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One World with Zain Asher
Four Years Since the Death of Mahsa Amini in Iranian Custody; Russian Spy Satellites Likely Help Iran Hit U.S. Targets; EU Proposes Canada Become its First Associate Member; Pennsylvania Reports Fourth Measles-Related Death; Kennedy Center Board Votes to Close Venue Amid Appeal; Opening Acts Quit Ed Sheeran's Tour after Macklemore Dropped. Aired 11a-12p ET
Aired September 16, 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)
BIANNA GOLODRYGA, CNN HOST, ONE WORLD: Hello, everyone. Live from New York. I'm Bianna Golodryga.
ZAIN ASHER, CNN HOST, ONE WORLD: And I'm Zain Asher. Coming up on "One World", a new CNN investigation reveals how Russian spy satellites over the
Persian Gulf likely helped Iran hit U.S. targets in the Middle East.
GOLODRYGA: Plus, the EU proposes Canada become its first associate member as President Trump's trade war intensifies.
ASHER: And Pennsylvania officials are reporting a fourth measles-related death amid a surge in cases. We'll speak with an infectious disease
specialist and dermatologist this hour. All right, no authorization, no formal declaration, and no end in sight. On Tuesday, House lawmakers,
including seven Republicans, actually approved a resolution for the third time that would require Donald Trump to end his war in Iran without
congressional approval.
GOLODRYGA: Yeah, under a law dating from 1973, a president must cease military action after 60 days unless Congress declares war or authorizes
the use of force. That never happened, and now the conflict is approaching the seven-month mark. You'll recall when Trump launched the war, he claimed
that it would last four to five weeks at most.
ASHER: Now the House vote comes as the Congressional Budget Office estimates that the war has cost American taxpayers more than $38 billion,
while also significantly depleting munitions. Furthermore, the nonpartisan agency says the conflict is expected to push inflation higher for American
households.
GOLODRYGA: CNN's Kevin Liptak joins us now live from Washington. Kevin, this likely will not pass since Republicans still control Congress, but
there are notably a few additional Republicans who are voting in favor here. President Trump is not the only or first president to bypass Congress
for military action.
But this comes after reports of munitions depletion. And again, as we noted, this was a war the president said would last a few weeks. Now we're
into the 7/7 month. How is the White House responding?
KEVIN LIPTAK, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Seventh month, and without really a clear end game in sight at the moment. And you know, every
president since this law went into effect has said it was unconstitutional, that it imposes on their ability to conduct foreign policy, that it
violates the separation of powers.
But that doesn't necessarily mean that it is not a symbolic blow for the president. And it does reflect growing dissatisfaction in Congress and
among Republicans at this war. You know, the two previous times that the House had passed one of these resolutions, four Republicans voted in
support of it.
This resolution passed with seven Republicans, and so you see, as more and more members of the president's own party grow more and more dissatisfied
with how this war is going, it certainly is a rebuke to the president, even though it is largely symbolic in nature.
President Trump would obviously veto any resolution like this that came across his desk. And it shows, I think, how this is going to continue to be
a problem for the president in the lead up to the midterms as more and more Republicans try and find ways to separate themselves from him on this issue
because of rising gas prices in the U.S. rising diesel prices.
And because of the overall cost that it has borne on the American public, including the lives of 18 service members. You know that estimate from the
CBO yesterday, $38 billion. It's the first real concrete view into what this war has cost the American public. They also said that it would
continue to cost between 3 and $4 billion a month going forward.
And so, without any clear view of how this would end, and even though the president says that the fighting has sort of stopped for now, we continue
to see flare-ups every few weeks between the U.S. and Iran. I think it will be an issue for him that he hasn't necessarily articulated how he plans to
resolve in the weeks ahead.
Now, when it comes to the Senate, you also hear growing dissatisfaction there. There was one Senator yesterday, Tom Tillis, who has voted against
these war powers resolutions in the past, but says that he would vote for one now, just given how long this conflict has gone and how little
explanation the White House has provided to lawmakers about how they see it ending.
GOLODRYGA: All right, Kevin Liptak live for us from Washington. Thank you. Well, four years after the death of a Kurdish Iranian woman whose name
became synonymous with the fight for female freedom and equality, rights groups say there is still a long way to go.
ASHER: Yeah, and they warn the same people who brutally crushed the resistance movement, then still continue to evade accountability. Mahsa
Amini died in the custody of so-called morality police back in 2022 for allegedly failing to wear her headscarf properly.
[11:05:00]
GOLODRYGA: Her death launched the Women Life Freedom Movement that was violently suppressed by the Iranian regime. At least 300 people were killed
in the aftermath, with some observers saying the true number was much higher. Today, security forces are deployed across Western Iran as
shopkeepers and businesses shut their doors to mark the anniversary.
ASHER: Iran, meantime, is hoping to strengthen its ties with China. Its foreign minister is in Beijing meeting with his counterpart today.
GOLODRYGA: According to Iranian state media, the two are discussing relations between their countries as well as international issues. Foreign
Minister of Iran called China Tehran's leading economic partner in a recent op-ed. As far back as April, China was calling for peace to be restored
between the U.S. and Iran as soon as possible.
ASHER: Meantime, a new CNN investigation reveals how Russian spy satellites orbiting over the Persian Gulf likely helped Iran hit U.S. assets with
devastating precision. Their targets, U.S. personnel, and key resources such as OX Washington's eyes in the sky. Tamara Qiblawi reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TAMARA QIBLAWI, CNN SENIOR INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER (voice-over): This is the launch of Cosmos 2573, one of Russia's elite spy satellites currently
collecting intelligence across the globe. Now, CNN has learned that these satellites have likely given Iran a considerable advantage in its fight
against the U.S. capturing not just what U.S. military sites look like, but also exposing their inner workings.
Our sources, including 2 U.S. officials, tell us they have evidence that those satellites are feeding some of that intelligence back to Iran, aiding
at least some precision strikes. The apparent synergy between Russian satellites and Iran's rockets is laid bare here, Prince Sultan Air Base.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Then we begin with the breaking news, Iran striking a U.S. base. Iranian state media releasing this image, which shows a strike
at the Prince Sultan Air Base near Riyadh in Saudi Arabia.
QIBLAWI (voice-over): A major Iranian attack on March 27th. The U.S. has had a strategic presence here for decades.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: According to our sources Russian satellites played a vital role in these strikes, which wreaked havoc on the base and injured 12
U.S. personnel. Now we do not have access to Russia's satellite images, but we looked at the orbital data, tracking satellites and assessing their
visibility over sites of interest with help from space technology experts Project Aurora and Cahan Space, who provided us with the images you see.
QIBLAWI (voice-over): Here's the Cosmos 2573 again. Just two days before the attack, it flies over the base along with 13 other Russian spy
satellites. Our analysis shows that these spacecrafts moved in both a perfect sequence and had a perfect view to collect rich multisensory data.
Each of these satellites contributes a different part of the intelligence picture. Cosmos 2573 captures deep and detailed military-grade satellite
imagery. These eight are signal satellites. They can intercept radio and radar emissions, allowing them to locate air defenses that can shoot down
the incoming missiles.
These two are infrared satellites. They pick up heat signatures, the kind that comes from rocket launchers. And finally, three synthetic aperture
radar satellites known as SAR. They're able to see through clouds and darkness and flag physical changes, showing, for example, where a movable
high-value asset might be repositioned.
Like this plane, the Airborne Warning and Control System AWACS for short, America's eyes in the skies in the Middle East. Crucially, the AWACS was
not parked in its pre-war location. On March 27th, Iran destroyed it, an aircraft worth hundreds of millions of dollars and very, very difficult to
replace.
The scale of the damage to the base and the accuracy of the strikes would have been nearly impossible without Russian geospatial intelligence,
according to our sources.
QIBLAWI: And this isn't an isolated incident. Now there is some debate among U.S. officials over just how consequential Russian support has been,
but our sources broadly suspect that Russian satellites gave Iran targeting information several more times over the course of the war, including at a
CIA facility in the Saudi Capital.
NAWAF OBAID, SENIOR FELLOW, KING'S COLLEGE: We wouldn't be in this situation today. The war wouldn't be where it is today if it wasn't for
these unique capabilities that the Russians gave to the Iranians.
QIBLAWI (voice-over): According to experts like Dr. Nawaf Obaid, one of the reasons Russia has been helping Iran, Moscow calls this fake news, is
because the U.S. is working with Ukraine in a similar way through intelligence sharing to support strikes similar to these.
OBAID: You have to see it in this way; this is Russian payback with interest. It's monumental in terms of the consequences of what this has
done. Not just to the U.S. standing in the region, but to the security architecture of the region going forward.
QIBLAWI (voice-over): Tamara Qiblawi, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
[11:10:00]
ASHER: Well, let's get more reaction to our report. We're joined live now by General Wesley Clark, Former NATO Supreme Allied Commander. General,
thank you so much for being with us. So, when you think about it, I mean, it's one thing for Russia to provide support in other ways, be it drone or
drone technology.
But this idea of using satellite surveillance to help the Iranians target U.S. assets in the region is really quite significant. Just walk us through
what the Americans' options are in terms of how to respond to this.
GENERAL WESLEY CLARK (RET.), FORMER NATO SUPREME ALLIED COMMANDER: Well, first of all, Russia has been providing other support than intelligence
support, so this is not the only support they've provided. But when it comes out publicly like this, and when the United States then announces
that it's going to deploy weapons into space.
This seems to indicate a path of significant escalation. We've got our satellites up there. They've got theirs. There's dozens and dozens of
satellites up there that are doing intelligence work for different countries. We track those satellites. We know where they are. The question
is now, what will we do if anything about them?
We have to reject the parallel argument. We can't accept the fact that Russia is allowed to attack our forces because we're assisting Ukraine in
the legitimate defense of its own territory. That's not the case here, and so if we reject that argument, then we go to Russia. We say stop. They
don't stop. So that's the escalatory path. What can be done?
Well, obviously, we have to take actions to better protect our assets on the ground. So, hangars, better defense against drones, better defense
against missile attacks, camouflage of control centers, dispersion of assets, but we still have the fundamental problem of the what we would call
the kill chain, the censor to shooter linkage.
So that's probably still coming in from Russia. We can try to block that at the Iranian reception point. We can try to take out the sources where it's
sent from Russia, or we can go after the satellites themselves in space, and that's something that we haven't publicly acknowledged.
It's something that we don't know publicly that it's ever been done before, and if it were to be done, it would open up a huge new theater of
operations, space war.
GOLODRYGA: General, you told us back in March on this program that you had no doubt that we were in a proxy war even then, one month into this war
with Iran, with Russia. So now we are getting new reporting. CNN, as you just saw in that report, laying out the role that that Russian satellites
are playing in locating U.S. assets in the region.
President Trump is meeting with President Xi next week. Another concern is how China may be helping Iran here as well? What should the president raise
with President Xi on this front?
CLARK: President first of all should try to get Iran to back off, to open up the Strait of Hormuz, go back to diplomacy. That's the first method. And
respect freedom of navigation in the world. They don't own the Strait of Hormuz. No country does. It's international waterway. So, and that's in
China's interest. So that's the first path.
The second is to warn China that if this continues, the blockade continues and the impact on the Chinese economy continues. Of course, we know that
China has been providing rocket fuel. China is probably watching the strikes on our carriers. They're probably rehearsing how they would strike
the carriers and translate this anti-access area denial strategy that Iran is playing right now against us in the Gulf of Oman.
They would -- how they would translate that into the Pacific? And so, they're probably learning lessons. They're asking themselves, do the
carriers maneuver? When do they start to maneuver? How do they know the missile is coming? How close can the missile come?
And maybe it's all just a cat and mouse game at this point. But we need to tell the Chinese president to stop it, because it leads to trouble ahead.
So those would be my three messages that I would ask the president to deliver.
[11:15:00]
ASHER: And just, General, just going back to the sort of satellite surveillance that the Russians have apparently been providing Iran with in
a way that enables them to attack U.S. assets in the region. Talk to us about what Russia's primary motivation is. Is it primarily motivated by
competition with the United States, or is it motivated by its alliance with Iran? Just give us your thoughts from that perspective.
CLARK: Well, I think it's both of those things. There is an alliance, obviously, with Iran. And Iran has helped Russia in its conflict with
Ukraine. The Shahed drones and all of that, that is so troublesome for Ukraine right now. Ultimately, or originally, came from Iran. So, there's a
relationship there, but it's deeper than that.
Mr. Putin's objectives are to drive the United States out of Europe, to take Ukraine, to break NATO, and of course, get us out of the Middle East
as well. And so, this is the sharp edge of global competition. And it's out in the open now in open warfare here in Iran.
But remember Zain, we've had this is -- this has been going on Putin's efforts against the United States for years through what we call cognitive
hacking, through Russian influence or trying to influence the American election system, through bots that are influencing our population through
social media, through various means of trying to bribe public officials and families of public officials.
So, this is a broad campaign of influence. And it's being supplanted, supported now by more what we call hybrid warfare, gray zone activities
like the Russian effort in apparently to put drones into aircraft in Leipzig at the airport recently, and we know there have been drone
activities over other NATO allied countries.
So, it's a broad push by Russia. This is just one tiny aspect of it, but it's very troublesome because it represents obviously a very powerful
incentive to escalate.
ASHER: All right, General Wesley Clark, thank you so much for that. Appreciate it. Right now, to Ukraine. Now to Ukraine, where a Russian drone
struck a passenger train traveling from the Capital Kyiv.
GOLODRYGA: The video shows a plume of black smoke and flames rising from one of the carriages. The railway operator says all the passengers were
evacuated safely, and there were no casualties. This latest attack comes just days after another train was struck near Ukraine's border with Poland.
ASHER: Yeah, that incident and others are sparking renewed concerns about the conflict potentially spilling over into other countries.
GOLODRYGA: Yeah, Poland is reinforcing security along its border with Ukraine. The country's defense minister says Moscow's recent actions,
threaten the security of all of Europe. And European Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen says that she'll propose a new security forum for the
EU amid escalating Russian attacks.
CNN's Clare Sebastian joins us now from London to break it all down. So, again, a lot of concern, a lot of outrage, perhaps more meetings. What is
the tangible response, though, that Europeans are set to deliver to Moscow to make it clear that these attacks have to end, or there will be
consequences?
CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, look, Europe is faced with a situation now where not only do we see the war escalating within Ukraine,
Russia changing its tactics, broadening its list of targets, using new weapons like jet-powered drones, which are increasingly overwhelming
Ukrainian air defense is all of that increasing the risk of spillover.
But they're grappling with a situation where there are a number of attacks that officials believe are intentional hybrid attacks by Russia to sort of
test NATO's defenses to sow fear and that kind of thing. So, all of this is raising the level of concern. All of this is reinforcing the view that the
old tools for defending Europe are no longer working.
So, we see Ursula Von Der Leyen, the European Commission Chief, coming out today and saying that they need a new approach, a new, much tighter
cooperation between allies. Take a listen to what she had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
URSULA VON DER LEYEN, PRESIDENT, EUROPEAN COMMISSION: Europe needs its own counter-hybrid playbook. We urgently need a consensus on how to respond to
certain incidents, those which fall below armed aggression but clearly threaten our national security. In other words, a mechanism to flank NATO's
Article 4, and I believe it is time for Europe's own Article 4 and emergency security protocol.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[11:20:00]
SEBASTIAN: So, an Article 4 style of protocol is what she is proposing for Europe, where member states could trigger a sort of collective consultation
process. She's also proposing a European Security Council, which would happen at leaders' level. She said, and include partners like Canada, the
UK, and in fact Ukraine.
But I think, look, Ukraine is facing a situation where really the base case for all experts on this is that the war is going to escalate going into
winter. Russia has openly promised massive attacks on Ukraine's energy grid. What they urgently need is air defenses.
And I think that's where the question shifts from Europe, of course, to the U.S. where the debate is still going on about whether to provide Patriot
missiles. So, this is still an escalating situation for Ukraine, and I think all of this talk of protocols, for the moment, it's not clear that
that's going to deter Russia.
GOLODRYGA: And the Patriot missiles and defensive weapons that Ukraine needs also becoming more increasingly sparse here in the U.S. as the war
with Iran is into its seventh month. Clare Sebastian, thank you so much. Still ahead on "One World".
ASHER: Opening the door for stronger ties. Details ahead on the EU's proposal for Canada and the tense trade talks with the United States.
GOLODRYGA: Plus, measles is making a comeback in the United States. The latest death in Pennsylvania marks an unwanted milestone.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GOLODRYGA: Amid President Trump's strained relations with many allies, the European Union is floating the idea of Canada becoming its first associate
member.
ASHER: Yeah, the move comes as the U.S.'s relationship with its traditional allies in Europe and Canada has been strained. The EU is already Canada's
second largest trading partner, and the European Commission President says that a potential alliance could strengthen a wide range of cooperation from
manufacturing to cybersecurity.
Let's discuss all of this with Anna Stewart. She joins us live now. So, this idea of Canada potentially becoming an associate member. I mean,
obviously, it is in part in response to this sort of widening gap between the U.S. and Canada. But just walk us through what that would mean, because
there are those who have already shut it down. Give us your take, Anna.
ANNA STEWART, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah. It's, a really interesting concept, and we don't know a huge amount about it. Details are scant. It's possibly
not a surprise.
[11:25:00]
You may remember Prime Minister Mark Carney in Davos at the beginning of the year had a speech, and he stressed the need for middle powers to act in
concert amid a rupture in the world order. And back then, everyone wondered whether this was very much a Canada needs new allies amid a trade war with
the U.S.
Clearly, the trade war has only got worse at this point, and so we see the bloc of the EU and Canada looking to strengthen the ties. But I guess the
question is, what does it really mean? The EU doesn't have an associate membership plan.
You know, countries join the EU if they're in Europe, and it goes through an accession process, and it has to be approved by all EU member states.
Take a listen to what the EU Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen said about this plan.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LEYEN: This is not a partnership against anyone else, but for our common strength. In short, we want to bring the relationship with Canada to the
highest level possible. And, dear Mark, I said we must urgently reimagine our partnerships. So, I would like to work with you on opening the door for
Canada to being the first associate member of the European Union.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STEWART: Went on to list manufacturing, technology, AI, defense, energy, critical minerals, economic security as areas that they could deepen their
cooperation. But surely it can't be a trade union. There's already a free trade deal between the EU and Canada, around 90 percent of trade is tariff-
free already.
And actually, that deal, which was signed about nine years ago, hasn't even been ratified by some EU member states today. It's provisionally in place
anyway. So, the question is, what will this new associate membership bring? Could it mean, for instance, better access for the EU in terms of Canada's
critical minerals?
Could it be better access to Canadian gas that could be of interest? Could Canadians live and work visa-free across the EU bloc? We just don't know.
And until we know that, we can't really get reaction from EU member states. This is very much announced by the EU Commission, but of course, this then
has to get filtered through.
And there are so many European elections next year, and I can't help but wonder, with huge rise in anti-EU political parties and concern about how
they will fare in the election next year, there could be some backlash towards this. There is an EU-Canada Summit at the end of October, so
perhaps we will learn a little bit more then.
ASHER: All right, Anna Stewart, live for us there. Thank you.
GOLODRYGA: Well, a disease once considered nearly eradicated in the United States is taking lives once again. The latest on Pennsylvania's measles
outbreak.
ASHER: Plus, where pop music meets politics, and why the Rapper Macklemore will no longer open the show on Ed Sheeran's World Tour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:30:00]
ASHER: All right, welcome back to "One World". I'm Zain Asher.
GOLODRYGA: And I'm Bianna Golodryga. Here's some headlines we're watching today. U.S. House lawmakers, including a handful of Republicans, have
approved a resolution for the third time that would require Donald Trump to end his war in Iran without congressional approval. The Democrat who
sponsored the resolution said it's time for Congress to ask tough questions as the war approaches the seven-month mark.
ASHER: A helicopter crash near Los Angeles has killed at least three people, including a news reporter and a pilot. The chopper went down
Tuesday evening while the crew were covering a deadly bus collision. At least two other people were injured and taken to the hospital. The cause of
this crash is under investigation.
GOLODRYGA: It is decision day for the Federal Reserve. We are standing by to see if it will raise interest rates for the first time in three years.
Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh was handpicked by President Trump, who has consistently demanded the Fed lower interest rates. That critical
announcement expected to come in just a few hours.
ASHER: Saudi Arabia says it shot down a Houthi drone near Mecca, Islam's holy city. The Kingdom calls it a red line attack and condemned the Iran-
backed Yemeni rebel group. A military spokesperson for the Houthis, who also revere Mecca as well. Say they were targeting Saudi oil and military
facilities far removed from holy places.
All right, Pennsylvania is reporting its fourth measles-related death this year. This, as a growing outbreak, fuels a heated political debate over
vaccines and public health.
GOLODRYGA: Measles deaths have been extremely rare in the U.S. since the disease was declared eliminated back in 2000. In fact, it's been almost 35
years since the U.S. has seen this many deaths in a single year. But the CDC isn't counting at least two of the Pennsylvania deaths in its official
measles tally, questioning whether it was a direct cause. Some of the patients reportedly had underlying conditions.
ASHER: Pennsylvania's Governor Josh Shapiro took to social media, blaming the outbreak on lower vaccination rates. U.S. Health Secretary Robert
Kennedy Jr., and Shapiro have had words in the past, with Kennedy accusing him of fearmongering.
GOLODRYGA: Here with us is Dr. Celine Gounder. She is the Editor-at-Large for Public Health at KFF Health News and Infectious Disease Specialist and
Epidemiologist. Dr. Gounder, it's good to see you again. I'm sorry it's under these circumstances talking about a milestone that the U.S. should
not be entering, and yet here we are.
First of all, how do you establish that somebody died from the measles complication as opposed to as what we're seeing this back and forth between
the CDC, the RFK Jr., and the Governor of Pennsylvania going back and forth on whether that was actually the cause. How do you establish that?
DR. CELINE GOUNDER, INFECTIOUS DISEASE SPECIALIST & EPIDEMIOLOGIST: Well, so first of all, it's normally local and state health departments who are
doing this kind of investigation. They report it to the CDC. And then the CDC compiles that information. But it's the state and local health
departments that are responsible for ascertaining this.
They can call in the CDC if they need help. And what are the steps in terms of actually making that ascertainment, that diagnosis? So, you look at what
are the symptoms the person had. Are they consistent with measles? Were they exposed to other people who had measles? Did they have a laboratory
test for measles that was positive?
And then are the causes of death consistent with being from measles or a complication of measles? So, this is not you know, a coincidence that
people are saying, oh, this is measles. They really are digging into this in a thorough way at the clinical, the epidemiological, and the laboratory
data.
ASHER: And just in terms of Pennsylvania as a whole. Pennsylvania is one of 15 states that essentially allows non-medical exemptions, permitting
parents to opt out of required immunizations for not just religious and medical reasons, but also philosophical reasons as well.
[11:35:00]
This idea that a parent can say, you know, because of my own beliefs, because of my own moral convictions, I choose not to have my child
vaccinated. And what you're seeing now is more and more parents are opting for that philosophical exemption. You know, obviously, it's one thing for
medical exemptions; it's one thing for religious exemptions.
But this idea that parents can opt out for their own moral convictions, just as an epidemiologist and an expert in this field, based on what we're
seeing in these numbers, give us your take on that.
DR. GOUNDER: Right, you know so, what's really interesting is you are distinguishing correctly between religious and philosophical. In terms of
religious exemptions, the Vatican, the Pope has come out on this. You have Muslim and Jewish clerics; you have the Mennonite and Amish churches. They
are not opposed to vaccination.
So, you know, to say that there is a religious objection is really false. In terms of philosophical objections, what we're seeing are people who, you
know, partisanship, partisan identity. Unfortunately, this became politically polarizing during the COVID pandemic, in particular, as to
whether you were somebody who took vaccines or not?
It's been -- it's become a way of showing you know what political party you belong to, what your identity is. But those are not those kinds of
ideological objections are not grounded in science, and they're not grounded in religion.
GOLODRYGA: And I don't know that we've ever seen an HHS Secretary take such an outsized role on an issue like this as well. Because I spoke with a
former CDC official a few months ago about this, and to this very debate, they just accepted what the state and local officials had reported that a
measles case then led to a death.
If there was any discussion to be had further, they would have it in future conversations or, if need be, investigations. But they said they'd never
seen a scenario like this. And it also raises the question of what parents should do. Measles, as we know, is a lethal disease.
There have been four deaths now reported in Pennsylvania, two infants and an 18-year-old. So, what do the deaths tell us about treating measles as
something that just young children have? I mean, it's an 18-year-old qualifies an adult.
DR. GOUNDER: Right. Right. Well, so first of all, it's unprecedented for the federal government to go and question what the states have determined
with respect to a measles death or other infectious disease death in this way. We are a country in which the public health powers sit at the state
level, and people forget this.
They were really blind to this, frankly, during the COVID pandemic. Those decisions were being made by governors, by state health officials, not by
the CDC. CDC typically provides guidance, and they may provide technical assistance. With respect to, I think measles itself and why it's so deadly
is people have forgotten some of this.
It used to be two of the infectious diseases we worried about most in children were smallpox, which fortunately we have eradicated, and measles.
What wiped out Indigenous Native Americans across the United States when white settlers first came here? It was smallpox and measles.
This can be an incredibly dangerous infection for people who do not have immunity, who have not been vaccinated. And it has some parallels with HIV
in that it infects immune system cells. It wipes out your memory, your immune system memory, to a number of different infections, in particular
bacterial infections that can cause pneumonia, diarrheal illness, and sepsis.
And that immune memory loss can last about two to three years, during which time the person who has had measles is now susceptible to these other
deadly infections for a couple years. And that's typically actually how people die. So, it's not immediately; it's in that two to three period
window afterwards.
And it doesn't really matter if you're a child or if you're an adult, you're an 18-year-old, a 40-year-old. If you do not have immunity into
measles, you are susceptible and at risk for these complications.
ASHER: That is terrifying. And when it comes to the early symptoms, as I understand it, some of the early symptoms of measles can be things like you
know cough, fever, runny nose, things that people have all the time, and so it would be very easy as a parent to I imagine to sort of confuse this with
something less serious. Just walk us through that.
DR. GOUNDER: Yeah. So typical symptoms of measles, fever, rash, runny nose, runny eyes, and then you get these sores inside the mouth that are typical
of measles. So, it can look like these much more benign upper respiratory virus illnesses.
[11:40:00]
You know, you can get it confused with the flu or COVID or any number of other things, rubella. But measles is very different in terms of the risk
of complications, the risk of death that people can face, and so this is something to be taken very seriously. The outbreak that we're having right
now.
And parents should make sure that their child is up to date with their childhood vaccinations, including measles. Measles vaccination should be
given in the United States between 12 and 15 months of age, and then a second dose at four to six years of age. However, in many parts of the
world where you do have measles virus circulating, the first dose of measles vaccine is sometimes given as early as six to nine months of age.
And in parts of the U.S. where we're now seeing outbreaks, it would make a lot of sense to be giving children an extra dose to provide an extra layer
of protection at six to nine months of age.
GOLODRYGA: This is just so tragic on so many levels, mostly because this is an unnecessary conversation to be having in so many regards. There is a
vaccine; it has been around for decades, has been proven safe, and the fact that now lives are on the line once again is just, it's extremely
frustrating. I can imagine how you feel about it, Dr. Gounder. But thank you so much for bringing us your expertise. Appreciate it.
DR. GOUNDER: My pleasure.
GOLODRYGA: Still ahead on "One World".
ASHER: A new chapter in the Kennedy Center saga we'll explain the latest drama surrounding landmarks renovations and why its future remains
uncertain.
GOLODRYGA: And nine years after having millions of dollars of jewelry stolen, it's payback time for Kim Kardashian. You'll never guess how much
money she's getting back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ASHER: All right, the battle over the Kennedy Center is escalating. The board voted Tuesday to close the famed Washington landmark for renovations.
GOLODRYGA: The vote came after a court ruled yet again that President Trump's name could not be added to the building's facade. The president
then threatened that needed repairs to the building won't take place unless he gets his way in court. CNN's Sunlen Serfaty reports on a very testy
board meeting and a fiery exchange between the president and a Democratic lawmaker.
[11:45:00]
SUNLEN SERFATY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It was effing crazy, that's how one source described Tuesday's Kennedy Center board meeting after they voted to
proceed with a two-year closure for renovations, and after President Trump himself dialed into the board meeting.
Now, President Trump, as Chairman of the Board, he got into a lengthy back and forth with Democratic Congresswoman Joyce Beatty specifically about her
lawsuit that, in large part, has been the thing that has stood in the way from him getting to add his name to the front of this building.
And in that meeting, President Trump really berated her, yelled at her, screamed at her, according to two sources, saying essentially that she had
been responsible for the decline of this building. That tense exchange came just minutes after a D.C. Federal Judge ruled that President Trump and
Kennedy Center officials cannot add his name to the side of the building.
Judge Cooper, in the case, they said -- he said of any inscription, whether it was acknowledging, thanking President Trump for renovating and restoring
this building, that that could not go forward. He said, simply put, defendants cannot install memorials for President Trump or anyone or
anything else at the Kennedy Center without Congress's blessing.
And nearly immediately on Tuesday evening, we saw Department of Justice lawyers arguing in behalf of the Kennedy Center appeal that decision. Of
course, here at the Kennedy Center, those tarps behind me are still up. They have been up since June.
Really emblematic about how this building is working its way through the legal system and the future very much hangs in the balance, really shielded
in uncertainty. Sunlen Sarfaty, CNN, Washington.
ASHER: All right, still to come here on "One World".
GOLODRYGA: Ed Sheeran speaking out now after Rapper Macklemore is dropped from the tour over what he said on stage. Now other artists are taking a
stand.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GOLODRYGA: Ed Sheeran's concert tour has been deeply shaken as many acts abandon their opening slots. This after Rapper Macklemore was dropped from
the U.S. leg after he made pro-Palestine comments on stage.
ASHER: Yeah, the other artist quit in support of Macklemore, who was dropped from the remaining U.S. tour dates following his comments during
concerts in New Jersey. Macklemore has publicly endorsed Palestinian rights since the start of Israel's war with Gaza following the October 7th
attacks.
[11:50:00]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MACKLEMORE, RAPPER: I wanted to stand up here on stages and stadiums across America and say two words that are very near and dear to my heart, free
Palestine. I said free Palestine.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GOLODRYGA: CNN Lisa Respers France joins us now live. There's so much that we could get into here. I think Macklemore, especially for a large portion
of the Jewish community, has a past, has made past comments, has worn attire that has been quite disparaging of Jews.
And so, there is a bit of an emotional reaction there when he says anything following his past comments. But just talk about the ripple effects now,
Lisa, and what Ed Sheeran has had to say?
LISA RESPERS FRANCE, CNN SENIOR ENTERTAINMENT REPORTER: Yeah, what has happened now is that all of his opening acts have left the tour in
solidarity with Macklemore. And what we're seeing now is that people are now wondering if Ed Sheeran is even going to be able to continue with the
tour, since right now it appears to only be him.
So, we had Finneas, who is a producer, but who is also known widely known as Billie Eilish's Brother, he has exited the tour. Then we have two Irish
acts, Aaron Rowe, who is an Irish singer-songwriter, and a group now named Boga, which is also an Irish group. They have exited, and then finally we
have Lukas Graham, which is a Danish band.
Now, all of these artists have decided that they don't want to participate in the tour anymore, and it has now elicited a response from Ed Sheeran
because Ed Sheeran wanted to come out and speak on, you know, his thoughts about it, which many people, by the way, ladies, people have been waiting
to hear from him.
And it's interesting because what his statement was, was very much in keeping with him trying to be apolitical. We have a bit of his statement,
and part of it is he's trying to say that it's not really his fault. He said Macklemore coming off tour was the promoter's decision; it was not
mine.
Macklemore's contract for the tour was with the promoter, not me. I'm not complicit. I have my personal views on this. And then he went on to say
that he is a devastating conflict. He has his personal views on this devastating conflict, and just because I choose not to speak publicly, it
doesn't mean I don't have them.
And it doesn't mean I don't care, nor does it mean that I don't support causes in my own personal way. And for some fans, I've got to tell you
guys, this was not enough. They felt like you know, especially with younger fans, younger people are so used to having their say on social media that
they're almost demanding now that the celebrities that they support pick a side and be very clear about which side that they're picking.
So, one person who had his say and he was very clear about his feelings about it was the Irish Singer Songwriter Aaron Rowe. And he is speaking up.
We have a bit of what he had to say, and he also kind of you know let things let it be known that he had an issue with Robert Kraft, the
billionaire owner of Gillette Stadium and also owner of the New England Patriots.
He's part of the reason why this has all kind of come to fruition because Robert Kraft said he would not welcome this show at his stadium. And so,
Aaron Rowe said in his statement, as Irish people, we know all too well about genocide, forced famine, and violent occupation. I cannot stand by
and allow billionaires to use their positions of power to silence the rightful voices of those who speak up against Israeli genocide and who
highlight the savage murder of children.
I would lose all respect for myself to carry on as normal. So, of course, with the billionaire portion of that, people believe that he was indeed
talking about Robert Kraft and his saying that he felt like allowing this concert to happen at his stadium would be crossing a line when it comes to
Jewish people in the Jewish community.
Now, Finneas, his statement was a little bit briefer, but it touched on what some people are, you know, discussing in that they feel like people
should be able to have a freedom of speech. So, he said that artists must not be silenced when they speak up for the oppressed, and that's a feeling,
ladies, among a lot of people right now, that people should be able to express their feelings freely and not face the potential loss of their
jobs.
GOLODRYGA: Yeah, and then of course the flip side of that, to Ed Sheeran's point, is that audiences come to listen to their music, not necessarily
their politics.
FRANCE: Right.
GOLODRYGA: There were children in the audience as well, and he has his own views and chooses to keep them to himself or express them in different
venues. But this literally, this really has set off ripple effects here. Thank you so much, Lisa. Appreciate it.
FRANCE: Thank you.
ASHER: Thank you, Lisa.
[11:55:00]
GOLODRYGA: Well, a Paris court has awarded compensation to Kim Kardashian for being the victim of an armed robbery back in 2016. The sum awarded, I
guess, one euro. And according to her lawyer, that's exactly what she asked for.
ASHER: Kardashian and her stylist, who was there during the robbery, said in a statement, the experience was deeply traumatic, but today's decision
is about accountability and recognition. Most of the jewelry stolen, said to be worth $6 million, has never been recovered. Eight people were found
guilty last year in connection with the robbery.
GOLODRYGA: And turning to a sad note here as we end the hour. American- British Playwright Bonnie Greer has died. The BBC is reporting that the author and cultural commentator, who frequently appeared on CNN, passed
away at the age of 77 after a brief illness. This is according to her husband.
ASHER: Yeah, Greer appeared on programs like "CNN Talk" as a panelist and frequently provided analysis on major international and cultural stories,
even the British Royal Family as well. Greer was born in Chicago and wrote plays at a young age.
BBC says that she moved to the UK in 1986 and became an unforgettable face on TV programs like "Newsnight Review" and "Question Time" as well. Her
husband tells BBC she made an enduring contribution to British cultural and public life. Wish you rest in peace.
GOLODRYGA: And do stay with us. We'll have more "One World" after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END