ABC News Live Prime: May 7, 2026

Added: 2026-05-11

[00:00:00]Tonight on ABC News Live, Prime racing to contain the outbreak.

[00:00:08]Officials now reveal more than two dozen passengers from at least 12 different countries left the ship nearly 2 weeks after the first passenger died on board.

[00:00:17]And now here in the US, at least seven Americans in five states are being monitored.

[00:00:21]>> I'm Victor Okendo. The number of suspected cases linked to the virus is rising, but officials insist the threat to Americans is low. Tornadoes tear through the south, leaving a staggering trail of destruction. Hundreds of homes, more than a thousand buildings damaged or destroyed. I'm Faith Abubet in the storm zone where the path of destruction here in this county runs 16 miles long.

[00:00:45]I'll show you the shocking images.

[00:00:48]Today, the Trump administration hit the Cuban government with new sanctions targeting the country's fragile economy.

[00:00:54]Cuba already faces a crippling US oil blockade as President Trump vows to topple the Cuban regime.

[00:01:01]>> I'm Wade Johnson here in Havana, Cuba, where I sat down with the foreign minister about the state of negotiations between the US and Cuba and his response to demands from the Trump administration.

[00:01:12]>> Secretary of State Marco Rubio meets with Pope Leo at the Vatican on the eve of Pope Leo's one-year anniversary as head of the Catholic Church. Tonight, a look at what the Pope and church itself are doing to attract a record number of new members. And he's a legendary rapper >> whose new Las Vegas residency is a first of its kind. A black tie extravaganza backed by a 101 piece orchestra. Roxy Diaz sits down with Jeezy and gets an exclusive look behind the scenes at his show in tonight's Prime Playlist.

[00:01:48]From ABC News, this is Prime with Lindseay Davis.

[00:01:56]>> Good evening everyone. I'm Lindseay Davis. Thanks so much for streaming with us. Just moments ago, our Rachel Scott spoke with President Trump about the new US attacks on Iran and what they mean for peace talks. We'll break that all down tonight. But we do begin with the race to contain the Hont virus outbreak.

[00:02:11]The cruise ship where three passengers died from the suspected virus is on the move heading to Spain's Canary Islands.

[00:02:17]Infectious disease doctors across several countries, including the US, are trying desperately to trace and contain the outbreak as the number of confirmed cases continues to rise. Here at home, officials in at least five US states are currently monitoring passengers who departed the stricken cruise ship.

[00:02:32]Meanwhile, back on board, dozens of passengers remain quarantined. The World Health Organization insists this is not the beginning of another CO-like pandemic. We're covering this from all angles. We'll speak with former White House CO Dr. Ashish Jaw in a moment.

[00:02:46]Plus, we have a timeline that details just how this haunt virus outbreak has unfolded. But first, our Victor Aendo leads us off with the latest >> tonight. The race to stop a deadly honorus outbreak on this cruise ship now stretching across four continents, including here in the US. The World Health Organization is urging calm.

[00:03:06]>> This is not corona virus. Uh this is a very different virus. This is not the start of a co pandemic. This is an outbreak that we see on a ship. There's a confined area.

[00:03:16]>> That ship with 18 Americans on board, expected to dock in Spain's Canary Islands on Sunday.

[00:03:23]Sick passengers evacuated from the ship are now being treated in the Netherlands, South Africa, and Germany.

[00:03:28]A KLM flight attendant is also being tested after coming into contact with a sick passenger from the ship who was removed from the plane on her way home and died the next day. Ruhi Chennet was on the ship with the woman and on that flight. Her husband was the first passenger to die. Everyone was trying to support her socially, giving her hugs, talking to her at every meal, and that's when it got really dangerous. I saw her health deteriorating.

[00:03:58]>> Tonight, Dr. Ashish Ja, who coordinated the White House response to the COVID pandemic, is most concerned about the people on the ship.

[00:04:05]>> This is obviously a a deadly virus, 30 40% mortality rate. Um, it can take a while for symptoms to show up. So we have to be really focused on making sure that if anybody starts developing symptoms that they get care immediately.

[00:04:19]>> The journey over was a bit rocky.

[00:04:21]>> The crews left from Argentina.

[00:04:23]>> I'm spending the next 35 days crossing the Atlantic visiting some of the most remote islands in the world.

[00:04:27]>> Passengers like Jake Rosemary documenting their tour of remote islands and wildlife. But tonight, teams are tracking 30 people who got off the boat two weeks ago on St. and Helina from a dozen countries including seven Americans who returned to Arizona, Georgia, California, Virginia, and Texas.

[00:04:44]>> I very much understand why people are having PTSD from the co days. But what I remind people is this is not a novel virus and it spreads far less efficiently. So the chances that somehow this will become this big global outbreak infecting lots and lots of people is extraordinarily low.

[00:05:01]>> Trying to turn down the level of concern here, Victor Kendo joins us now. Victor, what are Spanish health officials saying about the plan for passengers and crew once the ship arrives in the Canary Islands?

[00:05:12]>> Lindsay, when that ship arrives in the Canary Islands, passengers and crew will be screened on board before they can go home. And as for those seven Americans who return to the United States, none have symptoms, but they are being closely monitored. Lindsay, >> Victor Kendo for us. Thank you, Victor.

[00:05:28]So, how did we get here? Let's take a look at some of the most important moments so far in this outbreak. On April 1st, the cruise ship set sail from southern Argentina. On April 6th, the 70-year-old Dutch man on board fell ill with a fever and headache and diarrhea.

[00:05:41]On April 11th, that man died while on board. The ship sails on for nearly two weeks. The man's body is removed April 24th when his 69year-old wife also disembarks, already showing symptoms.

[00:05:53]She flies on to South Africa and dies in a hospital there 2 days later. She would eventually test positive for Haunt virus. Also on April 24th, 28 other passengers disembarked the ship going to countries such as Canada, Switzerland, Germany, Turkey, Singapore, New Zealand, and the US. No contact tracing was performed. On April 27th, the man is airlifted to a hospital in South Africa.

[00:06:15]He is the first person to test positive for Hans virus on May 2nd. A third person died May 2nd on the ship after it had set sail for a new destination. She died 4 days after falling ill. Her body is still on the ship. On May 3rd, the World Health Organization investigates a suspected haunt virus outbreak on the ship. Another passenger, a British man, became sick and was evacuated to South Africa on April 27th. He is in intensive care in South Africa. Swiss authorities announced the positive test on the man there on May 6th. As for what's next, the ship is expected in Tennere on Sunday, May 10th. And with more on this, let's bring in physician and senior fellow at Harvard University's Kennedy School, Dr. Ashish Ja, who just heard in Victor's piece there. He's also the former White House COVID coordinator. So glad that you could join us to kind of get a real temperature check on this.

[00:07:05]Let's just start with how contagious is the Hunto virus.

[00:07:08]>> Yeah. Well, first of all, thanks for having me back here. Um, it is not very contagious at all. Um, most um strains of hunto virus actually don't spread from people to people. They just go from rodents to people and then sort of die out there. They don't do anymore. Um, there's one strain, the Andy strain, that's the one that's causing this does spread from people to people. It's pretty hard. You have to have pretty prolonged contact. This is not casual.

[00:07:28]This is not a grocery store. That's not being in an elevator with somebody for for 30 seconds. You have to prolong contact with somebody before you can spread it to them.

[00:07:36]>> And so it exchanges through saliva, for example.

[00:07:39]>> Saliva certainly also through um through respiratory droplets the way we remember with CO and flu, but the but you actually just need a much greater exposure because with COVID and flu, you have a lot of upper respiratory uh virus and so it comes out pretty easily, large loads. This virus really digs in deep into the lungs and when you breathe out, you just release too little virus for for it to really spread effectively.

[00:08:02]>> If you for some reason have good reason to believe that you've been exposed, what should you do?

[00:08:07]>> Yeah. If you've good reason, let's say you sat next to somebody for 6 hours or 8 hours on a plane, the key thing in my mind is just to monitor your symptoms.

[00:08:14]Remember, you don't spread this. There's no evidence that people spread it asymptomatically. So, if you're not if you don't have symptoms, you're not contagious. I would monitor. Obviously, if you start developing symptoms, you get a fever, you got a headache, you have, you should go get it checked out and then you should mention that you were exposed, but if you're feeling fine, there's nothing more to do.

[00:08:32]>> So, the ship allowed about 30 people to disembark before they realized what this was.

[00:08:38]>> Going forward, how should public health officials handle this kind of scenario?

[00:08:42]>> Yeah, this is a great reminder of just how we have like lost the ability to do real active surveillance in our country, around the world. We always are looking in the rearview mirror. It would have been extraordinarily helpful if we had figured out immediately when that first patient died or first uh person died on plane on the on the ship that this was haunt virus because that would have changed the entire strategy. But we don't have that kind of active surveillance and that's why we get into trouble like this. My hope is that there's going to be a push not just in the cruising industry but really all over to say we need to be looking for diseases more actively. A >> and as we just heard the World Health Organization is saying look this is not like COVID. This is not the beginning of a pandemic. I think I'm getting the the picture that that you agree.

[00:09:21]>> Absolutely. Look, I'm worried about the people on the ship. We may see few more cases. We may even see a dozen or or so many more cases. Are we going to see hundreds or thousands of cases? Not from this outbreak? No.

[00:09:32]>> You of course in part led uh the reaction to to CO uh years ago? Any lessons learned from then that you feel should be applied now?

[00:09:43]>> Yeah, several. I mean, first of all, it's always helpful to get a jump on these things early. the longer you wait, the more you let it spread, the harder it is to manage. Uh, this virus is still has I mean, again, we've got the people, they were off a cruise ship. We should track all them down, make sure they're all doing okay. That's I think going to be very important. The other big thing from CO in my mind is early detection is a really critical part of managing any outbreak. We did not have that in CO. It spread wildly and widely and that's what led to so many of the problems we had.

[00:10:14]So, a good early detection system is a great way of containing these outbreaks and making sure they don't disrupt our lives.

[00:10:21]>> Lastly, if you were in the Canary Islands, >> y >> and you're deciding what should happen with these people as they disembark.

[00:10:29]Yeah.

[00:10:30]>> Are they free to roam about and and go back to their prospective countries?

[00:10:34]>> Yeah. Here's the strategy I would use.

[00:10:36]Obviously, anybody who has any symptoms needs they need to be tested immediately and they need to be isolated. If you are somebody who was in close quarters with somebody who we know was infected, I think you need to be monitored very, very closely. I'd potentially quarantine those people for a few weeks, but I would certainly watch them very closely.

[00:10:51]If you were in a different part of the ship, you didn't really interact with the infected patients. Then your risk is low. You still need to be monitored. We need to know where you are. You need to touch base with with health authorities every day, every other day. Make sure you're checking your temperature. But if you're remain asymptomatic, you can go about your business. Bottom line, as we heard there, some people are feeling a little PTSD from CO. Yeah. Is this something people should not be worried about?

[00:11:16]>> Look, I am worried about the people on the ship.

[00:11:18]>> I am not worried about America in general. I'm not worried about my family. I'm not worried about being in New York. People have asked me, are you changing your behavior? I'm like, absolutely not. Now, obviously, if the if the facts on the ground change all of a sudden we start seeing more outbreaks, I'm not I think there's no reason to believe we will. we can reconsider but I think this is going to work itself out in the upcoming days and weeks as we get you sort of trace all these folks and and monitor them closely.

[00:11:41]>> Dr. Shiha so appreciate your insight as always. Thank you.

[00:11:45]>> Tonight, new US attacks on Iran could threaten efforts to restart peace talks between the two countries. Both sides have struggled to agree on the ground rules for peace talks even before these new strikes. Our Rachel Scott spoke to the president >> tonight. The Pentagon says Iran fired missiles at American Navy destroyers trying to cross the straight of Hermuz and that the US fired back, striking Iranian military facilities and command locations. Central Command describes the American strikes as self-defense. In an interview with me tonight, President Trump called them something else, a love tap. Still, Iranians now accuse the US of violating the ceasefire, though the president insists it is still in effect.

[00:12:23]All of it comes as the US and Iran try to restart talks to end the war. But even agreeing on ground rules is proving to be a challenge. The two countries are trying to put together a one-page framework that would reopen the street of Hermuz and pause attacks for 30 days to allow time to hash out a broader deal. Sources tell ABC News a major sticking point is what the framework would say about Iran's nuclear program.

[00:12:45]The president wants Iran to hand over its nuclear material, the enriched uranium, telling me, "We'll get the enriched material. There will be no enrichment."

[00:12:54]>> Yeah, we're going to get it.

[00:12:55]>> We're going to get it. But Iran won't commit to that. The president says he's not setting a deadline. But with each passing day, the toll on the world's economy is only getting worse. More than 1,500 cargo ships and oil tankers are backed up in the trade of today. The CEO of Shell saying the company won't try to move its vessels under these circumstances. The CEO of Shell saying, "We will wait until we feel that it is absolutely safe. We will not do anything until we have that full conviction.

[00:13:22]There are lives at stake." A lot of uncertainty still. Rachel Scott joins us now from the White House. Rachel, I know you just had a chance to speak with the president. Did he give you a sense as far as how long this impass will last?

[00:13:33]Lindsay, the president told me flat out that he is in no rush to end this conflict. He says that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon, that they need to agree to turn over all of their enriched uranium to the United States. He continued to insist that that's not a sticking point right now, that they will ultimately make a deal. The president says that he is confident that this will be over, but again, he is not setting any deadlines, Lindsay, and we're 10 weeks into this war.

[00:13:57]>> Rachel Scott for us. Thanks so much, Rachel. Tonight, a federal trade court ruled that President Trump's global 10% tariff is unlawful. The court's 2 to1 ruling is another major setback to Trump's trade agenda after the Supreme Court blocked his first round of tariffs and comes after a small businesses sued to challenge Trump's tariff authority.

[00:14:15]The Trump administration will be able to appeal this latest decision. Sources told ABC News today that the Department of Justice is investigating a series of suspiciously timed oil market trades just ahead of major announcements by President Trump and a top Iranian official about the war in Iran.

[00:14:30]Investigators are looking into at least four trades where traders made a total of more than $2.6 billion dollars, betting that oil prices would drop right before they actually did. According to data obtained by ABC News from the London Stock Exchange, the four trades took place between March 23rd and April 21st, just hours or minutes before major announcements about the war and ceasefire by President Trump and Iran's foreign minister. The Justice Department and Commodity Futures Trading Commission, which is also investigating the matter, declined to comment. Now to the trail of destruction in the south.

[00:15:03]Several tornadoes ripped through Mississippi, damaging more than a thousand buildings, including hundreds of homes. Our Faith Abubet has a look at the devastation tonight.

[00:15:13]>> Tonight, damage assessments still underway after multiple tornadoes touched down in Mississippi overnight.

[00:15:20]Acue weather chasers catching this rain wrap tornado south of Jackson.

[00:15:24]>> That's a huge wedge. Huge wedge.

[00:15:27]>> Trees blocking roads, including crucial Interstate 55 near Brook Haven.

[00:15:33]East of there, a mobile home park taking a direct hit outside Hattisburg in the town of Pervvis. Reports of people trapped in their homes. Entire subdivisions in splinters.

[00:15:44]>> We came into this hall and everybody kneel down.

[00:15:47]>> The tornado hit just as Pastor Jimmy Brazil and congregants at Cooltown Baptist Church were finishing a meal.

[00:15:54]After things kind of settled a little bit, we began to venture out and look and we saw that uh our fellowship hall was destroyed.

[00:16:02]>> Across the state, at least 17 people heard and more than a thousand buildings and homes like this one destroyed. The trail of destruction here in Lamar County 16 miles long.

[00:16:13]>> And I came here and I got inside.

[00:16:15]>> Lauren Rangelling hid in her bathtub, pulled the shower curtain and prayed.

[00:16:20]>> I've never felt fear for my life before.

[00:16:22]And that is nothing I ever want to feel again. Ever.

[00:16:26]>> Brad Henkins mother's house destroyed.

[00:16:29]>> You look around here. How do you even begin to salvage anything?

[00:16:32]>> Uh, well, I'm not real sure to be honest with you. We just you just got to start somewhere.

[00:16:38]>> Hard to salvage much from the looks of it. Faith Abubet joins us now from the hard-hit region. Faith, what's it like there right now, >> Lindsay? In this specific neighborhood, there's really not much left as you can see behind me here, but the cleanup has already begun. Homeowners grateful they made it through. But they tell me those harrowing moments last night when the storm roared through and they feared for their lives will stay with them for quite a while. Lindsay, >> they can imagine. All right, Faith Abubet for us. Thank you. The Trump administration hit the Cuban government with new sanctions today as President Trump vows to topple the island's regime. Our Wit Johnson is inside Cuba tonight and sat down with Cuba's foreign minister who warned of a bloodbath if the US decides to strike. Here's Whit Johnson in Havana.

[00:17:22]>> Tonight, the Trump administration ramping up pressure on Cuba, slapping a new round of sanctions on businesses tied to the Cuban military, which controls so much of the island's economy. I sat down with Cuba's foreign minister, Bruno Rodriguez, in Havana, who tells me there is no progress in talks with the US, and dismiss recent demands from the Trump administration for political and economic reforms.

[00:17:46]>> I can tell you that I see no progress.

[00:17:50]I can say that I feel there's a huge inconsistency >> no progress.

[00:17:55]>> No, no progress. For weeks, President Trump has repeatedly threatened potential military action against Cuba.

[00:18:01]>> Cuba is going to be next. Cuba is going to be >> Cuba is a mess. It's a failing country and they're going to be next.

[00:18:08]>> The foreign minister warning of a bloodbath if the US launched an attack.

[00:18:12]Do you take those threats, those words from President Trump seriously?

[00:18:19]We take uh threats by the United States very seriously and relations with the United States very seriously. In particular, it's threats and coercive economic measures against our country.

[00:18:32]I believe that the increase of the Bellico's rhetoric and the threats of the United States, it seems that the US government has chosen a dangerous path, a path that could lead to unimaginable consequences, to humanitarian catastrophe, to a genocide, to the loss of Cuban and young American lives. It could also lead to a blood bath.

[00:18:56]>> With no resolution, it's the Cuban people suffering most. The fuel shortage here in Cuba only worsening the crisis.

[00:19:03]With gas prices around $40 a gallon if you can find it, most stations like this one are shutting down. Rolling blackouts straining resources. Hunger on the rise.

[00:19:14]>> What have you been looking for here in the trash?

[00:19:18]>> This man tells me he's now forced to search for food in the trash.

[00:19:23]And Lindsay, as we've seen firsthand, there is a growing sense of desperation here in Cuba and anxiety over what comes next. Lindsay, >> it is clear why. Whit, thank you. The legal fight between actors Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively may not be over just yet. On Monday, the pair announced a settlement in a joint statement from their attorneys after a prolonged legal battle that began when Lively accused Baldon of sexual harassment on the set of their movie It Ends With Us. But despite that agreement, it turns out Lively can still try to recover legal fees and additional damages from Baldon.

[00:19:55]According to documents filed in court today, in a statement, Baldon's lawyer called the settlement a total victory and said the outstanding matter is a quote pending request for fees based on a very narrow issue. Both Wively and Baldon have denied wrongdoing. 30 years after the disappearance of Kristen Smart, investigators conducted a new search this morning at a California home. Police served a warrant to search the home of Susan Flores, whose son Paul was convicted of Smart's murder and sentenced to 25 years to life in prison in 2023. Flores was ordered to pay the Smart family $350,000.

[00:20:28]Her family said that they would wave the penalty if Flores told them where their daughter's body was buried.

[00:20:33]Investigators have not said what led to the new search, and Flores has continued to maintain his innocence. A man has been charged after allegedly threatening former Prince Andrew near his home.

[00:20:43]According to reports, Andrew was out for a walk when he was confronted by a masked man. Our chief international correspondent James Longman has the story. Tonight, disgraced former Prince Andrew reportedly threatened by a man in a balaclava. British newspapers say Andrew was chased while walking his dogs near his home in the English countryside. According to reports, the former prince was approached by a masked man around 7:30 last night near King Charles's Sandringham estate. The suspect, allegedly sitting in his car, waiting for Andrew and then sprinting after him. The former juke, who was accompanied by a security detail, was rushed to his own car and fled. The suspect was reportedly arrested for possession of an offensive weapon and his vehicle searched. Andrew, who was stripped of his titles late last year because of his ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office, but not yet charged. That investigation continues. He's always denied wrongdoing. This after the release of a purported suicide note written by Epstein. The note allegedly found by a former cellmate after Epstein's first suicide attempt reads in part, "It is a treat to be able to choose one's time to say goodbye. What you want me to do? No fun. Not worth it."

[00:21:55]>> Lindsay, the suspect was taken to a local police station and he remains in custody. Lindsay >> James, thank you. Coming up, the new pilot program that will allow Medicare beneficiaries to access weight loss medication at an affordable price. Plus, new data shows a considerable number of Americans are turning to influencers and even AI for medical advice. We'll take a look at that by the numbers. And on the eve of Pope Leo marking one year since his election, our Melissa Don takes us inside his journey across Africa and shows us what the Pope and the Catholic Church have done to attract a record number of new churchgoers.

[00:22:45]Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a practicing Catholic, met Pope Leo at the Vatican today. One of his goals, though the State Department did not explicitly say so, may have been to smooth over a series of disagreements between the Pope and President Trump. The president said as recently as Monday that the Pope believes it's acceptable for Iran to have a nuclear weapon, though the Pope and the church itself have repeatedly said just the opposite. Tonight, on the eve of Pope Leo, marking one year since his election, correspondent Melissa Don details her travels with the Pope during his long trip to Africa in April, and why the Pope and the church itself in the past year have been so successful in finding new believers.

[00:23:26]Exactly a year ago, the first American pope was elected.

[00:23:31]Pope Leo I 14th, born Robert Francis Pvos, taking the helm of the Catholic Church.

[00:23:41]>> His papacy comes at a time where Catholicism is a driving force behind this new generation.

[00:23:50]Thousands of miles across the Atlantic, the excitement was palpable as the Pope descended onto the African continent in his most recent visit.

[00:23:59]>> What significance is it as a young person that is Catholic?

[00:24:03]>> Oh, everything. It's good to be a young Catholic because you're having some movement in church that people are entering.

[00:24:12]>> More than a fifth of the world's Catholics are in Africa. The continent is the fastest growing region of the Catholic Church worldwide.

[00:24:21]>> And a driving force are Africa's youth.

[00:24:25]>> This movement isn't lost on the Catholic Church.

[00:24:29]>> Oh, I just like to thank everyone in Cameroon for the wonderful welcome, the great enthusiasm, the joy of the people.

[00:24:35]It was absolutely fantastic.

[00:24:37]>> Within his first year, the 70-year-old pontiff making strides visiting Turkey and Lebanon for his first papal trip in the fall. Then in the spring he headed to Monaco >> Bonjour >> where he acknowledged the rise of Catholicism.

[00:24:52]>> This is what it's like traveling with Pope Leo and all of the international press that gets to go along for the ride. The Pope spent 11 days crisscrossing the continent visiting Algeria, Cameroon, Angola, and Equatorial Guinea.

[00:25:06]>> As Pope Leo makes his way through the Pope mobile, there is an enthusiastic crowd here.

[00:25:13]Pope Leo promoting peace among war toour regions. Visiting Bmena, Cameroon, the epicenter of a deadly civil war where a three-day ceasefire was put in place just to accommodate Leo's visit.

[00:25:26]>> Do not let yourselves be corrupted by temptations that waste your energies and do not serve the progress of society.

[00:25:37]>> Despite the suffering, we were met with young people full of hope.

[00:25:41]>> Look at this. This is our youth. We are so many of us. We're hoping that they should try and hear our voice. We want one civilization. We want one day the new the new civilization, the new generation.

[00:25:51]>> Dear sisters and brothers, >> throughout the journey, Pope Leo committed to preaching the gospel and not afraid to speak his mind. As recently as this past Monday, President Trump once again criticized Pope Leo.

[00:26:04]Well, the Pope would rather talk about the fact that it's okay for Iran to have a nuclear weapon, and I don't think that's very good. I think he's endangering a lot of Catholics and a lot of people.

[00:26:15]>> The first American pope responding on Tuesday, saying >> the church has spoken out against all nuclear weapons for years. There is no doubt about that. I simply hope to be listened to because of the value of God's word. Do you find it that it created division within the United States for Catholics seeing that their you know elected president and then the figure of the Catholic Church are at odds?

[00:26:42]>> If anything it united Catholics in the United States uh because uh Catholics from progressive to traditional really were appalled uh by the president's personal attack on the pope which is really uh in a way attack on the church and so I think people um sort of came together to support him. Do you feel encouraged by this rise of Catholicism we're seeing? Uh >> I think there's a little bit of uh the Leo effect, you might say, excitement over uh Pope Leo, but I think it's more of a reflection of people's natural desire for God, and I think it's all wonderful, and we're all very excited about it in the church. He's speaking in English. He understands the US, and so it's getting to people uh directly in a way unmediated.

[00:27:22]>> The LA dascese welcomed more than 8,000 new Catholics for Easter this year. they are projected to more than triple the amount of new converts from last year.

[00:27:33]>> Uh one um study I saw related it a little bit to co um where some of these young people might have felt uh a little lost uh and you know wanting a sense of community and identity but again it's this natural desire for God as St. Augustine said in the Pope's and Augustinian our hearts are restless until they rest in you oh Lord. Our thanks to Melissa Adon. Coming up, the man who firebombed a crowd of primarily Jewish marchers last year in Boulder, Colorado, was given a life sentence today. We'll tell you his unusual request before the court and why the US Postal Service might soon allow people to start shipping handguns through the mail.

[00:28:15]Welcome back to Prime. Here's a look at the stories making headlines right now.

[00:28:18]While global health authorities are working to contain the deadly hunter virus outbreak linked to a cruise ship, the World Health Organization has confirmed six cases. Health officials are tracking 30 people from a dozen countries who got off the boat two weeks ago. This includes seven Americans who returned to Arizona, Georgia, California, Virginia, and Texas. Three people who were aboard the ship have died of the virus. The ship is sailing toward Spain's Canary Islands as dozens of passengers remain quarantined on board. The man who admitted to a firebomb attack at a pro-Israel demonstration in Boulder, Colorado last June has been sentenced to life in prison after pleading guilty in the state case. Before his sentencing, Muhammad Solomon apologized and said he deserved the death penalty in the federal case. The Department of Justice is still weighing whether to pursue the death penalty. Singer Bonnie Tyler has been put in a medically induced coma.

[00:29:08]According to her rep, doctors did this in order to aid in her recovery. On Wednesday, her team revealed that she was admitted to a hospital in Portugal for emergency intestinal surgery. The 74 year old is best known for hits like total eclipse of the heart and holding out for a hero. And for the first time in nearly 100 years, the US Postal Service is considering a rule that would allow anyone to send handguns through the mail. That's if a proposed rule under the Trump administration takes effect, which argues a 1927 law is unconstitutional. Democratic Attorneys General in two dozen states sent a letter this week opposing the move. And still ahead, social media influencers and a growing number of Americans who are turning to them for health and wellness advice. In some cases, even over doctors. Plus, the highly anticipated wait is over as Shakira teases the official song for the FIFA World Cup. We have a sneak peek.

[00:30:05]Welcome back everyone. New study finds many Americans get their health and wellness information from social media influencers. Let's break down the data in tonight's by the numbers. 40% of US adults surveyed by the Pew Research Center say that they get their health and wellness news from influencers and podcasters. 54% say the influencers help them better understand how to be healthy. When researchers looked at influencer profiles, 86% of them were predominantly on Instagram, followed by Tik Tok and then YouTube. 41% of influencers described themselves as some sort of health care professional with just under half saying they were conventional medical providers like doctors or dentists. 31% of influencers called themselves coaches. In one of the surveys conducted as part of the study, 10% of followers said that they trust all or most of the information from influencers. 65% say they trust some of it. And lastly, this is interesting finding. 14% said a major reason they followed these influencers was to learn about things they did not want to ask their doctor about.

[00:31:08]Let's bring in ABC News medical contributor Dr. Alok Patel. Great to see you Dr. Patel. Let's start with that small percentage admitting that they turn to influencers rather than talking to their doctor about something. What's your reaction to that? You Lindsay, off the bat, I'm not surprised by that reaction because people are able to go and get instantaneous information in a world where not everyone has access to healthcare professionals. It also means that we need to do a better job of reaching our patients where they are and building trust and being out in the community and being available digitally whether through your own personal brand or through an institution and making sure that consumers really understand how to get good highquality evidence-based information because let's be real, Lindsay, anybody can go online and claim to be a health or wellness influencer and pedal misinformation. And I like that statistic that only 10% of people are really trusting what they see online because a lot of people know that some of that information is not verified.

[00:32:05]>> And what are the risks in turning to an influencer instead of a doctor?

[00:32:10]>> The biggest risks is having false information or false hope. Potentially you're suffering from an autoimmune disease, chronic pain. You're trying to do what's best for your child's nutrition and you fall into a trap and you get some bad information that may potentially cause harm, including draining your wallet. but also what we've seen some of these influencers pushing mistrust towards healthare professionals but also dangerous misinformation notably as it relates to outbreaks and vaccines. There's some real harm that can happen when it misinformation spreads like wildfire on social media.

[00:32:43]>> And let's talk about chat bots. This week, Pennsylvania sued an AI chatbot maker saying that its chat bots illegally hold themselves out as doctors and are deceiving users into thinking that they're getting medical advice from a licensed professional. walk us through the possible dangers in that.

[00:32:58]>> You know, it's truly truly alarming that not only chat bots, but people who are using chat bots and then posting that information online can deceive people who are trying to do what they can.

[00:33:08]Lindsay, we tell patients and consumers all the time to make sure that they're getting their information, if they do, on social media from a verified health care professional, and they may think they're doing the right thing. So part of it comes down to making sure consumers understand who they're getting information from and that they're verifying credentials. They're looking to make sure that this is evidence-based. But we also have to look at some of the regulations in place or I should say lack thereof when it comes to these chat bots is there is a responsibility as we are living in a more and more encompassed digital ecosystem and making sure that information is vetted and that we truly understand the downstream effects especially as it relates to young people who are trying to do what they can to take care of their health. And for those looking to influencers for advice, what's your advice to them?

[00:33:55]>> If you're going to go and look for influencers, you know what? I'm all about people being empowered about their health and and searching and reading up on videos, but I would say look out for red flags. If somebody is trying to sell you a product or a supplement, try to sway you politically or they're using very alarming fear-based language. I would just raise a little bit of a red flag. If you don't see any credentials on somebody's bio or their website, according to this study, something around 16% of people didn't list any credentials at all, that's also a red flag. We want full transparency and objective medical information. Always be skeptical when you're looking to influencers just like we are as doctors and journalists.

[00:34:33]>> And switching gears, while we have you here, I want to ask you about HANA virus. Of course, that's top of mind for so many. If a patient comes to you and says, "Hey, I'm a little concerned about me, my family." What would you say?

[00:34:44]You know, it's not an if, Lindsay.

[00:34:46]Patients are already contacting us as they're seeing headlines and really concerned about this. The general response right now is the risk to the average person is very low. The reason this is being watched so closely is because of what's happening on that cruise ship when you have a lot of people who are close together and the potential for human to human transmission. But the reassuring thing is that what we know about haunts is it takes close transmission and the cases right now from that ship are being closely monitored. So risk is low, but the need for public surveillance and information is very high. Just make sure you're getting your information about haunt virus from verified sources and not from some influencer who's trying to sell you an anti-hunt virus tablet.

[00:35:24]>> Very good point, Dr. Aloque Patel. So appreciate your time as always.

[00:35:30]Coming up, which Americans will see discounts on popular weight loss medications starting this summer. Plus, an exclusive sitdown with a legendary rapper Jeezy as we bring you a behindthescenes look at his new Las Vegas residency.

[00:35:47]Medicare's new deal on GLP1s, a major milestone for a British icon, and a World Cup anthem. These stories and more in tonight's rundown.

[00:36:01]The federal government is making those popular weight loss drugs more affordable for some seniors. Starting in July, certain seniors on Medicare can pay $50 a month for specific prescription GLP-1 medications. Medicare has never covered weight loss drugs. The new benefit will be available until the end of 2027.

[00:36:21]It's official. March Madness is expanding. Next year, the iconic men's and women's basketball tournaments will expand from 68 to 76 teams. Take a look at this bracket. 12 more teams will be dancing. The length of the tournament will not change.

[00:36:39]Shakira is teasing the long- awaited official song for the FIFA World Cup.

[00:36:43]The song called Die Die features Afrobeat star Burnab Boy. Take a listen.

[00:36:53]It's the superstar's second time singing a World Cup soundtrack. Her song Waka Waka was the anthem of the tournament 16 years ago.

[00:37:04]>> FIFA World Cup will kick off June 11th with Mexico taking on South Africa.

[00:37:11]Chonkers is getting his own plushy. San Francisco's newest celebrity, a 2,000 pound stellar sea lion, has gone viral after being spotted visiting the city's Pier 39 multiple times and frolicking with the other much smaller sea lions.

[00:37:26]Now, the city's marine mammal center is capitalizing on Chonker's fame by offering a Chonker's plushy. They're taking pre-orders on their website for $24.95 each. Proceeds will support the protection of sea lions and other marine mammals.

[00:37:41]Some reboot news. is the first trailer just dropped for a Legally Blonde prequel series called L. It's executive produced by Reese Witherspoon herself and it has one pretty big curveball. A young L moves to Seattle.

[00:37:54]>> L We're moving to Seattle.

[00:37:56]>> How long will that be?

[00:37:58]>> Couple years.

[00:37:58]>> This is my whole life.

[00:38:00]>> We all know from the original that came out 25 years ago. Reese Witherspoon's character Lwoods grew up in Bair. So was her moved to Seattle a glitch in the Matrix. Will they somehow retrocon this new storyline? We'll have to wait to see when the series premieres on July 1st on Amazon Prime Video.

[00:38:19]A very special milestone for a legendary historian and broadcaster. Sir David Attenboroough is set to turn 100 years old this Friday. He'll celebrate his birthday at an event in his honor at the Royal Albert Hall. Attenboro received an audio message to the DBC. I had rather thought that I would celebrate my 100th birthday quietly, but it seems that many of you have had other ideas.

[00:38:47]>> A brand new documentary on his life titled Life on Earth: Attenboroough's Greatest Adventure premiered on PBS, spotlighting some of his most iconic moments, including his famous interaction with gorillas in the wild.

[00:39:03]He is known as a pioneer of trap music.

[00:39:06]A legendary rapper whose new Las Vegas residency is a firstofits-kind show that's for the people and the culture.

[00:39:12]Jeez is launching his show, Legend of the Snowman, a black tie extravaganza backed by an orchestra, an experience larger than life. In tonight's Prime playlist, our Roxy Diaz got an exclusive behindthescenes look at Jezy's show and sat down with the snowman himself about what it takes to put on such an expansive performance.

[00:39:44]>> The goal was always to get to Vegas. I never stopped pushing the co.

[00:39:49]>> Under the lights of the Las Vegas strip, an orchestra becomes a symphony of support. All for the snowman.

[00:39:58]Fronted by the pioneer of trap himself.

[00:40:01]Legendary rapper Jay Jeezy Jenkins. This orchestral band is preparing for a show with very rare symphonic arrangements.

[00:40:10]Vegas becoming the site of their cultural revolution.

[00:40:15]You know him from countless hits like Put On >> or his iconic track from the hit album Thug Motivation 101, Go Crazy.

[00:40:37]Grammy nominated artist Jeezy is launching his second Vegas residency at Planet Hollywood for this show Legend of the Snowman featuring the orchestra Color of Noise.

[00:40:48]>> This was something I really wanted to do and you know I had to fund it myself.

[00:40:53]>> 13 studio albums, >> countless mixtapz. How do you even begin to create the set list?

[00:40:58]>> It's the man, the myth, the legend.

[00:41:00]That's the journey. Um and you tell that story.

[00:41:03]um and you tell it in a way that the music is actually the soundtrack um to the story, but you're also going to understand more so who the man is.

[00:41:15]>> Not the snowman, but the man.

[00:41:18]>> You talk about the snowman in third person.

[00:41:20]>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Because it was this thing that was bigger than me. And it's a symbol. It's a symbol of the ultimate hustler. is a symbol of the man that was and that has been walking in uncertainty on purpose.

[00:41:34]>> Like he's that's been my whole life just walking into situations and saying, "How can we make this better for us?"

[00:41:40]>> How is the Vegas residency different and what can fans expect?

[00:41:43]>> This is my vision. If I could compare it to something, it would say that if you was seeing me at the State Farm Arena, that would be a high school talent show. But if you're coming to see me in Las Vegas, it's like coming to see me on Broadway.

[00:42:03]>> Even in rehearsal, you can feel the magic with the two-time Grammy Award-winning Derek Hodgej composing and conducting this performance of Jeezy's Soul Survivor.

[00:42:18]You know, this residency feels like also an extension of my brotherhood with Jeezy, who is willing to go wherever with it for the culture. We trying to be fearless together.

[00:42:27]>> In front of the house, Grammy and Emmy award-winning music director Adam Blackstone helps shape the immersive musical experience.

[00:42:35]>> What is going on with the slate? Is the slate is just saying one, two. It ought to be a crime just to three, four, and then boom. I say it ought to be a crime just to be this hood. Let's go.

[00:42:48]Let's get it.

[00:42:49]>> The collaboration is the is the most fun part of what is about to happen here at this residency. Um it allows people to go on a journey with the set list. He knows the story he's trying to tell and he got me here to make sure that it comes to fruition.

[00:43:05]>> We literally just saw Jeezy rehearsing on the stage and now it's time for all the magic to come together. We're all dressed in our black tie vests because this is a big event. Let's go have fun.

[00:43:17]>> You know where we come from. You know, you got that one suit and you wear it to funerals or you wear it to, you know, maybe a graduation for your cousin.

[00:43:25]Maybe, maybe that. And, you know, my thing is culture has evolved and I think we don't shine enough light on that. I think we look at, you know, music and hip-hop and culture and we just see the bad in it. But now they're really wearing tuxedos and they're taking their wives out and this is a date night and they're coming to celebrate.

[00:43:47]>> As fans fill the venue dressed in their best backstage gets ready.

[00:43:52]>> Okay.

[00:43:56]The orchestra is fine-tuning their instruments.

[00:44:01]>> Derek taking a deep breath and Jeezy is leading the prayer.

[00:44:06]>> This is not a opening show. This is our welcome home party. We belong in this city. We belong on the stands. We belong in this town in Jesus name. Amen.

[00:44:15]>> Amen. Amen. Hit it.

[00:44:22]>> The lights fire back up and it's a starstudded event with the help of DJ Drama and Jeezy's protege YG. Make some noise.

[00:44:33]In the height of the moment, I look out in the audience and everybody's going word for word. Like the crowd is hype, the work is just hype. I look at my brother Jeezy, the musicians, the band, everybody. It's just I just feel that moment of gratefulness and appreciation just to be in this moment and to allow these people that come every night to pour back into us cuz that's what they're doing.

[00:44:53]>> Y'all enjoying y'all tonight?

[00:44:56]>> Are we just getting warmed up?

[00:44:59]>> Let's go. Jeezy even performing his iconic track, My President.

[00:45:11]>> I told him back then I was a corporate thug. That was who I was and who I was becoming. And even in the beginning, the music was about thug motivation. The thugs just grown now. They mature, you know? They they refined.

[00:45:25]>> You know what I mean? They're they're smart. They're intelligent. They're making moves out here, but they still need a soundtrack.

[00:45:30]>> Shout out to y'all for pulling up tonight.

[00:45:35]>> We putting this together for y'all. You know, >> a night from Jeezy for the people. And it was only right. It ended with Jeezy playing his aptly named track, Standing Ovation. This is street.

[00:45:56]>> I've had some obstacles in my career, obstacles in my life. Um, and I never strayed away from who I was. And I think when people listen to the music, they should know that that was the finished product of someone who's been through everything they've been through when everybody told them that it would never happen for them and this couldn't happen with chaos going on around you. and you're standing there and you're still still and you're still zen and you're still believing.

[00:46:26]>> Our thanks to Roxy Diaz. Dates for Jezy's residency, Legend of the Snowman, extend into late August. And that is our show for this hour. I'm Lindseay Davis.

[00:46:35]Be sure to stay tuned to ABC News Live for more context and analysis of the day's top stories. Thanks so much for streaming with us. Good night.