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The Brief with Jim Sciutto

Taylor Swift And Travis Kelce Wedding Celebration Underway; Record Heat Hits Eastern U.S. Ahead Of July 4th Holiday; "Clippers" Make Big Bucks Reposting Social Media Content; Venezuela's Government Facing Some Tough Questions About Earthquake Response; Iran Bids Farewell To Slain Supreme Leader; U.S. Celebrates 250 Years. Aired 6-7p ET

Aired July 03, 2026 - 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 filling

in for Jim Sciutto. You are watching "The Brief."

Just ahead this hour, high temperatures and high secrecy around Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's wedding celebration. A parade of black SUVs have

now made it to Madison Square Garden. The Northeastern United States faces a scorching heat wave as the nation prepares to celebrate its 250th

anniversary. And defending World Cup champions Argentina take up Cape Verde this hour. We will be following the latest action.

But first for us, welcome to New York. We begin right here in the city where the temperatures are soaring at the start of a historic holiday

weekend. America is celebrating its 250th birthday on Saturday as parts of the country are gripped by a record heat wave. It's straining power grids

and forcing events to cancel or postpone.

But that isn't stopping this love story in a union worthy of royalty. Pop icon Taylor Swift is getting married, maybe right now, to NFL star Travis

Kelce at Madison Square Garden. Sources say that celebration should be well underway. And again, I remind you, we are just down the road here from our

offices in New York. We have seen the effects of this for days now.

Now, while this event is shrouded in secrecy and literal black screens, the ceremony was expected now to already be underway. Perhaps the vows

exchanged within the next half an hour.

Our entertainment correspondent, Elizabeth Wagmeister, is following all of this. Not just the heat wave, but, of course, all the secrecy around this.

And yet, Elizabeth, I have to tell you, I've been surprised at how many people we've actually seen enter this event.

ELIZABETH WAGMEISTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: Yes, we have gotten a glimpse at some of the people either entering the event or going out of

their hotel in New York City on their way to Madison Square Garden.

Now, as you see behind me, the street is clear. This means that all the guests are inside. As you said, the ceremony should be underway. From our

reporting, what we heard from sources was that the ceremony was set to begin on the arena floor at 5:30. The party then set to begin about an hour

after.

I have to tell you, the cars were definitely running late. It was a bit of a traffic jam. So, I wouldn't be surprised if, like so many weddings, if

they're starting a little bit later. But everyone's in there, and I'm sure that they are having a blast.

Now, some of the names that we have seen go inside. Hugh Grant, Benson Boone, who we know opened for Taylor during her Eras tour. We saw Bradley

Cooper dressed up in a tux on the streets of New York getting into a car with his girlfriend, Gigi Hadid, who we know, of course, is one of Taylor's

best friends. Sources tell us that Gwen Stefani and NFL Chief Roger Goodell are also inside.

So, this is really going to be a booze boo of not just Hollywood and, of course, sports because of Travis Kelce and all of his friends from the

football world and beyond. But you're also going to see a lot of Hollywood executives, a lot of big names in business. I mean, this is a thousand

people that we have that are going to be here tonight.

And also, the people who aren't getting inside but who are very excited to be here just to my side here are legions of fans. The fans have been piling

up throughout the day. They were just singing love story. So, clearly, the Swifties very excited to see their girl finally getting her fairytale happy

ending.

NEWTON: In terms of that fairytale, I mean, we got glimpses of how that Madison Square Garden was likely transformed behind you. But what have you

heard? Because I'd imagine in some way, shape or form, it'll be unrecognizable to the hockey games I've seen there, for instance.

[18:05:00]

WAGMEISTER: Absolutely. I think the goal here was to have the event here really for secrecy and security. But then the goal, when you are Taylor

Swift and you are the bride, is that you don't want it to look like Madison Square Garden.

Remember, she is a self-made billionaire. So, money is not an issue here. That means that they could spend whatever they want to totally transform

this place. I spoke to a luxury wedding planner earlier today who's not affiliated with this wedding. But she told me that the draping that will be

needed to transform Madison Square Garden will be enormous. She anticipates that they will want to cover all of the seats.

Of course, they'll want to cover the floor of the arena. And she said they would even want to cover the bathrooms, which makes sense. Because if

you're going to the wedding of the century, do you want to feel like you're going to the bathrooms at Madison Square Garden? Probably not.

So, that wedding planner told me that she would guess that this wedding could cost anywhere from $25 million to $100 million. But again, money not

an issue here for this couple. And they're going to transform this into whatever of Taylor's dreams.

Now, we know from their engagement photos that Travis created what looked like a fairytale enchanted garden with a lot of flowers. Over the past few

days, we have seen flowers coming in. We've also seen some tree branches sticking out of boxes. And one of the boxes, one of the carts that was

coming in earlier this week said garden party. So, that could give you some indication of what it might look in there. But I have a feeling that it is

completely unrecognizable.

And whenever Taylor decides that she wants to release some photos or release some footage, I am sure what we will see will look absolutely

nothing like Madison Square Garden.

NEWTON: The point is she will release something when she feels good and ready. OK. The happy couple may be tying the knot right now as we speak.

Our Elizabeth Wagweister is still outside Madison Square Garden in the heat wave, taking it all in for us. Elizabeth, thank you.

Now, what could possibly top a wedding like what you just heard about at Madison Square Garden? Well, it may not top it, but an exclusive interview

with none other than Britain's Prince William. This is quite a flex. Travis Kelce and his brother, Jason, dropped a new episode of their "New Heights"

podcast with the U.K. royal today. And listen to how happy they were to see him.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JASON KELCE, HOST, NEW HEIGHTS" PODCAST: The Duke of Cambridge, the Duke of Cornwall, the Lord of the Isles, Prince of Great Stewart of Scotland, Earl

of Chester and the Prince of Wales. Please welcome, His Royal Highness Prince William.

PRINCE WILLIAM: Oh, that is quite an intro, guys. Amazing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: The prince seemed to be enjoying himself there. For more on the wedding of the year and everything, I guess, Kelce and Swift, entertainment

journalist, Segun Oduoluwu, thank you so much for being with us.

I'm really curious about your initial thoughts here. First, we'll deal with the Kelce brothers in a minute because they always have some surprises. But

in the wedding itself, we have seen more guests than we expected to see. We've got some pictures and some video. But listen, it looks like she went

through with it.

SEGUN ODUOLOWU, ENTERTAINMENT JOURNALIST: Yes. This wedding is the wedding of the year. But I want everyone to pump the brakes with this being

America's royal wedding. We already had one. Meghan Markle, she married a real prince. OK. We actually saw that one televised. So, yes, a pop

princess marrying a tight end, even a superstar tight end in the NFL, is not the royal American wedding.

I do find it interesting that, you know, on our 250th birthday of America, kind of divorcing itself from being wed to Great Britain. We are

celebrating a wedding of cohabitation. So, I do find I do find the irony of what Taylor Swift doing, you know, to be par for the course with her.

But who wouldn't we expect to be at this wedding? Pop stars, athletes, executives. As Elizabeth said, Taylor Swift is a self-made billionaire.

Everyone who is anyone wants to be in this room, wants to be invited to this.

Because like you said, Paula, it's going to come out. We're going to see some type of theatrical release when Taylor is good and ready. And if you

ran a streaming service or a theater chain, wouldn't you want after her Eras Tour grossed a quarter of a billion dollars with its release? Wouldn't

you want to see the Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce wedding in a theater if you're a Swiftie or if you're a fan of the Kelce brothers? It just makes

sense.

NEWTON: So, you think they're filming this whole thing that we're not just going to get a few intimate stills and maybe a little a little 10 second

video? You think this is going to be filmed wall to wall?

[18:10:00]

ODUOLOWU: I think it's a full-on production. Taylor Swift has played the garden numerous times when she's toured. The whole proposal was garden

party chic. Well, what better place to have a garden party chic wedding than Madison Square Garden, the world's most famous arena?

We know about the security with the way that you can't photograph into it with the secret tunnels underneath the stadium, so people can arrive,

whether secretly or they've been arriving in black SUVs and been getting out of tents. We've seen some people, but there's speculation that there

are even more celebrities.

And then we get down to the performances. We've talked about Stevie Nicks, Benson Boone, who opened for her, Ed Sheeran, who's gone on tour with her.

I wouldn't doubt if this turns into a beautiful, like, you know, celeb- laden concert that we air or that we're allowed to see because that's what Taylor does. Part of her marketing genius is knowing what her fans want and

crave, and she's going to give it to them just when she's ready.

NEWTON: And talk about marketing genius. How about the Kelce brothers dropping the episode with none other than Prince William?

ODUOLOWU: Yes, that's just -- that's marketing masterpiece 101. Listen, the Kelce brothers and people are saying, oh, well, Travis wasn't -- Travis and

Jason weren't that big of a deal until Taylor came along. They had a really popular sports cast. Then Taylor comes along and that's, that podcast goes

for 100 million.

Taylor coming along also gets you some of Taylor's biggest fans and the Prince of Wales with his children, George and Georgina are huge fans of

Taylor Swift. When she did her tour, they actually got to meet her backstage. So, yes, getting him on the podcast, the day that you're getting

married. I mean, look, chef's kiss to the Kelce brothers. That is just brilliant. And it blows their podcast up even more.

So, they've been marketing this whole thing the right way. It's why I feel we're going to see inside that wedding in our own good time.

NEWTON: Yes. You said a chef's kiss. There was a special kind of polish to that, that I, as I said, it was a flex and I appreciated it for what

happened.

Segun, allow us to do a bit of a deeper dive here for those who are Swiftie fans or who have raised Swiftie fans. As you can imagine who that is,

Taylor has spent nearly two decades writing about love, heartbreak, marriage, and a lot of her older songs, you know, have clear references to

wedding references. Do you think she's really catering to what her fans will expect here? Because again, they know these songs off by heart.

They're like anthems for their entire lives at this point.

ODUOLOWU: Paula, I'm going to make a left turn and scare Swiftie fans. I think that I'm afraid, honestly, that the new music won't be as good as

what we've heard after being married. Taylor Swift built a career, as you said, a two decades worth career on heartbreak and sorrow.

Some of her greatest songs came after breakups. The Red album was after Jake Gyllenhaal, John Mayer. There have been so many people that she's been

associated with breakup and then a great wedding -- or I'm sorry, a great album. Now, getting married to Travis Kelce, look, "Life of a Showgirl"

wasn't that good. Critically, we kind of panned it. You know --

NEWTON: Oh, Segun, no, don't go there. You're going to get hate mail, Segun. You're going to get hate mail.

ODUOLOWU: Paula, it reminds me of Alanis Morissette. Remember "Jagged Little Pill" and how it was all about angry music. And then the next album,

it was like, thank you. And I was like, no, thank you. It didn't sell like "Jagged Little Pill." I think if Taylor can find a way to maybe embrace

motherhood, which I think is the next step. I don't think Swifties are going to get music from Taylor for quite a while.

We'll get the inside of this wedding when they release it, but then she'll probably go dark to start a family and we'll see if motherhood generates

some new music. You need pain to give us pleasurable music. I need the Taylor Swift who's going through heartbreak. This new Taylor, I don't need

to hear songs like wood. I don't want to know about Travis Kelce like that. I didn't need that.

NEWTON: It's TMI. I think she had a reference to the fact that it was too much information for her mother as well. Segun, we will leave it there for

now. But I see your Alanis Morissette reference. That is my generation. Thank you, Alanis. She is back better than ever, I want to say. And we will

continue to follow all of these fabulous careers. Segun, if we have anything breaking from the wedding, we'll bring you right back here. Thanks

so much. Appreciate it.

ODUOLOWU: Thanks, Paula.

NEWTON: Now, it is a cruel summer for some of those wedding guests, and that blistering heat wave is being felt right across the eastern United

States. We're talking 100 degrees Fahrenheit in New York. In Philadelphia, that's 38 degrees Celsius. At least one heat-related death was reported

today near Philadelphia.

[18:15:00]

Now, the extreme heat triggering power outages for thousands. Dozens of trains have been canceled. It's so hot in Washington, D.C. The Great

American State Fair closed for several hours today. The U.S. Capitol -- and this really made an impression on me, think about it. This is the quarter

millennia anniversary, 250 years, but the U.S. Capitol hit 102 Fahrenheit, breaking a 60-year record.

CNN's Brian Todd joins us now from the National Mall. I mean, we were always going to ask you, Brian, how hot is it? But this is really

unrelenting. Postponing events, canceling other events, I mean, what more are you learning?

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Paula, you know, the heat is just unrelenting. It is oppressive. It is pounding everybody. There's really not

much breeze down here for relief. People are taking relief any way they can get it. And this is a big way they can get it.

This is the D.C. Fire Department's fan unit number one. And this is what it's here for, to spray gallons and gallons of water and for people to just

stand out below it, like these guys are doing. Now, this line -- there was a line here to get back into the Great American State Fair about an hour

ago, just before this -- before they opened the state fair back up. This line was all the way down here, and some of these people were taking relief

under this spray.

They have since reopened the state fair at about 5:00 time. They had shut it down at 1:00 p.m. Eastern time because of heat-related issues. Now, we

saw people in line for the Ferris wheel, believe it or not, even after they reopened it at 5:00. Those cars in the Ferris wheel are not air-

conditioned, and yet people were still lining up to go inside those cars and to ride the Ferris wheel.

We can give you some other information. I spoke a short time ago with D.C. Fire and EMS. They said that they had 44 patient contacts, is what they

called them, inside the state fair here right before it closed down at 1:00 p.m. Eastern time -- patient contacts, meaning instances where people had

to be treated. They did not break it down to say how many of those were heat-related, but of those 44 patient contacts, 11 people had to be

transported. Of those 11, seven of them required advanced life support.

So, it's an issue. It is a danger. It is a dangerous time to be out here. It's going to be even more so tomorrow with potentially hundreds of

thousands of people.

One thing we can tell you is, here's the National Gallery of Art right here. People who are coming down to the mall should be -- should remember

this. The gallery and all the Smithsonian museums are open tomorrow from 10:00 to 5:30 p.m. Eastern time. Those are going to be good places to go to

take shelter from the heat. People need to remember that, in addition to trying to take shelter under trees or anywhere else.

There's also, Paula, the security component here. You can see multiple units. You've got National Guardsmen here, D.C. Metropolitan Police here.

We're told that U.S. Marshals are going to be involved in security. Secret Service is kind of leading the security apparatus here. There will be

outside deputized law enforcement officials here.

As for the capabilities, law enforcement officials are telling CNN there are going to be drones, there are going to be snipers on roofs, anti-drone

technology. Even nuclear-detecting devices are going to be used here, as you see more people streaming in here. Security is really -- and also just

lots of fencing. Whenever there's an event like this in D.C., you've got the bike rack fencing there. You're going to have anti-scale fencing down

the street here closer to the White House. So, that's going to be a concern.

But, you know, it really is the heat that's going to be not only the -- you know, the health concern, but even the security concern. Officials telling

CNN that they are really concerned about the heat. They expect a lot of heat-related calls tomorrow. One official told us there's really no amount

of water that can fix the heat and the heat-related issues that they're going to be dealing with tomorrow, not even that kind of water. Paula.

NEWTON: Brian, I hope everyone, including you, take care of themselves in that heat. I appreciate you covering it for us. And we'll see what awaits

the nation's birthday tomorrow in Washington, D.C., especially with that big speech from the president upcoming. Brian Todd for us at the National

Mall, appreciate it.

Still ahead for us, how online content clippers are raking in the cash.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:20:00]

NEWTON: And welcome back. In today's Business Breakout, Wall Street was closed Friday for the long 4th of July holiday weekend. But markets in the

rest of the world were up and running. European stocks closed the week higher with Europe's broadest stock index hitting records. Green arrows in

Asia too. The South Korean KOSPI was the best performer up more than five and a half percent.

Now, artificial intelligence is grabbing most of the headlines in tech world these days, but the digital economy is still going strong too. There

is no better example of that than the lucrative field of online clipping. Clippers distribute social media content rather than creating it

themselves. And some of them have become millionaires. Bijan Hosseini has our report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BIJAN HOSSEINI, CNN SENIOR PRODUCER: So, I'm scrolling through my tick tock account and I came across this video. It shows Ryan Garcia, a pretty famous

boxer with Ashton Hall, who is a pretty famous influencer. But if you look really closely at this video, you'll notice that it wasn't posted by either

of them. It was posted by someone else entirely.

And that person took this clip, they put on their own headline, and they posted it as their own. This is what's known as a clipper. And for every

view this video gets, they're getting paid for it.

MUSA MUSTAFA, CLIPPER: Every single day you're scrolling, you've got thousands of hours of screen time, you're making me rich. In the last 90

days, I've made over $54,000.

HOSSEINI: This is Musa, and he claims to be one of the most popular clippers alive. At just 19 years old, he made his first million dollars.

Now, at 23, he tells me that the money he's made is a lot higher.

What's going on, man?

HOSSEINI: What's up, man? Bijan. If you had to put a number on how much money you've made from clipping.

MUSTAFA: Oh, man, like we're talking top line revenue. Easily over $30 million, like easily.

HOSSEINI: Musa tells me when he first started clipping, he was getting paid directly by the creators themselves. But the industry is really advancing.

And so, now, you get websites like this. This is a content rewards platform. And it basically shows you all of the live clipping campaigns

right now. And you have everything from casinos to artists and musicians to influencers. If you look closely at all of these campaigns, they're being

run by companies in the middle.

I sat down with the founder of Propaganda, which is right here, Eddie Cumberbatch to kind of find out where the industry is headed.

EDDIE CUMBERBATCH, CO-FOUNDER, PROPAGANDA MEDIA: I run one of the biggest clipping agencies in the world, propaganda media. And in the last few

weeks, we've posted over 43,000 clips. From that we generated 318 million views.

HOSSEINI: Is this killing traditional marketing firms?

CUMBERBATCH: 100 percent. But once there's been so many case studies and pieces of data to show that like this really is the best way to market

anything, the bigger companies are now willing to hop on this.

HOSSEINI (voice-over): According to PwC, more than a trillion dollars was spent on global advertising last year. Eddie's banking that a third of that

will ship to social media and clipping over the next decade. Big brands, musicians, artists, A.I. startups, even tourism boards are jumping on the

trend. And the budgets aren't small either.

[18:25:00]

CUMBERBATCH: This company is running a $250,000 campaign. This company is running a $249,000 campaign.

HOSSEINI (voice-over): Most campaigns pay out $1 or $1.50 for every 1,000 views. And Musa says even on a bad day, the math adds up.

MUSTAFA: The average video and takes all gets like 2,700 views roughly, on average. And that's obviously accounting for 100 million viewed videos and

the 200 million viewed videos. But the average is 2,700.

Now, if you get a thousand views per video and you post the 100 videos in a day, you'll get 100,000 views, which is $3,000 a month, which is $36,000 a

year, which is your salary.

HOSSEINI (voice-over): The clipping industry has drawn its fair share of criticism as well, mainly for clippers reposting content without permission

and for inflated view counts that can be bought rather than earned. Eddie says his platform and many others run fraud detection to catch clippers who

try to fake their numbers. Even Instagram has taken notice. In April, their company head posted this warning.

ADAM MOSSERI, HEAD OF INSTAGRAM: So, if most of what you post to Instagram is someone else's content, your account is no longer going to be

recommendable.

HOSSEINI: Does any of that worry you that kind of the success rests in the hands of like these few companies?

CUMBERBATCH: No, there's always going to be like workarounds and like allegedly there was like some change made to Instagram last month. We have

not seen anything. Instagram makes money off of like ad revenue. The more time people spend watching on their platform, the more money they make.

This is simply helping them.

HOSSEINI (voice-over): Clipping has become a side hustle for some and a full-time job for others. But for Musa, it's become something else

entirely.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NEWTON: OK. Checking some of today's other business headlines, a bit of relief for Americans filling up their gas tanks this 4th of July. AAA says

the average price of a gallon of gas stands at $3.82. That's down 44 cents from where things stood a month ago. That said, prices are way up from

where they were the last 4th of July, when a gallon of gas costs an average of three dollars and 16 cents.

The U.S. Justice Department is reportedly urging states to investigate those high gas prices. Politico says justice officials are asking state

attorneys general to, quote, "use all terms available to probe whether oil companies are engaged in price gouging." President Trump has repeatedly

criticized energy giants for not lowering prices fast enough as more oil begins to flow through the Strait of Hormuz.

President Trump has announced six pardons for people convicted of breaking environmental laws. He did not identify who he pardoned or the details of

their cases. White House officials say they were all found guilty of violating the U.S. Clean Air Act. Mr. Trump says they were prosecuted by

the Biden Justice Department.

OK. Coming up for us, anger in Venezuela over the government's response to last week's earthquakes, as well as questions over how many lost their

lives.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:30:00]

NEWTON: And welcome back to "The Brief." I'm Paula Newton. Here are the international headlines we're watching today.

International police investigating Monday's bomb attack in Monaco say they're looking for a Ukrainian woman who disguised herself as a man.

Prosecutors say the suspect went to France, and then drove to Italy after the attack. The explosion wounded a Ukrainian businessman in a residential

building, as well as a woman and child who were with him.

Scorching temperatures across the northeastern United States are putting more than 160 million people at major or extreme heat risk. Temperatures

climbed in Washington, D.C., forcing the Great American State Fair there to close for several hours ahead of President Trump's July 4th address. At

least one heat related death was reported near Philadelphia.

Thousands of people are without power as electrical grids come under strain. The wedding celebration of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce is

underway at New York's Madison Square Garden. A-list guests like Ethan Hawke and Hugh Grant have been photographed arriving. People familiar with

the planning say some 1,000 people were invited. The party is expected to last into the early morning hours.

Venezuela's government is facing some tough questions about its response to last week's back-to-bath earthquakes, acting President Delcy Rodriguez

defending how quickly officials responded. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DELCY RODRIGUEZ, ACTING VENEZUELAN PRESIDENT (through translator): Our officials were deployed immediately. You can count the hours between the

quakes and when we signed the emergency decree. There were 4,000 officials out in the first 24 hours, 10,000 officials the following day, and now

there are 19,000 officials in La Guira alone. Despite how complicated it is for us to move personnel around with the airport out of use.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: That response complicated by the fact that the earthquake killed almost all heads of government in La Guira, one of the worst hit regions.

Questions also remain about the number of dead. Venezuelan officials say more than 2,600 lives have been lost. The U.S. Geological Survey estimates

tens of thousands were likely killed.

Stefano Pozzebon is in Caracas. And you know, Stefano, just from that number that we got, that estimate, it gives you an idea of what I know you

have heard and seen for yourself on the ground. So, many people desperate and with their loved ones missing.

I'm interested to hear from you. You were at that press conference. Did you see a different posture from this acting president or any sense that they

could get this under control? Because beyond finding survivors, there are people, thousands, tens of thousands that have been displaced.

STEFANO POZZEBON, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Yes, Paula. Well, I think that the government of Delcy Rodriguez is trying to have it both ways. In a way,

they do want to project an image that they are in charge, saying that all of the efforts have not been spared in order to locate and rescue as many

survivors as possible. And Delcy, for example, was very adamant in pointing out that she signed an emergency decree less than three hours after that

earth double earthquakes hit Venezuela.

However, it's also, there's ample evidence, like it's beyond any doubt that Venezuela is not prepared as a state, as a country. The public nation is

not able to deal with the catastrophe of the magnitude of the one that arrived onto Venezuela's shoulders.

And I think that Rodriguez did allude to that sort of thing, so without actually mentioning it plainly. But she did, for example, say, like in the

soundbite that you played, that of course the obstacles and the moving around the personnel is very complicated when we know that the main airport

of Caracas is out of use right now because there is a giant crack halfway through the runway.

[18:35:00]

So, I think that Delcy Rodriguez is trying to be frank and honest to his -- to her countrymate, at the same time, of course, as being the person in

charge, as being a person that is an acting president who has taken the power after an authoritarian leader with serious questions about his

legitimacy have been removed violently in that dramatic raid at night time on January the 3rd. And I'm referring, of course, to Nicolas Maduro. Well,

Delcy Rodriguez doesn't have any of that legitimacy either, and so it makes sense that she tries to project an image of strength.

This, of course, is in response to a mounting frustration and anger with the thousands of Venezuelans that we've spoken with who are, of course,

frustrated because the slow pace of the search and rescue has impacted many of them.

Today, for example, it is the first day that the government publishes a written memorandum with all the latest statistics. They told us, for

example, today that at least 2,630 people have been killed. It is the first time that we, as journalists accredited here to work in Venezuela, are

receiving this type of information on our phones written in a statement. All of the previous death tolls were communicated just by speaking to the

national media and the public broadcaster here in Venezuela.

You can see that there is a sense of the state still very much under shock by the magnitude of the earthquakes and trying to come up with some

solutions with the difficulties of being Venezuela, which is a country that has gone through an economics and social collapse like not many people can

actually imagine in the last 10 to 15 years. Paula.

NEWTON: As you have documented so well for CNN. Stefano, it's good to have you on the ground and we certainly hope that more aid reaches the people

that need it and, of course, such profound grief there right now. And hopefully, the government is trying to get a hold of the toll and the

challenge that they have in front of them. Stefano Pozzebon for us in Caracas, thanks so much.

Now, Iran has started a week-long funeral ceremonies for Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a joint U.S.-Israeli strike earlier this year.

Millions of mourners are expected to attend commemorations spanning five cities in Iran and Iraq. Foreign dignitaries are paying respects as the

Ayatollah's body lays in state.

Our Frederik Pleitgen is in Tehran. Now, CNN operates in Iran only with the permission of the government, but we maintain full editorial control of his

report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: As the U.S. and Israel launched their war on Iran in late February, one of the first

targeted assassinations, Iran's longtime supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, killed along with several family members in a massive airstrike.

More than four months later, Iran is getting ready to hold possibly the largest funeral events in this country's history.

PLEITGEN: Final preparations are underway here at the gigantic Mosala complex in central Tehran and security in the city is extremely tight as

millions of people are set to show up and pay their final respects.

PLEITGEN (voice-over): Tehran is plastered with images of the late supreme leader, posters, billboards and even statues on buildings and in public

squares. Many vowing revenge against the U.S. and Israel for the killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

We don't trust the U.S. for any type of negotiations, this woman says. Trump is the most bloodthirsty enemy in all the world. And she says it is

our message from here to all the world that all people should stand up, everyone should rise and give the slogan of death to the oppressors, death

to America. And this man says we do not expect peace from the enemy, our experience has proven this to us.

After the U.S. and Israel killed the supreme leader and parts of Iran's political and military leadership, Tehran regrouped, quickly naming

Khamenei's son, Mojtaba Khamenei, as the new supreme leader, who still has not been seen in public since taking the reins and only communicates by

written statements. Iran also launching powerful missile and drone strikes and effectively shutting down the Strait of Hormuz.

With a shaky ceasefire holding for now, Iran's political and military leaders were some of the first to pay their final respects at the coffins

lying in state, including the president, foreign minister and chief negotiator. Among the caskets, a tiny one containing the remains of

Ayatollah Khamenei's granddaughter.

Without a doubt, this martyrdom has strengthened our resolve, this Revolutionary Guard general says. Today, with even greater determination,

we address the enemies of the Iranian nation, the United States and the Israeli regime and say we will hold them accountable for the blood of our

martyred leader and all of our martyrs.

Vows of retribution, even as both sides negotiators aimed to achieve a peace agreement looking to end the decades long standoff between the U. S.

and Iran.

Frederik Pleitgen, CNN, Tehran.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[18:40:00]

NEWTON: OK. Straight ahead for us, the United States marks its 250th anniversary this weekend with plenty of fanfare. This week also marks a

more somber anniversary, the Battle of Gettysburg, part of a war to end slavery in the United States. We will bring you the latest on both

occasions after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NEWTON: Happy almost birthday to the United States, and it's a big one. 250 years young on July 4th. Tens of millions of Americans are hitting the

roads and the skies for this holiday weekend. It will be a sweltering Independence Day right across the Northeast. Dangerously high heat closed

the great American State Fair in Washington for several hours today and canceled Philadelphia's Independence Day parade.

Danny Freeman is in Philly. You know it. You guys are going to celebrate. In fact, here on CNN, a little more than an hour from now, we will have

some special programming for you on the holiday eve, right?

DANNY FREEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We will indeed, and I will be part of that special coverage with a special guest that I think a lot of people are

going to be excited about, especially in this region.

But I'll get to that in a moment. Listen, the big headline that you said it, Paula, aside from the birthday in America coming up tomorrow, is -- has

been this heat all up and down the East Coast. It has been sweltering. It sat at a hundred degrees for much of the day. Thankfully, here in

Philadelphia, at least as the sun has started to set, it has gotten a little cooler, certainly where I am now in the shade.

And I want to show you this. While the parade you noted was canceled, concerts yesterday were canceled. Look at all this. People are out here on

famed Independence Mall about to see a concert from Idina Menzel and from the Philadelphia Pops. So, you can see, even though it's been so hot for so

much of today and yesterday, it's getting a little cooler down here, and that's not letting anyone get in the way of a good time tonight.

And as far as we understand, according to the organizers, the concert is still on. So, that is the good news. The city is still, though, under this

heat health emergency and still maintaining people -- or rather encouraging people, to maintain caution, keep drinking fluids, and stay inside if you

can. All of this stuff, like you noted, a lot of it is going to be on that CNN special coming up in just a little bit. So, if you don't want to come

out here, just watch, and you'll have a good time. I promise it, Paula.

So, things are turning a corner here. It feels like in Philadelphia, but tomorrow, going to be a hot one again for sure, Paula.

[18:45:00]

NEWTON: Yes, but like you said, just a little over an hour from now, just watch it all on CNN. It will be spectacular. Danny Freeman for us in

Philadelphia. Appreciate it.

Now, this week marks another key anniversary in U.S. history. The Battle of Gettysburg took place in Pennsylvania 163 years ago. The Northern states

defeated the Confederate Army after three days of bloody fighting. It was a major turning point in the war and slavery. Thousands have been gathering

at and around the battlefield for reenactments and tours. This has been going on for a while.

Joining me now is Karl Pietrzak. He is president of Destination Gettysburg, and he joins us now. And I know the reenactments really give a lot to

people there on the ground in terms of an impression of what it was like. Why do you think on this 250th birthday of the United States that this kind

of events are important?

KARL PIETRZAK, PRESIDENT, DESTINATION GETTYSBURG: Well, Gettysburg is very important in the United States history. We say that the country was born in

Philadelphia, but it was saved in Gettysburg.

Really, without the battle here, the Civil War might have turned out differently, and freedoms might not be the same that we have now. So, it's

a very important time for us to commemorate and celebrate here in Gettysburg.

NEWTON: And what is different about it this year? I mean, we're looking at some of the pictures of the reenactments now. I can't imagine what it takes

to put all of this together. But what do you think is so captivating about it, and especially on this special holiday?

PIETRZAK: Well, it's really a chance to see history in person. The people that do these reenactments, they're, they're amateurs, but they're really

doing it at a professional level, and they're lifelong reenactors. And we get the same people back in Gettysburg every year. Thousands of reenactors

put on the performance, and spectators really get to see what happened here in person.

And in addition to the battle, there's artillery demonstrations, cavalry demonstrations, lots of living history. So, it's a chance for the things

that, you know, our kids are learning in school, and we read about to see it in person.

NEWTON: I mean, really, this was a pivotal battle, obviously, the country is in a bit of a strange time now. I think we've documented it here. While

on CNN, it is divisive. What can history performances like this, these reenactments do in terms of really driving people towards that common

theme? Because it doesn't matter what their politics, you know, people love their country.

PIETRZAK: Sure. And something that Gettysburg and the Civil War can teach us is that, as divisive as things are now, that's pretty common in our

history. So, there is hope that we'll get past the division that we have now and things will be better. They certainly aren't as bad as they were in

1863 to have battles like this.

But it gives people a chance to really to see what happened, the things that they've read about in school and heard about, to see it and hear about

it in person.

NEWTON: So, Karl, we've been talking a lot about the weather, let us know what to expect here in terms of the amount of people, what went into this,

you know, if you've had to change any of the plans.

PIETRZAK: Sure, it's hot here, too, just like it is everywhere else in the Northeast anyway, over 100 degrees today. The reenactments, July 3rd, 4th

and 5th, are taking place as scheduled. There are some programming, outdoor programs for the National Park Service on the battlefield have been moved

indoors. So, there's been some accommodations for that. Lots of extra water and things like that out at the reenactment for spectators as well as the

reenactors.

And otherwise, everything pretty much is going on as scheduled. Lots of, you know, encouraging people to really pay attention to how they're feeling

and try not to get too hot.

NEWTON: Yes, definitely. You'd want to keep an eye on that before I let you go. I'm looking at the cavalry stuff here. This looks pretty difficult. I

mean, do you guys have this down to a fine choreographed skill by now? And how much of an impression does it leave on the people actually see it in

person?

PIETRZAK: It's really impactful. The reenactors here are have been doing it for most, you know, all their adult lives. This is really elite level

reenacting and living history that you see here in Gettysburg. And they come every year. This is something that that people travel great distances

to see.

We were at the -- we had our folks out of the reenactment today. We're talking to people from France and Australia and Spain, as well as people

from Philadelphia that are escaping the -- you know, the crowds up there to come down to Gettysburg and get a taste of our history.

NEWTON: Karl Pietrzak, very happy 4th you. And I hope the events continue to go well. And thanks for sharing so much of the video for us because we

could really get an impression of what it's like. Appreciate it.

PIETRZAK: My pleasure. Thank you.

[18:50:00]

NEWTON: Next, the top dogs versus the underdogs. It's Argentina versus Cape Verde in an incredible World Cup clash.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NEWTON: So, right now, the reigning champions of the FIFA Men's World Cup are defending their title against a team that's already gone above and

beyond the odds, Cape Verde. It is the David versus Goliath match. It began at the top of the hour. I'm here to tell you the score is currently 1-nil

to Argentina with, yes, Lionel Messi scoring. We'll continue to keep an eye on that match for you.

Now, Pope Leo reminding the U.S. of its history of welcoming immigrants on the eve of the nation's 250th birthday. The first U.S.-born pope delivered

a virtual address from the Vatican as he was honored with the Liberty Medal from the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia. The pope received

the medal in person at a private ceremony in April, and he now heads to the Italian island of Lampedusa Saturday, one of Europe's biggest migration

hotspots. Our Christopher Lamb is there.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRISTOPHER LAMB, CNN VATICAN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): On a landmark Independence Day for America, Pope Leo, the first U.S.-born pontiff, is not

taking part in big celebrations. Instead, he is traveling to Lampedusa, the front line of the Mediterranean migration crisis, where thousands arrive

each year and many never survive the often-perilous journey.

While on the southern Italian island, the pope will meet migrants, celebrate mass, and lay a wreath for those who died at sea.

DON CARMELO RIZZO, PARISH PRIEST, LAMPEDUSA (through translator): When migrants disembark, we make simple evangelical gestures. Sometimes we give

a glass of water. Sometimes we give a smile. We ask for their name, a few words of encouragement. And these sometimes seem like insignificant

gestures, but they are the gestures that give dignity to the person who, perhaps when they arrive, sees so many military uniforms.

LAMB (voice-over): Supporting migrants is a top priority for Leo's papacy and a point of tension with the Trump administration. Leo has criticized

the immigration crackdown in the U.S., calling it, quote, "inhuman." And this week, Vice President JD Vance called the Vatican stance troubling.

LAMB: For many arriving here, the first help comes from the Red Cross. This crossing is one of the most deadly in the world, with more than 32,000

people either lost or missing over the last decade.

ROSARIO VALASTRO, PRESIDENT, ITALIAN RED CROSS: We don't know, actually, how many people died in the Mediterranean Sea and how many died during the

old route from Africa to Europe. And I think that it's quite something to be ashamed to consider the lives of people like numbers.

LAMB (voice-over): Church leaders say the Pope's message reflects the history of America and highlights the contribution of new arrivals.

[18:55:00]

RONALD HICKS, ARCHBISHOP OF NEW YORK: The United States has always been a country of immigrants. Everyone has come from somewhere.

LAMB (voice-over): Leo is also following in his predecessor's footsteps, with Pope Francis making an emotional, high-profile visit to Lampedusa more

than a decade ago. The Chicago-born pontiff wants the church to work on the front lines of the crisis, like this parish on the island. In recent

months, Leo has shown a willingness to speak out, even in the face of criticism.

CARDINAL BLASE CUPICH, ARCHBISHOP OF CHICAGO: He's said before he's not going to be afraid of opposition. He's going to do what he's called to do

in his ministry.

LAMB (voice-over): As the U.S. celebrates its 250th anniversary, the Pope's July 4th message comes from a place where people often arrive having risked

everything in the hope of a better future.

Christopher Lamb, CNN, Lampedusa.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NEWTON: We'll have coverage of that for you tomorrow. I want you to stay with CNN. I'm Paula Newton in New York. You've been watching "The Brief."

Stay tuned now, though, we will have much more on our Independence Day special in about an hour from now.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[19:00:00]

END