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The Brief with Jim Sciutto

Ukraine's "Read Diplomacy" Push; Ukrainian Delegation Meets U.S. Envoy Witkoff; Modi, Putin And Xi To Meet In China; U.S. Appeals Court; Trump Unlawfully Used Emergency Powers To Impose Tariffs; Lisa Cook's Hearing End Without Ruling; Thailand's Prime Minister Removed From Office; Trump Sons Promote New Bitcoin Company In Asia; New Orleans, Israel Ramps Up Attacks In Gaza City; 20 Years After Hurricane Katrina. Aired 6-7p ET

Aired August 29, 2025 - 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 U.S. from all around the world. I'm Lynda Kinkade. Jim Sciutto is off. You are

watching "The Brief." Welcome.

Just ahead this hour, Ukraine's push for what it calls real diplomacy as officials meet U.S. Envoy Steve Witkoff in the wake of devastating Russian

strike on Kyiv. Explosions on the outskirts of Gaza City, as Israel declares it is a dangerous combat zone and ramps up attacks. And A.I.

innovators. The man behind Grok, Elon Musk is among Times' most influential people in artificial intelligence. That conversation and plenty more coming

up.

But we begin in New York where Ukrainian delegates have been meeting with U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff to, as Ukraine puts it, push forward, real

diplomacy. That meeting comes exactly two weeks after U.S. President Trump held a summit with Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Alaska. Little progress

has been made since. Russia is stalling on diplomatic talks and unleashing some of its most intense attacks since the war began. CNN's Jennifer

Hansler reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JENNIFER HANSLER, CNN STATE DEPARTMENT REPORTER: This meeting in New York earlier today really seemed to be an opportunity for Ukraine to level set

with special envoy Steve Witkoff. They wanted to brief him on the latest Russian crimes, including that massive missile and drone strike on Kyiv

yesterday, and they also wanted to coordinate efforts on the attempts to reach a peace agreement for the war in Ukraine.

Now, Andriy Yermak, who was the top Ukrainian official at that meeting, said in a readout that they told Witkoff that Russia is failing to fulfill

anything necessary to end the war and is clearly dragging out the hostilities. And a source told me earlier this week that that was one of

the main focuses that they expected of this meeting, for Ukraine to drive home the point that they are willing to play ball and be an active

participant in these efforts to reach a peace deal, something that President Trump has voiced is a key priority for him and that it is Russia

that is failing to actively engage in these efforts.

And of course, this is coming as we continue to hear publicly from U.S. officials about how this is -- both sides are to blame here. They're almost

putting them on equal footing. We heard from Steve Witkoff earlier this weekend in an interview in Fox saying that Putin had been engaging in a

good faith effort in their meeting between Trump and Putin in Alaska a couple weeks ago. We heard from Karoline Leavitt at the White House just

yesterday pointing to the drone strike in Kyiv, but also saying Ukraine had hit Russian oil facilities and that, quote, "perhaps both sides of this war

were not ready to end it themselves."

So, the Ukrainians are trying to drive home that point that they are ready to do what it takes, and Moscow is not playing ball here.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KINKADE: Our thanks. Now, well, these talks come as Russia is intensifying its strikes in Ukraine, carrying out its second largest aerial attack since

the war began. Officials say the huge missile and drone bombardment killed at least 25 people, including four children. We're also hearing that

Ukraine has destroyed two key bridges inside Russia using Moscow's own mines and $600 drones.

Well, I want to welcome retired U.S. Air Force Colonel Cedric Leighton for more on this. Great to see you. Thanks for joining us.

COL. CEDRIC LEIGHTON (RET.), CNN MILITARY ANALYST AND U.S. AIR FORCE (RET.): You bet, Lynda. Good to be with you.

KINKADE: So, the death toll in Kyiv is now rising, a clear signal that Russia is not ready for -- or even seemingly interested in peace. What does

this all signal to you, this strategic escalation we're seeing here?

LEIGHTON: Well, I think what the Russians are doing, Lynda, is they're trying to move as much of the pieces that they can on the battlefield. In

other words, what they're trying to do is they're trying to gain as much leverage and as much of a geographic advantage as they possibly can. So, on

the one hand, what they're doing is they're trying to move forward in the east, but more importantly, they're also trying to impact the morale of the

civilian population in Ukraine, and that's why we're seeing these very intense attacks on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities.

[18:05:00]

They're going after the critical infrastructure in Ukraine. They're going after all of the different pieces that are part of the Ukrainian economy as

much as they possibly can. They're affecting the electricity grid. They're also launching, in some cases, some cyber-attacks. But what they're really

trying to do is they're trying to create the conditions where Ukraine is forced to the negotiating table at as disadvantageous a position as

possible for the Ukrainians.

And as far as the Russian side is concerned, what they want to do is they want to get to that point as quickly as possible, and they hope that any

kind of offensive measures that they can take will be the ones that will get them to that point.

KINKADE: And, Colonel Leighton, we know that Ukraine has destroyed two key bridges inside Russia's Belgorod region, not with missiles, but with cheap

drones, and also, by triggering mines that Russian troops had stored under these bridges. Talk to us about how these low-cost high impact operations

could affect real change and what does it tell you about Ukraine's evolving battlefield strategy here?

LEIGHTON: Well, the Ukrainians have been extremely innovative from the beginning of this phase of the war. And by this phase, I mean from

February, 2022 on. And what you're seeing here is the Ukrainians basically using what they can from the Russian side against the Russians. You

mentioned the bombs that had been placed on the bridges, they were able to remotely detonate them. This is a really asymmetric warfare at its finest.

Because what the Ukrainians are doing is they're using some of the leverage that they can through technical means, through the ability to electronic

warfare, to capture signals that the Russians would use and then turn that against the Russians. So, they are, in essence, creating as much as

possible, using their own resources to a large extent, the kind of porcupine effect that the Europeans are talking about. In other words,

Ukraine would, in essence, become a porcupine-like structure that is very difficult to defeat because it is armed to the -- to such an extent.

And by armed, not only through weapons, but also through the tactics, techniques, and procedures that the Ukrainians are employing. And those are

really quite innovative when you think about them.

KINKADE: And Colonel Leighton, it's been two weeks since the Trump-Putin summit in Alaska. Hasn't been really any progress of significance. Ukraine

is saying there has to be pressure on Russia. And despite these repeated threats and deadlines from the Trump administration, we haven't really seen

anything of real substance. What pressure needs to be applied for the Kremlin to take this sort of talks seriously?

LEIGHTON: Well, the Russians have to feel that they are losing on the battlefield, or at the very least not gaining. And what needs to happen is

that the Ukrainians need to have the capacity through either weapons that they themselves create or through weapons from the west that will allow

them to attack as many Russian targets as possible inside Russia.

And they also need to be able to either stop or turn back as much of the Russian advances, even if they're incremental advances, especially in the

east, but also in the north. They need to be able to turn those back as much as they possibly can. So, there has to be a lot of military pressure

on the Russians. The only thing that they're going to understand is force, and that is what needs to be applied in this case.

They will also, of course, understand economic pressures. They're feeling some economic pressures, both through sanctions as well as through targeted

Ukrainian attacks on the oil and gas infrastructure in Russia. That is making a bit of a difference. That kind of effort needs to be sustained.

And if the Ukrainians can do that with western help, then there might come a time, perhaps in the next few months, where the Russians will feel the

need to hit the negotiating table and to actually engage in serious negotiations. But until that happens, we won't see much progress, either on

the diplomatic front or on the military front. There has to be a concerted effort on both fronts.

KINKADE: All right. Colonel Cedric Leighton, good to have your perspective. Thanks so much for joining us.

LEIGHTON: You bet, Lynda. Anytime.

KINKADE: Well, this weekend, Vladimir Putin will be in China. Leader Xi Jinping is hosting the Russian president at a major security summit. Also

invited is Indian Prime Minister Norendra Modi. President Putin will be the guest of honor at a military parade in Beijing next week with North Korea's

Kim Jong Un sitting nearby. Not going is U.S. President Donald Trump. And as Ivan Watson reports, this could either showcase a potential new player

block or reveal Mr. Trump's far-reaching impact.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Three world leaders whose countries dominate the map of Asia are about to meet in

China for a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. But looming over this Eurasian gathering will be the elephant not in the room.

[18:10:00]

YUN SUN, CHINA PROGRAM DIRECTOR, STIMSON CENTER: For this particular summit U.S. may not be at the table, but U.S. is always present.

WATSON (VOICE-OVER): India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi will make his first trip to China in seven years.

DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: We did it with India.

WATSON (VOICE-OVER): Days after Trump slammed a 50 percent tariff on Indian exports to the U.S. China and India's relationship cratered after a series

of deadly clashes first erupted along their disputed border in 2020.

JOE BIDEN, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT: So welcome again, Mr. Prime Minister. We have a big agenda.

WATSON (VOICE-OVER): For decades, Washington has been grooming India as a democratic counterbalance to China. But that suddenly changed in July when

Trump called India a dead economy and announced his punishing tariffs, insisting it was a penalty for buying Russian oil.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: India needs the support of the United States and with that support no longer assured or in fact almost gone, Mr. Modi had no

option but to go and cut a deal with President Xi.

WATSON (VOICE-OVER): Meanwhile, Russia's president will stand with his old friend, Xi Jinping, again shortly after Trump rolled out the red carpet for

Vladimir Putin in Alaska.

TRUMP: Thank you very much, Vladimir.

I'm very disappointed with the conversation I had today with President Putin.

WATSON (VOICE-OVER): But Trump's on again, off again overtures to the Russian strongman unlikely to impact Russia and China's so-called "no

limits" partnership.

Analysts say the glue that binds these once hostile neighbors ever closer is their shared perception of the U.S. as a threat.

SUN: For Washington, the traditional term that has been used is how do we break the Russia-China collusion? Well, it's a catch-22 because your desire

to break their collusion is the reason that they collude as a first place.

WATSON (VOICE-OVER): In 2022, just days before Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Putin and Xi called for the creation of a new world order.

The U.S.' biggest global competitor is now capitalizing on Trump's chaotic diplomacy.

SUN: The message here that we have seen China emphasize is China represents credibility. It represents stability. It represents policy predictability.

WATSON (VOICE-OVER): Expect Xi to use this summit to present a Chinese-led alternative to a world long dominated by the U.S.

Ivan Watson, CNN, Tianjin, China.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KINKADE: News just into us, a U.S. Appeals Court has just delivered a major blow to many of President Trump's global tariffs. The court says the

president unlawfully used emergency powers to put them in place. Our Katelyn Polantz is following the story and joins us now live. Good to have

you on this breaking news, Katelyn. So, just tell U.S. about what's at stake, which tariffs are affected by this ruling?

KATELYN POLANTZ, CNN CRIME AND JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Well, these are not all of the tariffs, but these are some of the tariffs, especially the ones

that Donald Trump imposed on countries like Mexico, Canada, and China at the very beginning of the administration.

What the appeals court found just now, this is the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals, they're based in Washington. They look at trade issues. What they

are deciding here, it's the full court too sitting in this majority opinion, they're saying that Trump illegally used an emergency power,

saying that the country was in an emergency because of drug trafficking, especially at the southern border, and that he wanted to impose these

tariffs because he was unhappy with how these countries, Mexico, China, and Canada, had handled it.

So, what the court is finding is that he can't do that. He can't do that sort of move with saying there's emergency power and imposing those

tariffs. They're sending this case though back down to the lower court and saying, you guys figure it out whether the tariffs should be blocked. This

was a case where it was brought by a certain group of companies that were suing. So, we're going to have to see exactly what happens in that lower

court if -- how they work out, if there is going to be a block of tariffs exactly to put in place what this ruling is.

But there are tariffs out there that will go into effect, including the ones that Trump has placed on autos, auto parts, steel, aluminum, and on

some other countries as well.

KINKADE: So, at this point in time, do you know how long the administration has to respond to this ruling?

POLANTZ: Well, the way that this will work is that it will go back down to another court. The administration can do a lot of different things, and we

see procedurally them making a lot of different moves in different cases like these. So, we'll just have to wait and see exactly how they respond

publicly and in court here.

But what we will see next, at least, is potentially some appeals up to the Supreme Court as well as potentially a lower court, the Court of

International Trade, working out exactly what this means for those tariffs themselves.

[18:15:00]

KINKADE: It certainly seems this ruling sending a message about presidential overreach. But I want to ask you, Katelyn, about another story

we've been talking about today, which is the Federal Reserve governor, Lisa Cook, fighting to hold onto her job after being fired by Donald Trump. Just

tell U.S. where her case is at right now.

POLANTZ: Well, her case has not been decided, and it's not even clear if she's going to be able to continue serving in her role as a Federal Reserve

governor while this case is ongoing. There was this two-hour argument in court this morning before Judge Jia Cobb. She's a trial level judge in the

district court in Washington. And what Judge Cobb said is she wants to hear a little bit more of the legal arguments on paper over the next couple

days. And so, we're not going to get a ruling resolving whether Lisa Cook can continue showing up for work until at the earliest Tuesday.

But there are really big questions here at stake as well. The independence of the Federal Reserve as a Central Bank, if it's more harmful to let Cook

continues serving in this job when Donald Trump says she should go, or if it's more harmful for her not to be able to go to work if she's being

wrongfully terminated, that is going to be a big question.

The other question here is how much power this judge or the courts generally will have to determine exactly what it means to fire someone for

cause in this presidency. Donald Trump says there are mortgage fraud allegations, and that's enough. He's firing her for cause. And she argues

that's not enough. They are all a pretext to achieve Donald Trump's political ends.

KINKADE: All right. Katelyn Polantz staying across the door for us. Good to have you with us. Thank you.

Well, U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has named Jim O'Neill as the acting director of the CDC. O'Neill is a former technology and biotech

investor who has been serving as Kennedy's deputy. He's not a physician and he has limited medical background. He is only held the role at HHS since

June. And this, of course, comes days after the CDC director, Dr. Susan Monarez, was suddenly ousted, reportedly for clashing with Kennedy of a

vaccine policy. Four top CDC officials resigned in protest.

One more political turmoil, this time in Thailand, after its prime minister was removed from office over a leaked phone call. A court said the

conversation with Cambodia's former leader came at the height of border tensions over the summer and broke rules on ethics. Our Mike Valerio

reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MIKE VALERIO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who was Thailand's youngest ever serving prime minister is now removed from office

effective immediately.

So, what exactly is behind this move? Well, a court in Thailand ruled that the now former prime minister violated Thailand's ethics rules in a

controversial phone call. The context, this goes back to tense border clashes over the summer between Thailand and Cambodia. Paetongtarn got on

the phone with Cambodia's former prime minister, Hun Sen, and could be heard calling him, quote, "uncle" and appearing to criticize her own army's

actions.

Paetongtarn added in that phone call that if Hun Sen, quote, "wants anything just tell me and I will take care of it," end quote. Contentious

remarks that became the center of the court case against her. The phone call was recorded and leaked, confirmed as authentic by both sides. And

here is Paetongtarn after Friday's burden (ph).

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PAETONGTARN SHINAWATRA, FORMER THAI PRIME MINISTER (through translator): First and foremost, with respect for the justice process, I accept the

verdict of the constitutional court. However, as a Thai person, I would like to affirm my sincerity and my genuine intention to always work for the

country. In the leaked audio clip, I didn't ask for anything for my personal gain.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VALERIO: So, this leaked phone call struck a nerve in Thailand where nationalist fervor was already running high over the border dispute, and

opponents accused Paetongtarn of compromising the country's national interests. The five-day conflict eventually resulted in at least 38 people

dead, mostly civilians, and forced hundreds of thousands to flee their homes.

Paetongtarn is now the latest, the fourth member of her family to be dismissed as premier. Her father, aunt, and uncle have all been forced out

of office. So, as for what happens now, parliament will have to approve a new prime minister. If they can't, it raises the prospects of new elections

and Thai voters may have to decide who becomes prime minister next.

Mike Valerio, CNN, Seoul.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KINKADE: Well, still to come, a Bitcoin bull. President Trump's son, Eric, speaks at a Hong Kong crypto conference as he gets ready to take his latest

crypto venture public. That story next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:20:00]

KINKADE: Welcome back. Let's check all the action on Wall Street right now. It was a rough day for U.S. stocks on the last trading day of August. You

can see the NASDAQ down over 1 percent there. All the major averages lost ground. Tech stocks were the biggest losers. Stocks pulled back after new

U.S. inflation report, showing core prices rising to their highest level since February. U.S. markets are closed on Monday for the federal Labor Day

holiday.

Well, the rough end to the week for Bitcoin. The cryptocurrency is down more than 3 percent today and off more than 10 percent from its record high

back in mid-August. That said, President Trump's son, Eric, made a bold prediction at a Hong Kong crypto conference. He said that in the next few

years, quote, "There's no question Bitcoin hits $1 million." He was in Asia to promote his and his brother's latest crypto initiative. Our Kristie Lu

Stout reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ERIC TRUMP, AMERICAN BITCOIN CO-FOUNDER: Everybody wants Bitcoin. Everybody is buying Bitcoin.

KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Eric Trump is hyping crypto in Hong Kong just as Bitcoin is on fire.

In August, the digital asset hit a record high of $124,000. Crypto is booming on the back of policy support from Eric's father, U.S. President

Donald Trump. And fans here at Bitcoin Asia are all in.

ROCKSTAR DEV, DEVELOPER: Bitcoin is just better technology for money.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Bitcoin's definitely going to be play a very big part of the future.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think it's going to be higher and higher.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We love Bitcoins.

STOUT (voice-over): The Trump family has piled into crypto through a range of investments, including World Liberty Financial, Trump's very own meme

coin, and American Bitcoin set to start trading in September. Chinese crypto mogul, Justin Sun, famous for paying over $6 million for a banana

duct tape to a wall, pumped $75 million into World Liberty tokens. Afterwards, U.S. securities regulators hit pause on their civil fraud case

against him.

HILARY ALLEN, LAW PROFESSOR, AMERICAN UNIVERSITY: There are no limits on the opportunities that there are to seek favor with the person issuing

those crypto assets. After arranging Trump to speak at his conference last year.

D. TRUMP: I want to thank David Bailey for inviting me.

STOUT (voice-over): Bailey is bringing the party to Hong Kong.

[18:25:00]

DAVID BAILEY, BITCOIN INVESTOR: China's the one of the biggest bitcoin mining locations in the world. They have one of the biggest user bases of

Bitcoin in the world. Their citizens own a huge percentage of the Bitcoin. They're a Bitcoin superpower. And, you know, my word of advice to China

would be to embrace being a Bitcoin superpower as -- just in the same way that the United States is embracing it and own it.

STOUT (voice-over): In 2021, China banned crypto trading and mining over financial stability concerns. But sands are shifting.

STOUT: In August, Hong Kong became one of the first markets in the world to regulate issuers of fiat-backed stable coins. That's crypto linked to real

world currencies like the U.S. dollar. It's all part of a bigger bid for this Chinese city to become a digital assets hub.

ALLEN: The FOMO, the -- you know, the desire to be a hub even comes from this, I think, general sense in our society that we have, that you need to

be the leader in whatever the latest hot technology is, because that's how you get progress, that's how you get growth. There are a lot of negatives

for society. And really. the primary legal use case is speculation.

STOUT (voice-over): The New Yorker estimates, President Trump and his family have made over $2.3 billion from crypto ventures.

E. TRUMP: This is the time to buy. Volatility is your friend. Buy right now, shut your eyes, hold it for the next five years and you are going to

do terrifically well.

ROCKSTAR DEV: People love to hear Eric Trump. So, I personally not a big fan, but I -- you know, like the -- what he's doing for Bitcoin, appreciate

it.

STOUT (voice-over): Judging from the hype here, they're banking on more upside to come in Asia.

Kristie Lu Stout, CNN, Hong Kong.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KINKADE: Well, coming up after the break 20 years ago today, Hurricane Katrina, devastated the City of New Orleans. We're going to take a look at

the lessons learned.

Plus, on track for a record rate of deportations under Donald Trump. ICE removes tens of thousands of migrants from the U.S. We hear from one man

who says he was treated brutally.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:30:00]

KINKADE: Welcome back to "The Brief." I'm Lynda Kinkade. Here are your international headlines we're watching today. Ukrainian delegates have been

meeting with U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff in New York. Ukraine says the talks are to push forward real diplomacy after efforts by the U.S. to bring

Russia to the negotiating table appear to have failed. Witkoff was briefed on Russia's massive strike on Kyiv this week, which Ukraine says killed at

least 25 people including children.

Sources tell CNN that the Trump administration is moving to send hundreds of Guatemalan children in U.S. government custody back to their home

country. The children arrived in the U.S. alone and have been waiting to be released to a parent or guardian in the U.S. The children are expected to

be reunited with family in Guatemala. Sources say the reparations are part of a pilot program between the Trump administration and the government of

Guatemala.

Israel is ramping up its attacks on Gaza ahead of its planned assault on Gaza City. It's also suspending humanitarian pauses in fighting, which were

a vital way to bring in aid. Those developments, as Israel says, it has recovered the bodies of two hostages. There are now 48 hostages remaining

in Gaza, 20 of them are thought to be alive.

With more developments out of Gaza City, Jeremy Diamond filed this report from Tel Aviv.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: Well, Israeli military bombardment and artillery shelling of Gaza City is indeed ramping up as

Israel prepares for a full-scale invasion of Gaza City, where nearly 1 million people live and are now at risk of being forcibly displaced. The

Israeli military indeed carrying out a number of strikes that have set off huge plumes of smoke, particularly in the northern part of Gaza City.

Much of this seems to be a precursor for ground troop movement into that city. As we know right now, there are Israeli troops that are operating

just north of Gaza City in Jabalya, as well as in the Southern Gaza City neighborhood of Zeitoun.

It's not clear how close we are to that ground troop movement actually happening in Gaza City, but the Israeli military now declaring Gaza City a,

quote, "dangerous combat zone" ending the temporary 10-hour per day tactical pauses that were meant to allow humanitarian aid to flow in, in

terms of that part of Gaza City. Those tactical pauses effectively over now in Gaza City. As an Israeli military official tells me, these are the

initial stages of this Gaza City operation.

59 people have been killed over the course of the past day, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. But of course, there are the broader risks

of exacerbating the already awful humanitarian crisis in Gaza as a result of this military operation with nearly a million people at risk of being

forcibly displaced. And Gaza City, of course, already gripped by famine according to U.N. experts.

Now, Israeli troops also operating elsewhere in Gaza and have recovered the bodies of two Israeli hostages. We only know the identity of one of those

hostages so far. His name is Ilan Weiss. He is 56 years old. He was killed in Hamas' attack on October 7th on Kibbutz Be'eri, and his body was then

taken into Gaza and has been held as a bargaining chip until now. But his body has now been returned to his family and will finally be able to get a

proper burial.

The fate of so many other hostages still hangs in the balance, though there are now 48 hostages remaining in Gaza, 20 of whom are believed to be alive.

But we know, of course, that the conditions in which they are being held in are desperate.

Jeremy Diamond, CNN, Tel Aviv.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KINKADE: U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement has now deported around 200,000 people since Donald Trump returned to office, that's according to a

senior Homeland Security official. The agency is on track for its highest rate of removals in at least a decade, but the numbers still fall short of

the White House's overall stated goal. CNN has spoken to a deported migrant about his arrest and that of his brother. The video of that arrest has gone

viral. Maria Santana has this story. And a warning, some of the images in her report are disturbing.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You can't do that. You can't do that.

MARIA SANTANA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): 42-year-old Leonel Chavez captured his own arrest in Norwalk, Connecticut. He says he was driving to

work with his brother Ricardo on the morning of August 15th, when federal immigration agents surrounded his truck demanding they get out. He says the

agents gave no explanation before they smashed his window, cut his seatbelt, and shocked him with a taser.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What are you looking for?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get out of the car.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why?

[13:35:00]

SANTANA (VOICE-OVER): Speaking from Mexico, Leonel shows us the scars left by the taser. But he says the wounds run much deeper.

LEONEL CHAVEZ, MIGRANT DEPORTED TO MEXICO: I'm screaming because I'm scared. But after that, trying to pull me up and like I said, the seatbelt

on the place they cut the seatbelt and just pulled me out.

SANTANA (VOICE-OVER): After being detained for about a week in a Massachusetts detention center, he was deported, forced to leave behind his

family and the life he built in the United States.

CHAVEZ: I don't feel home like, because all my life is in the U.S. I miss my kids. I miss my wife, my church, my community.

SANTANA (VOICE-OVER): Leonel says he was just 17 years old when he moved to the U.S. He started his own masonry business, married an American citizen,

and has three U.S.-born children. He says he has worked with an attorney over the years to file for legal status, but was never able to get his

papers.

SANTANA: I could see in one video how proud you were when your daughter graduated college. What is it like being away from your children and your

wife and knowing that you may not be part of more big moments like that?

CHAVEZ: It's sad. It's sad because my son is graduating this year and my daughter, too for high school and my son for college. But after that, I

leave in everything God's hands.

SANTANA (VOICE-OVER): Leonel says his brother, who had been in the U.S. since 2008 was also deported. In images shot by a passerby, Ricardo can be

seen running from an agent who shocks him several times after he falls to the ground. With his face bloodied, Ricardo is then handcuffed.

That video of his brother's arrest has drawn questions from officials in Connecticut. Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum, went further calling it

a possible human rights violation.

But in a statement to CNN, the Department of Homeland Security said their agents followed protocol and used only the minimum force necessary. They

also called Leonel an illegal immigrant with a long criminal record. Court documents show Leonel has several decades' old misdemeanor convictions,

mistakes he says were made in his youth.

CHAVEZ: That's my in past, like in my teenage years, you know. After maybe 25, I do everything right and try to be a better person.

SANTANA (VOICE-OVER): He now longs for the day he is reunited with his family in the only place he's ever called home.

CHAVEZ: I love America. I love USA. because I got all my family there, all my, like I say, all my friends, families, church. Sooner or later, I'll be

back. But I got to do the right thing, you know? Legal, straight everything so I can start a new life.

Maria Santana, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KINKADE: Washington State officials are denouncing the arrests by U.S. border patrol agents of two firefighters. It happened as they were battling

a wildfire has scorched thousands of acres. Homeland Security officials say the two were in the U.S. illegally. They were taken to a facility near the

Canadian border under Trump administration's crackdown. Well, Border Patrol says the arrest did not interfere with the efforts to contain the Bear

Gulch Fire. It's burned 9,000 acres since early July and is still just 13 percent contained.

Well, from fires to floods, and 20 years ago today, a major American city was underwater. On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina slammed into the U.S.

Gulf Coast, bringing powerful winds and rain. New Orleans sitting below sea level and in between a lake and a river bore the brunt of Katrina's wrap.

The levees broke and water rushed in and had nowhere to go. Many of the New Orleans citizens also had nowhere to go, and some were stranded on

rooftops. Other way -- others were evacuated to overcrowded facilities like the Superdome.

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CROWD: We want help. We want help. Help.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KINKADE: Help was slow to calm, in many cases, it was too late. In all, nearly 1,400 people died in the storm and its aftermath. There was plenty

of blame to go around for the botched Katrina response, but those, along with the Gulf Coast, began the daunting task of rebuilding. New Orleans is

honoring that spirit of resilience with marches, rallies, memorials, and of course music. CNN's Gustavo Valdes takes a look at the city's long road to

recovery.

[18:40:00]

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GUSTAVO VALDES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Twenty years after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, you can see signs of the new life in the city.

These houses are an example of the recovery in the Lower Ninth Ward, one of the city's most affected areas.

VALDES (voice-over): Angelica Rivera is one of the many workers who helped bring it back to life.

VALDES: Is the New Orleans you see today the same New Orleans you came to?

ANGELICA RIVERA, PRESIDENT, COLMEX CONSTRUCTION: No, not at all.

VALDES (voice-over): With small children, one barely a few months old, she moved from Orlando after the storm, following her husband, a handyman who

saw an opportunity working in construction.

RIVERA: I'm not going to lie. I cried a couple of times because I was, like, I don't want to be here.

VALDES (voice-over): Because basic services like drinking water and electricity were slow to return. But they didn't give up, growing their

business from a small team only doing house framing to a full- set construction company, helping many homeowners who they say were swindled by

contractors who took their money and left town.

RIVERA: So, a lot of people were without money and without a house.

VALDES (voice-over): Their growth was fueled by thousands of workers who came from across the country and outside the U.S. to work in construction.

RIVERA: Because most of the people that was here was Latinos.

VALDES (voice-over): Who worked in difficult conditions, battling the intense heat and humidity to rebuild this iconic American city. Their

efforts are celebrated in this sculpture in the infamous Ninth Ward ground zero of the deadly floods.

DR. JUAN JORGE GERSHENIK, NEONATOLOGIST: I really believe that they were key in trying to get the New Orleans area back.

VALDES (voice-over): Dr. Juan Gershenik commissioned the sculpture after speaking with children of those workers, who he says were shy about their

parents' profession. He wanted them to be proud of the work their parents did.

GERSHENIK: Undoubtedly, that was my first goal.

VALDES (voice-over): High praise coming from a person considered one of the heroes of the post-Katrina tragedy, evacuating premature babies out of the

hospital, manually blowing oxygen to one of them for hours, accolades he'd rather be given to others.

GERSHENIK: The understanding of how much the contribution of the Latinos was made during the post-Katrina recovery time.

VALDES (voice-over): Many of those came thinking their stay in the Big Easy would be temporary. But now, they call it home.

According to the U.S. census, the Hispanic population of metropolitan New Orleans has doubled in the past 20 years, as the number of Black and white

residents has decreased.

RIVERA: Someone said that if you drink water from the Mississippi River, you stay in New Orleans and you will never leave. I think I did that

because this is our home now.

VALDES (voice-over): Gustavo Valdes, CNN, New Orleans.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KINKADE: Well still to come on "The Brief", who is really steering the future of A.I. Time Magazine unveils its list of the most powerful names in

artificial intelligence. We'll have the details and an interview next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:45:00]

KINKADE: Welcome back. I'm Lynda Kinkade. Updating one of our top stories right now, U.S. Appeals Court has delivered a major blow to many of

President Trump's tariffs. The court ruled Mr. Trump unlawfully used emergency powers for the tariffs instead of going to Congress for approval.

President Trump is blasting that ruling on social media. He says all tariffs are still in effect. He called the Appeals Court highly partisan.

And he says, quote, "If these tariffs ever went away, it would be a total disaster for the country. It would make us financially weak." Well, the

tariffs do remain in place for now pending an appeal.

Well, who is shaping the future of artificial intelligence? Time Magazine has just released this year's Time 100 A.I. List, recognizing the world's

most influential people in this space. The list includes ex-A.I. founder Elon Musk, Natasha Lyonne, who uses human-centric A.I. in filmmaking, and

Pope Leo. Ayesha Javed joins U.S. now with the details. She's a senior editor at Time Magazine. Great to have you with us.

AYESHA JAVED, SENIOR EDITOR, TIME: Thanks for having me.

KINKADE: So, Time -- the Time 100 A.I. List was launched back in 2023 in the wake of ChatGPT. It emphasizes the people, not the machines. Take us

through the philosophy behind this year's selection.

JAVED: Sure. So, yes, as you said we launched soon after ChatGPT first came out. And somewhat surprisingly, what we found is that over the past three

years of producing this list there have been a huge number of new people sort of emerging as influential figures in this space. And I think, you

know, that that just demonstrates how rapidly this this technology and this industry is evolving. So, for example, this year we have 84 new people on

the list.

KINKADE: Wow. And this list includes not just tech leaders, but policy makers and creators. But there are surprises. Why did Pope Leo make the

list?

JAVED: He is a really interesting one. Actually, he has made A.I. one of the key priorities quite early on. So, he's compared the era of A.I. to the

Industrial Revolution. He's very concerned about the ethics and governance around A.I. and making sure that it doesn't harm people, whether that's in

terms of labor, mental health, or children's wellbeing.

KINKADE: Certainly some A.I. tools have sparked concerns around bias and ethics. I'm thinking of Grok by Elon Musk. How do those issues factor into

the decision making?

JAVED: Well, we certainly have to consider any sort of A.I. tools that are influential. And we have certainly kind of looked at people who are doing

work around bias, but also the most popular tools, and Grok is one of those that is becoming increasingly popular among users. And that's something

that we have to consider as we write up exactly what's going on with whatever the tool is and the people behind it.

KINKADE: Certainly, the scale and the speed of investment in A.I. is unprecedented. We heard from OpenAI's founder, Sam Altman, last week saying

that he believes we're in an A.I. bubble, and he is, of course, one of the innovators on your list. What does that say about the current stakes and

the pace of A.I. development?

JAVED: I think this list really sort of demonstrates the excitement and enthusiasm around A.I., which I think Sam Altman alluded to. We also have

Jensen Huang on the list whose company has become -- touched a kind of trillion valuation, NVIDIA. And so, that really shows that there is a lot

of interest, excitement, and money that is really being kind of thrown into this industry.

[18:50:00]

And you know, whether that -- whether it is a bubble remains to be seen, but the technology is not going anywhere.

KINKADE: No, it certainly isn't. Great to have you with us. Ayesha Javed from Time Magazine, thanks so much. We appreciate it.

JAVED: Thank you.

KINKADE: Well, a futurist race across the Australian Outback. We're going to tell you about what is powering these special looking cars, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KINKADE: Welcome back. I'm Lynda Kinkade. The World Solar Challenge wrapped up this week in Australia. It's a bit of a cross between Mad Max and Greta

Thunberg where drivers race across the outback with cars powered by the sun. Here's a look at this year's winners.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KINKADE (voice-over): Celebrating their victory in Adelaide, Team Brunel from the Netherlands, the fastest solar powered car to cross Australia from

north to south in this year's Bridgestone's World Solar Challenge. Thirty- four solar powered cars from around the world set off on the challenge last weekend at speed, sometimes topping 100 kilometers per hour. The cars

zipped along a 3,000-kilometer route, stopping at 5:00 p.m. each night and taking off again at eight in the morning. The challenge starts in Darwin

and ends in Adelaide, with the vast outback in between.

Held every two years, the event requires designers and engineers to find the best mix of speed, endurance and energy efficiency.

DANNY KENNEDY, GLOBAL SOLAR COUNCIL: Effectively, they've turned the Sturt Highway into a 3,000-kilometer sandbox to just create new, better, faster

ways of driving on sunshine.

KINKADE (voice-over): This year, many of the fastest cars featured fins of varying sizes and shapes. When deployed, they can harness wind power to

join forces with solar power.

DAVID MOL, BRUNEL SOLAR TEAM AERODYNAMICS ENGINEER: So, a fin uses crosswinds to generate lift and the lift points forward, so it creates an

extra force forward, which makes sure that our cars more efficient and can cut through the air.

MATTHEW ANDERSON, MICHIGAN TEAM MANAGER: It's a vertical airfoil that has two main benefits. First, it draws out forward thrust like a sail on a

boat, and second, it steadies us in crosswind. So, kind of like a rudder on an airplane. It helps us drive more straight in the harsh winds of the

outback.

KINKADE (voice-over): In the past, new innovations tested in this race have become mainstream in the auto industry. Like aerodynamic design and

lightweight materials.

KENNEDY: And I bet you in ten years' time, we'll all be taking it for granted that the cars coming out have, you know, weird little foils and

things that, you know, you're wondering how they came up with that. Well, here you go. This is how they came up with it. It was tested by these teams

on this trip, on this track, at this time.

KINKADE (voice-over): In 2019, the Brunel team from the Delft University of Technology suffered a car fire, a memory that made this year's win even

sweeter.

[18:55:00]

KEES BROEK, BRUNEL SOLAR TEAM: It feels back to rise back from the ashes, come back stronger every time. And yeah, we drove a record time today in

Adelaide, so I'm really glad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KINKADE (on camera): Well, the Labor Day weekend here in the United States traditionally marks the unofficial end of summer, and that leaves the

burning question, what was the song of summer? Well, if you are a Sabrina Carpenter fan, you may already know.

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(MUSIC PLAYING)

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KINKADE: Sabrina. Sabrina Carpenter's new album is out today making a late play for the unofficial award. That song "Manchild" has already won of five

songs that Spotify has declared as its songs of summer, along with "Ordinary" by Alex Warren and "Shake It To The Max" by Moliy.

Well, thanks so much for your company. I'm Lynda Kinkade in Atlanta. You've been watching "The Brief." Have a great weekend and stay with CNN for much

more news.

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