Return to Transcripts main page
Connect the World
Iran Threatens to Close More Energy Export Routes in Region; U.S. Military Completes Wave of Daytime Strikes on Iran; Trump Threatens Bridges & Power Plants Unless Iran Negotiates; Ukraine Sees Highest Monthly Civilian Death Toll Since 2022; U.S. Scientist Detained in China for More Than 18 Months. Aired 9-10a ET
Aired July 15, 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 President Trump threatening to strike Iran's infrastructure unless Tehran returns to
negotiations, he says. It's 09:00 a.m. in Washington, 05:00 p.m. here in Abu Dhabi in the UAE. I'm Becky Anderson from our Middle East programming
headquarters.
This is "Connect the World". Also coming up, the Acting U.S. Attorney General about to face tough questions at his confirmation hearing beginning
any moment now. And who will face Spain in the World Cup final? England and Argentina clash in a few hours in what will be a nail-biting contest.
The stock market in New York opens about 30 minutes from now. This is the picture on the futures market, indicating a mildly higher open after soft
and expected U.S. inflation data reduced expectations of a Federal Reserve rate hike investors, it seems at least in principle today, ignoring what is
going on in this region geopolitically.
The White House and Tehran are trading threats. Iran warning that it could close energy export routes in this region altogether. Just a day after the
U.S. reimposed its naval blockade on ships going to and from Iranian ports. While at the same time, U.S. President Donald Trump has declined to rule
out ground troops in Iran and says he'll bomb civilian infrastructure unless Tehran returns to the negotiating table.
Well, now we are also getting word of daylight strikes on Iran following a fourth night of U.S. air attacks. At the center of all of this is the
Strait of Hormuz, and who controls it? CNN's Paula Hancocks with me here in the studio. First though let's get to Betsy Klein, who's at the White
House.
The U.S. launched a new wave of strikes this morning. It's five in the afternoon UAE time now. President Trump not ruling out ground troops. Just
a couple of the top lines here. What are you hearing?
BETSY KLEIN, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Well, Becky, President Trump is ratcheting up his rhetoric at the same time that the U.S. military is
ramping up those strikes against Iran. And as you laid out, at the center of this conflict is the Strait of Hormuz, that critical oil thoroughfare.
And as Iran has targeted commercial vessels, the U.S. is now targeting Iran to try to degrade their capabilities. But this has clearly become a key
point of leverage in this conflict, and that U.S.-led blockade of the Strait of Hormuz for all ships going to and from Iranian ports is now
underway, but the U.S. also launching this daytime round of strikes, according to CENTCOM, which took place over about 90 minutes earlier today.
They say in a statement that it is now finished. Quote, U.S. Central Command completed a round of strikes against Iran at 07:30 a.m. Eastern
Time on July 15th. CENTCOM launched precision munitions against coastal defense systems and cruise missile storage and launch sites on Greater Tunb
Island during the 90-minute wave.
The strikes, they say, further degraded Iran's ability to attack commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. And as you mentioned, Becky, President
Trump in a new interview declining to rule out the possibility of ground troops in Iran. He said those could be U.S. troops as well as potentially
another country declining to provide specifics or fully rule it out.
The president also renewing threats to critical infrastructure. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: We're going to hit them very hard tonight. We're going to hit them very hard tomorrow night.
We're going to hit them very hard the night after, and then next week it gets really bad for them because next week comes the power plants.
Next week comes the bridges. We're going to knock out all their power plants. We're going to knock out all their bridges unless they get to the
table and negotiate.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KLEIN: We should note that President Trump has been threatening bridges as well as desalination plants in Kharg Island, which is a key area for oil
exports throughout the course of this conflict. And as we are seeing these strikes as well as this blockade, try to ramp up that pressure on Iran.
President Trump still says that he wants to see a diplomatic solution to end this conflict. He wants Iran to come back to the negotiating table.
Meanwhile, Senate Democrats are making very clear they are unhappy with this conflict.
[09:05:00]
Yesterday, they blocked the annual defense spending package, just underscoring these deepening divisions on this war here at home, Becky.
ANDERSON: Thank you. Let me get you to Paula Hancocks, who's with me here in Abu Dhabi. You've been monitoring what's been going on overnight and
indeed these latest attacks during daylight hours. What's the messaging out of Tehran at this point.
PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Becky, it's defiant and it's blaming the U.S. for the breakdown of this this MOU, the Memorandum of
Understanding. We heard from the Deputy Foreign Minister saying that Iran is now under no obligation to stick to the MOU, which is namely one of its
the things it was supposed to do was to try and open the Strait of Hormuz.
It said at this point it's unreasonable and baseless to expect it to carry this out. And beyond that, what we're hearing from the Revolutionary Guard
is that they are looking at other ways to halt energy export routes. And of course, that brings our minds to the Bab-al-Mandab Strait, which is further
south, south of Saudi Arabia, feeds into the Red Sea, which, if that were to be interfered with as well, would have a devastating impact on the
global economy.
We have seen in the past that the Iran-backed Houthi rebels have blocked that route, or they have attacked shipping in that route. Certainly, in the
past, and this is a great concern that there could be both of these straits being affected. You look at the Strait of Hormuz. We have figures from
yesterday.
So, Tuesday, 17 vessels got through, compared to about 110 pre-war levels, and that could have been higher than we will see today because that could
have been vessels trying to move before this U.S. naval blockade was put into place once again. We've heard when it comes to the shipping, CENTCOM
says that in the past seven days, seven commercial ships have been attacked by Iran.
They also say that nearly a dozen civilian members, the crew members have either been killed, they're missing, or injured. So, to put the civilian
casualty on this as well.
ANDERSON: Really important stuff. Thank you. Right. Well, Ukraine recording its highest monthly death toll in June since just after the war began,
there. The U.N.'s Human Rights monitor in the country said 293 civilians were killed last month. That brings the total deaths so far this year to
just shy of 1,400.
The U.N. says much of that is down to the increased use of long-range missiles on residential buildings. Well, in the U.S. lawmakers have
unveiled a sweeping bipartisan Russia sanctions bill to pressure Moscow's war chest. It targets top figures, including President Vladimir Putin, as
well as Russia's shadow fleet and some foreign firms doing business with Moscow.
Well, Spain are on their way to their first men's World Cup final since 2010, after what was a very convincing two-nil victory over France in the
first World Cup semi-final. Spanish fans losing their minds at full time. Experts expected the match to be competitive. Few, though, expected Spain
to come out and dominate the French side as they did, who were favored by many to win it all, even their own fans.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FAUSTO VILLAGOMEZ, SPANISH FAN: Very incredible. We are going to win, I'm sure. We played as well. We took care of it. We controlled it, and even
dominated many times. Unai Simon, we owe him a lot, and the defense, without a doubt. Honestly, no. I expected more from them.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, the other half of the World Cup final will be decided tonight at the Atlanta Stadium. Argentina looking for their second
consecutive title, but England, at present at least, standing in their way. The men's teams have a storied history on the World Cup stage.
This will be their fourth meeting in the knockout stage. It's their first World Cup meeting since 2002, when David Beckham led England to a victory
in penalties. Well, this rivalry brings decades of history, drama, and maybe a few lingering grudges. Or someone who knows this better than
anybody else is the Former England Goalkeeper of that era, that David Beckham era.
David Seaman, he was on the losing side of England's penalty shootout against Argentina in the 1998 World Cup, a game I remember as if it was
yesterday. I had a chance to speak with David about today's match-up.
[09:10:00]
DAVID SEAMAN, FORMER ENGLAND GOALKEEPER: Expectations are a win, obviously, it'd be great to get to a final. Yeah, I've been there as a player, trying
to get there, and now as a fan watching it, I know exactly what it means to the fans. So, I'm so desperate for us to get to the final. But like you
say, there's a certain messy around, and he could really turn it on and be, you know, be making it very difficult for England.
But when I look at the teams, I think that we've got the better team, but we still we need to play at our best. You know, have we ever done that in
the tournament so far?
ANDERSON: I don't have to remind you of your 2002 World Cup clean sheet against Argentina. So, from your own experience, what would be your advice
for the team?
SEAMAN: Well, I played in '98 as well, and we lost on penalties after race to try, and when Mr. Beckham got sent off very dubiously, I might add. The
main theme for the England players is not to get intimidated by the Argentinians because you know we all know what they're capable of.
We know that they're very good at the dark art, so yeah, let's try and focus on our game, and hopefully, like I said, that that'll be enough to
get us through. You know, because we don't want, I don't want to be going to extra time or going to penalties because you know that that would be
back on my blood pressure, which I've been.
I'm a British Art Foundation ambassador now, you know, and I've been working with, but I'm getting a free blood pressure test, and I don't want
to be my blood pressure through the roof. So come on, let's get it home within 90 minutes.
ANDERSON: You are supporting Tesco and the British Heart Foundation campaign to get fans to check their blood pressure.
SEAMAN: Yeah.
ANDERSON: Tell me more about that initiative and why it is so important to you as a former pro athlete.
SEAMAN: You know, when you become you know a man of my age and you know you need to get checked up. There are always different things, you know. But
like I say, I partnered with the British Heart Foundation, of which I've been an ambassador for over 15 years now.
And we partnered with Tesco because they're doing three blood pressure checks at over 350 stores across the country, and you don't have to poke.
You just go in there. It's free, you know, and you get you get your blood pressure done, and just take time out. Just have a try and look after
yourself.
You know, that's all we're trying to get through. Is that, you know, the symptoms of blood pressure aren't always visible, you know. So, you do need
to get checked up.
ANDERSON: I'm easily old enough to have watched you over the years as England's safe hands. When you think about Jordan Pickford today, what's
going through his mind? You know, what's your sort of assessment of his performance to date?
SEAMAN: Yeah, the last game he obviously made a mistake with the goal against Norway. You know because he took his hand away from the ball and he
thought he was going over the cross bar. Obviously, it went in the top corner. Before that, you know he's been playing really well for England.
He's got all the experience that you need to be to be going into these sorts of big games because all of a sudden, the nerves can hit you and you
don't know when they're going to hit you. But it's with Jordan, you've got a player there. He's got a style that makes him look nervous, but I'm sure
he isn't.
You know, because like different styles of being a goalkeeper. You know, like my style was trying to be like calm and collected. Peter Schmeichel's
was he was always animated and always arguing and shouting and but Jordan's style is different but it's what gets the best out of him you know that's
what makes him so good.
ANDERSON: What did you make of Thomas Tuchel's criticism of the team in the last game?
SEAMAN: Yeah, I like that. I like the fact that the manager has got his expectations are bigger than the fact that we got through to a semifinal.
You know, he acknowledged that you know that it was a great result, wasn't the best performance, and we -- he knows and we know we can play better
than that.
You know, and Thomas Tuchel is the main man. He sees what the players do in training. He sees what we've done before, and he knows that we're better
than that. And I like the fact that he didn't try and paper over it by saying, oh, yeah, it was a great result. We played great. You know, he's --
ANDERSON: Considering England's experience with penalties, which you referred to.
SEAMAN: Yeah.
ANDERSON: Would you advise them to be aggressive and just go for an outright win at this point?
SEAMAN: Ideally, yeah. But obviously, any win will do. You know, people have asked me for to predict the score, and I've said like one-nil, and I
would take 10-9 because it's all about winning on the night.
ANDERSON: Yeah.
SEAMAN: You know, and if that going to penalties, so be it. But you know, obviously, we've got a lot of history on penalties, and I'll be part of
that myself as well.
ANDERSON: Yeah.
SEAMAN: So yeah, it's time. It's time that we had some great, great confidence building from a penalty shootout.
ANDERSON: Well, if it does come to pens, what would you say to these young men?
SEAMAN: I would say, pick your spot and don't change your mind.
[09:15:00]
You know, and all these like little stutter run up for me. I think once they start doing their stutter run up, in my head, I'm thinking I've got a
chance now because they don't -- they're not they're not sure where they're going to go. You know, they come in looking at you all the way, and then as
soon as they're going to hit the ball, they look down and hit the ball.
That's what I used to, you know, so, then they don't know which way I'm going to go. You know, it is a battle of the minds because I've actually
took her penalty in a charity shield against Man United for -- and I put the ball down at Wembley. And as I looked up, the goal just went like this
--
ANDERSON: -- that's how you feel. I can't imagine how most people feel.
SEAMAN: And most -- life saving them, trust me.
ANDERSON: So, you'd have been impressed by Kane's last pen in this World Cup because he just put the ball down and struck it. None of this kind of
jittery sort of run up.
SEAMAN: I know.
ANDERSON: Or that's the sort of penalty you want to see, is it?
SEAMAN: Do, yeah. Because Harry's got so many different ways of taking a penalty, you know. But the best ones that me that he takes are the ones
where he just runs up and hits it. He does his little like -- I call it with his feet before, and then he steps up and hits it really hard with the
pace, and that's the -- they're the penalty that you can't save.
If you're hitting it pace and it's going into side net, seen you've got no chance.
ANDERSON: I'm going to ask you for a score. What do you think is going to be?
SEAMAN: I'm going to go like the light -- I'm going to go one-nil to England.
ANDERSON: Come on, good to have you, David.
-- you.
ANDERSON: Thank you very much indeed. The great David Seaman. Still to come, U.S. senators expected to grill the acting attorney general soon as
he looks to make the job permanent. A live report from Capitol Hill is just ahead. Plus, a temporary pause for I.C.E. traffic stops after deadly
shooting spark calls for more accountability. Why President Trump says the policy should not change.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: U.S. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche is appearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee as we speak, as he looks to make the position
permanent. President Trump's pick for the office has a razor-thin margin of error and can only lose one Republican senator.
They are expected to question him on multiple issues, including the release of the Epstein files, his interview with Epstein accomplice Ghislaine
Maxwell, and the controversial $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund, amongst other issues. Let's get you to CNN's Evan Perez.
He is live on Capitol Hill for you. And we've got the images now of the session as it has begun. A lot of issues surrounding the Epstein files,
then, and the fallout, of course. What can we expect today?
[09:20:00]
EVAN PEREZ, CNN SENIOR U.S. JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Well, we're expecting, Becky, hours of questioning from Democrats, in particular, as they try to
hone in on the issue of independence of the Justice Department and whether Todd Blanche is really the one in charge of it.
That perhaps the White House, the president, and Stephen Miller, his one of his top assistants at the White House, really are running the Justice
Department. The issue is one that is looming large, especially because of a ruling that came just this past week from a Florida judge, a federal judge
in Florida, who called into question Blanche and others at the Justice Department in the handling of that 1.8-billion-dollar fund that was set up
to try to benefit allies of the president.
The Justice Department has now abandoned that, and Blanche says it was a mistake to do that. But that issue remains one that the Democrats are
certainly going to focus on. You heard a little bit just a minute ago from Senator Chuck Grassley, who's the Republican Chairman of this committee.
He was trying to make the case for Todd Blanche, including focusing on the issue of reduced crime in the United States. You know, obviously, that's
something that the Justice Department takes credit for. Although a lot of that really is the work of local police around the country.
But as you pointed out, you know, there's a lot of issues, especially with the Epstein files, Todd Blanche was the one that was leading that whole
effort, and it left a lot of people very angry at him, including some of the Epstein survivors who are we expect are going to be in this room behind
me.
He's going to face a lot of tough questions here, and as you pointed out, there's very, very little margin here with the death of Senator Lindsey
Graham, but if you talk to people at the Justice Department, they are cautiously optimistic. If everything goes as they're hoping it goes, they
expect that he will be confirmed.
Given the fact, of course, that he was confirmed a year ago for the deputy job. Again, this is going to be hours of tough questioning for Todd
Blanche. And we'll see how he does under the glare of those questions, Becky.
ANDERSON: Donald Trump's pick has also been a big supporter of this $1.8 billion so called anti weaponization fund. And that was a particularly
controversial announcement when it was made. Critics have said it is basically a bankroll for the president's allies. When it comes to this
confirmation hearing, do you expect the Democrats to use that as a sort of major stick?
PEREZ Absolutely, and keep in mind, it wasn't just the $1.8 billion fund, which they now say is dead. They say it's completely abandoned. But here's
the other issue, the Todd Blanche, the acting attorney general, issued an order which essentially grants or seeks to grant immunity for the president
and his sons, his companies, for any audits from the IRS.
And they also essentially gave him a blank check for any issues, any legal issues that could arise, and that includes potential crimes that were
committed again by his sons or anyone else that they don't even know about. That is an extraordinary thing that the acting attorney general put his
name to.
And so those are the questions that I think are going to remain, despite the fact their claims that this $1.8 billion fund is dead.
ANDERSON: Good to have you. Thank you very much indeed.
PEREZ: Thanks.
ANDERSON: And back to that session when we hear from the acting attorney general himself. Well, President Trump pushing back against the temporary
pause on immigration traffic stops, which came in the wake of two deadly shootings involving I.C.E. agents in Maine and in Texas.
The Department of Homeland Security and I.C.E. officials ordered the pause on Tuesday, ostensibly to conduct a review of enforcement operations. But
in a new post on his Truth Social platform, excuse me, President Trump said I.C.E. should not give up what he called one of the most effective crime-
fighting tools.
Well, CNN's Maria Santana joining us now from Biddeford in Maine. President Trump continues to push these traffic stops during I.C.E. operations. Can
you just give us some context for just how controversial these are?
MARIA SANTANA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, yeah, they are extremely controversial. About three out of the four deadly shootings involving
I.C.E. this year have been as a result of controversial traffic stops, where you know, I.C.E. agents claim that somebody was trying to weaponize
their vehicles against them, and that's why they opened fire against the person.
[09:25:00]
Now videos that were later released in some of those incidents show that that wasn't the case. They actually disprove what the I.C.E. agents were
saying happened during several of those incidents. So, there's a lot of distrust, a lot of insecurity within the community. Communities like this
one that now have lived through an incident like this.
They lost one of their community members, Joan Sebastian Duran Guerrero, a 26-year-old father and husband from Colombia who had legal authorization to
be in the country. But you know, the president's comments show that there are already different messages coming from within the administration.
Tuesday's pause was described by I.C.E. as a chance to review tactics after those two deadly shootings. But today, the president made clear that he
doesn't want these vehicle stops to remain on hold. He wants them to continue, saying that this is one of the most effective tools that
immigration agents have to detain illegal immigrants and start the process of getting them deported.
I.C.E. has not given a lot of details about what happened here. We know that the agents were not wearing body cameras. That's been another point of
controversy when I.C.E. has said multiple times that their goal is to ensure that each agent does wear these body cameras.
That's something that Tom Homan also addressed, saying they're going to try to expand and give body cameras to each of their agents within the next six
months, Becky.
ANDERSON: Good to have you. Thank you. Well, you're watching "Connect the World". There is a lot more news ahead. Do stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back. I'm Becky Anderson in Abu Dhabi. You're watching "Connect the World". These are your headlines this hour. Iran has launched
a series of missiles and drones hitting Gulf neighbors, including the UAE. This is footage released by Iran's Fars News Agency, said to show multiple
launches as the battle over the Strait of Hormuz intensifies.
The U.S. says it has just completed a wave of daytime air strikes on Iran. More than 30 Iranian civilians have been killed in U.S. strikes on southern
Iran in recent days, according to an Iranian government spokesperson posting on X. Those strikes included this one in Saravan County, near the
Pakistan border.
That was Tuesday. Well ringing the opening bell today, FIFA World Cup 2026 New York New Jersey Host Committee.
[09:30:00]
Let's see them. I'm not going to see them yet. Yes, we are. There you go. Looks as if it's going to be a mildly positive start to the trading day.
More on that is after this. All right. As I say, we are expecting to see a sort of mildly positive start, and that's what we have got.
We'll let the other two markets settle in. These markets or investors, indeed, seem to be too bothered about what's going on in this sort of
mounting escalation between Iran and the U.S. I mean, it's worrying, very worrying, particularly for the Gulf neighbors, and we are here in the UAE,
of course.
We will keep you across any further developments on that. Well, an American scientist has now been held in China for almost two years after being
accused of spying. Youlin Chen, a seismologist who tracks nuclear tests, was arrested after visiting his parents in Beijing.
His family are now speaking out about his detention on concerns over his well-being. As Mike Valerio now reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MIKE VALERIO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): For more than 600 days, American seismologist Youlin Chen has been detained in China. The
Massachusetts father arrested on spying charges after visiting his parents in Beijing in November 2024.
KIERAN RAMSEY, CHIEF INVESTIGATIVE OFFICER AT GLOBAL REACH: Imagine your loved one being detained in China for over 600 days, almost two years now,
with zero communication, knowing that he's been interrogated over 100 times without an attorney.
VALERIO (voice-over): Chen studies seismic waves to help identify underground nuclear tests. Among his areas of study, North Korea's nuclear
program. His work has been funded by the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory and the U.S. State Department. Chen's wife, Dr. Yufang Rong, telling CNN in
a statement, quote, he is a seismologist who works transparently with Chinese colleagues on scientific collaboration.
He is doing precisely the kind of people-to-people engagement that the Chinese government says it wants.
VALERIO: Chen's family says they're going public now because he hasn't been freed, even after President Trump raised his case with Chinese Leader Xi
Jinping when Trump was here in Beijing in May. That is according to Chen's family. Now, Chen supporters also add that this moment is roughly halfway
between that May summit and when Xi is expected to visit Washington, they're hoping that when he is in D.C. in September, Xi will have news of
Chen's release.
VALERIO (voice-over): A State Department spokesperson told CNN the United States has raised Mr. Chen's case directly with Chinese officials, calling
for his immediate release. This revelation coming weeks after China confirmed the arrest of another U.S. scholar, Ming Jing.
Beijing said Jing is quote, suspected of spying and endangering Chinese national security. China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs denied Chen is being
wrongfully detained.
LIN JIAN, SPOKESPERSON FOR CHINA MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS: China is a country ruled by law. Judicial organs handle cases in accordance with the
law. There is no such thing as wrongful detention.
VALERIO (voice-over): Chen supporters say his scientific expertise may help explain why he was arrested as China expands its nuclear capabilities and
Washington has accused Beijing of a covert 2020 nuclear test, which China denies.
VALERIO: Chen's wife has said that he has never held a U.S. government security clearance, and to suggest that he's involved in espionage is
wrong. Chen has been charged, but he is yet to stand trial. Mike Valerio, CNN, Beijing.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Right, let's get you up to speed on some of the other stories that are on our radar right now. And China's economy grew at its slowest
rate since 2022 in the second quarter, missing its growth target for the first time since the COVID pandemic.
It's rare for China to admit signs of economic weakness, and this shows the impact of sluggish domestic consumption coupled with disruption, of course,
caused by the Iran war. Cuba's power grid collapsed on Tuesday, causing a third blackout in just over a week.
Cuba grappling with an energy crisis worsened by an effective U.S. blockade on fuel shipments, an action the U.S. says is meant to open the island's
political system. Well, authorities say one person has died and another three are missing after a boat capsized near Alcatraz Island off San
Francisco.
The three-deck pontoon boat was carrying mainly members of the same family as part of a memorial service when it was found almost fully submerged.
Young people increasingly turning to AI to help solve their personal struggles. Many are using so-called companion apps where users can create
custom chat bots that can take on a range of personas.
Well, now China tightening restrictions on companions like services, as my colleague Kristie Lu Stout explains.
KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Beijing is trying to break up AI relationships. Our chat bots have become more common companions in
friendship or even love, as seen across Chinese social media.
[09:35:00]
But this kind of intimacy may be no more, thanks to new rules that take effect today. Out driven by the Cyber Space Administration of China, the
measures tighten oversight on human-like AI services. They ban firms from providing virtual companion services to minors.
And companies must also avoid quote, inducing emotional dependence or addiction in adults. Legal experts point out this is not an outright ban on
AI chatbots. Platforms that don't provide emotional interaction, like customer service or work assistance, are not affected here.
Ahead of the rules, Chinese tech giants reportedly stripped human-like AI features from their chat bots, with Byte Dance's Doubao and Alibaba's Qwen
disabling features that let users build and chat with artificial friends. How social media users are worried about the clampdown.
With one saying this, quote, I recreated the voice of my deceased family member. But now, I can't use it anymore. What should I do? Now the new
rules reflect a growing anxiety in Beijing about the social harms of AI, especially as falling birth and marriage rates unsettle the Chinese
Communist Party.
But it's not only China that's concerned here. Several U.S. states, like New York and California, have also passed laws targeting AI companions.
Kristie Lu Stout, CNN, Hong Kong.
ANDERSON: Well, a classic rivalry will be renewed hours from now when England and Argentina face off in the World Cup semi-finals. The fixture
producing the most controversial moment in the history of the World Cup, the hand of God. What's today got in store? Well, we will discuss that
after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: President Trump says the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool was drained this week in preparation for repairs, but says it will be back in
service soon. It comes with his repeated claims that vandals have damaged the pool's lining. My colleague Tom Foreman with the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): With most of the water drained from the reflecting pool, new questions are arising about President Trump's
claims of vandalism. After the $14 million spruce up devolved into a green swamp of algae, and the newly installed blue sealant started peeling up
fast, in May the president claimed the lining would last for decades.
TRUMP: If you had a knife, you can't even cut it. So strong, so powerful, like powerful rubber.
FOREMAN (voice-over): But by June, he was back paddling.
TRUMP: We have 100 and we have a -- I think 290, 300 foot slit right through it. Probably a box cutter or a knife of some kind.
FOREMAN (voice-over): His administration has offered no proof, and there is no obvious sign of such damage. Though fencing and security are keeping the
curious away from a close inspection, but at least four people have been charged for allegedly doing something wrong, including a former Olympian
who says he was just reaching into the pool to inspect the project when he was caught wet-handed.
[09:40:00]
NORM EISEN, DAVID HEARN'S DEFENSE ATTORNEY: It is not a crime to touch the reflecting pool, to touch water in the United States of America.
FOREMAN (voice-over): Yet the president steams on, insisting the problems have nothing to do with the rushed no-bid contract or the part of the deal
that reportedly went to Green Water Services, a company co-owned by J. J. Cafaro, a Trump supporter and donor. No, Trump and his team claim vandals
are to blame.
That the lining was pulled upward with great force by these thugs, these country-hating sleaze bags.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is not the way of a civilized society. It is anarchy.
FOREMAN: For all of that, we don't really know what went wrong with the reflecting pool, or exactly how much will be involved in fixing it. We only
know that right now it's reflecting badly on this administration. Tom Foreman, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Well, later on Wednesday, in Atlanta, England and Argentina will face off for the sixth time in World Cup history. The classic ravel
producing the infamous Hand of God by Diego Maradona in Mexico back in 1986, as well as David Beckham's well darkest hour, his red card against
France in 1998.
Or for more, we're joined by Patrick Snell. Patrick, you were in Japan for their 2002 clash. What makes this rivalry so special, do you think? And
what should we expect today?
PATRICK SNELL, CNN WORLD SPORT: Hi, Becky. Memories come flooding back that 2002 tournament, the first ever, was co-hosted in Asia by South Korea and
Japan. It was Beckham's redemption, really, after that 1998 red card in Saint-Etienne in France, when Beckham scored the winning penalty against
the Albacete and Argentina.
In fact, going on that year to exit the tournament in the group stages. But I will say this, it's going to be massively, massively huge excitement
right here in Atlanta as we count down to kick off. I can't predict this one, except to say I've got a good feeling about the English national team
trying to win this for the first time since 1966.
But how do you stop that guy right there, Lionel Messi, who at age 39 is still a cut above the rest? In my opinion, Argentina is trying to win this
tournament again, become the first back-to-back nation to win it since the early 1960s, when Brazil triumphed, I'm expecting a great game, probably a
red card or two, Becky as well. We'll see. Back to you.
ANDERSON: Good stuff. That's "World Sport" after this short break. Any quick reminder for you of the breaking news that we are following out of
Washington this hour? Attorney General nominee Todd Blanche appearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, he's just begun testifying.
We do expect him to argue that he is quote, restoring trust in the Justice Department. We will monitor that and bring you more in the second hour of
"Connect the World" coming up in about 15 minutes time.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[09:45:00]
(WORLD SPORT)
[10:00:00]
END
