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International Leaders to Pay Respects for the Slained Iranian Supreme Leader; Kyiv Observes Day of Mourning After a Relentless Attack by Russian Strikes; Venezuelan Man Miraculously Survives from the Rubble Eight Days into the Deadly Twin Quakes, Interim President Debunks Slow Response Accusations; Key European Teams March Through World Cup's Round of 16, Final Three Matches Play Today to Complete the Cast; Security Heightens in New York for the Reported Swift-Kelce Wedding. Aired 3-4a ET

Aired July 03, 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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BEN HUNTE, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, wherever you are in the world. You are now in the "CNN Newsroom" with me, Ben Hunte in Atlanta, and it is so good to have you with me. Coming up on the show.

Foreign dignitaries are gathering to pay their respects at the funeral of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed at the start of the U.S.- Iran war.

Ukraine says the death toll is rising after a massive Russian attack on Kyiv.

And a magical rescue in Venezuela. A man is pulled alive from the rubble eight days after the devastating twin earthquakes.

UNKNOWN (voice-over): Live from Atlanta, this is "CNN Newsroom" with Ben Hunte.

HUNTE: Welcome. Iran is preparing to bid the final goodbye to its slain supreme leader and send a blunt message to the U.S. in the process. Right now, the casket carrying Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's remains is at a mosque in Tehran, where foreign dignitaries have been paying their respects. You are seeing some live pictures there of that. Six days of funeral ceremonies begin on Saturday, with millions of mourners expected to attend.

Some of them are already on the streets, waving flags and holding pictures of the late leader. The events will overlap with celebrations for the 250th U.S. Independence Day, which appears to be part of Iran's message that it survived the war and stood up to the U.S.

CNN's Leila Ghargozlou is following developments from Abu Dhabi for us. It is good to see you.

In some of these pictures, we are seeing multiple coffins, including Khamenei and other family members. Can you just help us to put into perspective what we're seeing?

LEILA GHARAGOZLOU, CNN PRODUCER: Yes. So, in these images, we're seeing the body of former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in the coffin, while his remains, as well as those of his family members, the smallest coffin being that of his baby granddaughter, who was also killed alongside him in those strikes very early on in the war.

And foreign dignitaries, Iranian religious leaders, political figures and other key elements of the Iranian government are paying their respects ahead of the funeral procession that will begin tomorrow that will go across Tehran and then move on to other Iranian cities, as well as go to Iraq, before ending in Mashhad, Ali Khamenei's hometown, where he'll be laid to rest at the shrine of Imam Reza, who's a key Shiite figure.

Now, this is really a moment of symbolic unity, of strength that we're seeing, and that's going to be the messaging that we see throughout the next six days. The funeral organizers already released the image and emblem of this funeral, which is Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's raised fist with the words, we will rise, which is, again, just the message of this funeral, that they have risen from what was quite a brutal war for them, with constant bombardment, and have come out stronger than ever.

And that is what they're going to portray, not just to the Iranian people, but to the world at large. And the key dignitaries who are visiting are going to be a symbol of that unity that they have amongst their allies as well.

So, a lot of religious symbolism, a lot of political symbolism, a lot of it intertwined, which is a hallmark for the Islamic Republic, and has been over the last 47-plus years. The one thing that I think is really important that we pay attention to over the next six days is whether we see the new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, at his father's funeral. He hasn't been seen since he took over as supreme leader.

Everyone's going to be watching to see if we finally see him. If there was ever a time, this is going to be it. So that's going to be one of the key elements of this funeral, Ben.

HUNTE: And of course, this funeral is happening around the same time as the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence. What kind of message is Iran trying to send?

GHARAGOZLOU: This again is a message of strength. They faced the U.S., their foe for so many years, and to their view came out the victors, came out much stronger.

So, that is the message that they're trying to send by having it on the 4th of July. In Islamic and Shiite culture, we do not bury people four months later. We bury them almost immediately.

So, to have them wait for the funeral to be four months later and then pick the 4th of July is a very specific move and very key messaging.

[03:05:07]

And it's a trademark, again, of the Islamic Republic. We've seen them do this from their very genesis in 79 to now.

So, all the messaging is something that is a very thought out. It's all very symbolic and something to pay attention to over the next six days.

HUNTE: Okay. Laila Gharagozlu in Abu Dhabi, thanks so much.

In Gaza, the Hamas-run Health Ministry says more than 73,000 people have been killed after 1000 days of war. Of those, more than 21,000 were children.

An agreement that went into effect in October called for the war in Gaza to end immediately. But Israel has carried out strikes on a near- daily basis.

Hamas has refused to disarm, and an international police force intended to assume control over Gaza's security has yet to materialize. Appearing on T.V. recently, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu offered no prospect of lasting peace.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNKNOWN (through translator): I want to know if it's over, if it's behind us, or if we're continuing, and if the goal of total victory is still valid.

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER (through translator): Let me tell you something. It will never be over. Do you want to live? In the Middle East and in the world, you have to be strong.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNTE: Ukraine's capital is observing a day of mourning right now to honor the victims of a massive Russian attack. Search and rescue operations are ongoing for a second straight day in the rubble of buildings that took direct hits.

A short while ago, Ukraine said the death toll from Thursday's strikes reached at least 30 people, with more than 90 others wounded. Officials say Russia fired a key from multiple directions, hitting the city for 11 straight hours.

Ukraine says it shot down a vast majority of the drones and missiles that were headed its way. But its President still made this appeal after those strikes.

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VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): Unfortunately, there is a shortage of anti-ballistic capabilities, a shortage of patriots. And our partners, primarily the United States and our European partners, need to be more proactive in providing assistance with us. (END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNTE: CNN's Nada Bashir has more from residents who had close calls during the strikes and emergency crews who described what they call a miracle during rescue operations.

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NADA BASHIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The moment of impact in yet another round of deadly Russian strikes. The night sky over Kyiv illuminated as fires tear through the city into the early hours of the morning. Hundreds of Russian missiles and drones are said to have been intercepted.

But officials say at least 33 made impact, killing more than a dozen people and wounding at least 86 others.

IRYNA MOSKAEVA, KYIV RESIDENT (through translator): My kid and I wanted to get out of the room. We jumped out of the bed and started running, but there was nowhere left to run. All the windows in the room were shattered and the door was jammed, I couldn't open it.

BASHIR (voice-over): This latest attack came with some warning. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy calling on civilians to heed the sirens and take shelter in anticipation of an extensive Russian attack.

More than 50,000 Kyiv residents are said to have packed into metro stations across the city Wednesday evening, preparing for a long night.

Russia's Defense Ministry claims precision weapons were used to target Ukraine's military and energy infrastructure. But local officials in the capital have condemned what they've described as significant direct hits on residential buildings across the city.

In this Kyiv neighborhood, families wait anxiously for news of their loved ones, as emergency services search through the rubble of destroyed homes for casualties.

IHOR KLYMENKO, UKRAINIAN INTERNAL AFFAIRS MINISTER (through translator): A miracle happened here today, thanks primarily to the work of the rescue teams. This is the first time in Ukraine that seven people have been rescued from under the rubble.

BASHIR (voice-over): A miracle moment for some, but for others, only grief.

Nada Bashir, CNN, in London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTE: In the past hour, I spoke with Oleksandr Merezhko, the chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee in Ukraine's parliament. He said those strikes show the Russian President's real intent in this war.

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OLEKSANDR MEREZHKO, CHAIRMAN, FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE, UKRAINIAN PARLIAMENT: Thirty people have been killed, dozens are injured. In other cities, we also have casualties.

It's a very clear sign that Putin is absolutely not interested in negotiations in earnest. He's not interested in peace, and he's the only obstacle to peace.

[03:10:05]

And unfortunately, we don't hear strong words from the White House, we don't hear the words from President Trump with regard to this crime committed by Putin.

HUNTE: President Zelenskyy says Ukraine urgently needs more air defense systems and has criticized delays in the delivery of promised Western air defenses. What difference would additional systems make after an attack on this scale?

MEREZHKO: The difference is about human lives, because when we have reliable air defense systems provided by our American friends in particular, and support of our European allies, it helps to save lives of our people, it helps to save lives of our children, because each day when Ukrainians go to bed, they're not sure whether they will wake up or not, because practically each night we are under attacks, and it's been for years. That's why we desperately need air defense systems, in particular, Patriot systems.

HUNTE: The Kremlin says these strikes were retaliation for recent Ukrainian attacks inside Russia. Ukraine says civilians and residential buildings received most of the attack. What does this tell you about Russia's strategy at this stage of the war?

MEREZHKO: Putin says that he is losing war on the ground, and to me it's a sign of weakness and desperation, because the truth is that having lost strategically the war against Ukraine, Putin has focused on killing civilian population. He is waging a war right now against children and women, against civilians and civilian infrastructure in Ukraine.

Ukraine is acting in self-defense, and what Putin is doing, it's a war crime, and also it's a crime against humanity. It's not about retaliation. It's about war crimes committed against civilians and people.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNTE: Venezuela's acting president, Delcy Rodriguez, says the death toll from the twin earthquakes has climbed to nearly 2600 people. She says that includes almost all of the local government leaders in the hardest hit area. Venezuela has declared a period of national mourning, but search and rescue efforts are still ongoing.

Amid the tragedy, a remarkable rescue offers a glimmer of hope.

(VIDEO PLAYING)

Emergency crews pulled a man alive from the rubble eight days after the quake struck. Chile's fire brigade, which was involved in the rescue, says the 44-year-old is in good condition and recovering in hospital.

Venezuela's acting president is denying accusations that the government was slow to respond to the deadly earthquakes. CNN contributor Stefano Pozzebon was at her latest news conference in Caracas.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STEFANO POZZEBON, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: We're coming to you from the International Press Center in Caracas, where the Venezuelan acting president, Delcy Rodriguez, has just concluded an international press conference with members of the media here in the country.

Responding to a question from us, by the way, from CNN, she said that the new death toll has been updated to 2595 victims. In the press conference, Rodriguez was asked several times about the frustration and anger by thousands of Venezuelans over the slow pace of the search and rescue and now the recovery operation.

Rodriguez said that the government has done everything they could, that they deployed more than 19,000 members of the armed forces and civilian officers to the state of La Guaira, which is where the majority of the damages have been confined, and that they opened the international borders to allow rescue workers from countries with whom Venezuela doesn't even hold a diplomatic relationship with, in order to speed up the process.

Rodriguez also concluded saying that the Venezuelan government has already reached out to international organizations, such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, in order to obtain funds to start the reconstruction process. As this country tries to turn the page from the most catastrophic natural disaster and tragedy in almost 30 years.

For CNN, this is Stefano Pozzebon, Caracas.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTE: Alright. Strong winds and a scorching heat wave are fueling wildfires in France. We'll have the latest details ahead on CNN.

And the World Cup brings us another round of drama, this time starring Cristiano Ronaldo. See you in a moment.

[03:15:06]

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HUNTE: Along France's Mediterranean coast, 2000 firefighters are battling several wildfires fanned by strong winds. Authorities say 8,700 hectares, or more than 21,000 acres, have burned in France so far this season. The region has been grappling with parched conditions following the recent heat wave in Europe.

In Spain, recent deadly heat waves have prompted authorities in Barcelona to hand out heat monitoring bracelets to outdoor workers. The bracelets measure the worker's body temperature and produces a sound and vibration if it senses that the person wearing it is at risk.

[03:20:10]

The city has handed out about 1400 bracelets to street cleaners, lighting crews, park workers and other people working outdoors. The heat waves in Spain have caused more than 1000 deaths in June.

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UNKNOWN (through translator): The temperatures do worry me because it keeps getting hotter. Everything is becoming drier and we have to be more vigilant at work.

As the supervisor assigning tasks to the staff, I'm afraid someone could suffer a heat stroke. I think the future will be challenging with this heat.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNTE: At least one person is dead after a powerful storm ripped through Romania. Heavy rains produced flooding in the capital city, Bucharest, and 20 surrounding counties. Police and firefighters were pressed into action, helping people out of their flooded homes and clearing debris.

Emergency services in the capital say they received nearly 2000 calls for help. Several metro stations in Bucharest were flooded. And the storm caused damage in 60 towns and villages.

In the U.S., more than 160 million people are under major or extreme heat risks on the east coast. From Washington to Boston, at least 20 locations have broken or tied their daily record high temperatures and more are expected on Friday. The extreme heat may force some cities to postpone or even cancel their July 4th events.

Too much demand on the electric grid has caused power outages for hundreds of thousands across multiple regions. In New York, the energy company is warning customers to conserve power. And Delta Airlines told customers the heat could affect flights at New York's LaGuardia airport.

Yet another country has booked their ticket to the Men's World Cup Round of 16.

Switzerland made it through not long ago with a 2-0 victory over Algeria in Vancouver, Canada. The Swiss will face the winner of the Colombia-Ghana match, which will happen in the coming hours.

There was lots of excitement earlier when Portugal clashed with former World Cup semi-finalist Croatia. The match came alive in the second half when the Blazers took a 1-0 lead. But superstar captain Cristiano Ronaldo equalized for Portugal on a penalty kick. And then, in extra time, came the winning goal that sent Croatia packing.

And that sets up a big match-up between Spain and Portugal on Monday. Earlier, Spain advanced to the Round of 16, making it look easy with a 3-0 win over Austria.

And now to the racetrack, where Formula 1 heads to Silverstone this weekend for the British Grand Prix. CNN's Don Riddell spoke with former world champion Jenson Button.

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JENSON BUTTON, FORMER BRITISH F1 DRIVER: First of all, I always think of Formula 1 as being very British. Silverstone, a circuit that's been around for decades, one of the oldest circuits in Formula 1 history.

The layout is spectacular, the drivers love it, but also the atmosphere. There's a real festival vibe about the British Grand Prix, it's obviously grown over the years. It's a really special weekend and one that I've always loved as a driver and as a fan of the sport as well.

DON RIDDELL, CNN WORLD SPORT: What do you make of the way the season is playing out so far? There was a period where it looked like it was going to be Kimi Antonelli's season, but perhaps recently that's just changed.

And going into this race, we now have a couple of British drivers who are back on the top step of the podium.

BUTTON: Yes, if you asked me at the start of the year who was the favorite, I would have said George Russell. But he had a couple of really bad races, not all down to himself, just issues.

And Kimi got this massive lead in the championship, a 19-year-old, and he won five races in a row. Unbelievable.

But George has slowly clawed back a few points in the last couple of races, so now he's 40 points behind, still a lot. But I think George coming into the British Grand Prix, having that confidence of winning in Austria last weekend, and Lewis winning the race before, we've got two British drivers that are up for winning at Silverstone. And Lando Norris not too far behind either, I don't think.

RIDDELL: Were you surprised to see Lewis winning again with Ferrari? Because it's not been easy for him since he got there, but that was a huge win for him a couple of weeks ago. Can they keep that going?

BUTTON: Yes, last year was a tough year for Lewis, and listening to some of the radio communications, he just seemed so down and kind of forgot that he'd won seven World Championships, that's what it seemed. But this year, from the first race onwards, he's been confident. He's the Lewis that we expect to see.

[03:25:01] And to win for Ferrari for the first time, I'm sure it was very special. And to do it in the way that he did it as well. So no, he is at the top of his game again, which is great, and we love to see it.

RIDDELL: Before you go, I would love to ask you about the other big sports event that's happening at the moment. Are you much of a football fan? Do you follow England in the World Cup?

BUTTON: It's good seeing how well England are doing. I obviously live in the States now, so it's also great seeing the USA doing well.

So in my house, yes, my wife's American and I'm British, so English. So it's good. Hopefully we'll get to play.

RIDDELL: Which team do you think, or does your family think, is going to go further? The USA or England?

BUTTON: Home advantage is different in football compared to motor racing. So I think it helps them a lot, the USA. But I've got to always support England, because that's where I'm from.

There's always such a positive energy. It's coming home. It's always the thing you hear every day I see on social media.

So I hope for their sake that it does. It would be amazing. But this is sport and it's so competitive and anything can happen.

One match can change everything. Fair play to everyone playing. There's so much pressure on their shoulders, I would not want to be in that position.

So much respect for all the players playing in the World Cup.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNTE: And now to Wimbledon, where the temperatures may have cooled a bit, but the action is just heating up.

On the women's side, Elena Rybakina will advance to the third round after her victory over American Caty McNally. The world number two from Kazakhstan had no problem handling her opponent, 6-1, 6-2. Rybakina celebrated her 27th birthday just last month, the reigning Australian Open champ will now face 25th seed Elise Mertens from Belgium.

On the men's side, Alexander Zverev is looking to earn his second straight Grand Slam title. The 29-year-old German defeated unseeded Frenchman Valentin Royer to advance to the third round, Zverev won 85 percent of points on his first serve while hitting 37 winners. The victory comes just a few weeks after Zverev claimed his first major championship in the French Open, he will face American Marcos Guiron in the next round.

All right, tying the knot. Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are expected to get married today. What we're learning about the event that's capturing the attention of legions of fans. Plus, the couple's wedding plans have been shrouded in secrecy and for

a good reason. Still ahead, a former FBI agent breaks down security challenges at an event like this. See you in a moment.

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[03:30:00]

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HUNTE: Welcome back, I'm Ben Hunte. Let's take a look at today's top stories.

Iran is preparing for the funeral of its slain supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Right now, his remains are at a mosque in Tehran, where foreign dignitaries have been paying their respects. Six days of funeral ceremonies begin on Saturday, with millions of people expected to attend.

Ukraine is observing a day of mourning in Kyiv to honor the victims of Russia's latest attack. Officials said a short time ago the death toll has reached at least 30 people, with more than 90 others wounded. Search and rescue operations are ongoing in the rubble of buildings struck during Thursday's attack.

Rescuers in Venezuela pulled a man out alive from under the rubble of a collapsed building. That was eight days after deadly twin earthquakes caused huge destruction across the country. Acting President Delcy Rodriguez says the death toll from the quake has risen to nearly 2600 people, search and rescue efforts are ongoing.

Heavy security can be seen around New York's famous Madison Square Garden. Sources say the Taylor Swift-Travis Kelce wedding will be held there later today. And by all indications, it will be a very private affair. Sources say the wedding rehearsal was supposed to have wrapped up at the same venue several hours ago. But so far, nothing has been confirmed.

CNN's Brynn Gingras explains what's known about the main event.

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BRYNN GINGRAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Star-studded guests arriving at Madison Square Garden through a private tent-covered entrance, ready to celebrate Taylor Swift's latest era, Bride.

Swift and Travis Kelce's rehearsal event reportedly happening in the theater section of MSG with about 100 guests. The artist known for her record-smashing "Red" album appears to have ditched the traditional red carpet. Instead, guests will walk a carpet of lavender haze.

Friday is the main event. A source tells CNN there will be a cocktail hour at 4:30, and the wedding is expected to take place on the arena floor at 5:30, with a reception to follow lasting into the morning hours. "The New York Times" reports it will be a black-tie affair and no

phones or cameras are allowed inside. 500 vehicles are expected to drop off about 1000 wedding guests inside the world's most famous arena on Friday, all out of view of the public eye.

[03:35:06]

Stevie Nicks and Tim McGraw are expected to perform according to published reports and possibly Ed Sheeran, which Swift hinted to during a past interview.

TAYLOR SWIFT, SINGER: Is he saying that your -- Oh, I mean, it would be hard to keep him from it.

GINGRAS (voice-over): Preparations for the two-day bash continue as workers plan to transform the iconic venue into what reportedly will be a garden wonderland, echoing the NFL star's enchanting proposal setting. Security is ramping up in Midtown, with barricades set up on many streets surrounding the iconic venue.

MAYOR ZOHRAN MAMDANI (D), NEW YORK CITY: When it comes to the event at MSG, what I can say is that there's been an application filed for a large event. We are fully prepared. There isn't anything to share beyond that.

GINGRAS (voice-over): And Swifties are already gathering nearby.

SMITTY KOVACH, SWIFT FAN: I love the bride era for her. I'm so excited, I want her to just have a lot of fun. I just hope she gets to enjoy the more simple parts of life after all the chaos dies down, because she deserves it.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTE: Richard Koiko is a retired FBI supervisory special agent. He joins us from Reston, Virginia. It's good to see you, sir. Thank you for being here.

The NYPD has now announced street closures around Madison Square Garden. What does that tell you about the scale of the security operation and how far beyond the venue itself does that security bubble extend?

RICHARD KOIKO, FORMER FBI SUPERVISORY SPECIAL AGENT: Well, that security bubble is going to extend as far as NYPD thinks is necessary. Depends on the crowd, depends on what's going on.

This is a crazy weekend in New York City. It's been a crazy couple of weeks.

You're going back to the Knicks. They got the soccer games going on across the river. Parade, just on and on.

And now a very busy July 4th weekend. They've got ships, tall ships coming up the river. They've got fireworks, they've got parades, NYPD is stretched and stretched thin, but they'll be ready, they're experts at this.

HUNTE: Taylor Swift has previously had concerts disrupted by potential terror threats overseas. Does that history change how law enforcement approaches an event like this, even if there's no specific threat right now?

KOIKO: Well, that's a great question. As far as what happened overseas, it was in Austria, I believe.

The schedule was posted so far in advance that this person, and there were people arrested, had time to think about it, plan out some sort of terrorist attack. In reality, haven't known about this wedding for very long. It's only been a couple of days.

So, unless a terrorist is expecting to do something very quick, it's much less likely that something like that is going to occur. But that doesn't mean that NYPD, FBI, Secret Service, other agencies aren't scouring under every rock and cranny looking for any potential threat anywhere.

They're looking on the Internet, they're checking their sources. And, of course, they're just seeing if there's any threat that they need to be concerned about.

HUNTE: You have said Madison Square Garden is built to handle huge crowds. From a security perspective, is protecting the invited guests actually easier than managing the thousands of fans and influencers and paparazzi that's expected outside?

KOIKO: Oh, yes. They've got a controlled environment, they control the entrances, the exits. No windows, there's no helicopters, no drones. They've hired their own private security to augment the NYPD that'll be there.

So, as far as what goes on inside the facility, very controlled. You'll have an excited crowd outside, but it won't be as boisterous as the crowd was for the Knicks. And that's just because there isn't a game playing on a large-screen T.V.

So, while they'll be looking to see what people come in the cars for the event and try and peek into the windows and stuff, and they'll be cheering and hoping for some music and some sightings, it just won't be as crazy as it was with the Knicks.

But they just had the playoffs for the NBA. They just had the parade, and what you see law enforcement do is they've got these crisis plans and emergency response plans. NYPD has them built up all the time, and they're brand-new and fresh from the NBA playoffs so they didn't have to do a lot to prepare for this.

HUNTE: We are heading into one of the busiest holiday weekends of the year in New York. How do police balance protecting a high-profile private event without bringing the rest of the city to a standstill?

KOIKO: Well, they can't bring the city to a standstill this weekend. There's too many events going on. You've got the ships, you've got the parade, you've got the fireworks.

I just looked through the list of New York City events. There's events happening in every borough. So NYPD is going to be very busy, stretched thin, but they've got to do what they've got to do here, and they're going to make sure that Madison Square Garden and this wedding go off to the best of their ability without a hitch.

HUNTE: One feature of this event is the intense secrecy, restricted access, NDAs for guests, and reportedly no phones in some parts of the venue. Does that level of privacy make a security operation simpler, or does it create new challenges?

Well, you've got a couple different things going on here. NYPD is going to be protecting the outside, the perimeter, who can access the facility, who gets in, who gets out. Are there any threats to the building?

[03:40:08]

Once you talk inside and you're talking about cameras and pictures and things like that, that's really the private security of Kelce and Taylor Swift that they've set up for their wedding.

When you think of all the caterers and all the people that are working the event at the venue, they've got to check out for them, they've got to follow the rules, as well as the guest list. But that's going to come down to private security, and just doing a little bit of reading, it looks like they've spent a good deal of money to arrange for private security to augment what NYPD will be doing.

HUNTE: Wow. Technology has changed dramatically. How big a concern are drones today compared with someone physically trying to breach the space? And what tools are available to counter that sort of risk?

KOIKO: Well, the last event I worked at Madison Square Garden was the Polk visit in 2015 when I was an FBI agent assigned in New York. A different time, even just 10 years ago, 11 years ago, drones were not as much of a problem as they are now. You can expect drones to probably show up outside the venue, even though they're not allowed to.

Police will be looking for them. They've got the technology to take them down. And if they find you with a drone, you're going to lose the drone, you're going to get a ticket, and you might get arrested.

A big thing that's changed, though, interestingly enough, in the old days, being 10 years ago, if police saw a drone over an event like this, they just assumed it was a bad guy drone. Well, they're not all bad guy drones anymore.

The media is using them, the event security is using them, the people putting on the wedding might be using them. So they've got to determine which drones are authorized, which ones aren't.

They've got to be prepared for all that, and they'll do everything they can to keep everybody safe. That's just the rules. HUNTE: This sounds very complicated, but I'm excited to see what

happens. Richard Koiko, thank you so much.

KOIKO: Thanks. I hope everybody has a good time and a good Fourth.

HUNTE: U.S. job growth is slowing after months of consistent increases. Still ahead, what June's numbers signal about the state of America's labor market.

And after warnings from the Vatican, an ultra-conservative Catholic society is excommunicated. Why Pope Leo says that extraordinary punishment is necessary. Just ahead.

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[03:45:00]

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SANDOVAL: Welcome back. Here are your business headlines.

U.S. job growth slowed in June after months of solid gains, signaling a cool-down in the labor market. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released its report on Thursday, and it showed the U.S. added 57,000 new positions in June, that is down from the 129,000 jobs added in the month of May.

Business activity is on the rise again in Japan. A new survey shows the country's services sector rebounded in June after storming during the previous month. The survey also reveals financial pressures from tensions in the Middle East continue to weigh on business confidence.

India is hoping to boost business ties with Japan. Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed his Japanese counterpart to New Delhi for an economic forum, they agreed to cooperate on A.I., energy, and defense. Mr. Modi is hoping for $61 billion in Japanese investment over the next decade.

Hunger has reached the worst levels in nearly a decade in parts of Nigeria. The United Nations Food Agency reports that more than 17 million people across nine conflict-hit states in northern Nigeria face severe hunger, that is an increase of almost 2 million people since the last analysis. The agency points to violence and funding cuts as drivers of increasing food insecurity; it says $89 million is needed over the next six months to maintain nutrition assistance across the country.

Now to the ongoing demonstrations in the Albanian capital of Tirana.

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Protesters and police clashed again there on Thursday amid calls for early elections and the resignation of the Prime Minister. The protesters opposed plans to develop a luxury resort near protected wetlands, and they are angry at the politicians who back the project. The resort plans are linked to U.S. President Donald Trump's son-in- law, Jared Kushner, and to a Qatar-based firm. The protests have been dubbed the Flamingo Revolution as the proposed site for the project is known for its flamingos and a turtle nesting area too.

The Vatican has excommunicated an ultra-traditionalist Catholic group for defying Pope Leo's authority. The leaders of the Society of the Saint Pius X have faced excommunication in the past.

But as CNN Vatican correspondent Christopher Lamb reports, the Holy See has now gone further than ever before.

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CHRISTOPHER LAMB, CNN VATICAN CORRESPONDENT: The Vatican is cracking down on the Society of Saint Pius X in what is a rare intervention which essentially declares the entire group to be in schism.

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Now the traditionalists have gone ahead with ordaining bishops without papal approval and that is a serious breach of unity. This ultra- traditionalist group rejects certain reforms that the Catholic Church has undertaken in recent years including on ways of worshipping, religious freedom and inter-religious dialogue.

Now the Society were warned not to go ahead with these ordinations by Pope Leo who said they would be committing a sin of quote "extreme gravity." But the Society ignored the Pope's appeals. Leo XIV has made unity a priority during his pontificate so the tough reaction by the Vatican reflects that concern for unity and Leo's willingness to be firm when needed.

Now the Society was founded in 1970 and has ordained bishops without papal approval before and that led to excommunications. But this time the Vatican insisting that not only the bishops are excommunicated but priests of the Society and lay members who formally adhere to the group.

Now essentially the Society of Saint Pius X want the Church to go backwards but Pope Leo has said the Church must move forward and on Saturday he's doing that by coming here to the Italian island of Lampedusa to highlight the plight of migrants and doing so on July 4th the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence.

Two senior bishops from the United States told me this week that his visit sends a message about the treatment of migrants in the U.S. and beyond something that has concerned the Pope who has been critical of the Trump administration's immigration crackdown. Leo coming here to Lampedusa to highlight the plight of migrants continue to speak out on those questions of social justice.

Christopher Lamb, CNN, Lampedusa.

(END VIDEOTAPE) HUNTE: Thousands are expected to take part in Pride Week celebrations in Spain and coming up, the annual event that has men stepping out in stilettos. See you in a moment.

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HUNTE: Welcome back.

Two climbers have been released under court supervision after being arrested for scaling the spire on the Empire State Building, the duo entered the skyscraper the day before the stunt and hid. They caught two locks and dodged security to unwrap a banner some 1400 feet above New York City.

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The pair were arraigned on Thursday on multiple charges including burglary, reckless endangerment and criminal mischief too.

Turkey is blocking a cruise ship from docking at their port because it caters to American LGBT travelers. Turkish officials cited what they called moral standards and family values to justify the docking ban, the ship called the Scarlet Lady was supposed to host over 1000 American passengers who were scheduled to dock in Turkey after departing from Greece on July 5th.

But now that cruise has been canceled due to Turkey's new ban. Turkish officials said the passengers were quote "incompatible with the fabric of our society."

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Spectators lined the streets of the Spanish capital for this race as part of Pride Week celebrations. Dozens of men sprinted on the cobbled streets of central Madrid wearing high heels, they ran 100 meters in stilettos, dresses, handbags and so many colors.

The annual race is a tradition of Madrid Pride. Celebrations continue through Saturday.

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ANTONI HERRERA, SPAIN RESIDENT (through translator): I'm Peruvian and I love it here because in my country there aren't any events on this scale and the support I feel here in Spain is excellent, honestly. I mean, I'm delighted to be living here because they support the community and that's what I like. It's something I'd never seen before.

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HUNTE: A 4th of July tradition will continue at Coney Island, New York on Saturday. The annual Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest will see Joey Chestnut defend his title. Contestants try to eat as many hot dogs as they can in just 10 minutes. Chestnut has won 17 of the past 20 Nathan's Contests. This year he needed permission from a judge to leave his home state of Indiana to attend the event, he is on probation for slapping a man in March.

An amazing sight in New York City's Times Square on Thursday as the U.S. Marine Corps' Silent Drill Platoon perform their signature precision routine. The elite 24-member platoon executes the rifle drill without any spoken commands and their synchronized movements had the audience cheering. The presentation was part of celebrations honoring the 250th anniversary of the Marines and of America's founding tomb.

All right, that's all I've got for you. Thanks for joining me and the team, I'm Ben Hunte in Atlanta.

Of course, there's so much more at "CNN Newsroom" right after this break. Don't go anywhere and I'll be back at the same time tomorrow. We will see you then, thank you.

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