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CNN Headlines: CNN Projects Bass And Raman Will Defeat Pratt In L.A. Mayor's Race; Powerful Earthquake Near Cuba Sends Shockwaves To Parts Of Florida; Growing Frustrations Over Sky-High World Cup Ticket Prices. Aired 5:30-6a ET

Aired June 09, 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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[05:30:50]

BRAD SMITH, CNN ANCHOR: It is half past the hour. Let's hit the refresh button on our top stories.

Today is primary election day in four states, including Maine. That's where Democrat Graham Platner is effectively running unopposed as he tries to win a spot on the November ballot for senator. Now, Democratic rival Janet Mills suspended her campaign, but her name does remain on the ballot. Platner is also trying to move past a series of controversies and allegations that he has repeatedly denied.

Also, President Trump once again striking an optimistic tone about a possible deal with Iran. He now says that a powerful peace agreement could come in just a matter of days. This follows back-and-forth strikes between Iran and Israel, which have been paused for the time being. Trump says that the agreement would reopen the Strait of Hormuz and prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.

And it wasn't much of a warm welcome for the president at game three of the NBA Finals last night. The crowd loudly booed when Trump was shown on the Jumbotron at Madison Square Garden in New York City. He was a guest of the Knicks owner and was joined by his granddaughter Kai. Now, Trump is the first sitting president to attend an NBA Finals game.

Back to our big story of the day. You're looking at the top two vote getters in the highly-watched Los Angeles mayor's race. You've got Karen Bass and Nithya -- the councilwoman Nithya Raman. And according to CNN projections, out of the running right now is Spencer Pratt, the former reality TV star who had President Trump's backing. And Pratt led Raman for the top spot on the November ballot on election night. That's before losing ground.

CNN's Elex Michaelson explains how this all works and why some, including the president, are making unsupported claims of election fraud.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) ELEX MICHAELSON, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT: CNN projects that L.A. city councilwoman Nithya Raman is moving on in the L.A. mayor's race and Spencer Pratt is not.

The former reality show star who lost his home in the Palisades fire launched a campaign to lead the city. He clearly won the battle for clicks online with his anti-establishment message but ultimately, he lost the battle for the most votes in this overwhelming Democratic city.

L.A. is still counting votes almost a week after the election day. The county registrar told me that most of the outstanding votes are mail- in ballots that were dropped in the final days. Traditionally in L.A. these ballots break overwhelmingly for progressive Democrats on the left, and that seems to be happening once again.

Raman is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, and she is dominating the recent ballot dumps. On election night she trailed Spencer Pratt by about 40,000 votes. Now she's ahead by about 22,000 votes.

President Trump says this whole system is rigged but neither he, his DOJ, or the top Republicans in the state have provided evidence of widespread fraud in the count. Polls going into the election show no clear leader in a potential one-on-one matchup in the fall between Karen Bass and Nithya Raman.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SMITH: Well, voters in Maine, Nevada, South Carolina, and North Dakota -- they're all heading to the polls today to choose candidates for Senate, House, and state offices in the high-stakes November midterms.

Now in Maine, Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner is facing renewed scrutiny over personal controversies. Many of the Democratic voters who CNN spoke to said they would vote for him even if they're troubled by the allegations.

Now meantime, President Trump's clout within the Republican Party -- that faces a test in South Carolina and Nevada. It's where his endorsed candidates compete. And he's had some victories in this primary season, but just a week ago Trump's pick for Iowa governor was defeated in a rare rebuke from his own party.

Well, President Trump is now signaling that the U.S. could declare total victory over Iran within a matter of days. He also says a naval blockade of Iranian ports will remain in place until a final peace deal is reached. That is a timeframe that he has referenced before.

[05:35:05]

And this follows a pause in strikes between Iran and Israel. It's following the worst escalation since April.

And while speaking with reporters he also addressed reports of a U.S. Army helicopter that went down yesterday near the Strait of Hormuz. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REPORTER: There's a report that an Army helicopter went down in the strait. Can you give us an update on that? Are the soldiers OK?

DONALD TRUMP, (R) PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Uh, the pilots are fine, yeah. Nobody injured.

REPORTER: And what brought it down?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SMITH: He did not provide further details, but he said that a report will be released later today.

The Trump administration has until tonight to respond to a new lawsuit that could stop this weekend's UFC fight at the White House. Two Virginia residents are suing to stop the event, arguing that the claw built on the White House grounds did not get congressional approval or an environmental review. It also cites reports that UFC is selling VIP packages for over a million bucks and argues that due to Trump's stock in UFC he would profit off the fight.

The event is scheduled for this Sunday, which coincides with Trump's 80th birthday.

CNN has reached out to the White House and UFC for comment.

Well, in Minnesota the man accused of killing a state lawmaker and her husband will not face the death penalty. The decision comes nearly a year after the fatal shootings that killed Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband. Another lawmaker said that John Hoffman and his wife Yvette were also attacked but survived.

Vance Boelter is charged with murder, stalking, and firearms offenses. Now if convicted in federal court he could spend the rest of his life in prison. He is also facing state charges, including first-degree murder, which could mean life without parole if convicted.

In Texas, closing arguments are set for today in the trial over a deadly high school track meet stabbing. Testimony wrapped up yesterday after four days and prosecutors say that 19-year-old Carmelo Anthony fatally stabbed 17-year-old Austin Metcalf during a dispute at a track meet in Frisco last year. They argue that it was an unjustified attack.

The defense says Anthony felt threatened and acted in self-defense after physical contact. A defense witness testified yesterday saying Anthony was distraught and told the victim not to touch him.

Anthony did not testify in his own defense, and jurors will be sequestered if they don't reach a verdict today and would return to court tomorrow.

A very strong earthquake struck off the western coast of Cuba yesterday and it was felt in parts of Florida. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the 6.1-magnitude earthquake -- it struck about 65 miles northwest of Mantua. There were no reports of any injuries or widespread damage.

But the earthquake was felt across South Florida and as far north as Orlando. It was also felt by those at sea. A cruise ship was near Cuba at the time, and a passenger says that the ship shook for about 20 seconds.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE MILLENDER, CRUISE PASSENGER: It was right around 2:00 and everything was going well. And all of a sudden, the ship started shaking, and things falling off the shelves, and people trying to grab ahold of things trying to hold on. And it lasted about 20 seconds. And we thought we had ran aground or wrapped something in a propeller, um, you know. The ship was just shaking so bad.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SMITH: The USGS says that the quake was among the strongest ever recorded in the Gulf of Mexico in the last 100 years.

It is time for Buzz Express, the stories that have people talking.

The Mystery Machine fired back up, took the key in the ignition. I'm (INAUDIBLE) Scooby-Doo getting his own live action series here. Netflix dropped this teaser clip for "Scooby-Doo: Origins." Yesterday they dropped this and it gives fans a glimpse of when Scooby meets Shaggy for the first time.

We also got a first look of the Great Dane puppy playing Scooby. Spoiler alert, he is very cute. Here he is, already looking like a star.

"Scooby-Doo: Origins" -- that premieres on Netflix next year. Can't wait.

And Mario and Luigi just broke a huge box office record. "The Super Mario Galaxy Movie" has made $1 billion worldwide. It is the first movie to do so this year.

And check out this picture. It is the official announcement that "Romy and Michele's High School" reunion sequel is in production and it's coming to Hulu. The studio posted this image of what looks like Lisa Kudrow and Mira Sorvino, the stars from the 1997 cult classic. The post said, "The reunion you've been waiting for." Sorvino wrote, "It's finally happening. Bursting with joy to be reunited."

[05:40:05]

And here are Kudrow and Sorvino at the SAG Awards after a few years ago.

And co-stars from the original movie, including Janeane Garofalo and Alan Cumming will be in the new one as well. All right. And we've got to talk about this. Serena Williams,

considered by many to be the greatest women's tennis player of all time, is making her return to the court today. She's set to play a women's doubles match against a Canadian teen -- or alongside, I should say, a Canadian teenager. It will be Serena's first competitive match in four years. Now, when asked why now, the 44-year-old said it's just the right time for her and her family.

All right. I've officially got plans whenever she starts to play.

Next on CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS you've heard of Waymo but what about Wayve? Get ready for another rollout of driverless cars.

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[05:45:20]

SMITH: Complaints are soaring over the astronomical cost of World Cup tickets and what's been called an unprecedented money grab by FIFA. In Mexico, it means that many fans who thought that they'd be watching in the stadiums will instead by turning on their TVs.

CNN's Valeria Leon has our report on this.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

VALERIA LEON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voiceover): For a country that lives and breathes soccer this World Cup remains out of reach for many. Sky- high ticket prices and just a handful of matches on home turf leaving many Mexican fans feeling left out.

Francisco Ferreira compares access to Mexico's past World Cups to this one.

FRANCISCO FERREIRA, SOCCER FAN (through translator): It doesn't feel the same. Back then it felt like Mexico's World Cup. Now it feels like it belongs to the United States. And the ticket prices -- they're impossible.

LEON: The opening match in Mexico City with some tickets now selling for as much as $16,000 on official FIFA sites. And on resale sites even higher -- a staggering amount that put this tournament far out of reach for all but the ultrawealthy.

LEON: In Mexico City the average family earns just over $2,000 a month -- roughly the cost of a single ticket. And in a city where many local fans were able to attend World Cups hosted here in 1970 and '86, many feel they've been priced out.

LEON (voiceover): But the frustration started months ago. FIFA's lottery-style sales system designed to manage global demand left thousands without access even at base prices.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (through translator): I haven't been able to get tickets, but if I do, I'll be there.

MONICA, SOCCER FAN (through translator): I hope Mexico wins. But either way, I just want it to be exciting. A good show, of course.

LEON (voiceover): At this rate the cheers of Mexican fans will mostly be heard outside the stadium.

Valeria Leon, CNN, Mexico City.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SMITH: Let's go around the globe to see what else is making headlines.

New drone video shows the scale of the damage from a 7.8-magnitude earthquake that hit southern Philippines yesterday. At least 37 people are dead and more than 200 are injured. Officials say that they're still searching for about a dozen people who are missing.

Meanwhile in the Dominican Republic, investigators are looking into a deadly private crash that ended in a fiery explosion on a runway. You can hear the reaction in the background of that video. Officials say that the U.S.-registered plane declared an emergency before circling for nearly 30 minutes and attempting to land. The pilot and the co- pilot were killed. No passengers were onboard.

And in London, Uber is partnering with the British AI company Wayve to launch self-driving rides as early as this summer. The company says specially trained drivers will stay behind the wheel at first before any fully driverless testing begins.

The rollout comes as the technology faces growing scrutiny over safety. A recent CNN investigation found incidents involving robotaxis here in the U.S. were being looked into. But officials with this program insist that their system is safe.

And one city in Japan is taking no chances after a series of bear sightings this week. They are closing nearly 100 schools as attacks take place elsewhere in the country. The city, which is north of Tokyo, recorded their first recent bear sighting on Saturday. As officials scour the town they want everyone to be safe there. Three people have been killed, and 20 others have been attacked in the last few months.

And Air New Zealand is rolling out an idea so simple you'll wonder why they didn't think of it before. Bunk beds on some long-haul flights called "Skynests." They're an add-on feature for the economy class passengers.

And Richard Quest talked to the CEO of Air New Zealand about the new service.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIKHIL RAVISHANKAR, CEO, AIR NEW ZEALAND: And you rent each one for up to four hours. So there's a session, really, you're booking and you enter it through the -- through the front, not the side.

RICHARD QUEST, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Kind of a step ladder?

RAVISHANKAR: Yeah. And, uh, the sessions all start at the exact same time.

QUEST: I was going to say you don't really want people getting in and out at different times, do you?

RAVISHANKAR: Precisely, yeah. So it's -- you start at the same time and the session finishes at the same time. And on our flight from Auckland to New York there are two sessions that you can take. You have 12 opportunities to book a Skynest.

[05:50:10]

QUEST: And I assume you're going to have to be very careful that somebody doesn't book it and then tries to change over passengers halfway through.

RAVISHANKAR: All of that stuff, yes.

QUEST: So that, you know, I'll have the first two hours, and my wife will have the second two hours.

RAVISHANKAR: That's right. We -- I mean, that's one of many scenarios we've had to almost invent in terms of procedures of how we manage, you know. And by and large, it's also through the lens of safety, you know. We need to know who is in the Skynest at any time -- you know, turbulence, management procedures. Yeah, it's been very exciting actually.

QUEST: How did you get the thing certified? And the reason I ask is so many airlines are having such difficulty certifying new business seats. Now, this is a fairly standard thing -- a seat. You've got beds. How did you get it certified?

RAVISHANKAR: I mean, one of the great advantages of operating in a country like New Zealand is we can be fairly nimble and agile not just within the airline but also with the stakeholders we work with. So our Civil Aviation Authority have been very progressive, but Boeing have helped. The seat manufacturer has been very helpful.

But it's been a long, complex process and there's one more round of certification to do when it actually physically gets installed later this year on the aircraft. But yeah, it's been -- it's been quite the adventure.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SMITH: And now to this. Watch as a robot kicks a child during a martial arts demonstration in China. Now you can imagine the parents weren't happy. They reported the incident to authorities. According to state-linked media outlets the child wasn't hurt but the show has been suspended.

Still to come on CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS, if you have federal student loans, you'll want to listen up to these changes coming in less than a month.

And emergency crews had to respond to a shark attack near a naval base in Florida sending one man to the hospital and straight to surgery. We've got that story and more straight ahead.

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[05:56:40]

SMITH: In this morning's Money Express millions of student loan borrowers enrolled in the SAVE Plan will soon have to find a new repayment option.

Maribel Aber has the latest details on this. Maribel, what do we know?

MARIBEL ABER, CNN CORRESPONDENT, MONEY MATTERS: OK, Brad. So this important deadline -- it's approaching for federal student loan borrowers. Starting July 1 some repayment options will end or begin phasing out, including the SAVE Plan, which bases monthly payments on income. We're talking about roughly 7.5 million SAVE participants will have 90 days to select a new repayment option. Otherwise, they'll be automatically moved to a standard plan, which could mean higher fixed monthly payments. Full details can be found at the Department of Education's website.

Trader Joe's may owe you money and today is the deadline to file a claim. The grocer has agreed to a proposed $7.4 million class action settlement over allegations some receipts exposed portions of customer's financial information. And Trader Joe's denies any wrongdoing. But eligible customers have until the end of today to file a claim on the Trader Joe's settlement website. The payouts could average around $100 pending court approval.

Hey, Wendy's is debuting new menu items ahead of the July 1 movie release of "Minions & Monsters." The "Minions & Monsters" kids meal feature one of six collectable figures, including Goomi and Dort. The adult version comes out July 15. Each meal includes one of four mystery boxes filled with Minion swag. It's all for a limited time. And, of course, there's a Banana Frosty Swirl while supplies last.

Brad, they had me at the Banana Frosty Swirl.

SMITH: Look, that's got me too. I always thought minions were a little bit more shaped like tater tots but, hey, geometry wasn't my strongest suit. That's why I'm here.

Maribel Aber, thank you so much.

People are heading home after a wildfire scare. That story tops today's news making headlines across the country. We start in Southern California. That's where firefighters are gaining the upper hand on the Sorrento fire. This is near San Diego. CALFIRE says earlier evacuations have been lifted but officials urge people to stay alert. The 90-acre brushfire is only 40 percent contained and could still flare up again.

All right, let's take you to Missouri. That's where officials say this pickup truck was swept off the roadway after heavy flooding. The truck was submerged in a creek with the driver stuck standing on top of it before rescue teams could reach him. Police are reminding drivers to use extreme caution during flooding.

And in Florida, a shark attack left a naval base employee in critical condition. Officials say the man was attacked while swimming on a lunch break near a marina at the base that's called Naval Support Activity Panama City. He's in his late 20s and has serious injuries to both arms. Emergency crews rushed him to the hospital where he had surgery.

All right. And this next video is going viral on social media. A content creator captured the crazy moment that a truck caught of fire, setting off fireworks on a Tennessee highway. Take a look at this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(Fireworks erupting from truck).

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SMITH: The fire department was able to get it under control and fortunately no one was hurt.

[06:00:00]

And in Texas, a nearly 8-foot alligator was caught horsing around in a stable. An employee was able to wrangle the reptile with a lasso and pull it into an empty horse stall. Game wardens say that the gator was safely returned to a nearby bayou.

Well, that does it for CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS. I'm Brad Smith. "CNN THIS MORNING WITH AUDIE CORNISH" starts right now.