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Pro-government Protests in Iran Over U.S. Blockade of Iranian Ports; Xi Promotes Ties with UAE as Abu Dhabi's Crown Prince Visits; China's President Gives Veiled Criticism of U.S. War with Iran; Germany to Work with Ukraine on Drones, Battlefield Data; House Representative Swalwell to Resign, Denies Sexual Assault Allegations. Aired 9-10a ET

Aired April 14, 2026 - 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: We are learning the White House door is open for more peace talks with Iran. What if anything would

be different this time around? Well, it is 09:00 a.m. in Washington. It is 05:00 p.m. here in Abu Dhabi.

I'm Becky Anderson from our Middle East programming headquarters. You are watching "Connect the World". Well, the stock market in New York opens

about 30 minutes from now. Futures indicating a mix to two, slightly better picture as investors search for signs of optimism amid this continued

uncertainty in the Middle East.

With a week to go in the U.S.- Iran ceasefire, a source says that the Trump Administration is open to a second round of in person talks with Tehran.

U.S. official says both sides are still communicating with each other. U.S. Vice President JD Vance, who of course, led his country's delegation in

that first round in Pakistan this past weekend, says that the future of the war ultimately rests with Iran's leadership.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JD VANCE, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: We must have their conclusive commitment to not develop a nuclear weapon. And I think

that if the Iranians are willing to meet us there, then this can be a very, very good deal for both countries if they're not willing to meet us there.

That's up to them. That's their decision, and really, the ball is very much in their court.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Well, meantime, pro government rallies in Tehran to protest the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports now entering a second day. U.S. President

Donald Trump threatening to destroy any Iranian ships that try to break that blockade. In the same manner, the U.S. has targeted alleged drug

smuggling boats in the Caribbean.

Well in Washington today, Israeli and Lebanese diplomats will meet to talk peace as Israel continues to hit Hezbollah targets in Lebanon. Iran with

the backing of Europe, insists the U.S.-Iran ceasefire should also include Lebanon. Right, we've got Kevin Liptak with us at this hour in Washington,

Oren Liebermann is in Jerusalem. Stand by Oren.

Kevin, to you first and the prospect of a second round of U.S.-Iran talks. What are you hearing today?

KEVIN LIPTAK, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Yeah, just in the last hour, I heard from an official who said that there was no date set, no location

set for the second round of these discussions, but that, of course, they do remain open to them, and that the diplomatic channels are continuing to

flow.

You know, the Egyptian Foreign Minister is in Washington today. He's meeting with the Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, all of the other

mediators from Pakistan and Turkey, continuing to pass messages back and forth. And I think the hope, at least on the American side, is that the

Iranians feel the pressure from this blockade that the president has ordered in the Strait of Hormuz.

And are willing to come back to the negotiating table, more willing to make concessions. And it does seem clear at this point that there are two very

specific issues that are at the center of the disagreements between these two sides, and they both relate to Iran's nuclear ambitions.

One is this question of nuclear enrichment. The United States had put on a table a proposed moratorium for 20 years on uranium enrichment inside of

Iran. The Iranians came back and countered with a five year pause in enrichment, which the U.S. has rejected. But you do see there at least an

agreement that there could be some sort of suspension that the two sides could agree on.

You can easily see how perhaps the bridge could be gapped there. The other issue is the question of Iran's nuclear stockpile, its stockpile of more

than 400 kilograms of highly enriched uranium that's believed to be buried underground. The United States wants that removed from Iran entirely.

Iran appears to be suggesting that it could dilute that to well below weapons grade, but that so far, is a response that the United States has

not come back to agree on. Now, of course, there are other issues that will have to be sorted out, chiefly the Strait of Hormuz, Iran's support for

proxy groups in the region, but the belief among American officials is that if they can get those nuclear matters resolved, then the rest of the deal

might fall into place.

You heard JD Vance in that interview yesterday saying that there were good conversations that took place in Islamabad that Iran will have to show some

flexibility if they're to come back to the table. I think the real fear and the real risk for President Trump is that the deal he ends up with ends up

looking very similar to the Obama era Iran nuclear deal that he withdrew from.

[09:05:00]

Now, that deal did not include any kind of suspension on uranium enrichment. It did allow for this sunset clause that would allow full

enrichment by 2030 the deal that the president seems to be suggesting would also have a sunset of a different type. And so, a lot of questions about

what this deal might look like, but the conversations, at least for now, are still ongoing.

ANDERSON: Thank you. Kevin there in Washington. And look Oren, today in Washington, Israel and Lebanon will hold their first face to face talks in

40 years. What are the expectations going into these talks?

OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN JERUSALEM BUREAU CHIEF: Well, let's keep the expectations low for what comes out of these talks when they conclude. The

U.S. is investing a significant amount of political capital in getting these underway. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio will be attending these

talks on the U.S. side, as well as ambassadors to the U.S. from Israel and Lebanon.

But the conditions on the ground are difficult, as is the Lebanese government has said they won't negotiate under fire. Israel has shown no

indication that it's willing to stop attacking Lebanon in order to give these talks effectively a better scenario in which to move forward here.

Israel has continued striking Lebanon, although they've had they have scaled back somewhat, and are not striking the capital of Beirut at this

moment, that's under some level of pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump, to try to create an environment in which these talks can move

forward.

The goal, of course, ultimately, is to try to get to a ceasefire, to end the war between Israel and Lebanon. But it's unclear that that, at this

point, is a realistic goal, from what a State Department official told CNN yesterday, the goal here is really talks to get to a better spot and create

more of the conditions and the framework for more serious negotiations that would involve higher levels.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said any agreement would require the disarmament of Hezbollah, the Iranian proxy in Lebanon, with which Israel

is at war, as well as what he called a real peace agreement that can hold for generations. That's an incredibly high bar to set for countries that

haven't had anything like this in terms of direct talks in more than four decades, and yet, that's where Netanyahu has placed his bar.

The real question is, how much pressure is Trump willing to put on Israel to get to an agreement? To a lesser extent, how much pressure is the U.S.

willing to put on Lebanon? But that's the goal here, to see if it's possible, and just to tie together these talks with the effort to get talks

between the U.S. and Iran underway.

Iran believes Lebanon would be part of a ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran, but Israel and the U.S. have tried to keep Hezbollah and Lebanon as

its own scenario, its own front, and that complicates all of this, whether they're together or separate. So, some very difficult negotiations, not

only between Israel and Lebanon, but also the effort to get talks back on track between the U.S. and Iran, Becky.

ANDERSON: Yeah. Really important insight. Oren, thank you. To both of you, Kevin and Oren, kicking off this show. China's President issuing veiled

criticism of the United States and his first public comments on the U.S.- Israeli war with Iran. Xi Jinping said the world should not be allowed to, quote, revert to the law of the jungle, that phrase used by Chinese leaders

and state media to criticize unilateral actions, often by the U.S.

The comments came during a meeting with Abu Dhabi's Crown Prince, who is in Beijing, where he called for more robust ties with the UAE.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

XI JINPING, CHINESE LEADER: We must strengthen coordination, enhance cooperation, and build a more solid, resilient and dynamic China, UAE,

comprehensive strategic partnership.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Well, some breaking news just into its CNN. The IMF has released its latest economic outlook in the last few minutes. It is cutting its

forecasts for the world, saying the outbreak of war in the Middle East is threatening to throw the global economy of course.

Eleni Giokos covering the latest for us. She is in Dubai. Just break down these numbers for us. How much is this forecast being cut, Eleni?

ELENI GIOKOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, according to the IMF, there are three major scenarios. So, we're talking about a short-lived scenario, an

adverse scenario and a severe scenario. But I want to give you a breakdown of the numbers. I want you to understand that if this war didn't break out,

we would actually have seen an upward trajectory in global growth numbers.

Let's go through those, with no war anticipated GDP, global growth would have been 3.4 percent and in 2027, 3.2 percent, put that aside. Let's look

at the actual these are actually the numbers now in a short-lived scenario, 3.1 percent and 3.2 percent for 2027.

[09:10:00]

The IMF goes on to say that if we're looking at an adverse scenario where you're seeing oil prices hitting $100 a barrel, $225 a barrel, which is

where we've been basically averaging around 100 and this is prolonged. You're seeing different numbers playing out. And this is going to have an

impact on inflation and, of course, global growth.

So, in adverse scenario, Becky, we're looking at GDP at 2.5 percent on the global growth front, and for 2027, 3 percent global growth. So that's with

the projection of $100 a barrel on Brent crude. And then they plan out a severe scenario, which is actually where it gets a little bit worrying,

because you're very close to recession territory.

And they say that we haven't seen this kind of, you know, these kinds of numbers if we get into a severe scenario, you know, only a few times since

the 1980s in fact, only four times since then. In that scenario, 1.9 percent on global growth, on GDP, and then 2.2 percent for 2027.

And, you know, at the end of the day, if this war doesn't come to an end, if you don't see the Strait of Hormuz opening up relatively soon, this is

going to have an impact on commodity prices that the IMF has spelled out is going to increase significantly in the next few months.

It's going to put pressure on global economies, and again, an asymmetrical impact, where you have stronger economies, of course, having a lesser

impact. And then it's the emerging markets, Becky, that are going to take a big hit. And in fact, if I look at the Saudi Arabia numbers that they've

put out.

Saudi Arabia is going to have one of the sharpest declines in GDP for 2026 they've put it down at 3.1 percent that's going to be a knock of 1.3

percent. So, the big messaging overall, global growth is going to be weaker, inflation is going to be higher. And again, IMF just pointing out,

if this doesn't end anytime soon, you're looking at even worse numbers in the coming months.

ANDERSON: Good to have you, Eleni. Thank you very much indeed. That news just into CNN and more on that as we move through the next couple of hours.

Well earlier, I sat down with the European Council President Antonio Costa. He was here in Dubai. He met just before my interview with him, with the

President of the UAE Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

And said, quote, I express my gratitude for the assistance and attention given to the safety of the 200,000 EU citizens living in the UAE. And he

also said he is working to restore freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. Here's just some of what was a wide-ranging conversation. Have a

listen.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANTONIO COSTA, EUROPEAN COUNCIL PRESIDENT: I had a very interesting phone call with the president two weeks ago, but it's completely different to

talk face to face, and the situation is changing every day. Now we need to use this ceasefire momentum to finalize to these talks brokered by

Pakistan.

Everybody understood that the first round was not a great success, but the doors are not closed, and then it's a good moment for Americans and Iran

continue their talks to all those who can mediate and make an effort to ensure a positive success outcome could do this, and we need to address the

nuclear issue, the ballistic capabilities, the freedom of navigation.

ANDERSON: So how does Europe help when it's not at the table?

COSTA: Look there we are different. There are different ways to contribute. First of all, we approve 1 million -- 100 million euros for humanitarian

aid to Lebanon. We are engaging with all the Gulf states to support their own defense, as you know, the European Union that don't have their own

military capabilities, but our member states have, and they are supporting these member states.

We are engaged, and we are sharing our expertise coming from the previous negotiations with Iran on the nuclear issue. We are talking with Iran, and

we are pushing Iran to stop the attack, to attack the Gulf states, to open the Strait of Hormuz, to stop to support their proxies, namely Hezbollah.

And of course, we are also supporting our own member states. You cannot forget that Cyprus, a European Union member state, was attacked by

Hezbollah.

ANDERSON: OK, let's talk about the Strait of Hormuz. The U.S. has imposed a blockade on a critical waterway which was already to all intents and

purposes blockaded.

[09:15:00]

What's European position towards this latest U.S. action?

COSTA: Well, we are always in the side of freedom, and we believe that a blockade doesn't solve another blockade.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: And you hear more from that conversation with European Council President Antonio Costa here on "Connect the World" next hour. A lot more

of that coming up. And ahead on the show, courting more aid from its biggest European supporter. Ukraine's wartime President receives a very

warm welcome in Berlin. What that could mean for Moscow is up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: Germany, reinforcing its support for Kyiv as Volodymyr Zelenskyy works hard to keep what are the Iranian -- Ukrainian front lines on the

front pages? Ukraine's Wartime President was in Berlin earlier, where he signed a defense deal with the German Chancellor Friedrich Merz says Berlin

will work with Kyiv on drones and battlefield technology.

CNN's Fred Pleitgen is in Berlin for us. Can you just explain how significant this meeting between these two is?

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: What was extremely significant, first of all, on paper, was the first government

consultations between these two countries, I think, in the past two decades. So, it certainly officially, at least made a big deal for the two

nations.

On the other hand, of course, you're absolutely right now -- absolutely right, Becky, the Ukrainians right now, very much, of course, trying to

keep the fact that they're still fighting against the Russians, that major war on the front pages of news and in the headlines in the face, of course,

of dwindling support from the United States.

Now, one of the big countries that has stepped in and really upped its support for the Ukrainians in the face of that, have indeed been the

Germans, together with a lot of other European nations. But the Germans right now, as we speak, Becky, certainly, by far the largest contributor,

both militarily and also financially, to the Ukrainian state.

Now, for the Ukrainians, that is, of course, very important for their future, for the future of their country, but then also right now, to stay

in the game, as far as the battlefield is concerned. And one of the major issues, one of the major concerns that the Ukrainians have is missile and

drone attacks by the Russian military and getting enough interceptor missiles to try and keep their population safe.

Let's listen into what the Ukrainian President had to say about that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE: I am 100 percent sure that Europe, the EU, together with Ukraine, will produce anti-ballistic systems.

It is a matter of time. Yes. And while we do not have this, while there is a deficit with this, we must protect our families, our people. And for

this, we need the PURL program.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[09:20:00]

PLEITGEN: The PURL program, or PURL program, Becky, as we know, is, of course, that program by which European nations buy gear, first and

foremost, interceptor missiles against ballistic missiles from the Russians, and then give those to the Ukrainians. So, the Ukrainians are

saying they want that program to continue.

But at the same time, that defense cooperation agreement that was signed between the Germans and Ukrainians, obviously, also pretty significant, as

well as those two nations are now really trying to deepen that cooperation, not just for the Ukrainians, but of course, also as far as Germany and re

arming its own armed forces, in the face, of course, of a whole new security situation here in Europe, Becky.

ANDERSON: Fred, how is President Zelenskyy tackling this idea that sort of Ukraine's fight against Russia has been somewhat pushed into the wings

since the Iran war?

PLEITGEN: Well, I think it's been very difficult for the Ukrainian President. I mean, one of the things that we have seen, for instance, is

that he himself, Volodymyr Zelenskyy has offered support for Gulf nations, while the hot phase, or the combat phase of that military confrontation

between the U.S., Israel and Iran was still going on, especially as far as drone defense and missile defense for those countries was concerned.

So certainly, trying to make sure that those countries see that Ukraine, for its part, has a lot to offer, but at the same time, also time and

again, talking about the fact that one of the main countries that has been benefiting from that confrontation in the Gulf region and the Strait of

Hormuz has been Russia.

One of the things, of course, Becky, that we learned today is that Russian oil revenue has drastically increased in the month of March, obviously

making that country a lot stronger and a lot more capable of continuing the fight against Ukraine. So, the Ukraine is certainly pushing that point.

And at the same time, I think both the Germans and the Ukrainians making clear that Europe has the financial muscle and the weapons production

capability to keep the Ukrainians in the fight for a long time, Becky.

ANDERSON: Good to have you. Thank you Fred. Fred Pleitgen is in Berlin. Well, it's Pope Leo is on an historic 11-day trip to Africa, home to 20

percent of the world's Catholics. Today, he became the first pontiff to go to the mostly Muslim country of Algeria.

Earlier, he toured the archeological side of hippo in Annaba followed by a visit with the Little Sisters of the Poor. On Monday, he visited the Great

Mosque of Algiers, hoping to strengthen dialog between Catholics and Muslims.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

POPE LEO XIV, HEAD OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH: In a world where divisions and wars so pain and death between nations in communities and even within

families, your united and peaceful life is a powerful sign.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: The pope's Africa tour will also include stops in Angola and Cameroon and in Equatorial Guinea -- speed -- some of the other stories

that are on our radar right now. This Tuesday and chaos and fear as students flee from a shooting scene at a vocational high school in

Southeastern Turkey.

Officials say a former student opened fire, injuring at least 16 people before killing himself. School shootings are rare in the country. The

motive remains unclear. Well California Democrat Eric Swalwell and Texas Republican Tony Gonzales announced their plans to resign from the House of

Representatives.

Four world's announcement comes after explosive allegations of sexual misconduct from four women. In March, Gonzales admitted to an affair with

the staffer who later died by suicide. More details now from CNN's Manu Raju, who is on Capitol Hill.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MANU RAJU, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: In just a matter of minutes on Monday evening on Capitol Hill, two members of Congress facing

sex scandals, announcing that they would resign. One, Eric Swalwell, the Democrat from California, someone who was seen as a front runner to be the

next Governor of California, now a pariah within his own party in the aftermath of very damaging allegations involving sexual misconduct and an

alleged rape.

Now Swalwell has denied those allegations, but the reports in CNN and the San Francisco Chronicle were enough for many Democrats to call for his

resignation and his ouster, and he faced the possibility of a successful vote for him to be expelled from the House by the middle of this week. And

in talking to many Democrats, they were relieved to see him go.

SEN. JOHN HICKENLOOPER (D-CO): I felt like we just took a giant step backwards. I felt, maybe wrongly that we were evolving.

RAJU: I mean, he's denying this. Do you not believe his denials?

HICKENLOOPER: Well, I looked at his quote from whatever years that was, when there are that many people that haven't talked to him, all making

similar allegations.

[09:25:00]

Again, I would not prejudge him. I'm, you know, that's I don't have all the facts. I'm not a jury. I'm not -- but the way this is unfolded is something

I thought we'd put behind us.

RAJU: And then there's a case involving Congressman Tony Gonzales, a Republican from Texas, who had initially denied reports of an extra marital

affair with an aide who later died by suicide.

Then he admitted to having that affair, and it is a violation of House rules to carry on a romantic relationship with a subordinate. But despite

violating those rules, Gonzales said he would still stay as a congressman, telling me repeatedly that he would not resign his seat.

He ultimately decided not to run for your election. But House Republican leaders had not called for his resignation. But after Swalwell announced

his resignation, Gonzales did as well. Now he will also avoid facing the possibility of an expulsion vote in the House where he could have seen

Republicans and Democrats join hands to vote for his ouster.

Also, both Gonzales and Swalwell can essentially avoid a House ethics investigation. Those ethics probes typically only occur to members who are

currently serving in the body, meaning that those former members are no longer in the committee's jurisdiction.

But the decision by both Swalwell and Gonzales to step aside means that Speaker Mike Johnson's razor thin majority will stay razor thin. He can

only afford to lose one Republican on any party line vote. Manu Raju, CNN, Capitol Hill.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: Well extremely concerning step backwards and a dangerous precedent ahead. The Chairman-elect of the International Chamber of

shipping speaks out about the Strait of Hormuz blockade.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: -- a very warm welcome back. I'm Becky Anderson and Abu Dhabi. You're watching "Connect the World". Let's get you some headlines. And a

source says the Trump Administration is open to holding a second round of in person talks with Iran. And a U.S. official says the two countries are

still communicating.

The news said oil price is lower even as the U.S. blockade on Iranian ports nears its second day. The IMF says the global economy is at risk of being

thrown off course because of the war in Iran. In its latest report out this hour, it cut the global growth forecast to 3.1 percent this year, and warns

things could get worse if the conflict escalates.

Well Berlin says it will work with Kyiv on drones and battlefield technology. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy signed a defense deal with the

German Chancellor during a visit to Berlin earlier.

[09:30:00]

Germany is Europe's largest contributor of military aid to Ukraine. Right, let's get you to the market. See how investors are passing through today's

news ringing the opening bell today Olympic and Paralympic gold medalist Breezy Johnson and Kate Delson. Right, we are off to the races out of the

gate, these markets were expected to be slightly higher on the open.

Oil prices taking a bit of a rest from their rises recently. The Dow Jones, they're up by well, very little. In fact, these markets are very, very

mixed on the open. It does really feel as if investors are sitting this one out at present, no real clear direction from the politicians, stakeholders,

interlocutors, involved in what is this Iran war.

What began as a regional conflict, of course, is fast becoming Asia's economic reckoning with consequences, measured not just in billions lost,

but in millions of lives pushed to the brink. 32 million people at risk of poverty, a 0.8 percent drop in GDP across the Asia Pacific region.

Now that may sound small, but it translates to nearly $300 billion in potential losses driven by energy shocks, supply chain disruption and

rising costs in the world's most economically dynamic region. And this is the mounting costs of the U.S. and Israel's war with Iran. And nowhere is

it being felt more sharply than across Asia.

In India, workers have taken to the streets in protest over rising living costs and ongoing gas shortages. Anger building over low wages and

deductions on households struggle to afford basic essentials there, from Japan to Malaysia, economies that power more than half of global

manufacturing now grappling with soaring energy prices, disrupted supply chains and a growing threat to food security.

Well, the Chairman Designate of the International Chamber of Shipping is sounding the alarm. John Denholm says that the situation in the Strait of

Hormuz is extremely concerning. He spoke earlier to CNN's Ivan Watson.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: So, I'd like to ask you, you know, the we're less than a day into a U.S. naval blockade of all

shipping from Iranian ports in the Gulf. What is your response to that American blockade?

JOHN DENHOLM, CHAIRMAN DESIGNATE OF THE INTERNATIONAL CHAMBER OF SHIPPING: I think it's a retrograde step. It's likely to lead to retaliation by the

Iranians to stop other ships coming out of non-Iranian ports. We need to reestablish freedom of navigation in the Straits of Hormuz.

The whole of world trade is based on freedom of navigation. We don't want tolls. We don't want embargoes. We don't want blockades. Let's get back to

ships passing freely through the straits.

WATSON: And let me ask about tolls, because we have reporting that Iran has been charging around $2 million a vessel to transit the strait. What is

your position on that measure?

DENHOLM: That is equally unacceptable to blockades. You know, its extortion, and it's a really dangerous precedent. You have other narrow

waterways, the entrance, the Mediterranean, the English Channel. People start charging everywhere. We need to re-establish the whole principle of

freedom of navigation, that as an international waterway, ships can pass freely.

WATSON: I've heard the Singaporean government say they oppose this because the Strait of Malacca is a choke point when they don't -- they themselves

don't want to --

DENHOLM: Absolutely. We don't want people jumping on this bandwagon. It's a very dangerous bandwagon, and could hugely impact on world trade. And world

trade is so important to the world economy.

WATSON: And let me ask about that. I think many of our viewers don't typically see the kind of ships that are out on the world's oceans and what

they move around and things like that. This is not just abstract. We have warnings that in just the Asia-Pacific region alone, that this could cost

from 98 to almost $300 billion the cost of this disruption.

What are you seeing in the shipping industry? How is that ultimately going to hit consumers around the world the last six weeks of disruption, and if

it continues?

DENHOLM: Well, if it continues, we're going to have a real problem. Fuel prices are already high. It's going to get worse. We're going to have

shortages of petrol, shortage of diesel, shortage of Avgas, shortage of fertilizers.

[09:35:00]

There's a huge number of quantities that flow through the Persian Gulf, and that will drive inflation in the Western world and the free world, and that

will probably drive recession. It's a really undesirable outcome.

WATSON: The United Nations Development Program has issued report. They've warned that this could push 32 million people around the world into

poverty. So yes, the stakes appear very, very high. And again, they're not abstract. I want to ask about another issue.

There are people, men and women, working on these ships that deliver the commodities that show up in our homes. What is their position right now in

the midst of this crisis?

DENHOLM: Well, there are about 20,000 seamen on the ships that are caught in the Persian Gulf. And they're living in a very stressful, difficult

environment that the literal states have made available to make sure they've got water and supplies getting onto their ships. But we must think

very carefully of these people.

It's not nice sitting on a ship in a war zone. And they have --

WATSON: Ships that have been targeted as well.

DENHOLM: Some of them are targeted. For the most part they haven't been targeted. They have been, and, you know, it's not good. We must think of

the people.

WATSON: I know you're a trade association, just finally, what is a message that you would send to the governments in Tehran, in Washington, D.C., in

the midst of this crisis?

DENHOLM: We need to find an equitable peace. A peace that allows us to reestablish freedom of navigation and get global trade back on to a

normality.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: Well, fascinating stuff there. Coming up, after a long delay, a new trial begins more than five years after the legendary football of Diego

Maradona died. We take a look at the long-standing questions surrounding his death.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: Well, a new trial over the death of the Argentinian footballing great Diego Maradona getting underway today. Seven members of his medical

team are facing charges once again. CNN's Cecilia Dominguez filed this report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CECILIA DOMINGUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The world was watching as the trial over the death of football icon Diego Armando Maradona unfold it, but a

scandal stopped it in its tracks. Now, almost a year later, a new trial is about to begin here in the Sen Isidro courts aiming to determine who should

be held responsible for Maradona's death.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There are too many people involved in a conspiracy for someone to end up losing their life.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We hope justice will be served.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We want to know what happened to my brother.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're very anxious for this to be over and everyone who must pay to be held accountable.

[09:40:00]

DOMINGUEZ (voice-over): In the nearly three months the first trial lasted, there were 21 hearings. More than 40 witnesses and 7 medical professionals

on trial, the court reviewed photos and videos as evidence. There was an arrest for perjury, requests for searches and even a one-week suspension.

In the end, one of the judges was removed and the trial was declared invalid. May 15th marked the beginning of the end. Judge Julieta Makintach

was accused of lacking impartiality and of allowing people close to her to film a documentary during court hearings. A request was filed to remove her

she denied the allegations, but the court suspended the trial for a week. On May 29th the trial was nullified.

VERONICA OJEDA, MARADONA'S FORMER PARTNER: For five years we've been fighting. We've been in this trial for two months, and now all this

scandal. Honestly, Diego didn't deserve this.

COSME IRIBARREN, PROSECUTOR: Unfortunately, today is a very sad day for everyone. We never wanted to reach this point, but we had no other option

than to make the request we filed on Tuesday. The truth is, we will have to start over.

DOMINGUEZ (voice-over): More than five years after Maradona's death from heart failure on November 25th, 2020, while under home hospitalization in a

private neighborhood in Tigre, Buenos Aires. A new court will hear testimony from around 100 witnesses.

Seven medical professionals are once again facing charges of simple homicide. All remain free and deny any wrong doing.

DOMINGUEZ: After the collapse of the first trial, this new process will be watched even more closely, not only because of its global impact, but also

for the chance to finally shed light on one of the most controversial deaths in the world of sport. Cecilia Dominguez, CNN, Buenos Aires.

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ANDERSON: Well, now for something quite unreal, dozens of humanoid robots will race against humans in a half marathon in Beijing this coming Sunday.

The robots went for a test run over the weekend to work through technical glitches and safety concerns. The race will feature more than 100 robots,

some fully autonomous, others remote controlled.

Last year, a human finished first, cross the line first. But this year, teams are pushing their technology further to see if a robot can really

outrun a person. Well, "World Sport" with the real Coy Wire, is up next.

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(WORLD SPORT)

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