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CNN Headlines: U.S.-Iran Agreement To Be Signed, In Effect On Friday; 12 Killed In Skydiving Plane Crash; Knicks Fans Celebrate Team's First Title In 53 Years. Aired 5:30-6a ET

Aired June 15, 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 here.

A breakthrough agreement with Iran light on the details. President Donald Trump is one Air Force One traveling to Europe for this week's G7 leader summit. Now, the memorandum of understanding -- it's set to be signed Friday in Switzerland. One thing we know under the agreement, the Strait of Hormuz will reopen.

Also, longtime Kentucky Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell is in the hospital after being admitted yesterday. His spokesperson says that he's receiving excellent care. The 84-year-old is Kentucky's longest serving senator and the longest serving Senate party leader in U.S. history. McConnell has faced a number of health issues in recent years.

And the man accused of igniting the deadly Palisades fire is expected to take the witness stand today. Prosecutors say that Jonathan Rinderknecht was "pissed off at the world" when he started the fire -- at least he was -- and had also fixated on Luigi Mangione who is accused of fatally shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO. The fire killed a dozen people and scorched thousands of homes and businesses.

More now on our top story as the U.S. and Iran say that they've reached an agreement and will sign a memorandum of understanding on Friday.

CNN's Paula Hancocks is in Abu Dhabi with more of the details, of which we know few.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The key question is what exactly is in this memorandum of understanding. We have heard agreement from both the U.S. and Iran that it will be signed. That it has been agreed to. And yet, the actual details of what it entails have still not been released.

Now, of course, what this allows is for both sides to really put their spin on what they say has been agreed. We have heard from Tehran one of the key issues that they are looking for is to ensure that billions of dollars of their frozen assets are unfrozen and also to see the lifting of sanctions. That is not something that we are seeing as a priority from the Trump administration unsurprisingly. Their main focus is that Iran will never have a nuclear weapon, something which Tehran has agreed to in the past. But, of course, the level of trust between these two sides is close to zero so this is the details that the Trump administration will be looking for.

So, of course, going forward there is a long time between now and Friday. There are concerns. We're hearing from many experts that there could be something to scupper the deal.

Many of them pointing, of course, to Israel and the fact that this is not what Israel wants at this point. In fact, President Trump in a phone interview with The New York Times did speak of Netanyahu, saying, "He is a very difficult guy." Saying that Israel does stand to benefit from this memorandum -- from this eventual deal that will be done between the U.S. and Iran.

We're not hearing that at all though from Israel itself. In fact, we're hearing from politicians on both sides of the political divide that this is not a good deal for them. From the far right we're hearing that Israel is not a subordinate to the U.S. And even on the center left side we're hearing Yair Golan saying the agreement was made over Israel's head.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SMITH: Thank you, Paula.

The Kremlin says Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated President Trump by phone on his 80th birthday yesterday. The two world leaders spoke for nearly an hour discussing relations between the U.S. and Russia.

Ukraine's president also wished Trump a happy birthday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): We have one wish for President Trump -- all Ukrainians do -- that peace can finally be achieved so that we can achieve this success together with America. Together with all our partners.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[05:35:00]

SMITH: Meanwhile, the European Union will be holding initial membership negotiations with both Ukraine and Moldova today. Ukraine's membership has previously faced opposition mainly by Hungary's former leader Viktor Orban.

Investigators are looking into what caused a skydiving plane to crash moments after takeoff in Missouri. All 12 people on board were killed, including 11 skydivers and the pilot. Now officials say that the crash appears to be an accident.

Here's CNN's Rafael Romo with more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RAFAEL ROMO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The Missouri State Highway Patrol says that the plane went down near the Butler Memorial Airport. Sergeant Justin Ewing with the Highway Patrol said that 12 people died, including 11 skydivers and the pilot of the airplane.

Dennis Jacobs, acting airport manager and Bates County Emergency Manager director, told CNN that the plane had just taken off around 11:30 a.m. local time, wasn't able to get visual altitude, made a sharp left turn, and crashed about 300 yards from the runway. Jacobs added that the single-engine turboprop is operated by Skydive Kansas City. The company declined to comment when contacted by CNN.

Aerial footage from CNN affiliate KNBC shows the debris field of the plane crash in a grassy area right next to a rural road only hundreds of yards away from buildings and structure belonging to the Butler Memorial Airport.

The city of Butler, population 4,600, is located about 65 miles south of Kansas City, Missouri.

A sergeant with the Missouri State Highway Patrol told the Associated Press that the plane was taking people up to skydive when emergency responders got a call that a plane was down and engulfed in fire. The sergeant also told the AP that the plane went down in a field adjacent to the airport.

This is what Congressman Mark Alford, who represents the area where this happened, had to say about the tragic crash.

REP. MARK ALFORD (R-MO): I think some of these were first-time skydivers preparing to skydive in a tandem formation. Not a lot of them, my understanding, were experienced but just getting to enjoy God's green earth and then have something like this turn so tragic while potentially other family members were watching.

SHERIFF CHAD ANDERSON, BATES COUNTY, MISSOURI: There were witnesses that were family members, yes. Our hearts go out to them. There's nothing we really can say to make it better. We just pray for them and their loved ones, and their friends and their family, and hope that they can recover to some sense of normalcy if we can.

ROMO: In a statement the National Transportation Safety Board said the plane that crashed was a Pacific Aerospace 750XL operated for skydiving purposes. The NTSB also said its investigators will arrive to the scene on Monday. A preliminary report on the crash is expected within 30 days, but the full investigation may take up to two years to be completed.

Rafael Romo, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE) SMITH: Thank you, Rafael.

A never before event unfolded at the White House Sunday. Thousands of people packed the south lawn to watch a number of Ultimate Fighting Championship matches take place. The event, dubbed "UFC Freedom 250," was part of the celebrations marking the country's 250th anniversary. It also coincided with President Trump's 80th birthday.

Trump and UFC president and CEO Dana White kicked things off while the Zac Brown Band played the National Anthem. White later called the event an overwhelming success but stressed it will never happen again.

In an interview with CNN's Kasie Hunt, ESPN and SiriusXM host Stephen A. Smith spoke about Trump's embrace by UFC fans compared to other sports. He also says that Trump calling Stephen A. Smith "low I.Q." crossed racial lines. Here's a closer look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

STEPHEN A. SMITH, ESPN AND SIRIUS XM HOST: When Donald Trump goes to a UFC event, he receives far more love than I've seen him receive anywhere else he has been in the sporting world.

KASIE HUNT, CNN ANCHOR: Certainly, he did not receive that kind of love when he attended the Knicks game, which you have gotten into an extended back-and-forth with the president about to the -- to the point that the president has now called you "low I.Q."

Why is that the label he threw at you?

SMITH: Because his vocabulary is limited when it comes to insults that he chooses to throw out at people, and that's assuming he wrote it himself as opposed to have somebody write it for him. I'm not the first, I'm not going to be the last that he's -- whose I.Q. he has challenged. It definitely crosses racial lines because he says it about Black folks a lot. But he also says it about a lot of white folks that don't support him.

And I thought him showing up to game three of the NBA Finals knowing how congested New York City is -- 8 1/2 million people were looking forward to enjoying themselves and having a party of a lifetime. I felt that him injecting himself into that mix was selfish, I thought it was narcissistic, I thought it was thoughtless, and I said so. And it's days later and I'm not backing up one bit.

[05:40:07]

He showed up, they lost. He compromised the mojo. He didn't show up for game four. They won. You do it. You decide what that's about. It is what it is.

So he can say what he wants. He can feel what he wants. He's entitled. He certainly takes his amount of insults. So he's more than entitled to dish it out and I certainly can take.

(END VIDEOTAPE) (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WORLD CUP FANS: USA! USA! USA! USA! USA!

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SMITH: After a huge win against Paraguay, Team USA is gearing up for their next World Cup match against Australia on Friday. These two teams played last October in a friendly with the Americans winning 2- 1.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NY Knicks Fans celebrating team's first title in 53 years.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SMITH: New York living up to its name -- truly the city that does not sleep, especially over the weekend. Knicks fans flooded the streets to celebrate their team snapping a 53-year-old title drought with a win over the Spurs in game give of the NBA Finals.

But the celebrations -- they turned into chaos in the hours after the big win. Dozens of people ended up getting arrested as the emotions ran raw.

Reed Benyon breaks that side down for us.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

REED BENYON, CNN REPORTER (voiceover): The New York Knicks greeted by exuberant fans as they arrived home Sunday after becoming the new NBA champions. The Knicks beating the San Antonio Spurs Saturday to win their first NBA title in more than half a century.

Fans across the Big Apple erupted in celebration at the moment of victory. From Brooklyn to Central Park to Times Square and outside Madison Square Garden the mood in New York was ecstatic after Saturday's win.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We didn't sweep but we cleaned up really quick.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's a joy here in this city and there's a unity in this city that we haven't seen maybe since 9/11.

BENYON (voiceover): Fans flooded the streets after the big win, crowding into intersections, with some climbing light poles and others getting on top of buses. But as the night progressed the celebration turned chaotic with five school buses set on fire in Times Square and five police cars damaged on Sixth Avenue.

After a trash fire was set in the street, mounted officers -- their horses fitted with protective eye gear -- made a line to move people out of the roadway. Crowd control units gathering behind the mounted officers to disperse the crowds. The NYPD said dozens of people were arrested in connection with the game on charges including assault on a police officer, criminal mischief, disorderly conduct, and resisting arrest. Ten officers were injured.

I'm Reed Benyon reporting.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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

Steven Spielberg's latest sci-fi thriller "Disclosure Day" topped the box office this weekend. The movie, which stars Emily Blunt and Josh O'Connor, made more than $90 million globally during its opening weekend making the number one movie at the box office.

And check this out. One third grade class in Maine may have just become lifelong Luke Combs fans. The students have been listening to the country star's music during their writing time as a way to help focus. Their teacher posted a video on social media of her students singing to his music and, of course, Luke Combs saw that video. He ended up sending the class a signed copy of his most recent album, as well as a record player.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I love, like, listening to Luke Combs and it helps me actually, like enjoy learning.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think it's really awesome because I've always been wanting to be recognized by somebody famous.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SMITH: The teacher says not all of her students were country music fans at the start of the school year but it's safe to say that Combs has some new fans.

Next up on CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS, proof that seconds matter when it comes to missing children. How officers spotted a little boy submerged in water just in the nick of time.

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[05:48:47]

SMITH: Let's go around the globe starting in Brazil. That's where a singer was killed in a helicopter crash. Investigators in Brazil are trying to figure out what caused two helicopters to collide in midair over Rio de Janeiro. Authorities say that all six people on board were killed in the crash yesterday. One of the helicopters went down in a car dealership's parking lot, setting several electrical vehicles on fire.

American singer Oliver Tree is believed to be one of the people killed though police are still working to identify everyone. Tree performed in Argentina earlier this month.

And this is the scene in Albania. That's where protests are entering their third week. Thousands of people marched in the streets of the capital on Sunday. The so-called Flamingo Revolution started as protests against a planned luxury resort on an environmentally sensitive coastline. The project is being backed by Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner. But the protests have expanded into demonstrations aimed at government corruption.

[05:50:00]

And in Switzerland the far right proposal that would have capped its population size at 10 million as means to limit immigration has failed. Early results show that nearly 55 percent of Swiss voters opposed the idea while 45 percent were in favor. The referendum was put forward by the right-wing Swiss People's Party, which says uncontrolled immigration is hurting the country. Foreigners make up 28 percent of Switzerland's population.

And you have got to see this. A curious cat stole the show during a production of "Romeo and Juliet" in Turkey last week. Watch as the playful feline takes a liking to Romeo's hair as Juliet mourns the loss of her one true love. Not great timing, mister cat or misses cat. Remarkably, both actors remained in character but the audience -- it couldn't hold back their laughter. The cat eventually made itself at home on a stool as the performance continued. We're really just in their space after all.

Could you be owed some money? Coming up on CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS what a new Comcast class action lawsuit means for customers.

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[05:55:30]

SMITH: We're going to get to our money stories in just a moment but first, basketball fans in New York still buzzing over the Knicks' huge championship win, including our very own Maribel Aber. She was in Times Square this weekend celebrating with her husband Chris. And that big grin says it all.

Maribel joins me now. Maribel, I am jealous -- so jealous that I made my way to New York myself. How did you feel?

MARIBEL ABER, CNN CORRESPONDENT, MONEY MATTERS: Oh my God. So we had to go downstairs after the game. Listen, we walked with the fans in Times Squares. I've been a New Yorker since 2000 and worked in Times Square for more than two decades. So the energy really surpassed New Year's Eve Brad by at least, like 50 percent.

SMITH: As is warranted. I mean, New Year's Eve guaranteed to come around every year. A Knicks championship win not always guaranteed, which makes this that much more special.

What about the Money Express headlines that you're following today as well?

ABER: OK, green on the board right now, Brad. You know the three major indices finished higher Friday. The Dow rose 354 points, the Nasdaq added 79, and the S&P 500 moved up 37 points. And investors will be watching housing and retail sales data this week. Markets will be closed Friday for the Juneteenth holiday. But right now I'm looking at Dow futures up 428 and Nasdaq futures up 579.

And global oil prices are trading lower though today after the U.S. and Iran announced a peace deal. The agreement, set to take effect Friday, includes reopening the Strait of Hormuz. A formal signing is expected in Switzerland. Both Brent and U.S. crude are around $80 a barrel. AAA shows the national average for a gallon of unleaded is $4.07.

Anthropic is restricting access to its most powerful AI models at the direction of the U.S. government. The company says it was ordered to block foreign nationals from using its Mythos 5 and Fable 5 models. The directive cited national security concerns without giving specifics. It also cuts off access for many foreign nationals working at Anthropic.

Now, the move marks one of the most sweeping government actions involving a commercial AI model to date. The administration has not responded to requests for comment.

Comcast has agreed to pay nearly $118 million to settle a cybersecurity breach class action lawsuit. The breach exposed the personal information of millions of Xfinity customers in 2023. Now, according to Comcast, that includes usernames, passwords, and the last four digits of Social Security numbers. Eligible customers should have received a notice with instructions on how to file a claim by August 14. More information is available at comcastbreachsettlement.com -- Brad.

SMITH: All right, Maribel. Appreciate it, Maribel Aber.

Let's turn now to some of the other stories making headlines across the country. We begin in Texas. That is where dramatic video shows a police officer jumping into a river to save a missing child who was close to drowning. Take a look at this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

POLICE OFFICER: Hey, buddy. Hey, buddy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SMITH: Police say officers found the missing child partly underwater and at times going under. One officer didn't hesitate, jumping in right away and bringing the child safely back to shore. Thankfully, that child is OK.

Let's take you out to California. That's where evacuation orders have been lifted a rapidly growing wildfire. It got dangerously close to nearby homes. That Lemon fire -- it started Saturday about an hour north of L.A. Firefighters are holding the line but there are still warnings in place. The cause is under investigation.

And workers at an IRS building in Atlanta are speaking out about a rat infestation in the office. Yuck! They hit the streets over the weekend to let the community know what they've been dealing with. Some employees say that they've resorted to sitting on their desks to avoid contact with the floor, while others say that they've even become ill by the infestation.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TOYA LYTLEWILSON, IRS EMPLOYEE: I'm sitting at my desk minding my business and doing my work and I look through my peripheral vision and there was a rat right there by my footstool. We looked at each other. He screamed, I screamed, and he ran back down the hole. I don't know if I'm going to come in my desk and have someone sitting in my desk doing my job that's a rat. And I'm not trying to crack a joke or nothing about that, but I don't need it. I've got co-workers. I don't need that type of co-worker.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[06:00:00]

SMITH: It's safe to say nobody signs up for the floor's lava rat edition when they go to work.

Retired employees -- they showed up to protest as well. The IRS says it's working to fix the problem, and staff members are now allowed to work from home.

Wow, just quite the situation that you're seeing there on your screen as we're continuing to see how they are able to get rid of that infestation. We'll keep you updated there.

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