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The Story Is with Elex Michaelson
Kentucky Voters To Decide Fate Of Trump Foe Massie; Trump Says Attack On Iran Held Off Upon Gulf States' Request; Three Killed In Shooting At San Diego's Largest Mosque, 2 Teen Suspects Dead; CDC Says One American Tested Positive For Ebola In DRC; Musk Says He'll Appeal Dismissal Of Lawsuit Against OpenAI; New Graduates Face Tough Job Market As AI Reshapes Hiring; New Graduates Face Job Market Hungry for A.I. Expertise; MV Hondius Docks in Rotterdam for Disinfection; U.S. Justice Department Creates $1.8 Billion Fund for Trump Allies; Stephen Colbert Begins Final Week of "Late Show". Aired 1-2a ET
Aired May 19, 2026 - 01:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[01:00:00]
LYNDA KINKADE, CNN ANCHOR: Parent company Paramount may have attempted to win favor with the Trump administration. CNN's parent company, Warner Brothers Discovery is currently in the midst of a takeover deal with Paramount.
Colbert says he wants to end the show as good partners with CBS and has a stacked lineup of guests to close out his run, including Jon Stewart and Bruce Springsteen. We wish him all the very best.
Thanks so much for watching. Appreciate your company. Stay with us. The next hour of the stories begins right, right now.
Hello and welcome to our viewers watching from all around the world and here in the US, I'm Lynda Kinakde in for Elex Michaelson.
Right now, the top story is politics. In just a matter of hours, American voters in six states will return to the polls to pick their nominees for the critical November midterm elections. Some of the most closely watched races are unfolding in Kentucky, Georgia, and Pennsylvania.
But it's a House race in Kentucky between two Republican rivals that's getting the most attention. President Trump has called incumbent Thomas Massie the worst congressman in U.S. history and is throwing all his weight behind his challenger. Massie has opposed some of the president's top legislative priorities, including the war in Iran. Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth made a rare wartime visit to Kentucky to campaign for Massie's opponent, claiming he was there on his own accord.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PEET HEGSETH, U.S. DEFENSE SECRETTARY: Ed Gallrein's record speaks for itself. Thomas Massie's record speaks for itself, too. Too much grandstanding, too few great votes. Years of acting like being difficult is the same thing as being courageous.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: CNN's Jeff Zeleny picks up the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEFF ZELENY, CNN CHIEF U.S. NATIONAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: One of the most expensive and certainly vitriolic Republican primary campaigns is coming to a close here in Kentucky as voters on Tuesday will decide this primary race between Congressman Thomas Massie and challenger Ed Gallrein.
Now, President Trump has been keeping a very close watch on this, endorsing Gallrein also hand picking him for the position. But Thomas Massie, who's running for his eighth term, has a long connection with voters here as well. We caught up with him right before the final event here in Vanceburg, Kentucky. He spoke with an air of optimism.
REP. THOMAS MASSIE (R-KY): I think I'm going to win, actually. I think that's why they're panicked. Look, why would the president post on social media 10 times in 24 hours? Why would the secretary of war come to Kentucky if they thought they had this in the bag?
They're desperate because they're in with both feet and they pushed in all their chips. When they lose this, it's going to be cataclysmic for the establishment in DC.
ZELENY: On the final day of campaigning, Gallrein brought in Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, an unusual trip for a defense secretary to be on the campaign trail. He called Massie an obstructionist and urged voters here to send him out of office. So there's no doubt there is a test here of loyalties between President Trump and Congressman Thomas Massie, who grew up right here in this district.
It is one of the latest examples potentially of the revenge tour that President Trump is trying to enact on Republicans who do not fall in line with him. Massie said he believes that voters like what he's done in office. Of course, the primary on Tuesday will determine the outcome of this race. Jeff Zeleny, CNN, Vanceburg, Kentucky.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KINKADE: We're turning now to the war with Iran, where a fragile ceasefire is still in place after President Trump says he will hold off on a planned Iranian strike on Tuesday at the request of Gulf allies. He says negotiations to end the war are growing more serious.
President Trump says he's instructed his leadership to be prepared to go full forward with a large scale assault of Iran on a moment notice in the event that an acceptable deal is not reached. The president is staying with his message that the end of the war and high gas prices is within reach.
Earlier, President Trump had this to say to voters in Kentucky.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
DONALD TRUP, U.S. PRESIDENT: Gasoline is going to come tumbling down as soon as the war is over and they want it. Iran wants it to end soon. They've taken big punishment and it's very simple. They cannot have a nuclear weapon to blow up Kentucky and to blow up every place else.
We're not going to let that happen. So we're getting very close. And as soon as we get that one finished, you're going to see the gasoline and energy is going to come tumbling down.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
KINKADE: This comes as a source tells CNN that the U.S. believes Iran's latest proposal to end the war do not offer big enough concessions on some critical sticking points, including Tehran's nuclear enrichment program. Iran's president has vowed to defend the country's interests amid the ongoing negotiations, saying, quote, dialogue does not mean surrender.
Iran has maintained that it will be ready if the U.S. decides to resume military operations.
[01:05:0]
Some Iranians right now are preparing for that possibility. CNN operates in Iran only with the government's permission and retains full editorial control of what we report. Here's our chief global affairs correspondent, Matthew Chance.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CHIEF GLOBAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Across Iran, the tension and the rhetoric is getting stronger. Thousands have been gathering every night for state sponsored rallies. Mobil supporters against the United States.
CHANCE: How concerned are you that the war may start again soon?
TIANA, RALLY ATTENDEE: Concerned, sorry, I'm not worried. Why should I be worried? Because I'm so ready to sacrifice my life for my country and for my people. So, no, I'm not worried at all, at all.
CHANCE (voice-over): This man's sign reads nuclear technology and missiles are as important as borders. Key sticking points. Installed peace talks.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We need nuclear. Nuclear, not for the bomb.
CHANCE (voice-over): Still, amid escalating threats from the White House, ordinary Iranians are now being urged to prepare for war.
CHANCE: Right. Well, these rallies or gatherings have been taking place every single night for the past several weeks. So they're not new. But what is new is the introduction of weapons. And these kiosks have been set up in each of these sort of squares where members of the military, there you can see them with masks on. They're showing people, in this case a woman, the basic skills of how to use what I think is an AK47 or a Kalashnikov, things like that. Look over here, they're showing children how to use them as well.
It's all part of a sort of state sponsored call to arms in case the war begins again.
CHANCE (voice-over): It's all guns on state television too. It's several Iranian channels broadcasting their hosts brandishing assault rifles. They gave me a weapon so I could learn how to use it, like you, this anchor tells her viewers. After his on air training, this presenter fires off a round into the studio ceiling.
But not all Iranians are gunning for a fight. Just around the corner from the rally hints at the diversity of views about their country's plight.
CHANCE: Well, it's a very different atmosphere in this part of town. People are sitting with their partners, having coffees, strolling around the bookstores or just hanging out with their friends. And you talk to people, you get very different views as well. People didn't want to talk on camera, but off camera.
One woman said to me she just wanted peace and freedom. Another one said she wanted to live in a normal country where there was a potential future for her children.
CHANCE (voice-over): But Iran's future to many Iranians looks increasingly clear, especially amid regular threats from President Trump.
CHANCE: Waiting for the war.
FATIMA, RALLY ATTENDEE: We're waiting. We are here because we know this war isn't over. We know he's not negotiating. He's not going to negotiate anything. He's just going to be like, either you do what I tell you or I'm going to kill you again.
CHANCE (voice-over): And it may be that bleak sense of inevitability drowning out any voices of compromise. Matthew Chance, CNN in Tehran.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KINKADE: Russian President Vladimir Putin is heading to China, where in the hours ahead he's set to kick off a two-day visit. Putin will hold talks with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. The Kremlin says the two leaders will discuss bilateral issues. This visit, of course, comes just days after U.S. President Trump made his own visit to Beijing.
In Southern California, authorities are investigating a deadly shooting at San Diego's largest mosque as a hate crime. Three people were killed, including a security guard whose heroic actions, the police chief said, undoubtedly saved lives. A friend of his spoke out after the shooting.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I truly know in my heart from knowing that man that he was sacrificing his life and took that bullet, knowing that I'd rather take it than the kids. And that is what makes me emotional.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: The police chief said the two teenage suspects were found dead in a car near the mosque from self-inflicted gunshot wounds.
[01:10:00]
We're now learning that one of them was a high school wrestler in an online schooling program. A law enforcement source identified him as Cain Clark. San Diego's police chief says one of the suspects took three weapons from his mother's home before the attack. Officials say hate speech was scrawled on one of the weapons used in the shooting.
Millions of dollars in foreign aid and several tons of emergency medical supplies are pouring into Central Africa amid a global effort to contain the deadly Ebola outbreak. The U.S. State Department says it's working closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. military on the potential repatriation of Americans affected by this crisis.
On Monday, the CDC confirmed that an American working in the Democratic Republic of Congo had tested positive for Ebola, but did not name the individual. An international charity called Serge reported that a Christian missionary physician, Dr. Peter Stafford, had caught the virus while treating patients at a hospital in the region.
According to the Africa CDC, there are now more than 100 suspected deaths linked to the outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda. The World Health Organization has yet to declare a pandemic, but is warning that the spike in cases could indicate a much larger outbreak. Local health officials are calling on the public to help monitor the spread.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. PATIENT MAZIRANE, MEDICAL DIRECTOR, UNIVERSELLE CLINIC (through translator): We ask the public that anyone presenting suspicious symptoms quickly seek evaluation at a health center where care can begin. This will allow not only the protection of your family and people around you, but also break the chain of infection transmission if the case turns out to be positive.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: Joining me now, this is Dr. Krutika Kuppalli. She's an associate professor in the Division of Infectious Diseases and School of Public Health at the University of Texas Southwestern. Thanks so much for your time.
DR. KRUTIKA KUPPALLI, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, DEPARTMENT OF INTERNAL MEDICINE, U.T. SOUTHWESTERN MEDICAL CENTER: Yes, hi. Thanks for having me.
KINKADE: So, doctor, we're now seeing reports that an American health worker in Congo has tested positive for Ebola and has been evacuated for treatment. Just first of all, what is the current Ebola treatment actually look like today?
KUPPALLI: So right now, there are no approved therapeutics for the treatment of this particular species of Ebola. There are no monoclonal antibodies. There are no vaccines. Really, the most important thing is going to be optimal, supportive care for the patient. There are some potential therapeutics that are being developed that this patient might receive. However, it's not clear at this point if that's the case.
KINKADE: So what does this case tell you about the real world exposure and risk for health care workers and aid workers even when proper protective protocols are in place?
KUPPALLI: Yes. So, health care workers are a front line of defense. They are working in some of the most challenging settings and they're always putting their lives at risk. And so the fact that we have a number of health workers who've been exposed and one who is sick is obviously very concerning. We don't know how many other health workers in the areas that are affected have also been infected as well.
KINKADE: And given your experience as a medical director of an Ebola treatment unit during the 2014 West Africa outbreak, how does this current outbreak in Central Africa compare in terms of urgency, trajectory and overall risk?
KUPPALLI: Yes, so this outbreak is extremely concerning. By the time it was declared, there are over 240 suspected cases. They were reporting about 60 suspected fatalities. So that means the outbreak has been going on for quite a while before it was announced.
And so that makes it very complicated in terms of tracing people who may have been exposed, making sure there has not been any cross border transmission. We already know of two cases in Uganda. So this is a very large and complex situation, particularly given the location of the outbreak in DRC. There's a active military situation there that's been ongoing for many years. So there are many aspects of this outbreak that are quite challenging and yet different from the 2014 West Africa outbreak.
KINKADE: And of course you were also a former WHO medical officer during COVID-19 pandemic and AMPOX. So talk to us about what needs to happen going forward in terms of the speed and coordination.
KUPPALLI: Yes, so I believe a lot of that is already happening. WHO has people on the ground. Africa's CDC has people on the ground. The country has people working. They're all working together. I think Dr. Tedros made a really good move earlier this weekend when he announced the public health emergency of international concern. Given the magnitude of this outbreak, that allows for mobilization of resources and really indicates to the world that this is a very important and critical juncture for the outbreak. So I think a lot of those things are underway right now.
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KINKADE: And so just tell us what the concerns are when it comes to the funding constraints we're seeing right now, which we haven't in the past, and also the competing global crises that we're dealing with and the fatigue from recent pandemics. How does that impact containment efforts?
KUPPALLI: Well, I think probably one of the biggest aspects of the containment efforts that's challenging is developing community trust so the aid workers can go in there and work with the people who are at risk and help them understand that, you know, this disease is out there.
And I think that one of the things that we've seen particularly over the last couple of years is how quickly misinformation and disinformation spreads, but also how important it is to have the trust of the people and the communities that you're trying to take care of. And so that's going to be really vital for this outbreak containment effort to be successful going forward.
KINKADE: Dr. Krutika Kuppalli, we appreciate your time today and expertise. Thanks so much for joining us.
KUPPALLI: Thank you.
KINKADE: Powerful thunderstorms are sweeping across multiple states and parts of the central US. The storms produced several tornadoes, large hail and flash flooding right across Kansas, Nebraska on Monday evening. And in west Michigan, strong winds knocked down trees and utility lines, leaving thousands of residents without power.
A daycare building suffered roof damage from debris, though officials say no one was hurt. Forecasters say severe storm and tornado potential will decrease as the weather system pushes east. There's still a slight risk of severe thunderstorms from northern Texas right up to Michigan.
A fast moving brush fire in Southern California is forcing over 33,000 people to evacuate. The so called Sandy Fire was reported Monday morning in the hills above Simi Valley, about 30 miles north of Los Angeles and is threatening multiple homes and structures. Cal Fire officials say more than 1,300 acres have been burned with zero percent containment. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Still to come, new college graduates are getting their glimpse of a changing job market as the tech industry pushes for greater use of AI. We'll share some of their thoughts on the impending job search, next.
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[01:21:29]
KINKADE: Welcome back. I'm Lynda Kinkade. Billionaire Elon Musk and his legal team are already planning to appeal the outcome of his lawsuit against OpenAI. On Monday, a jury in California found that Musk's lawsuit took too long to be filed and was beyond the statute of limitations.
The trial had the potential to force the tech company to change how it operates. Here's what attorneys for both parties had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WILLIAM SAVITT, ATTORNEY FOR OPENAI: This lawsuit was, was a hypocritical, hypocritical attempt to sabotage a competitor and to overcome a long history of very bad predictions about what OpenAI has been and will become.
MARC TOBEROFF, ATTORNEY FOR ELON MUSK: This, at it, at its core, is a travesty. And but for Musk, you know, they get away with it and they shouldn't.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: Musk accused OpenAI and some of its current executives of abandoning their nonprofit practices, all in favor of a lucrative business model which has helped them become one of the world's most valuable tech companies. Musk responded to the verdict on X saying in part quote, there is no question that Altman and Brockman did in fact enrich themselves by stealing a charity. The only question is when they did it.
Musk himself is a co-founder and former investor in OpenAI. He left the company in 2018 and started his own company, XAI, in 2023.
On Wednesday, tech platform Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, will cut about 10 percent of its global workforce. As big tech continues restructuring around artificial intelligence automation, and as more companies do the same, many graduates are entering the workforce with growing uncertainty.
I spoke with students and faculty at Georgia Tech about how the class of 2026 is being prepared for their first jobs in tech and the challenges that lie ahead.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KINAKDE (voice-over): The class of 2026 is graduating. A computer science degree at Georgia Institute of Technology is considered a golden ticket to secure a position at a major tech company like Google, Meta and Amazon. But after tens of thousands of layoffs and a rapid shift towards AI, students are entering a job market that looks very different.
KINKADE: So with all the mass layoffs in tech, how are you feeling approaching graduation?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I won't lie. We -- my friends and I, have been a little bit scared about entering the workforce.
KINKADE (voice-over): This year, more than 100,000 jobs were cut in the tech sector, according to industry trackers. LinkedIn shows entry level hiring has fallen about 6 percent year over year.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How's your finals going?
KINKADE (voice-over): Hunter Richardson is graduating with a job already lined up.
HUNTER RICHARDSON, GEORGIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY GRADUATE: A few years into my degree program, I added accounting as a second major to be able to apply the things I learned in computer science.
KINKADE (voice-over): Hunter represents one side of the story. Students who took steps to adapt early, combining technical skills with business experience and internships.
RICHARDSON: What I think excites us particularly at Georgia Tech is how we are being equipped to work with AI tools in a way that is unique and keeps us on the, you know, the forefront of being able to work with these tools. And as things are evolving constantly, we're ready to change.
KINKADE: What's one piece of advice you're giving students as they navigate this AI disruption?
OLUFISAYO OMOJOKUN, ASSOCIATE DEAN FOR UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION, GEORGIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY: Yes, certainly is to not skip the fundamentals. Things can change over time because of AI, but the fundamentals are going to always be important.
[01:25:02]
KINKADE: Which are?
OMOJOKUN: Well, we have this whole notion of computational thinking that's part of our curriculum. Being able to look at large problems and break them down into smaller pieces and understand the patterns and processes that make a solution.
KINKADE (voice-over): Professor Olufisayo "Fisayo" Omojokun is the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education in the College of Computing.
KINKADE: Do you worry about preparing students for jobs that might not exist in 5 years time?
OMOJOKUN: Not necessarily, because our goal is to create computational thinkers. We have 97 percent at least last year of our students landing a career placement within six months of their graduation. And we're doing the same survey this year and we're hoping for even better.
We're the only computer science program, at least in the top 25, that has its own career services unit for its computing students. We're having or asking students to broaden their horizons. There's a whole space of companies that aren't big tech but are looking for opportunity or looking for students to hire. KINKADE (voice-over): Goldman Sachs estimates that Gen AI could affect 300 million jobs worldwide, though less than 7 percent are at risk of full displacement. In other words, most jobs are being reshaped, not eliminated.
KINKADE: So how do the number of jobs being lost compare to those being created?
ANDREW MCCASKILL, CAREER EXPERT: I mean, I think if you look at the jobs numbers from the last few months, we are not creating jobs at the numbers that we traditionally have.
KINKADE (voice-over): Career expert Andrew McCaskill says the numbers reflect a reset, not a collapse.
KINKADE: Andrew, when you look at why collar jobs over the next 18 to 24 months, what does the landscape look like?
MCCASKILL: 2026 is going to be one of the most competitive job markets that we've seen in years. Think about it like this. Right now, 36 percent of the people who are unemployed in this country hold college degrees. So there's a lot of competition in the marketplace right now.
KINKADE: So you're saying the key is to pivot, to adapt. What does that mean in real terms?
MCCASKILL: Yes, the reality of the marketplace is not optimal. But you don't panic. You pivot, you adapt. Get as many data points as you possibly can about where people are hiring.
KINKADE (voice-over): According to the World Economic Forum 2025 report, key growth areas include artificial intelligence and machine learning, data and digital infrastructure, cybersecurity, robotics, health care and biotech.
MCCASKILL: One of the fastest growing industries right now is utilities. As the entire grid gets changed in advance of the AI assisted workforce.
KINKADE (voice-over): For decades, a tech based degree promised certainty. In 2026, it offers something different opportunity, but most likely only for those Ready to adapt.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KINKADE: Joining me now from Newcastle, Australia is James Kavanagh, founder and CEO of a Career Pro. Great to have you with us.
JAMES KAVANAGH, FOUNDER AND CEO, AI CAREER PRO: Yes, nice to talk to you, Lynda.
KINKADE: So James, you spent over two decades at Microsoft and Amazon Web Services before leaving ahead of a wave of layoffs. When you decided to leave, what were you seeing inside the company or the wider industry that others may not have fully appreciated yet? KAVANAGH: Yes, I was there during some of the layoffs, during '23 in particular, when it was quite severe and quite surprising to people. And I think what I saw was just that the impact was beyond just those individuals who are affected and I could see a trend coming.
So, you know, from a Meta perspective, what we learned is that some 8,000 people are going to get a text message tomorrow. But as you pointed out, the bigger story is the broader impact and particularly for me, mid-career professionals who are trying to figure out what does this mean to their career and how is it going to affect them.
Because if you think about it in Meta, everybody who remains now has a threat over their head of being next on that layoff list. And so I saw that, I decided I wanted to be on the other side of it, preparing people for their new career, for a career in applying AI safely and securely rather than being in some ways a victim of the change that's happening.
KINKADE: Yes, one of my neighbors works at Meta and has that question mark over his career right now. He'll find out Wednesday, along with the other 10 percent of the global workforce, as to what his future looks like. What would be your advice?
KAVANAGH: I think the advice would be to almost everybody is trying to figure out how AI is affecting your particular profession. So because it's going to affect everybody quite differently. But if you understand how it's working, how it's affecting your profession, you're not going to probably be an AI engineer, you're not probably going to be a machine learning scientist, but you can guide the safe use and direct the safe adoption of AI in your business or in your profession.
So, I really encourage people to look at how their career, how their profession is going to change, recognize AI is going to drive that change and figure out what their role is to try and guide that safely and securely.
[01:30:05]
So that's my focus is don't be -- you know, just look at this as something that's going to happen to you, but instead try to figure out how can you guide it in a safe way.
LYNDA KINKADE, CNN ANCHOR: And it's not just those already employed in big tech, it's those looking to enter.
I was speaking to graduates quite fearful of what comes next because they're no longer guaranteed an entry-level job.
What has changed so much in the past few years that, you know they're leaving with an incredible college degree from, you know, one of the best colleges in the world. And they're not necessarily guaranteed a job.
KAVANAGH: I think what's really changed is certainly automation and A.I. have really changed the ability to do some of the more basic tasks, the kind of graduate tasks that you learn in your first five years.
So, you know, I as a junior engineer, did junior engineer jobs and many of those junior engineering tasks can now be pushed off to automation or to A.I.
And so that opportunity to learn and get those first practical skills is very difficult for graduates now. And instead it's -- it seems to be that you almost have to have the experience to be able to get a more senior role.
The challenge, of course, is how do graduates bridge from coming out of university with all the knowledge and the thinking and the capability, but not really finding the opportunities to learn the basics and build up from the ground? And I think that's changed quite dramatically.
KINKADE: And that's going to be the case against so many fields of employment, including law, where you're not having associates doing all the research to get to the point of understanding precedent, et cetera.
But I wanted to ask you about the business you've built focused on A.I. governance and assurance. In practical terms, what does A.I. oversight actually mean day to day?
KAVANAGH: Essentially, it's about understanding what are the harms that are possible. So what kind of harms can A.I. cause and how do we put in place protections so they don't cause those harms. It's not biased. It's not insecure. It doesn't cause physical harms.
So A.I. governance and oversight is first and foremost about understanding that.
And then secondly, it's about guiding safe adoption. So figuring out what are the right ways that we can use A.I. What are the positive ways in which we can. And making sure that as we do it, we make sure that there's a role and a transition for people into effective oversight.
So they're collaborating with A.I. rather than being replaced by it.
We do see it sometimes it's a case of making sure that A.I. systems are technically very secure and safe, but very often it's also just the case of understanding how A.I. is appropriately used in a business that people's rights are still protected.
Those kinds of aspects of both the technical safety and the, you know, the workplace rights of people.
KINKADE: James Kavanagh, great to get your insight. Thanks so much for joining us. We appreciate them.
KAVANAGH: Thank you, Lynda.
KINKADE: Well, the cruise ship at the center of the hantavirus outbreak is now docked in the Netherlands, and the last remaining crew members have disembarked. We'll have the latest on what's next for that ship and those being monitored for that virus, next.
[01:33:18]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KINKADE: Welcome back to THE STORY IS. I'm Lynda Kinkade.
Let's take a look at today's top stories.
Three people have been killed in a shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego, the city's largest mosque. Authorities are investigating it as a hate crime. The police chief said two teen suspects were found dead in a car near the mosque from self-inflicted gunshot wounds.
And were now learning that one of them was a high school wrestler in an online school program. A law enforcement source identified him as Cain Clark.
President Trump announced he will hold off on a plan to strike Iran at the request of Gulf allies. He says negotiations to end the war with Tehran are growing more serious, but he has instructed his military leadership to be ready on a moment's notice if a deal isn't reached.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is in South Korea for a summit with the South Korean president Lee Jae Myung. The summit is being held in President Lee's home town, mirroring a bilat earlier this year characterized as drumstick diplomacy, in which the two leaders jammed on drumsticks to K-Pop songs in Takaichi's hometown.
Global health authorities are continuing to monitor and contact-trace the hantavirus outbreak that originated on a cruise ship last month. All staff and passengers have now left the ship and are undergoing testing and observation in quarantine.
CNN's Melissa Bell reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MELISSA BELL, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The ship at the center of the hantavirus outbreak is now back in Rotterdam, where it will undergo a thorough disinfection process.
First of all, though, its 27 passengers, they include 25 crew members plus two medical personnel that had accompanied the ship as it made its journey from Tenerife to the Netherlands, where successfully disembarked. There they were taken into container carriers to begin quarantine and the checking of their status.
What we understand from Dutch health authorities that all of them were asymptomatic as they arrive. If their tests come back positive for now, they will go into that isolation period overall, which the World Health Organization has recommended needs to last 42 days because of the length of the incubation period of this particular strain of the hantavirus.
[01:39:53] BELL: Still, what we understand from Dutch health authorities, even as they proceed to the disembarkation of these last remaining passengers of the ship, plus prepare for its disinfection, is that the overall risks to the general public are very low.
And that anyone that's come off the ship, all of them identified by the World Health Organization as being at risk, will now be carefully monitored and isolated in order that there should be no risk to anyone else.
Melissa Bell, CNN -- Paris.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KINKADE: Well, the Trump administration is rolling back key Biden era limits on so-called Forever Chemicals, or PFAs, in drinking water. The Environmental Protection Agency says it will scrap and rewrite regulations on several PFA chemicals, arguing that the previous administration failed to properly follow legal procedures.
PFAs have been linked to higher risk of cancer, fertility problems and immune system damage among other issues. Scientists say they can last in the environment for many decades.
Two Americans were detained after climbing into a monkey enclosure at the Ichikawa City Zoo near Tokyo. Take a look at this video from the incident Sunday, where an individual wearing a full-body mascot suit lowered themselves into the pit.
On the left, monkeys can be seen scrambling away to safety. The enclosure is home to a viral sensation with crowds flocking to see the baby monkey known as Punch carry around his stuffed orangutan plushie.
Following the incident, the enclosure was blocked off and several children's events were canceled. Both Americans will be sent to prosecutors on Tuesday for allegedly obstructing zoo operations.
I'm Lynda Kinkade. That was that edition, great to have your company.
For our international viewers, "WORLDSPORT" is up next. For our viewers in North America, I'll be right back.
[01:41:41]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KINKADE: Well, President Trump is defending the creation of a nearly $1.8 billion fund to aid supporters who say they were unfairly targeted by the previous administration. Critics are calling it a slush fund.
The Justice Department announced the initiative, but it appears to have President Trump's fingerprints all over it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: This is reimbursing people that were horribly treated -- horribly treated. Its anti- weaponization. They've been weaponized. They've been, in some cases, imprisoned wrongly.
They paid legal fees that they didn't have. They've gone bankrupt. Their lives have been destroyed. And they turn out to be right.
CNN's Paula Reid has details on the so-called anti-weaponization fund.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PAULA REID, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Up to $1.8 billion taxpayer money could soon be headed to some of President Trump's allies after the Trump Justice Department announced the formation of a fund for anyone who feels they have been wrongly targeted by a federal investigation.
Now, the Justice Department says that anyone can file a claim for an apology and/or monetary settlement. They insist there is no partisan requirement, but all of these claims are going to be vetted by a group of five people selected by the attorney general. They're going to consult with Congress on one of them.
But the president can fire any of these people if he doesn't like how they are vetting these claims.
Now, when it comes to how this all came about. This was negotiated as part of a way for the president to drop his ongoing $10-billion lawsuit against the IRS. So this was all put together by the president's personal lawyers, along with lawyers from administration, at DOJ, at the White House, at the IRS. There was no outside voice here.
Now, this is already resulting in political pushback. We also expect that there will be significant litigation around this fund.
Paula Reid, CNN -- Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KINKADE: Well, still to come, Stephen Colbert starts his last week at CBS on "The Late Show". He's determined to go out in style. More on his plan to wrap up his late night run next.
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KINKADE: Superstar singer Shakira is getting a $64 million tax refund. Spain's tax authority has claimed that Shakira had spent more than half a year in Spain in 2011, meaning she had to pay personal income taxes.
But Shakira managed to prove she had only been in Spain for about 160 days of that year. The court overturned a $64 million tax fine from 2021, ordering the treasury to refund her plus interest. Well, it is the final week for late-night host Stephen Colbert as "The
Late Show" and CBS comes to an end after 11 years. The decision is drawing mixed feelings from fans, critics and Colbert himself.
CNN chief media analyst Brian Stelter breaks down what led to the end of this era.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
STEPHEN COLBERT, HOST, "THE LATE SHOW": We only got five shows left. We can't start doing new segments.
BRIAN STELTER, CNN CHIEF MEDIA ANALYST: And now only four shows left.
COLBERT: I'm already packed. I've already packed my office.
STELTER: Stephen Colbert starting the final week of "The Late Show".
COLBERT: You know what this is? This is a Monday crowd.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, that's right.
STELTER: After a surreal final season containing many jokes about CBS canceling the program.
DAVID LETTERMAN, FORMER "LATE SHOW" HOST: I'm standing backstage. A guy comes over and he says he's from CBS. And then he fired me.
STELTER: Last week, his predecessor, David Letterman, returned and reminisced.
LETTERMAN: I thought maybe tonight's occasion would be a little sad being the end of your run here, but this brings true joy to my heart. We are up here for the wanton destruction of CBS property.
STELTER: Letterman channeling the viewers who were mad at CBS, suspecting the anti-Trump Colbert was canned because parent company, Paramount, wanted to curry favor with the president.
But the host has been taking it all in stride, saying he has loved his years with CBS and he'd rather be grateful for the time than angry about it ending.
COLBERT: All right. Mostly toiletries. Well, yes, my pockets are full of Advil at this point.
STELTER: "The Late Show" was about so much more than politics.
LETTERMAN: 1993 to 2026. So how many years is that?
COLBERT: No way of knowing.
LETTERMAN: All yours, my friend.
STELTER: But fans of his old Comedy Central show wanted Colbert to take on Trump. COLBERT: I will remind you, the man got elected on the promise of
bringing costs down. Well, the Iran war has pushed inflation to the highest rate in nearly three years. Welcome to Trump's golden age.
STELTER: Jon Stewart will join him Tuesday. Plus, Steven Spielberg. And Bruce Springsteen will perform on Wednesday's show. Thursday's finale will be full of surprises, but knowing Colbert, it will be both heartfelt and hilarious.
COLBERT: Would go like this. Go. Hey. Whoa. Whoa. Whoa.
STELTER: Chatting with his late-night rivals/friends recently, Colbert said he's keeping everything in perspective.
[01:54:50]
COLBERT: A son graduates college on the 18th. My show ends on the 21st. My brother gets married on the 23rd.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, wow.
COLBERT: So I'm kind of sandwiched between things that are like a little more important, you know, a little perspective.
STELTER: And he has no shortage of options in the future. He's currently on the hook to write a forthcoming "Lord of the Rings" movie.
COLBERT: This year does mark the 25th anniversary of "The Fellowship".
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's right.
STELTER: But it's a bittersweet end of an era moment for late night, showing how broadcast TV is shrinking and yes, how it is under political pressure.
"The Late Show's" replacement is a comedy roundtable that's not topical at all. No political jokes. Byron Allen is the host.
BYRON ALLEN, HOST, "COMICS UNLEASHED": I don't care who you vote for. I don't care. I'm here to make people laugh.
STELTER: Brian Stelter, CNN -- Atlanta.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KINKADE: An asteroid the size of a bus or two has just safely flown past earth. But at its closest, it was about a quarter of the distance between the earth and the moon.
This photo shows the giant space rock as it made its way past us just hours ago.
Asteroid 2026 JH2 was only discovered last week, and it might seem alarming that it was flying so close to earth, but scientists say it never posed a danger. And thanks to a new sensitive asteroid detection survey, we're able to
see just how often these close passes happen.
Well, we are still here and keeping.
Thanks so much for watching. I'm Lynda Kinkade.
Stay with us. The news continues right after here with Rosemary Church in just a moment.
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