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CNN Headlines: Crews Race To Prevent Chemical Tank Explosion In California; U.S. And Iran Signal Progress In Efforts To End War; NASCAR Mourns Kyle Busch At Coca-Cola 600. Aired 5:30-6a ET
Aired May 25, 2026 - 05:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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[05:30:32]
BRAD SMITH, CNN ANCHOR: It is half past the hour. Let's hit the refresh button on our top stories.
The threat of a toxic explosion in Southern California has forced tens of thousands of people from their homes -- a major development over the weekend. Firefighters say that they have found a potential crack in that industrial tank filled with a toxic chemical. Now, a crack would help relieve pressure inside that tank, reducing the chance of explosion.
And internationally, officials from Iran and the U.S. have signaled that they are closing in on an agreement that could end the war with Iran. Both sides are talking of a memorandum of understanding that will set out a roadmap for resolving all outstanding issues. However, it's still unclear what's in that memorandum.
And according to AAA, 45 million people were expected to travel more than 50 miles from home this holiday weekend and it will definitely cost them. Higher gas prices mean a 20-gallon tank is now about $8.00 more to fill up than it was just a month ago. The national average for a gallon for regular unleaded is $4.51.
Let's return as we've got more on that toxic chemical tank in California and the human toll here. About 50,000 people who live nearby -- they're ordered to evacuate as you can see the hazmat risk highlighted here and some of the other attractions very close by. In addition to the explosion risk, the chemical can cause major respiratory issues such as dizziness and nausea as well. And the EPA says that so far, no leak has been detected.
Evacuees at a nearby shelter -- they shared their ongoing anxiety as they wait for updates.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We got an evacuation notice, and we had to get out, you know, so we did. I've worked in refineries my entire life, so I know the danger of chemicals that they're talking about. What I don't understand is why they haven't been able to contain this. If this was in a refinery this would have been contained already.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I feel really stressed out because I'm not sure what the future has to tell for us. I don't know how long this is going to be, how long we're going to have to be displaced, where we're going to be. If we're going to have the money to be able to provide for our kids and our family.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I was really concerned because both my husband is physically disabled and my daughter is mentally disabled. And I -- and, you know, they have breathing issues and I didn't want them to be around that chemical because they weren't really telling us a whole lot, but they were saying it was very toxic to your skin and for you to inhale it. So I was really nervous for them to get out and for us to get out together.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, I'm grateful that everybody is helping out and -- but you know -- you know, it's unsafe. I'm scared because I don't know what's going to happen and I don't know if anything that already is in the air is going to affect us or if it -- if it blows what's going to happen. You know, that's -- the unknown is really scary and only time will tell.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SMITH: Just a frightening situation for all of those residents who we heard from and more.
So far, no injuries have been reported. No word on when people can return to their homes.
Turning back to the war with Iran, as we mentioned, officials from Tehran and Washington -- they appear to be inching towards a framework deal that would potentially cease hostilities and extend the window for current negotiations.
Now, President Trump is already boasting about the impending deal saying in part, "If I make a deal with Iran, it will be a good and proper one, not like the one made by Obama." But adds that he will not rush into a deal with Iran.
CNN's Julia Benbrook has the latest developments from the White House for us.
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JULIA BENBROOK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Important to emphasize here that any details -- specifics of a deal between the United States and Iran are still being worked out and President Donald Trump is now saying that he is not in a rush to come to a deal and that he believes time is on his side.
I want to pull one of his posts from Sunday where he said, "The negotiations are proceeding in an orderly and constructive manner. I have informed my representatives not to rush into a deal in that time is on our side. The blockade will remain in full force and effect until an agreement is reached, certified, and signed. Both sides must take their time and get it right."
[05:35:00]
Now in recent remarks, Secretary of State Marco Rubio did say that he believes some progress has been made in recent days. He once again reiterated the goal here for the administration. Take a listen.
MARCO RUBIO, SECRETARY OF STATE: What is the goal here? The goal here ultimately -- the ultimate goal is that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon. Iran can never possess a nuclear weapon. The president has been clear about that. They will never possess a nuclear weapon, certainly not as long as Donald Trump is President of the United States.
BENBROOK: A senior administration official tells me that the framework agreement would then give the United States and Iran 60 more days to come to a final deal. That a deal would make sure that Iran cannot possess a nuclear weapon and is committed to giving up its highly enriched uranium. Now how that stockpile would be disposed of -- that would be decided during a later phase.
When it comes to the Strait of Hormuz, that official says that it would de-mined and open for business. They did not go into detail though on how that critical waterway would operate going forward.
Still a lot of questions here and again, the president is now saying he is not in a rush to make a deal.
Julia Benbrook, CNN, the White House.
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SMITH: All right, thank you to Julia Benbrook for that report.
Meanwhile, Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke about the latest stage of negotiations earlier today. He says that the deal is still a work in progress.
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RUBIO: So we have what I think is a pretty solid thing on the table in terms of their ability to open up the straits -- get the straits open and enter into a very real significant, time-limited negotiation on the nuclear matters.
And hopefully, we can pull it off. It has a lot of support in the Gulf. It has a lot of support globally. Every country that we've walked through it understands it's very -- not just very reasonable but it's the right thing for the world to get done.
As the president said, he's not in a hurry. He's not going to make a bad deal.
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SMITH: When asked whether Lebanon will be a part of the deal Rubio said that conversations with Israel and Lebanon are ongoing.
An emotional night at Charlotte Motor Speedway. It ended with Daniel Suarez winning the rain-shortened Coca-Cola 600 and dedicating his victory to his mentor, Kyle Busch. The race became an emotional tribute to the NASCAR legend as tens of thousands of fans and Busch's family, seen there on screen a moment ago, gathered to honor the two- time cup champion.
Busch passed away Thursday from a case of severe pneumonia that progressed into sepsis.
CNN's Rafael Romo has more on how the NASCAR community is remembering one of its biggest stars.
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RAFAEL ROMO, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: There was a somber and solemn moment of silence before the race started here at the Charlotte Motor Speedway, followed by bagpipes playing Amazing Grace for the crowd of nearly 100,000 gathered here for the Coca-Cola 600 race that Kyle Busch would have participated in.
NASCAR CEO Steve O'Donnell spoke publicly here at the racetrack sharing words of encouragement for Samantha Busch, Kyle Busch's widow, and their two children, Brexton and Lennox, aged 11 and 4. This was his heartfelt message to the grieving family.
STEVE O'DONNELL, CEO, NASCAR: You and your children are NASCAR family forever. And Brexton and Lennox, your dad loved you with all his heart.
ROMO: There have been many emotional tributes here at the Charlotte Motor Speedway from officials, fans, and fellow race drivers like Tyler Reddick who said that "Wherever the bar was, Kyle was constantly raising it."
We also heard from a foreign driver, Mexico's Daniel Suarez, who told reporters that in this 2015 season, Busch would call him every week just to make sure he was doing OK, which made him respect him to a whole different level.
As a driver, Busch often reveled in playing the villain and was given the nicknames "Rowdy" and "Wild Thing" -- something that fans we spoke with were remembering here at the racetrack.
HUNTER TEETER, NASCAR FAN: Kyle Busch was so good you loved to hate him, um, especially coming from fans that, you know, didn't really pull for him. But like you said, the way he raced -- I mean, he is -- and as all the cup drivers said -- everybody in the garage has said he is one of the best to ever do it.
MICHELLE LUHRS, NASCAR FAN: The fans are here to, you know, honor him, even those that disliked him. Everyone's going to honor him because he was such a great driver, you know? I mean, the most winningest in the history -- future Hall of Fame. I mean, what's not to love? ROMO: In a post on X, NASCAR published the photo of an empty seat with a sign inscribed with the name of Kyle Busch who today would have been sitting there with fellow drivers for a pre-race briefing. The caption for the photo read "A seat that simply cannot be filled."
Kyle Busch's legacy was also honored and recognized today at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on lap 18.
Rafel Romo, CNN, Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina.
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[05:40:05]
SMITH: It's time now for Buzz Express, the stories that have people talking.
Stephen Colbert was already back hosting a TV show, but just for one day only. He returned to a Michigan public access show that he last hosted in 2015. It's called "ONLY IN MONROE" as in Monroe, Michigan. And he had Jack White and actor Jeff Daniels, both Michigan natives, on set with him.
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STEPHEN COLBERT, GUEST HOST, "ONLY IN MONROE": It's been an excruciating 23 hours without being on TV, so I am grateful to be able to be here on Monroe Community Media before they also get acquired by Paramount.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SMITH: As for Thursday night's finale of "THE LATE SHOW" on CBS, it was the most-watched episode of his 11-year run as host with more than six million people tuning in.
And police have released dashcam footage of Britney Spears when she was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence. Take a listen to what the popstar told police when they asked her if she'd been drinking.
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POLICE OFFICER: Have you had any alcohol today?
BRITNEY SPEARS, SINGER: I didn't have it (PH).
POLICE OFFICER: (INAUDIBLE). Um, do you mind if I check your eyes?
SPEARS: Yes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SMITH: OK, so the video shows officers continuing to question Spears before placing her in handcuffs. The singer was initially charged with driving under the influence. She later pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of reckless driving.
And Miley Cyrus officially has her own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The Grammy award-winning singer and actress was presented with the honor in a star-studded ceremony on Friday in Los Angeles. Cyrus all smiles and dressed in Versace as she accepted the honor, calling it a moment that she'll never forget.
Well, next up on CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS an off-duty police officer came to the rescue. What he had to do to get that little girl out of that claw machine. Yes, it happened again. Parents, what are you doing out there? Watch your kids.
And here is something that you don't see every day -- what exactly goes on during a bun competition. I can't wait to see this, and you can't either. We've got that coming your way shortly. Stick around.
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[05:46:35]
SMITH: Let's go around the globe now beginning in China. We are getting some new information abut a mine explosion in China. At least 82 people were killed, and an unknown number of trapped people as well are still unaccounted for after a gas explosion in a coal mine. More than 200 workers were underground when it happened. And the cause of the explosion is under investigation, but a local news agency reports that carbon monoxide levels exceeded limits in the mine.
Russia's latest attack on Kyiv is one of the largest since the war began. At least four people were killed. And the Ukrainian Air Force says that 600 drones and 90 missiles were fired on Ukraine's capital early Sunday morning.
OK, so what you just saw was a hypersonic ballistic missile. It is the third time that Russia has used this weapon in this war. Its speed and trajectory make it nearly impossible for Ukraine's air defense systems to stop it.
Ukraine's president visited a heavily damaged neighborhood and says, "It's vital that this doesn't go unpunished."
Well, fans of K-Pop phenomena BTS are eagerly anticipating their performance at the American Music Awards tonight. Ahead of the show our Valeria Leon visited a K-Pop dance class in Mexico where the music is sweeping the country.
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VALERIA LEON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voiceover): This is K-Pop, South Korea's biggest cultural phenomenon which has found a huge audience as far away as Mexico.
I decided to join a class at the country's biggest K-Pop dance school where everyone was grooving to the hit band TWICE. And it didn't take long to see why this musical style is so popular.
LEON: Everybody feels so free here, letting go and just enjoying.
VALENTINA, STUDENT, K-POP DANCE CLASS: (Speaking foreign language).
TEXT: I started listening to K-Pop in 2020, and little by little I like to more and more until I found the academy and decided to sign up for class. And well, I had never danced before.
LEON (voiceover): For students like 54-year-old Yesenia Morales, it's all about feeling accepted.
YESENIA MORALES, STUDENT, K-POP DANCE CLASS: (Speaking foreign language):
TEXT: I feel like it's a family because, honestly, this K-Pop class doesn't really see age difference the way other academies sometimes do.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Cinco, seis, siete.
LEON (voiceover): But for many fans it goes beyond the music itself. Some say they see themselves reflected in the messages with lyrics that often explore hope, everyday struggles, and a sense of belonging.
CARLA AVILA, STUDENT, K-POP DANCE CLASS: (Speaking foreign language)
TEXT: It came into my life during a difficult time. During the pandemic, my grandfather passed away. And around that time I discovered a group that talked about hope, and about dealing with depression and getting through it. So that really inspired me.
LEON (voiceover): And according to the school's director, stories like Carla's aren't uncommon.
CRIS DI CARLO, DIRECTOR, K-POP DANCE MEXICO: (Speaking foreign language).
TEXT: For example, people who were physically harming themselves or had certain struggles started getting better after finding K-Pop because they hadn't learned how to channel anxiety, and they didn't know how to process it. There were cases involving bullying, anorexia, and bulimia. Very delicate situations.
[05:50:00]
LEON (voiceover): New students here are between 10 and 20 years old, but age quickly becomes secondary once the music starts.
And here in Mexico, K-Pop has found a home. Earlier this month more than 50,000 fans flocked to Mexico City's main square to see the global sensation BTS.
BTS MEMBER: Uno, dos, tres -- we are BTS.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Welcome.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hello. LEON (voiceover): The excitement even reached Mexico's national palace where President Claudia Sheinbaum welcomed members and invited them back in 2027 after three sold-out concerts.
CLAUDIA SHEINBAUM, MEXICAN PRESIDENT: (Speaking foreign language).
TEXT: Would you like to come back to Mexico next year?
BTS: Si.
TEXT: Yes! Very good.
LEON (voiceover): Mexico is now Spotify's fifth-largest K-Pop market -- proof that a sound born nearly 12,000 kilometers away can count on fans singing along on the other side of the world.
Valeria Leon, CNN, Mexico City.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SMITH: And in what is this and how do I bet on it express, a unique tradition marked the grand finale of Hong Kong's annual Cheung Chau Bun Festival this weekend. Twelve people propelled themselves up this 45-foot tall tower. Just three minutes to grab as many buns as possible. They received points based on how high they climbed. And according to tradition here, getting a bun from the top of the tower -- it brings luck to their family. At the end, a bun king and queen are chosen. I'd be adding that to my LinkedIn profile.
Still to come on CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS more than a dozen people injured as a crowd runs from a Memorial Day bike fest. What led to the stampede.
Plus, there is this.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We saw the people -- our neighbors -- hanging from the balcony and they had their baby. So I know she's athletic enough to catch the baby. I was like "Catch the baby! Catch the baby!"
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SMITH: Dramatic amounts at an apartment complex after the fire rescue ladder went up in flames. How neighbors safely rescued a baby from the third floor. That's coming your way.
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[05:56:33]
SMITH: In today's Money Express the stock market is closed in observance of Memorial Day. Let's go to Maribel Aber for what we could see when trading resumes tomorrow.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) MARIBEL ABER, CNN CORRESPONDENT, MONEY MATTERS: The stock market is closed today in observance of Memorial Day. It's a time to pause and honor American service members who made the ultimate sacrifice defending our nation.
When trading resumes tomorrow, Wall Street will turn its attention to a busy week of economic data. On Tuesday, a new read on consumer confidence is due out. Later in the week investors will get fresh reports on the labor market, manufacturing, and the health of the U.S. economy.
The latest Fed minutes are also expected with investors looking for signals on how monetary policy could shift in June. That'll be the first meeting led by newly-confirmed chairman Kevin Warsh.
Memorial Day is also considered an important test of travel and consumer demand. AAA estimates record travel across the U.S. between last Thursday and today -- just over 39 million people by vehicle, another 3.6 million by plane. This as national gas prices tick up daily and rising jet fuel costs push airfares higher too.
Still, consumers are spending. The National Retail Federation expects shoppers to have spent around $32 billion this weekend.
I'm Maribel Aber at the NASDAQ MarketSite in New York.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Five, four, three, ignition.
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SMITH: SpaceX's 12th Starship mission -- it blasted off successfully sending the massive rocket into orbit and deploying 22 mock satellites in another major test for the spacecraft system. But the mission wasn't flawless. One engine failed during the landing burn. Although Starship made a controlled upright splashdown in the Indian Ocean, it later tipped over, as you saw, and exploded. Still, cheers erupted at Mission Control with SpaceX calling this flight a major step forward.
Let's get a check in on some of the other stories making news across the country.
We start in New York. A deadly fire and two explosions injured three dozen people. Crews were called to the Staten Island Shipyard after reports that two workers were trapped in a basement. That's when an explosion erupted, killing one person. Another blast hit while first responders were looking for trapped workers there. A mile -- a fire marshal and a firefighter are among the hurt.
And surveillance video captures the chaos in South Carolina as a stampede breaks out at the Atlantic Beach Bike Fest. This is early Sunday and it left 19 people injured. Authorities said that the injuries were not life-threatening. But the panic started when one person began running, setting off a chain reaction lasting only seconds. Police moved in quickly, calming the crowd and restoring order.
And in Davenport, Iowa fire officials say that a baby was saved from a deadly fire thanks to the mother's quick action. She was able to safely toss her baby from the third-story apartment. And we're hearing from neighbors who helped rescue the baby.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And I grabbed a shirt, threw it on, and we went outside. We saw the people -- our neighbors -- hanging from the balcony and they had their baby. And she's pretty tough. She's a wrestler and stuff so I know she's athletic enough to catch the baby. I like "Catch the baby! Catch the baby!" She climbed up on old man Dennis' truck to catch the baby and they didn't -- they were a little nervous to throw the baby.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SMITH: Sadly, one person was killed in the apartment fire. And firefighters say that a woman badly injured her back after jumping from the third floor.
[06:00:00]
And finally here, a night of bowling turned into an unexpected rescue for an off-duty Missouri police officer. He spotted a young girl trapped inside a claw machine and used the arcade game's controls to get her out. Afterwards, the officer went back to bowling.
Well, that does it for CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS. I'm Brad Smith. "CNN THIS MORNING WITH AUDIE CORNISH" starts right now.
