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CNN Headlines: Michigan Voters Pick Abdul El-Sayed, Mike Rogers In Key Senate Faceoff; Video Shows Commercial Jet Taking Off As Marine One Flies With Trump On Board; Mexican Influencer Shot Dead During Livestream. Aired 5:30-6a ET
Aired August 06, 2026 - 05:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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[05:30:45]
BRAD SMITH, CNN ANCHOR: It is half past the hour. Let's hit the refresh button on our top stories.
Michiganders -- they have picked the two candidates who will face off in November's crucial Senate race, Democrat Abdul El-Sayed and Republican Mike Rogers. The big challenge now for El-Sayed is to rally Democrats and mend the growing rift within the party. Now, Rogers has President Trump's backing and ran largely unopposed.
A Senate subcommittee, as well, is investigating Dr. Anthony Fauci over his handling over the COVID-19 pandemic. They have obtained a copy of his iPhone. Lawmakers voting today on whether to hold Fauci in contempt of Congress. That is after Fauci invoked his Fifth Amendment right more than 100 times during a hearing last week.
And Tennessee voters held to the polls for the state's primary today. The race to watch is the Republican contest for governor to see who will succeed term-limited Bill Lee. Senator Marsha Blackburn, Rep. John Rose and State Rep. Monty Fritts are on the ballot. Five candidates are competing in the Democratic primary, including Memphis City Councilwoman Jerri Green.
All right. Let's take you back to the Wolverine State of Michigan. Progressive candidate Abdul El-Sayed stunned the Democratic establishment, beating his more moderate opponent Congresswoman Haley Stevens in Tuesday's hotly contested primary. It was a very tight race. Less than 15,000 votes, actually, between them.
So not all Democrats are behind the nominee. Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania weighing in Wednesday.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN FETTERMAN (D-PA): I don't think he's really interested in my endorsement. He's called me an (bleep) and he's called me an ogre, and I belong on a pike, right? So he has a real little man syndrome thing. Maybe if he wins and he's here he'll be that kind of a tough guy. But overall, I would investigate why he seems eager to campaign with Hasan Piker, and he loves the communists and he loved Hamas. Is that a winning ticket?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SMITH: OK. Fetterman also added that he would not back the Republican candidate, former Congressman Mike Rogers.
Other key Democrats, including Haley Stevens and Gary Peters -- they urged unity behind El-Sayed.
New this morning, President Trump is disputing reports that America has depleted its munition stockpile. In a social media post he claimed, "The U.S. has massive amounts of munitions, especially of certain types." Trump did not specify which munitions he was referring to.
Earlier this week CNN reported that the military has exhausted almost 80 percent of its interceptors and for its key THAAD missile program -- the defense program.
The Federal Aviation Administration now reviewing how a commercial jet full of passenger -- it got too close to the helicopter that was carrying the president. This happened last week when Trump flew to Camp David aboard Marine One.
And CNN's Pete Muntean has the details for us.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PETE MUNTEAN, CNN AVIATION CORRESPONDENT: Did commercial flights get too close to the helicopter carrying President Donald Trump? The FAA says it's now reviewing an incident from Tuesday when flights continued taking off from Reagan National Airport as Marine One was lifting off from nearby the White House. New video from nearby shows flights climbing out from Reagan National Airport as Marine One then comes into frame.
There's been a huge crackdown on commercial flights and helicopters sharing D.C. airspace ever since that fatal midair collision last January involving an American Airlines regional jet and an Army Blackhawk helicopter.
And the air traffic control audio from this incident shows that controllers in the tower at Reagan National had a hard time communicating with Marine One.
ATC: Tower, do you copy for Marine One, three minutes to lift?
MARINE ONE PILOT: Last calling, broken and unreadable.
MUNTEAN: The FAA says early information shows what it calls a "momentary loss of separation" involving commercial flights and Marine One, but it says that President Trump was never in danger.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
[05:35:03] SMITH: Thank you, Pete.
Lindsay Clancy's triple murder trial is now in its second week and yesterday the family's former nanny testified about Clancy's struggles with postpartum but maintained that she was always a loving mother.
Here's what she had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Any concerns about her interacting with the children?
ELAINE ROSSI, CLANCY'S FORMER NANNY: None at all. She was a wonderful mom.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Did she have any further conversation with you about maybe more specific sleep or sleep issues that she had been having during the time period you were nannying for them?
ROSSI: She did.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And what did she tell you about that?
ROSSI: Uh, she told me she was having difficulty sleeping and that she was sleeping in the basement.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Did you come to find out that Lindsay was having some issues?
ROSSI: I did.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Did she talk to you about that?
ROSSI: She did.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And what did she tell you about her issues?
ROSSI: Uh, she shared with me that she was suffering from postpartum.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Um, now when she shared this information with you had you noticed anything different about her demeanor or her presentation around the house?
ROSSI: I didn't at all.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you recall indicating to the troopers there that, in your opinion, she was a loving and a -- and a doting mother?
ROSSI: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Can you tell the jury what that means? I mean, what did you observe? What did you observe about her as a mother interacting with her kids?
ROSSI: I observed a wonderful mom who loved her kids, who was -- she was very concerned with their safety. She was very concerned with Callan's eating and sleeping. She was a wonderful mother.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SMITH: Well, FIFA's top leaders are standing by the president, Gianni Infantino, even as pressure grows for him to step down. After a crisis meeting in Moracco, senior officials from international soccer's governing body reaffirmed its support. This follows backlash over Infantino's now scrapped plan to sell off commercial and operational rights to the World Cup. FIFA admits mistakes were made but says it leadership is moving forward together.
In Buzz Express, you friendly neighborhood Spider-Man is swinging into the history books.
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Clip from Sony Pictures "Spider-Man: Brand New Day."
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SMITH: Sony confirming the new blockbuster "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" officially crossed the $1 billion mark at the global box office. This makes the Tom Holland and Zendaya film the second-fastest movie in history to reach the milestone. Domestically, Spidey pulled in $360 million, beating out 2019's "Avengers: End Game" for the biggest opening weekend in U.S. history.
Producers of the hit hockey drama "HEATED RIVALRY" have a message for overenthusiastic fans -- please stay away from the set. The show's production team posted the plea on Instagram ahead of shooting season two, asking crowds in Toronto to five stars Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie, and the crew some space to work.
"HEATED RIVALRY" airs on HBO Max, which shares the same parent company as CNN, Warner Bros. Discovery.
A grandmother from Tulsa, Oklahoma has gone viral after she framed a magazine picture of Michael B. Jordan and displayed it alongside photos of her grandchildren. Ivana Scatola reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
IVANA SCATOLA, CNN SUPERVISING PRODUCER (voiceover): It's a story of how a grandma in Tulsa claimed Michael B. Jordan as one of her grandchildren.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Scan my grandma's picture wall and to the right -- whoa -- you see my brother. Whoa, this -- not a cousin.
SCATOLA (voiceover): Mary Story decided to adopt Michael B. Jordan after she saw his picture in a magazine and added it to her family wall.
NATALIE SIMS, MARY STORY'S GRANDDAUGHTER: Could you tell me you got this picture from? Do you remember his name?
MARY STORY, GRANDMOTHER WHO HAS CLAIMED MICHAEL B. JORDAN AS HER GRANDSON: That came in the mail.
SIMS: And his name on there? But do you know him? Like, is he our cousin?
STORY: Oh, no, no, no. Just in movies and things.
SIMS: Oh. You just wanted to put him up there.
STORY: Yeah. I just -- I hated to throw it away. It was such a nice picture.
SCATOLA (voiceover): Her granddaughter, Natalie Simms, told CNN affiliate KTUL that she wasn't expecting the video to go viral.
SIMS: So by day two, his team reached out and said, "Michael has seen the video. He will respond but he is on a promo run in, like London, but we want to send granny something special."
SCATOLA (voiceover): The gift was jewelry and a Facetime call from Michael B. Jordan himself.
STORY: Why, hello Michael.
MICHAEL B. JORDAN, ACTOR, DIRECTOR: What's up? How you doing?
STORY: This is your granny.
JORDAN: I see.
STORY: I was shocked to death. He sent me this necklace and this bracelet. It's my birthstone. And guess what?
SIMS: What?
STORY: My birthday is February the third and his birthday is February the ninth.
SIMS: Wow.
STORY: Yes.
JORDAN: Thank you so much for all the love.
STORY: Thank you for the love you showed me.
JORDAN: Yes, ma'am. You have a beautiful family. Thanks for -- thanks for including me in the -- in the -- in the collage and the family pictures. I appreciate that.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
[05:40:07]
SMITH: All right. The family is growing both ways there. Excellent stuff. Next up on CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS, some changes to the student loan program have some confused. We're going to sort it out for you straight ahead.
Plus, a popular TikTok influencer is shot and killed during a livestream right outside of a restaurant. What investigators are saying about the shocking incident.
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[05:45:00]
SMITH: Officials in Madison, Wisconsin are trying to diffuse tensions amid ongoing protests stemming from the fatal police shooting of a man two weeks ago. The mayor says that he's addressing public safety concerns amid the unrest.
We want to warn you that you may find some parts of this story disturbing. CNN's Sherrell Hubbard has more for us.
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SHERRELL HUBBARD, CNN JOURNALIST (voiceover): A small group of demonstrators gathered outside the Dane County courthouse Wednesday flying a flag that read "Jail Killer Cops Now." They were responding to the July 22 police shooting of Corey Ruiz.
Bystander video obtained by CNN shows the confrontation that led to the fatal shooting of the 38-year-old. Police say he pulled a knife and wounded an officer during the struggle, but the video doesn't provide evidence of what actually happened.
Demonstrations have erupted since his death and several hours after city crews cleared an encampment and memorial honoring the man, police say protesters started fires in garbage cans and a dumpster.
MAYOR SATYA RHODES-CONWAY, MADISON, WISCONSIN: There are people who wish that we had come in on day one and stopped all of the protests and never let an encampment happen. And then there are people who wish that we would let that encampment go on. This is part of the business of being in government. You cannot please everyone.
CHIEF JOHN PATTERSON, MADISON, WISCONSIN: I saw things last night that I haven't seen in years. The crowd had moved trash and garbage cans and blocked all of East Washington Avenue. Things were thrown at the officers.
HUBBARD (voiceover): The mayor scolding dissenters for going beyond peaceful protests.
RHODES-CONWAY: I will not condone or accept that the solution is to further divide our community by causing harm to your neighbors and local businesses, harassing bystanders, or setting fires in city streets -- and none of that can bring Corey back.
HUBBARD (voiceover): I'm Sherrell Hubbard reporting. (END VIDEOTAPE)
SMITH: All right. Thank you. Sherrell.
Sean "Diddy" Combs will reportedly have to spend a little bit longer behind bars. TMZ reports his prison sentence has been pushed back a month to February 2028 after an alleged fight at Fort Dix in New Jersey. Combs is serving a 50-month sentence on prostitution-related charges.
Hundreds of thousands of Haitians living in the U.S. under a temporary protected status program -- they are now subject to being deported. On Wednesday a federal judge announced that the TPS program has officially ended. And now two sources tell CNN immigration officials are already targeting people with expiring status for deportation. The loss of Haitian TPS holders is a blow to the eldercare community, an industry which employs many Haitians.
Let's go around the globe.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is pleading with allies for more air defenses after more than two dozen Russian missile hit the Kyiv region. At least 17 people were killed and dozens wounded as Ukraine was unable to shoot the missiles down. The country is facing a shortage of U.S.-made Patriot interceptors used to shoot the missiles.
And in London, a woman is in custody after police say that she stabbed four men in a garden shopping district. Investigators believe the stabbings were part of mental health-related incident. Two victims remain in the hospital and two others were released.
And authorities in Mexico are trying to piece together what led up to an influencer being shot dead during a livestream. So far, there's no motive, but Mexico's president says both the perpetrators and the mastermind must be arrested.
CNN's Isabel Rosales has more.
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ISABEL ROSALES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This influencer was shot dead during a livestream in Mexico. Cesar Gastelum and his friends were streaming outside a fast-food restaurant when two people wearing helmets pulled up on a motorcycle. The driver then fires a gun at Gastelum. Authorities confirm that he was shot and killed in Culiacan, a city in northwestern Mexico.
Mexican authorities say they're investigating whether the attack may have been linked to some of Gastelum's social media posts referencing a criminal group. They have not identified a motive or any suspects.
Gastelum was known for his comedy videos and had almost 600,000 followers on TikTok.
Fellow influencer Alejandro Fierro was livestreaming on Kick when the shooting occurred. His Instagram stories show how the night evolved from promoting the stream to then later tragically posting memorial messages about his friend saying it was "the worst day of my life." CNN has reached out to Fierro for comment.
Culiacan is in Sinaloa; a region that's home to the Sinaloa cartel formerly led by the infamous drug trafficker El Chapo. Culiacan has been gripped by violence as rival factions of the Sinaloa cartel battle for control of the region.
[05:50:00]
The shooting also echoes another high-profile livestream killing in Mexico. Beauty influencer Valeria Marquez was shot dead during a TikTok livestream at her salon last year.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SMITH: All right. Staying internationally, Pope Leo is set to return and visit Peru in November. It will be his first trip to Latin America as pontiff. The pope served in Peru as a missionary, a teacher and a bishop for nearly two decades.
Well, new this morning incredible video shows the moment that a passenger train smashed through a farm trailer filled with hay bales in Poland.
CNN's Patrick Cornell reports with more.
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PATRICK CORNELL, CNN NEWSOURCE JOURNALIST (voiceover): Polish State Railways released this video showing a passenger train plowing through a hay bale-filled tractor trapped at a crossing.
Surveillance video shows the scene leading up the crash. In a post, the agency claims the intoxicated driver stopped on the tracks with red lights flashing and the arms coming down. Seconds later, the train carrying about 500 people sent straw flying.
The railway did not report any injuries from the collision but issued a reminder to use caution at crossings.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SMITH: Still to come on CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS, a man a woman met on a dating app is now facing several charges, including the one that alleges he stole the cremated remains of the woman's deceased child. We've got the full details of that shocking story straight ahead.
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[05:55:50]
SMITH: In today's Money Express, student loan confusion. Millions of Americans' repayment plans are changing. Now, some are seeing their bills increase by hundreds of dollars a month while others say they are getting mixed signals about what they actually owe. CNN's Ivan Rodriguez reports with more.
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IVAN RODRIGUEZ, CNN JOURNALIST (voiceover): For Franco Vitella, the end of the SAVE plan brought four different payment amounts in just weeks.
FRANCO VITELLA, LIBRARIAN: It feels absurd.
RODRIGUEZ (voiceover): Vitella says the federal loan calculator first estimated $50 a month as his new payment. His servicer then sent a zero-dollar bill followed the next day by approval for a $745 payment. After reapplying, he's now paying $225.
VITELLA: If I revisit the student aid site and recalculate it, it quotes a different payment of $208. So not a huge discrepancy but it -- you know, it kind of shakes my confidence. You know, do I have the right payment even?
RODRIGUEZ (voiceover): His confusion comes as about 7 1/2 million borrowers are being moved out of the SAVE plan. Once borrowers receive a notice from their servicer they have 90 days to choose another repayment plan option. If not, they'll automatically be placed in a standard repayment plan. These monthly payments can be higher than other plans, but total interest paid is usually lower and length of repayment is shorter, according to studentaid.gov.
A recent survey by the Student Debt Crisis Center found the median monthly payment increase for borrowers is $500.
NATALIA ABRAMS, PRESIDENT AND FOUNDER, STUDENT DEBT CRISIS CENTER: That's more than a car payment for many borrowers. Depending on what state you live in that could be more than your mortgage.
RODRIGUEZ (voiceover): Abrams says borrowers should compare plans at studentaid.gov and contact their servicer.
ABRAMS: Do not hide from this. And at the very least, if you can't afford to make the payment, go on a loan forbearance. But the worst thing you could do is just not pay and fall into default.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SMITH: All right. Let's get a check in on some of the other stories making news across the country.
We start in Florida. That's where a man was arrested after being accused of stalking and stealing the ashes of a woman's late son.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE).
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE).
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You coming?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. Are you coming?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm assuming this is the bear that --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yeah. That's all -- yeah. Keep that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SMITH: Investigators say that the woman told Flagler County police that she met 31-year-old Justin Fountain through a dating app but quickly cut ties with him after she says he became controlling. She claims Fountain continued to follow her around and even stole her child's cremated remains, which were in that stuffed bear. He now faces several charges, including aggravated stalking and extortion, and is being held on a $61,000 bond.
In Pennsylvania, a tractor-trailer crashed into a garage and the homeowner says it's the third time it has happened. Police say it happened after the tractor-trailer collided with an SUV that did not stop at a stop sign. Both drivers were taken to local hospitals. Fortunately, no one inside of the house was injured.
And a morning anchor in Memphis was caught resting her eyes on the job. Unfortunately for her it happened to be in the middle of a live broadcast. And, of course, it's now viral. But Dominique Dillion has been a very good sport about it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How long do you think you were asleep before she whispered your name, just out of curiosity?
DOMINIQUE DILLON, FOX 13 ANCHOR, MEMPHIS: Um, as soon as she saw me pop up --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK.
DILLON: -- like you guys did --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yeah.
DILLON: -- she was like "Dom." And then I opened my eyes and it was cutting to the next shot.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yeah.
DILLON: And I was like oh my goodness, I can't believe this happened to me. I am mortified.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Did you soul leave your body?
DILLON: It was. I was pinching myself under the desk, like this has to be a nightmare.
(END VIDEO CLIP) SMITH: It's a big fear. Dillon has a 2-year-old and an 8-month old and she was up late with her teething baby while her husband worked a double.
And rescuers are being praised for an adorable rescue. CNN's Jeremy Roth has the details.
[06:00:00]
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEREMY ROTH, CNN PRODUCER (voiceover): With a unique vehicle choice, a team of rescuers that needed to brave some waves to get to a turtle tangled in a fishing line. Members of the Lafayette, Colorado P.D. teamed up with an animal protection officer and floated this flamboyant flamingo to rescue the wrapped up reptile.
Users on social media praised the responders' efforts and their style, levying reactions that were equally commending and comedic.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SMITH: I respect the flamingo there. That way you don't startle the turtle.
That does it for CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS. I'm Brad Smith. "CNN THIS MORNING WITH AUDIE CORNISH" starts right now.
