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Connect the World
Trump Unveils New Executive Orders on Birthright Citizenship; Afghan Man Appears in Court Over Aid Worker's Death in Greece; New Details Emerge in Scottish Aid Worker's Killing in Greece; Iran Plans to Charge Service Fees to Pass Strait of Hormuz; Real Madrid Secure Vinicius Jr. With New Long-term Deal. Aired 9-9:45a ET
Aired August 07, 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: Well, another attempt by Donald Trump to limit birthright citizenship in the United States. Will
this attempt hold up legally? It is 09:00 a.m. in Washington, 02:00 p.m. here in London. I'm Becky Anderson.
You're watching "Connect the World". Good to have you on board. Also coming up, a tragic day in Thailand. A teenage shooter there targets his school,
killing several teachers. We have a special report for you from there. And flame fueling winds and intense heat, the race to contain the wildfires in
Washington State is about to get harder.
The stock market in New York opens about 30 minutes from now. U.S. futures still higher, although they have been higher than this. They are slightly
dropping back now as an unexpected drop in U.S. jobs has been posted last month, being considered by investors as they place their bets.
No sign as of yet, of course, of a U.S. Iran deal. Also, a focus for markets. Back there in half an hour for the opening bell. We begin in
Thailand today, though, where authorities say, a teenage gunman carried out a deadly rampage at his school before taking his own life.
He's accused of killing at least five teachers among the country's deadliest school attacks in recent years. Authorities say the teen also
killed his grandparents at their home before heading to the school and opening fire. CNN's Kristie Lu Stout, following reaction, and has a lot
more on this story for us.
KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Becky, it was a horrifying act of violence carried out by a 14-year-old on Friday. A student opened fire at a
secondary school just north of Bangkok, taking lives before taking his own. Sheltering in place during a school shooting, boys and girls crouching
under their desks with gunshots heard in the background.
This is at a school in Thailand. On Friday, a 14-year-old student opened fire at a secondary school just north of Bangkok. Several teachers are
among the dead. His grandparents are found dead at the home where he lived. The suspected teen shooter turned the gun on himself before going to
hospital.
He was later confirmed dead by the prime minister. In this social video verified by CNN, we see students evacuating. In uniform, they rush to leave
the halls of their school as a staff member helps to evacuate them.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We started hearing some noise in building 5, and we had no idea what happened after that. At first, I thought they were sounds of
firecrackers or someone banging onto something loudly, but then we started realizing they were not. And then it started getting more frequent, like
bang, bang, bang, and then it went quiet at one point, and the shooting started again.
I didn't think it was the sound of a gun. After that, we went to the toilet. We thought it was over. I walked over there when a teacher shouted,
quickly, run here. He's gone to building 4. So, we had to run here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STOUT: This is believed to be the weapon that was used. Police handout reveals a handgun along with several rounds of ammunition scattered on the
ground. People across Thailand have reacted with shock and sadness, including the Thai Prime Minister.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANUTIN CHARNVIRAKUL, THAI PRIME MINISTER: I'm very sad that this has happened. I'm not only sad for the deceased. I'm sad by the fact that this
kind of incident could happen in our country. This is the reason why the government does not permit the extension of firearms possession. This is
exactly why.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STOUT: Mass shootings are rare in Thailand, but gun ownership there is high compared to other countries in the region. According to a 2017 survey, more
than 10 million civilians held firearms in Thailand. That's 15 guns for every 100 people. After today's shooting, police will investigate how a
student managed to get hold of such a lethal weapon and why.
Thailand's Ministry of Education has expressed deep sorrow and pledged tightened safety measures for students, and this would include measures to
prevent weapons from being brought into schools. The ministry also announced financial aid for the families of the victims, Becky.
ANDERSON: Well, to the Gulf of Middle East now, with a Saudi Arabian official telling CNN the country is anticipating multiple coordinated
attacks by Iran-backed groups. The official says ports and airports could be targeted by Iraqi militia working with Houthi rebels from the south.
This as Iran and Oman appear close to finalizing a proposed framework for commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian media says the
two countries' shipping routes will remain in use temporarily before being replaced by a central path.
[09:05:00]
And there is said to be anger from Donald Trump over reports that U.S. munitions are dwindling after months of war. We are in the sixth month of
this U.S.-Iran conflict now. He has acknowledged some weapons supplies, though, are tighter. Well, CNN's Leila Gharagozlou is in London.
And maritime security still really very much the story of the Gulf, and we should mark off the latest Leila on the Oman Iran deal taking shape. But of
course, at the same time, news today that Saudi is preparing for more attacks. What more do we know at this point?
LEILA GHARAGOZLOU, CNN PRODUCER: Hi, Becky. Yeah. So, as you mentioned, we've heard that Saudi is saying that they are expecting more attacks.
We've also heard of this pact between Saudi, Pakistan, and Turkey, and one of Iran's hardline parliamentary members actually posted on X responding to
this pact, basically saying that the Saudis should understand that a paper agreement with Turkey and Pakistan will not bring them security, just as
decades of one-sided dependence on Americans failed to do so.
So, we're already hearing some pretty harsh words from members of parliament in Iran, as we're also seeing these talks go on between Iran and
Oman. So, there is this effort to de-escalate, while we are also hearing the potential of something once again happening and things kicking off in
potentially a new front to this war.
So, a lot of conflicting messages. We also have just seen the Deputy Foreign Minister of Iran also speak to Iranian state media, saying that
diplomacy is always on the table and it never stops. But he also has said that the U.S. should not underestimate Iran and think that because they are
coming to an agreement with Oman, this is a sign of weakness or capitulation.
So, a lot of moving pieces here as we wait to see if the strait, a new pathway through the strait, is going to open, Becky.
ANDERSON: Yeah. And meantime, of course, a maritime coalition taking shape to secure passage for ships through the Red Sea off the coast of Saudi,
which includes Egypt, Turkey, and Pakistan. As you say, a lot of moving parts in the region at present. A region that is still feeling the real
brunt of threats of attacks from Iran, security front and center for the Gulf at this point.
Well, President Trump renewing his push to curb birthright citizenship. The president signed two executive orders on Thursday, less than six weeks
after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Trump's previous attempt. The new orders target what the administration calls birth tourism and alien
enemies, tightening laws already in place and narrowing recognized exceptions.
White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller described the administration's goals.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STEPHEN MILLER, WHITE HOUSE DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF FOR POLICY: The president is using his authority as commander in chief to sign first an executive
order using the new ruling the Supreme Court issued to expand the definitions of people who are ineligible for birthright citizenship.
That includes, for example, alien enemies of the United States, members of foreign terrorist organizations, and large categories of people who lobby
and act on behalf of foreign governments.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, CNN's Alayna Treene joining us now from the White House with the very latest. We've just been talking about the U.S.-Iran conflict,
of course, and that is normally what you and I talk about.
ALAYNA TREENE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yeah.
ANDERSON: It is busy though with domestic sort of stories there at the White House, and this is a really important one. This is Trump's second
attempt to curb birthright citizenship in the United States. So, what is different this time?
TREENE: Yeah, look, he's trying again, and I don't think it was surprising to many of the people, other reporters here like me, who know how the
president has really tried to do this, even dating back to his first term. This is something that he views as being a crucial part of his immigration
enforcement agenda.
But to your question specifically about how is this different than the orders that the Supreme Court, as you mentioned, Becky, just struck down
less than six. Excuse me, less than six weeks ago. Well, look, they appear more designed. These EOs, the ones that he just signed yesterday, do seem
more limited.
They appear designed to largely tighten laws that are already in place and narrow some recognized exceptions. I will say, from speaking to some
experts, some folks at the Department of Homeland Security. Some of them arguing this seems more like a messaging effort.
But let's get into what exactly it does. And I should note off the top here that it's not immediately clear exactly how these new orders and what
they're aiming to do would actually be in force.
[09:10:00]
But inside these orders, they essentially restrict those who would qualify for birthright citizenship to one, excluding children or staff working for
foreign governments but serving in the United States. They also want to exclude the mother, the babies of mothers who these orders say lie about
their intentions for visiting the country while pregnant.
That's of course getting at the so-called birth tourism part of all of this. There's also a third category for babies born in U.S. territories,
but that would first require congressional action. Now, of course, the other order is really looking at children whose parents are tagged by the
government as being part of known terrorist groups who they call alien enemies.
Now, again, I think it's important to note where we were just a little less than six weeks ago, the Supreme Court made clear in their ruling that if
you look at the 14th Amendment of the Constitution, babies who are born on U.S. soil are U.S. citizens. They upheld that law, but this is the
president seeming to try and get around it with these new executive orders that are really limited in scope.
Look, I think an important thing as well to point out here is why the president is doing this. This is something that he really wanted to do, as
I mentioned back during his first administration. The people who were around him then, Becky, essentially told him this isn't going to happen.
It's not going to work, and essentially convince the president to leave it. Well, when he came back into office for a second term, emboldened really by
the people around him and particularly by someone, Stephen Miller. You mentioned him. He's the president's top domestic policy advisor and really
the architect of the president's immigration agenda.
He convinced the president to push ahead with this, and this is their way of trying to get around an issue that the president believes is a huge
issue. Even as there's, you know, you look at the data, about 0.3 percent of babies born in the U.S. are considered, you know, birth tourism, as the
White House is trying to call it.
So, unclear what could happen with this, but for the enforcement mechanisms and if they try to really put these into practice, we could see some
litigation. So, stay tuned for that. But definitely, the president trying to get around that latest Supreme Court order, Becky.
ANDERSON: Yeah, Alayna Treene is at the White House. Looks like a very nice day there at 10 pasts 9 in the morning. Coming up, the latest U.S. jobs
report is out, and that hasn't got the sun shining on it. A tough summer for teen job seekers could tell us a lot about the health of the labor
market there.
We'll have a look at that. Plus, flame fueling winds, tinderbox conditions, and intense heat back in the U.S. Pacific Northwest as fire crews rush to
contain new blazes. We are tracking developments, and we'll get you more, after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[09:15:00]
ANDERSON: New in the last hour, the U.S. economy unexpectedly lost 23,000 jobs last month, far worse than the roughly 95,000 gain that economists had
expected. The unemployment rate, however, did edge slightly lower to 4.1 percent. Friday's report adds to signs that employers are becoming more
cautious about hiring as they navigate what are a number of sorts of growing headwinds.
CNN's David Goldman with more from New York. So, pick apart these numbers for us. What do they tell us about the economy, David?
DAVID GOLDMAN, CNN BUSINESS SENIOR REPORTER: Yeah, the job market at least is not in a great state right now, Becky. 23,000 lost jobs, doesn't even
tell all the story because we also had revisions to previous months. And there were 100,000 fewer jobs created in the previous two months.
So, this is certainly not a great story. Now, this is a decent number. You know, 4.2 percent is where we were in the month prior. But the reason that
this fell is because people are leaving the jobs force. They're saying I'm so fed up trying to find a job, I'm not even going to try anymore.
4.1 percent is not bad, but it's not falling for the right reasons. Now we've had a significant amount of job growth going all the way back to
2022, but then look at the last couple years. We've had kind of alternating between job gains and job losses. Here's another job loss.
This is not exactly the economy that you want to be going into an election for certainly, if you are in the United States, and if you're trying to
find a job, it becomes increasingly difficult to do so if hiring isn't happening. There's not a ton of evidence that firing is happening.
In fact, we just had last week the lowest number of unemployment insurance claims since 1969. So, no firing, but also not a ton of hiring. One problem
that we found in this report is also how much people are getting paid. Only a 3.2 percent gain over the past year. That's a problem when inflation is
3.5 percent.
It meant that inflation is eating your pay raise over the past year. Now we didn't have that situation at all, and I'm sorry about the colors. This is
a little hard to see. I'll fix that. But this yellow line above the blue line meant that for three straight years you were outpacing inflation.
Now that isn't the case anymore. We'll see if that shifts again, but that is why so many people are complaining about affordability issues. What
about that World Cup bump that we were supposed to have with all the jobs created here in this country. Well, there's not a lot of evidence for that.
Retail fell by more than 19,000. Leisure and hospitality fell by 40,000 after a month of 40,000 losses in the previous month. So, we are just not
seeing the World Cup making a jobs boom in the United States. Healthcare continues to be the best sector for jobs growth in the United States.
22,000 gained jobs, but that isn't going to cut it when you're losing all of those other jobs. Becky, this is why the stock market is doing what it's
doing, and certainly the bond market. This is the one that we need to watch because the Federal Reserve may not be able to hike rates if this is going
to be the state of the jobs.
ANDERSON: Good stuff there, really important. Thank you.
GOLDMAN: Thank you.
ANDERSON: Well, after many years of being an undemocratic state, Venezuela kicking off talks that some, at least, hope will lead to a democratic
transition. Mary Triny Mena is in Caracas for you.
MARY TRINY MENA, REPORTER: The Venezuelan government and a faction of the opposition have officially started in-person talks in Caracas. The first
round of talks will last until August 12th, next Wednesday, and it will be ongoing, according to a statement released by the parties.
Photograph marked the beginning of the conversation, showing six representatives from each side, separated only by a Venezuelan flag. On one
side, Jorge Rodriguez, brother of Acting President Delcy Rodriguez, leads the government delegation. Dinorah Figuera heads the opposition delegation
from the 2015 National Assembly, which Washington recognizes as Venezuela's last democratically elected institution, a notable absentee is one of the
main opposition figures in Venezuela.
Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Maria Corina Machado, who had confirmed she is not participating in the process, although Machado have said she will be
following closely the outcome of the talks. Delegations have committed to several ground rules and principles, including the respect of the
sovereignty, search for peaceful resolutions, and also keeping track of the results.
[09:20:00]
So far, among the goals are providing humanitarian support and aid for the victims of the twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela last June, and
carrying out institutional reforms to overhaul major government branches such as the Supreme Court and the Electoral Board.
But perhaps one of the most controversial topics to be included in the agenda is establishing a timeline for new presidential elections. On
Thursday, the U.S. State Department welcomed the Caracas stocks as a unique opportunity to address key issues for Venezuela.
According to the State Department, this process plays a key role in the Trump Administration three-phase plan to conquer stabilization, economic
recovery, political stabilization, and also reconciliation, and eventually a transition in Venezuela. For CNN, Mary Triny Mena, Caracas.
ANDERSON: Well to the Pacific Northwest of the United States now, and fire crews in Washington State are fighting destructive blazes there as an
increase in winds and the return of intense heat now fueling outbreaks again. Tens of thousands of people have been told to flee the Spokane area,
and many who have returned have come back to find their possessions left in ashes.
Authorities say that is due to the current conditions, and evacuation zones will stay in place for many days to come. So, let's get you more, Allison
Chinchar is at the weather center. What's the full picture then on the extent of these fires, Allison?
ALLISON CHINCHAR, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yeah. So, the good news was earlier this week when weather conditions were a bit more improved, they were
finally able to start making advances in the containment numbers, which is fantastic. But the fire crews now have more of the forecast to worry about
going forward in the next 24 to 48 hours.
It's why you have that elevated fire risk, not just for the area of Spokane, Washington, but really for much of the western U.S. As you can see
by that orange shaded area, we also have red flag warnings in place. Now, this is essentially taking into account not only the above-average
temperatures, but the fact that the winds are supposed to increase in the coming hours.
And also, the fact that everything is just extremely dry in these regions, especially around Spokane, where we've had those several fires in that
general region. We talked about temperatures. The average in Spokane this time of year is about 86 degrees Fahrenheit.
The temperatures themselves are expected to be in the 90s over the next few days. And it's not just Spokane, much of the West is looking at those
temperatures about five to 15 degrees above average. That makes it more difficult for those fire crews to kind of continue to make more
advancements.
But the biggest concern for them going forward is certainly going to be the winds. They have been very low for much of this week. We're now going to
start to see them tick back up today, perhaps up to about 20 to 25 miles per hour. Not just today, but also into Saturday.
I know 20 to 25 miles per hour may not sound like all that much, but what you have to understand is it is more than enough to take some of those
embers that already exist and transfer there and spread them very quickly and very far away, perhaps even starting new fires.
So, this is going to be the biggest concern that these areas have in the coming days. Even into Saturday, again, the map looks very similar Saturday
to what it does for today, just because we anticipate those winds remaining on those higher levels of 20 to 25 miles per hour, even into Saturday.
One thing to note too is the wind is going to change direction. So, a lot of the smoke that has been kind of plaguing a lot of these areas is also
going to change direction. So, one thing that's going to be good news, perhaps for places like Seattle and Portland, is the smoke is actually
going to be moving away.
So, you should actually start to get some clearer skies and better air quality conditions in the next 24 to 48 hours as those winds begin to
shift. On the flip side, however, for other areas like Spokane and really for much of Oregon, much of Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming, the air quality
may end up getting worse because more of that smoke is now going to shift into some of those areas.
So, you've got the ebb and the flow here that we'll have to keep an eye on for the next two days.
ANDERSON: Well, thank you for doing that for us, and more, of course, as we get it. Thank you. Well, an Afghan boxer made a new court appearance in
Greece on Thursday as he faces accusations of killing a female aid worker. Police believe this video shows the suspect wheeling a suitcase in which he
allegedly put the victim's body before dumping it at a construction site in Athens, where it was found last month.
He has been charged with intentional homicide, robbery, and firearms offenses. He denies the homicide charge. Elinda Labropoulou with the
details.
ELINDA LABROPOULOU, JOURNALIST: It really is a horrific story. It's also a very unusual story because, as you can understand, it involves a suitcase
in the middle of Athens. This construction site was in a very central location in Athens and was found in the middle of the summer, containing a
person on top of that.
And then the news broke that this was an aid worker, that it was a foreign national, a British aid worker Elisabeth Ross.
[09:25:00]
So, police in Interpol got on the case, and more information started emerging. Some of the most significant facts are that the phone of the
woman continued to work for days, it seems, after her death. So, it only stopped when her body was found, and it contained messages sent to friends
and family saying that she needed time for herself, she needed to be away from people, so basically pushing people back.
So, her death remains unknown. Also, money was being drawn from her bank account, and police told us that the amount that was drawn was about 10,000
euros until again the murder was discovered. Police started an investigation. CCTV footage emerged showing a man wheeling a large suitcase
in the area.
It is the man who was then identified as the suspect, the Afghan 26-year- old. And the other lead that police got was from the man's wife, who went to police and actually testified, saying, well, on the night of the 15th,
her husband was missing from home, and they have a tracker, a tracker app, and the tracker app showed that he was in the flat of this woman, the aid
worker that was then found dead.
In the beginning, she did not confront him, but started thinking about it once they found the body. This was a person that was known to both of them.
It was another aid worker, and all of them had worked together in the past. So, this led to the man's arrest on Sunday, and to where we are today, the
man is now pending trial.
ANDERSON: Understood. Elinda Labropoulou on the story for you. Well, we're going to take a very short break. When we come back here on "Connect the
World", uncertainty continues to cloud the financial markets as Iran maintains its hold on the Strait of Hormuz.
No sign of a deal as of yet between Iran and Oman, or a wider deal with the U.S. of course. We'll check in on the price of oil and what is going on
with these markets, after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back. I'm Becky Anderson in London. You're watching "Connect the World", and wherever you are watching, you are more than
welcome. These are the headlines. Police say a teenage gunman killed five teachers and two family members in a deadly rampage in Thailand.
Authorities say the 14-year-old killed his grandparents in their home before shooting the teachers at his school.
[09:30:00]
The suspect later took his own life. A motive, as yet, remains unknown. Well, leaders from Pakistan and Turkey have joined, just signed a joint
defense deal with Saudi Arabia. It's a landmark pact for the three nations who have played a role in diplomatic efforts to end the conflict between
the U.S. and Iran.
Well ringing the opening bell today on Wall Street, Argentinian Cement Producer Loma Negra. It's the 100th anniversary, I am told, of that
company, and a lot of smiling faces there from those who are gathered for the job of ringing in the opening bell on this Friday, last trading day of
the week.
And the Dow Jones up by about a fifth of 1 percent that is not great shape and has been higher during the futures trading. So, the indications are
these markets are getting slightly weaker as we move into the fall trading day. We'll keep an eye on those for you.
Iran's parliament drafting a law that would ban what it called hostile vessels from transiting the Strait of Hormuz, according to Iran's fast news
agency. It also an agreement with Oman on managing traffic using the strait that but it wouldn't -- says it wouldn't necessarily lead to a general
reopening of the waterway.
Well, the oil markets obviously keenly watching what is going on, on the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway for global shipping. Got those prices off
just a little bit today, but again, we'll keep our eye on those wouldn't be surprised if we see a slightly higher price as we move through the trading
day.
Brent and WTI crude both at present easing back after heading higher on Thursday. Well, our next guest is an expert on the shipping industry and
says carriers are facing a shortage of options for both moving oil and container cargos. His latest report says ship transits through the Strait
of Hormuz are currently about 10 percent of pre-war levels.
He says, carriers keep trying to strike the right balance between the soft patch of demand and their eagerness to deploy capacity. Peter Sand, joining
me now, he's the Chief Analyst at Xeneta, which is a ship tracking company, and was the chief shipping analyst for the Baltic and International
Maritime Council, which all goes to say, you've probably forgotten more about the shipping industry and this very important waterway, the Strait of
Hormuz, than most of us will ever know.
That it starts with that ongoing negotiation between Iran and Oman, and what we are hearing on that from Tehran. I mean, ultimately, you know, the
Iranians saying this doesn't necessarily open the strait, even if they get the kind of, you know, they get the channels and the ownership and
operation of the channel sorted out between the two of them.
So, what does this mean for global shipping and trade?
PETER SAND, CHIEF ANALYST AT XENETA: Nobody never ever get a chance to catch a break and actually perform what they do as logistics professionals
these days, right? It goes for geopolitical disruptions left, right, and center. Let alone, I mean, COVID is a long time ago.
But we're all but seeing Asia to U.S. East Coast trade rates now touching $10,000 for one container only. And we're only getting higher by the day,
and that's due to the fact that nobody really knows what's going on in and around the Strait of Hormuz, and someone is trying to gain control of an
area that should be free and safe for everyone working in maritime supply chains to transit.
So better get the act together for those maritime professionals to do their job.
ANDERSON: So, how does 10 grand per container stack up against what the shipping industry was paying or charging, or the industry was paying or
charging pre-war?
SAND: That's a brilliant question. So, so you multiply that by 2 to 300 percent So, this is basically, you might say, the silver lining from
carriers that makes windfall profits, but also because they have the ability to actually still get some cargo moving around only to the extent
of 1/3 of what they used to, right?
But it clearly squeezed global supply chains, even though we may see it as a local slash regional conflict. It has global repercussion. So really,
rates going up from 2500 to now touching 10,000. And we're still not even in peak demand season for container shipping.
ANDERSON: And just living in the Gulf as I do, based in Abu Dhabi, I mean, we see those costs being, you know, put on the cost of goods in country,
construction goods, food goods, and the like.
[09:35:00]
So ultimately, these higher costs, which are, you know, not doing the shipping industry any harm, as it were for those who are on the right side
of this, but these costs are being pushed onto industry and consumers, and that's not good news. The Strait of Hormuz, of course, is one choke hold.
We look to the west, and we've got the map up here to the Red Sea, the Bab al-Mandab Strait, and we know there that a maritime coalition is taking
shape to secure passage for shipping through the Red Sea. At this point, that pact that operation includes the likes of sort of Egypt, Turkey, and
Pakistan and others.
How important is that choke point to the industry and the likelihood that at least there will be some policing and security in those waterways going
forward?
SAND: Yeah, for container shipping, the Bab al-Mandab Strait at the southern end of Red Sea is arguably more important than Strait of Hormuz.
Strait of Hormuz is very much about the hydrocarbons, the liquefied natural gas and oil products and crude oil coming out, right?
And of course, essentially, we got here on the verge of a global energy crisis if we do not get this sorted in Strait of Hormuz. But from a
container shipping perspective, we have really seen actually over the past couple of days, only in late July and early August, a sharp decline in
container ships actually going through.
It has been a strait where also approximately only 1, 2 out of 10 normal transits by container ships have been going through since late 2023.
ANDERSON: Right.
SAND: So that's arguably the one thing that matters most to the global maritime supply chains now, but only in most recent days are souring. And I
think, it's you talk about Saudi Arabia, you talk about the Houthi rebels acting as proxies for Iran. Clearly, there is no safe place for maritime
activity in the Middle East region right now.
ANDERSON: Yeah, Peter, does the shipping industry worry about what are these long-term plans by many of these Gulf countries, for example, to
completely avoid the Strait of Hormuz and perhaps Bab al-Mandab going forward, and the Sue is also facing a little bit of a threat at this point?
You know, the work around, of course, are these pipelines and these other trade routes. I mean, what's the sense when you step back as the shipping
industry and look at the big picture today and going forward? What does that say?
SAND: Shipping is actually capable of working magic through all sorts of crises, right? Container shipping, arguably where you are more flexible in
terms of moving manufacturing facilities around the world to de-risk your supply chains from perhaps political risk.
But if you got something that's in the ground and needs to get out, the Strait of Hormuz to oil and gas exports, there are no alternatives as they
exist now and in the foreseeable future. You can only build so much in terms of pipelines for crude, but for gas, I mean, you need to say gasify
the exports before they go on ships.
So, you need to find a stable solution to reopen Strait of Hormuz, so that's how critical I see it at least.
ANDERSON: Fascinating. It's good to have you, sir. Thank you very much indeed.
SAND: Always a pleasure --
ANDERSON: Not a story that is going away, and one that we need as much analysis and insight on as possible. All right, in New Mexico, a judge has
ordered Meta to pay 567 million dollars into a fund for the youth mental health crisis, there. On top of a previous penalty in March, a jury found
Meta liable on all counts in a trial on child safety.
In addition to monetary penalties, Meta must also quote, delete the accounts and all personal information collected from accounts belonging to
a user under the age of 13. Scientists using AI to create viruses from scratch, and the breakthrough could help fight drug-resistant bacteria.
Using millions of genetic sequencing or sequences, researchers used AI to generate thousands of viral genomes. They built and tested about 300 and
found 16 viable viruses. The viruses target bacteria rather than humans, and some were able to overcome antibiotic resistance to certain E. coli
strains.
Now, experts warn the technology also raises urgent biosecurity concerns about potential misuse. European football giants Real Madrid have had a
busy transfer window, adding a lot of new faces, but their fans will arguably have been most happy about retaining their Brazilian superstar.
Details on that are just ahead.
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[09:40:00]
ANDERSON: Jose Mourinho is back in charge at Real Madrid, and the veteran manager, special one, have the opportunity of coaching superstar Vinicius
Jr. after the Brazilian extended his contract with the Spanish Giants. I'm sure Mourinho had something to do with holding on to him.
Patrick Snell joining me now. That's -- there's some good stories at Real Madrid. There will be some Arsenal supporters are going to be a little bit
disappointed with some of the news that we're getting out of the transfer market. What are you concentrating on?
PATRICK SNELL, CNN WORLD SPORT: Yeah, hi Becky's really significant storyline coming out of the Bernabe. You could argue this is Real Madrid's
biggest and best signing of the season, holding on to a player they already had. They already coveted 26 years of age.
He's already scored over 100 goals for the club, 100 assists as well. No wonder they wanted to keep him. There had been links, especially in the
British media, linking him to Premier League champions Arsenal, but that for me was never going to happen. There's no way in my mind a player of
Vinicius Jr. stature leaves the club of the magnitude of the 15-time champions of Europe, Real Madrid.
So, it's a great business, I think, for Jose Mourinho and for Real Madrid. His contract was up in the Spanish capital next year in 2027, extended now
to 2032 at least, given the players' age. We'll see, and that's not the only piece of business Real Madrid has been doing.
They've been splashing the cash as well, Becky, on an exciting young teenager from the Ivory Coast as well. Full details on all of this with our
Spanish football expert Ruairidh Barlow coming right up on "World Sport" in just a few moments from now.
ANDERSON: Nice. That is just after this short break. Pat, back with that. I will be back in 15 minutes with more "Connect the World". Stay with us.
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[09:45:00]
(WORLD SPORT)
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