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Tsunami Alerts Throughout Pacific after 8.8 Magnitude Quake; AP: Joint Declaration Calls on Hamas to Disarm; Trump: Epstein Poached Employees from his Mar-a-Lago Spa; U.S. Federal Reserve Set to Make Decision on Interest Rates; Women's Copa America. Aired 9-10a ET

Aired July 30, 2025 - 09:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[09:00:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST, CONNECT THE WORLD: It is the scene in Hawaii where the threats of a possible tsunami is still not over. That's after a

massive earthquake struck Russia. It's 03:00 a.m. in Maui, it's 02:00 p.m. here in London, I'm on assignment. I'm Becky Anderson. This is "Connect

World".

Also coming up, the British Prime Minister announces the UK will recognize Palestinian statehood, unless Israel agrees to a ceasefire. U.S. President

Donald Trump revealing new details about his relationship with the late Jeffrey Epstein. And later today, the Federal Reserve is expected to

release its latest U.S. interest rate decision.

The stock market in New York opens about 30 minutes from now, and investors will be keeping a keen eye on that fed announcement. More when those

markets open at 09:30 local time. We begin with tsunami waves hitting U.S. and Canadian shores on North America's West Coast, and tsunami alerts in

force for millions throughout the Pacific region.

The tsunami threat triggered by a massive 8.8 magnitude quake that struck Russia's far East hours ago. The first waves hitting Russia and Japan,

where nearly 2 million people have been evacuated. This is video from Japan's second biggest Island, Hokkaido, where people fled to the highest

rooftops that they could find.

Tourists and residents on Maui ended up sleeping in cars after evacuating to higher ground there. Hawaii now hearing that an earlier tsunami warning

has been downgraded to an advisory. Officials also saying that the worst is over, but it's important to note they are still urging people in affected

areas to stay away from coastlines and not to let their guard down.

Well, CNN's Marc Stewart joins us now from Beijing. What is -- what are you hearing in the region where you are, where the waves have been hitting? How

high, how powerful and what can be expected going forward, Marc?

MARC STEWART, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Right, Becky. In Japan, at least waves at around four feet. But big picture here in Asia, warnings that were issued

earlier for where I am in Mainland China, as well as Taiwan, Japan, those warnings have all been downgraded, but there was moment for concern.

This was an 8.8 magnitude earthquake tied for the second strongest, or sixth strongest, I believe, ever recorded, if my -- if my facts are correct

here. Let me show you some pictures, though, from Japan, where this really caused a lot of drama. It unfolded at around, well, breakfast time in many

parts of Asia where I am here.

We saw some pictures, though, from Japan, where we saw people once these evacuation orders were issued in Hokkaido, you can see there they people

are on top of a fire station building as a proactive move for safety.

It looks like there's someone carrying a child in their arms. There was that level of concern. We also saw a lot of images of Japan, where waves

were just crashing on the shores, a very proactive response in Japan. Also, Becky, we are getting some pretty remarkable images from where this

earthquake struck, when it first struck, off the far east coast of Russia.

At the time this happened, doctors in a cancer center were performing a surgery and had to basically hold the patient, as you see there, hold on to

the equipment in the operating room as well as steady themselves. Just an indication of how dramatic this was?

You know, so use we're so used to seeing video from stores and from and from traffic lights, but this is actually inside an operating suite, and

then also in that area where it struck, in Russia, a lot of damage on the ground. There was a kindergarten that received some damage. Fortunately, no

serious injuries appear to be reported.

But Becky, these pictures really do tell the story. This was an extremely intense earthquake, and for the moment at least, it appears that the risk

for this particular moment appears to have subsided.

ANDERSON: Yeah. And Marc you reported from Japan back in 2023 for CNN about the earthquake response there. Then just tell us more about that.

STEWART: Right. I will tell you, as someone who lived in Japan. The earthquake back in 2011 which I'm sure you remember covering, it was a

profound moment.

[09:05:00]

There was a meltdown of a nuclear power plant, the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. It was a moment of reckoning for Japan, and ever since

then, very strong response protocol has been put in place. I mean, I remember being in bed one morning, the earthquake alarm went off, giving me

about a five second warning.

The technology is that good. So, the response that we're seeing in Japan is based off the experience there. There's no room to take chances. In fact,

Becky, I was thinking I went to the Fukushima Daiichi Plant many years later, and along that Japanese Coast where we saw these very big waves, sea

walls were built to try to mitigate the risk of damage along the coast to residential areas if a quake were to strike again.

So at least in this case, it appears that the proactive steps that Japan has taken, they kicked into place.

ANDERSON: It's good to have you, sir. Thank you. Marc Stewart in the house. Well, Britain's Prime Minister is ratcheting up diplomatic pressure on

Israel. Keir Starmer says the UK will recognize Palestinian statehood by the U.N. General Assembly in September, unless Israel agrees to a ceasefire

and takes other steps to end what he calls the appalling situation in Gaza.

His comments drew quick and sharp criticism from Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, writing on social media that Palestinian statehood

would, in his words, reward Hamas' monstrous terrorism and punish its victims. Well, Salma Abdelaziz following developments for us from here in

London.

This decision by Keir Starmer's government coming the wake of course, of the French announcing that they would recognize Palestinian Statehood at

the UNGA meeting in September. And these announcements coming as international pressure grows on Israel to agree to a ceasefire.

Israel, suggesting that all of this pressure is simply hardening Hamas' position and effectively supporting that terrorist group. What can you tell

us about what some of effectively calling diplomatic window dressing, unless more is achieved for Palestinians at this -- at this point, what's

going on behind the scenes here?

SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, I think the first thing to remember about all of this Becky is that the intention behind declaring

this Palestinian Statehood, as you said, was in the wake of France doing the same. But the intention had been that, European countries, a group of

them would do this together, and that this would be a joint action.

Now this all kind of fell apart when the conflict with Iran broke out for two weeks. And so, you found French President Emmanuel Macron taking that

step first, and taking that step forward, and then building that pressure around his European allies. And now the UK, of course, saying it will

follow suit.

But this is also closely coinciding with what's taking place on the ground of course. You now have aid agencies saying the worst-case scenario of a

famine is unfolding on the ground. You have multiple human rights groups which are pointing the finger at Israel, saying it is impeding access to

aid.

Israel has allowed a trickle of help, but that drop in the bucket will absolutely not reverse the starvation that we're seeing on the ground that

humanitarian workers are reporting. And that level of starvation, again, doesn't just require some small amount of aid coming into the country.

There needs to be a complete and holistic approach.

That's what we're hearing from the United Nations, which has pointed out that nowadays, in Gaza, there may be four distribution points on a good

day. In the past, there would be 400 distribution points and thousands of trucks entering every single week.

So, you have a crisis here that is so massive that Europe is hand is essentially being forced to try to figure out what it can do to pressure

Prime Minister Netanyahu, alongside, of course, the United States. We've heard from President Trump himself, who was in Scotland this week and said,

yes, he sees starvation on the ground, and that needs to be resolved.

We've heard from the administration saying they want to see Israel do more to address that crisis of hunger on the ground. But yes, absolutely you

said window dressing. Declaring Palestinian Statehood is not going to bring more food on the ground, but what it does is it ramps up that pressure.

We should see a bigger announcement around this for France in September at the U.N. General Assembly. It begins to build that consensus as well around

the ceasefire talks, which have all but stalled at one of the most critical moments in this conflict. So, this may just us be seeing, yes, there is

this huge pressure, this huge groundswell of anger and frustration with what's happening on the ground in Gaza.

But diplomats across Europe have very few options other than continuing to ramp up the pressure on Israel, and this is one of the ways to do it.

[09:10:00]

By declaring that Palestinian Statehood as a potential intention for the UK, and in France's case, of course, saying they will go ahead and do that.

I think all eyes here on who will follow suit. Who will be next, Becky/

ANDERSON: It's good to have you. Thank you. I want to do more on this. For the first time, a number of Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar

and Egypt, calling on Hamas to lay down its arms. That's according to reporting by "The Associated Press". Multiple countries, plus the European

Union and the Arab League signed the declaration agreed upon at the U.N. Conference focused on reviving a two-state solution for Israel and the

Palestinians.

The text also condemned Hamas' October 7th attack on Israel. France, who's co-chairing the conference alongside Saudi Arabia, called the declaration

unprecedented.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JEAN-NOEL BARROT, FRENCH MINISTER FOR EUROPE AND FOREIGN AFFAIRS: On the part of Saudi Arabia and the Arab and Muslim countries, who, for the first

time will condemn terrorism, the acts of terror, on the 7th of October, a call for the disarmament of Hamas and express their hope to have a

normalized relationship with Israel in due time.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Well, Firas Maksad, is the Managing Director for the Middle East at the Eurasia Group. He joins me now live from Washington, D.C. Hamas then

to disarm and give up power as part of the march towards a two-state solution, not after we get there. That is part of what is coming out of

this event in New York.

Faras, Hamas representative telling CNN back in 2024 that the group would, by the way, disarm if an Independence Day was established with Jerusalem as

the Capital. Are they -- what do you make of what's been achieved? And do you believe that Hamas is likely to listen to these Arab states at this

point?

FIRAS MAKSAD, MANAGING DIRECTOR FOR MIDDLE EAST, EURAISA GROUP: Yeah, Becky. Listen, this is a great issue to touch on, because much of the

international focus has been right now on this issue of recognition, recognition of a Palestinian state, by the French, by the British, by other

Europeans, certainly in a drive that's led by Saudi Arabia and others.

And rightfully so, this is a momentous achievement for the Palestinian cause. But on the back end of that, there is something that's equally

important, which is that carrot that's being dangled out there for the Israelis, for Prime Minister Netanyahu to take a different path.

And this is something that many of us who are observers of the regions, have been urging for quite some time, essentially telling and telegraphing

to the Israeli Prime Minister that there is no strategic victory to be had pounding away at the sands of Gaza with the tremendous humanitarian toll

now topping 60,000 Palestinians dead on the back end of the attacks of October 7th.

The strategic victory for Israel to be had is in that pathway towards normalization with Saudi Arabia and the Arab World. And here for the first

time, we see the Saudis, on behalf of the other Arab countries, essentially demonstrating a willingness to first shun Hamas and make sure that whatever

emerges in the day after in Gaza is free of any Hamas rule and help shepherd a new reality in Gaza.

But perhaps more importantly, it addresses the issue of security and who is to fill that void that vacuum in Gaza, once Hamas is no longer there and a

readiness from the Arab countries, referencing an international security force in Gaza to play a role in filling that vacuum.

Should Israel move towards recognizing a two-state solution? Whether the Israeli Prime Minister can see past his tactical victories to the broad

strategic picture, which, again, the Trump Administration, I think, is quietly nudging him towards. That is a different question.

ANDERSON: And I'm going to do more on that with Kylie Atwood, who's -- who will follow you out of the State Department. Meantime, we've heard from the

Saudi Foreign Minister on this Firas, just have a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FAISAL BIN FARHAN AL SAUD, SAUDI FOREIGN MINISTER: Then we have to talk about the establishment of the Palestinian state. And once that is

achieved, then obviously we can talk about normalization. Look, you asked about Hamas.

From our perspective, the focus needs to be on dialog. The focus needs to be on diplomacy, and we need to focus on those tools, not the tools of

violence. And obviously we need to have one unified representative of the Palestinian people, and that is the Palestinian Authority who have shown

themselves not only a credible Governor of Palestine, but also a credible interlocutory for Israel.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: And there is no real change in Saudi's position. It has to be said.

[09:15:00]

I mean, if you've been watching, you know, their sort of narrative over the past couple of years, perhaps many will call it very principled. Some will

say it's hardened somewhat from a, you know, needing to see a viable pathway to -- you know a Palestinian state, to something -- you know, more

credible and substantive at this point before they seek to look at normalization.

You know, I wonder how -- you know what your perception is of the Saudi position, its leadership in all of this and those comments about the PA,

the Palestinian Authority, and we know that they will be looking at a reformed PA being the credible partner for peace going forward.

MAKSAD: Yeah, listen, there is no doubt that the Palestinian Authority, as is not in a position to play the role that is required of in terms of

meeting the aspiration of the Palestinian people, but also the requirements of the international community.

So, so much of the Saudi and Arab focus has been in trying to reform the Palestinian Authority, and we now have the aging Palestinian President,

Mahmoud Abbas committing to elections next year, both presidential and parliamentary. And so, we see a great deal and focus on an Arab Saudi led

role to try and reform the PA.

But I think what the Saudi messaging here is that the Israeli game of trying to divide the Palestinians and let's be honest, I mean, particularly

Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, in the past, has very much valued playing on the differences between Hamas and the Palestinian Authority,

keeping them divided.

Gaza separate from the West Bank, and that we all saw came to very painfully undermine Israeli security on October 7th, that game of playing

both sides against each other for the exact purpose of not allowing the Palestinians to emerge with a unified Palestinian entity that has to come

to an end.

And the Saudis here, despite the fact that the public opinion in the broader Arab and Islamic court has very much hardened, making the Saudis --

making it difficult for the Saudis to move towards any potential normalization with Israel. On your show a couple of months ago, I said that

normalization is dead, as far as the Saudis are concerned.

But what we are seeing now is the willingness for the Saudis to entertain the idea of baby steps, to dangle that carrot out there in the hope of

enticing Israel and perhaps Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu in a different direction. And that is very much an effort that is being

coordinated with the Trump Administration.

President Trump essentially putting it out there, trying to give Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu some cover on the legal front, calling it a witch

hunt, and essentially nudging him in the direction of maybe perhaps recalibrating his governing coalition in the months ahead, in an effort

that allows him to move forward on the normalization front.

Still, something that the American President wants to pursue as part of his greater legacy on the foreign policy front, still something he's working

very closely with the Saudis with. Again, it's a different question whether Israel will move in that direction.

ANDERSON: Yeah, it's fascinating, isn't it? Firas, it's always good to have you. Thank you. And folks stick around next hour, I'll be joined by the

Former First Minister of Scotland, Humza Yousaf, and his wife, Nadia El- Nakla. They are calling for a full arms embargo on Israel.

We'll discuss the United Kingdom's declaration to recognize Palestinian Statehood, unless, of course, Israel changes course. That is the caveat by

the UK Prime Minister in his announcement alongside his foreign minister's announcement yesterday in New York.

Well, we should also look at the U.S. role in all of this. Kylie Atwood is in Washington. Kylie first point is that the U.S. had no involvement in

this massive event co-sponsored by the Saudis and the French in New York. Just explain why? And behind the scenes what are you hearing about their

sort of key takeouts from this? There's been some big news.

KYLIE ATWOOD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right. They have actually been highly critical of what happened at the United Nations, and also these

moves by France and the UK to say that they are going to be recognizing a Palestinian State.

France, of course -- the UK saying that they will do that if Israel doesn't come to a ceasefire agreement, if there isn't peace in Gaza as this

starvation has gotten worse. When you talk to U.S. officials, they believe that recognition of a Palestinian State at this time just isn't an

effective tool to try and get peace in Gaza.

We heard from the Secretary of State, after France announced just last week that they would recognize the Palestinian State, saying that it was a

reckless decision that gives Hamas.

[09:20:00]

That serves Hamas propaganda and sets back peace. He also said that it is something that is a slap in the face to the victim -- victims of October

7th. But the critical question here Becky is, so what other tools is the Trump Administration actually using to dry -- and to try and drive an end

to this conflict in Gaza?

We know that they have been actively working behind the scenes, speaking through intermediaries with Hamas, of course, directly with Israel to try

and get a ceasefire. But so far, that has not been effective. And just last week, Steve Witkoff effectively called back the folks who were involved in

those efforts, because there wasn't any breakthrough.

I am told today that there is some behind the scenes efforts to try and get those talks back on track. But what is unclear right now is what tools the

Trump Administration is really utilizing to put pressure on Israel and, of course, Hamas as well, to try and get to that ceasefire.

One of the things that we're trying to find out more about is new food centers that President Trump announced the U.S. would be helping to set up

in Gaza. That announcement was made by him earlier this week. Even the State Department didn't know that that announcement was coming.

Really had no details to share with us about what those new food centers set up would look like. So, we're learning -- we're looking to learn more

about what officials are doing behind the scenes to try and set that up and what those food centers will actually look like? Who will be the partners

with the U.S. to get those up and running? As we know, President Trump said just last week that he himself does see that there's starvation in Gaza.

ANDERSON: This is critical detail that needs standing up. So, thank you for doing the legwork on that, and as soon as you get some more substantive

detail on what he described as these food centers, which would have no barriers, no fences, you know, it was sort of -- you know first come -- you

know, not even any queues. He just wants people to get food.

That's what he said in Scotland when he was discussing -- you know, a wide- ranging set of issues with reporters up there. So, the more we get on that as you say, the better. Thank you, Kylie. Look still to come, why President

Donald Trump's latest explanation about why he ended his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein is raising all kinds of new questions about their past that

is coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: U.S. President Donald Trump is sharing more details about his rocky relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, and those details raising new

questions about their shared past. On Tuesday, the president told reporters that the late sex offender poached employees away from his Mar-a-Lago

resort, and so he says he kicked Epstein out.

[09:25:00]

Also, those employees, according to Trump, were young women who worked in his resort spa.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Well, I have a great spa, one of the best spas in the world, at Mar-a-Lago. And people

were taken out of the spa hired by him. In other words, God, when I heard about it, I told him, I said, listen, we don't want you taking our people,

whether it was spa or not spa, I don't want to take your people. And he was fine. And then not too long after that, he did it again, and I said, out of

here.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Well, he went on to say that one of those employees may have been Virginia Jeffrey, one of Epstein's most prominent, vocal accusers who died

by suicide earlier this year. CNN Politics Senior Reporter Stephen Collinson joining me now. This is keeping you busy.

The Trump Administration has tried for days Stephen to change the subject from Jeffrey Epstein. The president himself, though it seems, keeps

hampering those efforts by talking about him. What's your take on this?

STEPHEN COLLINSON, CNN POLITICS SENIOR REPORTER: Yeah, I think often the way that the president speaks is rather clumsy, especially on these issues,

and that only fuels more concern about what exactly he does know, and it's shifting the focus again, back to the early 2000s and what the president

knew about Jeffrey Epstein's activities and their relationship at the time?

At a time when the administration is refusing to release files on the Epstein case this is obviously going to stir more political intrigue. It

doesn't necessarily mean that the president has done anything wrong, but it does look like he is trying to maneuver this crisis, this political crisis,

to save himself from political embarrassment.

So, you know, it does keep going on. I would say that just looking at MAGA media over the last few days, it does seem that where -- that was the main

force driving this issue that does seem to have stilled a little bit. Perhaps that's because the lawmakers are now back in their constituencies.

There's no activity on this on Capitol Hill. But I think the White House realizes that this is probably never going to fully go away, even if it is

not at the same crisis pitch politically as it has been over the last weeks. And certainly, when lawmakers get back to town in September, all of

these issues, including the question of whether Ghislaine Maxwell Epstein's jailed associate will testify, that's all going to come back again.

ANDERSON: Yeah. And to that point, Ghislaine Maxwell, Former Epstein Accomplice, of course, is responding to a subpoena from Congress with an

offer to testify. As I understand it, though, that comes with major conditions from Ghislaine. What are they Stephen? Is she likely to be

successful at this point?

COLLINSON: Yeah, she's looking for complete immunity to testify on Capitol Hill. The Committee in the House that's dealing with this said, at this

point is not willing to do that. I think there is also a question about the bargain she is trying to drive with Trump's Justice Department.

You remember that Todd Blanche, the Deputy Attorney General, Trump's former personal lawyer, spent two days talking to Ghislaine Maxwell last week.

Clearly, her lawyers are going to try to do everything they can to barter down her current 20-year sentence.

And let's not forget, the president does have the power to pardon people and to commute sentences. So, I think they are starting at a very high

level, trying to drive a hard bargain. The question is, A, does she have anything that could be useful to the Trump Administration in ending this

political storm?

And B, whether anything she would say, given the fact that she is jailed for association with Jeffrey Epstein and sex trafficking. Is that going to

stand up in a court? But her lawyers will do everything they can to try and defray some of her plight by giving the president and Justice Department

some information.

ANDERSON: Your daily dose of Stephen Collinson with his analysis. Always it's good to have you, sir. Thank you. Still to come, a month-long feud

between Donald Trump and the U.S. Fed Chair could come to a head today. The Central Bank set to release its decision on interest rates. But will they

give in to growing calls by the president to make big cuts? More than that is coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:30:00]

ANDERSON: Welcome back. I'm Becky Anderson in London. You're watching "Connect the World". Time here is just after half past two on this

momentous day for the U.S. economy, we are watching to see how Wall Street reacts with central bankers widely expected to keep interest rates

unchanged for the fifth consecutive time.

In the last hour, the president took social media to re up his pressure campaign on the Fed, Mr. Trump calling yet again for a rate cut after the

U.S. GDP growth in the second quarter beat expectations. Well, with us to discuss is Diane Swonk. She's Chief Economist at KPMG. Good to have you.

According to the CME watch tool, is only about a 3 percent chance central bankers will cut rates today. What's your view at this point?

DIANE SWONK, CHIEF ECONOMIST, KPMG: Well, I don't think they're going to cut today. We could see a dissent. Governor Waller and Governor Bowman have

both signaled that they could dissent, worrying that the effects of tariffs on inflation are likely to be transitory and have a greater effect on

underlying growth in the U.S. economy.

Now we've seen tariffs whipsaw growth this year. We saw negative half percent in the first quarter, a rebound to 3 percent in the second quarter,

you average it out, and underlying growth has actually slowed this year from the second half of last year.

But more importantly in that GDP report is the implicit numbers for what the Fed targets? Their PCE Inflation Index that number looks like it

accelerated much more than expected, and in fact, in both goods and services, that's bad news for the Fed, suggesting that tariffs are actually

making their way through the economy.

ANDERSON: All right. And it's interesting, and I'm going to just push you on this, because the same prediction tool that I quoted earlier on does say

that there is a much greater chance of an interest rate cut in September.

[09:35:00]

If what you -- you know -- what you've alluded to there, which is the inflationary pressures, potentially, or most likely, from these trade and

tariff issues. Why would you expect, if you -- if you concur with this tool, a cut in September?

SWONK: Well, I don't expect a cut in September, but the Fed has made it clear that there's a group in the middle that are not sure which effects

will dominate. And if we start to see some weakness in employment, and even though that didn't show up as much in today's ADP Report, what really

matters is what are the next two employment reports going to look like?

And how much will that destruction of demand eventually bring down tariffs? And so that's where the next shoe is waiting to drop. Is how much weakness

will we actually see in the labor market.

ANDERSON: Yeah. And Diane for the past 32 years, the Federal Reserve's decisions on rates have almost always been unanimous, with the occasional

dissent from a loan policymaker. But as you rightly point out, is -- you know it's sort of widely understood that that may not be the case today.

Could actually draw dissents from two members of the central bank's board of government. If that were to happen, it would be the first time in 32

years. What does it tell you about the division within the Fed at this point?

SWONK: Well, I think it's really more subtle than it looks like on paper. And that is that Chris Waller has made his case clear, whether you agree

with him or not, he has consistently argued he has a lot of intellectual hefts within the Board of Governors, and he's argued that he's worried

about the underlying weakness in the labor market.

ANDERSON: Think I lost my guest there, which is a shame, because what she was doing was incredibly important. This is news you can use as we wait for

that Fed decision. I hope you've got, you know, oh, have we got Diane back? Diane, can you hear me?

SWONK: Yes, I can. Hi.

ANDERSON: Excellent, finish your thought, if you will.

SWONK: So, the point is that it's not as much of a stark division as we think.

ANDERSON: Yeah.

SWONK: Governor Waller has a lot of intellectual hefts. He believes the economy is going into weakness. I have empathy for his weakness in the

labor market. I just think that the inflation will be more persistent than he does. These are shades of gray, but it's a place he's willing to stake

it out.

Because history on tariffs is that there are one and done phenomena. The problem is the way these tariffs have been rolled out is not a one and done

phenomena.

ANDERSON: We've heard insults from Donald Trump, about the Fed Chair -- you know, describing him as a major loser, as a numb scaliest. Walk back a

little bit of this recently, saying that he knows Powell will quote, do the right thing, but by doing the right thing, Mr. Trump wants to see a

significant reduction in rates.

He wants to see as much as 3 percent off interest rates, he says, for every 1 percent it is costing the treasury, effectively, $300 billion. Firstly,

is he right? And secondly, what do you make of this pressure from the U.S. President, on an entity which is supposed to be independent?

SWONK: Well, I certainly haven't seen anyone out there argue that interest rates should currently be at 1 percent and if they were, that would suggest

the economy is significantly weaker, with potentially the threat of a financial crisis, which could be the case, but that's not where we're at

today.

And so, the intellectual consistency in that argument is you have to argue that we are so weak that we need to have ultra-low rates below anything

that would be considered neutral in order to stem off a recession or worse, and that's certainly not what the administration is currently arguing.

So, I think that's important. In terms of the independence for the Fed. J Powell has been clear he believes in an independent fed, and he's pretty

much unflappable when it comes to this issue.

ANDERSON: It's good to have you, Diane. Thank you very much indeed. I know you'll be keenly here awaiting that announcement by the Fed, as are the

markets today. Up next, thank you. Brazil books its place in another women's Copa America Final with a dominant display against Uruguay. More,

and that is after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:40:00]

ANDERSON: Well, Heavy Metal Icon Ozzy Osbourne has made his last journey through his home City of Birmingham. In touching scenes, thousands of fans

chanted the legendary singer's name as his funeral procession made its way through the city center. The journey included a visit to the Black Sabbath

bench and bridge, where Ozzy's family made an emotional stop to see the tributes that have been laid for the prince of darkness as he was known.

Ozzy Osbourne died last week at the age of 76 just weeks after he played his last show with his Black Sabbath Bandmates at Villa Park in Birmingham.

Well, the final is now set for this year's edition of the Women's Copa America, like they did in 2022 Brazil and Colombia will square off in the

decider. Eight times champions, Brazil made it through to the final after breezing past Uruguay 5-1.

Oh, we love women's soccer. Amanda Davies and me. She joins me now last night, proving the magnificent martyr is still going strong at 39 Amanda?

AMANDA DAVIES, CNN WORLD SPORR: Yeah, Becky, we were saying yesterday, what a fantastic few weeks it's been for women's football and women's sport, and

that very much carries on. I was actually there in Paris 12 months ago. We bid farewell to Marta on the international stage.

She called time on her international career anyway, but she's back, and yet she is still scoring the goals. But this is very much a transitional next

generation Brazilian side still doing it because, of course, it's not only this Copa America Feminina that they're talking about, but Brazil hosting

the Women's World Cup for the first time in 2027.

Promises to be a fantastic final this one at the weekend. But it's very interesting. It's put very much on the radar the discussions about

investment into the women's game in this part of the world, and that's what we're going to be looking at a little bit more in just a couple of minutes.

ANDERSON: Yeah. Women's Football or Soccer, the gift that just keeps giving to us and everybody else, more on that in "World Sport", after this short

break. We will be back in 15 minutes time of the second hour of "Connect the World" do stay with us.

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