Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live Event/Special

CNN Headlines: UK PM Keir Starmer Announces His Resignation; Mediators: "Encouraging Progress" Made In U.S.-Iran Talks In Switzerland; Iran Talks Continue Despite Trump Threats Over Hormuz. Aired 5:30-6a ET

Aired June 22, 2026 - 05:30   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:30:51]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KEIR STARMER, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: Every decision I've taken has been about putting the country I love first. That is why I will resign as leader of the Labour Party.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRAD SMITH, CNN ANCHOR: Keir Starmer stepping down as Britain's Prime Minister and leader of the Labour Party. The latest developments this morning. Plus.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JD VANCE, U.S. VICE PRESIDENT: But the President of the United States is committed. Not just a peace between the United States and Iran, the president is committed to a regional peace, which is why we're here working so hard to settle our issues.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SMITH: Mediators express optimism after high stakes talks in Switzerland with the U.S. and Iran taking steps to ease Lebanon and Hormuz tensions.

Plus, a Tesla driver who was allegedly using autopilot mode crashed into this house. We've got the latest developments in the investigation. And --

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hell yes, brother.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SMITH: Take a look at this deadly tornado outbreak. It hits across the Midwest where this severe weather system is now headed.

Good morning, everyone. I'm Brad Smith. This is CNN Headline Express. I'm glad that you're with us this morning. Let's get this started.

We begin this morning with breaking news here. Starmer has just announced that he is stepping down as Britain's prime minister after mounting pressure to step aside. Here's what he said just moments ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STARMER: The question my party is asking now is whether I am best placed to lead us into the next general election. I have heard the answer of my parliamentary party to that question and I accept that answer with good grace. Every decision I have taken has been about putting the country I love first. That is why I will resign as leader of the Labour Party.

I have spoken to His Majesty the King this morning to inform him of my decision. I will ask the National Executive Committee of the Labour Party to set out a timetable with nominations opening on 9th July and completed by the summer recess. In the case of a contest, this will ensure a new leader is in place before Parliament returns in September.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SMITH: Now this now sets the country on track for its sixth leader in seven years. We will have more on this breaking story throughout the morning.

Let's move over to Switzerland. That's where today's talks between the U.S. and Iran have concluded for the day.

Mediators there Pakistan and Qatar say that encouraging progress was made by both sides. This is even after talks nearly derailed when President Trump, who is back in the U.S. threatened the Iranian delegation on Fox News. CNN's Reid Binion explains.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

REID BINION, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voiceover): Talks between the U.S. and Iran that concluded in Switzerland overnight were positive and constructive, according to mediators Qatar and Pakistan. Vice President JD Vance led the U.S. delegation.

VANCE: What the president has asked us to do is turn over a new leaf to transform our relationship with the people of Iran.

BINION (voiceover): Iran's foreign minister said sanctions on Iranian oil were waived and some of its assets frozen abroad were released. There were some 10 moments that stalled the talks after President Donald Trump made comments to Fox News threatening the Iranian delegation, angering Iran's top negotiator.

Trump said the U.S. could resume bombing Iran and take over the Strait of Hormuz if a deal is not reached. But after talks ended, mediators said the U.S. and Iran formed a line of communication to manage incidents in the strait, raising hopes for stability. As the talks were unfolding in Switzerland, back in the U.S., a mixed reaction among Republicans, including Trump's own former secretary of defense.

MARK ESPER, FORMER SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: I like the fact that we've extended the ceasefire. I like the fact that the strait is being opened up. When I look at the MOU, there are many of the points that I have serious questions about.

BINION (voiceover): Democrats criticizing Trump's handling of the war and the negotiations to end it.

[05:35:02]

SEN. CORY BOOKER (D-NJ): The way he is trying to bring us out of this war not only speaks to the failures of the war in total, but it also speaks in a bipartisan way to how bad of a leader he is.

BINION (voiceover): I'm Reid Binion reporting.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SMITH: Thank you, Reid. And now to more on the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is showing no signs that Israel is about to withdraw its troops from southern Lebanon. Here he is Sunday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAEL'S PRIME MINISTER (voiceover): We will remain in the security zone in southern Lebanon for as long as necessary to protect the residents of the north whom we cherish and all of the citizens of the state. As prime minister of Israel, I insist on this firmly and nothing will change it. And I vow to you, citizens of Israel, the state of Israel will not be a fleeting episode in the history of our people. We stand firm on our vital interests.

We have achieved tremendous accomplishments and we will not give them up.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SMITH: The leader of Hezbollah pushed back against Netanyahu statement saying that the group would defend itself. The agreement between the U.S. and Iran depends in part on the cease fire between Israel and the Iranian backed Hezbollah to hold.

Oil prices dipping again as negotiations between the U.S. and Iran enter a new phase. Take a look at this here on your screen.

Brent crude that's sitting at about $79 a barrel and the prices rose after President Trump said the U.S. could resume bombing Iran and take over the Strait of Hormuz if Iran and the U.S. could not reach a deal. Here we see them declining just slightly here on the day. We'll continue to monitor that. Meanwhile, gas prices that continues to fall, that's down about a

penny since Sunday. But 14 cents in a week and down quite a bit in the last month.

We've got new details this morning on DC's reflecting pool. That's getting national attention just days before the Great American State Fair. President Trump says that several more people have been arrested in what he calls vandalism at the newly renovated $14 million pool.

He also says that the water will now have to be drained for repairs. But one of those arrested, three-time former Olympian David Hearn, tells CNN he was just touching a loose piece of blue material and denies damaging anything. U.S. attorney Jeanine Pirro says anyone caught vandalizing the pool will face the criminal justice system.

The Interior Department is now downplaying those visible signs of algae even as warm, muggy weather in D.C. is helping it keep growing. And President Trump is still insisting vandalism is to blame, claiming without evidence that vandals caused the damage.

Well, the FAA is Investigating a close call between two planes at Boston's airport. Officials say a Delta flight was coming in for a landing while an American Airlines plane was taking off on an intersecting Runway Saturday morning. They came within several hundred feet of each other. Audio from air traffic control captures the confusion.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Delta 32351 going around because of America.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 3161, where you going? You cleared it for takeoff. 3161.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SMITH: Flight data shows the Delta crew had to pull out of its landing and go back up to avoid the other plane. The jet later landed safely and everyone was okay. Now the FAA is trying to figure out what went wrong. Experts still say that flying is safe, but this is the latest in a string of near misses that is raising fresh concern.

A 76-year-old woman is dead after a Tesla driver reportedly using the car's autopilot feature crashed into a Houston area home. A neighbor security camera captured video of the car moving at a high rate of speed on Monday or on Friday, excuse me. Then you hear the crash as you were just seeing some of the video.

And here is the wreckage. Photos released by investigators show a gaping hole in the front of the house. And here is the victim's daughter describing the gut-wrenching scene.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JENNIFER BARBOUR, VICTIM'S DAUGHTER: We heard a boom like it sounded just like an explosion. She was pinned against the wall because he pushed her fridge like against her and the whole place that we have in the living room. So my three kids were at the neighbors until we went to the hospital to check on my mom. And then when they told us they couldn't save her, we came back and we told the kids. And then the kids are devastated.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SMITH: It's just a tragic, devastating loss for that family. The driver says that he was using an automated driving assistance system at the time of the crash. Investigators with the Harris County Sheriff's office, they are examining the car to see if the driver's claims are true. They say that there was no sign the driver was intoxicated and so far. No charges have been filed.

[05:40:15]

Well, this morning parts of Los Angeles, they are still under a state of emergency as a massive warehouse fire is burning. The fire started about five days ago at a cold storage facility in Boyle Heights. This is just east of downtown L.A. Mayor Karen Bass along with Governor Gavin Newsom declared an emergency over the weekend to bring in more resources as the thick smoke spreads across the city.

Officials say that the fire is also raising air quality concerns for nearby neighborhoods. And firefighters say the way the building is laid out and what's inside is making it hard to get to the fire, including more than 80 million pounds of frozen food. Crews are working around the clock as officials focus on protecting public health and limiting further damage.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NICHOLAS FERRAR, LAPD BATTALION CHIEF: As you can see, we're doing water drops on this commercial building. This is not normal. Fire departments around the world may wonder why we're doing this. The weight of a water drop could collapse a roof.

But the building construction of this roof and the fact that there was no firefighters inside and no public safety risk made it an out of the box prudent choice for us to water drops and suppress the fire on the surface of this roof based on the span of the building,

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SMITH: People who live nearby are being told to stay inside, close the windows and doors, turn off air conditioning and wear masks as crews deal with biohazard risks. Officials say there have been no reported injuries and the cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Well, Serena Williams is making another return to the spotlight at Wimbledon. The All-England Club said that the 44-year-old has accepted a wild card into the singles draw.

The seven-time Wimbledon champion only recently returned to competition in doubles after nearly four years away from the pro tour. And she'll also be playing doubles with her big sister, Venus. Wimbledon starts one week from today.

We've got lots more to come on CNN Headline Express. A police officer sees an alleged stolen car and that's when things took a turn. Plus, you got to check this out.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Bro, we just survived this, bro.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SMITH: That was just one tornado that hit the Midwest over the past few hours and it's not the only dangerous weather that's out there today. That is coming up on CNN Headline Express.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:47:28]

SMITH: A tornado outbreak tore through the Midwest again Sunday, lasting well into the overnight hours. Take a look at this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hell yes, brother. Bro, we just survived this, bro.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SMITH: That is the sound of survival. Just one of the dozens of tornadoes reported that damaged dozens of homes. Now sadly, at least two people were killed here in Jefferson County, Illinois is about 90 minutes outside of St. Louis and five more victims survived when their home was leveled by the twister.

Now after dark, the outbreak continued into Indiana, in one case trapping a woman inside a collapsed retirement community. The whole system moves into the mid-Atlantic today.

Now out west, the story is extreme heat. Visitors to the Grand Canyon are being warned ahead of this latest round after three separate heat related deaths there earlier this month. CNN meteorologist Allison Chinchar has more on that and the rest of your forecast.

ALLISON CHINCHAR, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Rain showers are what's going to keep temperatures in the Northeast, Midwest and even the Central Plains a little bit on the cool side over the next few days. If you're looking for the hot temperatures more equipped for summer, you're actually going to have to head out west.

Interestingly enough, the Pacific Northwest. And it's not just for one day. In fact, much of the first half of the week, the Pacific Northwest is looking at temperatures well above average. Take for example Seattle. That's normally about 72 degrees this time of year. They're going to be in the mid to upper 80s the next few days.

Portland actually looking at 90-degree temperatures for the next few days. Now one thing to note, it is short lived because by the time we get to the latter half of the week and then even into the weekend, we start to see those temperatures dropping back down not just to normal, but actually below normal. Thanks to some rain showers that will be into the forecast.

Similar scenario in Seattle. It's the next few days that are really going to be well above average before we see things drop back off just in time for the weekend.

SMITH: Thank you, Alison. Voters in several states will be heading to the polls tomorrow to cast their ballots in critical primary races. Now in New York, one of the most competitive races will be for the state's 12th congressional district, which covers much of Manhattan.

Now among those running to replace retiring Democratic Congressman Jerry Nadler are Trump critic and former Republican George Conway and Jack Schlossberg, who is the only grandson of President John F. Kennedy.

[05:50:03]

Now in Maryland voters, they will be choosing candidates for governor, Congress and local races. Out in Utah, several House seats are on the ballot. And in South Carolina, voters are heading back to the polls for a runoff for the Republican candidate for governor.

Now to this, twin sisters who spent the first 19 months of their life conjoined at the head, they are now separated with the help of artificial intelligence, AI. Here is that story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voiceover): These conjoined twins can see each other face to face for the first time thanks to groundbreaking surgeries that used artificial intelligence and virtual reality. Mercy and Goodness were born three years ago in Nigeria. According to UK charity Gemini Untwined, their skulls fused together, their brain tissue intertwined and their blood vessels connected. This made the prospect of any surgery to separate them incredibly complex, a news release from Gemini stated.

Doctors partnering with the Gemini group spent months preparing for four operations early last year in the United Arab Emirates, totaling more than 40 hours over four months, the release said. The team at the Pure Health Seha Sheikh Khalifa Medical City in Abu Dhabi used AI mixed reality technology and virtual simulations to plan the surgery. Doctors say AI was used to design custom skull implants, something that had never been done before in a craniopagus twin separation and to model how the twin skin could be gradually expanded ahead of the final operation.

Gemini said the planning and new techniques led to the fastest separation of head conjoined twins in the nine cases it's been involved in and the surgeries were a huge success. The girls are now back home in Nigeria after making a full recovery.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SMITH: All right, I need a moment to pick my jaw up off the floor. What an incredible surgery and story there.

Still to come on CNN Headline Express. It seemed like an average pickup for a rideshare driver, but then two people in masks showed up. We'll tell you exactly what happened next.

And imagine this, stuck in the air on a ride for hours. What it took to get them down. That's coming up on CNN Headline Express.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:56:33]

In today's Money Express, new data shows how much oil has been lost during the war with Iran. Maribel Aber joins us with your top Money Express headlines. Maribel, what are you learning there?

MARIBEL ABER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi Brad. Well, more than 1 billion barrels of oil have been lost from the global supply since the start of the U.S.-Iran conflict. That assessment comes from analytics firm Kepler, which has been tracking crude shipments. The International Energy Administration says strategic petroleum reserves are at their lowest levels since 1990.

The U.S. reserve at a 43 year low as well. Oil is trading just below $80 a barrel today and the national average price for a gallon of unleaded is at $3.93, according to AAA.

But today is the filing deadline to file a claim in the $1.6 million Krispy Kreme data breach settlement. Customers affected by the 2024 breach can submit mail in a form today. Eligible customers should have received a notice with filing instructions. The average payment is estimated to be around $75, though some payments could be as high as 3,500. More information is available at krsipykremedatasettlement.com.

And the Summer solstice may be over, but Kroger is keeping the celebration going with free ice cream. It's giving away 100,000 free pints across all of its store chains for a limited time. Several classic and new release flavors are included like Seventh Inning Swirl, Sweet As Cherry Pie, and Banana Split Social.

Kroger started giving away free ice cream for the solstice two years ago. This year's giveaway is 8,000 more pints than last year. Brad, now's worth printing for. Let's go.

SMITH: Yes. Run, don't walk. Maribel Aber, thank you so much.

Let's get you caught up on some of the other stories making big news across the country. We start with the dangerous confrontation in Maryland. Take a look at this.

As this body cam video of a chase police say involved a driver in a stolen car ramming a police cruiser and it began when an officer pulled in behind the alleged stolen car. But police say instead of complying, the driver hit a concrete post, jumped out and ran. He didn't get far before officers caught him. Video shows them removing a gun and so far there's no word on what charges he could face.

Let's take you to Philadelphia now. That's where police say a ride share driver was shot during an attempted robbery over the weekend. Officers say two-armed men wearing masks approached the driver and tried to hold her up. During the struggle, the gun went off and the driver was hit.

She is expected to survive. And people nearby say it all happened quickly.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Then I heard a car speed off. And then I heard a woman scream, oh my God, please help me.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're all taking Ubers. We're taking an Uber right now. So it's important to try to stay safe and have fun. And this is supposed to be like a good event for everybody. So it's just that these things are happening.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They don't want nobody to have nothing. Good in the city. They keep tearing everything up.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SMITH: Police say that the suspects ran away and so far no arrests have been made. Sixteen people had to be rescued after getting stuck for hours on a ride. In New York, Adventureland's wave twister broke down about 25ft in the air.

Now the good news is Cruz got everyone down safely. It's still not clear what went wrong and for now the ride is closed while the park investigates.

And a New Jersey woman says that her dog saved her life after a fire at her home. Ada Kelly told WCBS that her poodle Squilliam woke her up at 1:00 a.m. by barking. And it happened right before a fire tore through her home on Friday. She escaped safely with the dog, but as you can see, her house was destroyed in that fire, these - just some of the images. But excellent work Squilliam to make sure that you got your owners up and out.

That does it for CNN Headline Express, I'm Brad Smith, CNN This Morning with Audie Cornish, starts right now.