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The Brief with Jim Sciutto

CNN International: Trump Posts Image of Strait of Hormuz as "U.S. Territory"; Seoul Calls for Stronger U.S. Alliance; Trump: U.S. to Cut Back Military Drills with South Korea; Meta Trial Begins; Ukraine, Russia Exchange Intense Strikes; Israeli Strikes on Gaza. Aired 6-7p ET

Aired August 18, 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]

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN ANCHOR, "THE BRIEF": Hello, and welcome to our viewers joining us from all around the world. I'm Jim Sciutto in Washington, and

you're watching "The Brief."

Just ahead this hour, a new U.S. territory. That is what President Donald Trump is calling the Strait of Hormuz. This as Iran lays out a new list of

demands to reopen it. South Korea's president says his country needs to boost its military capabilities even as he calls for a stronger alliance

with the U.S. And the parent company of Facebook on trial again. A group of states suing the tech giant alleging it designed its platforms to get

children addicted.

Our top story, U.S. President Donald Trump says there are no talks underway or scheduled with Iran. This comes just a day after he said his

administration had established a back channel with Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps. He also posted this image on social media, showing the Strait

of Hormuz labeled as a new U.S. territory.

According to ship tracking data, more than 80 percent of vessel transits through the Strait have taken the Omani route over the past two weeks. That

is a U.N.-authorized shipping channel which Iran strongly opposes. Still, Iran's chief negotiator has issued a list of demands for reopening the

Strait.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MOHAMMAD BAGHER GHALIBAF, IRANIAN PARLIAMENT SPEAKER (through translator): And let me make it clear, until America implements its commitments under

the Memorandum of Understanding, including lifting the blockade on the release of frozen assets, lifting the oil sanctions, ending threats and

military operations on all fronts, and other conditions that America has agreed to under the understanding, the Strait will not be reopened.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCIUTTO: Kristen Holmes has the latest from the White House. And, Kristen, I really don't understand what the reality is, because President Trump

claimed there was a back channel. His envoy, Jared Kushner, said the talks are ongoing and even expressed some confidence that they might make some

progress. But now we're hearing there are no talks. Well, what's the truth?

KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yes. So, we're hearing from one U.S. official who seems to be kind of threading the needle

between these two statements, one from President Trump and one from Jared Kushner, essentially saying that President Trump has told his top

administration envoys, envoys to halt any kind of conversations, negotiations with Iran, and that at the same time, the U.S. has signaled to

political allies that they are shifting the strategy here.

Instead of the strategy that they had, which was, quote/unquote, "hammer Iran as soon as possible," they are now looking at a different strategy of

strangling Iran over time. This obviously is coming at a time in which President Trump has tried everything to get out of this war to no avail,

and he has signaled that he wants to put this at arm's length.

So, it certainly seems as though because these negotiations were not going anywhere, President Trump is looking for an alternative here. It doesn't

seem as though the actual standoff is going to end, that the deal is going to come through, but instead pushing it away, keeping the naval blockade in

place, and essentially strangling them economically over time.

And I will tell you, I know I've mentioned to you this to you before, when I talk to U.S. officials, they really do believe that it is their greatest

asset to have this naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, and to cut off traffic and to strangle them economically, Iran. And we've seen all the

intel that shows that the kind of relentless strikes on Iran wasn't really moving the needle anywhere, and now it seems as though Trump is abiding by

that intelligence and starting with this other process. It seems like it'll also be a much lengthier process.

But I will say this, one of the things that we saw during the first ceasefire with Iran -- or first or second, I honestly don't recall which

one it was since there have been so many, we saw the gas prices begin to plummet, and we saw the economy start to level out. It was a few days of

the ceasefire before the striking went back.

[18:05:00]

That's really where President Trump needs to get. He needs to get to a place of stabilization so that he can pitch to Americans that things are

getting better and they're in a better place, particularly ahead of those November elections.

SCIUTTO: What about the president's earlier demands of regime change and end to Iran's nuclear program? The elimination, in effect, of its ballistic

missile and drone program. Are those off the table forever? Is it all about the Strait of Hormuz now?

HORMUZ: I think it's not all about the Strait of Hormuz. President Trump has doubled down, tripled down that this is about the nuclear program,

making sure that Iran never gets any kind of nuclear weapon. I think the immediate focus right now is going to be on the Strait of Hormuz. There are

going to be ongoing negotiations down the road about what they're going to do about the nuclear program, or there are likely to be. Unclear if the

level will get to any kind of place where they can agree.

But the Strait of Hormuz is the most urgent matter, because as we've seen, despite the fact that the Strait of Hormuz, President Trump is touting that

it's open, that ships are going through, we know it's still been a trickle. There are still ships that are coming under fire from Iran, Iranian

missiles, and there's a lot of danger when crossing the Strait of Hormuz.

And remember, again, if we go back to this idea of getting the economy to stabilize, that starts with getting the Strait of Hormuz completely open

and getting those ships passing through freely. And that will then replenish and reinvigorate the oil market and likely then drive prices down

in the United States, which is, of course, is what they want to see and what they want to be able to tout to Americans.

SCIUTTO: And one thing he's claimed for some time, but hasn't quite yet occurred. Kristen Holmes, thanks so much.

HOLMES: Thank you.

SCIUTTO: Well, joining us now to try to suss it all out is Alan Eyre, Distinguished Diplomatic Fellow at the Middle East Institute. Alan, good to

have you. So, the hammer strategy didn't work. So, now it's a strangle strategy. Is there evidence that this strategy will accomplish the goals,

at least that one goal of reopening the Strait?

ALAN EYRE, DISTINGUISHED DIPLOMATIC FELLOW, MIDDIE EAST INSTITUTE: Jim, not whatsoever. And again, I think President Trump is making a virtue out

of necessity. He cannot escalate militarily because Iran will counter- escalate against Gulf energy infrastructure. So, he's hit upon a strategy of low-keying it, waiting for the very real economic damage that the

blockade is putting on the Iranian economy to take hold.

The problem is that they have a chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz that's more quickly acting. They do not want to release that pressure before the

election. They're tracking prices in the United States, gasoline, diesel, inflation, with granularity.

So, the final point about this also is if, in fact, we reach a level of pain with our economic blockade against Iran, the IRGC, the Islamic

Revolutionary Guard Corps, are not going to surrender. They're going to escalate in the hopes of lifting the blockade. So, it's a failed strategy.

SCIUTTO: OK. You've heard CNN's reporting is that ships are managing to transit the Strait through that Omani route, steering clear and effective

the Iranian route. Does that undermine Iranian control of the Strait? Is that a sign that naval escorts are working?

EYRE: Well, it's a sign that they're trying to work, but like eight ships a day, Jim, are going through. It was 130 before the war. So, it's not

working enough. And Iran continues to attack ships going through the Omani coastline, which is why the UAE just today cut off all trade and

transactions with Iran, because Iran keeps targeting those ships doing the Omani route.

Don't forget, none of these ships are going to be able to get maritime insurance, war insurance, until there's a couple of months of 130 ships a

day, maritime traffic through the Strait. We're nowhere near that.

SCIUTTO: You argue that the least bad option, as you describe it, for the U.S. going forward is to allow what was Article 5 in that Memorandum of

Understanding signed back in June to play out, and that is that Iran and Oman, in effect, reach a settlement on reopening the Strait. I mean, if

that's the least bad option, that still grants Iran a great deal of control going forward, does it not?

EYRE: It does. But even that option now, Jim, is off the table, because, as I said, the new hardline military leadership in Iran took the decision

within the last 10 days or so not to give President Trump that relief that your previous correspondent was talking about in her story.

[18:10:00]

They track elections. They're tracking the midterms. And so, what Iran has decided to do, what you see this spoken about in Iranian press, is to keep

the pressure on, to inflict more pain on the U.S. economy going forward.

And to complement that, they put all their asks up front. They want the blockade lifted. They want their block assets released. They want the

waivers they had before so they could export oil. So, they are doubling down on their strategy of the chokehold on the Strait.

SCIUTTO: What are U.S. allies in the region? How do they read this situation now? Do they trust the U.S.? I don't know if blanket is the right

word, given there have been some holes in that blanket. Security blanket in the region anymore?

EYRE: No. The Gulf countries and Jordan have been whipsawed both by the war itself and by the way the U.S. prosecuted the war in the last five to

six months. I don't think any of them see the U.S. now as a reliable ally. Doesn't mean they're going to kick out bases, because all their military

infrastructure is U.S.-based. But you're already seeing them hedging. You saw the king of Saudi Arabia do a deal, a strategic deal, with Turkey and

Pakistan.

So, no one's going to give back the U.S. security umbrella, but everyone in the Gulf is looking for patches because they're soaking wet.

SCIUTTO: Alan Eyre, thanks so much for coming back.

EYRE: Thank you, Jim.

SCIUTTO: All right. Another story we're following closely. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung says his country should strengthen both its

alliance with Washington and its own military capabilities.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LEE JAE MYUNG, SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENT (THROUGH TRANSLATOR): Seoul-South Korea-U.S. alliance and independent defense capability are mutually

necessary conditions, meaning an alliance needs to be firm for the foundation of security to be even stronger. And we need to grow our own

strength to enhance our value and necessity as an ally.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCIUTTO: Those comments follow President Trump's announcement that he has ordered the Pentagon to scale back joint military exercises with South

Korea, saying Seoul had declined to help him with his war against Iran. He also said he has a good relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

Joining us now, retired Lieutenant General of the Republic of Korea Army Chun In-bum. He's joining me from Seoul. We appreciate you taking the time.

LT. GEN. CHUN IN-BUM (RET.), REPUBLIC OF KOREA ARMY: Thank you for inviting me.

SCIUTTO: You wrote that North Korea should not receive something for nothing in relation to this scaling back of these military drills. Is that

what you believe Donald Trump has offered here? In effect, a concession to the North for nothing in return?

IN-BUM: I think Mr. Trump is trying to provide a goodwill message to Kim Jong-un, which he refers as to his friend. But unfortunately, the North

Korea that I know and that I have experienced for all my life sees goodwill as weakness. And I'm concerned that President Trump and the United States

will only be falling into a trap.

SCIUTTO: Do you believe that underneath this is a desire by the U.S. president for another summit with Kim Jong-un? As you well know, he tried

three summits in his first term, did not get any concessions. Is it possible that he wants to try again?

IN-BUM: Well, I don't blame him. I think the majority of the Korean people, including myself, support a summit. But North Korea has been very

clear that any kind of negotiations or even talks is going to be under the condition that they are recognized as a nuclear weapon state. So, it's

going to be a really high price that we will have to pay. And if that is the case, North Korea has to come back and with some sort of a deal that is

equally attractive.

SCIUTTO: Trump has said, of course, he reduced exercises with the South, partly because South Korea did not join in the war with Iran. You have

written that he has something of a point, that South Korea should be contributing to security in the Middle East. How exactly, in your view?

What sort of contribution?

IN-BUM: Yes, before I go into that, I just want to emphasize that we Koreans have been a staunch ally of the United States. For example, in

Vietnam, seven and a half years, we were there with -- and we -- 25,000 South Koreans were casualties.

[18:15:00]

SCIUTTO: Yes.

IN-BUM: And ever since, we've been alongside the United States. But we have a clear and dangerous threat in North Korea.

But I do admit that the Korean government unwillingness or reluctance to get in any kind of fight is very disturbing to the United States. And we

Koreans need to understand that there's a change in the expectations of the United States.

Now, having said that, we need to communicate our situation far better than now. And there are certain capabilities that we can provide, but we need to

lay out in a communications and in a collective form with the United States, our ally, about what we can do. So, we already have a ship in the

Horn of Africa. We might be able to send another ship. Mine sweepers is another thing. And we could also augment staff. But all of this can be

discussed.

SCIUTTO: Other U.S. allies have expressed doubts that even exceeding Trump's demands for further military contributions will actually ensure any

real payback, that they might make those concessions or further contributions and get nothing in return. Do you share that concern? Does

South Korea? Should it share that concern?

IN-BUM: Yes and no. Because I say no because the Strait of Hormuz is important to us anyway. 70 percent of our oil comes through that Strait.

So, it's besides our alliance with the United States, which is very important, we have our own national interests in making sure that that

Strait is open and we can conduct safe and free travel over there.

So, it's not just a matter of what we're going to get back from the United States. It's that just having that area stable is a critical part of our

own national interests.

SCIUTTO: As U.S. allies around the world in Europe and in Asia have adjusted to President Trump's approach to alliances and sometimes

dismissiveness relating to alliances, there's been some discussion of not just national security changes, but even steps as far as acquiring nuclear

weapons. As you know, that's been the subject of something of a public discussion in South Korea. I wonder, do you think that that is a serious

discussion and might that at some point become necessary?

IN-BUM: Yes, it is becoming a very serious discussion, especially with the recent very surprising announcement on public media by President Trump. So,

the uncertainties that is being created by such announcements only accelerate the kind of thinking that we need an independent deterrent,

which is a far different issue. But it is becoming more of an issue in Korea.

SCIUTTO: Significant events, no question. Chun In-Bum, we appreciate you joining.

IN-BUM: Thank you.

SCIUTTO: Still ahead, Meta faces its biggest courtroom challenge yet. A group of states have started laying out their case against the social media

giant in a landmark battle, the very latest coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:20:00]

SCIUTTO: Welcome back. In today's Business Breakout, another weekday on Wall Street, stocks pressured once again by higher oil prices and rising

bond yields. Oil is now trading at a three-week high, with Brent Crude firmly above $90 a barrel due to what? The Iran war stalemate again.

Also, today, 30-year U.S. Treasury yields hit an almost two-decade high due to fears of inflation, but also increased borrowing by the U.S. government.

Massive debt issuance from A.I.-related firms also weighing on the bond market. Lots of debt. Government bond yields are rising around the world,

too, with Japanese borrowing costs at their highest level in 30 years.

Opening arguments began today in a landmark case against the social media giant Meta. Multiple U.S. states are suing the parent company of Facebook

and Instagram, claiming those platforms are addictive and harmful to children's mental health. California Attorney General Rob Bonta, one of the

co-leaders of the suit, laid out their case on our show on Monday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROB BONTA, CALIFORNIA ATTORNEY GENERAL: They designed and deployed a dangerous product. They knew it was dangerous. They lied about it to the

public. The best evidence that they knew that their products were dangerous is their own internal studies, their own internal memos, where they're

talking about the harms that their products visit on kids, whether it be anxiety or depression or addictive tendencies or body image issues or

learning loss. They talk about it internally. And then, knowing that these products visit harm on kids, they tell the world that they're safe.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCIUTTO: Clare Duffy joins me now. Claire, as you know, Meta has lost some cases, smaller cases, relating to these kinds of dangers. Now, you've got

multiple states coming at them. I wonder if they fear they might lose this one and be forced to not just pay penalties, but also make genuine changes.

CLARE DUFFY, CNN TECH REPORTER: Yes, Tim, well, certainly the stakes are higher for Meta in this case than in the cases that we've seen come before

it. The state attorneys general in this case could be seeking hundreds of billions of dollars in damages against Meta if they win this case,

potentially as much as $1.4 trillion, which is nearly equal to the valuation of the company on Wall Street.

And as you say there, they are also seeking changes to how these platforms operate, which means that if Meta loses this case, we could see really

significant changes to the experience for all of us, but especially for young people on social media.

Now, opening statements kicked off in this federal trial in Oakland today. We got to hear from both sides. On the state attorney's general side, they

laid out this argument that Meta needs kids on its platform. They need kids spending a lot of time on its platforms in order to feed its advertising

business and that Meta therefore developed these addictive features like the endlessly scrolling feeds and recommendation algorithms in order to

hook kids and keep them there. They also claim that Meta illegally gathered data on children under the age of 13. And as you hear Attorney General

Bonta talking about, they're also claiming that Meta misled the public about risks they say it knew existed on its platforms.

On the flip side, you've got Meta arguing that these claims misrepresent its platforms and its policies. They allege that the state attorney's

general are sort of cherry picking documents and internal statements that don't clearly represent the efforts that the company has taken to keep kids

safe. They laid out some of those measures like teen content restrictions and parental control tools.

[18:25:00]

And I think looking at the stakes in the bigger picture here, I mean, you've got advocates and families who are very much hoping that this does

lead to changes to these platforms. We heard from advocates outside of the courthouse this morning, including one university student. Take a listen to

this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAWSON KELLY, MEMBER, DESIGN IT FOR US: Holding these companies accountable will not bring back the time or the people we have all lost.

But this justice brings us closer to a world where addiction is no longer our predetermined destiny.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DUFFY: And, Jim, after the opening statements, they immediately got to their first witness for the state's former Meta employee turned

whistleblower, Arturo Bejar, who claimed that Meta has prioritized speed and releasing new products and profit over the safety of children. So, a

lot for the jury to consider just from this first day of trial.

SCIUTTO: No question. Big stakes. Clare Duffy, thank you.

Well, checking some of today's other business headlines, entertainment giant Disney is now taking the U.S. Federal Communications Commission, the

FCC, to court over what it calls, quote, retaliatory campaign against its ABC television network. Disney's lawsuit centers around FCC challenges to

ABC broadcasting licenses. Disney says the actions were carried out because the FCC disapproves of its programming, which it calls violations of free

speech.

New 50 percent U.S. tariffs against Canada are set to kick in in less than six hours without a last-minute deal. The two sides have been holding

ongoing talks to settle this latest trade dispute. The new U.S. tariffs would cover some $20 billion worth of Canadian goods. That's about 5

percent of Canadian exports to the U.S.

Shares of one of the world's largest robot makers are set to begin trading Wednesday in Shanghai, China. China's Unitree is the first humanoid robot

maker to be listed in Mainland China. Taking a leap there, as you see, the IPO values the company at around $9 billion. The company unveiled a new

robot earlier this year, which it called Superhuman. It calls it's the fastest, most advanced model yet.

Still to come on "The Brief" tonight, Israeli strikes kill six more people in Gaza while its national security minister is calling for more death.

We'll get a closer look at settler violence in the West Bank as well.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:30:00]

SCIUTTO: Welcome back to "The Brief." I'm Jim Sciutto. And here are the international headlines we're watching today.

U.S. President Donald Trump says there are no talks underway or scheduled with Iran. Only yesterday, he claimed the U.S. had established a back

channel with Iran's Revolutionary Guards. The president posted an image Tuesday on Truth Social, depicting the Strait of Hormuz as, quote, "a new

U.S. territory." Iran's president is accusing the U.S. of trying to squeeze concessions from his country.

South Korea's president says his nation should strengthen both its alliance with Washington, but also its own military capabilities. Those comments

come after President Trump announced summarily a scaling back of U.S. joint military exercises with South Korea. Trump criticized Seoul for refusing to

join his war against Iran.

The first day of trial is over in a landmark case against Meta, the parent company of both Instagram and Facebook. Multiple U.S. states are suing the

social media giant, accusing it of deliberately designing platforms to be addictive to children and harming their mental health. The suit could seek

as much as $1.4 trillion in damages. Meta has refused the claims of addiction.

Ukraine has gone on the offensive with another major drone assault inside Russian territory. The Kremlin claims it shot down nearly 800 drones, with

some damaged near Moscow. Kyiv says Russia fired dozens of drones into Ukraine, as well as a missile which left at least 10 people dead in the

Kharkiv region.

A short time ago, Ukraine's former defense minister Mikhailo Fedorov delivered a fiery address calling for wartime elections. You may remember

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy removed Fedorov from his post last month.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MYKHAILO FEDOROV, FORMER UKRAINIAN DEFENSE MINISTER (through translator): -- Democracy cannot be held hostage by Russia. We are fighting precisely

because we want to remain a free European state. Therefore, we must find a legal, safe, and realistic mechanism that will allow Ukraine to restore a

full democratic process even amidst a prolonged war.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCIUTTO: President Zelenskyy's office had no comment on that video statement. Russia's deadly missile attack exposes a critical vulnerability

in Ukraine's defenses, one that has been becoming clearer over recent weeks. Our Nick Paton Walsh explains.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: It is in the skies, mostly over Ukraine for terrified civilians there, but also

increasingly over Russia, where this war, edging towards its fifth year, is increasingly played out. And a particularly horrific strike in the Kharkiv

region, Pechenizhyn area, receiving Russian strikes that killed 10, injuring at least 17, hitting, it seems, a crossroads, a post office,

multiple civilian areas there where this horrific incident occurred.

Over eight, according to my colleagues in Kiev, air raid sirens in the capital so far. Warehouses, it seems, hit there as well. And some interest,

I think, potentially as to when the next massive Russian ballistic missile energy attack may happen. We have seen smaller levels over the past week or

so, and I think it's now almost two weeks since the most large attack we saw from Russia upon the capital.

Interest, because there are concerns clearly in Ukraine at the weakness they have now exposed by being so open about their lack of Patriot

interceptor missiles. Not only in an interview with CNN, President Zelenskyy talking about how he has 1 percent of what he thinks the U.S.

stockpile is now, but needs 5 percent and preferably 10 percent to stop all Russian ballistic missiles, but also the decision to show us empty Patriot

launchers, things they kept under great secrecy for many years, now keen to expose the fact that they now lie idle because they simply don't have those

interceptors.

[18:35:00]

That kind of public admission of vulnerability comes with a potential huge cost if indeed Moscow has the capability to seize upon that perceived

weakness, although Ukrainian officials have always been reluctant to say when specifically, they have zero, always making deals, as Zelenskyy said

to me, and potentially any day could receive an influx that could get them through the next few nights.

But it's an extraordinary moment because while months ago it seemed like technology had given Ukraine perhaps the upper hand slightly on the front

lines, now it's Russia's capacity with ballistic missile production that has left them able to change the dynamic here nightly over the skies.

I should point out too, though, that Ukraine is not without recourse. It fired 791 drones towards Russia just last night. That is an exceptionally

high number, one of the highest I can recall. Russia saying it intercepted many of them. But again, oil refineries and the warehouses for the sort of

Amazon-style delivery network, Wildberries, the target here.

Startling to see this war go from a relative stalemate of brutal bloody trench and drone warfare on the ground to now this fight in the skies where

technology ultimately is the key. But deep concerns in Ukraine here that now they are clearly vulnerable to the Russian ballistic missile attacks

and Russia's ramped up production and is getting North Korean assistance too, that they could be in for not only horrific weeks ahead, but also a

cold, bleak and bloody winter as well.

Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SCIUTTO: Well, the latest Israeli strike in Gaza has killed six Palestinians, according to health authorities there. It comes just one day

after U.S. envoy Jared Kushner met with the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and pressed him for restraint.

Health officials at Gaza's Al-Shifa Hospital say the attack struck a portside cafe in Gaza City and injured more than a dozen people as well.

Israel has now killed more than 1,200 people since a nominal ceasefire took effect in October. Those deaths include a 13-year-old boy and his father

today. The IDF claimed it had, quote, "struck several Hamas commanders."

Israel's national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, is touting the construction of a death row prison wing and hanging facility for

Palestinians, this under a new terrorism law. He said there should be targeted killings of 30 to 40 Palestinians in Gaza every night and, and I'm

quoting him here again, "They are not fit to live."

Israel's defense minister is calling for the country's police, overseen by Gvir, to have an expanded role in the occupied West Bank amid settler

violence.

CNN's Jeremy Diamond accompanied a Palestinian-American who went to visit his family's home in the West Bank. He was only able to reach the house

under the armed Israeli escort.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): With a military escort leading the way and armed Israeli soldiers manning a checkpoint, the

journey to Loui Ridi's home in the occupied West Bank feels more like entering a restricted military area. That's because it is. The Israeli

military declared it a closed zone to non-residents last week after radical Israeli settlers made Ridi's home their latest target of conquest,

establishing an illegal outpost outside his gates and preventing anyone from coming in or out.

And yet, despite all the extra security, this is what Ridi found within an hour of arriving. Four Israeli settlers squatting right outside his home.

LOUI RIDI, WEST BANK HOMEOWNER BESIEGED BY SETTLERS: That's terrifying. That's truly terrifying that they're able to sit there, not fearing that

anyone will be arresting them. They are trespassing. They are illegal here under the international law, under the Israeli law, and the Israeli

military are here to move them. But they're still there.

DIAMOND (voice-over): For over a week, Ridi, a Palestinian American, has watched from Ohio via security cameras as Israeli settlers besieged his

West Bank home.

DIAMOND: You made it.

RIDI: I made it.

DIAMOND (voice-over): Now, he's finally joined his brother who's been trapped here under siege.

RIDI: It's a lot of emotion because I've been talking with him 24/7, watching him on the cameras, fearing for his life.

DIAMOND (voice-over): Ridi is now in the same boat with an American flag draped over his shoulder. He's hoping that his presence and this flag will

protect him.

RIDI: This flag is the most powerful flag in the world. My fear, the settlers taking this house, the first thing they do, they raise their own

flag. So, they have to take this flag down so they can raise the settler's flag. That's why I'm asking the U.S. officials and the embassy to protect

me and protect that flag.

[18:40:00]

DIAMOND: So, the Israeli military now has a regular presence outside of Loui's house. You can see one of those Israeli military vehicles right down

there. And in fact, two Israeli soldiers are currently patrolling right outside the gate to this home.

DIAMOND (voice-over): But that presence alone isn't enough to stop these settlers from trying to take this hilltop. They are clearly undeterred.

DIAMOND: Do you feel like if the military wanted to, they could get rid of the settlers?

RIDI: Absolutely. Absolutely. If they really want it and they give the OK from top of head, they could have done it probably within the first hour.

DIAMOND (voice-over): The next morning, Ridi comes face to face with this new reality, an Israeli settler trespassing in the restricted area.

RIDI: He's a terrorist. He needs to be removed from here. That's my house.

DIAMOND (voice-over): Rather than detaining him, Israeli soldiers prefer to negotiate until the settler walks away.

YASMINE, RIDI'S DAUGHTER: Did you bring food and water, Baba?

DIAMOND (voice-over): Ridi's 10-year-old daughter, Yasmine, is keeping tabs from Ohio.

YASMINE: Why couldn't you just say, I live, this is basically my house, so I don't need to know this stuff?

RIDI: Exactly. That's exactly what I've been telling everybody.

DIAMOND (voice-over): But there's only so much Ridi can promise his daughter.

DIAMOND: Were you able to tell your daughter that you're going to be safe?

RIDI: Maybe if I tell them that, just to ease their mind, but truly, I'm not feeling safe.

DIAMOND (voice-over): Jeremy Diamond, CNN, Qusra, the West Bank.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SCIUTTO: Still to come on "The Brief," it is primary day in several U.S. states. We're going to go live to Florida as polls there get ready to

close.

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SCIUTTO: With U.S. midterm elections looming in November, voters are narrowing the field of candidates today with primaries in Alaska, Florida,

and Wyoming. In Alaska, voters must decide between Dan Sullivan and Dan Sullivan. One of the Dans is the sitting Republican senator. The other, a

retired school teacher. The two men do have different middle initials, which will be listed on the ballot.

One of today's most closely watched races is in Florida. The governor's race features a big supporter of President Trump, Congressman Byron

Donalds, who Trump has endorsed. The state's congressional primaries are a crowded field for Republicans, including those trying to replace Byron

Donalds. Polls there close in about 15 minutes.

[18:45:00]

CNN's Steve Contorno is in Orlando, Florida, joins us now. So, Steve, I mean, I suppose the first question is, who's got the lead in the race to

replace Donalds?

STEVE CONTORNO, CNN SENIOR REPORTER: Well, Donald's picked up the endorsement of President Donald Trump more than a year and a half ago, and

he has been riding that to frontrunner status all throughout this campaign. But he hasn't secured the nomination yet, and that is partly because he is

running against a fractured field of candidates who were not moved by Trump's endorsement.

It includes the lieutenant governor of the State of Florida, Jay Collins, the former House Speaker, Paul Renner, as well as James Fishback, who is an

insurgent provocateur who has run a race baiting campaign against Byron Donalds, raising concerns from the Republican Party about the viability of

a candidate who appeals to groypers and online trolls.

And so, they'll be closely watching the results of this race, not only to see how much support Donalds gets and how that is emblematic of Trump's

sway in his adopted home state, but whether this Fishback individual, just a 31-year-old who has managed to garner so much attention, is able to get

any sort of foothold in the Republican Party that leaders in Washington and around the country need to be worried about.

SCIUTTO: OK. So, how about the House race then to replace Donalds in the House seat?

CONTORNO: Yes, it's one of the more colorful races I think I have ever covered. It includes 10 candidates, and six of them have either represented

another state in Congress or ran for Congress in another state, including two candidates from Illinois who ran against each other in Illinois. Now,

one of those candidates, Catalina Lauf, she has the endorsement of Donald Trump. She picked that up just in the last few days, so we'll have to see

if she's able to ride that to victory.

There is one local candidate who is hoping to take the nomination, but there's just a cast of characters in this race. It includes former

Representative Madison Cawthorn, who obviously had a very tumultuous two years in Congress. It includes Chris Collins, a former congressman from New

York who was indicted, served time in prison, and then was pardoned by Donald Trump. And it also includes another pardoned individual, someone who

was a January 6th rioter. So, just one of the more wild primaries you're ever going to see there, Jim.

SCIUTTO: Yes, wild and one might even say questionable. Steve Contorno, thanks so much.

Still ahead on "The Brief," chess crowns its new champion same as the old champion as the old board game hits its own in a digital world.

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[18:50:00]

SCIUTTO: The World Cup may have dominated the field of play this summer, but football is not the only sport crowning a world champion. We're talking

about chess this time. Magnus Carlsen, the 35-year-old grandmaster from Norway, successfully defended his title at the Esports World Cup in Paris.

Carlsen dominated the competition, did not do so well, but he did it again. CNN's Matias Grez shows us how chess is enjoying something of a

renaissance, thanks in no small part to a popular streaming series.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MATIAS GREZ, CNN CREATOR: How did a 1,500-year-old pastime end up in a tournament alongside Fortnite and Call of Duty? It's fair to say chess has

experienced something of a renaissance in recent years. In 2020, Netflix series, "The Queen's Gambit," became a cultural phenomenon. In the first

three weeks following its October 2020 release, a U.S. market research group said sales of chess sets in the U.S. jumped 87 percent, and sales of

chess books jumped 603 percent.

The winner on Chess' Esports World Cup debut in 2025 was, of course, none other than Magnus Carlsen. The suave Scandinavian is no doubt the best

player of his generation, and for many, he is the chess GOAT. A chess prodigy who earned the title of Grandmaster at just the age of 13, Carlsen

boasts a ridiculous list of records.

GREZ (voice-over): As well as the sport and its stars blowing up over the last few years, chess streamers on YouTube and Twitch also experienced a

huge surge in popularity. But despite a female protagonist in "The Queen's Gambit," played by Anya Taylor-Joy, chess remains a male-dominated sport.

According to the International Chess Federation, just 16.5 percent of registered players are female. Chess influencers and former players Nemo

Zhou and Anna Cramling are two of the most high-profile women trying to change that.

NEMO ZHOU I WOMAN GRANDMASTER: Unfortunately, there is a lot of misogyny in chess, and as I got older, it started to really hit me. The fact that I

am a woman means I am sometimes treated differently, and fortunately, we've had a ton of stories about women getting harassed at chess events, and the

whole backstory for why women have women's-only events in the first place, so that we can encourage more girls to play the game.

GREZ (voice-over): The chess contest in Paris was open to men and women, and after two days of intense competition, Carlsen met with Denis Lazavik

in the final.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Make some noise if you are ready for a grand final.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The king stays the king.

GREZ: And there you have it. To the surprise of probably no one, Magnus Carlsen is the EWT 2026 chess champion.

GREZ (voice-over): The trip to Paris was well worth Carlsen's time. He walks away from the tournament with a check for $250,000.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SCIUTTO: Taking a page from professional wrestling there. Well, $70 billion, that's the estimated drop in value of the Chinese fast fashion

company Shein, the brand currently pitching to investors at a valuation of under $30 billion for its initial public offering in Hong Kong. CNN's

Kristie Lou Stout breaks down what has caused that steep drop in value.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You've probably seen Shein haul videos like this. But how much is the company looking to haul for its long-awaited

initial public offering in Hong Kong? Reports say under $30 billion, that's quite a drop in valuation from its previous funding nearly $100 billion in

2022 and $64 billion in 2023.

So, why has Shein lost its shine? Shein tried New York and London before finally getting approval to list here in Hong Kong. It's notorious for its

cheap and trendy clothes, mostly made by third-party suppliers in China.

It could churn out thousands of new styles a day, which has brought huge profit margins and rapid growth. But it's been hit with higher costs and

slowing sales, according to its prospectus, thanks in part to the removal of the de minimis exemption in the United States, Shein's largest market,

which allowed goods worth less than $800 to enter the U.S. duty-free.

Shein is also facing a probe by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission that could result in significant fines. Over the years, it's faced scrutiny from

Western lawmakers over its business practices, including accusations of using forced labor, which Shein denies.

Also weighing on the retailer, a new three-euro sales tax on low-value shipments to curb what the E.U. calls unfair competition from China. But

the company could still grow in the rest of the world where their products are not as heavily taxed and where there's still appetite for this $5 t-

shirt.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[18:55:00]

SCIUTTO: A custom model of Ferrari's first ever electric car, the Luce, has sold for a record $40 million at auction. A high bid for the tailor-

made Luce was 36 times its original estimate of $1.1 million. That, according to the auction house, the EV has a bubble-like design that is

radically different from Ferrari's typical angular features. And if you're looking to buy one, publicly available versions of the Luce are expected to

start around $640,000 later this year.

Thanks so much for joining. I'm Jim Sciutto in Washington. You've been watching "The Brief." Please do stay with CNN.

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