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One World with Zain Asher
Hantavirus-hit Cruise Ship Heading to Spain's Canary Island; 8 Suspected or Confirmed Hantavirus Cases Linked to Ship, 3 Deaths; Brazil Hoping to Avoid More Tariffs After Rocky Relations; Top U.S. Diplomat Marco Rubio Meets with Pope Leo. Aired 11-11:30a ET
Aired May 07, 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]
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ZAIN ASHER, CNN HOST, ONE WORLD: All right, coming to you live from New York. I'm Zain Asher. Bianna Golodryga is off today. This is "One World".
We start with a deadly hantavirus outbreak aboard a cruise ship. The World Health Organization says that cases are now suspected in five countries.
This is authorities race to trace those who have come into contact with a very rare virus. The ship and the Hondius is now headed for Spain's Canary
Islands, after being marooned off the Coast of Cape Verde since Sunday its arrival there, during a lot of scrutiny, it's believed the virus has killed
three passengers and sick and several others.
While the virus is serious, health officials emphasize that it spreads differently from COVID.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. MARIA VAN KERKHOVE, DIRECTOR FOR EPIDEMIC & PANDEMIC THREAT MANAGEMENT AT W.H.O.: This is not COVID, this is not influenza. It spreads very, very
differently. So, there are different precautions that people are taking. So, we are supporting the ship's operators in the mitigation measures that
they are putting on board.
And as we've said, we are working to have a proper and full disembarkment procedure, step by step, to support authorities in the Canary Islands for
the next stage of the people who are on board.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ASHER: CNN's Pau Mosquera joins us live now from Madrid with more. So just explain to us what's been the reaction in around the Canary Islands in
terms of what people are saying about the ship's arrival?
PAU MOSQUERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, there has been a little bit of nervousness in the Canary Island, Zain. We have seen many neighbors that
actually opposed to the fact of the cruise ship getting there, expectedly on Sunday. We also have heard from some workers of the port that actually
threatened to stage a protest or even block the arrival, and that is why it was so important.
The meeting that took place a few hours ago between the president of the government of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo, and the Minister of
Health Monica Garcia, this meeting was set in order to calm a little bit all the concerns. So, the planning for Sunday has changed a little bit
because the MV Hondius won't dock at the port of Granadilla de Abona.
It just will be anchored off the coast of this port. It will maintain a little bit of distance. And after this happens, the plan is to get some
specialists, both from the external health service, from the Ministry of Health in Spain and also from the World Health Organization, in order to
examine all the passengers on board.
And they just will disembark once that the planes that will take to the countries of origin have arrived to the airport from where they will
depart. In this case, Zain, the airport chosen is the south of Tenerife, which is just 10 minutes away from the port. Well, they will get after this
embarking.
Now, this is a situation that the authorities are trying to manage very cautiously, because they are conscious that this is awakening a lot of
concern between the local population, and this very same message is also being shared from the World Health Organization. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. ABDIRAHMAN MAHAMUD, DIRECTOR OF HEALTH EMERGENCIES, ALERT AND RESPONSE OPERATIONS AT W.H.O.: We had a similar situation in Argentina in 2018,
2019, when a symptomatic individual attended a social gathering. So that led to a lot of people getting infected. So, we are in a similar situation
right now, a cluster in a confined space with close contact.
Does that mean the rest of the world this disease will spread? We had that outbreak in 2018 and led only 34 cases. We may had similar cases from
there. So, I just want to show that if we follow public health measures and the lessons we learn from Argentina now is shared across all countries,
what needs to happen in contact trace in isolation, we can break this chain of transmission and this doesn't need to be a large epidemic.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MOSQUERA: In the case of the 14 Spanish passengers that are on board of this cruise ship, they're going to be taken here to the hospital that you
can see behind me, Zain. This is the military hospital, Gomez Ulla, and here they will be quarantined for some days.
And we are being told that in case that they show any symptoms related to the hantavirus, then they will be taken to the very last floor from this
building, because there is where they have a high-level isolation unit.
[11:05:00]
And they have all the specialist agents and doctors to treat them in case it is necessary, Zain.
ASHER: Right. Pau Mosquera, thank you so much for keeping an eye on this story. OK. Any moment now, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is
expected at the White House to meet with President Trump.
The relationship between the two countries has been very rocky in recent times, with President Trump temporarily imposing a 50 percent tariff on
Brazilian goods last year over the prosecution of its Former President, Jair Bolsonaro, who is later convicted of plotting a coup.
Julia Vargas Jones joins us live now. Just in terms of what we can expect from the meeting, I understand that both men are going to be discussing,
obviously, tariffs and organized crime as well. But of course, as I just mentioned, this relationship has been quite strained since around January
8th, 2023, during the sort of famed coup, attempted coup in Brazilian politics.
And of course, the move to prosecute Jair Bolsonaro and then Trump imposing 50 percent tariffs on Brazilian goods. Take us through it, Julia.
JULIA VARGAS JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it is quite it's a precedent, really, Zain, if you think about it. The whole reason why this relationship
has strained is because of Jair Bolsonaro, who is nodding the picture, but very much looming large during this meeting today.
This is essentially a patch up operation. It is Lula da Silva. If you remember his first running government, he was the diplomat president. He
traveled the world. He really thrives in these spaces of meeting with world leaders. But there is some at stake here, of course, but this is
essentially a charm offensive, trying to get through all of the other noise and just being the two leaders in a room talking about the things that
matter to them, of course, top of the agenda will be tariffs.
You know, Brazil isn't just any kind of trading partner. The numbers are quite high. It's a huge chunk of where American groceries come from. We're
talking about beef. We're talking about coffee. 30 percent of the coffee that Americans drink on American soil comes from Brazil, crude oil and then
fruit juice.
More than 50 percent of orange juice that kids drink in America every day comes from Brazil. It is partially why there were so many exceptions added
here to these tariffs. It's why it really was hurting both nations. And some of these have already been rolled back and, of course, deemed as they
can't move forward.
But at the same time, just even though there have been some patches in this scene, it has damaged the relationship. That is, of course, what these two
men will try to patch up today, even though, we know that none of this was ever about tariffs. If you recall the way that President Trump announced
these tariffs, he posted on Truth Social he said that this was a witch hunt.
And I will add the years, there is a lot of influence still of President Jair Bolsonaro in Trump's inner circle, despite the fact that Jair
Bolsonaro is serving his 27-year prison sentence in Brazil right now. A lot of his allies are still very much active in Washington. It is part of how
this influence becomes more apparent here in the way that Trump talks about Brazil and the way he talks about Lula as well.
But another issue that is going to be part of the discussion today, you mentioned a security and organized crime that is a big issue, was a big
issue for Jair Bolsonaro, and now his son, who is running for president this year Brazil will be heading to an election. And right now, that is who
Lula is facing.
They are neck to neck. It will be an election just as tight as we saw in 2022 and if this issue comes back, and there is some kind of understanding
that could be a win, that could be something that actually influenced Brazilian elections. And the last issue that I'll mention here, Zain, is
rare earth minerals.
Brazil is second only to China in the number of reserves. And Brazil has been very clear. They're saying, you can come here and help us develop
this, but you can't just dig and ship it out. So, we'll have to stay tuned to see how those two men talk about those issues, Zain.
ASHER: Yeah, it's important to know that Brazil actually holds 23 percent of the global reserves in terms of rare earth minerals, as you point out,
second only to China. Julia Vargas Jones, thank you so much. Let's get some more perspective on this visit. I'm joined live now by Eric Farnsworth.
He's a Senior Associate at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Eric, thank you so much for being with us. I am curious how this
meeting. I mean, Julia talked about this just a moment ago, just how this meeting is being viewed in Brazil, because it is a very, sort of
politically important year for Lula Inacio da Silva.
[11:10:00]
Just in terms of the October 2026 elections, and as Julia mentioned, he is up against Jair Bolsonaro's son Flavio, who's a senator.
ERIC FARNSWORTH, SENIOR ASSOCIATE OF CENTER FOR STRATEGIC AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES: Hi, Zain, it's so good to join you again and your viewers. Yeah,
it's a really important visit today. It was scheduled for earlier this year and then got postponed because of events in Venezuela and in the Gulf with
Iran.
And so, I think both parties decided that they didn't want to put it off much longer, and so they scheduled it on short notice, really, for today.
It's an important meeting for President Lula domestically, as you indicate, he's got elections in October. The electorate in Brazil is almost perfectly
divided, 50, 50, and it's very polarized. It's very active on both sides. And so, the election is going to turn on the knife edge, particularly if
his candidate turns out to be the son or one of the sons of Jair Bolsonaro, again, as you've indicated.
And so, this visit to Washington is Lula's chance to say and show that he can deal with and work with leaders around the world, including President
Trump, who's been very critical of him in the past, but that gives him a runway toward October to tell his own Brazilian citizens, look, I'm
pragmatic.
I can make this happen, and I can deliver results for Brazilians. And he's not going to convince every Brazilian for sure, but if he can convince
enough voters at the margins to give him another chance, he could eke out victory in October.
ASHER: One of the sorts of key issues obviously facing Brazil is these tariffs. I mean, obviously Tom Trump sort of had these sorts of 50 percent
tariffs and then went back on it, but there is fear that Brazil could be threatened with new tariffs, and that's one of the reasons why Lula is
headed to Washington.
So, what does he need to say to the president? Because, as Julia was speaking about one of the sorts of, I guess, leverage, pieces of leverage
that Lula has is this idea of rare earth minerals, because Brazil has the second largest deposits of rare earths.
FARNSWORTH: Yeah, I think that's exactly right. And I think Washington realized that the tariffs that were put initially on Brazil maybe were
needed to be walked back a little bit. Americans consume a lot of and that fed into the affordability issues that we hear so much about, and so the
White House backtracked on some of those tariffs.
But the issue going forward is that there is, continue to be a discussion between the United States and Brazil on what the tariff rates might be, but
Washington also recognizes that it needs Brazil and a bigger picture story here, the story that goes well beyond Brazil and goes to the issue of
global access to critical minerals.
Brazil is a huge supplier of these minerals, and to this point, China really has a choke hold on much of it as President Trump prepares to go to
Beijing, if he can have an agreement with Brazil in its back pocket that gives him some additional leverage to talk to his counterparts in China
about.
But the bigger story here is absolutely one of we have to find a way to make it work between the United States and Brazil. It is too important a
relationship to let languish. Politically economically, we need each other. And I think this is very much going to be a message that comes out of the
meetings today.
ASHER: Yeah. And another topic is going to be, of course, organized crime, transnational organized crime.
FARNSWORTH: Yeah.
ASHER: And the sort of illicit shipments of weapons and narcotics that's going to come up as well. Crime obviously an important issue for Lula as he
heads into the elections in October. Eric Farnsworth, thank you so much being with us. We appreciate it. All right. In the past few hours, we've
had new images of America's top diplomat sitting down with the first American Pope.
Earlier Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, a devout Catholic, wrapped up his talks with Pope Leo at the Vatican. State Department spokesperson says this
moment shows that there is a strong relationship between the pontiff and the U.S. is, of course, all in very strong, stark contrast President
Trump's recent tension with the Vatican.
He has repeatedly criticized Pope Leo for not supporting America's military operation in Iran. Let's bring in Jennifer Hansler, joining us live now
from Washington. I mean, I would have honestly loved to have been a fly on the wall in this particular meeting, especially given that the two men
clearly do not see eye to eye when it comes to immigration, the war raging with Iran and a whole host of other issues, Jennifer.
JENNIFER HANSLER, CNN STATE DEPARTMENT REPORTER: That's absolutely right, Zain, there is a huge chasm between the views of the Trump Administration
and the views of this pope, Pope Leo. But of course, this visit comes amidst the extra tension of that barrage of attacks by the U.S. President
against Pope Leo for what he says is he claims that the pope wants Iran to have a nuclear weapon.
The pope has never said that. He has spoken out against the war. So, Rubio was here in what seems to be an effort to reset the diplomatic relation
between Washington and the Vatican.
[11:15:00]
This is something he downplayed in comments ahead of this visit, he said he was had already planned to go, but that they were going to talk about a
number of issues, including the Western Hemisphere. Now in a brief read out, the State Department said that they did discuss that as well as the
situation in the Middle East.
And they said the meeting underscored the strong relationship between the United States and the Holy See and their shared commitment to promoting
peace and human dignity. Now Zain, we also expected them to touch on Cuba quite a bit. The Trump Administration has been relying on the Catholic
Church to distribute some $6 million in humanitarian aid on the island.
But there is, of course, still a lot that remains in the gap between these two sides on migration, as well as the war. The Holy See also put out a
press release, and they said there was an exchange of views on regional and international situation, with particular attention to countries marked by
war and political tensions.
Now this meeting is the first in Rubio's visit to Italy. He is also going to be meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni tomorrow. This is
another person that Trump has gone after for what he says is a lack of support for the U.S. war against Iran. So, another meeting that seems to be
an attempt to reset the relationship with this key G 7 partner.
The other context here, Zain, is Rubio is a devout Catholic, as you mentioned. He is also a potential contender for 2028 and he has been trying
to ratchet up his public profile with that potential Republican base that includes a number of Catholic voters. He took to the White House briefing
room earlier this week, where he talked about this trip and his vision for America. So, he is in the spotlight here on this visit, Zain.
ASHER: Jennifer Hansler, live for us thank you so much. Right, still to come to Iran is expected to respond to Washington's latest peace proposal
any moment now. We'll have the details for you. Plus, inside the town that Ozempic built. We'll tell you how the active ingredient in the diabetes
drug transformed life in a small Danish city.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ASHER: As U.S. waits for Iran to respond to its latest peace proposal, expected anytime now, Tehran is moving to consolidate control over the
Strait of Hormuz. It comes as Iran's President announced that he met with the country's new Supreme Leader in person, although he didn't say when,
and as Tehran lays out new rules for ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
President Trump, meantime, appears optimistic about a peace deal. On Wednesday, he called the conflict a skirmish and said it was going
unbelievably well. But he also threatened Iran with intensified bombing if it rejects the U.S. offer. Israel says it has killed a Senior Hezbollah
Commander in the Lebanese capital.
The IDF says that he was targeted in a precise strike in Beirut, southern suburbs. Wednesday's attack is the first in Beirut since a ceasefire
between Israel and Lebanon was brokered by the U.S. last month. Hezbollah has not confirmed the killing.
[11:20:00]
The maker of the popular weight loss drug Wegovy is reporting stronger sales of its pill version than expected, nudging up its four-year outlook.
And that's particularly good news for both drug maker Novo Nordisk and the City of Kalundborg. The Danish town owes much of its fortune to the
company's success.
CNN's Anna Cooban takes a look at the hometown of the pharmaceutical giant.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANNA COOBAN, CNN BUSINESS & ECONOMICS REPORTER (voice-over): Sailing season is getting underway in Kalundborg.
COOBAN: I can't even drive a car, but now I'm driving a bike.
MARTIN HOGH SORENSEN, KALUNDBORG RESIDENT: Yeah, yeah, that's nice.
COOBAN: And you just take over --
SORENSEN: -- if you turn the other way, then the boat will, in a while, turn a little.
COOBAN (voice-over): In this small city in Denmark. You either work for Novo Nordisk, or you know somebody who does. Martin Sorenson, spent 25
years there, his friend and Louise Eliason manning the sails 27 years.
SORENSEN: It is changing, because we have a lot of international workers now. So that, of course, influenced the future. Just daily life in town.
COOBAN (voice-over): In Kalundborg, past meets future, on one side of town, a medieval church on the other, an enormous factory pumps out weight loss
drugs for the world. According to novo, their operation sits on a site larger than Monaco.
KASPER BODKER MEJLVANG, EVP OF GLOBAL MANUFACTURING AT NOVO NORDISK: I started my career here in cannonball some 20 years ago, and it is just mind
blowing. The transformation the site has gone through.
COOBAN (voice-over): I've been given exclusive access inside the factory.
COOBAN: So about to go into a room where they make vast quantities of Semaglutide, which is the key ingredient for weight loss drugs and diabetes
drugs. And basically, it's medicine that has to be shipped all around the world, so it's a highly sanitized environment.
COOBAN (voice-over): These injectable pens will be sent to the United States to serve its huge appetite for weight loss medications. It's no
those biggest markets, but also home to its largest competitor, Eli Lilly, globally as well, competition is rising.
COOBAN: So, in places like India and China, already you've got pharmaceutical companies making generics.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
COOBAN: How do you feel about that? What does it mean for this factory that we're standing in right now?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Based on the investments here, we can make huge volumes to supply to the whole world, to the demand of millions of people.
COOBAN (voice-over): Back in town, it's time for a coffee break. Shaun Gamble, originally from New Zealand, used to work for Novo before opening
his cafe on the harbor.
SHAUN GAMBLE, CAFE OWNER: I was working in what they call the warehouse and just packing all the finished products onto pallets, onto trucks and --
around the world.
COOBAN (voice-over): Recently, Novo has hit somewhat of a rocky patch. In September, it announced thousands of layoffs globally, though mostly across
Denmark.
GAMBLE: The mood changed when you're talking with people. I mean, I also knew a few people who were laid off. Buildings still going on. So, I think
we're hoping the momentum carries on again. It was just a little glitch.
COOBAN (voice-over): I asked the mayor if Kalundborg depends too much on Novo Nordisk.
MARTIN DAMM, KALUNDBORG, DENMARK MAYOR: We are dependent on Novo Nordisk, but not only Novo Nordisk. Many years ago, we have just one company in
Kalundborg, and when it was broke, the whole city went down. So today we have more companies.
COOBAN (voice-over): Novo is hoping its new Wegovy, weight loss pill released in the U.S. in January, can give it a boost. And Novo's Chief
Executive says the company is making those pills on American soil.
MIKE DOUSTDAR, CEO OF NOVO NORDISK: If you think about this Wegovy pill from the creations of the raw material, all the way to tableting of the
product, to packaging it, and, of course, to shipping it. Is all made in U.S., in North Carolina by Americans, for Americans.
COOBAN (voice-over): Still an ocean away in Kalundborg, this city of fewer than 17,000 people, remains a perhaps unlikely engine of the global weight
loss rocket ship. And its residents are hoping for smooth waters ahead.
COOBAN: How does it feel that this town is one of the centers of this weight loss drug revolution and that now it's getting international
attention? How does that feel?
Of course, a little proud. Yeah, yeah.
Anna Cooban, CNN, Kalundborg.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ASHER: And finally, before we go, K-Pop super group BTS paid a visit to Mexico's National Palace and was greeted by a multitude of screaming fans.
You're talking about an estimated 50,000 members of the so called BTS army. Lucky fans were able to catch a glimpse of the band after their meeting
with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I have known BTS since I was 13 years old. I'm 25 now, and I'm extremely excited.
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I have been waiting for them for almost 10 years. So, I am really, really excited.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ASHER: BTS will play their first of three shows in Mexico City later today. Stay with CNN. There's more "One World" in about 30 minutes. CNN "Creators"
is next.
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(CNN CREATORS)
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