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Palestinians Return Home After Ceasefire Agreement; Key Points in the Gaza Ceasefire Plan Remain Unresolved; Trump Returns to U.S. After Triumphant Trek to Middle East; U.N.: Aid Deliveries Ramping Up in Gaza Amid Ceasefire; Cape Verde Makes World Cup History. Aired 9-9:45a ET
Aired October 14, 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)
CHRISTINA MACFARLANE, CNN HOST, CONNECT THE WORLD: These are live pictures from Khan Yunis as Palestinians return to what is left of their homes. It's
04:00 p.m. in Gaza. It's 02:00 p.m. here in London. I'm Christina Macfarlane, and this is "Connect the World".
Also coming up, the political turmoil in France continues. Reappointed Prime Minister Lecornu will deliver his vision for a new government to take
French lawmakers, take two French lawmakers this hour. And a big win for a small country for the first time, African nation, Cape Verde qualifies for
the World Cup.
And stock market in New York opens in just about 30 minutes from now. We are watching to see how investors react after the IMF slightly upgraded its
forecast for U.S. and global growth, saying the impact of tariffs has not been as bad as feared. You can see that all markets, DOW, S&P 500, NASDAQ,
all down.
Currently IMF is warning, of course, that trade tensions could still affect the world economy. So, we will have a deeper dive on that for you at the
half hour later in the show. Now a ray of light amid staggering destruction, that is how the U.N.'s humanitarian arm is describing the
situation in Gaza as badly needed aid finally starts to flow.
In Israel, a mix of emotions after the jubilance of Monday, with all the living hostages' home, but only four deceased hostages returned to Israel
so far. The identities of two disclosed just in the past few hours by the Israeli government. Anguished families say they were shocked and dismayed
that more remains were not brought home under the U.S. President's ceasefire plan.
Well, that plan clearly a work in progress. But before leaving the region, yesterday, President Trump said progress is being made.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: President Trump, can you tell us when phase two of the negotiations will begin?
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Well, started, I mean, it started as far as we're concerned, phase two has started. And you
know, the phases are all a little bit mixed in with each other. Start cleaning up. You look at Gaza, means a lot of cleanups.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MACFARLANE: Well, on his way home, Mr. Trump side stepped a question from reporters on Palestinians stated that and so many other questions remain
about the future of the region, as CNN's Nada Bashir reports now from Jerusalem.
NADA BASHIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well that we had a lot of big talk, a lot of significant commitments being made yesterday at the Sharm El-Sheikh
Summit, particularly from the U.S. President around this 20-point peace plan. We've heard from President Trump saying in his words that we are
already into phase two of that plan.
He says in his words that the war is over, despite the trepidation that there is held among some that there could be a return to hostilities if the
ceasefire breaks down, if there are any violations. But of course, we saw that significant first step, the release of all living hostages, and now
four deceased hostages.
We've seen the return of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners as part of the deal, but there is still a lot of questions around what those next steps
look like, around the details, questions around demilitarizing Hamas, that has been a key point for the Israeli government from the beginning of
negotiations, what that looks like, how that will be finally achieved and guaranteed?
And of course, we've heard indications from the Israeli prime minister that if this isn't achieved, in his words, the easy way Israel will look to the
hard way, as said by the Israeli Prime Minister just a few days ago. And then, of course, there's a question of internal security and governance, a
peacekeeping force in the Gaza Strip.
Again, no clarity around that. We've heard from the French President Emmanuel Macron saying that France will play a special role in that part.
But again, we are still waiting for more clarity. And then, as you mentioned, of course, questions around the steps towards Palestinian
statehood.
Is this something that the U.S. President is committed to? It certainly is something that Arab leaders want to see. But again, no real firm
commitments on that front.
MACFARLANE: Well, our Becky Anderson spoke to Egypt's Foreign Minister, Badr Abdelatty, about President Trump's role in the ceasefire. Take a
listen.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BADR ABDELATTY, EGYPTIAN FOREIGN MINISTER: It's all about the American engagement and the President Trump engagement. In order to guarantee that,
you know, everybody, the parties will implement their own commitments, including the Israelis, they still have to withdraw to another lines, and
we have phase one, it should be implemented fully, and then to move forward for negotiations for phase two.
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN ANCHOR: Do you credit Donald Trump with getting us to this point?
ABDELATTY: Absolutely. Absolutely, without any debate about that. He's the only person I am not exaggerating.
[09:05:00]
He is the only person on the globe who can deliver on that and who can bring peace to this region, not only implementing phase one and phase two,
but also to bring an end to this long-standing Palestinian crisis, suffering for more over than 80 years, and we are believing on him and his
leadership and his ability to deliver on that.
The engagement of President Trump is crucial, important to push the two parties, not only one party, the two parties, to honor their commitments,
of course. And we have phase two. We have to negotiate it. And Hamas understand very well that they have no role for the day after.
ANDERSON: But what about disarming?
ABDELATTY: Yeah.
ANDERSON: You've got a commitment from Hamas to disarm.
ABDELATTY: Yes, we have to start talking and negotiating on that, about the modalities, the format, you know, the procedures, and everything is subject
to the upcoming negotiations after implementing phase one.
ANDERSON: So, Hamas is committed to laying down its arms -- got that commitment.
ABDELATTY: Well, Hamas is fully committed that they have no role for the day after in governing Gaza. And of course, it's you know the debate is
ongoing to talk about the other aspects of the Trump peace plan.
ANDERSON: Foreign minister, it does sound to me as if at present, whilst Hamas have welcomed the plan and accepted the plan. In principle, there is
no commitment as of yet to disarm, certainly, until there is a process. Is that what you're saying?
ABDELATTY: Well, again, the plan is very clear. You know, it set the tone with regard major issues, and we have to implement it. In order to
implement it, we need to negotiate between the two parties, with the help of the four guarantors, the United States, Egypt, Turkey and Qatar.
ANDERSON: It is clearly extremely important at this point, crucial to maintain momentum. What's the point of the Sharm El-Sheikh Summit?
ABDELATTY: Well, first of all, this is a historical event by all means, of course, I mean ending the war of Gaza, stopping the suffering of the
people, providing aid, humanitarian, medical, early recovery projects. It's historical. It's very, very important, and we have to move forward. We have
to keep the Americans engaging. We have to keep President Trump engaging.
ANDERSON: Does Donald Trump's presence in Sharm El-Sheikh this Monday, ensure to your mind that the war is over?
ABDELATTY: Yes, of course, and it reflects deep engagement by President Trump in Middle East affairs. In the Palestinian question, we have to move
forward with early recovery and reconstructions, security arrangement, governance and above all, we don't have to lose the attention from the most
crucial issue, which is the political horizon that should lead to the realization of the Palestinian state.
This is the core, Becky, the core of the conflict here in the Middle East. Without solving this core issue, no peace, no stability in our region.
ANDERSON: Is Donald Trump committed to a Palestinian state? There is no agreement on that by the Israeli government at this point. Is there
agreement by Donald Trump?
ABDELATTY: Well again, this is a process we have to move, you know, step by step, phase by phase, but from our point of view, we understand this region
very well, and the only guarantee, the only way for having peace and stability for Israel and for the region, is the establishment of the
Palestinian state, and independent and viable Palestinian state to live in peace and harmony with Israel.
ANDERSON: So, on an interim basis, to help support the security and stabilization of Gaza. Now that Israel has withdrawn and Hamas is committed
to going quiet. Who's in charge? Who's supporting?
ABDELATTY: First of all, Israel is just redeploying their forces still in Gaza, and we have to implement the maps agreed here in Sharm El-Sheikh for
extra lines of withdrawal. Secondly, you know, we need American boots on the ground the troops in order --
ANDERSON: In Gaza?
[09:10:00]
ABDELATTY: Yeah, why not? I mean, and that's very important in order to --
ANDERSON: -- commitment from Donald Trump for American boots on the ground in Gaza.
ABDELATTY: You know, we are in this process. We are talking and also, of course, we have to identify the nature of these forces. You know, is it
peace enforcing or peacekeeping? Which should be peacekeeping, of course.
ANDERSON: I'm interested that you say that, because the White House is quite explicit about no U.S. boots on the ground in Gaza.
ABDELATTY: So, I mean, they will participate, with regard, I don't know, training command and control. So, any American engagement or involvement in
this transitional force is important and welcomed, of course.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MACFARLANE: Well, I want to bring in Stephen Collinson, who's turned his keen political eye on the road ahead for President Trump. Stephen good to
see you. Now look, now that Donald Trump has left the region, we're hearing that Arab leaders, world leaders, desperate that the momentum towards phase
two and lasting peace doesn't leave with him.
And on that, I just want to get your thoughts, Stephen, on what we heard there from the Egyptian Foreign Minister, particularly related to his
belief that U.S. boots should be on the ground in Gaza, which is Becky, pointed out there is not something the U.S. have committed to and are
unlikely to commit to.
STEPHEN COLLINSON, CNN POLITICS SENIOR REPORTER: Yeah, of course, Donald Trump ran for office twice on not having U.S. boots on the ground in the
Middle East. So that would be a reversal, which I think would not be popular with his political base, to which he, you know, pays a great deal
of notice.
Becky did a really good job there of teasing out just how murky the path forward is, notwithstanding the adulation and the triumphalism that was
directed towards Donald Trump in the Middle East on Monday. One of the key questions, I think, that we didn't hear almost anything about, was to what
extent will the Palestinians have a role in charting their own future?
There's a lot of talk about this international peace board that Trump will chair, that Tony Blair can be part of Reconstruction Finance, Trump says,
by the Arab states. But at some point, the key question has to be answered if there's going to be a lasting peace.
The administration, I think, believed that it disengaged the idea of a future Palestinian state from the wider question of Middle East peace and
security, with the Abraham Accords and with the way that it supported Israel and its wider wars throughout the Middle East over the last year or
so.
Can that continue to be the case, and would the failure to address the Palestinian question, I think, open up all sorts of ways that this peace
deal could eventually founder. So big questions for the administration going forward, and they all basically boiled down to the same thing.
Is Donald Trump now happy with this win and he's going to walk away, or is he going to stay engaged every day for the rest of his term? Because that's
what it's going to need. The one positive thing I think, here is that although he's not a details man, his legacy is on the line, his greatest
achievement is on the line, and it's going to be in his interest to defend it.
MACFARLANE: Yeah, let's talk a bit about that win, because we know this whole negotiation process for the ceasefire and hostage release deal has
been highly unconventional. Donald Trump has issued all traditional routes, and he's treated this through the prism of more of a real estate business
transaction than anything else, and yet, he has been able to deliver at phase one, at least.
So, what has been the reaction to all of this in the U.S.? And how much is this being seen as a win for the Trump Administration?
COLLINSON: The problem with Trump Administration is it creates this loop in which everything Donald Trump does is a massive win. So, in some ways, it's
almost discounted, I think, the perceptions of how big a deal this is, but it's a huge deal. Not only are Republicans praising the president and
members of his administration, which you would expect.
You've seen some senior Democrats, also talk about how this is a great achievement for Trump and how he deserves credit. And that is very unusual,
thinking about former presidents, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama and even Joe Biden, who is constantly maligned by the president.
But this is all unfolding against a backdrop of a bitter political scene in the United States, while Trump is acting as a peacemaker abroad, he's
trying to fight what he calls the enemy within in the United States, trying to send troops into democratic run cities. We're in the middle of a
government shutdown now, which is heading into its third week and shows no sign of ending.
[09:15:00]
So, I think the domestic political impact of all this is probably not likely to be that great.
MACFARLANE: And as you point out, Stephen, a lot of competing interests for Donald Trump domestically, on the domestic front, they are far reaching. I
just wonder then, what your view is on whether Donald Trump will stay the course here, whether his interest in this will continue beyond phase one?
And whether or not, you think, at the very least, his business interests in the region, which he's talked about in the past, you know, not only just in
through the guise of potential real estate possibilities, but also in doing and continuing business transactions with Arab markets?
I mean, do you think all of that will be enough to keep him focused and moving forward on this?
COLLINSON: Yeah. I mean, I think he wants to keep getting credit. And the way to keep getting credit is to make sure this is not just a one-day deal,
the hostages coming home, and that's the end of it. What we've seen in the past is when things go wrong, Trump often doesn't try to fix them, but
casts around to try to blame people who he regards as to blame.
So, there are many things that are up in the air here, the Israeli political situation, with an election perhaps coming up, perhaps that could
change the complexion of the Israeli government, this whole idea that Becky was talking about, of whether Hamas will disarm and step back in Gaza.
But I think to your point about the business, there was an important moment early in the Trump presidency, during his first trip to abroad, in fact, to
the Middle East. He was in Saudi Arabia, and he gave a speech in which he effectively said, this region needs to start making money and stop
fighting.
And I think that is the key to his vision for Gaza and his vision of a wider Middle East. He wants to expand the Abraham Accords, the politicize
the normalization of relations between some Arab States and Israel. Arab states say that cannot happen without some concrete movement to a
Palestinian state.
So, he envisages a much different region, a more commercial region, and it's his legacy, if he can pull it off, I think it will go down in history
and mitigate some of the more extreme and troubling factors of his presidency, especially abroad. So, he has a great incentive. The question
is, whether this White House and foreign policies team is set up to deliver.
MACFARLANE: Stephen Collinson, always great to have your analysis. Appreciate it. Thank you. And we'll have a lot more on the Gaza ceasefire
deal. After the break, I'll be speaking to a Washington based analyst on what needs to happen for this deal to turn into lasting peace.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[09:20:00]
MACFARLANE: Aid tracks are crossing into Gaza at a steady rate for the first time in over seven months, when Israel ordered a total blockade on
the enclave. That's according to the United Nations humanitarian office, the World Food Group Program, is now working to scale up deliveries by
restoring passage through more border crossings by the end of the day.
Palestinians on the ground are expressing hope for what comes next.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SAEED AL-BANNA, DISPLACED PALESTINIAN: I support any effort that leads to security and stability and the revival of the economy in order to give
people comfort, because the people are tired, any effort, even if it is a small hope, God willing, it will grow in the future, because we are tired
and we want to raise our children, unlike what people think of us, we are people who support peace, and we love peace.
We appreciate any efforts, whatever they may be, from any country, from President Trump, from anyone.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MACFARLANE: Well, my next guest is Firas Maksad, the Managing Director for the Middle East and North Africa at the Eurasia group. Great to have you
with us again. There is, of course, a lot of hope for what comes next, but not much detail and a myriad of unresolved issues that really need
immediate attention as we even contemplate the move to phase two.
And the first, Firas is the disarmament of Hamas and the establishment of a stabilization force. We've already been hearing of clashes of Hamas between
armed groups in Gaza and the vacuum left by the retreat of the IDF forces. But also, this morning, we've been hearing the IDF have actually opened
fire on Palestinians observed crossing the yellow line as well.
So, it appears that speed is of the essence here to at least establish this stabilization force. The question, though, is, whose job is that? And will
it even be possible to disarm Hamas? I wonder, given everything you've heard, and we've heard, really in the past 24 hours from world leaders.
What your view is on where we are at with that question right now?
FIRAS MAKSAD, EURASIA GROUP MANAGING DIRECTOR FOR THE MIDDLE EASE & NORTH AFRICA: Christina, it's good to be with you. I've been speaking to my share
of participants at that Sharm El-Sheikh Summit in Egypt, in which President Trump who was attending and leading.
And even for those who were in attendance, there's a myriad of questions about what comes next. A lot of gaps still to be filled. Yes, we did have a
token American force that has already left for Israel that is going to be part of that sort of mechanism that's put in place to establish security in
the day after as Hamas presumably begins to stand down.
But a lot of that is going to come down to sheer political will, political will on the American side to continue to push through the difficult phase
of the ceasefire, phase two. Political will on the Israeli side, there is strong interest for the Israeli Prime Minister to maintain his right-wing
coalition.
And not necessarily go through phase two in which would necessitate further withdrawals from the Gaza Strip he currently holds, still holds to some 58
percent of that. And then there is also Hamas, which is willing to give up governance, but it's unwilling to fully disarm honestly.
They very much are in pursuit of what used to be the Hezbollah model in Lebanon, where they continue to wield influence and power in the shadows
without bearing any responsibility for the governance. So, this is where it's all going to get tricky in phase two, and so much is riding on the
sheer political will and investment, the political investment that President Trump has made in seeing that ceasefire through fruition in the
various phases ahead.
MACFARLANE: You mentioned that Lebanese model and questions obviously remaining too over what the rules of engagement might look like if Hamas
were to confront a stabilizing force. And do you envisage the stabilizing force could look something like unfilled, like that Lebanese model that is
in place right now, albeit one that has a limited mandate and obviously not much authority?
MAKSAD: If in fact, the model is UNIFIL. That is not an encouraging example, UNIFIL has existed in Southern Lebanon for decades, made very
little progress, if any, in disarming and dismantling Hezbollah's weapons. And so, there's going to be a great deal of reluctance, certainly in
Washington.
But, you know, the west, and also many of these Arab countries that are now friends of Hamas and very much want to see it disarmed, there will be
concern if, in fact, the model is one of UNIFIL. I think the aim is to have something more robust, but to avoid kinetic action on the ground where
these troops, many of them drawn from Arab and Muslim countries, are going to find themselves engaged in fighting with Hamas.
[09:25:00]
There are various models out there, and ideas of what a compromise could look like when it comes to Hamas' weapons. Certainly, in the text that was
being negotiated, there was a reference to offensive weapons, rather than just weapons. And so presumably, Hamas can maintain its small arms, the AK
47s.
And then there's this idea floating out there of Hamas handing over those weapons for quote, unquote safekeeping to a third party, an Arab country, a
Muslim country, perhaps Egypt here playing a central role. So, we're going to see diplomacy try and square that circle in the days and weeks ahead,
but I don't expect a linear implementation of that ceasefire without issues and problems along the way, this is going to be a complicated and lengthy
process. No doubt.
MACFARLANE: We've also heard Donald Trump in the last 24 hours saying that his focus is on rebuilding Gazan that he doesn't have a view on the two-
state solution that he'll go with whatever is agreed to there by regional partners. How problematic is that, that Donald Trump doesn't appear to be
committed to a Palestinian state when we know that many Arab nations, we just heard from the Egyptian Foreign Minister there clearly are saying that
there's no peace possible without that.
MAKSAD: Thank you for that question, Christina, because you and I are engaged here, and we're talking about the short term. We're talking about
phase two of that ceasefire, literally the days and weeks ahead. But I think that question really sort of sheds the spotlight on the broader
political and really humanitarian question at hand, which is the aspirations of the Palestinian people.
And so there are limits to the model of which President Trump has pursued the outside in really bring the power of the regional countries that have
influence over Hamas to bear, in order to see this ceasefire. But ultimately, if the key questions of Palestinian aspiration to self-
determination are not answered in one way or the other, whether it's a two- state solution, or self-rule, or whatever it is that we can get to this issue.,
This conflict is only going to resurface. And arguably, yes, Palestinians, as we heard before I was on the air, are tired of particularly the people
of Gaza.
MACFARLANE: Yeah.
MAKSAD: They would be they need the reprieve. They want to rebuild access to food and shelter, the basic things in life, but we're going to have the
question of political self-determination resurface sooner rather.
MACFARLANE: Yeah, one would hope so. Firas so, unfortunately, have to leave it there. But appreciate your comments today. Thank you. And still to come
a political and economic paralysis of grip France for months, can the reappointed prime minister saved the country from slipping even further
into turmoil. We'll have that next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[09:30:00]
MACFARLANE: New this hour we're waiting to see how Wall Street will react after the IMF upgraded its expectations for the U.S. and global growth.
It's in its latest report, it says the world economy is expected to grow by 3.2 percent this year, and the U.S. by 2 percent slightly better than what
it forecast in July. Well, the IMF says the impact of tariffs has not been as bad as feared.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PIERRE-OLIVIER, IMF CHIEF ECONOMIST: The tariff shock itself is smaller than initially feared, with many trade deals and exemptions. Most countries
also refrained from retaliation, keeping the trading system open, and the private sector proved agile, front-loading imports and rerouting supply
chains.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MACFARLANE: Well, the IMF has also said, though higher U.S. tariffs have so far had a small impact globally than expected, it would be premature and
incorrect to conclude that they have had no effect at all on growth. And we are keeping a close eye on France, where Sebastien Lecornu is outlining his
vision for a new government this hour in front of the French Parliament.
President Emmanuel Macron reappointed Lecornu as prime minister on Friday, just four days after Lecornu resigned. The prime minister is under pressure
to produce a deficit reducing budget that will end the worst political crisis France has seen in decades. Well CNN's Melissa Bell has been
following this developing story for us.
Suffice to say, this is a pretty high stakes speech today. Melissa, what has Lecornu been saying, and how likely are we to end in a vote of no
confidence today?
MELISSA BELL, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, we will find out by Thursday whether he will be facing a vote of no confidence, or
rather, we know that he will be facing a vote of no confidence. Since the far right and the far left have said that he will the big question.
And what is really interesting is that the socialists have emerged as sort of kingmakers over the last couple of weeks, as we've seen this political
turmoil engulf the French government, and specifically Sebastien Lecornu, just to remind our viewers, a man who was appointed in early December
resigned on Monday of last week, was reappointed on Friday, by yesterday, he had to present the budget, since that is, constitutionally the limit at
which he had to present it to the highest Constitutional Court, he's now outlining it to Parliament.
And this is the only hope that France has of getting its 2026 budget approved by parliament in time. So, there are the stakes very high, as you
mentioned, there Christina, what we've heard him outline is a budget really designed to win over the socialist specifically the moderate right.
The traditional right has already said that they will be voting against any no confidence votes that they believe the essential thing is to get a
budget through, and that this last chance that the government has to do it is essential. That's why they're backing him.
The socialists had yet to be convinced, and that's why you've heard Sebastien Lecornu over much of the speech so far in front of parliament,
explain a number of measures designed, really to woo them Christina, things like suspending the controversial pension reform that had been such a huge
fight for the government over the last couple of years, they pushed it through.
And with a very controversial measure that allowed them to barge it through parliament despite the will of parliamentarians, which takes me on to
another measure that he's announced, again designed to please the left of the French Parliament, and that is that the government will no longer
resort to that particular constitutional device.
Rather, they will negotiate this particular budget, he said, will be open to amendments, to changes. There will be a vote. The government will no
longer be ramming things through. So, a lot of this is really designed to woo them, and we'll see how that goes. A lot of measures as well,
Christina, designed at increasing taxes on the very wealthiest by looking at family holdings, for instance, and how they function the taxes on them.
So a lot in there to please the French left, whether it will be enough, we'll find out by Thursday, as I say, when those no confidence votes of the
far left and the far right should be tabled without the socialists, though it is believed that they simply won't have the parliamentary arithmetic to
have the government fall, which means that Sebastien Lecornu might, just as the sixth prime minister appointed by Emmanuel Macron since the start of
the second term, have the best chance yet of surviving.
MACFARLANE: Thank you for reminding me it was the sixth. I actually had lost track. We will continue to watch, wait and see what comes won't we
this Thursday? Melissa Bell, thank you. And in just a few hours from now, U.S. President Donald Trump will host his close ally Argentina's Javier
Milei at the White House.
[09:35:00]
It comes days after America extended a massive financial bailout to the Latin American country, which is at risk of financial collapse. The bailout
includes a $20 billion currency swap with Argentina's Central Bank. The Trump Administration has said the move is meant to stabilize turbulent
markets, but critics argue it's more about politics than economics.
Well CNN's Ivan Perez Sarmenti is live in Buenos Aires with the latest. So great to see you. So, this is, quite frankly, one hell of a lifeline, $20
billion at a time, of course, when the U.S. government is shut down, when USAID has been suspended. So how important is this not just for Argentina,
but for the president himself, in terms of the economy, but also his political survival?
IVAN PEREZ SARMENTI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Christina. There's a lot of anticipation here, mainly because Donald Trump's backing, as you said,
could mean more stability for the Argentine economy. In practical terms, this support will likely help keep the dollar exchange rate steady, and
that's crucial.
Every time the dollar goes up, inflation goes up too. For Argentines, the dollar is key. Big purchases like houses and cars are priced in dollars
instead of in the local currency. Let's remember that annual inflation here in 2024 was nearly 120 percent and any movement in the dollar immediately
affects prices.
One of Javier Milei's main achievement had been bringing inflation down to 33 percent over the past year. That's why this U.S. Treasury bailout is so
important for him, especially with just 12 days to go before the midterm elections. It could calm the markets, ease the fears of a default and help
stabilize the exchange rate.
After that, we'll have to see if more economic deals or new investments are announced, but those would matter to investors, but they probably won't
have a direct impact on voters. Finally, good relations with the United States are always important, but both Milei and Trump know the real
priority right now is keeping the economy stable ahead of the election, especially after the government's recent defeat in Buenos Aires Province,
where 40 percent of Argentines live, Christina.
MACFARLANE: All right, Ivan, we will look ahead to that meeting between the two leaders later today in the White House. For now, thank you. Now
citizens of the UAE, where "Connect the World" is usually based, may be going high tech soon. The government says it's going full AI native show
casting, the latest milestone in this transition at this week's GITEX conference in Dubai, through virtual reality.
So, what did the VR show? Well, things like the AI powered health ecosystem that the Department of Health says can forecast risks and target medical
intervention. And public services will benefit from drone powered disaster response system designed to give real time Intel to emergency workers.
Well, the future is now even for visitors to the Emirates who may soon enjoy smart hotel check-in with facial recognition and support for multiple
languages. It's all happening fast, isn't it? Right. Still ahead, the tiny African island nation of Cape Verde has made history qualifying for their
first ever World Cup. How they got there up next in "World Sport"?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[09:40:00]
MACFARLANE: For the first time ever, Cape Verdes are heading to the FIFA World Cup. The island nation of just over half a million people stunned
Africa, topping their qualifying group ahead of giants Cameroon. It just 4000 square kilometers. Cape Verde became the smallest country ever to
qualify for the tournament.
That's just about the size of Rhode Island. I say the smallest country ever. I mean Iceland.
AMANDA DAVIES, CNN WORLD SPORT: So actually, I led the second smallest --
MACFARLANE: -- the second smallest country --
DAVIES: -- in 2018 was the smaller.
MACFARLANE: Yeah.
DAVIES: But incredible scenes that we saw there 15,000 fans there in Cape Verde's capital. And when FIFA took the decision to expand the World Cup to
48 teams, which we've got for the first time next year. It was for exactly this reason to give countries who haven't made it before the opportunity.
But this is not a shock, actually, when you look at their rise over the last few years, they reached the quarter finals of AFCON in 2013 and again
in 2023. And it's been a really deliberate strategic plan from authorities there to grow the game, to bring together the Cape Verde diaspora from
around the world, and they're really making a name for themselves.
To those who like the African nicknames for teams they are the blue shark.
MACFARLANE: Oh, love that.
DAVIES: So, we fascinating to see who else they take a bite out of when it comes --
MACFARLANE: I wonder their own funding --
DAVIES: Exactly -- plenty more coming up in just a couple of minutes.
MACFARLANE: Yeah, this is what the World Cup is all about. Reason we love it. Stay with Amanda. Stay with "World Sport". Will be back after this
short break.
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[09:45:00]
(WORLD SPORT)
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