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• Get the latest updates on the war with Iran here.
Key developments
• UAE quits oil cartel: The United Arab Emirates will withdraw from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) this week, as the Iran war roils global energy markets. The UAE took the decision now because the closure of the Strait of Hormuz will limit the impact on the oil market, the country’s energy minister told CNN.
• Peace talks: Mediators in Pakistan expect to receive a revised proposal from Iran in the next few days, after President Donald Trump indicated that he would not accept an earlier version, sources close to the process say.
• In Lebanon: Israeli strikes killed at least ten people throughout southern Lebanon on Tuesday, according to state media and national authorities. The Israeli military also announced that it destroyed underground tunnels belonging to Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, likening the structures to those it has encountered in Gaza.
Israeli strikes continue in Lebanon despite ceasefire, authorities say
Despite a declared ceasefire, Israeli strikes killed at least ten people throughout southern Lebanon on Tuesday and into early Wednesday morning, according to Lebanese authorities and state media.
Lebanese Civil Defense said that two civilians were killed in an initial strike on a building in Majdal Zoun, a town near Tyre.
Another strike at the same location afterward killed three Civil Defense personnel, who were “assisting people wounded” from the earlier strike, the organization added.
Two Lebanese Army soldiers were wounded in the second strike, both Civil Defense and the Army said.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun’s office condemned the strikes in a statement on X, adding that Aoun considered the attacks part of “a series … that targeted relief and first aid workers.”
Separately, Lebanese state media reported that Israeli strikes killed two in the southern Lebanese towns of Tebnine and Shaqra, and the Ministry of Health reported that a strike in the town of Jwaya killed one.
The Ministry of Health later said that an airstrike on the town of Jebchit had killed at least two and wounded 13.
Lebanese Minister of Health Dr. Rakan Nasser Al-Din denounced the Majdal Zoun strikes in a statement released by the ministry late Tuesday night, calling it a violation of international law.
CNN has reached out to the Israeli military for comment on each incident. Yesterday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Israeli military personnel that the terms of the ceasefire with Lebanon allow Israel to continue bombing throughout the country.
“Our freedom of action to thwart threats – immediate threats and emerging threats – is part of the agreement we made with the United States and also with the Lebanese government,” Netanyahu said.
At least 2,521 people have been killed in Lebanon since March 2, and over 7,800 have been injured, according to a total released by the Ministry of Health on Monday.
This report has been updated with additional details.
Tehran-Moscow flights resume after two-month pause, Iranian media says
Flights between Tehran and Moscow resumed on Tuesday after a two-month suspension caused by the US-Israeli war with Iran, according to Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency.
The announcement came a day after Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met Russian President Vladimir Putin during a visit to Russia in which the two discussed the “details” of the war in the Middle East, IRNA said.
Iran’s Mahan Air operated the first resumed flight, departing Tehran early Tuesday and returning to Tehran later the same day, IRNA added.
Regular service on the Tehran–Moscow route will operate on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays in both directions, IRNA reported, citing officials with Mahan Air.
Israeli military says it destroyed Gaza-like underground tunnels in Lebanon
The Israeli military says it has destroyed underground tunnels belonging to Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, likening the structures to those it has encountered in Gaza.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said the structures were destroyed in a “massive explosion” in Qantara.
“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and I instructed the IDF to destroy all terrorist infrastructure in the security zone up to the ‘Blue Line,’ both underground and above ground, just as in Gaza – in order to remove threats to the residents of the Galilee,” Katz said. The Blue Line is an area spanning 120 kilometers (around 75 miles) along southern Lebanon that acts as a de-facto border between the two countries.
The Israeli military said its soldiers found two underground tunnels built over approximately a decade, that extended “dozens of meters” underground.” The military said it found sniper weapons, explosive devices and equipment that allowed militants to stay underground for extended periods of time. The military also shared video purporting to show the insides of the tunnels. CNN cannot independently verify the IDF’s claims nor the images.
“The Lebanese government and the Lebanese army committed to demilitarizing southern Lebanon of Hezbollah terrorists and weapons – and these are the results,” Katz said. Israel has repeatedly criticized the Lebanese government for not doing enough to diminish Hezbollah’s capabilities.
Hezbollah has not commented.
Trump says German chancellor "doesn't know what he's talking about" on Iran
President Donald Trump criticized German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Tuesday, saying he “doesn’t know what he’s talking about.”
Merz said a day earlier that the United States was “being humiliated” by Iran.
“The Chancellor of Germany, Friedrich Merz, thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon,” Trump said in a Truth Social post. “He doesn’t know what he’s talking about! If Iran had a Nuclear Weapon, the whole World would be held hostage.”
In his comments Monday during a visit to a school in Marsberg, central Germany, Merz accused US officials of entering a war without a clear strategy, saying the “whole affair is ill-considered to say the least.”
“The Iranians are obviously very skilled at negotiating, or rather, very skillful at not negotiating, letting the Americans travel to Islamabad and then leave again without any result,” Merz said. “An entire nation is being humiliated by the Iranian leadership, especially by these so-called Revolutionary Guards. And so I hope that this ends as quickly as possible.”
Marines seized and released vessel in Arabian Sea, US military says
The US seized and later released a vessel in the Arabian Sea that it suspected to be traveling to Iran, US Central Command said in a post on X.
The temporary seizure of the vessel, M/V Blue Star III, by Marines from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, comes as the US continues its blockade of Iran’s ports.
“U.S. forces released the vessel after conducting a search and confirming the ship’s voyage would not include an Iranian port call,” CENTCOM said, alongside a video.
“So far, 39 vessels have been redirected to ensure compliance” with the blockade, CENTCOM said.
The US has seized at least three vessels — M/V Touska, M/T Tifani and M/T Majestic X — which remain in US custody, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine said at a Pentagon briefing last week.
Collins: After 60 days of Iran war, "there has to be action by Congress”
Senate Republicans indicated they’ll expect the White House to be accountable to Congress for the Iran war as it reaches the legal deadline to seek authorization by lawmakers for the conflict.
Sen. Susan Collins, who leads the Senate Appropriations Committee, told CNN that after the 60 day deadline laid out in the War Powers Act, which is expected to fall at the end of this week, the president “has to obtain congressional approval or Congress can block it. Those are the two choices, but there has to be action by Congress.”
Sen. Mike Rounds, a member of the Senate Armed Services committee, told Raju he would be “surprised” if President Donald Trump doesn’t ask to extend the deadline for congressional authorization an additional 30 days, which the president can legally do if he can justify that it is necessary to draw down safely.
“During that time period, we’ll be asking questions,” Rounds said, adding that he expects senators to ask Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth about it later this week during the closed portion of the committee’s appropriations hearing.
“We most certainly want to get the answers and if they need to be in a classified setting, so be it,” he said.
CNN’s Rashell Marthans and Morgan Leason contributed to this post.
Tillis argues congressional authorization for Iran war would benefit administration
GOP Sen. Thom Tillis pushed for congressional authorization for the war in Iran, arguing it would help the administration as the conflict continues.
“We’ve got to get details either on an extension under the current war powers resolution, or we’ve got to start talking about why the president, I think, could benefit by having an authorization for the use of military force approved by Congress, to make it very clear to Iran that we’re here for the long term, and they need to be non-nuclear, and they need to be a little bit more respectful of human rights in their own population,” said Tillis.
However, the retiring Republican said he does not plan on backing any of the Democrat-led war powers resolutions aimed at requiring congressional authorization. The Senate is expected to vote for the sixth time on one of these measures later today. “Not the Democrat one – you know, those are messaging exercises. If we’re really going to get it done, it’s going to have to be done by Republicans,” said Tillis.
“And it’s not with the idea of ending the war, it’s with the idea of getting the specifics so that we can authorize the ongoing use of military force, up to and including what has been done to this point. But it just can’t go on forever. If they don’t want to have a discussion about AUMF, then we need to have a discussion about an extension under the war powers resolution. That’s going to require details.”
UAE's OPEC+ exit may prompt others to follow, expert says
The UAE’s exit from OPEC+ could prompt other members to follow suit in an effort to break from the cartel’s production restrictions, an expert has said.
“If there is a time to leave, now is the time,” Robin Mills, CEO of Qamar Energy, a Dubai-based consultancy, told CNN’s Becky Anderson. “You might see Kazakhstan leave as well. That’s another significant producer that wants to grow.”
The UAE has long pushed for higher OPEC and OPEC+ production quotas as it sought to expand capacity well beyond the levels assigned to it by the cartel.
Mills said the quotas have capped the UAE’s output to around 3.2 million barrels per day, suggesting production could almost double without its constraints.
OPEC is a group of oil-exporting nations that coordinates production to control supply and set prices. OPEC+ is a broader coalition that includes Russia and other countries that aren’t members of OPEC.
Mostafa Salem contributed to reporting.
Iran expected to submit a revised peace proposal soon, sources say
Mediators in Pakistan expect to receive a revised proposal from Iran in the next few days to end the war, after US President Donald Trump indicated that he would not accept an earlier version, sources close to the mediation process told CNN.
The sources say Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi was due back in Tehran today after a visit to Russia, adding that he is expected to consult with regime leaders. That process is slow, the sources say, because of the difficulty in communicating with Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, whose location is being kept secret.
Trump has signaled he would not accept a version of the Iranian proposal submitted over the weekend, which called for ending the war first and settling the thornier issues related to Iran’s nuclear program at a later stage.
The sources said the process is ongoing and fluid, and much will depend on whether Iran comes back with a revised proposal that is more acceptable to the US.
In a social media post on Tuesday, Trump said Iran has informed the US it is “in a ‘State of Collapse,’” insisting Tehran wants the Strait of Hormuz open as “they try to figure out their leadership.”
UAE says market impact of OPEC exit will be limited due to Hormuz closure
The United Arab Emirates chose to leave the OPEC oil cartel now because the Strait of Hormuz is closed and the impact of its exit on the oil market will be limited, Minister of Energy Suhail Al Mazrouei told CNN’s Becky Anderson.
“Timing is right because it will not significantly impact the market and the price because the Strait of Hormuz is closed and restricted,” he said. “So everyone is constrained, including us, but taking the decision now will help all of our friends… (to) not feel the pressure on the price.”
Asked if the decision came after consultation with Saudi Arabia, Al Mazrouei said it was a “sovereign national decision.”
“This is not a political decision. It is a pure policy decision,” Al Mazrouei said.
“We need to be unconstrained… We want to make sure we are agile, we are nimble and we are fast in making the right decisions to balance our policies,” he added.
Trump says Iran wants strait open as it figures out leadership
President Donald Trump said Iran has informed the United States it’s “in a ‘State of Collapse,’” insisting Tehran wants the Strait of Hormuz open as “they try to figure out their leadership.”
“Iran has just informed us that they are in a ‘State of Collapse.’ They want us to ‘Open the Hormuz Strait,’ as soon as possible, as they try to figure out their leadership situation (Which I believe they will be able to do!),” he said in a post on Truth Social Tuesday morning.
The president signaled Monday he was unlikely to accept Iran’s latest proposal to end the conflict after Tehran proposed a plan that would reopen the strait while leaving questions about its nuclear program for later negotiations.
How much longer can OPEC last?
The UAE leaving OPEC will significantly shake up the consortium of the world’s largest oil producers. It may deal it a fatal blow if OPEC doesn’t make some meaningful changes to keep other countries from defecting.
Last year, OPEC brought in $455 billion worth of oil sales, according to the US Energy Information Administration. The UAE was responsible for $77 billion worth of that – just under 17%.
The fact that OPEC is losing such a major producer (its second largest) may lead other countries to considering following suit. OPEC was already fraying, and the region’s disruptions from the war (including several attacks on its infrastructure from OPEC member Iran) may be the catalyst to break the group.
“The ties binding OPEC members together have loosened,” said David Oxley, chief climate and commodities economist at Capital Economics.
Ditching OPEC will give the UAE the ability to scratch the itch to pump more oil, which the consortium had restricted. That won’t have any immediate impact: Demand has cratered in recent weeks as prices surged, and storage is maxed out because of the Strait of Hormuz closure.
But long term, the UAE could feasibly pump 1 million more barrels per day by leaving OPEC, meeting about 1% of the world’s daily demand, Oxley said. That could persuade other countries to leave.
Down the road, a dissolution of OPEC could lower global oil prices – but it could also lead to higher oil price volatility, as the consortium wouldn’t be able to act in concert to raise or lower production.
What the UAE pulling out of OPEC means for the US
The United Arab Emirates ditching the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries is a significant blow to the Middle East’s ability to keep oil prices artificially high. But it also could be disruptive to US oil producers and could complicate the region’s ability to respond to future emergencies.
The United States is energy independent … kinda. It produces more than it consumes, but it still imports about a third of its oil from overseas. That’s because the light, sweet crude that America drills is great for making gasoline but lousy for making heavier fuels and other petroleum-based products. So the United States still relies on the Middle East for some of its crude.
Diminishing OPEC’s power could be a good thing for consumers in the long run. The UAE is the second-largest producer in the region, so it will serve as a major new competitor on the market that can produce oil free of restrictions set by OPEC member nations.
For US producers, the long-term implications are less certain. Downward pressure on oil prices, which trade on a global market, could dent Big Oil’s profits. The world had been oversupplied with oil before the Iran war, even with OPEC’s production restrictions, so it’s not clear that longer term demand will support more production from the UAE. US producers down the road could have to lower their output if demand returns to their previous low levels.
It also shows that the Iran war is making permanent changes to the way the world does business, opening up new supply chains. Those changes may not stop with the UAE. So the market shifts that are going to affect you are only beginning to take shape.
Japanese vessel transits Strait of Hormuz, as crossings remain at near standstill
A Japanese-flagged oil tanker has passed through the Strait of Hormuz, according to marine tracking data, one of a handful of ships that have traversed the choked waterway in recent days.
Earlier on Tuesday, a VLCC tanker carrying 2 million barrels of crude oil “successfully crossed” the strait, vessel tracker MarineTraffic posted on X. “Japanese shipowners have historically taken a highly cautious stance on regional security risks, making this voyage a notable signal of measured confidence,” the tracker said, citing analysis from trade analytics firm Kpler.
The vessel, owned by the Tokyo-based petroleum company Idemitsu Kosan, traversed the channel “in coordination with Iran,” Iran’s semi-official Tasnim News Agency reported. It initially left a port in the Saudi Arabian city of Ras Tanura on April 17, Tasnim News Agency added.
The US-Israeli war on Iran and retaliatory strikes by Tehran prompted regional unrest and splintered shipping lanes through the key strait – the route via which one fifth of global oil and natural gas supplies was previously transported. Iran’s blockade on non-allied boats there and a US-led charge to stop vessels emerging from Iranian ports has caused global energy costs to spike, while trapping thousands of seafarers inside the channel.
At least 130 ships passed through the strait per day before hostilities flared in February. But this morning, just six ships were attempting to cross, MarineTraffic said earlier.
What is OPEC and what does it have to do with the supply and price of oil?
You’ll be hearing a lot about OPEC today after the United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced it’s withdrawing from the group of major oil exporting countries.
OPEC was founded in 1960 to “coordinate and unify the petroleum policies of its member countries and ensure the stabilization of oil markets in order to secure an efficient, economic and regular supply of petroleum to consumers.”
To begin with, there were just five members: Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela. Since then, it has grown to 12, collectively supplying about 36.17% of the world’s crude oil production. OPEC members control about 79.22% of the world’s total proven crude reserves. The UAE joined in 1967.
OPEC+ is a larger group consisting of OPEC members and other oil-producing allies, including Russia.
OPEC member countries monitor the market and decide collectively to raise or lower oil production in order to maintain stable prices and supply. A unanimous vote is required on raising or lowering oil production.
The UAE wants higher OPEC production quotas because it has the capacity to produce much more oil than it is currently allowed to produce. The UAE said it would leave the cartel, and be able to set its own production levels, from May 1.
Oil and energy ministers from OPEC member countries usually meet twice a year to determine OPEC’s output level. They also meet in extraordinary sessions whenever required.
The news did not lead to a significant change in the oil price, which has spiked since the start of the war in Iran. Many analysts expect the UAE’s decision to leave OPEC to lead to a reduction in prices because it will increase global supply.
US President Donald Trump has previously accused OPEC of keeping oil prices “artificially high” by restraining how much oil was being released onto the markets.
UAE to withdraw from OPEC, in blow to oil cartel and Saudi Arabia
The United Arab Emirates will withdraw from Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) on May 1, the UAE’s state news agency WAM said.
“This decision aligns with the United Arab Emirates’ long-term strategic and economic vision and the development of its energy sector, including accelerating investment in domestic energy production,” the statement said.
OPEC is a cartel of major oil-producing nations that coordinates production policies to influence global oil supply and prices.
The UAE is also leaving OPEC+, which includes Russia, the statement said.
The move marks a major blow to OPEC and its leading member, Saudi Arabia. The cartel collectively accounts for 36% of the world’s oil production and together controls almost 80% of the world’s total proven reserves.
“The UAE’s decision to exit from OPEC reflects a policy-driven evolution aligned with long-term market fundamentals,” Suhail Al Mazrouie, the UAE’s energy minister, said in a statement on X. “We remain committed to energy security, providing reliable, responsible, and lower-carbon supply while supporting stable global markets.”
The UAE has long pushed for higher OPEC production quotas as it sought to expand capacity well beyond the levels assigned to it by the cartel.
OPEC was established in 1960 by Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Venezuela and Kuwait. The UAE joined seven years later.
The UAE is among the world’s ten largest oil producers, accounting for some 3% to 4% of the world’s oil.
How US-Iran peace talks have developed since the ceasefire began
It has now been three weeks since President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire in the war between the US and Iran.
Yesterday, sources told CNN Trump suggested it is unlikely that he will accept Iran’s latest proposal to end the conflict, after Tehran proposed a plan that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz while leaving questions about its nuclear program for later negotiations.
Here’s a look at what has happened with talks between Tehran and Washington since the ceasefire was announced:
- April 7: Trump warns that “a whole civilization will die tonight” if Iran does not agree to end the war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Hours later, a two-week ceasefire between is announced.
- April 11: US and Iranian officials meet for face-to-face talks in Islamabad, Pakistan, lasting 21 hours.
- April 12: US Vice President JD Vance announces the sides have “not reached an agreement,” largely because of Iran’s refusal to abandon its nuclear program. The leader of the Iranian negotiators, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, says the US failed to gain the trust of the Iranian side. Later in the day, Trump says the ceasefire is still “holding well.”
- April 13: The US implements a blockade of Iranian ports, as a US official tells CNN that US and Iran are still engaged in talks. Trump also says that if a deal is not reached by the end of the ceasefire, “it won’t be pleasant” for Iran.
- April 17: After Iran says it will reopen the Strait of Hormuz in response to a separate ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, Trump says the US’ blockade of Iranian ports will continue until a final deal to end the war is agreed. Iran says it will close the strait again if the blockade continues.
- April 18: Iran says it is once again shutting down the Strait of Hormuz, blaming the US for “breaches of trust.” Trump says that negotiations are still ongoing but shows frustration, saying Iran “got a little cute” when closing the strait again. Ghalibaf says the US and Iran are “still far from a final agreement” in an interview with state television.
- April 19: Trump says US representatives will be traveling to Islamabad, Pakistan, for a second round of negotiations with Iran. Iranian sources familiar with the negotiations tell CNN that a delegation representing Tehran will also be traveling to Pakistan for talks, though Iranian state media reports that Iran’s presence in Islamabad is not confirmed.
- April 20: Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei says they “as of now” have “no plans for the next round of negotiations,” adding: “We don’t believe in deadlines or ultimatums to secure Iran’s national interests.” Trump says it’s “highly unlikely” he will extend the ceasefire, which he says will expire in two days time.
- April 21: Trump says he expects to continue bombing Iran if a deal to extend the ceasefire is not reached by the next day. Pakistan’s information minister says he is still trying to convince Iran to participate in talks. In the afternoon, Trump says he will extend the ceasefire until Iran submits a proposal to end the conflict permanently.
- April 22: Ghalibaf says a “complete ceasefire” would be meaningful only if it is not undermined by the US’ naval blockade. Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian reiterates this.
- April 23: Trump says he has “all the time in the world” to reach a deal to end the war, also telling reporters at the White House, “don’t rush me,” when pressed on a timetable.
- April 24: Sources tell CNN that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is expected to arrive in Islamabad in the evening. Trump administration officials also tell CNN that Trump is planning to send a US delegation to Pakistan for talks with Araghchi, but Baghaei says “no meeting is planned to take place between Iran and the US.”
- April 25: Araghchi meets with Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad, then leaves the country in the evening. Trump says he has canceled the US delegation’s scheduled trip to Pakistan, due to “infighting” among Iran’s leadership.
- April 27: Iran’s state media Fars reports that Araghchi gave a list of Iran’s “red lines” to be conveyed to the US during his trip to Pakistan. A source familiar with the matter tells CNN that Iran has put forward a new proposal that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz but leaves the state of talks on key US demands unclear. Sources tell CNN that Trump signaled he is not likely to accept the new proposal.
CNN’s Aileen Graef, Kit Maher, Sophia Saifi, Lauren Said-Moorhouse, Sophie Tanno, Kevin Liptak, Tim Lister, Aida Karimi, Riane Lumer, Alayna Treene, Elise Hammond, Nadeen Ebrahim, Adam Pourahmadi, Donald Judd, Alejandra Jaramillo, Mitchell McCluskey, Betsy Klein, Mohammed Tawfeeq, Nic Robertson, Max Saltman and Lex Harvey contributed to this reporting.
Five jailed for life in Bahrain over Iran collaboration charges
Five people in Bahrain have been sentenced to life in prison after being found guilty of carrying out “terrorist and hostile acts” for Iran, according to the state-run Bahrain News Agency.
Bahrain’s High Criminal Court issued the life-sentence verdict on Tuesday in two separate cases, sentencing two Afghans in one – and three Bahrainis in another, while acquitting a sixth defendant.
Authorities said the Afghans were recruited to assist Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in monitoring and photographing key facilities in Bahrain in exchange for money.
In the second case, three Bahraini citizens were accused of carrying out similar surveillance of vital installations on behalf of the IRGC.
“The Public Prosecution affirms that the crime of collaborating with foreign entities hostile to the Kingdom of Bahrain is among the most serious crimes affecting national security, as it enables such entities to obtain information that may be exploited in carrying out hostile acts targeting the Kingdom and its interests, state officials said.
Bahrain on Monday stripped dozens of people of their citizenship for expressing sympathy for Iran.
Regime-imposed internet blackout in Iran reaches two months, watchdog says
An internet shutdown enforced by Iran’s governing regime entered its 60th day on Tuesday, according to the monitoring group NetBlocks, locking residents into “digital darkness.”
Two months ago, authorities in Iran “cut off access to the global internet,” NetBlocks said in a post on X.
The government had previously imposed a widescale telecommunications shutdown earlier this year while unleashing the most lethal crackdown on its own people in the 47-year history of the Islamic Republic. At the time, rights advocates condemned authorities for trying to block people inside the country from revealing the scale and ferocity of atrocities to the outside world.
Now, as the economic strain of the US-Israeli war on Tehran and retaliatory strikes worsens, Iranians faced with soaring unemployment say the internet blackout has severed another potential lifeline.
One resident in her 50s, from the city of Isfahan, warned that women working from home are less able to access employment opportunities on the internet.
Somayeh, who has been teaching German online for years, told CNN, “Nothing works properly anymore.”
“The drop in income is bad, but what’s worse is this constant uncertainty. You never know what’s going to happen next,” she said.
