Return to Transcripts main page
One World with Zain Asher
CENTCOM Denies U.S. Ships Hit by Iranian Missiles; Iran Publishes New Map Showing Hormuz Under Its Control; Iran Claims It Prevented U.S. Ships from Entering Hormuz; Oil Prices Climb on Fears of Strait of Hormuz Confrontations; Three Cruise Passengers Dead After Suspected Hantavirus Outbreak; Hearing for Suspect in WH Press Dinner Shooting Today. Aired 11a- 12p ET
Aired May 04, 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: Escalation in the Strait of Hormuz. "One World" starts right now. There are conflicting claims about the standoff in
the Strait of Hormuz. We'll take you live to Dubai and the White House for the latest on that.
Plus, a dangerous outbreak at vehicles three cruise ship passengers. Also have the latest on the World Health Organization's investigation into it.
And designers, celebrities and their stylists are getting ready for fashion's biggest night, the Met Gala. Right, coming to you live from New
York, I'm Zain Asher.
You are watching "One World". The Pentagon says that two U.S. flagged merchant ships have successfully passed through the Strait of Hormuz today,
and it's denying claims that an American vessel was attacked by Iran. But the world's most vital oil choke point is the site of rising tensions that
threaten to shatter an already fragile ceasefire between Washington and Tehran.
Earlier, Iranian media reported that a U.S. warship was hit by two of its missiles, something that CENTCOM immediately denied. It comes after
President Donald Trump said the American military would begin guiding escorting ships through the strait starting today.
A U.S. official, however, told CNN, this will not be an escort mission. Iran responded by issuing a new map of the strategic waterway, outlining
areas it says are under its control and threatening to attack any U.S. ships that enter Tehran. Meanwhile, said on Sunday that it's reviewing the
U.S.'s reply to Iran's latest proposal.
CNN's Kevin Liptak is at the White House for us. But first, let's get straight to Eleni Giokos who joins us live now from Dubai. So, Eleni, you
have situation whereby the Iranians have said that they've attacked a U.S. vessel sent comments denying that. What more do we know, Eleni?
ELENI GIOKOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, there's a lot that's happened in the Strait of Hormuz today, Zain. And I just want to take you to some of the
most important moments. Firstly, we had this announcement about project freedom, where President Trump says it's a humanitarian mission.
It's to guide vessels through the Strait of Hormuz. It is not a naval escort. And you'll remember that at start of the war, the Trump
Administration had been talking about naval escorts to ensure that they save transit through the strait that never materialized. We've seen a
version of this, and there's a lot of questions in terms of how to implement this.
You know how this is going to transpire, practically for people, and then, importantly, what we've also seen is the UK MTO saying the status within
the Strait of Hormuz has not changed. It remains critical. Since then, we've also all -- so Zain, we're just receiving an alert here in Dubai.
It says potential missile threat. Immediately seek a safe place and close the secure building. I just want to touch on this. This is the second
missile alert, Zain, of the day. We had one two hours ago. This is the first time we've received alerts like this. Since the ceasefire was
implemented on April the eighth, the ceasefire has largely been holding.
And I have to say, when we received the first alert two hours ago, everyone here was pretty much in shock, and it was very surprising. It brings into
question the status of the ceasefire, which President Trump has, of course, indefinitely, you know, extended. And then it brings into question what is
happening here in the Strait of Hormuz as well.
And I want to tell you about something else that happened that was very significant. The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company described what they call an
act of terrorism after two drones targeted an ADNOC tanker earlier in the day. And then shortly after, this is when we got the alert about an
incoming missile.
So that was also one of the big moments today. This is after President Trump announcing that project freedom, where Iran says they view it as a
violation of the ceasefire. The United States is also maintaining that they have control over the strait there's counter claims, there's, you know, a
lot of sorts of rhetoric from both sides.
But when we get alerts like this that we haven't received in weeks, it just raises a lot of questions. We haven't heard anything from the Ministry of
Defense at this moment, Zain, but we're really monitoring very closely to see what this means in terms of the big picture, as we basically in
uncharted territory at this point.
[11:05:00]
ASHER: Yeah, just important to note that, just to sort of clarify for our viewers, this is the second time you got an alert like this today.
GIOKOS: -- yes.
ASHER: And it's the first time you've been getting these sorts of alerts since early April, right? So, it really underscores how fragile the
ceasefire really is, Eleni. Do stay safe, and we will check in with you later on in the show. Eleni Giokos, do stand by for us as well. Kevin,
let's go to you.
So, Eleni made an important distinction there that the CENTCOM is essentially saying, this is not necessarily an escort mission. This is a
mission that effectively guides other vessels through the Strait of Hormuz. Can you just clarify the difference for us, and also how risky of an
operation is this for the Americans?
KEVIN LIPTAK, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Right. And it's a distinction. You know, these aren't military terms, escort and guide, but I
think the best way to understand it is essentially a coordination cell run by the U.S. military that can help some of these merchant vessels determine
where in the strait, you know, which channel inside the Strait of Hormuz is the safest to transit.
And by their very presence in the region, try and provide some reassurance to these shipping companies and to the pilots of these ships that it is in
fact safe to travel through. Now how effective that has been so far, I think remains to be seen. Yes, U.S. Central Command saying today that two
merchant vessels that were U.S. flagged were able to go through.
But when you look at the shipping tracking data, it doesn't indicate that there has been sort of a mass exodus of ships that had been trapped there
going through this morning. Now that project freedom, as they're calling it, is in place. So, I think it will take some time to see just how
effective this actually is.
It is a major effort. According to CENTCOM, it's a number of military assets, whether it's guided missile destroyers or aircraft drones, 15,000
American personnel that they say will be put towards all of this. In their statement this morning, CENTCOM also said that U.S. destroyers from the
U.S. navy had been able to transit the strait and were operating in the Arabian Gulf, which is significant.
It does suggest that those U.S. warships were able to pass through without being fired upon by the Iranians, which I think is significant. But as
Eleni is pointing out and experiencing herself, this does seem to thrust the ceasefire into new unchartered territory. It will undercut it,
certainly if Iran starts firing on these vessels.
And President Trump has made pretty explicit, including in his Truth Social post last night that if the Iranians begin firing on these ships, then the
U.S. will respond, which I think would prompt the entire ceasefire to collapse and fall apart and put the U.S. and Iran back at war, which, of
course, I think is something the president would want to avoid as the diplomacy continues.
Now, what the actual status of the diplomacy is at the moment, I think is a little unclear. The president, at one point over the weekend, said that he
was unsatisfied with Iran's latest proposal. He said it wasn't acceptable. On the other hand, he said that they were, quote, very positive
discussions, and thinks that they will lead to something very positive in the end.
So, we don't really know what exactly the status of all of that is we did hear from Scott Bessent, who's the Treasury Secretary, describing the state
of the Strait of Hormuz earlier today. Here's what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SCOTT BESSENT, U.S. TREASURY SECRETARY: they're reduced. Their navy is not a navy anymore. It's a band of pirates. They are trying to cut off
international freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, and the U.S. is opening that up. This is a humanitarian effort.
It's not only energy that's in there. It's fertilizer, its food transport, it's LPG for the more than the billion plus people in India used to cook.
So, we are saying the Iranians do not have control of the strait. We have absolute control the strait.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LIPTAK: Bottom line here, I think President Trump was frustrated with the deadlocks talks, frustrated that he was in a position where, yes, the war
was on pause, but the Strait of Hormuz remained in a choke hold, and the diplomacy seemed to be going nowhere. This is his attempt to shake
something loose. It will remain to be seen just how successful it is.
ASHER: Right, Kevin Liptak, live for us there. Thank you so much. We appreciate it. Let's bring in Rosemary Kelanic, who is the Director of the
Middle East Program at Defense Priorities, and she's also the author of "Black Gold and Blackmail: Oil and Great Power Politics".
Rosemary always good to see you. Thank you so much for joining us again. So just in terms of this distinction that CENTCOM is being really clear about
this idea that its job is not to escort vessels, but rather to guide them. What does that mean? And also, how risky again, is this of a sort of
venture for the United States?
[11:10:00]
ROSEMARY KELANIC, DIRECTOR OF THE MIDDLE EAST PROGRAM AT DEFENSE PRIORITIES: Yeah, so I see this all as an attempt by the Trump
Administration to try to break Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, their closure of it by trying to get more ships to go through the strait.
But the United States is being very careful about sending its own ships through in any kind of escort capacity, because U.S. destroyers, we do have
reports that they transit the strait by themselves to get into the Persian Gulf to help escort, not escort to help guide these merchant ships out.
But the U.S. military is trying to avoid getting into an escort situation, because they understand that that will put big fat targets on their
destroyers, which would have to move very slowly along with these merchant ships, if they were to accompany with them. So, it's a mixed message here,
right?
Washington is trying to say, look, we got some U.S. flagships out, so it's safer than you think it's been, but the U.S. military themselves are not
willing to go alongside those vessels. So that sort of undercuts the safety promise that's, they're trying to make here.
ASHER: So, what happens if a vessel that is being guided out by the Americans ends up being attacked? What does the U.S. do then?
KELANIC: That's a great question. The U.S. would try to defend it with missile defense, which they can do from a standoff position, potentially.
They would probably try to find where those missiles, depending on what it was, right? If it's a missile that's launched or, you know, a small ship or
drone.
Right, they try to figure out where it launched from and destroy the site you know that it came from. But there's not very much that the U.S. can do
to really make sure that nothing is attacked. So, you know, we'll see what happens when that that gets there, when we get to that point.
And I also just wanted to mention too these vessels that went through their U.S. flagged merchant vessels, but they have a close tie to the U.S.
military. They are part of the U.S. maritime security program, or the tanker security program, which means that they serve in a capacity where,
if there's an emergency situation, the military can essentially press them into service and use them as military vessels.
So, these aren't just sort of random merchant vessels. They're ones closely tied to the U.S. military that were not evacuated prior to Trump striking
Iran.
ASHER: That is an important distinction, and what has it been like for seafarers who have been stranded, stuck on these cargo ships, on these oil
tankers, since basically February 28th. What has that been like for them?
KELANIC: Well, it's been a nightmare for them. You know, it's been a nightmare for them. They didn't expect any of this to happen. You know,
there's different reporting on what the conditions are on ships for these mariners, but they have limited food, they have bad conditions.
They're stuck at sea much longer than they were supposed to be, and there's just huge uncertainty about when and under what circumstances they'll be
allowed to go home. But you know, these crews and their captains, they don't want to run the personal risk of going through the Strait of Hormuz,
and that's the big impediment to traffic going through, right?
Iran can threaten to attack, and that makes shippers not want to go through the strait. And the big question is, will this latest transit with these
two U.S. merchants flagged vessels. Will that make the difference in the considerations of these mariners? And it's not clear yet whether it will.
ASHER: Yeah, that's a big point, just the fact that, you know, they don't feel safe. Even if the U.S. does promise to, quote, unquote, guide these
vessels through, that's still not enough of a guarantee. Just in terms of what the U.S. his goal here is just, you know, operational project, freedom
with guiding these other vessels through the strait.
Is the goal deterrence, to actually just sort of make sure that the Iranians are deterred from issuing any kind of attack, or is the goal to
actually engage Iran with force?
KELANIC: It's a good question. We don't really know, sort of what the -- there's been some speculation that there's an ulterior motive here, right?
That the ulterior motive is try to get ships moving through and then if Iran attacks them, that's an excuse to resume hostilities with Iran.
I don't actually think that that's likely, because the president could resume hostilities with Iran anytime, he wants to. So, I don't find that
argument particularly compelling. I think what they're trying to do is to try to, you know, suggest that transit through the strait, even if Iran
potentially fires, is safer than merchant ships think it is.
And so, I think they're trying to make the case that, like, look, you can actually come through. Chances are you won't be fired upon, or if you are,
it's not going to sink your ship, and it's not as big a threat as it seems. That's what I think they're trying to convey.
ASHER: I see. Right. Well, it remains to be seen, as you point out, whether or not some of the vessels that have been stranded are willing to take the
risk given the U.S.'s assurances we shall see. Rosemary Kelanic live for us there. Thank you so much.
[11:15:00]
All right, let's talk about crude oil prices. Is there again on a roller coaster ride this Monday, they were up after Iran's navy claimed it stopped
two U.S. ships from entering the Strait of Hormuz then dropped when the U.S. military promised to guide vessels out of the strait right now.
The U.S. benchmark, WTI, is trading at $103 a barrel, and also a barrel of Brent crude. The international benchmark is higher than that, at $112 a
barrel. Let's get some perspective on all of these volatile numbers. We're joined live now by Matt Egan. I mean, it really does underscore how any
sort of incremental move in the Strait of Hormuz, affects crude oil prices?
I mean, you have the Iranians claiming that they've targeted and struck American vessels in the strait CENTCOM is denying that, but every single
sort of small, incremental move that takes place has a significant effect on the oil markets. Matt, walk us through it.
MATT EGAN, CNN SENIOR REPORTER: Yeah, Zain, I think that's right, and that's because the market is desperate for any sort of solution to break up
this tanker jam in the Strait of Hormuz. I think unfortunately, though, this new effort from the U.S. does not look like the game changer that the
market is really craving, at least that's the message from the market, right?
I mean U.S. oil futures, as you mentioned, trading well above $100 a barrel, at one point this morning, touching $107 before backing off. So
clearly, this is not calming all of those supply fears in the market, and I think that's really for a few reasons. One, this is not an escort plan.
Two, it really remains to be seen whether or not tanker operators are going to take the U.S. up on this offer. Right, there are still significant risks
of transiting this waterway. And also, Iran has argued that this plan from the U.S., this violates the ceasefire. So, for all those reasons, we're not
seeing any sort of relief when it comes to energy prices.
And you know, markets were similarly on phase two, another announcement over the week, and that was from OPEC, right. OPEC promising to increase
supply by 188,000 barrels per day. Now that's a largely a symbolic promise, because as long as the Strait of Hormuz is closed, most of that oil can
never get to the market.
It's also just a drop in the bucket, right, 188,000 barrels per day sounds like a lot, but you got to remember that because the strait is closed,
we're talking about 14 million barrels of oil per day that has been sidelined by this conflict, and it's been going on for more than 60 days.
So, you're looking at more than 900 million barrels of oil that's been derailed again, all because of the conflict. And meanwhile, gasoline prices
in the United States continue to go higher up by another penny today, to 4.46 a gallon. That is another nearly four years high.
It's up by 35 cents from just this point, last week. And look at that. Before the war started, U.S. gas prices were below $3 a gallon. And
obviously this is a problem, not just in the U.S. around the world, not just with gasoline. Jet fuel, obviously a major problem. That's one of the
reasons that Spirit went out of business, and also diesel, right?
Diesel is arguably just as important to the world economy, if not more so than gasoline. And diesel prices in a number of states in the U.S. have hit
all-time highs as of today, including in Wisconsin, nearly $6 right there, Illinois and Michigan more than $6 a gallon, all time high.
So, look Zain, I think the bottom line is the Strait of Hormuz closing. I mean, that was unthinkable as of just a few months ago. And now, not only
has the unthinkable happened, but it's been going on for more than two months, and it's really not clear exactly how this is going to end.
ASHER: Yeah. That's the big issue, the uncertainty that lays ahead. Right, Matt Egan, live for us there. Thank you so much.
EGAN: Thanks so much.
ASHER: All right, still to come, fear on board a cruise ship amid a deadly, suspected hantavirus outbreak, the latest on the World Health
Organization's investigation ahead. Plus, Cuba responds to President Trump's comments about taking over the country. We'll have all of that and
more as well.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:20:00]
ASHER: Right, three people are dead, and at least three others are sick, offered after a suspected outbreak of hantavirus on board a cruise ship.
The ship and MV Hondius originated in Argentina. It is now anchored in the capital of Cape Verde of West Africa.
There are 149 people who remain on board the ship who will not be allowed to disembark. Hantavirus is typically linked to exposure to infected
rodents and can cause severe respiratory illness. Here's our Larry Madowo with more. So, Larry, I mean, honestly, I cannot even imagine what it's
like for the people who are trapped on board of this vessel, because we don't really know when they're going to be allowed to disembark.
And of course, there's not that many people on board the ship, roughly, sort of around 100 a little bit more than 100 but it is, of course, going
to be very, very scary for them because of the outbreak in such an enclosed space. Walk us through what we know.
LARRY MADOWO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It is scary indeed. The 149 passengers on the 149 people, 170 passengers, 70 crew. And according to authorities in
Cape Verde, they're not allowing them to disembark, because that's what's expected in situations like these.
They've sent medical crews on board, and the operator, this Dutch flagship ocean wide expedition, says two people require urgent medical care. They
are both. The one is a British national, the other is a Dutch national. Three people have so far been killed, two Dutch nationals and one German.
This vessel has 23 nationalities from all over the world, 19 Brads, 17 Americans, 38 Filipinos, most of them appear to be crew people from Spain
and Canada and France and all over the world. It was supposed to be a 35- day trip around this Atlantic Ocean, going to some of the most remote islands, some of the most beautiful places in the world really.
It began in Australia. That's in the southern tip of Argentina. It's often called the end of the world. They've been sailing through the Antarctica
and some of these islands, some the first person died in Saint Helena, that British territory in the South Atlantic. And then the second person, one
person, is currently in intensive care, receiving treatment in South Africa.
And the only one, that person is a confirmed case of hantavirus. The others are suspected cases. I want you to listen to this travel blogger who's
posted this tearful message.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're not just a story. We're not just headlines. We're people, people with families, with lives, with people waiting for us at
home. There's a lot of uncertainty, and that's the hardest part. All we want right now is to feel safe, to have clarity and to get home.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MADOWO: That travel content creator Jake (ph), he's been to 100 countries, so you can see why this is so unusual that even he is in tears. The
operator of the cruise ship says they're considering sailing either to the Spanish territories of Tenerife or Las Palmas so that they can disembark
and provide medical attention to the two crew members who require that added medical care.
Hantavirus is extremely rare, but when it does transmit from human to human, only one virus variant of it does, that is the Andes version.
[11:25:00]
It is found primarily in Chile and Argentina, where this originated, and it only transmits from rodents like mice or rats through their saliva, through
their urine or through their droppings. We didn't exactly know what happened here, but one quick word here, Zain, that the World Health
Organization saying that the risk to the wider public remains low.
And there's no need for panic over travel restrictions, but truly a scary situation for many of these people who've been on this beautiful 35-day
journey ending this nightmare.
ASHER: And that sound that you played from that travel influencer is really chilling. I mean, my heart goes out to him, and that's going to stay with
me for a while. Larry Madowo, live for us there. Thank you so much. And we'll have much more on this developing story in the next hour, with a
medical expert as well.
Turning now to Cuba, where tensions with the U.S. are escalating after President Trump's claims that he could take over the island -- anytime.
CNN's Patrick Oppmann has more from Havana.
PATRICK OPPMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: -- between the U.S. and Cuban governments grows more heeded by the day, almost to the point where it
would seem these two countries are on a wartime footing. Donald Trump is claiming that he is ready to take Cuba immediately, that he could send
military assets, a U.S. navy aircraft carrier here, and that would cause the Cuban government essentially raise a white flag and give up.
That is something that Cuban officials are angrily rejecting we've seen. Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel, saying, if he's willing to give his
life, that Cubans would fight back against any kind of military aggression by the United States against this island. It's also blasting the Trump
Administration for placing more economic sanctions on the island's government.
You're already dealing with a pressure campaign that's been really unprecedented in recent years between Cuba and U.S. governments, where
almost all oil shipments have ceased in silence, strangled an already failing economy. You see less cars on the road, blackouts that last longer
and longer, and while the Cuban and U.S. governments supposedly negotiating.
And there's little progress to show for those negotiations, and you see Cuban officials saying more and more regularly that they are preparing for
a U.S. -- invasion, that they are willing to lay down their lives, and under no circumstances will the U.S. be able to take Cuba, of course, for
Cubans caught in the middle of this war of words to concern is that it could turn into an actual war. Patrick Oppmann, CNN, Havana.
ASHER: All right, still to come, the suspect in the shooting at the White House Correspondents' Dinner faces a court hearing today. Details for you
coming up. Plus, a teenager arrested and then placed in I.C.E. custody is deported back to Honduras, a country that he left when he was for. That
report ahead as well.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:30:00]
ASHER: Right. Welcome back to "One World", I'm Zain Asher as New York. Here are some of the headlines we are watching for you today. Iran says it fired
warning shots near U.S. navy destroyers operating near the Strait of Hormuz. It comes after the Pentagon said that two U.S. flagged merchant
vessels successfully passed through the waterway.
Earlier, Iranian media reported that several American ships had been hit by missiles. President Trump, meantime, says the U.S. military will be guiding
ships through the strait. Three people are dead and at least three others are sick after a suspected hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship.
The virus is typically linked to exposure to infected rodents and can cause severe respiratory illness. The cruise ship is now anchored in the capital
of Cape Verde, off of West Africa, where the remaining passengers and staff are currently not allowed to disembark.
Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani is in the hospital in critical but stable condition. The statement from a spokesperson does not say why the
81-year-old was hospitalized. Giuliani told viewers Friday on his ex-show that his voice was a little under the weather. He was dubbed America's
Mayor after the 9/11 attacks in New York back in 2001.
In less than an hour, a hearing will be held in Washington, D.C., for the suspect in the White House Correspondents in a shooting, his lawyers have
complained more than once about how he is being held in custody. Cole Thomas Allen faces initial charges of attempting to assassinate the U.S.
President during the gala last month.
Crime and Justice Correspondent Katelyn Polantz join us live now from Washington. Katelyn, what more do we know?
KATELYN POLANTZ, CNN SENIOR CRIME AND JUSTICE REPORTER: Zain, this hearing today, it's the third time Cole Allen will be in court since that shooting
about 10 days ago. But this hearing, it's not about him facing his charges. It's about whether the jail has been appropriately treating him since he
was arrested outside of the ballroom of Correspondents' Dinner after firing off a shot in his shotgun and being apprehended by the secret service.
So, what has happened since he was apprehended is that he went to the D.C. jail and he was placed on a suicide watch in a safe cell with a padded vest
restraints on multiple hands his legs and also dim lights, inability to contact others, essentially solitary confinement, really restrictive
conditions in that jail.
His lawyers, at first had some trouble getting in touch with him in a way where they could have a private conversation, and then twice, they have
told the court that they did not believe he should be in that sort of restrictive conditions in the jail. He should be in a different population
within detention in Washington, D.C.
This came up last week at a hearing for him, and the judge at that time said, there's nothing really, I can do here. The jail makes their own
decisions. They wrote again to the court over the weekend, and the court this judge, Magistrate Judge Zia Faruqui has decided he has grave concerns
about the defendant's solitary confinement and his conditions of confinement.
The judge says that this seems to be unprompted at this point. The U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro was just on CNN yesterday saying that Cole Allen did
not seem to have a psychotic break when he attempted, allegedly to assassinate the President of the United States last Saturday.
So now we're going to see exactly what the jail says and why Cole Allen was being held the way he was, even if he didn't need to be on suicide watch.
Now, one of the things to remember here is that he remains in detention as he awaits trial. That is not changing, and that's not what is at issue
here, but he does have Sixth Amendment and other constitutional rights, the right to due process, the right to access his lawyers.
So that is what is making -- the judge is making sure is being maintained here, that he is being treated appropriately while he stays behind bars,
Zain.
ASHER: All right, Katelyn Polantz, live for us. Thank you so much. Right, an Atlanta area high school student who was stopped for a traffic violation
has been deported to a country he left when he was four years old. CNN's Rafael Romo spoke exclusively with the 18-year-old young man now living
with his grandmother in Honduras.
[11:35:00]
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RAFAEL ROMO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This is the first time the teenager speaks publicly since he was arrested in suburban Atlanta and subsequently placed
in I.C.E. custody less than three months after his 18th birthday. Axel Gerardo Archaga Rios riots, was deported from the United States to his
native Honduras on Thursday night, a country the 18-year-old barely remembers because he left his birthplace with his mother when he was only
four years old.
The teenager, says a police officer in Dunwoody, Georgia, where he lived with his family and went to high school, arrested him in late March.
Dunwoody police told CNN in a statement that an Archaga Rios was pulled over for running a stop sign. In addition, a spokesman said he did not have
a driver's license.
Archaga Rios told me, from Tegucigalpa, the Honduran capital, that it was not until he was booked in the cab county jail that he was informed he had
a final order of removal pending against him.
AXEL ARCHAGA RIOS, HONDURAN STUDENT DEPORTEE: I was eating lunch, and then I come back from lunch to myself, and then they asked me if I was Axel
Archaga Rios. I told them yes, and then they told me. They took me to the intake office, and they told me that Trump did not want me in the states no
more, that I'm being deported to Honduras.
ROMO (voice-over): In a statement to CNN, the Department of Homeland Security said that Archaga Rios illegally entered the U.S. on June 25th,
2014 near the Rio Grande Valley in Texas, and was released into the country by the Obama Administration. An immigration judge issued him a final order
of removal on September 1st, 2015.
Immigration Attorney Alejandro Cornejo tried to stop the deportation by asking Immigration and Customs Enforcement to consider an asylum petition
filed by the teenager's mother that was denied for reasons that had nothing to do with her son.
ALEJANDRO CORNEJO, IMMIGRATION LAWYER: Axel's mom is a victim of domestic violence. She was forced to leave the state and move to Georgia. All the
documentation that she received from the immigration judge in Florida, she never received.
RIOS: Everything just flips upside down and in less than a month, and then next thing I knew, I was being deported to Honduras.
ROMO: Archaga Rios says he lost almost 30 pounds in detention and had to see a doctor to be treated for what appears to be a skin infection. But all
of those pales, he says, when compared to the pain of being torn apart from his family and the only life he ever knew, Rafael Romo CNN, Atlanta.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ASHER: Right, still to come, a frightening collision near New York airport involving a plane and a truck. We'll have the video on the dramatic details
ahead as well.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:40:00]
ASHER: Dear God, terrifying moments caught on camera in New Jersey. State police say the United flights landing gear struck a tractor trailer as it
traveled along the highway. The flight then landed at Newark Liberty International Airport. The plane was arriving from Venice, Italy with more
than 200 passengers and 10 crew members on board.
No one on board. The plane was hurt, though, the truck driver you just saw there is recovering from non-life-threatening injuries, thank goodness. An
investigation is underway to determine why the plane was flying so low. Our Aviation Correspondent Pete Muntean has more.
PETE MUNTEAN, CNN AVIATION CORRESPONDENT: This is going to be a very interesting one for investigators. So far, I can't find a case in recent
memory where a U.S. commercial flight has hit something on a highway below it. Here are the circumstances. United flight 169 arriving from Venice,
Italy, coming in to land on Newark -- 29.
That is Newark's shortest runway, which was favorable yesterday to do the strong winds out of the west. The approach path to that runway goes right
over about 12 lanes of interstate 95 in the New Jersey turnpike. And I want to show you the still frame of what appears to be the left wheel of that
767, out of the window of the bread truck that was damaged, clearly a case of too low on the approach path.
But now the question is, why? Usually, pilots landing here follow guidance from their instruments down to about 400 feet or so and then continue
solely by looking out the windshield. That's called a visual approach at that point. But they're cautioned by way of published landing procedures
that there are obstacles in the way that there is not much tolerance to be low.
Want you to listen now to the air traffic control audio here in which the tower describes that the airplane was also damaged. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did you get the reports for what the issue was?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I got different conflictions on the turnpike.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yeah, they felt something over the threshold and they -- there's a hole in the side of the airplane. So, I'm going to get you on the
runway here in a moment. They said it was right at the threshold. So just be a minute.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MUNTEAN: The data will be telling here. Right now, we only have the open- source data, which shows the plane over the highway at about 125 feet, doing about 160 miles per hour. That's the rough day. What investigators
will want to look at is the flight data recorder to get better information.
Also, the voice recorder. Did the pilots realize they were too low, and was there a discussion about the risks posed by obstacles in the highway? The
NTSB says it arrives on the scene on Monday and says it wants to interview the pilots. Pete Muntean, CNN, Washington.
ASHER: All right, the end of an era, Spirit Airlines has abruptly shut down operations. This comes after Spirit failed to reach a Hail Mary deal with
the Trump Administration. The possibility of a $500 million bailout sparked backlash from both the airline industry and Republican lawmakers on Capitol
Hill, as well as some administration officials too.
All flights have been canceled as of Saturday, which means thousands of passengers have been left stranded.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RICARDO TEJEDA, SPIRIT AIRLINES TICKET HOLDER: I hope the people who have created this inconvenience for people like myself, you know, they should
ask God for forgiveness. I mean, this is terrible.
CHRIS BELL, SPIRIT AIRLINES TICKET HOLDER: We came here to the airport to try to get another ticket American Airlines is like $1,300 and then I hear
from frontier that they're only helping customers until June 6th. Well, my flight is always into the 18th. I haven't even received my money back to
even buy a new ticket, so that means I got to come out of pocket with more money to purchase another ticket.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ASHER: The trouble the airline file to bankruptcy for a second time last year. And Spirit CEO said the recent rise in the cost of jet fuel was one
factor in the airline's ultimate demise. We will right back with more.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:45:00]
ASHER: The annual Met Gala is fashion's most high-profile event, and this year it's again, no stranger to controversy. Tonight, celebrities and other
A list is dressed to the nines will attend the gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York this year's dress code is fashion is art.
Main benefactor is the world's fourth richest person. Amazon Co-founder Jeff Bezos and his wife Lauren Sanchez Bezos. That is marking a backlash
from some social media users. Let's bring in Vanity Fair's Style Correspondent Jose Criales-Unzueta. Jose, thank you so much. I'm sure you
are so excited for tonight.
JOSE CRIALES-UNZUETA, STYLE CORRESPONDENT AT VANITY FAIR: -- Zain.
ASHER: I always wonder, you know, just in terms of, you know, who you expect to be willing to take the biggest risks on the red carpet, right?
Who's going to be the loudest, who's going to be the most subtle? What do you think?
CRIALES-UNZUETA: I love this question, because I think this changes every year, depending on who we anticipate to go. I think this year I'm most
looking forward to seeing Beyonce on the red carpet. I think, well, whatever the carpet is, you know, she hasn't been to Met Gala and I think
it's 10 years she's a coach, or she always looks fantastic.
She used to wear a lot of Givenchy by Riccardo Tisci, but Riccardo Tisci is no longer working as you want. She things are going to change. I'm just
looking forward to see what she's going to bring. And in terms of risk takers, I was actually talking to a friend this morning, Paulami Sen the
model, a super model, I would say.
She's one of the best stressed women alive, I think. And she's been teasing her look a little bit over the weekend, and I think that's probably going
to be a great risk and a great moment. And as for subtlety, you know, Anthony Vaccarello, the designer from Saint Laurent, is what is the co-
chair of the host committee, and Saint Laurent has made he's one of the sponsors of the exhibition and the catalog.
So, you know, his take on her art is always very subtle, very chic, so I expect his guests to be giving us that energy today.
ASHER: So interesting. So, this year's theme is costume art. Fashion is art. What are the different ways to interpret that, do you think, like when
it comes to just how you dress?
CRIALES-UNZUETA: This year is really exciting, I think, because it, you know, the idea of fashion is art already is a topic of conversation.
Tailors about all this fashion, right? But I think on top of that, there's a lot of ways in which this can go, right. People can go a little literal.
I've heard of a few designers and celebrities that are quite literally reinterpreting a piece of famous art and putting it on a dress or something
of the sort. So, you can go that way. You can be a little cheekier literally, and go into some of the exhibition, which, for example, features
the body in different ways and in different interpretations through art, be that the naked body.
So, I do anticipate that we're going to see a lot of I expect to see a lot of the naked dress trend that we've seen around. And I think people can
also go a little more surreal, right? I think of Daniel Rose's Schiaparelli, and the way he loves to, you know, abstract and subtract body
parts, building them in gold, and just put them on the runway, right?
[11:50:00]
I think that's you can also go in that route. I think there's a lot of possibilities. So, I'm really excited to see what people are going to
bring. It's a theme that is literal in the best way possible, but open to interpretation again in the best way possible. So, there's a lot that can
be done.
ASHER: But that idea of taking, like an iconic, you know, sort of famous, sort of artwork and reinterpreting it for your dress, for your outfit,
that's a major risk. I mean, that could be wonderful or it could blow up.
CRIALES-UNZUETA: Yeah.
ASHER: You know, what is the deciding factor in whether or not something that like that actually works?
CRIALES-UNZUETA: Me, it's really about certification, right? And trying to be elegant. I think there's a myriad of ways in which you can interpret an
art work. You know, you can be perhaps overly literal. You can be a little too kish with it. Or you can try to give subtle nods, like I know of
another person, for instance, who, instead of referencing art forms, has reference artists.
So, you know, the way they approach their look for tonight is by looking at artist uniforms in New York in the downtown art scene of the 70s and 80s,
right? So, it's a bit of a deep cut. It's harder to explain to people at home watching but you know, perhaps it's a little more subtle, and is, I
don't want to call it safe, because I've seen the look, and it's not necessarily safe, but it's a different way of going around it.
But to your point, it's a theme that opens a lot of it's going to invite a lot of -- a lot of conversation, right? I think people will either like it
or they won't. Investment galas invite to that kind of conversation, right? When people are really talking about fashion, are really focused on
execution, on ideation, concepts, et cetera, like. So that's those are my favorite ones to see and talk a lot.
ASHER: And I always wonder how much what people wear at the Met Gala actually ends up influencing fashion trends in real life and what we see in
retail, or is it just purely about spectacle?
CRIALES-UNZUETA: I think the fun about the Met Gala is that it is the one moment in which fashion can really lean into spectacle, which is not to say
that we don't necessarily see designers and bigger brands really try to give what you've seen on the runway, or what you're going to see in a store
and or at the retail level, a bit of a spin to make it to inspire customers.
Right. I think at this point we're sort of like beyond. We're past that point where we can expect the red carpet to just be for the sake of a red
carpet. But at the same time, the Met Gala is, I think, fashions biggest night, and fashions favorite night, because it invites that kind of
creative thinking and out of the box thinking, right?
I think more so than trying to put, you know, a retail as concept on the red carpet tonight, what you want to do is have people talk about your --
is about your brand, about your designer, and inspire them to that way going to your store.
ASHER: Yeah, we -- you know, we often think about it as a big night for the sort of celebrities, but it's a much bigger night for the actual designers.
Is it a collaboration?
CRIALES-UNZUETA: -- yeah.
ASHER: Is it, you know, coming up with what you're going to wear, how you're going to dress, I don't know, Beyonce whoever? Is it a collaboration
between the designer and Beyonce? Does the designer have most of the say, or is Beyonce sitting there, brainstorming as well? How does that work?
CRIALES-UNZUETA: Well, here's the most important role in between designers and celebrities, which is stylists, right? I think stylists are, you know,
some of my best friends are stylists themselves. You know, think of someone like Danielle Goldberg who styles Zoe Kravitz, or, you know, Chris Horan
who styles Charlie XCX, right?
These are people that are crucial as the liaisons between a celebrity and a brand, right? They are the people that are helping the celebrity research
concepts and come up with ideas. They are the people that are talking directly with, say, Beyonce or whoever, to really nail down their
objective, to then communicate with the brands and the designers and be like, listen, this is what we want to accomplish.
What do you want to do? And how do we meet halfway, right? And I think it's a really fun process. Again, the math, especially for those names that know
very, very, very far in advance. Again, someone like Beyonce, who is a culture right, who's known for a long time that she's going.
It creates a really beautiful back and forth between fashion houses and the designers and the celebrities to try to sort of get to a common goal. But
to your point, it is really a night that is about fashion and about the designers and about the artistry, right? And I think what's really fun
about this too, is that celebrities love that, they love to lean in.
I've interviewed a couple over the weekend. They wouldn't tell me about their looks, and they all say, always say the same thing, tonight is not
about me tonight. It's about, you know, insert the designer here. It's a great thing to hear. It's exciting, you know.
ASHER: Yeah. And, I mean, I can only imagine the excitement of, like, going back and forth with your designer and then finally settling on something
that both of you, love.
CRIALES-UNZUETA: Right -- moment. Yeah.
ASHER: Yeah, I can't wait for the world to see this, you know.
CRIALES-UNZUETA: Yeah.
[11:55:00]
ASHER: And you get to unveil it, you know, very obviously special occasion with the whole world watching that must be absolutely thrilling.
CRIALES-UNZUETA: Yeah exactly.
ASHER: Jose, thank you so much for joining us. I'm sure you'll be watching everything that happens -- Appreciate it.
Thank you for having me --
ASHER: Of course, of course. "Devil Wears Prada 2" is proving runway is back.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I know her.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm Andy Sax. Andrea.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She was one of the Emily's.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: One of the what?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ASHER: The sequel and $233.6 million worldwide during its opening weekend to take the top box office spot. Anne Hathaway, Meryl Streep, Stanley
Tucci, Emily Blunt, have all returned to their roles two decades later. And finally, before we go, it is that most wonderful time of the year, once
again.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hey, Luke, "May the Fourth be with you".
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ASHER: When we get to say, "May the Fourth be with you", aka Star Wars Day. And for fans of the franchise, it also begins the countdown to a highly
anticipated cinematic release of the first Star Wars film in seven years. Star Wars, "The Mandalorian & Grogu". All right, stay with CNN.
There is much more "One World" with my colleague, Bianna Golodryga, after this short break, don't go away.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
