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Trump Says the U.S. Will Not Attack Iran Before Mid-Term Elections; Several Explosions Hears In Saudi Capital On Thursday; Two Latvian Men Arrested At U.K. Air Base Hosting U.S. and NATO Intelligence Unit; Zelenskyy Confirms Talks with U.S. Are Expected To Last Two Day; Hundreds of People March through Downtown Madrid, Spain; ICE Agents Involved in NYC Shooting; Preparations Ramp Up for Storm Isaias; Worst Air Quality in the World Affects Singapore; Experts Say This Year's El Nino Will Reach Its Peak Intensity By Year End; USS Lincoln Returns To U.S. After Near-Record Deployment; Anne Carson Wins 2026 Nobel Literature Prize; Commuters Complain About Noise From London Underground. Aired 2-3a ET
Aired October 09, 2026 - 02:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[02:00:00]
BEN HUNTE, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT: Hello, wherever you are in the world, you are now in the "CNN Newsroom" with me, Ben Hunte in Atlanta, and it is so good to have you with me.
Coming up, President Trump vowing to not attack Iran before the mid- term elections in the U.S., as Iran-backed Houthis intensify attacks on an ally in the region.
Student-led protests not letting up across France, as thousands fight school conditions and teacher shortages, too.
And parts of the southern United States bracing for the first hurricane of the Atlantic season, as the Category 2 storm continues to gain strength.
UNKNOWN (voice-over): Live from Atlanta, this is "CNN Newsroom" with Ben Hunte.
HUNTE: Welcome.
With just over three weeks before Election Day, U.S. President Donald Trump is making a new pledge to Americans. He says the U.S. will not attack Iran before the mid-term elections.
The President revealed that decision on his social media platform on Thursday. He says the U.S. is having productive discussions with Tehran, and he plans to keep up the economic pressure. He says the U.S. military blockade of Iranian ports will remain in full force.
The Treasury Department revealed new sanctions will be placed on more than a dozen vessels. Trump's comments come after multiple media reports detailed the administration's planning for potential new strikes before the elections, now just over three weeks away. Meanwhile, the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen are warning Saudi Arabia
to prepare for a long conflict. The group is expanding and intensifying its attacks, targeting airports and military facilities in the kingdom for a third consecutive day.
Images and video posted across social media and verified by CNN show smoke rising over Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport, as well as what appear to be damaged aircraft. Several explosions were heard in the Saudi capital on Thursday, according to witnesses who spoke to "The Associated Press."
The Houthis claim to have launched both cruise and ballistic missiles. Officials say attacks on airports this week have killed at least three people and wounded 36.
We're going to get some more now from CNN's Nic Robertson.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yes, the Saudi- led coalition spokesperson said that they'd intercepted Houthi ballistic missiles over Riyadh early in the day. They had intercepted two of them. The Houthis said that they were successful in targeting the international airport that may have caused damage.
And images and video that have emerged later in the day appear to show a Saudia -- Saudi national airline carrier plane on the ground that appears to have been impacted, damaged, broken completely by one of these missiles.
The Houthis continue to try to target this very important airport for the Saudi government between the King Khalid International Airport there in Riyadh and the other airport in Jeddah. These are the main hubs.
But this is -- this is an important airport. It's symbolically important for the Saudis. Of course, they are on the world stage doing a huge amount of business, trying to attract investment to the country.
So, anything that takes down the airport, which appears to have been what happened today. If you look at the departure board there this evening, most of the flights are canceled. There were dozens upon dozens of flights either canceled or delayed through the day. They do have some departures running, but a lot of international flights appear to have been canceled as well.
So the Houthis are making a point, it appears, to strike back at the Saudis at vulnerable civilian infrastructure as the Saudis support the internationally recognized Yemeni government inside Yemen that has just vowed over the past weekend to rid the country of the Houthis.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HUNTE: An investigation is underway in the U.K. after British counterterrorism police say two Latvian men were arrested inside a Royal Air Force base used by U.S. personnel. The men, both in their 30s, were first arrested on suspicion of trespassing. Then they were re-arrested on suspicion of "entering a prohibited place for a purpose prejudicial to the U.K.," a charge under a National Security Act.
The base is not only used by the U.S., but it also hosts intelligence analysis and command operations, as well as a NATO intelligence center.
[02:05:05]
The incident comes weeks after a suspected plot targeting another British airbase used by the U.S. raised security concerns. But police say, so far, there's nothing to suggest that what happened on Thursday is linked to the suspected plot against a base in Fairford in western England.
Envoys for the Trump administration, Steve Rykov and Jared Kushner, will meet with Ukrainian negotiators in Miami this weekend for peace talks. The meeting comes after a new wave of Russian attacks.
Thirty-three people were killed in a strike on public buses in eastern Ukraine on Thursday, making it the deadliest single attack this year.
Public transportation was shut down following an attack in the Donetsk region. Ukrainian officials are urging residents to evacuate to safer areas of the country.
Ukraine's President has confirmed the talks with the U.S. are expected to last two days. Earlier this week, President Trump said he planned to talk to Russian President Vladimir Putin by phone soon. This weekend's talks in Miami will also include officials from NATO and the European Union.
Student protesters in France have accused police of using heavy-handed tactics during clashes in the street. Despite this, students say they plan to continue to call for more funding for their schools. Police have opened 18 investigations into the conduct of officers policing the protests.
During those demonstrations, France's education minister spoke with students in Paris. They are calling for more investment in schooling, including more teachers, smaller class sizes and buildings better adapted to the climate. The education minister told French media that 3000 substitute teachers are ready to plug gaps in staffing caused by the protests.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
EDOUARD GEFFRAY, FRENCH MINISTER OF NATIONAL EDUCATION (through translator): We have 3000 substitute teachers who are currently not in front of students. They would like to be, but they haven't been assigned to a class. There are 3000 of them, partly because, until now, we haven't been assigning them effectively. So, over the next few hours, these 3000 teachers will be joining these schools.
(END VIDEO CLIP) HUNTE: The protests in France have inspired similar action in neighboring Belgium. Students in the city of Liege took to the streets this week over issues of funding and conditions, much like their French counterparts. Local media report that Belgian police have made 107 arrests in the past few days.
Joining us now from Brussels, Jelmer Evers is the director of the European Trade Union Committee for Education. It's good to see you, Sir.
We are now seeing student protests spreading all across France, with thousands back on the streets this week. Just how serious has this movement become? And what do you think is driving all of this anger?
JELMER EVERS, DIRECTOR OF THE EUROPEAN TRADE UNION COMMITTEE FOR EDUCATION: Well, it's huge. I'm not here for nothing, I think. There are hundreds of thousands of students across the board, I think, from all backgrounds. And I think this crisis has been coming for almost 20 years now.
France has faced serious budget cuts in public education. The teacher shortage crisis has been coming for a long while now. Teacher pay has been frozen. I've heard students talk about rats and leaking ceilings.
Also, in summer it's too hot, in winter they have to have coats. And of course, schools should be temples of learning. They should be like public buildings that we should be proud of. So these conditions are very, very bad. And it's about their future. And I think it's about that future that they're protesting.
HUNTE: We are now seeing similar protests in Belgium, with student unrest also emerging in Italy, too. Are we looking at a wider European problem with education funding and classroom conditions, Sir?
EVERS: Yes, across the board. Of course, Europe is pretty divided. But overall, you can say we have a teacher shortage crisis. The European Parliament just published a report with that name.
Class sizes, like working conditions in general, workload is huge across the board. Teacher pay is not enough. Public spending is not keeping up with what's needed. And I think, if you look at, for example, with defense and the political wills there across Europe, but then for public education, we see actually budget cuts.
So yes, I foresee more of these protests coming. And I think it's also linked into a wider discontent among youth that they can't find houses, increasing inequality. So yes, this will continue.
HUNTE: Students in France are describing overcrowded classrooms, crumbling school buildings, and a lack of teachers. How widespread are these problems across the country, though?
[02:10:00]
And what does that tell us about the state of public education there? EVERS: Well, it is also very much focused also according to the
social economic conditions. So you also see students who are in more affluent areas who are also out on the streets, and they're saying, well, it's not particularly our school that we're complaining about, but we see what's going on across the country.
So yes, it's very widespread. The teacher shortage is huge. The teachers have taken on, I think, 13 pay freezes in the last 20 years, which is huge, of course. And now, of course, that's all coming back to the country and then the politicians.
So, I hope that we'll see a reckoning, and I think the students are holding up a mirror to society and politicians. And we really need to start investing in public education just like we're doing for defense.
HUNTE: The French government has promised to deploy substitute teachers, but protests say that that isn't enough at this point. What do you think it would take to address the problems they are highlighting?
EVERS: So that means, I mean, a really big investment. So our French colleagues were also called (mic off) three thousands. Also, a lot of the French teachers were let go in the last couple of -- in the last year.
So, it's a bit, I understand the reaction that it's not enough. It really needs, like, smaller class sizes, means a lot more teachers that's needed, more education support personnel, teachers being listened to (mic off) across Europe as well. And that's also why we're seeing these problems, we believe.
So, I can understand the reaction, yes, maybe this is, like, a small start, but it's not nearly enough. Way more is needed.
HUNTE: Okay, Jelmer Evers in Brussels, thank you so much for now, Sir, appreciate it.
In Spain, hundreds of people marched through downtown Madrid on Thursday. They were paying tribute to Marie Carmen Abascal, an 87- year-old who died after she was evicted from her home.
Following the eviction, Abascal became a symbol of Spain's housing crisis. Anger over home shortages and surging rents has even resulted in Spain's Prime Minister calling for a snap general election. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called for the election after Parliament rejected his proposals to address the housing crisis.
Protesters have gathered in New York City after a shooting involving ICE agents. The Department of Homeland Security says agents encountered a 28-year-old man on Thursday and fired shots into his vehicle, wounding him.
The man, identified as Oscar Belgal, is from the Dominican Republic. A five-year-old child in the backseat was not hurt. The NYPD says Belgal has a criminal record, but federal authorities have not said what led up to that shooting. A short time ago, New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani addressed reporters and demanded an end to ICE operations in the city.
This video you're seeing there shows the scene in New York's Marble Hill neighborhood where the shooting took place. New York Governor Kathy Hochul is also demanding answers from federal authorities, saying they must provide them immediately.
CNN's Shimon Prokupecz is there.
SHIMON PROKUPECZ, CNN SENIOR CRIME AND JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: ICE officers were involved in another shooting, this time in New York City. You can see the car. That is the car that the individual was driving, we're told. And there is a bullet hole on the windshield on the driver's side.
And what we're told from law enforcement officials is that this was an ICE-targeted operation, that they were targeting an individual.
The Department of Homeland Security says it was a -- what they say is a criminal, illegal alien with an arrest history dating back to December of 2023, and that they were trying to apprehend this individual.
Now, the man that was inside the car, we don't know his identity. He was taken to a hospital. He is expected to be okay. But also inside that car was a five-year-old child.
The mayor, Mayor Zohran Mamdani, posting on X saying that this is unacceptable, what happened here, the time of day it happened, and that there was this five-year-old child inside that car. That child is okay.
Many of the community members here came out wanting and demanding answers over why this happened. And for now, we don't exactly know, as the Department of Homeland Security has not provided any of those details.
Shimon Prokupecz, CNN, New York.
HUNTE: There is much more to come here on CNN Newsroom, including the Atlantic's first hurricane this season is barreling towards the U.S. Gulf Coast. What to expect from the storm and how locals are preparing, after this break.
[02:15:00]
Plus, Asia's wealthiest country is experiencing its worst air quality of the year. What's causing the pollution in Singapore, just ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HUNTE: Welcome back.
Preparations even are ramping up as the first hurricane of the Atlantic season barrels towards the U.S. Gulf Coast.
Isaias is currently a Category 2 storm, but it is getting stronger and is expected to become a major hurricane, Category 3 strength, before weakening as it approaches the coast on Saturday morning. The storm's current forecast has it on track to make landfall in Alabama.
[02:20:00]
States of emergency have been issued for parts of the state, along with Mississippi, Florida, and Georgia. Coastal locations could see storm surges of up to seven feet and up to 15 inches of rain.
In Mobile, Alabama, directly in the path of the storm, residents filled sandbags to protect against flooding at their homes and businesses. Local officials are warning residents to prepare while they still can.
One of the deadliest aspects of a hurricane is a deluge of water that pushes ashore with the storm known as a storm surge. CNN meteorologist Allison Chinchar has more.
ALLISON CHINCHAR, CNN METEOROLOGIST: When we talk about hurricanes like Isaias, we often focus on wind, rain, and tornadoes. But the most dangerous part of these storms is actually storm surge.
Simply put, storm surge happens when a hurricane pushes ocean water onto land, creating a wall of water that can rise several feet above normal tide levels.
Now, this isn't like regular flooding, though. This water is fast- moving and can devastate homes, knock down power lines, and turn debris into projectiles, often before the worst parts of the storm even arrive.
So, let's break down some of the storm surge levels expected along the Gulf Coast with Hurricane Isaias. At three feet, you're looking at minor surge level. This is enough to flood low-lying streets, and anything that's not tied down, like trash cans, can get picked up and swept away as though they weigh nothing more than a feather.
More importantly, the water is moving fast enough to knock a person off their feet instantly. Now, once we get to five to seven feet, now we enter the moderate range. This is where things start to get destructive. A six-foot storm surge can sweep away small vehicles. It can destroy the first floor of the house, and that's just the water. The debris floating in it, like trees, signs, and trash, become a weapon.
Now, these are the levels we're expecting right to the east of where Hurricane Isaias is expected to make landfall, and the water will push inland as far as it can, which in some cases can be half a mile or more.
HUNTE: Singapore may be Asia's wealthiest country, but today, it has the worst air quality in the world. Smoke from fires all across the region have moved across the city-state, pushing air quality levels to very unhealthy levels.
Malaysia and Indonesia are also affected. Authorities are warning residents to limit their outdoor activities. The haze may even impact this weekend's Singapore Grand Prix.
Let's bring in CNN's Rhea Mogul, live this hour in Hong Kong for us. Good to see you. Just how bad is it in Singapore right now?
RHEA MOGUL, CNN REPORTER: Well, Ben, Singapore currently is the world's most polluted major city, with levels reaching in the, quote, "very unhealthy range." And that's created this very noxious, thick smog that's settled across the city, and it's causing skyscrapers, you know, to be shadowed by this very thick pollution that's settled in the city.
And as you mentioned, Ben, Singapore is one of the world's wealthiest countries, and it's gearing up for a very important weekend, the Formula One Grand Prix night race. Now, that is one of Singapore's flagship events, and it happens every year.
And hundreds of thousands of people are expected to attend, including, you know, artists like Janet Jackson, Zara Larsson, The Killers, they're all expected to perform at this event this weekend.
Now, I've lived in some of the world's most polluted cities, and I can tell you that it is incredibly uncomfortable. You know, the smog really gets into your skin. You can taste it in your mouth. You can feel it in your hair, you know.
So, I think what we can expect to see this weekend are people that are going to attend this event probably carrying face masks, you know, in case things get too uncomfortable. The event is expected to go ahead.
Singapore has said that they have measures in place should things get, you know, too bad. But really, this has happened before. The Formula One has gone ahead despite the high pollution. So people will probably go, but just being a little bit more cautious.
HUNTE: And what else can you tell us about what's actually causing this?
MOGUL: Well, part of the reason, as you said, are these raging wildfires in Indonesia, which is a neighboring country to Singapore. And these wildfires have been going on for weeks, particularly on the islands of Sumatra and Borneo. And these islands are home to some of Southeast Asia's most critically endangered species. And it's caused devastating impact to the wildlife on those islands.
And this happens every year when plantations, vast amounts of land are cleared for commercial plantations, including palm oil. But this year, the Super El Nino has exacerbated things. And it's caused this haze and this pollution to drift across the countries, including Malaysia and, of course, Singapore.
HUNTE: Okay. CNN's Rhea Mogul in Hong Kong. Thank you so much. Appreciate it.
[02:25:00]
Experts warn that this year's El Nino will reach its peak intensity towards the end of the year, while also predicting that it will last until February 2027.
An El Nino is a natural climate pattern characterized by warming ocean temperatures in parts of the Pacific. This pattern can influence weather around the globe. The World Meteorological Organization issued its El Nino prediction on Thursday, saying that sea surface temperatures are poised to break records.
A U.N. spokesperson warned that this climate event could alter rainfall patterns, increasing the threat of both dry conditions and floods.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STEPHANE DUJARRIC, U.N. SPOKESPERSON: The World Meteorological Organization today said that sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific are forecast to increase to record levels during the October, November, December of this year, reflecting the strengthening of El Nino event, which will drive weather patterns and impact economies, ecosystems, and communities across the globe.
The latest update says that El Nino will continue to intensify ahead of its forecast peak in December. It is likely to bring above-average temperatures to much of the globe and shift rainfall patterns, increasing the risk of droughts and floods in different parts of the world.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HUNTE: As El Nino gathers strength, heavy rains in Chile are leading to flash floods and mudslides, too. A torrent of water, mud, and rocks pushed through Santiago on Thursday, sweeping away cars and flooding buildings.
Since the Chilean capital sits at the foot of the Andes Mountains, the heavy rains have been filling the city's many mountain ravines and causing them to overflow. There has been no official confirmation of any deaths or injuries, though.
All right, still ahead on this hour of "CNN Newsroom," the USS Abraham Lincoln returns home after a near-record deployment at sea. The emotional reunions and the challenges still ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[02:31:30]
BEN HUNTE, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back.
After a near record 321 days at sea, sailors and marines on board the USS Abraham Lincoln have returned home.
CNN's Pamela Brown was there for the emotional reunions with family and friends.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Finally home.
PAMELA BROWN, CNN CHIEF INVESTIGATIVE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Mixed in the emotion on this navy pier are 122 sailors who have never met their children.
JOEY MONTEMARANO, CHIEF PETTY OFFICER, USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN: The only person my daughter knows is my wife right now.
BROWN (voice-over): Joey Montemarano's daughter, Madelyn Grace, was born while he was away at sea. These images are all he knows of his 10-month old child.
BROWN: What are you going to do you think when you see them?
MONTEMARANO: Probably cry a little bit. Probably try to hold back the tears while I kiss my wife, hug my wife and meet this baby that I've never met before that I can't wait to -- can't wait to meet and interact with.
BROWN (voice-over): We met Joey and many more of the roughly 5000 sailors at sea on the USS Lincoln as they headed into port. Most admit theyre returning home changed.
AJANAE KELLY, SAILOR, USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN: This is the hardest one I have to have to deal with. So I feel like if I could do this one, I could do anything.
BROWN (voice-over): It's the end of a harrowing 322 day deployment that faced scrutiny over the living conditions on board, and low morale that included attempted suicides.
LUIS MORAN, USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN: The man overboard, that was a crazy day.
BROWN (voice-over): Many confirmed the uncertainty around the extended deployment brought mental challenges.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just thinking about my family and things going on back home that you can't control.
MORAN: I would go to prayer service with the chaplains and that would help out a lot.
BROWN (voice-over): Others we met confirmed food supplies, ran low at times.
BARRY USERY, SAILOR, USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN: I was in cargo for a while. The people that bring the food up and I was in there during the tough times. Not a lot of food was being brung up. But as we progressed, it got better.
CAPTAIN DAN KEELER, COMMANDING OFFICER, USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN: It was stressed, but we never shut everything down.
BROWN (voice-over): Captain Dan Keeler, commanding officer of the Lincoln, tells CNN supplies were mainly affected when support ships under threat from Iran were forced to alter their movement in the region.
KEELER: We serve 14,000 to 16,000 meals a day, four times a day, so four meals a day. We never missed a meal, not for ten and a half months. There were some sacrifices made. Maybe there was only one protein option instead of two, but there was always food.
BROWN: Some of the family members had a town hall with Navy leadership because they were really concerned about their loved ones on this ship, and they were getting pictures of toilets overflowing and mold. What do you say to that?
KEELER: What I'll say to all the families is they were also amazing. You can't do what we just did without a lot of support. I think a lot of the reporting focused on some, you know, anecdotal things because we looked into all this stuff and there really were no systemic issues.
It's a big ship. It's a floating city. We have, you know, a toilet gets clogged, eventually gets fixed.
BROWN (voice-over): Keeler acknowledges there were five suicide attempts on the Lincoln itself and three others on its support ships. He says anyone with mental health problems had access to treatment on the ship. The most severe cases were sent home.
KEELER: We had zero suicides. We had zero casualties on the ship. Every single sailor that left is coming home.
BROWN (voice-over): And theyre coming home awarded with a Presidential Unit Citation, the military's highest honor for a unit in battle.
ARIANA WESTFALL, AVIATION ORDNANCEMAN, USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN: It's going to be pretty cool to be able to wear that and tell everybody why I'm wearing it, and what I did to wear it.
BROWN (voice-over): On board, you could feel the anticipation as we pulled into port.
Moments later, among this flood of emotion, Joey Montemarano, a father who served on a ship at war --
[02:35:02]
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Is this your daddy?
BROWN (voice-over): -- now with his daughter together in peace.
MONTEMARANO: She's perfect.
BROWN: New dads like Joey actually took classes on board the ship during the war to learn how to be dads, how to change diapers, feed a baby, hold a baby so that they could be ready for this moment and go into dad mode immediately.
Now, in terms of what's next for this crew and the ship itself behind me, in a couple of months from now, the ship and its crew will be moved to Washington state, where the ship will undergo repairs.
So, this is just a short reprieve here in San Diego before that next move.
Pamela Brown, CNN, San Diego.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HUNTE: A former U.S. Army psychiatrist who killed 13 people will be executed by firing squad on December 3rd. The last time that the U.S. Army executed one of its own soldiers by firing squad was during World War Two. The Pentagon says the event will be live streamed.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PETE HEGSETH, U.S. DEFENSE SECRETARY: He's going to get a firing squad of soldiers, as it should be, and well make sure that people are able to watch it, that it's public because people need to understand that this is a serious consequences for these types of things.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HUNTE: To Tennessee now and an update on Christa Pike, the death row inmate who survived a failed execution attempt last week. Pike's attorneys say she is walking with assistance and regaining some movement and strength in her arms. Her lawyers say she suffered significant arm injuries after problems with intravenous lines allowed doses of lethal injections to flow into her body instead of her bloodstream. They say questions remain about the long term effects of what she endured. Pike was convicted of the 1995 murder and torture of a fellow classmate.
A judge is expected to issue a ruling on the case of the White House media ban by Tuesday, or potentially even sooner. That word coming from the media lawyer who's representing CNN, MS NOW and "Politico". Reporters from those outlets were banned by the Trump administration.
In court on Thursday, the judge extended a temporary order through Tuesday that requires the administration to grant those reporters access, while he considers a longer term ruling on president Trump's press ban. The judge also appeared skeptical of the administrations arguments for allowing the ban. Lawyers for the news organization say the White House has offered no new evidence to support its repeated claims. The reporting done by the news outlets has endangered national security.
We have much more coming up on this show, including a look at an award that has people all around the world wondering if their contributions to humankind could make them a winner.
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[02:42:37]
HUNTE: The Nobel Committee has selected Canadian writer Anne Carson as the winner of this year's literature prize. She is known for works like "The Beauty of the Husband," "An Autobiography of Red", and "Nox". Literature was the fourth prize to be handed out this week, following the committee's honors for achievements in medicine, physics and chemistry. In just a few hours, we will learn who will receive the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize, 287 candidates have been nominated, including 79 organizations.
The list is kept secret in the basement of the Norwegian Nobel Institute in Oslo. Pope Leo, the International Criminal Court and Save the Children are among the potential favorites. U.S. President Donald Trump says he deserves the award for settling eight wars all around the world.
Joining me now from London, Theo Zenou. He is a historian and journalist and a visiting fellow at Australian National University.
Good to see you, sir.
We are just hours away from finding out who wins this year's Nobel Peace Prize. What should we be looking for in the choice? And what could make this year's awards really significant?
DR. THEO ZENOU, HISTORIAN: Well, it's significant anyway, because it's the biggest prize in the world. And the power of this prize is that were talking about it three hours before, and we'll be talking about it again when it drops. So, the attention of the world, if only for a few hours, is fixated on who gets that award. So it's an extraordinary spotlight to shine on a person or an organization.
But I think we can safely say is that President Trump is not going to be the recipient of this Nobel peace prize. He says he deserves it. But the institute is unlikely to find those claims worthy for two reasons. The first is, if you want a Nobel Peace Prize, that you don't campaign for it. This is the unwritten rule.
The second is earlier this year, President Trump obviously attacked Iran. Now, I'm not saying anything about the actual merits of that war, but obviously it would be incongruous for the Nobel Peace Prize to go to a president who is involved in a war just like Franklin Delano Roosevelt didn't receive a Nobel Peace Prize during World War Two.
[02:45:03]
HUNTE: Well, let's see.
One of the names being discussed is Sudan's Emergency Response Rooms. Why might the Nobel Committee recognize their work, and what could that bring to a conflict that has received relatively little international attention?
ZENOU: Exactly. Precisely for that reason, I think that would be very, very worthy winner. I mean, the Council For Foreign Relations says that the situation in Sudan is the world's worst humanitarian disaster. We don't exactly know how many people have been killed in that civil war that's been going on for several years now. But estimates put it from 100,000 people, 150,000 people to 400,000
people. This is a horrible disaster. And we barely hear about it in the Western press.
And what the Emergency Response Rooms have done is a network of volunteers as part of civil society, who drive across the country to help those who've been displaced by the war, who've been injured, who've been raped.
So they have skin in the game, right? They're not statesmen talking from gilded rooms. They are on the ground, risking their lives to help their fellow man. And ultimately, I think at its best, that's what this Nobel Peace Prize is about.
HUNTE: I want to talk a bit more about our U.S. president, because Donald Trump is once again making the case that he does deserve the Nobel Peace Prize. And it could happen. He's pointing to conflicts that he says he has helped to resolve. How should we assess those claims?
ZENOU: Well, as always with Trump, you have to separate what he says with what's happened. And it's true that across the first two years of his presidency, the U.S. has served as a broker for several conflicts around the world.
In some cases, some of the conflicts he claims to have settled have not been settled. Simply ceasefires have been signed. I mean, for instance, much has been made about his claim to bring peace between Thailand and Cambodia over a border dispute. While there is no peace between Thailand and Cambodia, there has only been a temporary ceasefire that has been broken at least once. So you can't really say this war has been settled.
And that's the case for most of the ceasefire that is brought about. So those are positive things. Again, but this is a Nobel Peace Prize. So it has to be a lasting achievement to humanity. Or just like in the case of Emergency Response Rooms, for instance, an actual on the ground commitment to helping your fellow man.
HUNTE: Okay, well, I wish I was anchoring later to see your face potentially if he does win, but for now, Theo Zenou, visiting fellow at Australian National University -- thank you so much, sir.
ZENOU: Thank you
HUNTE: And coming up on CNN NEWSROOM, mind the noise. What commuters and workers want done about loud troop trains on the London underground.
See you in a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[02:50:33]
HUNTE: A new era has begun for the Philadelphia 76ers. LeBron James made his preseason debut for the team ahead of his 24th season in the NBA. James took the court alongside his new teammates against the Brooklyn Nets in New York. The 41-year-old played most of the first half but didn't play in the second half, as teams often manage playing time while gearing up for the regular season. Sixers' fans have high hopes as the team looks to bring home its first NBA title since 1983.
The Dallas mavericks and Houston rockets both have historical ties to China, and this week, they're in Macau playing NBA preseason exhibition games.
CNN's streaming show "Meanwhile in Asia" discusses the league's renewed focus on one of its most important international markets after a six-year live game ban.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's really interesting that they have Dallas and Houston being the two teams that are coming to Macau. They both have a historical ties to China. So Dallas had the first player from China to play in the NBA, Wang Zhizhi. And then shortly after that, the Houston Rockets made an explosive.
IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yao Ming.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yao Ming, I mean, he's --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The most popular. Yeah.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, certainly. Absolutely.
WATSON: But like it has not always been smooth sailing, the relationship between the NBA and China. You did have effectively a breakup back in 2019 when at the height of protests here in Hong Kong, you had a Houston Rockets then manager who spoke out in support of the protesters here. And that led to a six-year absence that the NBA had in China, which I'm sure frightened the management at the league, right?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yeah, to say the least. Daryl Morey was the general manager of the Houston Rockets. I mean, there's 30 teams in the NBA. And if they -- if there had been 25 other teams that had done this, it may not have made as much of a noise.
WATSON: I imagine there was a lot of negotiation to bring the NBA back to China. And talking to professionals who work in this market, I think that the NBA will be much more careful going forward because the dispute, the breakup cost a lot of money.
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HUNTE: If you are in the United States, you can catch "Meanwhile in Asia", on CNN's streaming platform, all access, or on YouTube outside of the U.S.
Commuters and workers want something done about noise from the London Underground. Charline Bou Mansour reports on calls for an investigation into noise
levels on London's tube trains.
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CHARLINE BOU MANSOUR, CNN CORRESPONDEN: That was loud.
I want to know, is London's underground getting louder?
Londoners have long complained about the deafening screech in certain parts of the London underground, but now mounting complaints have sparked calls for a full investigation into tube noise.
We should have bought earplugs. Some sections of the tube exceed 100 decibels. Now that's really loud. If you're listening to that day in, day out.
MANSOUR (voice-over): TFL received 342 complaints about in carriage noise in 2025 alone.
MANSOUR: Oh my gosh, that just hit 100. That's comparable to a concert.
Okay, so were trying out another line now, Victoria Line. Highbury & Islington, between that station and Finsbury Park is what is supposed to be one of the loudest points in the London Underground.
So we're going to test it. You can see the average decibels and the maximum decibels where we hit over 100. The average is at 83, which is still really loud and prolonged exposure to these kind of levels may possibly lead to hearing damage.
[02:55:03]
Even the train approaching is quite loud. It's about 85 decibels.
Are you concerned about these noise levels in the London underground?
ANNIE MORRIS, AUDIOLOGIST: Conversations normally about 60 decibels. And that's loud conversation. Anything over 85 decibels, we say that you need to listen for specific periods. So, no longer than eight hours at 85 decibels. But it becomes increasingly shorter as it goes up in decibel level.
So, for example, 90 decibels should be less than two hours, 95 an hour, and then anything over 100 should be less than 15 minutes in that environment with no protection. If you've been in a loud environment, you have something called a temporary threshold shift, which is where your hearing feels a bit muffled after a gig and you think, oh gosh, can't cure quite, quite well.
What is dangerous is when that temporary threshold shift becomes a permanent one, and you can't no longer recover back to your normal levels.
MANSOUR: Should TFL be doing more to protect their employees, and should they also be doing more to fix the tracks?
MORRIS: We would really encourage any investigation that helps us understand exactly what's happening. What we have seen is people be more proactive around their ear health to make sure that they are getting help as and when its needed, rather than waiting because of the historic stigma that was around hearing and hearing aids. There is still some of that, but it definitely is becoming less so.
Dallas had the first player from China to play in the NBA, Wang But this isn't just an annoyance for passengers. Tube staff spend hours underground every day, and one driver I spoke to who wants to stay anonymous has worked on the underground for 30 years, and he now has to wear hearing aids daily. He believes tube noise has contributed to his hearing loss.
A TFL spokesperson said reducing noise levels is a priority, adding as part of our work to improve noise and vibration issues, we have removed insulated rail joints which removes the source of noise and improved the condition of the track. We also continue to invest significantly in track renewal and maintenance, including a continuous program of rail grinding and track modernization.
I spent a few hours on the tube looking at my decibel meter. I didn't expect it to peak at 100 decibel as often as it did.
MANSOUR: That also hit over 100 decibels.
MANSOUR (voice-over): So the question remains, when will the screech finally get quieter?
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HUNTE: That's all I've got for you. Thanks for joining me and the team. I'm Ben Hunte. I'll be back with more CNN NEWSROOM after this quick break. See you in a moment.
