Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Live Event/Special
CNN Headlines: Extreme Weather Triggering Deadly Disasters Across U.S.; Cape Verde's Cinderella Story Continues Into Knockout Round; U.S. Official: U.S. And Iran "Will Stand Down For Now." Aired 5:30-6a ET
Aired June 29, 2026 - 05:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL)
[05:31:05]
BRAD SMITH, CNN ANCHOR: It is half past the hour. Let's hit the refresh button on our top stories.
A U.S. official says that the United States and Iran will stand down for now after exchanging fire near the Strait of Hormuz over the weekend. They added that vessels can move freely through the vital oil passageway. No word yet on Iran's position on the matter. The source says that the U.S. and Iran will meet in Doha tomorrow for further talks.
Also, all eyes will be on the Supreme Court this week. The justices announced their final decisions before going on their summer break. Right now there are several major cases still pending, including birthright citizenship, mail-in ballots, and a ban on transgender student-athletes in sports.
Also, dangerously hot and humid conditions on a holiday week could break temperature records even at night. Forecasters are warning that this week's upcoming heat wave powered by a heat dome is different. Just the latest in extreme and deadly weather that we've already seen this summer.
CNN's Reed Benyon has more for us.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GOV. ANDY BESHEAR, (D) KENTUCKY: There is so much water out there that even while it's receding, it is dangerous.
REED BENYON, CNN REPORTER (voiceover): Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear issuing a stark warning Sunday after widespread flooding hit the state on Saturday killing at least four people.
BESHEAR: We lost at least one individual trying to drive through waters. We lost another in a car accident, you know, caused by, I think, hydroplaning.
BENYON (voiceover): Torrential rains wiped out bridges, inundated roads, and flooded homes. Some parts of the state got up to 12 inches of rain in just 48 hours. There were also dozens of rescues.
Deadly high water in the southeast coming as deadly wildfires rage in the West. Officials say three firefighters have died battling a fast- moving blaze along the Colorado-Utah border. Two other crew members were hospitalized and treated for burn injuries.
According to the U.S. Wildland Fire Service, the Synder fire had burned more than 28,000 acres as of Sunday morning.
Last week Utah's governor announced firework restrictions for the Fourth of July, citing a historic drought, hundreds of wildfires, and unprecedented fire behavior.
Meanwhile, as of Sunday evening, the Cottonwood fire burning east of Beaver, Utah had grown to nearly 100,000 acres, an area bigger than Salt Lake City.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Direct attack as we are right on the fire edge as long as it is still safe to do so.
BENYON (voiceover): In neighboring Colorado, another fast-moving blaze, the Gold Mountain fire, prompted officials to declare a local state of emergency and issue mandatory evacuation orders.
I'm Reed Benyon reporting.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SMITH: Thank you, Reed.
The search for survivors is growing more desperate in Venezuela. This is after a two-earthquake system hit and ravaged the country.
El Salvador's president shared this video showing the rescue of a woman who had been trapped for 86 hours. It took 11 hours to safely pull her from the rubble.
The death toll from the quake now stands at more than 1,400 and officials expect that number to rise.
And take a look at this. An American search team safely pulls a crying baby from the devastation. Moments like these are giving rescuers a bit of hope as thousands of emergency workers from other countries -- they're arriving to help. And here you can see rescue teams and local authorities form a human chain to free another victim from the rubble. Officials say that person was stabilized and taken to get medical attention.
New State Department guidance is raising questions about sending Haitians back home. Last week's Supreme Court ruling clears the way for Homeland Security to strip temporary protections against deportation from Haitians and Syrians. Roughly 350,000 Haitians in the U.S. could lose that status.
And at the same time, the State Department is warning Americans not to travel to Haiti because it's too dangerous. [05:35:00]
Speaking to CNN's Jake Tapper yesterday, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin was asked about the advisory.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARKWAYNE MULLIN, SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND: The do not travel is not for Haitians. That's do not travel for the United States because they are kidnapping or trying to kidnap individuals from the United States because they feel like they -- their family has the money to pay the ransom.
We have a -- we have do not travel in places in Mexico or advisory warnings. In fact, if you go through our website in the State Department, you'll see there's advisories to a lot of places that are vacation destinations that we have advisories on because of the real risk to Americans. That doesn't mean it's a risk to the individuals that live there.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SMITH: And another story that we are tracking as well related to this. Commercial flights are not currently operating in or out of Haiti's capital, Port-au-Prince, as Mullin is saying that will not affect the administration's ability to send Haitian migrants back.
Democratic Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware is recovering after a multi- car crash Sunday. In a social media post he says he suffered minor injuries and is expected to make a full recovery. Coons was a passenger in a car that was hit by a driver who had a medical emergency. He was taken to the hospital to be checked out and is now resting at home.
Well, an image of a Confederate flag was removed after appearing in the North Carolina pavilion of the Great American State Fair on the National Mall.
CNN's Gabe Cohen has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GABE COHEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Here at the Great American State Fair visitors, on Friday, were surprised when they walked into the North Carolina pavilion and saw that there was an image of a Confederate flag projected on multiple screens. A spokesperson for the companies that are running this booth said that it was an unapproved image and that it was immediately taken down.
This video posted by Rueben Jones at Spectrum News shows TV monitors with the Confederate flag side-by-side with a portion of the current North Carolina flag.
North Carolina's Gov. Josh Stein called for the display to be removed and issued a statement condemning it. North Carolina state government chose not to participate in the fair,
citing financial issues, as other states pulled out over concerns of partisanship at the event.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SMITH: Thank you, Gabe.
Well, happening today, celebrities are expected to gather to say goodbye to Clive Davis. The record executive died last week. He was 94 years old.
Davis founded Arista Records and signed major artists, including Whitney Houston, The Grateful Dead, and Barry Manilow.
It is time for Buzz Express, the stories that have people talking, and this morning is all about the BET Awards last night. Lauryn Hill received the Living Legend Icon Award after a star-studded tribute performance. And during her acceptance speech she reflected on how lucky she is to have parents that truly supported her career because not everyone gets that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LAURYN HILL, LIVING LEGEND ICON AWARD RECIPIENT, BET AWARDS: And once I realized that not everybody got to have that experience, I felt like it was my duty -- my responsibility to share as much love and support and to as much people as I possibly could. And music was a way for me to do that, OK?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SMITH: Incredible words from Lauryn Hill there.
And you also got to hear RAYE bring the house down with her ballad "Nightingale Lane." Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RAYE, BRITISH SINGER: Singing "Nightingale Lane."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SMITH: It made me stand up from the couch watching that. She, rightfully so, got a standing ovation for her performance. This was RAYE's debut at the BET Awards. She was nominated for Best New Artist.
And also, Teyana Taylor was brought to tears when Janet Jackson came out to present to her the Icon of the Year award, and you can see them hugging on stage. And Teyana had a big night. She ended up winning four awards as well. Congratulations.
And Stevie Nicks could end up performing at Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's wedding. That is according to Rolling Stone. They have performed together in the past. And remember, Swift wore a shirt that said "Stevie Knicks" to one of the Knicks' NBA finals games at Madison Square Garden. And by the way, there's also speculation that they could get married there soon at MSG.
And Jessie, Woody, and Buzz ruled at the box office again this weekend. "Toy Story 5" helped and -- held on to the top spot there in its second weekend in theaters making another $70 million. It is expected to be one of the biggest movies of the year.
[05:40:00]
The world's most famous tennis tournament getting underway today. Wimbledon welcomes the sport's biggest star back to its legendary grass courts. Seven-time champion Serena Williams is making her first appearance at the All England Club since 2022.
Now, at age 44, the tennis icon says she's focused less on the trophy and more on simply enjoying the moment.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SERENA WILLIAMS, 7-TIME WIMBLEDON CHAMPION: I think my feelings will be different. I think in general my expectations are definitely different for the first time in my career, um, and I feel like my feelings are just not that I never enjoyed it before or else I wouldn't be here today, but I feel like I'm really going to have -- I'm going to enjoy being out there.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SMITH: Serena will also compete in doubles with her older sister Venus, who turned 46 two weeks ago. A packed schedule there.
Well, staying in sports, one of the biggest surprises of the World Cup just keeps rolling. Tiny Cape Verde is headed to the knockout round in its tournament debut.
CNN World Sport anchor Patrick Snell has more on the remarkable Cinderella story here.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We haven't lost yet. Messi, get ready; Argentina, get ready because we coming.
PATRICK SNELL, ANCHOR, CNN WORLD SPORT: Cape Verde has become the smallest nation ever to book its spot in the knockout rounds of the World Cup. After a goalless draw with Saudi Arabia, the Cape Verdeans stayed on the field of play to wait for confirmation that Spain had beaten Uruguay. Spain's victory meant Cape Verde had officially advanced, sparking uncontained joy and elation for the African nation's players.
And Cape Verde's reward is absolutely huge because guess who they've got in the round of 32 in their first-ever World Cup knockout match. It's none other than Lionel Messi and the reigning world champions, Argentina.
And what a moment, too, for Cape Verde's 40-year-old goalkeeper Vozinha and his mother, who was right there in the crowd proudly watching her son. It was her second match of the tournament after missing Vozinha's epic performance against Spain due to visa issues.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SMITH: Now, separate but related, the World Cup, but waffles edition. Next on CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS, we'll dive in on how a popular southern breakfast chain is cashing in on World Cup mania in their own unique way.
And Uber is beefing up background checks for drivers. Some of the new requirements coming your way.
(COMMERCIAL)
[05:46:45]
SMITH: A Trump administration official says the U.S. and Iran will "stand down for now." It comes after both sides exchanged fresh strikes near the Strait of Hormuz over the weekend.
And CNN's Paula Hancocks has the latest for us.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It really was one of the most serious escalations in violence that we've seen between the U.S. and Iran since that memorandum of understanding was signed. It appears now though that the U.S. is certainly pulling back. They say that both sides are pulling back but we are yet to hear from Iran suggesting that talks can continue in Doha on Tuesday.
So I'll read you part of what one U.S. official has told us, saying, "Nothing has been canceled. Technical talks regarding the implementation of the MoU [the memorandum] are on track for the coming days as planned, and deconfliction channels are up and running after the Lake Lucerne Summit." That was the summit just about 10 days ago now where the U.S. Vice President JD Vance was there.
So as far as the U.S. is concerned, the talks are on track.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SMITH: Let's go around the globe now to see what else is making headlines today.
In France, a skydiving plane crashed killing 11 people. According to local reports the victims include the pilot, five instructors, and five students who were on board. A witness told reporters that he saw the plane climbing before it suddenly veered to the right. Authorities say no one on the ground was killed.
And over the weekend, Europe's deadly heat wave shattered more records. In Switzerland one city hit over 101 degrees. In Denmark it reached over 98, the hottest day there since records began in 1874. The Czech Republic also recorded its hottest day on record with temps over 105 degrees -- Fahrenheit for all these.
Also --
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
Protesters in Serbia after president announces he's stepping down.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SMITH: Protests erupted in Serbia after the nation's president announced that he was stepping down from office. This will pave the way for early parliamentary and presidential elections but some worry that he may not fully relinquish power.
And the Dalai Lama has arrived in northern India for a two-month stay in the Himalayas. Thousands of devotees gathered to catch a glimpse of the spiritual leader. The 90-year-old received medical treatment on his knee earlier this month in New Delhi. Last year he told followers that he hopes to live beyond the age of 130, extending an earlier prediction.
And Princess Kate announced that she climbed Britain's three highest peaks within 24 hours. It is called the "National Three Peaks Challenge" and it's 23 miles of hiking. And she says she did it to show that there is life after being diagnosed with cancer. She posted this photo of herself at the top of Ben Nevis, which is the highest point in Scotland. Last year, the princess said that she was in remission.
[05:50:00]
And World Cup fever is showing up in an unexpected place. Fans in Atlanta are lining up for jerseys celebrating a hometown restaurant instead of their favorite national team.
CNN's Rafael Romo explains the tasty trend.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RAFAEL ROMO, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: We're seeing people with jerseys from countries like Congo and many others here at the FIFA Fanfest. But one thing we didn't expect to see is people wearing jerseys from Waffle House. Why is that? Well, it's become a trend here in Atlanta not only for local fans but also for international visitors.
GABRIEL LARA, ATLANTA SOCCER FAN: You know, I mean, there's so many people from so many different places and different countries and I feel like it's human nature that when you come to somewhere new that you want to learn about that place and almost feel like you're a part of the community. And, yeah, kind of how I said that, you know, Waffle House is something that, you know, we take claim to. I feel like that's kind of a part of the Atlanta experience.
ZINA MAYO, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA SOCCER FAN: Well, they don't have that in Europe. As you know, a lot of stores close or places close either 9:00 or 10:00. And, of course, you have a lot of drunk people. They want something. So this is new to them and amazing to them, so I hope they enjoy it as much -- just as much as we do.
ROMO: And people are telling us that they like this merchandise and not only because for them it represents the American south but also because it reminds them of fun moments that they have spent with family and friends over the years.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I saw it on TikTok, so I think Waffle House is just like such a cultural part of Atlanta itself. So to not only have the World Cup but then also have Waffle House on top of it, it's like, I don't know, the combo of the century.
ROMO: The hottest item seems to be the jersey, but they're also selling a lot of hats, scarves, and other items.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The Waffle House jersey. Everyone needs this in their home.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SMITH: Waffle House certainly finds a way to unite some, and especially during this World Cup.
Still to come on this HEADLINE EXPRESS show, scary moments for tourists on this duck boat when it overturned, leaving several people injured. We've got those details next.
And a show in the skies over Vegas. The Thunderbirds showing out as America gets ready to celebrate its 250th birthday.
(COMMERCIAL)
[05:56:32]
SMITH: In today's Money Express, Uber is tightening up their background checks on drivers.
Let's get to Maribel Aber who has more details for us. So Maribel, what do we know and could this make it harder to become an Uber driver?
MARIBEL ABER, CNN CORRESPONDENT, MONEY MATTERS: Well, Brad, the rideshare company expanded its list of criminal offenses that bar people from using the app to find riders.
Now previously, people convicted of crimes like violent felonies and child abuse could drive if those convictions were at least seven years old. Now anyone convicted of those crimes is permanently barred from driving for Uber regardless of when the conviction occurred. The new policy also applies to the company's courier services, including Uber Eats.
Falling gas prices are helping Americans feel better about the economy. The University of Michigan finds consumer sentiment ticked up this month. It rose from 48.9 to a new reading of 49.5. It's a small increase but it marks the first increase since the conflict with Iran pushed global energy prices higher. Those higher gas prices had dragged consumer sentiment to near record lows.
And as the World Cup enters knockout rounds, two big winners have already emerged: Fox and Telemundo. Fox says 84 million Americans have watched at least some of its World Cup coverage so far. And Telemundo has Spanish-language rights to the tournament in the U.S. and says twice as many people are watching as in 2022.
Fox reportedly paid just shy of half a billion dollars to air the World Cup. NFL analyst Mike Florio wrote, "It might be the best investment the network has ever made."
Brad, it looks like a lot more Americans are finding out soccer is life.
SMITH: Yes. Ball is life regardless of which ball you're kicking, shooting. Soccer, right now -- excuse me, football is life right now.
ABER: Yes.
SMITH: Maribel Aber, thank you.
Let's get a check in on some of the other stories making news across the country.
We start in Cambridge, Massachusetts. A duck boat tipped over as it coming out of the Charles River injuring 11 people, including one person who was seriously hurt. All 31 people on board have been accounted for and no one ended up in the water. Boston Duck Tours say that a tow rope snapped before the boat rolled onto its side. State police and the Coast Guard are investigating.
And in Hawaii, a search has been called off for a missing father and his 16-year-old son from South Korea. The two were believed to be swept into the ocean last week. Rescue crews -- they combed through 30 coastal miles, but heavy winds made things difficult. Family members say that the two left their hotel to explore a trail and never returned.
And in New York a piece of history -- horse racing history, in fact, closing down Aqueduct Racetrack. They first opened the doors in 1894. The racetrack attracted many outstanding horses over the years, including Triple Crown winner Secretariat. And it's unclear what will happen with the 100-acre property. A casino that sits on the site will remain.
And in Baltimore tall ships are setting sail in the largest warship celebration in U.S. history. The traveling festival of tall and military ships celebrates America's 250th birthday. You can tour the ships and learn more about their stories. The festival docks in New York for July Fourth.
And --
[06:00:00] (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
Thunderbirds in flyover at Nevada landmarks.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SMITH: -- in Nevada, the Air Force performed a flyover to kick off their Fourth of July celebration. The iconic Thunderbirds flew over famous landmarks including Las Vegas, Hoover Dam, and Red Rock Canyon. All right, quite the sight to see there.
That does it for us here on CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS. I'm Brad Smith. "CNN THIS MORNING WITH AUDIE CORNISH" starts right now.
