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Trump Announces Deal For "Complete Disarmament" Of Hamas; Thousands Of Migrants From Morocco Surged Into Spanish Island Of Ceuta; Iranian Forces Target Air Base In Kuwait; 14 Nations Back Saudi-led Maritime Defense Alliance Proposal; New Russian Campaign Targets Ukrainian Gas Stations; Trump Casts Doubt On Pledge To License Patriots To Ukraine; Infantino Senior Adviser Resigns Over World Cup Finance Plan; Man Who Witnessed Fatal ICE Shooting Speaks Out; Delving Into The Peptide Trade. Aired 10-11a ET
Aired July 31, 2026 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[10:00:32]
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Welcome to the second hour of the show from our Middle East programming headquarters. I'm Becky Anderson,
where the time is just after 3:00 in the afternoon.
President Trump announcing complete disarmament of Hamas in Gaza. Hamas saying it is contingent on Israel. Spain and Morocco working to stop the
flow of thousands of migrants into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta. An Iranian forces target a Kuwaiti air base despite no reported strikes on Iran from
the United States overnight.
Well, U.S. President Donald Trump heading to Camp David in Maryland for a Cabinet meeting after announcing a breakthrough in negotiations over Gaza's
future. He posted on social media that an agreement has been reached for the complete disarmament of Hamas and all other armed groups in the
enclave. Well, a senior Hamas official tell CNN the group will disarm, but only if Israel upholds its obligations under the October ceasefire
agreement, and if an international stabilization force is deployed to Gaza.
Jeremy Diamond back with us this hour from Jerusalem.
I think, Jeremy, it's fair to say there is some cautious optimism around this announcement mixed with a good deal of uncertainty over the details.
What are you hearing?
JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: Yes, I mean, listen, this is a big step that has been taken here for the Board of Peace to have reached an
agreement with Hamas over its disarmament. Hamas agreeing for the first time to a specific plan to disarm, agreeing to hand over its heavy weaponry
to this National Coordination for the Administration of Gaza, this Palestinian technocratic committee, under the auspices of the Board of
Peace that's supposed to go into Gaza and take over governance of the strip.
It had long been a question as to whether or not Hamas would agree to hand over any of its heavy weapons at all, and now they have agreed to do that
in this agreement. But as you mentioned, there are a number of question marks here because of the fact that we don't know how Israel is going to
react to all of this. We have yet to actually get official comment from the Israeli government, from the Israeli prime minister.
And Hamas in its statements, in an interview I conducted over the phone with a senior Hamas official, have repeatedly insisted that the only way
that they move forward with giving up any of these weapons, handing over any of these weapons to this Palestinian technocratic committee is if
Israel first implements its side of the agreement, and that includes actually ceasing fire in Gaza. Important to note that we've seen more than
1200 people killed in Gaza since the October ceasefire came into effect.
It also includes Israel pulling back to the yellow line as it was agreed to, rather than the current position which has taken over, you know,
several additional percentages of Gazan territory, and also allowing for the surge of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip. And on the point of the
yellow line, we do now have a comment from an Israeli official who says that Israel will, quote, "not withdraw from the current yellow line without
the genuine disarmament of Hamas." And that raises questions about, you know, whether or not this can actually move forward.
When I spoke with Ghazi Hamad, a senior Hamas official, he made clear that one of the steps that needs to take place is that Israeli troops need to
pull back from the 58 percent or more of the Gaza Strip that they currently control to the 53 percent that was stated -- that was agreed to in that
October ceasefire agreement where the yellow line is actually supposed to be. And now an Israeli official casting doubt on any movement beyond what
they see as the current yellow line, meaning the area of territory that Israel was supposed to control, but also the areas that they have
encroached upon beyond what was agreed to in that October ceasefire agreement.
So, again, there are a lot of details here that are quite specific, quite in the weeds, but it's so important to understanding the viability of this
new agreement that has been reached here, and to understand whether or not it's actually going to be able to move forward.
ANDERSON: Yes. It's fascinating, isn't it? And Jeremy, thank you for that. We'll do more on this as we move through the hour.
[10:05:00]
Meantime, Spain facing what officials describe as its biggest border crisis in years after a massive surge of migrants overwhelmed controls at the
border of the Spanish enclave of Ceuta. Spain and Morocco have now bolstered security and reinforced the border fence after nearly 60,000
people forced their way into the territory on Thursday.
Last hour, I spoke with CNN's Nada Bashir about the crisis.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NADA BASHIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Becky, as we've seen in those videos, this was a huge moment of chaos for authorities and border officials in
Ceuta. As we've seen that dramatic surge of migrants attempting to cross the border from Morocco, it appears as though the majority of them were
crossing via sea to get to the land border of this particular coastal part of Ceuta.
Some appearing to also cross under and through the border gates that have been established to separate the land crossing between Morocco and the
Spanish territory. And of course, as we'd seen in response, almost immediately, authorities they're calling on the national Spanish government
to declare a state of emergency to deploy additional resources, including military resources, on the ground there to try to bring the situation under
control.
I mean, this is an unprecedented number of migrants to attempt to storm that border crossing in one go, an estimated 60,000, according to
government officials. And of course, there has been a very strong reaction from the prime minister himself. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PEDRO SANCHEZ, SPANISH PRIME MINISTER (through translator): What has happened? Well, what has happened, in effect, is a violation of the
territorial integrity of Spain, of the borders of a Spanish city, such as the city of Ceuta.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BASHIR: Now, of course, there are questions as to why exactly we are seeing this surge right now. It is understood that it may be connected to a
Supreme Court ruling in Spain, which took -- which was handed down earlier this month, which essentially prohibits authorities from returning migrants
who have crossed via sea.
So, we've heard from the Spanish prime minister, as you saw there speaking earlier today. He has accused illegal trafficking rings, human smugglers,
of misunderstanding this Supreme Court ruling and exploiting it, encouraging people to use this as an opportunity to cross into Europe. And
as you can imagine, many of those who are crossing are, of course, desperate for a better life within the European Union, for opportunities
there, and of course, for many, they would have hoped that this would be the beginning of an opportunity to establish that better life.
But what we have seen, actually, just in the last few hours, in the last 24 hours since that surge began, is actually Moroccan migrants attempting to
return back to Morocco. Now, according to the Spanish government, they estimate around 25,000 migrants have already crossed back. And we've seen
some of them returning through the border crossing under a heavy military surveillance.
Others attempting to climb over fences once again, or break through offenses that were once breached just yesterday. And clearly there is a
sense amongst many of these migrants that those opportunities, that better life that they had hoped for, is not actually available to them in Spain as
it stands, or as may have been promised to them. But of course, this really encapsulates a broader migration crisis.
And we've seen backlash amongst other European leaders, including Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who has threatened to even exclude Spain
from the visa-free Schengen travel zone if this situation is not brought under control -- Becky.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Nada Bashir reporting for you.
Well, no reported U.S. strikes on Iran overnight, but Tehran says it itself targeted an air base in Kuwait used by the U.S. military. State media says
this video shows Iranian forces launching air strikes. Tehran has previously targeted U.S. infrastructure at military bases in countries in
the Gulf they say in retaliation for American strikes on Iran.
Eleni Giokos standing by in Dubai.
So no U.S. strikes overnight when just the day before the U.S. did launch what it called a heavy wave of strikes. Donald Trump saying he's going to
hit the country hard. So what are we read into what we have seen over the past 24 hours?
ELENI GIOKOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. And it's very notable because Wednesday, Thursday, we saw extensive strikes in various parts of southern
Iran. Iran responding to those and also launching missiles into Jordan. Those were intercepted. A deadly strike in Kuwait yesterday. One person was
killed. Extensive damage to a Chinese owned company. And then today, drones were intercepted that were headed towards the air base in Kuwait.
Iran posting footage purportedly showing that they still have drone capabilities and missile capabilities despite all the attacks that we've
been seeing by the United States.
[10:10:09]
And clearly a message that they are willing to retaliate, and they've promised to do so every time we see strikes in the United States. It is
also important to note that they say this is a retaliation for the attacks on Qeshm Island, where a couple and a child was killed, according to
Iranian media, in that strike, in one of those U.S. strikes. But watching this so closely, we've also got to just see what's happening in the Strait
of Hormuz with all this escalation that we saw yesterday.
Only five vessels, Becky, transited the Strait of Hormuz. And it just shows every time we see escalation and strikes, it really has an impact on
maritime traffic.
ANDERSON: Yes. Saudi Arabia taking action to protect international shipping routes and global trade. We're also seeing sort of ideas out of Oman. So
what do we know about Riyadh's plan?
GIOKOS: So this is interesting because Saudi Arabia is leading the launch of a multinational maritime defense alliance. 14 countries signing up in a
joint statement. The countries include Qatar, Kuwait, Nigeria, even Yemen. And this is all about deterrence and ensuring that there is a defensive
mechanism in place to secure the Red Sea, Bab El Mandeb Strait, as well as the Gulf of Aden.
Riyadh says that they hosted a meeting, including 43 representatives even from the European Union to discuss a mechanism. So what's going to happen
with this in terms of their mandate is supporting joint maritime operations, sharing information, intelligence, even conducting joint
exercises and training. But there's a long way to go from here. They've got to come up with a mechanism in terms of how they will implement this.
I spoke to a few maritime experts today, and they say it's a really strong sign of unity, a political message that they are sending to the Houthis,
which are an Iranian proxy that have been causing a lot of havoc in the Red Sea, vessels that need to transit through the Bab El Mandeb Strait. But
they tell me that there's a big concern about how this will work practically, especially if the E.U. and the United States naval
capabilities are not involved because some of the countries that have signed up do not have those naval capabilities. It is a defense and
deterrence.
But the other big risk that has been mentioned to me, Becky, today, which is quite interesting, is will the Houthis see this as a sort of bringing in
of other hostile actors and even intercepting other vessels linked to the 14 countries that have already signed up? Interesting here, Oman and the
UAE are not included in this as yet, but Riyadh says there are other countries that are assessing right now the political structure of this to
sign up.
ANDERSON: Eleni is in Dubai with the very latest lines out of the region. Thank you for that.
Russia's latest phase of attacks in Ukraine is focused on very specific targets. Gas stations. Officials in Kyiv say more than 200 have been hit in
the last two months, which, as you can imagine, is spreading terror for civilians across the country. June, Ukraine's deadliest month for civilian
casualties since 2022. Russia's aerial attacks earlier this week left at least nine dead and dozens wounded in these months.
CNN's chief international security correspondent Nick Paton Walsh joining me now.
I want to just concentrate on those gas stations being targeted, Nick. How is this playing out and affecting Ukrainians?
NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Well, you have to understand the role that these fuel stops play in a country where
commercial air travel is impossible because of the war. The huge road journeys most undertake, be that to move around civilian supplies, military
equipment, they're all broken. And the sense of community is provided by gas stations.
It's a place where you get coffee, food, and indeed, some of the officials we spoke to reminded that during some of the imposed blackouts from Russian
airstrikes against energy infrastructure, it's gas stations that have the generators and the power on. So where you can go and even warm your baby's
milk, one said to us. So, I mean, a key part of wartime society and one that Russia has quite ruthlessly targeted over 200 officials say.
We've geolocated 30 separate videos and confirmed those particular attacks. Dozens killed and injured as a result, and indeed some cases, double taps,
one drone and then when rescuers run in to help, a second drone follows. This is causing some fuel shortages in some areas. I think it's certainly
impeding in the wartime zones, the ability for the military to get fuel when it specifically needs, and civilians there as well.
And a lot of the attacks are near frontline areas. But, too, with the increasing Russian drone range, they're hitting further inside and indeed
boasting about it. The Rubicon Elite, Russian drone unit, posted video them hitting nine separate targets. It's clearly for Ukrainians a sign of
Russian escalation, one that Western officials indeed warned about.
[10:15:04]
And we have seen in July itself 427 as of yesterday civilians killed by Russian attacks. That is a record since April 2022, and a sign that the
escalation many were warning about.
ANDERSON: Right.
PATON WALSH: There would be the response to Ukrainian long range drones hitting Russian targets is coming I think the sacrifice of civilians now
being hit with even greater ruthlessness, Becky.
ANDERSON: So as the wars in both Ukraine and of course Iran continue, we often see President Trump sort of changing his mind, and that's perhaps the
kindest way of suggesting, on certain policies or strategies. We also see him turn his attention from one conflict to another based on, you know, how
things are progressing. How is this playing out on the battlefield?
PATON WALSH: Yes. I mean, obviously the danger of not allowing those you're talking to, to know exactly what it is what you want. And some might say,
the proponents of President Trump might say that he's sort of genius trying to disrupt people and lead them off their balance. But you also run the
risk of the people you're talking to no longer really caring what it is you actually seek and what your policy indeed is. And that's the case, it
seems, with multiple conflicts we're seeing at the moment.
Certainly with Ukraine, we've seen signals in the past weeks that the United States, the White House, is feeling greater sympathy towards
President Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian side, echoed by some key MAGA influencers, right-wing activists like Laura Loomer, who suddenly switched
from being avidly pro-Russian to now being avidly pro-Ukrainian. And indeed, President Trump, when he saw Zelenskyy at the NATO summit in
Ankara, said he would license Patriot interceptors to be built by Ukraine.
Radically in an interview with the "Financial Times" just yesterday, he said he wasn't sure about that anymore and licensing technology wasn't
something, quote, "that they did," but it's urgently needed. And now today, too, you know, Becky, you see with the situation in Gaza and Hamas and his
declaration that they would disarm, it seems something of a goal potentially voiced by the president rather than a specific reality.
All these questions about the sequencing of that deal, who does what first, leaving people, I think, to question quite how the White House views policy
announcements. Does President Trump throw something out to perhaps distract from another problem and change the news agenda for 24 hours if things are
going badly, let's say, in Iran? Or are we dealing here with a president who doesn't necessarily care to grasp the details of, did the Israelis
withdraw from territory first before Hamas puts their weapons in storage or gives them up?
These, I think you might argue, give greater latitude for his officials to debate or form policy. But you also run the risk, too, of the president's
word not actually meaning much because it doesn't stack up to reality anymore, Becky.
ANDERSON: Yes. Yes, no, it's a -- you make a very good point.
Always good to have you, Nick. Thank you very much indeed.
I want to bring in Sanam Vakil now, director of the Middle East and North Africa program at Chatham House.
I just want you to pick up, if you will, off the back of what Nick just said there. We've had the announcement by Donald Trump on Gaza that Hamas
will completely disarm. And today, and that was overnight in a social post, today, the Board of Peace laying out 15 steps to complete the
implementation of a plan to secure an end to fighting in Gaza.
But Nickolay Mladenov, for example, who is sort of the man in charge of getting the kind of Gaza sort of deal done, making the point in his post
about this disarmament announcement that withdrawal by Israel needs to happen at the same time. "What the agreement says matters. What happens
next matters even more," Nicolai said. "Implementation and verification have to be real. Withdrawal must move in lockstep with decommissioning."
And I think, you know, making the point there that Israel has a significant role to play here. That backed up by Hamas today, also say they want to see
an international stabilization force included in this sequencing.
Sanam, what do you make of what we've learned over the past 24 hours, specifically on that Gaza file?
OK. Sounds as if Sanam cannot hear me at the moment.
Sanam, can you hear me?
SANAM VAKIL, DIRECTOR, MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA PROGRAMME, CHATHAM HOUSE: Yes, I can hear you.
ANDERSON: All right, let's take a very short break and see whether we can - - can you hear me now, Salam?
VAKIL: Yes, yes, I can hear you.
ANDERSON: Great. OK. Yes. Just trying to get -- I'm really interested in your view of what we've seen out of Donald Trump on the Gaza,
decommissioning by Hamas statement, and the sort of -- relative sort of radio silence on the Israeli side.
[10:20:09]
Nickolay Mladenov, I was making the point that he has said we need to see withdrawal, must move in lockstep with that decommissioning. What do you
make of where we are at on the Gaza file?
VAKIL: Well, after waiting for around six months, I think that all of this behind the scenes work should be celebrated, if you will. This is a
breakthrough that Hamas is showing willingness to decommission. But we at the same time shouldn't assume that things are going to go as planned. The
ball really right now rests in Israel's court. And Prime Minister Netanyahu has certainly just come back from Washington, D.C. He knew this was coming.
And Israel has to respond.
Hamas will only decommission if the Israelis agree to withdraw from the territory they have occupied in Gaza. So we should expect, based on what we
have been watching in the region, for much to go wrong before it goes right. And President Trump will likely have to intervene and put pressure
on all of the parties repeatedly for this phase to process to move forward.
ANDERSON: Good to have your perspective on that. As Donald Trump, of course, promising a six-week conflict between the U.S. and Iran as we enter
the sixth month of that, you write that the Iran ceasefire was doomed to fail. I think, you know, hindsight is always, you know, sort of easy in
these things but, you know, I think it's clear that that MOU and the ceasefire associated with it was a nonstarter from the outset.
That doesn't mean that we can't sort of move this conflict towards resolution, but the question is how at this point?
VAKIL: You're quite right. Hindsight is always 20/20. But we have to learn from that hindsight. The MOU was not clear enough as a document, and both
Tehran and Washington interpreted what they would out of it. And there's such deep mistrust on both sides that it very quickly unraveled. We do have
to be thinking about the longer-term de-escalation and negotiations.
Oman has been trying to negotiate directly with the Iranians with the support of the Gulf states, to open the Strait of Hormuz. That also hasn't
worked. Right now I fear that we are in an escalatory track. The war is spreading. We've seen escalation between Iraqi militias and Saudi Arabia,
Yemen strikes getting close to Egypt as well. So this is a widening war that is, in my view, going to bump along for the remainder of this year and
broaden unless there is much more determined diplomacy.
And this is going to require not just Gulf states to play a diplomatic role, but it's time for Europe and Asia to join in and pressure the parties
and help form an arrangement.
ANDERSON: Yes. Important points. Iranian media, meantime, reporting that the war is causing hardship for Iranians. And I think just by dint of word
of mouth and, you know, hearing from Iranians inside the country, that is spot on. Food prices have skyrocketed along with the price of other
important essentials, not least medical supplies.
What do you understand to be the situation in the country?
VAKIL: From what I'm hearing with contacts inside the country, life has become exceedingly difficult. People under pressure, the day-to-day
expenses are high, and the basket of daily choices, of course, are narrowing in order to make ends meet. That is what's, you know, what people
are dealing with. The reality is there's also a lot of anxiety. People have been living through a war.
They've also lived through the trauma of the January protests and the uprising that was also brutally suppressed. There's been no justice. And
the Islamic Republic is brutal in its suppression of Iranian society. And it is also executing young people, individuals in trials that are not, of
course, free and fair. And that, you know, leads to this just pervasive cloud of fear and uncertainty.
[10:25:03]
I don't see protests right now emerging. You know, analysts like myself are not good predictors of these mass protests ever. But nevertheless, you
know, we should keep watching how Iranians are responding. The government is trying to keep salaries paid to prevent food shortages. We're not at
that breaking point where the government isn't able to respond. That's also important. They have prepared for a long war. They anticipated this war.
And they're keeping trade flowing.
They're trying to keep everything as normal as it can be despite the fact that there is uncertainty and of course strikes all around.
ANDERSON: It's good to have you, Sanam. Always a pleasure. Thank you.
Well, when we come back, will FIFA back down amid stiff opposition to plans to bring in private finance? We're going to hear from someone who knows the
organization from the inside. More on that after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: We'll get you some pictures from Greece at this point because this is one of the many wildfires burning in southern Europe right now.
This one in a town near Athens. The Greek fires have turned deadly this week. At least three firefighters have died fighting the blazes, and
hundreds of people have been forced to evacuate the burn zones as gale force winds fanned the flames.
I'm going to keep you updated on the situation, of course, as it develops there.
Well, FIFA president Gianni Infantino is under a lot of pressure at this point. His senior adviser Carlos Cordeiro has today resigned over a
controversial plan, excuse me, to inject private money into the World Cup. This comes as FIFA doubles down on carrying through with its plans despite
UEFA, its richest member association representing European football, voting to boycott the World Cup if this plan to raise private capital were to go
ahead.
FIFA has said it will push ahead with a consultation anyway that will ultimately lead to a final vote from all 211 members in mid-September.
CNN's WORLD SPORT'S Andy Scholes across the latest and the very latest, of course, is this resignation by Cordeiro.
How significant is that?
ANDY SCHOLES, CNN WORLD SPORT: Certainly is. I mean, it's very significant, right, Becky? Because it really says a lot when one of your right hand men
come out this strong against a proposal like this. You know, Cordeiro, he didn't hold anything back in his resignation saying, quote, "As a senior
adviser to the FIFA president, a former banker and a lifelong football fan, I cannot stand by while FIFA considers selling a stake in the World Cup.
[10:30:01]
"Let me be clear, I had no involvement in this proposal and I oppose it unequivocally. It is a bad deal for FIFA's member associations, a bad deal
for football and a bad deal for the long-term future of the game."
So, Becky, just think about everything he said there. I mean him saying this, I mean, it just goes to show you how tight a circle it must have been
for this idea. And it's really clear that Infantino really didn't see Cordeiro's or anyone else around him advice when he was trying to push
through this FIFA forward enterprise.
ANDERSON: Good to have you. FIFA standing defiant despite UEFA's announcement that it will boycott the World Cup. Other associations have
also rejected the proposal. At this point, and as you speak to people in the industry, you know, around the sport, is there any sign that FIFA could
actually walk back its proposal at this point?
SCHOLES: It seems like they went with the old double down approach. You know, it seemed like the moment to walk it back, Becky, was kind of today
after UEFA said they were going to boycott all future competitions, but we know that did not happen. But now, you know, you got UEFA, you got
Concacaf, you got the Asian Football Confederation all coming out against it. If you add it all up, Becky, that's 143 countries out of the 211.
So Infantino he clearly doesn't have the votes. And earlier I asked the vice president of UEFA, Laura McAllister, who was in the meeting deciding
for that boycott, what she thinks needs to happen next.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LAURA MCALLISTER, VICE PRESIDENT, UEFA: Nobody except FIFA came up with a proposal that threatened the soul of football, and had we not stood up in
the way that we had with a threat of boycott, which of course is commensurate with the scale of the threat that FIFA put before us, we would
be letting this proposal go through. So we had no choice. But now it's up to FIFA to really deal with this as quickly as it possibly can by removing
this proposal, by apologizing to the federations for the insulting way in which it's been handled, and accepting that they need to really reconsider
the principles upon which their governance operates and the ways in which they make decisions about the future of our sport.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHOLES: Yes. And Becky, Laura also told me she'd like this resolved today, but obviously that's probably not going to happen. But we'll wait and see.
You know, the first thing on the calendar that could see potential disruption is an under 20s World Cup. And that begins in 36 days. So, you
know, you really feel for the players in this situation. They had nothing to do with this.
ANDERSON: Yes.
SCHOLES: They're all training, getting ready for these tournaments, and now they're kind of stressed out about whether or not these games are actually
going to happen. So, you know, like Laura said, we'll see. Sooner rather than later we would love to see a resolution in this.
ANDERSON: All right. Good. Well, for more -- thanks, Andy.
For more on the crisis that FIFA is frankly confronting at this point, let's bring in Miguel Polanes Maduro. He is a former chairman of FIFA's
Governance Committee.
I want to start with your reaction to the resignation of Carlos Cordeiro. I mean, how consequential do you believe this could be?
MIGUEL POLANES MADURO, FORMER CHAIRMAN, FIFA GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE: I think the proposal of Mr. Infantino was already dead. It was killed the moment
that UEFA announced that it was going to boycott FIFA competitions unless Mr. Infantino will back down on this proposal. And the reason is because
without UEFA football associations, the economic value, the commercial value of the competitions will be lower. So that was, I think, the nail in
the coffin of this proposal by Mr. Infantino.
And what we're seeing now is that most stakeholders, other stakeholders in the world of FIFA have realized that the proposal is dead and they are
distancing themselves from that proposal and Mr. Infantino.
ANDERSON: Right, but there's no indication that FIFA or Infantino will back down at present. In fact, they're doubling down on this. So what happens
next?
MADURO: I think, I really believe that the proposal will stand no chance at this current moment. Both for economic reasons and by now the majority of
the football associations have said that they oppose it. The public outcry is too strong in this case against this proposal. So I think the only
remaining question is whether Mr. Infantino himself will survive. That's the first question.
ANDERSON: Yes.
MADURO: And the second is whether this proposal and what happened will be used as evidence to finally impose on FIFA the reforms that are necessary
in terms of its governance model and eliminating the conflict of interests that permeates the organization, or whether instead, the fact that it was
possible to block this proposal will use again, as we have seen in the past, in 2016, and more recently with the Super League as a pretext to not
reform FIFA and then things will go on, and sooner or later we will have a similar scandal to this.
[10:35:16]
ANDERSON: So there are two really important issues in that. Firstly, does Infantino survive this? And secondly, what about reform to the governance
of FIFA, which you have suggested, I think is needed because of, quote, "the conflict of interest that permeates the organization."
Let's start with the first one. Does Infantino survive this, to your mind?
MADURO: I think that if he backed down, as I believe he will back down by saying that it was always only a proposal on the table and that he has
always said that the ultimate decision will belong to the football associations, that he will be able to survive. But I'm not sure it is the
case. I also don't think that is the very important -- the important question because if -- we've seen these problems with FIFA, with avalanche,
we've seen them with Blatter and we've seen them now with Infantino.
This should tell us that the problem is not one of personalities. It's with the system of incentives that exists in FIFA. And that leads me to your
second question, is the governance problems that plague the organization? And at the heart of it is a systemic conflict of interest between being and
claiming to be, on the one hand, the custodian of the sport and the regulator of the sport and of the markets related to that sport, and at the
same time being the main commercial actor in that sport. There's no other market where that happens and is accepted and needs to be solved.
The second problem is that FIFA's governance model is one of extreme concentration of power at the top, without any appropriate mechanisms of
checks and balances. If we don't solve the conflict of interest that is at the heart of FIFA, and if we don't reform its governance model, I'm afraid
that we will continue to see scandals like this. Maybe not as obvious as this one, but the hyper commercialization of the organization and the
problems that plague that will continue to exist.
ANDERSON: OK. Let me ask you a really basic question, a yes or no on this. To that point, on the conflict of interest, is this a stitch up between
Gianni Infantino and big business, including the Trump family?
MADURO: I'm sorry. I couldn't hear very well the question. Can you repeat it, please?
ANDERSON: Is it a stitch up between Gianni Infantino and big finance, including people associated with the Trump family?
MADURO: That was part of the problem, I think. That explains a lot of the opposition from all the people in the football world. But at the same time,
this is simply one more step on what is already the hyper commercialization of football that we've been seeing in the past years. FIFA is putting
profits ahead of the other interests that ought to protect the football. And this is an extreme example of that. That was aggravated by the way the
process took place and that very close relationship between Mr. Infantino and the Trump family.
ANDERSON: Good to have you, sir. Always a pleasure. Thank you.
MADURO: Thank you.
ANDERSON: We are back after this quick break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:40:46]
ANDERSON: Welcome back. You're watching CONNECT THE WORLD with me, Becky Anderson. The headlines for you.
U.S. President Donald Trump says an agreement has been reached for the complete disarmament of Hamas and other armed groups in Gaza. A senior
Hamas official tells CNN it is contingent on Israel upholding its obligations under the October ceasefire agreement and the deployment of an
international stabilization force to Gaza.
Iranian forces have targeted an air base in Kuwait used by the U.S. military. That is coming from Iran's state media. Kuwait's army says it
intercepted the attack, and there are no human casualties. At the same time, neither Iranian media nor the U.S. military is reporting any strikes
inside Iran overnight.
Well, the senior adviser to FIFA president Gianni Infantino has resigned. Carlos Cordeiro says he quit in protest at Infantino's controversial plan
to inject private money into the World Cup. He calls the proposal a bad deal for football and a bad deal for the long-term future of the game.
Well, a witness to the fatal shooting -- ICE shooting of a man in Texas is now breaking his silence. Jose Trinidad was inside a work van with Lorenzo
Salgado, who was, we see here, when Salgado was shot by federal immigration agent. Trinidad was just a few feet away when gunshots rang out, and he's
now speaking out for the first time about what he saw.
CNN's Ed Lavandera has this exclusive report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOSE TRINIDAD ROJAS PLIEGO, WITNESSED FATAL ICE. SHOOTING (through text translation): I feel a bit traumatized or something like that. I'm sad
about what happened, and especially about what I saw since I was the one who witnessed it all.
ED LAVANDERA, CNN SENIOR U.S. NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Jose Trinidad says things will never be the same. That he's traumatized by the
shooting because he saw it all. The 52-year-old construction worker witnessed the final moments of Lorenzo Salgado's life from inside the van
driven by the man he simply called El Patron, the boss.
It was just before 7:00 a.m. on July 7th when ICE officers in unmarked cars started pursuing the four-man crew of construction workers in East Houston.
Trinidad says he was sitting a few feet behind Salgado in the van. Jose tells me during the pursuit he heard the men up front say they were being
chased by ICE. officers. Videos show ICE. officers pursuing Salgado's van in unmarked cars. At one point racing past the van on Canal Street.
The last video shows ICE officers taking the three other men into custody and Salgado on the ground, handcuffed, just after being shot.
When the ICE officer shot, where was he standing?
PLIEGO (through text translation): On the side.
LAVANDERA (through text translation): Who's side?
PLIEGO (through text translation): Of his brother.
LAVANDERA (through text translation): On the passenger side?
PLIEGO (through text translation): The passenger's side.
LAVANDERA (voice-over): Trinidad says the ICE. officer shot Salgado through the passenger window. The Department of Homeland Security says during the
chase, Salgado attempted to evade arrest, then weaponized his vehicle and tried to run over an ICE officer. And that's when an agent opened fire in
self-defense.
PLIEGO (through text translation): That's a lie.
LAVANDERA(through text translation): That's a lie?
PLIEGO (through text translation): Yes.
LAVANDERA (voice-over): Trinidad says the DHS statement is a lie. There are no known videos that capture the moment of the shooting. The ICE officers
were not wearing body cameras.
Trinidad says ICE agents were never in front of or behind the van, and that Lorenzo was about to turn himself over to the officers. The three men with
Salgado inside the van have been in custody since the shooting, but this week a judge ordered Trinidad's release, and this is the first time he's
spoken publicly in detail about what happened. After his release, Trinidad paid tribute to his friend at the memorial honoring Lorenzo Salgado on
Canal Street, and then prayed at his friend's gravesite.
Jose Trinidad says he and the other men in the van were simply going to work, and that he's speaking out in hopes of getting Lorenzo Salgado and
his family justice.
We asked the Department of Homeland Security to respond to Jose Trinidad's allegations that their version of events in the shooting was a, quote,
"lie." DHS referred all questions to the FBI, which is investigating the shooting.
The other two men that were in the white van with Trinidad, they remain in immigration custody. Trinidad is out, but there are terms of his release
which dictate he must check in regularly with ICE.
[10:45:04]
He has to wear an ankle monitor, and he is not allowed to work in the U.S.
Ed Lavandera, CNN, Houston, Texas.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: And we are back after this quick break.
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ANDERSON: Peptides, a new obsession in some parts of the health industry. Incredibly popular among wellness influencers and even the U.S. health
secretary. Beneath the viral hype does lie a fast-growing online shadow economy with little oversight or regulation.
CNN's Bijan Hosseini takes a look at the global peptide gray market.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SEAN CLANCY, WORKOUT COACH: This is the beginning. Here we go.
BIJAN HOSSEINI, CNN INTERNATIONAL PRODUCTIONS SENIOR PRODUCER (voice- over): Today, I'm doing a HYROX workout led by Sean Clancy.
CLANCY: OK. On to the run. Now we go.
HOSSEINI: What?
(Voice-over): A four-time first place finisher.
This is not fun.
(Voice-over): My workout partner is Marcello Ferri. He's a fitness influencer and a self-confessed peptide user. He's one of the millions of
people around the world now incorporating peptides into their wellness routine. But what exactly are peptides and why is everyone suddenly talking
about them?
In simple terms, peptides are short chains of amino acids. They act as signaling molecules in our bodies. They've exploded in popularity across
the fitness and wellness world. Proponents credit them with faster recovery, fat loss, better sleep, sharper performance, and muscle growth.
The problem with peptides right now is that the market is moving much faster than the science. While some peptides like insulin and GLP-1s have
been tried and tested, many of the most popular peptides haven't even started human clinical trials.
MARCELLO FERRI, WELLNESS AND LONGEVITY ADVOCATE: Are you ready?
HOSSEINI: No. I'm not.
(LAUGHTER)
HOSSEINI (voice-over): Marcello represents a growing number of people who have chosen peptides as part of a doctor-supervised wellness protocol.
FERRI: It's going slowly and you get your shoulders down as quickly as you can.
HOSSEINI (voice-over): But for every Marcello, there are millions more navigating this market alone.
So it didn't take very long to get pointed in the right direction to order some peptides through the gray market. I got on a Reddit forum. I reached
out to one of the members. They gave me their contact, a guy named Bob on Telegram. I reached out to Bob and he immediately sent me his catalogue. I
mean, there are dozens and dozens of peptides on here, and they are a fraction of the cost.
This is why so many people are going to the gray market, because they can get these peptides much cheaper. But the problem is the safety risk.
FERRI: I speak to people all the time that are using peptides, and I always say, oh, you know, where are you sourcing them from? And so many of them
are just sourcing it from a gym bro, for example. And when you're buying something from a Telegram group, you've got absolutely no idea what's being
injected.
[10:50:01]
HOSSEINI (voice-over): A peer-reviewed analysis published in 2026 evaluated over 6,000 gray market peptide samples sold directly to consumers. Between
42 percent and 71 percent failed to meet basic quality criteria, and bacterial contamination was present in 15 percent of those tested.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Peptides, you want to know more about peptides?
HOSSEINI (voice-over): Despite the risks of the gray market, many people, including doctors, do see potential in peptide therapies, and clinics are
opening all over the world, including here, inside one of Dubai's most exclusive addresses, Atlantis the Royal.
At AEON, the process begins with a full diagnostic checkup.
Thank you.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you know by any chance your height and weight, sir? Have you weighed yourself recently?
HOSSEINI: My height is 5'10" and a half.
(Voice-over): Body scans, blood panels and heavy metals and mineral analysis.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Circumference measurement in progress.
HOSSEINI (voice-over): These are just some of the tests I had to complete before seeing the doctor.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: -- pressure, OK? Let me know if it's painful.
HOSSEINI: Dr. Basanta?
DR. BASANTA KHATRY-CHHETRY, AEON CLINIC: Good morning.
HOSSEINI: Hello. How are you?
(Voice-over): And there's a reason I had to get all this testing done. Some peptides work by stimulating blood flow and accelerating cell growth. And
in the wrong body, that can be life- threatening.
KHATRY-CHHETRY: If we see any indications of something being abnormal, we can act and intervene quickly. Again, if you're doing alone, you won't
know.
HOSSEINI: Well, that's the scary part, right? I'm not only getting the peptides because you don't know where they're coming from or what's in
them, but not having any of this data. So how do you know if they're working or if they're harming you?
KHATRY-CHHETRY: Exactly. Not only working, harming, right? The hidden harm and who you're following up with yourself with Google, Doctor Google.
HOSSEINI: Yes.
(Voice-over): At the end of my consultation, Dr. Basanta prescribed me four peptides and he taught me the proper way to inject myself.
Disclaimer, this is for demo purposes only. I will not be injecting myself with peptide. We're using saline, right?
KHATRY-CHHETRY: Exactly.
HOSSEINI (voice-over): If you're considering peptides, the medical advice is consistent. Only use compounds prescribed by a licensed physician,
sourced from a regulated pharmacy, and monitor your journey with regular blood work. It's a practice Marcello says he's been doing for years.
FERRI: Peptides, they hate to say they're not going anywhere. But I think if it's something that you're interested in, make sure you're doing your
research, make sure you're working with licensed physicians and don't just copy. Don't just blindly copy something because an influencer online has
told you.
HOSSEINI: Yes. Quick dip?
FERRI: Good.
HOSSEINI: Oh, that is good.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Bijan reporting there.
Well, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. has launched a new cooking show. "The Real Food Show" is on his YouTube
channel. It features his revised dietary guidelines, which were criticized for emphasizing meats but praised for rejecting ultra-processed snack
foods. Kennedy said the show reminds people cooking with real food can be simple and affordable, but it's also a chance to gather around the table
and share at a time when people are too often isolated.
Right. After the break, New York, Venice, Bilbao and now Abu Dhabi, the Guggenheim Museum set to open in the UAE later this year, broadening the
reach of the global art and architectural giant.
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[10:55:01]
ANDERSON: Well, for tonight's "Parting Shots," a new addition to the global art scene. A celebration of contemporary arts and a masterpiece designed by
the late architecture legend Frank Gehry, the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi will open its doors to the public this December. Almost two decades in the
making, the modern arts museum, with 30 galleries and 23,000 square meters of exhibition space, Guggenheim Abu Dhabi will be the largest in a
portfolio that boasts museums in New York, Venice and Bilbao.
Now, despite regional tensions and geopolitical uncertainty, the opening of the museum a statement of economic resilience and future-facing intent, and
a message from Abu Dhabi of its steadfast commitment to invest in culture and arts.
Very much looking forward to that.
That is it for CONNECT THE WORLD today. Stay with CNN. "ONE WORLD" u next.
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