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Northern Ireland Experiencing Worst Anti-Immigrant Protests; New York Knicks One Win Away from NBA Championship after a Comeback Win in Game 4; 2026 World Cup Set to Kick Off in the Coming Hours. Aired 3-3:45a ET

Aired June 11, 2026 - 03:00   ET

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

[03:00:00]

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

Iran says that it's targeting American military assets, putting the Middle East on high alert. We'll take you live to the region in a moment.

And anti-immigrant violence escalating in Northern Ireland, leaving dozens of people without homes.

And we're just 12 hours away from the first whistle of the World Cup. And what to watch in today's opening matches.

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

SANDOVAL: All right, at this hour, parts of the Middle East are currently on high alert after Iran launched retaliatory attacks on American military targets across the region. And all this is coming after the U.S. Central Command says that the military completed a second straight night of strikes on Iran.

And those attacks targeted Iranian military sites. And they also came in response to, quote, "Iran's unwarranted and continued aggression."

Ahead of those strikes, U.S. President Trump said that Iran had taken too long to negotiate a deal. Here's what the U.S. Defense Secretary had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PETE HEGSETH, U.S. DEFENSE SECRETARY: You can see when someone's trying to tap, tap, tap on a deal, instead they're going to have tap, tap, tap bombs dropping on key facilities in Iran from the United States of America. If we need to negotiate with bombs, we'll negotiate with bombs. And we're very good at it.

(END VIDEO CLIP) SANDOVAL: Iran says that the Strait of Hormuz is now closed to all vessels, though the U.S. has actually pushed back on that claim. A senior Iranian military official is now warning that Iran could eventually turn the region, quote, "into hell if the strait is made insecure."

Let's go now to CNN's Paula Hancocks, who joins me from Abu Dhabi. Paula, at this point in time, is there any sign of any sort of retaliation from Iran in response to this latest wave of strikes?

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Polo, we have been seeing Iran retaliating against three countries in particular, saying it's targeting the U.S. military bases, U.S. assets in those countries, Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan. So for a second morning, those three countries have come under fire.

Now we have some new images in from Bahrain. You can see some of the damage here. We understand that an 11-year-old girl was injured in those strikes.

We can see there have been fires that are being put out by authorities, mostly caused by debris from falling interceptions.

We know also that Iran has said that it was targeting the U.S. 5th Fleet in Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan, a similar situation. We don't have confirmation though of damage or any injuries in those two countries.

But Iran has said that it could get worse. We've heard from one Iranian military official saying, quote, "You make the sacred Strait of Hormuz insecure. We will turn the region into hell for you from across Iran."

Now this referring to the Strait of Hormuz, because this is really where a number of these locations were that the U.S. was targeting overnight. We saw a number of areas, Bandar Abbas, also Qeshm and Kharg Island in the Strait of Hormuz that took the brunt of those strikes, U.S. Central Command saying that it was military targets that they were focusing on.

Now in response as well, we've heard Iran say that they are going to close the Strait of Hormuz. We know they have been allowing some vessels through, presumably with a hefty price tag attached to that.

But we're also hearing a pushback from Central Command saying that's simply not the case. Commercial vessels are going through. And we are hearing from the Trump administration that they have managed to get a number of vessels through. Here's Pete Hegseth.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HEGSETH: The idea of running ships through the Strait of Hormuz, it never never stopped. It just went underground to the tune of over 100 million barrels that have moved through and more in the middle of the night, protected by the United States in a way that Iran can't stop.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANCOCKS: So we'll be watching over the coming hours to see if in fact there are less vessels that are able to transit. But at this point, Central Command saying that commercial ships are still able to get through despite Tehran saying the Strait of Hormuz is closed.

[03:05:04]

We also have just heard as well from a source that the Qatari delegation that was in Tehran is now leaving and has left this Thursday morning. They were in Tehran to try and push forward this memorandum of understanding, which President Trump said is moving too slowly, and which is the reason he ordered those attacks overnight, Polo.

SANDOVAL: Paula Hancocks with the latest reporting there out of the Middle East. Thank you, Paula.

The U.N. human rights chief says that he'll be deploying investigators to collect evidence on alleged rights abuses in Lebanon. And this more than three months now after hostilities flared between Israeli forces and the Iranian-backed militant group Hezbollah. On Wednesday, smoke could be seen billowing in southern Lebanon after reported Israeli airstrikes.

Lebanese officials are saying that Israeli strikes have already killed nearly 3,700 people since March. In the meantime, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivering a message to the Lebanese people saying, quote, "Israel is not at war with you, we're at war with Hezbollah."

The Prime Minister says that Hezbollah has taken Lebanon hostage and is using it to launch attacks against Israel.

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BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: You remember what Lebanon was like before Iran and Hezbollah turned it into a nightmare? Remember the cafes? Remember the culture? Remember the calm?

All that's gone because Hezbollah and Iran want to drag us into war over and over again. You deserve better. Your children deserve better.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANDOVAL; Anti-immigration protests, they continued for another day in Northern Ireland with more flare-ups of violence. Mass rioters, they broke into homes and set fire to buildings and vehicles as you see there. Police did deploy a water cannon to disperse some of those crowds and the unrest was sparked after a Sudanese man was charged in a brutal stabbing attack in Belfast on Monday. CNN international diplomatic editor Nic Robertson with more.

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NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR (voice-over): At its dangerous peak Tuesday night, police rescuing Belfast residents as their homes torched in a night of anti-immigrant rioting gripping Northern Ireland.

A neighborhood bus set on fire amid scenes of some of the worst violence across the U.K.'s troubled province in years. At times angry mobs of mass men roamed streets unchecked, smashing houses, apparently searching for migrants.

The violence smouldering through the night as riot police clashed with rock-throwing youths in multiple towns. At least two policemen injured, several people arrested.

Northern Ireland's police chief ramping up his forces in readiness for worse.

CHIEF CONSTABLE JON BOUTCHER, POLICE SERVICE OF NORTHERN IRELAND: We will be on the streets tonight in numbers even more than we were last night and we have got arrangements in hand to get mutual aid. They will be arriving here tomorrow and we are looking to get a further some 200 officers to get on the streets to deal with this.

ROBERTSON (voice-over): The rioting triggered by a knife attack Monday night where the victim, Stephen Ogilvie, was saved by neighbors, but lost an eye according to authorities and remains in hospital in critical condition with head and neck injuries.

The suspect, named in a Belfast court Wednesday, as Hadi Allo did, a 30-year-old Sudanese refugee who authorities say was legally in the U.K. and was charged with attempted murder. Other immigrants in Belfast now concerned for their safety.

ANSELME SHIMA, BELFAST RESIDENT FROM DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO: I'm afraid maybe I might be the next to be attacked on the street, so I don't know what to take my family, my children who is nine years old who is asking me every question that crosses his mind and I don't know how to answer him. I don't know, maybe I'm the next.

ROBERTSON (voice-over): The British Prime Minister calling for calm at a time when the U.K. is being tested by divisions over immigration.

KEIR STARMER, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: But let me be clear Mr. Speaker, the acts of violence and arson that followed are totally unjustified. We are united in calling for calm and determined to restore order.

ROBERTSON (voice-over): Last year, anti-immigrant riots lasted five days. In Northern Ireland, tensions are easily combustible. The legacy of grievances from 30 years of sectarian bloodletting a generation ago has left easy kindling and a know-how for fiery rioting.

[03:10:00]

Adding to concerns violence could escalate further, some anti- immigrant mainland U.K. campaigners have already come to Belfast, others posting on social media.

BOUTCHER: It's very easy, these days especially, to look online and be persuaded by people who know nothing about Northern Ireland. Stop listening to these idiots, we will be going after them for the incitement that they've been doing.

ROBERTSON (voice-over): But by late afternoon Wednesday, fears of more violence realized. Police using water cannon to keep protesters at bay.

A second night of rioting erupting. Young men pitted against police, again. Nic Robertson, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANDOVAL: And at this hour we are monitoring more pushback in Albania against a luxury resort backed by President Trump's daughter and son- in-law.

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These are some of the most recent pictures out of Albania where protesters returned to the streets in the capital city. Some with signs that read, "Albania is Not for Sale." There were also clashes with police near the Prime Minister's office.

The resort would essentially be built near a protected area that's home to endangered species including monk seals and flamingos. Opponents are arguing that some irreversible damage has already been done to the area, while Albania's Prime Minister, who supports the project, says that the environmental impact is yet to be assessed.

Pope Leo is travelling to the Canary Islands where he will be meeting with organizations working with migrants. You see, the Canary Islands are a major point of entry for people who are migrating from Africa trying to reach Europe.

And on Wednesday, Pope Leo wrapped up a visit to Barcelona with a mass attended by thousands at the Sagrada Familia Basilica. He also inaugurated the iconic basilica's new tower some 144 years since construction started there.

Well this week is an embarrassment of riches for sports fans, especially if you're in New York or perhaps in Texas, of course, with the NBA Finals and then very soon, the Men's World Cup. Ahead, what we can expect from the biggest sporting event on earth. Don't go anywhere.

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SANDOVAL: It's about 3:16 a.m. here in New York and I think I can still hear that partying outside. New York's Knicks, their fans here celebrating the largest comeback in NBA Finals history. The home team heroes erased a 29-point deficit, winning Game 4 against

the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden. Jalen Benson leading all scorers with 36 points.

The Knicks lead the series three games to one and are just one more win away from their first championship since 1973. Of course, the NYPD, there's been an alert around the city after some sporadic violence that we saw following the last game on Monday night. Game five will be held Saturday night in San Antonio.

It is finally here. The World Cup officially gets underway today and all eyes will be on the legendary Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. You see a live view where those final preparations may be underway even through the overnight hours ahead of the massive opening ceremony that will be held there in about 10 hours.

And that will be followed by the opening match. Tournament co-host Mexico taking on South Africa. While excitement is building, it is not enough to erase all of the controversy that we've seen leading up to these matches.

Some of them over immigration issues and some foreign fans being denied visas, as well as the astronomical cost of tickets in most of the host nations. But FIFA's President is defending the pricing strategy. Here's what he said.

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GIANNI INFANTINO, FIFA PRESIDENT: The soul and the heart is the fans in the stadiums. It's the fans in the fan zones, it's the fans at home, it's every football fan. We want to bring the World Cup to every football fan.

And this is what this price structure is. This is what dynamic pricing is as well. We had the Club World Cup last year.

The prices of some matches went up, others went down in this situation. They could have gone down as well, they didn't really go down. This shows that maybe the price point was the right one.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANDOVAL: Yes, he calls it dynamic, but many fans call it just unacceptable when it comes to the pricing.

Earlier, though, the FIFA president did also tell the people of L.A., quote, "you'll be invaded by a horde of barbarians." But he said, "Don't worry, it's happy barbarians." He is, of course, referring to the influx of crazy football fans who will be no doubt entering all of the host cities to enjoy these games from Guadalajara to Kansas City all the way to Vancouver.

So let's talk more about these matches as they are scheduled to begin just hours from now and bring in Kevin Baxter. He's a sports writer for the "L.A. Times." He's with us from Irvine, California, which is also where Team USA is currently training. Kevin, thank you so much for staying up for us.

KEVIN BAXTER, SPORTSWRITER, "LOS ANGELES TIMES": Well, thank you for giving me a call. And by the way, you know, Gianni Infantino used as an example the FIFA Club World Cup last summer. As far as attendance goes, that was a disaster.

There were a number of games that drew less than 15,000 fans, some of them less than 8000 fans. And there were fans that wound up buying tickets early that paid $500 sitting next to people that bought them day of game for $15.

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So if Gianni Infantino, the FIFA President, thinks that was the model that should be followed going forward, I got him a bridge. I got a bridge I might be able to sell him.

SANDOVAL: Yes, full disclosure, I threw my name into the lottery that was held here in New York and was greatly disappointed that I did not have a chance to purchase tickets for $50.

As you know, though, this will be a historic moment. There will be some 48 teams that will be competing. Why did FIFA do it this way this year? And how do teams benefit from the decision to have so many nations participate?

BAXTER: Well, this is historically, this is the most complex, largest, most ambitious sporting event in history. 48 teams, 104 games, three countries, over 39 days, four time zones. I mean, this is an amazing, massive undertaking.

And what FIFA says is that the more teams that participate in the World Cup, the more federations, you know, the federations that run the soccer teams in different countries, the more federations that will be able to participate, the more money will be distributed to those federations. And FIFA also looks at the more attention that comes to these countries.

So for example, in this World Cup, there were four countries playing in the World Cup for the first time, Curacao, Cape Verde, Jordan, and Uzbekistan. Cape Verde and Curacao are the two smallest teams ever to qualify for a World Cup.

And the thinking is that as these teams have this target to chase, the federations will spend more money, will develop soccer, the game will grow in some of these other countries that have not traditionally invested in soccer. So that's FIFA's long-term plan, to get more money into the sport, more investment, and more teams interested in chasing the dream of participating in a World Cup.

SANDOVAL: Yeah, I'm so glad you mentioned Curacao. You have Iraq, the DRC as well. I mean, these are just nations that we're not used to seeing play on a World Cup stage.

I wonder if you could also tell us just how the games will be broken up, from group stage at the start of the tournament to the final. Because there's so many, Kevin, how long is it going to take? How many games are we going to see per day?

BAXTER: Well, the tournament will take 39 days. Unlike past World Cups, the past World Cups were pretty straightforward, in that you had groups where two teams from each group would advance to the next round, to the round of 16.

Then it became single elimination. In the group stage, each team plays three games, it's a round-robin, and the top two teams advance. Then when you get to the knockout stage, it's single elimination.

This tournament is different. Because of the number of teams, 48 teams, they've been divided into 12 groups. And so the top two teams in each group will still advance, but to get to an even number, to have a knockout round, this time it's a round of 32, to get to that number, eight of the 12 third-place teams will advance.

So we're playing an entire two-week-long first round, and we're only going to eliminate 16 teams. So all the fourth-place teams and some of the third-place teams. So getting to the round of 32, to the knockout stage, is not nearly as difficult as it has been in the past.

And we'll see a number of third-place teams, we may see some teams that don't even win a game in the group stage, advance to the round of 32. At that point, it's single elimination, anything goes. They can advance, it could be sort of a, there could be some Cinderella stories emerge, kind of like in the NCAA basketball tournament.

SANDOVAL: Well, actually, let's close on that. Who are some of the favorites right now? Who could be the unexpected contenders?

I know I'm watching Spain.

BAXTER: Well, Spain is my team as well. Congratulations. I like Spain.

France is so deep, France is so good. They've made the finals in the last two World Cups, I think they're a team to watch.

England. You know, people talk about England being an old team. It's not old, it's experienced.

Harry Kane, their captain, he's only 33 years old. So England could be there as well.

As far as the dark horses, you mentioned Curacao. I kind of like Curacao. It's a team, you know, former Dutch protectorate, a lot of players play in the Dutch professional league. But keep your eye on Norway, they haven't been in the World Cup this century, they have the greatest score in soccer right now, Erling Haaland. It only takes one goal to win. Norway could be a team that could make a long run.

SANDOVAL: Yes, for sure. So many potential Cinderella stories, and to be clear, I'm watching Spain, but I'm rooting for my beloved Mexico. We'll see what happens.

Kevin Baxter, I really appreciate your time and your analysis as always. Thank you.

BAXTER: Thank you.

SANDOVAL: Enjoy the games.

And when we return, we're going to shift gears, where outrage is growing in France over the brutal murder of an 11-year-old girl. Still ahead, why protesters are blaming the justice system for missing some crucial red flags about the suspected serial killer.

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SANDOVAL; Welcome back, I'm Polo Sandoval in New York, and these are today's top stories.

Iran says that it launched retaliatory attacks on American military targets across the region after the latest round of U.S. strikes on Iran. Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps says that attacks targeted U.S. air bases in Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan. Officials in Bahrain releasing these photos showing damage that was left behind by falling debris from intercepted drones; an 11-year-old girl suffered minor injuries there.

[03:30:06]

And more violence on the streets of Belfast as anti-immigration protests continue in Northern Ireland. Migrants have been targeted by rioters who have torched vehicles and buildings around the city. Northern Ireland's first minister has called it outright thuggery.

And Mexico City getting ready for its big moment on the world stage. The first Men's World Cup match will be kicking off there a little later today, the Mexican national team will be facing off against South Africa. But first, there will be an opening ceremony featuring a long list of artists, including pop star Shakira.

The killing of an 11-year-old girl in France is sparking protests, outrage and scrutiny of the country's judicial system. Critics are saying that authorities missed clear warning signs about the suspected killer long before the girl's death. CNN's Saskya Vandoorne reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SASKYA VANDOORNE, CNN PARIS BUREAU CHIEF: A man accused last year of raping a 10-year-old girl was never investigated or charged. Now France is asking whether that failure cost an 11-year-old girl her life.

VANDOORNE (voice-over): The 11-year-old went missing from her family home in southwest France at the end of May, authorities said. After several days of searches, her body was found on a nearby farm, according to French media reports. The suspect, the 41-year-old father of a classmate, is now under formal investigation and in custody. He told police Lyhanna was in his car on the afternoon she disappeared, but that he dropped her off at a swimming pool, BFM T.V. reported.

The man, Jerome Barrela, had previously been flagged to police on at least two occasions for allegations of sexual violence against minors, with the latest coming in 2025 when he was accused of raping a 10- year-old girl. No police action was taken in regard to either complaint. An attorney for Barrela told BFM that his client was presumed innocent.

VANDOORNE: Many here are shocked that repeated warning signs were apparently missed, with critics accusing authorities of prioritizing procedure over protection. The case has reignited a broader discussion over how seriously sexual violence is treated here in France.

VANDOORNE (voice-over): One person who's been campaigning on this issue is Caroline Darian, the daughter of mass rape survivor Giselle Pelicot.

CAROLINE DARIAN, GISELE PELICOT'S DAUGHTER (translated): When you see the suffering of victims - I know what I'm talking about - you see the ordeal victims have to endure. It destroys lives. In Lyhanna's case, as in so many others, we have a problem in France.

What is our justice system doing? We have four times fewer prosecutors in France than the European average.

People file complaints, and nothing happens.

VANDOORNE: And with the French presidential election less than a year away, candidates from across the political spectrum have seized the case as evidence of systemic issues, forcing the current government to acknowledge failings in the French justice system--

UNKNOWN (translated): One must know how to recognize when we make mistakes that lead to tragedy that we know, out of respect for the family, of course, but out of respect for all French people.

VANDOORNE (voice-over): -- and tasking authorities to look into 70,000 other complaints of sexual violence towards minors by mid-July. French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu has even gone as far as suggesting that the punishment for serial rapists of children be raised to a life sentence from the current 20 years.

Lawmakers in the French Parliament held a minute of silence on Tuesday to mark the tragedy.

But all this has done little to placate the thousands of protesters who took to the streets across France this week.

UNKNOWN (translated): We have a real issue: How can we ensure our children can go out safely and won't encounter repeat offenders? This is today's topic

VANDOORNE (voice-over): Meanwhile, the family of Lyhaanna is still struggling to come to terms with her tragic loss.

UNKNOWN (translated): Our whole little world has collapsed. Once again, I have no words to describe this horrific tragedy that has struck our family. Standing before you all today and talking about Lyhanna feels surreal.

VANDOORNE (voice-over): The pressure is now really on for the French government to try and quell this very palpable anger by pushing through stricter laws tackling sexual violence towards children, and addressing what French President Emmanuel Macron called unacceptable failings in the justice system.

Saskya Vandoorne, CNN, Paris.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANDOVAL: Inflation and consumer prices are up across the U.S., driven in part by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. We'll be digging into the numbers in just a moment.

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SANDOVAL: Hey everybody, welcome back. Let's get you to your business headlines now.

The A.I. sell-off and Iran -- the war in Iran, they are dragging down some major markets in the U.S. The Dow says that it was the worst day since October, falling more than 900 points on Wednesday. Stocks dipped after President Trump warned that the United States was preparing to attack Iran, quote, "very hard."

And a new poll suggesting that many Americans fear artificial intelligence could put someone in their family out of work. In the Reuters-Ipsos poll, only 37 percent of those surveyed said that they are not worried about A.I.'s effect on jobs. Nearly three-quarters of Americans said that they are uneasy about the increasing use of the technology.

[03:40:10]

The U.S. Labor Department says that inflation surged to 4.2 percent last month. That's the highest level in three years. The increase was largely driven by energy cost increases associated with the war in Iran.

CNN senior reporter Matt Egan is in New York with more on these inflation numbers.

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MATT EGAN, CNN SR. REPORTER: It shows how American families are getting squeezed financially right now. The problem is really two- fold.

One, prices are going up too fast, faster than before the war, faster than before the President took office. And their paychecks are just not keeping up. Let me show you.

So consumer prices up by half a percentage point between April and May. This is just way too hot of a figure to translate to anything close to what's considered healthy inflation. And it was enough to bump up the annual inflation rate to 4.2 percent, it's the first time we've had inflation back above 4 percent in three years.

Now, let's look at the longer term trend for annual inflation. So this is roughly when COVID started back in 2020 and you could see as supply chains broke down, there was this historic spike in inflation.

Then Russia invaded Ukraine and we had 9 percent inflation in America, that was under former President Biden, then there was this massive years-long improvement for inflation. And by the time the President took office in January 2025, inflation in the U.S. was 3 percent. So not healthy, but not terrible either.

But clearly it is going in the wrong direction right now. In fact, annual inflation is now a full percentage point higher than when the President took office. And of course, that's exactly the opposite of what he promised, which was lower prices.

Now, the good news is that core inflation, which excludes food and energy, that hasn't gone up nearly as much. And so that does suggest that this current inflation increase is more contained than this one from four years ago.

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SANDOVAL: Matt Egan, thank you.

Police in Brentwood, California, they are on the lookout for a trail of thieves who are stealing Pokemon cards. Surveillance video capturing the scene at the Card Lab store on Saturday night. You see them hopping those glass cases and going for the goods.

It took them less than 40 seconds for these masked intruders to make off with about $15,000 worth of Pokemon cards. The store opened just two months ago, and it is now the second one targeted in recent weeks. We've seen this in New York, too, in the past.

The owner says that he was relieved that his employee was not hurt, thankfully.

Thank you so much for joining me, I'm Polo Sandoval in New York. "World Sport" is next, and I'll join you again in about 20 minutes with more of your headlines here on "CNN Newsroom."

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