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U.S. And Iran Trade Strikes For A Second Straight Night; Pope Inaugurates Tower At Sagrada Familia Basilica; Battle Raging Across U.S. Over AI Data Centers. Aired 4:30-5a ET
Aired June 11, 2026 - 04:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[04:30:01]
KEVIN BAXTER, SPORTSWRITER, LOS ANGELES TIMES: 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.
POLO SANDOVAL, CNN ANCHOR: 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. 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, early in Holland. It only takes one goal to win. Norway could be a team that could make a long run.
SANDOVAL: Iran is responding to the latest barrage of U.S. airstrikes. Still ahead on CNN Newsroom, we'll have a report from Tehran on those hostilities.
And Pope Leo, getting ready to head to the Canary Islands in the final phase of his visit to Spain. You're watching CNN Newsroom.
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[04:34:54]
SANDOVAL: And we do want to get you up to speed with the latest on the tensions in the Middle East. Iran's Revolutionary Guard says that they launched retaliatory attacks targeting U.S. military bases in Kuwait, Bahrain, and Jordan. And this after U.S. strikes on the country for the second straight night. But a diplomatic source is telling CNN that despite those attacks, talks to reach a deal between the U.S. and Iran are still on track.
Fred Pleitgen filed this report from Tehran before those strikes. A reminder that CNN operates in Iran only with permission from the government, but does maintain full editorial control of its reports.
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Iran has vowed a harsh response to renewed U.S. strikes, especially in areas, it seems, around the Persian Gulf region. In addition to that, the Iranian military is also announcing that the Strait of Hormuz has now been closed by the Iranian military. They say that any vessels or tankers trying to cross the Strait of Hormuz will be targeted. Now, all of this comes as the U.S. has announced that it is conducting new strikes on areas in Iran.
And those really do seem to be focused on the Persian Gulf and specifically on the Strait of Hormuz region. There were explosions that were reported in several areas within the Strait of Hormuz, but also around that area as well. Earlier, I was able to speak to a senior official from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and he told me he was not impressed by some of the threats coming from the Trump administration to hit Iran if they don't sign a deal with the U.S.
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BRIG. GEN. HOSSEIN MAROOFI, ISLAMIC REVOLUTIONARY GUARD CORPS: Trump is delusional. He must understand the power of this great nation, and he must recognize the strength of our armed forces. He should have become aware of the great movement of our armed forces in these recent operations and fully comprehend the readiness of our armed forces with the support of the Iranian people.
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PLEITGEN: All of this comes as a Qatari delegation is still on the ground here in Tehran. They've been working throughout almost the entire day on Wednesday, trying to make progress with the Iranians on a memorandum of understanding that would then be signed by both the U.S. and Iran, and that would aim to end the hostilities between the two nations and pave the way for broader peace talks that could then lead to a peace agreement between the United States and Iran.
However, in the past couple of days, of course, there have been a lot of tensions, especially in the Persian Gulf region with the United States and Iran trading blows there that made progress towards peace more difficult.
Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Tehran.
SANDOVAL: The U.N. Human Rights Chief says that he'll be deploying investigators to collect evidence on alleged rights abuses in Lebanon. This, more than three months after hostilities flared between Israeli forces and the Iranian-backed militant group Hezbollah. On Wednesday, you could see some smoke that was billowing out of southern Lebanon after reported Israeli airstrikes there.
Lebanese officials are saying that Israeli strikes have already killed nearly 3,700 people since March. In the meantime, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is delivering a message to the Lebanese people saying, "Israel is not at war with you. We're at war with Hezbollah." The prime minister added that Hezbollah has taken Lebanon hostage and is using it to launch attacks against Israel.
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BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: Do 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 and over again. You deserve better. Your children deserve better.
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SANDOVAL: Pope Leo is traveling to the Canary Islands where he will be meeting with organizations that are working with migrants. The Canary Islands, they are a major point of entry for people that are transiting from Africa over to Europe.
And on Wednesday, Pope Leo wrapped up his visit to Barcelona with a mass attended by thousands of people at the Sagrada Familia Basilica. He also inaugurated the iconic basilica's new tower 144 years after construction started. More now from CNN's Vatican correspondent, Christopher Lamb, reports from Barcelona.
CHRISTOPHER LAMB, CNN VATICAN CORRESPONDENT: The tallest church in the world. Here is the Sagrada Familia. Pope Leo here during his trip to Spain to celebrate a mass and to bless the tower on top of this building, the Tower of Jesus Christ, which makes it the tallest anywhere.
This basilica was designed by Antoni Gaudi. He died exactly 100 years ago. He never saw his vision turned into reality. And Pope Leo made mention of that. He said the fact that this basilica is a work in progress is not something that lessens its impact, but actually it reflects the Christian journey and life in general.
[04:39:57]
This moment for Pope Leo, an extraordinary one for him, his pontificate taking place during his trip to Spain. Leo taking part in an extraordinary and historic moment in this 144-year journey of building what is a truly unique and iconic monument to faith.
Christopher Lamb, CNN, Barcelona.
SANDOVAL: We are just three days away from U.S. President Donald Trump's 80th birthday, and he is planning to celebrate with an Ultimate Fighting Championship event at the White House. But not everybody's cheering. CNN's Tom Foreman explains why. TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Critics of this event say it just should not have happened. They're calling it a violation of the rules about how such things can happen on public land. They're saying the structure should have never been built without more clearance, more environmental study, and they're saying it's essentially a private event.
They're saying you can say it's about Flag Day, you can say it's about the 250th anniversary of the country, but it really, to them, feels like it's a celebration of Donald Trump's birthday, and he's invited a bunch of friends, military people, VIPs, people he wants close to the White House, and they're just saying that is all wrong and should not have happened. The White House has said no.
First of all, it is a public event, it is all the things that they say it is. The White House says they did follow the rules, this isn't a permanent structure, and just as importantly, they're saying it's way too late now for anyone to stop this. Too many people are counting on it, too much money has been spent, and it has to simply move forward. Now, the money, important, is about $60 million in the budget to do this. That's being paid by the UFC folks.
They say they're doing it, and there's been some hint that, well, it's well worth it to be able to do this on the White House grounds and get all this publicity, but that doesn't change the fact that it is still going to be mainly for about a few thousand people close to the actual fight. There will be tens of thousands more on the ellipse of the White House, which is basically a big park to the south, but they're not really going to be watching the event as much as a big screen where they can see the event happening.
Still, all sorts of events over the weekend, a Zac Brown band concert, a ceremonial weigh-in of the fighters, a meet-and-greet with fans out there. The White House and others are saying, hey, that's all great. It's never been done before. We're glad we're doing it. But the fact that they're doing things like selling ceremonial gold and silver coins for thousands of dollars at a time when gas prices are so high, inflation is higher than it's been in several years, we're at war with Iran, the fact that all of that is going on, a lot of people are saying is just completely tone-deaf for this White House and adds to the list of things that they're troubled about, the ballroom, the triumphal arch, and so on and so on. Those are, for them, the fighting words.
SANDOVAL: Tom Foreman, thank you for that.
Well, up next, they are popping up in cities and towns across the U.S. Why so many Americans are now speaking out against A.I. data centers in their communities. Stay with us.
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[04:46:14]
SANDOVAL: The FBI has seized evidence at a Southern California aerospace facility where a chemical tank overheated last month, sparking fears of a catastrophic explosion. You remember we covered this story not too long ago, a search warrant. It authorized agents to seize records related to the chemicals storage, use, or disposal and equipment used to control or regulate its temperature. The tank at GKN Aerospace had overheated, forcing some 50,000 residents to evacuate the area. The highly flammable chemical used to produce plastics such as plexiglass and dental prosthetics.
The explosive growth of artificial intelligence, it requires massive amounts of energy. A U.N. report is now warning that A.I. could consume 3 percent of global electricity and even use more water than the world needs to drink in just a few years. Now, residents across the U.S. are fighting to keep data centers out of their backyards. Here's CNN's Shimon Prokupecz with more.
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RON GIBSON, INDIANAPOLIS CITY-COUNTY COUNCIL: One, two, three, four.
SHIMON PROKUPECZ, CNN CRIME AND JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Ron Gibson counts the bullet holes in his front door.
GIBSON: Twelve, 13, 14, 15. And it was a sign that someone conveniently put up under the Indianapolis Coach's mat and said there's no data center.
PROKUPECZ (voice-over): Gibson is an Indianapolis city counselor targeted, he says, for supporting a data center in his community.
GIBSON: At some point that night after midnight, we heard loud banging on glass and glass breaking.
I didn't realize that my house had been shot up until daylight. And I saw this door and I could see through the door out. I mean, I could see daylight was coming through the door. Really touching to me was my son's Lego set was on the dining room table where the bullets went around. And I like to think about it. I wonder if he'd have been in that space at that time of night. Scary stuff.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You better vote no. You better vote no.
PROKUPECZ (voice-over): The political backlash to data centers has been fierce nationwide, aided by the rise and fear of artificial intelligence.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We don't need it. We need water.
PROKUPECZ (voice-over): In Utah, residents are fighting a proposed 40,000 acre data center that when combined is twice the size of Manhattan.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Maybe this decision should be made after the election.
PROKUPECZ: So meetings like this in Union, Missouri are happening all across the country and really showing the fear and concern.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The burdens would stay local. The profits will leave town. We're asking you please stop this theft and rape now.
PROKUPECZ: What could a data center do to a community like this?
PROKUPECZ (voice-over): To find out, we traveled 850 miles from Union, Missouri to a place already familiar with data centers. Loudoun County, Virginia, outside D.C., this is Data Center Alley.
PROKUPECZ: Just in this area alone, there are over 200 buildings that contain data centers, some 50 million square feet, enough to fit eight pentagons.
BUDDY RIZER, EXEC. DIRECTOR, LOUDOUN COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: Having even one data center can double the amount of tax revenue. We've been able to build 30 some schools and 15 fire stations and six libraries.
PROKUPECZ (voice-over): But not everything went right.
GREG PIRIO, LIVES NEAR DATA CENTER: It is like having constant jet airplanes flying overhead.
PROKUPECZ: Because you can hear it right now, right?
PIRIO: Yes, yes.
PROKUPECZ: Like, take a listen here, right? This is --
PROKUPECZ (voice-over): That hum you hear, that's coming from this, a massive data center just feet from these homes.
PROKUPECZ: What's it like when you're trying to sleep?
ETHAN DOUE, LIVES NEAR DATA CENTER: It's like a July 4th fireworks going on.
HARI DOUE, MOTHER AND HOMEOWNER: Last night, my son Lucas got up in the middle of the night and said he couldn't sleep and came into our room. So it is affecting their sleep and they have to go to school.
[04:50:00]
PROKUPECZ (voice-over): There's another problem.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If it was a southern wind today, all that would be blowing right over this. Our houses.
PROKUPECZ (voice-over): Diesel backup generators, when they're tested, they pollute.
PIRIO: Those are the days in particular that I feel irritation in my throat.
PROKUPECZ: How do you respond to them?
RIZER: It's a very unfortunate situation because when it was built and approved, it was intended to be on the grid. Then in 2022, we had Dominion tell us, well, we're out of power. They had already built and leased the building. So the only solution for them was the gas turbines. It is a temporary situation. Eventually the power will be delivered to the site, but that doesn't help them tonight when they're trying to get to sleep.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You're opening a Pandora's Box that can't be closed.
PROKUPECZ (voice-over): Back in Missouri, they're fighting two proposed new data center campuses in Franklin County. Bill Hubbard's century old farm is next to one of them. Recent reports about a Georgia data center draining water from nearby farms has Hubbard worried.
BILL HUBBARD, FARM OWNER: They say they're not going to drill wells. All these guarantees, you know, 737s weren't supposed to crash.
PROKUPECZ (voice-over): The company behind one of the campuses says they won't tax local resources.
ROMAN PASEWICZ, PROVIDENT DATA CENTERS: We're developing a closed loop water system, so it conserves water. We believe we could develop them in a conscious way, getting feedback from the community.
PROKUPECZ (voice-over): Most here are like the Hubbards. They worry because the land is their life.
HUBBARD: This is home. There's no amount of money that could get me to sell this. No amount of money.
PROKUPECZ (voice-over): Shimon Prokupecz, CNN, Union, Missouri.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SANDOVAL: And we'll be right back.
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[04:55:37]
SANDOVAL: Well, it is moving season, and if you've ever dreamed of owning your own private island and you have about $28 million lying around, well, this may be your chance. You see, the island of Santa Cristina in the Venice Lagoon. It is now officially on the market. Of course, it was previously owned by the great-grandson of the Swarovski crystal founder, Daniel Swarovski. The island features a nine-bedroom villa, a heated saltwater pool, some lush gardens and terraces, and it also includes a private vineyard, an olive grove, and even a helicopter pad. A real estate listing says that the island is for sale for the first time in more than four decades. You wouldn't want to even leave it if you have your own olive grove and vineyard, right?
And now to this four-legged seafarer that is safe and sound after getting in trouble along the coast of northeastern England.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hello, buddy. Hey, buddy. How are you? Hello.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANDOVAL: You see that lone little creature in that kayak? That's a German shepherd named Bruce. He was stranded alone on an inflatable kayak that was blown far from the coast on Sunday, but luckily, the crew of a tour boat spotted him after receiving an alert from the Coast Guard. Bruce fell into the water during the rescue. Fortunately, though, the crew members were on hand to eventually get him pulled back onto the boat there. He is now home, and he also doesn't seem to be in the doghouse because of what happened, so good for Bruce.
Thank you so much for joining me. I'm Polo Sandoval in New York. Our coverage continues with CNN Headline Express.
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