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One World with Zain Asher
Texas Hill Country Reels After Devastating Flash Floods; Air Quality Alerts Before World Cup Final; Spain And Argentina Go Head To Head In Sunday's Final; China Denies Trump's Allegations Of Election Interference; CDC Warns People Not To Eat Lettuce At taco Bell In Five U.S. States; Venezuela Reflect On Devastating Earthquakes; Xi Outlines Vision For China's A.I. Development; This Sister's Podcast Is The Latest Internet Sensation; Aired 12-1p ET
Aired July 17, 2026 - 12:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[12:00:27]
ZAIN ASHER, CNN ANCHOR: Nearly a year's worth of rain in a matter of days. The second hour of "One World" starts right now.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did you ever doubt that you were going to make it through?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. Yes. There was a couple of times that this could be it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ASHER: Some areas of Texas welcome relief as others brace for more impact from catastrophic flooding.
Also ahead, the countdown is on. The World Cup finals is almost upon us. And we hear it will be different from ever before. How and why? Plus.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The People's Republic of China carried out what is believed to be the largest compromise of election
data in history.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ASHER: Beijing disagrees. What China is saying about Donald Trump's big speech on Thursday?
And later, she doesn't use social media, but she is going viral. How this nun and her sisters are resonating with audiences all over the world?
Live from New York, I'm Zain Asher. You are watching "One World."
We begin with catastrophic flooding in Texas that has claimed the lives of two people and left hundreds more scrambling to escape floodwaters. Rain is
lighter today, but flash flood emergencies continue in some areas.
Officials say that at least 230 rescues were executed in the Texas Hill country on Thursday. Some requiring helicopters as waters quickly rose.
Dangerous scenes unfolded across the region as roads turned into rivers when close to a year's worth of rain fell in just a few days.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(SIRENS)
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ASHER: Officials say that warning systems alerted before waters rose in Kerr County. The alarms were installed after last year's devastating
floods. A hundred and thirty people died tragically last summer near the same area, including 25 girls at a campsite. A local mayor in a flood zone
spoke to me last hour.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ERIK GOMEZ, SABINAL, TEXAS MAYOR: Our community is strong. They were worried there was lots of anxiety throughout the last couple of days. Tons
of questions, tons of, do I need to move? Tons of, do I need to leave?
But our community is strong and, you know, most of the heavy rain has passed us. Now, it's time to -- to move forward with some cleanup and
things like that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ASHER: CNN's Ed Lavandera reports from one of the hardest hit regions in Texas, Kerr County.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ED LAVANDERA, CNN SENIOR U.S. NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Some 24 hours ago, where we are standing here, over the Guadalupe River, this area was
completely flooded, from that -- that far bank that you see there in the distance all the way to this side to the far southern bank of the river as
well.
These flood waters rose quickly. They rose dramatically. Some residents have told us in some places they came up as -- came up as fast as within 30
minutes. And it also reached levels that we didn't even see last year during those devastating floodings on this same river where nearly 140
people were killed by those flood waters. In some areas, the -- the flood - - the flood levels of this rainstorm reached higher levels than last summer.
But the good news is -- is that many people have been telling us is that they have -- they thought the -- the sirens, the warnings, the alerts about
the weather situation and the flooding risk went out much better than last summer.
And then also add to that that residents have been telling us that they also took it much more seriously. They endured and they lived through the
tragedy and the horror of last year. They took it much more seriously. So, campgrounds for example along the river where so many people lost their
lives, last summer were cleared out in time before these flood waters could -- could wreak havoc and -- and become much more deadly. But with all of
that, we are told so far at least two people have lost their lives.
And this was very widespread. It wasn't just here along the Guadalupe River but about an hour north of where we are in the town of Fredericksburg. That
area as well affected south of where we are.
Uvalde is -- is -- is a town that was also hard hit. So many people lost their homes in these flood waters as well.
So that cleanup effort continues today. The good news is, is that the rainstorms seem to have moved a little bit further north and that's giving
this area a chance for these creeks and tributaries and rivers to recede.
And that -- we have seen that dramatically here over the course of yesterday evening and into this Friday.
Ed Lavandera, CNN, Kerrville, Texas.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
[12:05:02]
ASHER: Some 80,000 people will pack the stadium in New Jersey for the World Cup final on Sunday with one uninvited guest, smoke from the Canadian
wildfires.
While air quality is expected to improve substantially, lingering smoke could cause hazy conditions.
Let's get the latest now from CNN meteorologist Derek Van Dam.
I mean, it's a little bit better. I'm in New York and it's a little bit better today compared to where things were yesterday. Yesterday, it was
really difficult to breathe, especially those who have sort of compromising conditions.
Just talk to us about where things will sit on Sunday. Because when you're being told it's not safe to be outside, I mean, obviously, you know, that's
pretty difficult if you're hosting the World Cup.
DEREK VAN DAM, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes. Zain, this -- this story is worth watching. How it unfolds, it's still a little bit to be determined because
you got to think about smoke, the atmosphere. It's a very fluid and dynamic thing.
And when you're talking about athletes that are working and operating at peak performance in an outdoor stadium, there needs to be a lot of
considerations for the potential of smoke, considering that it does impede your ability to breathe, regardless of how healthy or unhealthy you are.
OK?
So, just look at this fire hose of smoke emanating from the wildfires. This is taken earlier this morning's satellite imagery, right? You can see the
Great Lakes there. There's Detroit, Cleveland, all the way to the nation's capital. There's the improvement for New York, like Zain was mentioning.
It's looking great in Boston.
It's kind of this narrow corridor, but where will it go from here? That's the big question. This has been home to some of the world's worst air
pollution on the entire planet, right? So, all of these little dots, the reds and magentas all correspond to very unhealthy to hazardous air. And
the nation's capital has experienced some of that this morning.
You could see the improvement, but still some haze to the skies overhead in New York City. This is what it looked like in Detroit earlier this morning.
We have 18 U.S. states, including the District of Columbia, under some sort of air quality alert with over 100 million Americans impacted by this
smoke.
But guess what? It's raining on the fires right now. Remember, they're near the border of the U.S. and Canada. This cold front is going to sweep
eastward, change the direction of the wind and try to sweep things out to sea. We'll see. It's not going to put the fires out. So, there still will
be smoke coming from the fires. Something to consider.
ASHER: All right. We'll see what happens on Sunday. Derek Van Dam, live for us. Thank you.
All right. The drum roll has started. The countdown is on, all ahead of the most anticipated match of the World Cup.
Spain and Argentina will be going head to head on Sunday for the final. Both teams hoping to get their hands on that trophy.
And in the stands on the big day will be President Donald Trump. The White House confirmed on Thursday that he will be headed to New Jersey for this
weekend's match.
And if you thought about grabbing tickets -- if you thought that grabbing tickets was hard, then try getting your hands on one of these, a limited
edition championship ring. FIFA will be giving 30 historic rings to the winning side with just under 2,000 identical ones available for fans,
worldwide.
For more on this weekend's final, I'm joined now by soccer analyst for ESPN and former England player, Steve McManaman. Thank you so much, Steve, for
being with us again.
Prior to this World Cup, Steve, I'd always known that sort of intellectually, I'd always known intellectually that Messi was one of the
greatest players ever. I'd always known that intellectually.
But now I really get it. Like, I really, really get it. I feel as though this World Cup, he has drummed it into all of our heads. I mean, the big
question is, can Spain stop Messi? Your thoughts.
STEVE MCMANAMAN, SOCCER ANALYST, ESPN: Well, yes, that is the big question, Zain. I mean, what you would say is that the Spanish team, up to now, have
been the best team in the competition.
You know, the so-called favorites in France, Spain dispatched them really easily, and they were very, very impressive in their semi-final victory
against France. So, they will go into the final as favorites and probably as big favorites, to be very honest.
But, you know, Messi and Argentina, I've got that little bit of magic with them at this moment in time. They've had a little bit of fortune, a good
fortune on the way, but they've managed to navigate themselves to the final.
And when you get to the final, anything can happen, of course, Argentina are the holders. Spain are the champions of Europe. Argentina are the
champions of South America and also the world champions. So, they've got something special in their DNA that can maybe help them.
But on paper, you would always say the Spanish, if you've only conceded one gold Spain in the whole tournament, you would say they are the favorites
going into this final, but there's lots and lots of little subplots, of course.
You know, Messi playing for Barcelona and Pedri being there and Gavi being there and Pau Cubarsi and Lamine Yamal. There's loads of lovely little
subplots when you -- when you speak about this game. So, let's hope it lives up to the hype and it's a fantastic event.
ASHER: Yes. I mean, it's interesting because, you know, soccer is obviously a team sport, football is a team sport. It's not just about one individual
player.
[12:10:06]
You -- you -- you belong to this sort of era before the sort of Messi- Ronaldo era. You belong to the more sort of, you know --
MCMANAMAN: Yes.
ASHER: -- David Beckham, Zinedine Zidane era.
I think one thing that I find really interesting is, you know, what makes some of these players so great? Because, yes, obviously, it's the
dribbling, it's the scoring, it's the passing.
But I imagine it's also your ability to bring out greatness in your teammates. You know, Messi has an uncanny ability to -- to elevate everyone
else around him.
MCMANAMAN: Absolutely. He is so far better than everybody else in -- in the Argentinean team. And I don't mean that in a derogatory way. It's just how
good he is.
And you see the Argentinean team. They almost -- they're almost like at 10 bodyguards for Messi. They wait for him to come out on the pitch. He leads
them out. He's their leader.
You see them carrying them off the pitch at the end almost as if to protect him. They know how good he is. They know how important he is. And they need
him all the time. And he's a wonderful leader.
He's not the most vocal. He's not the most passionate on the pitch, but it's what he does on the pitch when he has the ball what shows he's a
leader.
They were behind against England. They were struggling against England, until he literally said right, everybody jump on my back and I will carry
you to victory. And that's what he does and he's done that time and time and time again.
And that's what a real leader is. A real leader shows you on the pitch with that little white ball what -- how good he is and he'll lead by example.
And that's what he's done on many occasions.
And the fact that we're talking about him now as a 39-year-old, when he doesn't play in any of the major leagues in -- in -- in Europe, of course,
he plays in the MLS.
And the fact that he's 39 and still beating everybody in statistics as in goals and assists, et cetera. And he's leading his country to -- to a
second final in -- in succession, if they win it, you know, that will be a big thing for Argentina if they retain this.
Because, of course, only Brazil have done it in '58 and '62. So that's another big tick in Messi's -- in Messi's box.
And, of course, for -- for the country of Argentina, when they go up against Brazil, that's what it's all about. So, he's a wonderful leader,
great footballer. And they need to keep him wrapped in cotton wool until Sunday afternoon and make sure he's out on that pitch.
ASHER: You know what -- you know what's interesting though, it's -- it's -- he is, as you point out, overall, Spain is, on paper, the better team. And
what I understand about Spain is that once they get the ball, it is so difficult to win it back.
I mean, they have -- they've -- they've sort of mastered possessing the ball. That's really scary.
And in order to win the ball back from them or seize it back from them, you -- you need more than just Messi, right?
MCMANAMAN: Yes, you do. Yes. Spain, an incredible of doing that.
We all thought France would score goals against them because they were too quick and too offensive. Spain just didn't let them have the ball.
And the -- the great thing about Spain is when -- when they went one -- one they'll up against France, they kept the ball, wanted to get two nil,
wanted to be three nil were incredibly offensive going forward in stopping France how to -- how to play.
And that was, of course, that quite contradictory to how England were the other day, but Spain are great. They master the ball. They'll have
possession.
Expect Argentina to upset them, to kick them, to pinch them, to pull their shirt, to try and put them off the strides, because that's the only thing
that will -- will hurt Spain.
But Spain will dominate the ball. They will have 60 percent possession. And we'll wait and see -- we'll wait and see if Argentina can -- can do
something about that.
ASHER: Yes. I mean, I am, you know, I'm really -- when Messi retires. I wonder, you know, how the Argentine team will -- will do. I mean -- I mean,
as you point out, you said it so well. Like they're just bodyguards for him. They're just -- they're just working for you, you know.
MCMANAMAN: Yes.
ASHER: So they retain that magic. I -- I wonder. We'll see.
MCMANAMAN: No, they'll retain the hunger. They certainly won't -- they certainly won't retain the magic. Because once Messi stops, and whether
it'll stop after this World Cup, a number of other players alongside and will stop.
This was a team predominantly from four years ago. So they are all getting to the end of their careers. So, the magic will stop because he is like
Diego Maradona before him when they last won the World Cup in -- in '86. They need that focal point.
In eight -- in the '80s and '90s, it was Maradona. Now, it's Lionel. Once he goes, they're going to have to get something special to recreate what
he's done.
ASHER: I'm sure they're grooming a lot of people. There's a lot of people in the wings maybe, I mean, who's in line about these --these sort of
things.
We'll see who takes the crown, who inherits the crown from Messi next.
All right. Steve McManaman, we'll see what happens on Sunday. Thank you. Thank you so much.
MCMANAMAN: Thank you very much.
ASHER: All right. Andy Burnham is the new leader of Britain's governing Labour Party. Though he'll have to wait until Monday to see him take on the
role of prime minister, the seventh in only a decade.
[12:15:00]
Much like his predecessor, Keir Starmer, Burnham is taking office at a time when Britain is clamoring for change. Burnham says he wants to offer hope
to people in, quote, forgotten places everywhere.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANDY BURNHAM, BRITISH LABOUR PARTY LEADER: We are united. And we put the power that comes from that unity at the service of people and places who
have been waiting too long for politics to let them hope again. And that's what we're going to do everybody. We're going to give them hope back.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ASHER: All right. Democrats are accusing Donald Trump of trying to undermine November's midterm elections, but criticism of the president's
speech on Thursday night, claiming U.S. elections are compromised is also coming from outside the country.
China is calling Trump's allegations of election interference by Beijing, in 2020, totally fabricated.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: They show that over a period of years, starting during the 2020 election cycle, the People's Republic of China carried out what is believed
to be the largest compromise of election data in history, resulting in China's illicit acquisition of 220 million U.S. voter files.
That information includes names, addresses, phone numbers, political party preferences, and other sensitive data that would be needed to register to
vote and engage in other nefarious activities, which is exactly what was happening.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ASHER: During the 25-minute address, Trump pushed conspiracy theories debunked by his own intelligence agencies, by the way, and he offered
declassified documents as proof of election vulnerabilities in the U.S. However, they did not back up his claims.
For more now on China's reaction, here is Stephen Jiang in Beijing.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
STEVEN JIANG, CNN BEIJING BUREAU CHIEF: Before this speech, they're having chatter of Chinese officials going to Washington to discuss with their
American counterparts about the expected Xi Jinping's visit to the White House in September, and that, of course, is something Trump himself has
said repeatedly he's looking forward to.
When Trump came here in May, his high stakes talks with Xi have, indeed, ushered in a period of relative calm between the two countries. And
officials from both sides have long said this kind of leadership summit provides the strongest guardrails to prevent this often rocky relationship
from deteriorating, but this kind of summit also requires the right atmosphere to take place.
And the -- the rather overwhelming and ominous allegations Trump just made, obviously, not conducive to that. That's why the Chinese response has come
very quickly with a spokesman in their embassy in D.C., telling us, quote, "China has all along adhered to the principle of non-interference."
And he goes on to say, "China has never and will never interfere in the presidential elections of the U.S."
A foreign ministry spokesperson here reiterated that position and going a bit further, painting all these latest allegations as part of a smear
campaign against China, even turning the table on Washington accusing the U.S. being of being the one that often interferes in other's internal
affairs.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ASHER: Iran steps up its retaliatory strikes on Gulf States, while the U.S. carried out its six straight nights of strikes on Iran on Thursday.
Qatar, Jordan, and Kuwait are coming under Iranian fire, with Tehran striking a power and water desalination plant in Kuwait.
The Iranian media also reporting Tehran could target a network of key ports in Gulf States. This as the U.S. intensifies its bombing campaign on Iran,
striking several bridges in the south in the latest round of strikes. Iran state media says at least eight people were killed.
The White House press secretary says that President Trump is open to diplomacy with certain caveats.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KAROLINE LEAVITT, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: President is always open and willing to diplomacy. He is the peace through strength president after all.
After Operation Epic Fury, the conclusion of it, we did move forward into a diplomatic phase, if you will. But unfortunately, Iran has since violated
that. They have expressed, they still want to make a deal to the president. We're talking to them.
But again, the president is not going to allow them to fire on ships in the Strait without paying a consequence for that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ASHER: President Trump only briefly mentioned the war with Iran during his prime time address on Thursday.
All right. Still to come here on "One World," China's leader lays out his vision for the future of artificial intelligence. We'll tell you what he's
saying when we come back.
Plus, the CDC has warned against eating shredded lettuce at Taco Bell in five U.S. states, as cases of an intestinal illness rise. What we know
about the outbreak, excuse me, after the break.
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[12:20:25]
ASHER: All right. The CDC is warning people not to eat shredded lettuce from Taco Bell in five states. It says the lettuce has been linked to an
outbreak of an intestinal illness that is surging across the U.S.
The FDA says the lettuce was grown in Mexico and adds that it's working with suppliers to see if contaminated lettuce still remains on the market.
Taco Bell says it has taken action to remove potentially impacted lettuce from its supply chain.
CNN's health reporter Jacqueline Howard joins us. I mean, this really makes my stomach churn. But just explain to us what's going on, the source of
this outbreak just in terms of being a Taco Bell supplier, as I understand it, and how people can protect themselves.
JACQUELINE HOWARD, CNN HEALTH REPORTER: Yes. So, what is happening? We're talking about an illness called cyclosporiasis. It's caused by the
Cyclospora parasite.
And here in the United States, CDC officials have connected more than 1,600 cases of cyclosporiasis to contaminated shredded iceberg lettuce sold at
certain Taco Bell locations. And these are Taco Bell locations concentrated in the Midwest.
And among those more than 1,600 cases, we do know that several people were hospitalized. And the states where these Taco Bell restaurants are located
that have been tied to these cases are Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia.
And, Zain, the FDA here in the United States says it is working directly with the supplier of that lettuce to determine if contaminated shredded
lettuce has been sent to other places as well. This could be a -- a broader situation beyond Taco Bell.
But for now, Taco Bell has provided a statement in response to this outbreak. In the statement, Taco Bell says, quote, "Based on ongoing
conversations with public health officials and out of an abundance of caution, Taco Bell has taken immediate action to voluntarily remove
potentially impacted lettuce from a supplier in select states. The affected ingredient from our supplier is being indefinitely removed from our supply
chain nationwide and will be replaced within 24 hours in select states."
So, Zain, that's how Taco Bell is responding to this.
The CDC has offered tips on how people can protect themselves. Number one, CDC says, do not eat shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell locations
in those five states, of course. And then separately, it's important to wash your hands, wash your fresh produce.
[12:25:04]
And with an outbreak like this happening, Zain, experts say also to prioritize cooking your food, because when you cook food to more than 158
degrees Fahrenheit, that can kill the parasite, Zain.
ASHER: OK. Good advice there. Jacqueline Howard, live for us there. Thank you.
Lionel Messi and Argentina refuse to quit in their match against England. Ahead, the techniques that elite athletes use to overcome adversity and how
you can apply them in your own life.
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ASHER: This next story is one of devastation and perseverance. It's only been three weeks since twin earthquakes tore three parts of Venezuela. The
government says the death toll is now approaching 5,000 people. Stefano Pozzebon is there.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
STEFANO POZZEBON, CNN CONTRIBUTOR (voice-over): Three weeks since Venezuela was hit by twin destructive earthquakes, it is far too early to even think
of turning the page. According to government officials, more than 4,500 people have been killed. Many will rest nameless here in new mass graveyard
that expanded last week in La Guajira, close to the disaster zone. The true death toll, we may never know.
Thousands of people are still looking for missing loved ones. It is just one of several questions thrown at local authorities.
The U.S.-backed Acting President Delcy Rodriguez, who has been in power since January, is being criticized for a delayed and insufficient response
to the most devastating natural disaster her country has faced in this century.
POZZEBON (through text translation): Who decided how, why, and for what purpose the military would be deployed in this catastrophe?
DELCY RODRIGUEZ, VENEZUELAN ACTING PRESIDENT (through text translation): Our system combines both armed forces and civil protection. That's why I
gave the order, and we immediately issued the decree activating the whole response in accordance with the disaster law.
[12:30:19]
POZZEBON (voice-over): But the government's reassurances, including the deployment of 19,000 military officials, does not square with our own
experience on the ground in Venezuela.
POZZEBON: This used to be a golf course. La Guaira was a tourist hot spot by the Caribbean Sea. And so here is where tourists will come and play golf
and relax. Now, of course, it's a tent city for hundreds of displaced, many of whom actually used to live there in those blocks.
And every day, they wake up and they see their homes and flats broken down by the brutality of the earthquakes.
POZZEBON (voice-over): It is here we met Zoe Santander. Back then, she hadn't been able to see her son in 10 days. They were separated in the
aftermath of the quakes. Zoe made it out unharmed. Her seven- year-old Xavier was trapped under the rubble.
ZOE SANTANADER, LA GUAIRA RESIDENT (through text translation): There was nothing. Nothing outside, no firefighters, nothing. Finding ourselves like
that, what were we going to do? Just wait for anyone who could come and help us.
POZZEBON (voice-over): To this day, Zoe still doesn't know where her son is. Nothing remains of their home. A vast housing complex built by
Rodriguez's predecessor, the late President Hugo Chavez.
This year's earthquakes are just the latest in a seemingly never-ending run of tragedies suffered by the Venezuelan people.
A few days after the tremors, we met one person whose life chronicled that struggle.
Like so many, 45-year-old primary school teacher Ninoska Gutierrez emigrated in 2018, seeking better opportunities and a decent salary to
support her family.
She lived in Peru, crossed the jungle and moved to the U.S. in the following years, just as Venezuela's infrastructure fell into disrepair.
Listening to her is like living through dozens of stories I covered as a foreign correspondent for almost 10 years; the Venezuelan economic collapse
under Nicolas Maduro, the exodus of millions of migrants to other countries in Latin America and then to the United States. And the crackdown on
undocumented migrants under Donald Trump's second administration.
Last month, Ninoska was detained by Miami police over an incident and charged with a misdemeanor, deported to Caracas just hours before the
quakes hit. She was resting in a hotel when the ground started shaking.
NINOSKA GUTIERREZ, EARTHQUAKE SURVIVOR (through text translation): A wall fell on top of me, thank God on my legs and not on my head, or on my arms.
That wall collapsed on me, and then a beam -- or something like that -- came down too. It ended up trapping my legs.
POZZEBON (voice-over): Incredibly, Ninoska made it out of the hotel alive. And yet, it is a drop in the ocean.
The coastal road in La Guaira is now lined with debris of collapsed buildings. The waves of the Caribbean Sea crashing on the remains of so
many lives shattered.
For those who survived it, it is now time to pick up the pieces, looking somehow to rebuild the life.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[12:35:22]
ASHER: All right. Let's get a look at see how the U.S. markets are doing right now. Let's take a look at the three major indices here. Red across
the board. We are watching the NASDAQ closely and we'll get to David Goldman just a moment to talk to us a bit more about why the NASDAQ is
down. This is your business breakout.
All right. Oil prices are set to make weekly gains fueled by the escalating conflict between the U.S. and Iran in the Persian Gulf that's renewing
fears over the safety of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
With a ceasefire between the U.S. and Tehran in tatters, crude has returned to prices last seen more than a month ago.
A judge is set to hear arguments today for and against a temporary restraining order on Paramount's guidance planned merger with Warner
Brothers Discovery, the parent company of CNN. Paramount's lead council says the deal isn't anti-competitive, but a dozen state attorney general
disagree and filed an antitrust lawsuit in federal court. A hearing is set to begin shortly.
China is spelling out its vision for the future of artificial intelligence. President Xi Jinping spoke at the opening of the World A.I. Conference in
Shanghai today, as Washington and Beijing race to develop the best A.I. stocks in Asia and best in A.I. And the stocks in Asia and the U.S. fell
Friday after technological advances announced by a Chinese A.I. company intensifies concerns about A.I. spending.
Let's bring in CNN's David Goldman to talk about all of this, joining us live now from New York.
So, this really is about A.I. competition from China, specifically open source A.I. competition from China. And this idea that Chinese A.I.
companies can essentially compete with American A.I. companies at a fraction of the cost that's got the NASDAQ headed south.
DAVID GOLDMAN, CNN SENIOR BUSINESS REPORTER: Yes, you got it. I mean, you remember DeepSeek a few years ago? This is the one that the A.I. model that
basically did the same thing that OpenAI did, but for a fraction of the cost.
Well, we're kind of seeing that again, a company called Moonshot making a big, big push and getting results that pretty much are similar to the U.S.
A.I. model.
So, this is just another example of investors saying, wait a second, we have invested so much money in these A.I. companies, that ship companies,
the technology companies. Are these valuations getting a little bit lofty if a Chinese company can come in and do the same thing at a fraction of the
cost?
Is there more competition here than we previously believed? And that is why they're a little unnerved.
But we should also put this into perspective, Zain, because I think that if you look at these numbers, you know, yes, sure, you see a lot of red across
the board. But the overall stock market is still less than two percent down from its all-time high.
So, we are not very, very far from a record right now. And so, yes, there is definitely a little bit of concern there, but not so much that I think
anyone needs to start panicking right now.
ASHER: OK. David Goldman, live for us there. Thank you so much. Appreciate you.
GOLDMAN: Thank you.
ASHER: Joining us on that -- all right. Still to come, can nuns host a podcast? One of our reporters sits down with an unlikely internet star, as
she talks with her fellow sisters about faith and their latest hobbies.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[12:40:19]
ASHER: Lionel Messi and Argentina never stopped believing themselves when they faced England in Wednesday's World Cup semi-final. Messi didn't score,
but he registered an assist on each of Argentina's goals in their come- from-behind victory.
In their previous match against Egypt, Argentina was down two goals before winning in stoppage time. Across those two matches, Argentina led for only
20 minutes. But, of course, all that matters is who's ahead when the final whistle blows.
While there are no timeouts in the World Cup, but there is a timeout here on "One World." Author Nir Eyal joins us for ours to take a look at what
drives elite athletes to never give up despite all odds. Nir is the author of "Beyond Belief: The Science-Backed Way to Stop Limiting Yourself and
Achieve Breakthrough Results." Nir joins us live now.
So, Nir, that game between Argentina and England was incredible to watch for so many reasons. But the fact that Argentina has now done this at least
twice, this idea of scoring at the 85th minute, at the -- at the 90th minute during stoppage time, I mean, it's incredible because to do it once,
you could argue, OK, maybe it's luck.
But to do it twice suggests to me that that is down to something completely different. Because when you're losing, and there's only five minutes left
in the game or 10 minutes left in the game, it's so easy to be demoralized. It's so easy to sort of subconsciously give up and just think, oh, you know
what, we tried our best.
But the fact that Argentina, they have those sort of mental resilience, I don't know where it comes from, but the mental resilience not to do that,
not to give up at all until the very end. Just -- just take us through that and what can we all learn from -- from this do you think, Nir?
NIR EYAL, AUTHOR "BEYOND BELIEF": This is the power of belief demonstrated right before our eyes. I remember that night of that game. I was getting
text messages celebrating from England fans saying, that's it. It's coming home. It's over.
And then lo and behold, that team, that Argentine team, did not give up to the very last second. And it was incredible to watch.
And it's just such a demonstration of -- of the power of belief. If you believe it's all over, it's done with why even try? If you're demoralized,
if you start getting into your own head about why things are lost, you will not perform at that level. And so I think it's a great demonstration, not
only around the athleticism of -- of the people who -- who were in that match, but really around the mental fortitude.
And the lesson for us is around how beliefs change what we are able to see. I think someone who is not that well trained would see the situation as
hopeless. And -- and part of these athletes training, the -- the real champions here are the ones who can see things differently, despite the
evidence, despite the facts.
[12:45:11]
Because one of -- one of the mantras that I've learned over the past 16 years studying the psychology of beliefs, is that beliefs are tools, not
truths. So these are tools, not truths.
If you just objectively looked at where the team -- the Argentine team was, you would say it's all lost. But, of course, it wouldn't benefit you to
believe that.
ASHER: Yes. It's interesting because I -- I never saw Messi panic. Never saw him once panic. I -- I never saw him waste any kind of emotional
energy, you know, during those five minutes.
And I -- I mean, I can't even -- because when you think about what is on his shoulders, you know, you have an entire country, yes, rooting for you,
but all of their hopes and dreams in Argentina basically pinned on you.
You've got the fact that, you know, in Argentina, like in many other countries, it's common people to sort of take days of work or reorganize
their schedules just to watch you play. So, you've got millions of people, essentially organizing their day around you.
And on top of that, everybody is telling you day in and day out, you are a god. You are the greatest soccer player that has ever.
So, the -- the amount of pressure, and you've got to think that in -- in that situation, a lot of people would shrink under that kind of pressure.
Some people would just say, you know, towards the end of the game, I'm just going to avoid the ball because if I mess up, gosh, they're -- you know,
they're going to -- they're going to destroy me in the papers tomorrow.
But Messi consistently goes for the ball, no matter what, despite the fact that you've got the whole world watching him. Explain that kind of
psychology. And the psychological load. What kind of a person can actually handle that?
EYAL: Well, I don't know what's going on in Messi's head, but I'll tell you a practical tip that changed my life.
ASHER: I wish we could though, right?
EYAL: I can assume that -- I wish I could get into his head. But I'll tell you, you know, we see the same phenomenon in terms of reshaping our
beliefs.
So, I'll tell you, you know, personally, when I started speaking in front of a large audience, I would have these -- these terrible symptoms of stage
fright. I would have the -- the heart palpitations. I would have the sweaty armpits, the cotton mouth, all the anxiety that would go along with
speaking in front of a large crowd.
And I would tell myself a story that I wasn't ready, and this isn't for me, and I'm not good enough to do this. And it wasn't helping me. That belief
was not serving me. It was a limiting belief.
Well, today I've changed that belief. I get the same exact physiological symptoms. Right now, I'm getting the sweaty armpits and the heartbeat and
the cotton mouth right this very second on CNN.
ASHER: You're doing great. You're doing great, Nir.
EYAL: Of course, I am. Thank you.
But here's the important thing. The story has changed. That's the important thing. Because now, the same exact physiological symptoms have a different
belief. You see, now I believe that my heart is beating quickly so that I can send more oxygen to my brain, so I can deliver my best possible
presentation.
Same physiological symptoms, same situation, same environmental factors, completely in different interpretation. And that's the mentality of
champions.
ASHER: So you, essentially, it's the story you tell yourself and you're essentially reframing. You know, you're -- you're reframing what -- what is
happening to you.
One of the things, and this is beyond Messi. I won't -- I won't make this a Messi show. But -- but beyond Messi, one of the things that elite athletes
obviously have in common is incredible discipline and incredible self- control, which are related, but they're not exactly the same thing.
When you think about elite athletes, whether it is through diet, exercise, training, the level of discipline required to be able to, you know, to
stick to those routines day in and day out is -- is beyond what I -- what I can imagine.
And we all know those types of people. We all have people in our lives. Those kinds of people who say, you know what, January 1st, I am going to be
vegan or I'm going to cut out sugar. And then from that day onwards, they're able to stick to it day in and day out for years, if not forever.
And then you have other people, maybe I'm in this -- in this -- in this category, people who will say, yes, I'm not going to eat sugar, you know.
I'm going to really stick to this new diet. And then three weeks later, I'm back to eating sugar.
Just -- just tell us about the difference between those two sort of categories of people. And if you're in the second category, how do you get
into the first category? How do you need to sort of reframe your mindset and your approach of this kind of thing?
EYAL: I'll tell you the secret. The secret is to identify the limiting belief. And probably the most common limiting belief that I hear in my 16
years of research on this topic, is some form of this hurts, right? That this is too hard.
Whoever said that feeling bad is bad? Who said that? That's just a belief. In fact, it's a limiting belief. There are many times when feeling bad is
good, that -- that pain with purpose doesn't have to be suffering.
So, when you think about an athlete who's faced with all this pressure, when you think about what you all do, you face pressure every day, if you
can look at that pain differently, if you can see it as something that you relish, as something that you lean into, as something that good, you want
the pressure, that makes this exciting, that makes this fulfilling. It makes it purposeful.
[12:50:04]
If you can change that narrative, if you can see it differently, that's where you excel. That's where you unlock your real potential.
So, you know, for example, for me, I used to be clinically obese, not just overweight, but clinically obese. And for years and years, I would tell
myself, this is hard. I can't do this. My -- I have a fast metabolism, right? Whatever. I would make up every single excuse.
It wasn't until I changed my limiting belief, from this is hard, I can't do it, to this liberating belief, which is, this is what it feels like to get
better. It's not painful, it's not suffering. This is what it feels like to get better. It's supposed to feel like this.
And using that liberating belief, that's how I finally accomplished my weight loss goals.
ASHER: I mean, that is incredible. I mean, just -- just to end it there. I mean, that is an incredible story of just overcoming. And I mean, for you
to go for being -- I never saw pictures of you. I don't mean -- I have no idea. But for what you're saying, to go from being clinically obese to
where you are, I mean, you have to really overcome yourself. You're overcoming yourself every single day. And that is hugely.
I mean, I wish I'd even -- if I'd known that, I would have made the segment about that alone. Nir, we'll have to leave it there because I'm -- I'm --
EYAL: I'm happy to show you some pictures embarrassingly enough.
ASHER: I am -- and we're out of time, but -- but thank you so much for sharing. You mean, you really are the perfect person to talk to you about
this, because obviously you have overcome a lot, and that is inspiring. So we'll see what happens on Sunday, though, back to my Messi obsession.
Nir Eyal, always good to have you on. Thank you so much. Appreciate it.
EYAL: My pleasure. Good to see you. Thanks.
ASHER: All right. The latest internet phenomenon is nuns on a podcast, yes? You heard that correctly. These Dominican sisters are taking the internet
by storm as they discuss faithful, ultimate Frisbee, cooking, and their latest hobbies.
CNN Creator Antoinette Radford has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hi, everyone.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hello.
ANTOINETTE RADFORD, CNN CREATOR (voice-over): They don't use smartphones or social media, but the Dominican sisters are going viral for videos that
give a glimpse into their everyday lives.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So, this camera is going to pick me up from here.
RADFORD (voice-over): The podcast, Dominican Sisters Open Mic, aims to show people how the sisters live and educate them on their faith.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: All right. Well, why don't we start with a prayer? In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and the Holy Spirit, amen.
RADFORD: How do you host a podcast if you don't listen to them?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My interior reaction was, oh, my goodness, I can't do that. I do not know how to do a podcast.
Our sisters, we don't even listen to podcasts because we have, in a beautiful way, we have so much silence and we have prayer. And we have our
professional responsibilities to attend to.
I haven't listened to podcasts. So, I thought, why don't -- I don't really know that I'm the best person for this.
RADFORD (voice-over): Despite Sister Miriam's concerns, she's taken the internet by storm. With millions of views on some TikTok videos, more than
200,000 followers.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, they have all kinds of --
RADFORD (voice-over): And one particular viral phrase associated with the podcast.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Sister, yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I am not even exaggerating when I say that the nuns on their podcast, that Openlight Media podcast where the nuns talk about their
life, their vocation, their purpose, what they do in their community, has genuinely changed my outlook on life.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I keep getting the videos of the nuns doing the podcast and, oh, sister, they are so good at podcasts.
RADFORD (voice-over): The success of this podcast comes at an interesting time for religion in America. The percentage of Americans who hold religion
in their lives has held steady since 2020, after a prolonged period of religious decline, according to research from Pew.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I always look forward to these days.
RADFORD (voice-over): Sister Miriam's own journey, in many ways, reflects that return to faith.
For her being a nun, let alone hosting a podcast, was at no point part of her plan.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Where I now right now is very, very far off from my plans as a high school student.
Actually, I used to be a pharmacist. And I was working in Canada. My plan was to get married and have children. And I thought if I got my pharmacy
degree, it would enable me to be flexible about my hours and maybe I could take a step back a bit when -- when my children were younger and then go
back into it.
So, that was part of the reasonings behind that. And I actually didn't know any sisters at all.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We could get a shot of you editing a TikTok clip and I'll be back.
RADFORD (voice-over): But as she continues to rise as an internet star, will she be able to reconcile a life of piety with internet fame? Probably.
She suspects.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Even without me being viral on TikTok or having a podcast, when I go out to the beach, when I go to the airport, when I go to
a school to teach, people are constantly approaching me to talk because I have this habit on.
[12:55:08]
And so my spirit, when I go out, in my heart is, I'm going to be available to the people today, whoever wants to talk.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'll be interested to see how you guys hold this all together. Because I do not know.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ASHER: How lovely to leave you on something uplifting. What a delight that was.
All right. Thank you so much for watching "One World." I'm Zain Asher. Appreciate you watching. "Amanpour" is up next. Enjoy your weekend.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
