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Houthis Launch Fresh Strikes Against Saudi Arabia; Mixed Reactions Over Greenland Security Deal; Trump Bans CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House; Ed Sheeran Breaks His Silence; U.S. and China Expected to Discuss the Future of A.I.; Series of Women Killed in South Africa. Aired 4-5a ET

Aired September 20, 2026 - 04:00   ET

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

[04:00:00]

SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and a very warm welcome. I'm Salma Abdelaziz in London. Let's go straight to our headlines.

Houthi rebels launch fresh airstrikes against Saudi Arabia is a major escalation in the works. Reactions are mixed over President Trump's announcement of a new U.S. security deal for Greenland. What both Danes and Greenlanders are saying. And singer Ed Sheeran breaks his silence over the controversy that erupted after he dropped Macklemore from his tour.

ANNOUNCER: Live from London, this is CNN Newsroom with Salma Abdelaziz.

ABDELAZIZ: We'll have those stories for you in a moment, but I want to start with some breaking news we're following out of Russia. Moscow's mayor says his city has come under a massive drone attack from Ukraine. He posted this on Telegram that more than 1,600 had been shot down with some 450 drones targeting the city. This included this oil refinery which caught fire as a result of the attack. Officials say the drone hit a residential building and at least two people were killed while six others were injured overnight. We're going to have more information for you as it becomes available.

I want to go now to that significant escalation in the conflict between Iranian-backed Houthis and Saudi Arabia. Yemeni militant group claims to have attacked sensitive sites in the Saudi capital, Riyadh. This video on your screen shows a column of smoke billowing near the city's main airport, though the Houthis did not specify what exactly they attacked. It does appear to be their first reported strikes on the capital since the conflict was reignited in July. The group also says it struck an Armco facility near the Red Sea. Saudi Arabia says it thwarted several attacks, including an attempted missile strike on Riyadh.

For more on all of this, we're joined now by Paula Hancocks from Abu Dhabi. Good morning to you, Paula. Very clearly here, the Houthis are stepping up their attacks on the kingdom. What are you learning about the latest strikes and how Saudi Arabia is responding?

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Salma, this weekend we're certainly seeing an escalation in the hostilities between the two sides. The Houthi rebels claiming that they have managed to target a number of different areas in Saudi Arabia, saying that the attacks were successful. Let's first listen to what they claim happened on Saturday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

YAHYA SAREA, HOUTHI MILITARY SPOKESMAN (through translator): The Yemeni Armed Forces carried out, with the help of Almighty God, two significant military operations, using a large number of ballistic and cruise missiles as well as drones. The first targeted sensitive targets in the Saudi enemy's capital, Riyadh.

The second targeted the Aramco company in Yanbu. Both operations were crowned a success, resulting in massive fires at the targeted sites.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANCOCKS: Now, we haven't heard officially from Saudi Arabia exactly what was targeted at this point. The Saudi-led coalition said that they did intercept a missile coming towards Riyadh. What we did see, though, is Reuters' video near the main airport in the capital, and you can see a thick plume of black smoke coming from that area. We've yet to hear an official comment from the kingdom itself.

But this does come at a time that we have seen a significant assault and progression of the Houthi militia, funded and equipped by Iran, down the west coast of Yemen, along the Red Sea coast, and also taking an island over recent days, Perim Island, that really gives it a very strategic location to be able to try and control the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, which feeds into the Red Sea, a critical waterway for commercial shipping, also for Saudi Arabia trying to get its oil out at the time when the Strait of Hormuz is so compromised.

Now, what we also heard overnight local time was a number of different alerts from U.S. embassies around the region, for the first time mentioning the Houthis in their alerts.

[04:05:00]

Now, from time to time we do have these renewals of alerts from the State Department, through their embassies across the Gulf region, also these alerts were in Israel, Jordan, and Lebanon saying that the security environment remains complex with the rapidly potential for, with the potential for unforeseen escalation telling Americans to have a heightened sense of caution.

So, what we're seeing certainly when it comes to the Houthis and the Saudis is an escalation in hostilities. We have heard from sources telling CNN that they question whether the Saudis would be able to stop the Houthi escalation and progression through Yemen on their own. We also know from a source that Mohammed bin Salman, the crown prince, asked President Trump for help about 10 days ago and that help was denied. Salma.

ABDELAZIZ: CNN's Paula Hancocks there with some very interesting details about U.S. embassies, U.S. assets issuing alerts for the first-time warning about that rising tension with the Houthis. Thank you so much for that context.

Meanwhile, we're seeing mixed reactions in Greenland and Denmark after President Trump announced a deal which he says gives the U.S. permanent control over Greenland's security. Some are relieved that the U.S. won't be trying to take over the Arctic Island, which was originally Trump's goal and others are wary of the United States. But as CNN's Melissa Bell reports, others think the deal actually changes very little from a previous agreement.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MELISSA BELL, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Greenland is once again in the global spotlight after President Donald Trump said the U.S. had reached a new security deal with Denmark and Greenland that involves the U.S. military presence on the strategic Arctic Island. Details of the agreement are still unclear.

DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: We need Greenland.

BELL (voice-over): But it appears to fall short of Trump's aggressive threat to take over Greenland. But Denmark and Greenland say the deal won't compromise Greenland's sovereignty and some locals say they're relieved by that.

GORM DUPONT, NUUK, GREENLAND RESIDENT: To be honest, I have never thought that they will take over Greenland. I think it's just a play, a political play they do to put some focus on Greenland.

JAKOB LUDVIGSEN, NUUK, GREENLAND RESIDENT (through translator): It's been such a stupid thing that Trump wanted to take over Greenland. It's a crazy way of thinking for Greenlanders.

BELL (voice-over): Many Greenlanders say they felt on edge after months of strong rhetoric from Trump about buying or seizing their homeland, which is a semi-autonomous Danish territory. And even though there is a sense the agreement could cool some tensions.

There are questions about how it differs from a 1951 pact that already allowed the U.S. to expand its military footprint in Greenland. Some residents say they're still wary of the U.S., but recognize the need for stronger defense.

MARIANNE HANSEN, NUUK, GREENLAND RESIDENT (through translator): If I can say it like that, I don't mind that Denmark and the U.S. want to protect us and our enormous seas.

BELL (voice-over): In recent years, countries like Russia and China have rapidly deepened their presence in the Arctic. And according to Trump, under the agreement, no U.S. adversary will be allowed to have a base on Greenland without written U.S. approval. NATO says the deal is a major win for regional stability.

ADMIRAL GIUSEPPE CAVO DRAGONE, NATO MILITARY COMMITTEE CHAIR: We have a lot of stuff going on there from the military point of view. We have the Arctic Sentry activity, which is a huge commitment for NATO on that. I mean, just consider, NATO has three flanks to take care of. It's the north flank, the east flank and also the south flank. So, this is our 360 degrees. And the Arctic northern flank is part of our patrolling activities.

BELL (voice-over): The agreement is expected to be signed by the U.S., Greenland and Denmark this week, with Denmark's foreign ministers signaling there could be a good outcome ahead. Even on the streets of Copenhagen, there is optimism that more peaceful relations will prevail.

STEFFEN NIELSEN, COPENHAGEN, DENMARK RESIDENT: It's going to be more quiet now. I think that the United States is probably going to get what they could have had the whole time, if they just asked nicely. So, in that sense, I think it's going to be nice.

BELL (voice-over): Melissa Bell, CNN, Paris.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ABDELAZIZ: Let's go now to the U.S., where three major news organizations have signaled that they will take legal action to defend their journalistic right to report freely on the U.S. government. This comes after U.S. President Donald Trump announced he would ban CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from the White House on Saturday morning. Reporters from those outlets were denied access to the White House grounds and had their press passes confiscated. CNN's Brian Stelter has the latest on this saga.

[04:10:00]

BRIAN STELTER, CNN CHIEF MEDIA ANALYST: Hey there. Now, that President Trump's media ban is in effect, the three newsrooms targeted by the president are preparing to defend their rights in court. Here's what this network, CNN, said in a statement on Saturday. Quote, "We have a right under the U.S. Constitution to do our reporting without hindrance or interference from the government. And this ban is an illegal assault on that fundamental right."

And MS NOW said in a statement, quote, "The network intends to take any and all steps necessary to defend our First Amendment rights and the essential role of independent journalism in our democracy."

On Saturday, reporters from MS NOW, CNN, and Politico had their press passes confiscated. And now, there are questions about whether CNN will be able to fulfill its pool responsibilities on Monday.

So, let me explain what that means. CNN is one of five members of the U.S. TV pool. The five major networks in the U.S. take turns providing 24/7 coverage of the president, especially when he's traveling or he's in smaller settings like the Oval Office where there's not room for the entire White House press corps. So, the pool plays a really essential role. And CNN's next turn as pool representative is on Monday.

So, it's going to be interesting to see if the other four major networks show solidarity with CNN and take a stand. Based on my reporting thus far, my sense is that they will. Throughout the day on Saturday, I heard from news outlets that usually love to compete with one another, but are in this case, standing together, showing solidarity with CNN, MS NOW, and Politico.

The White House Correspondents Association also issued a strong statement on Saturday saying that Trump's ban, quote, "violates the First Amendment." I've noticed many Trump detractors on social media calling for a total boycott, saying the wider American news media should turn off the cameras and deny Trump the attention he wants.

But I have to say, at the same time, White House reporters want access to Trump and his aides. They want to be able to see what's going on at the White House. They want to be able to inform the public about what's going on. So, that's what this is really, ultimately, all about. And press freedom groups are united in saying that Trump is trying to restrict the public's right to know, and that that's an unconstitutional and unacceptable infringement.

Now, here's what the group Reporters Without Borders said on Saturday, saying this is all about control, quote, "The president is once again spewing lies about fake news to try to control who covers him and where." And here's the National Press Club in a statement saying the president doesn't have that power, quote, "The First Amendment does not permit the government to pick and choose which journalists are allowed to do their jobs."

And that is what the case law indicates. Courts have ruled in the past that if the White House decides to let some reporters in, then it cannot block others because of their perceived point of view. Now, I'm told that lawyers for the three affected news organizations are working through next steps, and that there will be legal action in the days to come, because this is a very important test for free speech and First Amendment rights in the United States.

Brian Stelter, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ABDELAZIZ: Ed Sheeran has spoken out on the controversy that's engulfed him for days now. He says his heart has been broken by the Israel-Hamas war and that he's had to make difficult decisions. His comments follow controversy over Macklemore's removal from Sheeran's U.S. tour dates after he made pro-Palestinian remarks on stage. That decision led Sheeran's remaining opening acts to withdraw in protest. For more on this, here's Gloria Pazmino.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GLORIA PAZMINO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the big question going into Saturday night's show was whether or not Ed Sheeran was going to be acknowledging the controversy of the past few weeks, and he did exactly that just moments after taking the stage. In fact, before he started performing, he spoke directly to the crowd, to the fans. He talked about the controversy of the past few weeks. He acknowledged the environment and everything that's been happening. He also said that he was heartbroken, and he emphasized that he never wanted to be an activist artist. He also said that he had made some mistakes along the way and spoke directly to his fans. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ED SHEERAN, SINGER-SONGWRITER: I don't want to disappoint fans and I've never wanted to be an activist musician. But this put me in the middle of an important and passionate argument about freedom of speech in the most complex political issue on the planet.

I've always been safe space for everyone and matters hugely to me. What happened in Israel (INAUDIBLE) on October 7th is horrific and compounded centuries of Jewish pain. What is happening in Gaza is catastrophic and unjustifiable and disproportional. My heart has been broken by the scale of devastation and loss of civilian's lives, of children's lives. At the systemic injustice we're seeing unfold in the West Bank cannot be (INAUDIBLE).

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[04:15:00]

PAZMINO: Now, although there was a small demonstration earlier in the day, a few blocks from here, a pro-Palestinian demonstration, there were really no disruptions at all whatsoever to Saturday night's events. There were thousands of people who came into the venue on Saturday evening, and we spoke to a lot of them, many of them, who told us that they were simply here to support Ed Sheeran.

They were looking forward to a good concert, looking forward to good music. Many of them saying they had had their tickets for a long time. They were here with their children, their young families, and they were hoping that the night would just be about the music. That certainly seems to be what Sheeran was trying to deliver for them after acknowledging the controversy.

Now, as we move past Philadelphia, I think one thing we're going to be watching for is how these concerts perform. He's traveling around the country. We know that part of the controversy after Macklemore was dropped from the tour was because Robert Kraft, the owner of the New England Patriots, the owner of the Gillette Stadium, where Ed Sheeran is scheduled to perform, had encouraged him to drop Macklemore from the tour because of Macklemore's pro-Palestinian remarks at a show in New Jersey. Kraft had also said that he would encourage other stadium owners to follow suit.

So, Ed Sheeran's certainly under a lot of pressure, but we saw that he acknowledged his fans today, he addressed the controversy, and he is certainly trying to move forward.

Gloria Pazmino, CNN, Philadelphia.

(END VIDEOTAPE) ABDELAZIZ: There's much more news to come here on CNN. A critical week for the world's two biggest economies just ahead. The pressing issues that U.S. and Chinese officials will discuss when they meet next week.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[04:20:00]

ABDELAZIZ: Welcome back. Despite saying that fears around A.I. are a hoax, the U.S. president is announcing new measures to address the growing calls to regulate the technology's rapid development. Posting on Truth Social, Donald Trump said that the U.S. would not hinder A.I.'s growth, but he said, quote, "We will also be looking for bad, and we can do that very easily with our already existing criminal and civil justice system. I am forming the A.I. force, much like I did Space Force, which has been a tremendous success in my first term. To that end, I will be announcing in the near future the A.I. czar." Now, the exact details of this plan remain unclear.

You can expect A.I. will be on the agenda when the U.S. Treasury Secretary meets Chinese's vice premier in New York. The Reuters news agency reports that Scott Bessent and He Lifeng will discuss that, along with security, trade and other economic issues today ahead of the U.N. General Assembly. That meeting is scheduled days before President Trump is set to host his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, at the White House. And sources tell CNN that U.S. officials are also considering meeting major tech executives on the sidelines of Mr. Xi's visit.

To break all of this down with us is Scott Singer. He joins us now live from London. And he is the co-director of the China A.I. Initiative at the Carnegie Endowment Center. Thank you so much for joining us this morning. You've heard us lay out there President Trump's position, D.C.'s position on A.I. That is pedal to the metal, but he's still going to form this task force. What will President Xi Jinping's position be in these meetings next week?

SCOTT SINGER, CARNEGIE ENDOWMENT FOR INTERNATIONAL PEACE AND CO- DIRECTOR, CHINA A.I. INITIATIVE: I think China is very closely monitoring the changes in A.I. development, not just in China, but also in the U.S. China was paying close attention when Anthropic limited access to its mythos-level models. Similarly, it's been paying close attention to the open A.I. Hugging Face incident that occurred earlier this year.

And so, I think in general, China's approach has been to focus on this sort of more near-term harms, how A.I. is impacting society, including its oversight over its information environment. But that's beginning to change given how fast capabilities are improving in the U.S.

ABDELAZIZ: And of course, for a lot of tech executives, at least the ones who have recently announced this need to slow the pace of A.I., there is hope for common ground. There is hope that both sides see some need to govern together here. But how can they find common ground if A.I. is not only seen as an imperative for economic growth, as we've seen from President Trump, but also as a zero-sum game in terms of national security? Is there hope for cooperation here?

SINGER: Well, I think the thing to keep in mind here is that the U.S. and China are fiercely competing for A.I. They both see the economic benefits. They see it as central to their strategy, military and defense. At the same time, there are areas of clear common interest. You know, no one wants non-state actors to be able to use an A.I. to help build a bioweapon. And both sides know that. And there are some actual concrete things that you can do to mitigate those risks. And you can also develop tools and, you know, what we call during the Cold War a hotline, a way of communicating to their side, to manage the most serious international crises.

And so, I think that both sides are going to do what's in their own immediate self-interest. But what's in their self-interest is not just competing, but finding some areas of cooperation.

[04:25:00]

ABDELAZIZ: That's an interesting perspective. And I do want to ask about that, again, in terms of China, because while President Trump has described, as we reported there, all of these warnings about A.I. as a hoax, what really surprised me were the comments from Xi saying that China must balance development in security to safeguard the interests of the people in national security. Is it possible that China is more cautious on A.I. than we expect or we read?

SINGER: Well, China has the world's most extensive A.I. regulations. They tend to focus from a place of controlling content, making sure that they're in control, that the narratives that LMs output don't contradict China's positions on issues like Tiananmen Square or Taiwan. The regulations have grown in scope.

They now include what China calls human-like A.I., where you're interacting with A.I. companions, things like A.I. boyfriends and girlfriends. But I think where China has not done as much thinking, is only beginning to address some of the questions, is on these most extreme risks, these catastrophic risks, that possibly that A.I. could really malfunction and we might lose control or be misused to launch a critical attack on a hospital. There actually aren't really regulations in China that focus narrowly on those issues.

And so, in that sense, the U.S. and China are in a similar boat where neither side has done things nationally to legislate. In California, there are some laws that apply to the U.S. companies. But I think it will be interesting to see both leaders go in with no national legislation on the books in those areas.

ABDELAZIZ: And very quickly, just as we head into these meetings in the next couple of days, and of course, we're hearing these alarms sounding louder than ever from A.I. experts, as someone monitoring this, do you feel optimistic that there will be common ground found, that there is a means in which international governance can come through here, or is this purely a game of capitalism?

SINGER: I think the most important thing in these talks will be to allow diplomacy to play its course while being mindful of the pace of progress. Diplomacy takes time. It will require a permanent channel to talk about issues like A.I. risks. You know, and that won't happen overnight. We're not going to have international agreement overnight on the full range of issues, nor should we want that.

At the same time, A.I. is getting really good really quickly. And so, making sure that we're able to manage those risks and have conversations and move agilely, I think is going to be central to managing the relationship.

ABDELAZIZ: I love that from Scott Singer. Be patient. It takes time. Diplomacy takes time. Solutions will not be found overnight. Thank you so much for that perspective.

SINGER: Thank you.

ABDELAZIZ: Still to come here on CNN Newsroom, we'll have a special report from Alaska ahead of the state's crucial Senate race. That's next on CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[04:30:00]

ABDELAZIZ: Welcome back to CNN Newsroom. I'm Salma Abdelaziz in London. We have a quick update on our breaking news out of Russia. Officials say at least two people are dead and six are wounded after what they called a massive drone attack on Moscow. The targets included this apartment building, along with a major refinery that caught fire.

And this comes as Russians are headed to the polls for the third and final day of parliamentary elections. Voters have been casting ballots for 450 members of the chamber, also known as the Duma. But the process is tightly controlled, and effective opposition is practically non-existent. So, anything but a victory for President Putin's party is considered an extremely long shot.

In Germany, the far-right is hoping to turn a victory into a winning streak as more state elections got underway. Polls opened this morning in the eastern state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and the capital, Berlin. The far-right AfD party won its first state elections in another eastern region earlier this month. That victory sent shockwaves through Germany's political system, demonstrating AfD's growing political muscle.

We're now just weeks away from the U.S. midterms, and Republicans are looking to football fans to boost voter turnout. Last weekend, GOP members spent millions of advertising dollars during NFL and college football games, according to ad tracking data obtained by Axios. In total, they ran more than 5,500 ads during those games and pre- and post-game programming. Efforts to hold on to male voters come as President Trump's approval rating among men declines. A new Fox poll shows it has dropped nearly 10 points since last year.

Alaska's Senate race could end up determining who controls Congress following this year's midterm elections. CNN's John King spoke to voters across the state about how affordability is the driving force in this year's race.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A raw, rainy morning makes no difference. It's September now. Snow not that far off. Training is on a schedule. Weather is weather.

ALYSSA BUSER, Alaska Voter: It is a part of Alaskan culture. There's evidence of sled dogs that dates back 8,000 years.

KING (voice-over): Alyssa Buser and her husband, Roan, pick the team, then harnesses for 10. Just four miles or so, this run.

BUSER: And then we'll slowly continue to build, and by December, they'll be worked up to 50-mile runs.

KING (voice-over): Gee is right. Haw is left. There is no sled dog command for Flip Washington on its head.

BUSER: It's crazy the amount of money that you spend on groceries. Especially within the last year and a half, food has just gone up so much. So, I think it's really important to vote and make sure that we have affordable food, affordable housing, that we have jobs, that we have health care.

Thank you, Ash.

KING (voice-over): Buser is a registered independent, but she wants change in Washington. Democrat Mary Peltola is her choice in a Senate race that could determine which party controls Congress.

BUSER: Mary is from Alaska. Maybe she'll actually look out for what's the best for Alaskans.

[04:35:00]

KING (voice-over): The state fair has a spectacular snowy backdrop. Rides. Games. And, yes, a little politics if you wish.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

KING (voice-over): Daily celebrations of Native Alaskans and traditions many in the lower 48 might not understand. They're about 15 percent of the population now, many living in the most remote corners of this giant state. Lisa Lynch lives in the Anchorage suburbs now, but her mother is from Nome.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: These are salmon strips.

KING (voice-over): And much of their family is still there.

LISA LYNCH, ALASKA VOTER: It is crazy to think that you could go to a grocery store here in America and there's no fresh meat, there's no fresh fruit, there's no fresh vegetables. And it gets so bad in some of the villages.

KING (voice-over): A visitor gets VIP Inupiat treatment. The curved ulu used to chop slices of dried salmon in muktuk. Whale blubber.

Yes, some policy disagreements with Senator Sullivan, but Lynch says her vote for Peltola is mostly because of her rural Alaska roots.

LYNCH: He has lived here for a long time, but it's not quite the same because he never had to rely on the fish runs to feed his family. He never had to worry about if they could have a moose in their freezer or go caribou hunting.

KING (voice-over): If elected, Peltola would be the first Native Alaskan to serve in the Senate. Senator Sullivan was born in Ohio, but has lived in Alaska for more than 20 years, served as the state attorney general, and has held the Senate seat since 2015. Palmer is home to the state fairgrounds, and Mary Grubbs stopped at a local restaurant for lunch during a visit from Fairbanks.

MARY GRUBBS, ALASKA VOTER: I don't ever miss a vote. And I will definitely be out there and I will vote for Sullivan.

KING (voice-over): Nothing bad to say about Peltola, though Grubbs is worried about Democrats gaining power in Washington.

GRUBBS: You've got all these communities that are electing socialists or really far left leaning ideologies. So, to me, I just, I don't really want far like those, but I also don't really want really far to the right either.

KING (voice-over): Everywhere you go, reminders of the big choice. And don't make the mistake of thinking these warnings are just for show.

KING: Affordability, of course, is the biggest midterm issue everywhere. But Alaskans pay even more for most things, because being so remote comes at a price. Groceries in Juneau, for example, 29 percent more than the national average. In Anchorage, it's 26 percent higher. In Fairbanks, 25 percent. Health care is another giant affordability challenge. Americans on average pay $9,700 a year for health care.

In Alaska, it's $14,000. That's 44 percent above the national average. And those living in rural communities that are hard to reach face even higher, sometimes eye-popping costs. A gallon of milk as high as $16 in Bethel. A dozen of eggs, $8.69 in Skagway. Gas hit $11.50 a gallon recently in Alatna, and nearly $27 in Chugiak.

KING (voice-over): Rick Brown moved to Alaska three decades ago, the day he retired from the fire department back home in Kentucky.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think Michael just wrote logistics.

RICK BROWN, ALASKA VOTER: Apparently so.

KING (voice-over): Started his own adventure company 20 years ago. Fishing, hiking, kayaking, panning for gold.

BROWN: Oh, let me ride shotgun. KING (voice-over): He just turned 75.

KING: Happy birthday.

BROWN: So, anyway, you know, if I didn't enjoy it, I wouldn't do it.

KING (voice-over): Business this summer was OK. He expected better.

BROWN: I think the war had a little bit to do with it, and people were unsure of what was going to happen. We get a lot of campers that come up, they drive up, and I see that changing as the years go on, as the price of fuel gets up.

KING (voice-over): Brown likes Senator Sullivan and says he helped the company get access to federal land for some of its tours. Before Sullivan, twice before. Leaning Sullivan this time, but some hesitation because of campaign support the senator receives from larger fishing operations.

BROWN: Seward, it used to be a little village with a fishing problem. Now, it's a tourism town. But I still have a lot of friends that are commercial fishermen. And I want to see what's going to happen to support some of the issues they got with the draggers, you know, the --

KING: The big trawlers.

BROWN: The trawlers.

KING (voice-over): Again, nothing negative to say about Peltola. But again, worries about the Democrats' direction.

BROWN: You know, the socialism -- the socialist side of it, I don't, I can't wrap my arms around that.

KING (voice-over): You see the change at the Seward waterfront. Still a fair share of small commercial fishing boats, but also a cruise ship stop now and a harbor more and more tailored to tourists. 41 years in the charter business for Andy Mezirow. 31 years of finding the right spot.

[04:40:00]

ANDY MEZIROW, ALASKA VOTER: How are you doing, buddy? Beautiful silver salmon. We're going to let him go, John, so he can live to spawn another day.

KING (voice-over): This year, a faraway war hurt.

MEZIROW: We came into the season and fuel was $3.25 and then overnight it turned into $5.25 and there's no way we can really back charge people that have already paid for their trips for the cost of fuel, so we kind of had to eat it this year.

KING (voice-over): Mezirow is on the water just about every day and he served in fisheries management roles here for years. MEZIROW: And they have a unique smell to them.

KING (voice-over): He thinks Peltola's talk of banning the big trawlers is over the top.

MEZIROW: I don't think we should ban trawling. I think we should hold their feet to the fire and make them do a better job.

KING (voice-over): Mezirow knows and likes both Senate candidates and he says Alaska is lucky.

MEZIROW: I don't think this is like a communist versus a Nazi or a devil versus an angel. This is two good people that are trying to do their best.

KING (voice-over): But choice time soon. Likely Peltola, again because of her roots.

MEZIROW: She's like a real Alaskan that lives out in rural areas and has been a fisherman. She knows what it's like to have a sore back at this time of year and sore hands. I think the decision point is do you want to change in the way things are going in D.C. or do you like it the way it is? And if you frame it that way, it's hard to like it the way it is.

KING (voice-over): A change in course by reliably red Alaska would be beyond a big deal. But the last frontier just may get the last word on whether the Senate and Washington change tracks from red to blue.

John King, CNN, Moose Pass, Alaska.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ABDELAZIZ: Coming up next on CNN Newsroom, another woman was found dead near Johannesburg, South Africa, as the country faces critical levels of violence against women. More on the investigation coming right up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[04:45:00]

ABDELAZIZ: Welcome back. South African police are currently investigating a string of women killed near Johannesburg. This is over the past two months. The bodies of nine different women have been found. Investigators don't know yet whether the deaths are linked or if a serial killer could be involved. Our Eleni Giokos has more.

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ELENI GIOKOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: She went for a run and her daughter never saw her again. On the 9th of September, Elizabeth Tsontso Moselakgomo went for a run in Johannesburg, leaving her eight-year-old daughter behind. When she didn't return home, her daughter alerted family. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She's my running friend. We've been running for about two years together now. She's gone missing.

GIOKOS: Only to discover her mother was dead. Elizabeth is one of nine women that have been killed in South Africa. In this area of Johannesburg, her disappearance went viral and it prompted an outpouring of fear, grief and anger. In a country where gender-based violence is five times higher than the global average.

NOMGQIBELO TSHABALALA, RESIDENT (through translator): The current situation is becoming unbearable. We can't eat. We can't do anything because we're scared.

GIOKOS: It also prompted police to look deeper into other cases in the area. Police say that most of the women are in their 20s and 30s. They were sexually assaulted and some with stab wounds. The first victim was a 38-year-old woman found on July 15th. She was stripped naked and bound with cable ties. In the weeks that followed, more and more women were found murdered. And now, many women, most of them survivors of gender-based violence, are saying enough is enough. They've taken to the streets demanding justice.

SINEAD FARRELL, COMMUNITY LEADER: When we were gathered here today, I asked some people to raise their hands if they'd ever felt unsafe on a run or if they'd ever changed their route because they thought that somebody might be following them. And almost everybody's hands went up.

GIOKOS: So, what about protecting women now? Police say that they've locked down the area of Kempton Park, which essentially means more police presence on the ground as they investigate whether it's a serial killer that's behind these murders. South African police are also offering a reward of $25,000 for information that may lead to any arrest.

Police say that women should take precautions, but this message has angered many, saying why should women change the way they live so they can stay alive? These killings are unfolding in a country with a staggering rate of violence against women. Between the months of April and June, 569 women were murdered in South Africa, according to crime statistics. And the United Nations says that 15 women are killed daily in South Africa.

In 2025, President Cyril Ramaphosa declared gender-based violence a national disaster, putting together summits as well as a council to tackle femicide. But many activists say that this has made very little difference and the system is still failing women. In a statement, President Ramaphosa says that law enforcement is working urgently to bring the perpetrators to justice.

For women in South Africa, these tragedies are more than a story contained to one part of Johannesburg. It's part of their everyday reality.

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ABDELAZIZ: New York Fashion Week may be over, but some of the city's pups turned a midtown park into their runway. The dogs and their owners filled Bryant Park for the annual Paws on Parade. Fashionable fur babies traded their leashes for pearl necklaces and sequined jackets to the delight of crowds of dog lovers. Now, in its fourth year, the event brings together New Yorkers and their pets outside of the dog park, and organizers say it was a howling success.

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CHRISTOPHER BROMSON, CEO AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AKC MUSEUM OF THE DOG: The energy here is just incredible, as it always is when you have so many people who love dogs in one place. This is the fourth time we've come together for Paws on Parade in partnership with Bryant Park, and we really just couldn't ask for a better day, a better vibe, and a better community of dog lovers than we have here in New York City.

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ABDELAZIZ: And you don't normally see puppies at a military event, but these are pups in training to become police dogs. They made their debut at this parade in Santiago, Chile. The nation has 26 puppies in training, including German Shepherds, Belgian Malinois, and Golden Retrievers. After they graduate, they'll try to sniff out drugs and help police maintain order, and people sure like posing for pictures with them.

A spectacular silk dress that Princess Diana wore in an apparent act of revenge against her unfaithful husband goes up for auction. Later this year, Diana wore the strapless garment in 1994, when Charles admitted his infidelity in the very public breakdown of their marriage. CNN's Paula Newton has more.

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PAULA NEWTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Princess Diana's so- called revenge dress is still turning heads almost 30 years after her death. The daring black silk gown is now on display at Sotheby's in London and will travel to Hong Kong and Geneva before going up for auction in New York in December.

The dress was a showstopper. Worn in 1994 on the same night a television interview aired in which her then-husband, now King Charles III, admitted he'd been unfaithful.

MORGANE HALIMI, SOTHEBY'S GLOBAL HEAD OF HANDBAGS AND FASHION: We can imagine it's a night where she had to decide whether I go and what do I wear. So, she decided to wear something that would make her look the most beautiful, the most powerful, and she decided to use her outfit, her dress, to express where she wanted to be, what she wanted to say.

NEWTON (voice-over): The dress broke royal protocol at the time. It was form-fitting. And wearing black was considered only appropriate for royals during funerals. But it was a powerful message when she knew the world would be watching.

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HALIMI: The dress was designed by Christina Stamboulian. It's made of black silk. It's a dress that Princess Diana ordered to the designer, but she ordered it three years before wearing it. So, we can imagine that she was looking for the right occasion to wear it.

NEWTON (voice-over): The dress was last sold in 1997 when a collection of her dresses was auctioned off to raise money for charities. The pre-sale estimate for this auction is from $150,000 to $300,000. But experts say it could far exceed that. In 2023, Diana's famous black sheep sweater sold for more than $1.1 million.

HALIMI: This one is by far, I think, the most recognizable and the most powerful item with a Diana provenance, or linked to Diana in any way. It means so much in her own history and what this day represents. It's really a turn in our life.

NEWTON (voice-over): The iconic garment is scheduled to go back on the block on December 9th. And Sotheby's says some of the proceeds from the sale will be donated to charity.

Paula Newton, CNN.

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ABDELAZIZ: An Oktoberfest is officially underway in Germany. Munich's mayor kicked off the 16-day event by performing the traditional hammer strike to tap the first keg of many for the world's biggest beer festival. Organizers estimated six and a half million people attended last year's Oktoberfest, consuming more than a six and a half million liters of beer.

Thank you so much for watching. I'm Salma Abdelaziz. I'll be back with another hour of CNN Newsroom right after a quick break.

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