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The Brief with Jim Sciutto

Hamas Agrees To Immediately Negotiate Hostage Releases; Hamas Responds Positively To Trump's Gaza Peace Plan; Sean Combs Sentenced To 50 Months In Prison; U.S. Government Shutdown Deadlock; Two Victims In Synagogue Attack Hit by Police Gunfire; U.S. Strikes Another Boat Off Venezuela Coast; Taylor Swift's New Album. Aired 6-7p ET

Aired October 03, 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]

ANNA COOBAN, CNN BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS REPORTER: Remember, this album comes hot off the heels of a record-breaking era's tour.

JAKE TAPPER, CNN ANCHOR: All right. Anna Cooban, thank you so much. Appreciate it.

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN Breaking News --

NICK WATT, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us from all around the world. I'm Nick Watt in Los Angeles. Jim Sciutto is off today.

You're watching "The Brief."

Just ahead this hour, U.S. President Trump says he believes Hamas is ready for a lasting peace and calls on Israel to stop bombing Gaza. A judge

sentences Sean Diddy Combs to more than four years in prison, saying the music mogul irreparably harmed two women. And Taylor Swift's new album,

"The Life of a Showgirl," is finally out in stores. All that and more coming up.

We begin with breaking news. Hamas says it has agreed to enter immediate negotiations to release all remaining hostages held in Gaza, abiding by the

exchange formula in President Donald Trump's 20-point peace plan. We're waiting to hear from the president, but in the last hour, he posted on

social media that he believes Hamas is ready for a lasting peace. But he said Israel must immediately stop the bombing of Gaza to get the hostages

out safely and quickly.

Hours before that, the president warned the militant group must accept his deal by Sunday evening Eastern time or expect all hell to break out. Mr.

Trump unveiled the plan on Monday alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House. And while the prime minister has publicly

backed the plan, his cabinet hasn't voted on it yet. And we've yet to hear an official response from Israel to these latest developments.

Let's go straight to Jeremy Dimond, who is in Tel Aviv. Jeremy, what is your reaction to this news?

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: Well, the statement from President Trump on social media is just absolutely earth-shattering. And it

really signals some very big things to come if indeed the Israeli government follows through. And that's because President Trump has just

called, seemingly for the first time, for Israel to, quote, "immediately stop the bombing of Gaza."

He is going off of Hamas' statement, which was not an explicit agreement to this 20-point plan, but it was positive enough that President Trump is

accepting it as such and certainly framing it as such publicly, saying that following Hamas' statement, he believes that Hamas is, quote, "ready for a

lasting peace." And so, what we are starting to see take shape here is that after Israel approved of President Trump's 20-point plan, now Hamas has

issued a statement responding positively to this plan, although clearly with some caveats as well as some omissions about some key components,

President Trump is putting those details aside and basically taking at Israel has accepted it, Hamas has now accepted it, and he wants to move

forward with negotiating the implementation of this.

And what this basically means is that, first of all, this deadline of Sunday at 6 p.m., for there to be a full agreement between these two sides,

that seems to be going away in favor of the president framing both of these sides as having accepted his plan, and he's now going to allow the very

difficult work to take place to actually get that plan to a full-fledged agreement that can actually be implemented on the ground.

And it's also quite clear that the president wants to move forward with two things immediately, and that is a ceasefire in Gaza, meaning Israel needs

to stop bombing the Gaza Strip, and secondly, for Hamas to release all 48 hostages, 20 of whom are believed to be alive, within 72 hours of this

agreement.

The president is making clear that the release of the hostages can't take place until Israel stops bombing the Gaza Strip. We have yet to receive a

response from the Israeli government to this, but their response, of course, will be critical here.

You know, when I first read Hamas' response, again, while it was positive, it was quite similar to much of what we have heard them say before, perhaps

repackaged, and I think that there are many in Israel who might even have interpreted that as Hamas not accepting this 20-point plan at all.

[18:05:00]

But now that President Trump has framed it as an acceptance from Hamas that is really going to put the Israeli government and the Israeli Prime

Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a very, very tough position here, where if he moves forward with framing this as Hamas rejecting it, he is directly

contradicting the president of the United States, and he risks a scenario where it seemed a few days ago like Hamas was being the one that was being

isolated, pressured by the United States, where the tables could very much turn very, very quickly here.

So, these are some critical minutes and hours that lie ahead, and we are, of course, asking and waiting to see what the Israeli government's response

will be to it all.

WATT: Jeremy Diamond in Tel Aviv, thank you very much. And joining me now is Daniel Benaim. He's a fellow at the Middle East Institute, and he worked

in the Biden administration as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Arabian Peninsula Affairs. Now, a lot of ifs here, right? I mean, President

Trump is bigging this up as historic as he has been all week. There are a lot of details still to iron out here, though, right?

DANIEL BENAIM, ASSOCIATE FELLOW, MIDDLE EAST INSTITUTE: No, there certainly are. I think what you see the president doing is trying to box in both

sides here. It's what James Baker used to call dead cat diplomacy. You threaten that you'll blame each side and deposit that blame on their

doorstep like a dead cat and try to get them to do something to get the blame away and put it on the other side. You saw him do that with

Netanyahu, with Hamas. And now, the ball has bounced back to Israel to make another statement.

But I think you're right. Hamas has not really agreed to the 20-point plan that Trump put forward. There were notable differences, even in what they

accepted. As far as the governance of Gaza, there was no international trusteeship. There was no disarmament. They really seem to have agreed to

something else entirely. And I think the hard work of diplomacy is going to be bridging those gaps. But it's pretty clear that the Trump administration

is really going for it because for the first time they issued this public call on Israel to stop bombing Gaza.

There are a lot of spoilers on both sides that will want to hold back an agreement and a tremendous amount of work to bridge these gaps. So, here's

hoping this is the beginning of the end of the war, but there's a lot of hard work ahead.

WATT: And in terms of how Netanyahu reacts, I mean, Jeremy was just saying we're waiting for the reaction from the Israeli government. I mean,

President Trump is arguably more popular in Israel than Benjamin Netanyahu is. I mean, does Netanyahu have the ability to go against Trump here, or

does he just have to fall in line for international and domestic reasons?

BENAIM: Well, I think he's in a politically agonizing position because members of his own coalition on the hard right have said that if he ends

the war, they will leave the coalition. So, he's in a very difficult political situation, and we'll have to see how the rest of Israeli politics

responds and what other actors on the spectrum are willing to do there to allow for this deal to proceed, because the current Israeli government may

not accept it, but there may be another Israeli government that will. So, a lot to be done here inside Israel.

Netanyahu is firmly wedged between Trump on the one hand and Smotrich and Ben-Gvir on the other, between his best international backer and his

coalition partners who have propped up his government. So, he has some political footwork to do.

WATT: And listen, this has obviously been going on for decades. We've seen many false storms in the past. As I mentioned with Jeremy, you know,

President Trump, perhaps with half an eye on a Nobel Prize, he does like to solve wars, is bigging this up. But are you optimistic as he is? I mean, is

this really going to be historic, something big, or is it just way too early to tell?

BENAIM: It's way too early to tell. I think it's a hopeful moment. It's clear that they're going for it. A lot of things have been shifting. You

see the Arab and Turkish countries coming together to say that Hamas must go and putting additional pressure on Hamas alongside the weakening of

Iran. You see the president putting additional pressure on Israel over the last week after several months of real passivity as the ceasefire collapsed

and a humanitarian aid freeze was in place. The strikes in Doha and the Gaza City campaign seem to have really woken up President Trump to the fact

that this war is ongoing.

And so, there is a real moment of opportunity and an inflection point here for diplomacy to try to work. There are an awful lot of details not yet

decided. You can't let the sugar high of a good announcement get in the way of the difficult work of disarming Hamas and keeping them out of the future

governance of Gaza, which are going to be preconditions for Israel.

[18:10:00]

But you also have to take hope. Hope is the currency of diplomacy here. You have to draft on that hope and work with your Arab and Turkish partners and

others to get these sides together and try to bridge these gaps. You can't declare victory prematurely, but sure, it's important. Yes?

WATT: Sorry, I just wanted to because we're running out of time. I've got one more question I really want to ask you quickly. You just touched on it

there. I mean, if Hamas agrees to all these 20 points, it basically agrees itself out of existence, which, frankly, I cannot see happening. So,

there's got to be some wiggle room here if this is going to get anywhere, particularly for Hamas. Hamas will not agree to walking away quietly,

right?

BENAIM: No, I think that's exactly right. I think we don't know exactly whether to take their yes as a yes, and or a yes, but it certainly wasn't a

yes, sir. It was the kind of yes that the two sides will have to negotiate. They said yes to talks, not yes to really starting down this path

immediately.

So, I think a hopeful moment, a whole lot of work remaining and every chance that this could be another false dawn. But the war is an open wound

and you have to take every chance you can to end it on terms that both sides can live with for the people on all sides of this thing.

WATT: Daniel Benaim, I really appreciate your time. Thank you so much.

BENAIM: Thank you.

WATT: More breaking news. Music mogul Sean Diddy Combs has been sentenced to four plus years in prison. He also received a $500,000 fine. Now, in

July, a jury convicted Combs of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. However, he was acquitted on charges of sex trafficking and

conspiracy. Now, during the hearing, Combs and his legal team blamed drugs and PTSD for the producer's behavior.

Earlier, Combs' team released a documentary style video showcasing his family and his charity work. Elizabeth Wagmeister was in the courtroom.

Elizabeth, any reaction yet from Combs' victims?

ELIZABETH WAGMEISTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Nick, I did receive a statement, let me pull it up right here, from Cassie Ventura's

attorney, Doug Wigdor. Now, Cassie Ventura was not in court, which is notable, of course, because she was the primary victim in this entire case.

And the judge made a point to thank her, specifically saying that she has helped countless of women around the world with what she did in this in

this trial by telling her truth.

Now, here's the statement that I received from her attorney, quote, "While nothing can undo the trauma caused by Combs, the sentence imposed today

recognizes the impact of the serious offenses he committed. We are confident that with the support of her family and friends, Ms. Ventura will

continue healing, knowing that her bravery and fortitude have been an inspiration to so many."

Now, Nick, I'm glad that you asked about the reaction from the victims, because this was something that the judge really focused on. As he scolded

Sean Combs, he said that this sentence needs to send a message to both victims and abusers, but specifically victims, so that they know if they

come forward, that there will and can be accountability. He also said that this is conduct that often happens behind closed doors and that he wants

victims of domestic violence around the world to know that it doesn't have to stay behind closed doors, that they can come forward.

Now, I want to read you a powerful quote that the judge said to Combs. He said, why did it continue for so long? Referring to the abuse of Cassie

Ventura and the woman who testified under the pseudonym Jane. And he said, because you have the power and resources to keep it going and you didn't

get caught. So, that right there really spoke volumes. Nick.

WATT: Elizabeth, thank you so much for your time. Joining me now is attorney Areva Martin. Areva, sentencing guidelines were maybe six or seven

years. Prosecution wanted 11 years. Combs got four years. Is this a win for Diddy?

AREVA MARTIN, ATTORNEY AND LEGAL AFFAIRS COMMENTATOR: Experts, legal experts, defense attorneys say it's a huge win for him because, as you

said, the prosecution was asking for 11 years. And I think because of the recommendations of the federal probation office, they had recommended a

sentence of five to seven years. And I think most people believe that that's what the judge would follow. Judges often don't veer too far from

the recommendations from the Probation Department. But in this case, the judge handed down a sentence that was less than what was recommended by the

probation department.

[18:15:00]

And although he said this is accountability and he says that he hopes that this sentence will deter other bad actors like Sean Combs and will send a

powerful message to victims, I'm not so sure that it will. I think some victims will see that this is a pretty lenient sentence and that Combs

should have gotten perhaps more time.

WATT: Right. I mean, it's hard to square those two pronouncements from the judge. One, you know, when he said there must be a substantial sentence

given and then he doesn't really give a substantial sentence. Odd, no?

MARTIN: That's the irony, Nick. A lot of folks in that courtroom came out and said when he said that, that, you know, made the reference to a

substantial sentence that people thought, oh, this is going to be it. This is going to be tough. And then to come down with the 50 months, that is the

sentence that he gave to Combs doesn't seem to -- is very difficult to square the two.

And again, to, I think, make the credible argument that this is something that's good for victims, victims of domestic violence, victims of sex

trafficking, victims of prostitution, I think victims will feel as if they were sure change.

WATT: You know, Combs' defense team today was called him a number of times. They called him a civil rights leader, a quote from one of his defense

attorneys, "His good outweighs his bad by far." They showed this video of him with his -- you know, being a family man and also his charity work. Do

you think that has any impact on a judge in a situation like this? Do you think that maybe was a factor here?

MARTIN: Nick, you have to believe that either that video or the six children that testified today who gave those very powerful and tearful

statements about needing their dad, wanting their dad to be out, saying that they believe their dad was a changed man, but it had to have some

impact on this judge, because if you look back in terms of how the judge has ruled on all of the motions filed by Combs with respect to bill with

the rulings related to a new trial and an acquittal, and the judges repeated references to the violence that Combs used against Cassie Ventura

and the woman named Jane, you would have expected the sentence to better reflect those comments and the rulings by the court.

So, I think it's logical to conclude that the statements from the children and perhaps that stylized video had some impact on this judge.

WATT: And, Areva, you know, quickly, obviously, what he was found guilty of and what he was acquitted of. That's also key here, right? I mean, he could

have been found guilty of, you know, the trafficking charges. There was a lot more that could have been thrown at him, but that jury back in July

also, I suppose, helped lead us to this moment, right, of perhaps a shorter sentence than he wanted, right?

MARTIN: Absolutely. And he was only -- you're right. Only convicted on the two less serious charges, not the more serious RICO charge of the sex

trafficking charge. And there was arguments by the defense team that the acts related to those acquitted charges couldn't even be considered by the

judge with respect to sentencing.

Now, the judge seemed to push back on that, suggesting that there were acts that were overlapping that related both to the acquitted charges and the

convicted charges. But again, when you look at the sentencing, doesn't it all reflect, I think, the evidence that was presented during the trial and

definitely the powerful statement by the key witness in this case, which was Cassie Ventura.

WATT: Attorney Areva Martin, thank you so much for your time. Coming up after the break, the shutdown showdown that's now going to drag into at

least next week, and still no word on exactly where the acts will fall on federal jobs and programs. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:20:00]

WATT: Welcome back. In today's Business Breakout, a mixed day on Wall Street, an across-the-board rally in stocks fizzled out late in the session

on news that the U.S. government shutdown will likely last into next week. But the Dow and the S&P still finished at record highs. The all-important

monthly U.S. jobs report that was supposed to be released today was delayed because of the shutdown.

Checking some of today's other business headlines, Apple has removed a number of apps from its app store at the request of the U.S. Justice

Department. ICEBlock and similar apps give people a heads up of ICE agents nearby, allowing them to steer clear of the area. The White House argued

that these apps pose a threat to ICE agents and demanded their removal.

A new report says TikTok directs young users toward sexually explicit content on its app through its suggested search terms. Not-for-profit U.K.

watchdog Global Witness says it set up seven new U.K. TikTok accounts posing as 13-year-olds, the minimum age required for setting up an account.

It says search suggestions were, quote, "highly sexualized" for the users who browsed the app using restricted mode. TikTok says it's taken action so

it doesn't happen again.

Japanese beer giant Asahi says it still can't predict when deliveries will be back to normal again after a major cyberattack. Japanese restaurants,

bars and stores are running low on the company's products as the impact from the cyberattack heads into its sixth day. The attack crippled the

company's computer system, leading to a shutdown of its order processing, shipping, and call center operations.

No end in sight to the standoff in Washington, D.C., as Republicans and Democrats continue to blame each other for the U.S. government shutdown now

in its third day. As a result, the White House says budget director Russ Vought is looking at potential cuts. We're still waiting to see where the

axe will fall. Thousands of federal jobs are at risk.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KAROLINE LEAVITT, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: If this shutdown continues, as we've said, layoffs are an unfortunate consequence of that. And Russ

Vought has been in contact with our cabinet secretaries at their respective agencies to discuss that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WATT: In the Senate, lawmakers failed to pass short-term funding proposals from both parties. The stalemate centers largely on health care spending.

Democrats insist on extending subsidies for health coverage and won't pass a spending bill without them, even as President Trump threatens to cancel

projects and fire federal workers. One bright spot, the president says he's reversing cuts to counterterrorism funding for New York.

Joining me now is Democrat Congressman Gregory Meeks. Congressman, crystal ball time. We're now saying this is going to last into next week. Can you

see where this is going to go? Can you give us an idea what's going to happen next week?

REP. GREGORY MEEKS (D-NY): Well, look, you know, the speaker of the house just said that we're not coming back next week. You know, they've been on

vacation. They were not in Washington, D.C. this week. Democrats were there, ready to negotiate, ready to work. It's a Republican shutdown. And

the only one that can get us out of the shutdown are the Republicans.

[18:25:00]

They need to come back. And there needs to be a meeting and dialogue and conversation with Democrats so that there can be a compromise and a

bipartisan bill that's passed. It is clear the Democrats are just not going to accept a one-sided bill that just prioritizes what the Republicans want.

What we do, and I've been in Congress for a long time, there's always been a negotiation to take place.

And we thought, you know, when in March we were here, that there could have been and should have been that conversation taking place between March and

now. Nothing took place. The president refused until just a few days ago to have that meeting.

So, we can't sign off on anything until such time that they're at least having a dialogue and conversation, and we try to work and resolve

something. And then, you know, Democrats are ready. We don't want the government shutdown, but we want people in America to have healthcare also.

WATT: And listen, how do you win the messaging or how do you try to win the messaging war here? President Trump has a huge megaphone. He's very happy

to make fun of your side, belittle your side, very happy to project this as your fault. How do you compete against that?

MEEKS: By telling the truth and don't use the lies that they're trying to tell the American people, because I think the American people can tell the

truth against the lie. Look, we know all along that President Trump does not like the Affordable Care Act.

Fact of the matter is in his first term of office he was really upset with Senator McCain when he could not eliminate it. And it has been his goal

from then to eliminate the Affordable Care Act. The American people know that, and they know that they will be receiving letters in the next few

weeks that will determine whether they can keep their health insurance or not, because the cost can double if we don't make sure that those tax

credits in the Affordable Care Act and the Medicare cuts are not repealed. Hundreds of thousands would lose their health care.

So, the American people understand that. They see the games that the president is playing, you know, playing around with jokes when it's their

health care that's at stake. So, I think that it is clear with most Americans, particularly the independents, that every poll is showing that.

And I think that, or I hope that some of my Republican colleagues in both the Senate and the House realize that it is their constituents also that

will suffer and lose health care if they don't negotiate something with us so that we can open the government and make sure that citizens of the

United States have their health care.

WATT: But how do you walk the line? I mean, you say you're, you know, fighting for your constituents' health care, laudable, but some of your

constituents and people in the country at large are also potentially going to suffer if President Trump wields the ax and you guys have basically

given him carte blanche for, you know, DOGE 2.0. How do you balance those two needs of the American people and needs of your constituents, health

care, but also the potential downside of President Trump's actions?

MEEKS: Well, it's President Trump's actions and the American people will see that. Look, he's been cutting American jobs since he's been in office.

He's not done anything with reference to the economy. The economy has gotten worse. The costs have gone up. Inflation has increased. He is trying

to act as if he is a dictator actually and he's made things worse.

Some of the things that you're talking about, he already had in his plans to try to reduce even more jobs and fire even more people. So, that's who

he is and that's what he's been doing. But we're saying that we're going to stop this from happening. And the only way to stop it from happening is to

have bipartisan negotiations. It's not one sided. It should be both sides sitting at the table, having a determination of what we can agree with and

have some type of compromise. That's how a democratic government works. That's how it has worked, but whether the president was a Democrat or

Republican or the House, it has always been done that way.

And the only way that we're going to continue with a democracy as we have had it is for that to continue now and the president should open the

government and negotiate. Time is running out for healthcare for the American people. November is when these letters go out and they could begin

to lose healthcare because their healthcare costs can go up at least 44 percent.

[18:30:00]

WATT: Representative, you're also on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. I just want to change gears quickly. Any reaction from you to the Hamas

reaction to the 20-point proposal and President Trump and what we're seeing in Gaza, Israel? Any first reactions from you?

MEEKS: Yes, my first reaction, I'm hopeful that negotiations continue. I agree with the president on the 20-point plan, as I've said, as well as all

of the other countries in the region, including Israel has agreed. Now, the devil is, of course, always in the details.

And I think that Hamas's response indicates that they are ready to negotiate the release of all of the hostages to remove themselves from the

governance in Gaza. And so, there is room, there's other details, of course, that has to be worked out so that the understandings are absolutely

clear. I think that this would be a huge step forward.

I also agree with President Trump saying that Israel should stop its attacks in Gaza immediately. And let's see if we can work this out. It is

good for the fact that all of the countries in the region are together and talking and working. The only way to resolve the Middle East is in a

diplomatic forum. And I think diplomatic conversation is taking place. It's not easy, it's hard, but we should give it the time to work.

WATT: Congressman Gregory Meeks, thank you so much for your time.

MEEKS: My pleasure, thank you for having me.

WATT: We will be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WATT: Welcome back to "The Brief." I'm Nick Watt. Here are the international headlines we're watching today.

[18:35:00]

Music mogul Sean Diddy Combs has been sentenced to over four years in prison. He was convicted in July to two counts of transportation to engage

in prostitution. Combs will also have to pay a fine of half a million dollars. The sentencing judge saying he wanted to quote, "send a message to

abusers and victims alike that abuse against women is met with real accountability."

Hamas says it has agreed to immediately enter negotiations for the release of hostages in Gaza. President Trump had given the militant group an

ultimatum to respond to his peace plan. Hamas stopped short of accepting the full proposal unconditionally and is pushing for more talks.

In the U.K., Sarah Mullally has been appointed the new archbishop of Canterbury, becoming the first woman to hold the top clerical spot in the

Church of England. She becomes the spiritual leader of 85 million Anglicans worldwide.

A stunning announcement from police officials in Manchester, England. They say one of the victims who died in Thursday's terror attack at a synagogue

and another who was injured were accidentally shot by armed officers. Two worshippers were killed and three others seriously wounded during the

attack, which came on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. The suspected attacker was also killed by police. Nic Robertson has the

latest from Manchester.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KEIR STARMER, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: You have to deal with things on the ground as they --

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR (voice-over): Prime Minister Keir Starmer in Manchester Friday after Thursday's deadly

synagogue attack promising better protection by police, just as police announcing they had accidentally killed one of the congregation sheltering

behind the synagogue's doors, hit by a bullet fired at the attacker.

Firearms officers had surrounded the alleged attacker, who was wearing a hoax bomb as he tried to break in through the synagogue's front door, they

shouted at him to stop and shot him.

Josh, a local journalist, lives opposite the synagogue, witnessed the police response.

JOSH ARONSON, JEWISH WORLD AND DIASPORA CORRESPONDENT, MAARIV NEWSPAPER: On one hand, I want to thank the police. They came extremely, extremely,

extremely fast. But there must be lessons to be learned.

ROBERTSON: In this community, Jews live side by side with Christians, with Muslims. It's middle class, quietly aspirational. But all of that has hit a

speed bump now.

ROBERTSON (voice-over): Fault lines quietly ignored now seem like chasms.

ARONSON: Keir Starmer said straight out, we need to put more security in the synagogue. I'm saying straight out to Keir, Keir, no, we don't need

more security, what we need is dialogue. What we need is projects for interfaith that people know about each other's faith.

ROBERTSON (voice-over): At a rain-drenched vigil, a sea of multi-faith sorrow first soothed by the attacked synagogue's rabbi, remembering the two

men killed, 53-year-old Adrian Dolby and Melvin Kravitz, 66 years old.

RABBI DANIEL WALKER, HEATON PARK SYNAGOGUE: My friends, my community members, Adrian and Melvin died as Jews, for being Jews. And so, I beg all

of the Jewish community here to please strengthen not your -- not the opposite, but strengthen your lives as Jews. The only way to defeat

darkness, the only way to defeat unholiness is with goodness.

ROBERTSON (voice-over): But the somber mood shifting to anger as the deputy prime minister took the mic.

DAVID LAMMY, BRITISH DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER: That is why we stand in defiance of those terrorists who seek to divide us, who want to pit

neighbor against neighbor, to weaken the bonds that bind us together as one nation, one people, one United Kingdom.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Please, let the deputy prime minister speak, please. Please.

LAMMY: We cannot -- we must not let them divide us.

ROBERTSON (voice-over): If rain alone could wash away the anger and heartache, Manchester would be on the road to recovery. Instead, the pain

is slowly soaking in, seeping into places no one wants it to go.

Nic Robertson, CNN, Manchester.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[18:40:00]

WATT: Still ahead, President Trump orders another strike on a boat near Venezuela. What the White House is saying about these strikes and how

Caracas is reacting. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WATT: The U.S. military says it's carried out another deadly strike on a boat carrying illegal drugs in the Caribbean Sea. U.S. Defense Secretary

Pete Hegseth announced the attack on social media. He says four people were killed in international waters off the coast of Venezuela. That brings the

number to at least 21 people killed on four alleged drug boats hit by the U.S. since last month. Take a listen to White House Press Secretary

Karoline Leavitt.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KAROLINE LEAVITT, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: In each of these cases, Michael, the vessels have been assessed by the U.S. Intelligence Community

to be affiliated with designated terrorist organizations engaged at the time in trafficking illicit drugs to our country.

The president has been very clear dating back to the campaign trail that he is always going to do what's in the best interest of the American homeland,

and he also promised the American people he was going to end the drug epidemic that has taken far too many American lives, and you're seeing

those actions play out almost every single day here.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WATT: Joining me now is Stefano Pozzebon in Bogota, Colombia. Stefano, any reaction yet from Caracas?

STEFANO POZZEBON, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: We had to hear from Caracas, Nick. The president, Nicolas Maduro, was participating in an event with other left-

wing leaders in the Americas earlier today, and we have seen on the state TV that they are rebroadcasting footage from that meeting. We understand

that actually Maduro is probably holding meetings with his top cabinet members to understand how to respond to this latest strike.

But earlier this week, Venezuela passed a new law that would automatically call for a state of emergency to be imposed on the nation in the case of a

new attack by the United States. We understand that this attack did not touch Venezuelan soil or actually the Venezuelan territorial waters. Pete

Hegseth was clear in pointing out that the attack occurred in international waters. However, you can appreciate perhaps the level of tension and the

potential for things to rapidly escalate between Washington and Caracas when you're seeing that it's been at least four different strikes on

alleged drug traffickers out of Venezuela, Nick.

[18:45:00]

WATT: You know, Stefano, up here in the U.S., there's been a lot of people questioning the legality of these strikes. Any similar questioning from

Latin American leaders?

POZZEBON: Oh, absolutely. I mean, the president of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, who is one of the staunchest opponents of Donald Trump on the international

stage, he was faster than Maduro to react to the strike, calling it a murder of the poor people of the Caribbean. I'm quoting a post that he made

on X. And he has questioned, Petro has questioned the legality of these strikes time and again.

At the same time, one thing that is important to notice, Nick, is that Venezuela is a country that was built on migration. It's very easy if you

go there to meet people from other nationalities, for example, Colombians, Ecuadorians, or many Europeans. So, I think that this -- there is really

the potential for this situation to escalate and to bring in many other nations, especially if perhaps in the near future, I wouldn't be surprised

if we learned that one or several of those 21 might have hold a different nationality.

We don't know that yet. We don't know the nationality of those 21 people that have allegedly been killed by the United States in this set of

strikes. But it's also a point to consider that the potential of playing with fire and have a situation escalating really, really rapidly is in

front of everyone's eyes here, Nick.

WATT: Wow. Interesting stuff. Thank you, Stefano Pozzobon in Bogota. Still to come on "The Brief," it's a brand-new era for Taylor Swift fans. We'll

take a deep dive into her new album that dropped today, "The Life of a Showgirl." That's next.

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WATT: Break out the sequence for a new era in Swifty world. Fans breathless and screaming as they lined up to buy Taylor Swift's album that dropped

today. It's called "The Life of a Showgirl." And they say they can hear the pop icon's romance with fiance Travis Kelce in the lyrics. Here's a taste.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(MUSIC PLAYING)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WATT: Swift revealed the album cover and title back in August and talked about it on the podcast co-hosted by her fiance and his brother. And

judging by social media reaction, this is going to be another great success for her.

Joining us now is the chief music critic at Variety, Chris Willman. Chris, I want to read you a couple of other reviews that I read. It's got an e-

mail from The New Yorker calling -- saying, Taylor Swift sounds stuck. The Guardian newspaper, my favorite sour English rag, they say dull razzle

dazzle from a star who seems frazzled. What's your reaction?

[18:50:00]

CHRIS WILLMAN, CHIEF MUSIC CRITIC, VARIETY: Definitely not in agreement. I have been in the Swifty camp for a while, but I think, you know, she's done

it 12 times in a row. And this does not break her streak of really terrific albums and certainly not stuck in a rut.

I mean, every time she puts an album out, it's different. Her last album, this could not be different from the last album, in which she was, you

know, kind of in a depressed state romantically. And the album had a largely somber tone because of that. And this is the complete opposite.

It's -- as I called it, it's an engagement party. And the music reflects that. She's got Max Martin and Shellback back as her producers, who did a

lot of 1989 and some of those hit albums. And it's just very fun and summery and upbeat and a change of pace, even though there's -- you know,

some of that trademark reflection and pointed lyrics in there.

WATT: You know, you mentioned Max Martin. I mean, if I'm a Swifty at all, it's from that era of the sort of shake it off stuff. He's produced this,

but it's not -- it sounds different, right?

WILLMAN: Yes. I mean, you know, Travis Kelce in that podcast said it was all bangers. It's not really all bangers per se in that, you know, it's not

completely dance floor oriented, although there are certainly some songs like the one, we just heard that you can see being right for remixes. But

it's kind of more in a mature mid-tempo vein, but still strong beats, you know, incredible hooks. And, you know, this rather upbeat look on life as

she's experiencing now that seems to be very florid for the first time in a lot of ways.

And so, I think, you know, most people who love 1989 and reputation and some of those albums are going to love this. And, you know, I'm not sure

why those critics you mentioned are so sour, but obviously, Taylor is a polarizing force. So, not for everybody, but, you know, she got a movie

that's going to be number -- it's not really a movie, it's a release party, but she's going to be number one at the box office this weekend, as well as

breaking, you know, Spotify records and that sort of thing.

WATT: And what about the timing on this? I mean, you know, she not long ago finished that Eras Tour. I mean, and the stats on that are stunning. 149

shows, 51 cities, grossing 2 billion. I mean, it seems quite quick to now be putting out an album. I mean, is that what you have to do these days?

You've got to keep the momentum going? I mean, I can't see Taylor Swift leaving the public consciousness, but is that what she's afraid of?

WILLMAN: I don't think it comes out of fear from her. She is just really prolific. She's able to turn around these projects. She's able to record

and write while she's touring. You know, if you go to that theatrical thing she did today, there's a behind the scenes for directing the new video,

which will be premiering online Sunday night. And you just see, you know, this immense creativity pouring out of her and, you know, it's, it's

unbridled.

And so, I don't think it's out of desperation. I think also that, you know, because the last album was kind of depressing, I think she wanted to have

something out there that reflects her life as it is now. And she said, this is reflecting her life in real-time in a way that most of her albums

haven't been.

And so, you know, on the Eras Tour, as upbeat as it was, she was still kind of flogging an album that didn't reflect the new place she was in her life

with her relationship. And I think she wanted to have that out there for people to experience in as close to real time as possible.

WATT: I mean, it is interesting that you say it's not a kind of, you know, commercial reason for her to be churning this stuff out. It's just, she's

prolific. And so, she's being -- I can't believe I'm being philosophical about this, she's being true to herself. She's maintaining her authenticity

and that's what people love about her?

WILLMAN: I think so. And, you know, authenticity is good for business, as it turns out. I don't think -- I mean, she doesn't have a lot left to prove

at this point, although she's always trying to, you know, maintain those record number of number one weeks. I mean, she's very driven in that way,

that she wants those commercial markers, I think, even though, you know, she won't come out and say that.

So, that -- you know, it's good for business when she is her authentic self, because that's what the fans relate to. I don't think it's even hit

single driven, you know, just so much as, you know, we live in a time -- it's been a long time since albums really mattered. And, you know, I think

you have to go back kind of to the Beatles, you know, in a way to have a time when every album from a particular artist was an event over a period

of years. And I think she thrives on that sort of communal spirit that she raises every time.

[18:55:00]

You know, there was a midnight sale at target last night. I went down to the store to actually, you know, talk to the fans who were there. And when

was the last time we had a midnight sale on an album? It's been a while in the, you know, the post Napster era. So, she really loves reviving the

album as a medium, as an art form. I think that's a big part of it for her.

WATT: Chris, the Beatles and Taylor in the same breath, you're doing all you can to fight those sour critics. Thank you so much for your time.

Appreciate it.

Now, in today's Good Brief, good news for young elephants, British scientists have developed a vaccine that helps protect them from a virus

that could kill within 24 hours of the onset of symptoms. The virus is endemic among elephants in Africa and Asia with faithful cases reported in

India, Nepal, Myanmar, and Thailand. The vaccine is designed for use in zoos and sanctuaries. Right now, it's a proof-of-concept stage.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. KATIE EDWARDS, LEAD CONSERVATION SCIENTIST, CHESTER ZOO: We've got the scientific data that really supports our approach and shows the strength of

the immune response that this vaccine can generate. So, we're now at the stage where we are looking to use the vaccine in the young elephants that

really need it the most.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WATT: The scientists say the research has taken several years, and during that time they've learned a lot about how an elephant's immune system

works. Let's hope, like the elephants, they never forget.

Thanks for your company. Have a great weekend and stay with CNN.

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