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One World with Zain Asher
Israel-Lebanon Talks Get Underway In Washington; China's Xi Jinping Meets With U.S. Business Leaders; Eleven People Rescued After Plane Crashes In The Atlantic; Madonna, Shakira And BTS To Headline First-Ever Halftime Show; Sibling Duo Compete In The "City Of Brotherly Love"; Cuba's Solar Future; Funeral Held For Teen Whose Parents Were Detained By U.S.; Experts Urge Caution Before Using A.I. For Financial Help; California Students Work To Save Bald Eagle Habitat; Aired 12-1p ET
Aired May 14, 2026 - 12:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[12:00:33]
CHRISTINA MACFARLANE, CNN ANCHOR: Right now, leaders from Israel, Lebanon and the United States are gathered in hopes of extending a ceasefire. Could
a long-term peace agreement be on the way? The second hour of "One World" starts right now.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Amid rising tensions, officials from both sides are here in Washington. They're meeting face to
face at the State Department as the clock ticks down.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MACFARLANE: Well, how can you extend a ceasefire that's been violated multiple times? Talks are underway and time is of the essence.
Also ahead, from dire to critical, Cuba has run out of oil reserves and blackouts are lasting for up to 22 hours a day.
Plus.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OLYMPIA OUTTEN, SURVIVOR: I said, Lord, save us, Lord. Save us, that someone see us, Lord. That someone see us.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MACFARLANE: Nothing short of a miracle. Eleven passengers stranded at sea after their plane crashes. The video you simply cannot miss is just ahead.
Live from London, I'm Christina Macfarlane. Zain and Bianna are off today. You are watching "One World."
Israel and Lebanon are holding a third round of U.S.-brokered peace talks in Washington right now, as the questionable ceasefire teeters on the brink
of collapse.
The truce is set to expire Sunday, but despite that, Israel is intensifying its attacks. The IDF says its struck Hezbollah targets in Southern Lebanon
and issued new evacuation orders just hours before negotiations were set to begin.
And on Wednesday, Lebanon says 22 people were killed in Israeli strikes. But the IDF, meanwhile, continues to advance in the south, reaching a key
boundary earlier this week.
Hezbollah, meanwhile, says it carried out attacks on Israeli troops in Southern Lebanon on Wednesday. And Israel says a drone launch by Hezbollah
has injured several people in Northern Israel.
Jeremy Diamond has been following developments for us from Jerusalem.
So, Jeremy, as we say, it's the third time these leaders have met face-to- face this year, during which the ceasefire has been breached multiple times.
So, who is attending this time and what genuine hope is there now of progress?
JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: Well, listen, the fact that the list of attendees is growing and including more senior individuals
within the respective governments is a positive indication.
We've learned today that as these negotiations are underway, the Lebanese side has added Simon Karam, a former Lebanese ambassador who was put in
charge several months ago of direct negotiations with Israel.
And on the Israeli side, you now have the deputy national security advisor also involved in these negotiations. And that could indicate the
possibility of deepening the substance of the talks between these two sides.
Of course, the foremost issue that they will have to address is actually extending the ceasefire agreement in Lebanon that currently exists, that is
set to expire tomorrow.
And we know that, of course, the ceasefire has still meant daily Israeli airstrikes and Lebanon have killed more than 500 people over the course of
the last four weeks. And also Hezbollah carrying out attacks against Israeli soldiers in Southern Lebanon, as well as firing rockets and drones
into northern Israeli communities.
But nonetheless, the -- the notion of that ceasefire, which has prevented and at least reduced the -- the kind of tempo and the pace of attacks in
Lebanon, in particular, it has given the political space for these negotiations to continue.
And so, in order for those talks to continue, these two sides will have to extend that ceasefire agreement.
But we haven't yet heard anything from inside that room so far. As we know, of course, that this task of diplomacy is a critical one and a very
difficult one, notwithstanding the fact that the Lebanese government, you know, is -- is being pushed by the Israelis, by the Americans, to
ultimately disarm Hezbollah, but it's still very, very weak in terms of its actual real power inside of Lebanon.
And, of course, the Lebanese president very much wants to avoid a direct military confrontation with Hezbollah. So very, very thorny issues being
discussed for the third time today in Washington.
MACFARLANE: And, Jeremy, away from Washington, overnight, we had some surprising news from the Israeli prime minister who revealed he had
secretly visited the UAE and met with the president during the Iran war. Now, that's something that the UAE foreign ministry have rebutted since
saying that it was entirely unfounded.
[12:05:14]
What more do we know about what actually happened here, whether that trip did, in fact, take place?
JERUSALEM: Yes. The denial from the United Arab Emirates is pretty remarkable, especially in light of the fact that when the prime minister's
office released this information last night, they were framing it in the context of deepening in Israeli-Emirati relations, signaling, you know, a
breakthrough in relations, taking this relationship, which is only, you know, a few years old, to a very new level.
And so the Emirati denial, of course, seems to speak to the criticism that the Emirates have gotten from other countries and people in the region for
their deepening ties with Israel.
But whether or not the meeting with Netanyahu happened, what cannot be denied, is the fact that Israel and the United Arab Emirates do have a very
close relationship, and one that has grown closer over the course of this war with Iran, as Israel has sent an Iron Dome air defense battery to the
UAE, alongside with the military personnel, to operate it, to assist the UAE in its defense against Iranian missiles and drones.
That, of course, has been a critical factor for the UAE and another indicator of just how close that relationship actually is.
MACFARLANE: Jeremy Diamond there from Jerusalem. Appreciate it. Thank you.
Well, Donald Trump and Xi Jinping celebrated a consequential relationship between the U.S. and China as they toasted each other at a state banquet,
wrapping up the first day of a high-stakes summit.
But some thorny issues are simmering under the pleasantries. The Chinese leader issued a stark warning about Taiwan, saying mishandling of the issue
could spark conflict.
And then there's the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran. In an interview with Beijing a short time ago, the U.S. Secretary of State says President Trump
raised the issue.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARCO RUBIO, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: We're not asking for China's help. Or we don't need their help.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But he raises the issue.
RUBIO: We raised the issue to make clear what our position is and to -- and to make it clear so they understand. Because I -- I mean, it's logical we
would talk about it given how dominant that issue is.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MACFARLANE: Well, CNN White House reporter, Betsy Klein is traveling with the president and joins us now from Beijing.
And, Betsy, on the topic of Iran, I believe you have some new reporting regarding a potential offer of help from the Chinese president to the U.S.
to resolve the conflict with Iran. What are you hearing?
BETSY KLEIN, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Right. I think it's a little bit complicated with the semantics here, but we had largely expected that
President Trump was going to issue, or it raised the issue of Iran during these talks with China's leader Xi Jinping, and he did do so.
Now, notably, China is a major consumer of Iranian oil, has very close ties to Iran. So, it was expected that President Trump would use this meeting to
push China to encourage Iran to accept a peace deal and to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Now, we got a readout from the United States from a White House official who said that China agreed the Strait of Hormuz must remain open, as well
as the fact that China opposes militarization and a toll in that Strait.
Of course, we should note those comments largely align with what China has said in the past about the Strait of Hormuz and about this conflict.
Now, the question going forward is whether Xi agreed to offer more substantive support in helping the U.S. to end this conflict, helping to
reach some sort of a peace agreement.
And we just heard from President Trump in an interview that taped just after this first round of meeting with China's Xi. He told Fox News' Sean
Hannity that China and Xi, specifically, offered all of their assistance in ending this war. He said that he offered to help any way he could. Now,
it's unclear how the U.S. plans to take up Xi on that offer.
Now, separately, we have Secretary of State Marco Rubio saying in a separate interview with NBC News that the U.S. didn't ask for help.
So Trump saying that they offered, Rubio saying they did not ask. It'll be interesting to see going forward, and we may not see this immediately, but
play out behind the scenes how China is able to play a role here.
MACFARLANE: Yes. And, of course, more to come tomorrow with those one-on- one meetings between the two leaders.
Betsy, appreciate it. For now, thank you.
Well, President Trump arrived in China with more than a dozen business leaders underscoring the stakes for American companies as Beijing and
Washington negotiate over trade and technology.
Apple CEO Tim Cook and Elon Musk, the owner of Tesla and SpaceX, were among the business elite now in Beijing. The business leaders describe their
meeting with Xi as positive and productive.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
[12:10:10]
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Cook, how was the meeting?
TIM COOK, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, APPLE: It was marvelous. Thank you so much. It's so great to be back in China.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. Thank you.
JENSEN HUANG, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, NVIDIA: The meeting was incredible. President Xi was so gracious, so welcoming and welcome all of us to be part
of China. It was an excellent meeting. Thank you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MACFARLANE: Well, let's delve deeper into the U.S.-China relations with Alice Han. She's the China director of Greenmantle, a geopolitical advisory
firm and an expert in Chinese macroeconomics and political economy. Thank you so much for joining us.
Look, I just want to stay with the sort of tech A.I. bubble for now, given what we were just saying, because we know, of course, geopolitical tensions
aren't only centered around conflict or trade, but the A.I. battlefield heading in to this meeting with the leaders.
And I wanted to get your thoughts on how significant you think it is that the U.S. has cleared about 10 Chinese firms to buy NVIDIA's second most
powerful chip, following the late edition of NVIDIA's leader, Jensen Huang, to this U.S. delegation.
And I -- I would say this is one of the sort of concrete things that has come out of day one. What do you make of it?
ALICE HAN, CHINA DIRECTOR, GREENMANTLE: Well, firstly, I would say the symbolism is extremely important. The fact that you had Elon Musk and then
Jensen Huang come out of Air Force One, the plane with Trump right behind him and his family, as he landed in Beijing, is a sign that the U.S. is
open for business. It wants to do commercial deals with China, independent of some of the thorny issues like Iran, like Taiwan.
I would caution the H200 as being really significant, given that, to your point, these are not the advanced cutting-edge chips coming out of NVIDIA.
These are not the Blackwells and the next-generation Rubins.
And it remains to be seen whether or not Beijing is going to allow the imports, because as you know, at the end of last year, the U.S. allowed the
sale of H200s from the American side, but China has been blocking the imports.
I suspect that out of this trip, China will open up imports to the H200s because it needs these chips to really power the compute for the A.I.
companies within China. There's not enough being produced by Huawei and SMIC, so they will need to bring these H200s to the mainland.
The next question is, does this open the door for the future generation of chips? That remains to be seen. But it's, I think, pretty significant that
Jensen Huang is there, that a lot of American top-level CEOs are there. It suggests that Trump wants to do deals with the Chinese government.
MACFARLANE: It certainly does. And back on the sort of thorny topics, geopolitical topics at play today, I mean, we were talking about Iran there
and the day ending with some positive, perhaps messaging from the Chinese delegation.
Now, I just want to get your thoughts on what you made of the reporting that President Trump has apparently said that President Xi did offer, or
has been offering, perhaps to resolve the conflict with Iran, given what we know, which is that the Straits of Hormuz remains a valuable bargaining
chip for China in this moment.
HAN: So, it's interesting when you look at the Chinese coverage of it, which is very much about the pro-business nature of the summit, the fact
that Xi Jinping and Trump have a great personal rapport. There's very little coverage over the Iran issue.
And I think China is well within the realm of strategic ambiguity to say that it has long been for peaceful resolution of the Strait of Hormuz, for
a reopening, not for a tollbooth scenario, governed by Iran.
So, I think Trump has been trying to use that messaging, that strategic ambiguity, to his favor to say that the Chinese are on his side. Whereas
the Chinese can continue to say, actually, we are not going to closely collaborate with the Americans on, say, convoyed ships in the Strait of
Hormuz, but we do both see an incentive for a peaceful resolution.
I think both sides can agree to disagree and can use the framing to their own geopolitical interests.
MACFARLANE: Yes. I think one of the -- the more pointed comments, though, from the Chinese leader was on the issue of Taiwan. And I just wonder what
you see as Xi Jinping's goals here.
You know, is it to try, perhaps, over these series of visits to simply reduce the U.S.'s weapon support for Taiwan? Or is it something more that
he's hoping to get out of it?
HAN: I think in the immediate term, it is to either delay or really obstruct the $11 billion record arms sales that the U.S. agreed to give
Taiwan late last year. I think Trump has played his cards diplomatically to make sure that those sales were not in fruition in advance of those talks.
I think the -- the key message that Beijing is sending is that we don't want to see continued and escalated U.S. military aid to the Taiwanese. We
want to resolve the Taiwan issue politically by -- by improving trade, tourism, cross-strait relations bilaterally with Taipei, but we don't want
Americans to get involved in this Taiwan issue.
[12:15:14]
And in fact, I think the more that Trump gets bogged down in Iran in the Middle East, the more that argument, I think, is going to have more arsenal
and substance from the Chinese perspective.
MACFARLANE: Alice Han, really great to have your perspective on all of this, as we count down the hours till the delegation flies home. Appreciate
it. Thank you.
HAN: Great.
MACFARLANE: Now, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has responded to his former health minister who stepped down early today amid a growing mutiny
in the Labour Party.
Starmer wrote two Wes Streeting, saying he was sorry Streeting stepped down and said, "It is incumbent on all of us to rise to what I see as a battle
for the soul of our nation."
In his resignation letter, Streeting said he had, quote, lost confidence in Starmer's leadership.
Well, turning now to a dramatic rescue in the Atlantic Ocean. Earlier this week, a small plane crashed off the coast of Florida. The U.S. Coast Guard
says, all 11 people on board survived the crash and were later rescued after spending five hours in a life raft.
Here, you can see the moment passengers were rescued. And take a listen to one survivor describing what happened.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OUTTEN: I say, Lord, save us, Lord. Save us. That someone see us, Lord. That someone see us.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MACFARLANE: Well, CNN's Pete Muntean has more on this.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PETE MUNTEAN, CNN AVIATION CORRESPONDENT: We just heard from Olympia Outten, who is on board that plane, traveling with her son and her niece
from Marsh Harbour to Freeport.
She just described how the pilot got off course, she said, due to a storm and was running low on fuel and decided to ditch the plane in the Atlantic
Ocean.
This is the incredible new video from the 920th Rescue Wing of the United States Air Force. The Coast Guard says it was the first to receive the
distress signal from a downed plane 11:00 A.M. Eastern Time on Tuesday.
Incredibly, the crew of an Air Force HC-130 rescue plane was already nearby on a water rescue training mission, when that training mission suddenly
turned into the real thing.
The HC-130 crew says they found the survivors floating together in a single life raft and dropped additional rafts, food, water, emergency gear, while
helping to dispatch an emergency rescue helicopter.
The Air Force crew says the weather was deteriorating with thunderstorms nearby, seized between three and five feet. The helicopter swooped in just
10 feet above the water, while rescue men jumped in and began hoisting the survivors to safety one on one.
Remember, the survivors were in the water for five hours. And this is what Olympia Outten says, was running through her head at the time.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OUTTEN: There's 11 of us, and 11 of us live. And I'm thankful for that because for 11 people to live on a crash, all 11, that's a miracle. That's
a really a miracle.
Because some people is -- end up dying. Some people end of being out, knocked out (ph), no one was knocked out. Everybody was alert.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MUNTEAN: The United States Coast Guard also assisted in this rescue orbiting overhead in a rescue plane. The Air Force crew says they only saw
the survivors in the water, not the wreckage of the plane that ditch.
But we have confirmed the plane was a Beechcraft King Air registered in Panama. Those planes can carry up to 11 people. The Air Force says all 11
survivors were brought back to shore in stable condition.
The Federal Aviation Administration says, it is not investigating this crash. That means this investigation will be led by the authorities in the
Bahamas.
One Air Force major called the survival of all 11 people, after ditching in the ocean, quote, pretty miraculous.
Back to you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MACFARLANE: Incredible. All right. Get ready to dance. FIFA's high-energy World Cup final looks set to be a star-studded event. So, look at what we
can expect from the first-ever halftime show, just ahead.
Plus, a sibling duo at the PGA Championship with one battling for both a title and to emerge from his brother's shadow. His story, when we come
back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[12:20:56]
MACFARLANE: It's the party of the year, apparently. FIFA announces its lineup for the first-ever World Cup final halftime show, and it involves
pop star superstar Shakira, K-pop sensation, BTS, and legendary performer, Madonna, who all set to co-headline the extravaganza during the final in
New Jersey.
You'll have to have deep pockets though if you want to attend in person. Last check, the cheapest resale tickets are going for more than $8,000 on
one site. Goodness.
Joining me for more is CNN's Maria Santana. Maria, I won't be one attending in person. And I have to say, there are a lot of football fans who are not
so sure about this halftime show, but this is an impressive lineup. So, do you think they might be won over?
MARIA SANTANA, CNN EN ESPANOL ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT: It absolutely is. And let me tell you, I live about 10 minutes from the stadium in New
Jersey, and I won't be there either. That is a fact.
But, you know, in case there was ever any doubt, FIFA is making it official now. There is just no World Cup without Shakira. For the first time ever,
the FIFA World Cup final will feature a Super Bowl-styled halftime show and Shakira will once again be front and center.
FIFA confirmed that the Colombian superstar will be performing at MetLife Stadium next July, alongside just the Queen of Pop, Madonna, and Global K-
pop phenomenon, BTS.
But she would also voice -- she's also going to voice the tournament's official song, continuing a tradition that for many fans has become
synonymous with the World Cup itself from "Waka Waka" in 2010 to "La La La" in 2014, to this year's "Dai Dai," officially releasing today.
Shakira has come to be known by many fans as the Queen of the World Cup. The show is being produced by Coldplay's Chris Martin, in partnership with
Global Citizen.
But as you say, not everyone is celebrating the decision to include this star-studded halftime show, has sparked controversy, many football fans,
especially in Europe and South America see this as FIFA Americanizing and commercializing the sport.
But beyond that, they also said -- there's also a practical concern traditionally in soccer, the halftime is just 15 minutes, enough time for
teams to regroup, adjust strategy, and stay physically warm. And critics worry that a longer halftime show could disrupt the rhythm of the match,
affect the player performance and even increase injury risk.
Unlike American football and the Super Bowl, soccer players are almost in constant motion for 45 straight minutes during two halves. There are no
natural time-outs or pauses. So, keeping their muscles warm is considered highly, highly important.
And as you say, this debate also comes among concerns about the transportation costs, ticket prices. But, you know, but FIFA still thinks
that adding this will make it one of the greatest World Cups in history, Christina.
MACFARLANE: Well, certainly be a spectacle.
And another development today, Maria. We're hearing that the Trump administration is telling the "Associated Press" that international
visitors from certain countries won't have to pay bonds to enter the U.S.
Which nations are included in this? Do we know?
SANTANA: Yes. There's a couple of countries in -- in Europe that -- that are included. You know, this was also a controversial proposal because it
would have required some World Cup visitors to pay visa bonds in order to - - to enter the country.
[12:25:09]
The idea of gone criticism from fans and immigrant advocacy groups who argued, it sent the wrong message ahead of what's supposed to be a global
celebration of the sport. And it's just the latest example of how the buildup to the 2026 World Cup is already raising questions, not just about
the game, but affordability and access and who gets to be part of the experience.
I mean, this is something that draws millions of visitors to these cities where the World Cup is being held. We're seeing a little less of the
numbers that were expected as of now. And things like this, visa bonds were definitely a factor in that. But Trump administration has backed down from
that.
MACFARLANE: Yes. Well, we'll wait to see if it still can be affordable for the majority.
Maria Santana, great to speak to you.
And now from the biggest stage in football to one of the biggest stages in golf. The PGA Championship is underway in Philadelphia. And our Patrick
Snell reports on two siblings in contention for the major title in the city of Brotherly Love.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PATRICK SNELL, CNN WORLD SPORT (voice-over): It's not easy growing up in the shadow of your major winning older brother, but Alex Fitzpatrick is
doing a pretty good job of it.
ALEX FITZPATRICK, MAKING THE PGA CHAMPIONSHIP DEBUT: It's kind of really hard to describe, you know. If someone had told me, you'd win your first DP
World Tour event. And then a couple weeks later, you'd win on the PGA Tour, it would -- I'd have never ever believed you. Kind of everything has
changed.
SNELL (voice-over): Last month, Alex teamed up with sibling and 2022 U.S. Open champion, Matt, to share an emotional and historic victory at the
Zurich Classic. That win in New Orleans paving the way for Alex to earn his PGA Tour card through 2028 and a place in this week's PGA Championship
three years after playing in his first major.
FITZPATRICK: The majors are -- are the biggest events of the year. For me, that was kind of one of the goals of this year was to -- was to try and get
in a major and I didn't know how I was going to do it.
But, yes, you know, they're -- they're the most amazing events and -- and playing in The Open Championship was, you know, in a -- in a home crowd was
unbelievable. So, I was super excited to try and get that opportunity again to play in -- play in one of the majors.
And I didn't think it would happen this way, but I'm -- I'm happy to -- to be able to participate at the PGA.
SNELL: What is it like being Matt Fitzpatrick's younger brother? I mean, really.
FITZPATRICK: That's a good question. It's -- it's -- it's very strange, you know. I grew up following him around. That was kind of what I did when I
was young, you know, I -- I got taken to all the tournaments and not that I -- I wanted to, I -- I wanted to stay at home and be with my friends.
But my parents -- if you come to some of the tournaments before I started getting into them. So I kind of got dragged around a little bit as a kid
and not in a bad way. And then eventually when I started playing a bit more golf, you know, there was still always the, you know, where's Matt? What's
Matt doing?
And that, you know, that -- that's carried on until the last, like, three years. So, eventually, I got used to it.
SNELL (voice-over): That was then, and this is now. The recent victory in Louisiana was Matt's third in four starts. While for Alex, it followed a
breakthrough career triumph on the DP World Tour in India the previous month.
Two brothers, four years apart, but also now sharing a truly special fraternal bond.
FITZPATRICK: He's one of those people that doesn't really give that much away. So, I know he's always there when I -- if I need to call him or text
him. But I think he does a lot for me that I don't see. And I know that for a fact just from my mom and dad that, you know, he tries to help me as much
as possible without causing any, you know, hassle or -- or without bothering me.
He just wants me to -- to play golf and enjoy playing golf and be happy doing it. And, you know, he's behind closed doors. He's the most caring
person you can -- you can meet. And, yes, I -- I am -- I'm very, very lucky. That's for sure.
SNELL (voice-over): These are exciting times with the Fitzpatrick family, Matt will become a dad for the first time later this year. And that makes
Alex, Uncle Alex.
FITZPATRICK: I'm pretty excited. I'm pretty excited. Yes. I -- I -- I might be more excited than him, I'm not going to lie.
But the most important thing for us is that, you know, all of us are healthy. Our family are close. We -- you know, we all love each other. So
that's for me is the most important thing, so.
But, yes, it's -- it is nice being able to pick his brain about stuff and having someone so good that just trying to follow him and achieve the same
thing as him, I feel like I'd -- I'd be in a good spot.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[12:30:31]
MACFARLANE: Well, we have another update for you in the tumultuous British Labour Party. Labour M.P. Josh Simmons says, he will resign from his seat
in Parliament.
Well, that effectively paves the way for Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham to stand for the seat and then make a bid for the leadership. This is the
latest move to push out Prime Minister Keir Starmer after last week's disastrous local election losses.
Well, angry Cubans took the streets in a very noisy protest as the island nation runs out of oil and diesel. Demonstrators bang pots and pans, block
roads, and burn piles of trash.
It's all thanks to President Trump's oil blockade which has starved the island of fuel. Since March, only one tanker of donated Russian oil has
been allowed in and Cuba's Energy Minister says, it's long gone.
And as for Donald Trump, he seemingly put Cuba's troubles on the back burner for the moment.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Does the president of Cuba have his days numbered?
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Well, if you -- they're not doing well. Cuba is not doing well. It's a failed nation. And we'll be
talking about Cuba at the right time.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MACFARLANE: But there is a light of hope, literally. Cuba is currently pulling off one of the fastest solar revolutions on the planet with the
help of China.
That's according to the energy think tank, Ember. Cuba is importing Chinese solar panels and batteries, as well as building dozens of solar parks.
The aim? Use sunlight to hasten the nation's path to clean energy independence.
Well, it's time now for The Exchange.
And while bringing solar to Cuba is a positive thing, there are still some sticking points like who will have access to it? Is it just for the
wealthy? Or is it for everyone? And how will it help Cuba's oil problems?
Joining me now is Jorge Pinon from the Energy Institute at the University of Texas at Austin. Thank you so much for joining us.
So, I was reading that Cuba's imports have actually soared by more than 80 -- 1,800 percent between 2020 to 2025. I mean, the speed of solar uptake
has been remarkable. And it is potentially good news for a nation in desperate need of an alternative source of energy to oil.
But is this the clean energy revolution it appears to be? What do you make of it?
[12:35:59]
JORGE PINON, SENIOR RESEARCH COLLABORATOR, ENERGY INSTITUTE AT UT AUSTIN: No, It is regrettably we're far from it. Certainly, solar energy is part of
the matrix that every country wants to have, along with wind, hydro, biomass and other renewables. That on top of a baseline thermoelectric
power system generated by, for example, natural gas. So, it's not the one bullet solution.
In fact, the minister spoke last night on -- on national television and admitted that only 50 percent, that's 580 megawatts out of a total of 1,300
megawatts of solar power, is actually contributing to the grid.
And that is because of the weakness of the whole system, the whole distribution system around the island. So, it's good to have the solar
unit.
But if you don't have the wiring and the system and the interconnectivity in order to make that power available to every single citizen in eastern
and western Cuba, then it's not a real 100 percent success.
MACFARLANE: Yes. Could you talk more about that? Like what it would take for solar to replace oil as the backbone of Cuba's electricity system?
Because we know that, you know, they are in desperate circumstances right now. The blockade has reduced energy to a trickle. I mean, time is of the
essence.
So, what -- what would it take?
PINON: Yes. Solar energy is -- yes. Solar energy is not only the -- only the photovoltaic panels, but it's also large-scale utility batteries so
that you can produce electricity when there's no sun.
For example, here in Houston, certainly, nearly, we open a facility with 750 megawatts of solar and 250 megawatts of utility-scale batteries.
So, it's not only the solar panel themselves, but it's the battery system that will keep the energy flowing when there is no sun.
The system is not interconnected. In fact, this morning at 6:09, the whole power system in the eastern provinces of the islands went out. It means
about an hour ago, it means that 50 percent of the island, on the eastern part, is still without power because the -- the interconnectivity
transmission lines, other power systems, went down.
These are systems, by the way, that are over 40 years old with very little capital maintenance. So, yes, solar is good, but it has to be part of an
integrated strategy.
MACFARLANE: I wonder what you make of -- of China's, I suppose, offer here of -- of solar panels. I mean, we know that they've been expanding their
influence in the region for some time, that they produce, I think, like some of the -- the highest number of Cuban solar panels and batteries in
the world.
Why are they supplying solar technology to Cuba at such a rate? And do you expect it will continue?
PINON: I think it will continue. I think we do welcome or Cuba welcomes the contribution that China has made of all of these solar panels that were
allowed, as you said, the construction of at least 1,000 megawatts of solar power. That's good news.
But I think it's a political move, as you said. They want to somehow strengthen their political influence over the rest of Latin America.
So, it's part of a short-term strategy, helping the island of Cuba, which needs all the help that it can get, but at the same time, sending a message
to the rest of Latin America that -- that China is here for you and China will be here for you.
We'll have to wait and see what happens if there is a change of government in Cuba as a result of the blockade that the U.S. has on Cuba right now
with -- with oil.
But, yes, it's good news for China, good news for Cuba, short-term.
MACFARLANE: All right. Jorge Pinon. We hope the trend continues. Thank you so much for joining us and walking us through it.
PINON: Thank you. Welcome.
MACFARLANE: Now, family members -- thank you.
And family members and friends gathered in Mexico to bid farewell to Kevin Gonzalez today, the 18-year-old U.S. citizen died from cancer on Sunday,
just one day after reuniting with his parents.
They've been detained and deported from the U.S. after attempting to travel to see him in the hospital. His father spoke of the love he will always
feel for his son.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ISIDRO GONZALEZ, KEVIN GONZALEZ'S FATHER (through translator): I cannot change reality. I love him very much. I feel very proud of him for enduring
so much, and he is a warrior. He fought against all odds. And I will always love him. I loved him very much and always will. I will always remember him
wherever you may be.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MACFARLANE: Well, CNN's Valeria Leon has more on the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
VALERIA LEON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This story has triggered a strong emotional reaction both in the U.S. and here in Mexico, after a 18-year-old
Kevin Gonzalez, a terminal cancer patient born in Chicago, finally reunited with his parents in the Mexican state of Durango, where he was spending his
final days at his grandmother's house.
[12:40:15]
The emotional reunion took place inside a small bedroom, where Kevin's mother sat next to him holding his hand while family members played guitars
around him.
Kevin was supposed to graduate from high school this Wednesday. And during a school ceremony, teachers called out his name in his honor.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Gonzalez, Kevin.
LEON: Many of his classmates remember him as a cheerful and kind friend.
TERESA GODOY, KEVIN GONZALEZ'S CLASSMATE (through translator): Kevin is a great friend. He was the laughter of the classroom, the joy of the class.
LEON: But the story goes back to April 14th, fearing he might die before seeing his parents again, Kevin left the hospital in Chicago and returned
to Durango, Mexico.
Meanwhile, Kevin's parents, desperate to see their dying son, tried to cross illegally into the U.S. They were detained near the Arizona border
and spent weeks in ICE custody while Kevin's health continued to worsen.
One of Kevin's doctors wrote letters pleading for their release, warning that Kevin was running out of time. Kevin had been battling stage four
colon cancer.
And finally on Friday, a judge ordered Kevin's parents' release from immigration custody and they were deported back to Mexico that same day,
hoping to reach their son in time and they did. But less than 24 hours after reuniting with his parents, Kevin died.
Now, the case is reigniting debate over immigration enforcement policies and humanitarian exceptions, with advocates arguing this family should
never have had to spend Kevin's final weeks separated in the first place.
Valeria Leon, CNN, Mexico City.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MACFARLANE: We're back with a check on how the U.S. markets are doing. Let's take a quick look. The U.S. markets there. The Dow, the S&P, the
NASDAQ, all up in the green today, as we cover and follow events unfolding in China in that meeting between the two world leaders. And this is your
business breakout.
[12:45:01]
Closing arguments are being heard in Elon Musk's lawsuit against ChatGPT creator, OpenAI. He accuses the company and its leaders of breaching their
charitable trust by shifting away from its nonprofit structure. CEO, Sam Altman, who co-founded OpenAI with Musk, has told the court that Musk
wanted total control of the company and only bought the lawsuit when he failed to get it.
Well, Kevin Warsh has been confirmed as the chairman of the Federal Reserve. His appointment was approved by the Senate in a narrow 54-45 vote,
split mainly along party lines. It was the most partisan vote for a Fed Chair nominee in history. His first meeting as Fed Chair is scheduled for
mid-June.
Honda has lost money for the first time in 70 years. The automaker reportedly a nearly $10 billion hit tied to its electric vehicle
investments. It has already scaled back its EV plans following weaker demand and changes to U.S. emission rules.
You may want to think twice before turning to artificial intelligence for money advice. Experts warn sharing un-redacted financial information like
bank statements with A.I., could make you a target for hackers, or even worse, identity theft.
Our CNN tech reporter Clare Duffy is covering the latest from New York.
So, Clare, how dangerous could this be?
CLARE DUFFY, CNN TECH REPORTER: Well, Christina, it could be really risky. And look, it makes sense why people are asking ChatGPT or other A.I. tools
for financial advice. Not everybody can afford a financial planner.
And so, in some ways, these tools could really democratize access to information. But it is very important to do it carefully, if you do it at
all.
And so, what do experts say about the right way to go about this? Well, the most important thing is to remove any personal information. So, whether
that is redacting information from bank statements or other documents before you upload them, or even better just taking the relevant information
out of those documents and putting it into a prompt that doesn't include your personal information.
But the key piece here is, do not upload personal details like your name, your birth date, account numbers, transaction dates.
It's also important to take a look at the privacy and data retention policies for whatever A.I. tool you're using. And those can change over
time. And so, it's important to sort of keep an eye on how those things might shift.
Finally, you can also prompt these A.I. tools to give you regular privacy reminders, so that if you get caught up in the conversation, the A.I. tool
will remind you not to include those personal details.
All of this very important, sort of for two reasons. One is that if you give A.I. tools those personal -- that personal information, that could be
involved in a breach or a hack.
It could also be used in the A.I.'s own training data. And then you have the specialized hackers who could give targeted prompts to try to extract
that sensitive training data from the model. So, you do not want your personal information in the hands of these hackers.
Our colleague Jeanne Sahadi spoke with Rachel Tobac. She's the CEO of SocialProof Security. She put it this way. She said, people are trusting
A.I. tools like they're a trusted fiduciary. Your trusted fiduciary is required to work in your best financial interest, whereas a large cloud-
based A.I. service provider is often creating their policies based on their own best interest and not yours.
And, Christina, I think the last piece of this that's really important to remember is that A.I. tools can still make mistakes. So, it's important
that this is not your single source of truth. The answers that A.I. gives can be really different from person to person.
So, we could give it the same prompt about how to invest $1,000. It might give you a really good advice. It might give me different advice.
And so, it's important to look at other sources, whether that other trusted source is online or human professionals. Don't let A.I. be the only place
you're getting financial advice.
MACFARLANE: Yes. This is such important and timely advice, as we increasingly look to A.I. to help us in all walks of life. I will take note
of that.
Clare Duffy, thank you.
All right. Coming up, you are looking at some eagle-eyed students trying to save a cherished habitat for some feathered friends. I'll explain why after
the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[12:50:46]
MACFARLANE: Catherine, Princess of Wales, is wrapping up her two-day visit to Italy. She made an early childhood education her signature cause, and
used the trip to highlight the revolutionary model used in the northern city of Reggio Emilia.
Earlier on Thursday, she visited a preschool where she took part in a nature lesson with the children, as you can see here. This is the
princess's first trip abroad since you revealed that she had been diagnosed with cancer in March of 2024.
Now trying to save the world, or at least the part that means survival for much -- a much-love pair of eagles.
Some students in a California classroom, not far from San Francisco, are trying to save the eagle's hunting ground before it disappears under luxury
homes.
Karina Nova of ABC 7 brings us their story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KARINA NOVA, ABC 7 REPORTER (voice-over): It's not often a lesson plan gets a whole classroom so excited that students give themselves extra work.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I did a lemonade stand with Max and my friend, Asher (ph).
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I put up some flowers around some different businesses.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm doing watering plants for people.
NOVA (voice-over): It's been like this for a while in Sara Stinson's science class at John Baldwin Elementary School in Danville.
SARA STINSON, TEACHER, JOHN BALDWIN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: We can see that the chicks are getting bigger and bigger.
NOVA (voice-over): For years, Stinson has started her class by checking in on a webcam of a bald eagle nest in Big Bear Valley.
STINSON: We get to see the eagles set up their nest. Then we get to see them lay eggs. And then we get to see the eggs hatch and the chicks grow.
It fits right in with our unit on life cycle.
NOVA (voice-over): Then one morning, she told the class that the area where the eagles hunt could be developed into luxury homes, unless the San
Bernardino Mountain Land Trust can raise $10 million to buy the land by July 31st.
STINSON: And they felt so passionate about it. And they were like, what can we do?
NOVA (voice-over): The students took that concern into their next class with teacher Nancy McCaul.
NANCY MCCAUL, TEACHER, JOHN BALDWIN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: They were furious that it was happening and they were, like, literally yelling, we need to do
something.
NOVA (voice-over): It just so happened, McCaul was starting a persuasive writing unit.
MCCAUL: And so instead of doing the normal unit, we shifted it a little bit to persuade people in the community and famous people to donate to this
cause.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm writing this letter to inform me of the problem.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You should also care about this cause.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The letters are being sent to different people around the world. It can also just be someone from your family.
NOVA (voice-over): The students have also been raising money on their own by doing bake sales and lemonade stands.
MCCAUL: They've been walking up and down the streets of Downtown Danville with posters informing people.
NOVA (voice-over): They even made bald eagle origamis. All this has deeply moved the group trying to save the area, known as Moon Camp.
JENNY VOISARD, FRIENDS OF BIG BEAR VALLEY: It touches my heart.
NOVA (voice-over): A group called Friends of Big Bear Valley has been fighting the new development near Fawnskin for a quarter of a century.
Earlier this year, the developer gave them one final chance to buy the land.
VOISARD: We don't plan to do anything with it. We want to keep, you know, all the trees for the flying squirrels and the eagles and everybody else.
It's the last undisturbed shoreline.
NOVA (voice-over): It's also the hunting grounds for Jackie and Shadow, the two bald eagles who have raised eagles in the area for years.
STINSON: Every class, first through fifth grade comes in and one of their first questions is, how much money have we raised?
[12:55:03]
Since yesterday, it's gone up by at least $20,000.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MACFARLANE: I hope those kids make it. What a great story to end the show on today.
And that does it for this edition of "One World." I'm Christina Macfarlane. Thanks for watching. Stay tuned for "Amanpour," up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
