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Trump Denounces Putin for Going Absolutely Crazy; Trump Pauses Tariffs to European Union; New COVID Variant Causes Fears to Americans; King Charles to Open Canadian Parliament. Aired 3-4a ET

Aired May 26, 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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ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us from all around the world and to everyone streaming us on CNN Max. I'm Rosemary Church.

Just ahead. Strong words for Russia's leader from U.S. President Donald Trump. After the recent bombardment of Kyiv, President Trump says Vladimir Putin has gone quote, "absolutely crazy."

Plus, more time for the European Union to negotiate a deal with the United States. Mr. Trump says he will delay the 50 percent tariff on imports until July 9th.

And a new COVID variant is raising fears among some health officials. We'll take a look at how it's spreading and how serious it might be.

UNKNOWN (voice-over): Live from Atlanta, this is "CNN Newsroom" with Rosemary Church.

CHURCH: Good to have you with us.

U.S. President Donald Trump is taking to social media with new criticism of Vladimir Putin after Russia launched its largest aerial assault of its three-year war on Ukraine. He wrote in part, quote, "I've always had a very good relationship with Vladimir Putin of Russia, but something has happened to him. He has gone absolutely crazy."

Those comments coming just hours after he said this to reporters.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: I'm not happy with what Putin's doing, he's killing a lot of people. And I don't know what the hell happened to Putin. I've known him a long time, always got along with him.

But he's sending rockets into cities and killing people. And I don't like it at all. OK?

We're in the middle of talking and he's shooting rockets into Kyiv and other cities. I don't like it at all.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is also speaking out, saying silence from the U.S. and others around the world is only encouraging Vladimir Putin. That reaction after Russia hit the capital and other regions across Ukraine overnight on Sunday with missiles and drones killing at least 12 people, including children. The assault coming despite the largest prisoner swap of the war being completed on Sunday.

CNN's Paula Hancocks is following all the developments from Abu Dhabi.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We have seen a weekend of superlatives at the same time as seeing the largest aerial assaults from the Russian military on Ukrainian cities. We're also seeing the largest prisoner exchange between the two countries.

Now, starting with the positive, we did see over three days, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, a total of 2000 prisoners being released. 1000 Russian, 1000 Ukrainian.

Now, this did happen, as I say, over three days. We have been seeing some very emotional reunions, some very emotional images on the Ukrainian side as those coming off from buses draped in the Ukrainian flag are reunited with their loved ones. In some cases, they have been held prisoner for a number of years.

Now, we did hear from the Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanking everybody involved in this process.

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): The task is to bring home absolutely everyone who is currently held in Russia. And this is a joint task for our intelligence services, for our diplomats, for our entire state. Clearly, it's not an easy task, but it must be accomplished. I'm grateful to everyone around the world who is helping us.

HANCOCKS: Now, according to the Ukrainian Prisoner of War Center, this is the sixth prisoner exchange that we have seen this year alone, and it is the 65th overall. And yet, at the same time as seeing something as positive as this, we also saw a devastating weekend when it came to the aerial assaults on Ukraine.

We saw from the Ukrainian Air Force saying that Saturday into Sunday, there were almost 70 missiles, almost 300 drones. Now, many of them they claim were intercepted, but those that got through were deadly. We know the children were among the dead and injured.

Now, they say there were drones, there were cruise missiles, ballistic missiles fired from both ships and planes. According to the Ukrainian leader, rescuers were working in well over 30 cities and villages across the country. Now, there were some 13 different districts that were impacted, but certainly what we saw in the capital, in Kyiv, in the early hours of Sunday morning was that the air raid sirens were blaring for hours.

[03:05:05]

Residents were told to stay in shelters in the early hours of Sunday morning, and over the weekend, one parliament member speaking to CNN said it felt like Armageddon. So a very devastating and deadly weekend in a number of Ukrainian cities.

Paula Hancocks, CNN, Abu Dhabi.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: Malcolm Davis is a senior analyst for defense strategy and capability at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute. He joins us live from Canberra. Appreciate you talking with us.

MALCOLM DAVIS, SR. ANALYST FOR DEFENSE STRATEGY AND CAPABILITY, AUSTRALIAN STRATEGIC POLICY INSTITUTE: Thank you, Rosemary.

CHURCH: So in the wake of Russia's deadly aerial attack on Ukraine overnight, its largest since the war began, U.S. President Donald Trump issued a strong rebuke of his Russian counterparts saying Putin has gone absolutely crazy. And now the U.S. President says he will absolutely consider sanctions. So if he does that, how might additional sanctions change the direction of this war?

DAVIS: Well, let's see if he actually does that, because he's said that many times in the past and done nothing. It's also notable that in that statement that he also attacked Zelenskyy for having the nerve to be the victim of Russian aggression.

And I think that I'm skeptical that Trump will actually put in sanctions. But if he did, then it would be secondary sanctions designed to undermine Russia's access to oil and energy supplies, to drive up, to reduce the cost of oil and energy supplies, undermine the Russian economy, undermine their ability to sustain a wartime economy.

And that would be a positive step. But I am dubious that he'll actually do anything on this occasion.

CHURCH: So Malcolm, what is the situation on the battlefield right now? How vulnerable is Ukraine and how strong militarily is Russia right now?

DAVIS: Well, essentially, what you're seeing is Russia making creeping, grinding progress in the central eastern area near Donbass, around Pokrovsk and Dnipro. They're slowly taking more territory, though at great cost in terms of lives lost.

They've also got a force that they've built up in Belarus that potentially could be used to open up a second front towards Kharkiv. If that happens, then that could undermine Ukraine's ability to sustain their forces and sustain their defense in the eastern area around Pokrovsk.

So I do think the Russians are getting set for a summer offensive. They will not find it easy to take territory, but it largely does depend on whether the West continues to support Ukraine. I think Europe will, but I'm not so certain about the United States.

If the Trump administration does walk away from the Ukraine war, as they've suggested they might, then the question must be asked is, do they cancel out any military aid and intelligence sharing?

That would then put Ukraine in a very difficult situation indeed. They will then have to withdraw from certain areas and abandon them to the Russians.

CHURCH: And of course, you touched on this, but President Trump has been sending mixed messages to Putin, hasn't he? First pledging to end the war, then suggesting it's not his war and now showing surprise that Putin is still launching deadly attacks on civilians. What message does that wavering message from Donald Trump send to Putin in the midst of his war on Ukraine?

DAVIS: Look, I think it's inconceivable that Trump didn't know that Putin was launching these devastating attacks on Ukrainian cities, which after all have been going on really since the beginning of the war and certainly have intensified since the Trump administration came to power.

So I think this notion that somehow President Trump is surprised and that Putin has gone crazy is farcical. I think that Trump is just trying to avoid making some hard decisions about how far he goes to penalize Russia in any way in terms of whether he does anything at all.

And I think that the messages though that it's sending to Putin from Trump is one of weakness and lack of resolve. The fact that Trump is not prepared to actually impose cost on Russia is being received by Putin in Moscow.

And I have to say by Xi Jinping in Beijing, that the U.S. president lacks resolve, is weak and unwilling to stand up to a threat. So this is rather a cause for concern in the broader scheme of growing strategic risk around the world.

CHURCH: And Malcolm, why did Russia launch this massive aerial assault on Ukraine at this time, particularly after carrying out the largest prisoner swap of the war on Sunday?

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DAVIS: Look, Putin is not interested in peace. He may have swapped prisoners, but he got prisoners of war back that he put straight back into the front line. And so I wouldn't read too much into that prisoner of war swap in terms of suggesting Putin's intentions regarding peace.

Putin basically sees that he's winning militarily in this war. He feels that he can outlast the patience and the resolve of the United States and its allies, that he ultimately can wear them down and then gain an advantageous position or dominant position on the battlefield vis-a-vis Ukraine.

Ultimately, what he wants to do is achieve his goals militarily in Ukraine, that means taking the four regions of the Donbass, Zaporizhzhya, Kherson, and of course he's already captured Crimea. He wants to expand on those areas that he's got and ultimately take more Ukrainian territory. And that's why I think he's going to launch a second front assault from Belarus towards Kharkiv.

And then once he's got control of those areas, he will try to impose some sort of peace settlement on Ukraine that is to his advantage, allows him to rebuild and regroup the Russian military so that he can either then take more territory of Ukraine a year or so down the track or potentially pivot and attack a NATO state along its eastern frontier. I think that's what everyone is concerned about.

CHURCH: Malcolm Davis, thank you for joining us. I appreciate your analysis.

DAVIS: Thank you.

CHURCH: In the latest instance of Donald Trump's tariff whiplash, the U.S. President has announced he's delaying a 50 percent tariff on European goods until July 9th. He says the decision came after a call with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

CNN's Kevin Liptak has more now from the White House.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KEVIN LIPTAK, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: President Trump made this decision to delay new tariffs on the European Union after a telephone call with the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

And this was a significant phone call, even amid all of these trade tensions between the United States and the European Union. This is the first time that these two leaders have spoken since Trump came into office. And so it was an important moment to get at some of the differences between the two sides on this very critical issue.

And there are some significant differences. You know, European officials have been in Washington trying to negotiate a trade deal for the last several weeks, but the process has been painstaking. There has been no real breakthrough from the European perspective.

There has been a degree of confusion about what exactly President Trump and the White House are looking for from these talks. White House officials on the flip side had been concerned that European officials were not coming to them with serious enough offers for a trade deal.

And that is part of what led to President Trump on Friday saying that he would impose a 50 percent tariff on the E.U. starting on June 1st, saying that the talks were going nowhere, that the E.U., in his words, had been very difficult to deal with. You also heard from the Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent saying that the offers from the E.U. had not been, quote, "of the same quality as other nations' proposals."

Essentially, in the words of one White House official, trying to light a fire under the E.U. to try and jumpstart these talks. And that is part of what led to this conversation on Sunday between President Trump and Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission President describing it as a good conversation, saying the E.U. and U.S. share the world's most consequential and close trade relationship.

She says that Europe is ready to advance talks swiftly and decisively, but that in order to reach a good deal, we would need the time until July 9th, the President agreeing to extend those talks.

Now we should say July 9th was the original deadline. You know, President Trump, you'll remember, announced these reciprocal tariffs on what he called Liberation Day, he lifted those tariffs and put in place this 90 day period to negotiate new trade deals. That period is set to expire on July 9th.

Now, President Trump essentially reverting to the original deadline as these talks with the E.U. proceed.

Kevin Liptak, CNN, the White House.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: President Trump's Big, Beautiful Bill is now headed to the U.S. Senate after narrowly passing in the House. But he says senators could make fairly significant changes to the major tax and domestic policy bill.

It's already facing pushback from some Senate Republicans who have raised concerns over the bill's potential impact on the national debt, the changes to Medicaid and the tax credit levels. Here's what the President told reporters Sunday.

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(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: I want the Senate and the senators to change, you know, to make the changes they want. And we'll go back to the House and we'll see if we can get them. In some cases, those changes maybe are something I'd agree with, to be honest.

You know, it happens. But we've had a very good response from the Senate. And I don't know how Democrats can vote for it if they don't vote for it.

They're talking about a 68 percent tax increase. Remember that if the Democrats don't vote, it's a 68 percent tax increase, which is ridiculous.

(END VIDEO CLIP) CHURCH: Still to come, hundreds of people are dying each week from COVID-19. What the FDA's limits on vaccine access could mean for Americans.

Plus, desperation in Gaza. Israel's strict limits on humanitarian aid are pushing more people to the brink of starvation. That's still to come.

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CHURCH: An Israeli airstrike in Gaza City overnight killed at least 20 people and wounded a large number of others. According to a local hospital, most of the victims are women and children.

Gaza's civil defense says the strike hit a school where displaced people were sheltering. Emergency workers describe gruesome scenes, including bodies charred beyond recognition.

The Israel Defense Forces and Israeli Security Agency said it struck a Hamas and Islamic Jihad command and control center. They say it was embedded in the area around the school.

Palestinian health officials say more people in Gaza are dying from malnutrition as Israel keeps strict limits on the amount of aid entering the territory. Israel blocked deliveries of humanitarian supplies in early March. The Hamas-run Palestinian Ministry of Health says that since then, 58 people have died from malnutrition and 242 died due to shortages of food and medicine.

Last week, Israel opened that blockade slightly. On Sunday, Israel says it let 107 trucks into Gaza, but the U.N. says it's not nearly enough.

Meanwhile, humanitarian groups are having difficulty delivering that limited aid to the people who desperately need it. The World Food Program is saying it's stopping production of bread at bakeries at Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis, citing the, quote, "deteriorating security situation and the high likelihood of staff being exposed to risk."

The head of a U.S.-backed aid group tasked with delivering food to Gaza has resigned. Jake Wood, a U.S. military veteran, led the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. The U.N. and other aid groups criticized the group, saying the way it intends to work violates basic humanitarian principles.

On Sunday, Wood announced he was stepping down, saying, quote, "I am proud of the work I oversaw. However, it is clear that it is not possible to implement this plan while also strictly adhering to the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence, which I will not abandon." U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem is in Israel. Her

visit comes days after two Israeli embassy staff members were shot and killed in Washington, D.C. The U.S. Justice Department is investigating it as an act of terrorism and a hate crime.

Noem also met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. She expressed the United States, quote, unwavering support for Israel and its great appreciation for Netanyahu's, quote, "conduct of the war in Gaza."

An American citizen is charged with plotting to firebomb the U.S. embassy in Tel Aviv, Israel. The Justice Department unsealed the charges on Sunday. CNN's Julia Benbrook has details.

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JULIA BENBROOK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We are getting new information on this. The Department of Justice unsealed charges against a dual American and German citizen who they say plotted to throw Molotov cocktails at the United States embassy in Israel.

The man, 28-year-old Joseph Neumayer, was deported from Israel to the United States on Sunday and arrested at a New York airport. According to the DOJ, Neumeier arrived at the U.S. embassy in Tel Aviv early last week and spit on an embassy guard unprovoked.

He was not detained at the time, but left behind a backpack. And when they searched that backpack, they found three Molotov cocktails.

Now, authorities then went through social media, believed to be Neumayer's, and found a post saying that he had plans to burn down the embassy in Tel Aviv.

It also said death to America, death to Americans. Other posts also revealed threats against President Donald Trump. Now, here's what Attorney General Pam Bondi said about the case.

She said, quote, "this defendant is charged with planning a devastating attack targeting our embassy in Israel, threatening death to Americans and President Trump's life. The department will not tolerate such violence and will prosecute this defendant to the fullest extent of the law."

If convicted, Neumayer faces a minimum of five years in prison. The FBI Washington field office is leading this investigation with assistance from the FBI New York field office.

[03:25:08]

Reporting in New Jersey, Julia Benbrook, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: Health experts are still warning about the threat of coronavirus as the Food and Drug Administration is set to change how it approves COVID vaccines for Americans. The move may limit who has access to the shots. That means this fall's updated vaccine could be restricted to adults 65 and older and those with underlying conditions. This comes as about 350 people died per week last month from the infection.

That's according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And a new variant is being detected in the U.S. The CDC has reported multiple cases of NB 181 through its airport screening program.

This is the same variant that's on the rise in parts of Asia.

Dr. Ashish Jha is dean of the Brown University School of Public Health. He also served as White House COVID-19 response coordinator appointed by former President Joe Biden. Thank you, doctor, for joining us.

DR. ASHISH JHA, DEAN, BROWN UNIVERSITY OF PUBLIC HEALTH, AND FORMER WHITE HOUSE COVID-19 RESPONSE COORDINATOR UNDER PRESIDENT BIDEN: Thank you for having me back, Rosemary.

CHURCH: So COVID is back in the headlines with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention detecting a new COVID-19 variant called NB 181 in arriving international travelers, apparently the same variant behind a surge in COVID cases in China. So what can you tell us about this?

JHA: And so, first of all, Rosemary, we don't know a lot about this variant. We expect variants to continue to develop with this virus. Again, COVID is not gone.

Thankfully, we have so much population immunity that it is unlikely, though not impossible, but unlikely that any new variant is going to cause any massive surge of serious illness. But we are seeing this new variant causing a lot more infections in China and Hong Kong.

And we're going to have to monitor this closely in the U.S. and elsewhere to see is it causing serious illness? Is it causing deaths? And obviously, if it's causing those things, then that will be a cause for concern.

CHURCH: And doctor, as this is happening, we are learning that the FDA may restrict COVID vaccines. So who will and won't be able to get these shots? And why are we seeing these restrictions to getting COVID vaccinations when so many people died during the pandemic?

JHA: Yes, it's disappointing to see the FDA doing this because their argument is they want to see better evidence, but there's no evidence that differentiates. There's not better evidence for older people versus younger people.

We do know older people benefit more from vaccines in general. Their decision to restrict vaccines to adjust older people, I think, is a mistake.

My general view has been that they should make it available to everybody. Obviously, it's always recommended more for high risk people like older people or people with chronic disease. But I don't think they should be restricting vaccines right now and they just haven't given much of a scientific basis for that decision.

CHURCH: Right. And perhaps with this new variant, could they change that guideline anyway?

JHA: They might. And again, I always think these things should be driven by decisions based on scientific evidence and data. To the extent that they are making these decisions, they should make the science and evidence very clear.

Obviously, if this thing causes a major surge in infections, my hope is we're going to make the vaccines available to everybody.

CHURCH: And doctor, some good news. The World Health Assembly has adopted an historic pandemic agreement to make the world a safer place. How significant is all this, particularly at this time?

JHA: Yes, so look, I think there's been a lot of effort behind the pandemic agreement for three years. Rosemary, I will tell you that personally, I was disappointed in what the final agreement is. It doesn't really do as much as I think its proponents would like to see.

The goal behind it is we want to make vaccines more widely available and equitable, a very laudable goal. Unfortunately, I don't know how much this pandemic agreement really moves that ball forward.

I'd like to see real actions on manufacturing and on building up scientific capability in low income countries. That's what's going to be necessary for making progress.

CHURCH: All right, we'll see what happens with that. Dr. Ashish Jha, thank you so much for talking with us. I appreciate it.

JHA: Thank you, Rosemary.

CHURCH: And when we return, what President Trump is now demanding from Harvard University amid their heated battle over international students.

Plus, cautious Iranians are not counting on any breakthrough in talks with the U.S. We'll see how they're learning to take the sting out of America's sanctions when we come back.

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[03:35:01]

CHURCH: Welcome back to "CNN Newsroom." I'm Rosemary Church. I want to check today's top stories for you.

U.S. President Donald Trump says Vladimir Putin has gone absolutely crazy after Russia launches its largest aerial attack on Ukraine. Mr. Trump criticized the Russian president on social media and in front of reporters as he made clear he's not happy with Putin. At least 12 people were killed in attacks across Ukraine this weekend.

An Israeli airstrike in Gaza City overnight has killed at least 20 people. Officials say a large number of others were wounded. Gaza's civil defense says the strike hit a school where displaced people were sheltering. Emergency workers have described gruesome scenes.

President Trump has agreed to delay a 50 percent tariff on imports from the European Union until July 9th. He says he had a very nice call with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. She says, quote, "Europe is ready to advance talks swiftly and decisively."

Well President Trump is escalating his attacks on Harvard University. He's now demanding the names and countries of thousands of international students at the Ivy League school. Mr. Trump suggested that foreign countries, some of which he says are hostile to the U.S., should contribute funding to educate their students.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: Part of the problem with Harvard is that there are about 31 percent, almost 31 percent of foreigners coming to Harvard. We give them billions of dollars, which is ridiculous. We do grants, which we're probably not going to be doing much grants anymore to Harvard.

But there are 31 percent, but they refuse to tell us who the people are. We want to know who the people are.

Now, a lot of the foreign students we wouldn't have a problem with. I'm not going to have a problem with foreign students, but it shouldn't be 31 percent. It's too much because we have Americans that want to go there and to other places, and they can't go there because you have 31 percent foreign.

Now, no foreign government contributes money to Harvard. We do.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Harvard notes on its website that foreign students are not eligible for any federal funding. The President's comments come just days after a judge temporarily halted his administration from banning Harvard's international students.

After the U.S. and Iran held a fifth round of nuclear talks over the weekend, Donald Trump struck an optimistic tone about what might be achieved in the days ahead.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: We had some very good talks with Iran yesterday and today, and let's see what happens. But I think we could have some good news on the Iran front having to do with nuclear. We've had some very good talks with Iran, and I don't know if I'll be

telling you anything good or bad over the next two days, but I have a feeling I might be telling you something good. We've had some real progress, serious progress.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Trump added that he would love to reach a deal with Iran so a military strike could be avoided. Officials from Oman have been serving as mediators for the talks. One said there has been some but not conclusive progress.

Well, many Iranians are hopeful about the ongoing talks, especially on the possibility of sanctions relief, but they're hedging their bets, as CNN's Fred Pleitgen discovered in Tehran.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Iranian lab technicians working to optimize domestically produced medicine. The Zist Takhmir Pharmaceutical Company is one of Iran's largest, and they say they're also one of the first to produce cancer medicine here in Iran.

Our production uses modern equipment, the lab director tells me. Safety is always observed for all staff, both in terms of gear and of production.

The company also produces probiotics on a large scale, working out of a massive tech center near Tehran called the Pardis Technology Center, housing more than 400 companies.

Everything from big industrial firms to tiny startups. As Western sanctions squeeze Iran's economy, Tehran is looking to bolster domestic production, especially in high-tech sectors, the parks director of international affairs tells me.

AMIN REZA KHALEGHIAN, HEAD OF INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS, PARDIS TECH: We think that sanction is not a good phenomenon, but in one or two aspects it is very good for us, because before sanction, we import many of these products from other countries as well. After sanction, we had to establish them inside the country, and many of the products you sell now, they are all made in Iran, are the result -- positive result of the sanctions.

PLEITGEN (voice-over): Nowhere more so than the medical sector. Management showing us some of the products manufactured here, everything from small implants to whole operating rooms.

[03:40:00]

PLEITGEN: At the face of it, the sanctions don't count for the medical sector, but because hospitals can't actually pay internationally for a lot of things, they can't access a lot of Western medical equipment, so this is quite important, presumably. MOHAMMAD-REZA KOMPANI SAEID, CEO, BARTER ELECTRONIC: Yes, so that's why we have a very deep depth of production here. Every year we are doing about 10,000 beds in the country to get the optimum rate of the bed and the population, and at this stage we are doing 85 percent of the equipment that needs for new hospitals.

PLEITGEN (voice-over): Like in most of Iran, folks here are closely watching the nuclear talks between Tehran and the Trump administration, hoping a breakthrough could lead to an end of what the U.S. calls its maximum pressure sanctions against Iran. Even as Iran's foreign minister acknowledges things aren't easy.

ABBAS ARAGCHI, IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER (through translator): The negotiations are more complex than something that can be resolved in just two to three meetings. The fact that we are now on a reasonable path, in my view, is itself a sign of progress.

PLEITGEN (voice-over): And the outcome of the talks is far from certain, leading Iran's leadership to keep bolstering its homegrown products rather than hope and wait for sanctions relief.

Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Tehran.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: North Korea has arrested four people it blames for the failed launch of the country's newest warship, that is according to state media. Kim Jong-un witnessed the accident last Wednesday when a launch mechanism reportedly malfunctioned, causing the ship's stern to slide into the water prematurely, damaging the hull.

Kim called it a criminal act and vowed to punish those responsible. Satellite imagery now shows most of the warship covered in blue tarps as repairs get underway.

Sudan's army says it's now fully in control of the country's capital, Khartoum. But the long-term fighting has left a lingering danger. Unexploded mines, weapons and ammunition are all over civilian areas.

CNN's Ben Hunte has this report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BEN HUNTE, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): There are signs of war everywhere in Khartoum.

The embattled city has been a major stronghold in the two-year civil war between Sudan's government forces and the paramilitary group Rapid Support Forces or RSF. Two years ago, the RSF captured Khartoum and two months ago, the army took it back.

But for the thousands of people returning to the city, many are shocked to see how much damage there is. But what may be most disturbing is what's hidden in the rubble.

ABDELAZIZ ALI, FORMER KHARTOUM SCHOOL EMPLOYEE (through translator): Why wouldn't I be afraid? Every day, I find two containers filled with ammunition and RPG rockets and other explosives, all in here. And this is a school, a children's school.

HUNTE (voice-over): Sudanese and U.N. clearance teams are combing areas under government control, looking for ammunition and missiles that are scattered across streets, homes, schools and shops. Places that won't be safe to inhabit again until the ordinance is cleared.

AL-HELO ABDULLA, HEAD OF WAR REMNANTS COLLECTION INITIATIVE: We have received a lot of requests and worked on them. Every day we have around 10 to 15 requests, so we try to remove as much as possible each day.

HUNTE (voice-over): According to Sudan's National Mine Action Center, more than 12,000 devices have been located and destroyed since the beginning of the war, with thousands more discovered in areas recently retaken by the army.

But there are still many places that haven't been cleared, and some funding for the demining efforts has been in jeopardy, especially after the disruption of U.S. foreign aid earlier this year. So many civilians have risked clearing their homes on their own.

Dozens of people have reportedly been killed or injured by munitions explosions in recent weeks, including this man's 16-year-old nephew, who suffered severe wounds after a blast.

AL-NOURANY MAHMOUD, UNCLE OF 16-YEAR OLD VICTIM OF EXPLOSION (through translator): We heard an explosion. It was a 23mm anti-aircraft round. Since I am a soldier, I know these things. He was sitting on a chair and suddenly it exploded without warning.

HUNTE (voice-over): The dangers at home, only amplified by the ongoing fighting in other parts of the country, with the RSF still holding large parts of Western Sudan.

The fighting is far from over, but in Khartoum, each munition taken out of harm's way could make civilians feel a little safer.

Ben Hunte, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: A man whose job it is to collect trash is going viral. Just ahead, how he's finding beauty in his city's early hours and setting it all to song. Back with that in a moment.

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[03:45:00]

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CHURCH: Welcome back, everyone.

Well, finding beauty in everyday life can be a challenge, but a trash collector in Mexico City is proving it's still possible to appreciate the world around you no matter what kind of work you do. Erick Beltran shows us how the man's emotional songs are going viral.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ERICK BELTRAN, CNN EN ESPANOL ENTERTAINMENT PRODUCER (voice-over): Macario Martinez was just a regular guy doing his daily job, picking up trash from the streets of Mexico City until he shared this video of his route that would catapult him to fame.

[03:50:05]

MACARIO MARTINEZ, SINGER-SONGWRITER AND COMPOSER (through translator): When I was in the collection truck, I don't know. I always liked that moment and I always wanted to record it.

The day came when I got the chance to film it, to film myself there, because I believed it to be such a special moment. I always wanted to capture that route because it was so beautiful. I didn't think it would have so many views.

BELTRAN (voice-over): Now, Martinez has recorded multiple videos, racking up millions of views on social media.

MARTINEZ (through translator): Working in the city's sanitation system, I think it's the most beautiful job in terms of connecting with others. Sure, maybe the benefits aren't great, but the people, my coworkers, are incredible. We were all just trying to get ahead.

BELTRAN (voice-over): Many Mexican artists are known for writing songs about violence, but Martinez sings of heartbreak and being vulnerable. He isn't trying to stand out, he simply can't help it.

MARTINEZ (through translator): I think it's the only job where you can actually get a chance to look up to this guy, because you have the time to do it, because nobody approaches you. They even treat you badly, because they don't talk to you unless it's to throw away their trash, you know?

BELTRAN (voice-over): Martinez's talent is resonating beyond social media. Producers from a major T.V. series even approach him about making a jingle.

MARTINEZ (through translator): I made a song to promote the second season of "The Last of Us." At first, they asked for a jingle, but I wanted to do more. I wanted to make a song and felt I could offer them more, so we did.

I recorded it with my harana and sent it to them, and they loved it. They didn't change a thing, they fully respected the original idea, and in the end, it worked really well. A lot of people liked the song.

BELTRAN (voice-over): Whether he's performing on a festival stage or watching the sunset on his daily commute, Martinez remains the same, wide-eyed, curious, and grounded. MARTINEZ (through translator): Being up on stage now, with so many

people watching you and enjoying what you do, and feeling something, a connection with what you are doing, is a beautiful thing. It makes me really happy to do what I do, and I hope I get to do it for a long time.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: Coming up, Britain's King Charles is making a quick visit across the pond, what he hopes to achieve on his two-day trip to Canada, just ahead.

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CHURCH: Hundreds of clowns took to the streets of Lima on Sunday to celebrate Peruvian Clown Day.

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The annual parade honors a beloved folk hero who made spreading joy his life's mission. Tony Perejil, known as the Clown of the Poor, spent his life performing in Lima's overlooked neighborhoods, using laughter to uplift the city's most underserved communities. Decades after his passing, his mission lives on in the red noses, painted smiles, and the joy of the parade.

King Charles is heading to Canada for the first time since he took the throne. King Charles will open Canada's Parliament on Tuesday, following an invitation from Prime Minister Mark Carney. The 76-year- old King has reduced his workload as he undergoes cancer treatment.

But this two-day trip is meant to showcase Charles' commitment to Canada, where he is a monarch. It comes at a rocky time in Canada's relationship with the United States over tariffs and President Donald Trump's talk of annexation.

Well for the first time in almost a century, the U.S. men's hockey team has won the International Ice Hockey Federation's World Championship Tournament. They beat Switzerland 1-0 in overtime on Sunday for their first gold at the event since 1933.

The American players acknowledge the importance of ending the nine- decade drought, but it could be a big morale boost heading into next year's Winter Olympics in Italy, where NHL players will take part in the Games for the first time since 2014.

Well at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indiana, 28-year-old Alex Palou won what's known as the greatest spectacle in racing, the Indy 500. Palou overtook Marcus Ericsson on lap 187 of 200, the Barcelona native is the first Spaniard to win the Indy 500. Palou said his career would not be complete without a victory at Indy.

Well the New York Knicks came back big in the NBA Eastern Conference Finals on Sunday. The Knicks trailed most of the game until the fourth quarter, thanks when Knicks center Kyle Anthony Towns got hot, he scored 20 points in the fourth quarter and had 15 rebounds.

The Knicks went on to win 106-100, the Pacers lead the series two games to one. Game four is Tuesday night in Indianapolis.

And I want to thank you so much for your company, I'm Rosemary Church. Have yourselves a wonderful day.

"The Amanpour Hour" is coming up next. Then stay tuned for "Early Start" with Polo Sandoval starting at 5 a.m. in New York, 10 a.m. in London.

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