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Iran: Awaiting Definitive U.S. Response To Hormuz Proposal; Floods And Landslides Kill At Least 14 In Nepal; 10 Months Of Drought Is Devastating Honduras. Aired 4:30-5a ET

Aired September 28, 2026 - 04:30   ET

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

[04:30:00]

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KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back. I'm Kristie Lu Stout. Now, Iran says it is waiting on a quote definitive response to its latest proposal on reopening the Strait of Hormuz. President Trump has called that plan unacceptable, but he isn't ruling out a diplomatic solution just yet. CNN's Julia Benbrook has more from the White House.

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JULIA BENBROOK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: President Donald Trump is now saying that he believes there could be talks with Iran in some form this coming week. He said this in an interview with Axios over the weekend, and I want to pull part of that up for you now. He said, "I expect more talks with Iran. They want to make a deal, but it is not the deal I want to make. It is what we would have maybe agreed to a year ago. They overplayed their hand."

Now there, he seems to be referring to a recent proposal from Iran that they said would lead to the swift reopening of the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for some long-standing demands it's had of the United States. Trump says that he has rejected that proposal. In fact, he called it unacceptable. Now, the details of what's in it are still scarce.

But Iran's Foreign Minister said that it did nothing more than what was included in the Memorandum of Understanding. That agreement that was signed by both the United States and Iran back in June, but was scrapped shortly thereafter. All of this taking place just days after Trump gave remarks at the United Nations General Assembly, and he focused a good portion of that on this conflict.

He said that he was in deciding mode when it comes to Iran. He said that he believed that there could be an agreement coming shortly after the midterm, suggesting that Tehran is working to put some political pressure on him. But in that same speech, as he says that he could make a deal in a matter of weeks, the midterms are not that far away now. He also said that he could choose to annihilate Iran.

He said that he could drive them into "hell" with no chance of survival. This, as this conflict reaches the seven-month mark, it has gone on much longer than he originally predicted. Julia Benbrook, CNN, the White House.

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LU STOUT: Earlier I spoke with Jasmine El-Gamal, a former Middle East adviser at the U.S. Defense Department, and I asked her if diplomacy is still possible between Washington and Tehran. Here's part of our conversation.

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JASMINE AL-GAMAL, FOUNDER & CEO, AVEROS STRATEGIES: It's clear that both sides actually do want this to be resolved diplomatically. You hear that language again and again. There are threats. There are attempts to try to gain leverage over the other party. But at the end of the day, the mediators are still talking, trying to get the two sides together to bridge that gap between them. And the two sides do realize that diplomacy really is the only way out of this.

The problem here, Kristie, is that after everything that's happened over the last seven months, neither side wants to be seen as having done all of this for nothing, as having come out of it a loser, relatively speaking, to the other party. So, the problem now is what the Iranians have offered in the last few days, this seven-day timeline doesn't really differ from what the MOU had held earlier, and President Trump doesn't want to return to a deal that he had a few months ago that fell apart when he believes that he has more leverage than ever over Iran because of these economic sanctions.

So, he wants to squeeze Iran a little bit more. He wants to see the impact of the sanctions. The Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent said Iran has two weeks left, and then they'll have nothing left to trade. So, they're expecting something in the next two weeks on the American side, at least.

LU STOUT: So, Jasmine, the good news is the two sides are talking to each other, but they are also talking past each other at the same time, I want to ask you about this seven-day countdown mechanism because you know this was mentioned by Iran's Foreign Minister as a way to pause the fighting and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. You know, from a crisis management standpoint, is that even possible, especially given the involvement of the Houthis?

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EL-GAMAL: Well, it's an interesting -- it's an interesting question, and even the way that you phrased it, the way the Iranians are phrasing it, is a bit outdated from the perspective of the Americans. The Iranians keep saying, you know, let's make a deal. We're going to reopen the Strait, whereas you hear Scott Bessent and the Americans saying, hey, listen, the Strait is already open by the way. There is oil coming out, and there is indeed oil coming out. The Saudis have ramped up their production again after the East West pipeline was struck from Iraqi territory.

The -- the Emirates are exporting. The Iranians are not getting their oil out. So, from the American perspective, time is on their side. The problem here, Kristie, is that once the Americans start to squeeze Iran more and more, and keep using this language, you know, they're trying to ram them back to the negotiating table through this extreme pressure.

If there is not a pressure, a release valve at the end of that, or coupled with that pressure, that allows the Iranians to save face and say that we came to a dignified deal with the Americans, then the worry here is that the Iranians will feel so trapped that they have no choice but to re-escalate in the region in order to gain back some of that leverage.

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LU STOUT: The Mayor of Ukraine's capital city says Russian drone strikes hit at least two high-rise apartment buildings, and emergency crews in Kyiv are investigating possible casualties at one of the sites. This comes amid a series of strikes across Ukraine on Sunday, in which officials say at least five people were killed.

Drone strikes killed two people in a market on the outskirts of Kyiv, and two more were killed in a bombing near Ukraine's border with Russia, and another person died after a drone struck their car in Kharkiv. Now, South Korean officials are demanding an apology from Ukraine, along with an unofficial explanation of what happened.

Confidential details on the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war to South Korea were leaked to the public. South Korea says that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made that information public during his address to the United Nations General Assembly last week, but he did so with no prior consultation.

Now South Korea also claims that Ukrainian officials later denied there was a confidentiality agreement to begin with. And Ping Ping and Fu Shuang have made it to Atlanta. The male and female giant pandas arrived from China on Sunday morning. It's all part of Beijing's panda diplomacy. Chinese leader Xi Jinping said that the pandas serve as a symbol of friendship between the Chinese and Americans. Rafael Romo tells us about their transfer and when visitors can go and see them.

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RAFAEL ROMO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: After landing at Atlanta's Hartsfield- Jackson International Airport, each panda bear was transported in a separate FedEx truck, showing a panda bear image on the side of the cargo area. Each truck carried a crate inside that served as the panda bear's transportation unit as they were escorted by police for the 10- mile trip between the airport and the zoo in the same containers used for their entire trip from China.

CNN witnessed the moment just before 7:00 this morning when FedEx Flight 9756. FedEx Panda Express landed at the airport after a more than 15-hour flight from Chengdu, Chinese provincial capital, where the bears are from and where a Chinese panda bear breeding program is located.

Chinese President Xi Jinping announced Thursday during his remarks at the White House that China would send two panda bears to the United States, calling the bear species an envoy of friendship between the Chinese and Americans. We asked a couple of visitors here at the zoo if they think this goodwill gesture matters, and they told us they believe it's one exciting and fuzzy step in the right direction.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think it matters for families and people that want to visit the zoo. As far as our relationship with China, I don't know. It's hard to say. We'll have to see.

ROMO: It's tough, right?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It is tough.

ROMO: Ping Ping the male panda's name means peace. The same name given to the bear China gave to the Soviet Union in 1957. Ping Ping was born in March 2020. Fu Shuang, the female panda's name, means double blessings, and was also born in 2020, but in October, seven months later than the male panda.

Zoo Atlanta said that the public won't be able to see Ping Ping and Fu Shuang right away because they will be housed in a bio secure area for a routine quarantine period of around one month. Rafael Romo, CNN, Atlanta.

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LU STOUT: Nepal is facing more devastation. One month after at least 1,300 people were killed, floods and an avalanche are claiming more lives. We'll look at the latest details just ahead.

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LU STOUT: Extreme weather has killed at least 14 people across Nepal, and 11 others are missing. Severe flooding swept through Sunday, and more rain is expected. And separately, an avalanche hit a Himalayan base camp as Sherpas were preparing for an expedition. At least four bodies have been recovered, and the heavy rain is making it difficult to search for others who are missing.

Let's bring in CNN's Hanako Montgomery, who has been tracking the story from us. She joins us live from Tokyo and Hanako, more deadly floods and landslides, including this avalanche, have swept the region. What's the latest?

HANAKO MONTGOMERY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, Kristie, this is the latest extreme weather event to hit Nepal, as it's still reeling from those devastating floods that you mentioned, that happened a little over a month ago now, killing at least 1,400 people and leaving more than 5,000 people still missing.

Now, this latest event of heavy rain and floods have left at least 14 people dead. You can see in this video a multi-story building falling into a raging river as villagers look on in desperation and in fear. We've also seen videos of people having to take shelter on their roofs because their homes are just that submerged in flood water. And rescuers have been trying to get people to safety using inflatable rafts, using ropes also to get these individuals out.

But again, you can see just how much flood water has hit parts of the country. Some of it just waist deep for these rescuers. And Kristie, as you mentioned, an avalanche has also hit Nepal, specifically on the Himlung Himal Peak. We know, according to the latest update from the rescuers on the ground there, that at least 12 people remain missing, and we have seen some videos of those rescue operations, helicopters trying to land.

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But we're told that because of the inclement weather, it's been just that much more difficult to get to these remote areas. And now we know, according to one of the organizers of a trekking expedition that was set to take place on October 1, that there were about 14 Nepali Sherpas and kitchen staff at base camp at this peak, setting up for this expedition, creating spaces for tents and using ropes also for -- for those incoming travelers when again that torrent of snow and rock came crashing down on the mountain, submerging some of these individuals.

And Kristie, I mean, this all comes as Nepal is seeing what's supposed to be tourism, right? It's -- it's climbing season for Nepal, and usually it would see massive numbers of people coming to the country, coming to trek its beautiful mountains. But of course, given the devastating floods from August, the continued bad weather, there are fears that tourism numbers overall have dropped, causing sufficient damage to the economy, especially as the country relies so heavily on tourism, Kristie.

LU STOUT: Severe weather continues to batter Nepal. Hanako Montgomery live for us in Tokyo. Thank you for that update.

Now the El Nino effect has devastated much of Honduras. A drought has lasted ten months. That is twice as long as usual, as Isabel Rosales reports. Food is disappearing, animals are dying, crops can't grow, and a warning. The story includes images that many may find disturbing.

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YELSON REYES, CATTLE RANCHER (through translator): As you can see, there are various carcasses here. We have 1-2-3-4-5, of them. This is a consequence of the drought.

ISABEL ROSALES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yelson Reyes is one of nearly 250 cattle ranchers in the municipality of Apacilagua in southern Honduras who are watching their cattle die. He tells my colleague Elvin Sandoval the animals cannot withstand the high temperatures associated with El Nino.

REYES (through translator): In my case, I have lost approximately 12 or 13 head of cattle over a period of two months.

ROSALES: Reyes says the lack of rainfall has left them without pasture or water sources to feed their livestock.

REYES (through translator): Our cattle are becoming dehydrated due to a lack of food and nutrients, and because of the high temperatures we're experiencing. The animals now have to walk four or five kilometers just to get water once a day. We're facing a historic crisis.

ROSALES: In the Department of Choluteca, there are around 2,800 cattle ranchers who, like Martha Garcia, choose to sell their animals before they die of dehydration.

MARTHA GARCIA, CATTLE RANCHER (through translator): When it used to rain, there was pasture for the animals. But in conditions like this, what are they going to eat? That's why we sell our animals to buy what we need and to hold onto the little bit we have.

ROSALES: Apacilagua is one of the municipalities in the so-called dry corridor of southern Honduras. According to its mayor, the area has gone nearly a year without rain.

CARLOS MARTINEZ, MAYOR OF APACILAGUA, HONDURAS (through translator): Honestly, we've never experienced anything like this here. We've had 10 months of dry season, whereas the dry season here usually lasts five months at the most. Five months is the maximum it might extend. But we've had 10, that is double the usual time.

ROSALES: The lack of rain in the southern region, caused by the El Nino phenomenon, is not only killing livestock but has also damaged basic rain crops.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): There was no harvest for many of the corn fields here in the south, there was absolutely no harvest at all because there was so little rain, and we've had a severe drought.

ROSALES: Because of the drought associated with El Nino, food shortages are also beginning to appear in this area. Maria Gonzalez is experiencing this firsthand.

MARIA DEL CARMEN GONZALEZ, DROUGHT AFFECTED RESIDENT (through translator): I have nothing. Look, just this plantain I was given. I have it roasting over there. Someone gave it to me for breakfast. This is God's punishment. I had never seen anything like this. I'm 88 years old. I had never seen this. It didn't rain for the first planting season, and it hasn't rained for the second one either. I had never seen situations like this. Just look.

ROSALES: In late August, the Honduran government declared a red alert in over 100 municipalities due to drought. Official figures reveal that just over 1.5 million people across nine departments in the so- called dry corridor are at risk of a food crisis caused by the drought.

LENA SAVELLI, REGIONAL DIRECTOR, U.N. WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME (through translator): In Latin America and the Caribbean, we estimate that an additional 16 million people could experience food insecurity as a result of El Nino.

ROSALES: According to the Center for Atmospheric, Oceanographic, and Seismic Studies, the rainy season in Honduras typically runs from May to November. However, rainfall has been scarce this year, particularly in the dry corridor region.

REYES (through translator): That's what we ask for. Lord, have mercy. We call on all of us to unite in prayer. So, we ask our heavenly Father to have mercy.

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ROSALES: With reporting from CNN's Elvin Sandoval in southern Honduras, I'm Isabel Rosales.

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LU STOUT: You're watching CNN Newsroom, and we'll be right back after this.

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LU STOUT: Well, the MTV Video Music Awards were handed out Sunday in Los Angeles, and it was a big night for Taylor Swift. She had 11 nominations and took home the award for Video of the Year for "The Fate of Ophelia." She also received the first ever Artist Director Honors, and she has now surpassed Beyonce as the most awarded artist in VMA history. Now, as for the night's biggest winner.

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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Madonna.

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LU STOUT: Oh, you got to love it. Yes, pop superstar Madonna led all artists, winning seven awards on the night, including Best Album for Confessions II. She also snagged Artist of the Year and Best Collaboration for "Bring Your Love" with Sabrina Carpenter. Snoop Dogg was the host for this year's MMA -- VMA ceremony.

Other big winners included Lisa from, of course, the K-pop girl group Black Pink, who won Best Pop Song for "Dream," and BTS took home Song of the Year for "Swim."

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LU STOUT: OK, folks. Now to Germany for Munich's legendary Oktoberfest celebrations. Organizers say nearly 4 million people have already visited the world's largest beer festival at the halfway mark. The party ends on October the Fourth.

City officials say beer consumption is down slightly so far, but the number of stolen glass beer mugs to date, that's strong at 52,000. Visitors say they are having a great time.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): The best thing is that we're all getting together.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): We simply meet up and we do that on a Sunday morning, because it's simply nice.

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LU STOUT: OK, now the southern hemisphere is not a place you typically find large populations of people with red hair, but for a few hours in Santiago, Chile, on Sunday, the red heads ruled the road. It was part of a three-kilometer fun run celebrating the red head community, whether naturally red, dyed, spray painted, or bewigged, nearly 1,000 participants running the streets of Chile's capital got an experience, a taste of life as a redhead.

Now, the fall harvest ushers in folk traditions across the world, including this Russian festival. It's known as the Battle of the Giants, and as you can see, it's the pumpkins here that are huge. Now these massive gourds are being turned into boats, and then the race is on for paddlers in costumes to row swiftly across a pond in Moscow.

Now the festival also showcases more than 200 massive vegetables shown off by proud farmers. Thank you for watching. I'm Kristie Lu Stout. CNN Headline Express is next.

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