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After Iran Strikes, Benjamin Netanyahu Sees "Opportunities" To Free Israeli Hostages; Humanitarian Crisis Grips Gaza As War Grinds On; Senate In Marathon Voting Session On Donald Trump Agenda Bill; Two Firefighters Killed While Responding To Brush Fire; Jury Deliberations Begin In Sean "Diddy" Combs Trial; IAEA: Iran Could Resume Enriching Uranium "Within Months". Aired 10-11a ET
Aired June 30, 2025 - 10:00:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:00:30]
ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN Abu Dhabi, this is CONNECT THE WORLD.
ELENI GIOKOS, CNN INTERNATIONAL HOST: Welcome to the second hour of CONNECT THE WORLD from our Middle East programming headquarters, I'm Eleni Giokos.
Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu says opportunities have opened up to bring home the hostages and a possible deal with Hamas. We'll be speaking to a doctor
inside Gaza on the situation there.
On Capitol Hill, Senators facing a marathon session known as vote-a-rama, before a final vote on what President Trump calls his big, beautiful bill.
And authorities in Europe warning of health risks as extreme heat grips the continent, saying the severe weather also turns up the threat of wildfires.
Well, since Hamas set off the war in Gaza with its 2023 attacks on Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been quite clear, defeating Hamas is
the Israeli government's supreme objective in Gaza.
On Sunday, his tone shifted somewhat. It was one of the first times Mr. Netanyahu named freeing Israeli hostages as his top priority. Noting,
"Victory in Iran has opened new opportunities for a resolution in Gaza."
CNN's International Diplomatic Editor Nic Robertson joins us now live from Jerusalem. Nic, great to have you with us.
This is the first time in a while that Prime Minister Netanyahu appears to have been putting free hostages ahead of defeating Hamas. What are the
opportunities here for cease fire talks between Israel and Hamas? How are you weighing up this new change in turn?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Well, a lot of people here in Israel interpret it as Hamas being a proxy of Iran. Iran, as viewed
here, has been defeated in this 12 day conflict with Israel. That means Hamas cannot look in the same way they previously done for ongoing future
support from Iran, in the way that they had counted on in the past. That's the -- that's the perception here, and that's what the prime minister is
playing on.
He also seems, perhaps to be responding to pressure from President Donald Trump, who had earlier on social media yesterday, said, get the deal done.
Get the hostages back. The hostage families at the moment are really insistent that the prime minister has to do a complete deal. That is all
the hostages, all 50, about 20 or so are believed to be alive, get them all out in one go, and then pull the troops out, end the war, which is
something that Hamas has been putting on the table.
So, there's a sort of a stronger narrative around the prime minister, but it really is noticeable to a lot of people here, hostage families in
particular, that he has, for the first time, said, get the hostages first.
Previously, he would say, we have to defeat Hamas militarily. Then we can get the hostages. The families are saying, this is good. It's a good
indication.
But they're also saying, because the prime minister frames it as rescuing the hostages, and the families are saying, well, it's not rescuing if you
get a deal, just they'll be freed, you're not rescuing them. But that's -- that, perhaps, is a small point between the families who are really
strongly trying to get their message across the prime minister and the -- and the prime minister.
GIOKOS: You know, we've been talking about what a day after would look like for Gaza, and we've got to notice and focus on the fact that you've got
complete destruction of most of the infrastructure, a nonexistent health sector.
I mean, water infrastructure has been destroyed. What does that day after, Nic, look like? What is Prime Minister Netanyahu is thinking around this?
ROBERTSON: It's not laid out. I think one of the things that is clear, the prime minister wants, and there will be people in his cabinet who want him
not to make a deal at all. The prime minister will want to be able to if there's a deal with Hamas, to have the right militarily to go back in if
Hamas is seen to be regrouping or becoming a threat to Israel, it's what he -- it's the deal he sort of has, or what his stated position on Iran and
with Hezbollah, where he has now cease fire. So, that's an expected position.
[10:05:02]
But what does it actually mean for people on the ground? The houses there vastly destroyed, a humanitarian disaster unfolding every day because not
enough food is getting in. Day one is going to be people still desperate for food. And the mechanism to get it in is one that is widely seen by the
traditional, U.N. based and other humanitarian groups. The one that's been operated by Israel, supported by the United States is not seen to be
working effectively, is that part of the structure going forward?
These are all open questions from the U.N.'s perspective, one would expect them to want to be able to bring food aid in, and there have been plans in
the past for elements of reconstruction, but even that has been thrown in the air over recent months. You know, President Trump describing rebuilding
Gaza that the residents there would have to leave.
So, day one is going to be relief for the people of Gaza, that they will not be under minute by minute threat of death from bombardment. That will
be -- that will be instantaneous. But what comes after that, where they live, how the area is rebuilt, all of that, it's -- there is an absence of
information.
GIOKOS: Yes, a lot of work would be needed on the ground. You know, Nic, there's always been a political element to all of this and questions about
Netanyahu's survival, an Israeli court has ordered the delay in the corruption trial of Netanyahu, this after President Trump called it a witch
hunt. What do you make of this?
ROBERTSON: Yes, the prime minister was supposed to be giving evidence this week and next week. And he'd petitioned the court to say, essentially, this
conflicts with my diary, conflicts with the important duties of state. I can't do it.
And he went to the court once. He went twice, and they said, look, you're not presenting information here that we feel is compelling.
It seems on the third time, he took his diary, if you will, and put it forward. The court said, OK, we can see that there's some space here. You
need time.
Now, there's this expectation that the prime minister is going to send one of his top confidence, Ron Dermer, to Washington for talks in the early
part of this week, the speculation that the prime minister himself might go to Washington to finalize out a deal with President Trump.
This is at the moment, I think is still speculative. But when you see the courts giving the prime minister time in his diary because he needs to
conduct the affairs of state that are pressing and important, it -- I think it sort of embellishes that view that this might be on the cards for
happening, but we have to qualify it and say that speculation at the moment.
GIOKOS: All right. Nic Robertson, good to have you with us. Thank you so much for your insights.
Well, inside Gaza, the war rage is on, medical personnel say at least 20 people were killed in an Israeli strike in Gaza City over the weekend. It
happened in a densely populated market area Saturday afternoon.
A CNN footage of the aftermath showed children among the casualties. The Israeli military says it hit a, "Suspicious individual who posed a threat
to IDF soldiers in northern Gaza, and it is unaware of any other injuries."
Now, for more perspective on this, on the humanitarian situation in Gaza, we're joined by Dr. Mohammed Abu Mughaisib. He is the deputy medical
coordinator for Palestinians, for the medical charity Doctors Without Borders, and he's joining us now from Southern Gaza.
Dr. Mughaisib, thank you so much for joining us. Really important to go through what you're going through on the ground. Could you describe the
realities that only -- not only you are facing, but also Palestinians on a day to day basis?
DR. MOHAMMED ABU MUGHAISIB, MSF DEPUTY MEDICAL COORDINATOR IN THE PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES: I mean, as your respondent mentioned just a few
minutes ago. I mean, there is no signs of life in Gaza, the infrastructure is completely destroyed. There is no water. There is no homes. I mean, full
neighborhoods are totally destroyed. The people are displaced several times from their places under evacuation orders to the west of what's called
humanitarian zone. The hospitals are, I mean, what is remaining, barely functioning.
And of course, I mean the security. I mean, it's ongoing 24 hours over seven air strike bombing, that's the state that people are completely
desperate. People are scared, stressed.
Of course, it's the system. I mean, I don't want to say anymore that the health system is working. I mean, there is no health system anymore. I
mean, the health system is working on a daily basis.
GIOKOS: Yes, and to be honest, and we've, we've discussed this extensively, particularly on the show that the images that we're seeing are hair
raising. They are harrowing. There are children that are constantly caught in the crossfire. And as you say infrastructure completely obliterated.
[10:10:12]
You're on the ground, you're trying to assist from the medical perspective. So, how challenging is it? Could you give us a sense of when you're seeing
these strikes coming through, and you need, you know, to intervene to save lives. Do you have the equipment and the resources to do so?
MUGHAISIB: As doctors, the borders that we have are hostels and clinics, but now we haven't. We have shortage of supplies. I mean, since March, you
know, we are struggling to build supplies into Gaza (AUDIO GAP) to allow us to work and the security is very difficult.
You know, our colleagues, Palestinian colleagues, who are working with us. I mean, inside Gaza, they have families as well. They are -- they are
facing the same, they have needs. They are living in intense sheltering. They are trying to find food and water.
So, at the same time, they are trying to do their best in the hospital. And we were obliged several times to evacuate the hospitals that we were
working inside because of the security, I mean.
Now, recently, we moved from the biggest hospital in the south because this hospital is under an evacuation order, so we had to move to a field
hospital in the middle area.
And of course, the capacity of (AUDIO GAP) arriving every minute in emergency department. There is no beds in the emergency department enough.
There is no enough operating rooms. There is no inpatient place enough in Gaza to absorb this huge number of casualties.
GIOKOS: Yes, I want to talk about the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation and the hundreds of Palestinians that have been killed in an attempt to try and get
aid, and this has been happening for the last few weeks.
What is your understanding of Palestinians trying to get their hands on aid? Is the situation a bit better as we speak, or are you still seeing
that risk and that fear?
MUGHAISIB: (AUDIO GAP) distribution food points that has been issued recently, the four points in Gaza, which is, of course, I mean, after
(AUDIO GAP) not allowing a lot of food entering Gaza, now people are in acute hunger.
This is -- this is what we see. I mean, on the ground that every day there is -- there is number of killed, number of injuries, huge number. Now it's
500 -- more than 500-4000 injuries. And this is from the distribution points.
People go there, and if they go very early to these areas, they get shot. If they go at time, they will -- they will be shot. If they go late, they
will be shot.
And what we (AUDIO GAP) from these endless distribution points, so we are - - we are calling here to stop this distribution points and to go to the old system (AUDIO GAP) because this is not working. I mean, what we see is only
people dying and injured.
GIOKOS: Dr. Mohammed Abu Mughaisib, thank you so much for your time. We really appreciate you sharing your insights with us today.
Right ahead on CONNECT THE WORLD, a marathon voting session is underway in the U.S. Senate as Republicans look to advance President Trump's domestic
policy agenda, we look at opposition to the bill from Democrats and from within the president's own party. We'll explain after this.
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GIOKOS: The U.S. Senate is now about one hour into what is shaping up to be a very long day in the chamber, voting on amendments to U.S. President
Donald Trump's domestic policy bill ahead of a final vote, the bill has sparked a bitter partisan divide.
With all Democrats and a few Republicans opposing it, they point to analysis by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office showing the bill
would lead to a steep increase in the federal deficit and leave millions more Americans uninsured.
CNN Politics Senior Reporter Stephen Collinson is back with us this hour. We're also joined by Larry Sabato, the director of the Center for Politics
at the University of Virginia. Gentlemen, welcome to the show.
Stephen, I want to start with you talk us through this bill and possible amendments we could be seeing.
STEPHEN COLLINSON, CNN POLITICS SENIOR REPORTER: Yes, I think this bill, in one way, shows the power of populism in the Republican Party, which has
been somewhat transformed by Donald Trump from the party of business into the party of working class, but also the limits of that populism.
For example, this bill has millions and billions of dollars for enforcing Trump's immigration crackdown, which is right at the center of his
political appeal going back to the time he launched his first campaign in 2015. It also has some economic measures like abolishing taxes on tips and
overtime pay that are designed to appeal to working class Americans that Trump pushed in his campaign.
But at the same time, this is classic republicanism, and in some ways, Trump is pulling the wool over people's eyes, because he is paying for a
lot of this by making cuts to social programs, including nutrition for low income Americans and healthcare for low income Americans in the Medicaid
program, as well as extending tax cuts from his first term, which disproportionately benefit the richest Americans.
So, it's a picture of a Republican Party in some ways, at war with itself. But this is a bill despite some Republican opposition, especially in the
House, from members who are worried about running up deficits that is probably going to pass, because it's massively important to Trump's
prestige.
GIOKOS: Yes, and Larry, I want you to jump in here, because Stephen was talking about hesitation by some Republicans. One senator, Thom Tillis,
announcing that he's not seeking reelection a day after voting against the agenda bill, I want you to take a listen to what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. THOM TILLIS (R-NC): What do I tell 663,000 people in two years or three years, when President Trump breaks his promise by pushing them off of
Medicaid because the funding is not there?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GIOKOS: So, Larry, is there a divide in the party due to this big, beautiful bill?
LARRY SABATO, DIRECTOR OF THE CENTER FOR POLITICS, UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA: There is a divide in the party. And Stephen's points are all well taken.
That divide, though, is subterranean. Yes, an occasional member of Congress on the Republican side, like Senator Tillis or like Congressman Thomas
Massie, will speak out against the bill for one reason or another.
But you see, both of those cases have nearly guaranteed there won't be many, maybe not even any, other Republicans speaking out against it,
because Thom Tillis is now going to be an ex-senator and Congressman Massie is now being opposed by a Trump supporter, and they've organized a
massively funded committee to make sure that Massie loses the Republican primary.
So, you see the lesson from this is, if a Republican speaks up against this bill and speaks up against Trump, or votes against the bill. They can speak
against it in one fashion or another, but if they vote against it, they're headed for the exits in all probability, whether they realize it or not,
and their colleagues will realize it.
GIOKOS: Yes. I mean, it's a really good point, because at the end of the day becomes -- it comes down to do I want to survive this, and what does it
ultimately mean?
[10:20:01]
So, Larry, let me ask you this. How is the bill then going to affect the American people, and what amendments are you anticipating to make it work?
SABATO: They have to find the Republican leadership has to find some way to keep Lisa Murkowski on the program here, because she did vote to proceed on
that procedural vote on Saturday, because she was given promises that applied to Alaska, benefits for Alaskans.
And then the Senate parliamentarian ruled them out of order after that procedural vote was cast, I'm sure they're meeting with her, or have met
with her, and they're trying to work out something else and that's the point.
They can tweak it here and tweak it there. They can make changes. They can do what they need to do. It may or may not be done by July 4th, but it
almost certainly is going to pass.
I agree with Stephen's evaluation. This is not something that isn't going to pass, because the Republicans control everything by small margins, but
they've got the Senate, they've got the House, they've got the White House, and they've got the Supreme Court. And so, what else is there?
GIOKOS: Yes, I mean, Stephen, I want you to jump in terms -- in terms of what the Democrats can do, or may do. The only thing we really heard, you
know, one of the biggest lines is that, listen, there's some, you know, funky accounting that's going on to make the bill work. What's your
understanding of this?
COLLINSON: Well, to Larry's point, there's nothing the Democrats can really do to stop this passing. Their best bet, as with every big bill, is to try
and win the messaging war afterwards.
What they're saying is, this is a bill that rewards rich Americans, Trump and his billionaire cronies, the millionaires and billionaires in the
government at the expense of ordinary Americans who are going to benefit less from the tax breaks being extended and those for business and they are
going to lose, many of them their health care.
That is the message that the Democrats are going to drive running up to the midterm elections next year, they have high hopes of winning back the
House. The Republicans only have a very small majority, and notwithstanding the Thom Tillis announcement yesterday from North Carolina that he's not
running for reelection, they have quite a tough push the Democrats to try and win back the Senate.
Normally, what happens after a new president is elected, they overreach and they often lose the House. So, Democrats are going to try and message on
this bill to increase their chances of doing that a year in November.
GIOKOS: Stephen Collinson, Larry Sabato, thank you so much for joining us on the show today.
Two firefighters are dead, and another is fighting for his life after a sniper attack on Sunday in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. The local sheriff says the
suspect is believed to have intentionally started a brush fire in Idaho's Canfield Mountain before ambushing firefighters and police responding to
the emergency.
A man with a firearm was later found dead after standoff lasting several hours, it is believed that he acted alone.
Right now, fire crews are still working to contain the blaze, the suspect is believed to have started, which has already consumed at least 20 acres.
CNN's Julia Vargas Jones has more details for us.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JULIA VARGAS JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The fire is not under control yet, but the scene where the shooter was at has been contained, the sheriff said
yesterday in a press conference, but they had to remove that body quite quickly.
So, they're returning to that area today, and that is going to be the focus of the investigation today. I want to play for you, just a little bit of
what these authorities here in Coeur d'Alene are looking for as they go up the side of this mountain.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We've got two unresponsive battalion chiefs, gunshot wounds, multiple gunshot wounds, two Coeur d'Alene firefighters are down.
We need law enforcement up here. We could possibly get to -- the two wounded out. I'm pinned down behind Battalion One's rig. It's clear to me
that this fire was intentionally to draw us in.
JONES: So, that dispatch audio there, Eleni, from the events that happened, you can sense the despair in their voice. It's quite unimaginable what
these firefighters went through to be ambushed like that in this situation.
Now, the additional searches that will take place only after this fire threat diminishes. We will be looking at the weather to see how this will
proceed today.
Now, you mentioned that now authorities do believe that this gunman acted alone, and this is an important message for the community. The warnings for
this area have been lifted in the sheriff did say yesterday that at this point, there was only one shooter on that mountain. Now what they're
looking for is, what other weapons did he have? What other -- what else was he potentially planning to do? Take a listen to what he said.
[10:25:04]
SHERIFF ROBERT NORRIS, KOOTENAI COUNTY, IDAHO: We believe that there's a likelihood that when we are able to enter the scene again tomorrow without
the threat of fire, that we'll find other weapons that were placed.
So, this was a total ambush. These firefighters did not have a chance.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GIOKOS: That was Julia Vargas Jones reporting for us from Idaho.
I want to get you up to speed now on some other stories that are on our radar right now. The Ukrainian F-16 pilot was killed while fighting one of
Russia's biggest aerial assaults ever on Sunday. Officials say the pilot destroyed seven targets before he died and his plane crashed. Ukraine only
has a small number of pilots trained to fly its most advanced fighter jets.
Brazil's former president Jair Bolsonaro rallied thousands of supporters in Sao Paulo on Sunday, the demonstrations protested his ongoing trial over an
alleged plot to overturn the 2022 presidential election. But if convicted, Bolsonaro could face up to 12 years in prison.
Today, the jury at Sean Diddy Combs' federal criminal trial will begin deliberations after weeks of testimony. Combs has pleaded not guilty to
five counts, and that includes racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking. If he is convicted on all counts, he could face life in prison.
CNN Entertainment Correspondent Elizabeth Wagmeister joins us now live from New York. Elizabeth, great to see you.
So, what can we expect today and going forward as the 12 jurors begin deliberations, because this could take some time?
ELIZABETH WAGMEISTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: This absolutely can take some time. Remember that this jury has heard seven weeks of testimony,
34 witnesses that were presented by the prosecution.
You remember that the defense did not call any witnesses and Combs did not testify, but again, this has been nearly two months of testimony, tons of
exhibits, tons of text messages and e-mails and videos for this jury to go through as they deliberate.
Now, what is happening right now behind me in this courthouse is the judge is meeting with the jury, these 12 jurors. He is giving them jury
instructions. And this is a complex case. Really nothing is black and white here.
So, as you said, this absolutely can take some time, because sex crimes cases are usually quite confusing for jurors. The issue of consent comes
up. The issue of these were former girlfriends.
So, is this sex trafficking? Is this racketeering, or was this just a toxic relationship?
Now, of course, that is what the defense has said from day one, that Combs may have not done great things. He may have been an abusive boyfriend, but
He is not guilty of racketeering. He is not guilty of sex trafficking, and he is not guilty of transportation to engage in prostitution.
Now, of course, the prosecution says the exact opposite. They say that this is a criminal. This is a man who used his wealth, his power, his influence,
and was only emboldened and became more dangerous because of his inner circle. That inner circle is where that racketeering conspiracy comes into
play.
Now, I want to break down the charges for you, because Combs is facing very serious charges. In fact, he is facing life in prison if convicted on the
most serious counts.
That racketeering conspiracy, there is no minimum, but if convicted, he could face life in prison. And he is facing two sex trafficking charges,
one pertaining to Cassie Ventura and another pertaining to the woman who testified under the pseudonym Jane.
Both of those charges each carry a minimum of 15 years. So, if convicted on just one of those charges, one of the biggest names in music could be
behind bars for 15 years or more, and then those transportation to engage in prostitution, charges of what she faces too. Those each carry a minimum
of 10 years.
So, those are the lesser charges. But many legal analysts who have been on our air, they say, that those are the charges that the prosecution has
really made the most headway on. Again, legal analysts believe those two are a lock, but everything else remains to be seen.
GIOKOS: Right, Elizabeth Wagmeister, thanks so much.
And still to come, just over a week after U.S. strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities, how much damage was really done? Details right after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:31:57]
GIOKOS: Welcome back to CONNECT THE WORLD with me, Eleni Giokos. Here are your headlines.
A marathon voting session is underway in the U.S. Senate on amendments to President Donald Trump's domestic policy agenda. Republicans are trying to
advance the bill, despite unified Democratic opposition and some Republicans opposing it, critics say it would steeply increase the federal
deficit and leave millions more Americans uninsured.
Israel's Prime Minister says he sees many opportunities to free the remaining hostages in Gaza in the wake of military operations in Iran.
Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday, also said he thinks victory can over Hamas can be achieved, but the named -- but he named the hostages as Israel's
first priority.
Two firefighters are dead and another one is injured after a fatal attack in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, authorities say the suspect intentionally started
a brush fire on Canfield Mountain before ambushing first responders who arrived on the scene. The shooter was later found dead near a weapon, and
it is believed he acted alone.
Iran's ambassador to the U.N. says Tehran will never agree to stop enriching uranium, and the country has what he calls an inalienable right
to do so for peaceful purposes. The comments in an interview with CBS News came a week after the U.S. launched strikes on three key nuclear facilities
in Iran.
Now, despite Donald Trump's claims that those attacks set back Iran's nuclear ambitions by decades, the head of the U.N. nuclear watchdog says
Iran could begin enriching uranium again in a matter of months.
Alan Eyre is a diplomatic fellow at the Middle East Institute and a former senior U.S. diplomat. He joins us now live from Washington, D.C. So, great
to have you with us. I think a really important time, because there is just so much happening in terms of what Iran's capabilities now are after those
strikes.
I want you to take a listen to what the IAEA chief Rafael Grossi said, and I want to get a sense of what you make of his comments.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RAFAEL GROSSI, DIRECTOR GENERAL, INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY: It is clear that there has been severe damage, but it's not total damage, first
of all. And secondly, Iran has the capacities there. Industrial and technological capacities. So, if they so wish, they will be able to start
doing this again.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GIOKOS: Right. Alan, so, what do you make of those comments?
ALAN EYRE, DIPLOMATIC FELLOW AT THE MIDDLE EAST INSTITUTE: Well, Eleni, for people who are following this closely, that seems common sense. I didn't
find that controversial at all. Iran has a highly redundant and decentralized nuclear program. Yes, we bombed Natanz and Fordow and took a
lot of centrifuges offline, but they have doubtless got more centrifuges. They've got 20,000 pounds of enriched uranium, about 800 pounds of highly
enriched uranium. So, I think it's somewhat of a misnomer to say we've destroyed Iran's nuclear ambitions.
[10:35:01]
We have certainly taken a hefty chunk out of their capability to weaponize, should they decide to do so. We might have stoked the ambitions. But the
bottom line is that at a time when we need vastly increased visibility into Iran's nuclear program, we have vastly less visibility, and that increases
the uncertainty.
GIOKOS: Absolutely. I mean, you know, when we saw those Israeli strikes on Iran, it was during negotiations. Even though the negotiations were not
going anywhere. What is it going to take to get Iran back to the negotiating table? Because there is now a lack of trust, many would say.
EYRE: Well, there always was a lack of trust. I think it's going to be it could be relatively easy to get them back to the table, because what Iran
is focused on now is preventing further attacks, while it begins to rebuild the strategic deterrence that Israel wiped out. What's going to be very
hard is reaching an agreement, because neither side seems to have changed their bottom line.
The U.S. is still insisting there is no domestic enrichment in Iran, and Iran is still insisting on having domestic enrichment. So, unless one side
of the other eases up on their own bottom lines, their red lines, I think reaching an agreement is going to be much, much harder. And as you said,
Iran had very little trust on for the U.S. beforehand, and now it's zeroed out.
Iran believes that the U.S. and Israel are acting in collusion to, if not, topple the regime, at least so degraded that it's totally unable to project
power outside its borders.
GIOKOS: Yes, that's a really important point, because, you know, when the strikes occurred in Iran, the whole notion was, look, we want to destroy
Iran's nuclear capabilities. Then, it shifted into, we're not excluding the possibility of regime change. Now, we're sitting with a situation where
Iran is saying, listen, you know, we could exit the NPT, you know, we don't have to do this anymore, and then, that creates more uncertainty.
The big question now is, you know, what President Trump wants out of this in terms of regime change, and what kind of negotiations will happen going
forward? And as you say, Iran says, look, we've got 60 percent uranium, but we were not close to a weapon. There was U.S. intelligence that also said
something similar. They weren't close to a weapon. Frankly, there is been such a mishmash of information, it's really hard to tell where the truth
begins and where it ends.
EYRE: Well, Eleni, I think actually the driver isn't the U.S. in the situation. It's Israel. I think President Trump has said, he is satisfied
with the results of the Israeli and the U.S. action. He said the nuclear program is obliterated. He said he doesn't care if an agreement is signed,
because it's no longer a threat, at least during the remainder of his presidency.
So, I don't necessarily think the U.S. is going to be driving the train on negotiations, although I hope they will engage in negotiations with Iran. I
think it's still Israel. Israel attacked Iran because it saw Iran as an existential threat, its nuclear program, its missile program, and its
support for proxies in the region. And it hasn't met all those goals. So, I think Israel is still fundamentally opposed to any sort of agreement
between the U.S. and Iran that allows Iran to reconstitute its nuclear program or its military capabilities.
GIOKOS: So, it's really good point. I want you to take a listen to what President Trump said about the next steps with Iran from the U.S.
perspective. Listen in.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We're going to talk to them next week. With Iran, we may sign an agreement. I don't know. To me, I
don't think it's that necessary. I mean, they had a war they fought, now they're going back to their world. I don't care if I have an agreement or
not.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GIOKOS: So, it's not really necessary. What do you think?
EYRE: Yes, I think -- I think, President Trump, has derived, in his opinion, maximal political capital from what he terms a very successful
strike on Iran. And so, he is moving on to other topics. My concern is that the U.S., just like before, the June 13th attack, doesn't devote sufficient
diplomatic capital to put pressure on Iran, and also, frankly, Israel, to come up with a viable, sustainable agreement.
So, in the absence of that, as I said, I think Iran is fundamentally concerned. It's much weaker now, and it's going to focus on trying to
reconstitute some type of strategic deterrence. And Israel is watching for that and is determined to prevent that. So, I hope the U.S. commits to
trying to reach a diplomatic agreement.
[10:40:02]
But I have real concerns that the end result of this could lead a far less secure and far less stable region.
GIOKOS: All right. Alan Eyre, great to have you with us. Thank you so much for your insights. Thank you so much.
All right. Turning now to dangerous heat waves across Europe. We're now starting to see some wildfires pop up linked to the soaring temperatures
and dry conditions.
This is the scene over the weekend in southwest France. Local responders reported five fires, but say the blazes are now under control. CNN
meteorologist Derek Van Dam joins us now from the weather center. Great to see you, Derek.
And I was just saying, I want to escape the heat here in the UAE and go to Europe, but I think I'm probably safer here. I mean, this is just harrowing
stuff.
DEREK VAN DAM, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes.
GIOKOS: And we keep talking about wildfires in Europe, and we are seeing it again.
VAN DAM: Right. Yes. So, now, we've got the heat and the dry conditions near the Mediterranean, but we've got a lot of heat for places like
Wimbledon, which is now officially the hottest start to the sporting event on record, which occurred this morning already, and this is actually
placing it at one of the warmest June days ever recorded in and around London.
So, people really trying to beat the heat as they go to this two-week long tournament. You can see people handing out water bottles, any type of way
to keep themselves cool from these abnormally warm temperatures, which are running about 10 to 12 degrees Celsius above where they should be this time
of year.
So, we dug deep, went into some stats. This morning, start to Wimbledon. The tournament was actually the warmest on record, and the temperatures
still could rise another couple of degrees. In fact, the hottest Wimbledon day ever occurred back in 2015 on July 1st, just shy of 36 degrees. And it
will be interesting to see what happens tomorrow, because we believe that will actually be the hottest day of the week in and around Wimbledon. They
could challenge this hottest temperature ever recorded at Wimbledon going forward.
But there is just a lot of heat to talk about over the entire western parts of Europe, specifically throughout the Iberian Peninsula and in towards the
Adriatic, central portions of France and into southern portions of the United Kingdom. In fact, there is 20 countries right now throughout Europe
that have some sort of heat related alert.
You can see as high as warning level criteria across Croatia and into the Adriatic regions, southwestern portions of Portugal. And notice the heat
alerts in place for places like Paris all the way to the Mediterranean.
But there's a big temperature contrast coming. There is a cold front. Look at Wimbledon's forecast. Tomorrow will be hot. So, another day of grueling
temperatures for the athletes and the spectators. But look at the temperature drop off by Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.
You can see it here. You don't need to be a meteorologist to know what's happening. That's a cold front. That sharp contrast in temperatures and our
color variation, that is going to advance eastward and cool places off, like London, Paris, into Dublin, but that will contain the heat towards the
south. The Mediterranean is going to continue to bake, Athens, Rome, Milan, to Madrid. The temperatures will be well above average for this region,
fueled partly because the Mediterranean is currently undergoing a marine heat wave. I'm talking about the ocean temperatures now across the western
Mediterranean.
You are looking at Copernicus maps here, this dark shading of red. That's indicating temperatures of five degrees Celsius above normal for this time
of year. So, this is going to fuel potentially wetter and stronger storms as we get later into the summer, something we'll have to monitor in the
days and months ahead. Eleni.
GIOKOS: Yes, look at that -- look at that dark red. I mean, you mentioned the Athens. I'm planning to go to Greece. Hopefully things cool down. But
every year, it gets hotter and hotter. So --
(CROSSTALK)
VAN DAM: The bathtub, that is the Mediterranean.
GIOKOS: Expect the heat -- that, yes, it's turning into that. Derek, great to have you with us. Thank you so much.
VAN DAM: All right. Coming up, deep in Nigeria's forest, we go inside the effort to save rare primates before they disappear. We'll bring you that
story right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:46:01]
GIOKOS: Nigeria is Africa's most populous nation, known more for its vibrant culture and crude oil production, then, for its wildlife. But it's
also home to several iconic species. Today, on call to Earth, we meet a woman who is working to protect some of the country's most threatened
primate populations and their forest habitats.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RACHEL IKEMEH, FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR OF THE SOUTHWEST NIGER DELTA FOREST PROJECT: We oh.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Wa!
IKEMEH: We.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Wa!
IKEMEH: We.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Wa!
IKEMEH: We.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Wa!
IKEMEH: We, we, we, we, we.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Wa, wa, wa, wa, wa.
IKEMEH: All right. So, we are ready for today's task.
ZAIN ASHER, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR (voice over): Conservationist Rachel Ikemeh has spent years fighting to preserve Nigeria's forests and the
animals that rely on them.
IKEMEH: By far the most significant threat to wildlife, especially Nigeria's habitat loss, whether from logging, farming, all forms of
deforestation or habitat degradation.
ASHER (voice over): According to the World Economic Forum, the West African nation has lost nearly half of its primary forest cover in just two
decades. As the founder and director of the Southwest Niger Delta Forest Project, Ikemeh is committed to reversing that trend. With programs that
include a full suite of conservation initiatives, from training, anti- poaching units, to education, outreach and research.
The organization is specifically focused on restoring forests that are havens for two imperiled African primates.
IKEMEH: The two species we are working on are rare. They are not found anywhere else in the world, and they are considered highly, highly
vulnerable to extinction.
ASHER (voice over): In the heart of the Niger Delta, a region known for conflict, and home to a critically endangered species of red colobus
monkey, Ikemeh's work has been recognized for helping their numbers rebound.
Further inland in southwest Nigeria's Ekiti state, she is focused on protecting one of the continent's, most iconic creatures, and human's
closest genetic relative. The Nigerian-Cameroon chimpanzee is the most endangered of the primates four known subspecies.
Here in the Ise Conservation Area, which was established in 2021 and continues to be managed by the Southwest Niger Delta Forest Project.
IKEMEH: This is our sign here, just in a way to mark that you're about to enter a conservation area.
ASHER (voice over): Their camera traps captured the first images of the genetically distinct chimp, whose habitat is under constant threat.
IKEMEH: For example, in Ise Forest Conservation Area, despite that it had been gazetted by the state government as a protected site, you see their
pressures from different quarters to log in this forest, to even farm. Some farmers, of course, don't care about the wood. They care about what they
want to grow, so they will set fires on the trees themselves, just to kill the tree.
ASHER (voice over): But the team's relentless work to prove these forests are full of life and therefore important to protect is paying off.
IKEMEH: One primary misconception about Nigeria is that there are no wildlife here. Imagine that, and it makes me very happy to have these
evidences we are getting now from our camera trapped footage to show voila, there you are.
ASHER (voice over): To date, the organization has spearheaded the creation of four protected areas, with more in the works.
IKEMEH: I think, we should start getting the team set up where the gaps are. We should be able to fill in those gaps.
ASHER (voice over): For Rachel Ikemeh, preserving Nigerian forests and saving its iconic wildlife is priority number one, an ongoing battle she
knows they won't win if they go it alone.
IKEMEH: It sounds like a broken record when you say communities are important to forests. One of the greatest achievements of Southwest Niger
Delta Forest Project is that we have raised a lot of conservation champions. So, every single one of the team members are in their own right
conservation leaders.
[10:50:04]
So, it's not just a job for them anymore. They have now seen it as a calling.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GIOKOS: Beautiful story there. Well, let us know what you're doing to answer the call with #calltoearth.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GIOKOS: One of Wimbledon a day tennis fans have marked on their calendars 128 men and 128 women, each with their eyes on the sport's most coveted
prize. And the singles champions will each pocket $4.1 million in prize money.
Two-time defending champions, 0. was the first big name on center court today, and he won a tight first set against an always tough Fabio Fognini
of Italy, and Fognini won the second set in a tie break. The 22-year-old going for his third straight singles title on the grass. That match still
going on.
CNN "WORLD SPORT" Amanda Davies joins us now live. Great to have you with us. Alcaraz, chasing history here, and would join a pretty elite list of
players if he's able to do so.
AMANDA DAVIES, CNN SPORT ANCHOR: Yes, indeed. He'd become just the fifth man in the Open era to win three Wimbledon titles. He's just 22 years of
age, of course, as you said, but that's something that Alcaraz was very much playing down in the build up to this tournament. He is saying, he just
wants to win. He doesn't care whether it's first, second, or third. He wants to win.
It is such a special occasion. This, as you rightly mentioned, scorcher temperatures here in London today. It's actually a record opening day
temperature at. Wimbledon as the heat wave which is affecting the whole of Europe, very much going strong here.
I was lucky enough, Eleni, to get a bit of a sneak peek behind the scenes at Wimbledon last week, as they were putting the finishing touches to the
All England Lawn Tennis Club, one of the most iconic venues in "WORLD SPORT".
They were pruning the grass courts, putting the finishing touches to the floral and tree decorations. Of course, this is the event where fans
traditionally queue overnight from Sunday into Monday and through this week, with the chance to get their hands on the tickets for those show
courts, center court where Carlos Alcaraz is making his tournament debut this year against Fabio Fognini. As you mentioned, it's just got a very
different field to previous to other tournaments. But as you rightly said, this one is proving, perhaps, tougher than many people expected for Carlos
Alcaraz. It's early days in the third set.
Fognini, a veteran on tour, 38 years of age, has never made it past the third round, but very much giving Alcaraz a run for his money. But Jannik
Sinner is the world's number one. He is the top seed this week. Very much hoping to have a deep run into this competition, to perhaps gain an element
of revenge for what happened at Roland Garros just a couple of weeks ago on the clay. He has never won a Grand Slam title that isn't on a hard court.
So, hoping to perhaps change that this week.
[10:55:03]
But hopes are very high, I have to say, from the British fans. We haven't been able to say that thing to perhaps change that this week, but hopes are
very high. I have to say from the British fans, we haven't been able to say that for quite a while with those injuries to Andy Murray, and of course,
his retirement.
But Jack Draper is carrying the home hopes, the world number four heading into this one, having won that title, The Masters 1,000 title at Indian
Wells. There has been an early shock, though, Daniil Medvedev, the men's world number nine, but the biggest casualty from the men's side on day one.
GIOKOS: All right, very quickly, women's breakthrough. What are we expecting? Give me a name.
DAVIS: Well, Aryna Sabalenka is the world's number one. She has reached the final of the previous Grand Slams this year, but just hasn't been able to
get it over the line. Beaten by Madison Keys and Coco Gauff, of course, last time out at the French Open.
Gauff, this is the tournament where she made that breakthrough as a 15- year-old.
GIOKOS: Yes.
DAVIS: So, she seemed very, very relaxed and making, hoping to make another impact, but very, very early days.
GIOKOS: All right. Amanda Davis, thank you so much. We'll be glued to our screens, and that is it for CONNECT THE WORLD. Stay with CNN. "ONE WORLD"
is up next Well, me, Eleni Giokos, I'll see you next time.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
