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Trump: Iran Vows to Never Develop or Buy a Nuclear Weapon; Israel Captures Strategic Castle in Southern Lebanon; Demonstrators Clash Outside New Jersey ICE Facility; Colombia to Vote in First Round of Pivotal Presidential Election; WHO Chief Visits DRC Province Where First Cases Emerged; Rescuers Continue Dangerous Search for Two Missing Miners in Laos. Aired 4-5a ET

Aired May 31, 2026 - 04:00   ET

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

[04:00:00]

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

President Trump is explaining why he's taking his time to reach a deal with Iran. New Jersey officials are trying to lower the temperature between opposing crowds of protesters outside an ICE detention facility in Newark. And fans get rowdy celebrating Paris Saint- Germain's second straight Champions League title.

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

BRUNHUBER: President Donald Trump is still insisting that the U.S. is very close to reaching a peace deal with Iran. In a new interview with his daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, the president says Iran has agreed to never develop or buy a nuclear weapon. Here he is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: I would rather get a deal because we can open the straight immediately upon signing. The one guarantee that I have to have is that there will be no nuclear weapons. They've agreed to that. And it was very interesting. They said they originally said we will not develop a nuclear weapon. I said, well, what happens if you buy a nuclear weapon? So, now it says we will not develop or in any way purchase a military weapon. That's a big difference.

So, we're getting what we want slowly. Very tough negotiators. It takes a long time. I'm in no hurry. I'd like to say I'm in a hurry because, you know, gasoline prices are going to come tumbling down. But if you're going to be in a hurry, you're not going to make a good deal. And slowly but surely, we're getting, I think, what we want. And if we don't get what we want, we're going to end it a different way.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is warning that American forces are ready to resume fighting with Iran if needed. The U.S. military says it fired a missile at a Gambian flag commercial ship that was heading to Iran Friday after giving more than 20 warnings that it was violating the U.S. blockade.

CNN's Nada Bashir is joining us live from London. So, Nada, where does the deal stand right now?

NADA BASHIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, clearly, we've had no clear announcements from the U.S. president nor from the Iranian side as to any new conclusions to this peace agreement. But, of course, we have been hearing those positive indications. And we've just heard there from the U.S. president saying that he is in no hurry. And that has been echoed by his defense secretary, by the secretary of state, Marco Rubio, that they are working on getting what they've described as a good deal that meets the terms put forward by the United States.

Now, there had been some hope that we might see an agreement this weekend. We suddenly had heard earlier in the week that there was essentially an understanding on the table and that there was some sort of tacit agreement around those terms. But no final conclusions just yet.

And, of course, there are a series of significant issues on the tables, not least, of course, the cessation of hostilities in Iran, which would be the central aspect of this memorandum of understanding. But, of course, key terms, including the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz at a pre-war level to free up that key and essential shipping route. Iran, of course, wants to see the blockade lifted on its own ports as well.

There's the question of Iranian assets. They want to see billions of dollars' worth of Iranian assets in overseas banks being lifted. And, again, there are questions as to whether that would be a decision taken off the back of the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and whether we might see a sort of trust and wait scenario there. And then, of course, there is the question of the nuclear issue.

Now, this memorandum of understanding currently on the table would essentially lay the groundwork and foundations for a more formalized peace agreement in the future. It's unclear whether this would mean an extension to the current ceasefire agreement or whether this would be a separate independent 60-day second phase that we might see.

Those terms, of course, haven't yet been laid out publicly by U.S. or Iranian officials. But the question is whether or not the terms around the nuclear issue would be included within this memorandum of understanding or whether this is simply a first step towards a more formalized peace agreement not only focused on bringing an end to the war but also, of course, on the nuclear question.

[04:05:00]

And as we've heard there from the U.S. president, he has been very clear that this deal must ensure that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon.

BRUNHUBER: All right. Appreciate that, Nada Bashir in London. Thanks so much. Israel has captured another strategic site as it plows ahead with its operations in southern Lebanon. The IDF said hours ago that it's now in control of the Beaufort Castle, about 10 miles or 15 kilometers from Israel's border. The structure was built about 900 years ago and was under provisional enhanced protection by UNESCO.

But across the border, Israel is bracing for more Hezbollah attacks on the heels of multiple strikes in northern Israel on Saturday. Officials responded by canceling schools and moving one hospital underground. Public gatherings are now limited. There are no reports of injuries, but Israel is telling residents to keep an eye out for more.

New Jersey State officials say they're working to de-escalate tensions flaring up outside an ICE detention facility in Newark. Accusations over reportedly inhumane living conditions have sparked a string of protests. CNN's Gloria Pazmino has the latest.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GLORIA PAZMINO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, tensions here between demonstrators and law enforcement have been back and forth throughout this weekend. We have seen that things really escalate in the evening hours after dark. That's when we see a lot of law enforcement and demonstrators really escalate tensions between the two sides. Some of the more violent clashes have taken place at night.

But during the day, things have remained calm for the most part. There has been a significantly different police presence here throughout this weekend. The governor of New Jersey, Mikie Sherrill, deployed state police officers to this area along with area local police departments to essentially take over for ICE officers which had been guarding the entrance to Delaney Hall where these protests have been taking place over the past few days.

So, I just want to show you what things look like because they do look a bit different from what we have seen in the past few days. You can see that the street is now closed off to traffic. The barricades have been put up to keep protesters on one side of the street. And you can see the significant police presence lined up outside of the entrance to Delaney Hall.

Now, this is a major detention center in terms of immigration here in the tri-state area. If you are detained by immigration officials, it is likely that you will pass through this center. And for the past few days, we've been told by attorneys for those who are detained inside Delaney Hall as well as their family members that their conditions inside are unacceptable. They're on a hunger strike to bring attention to these conditions. A lack of proper food, a lack of medical care, lack of access to their legal counsel. This is something that has been denied by the Department of Homeland Security. They say that there is no hunger strike and that conditions are not as described by the detainees.

Still, protesters have continued for several days. The governor has said she believes her plan to bring in local police and state police is going to keep ICE officers from taking more drastic action. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. MIKIE SHERRILL (D-NJ): What we were doing and, you know, pulling things together remarkably quickly to make sure that there was no pretextual reason for ICE to put their people on the ground. We had put them off for at least one night, but we did not have a lot of time and we knew that they were ready to engage in a way and clear out protesters. Having seen what that looks like in other states, you know, very violent techniques, no area for people to protest.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PAZMINO: There were also some arrests during the weekend. At least six people were arrested. Governor Sherrill also pointing out that some of those who were taken into custody had come here from outside of the state. She has told people not to come here to sort of disrupt the protests. That for the most part had been peaceful, again, with the exception of those clashes in the evening hours which have gotten pretty violent.

So, we'll see how this situation here continues to develop over the next few days and into next week and whether or not we will see officials -- public officials here from the area perhaps access Delaney Hall as they try to conduct oversight and figure out exactly what's going on inside the detention center.

Gloria Pazmino, CNN, New Jersey.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: A United Airlines flight from Chicago to Minneapolis was forced to divert to Madison, Wisconsin, Friday night. That was after an unruly passenger triggered a security concern on board. Crew members say the passenger made multiple attempts to try to breach the cockpit before he was restrained by law enforcement officers on board. Authorities took the passenger into custody once the Boeing 737 landed.

[04:10:00]

The passenger made multiple attempts to try to breach the cockpit before he was restrained by law enforcement officers on board. Authorities took the passenger into custody once the Boeing 737 landed in Wisconsin. Officials haven't disclosed the passenger's identity or whether any charges have been filed. The plane carried 147 passengers and six crew members. No injuries were reported.

Well, the sound of an explosion shook buildings in New England on Saturday and sent people scrambling to understand what happened. Have a look.

So, you heard it there. The American Meteor Society says the double boom was caused by a three-foot-wide meteor entering the atmosphere near Massachusetts. The group says it received dozens of reports from people who heard the sound, felt the ground shake or saw an actual fireball. A monitor with the society says the meteor looked like a shooting star in the afternoon sky, but it was unlikely to have struck the ground.

Paris Saint-Germain set out to defend its Champion League title against Arsenal on Saturday. Still ahead, a closer look at the match that was decided by a single kick. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[04:15:00]

BRUNHUBER: Paris this morning is both celebrating a victory in one of football's biggest contest and cleaning up from the aftermath. That all followed Paris Saint Germain winning its second straight Champions League title, this one over London's Arsenal.

Now, this is how some fans reacted after the final whistle as emergency service responders rushed to call the unrest, police say it all led to more than 400 arrests nationwide. Some 8,000 officers had been mobilized beforehand.

CNN's Patrick Snell has a closer look at Saturday's high-stakes soccer match.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PATRICK SNELL, CNN WORLD SPORT: It's back-to-back titles now for Luis Enrique's team after PSG overcame English Premier League champions Arsenal on Saturday in Budapest. The Parisians now just the second team this century to win the Champions League in consecutive seasons after, you know who, Real Madrid. And the Gunners making an unbelievable dream start, taking the lead in just the sixth minute of play.

German star Kai Havertz smashing the ball into the back of the net from the tightest of angles there, right into the roof of the net, past PSG's Russian goalie, Matvey Safonov, who had no chance at all of keeping that one out. But Havertz in dreamland as the men from North London take the lead, a brilliant opener from Havertz.

Just past the hour mark now, we re-pick up the action. Last season's winners hit back, Georgian international Kvara bursting through. He's fouled in the box by Arsenal Spanish player Cristhian Mosquera. Arsenal players are not happy about it one little bit, but the officials check it and the penalty is given for contact there in the box.

Ousmane Dembele had been pretty quiet up to that point, but he makes no mistake from 12 yards out, cool as you like, as the Bowen door winner makes it one all, all to play for right into the corner. Gunners goalie David Raya giving no chance, Raya going the wrong way. Remember Dembele had been an injury doubt going into the match, but boy had he recovered from that calf injury. And at this point, it's now one all.

Now, after a goalless extra 30 minutes, it comes down to, oh, no, the penalties, the shootout, the nerves are jangling. Lucas Beraldo, the young Brazilian who PSG sent on as a sub during extra time, keeps his cool, nicely done from the South American. That piles the pressure though onto his compatriot Gabriel, who plays for Arsenal. And that pressure taking its toll. He can't keep the shot down, the ball flying way over its target.

And PSG celebrate another famous, famous victory. Paris Saint-Germain, champions of Europe again for a second straight season after winning the shootout 4-3. This was the moment then at PSG's home stadium, the famed Parc de France in the heart of the capital city, Paris. Cue the celebrations as Paris fans, so long deprived of winning the biggest prize in European club footy, now they get to celebrate two back-to- back in a row. And our hearty congratulations to PSG.

And keep in mind, as I mentioned, the only other team to achieve back- to-back wins in this famous old competition since it was rebranded in the early 1990s, 15-time winners, Real Madrid no less. And on that note, I'll send it right back to you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: All right. for more on this, we're joined by Jim Campbell, co-host of The Thing About Arsenal and the Football Ramble podcasts. Thanks so much for being here. A real pleasure for me because I've been listening to the Football Ramble for more than 15 years. So, as a fellow Arsenal supporter, I've been sharing all these years of heartbreak and nearly moments. I mean, this was unfortunately another one. You've had a little time to process this. How are you feeling?

JIM CAMPBELL, CO-HOST, "THE THING ABOUT ARSENAL" AND "FOOTBALL RAMBLE" PODCASTS: Firstly, Kim, it's great to be here. It's great to hear that you're a listener as well. Thank you for that. Obviously, you'll understand my pain this morning. It is the most heartbreaking way to lose a game of football and in the most high-stakes situation possible.

The feeling I have is obviously one of extreme disappointment, but it is also one of pride in these players because they took a PSG team who are one of the best teams we've seen in a long time in Europe, all the way to penalties. There's a sense with PSG that if you try and play them at their own game, it becomes a basketball game and you lose it. So, Arsenal took a particular approach, and I think they were justified in that approach because every time they tried to exert some pressure on PSG, PSG hit them on the break every single time.

So, it wasn't the prettiest game. It wasn't the most aesthetically pleasing way to approach it from Arsenal, but it nearly worked. It was down to such, such fine margins. And I think, again, the feeling here in North London is one of immense pride.

[04:20:00]

Now, I live in North London, the parade for the Premier League title celebrations is happening later today. There are horns and chants going on outside and the parade is five hours away. People's spirits are undiminished really. And I think everyone is just very, very proud of how far this Arsenal team have come.

BRUNHUBER: Yes. I guess we'll just have to console ourselves with winning the league, although that Champions League title still eludes Arsenal, still never won it. I want to widen this out. A bunch of the Arsenal players, Saka, Rice, the rest, they barely get to breathe before they're off with England, they go to the World Cup, it kicks off in under two weeks.

I mean, England is sort of a third favorite, I believe, to win but how much is that kind of fatigue going to hang over them, do you think?

CAMPBELL: I think it's massive, actually, Kim, because they will join the England camp late, so obviously everything's already started without them. They're not the only players who've been through a very, very tough schedule. I think it's very interesting that two of the biggest names that hadn't made the England squad this year in terms of Cole Palmer and Phil Foden played in the Club World Cup last summer, so they've not really had a rest.

And I think, you know, obviously, players in the modern game play a huge amount of games. Arsenal have played a crazy, crazy amount of games this year because they've got to the Carabao Cup final and the Champions League final.

So, I do think we see it quite often. I think Harry Kane in England's last tournament looked like he was kind of running on empty a bit, so I'm hoping that they can dig deep and keep going back to that well now. Bukayo Saka has actually missed quite a bit of football this season, so his schedule's actually been a bit lighter through the misfortune of that. So, hopefully it won't affect him too much, but it's absolutely a concern for England going into a tournament where the weather conditions are less than favorable for anybody from this island.

BRUNHUBER: Yes, let's talk tickets, because, I mean, FIFA's gone with this dynamic pricing for the first time. Some seats for the final run into the tens of thousands. You've been highly critical of this. What do you make of what all this does to the ordinary fan?

CAMPBELL: I think it's sad, is the over -- kind of overriding emotion I have, because it feels like FIFA will effectively test everything they can think of to see what they can get away with. And the whole idea of a tournament like the World Cup is that you bring the world together, and you bring different cultures together, and you bring people from far-flung countries where the financial situation is very, very different, and you want that to be accessible. It should be a festival of football. It should be a carnival. It shouldn't necessarily be a sort of exclusive luxury VIP experience, which is kind of what it appears to be being sold as.

And I hope that FIFA sees sense. And if tickets remain unsold, which seems to be the case, they dramatically reduce the prices so that people can actually watch it and see their teams and celebrate it and create a great atmosphere. And I think FIFA have been brought up in front of a committee in New York and New Jersey to sort of explain themselves. And I think that's excellent, because it's also about bringing the game to the local people as well. It's not an excuse to fleece people that are hosting the tournament, and that really does seem to be the approach.

BRUNHUBER: Quickly, before we go, I want to dip into an old Football Rambles tradition. What is the one weird or unexpected thing that could but probably won't happen at the World Cup?

CAMPBELL: I'm going to say that England will win a penalty shootout. We haven't actually been so bad at it in recent years, but why not, it's still a very rare occasion.

BRUNHUBER: Yes, let's hope it happens. Let's hope Arsenal kicks on next season and possibly does the double. Jim Campbell, thanks so much for speaking with us. Really appreciate it.

CAMPBELL: Thank you.

BRUNHUBER: All right. Still to come, two more men remain trapped inside a flooded cave in Laos. We'll have the latest efforts to find them and get them out, coming up next. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[04:25:00]

BRUNHUBER: Welcome back. I'm Kim Brunhuber. This is CNN Newsroom. Voters in Colombia will head to the polls in the coming hours for the first round of a polarizing election that pits right versus left. The results may chart the course for the country's future relationship with the U.S., specifically whether Colombia's leftist leadership could be replaced by someone who's more Team Trump. Stefano Pozzebon reports from Bogota.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

STEFANO POZZEBON, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: 40 million Colombians will head to the poll this Sunday. It's an election that no matter the results could shape this country's future and the future of U.S. presence in Latin America for generations.

This is because four years ago Colombians elected their first left- wing president in history. His name is Gustavo Petro and he is barred from re-election. The Colombian constitution only allows for one presidential mandate.

But Petro really has taken this country out of the U.S. orbit despite the fact that Colombia is traditionally the U.S. strongest ally in Latin America. Petro, for example, has sparred with Donald Trump several times on issues such as migration, the tariffs, what to do with the then-president of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro. You might remember, for example, once that he called for U.S. troops not to follow Trump's order during a General Assembly of the United Nations from the streets of New York.

And while Petro, as I was saying, is not on the ballot, there is a left-wing candidate, Ivan Cepeda, who is leading in the polls and he's suggesting that he wants to make this breakthrough, this breakaway from Washington even deeper. Colombia is the second largest trading partner of the United States in South America and it's the only Latin American country that is associated with NATO. But that relationship could be put into jeopardy if, for example, a second successive left- wing president takes the power here in Bogota.

And our colleagues at CNN Espanol were able to interview Cepeda and this is what he told us when, for example, they asked him what he intends to be doing with that relationship so key, so crucial with Washington.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

IVAN CEPEDA, CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT OF COLOMBIA (through translator): We want to build a respectful and cordial relationship with the U.S., but we must also realize what has happened. The war on drugs or war on narcos has been a total failure.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

POZZEBON: The two main candidates opposing Cepeda instead, their names are Abelardo de la Espriella, who is a right-wing populist similar, for example, to Argentina's Javier Milei or El Salvador's Nayib Bukele, but also a traditional conservative center-right politician such as Paloma Valencia.

[04:30:00]

Both of them tried to pump up their relationship with Donald Trump and in particular with the Florida wing of the U.S. Republican Party. For example, among the international observers that have arrived here in Bogota in recent hours is the U.S. Senator Bernie Moreno, who is closely aligned with the right of Latin America, Latin American right- wing political movements. If neither of these candidates wins an outright majority of 50 percent, the two best place will head to a runoff on June 21st.

For CNN, this is Stefano Pozzebon, Bogota.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: Kenya is pushing ahead with an Ebola quarantine facility in partnership with the U.S. despite a high court order temporarily banning it earlier this week. A source tells CNN that U.S. personnel, who will help run the controversial facility, arrived Saturday at the Kenyan air base where it will be located. It's intended for Americans exposed to Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

That's where the virus is believed to be responsible for at least 238 deaths and more than 1,000 suspected infections. The director general of the World Health Organization is in the DRC and traveled Saturday to the province where the first cases were confirmed. Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus urged residents to seek treatment and practice safe burials. While traveling, we spoke with CNN's Clarissa Ward about the situation on the ground.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CLARISSA WARD, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Are you worried that this could spread to the level that we saw in 2014?

TEDROS ADHANOM GHEBREYESUS, DIRECTOR-GENERAL, WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION: It depends on how we respond. If we move fast and we're asking the international community to move fast in terms of funding and others, we can stop it. But the government can stop it, communities can stop it. So, it depends. If we don't take it seriously, of course, it can outsmart us.

WARD: I have to ask you, the United States pulled out of the WHO in January, dismantled USAID last July. How has that impacted the response?

GHEBREYESUS: So, first, we're working with the U.S., they're working with us. Second, they're putting resources, they're allocating a lot of money. So, I'm glad to see this. And I can see commitment from all levels, starting from the highest to the technical people we meet on the ground. And that's very good.

So, working together, unity, solidarity is the key. This virus cannot be stopped if there is a vacuum between us, when there are cracks in the solidarity, because solidarity is the best unity. And I'm glad that U.S. is doing that.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: Our Larry Madowo is in Kenya and joins us from Nairobi. So, Larry, the facility there going ahead despite the court order. Take us through the latest developments.

LARRY MADOWO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kim, you must remember that the U.S. has committed $13.5 million to Kenya to help in Ebola preparedness efforts. That is the broad term that was used when this announcement was made after President William Ruto spoke on the phone with the U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Some Kenyans have been offended by some of his statements, specifically saying that they will do everything to make sure that Ebola does not reach their shores. And that is the context in which many here are opposed to any attempts to set up this Ebola isolation facility here in the country.

Now, it appears that this will go ahead. Kenya confirmed Saturday that it will be setting up this containment facility at Laikipia Air Base. That's a military facility in central Kenya, about 120 miles out of here in Nairobi, in association with the United States. And the health minister on state television, on national television, said this will not just be for Kenyans. It will be for Americans. It will be for Kenyans in other nationalities as well.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ADEN DUALE, KENYAN CABINET SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF HEALTH: There's no way we are bringing Ebola patients to Laikipia. That facility is a military facility. Kenyans' defense forces will use that facility. Other Kenyans will use that facility. And by the way, let me say this. I don't know why people are so much about the U.S. If there's one country that has contributed between 25 to 35 percent of the health budget since independence.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MADOWO: He's right that the U.S. has supported Kenya's health infrastructure since independence, Kenya was the first to sign on to this new arrangement from the Trump administration where African countries are expected to contribute more to their own health budgets. The other thing here is that both the current Trump and Rutte administrations have a history of violating court orders they don't trust.

So, it would not be surprising if they went ahead with this deal despite this temporary court order here in Kenya blocking the U.S. and Kenya from entering into this deal and barring Kenya from admitting anybody exposed to Ebola. This is coming up again for mention in court on Tuesday. We'll hear more.

[04:35:00]

The health minister also saying that they have made the submissions, the attorney general of the Republic of Kenya has made the government submission to the court. We'll see if this is actually blocked permanently or it'll be allowed to go ahead, Kim.

BRUNHUBER: All right. We shall see. Larry Madowo in Nairobi, thanks so much. Rescue divers have been called back to the flooded cave in Laos to assist the ongoing search for two missing minors. Diver Josh Richards says rescuers believe there could be a significant air pocket deeper in the cave where they might be, but he warns rainfall at the site may have increased water levels inside the cave.

Now, this comes the day after four men were able to leave the cave on their own after more than a week trapped inside. CNN's Will Ripley shows us those extraordinary moments.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WILL RIPLEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: We are just -- want to get you a little bit closer. Come on in here so you can see this incredible scene. They've just loaded two of the men I believe into these ambulances which are on standby. You can see they're carrying a third villager down now. So, you can see the entire village is coming out here. People are recording with their phones.

You've got smiles. You've got people with looks of absolute astonishment because these men, they thought, everybody thought, they were going to need to be ushered out by this team of highly skilled international divers, and they climbed out on their own. They showed the world how it's done here in central Laos.

Obviously, there's a lot of medical care that they're going to need, which makes it all the more extraordinary that they crawled out of that cave, 260 meters, more than 850 feet, on their own, a testament to the hard work. The days of pumping water out of the cave and that the rain has not fallen yesterday and hasn't fallen yet today.

And here he is, getting in the ambulance on the way to the hospital. It's just an extraordinary ending to really an extraordinary story here. These are some of the locals who've been gathering, some of the people who've been assisting with the search.

You have dozens of people in this village, and we now have -- Kocha, is this -- I think Kocha is coming. This is the mother of one of the men who is rescued. Hey, Kocha.

KOCHA OLARN, CNN PRODUCER: The mother of the last guy who just like sent to the hospital.

RIPLEY: Kocha, let's talk. Come on over here. You guys remember Kocha from yesterday. How are you feeling? Congratulations.

OLARN: She said, thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you for helping me.

RIPLEY: Thank you for helping me. This is one of those moments, really one of those once-in-a-lifetime moments that you take a mental snapshot and you always remember. And that's just us standing here at the bottom of this mountain. You can only imagine what it was like for the rescuers from Thailand, from here in Laos, from all over the world.

And you can see these fellas now. You've got Robin there, who's from France, based in Indonesia. You've got Mikko, he's based here in -- here in Laos, based actually over in Thailand I should say. Hey, guys. Can we talk to you? We're on live. Can I just -- can I just -- Joshua from Australia. Mikko. Robin. Holy molly. Congratulations.

ROBIN CUESTA, FRENCH RESCUE DIVER: I was very worried this morning that we had to extract them by diving because I don't think they would have made it alive. They could still like have a laugh and --

RIPLEY: They were laughing?

CUESTA: Yes, they were laughing and said like, oh, thank you. So, I think that's strong guy.

MIKKO PAASI, FINNISH RESCUE DIVER: The fact that they actually crawled, they crawled out by themselves. That talks a lot about it. It's not -- it's quite physical.

RIPLEY: It's rainy season. This is the exact kind of storm that caused the cave to flood 11 days ago. This is why they got stuck down there. And now the storm is coming up again after an extraordinary two-day almost pause in the rain. It was supposed to rain yesterday. It was supposed to rain all day today, but it's just now starting to rain at 5:17 in the evening. And they are out, they're at the hospital getting the medical care they need. They're back with their families. We're going to wait for an update on the two that are still missing.

(END VIDEOTAPE) BRUNHUBER: Russia's grinding offensive in Ukraine could be running out of steam. Still ahead, Ukrainians push back as the tide of war potentially starts to turn in their favor. That story is coming up. Please stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[04:40:00]

BRUNHUBER: The head of the U.N. nuclear watchdog says someone is playing with fire following a recent drone strike on Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant. The watchdog says it's recently been informed about the strike, which hit the plant's turbine hall. The organization added that nuclear sites shouldn't be attacked under any circumstances and that its inspectors will assess the damage. Russian troops still occupy Zaporizhzhia, which is Europe's largest nuclear power plant.

Now, take these incidents in isolation, and it can seem as though Russia is making steady advances in Ukraine or is at least holding what it's taken. But in April, according to the Institute for the Study of War, actually, Ukraine managed to liberate more land than Russia seized. Not a lot, granted. About 116 square kilometers, or less than 45 square miles.

But that would be the first time Moscow suffered a net loss of territory since Ukraine's August 2024 incursion into Russia's southern Kursk region. Meanwhile, Russia's casualty rate stands as high as 35,000 a month while Ukraine continues to hit targets deeper and deeper inside Russia.

For more analysis, we're joined by Mick Ryan, a retired major general in the Australian army. He's also the author of "The War for Ukraine: Strategy and Adaptation Under Fire." General Ryan is in Brisbane, Australia. Good to see you again. Thanks so much for being here with us. So, Russia spent years slowly grinding forward, and now it's giving ground back, two months running. So, what's actually driving that reversal? Is it that Ukraine is getting stronger or Russia running out of steam?

MAJ. GEN. MICK RYAN, AUSTRALIAN ARMY (RET.): Well, good morning, Kim. The answer to that is it's a bit of both. What we've seen from the Ukrainians this year is the culmination of four and a half years of hard-won experience, four and a half years of industrial mobilization and innovation with drones, and the culmination of years of development of defensive zones in eastern and southern Ukraine, which has very much stopped the Russians pretty much at a standstill for their spring offensive for 2026.

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BRUNHUBER: So, technology, a huge player here. As I mentioned, I mean, we're hearing that Russia may be losing troops faster than it can replace them. So, how much longer, do you think, can Putin realistically keep fighting at this pace? RYAN: Well, unfortunately, he has a lot of manpower to draw on if he decided to go into some kind of compulsory manpower mobilization. He has not yet done that. He's been able to rely on other means throughout the war. Both the president of Ukraine and the current minister of defense in Ukraine have stated that they're aiming to generate 50,000 Russian casualties per month. They haven't quite got there yet, but they're using this to put pressure on Putin to change his strategic calculus.

BRUNHUBER: Now, one bright spot for Moscow, the Hormuz shutdown sent oil prices soaring and handed Russia a real cash windfall. So, is that enough to bail Putin out, or are the problems, like we've just mentioned about manpower, just something that money can't fix?

RYAN: I don't think it's going to bail him out. It's a short-term sugar hit, but the Ukrainians are accelerating and broadening their long-range strikes into Russia. They're now striking about 2,000 kilometers into Russia. They have a very systemic program of attacking Russian oil refineries. Russia has centralized control of petrol distribution because of that. So, even though the price of oil might have gone up, Ukraine is restricting the amount that Russia can produce and export.

BRUNHUBER: Yes. Now, of course, all of those strikes into Russia, I mean, all this obviously requires weaponry, and this is all playing out while Washington is pulling back, even on the weapons Europe was supposed to buy for Ukraine. So, how much does that eat into the momentum that Kyiv is building up here?

RYAN: Well, it's had an impact, but for some time, the Ukrainians have a program to develop their own long-range strike weapons. They've achieved that in large measure. But we should also remember that the United States is still providing very important intelligence for Ukrainian long-range strikes. So, whilst the U.S. may not be providing all the long-range weapons, Ukraine is doing that, Europe is doing that, the United States is still playing an important role with intelligence cooperation.

BRUNHUBER: So, I mean, let's look at where this leaves us, then. Now, if the fighting were to kind of stop now along today's front line, that line just kind of hardened into place, how different does that look for Ukraine now versus, let's say, six months ago?

RYAN: Well, I think, obviously, the Russians have a little bit more territory now than they did six months ago, but the Ukrainian armed forces have generated strategic momentum with not just their more effective defensive operations on the front line, but also their mid- range strikes that are increasingly hurting Russians up to 100 kilometers behind the front line.

Today alone, they destroyed over 500 Russian logistics vehicles. And then you add that to these long-range strikes. These three campaigns together are hurting the Russians and it puts Ukraine in a much better position than it was six months ago, and Russia in a much worse one.

BRUNHUBER: Yes. We'll see whether this momentum can be maintained for Ukraine. Always appreciate your analysis. Mick Ryan, thanks so much.

RYAN: Thank you.

BRUNHUBER: Fruit farmers in India are feeling the impact of climate change. Still ahead, why, for the first time, some of them say they're struggling to turn a profit. Stay with us.

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BRUNHUBER: Pope Leo is calling on everyone to do their part for peace, including on social media. The appeal comes just days after the Pope's landmark address on artificial intelligence. In his first major document, he warned that A.I. is fueling world conflicts and said A.I. shouldn't be controlled by a handful of people. The first U.S.-born Pope made his latest comments on Saturday as he led congregants in a rosary prayer for peace in the Vatican gardens.

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POPE LEO XIV (through translator): Yet everyone can and must do their part, beginning with small but important things, abstaining from every form of verbal and physical violence in daily life and also on social media.

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BRUNHUBER: Hundreds of climate protesters formed a giant human windmill in northwest Germany on Saturday. The demonstration, under the slogan Future Not Gas, opposes plans to restart a power station nearby as a gas-fired plant. Protesters say the move undermines climate goals and criticized Economy Minister Katherina Reiche's push for more gas production and infrastructure.

Powerful sandstorms blanketed parts of India's desert state of Rajasthan on Saturday. Visibility dropped to almost zero in some places. The clouds of sand turned the skies a shade of amber brown. The Indian weather office has issued warnings in Rajasthan for thunderstorms, lightning, and dust storms.

Now, India's summers are getting hotter each year, and the country's mango farmers are feeling the effects. CNN's Allison Chinchar reports.

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ALLISON CHINCHAR, CNN METEOROLOGIST (voice-over): A blistering heat wave is causing turmoil across India, from goats needing IV drips to hundreds of fish dying amid water scarcity to rickshaw drivers cutting their hours to escape the brutal heat. And while summers in India are always hot, heat waves are intensifying every year, according to government data.

Fueled by climate change, these weather patterns are also impacting one of India's most valuable crops, mangoes. India produces the largest amount of mangoes worldwide, but for the first time in decades, some farmers are struggling to turn a profit.

KAKA DHOKE, MANGO FARMER (through translator): When we came into this business, it was about 25 years ago. Not a single year passed that we did not make a profit. It may be more or less, but we did make a profit. But this year, weather conditions affected us. The rains fell late. The chemicals that were given to us were totally bad.

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CHINCHAR (voice-over): According to a government agriculture officer, drastic temperature fluctuations in December and January harmed the flowering and fruit-setting process, and now extreme heat is spoiling the mangoes.

A government-backed survey reviewed by Reuters estimates that this year's crop losses in Devgad, where the popular Alphonso variety grows, to be 85 to 90 percent.

DHOKE (through translator): These are all our gardens. These belong to our own house. And from all these parts, we used to produce 7,000 to 8,000 boxes of our own goods. This year, we could only make 600 to 700 boxes.

CHINCHAR (voice-over): According to government data, India exported almost 30,000 metric tons of mangoes in the 2025 fiscal year, more than $56 million worth of mangoes.

But this year, with regional crop losses combined with a slump in exports, primarily due to the Iran war, a ripple effect is being felt through the supply chain, hurting businesses that depend on the seasonal mango trade and anyone who enjoys a juicy, ripe mango.

Allison Chinchar, CNN.

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BRUNHUBER: A race in China is proving that man's best friend can also make a great running partner. In the northeast Jilin province, the inaugural Humanity Cosplay Carnival got underway this weekend. As part of the event, more than 400 families ran alongside their furry friends. Some of the pups even donned costumes for the race. The race was divided into small and large dog categories, and winners got ski tickets and hotel stays as prizes. The carnival runs until this Tuesday.

All right. That wraps this hour of CNN Newsroom. I'm Kim Brunhuber. I'll be back with more news in just a moment.

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