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U.S. Treasury Secretary Vows "Economic D-Day Is Coming For Iran"; Iranian Women Defy Efforts To Enforce Wearing Of Hijab; Last-Ditch Efforts To Strike A Deal Fell Through On Friday; United Kingdom's Burnham Visits Kyiv On First Trip As Prime Minister; 90,000 Urged To Flee Fast-Moving Nevada Wildfire; Rift Deepens After Israeli Strike In Syria. Aired 10-11a ET

Aired August 24, 2026 - 10:00:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:00:57]

ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN Abu Dhabi, this is CONNECT THE WORLD with Becky Anderson.

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: And welcome to the second hour of the show from our Middle East programming headquarters here in Abu Dhabi,

I'm Becky Anderson where the time just after 6:00 in the evening.

Well, the U.S. says it's economic D-Day for Iran as Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent gears up to take to the podium today at 1:00 p.m. Eastern

Time, about three hours from now. We will unpack what he is expected to announce.

And another front of economic conflict is opening up. This one between the U.S. and Canada after trade talks between the two, collapsed over the

weekend.

And we are following a new lifeline for Ukraine. The U.K. Prime Minister Andy Burnham making his first trip to Kyiv and promising access to Storm

Shadow cruise missiles. How far, though, will that go when Ukraine desperately needs air defenses?

Well, with the war dragging through its sixth month now, and no clear end in sight, the U.S. is set to try a new strategy against Iran. U.S. Treasury

Secretary Scott Bessent writes in the Financial Times, "At dawn begins an economic D-Day, the single greatest financial offensive ever marshaled

against an adversary. The world should understand that our objective is to sever every economic lifeline that sustains the tyrannical regime until

Tehran stands alone."

Well, Bessent set to announce details of the new sanctions at a news conference starting just a few hours from now. Ahead of that, Iran's

currency, the rial, has dropped to a record low against the U.S. dollar. The IMF expects the Iranian economy to contract by more than five percent

this year, while inflation for food exceeds 100 percent and unemployment rises.

Leila Gharagozlou joining me now here in the studio, and I want to talk about what's going on on the ground in Iran momentarily. But before we do

that, the U.S. has been imposing sanctions on Iran, of course, since 1979, and President Trump already has pursued a maximum pressure campaign in his

first term. So, what do we believe he can realistically achieve at this point?

LEILA GHARAGOZLOU, CNN PRODUCER: I mean, this is the big question that everyone's asking: What can actually be achieved by this increased economic

pressure? Because Iran has already sanctioned to the gills, right? You've said since 1979 they've had decades of sanctions, and there's not much left

to sanction. And economic pressure has never caused Iran to change its calculus, or coerce it to change its behavior, or even capitulate to the

U.S.

So, what is achievable is very unclear. And most of the experts and analysts I've spoken to have said it's unlikely that Iran will change.

ANDERSON: So, part of this, I think, we believe, is about enforcing those sanctions that already exist, ensuring that those countries that do do

business with Iran understand that they will be in the crosshairs of Washington should they continue. Correct?

GHARAGOZLOU: Yes. So, Russia and China, two countries that do so much trade with Iran, China being its biggest trading partner, are you know being said

to be on the chopping block for potentially getting roped into these sanctions.

Now, Iran itself has said that if these countries do that, they will be liable for attack. So, it's unclear if Trump can actually get Russia and

China to change their behavior. Right now, both those countries are only the lifeline that Iran has.

Zzz Leila, Donald Trump now saying Iran is, and I, " him here, completely collapsing. Just break down for us what is going on inside the country and

the impact on those living there.

GHARAGOZLOU: Yes, so the brunt of sanctions is always felt by ordinary people, particularly in Iran, where they don't actually impact the

government and the government doesn't change its behavior. So, it's decades of economic pressure on the people, and it's really gotten to a point where

they can't survive this anymore.

[10:05:01]

I've talked to so many business people and ordinary Iranians. They can't afford food, medicine, basic goods, treatments like chemotherapy, dialysis.

Actually, a photojournalist, Yalda Moaiery spoke to Jim Sciutto, saying that things have gotten really bad. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

YALDA MOAIERY, IRANIAN PHOTOJOURNALIST: People cannot afford the very basic needs that -- I'm talking about the food, exactly, meat, you know, chicken

and seafood are completely deleted from the Iranian table, and unfortunately now we are going to delete the groceries, the fruit and

everything a body will need. So, I mean, the effects of what is happening in Iranian life will show itself like years later.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GHARAGOZLOU: Yes. So, as she says, I mean, this impact is on the ordinary people. Now, in 2025, the Lancet published a study showing the impact of

sanctions and saying that economic sanctions kill people. They had this astounding stat that the U.S. and E.U. sanctions were associated with over

500,000 deaths annually from 1971 to 2021 around the world, and that's higher than the annual number of battle-related casualties, which is at

about 100,000.

So, these economic sanctions on Iran are causing real impact on the ordinary people.

ANDERSON: Absolutely, Leila. Good to have you. Thank you very much indeed.

I want to bring in Sina Azodi now, who is the director of the Middle East Studies Program at George Washington University, also the author of Iran

and the Bomb: The United States, Iran, and the Nuclear Question, also with U.S. CNN Politics Senior Reporter Stephen Collinson. Good to have you both.

Thank you very much.

Stephen, let me start with you. You just heard Leila here in Abu Dhabi break down the U.S. history of sanctioning Iran to the maximum. So, what do

you see as actually different today? How are you reading between the lines of what the Trump administration's sort of strategy is at this point?

STEPHEN COLLINSON, CNN POLITICS SENIOR REPORTER: I think there is a question here of whether the United States coming up with a new strategy to

fulfill its own political needs, the fact that it's fought this war for six months and still hasn't won it, or whether this is a viable strategy to

change the situation in Iran and the Middle East, and that I think the proof of that will be playing out over the next couple of hours as

Secretary Bessent announces those measures.

I think it does come down a lot to the question of whether he is willing to go after Chinese entities, Chinese banks and firms that are dealing with

Iran. That comes with a potential cost to the United States. The president is supposed to be President Xi Jinping in a major summit next month in

Washington. It's very difficult for me to see him actually taking steps that will ruin the atmospherics of that summit. The steps that will be

required to make a major impact, I think, on Iran's economic bottom line.

ANDERSON: Let me bring you in, Sina at this point, I just wonder whether you can fill us in a little bit more about the economic picture inside of

Iran and whether the pain this will inflict on the Iranian people themselves will have any bearing on the regime's actions, which at this

point seems to be a slightly different narrative from that of the government, and we can talk about that. But just if you can answer that

first question.

SINA AZODI, DIRECTOR, MIDDLE EAST STUDIES PROGRAM, GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY: Well, I think Leila explained everything perfectly, and this is

what I've also heard from Iran over the past few years. Iranian economy has been turned into a radioactive material, meaning that even the goods and

merchandise that are not technically sanctioned are being less accessible to the people because of the financial pressure, because companies are

unwilling to work with Iran even before the start of this maximum pressure campaign, foreign companies that sold medical equipment to Iran refused to

do business with Iranians because of the fear of U.S. sanctions and the punishment of United States.

So, I think in in the short and medium term, we're going to see a lot of impact on the Iranians that are being becoming more poor over the past few

years.

ANDERSON: Sina, I do know from speaking to people sort of regionally and those who've been involved in some of the negotiations with Iran that its

relations with other BRICS countries are very important to Tehran. To the government in the first instance, I wonder whether that same sort of

importance is put by the regime on these other relationships, and I'm talking about China, I'm talking about Russia here, I'm talking about

Brazil, of course, India, and other global South countries.

I wonder whether you can break down, if you will, some of the internal divisions that we are hearing, as well within the Iranian government,

between the hardliners and the pragmatists over how to approach this next stage of what is now, you know, most recently a six-month conflict.

[10:10:52]

AZODI: Well, when it comes to foreign relations, traditionally the pragmatist forces are they're convinced that to ensure the survival of the

Islamic Republic, Iran needs to trade and have commercial and diplomatic relations with the West, and this was the really the essence of Rouhani

administration, the former president Rouhani, who signed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

The hardliners believe that Iran does not need to trade or have investment or commercial relations with the outside world, especially with the West.

Some of them think that China is the new superpower of the 21st century. So, as long as Iran has relations with them or trades with them, the

Islamic Republic will be safe.

Relationship with Russia is a little more problematic for them because of the history of Iran's relations with Russia. Some of them are extremely

concerned about Russia's designs for Iran. Some of them think that Russia is Iran's security partner. So, there are many ways of thinking in inside

Iran on how to approach or conduct foreign relations.

ANDERSON: Yes, and putting these other relationships in jeopardy as the U.S. warns other countries, the Chinas and you know the others of this

world, that they will be, you know, in the crosshair should they continue to flout these sanctions is going to be really interesting to watch at this

stage how Tehran manages those relationships going forward will be key, of course.

Stephen, we are about 70 days away from the midterms, the U.S. midterms. Trump's economic headwinds do seem to be growing: stubborn inflation, a

record $40 trillion deficit, the U.S.-Canada trade war roaring back, which we'll get into in greater depth in a few moments. I wonder, can he really

afford a renewed economic war with Iran, or does he simply not care at this point?

COLLINSON: Well, I think that's something that's going to be factoring into the considerations of Iran and indeed China as they react to this

announcement today. on the face of it, Trump cannot afford that kind of economic escalation, there are questions about rising energy prices, which

are hurting Republicans' prospects in midterm elections in November. There are a great deal of worries in the U.S. about the volatility of the bond

market, something that Trump has really looked at quite closely, and that has caused some climb downs earlier in his administration.

You know, the president does have leverage over China. He could say to Chinese firms that if you deal with Iran, we are going to buy you from

activity in the much bigger U.S. market, the problem with that is that that would create even worse economic conditions. And we've seen over this

second term of Trump that China has bested him in a trade war because it threatened to withhold rare earth imports to the United States, which are

vital to the U.S. tech industry and the defense industry.

So, the steps that Trump would have to take to really push this to a critical point for Iran would cause a backlash in the United States. You

rightly mentioned the added risk of economic consequences from the trade war with China.

And I think there's one more thing that's important here, there's a long history in Washington of hawkish officials and analysts seeing deprivation

in Iran, economic disintegration in Iran, and some political arguments among the elites as a sign that Iran is about to imminently collapse. That

has never happened over the last 50 years of the Iranian Revolution. History doesn't necessarily tell us what is going to happen here, but

Washington, I think, has a much greater sense of its own power over the Iranian economy and politics than it does, and I think that's what the war

has taught us over the last six months.

[10:15:18]

ANDERSON: A couple of months ago, I want to say maybe three months ago, Sina, I heard from sources around the Gulf. That the effort, you know, over

the following couple of months, which would take us to about today, and through this MOU, which of course is now defunct, was to really squeeze the

Iranian economy and those Gulf countries who were sort of supporting, albeit without getting involved, the U.S. efforts again Iran. You know,

bought into that idea that this -- there was sort of you know economic collapse, as Donald Trump has suggested.

The UAE, where I am, of course, is Iran's second largest trading partner, and did announce last week that it was cutting off trade ties, seemingly in

response to this new U.S. strategy, but it does underscore the precarious position of these Gulf countries after Iran threatened to renew attacks in

this region for those countries complying with the U.S. Just have a listen to that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ESMAEIL BAGHAEI, IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESPERSON (through translator): America, the America that was supposed to come to help the

Iranians, is using every means available to punish the Iranians simply for one reason: because of their resistance to pressure on their national

independence, sovereignty, and dignity.

In this regard, the necessary warnings have certainly been given and are being given because any kind of cooperation with America in advancing its

aggressors' actions against Iran will certainly have its own consequences.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Given that it does seem that America has sort of switched off its sort of military options tap and it is now fully focused on this sort of

economic squeeze. Just expand on that tightrope that the Gulf is walking here.

AZODI: Well, as you pointed out, they are in a very difficult situation because Iranians have, in the past six months since the start of war have

made it clear that if they are going to suffer, everybody in the region is going to suffer.

In fact, when you look at the diplomatic history of Iran's relations with the GCC countries, I've seen reports from U.S. embassy reports that Emirati

officials had warned them that if you corner Iran, Iranians may start acting crazy. That's their words, not mine.

So, from the '90s, they knew that if the U.S. squeezes Iran, there's a good chance that Iran will go -- will go after the GCC countries and punish

them. So, it is as I said, they're in a very difficult situation. We saw that Emiratis bore the brunt of Iranian attacks in the past few months, and

Iranians have made it clear that if they can't export their oil and act as their money, everybody in the region is going to suffer. They said it

before the war, and they implemented their threats. And the region is in a situation where it cannot sustain this situation for a very long time.

ANDERSON: Stephen, it's good to have you. Stephen, thank you as ever. You're a regular guest, both of you, regular guests on this show, and your

insight and analysis massively important as we look at what is now the end of six months of this conflict with no resolution, it seems in sight.

But a big speech today by Scott Bessent just a couple of hours from now, when at least Washington, the U.S. the Trump administration, Bessent

himself as Treasury Secretary, believes they have the ammunition to really put the squeeze, the real squeeze, on this Iranian economy now.

Good to have you both. Thank you.

Well, members of the Coalition of the Willing are meeting in Ukraine. British Prime Minister Andy Burnham is co-chairing that meeting during his

visit to Kyiv, and he has just spoken to reporters. Let's have a listen.

[10:20:11]

All right. It does seem as I will get that for you just shortly.

Well, in scenes reminiscent of several years ago, many Iranian women are openly flouting the rule requiring them to wear hijabs. This comes as

hardliners start to enforce mandatory dress codes for women. Jomana Karadsheh has the details for you.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): What you're doing is disgraceful. Even in Turkey, you can't go out like this.

JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This woman is being publicly shamed by another woman for showing her bare legs in

Iran.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

GRAPHIC: How dare you come out looking like this?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE; (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE) GRAPHIC: Enough!

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

GRAPHIC: Don't let it happen again.

KARADSHEH (voice-over): Eventually, officers arrive and make her put on pants.

KARADSHEH: This scene is being played out in cities across the country. The focus seems to be turning back to how women are allowed to dress.

KARADSHEH (voice-over): At the height of the war, women without headscarves were even seen at pro-government gatherings. The regime seemed to have

bigger priorities.

But now, hardliners are pushing the hijab back on the agenda. Cafes, restaurants, and shops are being shut down for failing to enforce mandatory

dress codes.

KARADSHEH: Hardline clerics are demanding tougher enforcement.

KARADSHEH (voice-over): This cleric, speaking directly to President Masoud Pezeshkian.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

GRAPHIC: To what extent do they have to take off their clothes for it to be a red line, so you say: "Ah, this must not be done anymore."

KARADSHEH: But there's a problem for the regime.

KARADSHEH (voice-over): Iranian women are not backing down.

Four years ago, the death of Mahsa Jina Amini, in custody after being detained by the so-called Morality Police, ignited the Woman, Life, Freedom

protests.

The uprising was brutally suppressed, but widespread acts of defiance survived. Today, women walk through Iranian cities without headscarves and

ride motorcycles through Tehran, Shiraz and Isfahan. As the war with the U.S. seems to stall, an old confrontation is bubbling up.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: Well, now to allies embroiled in a deepening trade war, U.S. President Donald Trump has slapped 50 percent tariffs on Canada 5-0 after

talks between the two countries collapsed over the weekend. Now, the Canadian Prime Minister is vowing to retaliate dollar for dollar with

levies of his own.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARK CARNEY, CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER: Let me be clear. We take this step reluctantly, reluctantly because we recognize that some of these measures

will raise costs and reduce choice for Canadians. Reluctantly, because we recognize that some U.S. companies and some U.S. states are innocent

bystanders in a dispute that they did not want. Reluctantly, because this trade dispute is preventing Canada and America from doing so much good that

we could do together.

At the same time, we take this step confident that it is in the best interest of Canada, and that by rejecting a bad deal, by standing up for

Canada, by focusing on what we can control, we will build Canada strong for all.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Well, President Trump posting this minutes ago to social media, "Canada has been ripping off the United States of America for years. Their

ridiculously high tariffs on our farmers and farm products has made life impossible for these great American patriots." And he goes on to say, "They

feel entitled, and yet we don't need Canada. They need us."

Well, despite the standoff, some Trump administration officials say they expect Canada will be anxious to return to negotiations soon.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEAN DUFFY, U.S. TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY: We want fairness for the American worker, and some of our best friends are the worst offenders that

treat us the worst. And the fact that we provide their security for them and they take advantage of us, I think President Trump was the first one to

go, you know what? That's not the kind of relationship that friends should have, and so the president's calling them out. I think you're going to see

Mark Carney come to the table very, very quickly because it's going to be devastating for his country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Well, I spoke to CNN's Alayna Treene last hour about what led to the breakdown in these talks.

ALAYNA TREENE, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Essentially, what we've heard, and specifically, we heard a lot of this coming from the Canadian Prime

Minister, Becky, Mark Carney on Saturday, arguing that the U.S. was expecting too much.

Now, if you talk to Trump Administration officials or listen to their public comments, they're arguing that Canada was asking for too much. So

clearly, two very different sides here. I do want to read to you a little bit of what we heard from Carney on Saturday in the immediate aftermath of

these negotiations collapsing.

He said essentially that the United States had proposed new terms that were uneconomic, unfair, and undermined the net benefits for Canada. He went on

to say that, in short, the U.S. asked too much and they offered too little. Then, of course, you read that statement from the president saying Canada

wants too many benefits. It's essentially like they want to be a state.

So, the two sides remain far apart. I would remind you, though, of what they were actually discussing. You know, part of the potential deal that

was on the table, one that the president, President Donald Trump actually said last week he believed was close to being finalized included

significant tariff reductions on steel, aluminum, autos, and lumber, as well as a national security partnership.

[10:25:23]

None of that, of course, now coming into effect. But previously there were discussions about having some of the tariffs already placed on Canadian

goods from the U.S. side. Now we're seeing this major escalation of the U.S. imposing, as you mentioned, 50 percent tariffs on 20 billion dollars

of Canadian goods.

Canada now saying tit for tat, dollar for dollar tariffs in retaliation, and then you also hear the U.S. saying we're going to further retaliate on

your retaliation. So very much unclear where this goes from here. I will say though, despite what you heard from the treasury, excuse me, the

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy in that clip you played.

If you listen to Jamieson Greer, the U.S. Trade Representative, he argues that there are no new negotiations planned and that it's very much unclear

when they could see talks resume, given the breakdown over the weekend and a lot of the barbs that have been traded, Becky.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: Come on, CONNECT THE WORLD with me, Becky Anderson. The Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warns Russia may soon mobilize more troops to

try to capture the rest of the Donetsk region, we'll get more on that and hear from the U.K. Prime Minister, who is in Kyiv right now.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: Well, members of the Coalition of the Willing, as it's known, are meeting now in Ukraine, the British Prime Minister Andy Burnham is there.

He's co-chairing the meeting during what is his visit to Kyiv, and he just spoke to the press. Here's part of what he said.

All right, we do seem to be having some technical issues there. Well, with the war dragging through its six-month and no clear end in sight. Nic

Robertson following this story for us, sincere apologies. Nic was reading a script from the Iran conflict, which is having some technical issues here,

and I'm sure our viewers will understand that.

This is not six months on, of course, this war with Russia, it's more than four years. Just break down the significance then of this decision by

Burnham to offer Storm Shadow missile technology to Ukraine. What do we know about what Ukraine desperately needs at this point, and whether it is

that, as it were?

[10:30:00]

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Russia has ballistic missiles. Ukraine doesn't really have many ballistic missiles.

What the French version or the French-British version of the British Storm Shadow, the French-British version is known as SCALP, and the technology,

the component parts, the design thereof that Burnham is going to give to Ukraine will be used for Ukraine to be able to have its own factory to put

together these SCALP missiles.

They go about 350 miles cruise missiles. So, they are not like a ballistic missile. They are not as fast. They don't come with quite the surprise. But

they are giving Ukraine a longer reach. And by giving Ukraine the ability to build their own, that means they can reach deeper into Russia. Not as

far by any stretch as the sort of 2,000-kilometer, 600-mile range of their long-range drones.

So, Ukraine really wants to have this defensive capability to stop the ballistic missiles hitting its cities. But as what we heard from Andy

Burnham today saying, yes, we are going to support you. We are going to support you for as long as necessary with whatever it is necessary to

support you.

But he also framed it that the way -- part of the way, to stop Russia's ballistic missiles coming into Ukraine is to be able to target the places

where implicit that those missiles are made, and that's what President Zelenskyy wants. That's how some of his officials, as I was listening to

one earlier today, frame this longer reach by more precise ballistic missiles, cruise missiles as well.

(CROSSTALK)

ANDERSON: Right.

ROBERTSON: Will help these sophisticated, highly precise bunker penetrating stuff is what they are going to be getting.

So, it's a multitude of support. It's a complex picture.

(CROSSTALK)

ANDERSON: So -- yes.

What this meeting will address today is, of course, the kind of 30,000-foot view, which is the more than four years of this Russia-Ukraine war? Where

does it stand right now? And is there really any hope of diplomacy, a diplomatic off-ramp, as we like to call it at this point?

ROBERTSON: Yes, I think what the Europeans are seeing, and definitely what the Ukrainians are seeing, is to go back to the missiles. The more that

they can put economic pain on Russia, the more they can deplete Russia's ability to fire missiles at them by striking the places where the missiles

are made, and as they have been doing recently, hitting points in the Russian economy distribution centers that they know will get the attention

of the Russian population, as well as hitting oil refineries and such like oil -- gasoline production facilities, that again gets the attention of the

Russian population and hurts the Russian economy.

That's the way they see to put pressure on Putin, who they believe is under pressure, and Burnham spoke about that again today, saying this is the

moment to increase the pressure and put more pressure on Russia because the perception is Russia won't come to the table until it feels that economic

and, to a degree, military pain back in Russia, and that's what the Ukrainians are intent on doing, as well as you were mentioning, trying to

defend themselves against incoming ballistic missiles.

ANDERSON: Yes. Always good to have you, Nic. Thank you.

It is just after half past 3:00 in London, just after half past 6:00 here in the UAE.

Coming up on CONNECT THE WORLD with me, Becky Anderson: Tens of thousands forced to flee their homes as a wildfire scorches Nevada. Sun is well up

there. We are going to get the very latest on what is going on, on the ground after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:36:38]

ANDERSON: Welcome back. I'm Becky Anderson in Abu Dhabi. You are watching CONNECT THE WORLD. These are your headlines this hour.

And the U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says the Trump administration is going to impose a "economic D-Day" on Iran. He is expected to reveal

details on a plan for severe sanctions when he holds a news conference a couple of hours from now.

Iran says any countries cooperating with the U.S. will face consequences. Sorry, cooperating with Iran will face consequences.

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham is. Kyiv, as the U.K. agrees to share classified information to help Ukraine develop long-range what are known as

SCALP missiles. His visit comes as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warns that Russia could mobilize another 300,000 troops later this year, as

it seeks to capture the entire Donetsk region.

Well, a fast-moving wildfire near Reno, Nevada, has burned more than 60 square kilometers. Thousands -- tens of thousands of people have been urged

to evacuate their homes. The human-caused Hawk Fire remains uncontained, as strong winds apparently complicate efforts to bring the flames under

control.

Well, CNN meteorologist Derek Van Dam joining us live from the CNN Weather Center.

Just speak to us about this fire. It's uncontained, zero percent contained at this point.

So, what's the forecast like for the next days? And what are these -- what are these firefighters sort of battling? What are the challenges at this

point?

DEREK VAN DAM, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Well, it's an all hands on deck, not only from the ground, but also from the aerial assault back here. You could see

just the National Guard being deployed with some of these large air tankers. This is a helicopter. You can see the pilot actually flying this

vehicle, or I should say, this helicopter, to the front lines, trying to extinguish that with any kind of fire retardant or the water that it

carries.

They are facing very challenging conditions because this is largely a wind- driven fire event that exploded in size because of the intense winds this weekend.

It began on Saturday, really exploded, kind of ballooned into what it is now on Sunday. Now, we are waking up this morning to very terrifying

moments. This is obviously, the fire kind of encroaching on a neighborhood here.

Remember, the epicenter, or I should say, the ignition point of this wildfire is about five miles to the north and west of the city of Reno. But

there are still the outskirts here that are threatening homes, buildings, and we've already seen the damage.

So, just to give our international viewers kind of a geographical perspective. We are talking about the western U.S., many hotspots, many

wildfires still ongoing across. Oregon and Washington and Idaho.

But this is the Reno wildfire that we are paying close attention to right now. It's called the Hawk Fire. So, here's a look at the burned area. That

is the burn scar.

And what we're going to do is overlay these wind barbs, just to show you the progression of the winds over the coming days. Remember, overnight

temperatures are meant to cool. The relative humidity is spent to increase, help the firefighters get that upper advantage to the wildfire. Well,

that's just not happening, and unfortunately, the winds are circulating through the course of the day, picking up in the afternoon hours, and

further spreading this wildfire afield.

So, that is the concern. This really, this pressure gradient between an approaching trough and an area of high pressure that's putting the heat on

the western U.S. that squeeze.

[10:40:02]

It's like funneling air through or between buildings in a city like New York City or San Francisco or Hong Kong, for instance.

The wind has nowhere to go, or at least the air doesn't. So, it increases the wind speed, just as a matter of physics, really. And that's going to be

the case for the rest of the week, and picking up in intensity as that pressure gradient becomes more and more tight through the next 24 to 48

hours.

There is relative humidity. We want to see those numbers above the teens and the single digits, but that's really just not happening.

So, we are going to increase the fire risk as we go forward in time with a zero percent containment on this Hawk Fire. 15,000 plus acres burned so

far. We don't want to see Reno included in the elevated fire danger, as we go forward in time this week.

But unfortunately, that's what we are facing, and that's what the wildfire and the firefighters on the ground are facing as heat builds, the

vegetation stays dry, and there is no rain in this forecast. Becky,

ANDERSON: That's why we put you on, because you have just made something very, very complicated very, very, very clear. So, thank you for that.

VAN DAM: I appreciate that.

ANDERSON: A worrying, worrying times there for those who are dealing with what is going on. Thank you, mate.

Well, dramatic new video shows the moment sheriff's deputies handcuffed an Ecuadorian mother at a Florida hospital after she and her daughter were

involved in a car crash, officials allege that the women were living in the U.S. illegally, and ICE issued detainers for them.

Now, the footage shows the daughter lying on a hospital bed while trying to grasp onto her mom. The sheriff's office says that deputies were there to

speak to them about the crash. The family's GoFundMe fundraiser disputes the reason for the detention.

CNN's Rafael Romo has been on the story, and he filed this report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RAFAEL ROMO, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: What we know is that both the mother and her daughter, who are both Ecuadorian nationals, were taken to

HCA Florida Poinciana Hospital in Kissimmee with neck and other injuries following a car crash, according to family members.

Later, while they were being treated at the hospital for their injuries, a family member who was with them recorded a cell phone video, showing the

moment of their detention.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GIA CALERO, SISTER TO MOTHER DETAINED (text): Why are you treating her like this, for God's sake, what has she done?

ROMO: And Sara, the woman heard yelling in the video is Gia Calero, who is a sister to the mother and therefore the younger woman's aunt. The video

she recorded shows Polk County Florida Sheriff's deputies handcuffing the mother while her daughter lies on a hospital bed, wearing a hospital gown

crying hysterically while trying to hold on to her mother.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (text): Please! Please, I beg you! Please!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMO: The Polk County Sheriff's Office said the mother and her 19-year-old daughter were taken into custody, because they were allegedly living in the

United States illegally and ICE issued detainers for both women.

But according to a post on GoFundMe written by family members, Grace Calero Cabanilla, the mother, has a pending asylum case and a work permit. While

her 19-year-old daughter, Giulianna Carriel Galero, has a visa valid through 2030.

The GoFundMe page has been verified by CNN as belonging to the family, but CNN cannot independently verify the claims made in it.

Gia Calero, the woman who recorded the video, Sara, says she personally witnessed her niece Giulianna become so distressed after seeing her mother

taken away that the 19-year-old had a seizure. She added that the young woman takes prescription medication for anxiety and depression and was not

allowed to take the medication with her when she left the hospital. She said Giulianna was given an I.V. to calm her down.

The Department of Homeland Security told CNN that both women entered the U.S. legally but allegedly overstayed their periods of legal admission and

the Polk County Sheriff's Office told CNN that the women were detained after they were discharged from care.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: Understood. Thank you.

Well, coming up on CONNECT THE WORLD this evening: Israel and Turkey at odds over Syria. Why the U.S. envoy says Israel may have been baiting

Ankara? More on that after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:46:43]

ANDERSON: Well, the U.S. is trying to ease tensions between Israel and Turkey, after Tel Aviv struck an airbase in Syria, that it says was being

used by Turkish forces last week. Now, U.S. envoy Tom Barrack, saying in an interview with podcaster Mario Nawfal that Turkey is not interested in any

kind of hostilities with Israel.

Barrack called Israel's move an unnecessary escalation and suggested a possible political motive since Israel's elections are about two months

away. Have a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TOM BARRACK, UNITED STATES SPECIAL ENVOY: They are not interested in attacking or even engaging in any kind of kinetic or adversarial

relationship with Israel. It's not good for the region. It's not good for them. Everybody is looking for an off-ramp.

So, one theory is they were just baiting Turkiye. That it's a very aggressive, but maybe a well-received pre-election concept.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: CNN's Jeremy Diamond, joining us live from Tel Aviv. I thought those were really interesting words and framing from Tom Barrack.

So, is Netanyahu casting Turkey as his latest enemy, what do we understand about Israel's position here, as Tom points out, just some weeks ahead of

an election?

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: Well, Ambassador Barrack is certainly a diplomat in the region, known for speaking his mind, for his

candor, and sometimes for going off of the traditional diplomatic script.

But what he is suggesting there is certainly something that's been discussed in Israel as well. That the Israeli Prime Minister's kind of

aggressive moves in in Syria could potentially be, you know, one part of a multi-pronged effort to display himself to the Israeli public as someone

who is tough on national security and who is not going to be afraid of striking to prevent potential threats from developing.

And let's bear in mind that that is indeed what we are talking about in Syria is the Israeli belief that Turkey was on the verge of deploying some

of its troops to Syria at Syria's invitation.

(CROSSTALK)

ANDERSON: Yes.

DIAMOND: Not that it had happened, but merely the idea, the possibility that it might happen in the near future, from the Israeli perspective, was

enough to justify carrying out that strike on that airbase. And it does reflect a major change in Israel's security doctrine since the October 7th,

2023 attacks, where Israel is basically going after even just the mere possibility of capabilities that could develop into a threat before, rather

than just going after threats as they actually emerge and pose themselves to be threats to the state of Israel.

So, it reflects a change in Israel's security doctrine. It reflects, perhaps, the Israeli prime minister's current, you know, political election

campaign as well. But ultimately, what it's leading to right now is, you know, a series of negotiations mediated by the United States between Israel

and Syria.

And for now, the Syrians don't seem to be backing away from the path that they have chosen to take since Ahmed al-Sharaa came into power following

the Syrian civil war, which is that he is seeking de-escalation with Israel.

[10:50:02]

Sharaa has made clear repeatedly that he is not seeking any kind of confrontational posture towards Israel. And, in fact, that both sides

seemed quite close to negotiating a potential security agreement that could potentially see Israeli troops withdrawn from the portion in Syria that

they have been occupying since Sharaa came into power.

Now, the Israelis publicly have not commented on all of this, except for the Israeli prime minister's comments about the Turkish president a few

days ago.

So, we don't know exactly where the Israelis stand as far as their willingness to reach this agreement with Sharaa, particularly, in the lead-

up, you know, with a couple months left until the Israeli elections, but certainly the Syrians, despite having seen a -- you know, one of their air

bases struck by the Israelis and hundreds of other Israeli strikes over the last year, they see -- still seem quite willing to engage in that diplomacy

and to try and reach some kind of agreement that could calm down these tensions.

ANDERSON: Yes, good to have you. Thank you.

Jeremy is in Tel Aviv.

I'm going to part the politics for a moment.

Still to come on CONNECT THE WORLD, this:

Did he lose a bet or something? Norway's football star Erling Haaland gets a new look for the new season, and frankly, the Internet is going crazy.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: Well, the revving of engines echoed in the streets of Washington, D.C. on Sunday, as the U.S. Capitol hosted the IndyCar Freedom 250 Grand

Prix race. That is the last major event in the series celebrating America's 250th anniversary.

The streets of Washington surrounding the National Mall were transformed into a 2.7-kilometer racetrack with President Trump waving the green flag

to release the drivers.

27-year-old Florida native Kyle Kirkwood clinched victory.

Well, football star Erling Haaland is the talk of the English Premier League, and frankly, talk of the footballing world after the first weekend

of its new season. The Man City striker chopped off his famously long blonde locks in favor of this, a buzz cut.

His once flowing hair made him one of the most recognizable players during Norway's run at the 2026 World Cup. Haaland took social media to show off

his new look and had the Internet a buzz.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ERLING HAALAND, NORWEGIAN PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALLER: This beautiful blonde hair. Time to let it go.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Short hair, don't care. Soccer star Erling Haaland, delivering a surprise to his fans and celebrities alike with his fresh new

do, trending his famous blonde locks for a buzz cut. Haaland's flowing tresses had been a part of his signature look for years, and notably took

center stage during his 2026 World Cup run.

Inspiring memes and look-alike contests.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Haaland! Haaland! Hey! Haaland! Haaland!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Fans quickly took to social media to mourn after he debuted his cut online and on the pitch for Manchester City's opening match

against Bournemouth.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Erling Haaland, please -- Erling Haaland, please. Please stick that trim on right now.

[10:55:00]

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The Manchester City player documented the transformation in a YouTube video, saying, he had been thinking about debuting the look

for the new Premier League season.

When the damage was done, Haaland facetimed his teammates and other soccer superstars to get their first reaction.

HAALAND: I'm not looking like girl anymore. What do you think?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Many will thought, 17 years old!

ZLATAN IBRAHIMOVIC, RETIRED SWEDISH STRIKER Oh, my God! Block me and erase my number my friend.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: For fans of the soccer superstar, it's the end of an era. But the buzz around Haaland, clearly isn't going anywhere.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

The Zlatan response, I think, just was all -- Zlatan. I mean, just typical. Block me. That's a great little piece. And the end of our show.

That is it for CONNECT THE WORLD. Stay with CNN. "ONE WORLD" is up next. From the team working with me here in Abu Dhabi, it is a very good evening,

same time, same place for you tomorrow.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

END