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The Brief with Jim Sciutto

CNN International: Trump Approval Rating Dips to Lowest; U.S. Government Shutdown About to Enter Record-Breaking Territory; Voters Head to the Polls; Trump Threatens Military Action in Nigeria; CNN Holds Inaugural Global Perspectives Summit; At Least 59 Deaths Reported in Jamaica, Haiti; Protecting Gaza Ceasefire; Settler Attacks Surge During Palestinian Olive Harvest. Aired 6-7p ET

Aired November 03, 2025 - 18:00   ET

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

[18:00:00]

PAULA NEWTON, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and a very warm welcome to our viewers joining us from all around the world. I'm Paula Newton in New York. Jim

Sciutto joins us later from CNN Global Perspectives on Africa. You are watching "The Brief."

Just ahead this hour, a pivotal week for the Trump administration on the eve of crucial elections here in the United States. The government shutdown

is about to enter record-breaking territory. New challenges of a new world order facing Africa laid bare in a special CNN event. We'll hear from Jim

at the Global Perspectives conference on Africa. And Dodgers delight, I guess. Fans celebrate the World Series baseball victory on the streets of

downtown L.A.

Well, we do begin in Washington in a new CNN poll that puts President Donald Trump's approval rating at 37 percent. Now, that's the lowest of his

second term. 68 percent of those surveyed say things are going badly in the U.S. and 72 percent of the U.S. economy is, in their words, poor shape.

This comes as the government shutdown which is now in its 34th day continues.

Many federal workers have been missing their paychecks it's also caused air traffic control staffing issues and shortages and created uncertainty about

food assistance also known as SNAP. Now, today the Trump administration said it will provide partial SNAP benefits by tapping into the program's

contingency fund.

Now, when talking about the shutdown in an interview with CBS 60 minutes the president made some inaccurate claims.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: The problem is they want to give money to prisoners, to drug dealers, to all these millions of people that were

allowed to come in with an open border from Biden and nobody can do that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: But that's not what Democrats are seeking. They mainly want to reverse cuts to Medicaid and other health programs and extend those

Obamacare subsidies. CNN Politics Senior Reporter Stephen Collinson has more now for us that. This really was an eye-opening poll that has CNN had

out this morning. President Trump's framing here though is also striking, portraying the Democrats proposal is, quote, "welfare for illegal

immigrants." But his own White House has put out an itemized list that contradicts his numbers.

I'm wondering, Stephen, how significant is the disconnect for the public's understanding here of the shutdown and the way the president is choosing to

portray it.

STEPHEN COLLINSON, CNN POLITICS SENIOR REPORTER: Yes. There were several very interesting parts of that 60 Minutes interview. First of all, the

president insisted that he's had the most successful nine months of any president in American history, then a day later we see that his approval

rating is plunging, people are very worried about the state of the economy and the country as a whole.

The other thing that was interesting was that the president is just back off a week-long trip to Asia. He was hobnobbing with Xi Jinping. He was

talking about making global peace. He gets home and doesn't seem to appreciate the depth of the political crisis that's developed over the

shutdown. As you were saying, people are now at risk of losing vital nutrition benefits, 40 million Americans aren't going to get their full

benefit this month. Health care premiums under Obamacare are shooting up the cause of this shutdown. And the president is basically saying this is

going to go on as long as it takes for Democrats to cave.

So, you must question I think whether the president is completely in touch with the politics here at a time when more and more people seeming to be

blaming him and the Republicans for the shutdown rather than the Democrats.

NEWTON: Yes. No matter if you want to be political about this or not, we do see that Americans say it is the economy and the cost of living that are

their top issues. Do you think the effects of the shutdown though are beginning to change the perception of Americans who voted for Trump, right?

I mean, there were so many groups there that he was bringing being able to bring on side. And yet, do you believe some of them really have buyer's

remorse here especially as they see the shutdown now in really record territory soon?

[18:05:00]

COLLINSON: I don't think that Trump's truest supporters are having buyer's remorse. These are the voters most likely to be susceptible to those

misleading arguments that the president was making about illegal migrants in that clip you played.

But what is going to be interesting, I think, there's a pair of gubernatorial elections on Tuesday in Virginia and especially in New

Jersey. New Jersey was a state that Trump pushed to the right in the last presidential election, making big gains among Latino and black, especially

black male voters, which are normally core parts of the Democratic constituency.

If we start to see some of those voters peel away from Republicans in this election, it might be an early clue that the Republicans are in a little

bit of trouble in the midterm election, hanging on to all of Trump's voters. That's where, in a year's time, the impact of this shutdown could

be if it indeed hurts Republicans.

NEWTON: And before I let you go, Stephen, you know, in your latest opinion piece, you say that if this dispute was only about health care, Democrats

might have been able to already claim victory, but now closing the government is not a clear-cut win for the Democrats. Can you explain that?

COLLINSON: Yes. So, I think you can argue that Democrats have been successful in closing down the government and getting public attention on

this issue about the expiring subsidies for the Obama health care program, without which many programs would shoot up out of the reach of many

Americans.

The problem now, though, is that the pain is so great. You're seeing federal workers missing multiple paychecks. Essential workers like air

traffic controllers are working without pay and increasingly not showing up for work. That's going to get really problematic as the Thanksgiving

holiday approaches towards the end of November and people start traveling.

So, while Democrats may well win some political points inside the beltway, the absolute duress and pain of the shutdown may be, you know, it may taint

the size of any political victory they have, just because so many Americans are basically being let down by a government that can't serve its basic

task, which is trying to keep them safe and well.

NEWTON: At that point, it is easier to blame everyone in government. Stephen Collinson for us. Thanks so much. Appreciate it.

Now, as Stephen and I were just discussing, U.S. voters head to the polls on Tuesday in the first election day since President Trump's return to

office. Now, the big races, of course, include the New York City mayoral election. New Jersey and Virginia will pick their next governors, while

California voters will decide whether to redraw congressional maps temporarily to give Democrats a chance of picking up seats in next year's

midterms.

Now, on the campaign trail today, New York City mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani took part in a march in lower Manhattan, blasting main opponent

Andrew Cuomo as a puppet and parrot of President Trump. Cuomo, for his part, says he's the one who can best stand up to the president, calling

Mamdani too inexperienced to run the city. Now, President Trump says he prefers Cuomo over Mamdani, who he calls a communist. He says New York's

federal funding would be at risk if Mamdani wins.

And Emily Ngo joins me now. She is the co-author of Politico's New York playbook and has been following the mayoral race there. I've got to say, in

reading your articles, you pretty much lost me at the fact that Mamdani hit four nightclubs on Saturday night in Brooklyn alone. You've been through so

much of this campaign, you know, from those early mornings in Brooklyn to Madison Square Garden. We all know, at least most polls show him leading,

but how has that affected how he's been campaigning in this final leg of the race?

EMILY NGO, POLITICAL REPORTER, POLITICO: Right, he's not running like someone who's ahead by double digits, as most of those polls are showing,

even though some of that gap is closing up poll by poll. He's running as if he's far behind and he's touting this broader coalition that he didn't have

in the primary, more labor members, more moderate voters, more establishment Democrats.

At the same time, as you said, we have the former governor, Andrew Cuomo, trying to distance himself from Trump, but at the same time trying to

appeal for Republican votes because he needs those if he's going to make up that gap that he has with Mamdani. And just now even we had the president,

as well as Elon Musk, more full-throatedly express their support for Cuomo as their preferred candidate, even if it's not an official endorsement

quite yet.

NEWTON: Yes, last hour, again, the president on Truth Social basically indicated that he accuses Mamdani of being a communist and bad for New York

and endorses governor -- former Governor Cuomo. The younger electorate, though, here, has really been the consequential factor in terms of the

campaign. Early voting figures indicate the younger voters are making up a significantly larger share.

[18:10:00]

I mean, what kind of a generational shift in support are we seeing here? And how is his messaging adapted to both the younger and the older blocs?

It's so difficult to do, right? So, many people trust that the younger vote will come out, but then you need to hang on to those older voters, as well,

because sometimes that is the turnout you will need.

NGO: Right. The enthusiasm has been through the roof. These early voting numbers, 735,000 people, three-quarters of a million people already voted.

That's before Election Day, where we're expecting lines and another surge, as well. But the younger voter enthusiasm is something that the

establishment Democrats, the Democratic Party, nationally is looking closely at.

And you're right that he has to appeal for the older votes and hold on to the younger votes and turn out new voters in parts of the city that, you

know, are pretty turned off by politics at large. And I think the way he's been trying to do that is through this message of affordability. I mean,

it's pretty basic to him. He's fighting for cost of living, and it's something in a city this expensive that really resonates with everyone.

NEWTON: I've only got about 30 seconds left. But look, he has not had a ringing endorsement, shall we say, from the Democratic Party. If he wins,

how much of an effect do you think that'll have on the party going forward?

NGO: They're going to have to sit back and look at what their future holds. There's a lot of different kind of Democrats that make up the party

nationally. Is there room in their tent? Is it big enough for a socialist Democrat and those moderates, those battleground Democrats who are going to

be fighting in their midterms for their seats?

NEWTON: Yes, what a fascinating race to watch. We'll be watching it with you over the next 24 hours. Emily, thanks so much. Really appreciate it.

Now, President Trump is threatening to send U.S. troops to Nigeria or conduct airstrikes in the country, citing violence against Christians.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: They're killing record numbers of Christians in Nigeria. And they have other countries very bad also. You know that, that part of the world.

Very bad. They're killing the Christians. And killing them in very large numbers. We're not going to allow that to happen.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: Now, the head of the World Trade Organization, who was Nigeria's finance minister, has urged caution following the U.S. president's

comments.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NGOZI OKONJO-IWEALA, DIRECTOR-GENERAL, WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION: This is an incredibly complex question. Let me say this. Nigeria is a very complex

country. The situation is very difficult and needs careful thought. It has religious issues involved in it. It has resource issues involved in it. It

has different complexities. So, I just think we need careful thinking through.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: Now, to be clear, both Christians and Muslims have been victims of attacks by radical Islamists in Nigeria, and the Nigerian government

rejects claims that it is not doing enough to protect Christians.

Oge Onubogu is director and senior fellow of the Africa program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and she joins us now. We

were just listening to President Trump. He says he's weighing, in his words, fast and vicious military action in Nigeria, and he calls it a mass

slaughter of Christians.

You've testified that Nigeria's violence is driven less by religion than by failed governance. What do you think the U.S. can do to help beyond

military force?

OGE ONUBOGU, DIRECTOR AND SENIOR FELLOW, AFRICA PROGRAM, CSIS: Thank you very much for that question, and thanks for having me on today. I think

following from the comments that were made by Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the situation in Nigeria is one that is really complex, and I think this

question on insecurity in Nigeria dates way back. This is a problem that we have seen continue consistently.

So, for the U.S., it is important to look at this from a holistic view to really understand how the Nigerian system operates, how the security

architecture in the country is structured to really think about how we engage more holistically beyond the national level in Nigeria, but also at

the state and local government level.

NEWTON: And someone like you has been studying this for decades, and you live this, and yet you have Donald Trump now insinuating himself in this.

The Nigerian government rejects the claims that it's not doing enough to protect Christians from violence. I mean, their statement says that they're

clearly shocked. What do you believe the Nigerian government can do now? Have they been doing enough objectively?

ONUBOGU: Well, I think from the opinions of many citizens, more could be done to address this situation. I think from the very beginning of the

year, Nigeria's designation as a country of particular concern doesn't necessarily come as a surprise, shouldn't come as a surprise to many,

because we saw this designation under the first Trump administration.

[18:15:00]

And very early in this year too as well, we saw that some of the hearings that we had in Congress was also focused on this same topic too as well.

So, I think that there could have been earlier action carried out in terms of engaging with the U.S. government, but most especially listening to

Nigerian citizens. And some of the concerns that have rightfully been heard by citizens about the fact that they haven't necessarily seen individuals

who have committed some of these crimes being prosecuted for their crimes, or people publicly sort of arrested and put on notice for some of these

crimes being committed. So, I think in that regard, the Nigerian government could actually do more in paying attention to its citizens, in actually

following through with action.

I think another thing too as well in terms of looking at this from the diplomatic side too as well, Nigeria's representation in the U.S., the

Nigerian government doesn't necessarily have high level representation within its embassy. So, this actually calls for high level diplomatic

engagement. And I think this is an area where months ago, the Nigerian government could have been engaging with the U.S., but most especially,

most importantly, as I mentioned, taking into consideration and treating the concerns from its own citizens more seriously.

NEWTON: Yes, I think as you said, giving those concerns validity and voice as well. And to this point in March, you testified, and remember, this was

March you testified before the House on the persecution occurring in Nigeria. And I do want to read out something that's so notable here. You

said the problem is that ethnicity and religion in Nigeria have become instrumental markers that are used to mobilize and successfully acquire

power, resources, and political dominance. I mean, you've laid the problem bare right there.

ONUBOGU: Yes, and I think this is something that needs to -- we need to pay close attention to. This sort of tensions tend to inflame, especially

as we've come into sort of heightened political moments in Nigeria. And as we see, there is an election season that is coming up soon in Nigeria. In

fact, off-cycle elections will be beginning for Anambra state in a few days. And then we also will see the head of Nigeria's election commission

will be rounding off his term as well this year.

So, as we head towards heightened periods of or heightened political moments, such as elections, we start seeing these types of a tendency of

this rhetoric to start getting inflamed. So, it's really important that at this moment, the Nigerian government begins and starts laying the

groundwork for this potential, for these elections come 2027. And this is an area where the U.S. as well, and other friends of Nigeria and partners

of Nigeria can work closely with the government and with other religious actors and others in the country to ensure that they make accountability

centered -- central in conversations moving forward.

I think this is really important, because any sort of sudden action or knee jerk reaction in this case may, at the end of the day, actually end up sort

of endangering the Christians that we claim the government, the administration claims to want to protect. If anything, an action like this

may end up inflaming some of those tensions that we already see in the country. So, going back to the notion that this issue in Nigeria is more

complex.

NEWTON: Yes. And it is certainly, as you said, inflaming this is not anything anyone in Nigeria can afford at this hour. I want to thank you for

your perspective as we continue to follow this story. Appreciate it.

Now, staying in Africa, CNN speaks to leaders and thinkers from the continent as part of CNN's first ever Global Perspectives Summit. Why one

billionaire says Africa and North America aren't so different. That's after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:20:00]

NEWTON: One of the world's top advocates for good governance says the U.S. is looking more and more like an African country, that's according to Mo

Ibrahim, the Sudanese-British businessman and philanthropist. The founder of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation spoke with our own Jim Sciutto at CNN's Global

Perspectives event in London.

Now, the inaugural summit is focusing on Africa, a continent getting more and more attention and rising in significance on the global stage. It's

also a hub for growth with a young population and fast-growing economies. Jim also spoke to the CEO of U.N. Global Compact, Sanda Ojiambo. She said

that if the U.S. steps back from the global stage, other countries will step up.

Jim joins me now from London. Good to see you, Jim, and good to have you on this. I mean, it has to be said, right, that the youth in Africa, they want

more opportunities. They're just raring to go.

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN CHIEF U.S. SECURITY ANALYST AND CNN ANCHOR, "THE BRIEF WITH JIM SCIUTTO": They are, no question. The major topic of discussion

here among leaders is just how young the continent of Africa is and the opportunities that that offers in business and beyond. But another message

I heard consistently, Paula, is African leaders, business leaders, political leaders struggling to understand the change in the U.S. role in

the world and the change in its interactions, not just with African nations individually, but also international organizations, tariff policy, trade

and defense alliances as well.

And in response to that, what I heard was a sense that, well, Africa has to do it without the U.S. or at least with less partnership with the U.S. than

it did in the past. Have a listen to two of the leaders I spoke with today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MO IBRAHIM, FOUNDER AND CHAIR, MO IBRAHIM FOUNDATION: Africa is a very rich continent, but African people are very poor people. And we need to

solve this riddle. Why is that? We need to use our resources in an effective way in order to move forward. We need to build up, we need to go

up supply, you know, the value chain.

SCIUTTO: Sanda, what is the impact on U.N. sustainable development goals when we spoke about the U.S. retreat from aid, but you in effect under the

current leadership has a retreat from climate policy, right? And not even just a retreat, but even attacking some of those policies domestically, you

see. Are those goals achievable when you have the world's largest economy and one of the top two polluters in effect withdrawing?

[18:25:00]

SANDA OJIAMBO, CEO, U.N. GLOBAL COMPACT: Yes. I mean, I -- my take on the U.S. positioning on the sustainable development goals is one that is purely

-- I think it's unfortunate. And the reason I say it's unfortunate, it really ties into something Dr. Mo has said. The rest of the world will move

on, because we must.

SCIUTTO: Yes.

OJIAMBO: Yes, the U.N. may -- the U.S. may not continue to fund the United Nations at the same scale and scope. But you know what we see in all of the

conferences, and indeed we are coming up for the climate conferences, other governments are going to show up.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: And, Jim, just in terms of the scope of everything going on here, I was intrigued that one of your guests had really quite the comparison for

the African view of the U.S. under Trump.

SCIUTTO: Yes, the other prevailing message here is deep concern among African nations as they look to the U.S. and they look at the exercise of

power in the U.S. and the erosion of institutions in the U.S. They're deeply concerned about it as well. And not just with the exercise of power

inside the country, but the attempt to pressure countries in Africa in ways they don't like to be pressured.

So, Mo Ibrahim, a man of great success on the African continent, a billionaire, telecoms executive, and now philanthropist, he said, you know,

the parallel in his view are many failed African authoritarians. It was quite a comparison. Have a listen to how he put it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

IBRAHIM: I think the fraying of the international order, the collapse of rule of law globally, the rise of strong men, you know, I mean, your whole

country now, if you allow me, is very familiar to me because it just looks like an African country. It's very familiar to me. And so, I'm very

comfortable with you guys.

SCIUTTO: You could teach me a thing or two, yes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCIUTTO: And you heard, you know, the laugh from the audience, but it was not, Paula, a comical point because there is genuine concern in the

audience about the direction that the U.S. is taking domestically and internationally and almost a sense of empathy directed across the Atlantic

Ocean towards the U.S. from Africa, which I think for a lot of members of the U.S. public is an unfamiliar, might be an unfamiliar thing to hear. But

it's a genuine concern that I heard from a whole range of people at the Global Perspectives Conference here.

NEWTON: Yes. And especially that for so many decades, really, the United States was held up as the model of democracy. And then you have what you

just heard there on stage. Jim Sciutto, grateful to you for staying up late for us from London. Appreciate it.

SCIUTTO: Thank you.

NEWTON: Now, in today's Business Breakout, a mixed day on Wall Street on the first trading day of November. Tech stocks rallied amid fresh deal

making in the A.I. sector, but blue chip stocks, they pulled back. Wall Street coming off a strong month of gains in October. The Nasdaq, the big

winner for the month, up more than four and a half percent.

Checking some of today's business headlines, a deal between OpenAI and Amazon helped spark new enthusiasm in the A.I. sector. Under the deal, the

developer of ChatGPT will buy $38 billion worth of computing capacity from Amazon's cloud unit. OpenAI has been decreasing its reliance on Microsoft's

computing power. Under the deal, OpenAI will also gain access to more top- of-the-line NVIDIA chips. Amazon shares rose 4 percent on that news.

Now, one of the year's biggest merger deals was also announced on Monday. Kimberly Clark, the maker of Kleenex tissues and Huggies diapers, is buying

Kenvue for more than $48 billion. Kenvue's products include Tylenol, Band- Aids and Johnson and Johnson baby powder. If completed, this would be the fourth largest consumer products deal of all time. Kenvue has been under

pressure ever since President Trump made unproven claims that Tylenol use during pregnancy can cause autism in children.

New data shows President Trump's tariffs are still weighing on the U.S. economy. The Institute of Supply Management saying the U.S. manufacturing

sector contracted for the eighth month in a row in October. The numbers also coming in weaker than expectations. Factories that took part in the

survey say customers are canceling and reducing orders due to tariff uncertainty. They also say prices for many products have gone up and

they're passing off the higher costs to customers.

Now, I'll be back right after the break with more news.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:30:00]

NEWTON: And welcome back. The full scale of the devastation of Hurricane Melissa is now emerging in the Caribbean. At least 59 people have been

killed. That's according to authorities. And that's what is being reported at this hour from the Associated Press.

Now, you are looking at new images giving just a glimpse of the widespread damage the hurricane has caused in Jamaica. Farmers there are now warning

of food shortages. Melissa is one of the most powerful storms ever recorded in the Atlantic. David Culver is in Jamaica and says the destruction he is

seeing is endless.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We are catching some water, because that's the only way we can get water. We are damaged here in Jamaica, real bad.

DAVID CULVER, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Across much of Western Jamaica, the storm has passed, but you feel it everywhere.

Survival mode has kicked in.

ALANDREA BROWN, DISPLACED BY HURRICANE MELISSA: In here in Belmont, we are very distraught, and we really need some help, because you have persons who

are very homeless, and we don't really have any food supplies.

CULVER (voice-over): Now, they're coming to terms with what's left. And for many here, it's not much.

CULVER: This was your bed?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

CULVER: It's all mashed up. You're right. You're right.

BROWN: Everyone here, this is one of our neighbor's house also. Her house destroyed also. Everybody's house in this community is very destroyed. You

don't see nobody. And that I keep on wondering. We have suffered here, and nobody comes to assist. You know how we even get some things like this?

It's persons who are going around in vehicle and giving out a little portion of tokens.

CULVER: As one resident pointed out, even if a house is still standing because of concrete, most likely the windows were shattered, and water got

in, sand got in, furniture closed, all their belongings destroyed. I mean, it just continues. It's endless. I mean, you look up there, and it just

goes all the way up.

CULVER (voice-over): As we're heading out, a man points to a nearby house.

CULVER: He just told us that there's somebody in this house up here still, that his body hasn't been recovered yet. Right there?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right there.

[18:35:00]

CULVER: Did you know this gentleman?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He's mom supposed to be here. He's mom (INAUDIBLE).

CULVER: But nobody has come to collect his body?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, not yet. Not everybody knows that he died.

CULVER: He's just lying lifeless in there. I mean, it's absolutely horrible. He's by himself.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Nobody not sure when he's dead. They're not sure when he died.

CULVER: They're not sure when he died. I mean, seeing that is obviously very, very difficult. And it's worth pointing out, I mean, the neighbors

there, it's not neglect on their part. They simply don't have cell service or any sort of connectivity to be able to report that. And they say that

they were trying to tell passersby, but nobody came in to actually inspect. So, for them, we were the only ones who they could tell. And we ultimately,

once we had connectivity here, our colleague Omar here made the call to report that that body was, in fact, still in the house.

CULVER (voice-over): Night brings relief from the day's heat and humidity.

CULVER: You get around with the flashlight on your phone, huh?

ANDREZ ANDERSON, BLACK RIVER RESIDENT: Yes, yes, man. So, this is --

CULVER (voice-over): But there's no water.

ANDERSON: This is the only water we have here, you see.

CULVER (voice-over): And no power.

ANDERSON: We have no roof there. You know, partially just this alone. So, the rain actually coming now. So, you feel it inside.

CULVER: I feel the rain, yes.

ANDERSON: You know, so it will be more damages, you know, as the rain comes by. So, it just keep deteriorating until we can get somebody.

CULVER: How do you live in this?

ANDERSON: It's really rough. It's very hard. It's hard to cope. We just have to try to keep the kids mentally stable and try to tough it out, you

know.

So, you know, we are just grateful here right now to know that we are alive.

CULVER (voice-over): Mornings bring no rest, just long lines, people here waiting for hours for gas.

CULVER: You've been out here 4:00 this morning?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Around 4:00.

CULVER: Which time -- seven hours.

CULVER (voice-over): And if water is not running in your home, you go to the source. Nearby, along the riverbed, dozens gather.

CULVER: They're saying that nobody has come to help at all.

SIMONE GARDON, MONTEGO BAY RESIDENT: I guess it doesn't really hit us yet, because after two weeks, when it's all settled down, and we're all like,

wow. And the hunger kicking in. So, we need help. Worse than water. So, we need a lot of help.

DR. SHERIFF IMORU, SENIOR MEDICAL OFFICER, BLACK RIVER HOSPITAL: You have to understand that even up to this point in time, we don't even know what

our death toll is.

CULVER: Do you think you're doing to find more bodies?

DR. IMORU: I would think so. I hope not. But --

CULVER: The reality of what we see.

DR. IMORU: Yes, man, the reality is there.

CULVER (voice-over): At the hospital in Black River.

CULVER: No power.

DR. IMORU: No power, no water.

CULVER: No water.

DR. IMORU: No.

CULVER: But the emergency room is still operating?

DR. IMORU: Yes.

CULVER (voice-over): Dr. Sheriff Imoru walks us through what's left.

CULVER: I mean, this is your hospital.

DR. IMORU: Yes.

CULVER: And when you look out now -- I mean, I know you're focused on patients day to day as well.

DR. IMORU: Yes, yes.

CULVER: But like, have you been able to process this moment?

DR. IMORU: No, no, no. The one thing I can tell is that I'm very heartbroken. Extremely heartbroken when I see this. I can tell it's very

difficult for me to even to come through the gates in the mornings and leave in the evenings. My house is close, fairly close to here. My house

was destroyed. I mean, the roof is gone.

CULVER (voice-over): And still his staff shows up.

DR. IMORU: Every single person you see here --

CULVER (voice-over): Even though, like him, many have lost their own homes.

DR. IMORU: There are no words to describe it. As I said to you, apocalyptic. That's the only thing I can use.

SHANIEL TOMLIN, SON INJURED DURING STORM: No, everything is gone. Everything in the house is gone. I need help towards my kids, my house and

everything.

CULVER (voice-over): Shaniel Tomlin's baby, Jamar, just a year old, fell after the storm.

TOMLIN: Yes, they are going to look up this stitch. But they give me a prescription to fill.

CULVER: But where do you fill a prescription around here?

TOMLIN: I don't even know.

CULVER: It's tough to find the words to describe the level of devastation, destruction and loss that we're seeing here. And perhaps it's best to just

look at the visuals, which, yes, are overwhelming, but really tell the story of several communities, not just towns like this one, Black River,

where we are. But we go mile after mile after mile along the southwest coast of this country. And you see communities that are simply wiped away.

You see people also trying to continue on with some sense of normality. And for them, that might be trying to continue on with business.

[18:40:00]

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Scaling some red snapper to feed the nation. So, let then scale and let them fry and we can make a little money.

CULVER (voice-over): It's the sound of defiance, of life pushing back.

LISA HANNA, FORMER MEMBER OF JAMAICAN PARLIAMENT: We are resilient people. Already, there is almost an empathetic solidarity across the island and

across the world to get things here. We're not going to make our people starve. And anyone that comes here and visits us are not going to starve.

CULVER (voice-over): Officials are here, trying, but it's a lot. And when you're desperate, help can't come soon enough.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're are the strongest people in the world.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is ground zero. This is terrible.

CULVER (voice-over): Aid from abroad, here too, setting up for the long haul. But first, it's Jamaicans helping Jamaicans.

David Culver, CNN, Montego Bay, Jamaica.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NEWTON: Next, protecting the ceasefire in Gaza. International officials accuse Israel of violations, with Israel pointing the finger at Hamas.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NEWTON: To Istanbul, where top regional officials are accusing Israel of regularly violating the Gaza ceasefire and obstructing the delivery of aid.

Now, Turkey has been hosting a meeting of foreign ministers from countries including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Pakistan. They issued what they

called a joint determination not to allow the war to restart. But say that since the ceasefire, at least 250 Palestinians have been killed and

hundreds of aid trucks remain stranded. Israel is in turn accusing Hamas of deception as it demands the return of all deceased hostages. On Sunday,

Hamas handed over the remains of three more hostages. Eight, though, remain in Gaza.

The U.N., meantime, warns that violence by Israeli settlers and security forces is skyrocketing in the West Bank. The U.N. is highlighting attacks

on Palestinian olive groves, saying they have been torched and destroyed, causing millions of dollars in losses for farmers. Jeremy Diamond visited

one community under threat.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT (through translator): Umm Shukry hasn't walked through these olive groves in two years. Now, weaving

her way from tree to tree, she assesses the damage, broken branches, trees dried out, and no olives to be harvested.

[18:45:00]

I am suffocated, she says, suffocated from seeing my hard work turn out like this. I used to spend so much time here under the scorching heat

tending to the trees.

Her son explains that the Israeli settlers living on this illegal outpost are to blame. He says they have assaulted him and threatened his community,

making it dangerous to access these groves for two years, all while using their cattle to wreak havoc.

DIAMOND: He's explaining that the cows came here to graze on these olive trees, basically, and this one of the ways in which settlers have come to

try and disrupt the livelihood of Palestinians in this area and to ultimately try and force them out from their lands.

DIAMOND (voice-over): The evidence is all over these fields, but it is just one part of a disturbing picture playing out across the occupied West

Bank.

DIAMOND: For generations of Palestinians, the annual olive harvest has been associated with tradition and a deep connection to the land. But this

year, more than ever, it's been synonymous with settler violence.

DIAMOND (voice-over): Palestinian olive pickers have been attacked at least 259 times since the harvest season began last month, according to the

Palestinian Authority, outpacing the violence of recent years.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, come on, don't -- he hit her. Hey.

DIAMOND (voice-over): Israeli settlers have carried out the overwhelming majority of attacks, assaulting the Palestinians attempting to harvest

their olives. More than 4,000 trees and saplings have been damaged so far, according to the U.N. The Israeli military has often played a supporting

role to the settlers, forcing Palestinians off their land and restricting access to the olive groves.

DIAMOND: So, this where you were attacked?

DIAMOND (voice-over): After getting a call that his mother-in-law had been detained while picking olives, Ahmad Shakarna grabbed her heart medication

and rushed to reach her. He didn't expect what unfolded next. An Israeli settler grabs and then hits him, before two Israeli soldiers push him down

to the ground. One soldier hits him with the barrel of his rifle, before the settler comes in to land several more blows.

Shakarna and his mother-in-law were released without charge. He says he suffered a mild concussion.

We experience these attacks every season, a season that has become bloody. We will not abandon it, he says. The olive trees existed before the

occupation. It is valuable and dear to us.

DIAMOND: The Israeli military now says that they're actually going to investigate this incident. What do you think would have happened had this

not been caught on video?

DIAMOND (voice-over): Nothing at all. Even if I was killed, they wouldn't care. The incident would have come and gone.

For now, Shakarna doesn't dare approach his family's groves.

DIAMOND: So, this as far as you're comfortable going, because of what the military or the settlers might do to you?

DIAMOND (voice-over): Yes, of course, Shakarna says. I don't want to put myself in danger.

At Umm Shukry's farm, a group of Israeli and Jewish activists have come to offer the Palestinian farmers their support, using their very presence to

deter attacks from settlers and the military. It has given Umm Shukry the chance to sit beneath her olive trees.

Ten years, ten years of me spending time on this land, refusing to leave, watering and tending to the olives with our bare hands. She says she won't

be driven away by this violence. She will see this grove flourish once again.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NEWTON: Jeremy Diamond reporting there. Now, the Israeli military told U.S., quote, "it recognizes the importance of the olive harvest in

maintaining the fabric of life in the region," but acknowledged that it has restricted entry to certain areas in order to, in their words, prevent

friction. It added, the IDF firmly condemns all forms of violence which divert the attention of commanders and soldiers from their primary mission

of defense and counterterrorism. And we'll be right back in a moment with more news.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:50:00]

NEWTON: Shohei Ohtani's L.A. Dodgers and their fans celebrating back-to- back World Series championships. Yes, with the parade, the Dodgers beat the Toronto Blue Jays in a Game 7 extra inning thriller. Over the weekend, in

case you've been under a rock, Yoshinobu Yamamoto was named the World Series MVP. Now, during the fall classic, I was not objective here, I

confess. I witnessed how the Blue Jays' performance united Canadians.

And as I wrote for CNN, it was like a jolt of joy for the entire country. And best of all, this was not a cross-border grudge match, despite what you

might hear in the news. You know, the Blue Jay hero here was an American rookie pitcher, Trey Yesavage, who became a fan favorite. And remember, the

Toronto Blue Jays are the only MLB baseball team in Canada. And then, of course, there's Vladi Guerrero Jr., the only Canadian on the team. He is

now, I think, reached national icon status.

I want you to welcome to the program Hazel Mae. You really meant so much through this Blue Jays run for all Canadians. Congratulations. It was such

a joy to watch you with this team. I know it doesn't feel like it. We are all nursing it right now. But tell me right off the bat, like, what this

series has been like. And for someone who follows baseball so intimately, as intimately as you do, I mean, was it really the best World Series ever?

HAZEL MAE, SPORTSCASTER AND COMMENTATOR: Listen, like yourself, I'm a little biased. As someone who is fortunate enough to have grown up in this

country, Canada, and followed the Toronto Blue Jays as a young girl, as a teenager, and now having the great fortune to cover them. I thought it was

one of the greatest World Series. I was lucky enough to be witness to the 2016 World Series with the Chicago Cubs finally picking up a World

Championship.

But listen, Paula, you know Toronto Blue Jays, the only major league team in Canada. So, you had a fan base of almost 40 million people watching this

postseason. And it has just been quite the ride for those of us covering it in the media and for proud Canadians from coast to coast to coast.

NEWTON: You know, Hazel, I said it in my article that, you know, the Canadian fans are diverse and devoted. And I think you're really emblematic

on that. The interviews that you brought to Canadians with the teams, you know, through the good moments and the bad moments and through the drenched

moments. You got drenched with everything, I think. Beer, champagne, power drinks. Again, in celebration. Why do you think it was so infectious? And I

think maybe around the world they might be thinking, you Canadians need to get over yourselves. Like, really? It was that good?

MAE: Well, first off, I have to say the real MVP is my dry cleaner, who just was -- you know, she's a huge Blue Jays fan. But every time I got

drenched by beer and champagne and Gatorade and Powerade after every victory, I would walk in the door and she said, I've been expecting you.

So, she is a real MVP.

I think the biggest reason why the 2025 edition of the Toronto Blue Jays just really caught on with the entire country is how likable they are and

were. They are -- they play the game with tremendous amount of joy. They're entertaining. Like I said, they're likable. They're relatable.

[18:55:00]

And it's a -- you know, a group made up of veterans, a future Hall of Famer. And then also young guys and maybe guys that have toiled in the

minor leagues, really waiting for their shot at the big leagues and finally got that opportunity with the Toronto Blue Jays and contributed.

So, there were guys who weren't necessarily household names that had a hand in their postseason success. And then your veteran guys who kind of led the

way. And at the core of it all was, you know, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. And his hijinks and pranks and George Springer and his infectious smile. I think

when you look at it as a whole, they were just not only talented, but entertaining.

And I think for the casual fan who I've met over the last couple of days since they lost Game 7, it said to me, this is the most baseball I've ever

watched. I was a casual bandwagon fan, and I watched them through the postseason. And they were infectious.

NEWTON: It was all for the love of the game, wasn't it, Hazel? We have to leave it there. Hazel Mae, I hope you're back next year and this time with

the Jays as winners. Thanks so much, Hazel. I appreciate it.

MAE: Thanks.

NEWTON: And I want to thank all of you for your company. I'm Paula Newton in New York. You've been watching "The Brief." Stay with CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[19:00:00]

END