Behind the Scenes: CNN’s new virtual reality TV studio | May 4, 2026

What's up, sunshine? From iron ladies to global conflicts, electric revolutions to skate park transformations. May the fourth be with you and let's get this show on the road with a little on this day. In 1979, history got a new headline and a whole lot tougher. Margaret Thatcher became the first female prime minister of the United Kingdom, earning the nickname the iron lady for her personal and political toughness. She didn't just break barriers, she bulldozed them, becoming the first PM of the 20th century to win three straight terms. During her first term, Thatcher led Britain through the Faulland's war in 1982, a conflict with Argentina, a territorial dispute over the Faulland Islands. She also built a powerful partnership with US President Ronald Reagan, two leaders aligned in ideology and influence during a tense cold war era. But leadership at her level is never without political controversy. Thatcher cut government subsidies to businesses, which helped reshape the economy, but also led to rising unemployment. She also introduced a controversial pole tax, a move so divisive that it led to rioting in the streets and her eventual ouster as prime minister. By 1990, after more than a decade in power, Thatcher was forced to resign following a leadership struggle within her own party. Thatcher passed away in 2013 at the age of 87. But the iron lady's legacy lives on. She paved the way for Terresa May and Liz Truss, who also became PMS, reaching Britain's highest political office. An update now about Russia's war with Ukraine, where the battlefield isn't just about territory, but also long-term consequences. Russian officials say a Ukrainian drone attack last week sparked a major fire at an oil refinery in a Black Sea port city. Ukraine confirming the strike, the third in less than two weeks. Russia's president condemning the attack even as Russian forces continue targeting Ukraine's energy systems. Our Clare Sebastian has more on the devastating environmental effects unfolding in the aftermath. This is the aftermath of a strike Ukraine says it carried out Tuesday on a Russian oil refinery to say on Russia's Black Sea coast already the scene of an unfolding environmental disaster after two previous attacks on the same refinery over the past 2 weeks. CNN has verified this footage showing oil has already leaked into the Towaps River and the Black Sea. This satellite image from Sunday shows traces of oil reaching at least 50 kilometers from the shore, according to CNN's analysis. Here you see the black residue on the beach. And heavy rain last week turned toxic, residents reported, blanketing cars and streets in oily grime. >> This is oil, says this girl, showing off her dirty hands. It's everywhere. Local officials say the cleanup is happening around the clock, but volunteers are also mobilizing. Several reporting a lack of coordination and a slow response by authorities. President Putin has now dispatched the head of the emergencies ministry to coordinate the fire response. No mention by the Kremlin of the environmental consequences or potential risks to health. In the race for the future of driving, one country says it can leave the US in its rear view mirror. China's BYD, the world's largest electric car company, says it's pushing ahead. Even with US tariffs and restrictions keeping its vehicles largely off American roads. But here's the twist. From battery tech to affordability, some experts say there might be lessons worth watching from overseas. Here's our Simone McCarthy from the Beijing Auto Show. The Chinese car manufacturer seems to have cracked the code on producing affordable batteries for electric vehicles and now sells more EVs than any other company. But thanks to Washington's heavy restrictions on Chinese automakers, US consumers won't be able to buy a BYD anytime soon. Without the US market, BYD is still will be the leading position. >> You're confident? >> Very confidence. A quick look at the numbers tells you why BYD feels so secure. It bested Tesla in global EV sales last year. Even without access to the world's largest economy, the US government has effectively barred Chinese EV makers from importing their cars into the country, eyeing their expansion as a threat to domestic production and national security. BYD needs its overseas growth to offset fierce competition in its home market. BYD, right? They were flying up until 2024 and then 25 so far this year, they've had a lot of pressure. >> The company reported its first annual profit drop in 4 years in 2025 amid a brutal price war and its net profit more than have yearon-year in the first quarter of 2026. Its answer to driving forward tech, including super fast charging. Batteries that can charge from 20% to 97% in 12 minutes, even in cold temperatures. BYD is also racing car makers globally to develop more advanced assisted driving systems and investing in hardware and software to roll that out. >> This will make us more powerful in the future when the AI more mature. 10 second trivia. What early virtual reality technology included smells and wind effects? Oculus Rift, Sensorama, PlayStation VR, or smell vision? Sensorama. Ding ding. Built in the 1950s, the Sensorama was a large arcade style machine you sat inside. Cool, but a far cry away from the CGI and immersive technology used in movies, video games, and even the news. Welcome to CNN World Headquarters here in Atlanta, Georgia. This is Studio G, where I host CNN World Sport. We've got you covered. I'm Koi Wire. This is World Sport. 30 minutes of moments that make jaws drop and hearts race. Pretty snazzy, right? Well, if you haven't noticed, there's a secret. I'm actually standing in a TV studio that's green. Everything around me, the walls, the lights, the motion, even the screens are created by a powerful computer system running something called Unreal Engine. The same kind of technology used to make video games. Listen, before I ever step on set, a team designs a digital sports world. Kind of like creating a level of a video game. They design backgrounds, lighting, video screens, and animations. All of that lives inside the computer. The cameras filming me don't just record video. They also send information to the computer where the camera is, how it moves, when it zooms or pans. So when the camera moves, the virtual background moves with it, making it feel real. That's why it looks like I'm actually inside the scene. And behind the scenes, operators use real buttons, not keyboards, to control everything. One button might change the background, switch the lighting, bring up a graphic, or move us to an entirely new location in this enormous room. It all happens live while I'm talking to you. My job, focus on the story. The computer is updating the scene. The cameras and graphics are staying perfectly in sync. If everything works out right, you don't even notice the technology, just the story. So, my job is fairly easy compared to the rest of my team. The main thing is I have to remember never wear green. Anything green will display whatever the computer is putting out. So if I'm wearing a green suit or a shirt or bodysuit, this is what we get. Pretty cool. Oh man. Woo. I'm the head of my class. So when I'm long and gone someday and some of you come to take my job, remember, never wear green. Speaking of long and gone, see you. Today's story getting a 10 out of 10 is flipping expectations literally. A group of skaters in Bristol, England is wheelie taking advantage of unused spaces, transforming them into something totally rad. Campus skateboarding is an organization carving out community spaces through skateboard culture. They have three venues, including a former swimming pool and now this abandoned mall that is scheduled to be demolished. The skate park's founders say this temporary space lets them connect and get creative. >> When else are you going to get a chance to a skateboard in an old department store, but then b actually skate what was an escalator. I mean, I don't think that exists anywhere in the world. >> Aside from kick flipping, you can play pool and table tennis. Basically, it's a place you'll never uh get bored of. All right, young Jedi. Shout out to Miss Green at Cherokee High School in Cherokee, Alabama. We got some very kind emails from your students about all you do for them. Keep uplifting and inspiring. And this shout out goes to Mrs. Lancaster, Ramos, Gerrier, Warner, Peekom, and Danahue, and all of our patriots at Portsmith Middle School in Portsouth, Rhode Island. Rise up, sunshine. And just like that, our broadcast jumps to hyperdrive. Remember, you don't need the force uh to make an impact. Just some curiosity, courage, kindness, and a willingness to learn. Go out and make today a 10 out of 10. I'm Koi Wire, and may the fourth be with you.