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Tense Lull In Middle East After Deadly Wave Of Attacks; On Board The USS Abraham Lincoln; Israel Warns U.S. Of Iran Plot To Assassinate Trump; Why Trump, Macron And Regional Leaders Investing In Damascus; France First To Reach World Cup Semifinals Again; Norway To Face England For A Sport In World Cup Semifinals; 12 Killed In Wildfires On Southern Coast Of Spain; Abu Dhabi Viewing Party For "Dune: Part Three" Trailer. Aired 10-11a ET

Aired July 10, 2026 - 10:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[10:00:21]

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 programming headquarters. I'm Becky Anderson in

Abu Dhabi where the time is just after 6:00 in the evening.

Qatari negotiators have traveled to Iran to try to revive talks with the U.S., a source tells CNN. It is the latest sign that the U.S. is trying to

create conditions for diplomacy as we are seeing a lull in fighting today.

Plus, CNN is exclusively aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln. We'll get you inside for a look. And in Spain, devastating wildfires have killed at least

12 people in the country's southern coast, according to officials there. We'll bring you the very latest.

Well, diplomatic efforts are still underway between the U.S. and Iran, as both sides appear to be stepping back from a sharp escalation that saw a

barrage of attacks exchanged in recent days. A source says Qatari negotiators have traveled to Iran and are working behind the scenes to

bring both sides back to the table. The push for diplomacy comes as the U.S. has paused further military strikes, for now at least, according to

officials familiar with the discussions.

Well, CNN's Frederik Pleitgen has more from Tehran. Please note CNN operates in Iran only with the permission of the government, but maintains

full editorial control of its reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, the Iranians certainly are saying they're going to maintain their hard line.

That's at least as far as the folks in the government is concerned. It was quite interesting because the chief negotiator for the Iranians, Mohammad

Bagher Ghalibaf, of course, was on the other side of the negotiating table with U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance in the memorandum of understanding he

first negotiated and then, of course, later electronically signed.

He came out and he said the United States needs to understand that if they strike, they will be hit back. And also, as far as the situation in the

Strait of Hormuz is concerned, that also the Iranians are the ones they believe who are going to set the transit routes for any ship traffic that

goes through the Strait of Hormuz. That, of course, that incident there was the first thing that ignited the current tit-for-tat strikes that we've

been seeing between the Iranians and the United States. But certainly the Iranians are saying that, in any case, they are going to hit back if the

United States strikes any targets inside Iran.

And really, the incidents that you were talking about earlier are some of the things that have really been on the forefront throughout the better

part of the day. Specifically some of the daytime strikes that the Iranians say happened around Bushehr, where there is an Iranian nuclear plant. They

say the perimeter of that plant was damaged. The U.S. has so far not acknowledged being behind any strikes there, but the Iranians have said

that they launched 10 very powerful ballistic missiles at a U.S. base in Jordan.

And that certainly seems to widen this escalating conflict between the two nations, where the Iranians are now using heavier munitions, but also

firing beyond U.S. military targets in the Gulf region towards the wider Middle Eastern region. All of this, of course, also having an effect on the

massive funeral procession that you were talking about bearing the late supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The Iranians are saying that the U.S. struck two railway bridges, which are on the main railway line from Tehran, from the capital of Iran, to Mashhad

in the east of Iran, where those funeral processions are happening. They say a lot of people who wanted to attend those funeral processions were

severely delayed and could not proceed any further. So the Iranians obviously saying that had an effect on that, as this really the ceasefire,

we can see it crumbling, as you say, as Iran is going through this very important day of burying the late supreme leader.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: Well, that's Fred Pleitgen in Tehran.

Well, U.S. forces remain on heightened alert across the Gulf region as tensions between Washington and Tehran have escalated sharply, of course,

in recent days.

CNN's Pamela Brown on board the USS Abraham Lincoln with this exclusive report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAMELA BROWN, CNN CHIEF INVESTIGATIVE CORRESPONDENT: Well, let me just set the stage. First of all, you're seeing what's called a walk to look for any

debris. This is an exercise making sure that they pick up anything that could end up in an engine because we're here in the hangar, and these are

some of the fighter jets that have been used during this conflict from very early on. So this includes maintenance crews and pilots.

As we talk about this ongoing conflict, the last two nights of strikes, what I can tell you is here on the USS Abraham Lincoln, things are heating

up. And those are the exact words from the captain here of the ship, Dan Keeler.

[10:05:05]

He said that the White House and the administration, CENTCOM, has told the ship to be on high alert. He says that's always the case. There is always a

high state of readiness, but the context here is that tensions are escalating. There's already been two nights of strikes and there is

uncertainty about what is to come, whether there will be more strikes or not.

Now, I want to show you this. As I mentioned, these F-18s and also the F- 35s have really been fighter jet workhorses during this war. And I want to show you these symbols right here. These are drones right here that this

fighter jet has taken out during this conflict that started five and a half months ago. These are missiles that have been taken out just by this

fighter jet alone.

Every single fighter jet I've seen or just about everyone I've seen here in the hangar and up above on the flight deck has these symbols. They also

have other ones like dropping bombs, how many bombs the fighter jets have dropped, as well as submarine buster stickers that they put on there if

they've taken down a submarine. I saw one earlier today that had taken down an Iranian submarine.

So they put these symbols on to mark what these fighter jets have done so far in the conflict. And people here on board the ship, they know that this

is not over. As one official told me, the ceasefire is up for -- at least temporarily ceased. And we've now learned that in these last two nights,

around 170 targets have been hit. And Iran, and as you all have been talking about, there's a lot of speculation and talk and increased rhetoric

about what's going to come next in this conflict.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: Yes. Pamela Brown there on board the USS Abraham Lincoln.

Well, new word today of a possible Iranian plot to assassinate the U.S. president. There are some important caveats. Sources tell CNN the

intelligence came from Israel. The U.S. has not vetted the details of the alleged scheme and some U.S. officials do appear to be concerned that this

could be an Israeli attempt to sway President Trump's decision-making as he considers whether to intensify this military action against Iran.

CNN's Jeremy Diamond following the latest for you from Tel Aviv. I spoke with him last hour.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: Becky, two sources familiar with the matter are telling CNN that Israeli -- Israel shared intelligence

with the United States about an Iranian plot, a new plot, it is important to note, to assassinate President Trump. One of the sources said that this

warning came this week. Another source said that the United States had picked up on intelligence about broader efforts by Iran to potentially try

and assassinate President Trump, but that the Israeli intelligence that was shared with the United States this week pointed to a new and much more

specific plot.

Now, it is important to note that the United States, as of yet, had not yet vetted this information that came from the Israelis, had not verified

whether indeed this was and is potentially a concrete plot to assassinate the president of the United States. But the president himself did comment

on this earlier this week before this reporting broke. President Trump said that the Iranians want to take out a U.S. leader. He said me.

He suggested that he was on a list and clearly pointing to a potential Iranian attempts to try and assassinate him. That being said, again, we

don't -- we haven't yet seen any kind of concrete evidence about this plot. The United States still working to vet it, and some American officials

cautioned that this could also be part of Israeli attempts to try and influence the course of U.S. decision-making, particularly at this

extraordinarily fraught moment with tensions rising between the United States and Iran.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: Well, as we sit in this sort of limbo of sorts, we are all asking the same question, what happens next? There are no reported talks scheduled

between the U.S. and Iran as of yet, but you can stay bang up to date across all CNN platforms and catch more analysis on my social media

@BeckyCNN.

Well, up next on CONNECT THE WORLD, U.S. President Donald Trump paving the way for Syria to unlock billions in promised investments. I'm going to get

you live to Damascus to unpack why Syria is at the heart of foreign policy for the West and for this region.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:11:39]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In 10 years from now by 2036, let's say, which city do you think will surprise us the most?

MOHAMED ALABBAR, EMIRATI BUSINESS TYCOON, EMAAR PROPERTIES: Damascus.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Wow. Why?

ALABBAR: Well, it's the oldest city in the world, number one. It's intact. But what Syria has oil, gas, agriculture, tourism, beaches, you name it,

and great talent. So the DNA of the Syrian people is a very unique DNA.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Well, that was Emirati tycoon Mohamed Alabbar summing up some of why Syria has become the key geo economic focal point for this region as it

rebuilds from scratch after the fall of the Assad regime a year and a half ago.

It has been a remarkable week for the country, and the pictures really do speak a thousand words. There you see Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa shaking

hands with U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday during their third in- person meeting in about a year. This one on the sidelines of the NATO summit, a backdrop that reminds us of just how much Syria has been welcomed

into the Western orbit.

Well, after that meeting, Mr. Trump ordered Congress to start the process of removing Syria's designation as a state sponsor of terrorism. There you

see the top senators of the U.S. Foreign Relations Committee who say they are on board, standing with President al-Sharaa.

Well, practically speaking, this means the last barrier to reintegrating Syria into the global financial systems and therefore bringing in promised

investment and recovery are being removed. To celebrate the Syrian president and his foreign minister took this picture on the way home from

Turkey aboard a private jet holding a letter from Donald Trump that reads, in part, "We have U.S. companies ready to invest in Syria and help make

your country greater and more prosperous than ever before. I look forward to the positive impact this will have for the Syrian people, and to

deepening the partnership between our two countries."

And that was the same message of support that French President Emmanuel Macron delivered in Damascus on Tuesday, when he became the first Western

leader to visit Syria since Bashar al-Assad's ouster. The delegation signed several economic agreements alongside the CEOs of TotalEnergies, French

container shipping group, CMA, CGM and others.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

EMMANUEL MACRON, FRENCH PRESIDENT (through translator): France believes in the future of your country, not only in its immediate reconstruction, but

also in its role as a pivotal nation in this region, at the center of energy, logistics and data interconnection corridors, and at the heart of

the new link that must be built between the Gulf and Europe.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Well, the optics again quite something. President Macron, wearing his famous or perhaps infamous aviator sunglasses from Davos as he and Mr.

al-Sharaa walked through the historic old town in Damascus with their sleeves rolled up, greeting the crowds.

[10:15:06]

And to be sure, the Syrians are capitalizing on this moment, too. Mr. al- Sharaa posting this video with a clear message, Syria is open for business.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AHMED AL-SHARAA, SYRIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): Those who invest in Syria early profit early. That is a practical measure of partnering with

us, for we have been building a modern investment climate governed by clear laws and institutions, not by exceptions because we understand that capital

seeks a safe and transparent environment. We are building a legal framework that speaks the language of the global investor.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Look, it would have been unthinkable just a year and a half ago that a former jihadist with a $10 million bounty on his head would be

leading Syria's economic reform as a Western aligned statesman, who shoots hoops with the CENTCOM commander and his personally gifted cologne by

President Trump, who calls him an attractive, tough guy. But here we are.

Look, of course, beyond the optics, there are ample concerns on the ground, not least from minorities, many of whom say they don't trust this new

government. Twin explosions in Damascus on Tuesday, very near to the French president's hotel, underscoring a persistent threat of instability.

But the fact that Mr. Macron shrugged it off and continued on says it all because there is a concerted international effort, not just from the West

but from Turkey, from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, increasingly from the UAE to flood billions into Syria and rehabilitate it from the rubble. And that is

in large part because of just how strategically crucial Syria is to the region as President al-Sharaa laid out on Tuesday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AL-SHARAA (through translator): Syria has a strategic location linking the mediterranean with the Gulf and Iraq, and is only a few hours by sea from

Marseilles. After the Strait of Hormuz crisis, the world realized the value of safe and stable corridors here. This is where the importance of Syrian

geography emerges, having today regained its vital role as an indispensable link in the global market.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Well, I want to bring in Ibrahim Al-Assil now. He's a senior research fellow at Harvard Kennedy School's Middle East Initiative, where

he now leads the Syria Transition Lab. And he joins us today live from Damascus.

And it's terrific having you on, Ibrahim. Thank you very much indeed. I want to start with your big picture thoughts, if you will, on the state of

Syria's transformation and what you are seeing and hearing on the ground there in your research. It's been another very big week for the country.

IBRAHIM AL-ASSIL, SENIOR RESEARCH FELLOW, HARVARD KENNEDY SCHOOL'S MIDDLE EAST INITIATIVE: Thank you for having me, Becky. And indeed, it's been a

very important week. And if you look at Syria, if you zoom out, Syria and Syrians have done something remarkable over the last 18 months moving from

a country that was absolutely isolated from the international scene into a country that's today integrated in the world of diplomacy and where

countries they want to engage with it on different levels.

But you zoom in and you see also a different picture. For Syrians they are assessing this transition through their daily life. Can they find work? Can

they afford utilities? Is electricity improving? And on these aspects, sometimes it's concerning. And both these pictures are true at the same

time.

ANDERSON: Yes. And once -- you're absolutely right to point that out and I want to just do a little bit more on that because once Congress does

officially lift this state sponsor of terrorism designation, and Syria can sort of officially reintegrate into the financial system, at what point

will the billions that have been promised in investment actually start to flood in and start to improve people's economic condition?

AL-ASSIL: Excellent question. And on the first part, on removing the designation, it was the right step. If we walk in the streets of Damascus,

me and you will see most Syrians who were born after Syria was designated on that list for a regime that they never elected and they widely didn't

accept. But for the second part of your question, will now investment flow? Some investments will flow into Syrians, but usually capital flows after

confidence. And that's now the Syrian homework, to build confidence, to show investors' trust. And that means they need investors. They need to see

predictability in the legal framework.

[10:20:05]

They need to see that laws are being applied and that there is accountability in the country. And finally, Becky, on this point, also

capital and investments, they build buildings, but you need to build institutions to rebuild the country and to rebuild the nation so we can say

Syria will be stable in the future.

ANDERSON: Yes. And it's really important to point that out, that confidence needs to be built. And we need to see this institution building. So on the

ground, just talk to us about what you are seeing and what you are doing very specifically in the work that you are doing with the Syrian -- with

the Syrian Lab.

AL-ASSIL: So there is no day that passes while I'm Syria, and I don't hear people talking about how much they still don't believe they got rid of the

Assad regime or the horror they had to live during those six decades, especially the last 15 years. But at the same time, there is no single day

that passes without people talking continuously about the economic challenges they face, about the rising in rent prices, because the country

has been widely demolished or destroyed.

And now many people who -- they want to go back, there is only small areas in Syria that's been rehabilitated or where people could rent. And that

leads to an increase in the rent and many people cannot afford that. But people are still hopeful. They believe tomorrow will be better than today.

And also they know that they need to be patient. However, they also talk about -- some people talk about political participation.

They want to feel that they are part of this new state that are being built at this moment. They follow the political developments on the parliament,

on the government, changes within the government. And this mixed image of people that they want to see the country getting better, but there are also

some concerns, this is what you see among Syrians. But finally adding to that, there is also lots of pain.

People keep talking about people they lost. People that they don't know where they are. Every other week, they discover another mass graves. There

is lots of priority and Syria needs time to go this through transition. But also Syria does not have time. And that's the dilemma of this transition.

ANDERSON: Yes. Can you just take us out of Damascus for a moment? What's going on elsewhere when it comes to sort of building from ground up, as it

were? I'm talking about confidence here. I'm talking about sort of institution building. What's your -- what's been your experience there?

AL-ASSIL: You go out of Damascus and you see -- and you see more destruction across the country and people are asking about if this

government is building institutions that will be capable of delivering services, and if those institutions will be accountable. People feel that

accountability is the only way that they don't go through those horrors again in the future. And there are also communities across the country, not

only minorities when it comes to sex and ethnicities, including those communities, but also other communities across the country. They want to

feel some sense of ownership in this new state.

They don't want to feel that one regime was toppled and then another regime is emerging. They want this state to be their own, that they contribute to

it. And I think this is very important for the government as well. When you develop a sense of ownership, people become more patient in building these

institutions. When you talk to the Kurds across the country, they want to be integrated in Syria. They want to be citizens, equal citizens of this

new Syrian state and new Syrian social contract.

But they also have some concerns. They feel that they are not well- represented in the parliament that we are waiting to see holding its first session, which will be historic, over the next few days. But also they want

to see if this parliament will actually monitor the performance of the government and establish new habits in Syrian politics, rather than just

regenerating the older habits that Syrians got used to over the last six decades.

ANDERSON: The challenges are huge. Of course the opportunities are absolutely clear at this point.

Let's zoom out to the long term sort of geopolitical, geostrategic picture here because the interest from the region, from the West, is about that

sort of incredibly important geostrategic sort of story that we are seeing emerge.

[10:25:19]

What are you tracking when it comes to the region, you know, chartering new overland trade routes through Syria? I mean, we're sort of seeing the kind

of shifting tectonic plates around this region and all roads, sort of railway lines, pipelines seem to seem to sort of be routed going forward

through the country.

AL-ASSIL: This is where you see the brighter side of the transition and what people are describing a miracle in terms of diplomacy and geopolitics.

Moving from one of the most isolated countries in the world for decades into a country that's being integrated in the world of diplomacy, business,

and economics. And if you look at the map at the Middle East, Syria sits in the middle of the Middle East. It connects Europe and Turkey into Jordan,

Saudi Arabia, and the rest of the Gulf countries.

It connects Iraq to the east, to the Mediterranean and to Egypt in the west. And that's a remarkable position. When you started your report, you

talked about the American interest. There is American interest in stabilizing Syria and counterterrorism and influencing politics, but also

the U.S. administration saw an opportunity in Syria. If this country stabilizes, it would be a corner in stabilization in the region.

And adding to that, what you mentioned in economic opportunity. There is a huge economic opportunities inside Syria. There are different projects,

mega-projects we're talking about, like EMAC and other corridors in the region. For Syrians and the Syrian government, they need to try to sit on

many of those bridges, as many bridges, economic bridges as possible. Syria cannot afford to take sides in geopolitics today, and it cannot afford to

compete.

But what it could do, and that's the Syrian strength, is try to cooperate and collaborate and make -- and to make sure that they sit on all those

projects that no matter which project ends up being materialized and successful, that Syrians get part of that. And this is vital. Syrians don't

want aid today. They want investments. They want engagements. They want the world to come to Syria for tourism, for business, for education, for

engagement.

And they want to be part of that, as they always were for centuries. This country has always been open. Its economy is an economy of openness. Its

culture is a culture of openness. And today, Syrians feel they got a chance again to be part of who they always were before this crisis started.

ANDERSON: And I repeat what I said at the beginning of all of this. It does seem unthinkable that we are where we are at just 18 months after the fall

of Bashar al-Assad and speaking to you today, just sort of underscores that.

Ibrahim, it's good to have you. Thank you very much indeed for joining us.

When we come back, they've done it again. Another stellar performance from France put them one step closer to the World Cup final. Details on that

after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:31:03]

ANDERSON: Welcome back. You're watching CONNECT THE WORLD with me, Becky Anderson. Here are your headlines this hour.

In Iran late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was buried earlier today at the Imam Reza Shrine in Mashhad. The burial took place following six

days of funeral processions that drew waves of mourners across Iran and Iraq.

Wildfires in southern Spain have left at least 12 people dead. Local residents have been evacuated amid fears that strong gusts of wind will

cause the fires to spread further. The fires come as much of Europe is experiencing record high temperatures.

Well, France have booked themselves a spot in the World Cup semifinals after defeating Morocco two-nil. They blew up one thanks to goals from

Mbappe and Dembele scoring within just six minutes of each other during the second half. France will now face either Spain or Belgium on Tuesday.

And for more on the latest World Cup thrills, I'm joined now by Andy Scholes.

And Andy, in the end, France's victory against Morocco was a pretty straightforward affair. There were times in that match when I thought that

we've only really just begun to see what this French team is made of, and Morocco didn't really stand a chance, did they?

ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Well, no, they really didn't, Becky. And, you know, they tried their best. I mean, they tried to just

have everyone back. And we're going to try to not let France score in this game. And it worked for quite a while. But you know, I tell you what. It's

so hard to keep a star like Kylian Mbappe down for too long. And man, how good has he been in this tournament? All of the stars have shown up just

day after day at this World Cup, and Kylian Mbappe's star, it might be shining the brightest in this entire tournament.

You know, most think this is France's tournament to lose at this point. They dominated Morocco in this quarterfinal. Twenty-two shots compared to

just five for Morocco. Mbappe did miss a penalty in the first half. And it was zero-zero at half time. But Mbappe broke through in the 60th minute. It

was a fabulous strike for him to score that first goal of the game, and then Dembele added the second goal.

The final was two to nothing France. And here's what Mbappe had to say after the win when asked if this is the best France squad ever.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KYLIAN MBAPPE, FRANCE CAPTAIN (through translator): This team is neither world champion nor runner up. So as things stand, it's not the strongest.

It's the one with the most potential, the one we can most easily envisage a future with, one with so much quality. And it's letting us dream. But as

for the strongest, I've always said that the strongest teams are the ones that win, and until proven otherwise, I don't see a gold trophy sitting

next to me, so it isn't the strongest team.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHOLES: Mbappe, he now has eight goals at this World Cup. He's tied with Messi atop that golden boot race, but he holds the tiebreaker at this

point. Twenty goals in 20 World Cup matches for Mbappe and 17 of those goals, they've come in the second half of the games. Of course, he was the

winner in 2018. France, the runner up in 2022, trying to get that trophy back and add a third star for his country.

All right, now French fans, they're happy all the way from Paris to Foxborough. Many fans making that trip across the Atlantic and now France

heads to Dallas for the semifinal on Tuesday. Now who will France face? A European champion Spain, they're going to go up against Belgium side that

broke U.S. hearts in the Round of 16. A very much rejuvenated squad under Rudi Garcia.

They've got the tough task, though, ahead though. 2010 champion Spain a team yet to concede a goal in their five matches at this World Cup. And

they are on an incredible 35 match unbeaten run dating back to March of 2024.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

THIBAUT COURTOIS, BELGIUM GOALKEEPER: The most important is to win and to continue and that's what we did. And Spain is a great team. I think they

are one of the favorites to win it. So obviously we start as an underdog against them. But I say football, everything is possible and I believe that

we can win, with all respect. But obviously they are the favorites.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[10:35:08]

SCHOLES: All right. And you know, Becky, at some point, right, Spain is going to have to give up a goal in this World Cup. So I think that may come

today in the quarterfinals. But we will see. You know, Belgium they scored four against the U.S. They looked fabulous. I'm hoping for another good one

because, man, this World Cup has been fantastic thus far.

ANDERSON: Hasn't it just good on you, Andy. Thank you very much indeed.

Well, he is one of the top scorers of this World Cup and could become one of England's worst nightmares. Norwegian star striker Erling Haaland is

back on the pitch this Saturday for the quarterfinal against the Three Lions. It is the first ever Men's World Cup quarterfinals that the Vikings

have reached, and the stakes are high with that spot in the other semifinal, of course.

Joining me now is Claus Lundekvam, the former captain of Norway's football team.

Well, Claus, good to have you on. Congratulations on getting to where Norway have got to, to date. It's a big game for the Vikings. What do you

believe can happen? Can they vanquish King Kane and those Three Lions?

CLAUS LUNDEKVAM, FORMER NORWAY FOOTBALL CAPTAIN: Of course they can. Of course they can. We can go all the way. With a bit of luck, we've beaten

Brazil. The pressure is on England, obviously. And yes, with Erling Haaland in the goalscoring form is in at the moment. I think we can beat anyone.

ANDERSON: Yes. Let's talk about Erling because you played with his dad, right? Is that correct?

LUNDEKVAM: That's correct. Yes. They were quite similar. And in respect to --

ANDERSON: Yes. And did you witness then? Did you -- did you witness Erling coming up?

LUNDEKVAM: Yes, I did. I followed his career while he was quite young and obviously where he's at today through Dortmund and now in the Premier

League, which I were in, in so many years. So, yes, it's quite extraordinary what he's done really. His goalscoring record both for City

and especially for the Norwegian side is just silly. He's a born goal- scorer.

ANDERSON: Did you see that as you saw him sort of growing up? Has he always been a big guy who can just score the most remarkable goals out of nothing?

LUNDEKVAM: Well, from a young age, he developed an unbelievable physique. And he's incredibly fast. And that's two things that you need in

professional football today. And I think his determination, his hunger, what he puts in the training ground every day, he's just proving himself to

be one of the best goal scorers of all time.

And for Norway, this is just incredible. It's just the whole country stopped up and start rowing. And, yes, everyone wants --

ANDERSON: He's been brilliant.

LUNDEKVAM: Wants an underdog in the World Cup and little Norway coming up from the far north, going to America, and now in the quarterfinals against

England, it's just incredible.

ANDERSON: It is incredible. And we're looking at pictures of the rowing. I mean, it has been the sort of video and image of this World Cup, I have to

say. You know, in the States, online, back home in Norway, in intensive care wards, in parliament, it has been remarkable. I can only imagine what

it feels like to be there in Norway at present. It must be absolutely fantastic.

I've just got a little bit to say about this player off the pitch because he is not only taking the USA by storm. I mean, I think we understand why

at this point. But here's a little sample of his winning social style. Have a look at this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ERLING HAALAND, NORWAY STRIKER: What are you saying y'all? Howdy, y'all. Shopping.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: It just goes on and on and on. It's not just his own cowboy content. The internet can't get enough of him with Google doing a special

Viking row when you Google him, and even just the hair, as in a cheeky fly Norwegian post.

[10:40:01]

Where do you see him going from here at this point? And you know, he's so likable, isn't he?

LUNDEKVAM: He is. And he is in person as well. He loves this. He loves the attention. He loves being the main man. Obviously his father and his

network around him keeps him grounded. But he's such a lovable guy. He -- and he works so bloody hard to be where he is. And he loves pressure. He

loves performing on the biggest stage. So this is, yes, he loves every minute of it. So, where he can go from here, we will see, with the form he

is in and the Norwegian side with so much confidence they've built. Yes, we can go all the way.

ANDERSON: And you're right to point out that it's a Norwegian side that can go all the way because the team is pretty deep. Right? I mean, you don't

get this far further than Norway has ever gone before on the back of a single player, although it's great to have a superstar.

What do you think is the overall key to success, and what is it that the team need to do this weekend to shine?

LUNDEKVAM: I think the key to success of the Norwegian national side at the moment is we've been waiting a long, long time for this. This has been

building up for the last few years. We went through the qualifying without getting beat. There's a lot of confidence in the side. We now have most of

the players, the starting 11 at least, who plays in the top clubs in Europe, which is very, very important.

And we have superstars like Erling Haaland, Odegaard, Nusa, Bobb, Berge. But there's a team, there's a unity here that's Norway very, very good at.

And that's sticking together for a small country. When we -- yes. Any sports internationally, we come together and support in a big style. And

that's what we're doing now with the national side. Like I said, we've been waiting 28 years for this. So it's like I said, the English game is going

to be very different from the Brazil game. They sat back. They actually gave us possession of the ball. We gained sort of confidence through the

game.

And I think this one will be completely different. England won't let us do that. They will be in our faces. It's going to be a physical game. Most of

the Norwegian players play in the Premier League, so they know each other really well. Yes, I can't wait. It's going to be one hell of a game

ANDERSON: Yes, yes. Well, I may be watching from behind the sofa, I have to say. I'm a big England supporter, but I've been, you know, it's been so

good to see Norway in this World Cup. And I have to say, you know, one half of me wants them to go all the way, the other half clearly doesn't. But

that's just a personal position.

It's good to have you. Thank you very much indeed. And none of this doing any harm to the reputation of Norway as a country on the world stage at

present. Good luck to you. And it's been a pleasure having you on. Thank you very much indeed.

And we will be back with more news after this short break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:45:47]

ANDERSON: Well, Donald Trump has just posted on Truth Social, and this is what he has said. "The Islamic Republic of Iran has asked us to continue

'talks.' We have agreed to do so. But the United States has stated to them in no uncertain terms that the ceasefire is over."

Well, make of that what you will.

Mexico is seeking a U.S. criminal investigation related to the deaths of 17 Mexican nationals during immigration operations in recent months. One

Mexican killed by an ICE agent in Houston this week, Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, was just the latest Mexican to have died in a case related to

immigration enforcement. A source tells CNN that Salgado Araujo was not the target of the federal immigration operation before he was shot and killed

by an ICE agent. His son, though, says his father would never knowingly run from ICE.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RONALDO SALGADO, FATHER FATALLY SHOT BY ICE: What happened was, at around 7:00, I was notified by my mom that my dad was in trouble. We didn't know

what it was, but we suspected it to be an ICE related incident. What I don't know is like, I don't know of -- that was my only thing going for me.

You know, that was my only piece of evidence. Five minutes later, I got into the car and tried looking for him at his work site about an hour away

in north Houston until I got the news on a Facebook page that, you know, there was ICE activity very nearby to where we live.

And as far as I know, I didn't know that it was my dad. I had to go check it out for myself. And unfortunately, I saw my dad's van, but I did not see

my dad at all. I stayed on site at, you know, the police had cordoned off the street, blocked off the street. I stayed on site for several hours,

asking any and all officers and members of the public that were there for answers as to where my dad is if anything. Yes, it's been really tough.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Salgado speaking to my colleague Erin Burnett.

Well, wildfires have killed at least 12 people on the southern coast of Spain. Some people in the town of Los Gallardos were evacuated as dozens of

emergency workers battled the flames there. The fires come as much of Europe experiences unprecedented heat. The local health emergencies

minister says the fires are the most devastating that the region has seen.

Pau Mosquera joins us live from Madrid.

And what do you understand to be the latest firstly with these fires, Pau?

PAU MOSQUERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Becky, it certainly is one of the worst wildfires to ever impact the country. In fact, it is the deadliest

one ever registered in the south of the country, in the autonomous community of Andalucia. So far, the authorities have confirmed that the

flames have claimed the lives of 12 people, most of them as they were trying to escape from the flames. And even it's not confirmed yet, it seems

that the majority of them are foreigners.

They are also adding that 23 people remain missing and four others have suffered several burn injuries. Right now, the cause, the origin of this

wildfire remains unclear, but one of the hypotheses, according to the president of Andalucia, Juanma Moreno, is that a power line may have fallen

over yesterday's afternoon near the roadside of a national motorway. And then this caused the first fires.

So far, this wildfire has engulfed around 3,200 hectares. And what worries the most to the authorities is that controlling it may take another few

days, Becky.

[10:50:00]

ANDERSON: And record temperatures in Spain as well as France and the U.K. at present, I know, I was looking at the forecast earlier today, the U.K.

looks as if it may get some rain late next week, but where you are is the expectation that this weather will continue. And to that end, are you

expecting to see more fires this summer or are we worse -- through the worse of it, do you think?

MOSQUERA: Well, you know, Becky, when it comes to forecasting, the longer the period to be analyzed, the greater the uncertainty. But from the

Spanish National Weather Agency, they say that they expect temperatures over the next three weeks to remain well above what is normal for this time

of the year. So this means that the risk of wildfires will remain also high.

Additionally, the president of Andalucia, Juanma Moreno, also said that during the beginning of this year, it rained a lot, which led to the

vegetation growing a lot in the area. But then after that, the two different heat waves that have already impacted the area dried out all of

this vegetation. So now it has turned into fuel for this current and future wildfires, Becky.

ANDERSON: Yes. Very frightening. Pau, it's good to have you. Thank you very much indeed.

All right, folks, you're watching CONNECT THE WORLD. I'm Becky Anderson. We'll be right back after this short break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: Well, the President Donald J. Trump International Airport in South Florida is now officially open for business. The facility formerly

known as the Palm Beach Airport. The name change became law in March after the Florida legislature approved the bill and the governor there, Ron

DeSantis, signed it. You can see those new signs are up. And the old Palm Beach Airport signage has come down. It's part of the changes. Its new

airport code is now DJT.

Well, for tonight's "Parting Shots," the new official trailer for "Dune: Part Three" has just dropped. It premiered here in Abu Dhabi, where the

epic blockbuster was filmed. We sent a few of our CNN Academy Abu Dhabi cohort to get a sneak peek.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ZENDAYA, ACTOR: I trusted you.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER (voice-over): Warner Brothers Pictures, which shares the same parent company as CNN, and Legendary Entertainment have released

the official trailer for "Dune: Part Three," the final part of Denis Villeneuve's trilogy.

TIMOTHEE CHALAMET, ACTOR: What do you know about me?

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER (voice-over): Just like the first two films, Arrakis comes to life in Abu Dhabi's iconic Liwa Desert.

GEHAD DARWISH, TALENT MANAGEMENT LEAD, CREATIVE MEDIA AUTHORITY: We want Abu Dhabi to become like a hub for filmmaking in the region. I believe that

"Dune: Three" is considered as an epic film, and we are really proud that we have this filmed in Abu Dhabi, and we believe that Liwa Desert can

become like a perfect place for such a production.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: The Abu Dhabi Film Commission said the 31-day shoot in Abu Dhabi involved more than 600 UAE based people.

SAMEER AL JABERI, HEAD, ABU DHABI FILM COMMISSION: It makes us so proud. I mean, of having this great partnership with Legendary for seven years,

that's like the longest standing partnership that we have with the Hollywood studio.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Right.

[10:55:03]

AL JABERI: And really, it's a testament to see them coming back again for "Dune" and "Dune: Part Two" and "Dune: Part Three."

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER (voice-over): At the trailer launch event, fans from across the UAE and wider Gulf gathered for the first official look.

MAJID ALAMMARI, SAUDI "DUNE" FAN: I actually came from the eastern province, Saudi Arabia. It fascinated me how someone would take all these

religions and all these histories and merge them together.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER (voice-over): With the film heading to cinemas this December, the countdown to Arrakis has officially begun.

CHALAMET: Forgive me for all I've done.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: And that was CNN Academy graduates and interns Aleeza Ahmed and Hiba Khurram, and CNN intern Noelle Herbert helped them out. And I have to

mention it was all shot on their phones and we thank them for that bit of fun.

Well, that is it for CONNECT THE WORLD. Stay with CNN. "ONE WORLD" is up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

END