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The Brief with Jim Sciutto
Trump Defends Military Involvement In Los Angeles Protests; 700 Marines Headed To L.A. After Fourth Night Of Protests; At Least 10 Dead After Gunman Opens Fire At Australia School; U.S., China Trade Negotiators Meet For Second Day In London; Authorities: At Least Seven Killed As Blasts Rock Southwest; Five Western Countries Sanction Far-Right Israeli Ministers; Reports: Zuckerberg Seeks Team To Build "Superintelligence"; Australia Qualify For Sixth World Cup In A Row; England Suffer Historic Defeat To Senegal. Aired 6-7p ET
Aired June 10, 2025 - 18:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[18:00:31]
PAULA NEWTON, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, and a warm welcome to our viewers joining us from all around the world. I'm Paula Newton in for Jim Sciutto. You're
watching The Brief.
Just ahead this hour, President Trump defends his decision to send troops to Los Angeles, saying they're stopping an invasion. Candlelight vigils in
Austria after a high school shooting claims the lives of at least 10 people.
And Mark Zuckerberg reportedly assembling a team of researchers in pursuit of AI superintelligence. We'll explain all that's coming up and more.
But first, President Trump strongly defending his decision to deploy troops in response to protests in Los Angeles.
(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: I want to applaud the courage and the strength of the incredible troops who are right now standing guard to
protect federal property and personnel, and uphold the supremacy of federal law. That's what they're doing. They're protecting our ICE agents.
They're protecting the police in Los Angeles. They are heroes. They're in there. They're heroes. They're fighting for us. They're stopping an
invasion, just like you'd stop an invasion.
(END VIDEOCLIP)
NEWTON: This as the president visits Fort Bragg in North Carolina ahead of the 250th anniversary of the Army. A federal judge meantime has set a
hearing for Thursday after denying California's request to immediately block the Trump administration from using the National Guard to enforce
laws in that state.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass meantime says she believes the White House is using her city as a test case for the rest of the country.
(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP)
KAREN BASS, LOS ANGELES MAYOR: I think we're an experiment. Because if you can do this to the nation's second largest city, maybe the administration
is hoping that this will be a signal to everybody everywhere to fear them. That your federal government, that historically has protected you, can come
in and take over.
(END VIDEOCLIP)
NEWTON: So a reminder, the president has activated about 700 Marines and 4,000 National Guard troops. A top Pentagon official told Congress the
mobilization will cost the Defense Department about $134 million.
CNN Politics Senior Reporter Stephen Collinson joins me now. And Stephen, you've been following this very closely. And I think it's fair to say, and
as we just observed in that speech, that Donald Trump is really relishing this at this point. He believes that he can push even the state of
California to do what he believes should be done as those protesters take to the streets.
STEPHEN COLLINSON, CNN POLITICS SENIOR REPORTER: That's right, Paula. And I think, as always, it's worth taking close attention to what the president
says. Because I think the politics of this have moved on a little bit this afternoon. What the president is effectively doing, he is making a case for
the use of troops, not just in Los Angeles, but potentially elsewhere in the country, to respond to protests against the mass migration crackdown.
And potentially some of his other policies. He's said that himself today. He's argued that had it not been for his decision to deploy troops to Los
Angeles, it would have burned down. That isn't true. But we know how powerful the president's words and repeated creation of alternative
realities can be.
All you have to do is look at the idea that he put about that he actually won the 2020 election when he lost it. But that convinced millions of
Americans. Trump is very good at this. He's creating a political case. He's using words like insurrection, as you said, and invasion.
That looks a lot like he's building a rationale, if he wants to, down the road, to invoke the Insurrection Act, which would allow him to deploy
troops on domestic soil to act in the cause of law enforcement, something they're not quite doing right now in Los Angeles. So I think these are big
developments.
NEWTON: And I hear you on the political shift and the fact that they are significant. You know, President Trump is backing that not just the
majority of his supporters, but people that perhaps didn't necessarily vote for him in the election, also approve of this.
And I do note that even U.S. Senator -- Democratic Senator Stephen Fetterman, you know, saying on -- posting on social media, saying, look,
this is chaos. What's happening in L.A. is chaos. Do you believe that that is what the president thinks, that he is not dividing the country, but he
believes making a case where the majority will be with him?
[18:05:18]
COLLINSON: It's difficult to know, you know, what's going on inside his head. But what he is doing is he is making out that the situation in Los
Angeles was completely out of control when really it was contained to a small area of the city. And it looks like, for the most part, the local law
enforcement was able to keep it under control.
Now, when you see lots of pictures of cars burning on TV, the president making this case is clearly making it out to be something more than it is.
And that puts the Democrats in a very difficult position. While they're resisting Trump's power grabs, his decision to send troops to California,
the reservists to activate against the opposition of the governor, he is betting that Democrats are going to find that very difficult to push back
against because it's very easy there for the president to say, I'm standing on behalf of law and order and the law and legality.
You are standing for what he says are troublemakers and insurrectionists and foreign invaders. That's the charge he's putting towards the Democrats.
And, you know, the Democrats have been in a difficult position ever since Trump became -- started running for office and dominated the immigration
issue.
They still haven't really found an effective way to push back against him. It's been very popular. And we'll see where the breaking line for public
support is, I think, in the coming weeks if he continues to intensify this effort.
NEWTON: Yes, especially as we have seen some protests take, you know, take place in other cities as well. And apologies, Stephen. You are Stephen
Collinson. The senator is Senator John Fetterman. And still a very significant comment from him.
I do want to note now that we are looking, of course, at live pictures in Los Angeles. That is the federal detention center. And our correspondence
on the ground, Stephen, has been telling us that, look, the National Guard is, you know, creating a perimeter around these federal buildings.
But by and large, on the ground, it has been local police forces that have been engaging with protesters, trying to keep them safe and obviously
trying to keep any kind of vigilantism or violence or vandalism, quite frankly, to a minimum. Things have been relatively calm in the last few
hours in Los Angeles. And so many officials there remind us that it's not all of Los Angeles that this protest is contained.
Having said all of that, when we do see this perhaps spreading to other cities, do you think this could escalate, especially given the fact that
it's clear the president's rhetoric has definitely escalated here?
COLLINSON: Yes, and I think more than that, I think the administration looked to escalate this situation in Los Angeles. It deliberately conducted
these sweeps against undocumented migrants in a deeply democratic city, knowing it was going to cause a great deal of opposition and create these
kind of scenes. I think it's very likely we're going to see them do the same thing elsewhere in the country, in other democratic states, and try to
create these confrontations again.
NEWTON: Again, a very potent distraction as well to some of the economic issues facing Americans, not to mention that bill before Congress.
Stephen Collinson for us, thanks so much. Appreciate it.
COLLINSON: Right.
NEWTON: Kyung Lah is on the ground for us live in Los Angeles. Kyung, I was just talking about the fact that things were relatively calm. Can you kind
of set the scene and let us know what's been going on in the last few hours?
KYUNG LAH, CNN SENIOR INVESTIGATIVE CORRESPONDENT: And relative is definitely the term. It looks a little alarming if you watch it live on
television, but crowd control is, you know, a difficult -- is a difficult dance because you're dealing with so many people and so much at stake.
What you're looking at is really a very successful crowd control strategy by the Los Angeles Police Department. This is a line of LAPD. You can see
that they are carrying their clubs. They are also, the officers behind them, also carrying nonlethal devices, those green, you know, they look
like Nerf guns, but that's the best way I can describe it because my son has similar things like that. It's -- but they are nonlethal.
When they are fired, though, you certainly feel it. It is something that the Los Angeles police was called to this area because of some -- there was
an incident between protesters as well -- between protesters and federal agents.
I want you to, Paula, take a look at what I'm talking about. You see those agents over there? There's a mix of DHS agents, officers, as well as
California National Guard soldiers. And I also saw U.S. marshals. So those are within the federal purview, the people you're seeing there. And they're
in charge with keeping their property clear and their vehicles safe and their prisoners under their control.
[18:10:07]
What has been happening here is that ISIS has been conducting sweeps across Southern California, and they've been rapidly going into communities and
picking up people who are undocumented and bringing them to this facility. So this is giving demonstrators a place to come.
You were just talking with Stephen about how this is in a small area of Los Angeles. This is it. This is the federal block, if you will. And what has
happened here is because the National Guard was brought in at the objection of president -- at the objection of Governor Newsom, California's governor,
President Trump made that order. It's an order that hasn't been issued since the Civil Rights Movement.
That has led to these demonstrations specifically targeting that place. And then it has led to the LAPD having to control its streets, the city of Los
Angeles, as people have come here and there have been clashes. There's been a lot of rage. And that, especially as night has fallen, led to some people
coming in and setting cars on fire.
That is something we didn't really see last night. But a couple nights ago, there was much more of that in downtown Los Angeles.
The other thing I want to mention, Paula, is that the speed at which LAPD now is responding is much more quick because we're talking about multiple
days now. After the dispersal order was called, they were right here. The entire block was cleared off after one conflict. And now this area is
completely shut down, Paula.
NEWTON: Yes, fair to say after the L.A. police chief, you know, admitted that they were a bit overwhelmed on the first evening, that they
themselves, just the authorities there in the state, believe they have this under control, despite, as you're showing us as well, the federal
authorities certainly keeping watch over their federal facility.
Kyung Lah, on the ground for us, we will continue to touch base with you. And remember, next hour, we will have an interview with the mayor of L.A.
Thanks so much.
Now, for more on all of this, Retired Major General Randy Manner joins me. He's a former acting vice chief of the National Guard. And I certainly hope
you can make sense of some of this for us. You know, you don't believe the use of the National Guard, let alone Marines, is warranted. You've argued
for months, in fact, that this sets a dangerous precedent. Why?
MAJ. GEN. RANDY MANNER (RET.), FMR. ACTING VICE CHIEF U.S. NATIONAL GUARD BUREAU: We're actually seeing Americans turned against Americans. And that
is not a part of our heritage. That is not the way we do this. And it's not what I have lived my entire life of service for, nor is it the expectations
of those young Marines and those guardsmen. So it's turning it into a political demonstration, and it's very unfortunate for our guardsmen and
for our Marines and others that are out there.
NEWTON: And I'm glad you mentioned that, because many times we speak about, you know, the forces on the ground, but they themselves certainly perhaps
do not expect to get involved in this. They're not necessarily trained for it. And to that point, you believe as well that the National Guard, the
military infringes not only on free speech and free assembly when this happens, but possibly states' rights as well. What are the implications of
that?
MANNER: Absolutely. I think that every one of your viewers needs to be very concerned in the United States, whether they live in a red county or a blue
county, that we've literally got the ability of the federal government to come in and to stomp on the freedom of speech of every single American in a
particular city or area, and then secondly, quite bluntly, to stomp on states' rights to be able to govern themselves and take care of their
people.
The governor of California and the mayor of Los Angeles has the resources to take care of this. This is a law enforcement operation, not a military
operation. We have to remember that. We don't send armed soldiers against Americans. That is not the way we do business.
NEWTON: You know, I will get to the argument of that in a moment. I do want to point out that when it comes to states' rights, the president himself
has said that states should have more rights, including he has certainly put into force the fact that they should have rights over things like
abortion.
Leaving that to one side, President Trump will take credit if things calm down in L.A. because he believes many Americans back him, right, that they
look at this, they think, why not use the National Guard? Why not use the Marines? I'm sure you have heard that sentiment even as forcefully as you
are making the argument that this is not right.
MANNER: It's absolutely the case that we use the right tool for the right job. The right tool for this particular job is to use the law enforcement
capabilities of the town, the city, to augment it by, again, adjacent jurisdiction, and then, of course, with the governor's office in the use of
the National Guard under state control.
[18:15:14]
The right tool for the right job. This is basically taking a sledgehammer to what something that's very small. I mean, the president's labeled the
January 6th insurrection as being just a peaceful demonstration, yet there were many more thousands of people that were rioting in the District Of
Columbia than there were in LA. But yet this was labeled in writing, it constitutes a form of rebellion against the authority of the government of
the United States.
Those are completely opposite statements, and the average reader needs to understand we absolutely must hold those people accountable that are being
destructive and harming people to the full extent of the law. At the same time, this is a slippery slope and a dangerous slope we are going down to
use military against our own people. This is absolutely not what the intent is.
NEWTON: Yes. And to your point, state and local authorities, anybody on the ground in L.A. will tell you this is, even in the scope of protests in
L.A., quite small and quite contained. Certainly something that local and state authorities can handle on their own.
I do want to ask you, President Trump, again, will continue to use this rhetoric. He has for quite a while now. Do you worry about contagion? We
have seen some small protests in other cities across the country.
MANNER: The one thing about compare and contrast, the French are -- have a history that whenever they don't agree with something and they're called on
to strike, they will do it winter, spring, fall, and summer. They'll do it no matter what the weather is.
Americans, we are fair weather protesters. What that means is as the spring goes into summer and so on, that you're going to see a spread of protests,
not only the kind that you see there about immigration. I will predict that you're going to see marches in the next 90 days of veterans, of families,
of moms and dads with children, that are going to be out on the street in the next hundred -- well, I said 90 days. Let's say three or four months.
So what are we going to do with them? Are they going to actually be confronted by the same kind of a military, literally military style
reaction that would be facing them for peaceful demonstrations? We need to be very concerned about it. I know some people that are watching right now
will say, I'm an alarmist.
I think this is a slippery slope that we are going down, and it's extremely easy to follow what the president said. He literally said, we're going to
have troops everywhere. That's very dangerous.
NEWTON: OK. Retired Major General Randy Manner, thanks so much. Very sobering interview. Appreciate it.
Now a victim has died after a shocking mass shooting in the city of Graz, Austria. Police say a 21-year-old gunman opened fire inside a high school
before taking their own life. They say he was a former student at the school.
Graz residents gathered for a candlelit vigil in honor of those who lost their lives. Austria's chancellor calling it a national tragedy. The
government has declared three days of national mourning.
Fred Pleitgen is there right now. I mean, Fred, what more can you say except that these are truly shocking details, and the victims obviously so
young. What more are you learning about what went on there?
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Well, certainly, the authorities here are saying, Paula, that this rampage
started around 10:00 a.m. local time, that's the first call, 911 call that came into the authorities. And one of the interesting things is that the
response was actually really fast by the Austrian police.
They say they got on the scene with hundreds of officers in a very short period of time. But at that point in time, the damage had already been
done. Now as far as what we're hearing from the authorities, they say that there were two guns that were used in all this, a handgun and then also a
shotgun as well by the shooter who the police says acted alone.
As you can imagine, Paula, right here in Graz, I'm standing in the city center at that vigil, people here absolutely devastating saying this is the
most horrible day that this city has seen in a very, very long time. Here's what unfolded.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
PLEITGEN (voice-over): Children screaming as the shooter opened fire inside this high school in Graz, shattering the quiet of this South Austrian town.
Police say they intervened only minutes later. Hundreds of officers deployed to the scene, but the damage had been done. Many killed and
wounded, some critically evacuated to nearby hospitals.
Even as things calm down, a heavy security deployment in surrounding streets. Panicked parents soon converge on a nearby sports center where
authorities had moved students trying to find out if their children were among the dead and injured.
[18:20:11]
This mother said she was lucky to hear from her son who has a cell phone. I still cannot comprehend it, she says. It's unbelievable when you're sitting
at home and don't know whether you're safe or not.
The mass shooting, one of the worst rampages in this country's history. Austrians own more guns than most of their European Union neighbors, but
gun violence here is relatively low, a fraction of the U.S.'s rates, according to the Small Arms Survey Research Institute.
And many are left wondering about the motive. Authorities said they believe the shooter, a former student of the same school who didn't graduate, acted
alone and died by suicide in a school bathroom.
Two firearms were used in the shooting, this police official says, which were recovered at the scene. These weapons are now being forensically
examined. The suspected perpetrator is believed to have possessed the weapons legally.
Austria has declared three days of mourning, with messages of condolences pouring in from all over the world after a rampage many in this country
cannot comprehend.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
PLEITGEN: You know, Paula, I was able to speak to the mayor of Graz a little earlier today, and she said that, of course, everyone here was
caught by surprise. But she also said that if there's anything positive to glean from all this, she says that the response that was put into action
very quickly worked very well. A lot of officers on the scene in a very short period of time.
And then also, of course, one of the things that they put in place as well is all the infrastructure that they need to help people. They say a lot of
folks who obviously have loved ones who are affected, who are affected themselves, are going to need a lot of attention, a lot of care and a lot
of help for a very long time.
This community definitely shaken to the ground. But one of the things that the folks here are saying is that the response that we've seen here, the
fact that they had this vigil on tonight, the people are there for one another shows that this community will persevere. Paula?
NEWTON: Yes, certainly a sign of resilience. And obviously the training, as you have pointed out, to those first responders to get there so soon
definitely saves lives.
Fred Pleitgen for us on the ground in Austria. Appreciate it.
OK, just ahead, U.S.-China trade talks, extra innings. The two sides talking well into the evening in London. We'll have the very latest after
this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[18:25:06]
NEWTON: And welcome back to The Brief. We want to check all that action on Wall Street. U.S. stocks finishing higher right across the board on
Tuesday. The S&P 500 rising for a third straight session. Modest gains, though.
It is now, we should say, less than 2 percent away from all-time highs. Stocks rising on trade optimism. The U.S. and China holding their second
day of trade talks in London and could meet again on Wednesday. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said earlier that negotiations were going well.
That said, the World Bank warns the global economy is on track for its weakest decade of growth since the 1960s, in large part due to President
Trump's global trade war. The World Bank slashed its forecast for U.S. growth meantime this year by nearly a full percentage point to 1.4 percent.
Wendy Cutler joins me now for more on those trade talks. She is the vice president of the Asia Society Policy Institute in Washington, and she is
also a forming -- former acting deputy U.S. trade representative. And I thank you for joining us.
I am wondering what you think. I mean, is this a good sign that these talks are going on day after day? The scope of these talks is not exactly
inclusive, right? And they're still taking a lot of time with it.
WENDY CUTLER, VP, ASIA SOCIETY POLICY INSTITUTE: Look, this is pretty typical for detailed trade negotiations. I mean, the good news is there has
not been a breakdown. So they're continuing to meet. And what I think is they're just trying to hammer out details because the deal they reached to
meet a month ago in Geneva was pretty vague on some very important language.
So I think it's key that they get it right this time. And there's no misunderstandings when both sides go back home.
NEWTON: You know, there is a lot riding on these talks. And yet at this point, it really seems like the rare earth minerals and the semiconductors,
in fact, are the only thing they're really talking about. This actually sets back trade negotiations from where they were just six months ago. So
what is your hope? Like, what's the best case scenario here?
CUTLER: So the best case scenario is they get over this current impasse. And the impasse is that the U.S. wants to secure access to Chinese exports
of rare earths and magnets. And China has been slowing down the exports to the U.S. company's dismay. And China wants the U.S. to relax some of its
export controls on semiconductors, related equipment and aircraft.
NEWTON: In terms of what comes next, though, there are a lot riding on these talks. I mean, look, we talked about decoupling until we're red in
the face. Where are we now? I think a status report at this point in time about what is going to happen with these two large economies and how it
will impact the rest of the world. We've seen the World Bank report already that this is really slowing trade and depressing growth rates among many
countries.
CUTLER: And that's why these talks are so important. But what they're going -- what they're working on in London is just getting the Geneva agreement
back on track. After that, they need to meet and work through a lot of very difficult issues that have been -- that have caused a lot of strain and
tension in our bilateral trading relationship, including Chinese excess capacity, unfair trade practices, and transhipment by Chinese companies of
exports through third countries.
So there's a packed agenda. And again, time is running out because in Geneva, they were only given 90 days before the tariffs could come back in
full force if no agreement was reached.
NEWTON: Yes, a lot at stake, as I said, not just for China and the United States, but the global economy as well.
Wendy Cutler for us, thanks so much. Really appreciate it.
OK, still to come for us, Southwest Colombia reeling from multiple explosions today after a senator was shot at a campaign event over the
weekend. We'll be live in Bogota.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[18:32:15]
NEWTON: And a warm welcome back to The Brief. I'm Paula Newton. And here are our international headlines we're watching this hour.
A federal judge has denied, at least for now, California's request to restrict the use of troops on the streets of Los Angeles. California argued
that the Marines and the National Guard should not be used for law enforcement. The judge scheduled another hearing on Thursday. President
Trump says the troops protected the city from protests over his immigration crackdown.
The city of Graz, Austria, is in shock after a mass shooting inside a secondary school. Less than 10 people were killed after a 21-year-old
gunman opened fire. Officials say he was a former student at the school, but they are still searching for a motive. They say he took his own life.
People gathered for a candlelit vigil honoring those who lost their lives just a few hours ago.
U.S. and Chinese negotiators continue their trade talks in London. The two sides are meeting for a second day now and will keep talking Wednesday if
needed. Both countries trying to preserve a fragile truce brokered last month when they agreed to drastically roll back tariffs for an initial 90-
day period.
So a wave of explosions rocked southwest Colombia today. Authorities believe the attackers were targeting the country's police.
Officials say car bombs and other devices were detonated, killing at least seven people in a coordinated attack in Cali and several nearby towns. Now,
this just days after presidential hopeful Senator Miguel Uribe Turbay was shot at a campaign event in Bogota. He remains in critical condition.
Joining us now live is CNN Contributor Stefano Pozzebon, who's on the ground in Bogota. You know, Stefano, I have to tell you, the details of
these events combined are worrying enough. But obviously chilling to think of the reach now of political violence right in the middle of these
campaigns. I mean, what are authorities saying? You know, what do they believe is behind all of this?
STEFANO POZZEBON, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Yes, Paula. Well, chilling is exactly the word that I would myself use to describe the situation here in Colombia
in the last couple of days, at least since that horrific attack on Saturday afternoon. It feels like to many people here, to millions of people, it
feels like Colombia is going through once again a cycle of political violence like those ones that made this country infamous in the 1990s and
the early 2000s, and that, frankly, many people here had hoped to leave behind their backs.
The government is blaming a splinter group of the former Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia. This splinter group is formed by guerrilla
members who did not lay down their weapons when Colombia celebrated a historic peace process in 2016. It's called the EMC, or Estado Mayor
Central. And they've been active in the southwest of Colombia pretty much since that peace process since 2016.
[18:35:17]
This group is not claiming responsibility as of now. They published a statement, declared themselves at war with the state just hours after this
wave of attack, but they did not address the explosions. Which, by the way, the police is talking about at least 20 separate terrorist attacks. That's
how they are describing them.
But 20, it's a coordinated wave of violence that is really spreading across the southwest of Colombia. And to think about the significance, I
interviewed one of the best analysts when it comes to security here in Colombia.
Take a listen to what Elizabeth from the crisis group told me just a couple of hours ago.
(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP)
ELIZABETH DICKINSON, SR. ANALYST FOR THE ANDES, INTERNATIONAL CRISIS GROUP: There are certain types of violence in Colombia that are so symbolically
connected to the history of civil conflict that when they've happened in recent years, it really does raise the question about whether Colombia
continues to move forward or is regressing to that darker era.
We're talking about assassinations of candidates, kidnapping, and these terrorist style attacks are yet another concern that in public opinion is
sending a message that Colombia is returning to an era when organized crime had a significant hold across the country.
(END VIDEOCLIP)
POZZEBON: And concerning this latest wave of attacks, the government, Polar (ph), has deployed further troops to Cali, which is the capital of the
southwest of Colombia. These troops include the special operations commando. They have offered up to $600,000 to anyone who is willing to
provide information.
And the president of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, is traveling to Cali, to that city tomorrow on Wednesday to hold a rally with his supporters and to try
to show the presence of the state. Many here are looking at him, hoping that he could leave behind the vitriolic rhetoric of the last few weeks and
months and bring the nation together and condemn the violence and be a unifying figure.
That is yet to happen, but we'll see what happens in Colombia in the next crucial next few days. Paula?
NEWTON: Yes, you certainly highlight the fragile nature of any progress that has been made in the last decade and the fact that this is going to be
quite a challenge in the weeks and months ahead.
Stefano Pozzebon for us in Bogota. Thank you.
Israel says it is outraged after the U.K. and four allied nations announced they would impose sanctions on two far-right Israeli ministers. The allies
accused the National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezelel Smotrich of repeatedly inciting violence against Palestinians,
including the West Bank. Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Norway joined Britain in imposing travel bans and freezing the assets of the two men.
Our Nic Robertson has more now on what's behind the sanctions and the implications they could have.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: It's really hard to know exactly why this moment has been chosen to sanction these two hard-
right Israeli ministers who are key to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu keeping his government on track. Their support is vital for the success of
Netanyahu's government.
It's hard to know why Itamar Ben-Gvir, the national security minister, and Bezalel Smotrich, the finance minister, have been targeted this way by the
U.K., Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Norway. But what we do know is that in all those countries, they have seeing -- the politicians have been
seeing a much sort of greater sense of outrage from populations -- from their populations about what's happening to the Palestinians in the West
Bank and in Gaza.
And these five countries are saying that this is -- this decision is to try to protect the possibility of a two-state solution, and they say that the
rhetoric of Smotrich and Ben-Gvir is counter to that. They accuse them of using extremist violent language.
They say they're using extremist rhetoric advocating forced displacement of Palestinians and the creation of new Israeli settlements, which is
appalling and dangerous. That's the language that's being used by these five governments. And they're also saying that what they're accusing Ben-
Gvir and Smotrich of cannot be seen, these governments say, in isolation to what's happening in Gaza, the humanitarian situation there, the loss of
civilian lives there.
The governments also go on to say that this does not mean that they are somehow abrogating their support, strong support of Israel's security, or
in any less condemning Hamas's violent action on October the 7th.
[18:40:02]
But the pushback coming from the Israeli government has been strong. The Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar, has said that the government will meet and
have a discussion about this next week, about how they'll respond. But he's already said, you know, this is outrageous, is the language he's using,
that two government ministers of Israel could be treated in this way.
And both those ministers have pushed back on these sanctions. Smotrich was actually opening a new settlement in the West Bank when he was responding
on Tuesday to this latest news, these sanctions. And he said, well, this timing is very good, sort of not so much tongue-in-cheek, but it's a strong
pushback when he's opening a -- appears to be a strong pushback when he's opening a settlement.
And Ben-Gvir has really indicated that this is not going to change his stance. He says his stance is for the country, is for the people of Israel,
and he's not going to change his position. These are very deeply entrenched politicians, key to the prime minister.
But this is a very strong message now, an increased, clear message from these five governments that what's happening in Israel, what's happening in
the West Bank, what's happening in Gaza is something that they are taking heat on, and they're putting markers down.
NEWTON: Our thanks to Nic Robertson there.
AI has already become a big part of daily life for many people, but will machines someday be able to do even more than humans can? Mark Zuckerbeg --
Zuckerberg, pardon me, of Meta, is banking on this. Details on Meta's reported push for so-called superintelligence. We'll explain.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NEWTON: Mark Zuckerberg is reportedly putting together a team that will work to create superintelligence, machines capable of, in fact, surpassing
human capabilities. Bloomberg reports the Meta CEO is so frustrated with his company's efforts in the artificial intelligence sphere that he's taken
it upon himself to meet with experts in the field.
Now, superintelligence is an extremely lofty goal because before AI can exceed human capabilities, it must be able to accomplish anything, and I
mean anything, a person can do, right, which some AI experts say is still many, many years away.
[18:45:03]
Ina Fried is the chief technology correspondent at Axios and author of the company's daily AI newsletter, and she joins me now. Good to have you on
board to try and describe some of this to us and explain it.
I do want to point out that right now, there is a wide gulf between expectations for AI, so far not really met, and apocalyptic predictions
that AI is coming for us. So, in the fray, enter Mark Zuckerberg, what is he trying to accomplish, and why has it been so difficult?
INA FRIED, CHIEF TECHNOLOGY CORRESPONDENT, AXIOS: Well, I think when you talk about superintelligence, as you point out, you're talking about
something more than the AI we have today. And Meta is actually a big player in the AI we have today. They've put their AI chatbot inside all their big
products.
But when we're talking about the kind of AI that can do human-like tasks across a wide range of skills, that's another level. And there are a bunch
of companies working on this. That was the founding mission behind OpenAI, and a lot of companies have splintered out from OpenAI.
I think where Meta found itself was perhaps falling behind in that quest, and he's looking to jumpstart that with the hiring of some big names and
seems willing to spend billions of dollars to do so.
NEWTON: Yes, and let's say those big names are apparently making millions of dollars a year, and there's quite a fight to get that talent. Can you
describe to us, though, what practical use superintelligence would be to most users in, let's say, a decade? Because this is an arms race, right?
The tech companies, including Meta, believe that they actually need in order to survive, that they are not going to survive the next decade if
they do not get AI right.
FRIED: Well, the thinking among its proponents is that superintelligent AI will free most human beings from most kinds of work, that it will lead to
new kinds of scientific discovery, cure disease, et cetera. That's the most optimistic case. Then you have people worried that that very same
technology will lead to robots taking over, will lead to human enslavement.
You know, I think there's a lot of paths in between those two extremes. I do think we're getting some glimmers of very capable AI. I wouldn't call it
superintelligent, but certainly there are concerns. Dario Amodei, the CEO of another of these AI companies, Anthropic, told Axios recently that, you
know, within a few years, as much of half of human work could be done by AI. And that's obviously, you know, concerning, even if it's not this
superintelligence quite yet.
NEWTON: And yet it's an ambitious goal that Meta has, and it seems to be dedicated to nurturing open source software. They publish it, right? They
give it away for free so far. Do you believe that will continue, and do you believe that will bring more innovation to this? I mean, what's behind that
strategy?
FRIED: Yes, I mean, this is a big technical debate. You have people that are almost religious on both sides. Some people believe it's very unsafe to
be putting out this technology in the open source world. Others say it's way too important to be held by a couple companies, and it needs to be in
the open source.
Meta is betting on open source, but probably for more practical reasons. They want to use it in their products, but having their models widely used
and adopted helps them kind of fund continued development, creates a big ecosystem, and they don't need it outside of their products right now.
I do think it's a question of whether they'll continue to give it away. And to be clear, open source, when we're talking AI, doesn't mean they're
giving you everything. It means you can freely use it, but they're not necessarily telling you what it was trained on, exactly how the models are
weighting each thing. So it's a little different than, say, Linux versus Windows.
NEWTON: Interesting. I've only got about 30 seconds left. Given the fact that you wrote that Apple was pretty weak on AI right now, what do you
think the odds are that Mark Zuckerberg can pull this off?
FRIED: Well, you know, I think he's pouring a lot more money a lot sooner into this. I think he's facing some pretty stiff competition, but, you
know, Mark's a pretty passionate guy, and when he puts his money and his mind to things, they sometimes happen. But, you know, we're still waiting
on the metaverse, too, so.
NEWTON: That metaverse, just like those glasses, didn't quite work out for any of us.
Ina Fried, thank you so much. Some good perspective there. Appreciate it.
FRIED: Thanks, Paula.
NEWTON: Now, one year to go until the FIFA World Cup. Just a year, can you believe it? And another team has just booked its ticket to the 2026
tournament. That story next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[18:51:45]
NEWTON: Australia taking the sixth and final automatic spot in Asia for the next -- for next year's FIFA World Cup after defeating Saudi Arabia. Japan,
South Korea, Iran, Jordan, and Uzbekistan, yes, they've already qualified.
Don Riddell has the details. It is so tense, right, for all of these countries. They need to book that ticket.
DON RIDDELL, CNN HOST, WORLD SPORT: Yes, and there's still plenty more spots still available, Paula. As you say, now exactly a year ago, Australia
booking their tickets to 2026.
Let's show you how they did it because to be honest, they were all but in even before they played Saudi Arabia in Jeddah. The Saudis took a 19th-
minute lead, but thanks to their win against Japan last week, the Socceroos knew that all they had to do was avoid a heavy defeat. They did that and
more.
Connor Metcalfe equalized three minutes before half-time. And then just three minutes after the break, Mitchell Duke scored what turned out to be
the game winner. The Aussies have qualified for their sixth consecutive World Cup tournament.
So that now means we know of 11 teams who will be playing in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Those three co-hosts will be there, of course, plus
Japan, New Zealand, Iran, Argentina, Uzbekistan, South Korea, Jordan, and Australia. 48 teams will play in this newly expanded tournament. So there's
still another 37 still to be figured out.
Meanwhile, the legendary manager Carlo Ancelotti admits that the pressure is on ahead of just his second game in charge of the Brazilian national
team. They're playing Paraguay in Sao Paulo in the coming hours. It's going to be quite an occasion on his 66th birthday.
Ancelotti will lead the Selecao for the first time on Brazilian soil, and he'll be hoping for an improvement on his debut last week when Brazil could
only draw in Ecuador. And their opponents Paraguay won't be easy. They are unbeaten in a year and coming off an impressive win against Uruguay.
With the FIFA World Cup now just 365 days away, both teams could really do with three points in their qualification campaigns.
(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP)
CARLO ANCELOTTI, BRAZIL COACH (through translation): There's pressure in all things football. Because football is passion, it is pressure. It is all
of that. When there is a result at stake, obviously there is pressure. In Brazil, even more so, because it is a country so passionate about football
and for its national team.
What I can highlight in these first few days is that I see a lot of passion, a lot of love for the national team. That is very important,
obviously. When there is a lot of love and a lot of passion, it increases the responsibility that we have in our work.
(END VIDEOCLIP)
RIDDELL: Meanwhile, an historic day in Nottingham, as for the first time, England were beaten by a team from Africa. Despite an early goal from Harry
Kane at the city ground, England were undone by a lively and energetic Senegal team. Ismaila Sarr equalized for the Lions of Teranga just before
half-time, before Habib Diarra gave Senegal the lead just after the hour mark.
And England's new manager Thomas Tuchel didn't seem to have much in the way of a response. And then, in injury time, Senegal completed a night of
complete misery for England when Cheikh Sabaly made it 3-1. The one consolation for England is that it was only a night of complete misery for
England when Cheikh Sabali made it 3-1.
[18:55:05]
The one consolation for England is that it was only a friendly, but their fans are growing concerned with a team that seems to be rather short on
industry and ideas. Paula?
NEWTON: This is all sounding rather familiar as a storyline, Don --
RIDDELL: Yes.
NEWTON: -- I hate to tell you. All right, thanks. I appreciate the update.
RIDDELL: Right. Just a year away, wow.
All right, in today's Good Brief, fans of the K-pop supergroup BTS cheering, as two of its members finish their mandatory military service in
South Korea. Bandmates RM and V saluted, you see them there in their uniforms.
This as fans danced at a cafe showing a live stream. They're hoping the release of all seven group members will trigger that long-hoped-for
comeback. One 72-year-old diehard fan simply sparkling with the news.
(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP)
PHILIP DARBYSHIRE, BTS FAN FROM AUSTRALIA: Absolutely joyful. That's now four out, two again tomorrow, and then Suga, and then we have OT7. We have
the seven kings back with us. It's just wonderful.
(END VIDEOCLIP)
NEWTON: I have at least one BTS fan in my home that is thinking the same thing.
I want to thank you for your company. I'm Paula Newton in New York. You've been watching The Brief. Stay with CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
