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Israel Marks Third Anniversary of October 7 Hamas Attack; Protests Expose France's Growing Economic Pressures; Cornell Officials Pressed by Faculty Over Alleged Gang Rape; World Bank: Iran War Further Weakens Middle East Economies; Emotional Messi Gets Fitting Send-Off in Final Argentina Game. Aired 9-10a ET

Aired October 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, Israel is marking three years since the October 7th attacks. These are live pictures from the Nova

Memorial site. It's 04:00 p.m. there. It is 05:00 p.m. here in Abu Dhabi. I'm Becky Anderson. You're watching "Connect the World" from our Middle

East Programming Headquarters.

Also coming up earlier this afternoon in Paris, some university students took to the streets in solidarity with high school protesters. Schools

there have been suspended in the wake of the protests and the ongoing clashes between students and police.

Fighting in Yemen escalates between Yemeni government forces and the Houthis, who targeted Aden International Airport, causing flight

disruptions earlier. And we are just about 30 minutes away from the start trade on Wall Street. Futures indicating a weaker start to the trading day.

More on that in 30 minutes when those markets open for trade.

Israel remembering the deadliest day in its history three years ago today. More than 1,200 people were killed when Hamas-led gunmen stormed Israeli

communities along the border with Gaza. More than 250 people were also taken hostage.

Well, today mourners have gathered across the country to mark the October 7th attack. A Hamas-led massacre traumatized Israel and reshaped this

region, where I am triggering the war in Gaza, looming over all of this. Israel's national election set for the end of this month. CNN's Jeremy

Diamond, joining us now from Tel Aviv, and you are there. What's the mood? And how is this anniversary being marked, Jeremy?

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: Well, undoubtedly, Becky, there is a somber mood in Israel today as the country commemorates three

years to the day since that October 7th attack on Israel, the deadliest day in Israel's history, in which more than 1,200 people were killed, the

majority of whom were civilians. 251 people were taken hostage on that day.

And today, Israel marks this anniversary for the first time with no hostages in Gaza, neither living hostages nor deceased hostages, whose

bodies had also been held by Hamas. The day began with many Israelis marking a moment of silence at 06:29 a.m. today, the moment when that

attack began and sirens began blaring in Southern Israel and then across the country as Hamas not only unleashed thousands of militants into the

Kibbutzes and communities of southern Israel, but also began firing rockets across the country.

Today, we are seeing that many of the events are kind of grassroots led by survivors and families of victims of that massacre. Two days ago on Monday,

the Israeli government held its official state ceremonies, where the Israeli Prime Minister proclaimed that Israel has killed some 4,000 of the

6,000 militants that he said had infiltrated Israel on October 7th.

But today is also a moment of accountability for many Israelis, or at least a moment to raise the quest for accountability, because so many of the

survivors of that attack have yet to see questions that they have answered about how this enormous security failure took place that day.

The Israeli Prime Minister, as you know, Becky, has refused to establish a national commission of inquiry. That has been a demand of so many survivors

of that attack. It is also what Gadi Eisenkot, the leading candidate to replace Prime Minister Netanyahu as prime minister.

What he has vowed to do as his first act in office should he be elected following the country's elections, which are slated to take place on the

27th of this month?

ANDERSON: And on that issue of accountability, how is that playing into the mood in Israel ahead of the elections somewhat three weeks from now? What's

the impact?

DIAMOND: Well, listen, October 7th and the security failures leading up to it. The fact that Prime Minister Netanyahu has never taken responsibility

for those security failures, even as many security officials beneath him certainly have at this point. All of that has played a central role in this

election campaign right now.

[09:05:00]

It is the primary issue on which Gadi Eisenkot and other leading opposition candidates have been running on, particularly in recent weeks, as more has

surfaced about the warnings that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu received from the President of the UAE, from Egypt's intelligence chief.

All of those reports surfacing in just the last couple of weeks. Netanyahu has repeatedly refused to establish an independent commission of inquiry,

vowing that it is saying that he believes it would be biased. This is also, of course, a day to reflect on the enormous impact that this -- that attack

on October 7th has had on this region at large.

Of course, it unleashed a ferocious and deadly war in Gaza that left more than 74,000 people dead. A war that is, in many ways, continuing as Israel

continues to carry out near daily strikes inside the Gaza Strip. Many of those in violation of this ceasefire agreement.

And of course, you can draw a straight line from that October 7th attack to the war in Gaza, to the war in Lebanon, and of course, the broader regional

war that has been unleashed between Iran and Israel. And of course, Iran and the United States now, a conflict that still has not been resolved and

that continues to impact the world at large.

In terms of oil prices, diesel prices, gas prices that we are seeing around the world, and of course this issue of the stability and the security of

this region. We know, of course, that moments of crisis in history sometimes provide an opportunity to choose a better path. There certainly

have been those opportunities that have come up, especially in the last year since the ceasefire in Gaza. But the realization of those

opportunities that still has not happened, Becky.

ANDERSON: Yeah, Jeremy, good to have you. Thank you. Well, the October 7th massacre, the subsequent war in Gaza, providing a straight line to this

wider regional conflict that we now see here in region and the escalating conflict in Yemen. Very much part of that. Yemen's internationally

recognized government says that Houthi rebels targeted the main airport in Aden with drones and two ballistic missiles.

No casualties have been reported. This attack coming days after Saudi- backed Yemeni troops launched an offensive to try and retake key territory seized by those militants last month, including the critical Bab Al Mandeb

Strait. Despite reports of gains, the ultimate success of that operation does remain unclear.

Nic Robertson has reported very recently from Yemen. He's been following developments throughout the week. Back with us today, reporting out of

London today. What more are you learning, Nic?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yeah, that strike at Aden Airport early this morning was at a time, albeit early, when the

airport was getting busy. A flight flying in from Cairo, Yemeni air flight flying in from Cairo, had to be diverted. It ended up landing in Jeddah in

Saudi Arabia.

The Yemeni authorities in Aden have said that this is a civilian airport. We were there just five weeks ago, flying out to Cairo. It's in a

residential neighborhood. The sort of the airport itself, not outside of the city, sort of overtaken by the growth of the city itself. The ballistic

missiles that were fired at it, the drones, didn't cause any casualties.

There's no word that they were intercepted, and unlikely that there were interceptors there. The Houthis, however, also targeted a Saudi air base,

the King Khalid Air Base in Khamis Mushait, about 60 miles north of the Yemen-Saudi border. That's a major Saudi air base, and there the Houthi

missiles, according to the Saudi authorities, were intercepted.

These claims by the Yemeni government to be taking ground, moving along the Red Sea, Bab Al Mandeb moving towards Mocha. The Houthis are calling these

Imaginary victories; they don't appear to have reached yet conclusively the town of Mocha, which the Houthis overran about a month ago.

But the momentum at the moment does seem to be with the Yemeni government, but not moving particularly quickly. They are supported by the Saudi air

force with air strikes on Houthi positions, the Houthis themselves are claiming that many of the casualties and deaths, 83 they count so far,

according to Yemeni officials dead in these air strikes and fighting. The majority, the Houthis say, of those casualties are children. This offensive

--

ANDERSON: Right, Nic --

ROBERTSON: -- to oust the Houthis. Yes.

[09:10:00]

ANDERSON: Can we just contextualize what we see then going on in Yemen today within the wider regional conflict and context, Nic?

ROBERTSON: You know, I think if we look at it this way, that the Red Sea was strategically important for exporting Saudi oil to international

markets, in particular Asia. The Houthis said that they were going to block Saudi exports of oil. Saudis are the only ones exporting oil down the Red

Sea.

Then the Saudis, then the Houthis moved to make it easier for them to be able to cut off that Red Sea, the Bab Al Mandeb Strait, and put themselves

in a powerful position. They're aligned with Iran, and being aligned to Iran in this context of the Strait of Hormuz, that Iran is blockading, the

U.S. is blockading any ships going through that would support Iran.

You have these twin chokeholds, essentially contested and currently in the hands or under the very extreme influence of both the Houthis on one side

and Iran on the other. And this presents a huge problem going forward if it cannot be resolved diplomatically as the U.S. continues to try to push

towards with Iran, not with any success so far.

And in the Houthi side militarily, the Saudis trying to take back control. This really points to longer-term instability and uncertainty for the

energy markets going forward, and the risk, significant risk of escalation.

ANDERSON: Yeah, good to have you, Nic. Thank you. We'll now switch to Europe and to France very specifically. Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu --

ROBERTSON: Thank you.

ANDERSON: -- is set to address the nation in the coming hours as his government tries to bring an end to weeks of student unrest. Protests are

continuing to spread across the country with student blockades disrupting schools and tensions escalating with arrests and violence reported at some

of those demonstrations. CNN's Melissa Bell is in Paris with more on the latest clashes and arrests.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MELISSA BELL, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): High schoolers in France angrier than ever, and determined finally to be heard

after more than two weeks of snowballing protests over school conditions, wounding hundreds of policemen and women, teachers, and high schoolers in

scenes of unusual violence.

Among those wounded, a teenager who lost his hand after picking up a crowd dispersal grenade, and another who lost the use of his eye. More than 6,000

people have been taken into custody since the movement began. Most of them minors, with much of the student's anger now directed at what they describe

as police repression.

MANES NADEL, FORMER PRESIDENT, UNION SYNDICATE LYCEENNE: The strategy of the government since the beginning, without giving any answer, any political answer, any real discussion to the social movement, they are

just creating violence.

BELL (voice-over): The difference this Tuesday, public sector unions joining the students ahead of marches across the country, saying that they

are there to protect them. Lines of nurses, teachers, and firemen positioned in front of the kids' barricades, and a new strategy from the

police.

LAURENT NUNEZ, FRENCH INTERIOR MINISTER: When there is a peaceful protest, the internal security forces do not intervene. To be clear, law enforcement

intervenes when there is a threat to property or people, or damage to public spaces or the interior of establishments.

BELL (voice-over): For more than two weeks, the students have been demanding more funding, sharing the state of their classrooms on social

media no longer fit, they say, to study in. The answer from authorities has only incensed them further.

OCTAVE MARTY, HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT: We are young enough to be kicked, to be gassed, but we are not old enough to be listened. So that's pretty crazy.

BELL: The problem for the government is in the process of trying to get closer to balancing its books for 2027 and to spend less, if only, to calm

markets that are jittery about France's financial outlook.

BELL (voice-over): And for now, there is no sign of the movement dying down, with many grown-ups here now taking the side of the kids. Melissa

Bell, CNN, Paris.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: Well, as Melissa reported, France's student protests are highlighting the growing financial pressures facing that country. Those

protests come as the government struggles to bring its widening budget deficit under control. CNN's Hanna Ziady, following this for us.

And Hanna, France's debt has now surpassed the size of its economy, which is huge. So, how much room does the government actually have to meet the

demands that we are hearing there, from students on the streets and other protesters?

[09:15:00]

HANNA ZIADY, CNN SENIOR REPORTER: Well, not much, Becky. And as you rightly point out, the size of its debt is now bigger than the size; it's the cost

of servicing that debt that's really the issue here. France will spend 65 billion euros this year to service its debt or to pay it down.

That's a 25 percent increase on last year, so billions of euros more, making it the single biggest expenditure item in France's budget, more than

education, more than defense. And part of the reason for this is, you know, because of this run up in bond yields that we're seeing around the world on

government debt.

So, investors essentially demanding higher returns to buy government debt, to buy government bonds, to lend governments money, if you will, because

they deem it to be riskier. As I said, you know this is a global phenomenon, but it's been particularly acute in France, and we saw French

government bond yields rise very sharply last week.

They have pulled back a little bit this week, but there are these growing doubts about the country's ability to rein in its budget deficit, or the

difference between what it collects in revenue and what it spends? France hasn't had a budget surplus since 1974, according to Deutsche Bank, and of

course, all of this is happening in the run-up to presidential elections next April.

So that just injects further political instability to the situation, because of course, to put public finances on a more stable footing often

requires painful and politically unpopular spending cuts or tax rises. And just to come back to these student protests, you know, it's not just

crumbling infrastructure or overcrowded classrooms that need resources from the public purse.

It's higher pension costs as populations age; it's higher defense spending too. All of that is putting rising pressure on French public finances. And

really highlights a big issue here for France and for many other European economies, which is how they will continue to fund these generous social

welfare states amid such formidable spending pressures, Becky?

ANDERSON: It's a really big issue, not just in France, of course, but in many European countries, and including those who aren't these days, like

the UK. All right, thank you. Christa Pike was supposed to be executed a week ago, but she survived, and now she is conscious again. And her

attorneys are talking about what they hope will happen next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to make an announcement from the Oval Office today. That comes before Mr. Trump heads back to Texas

to campaign ahead of the midterm elections first week in November of course. Let's get you to live to the White House and our Correspondent

there, Alayna Treene. Firstly, on this announcement. What do we know, if anything?

[09:20:00]

ALAYNA TREENE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: We don't really have any details, Becky, of what the president is going to be announcing at 01:00

p.m. I mean, there's been a lot of policies that he's been previewing in recent weeks, but they've stayed mum so far on what this will be.

But hopefully, we'll have a chance to get reporters inside the room with him, asking for questions about a number of things that are important.

ANDERSON: OK, Alayna, I think I think your mic may have fallen off. Can I just get you? Can I just get you to put on a mic? I think it may have just

fallen off.

TREENE: It did.

ANDERSON: Can you see it?

TREENE: I'm so sorry, Becky. It must have.

ANDERSON: Excellent. This is live TV. All good. It's all good. All right.

TREENE: All right.

ANDERSON: All right. You're talking about the fact that there's very little that we know about this announcement.

TREENE: Yeah.

ANDERSON: Yep.

TREENE: No, that's I mean, that's basically it. We have not gotten any details from the White House. We've asked, of course, about what this

announcement will be about. He has teased a couple things in the past. I would also note that the president told some reporters yesterday that there

would be a surprise in a couple weeks, referring to something related to the midterms, but no real details to go on.

I've been asking my sources about this as well, so we'll have to stay tuned for that announcement, hoping as well that perhaps reporters will be in

there and get to ask some questions because we haven't had many opportunities to do so in recent weeks.

ANDERSON: All right, and we will wait on that and more as we get it of course. All right, we are going to get a little more on what we know as far

as the news is concerned. These are some of the other stories on our radar right now.

And Russian authorities introducing new disease control measures at local hospitals as questions persist over what caused the death of a woman who

worked at an anti-plague lab in Siberia. Moscow trying to quell global fears of a possible plague scare, saying the risk is low.

In Tennessee, death row inmate Christa Pike is now conscious and speaking a week after surviving a failed execution. Attorneys say she's still

receiving critical medical care and remains handcuffed and shackled to her hospital bed. Pike was sentenced to death for the 1995 murder of 19-year-

old Colleen Slemmer.

CNN's Senior National Correspondent Ryan Young is following this. He's in Nashville. Ryan, good to have you. Do we know what Christa Pike is talking

about now that she's conscious, and what is her current medical condition?

RYAN YOUNG, CNN SENIOR U.S. NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: You know that is the big question that I will have for the lawyers once they come out after this

hearing, so I can ask them a few questions about what is she actually saying? Is she able to understand people? How is she recovering?

Because that's the question that everybody wants to know. We know she's suffering from some of the bruising and burn marks on her arm from that

liquid being in her arm that obviously was trying to put her to death when they had the failed two attempts here.

But just to set this up for all our viewers, where we're standing is just outside the courthouse, and we believe at 11 o'clock local time here in the

Central Time Zone that this will be when they have this hearing to preserve all the evidence that's involved in this case. But it was really shocking

yesterday when we got the statement from the attorneys that basically reads in part, and we'll put it up on the screen for you.

Against all odds, Christa Pike is conscious speaking and continues to receive critical medical care despite the severe damage she endured to her

arms. She's still handcuffed and shackled to the bed. Her recovery is medically unprecedented. Her prognosis remains unclear, but at a minimum,

we expect a long recovery.

Her attorneys are still pushing the hope that her sentence is commuted at this point. We still haven't heard from the government in this case, Becky,

except for the fact of some statements that were released. We know the head of corrections stepped down last week, but there's been no one really for

us to go back and forth with to ask these critical questions to about how we got here?

And we know the governor has definitely postponed all executions in this state as they do this investigation. But when does the investigation start?

How does it move forward? And what will happen today in court? These are all big questions that we're trying to get to the bottom to, and as we work

through this.

But at the end of the day, here, of course, a lot of focus will be put on exactly what happened and what steps may have been missed? And whether or

not the right dosage was given? These are all questions that we have, and of course, the world is watching to figure out how this could go so

horribly wrong.

ANDERSON: Thank you, Ryan, and more as we get it on that story. Of course, stay tuned for that. Cornell University faculty members voiced their

growing frustration in a virtual meeting last night with the school's leadership over the alleged gang rape of a former student identified only

as Jane Doe.

University officials confirmed that two of the accused students are still enrolled. Some faculty said that they are struggling to teach with the

accused students in their classrooms. And protests are cropping up across campus as tensions escalate.

[09:25:00]

Meanwhile, Jane Doe's lawyer says he and his client are quote terrified as they receive threats. CNN's Gloria Pazmino in Ithaca, New York, where all

of this is unfolding. You're joining us live, and you join us as we have reporting that Cornell's faculty is moving towards a vote of no confidence

in the university's administration.

What do we know about yesterday's meeting, and did it in any way help address the faculty's concerns? Let's start there.

GLORIA PAZMINO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Becky, I have heard from a handful of faculty members this morning who were in attendance at this meeting, and

we obtained a recording of the meeting. And what I have heard so far is that faculty members were frustrated by the format of this meeting.

It was a webinar that was conducted online. People had to submit questions, and there was no open discussion. That has created some frustration among

faculty members who have been looking for an opportunity to have an open conversation with administration officials.

But having said that, there were several issues that came up during yesterday's meeting between the faculty and the university's senior

leadership. Lots of questions about process. What the university did in response to Jane Doe's incident back in 2024? Lots of questions about what

resources are available.

How faculty and professors should be dealing with students who are asking for accommodations in this moment? You know, they talked about how the

campus is under an incredible amount of pressure, and students are trying to carry on, do their school work while you know the focus and attention of

the world appears to be on Cornell University.

We also heard concerns from some faculty members who raised questions about what to do about the fact that there are two of the seven accused students

who are still enrolled, attending classes at the university, and they're having to navigate difficult dynamics, right?

They're trying to figure out what to do, how to accommodate them, but also accommodate other students who are unhappy about that right? Let's remember

these two students are enrolled in the university. They've only been accused. You know, they have a right to be here, but you have these

shifting dynamics between the student body, who is expressing their frustration and their feelings about all of this.

So certainly, tensions heightened, frustration from faculty about the way that the administration is communicating so far. And as you mentioned, they

are getting closer and closer to that vote of no confidence. I've been told that a resolution to that effect will be introduced in the next few weeks.

They do expect to take a vote, and that is going to continue to turn up the pressure on the administration.

ANDERSON: And before I let you go, as I understand it, Cornell itself will now lead an independent review into the university's handling of the case.

What do we know about that? And how is that different than what are now these multiple, it seems, other investigations going on?

PAZMINO: Yeah, and I'm glad you bring that up, Becky, because it's important to highlight that there are now two separate investigations into

Cornell University. One is being conducted by the New York State Attorney General, who was appointed special prosecutor to oversee this case.

That is a criminal investigation looking into Jane Doe's incident specifically and how the university handled it? And then there is a second

independent investigation that the university has agreed to. They announced yesterday who is going to lead that investigation, and it's actually a U.S.

-- a Former U.S. Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates.

You might remember her. She served during the Barack Obama Administration. And she was briefly acting attorney general during Trump's first

presidential term. In fact, she gained a lot of notoriety in 2017 when she refused to defend his travel ban. So, this is a federal prosecutor that has

a lot of experience.

She also conducted an investigation into U.S. women's soccer and allegations of sexual misconduct there. So, she is certainly someone who

has the experience to do this, and she is going to be taking a very big picture look, not just at Jane Doe's incident, but about sexual assault and

issues of sexual misconduct and how they are handled here at the university?

How Cornell responds? And we expect the findings of that investigation to be released to the public and the Cornell community when they are

completed.

ANDERSON: It's good to have you. Thank you very much indeed. Important to get all the elements of this story reported factually. Thank you.

[09:30:00]

Right, we are about a second or two away from the opening bell on Wall Street. Let's get you there, and there it goes. That's the start of trading

on Wall Street today. We've been looking at the futures market, indicating a weaker start. Perhaps no surprise there. We are seeing slightly higher

oil prices, slightly higher yields on bonds.

Waiting for the release of the Federal Reserve's latest meetings minutes. So, lots for the investment community to digest. We will take a break and

check in with what those markets are doing on the open after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: Welcome back. I'm Becky Anderson in Abu Dhabi, and you are watching "Connect the World". The U.S. seeking answers from Moscow about

the death of a woman who worked at an anti-plague lab in Russia. President Donald Trump said he would have a call with Russia's leader quote very

soon, but the Kremlin says no call has been arranged as yet. The incident is sparking global concerns.

Yemen's internationally recognized government says Houthi rebels targeted the main airport in Aden with drones and with two ballistic missiles. No

casualties reported. The attack, though, comes as Saudi-backed Yemeni troops try to retake territory seized by those Iran-backed militants, the

Houthis.

Well, in France, Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu is preparing to address the nation as his government scrambles to contain weeks of student protest.

Today's remarks come as protests continue to spread across the country, with students blocking schools, clashes and arrests, violence reported at

some of those demonstrations.

Right, let's have a look and see how these markets have kicked off their Wednesday trade. And you got the DOW off about three quarters of 1 percent

the NASDAQ off just less than that, and the S&P down by about a half of 1 percent. These markets are weaker on the open. Higher bond yields sending a

worrying sign to investors that rates will still be pushed higher.

That narrative, supported, of course, by the higher price of oil today. Iran threatening to completely choke off the Strait of Hormuz. Although you

know it has to be said that Marco Rubio, the U.S. Secretary of State, had said overnight, that Iran has completely lost control of that Strait.

[09:35:00]

Well, the U.S. war with Iran continuing to impose economic costs across the Middle East. There are those signs that the region could experience a

strong rebound next year. Just this week, the World Bank lowered its GDP forecast for the region to minus 2.1 percent on average for 2026.

It says that it's been a particularly difficult year for oil-exporting countries affected by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Those who have

found alternative routes have, of course, fared better. And that report also says there will be huge returns to growth if the conflict doesn't

escalate.

Qatar and Kuwait both expected to see a massive rebound in 2027 after sharp downgrades in their 2026 outlooks of 20.9 percent, and 14.6 percent

respectively. Well, the UAE also expecting to see a contraction in growth and then an expansion, less dramatically perhaps than the first two

countries.

In 2027, the UAE could grow nearly 10 percent after contracting 1.6 percent in 2026, according to this latest World Bank economic update on the Middle

East. Well, I caught up with the UAE's Economic Minister at the Investopia conference earlier on today, and he told me its focus is on creating a

resilient economy, and that has made this economy of the UAE, he says, less susceptible to these energy shocks.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ABDULLA BIN TOUQ AL MARRI, MINISTER OF ECONOMY AND TOURISM, UAE: The year hasn't ended yet. We still have three months to go. There is a bit of

comeback. We saw back in early September, end of August, we see a huge traction happening now in October.

So, we still have the full month of October, the full month of November, and the full month of December. Three months to fight this, three months to

bring this kind of belief. But I think there's very important, is the economic narrative here. Our economy is open. Our narrative resilience is

there, our investment is there, and you can see it.

You see it when we build the pipelines all the way to the East Coast and back in 2015. The ports, when you see the gas pipeline, the train, for

instance, that you saw His Highness the President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed took the first line now from Abu Dhabi to Dubai, and that shows you this

wasn't built overnight.

It wasn't built in the last six months. Was in the plan of building. So that investment, that openness, that kind of resilience within the economy,

was very important.

ANDERSON: Is confident the country can rebound in 2027. He told me about what he means when he says that the UAE is resilient.

MARRI: We're not living in the same world that we used to live in the past. Now, when you look at that, investment changes, and how do you invest now

in local production? How you invest in re-routeing? Have you invested to create this kind of processing here within the UAE or the region, that kind

of thinking is now the aspect of the thinking what's happening with economists and investors going forward.

So, the mentally the ideal scenarios where you have an economy focusing on efficiency, a faster route and a cheaper supplier is going towards now

local manufacturing and producing resilience, and that's resilience. And resilience comes at the cost. There will be a lot of investments.

ANDERSON: Well, talk to me about that. You've described 2027 as a counter attack year. Just explain what you mean.

MARRI: Well, I mean what you know when we look at a rebound, you look at the rebound between 4 or 5 percent. Well, there's nothing different defines

the 10 percent, for instance, and this is coming from the UAE Central Bank, that's a counter attack.

That's something which is, you know, you're taking off 2027, 2026, and you're adding it on 2027, and you're growing that much, just as double as

what you should supposed to grow in one year. That's kind of, you know, a counter attack in a soccer or football game look, without an offside, of

course.

But the thinking of is how can you take that and look at it1? And where does it go? Where the investment is happening? And if you take that kind of

growth and say, all right, it's going to go into advanced manufacturing, it's going to go into logistics, it's going to go into AI, it's going to go

into robotics, it's going to go into productivity, and improve the productivity of an economy that's something massive.

That's where investments is really going to be, and that's the UAE. We are hoping for that kind of growth happening in 2027, hoping as well that the

kind of thinking is behind it. We want to make sure that we churn the engines, and leave the engines running at a high speed when it comes to

2027, and we are ready for it. And we're ready for that counter attack?

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[09:40:00]

ANDERSON: The UAE Minister of Economy for you. Well, up next in sports, a fitting farewell for one of the all-time greats. More on that after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: Lionel Messi has put on that iconic Argentina shirt for the last time. An emotional night in Buenos Aires, but not just Messi, but all of

those in attendance and his teammates too. More on that on "World Sport". That's up after this short break, and I'll be back with more "Connect the

World" in 15 minutes.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:45:00]

(WORLD SPORTS)

[10:00:00]

END