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U.S. Strikes Iran for Downing of Helicopter, Iran Retaliates; China's Xi Eyes Stronger Ties With North Korea; Pope to Dedicate Final Tower of Sagrada Familia Basilica; Longtime Epstein Assistant Testifies, Denies Knowing of His Crimes; Somali Referee Denied Entry to U.S. Days Before World Cup; Tennis Legend Serena Williams Returns to Competition; NASA Reveals Artemis III Crew, New Mission Details. Aired 2-3a ET

Aired June 10, 2026 - 02:00   ET

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

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[02:00:02]

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, Iran launches retaliatory strikes on U.S. targets, the latest exchange of fire following U.S. payback for downing an Apache helicopter.

First-time candidate Graham Platner clinches Maine's Democratic Senate nomination, despite a slew of scandals.

Plus, it is the eve of the World Cup, and we are now learning why a prominent Somali referee is being denied entry into the United States.

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

CHURCH: Appreciate you joining us. And we begin this hour in the Middle East. Iran says it launched attacks on U.S. targets in the region following U.S. strikes on Iran in response to the downing of an army Apache helicopter.

A short time ago, Iranian state media released this footage showing what it claims a missile's launch during the strikes. Another new video coming into CNN appears to show a bright flash coming from the direction of the U.S. Fifth Fleet naval facility in Bahrain. While the cause of the flash was not immediately clear, Iran said earlier that it launched a drone attack on the Fifth Fleet headquarters in the area.

The Jordanian military says it intercepted five missiles from Iran after Iran said it had targeted a U.S. base there. All this after the U.S. military launched what officials called self-defense strikes against Iran. U.S. Central Command says those strikes are complete. CNN's Paula Hancocks joins me now live from Abu Dhabi. Good to see

you, Paula. So, what more are you learning about the targets hit by the U.S. in retaliation for Iran's role in the downing of that U.S. Apache helicopter, and also Iran's retaliation to those limited U.S. strikes?

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: So, Rosemary, if we start off with what the U.S. military has targeted, we're hearing this from U.S. Central Command, they have described their targeting as proportional response to the downing of that Apache helicopter. We understand that there are three areas along or in the Strait of Hormuz that have been targeted: Qeshm Island, also Bandar Abbas, and Jask County.

Now, what the U.S. military say that they have targeted is air defense, ground control stations, surveillance radar sites. Iran, however, says that two water reservoirs were also hit, which affected the water distribution to nearby areas.

We have heard from one U.S. official saying that their response was really a warning shot to the United States, saying that they don't believe that it could hinder the ongoing talks between the U.S. and Iran at this point, of course, we'll have to wait and see whether or not that is the case.

But when it came to the retaliation from Iran, we did see three countries being targeted Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan. The IRGC, the Revolutionary Guards, saying that they were targeting U.S. military assets as you mentioned the Fifth Fleet, which is headquartered in Bahrain. We understand a military base in Jordan was targeted as well, although the Jordanian military say that they did intercept five missiles, and there's no indication or confirmation at this point on any casualties or damage on any of these strikes, and Kuwait also saying that they were intercepting incoming hostile aerial missiles and drones.

So, at this point, this obviously is an escalation. We can see from the U.S. side that they are trying to couch it in terms of they had to retaliate. They consider this a proportional response.

But what we're hearing from the Iranian side there has been a statement from Abbas Araghchi, the Foreign Minister saying that they consider it a violation of Iranian sovereignty, and that any U.S. strike will not be left -- no U.S. attack would be left unanswered.

[02:05:09]

So, really, the coming hours are quite key to see whether or not there are further tit for tat strikes, or whether both sides feel that they have responded as they feel they need to respond, and potential talks can resume. It's very difficult to know what is going to happen over the next few hours, but if it does remain quiet, if both sides do pull back to the status quo, potentially those talks could continue, Rosemary.

CHURCH: Paula Hancocks joining us live there with that report. Appreciate it. And joining me now is Mehran Kamrava, a professor of government at

Georgetown University in Qatar. Appreciate you being with us.

MEHRAN KAMRAVA, PROFESSOR OF GOVERNMENT, GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY IN QATAR: Thank you.

CHURCH: So, the U.S. military says it's completed what it calls self- defense strikes in response to Iran's downing of that U.S. Apache helicopter, and shortly after that, Iran responded by launching missiles and drones toward U.S. targets in the region, is this the end of this round of retaliatory strikes do you think, and where does this leave negotiations for a deal to end the war, particularly after President Trump has been predicting that the U.S. was two weeks away from total victory over Iran and just days away from a peace deal?

KAMRAVA: Exactly, it demonstrates the tenuous nature of the ceasefire and the precarious status of the negotiations. Obviously, what we are seeing is a very assertive Revolutionary Guards in Iran and a sense of confidence and, and a preoccupation, as we've always seen in Iran, with establishing or reestablishing deterrence.

So, as you mentioned, Rosemary, we have a very tough road ahead. I think the negotiations are at a very precarious stage. Both sides want to move on with the negotiations, but neither side is willing to back down.

CHURCH: And why did Iran respond to the U.S. retaliating for the downing of the helicopter? Why not end it there? What does Iran's response signal to you in terms of how emboldened it's feeling at this juncture?

KAMRAVA: Exactly, they're feeling extremely emboldened. The Revolutionary Guards in Iran feel that in many ways they've emerged victorious from the conflict with the United States and Israel. And so, we saw that with the missile attack on Israel a couple of nights ago, and now what we're seeing is this willingness to kind of take the fight to the Americans and say if you hit Iranian targets, we're going to hit American targets across the region.

And so, it shows a level of confidence that I think many observers find surprising.

CHURCH: And just a day before the downing of the US helicopter by Iran, we saw Israel and Iran halt their exchange of fire, with President Trump urging Prime Minister Netanyahu to stand down and not respond. Now we witness another round of retaliatory strikes, this time between the U.S. and Iran. What will it take to break this cycle and end the war do you think?

KAMRAVA: What it will take is what's been sorely lacking, which is statesmanship. Neither side is willing to compromise, and I think what's important is for cooler head to -- cooler heads to prevail to lower the temperature and to get down to negotiations.

As you know, the negotiations have been dragging on for some time now, and the longer they continue, the more likely we are to see configurations like this.

CHURCH: And of course, one of the big stumbling blocks to negotiations progressing is Iran's call for the release of billions of dollars in frozen assets. What does the US need to do about this issue? Given Iran is saying if the funds are not unfrozen, there will be no memorandum of understanding.

KAMRAVA: That's right. It appears that for the Iranians, the release of Iran's frozen assets is a red line, and it's the -- they are as adamant about it as the Trump White House is about Iran's nuclear program.

And of course we know that President Trump has criticized repeatedly former President Obama for the release of $1 billion and what we're talking about is something in the magnitude of $25 billion of Iran's frozen assets, and so both sides have pushed themselves into a corner that is very hard to back out of.

[02:10:06]

CHURCH: Mehran Kamrava, thank you so much for joining us and sharing your perspective on this issue. Appreciate it.

KAMRAVA: Thank you.

CHURCH: Of course.

Well, voters in four states are making their voices heard in the lead up to the U.S. midterm elections in November. The latest round of primaries is once again testing the strength of President Trump's grip on the Republican Party and also voters' tolerance for political scandals. Among the most closely watched races is Maine's Senate primary, where CNN projects Graham Platner will secure the Democratic nomination.

He will face incumbent Senator Susan Collins in what's expected to be one of the most closely watched battles of the November midterms, but Platner's win comes despite several scandals looming over his campaign. CNN's Arlette Saenz has the latest.

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ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The matchup in one of the country's marquee Senate races this year is now officially set. Democratic candidate Graham Platner will face off against Republican Senator Susan Collins in a race that could very well determine control of the Senate majority next year.

Now Platner, in his speech to supporters at his primary night event, really went on the attack against Senator Susan Collins, trying to lay out some of the contrast that he plans to pursue in this general election battle. Take a listen.

GRAHAM PLATNER (D), SENATORIAL CANDIDATE OF MAINE: Susan Collins may have started -- may have started her career decades ago in Washington with good intentions, but she has become just as spineless and corrupt as the establishment she now serves.

SAENZ: Platner will still need to contend with some of the voter angst about the controversies that have surrounded his campaign. Republicans have made clear that they want to put those scandals front and center in their messaging against Platner.

Senator Collins told our colleague Manu Raju that she believes that some of the allegations about the way that Platner treated past girlfriends are very serious and troubling, and that Platner has more explaining to do to Maine voters.

Now, in his remarks, Platner said that he's not perfect, that he has made mistakes, but that he is trying to grow from them and wants to earn the trust of Maine voters, but there are some Democrats on the national level who worry that these controversies could complicate their ability to flip this seat blue come November.

Arlette Saenz, CNN, Blue Hill, Maine.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: Maine's primary isn't the only one with implications for the upcoming midterms later this year. In South Carolina, CNN projects longtime senator and staunch Trump ally Lindsey Graham will once again secure the Republican nomination. He will face Democrat Annie Andrews in November. On Tuesday, Graham credited President Trump's endorsement as the reason for his sweeping victory over a crowded GOP field.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R-SC): You're the gold standard in the Republican world, the most consequential endorsement, I think, in the history of politics. And when you spoke, the people of South Carolina listened, and President Trump, I'm coming back to the Senate in 27. I'm going to win in November, and will help you change this world and change this country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: And one week after California's primary, CNN finally can project Trump-backed Republican Steve Hilton will advance to the governor's race. He will face Democrat Xavier Becerra, who's now been endorsed by California's current Governor Gavin Newsom.

And for more on all of this, we are joined by the National Managing Editor at Bloomberg News, Sarah McGregor, live from Los Angeles. Appreciate you joining us.

SARAH MCGREGOR, NATIONAL MANAGING EDITOR, BLOOMBERG NEWS: Thank you for having me.

CHURCH: Of course. So, Graham Platner won the Senate Democratic nomination in Maine and wasted no time in his victory speech, attacking Republican Susan Collins, calling her corrupt and spineless. But how difficult will it be for Platner, do you think, to beat incumbent Collins in the November midterms once those negative ads kick into high gear?

MCGREGOR: Yes, Platner's campaign, for sure, they're celebrating tonight, but the real test starts for the next five months ahead of November.

You know, Platner didn't really have a challenger in the primary tonight. Janet Mills, the governor of me, had dropped out, and so really his biggest challenge was just his personal baggage and convincing voters that, you know, this didn't disqualify him. We had a reporter out across Maine today, and you know, it was surprising in some respect, given all the controversies. A lot of what he heard from people who were voting was that, you know, they were willing to look past some of the mistakes that Platner had made, at least owned up to them, and they sort of respected him on that front.

But I think now there's a much brighter spotlight that will be shown, and as you just said, attack ads and all sorts of, you know, his past will definitely be used against him, and it will really be the test of whether his message, which has resonated with voters, you know, soak the rich, tax the wealthy, some of these progressive platforms, Medicaid for all, whether his platform will really be able to shine, or if the personal controversy will take over his narrative.

[02:15:14]

CHURCH: And that is his problem, isn't it? Because the spotlight will definitely be very well and truly on him. Platner's defiant victory speech, of course, allowed him to focus on Collins, and while he did reference his various controversies. He has a tough road ahead, doesn't he, to earn the trust of Maine voters? How will he move beyond those many controversies that have dogged him to win over undecided voters, Independents, and, of course, other voters in Maine?

MCGREGOR: Yes, I mean, I think the big thing is that no more controversies can come out, you know, he's promised voters that he's an open book, and that, you know, everything that needs to be known about him is out there now.

So, I think if there was another major controversy, that could definitely derail his campaign. And he is running against Susan Collins. She's been in the job for 30 years. Republicans tell us that they see her as sort of battle-hardened. She's fought off Democratic candidates before, and they think she can do it again, and she does have a lot of sort of that independent-mindedness of a Republican that she's shown, you know, being able sometimes to split from Trump or from the party and kind of take her own route on issues.

So, you know, will she be able to convince voters now for a sixth time to vote for her? Will Platner chip into that?

CHURCH: And what impact does Platner's win have on the party overall, given some Democrats are not very happy that he's representing the party, are they?

MCGREGOR: Nor are -- I mean, he has the endorsement of Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, some of the progressives in the party, and that has not wavered, despite, you know, a few more stories coming out, including in the New York Times, just over the past week, you know, some troubling behavior that he had from former women that he dated, some of those accusations of which he denies, you know, some of the stalwarts who have supported him the whole way have remained by his side.

We have someone like Elissa Slotkin in Michigan, who is a Democrat, who is saying, you know, maybe we should be thinking whether some of this is some of the behavior that we want from our candidates.

So, again, I think we'll have to see as we head into the -- into November. It's a very important seat for the Democrats to flip, so they may want to stay united behind him if they do believe he's the best candidate as of right now.

CHURCH: Right. Of course, meantime in California, Trump-backed Republican Steve Hilton has made it onto the governor's ballot for the November election up against Democrat Xavier Becerra, despite Donald Trump and Republicans claiming without evidence that the California elections were rigged.

So, how will Republicans explain Hilton's win in a predominantly Democratic state after their accusations, and who will likely become governor in the end do you think with these two gentlemen going up against each other?

MCGREGOR: The challenge for Becerra as the Democrat going into this race and having the structural advantage to having 45 percent of California registered voters are Democrats, only 25 percent are Republicans, so Becerra does have that structural advantage.

But I think his disadvantage is that he really just surged in the past weeks of polls when Eric Swalwell dropped out amid accusations that he denies, but accusations of sexual misconduct. Becerra soared from single digits to, you know, now being in the top two, so he really needs to convince voters of what his message is. I think even though he's known within California for various roles, he was not a super high-profile political figure.

And so, he's going to have to do catch up of that in the next five months to convince voters of what his platform is. Whereas in Hilton's had a very long runway in his campaign, he's been -- you know, he's very media friendly, he's very well spoken, and so I do think voters have at least heard his message and been introduced to him.

So, I do think, well, you know, there is in California, obviously a Democratic bent. Steve Hilton probably will give Becerra a run for his money.

CHURCH: Sarah McGregor, thank you so much for talking with us at this late hour. Really appreciate it.

MCGREGOR: Thank you.

CHURCH: Thank you. Well, the U.S. government is helping to fund new Ebola treatment centers in the Democratic Republic of Congo, but a newly proposed facility in Kenya is sparking outrage. We will explain why just ahead.

Plus, protesters in Northern Ireland take to the streets, torching cars and buildings. We will have the latest on the attack at the center of the unrest, back in just a moment.

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[02:23:59]

CHURCH: Police in Northern Ireland are calling for calm after protesters set fire to vehicles and homes in Belfast. The unrest flared after police charged a Sudanese man with attempted murder in connection with a knife attack on Monday that left another man seriously injured.

Anti-immigration sentiment has spread to other cities in the U.K., sparking smaller protests in Glasgow and London. Police say the suspect had a legal right to reside in Northern Ireland. Authorities say their investigation into the stabbing is still in its early stages, and officials across the U.K. are condemning the unrest.

Protests have been growing across Kenya over a U.S. plan to build an isolation ward for Americans who were exposed to Ebola in other countries. Critics argue that Kenya would be taking on the risks the Trump administration wants to avoid, especially since Kenya has never recorded a single case of the often fatal disease.

[02:25:02]

Right now, the closest Ebola outbreaks are hundreds of miles away, mainly in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where 550 cases and 101 deaths have been confirmed, but Kenya's president is defending the plan, saying it would be inhumane not to help the U.S. after receiving American aid for years.

Well, the Democratic Republic of Congo is racing to build Ebola treatment centers as the number of cases continues to grow, and they're getting help from the U.S. government.

CNN's Clarissa Ward shows us how the construction is progressing.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CLARISSA WARD, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: We're here at a brand-new U.S.-funded Ebola treatment center at Bunia's General Hospital, which is just about to open. You can see people are working hard to get those first patients in.

WARD (voice-over): It is being built by American NGO International Medical Corps with funding from the U.S. government.

WARD: Everywhere you go, you see this, this is the new branding for the United States State Department, which has contributed more than $160 million to this Ebola crisis.

WARD (voice-over): Almost a year after dismantling USAID and slashing foreign aid across the board, the U.S. remains the single largest donor to his outbreak.

DR. AHMED MAHAT, IMC COORDINATOR: It has been hectic, so we tried. We have been working day and night just to make sure that we realize this, and it has taken us 10 days. It also involves a lot of hard work, so normally it takes 21 days to build, but because of the urgency, because of the high number of cases that being admitted across it really requires this commitment to make sure that everything is ready in time.

WARD: So, each bed has a number and has already been designated a patient. Obviously, we can't show you that for patient privacy reasons, but what we can say is that this tent is for men who are in stable condition, and that tent is for the women.

WARD (voice-over): The following afternoon, the first patients arrive one after another, they come. The wait is over, but the hard work has just begun.

Clarissa Ward, CNN, Bunia, Democratic Republic of Congo.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: Iran's economy was already in dire straits before the war with the U.S. and Israel. Well, now the outlook is even worse. We will hear from Iranian citizens about their struggles. That's straight ahead.

Plus, Pope Leo is in Barcelona to mark a major milestone for a Basilica that's been under construction for more than a century. We'll tell you about the highlights of his visit to Spain as well. Back with that and more in just a moment.

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[02:32:40]

CHURCH: Welcome back, everyone. Iran is retaliating against the U.S. strikes launched in response to the downing of an Apache helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian state media released this footage earlier, claiming to show missiles launched at U.S. targets in the Middle East. This, as the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps says, it targeted the U.S. 5th Fleet in Bahrain's capital and a U.S. military base in Jordan.

Caught in the middle of the conflict are the Iranian people struggling to afford the basics as costs soar. Our Fred Pleitgen is in Tehran with this report and we must note, CNN operates in Iran only with the permission of the government but maintains full editorial control of its reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: As the conflict between Iran and the United States drags on, the U.S. blockade continues, sanctions continue. Of course, it makes things very difficult economically for a lot of folks here in Iran. I just spoke to a business owner. He sells and produces shoes, and he also told me that business has been difficult for quite some time now.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): Purchases have decreased and so have our sales. Shoes have become more expensive and premium materials have gone up as well. But it's not like sales have completely stopped. The war had its own effect, but it has not brought our sales down to zero. We are still selling and we are still trying to increase sales.

PLEITGEN: A war is always devastating for any economy, and as you can imagine, a lot of folks here in Iran have lost their jobs. Inflation is also a big problem as well.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): The market's really collapsed now. Previously, I could buy more easily, but now everything has become so expensive.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): Inflation's made prices increase 100 times more.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Absolutely, it's difficult because it is after war, we have such a problem, and after sanctions, we have problems here, but it's the consequences of war. We cannot do anything.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): I personally do not have much hope. What we see on the surface is that neither side will step back from their positions, at least for the next couple of years, and the situation has been like this for 30 or 40 years.

PLEITGEN: But one of the other things that the shop owner told me has been a real issue was the fact that the Internet here was shut down for an extended period of time because he also has an online shop where he not only sells his shoes, but he also buys some of the material as well.

[02:35:13]

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): For about a month or 40 days, we were really struggling and right now, as you've witnessed yourselves, it's difficult to move from one page to another. I hope this matter could be resolved soon, so that our business can flourish again. We will welcome anything that puts an end to the war.

PLEITGEN: And of course, that's something a lot of folks here in Iran think about, is the U.S. and the Iranian side tried to come to some sort of end to this armed conflict. A lot of people here are just hoping for sanctions relief and for the economy to improve.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: We are learning more about Chinese leader, Xi Jinping's motivations for his first trip to North Korea in seven years. He returned home Tuesday after meeting with North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un. The leaders agreed to strengthen ties between the two nations. Mr. Xi presented many ways the nations could work together, but he made no mention of North Korea's nuclear program or efforts to influence the country's de-nuclearization. Well, on the second leg of his tour of Spain, Pope Leo led a vigil at Barcelona's Olympic Stadium. A crowd of more than 40,000 people attended the event on Tuesday, the combined prayer, music and personal testimonies from young people.

In the coming hours, the Pope will inaugurate and bless the newest tower of the Sagrada Familia, the Modernist Basilica in Barcelona. CNN's Christopher lamb has more.

CHRISTOPHER LAMB, CNN VATICAN CORRESPONDENT: Pope Leo is in Barcelona for the second leg of his visit to Spain. He'll be coming here to the iconic Sagrada Familia Basilica where he will inaugurate the Tower of Jesus Christ right at the top of the church building, which makes it the tallest church in the world. The Sagrada Familia was designed by architect Antoni Gaudi who died a hundred years ago, but he died with the basilica unfinished and it's still being finished today. But the exterior is now complete with that final tower.

Now, Leo flew from Madrid to Barcelona and on board the plane and we journalists were traveling along with him. Leo got into the cockpit of the plane and had a chat with the pilots and including someone he knew from Peru who was on board as well. Leo has been enjoying his time in Spain. He's been engaging with the big crowds that have turned out to see him.

Another large crowd is expected on Tuesday night at Barcelona's Olympic Stadium for a gathering with Pope Leo where he'll be answering questions from young people. Now Leo, after Barcelona, will be going to the Canary Islands where migration, the plight of immigrants and refugees is likely to be the central theme.

Christopher Lamb, CNN, Barcelona.

CHURCH: The European Correspondent for Crux Now, Fionn Shiner joins us now live from Barcelona. Appreciate you being with us.

FIONN SHINER, EUROPEAN CORRESPONDENT, CRUX NOW: Good morning. Lovely to be here, thank you.

CHURCH: Good morning to you. So how significant is this papal visit to Spain? And what have been the main highlights so far do you think?

SHINER: Well, I think it's been very significant. Firstly, in terms of the highlights, the Pope addressed the Spanish Parliament earlier this week and there was a minimum sort of seven-minute applause and he talked about so many different issues and he covered such a breadth of topics. But I think him being invited into the Spanish Parliament and then receiving the applause was, you know, that was a definite highlight.

And then, yesterday, actually, for me personally, yesterday, watching the vigil in the Olympic Stadium. There was a young woman who shared her testimony about how her father had tried to kill her mother when she was younger and in that sort of scuffle another person died. The father was arrested and then her mother, Sophie (ph) used drugs to deal with that and the young girl ended up in foster care. And later on in life, found a faith and that was very moving to hear, to hear that story.

CHURCH: Yeah, understandably. And what stood out in what the Pope said about immigration, abortion, and of course, social justice issues?

SHINER: Well, I think he positioned all those things as part of -- as being pro-life and I think what the church is quite keen to emphasize that being against abortion is it's kind of the same. It's the same beliefs that lead the church to be against abortion as that lead it to be sort of pro welcoming refugees and migrants.

[02:40:00]

So it's kind of to show that the church is teaching really sort of one, as some people call it, the seamless garment.

CHURCH: And what's been the overriding message of the Pope during his visit to Spain, so far at least? And how's that resonating with people?

SHINER: I think the Pope has been, he's obviously talked about loads of different things, but I think he's been really keen to preach a message that is against polarization. And Spain is quite polarized, as many Western countries are. And he's been really trying to kind of bridge that divide and show that we can take different opinions and -- we can have different opinions, but we shouldn't denigrate into sort of personal humiliation. And the language we use when we disagree with one another is really important. And just to show that the church can be a symbol of unity.

CHURCH: And of course, one of the big highlights, we did mention it in our report of this trip, happens in the next few hours when Pope Leo makes an appearance at the Sagrada Familia. Talk to us about the significance of this.

SHINER: Well, firstly, it is 100 years today since Gaudi died. So there's that aspect. And as Christopher said, the Tower of Jesus isn't -- the completion of the Tower of Jesus means the Sagrada Familia is now the tallest church in the world.

But it's also that Gaudi himself has an open cause for canonization (ph). So I think the fact that there's a potential saint, Catholic saint, who's made this incredible building that people from all over the world come to see, I think that is very significant. And you know, the church has always been a patron of the arts.

CHURCH: And of course --

SHINER: So it's kind of --

CHURCH: Right. Sorry. No, please continue.

SHINER: Well, it's just to show that I think the Sagrada Familia can be viewed in that history.

CHURCH: Right. And of course, we saw all of those crowds. I mean, are you getting any sense of how people are responding to Pope Leo? Still considered a new pope in this early stage.

SHINER: Yes, so yesterday, I was there at the Barcelona Cathedral when Pope Leo arrived. I was there for about a couple of hours, an hour beforehand and a bit after. And the atmosphere was just wonderful. And there was so much enthusiasm and there was a lot of joy. And I saw flags from all over the world.

I spoke to a family from California who just happens to be in Barcelona. And they came to see him arrive as well. And as he got out of the car, there was just this huge roar. And yeah, it was really -- It was just a great atmosphere. And people seemed very excited and enthusiastic to welcome the Pope.

CHURCH: Yeah. He has an incredible warmth, doesn't he? Fionn Shiner, thank you so much for joining us. Appreciate it.

SHINER: Thank you.

CHURCH: Of course. Well, Jeffrey Epstein's former executive assistant says he kept his crimes secret from her. Lesley Groff appeared Tuesday before the U.S. House Oversight Committee. CNN spoke with two sources familiar with her testimony. Those sources say Groff told lawmakers she thought she was making Epstein appointments with massage therapists and that she did not realize the appointments were actually with young girls.

One member of the committee says it's hard to believe Groff did not know about Epstein's criminal history.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. STEPHEN LYNCH, (D-MA): It is highly inconsistent what she's maintaining, that she really didn't know Jeffrey Epstein, even though she worked for him for 18 years. As well, she seemed to be very vague in her description about what Mr. Epstein was charged with when she went to work for him -- shortly after she went to work for him. He was a registered sex offender.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Multiple victims who spoke with the FBI said they called Groff to schedule massages with Epstein. They said he sexually abused them during those massages.

A referee from Somalia was supposed to take part in the FIFA World Cup, but U.S. authorities turned him away, and now we know why. Just ahead, we will have a live report and reaction from Eastern Africa.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:49:28]

CHURCH: It's now the eve of the FIFA World Cup and we are learning more about why a Somali referee was denied entry into the United States earlier this week. Omar Abdulkadir Artan was named Africa's top male referee last year and he made it all the way to Miami before U.S. Customs and Border Protection decided not to admit him.

CNN's Larry Madowo was following this live from Nairobi. He joins us now. So Larry, what are you learning about why this prominent Somali referee was denied entry into the U.S.?

[02:50:00]

LARRY MADOWO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Rosemary, the Trump administration is doubling down, saying this was the right decision. Two separate Trump officials saying they support this decision. Omar Abdulkadir Artan just arrived back in Somalia a short while ago to a hero's welcome at the Mogadishu Airport, but the Trump administration says he was not allowed to enter the U.S. because he was a security threat. Going even further, to say that he associates with terrorists, that is the assessment from a Trump administration official telling CNN.

I want to read a bit of this statement for you, so you understand exactly why they're saying they did not allow him to come into the U.S. He went all the way to Miami and was turned back. "This individual was seeking admission to the United States. Upon further inspection by Customs and Border Protection, derogatory information, including association with suspected members of terror organizations, was discovered, making the traveler ineligible for admission to the United States under the Immigration and Nationality Act."

And this statement goes on to say, President Trump's administration will not allow any security threat to enter our country. So what the association here could be referring to is to al-Shabaab. That is a militant group operating in Somalia. It's an affiliate of al- Qaeda. They didn't provide any more information about that. But that could explain why a separate Trump administration official -- this is the White House Task Force chief for the World Cup -- said this when asked about his case.

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ANDREW GIULIANI, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, WHITE HOUSE TASK FORCE ON FIFA WORLD CUP: There's been one referee who has not been admitted. And while I can't go into the details, what I can tell you high level is it was for very good reason. I support that decision.

I was speaking directly with the secretary of Homeland Security and the commissioner of CBP on Sunday -- the days are blending together -- a couple days ago on this, and it was for very good reason that, ultimately, this referee did not get in the country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MADOWO: The CBP he refers to there, the Customs and Border Protection, that is the agency that determined that he was inadmissible due to vetting concerns. After a huge backlash, both in the U.S. and internationally, that's why they're adding a bit more information claiming that he associates with terrorists.

So while the U.S. is essentially saying that when this man is not refereeing international football matches, he is mixing with people who are in al-Shabaab in Somalia. It's unlikely to have happened because he was vetted here by the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi before he was given a three-month multiple entry visa. So did that vetting fail here in Nairobi at the U.S. Embassy, but somehow the border official in Miami was able to pick that up?

He says he was questioned for 11 hours. He told The New York Times that they asked about al-Shabaab. So that could be the explanation for why he was not allowed to come into the country. And many in Somalia will be outraged by this, the suggestion that maybe Africa's best referee named "Referee of The Year" last year is also somehow associating with terrorists when he's not in football. Rosemary?

CHURCH: All right. Thanks to Larry Madowo for bringing us that live report. Appreciate it.

Serena Williams, the 23-time Grand Slam Singles Champion, returned to the tennis court for the first time in nearly four years on Tuesday. She partnered with up-and-coming Canadian star, Victoria Mboko at Queen's Club in London. Here's what the pair said after their win.

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SERENA WILLIAMS, 23-TIME GRAND SLAM SINGLES CHAMPION: Well, we had a lot of fun.

(LAUGH)

VICTORIA MBOKO, CANADIAN TENNIS PLAYER: We did have a lot of fun. You know, I'm --

WILLIAMS: I feel like there's room for improvement. I need to make some returns next match, which I will. I didn't miss one in practice, but yeah, that was a little embarrassing out there. But, you know, the good news is we can do better -- I can do better. I don't know about you. You did great.

MBOKO: We both could always -- there's always room for improvement, you know.

WILLIAMS: Yeah.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Williams and Mboko advanced to the quarterfinals, but when asked about playing doubles at this year's Wimbledon, Serena said, quote, "It's a day at a time."

Well, Japan is battling a surge in bear attacks. One city north of Tokyo has closed nearly 100 schools. Residents reported bear sightings on Saturday, Sunday and Monday. One was seen roaming a school campus. Another was spotted near a shopping district. Officials captured a bear on Tuesday, tranquilizing it with a dart gun.

In the past two months, three people have been killed and 20 attacked by bears, according to Japanese broadcaster NHK. Authorities say warmer weather is bringing the bears out of hibernation. NASA is revealing the crew of the Artemis III, the next mission in its program to put humans back on the moon. The astronauts, three from NASA and one from the European Space Agency, could launch late next year. Three of them are spaceflight veterans, but this journey will be Mission Specialist, Andre Douglas' first trip outside the Earth's atmosphere. He spoke with CNN's Jake Tapper about his expectations.

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ANDRE DOUGLAS, ARTEMIS III MISSION SPECIALIST: Man, that is going to blow my mind.

(LAUGH)

DOUGLAS: I've seen the beautiful pictures that these guys have taken from space. And then I heard about how, you know, there's a 3D aspect because you're going around the Earth so fast, you can see it from one angle, then another angle. So I'm just -- I'm looking forward to it.

It's going to be very awesome. So, man, it's also going to be really big. I think there's this thing called the overview effect that I've heard so much about. I feel like I got a little bit of overview effect just from the launch that we did together, just taking our minds and realizing there's something bigger than us out there, right? And when you see it physically, that's just going to be crazy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Very exciting. And Artemis III will not be traveling to the moon. They will stay closer to home in low-Earth orbit as they test out vital technologies, including how the Orion spacecraft will dock with a lunar lander.

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. Stay with us.

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