Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

Searching For Survivors; Criminal Investigation Launched; Six Months Of War. Aired 3-4a ET

Aired August 30, 2026 - 03:30   ET

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

[03:00:00]

BEN HUNTE, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and welcome. I'm Ben Hunte in Atlanta.

Ahead here on CNN Newsroom, hopes of finding more survivors in Nepal are growing more desperate as search and rescue operations enter their fourth day.

Ukraine launches a criminal investigation after Russia unleashes one of its deadliest attacks since the war began.

And it's been six months since the U.S. and Israel went to war against Iran, with no resolution in sight.

Welcome. We begin with fears of further flooding along the Nepal-China border. Officials are warning that water levels have surged in a river near the area where flooding hit early this week. They sent a text to residents asking them to be alert, but did not ask them to evacuate.

Right now, an urgent search is underway for workers who may be trapped in hydropower tunnels. Rescuers are pumping air into one of the tunnels and plan to drill a manhole, hoping to send teams inside to find any survivors. Officials say they are already sending in oxygen and food. Specialized teams from India and China have now arrived in Nepal to help.

The U.S. is significantly expanding its support, pledging $3.6 million in humanitarian aid as communities grapple with the devastation left by the floods. That is a sharp increase from the $500,000 the U.S. first announced days ago.

About three thousand people are still missing, but a sweeping rescue effort has saved the lives of nearly three thousand more. Dramatic new video shows just one of those rescues, a young girl trapped under a collapsed building.

Joining me now is CNN's Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong. Kristie, what is the latest you're hearing?

KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Ben, there is immense devastation and loss. Rescue efforts and search efforts continue for yet another day in the disaster zone. Authorities are struggling to reach remote areas, including those tunnels under hydroelectric projects, where scores of workers are believed to still be missing. They're also struggling with very challenging weather conditions in their rescue and search operations, including fog, rain, rising levels of water. And, of course, you have the sheer scale of it all. Around 750 people are dead. 3,000 people are missing, among them, at least 900 people work in these hydropower plants.

This video that you're seeing on your screen right now was given to us by the army in Nepal. And in it, we see a rescue effort underway in one of those tunnels that they were able to access as they tried to search and find for any survivors.

But in a separate tunnel, rescuers are just trying to access that tunnel at another hydropower plant, where they are trying to pump air down, and they're sending food down as well. The plan is to drill some sort of a manhole so they can send more rescue teams down there.

We do have an update on that rescue effort. This was provided by a statement that was released late last night. Let's bring it up for you. This according to Nepal's Minister of Energy, Water Resources, and Irrigation, who shared this, quote, that there has been some success in the ongoing rescue efforts in the Trishuli-3 A hydropower project tunnel, which was buried under mud and sludge following the flood, unquote.

[03:05:03]

So, progress on that front, but they have yet to establish any sort of communication with any workers who may still be alive and trapped there.

Now, meanwhile, the families of the missing, some of them still holding out hope, the agonizing wait for them continues. Many of them are even going to the morgue to see if they can get any sort of closure, any sort of answers about what happened to their loved ones.

Survivors, meanwhile, are waiting for desperately needed aid to arrive, aid like food, like clean water, hygiene supplies. Many of the roads in the area are impassable since Wednesday's disaster. And some survivors have also managed to return to try to collect their belongings at what was their home, only to see that nothing is there.

I want you to listen to this account from a 43-year-old villager.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SARASWATI GHALE, 43-YEAR-OLD VILLAGER: What am I feeling? Looking at everything, it's like there's no world. What is left? It's like I am dead. What to do now? I don't have anything. What is there that is worth living? Now, what will happen? Who knows? I am saved, but how things will pan out, who knows. That's it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STOUT: For both the entire nation of Nepal and its people, they face the daunting task of rebuilding their lives, and the finance minister of Nepal told Reuters in an interview that the country needs $4 to $5 billion in aid that is needed to rebuild roads, transport links, bridges, as well as communication lines, aid that is need for tunnel experts to locate the missing, aid that is also needed for technical experts to help identify, using DNA analysis, the remains of the victims, as well as to store the recovered bodies.

And we know that the United States has pledged $3.6 million worth of aid to give to Nepal, but Nepal, even before this disaster, was already an impoverished and very poor nation. That amount of aid pledged by the U.S. is just a fraction of what it truly needs right now. Ben?

HUNTE: Okay. I have CNN's Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong, thank you for joining us.

STOUT: Thank you.

HUNTE: CNN's Hanako Montgomery made it to a devastated village as the search continues for survivors. As you'll see in her report, she witnessed scenes of heartbreaking destruction.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HANAKO MONTGOMERY, CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Here in Nepal's Devighat, destruction stretches for miles. Daily life has grounded to a halt here, replaced instead by a steady stream of police and dogs sniffing for any bodies.

And actually, just moments ago, they did find one. We, of course, can't show it to you. But they told us that because it was so badly decomposed, they couldn't even identify who it was.

Downstream, workers are digging a mass grave for the hundreds of bodies that have washed ashore, delivered by the truckload. Some are so heavily waterlogged, workers struggle under their weight. And among these bodies is this five-year-old girl. Serena's family said she was on her way to school when the flood swept her bus away. We spoke to her father, Rajkumar (ph), by phone. He barely survived and is now stranded with help out of reach.

When did you learn, sir, that your daughter was missing?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was working, and I called immediately after I escaped. I was still hoping that my daughter was alive. One of the girls who tried saving her told me she wasn't able to hold her, and the flood swept her away.

MONTGOMERY: I can't imagine the pain you must be feeling right now. How are you dealing with this immense tragedy?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My dream was always to educate my daughter so she could be successful in life. That's why I worked so hard. But my dream for her hasn't come true.

MONTGOMERY: But Rajkumar says he can't identify her body, with no money or means to confirm that his only child is now gone. Numbers can't describe the human cost of this tragedy, a pain shared by too many here. Sadip Nepal lost his business in the flood and his home, the one he's lived in for years.

How long do you think it's going to take for you to rebuild all of this?

SADIP NEPAL, SURVIVED FLOOD: I think it is not possible to stay here. I think we have to leave this place.

MONTGOMERY: Sadip barely made it out alive. When he saw the flood rushing toward his town, he said, like a tsunami. He ran up a nearby mountain where he filmed these videos. He said all he had was a T- shirt and sandals. But, luckily, his whole family made it out in time. He shows us inside his home, where furniture and a bathroom once stood are now tree branches, ropes, and animal carcasses that the river brought in.

[03:10:00]

Now, more than three days after the flood swept through the valley, the chances of finding trapped survivors alive are getting slimmer. Many of these operations are now becoming search and recovery, a mounting toll of heartbreak for thousands of families.

Hanako Montgomery, CNN, Nepal.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTE: U.S. aid is up significantly, but thousands of people remain missing, putting strain on official responders and groups.

Mike Ball is the chief operating officer of disaster relief organization All Hands and Hearts. I spoke to him in the past hour from Nepal, one of the worst affected areas there. Here's that.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MIKE BALL, COO, ALL HANDS AND HEARTS: It's a really, really challenging -- excuse me -- challenging situation here. Essentially, the worst affected communities are being reached by the army in search and rescue. I think this is the biggest challenge of Nepal and the terrain. As you've seen from the event and the footage, roads are destroyed, bridges are out, so it's incredibly difficult for anybody to get to the truly affected areas where search and rescue is happening.

Where we are at the moment is by the army barracks in Bharat in Nuwakot. And with the devastation we've seen here is also unbelievable. So, the area that we've been to in Debighat, which is near here, is completely decimated. So, this is 50 kilometers downstream from where the flooding started and it's like a tsunami has been through, in all honesty. It's it must be 20 to 30 feet of water coming through, 200, 300 meters wide. So, we've spoken to people here about the devastation and yes. So, this is just a snapshot that we're seeing to what will be a hundred times over as you keep going up the river.

HUNTE: Your team is supporting the army's search and rescue operation. What are the rescuers experiencing as they search for people that are still missing?

BALL: It's just an incredibly difficult situation, I think, for everybody. Again, if you imagine what's been left here with the size of the water and the mud and the debris, monsoon season, so you still have the rain, you have the threat of potentially more flooding coming later. So, it's incredibly challenging conditions to try and find people.

There are people trapped under inside buildings full of mud. You obviously heard about the hydro plant and people trapped in the tunnel. So, it's a real mix of, I think conditions. But the level of mud and debris and trying to rescue people from inside buildings in these conditions is incredibly challenging.

HUNTE: You have now got aid trucks reaching you. What are the most urgent supplies that you're getting into these affected communities?

BALL: So, at the minute, we're focused on with the army supporting search and rescue. They're actually moving people to Bara and then putting them into holding centers or displacement centers at the moment. So, one of our key focuses is making sure that we can get sanitary items, hygiene products, clothing, food, water, anything that people need when they've lost everything.

They've been relocated, they've lost their homes. We've heard stories of people have had to walk five or six hours out of the affected area to reach a center to get to the army, to then be relocated here. So, this area is growing in the number of centers and the number of people who are being placed here. So, there's a humanitarian crisis, I guess, around here in terms of making sure that there's enough supplies for everybody here.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTE: Some breaking news just in to CNN. Police in Switzerland say one person is dead and five others injured in a shooting at a dance party early on Sunday. A manhunt is underway in Aarau, a scenic town in northern Switzerland. Police say the incident unfolded at a horse racing track where a rave was being held.

Authorities add that the shooter's motive and exact circumstances remain unclear. Switzerland has one of the highest rates of gun ownership in Europe, although violent shootings are rare there. The country approved tighter gun control rules seven years ago, and we'll bring you more information as we do get it.

There is much more to come here on CNN Newsroom, including an attack near Kyiv that killed tens of people, but much of the damage appears to not be from Russian drones or missiles. Plus, the latest on the U.S. and Israel's war with Iran, our report on what has been achieved and not during six months of that conflict after this break.

See you in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[03:15:00]

HUNTE: Welcome back. Ukraine's president says a criminal investigation is underway after one of the deadliest strikes near Kyiv since the war began. Russian drones hit an ammunition warehouse on Saturday, which likely set off the ordnance stored inside. That led to a series of explosions that lasted for hours, leaving dozens of people wounded.

Many nearby buildings were damaged, and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says the ammunition should never have been stored so close to civilian homes, and he also pledged to hold the people who allowed that to happen accountable.

For more, we are joined from Kyiv by Peter Zalmayev, the director of Eurasia Democracy Initiative. To kick off, what's the latest that you are hearing about the scale of the damage and response there at the moment?

PETER ZALMAYEV, DIRECTOR, EURASIA DEMOCRACY INITIATIVE: The scale of the damage is pretty astounding actually. You know, almost 40 people dead and an untold number of individuals wounded, and this is not, of course, the first time. Similar thing happened a few weeks ago when another population center was targeted with a weapons cache stored there.

Zelenskyy said the same thing then. It -- he's saying the same thing now. But, ultimately, people are looking for someone to be responsible, to be held responsible. There has to be some political accountability demonstrated, not just for this, but for the whole new, you know, I think stage of escalation that we're witnessing in this war when Russian drones are now essentially paralyzing the capital of Kyiv of three to four million residents for up to you know, five, six, seven hours at a time.

[03:20:05]

But, essentially, the last four days the people have been living under air raids, you know, incessantly, which means that the city's normal economy is essentially put on a backburner. Essentially, it's paralyzed and there are no new protocols to address this new challenge. Russia knows it and Vladimir Putin once again remains fixated on bringing Ukrainians to their knees, whether through a military victory, but it's not in the cards of course. But this way, you know, what we're seeing is he's trying to make life in Ukrainian cities and towns impossible.

HUNTE: President Zelenskyy says those responsible must be held accountable. What do you know so far about the investigation and who could possibly face consequences?

ZALMAYEV: Well, I think the buck stops with the president. Once again, it's not the first time it happened. You know, he has let his former defense minister go, and now he's got a new set of people in place. It would be unfeasible, of course, to expect Zelenskyy to let them go this early into their tenure.

And it is indeed unclear when it comes to the investigation, whether it was a hit from the air or if it was a sabotage. That means that there are moles, you know, informers from within the Ukrainian military that, in fact, share this information with the enemy. And if that is the case, then the rot has spread significantly.

And, once again, we're hoping that the investigation is transparent, but this cannot be business as usual, you know, because that leaves Ukrainians extremely vulnerable, of course. And in the absence of sufficient air defenses, Ukraine, of course, cannot afford to lose such significant caches of weaponry, not to speak of the significant cost in civilian lives that such, you know, sabotage, if that's what it is, leads to.

HUNTE: With hundreds of people being evacuated, including from nearby homes and a care facility, what are people who stay in the area facing right now?

ZALMAYEV: Well, people are facing a very stark choice, and it's not just in this area, but throughout Ukraine. Not just small towns, but major towns. They're facing a choice as they're, you know, near approaching the fifth winter of war, which is promising to be the coldest winter on record. They're facing a choice whether they stay, hunker down, resist, you know, or they move out, you know?

And that's once again another of Vladimir Putin's calculations. You know, imagine what it would entail an evacuation of a city like Kyiv of 3 to 4 million people. That is a tremendous humanitarian catastrophe. And it is easy to assume that a lot of those people will be forced to leave Ukraine and pour across the borders of Ukraine, thereby exacerbating further the situation in some of these countries, especially Poland, where, you know, the relationship -- the relations between the Poles and the Ukrainians, the refugee, Ukrainian refugees has already been strained.

Vladimir Putin is very much aware of it, so he's trying his hardest to, once again, make life of Ukrainians impossible, hard to exacerbate the situations in some of these countries that have so, you know, graciously hosted hundreds of thousands and even millions of Ukrainian refugees in the last five, almost five years.

HUNTE: Okay. Peter Zalmayev, thank you very much for speaking to us, and speak to you again soon.

ZALMAYEV: You're welcome.

HUNTE: In the six months since the U.S. and Israel launched the war with Iran, the financial and economic impact of the conflict has been felt all across the world. Since the war began, the U.S. has burned through weapons stockpiles, and the price of gas has soared. But none of the original goals laid out by President Donald Trump or Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have been achieved.

CNN's Oren Liebermann has more for us.

OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN JERUSALEM BUREAU CHIEF: It was six months ago that the U.S. and Israel launched the opening strikes of the war against Iran. And now, as we sit here half a year later, that war very much ongoing and unresolved.

President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu laid out what seemed to be clear goals for the war: destroy Iran's nuclear pl- program, end its ballistic missile program and end its support for regional proxies. Now, however, with none of that accomplished, the Trump administration has shifted to a different goal and a different strategy.

Iran used the war and learned throughout the war that they really didn't need a military able to compete with the U.S. or Israel to hold hostage the Strait of Hormuz and close down one of the world's most critical waterways through which 20 percent of the world's oil flows.

[03:25:11]

That became Iran's most powerful weapon, and that is what the U.S. is trying to open right now so that there aren't a global ripple effect of impacts from the closed or limited Strait of Hormuz, and, of course, so that there aren't incredibly high gas prices in the U.S. ahead of the midterms.

That is the only goal, it seems, that the U.S. is focusing on right now, trying to make sure the Strait of Hormuz is open and free for traffic. It is limited here. The Trump administration is trying to boast that it's open for traffic, and yet the traffic through the strait that it's talking about has had to travel through the strait with its transponder off and with some level of U.S. Navy escort or monitoring to make that happen.

And that's because even after the U.S. and Israel destroyed much of Iran's navy and air force and military, they're still able to leverage that power on the Strait of Hormuz with drones, with short-range rockets, and, frankly, shipping companies and insurers aren't willing to take that risk. And so we're in a state now where Iran has shown that it has ability to exert pressure on the Strait of Hormuz without a final resolution here.

Meanwhile, the Trump administration has said in recent days that there are no negotiations with Iran, that even as Qatar is trying to negotiate with Iran and Oman to try to find some sort of resolution on the strait itself, and that remains the challenge here, finding a solution that both satisfies the U.S. and Iran.

Despite President Donald Trump repeatedly claiming that Iran is begging for a deal, Iran has repeatedly shown that even with the economic pressure they're facing, the inflation, and all of the other problems, they're not begging for a deal, and they're willing to make very high demands to open up the strait for the world's oil to flow through it.

Oren Liebermann, CNN in Jerusalem.

HUNTE: An Israeli airstrike reportedly has killed three people in the occupied West Bank. The IDF says it was targeting a Hamas militant who was joined by two accomplices in the northern city of Jenin on Friday. Israel claims the militant had international ties with Hamas members and was linked to attacks on Israeli citizens and security forces.

Hamas condemned the attack but did not claim the alleged operative who was targeted. Palestine Red Crescent medics say they were briefly detained when Israeli ground troops later raided the strike zone, and they were prevented from transporting victims to the hospital. The IDF has not yet responded to those statements.

There is much more to come here on CNN Newsroom, including the latest on the recovery efforts in Nepal and China. Families around the world are hoping for any news of their missing loved ones.

See you in a moment.

HUNTE: Welcome back. I am Ben Hunte in Atlanta.

Let's take a look at today's top stories. Ukraine is conducting a criminal investigation after a Russian strike that left at least 37 people dead. The attack hit an ammunition warehouse near Kyiv on Saturday and apparently ignited the ordnance inside. That led to explosions that damaged dozens of nearby buildings. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he wants the people who stored the ammunition to be held accountable.

Dozens of people in Northern Italy were hurt after a tornado and hail hit the town of Cremona. Rescue teams responded to more than 500 emergency calls. 10 historic churches in the city were damaged, including the main cathedral, where a spire fell. A dozen families had to be evacuated after their homes were damaged. The city is famous for making instruments and was holding a festival when the storm hit.

750 people have now been confirmed killed by the terrible flooding along the China-Nepal border. Rescue workers are searching for any survivors. More than 3,000 people are still missing, the vast majority of them in Nepal. Hundreds of those unaccounted for are foreigners.

The families of U.S. citizens missing in Nepal and China are waiting desperately for news of their loved ones. Rafael Romo gives us an update.

RAFAEL ROMO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: According to the U.S. State Department, there are about 90 Americans missing after the devastating flood that hit Nepal's border with China on Wednesday. One of those missing Americans is Anil Goel from Virginia. According to his family, Goel, an avid hiker, had planned a multi-day trip to hike Mount Kailash near Nepal's border with China as part of a tour group.

But his son, Anurag Goel, told CNN this morning that the family hasn't heard from his father or the group since the day before the disaster. Anurag Goel says the last communication from the group happened less than an hour before the flooding happened in that area around the border.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANURAG GOEL, FATHER ANIL DURAG MISSING IN NEPAL WITH TOUR GROUP: They were known to last be at the Nepal side of the Nepal and Tibet border that's called Gyirong Crossing, and that was -- They were last known to have a, a received their departure stamp on their passports around 8:35 A.M. to depart Nepal, enter Tibet.

And there were also some messages through WhatsApp exchanged around that time. So, that was roughly 45 minutes before the flooding took place in that area.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMO: Goel also told CNN that, quote, there's been a large lag in communication from the affected region that has made it even more difficult for families, like his, who are desperate for any news about their loved ones.

Last night in Hicksville, New York, people came together for a solemn vigil. Leaders from the Long Island Nepalese Society organized the vigil to gather in solidarity, prayer and hope as CNN affiliate News 12 Long Island reported. A man who worked as a teacher in Nepal and now lives in the United States told News 12 he lost several people he knew, including former students and neighbors.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DIAWAKAR PANDE, NEPALI COMMUNITY LEADER: I was the teacher in there. I lost my three student in there. One my neighbor people I lost in there. A lot of the people I lost in this time, in this incident.

MYAM JIRI, LONG ISLAND NEPALESE SOCIETY: It's very heartbreaking to all of us to see our fellow country people losing their lives and houses in a matter of a few minutes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMO: A State Department spokesperson told CNN the United States government is sending aid to Nepal, including food, and that the first trucks carrying assistance are on the way. The United Kingdom has pledged nearly $6.8 million in assistance, and the European Union said it would provide $2.3 million in aid.

[03:35:08]

Rafael Romo, CNN, Atlanta.

HUNTE: UNICEF says more than 17,000 children are in need of humanitarian assistance after the Nepal China flooding. It is appealing for more than $17 million to help deliver its emergency response. UNICEF says survivors face a bigger risk of disease, malnutrition, violence, and exploitation. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOE ENGLISH, EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER, UNICEF: As the situation becomes clearer and the impact becomes clearer, what is becoming clear is this is an incredibly grave situation. And we know that in the weeks and months ahead, the children are going to need support in terms of, you know, protecting them from waterborne diseases and nutrition support and psychosocial support.

But the very real risk at this moment is the continued rain and the development of this second lake, which is being monitored. But that not only poses a risk to the children and the families and the communities who've already been impacted by this, but also the search and rescue teams and the humanitarian teams who are on the ground trying to reach people with these basics of life.

And so it's an incredibly concerning situation. We are buoyed along by the hope of these rescues that we see in your report earlier, and the fact that we have the knowledge of how to provide help to people in these incredibly concerning situations. But it is a huge challenge.

One really critical issue now in terms of child protection is identifying children who may be unaccompanied or separated from their families.

Now, this is incredibly likely. We already know. We've got reports of this, but, you know, this crisis struck, the flood struck at nine o'clock on a school day, so many children were in school. They were not at home. They were not close to their parents. And so we've met with children who were separated and now thankfully have been reunited.

And, you know, as a humanitarian worker, there is no better feeling than when you see a child reunited with their parents. But the flipside of that is that there will be many, many children who have lost parents, and there will be many, many parents who have lost their children.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTE: For more information on how you can help the victims of this disaster, visit cnn.com/impact.

And now to Iceland, where opponents of a plan to restart talks to join the European Union appear poised to win in a nationwide referendum. With most of the votes counted, the Icelandic National Broadcaster is reporting the no side has a clear lead. Those in favor of the measure said E.U. membership could offer more security, especially against Donald Trump's threats. Opponents argued it would threaten Iceland's sovereignty and fishing.

There is much more to come here on CNN Newsroom, including the story of several migrants reported by the U.S. to a country in Africa that's considered one of the world's poorest and most troubled places.

See you in a moment. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[03:40:00]

HUNTE: British far-right provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos has been deported by the United States. The Department of Homeland Security says he was sent back to the U.K. on Friday. That's a day after he was arrested by ICE at a Louisiana airport. DHS says he entered the U.S. legally back in 2019, but that he overstayed his visa and then failed to appear at an immigration hearing.

Yiannopoulos rose to fame as an editor for far-right news organization, Breitbart. He was an outspoken supporter of Donald Trump during his 2016 presidential campaign.

The Trump administration's immigration policy involves so-called third country deportations. That's when migrants are sent from the United States to countries other than their own. Just months ago, ICE sent their first deportation flight to the Central African Republic. That's one of the most dangerous countries on Earth.

CNN's Isobel Yeung traveled there to investigate.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I was so scared. I was crying and I said, I'm not going out.

ISOBEL YEUNG, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Asena (ph) thought she'd find safety in the U.S. She says she fled Turkey after facing death threats. But then she became one of thousands that the Trump administration has deported.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: First my hands and with my belly like this and my foot.

YEUNG: So, they handcuffed you and shackled you?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. Yes.

YEUNG: And you still didn't know where you were going?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't know where I'm going to. I said, where we are going? Tell me. And he said, I don't know. Maybe Central Africa. And I was in shock.

YEUNG: Have you ever heard of Central African Republic before?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No.

YEUNG: So, we are here in Bangui in the Central African Republic trying to find out what happened with this ICE deportation flight that took place this summer going from the U.S. to here. We know that this flight happened in the shadows of secrecy. As far as we know, no one apart from U.N. agencies has managed to meet with these migrants. So we're here trying to track them down. At 8:58 P.M. on June 11th, 18 migrants from all over the world were brought to Alexandria Airport, Louisiana. They say they were handcuffed and shackled. Several claim they were severely beaten. Two of the migrants say they were forced into a full body restraint like the one seen here in a demo video.

A U.S. official called the allegation a flat out lie and denied anyone was beaten. The maker of one such restraint said it's a last resort tool intended to promote safety and prevent escalation.

Nearly 20 hours later after a refueling stop, the plane touched down in Bangui, Central African Republic.

Maybe I can just start with, where are you from originally?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm from Georgia.

YEUNG: You're from Georgia?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Egypt.

YEUNG: Egypt.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Afghanistan.

YEUNG: Afghanistan.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Iraq.

YEUNG: Iraq.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Jordan.

YEUNG: Jordan. So, all different countries. How are you all doing here?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Doing here? Like a hell.

YEUNG: Like hell?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. No internet, no electric, too much of mosquito. Everybody have malaria.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE).

YEUNG: The U.S. State Department warns people do not travel here for risk of kidnapping and terrorism, and advises those who must to leave behind a DNA sample so they can be identified by their family.

A lot of the migrants have told us that they are terrified to be here, and you can understand why. I mean, this is a country where there's been an ongoing civil war that's still taking place. But even here in Bangui, there's very high rates of violence, very high rates of criminality, and very high rates of, you know, these armed groups operating here.

I asked the police about the migrants' claims that they are part of the problem.

Some of the migrants here that I've spoken to say that when they go outside, the police stop them and ask them for cash and threaten them.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, no. (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE).

[03:45:02]

YEUNG: Very little is known about what terms the CAR government agreed to with the U.S. But what we do know is that on May 18th, just one month before the first deportation flight, State Department diplomats traveled here to meet with the president.

For the past decade, the U.S. has given just a few million dollars per year to the U.N. migration agency IOM's operations in CAR. But this year, that figure shot up to $85 million. An additional $50 million was committed to the CAR humanitarian fund.

We asked the IOM about the money they're receiving. They did not respond to our specific questions but told us that IOM has a longstanding presence in the CAR and they're receiving funding from a range of donors.

But this is at a time when the Trump administration has been slashing billions of dollars in foreign assistance.

We have been trying to get a hold of any U.S. officials to talk about what's been happening and why and how they've sent these migrants here because they are ultimately the ones responsible. I mean, the State Department have emailed back saying, as a policy, we do not discuss diplomatic negotiations or funding mechanisms. And the U.S. embassy staff have not been replying to us. But we're going to try and knock on the door just to see if they answer.

We just have some questions about the migrants that were brought here.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All questions have to go through them. I'm not authorized to answer any questions.

YEUNG: All right. And is there anyone else we can contact at the U.S. embassy?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The Bangui P.D. at state.gov, the email I gave you, that's who you can contact.

YEUNG: Who are just going to ignore us and pretend that email never came. All right, thank you.

Eventually, the State Department did get back to us. They did not reply to any of our detailed questions, but said the U.S. will use foreign assistance to support countries that help us achieve our immigration priorities. It's a tacit admission that the money is tied to the deportations. The U.S. government does have a responsibility towards these migrants. Most of those we spoke to here have protection orders from American judges stopping the government from sending them to their home countries, where they're likely to face persecution, torture, or death.

Fidele Gouandjika is a special adviser to the CAR's president. He also hosts a local radio show.

As you know, nothing happens in this country without a little sweetener. It's a little bit difficult to believe that zero money was given by the U.S. to Central African Republic. I mean, this is one of the most corrupt countries in the world, as you know.

FIDELE GOUANDJIKA, SPECIAL ADVISER TO PRESIDENT OF CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE).

YEUNG: For Gouandjika, what's happened to these migrants is a sign of American cruelty.

When a powerful country like the U.S. comes knocking and asking for this help, is it difficult for a country like yours to refuse?

GOUANDJIKA: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE).

YEUNG: Perhaps most concerning of all are those who have nowhere left to run to, like this young pro-democracy activist from Iran who says she faced possible execution for partaking in protests. Initially, she was overjoyed when she arrived in the U.S.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I was too much happy. The America, one of the best country in the world, and I say, it's okay. Now I'm safe, and I can make one new life here. I know if I was in Iran, they're going to kill me.

YEUNG: Earlier this year, Trump himself encouraged Iranians to keep protesting, promising help is on the way.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Every time I think they going to protect me, but America not protect me. When they send me here, really, I lose my hope again.

YEUNG: Isobel Yeung, CNN, Central African Republic.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTE: There is much more to come here on CNN Newsroom. Country music's biggest stage is paying tribute to Dolly Parton. We'll have more on the Grand Ole Opry's dedication just ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[03:50:00]

HUNTE: Welcome back. Country music's biggest stage is honoring country music icon and humanitarian hero, Dolly Parton. Nashville's Grand Ole Opry says Saturday night's show was dedicated to Dolly's life, legacy, and contributions to country music. Several country artists performed, including Carly Pearce, who began her career at Dollywood theme park.

Parton was 13 years old when she made her first appearance on the Grand Ole Opry stage in 1959, introduced by the legendary Johnny Cash. She became an official member by age 23. Following her passing on Tuesday, her name was placed front and center on the venue's outdoor marquee.

Well, people who worked with Dolly in her movies are also talking about the impact that she had on their lives. Actress, producer, and New York Times bestselling author, Danica McKellar, is looking back at her time on set with Dolly in the 2019 movie, Christmas at Dollywood.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DANICA MCKELLAR, ACTRESS , PRODUCER AND NEW YORK TIMES BEST-SELLING AUTHOR: There's a documentary made about the Imagination Library, and I was asked to narrate that earlier in the year. And at the recording session, who stops in to surprise me, but Dolly Parton herself.

I was floored. I was just -- I was gobsmacked. My mouth dropped open. There she was, head to toe black leather with grommet holes and like a big chain cross and just her hair, the whole, and all her glory.

[03:55:06]

It was an, an amazing moment that I'll never forget.

And then later that year, we did this movie together. Working with her was incredible. She has a really strong work ethic. She wanted to rehearse, and I was like I would love to rehearse. Let's rehearse all day. She was just a sparkling ball of light. We were all -- I was nervous about doing this big scene with her. I hadn't been nervous about doing an acting scene -- I've been acting for like 40 years, but I had all these butterflies.

And she walked onto set. We were all just so nervous. She walked onto set and she goes, Merry Christmas, everybody, and we all just -- it just diffused all of the tension and the nervousness we all had. We were -- she put us all at ease immediately. She's wearing head-to-toe silver sparkles with these, you know, six-inch heels, a platform, just incredible and she was amazing.

And no matter what she said, sounded good. I still remember the director of photography said, Ms. Parton, you're going to be stepping over some cords here. And she's wearing these tall heels, right? I don't want you to trip on your -- trip over them. And she goes, no, you don't, honey. Was just so charming and so she knew how to deliver any kind of message with charm.

She makes everyone feel good about themselves. She knows exactly what to say. I think it was the wardrobe woman made a self-deprecating remark about how she could never be as beautiful as Dolly and it's kind of an awkward position to be in, right? Well, Dolly looked at her and said, honey, you are beautiful inside and out, and the woman just beamed. Dolly just knew what to say. She just knew what to say.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTE: I love that. Thanks for joining me and the team.

That's all I've got for you. I'm Ben Hunte in Atlanta. I will see you tomorrow. CNN Newsroom continues after this quick break. See you tomorrow.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[04:00:00]