Return to Transcripts main page
One World with Zain Asher
Ship Passengers to Be Monitored for Hantavirus Symptoms; Iran Says It Put Forward "Generous" Proposal to the U.S.; IDF Issues New Evacuation Orders for Parts of Sothern Lebanon; Iran War Raises Stakes Ahead of Trump- Xi Talks This Week; FIFA World Cup Opening Match in Mexico City in June 11; Jackie O's Luxury Superyacht Offered at a 42 Percent Discount. Aired 11a- 12p ET
Aired May 11, 2026 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[11:00:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ZAIN ASHER, CNN HOST, ONE WORLD: Right. Passengers from the cruise ship at the center of a hantavirus outbreak are returning to their home countries.
"One World" starts right now. U.S. health officials say the risk of hantavirus to the public is very low. We'll have a live report for you with
the very latest.
Plus, his attacks on Europe's Jewish communities escalates -- investigates how Iran may be linked to antisemitic violence. And it's now just one month
until this summer's FIFA World Cup kicks off. But the obstacles for football fans are certainly piling up. Right -- live from New York, I'm
Zain Asher.
My colleague, Bianna Golodryga, is off today. You are watching "One World". New developments on the hantavirus outbreak. 17 American passengers and one
British dual national are being monitored in the U.S. medical facilities. 16 passengers are at a specialized quarantine unit in Nebraska. Moments
ago, Nebraska's Governor Jim Pillen spoke about the situation.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. JIM PILLEN (R-NE): We have walked hand in hand with our federal partners, from the White House to Secretary Kennedy to the CDC and all of
their great teams. I am satisfied, and Nebraskans can be that the rest of America can be satisfied that there is a strong plan in place.
And to ensure the folks are secure for their initial assessment, and we are working diligently to ensure no one leaves the security in an unsecured way
at an inappropriate time.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ASHER: Two other passengers have been transferred to Atlanta's Emory University for assessment. Those in Atlanta and one in Nebraska are in bio
containment units. In France, meantime, the health minister says a French woman who was on the ship has tested positive for hantavirus.
The W.H.O. says that seven hantavirus cases have now been confirmed in this outbreak, with two more considered probable. Meg Terrell is standing by for
us in New York, but first, let's go straight to Melissa Bell joining us live now from Tenerife, where the MV Hondius, that cruise ship arrived on
Sunday.
So, Melissa, we were learning from Sebastian Lucas knew that essentially, one out of the five French passengers on board that cruise ship started
showing symptoms. It's believed to have the hantavirus. What more do we know?
MELISSA BELL, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, this is one of the five people brought back to Paris yesterday during those evacuations
over the course of Sunday. She started feeling unwell on the flight, Zain, and now it's been confirmed that she is a ninth positive, definitely
positive, hantavirus case linked here to the MV Hondius.
We've just been hearing, of course, and you played a clip a moment ago from the American officials about that suspected positive case now in that bio
containment unit in Nebraska, that passenger particularly interesting, Zain, because he is one of the passengers who had been very closely
monitored these last couple of weeks, because it was believed he had been in very close contact with one of the passengers who died early on.
Speaking at once to the length of the incubation period, but also to the fact that what the specialists watching this virus are seeing is that it
really takes someone who has symptoms to be in close proximity with the next person in order to transmit it. And that's what that case in the
containment, bio containment unit in Nebraska appears to be suggesting the suspected positive case amongst the Americans.
This, I just like to draw your attention and explain the wind here we've been ever since we've been arrived here in Tenerife, Zain, we'd been told
that the weather conditions were going to change by the end of Monday, which would make it very difficult to bring the small vessels that have so
far successfully evacuated all those people, the French passengers, the Americans, but also one of the others over the course of yesterday, to get
up close to the ship to continue these evacuations beyond tonight.
And so, it's proven there's crazy wind right now and still some evacuations that need to happen. Still on that ship behind me, Zain, are a number of
passengers that need to be taken off before night, for tonight and the end of operations, in order that the ship can then continue on its journey
towards Rotterdam and disinfection.
On that ship are a group of Dutch passengers, mainly crew member that we understand will be taken off the ship, and with them some Australian and
New Zealand passengers whose plane was not able to arrive for technical difficulties.
[11:05:00]
So, our understanding is that they'll get off with the Dutch passengers go to Amsterdam and then go on to their home destinations. But again,
considering the change in the weather conditions, this is going to be a much heavier operation, I suspect, than anything we saw yesterday, Zain.
ASHER: Right. Melissa Bell, my first there. Thank you so much. This goes right now to Meg Tirrell, so just in terms of those 17 American passengers
who arrived in Nebraska. Just talk us through how they're being quarantined, particularly the one who tested positive and one of them
obviously showing mild symptoms. What is the next step for them?
MEG TIRRELL, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, so there's a little bit of uncertainty about that person who tested positive because they had two
tests. One of them was negative. One was positive, and U.S. government officials sort of described it as a mild positive.
So, they are doing more testing. We are waiting to see if that is actually a confirmed case. But as you noted, that person is in the bio containment
unit in Nebraska. Now there are 15 other people there who are in quarantine. And right now, what we're hearing from officials there on the
ground is that all of those folks arrive.
They don't have symptoms. They are in good spirits, but they are very tired. And so, they are going to let them rest before doing some more
assessments later today, which will include questions about whether they had close contact with any of the people with symptoms on board the ship,
to be able to assess their level of risk.
Then there are questions about whether they will continue to stay in quarantine there in Nebraska, there's a 42-day period when they would need
to look out for symptoms, so that's six weeks when they could potentially stay there. But there was also discussion of whether folks would have low
enough risk that they could be sent home for home-based monitoring.
And they have to have conditions that are optimal for that a place to be able to stay essentially in home-based quarantine or limited contact with
other people. They also need to be close to health care, because we have seen that the symptoms can come on and folks can deteriorate rapidly.
We've heard that the age ranges of the people who are there are between late 20s and early 80s. And so that can play into, you know, how vulnerable
people are to some of the effects of this disease. But we know three folks out of nine cases have died, and so this can have a high fatality rate, and
there are no treatments for this except for supportive care, but that can be very helpful, and it needs to be delivered early.
We also know that two people were sent to Atlanta, to Emory there. One of those people had symptoms, but we don't know when we will hear whether they
have a positive test or not. It's possible that that's not hantavirus, because these early symptoms can resemble a common cold or any kind of flu,
like illness we heard as well.
And so, they are there. And a preliminary reason that they were moved is in order to save space in the bio containment units in Nebraska in case anyone
else develops symptoms, they want to be able to treat people appropriately. And so that's the latest we know right now, 42 days.
We don't know exactly when the clock is going to start for everyone, so this could be a six-week period. We also did hear from U.S. health
officials about how they're currently assessing the risk. Here's what they said about that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ADMIRAL BRIAN CHRISTINE, MD, ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR HEALTH, HHS: Let me be clear. Let me be crystal clear, the risk of hantavirus to the general
public remains very, very low. The Andes variant of this virus does not spread easily, and it requires prolonged close contact with someone who is
already symptomatic, even so we have taken this situation very seriously from the very start.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TIRRELL: And so clearly trying to make the differentiation here. This is not COVID. It doesn't spread like COVID. This is not going to become a
pandemic, but it is something to be watched very closely, Zain.
ASHER: Right. Meg Tirrell, live for us there. Thank you so much. Appreciate it. As health authorities monitor the passenger, passengers, rather who
have left the cruise ship, you may be wondering how exactly this outbreak began. Ben Hunte tracks it for us.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BEN HUNTE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Tracing the origins of an outbreak, health officials are zeroing in on parts of South America to try
to find out how some passengers on the MV Hondius cruise ship contracted a rare strain of hantavirus.
TEDROS ADHANOM GHEBREYESYS, DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION: Prior to boarding the ship, the first two cases had traveled through
Argentina, Chile and Uruguay, on a bird watching trip, which included visits to sites where the species of rat that's known to carry Andes virus
was present.
HUNTE (voice-over): Just one type of hantavirus, the Andes strain, is known to be able to spread from person to person, and is primarily found in Chile
and Argentina carried by long tailed pygmy rice rats. But authorities in Tierra del Fuego, the Argentinian province where the ship originated, say
there are currently no recorded hantavirus cases there.
And so far, worldwide attention on the port town where the ship was docked hasn't phased some residents. At least one tour operator in his way up says
he's gotten some questions about hantavirus, but it hasn't affected business.
ADONIS CARABAJAL, TOUR OPERATOR: Beyond inquiries, it has not altered any reservation. Has not altered any movement, and everything is going as well
as we expected in the low season.
[11:10:00]
HUNTE (voice-over): But Argentina's Health Ministry says hantavirus is on the rise in a country with overall cases of hantavirus almost doubling in
the past year, with more than 100 cases so far in the current season. That's compared to 57 in the previous one. The ministry also says teams
have been sent out to try to capture and analyze rodents in areas where the infected passengers traveled.
The Chilean Health Ministry says it doesn't believe the passengers were infected in Chile based on the timing of their travels, but doctors say
there are risks of hantavirus across the region, especially in rural areas where there are crops tall grass or a subtropical climate.
DR. CESAR BUSTOS, INFECTIOUS DISEASE SPECIALIST: The virus is where it is supposed to be with rodents in nature. When does a human being become
infected? When people enter areas that naturally belong to rodents, they are in the countryside in rural areas, they are where they are supposed to
be, doing what they are supposed to do.
HUNTE (voice-over): Experts say climate change and human activity are causing rodents to move to new areas, which could be driving up the number
of hantavirus cases. Ben Hunte, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ASHER: Right. Still to come, diplomatic deadlock, Iran responds to the latest U.S. peace plan with a counter proposal it calls generous and
reasonable. The White House is describing it in very different terms. Plus, the U.S. President heads to Beijing this week to meet the Chinese leader.
Could China push Iran into a peace deal -- talk diplomacy with a five-time American Diplomat?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ASHER: As the U.S.-Israeli war in Iran stretches into its 11th week, diplomatic efforts appear to have hit a wall. Tehran is accusing the U.S.
of one-sided views and making excessive demands of the White House rejected its counter proposal for peace. On Sunday, President Trump slammed the
offer as totally unacceptable, without specifying his objections.
Iranian Leader, Iranian media rather reports the response included sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz and war operations with no mention of
the country's nuclear program. Here's how the foreign ministry described it earlier today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ESMAIL BAGHAEI, IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESPERSON: Everything we put forward in our proposed text consisted of reasonable and responsible
demands and generous proposals, not only for Iran's national interests, but for the good stability and security of the entire region and the world.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ASHER: The Israeli Prime Minister, meantime, insists the war with Iran is not over during an interview with "60 Minutes" that add Sunday.
[11:15:00]
Benjamin Netanyahu said that nuclear material still needs to be taken out of Iran and enrichment sites must be dismantled.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How do you envision the highly enriched uranium will be removed from Iran?
BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: You go in and you take it out.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: With what? Special Forces from Israel? Special Forces the United States?
NETANYAHU: Well, I'm not going to talk about military means, but what President Trump has said to me, I want to go in there, and I think it can
be done physically. That's not the problem. If you have an agreement and you go in and you take it out, why not? That's the best way.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ASHER: Sources say that Netanyahu and Trump spoke by phone on Sunday. The Israeli Prime Minister is also rejecting the idea that a ceasefire with
Tehran should automatically apply to its conflict with Hezbollah as well. On Sunday, the IDF issued more evacuation warnings for parts of Southern
Lebanon and announced a new wave of strikes.
An Israeli soldier, meantime, was killed in a Hezbollah drone attack despite the ongoing fighting. The U.S. is set to host a third round of
direct talks between Israel and Lebanon this week. CNN's Jeremy Diamond is live now from Jerusalem. Just in terms of the latest on negotiations
between the Iranians and the Americans.
Obviously, Donald Trump rejecting this latest counter proposal, Iran demanding war reparations Iranian sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz
U.S. sanctions ending. Many of these, of course, are non-starters. So where do we go from here, Jeremy?
JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: Yeah. I mean, it's really extraordinary when you think about, you know, the weeks of diplomacy that
have taken place. Last week, there were a lot of reports, you know, indicating that the U.S. and Iran were getting a lot closer to an
agreement.
But the Iranian response here kind of throws a wrench in all of that, showing just how far apart the two sides still are. You know, there's
pretty much disagreement on every single major issue, based off of the readout we've gotten so far about what this Iranian response actually
entailed.
There's disagreement about the Strait of Hormuz, whether it would be freely opened, or, as the Iranians would like to see here, whether it would be
controlled by Iran, with Iran levying fees for ships to go through it. There is then the issue of enrichment of uranium, and Iran disposing or
taking outside of the country.
The stockpiles of enriched uranium that they also have. And then enter into the conversation the Israeli prime minister in this CBS News "60 Minutes"
interview, basically putting back to the fore, you know, the notion that the war is not over yet and that there are a number of objectives that have
not yet been accomplished and must be accomplished, either via a negotiated settlement here, or via kinetic action by the U.S. and Israel.
And the prime minister is once again trying to put to the forefront the notion that the enriched uranium stockpiles inside of Iran must be taken
out in order for this war to be considered over. He is trying to reenter that into the public conversation in the United States to make sure that as
President Trump considers whether to give diplomacy even more time or whether to go back to war, that, that is a forefront objective in all of
these conversations.
But what is clear is that both President Trump and the Israeli Prime Minister in separate interviews that aired yesterday, both of them,
indicating that this war is not yet over. The question now is whether or not that means that there is a return to a hot war between the United
States and Iran, or whether, in particular, in light of the fact that President Trump is traveling this week to China to engage in another front
of diplomacy.
But one that is linked, we should note to what's happening in Iran, whether or not the president will give more time to these diplomatic efforts and
hold off on any resumption of strikes.
ASHER: And just in terms of Israel and Lebanon, obviously, Israel is continuing its strikes in Southern Lebanon. We do have negotiations taking
place this week between the Israelis and the Lebanese. Obviously, part of the key issue, and we've talked about these many times, is that Hezbollah
is not part of these negotiations.
And therefore, they're not going to be bound by the outcome of these talks. What can we realistically expect from these talks, Jeremy?
DIAMOND: Well, look, this will be the third round of ambassadorial level, negotiations between Israel and Lebanon, mediated by the United States,
these talks will happen once again between Israel and Lebanon's ambassadors to Washington with U.S. officials also present at this meeting.
The Lebanese have been insistent that these are preparatory talks, that they're basically still trying to set the table to create the conditions
for the substantive diplomacy to happen, to discuss the thorny issues like disarming Hezbollah. And eventually, as a result of that, normalizing
relations between Israel and Lebanon.
[11:20:00]
But the fact that it is happening against the backdrop of what is increasingly a ceasefire, in name, only with daily Israeli strikes in
Lebanon, nearly daily Hezbollah attacks against Israeli troops in Southern Lebanon and attacks against Israel's northern communities. You know, that
is very much a key factor here, as these negotiations are set to take place.
And Israeli strikes, you know, have killed more than 400 people since the ceasefire went into effect, just yesterday. 22 people were killed in
Israeli strikes, and we're getting reports of additional strikes that took place today. Hezbollah attacks have also killed a number of Israeli
soldiers, including one yesterday in near the Lebanese border.
He was the 18th Israeli soldier to be killed since the war with Hezbollah, between Hezbollah and Israel resumed earlier this year. And again, those
Hezbollah drone attacks are becoming an increasing concern for Israeli troops positioned in Southern Lebanon. And you know whether diplomacy can
actually lead to an end of those hostilities. You know, for now that seems quite far away, Zain.
ASHER: All right. Jeremy Diamond live for us there. Thank you so much. The war with Iran looks to set to dominate a high stakes meeting between the
U.S. and Chinese leaders in Beijing this week, around half of China's crude oil imports are shipped from the Middle East, where the closure of the
Strait of Hormuz and the U.S. blockade have sparked a historic oil crisis.
China's Foreign Ministry confirmed the U.S. President's state visit today. Donald Trump and Chinese Leader Xi Jinping last met at a regional summit in
South Korea just last year. Let's bring in Korea diplomat Christopher Hill. He's been a U.S. Ambassador to five countries, including Serbia, Iraq and
South Korea.
He was also the lead negotiator to six party talks on the North Korea nuclear issue. Ambassador, thank you so much for being with us on this.
What does Beijing want most from a Trump visit right now?
CHRISTOPHER HILL, FORMER 5-TIME U.S. AMBASSADOR: Well, I think with respect to the Trump visit, they want a successful visit, and success, I think for
Beijing will mean no more surprises in the area of tariffs and those kinds of issues. They'd like to be able to sit down with the U.S. and essentially
kind of work out or game plan how the relationship can go forward.
Lot of issues involving AI, a lot of economic issues, but I think generally both sides want to see a sort of stable relationship there. But of course,
this whole Iran issue is the wild card in this whole matter. It is very unclear whether there's been any agreement on how to go forward.
You know, summits are best when they're extremely well prepared, when everyone kind of knows what the results are before they even sit down. But
I think this is one where people are going to be calling on a lot of audibles as we go forward. So, I think it's going to be pretty tough going
to find some agreement on Iran.
ASHER: I think it is interesting how the sort of dynamic between these two men has really changed over the past year. I mean, if you think about what
we were talking about last year, it was just after Liberation Day. This time last year was just after Liberation Day. So, we were all talking about
the triple digit tariffs that Donald Trump had launched against China.
And that with the war in Iran, the dynamics, the power dynamics, I think, between these two men, has really changed, because now you have a situation
whereby Trump has woken up to the fact that China is somewhat shielded from the sort of global oil crisis because they have worked diligently over
several decades to really electrify their fleet.
They have a lot of power over Iran. The fact that they have power just in terms of restricting rare earths, you have Donald Trump meeting with the
leaders of Brazil, for example, talking about rare earths, because just sort of trying to find another outlet beyond China. Just talk to us about
how the dynamics between these two men has shifted over the past 12 months.
HILL: I think you're absolutely right. The dynamics have shifted. And the basic problem is that trust, which shouldn't be a major factor. I mean, to
paraphrase Tina Turner, what's trust got to do with it? Well, frankly, it has a lot to do it, because there needs to be some expectation that when
you have a sort of agreement, maybe it's not all spelled out, but you know what the other guy is going to do.
And I think this tariff issue Liberation Day, tariffs and beyond, I think that created huge trust issues for the Chinese with President Trump.
Secondly, I think, from the U.S. perspective, a lot of concerns about what the Chinese have in mind, what they have in mind for Taiwan, how they're
kind of playing the international issues and so their trust issues there as well.
[11:25:00]
So it would be, you know, normally it would be nice to have a thickening up of contacts, not just at the presidential level, but at various other
levels, so that there's an understanding of what each side wants and what can be addressed. I think it's pretty clear that China has a, if I can call
it, a special relationship with Iran.
They're very dependent on Iran, and very in a real sense, for energy, but they also have a lot of trade and interaction with Iran. So, there's some
reason to believe that maybe they can be helpful. Because first of all, I don't think China wants to see Iran controlling an international waterway,
not today, not ever.
So, I think we have some reason to believe we can work with the Chinese. But whereas we worked with them in the past, for example, you mentioned the
North Korea negotiations, we worked very closely with the Chinese some decade before. We worked closely with them on Cambodian elections.
But this kind of role that is being envisioned, or people are talking about the idea that China could be some key intermediary in all of this. This
would be a new thing, and it's going to have to require a much more vigorous and much more organized approach to dealing with China, and not
just a one-off summit.
So, if we are in a situation where this Iran war is sadly going to go on longer than people want. They are really going to have to figure out what
the shape of an eventual solution. I think China will probably have to play a role, and in that sense, we're going to have to really do a lot more with
China in the weeks and months ahead.
ASHER: I mean, you bring up so many interesting points, because, yes, China does have so much economic leverage and economic power over Iran. They are
Iran's largest customer as it pertains to oil, and so it is highly likely that Donald Trump is going to try to ask China to perhaps put pressure on
the Iranians to accept some kind of ceasefire.
But talk to us about Beijing's interests here, because while Beijing, of course, like everyone else, wants it into this war, Iran is also useful to
them as an anti-Western partner too.
HILL: Yeah, to tell the Chinese, you got to do X or Y, and to tell them in particular, you got to put pressure on the other is really, I mean, I've
tried it many times on North Korea, you know, I'd say things like, hey, this is your problem. You've got to fix it. I'm not sure the Chinese are
going to buy into that too much with Iran.
I think the answer will be, look, we support free and open trade. We support freedom of movement. We certainly want to see Hormuz opened again.
We will try to see if we can be helpful. But I think they're going to stop short of what the president really needs, which is a no kidding, Chinese
effort to say to the Iranians, look, we don't buy into the idea that you can control Hormuz.
We're prepared to help you rebuild. But you know, you're going to have to do something about that. And so, it's going to be, I think it's going to be
pretty tough. And the basic problem is, the U.S. has caused a lot of issues with people. Because if you go around the world, I mean, right now, I'm in
Europe, you hear a lot of this.
The U.S. is seen as kind of bullying other countries. And I don't think anyone wants to be the next in the list of being bullied.
ASHER: Yeah. And yeah, to your point, why? Why on earth would China just sort of go along in terms of doing what the U.S. asks it to do, especially
when you consider the dynamics with tariffs just last year, it is highly unlikely? But without the Chinese help, it is clear that Donald Trump
doesn't have much of a diplomatic off ramp.
HILL: Yeah.
ASHER: So many of the things that the Iranians want, including war reparations, are simply a non-starter for the Americans. So, it remains to
be seen how this war will at some point come to an end. Ambassador Hill live for us. Thank you so much. Right. Still to come, the man police say,
tried to shoot his way into the White House Correspondents' Dinner has his say in court. How did he plead? Details just ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:30:00]
ASHER: Right. Welcome back to "One World". I'm Zain Asher from New York. Here are some of the headlines we are watching for you today. Most of the
passengers and crew of the cruise ship hit by hantavirus outbreak have been evacuated. 17 Americans and one British dual national have been flown to
the U.S. and are being monitored in medical facilities.
The W.H.O. says that the virus prevents, presents, rather, no more, no more than a low risk to the general public. Iran has described its latest peace
proposal to the U.S. as generous and reasonable. On Sunday, President Donald Trump dismissed the new Iranian document as totally unacceptable.
Iranian state media say that Iran's proposal calls for recognition of Iran's sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz and compensation for war
damages. It reportedly does not mention Iran's nuclear program. And British Prime Minister Keir Starmer vowed to stay in his job and prove his credits
wrong.
Days after his Labor Party suffered major losses in local and regional elections, Starmer said he takes responsibility for the poor performance.
Last week's vote saw a surge of support for Nigel Farage, right wing reform UK party. And Cole Thomas Allen has pleaded not guilty to trying to
assassinate President Trump and other charges.
He's accused of storming a checkpoint at the White House Correspondents' Dinner last month before being subdued. Prosecutors alleged Allen fired a
Secret Service agent who survived. CNN's Chief Legal Affairs Correspondent, Paula Reid, was at the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C. and filed
this report.
PAULA REID, CNN CHIEF LEGAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Zain, today is significant, because this is the first time that Allen has formally
responded to the charges that have been filed against him in an arraignment today in Washington, D.C. He pleaded not guilty to the four charges he is
facing in connection with his alleged effort to get past the Secret Service armed with knives and guns in an attempt to assassinate President Trump at
the White House Correspondents' Dinner.
This was just an arraignment he heard the charges, was informed of his rights, and then entered his plea. But then the judge pivoted to another
issue in this case, and that is Allen's attorney's effort to have a remove to the top Justice Department officials who are overseeing this case.
His lawyers have argued that the U.S. Attorney, Jeanine Pirro and the acting Attorney General Todd Blanche should not be involved in this case,
because they were potential victims of this alleged crime. Now the judge seems skeptical, pointing to the fact that all of this really happened
outside the room where the dinner was being held.
[11:35:00]
So, these two attorneys wouldn't have seen anything, but he did ask for more details on exactly how Allen's lawyers think this would even work.
Would it be Jeanine Pirro's whole office, the whole Justice Department? What are we talking about here? But overall, the judge seems skeptical, and
it is highly unlikely that either one of those top officials would voluntarily step aside from this case.
They are both up for promotions. Blanche is the Acting Attorney General, widely expected to be tapped permanently for that position. Pirro has also
been mentioned as someone who could get a promotion inside this Justice Department soon. So, neither one of them has an incentive to step away from
a case which at its core is about an attempt to kill their boss, allegedly, Zain.
ASHER: Paula Reid, thank you for that report. Right, still to come see an investigates antisemitic attacks across Europe who might be behind a
horrific act up next. Plus, just one month to go until the World Cup, some of the concerns fans minds just ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ASHER: Right. Synagogues, schools, small businesses, ambulances run by volunteers. Those are just some of the Jewish sites struck by arson attacks
across Europe in recent months. Many of them claimed by the same shadowy online group with possible links to Iran backed paramilitaries.
But who is carrying out these terrifying attacks, and how are they being recruited? CNN's Jomana Karadshe has this shocking investigation.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): 17 claims of attacks targeting mostly Jewish sites in seven weeks. We've been investigating
Iran's possible links to these incidents. An investigation that has led us to a stunning discovery of something so sinister that, as we'll show you,
is happening right in the open.
KARADSHEH: They're asking me if I have access to Zionist individuals or assets.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was just a matter of time that one of our communities was going to come under attack.
KARADSHEH: We saw him taken away by an ambulance.
KARADSHEH (voice-over): Days after the war in Iran began fire bomb and arson attacks hit buildings, including synagogues, Jewish centers and
schools in Europe, a previously unheard-of group calling itself Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia, the Islamic movement of the companions of the
righteous claim the attacks in not so sophisticated videos and statements.
[11:40:00]
We found that the claims seem to first appear on these telegram channels they're associated with Iranian backed Iraqi groups. A source close to
Qatar of Hezbollah, the most powerful of Iraqi Shia paramilitary groups that works closely with the IRGC, confirmed to us its links to Ashab al-
Yamin and told us some of its members are Iraqi.
Security experts believe the group is just a front for the IRGC. British counter terrorism police are investigating Iran's potential links to the
London attacks and whether the regime may be hiring criminal proxies to carry them out, possibly recruiting people online.
KARADSHEH: When you think of online recruitment by foreign intelligence services, you might assume that's something happening in the deep, dark
corners of the internet. But take a look at what we found.
KARADSHEH (voice-over): This telegram channel in English and Hebrew, called VIP employment, says it's recruiting, quote, high paid agents, it claims,
for Iranian intelligence. If you're ready to take the next step, it says hit the start button. Undercover Producer Flo and I started two separate
chats, exchanging direct messages over several days with these accounts.
FLORENCE DAVEY-ATTLEE, CNN FIELD PRODUCER: So, my conversation begins with someone calling -- Sina. They quickly ask me lots of questions about
myself, trying to get to know me. And then they assign me a task, two posters, anti-Trump, anti-war posters.
They asked me to film myself, putting them up on the streets of London, and offered me $2 per poster, paid in crypto. And later on, the conversation,
they seemed to coach me on how to avoid CCTV cameras. Do it in a place where there are no surveillance cameras, they say.
At one point I question, how can I confirm your Islamic Republic intelligence as you say you are, and they say, the work I assigned you is
against the policies of the filthy Zionist regime and America
KARADSHEH: With me, they get straight into it. What are my capabilities? What action can you take against Zionist individuals or assets? Do you have
access to specific individuals or information? They ask. I ask what they mean by access to specific individuals or information.
People who work in security and military agencies such as the Shin Bet, the army and the Mossad, they say. And I asked them if they're only recruiting
people in Israel, they said, no, we can hire anyone who can harm Israeli interests or individuals.
KARADSHEH (voice-over): And with those words, we decided to end the conversation there. But others appear to have taken the bait. We found VIP
employment, a channel with the same name, is alleged to have been used to recruit Israelis to spy for Iran. Referenced in this indictment and other
official documents.
The Israeli men were given initiation tasks very similar to the one we were given by the telegram account. From there, prosecutors say the men were
tasked with filming government and military sites in exchange for money. One of them an IDF reservist, was even offered more than $30,000 to
assassinate his commander.
We can't confirm any links between VIP employment and the recent antisemitic attacks in Europe, but the one thing they seem to have in
common is Iran. Here in the UK, the wave of attacks has left the small Jewish community feeling more vulnerable than ever. One of the group's
targets in London, the Kenton United synagogue, attacked they claim for being, quote, a center of Zionist influence, and its Rabbi, a key
instrument of Zionism.
RABBI YEHUDA BLACK, KENTON UNITED SYNAGOGUE: Just take you in here.
KARADSHEH: Oh. The smell.
BLACK: Yeah, it's quite pungent, isn't it? And you can actually --
KARADSHEH: Still smell the fire days after.
BLACK: 10 days after, and it's still quite pungent, isn't it? They came from the outside. They smash this window in, and they threw a fire bomb in
here, you can see the damage that's been caused.
KARADSHEH: Wow. I mean, how did you feel when you walked in and you saw this?
BLACK: I was really upset, obviously. I mean, it's only a medical room. I mean that we can replace it, we can redecorate it, and everything else. But
what could have transpired that is really --
KARADSHEH (voice-over): With antisemitism at record highs worldwide. Rabbi Black says the attacks were shock, but not a surprise.
BLACK: My biggest concern is that it has to stop. People have to realize that what's happening elsewhere is happening elsewhere, but what's
happening over here is plain antisemitism.
KARADSHEH: A 17-year-old British national pleaded guilty to arson without endangering life in a written statement, he apologized. He said he has
nothing against the Jewish people, and said that he didn't know that this was a synagogue.
[11:45:00]
KARADSHEH (voice-over): Many of the suspects here and elsewhere in Europe are teenagers. Authorities are warning anyone considering getting involved
in these attacks for quick cash, they will be quote used once and thrown away. But it seems these attacks may have already opened the flood gates
involving others to follow.
On our way back from the synagogue, we noticed a heavy police presence.
KARADSHEH: As we were making our way, we heard that people had been stabbed here, and as we approached the police lines, we could see at the time, the
suspect was still on the ground surrounded by the police.
KARADSHEH (voice-over): Two visibly Jewish men were stabbed from the shadows Ashab al-Yamin claimed the attack without providing evidence of
links to the suspect who according to police, has a history of mental illness and serious violence, claim, confuse, intimidate and inspire.
That's all part of their tactics, leaving so many in this community bracing for even darker days ahead. Jomana Karadshe, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ASHER: The Iranian Embassy in London denied having any link with or involvement in the London attack, saying in a statement such baseless
accusations against the Islamic Republic of Iran lack of credible evidence and appear to serve narrow political genders and to mislead public opinion
and distract them from the real root causes of terrorism and violent extremism.
Right, U.S., President Donald Trump is right now taking questions about Iran at the White House. Let's listen in.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: -- two days ago, they didn't -- OK. They did two days ago. They said, you're going to have
to take it. We were going to go with them, but they changed their mind because they didn't put it in the paper.
So, when they sent us this document that we waited four days for that should have taken 10 minutes to do look very simply. We get that they
guarantee no nuclear weapons for a very long period of time and a couple of other minor things, but they just can't get there.
So, they agree with us, and then they take it back, but they said to us that it was so badly obliterated. Was the word they actually used. That was
my original word, that it got challenged by some of the fake news, but -- and it wasn't challenged with any knowledge.
It was just challenged like they were hoping that this wouldn't have been so successful. Now it was obliterated. We have the greatest military in the
world. I built it largely in my first term, and I didn't know I'd be using it quite this much in my second term. But very simply, when they say, does
he have a plan?
Yeah, I have a plan. The plan is very simple. You know, in war, you have to change, you have to be flexible. You have a lot of plans, but you have to
do different plans in different days. But have a great plan, but the plan is they cannot have a nuclear weapon. And they didn't say that in their
letter.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. President -- changes that you've talked about in Iran, is this still a leadership that you believe you can negotiate with
ultimately reach up?
TRUMP: Yeah. I think so well you have to. You have the moderates, and you have the lunatics. And I think the moderates are more respected, the
lunatics want to fight till the end. You know, there will be a very -- it'll be a very quick fight. But I call them you have, just like our
country, we have lunatics too.
We have -- I call them lunatics. I call them stupid people too. But in Iran, they have the moderates that died to make a deal. And then you have
the lunatics. And I guess they're a little bit afraid of the lunatics, but, and why not, the level of ferocity for protests. You know, the people are
watching it.
They want to go out on the streets. They have no weapons. They have no guns. We thought the Kurds were going to give us weapons, but the Kurds
disappointed us. The Kurds, take, take, take. They have a great reputation in Congress. Congress says, oh, they fight so hard.
They fight hard when they get paid. So, I'm very disappointed in the Kurds, but they were given I said it wasn't going to work, by the way. I just have
to say it. I disagreed with what they did. They gave it. I said they'll never get there. And I was right. I like to be right in this case, too bad,
but we sent some guns with ammunition, and they were supposed to be delivered, but they kept it.
I said they're going to keep it, but what do I know? I've only been doing this. What do I know?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: -- for the time being, the ceasefire remains --
TRUMP: What?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: For the time being, the ceasefire remains in place.
TRUMP: It's unbelievably weak. I would say. I would call it the weakest right now after reading a piece of garbage they sent us, I didn't even
finish reading it. They said, am I going to waste my time reading it? I would say it's one of the weakest right now.
[11:50:00]
It's on life support. You understand these are all medical people. Dr. Oz (ph) life support is not a good thing. Do you agree?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Dia prognostic.
TRUMP: I would say the ceasefire is on massive life support, where the doctor walks in and says, sir, your loved one has approximately a 1 percent
chance of living. Yeah.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. President --
TRUMP: Daniel (ph) go ahead, one of the best reporters in Washington.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you sir. Dr. Oz (ph) referenced this little early two questions on health care, if I can. The Council of Economic Advisers
released a report saying that the most favored nation was drug deals --
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ASHER: All right. You've just been listening to President Donald Trump at the White House asking reporters' questions about negotiations with Iran,
saying the ceasefire is now on life support, after rejecting the latest Iranian counter proposals, which included Iran essentially wanting
reparations in terms of costs with the rebuilding after the war and also demanding sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz.
Donald Trump said that the one thing that he's not backing down on is that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. Also saying that he is willing to
negotiate with these particular leaders in Iran, not necessarily, obviously the hard liners calling them lunatics, but saying that he is willing to
negotiate, possibly, with the moderates indicating that regime change, which was one of the initial goals of this war, is pretty much, I think
it's safe to say, off the table.
And that the people of Iran wanted to take to the streets. But of course, it is complicated, because they don't have any weapons, and they obviously
feared being retaliated against saying that there was some debate about using the Kurds to assist the people of Iran take to the streets, but that,
in his words, the Kurds, quote, unquote, disappointed us.
All right, the countdown to FIFA's 2026 World Cup has officially hit the one-month mark. Just one month to go until it all begins, and before the
first ball is even kicked, there is so much to talk about, from diplomatic tensions to travel concerns to astronomical ticket prices, and also resale
prices as well in terms of these tickets.
It's all enough to make your head spin. Valeria Leon joining us live now from Mexico City. That is, of course, the host city for the opening game
between South Africa and Mexico. How prepared is Mexico City for the start of the World Cup in just a month, Valeria?
VALERIA LEON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello Zain, well, I'm outside Mexico City stadium, one of the biggest stadiums in the region, with a capacity of
85,000 people, and this venue will play a key role during this World Cup. It will host 5 of the 13 World Cup matches played here in Mexico during
this World Cup including the opening match on June 11th between Mexico and South Africa.
And this venue underwent major renovations. It was closed for 22 months and just reopened its doors on March 28th for a friendly match between Mexico
and Portugal. But many residents here in Mexico feel that this World Cup is out of reach. Tickets for the opening match are sky rocketing.
A ticket for the opening match is over $2,000 and for hospitality areas even higher. I spoke with some of the residents here in this area, and this
is part of what they shared with me.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
EMILIO HERNANDEZ, MEXICO CITY RESIDENT: I would like to go to one of the matches here, but the tickets are very expensive.
MICHELLE ORTEGA, MEXICO CITY RESIDENT: Not everyone can have that opportunity now, the access is very limited and the prices are extremely
inflated.
GLORIA DURAN, MEXICO CITY RESIDENT: They're very expensive. We want to buy tickets to go to the World Cup, but we simply can't afford them.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEON: Mexico City authorities said they've invested $10 million in 40 different infrastructure projects surrounding this area, and one of them is
this transportation hub just a few meters away from this stadium. And as you can see, many Mexico residents use it every day.
This was inaugurated just a few weeks ago, and this will be -- this will become one of the main accesses to this stadium in Mexico City for this
World Cup, the third one in Mexico's history, Zain.
ASHER: Right. Valeria Leon, everybody is so excited as you point out, ticket prices are astronomical.
[11:55:00]
I was actually reading that one person was trying to resell their ticket here in the U.S. for $11 million. It's resale, which is strange and
unlikely that anyone is going to ever buy that. But Valeria, thank you so much. All right, if you are in the market for a floating piece of history,
Jackie Kennedy's superyacht is up for sale, and the price has actually just been slashed.
The Christina O can be yours. Speaking of high resale prices for around $60 million after it failed to sell at the earlier price of more than 100
million. It's where Jackie O found new love with the Greek shipping magnet Aristotle Onassis. And where guests like Winston Churchill, -- got away
from the limelight as well.
Pictured here aboard the luxury vessel is Jackie with her daughter and husband Aristotle, shortly after their wedding in 1968. And finally, before
we go, Eurovision week has officially kicked off in Vienna, representatives from 35 countries will be participating in this year's song competition,
with the semifinals set to begin on Tuesday.
The annual contest is marking its 70th anniversary under the shadow of ongoing controversy. Eurovision's decision to allow Israel's participation
in the contest sparks months of demonstrations across Europe. All right, stay with CNN. I'll have much more "One World" after the short break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
