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Major Russian Attack Hit Ukrainian Capital Overnight; Team USA Advances to World Cup's Round of 16, Belgium Kicks Out Senegal in Extra Time; Russian Couple Arrested After Trespassing the Top of Empire State Building. Aired 3-4a ET

Aired July 02, 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]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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

Right now Ukrainian rescue crews are searching through rubble. They're looking for survivors after a Russian attack overnight. A live report with what we know about the deadly barrage of strikes.

And dramatic rescues in Venezuela. More than a week after twin earthquakes rocked the country. I'll tell you about one of the latest operations that's underway at this hour through the night.

Plus, the U.S. men's national soccer team blazing through the first knockout round of the World Cup. We'll have a play-by-play of all the action and also a look ahead at the matches in the coming hours.

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

SANDOVAL: We do want to begin with a grim task for emergency crews in Kyiv. Just hours after a new salvo of Russian strikes hit the city.

Officials are saying that at least 13 people were killed and that more than 85 others were injured. And the damage, it has been reported at more than 30 locations across Ukraine's capital city. Right now it's mid-morning there and rescue crews are out in full force.

Officials say that a number of residential buildings took direct hits. Right now, emergency crews there, they're going through the rubble trying to recover the remains of the victims.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, he had warned that there were indications that Russia was preparing for a massive strike. And it comes after a series of Ukrainian drone attacks deep inside Russia in recent weeks. So what's happening on the ground right now?

Let's go live to Kyiv, we're joined by Peter Zalmayev. He's the director of Eurasia Democracy Initiative. Thank you so much for joining us. PETER ZALMAYEV, DIRECTOR, EURASIA DEMOCRACY INITIATIVE: Sure.

SANDOVAL: Let's go straight to what you're seeing there in Kyiv right now. Just tell us about the mood there. Are there any concerns that this may have been just an initial wave?

ZALMAYEV: Well, indeed. The question is about these intervals, of course, between the strikes. It takes time for Russia to replenish the arsenal to hit the capital.

There's a question, of course, that they're accumulating it for the later days, starting the fall in order to try to plunge Ukraine into darkness.

(TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES)

SANDOVAL: All right, Peter. I'm not sure if you can hear me, but we did just lose your audio. Let's just hit pause for a moment while we try to get you back online, because we really want to hear what you have to say about the situation there on the ground.

Again, that's Peter Zalmayev. We're going to see if we can go right back to him here shortly for more on the developing situation right now in Kyiv.

Meanwhile, Qatar says that there's been some positive --

Actually, before we go there, let's go to South America and get you the latest out of Venezuela.

We're following some updates there where rescue crews are trying to save a man that's stuck beneath the rubble of a shopping mall parking lot. Our specialists from Portugal say that they've been in contact with the 44-year-old security guard. He's been trapped for more than a week now after those twin deadly quakes.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RESCUER (translated): I can see him here and here. Hernani, speak to me. Good Afternoon.

HERNAN (translated): Good afternoon.

RESCUER (translated): Can you move towards the light?

HERNAN (translated): I'm lying down but I can move that way.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANDOVAL: It is just a remarkable scene that's playing out right now. You can hear that voice still sounding resilient deep beneath all that pile of rubble. What they're using right now, first responders and rescue crews, they've established a line to at least establish contact and also be able to provide some sort of sustenance as he's been down there for eight days. So we are following a developing situation there again as crews try to

free this security guard that's trapped under debris in Venezuela. This operation is quite risky though, so again, we're going to keep trying to see what comes next as authorities establish contact with him.

International crews, they are helping to make many other rescues as well, but this does come as the death toll has now risen to almost 2300 people. About 2000 U.S. troops are also assisting local volunteers in the search for the missing there. And they say that they will fully focus on saving lives until they're told to leave.

[03:05:04]

And the search continues for a group of Venezuelans who had just arrived back in their country after being deported from the United States the day that the quakes hit. They were staying at a hotel in La Guaida, which collapsed in the disaster. Some did manage to escape, but others are still missing, and their family members are waiting nearby for any updates.

CNN contributor Stefano Pozzebon reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

STEFANO POZZEBON, CNN CONTRIBUTOR (voice-over): It's been a week since a double earthquake devastated Venezuela. But for Ninoska Gutierrez, the pain feels very fresh.

NINOSKA GUTIERREZ, SURVIVED EARTHQUAKES AFTER BEING DEPORTED BY U.S. (through translator): My legs were straight, but I had a beam on top of me, trapping me. I couldn't feel my legs.

POZZEBON (voice-over): She said she escaped miraculously with just minor injuries, scrapes and bruises, slipping from under the rubble, and walking for two miles before finding help.

But this latest tragedy, part of an endless list of blows. She fled Venezuela's economic crisis in 2018, and had been living in Minnesota as an undocumented immigrant since 2024.

GUTIERREZ (through translator): This year, two U.S. citizens died for defending us. The U.S. administration really made a mess with the migrants.

POZZEBON (voice-over): Scared by the unrest in Minneapolis, she moved to Miami, where after an incident with her daughter, she was arrested, charged with a misdemeanor, and transferred to ICE custody.

GUTIERREZ (through translator): I was held for seven days in the worst conditions you can imagine. They treat us like animals.

POZZEBON (voice-over): Deported on June 24, she and other 145 migrants landed in Caracas just hours before the tremors began.

GUTIERREZ (through translator): They took our handcuffs off. Thank God, because finally I was going to be free.

POZZEBON (voice-over): Gutierrez and the others were in this hotel when the walls began to shake, the floor crumbling under her feet.

POZZEBON: When you got out of there, what did you see?

GUTIERREZ (through translator): I couldn't believe it, I don't know if I was conscious or not. Everything was so fast. And I asked God, why did you allow this?

POZZEBON (voice-over): Venezuelan authorities are yet to say how many of the 146 deportees died in the earthquake. Many are still missing.

In a statement to CNN, ICE said that when an individual is no longer in ICE custody, the agency is no longer responsible for them.

At home, Gutierrez is somehow trying to rebuild her life. She reconnected with her daughter, Oriana, a daughter she had not seen in four years. And in signs that life goes on despite a tragedy, her niece has just given birth to a healthy baby.

Stefano Pozzebon, CNN, Barquisimeto, Venezuela.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANDOVAL: I want to go back to Peter Zalmayev, who is standing by live in Ukraine to bring us up to speed on the situation there. Peter, thank you so much for staying with us and working through some of the some of that tech trouble.

So, let's pick up where we left off and just bring us up to speed on the situation on the ground. What you remember, perhaps remember hearing and if any people are still sheltering in place after those overnight strikes.

ZALMAYEV: Well, the number of the fatalities is, of course growing. We're talking about 13 people. And I think what's very, once again, I think needs to be pointed out is that most of the, if not all of the targets are civilians.

Over 30 buildings targeted, some of them partly, some of them fully destroyed, and that is the main difference. When we're talking about Ukrainian strikes deep into Russian territory, Ukraine is targeting fuel supply roads and fuel supply logistics, et cetera, that directly feeds Putin's fighting machine in Ukraine, whereas Putin is simply indiscriminately, once again, bombing the capital of Ukraine.

He finds himself actually in a hard place. As the Russians are grumbling, the fuel crisis has gripped all of Russia. People are unhappy, and Putin needs to show them something, he has ruled out ending this war anytime soon.

So kind of, you know, a gesture of vengeance to try to placate his base.

SANDOVAL: So based on what you say there, Peter, so do you suspect clearly that this is likely some sort of revenge after he has been under some tremendous pressure to do something, after experiencing that, that what has really been this escalated campaign against targets in Moscow from Ukraine?

ZALMAYEV: Indeed. And, you know, many have taken to comparing what's happening between Russia and Ukraine now to the so-called war of cities between Iran and Iraq back in the 1980s. It is a retaliatory spiral.

[03:10:06]

And once again, Vladimir Putin has made a calculation that ending this war now, especially that Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine is essentially giving him ultimatums, a 40-day ultimatum to finish this war or else. Vladimir Putin is not going to negotiate under these conditions, of course. He needs to continue projecting strength.

And if the Crimean Peninsula becomes an island completely cut off from motherland Russia, from the rest of Russia, so be it. You know, I think Vladimir Putin is willing to stomach all sorts of destruction and misery in Russia as long as he continues to be seen as pursuing his goal of essentially bringing Ukraine to its knees.

SANDOVAL: And as you were speaking, we were seeing some of those images from Ukraine's state emergency service where they're pulling out people from the rubble, as you mentioned at the top, that death toll does continue to rise. So what do you think comes next when it comes to President Zelenskyy? How does he in turn respond to what is widely believed to be the targeting of these residential areas?

ZALMAYEV: Well, I think Ukraine's paramount task is to make Ukrainian cities livable. And, of course, it's a new normal for Ukrainians. They're hardened after four and a half years of this madness.

But still, Vladimir Putin, I think, is really banking on thousands and hundreds of thousands of Kyivans and residents of other cities leaving, making them economically unviable, and in fact increasing the refugee crisis in Europe, you know, inundating Europe with more of its refugees, straining their welfare systems. So it's like a multi- pronged strategy from Vladimir Putin. Ukraine needs to defend its cities from the air.

And that explains Sybiha, our Foreign Minister's appeal to the Europeans, to the Americans, help us with Patriot missiles, help us with air defenses. We need to defend the cities, otherwise this is going to be very hard. And Putin, once again, is hoping to try again this coming winter to completely cast Kyiv into cold and darkness.

SANDOVAL: Peter Zalmayev, thank you so much for sharing your perspective. You're joining us live from Kyiv where residents there, where civilians, once again, were sent back underground seeking shelter. Thank you.

Well, Qatar says that there's been positive progress after indirect talks between the U.S. and Iran in Doha. The Foreign Minister actually saying that mediators held separate meetings on Wednesday with delegations from the U.S. and Iran.

Now, Qatar says that the two sides, they agreed to continue discussions after progress on issues tied to the Memorandum of Understanding. U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance saying that the talks are, quote, "going well" and the discussions about the nuclear issue would start soon. And then there's this coming from U.S. President Donald Trump.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: The denuclearization of Iran is moving along well. They've had very good meetings and we'll see. We hit them very hard for three nights, as you know, but we're getting along very well.

So I call it the denuclearization. And it's all taking place. It's all going well.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANDOVAL: Well, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi is now warning of a, quote, "immediate powerful response to any Israeli attack" and also urged the U.S. to restrain its ally. He issued that threat after Israel's defense minister warned that Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei was, quote, "marked for death."

CNN's Eleni Giokos is following developments from Dubai. So Eleni, we just heard from the U.S.'s top executives initially and they keep mentioning this nuclear issue. But the question, are the Iranians up for discussing Iran's nuclear issue?

ELENI GIOKOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, and that's a really good question because you've got these technical talks that are currently underway in Doha. These are not direct talks with the United States and Iran, but rather with negotiation teams and then mediated by Qatari as well as Pakistani officials. And from what we understand, this is to lay the groundwork and the foundation for wider negotiations within the 60-day window to tackle things like the nuclear issue.

We also know that Steve Witkoff, the U.S. special envoy, as well as Jared Kushner met with Qatar's emir to lay this foundation and this groundwork. But the issues on the table with these technical talks have been around the Strait of Hormuz, where we saw an escalation over the weekend where vessels were struck with retaliatory strikes on land.

Things seem to be a little bit better over the last few days. But again, it just shows how vulnerable and fragile this entire process is going to be. And the flashpoint remains the Strait of Hormuz.

[03:15:02]

And then we also know the other big issue, which is included in the Memorandum of Understanding, is unfreezing Iran's assets, six billion of which currently is in Qatar. Qatari officials say that those assets will be transferred, and they

say this according to the advancement of negotiations. So again, very tentative.

But we know that these technical talks are very important in terms of the wider framework and the choreography around the wider talks within the 60-day window. I also just want to mention what's happening in the Strait of Hormuz.

And if we look at the traffic, still, you know, a third of what we see before the war, we know Oman put out, you know, sort of a piece of paper framework in terms of what freedom of navigation would look like in the straits. And they're talking about some kind of fee that will be included. They don't want to call it a toll.

But again, that is being floated, and Iran has constantly maintained that going back to what the Strait of Hormuz was pre-war is not going to be a reality. They're still trying to assert themselves in a very big way. They're trying to entrench the use of the Iranian northern route as opposed to the southern route, the Omani route.

And in fact, just yesterday, there was one vessel that ran aground. The Iranians say that's because they didn't opt for the Iranian route because of shallow waters. Now this vessel has run aground.

When I speak to some of the experts, they say that this is actually a sanctioned vessel that has Iranian links. Iranian state media completely maintains that this vessel should have used the Iranian route.

But again, it's just the wider picture here, Polo, around Iran trying to assert itself, still using the straits as a piece of leverage as we see these technical talks take shape in Doha. And then importantly, those are going to be put on hold for the funeral procession of the Ali Ayatollah Khamenei over the next few days, and then we'll be resuming later on.

SANDOVAL: All right, Eleni Giokos, thank you so much for updating us on all those fronts.

We are going to be switching gears after the break, head over to the World Cup, the U.S. team's leading scorer suspended for the next match. We'll be explaining why he got a red card against Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Plus hear from a mother in Miami who's currently desperate for any word on her son who was caught in the earthquakes in Venezuela. Stay with us, you're watching CNN.

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[03:20:00]

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SANDOVAL: For the U.S. men's soccer team, it is on to the next round at the World Cup. After a 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina, it was nearly halftime before the U.S. got their first goal, a controversial red card in the second half put them at a disadvantage, but midfielder Malik Tillman scoring a free kick in the 82nd minute to seal their victory.

England are advancing to the round of 16 after a 2-1 victory over the Democratic Republic of Congo. Harry Kane to the rescue, scoring twice in the second half, avoiding what would have been one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history.

And Belgium, they are moving ahead after a 3-2 win over Senegal. They managed to score three times late in the game, including a penalty kick in extra time.

And the U.S. will be facing Belgium in the next round of 16 on Monday in Seattle, Washington. CNN World Sport's Coy Wire reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

COY WIRE, CNN WORLD SPORT: Well, if sports are an emotional rollercoaster, this one skipped the brakes. American fans saw joy, then panic, relief, and now euphoria. Their World Cup dream is still very much alive, and it is full steam ahead.

Fans wearing stars and stripes were flying high hours before kickoff, and once again the U.S. team came out breathing fire. Breakout star Folarin Balogun lit the fuse early, burying the opener, and brought it out to LeBron James celebration. King James saw it and gave it his royal seal of approval on social media.

But then, plot twist, Balogun given a red card, so 30 nerve-wracking minutes of 10 Americans against 11. But Malik Tillman uncorked a laser 20 meters out after a yellow card that hit the back of the net like it had a boarding pass. Cue the bedlam.

The U.S. win 2-0. First World Cup knockout win since 2002, and only their second one ever. America is marching on to the round of 16.

I asked the soft-spoken Tillman how he felt after he scored that second goal.

MALIK TILLMAN, U.S. MEN'S NATIONAL TEAM: I'm a different type of person on the pitch. Of course, maybe you know it. You don't really see my emotions.

But if you score a goal like this, I think also you guys saw my emotions. It's a great feeling, and of course, a very proud moment for me.

CHRIS RICHARDS, U.S. MEN'S NATIONAL TEAM: I think it's a proud moment, and it's a moment that we can gain a lot of confidence from. We've kept two clean sheets in the last four games.

I think before then, we didn't quite have the best record when it came to clean sheets. Again, it gives us a lot of confidence going into the next round. WIRE: All right, next mountain to climb, Belgium in Seattle, and it

comes with a glass case of emotions. Their top goal scorer, Balogun, suspended after that red card.

For now, though, American fans are floating on cloud nine, maybe ten. Losing your top scorer could crack a team, or it could further forge one.

Championship runs are rarely smooth. They are forged in moments exactly like this, and the next moment for these fans should also be a good one.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANDOVAL: All right, thanks Coy Wire reporting from California.

And there are plenty of exciting matches in the day ahead. It's going to be the round of 32.

[03:25:00]

One of the tournament's top contenders, Spain, will be taking on Austria at L.A. Stadium; and then the two European titans of soccer, you see Portugal facing Croatia, that's happening in Toronto; and Switzerland, meeting the Desert Warriors of Algeria in Vancouver.

Still ahead here on "CNN Newsroom," Ukraine's capital taking a pounding as Russia unleashes a massive overnight assault. Ahead, the devastating aftermath after Kyiv was pummeled for 11 straight hours.

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[03:30:07]

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

Emergency crews are recovering victims' remains from the rubble of a collapsed building in Kyiv at this hour. A massive barrage of Russian drone and missile strikes killed at least 13 people and wounded more than 85. Officials say that at least four other regions across Ukraine were struck overnight.

U.S. Vice President J.D. Vann says that indirect talks between the U.S. and Iran and Doha are, quote, "going well." Qatar also reported, quote, positive progress after mediators held separate meetings on Wednesday with delegations from the U.S. and Iran separately. The two sides agreed to continue discussions.

And the death toll has risen to nearly 2300 in Venezuela after last week's earthquakes. They struck more than a week ago now, but crews, they are still pulling survivors from that rubble. Officials say nearly 13,000 people have been displaced and are now in need of health care and humanitarian aid.

And in a few moments, you'll hear from a member of one humanitarian group, and she'll discuss what it will be like eventually transitioning from rescue to the solemn task of recovery.

But meanwhile, communication blackouts in Venezuela and a lack of information, they are making the anxiety just so much worse for family members that are stuck thousands of miles away. CNN's Carolina Peguero spoke with a mother in Miami who's desperate to find her son who's likely caught in the earthquakes.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARIANA CAMPERO, MOTHER OF LEVY ALFREDO, MISSING IN VENEZUELA (through translator): You can't imagine what it's like not knowing. Because I'll be honest, if at least I knew something, it's been so many days.

Not here, not there, not anywhere. Forgive me, I can't speak.

CAROLINA PEGUERO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Clenching to her rosary, Mariana Campero says she will not lose hope or faith that her son Levi Alfredo Carrizo Campero and his wife, Valentina Maria Angulo, are found.

CAMPERO (through translator): He's alive there, in a hospital, anywhere. I'm not going to lose faith.

I have to be strong. He's my son, and there are miracles. I ask God to help me, to help all of us, all Venezuelans who are going through this.

We don't deserve it.

PEGUERO (voice-over): The young couple had moved to the state of La Guaira two years ago, looking to build a new life and start a family. They bought an apartment in the Coral Bella building, located right on the coast.

CAMPERO (through translator): He left for love, because she has a son. He was in La Guaira, she's from La Guaira, and he's from Valencia.

PEGUERO (voice-over): Today, a week after the tragedy, only rubble, concrete slabs, and twisted metal remain after the earthquakes on June 24 shook the nation.

CAMPERO (through translator): The last thing we knew is that they were at home. After that, I tried to contact him several times, but there was no response.

MARIANA BLANCO, FRIEND OF VALENTINA AND HER FAMILY, MISSING IN VENEZUELA (through translator): The last time I spoke with her was Saturday. And I'll tell you something, don't leave a message to answer later.

The next time I wrote was, friend, are you okay? Friend, are you okay? And I'm still waiting for her response.

PEGUERO (voice-over): Mariana Blanco, a friend of Valentina and the family, have only been able to communicate through this chat from Miami. She is calling on the Topos of Mexico to help find them. BLANCO (through translator): Because of the frequency of these

tragedies, you are the most trained. For the lives that are still there, please help us.

PEGUERO (voice-over): According to Mariana, neighbors and relatives of the nearly 20 families who lived in the Coral Vella building have not received the machinery and equipment or necessary assistance, something that makes the search efforts and signs of life even more difficult to trace.

BLANCO (through translator): We need shovels, cranes, gloves, masks, and we need those rescue teams.

PEGUERO (voice-over): While Levi Alfredo's mother, who is here in the U.S. seeking asylum, can't travel back home and is asking the American government to grant her a temporary permit so she can travel to her country and be there for her son.

CAMPERO (through translator): I need my son. How can I be here and not be able to go? I'm asking for help so I can see him and be with him.

Please let us go see him. I wish I could teleport myself. He's alone, I don't know what to do.

PEGUERO (voice-over): Carolina Peguero, CNN, Miami.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANDOVAL: Loyce Pace is the Regional Director for the Americas at the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Society as well as the former Director of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Global Affairs. Loyce, thank you so much for taking the time to update us.

LOYCE PACE, REGIONAL DIRECTOR FOR THE AMERICAS, INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF RED CROSS AND RED CRESCENT SOCIETIES: Thank you, Polo, for having me.

SANDOVAL: So you're there in Caracas, Loyce, I wonder if we can get started with an update on the IFRC's humanitarian mission there in Venezuela. We're just over a week now since that awful tragedy. What are the priorities?

PACE: Well, the priorities remain just taking care of the people who are affected. There are literally thousands who remain displaced.

[03:35:02]

Of course, the government and other organizations and institutions have set up shelters to serve those thousands. We're providing food, health, and other services alongside a number of organizations that have come to Caracas.

But, yes, the Red Cross is just really focused on ensuring we get to people where they are, not just in the hardest-hit areas, but in all of the areas over the days and weeks to come. SANDOVAL: We've heard almost on a daily basis from people there, especially the Venezuelan people, growing outrage with the government response. When it comes to groups from the outside that are coming in to step up to help, just how crucial is it to have that help from organizations such as yours and from other countries that have been flying in?

PACE: It's been really important and, I think, really a bomb to the community and to the government, frankly. We've been welcomed with open arms on all sides. I think it helps that the Red Cross is just such a well-recognized institution, including here in Venezuela.

There's, in fact, a law that really dictates how the Venezuelan Red Cross works alongside the government as an independent, neutral, impartial institution. That helps us really have the confidence of communities here, given our 131 years of existence and all of the volunteers that come from the communities themselves.

SANDOVAL: What are the challenges, though, Loyce, as you're out there working and trying to provide that relief?

PACE: Oh, goodness. Well, there have been some access challenges, although those seem to have improved a bit. The flow has improved.

I think, initially, there were just a lot of people literally in the streets, sleeping outside, also gathering in the streets, worried about their loved ones. They remain, but I think they've come to understand that we are here to help. I think, you know, as we move out of the search and rescue phase, I think that will be difficult for people to process.

We will start to recover bodies, remains. We want to do so in a safe and dignified manner for everyone. And so I just need to pause and recognize the emotions around that, including for frontline workers.

I was able to have conversations with some of those search and rescue teams today, recognizing that there are still people under the rubble who perhaps can't be saved because of the status of some of those structures, because of the time we have to save them before they fall victim to this tragedy. And so that's quite hard, too.

And then there are all the other issues that come up. It's not just about shelter, which is critically important. It's the fact that people perhaps have lost their jobs.

I mean, the airport -- the international airport remains closed, and a lot of people affected live close by, work at places like the airport, also a place that was affected is a major tourist area. Again, those hotels have gone away.

And so what are people doing to sustain themselves? That's another challenge I think we'll face in even the longer term.

SANDOVAL: Now, Loyce, I'm glad you mentioned, too, the emotional impact on these first responders and on these crews that have been out there already for days. It was just on Wednesday that we heard from the U.N.'s disaster assessment and coordination team that told CNN that rescues past seven days have been documented in other disasters, but the reality is that those would be considered, to use that official's word, miraculous. Of course, we're all holding out for a miracle.

If we could close perhaps with how people who are watching this around the world can help, if they wish to do so.

PACE: Well, thank you for asking that, Polo. We have been really proud to have launched an appeal, an emergency appeal for funding. Funding really does go a long way in these situations.

Of course, we have the people who are qualified to come in and do this work, and the Venezuela Red Cross, the other agencies and authorities involved are very clear about the goods and services they require. But we need the funding, and we're about 20 percent of the way there, maybe 30 percent of the way there, but in the long road ahead, agencies like Red Cross, Venezuela Red Cross, International Federation of Red Cross, really require those resources to do more for the people of Venezuela in the short and long term.

SANDOVAL: Yes, no country in the world is ever equipped to handle such a massive disaster, but there's no question that Venezuela certainly is at an extreme disadvantage given the crisis it was experiencing before these earthquakes. Loyce Pace, thank you, and all of the volunteers there for all the work that you're doing and for keeping us posted.

[03:40:09]

PACE: Of course, thank you, Polo.

SANDOVAL: As you heard, those search efforts, they do continue all throughout certain parts of Venezuela there, and aid groups, they are on the ground, they're providing assistance to those affected. If you scan that Q.R. code on the bottom portion of your screen, you can get more information about how you can help earthquake victims, or you can also go to cnn.com/impact.

Back now to our top story, a massive barrage of Russian strikes has killed at least 13 people and wounded dozens more across Ukraine. Ivan Watson is following developments from Hong Kong and joins me live.

Ivan, so what do we know about what led up to this? Our understanding was that Ukraine's president had intelligence that this was likely coming?

IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: That's right, and Volodymyr Zelenskyy had in fact warned residents of Kyiv to heed the air raid sirens and to treat this seriously.

So you actually had large numbers of residents who had taken to the subway stations that have served as air raid shelters for much of the last more than four years since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, that they had taken those precautions, and yet despite that, the ferocity of this bombardment has claimed lives. The emergency workers, as we speak, are still digging through the rubble of buildings, trying to search for victims.

According to the mayor of Kyiv, that's Vitali Klitschko, he says at least 13 people have been killed, more than 80 people wounded. Among those missing is a 15-year-old girl and her family.

The Russian defense ministry has claimed responsibility for this attack, they say that this was a, quote, "massive strike using high- precision, long-range weapons," including drones that not only targeted Kyiv, but also other regions of Ukraine, including Dnipropetrovsk, Poltava, Cherkasy, and Chernihiv, and that in Kyiv they were targeting things like factories that they claim were manufacturing parts for things like the Ukrainian Flamingo missiles, or storage facilities for drones, or industrial areas that were used to create parts for things like drones and missiles.

The Ukrainian government is saying there were residential buildings that suffered direct impacts and have contributed to the growing loss of life as a result of this deadly night. At least 11 hours the bombardment continued, that's according to eyewitnesses. So a deadly night in what has been an escalating long-range aerial war between Ukraine and Russia that has escalated in just recent weeks, really, Polo.

SANDOVAL: CNN's Ivan Watson with that live report. Thank you so much, Ivan.

The U.S. regulators say remove restrictions on the release of an advanced A.I. model. What that process is revealing about the rules governing this new technology.

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[03:45:00]

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SANDOVAL: And welcome back to "CNN Newsroom." Let's get to your business headlines now.

The Japanese yen, it has dropped to a 40-year low against the U.S. dollar, and that has investors watching to see if the Japanese government will intervene. The fall is fueled by a recent shift in expectations for U.S. interest rates, largely due to the U.S. war with Iran, as well as a rebound of the dollar.

The U.S. government will release the June unemployment report today. Experts are predicting around 100,000 jobs added, with unemployment holding steady at 4.3 percent. The transportation, leisure and hospitality sectors, they could get a boost from the World Cup.

New financial disclosures are showing that President Trump's two Florida resorts have seen record-breaking surges in revenue. He's used Mar-a-Lago and Trump National to host fundraising dinners, foreign dignitaries and also Republican galas. The President raked in more than $77 million from Mar-a-Lago alone, tripling what he earned in 2020. Tech company Anthropic, it says that it can now restore access to its

most advanced A.I. models. You see, in June, the U.S. government imposed an export ban over concerns about the program's vulnerabilities. But now, all that's changed.

CNN A.I. correspondent Hadas Gold with more.

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HADAS GOLD, CNN A.I. CORRESPONDENT: For more than two weeks, Anthropic's most advanced A.I. models were completely off the market after the U.S. government issued an export control ban on these new models because of what they said was a jailbreak or a way to get around the model's guardrails.

Now, Anthropic has what is largely considered one of the most advanced models, especially when it comes to cybersecurity abilities. It's called Mythos.

[03:50:03]

And a few weeks ago, Anthropic released a public version of Mythos called Fable for all to use. Because Mythos was so advanced, Anthropic said, that it was only released to a select group of partners. But Fable is a version that anybody can use.

But just a few days after Fable was released, the U.S. government got in touch with Anthropic and told them that some researchers, which CNN has learned were from Amazon, actually notified the government of a jailbreak or a way to get around some of those guardrails around Fable.

Now, while Anthropic disagreed with the severity of this jailbreak and they say that many public models out there can have the same vulnerabilities, the U.S. government issued an export control ban on Anthropic's latest model, saying no foreign national, even Anthropic's own employees, can touch these models. And so in order to comply, Anthropic pulled both of these models off the shelf, meaning that they were not available for anybody to use.

That led to a few frenzied weeks of constant talks between Anthropic and the White House over these security concerns. Last week we heard from the Commerce Department that Anthropic was allowed to release Mythos, its highest level, to a very small select group of partners once again. And then this week on Tuesday we got word that finally the U.S. government had worked with Anthropic to address their security concerns and Fable is now back on the market for all to be able to use.

But these last few weeks of really chaos for Anthropic, OpenAI also experienced something similar, where the U.S. government limited their latest model to a select group of approved partners that were approved by the government. It's only highlighted the sort of very chaotic regulatory environment these A.I. companies are working in. It's really a Wild West when it comes to what the government is doing and how they're regulating A.I. President Trump has signed an executive order that wants to have A.I. companies, but very clearly voluntarily gave the government time to review their latest models. But there's still not a very clear framework around what and how and what's the process for when the government has these security concerns and what they will do to potentially stop these A.I. models from coming out because of those security concerns.

And all of the A.I. companies and all the experts out there tell me that we are desperate for some sort of very clear regulatory framework or else the U.S. risks falling behind adversaries like China because we are still being all caught up in figuring out how exactly do we regulate this industry in a way that makes sure that the A.I. is safe, but also gets the best tech out there as soon as possible.

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SANDOVAL: Hadas, thank you.

And let's get you some news that's just into CNN from the Vatican.

The Vatican now saying that a breakaway group of traditionalist Catholics that ordained four bishops without the Pope's approval are in schism with the wider church and are now excommunicated. Thousands attended the ordinations in Switzerland on Wednesday performed by the Society of St. Pius X.

Now the group has rejected reforms made by the Catholic Church in recent decades. Earlier this week, Pope Leo had warned that the ordinations would be a schismatic act and a, quote, "sin of extreme gravity."

A proposal in New York now sets the bar high, very high, for anyone expecting to get engaged. Now police are looking into how this couple, known for extreme stunts, managed to pull off a visit to the top of the Empire State Building in the middle of the afternoon.

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SANDOVAL: America's 250th birthday celebration, it'll be taking place amid an intense heat wave. Nearly half of all Americans, some 150 million people, they are currently under heat alerts this week.

You see here many major cities on the East Coast will be seeing record-setting triple-digit highs and little relief for the July 4th holiday weekend. Some places are even setting up cooling centers, helping residents cope with the heat.

And on the West Coast, intense heat is fueling dangerous wildfires. The Aspen Acres Fire in southern Colorado, that started on Monday, and in just hours, more than 9300 hectares were actually burned there.

And in Utah, at least a dozen wildfires in recent days have burned more than 120,000 hectares across the state.

And some dramatic scenes unfolding here in New York City around lunchtime on Wednesday. Take a look at the very top of the Empire State Building. That's a couple that you see there, known for daredevil stunts, well, they scale the iconic landmark.

They reach the top of the spire, where they then unfold that banner. If you look closely, it reads, "When the power of love beats the love of power, the world knows peace." They'd been better off just tattooing that on them, not necessarily climbing over 400 meters for it.

They then climb down to a small platform, where the man identified as Ivan Kuznetsov got down on one knee, and then he put a ring on this finger. Posts on that Instagram account of Angela Nikolau, identified as the other climber, show the ring, and also some jaw-dropping video from 1454 feet up in the air, about 440 meters.

That stunt grabbing the attention of those on the ground below.

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UNKNOWN: Yes, what's all the hoopla going on over there?

UNKNOWN: Two geniuses climb to the top of the Empire State Building, the top of the spire.

UNKNOWN: Oh, that's awesome. It's a little hot for that, isn't it?

UNKNOWN: It's just the beginning of this week.

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SANDOVAL: I should have said that caught the attention of probably the most New Yorker of helicopter pilots. Police did take that newly engaged couple into custody without any further incident, and they charged them with multiple offenses.

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

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