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The Brief with Jim Sciutto
CNN International: UEFA: "The World Cup is Not for Sale"; U.S. Attacks Iran After Trump Says It's "Our Turn"; Iran and Ukraine Conflicts Widen; Blanche Confirmation in Doubt as Two Republicans Object; Apple, Amazon Out with Latest Earnings; UEFA, CONCACAF Reject FIFA Investment Plan; Trump Says Deal Reached for Hamas to Disarm in Gaza; Impact of Wildfires on Tourists. Aired 6-7p ET
Aired July 30, 2026 - 18:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[18:00:00]
LYNDA KINKADE, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us from all around the world. I'm Lynda Kinkade in Atlanta. Jim Sciutto is
off. You're watching "The Brief."
Just ahead this hour, furious backlash over FIFA's plan to bring private investors into the World Cup. UEFA members threaten a boycott if the plan
goes ahead. Two major conflicts widen. NATO member Poland blaming Russia for a strike on its country, while Egypt says one of its ports was attacked
by a drone from Iran. Tourists in France, threatened by wildfires, flee to safety. We'll hear advice for travelers who've booked a trip to the areas
at risk. Those stories and plenty more coming up.
A bombshell for the beautiful game. We begin with a stunning development in the world of football. European nations say they will boycott future World
Cups if FIFA goes ahead with a plan to sell stakes in its competitions to private investors. All 55 members of European football's governing body,
UEFA, voted in favor of a potential boycott. UEFA says, quote, "some things are simply too important to sell. The FIFA World Cup belongs to football.
It always will. It will never be for sale."
Our senior sports correspondent, Christina Macfarlane, is in London. Has been following this all day. Good to have you with us, Chrissy. So, you
know, this is a huge shock. And, you know, not only has UEFA said they plan to boycott it if this plan goes ahead, but the decision was unanimous,
right?
CHRISTINA MACFARLANE, CNN SENIOR SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Yes. I mean, this is a huge, momentous decision and a strong rebuke from UEFA to what Gianni
Infantino was planning to do here, which essentially was to commercialize the World Cup through private sales to private entities and without
notifying any of its members, its leaders or even members in Gianni Infantino's inner circle. We're told that, you know, even some of his vice
presidents didn't actually know what he was planning with this FIFA forward enterprise.
So, the 55 to 0 unanimous decision you saw was essentially an outrage from its members that they've been blindsided by this decision. In addition to
the fact that they feel that Gianni Infantino is attempting to sell the soul here of world football. It's telling that we haven't had a statement
or any sort of reaction from FIFA yet. We are watching for that.
But we have had a statement in the last hour or so from CONCACAF. That's the North America bloc that oversees 41 countries. They're essentially
saying that they reject FIFA's World Cup sell-off plan, that they call for more transparency from Gianni Infantino over this deal. But really, Lynda,
what we're watching for now is whether or not confederations like CONCACAF, like the Asia Football Confederation are going to follow suit here and
maybe look for a boycott as well. To add to what UEFA is doing, we're hearing that CONCACAF are holding an emergency meeting scheduled for
tomorrow. We have no idea if that is to hold some sort of vote for a boycott or not.
It's noteworthy that we have heard from Asia's confederation in the last few days roundly criticizing Gianni Infantino. They've been one of his
biggest backers in the past. The fact that this represents a split in this support for him could be significant, because if these two confederations
alone go the way of UEFA, not only could we see Gianni Infantino losing support for this business deal, this FFE, but he could also lose support
for his leadership and his presidency, too.
I think many are viewing this moment as a referendum, really, on his time as FIFA president, on his leadership as we look ahead to that FIFA
presidential elections in March.
KINKADE: It really is quite extraordinary, Chrissy, that he didn't get buy-in from all these different governing bodies before pushing this plan
forward. I'm wondering who stands to benefit from this commercial entity?
MACFARLANE: Yes. I mean, it's worth going back, isn't it, just to talk a little bit about what the plan for this FIFA Forward Enterprise FFE is.
Essentially, what Gianni Infantino is doing here is trying to sell stakes in its World Cup competitions to private investors through a commercial
entity that will run its main events. The one company that's been earmarked to lead this investor group is the investment fund Thrive Capital, which is
run and led by Jared Kushner's younger brother, Joshua Kushner.
[18:05:00]
And the reason I think people are so up in arms about this is that they feel the federations under FIFA feel that Gianni Infantino, in essentially
going behind their backs, is acting as one man, when essentially, you know, FIFA is a whole ecological system. 211 federations, six confederations
underneath them.
And we have to think about, as we look ahead to the FIFA World Cup, the decision now to move forward with a boycott will have major impacts on
world football, not just the men's game, of course, even though we just saw the wrap of the men's World Cup two weeks ago. But I think the bigger
implications will be for the women's game. Remember, we have the 2027 Women's World Cup set to take place in Brazil just next year. The
qualifications for that competition have already gotten underway and the playoffs are set for October.
And more immediately, actually, the next FIFA tournament set to happen is just 37 days away. The under 20 Women's World Cup is set to take place in
Poland. There's going to be 24 nations competing in that. Six of them are going to be European.
So, it is concerning to see that world football, who rely so much on these mega events for their income, for the showcase to promote the game, are the
ones at the moment who are looking like they could be collateral damage in this decision by UEFA to boycott.
KINKADE: Well, if we do hear back from FIFA, we will come back to you. Chrissy McFarlane for us in London. Good to have you with us. Thank you.
Well, the war between the U.S. and Iran is expanding, impacting more countries. Egypt says a drone strike caused a fire on two vessels at one of
its Mediterranean ports. It's the first time Egyptian infrastructure has been struck since the war began. No one has claimed responsibility. And
Iran's foreign minister says Egypt's security is of the utmost importance. Egypt is one of 14 countries that back Saudi Arabia's proposal today for a
maritime defense alliance aimed at protecting shipping routes. And the U.S. carried out a new wave of strikes on Iran after the country's attempt to
attack American forces in Jordan.
Kristen Holmes is live for us at the White House and joins us now. Good to see you, Kristen. So, what is the White House saying about this drone
strike in Egypt? And is it treating it as a direct attack on the U.S. given the vessels that were involved?
KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, right now, the White House is being pretty mum about what exactly happened in Egypt. I
will remind you, yesterday, President Trump kind of alluded to the fact that it was Iran that had struck Egypt or struck this port in Egypt.
However, that is not something we've heard officially. As you said, nobody has taken responsibility.
In fact, the foreign minister himself has distanced Iran from this attack, saying at one point that Egypt was an important friend and partner in the
region, also saying to beware of false flag operations that are designed to undermine regional peace. So, clearly trying to put some distance between
Iran and what happened in Egypt, although it's unclear still who was responsible.
Overall, there is a lot of concern at the White House among U.S. officials that this war is expanding. They had been hoping that this war would be
shrinking by now. Obviously, five days ago, President Trump called off strikes in Iran, saying that it was because Tehran wanted to negotiate, he
wanted to give room for these talks between the United States and Tehran.
However, then there was a strike launched against U.S. forces. The central command called it a surprise attack. And it seems as though they are moving
further away from this idea of actually getting to the negotiating table. And when it comes to expanding in the war, one thing to watch out for is
the fact that the Saudi defense minister was here in Washington yesterday, met with President Trump, with Vice President Vance.
And that comes less than 24 hours after Saudis and the United States had launched a joint military operation over what they called Iran-linked
logistics and munitions sites in Iraq. That, again, giving another indication that this war scope is expanding beyond just the United States
and Iran and just the United States striking Iran and around the Strait of Hormuz.
KINKADE: Hey, Kristen, you're right to point out that it feels like we are seeing one escalation after the next. The situation seems much more dire
than what it was weeks ago. Is there any indication that diplomats behind the scenes are trying to get both sides to the negotiating table?
HOLMES: Yes. And we've heard that from mediators, from negotiators, that they are trying to work behind the scenes to de-escalate the situation,
particularly between Iran and the United States to try and bring these parties back to the table. It seemed as though that's the direction this
was going in. And then now we've seen such an escalation just in the last two days.
So, where they stand now, that's the big question. It doesn't seem as though actual negotiations are happening behind the scenes, but right now
it is just the mediators trying to bring the temperature down and bring both sides to a place where they could actually even restart those talks.
[18:10:00]
KINKADE: All right. Kristen Holmes for us outside the White House. Great to have you with us. Thank you.
A missile believed to have been fired by Russia landed deep inside Poland, which is a NATO member state. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk says all
indications suggest that it was a Russian cruise missile. An official says NATO forces were seconds away from shooting down that missile before
assessing that it was going to crash on its own.
It happened as Russia launched a massive long-range attack right across Ukraine. Ukrainian officials say at least nine people, including a family
of six, were killed in the strikes. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy is urging Europe to provide more air defense missiles.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): European countries have made numerous statements, particularly regarding the Russian
missile that flew into Polish territory and exploded somewhere in a field near Lublin.
Most importantly, however, it's not just about condolences or condemnation. It's about providing air defense missiles, precisely the kind of pressure
on Russia that can stop this senseless Russian war, all their attacks and their terror. This war could have ended long ago, but Putin doesn't want
that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: Our Nick Paton Walsh takes a closer look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: It's a complex task for Poland to respond in a way to something, the intentions of
Russia around which are obviously unclear.
Now, there are a lot of coincidences here that need to be examined. This is a cruise missile that flew 90 kilometers into Poland, meaning for several
minutes it was being presumably seen on Russian radars, Polish radars, F- 16s scrambled by Poland and other aircraft. They didn't actually intercept it. It seems to have crash-landed, leaving a 10-meter-wide crater. That is
a remarkably deep incursion.
Secondly, it's an incursion that happened about 31 miles to the north of where Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Ukrainian President Volodymyr
Zelenskyy had met just a matter of hours earlier. That's something of a coincidence, and it also comes after weeks of warnings in which Western
officials have been concerned about Russian escalation.
We really can't divine Russia's intention here. Was this a deliberate test of NATO's resolve and defenses with something relatively new here? We've
not seen a cruise missile landing in NATO territory really for years here. Unprecedented. Or is it simply one of 70 missiles fired by Russia that
night going astray or being caught in some kind of jamming potentially going off course? But this ultimately, many Russian analysts say, is part
of the strategy sometimes to see what Russia can indeed get away with, and indeed if this was an accident, use it to observe the nature of NATO's
response.
And while Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has said he does not believe Poland was the target here, it's clear that the Russians will have been
observing the nature of NATO's response here. Jets scrambled, but no interception, and Poland has publicly been under pressure because of its
decision to supply some Patriot missile interceptors to Ukraine who urgently need them to its east, leaving perhaps its own stocks low, joining
a global shortage of these exceptionally vital interceptor missiles.
And so, this is clearly a moment in which NATO have to simultaneously show resolve and resilience to prevent this from being something Russia tries
again, if indeed it was intentional by Russia, while at the same time not sounding the alarm for domestic clamor for some kind of more muscular
response. That itself a complex task.
But yet again also emphasizes the nightly threat Ukraine indeed is under. 70 missiles fired, the number of ballistic and cruise missiles fired by
Russia now, exceptionally high compared to a matter of months ago. Out of the 280 drones fired, Ukraine says they intercepted 260. Still a death toll
of at least nine, six of whom from one family, the Voronovs, living not far from Kryvyi Rih in the Dnipro region. Their house hit four children amongst
the dead there, part of a civilian toll that is growing, I think it's fair to say. The month of July, the deadliest since April 2022, 427 Ukrainian
civilians killed.
Russia clearly escalating the toll it wants to take on Ukrainian civilians here, the number of missiles, ballistic and cruise that it's using against
Ukraine, perhaps sensing a gap in their interceptor capability, their well- known public here. Zelenskyy in Washington, desperately hoping to get more interceptors. They want to make them themselves. That hasn't actually
happened yet.
And so, I think a crisis of winter potentially increasingly in the mind of Ukrainian leaders here as they see these months of summer involving so many
more Russian missiles and that threat towards Eastern Europe increasing.
Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, London.
[18:15:00]
KINKADE: U.S. President Trump says he's open to temporarily withdrawing his nomination of Todd Blanche for attorney general, only to re-nominate
him when the senators holding up the vote leave office. Republicans John Cornyn and Thom Tillis are refusing to back Blanche for the job amid
questions over the settlement of the president's tax affairs lawsuit. However, they are set to leave Congress in January, when the president says
he'd put forward Todd Blanche's name yet again.
Chief Congressional Correspondent Manu Raju joins us now from Washington. Great to see you, Manu. So, just talk to us about why there's so much
objection to Todd Blanche's aging, how unusual it is for the president's own party to delay a nominee for Attorney General at this stage.
MANU RAJU, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, it's very unusual, particularly Trump's GOP, which typically falls in line, but there are
several dynamics at play, one of which is that some of the players, the two players who are objecting right now, neither of them are running for re-
election. One of them is Thom Tillis. He decided not to run for re- election. So, he's really free of those pressures to defy the president.
And also, John Cornyn, who is no longer running for re-election because he lost his primary earlier this year to a Trump-backed primary foe. And he
has come back and been a thorn in the side of the president on some key issues.
Now, Todd Blanche's nomination is not held up because of Blanche per se himself. It's because of the president and the president who cut a deal
with the IRS over a lawsuit he filed against the IRS. That deal, settlement deal, included a $1.8 billion weaponization fund to provide to people who
claim they've been aggrieved by the Justice Department, including potentially January 6 rioters. Also, a settlement agreement that prevented
the IRS from doing tax audits against the president and his family in the past.
There is concerns from both Cornyn and Tillis about both those issues. They want in writing that that $1.8 billion weaponization fund is dead and that
the president would not be exempt from future audits by the IRS, neither the president or his family or any of his associates or his organization.
But they have not been able to get that in writing, which is why Cornyn and Tillis both told me today that it is the White House that is interfering
with their efforts to cut a deal with Todd Blanche over this issue.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RAJU: Are you worried that if this is not done to your satisfaction, they can avoid possible prosecution?
SEN. JOHN CORNYN (R-TX): Yes, for example, the weaponization fund, Todd Blanche can say that it's a dead letter, but the fact of the matter is he
conceded that there is a settlement agreement which creates an enforceable contract. It could be revived at a later time if the president found a
compliant Department of Justice that would revive that weaponization fund. We want to make sure that it remains dead and that the president isn't
given any immunity from future audits that the ordinary taxpayer would not enjoy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
RAJU: So, Cornyn has asked for that to be in writing from Todd Blanche, but they have not gotten that yet in writing so far at this moment as we
know. Now, there was a key development this afternoon in which Todd Blanche actually met with John Cornyn and met with Thom Tillis behind closed doors.
That had come after Cornyn had canceled previous meetings with Todd Blanche as he had failed to get resolution on this issue.
I'm told from sources that that meeting was productive, that they say they had made progress, but there is no deal yet. So, is that a sign that things
can be easing? Time is of the essence, Lynda, because by the end of next week, the Senate goes on a more than month-long recess. They'll be on a
vacation and campaigning and not be in Washington, which means that if he is not confirmed by the end of next week, this nomination could continue to
languish, and that means in Washington often that means the end of a nomination. It could all but collapse.
KINKADE: Interesting times. Chief Congressional Correspondent Manu Raju in Washington, D.C. We appreciate you. Thank you.
Still to come, the A-team of tech-earning season. Amazon and Apple just releasing their quarterly results. We'll tell you all about them next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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KINKADE: Welcome back, I'm Lynda Kinkade. In today's Business Breakout, green arrows across the board on Wall Street. All the major averages
rallied more than 1 percent with tech the best performer. Stocks recovering from their biggest drop in more than a year Wednesday, due to concerns over
the Fed's inflation-fighting strategy under new Chair Kevin Warsh. Those worries helped push 30-year Treasury yields to a 19-year high.
Also, today, new data shows the U.S. economy growing at a weaker-than- expected annual rate of 1.5 percent in the second quarter. That's slower than the previous three months.
Stocks in the news include Meta and Microsoft. The parent company of Facebook and Instagram tumbled 8 percent after reporting disappointing
quarterly results. Microsoft rallied 15 percent as investors applauded its earnings.
Well, the tech earnings do not stop there. Apple and Amazon reported their latest results after the closing bell today. Their shares are heading in
opposite directions in after-hours trading. Amazon is rallying even as it announces a big boost to its CapEx spending. Apple shares are falling, with
services revenue coming in weak. This is Apple's last earnings report before Tim Cook steps down as CEO.
Lance Ulanoff joins me now. He is the editor-at-large of TechRadar. Good to see you, Lance.
LANCE ULANOFF, EDITOR-AT-LARGE, TECHRADAR: Good to be here.
KINKADE: Apple and Amazon are two of the most influential companies in the world. When you look at the earnings reports, what's the biggest takeaway
for consumers and investors?
ULANOFF: I mean, there's some challenges going on right now, some big headwinds, supply constraints, RAM costs, the need, the desperate need to
invest billions to stay ahead in the A.I. game. And you kind of see that across the board, all those things happening.
But when I look at Apple and how it's performed, it's performed really well. In fact, when you talk about supply constraints, Tim Cook kept saying
that the reason that we're having this problem is not so much about we can't get components, but that people are buying too much stuff. They're
outstripping their expectations on the sales of Macs and iPhones. So, a good problem to have on their side.
And I know, you know, that services sort of so-called underperformed, but it actually is over $30 billion in revenue for the first time ever. And I
continue to say that it will be Tim Cook's legacy. And as you know, this was his last earnings call.
And just back on the Amazon side, I mean, I just see, you know, massive growth and also massive spending, which is what I would expect from Amazon,
because they're very deep in the cloud and A.I. game.
KINKADE: Apple, though, has been criticized for moving more cautiously on artificial intelligence than some of its rivals. After this earnings
report, what are we learning about Apple's A.I. strategy here? And how much does Wall Street care about the fact that this is, you know, Tim Cook's
last earnings report? Like what comes next sort of thing?
[18:25:00]
ULANOFF: Yes. Well, on the A.I. side, I mean, look, now we're all -- we -- we've kind of seen -- finally seen the fruits of their labor with Siri
A.I., which is part of an upgrade that Apple Intelligence. It's coming in iOS 27. And that'll be in September with all the new phones.
So, people are experiencing it right now and starting to see some promise in the product. But it's also kind of an odd time because there is some
A.I. backlash. And so, consumers are kind of on the fence a little bit about it. So, maybe the industry is going to have to do something about it.
You know, the market is like, hurry up with the A.I. But consumers are like, we'll take it in measured doses. We don't have to have it front and
center. So, they may play to Apple's benefit.
And then, of course, you know, with Tim Cook leaving, John Ternus was on the call, the incoming CEO. And he did get a question about the competitive
landscape, which he kind of softball answered back. He didn't really answer it because I don't think he planned to have much to say there. And so, it
was not an answer was going to move the needle in either way.
But what you end up feeling from that and from what Tim Cook said and what Turner said is a feeling of continuity. And that's what's critical. That's
what everyone wants to hear, what they want to see. And in September, Turner's will take the stage and introduce all of Apple's new products.
KINKADE: Turning back to Amazon, its business -- its advertising business has seen a major -- it's being seen as a major growth area. How important
is that part of the company right now?
ULANOFF: Always, always going to be important. I mean, it's the same kind of thing that's helped Meta stay afloat all along. You know, they make so
much money for advertising. And, you know, with Amazon, as they've rolled out the enhanced Alexa Plus with A.I., they're sort of seeing this kind of
conversion to Prime and then Prime gives them more opportunity to deliver ads. And so, it's kind of a virtuous circle for them as they build all this
stuff out. So, it is really important.
KINKADE: Lance Ulanoff, always good to have you on the program. Thanks so much for joining us.
ULANOFF: It's a pleasure.
KINKADE: Well, I want to check some other business headlines today. The U.S. Iran war taking a heavy toll on the Saudi economy. The country's GDP
shrank by 4.8 percent in the second quarter. That's its worst performance since the COVID pandemic. The Saudi oil sector was hardest hit, falling
almost 25 percent.
A big rally Thursday in the Japanese yen. The currency saw its biggest spike against the dollar since 2022. Analysts say the Japanese central bank
may have stepped in to prop up the yen, which has been hovering new 40-year lows against the dollar. The Bank of Japan is also set to release its
latest interest rate decision on Friday.
Sales at Taco Bell have fallen two percent in recent weeks due to the Cyclospora parasitic outbreak in the U.S. The head of the parent company,
Yum! Brands, however, says he does not expect it to be a lasting impact. He says sales are starting to bounce back. Yum! Brands also reported stronger
than expected sales and profits in its just released earnings report.
New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani says he's implementing a 30 percent discount at upcoming city run grocery stores. Mamdani's initial plan for the stores
already included lower prices. That's because he says they wouldn't have to pay rent or property taxes. So, on top of wholesale prices, New Yorkers
could see costs come down even further. But not every New Yorker is happy about this. CNN's Katherine Koretzky explains.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MAYOR ZOHRAN MAMDANI (D-NY): I'm proud to announce a collection of essential staples that will be, predictably, 30 percent cheaper at all five
of our city-run grocery stores.
KATHERINE KORETSKI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani announced this week that prices for core grocery items, like fresh produce,
meat, seafood, as well as essentials like cheese, milk and bread, will be 30 percent cheaper at the city's five proposed municipal grocery stores.
With the first slated to open in 2027 and a goal to have all five open by the end of his first term.
MAMDANI: Thirty percent off adds up to real money for New Yorkers, with an estimated $90 saved on grocery bills each month. That is more than $1,000
saved every year.
KORETSKI: Under his plan, the prices will be locked in for a month and will not fluctuate like typical grocers. The discount will apply to all
shoppers regardless of their income.
But not everyone is looking forward to these stores. Anthony Pena, the president of the National Supermarket Association, which represents around
600 independent grocery stores across New York's Five Boroughs, is concerned it's going to hurt existing businesses.
ANTHONY PENA, PRESIDENT, NATIONAL SUPERMARKET ASSOCIATION: There's concerns of reselling. There's lots of concern that customers will accuse
them of price gouging. You know, it's very concerning. Our members are very concerned. The little bodegas are concerned. The supermarkets are concerned
because the last thing we need is been servicing a community for 25 years and then, all of a sudden, get accused of price gouging. You know, it's
tough. We feel like it's a little slap in the face.
KORETSKI: But Mayor Mamdani says small businesses will be protected.
MAMDANI: We've talked about five city-run grocery stores, one in each borough. There is more than enough market for both existing grocers as well
as one city-run grocery store.
[18:30:00]
KORETSKI: As far as funding, the mayor has allocated $70 million in the capital budget to deliver on what he calls his, quote, "core commitment" to
New Yorkers. Pena believes these funds should be allocated into existing stores and has expressed those concerns with city hall.
PENA: If you open one city-run grocery store at those discounted prices, you're only affecting the life of the people within a block or two. If you
take the same funding or you take half of the funding that -- you got 70 -- but if you take $35 million and you distribute it amongst the stores in the
neighborhoods, you can change the life of hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers, not just a select few in the neighborhood.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KINKADE: Still to come on the show, FIFA's president gets pushback while UEFA says it will boycott all future World Cup games if a proposed
privatization deal goes through. We're going to speak to the journalist who broke the whole story.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KINKADE: Welcome back to "The Brief." I'm Lynda Kinkade. Here are the international headlines we're watching today.
A massive wave of Russian attacks across Ukraine has killed at least nine people, including four children and their parents. An injured 10-year-old
boy was rescued from the rubble of a building in the western city of Lviv. He's among 54 people who were injured, according to Ukraine. July is now
the worst month for civilian casualties in Ukraine since 2022.
Spain says at least nine people are dead after thousands of migrants breached the border fence at the Spanish enclave in North Africa. Hundreds
swarmed using floats to get in. The surge in arrivals follows a ruling by Spain's Supreme Court on migrants being intercepted at sea. Spain didn't
provide details on the deaths, but bodies were seen in the water.
Europe's football's governing body, UEFA, has voted to boycott future World Cups if FIFA moves ahead with its plans for private investors. CNN has
reached out to FIFA for comment. CONCACAF, the football body for North America and the Caribbean, is also rejecting FIFA's proposal, that is stop
short of a World Cup boycott.
[18:35:00]
Joining me now is Martyn Ziegler, the chief sports reporter at the Times newspaper. He broke the story about FIFA's plans and joins me now. Great to
have you on the program and well done on breaking such an incredible story.
MARTYN ZIEGLER, CHIEF SPORTS REPORTER, THE TIMES: Well, thank you very much. Good to be with you.
KINKADE: So, this certainly has shocked the world. Just weeks after the FIFA World Cup ended, what have you learned over the past 48 hours that
convinced you that UEFA -- it convinced UEFA that this proposal crossed a line like nothing we've seen before?
ZIEGLER: Yes. This is totally unprecedented in football to have the oldest confederation, perhaps in financial terms the most important one, saying it
will boycott all FIFA competitions is just incredible. But it just shows how seriously Europe took this idea by Gianni Infantino to sell off stakes
in the World Cup to private investors and what that would mean for this great football tournament that has been going on for 96 years.
KINKADE: And this particular investment plan has been linked to Joshua Kushner and has been widely spoken about. But you found there might be some
links with Donald Trump. What more can you tell us?
ZIEGLER: Yes. So, I mean, there's obviously we know the links between Gianni Infantino and Donald Trump, creating a FIFA Peace Prize to award
him. And according to sources, this idea was developed over the last few months, building up to the World Cup in the USA, with a lot of people part
of the broader Trump network. So, obviously, Joshua Kushner is the brother of Jared Kushner, who is Trump's son-in-law. He's very close to Gianni
Infantino.
The key adviser appointed by FIFA to look into this, he used to be part of Liberty Media and Formula One. He is a Trump donor. Apollo is another
investment fund linked to it as a possible investing in this idea. Again, the chief executive of that is on Trump's Board of Peace and has donated to
Trump's campaign. So, there does seem to be a lot of connections between the White House, the broader network around the White House and Gianni
Infantino.
KINKADE: And it's quite incredible since your story broke, this has expanded well beyond UEFA's, you know, plan to boycott future World Cups.
Other governing bodies have also rejected this proposal and raised serious concerns about transparency and consultation. Is Gianni Infantino becoming
increasingly isolated?
ZIEGLER: Yes, I think his position is under really serious threat now because -- yes, you're right. CONCACAF, who covers North and Central
America and the Caribbean, 41 countries there, they've rejected the proposal. And my understanding is they're either losing faith or in
confidence or have already lost confidence in Gianni Infantino. So, with them, the 55 member nations of Europe, and we also have the Asian Football
Confederation getting some fairly stiff criticism of Infantino.
So, I think it's looking really quite bleak for him as certainly he's trying to get reelected next year. Will he even last that long? I think
it's up in the air now.
KINKADE: And your reporting points out that Infantino could ultimately lead this commercial entity after leaving the FIFA office. How much
backlash is about the proposal itself as opposed to the surrounding conflicts of interest?
ZIEGLER: I think the proposal itself is the big no, no. I think that even if he wasn't seen as an idea for a kind of personal enrichment, I think
that just the idea on its own is enough to have created this huge uproar.
I mean, the fact that lots of sources thought this was going to be an enterprise that he's going to lead once he stops becoming FIFA president
and could increase his salary by a factor of 10 if it's going to be similar to the NFL in terms of the kind of salary he could get paid, I think that
just adds to the kind of suspicion, the distrust and the dislike of this whole project.
KINKADE: Your reporting, Martyn, also points to potential legal challenges in Europe, Switzerland, the US, possibly the Court of Arbitration and
Sport. Could courts ultimately stop this proposal, even if FIFA members supported it?
ZIEGLER: I think it's more likely to delay it than can stop it in its tracks. But to be honest, I think it's dead in the water now anyway,
because no investor is going to want to take on an investment in the World Cup if none of the European countries are playing in it.
[18:40:00]
I mean, you know, look at the last World Cup, you know, there was Argentina, and apart from that in the quarterfinals, I think that was just
about it. And so, it's -- so, I think it's a really serious issue for FIFA. I think they're going to have to abandon it. It's just a question of when
they do it.
So, we've already got, you know, CONCACAF, Europe, and some parts of Asia. There's no way that this can continue without him backing down somehow.
KINKADE: Yes. We'll wait to see what comes next, but well done on your reporting. Martyn Ziegler, chief sports reporter for The Times, thanks very
much.
ZIEGLER: Thank you.
KINKADE: This just in to CNN, U.S. President Donald Trump just posted on social media that his so-called Board of Peace has reached an agreement for
Hamas and other groups in Gaza to disarm. He says once that disarmament is complete, a new Palestinian police force will take responsibility for Gaza.
Mr. Trump thanked Egypt, Qatar and Turkey for helping to mediate the deal. Neither Israel nor Hamas have responded to the president's announcement.
Still to come, warnings more countries will be impacted by Europe's devastating wildfires. We're going to look at the impact in France, where
scenes have been described as apocalyptic.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KINKADE: Well, from Suffolk to Spain, wildfires are devastating parts of Europe. Take a look at these scenes from the southeast of England, where
dozens of firefighters have been tackling a blaze close to a nuclear power station. In France, two people have been arrested on suspicion of arson as
firefighters continue to battle flames near Bordeaux.
While crews are making some progress in France, residents are returning to their homes to fight total destruction. Our Melissa Bell reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MELISSA BELL, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This is what the village of Le Porge in southwestern France looked like a week ago.
These videos filmed by Mathieu Plessus (ph), one of a handful of locals who stayed behind to try and help firefighters.
MATHIEU PLESSUS, LE PORGE RESIDENT (through translator): There were flames jumping of over a kilometer, we had flames 25 meters high, or even taller.
It was -- well, it was the apocalypse.
BELL (voice-over): By Friday morning, however, this was all that was left of his home.
PLESSUS (through translator): We're at my home, we're at my family home.
BELL (through translator): You've been here for seven generations, and this is what's left.
[18:45:00]
PLESSUS (through translator): But the next morning when we came back everything was still burning.
BELL (through translator): What was inside that house, which has belonged to your family for generations?
PLESSUS (through translator): My whole life, there was an aquarium with fish. I had a snake in a terrarium. I couldn't save it. I couldn't save
everything. Everything burned, even the animals. It breaks my heart.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BELL: It's taken more than a week for us to get access to villages like Le Porge so dangerous have they remained all of this time. Now, over the next
few days its inhabitants are going to be allowed back and what you just saw there is going to be repeated for every one of those devastated houses. It
is a village that will need to be entirely reconstructed.
Melissa Bell, CNN on the outskirts of Saumos.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KINKADE: Well, the wildfires in France and other parts of Europe have come at the height of the summer travel season. The Cap Ferret peninsula is a
tourism hotspot on the Atlantic coast, and French authorities ordered its full evacuation last week, sending boats to remove people from the area.
Travelers are being urged to stay away from regions impacted, even if not directly, in the line of the wildfires.
Well, Simon Calder is a travel correspondent for The Telegraph and joins me now. Good to have you with us, Simon. So, thousands of people --
SIMON CALDER, TRAVEL CORRESPONDENT, THE TELEGRAPH: Well, I am so sorry that we are talking.
KINKADE: Yes, sorry, there's a bit of a delay. I was just going to say --
CALDER: Forgive me. Talking once again --
KINKADE: You go.
CALDER: Well, I was saying how sad it is that here we are at the height of the tourist season in Europe, and just been checking with the European
Union the stats for this summer, and they say it is absolutely the worst on record for the amount of countryside devastated by wildfires. 440,000
hectares so far, much worse than last year, which was the worst year on record.
And to give you some idea, if you consider the Grand Canyon National Park, that's about the size of the landscapes in Europe that have been devastated
by wildfires. And as you've been reporting tonight, things are getting worse before they hopefully will get better.
KINKADE: Yes. We're certainly seeing these horrific fires in France, but also, as we've been pointing out, in other parts of Spain and Italy. Just
give us a sense of travelers' rights. If you've booked a trip to Europe in one of the places impacted, even if not in the line of the fire, but even
potentially impacted by smoke, what sort of rights do you have or protections do you have to get any of that money back?
CALDER: You've got very few rights. It's fair to say that most of these fires are relatively localized. Certainly, we've had tens of thousands of
tourists evacuated, as we were hearing in the report, from the Gironde region.
The wildfires in Spain and, indeed, in neighboring Portugal are in areas that are not particularly popular with tourists. So, the vast majority of
people who are coming to Europe will be able to enjoy their vacation, I hope, without too much concern. But certainly, if you're going through the
city of Bordeaux, which has not yet been evacuated, there's no sign that it will need to be, but you are absolutely unmistakably in an area where there
has been some serious fires.
These really began three years ago on the island of Rhodes in Greece, and I went there some months afterwards, and it was still very clear there was a
kind of atmosphere of shouldering vegetation, really, really, of course, concerning for the communities which are being destroyed by this. But also,
in southern Europe, where so many people are dependent on tourism, it is extremely bad news.
KINKADE: Yes, certainly bad news for the tourism industry, bad news for travelers who won't get their money back, but hopefully they keep an eye on
the news to see if, you know, they can continue to travel to where they're going. Simon Calder, we appreciate your time. Thanks for joining us.
Still to come, how far would you go for a good night's sleep? How Japan is using cutting-edge tech to help people get the rest they need.
[18:50:00]
KINKADE: Welcome back. I'm Lynda Kinkade. If you are waking up to watch us from Japan, we really hope you had a good night's sleep. That's because
data shows that Japan is one of the world's most sleep-deprived countries. The country's own prime minister says she sleeps less than three hours a
night. Sleep has now become a billion-dollar industry in Japan, where researchers are creating new products to help people monitor their sleep
health. Hanako Montgomery has more from Tokyo.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HANAKO MONTGOMERY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This isn't your average jacket. It's one specifically designed to help you fall asleep anytime and
anywhere.
MONTGOMERY: So, I'm going to try to take a 10-minute nap in this chair and let you know how my sleep was. Good night.
MONTGOMERY (voice-over): The flashing red light inside the hood is meant to help me drift off, while this ring tracks my heart rate and body
temperature. If my pulse stays too high, the jacket plays a lullaby.
MONTGOMERY: So, I don't think I slept, but I feel very refreshed, and I actually feel a little bit more relaxed than I did when I first put on this
jacket.
MONTGOMERY (voice-over): Placebo effect? Maybe. Either way, Teppei Ogata says the goal is to tackle a national issue, sleep deprivation.
TEPPEI OGATA, SLEEP TECH DESIGNER, NTT DXPN: In Japan, it's really cool to work hard. It's like a badge of honor. That unhealthy culture still hasn't
gone away. It's become a major social problem in Japan.
MONTGOMERY (voice-over): Japan sleeps less than any other developed country. Research has linked too little sleep to an increased risk of heart
disease, obesity, and stroke. But it's also costing Japan an estimated 3 percent of its GDP each year.
Now, to help the nation catch more Zs, the government is betting on Sleep Tech, a market expected to top $98 million by 2027. Gadgets include a box
you can sleep in standing up, a bed that lies flat when you doze off, even a hotel that tracks your night's sleep. In here, an infrared camera checks
if you snore.
MONTGOMERY: Then there's this machine in the back here, also to measure how much you're snoring. And they tell me that this mattress also helps you
improve your sleep because it can tell how much you're moving in your sleep.
MONTGOMERY (voice-over): But do these products actually help, or are they just expensive bedtime accessories?
MASASHI YANAGIHARA, SLEEP MEDICINE EXPERT: Many of them don't have a very solid evidence for the effect, unfortunately.
MONTGOMERY (voice-over): Yanagihara says Japan's sleep problem starts young.
YANAGIHARA: Japanese kids are already very much sleep deprived, partly because they have this not only a regular school, you know, most of them
actually go to after school school. Almost the nation is teaching them that sleepiness during the daytime is a normal thing, which is not true.
[18:55:00]
MONTGOMERY (voice-over): So, the biggest sleep aid might not be another gadget, but changing the culture around rest.
MONTGOMERY: Good night and good luck on getting a good night's sleep.
Hanako Montgomery, CNN, Tokyo.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KINKADE: I hope we all get a good night's sleep. Well, in tonight's Good Brief, a story from WBIR in Knoxville, Tennessee, where a new vape shop
employee is bringing in a ton of customers. This is Sophie. She's a three- foot-tall kangaroo who hops around the shop for two days a week. The owner tells WBIR that people drive from all over just to get a chance to meet
her. She's nearly two years old, and her owners say she acts just like any toddler. If you take a trip to Australia, you'll see them everywhere.
Well, thanks so much for your company. I'm Lynda Kinkade in Atlanta. You've been watching "The Brief." Stay with CNN. Much more news ahead.
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