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U.S.-Iran Meeting Taking Place in Doha Today; Morocco, Paraguay Crushed European Powerhouses to Join World Cup's Round of 16; Athletes Can Apply for a $10,000 Grant by the IOC. Aired 3-4a ET

Aired June 30, 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. Here's what's ahead.

President Trump's special envoy is now en route to Qatar for a new round of talks with Iran. But Tehran is now casting doubt on whether those meetings will actually happen.

An ominous deadline threatened by anti-immigrant groups. It has thousands of migrants fleeing South Africa in fear. We'll have a live report from Johannesburg in a few moments.

And an incentive for future Olympians, how a fund established by the IOC could offer thousands of dollars to athletes.

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

SANDOVAL: 3 a.m. here in New York, it is 10 a.m. in Doha, where President Donald Trump says the talks between the U.S. and Iran are set to take place today. Iran, though, is denying that there are actually any negotiations scheduled.

Earlier U.S. officials said that Special Envoy Steve Witkoff was headed to Doha. It's unclear if he's traveling together with the President's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, who has been a part of these negotiations. And all of this is taking place after an escalation of tensions over the weekend near the Strait of Hormuz, as the U.S. and Iran once again exchange strikes.

On social media, President Trump wrote that Iran had requested a meeting. And in the Oval Office, President Trump said this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: A meeting in Doha is going to be perhaps important, perhaps not. We're going to find out.

But we're winning militarily. It's almost won militarily, I would say. And it's really very simple.

It's the denuclearization of Iran. We don't want them to have a nuclear weapon, and they're not going to have a nuclear weapon. They've agreed to that, in all fairness.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANDOVAL: CNN's Paula Hancocks is following developments from Abu Dhabi. Paula, you just heard the President there essentially lowering expectations. Is there new insight on what we could expect?

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Polo, at this point, we don't even know whether we are expecting talks. We're hearing something very different from the United States and from Iran, and it's certainly not the first time.

As we hear President Trump say that Iran has asked for these talks in Doha this Tuesday, and we hear from U.S. officials that Steve Witkoff is on his way, or at least was last night. We're hearing from the foreign ministry in Tehran that no negotiations at any level have been organized, have been planned for Doha.

They have said, and this is through the foreign ministry spokesman, that they are focusing more on implementing the provisions of the Memorandum of Understanding rather than jumping ahead to negotiations on the final agreement. They have said that it is stated very clearly in the MOU that there are certain provisions that have to be started.

For example, he mentioned that Iranian frozen funds have to start to be unfrozen, that the sanctions have to start to be lifted on oil exports, and also that hostilities on all fronts, including Lebanon, have to be halted. And then after that, they will begin the discussions on the final agreement.

So it appears as though Iran is in a very different place to where the United States is at this point. We did hear from the president, Masoud Pezeshkian, I'll read you part of his social media post.

Quote, "Neutral understanding is a two-way street. If the American side adheres to the agreement, we will also fulfill our commitments. Our approach to unreasonable saber-rattling and baseless threats is to rely on rationality and human dignity in decision-making, defend decisively and fearlessly when it comes time to act."

Now, what we have heard as well is from the Strait of Hormuz point of view, obviously this is one of the major sticking points and has been over the weekend when we saw that serious escalation in violence between the U.S. and Iran.

We heard from France, the leader there, Emmanuel Macron, saying that he has discussed with the leader of Oman and they will work together to try and demine the Strait of Hormuz to try and facilitate the transiting of vessels through that waterway.

[03:05:04] That has been rejected by Iran as well, according to state media, saying that according to the memorandum of understanding, they are the only ones that should be doing this demining. When it comes to the amount of vessels, though, that are getting through that waterway, about two dozen on Monday compared to more than 100, 110 on a regular day.

So there is still some traffic getting through. Polo.

SANDOVAL: That was CNN's Paula Hancocks with that live update. Thank you, Paula.

As in South America now, aftershocks in Venezuela, they are keeping residents on edge. It's nearly a week after deadly earthquakes rocked that country. Officials are saying that more than 600 aftershocks have hit since last Wednesday, and that number is climbing alongside the death toll, which is now topping 1700 people.

The government has created a new commission to assess the nation's infrastructure and any homes damaged by the quakes. Their goal is to determine whether it's safe for people to return.

Families in Venezuela, they are anxiously waiting, not just there, but also here in the United States. They're desperate for any information on what happened to nearly 150 people deported from the United States. You see, that group, including seven children, arrived in Venezuela the day the earthquake struck, and their hotel in La Guira, it collapsed in the disaster.

Their families are now demanding more information.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOSE GREGORIO DINCON AVILA, GRANDFATHER OF MISSING DEPORTEE (through translator): Please, those of you who are here, help us. We have been waiting many days. We already know those bodies have been there for several days since Wednesday, but at least let us take our loved ones home.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANDOVAL: Those families waiting helplessly nearby. CNN's Isa Soares speaks of coverage from Caracas.

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ISA SOARES, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT: So this is roughly the plan of this eight-story building here in Caracas. They've broken it down into floors to get a sense of who lived in what floor.

It tells you how many people have died, 12 people, how many people have rescued, three so far, 20 approximately families, people still missing here from this eight-storey building in Caracas.

SOARES (voice-over): But over the last two days, no one has been found alive. Still, the rescue operations continue, and families wait for however long it takes.

MIRELLA HERRERA, RELATIVES MISSING AFTER EARTHQUAKE (translated): It's maddening because in the same way that I feel desperate, I walk, I stay hydrated. I wonder how must they be if they're still alive, they must be desperate to get out of there.

SOARES (voice-over): It has been an agonizing wait for Mirella Herrera, who has been here every day longing for signs of life, waiting for her son, her daughter-in-law, and her granddaughters, both in their 20s.

HERERRA (translated): I feel that my son is strong, and I feel that he's waiting for me, that he knows that I'm here waiting for him. For that reason, I don't want to give up.

SOARES (voice-over): There's also fury from those who say that Venezuela was not prepared for a tragedy of this magnitude. It's certainly the case at the main pediatric hospital in Caracas. Right now they're treating a 12-year-old girl for multiple and life- threatening injuries.

SOARES (translated): How do you feel, my love?

SOARES (voice-over): Her little body in excruciating pain as she was crushed by the weight of the collapsed floors.

DR. HUNIADES URBINA-MEDINA, INTENSIVE CARE PEDIATRICIAN: We could receive at least ten patients here in this area, but since at least ten years ago, we don't have enough personnel, we don't have enough medicines, we don't have enough mechanical ventilators, so we only can work with four patients here in this area.

SOARES (voice-over): More than 100 children have ended up here following last Wednesday's back-to-back earthquake, tells me Dr. Huniades Urbina Medina, who has been a pediatrician for 20 years.

SOARES: You're not prepared? Venezuela's hospitals are not prepared?

URBINA-MEDINA: I'm not prepared.

SOARES: Never been prepared?

URBINA-MEDINA: In any hospital, no hospital in Venezuela is prepared for the day-by-day, but with this catastrophe, it's worse because we don't have enough medicines, equipment, personnel.

SOARES (voice-over): The tragic consequence of years of crisis and mismanagement, now coming to the fore.

Isa Soares, CNN, Caracas, Venezuela.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANDOVAL: Joining me now is Niurka Melendez. She's the co-founder of Venezuelan and Immigrants Aid, which is a non-profit offering support to Venezuelans here in New York. We should mention Niurka was forced to leave Venezuela in 2015 and seek an asylum here in the U.S. Niurka, thank you so much for taking the time to join us.

NIURKA MELENDEZ, CO-FOUNDER, VENEZUELANS AND IMMIGRANTS AID: Thank you for having me.

SANDOVAL: Niurka, you've shared that your immediate family back in Venezuela, thankfully, is okay. They survived the series of earthquakes, but you and your husband are currently waiting for word on some of his cousins, still missing. I imagine still holding on to hope.

[03:10:07]

I'm curious, how do you hold on to hope? How do you keep it alive when you're 2000 miles away?

MELENDEZ: That is a good question that I believe, thanks to my psychotherapist, they have been helping me a lot to just, you know, overcome all this challenge.

But I think the frustration and the anger is the harder part in my case, because as you mentioned, it's, I mean, 2000 times from my view, from my own personal experience, when you see everything from the distance, like from a window, and it's really hard, because you feel like your hands are really tight, and anything that you do is always, it isn't enough, at least from my experience.

SANDOVAL: It's been just over five days now about, are you hearing any concerns from people on the ground about some parts of the devastation, Niurka, that are yet to be explored by search and rescue crews?

MELENDEZ: Yes, there are many concerns, and I believe the one that is raising right now the most between the conversations with my family is basically that block that we are seeing from the regime, and it's not just regarding the international aid that is trying just to help, but also regular citizens, like you and me, all the bureaucratic process that they are putting in place, me, my willing just to help, I mean, to whatever, help, and I have to do lines to get an I.D. to be able to go down and search for my own family.

I mean, this is huge, and we knew that they were criminals, but now it's just like, oh my, what else do they need to prove to the world, because we already knew that, that they are just people that need to be, I mean, behind you, they are just criminals, it's unbelievable what we are facing.

And thank God, I mean, don't take me wrong, but the world is seeing this, the world is just seeing what the people on the ground, nothing related to politicians talking to other politicians, it's just people talking to other people and arguing with them and asking them, demanding them, would you mind allowing me to help, so that is just awful, it's just so disappointing, it's unbelievable.

SANDOVAL: And Niurka, we should mention on that last point that you just mentioned a little while ago, we did hear from a senior U.S. official over the weekend that said that any restricted access to some of the hardest hit areas was likely due to coordination issues. But in your view, based on what I'm hearing you say, it seems that it's more than that, I mean, you believe that the Venezuelan government is just outright mishandling this response.

MELENDEZ: Of course, they are talking about coordination, they don't coordinate anything, I mean, they appear, in the case of my family, the one that the whole family is searching for, they appear on Friday afternoon, and they are missing since Wednesday afternoon, so nobody coordinates anybody, I mean, neighbors helping neighbors, people helping people, and then, of course, because of the international pressure, and then having people from, I mean, rescue teams from El Salvador, Colombia, Mexico, and the U.S., of course they have to appear there to pretend that they were helping us from the beginning.

That is totally false, and it's not me, because, you know, Niurka, of course, Niurka is an opposition person, and she's seeking international protection in the U.S., nothing related to that, you can just watch the videos, and they blocked Twitter, by the way, today, in the afternoon, again, they're saying that they did in July 2024, so, you know, that is the excuse to hide their incompetence.

And even if I can talk about that, they are more able to see us suffering, so, yes, that is a false narrative from the regime, that we have, I mean, we knew about that, and now the international community can prove that, there is no coordination at all, they are not in the ground with us.

SANDOVAL: Well, we do continue to think about all of the Venezuelan people right now, as they struggle through this, and certainly, our thoughts are with you, and your husband, and some of his extended relatives, as you wait for answers. Niurka Melendez, thank you so much for helping us tell this story.

MELENDEZ: Thank you, Polo, for giving me the opportunity to speak to your public, thank you so much.

SANDOVAL: And Venezuelan opposition leader, Maria Corina Machado, who is currently living in exile in Panama, she is vowing to do whatever it takes to return home, to help Venezuela recover.

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(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARIA CORINA MACHADO, VENEZUELAN OPPOSITION LEADER AND FORMER DEPUTY OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF VENEZUELA (through translator): I want to return to Venezuela, to stand with you in these heartbreaking hours. I want my hands to join yours in the search, in comfort, and in embrace. On June, my return to Venezuela became unavoidable. In order to face this catastrophe together, as a united family does, when some of its members are suffering, the regime seeks to block my return to Venezuela, and that of thousands of compatriots who want to go and help.

(END VIDEO CLIP) SANDOVAL: Machado had been living in hiding in Venezuela after claiming victory in the country's disputed 2024 election, but she secretly fled her country this past December so that she could receive her Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo. She has not given details about how she plans to return to Venezuela.

Russian aerial barrages are raining down terror across cities in eastern Ukraine. Officials are now saying that a 23-year-old woman was killed, and at least 12 other people were injured in a guided bomb attack in Kharkiv on Monday.

The munitions struck a roadway, damaging more than a dozen cars, as well as a tram. Listen to how one witness describes the aftermath.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANATOLII KORIAKYN, MUNICIPAL SERVICE DRIVER (through translator): When it hit, everyone immediately, everything was covered in dust, nothing was visible. And then I got out, I smashed the window because the doors wouldn't open.

I climbed through the window and started running. And then later I came back and saw that a girl was dead and another one was lying nearby.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANDOVAL: And Ukraine's intensified campaign against Russian infrastructure, it has triggered a fuel crisis in Moscow. You see some of these lines of cars that have been queuing up around gas stations. On Sunday, Russian President Vladimir Putin acknowledged that Ukrainian drone strikes had sparked a fuel shortage, but he added that the Kremlin was dealing with it.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is arguing that propaganda can't blind Russians to the consequences of war.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): Putin can say on television as much as he wants that everything is under control, that there is plenty of fuel, and that Russian ministers are competent. But Russians standing in fuel lines across various regions of Russia can clearly see that their so-called three-day war has now entered its fifth year.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANDOVAL: Ahead, why thousands of migrant workers in South Africa are worried about xenophobic violence. What they're saying about the apparent deadline today.

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SANDOVAL: France is warning that its death toll is likely to rise as more details are learned about those affected by a record-breaking heat wave.

France's public health agency is now estimating that more than a thousand additional deaths were likely linked to the scorching temperatures from Wednesday through Friday last week. Most of them were among people that were 65 and older, particularly in areas under red alert heat warnings.

France recorded its hottest temperatures ever on back-to-back days last week. But cooler weather has now moved into Western Europe as that hotter weather continues moving to the east.

And six people are dead after a mass shooting at a youth facility in northern Germany. Police there are arresting a 45-year-old man, and they believe that this may have started as a dispute over custody of his daughter.

CNN's Sebastian Shukla following the investigation.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SEBASTIAN SHUKLA, CNN PRODUCER: At least six people have been killed and multiple others injured after shots were fired at a local youth welfare facility in the Lower Saxony city of Stade, about 50 kilometers west of Hamburg.

Five people were killed at the scene and another has unfortunately died of their injuries in hospital. Pictures from Stade show a pretty major police operation unfolding in what appears to be a fairly residential part of this city. Police were very quick to announce that they no longer pose a threat to the local population.

The authorities spoke on Monday evening providing an update on the situation and the location of where this attack took place and more details about the perpetrators.

DANIELA BEHRENS, LOWER SAXONY INTERIOR MINISTER (translated): According to the information available so far, this was a crime committed for family reasons - an act of violence carried out in an extremely cold-blooded manner, with no political or economic motives.

KATHRIN SCHUOL, LUENEBURG POLICE CHIEF (translated): Regarding the suspect, I can confirm that he is a 45-year-old man born in Germany and resident in the Hanover area. He is of Turkish origin. The police have records on him, including in relation to threats.

However, he has not previously been regarded as a particularly violent individual within our police system.

SHUKLA: Gun crime is incredibly low in Germany, where the ownership of weapons is very tightly controlled through the granting of various permits and different types of assessments, but Germany is no stranger to attacks. Whilst there are relatively few gun crime attacks, other forms of killings have been known to take place. In the last few years, there have been sporadic knife and car ramming attacks.

Sebastian Shukla, CNN, Berlin.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANDOVAL: Well, the ominous deadline set by anti-immigration groups in South Africa is here. It's Tuesday morning there.

Thousands of migrants have been fearing for their lives, with many trying to flee the country. Some say that they were told to get out by June 30th or, quote, "leave in a coffin."

[03:25:02]

Well, this so-called deadline follows a months-long series of protests, threats, and attacks targeting South Africa's migrant population, and some of those attacks have been fatal. Government officials are saying that security forces are on high alert at this hour ahead of planned anti-immigrant marches today.

CNN's Larry Madowo is covering this live from Johannesburg, South Africa. So, now that it's Tuesday morning there, you're speaking to migrants, Larry. Have the fears been somewhat amplified?

LARRY MADOWO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Polo, the South African government said today was supposed to be a normal working day, but that's not what you see here.

The entire street is empty. We're in downtown Johannesburg. This is usually a hive of activity, quite busy.

It's taxis, it's business, it's everything closed today. I've never seen it like this, and I've lived in this city. And that's the message that these anti-migrant groups have achieved.

Even if they don't show up to protest today, they have already put the government on notice that they're unhappy about the illegal migration problem in South Africa, and that it has to change. Even the South African government admits that their immigration system is broken.

Border management authorities, the home affairs, some people buy South African identity documents. Because of corruption, it has kind of made their system worse.

On the other hand, the other truth that they also have to sit with is that this enforcement by these anti-migrant groups has sometimes turned into vigilantism, that even documented migrants, many from other parts of Africa, have feared for their lives, and that's why you see these deserted streets in Johannesburg. We're expecting marches across Johannesburg, across the country, as they are making that massive statement that the South African government has to do more to enforce their migration laws.

And so far, it's still early. They're only beginning to gather here in Johannesburg and other parts of the country. But that message is a strong one, that they will not stand by unless the South African government allows an influx, that's the word they use, an invasion from other parts of the continent, straining resources here in South Africa.

And I think that they have succeeded in... They're not a government body, they're not any kind of legal standing, but they have, after weeks of anti-migrant sentiment, essentially shut down the country.

SANDOVAL: CNN's Larry Madowo walking us through the streets of Johannesburg, where you see behind him storefronts are shuttered at this hour. Larry, thank you so much for that. We'll check back.

Many Haitians living in the U.S. are now looking for other legal immigration pathways after the Supreme Court ruled last week that the Trump administration could remove their temporary protective status. Springfield, Ohio, is home to at least 10,000 Haitians, according to state authorities.

CNN's Omar Jimenez spoke with some affected migrants there about how they are fearful about their future.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I've been here multiple times over the past two years, and each time during a period of fear or uncertainty for the Haitian population here.

And we're getting ready to meet with a man I first met a little bit more than a year ago. He's had a steady job throughout all of this, but is now among the many trying to figure out what he's going to do next.

Daniel, how's it going? Yes, you doing okay?

DANIEL AULA, HAITIAN IMMIGRANT LIVING IN SPRINGVILLE, OHIO: Not too bad.

JIMENEZ (voice-over): Daniel Aula came to the U.S. from Haiti in 2022, running from what he says was a serious threat on his life. He had to leave behind his wife and daughter.

AULA: To put a life, to save a life, to stay alive, to take care of my family.

JIMENEZ (voice-over): Since he's been in Springfield, he's worked steadily at a local metal works manufacturer, building a life he fears he could soon lose.

JIMENEZ: Are you scared right now?

AULA: I'm afraid they take me and go back in Haiti with me by force.

JIMENEZ (voice-over): He's not alone either.

Viles Dorsainvil is the executive director of the local Haitian Support Center.

JIMENEZ: We've just been trying to talk to him for a few minutes, and he's getting calls.

JIMENEZ (voice-over): He's helping manage the immigration paperwork for their attorneys.

JIMENEZ: What are you telling people who are calling in?

VILES DORSAINVIL, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, HAITIAN COMMUNITY HELP AND SUPPORT CENTER: We tell them that if they have children, choose a trustworthy person and give that person our attorney in case something happens to them.

JIMENEZ: A lot of the Haitian population here came pretty suddenly over the last five years through a combination of immigration programs, but among them, temporary protected status, along with just word of mouth from other U.S. communities. But as you might imagine, not everyone is happy about their presence here.

JIMENEZ (voice-over): But economically, the city and Republican Governor Mike DeWine have pointed to the influx as one of the reasons the area has seen an economic revitalization. Since the Supreme Court decision, Dorsainvil says some people have been calling in to the community centers, taking a victory lap.

JIMENEZ: Are you nervous at all about what comes next here in Springfield?

DORSAINVIL: Basically, yes, because there is so much at stake.

JIMENEZ: So people are calling the community centers, saying it's time for you--

DORSAINVIL: -- to leave. And they are not saying that in that beautiful words that we are using now.

[03:30:07]

So they are using in words to tell us to leave.

JIMENEZ: Are you afraid if you're sent back that you would be killed?

AULA: Very afraid. If we will be safe, it will be a good pleasure to go back on my car.

JIMENEZ: Yes. But right now, let's just not.

AULA: No. Right now, no.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANDOVAL: Our thanks to Omar Jimenez for that report from Ohio.

Still ahead, Olympians could start walking away with more than just medals, but maybe even some cash. Just ahead, we'll tell you about a new fund that's providing five-figure grants to athletes competing in the Summer and Winter Games.

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[03:35:00]

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SANDOVAL: And welcome back. I'm Polo Sandoval in New York, and these are today's top stories.

Well the U.S. and Iran, they are issuing conflicting statements about potential new talks. U.S. officials are saying that Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, this man, is heading to Doha after President Trump said that the U.S. would be meeting with Iran in Qatar today. But Iran says that no negotiations are scheduled with the U.S. in the coming days.

Six people are dead after a gunman opened fire at a youth facility in Germany. Police have arrested now a 45-year-old man and it is believed that there was a dispute over custody of his daughter who was present at the time of that deadly shooting and so was her mother, we're told. The suspect and the driver of a getaway vehicle were both arrested. The shooting victims were adult staff members.

The U.S. Supreme Court will hand down a pivotal opinion on Tuesday regarding President Trump's efforts to end birthright citizenship. Their decision is set to impact hundreds of thousands of children born in the United States to parents who are not U.S. citizens. The justices are widely expected to rule against the president on this issue.

Well the pilot of a JetBlue flight says that it collided with a drone while approaching JFK International Airport. The Airbus A320 was arriving from Las Vegas when the pilot reported the collision after landing the plane. JetBlue officials say that the plane was removed from service for a post-flight inspection and that no damage on the aircraft was found.

Here's CNN's Pete Muntean with more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PETE MUNTEAN, CNN AVIATION CORRESPONDENT: Right now this is still a bit of a mystery as JetBlue says it found no damage to the plane and the FAA is just starting out on its investigation. But if this is a confirmed actual collision with a drone, it could be one of the first ever with a U.S. commercial airliner.

This occurred as JetBlue flight 948 from Las Vegas was descending to land into JFK International Airport Monday 7 a.m. local time. One of the pilots reported hitting a drone at about 3000 feet, about 10 miles from a waypoint, on the final approach into JFK's runway 13L that would put this collision somewhere over Seabright or Sandy Hook, New Jersey, which jets out into lower New York Bay.

I want you to listen now to how one of the JetBlue pilots reported this to the tower at JFK.

JETBLUE PILOT: We are clear to land, 13L. Just quickly, I couldn't talk to approach, but we collided with a drone back there in the turn. As we're coming to assault, I just wanted to pass that to you.

JFK TOWER: You said you collided?

JETBLUE PILOT: Yep, it hit us right above the cockpit.

MUNTEAN: This comes only days after two commercial flights descending into nearby Newark Liberty International Airport reported seeing a drone. That happened on Friday evening.

First, the pilot of a United flight reported seeing a drone. That was corroborated by a report from the pilot of a regional jet next in line to land. It's important to note that officials have been very concerned about drones flying illegally near World Cup stadiums and MetLife stadium is not far from where these sightings occurred.

The TSA says federal authorities have seized more than 300 unauthorized drones during the World Cup for flying in areas where flights are banned for security reasons. Last Thursday, in Kansas City alone, the TSA says eight drones and controllers were seized. Operators could face fines up to $100,000 or criminal charges because hitting a drone with an airplane can do some real damage.

Last January, a firefighting plane responding to the Los Angeles wildfires hit a drone which put a huge hole in the wing.

One word of caution, though, with this story. It's possible this was not a drone at all. There have been cases where reported drone collisions turned out to be a bird strike or something else like a mechanical problem.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANDOVAL: Our thanks to Pete Muntean in Washington for that report.

And that music can only mean one thing. It's time for the latest in the men's world knockouts.

They went down to the wire with two do-or-die penalty shootouts. And two European powerhouses, they pounced from the tournament.

Morocco overcoming the Netherlands, three goals to two after a riveting series of penalty kicks. An absolutely heart-wrenching result for the Dutch.

And earlier, Paraguay versus Germany also going down to PKs. Paraguay eliminating the four-time champs, 4-3. The heavily favored Germans thought they had scored the winning goal in extra time, but then it was overturned after a review.

[03:40:02]

And Brazil surviving a surprisingly close match against Japan, coming from behind to narrowly win 2-1. This one was surprising. The Samurai Blue holding the lead at the half, but the Brazilians answering with an equalizer before scoring again deep into the stoppage time. The action resuming later today. Former champion France and co-host

Mexico, they are among the six teams that will be battling for a spot in the round of 16. It's going to be a big day.

And still to come in the next few minutes, a new report now finding the kids' safety features on social media platforms. They may not be working like they say they do. We'll tell you more.

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[03:45:00]

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SANDOVAL: We have to speed on the markets. Here are the rest of your business headlines.

Comcast has announced that it will be splitting off NBC Universal and Sky into a new publicly traded company. That news helped boost shares of Comcast on Monday. The move will require regulatory approval, Comcast says that it expects to complete the spinoff in about a year.

Google's parent company, Alphabet, it is now part of the Dow 30 shares rising nearly 4 percent on Monday. In response, the company replaced Verizon in the index. Alphabet shares are up about 11 percent this year, one of the best performances out of the top tech companies in the United States.

And a new study says that more than half of the social media safety features do not protect children as advertised. The Cyber Safety Research Center tested more than 80 features on sites like TikTok, Instagram, Snap and YouTube, and only about 40 percent were tamper- proof. The firms in the report are disputing these findings.

CNN tech reporter Clare Duffy has more on what researchers found while testing social media restrictions for kids.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CLARE DUFFY, CNN TECH REPORTER: We've heard these social media companies talk a lot about the investments that they've made in features designed to keep kids safe on their platforms.

So what researchers at the Cyber Safety Research Center wanted to understand is how well are those features actually working. They created a number of kid and teen test accounts to evaluate these features, looking at things like content restrictions, time limits, efforts to mitigate bullying.

They also created adult test accounts to see if they could bypass restrictions on messaging kids who don't follow them. And ultimately what they found is that 60 percent of those features were either broken and not working as advertised, or buried and potentially would be hard for kids to find in the settings.

The number of features available to test varied by platform, but researchers said that on Snapchat, 73 percent of the platform's features failed; on Instagram, 66 percent failed; YouTube, 55 percent failed; and TikTok, 50 percent failed. And just to give you an example of the kinds of issues that we're talking about here, the platforms, many of them say that they have restrictions on searching for harmful content for kids and teens.

But researchers found that on TikTok, when they typed in through a child account, searches for self-harm or eating disorders, the platform then started auto-suggesting search terms like how to pretend to eat your food. On Instagram, if a child account started to type in eating disorder to the search field, they got automatic recommendations for alternate search terms with misspellings that could bypass those content restrictions. And on Snapchat, they said misspellings also worked to bypass those restrictions.

Now, the platforms largely disputed the findings in this report, saying either that the tests didn't represent how a typical young person would use their platform, or that the features are indeed working as intended. We should also say that researchers didn't look at parental control features. They only looked at features that were on by default for kids or that kids themselves could turn on.

The platforms say that parental controls can add an extra layer of safety. But I do think this is important for parents to understand as they think about what platforms their kids are using and also how to monitor those accounts. Back to you.

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SANDOVAL: Olympic athletes, they can now apply to get paid after competing in the Summer or Winter Games. The International Olympic Committee has announced that a new $100 million fund is expected to provide $10,000 grants to eligible athletes, they will have to meet certain criteria, including testing negative for doping. And the fund will first be open to those who competed at the Milan-Cortina Winter Games earlier this year.

I want to go now to Pau Gasol. He is a five-time Olympian for the Spanish men's basketball team, but also a former NBA star and now chairs the IOC Athletes Commission. He's joining me from Barcelona. Pau, thank you so much for taking the time to join us.

PAU GASOL, CHAIRMAN, IOC ATHLETES COMMISSION, FIVE-TIME OLYMPIAN, SPANISH MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM, AND FORMER NBA STAR: My pleasure. Thank you for having me.

SANDOVAL: So tell us a little bit about what the IOC's goal is in terms of offering payment to Olympians, those who apply and are accepted. You've previously emphasized that this shouldn't be seen as prize money.

GASOL: No, that's correct. And we don't like the word payment either. It's more a recognition of their value through a grant, which they'll have to apply. And they'll be entitled to that grant, which will be $10,000 after each Olympic edition, starting in Milan-Cortina in 2026, as you well said.

[03:50:09]

And they'll have to apply through our website of Athlete365, which is kind of the home for all Olympic athletes and also entourage members, officials, and Olympic family. And they'll be able to access all the other programs that we offer there.

But, yes, we're extremely excited. This is something historical in our movement. And it will affect every Olympian, not just the winners, not just the more privileged ones, but every Olympian that participates and qualifies for the Olympic Games.

SANDOVAL: Pau, you mentioned what would possibly make them ineligible a little while ago. What would make an Olympian eligible?

GASOL: Yes, they have to have what they call the accreditation, the A.A. accreditation. You know, they'll have to abide by the Olympic principles of conduct as well and the Olympic Charter.

And then, as you mentioned well, they would also abide by the, you know, doping rules and not have to be tested positive. That's why there's a period of time after the Olympics, which is about six months, to be able to conduct all those processes and make sure that the athlete qualifies and they can apply for the grant.

SANDOVAL: How would you respond to perhaps some critics who might argue that some Olympic athletes who are also paid some of the lucrative deals from professional leagues and sponsorships, perhaps professional soccer or basketball players, would be offered the same amounts as those athletes who may perhaps struggle to pay for their training costs?

GASOL: Right. Well, we try to respect and be very mindful of the universality principle of the Olympic movement and the solidarity principle, which is to, you know, offer the same conditions to all athletes that participate in the Olympic Games.

We understand that there are some athletes playing professional sports that this grant might not benefit them in a great way or they might not even apply for the grant. That's why, you know, the ones that decide not to apply and hopefully we'll also engage them and give them options to be able to utilize that grant for good causes or for good purposes within the Olympic movement. But ultimately, if they decide not to apply, that money will stay in the fund and will benefit future Olympic athletes.

So, again, I think there's a lot of great opportunity here that we can create around this huge announcement. This is something that has been in the works for years, you know, by athlete commissions, listening to the athlete community and they've been speaking loud and clear about needing more support during their careers, professional careers or sporting careers, and after too, transitioning into the post-career. SANDOVAL: Yes, I mean, these are the best athletes in the world. Any recognition certainly goes a long way, you know, whether you're a professional athlete or this is something that they've been training for, you know, in their own time.

And finally, I'm curious too, Pau, if perhaps the IOC sees more future opportunities down the road, future initiatives for more recognition that could offer, you know, some financial assistance to those athletes, especially those who are coming from countries that may not be able to provide that kind of financial support to facilitate training.

GASOL: Yes, we're going to continue to look for more ways to add value and provide value to our community and to athletes, you know, in as many ways as we can. So, this has been just a great accomplishment that we were able to announce again and we're super proud and excited, but also what it can unlock, you know, unlock value, unlock opportunities and find just better ways to set our athlete community for success for life, not just for their Olympic journey, which is obviously important and very meaningful, but what they can do and what they can contribute after their sporting careers as well to society and communities.

SANDOVAL: Pau Gasol, thank you so much for coming on. I appreciate your time.

GASOL: I appreciate you. Thank you.

SANDOVAL: And we're back with more after this.

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[03:55:00]

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SANDOVAL: Let's close this hour with Catherine, the Princess of Wales. She's celebrating her remission from cancer while also raising some funds for charity.

You see, over the weekend, the princess took part in Britain's Three Peaks Challenge. It involves summiting the three highest mountains in England, Scotland and Wales, all in 24 hours.

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CATHERINE,PRINCESS OF WALES: Lots of people have asked me why I'm doing this challenge and partly it's personal. I'm so grateful to be here, to be strong enough to walk these hills, but more importantly, it's to give something back and acknowledge really all the incredible work going on up and down this country.

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SANDOVAL: Catherine added that she did it to support the hospital where she underwent cancer treatment just two years ago. So congratulations to her.

Thank you so much for watching. I'm Polo Sandoval, in New York. I'll be right back with you in a few moments with more of your headlines here on "CNN Newsroom."

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