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Connect the World
Somali Referee Denied Entry to USA for 2026 World Cup; Inside the New U.S.-funded Ebola Treatment Centre in the DRC; Iran & Israel Hold Fire as Trump Says Ceasefire Deal is Close; Israel Launches New Air Strikes on Lebanon Despite Iran's Warnings; Observers See Growing Gaps Between Trump and Netanyahu on War. Aired 9-9:45a ET
Aired June 09, 2026 - 09:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[09:00:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST, CONNECT THE WORLD: Well, these are live images of the White House. President Trump says he remains optimistic. He can nail an
agreement with Iran in two or three days, he says. Well, it's 09:00 a.m. in Washington. It is 05:00 p.m. here in Abu Dhabi.
I'm Becky Anderson from our Middle East programming headquarters. You're watching "Connect the World". Also coming up, Africa's top referee will not
take part in this summer's World Cup -- was denied entry into the United States. CNN report from the ground from a new American-funded treatment
center at the epicenter of the Ebola outbreak.
And OpenAI is going public, setting it up for what may be the most highly anticipated market debut in recent history. Well, the stock market in New
York opens about 30 minutes from now. Futures indicating a moderately good start to the trading day, more at 09:30am local time, when markets open.
Well, here in this region, a sense of uncertainty, but an uneasy truce at least holding between Israel and Iran. Both countries standing down after a
very dangerous series of back-and-forth strikes. It is an uneasy holding pattern, while the U.S. President asserts again that a more lasting
agreement is close.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: They were going back and forth, and now they both agreed through me to stop, and we're in
the final throws of what will be a very, very good deal that will not allow in any way, shape, or form nuclear weapons, et cetera.
And the strait will open up right away. It will open up immediately upon signing, which could be in two or three days.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, Israel launched new air strikes on southern Lebanon today, despite Iran's threat of crushing response, and despite President Trump's
insistence that those attacks stop. Well, my next guest writes, quote, U.S. and Israeli sources say the events of the last 24 hours are further proof
that the strategic interests of the U.S. and Israel and the political interests of Trump and Netanyahu are diverging every day.
And he quotes one U.S. official as saying Bibi needs the war to continue to stay politically alive in Israel, and Trump needs the water end to stay
politically alive in the United States. Well, that was analysis from Barak Ravid, who joins me to discuss. It's good to have you.
You write that Donald Trump told Netanyahu, quote, Bibi, you better be careful or you will be on your own very soon. How much leverage do you
believe Donald Trump has over Netanyahu at this point? You've spoken to him a number of times of late and you are well sourced in Israel. What are your
thoughts?
BARAK RAVID, CNN POLITICAL & GLOBAL AFFAIRS ANALYST: Well, I think Donald Trump, as any U.S. President, has ultimate leverage over not only Benjamin
Netanyahu but over any Israeli Prime Minister, because of the close relationship between the countries, the vast security, intelligence,
economic relationship, and U.S. assistance to Israel.
This is in general. When it comes to Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu, this leverage is even stronger and more significant because Netanyahu's
only political asset today domestically is his ability to say I'm friends with Donald Trump, I can work with him, I can get good things for Israel
from the President of United States.
And Donald Trump is still highly popular in Israel. Therefore, when Donald Trump wants something, really wants something, not halfway, really wants
something, Benjamin Netanyahu.
ANDERSON: Right.
RAVID: Benjamin Netanyahu cannot really say no.
ANDERSON: Well, what he said at least in public is that he has told Benjamin Netanyahu not to go after Hezbollah in Beirut or at least not to
bomb Beirut in Lebanon. And he had said don't go after Iran at this point because he's in the final stages, he says of a quote, good deal.
[09:05:00]
So, is Netanyahu not listening? Is this Donald Trump just playing reporters? Because that's what he said to reporters. I mean, he said, I
think to you and others that he calls the shots, that it's not Netanyahu's calling the shots, and yet the shots are being fired both in Beirut and in
Iran by Israel.
RAVID: Yeah, that's true. And I think he told Ed Luce from the "Financial Times" that he's calling the shots and not Netanyahu. And I think what
happened, according to my reporting, is that when Trump spoke to Netanyahu on Sunday night before the Israeli attack on Iran, he got the sense, he and
his other people on the call got the sense that Netanyahu is willing to give another few days, because Trump didn't tell him don't do it.
He said give me another few days, if there's a deal with Iran, there's no point of doing the strike anyway. And if there's no deal with Iran, you
don't need to strike, the U.S. will strike, and the call ended with Trump understanding that Netanyahu is not going to do anything imminently.
But then later, later on that night, Netanyahu called Secretary of State Rubio and told them we're going to go anyway, and the jets are already on
their way. And what happened then is that the U.S. managed to do is to somehow limit the targets that Israel struck that night.
And I think Netanyahu, what I heard from his people is that he did not see, he did not understand what he heard from Trump as a firm don't. You saw it
as sort of like a yellowish light, not a red light, and that's why he felt that he can move forward.
ANDERSON: Yeah, OK. Donald Trump continues to insist, Barak, that a deal is close. My colleague Aaron Blake writes, quote, including the period before
the ceasefire, he has done it at least 37 times. That's the number of times he's said directly in social media posts, public appearances and phone
calls with the media that the deal was nigh or claimed Iran was desperate to cut one.
Look, Iranian officials publicly challenged his version of events based on your reporting and those who are both close to the Trump Administration, if
not Donald Trump himself, and your Israeli sources. Where do you think we are at, at this point? Donald Trump has repeated in the last couple of
hours that he believes we are some two or three days away from the agreement at this point.
RAVID: I'll give you an example that might explain to people watching us right now where the deal is and how actually it is kind of close. One of
the things the Iranians are asking for is to get some of their frozen funds, frozen assets released on the first day that the deal is announced,
immediately, that they want to get some of their frozen assets.
The Iranians, at the beginning, said they want 12 billion on the first day, then they said they're willing to, you know, accept a lower number, they
change that number several times. And the U.S. said at the beginning, no, you will only get money after you implement some of your commitments.
And then the U.S. also started saying, you know what, maybe you'll get some of the money after a few days, not immediately, but not after you
implement, so that's the kind of discussion that is going on right now. It's not whether some frozen assets will be released or not.
It is how much and when. So, it can give you an impression about where the negotiations are, and I think that if we look at the last two months,
that's definitely a very developed stage of negotiation.
ANDERSON: Yeah, good to have you. And we will continue to monitor what is going on, and let's see. It's good to have you.
RAVID: Thank you.
ANDERSON: We often talk about the big picture, don't we? The geopolitics, the diplomacy, very specifically surrounding this conflict, and we look at
this conflict through the Israeli lens, through the U.S. lens, through the Gulf lens here. We are, though, getting a chance to hear from people inside
Iran at this point about the impact on their daily lives.
CNN's Fred Pleitgen is there. We've got his report for you now. And, as always, I want to note CNN operates in Iran only with the permission of the
government there, but we do maintain full editorial control of what we report. Here's Fred.
[09:10:00]
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: As the conflict between Iran and the United. States drag on, the U.S. blockade continues,
sanctions continue. Of course, it makes things very difficult economically for a lot of folks here in Iran.
I just spoke to a business owner, he sells and produces shoes, and he also told me that business has been difficult for quite some time now.
FARZAD MASHMOOL, SHOE MANUFACTURER: Purchases have decreased, and so have our sales. Shoes have become more expensive, and premium materials have
gone up as well. But it's not like sales have completely stopped. The war had its own effect, but it has not brought our sales down to zero. We are
still selling, and we are still trying to increase sales.
PLEITGEN: A war is always devastating for any economy, and as you can imagine, a lot of folks here in Iran have lost their jobs. Inflation is
also a big problem as well.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The markets really collapsed now. Previously, I could buy more easily, but now everything has become so expensive.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Inflation has made prices increase 100 times more.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Absolutely, it's difficult because it's after war, we have such a problem, like, and after sanctions we have problems here, but
it's the consequences of war. We cannot do anything.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I personally do not have much hope. What we see on the surface is that neither side will step back from their positions at least
for the next couple of years, and the situation has been like this for 30 or 40 years.
PLEITGEN: For one of the other things that the shop owner told me has been a real issue was the fact that the internet here was shut down for an
extended period of time, because he also has an online shop where he not only sells his shoes, but he also buys some of the material as well.
MASHMOOL: For about a month or 40 days, we were really struggling, and right now, as you've witnessed yourselves, it's difficult to move from one
page to another. I hope this matter could be resolved soon, so that our business can flourish again. We will welcome anything that puts an end to
the war.
PLEITGEN: And of course, that's something a lot of folks here in Iran think about, is the U.S. and the Iranian side try to come to some sort of end to
this armed conflict. A lot of people here are just hoping for sanctions relief and for the economy to improve.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Right, well, the World Cup is almost upon us, of course, with kickoff just over two days away, the tournament already being marked by
controversy off the pitch. FIFA confirms a Somali referee has been denied entry into the United States and won't take part in the World Cup.
Omar Abdulkadir Artan made it all the way to Miami before U.S. Customs and Border Protection deemed him inadmissible due to vetting concerns. Border
Patrol did not provide details on why our town was refused entry, but Somalia is one of 39 countries affected by President Trump's travel ban.
Well, the news of our town's ban comes after other countries, notably Iran, have also faced entry challenges amid the Trump Administration's strict
immigration policies. CNN's Larry Madowo following this story for us. Larry, I remember back in August of 2025 when Infantino said, quote, there
is a lot of misconception out there.
Everyone will be welcome in Canada, Mexico, and the United States for the FIFA World Cup next year, he said. Well, obviously there is a process to go
through to get visas, and so on. This process, he said, will be smooth. It will ensure that those that qualify will be able to come with their fans.
Does that really feel like the case here? I mean, firstly, we can talk about this Somali refugee, I mean the controversy is wider than that, but
that is certainly the news that's hit the headlines.
LARRY MADOWO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And Africans are outraged, Becky, and for good reason. Gianni Infantino told us this would not happen, that everybody
would be welcome at this World Cup in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada, and to be fair, two thirds of these games are happening in the U.S.
So, this is really about the U.S. And if Africa's most awarded referee, the top referee in the country, cannot be allowed into the United States, then
who can? Many African fans have been reporting high rates of visa denials. Some of them have to put up deposits of up to $15,000 to be allowed to come
into the country, even though that was waived for anybody who had accreditation by April.
But here's the point. Let's focus on Omar Abdulkadir Artan. He's 34 years old, and he was named the male referee of the year 2025 by CAF, that is,
the Confederation of African Football. This is the highest honor in his field. And the U.S. says he failed vetting questions, and therefore was not
allowed to come into the U.S.
Was sent back to Istanbul on his flight, and Turkey, to his credit, allowed him to come in. It's not clear exactly what vetting questions he failed,
but a lot of Africans are asking if he is not admissible to come into the U.S. Will any other fan qualify?
[09:15:00]
This man has refereed matches for all around the world. And this is what FIFA said in its response, confirming that he will not be participating in
this World Cup. FIFA is not involved in host country immigration processes, including visa adjudications, and has been informed by authorities that Mr.
Artan's status will not be changed at present.
In line with previous FIFA events, a host government ultimately determines who receives a visa and who's admitted into their country, so they are
right. But FIFA has so much sway that other host countries have been made to change their laws and make certain exceptions, so that people, fans,
players, match officials, et cetera can come in, and even if so, that's why so many people are outraged about this case, Becky.
ANDERSON: Yeah, and it's a big loss for the World Cup. This guy is an absolutely fantastic referee. I mean, one of the world's best referees, as
I understand it. He should be there.
MADOWO: Absolutely.
ANDERSON: Before I let you go, a record 10 African countries competing in the expanded 2026 FIFA World Cup. I mean, just talk us through how massive
this is for the continent.
MADOWO: Ten African teams is a record, that's because FIFA expanded the number of participating teams. The Democratic Republic of Congo qualified
for the first time since 1952 It's a big deal for them. Cabo Verde is one of the smallest islands to ever qualify. It's their first time ever, the
World Cup.
They're excited as well, but again, out of the 10 African teams participating, five of them were under either travel bans or had to put up
visa bonds of up to $15,000. So many of the fans will not make it there. The visas are expensive, the tickets are expensive, so many will be
watching on TV.
The time zone is inconvenient, but still, it's great to see the teams participating in this. This is still the largest tournament in the world.
ANDERSON: Yeah. Yeah, good stuff. Well, I know you all there. Who are you supporting out of interest?
MADOWO: I'm going for Senegal and France.
ANDERSON: Great.
MADOWO: So once Senegal, if they don't make it that fire, hope France --
ANDERSON: OK. All right. Yeah, good, all right. Well, good luck on both of those. Senegal got good team, France. We'll see, this year. Good stuff.
Thank you. A lot more on the World Cup coming up next hour on "Connect the World". Stay with us for that. Also ahead on the show, one of the giants of
artificial intelligence joining the IPO party. A live report coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Well protesters in Kenya, venting their anger as fears spark over a proposal to open a U.S.-funded isolation ward that critics argue that
facility would expose Kenya and Kenyans to Ebola, a country that has never recorded a single case of the fatal disease. It comes as the DRC races to
build Ebola treatment centers as the spread continues.
[09:20:00]
CNN's Clarissa Ward reports on how construction works are going.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CLARISSA WARD, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: We're here at a brand-new U.S.-funded Ebola treatment center at Bunia's General Hospital,
which is just about to open. You can see people are working hard to get those first patients in.
WARD (voice-over): It is being built by American NGO International Medical Corps with funding from the U.S. government.
WARD: Everywhere you go, you see this, this is the new branding for the United States State Department, which has contributed more than $160
million to this Ebola crisis.
WARD (voice-over): Almost a year after dismantling USAID and slashing foreign aid across the board, the U.S. remains the single largest donor to
this outbreak.
DR. AHMED MAHAT, IMC COORDINATOR: It has been hectic, so we tried. We have been working day and night just to make sure that we realize this, and it
has taken us 10 days. It also involves a lot of hard work, so normally it takes 21 days to build, but because of the urgency, because of the high
number of cases that being admitted across it really requires this commitment to make sure that everything is ready in time.
WARD: So, each bed has a number and has already been designated a patient. Obviously, we can't show you that for patient privacy reasons, but what we
can say is that this tent is for men who are in stable condition, and that tent is for the women.
WARD (voice-over): The following afternoon, the first patients arrive one after another, they come. The wait is over, but the hard work has just
begun. Clarissa Ward, CNN, Bunia, Democratic Republic of Congo.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Well, the Creator of ChatGPT is heading to Wall Street. OpenAI has filed for an initial public offering that could value the AI pioneer
close to a trillion dollars. Now, it's not clear yet how many shares OpenAI plans to sell or at what price. The company has been pouring billions,
billions of dollars into AI infrastructure.
Just last week, investors turned their backs on tech stocks as they question whether a recent rally in AI-related shares have gone too far.
Here's how tech's big names are faring now in pre-market trading, not a bad picture, it has to be said. Not brilliant, there's nothing sort of
stratospheric there, but it's a better picture today than it was on Friday.
CNN's Business Editor, Tech Editor Lisa Eadicicco, with a deep dive for us on this. So, what do we know about this public offering by OpenAI, so far?
LISA EADICICCO, CNN BUSINESS TECH EDITOR: Yeah, Becky, so as you mentioned, there are a lot of unanswered questions. We don't know how many shares are
going to sell, what price, when this is even going to happen, but I do think when you look at what's happening right now, taking this IPO and
Anthropic's upcoming plans to IPO.
What we're really headed for is the most transparency into the AI market that we've had so far, because when you think about it, the companies that
are currently public are really kind of on the peripheral edges of AI. They provide the infrastructure, but not always the services that customers are
paying for.
So, companies like Broadcom, Nvidia, they, you know, work on like the chips and the infrastructure and a lot of cloud companies in the space. And so
far, that's kind of what we've had as our barometer of how much demand there is for AI, but once OpenAI and Anthropic go public, we're going to
get a clearer picture of how their businesses are growing.
What customer demand is really like, how much revenue they're generating from subscriptions, and really, how they see the future of their businesses
playing out. And you know, I do think that this is really going to be a huge test for them, because they're going to be facing tremendous pressure
to show explosive growth every quarter.
That's kind of the bar that's been established for companies like Nvidia and Broadcom, as you mentioned last week, the volatility that we saw there
with chip stocks came after a Broadcom's earnings report, even though it posted really strong results to 48 percent growth compared to the previous,
the quarter a year ago.
You know, investors were looking for stronger guidance, stronger forward- looking numbers, right? So, I wouldn't be surprised if we see companies like OpenAI and Anthropic face very similar pressures, but we'll have to
see.
[09:25:00]
ANDERSON: Always good to have you. Thank you very much indeed, keeping a keen eye on the tech market for us, and the tech industry as a whole. AI
and advanced tech dominating headlines. Still to come, we're going to take you live to Wall Street, that is the indication of what is likely to happen
on the open.
We will get you back there for the bell. Well President Trump's claims that a deal with Iran is near. Move these markets higher today. We'll see the
opening bell on Wall Street in just few minutes.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back, I'm Becky Anderson in Abu Dhabi. You are watching "Connect the World". And these are your headlines. U.S. President Donald
Trump says a deal for a lasting ceasefire with Iran could be reached in two or three days. He has made such claims very frequently since the temporary
truce was struck in April.
It comes amid elevated tensions after a fierce outbreak in fighting. Well Chinese Leader Xi Jinping has wrapped up his first visit to North Korea in
seven years. State media says he and North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un are pledging to bolster strategic coordination that they are starting a new
chapter of relations.
FIFA confirms that a Somali referee has been denied entry into the U.S. and will not get to take part in the World Cup. Omar Abdulkadir Artan made it
all the way to Miami before U.S. Customs and Border protection deemed the ref inadmissible due to vetting concerns. Artan was named Africa's top male
referee last year.
Well, OpenAI has filed to go public. The Creator of ChatGPT expected to have a blockbuster Wall Street debut. The move follows a similar filing by
rival Anthropic and Elon Musk's SpaceX, also gearing up for a Wall Street listing. All traders could be forgiven for having whiplash these days as
energy prices rise and fall with developments in the war with Iran.
Here's where things stand right now, nearly 3 percent off for WTI, Brent crude off 2.5 percent, and trucking towards $90 on the barrel, the
beginning of the war, that price was around 70, so still significantly higher, but these prices really dipping over the past 24 hours.
This -- look, I mean, there is some optimism out there that a deal aimed ending the conflict is near. Traders do seem to be taking U.S. President
Donald Trump at his word today. We will keep a keen eye on those markets as we get to the trading day, which will be run in momentarily.
[09:30:00]
Let's get you to Wall Street, and this is the team that will ring in the trading day for Wall Street investors today. They are just some moments
away from dinging that bell. And we will see how stocks are getting on, and we did expect suddenly an indication that stocks would be higher on the
open, moderately so, I have to say today.
Let's get you the Dow Jones Industrial Average as it settles down. And we'll give the other two markets a little bit of time to settle for the Dow
Jones there up about a third of 1 percent on the open. Well, my next guest is Amena Bakr, she's the Head of Middle East Energy and OPEC + Insights at
Kpler.
She is live in Calgary, Canada this hour. It's good to have you all the way from there. Thank you for making time for us. It's a roller coaster on
these oil markets these days. I guess the question at this point is given that we have had at least 37 incidents where President Trump has said we
are likely to get an agreement anytime soon.
He said that since April the eighth, 37 times. Do you think traders are right to take President Trump at his word and be optimistic at this point,
or are you concerned about continued volatility?
AMENA BAKR, HEAD OF MIDDLE EAST ENERGY AND OPEC + INSIGHTS AT KPLER: I'm really glad that somebody is taking count, Becky, and I mean the number of
times that we've seen these headlines, and all they are headlines, and we didn't see any kind of deal materialize.
But regardless, I mean, we've said this before, the market has been trading tweets, and do I expect another headline or another announcement of you
know a deal being in reach or very close or within the next 24 hours to have an impact on prices. Yeah, sure, there is going to be a sell-off, and
this is how traders are reacting to this.
They're putting kind of the reality of the situation on one side and just trying to make money off this market, and this has been a successful
formula for them, so as soon as we see another headline hit. And hopefully, I mean, for the sake of everyone involved in the region in general, I do
hope that there is a conclusion to this conflict and a reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
So, when that happens, we do expect to see a big sell off of prices that might even you know drive them into the low 80s.
ANDERSON: Yeah. Do you believe as many investment firms are now theorizing that more oil than expected will flood the markets quicker than expected
when this conflict ends, and when the Strait of Hormuz is sort of functioning again. And at the same time, I'm just wondering, there does
seem to be quite a lot of movement through the Strait of Hormuz with vessels with their transponders turned off. What do you make of that?
BAKR: Yeah, we've been kind of tracking the traffic, of course, since the start of the conflict, but what we're seeing with vessels with the
transponders on. It's still very much in the single digit territory, Becky, if we're talking about the last couple of days, we're looking at three to
four to, you know, five vessels.
But there has been increased traffic with vessels with their transponders off doing ship to ship transfers off the Coast of Oman. So, volumes that
are being exported in this manner are around a million barrels a day for the month of May so far, and that's kind of a mix of UAE, Kuwait, Saudi
crude that has been able to kind of leave the strait.
But I mentioned that, you know, prices initially might drop because of an announcement, or a final announcement, hopefully that would be a real
announcement, but what will happen afterwards, that I think is just the market is going to realize that we're in deficit here, and there's also
going to be a realization that we're not going to get a flood of supply into the market.
We still have around 530 vessels trapped in the Gulf that need to exit first, unload, come back in, reload, and then you have the restart of all
of the production in the in the Gulf States, which might take, you know, two to three months for some of these countries.
ANDERSON: JPMorgan estimated that 2.1 million barrels a day transited through secretly in the last two weeks of May. How much of an impact is
this under the radar flow really having?
BAKR: Of course it eases some of that tightness, but it still doesn't plug in the demand. I mean, this is not a volume that replaces 20 million
barrels of liquid flows. So yes, it is easing somehow, but it's still not enough.
[09:35:00]
I mean, even with the contingencies with the UAE pipeline, with the Saudi pipeline, and some of these volumes, and which we estimate to around a
million barrels a day. That's still not enough, and that's why a deal is critical at this point, and the longer we wait, Becky, the longer it is
going to take for production to restart in the region.
ANDERSON: Yeah, I mean, you've been posting about how Europe is scrambling to protect its energy supplies. You posted this on X. European LNG imports
fell in May as Qatari cargoes disappeared from the market, and U.S. deliveries dropped sharply, but stronger exports from Algeria and Russia
helped cushion the impact and limit the overall decline.
What are the longer-term implications of all of this. I mean, surely this is not helping Europe strive to certainly wean itself off Russian energy at
this point. Who are the winners and who are the losers do you see going forward?
BAKR: No, for sure. I mean, Russia has been a winner for sure, during this time. I mean, they were able to increase their exports. Europe, obviously,
is in a bit of a bind here with the energy security concerns, but where I am here, Becky, in Calgary, there's a lot of talk about, you know, building
the infrastructure to export more of their LNG into Asia, but that's going to take years, needs a lot of investment.
But again, it's something for the industry at large here to consider, is that we do need more supplies going into the future, not just short term,
of course, because of the energy crisis, but long term, because that demand is going to remain. So, I think this is something that I mean all countries
across the boards are beginning to really look at again and consider investing again in the upstream sector and growing it.
ANDERSON: Good to have you. Thank you so much.
BAKR: Thank you.
ANDERSON: It is 07:38 or 07:36 in the morning, there. Really appreciate you getting up early for us. Thank you, Amena. Good friend of this show. It is
seven -- 05:36 here in Abu Dhabi. A legend set to return to the court today. We're going to have the very latest on Serena Williams' scheduled
match in London.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back, you're watching "Connect the World". Let's get you up to speed on some of the other stories that we are following for you
right now. And thousands of Albanians are keeping up their protests over a luxury resort planned by the U.S. President's daughter and son-in-law.
Protesters want the project to be scrapped because of the environmental impact on the remote coast stretch of coast called the Flamingo Revolution,
but Albania's Prime Minister isn't moved, and he tells Reuters it's going to be a beautiful project.
[09:40:00]
Well U.S. federal judges drop down President Trump's plan to charge U.S. businesses $100,000 for new H-1B visa applications. The judge ruled that
the president has no authority to impose the new fees, and that Congress must instead approve them. The visas are for highly skilled workers.
Well, Former Crypto Billionaire Sam Bankman-Fried is seeking a pardon from the U.S. President. He, who co-founded the disgraced crypto exchange FTX,
is serving a 25-year prison sentence for fraud. His application with the U.S. Justice Department, first reported by Bloomberg, is for a pardon after
completion of his sentence.
What a tough loss for New York Knicks fans at Madison Square Garden Monday night. Victor Wembanyama put up 32 points to power the San Antonio Spurs to
a Game three win in the NBA Finals. Though New York still holds a two to one series lead. There was plenty of action off the court as well.
President Trump was there in attendance under heavy security and drew loud boos when he appeared on the Jumbotron during the national anthem. New York
Mayor Zohran Mamdani, being Knicks fan, received a much warmer welcome. A crowd greeting him with cheers and fist bumps as he arrived at the arena.
Mamdani says he shelled out nearly $1,000 to buy his own standing room only ticket. Game four is this Wednesday, and if Monday was any indication, the
drama won't be limited to the hardwood. Well, all eyes will be on the Queen's Club in a few hours' time. 23-time Grand Slam Champ, Serena
Williams set to make her return in doubles action, her first professional appearance since 2022. Amanda Davies joins me with more on that, Amanda.
AMANDA DAVIES, CNN WORLD SPORT: Yes, our sleepy corner of West London is the focus of attention this evening. The rain, it looks like we'll hold off
as we get set for the return of the Queen of tennis, in so many people's opinions, the big return of Serena Williams.
Of course, she always said she wasn't retiring, she was evolving away in 2022. So she did leave the door open, but even as recently as December, she
said she wasn't going to be coming back. But this is a hugely hotly anticipated moment as she prepares to return in doubles with Vicky Mboko.
We've got more on that, but also an interview with Women's Head, its newest Grand Slam champion, Mirra Andreeva, coming up in "World Sports" in a
couple of minutes.
ANDERSON: It's always good to see those grass courts out in action. It's that time of the year heading for Wimbledon, of course. Amanda, thank you.
More on "World Sport" after this. And we will be back in 15 minutes with more "Connect the World".
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