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The Brief with Jim Sciutto
Swiss Fire Investigation; Families Search For Missing After Bar Fire; Trump Warning Iran; Maduro Detains At Least Five Americans; Bulgaria's Path To The Euro; Zelenskyy Names Kyrylo Budanov As His Top Adviser; Kyiv To Hold Peace Talks With U.S. And Europe. Aired 6-7p ET
Aired January 02, 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]
LYNDA KINKADE, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us from all around the world. I'm Lynda Kinkade live in Atlanta. You are
watching "The Brief."
Just ahead this hour, survivors share their stories about escaping from a blazing Swiss bar as it emerges champagne sparklers may have caused the
deadly inferno. Locked and loaded and ready to go, U.S. President Donald Trump's threat to intervene if Iran takes violent steps to stop the growing
protests. And we are talking tech trends with the new year ahead of the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. That conversation and plenty more
coming up.
We begin with the latest on the investigation to the deadly New Year's Eve fire in Switzerland. Prosecutors say they believe sparklers in champagne
bottles ignited the flames at a packed ski resort bar. And they have lots of images like this one showing how the blaze likely began when the bottles
were held up to the ceiling. But amid the pounding music and New Year's Eve partying, not everyone realized that this was an emergency.
More video shows people continuing to dance and use their phones as the flames and smoke spread. Moments later, the panic set in as the bar became
an inferno. The flames growing larger and people scrambling to escape. The fire killed at least 40 people, injuring about 120 others. One survivor
describing how he got out alive.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): When I got back upstairs, I thought I was either going to die or I'd managed to get out. The only way
was through a window, but the windows were blocked. So, I grabbed a table and tried to smash it against the window. I couldn't. And I thought, well,
I'm going to die. But finally, I managed to kick the glass. It broke. And then we got out. We managed to get people out.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KINKADE: Our Nic Robertson is live at this scene. And, Nic, you've witnessed heartbroken parents who still don't know where their children
are. What are authorities doing to try to get them answers?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yes, they are trying to identify the dead. They're trying to identify some of those injured who
are lying in hospital. Hospital officials say that some of them not able to speak because of the inhalation of the hot air, the fire that sort of
damaged their lungs. Some of them also just being in sort of a medically induced state that they can't communicate. So, that's what the police --
that's what the medical authorities are trying to do.
And just being here all day. It's very quiet now. It's the middle of the night. But if Clayton can just pan over, you can see some of the candle
tributes here, surrounded by floral tributes as well. I would watch young people, because particularly teenagers affected here, carrying flowers up
here through the day, tears in the eyes of many. But, you know, perhaps the most heartbreaking has really been to hear the pain of the parents.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERTSON (voice-over): Grief in this upscale Swiss ski resort is touching many. Inconsolable, a father searching for his son, missing since the fire
broke out early New Year's Day at Le Constellation Bar. Laetitia Brodard- Sitre, too, searching for her 16-year-old son, Arthur.
LAETITIA BRODARD-SITRE, MOTHER (through translator): If you have seen him in hospitals, if you have seen him in the morgue, whether he's alive or
deceased, please contact me. I don't know how severe his burns are. I don't know if he's recognizable. All I want is to find my child. All I want is to
find my son.
ROBERTSON (voice-over): Prosecutors zeroing in on these images of sparklers held high in champagne bottles, likely triggering the inferno.
BEATRICE PILLOUD, ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE VALAIS CANTON (through translator): Everything points to the fire starting from sparklers or
flares placed in champagne bottles that came too close to the ceiling, which very rapidly led to a flashover fire.
[18:05:00]
ROBERTSON (voice-over): The basement bar, packed with people celebrating, only had one main exit, leading to chaos and fear as the fire quickly
spread.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): We were trying to get out. I turned a table onto the floor and hid by the table to avoid getting burnt.
We were trying to get out. It was chaos.
ROBERTSON (voice-over): At least 40 people are dead and 119 injured. Eyewitness accounts of the aftermath underscoring the challenge police
still have, identifying those dead and injured.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You saw the young people who were totally burnt in the face, who missed some fingers here, laying on the streets. And the first
aid was given to these people. And then you have to, what was the worst, is the screaming of these young people, the screaming of pain.
ROBERTSON (voice-over): Seventeen-year-old Leonor Marquez (ph) had planned to go to the bar with friends, but last minute dropped out, now struggles
to get news about five of them, two in hospital, the other three unknown.
LEONOR MARQUEZ (PH) (through translator): I don't know if they're alive, dead, doing well or badly. I can't do anything. I can do absolutely
nothing.
ROBERTSON (voice-over): Adding to her pain and confusion, she says, we see videos of the fire that are going around. They're horrible. I can't imagine
what my friends went through. Life has changed forever, she says.
MARQUEZ (PH) (through translator): This will scar lots of people, teenagers. They were there just to have fun.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERTSON (on camera): And the pain going way beyond just here in Crans- Montana and Switzerland in general. Police and medical officials say of those 119 in hospital, more than 40 of them were from other European
countries, France, Italy, Serbia, Belgium, Bulgaria, Bosnia, Luxembourg, Poland, so many different countries affected.
But it really does feel that even though some information and some knowledge is now being passed by authorities, the real pain and suffering
from all of this is only just beginning to grow.
KINKADE: Yes, our thoughts, our hearts go out to everyone impacted by this. It's just a horrific start to the year there. Nic Robertson for us on
the scene there in Switzerland. Thanks very much.
Well, for more on this, Glenn Corbett joins me now. He is an associate professor of fire science at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice. We
really appreciate your time today. Thanks for joining us.
GLENN CORBETT, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF FIRE SCIENCE, JOHN JAY COLLEGE OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE: You know, thank you for having me.
KINKADE: So, based on what we've seen so far, the images, the videos, obviously the investigation is still underway. What do we know about the
factors that would have caused such a fast-moving fire to spread in a crowded venue?
CORBETT: Right. Well, we've seen enough, I think, to draw a lot of parallels with previous incidents, particularly one back in 2003 in the
United States in Rhode Island at the station nightclub. Key factors were, you know, the combustible interior finish. This is basically the materials
that are put on the walls and the ceiling.
And in both cases, it appears that polyurethane foam rubber was installed for sound proofing, for sound attenuation. The fact that pyrotechnics were
introduced into this environment, basically in the form of these sparklers where folks were running around with them held high over their heads when
they apparently ignited the foam rubber.
And then on top of that, the fact that this was in a basement, actually, which is unlike Rhode Island, but it's been a basement, a place of
assembly, like a nightclub, are always problematic for us in the fire service, particularly. That's why the codes are so strict on what you can
do for a club like that below grade. In this case, we may have just had that one single stairwell out to the top.
And some more recent videos that have appeared online show that we may have had a similar situation again with Rhode Island, the fact that some people
were trying to get out the entrance out into the street, and someone might have fallen. And there was a crowd crush at the top of the stairs trying to
get out.
So, again, we've seen these all over quite a few years, similar situations like this. And unfortunately, it's a situation that occurs in a lot of
different nightclubs around the world, basically.
KINKADE: What makes a venue like that in a basement so difficult, especially for first responders, when a fire breaks out? You mentioned
there was only one exit. And as we understand it, there may have been some windows. What are the factors you're taking into account here?
[18:10:00]
CORBETT: Yes. So, one of the problems when you have a basement location is that especially with just apparently and against what we believe to be just
one stairwell, the firefighters can't get to the seat of the fire to rescue people because it's basically like salmon going upstream basically. The
firefighters are trying to go down, the patrons are trying to get out, and it's just not a good situation to basically move people out quickly.
You know, one of the things you pointed out in the earlier segment was the fact that, as it did in Rhode Island as well, that a lot of the people that
were in attendance at those clubs didn't really heed the message to get out quickly because they were standing around watching the video. It's very,
you know, tantalizing to some folks and taking videos and things. And we know that Rhode Island, if you didn't get out within 90 seconds of that
nightclub, you didn't make it out at all.
So, there's a lot of issues here. I'm hoping that the Swiss government will go beyond just what happened in this particular club and look at their
whole situation in terms of the regulations and how well those regulations are enforced. We don't know that, of course, at this point, but it's
something that's really important.
KINKADE: Yes, I'm sure so many venues and venue owners will be looking at this as well closely. Glenn Corbett, thanks so much for your time.
CORBETT: Thank you very much.
KINKADE: Well, President Donald Trump is warning Iran that the U.S. is ready to intervene if the country takes violent steps to stop the growing
protesters. Demonstrations over worsening economic conditions across Iran turned deadly this week as protesters clashed with police.
In a social media post, Mr. Trump wrote, if Iran shoots and violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America
will come to their rescue. We are locked and loaded and ready to go.
CNN senior White House reporter Kevin Liptak joins me now from West Palm Beach. Kevin, good to have you with us. I want to get a sense of what that
message means for the president, locked and loaded and ready to go.
KEVIN LIPTAK, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: It's not entirely clear what is locked and loaded at this point. What we've heard from American
officials is that U.S. troops in the Middle East haven't been changed in their preparation levels. More troops have not been moved to the region.
What one White House official told us is that the president wanted to send a strong warning, but that he has not taken any action yet. So, the
president, I think, being characteristically vague in what he's planning here. When you do talk to officials, they sort of describe a set of
hypothetical options that the president could take that would stop short of sending an actual missile into Iran.
One would be similar to what President Biden did back in 2022, the last time that street protests flared in Iran. He sent in American technology
that bolstered Internet connectivity there, essentially allowing the protesters to get around the regime's crackdown on information. You could
also envision sanctions potentially on regime figures.
You also hear talk, hypothetical talk, of cyber actions, which is something that the U.S. has conducted before in Iran to kind of stymie some of what
the regime is doing. But, again, those are all hypotheticals. There's no inkling yet that the president has been, for example, presented with
options or made any decision there.
I do think it's clear, and this message only underscores it, is the president does have more of an appetite for risk and confrontation with
Iran than perhaps his predecessors did. Even acknowledging these protesters and throwing American support behind them is more than, for example,
President Obama did back in 2009 when there were street protests there. And his fear at the time was that, you know, lending support to these protests
could give a pretext for the regime to claim that this was all backed by the West.
Now, Obama later went on to say that he had regretted not doing and saying more there. But it's clear President Trump seems less worried about that
going forward. And, in fact, what you've heard from the Iranians today is quite harsh backlash. You heard the head of Iran's parliament say that all
American bases and forces across the region will be legitimate targets. And, of course, we've seen Iran target American military bases in the past,
including back in June, when they sent missiles toward the Al-Udeid air base in Qatar.
And so, it does seem like the president is setting up kind of a test here. You know, if he doesn't follow through on this threat, it could potentially
embolden the regime and cause them to crack down on some of these protesters even further. But if he does intervene, it certainly seems,
based on Iran's own rhetoric, that it could cause a serious escalation, and so something of a dilemma for the president.
[18:15:00]
You've also seen some backlash among Republicans, you know, the side of the party that has been critical of some of the president's foreign
interventions, and what Marjorie Taylor Greene, who is by now a common critic of the president, said on social media was that threatening war and
sending in troops to Iran is everything we voted against in 2024.
KINKADE: All right. Kevin Liptack, we will continue to cover these protests, which as we know are the biggest we've seen in Iran in several
years. Our thanks to you, Kevin.
Well, Venezuela's president says his country is willing to hold serious talks with the United States about drug trafficking and other issues.
Nicolas Maduro told a Spanish journalist he would welcome U.S. investment in Venezuela if natural resources are what the Trump administration wants.
It comes as a U.S. official says Venezuela is holding at least five American citizens in detention.
They say the White House believes Mr. Maduro is holding them for leverage against the U.S. amid rising tensions. Earlier, I spoke with our Sean
Lyngaas to get more details on the situation in Venezuela.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SEAN LYNGAAS, CNN REPORTER: I talked to the aunt of one of the Americans that we believe is in that category of being detained recently, and she's
been frustrated by her inability to get through to the U.S. government. This is a 28-year-old man. He's from New York, and he was traveling in
Latin America and didn't appear to commit any crime of any sort, but did enter Venezuela. And the last his family heard from him was on December
8th. So, it's been nearly a month. So, that's one example.
The other examples aren't quite clear yet, but we know that Maduro has a history of doing this, and as do other authoritarian leaders in Russia and
Iran, where they can use detained citizens of Western countries as pawns in regional standoffs. But this obviously comes against an enormous amount of
tension between the U.S. and Venezuela.
That video you played of Nicolas Maduro saying he'd be open to talking was extraordinary because it came the week of -- in which U.S. military
conducted multiple strikes on boats in the drone strike on a facility in Venezuela.
So, his rhetoric doesn't seem to match the reality of what's been going on on the ground, and now the families of these detained Americans fear that
they're going to be caught up in this geopolitical standoff, Lynda.
KINKADE: So, Sean Maduro in that video says he's willing to speak to U.S. officials. Is there any sense that the U.S. is willing to open up dialogue?
LYNGAAS: Look, I think President Trump has shown willingness to try to talk to anyone about this kind of thing. He's certainly one who likes to
engage directly with leaders. So, I don't think that's out of the question. It's just a question of how and to what end. The Trump administration has
not -- you know, has denied that it explicitly wants regime change, but it has certainly twisted a lot of the levers that could lead to that. So,
we're left with that.
There seem to be some backchannel attempts from at least the Venezuelan side to say, look, we're willing to talk. But it really is, again, given
all that's transpired with U.S. military might in the region, an open question as to whether those talks could accomplish anything, Lynda.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KINKADE: Our thanks to Sean there. Well, coming up after the break, new year, new currency as Bulgarians get used to the euro. Our Ben Hunte checks
out how the money move is going.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[18:20:00]
KINKADE: Well, Wall Street finished mostly higher in its first trading session of the year. Chipmakers, NVIDIA, and Micron Technology climbed on
an otherwise flat day for the NASDAQ. The S&P 500 rose more than 16 percent in 2025, marking three straight years of double-digit gains. That's only
the sixth time in history that that's happened. And it could continue. Experts at Georgia Bank are predicting another year of double-digit gains.
Earlier, I asked Tim Anderson of TJM Investments what he thinks.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TIM ANDERSON, MANAGING DIRECTOR, TJM INVESTMENTS: A lot of people are going to be concerned about whether or not you can have a double-digit
gains for the fourth year in a row. But the people that really manage big money, what they're going to be most concerned about is where is the
economy going and what is the market outlook for the next -- for 2026 and 2027, and how do they want to be positioned for the next two years. Not
what's happened in the last three years.
And the reality is the environment is very positive for stocks. We're in an interest rate cutting cycle, although the Fed might not be ready to cut --
make a fourth cut in a row in -- at the end of January. By the time we get to the end of January, they might be there if we continue to see very
benign inflation numbers and along with weak job gains.
We're also in an environment where you're going to most likely start to see some significant earnings gains from companies that have instituted a lot
of A.I. infrastructure into their operating systems, and also most likely some continued productivity gains in the overall economy.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KINKADE: Thanks to Tim, we're checking some of today's other business headlines. Tesla lost its crown as the world's biggest EV maker in 2025.
Chinese rival BYD eclipsed Tesla's global sales for the first time. BYD sold more than 2.2 million vehicles. That's up 28 percent from 2024. Well,
Tesla dropped almost 9 percent, down 8.6 percent in annual sales, 1.6 million deliveries in 2025.
Well, Tesla's U.S. rival Rivian appears to be in a sales slump. The EV maker delivered 42,247 vehicles in 2025, down about 18 percent from a year
earlier. Electric vehicle sales have been under pressure following the end of a U.S. tax credit back in September.
And in a move that would seem to defy its commitment to streaming, Netflix allowed movie theaters to show the final episode of its hit show, "Stranger
Things," when it debuted on New Year's Eve. Theaters were not allowed to sell tickets to the showings, but instead required fans to buy concessions
like popcorn and certificates to attend. It's estimated that theaters took in around $25 million from the showings on Wednesday and Thursday.
Well, Bulgaria begins the new year with a new currency. It's now the Eurozone's 21st member. People there have been given plenty of time to
adjust, as our Ben Hunte explains.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BEN HUNTE, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The clatter of newly minted coins rolls off an assembly line, shining with the national symbols
of Bulgaria. These new euros represent the Eurozone's 21st member and a currency switch almost two decades in the making. It's already a historic
new year in Bulgaria.
[18:25:00]
On January 1st, cash machines began dispensing euros instead of the old Bulgarian currency, the lev. Bank accounts were converted to euros and
there is a one-month transitional period where both the lev and the euro can be used for cash payments, though change will be given in euros. Some
people say it's off to a good start.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): Our money will be in a different currency. If I have 10,000 levs, now I will have 5,100 euros. It's all the
same, and I think it will be better.
HUNTE (voice-over): But it's taken a long time for Bulgaria to meet the economic criteria to adopt the euro after joining the European Union in
2007. It's one of the poorest countries in the E.U. And polls show that about half the Bulgarians surveyed fear the currency switch will drive up
prices. There are also worries about who's in charge during this critical period.
The country's prime minister resigned last month after mass anti- corruption protests over a 2026 budget proposal, and it's likely Bulgaria
will soon face its eighth election in five years. Some people say it's just not the right time for such a switch.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): Right now, it's probably the most inappropriate time given the situation in all of Europe. These are my
concerns. I don't anyone has anything against the euro as a currency, but rather, to the timing. And ultimately, I don't believe that erasing and
eliminating the lev within the span of a single month is the best approach.
HUNTE (voice-over): Other Bulgarians say they expect it will go smoother than some people think.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): Anyone who goes on a trip will not have problems exchanging currency. Now, everything will be normal. Even
the people in the shops are already prepared and have no worries about accepting the lev and giving euros back and change. These are normal things
that we will get used to in a week.
HUNTE (voice-over): National authorities have been set up to make sure business are fairly converting prices. And Bulgaria declared a public
holiday on Friday with the hopes to ask people go back to work on Monday the euro will already be a part of their daily lives.
Ben Hunte, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KINKADE: There's been a major political shakeup in Kyiv. The Ukrainian president has turned to a decorated war veteran as his top advisor. That
story next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[18:30:00]
KINKADE: Welcome back to "The Brief." I'm Lynda Kinkade. Great to have your company. Here are the international headlines we're watching today.
Swiss authorities say they believe sparklers were the cause of a fire in a resort bar on New Year's Eve. New images appear to show the initial moments
the fire began. At least 40 people have died. Many families are still waiting for news of their loved ones.
Nigerian police say they have charged the driver involved in a crash that injured British boxer Anthony Joshua with dangerous driving. Two of
Joshua's close friends were killed in that collision. Preliminary findings suggest the car was speeding and was attempting to overtake another car
when the crash occurred.
At least two people have died as an earthquake hit the southern Mexican State of Guerrero. The 6.5 earthquake was felt as far north as Mexico City.
Mexico's president was forced to evacuate from a news conference when the earthquake hit.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has named the country's spy chief as its top adviser. The position is usually held by a civilian and focuses
on domestic policies. The appointment of Kyrylo Budanov, a decorated war veteran, marks a significant shift.
Zelenskyy posted on that Ukraine needs greater focus on security issues and that Budanov was the strength that could deliver those results. Ukraine's
renewed focus on military strength comes ahead of another round of peace talks with its allies. Melissa Bell has the latest.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MELISSA BELL, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Peace talks are to pick up over Ukraine in the shape of American and Ukrainian emissaries on
Saturday and then through a meeting of the coalition of the willing that will be held in Paris on January 6 and hosted by the French president.
Still, over the course of the New Year period, little to suggest that much has changed since the Mar-a-Lago talks that left President Trump speaking
of the thorny issues. Since then, President Zelenskyy in his New Year's Eve address has spoken of the fact that he believes that 90 percent of the
agreement is there. It is the remaining 10 that need to be hammered out. Also, though, reminding his audience that there would be no concessions by
Ukraine on the question of eastern Donbas and its territorial integrity. Such concessions, he suggested, would amount to a defeat in the war and
could not be considered.
On the part of the European Union, though, there appears to be some determination to press ahead with a fast Ukrainian accession. We had a
tweet from President Commission Ursula von der Leyen speaking to the fact that European accession by Ukraine could represent a security guarantee of
suggestions there that the E.U. could well make it a priority for 2026. You'll remember that in that original peace plan between the United States
and Russia, the date of 2027 had been suggested.
On the ground, meanwhile, there have been these continued attacks in Kharkiv. 30 people have been wounded, according to Ukrainians, as a result
of missile strikes there. And there have been these allegations by Russia of drone strikes in the occupied Kherson region that Russia says left 27
dead.
Kyiv has not commented on that, sticking by its position of not commenting on what happens in the occupied territories, but standing by its position
of targeting simply military installations and those of operational military necessity.
There have also been these claims about a drone attack made on Putin's private residence. These claims that Moscow has made for several days now,
made by President Putin to President Trump, that appeared to have convinced the American president on Tuesday, now discounted by the CIA, which says it
does not believe that the drone attacks targeted his personal residence. Affirmations by the CIA that appear to have swayed the American president,
who now seems more skeptical than he had about the Russian claims.
The next few days, then, no doubt decisive in terms of whether or not any progress can be made in those peace talks, with a great deal riding on what
happens over the course of the weekend, and then again here in Paris next week.
Melissa Bell, CNN, Paris.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KINKADE: We're Ivo Daalder, the former U.S. ambassador to NATO, is with me now. He hosts the weekly podcast World Review with Ivo Daalder. Good to
have you with us.
IVO DAALDER, FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR TO NATO, PODCAST HOST: Great to be here. Thank you for having me.
KINKADE: You wrote an interesting article in Politico recently, which I want to get to in just a moment, but I want to ask you about some news
that's just into us. Obviously, last month, the U.S. president announced his blockade on Venezuelan oil tankers.
[18:35:00]
Russia has just filed a diplomatic request to stop the U.S. pursuing what Washington says is a sanctioned oil tanker tied to Iran and Venezuela. The
Bella 1 was headed to Venezuela when the U.S. Coast Guard tried to board it nearly two weeks ago. It's still on the run. Sources are telling CNN that
this ship now appears on Russia's official register of ships, under a new name.
A U.S. official has said earlier that the crew had drawn a crude Russian flag on the side of the vessel. It's thought to be a bid to get some
protection from Russia. What's your response to that diplomatic request from Russia in the midst of everything that's going on right now?
DAALDER: Well, it's sort of interesting. I mean, for one, as you rightly mentioned, this ship has been sailing around for now two weeks with the
Coast Guard in pursuit and apparently unable or unwilling to take control of this sanctioned ship. But in the meantime, the ship has become at least
formally Russian-owned. And so, to now stop that ship, which is no longer under those circumstances sanctioned, would be an act of belligerence on
the part of the United States.
So, that's what the Russians are trying to do. They are, of course, close friends and allies of Venezuela. They're trying to make it more difficult
for the United States to interfere with shipping, particularly shipping of oil out of Venezuela. And they're -- you know, they're poking a little bit
of a stick in the American eye here.
KINKADE: Yes. I mean, you recently wrote an article for Politico titled "Europe's Five Stages of Grief," describing the denial, the anger,
bargaining, depression, and finally, the acceptance that President Trump has returned to the White House. From your perspective, why did it take
Europe so long, a whole year, to reach acceptance about the U.S.'s approach?
DAALDER: Well, the main reason is because for the previous 80 years, the United States did not behave in the that President Trump has over the past
year. And in some ways, it's taken that long to really understand that something fundamental has changed. Now, some leaders understood this
earlier than others.
Clearly, Prime Minister Carney of Canada has from the very beginning, he ran a campaign early in the year, and then since becoming prime minister,
has said there has been a fundamental rupture in Canadian-U.S. relationships. There are other leaders who have said that, including the
German chancellor, Friedrich Merz. But the reality is that all these countries are very dependent on the United States and have been dependent
on the United States. And to accept that they are no longer able to rely on an ally who has been reliable and there for them for over 80 years is
difficult.
So, it's taken a year to move through these various stages. I just thought that this idea of something having died and accepting it slowly sort of
captured the last year. The question for 2026 is, now that you have accepted that the relationship is fundamentally different, are you going to
act on the basis that the relationship isn't what you would like it to be, but is what it is, which is pretty fragile, and in many ways in the trade,
Ukraine and defense area, quite contentious.
KINKADE: And to that point, how then do you see Europe's role, especially when it comes to trying to secure peace in Ukraine, evolve in 2026?
DAALDER: So, I think on Ukraine, the Europeans have probably been more steadfast than almost on any other issue. From the very beginning, they
knew that a Trump presidency would lead to a reduction in American support of Ukraine, and they have stepped up to fill the gap, both financially,
with an agreement just before the New Year's providing 105 billion euro -- dollars, actually -- 90 billion euro to Ukraine for the next two years, and
to spend significantly more buying American weapons. American weapons used to come through congressional authorization. They now have to be bought.
So, that's one way.
I think on the defense side, you've seen Europe starting to increase defense spending quite significantly. Germany will be the third largest
army in the world by the end of this decade. It will spend something close to 160 billion euros a year on defense, vastly more than Britain and
France. So, they are, too, they're stepping up.
On trade, we will have to see. On trade so far, the United States has been able to impose unilateral sanctions without tariffs -- sanctions, really,
but tariffs, without any response. I'm not sure that is likely to continue this year.
[18:40:00]
KINKADE: Yes. I mean, he's already announced today that some of the tariffs, especially on the Italian pass, for example, are being rolled
back. But we will continue to cover that as well. Ivo Daalder, appreciate your time. Thanks so much.
DAALDER: Thank you.
KINKADE: Well, affordable iPhone and humanoid robots, just some of the tech trends experts are predicting for 2026. I'm going to speak with one of
those experts next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KINKADE: Welcome back. I'm Lynda Kinkade. The tech industry's biggest annual event, CES, kicks off next week in Las Vegas. It offers a glimpse of
some of the technology that could shape our lives in 2026. Last year, that brought us an A.I. market boom, the world's first five tech giant, and a
first of its kind for social media, a ban for teenagers in Australia.
So, what will 2026 bring? Well, according to TechRadar's editor at large, Lance Ulanoff, we can expect a big leap forward when it comes to artificial
intelligence, more foldable phones, and more advanced humanoid robots hitting the market. Well, Lance Ulanoff joins me now. Happy New Year. Good
to have you with us.
LANCE ULANOFF, EDITOR AT LARGE, TECHRADAR: Happy New Year.
KINKADE: So, Lance, you've said that if you had to pick one word for 2026, it might be A.I., but in reality, you know, it's far more complex. You've
mentioned A.I. innovations that have already touched our lives this year. What can we expect in 2026 as the biggest trends?
ULANOFF: Well, we're going to see, you know, a lot of competition. We have OpenAI with GPT, and we've got Google with Gemini, and those are probably
the two biggest contenders. And OpenAI is going to probably introduce GPT- 6, and that is going to be a major update.
I mean, the thing about A.I. time, where everything's moving so much faster, is every three months we have a major update. But we do expect
really big things from this. We do expect the potential of seeing a glimpse of -- you know, of our general artificial intelligence, and that's that
whole idea of A.I. kind of thinking like or even better than us, but there's some disagreement on that, you know, that it'll actually arrive
this year, maybe next year. But we will certainly see a lot of agentic A.I., which means that just A.I. kind of going out and doing your job for
you. So, that's going to happen.
[18:45:00]
I mean, on the Google side, I'm sure you've noticed that when you do your Google search, that the very top are the A.I. overviews. Well, that will
continue, and you will really start to see a blurring of the lines between the sort of traditional knowledge graph search and your A.I. prompt
results. And that's just good. You know, and Google's going to be pushing that into every single thing. It's their position. They have a lot of touch
points, in fact, more touch points than their major competitor, ChatGPT and OpenAI.
KINKADE: Of course, foldable phones or flip phones, they've been around for years now. But you've mentioned that 2026 is going to be a big year for
them. Why?
ULANOFF: Well, well, first of all, we already know that Samsung's introducing a tri-fold, right? They showed us a little glimpse of it, and
it's already for sale in South Korea. And just like it says, it folds and basically opens up, folds three ways. But the big news is hopefully going
to be Apple finally getting into the foldable race. They've kind of sat back, as they often do with new emerging markets, and they wait until
everybody's kind of figured it out, and then they do it better.
But I have to say that Samsung has really delivered on the folding promise, especially with last year, they had the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7, which is
just an excellent foldable device. So, when Apple arrives, it better do a better job. We don't know if it's going to be a foldable like iPhone or
more like a foldable iPad. But we really do expect somewhere throughout the year, we're going to see a first glimpse of those devices.
KINKADE: I just hope they continue to get lighter, really. They're heavy to carry around. In terms of other advances, we've had tech giants -- tech
leaders like Elon Musk promising to bring more advanced humanoid robots to the market soon. Are we going to see them in our homes in 2026?
ULANOFF: So, it's a really interesting story. So, you have companies like 1X with the Neo, the Neo bot or Neo beta robot, which they're promising is
going to be in homes by March. It's like a $20,000 robot. There's other companies like Figure AI, which is the Figure 03 robot. And of course,
Tesla has the Optimus robot. So, all of them are vying for space in your home. But the reality of humanoid robots right now is that they could cause
a lot of frustration.
When those first robots arrive in homes, they will be way too slow. Like they'll take 45 minutes to empty the dishwasher. That's not going to be
helpful. The age of humanoid robots at home is coming. But I don't think that this is really going to be its breakthrough year in quite the way
people think it is.
KINKADE: Yes. I don't mind if they take 45 minutes to empty the dishwasher as long as I don't need to ask three times. Lance Ulanoff, I appreciate
your time. Thanks so much. Editor-in-Large at TechRadar.
I'm going to take a quick break. I will be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[18:50:00]
KINKADE: Welcome back, I'm Lynda Kinkade. The Warren Buffett era is officially over at Berkshire Hathaway. His successor, Greg Abel, took the
reins today. Buffett served 55 years as Berkshire's CEO, and along the way he gained a following for his folk wisdom when it comes to business and
life. Buffett says his sayings still resonate with many CEOs and investors. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WARREN BUFFETT, FORMER CEO BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY: I love what I do. I get to do exactly what I want to do every day, how I want to do it, with people
that I love and that generally like me. You know, it doesn't get any better than that.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We asked business moguls what they've learned about leadership and business from the Oracle of Omaha, Warren Buffett, as the
95-year-old steps down from his post as lead of Berkshire Hathaway.
ANDREW CROWELL, VICE CHAIRMAN OF WEALTH MANAGEMENT, D.A. DAVIDSON: The most valuable business insight I learned from Warren Buffett is that when
you're investing, you're not buying a ticker symbol, but a piece of a business. It's not a poker chip, it's ownership. So, it's important to do
your homework, buy at the right price, and have a long-term perspective.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: In the investment world, his retirement came as a surprise to many.
BUFFETT: I'm planning to work until about five years after I die, actually.
LARRY RESTIERI, CEO, HIGHTOWER: I've learned that excellence is really a discipline. Set a clear direction, stay true to your principles, and
execute patiently.
MARCEL ARSENAULT, CHAIR, CEO AND FOUNDER, REAL CAPITAL SOLUTIONS: Focus on long-term value. Forget the headlines. Back the right teams, because
leaders drive lasting value. Practice frugality. What truly matters in life can never be bought. And finally, philanthropy. As a fellow member of the
Giving Pledge, Warren inspired me to think beyond monetary success.
ANTHONY SCARAMUCCI, FOUNDER, SKYBRIDGE CAPITAL: The thing that we've learned from him that everybody should learn is the patience in long-term
investing. It's very hard to do, but if you do it, you'll be well-served.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: Well, in 2025, the film industry saw both breakout hits and surprise performers. "Zootopia 2" became Disney's highest-grossing movie
ever, surpassing the 2019 sequel to "Frozen." It's taken in nearly $1.5 billion in just over a month. That's thanks to its strong Thanksgiving
weekend in the U.S. and its huge reception in China. Well, among the most anticipated releases of 2026 is "Avengers Doomsday," which industry experts
widely expect to dominate the global box office.
Well, it is holiday season still, and music, of course, brings people together in a story about family love and second chances, even when it's
complicated. With Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson star in "Song Sung Blue," a love story set to classic Neil Diamond hits, I sat down with the stars of
the film.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(MUSIC PLAYING)
KINKADE (voice-over): Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson bringing music and messy, honest love to life in the film "Song Sung Blue," inspired by a true
story about a Neil Diamond tribute band.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HUGH JACKMAN, MIKE/LIGHTNING IN "SONG SUNG BLUE": I'm not a songwriter. I'm not a sex symbol. I just want to entertain people.
KATE HUDSON, CLARE/THUNDER IN "SONG SUNG BLUE": I don't want to be a hairdresser. I want to sing. I want to dance. I want a garden. I want a
cat.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: What resonated with you and what hit home when you first read the script?
JACKSON: It's real family showing up with some regrets, with some left turns, with some difficulties, and yet they're still showing up for each
other.
KINKADE: Well, what was the biggest challenge in putting this film together?
JACKSON: Well, getting it made. Everyone turned this film down except one, Universal Focus.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JACKSON: We should call ourselves lightning and thunder.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: And I heard you two felt like a married couple making this movie.
JACKMAN: Yes.
HUDSON: Yes.
KINKADE: How did you build that chemistry?
JACKSON: I was -- thankfully, easy.
HUDSON: But this love story is central. Like, if it doesn't work, the movie doesn't work. So, it was our job to make sure that we were -- you
know, that we had that connection. And thank God -- thank God. Thank God it was you.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
KINKADE: Congratulations on your nomination for the Golden Globe.
HUDSON: Thank you very much.
KINKADE: Why do you think this was a bit of a breakout for you in terms of showcasing all of your talents?
HUDSON: Well, I don't think these roles come around very often. There's musicals and there's, you know, dramatic stories and things like that, but
this kind of walks this line of entertainment and drama and art.
KINKADE: You do such a fabulous job at the Milwaukee accent.
HUDSON: I would slip into it sometimes, even when we're doing press.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HUDSON: Just try it.
JACKSON: I told you I'm lactose intolerant.
HUDSON: I know, but it's just a little fast.
JACKMAN: I can't eat cheese.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HUDSON: We had a great dialect coach. He kept us in line.
JACKSON: How's Kate's Australian accent?
HUDSON: It's awful. It's my -- it's the hardest one for me.
JACKMAN: There's not many people do it well, right? No.
HUDSON: No.
JACKMAN: No.
HUDSON: No.
JACKMAN: No.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
[18:55:00]
KINKADE: And I loved when I saw you two just pop up at a bar, beer in hand, and start singing.
JACKMAN: It was so great. We went down to Old Mates, which is an awesome bar.
HUDSON: Also, what a great bar.
JACKMAN: Yes.
HUDSON: But it's literally like you step into Australia when you're -- I mean, everyone's Australian.
KINKADE: Where do we turn up to for the next performance at a bar?
JACKMAN: Well, we're touring the world.
KINKADE: Over the holidays and looking forward to 2026, wishes and hopes?
HUDSON: I'm going back to Neil Diamond's house. I've decided I'm spending the holidays with the Diamonds.
JACKMAN: Goal is to get invited to Kate Hudson's for Christmas. That's the epic Christmas.
KINKADE: That would be gold. Her family, I just feel like you just want to hug them all.
JACKMAN: It's true.
HUDSON: Oh, well, it depends on if we're playing games. If we're playing games, you won't want to hug us. We get really competitive.
JACKMAN: Really?
HUDSON: My mom leaves the room.
JACKMAN: There's a line in our movie, dream huge. And I wish that for every single one of you for 2026.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KINKADE (on camera): Our thanks to Hugh and Kate. And that film is in theaters right now. And thanks to you for your company. I'm Lynda Kinkade,
live in Atlanta. You've been watching "The Brief." Stay with CNN. Much more news ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:00:00]
END
