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CNN International: Pentagon: The Cost Of Iran War Up To $47 Billion As Of October 16; Russia And Ukraine: Limited Ceasefire In Oleshky Is Holding; King Charles Acknowledges Injustices Of Slavery But Stops Short Of Apology During Caribbean Tour. Aired 4:30-5a ET

Aired October 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]

SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back. I'm Salma Abdelaziz. The Pentagon has now put a new price tag on the U.S. war with Iran as President Trump weighs further military action against the country. New data provided to Congress shows the total cost of the conflict soared to $47 billion as of mid-October. That's up $2 billion from the Pentagon's previous spending report in early September.

Now, according to two sources familiar with the matter, those expenses are likely to keep rising as some current and former U.S. officials predict the president will resume operations against Iran before the end of the year.

Now to Ukraine, where officials say five people, including a four- year-old child, have been wounded in a Russian drone strike in Kharkiv. The attack set fire to an apartment building, a private home, and an industrial building. Meanwhile, officials from both Ukraine and Russia confirm that a localized truce in the Ukrainian city of Oleshky is holding.

Ukrainian officials confirm the temporary ceasefire has now expanded into other parts of the Kherson region to provide safe passage for humanitarian convoys. For more on the ceasefire, we are now joined by Nada Bashir here in London. Good morning to you, Nada. So, the ceasefire does appear to be holding in Oleshky. Do you have any update on humanitarian aid that's coming in, the people that are coming out, and -- and this possibility that it could be expanded?

NADA BASHIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, we have heard just in the last hour or so from the Ukrainian ombudsman hailing this localized ceasefire as an ongoing success, confirming that it has been in effect now for more than 30 hours without a single incident, he says, and I quote him there, saying that this has been the result of ongoing and constant communication between both the Ukrainian officials as well as Russian human rights officials on the other side, that they are remaining in constant contact and coordinating those efforts on the ground to establish those safe evacuation routes and access for humanitarian aid.

And of course, this was brokered by the U.S. First Lady Melania Trump, who did announce that the -- the area of the ceasefire, which was focused on the occupied city of Oleshky, which has of course been a frontline city in occupied since the very first day of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

But it is now expected, according to the First Lady, that that localized ceasefire has expanded within the Kherson region, in order to allow for those evacuations to take place safely, in order to allow for corridors to provide humanitarian aid access routes coming from both sides, and of course there is expected to be also a presence on the ground by both Ukrainian and Russian officials, crucially non- military officials as well, to coordinate and facilitate that humanitarian process, but also U.S. officials as well, according to the Ukrainian government.

Now, this expansion of the ceasefire, according to the First Lady, has come into effect two days earlier than she had previously expected, and it does appear as though, this is moving somewhat smoothly, despite those ongoing attacks we are seeing in other regions of Ukraine.

[04:35:00]

Of course, Russia continuing to target other regions, including the capital Kyiv. But this is a crucial humanitarian development. It's understood that some 1,700 people still remain in Oleshky, many of them, since the first day of the invasion, have been unable to evacuate due to the severity of the attacks that we have seen targeting this frontline city.

Many have lost their homes as well and are now living, perhaps with neighbors, with friends, in other shelters as well. And we've been hearing from some of the civilians on the ground in Oleshky who say that while they are hopeful around the ceasefire, there is a sense of fear around what comes next.

Of course, many of them returning to their homes to see what is left, and of course, we have seen efforts in the past to allow for localized ceasefires, to allow for humanitarian access. The hope is that this will indeed last. It is expected until November 1, and of course, all eyes will be watching to see whether perhaps this can be expanded or at least lay the groundwork for further positive movements towards a ceasefire. Salma.

ABDELAZIZ: A glimmer of hope there with a very limited, very localized ceasefire that does seem to be working. Nada Bashir, thank you so much for that update.

At the United Nations, a tense moment erupted from the U.S. and Cuba when they got into a heated exchange during a debate over the U.S. embargo against Cuba. Take a listen.

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MIKE WALTZ, U.S. AMBASSADOR TO U.N.: He's not going to intimidate me in the United States of America like he tries to intimidate political prisoners.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Listen. I appeal to you to listen to me and I'll ask everybody to go back to their delegation.

WALTZ: And I'm the representative of the United States of America. Back up.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK.

WALTZ: Back up, ambassador. Back away. This isn't Havana.

ABDELAZIZ: The U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. there, Mike Waltz, was speaking about the Cuban government. That's when members of the Cuban delegation began shouting and making noise. Cuba's Foreign Minister then approached Waltz at the lectern. The Cuban delegation called Waltz a liar and accused him of disrespecting the U.N. General Assembly and its member states. Waltz later told Fox News that the Trump Administration is ordering a Cuban diplomat to leave the United States.

WALTZ: Just before I came on tonight, Secretary Rubio signed the paperwork to eject the diplomat that thought he could -- the Cuban diplomat, the first secretary of their delegation who shoved and tried to assault one of our -- one of our American diplomats. He's gone. He is going to be on a plane to Havana within the next 24 hours.

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ABDELAZIZ: Let's go next to King Charles. He acknowledged the injustices of slavery during a speech in the Bahamas on Tuesday at the start of his Caribbean tour, but he stopped short of offering an actual apology.

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KING CHARLES III, UNITED KINGDOM: It is only right that we should acknowledge the great suffering and injustices of the past in these islands and beyond, even as we rejoice in the successes of the present and build new opportunities for the future.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ABDELAZIZ: Now, the King said Commonwealth leaders will discuss the issue in Antigua next month. His remarks come amid growing calls for Britain to apologize and pay reparations for its role in the transatlantic slave trade. CNN's Max Foster has been on the king's Caribbean tour.

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MAX FOSTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: As the King flies into the Caribbean, the issue that won't go away for him there is Britain's role in the slave trade. So, there's broad agreement between campaigners and politicians in many of these former British colonies with the British government and the palace that Britain's role in the slave trade was abhorrent and it created lasting economic and social damage to those nations.

Where it becomes more complicated is the call for an official apology from the King and a call for reparations. So, the palace will argue that they can only act on the advice of government. The government is saying there will be no formal apology. They're also saying reparations could potentially make the U.K. bankrupt because it could run into trillions of pounds, trillions of dollars if all of those countries' claims were resolved.

Speaking to sources within the British Foreign Office, the view is also that there isn't a legal case for reparations because slavery wasn't illegal at the time, King Charles has become really the focal point for this issue for many people because it was his predecessors that ruled over the empire when the slave trade was active. So, they want a formal apology from him. The palace will say they can't give a formal apology without the government go-ahead.

[04:40:00]

The palace, though, does make it clear that the -- the king won't shy away from this issue. He will address it in speeches. So, in the past, he's talked about it being an appalling atrocity, an indelible stain, and he's expressed his sorrow. But many campaigns in these countries want more than that. They want the word "sorry," and they're not going to get that. So, this will be a contentious issue whilst he's there.

And Buckingham Palace accepts it may overshadow much of this visit, including the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting, where actually the British Prime Minister Andy Burnham will join him. So perhaps this is an issue that he will also be dragged into. But the longer there isn't an apology, the more of a contentious issue it becomes, and it's one that the king feels he can't actually resolve on his own without government clearance.

So, we'll wait to see how it plays out. He won't shy away from it as an issue either, in the sense that if there are memorials to slavery in these countries, or if there are points where the slaves are remembered, he will not ignore those. He will, you know, be present at them, and that will become part of the tour as well. Specifically, how that will work isn't very clear, but certainly, Britain's role in slavery is going to make a lot of the headlines here.

And the fact that the king won't or can't give a formal apology, and the British government will not be offering reparations to these countries, even if those calls grow louder from the Caribbean. Max Foster, CNN, London.

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ABDELAZIZ: Still to come during his presidential campaign, Donald Trump promised service workers that their lives would get better, but some in Nevada say they're working harder than ever and still falling behind. We'll have a report for you right after the break.

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ABDELAZIZ: Two years ago, President Trump unveiled his signature no tax on tips proposal at a Las Vegas restaurant. But now, the owner tells CNN, he's dipping into his savings just to stay afloat, and his workers are struggling to pay their bills too. Here's CNN's Kyung Lah.

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KYUNG LAH, CNN SENIOR INVESTIGATIVE CORRESPONDENT: It wasn't supposed to be like this.

JAVIER BARAJAS, OWNER, IL TORO E LA CAPRA: Why? Why things start to go better, but we go backwards. Everything is worse.

LAH: Javier Barajas was promised the cost of running his Las Vegas restaurant would get better. With economic proposals that President Donald Trump first unveiled in a 2024 campaign stop at Barajas's restaurant to help working families in Nevada.

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We've come here today to talk about the biggest promise I think that the restaurant workers have had in a long time, and that's no tax on tips.

LAH: Service workers make up nearly a quarter of the state's workforce, twice as large as the country's average.

BARAJAS: He's the right person to help most businesses to do better and better.

LAH: It's been two years since Trump made those promises, and they've become policy. But the people who come through this restaurant and other places in Nevada say it doesn't really matter because of affordability.

BARAJAS: It used to be $16, two months ago. It used to be $39 -- between $39 and $44.

LAH: Wow!

BARAJAS: Now it's almost $75. Maybe because diesel is too expensive.

LAH: Because diesel is too expensive.

BARAJAS: Yeah, maybe.

LAH: Trucks have to bring the produce in.

BARAJAS: Yes, Iran war, it went up more. We hoping every day that the war ends. Hopefully, that the prices. Gracias.

LAH: In 2024, the swing state swung to Republicans. With the midterm election in the final stretch, the Trump policies aimed at keeping voters in their column are falling short. Some of these elements of the Big Beautiful Bill were supposed to make things better. Did they make things better?

BARAJAS: I don't see things getting better. That's when I start thinking, Oh my God, what about my employees? You know? How they living? How they pay the rent? FERNANDO PEREZ, CHEF, IL TORO E LA CAPRA: I've been doing this for over 20 years, and I never feel like this before. I work full time.

LAH: Chef Fernando Perez makes nearly double the minimum wage in Nevada. Under Trump's policy changes, he should be making more because his overtime is tax deductible.

PEREZ: I would say I'm making enough money, but I still can't make it. Every single one of us, we feel it one way or another, we feel the pain.

LAH: So more than one employee --

PEREZ: Oh yeah.

LAH: -- is taking a scooter.

PEREZ: They're taking a scooter, yeah, because the gas price is really, really high. They park their scooters back there, like a little parking.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Where's my scooter.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): I sold my car because it's very expensive right now.

LAH: How far do you ride your scooter?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): About 40 minutes from here.

LAH: Among the policies that impacted Nevada workers was no tax on tips.

How much are you working per week?

KEVIN BANDA, BARTENDER, IL TORO E LA CAPRA: Over 100 hours.

LAH: A week?

BANDA: Yes. I know. I have to get a second job just to like be -- be caught up with payments and stuff like that, you know.

LAH: Did any of the policy changes that the president made impact your life?

BANDA: Not really.

BARAJAS: If things keep going like this, then I either going to sell this restaurant or close it.

LAH: If you could go back to two years ago, when you were talking to President Trump, what would you encourage him?

BARAJAS: Don't get into wars. I want the powerful men to be more -- more human. You know, to be more -- to have more heart, you know. LAH: Nationwide, the Treasury Department says this year more than 53 million filers claimed at least one of the new tax cuts. The White House has promoted its signature achievement in political ads, saying working families have benefited in Trump's second term. Kyung Lah, CNN, Los Angeles.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ABDELAZIZ: New video shows construction underway of President Trump's White House ballroom project, along with other changes to the White House. He has drawn renewed criticism from Democrats, including from former President Barack Obama. Trump is pushing back, defending the renovations as necessary upkeep.

In August, the Supreme Court ruled that the ballroom's construction would be allowed to continue while the legal challenges play out. But questions remain about the legality of the project more than a year after the White House East Wing was demolished to make way for that ballroom.

[04:50:00]

Still to come, a Swedish heavy metal band is turning historic battles into rock anthems. Now they're bringing their music to the U.S. with a new tour.

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ABDELAZIZ: Game four of baseball's World Series was decided in a hard- fought extra innings nail-biter. The Milwaukee Brewers had the Tampa Bay Rays on the ropes, up 3-2 in the 12th inning with a championship in their sights. But the Rays rallied, loading the bases and driving in two runs for a walk-off win, 4-3. Milwaukee is now up three games to one. Tampa will host Game Five, Wednesday night.

A Swedish heavy metal band known for songs about history and military conflicts is about to kick off a U.S. tour next month. Rick Damigella has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(Video is shown of Swedish power metal band Sabaton's song "Templars.")

RICK DAMIGELLA, CNN REPORTER: That's Swedish power metal band Sabaton and their song Templars. As the title and music video visuals imply, the song is about the Knights Templar. History and conflict are at the center of Sabaton's music, with no shortage of subject matter.

[04:55:00]

JOAKIM BRODEN, VOCALS, SABATON: It's tricky because we always want to find, you know, a concept or a theme for every album, and making sure we get only the interesting stories, you know, and in the right order that we want them. It might be the tricky thing, but unfortunately, yeah, finding great stories in military history. I mean, there could be 10 more Sabatons doing, you know, five albums a

year, and we still wouldn't run out.

DAMIGELLA: The band is bringing its live experience to the U.S. in support of their latest album, Legends.

BRODEN: We take the subjects and that part very serious. However, we don't take ourselves very serious, you know. Life is too short to stand on a stage and look cool or evil. Let's have fun instead.

(Video is shown of Swedish power metal band Sabaton's song Templars.)

DAMIGELLA: In Hollywood, I'm Rick Damigella.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ABDELAZIZ: Finally, this hour, it's a tradition in the U.S. capital, unlike any other residents, visitors, and members of the LGBTQIA community gathered in Washington D.C. for the 17th Street High Heel race on Tuesday. Now, in its 39th year, the race featured costumed drag performers, local entertainment, and thousands of spectators. It started in 1986 as a friendly wager among drag queens, bartenders, and community members who raced in heels along 17th Street, and has since become a beloved event in the city.

Thank you so much for watching. I'm Salma Abdelaziz. CNN Headline Express comes up next.

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