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One World with Zain Asher
Peace Talks Proceed As Russia, Ukraine Launch Strikes; Trump's Original 28-Point Peace Plan Reduced To 19 Points; Inside Trump's Wrath Against His political Opponents; Mexico City Protests To End Violence Against Women; Report: Teen On Carnival Cruise May Have Died By Asphyxiation; Floods Swamp Tents Of displaced Palestinians; Outrage After Senator Wears Burqa To Parliament; Retailers Add In-Store Experiences To Draw Customers; Turkeys Receive Presidential Pardon At White House; Aired 12-1p ET
Aired November 25, 2025 - 12:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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ZAIN ASHER, CNN ANCHOR: The U.S. says Ukraine has agreed to a peace deal, but the Ukrainian president says, hold on a minute.
BIANNA GOLODRYGA, CNN ANCHOR: The second hour of "One World" starts right now.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It doesn't seem like we're getting anywhere very quickly. In fact, maybe going backwards.
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GOLODRYGA: Four key players, four different stories, and one horrific war. How to make sense of the negotiations on ending the war in Ukraine?
ASHER: Also ahead, taking to the streets. This hour, protesters are flooding Mexico's capital, calling for violence against women to be
punished. We'll take you there live.
Plus.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FATIMA PAYMAN, SENATOR, WESTERN AUSTRALIA: She is disrespecting a faith. She is disrespecting the Muslims out there. The Muslim-Australians. It's
absolutely unconstitutional.
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GOLODRYGA: Out of order. How this far-right senator in Australia is using a burqa to spark outrage in parliament.
ASHER: And later, if you think you know luxury, think again. I think this has been to InterContinental hotel. This hour, these two VIP guests are not
only meeting the president of the United States, they're being granted clemency. We'll explain this American tradition.
All right. Live from New York, I'm Zain Asher.
GOLODRYGA: And I'm Bianna Golodryga. You're watching the second hour of "One World."
We will begin with a flurry of diplomatic activity to bring peace to Ukraine after nearly four years of war.
ASHER: Yes. U.S. official says that Kyiv has agreed to a paired back 19- point deal. The White House later clarified that further talks are needed to iron out some delicate details. Public statements from other key players
are more measured.
GOLODRYGA: Yes. Russia likes Donald Trump's original 28-point peace proposal seen as highly favorable to Moscow.
ASHER: The Ukrainian official says Zelenskyy could visit the U.S. this month to meet President Trump and finalize key steps out of the deal, one
that Russia has not yet agreed on.
At the start of a meeting of the so-called Coalition of the Willing, French President Emmanuel Macron urged new security guarantees for Ukraine.
GOLODRYGA: Meanwhile, the war continues with Russia and Ukraine trading attacks. Moscow launched a barrage of missiles and drones on Kyiv, killing
at least seven people.
Earlier, we spoke to Inna Sovsun, a member of the Ukrainian Parliament who said that Russia is not being asked to make concessions.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
INNA SOVSUN, UKRAINIAN MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT: There is not much pressure being put onto Russia. The only concessions that have been debated is -- is
what concessions is Ukraine going to make. What are the concessions that Russia is going to make? It seems like the only concession they're willing
to make is to stop killing Ukrainians, nothing else.
So there is no real pressure on Russia. So when we are talking about, like, will they agree to that or not, why would they?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ASHER: CNN's Alayna Treene joins us live now. So just in terms of some of the word -- some word that we got from the American officials that
Zelenskyy or that the Ukrainians had agreed to most of -- of a 19-point peace plan, Zelenskyy, after that -- after that came out and said, well,
you know, there are still some major sticking points. A lot of work needs to be done here.
Just walk us through what specifically Zelenskyy is questioning in this 19- point plan based on what you know, Alayna.
ALAYNA TREENE, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Yes. Look, I mean, there have been many twists and turns to this, Zain and Bianna. And I think one of the key
things we're seeing from the White House and from the U.S. side is they really want to continue to put pressure on both sides.
The Ukrainians, we're seeing that now in the rhetoric that they are using, but also the Russians as well and try to use the momentum of these talks to
make sure that these negotiations don't end up like every other negotiation thus far during the president's second term, which is essentially falling
apart despite the work being put into it.
Look, I do want to read from you as well what we heard from the White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, because as much as we heard that optimism
from the U.S. official, they said essentially that Ukraine agreed to a peace deal in broad strokes, there are still minor details to be worked
out.
This statement from the White House Press Secretary is a little bit more measured. She said, quote, "Over the past week, the United States has made
tremendous progress toward a peace deal by bringing both Ukraine and Russia to the table. There are a few delegate but not insurmountable details that
must be sorted out, and will require further talks between Ukraine, Russia, and the United States."
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Look, just want to bring you into where we got here, and I'll answer your question, Zain. It's a long-winded answer to your question, but I think
this will get to it, is -- is how this all started.
Because we reported last week that Steve Witkoff, one of the president's top advisors, has been quietly hammering out that originally 28-point peace
plan with Russia.
And as you said, there was a lot of skepticism about whether or not this was actually something that Ukraine or Ukraine's European allies could
actually stomach, because it did seem like a wish list of source for the Kremlin.
Some of the things that included were taking NATO membership off the table for Ukraine, having them cede territory that Russia doesn't actually even
have in control of right now through the fighting.
And then also this idea of putting a cap on the number of Ukrainian soldiers and troops in the region. I mean, those were all things that many
people said were just going to be non-starters.
And so what we've been hearing is that the talks then on Sunday, when they took some of that plan, the United States, to the Ukrainians in Geneva,
that's when they began to massage it into a place where the Ukrainians now feel like it is a good jumping off point to really further these
negotiations.
The key question, of course, is, is Russia just going to walk away from it at this point with those changes? We don't know.
We do know that the Army Secretary, Dan Driscoll, is in Abu Dhabi today meeting with Russian officials to go through all of this. We'll have to see
where that lands.
But I think there's been a lot of optimism from the Trump administration by design, but still so much work needs to be done in many questions of
whether or not this is actually going to be something everyone can ultimately get to the table on.
ASHER: All right. Alayna Treene, live for us. Thank you so much.
GOLODRYGA: Our chief global affairs correspondent Matthew Chance joins us now from London with more on what Russia is saying about the latest
developments.
And what is really interesting here, Matthew, is that Russian officials have stuck to the same line these past few weeks. And that is that nothing
has changed from the points that Vladimir Putin had discussed with Donald Trump during their summit over the summer in Alaska. That was a summit that
President Trump even walked away with a bit deflated on moving this process forward.
And yet, here we are months later with a 28-point plan that's now being revised that appears perhaps to have mirrored a lot of what President Putin
had presented to Trump months ago.
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CHIEF GLOBAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Yes. I mean, you're right. And that's been the big criticism of that 28-point plan as it was
originally presented, that it was seen as being, you know, really far too favorable in terms of, you know, a neutral document to the Russian
position.
And, of course, it's one of the reasons why the Ukrainians and the United States and -- and the Europeans as well have been engaged so intensively in
trying to sort of edit that document, take out some of the stuff which is unnecessary in their view, change some of the language potentially to make
it a bit more palatable.
And -- and that -- and to that extent, the talks between the U.S. and Ukraine over the past couple of days in -- in Geneva where I've just come
from and the ones that have been continuing over the course of the past 24 hours in -- in Abu Dhabi as well, they seem to have been relatively
successful.
You know, we're -- we're talking about the United States and Ukraine and -- and Europe as well, trying to agree on a common position about what it is
that they all agree on so they can present that to the Russians.
The next step is to see what the Russians say about that. And if it doesn't include the surrender of territory as demanded by Moscow, by the Ukrainians
in areas that's, you know, Russia hasn't even captured yet, although it's annexed them. If it doesn't include a renouncing of future NATO membership,
if it doesn't include, you know, strong significant caps on the Ukrainian military, then there's every chance the Russians, the Kremlin will dismiss
that joint proposal out of hand.
Certainly so far, they've shown no signs of backing away from -- from those maximalist demands.
GOLODRYGA: All right. Matthew Chance, thank you so much.
ASHER: The Trump administration is vowing to appeal after a federal judge, throughout the cases against two of the president's perceived political
enemies.
GOLODRYGA: Former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James. The ruling dealt a major blow to President Trump's quest to
take revenge on those who oppose him.
ASHER: The judge ruled the cases were invalid because the prosecutor who brought the charges into a U.S. attorney, Lindsey Halligan, had been
unlawfully appointed. The Trump administration says Monday's ruling will not be the final word on the matter.
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PAM BONDI, U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL: We believe we will be successful. On appeal, and I'll tell you, Lindsey Halligan, I talked to all of our U.S.
attorneys, the majority of them around the country. And Lindsey Halligan is an excellent U.S. attorney and shame on them for not wanting her in office.
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GOLODRYGA: Meantime, Senator Mark Kelly is also facing President Trump's wrath over a video that he and five other Democratic lawmakers released
last week, reminding service members that they have a duty not to carry out illegal orders.
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The Pentagon is now threatening to recall Kelly to military service for a possible court-martial. Kelly says that he won't be silenced by bullies.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. MARK KELLY (D-AZ): I said something that was pretty simple and non- controversial. And that was that members of the military should follow the law. And in response to that, Donald Trump said, I should be executed. I
should be hanged. I should be prosecuted.
I think it says a lot more about him than it says about me. He doesn't want accountability, but Rachel, I'm not going to be silenced. I'm not going to
be intimidated.
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GOLODRYGA: Joining us now is national security expert Miles Taylor. He previously served as chief of staff at the U.S. Department of Homeland
Security. He also published an essay in "The New York Times" blowing the whistle on presidential misconduct, and as the author, the national best-
selling book, "A Warning."
Miles, it is good to see you. We should know you are also under DOJ investigation for criticizing President Trump.
This move to potentially recall Senator Mark Kelly to active duty to potentially court-martial him over that video that he and five other
lawmakers made, which stated the obvious that it is illegal to follow illegal acts in the military. That is being described by some as crossing
the Rubicon.
I'm wondering your reaction here as to whether we're now seeing a Pentagon that is being politicized after so much time focused on a DOJ and Justice
Department that is being politicized as well.
MILES TAYLOR, FORMER CHIEF OF STAFF TO HOMELAND SECURITY KIRSTJEN NIELSEN: We certainly are. I mean, remember, Mark Kelly's alleged crime here is
telling people not to commit crimes. But the real answer is that he offended the President of the United States by suggesting that the
president of the United States might be engaged in issuing illegal orders.
And for that, he is now being, you know, brought into an investigation in the Justice Department, or sorry, in the Department of Defense, which by
all accounts is politically motivated.
Now, I'll say two things. One, legally speaking, this is highly unlikely to result in Senator Kelly having any sort of, you know, conviction of any
kinds. The speech that he engaged in was very obviously free speech. It's also extra protected by the speech and debate clause of the U.S.
Constitution because he's a -- a sitting United States Senator who put this video out as part of his job, as part of his duties.
But put that aside, the other piece here, even if legally, this doesn't have implications for Mark Kelly. This has enormous implications for U.S.
service members because this is the White House and the Pentagon signaling to people in uniform that if you dare to dissent, if you dare to even
uphold your obligations to refuse illegal orders, we might court-martial you.
And -- and that puts remarkable pressure on these service members who might already feel like they're getting pressure to do things that are illegal to
stay quiet about it, to not bringing forward and to not comply with that portion of their oath.
I do think this is crossing the Rubicon. We are in uncharted territory here. No living U.S. service member has ever been put in this kind of
position.
ASHER: And, Miles, just talk to us about how Donald Trump 2.0, Donald Trump in his second term as president compares to the first administration just
in terms of the willingness, the desire, the sort of insatiable obsession with going after political enemies.
One of the things that, you know, he -- he had in his first term that was, I guess, in his way is that his administration back then was filled with a
lot more of a -- a lot more establishment figures, which obviously, this time around, he sort of learned that lesson and gotten rid of those
establishment figures and replaced them with a lot more yes men.
Just talk to us about the difference between the two terms.
TAYLOR: Well, look, I -- I witnessed this all the time personally with the president. I mean, he had a -- an inclination toward illegality. And often
that was he wanted to use power to punish his critics.
In fact, when -- when I published that opinion piece from within the administration, the president's first response, in all capital letters, was
treason question mark. I mean, in his view, a criticism from within was tantamount to murder. Treason as the highest crime envisioned in the
Constitution.
So he wanted to punish critics in the first term. But, of course, the difference was there were a lot of public servants, a lot of Republicans in
the first term who were willing to say no to the president, who were willing to do the thing that Senator Mark Kelly and others said that
government workers should do, which was to look at the president in the eye and say, Mr. President, I cannot do something illegal.
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On no fewer than a half dozen occasions, I had the president direct me or my team to do things that were obviously against the law. And in a moment
like you have to be ready to say to the president, sir, I can't do that. And here is why and try to explain to the president what a lawful pathway
is.
In this second term, they have assiduously screened out people willing to do that. But they've also gone further than that, to try to intimidate any
potential truth-tellers.
And I'll give you another example of that. In just this past week, the White House has signaled that they're planning to roll out a rule that
would rescind protections for senior officials in the government if they blow the whistle on illegal activity.
Let me put that another way. The administration is preparing to put into effect the ability to fire and potentially punish people, even if they come
forward and disclose something that has broken the law, including the president breaking the law. They're now saying, if you do that, we can
punish you. That has no other purpose than to silence dissent. That is a huge difference from the first administration. And I think that's going to
have implications about whether we know what's actually happening inside this second Trump administration.
GOLODRYGA: Miles, can I just ask you, as I noted, you are currently under DOJ investigation. It would be understandable to say the least why you
would not be willing or comfortable to talk publicly the way you continue to. Why do you do it?
TAYLOR: Because look, this shouldn't happen to other people. I'll be very honest with you, guys. This was devastating to my family. All the president
did was announce an investigation into me. It blew up our business. We lost friends. It impacted the security of our family. It meant death threats for
my daughter. I mean, everything in our lives imploded.
I don't want that to happen to other people. And in the wake of this, we could have stayed quiet, but my wife and I decided to launch something
called DEFIANCE.org. And that's a place where we can go crowd source support for other people who are targeted lawlessly, the eventual revenge
and by abuses of power.
And we're going to keep doing that every single day until this administration ends or until the abuses of power stopped.
GOLODRYGA: No one's family, no one, especially children, should ever feel threatened, especially in this country.
Miles Taylor, thank you so much.
ASHER: Thank you, Miles. Appreciate it.
TAYLOR: Thank you.
GOLODRYGA: Well, today is a day for raising awareness about violence against women.
ASHER: Yes. In Mexico City right now, demonstrators are marking the international day for the elimination of violence against women. The World
Health Organization says that about one in three women worldwide suffer abuse in their lifetime.
Joining us live now from the protest is Valeria Leon. So, Valeria, when you think about just the backdrop in terms of other protests that we've seen in
Mexico, just last week, there was a massive protest that were -- had Gen Z as essentially calling for the end of corruption and against violence in
general in -- in Mexico.
It was just three weeks ago that we all saw that video of the Mexican president, Claudia Sheinbaum, essentially being groped in public. And then
she ended up pressing charges against the man. And she ended up saying, listen, if I don't press charges, it sends a clear message. If it can
happen to me, it can literally happen to any woman.
Just walk us through what you're seeing where you are in Mexico City right now.
VALERIA LEON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's correct. And very few cases in Mexico are investigated and even fewer lead to convictions.
So today is a very important day in Mexico. And with demonstrations across the country to Mexico's marking 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 many others face domestic, political, and sexual violence.
And what we're seeing here in Mexico City, we're scheduled three protests for today. And the first groups, they're -- started to gather in here.
There are mothers who've lost their daughters due to femicide.
And as you can see, they are wearing the pictures of their daughter -- their -- their daughters. Carolina Edcel (ph). She was killed 14 years ago.
This is her mother, Esperanza.
How was the situation? How did you face this pain?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The pain is never, never, never go. The pain is here, the 14 years old. One -- the first time the problem that my daughter did
some same. And now, look at me.
LEON: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Now look at me. It's the -- only look at me. That's it.
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LEON: Yes. And this mother have to found strength. And this is the -- the first group that is gathered here. They're going to march along. But as you
can see, they all have the pictures of their daughters. They were disappeared first. And then they were found, you know, killed. Especially
Carolina Edcel was sexually abused. That's where her mother shared with me a few moments ago.
And this morning, it was the head of the Minister of Women in Mexico who shared this very worrying data of the situation that women in Mexico are
facing. Let's take a listen of what she said this morning.
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CITLALLI HERNANDEZ, MEXICAN SECRETARY FOR WOMEN (through translator): We believe it is important to make this visible, to show that it is not an
exaggeration but a structural problem, that we must continue to fight. Seventy percent of women in Mexico, over 15 years old, have reported some
type of violence.
And of that 70 percent, 49 percent have experienced sexual violence. In fact, out of every 10 reports of sexual abuse, nine are from women.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEON: And for many women, the 25th of November is not just a day of protest, but a reminder that safety and justice is remain urgent in the
country and in Mexico. And as you said, you know, what happened with the president just a few weeks ago was showing this violence that women had to
face in this country every day.
ASHER: Valeria, that statistic that was shared there, this idea that 70 percent of women in Mexico over the age of 16 has experienced some kind of
abuse. I mean, that is a really difficult pill to swallow.
And just, you know, the women that you spoke to standing behind you, I mean, I can only imagine, I can never imagine what it's like for a mother
to lose a child. And the unimaginable, overwhelming grief of that, because obviously you feel like you've lost a part of yourself when you lose a
child. And that grief never goes away.
Valeria Leon, live for us there. Thank you so much.
All right. Still to come, it was like a sudden bomb. A witness describes the terrifying moment, a long quiet volcano erupted, sending a giant ash
cloud kilometers into the sky.
GOLODRYGA: And how one legacy brand is trying to draw in shoppers this holiday season as many American consumers tighten up their spending.
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GOLODRYGA: A volcano in Ethiopia has erupted for what's believed to be the first time in 10,000 years, spewing thick smoke and ash into the sky and
disrupting air travel as far away as India.
ASHER: Yes. People on the ground said they heard a terrifying blast of the volcano in northeastern Ethiopia roared to life on Sunday.
No casualties were reported, but an official said it's a problem for livestock herders in the area because vital grazing lands are now covered
in volcanic ash.
GOLODRYGA: First time in 10,000 years. Can you imagine seeing that?
All right. Well, we are learning new details in the investigation of an 18- year-old Florida girl who died on a carnival cruise earlier this month. Anna Kepner's body was found under a bed in her cabin that she was sharing
with her stepbrother.
Her grandparents tell ABC News she may have died by asphyxiation and that her 16-year-old step brother is now being questioned by the FBI.
CNN's Isabel Rosales has more.
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ISABEL ROSALES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This is the first time that we're hearing directly from the family of Anna Kepner. In an interview with ABC
News, Kepner's grandmother said that ultimately it's going to be up to the courts to decide what justice looks like for the family.
She recalled when it was the last time that she saw Anna alive. Saying that the 18-year-old high schooler came to the ship's casino, told the family
that she loved them and then retired for the night back to her room that she shared with her brother and stepbrother.
And it wasn't until the next day that the family realized something had gone wrong when a medical alert blasted throughout the ship announcing
their room number.
Ultimately, a steward was the one who discovered Anna's body concealed, the family says, underneath a mattress.
The family also telling ABC News that Anna had no signs of sexual assault, no signs of drug or alcohol within her system.
And in court documents, in an unrelated custody case, Anna's stepmother stated that Anna's 16-year-old step brother is a suspect in this death
investigation.
Listen now to what else Anna's grandmother had to say about all of this.
BARBARA KEPNER, ANNA KEPNER'S GRANDMOTHER: I heard him in his own words say, he does not remember what happened. He was the only one scene coming
and going. So I can't -- I can't accuse him because I don't know what happened in that room. But the summation would be that -- that he did
something.
It's important to note that no criminal charges have been filed in this case. I reached out to the Miami-Dade County Medical Examiner's Office who
has not publicly released the cause or manner of death here.
I also reached out to the FBI and to Anna's family for comment. They declined to comment.
Back to you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ASHER: Isabel Rosales reporting there.
All right. Still to come, pleas for help and few resources if any. How weather in Gaza is making a dire situation even worse.
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GOLODRYGA: All right. Welcome back to "One World." I'm Bianna Golodryga.
ASHER: And I'm Zain Asher.
It's been 47 days since the Gaza ceasefire took effect on October 9th. Now, displaced Palestinians have a new hardship, torrential rains and flooding.
In Gaza City and Khan Younis, Palestinians are being flooded out of their tents.
GOLODRYGA: The U.N. says the situation in Gaza has sharply deteriorated since the heavy rains arrived last week. And local aid groups say 300,000
new tents are urgently needed.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): Our tents are worn out. We've had them for about a year and a half and they're all falling apart, I swear.
Every day, I suffer when it rains. Whenever a weather depression comes, I can't stop thinking about it. No matter what we do, the water always finds
its way in because the tents are so worn.
Last night, it rained heavily with strong winds and storms. I swear to God, my children have no clothes and they're freezing. My youngest son is just a
year and four months old, and all night, we had no proper blankets.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ASHER: The Gaza -- Gaza Health Ministry says that 342 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since the start of the ceasefire. And the
Israeli military says that three of its soldiers have been killed as well.
All right. Time now for "The Exchange." Joining us live now is Arwa Damon, founder and president of INARA, the International Network for Aid, Relief
and Assistance. She's also a former CNN senior international correspondent with more than a decade's worth of experience covering war zones.
Arwa, thank you so much for being with us. I do want to talk about the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation and the legacy that this foundation leaves in its
wake, given that it is closing its doors for good.
By some estimates, more than 2,000, 2,000 Palestinians may have been killed during the GHF's time in Gaza because the system essentially forced aid
seekers to reach distribution sites by entering into the line of fire of Israeli troops who essentially guarding the foundation.
Just walk us through what the legacy is of GHF at this point.
ARWA DAMON, FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT, INTERNATIONAL NETWORK FOR AID, RELIEF, AND ASSISTANCE: Well, it's a legacy of the failure of the international
community and it's a legacy of murder and it's a legacy of weaponizing humanitarian aid distributions.
The issue is that, you know, those who established the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation did have the information that they needed at their hands. They
were well informed and knew that you absolutely cannot, even under the best of circumstances, feed a population of 2.2 million people with just four
distribution points.
Add to that, there was never enough supply that they brought in to begin with. And so what would happen at these sites is that the people of Gaza
would gather very early in the morning, oftentimes during darkness, and move forward when they received a signal.
But there was no proper pathway for them to follow. And so it became what many described as this very sick, twisted, you know, game where the Israeli
soldiers, people who survived would say, would just shoot at them arbitrarily as a means of crowd control leading to hundreds, if not upwards
of 2,000 deaths.
It is an abomination. And even its name, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation is frankly an insult to the humanitarian community.
[12:35:04]
And now that, you know, they are declaring the end of their so-called mission, it's worth keeping in mind that they actually seized operations a
month ago when the ceasefire went into place, but also at the time when they were distributing humanitarian assistance, allegedly to the population
of Gaza rattling off those numbers of parcels distributed or numbers of hot meals. That's when the United Nations declared a famine in parts of Gaza as
well.
GOLODRYGA: Arwa, you mentioned international failures and you've also flagged at some 16,000 if not more people that are still on the medical
evacuation list with countries simply refusing to take them including Germany, which you noted fast-tracked injured animals while rejecting human
cases.
What does this say about the international community's responsibility and the opportunity it's had and -- and not taken in stepping up and helping as
well?
DAMON: You know, you really get the sense that even when it comes to what is a basic human right, the bare basics of what countries could do, that is
not even materializing when it comes to Gaza.
Pressure that could be put on Israel aside to try to allow more humanitarian aid in because right now, we're actually at the stage we're
only a third of the agreed upon trucks or being allowed access into Gaza.
You also have 16,500 people on a medical evacuation list. These are people that need to get out of Gaza to have their lives saved.
If we look at the numbers, MSF just put out this statistic showing that between July 2024 and August 2025, more than 700 people, including
children, died because they weren't medically evacuated.
And when it comes to these evacuations, the challenges are twofold. One, there's navigating the Israeli bureaucracy. But even bigger than that, at
this point in time, is that countries are not stepping forward and saying, we'll take cases.
Keir Starmer made this big announcement about how the U.K. was going to be taking all of these medical cases, saving all of these children's lives.
Only a few dozen cases have actually evacuated to the U.K. and there's been absolutely no pledge that this is going to be a sustained open medical
evacuation route.
We talk about Germany. Cities in Germany have come forward and said to the government, we will take cases. We will cover all of their expenses. We
just need you to facilitate the actual evacuation process with the Israelis. The German government has refused to do this.
And then we hear this news about how they're actually treating four donkeys that were evacuated by an Israeli organization. I mean it's absurd. It
defies logic and it continues to defy logic.
And talk to the people in Gaza and they'll tell you straight up. First of all, this is not a ceasefire. And secondly, the war on life in Gaza has not
ended. It has simply changed its form, but people are still struggling and dying every single day.
ASHER: Arwa Damon, thank you so much. Appreciate it.
GOLODRYGA: Thank you, Arwa.
Well, turning now to Australia where the burqa has taken center stage in political controversy again.
Far-Right Senator Pauline Hanson wore a burqa to Parliament Monday as a prop in her push to ban the use of the government in public.
ASHER: Yes. Conduct through accusations of racism from other senators. Avery Schmitz take a -- takes a closer look at the political stunt.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
AVERY SCHMITZ, CNN OPEN-SOURCE RESEARCHER (voice-over): Australian far- right Senator Pauline Hanson wore a burqa to Parliament in a political stunt condemned by other lawmakers.
MEHREEN FARUQI, SENATOR, NEW SOUTH WALES: President, a dress code might be a choice of the senators, but racism should not be the choice of the
Senate.
PAYMAN: She is disrespecting a faith. She is disrespecting the Muslim -- the Muslim-Australians. It's absolutely unconstitutional.
SCHMITZ (voice-over): Hanson, known for her longtime opposition to immigrants from Asia, previously used the burqa in 2017 as a prop and
attempted to ban the public wearing of the garment in Australia.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This matter has been ruled on before.
LARISSA WATERS, LEADER, AUSTRALIAN GREENS: And I would like you to reconsider your earlier ruling that it is not appropriate in this Senate to
draw attention to a religion that this person does not even subscribe to. It is an insult.
SCHMITZ (voice-over): Proceedings were suspended when Hanson refused to remove it.
SUE LINES, PRESIDENT, ALP: And remove the clothing and come back, dressed appropriately or risk suspension and she certainly will not be heard if she
doesn't remove herself from the chamber.
SCHMITZ (voice-over): In a statement on X, Hanson said her actions were in protest of the Senate rejecting her proposed bill, writing, "If these
hypocrites don't want me to wear a burqa, they can always support my ban."
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ASHER: Oh, no, no, no.
GOLODRYGA: All right. Still to come for us, as thousands of Americans hop on flights to make it on time for Thanksgiving roast. Thanksgiving roast?
Thanksgiving -- Thanksgiving dinner, should pajamas and slippers be vetoed on plane?
[12:40:13]
ASHER: Oh, gosh.
GOLODRYGA: We'll have the U.S. transport secretary weighing in.
ASHER: And later, these two turkeys were today's VIP guests at the White House. We'll explain when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ASHER: All right. Let's see how the U.S. stock market is doing. Let's bring it up on the screen. This -- let's take a look here. Dow is actually up
quite a bit. Up 500 points or so. Green across the board.
This is your "Business Breakout."
GOLODRYGA: In a scathing criticism of the Federal Reserve, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says Central Bank policymaker should stop
commenting publicly about potential interest rate decisions.
According to Bessent, Fed officials need to calm things down. He -- and he told them this isn't sports, this is people's lives.
ASHER: Yes. Shein could face a three-month suspension in France. On Wednesday, the government will ask a court to suspend the Chinese fashion
website in France. France began a process to blockchain after childlike sex dolls and weapons were found on sale on its site. The same day it opened
its first door in Paris.
GOLODRYGA: The British newspaper, "The Telegraph," has agreed to be bought by the owners of rival title, "The Daily Mail." The takeover would create a
powerful right-leaning British media group.
DMGT, the owner of "The Daily Mail," will pay $650 million to add "The Telegraph" to its stable of four national newspapers.
ASHER: All right. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration says Thanksgiving travel will be the highest in 15 years. And while you're
likely to see large crowds at the airport this week, you might also notice something else, what people are wearing.
That's because the Transportation Secretary is advising passengers to dress better. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEAN DUFFY, U.S. TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY: I would encourage people to maybe dress a little better, which encourages us to maybe behave a little
better. Let's try not to wear slippers and -- and -- and pajamas as we come to the airport.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GOLODRYGA: OK, Zain, again, no slippers or pajamas.
ASHER: No. I -- I always knew about that.
GOLODRYGA: I think he is speaking to you.
ASHER: I just feel so comfortable.
GOLODRYGA: Secretary Sean Duffy has framed his message as an appeal to common courtesy. His comments come as the Department of Transportation
launches what it calls a civility campaign to promote good behavior on flights and airports. That is something I'll endorse.
[12:45:09]
Newly released data in the U.S. show that prices paid by business for goods and services mean time are rising steadily, a sign that higher prices could
be around the corner for consumers.
ASHER: Yes. We also got new retail sales figures and sales rose in September, but much more slowly than in August,
CNN's Vanessa Yurkevich has more on how retailers are trying to draw in shoppers this holiday season.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NATA DVIR, CHIEF MERCHANDISING OFFICER, MACY'S: You want to throw some hoops?
VANESSA YURKEVICH, CNN BUSINESS AND POLITICS CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Yes.
DVIR: OK.
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: 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: And their first national Santa tour.
YURKEVICH: He's an O.G. 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. 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's 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 three and a half 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 in 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: You know, 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, you know, few years ago that the stores felt messier. They -- 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.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[12:50:24]
GOLODRYGA: And finally this hour, Justice has been served at the White House. That's a good headline, right? As U.S. President Trump spared a pair
of turkeys from Thanksgiving, well, dinner.
Gobble and --
ASHER: It said roast. I guess Americans (INAUDIBLE).
GOLODRYGA: Gobble and Waddle joined the list of pardons Trump has dished out as part of a yearly presidential tradition that provides some levity.
Weighing in at 52 and 50 pounds respectively, the turkeys rode the gravy train to Washington from North Carolina before spending a lush night at
taxpayer dollar InterContinental Hotel suite close to the White House. This is Trump's fifth turkey pardon.
ASHER: Yes. CNN's Betsy Klein. Betsy, for the international ones among us, I'm obviously from the U.K. Can you just explain this American tradition? I
haven't -- turkeys getting pardoned. Never understood that.
GOLODRYGA: And, Betsy, do you say -- do you say turkey roast or turkey dinner?
ASHER: No, she's American.
GOLODRYGA: I know.
BETSY KLEIN, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: I think it's a turkey dinner, but it is a roast.
GOLODRYGA: Yes. We had this whole debate, yes. But I'm with you, Betsy. OK. Now talk to us about this other tradition.
KLEIN: Well, this tradition actually dates back to the Lincoln administration when Abraham Lincoln's young son asked the president to
spare the family's pet turkey from their Thanksgiving table.
But President Trump really leaning into it. We've seen him use that clemency power in his second term today for Gobble and Waddle serving
justice and a couple of jokes here at the White House for the 78th annual National Thanksgiving turkey presentation.
Now, the unpredictability that comes with a live presidential event cannot be -- cannot be understated, especially when there are live animals
involved. Those two turkeys squawking repeatedly as the president gave his remarks.
But the President really did have some fun with what was a Thanksgiving roast. He called for an -- full, absolute, and unconditional presidential
pardon for Gobble and Waddle. He also poked fun at former President Joe Biden's use of the autopen. He said they did a full investigation and
review and had determined that last year's pardons were invalid.
He also joked that he would have called those turkeys Chuck and Nancy, but then he wouldn't have given them pardons, referring, of course, to Chuck
Schumer and Nancy Pelosi, the Democrats there.
He also said that these birds are fat, as you mentioned, weighing in at 50 and 52 pounds respectively. But he did say that Health and Human Services
secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. would give them an official seal of MAHA, Make America Healthy Again.
But turkeys are generally pretty unfriendly animals. And these two have been preparing their entire lives for this moment. They train to be used to
large crowds and bright lights as well as loud sounds before riding this gravy train here to the White House.
After they are pardoned, these birds are expected to retreat to North Carolina State University's poultry department, where they are going to
live out a very relieved retirement. Bianna and Zain.
GOLODRYGA: They trained out their entire lives. I mean, you make it sound like this is an Olympic segment, but we're just getting the backstory.
ASHER: And I learned so much.
GOLODRYGA: Happily.
ASHER: So this goes back to the Lincoln era. So his -- his son essentially said, please pardon the pet turkey. Don't cook it for dinner. Please pardon
it.
GOLODRYGA: Don't roast it.
KLEIN: And the first documented pardon took place in the Kennedy administration. But this really became a regular annual thing during George
H.W. Bush, and really an annual opportunity for a cornucopia of bad jokes.
ASHER: I learned so much.
GOLODRYGA: Do they always get posh hotel rooms, though? That (INAUDIBLE).
ASHER: The InterContinental.
KLEIN: Yes. They are sponsored influencers, but they declined to comment. They -- we saw them in the briefing room a short while ago.
[12:55:05]
ASHER: What we call (INAUDIBLE).
KLEIN: They -- they would not.
ASHER: All right. Thank you, Betsy. Appreciate it.
GOLODRYGA: Happy Thanksgiving, Betsy.
KLEIN: Happy Thanksgiving.
GOLODRYGA: Enjoy your roast. All right. I can't stop. I'll stop.
That does it for "One World" today. I'm Bianna Golodryga.
ASHER: So Americans don't say that.
GOLODRYGA: I've never heard turkey roasts.
ASHER: Turkey roast.
GOLODRYGA: No.
ASHER: OK. I'm Zain Asher. Appreciate you watching. She's going to be back with "Amanpour" in about five minutes from now. So stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
