Return to Transcripts main page

One World with Zain Asher

Trump Says Venezuela "Would Like To Talk" Amid Rising Tensions; Soon: U.K. To Unveil Significant Changes To Asylum Policy; Macron Hosts Zelenskyy For Signing Of Air Defense Deal; Iran's Deputy PM: Iran Will Defend Our National Security; Trump Changes Course, Tells House Republicans To Vote For Release; One-Fourth Of U.S. Women Skip Prenatal Visits In First Trimester; Tennis Icon Billie Jean King Learning And Inspiring At 81; Aired 12-1p ET

Aired November 17, 2025 - 12:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:00:34]

LYNDA KINKADE, CNN ANCHOR: Discussions with Venezuela could be on the way, but that didn't stop the Americans from sending the world's largest

aircraft carrier to the Caribbean. The second hour of "One World" starts right now.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We may be having some discussions with Maduro and we'll see how that turns out. They would like -

- they would like to talk.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KINKADE: Will Donald Trump attack cartels inside Venezuela? Sources tell us, he hasn't made up his mind on that yet.

Also ahead, complete overhaul, this hour, Britain is set to announce huge changes to its asylum and refugee system. What the changes are and why

they're being called the most significant in years.

Plus.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BILLIE JEAN KING, FORMER AMERICAN TENNIS PLAYER: We still have so far to go. I mean, we haven't even had a woman president in the United States yet.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KINKADE: The woman, the myth, and the legend, tennis legend, of course, we're talking about Billie Jean there on her legacy, women in sport and why

she is trading the tennis court for the classroom.

Live from Atlanta, I'm Lynda Kinkade. Great to be with you. Zain and Bianna are off today. And you're watching the second hour of "One World."

And we begin in Washington where the window of border diplomacy may be opening even as tensions escalate between the U.S. and Venezuela. White

House officials say President Donald Trump hasn't yet decided on whether to launch a military attack inside of the South American nation. But he is

sending clear signals that he might be placing an enormous amount of firepower on Venezuela's coast.

On Sunday, America's largest most advanced aircraft carrier moved into Caribbean waters. Hours later, the State Department announced it would

designate a Venezuelan drug cartel the U.S. claims is run by President Nicolas Maduro as a terrorist organization.

Trump has signaled that he could attack cartels on the sea and on the land. Something he has said he would not need congressional approval for.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: I said, go to Congress and let them know. We're not letting drugs come through Mexico. We're not letting them come through Venezuela and let

Congress know about it. We don't have to get their approval, but I think letting them know is good.

The only thing I don't want them to do is leak information that's very important and confidential and may put our -- our military at risk.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KINKADE: That same day, they're going to announce the 21st strike against alleged drug trafficking boats without providing any evidence. It all comes

as Maduro made what appears to be a direct appeal to the White House on Saturday.

(MUSIC)

The U.S. president is suggesting that Venezuela wants to talk. CNN's Kylie Atwood joins me now live from Washington. Good to see you, Kylie.

So if the president has said that he sort of made up his mind on Venezuela and what to do after those high-level national security briefings, has the

Pentagon been informed of any decision and any possible operation?

KYLIE ATWOOD, CNN U.S. SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: No. The Pentagon has not been informed in terms of President Trump's decision as to whether the

Trump administration is going to move forth with strikes inside Venezuela and against the Maduro regime, specifically.

What we do know is that President Trump was briefed last week on some of what those -- what those targets could actually look like. And then he said

over the late last week that he had sort of made up his decision over which direction he was headed here.

But then, notably on Sunday, as you played there, he also said that President Maduro is interested in talks with the United States.

What we don't know about the -- this potential diplomatic opening that he is referencing is who from the United States could lead these potential

talks. We know that Rick Grenell had been in touch with the Maduro regime in recent months, but the White House had cut off those conversations

earlier this fall.

And we don't know what the timing looks like for those conversations, whether or not the Trump administration is putting a hard deadline on the

Maduro regime for some sort of substantive offer that could fend off potential U.S. strikes inside of Venezuela, which comes as the U.S.

military is building off its presence in the region considerably. Of course, most notably last week with the arrival of the largest U.S.

aircraft carrier to the region.

[12:05:27]

And, of course, Kylie, there are a lot of critics and people raising the alarm bells over the potential problems, especially when you -- when it

comes to legal issues of striking inside of Venezuela.

What are your sources telling you about the sort of concerns raised by lawmakers about the legal justification for these sort of attacks?

ATWOOD: Yes. So what we know is that the administration already drafted and put together its legal justification that they've used for, through the

office -- excuse me, the Department of Justice, for the strikes that we have seen carried out against these drug boats.

And that is based on the fact that they believe that those drug boats pose an imminent threat to the United States, therefore, the U.S. is legally

justified in taking military action against them.

What we don't know is what they would use as the legal justification for going after strikes on land inside of Venezuela. They did just yesterday

designate one of these cartels in Venezuela as a foreign terrorist organization, enabling them to take action financially against that

terrorist organization. They believe it also allows them to take military action.

But when you talk to experts in this space, they say that designation does not give them the authority to carry out military strikes against that

cartel.

KINKADE: Interesting. Kylie Atwood, great to have you there in Washington, D.C. for us. Thanks very much.

We are going to stay on this story and get some regional analysis now. Eric Farnsworth is a senior associate with the Americas Program at the Center

for Strategic and International Studies. He joins us now from McLean, Virginia. Great to have you with us.

ERIC FARNSWORTH, SENIOR ASSOCIATE, AMERICAS PROGRAM AT THE CENTER FOR STRATEGIC AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES: Thanks, Lynda. It's great to be with

you.

So the world's largest aircraft carrier, along with 15,000 troops and dozens of other U.S. Navy vessels are now in the Caribbean. They've been

deployed. It's been described as the biggest military buildup, you know, of U.S. arsenal since any time in this century, really.

How significant is this display of force and what message is it sending?

FARNSWORTH: I think it's really significant. As you say, it's the largest buildup this century, certainly in the Caribbean and in the Western

Hemisphere. We haven't seen anything like it since the U.S. invasion of Panama in 1989.

And the signal that it's sending, I believe, is that the Trump administration is serious about enforcing the elections from July of 2024,

which clearly indicated that Edmundo Gonzalez should be the next president of Venezuela. Nicolas Maduro, who's the de facto leader, doesn't want to

leave. And I think the Trump administration is showing that it's willing to use force, if necessary, to -- to get them to depart.

KINKADE: You've certainly said, Eric, that the status quo right now in Venezuela is not sustainable. Can you elaborate for us on the political and

military pressures that make action increasingly likely in the new term?

FARNSWORTH: Yes. I think there is a window probably going through November 24 or shortly thereafter. That's the date that the designation of the

Cartel de los Soles as an international terrorist organization would come into force.

But you also have the reality that with a massive military buildup off the coast of Venezuela, the largest and most modern U.S. aircraft carrier or

carrier strike group, any number of supporting vessels and 15,000 U.S. troops over flights of the region by B1 bombers and B2 bombers, et cetera,

and others.

You have a massive, costly effort that is being directed at a country. And you can't keep all those assets on the station forever. They are needed

elsewhere in the world as well. And so from that perspective, there's almost a use of the lose-it-type -- type scenario.

But also in Venezuela itself, you have an increasingly oppressive leader, Nicolas Maduro, who is clamping down on his own citizens. You have one

quarter of the population has already left the country and -- and more are -- are doing so on a daily basis. Inflation may be returning to the

country.

So you really have a -- a confluence of events here that would indicate that if something's going to happen, it's probably pretty soon.

KINKADE: And, Eric, you've spoken about decapitation strikes, snatch-and- grab operations and attacks on drug labs and trafficking routes. How feasible are these tactics and what legal or ethical considerations might

the U.S. face in carrying them out?

[12:10:11]

FARNSWORTH: Well, they're all feasible. The question is, will they be effective? And I think nobody can really know that until, you know, what

the plans actually are. And -- and then once they're executed, what happens?

It would be potentially messy. Venezuela is a -- a very large country. Much of the country is inhabited, unsettled. And you do have any number of drug

traffickers and frankly, guerrillas, cross-border guerrillas like the (inaudible) camped in Venezuela for years. And so it would be a -- a

complicated effort.

I'm not a lawyer, so the legalities, I can't really speak to other than to say that the administration, by designating these activities as drug

trafficking activities, as international terrorism activities, that it has the authority to -- to go after the -- the regime.

I would make one other point though, and that is that there are a range of options on the table and you've just articulated a number of them.

But it's interesting that given the buildup of military assets, this does seem to be what's really causing the Maduro regime to seek some sort of

negotiations as a way out.

We saw this effort, this type of model happened in 1994 in Haiti where a buildup of U.S. forces off the coast of Haiti led to the -- the exile of

the then leader. That could be an option here for Venezuela, but I would hasten to say that it wouldn't just be Mr. Maduro who would have to leave,

but also the leading members of the junta.

You can't just have him go and have the regime remain in place. That would not be a solution to the current crisis.

KINKADE: All right. Plenty to discuss. We will continue the conversation. Eric Farnsworth, great to get your perspective. Thanks very much.

FARNSWORTH: Looking -- looking forward to it. Thanks a lot.

KINKADE: Well, this hour, all eyes are on the U.K. as it unveils a massive overhaul to its immigration policy. In about 30 minutes, the U.K.'s home

secretary set to announce major changes for immigrants and refugees that will include attempts at curbing illegal boat crossings from France by fast

tracking deportations and quadrupling the wait time for permanent resident status to 20 years for refugees.

It comes his pressure and criticism increased from the popular far right Reform party and after a summer of anti-immigration protests outside asylum

hotels.

We're joining us now from London is CNN's Anna Cooban. Good to have you with us. So take us through this asylum policy and these dramatic changes.

ANNA COOBAN, CNN BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS REPORTER: Yes, Lynda. Well, this is the most significant change to U.K. asylum policy in modern times. And

you've really got this two-pronged approach. You've got that on the one hand this quadrupling of the amount of time it now takes someone to reach a

settled status from five to 20 years.

And along that path, along those two decades, you've got various review points where if someone is deemed to come from a country that is now

thought to be safe, they can be sent back. And then you've got changes to financial benefits.

So if you're an asylum seeker that has the right to work, is deemed capable of supporting themselves, you'll have housing benefits weekly allowances

taken away from you.

Now, the U.K.'s redrawing inspiration from Denmark. This is a country with some of the strictest asylum rules in Europe. Their path to settle status

is eight years. The U.K. has gone well beyond that to 20 years.

And the kind of backdrop to all of this is what you've mentioned there. This is not happening in a vacuum. There's a very febrile anti-immigrant --

a lot of anti-immigrant sentiment in the U.K. at the moment.

And the ruling Labour Party is trying to seem tough on immigration, but also crucially not lose support from the wing of its party, of its voter

base that are very progressive. And are looking at these changes and many criticizing them for being too draconian and lacking in compassion.

KINKADE: All right. Anna Cooban, we will continue to follow this story. Thanks to you very much.

You're watching -- well, you will be watching the welcome of the Ukrainian president. There he is, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who is being received in an

airbase outside of Paris.

He is, of course, being hosted there by the president of France, Emmanuel Macron, the two leaders signed an agreement that would strengthen Ukraine's

air defenses. And this is what Mr. Zelenskyy says is in the deal.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): First, Ukraine may receive 100 Rafale F4 aircrafts and very powerful French

radars, eight air defense systems, six launchers.

For some, these are technical details, but for us, they are important. Each launcher protects lives, which is very important.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KINKADE: The aircraft you're looking at right there is the Rafale fighter jet, one of the many that Ukraine will be receiving as part of this

agreement. According to the French military, it's capable of carrying out long-range bombing, as well as dog fighting tasks.

[12:15:10]

Well, a Polish train track that was used to transport aid to Ukraine has been destroyed in what Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk says is an act of

sabotage.

An explosive device blew up the track some day with destruction also identified along the same route. No injuries have been reported. The Polish

Prime Minister said on X that the railway itself is crucially important for transporting aid to Ukraine and also added that the perpetrators would be

caught without saying who they are.

For more on this attack and the latest from Zelenskyy's meeting with Macron, here's a report from CNN's Clare Sebastian.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: There was a major show of support for Ukraine's president in Paris on Monday. President Zelenskyy greeted at an

airbase just outside Paris with French-made heavy weapons displayed on the tarmac, including the Rafale fighter jet.

And the two leaders in that spot signed a letter of intent for Ukraine to be able to purchase up to 100 of those jets by 2035. Now, clearly, this was

the first time they've been supplied in this war and it was both in terms of substance and symbolism, a very welcome moment for Zelenskyy as Russia

escalates attacks.

Not only on the eastern front but now stepping up attacks in the southern Zaporizhzhia region which has been a relatively stable part of the front

line as well as escalating aerial attacks on Ukraine's energy grid.

And, of course, as President Zelenskyy's credibility at home has been tested by a massive corruption scandal. He spent the weekend announcing a

major overhaul of the energy sector involved in that corruption scandal, including new leadership at three state-owned energy companies.

Now, President Macron of France did address this but struck a relatively supportive tone. The path to the European Union will be demanding. It will

require deep efforts and reforms, especially in terms of the rule of law, transparency, governance and the fight against corruption.

I trust the determination of the Ukrainian people to carry this out. And I trust President Zelenskyy to do so.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEBASTIAN: Well, Zelenskyy and Macron agreed on future aid. Poland Monday was grappling with the result of what it said was a deliberate attack to a

key railroad used to transport aid into Ukraine.

Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk describing the damage to the track between the capital Warsaw and Lublin as an unprecedented act of sabotage.

Now, Poland has not explicitly blamed Russia for this incident, but it is the latest in a series of sabotage incidents and airspace incursions that

has put European governments on high alert.

Clare Sebastian, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KINKADE: Iran says its nuclear program is still intact but damaged five months after the U.S. and Israel carried out strikes against three of its

facilities.

President Trump initially claimed the Fordow nuclear facility had been obliterated and U.S. intelligence assessments later suggested that Iran's

nuclear program may have only been set back by about two years.

CNN's Frederik Pleitgen sat down with Iran's deputy prime minister. Take a listen for this exclusive interview.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SAEED KHATIBZADEH, IRANIAN DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER: If the other side accept the logic of compromise, the logic of negotiation, and which is give and

take, and -- and -- and abandon the -- some delusions that they do have and -- and abandon this tendency to achieve whatever they couldn't achieve

through military campaign, through any sort of political or diplomatic means, then we think within the framework of what Grand Ayatollah Khamenei

said, we can move on.

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Are you already rebuilding your nuclear program? And is it going to be as strong as it was

before?

KHATIBZADEH: The nuclear program, the peaceful nuclear program is intact as -- as we are speaking. Yes, they have attacked. They have ruined many of

our, you know, infrastructure, machineries, you know, buildings, but the program is very much based on our indigenous knowledge, very much spread

across our country which is a huge country, 90 million people, 1,600,000 square meter country.

And this country is not a country that you can bomb and then -- and then think that, you know, you are going to ruin everything.

This is a science and this is a knowledge and this is a know-how that we actually possess and we are going to be protecting that.

PLEITGEN: Does that mean expanding and strengthening your missile program?

KHATIBZADEH: A battle of repair and recovery started the moment that ceasefire happened. The battle of repair and recovery happened in Tel Aviv

by receiving thousands of shipments full of military equipments from United States and NATO members.

And also, we started our battle of repair and recovery. Our aim was to prevent another war. The other side, you know, aim was to be -- being

prepared for another war.

So we think that, you know, any means of defense, legitimate means of defense should be -- should be boosted by Iran because no country on earth

compromise on its national security and Iran is not an exception.

[12:20:10]

What is your message then to the Trump administration as it looks the situation in the Middle East? What would you say to them as far as dealing

with -- with Iran?

KHATIBZADEH: Iran -- Iran is the oldest living continuous civilization on earth. I repeat, Iran is the oldest living civilization on earth. This

country and this nation is master of survival and master, you know, of just conquering all the turbulences and all that -- and all -- and all ups and

downs.

The language that we -- we respond is the language of respect and equal footing. And I think this is the language that based on which we can talk

to other side even if there are those aggressors.

PLEITGEN: President Trump said that the U.S. is now in wars to win them. Are there people in Iran who think at the higher level that Iran must

rethink its stance on nuclear weapons?

KHATIBZADEH: We are a member of IAEA, even after all these, you know, atrocities and crimes that President Trump and his administration did by

bombing over U.N. -- U.N. safeguard peaceful nuclear facilities, we decided not to withdraw from NPT, the Non-Proliferation Treaty.

And you know that this is why Israelis, by processing hundreds of nuclear warheads, they are not actually part of the Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Why Iran is as decided to remain in the realm of NPT, because Iran is very clear about this peaceful nuclear program. Not only we do have, you know, a

platform by -- by our leader, Grand Ayatollah Khamenei, but also in our doctrine.

But the only thing that we are following is peaceful nuclear program and also legitimate military program to defend our national interest and our

national security.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KINKADE: Thanks to Frederik Pleitgen for that interview.

Well, still come, the women who say they were abused by Jeffrey Epstein have a message they want Congress to hear.

Plus, the man who accosted Ariana Grande at the second "Wicked" movie premiere in Singapore faces consequences.

And she's back. How London is paying tribute to quirky literary character Bridget Jones in a way only London can.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KINKADE: Well, Donald Trump has done an about-face and is now urging congressional Republicans to vote in favor of the release of the Epstein

files. The House is expected to vote on releasing all government documents connected to Jeffrey Epstein tomorrow. Trump still says this whole thing is

a democratic hoax that he says the Republican Party needs to move on.

[12:25:13]

The Republican representative who has been pushing for the vote says, he expects that as many as 100 of his party members to join Democrats in

approving the release.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. THOMAS MASSIE (R-KY): I am winning this week with Ro Khanna. We're forcing this vote and it's going to happen.

I would remind my Republican colleagues who are deciding how to vote. Donald Trump can protect you in red districts right now by giving you an

endorsement. But in 2030, he's not going to be the president and you will have voted to protect pedophiles if you don't vote to release these files

and the president can't protect you then. This -- this vote, the record of this vote, will last longer than Donald Trump's presidency.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KINKADE: And with House vote looming, several women who survived Epstein's abuse have put out a new appeal making a powerful plea to Congress to

finally release the files.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There are about a thousand of us.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's time to bring the secrets out of the shadows. It's time to shine a light into the darkness.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KINKADE: CNN's Annie Grayer is on Capitol Hill today and joins us now.

So, how soon will the House vote on this? And what more are you hearing about Donald Trump's a U-turn on this to support this vote?

ANNIE GRAYER, CNN SENIOR REPORTER: So the House is going to vote on Tuesday. We're not exactly sure on what time. But we are expecting a large

number of House Republicans to vote for this, as we just heard from Republican Congressman Thomas Massie who's helped lead this effort as many

as a hundred Republicans.

And that's very different than the four Republicans who were the -- were only ones publicly supporting us up until last week. There were four

Republicans who signed on to a petition that forced this floor vote to happen that made it possible.

And up until the 218 signature on the petition was -- was made, there was a pressure campaign from the White House, from House Republican leaders, from

Trump allies, trying to take one of those names off to prevent this effort from getting a floor vote.

But once those 218 signatures were reached, there really was no turning back. And the Speaker decided to schedule a vote for this quickly. That's

why we're seeing it on Tuesday. And as many as a hundred Republicans could vote for it.

But then it goes over to the Republican-controlled Senate. They've largely kept their powder dry on this issue. This issue has mostly been focused on

in the House. And it's going to be a huge question of where Republican senators fall on this.

Does this bill just die in the Senate or do Republican senators take it up? Does the president calling for the release of the files now give more

Republican senators cover to vote for it? And then from there, we'll have to go to President Trump's desk where he would sign it.

Now, House Republicans are hoping that so many Republicans will vote for it, that it will create what's called a veto-proof majority, that Trump

could not veto this, could not prevent the release of all the Epstein files from the Justice Department. But we're going to have to see how many

Republicans in both the House and the Senate vote for it, how quickly it's taken up in the Senate.

But Tuesday's vote is a really significant moment because as we have seen this entire Congress this entire year so far, House Republicans have been

in lockstep with the president from the beginning and really not rebuked him at all.

So for so many Republicans to come out tomorrow and vote to release -- vote for have the Department of Justice release all the Epstein files, really is

a stunning and rare moment for the Republican Party in -- in Donald Trump's second term.

KINKADE: And so if it does get through the House, then through the Senate and all the way to Donald Trump's desk, is he going to publicly commit that

large parts of the Epstein files won't be redacted?

GRAYER: Well, we don't know if that is going to happen, but surely, instead of all those steps that you just laid out, at any point the Department of

Justice or the president could just call for all the release of the files.

It doesn't necessarily have to go through Congress. So because that wasn't happening, because the Department of Justice wasn't releasing every Epstein

file that they had, it had to go through this. It had to go through Congress this way.

So we'll see if it passes the House, if we are very much expecting to do, then in the Senate what happens there? We know that Republican leader John

Thune is not going to say his plan on this until it passes the House on Tuesday.

And then what -- so once it clears both of those steps, the president is going to have to make a decision. Is he going to ignore the vote of

Congress? Or how is he going to come down on this? That is the big open question right now.

KINKADE: All right. Annie Grayer on Capitol Hill. Thanks very much.

The social media influencer who lunged over a barricade to grab Ariana Grande at a film premiere has been sentenced to nine days behind bars. Take

a look at this video.

A 26-year-old Johnson Wen rushing towards the "Wicked" star at the premiere in Singapore. She appeared visibly shaken by the altercation and thankfully

was not physically harmed.

[12:30:07]

But reports say he has pleaded guilty to one charge of being a public nuisance during last week's event when has a history of disrupting high-

profile public events, according to "New York Times" reporting.

Well, still to come, doctors are sounding the alarm after a new report shows a dangerous growing trend among pregnant women in the U.S.

Also ahead, she is a legendary tennis star who has transcended the game, but Billie Jean King says, she has some unfinished business and is still

going strong at 81. Her secret?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KING: I feel fantastic. And the reason I feel great is because I hit tennis balls all the time. And that really makes a big difference.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KINKADE: Welcome back to "One World." Zain and Bianna are off today. I'm Lynda Kinkade. Good to be with you.

A growing trend for expected mothers in the U.S. is putting themselves and their babies at risk skipping pre-natal visits in the first 12 weeks of

pregnancy.

A new report from the March of Dimes shows that only about 75 percent of babies last year were born to mothers who started pre-natal care in the

first trimester. The report says access to medical care may be a driving factor as more than a third of counties in the United States do not have an

OB/GYN, a family physician, or even a certified nurse midwife.

CNN health reporter Jacqueline Howard explains.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[12:35:09]

JACQUELINE HOWARD, CNN HEALTH REPORTER: It's estimated about a quarter of women in the United States are not beginning prenatal care in their first

trimester and this marks an ongoing trend. It's the fourth straight year in a row that we're seeing this decline in early prenatal care.

Now, there are several reasons why this is happening. Doctors I've talked to tend to point to three major factors. One is simply having insurance

coverage. Many patients may not have coverage for that initial prenatal care visit, or they may need the time to work out how much of the care will

be covered, especially if they're on Medicaid.

A second factor is having access to a doctor. Some women live in places that are called maternity care deserts, where there may be no provider in

their area to even give that prenatal care. Some women may have to drive for over an hour or two to even see a doctor, or they may have to take a

significant amount of time off of work.

And so just having that access to a physician can be a barrier for them. We also know here in the United States, we're seeing a growing physician

shortage, where there are fewer doctors available for patients to see.

A third factor that may be playing a role here is tied to fear. Some women may fear seeing a doctor early in pregnancy in case they miscarry in that

first trimester. And if they live in a state with strict abortion laws, they worry how those laws may impact their access to care.

There are also some women who may be a part of immigrant or undocumented families, and they may be hesitant to have that contact with the medical

care system.

So these are all different stories and different experiences I've heard from providers. But the bottom line, delaying prenatal care can be risky.

It's incredibly important for women to start care early in pregnancy, because then physicians can identify whether the patient is at high risk of

complications.

These are complications like preterm birth. And we already know the United States has a high preterm birth rate of 10.4 percent.

In the March of Dimes report, the nonprofit actually gives the United States a D plus grade on its report card for having a high preterm birth

rate. So that's one reason why seeing a doctor early is incredibly important to reduce those risks of complications, which can impact both mom

and baby.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KINKADE: Our thanks to Jacqueline Howard.

Well, she is one of the most celebrated tennis players in history, breaking barriers both on and off the tennis court. But Billie Jean King is not

content to rest on her laurels. At 81, she has another ace up her sleeve. She's returned to college. Icon sat down with CNN's Sports' Don Riddell.

Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Billie Jean King.

DON RIDDELL, CNN WORLD SPORT (voice-over): You'd never guess it, but the tennis icon, Billie Jean King, is now 81, and she's not slowing down just

yet.

KING: I feel fantastic. And the reason I feel great is because I hit tennis balls all the time. That really makes a big difference.

At my age, you have to do something to keep moving.

RIDDELL (voice-over): King has seen and done it all. And yet, she says there is still some unfinished business. After a hiatus of six decades,

she's back at Cal State University, hoping to graduate in May.

KING: Lately, in the last few years, I'm going, you know what? I should finish. And I was a history major. Of course, in those days, women didn't

have very many opportunities on what to major in. But I do love history. I think that's how you help shape the future.

RIDDELL: How do you think it feels for your professors to be teaching someone who themselves has contributed so much towards the history that I

guess they're now teaching?

KING: I don't know what they think, to be honest. They're being very strict. They're not giving me any breaks, I can tell you that, which is

good.

RIDDELL (voice-over): Thirty-nine grand slam titles across singles, doubles, and mixed doubles ranks Billie Jean King as one of the best ever

tennis players. But it was her creation of the Women's Tennis Association and her fight for equality that saw her transcend the game.

However, King says her academic resume isn't the only work in progress.

KING: I come a long way, but we have a long way to go. We still have so far to go. I mean, we -- we haven't even had a woman president in the United

States yet. I mean, that's pathetic.

RIDDELL (voice-over): Now, in her ninth decade, the fire inside of her is as ferocious as ever.

KING: I don't think you can understand inclusion, really, until you've been excluded.

RIDDELL (voice-over): Her partnership with the Elf beauty cosmetics brand is focusing on opportunity and equality, just as many women's sports are

now exploding in popularity.

[12:40:04]

KING: I've given a (BLEEP) about the women on the field and in the boardroom.

RIDDELL (voice-over): In addition to her investment in the back-to-back World Series champions' the L.A. Dodgers, Billie Jean King Enterprises own

stakes in Angel City F.C. and the L.A. Sparks. And last year, she was instrumental in launching the Professional Women's Hockey League.

RIDDELL: When people talk about you, it's about your legacy and you are so revered. How does it feel to kind of walk in your shoes knowing that that

is how people have regarded you for such a long time?

KING: I feel gratitude and I feel responsibility. I care about grassroots with the Women's Sports Foundation which I started in 1974. We have done so

much. We have given over $100 million to help girls get started. And it's really about every girl. It's not just about the top athletes, but the top

athletes are very involved and really wonderful to us.

So, it's -- I just am very thankful every single day and very grateful that I've had this life. I'm really -- I know I'm one of the luckiest ones in

the world.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KINKADE: What a legend. Well, finally this our, London's favorite quirky rom-com heroine is back. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Three, two, one.

(APPLAUSE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KINKADE: Actress Renee Zellweger on hand for the unveiling of the Bridget Jones statue. Now permanently located in Leicester Square. Zellweger first

brought the books character to life on screen in the early 2000s.

Helen Fielding, the author of Bridget Jones as she is proud of the British Singleton nearly 25 years on from when she first created her.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HELEN FIELDING, AUTHOR, BRIDGET JONES: I was a broke journalist. And I was writing for a really long time before I had any success. I had so much

stuff rejected.

And they asked me to write a column as myself when I was in my 30s and I was like, no way. You know, I'm a very private person. I mean, look what

happened, everyone thinks she's me anyway.

But it's so lucky, A, to get a book published at all, but to have a character that continues beyond her generation, if you like. So my

daughter's generation now like Bridget. And that means a huge amount to me because it hardly ever happens, you know. So I feel very, very lucky and,

yes, I'm proud of Bridget.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KINKADE: Well, Renee Zellweger was joined at the statue unveiling by her co-stars in the 4th Bridget Jones installment, "Mad About the Boy."

Well, that does it for this hour of "One World." I'm Lynda Kinkade. Thanks so much for your company. Appreciate it.

African Voices Changemakers is up next. You're watching CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(AFRICAN VOICES CHANGEMAKERS)

END