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Trump Deploys Troops to Illinois Amid Protests; Trump Release Map of Initial Israel Withdrawal from Gaza; Day 5 of Shutdown with No deal in Sight; Trump Pushes to Return Univision to YouTube TV Basic Line-Up; Gen Z Using Internet to Expand Protests Globally; Bad Bunny to Headline Super Bowl Halftime Show; Axolotl Salamanders May Hold Answers to Limb Regeneration. Aired 5-6a ET

Aired October 05, 2025 - 05:00   ET

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

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[05:00:35]

KIM BRUNHUBER, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Welcome to all of you watching us here in the United States, Canada, and around the world. I'm Kim Brunhuber. This is CNN Newsroom.

ICE is cracking down on protests in Chicago as a judge pushes back on President Trump's plan to send the National Guard to Portland. We'll have details on both plans just ahead.

Plus, Donald Trump shares a new plan for the IDF's withdrawal from Gaza. Why it's already meeting resistance.

And Bad Bunny warms up for his Super Bowl halftime performance. How he responded to critics during an appearance on Saturday Night Live.

ANNOUNCER: Live from Atlanta, this is CNN Newsroom with Kim Brunhuber.

BRUNHUBER: Defying yet another governor, President Donald Trump is sending troops to Chicago, citing unrest and ongoing protests at an immigration enforcement facility. And so far at least, things aren't simmering down. Officers deployed gas canisters against protesters on Saturday.

Now video shows people running down side streets to get away. CNN's Rafael Romo has more on what's happening in Chicago.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RAFAEL ROMO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker is calling it, quote, "absolutely outrageous and un-American" to demand the governor send military troops within our borders, he said, and against our will.

Pritzker made the comment in a statement he published Saturday, announcing that the Trump administration intends to federalize 300 members of the Illinois National Guard. The statement goes on to say the following, they will pull hard-working Americans out of their regular jobs and away from their families, all to participate in a manufactured performance, not a serious effort to protect public safety. For Donald Trump, this has never been about safety, he said, this is about control.

In another development this weekend, the Department of Homeland Security announced that there was a shooting Saturday morning in Chicago's southwest side. In a statement, a top DHS official said that law enforcement officers were rammed by vehicles and boxed in by 10 cars, unable to move their vehicles.

Agents exited the car and they saw that one of the drivers had a semi- automatic weapon, which prompted the agents to fire what officials are calling defensive shots at the armed U.S. citizen. That U.S. citizen, the DHS statement said, drove herself to the hospital to get care for her wounds. It said no one else was injured.

Chicago police confirmed a shooting in southwest Chicago and referred questions to federal authorities. Tensions boiled over Friday when protesters clashed with federal agents during a protest outside an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center for migrants just outside of the city, where the ICE facility is located, while Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino were seen on the ICE facility's roof.

At least 18 people were arrested at the site where protesters have gathered for several weeks in a row to protest the Trump administration crackdown on immigration.

At a Democratic Party fundraiser here in Atlanta Friday night, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker denounced ICE actions in his state over the last few weeks.

GOV. J.B. PRITZKER (D-IL): In the past few weeks in Chicago, ICE has detained multiple U.S. citizens because they were black or brown. They shot gas pellets into the car of a journalist who had done nothing except drive past an ICE facility to observe what was going on. They raided an apartment complex in the middle of the night and perp walked a group of young children out of the building with their hands zip- tied behind them, separating them from their parents.

ROMO: And according to DHS, more than 1,000 undocumented immigrants have been arrested since early September as part of what officials call Operation Midway Blitz.

Rafael Romo, CNN Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: Meanwhile, the Trump administration says it will appeal after a judge blocked the president from deploying National Guard troops to Portland, Oregon. President Trump had announced he was sending troops to what he calls a war-ravaged city following protests outside an immigration and customs facility there. Oregon's Attorney General agreed with the judge who wrote that the protests in Portland simply don't justify a military deployment. Here he is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAN RAYFIELD, OREGON ATTORNEY GENERAL: Mobilizing the United States military in our cities is not normal. It should not be normal and we will fight to make sure that it is never normal. Today's ruling is a healthy check on the president's power and as the president you must have an actual fact based on reality, not social media or just your gut feeling if you want to mobilize the military here in the United States.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[05:05:19]

BRUNHUBER: CNN's Julia Vargas Jones has more on the judge's ruling.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JULIA VARGAS JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This decision is essentially pressing pause on the deployment of the National Guard to Oregon. The question that the judge, Karin Immergut, had to answer was, was this an overreach by the federal government, the federalization of the National Guard? In the complaint, both the state and the city of Portland had called it unlawful and unwarranted, but the actual decision was based on three different aspects. One is the section 12406 of the U.S. code. We've talked about this when we're talking about the National Guard in California as well, that is that the president exceeded his authority, that he did not prove that he was unable with regular forces, that's a quote, to execute the laws there.

It also says that the standard for a rebellion was not met, that the protests were small and mostly peaceful, that they were sporadic incidents instead of an organized and armed uprising. She also talks about it being a conflict with the 10th amendment and the federalization would invade the state's sovereignty, and that is outside of Congress delegation. But it also, the part about unwarranted, the judge in her decision talked about how these protests by the end of September were more about 20 people strong and the activity was minimal and that regular local forces were very much able to handle these protests.

But what's notable from her decision in this temporary restraining order is that she draws upon the history of the United States, saying quote, this country has a longstanding and foundational tradition of resistance to government overreach, especially in the form of military intrusion into civil affairs.

She says the U.S. is a nation of constitutional law, not martial law, and says again, quote, "The defendants have made a range of arguments that, if accepted, risk blurring the line between civil and military federal power to the detriment of this nation."

Now, this order is only good for 14 days and the court will contact all parties by October 17 to see if there will be a need to extend it.

Julia Vargas Jones, CNN, Los Angeles.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: Donald Trump is keeping pressure on Israel and Hamas to stick to his 20-point Gaza peace plan and end the war. President Trump said Israel has agreed to an initial withdrawal from Gaza, posting this map to his Truth Social account on Saturday.

Now, the map reflects a significant increase in Israeli control of Gaza's territory compared to the ceasefire proposal presented to Hamas in July. The militant group is expected to push back on this redeployment of Israeli troops.

So, here's where each side stands right now. Hamas says it's ready to enter negotiations for the release of all hostages, but it's stopped short of accepting Trump's proposal unconditionally.

In addition to agreeing to the initial withdrawal, the Israeli prime minister expressed optimism that all hostages will be released within days. CNN International Diplomatic editor Nic Robertson joins us live from Cairo. First, I want to go to Eleni Giokos in Dubai.

Eleni, many moving pieces here, so much at stake. What's the latest?

ELENI GIOKOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, there's one thing that's certain, is that momentum has been building since Hamas released that statement, showing its willingness to engage in negotiations and, of course, not confirming that it accepts a 20-point plan unconditionally.

There are a lot of sticking points. In the meantime, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is saying that he's striking an optimistic tone, essentially, saying the first phase is going to be the release of hostages and, of course, the prisoner swap. The second phase is going to be the demilitarization as well as disarmament of Hamas. It will be done through diplomatic efforts, through the 20-point plan or by force, if necessary, and basically showing the amount of pressure that is on Hamas right now.

I want you to take a listen to what he had to say in terms of timeline and also the promises that he's making internally within Israel.

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER (through translator): We are on the verge of a very big achievement. It's not final yet, but I hope that in the coming days, during the Sukkot holiday, I will be able to announce to you the return of all the hostages in one phase, while the IDF remains deep inside the strip and the territories that control it.

GIOKOS: And that is exactly what could be one of the sticking points, is the IDF lines deep inside of Gaza and, of course, President Trump posting on social media what that would look like. And these are the deepest lines that we've seen that have been mentioned during previous ceasefire negotiations. It is expected that Hamas is going to push back on this.

[05:10:01] The other big issues are going to be the demilitarization of Gaza. We also know that they're talking about a Palestinian technocratic government. What would that look like? But we do know that Hamas is willing to hand over power to a new body that includes Palestinians to run Gaza the day after.

The big question is sort of the implementation of this 20-point plan. A lot of the people that we've spoken to saying it's vague on purpose, because that does mean that it's up to interpretation, but it also allows room for negotiation down the line.

But here's the thing, Kim, and there's a lot of optimism that this could be the start to the end of this two-year war. For the people in Gaza and also in Israel, we saw tens of thousands of people in the streets of Tel Aviv saying they don't want to see this deal sabotaged once again.

There's a bit of disillusionment because you have these negotiations, there's a lot of optimism, and then things fall apart. But many have said that this feels different. We've got a framework that is workable. You've got all these teams. You've got the Israelis, you've got Hamas, you've got the U.S. Special Envoy Steve Whitkoff, as well as Jared Kushner that are going to be talking in Egypt now. It's all about diplomacy at a time where you've seen an erosion of trust.

BRUNHUBER: Yeah, Eleni, speaking of diplomacy, I want to go to Nic now. I mean, you're in Cairo. We're getting more reaction from countries in the region. So, take us through what they're saying, what role they're playing in the negotiations, and the pressure that Eleni spoke of about the pressure they're putting on Hamas.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yeah, whatever pressure it is, isn't clear publicly. They're certainly supporting what President Trump has said, particularly the 21-point peace plan that he talked with them about just a week or so ago on the margins of the U.N.

The 20-point plan as it is now, some of those countries, Gulf countries, Arab countries, Muslim-majority countries, have questioned some of the changes in the deal. But right now we've heard from the foreign ministers of the UAE, of Qatar, of Jordan, of Saudi Arabia, of Indonesia, of Pakistan, and of Turkey in a joint statement. And I think this gives a sense of how they are aligning themselves to have a singular voice that can be unmistakable to Hamas and unmistakable to Israel as well, because ultimately Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's stated aspiration is to have better relations in the region.

What they're saying at the moment, they welcome the steps that Hamas has taken so far towards -- towards these not fully accepting but partially, as we see so far, what President Trump has put forward in terms of the plan, but also saying that this does represent a real opportunity for, to have a ceasefire, to have a sustainable ceasefire.

But the other language that they're using, and I find this very interesting, is they are saying that immediately after a ceasefire would be agreed, that then the situation would move to further talks on the sort of second phase, if you will. And I think this is where the crux of the problem is going to be for Hamas, of course, because there are still senior leadership figures alive in Gaza.

If they release all the hostages in one go, they've lost their leverage, their bargaining chips, not just for the humanitarian conditions in Gaza, not just for ending the war in Gaza, but also for their own outcomes.

They have not accepted yet that they will leave the political stage. They have been offered in the plan, if they put down their weapons, renounce violence, that some of them can be relocated outside of Gaza. But once they give up the hostages for a ceasefire, they have no leverage.

And at this moment, the language from the countries around here is stressing the importance of getting into that second phase of negotiations, which will be about disarmament, which will be about the political make-up in Gaza going forward, which will be about the details of the future of Hamas. They're real sticking issues. But they're pressuring to make that very quick.

And at the moment, the talks here are really on that central issue of that first phase, hostage release, ceasefire, which is so important for the people of Gaza.

BRUNHUBER: Yeah, absolutely. Certainly still plenty of optimism, despite all the sticking points that you mentioned. Great to get both of you on this, Nick Robertson in Cairo and Eleni Giokos in Dubai. Thank you so much.

Israel's foreign ministry says it has deported 137 more flotilla activists to Turkey. Earlier this week, the Israeli military intercepted dozens of boats from the Global Sumud Flotilla. Flotilla organizers say the boats were carrying more than 500 unarmed participants. They say they were trying to break Israeli blockades and bring food, water and medicine to Palestinians in Gaza. Israel says it's deporting all those who were detained.

[05:15:16]

Republicans and Democrats in Washington are blaming each other for the government shutdown, and there is no end in sight. We'll look at what might happen next ahead here on CNN Newsroom.

Plus, Gen Z is stepping out from behind their screens to demand accountability from their governments. Still ahead, the latest on youth-led protests forming around the globe. Stay with us.

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BRUNHUBER: It is Sunday morning in Washington, D.C., day five of the U.S. government shutdown, and it doesn't seem it'll end any time soon. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries says he and fellow Democrats are prepared to extend the shutdown until they reach a deal with Republicans over health care. But from what we're hearing from lawmakers on both sides, that makes it seem almost impossible. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. MIKE LAWLER (R-NY): The unfortunate reality here is this is not about health care. This is about Democrats wanting to show their progressive left base that they are fighting against Donald Trump, and Chuck Schumer being petrified of a primary from AOC. And that really is ultimately what this is about.

[05:20:12]

REP. MADELEINE DEAN (D-PA): He's just plain wrong. It is ridiculous. I'm an appropriator. I'm on the Appropriations Committee and the Foreign Affairs Committee. And he's just plain wrong. This is not about talking to our base. This is about talking to our constituents and caring about health care.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: So, as Democrats and Republican lawmakers blame each other, what really matters is who the voters blame. CNN White House Correspondent Camila DeChalus explains what might happen in the week ahead.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CAMILA DECHALUS, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Lawmakers say that there's really no clear end in sight to the government shutdown. Just this past week, senators voted on a series of proposals put forth by both Republicans and Democrats in an attempt to move forward with reopening the government. But so far, all those efforts have failed.

Now, the main reason lawmakers have just not passed a spending bill to reopen the government is because of the Affordable Care Act subsidies. Democrats say that any bill they support must include language to extend the subsidies, while Republicans argue that the issue should be debated at a later date, not as part of the immediate funding measures.

Now, looking ahead, the House is not expected to take up any votes next week. House Speaker Mike Johnson has really emphasized that he believes the Senate should continue voting on proposals, noting that the House has already passed its own spending bill. But it's clear that more discussions are needed. Lawmakers have acknowledged on both sides of the aisle that a compromise must be reached if the government is to reopen again and federal workers are able to return back to work.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: More than 800,000 Uber and Lyft drivers in California will soon be able to join a union. Governor Gavin Newsom signed a new state law giving rideshare drivers the right to unionize. They're currently classified as independent contractors, which means they aren't entitled to benefits like overtime pay or paid sick leave. Under the new state law, drivers will keep that classification if they join a union, but gig companies must bargain in good faith. The law doesn't apply to drivers for delivery apps like DoorDash.

All right, just ahead, President Trump jumps into yet another media showdown. We'll explain why he's signing with Spanish-language network Univision in a contract battle after the break. And Bad Bunny responds to the political backlash over his upcoming Super Bowl halftime performance. Look at how he turned controversy into comedy on Saturday Night Live. That's next. Stay with us.

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[05:25:54]

BRUNHUBER: Welcome back. I'm Kim Brunhuber. Let's check some of today's top stories. The Trump administration says it will appeal a federal judge's ruling that blocks the president from deploying troops to Portland, Oregon. President Trump had announced he was sending troops to what he calls a war-ravaged city following protests outside an immigration and customs facility.

President Trump is keeping pressure on Israel and Hamas to stick to his Gaza peace plan and end the war. Israel has agreed to an initial withdrawal from Gaza. Hamas says it's ready to enter negotiations for the release of all hostages. The group is expected to push back on the redeployment of Israeli troops.

This is day five of the U.S. government shutdown, and there's no end in sight. Democrats say they're ready to hold out longer in their fight to keep the federal subsidies for health care under the Affordable Care Act. They say no talks are scheduled.

Polls show that most Americans blame Republicans for the shutdown. President Trump is urging Google to restore Univision to YouTube's TV's lineup after the network was dropped in a contract dispute. He warns that its removal could hurt Republicans ahead of the midterm elections. CNN's Chief Media Analyst Brian Stelter has the story.

BRIAN STELTER, CNN CHIEF MEDIA CORRESPONDENT: Hey, President Trump concerned about Univision, a very interesting move by the president on Saturday night, weighing in on a TV carriage contract dispute in the United States between the leading Spanish-language broadcaster and one of the big streaming cable providers, YouTube TV.

So, Univision has been negotiating with YouTube TV for quite some time over a new contract to carry Univision and its related channels on that YouTube TV platform. You know, YouTube is owned by Google, and that YouTube TV platform has been growing by leaps and bounds in the U.S. in recent years, gaining lots of, really millions of subscribers with households that don't want to have the traditional cable or satellite bundle, but do want a version of that cable channel bundle from decades ago.

So, YouTube TV has been playing hardball with Univision, saying that Univision's demanding too much money in this negotiation, and saying that its ratings, its online ratings, just don't justify the price tag. So, on September 30th, that contract ran out. There is what's now known as a blackout of Univision's channels on YouTube TV.

Notably, Univision was pressuring Google publicly, saying that this blackout would amount to a Hispanic tax. And also, I noticed Univision leaning on lawmakers, trying to get public and political support ahead of this blackout. Well, now, a few days into the blackout, President Trump has weighed in, suggesting that Univision's lobbying campaign is working.

The president wrote on True Social, quote, "I hope Univision, a great and very popular Hispanic network, can get back onto the very amazing Google/YouTube." He went on to say that, "Univision was so good to me with their highest rated ever political special, and I set a Republican record in Hispanic voting."

So, the Univision being off of YouTube TV is, quote, "very bad for Republicans in the upcoming midterms." This is another example of President Trump using his political platform to pressure media companies, in this case, trying to pressure YouTube and parent company Google into resolving this carriage dispute.

We've also seen President Trump's FCC Chairman, Brendan Carr, make similar moves with other carriage disputes earlier this year. Notably, less than a week ago, YouTube, Google, did have to, did decide to reach a settlement with President Trump. He had sued YouTube and a number of other big tech platforms when they suspended his accounts following the January 6th attack.

YouTube decided to pay nearly $25 million to Trump and a number of other plaintiffs in order to settle that lawsuit, rather than decide to go to trial.

Brian Stelter, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: Well, have a look at these images coming out of Georgia's capital, Tbilisi. Police used water cannons and pepper spray on demonstrators trying to storm the presidential palace. Tens of thousands gathered to speak out against the governing party, Georgian Dream. Protesters see it as trying to bring the country closer to Russia and away from Europe and democracy.

[05:30:12]

Well, Gen Z protesters around the world are demanding accountability from their governments using 21st century tools to mobilize the masses. Now, this new wave of protests has overwhelmed major cities across the globe and in some cases even toppled ruling parties. Their demands may vary, but many demonstrations are rooted in the fear that young people's futures are being squandered by an array of broken social contracts.

Now, over the past week, young people in Morocco have been calling for sweeping reform following the death of several women who experienced complications after routine C-sections. Protesters say issues like affordable health care and social justice have been sidelined as the government pours billions into preparations for the 2030 world cup.

In Peru, protests over a new pension law have spiraled into demands to stamp out corruption and address rising crime under President Dina Boluarte's rule. Thousands of miles away in Madagascar, protesters are now demanding the resignation of the country's leader and widespread change.

Now, these movements often start online, but the results are tangible. Just weeks ago in Nepal, thousands of young people marched on the government buildings in Kathmandu and overthrew their prime minister.

Joining me now to discuss this live from Washington, D.C., is Sarah Zaaimi, she's a Resident Senior Fellow for North Africa at the Atlantic Council's Rafik Hariri Center and Middle East programs.

Thank you so much for being here with us. So, as I mentioned, we're seeing young people from Morocco to Peru to Nepal, all taking to the streets at the same time. What's -- what's driving this wave of protests and why now?

SARAH ZAAIMI, RESIDENT SENIOR FELLOW FOR NORTH AFRICA, ATLANTIC COUNCIL: Yeah, sure. Thank you for having me. We're certainly seeing a new wave of protests and new social movements among Gen Z-ers. And there are many things that we see across the board that they have in common, one of which is that these youths, they feel so alienated from the social elites and from the reality.

So, they kind of founded a digital utopia on some of these platforms like Discord, where it's much more egalitarian, they don't feel the weight of the hierarchy. Other things that are driving this is we've been hearing for years and years that youths are not interested in politics. And this is debunking some of these polls and some of the political participation rates showing that actually you do have, you know, like interest in politics, just not on the current politics and the political arena and elites that exist out there.

Other commonalities that we're seeing among this new wave of protests is really the symbols and values that's shared across the board. For example, we have seen in Nepal and Morocco and Indonesia and Madagascar, the use of -- of anime symbols, for example, like One Piece or other things like squid game memes or the platform or things like that, which are essentially anti-establishment symbols that they are using and that they identify with.

So, it's very interesting. They are using the tools of their generation and the symbols of their generation that kind of shows that they are very -- they have a high sense of justice. It's very anti- establishment, anti-class system. So, it's a very fascinating momentum that we're living right now.

BRUNHUBER: Yeah, yeah, I want to pick up on what you said about the use of symbols. And we just at the end showed that sort of that pirate symbol. Can you explain further sort of why they picked up on something like that? They were showing it now. Something so specific. Explain that for us and how sort of social media is helping them connect from -- from different countries in this unusual way.

ZAAIMI: Well, I can give the example of Morocco or Nepal, where the youth are so disenfranchised and so alienated, the educational system is crumbling. So, essentially, these youths were raised by the Internet and by the anime culture and by the pop culture that they are seeing online.

Hence, the use of something like the One Piece. I feel and I say this in my writing that this generation is looking for that One Piece, which is an absolute kind of utopia where a group of marginal youth coming from -- from the suburbs or from small towns, subalterns, if you want to say, are fighting the deep establishment and trying to build that utopia or that kind of their version of democracy. Hence, the use of something like Monkey D. Luffy, who's the character -- who's in like the One Piece, for example, and the kind of a piracy against the system. So, very fascinating. And this is what they've been raised on.

[05:35:19]

And if you analyze the discourse of some of these symbols that they are using, including the squid game, et cetera, you'll see like a deep malaise among the generation, lots of class divisions and a pursuit of higher justice, like a higher sense of justice. So, very interesting that although the educational system did fail these youth and the word actually of this year was brain rot, but we don't see brain rot among this Generation Z.

Actually, we see that where they're debunking some of the stereotypes that people have been perpetuating about them. They are very well grounded in politics. They know what they want. They have lots of leadership and a will to participate in the future of their country.

BRUNHUBER: Yeah, they know what they want and they're getting results. I mean, because of these protests, as I mentioned, in Madagascar, the president dissolved his cabinet in Nepal, the prime minister resigned. So, real world effects here. So, what is making sort of Gen Z protesters sort of different or harder for governments to ignore than -- than protesters in the past, would you say?

ZAAIMI: Well, we should -- we should first know that this is not the first Internet driven wave of -- of protests or revolution. We all remember in 2011, the Arab Spring was actually driven by calls on -- on Facebook and Twitter. So, but what's different this time is that this generation, they come out, they come out of age, they grow up on the Internet. So, it's very different. They know what they want. It's much more egalitarian. They're even rejecting our -- our sense of democracy or the democracy as we see it today, because as we saw in Nepal, actually, the elections or electing an interim government happened on -- on -- on these platforms.

Now, we have many dangers with these kind of platforms. First is the question of who's left out, because youths are not enough in a society. A society is much more complex. So, what about the voices that are left out, the millennials, the -- the boomers, the other generations? And that's a very important question when we talk about participative democracy.

BRUNHUBER: Yeah.

ZAAIMI: The other issue with this kind of protest, and I don't think it's an issue, but it just seems to pay attention to is about the anonymity. Lots of these youths, they were driven by the prospects of going online and asking for a change of government or the change of system without showing their faces.

Now, this is -- this is good for them because it does give them that platform without having any repercussions on their -- on their safety. But it also raises lots of questions from a digital forensics point of view about who are these people? What if they are like foreign agents, you know, like posing as youth on these platforms? What if it's like someone in Iran trying to steer this platform? So, there are two limits about what's happening here that we just need to pay attention to.

BRUNHUBER: Yeah, absolutely. But it's fascinating to see this taking place around the world. And it's important point that you mentioned about the political engagement that often we say, you know, young people aren't engaged. Well, we're seeing that definitely in many countries, at least they are and having real world effects.

Sarah Zaaimi, thank you so much. Appreciate it.

ZAAIMI: Thank you.

BRUNHUBER: All right, we'll be right back with more here on CNN Newsroom. Please do stay with us.

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[05:42:08]

BRUNHUBER: Well, he's been a lightning rod in the immigration debate. Now, Bad Bunny is using comedy to clap back at his critics. Have a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BAD BUNNY, MUSICIAN AND 2026 SUPER BOWL PERFORMER: (Speaking in foreign language).

(APPLAUSE)

BUNNY: And if you didn't understand what I just said, you have four months to learn.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: The Puerto Rican superstar kicked off the 51st season of Saturday Night Live as both host and musical guest.

Now, comes just a week after he was named the next Super Bowl halftime performer, and the choice has drawn conservative backlash. Now, Bad Bunny is no stranger to controversy. He's been outspoken about U.S. immigration policies, recently saying he's avoided touring in the U.S. mainland, fearing ICE would target his fans and raid his shows.

The rapper has also criticized President Trump's handling of Puerto Rico in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, which devastated his home island. Now, some on the right have labeled him as a Trump hater in response.

I want to bring in Petra Rivera-Rideau, who's an associate professor of American studies at Wellesley College and co-founder of the Bad Bunny Syllabus Project. She's also co-author of the upcoming book, "How Bad Bunny Became the Global Voice of Puerto Rican Resistance." And she joins us live from Boston.

Great to get your take on all this. We played the opening of Bad Bunny's monologue, speaking in Spanish, challenging his critics. Clearly not backing down from the controversy. What did you make of that?

PETRA RIVERA-RIDEAU, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, WELLESLEY COLLEGE: Well, I think it's fantastic. I think, you know, something worth mentioning is that the United States actually does not have an official language. Donald Trump did sign executive orders back in May saying that, you know, federal agencies would use English, mandating that the trucking industry enforce English for its drivers.

But technically, we still don't have an overarching national language. And yet, Spanish has always been a lightning rod for discussions about immigration and who belongs in the United States. And so, I think that clip is really excellent.

On the one hand, offering a message of hope to Spanish speakers in the United States. And on the other hand, jokingly making the case that you can be American and speak Spanish at the same time.

BRUNHUBER: Yeah. And that sort of message of hope, he kind of referred to that in his monologue later. He said his upcoming Super Bowl performance proves that no one can erase Latino's contribution to this country. I mean, why do you feel that he -- he had to sort of make that statement now?

[05:45:02]

RIVERA-RIDEAU: Well, we're living in a time where the Latino community is under attack. We see the ICE raids, like the horrific ICE raid that just happened in Chicago a few days ago. And, you know, every day when I log in to my social media, I see videos from all over the country of parents being separated from their children, of police stopping people just for speaking Spanish.

So, I think it's really important to give that message right now because people who speak Spanish in public are like Spanish is being criminalized in a very extreme kind of way. And I think to give a message of hope that Latinos belong and, you know, many Latinos were here before the United States was the United States. You know, Latinos have a very long history of contributing to the United States, of, you know, creating businesses, arts, participating in government, right? They're not -- not all Latinos are newcomers who just arrived.

We are a community that's vast and really critical to the fabric of this nation. And so I think that's part of what makes Bad Bunny's Super Bowl halftime show so significant.

BRUNHUBER: Yeah. I mean, and conservatives would point out, you know, it's not Spanish that's being criminalized. It's people who come here illegally. But immigration is sort of at the forefront of -- of his message. And as I mentioned before, he didn't tour the U.S. mainland because he said he was worried about ICE raids at his concert. And we saw Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said ICE will be at the Super Bowl.

So, last night, Bad Money literally laughed at the show, the sort of compilation of a fake Fox News clip sort of endorsing him, making -- making fun of what is clearly a really important and personal issue to him.

RIVERA-RIDEAU: Yes. I mean, unfortunately, I didn't see the show yet. I have it recorded on my DVR. But I understand that Kristi Noem said that ICE would be at the Super Bowl. And I think it's a very clever move to use this platform of SNL. And to use humor to clap back at his critics. So, I think that's a really effective strategy. And I'm excited that he did it.

BRUNHUBER: Well, I want to ask you about the Super Bowl. You consulted on his Coachella performance where he made these sort of powerful statements about Puerto Rican history and culture. Obviously, the Super Bowl is a much bigger stage with a bigger spotlight.

So, based on sort of, you know, what you know about him, what we saw last night, what you know about his work, what should we expect, do you think, in February in that show?

RIVERA-RIDEAU: That's a great question. And I, you know, I haven't spoken to anyone on Bad Bunny's team about what they're planning for the Super Bowl. But what I will say is that he has long had a history of using his platform to make statements, to advocate on behalf of Puerto Rico, just to advocate for Latinos, just like he did last night on SNL.

You mentioned that he was critical of President Trump in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria. That was on his first television performance on an English language show in the United States, The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.

And so, for the length of his career, he has used his platform to make these statements. He's coming on the heels of a historic residency in Puerto Rico that blended, you know, partying and fun with some political statements about belonging and the Puerto Rican nation and the role of the Puerto Rican diaspora in Puerto Rico. So, I expect that he will include some kind of messaging in his

performance and how it will manifest and what exactly we'll say. I don't know. But this is something that is consistent with his performance style over the years.

BRUNHUBER: Yeah, I imagine it will be both entertaining and probably controversial as well. Really great to get your take on all this, Petra Rivera-Rideau. Thank you so much for joining us.

RIVERA-RIDEAU: Well, thanks so much for having me.

BRUNHUBER: All right. We'll be right back with more here on CNN Newsroom. Please do stay with us.

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[05:53:22]

BRUNHUBER: Well, they're known for their friendly faces and their permanent tadpole forms. axolotl salamanders also have the unusual ability to regrow limbs lost to injury or amputation. Experts warn they're at risk of extinction. If they disappear, so do possible answers about limb regeneration. CNN's Isabel Rosales reports.

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ISABEL ROSALES, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Limb regeneration is something only a small number of animals can do. It's never been thought possible for humans until some researchers started looking at a certain aquatic salamander for answers. Mexico's salamander celebrity, the ajolote or axolotl as it's called in English, is known for its colorful gills, playful smile and ability to fully regrow limbs.

Experts at Northeastern University have been studying how these dragon-like creatures can regenerate their cells. Biology professor James Monaghan and his team found that retinoic acid in axolotls is what enables their healing abilities. So, by genetically modifying some of the axolotls to glow fluorescent green, they were able to study the acid working in impacted areas in real time.

Human cells, however, work differently. But Monaghan says the study brings us closer to answers about human biology.

JAMES MONAGHAN, NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF SCIENCE: Even in 2025, we don't have a great mechanistic explanation for why particular animals can grow back structures and other animals like humans cannot. This is a fundamental question of -- of developmental biology, of regeneration biology, but in the modern realm of regenerative medicine of these this era that's coming upon us of which we can start to change the fate of an injury or change the fate of a disease is really becoming a reality.

[05:55:07]

ROSALES (voice-over): The caveat is that these important creatures are critically endangered and can only naturally be found in their original home of the Xochimilco canals and lakes in Mexico City.

Axolotl's importance to Mexican heritage shows and can only naturally be found in their original home of the Xochimilco canals and lakes in Mexico City. Axolotl's importance to Mexican heritage shows in popular merchandise and tourism attractions to see their home.

In 2021, Mexico's Central Bank, Banco de Mexico, unveiled a new series of 50-peso banknotes featuring an axolotl in the center. But many experts fear the extinction of axolotls.

MICHEL BALAM, Santuario Ajolote Project (through translator): Axolotls are really important because they are a biological indicator. If we don't have axolotls, this means the space where it leaves is not suitable for them, nor for the species below them in the food chain.

ROSALES: Some conservation groups in Mexico City even capture and breed while axolotls so they can reproduce. Rituals and ceremonies are held while they release the captive bred salamanders in hopes they'll continue to thrive. But where axolotls aren't in danger of going extinct is the hearts of their fans.

In 2021, Build-a-Bear released an entire axolotl line and Minecraft introduced their pixelated axolotl. The salamander has also been seen on popular competition reality show The Masked Singer in Germany and in the U.S. Even Pokemon has an axolotl lookalike, whether in a research facility, Xochimilco canals or on your newest plushie. Axolotls are everywhere and hopefully will continue to be.

Isabel Rosales, CNN.

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BRUNHUBER: All right, before we go, we want to show you a video of a dragon animal rescue in Brazil. It shows police in Amazonas saving the life of a young, injured jaguar. You can see they're swimming with difficulty next to the boat.

Authorities improvised a flotation device for the creature until more support arrived. After the rescue, the jaguar was taken to a clinic for an evaluation and the jaguar is now receiving specialized care.

All right, that wraps this hour of CNN Newsroom. I'm Kim Brunhuber. For our viewers in North America, CNN This Morning is next. For the rest of the world, it's Connecting Africa.

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