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One World with Zain Asher
Sources: U.S. Poised to Indict Former Cuban President Raul Castro; W.H.O.: Ebola Outbreak Likely Began a Couple Months Ago; Katembwe: Experienced People are Working on the Outbreak; Xi Jinping Says China- Russia Relations "Calm Amid Chaos"; Voters in Six States Pick Candidates for Midterm Elections; Mand Finds Unlikely Solution to Rising Fuel Costs. Aired 11a-12p ET
Aired May 20, 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 AHSER, CNN HOST, ONE WORLD: All right. It is a prosecution 30 years in the making. Cuba's Raul Castro is expected to be indicted in the coming
hours. "One World" starts right now. The 94-year-old could face criminal charges for his alleged role in ordering two aircraft to be shot down when
he was defense minister back in 1996.
Plus, Ebola deaths are on the rise. I'll speak with an official from the Democratic Republic of Congo about his country's response to the outbreak.
And President Trump flexing the strength of his influence with Republican voters once again. We'll look at the winners and losers from Tuesday's
primaries.
All right, coming to you live from New York. This is "One World". To begin with, the potential prosecution of a Former Cuban Leader, three decades in
the making. In just hours, the U.S. Justice Department is expected to indict 94-year-old Raul Castro. The criminal charges stem from his alleged
role in the downing of two civilian planes back in 1996 near Cuba.
Three Americans were among the four people killed. The planes belonged to a Miami-based organization called "Brothers to the Rescue". This would be the
latest move in the U.S. pressure campaign on Cuba, that includes sanction and oil, an oil blockade, as well, that has further fueled an energy crisis
in the nation.
CNN's Carolina Peguero joins us live now from Miami. That is, of course, the home to the largest Cuban population outside of Cuba. Carolina, thank
you so much for being with us. So, just in terms of the Trump Administration expected to announce this indictment against not just the
brother of Fidel Castro, but also the Former Cuban Leader himself and Former Defense Minister himself, Raul Castro.
I mean, this really goes to show that the U.S. is stepping up its pressure on Cuba economically, but now also politically. Just walk us through what
they're trying to achieve here.
CAROLINA PEGUERO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Exactly, there's lots going on today, a lot of expectations for the community, the Cuban community, that's asking
for justice, not only for this tragedy that happened in February of 1996 the shooting down of Cessna Planes along the Florida Strait, helping in a
mission by the "Brothers to the Rescue" that were helping thousands of Cubans looking for refuge here in the United States and where three U.S.
citizens and one U.S. resident were killed.
And today, yes, there's also not only a historic and symbolic day for the Cuban community on and off the island here in Miami, where around 1.1
million Cubans fled from communism and from the leadership of Fidel and Raul Castro regimes. We're expected to hear from U.S. officials, including
the acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, and the family members of these fallen volunteers, as well as activists here in Miami.
Now, we also heard it just a minute, hours ago, as well, from a lot of leaders, including Republican lawmakers Maria Elvira Salazar, as well as
Carlos Jimenez and Mario Diaz-Balart, who wrote a letter to the Trump Administration asking for justice for this tragic incident that happened in
the 90s.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. MARIO DIAZ-BALART (R-FL): We are so grateful for this administration for not looking the other way for the atrocities committed in Cuba by the
regime by the damage that that regime has done and continues to do to the national interest and the national security interests of the United States.
And yes, for standing up for these murdered Americans, whose day of justice is finally coming to fruition.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PEGUERO: The day of justice, and a glorious day for the Cuban community, like we have mentioned, and a lot of the Republican lawmakers have also
made note of. They are very grateful to the Trump Administration for listening to them with this order.
But as well, we spoke to a lot of Cubans here in Miami, including the only survivor from that tragic day, Jose Basulto, and also the daughter of Fidel
Castro, will be here following the news from Miami, and also the press conference as expected today here at the Freedom Tower at 01:00 p.m. by
U.S. officials, Zain.
[11:05:00]
ASHER: All right, Carolina Peguero live for us there. Thank you so much. Take a closer look at this developing situation with Christopher Sabatini.
He's the Director of the Latin America Programme at Chatham House, a London think-tank.
So, Chris, first and foremost, you know your thoughts on this. I mean, this idea of the Trump Administration moving to indict Raul Castro. The Trump
Administration has made it very clear that they do have political aspirations in Cuba. They've talked about regime change, they've talked
about the economic pressure campaign they're putting on the island, they've talked about the political pressure campaign all to a certain end.
Part of it is to ensure that the Cubans sort of move away from relying on Russia and China, but there's also another end goal with trying to get this
particular regime in Cuba to completely change its strategy. Just walk us through what you think the end goal is here in terms of moving to indict
Raul Castro?
CHRISTOPHER SABATINI, DIRECTOR, LATIN AMERICA PROGRAMME, CHATHAM HOUSE: Well, let's talk first about the end goals Zain of the U.S. government in
this. What's been a pretty quick ramp up of pressure on the Cuban government. There was the cutting off of Venezuelan oil, which the Cuban
government really needed to survive the economy, massive blackouts, and now questions of malnutrition and food shortages and real risk of disease.
That was intended to force the Cuban government to the negotiating table. And quite frankly, maybe even lead to some sort of Venezuela Nicolas Maduro
extraction type scenario, but the Cuban regime is totalitarian, it's much, but it's much more tightly structured and disciplined than the Venezuelan
government, so that was really never an option.
But I think what we saw over time in this indictment of Raul Castro, the soon to be announced indictment of Raul Castro, is all an attempt in really
psyops, but a really sort of amateurish way for an end goal that it isn't really clear. Is this about regime change? Is this about intimidating some
elements within the government to defect and overthrow the government?
Is this intended to inspire some sort of popular revolt, or is it simply just to get the Cuban government back to the negotiating table in a way
that it will produce a result that's more acceptable to the U.S. government, and in particular to that Cuban American constituency, where
you're just broadcasting from.
On the issue of this indictment of Raul Castro, this has been a longstanding wound for the Cuban American community. Indeed, 30 years ago,
almost to the day, it was happening in February 1996 two Cuban MIG shot down two unarmed Cessna airplanes, killing four individuals, three of them
American citizens, that led to the democracy, the Libertad Act, or the Helms-Burton Act, which tightened, restricted the embargo, which is going
to be very much on the table if these discussions actually go forward.
But really, what this is intended to do is sort of solve this, if you will, make the Cuban American community feel more involved in this policy,
perhaps lay the groundwork for if any concessions have to be made, at least they will have scored a very particular sentimental emotional human rights
point by indicting Raul Castro, who was a defense minister at the time of the shoot down of the "Brothers to the Rescue" planes.
But in terms of actually producing any real movement by the Cuban government, I just don't see it. I see this more as a political play and as
a way of virtue signaling and maybe trying to rattle the cages a little bit more of the Cuban elite. I'm not sure it's going to do that.
ASHER: Just in terms of what has changed between Trump's first term and what we're seeing now. I mean, when you look back at Trump's first term in
office, his policies towards Cuba were really more about reversing some of the Obama era changes, that's what he was focused on.
Now it appears to be much more geared towards confrontation, geopolitical confrontation. It appears to be much more security focused, much more
aggressive in terms of the U.S.'s posture towards Cuba. What change do you think Chris?
SABATINI: I think first of all, what changes is what we're seeing in all three cases: Venezuela, Iran, and Cuba, which is you have in place what
Trump himself referred to as maximum pressure sanctions in all three countries. And those types of sanctions that attempt to basically restrict
access to the government with all sorts of asset seizures and limits on trade and investment have an escalatory logic if you take them to the
natural conclusion.
And in 2017 when Donald Trump rolled back the Obama era openings, he promised a better deal for the Cuban people. He actually flew to Miami and
announced the rolling back of those sanctions, he said that it was going, his policies were going to improve human rights and deliver regime change.
Well, they didn't work. And so now he's kind of stuck with a policy that he had initiated in his first term that now is little has changed. In fact, if
anything, Cubans are even less free than they were before. There was a massive round up of dissidents and protesters in 2021 it's simply not gone
well.
[11:10:00]
So, what we're seeing now is a sense of having to do something. And again, I think part of this is based, if you will, erroneously on the Venezuela
model, the idea that we've gotten this point, the maximum pressure sanctions have failed, we're receiving political pressure from a very
important constituency for Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Let's try something, and I think this is a moment where they've gotten into more than
they bargained for, quite frankly.
ASHER: So, how do you think that the Cuban government is framing all of this to the Cuban people? I mean, obviously you've had decades of mistrust
between the U.S. and Cuba, going back not just the Bay of Pigs, but various attempts that the CIA and the U.S. made to try to unseat Fidel Castro.
But just in terms of how they're selling this, this idea that the U.S. is putting this really unbearable economic pressure campaign by limiting fuel
supply to the island, and also now political pressure by potentially indicting Raul Castro. What do they say to the Cuban people? How are they
explaining this?
SABATINI: The greeting is from the same way they always have, with defiance, an attempt at revolutionary fervor, even threatening the United
States. This is a regime that, for more than 60 years now, has been felt, perhaps rightly or wrongly, that its survival was a threat, so it's always
sort of hunkered down in a rally, tried to rally citizens to its cause.
Oftentimes also cracking down at any signs of dissent within the island to avoid any sort of internal disruption. That's precisely what's happening
now. There's a little more, sort of, if you will, saber rattling on the part of the Cubans that looks like they may have purchased about 300 drones
that they would launch against U.S. assets if there were a U.S. invasion or airstrikes. We don't know the truth of that, quite frankly.
But again, they're claiming the President Miguel Diaz-Canel, is saying that if the U.S. were to invade, I'm not sure it will, but if it were, he's
threatening there will be bloodshed, and they will pay the consequences. This is straight out of the standard Cuban regime talking points, but
obviously right now, because this has become so ramped up, they're doing this, I think, with a real sense of fear.
ASHER: All right, Chris Sabatini, live for us there. Thank you so much. The World Health Organization says the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic
Republic of Congo and Uganda likely began a couple of months ago. They say the DRC has almost completed an investigation into when and where it
started and has traced a suspected death from the virus on April 20th.
At least 139 people are now suspected to have died in the latest outbreak, with the Head of the W.H.O. saying that that number is, of course, sadly
expected to rise. We're joined now by CNN's Larry Madowo in Nairobi.
I think one of the things that's really concerning about this, Larry, is that when you have a situation where the virus likely started a couple of
months ago, I think it really shows people that there clearly were a lot of warning signs that were missed. And that period of time from when the virus
starts, when somebody gets infected, and when it begins to spread, is really crucial, just in terms of contact tracing.
Make sure that there's some kind of containment, so the virus doesn't begin to spread across borders. Clearly, there were mistakes that were made here,
and this is why this particular outbreak is so much more concerned.
I mean, this is not, as you have pointed out many times in the past. This is not the first time that the DRC has dealt with an Ebola outbreak,
because you had so much time that passed without, you know, health officials sort of focusing and trying to contain this virus, that is what
is extremely concerning here, Larry.
LARRY MADOWO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right. And we're starting to learn a bit more about what could have happened here. And it's from the World
Health Organization, saying that they suspect that possibly patient zero could have died on April 20th. Two days later, they were transferred, and
then they were -- there was a funeral on April 5th, which they suspect could have been the super spreader event.
And as soon as they found out information about that, they say they sent a technical team to investigate that. But in the period between this supposed
super spreader event and when these people dead go back to where their homes get into contact with other people, probably crossed over to the
border into Uganda or elsewhere, that is a long time.
And so, what is happening right now is you see the health authorities in the DRC, and all the extra support they received from the World Health
Organization, from the Africa CDC. The U.S. is sending a disaster assistance response team. They're doing isolation, they're asking them to
show up for care, and doing everything possible to make sure that this does not spread any further than it already has. But here's the concern from the
World Health Organization, listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. TEDROS ADHANOM GHEBREYESUS, DIRECTOR-GENERAL, WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION: There are several factors that warrant serious concern about
the potential for further spread and further deaths. First, beyond the confirmed cases, there are almost 600 suspected cases and 139 suspected
deaths. We expect those numbers to keep increasing given the amount of time the virus was circulating before the outbreak was detected.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[11:15:00]
MADOWO: And that is why they believe it could have been circulating for months. Right now, they're tracking about 700 suspected contacts, including
127 in Uganda. Uganda has gone out of their way to say they don't have any local infections. The two people who were confirmed were both from the DRC.
But there's a lot of border traffic between Ituri in the Northeast and DRC and Uganda, so there's a possibility they might have more people who are
contacts of people who have either tested positive or who might show symptoms. But that is the situation right now, this all-out international
effort to surge medical equipment, to surge personnel, to surge lab testing materials, so that anybody who potentially could have Ebola is taken care
of as quickly as possible, Zain.
ASHER: Yeah, and you bring up that such an important point about this idea of late detection, because it's quite unusual that the first sort of time
that this virus makes international headlines, the death toll is already really high, and the infection rate is already very high. That shows just
how late the detection was.
But I think part of the issue as well for the DRC is that this is a country, as you and I both know, Larry, that has been through so much. I
mean, it's dealing with conflict, it's dealing with displacement, it's dealing with very sort of weak health care infrastructure. How is all of
that compounding the problem here too, Larry?
MADOWO: Those are all important considerations here. And keep in mind that the Bundibugyo virus has a lower fatality rate, mortality rate than say the
Zaire strain. It only takes the lives of between 25 and 40 percent of those who catch it. So, the fact that we have such high numbers of those who are
dead suspected already is of concern.
This region, and this part, Bunia in Ituri Province, is also at war. It's - - they have about 100,000 newly displaced people in that region, that's why there's a lot of this border traffic. People come there to dig for gold and
hope to make their fortunes, and some of them go across the border.
Another thing to consider is that the recent drop in foreign direct assistance, so basically aid from the U.S., the U.S. pulling of the World
Health Organization, that has also complicated the response here. And then to also add on top of that, it's a very remote part of the country, they
don't have the best medical infrastructure, even in the best of times, Zain.
ASHER: All right, Larry Madowo, live for us there. Thank you so much. The DRC has been investigating the origins of this outbreak and how it spread
undetected, as Larry and I were just talking about the country's health minister, said it could have been turbocharged at a funeral earlier this
month, where local traditions may have led to exposure to the virus. A doctor treating Ebola patients in the area spoke about the challenges that
medics are facing.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ISAAC MUGENI, MEDICAL DIRECTOR, RWAMPARA GENERAL HOSPITAL: Although we keep receiving cases, we don't have enough space to admit and hospitalize them.
We have set up a tent right here already, and perhaps we will need another one to try to isolate patients in the immediate future. There aren't enough medications, protector equipment, or even staff. We will also need support
to try and increase the number of staff who can actually take care of these patients.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ASHER: Patrick Muayya Katembwe is the Minister of Communications and Media of the Democrat Republic of Congo. He joins me live now from Paris. Thank
you so much for being with us. I was just speaking to our correspondent, who's been covering this story since the outbreak first began.
Just really about the fact that there was this gap that a lot of people are talking about, this gap between when the virus was first detected the time
that was lost between the first infections and also the coordinated response efforts. Minister, I don't know if you can hear me. Can you hear
me?
PATRICK MUYAYA KATEMBWE, COMMUNICATION AND MEDIA MINISTER, DEMOCRATIC REBPULIC OF THE CONGO: Yes, I can hear you.
ASHER: OK. And so, I think one of the things that's concerning a lot of people is how the virus was able to spread so quickly before there was any
kind of coordinated response, especially among health officials? I want to play you what W.H.O. officials said just recently. Let's roll that sound
and then we can speak on the back of that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANAIS LEGAND, TECHNICAL OFFICER, WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION: I would like to remind everyone that the surveillance starts within the communities and
start with the health authorities in every single country. As soon as W.H.O. was aware of the signal, support was provided to DRC to investigate
as quickly as possible, and this ended up with the confirmation late last week.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ASHER: OK. So, you had W.H.O. officials essentially saying that any kind of response doesn't start with them, it starts with the health officials in
the individual countries, obviously, namely in this case the DRC. Just walk us through what exactly happened here? What went wrong? What were some of
the warning signs that were missed that allowed this virus to spread so quickly?
KATEMBWE: So, we understand all the comments people are making since the beginning of this.
[11:20:00]
You know, this trend is different from the previous one called Zaire, where we are very well experienced on that. But here we should see first the
symptom, when you talk with the specialist, they can tell you some symptoms of this is like malaria, people have some fever, but what we are doing now
is that we are providing all the -- you know DRC has a lot of experience on fighting against Ebola.
We have the best specialist on all those positions. Our team are working closely with our different authority in the ground to make sure now we are
following each case to make sure we are like avoiding more transmission inside the population.
What I can tell you is that everything is now following closely, even by the president himself, and I think in the coming days the situation is
serious, but we are taking it with the serious it requires with our specialists, be able to provide the good, like the good answer to this
outbreak.
ASHER: So, you're saying that because the strain, I mean, the strain that you are familiar with, that most people are familiar with, is of course the
Zaire strain of Ebola -- strain is a different strain, and because of the way symptoms were showing up, it was, of course, as I understand it,
confusing for healthcare officials to begin with.
What do you think some of the lessons are from the way this virus spread so quickly? The fact that there was possibly this four week or longer period
where the virus was able to spread. What do you think the lessons are? And also, just walk us through where you are in terms of contact tracing,
because that is a crucial part of keeping the virus contained?
KATEMBWE: The question here is that each various, each outbreak is different from the previous one. But one thing we have is that we have
enough experience to tackle and to follow each case. And today I think we have this very clear strategy lead by the Health Minister, and -- who is
well known about how to fight all those viruses.
And one thing I can say about this strain is, of course, is a strain, but it's less little than the Zaire strain we handled before. Now our team are
working, are doing investigation not only about the suspected contact we are following, but on which kind of treatment we can provide in the coming
months.
We are working on both sides. But we did take the first measure to spoke first to inform our population about the transmission of the virus of the
strain, so people should be aware and observe strictly some public measure, like washing hands, and biting, avoiding to being in crowd. Well, that's
the way we can stop, like the transmission of the virus.
While our team is working to make sure each case, each case recorded is treated to, and I can tell you that we have actually 69 people under
treatment, because we have especially Ebola units in -- especially in Ituri, because this like epidemic is well located in certain areas of the
country, especially four areas in Ituri, and two in -- in Goma and Butembo.
But for each case we are working to provide answers, and we are actually investigating about 513 cases to see if those things will confirm that all
those people are suffering for that strain, and we'll be able to provide, as we've been doing since the beginning, a daily report, so people can
follow with us in a transparent way, the way DRC is providing us from this.
Let me remind you that this is the 17 times that DRC is facing this kind of outbreak. We have experience, we have people walking in the ground. And I
think in the coming days, with all the information that people are listening from Kinshasa and for each part of the country, we will be able
to manage and contain the virus as we did for the 16 previous viruses.
ASHER: Yeah, you've had a lot of experience with Ebola. The DRC, as you point out, is no stranger to it. I think this particular case is different,
just because the strain is different. There's no vaccine for the strain, and because how quickly this virus was spread, because it was detected
late. One question I have, also, is that --
KATEMBWE: -- about I can understand that people can say it was detected late. I can understand this argument, but you know it's about following
case, it's about seeing some sample and people -- in the beginning people were thinking that it was like a mystic sickness coming from nowhere,
because some people can have like traditional health check.
[11:25:00]
Now that we are aware of what was going on, and we took, I think it was last Friday when the mining, the Health Minister came to inform the
government, and we will be able -- we were able to declare officially the 17 epidemics. And now everything is on way, and I think in the coming day
we'll have more light on what's going on and what's happened before.
So, we will be able, as we did in the past, to provide the right elsewhere with our people, we are, as I was saying before, well experienced on
managing this crisis.
ASHER: One of the things that some people have talked about is this idea that the healthcare infrastructure in the DRC is already relatively
fragile. Obviously, DRC is also no stranger to conflict, and on top of this, you have had USAID cuts, as you and I both know.
So, just in terms of what sort of assistance you need from other countries? How can the international community step up and provide the resources that
the DRC needs in order to tackle this particular strain?
KATEMBWE: I think mainly what we need is going to be logistic, because this is like located at most more than 2000 kilometers from Kinshasa. Don't
forget that there is one case actually in Goma. Goma was under Rwandan occupation, and I think the best way for us, if we need to follow closely
what is going on in Goma, Rwanda should just get out from DRC, because they choose to close the border in a city where the airport is already closed.
It's a clear sign that they won't be able to tackle this situation, as our people deserve to be. This case deserves to be very well taken care, even
in Goma. What is clear now, that we will need some logistic, because as I was telling you before, DRC has the best specialist in the 17 outbreak we
have experience in on the way we can manage that.
Any assistance coming from international partners are welcome and it will be very useful, so we can be able to provide all we need, as we are
working, especially on some prevention measure to talk to the population to provide like cars, to provide all we need, and especially we are working,
our team are working on the treatment.
Our future are trying to find what can be the best answer, as we did with Zaire. We are very optimistic with that, with some support from
international partner, we will be able to provide the treatment and even the vaccine for this trend.
ASHER: All right, Patrick Muyaya Katembwe, thank you, thank you so much for providing a little bit of insight into what's happening in the DRC, and
explaining to us the fact that it was -- it went undetected for so long, partly because it's a different strain, and therefore the symptoms
presented differently from previous strains of Ebola, including the Zaire strain.
Appreciate you clarifying that for us.
All right, a dig at the United States by Xi Jinping during President Putin's visit to China. We'll go live to our reporter in Beijing to break
down what was said. Plus, Donald Trump wasn't on the ballot in Tuesday's Kentucky Primary, but no one's in any doubt he certainly did play a huge
role. We'll show you how a bit later.
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[11:30:00]
ASHER: All right, China's President says that Beijing's relationship with Russia is a force for calm amid chaos. Xi Jinping was speaking as he
greeted his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, arriving Wednesday for a state visit. Xi made a veiled jab at the United States, saying the matter
of hegemonic currents are running rampant on the world stage.
In contrast with last week's visit by President Trump, the Russian Leader's arrival was marked by a joint statement reiterating coast ties between
Beijing and Moscow. We are joined live now by Mike Valerio from Beijing. I mean, it's interesting because you have Xi Jinping essentially holding
court, welcoming Donald Trump one week and Vladimir Putin the next week. What does that signal to a domestic audience?
MIKE VALERIO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Right. Well, it's trying to signal that Beijing is a new center of gravity for international relations, and it's
just kind of through a fortuitous circumstance that this visit with Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin was planned for months, but it just happened
that President Trump postponed his visit by six months, and then the two came together in the span of less than a week.
So, why these two, Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin, were together was to celebrate Zain, the 25th anniversary of essentially a friendship treaty
between Russia and China. And why that matters? I know there are so many treaties that we talk about, but this was setting China and Russia on a
different path in 2001.
If you're a student of history, or if you live through it, the Cold War, you remember that relations between the Soviet Union and China were at an -
- especially in the 1960s. And what this did today was to show the world what the two had done together over the past 25 years, and try to project
an alternative counterweight, an alternative leadership to Western-based American leadership to nations, especially of the global south.
These two nations, be it Russia and China, saying to nations throughout the world, if you're not satisfied with American leadership, if you see how
American alliances are being thrown into chaos with this White House, perhaps Russia and China can be a more stable partner for you.
So, to that end, let's listen to a quick sound bite from Xi Jinping. He's talking about the relationship reaching new heights, and then we'll talk
about how they're walking the walk, not just talking the talk after the sound bite, let's listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
XI JINPING, CHINESE PRESIDENT: Over the years, China and the relationship between our countries have developed with the world chant and instant and
reached the heart -- a new height for the new era.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VALERIO: And this is essentially again when you keep in mind of how they're trying to build a different order from that led by the United States. Let's
talk about economic goals. From reading through the joint statement released, they're going to try to continue trade and settlements in their
national currencies, have less dependence on the U.S. dollar, deepening banking cooperation.
Essentially trying to build economic systems able to withstand Western pressure with sanctions over the long term. So, again, trying to project
the world -- to the world that there is a different alternative, and breaking within the last couple hours, what is next for Xi Jinping,
potentially taking this conversation, Zain, to North Korea, so we'll see what happens over the next couple days on that front, Zain.
ASHER: All right. Mike Valerio, thank you so much, appreciate it. All right, still to come, the president has revealed who he's endorsing in the
Texas Senate runoff. We'll tell you why Democrats are actually applauding his decision. That's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:35:00]
ASHER: Welcome back to "One World". I'm Zain Asher in New York. Here are some headlines we are watching today. The World Health Organization says at
least 139 deaths are believed to be linked to the Ebola outbreak in Central Africa.
There are currently nearly 600 suspected cases of the infection. Tests show a strain of the virus for which there is no effective treatment or vaccine.
The W.H.O. says the potential for the outbreak to spread is a serious concern.
The U.S. Justice Department is expected to indict Former Cuban Leader Raul Castro later today. Sources say that criminal charges are expected to focus
on his alleged role in ordering the shoot down of two civilian aircraft back in 1996. Four people, three of them Americans, were killed. Federal
prosecutors in Miami first drafted an indictment against Raul Castro in the 1990s.
The bodies of the last two Italian scuba drivers who died in the Maldives have been recovered. They were among a group of five who lost their lives
after entering a complex of undersea caves last week. In the operation to recover the bodies a military diver from the Maltese also died. Local
authorities now have the body cam worn by the divers to help understand what went wrong.
And police officers who protected the U.S. Capitol during the riot of January 6th are suing the Trump Administration. They're aiming to block the
implementation of the anti-weaponization fund announced this week. The officers claim the fund could pay conversations to people who participated
in the attack and put money in the hands of paramilitary organizations.
Voters in six U.S. States made their voices heard in primaries on Tuesday, but some key races were largely a referendum on President Trump's grip on
his own party, like the battle for Kentucky's Fourth House District. Congressman Thomas Massie was voted out in the Republican Primary after
angering President Trump.
Massie had successfully pushed for the release of the Epstein files and criticized the Iran war. Republican Challenger Ed Gallrein got backing from
President Trump, and the primary win as well.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. THOMAS MASSIE (R-KY): I have called and conceded the race. We've been honorable the whole time, and we're going to stay that way.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ASHER: Gallrein is now favored to win in the heavily Republican District in November. He gave the president a shout out in his victory speech.
[11:40:00]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ED GALLREIN, WINNER OF HOUSE GOP PRIMARY IN KENTUCKY: I want to thank President Trump for his support, his endorsement, and his counsel as I
navigated this campaign. Now my focus is on advancing the president's and the party's agenda to put America first and Kentucky always.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ASHER: In the State of Georgia, the November election picture is getting a little clearer. The Republican Primary for Governor, neither Rick Jackson
nor Bert Jones, who was supported by President Trump, got more than 50 percent of the vote, so they're headed for a runoff next month.
The winner of that race will face Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, who is hoping to be the nation's first black woman elected
governor. She won the Democratic Primary in a landslide. The Republican Senate Primary Race is also headed to a runoff too. Congressman Mike
Collins will face former football coach Derek Dooley for a chance to take on the Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff in the fall.
That's the biggest political earthquake, was in Texas, where President Trump issued a last-minute endorsement of State Attorney General Ken Paxton
it's on the left here over the longtime incumbent Senator John Cornyn in next week's GOP runoff, some Republicans worry that that could give
Democrats their first statewide election win in more than three decades.
Trump called Cornyn a good man, but says he wasn't supportive when times were tough. The primary winner will take on Democrat James Talarico in
November. Stephen Collinson joins us live now to put all of this in perspective.
Stephen, I understand we're interrupting your vacation, but thank you so much for being with us on such an important story. So, just in terms of
Thomas Massie, I mean, you know, a lot of people saw this coming for him.
But one of the things that I find very interesting is that he voted with the president 90 percent of the time, 90 percent of the time he had the
president's back, he was in the president's corner, but still that wasn't enough. What message does that send to the GOP, Stephen?
STEPHEN COLLINSON, CNN POLITICS SENIOR REPORTER: Hey Zain. It's that 90 percent isn't enough. You have to be with the president 100 percent of the
time. And even sometimes that isn't enough, because John Cornyn, the incumbent Republican Senator in Texas, who Trump has probably ended his
career with this endorsement of Paxton.
He did vote with the president over the last few years, 100 percent of the time, but he still wasn't seen as sufficiently supportive of the president.
Look, I think a lot of this is to do with the fact that wielding power and showing dominance is an end in itself for Donald Trump's presidency, and
it's been a goal, I think, of his whole life.
So, where some presidents obviously want to have control of their party to get their priorities through Congress, Trump wants it for the sake of it.
And what he's showing is that there is no room at all in the Republican Party for anyone that is not 100 percent or 110 percent supportive of this
president.
But of course, that raises some big questions for the midterm elections and what it means for the Republican party in a difficult year as a whole.
ASHER: What does it mean for democracy when the president is trying to orchestrate a situation whereby every single member of his party must agree
with him 100 percent of the time, otherwise they risk losing their job.
COLLINSON: Well, it doesn't help. I think what you've seen is that the fact that so many Trump skeptics have been driven out of the Republican Party
that has translated directly to the lack of oversight of the Congress. The Congress is a separate branch of government in the United States.
Its purpose is to rein in the excesses of the presidency, and what we've seen, I think, over the last 25 years under both parties is Congress become
more polarized, more partisan politics become more national, and that has resulted in Congress giving up a lot of its power to hold the presidency to
account.
When I first came to Washington early in the 2000s you had Senators like Ted Kennedy or Jesse Helms on the Republican side, these were very powerful
figures who presidents could not take for granted. There are very few of those people left in the Congress, especially on the Republican side.
And I think that is one of the reasons why Trump has been able to make the presidency so powerful to get away, I think, with so much. Now, the
question becomes, however, is that healthy for the Republican Party electorally in the long term, through the midterms, and afterwards?
Because one of the ways in which Republicans in swing states could best fight for their jobs is to run away from a very unpopular president, as
President Trump is.
[11:45:00]
He's not giving lawmakers the luxury to do that. In the past, we've seen under presidents like George W. Bush or Barack Obama, they have given
members of their own party leeway to criticize them and not have them face consequences just for the good of the party and to try and maximize their
numbers.
Trump is closing that off, and it will be interesting to see if a broader electorate than just the pro-Trump Republican electorate that we're seeing
in these primaries punishes the GOP in the midterms in November.
ASHER: Stephen Collinson live for us there. Thank you. So, we're going to do our best to let you enjoy the rest of your holiday in peace.
COLLINSON: That's OK, any time.
ASHER: OK. Thank you so much. All right, still to come, the Internal Revenue Service is now barred from auditing President Trump. Those details
and more from the Justice Department next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ASHER: New details on this week's controversial settlement between the Internal Revenue Service and the U.S. President, which we now know benefits
Donald Trump and his family directly. We have known since Monday that Trump was dropping his personal lawsuit against the IRS, while the government
agreed to create the so-called anti-weaponization fund widely expected to benefit the president's allies.
On Tuesday, a further clause in the settlement came to light, one which actually bars the IRS from auditing the Trump Family for past tax issues.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, questioned by Senators on Tuesday, made no mention of any such clause, even though the IRS settlement was
indeed discussed.
Alayna Treene joins us live now from Washington. So, this clause has raised a lot of eyebrows. This idea that the IRS is now banned, essentially from
investigating the Trump Family for any sort of past tax issues. I mean, people on the left who believe that this president already thinks that he's
above the law, they will point to clauses like this as evidence, Alayna?
ALAYNA TREENE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Exactly. There's a lot of critics already who we've heard from, and it's not just Democrats. We've
also heard some Republicans on Capitol Hill as well be very skeptical about this settlement deal.
And I think that this latest addendum that, as you mentioned, was kind of quietly added yesterday to the press announcement detailing what is in this
settlement only adds to that skepticism and further controversy around this.
[11:50:00]
And I think one of the key things about that, of course, is that you know obviously these are Trump Administration lawyers who are overseeing this
entire agreement.
And then I think you know, you look at what taxpayers are going to think when you see that the president is filing a $10 billion lawsuit against his
own government, and then he has his personal lawyers negotiating with government lawyers about not only trying to settle this with a nearly $1.8
billion fund that many people argue is likely to disproportionately benefit the president's allies.
But now you're also seeing the president personally potentially benefiting from this as well, with that new provision about himself, but also his
family members and his businesses being able to avoid tax issues all in the past. So, a lot of questions over this, and I think a lot of, you know,
questions from taxpayers as well that we're likely to hear, given that we are in uncharted waters, Zain.
But another thing I want to bring up as well is kind of what we saw play out yesterday when the Attorney General, excuse me, Acting Attorney
General, I should say, was up on Capitol Hill testifying before the Senate Committee on this.
I mean, one of the things, as well, that he was really pressed on is this idea that who could potentially benefit from this, and could it also
include people who were convicted for violent crimes committed on the day of the January 6th Capitol attack back in 2021.
We actually heard Senator Chris Coons, he kind of pressed Blanche on this, bringing up that he had heard from friends in law enforcement who were very
concerned about that prospect. Listen to what that exchange entails.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. CHRIS COONS (D-DE): Will you commit that no one who has been convicted of assaulting a police officer will receive a payout from this fund?
TODD BLANCHE, ACTING U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL: So, I share the concerns that apparently members of law enforcement gave to you last week, although none
of this was announced last week, so that's surprising, but --
COONS: There were -- there would be a settlement fund.
BLANCHE: OK. But anybody can apply, the commission will set, the commissioners will set rules, I'm sure.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TREENE: I think they're one of the questions was he saying, you know, the commissioners will set rules. I'm sure, I mean, Blanche, if he is, you
know, confirmed ultimately and does get the Attorney General permanently, he would actually be the one appointing the commissioners. And so, a lot of
questions about this, and we're likely to see potentially some legal challenges to it as well, Zain.
ASHER: I'm sure we will. Alayna Treene live for us. Thank you so much. We'll be right back with more after this short break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:55:00]
ASHER: A celebration that's been on hold for two decades. Arsenal were confirmed as English Premier League Champions. The club's first win since
2004 with their closest rivals, Manchester City, held on, held to a draw Tuesday night. The gunners now cannot be caught. The new spark celebrations
late into the night in North London, and fans can look forward to seeing Arsenal lift the trophy when they play their final EPL game on Sunday.
And finally, before we go, a man in Georgia has found a creative solution to deal with the rising fuel costs. He has transformed a Pink Power Wheels
Barbie Dream Camper into a fully functioning vehicle. He installed an engine from an old power washer, and now drives the tiny car around his
suburban Atlanta neighborhood.
Operating the toy car costs only a fraction of what he had been paying to fill up his actual car, which was about $90 and that is what a creative
solution to rising fuel costs. All right, there she goes, or he goes, I should say. Stay with CNN. I'll have much more "One World" in about Now
with my colleague Bianna Golodryga. Amanpour is up at a special time up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
