Return to Transcripts main page
One World with Zain Asher
Israel, Hezbollah Trade Fire as White House Talks Underway; Disney Reimagines Hit Songs in American Sign Language; DOJ Drops Criminal Probe of Fed Chair Jerome Powell; Mass Trial of Alleged Gang Members Underway in El Salvador; Cubans Living in U.S. Send Aid to Family Amid Energy Crisis; Nearly 90 Homes Destroyed by Wildfires in Southeast Georgia. Aired 11a-12p ET
Aired April 24, 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)
CHRISTINA MACFARLANE, CNN HOST, ONE WORLD: An Iranian delegation is expected to hold talks with Pakistan mediators today, but not with the U.S.
"One World" starts right now. So, what does this mean for the ceasefire and talks with Washington? We'll have the latest from the White House.
Plus, Colombia's President Gustavo Petro is heading to Venezuela to meet their Acting President Delcy Rodriguez to discuss border securities today.
And musical sequences from three of Disney's top blockbusters are being reimagined for the deaf community in celebration of National Deaf History
Month.
I'll speak to the lead animator and artistic director of the production. Live from London. I'm Christina Macfarlane, both Zain and Bianna are off
today, and this is "One World". Well, there are signs the diplomatic door may still be open in America's war with Iran, even as the U.S. beefs up its
military presence in the region.
Sources tell CNN, Tehran is sending a team to Pakistan for talks with mediators. Iran's Foreign Minister is expected to arrive tonight with a
small delegation. U.S. representatives are not expected to be present. But Pakistan expects today's meeting will lead to a second round of talks
between Washington and Tehran.
It comes as a third U.S. aircraft carrier arrives in the Middle East. The highest number of carriers deployed there now in more than 20 years. CNN's
Kevin Liptak has been following this closely from the White House. Joins me now. So, Kevin, how are the White House viewing news of this delegation,
which is going to include Iran's Foreign Minister to Islamabad?
And is there any chance we could see a similar delegation, including perhaps JD Vance in return?
KEVIN LIPTAK, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: We haven't heard yet that JD Vance will be dispatched to Pakistan. We just saw him arriving here to the
White House. So, there's no sense that he'll be in that country anytime soon. But when you talk to officials, they do view it relatively
positively.
And as a sign that the negotiations and the diplomatic wheels continue to turn, even if it is just bilaterally between Tehran and Islamabad. It's an
indication they think that some of the leaders in Iran have made their views known, that perhaps there could be new offers on the table that will
then go back to the United States and continue this back and forth that they want to see in terms of how to end the war.
And so even if you don't see the vice president getting on a plane, that's not necessarily to mean that this isn't a good step in terms of how this is
all proceeding. Now, when you listen to the president, and we heard this as well earlier today, from the Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth, they insist
that they aren't in a rush to secure an agreement.
They think that time is on their side, that the continued blockade of the Strait of Hormuz acts as leverage. Listen to how President Trump described
it yesterday.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Don't rush me, Jeff. I could make a deal right now. I don't want to rush myself, you know,
because every story says, oh, Trump is under time pressure.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LIPTAK: So, the president insisting there that he doesn't have a particular timeline to get back to the table and to get this war resolved in a
permanent way. I think there's a reason he's not putting a timeline on it is because his previous timeline of the war ending in four to six weeks has
been blown past.
You know, we're butting up on the eight-week mark of the war, he was put under sustained questioning about that yesterday in the Oval Office. A lot
of Americans do want to know when this is all going to end, given higher gas prices, energy prices around the world being affected by the closure of
the Strait of Hormuz.
The war, of course, unpopular among Americans, and many do want to know what the end game in all of this is. The president suggesting that those
higher gas prices could be in place for quite some time, but saying that the tradeoff is that Iran is not going to be able to obtain a nuclear
weapon.
Of course, they did not have a nuclear weapon before the war began. U.S. intelligence assessments have suggested that they were nowhere near being
able to obtain one, but nonetheless, the president saying that that's the tradeoff for the American public.
And so, I think still a degree of optimism here at the White House that the diplomatic wheels are still turning, but no indication yet of when that
American delegation will be back in Pakistan at the negotiating table.
[11:05:00]
MACFARLANE: All right, Kevin, with the latest there from the White House. Thanks, Kevin. Let's bring in Steven A. Cook, a Senior Fellow for the
Middle East and Africa Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations. He's the author of "The End of ambition: America's Past, Present and Future in
the Middle East".
Steven, great to see you again. Look, let's get straight to this move by Iran to send a delegation, which of course, comes amid continued threats
from the U.S., not least from Pete Hegseth, just a couple of hours ago in that briefing. So, I just want to get your first thoughts on what you make
of that decision by the Iranians to send a delegation that includes their foreign minister.
STEVEN A. COOK, A SENIOR FELLOW FOR THE MIDDLE EAST & AFRICA STUDIES AT THE COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS: Well, it is a good sign that the Iranians are
willing to talk to the Pakistanis and hear out the Pakistanis who have been acting as mediators. And there's no doubt that the U.S. blockade is
pinching the Iranian economy.
The question is what the Iranians are willing to offer in the previous random negotiations, they rejected U.S. demands and made maximal demands of
their own. There's really no indication so far that they have moved from those demands, that perhaps these talks are an indication that they are
going to be a bit more flexible if there are negotiations with the United States.
MACFARLANE: Yeah, and just to dig down on that a bit more. I mean, obviously we're not seeing a lot of room for diplomacy. Publicly, we heard
Pete Hegseth coming out a little earlier today, as Kevin said, they're doubling down on the rhetoric of the blockade being complete and growing,
the fact that the U.S. are willing to wait this out.
But where might we see diplomacy, privately? What do you have any thoughts on what those next steps might look like? Could it simply be about, you
know, building a framework for these discussions to continue?
COOK: Well, part of the problem here is that both the United States and Iran believe that they have time on their hands. The Iranian leadership
believes that the president is under significant political pressure to bring this conflict to an end, and being the hardest of the hard lines,
they're willing to wait it out.
And we've heard what President Trump has said. We've heard what the Secretary of Defense has said. The Pakistan is working very hard, however,
to build some sort of framework around which to negotiate. This will be quite obviously around the Strait of Hormuz, the nuclear issue, as well as
a number of other issues, including Iran's missile program and support for proxies.
And that's where the problem is. The Iranians going to have a very hard time bending on some of those core issues, because it would essentially be
asking the hard lines in Iran to capitulate to the U.S. demands.
MACFARLANE: And one other problem relates to Iran's leadership as well. I mean, President Donald Trump has been claiming Iran's leadership is
divided. It's in disarray that's been roundly rejected by Iranian leaders, but there have been reports in recent days the supreme leader is badly
injured, which begs the question is, who can secure a deal for the country, if not its leader? Who will people follow?
COOK: Yeah, I think the issue of the supreme leader's health is actually secondary. There is no proof of life. Either he's badly injured or he's
dead. At this point, it's clear he's not running the country, and that anything that is being said in his name is being generated by the IRGC
leadership, which is made up of a number of generals from that military organization, and its leader, Ahmad Vahidi.
So that's who's in charge of the country. And these, as I said before, are the hardest of the hardliners. So, they will be the ones who will make a
decision and create the impression that the Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei has somehow blessed or made the decision to move forward.
Should there be any diplomatic solution? But I think that this has become an IRGC state and the supreme leader position there has become superfluous,
at least in these negotiations.
MACFARLANE: Yeah, and both sides, of course, have limited options without full scale war, as you've been outlining, but we have heard in the past 24
hours the U.S. ramping up their talks about operations in the Strait of Hormuz, in the dynamic targeting of Iranian assets.
Can you talk to us about what that means and what impact that would have if they were to move forward?
COOK: Well, certainly the U.S. military has capability to attack Iranian assets in and around the Strait of Hormuz that have made it difficult for
the transit through that body of water. But I wonder whether this is, yet again, another threat on the part of the president to escalate in the hope
that the Iranians will capitulate or be more flexible at the negotiating table.
[11:10:00]
This is something that has happened over the course of the last six or seven weeks where the president threatens escalation in hoping to modify
Iranian behavior. The Iranians just haven't been susceptible to this. So, we'll see. He'll either have the choice of escalating or climbing down from
these threats in once again, extending the ceasefire or going back to Islamabad.
MACFARLANE: Yeah, no easy options here, Steven, we appreciate your analysis. Thank you.
COOK: Thank you.
MACFARLANE: Now as the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran nears the two-month mark, top Pentagon officials say Tehran has an important choice to make. In a
press briefing earlier with the Joint Chiefs Chairman, Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth, said the U.S. military will maintain its blockade on Iranian
ports for as long as it takes.
And he said Tehran still has a chance to make a deal. Well, Hegseth also attacks the media and berated U.S. allies for not doing more, and he saved
some provocative words for Iran.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PETE HEGSETH, U.S. DEFENSE SECRETARY: Iran's battered military, the IRGC specifically, has been reduced to a gang of pirates with a flag. They cloak
their aggression in slogans, but the world now sees them for what they are, criminals on the high seas. They don't control anything. They're acting
like pirates, acting like terrorists.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MACFARLANE: CNN's Haley Britzky joins me now from Washington. And Haley, CNN has new reporting today on the ways the U.S. may look to target Iran's
capabilities in the Strait of Hormuz in the next phase of this blockade. What more can you tell us about that?
HALEY BRITZKY, CNN U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY REPORTER: Yeah, Christina, so my colleague Zach Cohen reporting that military officials are looking at
Iranian capabilities around the strait to target in case this ceasefire falls apart. And we've heard over the last 24 hours, of course, the
president and now Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, making very clear the U.S. is going to be targeting, particularly these Iranian small boats,
these fast attack boats and other vessels who are laying mines within the strait.
The president saying yesterday that the navy was under order to shoot and kill any of these Iranian vessels that are laying the mines in the Strait
of Hormuz. And I want to point out that while U.S. officials have said repeatedly that Iran's navy is at the bottom of the ocean.
We know that that the IRGC in particular still maintains some capability in these small, fast attack boats, these unmanned surface vessels that they
largely operate within the strait to sort of harass shipping and lay these mines. And Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth saying today that, you know,
they, the U.S. navy was ready to shoot and destroy any of these boats that they found lying these mines to clear the Strait of Hormuz, Christina.
MACFARLANE: Yeah, we also heard Hegseth earlier claiming that the blockade is, I think, in his words, complete and growing and going global. I think
that's was his words. But that doesn't actually time with what we've been seeing in the Strait of Hormuz in recent days, which is, I think, somewhere
in the region the 34 Iranian linked vessels bypassing the U.S. blockade.
Can you just give us a reality check on what has actually been happening in the strait in the past 48 hours?
BRITZKY: Yeah, absolutely. So, officials have made clear that the blockade is of Iranian ports, and of these ships coming and going from ports on
Iran, not necessarily of the strait itself. Officials told us last week that, you know, they would catch these ships, interdict these ships in the
Gulf of Oman and elsewhere, not necessarily in the strait itself.
They're trying to make clear that it is safe for other commercial shipping not linked to Iran to go through the strait. But of course, it is a risk,
and it's something that, as of with the mines in particular, that the U.S. military is working to sort of clear there. But we've also seen at least
three ships now that the U.S. military has boarded, two of which in the Indian Ocean in the last few days.
So that's, you know, 2000 roughly miles away from this region. And so, it is showing sort of an expansion. And as the Secretary of Defense, Pete
Hegseth said this morning, this is a new phase, so to speak, of this conflict and of the blockade. But he also made clear that the military was
locked and loaded, in his words in order to take on whatever comes next. Christina, let's take a listen to what the secretary had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HEGSETH: Iran has an important choice, a chance to make a deal, a good deal, a wise deal. Iran has a historic chance to make a serious deal, and
the ball is in their court. Either way, the War Department stands ready for what comes next, locked and loaded.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRITZKY: And so, I do want to point out, Christina, that this is a little bit different rhetoric than we heard from the secretary earlier this month,
on April 8th, the secretary was saying that Operation Epic Fury, the U.S. military operation against Iran right now, was a historic and overwhelming
victory, said, a capital V victory for that operation.
But today, saying that this operation continues in a new phase, so sort of stepping back from that, sort of, you know, this is finished and
accomplished, and it's been a victory.
[11:15:00]
And now, of course, we're looking as the ceasefire has been extended and its sort of unclear timeline. The president saying he's under no rush to
finish this. He'll finish it on his own time. So, it sort of lays out this sort of questionable time frame of how longer we'll be moving in.
Certainly, the military is very active in the region. We have roughly 20 U.S. navy vessels in the Middle East right now, and they're continuing to
enforce this blockade and take care of the mines in the Strait of Hormuz, Christina.
MACFARLANE: All right, Haley, appreciate the reporting for now. Thank you. Now, a regional expert says peace between Israel and Lebanon hinges on
Beirut's ability to disarm the Iran backed Hezbollah. President Trump announced a three-week extension of the Israel, Lebanon truce after
diplomats from Israel and Lebanon met at the White House on Thursday.
Hezbollah and Israel exchanged attacks even as the talks were underway, underscoring the fragility of this temporary ceasefire.
CNN's Oren Liebermann joins us now from Jerusalem. And Oren, this extended ceasefire holding will very much depend on Hezbollah abiding by it. We know
they were not part of this negotiation. So how is all of this being viewed where you are?
OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN JERUSALEM BUREAU CHIEF: And that gets exactly at why this is such a fragile ceasefire. The agreement itself, one that was
largely imposed by President Donald Trump, is between Israel and the Lebanese government. It doesn't involve and it was not signed by Hezbollah,
Iran's proxy in Lebanon, and that's where this becomes incredibly difficult.
Israel and Lebanon can make all the agreements they want, but Hezbollah very much has a say here, and they have not agreed to the ceasefire.
Meanwhile, we have seen Israel carry out a series of strikes. In fact, they announced some a short time ago in what they say is a response to Hezbollah
violations of the ceasefire.
Hezbollah has continued to launch some rockets and drones accusing Israel of violating the ceasefire, and that is the difficult scenario in which the
U.S. is trying to make progress here. It is fairly significant that they got an extension of the ceasefire. In addition to the first 10 days we saw,
we're now looking at about a month.
But given the difficulties here, the diplomatic challenges between trying to get a permanent agreement between two countries that have not had
diplomatic relations in decades, this could very well take much longer as they try to work out all the issues. Trump has said he wants to get Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Joseph Aoun in Washington for a meeting that would absolutely be a landmark meeting.
But let's not forget that it was Aoun who declined a direct call with Netanyahu several days ago over what he saw as Israel's continued
violations of the ceasefire and a very large Israeli presence in Southern Lebanon. So, making real progress here is incredibly difficult, and it's
not clear that Trump can do it on his own timeline.
He wants this done quickly. This may not be a very quick process to try to make any real progress here. And it's not just Hezbollah. It also depends
on U.S.-Iran negotiation. So that complicates what is already a very difficult task ahead of the White House, and of course, ahead of Israel and
Lebanon.
MACFARLANE: Yeah, it is all interlinked. Oren Liebermann there, we appreciate it. Thank you. All right, coming up Fed Chair Jerome Powell got
some good news today. So did the guy who will soon take his job. We'll explain why after the break. Plus, did Disney reimagine some of its most
popular hits to be more inclusive, that and much more just ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:20:00]
MACFARLANE: The criminal probe of Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell is now closed. That's according to U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, the Justice
Department launched the probe in January after President Trump complained of cost overruns in the renovation of the Federal Reserve's Washington,
D.C. headquarters.
Dropping the probe clears the way for Kevin Warsh to get confirmed as Powell's successor. That's because one influential Republican Senator said
he would block Warsh's confirmation unless the Powell investigation was dropped. CNN's Evan Perez is joining us with more from Washington.
So, what do you understand about what's gone on here behind the scenes, Evan?
EVAN PEREZ, CNN SENIOR U.S. JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Christina, this investigation allegedly was about cost overruns, hundreds of millions of
dollars in a multibillion-dollar renovation of the headquarters, the historic headquarters of the Federal Reserve building here in Washington,
D.C., but what has really played out over the last few months was more of a political play, it appears.
And so, what you see today from the U.S. Attorney in in Washington, D.C., Jeanine Pirro, is her ceding, essentially, to the political reality,
because the president obviously wants Jerome Powell to leave. He's been threatening to fire him for since last year, but he couldn't get his
replacement through the Senate unless this investigation went away, which even a judge during a hearing last month said there was no evidence to show
that Jerome Powell had committed any impropriety.
The prosecutors have not shown that there is any impropriety and to sustain this subpoena that they had issued to the Federal Reserve about some of
these cost overruns. So, what now happens is that the Justice Department says that they're going to let this go for now.
Jeanine Pirro says in a tweet or on Twitter this morning, she said that she is expecting a report from the inspector general for the Federal Reserve,
and that she will take a look at that. And she says, however, I will not hesitate to restart a criminal investigation, should the facts warrant
doing so.
I should point out that there's really been no signs of an actual, real investigation, the kind that you know certainly from the Justice Department
side of things, is normal course of doing things. For instance, the FBI was not at all involved in this investigation. That's how criminal
investigations are done in the Justice Department.
And instead, what you had was a couple of political appointees in Pirro's office, lawyers who were handling this, apparently internally. And so
that's one reason why it was very clear that, certainly from the critic's side, including Republican critics of this, that this was not a real thing,
that this was more a ploy for political pressure on Jerome Powell and the Federal Reserve and not a real investigation.
By the way, the other thing that happened in the last month, we saw the Justice Department claim that they were going to appeal a ruling from a
judge who got rid of those subpoenas and but they never actually filed an appeal. That was another indicator of where this was headed, Christina.
MACFARLANE: Yeah, maybe never really had many, like much legs in the first place. Evan, we appreciate the update. Thank you. All right, coming up
building ties in a new era. Details ahead on today's visit between the leaders of Colombia and Venezuela. Plus, we'll have the latest on the
energy crisis in Cuba. Cubans living the U.S. working hard to send much needed aid to the island.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:25:00]
MACFARLANE: Welcome back to "One World". I'm Christina Macfarlane in London. Here are some of the headlines we're watching today. Sources tell
CNN, an Iranian delegation is expected to hold talks with Pakistani mediators on Friday, but the U.S. is not expected to attend.
The Iranian Foreign Minister is leading the delegation to Islamabad, and we're learning that Pakistan expects the meeting will lead to a second
round of talks between the U.S. and Iran. Well, President Trump announced a three-week extension of a truce in Lebanon after envoys from Israel and
Lebanon met at the White House on Thursday.
Israel's Ambassador to the U.N. says the Lebanese Government has no control of Hezbollah and said the extended ceasefire is not 100 percent. U.S.
Special Forces soldier has been arrested for allegedly betting on the Maduro raid and winning $400,000. Prosecutors say the master sergeant was
involved in the planning and execution of the operation to capture Venezuelan Leader Nicolas Maduro.
At the same time, he's said to have placed a large wager that Maduro would be out by the end of January. And in the coming hours, Colombian President
Gustavo Petro is set to meet with Delcy Rodriguez. She has been serving as Venezuela's Acting President since the U.S. sees Nicolas Maduro in January.
Petro's visit to Caracas comes as many Venezuelans look for long term economic stability in this transition period. And for more on today's
meeting, let's bring in Stefano Pozzebon on live from Bogota, Colombia. So, Stefano, Petro the first head of state to visit Caracas since Maduro is
ousting in January. Walk us through the significance of this visit.
STEFANO POZZEBON, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Yes, Christina, well, I think that this visit shows that the region as a whole is ready to engage with Delcy
Rodriguez. It's the first head of state to travel into Caracas since that dramatic geopolitical earthquake that was the capture of Nicolas Maduro on
January the third.
And Christina, up until now, the rest of Latin America had been keeping in a wait and see approach perhaps. They were still trying to figure out,
first, what the leadership in Venezuela would look like, and second, most importantly, what these new leadership Delcy Rodriguez, we stand for given
the over -- the 180 that they have performed from being one of the Washington's mightiest foes in the region to one of the strongest allies
and almost a protectorate of the White House, as some of Delcy's critics have pointed out.
[11:30:00]
Petro is the first person to visit, the first head of state to visit Venezuela because he probably realizes that he needs that relationship to
be working. We spoke with sources yesterday, and they both -- sources on both sides told us that the meeting today will focus on security.
We're talking here of more than 2000 kilometers of shared borders between the two countries. Many of those kilometers are under the control of
criminal groups including the ELN the National Liberation Army, which is Colombia's oldest and strongest and largest insurgency.
So, there is a lot to be gained if the Armed Forces of Colombia and Venezuela will start cooperating in managing and controlling the border, as
it's not been possible, frankly, for the last two decades. At the same time, of course, this visit will be closely monitored by Washington, who,
just yesterday, just on Thursday, Washington sent their new ambassador, John Barrett to Caracas.
So, a lot of geopolitical shenanigans going on between these two countries. And it's interesting to see how Venezuela is entering a new chapter under
Delcy Rodriguez, Christina.
MACFARLANE: Yeah, very much so. And even you know that, we know that the Colombian President has had a bumpy relationship with Washington too,
Donald Trump, ultimately send Rodriguez predecessor to prison. So how much is the sort of shadow of the president sort of looming over this visit?
POZZEBON: Oh, I think that Donald Trump will cast a huge shadow on to this meeting. It's to me that I've been working in this region for 10 years. The
idea of a Venezuelan President being actually closer to the White House than the Colombian President. Colombia being, of course, the strongest and
traditionally, the strongest and closest ally of Washington since at least the 1950s here in Latin America.
And now, within a couple of months, almost Delcy Rodriguez has clearly surpassed, overtaken, Gustavo Petro in being the person that speaks the
most with the Americans. Petro may be the first foreign leader traveling, the first foreign head of state traveling to Caracas.
But we've already seen two cabinet ministers coming down from Washington, Doug Burgum and Chris Wright, both of them cabinet ministers to show that
the investment that the White House, the investment that the Trump Administration has made in picking Delcy Rodriguez and elevating her to the
presidency after the ousting and the capture of Nicolas Maduro, is significant and is very important to Washington.
Gustavo Petro is almost at the end of his presidency. He will give up powers on August the seventh, we are entering a political campaign to elect
a new president here in Colombia. Well, on the other side, it looks like Delcy Rodriguez, at least for this year, is destined to stay at the helm of
the Venezuela economy, and just like you said, to solve all the problems that are related to the Venezuelan economy.
So, the balance, the equilibrium of powers, has clearly shifted. Perhaps six months ago, we could have spoken about a Venezuelan leader coming to
ask the Colombians to lobby them with Washington. It almost looks like it's in reverse right now, Christina.
MACFARLANE: Yeah, it's fascinating. Great context. Stefano, we appreciate it. Thank you. And we're also tracking the mass trial of hundreds of
prisoners who are accused of being members of the notorious gang in El Salvador. On Thursday, 486 alleged members of the MS-13 watched cuffed and
shackled from in prison as court heard evidence against all of them.
This marks the largest mass trial under President Nayib Bukele's crackdown on gang violence. The defendants are currently being held across five
prisons. This includes the controversial mega prison called CECOT. And as Cuba struggles with an ongoing energy crisis.
Cubans living in the United States are still trying to help deliver much needed aid to the island. CNN's Carolina Peguero talked with Colombian
expats in Miami who are sending supplies to their families.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CAROLINA PEGUERO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Aiza opens her trunk packed with boxes and bags of goods. Everything inside has one destination,
Cuba. For Aiza and many Cubans coming to this type of agency as part of their routine in South Florida, they arrive, stand in line, sometimes for
hours, and send off their shipments.
She claims to always include something essential for Cubans.
AIZA CRUZ, MIAMI RESIDENT: The typical Cuban breakfast is coffee with milk. Any Cuban who doesn't get their coffee and milk hasn't had breakfast.
PEGUERO (voice-over): This isn't new. For decades, the Cuban diaspora has supported their families on the island, but now the need is greater.
[11:35:00]
PEGUERO: So, this is just an idea of what it looks like here, in this place where there's a lot of cargo shipments being sent out to different parts of
the world, including Cuba, a lot of people have been waiting in line for hours just trying to get a spot in line.
BRYAN CALVO, HIALEAH, FLORIDA MAYOR: See, you know, days where you'll have a couple 100 people waiting in line to send goods.
PEGUERO (voice-over): Cuba's crisis has deepened under sweeping U.S. economic restrictions, tightening the pressure on an already fragile
economy, fuel shortages and rolling blackouts have intensified, and goods that were once hard to find are now increasingly scarce.
RAMON RIZO, MIAMI RESIDENT: It's terrible, there is no electricity, no gas, no oil, no gasoline. There is nothing, and the people are in the dark.
PEGUERO (voice-over): Jose Antonio Govea is sending a generator to his mother.
You charge it and then you turn it on when the power goes out. She has one over there, but she broke it, so, it doesn't work anymore.
PEGUERO: How much was it?
JOSE ANTONIO GOVEA, MIAMI RESIDENT: $300 dollars, plus $104 to send it. that's $404 in total.
PEGUERO (voice-over): Jose Antonio says he'll keep sending essentials, but he hopes Cuba will change.
GOVEA: God willing, this administration under Donald Trump, our president, brings a change that leads to a solution. We cannot go on like this. The
solution is not for us to send support to our families for our entire lives.
PEGUERO (voice-over): Carolina Peguero, CNN, Miami.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MACFARLANE: OK. Coming up, the worst spring drought on record in the United States is fueling devastating wildfires in South Georgia. We'll have an
update from the region. Plus, Disney Animation brings American Sign Language to some of its iconic hits. We talk with the animators, after the
break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MACFARLANE: Disney magic is merging with the beauty of American sign language. In celebration of National death History Month, Disney+ is
debuting three popular hit songs re imagined in American sign language. Disney Animation teamed up with Deaf West Theater to bring some of their
iconic classics to life in a new way, inclusive for all.
Animators say they took the original data from the movies and recreated it with new gestures using American sign language.
[11:40:00]
And joining me now is Animator and Director of Disney Animation's Songs in Sign Language, Hyrum Osmond and the Artistic Director at Deaf West Theater,
DJ Kurs and also a special shout out to Beth Staley, who is interpreting for DJ off camera there. So great to have you all with us. Thank you.
HYRUM OSMOND, DIRECTOR OF DISNEY ANIMATION'S SONGS IN SIGN LANGUAGE: Thank you.
DJ KURS, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR AT DEAF WEST THEATER: Thank you.
MACFARLANE: So, Hyrum, I just wanted to begin with you, because I understand that this is a very personal thing for you, because you grew up
with a deaf father, so that must have given this project so much more depth and meaning to you. Can you just talk to me about that?
OSMOND: Yeah, so growing up with a deaf father, I actually never learned sign language, which, if I could go back, I'd do it. I feel like I missed
out on an opportunity to really connect with my dad, and so that, for me, is what this shows is about. It's bringing down barriers, and especially
between Disney Animation and the deaf community.
MACFARLANE: I mean, it's that's incredible that you never learn sign language. So, this must, as you say, be a chance for you to write that. Can
you talk me through the process of reimagining this animation and how much new work actually had to go into this?
OSMOND: Yeah, so the process was, we knew we had to do this right. We weren't just going to guess about sign language and what should be used,
and so we took the original, as you mentioned, we took the original animation from these films and wanted to reimagine them correctly in sign
languages, which is what really brought us to our collaboration with Deaf West Theater.
MACFARLANE: Amazing. And DJ, you were Hyrum's primary collaborator in translating the lyrics to American Sign Language. You know what we're
seeing on the screen here. Can you just describe how important this work is to the deaf community and to a new generation of death children who are
going to be able to connect with these movies in an entirely new way now.
KURS: Absolutely. So, we grew up with so many of these characters, and it's only now that we're able to have sign language be incorporated. It's an
important moment for us in our world, being able to collaborate with Disney Animation and start from scratch, to be able to reimagine those characters
together, is so exciting and a real thrill for us.
And we also use performers from our community to, in fact, model the signs, and then also ensure that we had all the animation match the
characteristics of sign language, like facial expressions and hand shapes, and so the final product is something we're very proud of.
MACFARLANE: It's so detailed, isn't it? And it wasn't just about casting deaf actors, I understand. It was about casting deaf actors with specific
sort of cultural backgrounds of the characters we see in these films. Can you talk to me about that process?
OSMOND: Yeah, absolutely, I'll let DJ speak to that.
KURS: So, for the song of --
MACFARLANE: Go ahead, DJ.
KURS: I'll go if I may. So, for "Encanto", we selected a Deaf Colombian actor, and then for "Moana", we selected a Pacific Islander actor, one who
has Pacific Islander heritage, and gave them those roles. And that was the opportunity to bring their heritage with what they do on the screen. And
that's such a powerful moment for us in our community.
MACFARLANE: Hyrum, where do you hope, this project is going to lead. I mean, could this be the start of many more ASL Disney Animations, or even
beyond Disney?
OSMOND: Oh, yeah, I hope so. We loved making these. I hope we do more. I hope other studios do things like that. I hope we get a full-length
animated feature in sign language. I think that that would be fantastic.
MACFARLANE: And DJ, what do you hope people will take away from this collaboration, you know, both for the deaf community and people not in the
deaf community?
KURS: So, for people in the deaf community, I hope that the message is that you can do anything. You can be an animator if you want, and you can make
your own stories and tell the stories how you want. For the world, I hope that they take away seeing that we are here as part of the tapestry and the
richness of life, and that sign language is a form of choreography that can experience or support the experience of something like music or dance.
MACFARLANE: It's such an inspiring project, and we're so grateful to have you both on to talk us through it. I've learned one piece of sign language
for this, which is just to say thank you.
[11:45:00]
And perhaps DJ, given that you're here, you could introduce us to the break and see this segment out for us.
KURS: Absolutely, we will be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MACFARLANE: Now take a look at this large and slow-moving tornado known as a Stovepipe Twister. It was on the ground in Enid, Oklahoma, for more than
30 minutes Thursday night, leaving behind a trail of destruction. Nearly a dozen people were injured by Enid, but Enid's Mayor says, thankfully, no
deaths were reported.
More than 15 other tornadoes tore through Oklahoma, Kansas and Iowa. Well in the U.S., State of Georgia, a major drought and high shifting winds are
fueling devastating wildfires. At least 87 homes have already been destroyed and hundreds of people evacuated.
This was the worst spring drought on record across the U.S. And CNN's Meteorologist Derek Van Dam has the latest from South Georgia.
DEREK VAN DAM, CNN METEOROLOGIST: We spoke to authorities this morning, who gave us an update on the highway 82 fire here in Brantley County, Southeast
Georgia. They told us that there are 59 fire departments working on this wildfire, over 220 personnel on the ground, including what they called
their red team.
This is a federal premier firefighting crew that has now arrived on the scene. So, a lot more personnel. They're ramping up the personnel to try to
get a hold of this fire, which we saw explode in size overnight. And it's all about, obviously, the drought, but also the winds.
So, the winds, according to the authorities, are supposed to come out of the southwest today, five to seven miles per hour. Might not seem like very
strong, but remember, it doesn't take much to take an ember and spread that to a new forward flank of the fire. Look at what they're contending with on
the ground.
Tinder box conditions. This stuff is bone dry. We are desperate for rain. And you know, it's interesting to learn this from the authorities as well.
This forest fire is so intense, so hot, that it's creating its own weather. It's altering the winds at the surface and above the ground, and the
relative humidity, which is a critical aspect in fighting forest fires.
If it's dry, obviously it's tougher to contain, but with the forward flank of a fire, it actually sucks the moisture out of the air, so it drops down
to about 5 percent relative humidity. The soil here is extremely parched. We desperately need rain.
[11:50:00]
Now there are still mandatory evacuations in place. Those will likely continue through the course of the day, as this wildfire burns several more
structures, over 1000 homes still threatened. And what's new as well, according to authorities, is that a curfew will go into effect overnight,
from 08:30 p.m. through to 6 o'clock in the morning the following day.
So, they're really starting to clamp down on this area that is so badly impacted by this forest fire, one of 20 large active fires, more than 20, I
should say, across the southeast. Back to you.
MACFARLANE: And our thanks to Meteorologist Derek Van Dam for that report. Now day one of the NFL draft is in the books, and the top pick was no
surprise.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: With the first pick in the 2026 NFL draft, the Las Vegas Raiders select Fernando Mendoza quarterback Indiana.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MACFARLANE: Fernando Mendoza is headed to the Las Vegas Raiders. The 22- year-old quarterback led the Indiana Hoosiers to a perfect record and a national championship. And he also won the Heisman trophy. And the New York
Jets took defensive end David Bailey from Texas Tech at number two.
The Arizona Cardinals picked Notre Dame, running back Jeremiyah Love at number three. And two, Ohio State Buckeyes round up the top five. Wide
Receiver Carnell Tate going to the Tennessee Titans and linebacker Arvell Reese to the New York Giants. We are now than less than 50 days from the
beginning of what is widely considered to be the world's biggest sporting event.
The FIFA World Cup, kicking off on June 11, hosted, of course, by the U.S., Canada and Mexico. The last U.S. World Cup was in 1994 and most of the
upcoming matches, 78 out of a record 104 are being held on American soil. FIFA's President says ticket demands is off the charts, the equivalent of
the request for 1000 years of World Cups at once.
But there's been a lot of controversy over the very high-ticket prices. Now many immigrant children in the U.S. have stopped going to school while
others attend, but are preoccupied with what's going on outside the classroom. That's why one school in New York is finding a new way to keep
these kids engaged and prepared for their futures. CNN's Hannah Keyser (ph) reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I was a kid I really like want to try boxing.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: When you're in the gym. How do you feel?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: With a lot of adrenaline and so happy.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (voice-over): This is Gabriella (ph). She's a junior at ATLAS High School in Queens, where a lot of the students are recent
immigrants, including her. She says she moved to the U.S. from El Salvador when she was 13.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You know, the immigrant depression everyone has it. Could I be in five years here in New York? I'm still have the, you know,
the feeling that my life is there, but I know it's not.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (voice-over): The number of students at the school has shrunk by about 40 percent this year, mostly because of immigration crack
downs across the country, we've concealed the student's identities for that reason.
ELIZABETH MESSMANN, ATLAS HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL: Come on, everybody let's go. The bell rang. Children are coming to school less frequently. I think
part of it is that they don't feel safe transiting to school, and because they have this feeling that they will soon be facing deportation, they
maybe aren't really committing to the process of getting an education because they are choosing to work.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (voice-over): The boxing program is one of many that the school has created to motivate the students to continue to show up.
MESSMANN: Nail tech, barber, photography, this is the classroom that we're converting into our community store, which is also going to give them work
based learning experience, hardware and software technology. Those types of programs are programs of interest to students, but also ways that our
students can earn a living while they are becoming documented.
MIKE FIGUEROA, COACH OF BOXING GYM AT ATLAS HIGH SCHOOL The boxing program has brought solace and comfort to them.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (voice-over): This year, Coach Mike Figueroa, who leads the boxing gym, designed a program so that the students could train to earn
money as certified coaches.
FIGUEROA: Here we go. Come on. They're nervous just stepping out of their home and then stepping out of here. Obviously that anxiety has created
panic, but they definitely feel safe and protected in here.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: -- some kids house boxing to get some money to college. We are learning how to make people feel confident.
[11:55:00]
Boxing for the fitness for the health for your mentality and when you learning whole teaching books, these are more doors you can open.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 4, 5, 6.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (voice-over): When Gabriella (ph) imagines her future in boxing, though. It's not as a coach or a trainer. It's her in the ring.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My goal is to have a fight, professional fight, something. I imagine my mom, my brother, my cool teens, my auntie, I mean,
all my family is there. You know, I'm being so strict with my dream -- my dream --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Good job.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (voice-over): Hannah Keyser (ph), CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MACFARLANE: Great story. And now finally, at this hour, there were no cold feet on this wedding day, a couple who met in Antarctica's icy landscape
years ago returned to tie the knot. They met in 2014 while working there and found much more than just snow and ice, they found love, of course.
The couple had a civil marriage three years later, but have now returned to where it all began, to have a religious ceremony, and this time with their
kids there by their side. How lovely is that. Stay with us here on CNN. I'll have much more "One World" after this quick break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
