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Isa Soares Tonight

Firefighters Making Progress on Fires in France; UEFA Boycotts the World Cup; CNN Poll: Democrats Hold 8-Point Edge on Generic Ballot; Trump Willing to Wait Out Republican Objections to Blanche; Lowering Dementia Risk from Infancy. UEFA Confirms Boycott Action Over Gianni Infantino's FIFA Sell-Off Plan; A Missile Allegedly Fired by Russia Leaves a Crater inside Poland as Moscow Unleashes Deadly Attacks on Ukraine; Egypt Drawn into Regional Conflict in the Middle East After a Drone Attack Ignited a Fire on Two Ships. Aired 2-3p ET

Aired July 30, 2026 - 14:00   ET

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

[14:00:00]

MAX FOSTER, HOST, ISA SOARES TONIGHT: A very warm welcome to the show, everyone, I'm Max Foster in for Isa Soares. Tonight, the World Cup is not

for sale. That, the declaration coming from UEFA; the governing body of European football as they confirm boycott action over Gianni Infantino's

sell-off plan.

Now, the question is, how will other confederations respond? Then a missile allegedly fired by Russia leaves this crater well inside Poland as Moscow

unleashes deadly attacks on Ukraine. I'll speak with a Ukrainian defense expert. And Egypt is drawn into the regional conflict in the Middle East

after a drone attack ignited a fire on these two ships. That story and much more just ahead.

Starting, though, with a major upset in international football. UEFA; Europe's football governing body, has voted unanimously to boycott all

future FIFA competitions, declaring in a statement that the World Cup is not for sale.

The move is a strong rebuke to a proposal from FIFA President Gianni Infantino for a subsidiary to run the tournaments and sell stakes to

private investors. Here's how he originally pitched this measure.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GIANNI INFANTINO, PRESIDENT, FIFA: FIFA obviously continues to govern football without any external interference. More revenue returned to the

member associations means more investment in better pitches, stronger national teams and more pathways for young girls and young boys everywhere

in the world.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: Reaction already pouring in from UEFA members backing this boycott. England's Football Association saying that FIFA World Cup belongs

to football and always will. We're still awaiting an official response from FIFA. CNN's Christina Macfarlane across all the latest. I mean, it was

quite an extraordinary statement from UEFA.

CHRISTINA MACFARLANE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, it's been an extraordinary afternoon here, Max. I mean, look, it's remarkable, isn't it? That less

than two weeks on from the World Cup final here, we have a boycott of that competition with the most from the most powerful confederation in world

football.

And the decision today, I think what surprised most onlookers was it was entirely unanimous, 55 to 0. And the statement that accompanied it was

damning of Gianni Infantino's bid to what many view as sell the soul of world football.

Let me just read you a little bit more from that statement. It tells us a lot. The World Cup -- the UEFA put out a statement today said cannot be

treated as an investment product. It is one of football's greatest sporting legacies.

It has been built over generations by players, national teams and supporters across every continent. No part of it should ever be surrendered

to private investors. The World Cup is not for sale. So, look, Max, what we're talking about now is the prospect of many of the world's strongest

teams potentially now absent from the next World Cup.

And let's just think about the reality of that. That includes the World Cup winners, Spain, England, France, Germany, Portugal, Netherlands now not

taking part, which would severely damage the credibility of the World Cup.

You know, 12 of the last 22 World Cup men's winners have come from UEFA. And also, this has broader implications for the women's game as well. Not

just because they rely so heavily on these global events, but their European teams are the dominant force in women's football.

And we have to think now, how is this going to affect the 2027 Women's World Cup? Which is set to take place in Brazil just next Summer. The

competition for that for qualifying is already underway. So, are we going to see European nations withdrawing from that after this announcement and

this vote here today?

Well, that is something we're watching in this moment. But also, all eyes now, Max, very much squarely on Infantino and FIFA. Will he respond? Will

he back down? And therefore, potentially, this boycott back down -- backs down, or are we going to see moving forward, the breakdown of world

football and of his leadership?

[14:05:00]

Because many feel that his position now has become entirely untenable.

FOSTER: So, presumably, we're waiting for the other confederations to say what they think as well. But isn't this a broad failure of FIFA, because

it's not run by just one man, is it?

MACFARLANE: It's not run by just one man. There are 211 federations underneath him, but I think it signifies, you know, where those federations

are at with his leadership right now. The idea that Gianni Infantino can take decisions independently without the support of major confederations.

And you're right, what we're looking for in this moment is whether or not other confederations around the world are going to follow suit, as UEFA --

following UEFA's shoes here. What we're hearing, actually, is that there has been a meeting scheduled for CONCACAF.

That's the North American Federation tomorrow. We don't know if that is a meeting scheduled around a potential boycott, but an emergency meeting has

been called, and we know that the Asian confederation came out with a very strong statement against Gianni Infantino's plans yesterday.

And that is significant because this is a voting bloc who is usually in Infantino's corner. So, it signals a break there. And the bigger picture of

all of this, Max, is if those three confederations, or if those two confederations go the way of UEFA, not only is Gianni Infantino then not

potentially going to have the votes to push through, you know, his business venture, this FIFA Forward enterprise, but it could endanger his

presidency, too.

We have the FIFA presidential elections coming up in March of next year, and many are viewing this now, you know, as a referendum on his leadership

and whether he should stay in the position.

FOSTER: Yes, Christie, thank you so much for that. And do stick around because we've got more on this breaking news. Former UEFA Communications

Director Pedro Pinto will join us live later this hour. For more on what this boycott means for the world of football.

Now, authorities in Ukraine say a ballistic missile fired by Russia blew a home to smithereens, killing four children and their parents. At least,

nine people died in the latest wave of Russian attacks. July is now the worst month for civilian casualties in Ukraine in four years.

And Poland believes it was Russia that fired a missile deep into its territory, leaving this massive crater. NATO fighter jets and Polish

aircraft were scrambled to counter the threat. Our Nick Paton Walsh has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT (on camera): It's a complex task for Poland to respond in a way to something. The

intentions of Russia, around which are obviously unclear. Now, there are a lot of coincidences here that need to be examined.

This is a cruise missile that flew 90 kilometers into Poland, meaning for several minutes it was being presumably seen on Russian radars, Polish

radars, F-16s scrambled by Poland and other aircraft that didn't actually intercept it.

It seems to have crashed-landed, leaving a 10-meter-wide crater. That is remarkably deep incursion. Secondly, it's an incursion that happened about

31 miles to the north of where Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had met just a matter of hours

earlier.

That's something of a coincidence, and it also comes to after weeks of warnings in which western officials have been concerned about Russian

escalation. We really can't divine Russia's intention here. Was this a deliberate test of NATO's resolve and defenses with something relatively

new here?

We've not seen a cruise missile landing in NATO territory, really for years here, unprecedented. Or is it simply one of 70 missiles fired by Russia

that night going astray or being caught in some kind of jamming, potentially going off course?

But this ultimately, many Russian analysts say is part of the strategy sometimes to see what Russia can indeed get away with. And indeed, if this

was an accident, use it to observe the nature of NATO's response.

And while Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has said he does not believe Poland was the target here, it's clear that the Russians would have been

observing the nature of NATO's response here. Jets scrambled, but no interception, and Poland has publicly been under pressure because of its

decision to supply some Patriot missile interceptors to Ukraine, who urgently need them to its east.

Leaving perhaps its own stocks low, joining a global shortage of these exceptionally vital interceptor missiles. And so, this is clearly a moment

in which NATO have to simultaneously show resolve and resilience to prevent this from being something Russia tries.

Again, if indeed, it was intentional by Russia, while at the same time not sounding the alarm for domestic clamor for some kind of more muscular

response. That itself, a complex task that yet again, also emphasizes the nightly threat Ukraine indeed is under.

Seventy missiles fired, the number of ballistic and cruise missiles fired by Russia now exceptionally high compared to a matter of months ago.

[14:10:00]

And of the 280 drones fired, Ukraine says they intercepted 260. Still a death toll of at least, nine, six of whom from one family. The Voronovs(ph)

living not far from Kryvyi Rih in the Dnipro region. Their house hit, four children amongst the dead there. Part of a civilian toll that is growing, I

think it's fair to say.

The month of July, the deadliest since April 2022, 427 Ukrainian civilians killed. Russia, clearly escalating the toll it wants to take on Ukrainian

civilians here, the number of missiles, ballistic and cruise that it's using against Ukraine, perhaps sensing a gap in their interceptor

capability.

They're well-known public here. Zelenskyy in Washington desperately hoping to get more interceptors. They want to make them themselves, that hasn't

actually happened yet. And so, I think a crisis of Winter potentially increasingly in the mind of Ukrainian leaders here as they see these months

of Summer involving so many more Russian missiles, and that threat towards eastern Europe, increasing. Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: We're joined by Oleksandr Khara, he's a former adviser to the Minister of Defense in Ukraine. Thank you for joining us. There is an

issue, isn't there, with the interceptors right now? We know the President is trying to develop more, but there are clearly big gaps in the Ukrainian

air defenses right now.

OLEKSANDR KHARA, FORMER ADVISER TO THE MINISTER OF DEFENSE IN UKRAINE: You're right, Max. First of all, certainly, the issue of the lack of

interceptors due to the insufficient number that are being produced by the United States, even though the -- in the defense budget, you got the new

lines to boost the production to, I believe, 2,000 per year.

But certainly, it's going to happen by 2013. And we need those interceptors now. And there is another aspect, and certainly, it's the depletion of

interceptors in the Middle East and they are not available for Ukraine according to something -- thanks to sets of the American stockpile or

interceptors has been used in the Middle East.

And finally, it's a clear signal from the Kremlin that they are not going to stop this war. They are eager to call the general mobilization after the

so-called parliamentary elections in September. And I believe it's naive to draw a moral equivalence between Ukraine and Russia, calling on both sides

to stop the killing.

The only way to stop Russia waging this war is to make it impossible for them. That's why we need missiles, drones to attack Russia and interceptors

to protect Ukrainians.

FOSTER: As you say, so much pressure on American resources right now, surely Europe should be stepping in and giving you what you need.

KHARA: Well, yes sir, but the Patriot interceptors are unique. There is a lack of such systems in Europe. Certainly, we have some variants, but if

you're talking about ballistic missiles, Patriots are the best ones, and almost the only system available.

The other thing that we can shut down some drones or major share of the drones that Russia are sending to us, and some of the cruise missiles. But

ballistic missiles are really a problem.

FOSTER: Can I also ask you about this missile, presumably, Russian, that went into Poland. This is, I mean, there have been incursions, haven't

there before, but this was, I think something like 90 kilometers into Poland.

Are we getting to the point where NATO, you know -- I mean, I'm not suggesting NATO should respond because then we're into a whole different

level of war, but that NATO should be doing more to at least stop these missiles going so far into NATO territory.

KHARA: You're absolutely right. First of all, the United States has formally warned Poland that Russia is staging an attack on Poland -- on

Polish soil, possibly a false flag attack, with the aim to show that Article 5 doesn't work.

And I believe the Russians are eager to go this -- to expand or as it's called, a horizontal escalation to bring other countries into the conflict.

And second, it's the traditional Russian salami-slicing tactic that the Poles reacted to the previous time.

It was in September last year when the Russian drone incurred it into the Polish airspace. At that time, Poland triggered Article 4 consultation

within the NATO. But now the Polish authorities decided not to go that way.

So, by doing that, they are singing -- sending a pretty wrong signal to Russia that Russia is welcome to provoke Poland and other countries again-

again.

[14:15:00]

What can be done? Certainly, Europe cannot, you know, boost production of interceptors because you know that only the United States and Japan are

producing Patriot interceptors. But they can help -- I mean, the NATO and the United States can help us to impose costs on Russia on behalf of NATO,

on behalf of Poland.

And second, there should be some actions, legal sanctions or possibly deportations or persona non grata for the Russian diplomats in Poland. So,

Poland should take the full complex of measures from political statements, diplomatic actions to military support, and certainly, build up their

defenses.

Even though, Poland was one of the champions in Europe for at least, five years, and they've been investing heavily into their rearmament, and they

are pretty ready to fight Russia. But they need to react and they need to use this signaling to Russia that any action, aggressive actions of Russia

would be a cause for the Kremlin.

FOSTER: Oleksandr Khara, appreciate your time, thank you for joining us from Kyiv in Ukraine.

KHARA: Thank you for having me, Max.

FOSTER: Now to yet another first in the Iran war, Egypt has confirmed that a drone attack caused a fire on two ships at one of its Mediterranean ports

on Wednesday. No one has claimed responsibility, no injuries or deaths were reported thankfully.

However, it marks the first time that Egypt has been hit, raises concerns, of course, about the spread of the ongoing conflict. This as the U.S.

unleashed a heavy wave of strikes against Iran in retaliation for the surprise attack on U.S. forces in the region.

The U.S. said it struck dozens of sites, including military command centers. We're joined now by Kevin Liptak of the White House, Jeremy

Diamond in Tel Aviv. I mean, Kevin, what's the response here? Because every time it feels like the Americans are ramping up pressure on Iran, then, you

know, the scale of this war spreads through the Middle East. It only gets bigger.

KEVIN LIPTAK, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Right, and I think that is a cause for concern at the White House, as the President both tries to wind

this war down, but also feels obligated to retaliate against the Iranian strikes on American positions in the region.

Now, what we saw last night did stop short of the full-scale resumption of the war that the President has been threatening, and that we know that he's

been discussing with advisors behind the scenes. He hasn't ruled it out.

But there are all kinds of concerns, including about the American weapons stockpile and munitions stockpile that have led him so far to stop short of

that. But it is still a resumption of these night-by-night, tit-for-tat attacks that had seemed to go quiet for a few days as the President was

trying to pursue some measure of diplomacy.

And as you see, the conflict expands, I think it becomes harder and harder to envision how exactly that diplomacy is going to play out in addition to

what we've seen in Egypt. We've also seen the Saudis become more involved in this, joining the U.S. in strikes against those Iran-backed militias in

Iraq.

We saw yesterday here at the White House, a visit from the Saudi Defense Minister, Khalid bin Salman. It wasn't on the President's schedule. It flew

somewhat under the radar. But I think it was very significant. He met both with President Trump and the Vice President, J.D. Vance.

And what we were told is that, he was conveying a message from his brother, the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, about how he sees this conflict going

ahead. And certainly, I think the Saudis do want to restore some degree of stability in the region.

But how exactly the President can do that at this point isn't clear. Clearly, the Iranians believe they have some leverage here, they recognize

that there is not a huge amount of appetite either in the White House or in the United States generally, for a resumption of combat operations.

And the stakes are only getting higher for President Trump three months before the Midterm elections, as more and more Americans are souring on how

he's been handling this. Three months is not a particularly long amount of time to get the conflict resolved and to turn those numbers around.

And so, I think a lot of questions about how he gets out of this impasse, but obviously, the war seems to be getting bigger and not getting smaller

in the way that he would like it to.

FOSTER: Yes, Kevin, thank you so much. Jeremy, I mean, we haven't had it confirmed that it was Iran or one of its groups that attacked Egypt. But it

is a clear message it feels like from Iran. And what's the view from Jerusalem on that, the way the war is spreading?

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: Yes, that attack in Egypt, certainly raising questions about this conflict widening, and also

obviously, coming closer to Israel's borders once again. And obviously, Jordan, which is a neighboring country to Israel, has been the subject of

recent attacks as it hosts several American military bases.

[14:20:00]

But Egypt has not been struck before. And this attack on the port now raising new questions about potentially, a new front developing in this

conflict, even as we wait to see whether it was Iran, one of its proxies, or one of its proxies who carried out this attack.

Now, from the Israeli point of view, obviously, we know that the Israeli Prime Minister has long favored a return to all-out war against Iran. He

has dismissed and been quite down on the prospects of any diplomacy with Iran, actually leading to the kind of agreement that he believes is

necessary in order to remove Iran's nuclear program and seal it off for the future.

But Israeli officials have taken pains in describing this most recent meeting between the Israeli Prime Minister and President Trump to say that

Prime Minister Netanyahu was not trying to persuade President Trump to resume these -- you know, the kind of situation of all-out war in Iran.

But rather, describing it as an exchange of ideas, with the Prime Minister presenting several potential ways forward in order to ratchet-up the

pressure on Iran. Yes, kinetic action on the one hand, but also a widening of the economic pressure campaign on Iran as well.

But the bottom line is that, Israel's hands, for now, are relatively tied. Israel would like to rejoin this conflict and begin carrying out new

strikes on Iran. But for the time being, the Americans are telling them to sit on the sidelines, and that is what is happening so far.

Of course, Israel has also made clear that should Iran, you know, carry out any attacks on Israeli soil, then Israel will respond in kind. So, you

know, this is a bit of a waiting game for now, both in terms of what Iran's next moves will be, but critically, in terms of President Trump and his

decision, as he is getting conflicting advice as to whether or not to escalate the conflict further, focus on economic pressure measures instead,

or simply wait it out and try and negotiate a deal with Iran once again.

FOSTER: Jeremy in Tel Aviv, Kevin at the White House, thank you both very much indeed. Well, still to come tonight, firefighters across Europe

continue to battle several wildfires. We'll have the latest on the conditions they're facing, as well as details of two arrests in France.

And what would the next World Cup look like without major European teams? We'll have further analysis of UEFA's boycott of all FIFA contests.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:25:00]

FOSTER: Wildfires raging across Europe aren't just confined to the south of the continent. Here in the U.K., crews are battling a blaze along

England's east coast in Suffolk, authorities say there's no immediate threat to the nearby nuclear sites.

Nearly 100 firefighters are working to control that fire. High temperatures across the region making conditions, of course, very difficult for

responders. The ongoing heat also impacting efforts to fight fires in Greece, Spain and France.

In Greece, three firefighters were killed on Wednesday whilst battling the fires on Crete. Tourists and residents were also forced to flee. In Spain,

around 10,000 people are still unable to return to their homes in Castellon.

However, authorities say the situation is improving in Avila and in Madrid. Whilst in France, two people have been arrested on suspicion of arson as

firefighters continue to battle the flames near Bordeaux. Overnight, crews managed to stop the fire from spreading even more.

It's currently burned 42,000 hectares. That's more than 100,000 acres now. Derek Van Dam joins us now from CNN Weather Center. I mean, these stories

about arson, they happen every year. You can't get your head around them. But what we're looking at --

DEREK VAN DAM, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes --

FOSTER: Is the response now, right and the winds.

VAN DAM: Yes, that horrific. But I just want to show you all the individual hotspots. These could be small wildfires, but these could be

large wildfires as well. So, you've got Greece, you've got Italy, we of course, been following what's been happening across the Iberian Peninsula,

came across this satellite imagery.

We dug deep to find this one because it really puts it all into context what Europe is contending with at the moment. We had a wet Winter. So, you

go back to January and February, we saw above average precipitation across France and into Spain, and the vegetation bloomed accordingly.

So, we're looking at a satellite image from May 23rd of this year, now I'm going to advance the satellite imagery taken just two days ago. And I want

you to notice the distinctive change in the coloring of the landscape here as we go forward in time to two days ago.

You can start to see that browning effect across much of southwestern France and into Spain. That, of course, is the taps being turned off in the

atmosphere, the rain coming to an end around mid-Spring, and then the successive heat waves, one after another after another, drying the

vegetation, zapping the moisture away from the atmosphere and causing our firefighting problems on the ground.

I want to go backwards in time so you can see that again, that difference between the vegetation from just a couple of months ago compared to now.

So, we're very dry, and that's just one portion of the Mediterranean.

It's just as dry across Italy and into Greece as well, where authorities are warning for the potential of wildfire activity. Because it's so dry, it

only takes one spark to create a raging blaze. And we've seen temperatures today already spiked to 40 degrees in Madrid and other locations across

Spain.

This is the peak of this fourth consecutive heatwave as this heat dome takes shape, there's a very weak cold front that's trying to suppress some

of the heat across northwestern portions of France. We'll take what we can get, but it's going to be very little relief because temperatures will just

skyrocket again as we head into the end of the weekend.

You can see Athens, Greece, on the way up, well above average. This seems to be the story, right? That's the cold front. Maybe it will produce a few

light isolated showers, but it's really being stunted by these heat domes that I showed you on the map just a moment ago.

It's not allowing for that cold front to die far enough south to bring the relief to the Mediterranean and the areas that are so susceptible to the

wildfire activity right now. You can see the rainfall forecast going forward.

Of course, winds are a concern, not just the dry vegetation and the increased temperatures. We put these all together, Max, and we know that we

have our increased fire risk, Copernicus does a great job of monitoring that.

Anywhere you see this dark shade of red and orange, those are areas with extreme fire danger risks going forward into the weekend and early parts of

next week. Max?

FOSTER: Derek, thank you. Extraordinary. Well, while the firefighters are making some progress in France, residents are returning to their homes

there to find utter destruction, as Melissa Bell has been finding out.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MELISSA BELL, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (on camera): This was ground zero of the monstrous Gironde fire that firefighters appear finally more

than a week in to be getting a grip of. A lot of it is now extinguished, leaving behind these scenes of desolation, apocalyptic visions here on the

outskirts of Samos, where it began.

You get a sense of just how violent it was. It then progressed towards the village of Le Posch (ph), which has been in material terms, the most

heavily-impacted of this region. The vast majority of the houses that were destroyed were destroyed there.

And whilst its inhabitants haven't been allowed back, we have had a chance to speak to some of those who have never left because they've been helping

the firefighters. This is what one man had to say from the ruins of his home.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MATHIEU PLESSUS, LE PORGE RESIDENT (through translator): But the next morning when we came back everything was still burning.

BELL (through translator): What was inside that house, which has belonged to your family for generations?

PLESSUS (through translator): My whole life, there was an aquarium with fish. I had a snake in a terrarium. I couldn't save it. I couldn't save

everything. Everything burned, even the animals. It breaks my heart.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BELL: It's taken more than a week for us to get access to villages like Le Porge so dangerous have they remained all of this time. Now, over the next

few days its inhabitants are going to be allowed back and what you just saw there is going to be repeated for every one of those devastated houses. It

is a village that will need to be entirely reconstructed.

Melissa Bell, CNN on the outskirts of Saumos.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MAX FOSTER, CNN ANCHOR: Still ahead, Europe's football association is taking a stand against FIFA president, Gianni Infantino. We'll get a former

insider's perspective on why UEFA is boycotting the World Cup.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FOSTER: Let's go back to our breaking news. The World Cup isn't for sale. The declaration coming from UEFA, Europe's football governing body,

following its decision to boycott future FIFA competitions, if FIFA goes ahead with a controversial investment proposal. The decision is a rejection

of FIFA's plan to inject private money into the men's and women's World Cups. The move could throw a wrench into FIFA's financial gains, as UEFA

members host some of the sport's most lucrative leagues and clubs.

I'm joined now by former UEFA communications director and founder and CEO of communications agency Empower Sport, Pedro Pinto. Thank you so much for

joining us, Pedro.

I mean, quite an extraordinary statement coming from UEFA today. A very quick turnaround meeting. What's your understanding about what went down in

those meetings? Statement coming from UEFA today. A very quick turnaround meeting. What's your understanding about what went down in those meetings?

[14:35:00]

PEDRO PINTO, FORMER UEFA COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR AND FOUNDER AND CEO, EMPOWER SPORTS: Hi, Max. Great to be on the show. Good to see you again.

There was an emergency meeting held today of all 55 member associations in Europe, members of UEFA, where there was really a unanimous decision to

make this statement and take this position of boycotting future FIFA national team competitions as a result of the world government's body's

plans to sell part of its stakes of a company that would control the commercial rights and interests of the World Cup.

This was a very, very strong position from UEFA taken today. It was a meeting chaired by UEFA president, Aleksander Ceferin, who once again is

taking a stand to protect the interests, protect the integrity of football. European football stakeholders were clear to voice their disapproval at

giving private investors any kind of influence into the management of football's top global competitions.

So, there's no question that this is a stand that was united. Most of the big football associations, from what I understand, voiced their concerns,

voiced their support to stand shoulder to shoulder with everyone else. And it is a huge day, I believe, for international football because here you

have UEFA, that is the world's most powerful confederation, taking a stand against FIFA and its plans for privatizing parts of international global

football.

FOSTER: It didn't seem just to be about protecting football because there was also this anger, it seemed, about the secrecy of how this proposal was

developed. The football associations are part of FIFA. They weren't told about it, they were just sort of presented with it. Is that part of the

problem here, that they weren't consulted in any way?

PINTO: Definitely, Max, that's a great point to raise because one of the big issues that not only UEFA, but all confederations have expressed here

is that this was a decision and an initiative which was undertaken behind closed doors, in meetings with private investors, with Gianni Infantino's

circle of influence, let's say.

And one thing that's really important to state here and underline is that football has an ecosystem. FIFA is nothing without its 211 members. UEFA is

nothing without its 55 members. And there's an ecosystem which works to promote and protect football. They're stakeholders. And there's a pyramid

which needs to be protected.

And what international football at the moment and its key stakeholders right now are revolting against is that FIFA could come up with this idea

as a result of conversations that did not involve them. There was no consultation, there was no dialogue, and all of a sudden there's a proposal

which is supposed to enrich FIFA, enrich its member associations as well, but with very few details, with very few logistical plans as well that

everybody could approve or not. And that is definitely one of the problems here that we've seen during this process.

And UEFA was very clear as well in its statement today in rejecting the way in which all of this was planned, all of this was discussed behind closed

doors, with no involvement whatsoever of any stakeholders throughout the process.

So, no question that this puts FIFA in very sensitive positions. Other confederations are meeting. They will most likely make their statements as

well. And today it was the turn so far of the most powerful confederation, UEFA, making a stand.

FOSTER: Yes. But I guess what fans and footballers are asking today is where this leaves them. We have the Women's World Cup in a year, haven't

we? So, we're going through the qualifying stages. That can't happen if the European teams pull out. The World Cup generally can't exist, can it,

without Europe? It won't be a World Cup.

PINTO: Definitely. You're absolutely right. And that's why this puts FIFA in a very fragile position at the moment, because there's no question that

these tournaments' integrity would be questioned if all of a sudden, European teams wouldn't participate.

I think what's important to take into account, Max, is that this is a stand today for the greater good of football. It's not so much about the next

competition. It's not about the next tournament. Something needs to be done to protect football against private investment, because in the eyes of UEFA

and a lot of other confederations and many stakeholders I've been talking to is that the decisions for football need to be made for football reasons,

in order to protect and promote the game, not for business reasons.

[14:40:00]

And that's also something which is stated in UEFA's note today, was that the interests of football need to be protected. The World Cup belongs to no

one in order to be able to be sold. And we need to be able to protect football and there needs to be an integrity to protect the game and not

allow it to be influenced by what shareholders think, as if it were going to be only and strictly a business decision around the most popular game in

the world.

FOSTER: Pedro Pinto, wonderful to have you back on CNN and on a momentous day for your sport. Thank you so much.

Now, still to come tonight, some Republican senators are bulking at Donald Trump's pick to be attorney general. We'll tell you what the president's

going to do about it, in just a moment.

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FOSTER: A brand-new CNN poll finds Democrats in a very good position three months ahead of the midterms. Democrats have an eight-point lead on the so-

called generic ballot. That's a margin which should give them excellent chances of retaking control of the House and putting control of the Senate

in play as well.

Now, the poll found Democratic voters far more eager to vote. 60 percent say they are extremely motivated to cast a ballot in November whilst less

than half of Republicans feel that way.

Donald Trump, meanwhile, brushing aside a challenge for his attorney general pick from two Republican senators. The U.S. president says he's

willing to shelve the nomination of Todd Blanche for the top spot in the Justice Department. The Republicans who oppose Blanche, Senators John

Cornyn and Thom Tillis, will leave the Senate after the midterms, and Mr. Trump says he'll just resubmit Blanche's nomination after they're gone.

Tillis and Cornyn have refused to back Blanche because they're concerned about a controversial settlement that he's overseen as acting attorney

general. That deal sets up a payout fund for Mr. Trump's allies and grants immunity to the president and his family from IRS audits.

CNN's Chief Congressional Correspondent Mani Raju is live on Capitol Hill. Is this a climb down for the president? How are you interpreting it, Manu?

MANU RAJU, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes. I mean, I think this is the president trying to circumvent Congress and trying to

circumvent the will of the Senate. And the moment he does not have the votes to get Todd Blanche confirmed as the next attorney general of the

United States

[14:45:00]

Simply the math is not there on the Senate Judiciary Committee. That is the big problem that Todd Blanche's nomination is facing. It would require one

Republican defection in order for the nomination to be deadlocked, eventually the nomination to be dead altogether.

And there are two Republicans, Thom Tillis, John Cornyn, as you mentioned, who are planning to vote no. Why? Because of the demands they've been

making clear really since Todd Blanche testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee, John Cornyn in particular. He wants in writing that

that $1.8 billion weaponization fund would be dead because there's been blowback and concern on both sides of the aisle that that money could be

used by January 6 rioters and others who claim that they've been aggrieved by the Justice Department, the Biden Justice Department, and they want that

gone once and for all.

Todd Blanche did testify to that effect, but they want that in writing. And they also want in writing the deal that was cut between Trump and the IRS

to essentially shield him and his family from IRS audits, tax audits, tax enforcement issues that had occurred in the past. But they're more

concerned about this being applied for future potential tax infractions. They want to make sure that that is not abused by either Trump, his family

members, or future presidents.

But they have not been able to get that in writing, which is why they're saying both Tillis and Cornyn believe that it is not Todd Blanche who's

standing in the way. They believe it is somebody in the White House that is preventing this deal from taking shape. They're careful not blaming Trump

specifically, but they at least think it's either White House lawyers or people around the president that are making things very, very difficult.

So, as a result, the president now is saying he's just going to potentially withdraw that nomination and then decide whether or not to re-nominate him

in the new Senate next year. But of course, Max, there's a big question, will Republicans even be in charge of the Senate next year, will there be

two Democratic senators in Texas, one in Texas and one in North Carolina, with Cornyn and Tillis not coming back? So, there are a lot of questions

about whether that strategy will actually get Todd Blanche into position.

But at the moment, still the acting attorney general does not have the votes in this Senate to be the permanent attorney general, Max.

FOSTER: OK. Manu, in Washington, thank you so much. Still to come tonight, it's one of the most devastating diseases and a leading cause of death

across the world. Now, a new study finds having less sugar as a toddler could cut the risk of dementia in old age. We'll have more details, next.

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[14:50:00]

FOSTER: Children with a lower sugar intake in early life may have a lower risk of dementia when they get older. A new study compared over 64,000

people in the U.K. born before and after sugar rationing during the Second World War. It found those who consumed less sugar in the early years had a

23 percent lower risk of dementia. Researchers say it's not definitive proof of a link, but it does show an association between sugar and brain

health.

I want to bring in Bahee Van de Bor who is a specialist pediatric dietitian and children's nutritionist as well. Thank you so much for joining us. Was

this an obvious result for you, or were you surprised? How did you take it?

BAHEE VAN DE BOR, SPECIALIST PEDIATRIC DIETITIAN AND CHILDREN'S NUTRITIONIST: I think it's a really interesting finding. We can't really

say today that it is the sugar that has, or that sugar production has proven to lower that dementia risk. But we do know that that first thousand

days when baby is first made, right up to their second birthday, is a really important time for normal growth and brain development. So, early

exposure to their nutritional intake is an important factor and may play a role.

FOSTER: And we do know that they're consuming more sugar, right, because of many of these processed foods that have been created for young children.

VAN DE BOR: Well, today it has to be a shared responsibility between parents and the food industry, particularly foods that are marketed towards

children. So, that includes things like breakfast cereals, things like yogurt, sweetened yogurt, snacks like cereal bars, puddings. So, it's not

just about the sweets that you find in shops, but it is foods with added free sugars. And that includes things like honey and fruit syrups.

FOSTER: So, what's the advice? Because often when there's a food warning, parents will overreact, won't they, and completely strip it out of the diet

altogether. But presumably they need some sugar. So, what's the advice you're giving, you know, general parents now?

VAN DE BOR: So, at the moment today, there's no need to cut sugar completely out of your child's diet. I would recommend reading food labels,

become comfortable with understanding what is a food with added sugars. So, for example, if you turn to the back of a food package here in the U.K.,

the foods or the ingredients with added sugars will be listed. So, if it's listed in the top three ingredients, that's a hint that it is a food with

added sugars.

You can also read the ingredients list. And if it contains words like sugars, fructose, syrups, honey, maple syrup, these are all foods with

added sugars. So, you can compare between different brands and choose a brand with reduced added sugar.

There are also guidelines in the U.K. on how much sugar to give your child. But it can be really difficult. No one goes around the supermarket

calculating how much sugar. So, my best advice is between brands.

FOSTER: Yes. And just a general balanced diet, right? Because there's so much to worry about with your children and in terms of what they're eating.

And people don't have time, do they -- or, you know, resources often for organic homemade meals. They do often rely on pre-prepared food from

supermarkets. But you're literally saying you just have to understand what the limits are and go through those ingredients every time.

VAN DE BOR: Absolutely. I mean, of course, we want parents to cook from scratch as possible. But we all lead really busy lives. It can be

unrealistic. But even a meal that is boiled pasta or rice with a couple of portions of veg, cod, chicken, beans, whatever you fancy, that's made

really quickly with some added herbs and spices is still a really nutritious meal. That includes jacket potato with beans and a bit of grated

cheese. Absolutely nutritious and a great source of fiber for gut health.

So, I think sometimes social media and influencers can make feeding our children really a lot more complicated than it needs to be. So, we just

need to go back to basics. Your child still can eat a biscuit, but it's about portion sizes. So, a digestive with a coating of milk chocolate might

actually have 2.2 grams of sugar in that. So, if they were to eat five of those biscuits, that sugar quickly adds up.

[14:55:00]

So, keeping an eye on portion sizes and where possible, you know, encouraging your child to choose from the fruit bowl, popcorn, even a whole

meal piece of toast with a spread of nut butter or a handful of mixed nuts. These are all fabulous snacks that your child can eat at the end of the

day. So, going back to basics about nutrition for your child.

FOSTER: OK. Bahee Van de Bor, really appreciate your time today. It's a big worry for many parents. Appreciate your expert advice.

Finally, tonight, people aren't the only ones looking for creative ways to beat the heat. Take a look at these polar bears at the Prague Zoo. Czech

Republic, of course, they are treated to several tons of ice to roll around and bathe in. Zookeepers say the ice has several purposes for the polar

bears. It helps cool them, obviously, also provides physical and mental stimulation. Melting pretty quickly, though, in this heat.

Thank you for joining us tonight. Stay with CNN. I'll have "What We Know" coming up next on CNN.

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