Return to Transcripts main page
Connect the World
U.S. and Iran Trade Fire and Blame; Iran Under Increasing Economic Pressure Amid War; Questions Grow Over Cruise Ship with Hantavirus Outbreak; U.K. PM Vows to Stay on Despite Local Election Losses; Russia to Restrict Mobile Internet Service on May 9; Iran Without Internet for 70 Days; Race to Defend Against Drones as UAE Comes Under Fresh Attacks; Ghislaine Maxwell's Fellow Ex-Inmates Speak Out; Virginia Supreme Court Invalidates Democratic-Drawn Map. Aired 10a-11a ET
Aired May 08, 2026 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[10:00:38]
ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN Abu Dhabi, this is CONNECT THE WORLD with Becky Anderson.
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Welcome to the second hour of the show from our Middle East programing headquarters. I am Becky Anderson in
Abu Dhabi. Time here is just after 6:00 in the evening.
Even as the U.S. and Iran traded fire again overnight, the diplomatic track presses on with the United States saying it is expecting a response today
from Iran on a proposal to end the war.
I'm going to get you live to Islamabad shortly for the latest, and we'll take you to Spain, where officials have identified a suspected case of
hantavirus ahead of the cruise ship's expected arrival at the Canary Islands.
Well, plus a big loss for U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer's party in what our local council elections and a boon for Reform U.K. leader Nigel Farage.
We're going to get you up to speed on the latest results from Britain.
Well, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has just said that he is expecting a response from Iran on the U.S. peace proposal by today. He
spoke in the past couple of hours from Italy.
Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARCO RUBIO, SECRETARY OF STATE: We're expecting a response from them today at some point. We have not received that yet. As you know, the last -- in
the last hour. But perhaps that will come. Their system is still highly fractured and a bit dysfunctional as well. So that may be serving as an
impediment. I hope it's a serious offer. I really do.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, President Trump insists the ceasefire with Iran is holding despite new outbreaks of violence. U.S. forces said they targeted Iranian
military facilities overnight, responsible for attacking their warships, they say, in the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran says the airstrikes hit civilian
areas and are calling the U.S. attacks a reckless military adventure.
Here in the UAE today, the Ministry of Defense announced it was tackling missile and drone attacks from Iran. It says three people have been
injured.
Nic Robertson is in Islamabad with more.
Nic, it is in Islamabad of course, where we continue to build the narrative around this diplomatic track. Rubio insists he expects a response from Iran
today. Is that realistic? What are you hearing there?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yes, I think here they were expecting that response from Iran yesterday. And it didn't come. Iran
has had now five days, six days? Really it received the U.S. response to their original a couple of days prior. They received that on Sunday last
week. They've had a lot of time to look at it. The foreign minister has been to Beijing.
The president of Iran has met with the supreme leader. That's pretty significant because, you know, according to Iranian officials, that really
shows how everyone sort of joined up. And this was always the question in the background. It takes a long time to get an answer out of Tehran,
because there are so many people that need to be involved. But it's hard to get to see the supreme leader.
So all of that is has happened. The very latest that we've just got in from the Foreign Ministry spokesman calling the incidents last night in the
Strait of Hormuz, calling them a breach of international law and a break in the ceasefire by the United States, but also saying that they continue to
consider, the negotiations can continue. He says we continue to consider our response, and when it is done, we will let you know, which is pretty
much what he was saying yesterday.
You know, the foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, has tweeted that whenever there's a diplomatic proposal on the table or diplomacy is on the table,
the United States always manages to, you know, to, you know, to take the sort of war track. That's a narrative we've heard a lot from Iran over the
past number of months, and they've been engaged in conversations and the United States has struck them a number of times during those conversations.
However, you know, coming on the heels of that attack last night that Iran calls unprovoked, that the U.S. said was a defensive measure, it is a -- it
does call into question how quickly Iran will respond.
[10:05:04]
Will they reconsider, again, in the light of what's happened last night, remembering that today they fired a number of ballistic missiles into the
Emirates where you are? Three people were injured by Iran's attack on the UAE today. But they're insisting diplomacy is going on.
I just think it's very hard to gauge if Secretary of State Marco Rubio says he expects it today, then I think that that will -- that will count for if
it doesn't come today then what's the United States' next move going to be? And clearly, President Trump wants to keep diplomacy on track.
ANDERSON: Yes. And --
ROBERTSON: And it's not clear yet. Yes. If Iran really wants that, then you would expect the response to be handed over.
ANDERSON: Yes. Our viewers would be forgiven for being, frankly, confused by what appears to be sort of constant shifts in military posturing and
rhetoric between the U.S. and Iran. In the region where I am here in the Gulf, when you cut through the noise, you know, the objectives remain the
same. There needs to be a sort of, you know, restoration of regional and security. Prevent a nuclear armed Iran, reduce the missile and drone
threat, ensure the free navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
There's been some sort of back and forth as to which countries, you know, have -- which sort of position a Saudi source telling me, quote, "the
kingdom is committed to the stability in the region and takes their partnership seriously with the U.S. and that includes constant and
continuous discussions at the highest levels."
What are you hearing about the thinking here in the Gulf, which is ultimately, you know, in the crosshairs, has been in the crosshairs, UAE
continues to be in the crosshairs. We'll need more defense, not less, going forward. What are you hearing?
ROBERTSON: Yes. The region, the GCC countries writ large, particularly the UAE, particularly Qatar, particularly Saudi Arabia, particularly Kuwait,
have all lent very heavily into that U.S. military protective umbrella, never figuring that they would ever have to use it in the way that they're
using it right now in a -- because they were so heavily attacked by Iran during march as a result of the United States target, along with Israel,
targeting Iran.
All of that we know. But there is real concern in the Gulf. And it grew on Monday about how things would move forward if, albeit the United States
Navy was attacked in the Strait of Hormuz pursuing Project Freedom, you know, 10 small boats sunk, according to the Secretary of Defense, Pete
Hegseth. But also that same day, 19 different missiles fired at the UAE, more fired on Tuesday.
And I think that really raised concern in the Gulf. This is what I'm hearing from sources that the United States and President Trump sort of
trying to brush that off. One imagines, because he wanted to keep going on the diplomatic track. But that doesn't send a strong message of security
and propping up and securing allies if they're going to -- if the aggressor, Iran, is going to attack them and no one steps forward.
So I think that caused a lot of concern. I think what we're hearing from Saudi diplomats is saying, look, we still want that peace. We still want
that stability. And at the highest level, that would clearly mean, in Saudi's case, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, in the U.S. case, Donald
Trump, having a conversation which I'm led to believe did happen, a conversation about providing, maintaining that strong security posture in
the region, in the GCC countries.
And also this notion that if they're attacked, the United States should respond in their favor. That didn't happen Monday. It didn't happen
Tuesday. Of course, the tension is overnight right close to the UAE. And again, missiles fired today. So where does that leave if that understanding
has been created? Where does that leave that understanding?
Saudi Arabia being very clear here and signaling not just to its fellow community members in the GCC, but signaling to Iran that they are looking
for stability and a way out of this. That doesn't mean going to war again.
Becky, it just feels that everything is in the balance. Unless you move this talk process forward, there are going to be more and more military
incidents. It is the nature of having two armies facing off against a narrow waterway, where that waterway is absolutely contested, where the
global economy is held up, and where Iran is determined to make money out of it. Things are going to happen. They happened last night. They're going
to happen again. And this is where we stand unless the talks move forward.
[10:10:05]
ANDERSON: Yes. It's good to have you. It has been good to have you in Pakistan, Nic. Your insight into what's going on behind the scenes has been
absolutely crucial. Like I say, you know, people will be forgiven for being sort of, you know, slightly confused to what feels like a bit of a limbo at
this point. But, you know, it's that dogged sort of reporting that is so important at this point as we continue to sort of cut through the noise and
report on the facts. Thank you very much indeed.
And a reminder, the Secretary of State Marco Rubio, U.S. secretary of state, has said in the past hour or so that the U.S. is now expecting a
response Friday, today, from Iran on a proposal to end this war.
Folks, caveat, we have been here before. Look, the war has caused shockwaves in the global energy markets. We are all aware of that. And in
Iran itself, the economic impact is being keenly felt.
Let's bring in Nader Habibi, who is professor of Middle East economics at Brandeis University, to talk more about the wider ramifications of this
conflict.
It's good to have you. Let's start here. The U.S. military says Iran has potentially lost $13 billion due to the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports in
the strait. This info just posted by CENTCOM. This is part of that kind of wider economic squeeze to try and collapse or crash the Iranian economy.
How much pressure is this adding? And I'm talking very specifically about the Strait of Hormuz blockade at this point. And what alternatives at this
point do you see Washington has?
NADER HABIBI, PROFESSOR, MIDDLE EAST ECONOMISTS, BRANDEIS UNIVERSITY: Hello. Thank you for inviting me to your program. I think the pressure of
the blockade is very intense. There is no doubt about it, because Iran conducts its international trade primarily through the Persian Gulf. So as
far as the intensity, it's obviously an important aspect of the United States economic warfare against the Islamic regime.
But at the same time, if you're talking about bare minimum resiliency of the economy and bare minimum resiliency of the regime, and the Iranian
economy is diverse and large, therefore it can at the bare minimum still linger on, go forward, under current circumstances. I would say for a month
or two extra.
ANDERSON: All right. A month or two extra is what you're saying. I'm hearing behind the scenes here, certainly around the region, there is this
sort of, you know, sense that there is a window of about 30 days in which the Trump administration is counting on economic pressure, really squeezing
Iran. Have a listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RUBIO: Economic fury, I'm sorry, continues to impose maximum pressure on the Iranian regime and what remains of their already frail economy. Today
inflation in Iran is 70 percent and their currency is in total and complete freefall.
SCOTT BESSENT, U.S. TREASURY SECRETARY: The president gave the order to Treasury, myself, to begin Economic Fury. I can tell you that we are
suffocating the regime and they are not able to pay their soldiers. This is a real economic blockade.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: So you listen to the U.S. administration officials there. I mean, it's pretty clear that what they call "Operation Economic Fury" is the real
lever that they think they have here in squeezing the economy.
You say you think there's a month or two before that's really going to hurt. So what is going on behind the scenes in Iran?
HABIBI: Yes. Well, the economy already is hurting and even it was under intense pressure before this "Operation Economic Fury" began. So if we are
talking about 70 percent inflation, the inflation before this war was already around 40 percent to 50 percent. It doesn't come as a shock, but
nevertheless, it is going to further weaken the economy. We already know that because of the intense attacks of the 40 day war before the ceasefire,
Iran's manufacturing activities have declined.
One could say even one to two million workers have lost their jobs. And they are supporting families of maybe households of four or five people per
worker. So the pressure on the economy is intense. However, we have to differentiate between the resilience of the economy and the resilience of
the regime.
[10:15:06]
The pressure on people is very intense and it's likely to get worse. But then you have to say, how about the regime itself? How will that affect the
resilience of the regime? There are still resources that the regime can use. There was a mention that they cannot pay the salaries. That is going
to be a crisis, but some of their core supporters who would still support them, even at bare minimum salary and economic sustenance. And we have to
differentiate between these two.
ANDERSON: Yes, I think that's a --
HABIBI: Yes.
ANDERSON: I mean, you're making an incredibly important point because the riyal hitting, that's the currency, of course, hitting record lows. Many
Tehran residents expressing concerns over prices in the country, inflation, and accessibility of supplies. So I guess the question at this point is, do
you believe this U.S. strategy, this economic squeeze is a flawed strategy at this point?
HABIBI: I think from the U.S. point of view, this is better than military action because the cost of military action is higher. I think when we look
at the Iranian response of further attacks against GCC countries and against U.S. military assets, which they have already done. So, and one
could not rule out that this strategy would eventually pressure the Iranian regime into negotiating and accepting some very painful concessions. It's
just that it's a matter of probability. And the reason for that is that -- yes. Go ahead.
ANDERSON: Sorry. I was just going to say -- I'm not -- I just want to get one more question in. And we are running out of time. Obviously, sanctions
on the table as part of this proposal, this memo or framework proposal in principle that Marco Rubio is hoping the U.S. will get a response on from
Iran today.
Last question to you. Pakistan has opened land corridors to get goods in and out of Iran. And we know that there are, you know, other borders where
goods slip in and out of both the sort of, you know, the sort of up front economy and the gray economy, of course, but on the Pakistan corridor, how
much of a lifeline is this for Iran at this point?
HABIBI: It is important because it allows Iran to at least receive the basic minimum supplies of food and medicine. And by the way, that corridor
is operating with the implicit approval of the United States, so that corridor, if the United States wanted to close it, it can. Nevertheless, it
has chosen to allow that to function. That corridor plus the access of Iran to trade, informal trade and undercover trade with Iraq, and also the fact
that the Turkish border is still open for flow of people and trucks it's that some minimum essentials can still enter Iran.
The question is, how much reserves Iran has in order to pay for those imports? And the reason I say for a month or two in terms of resilience, is
that there is still some reserves that Iran has access to that have been saved inside the country to maintain those bare minimum trades that are
essential.
ANDERSON: It's been really good having you on, really important insight as we continue to monitor what is going on. Thank you very much indeed for
joining us today.
Well, one potential revenue source Iran could be aiming to secure, fees, of course, for vessels using the Strait of Hormuz. While they have not yet
been announced, Tehran is laying out new rules for ships in the waterway.
CNN's Eleni Giokos has the details on our Web site. Just click the link there on the home page and well worth a read.
Well, concerns growing now over the cruise ship with a deadly hantavirus outbreak. The MV Hondius is expected to dock at Tenerife in the Spanish
Canary Islands by Sunday. This is the boat. About 150 people, non- symptomatic people, remain on board. Officials say they will be flown back to their home countries.
Well, health officials are tracking dozens of passengers from across the globe who already disembarked from the ship in late April.
[10:20:07]
Three people have died since the outbreak began, with several others developing symptoms.
Well, let's go to CNN's Pau Mosquera. He is live in Madrid.
Spanish authorities have also now, as I understand it, identified its suspected case of hantavirus there. What can you tell us, Pau?
PAU MOSQUERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right. Becky, in that case, we're talking about the person that lives in Alicante in Eastern Spain, that has
reportedly shown symptoms that are consistent of hantavirus. The authorities have told the media that this person was on board of that
flight that took the infected woman from the remote island of Saint Helena to South Africa, where later died, and that person was sitting just a few
rows behind of that woman.
Now that person is already in a hospital in Alicante. They have practiced this person a PCR test, and right now they are waiting for the results,
which are expecting to get within the next 24 hours -- Becky.
ANDERSON: Good to have you, Pau. Thank you very much indeed. Bit of rain there. Bringing the umbrella. Thank you sir.
Well, elections and results beginning to come in throughout the United Kingdom. We'll discuss what those results might mean for the British Prime
Minister Keir Starmer. That's after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: The U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has vowed to stay in office following heavy losses for his Labour Party in England's local elections.
Despite a landslide victory just under two years ago, Starmer's popularity has sunk. The populist party Reform U.K. is making major gains on the local
level with votes still being counted.
Nada Bashir is outside the prime minister's official residence, which of course is 10 Downing Street.
Look, these results are still coming in from across the U.K. including from the devolved parliaments of Scotland and Wales. What's the picture, though,
based on what we have seen so far, Nada?
NADA BASHIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, look, Becky, as you have mentioned, it is still very early in the day. Of course, with general elections, we
would typically expect to see some more clearer picture. But at this stage these are local council elections for the most part, and we are still
waiting for a significant number of those results to come in.
But what we are seeing at this stage is a significant splintering in that overall picture of the United Kingdom. We have seen losses, of course, by
the governing Labour Party as well as the Conservative Party. We are seeing those other parties really gaining ground, including, significantly, Nigel
Farage's reform party, Reform U.K., which has made significant gains already, according to the current picture that we're seeing across the
United Kingdom, including in key Labour areas and areas that would have been considered a Labour heartlands.
[10:15:14]
In the midlands, in the north of England we have seen significant gains there already. We've already heard from the Reform leader, Nigel Farage,
who has spoken to the media and has really already declared this a success for the party. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NIGEL FARAGE, REFORM U.K. LEADER: I'm delighted to be here in the sunshine outside Havering Town Hall, which I can now say is under new management.
(CHEERS)
FARAGE: And it's significant. It's our first win of a borough in London. And that in some ways goes against the trend because the pattern that's
emerging over the country is that Labour are being wiped out by Reform in many of their most traditional areas. And what you're going to see later on
today is the Conservative Party being wiped out in their heartlands, like Essex.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BASHIR: Now, of course, as I've mentioned, we are still waiting for a significant number of results to come in, but there has been that
splintering that I've mentioned in the United Kingdom where we have seen, for example, the Green Party making significant gains. The liberal
Democrats also making gains, and some independents as well across councils in the United Kingdom. But this is, of course, a loss for the Labour Party,
as the current picture stands. And that pressure will be mounting on the prime minister.
ANDERSON: Keir Starmer's position is pretty weak. But he really only needs to survive two years in the job at this point. Correct?
BASHIR: Well, look, Becky, we have seen the Prime Minister Keir Starmer facing a number of hurdles already during his premiership, including
significant scandals that have put pressure on his leadership both within the party and across the country where we have seen that support for the
prime minister and for the Labour Party waning.
This is, of course, a significant loss for the party, and we have heard from the prime minister already describing this at the results as being
tough. But he has said that he will not walk away. And at this stage, we haven't been hearing that sort of pressure or calls for resignation from
senior labor cabinet ministers. So at this point, it appears that he may have maintained the support of his key party members.
But there certainly is a temperature check, it's best to put it, on the support for the Labour Party overall across the country.
ANDERSON: Yes, absolutely. Good to have you. Thank you.
Well, mobile internet service is expected to be cut off across Moscow on Saturday as Russia holds what are scaled back Victory Day celebrations. Now
this is the annual May 9th holiday which marks the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany in World War II. But for the first time in nearly two
decades, the traditional parade in Moscow's Red Square will take place without tanks, missiles or other military equipment amid fears of ukrainian
drone strikes.
CNN senior international correspondent Fred Pleitgen joins us now live from Moscow -- Fred.
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Becky. Yes, and it certainly seems as though things are going to be quite scaled
down. I was actually in the area around Red Square a little earlier today, and I was looking at some of the stands that are normally out there and
that you see out there for that parade that's going to go past tomorrow.
And it certainly seemed to us as though some of those stands also that usually have the VIP guests on them also seem to be quite scaled back as
well. So the Kremlin is already acknowledging that there's going to be fewer spectators, fewer VIP guests, but also fewer foreign journalists that
are going to be able to attend that parade. There are several foreign correspondents who said that they had had visas, not visas, accreditations
for that parade that had been approved but were then told not to pick those up.
I'm actually one of those journalists as well, so certainly seems as though a lot less foreign press is going to be attending that scaled down parade
than we sort of have seen in the past couple of years. Then you've already alluded to the fact that there is also going to be a lot less in the way of
armor, like we do normally see at that parade. And the Russians are quite open about the fact that a lot of that is due to the fact that there are
the risks, and there is the threat of possible ukrainian drone or aerial attacks on that parade, and simply risk that the Russians say they don't
want to take.
And that's really didn't make for quite a solemn mood when we were around Red Square earlier today, and we spoke to some folks who were out there.
Let's listen to what they had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): In any case, it's difficult. Of course, people are dying. Finances are disappearing. All sorts of
restrictions are being introduced. It's clear that it's unpleasant. War has never been good.
[10:30:04]
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: War is bad for everyone. War is bad for everyone. Gasoline, oil and everything else is already getting more expensive. War is
definitely bad. If there were peace, the economy would develop faster.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PLEITGEN: Some folks that we spoke to earlier today on Red Square, and one of the things that the Russians have said, Becky, is that they've warned
the Ukrainians that if the parade tomorrow will be attacked, that the Russians are going to unleash massive missile strikes on the center of
Kyiv. The Russians also unilaterally have called for a ceasefire for tomorrow. The Ukrainians have said that they actually pledged a cease fire
on May 5th to start a little earlier than that, and the Russians did not adhere to that.
And it was only a couple of minutes ago that Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, came out and said, what the Ukrainians do tomorrow will depend on
what they see today. Obviously, talking about the fact that whether or not there are going to be strikes by the Russians today or other military
action today, that that certainly could influence what the Ukrainians do tomorrow.
In any case, the Russians are saying they are very well aware of the threat. But at the same time, they also say that, of course, their special
military operation, as they still call it, will continue in Ukraine until all of its goals are achieved -- Becky
ANDERSON: Good to have you. Thank you very much indeed. Well, as drone and missile threats across the Gulf remain very real, not least here in the
United Arab Emirates, I spoke with the defense supplier Terma on the race to deploy anti-drone systems and the cost gap, making this fight harder to
win. More on that is after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Right. Welcome back. You're watching CONNECT THE WORLD with me, Becky Anderson. I want to get your headlines at this point.
The cruise ship with a hantavirus outbreak is set to dock at the Spanish island of Tenerife this weekend. Now the plan is to fly about 150
asymptomatic people on board back to their home countries. Health officials, meantime, are racing to track passengers from around the globe
who have already disembarked from that ship back in late April.
Three hikers are presumed dead after a volcano erupted in Indonesia earlier today. We're told a number of other climbers are stranded near the crater
of Mount Kono, and they have been evacuated. Officials say a rescue operation has been suspended but will resume on Saturday.
And U.S. President Donald Trump says a cease fire with Iran is holding despite both sides trading fire late on Thursday.
[10:35:02]
Now, the U.S. military says it hit Iranian military facilities involved in attacking its warships in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran calls the U.S. strikes
a reckless military adventure.
Well, Iran has now been without the internet for at least 70 days, according to the monitoring group Netblocks. It says the impact of that
will harm those most in need. Everyone from students to people with disabilities.
Leila Gharagozlou has more now on the tens of millions of people who have been living under that internet blackout.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LEILA GHARAGOZLOU, CNN PRODUCER (voice-over): How can over 90 million people get cut off from the global internet? It's been over 70 days of
internet and communications blackout in Iran, and Iranians inside the country are having to rely on a government controlled internet network.
But what does that mean? Back in the 2010s, off the back of nationwide protests largely organized on the internet, the Iranian government came up
with an idea to create a state controlled, filtered network, essentially an intranet.
AMIR RASHIDI, MIAAN, GROUP DIRECTOR, CYBERSECURITY AND DIGITAL RIGHTS: Imagine you're sitting in your office in CNN. There is a local network
within your office, right? You can use resources within your office. So that's local network in your office is essentially a kind of intranet. Now
imagine it's a national wide intranet. The whole country is on a local network.
GHARAGOZLOU: That's Amir Rashidi, director of cybersecurity and digital rights at MIAAN Group. This new state controlled internet network, ordered
by the supreme leader at the time, eventually became the national information network, known as NIN.
The Iranian government, along with investment from private companies, also created their own apps like Russia or China, apps that mirrored those you
would see abroad. Opera, Iranian YouTube, Rubica, Iranian social media, Snap, Iranian uber and ballet, a super app for communications, money
transfers, school enrollment and even A,I. chats.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): The main use of these apps are for daily life admin. You can buy movie theater tickets, send e-mails, send
money, get insurance, pay traffic tickets, buy flights, and then everyday things like food delivery or online videos or online school job.
GHARAGOZLOU: These apps were created not only to control citizens access to the internet and information, but to monitor their searches,
communications, and even their behavior.
RASHIDI: So basically, the person or group of people who are in charge of running that network, they can do pretty much anything they want.
GHARAGOZLOU: Iranians have in the past been wary of using these government sites. The war with the U.S. has changed that. Amid the internet blackout
and high costs of VPNs, millions of Iranians have had to use these apps just to get through day to day life. But the concerns around privacy
continue, and experts warn that these apps are not safe.
RASHIDI: People feel their privacy and their safety are being violated, but when there is no YouTube, when there is no internet, when there is no
messaging app, what is our alternative? You have a daily life. You need to take care of your life.
GHARAGOZLOU: These apps have also been integrated into Iranian life because of sanctions.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): Because Iran is a closed financial system and is not connected and doesn't have access to the global financial
system, these apps are critical to and needed for daily life.
GHARAGOZLOU: But the concerns over privacy continue, and experts warn that these apps are not safe.
RASHIDI: They are downloading your contact list in some of these applications. When you type things on the applications interface, even
without pushing enter, sending the texts, those texts will be stored in the server and they have access to it. Plus, there is no end-to-end encryption,
meaning whatever you send to these applications would be visible to people who are running these applications.
GHARAGOZLOU: While Iranians continue to be cut off from the global internet network, Miaan Group's Rashidi says his concern goes beyond just Iran.
Iran's situation shows how easily authoritarian governments can infringe and threaten internet freedoms and citizens access to global networks.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: OK. Leila is reporting there.
Well, the U.S. is greenlighting a major defense sale to its Gulf allies. Bloomberg reporting that Secretary of State Marco Rubio has approved a
$25.8 billion package, including hundreds of air defense interceptors.
Now, the move comes as threats resurface across the region with these recent attacks against the United Arab Emirates. There is no peace in sight
at this point. No agreement, even on a sort of memo and a way forward, which means there is, of course, the possibility of a renewed war.
10:40:06]
In response, the UAE is scaling up its own defense industry. Abu Dhabi has announced plans for a global defense manufacturing hub aimed at boosting
local production and long term military readiness.
Well, I spoke to Roland Gerges, who's vice president at Terma. They are Denmark's largest supplier of military equipment, with a focus on
developing advanced anti-drone systems. He said Iran is using low-cost drones to create huge harm on maritime operations. Have a listen to our
discussion.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ROLAND GERGES, VICE PRESIDENT, TERMA: The issue with low-flying drones is that they have the -- their only aim is to try to penetrate the air
defense. Air defense is made to -- for specific layers. You have a radar that is aiming for a specific capability to down the missile. And when
you're flying low, there's a lot of clutter over the sea that when they're flying low, it's very difficult to detect them.
So early detection is the key. And that gives you a lot of time to react. And that's where you see that the adversaries have been trying to fly low
with a very cheap system and being then countermeasures with very expensive systems. So that's also another perspective of the whole war in the Gulf.
Was also about a asymmetric approach to the defense in this region.
ANDERSON: I think you're talking about cost balance here. Why is cost balance so important in countering drones? And what is, you know, what does
a company like yours term a play in taking on that challenge?
GERGES: If you look at the imbalance that that it creates, we're using missiles and very capable systems to down something that is very cheap to
produce and very cheap to sell. So that is the imbalance that it creates. And if we, if you don't try to mitigate that difference, over a longer
period of time, it is quite difficult to keep defending your sovereignty. So we as a company in Terma, we work, first of all, with early detection.
So if you have the early detection capabilities to detect a drone coming, it gives you a time, more time for an operator to really use the right
measures to shoot down incoming drone. On top of that is if you see there are existing systems in the country. So if you want to use the existing
systems, you need to be fast, enhance the capability while during distress. Seeing that, OK, there are some gaps. There are, for example, old cameras
that we can add an ai layer to it. An ai layers help the operator. Then, get more information to take the right decision.
ANDERSON: Drone technology, and anti-drone technology is, I guess, inevitably embedded with A.I. advanced technology. That is the nature of
these autonomous aerial vehicles. Just how important is that A.I. technology today in the world of defense?
GERGES: It is a very important aspect of defense. And I would say it's not only the A.I. itself, it's the data fusion of this information. But the
most important is now when we talk about ai is ai at edge, you need to have that capability, not on a software, on a computer, but it should be on a
radar or a camera that actually can take that data that's happening in front of you. Correlate it, classify it and send it faster.
So it becoming more and more important in the defense arena to add these A.I. layers to make it much easier for an operator, for the defense forces
to act with the right decisions.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Yes. It's fascinating, isn't it? Well, since the UAE came under Iranian attack again this week, there has been a surge of support, most
recently Egypt. UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed and the Egyptian president, Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, were seen in one of the cafes in Yas Mall,
which is very close to the office here in Abu Dhabi. This marks President El-Sisi's second visit to the UAE since the Iran war started. The two
leaders also inspected an Egyptian squadron of Rafael fighter jets stationed here.
[10:45:02]
It is, though, unclear what role the squadron has played in the war if any. An analyst told CNN that this visit is a show of solidarity after Abu Dhabi
expressed frustration with Cairo's position during the war.
Just a reminder, the UAE has invested $35 billion in the Egyptian North Coast. This is Egypt's largest ever single foreign investment. And to learn
more about the UAE Egypt relationship, do head to our Web site for the very latest.
Right. You're watching CONNECT THE WORLD with me, Becky Anderson. Coming up, CNN speaks to the former or some former inmates from Ghislaine
Maxwell's minimum security prison. What they said about the Epstein co- conspirator in our exclusive reporting.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: All right, we've got some exclusive CNN reporting for you now. In the ongoing revelations surrounding the late sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein,
my colleague MJ Lee has been talking to some of the former inmates of a minimum security prison about the controversy that erupted when Epstein co-
conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell was moved there. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JULIE HOWELL, FORMER INMATE: Nobody was happy about her being there. We all felt like we were being punished for her being there.
MJ LEE, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: That's Julie Howell. She's a white-collar criminal who was serving time at a minimum security prison
camp in Bryan, Texas, when Ghislaine Maxwell was mysteriously transferred there last summer. Howell was upset about it, and she communicated with a
reporter.
HOWELL: I was very upset about her being moved, given her crime. She shouldn't be there per BOP policies and procedures. And so it just -- it
was very unfair.
LEE: A few days later, Howell learned that she was in trouble.
HOWELL: The guard came in and he said, how they want you in the lieutenant's office. And then he says, you know, did you speak to a
reporter? And I was like, oh, yes. He said, well, it's all over the world wide web. And he's just telling me that, you know, I messed up and I'm
going to be shipped. The warden came in and asked, like, what I was thinking, said that her phone was blowing up all weekend. I ruined her
weekend.
You know, I shouldn't have talked to them. And I did apologize. I mean, at this point, I'm a little teary-eyed. And when I told her that my daughter
had, you know, a trafficking experience, she rolled her eyes and flipped her hair back. And she was like, it's too late for apologies, and walked
out.
LEE: Howell was shipped out to a higher security prison in Houston. She recently finished out her prison sentence and is currently on supervised
leave. A second woman, who was also at Bryan, told me that a similar thing happened to her. She was reprimanded for talking to a reporter about
Maxwell. This woman tells me she saw Maxwell getting special treatment while in prison.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Within a day of her arrival, we had armed guards, marshals patrolling. If she had a visitation, she would get to -- they
closed the chapel and the indoor rec and allowed her to use that building for her personal visits.
[10:50:12]
Shed get bottled waters and clam shell meals delivered her rooms.
LEE: A BOP spokesperson told CNN that the bureau does not discuss details related to specific inmates, and that it is committed to maintaining the
highest standards of integrity, impartiality and professionalism in the operation of its facilities. Inmates can communicate with members of the
media with prior approval, they said.
Tanisha Hall, the warden of Bryan prison camp, declined to comment. The DOJ and lawyers for Maxwell did not respond to requests for comment.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: And we are back after this quick break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: I've got some breaking news for you out of the States. The Virginia Supreme Court has invalidated what was a Democratic drawn
congressional map that had targeted four Republican held U.S. House seats. Now, this ruling could have a huge impact on the November midterm elections
amid the battle, of course, for House control.
Arlette Saenz joins me now.
And what's behind the ruling? And just get us up to speed on why it matters.
ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Becky, this is a significant blow to Democrats as they are fighting to try to reclaim the
majority in the U.S. House in November. Virginia Supreme Court blocked these Democratic drawn maps. They said this is because they believe that
the procedure to set up the referendum, which voters had voted on just over two weeks ago, that that did not comply with Virginias state constitution.
Our team is still reading through the opinion to gain more insight into what these justices were thinking. But for now, this will keep those
Democratic drawn maps that could have netted them as many as four additional U.S. House seats from Virginia from moving forward in November.
There is a potential that this could be appealed to the Supreme Court, but its fate there remains incredibly uncertain.
But all of this is also playing out against the backdrop of a slate of Republican states moving very, very quickly to redraw their congressional
maps in the wake of a Supreme Court ruling last week that invalidated majority-minority districts in Louisiana. That has really paved the way for
Republicans and their state legislators in these states to move quickly to try to redraw the maps. We have seen Florida's governor, Ron DeSantis, push
forward a redistricting bill in his state of Florida, which passed.
Just yesterday the Tennessee state legislature approved a redistricting measure in their state. The governor very quickly signed that into law.
There are still states like Louisiana, Alabama and South Carolina who are moving forward with efforts to redraw congressional maps before the
November elections. This all comes as there is a very tough fight underway for control of the U.S. House. In November.
Democrats feel that they have a lot of the politics and the frustration with the economy on their side heading into these elections, but every
single seat will count. And this ruling from the state Supreme Court in Virginia certainly delivers a major setback to Democrats, as they are
trying to get any type of edge heading into the November elections in the midst of this redistricting arms race that's been sweeping across the
country.
[10:55:02]
ANDERSON: Yes. Absolutely. Arlette, thank you so much.
And one of the world's most recognized experts on the natural world today celebrating a milestone birthday. David Attenborough turns 100 today. Over
more than seven decades of documentary filmmaking, Attenborough has become one of the voices most associated with these stories of nature. He offered
thanks to everyone who sent him messages.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAVID ATTENBOROUGH, BRITISH NATURAL HISTORIAN: I had rather thought that I would celebrate my 100th birthday quietly, but it seems that many of you
have had other ideas. I've been completely overwhelmed by birthday greetings from preschool groups to care home residents, and countless
individuals and families of all ages. I simply can't reply to each of you all separately, but I would like to thank you all most sincerely for your
kind messages and wish those of you who have planned your own local events tomorrow have a very happy day.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, to add to those messages, a very happy birthday from the team working with me here in Abu Dhabi.
That is it for CONNECT THE WORLD. Stay with CNN. "ONE WORLD" is up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
