is somebody who should be in jail. He was indicted on three counts for fraud. He was reported to the FBI by his own staff. He was impeached by Republicans in Texas. His own wife of 40 years cannot support him, and divorced him on biblical grounds. I mean, all of that should tell you everything you need to know about

the quality of this candidate.

[02:05:05]

So, James Talarico's ad is absolutely right, and while it is still deep red Texas, and it's not going to be a cakewalk, and certainly will not be easy, James Talarico has a clear path to win the Senate seat in Texas in November.

CHURCH: So, Katie, how will Republicans overcome? Paxton's political and personal baggage in a race against Democratic rising star Talarico? And how worried are Republicans about this?

KATIE FROST, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: It's great to be with you, Rosemary. We're not worried about this, very candidly. And while James Talarico has a clear path to donor dollars from D.C. and New York and California, he does not have a clear path to winning a Senate seat in Texas. It's a great Democratic talking point. It's great for fundraising, but we've all heard this story before. We've heard about how Beto O'Rourke was going to win, heard about how Colin Alder was going to win, and it never materializes.

And the truth of the matter is, when Texans start paying attention to James Talarico and all the radical things he said in the past, they're going to look at him, and they're going to see what his policies would do to their families, and they're going to say, you know what, that's not what I want for our state, that's not what I want for the future of our country. And they will not vote for someone as radical and liberal as James Talarico.

He may sound right to a donor from New York and think he's a good fit for the state of Texas, because he'll throw in a Bible verse occasionally, but trust me, someone who talks about how God is not buying a non-binary, who says that there are six genders. Someone who talks about how we should all go meatless, so we can save the environment. Trust me, that's not a candidate for Texas.

CHURCH: And Maria, despite this apparent boost to Democrats, Talarico still does have a tough road ahead, doesn't he? And Republicans will be spending a lot of money on negative campaigning, which has already started attacking Talarico's character, calling him weak. We've heard some of those responses there. So, how will he fight back?

CARDONA: You know, I'm glad Katie talked about policies, because that is exactly what Talarico is going to do.

And, Rosemary, you're right, like I said before, it's not going to be easy. It is still deep red Texas, but the fact that the Republicans in Texas and the Republican Party in Texas are in such a meltdown today tells you everything you need to know about how worried they are about James Talarico. Even my dogs agree.

And look, Talarico, his big benefit is going to be in this race, and the reason why he's done so well thus far is because he is talking about the policies that Texas want to hear about, he's talking about affordability, he's talking about how he's going to help Texan families make ends meet. He's talking about how Republicans have taken away health care and Medicaid from thousands and thousands of Texas families, and this should worry the Republican party, because you know what, they now have to run with a candidate who is in lockstep with Donald Trump, who has betrayed Texas, betrayed the American people, promised that he would lower the cost of groceries, gas, and rent, promised that he would keep us out of forever wars, and he has done exactly the opposite.

So, James Talarico has a terrific record to run on, and he has the perfect candidate to run against, because I guarantee you, when Texas families have a choice between someone who is talking about lowering their costs, giving them back health care, and letting them make ends meet, versus a Republican party who has a criminal as their candidate, and who can only criticize Talarico because of what he talks about meat, I mean, give me a break, that is going to be, I think, a pathway for James Talarico to become the next senator for the great state of Texas.

CHURCH: So, Katie, what's your reply to that? How do you answer some of those questions regarding Paxton, and how low do you think he will go when it comes to criticizing Talarico?

FROST: I would say the voters are smart enough to separate what candid decisions they have made that have impacted their personal lives versus the decisions they will make in policies that impact a voter and their family.

And it's very interesting to note that Ken Paxton performed extremely well, including among the Latino community. That is where we saw President Trump had significant gains in 2024 and Ken Paxton polled incredibly well there and had a strong showing in that demographic as well tonight.

What I would say is this, in 2024 we saw 20 million more married people with children turn out to vote. This is 2022. That's why the 2022 midterms were not strong for Republicans, because married voters with children didn't show up to vote. They are going to show up to vote in 2026. That is the key demographic that Republicans need to be talking to, and the kitchen table issues that are impacting families.

[02:05:03]

And I'm telling you right now, the priorities of the Democratic Party do not align with the concerns, the priorities of the average American voter who's sitting there at home asking what does the next four years look like for our family. I'm telling you right now, the Republican Party has a strong message. We have a strong national ticket, and I'm looking forward to talking with Maria and you about these kids, whether it be Texas, whether it's Maine. Let's do a segment on Graham Platner sometime, that'll be fun. We're going to have a lot to talk about between now and November.

CHURCH: And Maria, after driving out Republican Senator Bill Cassidy and Republican Congressman Thomas Massie, Trump has done the same now to Cornyn, and while that shows just how much primary clout Trump enjoys within the party, does that influence translate to national elections? And what could all this mean for the midterms ultimately?

CARDONA: I do think it translates to national elections in terms of losses for the Republican Party, let's remember Roy Moore, let's remember Kari Lake. These were classic Trump candidates who had massive losses in the general election because they absolutely were completely extreme. They did not speak to the issues that Americans cared about, and this is exactly what's going on in Texas.

You know, I'm glad Katie talked about the issues that Texan families care about. They care about helping to make ends meet, they care about health care, they care about affordability, and look at Donald Trump's poll numbers.

I mean, that right there should make Republicans just, you know, run away from Donald Trump, and this is what I don't understand, they're doing exactly the opposite, which is a Democrat. I am thrilled, because Donald Trump's poll numbers amongst all of the electorates that he needs to win, including Independents and including Latino voters, as Katie mentioned, Latino voters are running away from the Republican party faster than anything that I have ever seen in politics.

And I think the big mistake that Republicans have made is believing that the numbers that they got in 2024 were permanent, they were not. Clearly, look at the polls, and that this president is going to sink all of the candidates that have tied themselves to him, not just in Texas, but I think across the country. Americans are pissed off that this president is doing everything he can to hurt them in their pocketbooks. He's focused on money for the ballroom, he's focused on spending billions of dollars on a war that no one wanted and no one needed. Focused on tariffs that have completely skyrocketed the cost for American families.

So, by all means, Katie, continue to run on those issues, because I guarantee you, if you do, then we will be welcoming James Talarico as the next senator from Texas.

CHURCH: Katie, you get the last word. What do you say to that? And also, what will this mean for the midterms?

FROST: I think the midterms are going to be interesting. It's important to note that only twice in the last 100 years of the party that holds the White House gained seats, so obviously historical trends are not with the Republican party.

But the great thing about President Trump's poll numbers is no matter how low they are, they're still polling better than he still holds better than the Democratic party. So, that tells you what Americans think about where the future of our country needs to go.

CHURCH: Maria Cardona and Katie Frost, many thanks to you both. Appreciate it.

CARDONA: Thank you, Rosemary.

FROST: Thank you. CHURCH: All right, we turn now to Iran, which is accusing the U.S. of violating their ceasefire as the two sides try to work towards ending the war. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is threatening to retaliate after the U.S. launched what it called self-defense strikes on Iranian missile sites and boats around the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran claims the U.S. also breached its airspace, and that its forces struck down a drone and opened fire on an F-35 jet and another drone.

As for the negotiations, the Iranian government claims the U.S. has been unreliable in those talks.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): It is not the first time we are witnessing these contradictions from the United States. In fact, one of the problems in our negotiations is the inconsistencies and contradictions in their behavior. This is not a new issue.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Meanwhile, President Trump is set to hold a cabinet meeting at the White House on Wednesday, with the war now at a critical juncture. A source told CNN all cabinet members are expected to attend.

So, let's bring in CNN's Mike Valerio, he joins us live from Beijing. So, Mike, what more are you learning about all of this?

MIKE VALERIO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Rosemary, I'd say at this point in the afternoon we're learning more about the maybe management of expectations is perhaps the best way to put it, with China's top diplomat, Wang Yi. He's in New York chairing U.N. Security Council meetings, and he told the press earlier this evening that this is going to be no overnight task, somewhat mirroring what Marco Rubio told reporters when he was in India a day and a half ago, saying that this could take a minute, a beat, perhaps a few days, even though from his point of view the disagreement to reaching a solution for this memorandum of understanding is down to what Rubio said, just a word or a few sentences.

[02:15:26]

But the main strand of our reporting is focusing on the ceasefire. Certainly, Iran's warning test fire -- testing the ceasefire situation that's existing between Israel, the United States, and Iran, with Iran warning the United States and Israel that it retains the right to respond if more attacks like we saw almost two days ago happening again, this was the United States firing on Iranian targets after U.S. Central Command said that American warships had come under fire by the Iranian side.

So, we're watching for any signs of Iranian retaliation, Rosemary. And so far at this juncture we haven't seen any major signs of that happening.

Wang Yi, China's top diplomat, also said that all sides are still talking, China, Iran, Pakistan, the United States. That brings us to the cabinet meeting that the Trump administration is expecting to hold in D.C. on Wednesday.

We are acutely watching for whether or not the unfreezing of several billion dollars, $24 billion is going to be part of the memorandum of understanding.

And what's key there is because so many conservatives on Capitol Hill have come out and said that unfreezing $24 billion in exchange for opening the Strait of Hormuz mirrors what happened during the Obama administration for the first major deal that was signed in Geneva with unfreezing assets in exchange for curbs on Iran's nuclear program.

Hormuz, 25 or so ships have managed to get through, according to Iranian reporting. We're going to be waiting to see if the next few days mirrors or has a similar number of ships passing through, that was done according to Iranian reporting with permission from the Iranian Navy.

And then internet connectivity is where we leave off our conversation with internet service slowly, and I should stress somewhat being restored 88 days after the internet crackdown began, that takes us all the way back to the middle part of December, when the internet crackdown began.

A lot of people, Rosemary, are reporting to us that it's not exactly the open internet, far from it, more like the, "Filter net," with people still needing to connect to virtual private networks to access the wider internet, and let us all know what is going on during this moment of tension and unrest inside Iran, Rosemary.

CHURCH: A critical point there. Mike Valerio in Beijing. Many thanks for bringing us up to date with that live report. Appreciate it.

Well, the Israeli military is ramping up its campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon. It says it struck more than 100 targets of the militant group overnight. This, as a source tells CNN, the IDF is pushing to renew attacks against Hezbollah leaders in Beirut, but those plans are awaiting approval from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his cabinet.

Lebanon's Health Ministry says Israeli air strikes killed at least 31 people and wounded 40 others on Tuesday in one of the deadliest days since the ceasefire began last month.

Meanwhile, an Israeli military official says IDF soldiers have expanded ground operations beyond the yellow line, a self-declared military security zone in southern Lebanon.

Well, now to Saudi Arabia, and live pictures here from the city of Mina. That's where Muslim pilgrims, taking part in the annual harsh pilgrimage, are performing the ritual known as stoning of the devil.

Now, this comes one day after nearly two million pilgrims gathered on Mount Arafat, near Mecca. This year's observance comes against the backdrop of the Iran war and the ongoing uncertainty in the region. Coming up, several people are still missing after a chemical tank

ruptures in Washington state. We will have details next.

Plus, the head of the World Health Organization is visiting the Democratic Republic of Congo to assess the Ebola outbreak there. The latest on international response efforts after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:23:38]

CHURCH: A mixture known as white liquor, it is used in the paper making process, and contains hazardous materials. Officials say at least nine people were injured, including a firefighter. Nine people are still unaccounted for.

Rescue teams are working to stabilize the tank before they continue recovery efforts. The tank may still contain roughly 90,000 gallons of the white liquor, but officials say there is no immediate threat to the public.

Meanwhile, all evacuation orders related to the overheating chemical tank at an aerospace facility in Southern California have been lifted. Fire officials say there is no longer a threat of explosion or fire and no risk to the public.

At its peak, 50,000 people were told to leave their homes after a tank containing a highly flammable chemical began overheating Thursday. Teams were able to bring the tank's temperature down with cooling water, and a crack relieved the pressure. Hazardous materials teams are still monitoring the situation out of an abundance of caution.

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has now killed at least 220 people, that is according to the World Health Organization. Health workers have voiced concerns over equipment shortages and attacks on treatment facilities. The WHO and 55 humanitarian partners are reportedly providing essential health services across the affected areas in Central Africa, but officials are also calling on the public to help limit the spread.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[02:25:22]

DR. ROBERT UNENU, PRESIDENT, ITURI MEDICAL ASSOCIATION (through translator): The epidemic is here, and to avoid this epidemic, the first thing is to break the chain. Transmission must be broken. As soon as we break the chain, we can manage the epidemic, but if people keep thinking this epidemic does not exist with everything that is happening, then it is hopeless.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: On Tuesday, a U.N. spokesperson announced that the WHO Director General was headed to the DRC to assess the growing crisis firsthand. Well, for more on this, we want to bring in Declan Walsh, the chief

Africa correspondent at The New York Times. He joins us live from Mongbwalu, near the epicenter of the outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Thank you so much for talking with us at this time.

DECLAN WALSH, CHIEF AFRICA CORRESPONDENT, THE NEW YORK TIMES: Delighted to be here.

CHURCH: So, what is the latest on the situation on the ground as the World Health Organization makes this its top priority, and as we learn that this Ebola outbreak is spreading with more than 900 suspected cases so far?

WALSH: It's a pretty desperate situation, frankly. The town that I'm in here, Mongbwalu, is where the epidemic is believed to have started, perhaps as early as two months ago, and that's a large part of the problem. The it's (AUDIO GAP) that was officially discovered and declared as an outbreak, but in fact the disease appears to have been spreading in this town and then several others for many weeks before that, and that means that it's just given it a huge head start. When the epidemic was declared, already probably hundreds of people had been affected, and now it's spread to those other numbers.

So, I'm right here at the public hospital, which is completely beleaguered frankly, there are very few facilities for treating patients. There's really very little -- there's a lack of medicines. There's not even enough equipment for people who want to carry out safe burials. It's really a crisis situation.

CHURCH: And Declan, some critics suggest that this outbreak could have been better contained if the USAID had been on the ground at the time that this particular strain of Ebola started to show up in the DRC, what's being said about that?

WALSH: Well, certainly, when you talk to workers, they'll tell you that they're pretty convinced that if not USAID, at least American aid funding had been maintained at the same levels that the alarm would have gone off sooner, and secondly, that there would be, you know, more funding for the response, and a more, a greater sort of network of local groups.

I mean, one point that an aid worker made to me was that, you know, the U.S. used to fund a lot of small local groups to do humanitarian work in areas like this.

After the funding stopped, many of those groups shut down, and that means that when this outbreak happened so suddenly, there was no -- there was no sort of, there wasn't a network of groups that people could turn to manage a rapid response.

CHURCH: And Declan, this is the 17th outbreak of Ebola in the DRC from what you've seen on the ground? Do you -- do you get a sense that the experience will help them get this contained sooner rather than later?

WALSH: I mean, look, there's an awful lot of expertise in the Congo for that reason, there are many -- you know, there are doctors and scientists here who've worked in all those previous outbreaks. The problem really is resources. When you come to a place like this, you see how few resources were in place when it started.

The other major problem that people are facing now is that, because the situation is so critical, so suddenly, there's a lot of distrust in the communities. Just at this hospital on Sunday night, they were running battles for about five hours as the police were trying to disperse a crowd who had come demanding the body of a popular local preacher who had died, apparently from Ebola.

So, those are the kind of problems that you know people on the ground, that the aid group, aid workers, and medics are facing here, it's not just the disease they're fighting, they're also trying to combat suspicion and mistrust along the look -- among the local community who think that the health providers may also be part of the reason for this illness that's affecting them.

CHURCH: Right. Yes, and that's a big problem too, and you mention that, because the burials can have their fraught with problems as well, aren't they?

So, Declan Walsh, thank you so much for talking with us. We appreciate your work that you're doing there. Thank you.

WALSH: Thank you, Rosemary.

[02:31:07]

CHURCH: So Russia is facing condemnation and anger over its deadly barrage on Kyiv and for promising even more strikes. How Ukraine and its European allies are responding. We're back with that and more in just a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHURCH: Ukraine's ambassador to the U.N. is denouncing Russia's "new appalling level of aggression" against Ukrainian civilians. This comes after Russia's massive bombardment of Kyiv last weekend, one of the largest in the four-year war. At least four people were killed in those strikes and dozens were wounded.

Moscow says it was the beginning of new systematic strikes against Ukraine's capital. As part of its threat, Russia has warned foreign envoys to leave Kyiv. Ukraine's European allies are also warning about the risks they're facing.

European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen says it's necessary to beef up Eastern European security now. Latvia's president agrees.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

EDGARS RINKEVICS, LATVIAN PRESIDENT: Russia is becoming more desperate and to some extent Russia is also becoming more dangerous. We need to take that into account. I think that it is very important that we are prepared for further disinformation campaigns, for further provocations, maybe also acts of sabotage.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Oleksandr Merezhko is the Chair of the Ukrainian Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee. He joins me now from Kyiv. Appreciate you being with us.

OLEKSANDR MEREZHKO, FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE CHAIR, UKRAINIAN PARLIAMENT: Thank you for having me.

[02:35:00]

CHURCH: So Russia is warning the U.S. and other nations with diplomats in Kyiv to flee the Ukrainian capital or risk being hit in a new wave, an intense wave of its systematic strikes. What do you make of that threat from President Putin? And why is he doing this now?

MEREZHKO: Putin is doing it for very simple reason because he understands that Russia is losing the war. On the ground, situation is very negative for Russia because our army, Ukrainian army manages to take back more territory than Russia manages to occupy in recent months. So it's -- Putin has failed strategically because he has failed to occupy the remainder of the Donbas region and it's a sign of desperation actually. And he's trying to blackmail, he's bluffing, and all his threats is a sign of desperation and weakness.

CHURCH: And European nations rejected the Kremlin's call to abandon Kyiv, vowing to stay in the capital, calling the threat a sign of desperation as you say. Some summoned Russian ambassadors in protest. What do they need to be doing to speed up Eastern Europe security here?

MEREZHKO: Well, first of all, there should be strong decisive reaction against Putin's provocation and Putin's blackmail. And we expect strong words on the part of our American allies because we can recall that just a year ago, President Trump was warning Putin by saying, Vladimir, stop. And Vladimir hasn't stopped and that's why it makes sense for the United States to show also decisiveness and to deliver on the promise made before to implement sanctions against Russia and to provide all the necessary equipment and weaponry for Ukraine to defend our civilian population.

CHURCH: And of course, you mentioned that, I mean, U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio said that he received a personal warning from his Russian counterpart about this threat on embassies in Kyiv and that he offered Washington's renewed mediation in the stalled talks to end the war, which is exactly what Ukraine wants to see and wants to hear. So let's talk about what needs to happen, when that needs to happen, because of course the big distraction for the United States right now is the war with Iran, which is taking up most of their attention.

MEREZHKO: Yes, it's true. Unfortunately, any conflict in the world has a distraction and Putin is trying to use this against Ukraine and against the United States and against Europe. That's why the United States should again, to show leadership, show willingness, because if it can be done, it should be done. I mean Ukraine should be provided more military aid and more support, and besides it is unprecedented when Putin or his so-called foreign minister, Lavrov, threatens to the State Secretary, Marco Rubio, and we don't see any tangible reaction from, for example, State Secretary because Putin threatens to commit a crime against international law, which violates our diplomatic law, for example. And there should be strong reaction against this.

CHURCH: It wasn't long ago that President Putin was talking about this war coming to an end. What happened with that?

MEREZHKO: Well, Putin is the only obstacle to ceasefire and the only solution is to go back to initial proposal by President Trump with regard to unconditional ceasefire. And Putin understands that he's losing, the time is not anymore on his side. That the tide of war has turned in favor of Ukraine. But at the same time, he continues to insist on his ludicrous, absolutely absurd demands with regard to Ukraine.

CHURCH: So what do you see as the next step here? And what do you think the timeline is?

MEREZHKO: The only realistic approach under the circumstances is to double down on putting maximum pressure on Russia. It should be done with the help of more support for Ukraine, of course, more deep strikes which proved to be very effective against Russia, also secondary sanctions against Russian allies which provide lifeline to Russian war machine. If it is being done, it increases chances that Putin will finally be able to, will agree to negotiate in earnest. As of now, we don't see any serious negotiations on the part of Russia. It's all imitation of negotiations with only one goal, to avoid sanctions from the United States.

[02:40:00]

CHURCH: Oleksandr Merezhko, thank you so much, joining us there live from Kyiv. Appreciate it.

MEREZHKO: Thank you.

CHURCH: Well, Belgian police say it's too early to say whether a school bus driver intentionally drove through a closed railway barrier before being hit by a train on Tuesday morning.

Officials say the driver, an attendant, and two students were killed. Five other children were seriously injured and are in hospital. Authorities say the driver tested negative for drugs and alcohol, and had no prior convictions.

The rail operator says footage shows that the barriers were down and the traffic lights were red when the accident happened. An investigation is underway.

We are following developments in Laos where cave divers are pushing forward with a delicate operation to try to rescue seven people trapped underground. We'll have details for you after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) CHURCH: I want you to take a look at this massive wedge tornado. It was caught on video as severe super-cell thunderstorms moved through a sparsely populated region in northern Mexico on Tuesday.

Storm chasers used the term "wedge tornado" to describe an extremely wide tornado that looks like a giant upside-down triangle. No major damage or injuries have been reported, thankfully.

Well, a heat wave has been breaking dozens of temperature records across Western Europe this week. Temperatures from England to France have reached the mid-30s Celsius or mid-90s Fahrenheit, and we're still weeks away from the official start of the summer in the northern hemisphere.

CNN Meteorologist, Derek Van Dam has details.

DEREK VAN DAM, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Well, this early season heat wave certainly has the fingerprints of climate change written all over it. Take for example these dozens of red dots.

[02:45:00]

These are the locations that set May monthly record temperatures, meaning that all of these individual locations have never experienced this warmth, this type of warmth during the month of May. It's not even officially summer just yet.

Let's talk specifics though. This is Kew Gardens just outside of London. The past two days shattering its May monthly all-time record high temperature. That's significant, but when it first did so on Monday, it actually shattered it by roughly 2 degrees Celsius from the previous record. That is significant, but so is the overnight lows.

Not giving your body the opportunity to really cool itself down from the extreme daytime heat for this time of the year. That's saying something, because only about 5 percent of households in the U.K. have access to air conditioning. Let's boil it down to its brass tacks.

The U.K. is built for a climate that no longer exists, and there are several other examples that showcase this heat. Take Paris, for example. We're running 10 to 15 degrees above average right through the early parts of the weekend.

And so what is causing this extreme early season heat wave? Well, it's a dome of high pressure clearing out the skies overhead, but also trapping the heat at the surface as it tries to escape back into the atmosphere. It's just not able to, and it's not going to move very fast, very quickly.

In fact, we're going to continue that heat dome over the western and central parts of Europe into the weekend. That's why we see lots of reds and oranges on this map. And as we go forward into the future, we continue to release these greenhouse gases.

By burning fossil fuels, the heat trapping gases, we are going to see more frequent heat waves and more extreme temperatures within these heat waves as well. Back to you.

CHURCH: A desperate attempt to rescue seven people from a cave in Laos is ongoing one week after they became trapped. New video coming in shows rescuers covered in mud exiting the cave late Tuesday. One diver said efforts had been hampered by rain.

The seven trapped villagers had gone searching for gold, but reportedly were stranded after heavy rain triggered flash flooding and blocked their exit. One rescuer says it's possible that those stranded are sheltering in a dry section.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MIKKO PAASI, INSTRUCTOR TRAINER, TECH DIVE ASIA: And the visibility is zero. So the making ground is very slow process and we need to think about power safety as well. So we are 30 meters away from that chamber and hoping that soon we will reach (ph) find out if they are alive or they are even dead.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Rescuers have expressed hope that the people will be found alive.

Still to come, the Dead Sea is slowly dying, but few can agree on how to save the briny lake. What's behind the ecological crisis? That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:51:35]

CHURCH: Welcome back, everyone. It is the lowest place on Earth. The Dead Sea is dying. The lake's water level has plummeted in recent years, leading to what one resident calls an ecological disaster.

CNN's Jeremy Diamond reports from the Dead Sea.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Jake Ben Zaken is one of the only people licensed to operate a boat on the Dead Sea. And for the last 12 years, that's what he's done.

DIAMOND: So you know it well?

JAKE BEN ZAKEN, FOUNDER, SALTY LANDSCAPES: Yeah. I got to see all the faces.

DIAMOND (voice-over): Giving him an unparalleled view of one of Earth's natural wonders, the fast-moving environmental disaster threatening its existence.

BEN ZAKEN: So every year, we get about new 7.5 meters of new shoreline because the sea is dropping. DIAMOND (voice-over): The Dead Sea is dying. Its surface area has shrunk by about one-third in the last 50 years, and its salt-encrusted shores now stand as a testament to the rapid pace of change.

BEN ZAKEN: This is last year, two years ago. Every step, it's here.

DIAMOND (voice-over): Each step shows how much the sea level has dropped from one year to the next, at a rate of about four feet per year, like nothing else in the world.

Dr. Yael Kiro has been studying the Dead Sea for over a decade.

DIAMOND: There's no other place on Earth like the Dead Sea?

DR. YAEL KIRO, GEOCHEMIST, WEIZMANN INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE: No, no.

DIAMOND (voice-over): To understand why it is shrinking and what can be done about it.

KIRO: The main reason is because of the utilization of the water resources around the Dead Sea. This contributes around 60 percent of the drop. And then there is the Dead Sea factories, both the Jordanian and the Israelis, that pump directly the brine and evaporate it in order to extract minerals. And they contribute about 40 percent for the lake level drops.

DIAMOND (voice-over): Israel's Dead Sea Works and Jordan's Arab Potash Company pump tens of billions of gallons of water out of the Dead Sea each year, evaporating much of that water to extract potash and magnesium, key fertilizer ingredients.

Some who want to save the Dead Sea have proposed building a pipeline and pumping water in from the Red Sea. Others advocate for replenishing the Jordan River, allowing the water to flow naturally into the Dead Sea. But while ideas abound, government action is still missing.

The impact isn't just environmental. It's also financial. This graveyard of palm trees and graffiti buildings was once a thriving beach resort. The road leading to it explains why it's been abandoned.

DIAMOND: Tourists used to take this road all the time to get to the Dead Sea, but now sinkholes like this one line its path, and the whole area has been abandoned. And the concern is that more sinkholes will continue to happen as the Dead Sea drops, and tourism will be severely impacted.

DIAMOND (voice-over): These sinkholes are caused by an underground layer of salt that is now dissolving.

DIAMOND: This sinkhole is a direct result of the Dead Sea water levels dropping?

KIRO: Yes. Since the lake level started to drop, this salt layer, instead of being exposed to the Dead Sea brine, it is exposed to more fresh water, and then eventually you get a collapse. [02:55:00]

DIAMOND (voice-over): Aboard his boat, Ben Zaken says he sees new evidence of the Dead Sea's man-made decay every day, and the uncertainty it spells for its future and his own.

DIAMOND: What do you call all of this? I mean, what we're witnessing, the way in which it's sinking, how do you qualify all of it?

BEN ZAKEN: You can say an ecological disaster, you know, because it is. And it's also a demographical disaster, because it is. And it's also one of the wonders of the world, because it is. You know, I qualify it as home.

DIAMOND (voice-over): Jeremy Diamond, CNN, the Dead Sea.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: NASA announced new details about its upcoming plans to build a permanent base on the Moon. Phase I will see robotic missions scout and prepare for surface operations. That includes the MoonFall mission, which will send four drones to fly short hops to survey potential landing sites for Artemis astronauts.

NASA is aiming for a 2028 launch date. Phase II is expected by 2029, when NASA will begin building semi-permanent infrastructure. Phase III aims for a sustained presence with routine crew rotations and continuous surface activity.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JARED ISAACMAN, NASA ADMINISTRATOR: The Moon base is as beautiful as it is hostile. In sunlight, the surface can heat to over 250 degrees. In darkness, it can drop well below minus 200. In the permanently shaded craters, areas of great interest, that have been untouched by sunlight for millions, even billions of years, temperatures can fall well below minus 400 degrees. There is no atmosphere to moderate these extremes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: NASA also announced contracts to Astrolab and Lunar Outpost to build lunar terrain vehicles, with Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin set to deliver payloads to the Moon.

I want to thank you so much for your company this hour. I'm Rosemary Church. "CNN Newsroom" with Polo Sandoval is next, after a short break. Do stay with us.

[02:57:06]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[03:00:00]