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Donald Trump: "Making Progress" In Talks, Steve Witkoff To Visit Moscow; Brazil Supreme Court: Jair Bolsonaro To Begin 27-Year Sentence; Gustavo Petro: Donald Trump Motivated By Oil In Venezuela, Not Drug Cartels; Mexico Marks International Day To End Violence Against Women; E.U. Court Rules E.U. Countries Should Respect Same-sex Marriages; French Police Have Detained Four More Suspects in the Louvre Robbery; FBI Wants to Interview Six Democratic Lawmakers; Trump Signs Executive Order to Boost A.I. Research; Jakarta Overtakes Tokyo as World's Largest City; Rome's Oldest Coffee House Shuts Its Doors for Now; Backlash After Bezos' Named as Lead Sponsors of Met Gala Event; Macy's Aims to Attract in-person Shoppers This Christmas Season; Pope Urges Gratitude Ahead of Thanksgiving Holiday; Gobble & Waddle Get Thanksgiving Presidential Pardon; Annual Christmas Tree Arrives in Prague's Old Town Square. Aired 2-3a ET
Aired November 26, 2025 - 02:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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[02:00:33]
ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us from all around the world. I'm Rosemary Church.
Just ahead on CNN NEWSROOM. President Trump says negotiators are making progress to end the war in Ukraine, and is mapping out next steps to reach the finish line.
Colombia's president says the U.S. president's beef with Venezuela is over oil, not drugs.
And the store behind New York's thanksgiving parade is betting on in store experiences and luxury items to compete with online retailers this Christmas.
ANNOUNCER: Live from Atlanta. This is CNN NEWSROOM with Rosemary Church.
CHURCH: Good to have you with us. And we begin with the peace talks to end Russia's war in Ukraine, the U.S. president says he believes negotiators are making progress after several days of talks with Ukrainian Russian and European leaders. Donald Trump says the next step is sending his special envoy to meet with the Russians and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner may also join that trip.
President Trump wrote on social media, "There are only a few remaining points of disagreement." President Trump's original 28-point plan is now being whittled down to 19 with some of the provisions deemed unacceptable by Kyiv reportedly removed. However, the Russian Foreign Minister has indicated that Moscow could
reject an amended peace plan if its terms are fundamentally different. Ukraine's president says he's looking forward to more talks.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VOLODYMYR Zelenskyy, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT: That framework is on the table, and we are ready to move forward together with the United States of America with personal engagement of President Trump.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHURCH: Ukraine's national security chief says President Volodymyr Zelenskyy may head to the White House before the end of the month to speak with President Trump. After a virtual summit of Ukraine's European allies on Tuesday, Britain's Prime Minister says the talks are going the right way for Ukraine.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KEIR STARMER, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: I do think we're moving in a positive direction. And indications today that in large part, the majority of the text looks as though Vladimir is indicating can be accepted.
Ukraine is holding the line fearlessly, and it's the line of their sovereignty and their defense, but it's also our line as well, because this is about European freedom, our values and our security.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHURCH: CNN's Kristen Holmes has the latest from President Trump's team.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: The White House remains incredibly optimistic that there will be a peace deal reached between Ukraine and Russia, but we do have to add the caveat that this isn't the first time that they feel like they've been in a good position only to have everything fall apart.
However, we know that there are still ongoing conversations that President Trump has asked his Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, who has been a big part of these discussions, to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin, as well as the Secretary of Army, Dan Driscoll. He's going to meet with both Russians and Ukrainians.
The big question is, what is left as a sticking point, and will both sides eventually be able to meet in the middle? While the White House is not saying what the sticking points are, it is clear, based on conversations we're having with sources in Europe, as well as what we've seen for the last several months.
So, we've heard from our European allies already who say Ukraine needs more security guarantees in order to make this work, this has been a huge sticking point. Essentially, Ukraine wanted to be part of NATO. That was part of what was going on with the European allies. Russia said that is a nonstarter.
Now, we have heard a couple officials urging President Zelenskyy to forget about NATO, but you're hearing still from his European allies that there's need to be more security guarantees.
Whether or not Russia will get on board with that, obviously, remains a big question. The other big thing that has been a sticking point for the last several months is territory. Who sees territory? Who gains territory? What does this look like? And President Trump himself has gone back and forth on the issue. He has at times said that Ukraine just needs to give up whatever it lost, and potentially even more.
He has also said the Ukraine should keep fighting the war and might be able to get some of its territory back. And it is pretty clear, from what we've heard from Russian officials, that there is a line that they are not willing to cross when it comes to ceding back territory to Ukraine, and there's also a line on the other side that Ukrainians aren't willing to cross, or Zelenskyy isn't willing to cross when it comes to giving up Ukrainian territory.
[02:05:19]
So of course, the big question remains, can they meet in the middle? But again, this is the most optimistic. This is when you're talking to White House officials, the most positive they felt to the furthest they've gotten since President Trump came into office.
Still, the big question remains, if they can actually get this across the finish line.
Kristen Holmes, CNN, traveling with the president in West Palm Beach, Florida.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHURCH: Joining me now from London is Stephanie Baker, senior writer for Bloomberg News. She is also the author of Punishing Putin: Inside The Global Economic War to Bring down Russia. Appreciate you joining us.
STEPHANIE BAKER, SENIOR WRITER, BLOOMBERG NEWS: Thanks for having me.
CHURCH: So, President Trump says negotiations for peace in Ukraine are making progress, but Russia isn't happy with the revised 19-point peace plan, with three key sticking points remaining, including Russia wanting Ukrainian territory that it doesn't yet control. What's President Putin's likely calculus for negotiations going forward?
BAKER: Well, I think he's going to drive a hard line on that point, in particular. He has demanded consistently that Ukraine hand over this part of the Donbas that Russia has been unable to take militarily for more than a decade. And the Russian government, the Russian parliament has, you know, incorporated that region constitutionally, annexed it illegally into their constitution. So, I think they're going to drive a very tough negotiating line on
that point in particular.
Likewise, I think with NATO, it is a red line for Putin the idea of allowing Ukraine to join NATO. And I think that that will be a key sticking point.
I would like to draw attention to a story that Bloomberg News reported last night on the contents of a call between Steve Witkoff.
CHURCH: Yes, I do actually -- yes, I do want to get to that next, actually, because -- and let's look at that because elite transcript is revealing that President Trump's Special Envoy Steve Witkoff was advising and coaching the Kremlin in October on how to strike a deal with Trump. That, as you say, according to a Bloomberg report, and now Trump is directing Witkoff to meet with Putin. What is your response to this leak, and what does it reveal about the relationship between the Trump administration and the Kremlin?
BAKER: Well, I think that the Bloomberg story, revealing this conversation really offers a direct insight into Witkoff's negotiating strategy with Russia, and it appears to show the genesis of the original 28-point plan that initially got these talks going that many people criticized for being just a series of Kremlin talking points.
And I think it's quite extraordinary on a number of fronts that Trump's envoy, Witkoff would be actually coaching and advising Yuri Ushakov, Putin's foreign policy advisor, how Putin should deal with Trump on this issue.
I mean, remember, it came at a time when Putin was expressing frustration with Putin for not agreeing to a cease fire, and it came before the Trump administration went ahead with these punishing sanctions on Russia's two largest oil producers, Rosneft and Lukoil, which is something that Putin is worried about.
If you look at that timeline, two days after those sanctions were announced, the Kremlin's economic envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, who's been dealing with Witkoff, got on a plane and went to Florida to meet with Witkoff. And I think the key way to look at this is that I think Putin is trying to head off those sanctions, because what's happening now is Russian oil revenues are dropping. There are deeper discounts for Russian oil, and oil is the principal way that Putin is financing this war.
CHURCH: Yes, and of course, that leak comes in the wake of a report from The Wall Street Journal on Monday that revealed Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, had drafted the initial peace plan with input from the Kremlin. Criticism of that pro-Russian proposal triggered the negotiations currently underway to find a fairer outcome for Ukraine. So, what might it take in the end to get Putin to sign this new deal?
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BAKER: I think the two sides are still very far apart on really key issues, and I'm not sure that there's a full understanding on the U.S. side, particularly from Steve Witkoff, of what the fundamental Russian demands are here, that that Putin wants control of, you know, that part of the Donbas, and that is a sticking point for the Ukrainians. Zelenskyy can't hand over territory without Parliament's consent.
So, I don't see how that issue is going to be resolved. And I think that is a fundamental gap between the two sides that it's going to be really hard to close.
And I think that, you know, the idea that maybe Putin is going to be stringing this out for quite a while, I think that's probably pretty accurate. We'll see what happens when Witkoff goes to meet with Putin in Moscow next week.
But as we know from previous meetings between Witkoff and Putin, he comes out very much repeating Kremlin talking points and then has to be walked back by the Ukrainians and the Europeans.
CHURCH: All right, we will, of course, be watching for any developments on this story. Stephanie Baker, thank you so much for joining us. Appreciate it.
BAKER: Thanks for having me.
CHURCH: Brazil's Supreme Court says it's delivered a final decision in the case against former President Jair Bolsonaro. CNN's Brazil's Luciana Amaral has the details.
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LUCIANA AMARAL, CNN BRAZIL REPORTER: Brazil's former president Chery Bolsonaro has been ordered to start serving his 27-year sentence for plotting an attempted coup d'etat and four other crimes. There isn't any chance of further appeals.
So, the decision was ruled this Tuesday by Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, a panel of other three Supreme Court justices analyzed and upheld the decision.
Bolsonaro had been living under house arrest since August, and was taken into custody on Saturday after he tried to damage his ankle monitor. He said he didn't try to escape, but acted that way due to new medications that caused him to hallucinate. Bolsonaro denies any wrongdoing and has long insisted that the trial is a political witch hunt. Six other members of Bolsonaro's inner circle were also ordered to start their sentences.
From Brasilia, Luciana Amaral.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHURCH: Israel says forensic examiners have now identified the body of a deceased Israeli hostage returned from Gaza. The prime minister's office says the remains are that of draw or who was killed alongside his wife on October 7th before his body was taken to Gaza. The remains of just two deceased hostages are now still held in Gaza, an Israeli and a foreign national from Thailand.
Still to come this hour, the nightmare is finally over for the two dozen Nigerian girls who were kidnapped from their school. The latest on their release when we come back.
Protesters around the world mark the international day to end violence against women, we will have a report on the demonstration in Mexico City.
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CHURCH: President Nicolas Maduro is reaffirming his vow to defend Venezuela against any imperialist threat. He led a civic and military march through Caracas on Tuesday and called upon the memory of the country's liberator, Simon Bolivar.
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NICOLAS MADURO, VENEZUELAN PRESIDENT (through translator): With responsibility and love, I tell our people, if Bolivar could build seven Army Corps to liberate all of South America and secure the independence of Central America and beyond, we must be able to defend every inch of this blessed land from any imperialist threat or aggression wherever or whenever it comes. Stay alert. Stay alert.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHURCH: The show of defiance comes as the U.S. a masses thousands of troops and more than a dozen warships in the Caribbean. President Trump has signaled he is open to direct talks with his Venezuelan counterpart, but he has repeatedly expressed frustration with the South American country.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: They've caused a lot of problems, and they've sent millions of people into our country. They had -- I mean, they were probably the biggest abuser, with Tren de Aragua and all the others that they sent in, the drug dealers and drug lords, the people that they send in the jail. They opened their jails and prisons and dumped them into the United States, and we're not happy about it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHURCH: The President of Colombia says he knows why the President of the United States is pressuring Venezuela and the drug trafficking has little to do with it. He spoke exclusively with CNN's Isa Soares.
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ISA SOARES, CNN HOST: Let's talk about what's happening near Venezuela. We have seen the U.S. administration going after drug boats, they say. We've seen more than what, 80 people killed. And if it is about drugs, do you think that Colombia could be at risk here?
GUSTAVO PETRO, COLOMBIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): No, what lies behind is the same thing that lies behind the war in Ukraine.
SOARES: Which is?
[02:20:00]
PETRO (through translator): Oil, oil that the Americans are after.
SOARES: The Americans are chasing oil.
PETRO (through translator): And that has to do with everything I've talked about in this meeting, which you sometimes take as a foreign issue, but it's at the heart of the circumstances. It's called oil. Colombia -- no, Venezuela has one of the largest, if not the largest reserves of oil in the world.
So far, heavy oil, mind you, and there are reserves in Ukraine and in general, all wars of this century have had to do with oil.
SOARES: We know President Trump is transactional. You're saying it's going after Venezuela's oil. If that is the case, do you think the United States will attack, will strike inside of Venezuela?
PETRO (through translator): Oh, they're going to get the oil for next to nothing, because that's what the anecdotal evidence suggests. Trump isn't negotiating with Maduro on drug issues, because he's not a fool. You only have to look at the figures, only about four percent of Colombia's drug production, cocaine production, because we don't produce much else goes through Venezuela, just the margin.
Yes, most of it is going out through the Pacific Ocean, most of it. So, negotiations over oil, I think that's Trump's logic. He's not thinking about the democratization of Venezuela, let alone drug trafficking.
SOARES: Is Maduro a narco trafficker? Is he a drug lord? Is he a dictator, and should he be allowed to get on a plane without facing any of the Human Rights consequences?
PETRO (through translator): Maduro's problem is called democracy. I recognize it as such, lack of democracy and dialog.
SOARES: You don't see him as a head of the Cartel de los Soles?
PETRO (through translator): No Colombian investigation that is independent of the president, and in years when I have not been the president.
SOARES (through translator): But do you see him as the head of drug trafficking?
PETRO (through translator): No, it does not show us a connection between Colombian drug trafficking and Maduro. It shows us two high ranking Venezuelan army officers linked to drug trafficking. But here we have had about 10 whom we have also investigated.
SOARES: So, should Maduro be allowed to get on a plane without facing any of the consequences?
PETRO (through translator): He should be and he should be tried and investigated like any one of us. But so far, in the Colombian data, not the U.S. data, which I am not familiar with, in the Colombian legal data, there is no mention of anything called the Cartel of the Suns.
SOARES: And you're saying there's a lack of democracy with Maduro, but you're not saying he's a dictator.
SOARES (through translator): How would you define him?
PETRO (through translator): I said Maduro's problem is called democracy, that's all. So, I'm not saying he's not a dictator, because dictatorships fall into the concept of lack of democracy, some more than others, but that's how they are. So, you can't link the two concepts together, because I already said it's a lack of democracy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHURCH: Officials in Nigeria say the two dozen girls who were kidnapped from a boarding school last week have been freed. The girls were taken by armed bandits who stormed their school in Northwest Nigeria. It's just one of several instances of violence in the country within recent days.
Local authorities reported the school's vice principal was killed, and 25 girls were taken during the attack, but one of the abducted students managed to escape. The widow of the slain vice principal recounted her husband's final moments.
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AMINA HASSAN, WIFE OF SLAIN DEPUTY PRINCIPAL (through translator): As they entered, they pulled their guns to shoot him. He pleaded, don't shoot me. Allow me to stand up. As he got up, he praised God, saying, Allah is the greatest, no God but Allah and Muhammad is his messenger. He urged me not to cry and to continue praising God, I joined him in his prayers. Then they pulled the trigger and shot him.
As he fell, I immediately rushed to touch him, but they pointed a gun at me and said, if you touch him, we will shoot you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHURCH: Femicide, the killing of a woman or girl has officially become part of Italy's criminal law. All those found guilty will now face stronger measures, including life in prison after Italy's parliament approved the legislation on Tuesday, it also cracks down on gender- based crimes like stalking and revenge porn.
Now, this comes after a string of killings in Italy, including the 2023 murder of university student Giulia Cecchettin.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgio Maloney, applauded the progress, but added, we must continue to do much more every day.
And this coincides with the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, which was marked by thousands of people around the world.
[02:25:04]
A large crowd of demonstrators marched through Madrid, Spain on Tuesday. They held signs, sang, chanted and played drums.
And many others marched through the Mexican capital. 10 women per day has become a slogan referring to the number of daily killings in Mexico.
And CNN's Valerio Leon has our report from Mexico City.
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VALERIA LEON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: With demonstrations across Mexico, the country marks the International Day for Elimination of Violence Against Women in a country that still faces one of the highest rates of gender-based violence in the region. Official data shows that on average, 10 women are killed in Mexico every day, and activists say that very few cases are investigated, and even fewer lead to convictions or remain unsolved.
Here at the National Palace in Mexico City, this group of women representing the National Network of shelters for abused women are showing this map of Mexico representing 70 security houses for abused women, where they can be safe there. They even go there with their kids sometimes.
And this type of places represent not only a shelter, but they become safer there, instead of becoming the next femicide victim.
And as you can see, these barriers are surrounding and protecting this place for possible damage. Also, the National Palace of Mexico City has been surrounded by this barriers.
Remember that a few weeks ago here, the Gen Z demonstration turned violent against Mexico's National Palace, and that's why the government is taking this as a way of prevention.
And this morning, Mexico's president Claudia Sheinbaum talked about violence against women and the problem in the country. This is part of what the president said.
CLAUDIA SHEINBAUM, MEXICAN PRESIDENT (through translator): Abuse against women must be punished. It is a crime, and we have to classify it as such. We need to include it in federal criminal procedure codes of Mexico City and Mexican state. That is the first step.
But secondly, there must also be an educational process for everyone, men and women. In this way, any act of violence against women will not be seen as customary or something that has always existed, but rather will be questioned and behaviors will change.
LEON: Authorities have presented new reforms and tougher penalties for abusers. This morning at the National Palace in Mexico City, they also launched a new awareness campaign nationwide and tougher penalties to tackle this problem, but many families have to lead their own investigations dealing with a system that often fails them.
So, for many women, November 25th is not just a day of protest, but a reminder that Safety and Justice remain urgent in the country.
Valeria Leon, CNN, Mexico City.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHURCH: Coming up next, authorities are questioning more suspects in the Louvre heist, but will they finally find the stolen jewels? We'll take a look you.
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[02:33:32]
ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR OF "CNN NEWSROOM": Welcome back, everyone. The European Union's highest court ruled that same-sex marriages should be respected throughout the block. The case centered on a Polish couple that got married in Germany in 2018. Poland refused to recognize their union because same-sex marriage is against Polish law. But the E.U. Court of Justice said that infringed on the couple's freedom to move and reside throughout the block.
The court's binding ruling does not require a change to national laws, but it does require nations to recognize same-sex marriage as they would any foreign marriage. French authorities have detained another four people they say were involved in the brazen Louvre heist last month. Our CNN's Max Foster reports, these new suspects joined four others already in custody.
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MAX FOSTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It was the heist of the century, the theft in broad daylight of France's crown jewels. Now, more than five weeks since the audacious robbery of the Louvre Museum in Paris, four more suspects have been detained, French authorities announced on Tuesday, without releasing further details about possible charges. The new suspects, two men aged 38 to 39, and two women 31 and 40, all from the Paris region. They were detained by police as part of the investigation into the heist and are now to be questioned by investigators, the Paris prosecutor said, on Tuesday.
[02:35:00]
CNN affiliate BFMTV reported that one of the suspects is the alleged fourth member of the gang that carried out the heist. Authorities say that four suspects stole more than $100 million worth of jewels in just seven minutes.
But they left many clues behind, not just the equipment they used to get in, like this angle grinder, and the truck witnesses say they tried but failed to burn as they fled, but also a glove, a helmet and one of the scooters they used to make their escape. With more than 150 DNA traces left at the scene of the crime, a match was soon established. But whilst investigators now believe they know more about the suspected thieves, who they say were known for targeting jewelry stores, questions remain about who might have masterminded the operation. And still at large, the jewels that were stolen -- the tiaras, necklaces, earrings, and broaches of the royalty of 19th century France.
Max Foster, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHURCH: The Trump administration is escalating its fight with six Democratic lawmakers. The FBI is looking to interview them about this video.
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SEN. MARK KELLY, (D-AZ): Our laws are clear. You can refuse illegal orders.
SEN. ELISSA SLOTKIN, (D-MI): You can refuse illegal orders.
REP. CHRIS DELUZIO, (D-PA): You must refuse illegal orders.
SLOTKIN: No one has to carry out orders that violate the law --
Rep. CHRISSY HOULAHAN, (D-PA): -- or our constitution.
REP. JASON CROW, (D-CO): We know this is hard.
KELLY: And that it's a difficult time to be a public servant.
SLOTKIN: But whether you're serving in the CIA --
CROW: The Army.
DELUZIO: Or Navy.
HOULAHAN: The Air Force.
KELLY: Your vigilance is critical.
SLOTKIN: And know that we have your back.
CROW: Because now more than ever --
HOULAHAN: The American people need you.
SLOTKIN: We need you to stand up for our laws.
CHRIS DELUZIO: Our constitution.
KELLY: And who we are as Americans.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHURCH: Now, the lawmakers did not reference what orders might be illegal, but they and others have raised concerns about U.S. military strikes on suspected drug boats in the Caribbean and the deployment of troops to U.S. cities. President Trump has accused the Democrats of treason. The lawmakers issued a joint statement saying, we swore an oath to support and defend the constitution of the United States. That oath lasts a lifetime and we intend to keep it. We will not be bullied; we will never give up the ship.
Well, President Trump has signed an executive order to bolster artificial intelligence research. The new Genesis Mission is designed to allow data sharing between government agencies, tech companies, and academic researchers. The aim is to use A.I. to bolster research in health, energy manufacturing and other fields. Hamza Chaudhry is the A.I. and National Security Lead at the Future of Life Institute and joins us from Washington. Good to have you with us.
HAMZA CHAUDHRY, A.I. AND NATIONAL SECURITY LEAD, FUTURE OF LIFE INSTITUTE: Thank you for having me.
CHURCH: So, President Trump signed an executive order Monday to boost artificial intelligence research and development in the hope of reducing energy costs and creating job opportunities for Americans. That's among other things of course. So, how will his Genesis Mission create more jobs specifically, at a time when A.I. is actually taking those jobs away from many people?
CHAUDHRY: First, I think there's an open question as to how much of the A.I. driven job loss is job displacement versus permanent job loss. So, we've seen industry turnover for the past couple of centuries since the industrial revolution. And the big question is always, can we re-skill folks to join new industries versus putting them into a permanent state of job loss. And I think the jury is still out with where A.I. ends up in that debate.
When it comes to the Genesis Mission, the basic premise is we're going to set up basic foundational scientific research which helps fuel an industrial revolution in America across manufacturing, across pharmaceuticals, and across nuclear energy.
CHURCH: And what about energy costs, currently, spiraling out of control for many Americans? How will the Genesis Mission bring those costs down given A.I. is one of the reasons why we are seeing skyrocketing energy costs?
CHAUDHRY: So one of the six priority domain areas identified in the Genesis Mission is nuclear fission and fusion. And I think the big open question here is, to what extent can this mission help us unlock discoveries for nuclear fission and fusion, such that we just have a greater supply of energy? And I think that's something we'll just find out over the next couple of years as the mission takes up. CHURCH: Right. OK. So jury out on that one as well. So, the Trump administration wants to avoid regulating A.I. while supporting private sector innovation. But haven't we already learned that advanced technology like A.I. needs to be regulated to ensure private companies and individuals work within specific guardrails and guidelines?
[02:40:00]
CHAUDHRY: I agree with you there and I think to some extent, moonshot missions like the Genesis Mission can actually be a fantastic complement to also setting up legislative guardrails for A.I. in the private sector. I think it's still unclear as to where the White House has landed on this, especially over the past couple of weeks. We've seen significant factions on the right on both sides of this issue, advocating either against regulation or advocating for comprehensive regulation.
And I think to some extent, a third time around, the jury is still out on where the White House lands on this.
CHURCH: Right, of course. And the Genesis Mission seeks to encourage government information sharing with industry, academia and other scientific institutions. But will that actually happen?
CHAUDHRY: To some extent, I think that's already happening. So, there's various public-private partnerships between the U.S. federal government and the leading A.I. companies. That's been true for even longer for leading A.I. academic centers and the U.S. federal government. I think there's an interesting question as to what extent we can actually consolidate these efforts into one whole, because that's the fundamental bet of the Genesis Mission, which is that we can take the momentum of these various different public-private partnerships across academia, across civil society, across the private sector, and throw them into this big automated research loop and hope that scientific discoveries come out on the other side. And it remains to be unclear as to whether we can manage that.
CHURCH: And what will the cost of all this likely be, given the administration hasn't -- has not provided any cost estimates at this point?
CHAUDHRY: Some of this is to some extent a re-management and consolidation of existing efforts at the Department of Energy and just putting them into one research platform whole. I think it's right to point out that some of this will just require additional Congressional dollars. And when the Department of Energy spoke about this to press a few hours ago, the feeling was that we're both going to work with the resources we currently have appropriated for the projects at DOE, while also working with Congress to get additional resources.
CHURCH: All right. Hamza Chaudhry, thank you so much for joining us. Appreciate it.
CHAUDHRY: Thank you for having me.
CHURCH: The Met Gala faces criticism after Jeff Bezos and his wife are named as sponsors. Ahead, Vogue's Global Editorial Director, Anna Wintour weighs in on the drama.
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[02:47:05]
CHURCH: Move over Tokyo; Jakarta is now considered the world's largest city. A new U.N. report shows the Indonesian capital now has almost 42 million residents, jumping from 33rd on the biggest city list to the top spot in just seven years. Dhaka in Bangladesh comes in second with a population near 37 million. And Tokyo falls to third with 33 million. The report predicts two-thirds of the world's population will be living in cities by 2050.
Well, the oldest coffee house in Rome has finally shut its doors. For more than two centuries, Antico Caffe Greco was a favorite spot for movie stars, poets, and princesses. But a dispute over the 80-year-old lease forced out the longtime tenants. The landlord was raising their rent from about $20,000 a month to $140,000. The cafe now empty, sits at the foot of the famous Spanish steps alongside luxury retailers like Gucci, Dior, and Versace. The plan is to reopen with a new tenant after some remodeling.
Well, there's been a lot of reaction on social media following news that Jeff Bezos and his wife would be lead sponsors of next year's Met Gala. The announcement drew immediate backlash with some arguing their involvement highlights a shift towards billionaire control of cultural institutions. CNN's Antoinette Radford shares the response from Vogue's Anna Wintour.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANTOINETTE RADFORD, CNN BREAKING NEWS WRITER: Anna Wintour just gave her take on the Met Gala drama. Last week, the Bezos' were announced as sponsors for the 2026 Met Gala, prompting a wave of reaction on social media. So I asked Anna Wintour what she thought of it.
ANNA WINTOUR, GLOBAL EDITORIAL DIRECTOR, VOGUE: I think Lauren is going to be a wonderful asset to the museum and to the event, and very grateful for her incredible generosity. And she's a great lover of costume and obviously, of fashion. So we're thrilled she's part of the night.
RADFORD: Wintour relinquished her title as U.S. Vogue's Editor-in- Chief earlier this year. But she remains Vogue's Global Editorial Director and Chief Content Officer for Conde Nast, which means she still oversees the annual Met Gala. For some, the Bezos' decision to sponsor the event is indicative of their ambition to gain cultural legitimacy. The couple also appeared on the cover of Vogue earlier this year and have previously attended the Met Gala in 2024. Traditionally, the gala has been sponsored by luxury houses, but past sponsors have also included big tech firms such as TikTok, Instagram owned by Meta, Apple, Yahoo, and even Amazon.
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CHURCH: Still to come, in the age of online shopping, Macy's hopes to fill its stores with customers this Christmas season. We will tell you what the retailer is doing to attract shoppers for the holidays.
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CHURCH: Welcome back, everyone. Well, Pope Leo is encouraging gratitude ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday here in the United States.
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POPE LEO XIV, HEAD OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH: I would encourage all people, especially with this beautiful panel we have in the United States, which unites all people, people of different faiths, people who perhaps do not have the gift of faith, but to say thank you to someone.
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CHURCH: His comments come as he prepares for his first trip abroad as pontiff, traveling on Thanksgiving Day to Turkey and then Lebanon.
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DONALD TRUMP, (R) PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Today, we continue a time honored American tradition --
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TRUMP: Well, that's a well-trained turkey.
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CHURCH: President Trump used his pardon powers to spare two turkeys from becoming Thanksgiving dinner. Gobble and Waddle received the honor this year. The annual pardon ceremony featured a few political jokes as well with a few jabs at former President Joe Biden. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: He used an auto pen last year for the turkeys' pardon. So I have the official duty to determine, and I have determined that last year's turkey pardons are totally invalid.
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CHURCH: Gobble actually won the competition hosted by the first lady's office to appear at the ceremony. But Waddle was, ultimately, given a pardon as well and is very thankful for that.
Well, retailers are already putting their Christmas marketing plans in play. That includes Macy's, the department store famous for its flagship location in New York and of course, the Thanksgiving Day parade. CNN's Vanessa Yurkevich has more on the tactics the store is using to attract more customers to shop in person this year.
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NATA DVIR, CHIEF MERCHANDISING OFFICER, MACY'S: You want to throw some hoops?
VANESSA YURKEVICH, CNN BUSINESS AND POLITICS CORRESPONDENT: Yeah.
DVIR: OK.
(LAUGH)
YURKEVICH: Are we going one-on-one?
YURKEVICH (voice-over): A friendly game of hoops with Macy's Chief Merchandising Officer, Nata Dvir.
DVIR: Very good.
YURKEVICH (voice-over): This is Macy's NBA experience at their New York flagship store. It's one of a half a dozen interactives, including an exclusive Disney partnership.
DVIR: Very cute.
YURKEVICH (voice-over): And their first national Santa Tour.
YURKEVICH: He's (ph) an OG balloon.
YURKEVICH (voice-over): That Macy's hopes will lure customers into stores this critical holiday shopping season.
YURKEVICH: Is it not enough just to have Macy's be an experience in itself, that you want to have extras?
DVIR: We want to make sure that we have experience in all the different ways the customers are looking for it.
YURKEVICH: More Americans are going to be shopping online this holiday season than in-store. But Macy's says they still expect a lot of their business to come from in-store shopping because of experiences and unique experiences like this one.
[02:55:00]
This is Holiday Square. It's like a little Christmas market that you see outdoors, but it's indoors.
DVIR: When you see how customers are shopping, there is still a lot of traffic happening in the malls and in stores for the convenience of having the delivery, speed is incredibly important, but customers still want to touch and feel things and smell things too. And so, those are the things that we want to make sure that we're really showcasing in our store.
YURKEVICH (voice-over): Macy's is a legacy brand, around since the 1850s, but like every retailer, it's navigating an unpredictable holiday season with shoppers being more careful with their money. Wells Fargo expects 3.5 to four percent holiday sales growth this year, not adjusted for inflation. So actual spending could be flat.
YURKEVICH: What are the biggest challenges that consumers are facing this holiday season?
LAUREN MURPHY, MANAGING DIRECTOR, WELLS FARGO RETAIL FINANCE: Consumers are facing the tariff and prices, right? So they're seeing that across the board. Inflation has still not come down. So everything across the board is up to three, four percent.
YURKEVICH: What about for a legacy retailer who has to compete with online shopping, really fast shipping, and fast fashion? How do they stand out this holiday season?
MURPHY: I think brick and mortar still has a place in people's hearts this holiday, right? And you look at the winners and losers in retail, and it really comes down to merchandising and that customer experience when they walk in.
YURKEVICH (voice-over): Macy's merchandise comes from over 25 countries, so it's subject to President Trump's tariffs. To keep prices as low as possible, Macy's has split the cost among vendors, the company and customers.
YURKEVICH: What are those categories that people can expect to pay a little bit more?
DVIR: Toys, which is one where we saw the prices go up. I think sweaters was another place where we saw it, but I think the value that they're going to see is going to warrant where those ticket increases are.
YURKEVICH: Is that even avoidable?
DVIR: At some point, some things aren't.
YURKEVICH (voice-over): Macy's is doubling down on stores, upgrading hundreds. Part of its current turnaround plan following years of slumping sales. The company recently posted its first sales growth in three years, but still plans to close dozens of underperforming stores.
YURKEVICH: There were some complaints, a few years ago, that the stores felt messier. They lost their luster. How much has that been part of the turnaround?
DVIR: We're taking that seriously. We spend a lot of time not only in our stores with our teams, but also making sure that we're listening to the customer to see that we're making progress and we're not yet where we want to be, but we're making a ton of progress to get towards where we'd like to go.
YURKEVICH (voice-over): Vanessa Yurkevich, CNN, New York.
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CHURCH: It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas. In Prague, the annual tree arrived in the Old Town Square on Tuesday. The 62-year-old spruce is 24 meters tall and 11 meters wide. And the decorating got underway once the tree was anchored into place. It will stay dark until the lights are switched on this Saturday.
I want to thank you so much for joining us. I'm Rosemary Church. I will be back with more "CNN Newsroom" in just a moment. Do stay with us.
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