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Russia Launches Massive Aerial Assault on Kyiv; Ukraine Recovery Conference Underway in Rome; Top U.S. and Russian Diplomats Meet after Trump Slams Putin; Houthi Attack on Cargo Ship, 10 Rescued, Four Killed; Search Intensifies for Missing 160+ after Texas Floods; Inside One Family's Decision to Self-Deport to Mexico; Original Hermes Birkin Bag Brings $8.2 Million at Auction; Call to Earth: Mexico's "Bat Man" on Why We Need to Protect Bats; EA SPORTS World Cup Kicks off in Saudi Arabia. Aired 10-11a ET
Aired July 10, 2025 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[10:00:00]
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): Live from CNN Abu Dhabi, this is CONNECT THE WORLD with Becky Anderson.
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST (voice-over): Well, you're with us for the second hour of CONNECT THE WORLD from our Middle East programming headquarters.
I'm Becky Anderson, time here in Abu Dhabi just after 6 pm. And a lot to get through.
U.S. secretary of state Marco Rubio says he has relayed president Trump's, quote, "disappointment and frustration" about the pace of Russia-Ukraine
peace talks in a frank conversation, as he described it, with his Russian counterpart.
In Gaza as ceasefire efforts in Doha turn on an Israeli airstrike killed at least 15 people, mostly women and children, who were reportedly waiting on
medical supplies.
Amid the increasing immigration raids across the United States as part of the Trump administration's crackdown, some families are choosing to leave
their life in the U.S. behind. We'll bring you a report on one family that is self-deporting to Mexico.
And this hour, Sotheby's will auction off a storied piece of culture and fashion, the original Hermes Birkin bag, named after singer and actress
Jane Birkin.
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ANDERSON: In with a flurry of high-level meetings focused on what is next after Russia's war on Ukraine as Moscow launches one of its fiercest
attacks on Kyiv since the start of the conflict.
Earlier, the U.S. secretary of state, Marco Rubio, sat down with Russia's top diplomat on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit in Malaysia. More on that
in a moment.
Meanwhile, in Rome, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to speak later this hour at what is the Ukraine Recovery Conference. Mr.
Zelenskyy calling on Kyiv's allies to step up their help for his country in terms of drones and air defense systems.
Now this comes after yet another intense Russian bombardment overnight, targeting the capital. At least two people were killed and more than a
dozen were wounded. Mr. Zelenskyy saying it involved around 400 drones.
Let's get you the very latest from CNN international diplomatic editor, Nic Robertson, and CNN's Kylie Atwood.
And Kylie, let me start with you. You're in Malaysia. Rubio there reiterating Trump's frustration about what is going on in talks with Sergey
Lavrov.
What did he actually say?
KYLIE ATWOOD, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Well, he just sat down with Russian foreign minister Lavrov.
And he said that one of the first things he did was to express his frustration, his disappointment -- the disappointment on behalf of
president Trump -- that there hasn't been progress to end the war in Ukraine, effectively, that Russia has not engaged in those conversations in
a productive way.
We've heard those frustrations very bluntly from president Trump earlier this week. And so this was an opportunity for the secretary of state to
relay those messages to the Russian foreign minister in person. Listen to how he described that message that he delivered.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARCO RUBIO, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: We feel as if we've dedicated a lot of time and energy to this matter and just not enough progress has been
made. We need to see a road map moving forward about how this conflict can conclude.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ATWOOD: He also went on, however, to say that U.S. shipments to Ukraine are continuing on. Of course, we've reported on the pause that went into
effect last week and then was reversed by president Trump, with the secretary of state saying that that was a pause pending review due to a
review of the U.S. stockpile of weapons.
Generally speaking and saying that those weapons are now continuing to go to Ukraine. But the question of what the future looks like to drive an end
to the conflict remains an open one. Becky.
ANDERSON: Good to have you. Thank you.
Nic -- and I'm hoping to come back to you. So stand by.
Nic, there's a meeting going on in Rome about -- ostensibly about reconstruction in Ukraine. There is also a Coalition of the Willing meeting
with Keir Starmer and the French president in London today.
[10:05:00]
And one expert arguing this back-and-forth from the Americans that we've seen of late, this frustration that Donald Trump has voiced about Putin, at
the same time, this -- what seems to be a real issue about whether the Americans are actually prepared to provide more air defense.
And one expert arguing this could actually provide an opportunity for Europe to, quote, "cripple" Russia and significantly reduce the threat
posed to the continent if its states can coordinate their efforts.
So given what you've been hearing from Rome and given where you are in London and what's going on there, is that a possibility?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: It is. Look, I think the "if" in that statement is probably the operative part of it to be looking at.
And absolutely, president Trump's recalcitrance about supporting Ukraine and United States' overall tendency toward isolationism is certainly
pushing the Europeans to focus more squarely on their own defense production.
Their own, what they're -- what they're producing, how they produce it, finding commonality and providing that support to Ukraine in a way to allow
Ukraine to fight for longer.
So I think, in that statement, in that article, it's a lot about timing. The article postulates that President Putin and Russia will be coming to a
material and economic inflection point at the end of this year. So if Ukraine can hold out during that time; i.e. If Europe can step up to the
plate during that time, then that that helps Ukraine hold on.
Then it's a case of, you know, potentially a deescalation of U.S. involvement and increase of European involvement and capacity over the same
period, 5-7 years. Maybe that it will take Russia to rebuild its military forces, to get them in a position to attack Europe, potentially.
And not only its materiel but also retrain a whole cadre of officers, et cetera, who will have been depleted through the Ukraine war. So it's -- so
it's a lot about timing. Look, Macron and Starmer came together right after that horrible meeting that Zelenskyy had with president Trump in February
this year.
That was where the Coalition of the Willing came from. It's almost their meeting today, the Coalition of the Willing today, the backdrop will be a
European working together type military backdrop for their -- for their comments. But it's all in the "if." The impetus is there, the space is
there, the need is there.
But it's Europe, right?
That's a lot of countries to get to agree. They don't always see the -- they don't always seem to see eye to eye, even on these, what some would
consider, existential issues.
ANDERSON: And I'm sure the U.S. secretary of state is in constant touch with the Europeans, assessing where their thinking is.
He told you, Kylie and let's bring you back in, that he and Lavrov discussed at the meeting today in Malaysia some new ideas to take back to
Donald Trump. Just explain, if you will.
ATWOOD: Well, this was the most interesting part of what he had to say on Ukraine, Becky, because, while the secretary of state did express that
frustration on behalf of the United States, he also said that they discussed new ideas, the U.S. and Russia.
And when I asked him if the ideas that Russia had put on the table were new in any sense, he said that they were, that they were ideas that were
effectively ones that the United States hadn't heard before, not necessarily that those would lead to a brokering of the peace of this war.
But effectively saying that there was some positive momentum that could come out of this meeting. Listen to how he described those ideas that
Russia put on the table.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RUBIO: I think it's a new and a different approach. Again, I wouldn't characterize it as something that guarantees a peace. But it's a concept
that, you know, we'll take back to the president today. And here as soon as I as I finish with you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ATWOOD: Obviously a certain urgency there, that he is going to be taking this idea to president Trump just today, given obviously there are many
different things going on. But he feels the need to express this to the president.
And we should also note, as you guys were discussing European support for Ukraine, the secretary of state made it very clear that the Trump
administration continues to urge those European partners to give Ukraine more military support.
Calling out some specific countries, Spain and Germany, to name two of them, that the United States believes can give Ukraine more support.
A little bit of a different tone from the secretary of state here, focused on that continued U.S. military support for Ukraine, while, of course, they
continue to try and broker a diplomatic end with no clear solution in sight.
[10:10:07]
ANDERSON: Important to have you there. Kylie, always a pleasure. Thank you very much.
Nic, briefly, these strikes overnight, the latest in a week of record high Russian bombardments on Ukraine, very specifically on Kyiv, they also mark
a shift in Russian tactics.
Briefly, what can you tell us about that?
ROBERTSON: Yes. Look, Russia's massively ramped up its drone strikes. It's producing more drones. It's putting up fake drones and as well the drones
with explosives on what it did that was different last night as described by Ukrainian officials is fly the drones past Kyiv, which was the intended
target.
Then bring them back in around on the other side. That in a way tries to trick and fool the air defenses. Russia is looking for every opportunity to
get around Ukraine's air defenses.
I think the comments that we heard from secretary of state Marco Rubio about new ideas from Russia, taking those ideas back to president Trump,
you know, will convey to the Europeans that, although president Trump saying is committing more Patriots to help Ukraine defend itself from the
missiles, less so the drones.
When they know that those conversations are ongoing, President Trump is still clearly trying to engage, despite everything from President Putin
that points toward a contrary, that president Trump is still trying to engage.
And therefore U.S. commitment to long-term support for Ukraine does, you know, leave a hole in the skies, potentially, that the Europeans will have
to fill.
And the drones and how they get around the air defense systems, that's going to be a worry. And this is what we've seen through this war, that
this drone warfare that really came of age during the Ukraine conflict February 2022, was when it began, of course, has really morphed and grown.
And the challenge really lies on Ukraine to be able to combat all these incoming drones but also on Russia, because Ukraine has upped its tactics
and can strike with stealth deep inside Russia, as we've seen.
ANDERSON: Yes, it's good to have you. Thank you.
Well, in Gaza today, an Israeli airstrike killed at least 15 people, mostly women and children, who were reportedly waiting on medical supplies. CNN's
Jeremy Diamond has the details -- and a warning to you: some of the images in his report are graphic.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: A horrific strike that took place in central Gaza today and it took place just outside of a health
clinic run by the American nonprofit Project Hope.
This clinic was distributing nutritional supplements and providing medical services, mostly to young mothers who -- with babies and other children. We
know that, as a result of this strike, 15 people were killed.
Of those 15, Becky, eight of them were children, three were women. And then there were four men who were also killed in this strike.
And you can see in the horrific aftermath of this strike, the bodies of several children as young as 2 years old, splayed on the ground in front of
this clinic. We've actually just gotten a statement from the CEO of Project Hope, the clinic in question.
He says, "Project Hope's health clinics are a place of refuge in Gaza, where people bring their small children, women access pregnancy and
postpartum care, people receive treatment for malnutrition and more.
"Yet this morning, innocent families were mercilessly attacked as they stood in line waiting for the doors to open."
He calls this "a blatant violation of international humanitarian law and a stark reminder that no one and no place is safe in Gaza, even as ceasefire
talks continue."
And he says, "This cannot continue," calling for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
That CEO, Rabih Torbay, also told me that this location of this clinic was known to the Israeli military, that it was a deconflicted site that had
been shared with them. The Israeli military has said that it targeted a, quote, "Nukhba terrorist" in the Hamas terrorist organization who
infiltrated Israel during the October 7th massacre.
They declined to provide that terrorist's name and they did not provide any explanation for why they chose to carry out this strike on this individual
in front of a health clinic, where young families were waiting in line for aid.
They did say that they are aware of reports of a number of injured individuals in the area and that the incident is, quote, "under review."
But this, of course, shows us, Becky, that, even as these negotiations are ongoing for the ceasefire in Gaza, we are continuing to see, day after day,
more Palestinians being killed in Gaza. And in this case, a very large number, certainly as a proportion of targeting one terrorist, who were
killed in this strike.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Jeremy is reporting in Jerusalem.
Well, 10 people have been rescued following a Houthi attack on a cargo ship in the Red Sea.
[10:15:00]
At least four others were killed. And the U.S. embassy in Yemen has accused the militia of kidnapping some of the remaining crew members.
A British maritime group says the Liberian flagged vessel, called Eternity C, sank on Wednesday after being under attack for several days. The Houthis
took responsibility, saying the ship was on its way to Israel. They have vowed to attack any vessels headed to that country until the war in Gaza
ends.
We're going to take a very short break. Still to come, though, we head to Texas, where rescue crews are still digging through piles of debris,
searching for dozens of people still missing after what have been these catastrophic floods. Stay with us.
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ANDERSON: Welcome back. You're watching CONNECT THE WORLD. I'm Becky Anderson. Here are your headlines.
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ANDERSON (voice-over): And world leaders focused on the next steps for Ukraine, gathering in Rome for a recovery summit there. The diplomatic
efforts come after Ukraine faced another night of intense Russian bombardment.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says around 400 drones were launched in an attack on Kyiv that lasted for over 10 hours.
Well, in Gaza today, at least 15 people were killed in an Israeli airstrike near a medical clinic in central Gaza. CNN has seen graphic video of the
attack. The victims were reportedly waiting on the clinic to open to receive medical supplies. Eight children and three women are among those
killed.
Rescue crews in Texas say that searching for flood victims along the Guadalupe River could take days, if not weeks. Teams continue to look for
the missing, with reports of more than 160 people still unaccounted for after deadly flash flooding over the weekend killed at least 120.
CNN's Ed Lavandera is in Kerr County with the latest there on the recovery efforts.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ED LAVANDERA, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The Guadalupe River has turned into a graveyard of despair.
The river stretches for roughly 35 miles through Kerr County alone and most of it is now a daunting search area for the missing, which brought us to
this riverfront spot along Rowland Road under cypress trees which was once the home to popular RV parks. The river took families into its grip and
didn't let go.
LORENA GUILLEN, CITIZEN RESCUER: Dozens of vehicles just getting washed away. You can see the windows of the campers with people banging against
the windows and the screams. The screams is what haunts me every time I close my eyes.
LAVANDERA: Lorena Guillen said the cars and cabins would get sucked into the water and the screaming would stop.
This is what the search for victims in the Guadalupe River flooding has come to. We're downstream from where there was an RV park. Hundreds of
people filled it for the July 4th weekend. The trailers and cars were swept away and mangled. It all rushed downstream.
[10:20:00]
You can see here as crews and volunteers have been trying to clean up this mess, several of the volunteers who were out here looking for victims have
said that they're worried that many of the victims still might be submerged under water and that, in many cases, they're simply finding body parts.
And I know that's difficult to hear but that is the reality of what many of these volunteers and search and rescue teams are dealing with right now.
We found Joe Rigelsky, leading a volunteer search team, sifting through mounds of thick mud and debris on their hands and knees, looking to bring
the missing home, meticulously searching the devastation with dogs trained to find human remains.
JOE RIGELSKY, UPSTREAM INTERNATIONAL: You walk the banks, you got divers in the water swimming upstream. This area was riddled, First day was
probably 20-plus vehicles pulled just out of this three-block stretch. So breaking windows, searching first for anything that's in there, then a
cadaver dog comes.
LAVANDERA: These people over here are looking for the missing.
RIGELSKY: So this right now -- we're days into this so there's foul odors. So you've got a lot of livestock. You got deer. You got everything else.
But you also don't know if it's --
LAVANDERA: Human.
RIGELSKY: -- part of the missing.
LAVANDERA: Officials in central Texas are managing multiple agencies and more than 2,100 volunteers in Kerr County from across the United States and
even Mexico. They're asking search teams to take a delicate approach.
SGT. JONATHAN LAMB, KERVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT: We have large debris piles and we asked them not to use heavy equipment to take down those debris
piles until they've been checked by a search party because it's possible there are victims in that debris pile. And we don't want to disturb that.
LAVANDERA: The rubble is piling up from roadways, homes and the immense countryside here.
This is just staggering. The river's over here, this entire bed leading up to the river was filled with water. And you look up into the into the tree
limbs and you see debris, parts of vehicles, clothing, tents -- 20, 30, almost 40 feet high up in the trees.
Gives you a sense -- you can actually see, in some places you can actually see the water line about 30 feet high up into the trees here. Trees ripped
from their roots, mangled cars and trucks left submerged in the Guadalupe River's path. These search teams know a victim could be anywhere waiting to
be found.
Texas officials say that the search for the missing now extends some 200 miles from Kerr County to the east.
And as we walk the banks of the Guadalupe River, you could really sense the gravity of this moment among the search teams and the volunteers that are
out there. And that they know that this search could very well take days, if not weeks, to complete -- Ed Lavandera, CNN, Kerrville, Texas.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: I want to get you to New Mexico now, where the task of clearing up and rebuilding from Tuesday's deadly flooding there is underway.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON (voice-over): Torrential rainstorms hit the south of the state, triggering flash floods that swept away a man and two children. It is the
latest heavy blow to hit a community that's been through forest fires and flooding in the past year, with hardly any time to recover.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: I want to turn our focus now to the Trump administration's immigration crackdowns. We've seen those increasing ICE raids across
America, where immigration agents used tactics designed to scare immigrants out of the United States while deterring anyone with plans to illegally try
and get into the country.
As CNN's Priscilla Alvarez reports, some longtime residents are choosing to leave their U.S. home and self-deport to Mexico.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
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SASHA MENDOZA, U.S. CITIZEN (voice-over): These are the main pictures from our house that we didn't want to just throw away.
PRISCILLA ALVAREZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Sasha Mendoza has the impossible task of packing up her family's life in
Pittsburgh into a handful of suitcases.
S. MENDOZA (voice-over): It's really hard to tell a 4-year old that they can't bring their toys or their stuffed animals. There's just not enough
room. We can't put a stuffed animal and then have no pants.
I've literally never felt anxiety the way that I have in the last few years here.
ALVAREZ (voice-over): So you are saying 'bye to the U.S. for good?
JULIO MENDOZA, SASHA'S HUSBAND (voice-over): For good. Yes, yes, for good.
ALVAREZ (voice-over): Fearful of president Donald Trump's immigration crackdown. Sasha, her husband, Julio, and their three kids are leaving
behind the life they built together.
What are you the most excited for in Mexico?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The pool.
ALVAREZ: The pool?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And the beach.
ALVAREZ: The beach.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
ALVAREZ (voice-over): Julio is an undocumented immigrant from Mexico. Sasha and their three children are all U.S. citizens. They decided to make
the move together only moments after Trump took office.
J. MENDOZA (voice-over): It was an executive order being signed. And that was her call for, like, what do you think about moving to Mexico?
[10:25:03]
And I said, honestly, at this point, yes, let's do it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE) Mexico.
S. MENDOZA (voice-over): We're going to move to Mexico. Not today.
ALVAREZ (voice-over): And with that, the family began to wind down their lives, sifting through keepsakes and moving out of their home.
S. MENDOZA (voice-over): Say 'bye to the house.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 'Bye. 'Bye. Miss you.
ALVAREZ (voice-over): When you were dating, did your status as being undocumented come up at all?
S. MENDOZA (voice-over): On our first date, we kind of, like, were mentioning it without mentioning it. And at one point, he ordered a drink
and he asked for extra ice.
They said, "No, we don't we don't do ice here."
And he was hmm.
(LAUGHTER)
S. MENDOZA (voice-over): That was like the only thing he needed to say.
J. MENDOZA (voice-over): So by the way...
(LAUGHTER)
ALVAREZ (voice-over): Seven years after getting married at this tattoo parlor, the two have rarely left each other's side.
Did it ever cross your mind to leave to Mexico on your own?
S. MENDOZA (voice-over): No.
J. MENDOZA (voice-over): No. Never. Everything we do, we do together. And we always make the best out of it.
ALVAREZ (voice-over): Julio crossed the U.S. southern border when he was 11 years old and he's lived in Pittsburgh ever since.
J. MENDOZA (voice-over): The very first towel I had since day one.
S. MENDOZA (voice-over): One of his first concerns when we talked about moving is like, how am I going to watch the Steeler games?
ALVAREZ (voice-over): You're a Pittsburgh native, for all intents and purposes.
S. MENDOZA (voice-over): Oh my God, yes.
J. MENDOZA (voice-over): Yes.
S. MENDOZA (voice-over): When I first met him, his name on all of his social media was Mexican Yinzer. The first date, he was like all Steelers
gear. It's been like his entire personality.
ALVAREZ (voice-over): You have navigated being undocumented for many years because you came here so young. And together, you've done it for seven
years.
What made Trump, a second term, more nerve-wracking for you?
That to come to a decision that you had to leave the country?
J. MENDOZA (voice-over): There are no limits. There are no limits on being a target. The only main concern is like, he looks brown, he looks
different. He don't speak English. He's the one. It doesn't matter.
S. MENDOZA (voice-over): It's not even the risk of deportation in the way that it was, because it was a risk during Obama. And it was a risk during
Biden that he would be deported. And honestly, at that point, we had already come to terms with that.
The fear is no longer being deported. The fear is being attacked while we're still here or our kids being pulled out of school or him not coming
home from work. And then if he does get picked up, it's being taken to a detention center and us never knowing about it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST: That's where things stand tonight in the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia.
ALVAREZ (voice-over): They were confronted with their worst nightmare when Kilmar Abrego Garcia was mistakenly deported to a notorious megaprison in
El Salvador.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
S. MENDOZA (voice-over): I can see myself in that and I don't want us to wait until we're in the same situation.
ALVAREZ (voice-over): There are people who will say, you came to the U.S. illegally.
Why didn't you do it the right way?
What do you say to people?
J. MENDOZA (voice-over): If you were to be put in my situation at my age, to tell them to do it the right way, the whole process pretty much takes
about 15 to 20 years. By that time, I don't think my kids or anyone's kids who are starving or are in a dangerous situation can wait 15-20 years for
you to come here and start working.
S. MENDOZA (voice-over): What do we say that we could get when we get there?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE).
S. MENDOZA (voice-over): No, we did not say that.
(LAUGHTER)
ALVAREZ (voice-over): How did you approach the conversation with your kids?
S. MENDOZA (voice-over): They know the realistic part of it, which is that it will be very difficult for them to adapt to, especially -- mostly
language wise. That's like our biggest thing. They're not anywhere near fluent and they are going to be going into a school that is Spanish
speaking.
Who's that?
That's you.
ALVAREZ (voice-over): For Sasha leaving the U.S. also means saying goodbye to the places she's called home.
You grew up in this house. It seems like you all get together in this house for family reunions.
What is it like for you to leave this house and what it represents to you?
S. MENDOZA (voice-over): It is definitely hard because, yes, there's a lot of good memories. This has always been like the kind of comeback place. As
far as we know, we won't be able to do that. We've kind of all decided that today is most likely the last time that we'll all be like in the same place
at the same time.
ALVAREZ (voice-over): She's not alone.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (voice-over): When I first moved to Mexico, I did work locally.
ALVAREZ (voice-over): On TikTok, other people considering making the jump have emerged, sharing their stories of departing the United States.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ALVAREZ (voice-over): It was validating.
S. MENDOZA (voice-over): Yes, it was like, let me learn through your experience instead of waiting until it happens to me as well. I've gotten
so much information from them, like the smallest things, like how to set up internet in your house to what's the process to get residency. And I mean
everything.
ALVAREZ (voice-over): Hours of research behind them, the Mendoza family spent their final days in Pittsburgh, saying goodbye to family and friends.
J. MENDOZA (voice-over): (INAUDIBLE).
BAYLEE WELLING, JULIO'S SISTER (voice-over): It's like the worst feeling in the world to know that, like, your brother isn't going to be here
anymore.
When I'm crying or I have a bad day. It's a weird thing but because he's like a grown man, you don't think like grown men will, like, be there for
you when you're crying. But like, he's with me. He'll cry with me.
ALVAREZ (voice-over): It's a decision not taken lightly. But for Julio, no other choice.
J. MENDOZA (voice-over): Rolling the dice will be staying here. That will be rolling the dice. Playing with my life, playing with my kids' life,
playing with my wife's life. That would be a gamble. Yes, I would say it's taking a gamble. I'm taking a certain win on this one for sure.
[10:30:04]
Definitely. A certain win in the sense of back to the roots, back to the family for once, after 20-some years. And I get to bring my own family, my
own history, my own dream.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
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ANDERSON: Right.
I want to do something slightly different or certainly something that we haven't done before. I want to get you to Sotheby's in Paris, where the bag
that everybody is talking about has just been sold. The story behind the original Birkin, as it has been bought. The gavel is down. It has been sold
for 7 million euros. More on that is after this.
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ANDERSON: Well, Jane Birkin's original Hermes bag has just sold for roughly $8.2 million at a Paris auction. Let us just pause for this moment
and just watch as that happened.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (Speaking French).
(APPLAUSE)
ANDERSON (voice-over): Let us get to Lucia Savi, who is the former curator of the "Bags: Inside Out" exhibit at London's Victoria and Albert Museum,
where the original Birkin was homed from 2020 until 2021.
It is good to have you; $8.2 million. That is a big number. That bag was a crown jewel in your exhibit. So you know it well.
[10:35:00]
And what's your reaction to that number?
Were you predicting that it would go that high?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DR. LUCIA SAVI, CURATORIAL AND INTERPRETATION, THE DESIGN MUSEUM: I knew that the bag would go for a considerable amount of money. But I could not
expect to go this high, 7 million euros. I was watching the sale and the estimate.
From the estimate it started to go quite high but, yes, it's quite impressive. It's the -- it's the highest-ever paid bag, I believe, in an
auction. So it's quite a very important moment for the history of auctions and bags as well. So quite incredible.
ANDERSON: It's the highest and then some, Lucia. Some people will not understand the gravitas of this bag. I'm sure there are people around the
world, you know, who are watching this and saying, really?
A handbag?
Can you just explain this phenomenon for us?
SAVI: This phenomenon is a little bit of a history. It starts -- what's called the bag phenomenon starts at the end of the 19s, beginning of the
2000s, when handbags start to become really important in people's lives, women's lives start to reach really an iconic status.
But the Birkin starts a little bit earlier. The Birkin was named after Jane Birkin and he has almost a mythological start. It's a bag by Hermes. And,
the story goes, Jane Birkin was traveling from Paris to London on a plane. And she dropped the bag that she was carrying with her.
And the man next sitting next to her tells her, "Well, you should get a bag with pockets."
And Jane famously answered, "Well, I'll have a bag with pockets with Hermes make me one."
And at that moment the man says that he's the CEO, Dumas (ph) of Hermes. And they start sketching the Birkin bag on one of those paper, little paper
bag on the plane. And that's how the Birkin bag was born, very much by chance.
And the Birkin, then a few years later, was given to Jane. This prototype, this very prototype was given to her and was renamed after her and since
then has became this iconic bag, the epitome of all bags, has been sought after by many.
But you can -- if you -- if you can, you could reach and buy one of these bags. But not particularly this one. This is the prototype. This is the one
that Jane was given. And that occasion and it's very -- it's unique. It's a -- you see it in this picture now on screen.
She used to stick stickers and you still see the glue residue on the bag there on the screen. This makes it very personal. The JB initial embossed
on the leather, this very long strap that is -- cannot be detached. That doesn't exist in Birkin bag anymore. It's just very unique. And that's why
I guess.
ANDERSON: And I'm just looking at it here and we're bringing up pictures of it. And you're absolutely right. I can see the sticker.
Can you, can you get to this, Jude?
Jude is my technical director.
Let's have a look at this. You can see the sticker. You can see the strap there. And look, I mean, there will be people saying, this is a worn bag. I
mean, it looks a little bit knackered. But I guess, you know, it is the original.
And as you say, I mean, it's got her initials on it and all the rest of it. While we look at pictures of the auction that just wrapped up moments ago,
just tell us, you know.
What does this bag mean to the fashion and arts world?
I mean, this is a moment, isn't it, in our popular culture?
SAVI: Absolutely. Birkin bags start to become extremely popular at the late '90s, especially thanks to various TV series, such as "Sex and the
City." They became almost unattainable. You can't walk into a shop and buy a Birkin bag. There used to be a waiting list. And nowadays you need to be
a certain type of client of Hermes to get to it.
So many, many clients go to auction and secondary market to even buy an ordinary -- if -- and I say an ordinary Birkin. For this case, of course,
it's very unique. And Birkin bags are biomass (ph). They're made with highest craftsmanship. They're very sought after. The number is very
limited.
And until now, Birkin bags, the most expensive Birkin bag sold at auction was going for around 400,000 pounds. So we're thinking really is a huge
jump from that to seven and -- 7 million euros, which is $8.2 million. So it's a huge jump.
And also it jumps from the realm of bags, auction, handbags auction, clothing auction into, as you're saying, design art, something that.
(CROSSTALK)
ANDERSON: I just wonder where this becomes part of history. I wonder where this takes us. You talked about many who have wanted to get their hands on
something like this.
[10:40:04]
Finding pre -- what are called pre-loved luxury platforms, where, you know, these antique bags are sold.
And (INAUDIBLE) now -- this -- Tony says this about the sale.
"It carries the same cultural weight as moments like Kim Kardashian wearing Marilyn Monroe's dress or the Princess Diana dress and pearl jewelry
auctions. And these kind of sales mark a shift in the market. They remind us that fashion isn't just about what we wear; it's about the legacy we
leave behind."
Is that your view?
SAVI: Definitely fashion, it's what we wear every day but as a different as well, meaning pieces like this, especially a prototype, are a piece of
fashion history, design history. They become symbols. They're not any more a practical item, although this was a very practical item.
I don't know if you know but Jane Birkin in this bag has a nail clipper attached to it. So very practical. But at the same time they become
something else. They become a symbol of who we are, who we aspire to be and, at the same time, also a symbol of the tradition of craftsmanship, an
iconic, lasting moment in the history of design.
So there are many layers here that are interconnecting and definitely -- there you go. That's the nail clipper inside.
It's -- for me, it's absolutely spectacular to see a piece that, as you say, is well worn. So it has the trace of someone's life. There is a trace
of a very famous person but also the trace of everyday that has reached that level of recognition.
So it's really -- it's really fantastic not to see a pristine piece as well, with the trace of a human life on it, the stickers residue is --
(CROSSTALK)
ANDERSON: Thirty seconds.
Any idea who might have -- any idea who might have purchased this bag?
SAVI: No, I'm sorry, I can't. I can have some speculation in my head but no, no. I really am dying to know who could have purchased it.
ANDERSON: OK. All right, well, watch this space. If we find out before you do, we'll let you know. Thank you. This is great to have you.
This got our team thinking about some of the other everyday items that have made big money at auction, partly because of their association with
megastars.
A beat-up old guitar sold for $6 million because it was strummed by the Nirvana front man, Kurt Cobain.
This 1955 Mercedes 300 SLR is the most expensive car ever sold at auction at $143 million. Known as the Uhlenhaut coupe, named after its engineer,
Rudolf Uhlenhaut. Not a household name but an artist in his field.
A pair of Birkenstock sandals sold for over $218,000 after gracing the feet of Apple founder Steve Jobs.
The Jean Louis so-called "naked dress" sold for $4.8 million. But that's not just any dress, it's the dress Marilyn Monroe wore when she sang "Happy
Birthday" to President Kennedy.
And finally, you can't get any closer to celebrity than this, a lock of hair from Elvis Presley, gaveled at US$115,120.
Back after this.
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[10:45:00]
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ANDERSON: Well, it's the stuff of nightmares, vampire bats and snakes in dark caves. But for one Mexican ecologist, that is just another day in the
field. Today on "Call to Earth," we visit with Rodrigo Medellin, who was, as part of the Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative, spending the last four
decades campaigning to save bats in his home country.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RODRIGO MEDELLIN, NATIONAL AUTONOMOUS UNIVERSITY OF MEXICO: This is an area of tropical forest but this is the dry season, so you can see that the
ecosystem is very, very dry. It's very, very hot.
So bats are not going to be very active tonight. But this is going to help us hopefully catch two, maybe three bats. Crossing fingers.
ZAIN ASHER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Mexican ecologist Rodrigo Medellin has spent more than 40 years studying, educating and campaigning to protect
bats in his country.
MEDELLIN: My dedication to bats is very tightly linked to convincing other people that bats are incredibly important for your everyday well-being.
ASHER: On this trip, he's accompanied by two of his own teammates and a group of local students, educators and farmers who he aims to inspire
through up close interactions with his favorite winged mammal. MEDELLIN: This is the mustached bat. This is a very common
insectivorous species from all of tropical Mexico, Central America and South America. As you can see, it has really beautiful wings.
ASHER: Globally, bat populations are declining because of a number of threats including habitat loss, climate change and disease. But Rodrigo
believes their biggest problem is a bad reputation.
MEDELLIN: Bats are very mysterious. Many people fear them. Many people attack them, despise them.
Where did it come from?
Why do they have that negative public image?
Very likely it has something to do with an incredible novel called "Dracula," written by Bram Stoker in the 1800s.
It's the furry-legged vampire bat. Look at his hairy legs. Can you see the furry-legged vampire bat?
Bats are certainly not more full of diseases than your dog or your cat. So that has been horribly exaggerated. And the bats are the losing end of this
equation.
So what we do many times is just to explain to people that bats are not dangerous.
This is a baby nectar feeding bat. For the moment, it's safe. But there's more than 100 snakes around it. Any second one of them can come and grab
it.
One of my projects is to document the ecosystem services provided by bats all around the world. This time, we're surrounded by many thousands of bats
that feed on insects, nectar and pollen from flowers and fruit. Those three provide incredible ecosystem services for all of us.
ASHER: In other words, bats help control pests, disperse seeds and pollinate key crops here and across the planet.
MEDELLIN: Mexico is a very lucky country. We are one of the very few mega diversity countries. That is an incredible privilege but also an amazing
responsibility for all of Mexicans.
We need to defend our nature, our biodiversity and our bats. They are amazing.
[10:50:00]
And they give you benefits every day of our lives.
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ANDERSON: Well, let us know what you're doing to answer the call with the #calltoearth.
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ANDERSON: Well, it's game on in Saudi Arabia today as the EA SPORTS World Cup officially begins. And it is all to play for with a record-breaking
prize pot on the cards.
The tournament will see 2,000 players and 200 clubs competing to win around $70 million. And it is drawing big crowds with more than 2.5 million people
expected to attend. It's all taking place at a specially built village in Riyadh and CNN's Eleni Giokos is there at the tournament.
And as I understand it, the opening ceremony about to begin. So the games about to begin. Just describe the atmosphere there.
ELENI GIOKOS, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT: Yes. OK, firstly, it's 42 degrees Celsius. It feels like I'm in an oven. I don't know if you can see,
there are fans that are blowing mist to try and cool us down.
And despite the heat and kind of the difficult temperatures, it hasn't stopped the fans from coming here. And it's been so exciting to witness the
momentum on the EA SPORTS World Cup, Becky.
You remember the first round was last year. This is the second time that Saudi Arabia is hosting the EA SPORTS World Cup. And, of course, it was
conceptualized by the Saudis.
Why it's significant is that usually these games are like League of Legends or Ballon d'Or or Dota 2. These tournaments happen on their own. And now
the Saudis have bought all of these games together and you've got, as you said, 2,000 gamers from 70 countries, competing over a seven-week period
here in Saudi Arabia.
Now this is a sector we have to take very seriously. And I'll tell you why. There are 3.5 billion active gamers worldwide. PWC is estimating that
global revenues are going to hit $1.86 billion by the end of this year.
I want you to kind of think about how football was over 100 years ago when it started organizing itself. This is what's happening with EA SPORTS. And
these gamers, Becky, are viewing themselves as athletes. They take this very seriously and they're making a lot of money.
For the Saudis, they're currently in investment mode, which is pretty significant because, I mean, they've spent billions of dollars on the
esports games. His Royal Highness Prince Faisal bin Bandar Al Saud, he's the chairman of Saudi Esports Federation.
I asked him about when they're going to break even and see a return on investment. Take a listen to what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PRINCE FAISAL BIN BANDAR AL SAUD, CHAIRMAN, SAUDI ESPORTS FEDERATION: There is a lot of investment going on in what we're doing in this. However,
over 60 percent of our vendors are Saudi vendors, so most of that money isn't leaving the country.
It's being reinvested here. It's building the capabilities to be able to do this more in the future. As to when we will break even, there's -- we're
working with EFG (ph) as a global group. We are very close to breaking even now with some of the restructuring that's been happening.
With this event, the aim from this event is to build and to build something that is a global spectacle, to build something that will, as we were just
talking about, in 30-60 years, be the premier sporting event in the world, similar to what the World Cup or the Olympics is now.
[10:55:00]
But the key to this has never been a return on investment. That return on investment is the advancement for the players, giving our young men and
women a chance to play under the bright lights, under the world stage; having a pathway to the World Cup from our region and a showcase of what
our capabilities are.
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GIOKOS: All right. So what's really interesting is that they're trying to build this massive ecosystem and that's the multiplier effect. You can hear
that the money they're spending on the arenas, which, by the way, are world class.
It's pretty phenomenal to see that it is going to be one of those sectors that cannot be ignored if they get this right, Becky. And you've got the EA
SPORTS World Cup happening every year.
This is going to be, I think, akin to the sporting world that we've become accustomed to growing up. So the football World Cup or the NBA and so
forth. What's phenomenal here is that there were 500 million people that logged into the live stream last year, over 7,000 hours of free live stream
available.
So it's great to be here. You've got the opening ceremony a few hours and we'll, of course, give you an update, Becky, as it happens.
ANDERSON: Good stuff. Thank you, Eleni.
All right. That is it for CONNECT THE WORLD. I'm Becky Anderson in Abu Dhabi. Stay with CNN. "ONE WORLD" is up.
END
