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CNN Headlines: U.S. Strikes Iran For Downing Of Helicopter, Iran Retaliates; CNN: Platner Wins Democratic Senate Primary In Maine; Tennis Superstar Serena Williams Makes Winning Comeback. Aired 5-5:30a ET

Aired June 10, 2026 - 05:00   ET

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

[05:00:24]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GRAHAM PLATNER (D), MAINE SENATE CANDIDATE: I've made mistakes in my life, mistakes that I regret, that I live with. And I continue to learn from it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRAD SMITH, CNN ANCHOR: The stage is set for November. Graham Platner secures the Democratic nomination in Maine's Senate race, all while dealing with several scandals. But it now sets out one of the most- watched November midterm elections.

And crews rescue people stranded in floodwaters. We take a look at the communities dealing with severe weather and where it's heading next.

Plus, one pilot is accused of flying more than 900 flights with a fake pilot's license. How he was finally caught.

And the queen on the courts returns after almost four years. Serena Williams secures a doubles win. What she had to say about all this.

Well, good morning, everyone. I'm Brad Smith. This is CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS. Glad that you're with us this morning.

Let's get this started. First this hour, we got to talk about Iran. They're saying that they launched retaliatory strikes on U.S. targets in the Middle East.

Now that follows earlier U.S. strikes against Iran. Those were in response to Monday's downing of an army Apache helicopter like the one seen here.

U.S. Central Command is calling its response proportional. It adds that its self-defense strikes against the targets seen here are now complete. A U.S. official tells CNN the Trump administration believes the strikes won't hurt talks with Iran, but Iran's foreign minister said on X that no attack or threat would be left unanswered.

Now later, his office said Middle Eastern countries hosting U.S. troops might be targeted if Iran is attacked again. Sure enough, Iranian state media released this video showing what it claims are missiles launched during the strikes. We also have video that appears to show a flash near a U.S. naval base in Bahrain. Bahrain's military released a statement saying that it intercepted a number of missiles and drones and condemned the attacks.

Now, in addition to Bahrain, Jordan and Kuwait also say that they intercepted Iranian strikes. We will have more on this developing story later this hour.

Results are rolling in following the latest round of high stakes primary elections. Let's start with Maine. In the Senate race there, CNN projects that Graham Platner will secure the Democratic nomination. He'll face incumbent Senator Susan Collins in what's expected to be one of the most closely watched battles of the November midterms. But Platner's win comes despite several scandals looming over his campaign, which he addressed in a speech to his supporters.

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PLATNER: Now, the national pundits, the political establishment, they keep looking for that one story, that one headline, that one moment in my life that they can define the campaign by. But in trying so hard to understand me, they failed to understand that this is not about me at all. This is a movement about us.

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SMITH: And in South Carolina, CNN projects longtime senator and staunch Trump ally Lindsey Graham will once again secure the Republican nomination. He will face Democrat Annie Andrews in November.

And one week after California's primary, CNN can finally project that Trump-backed Republican Steve Hilton will advance to the governor's race. He's set to face Democrat Xavier Becerra, who's now been endorsed by California's current governor, Gavin Newsom.

Well, this morning, we are waiting on President Trump to sign a $70 billion immigration enforcement package into law. House Republicans passed the measure yesterday after months of contentious debate. Now, the bill will fully fund the Homeland Security Department for the rest of Trump's second term. That includes ICE and Customs and Border Protection. Democrats had blocked Congress from approving any money for those agencies after federal agents killed two U.S. citizens in Minnesota back in January.

The measure gives President Trump practically everything that he wanted. One notable exception, though, it does not provide the $1 billion for the White House security upgrades that would have included $200 million for Trump's controversial East Wing ballroom project.

Well, this morning on Capitol Hill, Bill Gates will face questions about his ties to Jeffrey Epstein. Gates has come under heavy scrutiny over the extent of his relationship with Epstein. In files released by the Justice Department, Epstein made a series of graphic and unverified allegations about Gates.

[05:05:04]

He has admitted having two affairs with Russian women, but insists he never spent time with Epstein's victims and never saw anything illicit. Today's interview will be closed door.

A Texas teenager has been sentenced to 35 years in prison in the fatal stabbing of a 17-year-old track athlete. The jury convicted Karmelo Anthony of murder in a trial that drew national attention.

CNN's Sherrell Hubbard reports with more.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Justice was served.

SHERRELL HUBBARD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A jury convicted 19 year old Karmelo Anthony of murder. Prosecutors said Anthony brought a knife to the 2025 competition and used it to stab 17-year-old Austin Metcalf in the chest after a confrontation. In court, the defense said that Metcalf shoved Anthony because Anthony would not leave the other team's tent during a rainy competition. The police arrest report noted that Anthony admitted at the scene that he did it and told police he was protecting himself.

An emotional response to a guilty verdict. During the seven-day trial, prosecutors called 21 witnesses. The trial drew crowds of onlookers, prompting a heavy law enforcement presence.

Some Anthony supporters called the verdict unjust and racist. Though both sides' lawyers argued the killing itself had nothing to do with race.

DOMINIQUE ALEXANDER, NEXT GENERATION ACTION NETWORK: And all, all white jury convicted him in two to three hours.

HUBBARD (voice-over): Others who followed the trial say the jury got it right.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And we don't need to be setting a precedent or if you come up and shove me, I can just pull a knife and stab you in the heart.

HUBBARD (voice-over): After the stabbing, Metcalf's twin brother Hunter tried to save Austin. Despite his and first responders' efforts, Metcalf died on the scene. Anthony did not testify in his own trial.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Nobody wins. You know it's it's a loss on both sides.

HUBBARD (voice-over): I'm Sherrell Hubbard reporting.

(END VIDEOTAPE) SMITH: Madison Square Garden officials are calling the NYPD and city security plans for tonight's game four of the NBA finals a, quote, "convenient excuse to restrict how and when Knicks fans celebrate". That's because the security measures will keep some of the restrictions from game three when President Trump attended the game.

In the meantime, the NYPD is still searching for the group that attacked the San Antonio Spurs fan after the Knicks lost game three Monday night. That fan was hospitalized and was in stable condition.

And five officers were injured and 21 people were arrested after a watch party became violent and destructive. This happened after some fans refused to leave and blocked traffic. Police say some of them threw glass objects at people and damaged bus signs. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said on social media that the city will not be, quote, "disrupted by violence".

A stormy week continues across the central US today as meteorologists are warning, be on the lookout for large hail, damaging winds, and maybe even tornadoes from Wichita up to Minneapolis and Chicago.

CNN's Reid Binion shows you the extreme impacts that these storms have already inflicted.

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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I heard something big fall in this tree from across the street. fell into our yard.

REID BINION, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Residents in parts of Kansas dealing with the aftermath of severe storms that brought down power poles, trees and debris and caused extensive damage. The winds strong enough to blow over semis on the interstate.

Kansas also seeing heavy rain and flash flooding. Crews rescuing several people after cars got stranded in high water in Topeka early Tuesday.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The whole car got picked up and moved into the woods and stuff.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Into a billboard sign, that's the only way we got stuck.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh my God!

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We keep moving into the river.

BINION (voice-over): More flash flooding in neighboring Missouri where floodwater filled the yards of several homes and led to street closures.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It just kept raising and raising and I was like, I don't know what to do. It's hitting the front and the back of the house.

BINION (voice-over): Torrential rain also led to extreme flooding in parts of Indiana, prompting evacuations in at least one area.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I've been doing this nearly 30 years. This is the first time that I've witnessed something like this.

BINION (voice-over): Floodwaters sweeping up this propane tank, which spewed vapor as it rushed downstream.

To the south, Alabama also got drenched early this week. Heavy rain triggering massive flooding that washed out roads and prompted at least one high water rescue.

I'm Reid Binion reporting.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SMITH: All right. Thank you, Reid. Breaking that down for us.

Lots to continue to track there and lots more to come on CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS.

Police say a man running from officers ended up in a swamp, but something was in the water with him. We will see what happened next.

And -- what led to a seven-hour standoff and threats of explosives? We've got that story coming your way.

And as well, we are just days away from that big UFC match at the White House, and now the Trump family is promoting gold and silver coins to go along with it.

That's coming up on CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS.

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[05:14:40]

SMITH: A federal judge ruled that the man accused of fatally stabbing a Ukrainian refugee on a Charlotte light rail train is not competent to stand trial. Thirty-four-year-old DeCarlos Brown Jr. was committed to a secure federal medical facility for treatment and evaluation for up to four months. Prosecutors say that Brown could face the death penalty in the 2025 killing if he's eventually convicted.

The judge says that mental health evaluators say that medication could restore his competency. His family said he suffers from schizophrenia.

Here's what the prosecutor said after the ruling.

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RUSS FERGUSON, U.S. ATTORNEY, WESTERN DISTRICT OF NORTH CAROLINA: For us, our number one goal here is justice for Iryna Zarutska and Iryna Zarutska's family. That's what's on the top of our mind and our hearts every day. And this is a step in that process.

In this process, we have to make sure that we have a case that is airtight on appeal, airtight on post-conviction litigation. We have to make sure the defendant has all the due process that the Constitution affords him, and this is one step in that process, and so we'll move forward from here.

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SMITH: The state murder case against Brown has also been delayed. The Trump administration is fighting to keep its planned Sunday night UFC fight at the White House from getting postponed or scrapped altogether. It's arguing the legal challenge that was filed came too late. A Vietnam veteran and civic activist filed a lawsuit to stop the fight. That lawsuit argues that the Trump administration violated the law by avoiding congressional approval to build the massive structure on the White House lawn.

The Justice Department says lawmakers' approval is not needed for, quote, "temporary structures".

Well, tennis superstar Serena Williams is back, and she's picking up right where she left off. The 23-time Grand Slam champion just wrap that -- wrap your mind around that for a second. She returned to the court for the first time in nearly four years Tuesday.

Amanda Davies was there for the remarkable return as well.

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AMANDA DAVIES, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: What a day here at this little leafy tennis club in West London at Queens, a tournament that couldn't be named better for the return of the first lady of tennis. Never has a first round Tuesday doubles match had such a build up. This was the tennis equivalent in terms of tickets of the Knicks/Spurs after Serena announced her return to the professional game four years after stepping away.

She and partner Vicky Mboko may have been up against the pair-seeded number three, but let's not pretend this was anything other than the Serena show.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I mean, it's been fantastic to see Serena play. I mean, she's the absolute queen.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It was brilliant. I think she's still got it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She's just great on the court, isn't she? And it's actually remarkable to see her take a four-year break like that and come back and be able to win a match with somebody she's never played with before.

DAVIES: Serena has said one of her big motivations in coming back was so her daughters could see her play. Her husband, Alexis Ohanian, was sitting right center back of the court with the pair of them alongside.

Serena is a player that spent so much of her career fighting to feel that she belonged. But she is back. This is still very much her stage. (END VIDEOTAPE)

SMITH: Thank you, Amanda.

Williams and Mboko will both be back in action in the quarterfinals tomorrow. And here's what the pair had to say right after their win.

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SERENA WILLIAMS, TENNIS SUPERSTAR: Well, we had a lot of fun.

VICKY MBOKO, TENNIS PLAYER: We did have a lot of fun, you know?

WILLIAMS: I feel like there's room for improvement. I need to make some returns next match, which I will. I haven't -- I didn't miss one in practice, but yeah, that was a little embarrassing out there.

But you know, the good news is, we can do better -- I can do better. I don't know why you did great.

MBOKO: Both have always -- there's always room for improvement, you know.

WILLIAMS: Yeah.

(END VIDEO CLIP

SMITH: Serena is also asked about possibly playing doubles at Wimbledon later this month. Her reply, quote, "It's a day at a time."

Still to come on CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS, propane tanks were seen floating in flood waters. More on that severe weather that caused all of this.

And NASA announces the crew for the next Artemis mission. What they had to say about the lack of women on that team, coming up.

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[05:23:26]

SMITH: NASA has revealed the crew of the Artemis III. That's the next mission in its program to send people to the moon again. Now here are the astronauts. It is an all male crew and they could launch next year.

While the astronauts won't be traveling to the moon, the crew says that they're still excited for the journey.

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RANDY BRESNIK, ARTEMIS III COMMANDER: We are certainly humbled as a crew to be able to be your crew that executes this Artemis III mission in space. Being that unifying link between the phenomenal Artemis II mission we just had two months ago and the Artemis IV mission that will follow ours, where we will again be the first to land humans on another celestial body, that celestial body being our neighbor in the sky at night, the moon.

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SMITH: CNN's Jake Tapper spoke with the crew and asked them if the all-male mission was intentional. Take a listen.

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JAKE TAPPER, CNN HOST: I know you guys weren't in charge of who picked who, but I wonder, was it intentional not to pick women or just that's just the way the dice rolled?

BRESNIK: No, certainly not intentional. I mean, you can look at our astronaut office and see the wide, you know, diversity within the office, whether that's gender or background or nationality or heritage. And certainly the boss had to pick the crew for this flight that he had available, that had the skill sets that he needed. But certainly just, you know, look at our ISS missions where we had -- our recent crews with Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers were the commander and pilot.

So the office gets what it needs when it needs it.

[05:25:00]

And we'll certainly have all these other people that you mentioned are female military test pilots or just other female astronauts that will be picking up on the fall on Artemis missions. And we'll certainly have all these other people that you mentioned are female military test pilots or just other female astronauts, they're going to be picking up on the fall on Artemis missions, and we're here to carry the fire so that we can hand off the torch to them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

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SMITH: That was a maid of honor in California, auctioning off the chance to be the first table served at her twin sister's wedding reception. This is a story that's going viral, and the bidding frenzy, it went up to $500. The money will be a gift for the happy couple's honeymoon fund. Oh, by the way, they didn't ask for gifts, and this was a surprise for them.

Good stuff there, giving me some ideas.

Ahead on CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS, a week later, it looks like the California governor's race is now set, and President Trump's pick made the cut. The latest from the top primary race is coming your way.

And reality TV stars Todd and Julie Chrisley are suing their defense attorneys from their criminal case. What they're alleging now coming your way.

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