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Trump Commutes Sentence of Ex-U.S. Rep George Santos, Forestalling Victims' Compensation; "No Kings" Protests; Zelenskyy and Trump Remain Split over Future of Ukraine; Prince Andrew to Stop Using Royal Titles; Body of 10th Hostage Identified after Return to Israel; Spotify to Develop "Artist First" AI Music Products; Sports Highlights. Aired 5-6a ET

Aired October 18, 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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SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Hello and welcome to all of our viewers watching in the United States and around the world. I'm Salma Abdelaziz in London.

Ahead on CNN NEWSROOM, George Santos now said to be a free man. Details on president Trump commuting the sentence of the disgraced former Republican congressman.

Demonstrations are planned for all 50 states today, with protesters looking to send a message to the Trump administration. We'll speak to one of the organizers of the "No Kings" protests.

Plus, presidents Trump and Zelenskyy come away from their latest meeting split on how to end Russia's war on Ukraine. Hear what both leaders are saying.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): Live from London, this is CNN NEWSROOM with Salma Abdelaziz.

ABDELAZIZ: Disgraced former Republican congressman, George Santos, is, according to his attorney, a free man.

This morning, after Donald Trump commuted the sentence Santos received for his conviction on charges of wire fraud and identity theft, the president wrote on social media that Santos was, quote, "somewhat of a rogue" but then said, "there are many rogues throughout our country that aren't forced to serve seven years in prison."

In an interview before Santos reported to prison, he asked for the president's help and suggested he could serve the nation in a situation not unlike the fox guarding the henhouse. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE SANTOS (R-NY), FORMER U.S. REPRESENTATIVE: I am in the process of filling an application for a pardon for the president. I'll take a commutation, clemency, whatever the president is willing to give me.

And I would like to take all of the bad I've done and transform it into a positive, even by being able to point out, I mean, who better peers (ph). And president Trump, I hope he would agree, is to be able to sniff out other bad actors doing similar actions that I did. I mean, I understand it. I could help. I can be an asset for the country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ABDELAZIZ: Now CNN's senior White House correspondent Kristen Holmes has more on all of this.

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KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: On his way to Palm Beach, president Trump announced that he had commuted the sentence of disgraced Republican congressman George Santos, who had been serving seven years in a federal prison after pleading guilty to both identity fraud and theft.

Now this commutation is somewhat interesting and surprising, given the fact that president Trump has been in office now for roughly nine-plus months and he's been lobbied hard by Santos but as well as some other Trump allies to give Santos a pardon or at least commute his sentence.

He's shown no interest in doing so until now. What he posted on Truth Social was essentially linking this commutation to Democratic senator Richard Blumenthal, saying that Blumenthal had lied and he never had to go to jail.

So why should Santos have to go to jail?

Now this is not the first time that president Trump has commuted the sentence or pardoned a former Republican politician. He also did so for Republican Michael Grimm, as well as a Connecticut governor, among others.

But it was interesting, given the fact that president Trump had been lobbied routinely and never done it before.

Now one interesting point, unclear at this point whether or not this played a role. But earlier this week, Santos wrote an open letter to president Trump, once again asking for that pardon. He posted that on his Twitter -- now X -- page -- Kristen Holmes, CNN, the White House.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ABDELAZIZ: As part of his sentence on fraud and identity theft charges, George Santos was ordered to pay more than $370,000 in restitution. But Donald Trump's commutation of his sentence absolves him of the need to repay that debt.

One legal analyst spoke earlier with CNN about the real problem behind legal reprieves, like the one that Santos has gotten.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ELLIOT WILLIAMS, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: I think the problem is not George Santos here. It's not even Donald Trump. It is the pardon power. And we, as a country, have really allowed presidents to run wild with this unrestricted power that they have, to exercise clemency.

President Trump is really doing and carrying out the power that the Constitution gives him. And generations of Congresses have not restricted. Until Congress reins presidents in, we're going to keep seeing these exercises of clemency for people who really are not deserving.

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ABDELAZIZ: A former Republican House member got more personal with his criticism.

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Saying it's the latest instance of Trump making an utter joke of justice.

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JOE WALSH, FORMER U.S. HOUSE REPUBLICAN: If you're a friend of Trump's, if you're a Republican, I mean, think about what Trump said in his post tonight.

What did he say about Santos?

He had the courage to vote Republican.

What does that have to do with any crimes he committed or anything he pled guilty to?

He has utterly politicized justice in this country and made it clear, send a really overt signal that, if you're a friend of his, man, come on, knock on my door. I'll be there for you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ABDELAZIZ: Now an attorney for George Santos posted a message on X on his client's behalf, thanking president Trump, whom Santos called the greatest president in U.S. history and expressing to the greatest DOJ team ever assembled.

John Bolton says he is not guilty of unlawfully mishandling classified information. President Trump's first-term national security advisor entered the plea in federal court on Friday. Bolton is the third Trump critic to be indicted in the past month.

And it follows charges against former FBI director James Comey and New York attorney general Letitia James, who successfully did prosecute Trump on felony fraud charges. Now unlike the prosecutions against Comey and James, people briefed on the matter said Bolton's case has the support of career prosecutors and investigators. Nationwide protests against president Trump and his administration's

policies are expected in the coming hours. Round two of the "No Kings" protests will include more than 2,500 demonstrations across all 50 states.

Now that is more than were planned in June, when about 5 million people took to the streets to protest what organizers described as Trump's authoritarian agenda.

Now the president and other Republican politicians are slamming these demonstrations. House Speaker Mike Johnson claimed without evidence that they have contributed to the ongoing government shutdown.

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QUESTION: Mr. President, do you think that the government shutdown is all about this rally that's happening this weekend, the "No Kings" rally?

TRUMP: No. I mean, some people say they want to delay it for that. A king. It's -- this is not a king. You know, they're saying -- they're referring to me as a king. I'm not a king.

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REP. MIKE JOHNSON (R-LA), HOUSE SPEAKER: They're going to descend on our capital for their much anticipated so-called "No Kings" rally. We refer to it by its more accurate description, the "hate America" rally.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ABDELAZIZ: Now organizers say they are planning for peaceful protests that will show a clear contrast to the Trump administration's recent shows of force.

Joel Payne is the chief communications officer of MoveOn, one of the organizations behind the "No Kings" protests. He joins me live from New York now.

First of all, good morning. Thank you so much for making the time for us.

I just want to start by asking, what are these demonstrations about?

There's so much going on, from the immigration crackdown to the government shutdown to president Trump ordering deployments to American cities. So just boil it down for me.

What are the demands that protesters are going to have?

JOEL PAYNE, CHIEF COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER, MOVEON: Well, thanks so much for having me, Salma. And it's good to be with you and to talk to your viewers. These protests are about community, about people being with those in

their community and communities all over the country and, even in cases, some international events. And it's also about exercising our freedoms and our -- and our rights, the most American thing you can do.

It's why it's so disappointing that we've seen some Republicans talk up this idea that people are doing something wrong by peacefully protesting with their friends and with their neighbors and their loved ones in their communities all over the country.

You've got events in big places like New York City, as you mentioned, and in Washington, D.C., and Chicago. You've also got events in smaller communities, in places like Storm Lake, Iowa, a town of 12,000; Bryson City, North Carolina, a town of 1,200.

There's even an event in Traverse City, Michigan, where people are coming together to donate to local food banks. That's the type of events that are going to be happening all over the country today peacefully. We're really excited to, you know, work with over 300 partnering organizations to pull this together today.

ABDELAZIZ: And you had 5 million protesters out on the streets in June for a "No Kings" march. So that was not that long ago. We are having another one now.

Why hold another one?

What's changed?

What's different this time?

What are the goals?

PAYNE: Well, what has changed, unfortunately, is, it seems that, you know, the Trump administration and president Trump's allies have just decided to go deeper into abuse of power, into, you know, really bastardizing this, you know, their use of powers here in the United States.

Going after people on the street, sending, you know, masked police officers to go and strip people of their rights on our streets in our communities all over the country. You know, evading accountability, evading the balance of powers, acting like a king.

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And what today is all about is people all around the country saying, no; in America, we have "No Kings," not now, not ever. And we're going to do what we can do to peacefully speak up and let folks all over the country know that, yes, you are right.

Your country does not have kings and your country does believe in balance of powers and does believe in accountability for our leaders. And we'll support and will back up your ability to speak up and to push back against your government peacefully, whoever's in charge. ABDELAZIZ: But you heard there and we did play some of those sound

bites from Republican lawmakers, who are describing these as "hate America" rallies or anti-American rallies. And we've seen president Trump in the past respond really forcefully to any opposition on American streets.

Are you worried this could draw a backlash from the administration?

And what about people who are too afraid to step out because of the fear of retribution from the authorities?

PAYNE: Yes. It was just so disappointing to hear some Republican leaders speak like that. I mean, you know, the Republican Party purports to be for free speech. I'm not sure why they feel it's a threat for people to speak out peacefully with their voices, to use their constitutional rights. These are rights that all Americans should support.

And whether you're a Democrat or Republican or independent, you have the right to have a differing opinion than your government. You do not deserve to have your government weaponized against you.

You know, speaker Johnson was one of those folks that you talked about, Salma. It's interesting. He talked about the D.C. rally, which, by the way, is going to be a really great event, peaceful event. Some good folks there to speak.

There'll also be a number of events in his home state of Louisiana. There's actually 12 events in speaker Johnson's home district. He should go check one out. He should go hear from his constituents and listen to what's really on their mind.

So that's what we're hoping, is that the folks who are in power support people's rights to speak out peacefully, support their rights to use free speech and actually listen to what people have to say today.

ABDELAZIZ: Thank you so much, Joel Payne. We'll keep our eye on America's streets today as people start in those demonstrations. Thank you.

Now European leaders are making it clear they're fully behind Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy following his meeting in the White House. He and president Donald Trump are split over the future of the war after several hours of talks on Friday.

Now Mr. Trump later said the fighting should stop right now along the current battle lines.

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TRUMP: They should stop the war immediately. You go by the battle line wherever it is. Otherwise, it's too complicated. You'll never be able to figure it out. You stop at the battle line and both sides should go home. Go to their families. Stop the killing and that should be it. Stop right now. At the battle line. I told that to president Zelenskyy. I told it to President Putin.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ABDELAZIZ: Mr. Zelenskyy also failed to secure the delivery of long- range Tomahawk missiles to Kyiv. The weapon would put much of Western Russia within Ukraine's striking range. As Nick Paton Walsh reports, the two leaders are keeping much of their discussions about Tomahawks under wraps.

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NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Ultimately.

We don't.

Have much detail about.

What president.

Trump and president Zelenskyy discussed when it comes to long-range U.S. Tomahawk.

Missiles but it is pretty clear they will not imminently be in Ukrainian hands.

And pretty clear, too, that we are seeing remarkable rhetoric, frankly, from the U.S. president, holding out the possibility of what he calls these dangerous missiles, where a lot of bad things could happen, potentially being in Ukrainian hands.

Now we've heard Trump make hollow threats before when it came to secondary sanctions. But this is military force potentially designed to try and push Russia toward the negotiating table.

When president Zelenskyy emerged from his talks with Trump, he said they both agreed not to discuss long-range missiles and what they talked about them because the U.S. didn't want an escalation.

And Trump was clear, he was hoping the issue of Tomahawk supply would never actually come to fruition, because he'd hoped that the meeting in Budapest between himself and President Putin, as yet to have a date set for it, would yield to some kind of peace.

He again and again suggested he believed President Putin wanted some kind of peace. Didn't elaborate why he felt that necessarily.

And indeed, after the meetings had ended and president Trump had left for Mar-a-Lago, he posted on Truth Social the fact that he believed both sides should accept a deal that leaves the front lines where they currently are.

Now that ultimately, I think might be for president Zelenskyy, something he could sell domestically. It would certainly mean that Russia's recent summer offensive has not taken the key eastern front line towns that it's had in its sights.

And that, too, is a reason, potentially, why the dynamics around this meeting in Budapest between Trump and Putin have changed slightly. Zelenskyy has weathered this Russian summer offensive. Putin had potentially hoped it would see a strategic change.

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It would see the population centers he's coveted in his hands. That may happen in the weeks or months ahead. But it's not happened now and that may leave Zelenskyy a little stronger; clearly, his relationship with president Trump is a lot better. Trump called their meeting cordial and interesting.

He may not have emerged, Zelenskyy, with the long-range Tomahawk missiles he wanted. But let's be honest, the U.S. doesn't have many to spare. They have similar range to some of the long-range drones that have been fired into Russia already by Ukraine. They're way more deadly and efficient.

But they'll take a while to get into Ukrainian hands and they cost $2 million roughly each. So a lot making the Tomahawks less of an immediate game changer on the battlefield.

The psychological impact of this being signaled. Though potentially key here, President Trump wouldn't have dreamed nine months ago of threatening Russia with military force. Now that's something potentially on the table, delivered via proxies.

All eyes on Budapest, though. And potentially too, as to how these changing dynamics on the battlefield are impacting Russian calculations for the months of fighting ahead, Zelenskyy didn't get everything he wanted out of this meeting in Washington.

Far from it, indeed. But he certainly emerged, I think, in a stronger position than we've seen him in terms of his relationship with the United States and on the battlefield than we've seen him over the past months -- Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ABDELAZIZ: Now the British royal family seems to have had enough of the scandals surrounding Prince Andrew. The king's brother says he will stop using his royal titles. That story after the break.

Plus, tensions escalating between the U.S. and Venezuela as the U.S. military strikes suspected drug smugglers' boats. What Trump says Maduro offered in exchange for deescalation. That's next.

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(MUSIC PLAYING) Violent clashes took place in Bogota, Colombia, on Friday, as

protesters confronted police near the U.S. embassy. Authorities responded by firing water cannons to disperse masked demonstrators, who threw fireworks and explosives and shot arrows. Four police officers were injured. That's according to the city's mayor.

The confrontations took place amid broader protests by the Congress of the Peoples, an organization representing indigenous and peasant peoples.

President Trump appeared to confirm reports on Friday that Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro offered the U.S. preferential treatment to his country's natural resources. Mr. Trump said Maduro offered everything in exchange for bringing down the temperature between the two countries.

Tensions keep escalating between the U.S. and Venezuela, as the U.S. military carries out lethal strikes on boats that it says are trafficking drugs. So far, the Trump administration has not provided evidence to support that claim.

In response to the strikes, Maduro rolled out a new defense plan, which would deploy the military, militia and police to certain parts of the country to prepare for a potential conflict with the United States.

And as CNN's Patrick Oppmann reports, President Trump directed some strong language at the Venezuelan leader.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TRUMP: He has offered everything. He's offered everything. You're right. You know why?

Because he doesn't want to fuck around with the United States.

PATRICK OPPMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): President Trump claiming his Venezuelan counterpart may be ready to strike a deal after the sixth U.S. strike targeting alleged drug trafficking boats in the Caribbean. As numerous U.S. navy destroyers and aircraft patrol off the country's coast. Trump also threatening strikes on land.

TRUMP: We have a lot of drugs coming in from Venezuela and a lot of Venezuelan drugs come in through the sea, so you get to see that but we're going to stop them by land also.

OPPMANN (voice-over): Trump publicly revealing he authorized the CIA to carry out operations inside Venezuela. He says to stop the flow of drugs and migrants.

REPORTER: Does the CIA have authority to take out Maduro?

TRUMP: Oh, I don't want to answer a question like that.

NICOLAS MADURO, VENEZUELAN PRESIDENT (through translator): Never before had any previous government since the CIA has existed publicly said that it was sending the CIA to kill, to overthrow and to destroy countries.

OPPMANN (voice-over): Maduro, who faces a U.S. federal indictment on drug trafficking charges, which he denies and a $50 million bounty for his capture, is accusing Trump of trying to topple his regime and is responding with both a military buildup and a propaganda campaign, calling the U.S. a Nazi empire with supremacist ideologies.

Maduro is digging in and has implored the Venezuelan people to join militias to fight against any U.S. intervention. Venezuelan state TV, even showing videos of some of the training, which includes calisthenics and the basics of handling firearms.

Thousands have reportedly heeded his call but many appear to be senior citizens or raw recruits with little to no military experience.

MADURO: Our mobilization will be permanent and never stop.

OPPMANN (voice-over): Maduro posting this video to Instagram today with a message. We continue completing all the necessary preparations, reaching the optimal state for the integral defense of the homeland.

Maduro, even trying in broken English to send a message directly to the American people.

MADURO: No, not war. Just peace.

OPPMANN (voice-over): Patrick Oppmann, CNN, Panama City, Panama.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ABDELAZIZ: Britain's Prince Andrew will stop using his royal titles, including the Duke of York, amid the ongoing controversy over his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein and links to an alleged Chinese spy.

Now his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, will relinquish her title as well. But the couple's two daughters will not be affected by the change. Our royal correspondent Max Foster has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MAX FOSTER, CNN ROYAL CORRESPONDENT: So it seems as though the British royal family has finally had enough of the scandal engulfing Prince Andrew,

which just does not seem to go away. All his associations with Jeffrey Epstein. They came up again more recently with a new set of emails

published in the British newspapers.

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According to Prince Andrew, in discussion with the king and my immediate and wider family, we have concluded the continued accusations about me

distract from the work of His Majesty and the royal family. I'm told by royal sources that the king, King Charles Andrew's brother, is glad of the

outcome.

Now what does this mean in terms of titles?

Because the reality is that technically, Prince Andrew hasn't been stripped of any of his titles. He's

just agreed to stop using them. Titles like the Duke of York. He has many other titles as well. He's going to stop using those titles but they still

exist.

Crucially, he will still be Prince Andrew, because that title came to him at birth as the son, as the grandson of a monarch. So that won't go away.

He will still be living in his grand house on the Windsor Estate Royal Lodge. He has a private lease there. We're saying that isn't affected. In

terms of his public appearances, they're literally going to dry up.

We have seen him at family events, not necessarily state events but family events on camera. But we're told that this year, he won't even be invited

to Christmas. So in terms of what Prince Andrew did have, in terms of public profile and prestige, has now been completely stripped away. so prince Andrew, the scandal around Jeffrey Epstein has gone on and

on and on and he's agreed to basically give up his entire public role now.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ABDELAZIZ: Now we're learning new details about the latest hostage released by Hamas. We'll have a live report for you after the break.

And Instagram is taking on artificial intelligence. How the social media platform says it will protect teenagers from some AI chats.

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ABDELAZIZ (voice-over): Welcome back. I'm Salma Abdelaziz. Let's check some of today's top stories.

Disgraced former Republican congressman George Santos is, according to his attorney, a free man this morning. His release came after president Trump commuted his sentence for his conviction on charges of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. The disgraced ex-lawmaker was just months into what was meant to be a seven-year prison term.

Organizers of the "No Kings" protests expect millions of Americans to join demonstrations against president Trump. Today, more than 2,500 rallies are planned across all 50 states. Protest what organizers describe as Trump's authoritarian agenda.

And European leaders are pledging unwavering commitment to Ukraine following a meeting in the White House on Friday. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy did not get that commitment from the U.S. for those Tomahawk missiles that he wanted. U.S. President Trump pushed instead for a ceasefire along the current battle lines.

ABDELAZIZ: Mr. Trump also says he'll have another meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, this time in Hungary. In the last hour, I spoke with Vladimir Milov. He's a former Russian deputy energy minister who is now a part of Russia's opposition.

And I asked him if that meeting could be any different than the seemingly futile summit in Alaska earlier this year.

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VLADIMIR MILOV, FORMER RUSSIAN DEPUTY ENERGY MINISTER: We are into almost nine months of Donald Trump presidency. And what we see is basically zero impact. Let me repeat, zero impact of anything that Donald Trump does on Vladimir Putin's actions.

So for that to change, we need to have something more serious on the table than just president Trump's rhetoric. I think nine months is enough, particularly for that kind of conflict, which lasts for years already.

Nine months is enough to judge that action is needed to change Putin's behavior. So again, I will believe it when I see it, when president Trump really does something to show Putin that the pressure is on the table, apart from just empty words.

Then something might change. Other than that, it's hardly believable that the scenario that we saw in Alaska would not simply be replicated here.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ABDELAZIZ: Israeli officials say the body of a hostage handed over by Hamas on Friday has been identified as that of Eliyahu Margalit. Hamas has now released 10 deceased hostages since reaching a ceasefire deal with Israel last week. But 18 are believed to still be inside the enclave as frustration grows over how slow the process has been.

Meanwhile, the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, backed by the U.S. and Israel, has stopped delivering aid. That's according to an Israeli security official, who says supplies are now being delivered as agreed upon in the ceasefire.

Joining me now for all of this from Nairobi, Kenya, is CNN's Larry Madowo. I know that this ceasefire has been tested time and time again, Larry,

including this week, of course, with the dispute over the bodies of hostages. Give me an update on where we are with that and what the status is of the 18 that are still believed to be inside.

LARRY MADOWO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: There's some progress with the release of Churchill and we want to show you this video of his convoy coming into Tel Aviv this morning.

There are still 18 deceased hostages believed to be in Gaza. And that's the heart of this dispute. Israel accuses Hamas of reneging on that ceasefire agreement brokered by the United States, where they are supposed to release all the 28 hostages that were believed to be still to be dead, that remain in Gaza.

On the other hand, Hamas says it remains committed to this ceasefire agreement but it's having trouble retrieving the remains of some of them, partly because the enclave has been so badly bombed out that they're having trouble digging through the rubble to retrieve them.

They also accused Israel of not allowing for more earth-moving equipment, heavy-duty machinery, bulldozers to help them make that exercise smoother.

And U.S. officials have downplayed the possibility that Hamas is in breach of that agreement.

They believe it has acted in good faith and they intend to go to phase two of that ceasefire agreement because, according to some leaked reports in the Israeli media, there was an understanding that the deceased remains might not be immediately available to hand over to Israel.

But even for those who've been released, like the living hostages, I want you to listen to one, who just got back home in southern Israel, and what he had to say about the situation.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OMRI MIRAN, RELEASED ISRAELI HOSTAGE (through translator): First of all, I am excited from all this support and love the help given to my family and all.

And to be honest, I am here. All who were released until today are also here. But there are still other people there. Still, there are families who didn't close the circle. It's a new start for them. There were funerals and memorial days in the past week.

[05:00:00]

It's time now to return to life, to continue my life and return home.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MADOWO: A lot of the focus this week has been on the release of hostages and the dispute over the remains that are still in Gaza but Hamas also wants the surge in aid that Israel agreed should happen.

The U.N. has been warning for a few days that there's just not enough coming in. It needs to come in as quickly as possible through all the border crossings. And some in the humanitarian community accused Israel of continuing to block the Rafah border crossing from Egypt, which is crucial to bring in aid.

The World Food Programme saying it has enough food to feed Gaza for at least three months. But the trucks need to be allowed to come in as quickly as possible or it will exacerbate an already terrible situation with displacement with the famine that has affected most of that enclave.

And so far, not enough trucks are coming in. They would need thousands of trucks for several weeks just to make sure that you're alleviating the current situation.

That on the backdrop of the very controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, that's the Israel and U.S.-backed foundation, saying that it's temporarily stopped its operations. And that also just making it even harder for people to access the very badly needed aid. Salma.

ABDELAZIZ: Thank you, Larry, for that update. Thank you so much.

Streaming service Spotify says it wants to create AI products that protect artists and songwriters. We'll talk to an industry expert about what that might look like, right after the break.

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ABDELAZIZ: Spotify is partnering with major record companies in an effort to develop what it's calling responsible AI products. The music streaming service will partner with Sony, Universal and Warner music groups.

The deal marks one of the first efforts by major music companies to address artists' and songwriters' worries about artificial intelligence in the industry. Now Spotify stressed that musicians' rights are their primary concern and says protecting copyrights is essential.

[05:40:00]

Something that will empower artists and songwriters. Partnerships with record labels, distributors and music publishers are all part of this plan.

I want to head now to Los Angeles and bring in Seth Schachner. He's a manager -- managing director, rather -- at Strat Americas and a former major music label executive.

Good morning, first of all, thank you for being on with us. Can you just start by helping me make sense of this headline?

What is it exactly that Spotify is aiming to do with these companies?

It says that it's trying to protect the rights of artists.

But does this just mean I'm going to hear more AI content on these streaming platforms?

What does this mean even?

SETH SCHACHNER, MANAGING DIRECTOR, STRAT AMERICAS: Well, you probably -- yes, you probably will eventually hear more AI music content. And I mean, I think the hope is that it's going to be done in a cooperative way with a lot of the different interests in the music industry, whether that's artists or labels.

I think the real thing here, is that, you know, maybe for the first time in a while, it's kind of the deal or the business development might be a little bit more important than what the actual products are.

It's candidly kind of unclear what the products will be that come out of this right now. You know, AI and music has been in a kind of a weird spot, because there's a few platforms that have kind of gone out and jumped ahead with, you know, platforms that let you create your own music while the rights landscape is pretty unclear.

But I think this new announcement to me indicates that, you know, the labels are very much trying to get out in front of this and trying to set the stage, if you will, for a legitimate business to develop.

But it's pretty unclear in terms of what the products will look like right now. They're going to develop those.

ABDELAZIZ: So it's not clear what the products are. But this is prioritizing the business development at this point. I'm still unclear. I'm still vague.

What is the business development?

What is the goal here for these streaming platforms?

SCHACHNER: Well, look, I mean, I mean, I'll drag it down a little bit into the maybe in more simple terms. I mean, there are these AI soundalike tracks that have been out there, that, for the most part, are unlicensed.

So you can sing in the style of Miles Davis with, you know, Tchaikovsky in the background in a bar in the 1980s. And you can just kind of spit that out really easily on a platform right now.

But I think, you know, the idea right now is for artists to kind of get involved and help bring about some of their own tracks, you know, with AI and the labels cooperating with Spotify. Plus I think they'll probably have some fan clubs that are attached to

it. But you know, to be quite candid with you, I think what's really happening is there's going to be licensing deals that will be put in place that not only include traditional streaming but that deal with this new generation of AI tracks that are out.

Whether they're soundalikes or other things that are created with artists, basically, and it's important because it shows that I think the labels are really, really trying to get out in front of this and trying to work with Spotify.

That has been kind of a favorite son that helped save the major labels a few years back. And, you know, I think they're also going to try and help artists in terms of the back end and how they get compensated as well. But yes, for sure, there's a lot of unclarity on it until the Spotify lab people produce the actual products itself.

ABDELAZIZ: And it sounds for now like there's a lot of cooperation between Spotify, between the labels, between the artists. But talk to me about how artists actually view AI.

We've seen actors and others in the entertainment industry so worried it would force them out of their jobs that they took to striking.

So how does it work in the music industry?

SCHACHNER: I don't think it's as, you know, completely destructive as that. But I think it's fair to say there's a lot of suspicion around AI. And I mean, certainly Spotify does not have a very good reputation at all with lots of artists just because of the compensation models there.

But I think this is an attempt to try and give, you know, some open doors to allow artists to experiment, you know, with new AI tracks and some of the new AI products that they'll develop right now.

But I think, you know, one thing that's a really important principle here, that the labels that come out and said, is they want to see, you know, platforms kind of come in and ask for permission and get arms around rights, if you will.

There's been a couple of big platforms, Suno and Udio are two I'll mention, that have kind of launched without getting those rights in place first.

And I think the labels don't want to see that. I worked at Sony, when Napster and Limewire were out. And it was, you know, it was a very, very different story than what we're seeing here. So it's a much more positive early stage, constructive set of talks that they're doing right now.

ABDELAZIZ: You sound very hopeful. You're saying it's a positive early stage. But I want you to be honest with me because there's no way that AI is just arriving in the industry.

How much of the content I listen to is partially driven by AI already and I don't even know it?

SCHACHNER: Well, so let me separate. It's a really great question. On the production side of the industry, top level, AI has been a quiet part of a lot of things.

[05:45:00]

Production, separating sounds, sitting on Beatles records. You don't even hear some of it basically. So that's been really good.

The stuff that's getting kind of all the news, these fake soundalike tracks, are actually a pretty small part of the overall ecosystem. And I think the early research that we're seeing right now is that consumers don't really want to listen to it long term.

So there is a little bit of fluff and hot air going on in some of this stuff. But I think, you know, it'll be a part of the landscape. The labels are going to include it in their licensing practices. They'll probably be terms that look like streaming partnerships.

And who knows, maybe they'll charge for what's called training on those models. And it's very different than what we call a Napster moment, 25 years ago, where things were really going to get destroyed.

I don't see a heck of a lot of destruction with this stuff. I think it'll be a reasonably good part of the music ecosystem going forward.

ABDELAZIZ: Seth, thank you so much. I love that you said our ears can still discern the difference between the AI and real artists.

Instagram is launching new safety features for teens that will let parents stop chats with AI characters. Meta, which owns Instagram, says the move will address growing concerns about how artificial intelligence could impact a teenager's mental health.

Parents will be able to turn off access to individual chats with AI bots and characters. Meta said its AI characters are designed not to engage in conversations with teens about self-harm, suicide or disordered eating or topics that could encourage, promote or enable those subjects.

U.S. stocks closed the week in the black after days of volatile market swings. The Dow, the S&P and the Nasdaq each gained about half a percentage point before the end of trading on Friday.

And Wall Street's fear gauge, known as the VIX, dropped 15 percent as worries that Donald Trump might start a renewed trade war with China started to fade.

But sales of gold saw their best week since April as investors looked for safe havens throughout days of turmoil.

Now two United Airlines planes collided on the ground at an airport in Illinois on Friday. This happened at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago. According to United Airlines, a plane was headed to its arrival gate when it bumped an empty, stationary aircraft, reportedly clipping its rear stabilizer.

United Airlines said no injuries were reported and 113 passengers and five crew members were able to disembark normally.

Now still to come, baseball superstar Shohei Ohtani with a game for the ages. How he punched the Dodgers' ticket back to the World Series -- ahead.

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[05:50:00]

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ABDELAZIZ: Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani turned in an epic performance on Friday night as he led the team back to the World Series. Ohtani hit three home runs on the same night that he pitched.

This was the first of those homers, a leadoff blast in the first inning. He also struck out 10 batters in six scoreless innings. Behind his dominance on the mound and at the plate, the Dodgers swept the Milwaukee Brewers for the National League pennant.

Ohtani was named Most Valuable Player of the championship series. The Japanese baseball sensation is known for breaking records. But Friday's two-way performance is one of the greatest in the history of the game.

Afterwards, Ohtani, through his translator, reflected on his performance and looked ahead to the World Series.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHOHEI OHTANI, LOS ANGELES DODGERS SUPERSTAR (through translator): It was really, you know, fun on both sides of the ball today. You know, really, as a representative, I'm taking this trophy and let's get four more wins.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ABDELAZIZ: The Seattle Mariners are now just one game away from beating the Dodgers at the World Series. That is after they beat the Toronto Blue Jays, 6-2, in game five of their American League Championship series.

The two teams face off again on Sunday. Toronto needs to win two home games to reach the World Series. A Seattle win would give them their first trip ever to the world championship.

Now some of our greatest sports stories are about grit, not glory, like the unlikely story of a Japanese student, who taught himself English, learned football from online videos and then chased his dream all the way to the NCAA's Division 1. CNN's Patrick Snell has that story. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KANSEI MATSUZAWA, KICKER, UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII: It was one of the best moments in my life, you know. And D1 football in America and like Japanese kid has, like, big dream.

THOMAS SHEFFIELD, COORDINATOR, HAWAII SPECIAL TEAMS: Who teaches herself how to kick off of YouTube?

Who goes to America from a completely different country without speaking English and teaches himself basically how to speak English?

PATRICK SNELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It started with a kick and Kansei Matsuzawa's life has never been the same since. Kansai nailed a 38-yarder as time expired to give the University of Hawaii a dramatic season opening victory over Stanford.

A rich reward for a young athlete who didn't even know how to kick or, indeed, speak English until he started watching YouTube videos.

MATSUZAWA: In the beginning, when I was in Japan, I had no coaches, so I feel like I have to do it myself. So I use YouTube first. I was looking for NFL player on YouTube, like trying to like imitate, like the best of the best.

So Seahawks kicker Jason Myers, that was my model when I started kicking. I've never met him before. But he actually texted me on Instagram after the game-winning field goal and that was actually amazing.

SNELL (voice-over): Kansei was a standout soccer player as a teenager but he failed an exam and didn't go to college in Japan. His passion, joy and energy all gone.

But everything changed after his parents offered their son a chance to visit the U.S. A Raiders-Rams NFL game that he attended fueling his fire to one day return to America and pursue his dreams.

It's no wonder that winning kick against Stanford was so special for both player and coach alike.

MATSUZAWA: I really wanted to win that game. Visualization is really important.

[05:55:00]

So I was ready for a game-tying field goal and game-winning field goal. So I think all the work off the field is showing up on the field right now.

SHEFFIELD: I was like, crying like a like a baby. But I was just -- I just told him, man, your parents are here to see this. Like, that was the coolest part for me, was seeing somebody who worked so hard, so hard, and overcome so many battles and so much adversity to get that moment.

And there's nobody, ooh, there's nobody that deserves it more than this kid because of the journey.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just want to let you know, man. We're going to, put you on scholarship.

MATSUZAWA: You sure?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hundred percent sure, man.

SNELL: Kansei was very moved by the video.

When you learned you were getting a scholarship, after everything you've been through, you actually break down in tears there.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They're going to be happy.

SNELL: Describe that moment.

What were you feeling right there when you find that out?

MATSUZAWA: That was amazing. It's one of the toughest things, like walk on -- to on scholarship in college football is really tough. But the coaches believed in me. And that moment is so amazing for me and my family.

SHEFFIELD: As a parent, it's like watching your son achieve a big dream and a big goal and reaping the benefits of all the hard work.

SNELL (voice-over): Kansei says he's inspired by his idol and compatriot, baseball superstar, Shohei Ohtani. For a young man who once cut his own hair to save money, Kansei Matsuzawa has certainly earned the right to dream big.

MATSUZAWA: Since day one, even before coming to U.S., and that's the -- I'm going to NFL, win Super Bowl, play 10 years in NFL. You know, big contract.

(LAUGHTER)

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ABDELAZIZ: Thank you for joining us. I'm Salma Abdelaziz in London.

For our viewers in North America, "CNN THIS MORNING" is coming up next.

For the rest of the world. It's "AFRICAN VOICES: CHANGEMAKERS"