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The Story Is with Elex Michaelson

Trump En Route To China For Talks With Xi Jinping; Two Ship Passengers Being Monitored At Atlanta's Emory Univ.; British PM Keir Starmer Fighting To Remain In Power; Former Prison Executive to Serve as Next Acting ICE Director; CIA Escalates War on Cartels with Deadly Operations in Mexico; Russian Ship Sings in Mysterious Circumstances; California Mayor to Plead Guilty to Acting as Agent for Chinese Government; Incumbent Karen Bass on Los Angeles Mayoral Race. Aired 1- 2a ET

Aired May 13, 2026 - 01:00   ET

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

ELEX MICHAELSON, CNN ANCHOR: U.S. Opening Ceremony. And right after that, Team USA will take on Paraguay in their opening match.

[01:00:06]

Magic Johnson is urging fans around the globe to make L.A. their World Cup destination.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

EARVIN "MAGIC" JOHNSON, NBA HALL OF FAMER: The World Game is coming to the greatest city in the world, Los Angeles, and I'm so thrilled because fans from all over the world will get a chance not only to see some great soccer being played here, but also to enjoy our city at the same time.

Now the World Cup, then we have the Super Bowl right at this stadium, then the Olympics come right after that. So this is a time to be in Los Angeles because great events are coming to our city.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAELSON: And of course, cities all across North America will be hosting World Cup games as well.

Thanks for watching this hour of The Story Is. The next hour starts right now.

The Story Is, President Trump to China. Air Force One is in the air, and we're live on the ground.

The Story Is, U.K. power struggle.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But I also have a responsibility to deliver the change that we were elected and that we promised this country, and I'll deliver on that. (END VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAELSON: The latest from Parliament, as British Prime Minister Keir Starmer fights to keep his job.

And The Story Is, "Is God Is."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VIVICA A. FOX, ACTRESS: Girls, I'm going to make this real simple. Make your daddy dead, real dead.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAELSON: Vivica A. Fox plays God in a new revenge thriller out this weekend. She's here in our studio.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Live from Los Angeles, The Story Is with Elex Michelson.

MICHAELSON: And thanks for watching The Story Is. I'm Elex Michelson, live in Los Angeles.

Tonight, the top story is trouble at home and trouble abroad for President Trump. President on his way to Beijing right now for talks with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. The war with Iran expected to be among the top agenda items. Before leaving, President Trump said he didn't think much about the financial situation of Americans, only that Iran should not get a nuclear weapon.

A new CNN poll shows 73 percent say current economic conditions in the U.S. are poor. Only 27 percent say they're good. The President says he will have a long talk with his Chinese counterpart about the Iran war. But he downplayed the need for China's help in ending the conflict.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you think President Xi can help and contribute to a deal with Iran?

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: He could. I mean, it might be. Yes. I don't think we need any help with Iran, to be honest with you. They're defeated militarily, and they'll either do the right thing or we'll finish the job.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAELSON: Let's go live to the Chinese capital. Chinese -- CNN's Beijing bureau chief Steven Jiang is there. Steven, what's going on right now? And what are you hearing on the ground in terms of the preparation?

STEVEN JIANG, CNN BEIJING BUREAU CHIEF: Yes, Elex, I know you laughed when I mentioned they didn't use the cloud seeding technology to get rid of the smog here in Beijing. But, you know, they actually have done that in the past to create a perfect blue sky background for this kind of summit. But we have noticed increased security and closed spaces or places in parts of the city where the President is presumably going, including the Temple of Heaven, a very famous and popular tourist attraction, and also a hotel near the U.S. embassy.

Now, this kind of disruption still really pales in comparison to the potential disruption to global trade and international order if the summit doesn't go well, because this is indeed the meeting between two increasingly powerful leaders of the world's superpowers. So the cliche is it's high stakes, but low expectations.

Why? Because less than 24 hours before the two leaders meet, Scott Bessent, the U.S. Treasury secretary, is actually right now meeting with his Chinese counterpart at an airport outside of Seoul, presumably hashing out some last minute deliverables from the summit. Now, the agenda, of course, is very much dominated by economy and trade issues, even though the Iran war is very much looming large over this. You heard the president just say he doesn't need China's help.

But it's all but certain that he is going to ask Xi Jinping to do more to pressure Iran, one of China's biggest and closest partners in the Middle East. But the bottom line here is this kind of meetings doesn't really change the overall trajectory of this relationship, where it has been, where it's going, in terms of the rivalry, in terms of the competitive nature. So in a sense, both sides are trying to buy time to address their own strategic vulnerabilities.

[01:04:54]

For the U.S., it's about supply chain risks, especially on things like rare earths, made even more important because of the fast depletion of U.S. munitions because of the war in Iran. Rare earths, obviously, it's global supply dominated by China and also essential in weapons production. For China, Xi Jinping is all about tech self-reliance. He has said time and again, China needs to free itself from the U.S. chokehold on these key technologies to ensure national and economic security.

So it's not hard to imagine that China is going to agree to spend billions of dollars to buy some more American agricultural products or Boeing jets to give Mr. Trump some deliverables to sell to American voters ahead of the crucial U.S. midterm election. At the end of the day, both sides are very much incentivized to really extend that tariff truce they first reached last October to prolong this rather fragile stability in this relationship. Elex?

MICHAELSON: It'll be interesting to see what the sky looks like tomorrow when we get our live report. Real quickly, what is state media saying about this?

JIANG: Well, the state media is all about creating this friendly and harmonious environment to welcome, you know, honored guests like Trump. You know, the thing is, Mr. Trump always likes to boast his relationship with President Xi, right, in terms of how good of a friend he is. But, you know, that's a very American way of thinking, like personal rapport could translate into policy measures or changes. The Chinese, especially Xi Jinping, he is not a sentimental kind. He's really sacked dozens, if not more, you know, long-time allies since he took power, including a top general who is supposed to be his childhood friend. So the Chinese, Xi Jinping, they're very pragmatic. They're very calculated when it comes to what they want and how to get there. Elex?

MICHAELSON: Yes, not the touchy-feely type. Thank you so much, Steven Jiang, breaking it down for us live in Beijing. We appreciate it.

President Trump is criticizing the media for their coverage of the war with Iran. He says reporting Iran is doing well militarily against the U.S. is, "Virtual treason." Meanwhile, a senior Pentagon official says the war with Iran has cost U.S. taxpayers $29 billion so far. That estimate is higher than the $25 billion figure the Defense Department provided to Congress just two weeks ago. The energy price shock from the Iran war is compounding concerns among Americans over affordability.

Now, new data on inflation is only adding to those worries. The latest consumer price index shows that U.S. inflation rose to 3.8 percent in April from a year earlier. And for the first time in three years, wages are no longer outpacing inflation. Based on that latest report, Moody's Analytics finds a typical U.S. household has to spend $266 more each month for the very same goods and services they did just one year ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's survival mode, and that's a mode that I haven't been used to.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: For me, a financial stressor is groceries.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Everything's gone up from the beef to the eggs.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm a junior, and I missed a whole semester of school because I couldn't afford housing. I want to have a house and have a family, and you know what I mean? Like my parents did.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAELSON: We are seeing higher prices across the U.S. economy, especially at the pump. Since the start of the Iran war, AAA reports the national average price for a gallon of regular gas is now up to $4.50. Drivers weighing in.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Unfortunately, I see nothing but an upward trajectory.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm trying not to drive as much because I can take SEPTA, and I can walk.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If the prices continue to go up, we're going to have to limit driving.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do we really want Iran to have a nuclear weapon? Imagine what they would do with that, you know? So it's going to take a few months to settle this thing. So we learned to live with a big deal.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TAPPER: President Trump's 10 percent across the board tariff on all U.S. imports is back in effect for now. Federal appeals court has hit pause on a lower court's ruling against the latest levy. It kicked in a few months ago after the Supreme Court determined the much more sweeping tariffs imposed by the Trump administration last year were illegal. Federal appeals court is now weighing whether to extend the pause.

The number of Hantavirus cases linked to a cruise ship is now up to 11. The World Health Organization says all those cases are among passengers or crew and include three deaths reported early in the outbreak. All passengers are now off the ship, including more than a dozen Americans now being monitored here in the U.S. CNN's Jacqueline Howard has the latest from Atlanta.

JACQUELINE HOWARD, CNN HEALTH REPORTER: Here at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta, this is where two passengers are currently being monitored. And one passenger who did have symptoms, the Department of Health and Human Services now says that passenger has tested negative for the Andes variant of Hantavirus. Now, the other passenger who's being monitored here, they're the close contact of that first passenger. This second passenger has not shown symptoms, but of course, they're still being monitored and evaluated.

[01:10:05]

And then there are 16 other passengers here in the United States who are being monitored in Nebraska. In that post on X, the Department of Health and Human Services says all 16 Americans who arrived in Nebraska currently remain asymptomatic, so they're not showing symptoms. But of course, they're still going to be monitored for about 42 days to see if symptoms develop, because this virus, it has a long incubation period.

The World Health Organization still says, though, the risk to the general public remains low at this time. Here's the organization's Director General, Dr. Tedros. Have a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. TEDROS ADHANOM GHEBREYESUS, DIRECTOR-GENERAL, WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION: At the moment, there is no sign that we are seeing the start of a larger outbreak. But of course, the situation could change. And given the long incubation period of the virus, it's possible we might see more cases in the coming weeks.

(END VIDEO CLIP) HOWARD: And again, because the virus has that long incubation period, health officials say we may still see more cases emerge in the days to come. Back to you.

MICHAELSON: President Trump has not given up on his idea for 51st state. First, it was Canada. Now he's targeting Venezuela. On Tuesday, he posted an image of a map on Truth Social with Venezuela colored like the American flag. The post comes after a "Fox News" reporter said he spoke with Trump and that the President claimed he was seriously considering this. But Venezuela's acting president, Delcy Rodriguez, dismissed the idea on Tuesday, saying Venezuela is, "not a colony, but a free country."

The Story Is, British political turmoil. Inside the U.K.'s ruling Labour Party, there has been something of a coup to oust the prime minister. But it seems to have lost steam. Dozens of Labour members of Parliament have publicly called for Keir Starmer to resign. And several junior ministers quit his government, saying they have no faith in his leadership. But on Tuesday, even more party members released a statement saying, no, we'd rather he stay put. And they warned against the leadership challenge.

CNN's Isa Soares breaks down the numbers and explains why forcing out this prime minister is no easy feat.

ISA SOARES, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT: We've had more than 100 statements of support backing Prime Minister Starmer. That's on one side. On the other, we have had 80 plus MPs calling on Prime Minister Starmer to either step aside or lay out a timeline for his departure. What we are hearing, what we are seeing is that the prime minister is sticking by, staying here, staying at Downing Street, fighting to live on another day.

And that coup from those calling for him to step aside has fizzled. And it's fizzled for one particular reason, because no contender has come through, has thrown down the gauntlet to say, I am going to challenge you. Under Labour rules, what is clear is that you need to have, one contender needs to have 81 members of Parliament backing you. So far, neither Wes Streeting, nor Angela Rayner, nor even Andy Burnham, who is not an MP, but it could be down the road, none of them have come out and said, I'm putting my hand up. I'm facing you off. I'm facing off against you.

MICHAELSON: With me here in Los Angeles is our European affairs commentator Dominic Thomas. Dominic, welcome back to The Story Is. So the big question is, can Keir Starmer survive?

DOMINIC THOMAS, CNN EUROPEAN AFFAIRS COMMENTATOR: Well, as Isa was just pointing out, there is within the party, clearly, divisions that are there. Some of them are age-old divisions. You've got those pushing for a kind of timetable for exit, which will give them more time to figure out which candidate they want to back with the full understanding that this is just an internal party decision. This is about the Labour Party, not the national context, right? They choose their leaders here versus the others that appeared to be ready to launch a race. And this is all about the profile of the candidates. One of them in particular, Wes Streeting, is more of the center of the party. And on the left, they talk about Andy Burnham and others. So these divisions are playing out and they help Starmer. And I believe the team around him has understood that an immediate challenge is something that he is likely to survive and has essentially said to them, bring this on.

The big question with all of this, ultimately, is, is it really going to address the broader problems that were expressed in these recent local elections? And it's also a very risky proposition for the MPs that are currently in Parliament.

MICHAELSON: Yes, because there's an old line in the old show, "The Wire," you know, if you come for the king, you best not miss, right? And this idea of going for the top guy and then losing.

THOMAS: Right.

MICHAELSON: And he's still the top guy. Not good for you. So why the risk?

[01:14:59]

THOMAS: And there's the risk with that. And there's a risk with who they back. Should there be somebody that takes him on with the understanding that with this majority, they're potentially there in power until somewhere in 2039. That's a long time to be outside of that inner Labour Party circle if you're an elected official and if you back the wrong candidate against him or if you don't back Starmer and he actually survives.

And the question then ultimately is, if anybody should run and anybody win the support to become prime minister is, are they really genuinely going to be able to alter the political situation that the population weighed in on what, after all, was a protest vote in these local elections, sending a very strong message to the leadership that they are not satisfied with the way in which politics is going in the country today.

MICHAELSON: And of course, that's not just a British thing. We're seeing that here in America. We're seeing that other places as well. So this idea of dissatisfaction with political parties is not something new and not something uniquely British. But yet, where does that go? How does that get translated? And do any of the other parties maybe have a star in the making?

THOMAS: Well, I don't think there's a star in the making. But what you're seeing is, as you just mentioned, across the world, but also, you know, primarily in Europe, is first of all an erosion of mainstream political parties. The traditional left and the traditional right have virtually disappeared in countries like France. In Germany, it's become increasingly difficult to govern because of these large sort of coalitions. But the British system is a constitutional, parliamentary, you know, monarchy with these two sides.

And what you saw in this last election is the mainstream parties, the conservatives and Labour, did terribly. But you saw the rise of reform, which is this far-right political party led by the leading Brexiteer, Nigel Farage, and the Greens. They're very different. But where they are similar is over this question of dissatisfaction. We went through five Conservative Party leaders in a 14-year period, and it looks like the Labour Party is up to the same shenanigans here by shifting leaders when things go south.

They haven't followed through on their campaign promises to lower taxes, deal with the national health, still have a stagnant economy. But what you see are these two different visions cropping up of Britain, the closed nationalistic version of reform versus this more open, appeal to younger, greener version of politics. And there's nowhere for them to go right now in this political system. And there's deep frustration as you move forward.

So the challenge here is if they're going to change Starmer, you better pick somebody, and there's nobody really that's clearly emerging from this pact that is going to be able to radically transform the kind of ways they're doing politics. And just very quickly, the dilemma, of course, is the more Labour moves towards the left, the more it alienates the center, and the more the Conservative Party moves towards reform in Farage, the more they alienate those groups. So these traditional parties are stuck.

They don't know where to go, and they don't seem to have the imagination within the leadership to figure out where this country or the, you know, U.K. needs to go in the 21st century.

MICHAELSON: The bottom line is Starmer stays for now, sounds like.

THOMAS: For now, we could say that it looks like he's going to survive this, but I believe there's going to be a timeframe and a more longer concerted way that people can choose to back their person before we go into a race. But once again, we don't know for sure.

MICHAELSON: Dominic Thomas, that's why we call on you, and that's why we keep watching. Thank you so much. Appreciate it.

Still to come, CNN's exclusive investigation into this Russian ship, which may have been carrying nuclear reactors to North Korea before it sank to the bottom of the sea. How about that?

[01:18:32]

Plus, on a different note, actress Vivica A. Fox's new revenge thriller called "Is God Is" opens in theaters this weekend. She joins us on set here to explain what this movie is all about. Plus, who is the best co-star she's ever kissed? Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FOX: Girls, I'm going to make this real simple. Make your daddy dead, real dead.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This seem a little crazy.

FOX: Not as crazy as setting your wife on fire in front of your kids.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAELSON: That is Vivica A. Fox in the new revenge thriller "Is God Is." Fox plays a mother who sends her twin daughters on a dark revenge mission. The ensemble cast also stars A-listers Janelle Monae, Sterling K. Brown, just to name a few. "Is God Is" currently has more than 90 percent positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. Mashable declaring the first epic summer movie has arrived. "Is God Is" delivers filmmaking that is so mythic, mesmerizing, and menacing that it's easily one of the best movies of 2026. How about that?

FOX: I'm loving it.

MICHAELSON: Vivica A. Fox joins us now for the first time here on The Story Is. Very exciting to have you here. Welcome to the show for the first time.

FOX: Yes, it is my first time.

MICHAELSON: Yes. So the title is "Is God Is."

FOX: Yes.

MICHAELSON: And you play God.

FOX: I know. Can you believe it?

MICHAELSON: Is that not good?

FOX: And an offer that I couldn't refuse.

MICHAELSON: Yes, because the first time director said there's only one person that I could envision as God. And that was you.

FOX: I was so blessed that it was an offer from the director, the amazing first time director, Alicia Harris.

MICHAELSON: Yes.

FOX: She's a huge fan of the "Kill Bill" franchise. And she said, when I thought of this character, you were the only person that came to mind.

MICHAELSON: So when we looked at you in that scene right there, you're unrecognizable. The concept is that your husband, played by Sterling K. Brown, burned you and one of your daughters, right?

FOX: Yes. Well, both of the daughters got burned.

MICHAELSON: Yes. Talk about sort of the premise of this movie.

[01:24:58] FOX: Yes. "Is God Is," I play a domestic violence survivor who is severely burned by the monster, also known as Sterling K. Brown. And I am the catalyst that sends my two daughters, who were also burned, one more severely than the other, on a revenge mission to make your daddy dead, real dead.

MICHAELSON: And to look like that, your call time was 2:30 in the morning?

FOX: 2:30 a.m. It is absolutely one of the earliest call times that I've ever had.

MICHAELSON: Yes. Hours and hours of doing the makeup and the prosthetics. What goes through your mind as they're doing that?

FOX: To be honest with you, it was a great experience. Because back in the day when you did prosthetics, they used to do this cast that they would put over your head. This was totally state of the art. I went to a studio and they took all of these pictures that went around me with all of these great cameras. Then I came back and they literally custom fitted the prosthetics --

MICHAELSON: Wow.

FOX: -- to my hands, to my face, and everywhere else that I was going to wear it. Then I had this incredible wig of braids that when you see the film and they're braiding it, that was incredible. Then I had this beautiful mask that the beauty of my character, God, Ruby, a.k.a. God, she had beautiful nails. She wore this mask that had beautiful pearls on it and the braids. So that was how she maintained her beauty.

MICHAELSON: That's a wig.

FOX: Yes, exactly. Yes. That I hit real good.

MICHAELSON: So, and then you work with Sterling K. Brown, who is one of the nicest guys in all of Hollywood.

FOX: He really is.

MICHAELSON: But he's playing a monster.

FOX: Yes.

MICHAELSON: I read that you sort of encouraged him to be meaner.

FOX: I did. He had a hard time choking me. I'm like, dude, I did "Kill Bill." Come on. Uma Thurman, choke me out. Your turn. OK? So I think he was just trying to be a gentleman as he is. He's just such a lovable man. But in this role, he is dark and sinister is what you will ever see him. But he did a fantastic job.

MICHAELSON: Yes. And you've been in over 230 movies, which is wild.

FOX: Yes.

MICHAELSON: So you kind of get your choice at this point. Why this? What spoke to you about this?

FOX: Well, I'm an independent filmmaker as well. As you said, I have a ton of credits. And I believe in making others' dreams come true. Alicia Harris, first-time director, independent filmmaker, that it was just a no-brainer. And also, Tessa Thompson is one of our producers. And she saw it off-Broadway because it started off as an off-Broadway play. And Tessa saw it and fell in love with it. And who gets your dream cast on your directorial debut?

MICHAELSON: It means you got a pretty good script, as that review also said.

FOX: Yes.

MICHAELSON: So I want to do a rapid fire from some of the stuff from your career. First thing that comes to mind, since we've got such a legend right here.

FOX: I'd love you to flip the script on me that quickly.

MICHAELSON: OK. What is your favorite role?

FOX: Oh, my gosh. Out of 200-something films.

MICHAELSON: Yes. Do you have a favorite?

FOX: Shantae, "Two Can Play That Game."

MICHAELSON: OK. Comedy, drama, or soap opera? What do you prefer?

FOX: Soap opera.

MICHAELSON: OK. Do you have a favorite line from any of your movies? One line that sticks out to you.

FOX: One line that sticks out to me?

MICHAELSON: Yes.

FOX: Oh, gosh. What's the procedure?

MICHAELSON: What is the movie that people talk to you about the most, that come up to you? Is there a particular role that people, when they see you in the streets, they reference the most?

FOX: Frankie from "Set It Off."

MICHAELSON: Nice. Who is the best kisser of your career?

FOX: Gosh, make that hard. I mean, I won best kiss with Will Smith, but it is Morris Chestnut.

MICHAELSON: I read that somewhere. What is it about kissing Morris Chestnut?

FOX: He's just chocolate. Great breath, and he's just chocolate, and a great kisser.

MICHAELSON: Yes. And what's next for you?

FOX: Well, I'm currently working on "Young and the Restless," so I came back. It's like I'm having all these 30 anniversaries.

MICHAELSON: Yes.

FOX: It was 30 years since I was on "Young and the Restless." Thirty years since "Set It Off" came out. So yes, I'm doing "Young and the Restless." Also, I have my own clothing line, the Vivica Fox clothing line on HSN. I have my own hairline. So mommy's busy. The spokeswoman for Car Shield and "Is God Is" coming out this Friday, May 15th, only in theaters.

MICHAELSON: Bringing home the money, baby.

FOX: She working as they call. They call me booked, busy and blessed.

MICHAELSON: Vivica A. Fox, congratulations on all of it.

FOX: Thank you.

[01:29:43]

MICHAELSON: Really great to have you here. Be back -- again check out "Is God Is." We'll be back with more of The Story Is right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[01:34:10]

ELEX MICHAELSON, CNN ANCHOR: Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, is getting a new leader. David Venturella, a former private prison executive, is expected to serve as the next acting director.

This comes as the Trump administration tries to take a different approach to its immigration crackdown following a turbulent year.

Meantime, President Trump wants to rebrand ICE by changing its name to the National Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or NICE. The idea appears to have originated on social media.

Trump shared a screenshot of the suggestion with the comment, "Great idea. Do it." But would really require an act of Congress.

[01:34:46]

MICHAELSON: Now to a CNN exclusive report.

The CIA is escalating a secret war on drug cartels with deadly operations inside Mexico. One such operation happened in broad daylight on one of Mexico's busiest highways, just outside the capital in March.

A warning: the video you're about to see is graphic. Mexico's attorney general says an explosive device was hidden inside

the vehicle of an alleged mid-level member of the Sinaloa cartel, killing him instantly along with his driver.

The Sinaloa cartel, based in Sinaloa state, is one of Mexico's most notorious drug trafficking syndicates. Multiple sources tell CNN the operation was part of an expanded CIA campaign inside of Mexico. The level of CIA involvement with operations targeting cartels has varied, from intelligence sharing to direct participation in assassinations operations.

After this story was published, the CIA said the reporting is, quote, "false and salacious", but did not specify what aspects of the reporting is actually false.

THE STORY IS the mystery of a Russian cargo ship that sank in the Spanish Mediterranean in 2024. A CNN investigation finds that the ship was likely carrying nuclear reactors, and may have been on the way to North Korea before ending up on the bottom of the sea.

CNN's Nick Paton Walsh brings us the exclusive report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: A mystery in the Mediterranean, the possible torpedoing of a Russian ship to stop the Kremlin handing submarine nuclear reactors to North Korea, begins in a quiet Spanish port.

This really is the craziest of stories about a Russian shadow fleet ship that sank off the coast here in the strangest of circumstances, whose Russian captain confessed to investigators here that it was carrying two nuclear reactors, possibly for a submarine.

The incident is shrouded in silence but concerns the most serious of issues. Weapons proliferation between two nuclear powers and force being used to stop it.

The Ursa Major ship loaded up near St. Petersburg in early December 2024; on paper, bound for Vladivostok with a cargo of two huge cranes and over 100 empty containers.

It made another stop, loading two large manhole covers. It set sail. A shadow fleet ship used by Russia in Syria, the Portuguese navy followed it from above. You can see the blue covers here until just before it ran into trouble in Spanish waters.

It was way further out to sea when the Ursa Major on the 22nd of December 2024 suddenly slowed and Spanish rescuers noticed this, and they radioed to ask if anything was wrong. The ship insisted it was fine and could deal with the situation.

But about 24 hours later it made a sharp deviation and issued an urgent call for help. The boat was listing, this video shows, filmed from a nearby tanker but probably not going to sink too fast. The captain of the ship would later tell investigators he'd seen a 20- by-20-inch hole in the hull, the damaged metal facing inwards. He said it had been followed by three explosions on the starboard side of the boat, killing two of his crew.

So the Russian military arrive in force and they tell everyone to stay two nautical miles away from their ship, the Ursa Major.

But the Spanish know they need to conduct rescue operations, so they send this ship to pick up 14 Russian survivors who were brought back here. And that includes the Russian captain, who it seems, starts to help investigators piece together some of what's happened.

But it's hours later that day that the mood changes over the Ursa Major ship. And the Russian military fire flares over it. And then a series of explosions follow, which Spanish seismic sensors picked up. And they send the ship to the seabed floor.

Moscow demanded their crew back but the Russian captain told Spanish investigators something remarkable, that the ship was carrying components for two nuclear reactors, likely for a submarine, he said, adding he could not be sure if the reactors had fuel in them. There's no evidence of contamination.

He also told investigators he thought he would be diverted not to Vladivostok but to North Korea's port of Rason.

Russia was in North Korea's debt at that time after they sent 10,000 troops to help fight Ukraine two months earlier.

And in December 2025, North Korea would claim to have built this, their first nuclear-powered submarine.

Everything may have been on the bottom of the sea but the Russians weren't done yet. And according to a source familiar with the investigation, about a week after the incident, a Russian research vessel called the Yantar, linked in the past to all sorts of allegations against Moscow, sat over the wreckage for about five days. And four more explosions followed, possibly the Russians destroying what was left of the wreckage.

[01:39:43]

WALSH: In the months after, the U.S. may have shown interest in the site, twice sending a rare WC-135R Constant Phoenix, usually secretly sniffing out traces of nuclear activity in Russia's Arctic or over Iran over the path of the Ursa Major, weaving low at 5,000 feet.

One had flown a similar route 13 months earlier, perhaps suggesting it's routine. The aircraft's U.S. base declined to provide any details.

Spanish lawmakers have urgently sought answers but got few.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When someone doesn't clearly and fully provide the information that you request, you at least suspect that they are hiding something, of course.

WALSH: So why did the ship sink?

The Spanish investigation said the first impact was likely from a projectile called a super-cavitating torpedo that fires air in front of itself to reach very high speed. Others suggested something simpler.

MIKE PLUNKETT, SENIOR NAVAL PLATFORMS ANALYST, JANES: Sounds like a limpet mine. It sounds like a shaped charge explosive that was placed against the hull by somebody or something.

WALSH: The Russian owners immediately called the sinking "a targeted terrorist attack."

They -- the Russian, Spanish and British militaries did not reply to a request for comment, and the Pentagon declined too. There are few western militaries operating there capable of noticing, tracking and stopping a cargo like this. All sides it seems happy for this secret to stay on the sea floor.

Nick Paton Walsh, CNN -- Cartagena, Spain.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MICHAELSON: You're watching THE STORY IS.

For our international viewers, "WORLDSPORT" is next. For our viewers in North America, I'll be back with more news.

[01:41:25]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MICHAELSON: Welcome back to THE STORY IS. I'm Elex Michaelson.

Let's take a look at today's top stories.

The migrant detention facility known as Alligator Alcatraz will be closing next month. That's according to "The New York Times" and CNN affiliate WFOR. The facility deep in the Florida Everglades has cost the state millions of dollars to run. It's not clear where the site's approximately 1,400 detainees will be taken.

Venezuela's acting president says the country has no plans to become America's 51st state. In a news conference on Tuesday, Delcy Rodriguez defended Venezuela's sovereignty, saying it is not a colony but a free country. It comes after reports that President Trump has been seriously considering that idea.

Catherine, Princess of Wales, is set to make her first official overseas trip since recovering from cancer. The British royal is traveling to northern Italy on Wednesday.

Kensington Palace says the two-day solo visit will focus on early childhood development. An aide describes the trip as an important step in the princess' recovery journey.

A southern California mayor is stepping down from her post and has agreed to plead guilty to acting as a spy for the Chinese government. Eileen Wang is accused of doing the bidding for Chinese officials and sharing articles favorable to China.

CNN's Josh Campbell has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOSH CAMPBELL, CNN SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Your reaction to this sentence?

EILEEN WANG, FORMER MAYOR OF ARCADIA: I don't have the comments right now.

CAMPBELL: Eileen Wang, who just stepped down as the mayor of Arcadia, California previously acted as an illegal agent for the Chinese government, according to her plea agreement released by the U.S. Attorney's Office. She's agreed to plead guilty and has resigned.

JUSTINE BRUNO, ARCADIA DEPUTY CITY MANAGER: These are serious charges. This is the conduct of one individual. So no other city council members are under investigation. The city's not under investigation.

CAMPBELL: Wang is accused of acting on behalf of the People's Republic of China officials from 2020 through 2022, before she ran for Arcadia City Council and later became mayor, sharing articles on a Web site called U.S. News Center that purported to be a news source for the local Chinese-American community.

She acted without prior notification to U.S. officials as required by law. The charge against her carries a term of up to 10 years in federal prison.

According to the plea agreement, Wang, along with her ex-fiance, exchanged encrypted messages with a Chinese government official who instructed them on content to post, and in one instance to correct an article published in "The L.A. Times".

The PRC official thanked them for their reporting. Defendant responded, received, then sent the PRC official a screenshot showing that the article had been viewed 15,128 times, to which he responded, "great". Defendant then responded, "Thank you, Leader."

Wang's attorney said in a statement the conduct relates to a quote, "media platform" that she once operated with someone whom she believed to be her fiance and not to her conduct as an elected public official.

Prosecutors in the case say Wang's actions underscore a looming threat from the Chinese government.

AMANDA ELBOGEN, ASST. U.S. ATTORNEY, NATIONAL SECURITY DIVISION: The campaign that China is engaging in and enlisting agents here who are not acting overtly really undermines our national security and it undermines the Democratic fabric of our society.

CAMPBELL: Josh Campbell, CNN, Los Angeles.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MICHAELSON: Up next, my exclusive interview with L.A. Mayor Karen Bass about her opponent, Spencer Pratt.

[01:48:45]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MICHAELSON: Now, the race for L.A. mayor, which is making national headlines. Earlier today, I caught up with L.A. mayor Karen Bass for an upcoming profile piece at the Saint Vincent's Behavioral Health Campus.

More on that in the coming days.

One of the things we talked about today was her opponent, reality show star turned community advocate Spencer Pratt, who decided to run for mayor after his home burned down in the Palisades fire, something he blames Bass for.

Pratt has been sharing out A.I.-generated ads that show Pratt as a comic book hero and Bass and other leaders of the Democratic Party as various villains. Those ads have gotten millions of impressions.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MICHAELSON: What do you make of his campaign? And much of it now relying on A.I., showing you as the Joker, showing you as Darth Vader, him sharing out other people's A.I. that shows that. What goes through your mind when you see that?

MAYOR KAREN BASS (D), LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Well, actually, I think it's a very dangerous trend. One, because it is absolutely 150 percent fiction. But what's worrying me now is that his social media is now taking on a violent turn.

And that worries me because when you do that and when your messages are so hateful, or when you demonize people, then you do provoke people who are unstable, and you can jeopardize people's safety.

MICHAELSON: You mean like the throwing of the tomatoes?

BASS: Well, the throwing of tomatoes, which look like blood or drowning me and the governor in a -- in a reservoir. But there's also other violent scenes.

[01:54:46]

BASS: And so I've noticed that -- that it's taking on a violent trend. And that I find to be very scary.

But I do know that he has become wildly famous again. But a lot of his support, I don't know how much of it is in L.A.

MICHAELSON: Yes. There's no question that there's a lot of support coming from --

BASS: All over.

MICHAELSON: -- national folks that are not voting in Los Angeles.

BASS: Right.

MICHAELSON: But there also are people in L.A. that seem drawn to him --

BASS: Absolutely.

(CROSSTALKING)

BASS: That's right.

MICHAELSON: -- including some Democrats that are drawn to him.

BASS: Yes.

MICHAELSON: What do you think that's about?

BASS: I think that we are going through a moment which is not unfamiliar. We go through moments where across the board, voters are just upset.

And I worry that social media like what he is proposing and then casting himself as a Superman. Let's see, he's Batman. He's whoever the savior was on, on some of the other superhero movies.

You know, I think that plays into people's desperation. And -- and I think oftentimes we look for somebody superhuman to save us. The reality is it never happens. Those are fictional characters.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MICHAELSON: We'll talk with Spencer Pratt later this week on THE STORY IS to get his response.

Finally, THE STORY IS bringing romantasy to life. Fans of the book "Fourth Wing" have something to celebrate. Amazon Prime Video has announced a TV adaptation of the novel. It is the first entry in the bestselling "The Empyrean Series" from author Rebecca Yarros.

A TV project was first put into development nearly three years ago, but a new creative team, including Yarros and actor Michael B. Jordan as executive producer will shepherd the project. No air date has been released.

Thanks for watching THE STORY IS. I'm Elex Michaelson. We'll see you tomorrow.

[01:56:30] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)