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One World with Zain Asher
Record-Breaking Heat Grips Western Europe; Rubio in Middle East to Discuss Iran Agreement with Gulf Allies; Trump Refuses to Sign Housing Bill Until "Save America" Act Passed; Donald Trump Hits the Campaign Trial in Pennsylvania; Tourism Slump Hits Cuba's Hospitality Workers; England Left Frustrated After 0-0 Draw with Ghana. Aired 11a-12p ET
Aired June 24, 2026 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[11:00:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ZAIN ASHER, CNN HOST, ONE WORLD: A relentless and deadly heat wave is tightening its grip across Europe.
BIANNA GOLODRYGA, CNN HOST, ONE WORLD: "One World" starts right now. People across much of Europe are battling a major heat wave as temperatures
continue to soar. We'll talk to an expert about what's causing it and what people should do to stay cool.
ASHER: Plus, progressive sweep U.S. House primaries with endorsements from New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani. We'll look at the political shock waves
going through the Democratic Party right now.
GOLODRYGA: And soccer superstar Cristiano Ronaldo makes World Cup history as Portugal a --
ASHER: It's a great shot.
GOLODRYGA: -- Uzbekistan. Hello everyone I'm Bianna Golodryga in New York.
ASHER: I'm Zain Asher. You are watching "One World".
GOLODRYGA: Schools are closed, power grids are disrupted, and cities are on alert across Western Europe as a deadly record-setting heat wave tightens
its grip on the region.
ASHER: Yeah, Europe is actually the planet's fastest warming continent, but experts say it is underprepared for the scoring temperatures. Only about 20
percent of European homes have air conditioning. On Tuesday, France saw its hottest day on record. Temperatures in some areas soared above 44 degrees
celsius, that is 111 degrees fahrenheit.
GOLODRYGA: Extremely hot. And the heat has triggered power cuts, disrupted transportation, and has led to dozens of deaths, many due to drowning. The
World Health Organization is calling for renewed global action on climate change.
ASHER: All right, we've got Meteorologist Allison Chinchar in Atlanta. But first, let's begin coverage with Nada Bashir in London's Hyde Park. Nada,
just talk to us about what this kind of weather feels like. People who are watching in perhaps cooler parts of the world, just explain to us what
these temperatures feel like on a consistent basis?
NADA BASHIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, look, the Met Office is saying that it is currently in some parts of the United Kingdom around 35 degrees
celsius, around 95 degrees fahrenheit, but it feels a lot warmer than that in some areas, more than seven degrees celsius warmer.
And it is very hot and very humid here in the capital today, London, and that is something that is being felt across Southern England today. And of
course, throughout this heat wave period that we are experiencing, and this has led to some pretty severe disruption across not only the city but also
across the country.
We're talking about disruption to education, hundreds of schools being forced to either close or close their doors early, letting students' home
because of the severe heat. And of course, as you mentioned, many buildings in the country, including old schools, do not have air conditioning, so it
is very difficult and very warm inside these buildings and inside many homes across the United Kingdom.
But it's also causing a lot of disruption to travel. Commuters are facing severe delays and suspensions to very important train routes across the
capital. We have been hearing from the transport organization, including Transport for London, telling passengers not to travel along rail lines
unless it is absolutely necessary today.
And if it is necessary, then to travel with plenty of water to hand, because it is simply so hot on these trains as well. And as you mentioned,
this is a very dangerous level of heat that we've been seeing in the United Kingdom and across Europe.
There have been warnings around concerns of potential drownings, that certainly was the case in May, the last time we saw heat of this level,
particularly amongst young people as well. So, as we are facing this red alert of heat in the United Kingdom, there is also high alert for parents
who keep an eye on their children during this period, Zain and Bianna.
ASHER: All right, Nada Bashir, thank you so much.
GOLODRYGA: Let's bring in CNN Meteorologist Allison Chinchar, who is joining us from Atlanta. So, Allison, when will relief be in sight for so
many people there who are just sweltering from this heat wave? And this is the second heat wave we've seen in just a number of months.
ALLISON CHINCHAR, CNN METEOROLOGITS: Yes, two months exactly. And the key thing is there are going to be some countries that start to see relief by
the end of the week. For others, it's only going to get worse as we approach the weekend. So, here's where we have those alerts in effect for
the remainder of the day today.
You can see we've started to spread a little bit farther into areas of Central Europe than we have been over the last few days, because these
temperatures are just outright incredible when you look at how high they are. 108 in Bordeaux, this is the current temperature in Bordeaux.
You have several others in around 100 degrees fahrenheit, even for celsius, for those folks you're talking in the low 40s for some of these areas. And
I want to point out that some of these locations have been in the 40s for the last four days in a row.
[11:05:00]
So, it's not just that we've had one hot day, maybe two, but for some of these areas it has been a prolonged heat wave. The other thing to note is
the morning low temperatures, look at this, about mid to upper 70s in fahrenheit, or in about the mid-20s celsius. Keep in mind that is actually
warmer than what some of these areas' actual high temperature would normally be this time of year.
And that is downright dangerous, because it doesn't allow the body to cool down at night before we see those temperatures jumping right back up again
into the afternoon the next day, and that's what we're going to see tomorrow. Here's a look at the heat alerts on Thursday.
Now, notice we did drop a few in Spain, because temperatures will gradually start to come back down Thursday and Friday. However, we've started to add
more heat alerts for areas of Central and Eastern Europe, because we're starting to see that shift of that high pressure and the dome of heat
that's going with it, and that will continue as we head into the weekend.
So, not just Thursday, but Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and you're going to see that here on this map. So, for example, Madrid, notice we're starting
to see those temperatures dropping back down after today, getting down into the upper 80s and low 90s for Thursday and Friday.
But the opposite scenario happens a little bit farther to the east, so take for example Berlin and Vienna. The temperatures are only going to go up as
we approach the weekend, and it's not just those areas, but even Scandinavian countries are starting to see the temperatures begin to rise
and will continue to do so through the weekend.
So, this is going to be a dangerous concern, especially for areas, say, like Paris, that by the time this is said and done, they will end up going
through almost a full week of temperatures of at least 10 degrees above where they normally would be. And we mentioned earlier those low
temperatures not getting the chance to cool off is also a big concern as well.
GOLODRYGA: All right, Allison Chinchar, some relief coming for some parts of Europe, it's all relative, of course, those are still very high
temperatures, but of course, as you note, the heat continues to move to other parts of the continent. Thank you.
ASHER: All right, scientists are warning this is suddenly a wake-up call to a new reality for Europe. Let's take a closer look at this with Peter
Thorne, a Professor and Director, the Icarus Climates Research Centre. Peter, thank you so much for being with us.
I think that it's important to note that, yes, obviously, what's happening in Europe right now is caused, in part, by a heat dome, as a lot of our
experts have been explaining to us. But the fact remains that Europe is heating twice as fast as the global average. That is really alarming.
And on top of that, you have a lot of these sorts of older infrastructures across Europe that was really built for an older, sort of much cooler
climate. We've been talking about the fact that only 20 percent of homes, for example, across Europe have air conditioning, which you've got to
imagine that when it comes to heat at night, at night especially is going to be very difficult.
Just explain to us what Europe needs to do. Obviously, it's a continent made up of several countries, so it's impossible to generalize, but what
the continent of the whole, as a whole, needs to do to really prepare itself for what is coming down the pike.
PETER THORNE, PROFESSOR & DIRECTOR, ICARUS CLIMATE RESEARCH CENTRE: I need to recognize first and foremost that this is the new reality. I was born in
1976 at the very end of the heat wave of record in the UK. We're smashing that here by 2, 3, 4, degrees centigrade. That's a huge amount.
This is our new reality, and we need to also recognize that it will continue to get worse into the future, unless and until we manage to stop
emitting heat-trapping greenhouse gasses. So, we need to get serious now about adaptation action about protecting the most vulnerable in society.
Well, there are things we can do immediately: cool areas, heat health warning forecasts. Many of these things we're doing now, we're in a far
better place than we were two decades ago, 2003 the very first really notable heat wave of this century, when tens of thousands died. We now had
much better forecast.
We knew this was coming days in advance. Local authorities and others have opened up call centers, but if you like, that's just a sticking plaster for
the more systemic challenges we have ahead of how do we retrofit all our housing to be able to cope with this kind of heat moving forwards.
GOLODRYGA: So, as you acknowledge, Professor, the forecasting has improved, but the retrofitting has not. And you're a lead Author on the IPCC Report
on cities. Just talk about how far behind many of these European cities are in retrofitting, given that we are seeing now an increase in these types of
heat waves. This is the second one in just two months' time.
THORNE: Yeah. We're a long way behind in all forms of adaptation to heat, to flood, to drought, to everything. We've not paid enough attention to the
need to adapt to climate, to protect our citizens, and that is the fundamental job of any good government, is ultimately to protect its
citizens.
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We need to act much, much faster. We need to protect the most vulnerable in society, and we're not yet at the races for doing that job.
ASHER: No, I'm originally from West Africa, I was also born and raised in London. And one of the things that is very bizarre to me is to have this
idea of consistent temperatures across Europe that is higher than certain parts of West Africa. I mean, that literally blows my mind. The fact that
that's the reality we're dealing with.
Just explain to us why heat waves are becoming more common in Europe these days? And why Europe is heating up, sort of twice as fast as I mentioned,
compared to other parts of the world when it comes to global warming?
THORNE: So, Europe's warming roughly twice as fast as any other global average, partly because the Arctic is right next to the Arctic, and the
Arctic is the fastest warming place in the planet, and that has an impact. We've also been very effective at clean air regulations, which have removed
atmospheric particulates, which have been acting as a very, very weak parasol, reflecting some of the solar radiation back.
And then we also have an increasing preponderance, seemingly, of these blocking events, these high pressures that get stuck over Europe for a
period of time. And it just gets warmer and warmer and warmer with time. And underlying all of that is climate change. Climate change has made these
heat events three, four degrees warmer than they are now.
The UK Met Office and academic institutions just this week looked at what today's heat, what the 1976 heat wave would plausibly look like today. It's
exactly what we're seeing this week. They also looked at what it would look like in 2050 if we don't stop emitting greenhouse gasses, and that's quite
frankly scary.
That's a 45-degrees centigrade being reached in the UK, plausibly in 2056 unless we get on top of our emissions of heat tripping greenhouse gasses.
GOLODRYGA: And unless we get on top of that, as so many experts have said, this summer will likely be the coolest summer that we've experienced going
forward, now given that we will likely see more and more of these types of heat waves.
So, is the solution, at least in the interim, in the short term, as it's only June, and we know what July and August traditionally look like in
Europe as well? Is the solution now just to get as many air condition systems into these buildings and facilities as possible?
THORNE: That's part of it. I mean, the seasonal forecast systems are pretty strong signal for Europe being warmer than average over the rest of this
summer, so the probability is we may have one or more additional heat waves of this type.
So, yes, the first things we can do now, but also the need to get serious about systemic planning. This is not going to be a quick fix. This is going
to take place over decades, realistically, to make this happen.
ASHER: Yeah, it will take time, because Europe has been used to a certain climate, and obviously that is changing, as you point out. I just checked
the temperature in Lagos right now is 84. The temperature in Paris is 101 that says a lot. Peter Thorne, we have to leave it there. Thank you so
much.
GOLODRYGA: Smart phones come in handy right to check the temperature in real time.
ASHER: Yes. All right still to come, a bit to reassure nervous allies U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is in the Middle East speaking to skeptical
Gulf Nations about America's security commitments. How will they respond?
GOLODRYGA: Plus, the global benchmark for oil drops to near pre-war levels. Why it's happening, and what it means for gas and diesel prices. That's
next.
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GOLODRYGA: U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is in the Middle East trying to sell the Iran deal to allies most heavily targeted by the by Tehran
during the war.
ASHER: Yeah, he's in Kuwait right now on the second leg of his three nations tour. Rubio's visit comes as Iran is calling its agreement with the
U.S. quote a declaration of America's defeat, and as Tehran says that it's ready for security agreements with its Islamic neighbors, especially
Persian Gulf countries.
GOLODRYGA: Pakistan, meanwhile, says technical talks between the U.S. and Iran are set to resume next week. CNN's Jennifer Hansler joins us now live
at the State Department. A lot of skepticism being met in the Gulf, Jennifer, as the Secretary of State is trying to convince allies there of
this deal and why they should support it. 24 hours later, what do you have to report on his trip?
JENNIFER HANSLER, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL SECURITY REPORTER: Well, Zain and Bianna, Rubio is billing this as a listening tour of these critical Gulf
allies. When he landed in the United Arab Emirates last night, he said that he wanted to do more listening than talking as part of this trip.
And he did seem to acknowledge implicitly that there is skepticism around this framework that has been reached between the United States and Iran. He
described it as a work in progress, and that they wouldn't be able to reach a resolution after only a day and a half of talks. Take a listen to what he
said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARCO RUBIO, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: I think there is a framework and an outline upon which we can make real progress. I think good groundwork was
laid over the last 72 hours, but a lot of work remains to be done, and we want to hear from our partners. We want to make sure that their views are
taken into account, and we understand their security concerns, their regional economic concerns as well.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANSLER: Now, even as he is saying that he wants to solicit the input of these allies, the U.S. has already made clear that they will be relying on
the Gulf, in particular, when it comes to implementing key portions of this MOU, particularly when it comes to the Strait of Hormuz.
We saw the Iranians and the Omanis put out a statement yesterday saying they had created this joint commission when it comes to navigation through
that critical waterway. This is something in line with the MOU. However, there are still a lot of questions, of course, on the actual transit
through that key waterway.
Now, Rubio is currently in Kuwait, but he did meet with Emirati leadership earlier today. He said he discussed not only the MOU but also the bilateral
relationship with this key Gulf ally. Now moving forward from this stop in Kuwait he will also be heading to Bahrain, and he will sit down with the
GCC countries tomorrow to discuss the framework as well.
So, he is trying to solicit their input, particularly on security issues. Another thing he discussed yesterday was the idea of the missile and proxy
issue not being specifically spelled out in this agreement.
However, he did say that he believes it is addressed because, as he put it, the idea that this war could fully come to an end, that there could
actually be a sustainable peace without addressing the issue of Iranian proxies continuing to launch attacks throughout the region, that that would
not be something that could be possible.
So, we know that the U.S. will also be looking to the region when it comes to this issue, which is of course front and center of a concern for a lot
of those Gulf allies, Zain and Bianna.
GOLODRYGA: Yeah, the Secretary of State saying that the fighting in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah should not be linked to the war in Iran, but
that seems to be explicitly laid out in the first clause of this MOU.
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So, that that may be difficult for him to be navigating now. Jennifer Hansler, thank you.
ASHER: All right, Donald Trump is set to meet with Senate Republicans on Capitol Hill in less than two hours as divisions deepen inside the republic
-- the president's party over his war in the Middle East.
GOLODRYGA: On Tuesday, it was a very rare rebuke of the White House. The Senate voted to back legislation aimed at limiting U.S. military
involvement in Iran. Four Republican lawmakers broke ranks and joined Democrats in a vote Trump slammed as poorly timed and meaningless.
It is the 10th time Democrats have forced votes in the Senate on an attempt to rein in Trump's war powers. The House passed the resolution earlier this
month.
ASHER: The head of the UN's nuclear watchdog, meantime, says it will carry out -- it will rather carry out inspections in Iran.
GOLODRYGA: Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister, however, insists that a final deal with the U.S. must be reached first. And those aren't the only
contradictory messages surrounding the so-called memorandum of understanding.
A short time ago, President Trump claimed that Tehran had informed the U.S. it won't impose any tolls on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz,
but Iran has consistently indicated that it wants to introduce a system of what it calls maritime fees. And earlier Israel said that it will not
withdraw from Lebanon, even under U.S. demand. An end to the war and all fronts was one of Iran's main requirements.
ASHER: Let's take a look now at where global oil prices are. The benchmark Brent Crude falling close to the level it was trading at before Iran
conflict began.
GOLODRYGA: The drop can be attributed to the U.S. and Iranian agreement on the Strait of Hormuz, as more ships are allowed to transit the vital
waterway. U.S. diesel prices also fell below $5 a gallon for the first time since March 16th.
ASHER: Let's bring in Anna Stewart from London. So, Anna, the fall in oil prices is the drop that a lot of people had been hoping for, but as we've
learned over the past four months, things can change at a moment's notice, right? That's the lesson here.
ANNA STEWART, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That is always the lesson with all things financial and on the markets. But the oil prices we're looking at today
really are quite dramatic falls, looking at pre-war prices, that war premium we've got used to has just completely disappeared. It would seem.
Let's look at what the real easing is in terms of the Strait of Hormuz. Yesterday, there were 31 transits made, so that means that some ships,
including tankers with oil, are actually getting through now. That is an improvement. However, before the war, through that Strait, you get 130 to
140 transits a day, so 31 is really quite low.
So, oil is not flowing as it was before the war. Short term, there are many tankers loaded up with oil. We know there are some 11,000 seafarers
stranded around the region that will go into the market quite quickly, potentially, if the Strait is fully opened and more transits happen.
Longer term, it will be quite hard to switch on all of the oil output we had before the war. It takes time to ramp up that level of production.
However, interestingly, ladies, some of the forecasts we're seeing from economists around the world actually suggest that since the war started,
demand for oil has perhaps softened a bit, which could help support these lower prices.
So, JP Morgan, in the last 24 hours, issued a new forecast. They've lowered their forecast. They think Brent oil will trade around $78 a barrel by the
end of the year. Clearly, looking at prices today, they are already far below that. So, is this the sort of the new normal for oil prices?
I suspect not controlling that price isn't oil traders, it isn't tankers, it's very much politicians at the moment, and the floor of those oil prices
are only ever going to be as solid as the piece.
ASHER: That's a good way, that's a good way to put it, Anna. That, as you point out again, that is always the lesson with all things financial, that
things can change at a moment's notice. We'll see what happens next week, right? We're here today, we'll see. We'll watch what happens next week in
terms of oil prices. Anna Stewart live for us there. Thank you so much.
GOLODRYGA: That's what the president says, right? See what happens.
ASHER: Let's see what happens? There is a new political power broker in New York ahead Zohran Mamdani flexes his political muscle and get a clean
suite.
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[11:25:00]
ASHER: All right, welcome back to "One World". I'm Zain Asher.
GOLODRYGA: And I'm Bianna Golodryga. Here's some headlines we're watching today. Europe is sweltering under a record-breaking heat wave. Tuesday set
a new record for the hottest day ever recorded in France. The extreme heat is being fueled by a large area of high pressure known as a heat dome that
traps hot air.
ASHER: U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is in Kuwait on the second leg of his three-nations tour. He's trying to convince Gulf allies who were
heavily targeted by Iran during the war of America's security commitments. Iran meantime says it's ready for security agreements with its Islamic
neighbors, especially Persian Gulf countries.
GOLODRYGA: Keir Starmer faced questions from lawmakers for the first time since his resignation as Prime Minister. He said he had left the country in
better shape than he found it. The Leader of the Opposition, Kemi Badenoch, said that it was dangerous or generous of Mr. Starmer to stick by his
ministers, as quote they didn't stick by him.
ASHER: Leaders from E5 are meeting in Berlin today to discuss Ukraine ahead of next month's NATO Summit. Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz welcomed
European officials, including Italy's Giorgia Meloni. Keir Starmer, fresh off the back of his resignation as British Prime Minister, as well as
Poland and France.
All right, with the U.S. midterms just months away, President Trump is intensifying his push to exert more federal control over state-run
elections. A short time ago, he canceled the signing of a bill designed to make housing more affordable, a bill that had bipartisan backing. Trump was
scheduled to sign it into the law next hour in a ceremony on Capitol Hill.
GOLODRYGA: Instead, he posted this on social media. Today's housing news conference and signing is hereby canceled until such time as we pass the
desperately needed Save America Act, which I consider to be a national emergency. We'll have more on this in just a moment.
Meantime, also a developing story. New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani was the big winner in New York Democratic primary elections Tuesday night.
ASHER: Yeah, all three candidates endorsed by him won their races. One of them, Brad Lander, defeated incumbent Congressman Dan Goldman by a wide
margin. Speaking a short time ago, Mamdani says people in his city want change.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ZOHRAN MAMDANI, NEW YORK MAYOR: Workers are hungry for a new kind of politics. They are hungry for a politics that understands working people
should be at the heart of it. And they're hungry for a politics that looks at the wealthiest city in the wealthiest country in the history of the
world, and understands that it's unacceptable that one in four are living in poverty.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[11:30:00]
GOLODRYGA: In another notable race in New York's 12th Congressional District, Democrat Micah Lasher won the primary to replace retiring
Congressman Jerry Nadler. He was endorsed by Nadler, New York Governor Kathy Hochul, and Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
ASHER: Yeah, CNN's Gloria Pazmino has more on Lasher's victory.
GLORIA PAZMINO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, State Assemblyman Micah Lasher claiming a victory here tonight after this closely watched race was called
on his behalf. Micah Lasher will be replacing outgoing Congressman Jerry Nadler, who is retiring after serving 17 terms in office.
And it was a real gathering of Manhattan political establishment here tonight, including Governor Kathy Hochul, who joined him on stage to talk
about tonight's win. He was joined by several Manhattan Democrats who were supportive of his campaign.
This was a closely watched race, a big race that attracted a lot of big names, including Job Sloshberg, the grandson of John F. Kennedy, and also
George Conway, Former Republican turned Trump critic. But it was really a race between Micah Lasher and Assemblyman Alex Bores.
They were the ones that really had the edge going into primary night. Alex Bores also had significant ties to this district, and that was going to be
a determining factor going into this election. We heard from Lasher tonight, he specifically called out the amount of money that AI groups
spent on this race, specifically Alex Bores, who drafted AI regulation legislation.
H had several groups from Silicon Valley spending both against him and on his behalf. A lot of outside influence, outside money impacted this race.
But Micah Lasher tonight declaring victory. He will go on to the general election expected to win in what is overwhelmingly a Democratic blue
district here in Manhattan.
He will likely go on to serve in Congress, representing the 12th Congressional District, the center of Manhattan, and certainly a powerful
position in Congress. Gloria Pazmino, CNN, New York.
GOLODRYGA: In the South Carolina Republican governor's primary runoff, Donald Trump was a winner and a loser.
ASHER: Yeah, he backed winner Alan Wilson, but initially he endorsed Wilson's opponent, Pam Evette. On Friday, the president switched his
endorsement to both candidates.
GOLODRYGA: President Trump, meanwhile, was back on the campaign trail in Pennsylvania on Tuesday, touting his economic policies. Our Stephen
Collinson wrote for cnn.com Trump went back to his political happy place, but voters may not follow. And Stephen joins us live from Washington to
explain.
So, Stephen, let's just start there, because you write that the Trump -- the rally in Pennsylvania was the right argument for the wrong election,
sort of the greatest hits of 2016 and 2024 in terms of what the right message and argument is now is still up in the air.
But one thing seems to be universal, and that is affordability, that was what the president, at least many in his own party, were hoping that he
would tackle and focus on during this rally in Pennsylvania. But again, just as we saw a few moments ago, where he said he would not be at this
bipartisan signing ceremony for housing legislation on the very issue of affordability.
He's saying no, that his own priorities seem to be all about voting legislation. Just talk about that contradiction here, where you have both
parties now really, really honing in on affordability, and the presidents just not there?
STEPHEN COLLINSON, CNN POLITICS SENIOR REPORTER: Exactly, the president is unable to see, I think, his Presidency as anything but a stellar success,
and in the areas where it clearly is not that, he's trying his usual trick of reinventing his new reality.
He argues that affordability is a democratic hoax, language he's used, for example, to talk about election interference, his own in the past, and
false claims of fraud. So, he's going back to a place which helped him win the election in 2016 and 2024 as you said, right-wing cultural populism
hugging his base close.
The problem with that is 70 percent of Americans think that the president hasn't done a good job on their number one priority, which is the economy.
Their struggles to afford groceries and housing payments, their worries about health care, now new worries about the sustainability of state
retirement savings.
Those are the issues that voters want to talk about. Those are the issues which the president does not want to talk about because he sees it as an
implicit criticism of what he claims is an economic golden age.
[11:35:00]
So, there's a massive disconnect. And you would think that this is a big opening for Democrats in the midterm elections and in the run up to 2028.
And it's going to be a liability for Republicans who, while they need Trump's base to show up in November in large numbers, they must win over
disaffected Republicans, Independents, and even some lapsed Democrats if they are to cling on to the House and the Senate.
ASHER: And Stephen, just in terms of these sorts of wins by Mamdani, just last night, just in terms of backing these three candidates, and those
candidates winning. We're sort of seeing, and we've seen this for quite some time, but this idea of the Democratic establishment sort of no longer
being in vogue, and this party's move towards sort of a Mamdani branch of democratic socialism.
Just talk to us about the message that is being sent to party leaders within the Democratic Party, and also what this means for the future of the
party in terms of the next general elections?
COLLINSON: It's pretty fascinating, because it mirrors actually what Trump did to the Republican Party 10 years ago. Deep disaffection with party
leaders, the establishment, a feeling that those leaders are not serving the wishes of the base voters. That is how Trump took over the Republican
Party.
I think it is logical actually that there will be progressive populist uprising in the Democratic Party because there is great dissatisfaction
with, for example, living conditions in the big liberal cities, the cost of living. Lots of Democrats on the progressive side are still angry about
President Biden's loss and Kamala Harris's succession of him and her loss in the general election two years ago.
They see them as establishment figures, and they believe that the party is not working for them. Now, the question is, that's fine in liberal
democratic cities, is this going to end up being a movement that sweeps across the Democratic Party in the country, especially in the 2028
democratic primary?
Because there are many areas where Democrats must compete, swing states for example like Georgia, where a much more centrist Democrat is going to be a
smarter candidate from a general election point of view.
So, I think you're going to see this tussle play out between the city-based deep blue progressive candidates that people like Mandani want to advance
and perhaps a more conservative version of the Democratic Party ideology elsewhere, including, for example, in the African American community, which
is hugely important to Democratic candidates.
So, a lot of these candidates are going to have a balancing act. And the central question, I think, the most difficult question for center-left
parties, not just in the United States, we're seeing this in Britain with Andy Burnham, is how to win back those conservative cultural but working-
class economic voters that were key to the base, but who went for Trump in 2016?
Democrats aren't going to be able to win elections in the long term if they don't bring back some of those voters. And a deep blue progressive
Democratic Party might end up alienating some of these voters that people, the Democrats need to win swing states.
GOLODRYGA: Yeah. And CNN just recently had a poll showing a record number of voters in America consider themselves now Independent, so if they see
extremes, perhaps within the traditional Republican Party, and some, as you noted early on, what we saw with the Tea Party, and what President Trump
was really able to glide to the White House with that alarming some traditional Republicans now seeing in the Democratic Party that perhaps
playing out as well.
Talk about the schism that this has created publicly now between Zohran Mamdani and Hakeem Jeffries, who just today said that Mamdani has got to do
work on his relationship with the establishment Democratic Party. It's up to Zohran whether he will play along. Doesn't seem like he feels he needs
to at this point.
COLLINSON: No, and he is a rising political force. I think what this means is that if Democrats do win back the House in November, the majority next
year will be restive. I think we'll see a lot of the kind of splits that caused schisms in the Republican Party over the last 10 years.
[11:40:00]
The same ideological tussle between the extreme and the center, where governing usually happens, that is going to be something that's going to be
very difficult for Hakeem Jeffries to deal with.
It's also, I think, going to concentrate the mind of someone like Chuck Schumer, the Senate Democratic Leader, he now will surely fear facing a
left-wing challenger in his primary in New York in two years' time. A lot of Democrats on the progressive side believe that Schumer has not shown
enough resistance to the president.
He's been too accommodating, despite a couple of government shutdowns. So, I think you're going to see this play out after the election, as well as in
the election. And it's going to be a fascinating subtext to the Democratic presidential primary, which will start up right as soon as those midterm
elections are over.
I think it is going to take a candidate of rare charisma and leadership skills who can build their own coalition from all these disparate
Democratic interest groups to get that Democratic nomination and to guide the Democrats back to the White House, whatever state the Republicans are
in after the presidency of Donald Trump. I think there's a lot that's going to be up for grabs.
GOLODRYGA: Yeah, and the easiest thing, the lowest hanging fruit for Republicans at this point is to cast the entire Democratic Party as a whole
as a party that's leaned far too much to the left, as progressive as socialist, which is something that the moderates are really trying to push
back against as well. Stephen Collinson in Washington for us. Thank you.
All right, ahead on the show, Havana is hurting. Tourism has dried up in the Cuban Capital. Next, how that's impacting businesses and everyday
lives?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ASHER: All right, Cuba's once robust tourism industry has been gutted by U.S. sanctions in an oil blockade as the Trump Administration increases
pressure on the Cuban government.
GOLODRYGA: Now, the sharp decline in visitors has wiped out a key source of revenue for Cuba's hospitality workers. Now many residents fear even harder
times ahead. Here CNN's Patrick Oppmann in Havana.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PATTRICK OPPMANN, CNN HAVANA BUREAU CHIEF (voice-over): You can look for tourists in Cuba, but good luck finding any these days. The colonial
streets in Plazas and Old Havana, one of the island's main attractions for foreign visitors, are strikingly empty.
[11:45:00]
OPPMANN: Cuba's tourism sector is enduring the worst moment in years, if not decades. We've come to an area that should be absolutely full of
tourists to see how bad it's gotten.
OPPMANN (voice-over): Rolando is trying to promote the restaurant where he works. But there's hardly anyone to make his pitch to.
OPPMANN: You don't see any tourists?
ROLANDO, TOURISM WORKER: Maybe in this moment, 10 percent. 10 percent tourists in this square, that is the best square, is Plaza Vieja. The old
square in Havana, maybe 10 percent is nothing.
OPPMANN (voice-over): The oil blockade placed by the Trump Administration on Cuba earlier this year has contributed to rolling blackouts and a
scarcity of jet fuel for airlines carrying tourists from Europe or Canada, which have canceled flights.
Threats have increased U.S. economic sanctions on international hotel chains is forcing many companies to abandon the island and remove the
brands of hotels they used to manage for the Cuban government. According to official statistics, only 360,000 tourists visited the island in the first
five months of 2026 a more than 58 percent drop from the previous year.
The Trump Administration says it is pressuring the island's communist rulers to open the tightly controlled economy and political system. But
people like Elio and Andres, who have been playing traditional Cuban music on the street corner for nearly 30 years are among those feeling the
squeeze.
When we meet them, the guitar duo had earned less than $1 in tips that day. They told me the economy has never been this bad, even during the pandemic.
There are no tourists, Elio says maybe they're at home. One comes by only every half hour or hour. Even the famed Hemingway Trail, the bars where the
American writer drank his way across Havana, has gone cold.
OPPMANN: This is one of the most famous bars in Havana. You can see Hemingway's signature, there on the wall. This is one of the many places he
drank. He said he came here for his mojito. I've never been able to come here without there being just a crush of tourists. We're the first
customers of the day. It's a tourist trap without any tourists.
OPPMANN (voice-over): For the first time, Cuban officials say they may allow Cuban exiles or Cubans still living on the island to manage hotels.
But full ownership, so far at least, is still not permitted. The collapse of the tourism economy is a disaster for a government that spent years
pouring scant resources into building hotels.
OPPMANN: This is not only Cuba's largest hotel; it's the tallest building on this island. This is one of the most expensive things this government
here has ever built. Architects who worked on this project told me it cost more than $200 million to build this hotel, which is now empty and closed.
OPPMANN (voice-over): Still, construction continues on even more hotels that are unlikely to see paying customers anytime soon. Cubans who work in
tourism are trying anything to make ends meet. Alexander tells us he lowered prices to take a carriage ride with his horse, Napoleon, so that
Cubans could afford a city tour.
He still barely makes enough money to pay for his government license to work as a guide. More reforms urgently need to take place.
ALEXANDER, TOURISM WORKER: We don't change our system. If we don't change our economic model will never survive like a human being. Every day, daily,
there are problems and problems and problems, but if we don't solve, if we don't change those things, you will never have a real future.
OPPMANN (voice-over): Cuba's tourism industry has already collapsed under increased U.S. pressure. Now the fear is the rest of the island's teetering
economy could soon follow. Patrick Oppmann, CNN, Havana.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ASHER: All right, still to come here on "One World" England left frustrated on the pitching
--
GOLODRYGA: I knew --
ASHER: Three lions, sorry about that because God knows the Black Stars somehow pulled off a draw. Everybody doubted them yesterday on the show.
GOLODRYGA: You convinced me to support Ghana.
ASHER: -- action from the World Cup ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:50:00]
ASHER: All right, now to a packed schedule in terms of World Cup action, starting today. The group six stages will hold six matches each day in the
lead up to the knockout round.
GOLODRYGA: Some of the highly anticipated games coming up today include Scotland Showdown against Brazil in Miami. And Mexico taking on the Czech
Republic on home soil.
ASHER: Now let's go to CNN's Patrick Snell in Atlanta. We have so much talk about, but really it is all about, in addition to England versus Ghana,
it's also all about Ronaldo making history. He really proved the critics wrong.
PATRICK SNELL, CNN WORLD SPORTS: I was waiting for a Ghana question. Hopefully, I'll get one because --
ASHER: You will get one don't worry.
SNELL: Yes, Let's talk Ronaldo first, though. Incredible stuff, and to think some people were actually writing him off, hitting back and doing
what he does best, and that's scoring twice for Portugal in the 5-0 win yesterday over Uzbekistan. The 41-year-old hard to believe that some are
criticizing him, you know, even legends are allowed the odd day off.
You know, he's not going to score every match, but tell you what, the five- time Ballon d'Or winner answering the critics in style. He wasn't dropped by Head Coach Roberto Martinez, scoring after just six minutes. It was a
beautiful half volley goal as well, his first goal in 11 major tournaments.
And this is the history that is in play here. He has now become the first footballer ever, man or woman, to score in six World Cups, and that in
itself is an incredible milestone, so, so much for the criticism then Ronaldo says, look, it's nothing new.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CRISTIANO RONALDO, PORTUGAL CAPTAIN: I can tell you, it was a very, very tough week, a difficult week where public opinion was very harsh on us, on
all the players, especially on me and the coach. But it's always like that. It's nothing new, because, as you can imagine, it's been 23 years in this
profession. When things go well, Cristiano is great. When they go badly, he's finished, he's old. It will always be like that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SNELL: Yeah, I think that basically the negativity just inspires him to just dig deeper and prove the critics wrong. Meantime, my beloved England,
oh false dawn, the 66 winners, Thomas Tuchel, now their Head Coach, really frustrated by a goalless draw against Ghana in Group L.
I will say Ghana, in my book, were worthy of the point, though England are definitely one of the tournaments hot favorites, or at least pre-tournament
favorites. But they didn't look like it yesterday. I tell you, in Massachusetts.
They couldn't break down the Black Stars. Nico O'Reilly with the best chance, hitting the crossbar. Big credit, I will say again, to Ghana, who
defended very well. Yes, they tactically they were set up, they looked good, tactically. And they could have won it as well. They also had strong
shouts for a penalty that wasn't given.
[11:55:00]
Now, later on today, we got get set for Neymar, Brazil's all-time leading scorer. The 34-year-old has been declared fit and available for the game
against Scotland in Miami. No guarantee he will start the game. I can say the Former Barca and PSG Superstar recalled to the squad by Head Coach
Carlo Angelotti after nearly three years away from the national team, yet to play because of a calf injury.
They're managing him very carefully indeed. So, we'll see if he plays later on today against the Scots. And one thing is for sure, though: Scotland's
fans are up for the game against the five-time world champs. This is the Tartan Army, as they're known, thousands of them right now at this hour on
South Beach in Miami, really taking over South Beach.
Endearing themselves to the Americans as well in that part of the world. If they can beat Brazil, it's a big if, but if they can, we'll have to see if
they run out of beer in Miami. I suspect a lot more than beer as well. One thing's for sure: win, lose, or draw.
The Scots are bound to have an absolute blast in Miami, and they're just a joy to see Scotland. I hope they can stay in the tournament for as long as
possible. That's speaking as an Englishman.
ASHER: Yeah, the Scots have been -- just in terms of the idea of running out of beer in Boston, great thing. But just with Ghana, I mean, just goes
to show you can never ever, you can't really make any sort of concrete predictions in this World Cup, because it's sort of, I mean, your guess is
as good as anyone's.
Everyone thought that England was going to thrash Ghana, that didn't happen. Patrick, we have to leave it there.
SNELL: Yeah.
ASHER: Because I have told you --
GOLODRYGA: Ghana's the new Cape Verde.
SNELL: I tell you what? I -- just, very, just five seconds. I thought Ghana were worthy of a point. I really do believe that they were technically very
smart. And look, England couldn't outsmart them. That's it, that's my conclusion.
ASHER: Yeah, you can't take anything for granted here. Patrick Snell, live for us. Thank you so much.
GOLODRYGA: The official Ghanaian Cheerleader here. Do stay with us. We'll have more "One World" after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
