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Massive Russian Attack on Kyiv; Ukraine and Russia's Largest Prisoner Swap; Trump's E.U. Tariff Threat; Judge Weighs in on Trump's Battle with Harvard; Trump Threatens Wider Crackdown on Universities; Limited Aid Trickles into Gaza; Search for Survivors in Jabalya; Pressure for Israel to End Gaza Offensive; Israel Prepares Possible Strikes on Iranian Nuclear Facilities; Pushing Back Against Trump's Claim of White Genocide; Billy Joel's Big Health Concerns. Aired 4-5a ET

Aired May 24, 2025 - 04:00   ET

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

[04:00:00]

BRIAN ABEL, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome to all of you watching around the world and streaming on CNN Max. I'm Brian Abel in Atlanta. Coming up on CNN Newsroom, a massive Russian attack on Kyiv. Explosions, fires, and more than a dozen people injured. It comes just after the biggest prisoner swap between the two sides since 2022.

New economic threats from U.S. President Donald Trump, meaning imports from the European Union could face 50 percent tariffs.

And Israel continues to ramp up attacks in Gaza, even as the international community is exerting more pressure to stop it. We'll dive into the complicated relationships.

Kyiv right now is assessing the damage from what, by all accounts, was a massive Russian drone and missile attack overnight. It comes just as the two countries prepare for the next phase of their prisoner swap. Huge fireballs were seen above Kyiv leaving at least 15 people injured, according to Ukrainian police. Reuters is reporting that sirens and explosions blared across the city as air defenses work to engage incoming missiles. Officials say multiple residential buildings have been hit while the attack caused a number of fires. Ukraine says Russia launched 14 missiles and 250 drones in total across the country.

The attacks came a day after Russia and Ukraine kicked off their largest prisoner exchange since the war began. Hundreds of POWs were released on Friday, leading to tearful reunions with friends and loved ones. More prisoner swaps are expected over the weekend.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is promising to bring all Ukrainians held in Russia back home.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): The main thing of today is that the exchange took place. This is the first stage of the largest exchange that was agreed upon in Turkey. It was the only significant result of the meeting in Turkey, and the Russians are blocking everything else. They're blocking it for now.

But the return of our people is exactly what we're always working for. We will definitely return everyone, every one of our citizens, every Ukrainian military and civilian, all Ukrainian hostages held in Russia. We must free them all.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ABEL: For more now, I am joined by Ukrainian member of parliament Kira Rudik from Kyiv. Ms. Rudik, to begin with what have the past few hours there in Ukraine's capital been like? And is there any sense of what the missiles and drones have been targeting?

KIRA RUDIK, UKRAINIAN PARLIAMENT MEMBER AND LEADER OF UKRAINE'S GOLOS PARTY: Hello, Brian, and thank you so much for having me. Honestly, I don't think that anyone in Kyiv had any sleep this night. I personally spend this night under the stairs at home where we usually hide during such an attacks.

It was terrifying. It felt honestly like Armageddon. The explosions were everywhere. And right now, our hearts are with people who were injured during this attack. But from my personal experience, because there was a missile hit last year right near where I live, Russians are not targeting specific places. Sometimes they're targeting civil buildings and infrastructure just to bring havoc, just to bring disaster, just to try and break our spirits, because it's very important for them.

But I can assure you once again that right now people are concentrated on helping each other, figuring if there is like any help and support needed somewhere. Because, again, there will be a new day and we need to stay strong.

ABEL: You described such a horrible experience. We're grateful that you're OK. There seems to be a disconnect here. We mentioned that this weekend stands to see the biggest prisoner swap between Ukraine and Russia since the start of the full-scale invasion with each side returning up to a thousand soldiers and civilians, if all goes according to plan.

U.S. President Trump suggesting, quote, "This could lead to something big." Is that how it feels right now?

ABEL: Well, first, we are all really elated, and I cannot imagine how families of the prisoners feel right now, but it should be fantastic that we are able to bring our people home because for us it's so important, the most important thing to save as many lives as possible.

However, we do not believe that Putin one's piece, there has not been a fact that would support this, and he's just trying to keep the illusion that President Trump and his team has that it is possible to agree with Russia, that it is possible to continue to go on.

[04:05:00]

But I would concentrate on what have happened this night with this massive attack and many attacks before that were happening exactly at the time of negotiations, calls of President Trump to Putin, et cetera, et cetera, Russia does not want to end the war because, you know, how we would know that they want to end the war? They would just stop attacking us by missiles and drones, killing people. This is why they're trying to win some time and winning this time is saying, yes, we can talk. Yes, we can negotiate. Where in truth, they just want to destroy all of us, and this is what they're doing every single day and night.

ABEL: You wrote recently that President Trump's attempts to try simply to talk to Russian President Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table have been exhausted. Ukraine is there. So, Mr. Trump needs to use his resources into delivering what he has promised. What exactly do you want to see him do and is he the only one with that kind of leverage?

RUDIK: He is the only one with the leverage to unite the democratic world and go ahead to punch Russia as one. He has promised to American people peace through strength. And honestly, so many Ukrainians were looking forward for that to be executed.

There are sanctions that need to be implemented to hit Russia's economy, and there is a military support to Ukraine that we desperately need to fight against the attacks like this night and to be able to support our military at the frontline who are under a lot of pressure.

So, we want just to switch from trying to talk to Putin, trying to appease the dictator to actually supporting Ukraine. Brian, the only thing that worked since the beginning of full-scale invasion for us is to fight back and defend ourselves. And this is what we were trying to persuade President Trump and his team of. So, give us the necessary means. Put pressure on Russia and you will see how they will be pressured to end the war.

ABEL: Kira Rudik, we are grateful that you are OK. We hope you stay safe. Thank you for join joining us today.

RUDIK: Thank you, Brian. And Glory to Ukraine.

ABEL: Economic uncertainty grips both sides of the Atlantic after a day of mixed messages on European trade from President Donald Trump. On Friday he threatened to impose 50 percent tariffs on all imports from the European Union starting on June 1st.

Mr. Trump said the move was necessary because of stalled trade negotiations and what he called non-monetary trade barriers. But then, he later suggested he might be willing to push the start date back after first insisting he wasn't interested in making a deal.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: I just said, it's time that we play the game the way I know how to play the game. You know, nobody -- they've taken advantage of other people, representing this country, and they're not going to do that any longer. Yes, I'm not looking for a deal. I mean, we've set the deal. It's at 50 percent.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ABEL: Mr. Trump didn't just have the E.U. in his sights on Friday, he also focused on Apple and other smartphone makers. He vowed to slap a 25 percent tariff on Apple unless iPhone production was moved to the United States. Company CEO Tim Cook recently announced plans to manufacture iPhones bound for the U.S. at newly built plants in India. But Mr. Trump said that won't work.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: I had an understanding with Tim that he wouldn't be doing this. He said he is going to India to build plants. I said, that's OK to go to India, but you're not going to sell into here without tariffs. And that's the way it is.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ABEL: While speaking to the press in the Oval Office Friday, Mr. Trump said tariffs would also apply to Samsung and any phone maker selling devices in the U.S.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you have the power to tariff one single company? And why would you want to hurt an American company in that way?

TRUMP: It would be more. It would be also Samsung and anybody that makes that product. Otherwise, it wouldn't be fair.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ABEL: Of course, manufacturing iPhones and other kinds of smart devices in the United States would raise prices drastically. Earlier, CNN's Chief Data Analyst, Harry Enten spoke with our Anderson Cooper about whether it's economically feasible to make iPhones in the U.S.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HARRY ENTEN, CNN CHIEF DATA ANALYST: If you look at this, look at the number of Americans who have iPhones at this point. Look at this. In 2004, before the iPhone was created was zero, then it was 88 million in 2014. Look at the number that we have now, it's 155 million. It's not just that the majority of adults have an iPhone, it's that the number of Americans that have the iPhone continues to grow. And it's even more popular among teenagers than it is among adults at large.

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: And if it was manufactured in the U.S. how much would the price go up?

ENTEN: Yes. OK. So, that's, I think the big question is, OK, let's bring this and we're going to bring -- let's say we enter a magical universe where Donald Trump gets his way and the iPhone, in fact, would be produced in America. Right now, the iPhone basically cost about a thousand dollars, right? So, that is exact -- the exact price that my girlfriend paid. But let's say all of a sudden that the iPhone's going to be produced here.

[04:10:00]

Well, there are estimates of how much that would cost. Look at this estimate. My goodness gracious. It would cost $3,500. That is Nutter Butter, Anderson. That is crazy. So, the idea that these tariffs would make the phones actually be produced here, to be perfectly honest with you, it's fantasy island because what would actually happen? Apple would probably either, A, eat the tariff costs or, B, they would pass it on the consumer, but it would not result in what I think Donald Trump actually wants, which is the iPhone being produced here. It would simply put drive up costs for the American consumer.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ABEL: Harry Enten there. Thousands of foreign students at Harvard are stuck in limbo as a judge weighs in on President Trump's battle with the university. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ABEL: The Trump administration is facing a setback in its efforts to keep foreign students from attending Harvard University. A U.S. judge has, for now, blocked the move after Harvard filed a lawsuit against the U.S. government on Friday. CNN's Michael Yoshida reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MICHAEL YOSHIDA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A federal judge siding with Harvard University Friday in its fight with the Trump administration, temporarily halting a federal ban on the school's ability to enroll international students.

[04:15:00]

LARRY SUMMERS, PRESIDENT EMERITUS, HARVARD UNIVERSITY: This is extortion. It's a vendetta using all powers of the government. because of a political argument with Harvard.

YOSHIDA (voice-over): On Thursday, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem removed the university student and exchange visitor certification, saying Harvard refused to turn over conduct records of foreign students as requested last month.

KRISTI NOEM, DHS SECRETARY: Harvard brought these consequences upon themselves.

YOSHIDA (voice-over): More than a quarter of students are impacted.

LEO GERDEN, HARVARD UNIVERSITY INTERNATIONAL STUDENT: We are being used essentially as poker chips in a battle between the White House and Harvard and it feels honestly very dehumanizing.

YOSHIDA (voice-over): Trump and university officials have been locked in conflict for months, battling over federal research funds, as well as the school's tax-exempt status. The White House demanding changes to campus programming, policies, hiring and admissions to root out on campus antisemitism, and eliminating what it calls racist diversity, equity, and inclusion practices.

TRUMP: Harvard's going to have to change its ways.

YOSHIDA (voice-over): Harvard has complied with some requests and did acknowledge antisemitism on its campus. Still, it's fiercely defended its academic independence, calling this latest act by the administration, a clear retaliation for Harvard's exercising its First Amendment rights to reject the government's demands to control Harvard's governance, curriculum, and the ideology of its faculty and students.

In Washington, I'm Michael Yoshida reporting.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ABEL: Jessica Levison is professor of law at Loyola Law School and host of the "Passing Judgment" podcast. She joins me from Los Angeles. Thank you so much for being with us, joining us to explore the legal angle of all of this a bit more.

So, the first question is, Harvard attorneys, they're arguing that this is retaliation for not following the government's policies. What grounds does the Trump administration have in this case?

JESSICA LEVISON, PROFESSOR OF LAW, LOYOLA LAW SCHOOL AND HOST, "PASSING JUDGEMENT" PODCAST: Oh, that's an interesting question. So, the Trump administration is saying that we're just trying to make sure that there's no antisemitism on campus, that we're trying to make sure that the campus is a safe place for all students. The Trump administration has asked for a great deal of information from Harvard.

Harvard has said that they have actually given most of that, and the Trump administration really is saying with respect to Harvard and Columbia and other schools where there are different levels of escalation, they're trying to ensure that these are safe campuses.

ABEL: OK. And so, does Harvard have a strong case here at the moment?

LEVISON: I think they do, and I think that at least why at this very initial stage we see a judge implementing a temporary restraining order. So, the Trump administration tried to stop this certification that allows Harvard to have international students. Harvard filed suit within really a matter of hours and just a few hours after that, you see a federal judge saying, OK, Trump administration, pause. We think there would be a real and irreparable harm if this policy is allowed to go into effect while the case is litigated.

So, you asked me specifically what are we looking at here? I think we're looking at what Harvard has alleged, which is that they are being targeted based on their speech, based on their expression. So, the heart of their case is really about the First Amendment. ABEL: I know previous cases, of course, always play a major role in how a judge decides on a case. Do we have any precedent for a case like this?

LEVISON: That's a great question. I would say yes and no in the sense that I don't think in modern history we've had this sort of dramatic escalation between a presidential administration and a school before. Having said that, we certainly have had battles between administrations, the executive branch and private organizations, nonprofit organizations, sometimes educational organizations, and what Harvard is going to point to is a long line of First Amendment cases, some with similar facts, some not saying that the government is not allowed to pick winners and losers. The government is not allowed to say, we're taking something away from you. You lose your certification basing on the idea that the government doesn't like what you're saying.

And so, when it comes to the precedent, I think that's really the precedent that Harvard's going to point to. There's also some questions about how the Trump administration went about this change, specifically about whether or not they provided enough notice, enough opportunity for Harvard to say, no, please stop, or let's have some sort of conflict resolution surrounding this, which all kind of boils down to the idea of due process.

ABEL: OK. What are the implications if the Trump administration gets a legal victory here? Should other universities be preparing?

[04:20:00]

LEVISON: Yes, absolutely. So, if eventually a judge says that the Trump administration has the power to do this, then I think other schools obviously will take note. I think it's worth acknowledging that Harvard is in a unique situation in the sense that they're not just one of the oldest institutions, but the wealthiest educational institution in the country.

So, if there was any institution of higher education that has the ability to say, we actually don't want to comply, or we are ready to fight, it is Harvard. Other schools may feel that they don't have the same opportunity just in terms of a difference in resources.

ABEL: Well, this isn't the first clash between these two parties. There's been a buildup to this moment with the Trump administration freezing billions of dollars in funds last month for Harvard. Could that move factor into this case?

LEVISON: Well, I think yes and no. I mean, I think that it is, broadly speaking, we're talking about similar questions. We're talking about the Trump administration trying to get Harvard to comply with its policy goals, and we're figuring out whether or not Harvard, legally speaking, can say, you can't do that.

But of course, with respect to the specifics of the law, it is slightly different. We're talking about slightly different questions, and I think judges will take each particular set of facts separately and look at everything kind of individually to see whether or not the Trump administration can do what it's seeking to do.

ABEL: All right. We will see what happens next. Jessica Levison, thank you for your expertise.

LEVISON: Thank you.

ABEL: Four people are in critical condition after a knife attack on Friday at the central train station in Hamburg, Germany. CNN's Sebastian Shukla has more from Berlin.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SEBASTIAN SHUKLA, CNN PRODUCER: At least a dozen people have been injured in an attack at a major railway station in the Northern German City of Hamburg. The attack took place at around 6:00 p.m. and was carried out by a 39-year-old German woman, police told CNN.

Police at this moment would not confirm any other information, except that they were examining her mental state at this point, but were not considering the attack to be politically motivated.

FLORIAN ABBENSETH, HAMBURG POLICE SPOKESMAN: The woman was quickly arrested without resistance by the police forces on the scene. Based on initial video footage, we assume that the woman acted alone. So, far, we have no indications of any political motivation. However, there are initial findings which we are using in particular to check whether the woman may have been in an exceptional mental state. The investigation regarding the background and course of the crime is of course now in full progress.

SHUKLA: A video post to social media appears to show somebody being escorted out of the station, wearing blue hoodie and black and white tracksuit trousers. Other images circulating also show a heavy police presence on the scene. And German train stations often have large police presences. It's likely to have helped the speed of the first responders and the authorities, which were a total around 60 of them on the scene immediately.

And you can also imagine the scene at the station, one of the busiest in Germany, a hub for connecting travel across the country as Friday evening came, people commuting home from work or passing through on their ways to weekend getaways. It all means though, this is another attack that's taken place in Germany after a spate of similar attacks in the last six months, which have left people, dead knife attacks in a Scharfenberg in January and Solingen in late 2024 left people dead, and that's all you -- before you include car ramming incidents in Munich in February and in Manheim in March. And of course, that Christmas market attack in Magdeburg.

Shortly after the attack, the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, said he'd spoken with the first mayor of Hamburg and that his thoughts are with the victims and the families at this time.

Sebastian Shukla, CNN, Berlin.

(END VIDEOTAPE) ABEL: New details in the shooting that killed two Israeli embassy staffers at the Jewish Museum in Washington on Wednesday. investigators say the suspect, Elias Rodriguez, wore a digital video recording device on the night of the shooting. The device was recovered from his backpack when he was taken into custody inside the museum. A law enforcement source told CNN, it wasn't clear whether Rodriguez intended to livestream or post video of the attack. So, far no video has appeared on the internet. And there's no indication that video was sent to anyone. Detectives are trying to learn if somebody helped him by posting a manifesto that appeared online after the shooting.

In Gaza, a news search for survivors. Ahead, Palestinian Health Authorities say, Jabalya is the latest location hits in Israel's expanded military offensive in Gaza.

[04:25:00]

Plus, there's new international pressure for Israel to halt this renewed offensive. The actions southwestern leaders are taking to distance themselves from Israel, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ABEL: An Israeli airstrike in Jabalya, Northern Gaza left rescuers and residents searching for survivors and victims on Friday. The Palestinian ministry of health says the strike killed and wounded several people. Israel has ramped up attacks in Northern Gaza as it expands its military offensive. Health officials say Israeli strikes killed at least 50 people across Gaza on Thursday. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military.

A small trickle of aid into Gaza after nearly three months of an Israeli blockade has led to frustration for many Palestinians there. Crowds desperate for food, flocked to bakeries like this one, though many left emptyhanded as it ran out of bread within minutes, trucks delivering flour and other food aid are not even making it to Northern Gaza.

Israel has recently issued several evacuation warnings there. Some trucks have been held up because of limited and unsafe routes or have been looted on the way to distribution points. Israel says more than 300 aid trucks have entered Gaza since Monday, but the United Nations says it's a fraction of the aid that entered before the war. At that time, 500 to 600 trucks came into Gaza every day.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANTONIO GUTERRES, U.N. SECRETARY-GENERAL: As the world's leading hunger assessment found the entire population of Gaza is facing the risk of famine. Families are being starved and denied the very basics, all with the world watching in real-time. All the aid authorized until now amounts to a teaspoon of aid when a flood of assistance is required.

(END VIDEO CLIP) [04:30:00]

ABEL: The war on Gaza has forced many children there to grow up too soon. 12-year-old Jana Al-Skeifi is one of them. She's trying to take care of her family while mourning loved ones who've been killed or died of starvation. CNN's Abeer Salman as her story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JANA AL-SKEIFI, GAZA RESIDENT (through translator): My dad has no-one else, I'm the one who carries the water. We wait for hours just to fill up, and oftentimes we only fill half a bucket. I want to be strong so my father doesn't suffer.

ABEER SALMAN, CNN PRODUCER AND CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This is the story of one 12-year-old girl, Jana al-Skeifi and her family. But it's also the story of so many others in Gaza today, where days are punctuated by the never-ending search for water and food. And where the death of one pushes a family to endure unimaginable hardships.

AL-SKEIFI (through translator): My brother heard a woman begging for help, her children were terrified. He leaned down to point a way out and was shot by a sniper. It entered into his chest and came out.

MOHAMED AL-SKEIFI, GAZA RESIDENT (through translator): The bullet entered here in his chest. We took off the coat and buried him. He was our only son. His death broke us.

SALMAN (voice-over): After her brother was killed, it was Jana who stepped up, becoming her family's caretaker and guardian.

J. AL-SKEIFI (through translator): My father is old and has heart disease. My mother has cancer. If my father tries to carry the bucket, he'll fall. I have to carry all this and my dad does his best to help.

SALMAN (voice-over): It's a burden made worse by Israel's punishing 11-week blockade of food and aid on the Gaza Strip. Israel says the blockade was designed to bring about the release of all of the hostages and pressure Hamas. So far, neither has happened.

Instead, despite aid now trickling in, the U.N. says 20 percent of the population faces starvation, calling it, quote, ""atrocious and beyond human."

AL-SKEIFI (through translator): I used to play with my niece all the time. She was malnourished, and couldn't be treated here. They told us she had to be evaluated. This is when she was dying. God bless her.

AYA AL-SKEIFI, MOTHER OF BABY JANAT (through translator): I didn't even want to travel abroad. I just wanted someone to bring her milk. I stopped eating, drinking, moving. I couldn't even go to the bathroom because I was afraid she would slip away. At 5:00 in the morning, I realized she had passed. It felt like someone took my heart away, or stabbed me with a knife. I couldn't proves the feeling.

SALMAN (voice-over): A baby born and perished surrounded by starvation. Her three brief months of life, sustained by a child. Before the war, Gaza survived on food deliveries from hundreds of trucks a day. Now, with the Israeli military pledging to take over the entire Gaza Strip, whatever makes it through will almost certainly not be enough.

Abeer Salman, CNN, Jerusalem.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ABEL: International pressure is growing on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to halt Israel's renewed military offensive in Gaza. This week, both the U.K. and the European Union announced measures distancing themselves from Israel.

The U.K. paused trade negotiations with Israel and sanctioned West Bank settlers. The U.K.'s top diplomat criticized Israel's operation in Gaza as, quote, "morally unjustifiable and wholly disproportionate." The E.U. says it will review its relationship with Israel. The E.U.'s foreign policy chief called the situation in Gaza, quote, "catastrophic."

For more on this, let's bring in Gideon Levy. He is a columnist with Haaretz newspaper and a former adviser Shimon Peres. He joins me this hour from Tel Aviv. Thank you so much for joining us, Gideon. We are now seeing some of the strongest criticisms against Israel by its allies over the latest military actions in Gaza, Canada, France, the U.K. Could the downgrade of relations, the suspension of free trade talks, as the U.K. has done, does pressure force Netanyahu to consider changing course?

GIDEON LEVY, COLUMNIST, HAARETZ AND FORMER ADVISER TO SHIMON PERES: Pressure might be effective, but I wouldn't call this pressure yet. Those are maybe good signs, positive signs for the beginning.

[04:35:00]

But if you compare the last report that you just broadcasted now to the measures that are taking against Israel, so you understand that this is totally unproportional. This is a lip service. This is not a pressure which will really make a change. And people like me who believe that without international pressure this war can last forever, for sure, not be ended very soon, I think that the world has to decide, can he live in peace with those images you just broadcasted now? If no, then real measure must be taken and not those symbolic lip services.

ABEL: Netanyahu has responded to the pressure campaign. He said this, take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: I could never understand how this simple truth evades the leaders of France, Britain, Canada, and others, they're now proposing to establish a Palestinian State and reward these murders with the ultimate prize. You are on the wrong side of humanity and you are on the wrong side of history. Now, these leaders may think that they're advancing peace. They're not. They're emboldening Hamas to continue fighting forever, and they give them hope to establish a second Palestinian State from which Hamas will again seek to destroy the Jewish State.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ABEL: I want to explore that rebuttal and two parts. One, what is the state of Hamas at this point and the accuracy of its capabilities? And two, how is this message being received on the ground in Israel, and how are the Israelis actually viewing the Gaza operation itself?

LEVY: First of all, Brian, with your permission, a small remark to Prime Minister Netanyahu, if there is someone who is in the wrong side of history and humanity, it is him.

I mean, a prime minister of a state which slaughtered 55,000 people, 1,000 newborn babies. How can he speak about his critics as being on the wrong side of humanity? I mean, the borders were totally lost here. If there is someone who is in the wrong side, it's obviously Israel and its prime minister.

Now, to your questions. Those images that you have just shown now are hardly shown in Israel. And therefore, public opinion is totally brainwashed in Israel and lives in denial for Israelis. And there is a great camp of protest against the war now in Israel, but it's mainly based on the natural human desire to see the hostages being released. It has nothing to do with the catastrophe of Gaza, which doesn't interest most of the Israelis. And more than this, showing any kind of empathy or human feelings toward the victims of Gaza is almost criminal in Israel. It's for sure not legitimate.

So, Israel's public opinion divides now between those who support Netanya and support the war, and some of them are even (INAUDIBLE) and they want just to see the destruction of Gaza and the expel of all its citizens and the camp who wants to put an end to the war and an end to Netanyahu's government. But the crimes in Gaza and the tragedy of Gaza remains without any real sentiments in Israeli public opinion. It didn't touch Israelis.

ABEL: Well, I think notably the United States hasn't joined this chorus of pressure against Netanyahu, however strong or weak that pressure is. If they continue to abstain, do the other nations have enough power to move the needle? Just how much weight does the U.S. hold here?

LEVY: That's a very good question because I believe that would the United States join, would the United States really want to see the end of the war? Would the administration and President Trump would like to see the end of the war, he could have done it within days, if not within hours. Israel is totally dependent on the United States like never before because of its isolation in the world even more so both diplomatically and military and economically. We don't have to get into this.

But the United States until now is very passive. Europe by itself has a leverage. Sure. Not like the Americans one, but they have a leverage because the majority of the financial ties and the commerce ties are always with the E.U., not with the United States. So, they could make a difference. I don't know if they can bring the end of the war, but they can at least increase their pressure.

[04:40:00]

But right now, as I said in the beginning of my words, this pressure is not yet a pressure, it is really just a symbolic one, and I can only hope it'll get stronger and more effective. Gaza is screaming for a ceasefire, screaming.

ABEL: Gideon Levy in Tel Aviv. Gideon, thank you for joining us.

LEVY: Thank you for having me.

ABEL: Well, Washington has new intelligence that suggests Israel is preparing for possible strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. This is coming from multiple U.S. officials familiar with the latest intelligence. Sources tell CNN Israeli military preparations have been observed, including the movement of air munitions that could suggest a strike is eminent. But officials caution, it's not clear that Israeli leaders have made a final decision. They say there is deep disagreement within the U.S. governments about the likelihood that Israel will ultimately act.

The fifth round of high stakes nuclear talks between the U.S. and Iran has ended with limited progress. Two Iranian sources telling CNN an agreement is unlikely while the U.S. insists that Iran dismantles its uranium enrichment program. CNN's Fred Pleitgen has more from Tehran.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice- over): Death to America and death to Israel, chants at Friday prayers in Tehran. The prayer leader laying into the Trump administration as the U.S.-Iran nuclear talks hang in the balance.

PLEITGEN: Iran's leadership is telling the United States that they want a nuclear agreement, but they're also not afraid of a confrontation if the talks fail.

PLEITGEN (voice over): Tehran not happy with both President Trump and his chief negotiator, Steve Witkoff after Witkoff said the U.S. wouldn't allow Iran to continue enriching uranium as part of any deal. No way. There is no trust, this member of the elite Revolutionary Guard Corps tells me. They failed their previous tests towards the Iranian nation. However, we have initiated the talks to prove our intention is not war. We want the enrichment for medical and other purposes.

The negotiations are unilateral, this woman says. Trump is trying to show his power, but it is our right to have nuclear capabilities.

Iran has consistently said its nuclear program is purely civilian in nature, and Tehran insists on keeping its uranium enrichment capabilities. Iran's foreign minister acknowledging the talks are complicated.

We stress the positions and principles of the Islamic Republic of Iran regarding the negotiations, he says, our positions are completely clear, and we insist on them. I think the American side now has a better and more clear picture of our position.

President Trump is threatening even tougher measures against Iran if the talks fail, and American officials tell CNN, intelligence suggests Israel is preparing for strikes against targets in Iran. Iranians we spoke to vowing a tough response if that happens.

The United States knows better what will happen, he says, if things get serious, there will not be a country named Israel on Earth.

But for now, both sides say they're gearing up for the next round of talks trying to forge a new nuclear deal.

Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Tehran.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ABEL: There's a new pushback against President Trump's claims of white genocide in South Africa. Ahead, questions about the images he held up as evident. You are in the CNN Newsroom.

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ABEL: There is new resistance to Donald Trump's claims of genocide against white farmers in South Africa. During a meeting with South Africa's president this week, Mr. Trump held up printed articles. He seemed doing it here of photos that he said were reports of genocide. CNN's Larry Madowo has the latest.

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LARRY MADOWO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: President Trump claimed this was dead white farmers in this image of body bags, but Reuters now confirms that that was not from South Africa at all. They say that is a screen grab from a video shot by a Reuters video journalist in February in Goma, that's in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. It showed humanitarian workers lifting body bags after a deadly assault on Goma by the rebel group M23. President Trump held up that blog post from American Thinker, a conservative online magazine that wrote about that conflict in Goma in Eastern DRC as well as racial tensions in South Africa. The managing editor of American Thinker told Reuters that President Trump had misidentified the image.

The White House has not responded to CNN's request for comment. But the South African police Minister released the latest statistics of crime in South Africa where there were thousands more murders between January and the end of March 2025. There were 12 murders at farms, but only one of them was a farmer, and the police minister did not mince his words. SENZO MCHUNU, SOUTH AFRICAN MINISTER OF POLICE: We have respect for the people of the United States, and we have respect for the president of the United States, President Donald Trump, but we have no respect for the -- for his genocide story whatsoever. It is totally unfounded and totally unsubstantiated.

MADOWO: The South Africans are now battling to correct the impression created by President Donald Trump, and many on the right who claim this conspiracy theory of a genocide of white farmers in South Africa, they're having to do this because that moment in the White House went viral. Everyone in the world is talking about it and they're a little frustrated that it seems to paint the wrong impression of the situation in the country.

As the agriculture minister said at the White House, they have a rural safety problem, not necessarily the murder of white farmers specifically in their country.

Larry Madowo, CNN, Nairobi.

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ABEL: The United States is imposing sanctions on Sudan after it determined the African nation used chemical weapons last year. The U.S. says the weapons were used during the Sudanese Army's conflict with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. Officials did not specify what weapons were used and precisely when or where. Sudan denies the allegation. Still, the U.S. notified Congress that its sanctions against Sudan would take effect around June 6th and would include limits on U.S. exports and lines of credit.

Billy Joel says he's sorry to disappoint his legions of fans. Coming up, the health concerns forcing the legendary performer to step off the stage for the foreseeable future.

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ABEL: There is a special Memorial Day tribute on display this weekend in the United States. This you've seen here is the Poppy Wall of Honor at the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The 134-foot wall has more than 600,000 poppies, that's one for every American who died in military service Since World War I. The temporary tribute has been displayed on Memorial Day for the past six years, each weekend.'

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ABEL: Troubling news for fans of the piano man. Billy Joel is canceling all dates in his upcoming tour. He's seeking treatment for what's described as a very rare disorder where too much fluid builds up in the brain. In a social media post, Joel noted that recent concert performances worsened his condition. He now has problems with his hearing, vision and balance. The 17 dates being canceled stretch into next year in the U.S., Canada, Scotland, and England. Refunds will be issued automatically. Joel says he looks forward to returning to the stage when he can.

[04:55:00]

Well, how's this for a wakeup call? A container ship went to ground in a Norwegian fjord, leaving a homeowner amazed at the enormous vessel, missed his house by just a few meters. Thankfully so. It had 16 people on board when it lost control. The ship's owner called it a serious incident and is trying to figure out what went wrong. No one was injured though. Still, the whole episode wasn't much of an alarm clock. The homeowner slept through the whole thing until a neighbor woke him up.

A rare and heartwarming site in Brazil yesterday to celebrate International Turtle Day. Dozens of sea turtle hatchlings were released into the ocean. Crowds of tourists gathering, locals too, to see the tiny creatures make their first swim. And environmental agencies organize the event to bring awareness to the critical role turtles play in the marine ecosystem. The animals, they do remain under threat due to habitat destruction and pollution. The U.S. National Ocean Service says sea turtles' natural lifespan between 50 and 100 years old. Hope they all make it to 100.

Thank you for joining us. I'm Brian Abel in Atlanta. That wraps up this hour of CNN Newsroom. I'll be right back with you right after this short break.

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