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Pope Leo Started His Apostolic Journey to Africa; Artemis II Astronauts Finally Reunited With Their Loved Ones After a Historic Mission. Aired 3-3:45a ET

Aired April 14, 2026 - 03:00   ET

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

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ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us from all around the world. I'm Rosemary Church, Just ahead.

A U.S. military blockade of Iranian ports is underway with apparently one tanker allowed to pass through the Strait of Hormuz just a short time ago.

Pope Leo on a four-country tour of Africa, a continent where Catholicism is growing fast.

And later, home sweet home, Artemis II astronauts return from their triumphant moon flyby to their loved ones with wise words and warm welcomes.

It is 10:00 a.m. right now in Israel, which is marking Holocaust Remembrance Day. I want to bring up these live pictures from Jerusalem, the country coming to a standstill as we wait.

Those sirens will blare. There they are in memory of the six million Jews killed by the Nazis.

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Jewish leaders will deliver remarks at a wreath-laying ceremony, and according to the "Jerusalem Post," Holocaust survivors will light memorial torches.

The Holocaust was the systematic state-sponsored persecution and murder of Jews throughout Europe from 1933 to the end of World War II in 1945. This solemn occasion is happening against the backdrop of yet another conflict in the Middle East.

Let's go to CNN's Oren Liebermann. He is following this live from Jerusalem. So, Oren, as Israel commemorates this Holocaust Remembrance Day, what is the significance of this moment?

OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN JERUSALEM BUREAU CHIEF: Well, this is one of the most solemn moments of the year, that two-minute siren wrapping up just a moment ago, and you can see the intersection right behind me here. It sort of comes back to life after that two-minute pause that you saw a moment ago.

For example, the police officer right behind us stopped on his motorbike, removed his helmet, and waited, as did the entire country. And it's not just pedestrians and people who are walking. It's on highways, on streets, on roads throughout the country.

The entire country comes to a pause. This, of course, one way of commemorating that. There's also events at the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp in Poland. It is a moment that marks what is a week of Memorial Days in Israel, ahead of the marking of Israel's Independence Day in a week.

But this is one of the most somber and significant. According to Israel's Central Bureau of Statistics, there are 110,000 Holocaust survivors alive today in Israel, an aging population in its 80s and 90s, as the world slowly loses the ability to hear those stories in the first person from the people who experienced it.

Here, once again, you see the light rail moving, the country sort of coming back to life after that two-minute siren, that somber moment for Holocaust Remembrance Day here. Rosemary?

CHURCH: And as we mentioned, of course, this happening as yet another conflict plays out in the Middle East. How does that change this month?

LIEBERMANN: It adds meaning to it for Israelis here, certainly the Jewish population here, about how significant it is. There have been a number of studies recently. They often come out right around this time on Holocaust Remembrance Day about cases of rising anti-Semitism around the world.

And that feeds into the concern here and the significance of the moment here. And I think for many, it is the importance of marking this with that two-minute siren and with that time to reflect and pause here.

CHURCH: Oren Liebermann in Jerusalem. Many thanks for that live report, I appreciate it.

All right, turning now to our main story, the U.S. military blockade on Iranian ports is entering its second day. President Donald Trump says the U.S. will sink any Iranian ships that come near the blockade.

A source told CNN the Trump administration is exploring options for a potential second round of in-person talks with Tehran before the current ceasefire expires next week. Vice President J.D. Vance, who led the U.S. delegation in the peace talks, says it's up to Iran whether the two countries will be able to strike a deal.

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(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) J.D. VANCE, U.S. VICE PRESIDENT: We must have their conclusive commitment to not develop a nuclear weapon. And I think that if the Iranians are willing to meet us there, then this can be a very good deal for both countries.

If they're not willing to meet us there, that's up to them. That's their decision. And really, the ball is very much in their court.

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CHURCH: Iran's President warns that threatening the Strait of Hormuz will have widespread consequences for the world and says Tehran will resume negotiations only under international law. Meantime, Israeli and Lebanese officials are expected to meet for direct talks in Washington in the coming hours.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will participate in those negotiations.

So let's bring in CNN's Eleni Giokos, she joins us live from Dubai. Good to see you, Eleni. So what is the latest on the U.S. Navy blockade of Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz and of course, what more are you learning about a potential second round of peace talks?

ELENI GIOKOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. So, I mean, the second round of talks, of course, is very good news, given that what we've seen transpire over the last few days after the initial talks, the first face-to-face talks in Islamabad, didn't yield any agreement.

And the sticking points still remain nuclear enrichment. We know the Iranians have come out and said that they're looking at five years moratorium on any nuclear enrichment. The United States obviously wants to see something far longer than that.

But the other big issue, Rosemary, that is plaguing the entire world, and also us here in the Gulf, is what happens with the Strait of Hormuz. The United States started its naval blockade yesterday at 10 a.m. Eastern. We're around 17 hours in.

And basically, a lot of the traffic, the little trickle we've seen since the start of the war has come to a screeching halt, apart from one incident. And this is really interesting, because this is a Chinese-owned vessel. It's now said to have tested the U.S. naval blockade, because it has passed through the Strait of Hormuz.

Let's take you through this.

This is a Rich Starry, this is a tanker said to be carrying methanol. It started moving from Sharjah, here in the UAE. Remember, a lot of these vessels turn off the AIS transponder, so you don't really know the origin of which port that they moved from.

Starting to move towards Kesham and Larak Islands, then starts aborting mission, moves back, and then starts to take that route once again, passing through the Strait in the early hours of this morning. Now, this is a tanker that has been sanctioned since March 2023 by the U.S. Treasury Department because it has links to Iran.

Now, from what we understand from experts, this tanker was able to move through completely unfazed by the U.S. naval blockade, so we don't know what exactly transpired and how the United States is enforcing this blockade. But this is really interesting to see this tanker that has links to Iran that has been sanctioned by the United States being able to move through the Strait of Hormuz at this time.

A lot of the shippers are very reticent to even make the voyage. Number one, they're worried about having to coordinate directly with the Iranians. And then number two, what will they face when they hit the U.S. naval blockade?

A lot of the shippers believe that this is a double dilemma in terms of negotiating with both sides. From what we know right now, that the United States is doing this naval blockade to perhaps start negotiations to force Iran to the negotiating table. You'll remember that a lot of the revenues that Iran is getting right now at the start of this war had to do with the toll that they were charging the shippers, Rosemary, and then importantly, the Iranian oil that was being sold.

And if you look at some of the tanker traffic since the start of the war, it has been dominated by Iranian-linked vessels and also vessels that are friendly to Iran. So the United States and President Trump has been very clear about this, that any vessels, any shippers that have paid that toll fee could face indictment.

And you have an interesting bar chart here showing just how much the traffic plummeted since the start of the war, and you've seen a trickle throughout the over 40 days that we've been facing this conflict. In total, 453 vessels have transited the strait since February 28th. And importantly, just to give you a bit of a perspective, normally 130 vessels pass through the strait on a daily basis.

The UNDP, the United Nations Development Program, says that 32 million people globally face poverty because of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, 8.8 million of which are based in Asia Pacific. So, you know, we're starting to see massive fuel shortages, an increase in fertilizer prices, increase in gas prices in the United States.

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This conflict has gone global, and of course a lot of experts are saying that the most important thing right now is trying to figure out what happens with the Strait of Hormuz and figuring out a way to bring Iran and the United States to the negotiating table to find a way forward.

CHURCH: Yes, this is being felt all around the world. Eleni Giokos bringing us that live report from Dubai. Many thanks.

For more on this, let's bring in Fawaz Gerges. He is the author of "The Great Betrayal," as well as a professor of international relations at the London School of Economics. I appreciate you joining us.

FAWAZ GERGES, PROF. OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS, LONDON SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS, AND AUTHOR, "THE GREAT BETRAYAL": Good morning, Rosemary.

CHURCH: Good to see you.

So, the U.S. Navy's blockade of Iranian ports near the Strait of Hormuz has been underway for many hours now, with around 15 warships in the region, and Iran has vowed to retaliate. So, where does this leave any potential second round of negotiations that we're hearing about?

GERGES: I think what's happening behind closed doors is as important as President Trump's threats and the blockade of Hormuz as well. It seems to me that neither side, nor the United States, nor Iran, wants renewal of hostilities.

We know very well, the Iranian leadership knows very well that President Trump faces a stiff domestic opposition. Inflation is up to 3.3 percent in the United States now. Gas prices are up, consumers are paying in the United States.

There's a great deal of opposition to the war in the United States, more than 60 percent. Even within the MAGA movement itself, midterm elections are coming very soon. So, the Iranian leadership knows very well that President Trump does not really have the luxury to really renew hostilities against Iran, and Iran itself does not really want renewal of hostilities because its economy has been devastated.

So, I think what we might see in the next few hours and next few days is the diplomatic path basically reactivated by Pakistan. So, both sides really are positioning themselves to make painful concessions, and the only way out of this particular conflict is really diplomacy.

I mean, think about it, Rosemary. President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, for five weeks, they hammered Iran relentlessly, and they failed.

They failed to either bring about regime change or to force Iran to surrender and accept Trump's conditions. So, the only alternative for President Trump is to basically meet the Iranians halfway and bring about a negotiated settlement. I hope that's what will happen in the next few days before the expiration of the ceasefire deadline.

CHURCH: And on that matter, CNN has learned that Iran proposed suspending uranium enrichment for five years as part of the peace deal talks in Islamabad, but the U.S. rejected that offer, calling instead for a 20-year suspension.

How likely is it that a compromise on this major issue can be reached, and would that, could it be a game-changer in sealing a deal? Of course, we know that Vice President J.D. Vance had said the ball is in Iran's court. So, it may have to move that number five years up a little higher.

Is that possible, do you think? Do you see that compromise? GERGES: You know, Rosemary, truly, what we have seen on the part of

Iran is that Iran has been systematically consistent in its diplomatic position. Iran made the proposal, a five-year suspension of enriched uranium in Geneva before the American-Israeli war on Iran, and Iran made, put the same proposal in Islamabad in Pakistan. Five years moratorium on enrichment, and also, Iran is willing to basically de- enrich the 60 percent uranium, which it has about 900 pounds in Iran itself.

So, I think, in a way, the Americans, President Trump proposed 20 years. I think, somehow, it could be 10 years.

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My take on it is that there is a room for a compromise, and the Iranian team has made it very clear that progress was made in Islamabad, and even J.D. Vance said on Fox News yesterday that we had some good conversation with the Iranians. So, the question really is that you're not really talking about a huge difference.

The difference, the key point, is the Strait of Hormuz. This is really it. And don't really buy what President Trump says.

For President Trump, it's the Strait of Hormuz, it's the economic pain, it's the inflation. It's the shortages in critical goods for the world economy. It's slowing down of the world economy.

And, sadly and tragically, we talk about the Strait of Hormuz, which was not even a question before the war itself, and for Iran, the Strait of Hormuz is really very critical. Why?

Because they want basically to have the American sanctions lifted, they want their frozen assets to be released, and also they want to really reconstruct Iran after the war. Just for your own viewers, Iranian leaders say that the costs of the American-Israeli war is between $300 billion and $1 trillion.

So, again, the Iranians will most likely use the Strait of Hormuz in order to really extract concessions from the United States on sanctions relief and also on frozen assets. So, there is, again, both sides could really find a way out of this deadly embrace if there is political will on the part of President Trump and the Iranian leadership.

CHURCH: Fawaz Gerges, many thanks for joining us. I appreciate your analysis on this issue.

GERGES: Thanks.

CHURCH: Well, President Trump doubles down on his criticism of Pope Leo. What's behind the feud between the White House and the Vatican? We'll take a look at that after the break, stay with us.

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CHURCH: Welcome back, everyone.

Pope Leo is making history as the first pontiff to visit the mostly Muslim country of Algeria. He's on a 10-day tour of Africa to bring attention to the needs of the continent, which is home to more than 20 percent of the world's Catholics. The Pope is planning to give 25 speeches in 11 cities in the coming days.

On Monday, he visited the Great Mosque of Algiers in an effort to strengthen dialogue between Catholics and Muslims.

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POPE LEO XIV, HEAD OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH (through translator): In a world where divisions and wars sow pain and death between nations and communities and even within families, your united and peaceful life is a powerful sign.

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CHURCH: Besides Algeria, the Pope is scheduled to visit Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea and Angola.

Meantime, President Trump is doubling down on his criticism of Pope Leo. It all started on Palm Sunday at the end of March when the Pope said Jesus doesn't listen to the prayers of those who wage war. Trump responded, calling the Pope weak on crime, terrible for foreign policy and saying the Pope did not care if Iran had a nuclear weapon.

And on Monday, reporters asked the President if he thought he should apologize. Take a listen.

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DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: No, I don't, because Pope Leo said things that are wrong. He was very much against what I'm doing with regard to Iran.

POPE LEO XIV: The things I say are certainly not meant as attacks on anyone, and the message of the Gospel is very clear, blessed are the peacemakers.

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CHURCH: The President kicked things up a notch, posting an image that appears to depict him as Jesus healing a sick man. He removed the post and explained it to reporters this way.

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TRUMP: I did post it and I thought it was me as a doctor and had to do with Red Cross, there's a Red Cross worker there which we support and only the fake news could come up with that one. So I had just heard about it and I said, how did they come up with that? It's supposed to be me as a doctor making people better and I do make people better, I make people a lot better.

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CHURCH: U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance, who is a Catholic convert, says it's totally reasonable for the Pope and the President to disagree.

Well tensions between the United States and Cuba are on the rise with both governments hardening their rhetoric in recent weeks. Cuba's President says the country is preparing for a possible invasion as economic pressure from Washington continues to build.

CNN's Patrick Oppmann has more now from Havana.

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PATRICK OPPMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Tensions continue to escalate between the United States and Cuba with Donald Trump on Monday saying that U.S. forces may stop by Cuba after they finish the war in Iran. This is only the latest time that he has essentially hinted that the U.S. could take Cuba, that there may be a military option on the table as the U.S. pushes for this island's government to open politically and economically.

Over the weekend, Miguel Diaz-Canel, Cuba's President, gave an interview that aired with NBC's "Meet the Press" where he also ramped up the rhetoric somewhat by saying that the Cuban government is planning for a U.S. invasion. If that were to happen, it would be bloody for the U.S.

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That is something he says he does not wish to see, that he's open to negotiations, but also push back on any sense that he needs to make any concessions to the U.S. either politically or economically. So it's unclear what the off-ramp is here.

In that interview, Diaz-Canel said that he would not step down as President, something that U.S. officials have hinted may be a prerequisite to any kind of deal that would allow oil to flow back in this island. Currently, the United States has blocked almost all oil shipments and only let in one Russian oil shipment, something that has caused the economy here to essentially grind to a halt.

So while Cuba's President says that he is holding firm, that he will not back down at all, that he's not giving in to U.S. pressure, certainly as the weeks go on here, this oil blockade, the situation is going increasingly dire for the Cubans being impacted.

Patrick Oppmann, CNN, Havana.

(END VIDEOTAPE) CHURCH: A powerful superstorm is sweeping through the Pacific, bringing hurricane-force winds and massive waves. We will have the details just ahead.

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CHURCH: Welcome back to "CNN Newsroom," I'm Rosemary Church. I want to check today's top stories for you.

The U.S. naval blockade on Iranian ports in the Persian Gulf is underway and President Trump warns that the U.S. will sink any Iranian ships that come near that blockade. Meantime, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has vowed to retaliate and Iran's President warns the blockade will have global consequences.

Israeli and Lebanese officials are preparing for direct talks in Washington, D.C. in the coming hours. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is also expected to join that meeting. Negotiators will discuss security guarantees along Israel's northern border and Lebanon's plan to reclaim political and territorial sovereignty.

Pope Leo is spending a second day in Algeria as part of his 10-day tour of Africa. The Pope is pushing back on criticism from President Trump over his appeal for an end to the war with Iran. He says he's not a politician and his message from the Gospel is to be a peacemaker.

Hungary's newly elected Prime Minister, Peter Magyar, is promising to root out corruption following a landmark victory over Viktor Orban on Sunday. His opposition party is now expected to gain two-thirds of the seats in Parliament. The majority could unlock the power to reverse controversial changes made under Orban's regime.

CNN's Melissa Bell has the latest from Budapest.

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MELISSA BELL, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It was a landslide victory for the people, according to Peter Magyar.

PETER MAGYAR, HUNGARIAN OPPOSITION LEADER (through translator): Together we replaced the Orban regime, together we've liberated Hungary. We took back our country.

BELL (voice-over): A fresh start, he told an ecstatic crowd after trouncing MAGA darling Viktor Orban that had been decided neither in Brussels nor in Moscow nor in Washington despite Magyar's best efforts.

VANCE: We have got to get Viktor Orban re-elected as Prime Minister of Hungary, don't we?

TRUMP (on the phone): And I love that Viktor Orban, he's a fantastic man, we've had a tremendous relationship.

BELL (voice-over): But early on Sunday night it was clear that none of the endorsements had helped.

VIKTOR ORBAN, OUTGOING HUNGRARIAN PRIME MINISTER (through translator): The election result is painful for us, but it's clear.

BELL (voice-over): So clear that tens of thousands made their way to the streets of Budapest to celebrate something they could hardly believe.

BELL: How do you feel tonight?

UNKNOWN: For too good, for too good. So, Orban, Putin, go home.

UNKNOWN: You can see all around, the people, the streets, everyone wants change.

UNKNOWN: I'm really excited because it's going to be a new thing.

UNKNOWN: I never thought this would actually happen. I've been praying for this for 16 years, so I'm super happy.

UNKNOWN: I just want to apologize for our last 16 years.

BELL: At his very first press conference on Monday, Peter Magyar vowing to act quickly. Hungary, he said, had been left indebted, robbed and devastated. He also answered this question, what his defeat of Viktor Orban might mean for movements like Magyar.

MAGYAR (through translator): I believe this is a major loss for them. Viktor Orban was their poster child, insofar as he could be. He represented this fight against Brussels.

BELL (voice-over): Budapest, he said, would also no longer finance the intellectual infrastructure of the global far right, its think tanks and learning centers like the MCC, where J.D. Vance spoke last week.

MAGYAR (through translator): I think this was a criminal offence, party financing mixed up with government expenditure. CPAC can come to Budapest, but not on Hungarian taxpayers' money.

BELL (voice-over): On Sunday, Hungarians celebrated being a part of a democratic revolution Peter Magyar says that's just the start.

Melissa Bell, CNN, Budapest.

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CHURCH: Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands are under flood warnings as a super typhoon sweeps through the Pacific. The storm is bringing powerful winds as it passes Guam, it's the first typhoon of the year in the West Pacific and one of the strongest on record, equivalent to a category 5 storm.

[03:35:10] It's expected to bring between 10 and 20 inches of rain and waves of up to 30 feet to the Northern Mariana Islands.

Still to come, their 10-day odyssey captured the world's imagination and sparked hope for future lunar missions. Now the Artemis II crew is showing us how sweet it is to be home.

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CHURCH: Welcome back to CNN, this is your Business Breakout.

Let's start with a check of the Asia-Pacific markets at this hour. You can see all in positive territory. The Nikkei and KOSPI both up more than 2 percent.

And now to the business headlines.

Economists estimate the war with Iran could cost countries in the Asia-Pacific hundreds of billions of dollars. The U.N. Development Program says the rising costs of transportation, electricity and food could plunge millions into poverty. Experts say President Trump's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz will only exacerbate the problem, not just threatening fuel supplies but all maritime trade.

The war with Iran has directly affected China's exports. Economists say they fell sharply in March, missing forecasts. Exports hit a five- month low as the war interrupted growing demand for A.I.-driven technology, imports rose nearly 28 percent, hitting the highest level since November 2021.

A federal judge has thrown out President Trump's defamation lawsuit against the "Wall Street Journal." The President sued the Journal over a story about an off-color birthday greeting to Jeffrey Epstein that appears to have been signed by Trump. The judge says Trump failed to allege that the journal acted with actual malice, President Trump says he will file an amended complaint.

It is home sweet home for the four astronauts whose history-making flight around the world inspired the world -- around the moon, I should say, inspired the world. And they're sharing those poignant moments with the rest of us.

Pilot Victor Glover arrived home to a hero's welcome. His entire neighborhood turned out to celebrate his safe return from space.

Astronaut Christina Koch shared this video of her dog Sadie absolutely losing it with delight over her return home. Koch, writing on Instagram, "I'm still pretty sure I was the happier side of this reunion." She also posted this video showing her splashing around with Sadie on the beach.

These images offer a powerful reminder, of course, that as remarkable as these missions are, there is no place like home.

I want to thank you so much for your company, I'm Rosemary Church. Have yourselves a wonderful day. "World Sport" is coming up next.

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