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Defense Secretary Shared Military Plans in Another Signal Group Chat; Pope Francis Appears for the Easter Celebration and Meets the U.S. Vice President; China Held its First Humanoid Half Marathon; Drake Claims Defamation in a Lawsuit Against a Record Label. Aired 3- 4a ET

Aired April 21, 2025 - 03:00   ET

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

[03:00:00]

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KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN CORRESPONDENT AND ANCHOR: Hello, and welcome to all of our viewers watching from around the world. I'm Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong, and this is "CNN Newsroom."

The Israeli military concludes its review of the killing of 15 rescue workers in Gaza, saying troops did nothing unethical when they fired on ambulances.

Plus, another case of the Pentagon chief sharing military plans on a Signal chat, who Pete Hegseth led in on the conversation this time.

And man versus machine. Humans and robots race side-by-side in a half- marathon in Beijing. We'll speak to an expert about the advances we're seeing in humanoid robot engineering.

UNKNOWN (voice-over): Live from Hong Kong, this is "CNN Newsroom" with Kristie Lu Stout.

LU STOUT: After conducting its own review, the Israeli military is blaming, quote, "professional failures" for the killings of first responders in Gaza last month. There was international condemnation after 15 people came under Israeli fire and were buried in a mass grave.

Most of them worked for the Palestine Red Crescent Society, which says the IEF account is full of contradictions. Autopsy reports for eight of the medics obtained by CNN show that most were killed by gunshot wounds to the head or chest, while others suffered from shrapnel to the torso.

Out to London now, where we're joined now by Nada Bashir. Nada, tell us more about how the IDF is explaining these killings.

NADA BASHIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, look, Kristie, this report, the findings of the investigation, which were released on Sunday, have identified a number of failings on the part of the Israeli troops on the ground involved in this incident, they say, which stemmed from a series of faulty assumptions, as well as what they've described as the poor line of sight of the deputy commander on the ground during this incident or operation, as they've described it.

They say faulty assumptions based off a sense of tangible threat held by the soldiers on the ground who believed that the convoy that they were facing was, in fact, an enemy target, not ambulances carrying emergency workers.

There was no explanation as to why IDF troops on the ground as part of this battalion did not stop firing on the convoy of emergency workers after they got closer to a closer line of sight to this convoy, nor after they realized that they were not receiving a return of fire by this convoy that they had identified. But again, the reiteration that this has been caused by faulty assumptions, a series of operational failures, as they've described it.

They've also defended the deputy commander's position and role in this incident. They say that the poor visibility led to poor decision- making on this front, and of course, we have seen some action taken as a result. We know, of course, the deputy commander involved in this incident has now been relieved from his position.

Another commander has also received a disciplinary. But again, as you mentioned, this has really drawn widespread backlash, particularly from the Palestine Red Crescent Society, who have condemned the report and have said that it includes what they've described as a series of contradictions.

LU STOUT: There have been dismissals, Nada, but what about changes after acknowledging these, quote, "professional failures" for the killing of 15 medics, will there be any changes to the IDF's combat policies or rules of engagement?

BASHIR: In fact, there actually won't be any changes. They've said that they're going to reinforce already existing regulations on the ground and also have called for heightened caution from their troops on the ground when operating in areas where there is known to be medical workers, humanitarian workers in the area.

But what the investigation has said, according to the Israeli military officials who carried out this investigation, is while there were certainly operational failures and faulty assumptions, they've said that there were no ethical gaps in the actions of the Israeli troops involved in this incident and that mistakes like this do happen on the ground.

But as you can imagine, that sort of explanation will not be satisfactory to the likes of the Palestine Red Crescent Society and to the many humanitarian organizations who have faced similar situations with colleagues who have been killed in the line of fire of the Israeli military. Of course, many will remember just a few months ago a similar incident where humanitarian workers as part of the World Central Kitchen were also targeted despite having clearly identified vehicles.

[03:05:03] So this has really raised questions as to the operations of the Israeli forces on the ground, but also the safety and security of emergency workers and humanitarian workers as well.

LU STOUT: Absolutely. Nada Bashir, we thank you for the update.

Now, the U.S. Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth, is facing more scrutiny after allegedly sharing detailed military plans in another Signal chat. This comes amid reports of disarray in his department, leading to some high level firings and resignations.

Kevin Liptak reports on how the timing could hardly be worse.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KEVIN LIPTAK, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: CNN has learned that the Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth, shared detailed plans about the American attack plan on Houthi rebels in Yemen inside a Signal group chat. That's according to three people familiar with the matter.

And if this all sounds reminiscent of the scandal that engulfed the administration about a month ago, it should, because some of these details are essentially the same attack plans that Hegseth shared in that original Signal group chat details like takeoff times for attack planes who are heading to Yemen to strike the targets against the Houthis.

The difference is who was included in these chats. That first group chat was created by the National Security Adviser, Mike Waltz. It included senior cabinet level officials in the national security space. So it was meant to share details about the planning for this attack.

This new Signal group chat that we are just learning about included people inside Hegseth's personal circle, including his brother, personal attorney and his wife.

Now, Hegseth's brother and attorney both work at the Pentagon. It's not clear whether they have security clearances, but his wife is not an official employee of the Defense Department, although she has attended meetings with foreign officials, which has raised eyebrows among officials over at the Department of Defense.

Now, all of this, I think, calls into question some of Pete Hegseth's decision making as he prepared for this attack on the Houthi rebels. And it comes after a period of chaos, really, in his inner circle, in his front office, essentially at the Pentagon.

There were the dismissals last week of a number of senior Pentagon officials who were accused of leaking information. They deny that. And we have also now heard from the former press secretary to Pete Hegseth, John Ullyot, who was until recently his top spokesman at the Pentagon, sort of decrying this period of chaos, saying that it has been a month of total chaos at the Pentagon, from leaks of sensitive operational plans to mass firings. The dysfunction is now a major distraction for the president who deserves better from his senior leadership. Ullyot went on to say, "Even strong backers of the secretary, like me, must admit the last month has been a full blown meltdown at the Pentagon and it's becoming a real problem for the administration."

Now, the Pentagon has not officially responded to these latest revelations about the Signal app, although you'll remember the last time that the administration was accused of sharing these attack plans, the White House and the President denied that they contained any classified information, although that drew plenty of skepticism from almost every national security analyst that CNN spoke with.

It should also be said that this sort of tumultuous period is coming at a fraught moment for the U.S. national security space. It comes as the Pentagon is beefing up resources in the Middle East in preparation for a potential Israeli strike on Iran.

Of course, it's a fraught moment in Asia, comes as Secretary Hegseth is working on President Trump's plans to somehow take back the Panama Canal. All of this potentially a distraction at a moment of heightened tensions around the world.

Kevin Liptak, CNN, the White House.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: As Kevin mentioned, the Trump administration argued last time that the information shared in the Signal chat was not classified. Now, CNN military analyst Colonel Cedric Leighton says, don't believe that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

COL. CEDRIC LEIGHTON (RET.), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: No matter what they will spin at this Pentagon, this stuff is classified, no doubt about it. This is the kind of thing that gets people in trouble. You know, when the first Signal chat scandal broke, we talked about the World War II adage, a loose lips sink ships.

This is exactly the kind of thing that happens because Signal chats can be intercepted by sophisticated adversaries like the Russians, like the Chinese. It's difficult for them to do so, but they've proven that they can do it in Ukraine.

[03:09:59]

And it's the kind of thing that we have to guard against. And, you know, these types of Signal chats, even if they happen in the United States, in the D.C. area, you can bet that the Russians and the Chinese are working very hard to intercept them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LU STOUT: Air alerts have been issued across eastern Ukraine after a temporary Easter truce announced by Russia's Vladimir Putin came to an end. Ukrainian officials are also reporting large blasts in the southern port city of Mykolaiv. But it is unclear if Russian missiles struck their targets there or if they were intercepted.

Now, despite the ongoing attacks and a Sunday truce that never really took hold, U.S. President Donald Trump says he is hopeful a deal to permanently end the fighting will be reached this week. A State Department spokesperson said on Sunday the U.S. remains committed to reaching a, quote, "full and comprehensive ceasefire."

But days earlier, President Trump threatened to walk away from the peace talks. And his Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, also warned U.S. involvement could end if there are no signs of progress.

Now Russia and Ukraine accused each other of breaking that Easter truce. President Putin made the surprise announcement Saturday for his forces to, quote, "stop all military activity for 30 hours." But Ukraine's president says that Russia violated the truce almost 3000 times.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy again said it is clear Russia wants to prolong the war. Still, he is asking that Moscow commit to a 30 day ceasefire on civilian infrastructure as a sign of good faith.

You're watching "CNN Newsroom" and still to come, everyone apparently is looking for a bargain amid a global trade war. But are the cut rate designer offers from China the real deal or are factories trying to cash in on economic anxiety?

Plus, university students return to their Florida campus after a mass shooting. We have those stories and more when we come back.

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LU STOUT: Welcome back.

Now, let's take a look at how some of the Asian markets closed just a short time ago. You can see it's a mixed picture.

The Nikkei, it lost about 1.3 percent, the Seoul KOSPI ending the day up two-tenths of one percent. Meanwhile, the Shanghai Composite currently gaining about almost half of one percent.

And here is where U.S. futures stand as we await the opening bell in New York. And you see red arrows across the board. They're all looking to a lower open when Wall Street opens in just a few hours from now.

Now, as trade talks take place, China is warning the international community not to make deals with the U.S. that would restrict trade with Beijing. They are promising anyone who does will face Chinese countermeasures.

Now the latest move to protect China's economy comes as factories flood TikTok with claims letting American customers buy luxury and designer goods at a fraction of the cost. Here is what you should know before hitting the checkout button.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNKNOWN: Leave your message in the comment section. I'm Luna, your reliable sourcing partner.

UNKNOWN: This is Liz, your best sourcing partner.

UNKNOWN: Why don't you just contact us and buy from us? You won't believe the prices we give you.

LU STOUT: OK, I know you've seen them, too. Chinese warehouse TikTok videos that tout factory prices for designer items and a way to work around Donald Trump's trade war.

UNKNOWN: I guess most of you know the price of Lululemon or other big brands. They sell you a legging pants for a hundred dollars. And guess what? Here in these two factories, you can get them for around five to six bucks. Crazy.

LU STOUT (voice-over): It's very likely too good to be true.

UNKNOWN: Dresses, leggings, shoes, T-shirts, everything.

LU STOUT (voice-over): Experts tell CNN that the real suppliers for big brands often sign non-disclosure agreements. And what accounts like this are peddling are probably fakes.

In a statement, Lululemon said it, quote, "does not work with the manufacturers identified in the online videos. And we urge consumers to be aware of potentially counterfeit products and misinformation."

Some of these videos are now no longer on TikTok. CNN has reached out for comment.

LU STOUT: Real or not, the flood of messages like this on TikTok reveal just how anxious consumers are about Trump's tariffs and just how much Americans rely on Chinese suppliers.

UNKNOWN: Do you recognize this style, this bag? Of course you do.

LU STOUT (voice-over): China is often thought of as the world's factory floor. While the United States is the largest consumer base. Even if Trump's trade war risks breaking these two huge economies apart, young people in the United States and in China will keep mocking Trump's tariffs on social media.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOTU: Elizabeth Economy is a Hargrove senior fellow and co-chair of the program on the U.S., China and the world at the Hoover Institution. She joins us from Palo Alto, California. Elizabeth, thank you for joining us. ELIZABETH ECONOMY, HARGROVE SR. FELLOW AND CO-CHAIR OF THE PROGRAM ON

U.S., CHINA, AND THE WORLD, HOOVER INSTITUTION, STANFORD UNIVERSITY: It's great to be here. Thank you.

LU STOUT: Now, Trump's tariffs, as we saw just moments ago, have been roundly mocked on TikTok and underlying it all, though, is deep concern and anxiety concern inside the U.S. as well as inside China by both consumers and manufacturers. So what do they stand to lose in a prolonged trade war?

ECONOMY: I think you're right. Both sides are quite concerned and we're beginning to see these tariffs, I think, take hold in the consciousness of both Americans and Chinese.

I think here in the United States, sort of middle class consumers are quite concerned. We're seeing them pull back on purchases of things like cars.

[03:20:07]

We're seeing them quite concerned about potential for a four to six percent increase in grocery prices. We see small businesses worried that they're going to go out of business.

And we've seen even big companies like Boeing right now taking planes back. Beijing is sending planes back to the United States.

And so I think there's nobody here in the United States that isn't concerned. Over 50 percent of Americans believe the tariffs are going to be bad for the economy, bad for them. So I think on the U.S. side, there's growing consternation about these tariffs.

I think in China as well. I think, you know, a lot of these sort of low cost, low margin companies and factories are very worried because the U.S. export market is important to them.

LU STOUT: President Trump has said that he wants Xi to call him to talk tariffs. But Xi Jinping is not making a move here. And I want to ask you why. Why is Xi effectively ghosting Donald Trump?

ECONOMY: Well, I think the president has said President Trump has said that there's been a lot of conversation now between the U.S. and China over the past week or so, and that he believes in the next three to four weeks that there could well be a deal.

Now, I don't think we know whether we don't know the reality of that statement. But if there's even a particle of truth, I think that would be very positive. So let's, you know, table that, but say that I think that's a potential positive, you know, a ray of hope that we haven't seen previously.

I think for President Xi, there's, you know, China now is it is the second largest economy in the world. Over the past four years, China's developed its own economic retaliatory toolkit so it can play back to the United States. You know, the U.S. can put tariffs on Chinese imports, but China can

not only put tariffs on U.S. imports. It can also go after individual U.S. companies, put them on China's own entity list. It can really, you know, hurt the United States through things like licensing or even banning, you know, critical minerals that the United States needs for its technology and defense industries.

So China has a lot of tools at its disposal that in the first Trump administration, it really hadn't developed yet. So Xi Jinping is playing with a very different toolbox. And I think he's quite effectively managed to use President Trump's tariffs to rally Chinese nationalism.

And so the economic ills that China's been facing, I think now can be laid, you know, at the doorstep of the United States and President Trump.

LU STOUT: Xi Jinping recently wrapped a tour of Southeast Asia. Are we going to see more nations align themselves with China or are they going to cautiously just watch the situation, especially now as South China Sea tension comes to the fore again?

ECONOMY: I think it's an excellent point. I have been a little bit surprised that China has not been able to capitalize more on the trade war for many of these countries, even when China is a larger trading partner.

The United States is often a much larger export market for these countries. So they have significant stakes with the U.S. economy as well.

And so I think that's one element of it. And the other is, as you suggest, even as Xi Jinping launches this charm offensive, they're nonetheless not stopping. The Chinese are not stopping their military assertiveness.

You know, they're doing live fire drills, you know, between Australia and New Zealand, continuing to harass the Philippines, very aggressive in the Taiwan Straits, still pursuing the Diaoyu-Senkaku Islands with Japan.

So they're not stepping back in terms of their sort of security ambitions, even as they're trying to promote themselves as a, you know, a stabilizing economic force. So I think that charm offensive needs to be sort of more all-embracing if Xi Jinping is actually going to realize the kinds of benefits that I think he wants to from what President Trump is doing.

LU STOUT: Got it. Elizabeth Economy, always value your insight, especially now during these tumultuous times. Thank you so much.

ECONOMY: Thank you, Kristie.

LU STOUT: You're watching "CNN Newsroom." And up next, Pope Francis made a welcome appearance at Vatican Easter celebrations in St. Peter's Square. The story when we come back. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[03:25:00]

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LU STOUT: Welcome back to "CNN Newsroom." I'm Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong. Let's check today's top stories.

The Israel Defense Forces are blaming, quote, "professional failures" for the killing of more than a dozen medics in Gaza. Last month, 15 unarmed first responders came under IDF fire and were buried in a mass grave. The military says an investigation has found that the incident was based on, quote, "a chain of mistakes but no ethical gaps."

[03:30:06]

Now we're learning that the U.S. Defense Secretary shared military plans about strikes on Houthis in Yemen in a Signal chat that included his wife and brother. That's according to multiple sources. Now Pete Hegseth is already facing an investigation into another signal chat about military plans in which the editor of "The Atlantic" was mistakenly included.

Now U.S. President Donald Trump is hopeful that Russia and Ukraine will strike a deal this week to permanently end more than three years of conflict. This comes as fighting on the front lines resumes after both sides accused each other of violating a temporary Easter truce.

Now U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance is now in India for a four-day visit. He is set to meet with Prime Minister Narendra Modi as countries around the world wait for U.S. tariffs to come into effect. A press release from the Vice President's office says that the two will discuss, quote, "shared economic and geopolitical priorities."

Now India's government says it will review the progress on a trade deal between the U.S. and India, as well as plans on defense cooperation previously discussed in Washington.

Now Pope Francis delighted crowds in St. Peter's Square as he made an Easter Sunday appearance and gave a blessing. Christopher Lamb has this report from Rome.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRISTOPHER LAMB, CNN VATICAN CORRESPONDENT: Well, this was Pope Francis' most high-profile appearance since leaving the hospital. Francis appeared on the balcony at St. Peter's behind me after he had met with Vice President J.D. Vance.

They had a brief meeting in the pope's residence, the Santa Marta. Of course, Vice President Vance is a Catholic. He was received into the Catholic Church in 2019.

But he has not been on the same page as Pope Francis when it comes to questions such as migration. The pope, before his hospitalization, released a stinging rebuke to the Trump administration for their immigration policy.

However, the pope, taking the time to meet with Vice President Vance before coming out to St. Peter's, he offered the Easter Sunday blessing, the traditional Urbi et Orbi blessing, which only the pope can give. He did not read, though, his Easter Sunday address.

The pope, since recovering from double pneumonia, really finds it very difficult to speak for long periods of time. But he was able to wish people in the square a happy Easter.

And after his appearance from the balcony, the pope got onto the popemobile and greeted people in the square, delighting the crowd that had gathered. It's the first time the pope has been in the popemobile meeting people since his hospitalization.

He circled the square, and children were brought up to him, and he seemed to be in good spirits. Of course, this is a pope who really enjoys being amongst people. However, of course, Francis is still recovering from that double pneumonia that almost took his life on two occasions.

He is clearly still having to recover from that. He's finding it difficult, as I said, to speak for long periods. But today was the most high-profile appearance from the pope since that hospitalization, and clearly did really delight the people who had gathered in St. Peter's on Easter Sunday to see him.

Christopher Lamb, CNN, Rome.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: Members of the British royal family attended a traditional Easter service on Sunday. It was held at St. George's Chapel, a 15th- century building at Windsor Castle.

King Charles and Queen Camilla were there, along with most of the royal family. Now a noticeable addition was Prince Andrew, who missed Christmas services amid ongoing scandal. Now the Prince and Princess of Wales and their children spent the holiday weekend at their country estate.

Now students at Florida State University will return to classes on Monday, following last week's deadly mass shooting. But there will also be remote study options. Rafael Romo has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RAFAEL ROMO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This week is the last one before finals, and FSU President Richard McCullough says he knows it will certainly not feel like a typical week. Some students returned to campus for the first time this weekend since Thursday, when a 20-year- old FSU student allegedly opened fire near the University Student Union, killing two men and leaving several others injured.

People formed prayer circles near the largest memorial on campus, located on the FSU pathway called Legacy Walk, near the Student Union. A CNN team counted about half a dozen memorials around campus on

Saturday, mostly in the same area near the Student Union. Given the circumstances, some students, faculty and staff wondered if campus would reopen this week.

In a video message published on Saturday, FSU President McCullough said that while classes will resume Monday, the University will provide students and instructors with new options. This is part of his message.

[03:35:02]

RICHARD MCCULLOUGH, PRESIDENT, FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY: And we understand that some of you may not be able to return on Monday. It's okay.

We will be flexible and find a way to accommodate you. I promise.

Please take care of yourself. If you need time or support, reach out.

ROMO: According to McCullough, that flexibility is aimed at making sure everyone who needs support gets the help they need during this difficult time. An FSU student shared with CNN the struggle he feels about going back to campus after the shooting.

REID SEYBOLD, FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY STUDENT: I don't feel safe right now being on campus. I don't know how we're going to do it.

But you know, there's a reason that Florida State is unconquered. We're stronger together. We will always move forward.

ROMO: According to authorities, the suspect in the shooting, identified as 20-year-old Phoenix Eichner, is the son of a Leon County Sheriff's deputy and an FSU student. Tallahassee Police Chief Lawrence Revelle said Thursday, there do not appear to be any connections between Eichner and any of the victims.

Rafael Romo, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: The man charged with the racist mass shooting at a Walmart in Texas is expected to plead guilty to murder today. 26-year-old Patrick Crucious is accused of killing 23 people during the shooting in 2019. Afterward, he told police that he targeted Mexicans.

Now, the El Paso District Attorney says if Crucious pleads guilty, he'll be sentenced to life in prison without parole. Crucious is currently serving 90 consecutive life sentences after pleading guilty to federal hate crime and weapons charges.

America's Secretary of Health and Human Services has said some controversial things even before becoming a cabinet member. But when Robert F. Kennedy Jr. started talking about autism, people affected by the disorder say he went too far.

Julia Vargas-Jones has details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR., U.S. HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES SECRETARY: It's a canard.

JULIA VARGAS-JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A series of controversial statements about autism by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. sparking anger last week in the autism community.

KENNEDY JR.: This is coming from an environmental toxin. And these are kids who will never pay taxes.

They'll never write a poem. They'll never go out on a date. Many of them will never use a toilet unassisted.

VARGAS-JONES (voice-over): He later clarified he meant among the most severe cases. The CDC says about a quarter of eight-year-olds with autism are considered to have profound autism.

For Russell Lehmann, who was diagnosed with autism at age 12, the words stung.

RUSSELL LEHMANN, DIAGNOSED WITH AUTISM: It's degrading. There are some individuals out there who have very high support needs. To talk about them as if they are not able to contribute anything to this world does a disservice to them.

I was a little boy who would cry and shut down and break down the minute I wasn't by my mom's side due to severe anxiety.

VARGAS-JONES (voice-over): Lehmann is a public speaker raising awareness about autism and a lecturer at UCLA.

R. LEHMANN: I want people to know the real, broad, transparent look into my world.

VARGAS-JONES (voice-over): Kennedy's remarks followed a CDC report showing a rise in autism diagnosis rates among U.S. children. In 2022, about 1 in every 31 children was diagnosed by age 8, up from 1 in 36 in 2020 and 1 in 150 children in 2000, according to CDC data.

Autism diagnosis rates are also higher among boys than girls and in Asian Pacific Islander, Black and Hispanic children.

Experts have largely attributed this rise to the better understanding and screening for the condition. But Kennedy argues that this lets industries that make or use products he believes may be linked to autism off the hook.

KENNEDY JR.: And it's to their benefit to normalize it.

VARGAS-JONES (voice-over): Kennedy says HHS has launched research to identify a cause for autism by September.

R. LEHMANN: For him to cut funding to where we are conducting that research and those studies and then to start his own task force led by people who are anti-vaxxers does nothing. If we got accommodations, we would thrive.

All of us would pay taxes. All of us would be able to ride a home. All of us would be able to have a relationship.

VARGAS-JONES (voice-over): Awareness is the first step for that, he says. In the mid-1990s, when Lehmann was being diagnosed, autism was hardly part of the conversation.

UNKNOWN: How many different doctors did you go to?

GRETCHEN LEHMANN, RUSSEL'S MOTHER: I would say 10 easily.

UNKNOWN: And what did they tell you?

G. LEHMANN: Usually an incorrect diagnosis.

VARGAS-JONES (voice-over): As school became unbearable, Russell dropped out in the fifth grade.

R. LEHMANN: You know, I never had the opportunity to go to college or anything like that. I was very lost, had no friends.

VARGAS-JONES (voice-over): It was poetry that inspired him to make something out of his suffering.

R. LEHMANN: I always feel like I'm just one random act away.

VARGAS-JONES (voice-over): The raw, unfiltered videos he posts online have gained him thousands of followers, many of whom say he makes them feel seen.

[03:40:01]

R. LEHMANN: I want to keep it authentic. I don't want to say autism is a superpower. If it's my superpower, it's my kryptonite.

If it's my best friend, it's my worst enemy, you know. So autism is neither good or bad. It's both.

VARGAS-JONES: Now, the silver lining of Kennedy's comments is all the attention being brought into autism again, says Lehmann. He says he just wishes that the attention wasn't so directed at finding a cause and instead focusing on providing more support and dignity for people living with autism.

Julia Vargas-Jones, CNN, Los Angeles.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: This is "CNN Newsroom." And still to come, it's the running of the robots. The world's first humanoid half marathon was held in Beijing. And I'll speak with a robotics expert about the big takeaways from the competition.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[03:45:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LU STOUT: It was a race of man versus machine as more than 20 two- legged robots competed in what organizers called the world's first humanoid half marathon Saturday in Beijing.

Now, teams from several companies and universities took part. And the robots were joined by human trainers, some of whom had to physically support the machines along the way. Robot runners were also allowed to freshen up with new batteries during the race.

Now, as for the results, it wasn't even close. The men's winner finished in one hour and two minutes, and the winning robot, two hours and 40 minutes.

Alan Fern is a professor of computer science, artificial intelligence, and robotics at Oregon State University. And it's a pleasure to have you join us.

ALAN FERN, COMPUTER SCIENCE, A.I. AND ROBOTICS PROF., OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY: Yes, thanks for having me.

LU STOUT: First, we got to hear your reaction to this robot half marathon in China.

You know, some robots, they managed to complete the race. Others struggled. One kind of toppled over at the finish line. Did any technology catch your eye and represent any of the challenges that you encountered or did it represent to you an engineering milestone?

FERN: Well, you know, I was actually very impressed that there was a robot that finished within the time limit.

So I would have bet that none of them would finish. So the way I look at the race is, there's really two parts to the technology. One is the hardware, the actual robot hardware, and one is the A.I.

And I'd say that the AI that's involved in getting these robots to walk has been around since around 2021, at least. And because you can basically think of these robots as like remote control cars, they had people behind them. So the robots don't have to sense the environment, they just have to be able to walk stably, which is very hard.

It takes an infant, you know, at least a year to learn to do this. But that wasn't the thing that impressed me, the hardware impressed me. And the thing that is really impressive is the fact that these are companies that are looking to mass produce these robots when they can find the right market product fit for the robots.

Whereas in the past, you know, you just look back two years or so, these types of robots were only built in labs or very expensive test models by Boston Dynamics. So the fact that these are getting closer to commodity is really exciting. LU STOUT: You were impressed by the hardware that was on display in

Beijing over the weekend. And Alan, you have experience building and racing humanoid robots.

In fact, your robot, Cassie, holds the world record for the fastest 100 meters by a bipedal robot. Congratulations for that.

As you mentioned just now, we kind of take, you know, running for granted. Can you just walk us through how hard it is to achieve this movement and control for bipedal humanoid robots?

FERN: The challenge is, you have to control, you know, over 20 motors, about a thousand times a second. And you have to do that in a way that keeps this big piece of hardware balanced.

And you have to do it in a way that if it gets pushed a little bit, it stays balanced, whatever, you know, if there's a little pebble on the ground. So it's difficult. And the only way we've been able to learn to do this is by actually having the robots learn to walk in simulation.

So the way that we do this is we form simulations. The robots will basically practice. At first, they're just going to fall thousands of times.

But then over about a year or two of simulated experience, which is much faster than a year or two, we can teach them to walk. And then we put that brain, that neural network that we're training in simulation on the real robot. And we figured out how to do that in a way where it can walk in the real world.

LU STOUT: Yes. Now, these Chinese robots that, you know, try to run this half marathon over the weekend, they were bested by human runners. But, you know, certain Chinese robots, and we're thinking about the ones by Unitree, they have really impressed the Internet and investors, you know, with their dance moves, with their exceptional agility.

You know, on the face of it, China's robots seem to have made huge advances. Have they really? And also, how do China's robots compare with robots made in the U.S.?

FERN: I'd be willing to bet if Unitree had spent all their resources on the A.I. on the robots themselves, they would have had a better showing than what their robots actually showed.

[03:50:08]

But, you know, what I would say is Unitree, especially, and some other companies, their robots are cheaper, and you can actually buy them now. So if you're an academic and you want to get a cheap robot, that's really where you're going to go.

As far as the overall hardware comparison compared to some of our, you know, robotics companies in the U.S., Agility Robotics, Figure, Boston Dynamics, I'd say that some of the companies in the U.S., at least, are really more focused on getting industrial-grade robots that you can actually think about putting in factories.

Whereas, you know, robots like Unitree are not quite there yet, although I'm sure they're working on that.

LU STOUT: Alan Fern, we thank you for your expert insights. Take care.

FERN: Thank you.

LU STOUT: Now, the rapper Drake has raised new allegations in a defamation lawsuit against his own record label. And up next, we'll bring you the latest on one of the music industry's most talked about cases.

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LU STOUT: Welcome back.

Now, rapper Drake is expanding his legal battle against his own record label, Universal Music Group. It's centered around his ongoing feud with fellow rapper Kendrick Lamar, also a Universal artist. Drake claims that Lamar's diss track, "Not Like Us," performed at the Grammys and Super Bowl, damaged his reputation.

Elizabeth Wagmeister has more.

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ELIZABETH WAGMEISTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: What started out as a rap battle has turned into an epic court battle. The feud between rappers Drake and Kendrick Lamar has escalated yet again, with Drake claiming that he was defamed by Kendrick Lamar at two high- profile events, the Super Bowl halftime show and the Grammy Awards.

Drake made the new claims in an amended complaint to the defamation lawsuit that he originally filed back in January against his own record label, Universal Music Group, accusing the label of defamation in the publishing and promotion of Lamar's song, "Not Like Us." Both Drake and Lamar are clients of Universal Music Group.

In "Not Like Us," Lamar calls Drake a, quote, "certified pedophile," an allegation that Drake has fiercely denied, therefore saying that the diss track is defamatory. The song was, quote, "broadcast to the largest audience for a Super Bowl halftime show ever," Drake's lawyers said in their latest filing, writing, quote, "it was the first and will hopefully be the last Super Bowl halftime show orchestrated to assassinate the character of another artist."

[03:55:10]

Now, during the Super Bowl halftime show, Lamar skipped over the certified pedophile lyric, but he did rap another line, where he accused Drake of targeting young girls, rapping, I heard you like him young, and then looking directly at the camera, a moment that immediately went viral.

The week before the Super Bowl, Lamar attended the Grammy Awards, where he took home five awards, including Record of the Year and Song of the Year. At the Grammys, clips of "Not Like Us" played during the ceremony when he won his award and the crowd sang along very loudly to another controversial line about Drake.

Now, Drake's lawyers claim that these two broadcasts amplified defamatory language about Drake to massive audiences. Lamar's halftime show brought in the largest audience ever for a Super Bowl halftime show, with over 130 million viewers, and the Grammy Awards drew over 15 million viewers.

Drake's amended complaint does not accuse Lamar of any wrongdoing, solely lodging allegations against Universal Music Group. UMG has repeatedly denied Drake's allegations, calling his lawsuit illogical and frivolous. The record label has said that the lawsuit should be dismissed, arguing that it could restrict free speech protections for musical artists.

Quote, "Drake, unquestionably one of the world's most accomplished artists and with whom we've enjoyed a 16-year successful relationship, is being misled by his legal representatives into taking one absurd legal step after another," a spokesperson from UMG told CNN.

The lawsuit is still in its initial stages, but if there isn't an out- of-court settlement, the trial is on track to potentially begin in summer of 2026. Back to you.

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LU STOUT: Now McLaren's Oscar Piastri has won the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix by margin of less than three seconds. Four-time champion Max Verstappen was penalized five seconds and never could make it up.

Now, Verstappen was assessed the penalty for veering off track when Piastri took the lead around the circuit's first corner. Verstappen argued in vain that he was forced to run wide, and with this win, Piastri now tops the F1 standings.

And the fastest dogs on short legs gathered to run the Corgi Derby in Scotland over the weekend. Four-year-old Juno ran away with first place honors.

Her owner says she'll be showered with treats as a reward. The Derby began in 2022 to mark Queen Elizabeth II's platinum jubilee. She owned around 30 Corgis throughout her life.

And thank you for joining us. I'm Kristie Lu Stout.

"Amanpour" is next. And then stay tuned for "Early Start" with Polo Sandoval starting 5 a.m. in New York, 10 a.m. in London. Keep it here.

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