Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

Trump Says U.S. Will Declare Total Victory Over Iran in Two Weeks; Israel & Iran Halt Strikes After Escalation in Hostilities; Iranian Official Says No Serious Will From U.S. For a Peace Deal; at Least 37 Dead After Earthquake Hits Southern Philippines; North Korea Hosts China's Xi Amid Renewed Nuclear Push; IATA Cuts Aviation Industry's 2026 Profit Outlook in Half; Air New Zealand to Offer Four- hour Nap Sessions in Skynest; Trump-Kushner Luxury Resort Plan Sparks Local Backlash; Somali Referee Denied Entry to U.S. For FIFA. Aired 2- 3a ET

Aired June 09, 2026 - 02:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:00:36]

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

Just ahead on CNN NEWSROOM, it is 9:00 a.m. in Tel Aviv, where Israel and Iran have temporarily halted military strikes, and Donald Trump is promising a deal to end the war within days.

Pledging closer ties. The Chinese president goes beyond borders for the first time this year to North Korea.

Plus, a new way to sleep on a long-haul flight. We'll introduce you to bunk beds, economy style.

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

CHURCH: Thanks for joining us. U.S. President Donald Trump is striking an optimistic tone about ending the war with Iran, saying they are now very close to reaching what he calls a powerful deal, but those comments made just hours ago come on the heels of a new escalation in tensions between Israel and Iran.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: They were going back and forth, and now they both agreed through me to stop, and we're in the final throws of what will be a very, very good deal that will not allow, in any way, shape or form nuclear weapons, etcetera, and the Strait will open up right away. It will open up immediately upon signing, which could be in two or three days.

(END VIDEO CLIP) CHURCH: President Trump is also suggesting the U.S. will be declaring, "Total victory" over Iran in the next two weeks, a time frame he has referenced before.

All this as Israel and Iran agreed to hold strikes against each other following the worst escalation since April. Israel had been preparing a significant attack on Iran when President Trump called Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, urging him to back off strikes in response to an Iranian attack.

Trump told Axios that he warned Netanyahu that if he continued to strike Iran, he would, "Be on your own very soon." Still, both Israel and Iran are warning that they're ready to resume attacks if provoked.

CNN's Paula Hancocks is following developments from Abu Dhabi. She joins us now live. Good to see you, Paula.

So, the strikes between Israel and Iran now halted, now at least. Bring us up to date on where things stand when it comes to efforts to end this war and make a deal.

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Rosemary, we're certainly seeing a pause in the hostilities between Iran and Israel, both sides saying that they were going to halt their military operations, but there are conditions on both sides as well. We heard from Tehran saying that if there were going to be future attacks against Lebanon, then the response from Iran against Israel would be very severe, would be more crushing, and in fact, within an hour, we did see more Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon against Hezbollah targets, according to the Israeli military, claiming that Hezbollah was also firing into northern Israel and against troops in southern Lebanon.

So, it is still a very tenuous truce, a very fragile cease fire, but both sides have pulled back from what really was one of the most serious escalations that we've seen since the cease fire started April 8th.

Now, when it comes to the deal itself, what we're seeing and hearing from the U.S. president is very optimistic. He has consistently been the most optimistic when it comes to the opportunities ahead, the possibilities of the U.S. and Iran being able to nail down some kind of peace deal. We've heard just in the past 24 hours him talk about a timeline of two to three days and also about two weeks.

Now, one of my colleagues in a CNN digital analysis online actually counted up the number of times the US president has assessed that a deal is close or that Iran is desperate for a deal, and he has counted 37 times since that cease fire started.

So, just to put it into context of whether or not this deal is in fact a couple of days away. We are hearing far more negative and reticent sounds from Tehran. In fact, one top Iranian official speaking to Fred Pleitgen, our CNN correspondent in Tehran at this point, had said that they are willing to continue to negotiate, but they simply don't trust that the United States is negotiating in good faith, so the level of trust is close to zero when it comes to discussing this deal at this point, Rosemary.

[02:05:22]

CHURCH: All right. Thanks to Paula Hancocks joining us live from Abu Dhabi with that report. Appreciate it.

Well, joining me now from Riyadh is Gregg Carlstrom, Middle East correspondent with The Economist. Appreciate you talking with us.

GREGG CARLSTROM, MIDDLE EAST CORRESPONDENT, THE ECONOMIST: Thanks for having me.

CHURCH: So, Israel and Iran agreed to end new strikes on each other, for now at least. Then President Trump suggested the U.S. will be declaring total victory over Iran in the next two weeks. He also said he's very close to making a powerful deal with Iran. He's sounding very optimistic about all of this.

So, how does that get done? When Trump uses words like total victory over Iran, how does that land in the region there? How does it land in Tehran?

CARLSTROM: I don't think anyone in the region at this point believes that America has achieved a total victory, is about to achieve a total victory, and in the best case scenario here, even if they do get to a deal in the coming days, is an interim agreement that extends the ceasefire a bit longer, that attempts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz but defers some of the more complicated issues around Iran's nuclear program and other things for another round of talks over the summer.

So, it is not even a war ending agreement, it is another extension of the existing truce, and then beyond that, I think this rhetoric of total victory, particularly in light of what happened over the past few days, sounds a bit hollow. Iran demonstrating that it clearly still has some capability to strike at Israel with ballistic missiles, and it has the will and the desire to do that.

And then there's a fear in the Gulf that they could be targeted as well. When all of this was happening yesterday, there was a lot of concern in this region that Iran might also resume attacks on their energy infrastructure, so it doesn't look from a regional perspective like a total victory at all.

CHURCH: And President Trump had to call Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu twice to get him to stop attacks on Iran, despite claiming he calls the shots, not Netanyahu. And according to Axios, Trump warned the Israeli leader he would be on his own very soon if he continued to strike Iran. How hard will it be for Trump to continue reining in Netanyahu, and how damaged is their relationship at this juncture?

CARLSTROM: Some of this public messaging over the past few days, and some of these leaks may have just been for show. I think it's useful for Trump to make it appear that he is restraining the Israelis from some sort of bigger attack, because he can then present that to the Iranians as evidence that he can, in fact, limit Israel's military actions in the region. That's something that is important to Iran in these negotiations. They want to know if they strike a deal with the United States that it will lead to a cessation of Israeli attacks on their territory.

So, we don't know how much of this was a real crisis behind the scenes, and how much of this is being leaked for diplomatic or strategic reasons.

But I think it speaks to a bigger problem that Israel has in the United States right now. It goes beyond the Trump administration, if you look at polls of Israel standing right now, Gallup and Pew, and other organizations consistently finding more Americans saying they side with the Palestinians than the Israelis in the Israeli- Palestinian conflict. We've done surveys of the economists that have found more Americans think Israel will benefit from this war with Iran than think America will benefit.

So, there's been a precipitous drop in Israel's standing in the U.S. in both parties with Republicans and Democrats alike, and there's a sense amongst many Americans that Israel played a major role in pulling America into this very unpopular war with Iran.

So, it's not just a question of a crisis within the Trump administration, it's also a broader problem for Israel and its relationship with its most important ally.

CHURCH: And Iran is saying that if billions of dollars in frozen assets are not released soon to Tehran, then there will be no deal, so where does that leave negotiations, and how likely is it that those funds would be unfrozen?

CARLSTROM: And that has been the main sticking point for weeks now. I mean, for all of these messages passed back and forth, for all of these optimistic comments that we hear from Donald Trump, the contours of this agreement have not changed much in the past several weeks.

[02:10:06]

And the main issue is Iran's demand for upfront sanctions relief. They have been talking about a figure as high as $24 billion as what they would like to see unfrozen from their assets that are held in banks overseas that are blocked by American sanctions. They're demanding that, I think, in part because they're in a very serious economic crisis right now that has been exacerbated by the war, but also because they're not confident that this interim deal, this memorandum of understanding that's being discussed, will lead to a final war- ending deal that will see a broader removal of American sanctions.

So, they want to get whatever they can up front. Donald Trump doesn't want to give them anything up front. I think in large part for political reasons, because he attacked Barack Obama for doing the same thing a decade ago when the JCPOA was signed, and that was a much smaller sum of money that Obama unfroze.

So, Trump doesn't want to take the political hit for transferring cash to Iran. Iran insists on that money, I think, unless Trump is going to cave or find some creative work around that he can claim is not actually unfreezing Iranian funds. Then we remain -- we remain at this impasse.

CHURCH: Gregg Carlstrom, thanks so much for joining us from Riyadh. Appreciate it.

CARLSTROM: Thank you.

CHURCH: A federal judge has struck down President Trump's plan to charge U.S. businesses $100,000 for new H-1B visa applications. The judge ruled Monday that the president has no authority to impose the new fees. He says it's something Congress must approve instead. The case was brought by a coalition of Democratic state attorneys general.

H-1B visas allow foreigners to seek work in professions that are considered to be more specialized. Applicants must hold a bachelor's degree or a similar equivalent.

Coming up, Ukraine says it has the momentum on the battlefield and is reclaiming more territory than Russia is capturing. We will have more on their latest games, that's still to come.

And Pope Leo visits the home stadium of one of his favorite soccer teams. We will take a look at his final day in Madrid as he heads to his next stop in Barcelona.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:16:49]

CHURCH: Ukraine is touting more battlefield success against Russia, military officials say Ukrainian forces have reclaimed more than 600 square kilometers, or 232 square miles, since the start of the year. Nearly 100 square kilometers were retaken last month alone. That would make it the second month in a row that Russia has seen a net loss in territory.

Still, Ukraine's top military official says Russian forces are trying to advance in eastern and southern Ukraine, and fighting is ramping up there.

Now, this comes as Russia continues its deadly air strikes. Ukrainian officials say two people were killed Monday in a missile attack in Zaporizhzhia, and four others have died in a missile and drone attack in the Kharkiv region today. The latest strikes come after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with the leaders of France, Germany, and the U.K. in London over the weekend. They expressed support for direct talks between President Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin in an effort to reach a cease fire.

Well, Steven Erlanger is the chief diplomatic correspondent for The New York Times. He joins me now live from Berlin. Good to have you with us.

STEVEN ERLANGER, CHIEF DIPLOMATIC CORRESPONDENT, THE NEW YORK TIMES: Morning. CHURCH: Good morning to you too.

So, with the United States laser focused on Iran right now, Ukraine is feeling forgotten, and the burden of helping the war-torn nation has fallen on the shoulders of E.U. nations. So, how can Europe help end this war, and how has its role evolved over the last few months particularly?

ERLANGER: Well, it's an important question, the first one, especially, How can they help end the war? They're struggling with that, because the only way to end the war is for Russia to end it. It's not going to end in a big victory for either side, unless there's a sudden collapse, but the fighting will continue until Russia decides it's had enough, and from everything we hear from Vladimir Putin, it has not yet had enough.

Now, the Europeans are seeing Ukraine as a serious security interest of their own. They're holding back a militarized Russia. Ukraine has the biggest, best army now on continental Europe.

And so, with the United States and the Trump administration basically cutting off all financial aid to Ukraine, though intelligence is being provided, the Europeans have had to step up, and over the last year they have done so. They have provided a big loan of 90 billion Euros, $140 billion something, they -- about $106 billion, sorry. They have increased sanctions on Russia, even as the United States has reduced sanctions on Russian oil, because of the Iran crisis. They are struggling to provide Ukraine with the thing everybody's missing, which is air defense.

And in the meantime, the Russians keep bombing civilian infrastructure in Ukraine, and Ukrainians have developed, with European help, but mostly on their own, deep strike capabilities inside Russia, drones that have hit St. Petersburg, but have hit a lot of Russian energy production facilities.

[02:20:18]

So, it's a different war than it was four years ago. A lot of people are still dying, particularly Russians. The estimates are 30,000 dead or wounded a month, but Russia continues, and while Europe is promising support for Ukraine and steadfast support and money, European countries are suffering fiscally, they're suffering in growth because of the Iran war, and they frankly have no strategy to end the war. Their strategy is to keep supporting Ukraine until somehow Russia stops.

CHURCH: We know, of course, E.U. defense ministers met Monday after the leaders of the U.K., France, and Germany met with Ukraine's President Zelenskyy in London over the weekend. We saw pictures there while you were speaking with us at 10 Downing Street as they met there.

So, what came out of all of those meetings that could move this forward? ERLANGER: Well, it's interesting because the meeting in Downing Street, you know, which is a subsection, really. It's not an E.U. meeting, it's U.K., France, Germany, the biggest countries in European NATO, right? As you remember, the U.K. is no longer part of the E.U., but they are working together to show up support for Ukraine. The meeting of the E3 I think, was important with Zelenskyy, because it called very clearly for continued support for Ukraine, a ceasefire in place.

In other words, not giving up the Donbas region to Russia, as Putin, and sometimes Trump, seems to demand, and direct talks.

Now, they can only have direct talks if Vladimir Putin decides to have them, and for the moment he said there's no reason to have them, he might meet Zelenskyy when a final deal is done, Russia says there's no ceasefire until a negotiated settlement, which seems very far away.

So, I mean, there is a lot of public support, but there is also, frankly, a lot of treading in place. If I can be honest.

CHURCH: Is there still a sense that until the United States steps back in to perhaps move the whole equation forward, especially when it comes to getting Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table, is there a sense that Europe needs the United States back in the mix?

ERLANGER: I think that's precisely right. I mean, people don't like to admit it, but frankly, the Europeans are talking about creating some sort of person who can negotiate with Russia. Russia is not very interested, and frankly, the E.U. is divided itself about who that person should be, and frankly, what Europe's position should be, because Europe has been on the side of Ukraine, as we've said very openly. It's not a mediator. I mean, Europe's not neutral in this, but since its security is involved, it wants to be at the table, but at the moment there isn't much of a table.

Russian-Ukrainian talks mediated by the Americans have been very low level. Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are preoccupied with the Iran business and Gaza things haven't have really gone quiet.

So, the problem for Europe is yes, they need pressure on Putin to end the war. Where will the pressure come from? It would have to come more from the United States, which so far has really been unwilling to provide that kind of pressure, and in fact has eased off pressure by lifting at least temporarily sanctions on the sale of Russian oil, which helps prop up the Russian government and fund its war in Ukraine, so there's a long way to go, I fear.

CHURCH: Steven Erlanger, thank you so much for joining us. Appreciate your analysis.

ERLANGER: Thank you, Rosemary.

CHURCH: Of course, in the coming hours, Pope Leo will be departing the Spanish capital of Madrid for Barcelona on the next leg of his papal tour of Spain. The Pope had a busy day Monday, meeting with the Prime Minister and local bishops, and addressing Spain's parliament. He received a custom jersey from the President of the Real Madrid soccer team before joining more than 70,000 local Catholics at the team's home stadium. CNN Vatican Correspondent Christopher Lamb was there.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

[02:25:04]

CHRISTOPHER LAMB, CNN VATICAN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the stadium behind me is packed out for a meeting with Pope Leo. This is the home of Real Madrid, the Bernabeu Stadium, and it's a place that Pope Leo has a personal connection with, because he has said he is a supporter of Real Madrid.

On the plane to Spain from Rome, the Pope was asked if he supported Real Madrid or Barcelona, the two big football teams in Spain, and he said, whilst the Pope is for all teams, he himself supported Real Madrid.

Now, Leo is on the third day of his visit to Spain. We have seen big crowds turn out for the Pope, who is a fluent Spanish speaker, has visited this country many times. 1.2 million turned out for a mass celebrated by the Pope in Madrid on Sunday.

But on Tuesday, the Pope will head to Barcelona, where he will take part in a very important ceremony at the Sagrada Familia Basilica, the iconic church in Barcelona.

Christopher Lamb, CNN, Madrid.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: Still to come, Iran and Israel have halted strikes against each other, but are warning they are ready to resume attacks if provoked. We will find out what Iranians are saying as the war drags on. Back with that and more in just a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:31:00]

CHURCH: Welcome back, everyone. President Trump is signaling the U.S. will declare total victory over Iran in the next two weeks. The president also vowed that the U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports would remain in effect until a final peace agreement is reached.

His remarks come as both Israel and Iran say they have halted strikes on each other, this after the two countries traded missile attacks for the first time since April. In a CNN Exclusive, a top Iranian official has said he doesn't see "serious will" from the U.S. to reach a framework deal.

Ebrahim Azizi told us he has no problem pushing forward with peace talks with Washington as long as the U.S. is acting in good faith. Azizi spoke to CNN's Fred Pleitgen. A reminder, CNN operates in Iran only with the permission of the government, but maintains full editorial control of its reports. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: President Trump also says that an agreement between Iran and America is close, for peace. Do you agree that it's close and are the negotiations still going on?

EBRAHIM AZIZI, HEAD OF NATIONAL SECURITY & FOREIGN POLICY COMMITTEE, IRANIAN PARLIAMENT (through translator): We don't think that he's honest. But we have said many times that we accept the negotiation as a continuation of the battlefield. We consider negotiation to be part of the battle. If we could be convinced that there is sincerity in the Americans, especially in the president of the United States, and if we could reach confidence that they are people of negotiation and that they also submit to the rules of negotiation, then the Islamic Republic would have no problem with negotiating.

PLEITGEN: What are the biggest sticking points now in the negotiations?

AZIZI (through translator): We do not see a serious will to reach a framework that could actually be implemented. And I think with regard to Iran's blocked assets, this is in fact a very clear and prominent example of that. As for uranium enriched materials, enrichment itself, the nuclear issues, we are not currently negotiating on those matters. There is no discussion of them because it is not intended that we should have negotiations on those issues at this stage.

PLEITGEN: Will there be a peace agreement between the United States and Iran?

AZIZI (through translator): It depends on the behaviors that we observe from the other side. If these same behaviors continue, then no, we do not have any trust at all. And with this lack of trust, it's not possible for negotiations to continue. And naturally, when there is no possibility of continuing, there is no result either.

But if those conditions that the Islamic Republic of Iran has specified are fulfilled and if in practice we see that reflected in the country's national interests, especially in the economic sphere, financial matters, banking, sanctions, and the issue of Lebanon, which is very, very important to us, we will by no means back down on the issue of the resistance front, its members, and especially Lebanon.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Well, meantime, without an end to the war in sight, Iranians are struggling to hold on to hope. More now from CNN's Leila Gharagozlou.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LEILA GHARAGOZLOU, CNN PRODUCER: It is just over 100 days of war with Iran and we're seeing a renewed exchange of hostilities amid a fragile ceasefire, once again, leaving ordinary Iranians hanging in the balance. CNN spoke to ordinary Iranians about how they're feeling. We aren't disclosing their identities for their safety.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE, TEHRAN RESIDENT (through translator): Honestly, the only thing I can think about is how unfortunate we are to have been born here and how everything we have here is going to waste.

GHARAGOZLOU: Speaking to some Iranians, they say they no longer feel the sadness that they felt at the start of the conflict, but rather have become numb to the pain.

[02:35:00]

UNIDENTIFIED MALE, TEHRAN RESIDENT (through translator): I'm not worried. I'm past worrying. At first, these scenes were shocking and terrifying. But over time, a kind of emotional numbness developed. Viktor Frankl wrote in his book that man gets used to everything, but don't ask how. It feels a lot like now. It's a way to survive and maintain mental strength. I've been thinking about this a lot these days.

GHARAGOZLOU: For many Iranians, they were holding on to hope for peace, but the renewed tensions between Iran and Israel have shattered those hopes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE, TEHRAN RESIDENT (through translator): Today, I'm very depressed. I was holding on to hope for peace for this to end, but this is a new era and we can't predict the future, and history no longer seems to help us.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: The death toll has risen to at least 37 after a 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit the southern Philippines early Monday. Officials say at least a dozen people are still missing after the region experienced scenes like this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: More than 200 people were reportedly injured as the quake triggered landslides and caused buildings to collapse. More than 130 aftershocks have been reported since the initial quake, and authorities warn more could follow near the epicenter. Tremors were also felt in parts of northeastern Indonesia.

Chinese leader, Xi Jinping, and North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un are pledging closer ties. North Korean state media says the two have agreed to open a new chapter of relations. Xi is wrapping up a trip to Pyongyang, his first visit to the country in seven years. Chinese state media reports the talks have centered on expanding cooperation in trade and industry.

CNN Beijing Bureau Chief, Steven Jiang joins me now live with the very latest. So Steven, what all came out of this summit specifically, and how significant is it that President Xi's first trip abroad this year is to North Korea? STEVEN JIANG, CNN BEIJING BUREAU CHIEF: Yeah, Rosemary, and keep in mind, the two leaders are still keeping a very busy schedule on the second and last day of Xi's state visit to North Korea. We know they went to pay respects to Chinese soldiers killed on the battlefields of the Korean War early on Tuesday, and then went to a school for training government officials in Pyongyang, planted a tree there together to mark the friendship between the two sides.

All of those visual cues on top of the pomp and pageantry and events on Monday, you just mentioned, very much trying to reaffirm this special bond between the two countries, forged out of the Korean War and often said to be as close as lips and teeth. So the message here is the two sides are still very much seeing eye to eye on almost everything strategically and ideologically, despite this narrative that North Korea's growing ties with Russia come at the expense of its relationship with China.

Of course, Russia can provide Pyongyang with security and military guarantees, but Russia's economy, keep in mind, is just in no position to offer Kim the kind of economic benefits and support he needs. So Beijing is quite confident about its continued role as North Korea's most important ally. Xi actually has been quoted by Chinese media as saying, no matter how the international situation evolves, this special bond will never change.

And of course, as you mentioned, Xi has also offered and pledged to deepen, expand mutual coordination and cooperation on a whole wide range of issues, not just on the economic and trade front, but also notably on diplomacy, on law enforcement, and even the armed forces.

But what's also interesting is what's not being mentioned in these Chinese readouts, that is North Korea's nuclear weapons program. Remember, after Trump's visit to Beijing, the White House claims both Trump and Xi confirmed their shared goal of de-nuclearizing North Korea. But experts say, if anything, China has all but accepted North Korea as a de facto nuclear power, even without saying so publicly.

So at this point, it does seem Xi just doesn't want to spend political capital on this topic. And of course, as some experts have put it, even though China may still be wary of a nuclear-armed North Korea, but it could be used as a buffer between China and the U.S. forces in the region, especially those stationed in South Korea and Japan. Rosemary?

CHURCH: Steven Jiang with a live report in Beijing, many thanks, appreciate it.

Well, it is the age-old question in air travel, window or aisle seat? Well, now, one airline wants to know, top or bottom bunk? The details just ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:44:15]

CHURCH: Welcome back, everyone. The International Air Transport Association expects annual airline profits to be cut in half this year due to the conflicts in the Middle East and high fuel costs. It estimates airlines will take in $23 billion total in net profit. That's a downgrade from the $41 billion estimate six months ago.

Well, some air travel news to actually look forward to, and it's an idea so simple you'll wonder why they didn't think of it before. Air New Zealand is rolling out new bunk beds on some long-haul flights called Skynests. They are an add-on feature for economy-class passengers. Richard Quest talked to the CEO of Air New Zealand about the new service.

[02:45:00]

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIKHIL RAVISHANKAR, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, AIR NEW ZEALAND: You can rent each one for up to four hours. So there's a session, really, you're booking, and you enter it through the front, not the side.

RICHARD QUEST, CNN ANCHOR, "QUEST MEANS BUSINESS": Climb a stepladder?

RAVISHANKAR: Yeah. And the sessions all start at the exact same time.

QUEST: I was going to say, you don't really want people getting in and out at different times, do you?

RAVISHANKAR: Precisely, yeah. So it's -- you start at the same time and the session finishes at the same time. And on our flight from Auckland to New York, there are two sessions that you can -- so you have 12 opportunities to book a Skynest.

QUEST: And I assume you're going to have to be very careful that somebody doesn't book it and then tries to changeover passenger halfway through.

RAVISHANKAR: All of that stuff, yes.

QUEST: So that, you know, I'll have the first two hours and my wife will have the next two hours.

RAVISHANKAR: That's right. We, I mean, that's one of many scenarios we've had to almost invent in terms of procedures on how we manage, you know, and by and large, it's also through the lens of safety.

You know, we need to know who's in the Skynest at any time, you know, turbulence management procedures. Yeah. It's been very exciting, actually.

QUEST: How did you get the thing certified? And the reason I ask is so many airlines are having such difficulty certifying new business seats. Now, this is a fairly standard thing, the seat. You've got beds. How did you get it certified?

RAVISHANKAR: I mean, one of the great advantages of operating in a country like New Zealand is we can be fairly nimble and agile, not just within the airline, but also with the stakeholders we work with. So our civil aviation authority have been very progressive, but Boeing have helped, the seat manufacturers being very helpful.

But it's been a long, complex process, and there's one more round of certification to do when it actually physically gets installed later this year on the aircraft. But yeah, it's been -- it's been quite the adventure.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: A wonderful idea. Well, a planned luxury resort is sparking a political firestorm in Albania. Tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets to protest the project, which is backed by Ivanka Trump and her husband, Jared Kushner. Critics are raising concerns about its environmental impact, a lack of transparency and possible governmental corruption. Randi Kaye has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

IVANKA TRUMP, PRESIDENT TRUMP'S DAUGHTER: I'm working on an incredible project with my husband in the Mediterranean. It's massive in scale.

RANDI KAYE, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Ivanka Trump dishing about a bold new business deal she's planning with her husband, Jared Kushner. She described to podcaster, David Senra, how it all started.

I. TRUMP: We were on a friend's boat and we stopped for a swim. Effectively, that's how we found it. We swam to the islands. We went on a hike barefoot, all the way up to the top, and we were just captivated. And it stayed with us ever since.

KAYE (voice-over): According to the interview, the island has no power and the project will be built from scratch.

I. TRUMP: It's an unbelievable, beautiful 1400-hectare private island in the middle of the Mediterranean. The land is so beautiful that, really, the architecture has to be fully integrated into it, almost rise from it.

KAYE (voice-over): Developing the Cezanne Island is just part of the plan.

I. TRUMP: Not only the island, but we have five miles of beachfront directly across from the island, this beautiful peninsula with a lagoon on one side, the ocean on the other, beautiful white sand beaches.

KAYE (voice-over): Not everyone in Albania is OK with this. The project has sparked protests in Albania's capital.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Of course, I am totally against it. Why would I want somebody, a foreigner to come and buy my island, the land -- we've been 25 -- 100 years. So how can somebody, you know, claim that she found an island all of a sudden? UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think that the investments are a good thing in Albania, but they should be thoughtful about the nature.

KAYE (voice-over): The area is home to several endangered species, including flamingos and pelicans, monk seals and nesting sea turtles. Demonstrators say their habitat is threatened.

KAYE: A change to Albania's nature laws in 2024 is helping pave the way for this. It permits construction of luxury resorts within environmentally protected areas.

KAYE (voice-over): In March 2024, Jared Kushner posted this on social media, noting he was excited about a development project in Albania. His involvement only amplifies concerns about whether Kushner's private business dealings present a conflict of interest, given that he serves as a special envoy for the Trump administration.

Despite bulldozers seen at the site, Albanian Prime Minister, Edi Rama told CNN there is not a project yet and the environmental impact is being worked on.

[02:50:00]

EDI RAMA, ALBANIAN PRIME MINISTER: There is not such a thing like the family of the American president taking over protected areas where flamingos will be killed.

I. TRUMP: You can't just impose yourself upon a country or culture. You have to understand it first to do it in a beautiful and delicate and meaningful way.

KAYE (voice-over): Randi Kaye, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: And CNN reached out to Jared Kushner's private equity fund for reaction to Randi's story. But we were redirected to the development company for the project, which released a statement that reads in part, quote, "We respect the ongoing public and institutional processes, and we stand ready to move forward as they unfold."

I'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHURCH: Welcome back, everyone. While we can see auroras from Earth, we can't see them like this. NASA astronaut, Jessica Meir shared this video of the Aurora Australis, or Southern Lights, as seen from the SpaceX Dragon craft on Sunday. Unlike the Aurora Borealis which appears in the Northern Hemisphere, this light show is only seen in the Southern Hemisphere.

Meir posted the time lapse on social media, saying she was in awe of how the aurora "danced and snaked its way directly below us." Beautiful. Well, FIFA has confirmed that a Somali referee has been denied entry into the United States and won't get to take part in the World Cup. Omar Abdulkadir Artan made it all the way to Miami before U.S. Customs and Border Protection deemed him inadmissible. No word on why he was refused entry, but Somalia is one of 39 countries affected by President Trump's travel ban. Artan was named Africa's top male referee last year.

Well, complaints are soaring over the astronomical costs of World Cup tickets and what's been called an unprecedented money grab by FIFA. In Mexico, it means many fans who thought they'd be watching in the stadiums will instead be turning on their TVs. Valeria Leon reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

VALERIA LEON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): For a country that lives and breathes soccer, this World Cup remains out of reach for many. Sky-high ticket prices and just a handful of matches on home turf, leaving many Mexican fans feeling left out.

Francisco Ferreira compares access to Mexico's past World Cups to this one.

[02:55:00]

FRANCISCO JAVIER FERREIRA, SOCCER FAN: It doesn't feel the same. Back then, it felt like Mexico's World Cup. Now, it feels like it belongs to the United States. And the ticket prices, they're impossible.

LEON (voice-over): The opening match in Mexico City, with some tickets now selling for as much as $16,000 on official FIFA sites, and on resale sites even higher, a staggering amount that puts this tournament far out of reach for all but the ultra-wealthy.

LEON: In Mexico City, the average family earns just over $2,000 a month, roughly the cost of a single ticket. And in a city where many local fans were able to attend World Cups hosted here in 1970 and '86, many feel they've been priced out.

LEON (voice-over): But the frustration started months ago. FIFA's lottery-style sales system, designed to manage global demand, left thousands without access even at base prices.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): I haven't been able to get tickets, but if I do, I'll be there.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): I hope Mexico wins, but either way, I just want it to be exciting, a good show, of course.

LEON (voice-over): At this rate, the cheers of Mexican fans will mostly be heard outside the stadium.

Valeria Leon, CNN, Mexico City.

(END VIDEOTAPE) CHURCH: And finally, a heartwarming story of compassion across generations. A young woman has used her social media following to help make the life of an elderly movie theater worker just a little bit better.

Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARY ELLEN ERON, THEATER WORKER: Oh my goodness gracious, that's a lot of money.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (voice-over): This is Mary Eron. She just received a surprise, $146,000 donation after a TikTok about her story went viral online. The 85-year-old was working at an AMC movie theater in Maryville, Tennessee, when Brooklyn Green saw her pushing a janitorial car and carrying trash bags.

BROOKLYN GREEN, LAUNCHED FUNDRAISER FOR MARY: I saw Mary and I was like, this lady should not be working.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (voice-over): Brooklyn posted a video of Mary on TikTok and launched a GoFundMe campaign, hoping to help her retire. After the post went viral, thousands of people responded in just one week and donated more than $146,000.

ELLEN ERON: Really overwhelmed is about all I can say. And she told me that thousands of people have logged into social media. As a matter of fact, I must be getting my 15 minutes of fame.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (voice-over): Mary says she has lived in East Tennessee since 1958 and has been working in movie theaters since graduating high school. She still works five days a week.

GREEN: I appreciate you so much.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (voice-over): Mary told CNN affiliate, WBIR, she plans to use the money to make repairs to her home, pay off bills, and help others whenever she can.

ELLEN ERON: Well, everybody should be kind to everybody and be merciful to everybody. We're all human beings on the one place of Earth.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: A lovely story there. Thank you so much for your company this hour. I'm Rosemary Church. "CNN Newsroom" with Polo Sandoval is next, after a short break. Stay with us.

[02:58:04]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[03:00:00]