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Connect the World
Hamas Seeking Guarantee from Trump that Israel Won't Resume War Once Hostages are Released; Trump's Efforts to Federalize National Guard Spark Backlash; Trump, Carney Direct Negotiators to "Quickly Land Deals"; Gold Hits $4,000 an Ounce for the First Time; Panthers Raise Banner, Edge Blackhawks 3-2 in Opener. Aired 9-9:45a ET
Aired October 08, 2025 - 09:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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[09:00:00]
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST, CONNECT THE WORLD: Well, a man who once led the FBI is about to face criminal charges in court. The arraignment of James
Comey is happening an hour from now. It is 09:00 a.m. in Alexandria, in Virginia. It is 05:00 p.m. here in Abu Dhabi. I'm Becky Anderson, you're
watching "Connect the World" from our Middle East Programming Headquarters.
And you are more than welcome. Coming up, key negotiators get to work in Egypt with hopes that real progress can be made in these Gaza ceasefire
talks two years into the conflict. National Guard troops arrive in Illinois despite objections from the state's leaders.
Plus, a golden opportunity or a warning sign of the times, gold hits an all-time record fueled by global uncertainty. Well, the stock market in New
York opens about 30 minutes from now with that high gold price. You might have expected that these markets will be looking a bit iffy today, but a
moderately higher open, reflecting a cautious feeling amongst investors, but still verging on the positive side.
An odd situation when you see the price of gold, we'll do more of that at the bottom of the hour. Well, the third day of talks to end the war in Gaza
is underway in Egypt, with key players from the U.S. and Israel involved, and a word of a notable prisoner, Hamas once released as part of any deal.
Here is what we know and what is happening as we speak. U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump's son in law, Jared Kushner,
arrived in Sharm El-Sheikh earlier today for these expanded talks. Egyptian media report Chief Israeli Negotiator Ron Dermer, a close ally of Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, is also now attending.
A source reports both sides have made progress in the first two days of indirect talks, one potentially contentious issue. Hamas is demand for the
release of Marwan Barghouti. He is a prominent Palestinian figure who is serving multiple life sentences in Israel. Nic Robertson, connecting us
from Cairo, where he has been all week, monitoring the latest in these talks.
Nic, let's start with the participation of Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. They have arrived, and just how significant is their attendance at this
point.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yeah, it's the sort of highest stamp of authority that President Trump can bring to the talks. Has
been a U.S. team on site in technical negotiations for a few days now. But you also have in that room, as you mentioned, Ron Dermer, the Minister of
Strategic Affairs for Prime Minister Netanyahu, a key confidant of his.
So, you have the U.S. and Israel with their top players right there at the talks that can make almost the top-level decisions, if you will. They
certainly understand the red lines for their leadership and what's going to be difficult for them. You have the head of Egyptian intelligence.
You have the head of Turkish intelligence. That's a new add to these talks. You have the Qatari Prime Minister, of course, has been a mediator, a top-
level mediator, in this all along, intimately engaged and involved in the details of what's going to be difficult and what, where progress might be
being made.
So, there's that sense of momentum. You have Hamas in the proximity, not in the same room, as Israel. And we're learning this evening that other
Palestinian groups are coming in as well. Palestinian Islamic Jihad, harder line than Hamas, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, PFLP.
They're expecting their delegation to show up here at Sharm El-Sheikh for talks later today. I think what we're beginning to hear some of the detail
you mentioned it Marwan Barghouti, a hugely popular Palestinian political figure who really could potentially unite the Palestinians, a figure not,
by the way, a member of Hamas, but Fatah would be a political bonus for Hamas to be able to spring a prisoner from another competing political
party.
That sort of speaks for unity right there. And the other thing that we're hearing, and there's been a red line in the past as well, both on
Barghouti, and the other red line that is they want, Hamas wants President Trump to give a guarantee that Israel won't go back to war if they hand
over all the hostages.
That's their key leverage has been all along. That was part of their tactic. So, they're looking for that kind of buy in from President Trump.
[09:05:00]
Now can Witkoff and Kushner do that at the table. They'll certainly understand the limits that President Trump is willing to go to. He wasn't
willing to go to that limit before. But the momentum, the sense of momentum, really is being created here by everyone that's important and key
coming into these talks.
Can they deliver it's looking more and more likely? How long will whatever they deliver last that, of course, is the elephant in the room?
ANDERSON: Nic Robertson is in Cairo, getting us bang up to date on what we know. Thank you, Nic. Israeli authorities, meantime, have intercepted a
group of ships carrying aid bound for Gaza, the second in as many weeks, a live video stream from one of those boats, the Gaza Sunbird, appeared to
show security forces a boarding it.
Organizers say all nine ships in its convoy were intercepted. Part of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, the ships were carrying medical and food
supplies worth over $110,000. Israel has called it another futile attempt to breach the legal naval blockade. Last week, Israeli forces stopped a
separate Gaza bound convoy, detaining hundreds of activists on board.
Well, we are keeping a close eye on whether the French government can escape its political crisis. The outgoing French Prime Minister has been
speaking with opposition parties and is voicing hope about passing a budget to stabilize the country. Sebastien Lecornu also says the chances of having
to dissolve parliament seem to be lessening. CNN's Melissa Bell has more on what is this developing story from Paris.
MELISSA BELL, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It was a glimmer of hope in an otherwise fairly bleak week politically, on Monday, Sebastien
Lecornu, the Prime Minister appointed less than a month ago, had resigned only hours after appointing his cabinet because of the fractious nature of
his cabinet.
He was then asked by the French President to stay on and to try again, to focus the minds of the leaders on the traditional moderate right and
traditional moderate left that he had hoped to bring into his government in order to see whether it might not be possible still to find some kind of
compromise.
He had been given until Wednesday night. By Wednesday morning, he had this to say about his negotiations.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEBASTIEN LECORNU, OUTGOING FRENCH PRIME MINISTER: That is a will to have a budget for France by the 31st of December of this year, and this will
create a movement and convergence that distances the prospect of dissolution of parliament.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BELL: The suggestion then that what the negotiations have yielded so far is that the urgent need to get the budget for 2026 not just approved, but to
agree on the important budget cuts necessary to avoid the looming debt crisis here in France might be enough to bring together that government in
order that it might focus on that issue. Then the question of the dissolution, maybe not in the immediate future, but perhaps afterwards,
could remain a possibility.
We should hear more, either by Wednesday evening or Thursday morning, from Sebastien Lecornu himself, or from President Macron, who's found himself in
the very difficult position of having a dwindling number of options ahead of him, none of them terribly palatable. Melissa Bell, CNN, Paris.
ANDERSON: Well, if President Macron decides to call snap parliamentary elections, he is going to or is not likely to like the expected outcome.
Marine Le Pen's anti-immigration national rally party is currently leading the polls, with 31 percent trailing in second place is the left-wing
alliance, the new popular front on just over 16 percent.
The gap is even wider when you look at the other parties. Macron is seen as unlikely to choose to resign, but if he did, the latest poll favors the
national rallies. Jordan Bardella as future president in second place with just 16 percent one of Macron's Former Prime Ministers, Edouard Philippe,
he's the leader of the center right horizons party currently.
Socialist Raphael Glucksmann is Left Wing Leader Jean Luc Melenchon are in third and fourth place. We are awaiting a highly watched court appearance
in Virginia, one of Donald Trump's top political enemies, Former FBI Director James Comey is expected to face federal charges in person next
hour.
Now, Comey was famously fired by President Trump in his first term over a Russian election meddling investigation. Here's what he had to say right
after his indictment.
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JAMES COMEY, FORMER FBI DIRECTOR: I have great confidence in the federal judicial system, and I'm innocent, so let's have a trial and keep the
faith.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, to get a conviction, prosecutors are going to have to prove the charges are not politically motivated.
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Mr. Trump was asked about that this week in the Oval Office. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Are you worried that your own statements calling for his prosecution could help him actually in his defense of this?
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: No, I think he's a crooked guy. He's a dirty cop. I'm allowed to do that if I wanted to do
that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, our senior U.S. Justice Correspondent Evan Perez is outside the courthouse in Virginia. Evan, just walk us through what we are
expecting to happen this hour.
EVAN PEREZ, CNN SENIOR U.S. JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Becky, we're waiting for the Former FBI Director to show up here at federal courthouse,
which he's going to walk in through the front door right behind me at any minute now. And as you pointed out, this is an unusual case for so many
reasons.
Obviously, we've never had an FBI Director who has faced criminal charges, felony criminal charges in federal court before. Of course, you know, Comey
was also the first FBI Director who was fired by a president back in 2017, that was President Trump at the time. And it gives you a sense of the
animus that has really sort of loomed over the two men's and the two men's relationship since then.
And the president has made it very clear that he wanted Comey prosecuted, and that also is going to loom large over this case. We're expecting the
judge to convene this in the next hour. We expect Comey to plead not guilty, and then the judge is going to set a schedule for a trial, a trial
that could come as soon as seven or eight months.
This is a court that moves very, very quickly, very unusual for a federal court. He's facing these two felony counts, and we expect also that the
judge will ask for what motions the prosecution and defense are going to bring up as part of this trial, and that's where we will see perhaps the
president's unusual and extraordinary role play a role in this case, because we expect that the defense is going to make the case that this is
one.
These are charges that are the result of vindictive prosecution by this court, by this process, by the U.S. Attorney's office here in the Eastern
District of Virginia. This is led by a new acting U.S. Attorney, Lindsey Halligan, who was brought in by the president just days before this grand
jury handed up this indictment.
He appointed her, in part because he fired the previous U.S. Attorney, his own nominee, who had resisted this and other cases. So, we expect this to
get underway in the next hour. Comey is due here any minute now, and we'll see how quickly this gets to trial, Becky.
ANDERSON: It's good to have you. And we will be back with you as and when we see the principles in this, not least Mr. Comey, who President Trump has
described as crooked and a dirty cop. Thank you. Well, coming up.
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KRISTI O'NEILL, PORTLAND RESIDENT: We wanted to see the war zone, so we found some coffee on the way, and we talked to some really nice people, and
it's really peaceful.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, Donald Trump says Portland, Oregon is burning to the ground as he moves to send the National Guard there, we take a look at what is
really happening on the ground.
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ANDERSON: Well major democratic cities across the United States are increasingly becoming a flashpoint in Donald Trump's agenda as he tries to
send in the National Guard to crack down on what he portrays as rampant crime akin to war zones. Now this is the scene just outside of Chicago on
Tuesday, federal troops arriving in from Texas to receive training at a military facility.
The Democratic leaders are moving quickly to challenge these efforts. In Illinois, officials are suing to stop the federalization from both their
own state and from Texas. And in Oregon, the White House is asking an appeals court to pause an order from a judge halting troop deployment
there.
Both cases are scheduled to be heard tomorrow. Meantime, excuse me, meantime, Mr. Trump is sending in his team's Director of Homeland Security,
Kristi Noem, was in Portland on Tuesday, touring immigration detention centers and meeting with local law enforcement there.
And sources tell CNN, FBI Director Kash Patel was briefly in Chicago, busy times. So, what's really happening in these cities? CNN sent in teams to
find out. Omar Jimenez was in Elwood, Illinois, just outside the military training camp there. First, so I want to get you to Portland, Oregon, where
our Shimon Prokupecz has been reporting.
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SHIMON PROKUPECZ, CNN SENIOR CRIME AND JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's yet another image from another day at the ICE facility in Portland,
that doesn't fully tell the story here. Protests start small during the day, a man in a capybara costume fits the city's unofficial slogan, keep
Portland weird. About a dozen people hold signs and play music. The entire protest zone is less than a block long.
TRUMP: It looks like a war zone.
PROKUPECZ (voice-over): President Trump's depiction has locals curious.
O'NEILL: We wanted to see the war zone. So, we found some coffee on the way, and we talked to some really nice people, and it's really peaceful.
PROKUPECZ (voice-over): As night falls, tension begins to fill the air.
PROKUPECZ: You see the officers are coming out now, because a car is coming out. And every time a car comes out, these officers come out and they push
the crowd back. That's usually when there's some altercation. It's when they come out, they push the crowd back as they wait for the car to come
through.
PROKUPECZ (voice-over): Federal agents monitored the crowd from the roof, at times, firing pepper balls on the pavement below.
PROKUPECZ: You can see there the pepper balls are coming from the roof. So, on this side, you have a lot of the Trump supporters and pro administration
and pro ICE people, and there have been some clashes back and forth with some of the other protesters. And they say that someone, one of them
protesters, burned an American flag.
PROKUPECZ (voice-over): Keep in mind, this is all happening in less than a single block. Not even in the city center.
TRUMP: Portland is burning to the ground.
PROKUPECZ (voice-over): The rest of Portland is not in chaos. The streetcars are running, Guitarists play outside the famed Powell's
bookstore, and there's a guided tour in a Pioneer Courthouse Square. If you weren't looking for it, you'd never know anything was happening on that one
city block outside the ICE building.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I need people to not take the bait.
PROKUPECZ (voice-over): That's why Maxine Dexter wants all these protesters to leave the ICE facility. The Democratic Congresswoman from Portland
supports their message, but fears they're playing into President Trump's hand.
REP. MAXINE DEXTER (D-MD): The question is, are we being strategic? Are we being effective? And I would argue that being down there taking a risk that
you become a player in this reality TV vision that Donald Trump has in Portland is a mistake.
PROKUPECZ (voice-over): It seems unlikely she will get her wish. Protester Justin Allen doesn't think any of these people are going away.
JUSTIN ALLEN, PROTESTER: So long as there are these threats from the most powerful man in the world. People, maybe not myself, every day, but other
people will show up. And I don't think there's any way, nor is it a wise decision to attain peace via hiding.
[09:20:00]
PROKUPECZ (voice-over): So, for now, the likely images you'll see out of Portland, are these.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Thanks to Shimon for that reporting. Let's get you to Elwood, Illinois now where National Guard troops have been trickling in from Texas.
Here's Omar's report.
OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Now that the Texas National Guard is here in Illinois, the question is, what will their deployment actually look
like? We've been here throughout the day monitoring outside this Army Reserve Training Center. And really, some of the new things that popped up
are this fencing, for example.
Of course, as more people started to get curious as to what their operations actually looked like, we have seen in these nighttime hours,
uniformed military personnel coming in and out of what appear to be barracks or some form of structures here on the front. But again, this
fencing was put up hours after the Texas National Guard was seen here, initially on the first place.
Now when we talk about the scope of what their deployment is actually going to look like, one of the main concerns comes down to how community facing
will they be. Some of the folks in many of Chicago's communities. We are just outside Chicago, but in Chicago's communities, many people have
already had what at this point have become high profile run ins with federal immigration enforcement.
Remember previously, when the National Guard was being considered? Here it was over violent crime. Now it seems to be, at least in part, trying to
bolster the federal response to what we have seen on the immigration front in the City of Chicago.
We got some hints from Gregory Bovino, who has sort of helped lead the immigration response for the Trump Administration in various jurisdictions,
including L.A. and we have seen his operational control here in Chicago as well.
He said, at the very least, if these National Guard troops are sent out to protect federal property and personnel, as has been laid out in the White
House memo to this point, then it also frees up federal agents to do other types of work. And then hanging over all of this, is this lawsuit that the
federal judge did not immediately deny troops being deployed here.
Instead, gave the Trump Administration two days to respond with oral arguments over this set for Thursday. So, the beginning of a new chapter in
this back and forth between the Trump Administration and local officials here in the Chicago and Illinois area. But what exactly that next chapter
looks like is yet to be seen. Omar Jimenez, CNN, Elwood, Illinois.
ANDERSON: Right, you are up to speed, and let's get you some of the other stories that are on our radar right now. The Nobel Prize in Chemistry has
been awarded to three scientists from Jordan, Japan and the UK for developing revolutionary materials that could help tackle climate change or
forever chemicals in our water.
Their advances in molecular architecture, could be used to harvest water from desert air or capture carbon dioxide. Five people are under arrest in
Ecuador after what officials say was an assassination attempt against the president. The country's energy minister says around 500 people surrounded
president Noboa's Motorcade on Tuesday.
Car now showing signs of damage. The president unhurt. This comes into widespread protests over fuel prices. Well President Trump has given the
FBI an order to search for records connected with the disappearance of Amelia Earhart. This is part of his plan to declassify and release all
government records about her case.
The famous aviator was declared lost at sea while attempting to become the first woman to fly around the world in 1937. Well, after months of back and
forth, U.S. and Canada do appear to be making progress towards a trade deal. President Trump hosted Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney at the
White House on Tuesday.
One Canadian Minister said that the meeting was positive, substantive and more detailed than previous talks, and added that both leaders had directed
their negotiators to quickly land deals, and that's a quote, particularly regarding steel, aluminum and energy. CNN's Paula Newton has the latest
from Washington.
PAULA NEWTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Prime Minister Mark Carney really set expectations low going into these meetings. He did not have any illusions
that he was going to come out of the Oval Office with a trade deal, but he did come up with some frank discussion.
In fact, the lunch and the Cabinet level meetings went on longer than expected. I want you to listen to Prime Minister Carney right now.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARK CARNEY, PRIME MINISTER OF CANADA: -- there are areas where we compete, and it's in those areas where we have to come to an agreement that works,
but there are more areas where we are stronger together, and that's what we're focused on. And we're going to get the right deal, right deal for
America, right deal, obviously, from my perspective, for Canada.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NEWTON: That is an admission that the new trade deal between the United States and Canada will not be like the old one in terms of the conditions
that President Trump will set on these having said that the prime minister definitely has the president's attention, they have a good relationship.
[09:25:00]
And I want you to listen now to President Trump talking about a potential trade deal. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: I think they're going to be very happy. We have a lot of things that we're working on that people don't talk about. They talk about, you know,
competitiveness. She's a very competitive person. And they talk about things that we don't necessarily agree on, but I think they're going to
walk away very happy, I think so.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NEWTON: So happy is clearly in the eye of the beholder. I mean, look, no one in Canada is under any illusions that the deal that they have right now
with Mexico, the United States and Canada, that they can resuscitate that. But in terms of getting those sectoral tariffs lifted, steel, aluminum, all
kinds of energy.
It is important that even in the next few weeks, they might come up with some kind of a deal on that. That's according to cabinet officials, and
perhaps it will lead to more productive talks on a wider deal, not as favorable to Canada as others have been, but at least a more comprehensive
deal in the months to come. Paula Newton, CNN, Washington.
ANDERSON: Ahead on "Connect the World". Thank you, Paula. What's behind this gold rush? Investors piling into the safe haven. They've been doing it
for some time, but they've now sent the precious metal to a record high. What is next, that is after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back. I'm Becky Anderson and Abu Dhabi. This is our Middle East programming headquarters. You're watching "Connect the World".
These the headlines, U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump's son in law, Jared Kushner, are now in Egypt attending what is being
called an expanded meeting on ending the war in Gaza.
Progress is reported on the third day of what are these indirect talks between Israel and Hamas, though, key obstacles to reaching a deal remain.
Former FBI Director James Comey is due in court next hour to face federal charges. He is accused of lying to Congress about a leak to the media in
2020.
Comey is a long-time political foe of President Trump, who ordered the Justice Department to prosecute him last month. Well, today, we could find
out whether the French government has any hope of escaping its political crisis. The outgoing French Prime Minister has been speaking with
opposition parties and is voicing hope about passing a budget to stabilize the country.
Sebastien Lecornu also says the odds of having to dissolve parliament do seem more remote. Well flights are being delayed across the United States
right now amid a shortage of air traffic controllers.
[09:30:00]
a number of staff have been calling out sick since the government shutdown began last week, despite being considered essential employees, as staffing
is so tight, a small number of absences can have a huge effect. All right. That is the bell on Wall Street ringing in the trading day today.
Staff and employees of Empire State Realty Trust, or reality trust. Let me do that again. Empire State Realty Trust, the group manages the iconic
Manhattan skyscrapers like the Empire State Building. Well, this is the picture, and once again, it's not a huge rise on the open but it is a rise
nevertheless.
For the first time ever, gold prices topping $4,000 an ounce. Here's how gold is faring right now. Tuesday's record rise was driven by strong
investment demand, as well as expectations of more interest rate cuts from the U.S. Federal Reserve. Goldman Sachs has also raised its December 2026
price forecast to $4,900 an ounce.
Look, it's worth noting, gold is seen as a resilient investment, a hedge against inflation. It's up 51 percent this year, in part on a weaker dollar
and geopolitical tension. Stephanie Roth is the Chief Economist at Wolfe Research. Before that, she was a Senior Economist for Global Wealth
Management at JP Morgan Private Bank.
She joins us now from New York. Just help me out here. I've been watching these markets for nigh on 30 years, and I've watched gold rushes in the
past, when the economic data, a macro economic picture, look very similar to today, but what we didn't see at the same time was a rise in the equity
markets. What's fueling this rush at this point?
STEPHANIE ROTH, CHIEF ECONOMIST AT WOLFE RESEARCH: Yeah, I think it's a couple of things. Primarily, it was started by Central Bank buying this was
about a year ago, so it was the Chinese Central Bank buying Russian that led to further flows in terms of retail.
And then on top of that, you just have a supportive U.S. Central Bank in terms of its policy that then letting gold just continue. And then, of
course, on top of that, there's just concerns around the U.S. dollar. So, all of these factors are leading to this historic rise in gold that we
think can continue for some time.
We are cautiously optimistic, given that the rally has been so strong, but the factors that have led to this gain are unlikely to change. So, we're
likely to still continue to have retail flows, because it has gained momentum. These things tend to continue for some time. The U.S. Central
Bank is unlikely to get in the way of it. So, we might see that this demand just continues for even longer than many expect.
ANDERSON: Goldman Sachs raising its December 2026 forecast to $4,900 an ounce. That would be a near 20 percent rise from where it is now, and when
you chart its ascent over the past, what, two years, it's been an extraordinary push. Are you as bullish on gold as they are?
ROTH: -- quite as bullish, but I think the direction is the same, that gold can continue to rally from here. Maybe in the near term, there may be the
markets digesting it to some extent, but I certainly directionally, would agree with them that the backdrop is really quite good.
You're starting to get portfolio managers adding a greater portion of their book in terms of gold, and there's a sort of this fear of missing out. So,
this, this certainly may continue as you just get this demand side story, continue to rise, and the fed's not going to get in the way of it.
ANDERSON: Doesn't seem very long ago that gold was rather unfashionable than central banks were sort of selling their stock. Anyway, it's a
different picture these days. Is gold becoming a safer asset than the U.S. dollar, do you believe? And why is it that some investors calling that
possibility really concerning?
ROTH: I don't think it's a safer asset than the dollar. I just think it's diversification away from the dollar. And there have been many things that
the administration has done in the past couple of months that has led investors to move in that direction. So that's been a move, shift away from
dollar into ex U.S. equities, into things like gold, things like Bitcoin, that may continue for some time, just given policies out of the U.S. have
been a lot more volatile.
[09:35:00]
And a reason for a change in terms of diversification that said the dollar is still a reserve asset. That trade is still done in dollars. We are very
far away from moving away from that perspective. So, I don't believe that gold is any safer than the dollar, but I think there's just this
diversification angle that's playing out. The U.S. will continue to -- and that's a really important driver here.
ANDERSON: -- right. Can I just get before I let you go, your fourth quarter forecast for the U.S. economy and U.S. assets?
ROTH: Yeah, we think it should be a decent fourth quarter. So, third quarter is looking like it could be nearly 3 percent growth. Fourth quarter
could be something in the 2 percent range. And there's been a real chance we see an equity melt up through year end. Clients that we speak with
continue to feel like they've missed out to some extent, and may just continue to sort of pile into equities to make up for the rest of the year.
This is how melt ups towards the end of the year are made. So, there's a very decent chance that things continue to look pretty good for the rest of
the year.
ANDERSON: It's fascinating, the fear of missing out, perhaps ultimately driving these equity markets higher and higher. Good, thank you. In saying
that we've got a bit of a mixed picture out there today. So, I mean, it's not a -- we are not seeing investors piling into U.S. equities today, but
the NASDAQ and the S&P both higher as we speak.
Thank you. Well, the World Bank has raised its forecast for economic growth across the Middle East and North Africa this year. That increase is driven
by a lower-than-expected impact from U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs and a boost in oil production. Economists now expect a 2.8 percent increase
in growth for the entire region.
And when you narrow that down to the area where I am, here in Abu Dhabi, to the Gulf states, it rises to 3.5 percent this is on par with what the World
Bank is forecasting globally. And amid rising trade barriers and global policy uncertainty. Tesla has unveiled new cheaper versions of the
company's two main cars, the Model 3 and the Model Y.
The roughly $5,000 price cuts aim to create a more affordable starting tier for buyers, and this comes after the expiration of the $7,500 EV tax credit
for U.S. consumers. So, what is the ripple effect of these price reductions? Well, have a listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN MURPHY, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC ADVISORY AT HAIG PARTNERS: When you start cutting price and devaluing the product, it means the existing
product that's in the market, hundreds of thousands of Tesla Model 3s and wise that are in the U.S. have now also been devalued. So, when those
consumers come back into trading those vehicles and tries to use the equity in their vehicles to buy the next new Model Y or 3 or other vehicles.
It's going to be very difficult for them to do so, and their equity is a lot lower. It's a big problem.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, Tesla's most recent annual report showed that 46 percent of its total revenue comes from U.S. sales. 21 percent comes from China. Well,
new season for the now back-to-back Stanley Cup champions started on Tuesday, and the Panthers are hoping for the chance, but a few more dings
in the trophy next year. More on that after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[09:40:00]
ANDERSON: Well in Japan, there are growing concerns after a rash of bear attacks, some of them deadly. The latest was at a supermarket where two
people were injured. Footage shows a bear entering then making a beeline to the sushi section. Authorities say the bear pounced on one of the two
elderly victims.
They are OK. Two other recent bear attacks brought the death toll though to seven people killed this year. A record experts believe scarcity of food
due to climate change has bears venturing into more urban areas. Scary -- Well, the parks dropped on the new NHL season that happened Tuesday, and
the defending champions Florida Panthers raising another championship banner in front of what was a packed house.
Coy Wire joining me now. They are trying to become the first team to win back-to-back title since the early 1980s. What chance, sir?
COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, they have a pretty good chance. They are listed up there to be able to do it again, hoist that
Stanley Cup. It's been through it, Becky. I mean, these teams, you know, they get the players get to take it after they win it?
It's been found on the side of a road after lots of drunken nights. It's been found at the bottom of swimming pool. Did you know that they once had
a player's daughter use the cup as a potty? True story. So, these hockey players know how to have fun with the cup. The Panthers will have to hoist
it again, and so will the Vegas Golden Knights.
ANDERSON: -- fantastic. Yeah.
WIRE: They're one of the favorites. Our Andy Scholes is in Vegas. Lucky him, and he caught up with the folks who are putting on this pregame show
we're witnessing here.
ANDERSON: Yeah.
WIRE: They're promising something we've never seen before.
ANDERSON: Yeah.
WIRE: So, we're going to have that guest on with Andy coming up to see if he could tell us what that is, and lots more highlights on "World Sport".
ANDERSON: Well, I hope he's winning while he's out there. I heard you alluding to some --
WIRE: He did say the dice are high -- 50-50 --
ANDERSON: -- Good stuff. All right, mate, listen, you've got "World Sport" coming up and more on that -- in that, and we will be back in 15 minutes
with "Connect the World". Stay with us, folks.
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