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Trump to Meet British P.M. After a Lavish Meeting with the Royal Family; ABC Pulls "Jimmy Kimmel Live" over Charlie Kirk Comments; Pop Mart's Crybaby is now the Next Labubu. Aired 3-4a ET

Aired September 18, 2025 - 03:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[03:00:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN CORRESPONDENT AND ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us from all around the world and to everyone streaming us on CNN Max, I'm Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong.

Just ahead, after the pomp and pageantry comes the politics. Donald Trump is set to meet with the British Prime Minister in the coming hours, what is expected to come out of these talks in a live report.

ABC yanks Jimmy Kimmel's show off the air indefinitely following comments he made about Charlie Kirk's suspected killer, a move critics call an assault on free speech in America.

And more than a year after his death in a Russian prison, the widow of opposition leader Alexey Navalny says she now has evidence he was poisoned

UNKNOWN (voice-over): Live from Hong Kong, this is "CNN Newsroom" with Kristie Lu Stout.

LU STOUT: The U.S. President's second state visit to the United Kingdom has been filled with splendor and flattery, but today brings some serious conversations. Donald Trump will hold private talks with Keir Starmer at the British Prime Minister's country home, Chequers. They're expected to discuss trade and tech investments, as well as the wars in Ukraine and Gaza.

This follows an opulent banquet at Windsor Castle that President Trump called one of the highest honors of his life. Now King Charles III spoke of, quote, "the enduring bond between our two great nations," and President Trump shared a pointed message.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: Together, we've done more good for humanity than any two countries in all of history. Together, we must defend the exceptional heritage that makes us who we are, and we must continue to stand for the values and the people of the English- speaking world. And we do indeed stand for that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LU STOUT: Before the big banquet, there was plenty of pomp and ceremony and symbolism. King Charles and President Trump set off on a carriage ride through Windsor Estate.

The British and American national anthems were played as the procession got underway. Now the King and President were accompanied by 80 soldiers who underwent a ceremonial inspection.

(VIDEO PLAYING)

And then there was the Royal Air Force flyover, trails of red, white and blue streaming through the skies.

Our CNN's Nada Bashir is covering all this live from London, she joins us now. And Nada, it was a very royal welcome for Trump in Windsor. How did the day unfold and what could it achieve?

NADA BASHIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, that's right, Kristie, we did certainly have a lot of fun. We certainly see the expected pomp and pageantry around President Trump's state visit to Windsor Castle, where, of course, we saw that very opulent banquet being hosted by the King and his wife, Queen Camilla, alongside the Prince and Princess of Wales, of course.

And we've seen, of course, in the past this generally grand events for world leaders. But, of course, this is unique in some ways. This is, of course, a country that the U.K. hails to have such a special relationship with.

And we've been hearing from the U.S. President, of course, describing this as one of the greatest honors of his life. And while the politics in this state visit has certainly been largely reserved for today, where we expect to see the U.S. president meeting with the British Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, later today, there certainly were some words towards the political climate that the two are meeting in, certainly at the state banquet.

Take a listen to these remarks from the King yesterday during that state banquet.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KING CHARLES III, UNITED KINGDOM: Our countries are working together in support of crucial diplomatic efforts, not least of which, Mr. President, is your own personal commitment to finding solutions to some of the world's most intractable conflicts in order to secure peace.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BASHIR: Now, of course, this has long been a key foreign policy agenda for the U.S. president when it comes to global conflicts that the U.S. is certainly involved in on the diplomatic front. That was touched on, as you heard, by King Charles during that state banquet. And it's certainly expected to be something that appears on today's agenda when the president departs Windsor to meet with the Prime Minister at Chequers, the Prime Minister's country home.

[03:05:03]

Now, it is expected that there will be a lengthy agenda. Among those key topics to be discussed is, as you mentioned, Kristie, trade.

We have seen the announcement of a multibillion dollar investment by the United States into the United Kingdom. Clearly, that will be something key to be discussed. But there are a number of issues on the table that are expected to be touched on.

Of course, this meeting comes just ahead of the U.N. General Assembly, where we are expecting the United Kingdom, potentially, as well as other European nations to recognize the State of Palestine. The war in Gaza is expected to be a key topic of discussion. Of course, the U.S.'s involvement in the war in Ukraine, as well as NATO's involvement in the war in Ukraine, is expected to be discussed, as well.

And we are expecting to see a press conference being held by the two leaders later today. Those meetings prior to that press conference are expected to be closed-door meetings. And we'll be waiting to hear from that press conference to see exactly what was discussed.

And, of course, it's important to note, as well, that this state visit has not come without protests. We've seen significant protests taking place across the country, in particular in London against Trump's visit.

So there has been a lot of chaos, as well, surrounding this visit. Kristie?

LU STOUT: And so more on the protests, because yesterday the focus was on pomp and pageantry, today on politics, as the two leaders sit down to talk. But protests also have been taking place. How much impact will the protests have on Trump's visit, and what the British Prime Minister can achieve as a result of this royal red carpet tour?

BASHIR: Well, Kristie, we have seen these large-scale protests taking place, particularly here in the capital, in London. That state visit and meeting between the Prime Minister and the U.S. President is taking place at Chequers, the Prime Minister's country home, so expected to be more of a low-key setting, as opposed to a meeting, perhaps, at Downing Street.

But, of course, those protests are expected to continue. We certainly saw protests taking place in Windsor Castle and around Windsor Castle, focusing on President Trump's relations with Jeffrey Epstein, for example. We've seen huge protests in London, criticizing the U.S. President's policies on a range of areas, from the war in Gaza to the war in Ukraine, from freedom of speech to his administration's policies on gender rights. So, clearly, there has been a lot of upheaval here in London in

reaction to this state visit by the U.S. president. Whether we see any more today, that remains to be seen, but this has certainly been met with some controversy here in the United Kingdom.

LU STOUT: Absolutely. Nada Bashir reporting live for us from London. Thank you.

The European Commission is proposing new trade sanctions on Israel and far-right Israeli ministers in response to the ongoing offensive in Gaza. There would also be sanctions on members of Hamas and if these measures are approved, the European Union's free trade agreement with Israel will be partially suspended, and Israel would lose its preferential access to the E.U. market. Now the E.U.'s foreign policy chief said the aim is not to punish Israel, but to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

Now, meanwhile, inside the enclave, hospitals say nearly 100 Palestinians were killed in the last 24 hours, and Israeli tanks are said to be stationed on the edge of Gaza City. While the Israeli military says that a ground operation has begun, eyewitnesses and satellite images reveal that tanks have not yet entered Gaza's largest urban area.

Palestinians continue to flee Gaza City, with some seen heading south across a coastal area on Wednesday in vehicles and, as you can see there, even on foot. Jeremy Diamond has more from Tel Aviv.

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JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: Israeli tanks are surrounding Gaza City. As the Israeli military says, its offensive to conquer and ultimately occupy that city is very much underway. Two divisions of Israeli troops or some 20,000 troops have been mobilized for this operation, but we've yet to actually see those Israeli tanks moving into the heart of Gaza City, where hundreds of thousands of people are still living.

The military has been stepping up its aerial bombardment of the city in the meantime, though, striking some 150 targets over the last two days, according to the Israeli military. And we've seen that in Gaza on Wednesday, dozens of people in Gaza City alone have been killed so far.

One of those Israeli bombardments actually struck a children's hospital. The Al-Rantisi Hospital in Gaza City was bombed three times, actually, overnight, while dozens of patients were inside, hospital officials rushing to get those patients, including children, out of that facility very quickly.

[03:10:02]

The Israeli military is trying to get more Palestinians to leave Gaza City at this moment. They've already estimated that some 350,000 have been displaced from Gaza City, but they're now opening a second temporary evacuation route, not the coastal one that we've already seen be opened, but this one coming from the center of the city, heading south, encouraging people over the next two days to use that route to get out of the city.

But it's important to note that even as the Israeli military says it wants to get civilians out of harm's way, it is facing accusations of ethnic cleansing and of carrying out the mass forced displacement of Palestinians in Gaza once again. And so many Palestinians have seen that before, when evacuation routes have been outlined, those routes have also been struck by the Israeli military, or gunfire has been directed at people along those routes.

For other Palestinians, they simply don't have the means to get out of Gaza City, or they may be too ill, injured, to actually get out of the city on foot, a multi-hour journey in order to get to southern Gaza. And so the Israeli government is coming under growing international condemnation over this major new offensive in Gaza City.

The latest news on that front is from the European Commission, which is proposing new trade sanctions targeting Israel and far-right Israeli ministers. This would need to be approved by E.U. member states, but it could lead to a partial suspension of the European Union's free trade agreement with Israel.

And the E.U., it's important to note, is Israel's biggest trading partner, accounting for some 32 percent of Israel's total trade in goods. That could have an impact if it moves forward.

Jeremy Diamond, CNN, Tel Aviv.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: Joining us now from Amman, Jordan, is Shaina Lowe. She's a communications adviser with the Norwegian Refugee Council. Shana, thank you very much indeed for joining us here on "CNN Newsroom."

You have colleagues in Gaza City. You've been talking to them. Tell us about what they've been witnessing and what has been the human impact of Israel's push into Gaza City.

SHAINA LOWE, COMMUNICATIONS ADVISER, NORWEGIAN REFUGEE COUNCIL: I've spoken to a number of colleagues. In fact, I was just messaging with one right before going live on air, and what they are describing is simply unimaginable. Nights filled with shelling and bombardment, people are up all night and are amazed when the morning comes and they have not yet been killed.

That is the terror and fear that they are living under as Israel continues to pound Gaza City. One colleague, who two weeks ago told me that he would stay as long as he could, left just yesterday after the towers in his neighborhood were targeted. The house was filled with smoke and dust, he said he simply could not see the fear in his children's eyes any longer and that they needed to make the journey south.

Those that are moving to the south know that the conditions there are horrific, that there's no space for them. One colleague said the conditions there are not even suitable for animals, and yet people are being forced to make these impossible decisions.

Staying under bombardment and siege in Gaza City where famine was already announced one month ago, or making a perilous journey to the south where they know that no aid will be there to support them because of Israel's ongoing near-complete siege, and that there simply is no space in the already overcrowded shelters.

LU STOUT: Shaina, your colleagues in Gaza City, they're describing non-stop shelling, non-stop bombardment of fear and terror that is constant. And residents in Gaza City are now in a position where they have to make this difficult choice.

Do they stay there or do they make this dangerous and uncertain journey south? Shaina, how many people are deciding to stay in Gaza City?

LOWE: Well, still hundreds of thousands of people remain in Gaza City. We have seen an increase in the number of people being displaced over the last couple of days. But as I said, people know that there is no space, that there are no resources to support them or very limited resources to support them.

And so we anticipate that tens, hundreds of thousands could end up staying in Gaza City. Of course, international law is clear, civilians must be protected wherever they are. So that means despite Israeli orders to flee the city, people who are civilians who remain there should be protected.

LU STOUT: And Shaina, for those who are civilians who are still in Gaza City and living under the constant threat of violence and shelling, what are the living conditions like there? Do they have access to clean water, access to basic necessities? How much aid can get into Gaza City right now?

[03:15:08}

LOWE: Well, no aid has entered through the Zikim crossing in northern Gaza since last Friday. Supplies were already limited. We heard earlier this week of a quadcopter targeting a water tanker that has led many organizations to suspend or pause their operations. We have paused our in-person operations in Gaza City for the last couple of weeks as the bombardments increased and it became increasingly unsafe for us to send our staff out.

People are living in tents and makeshift shelters. They are living in buildings, though more and more people are being displaced as the high-rise buildings in Gaza, which are hosting thousands of people, are being destroyed, bombed and destroyed. What we need now is the world to put an end to this.

We need world leaders to step up and end this assault on Gaza City, end this assault on Gaza. Just this week, the U.N. Commission of Inquiry concluded that Israel was committing genocide in Gaza. That obligates states to act, to prevent, to stop and to punish acts of genocide. And we need to see the world step up. We need to see the international community step up and protect civilian lives. Already 65,000 people have been killed.

Over 65,000, that's a gross underestimate, considering the bodies buried under rubble that have not yet been retrieved or identified. We need the world to put an end to this and to make way for us to find a way for us to bring in our aid and do what we're there to do, which is save lives. Our staff in Gaza are committed to continuing to work, but we need conditions that are suitable in order to do so.

LU STOUT: Yes, and amid the shelling and bombardment with Israeli tanks coming in, your colleagues remain inside Gaza City with the Norwegian Refugee Council. Shaina Lowe, thank you for giving us that update. Thank you, and to your colleagues, take care.

LOWE: Thank you.

LU STOUT: Israel's finance minister is describing Gaza as a potential real estate, quote, "bonanza" after the war ends. Far-right minister Bezalel Smotrich says that Israel and the U.S. are discussing how to divide up Gaza, including sharing profits from land sales. He claims that there is a business plan sitting on, quote, President Trump's desk.

Now, asked about those comments, a White House official says this quote, "President Trump has long promoted solutions that would help the people of Gaza rebuild. However, Hamas must first agree to disarm and give up rule in Gaza."

We are following a developing story from Hollywood. ABC is pulling the late night show "Jimmy Kimmel Live" off the air indefinitely following pressure from the Trump administration. It comes after comments from the comedian on Monday about the assassination of the conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

Our CNN entertainment correspondent, Elizabeth Wagmeister, reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ELIZABETH WAGMEISTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: Shockwaves are being sent through Hollywood after Jimmy Kimmel's late night show was suddenly yanked off the air. A spokesperson for ABC telling me, quote, "'Jimmy Kimmel Live' will be preempted indefinitely," end quote.

Now, Kimmel's show being taken off the air comes after the late night host made comments on his show about Charlie Kirk's suspected murderer. Take a look.

JIMMY KIMMEL, HOST, "JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE": We had some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it.

WAGMEISTER: Kimmel's comments prompted FCC chair Brendan Carr to speak about that on a podcast Wednesday just hours before ABC made the decision to preempt the show.

BRENDAN CARR, CHAIRMAN, FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION: When you look at the conduct that has taken place by Jimmy Kimmel, it appears to be some of the sickest conduct possible. Obviously, there's calls for Kimmel to be fired.

I think, you know, you could certainly see a path forward for suspension over this. And again, you know, the FCC is going to have remedies that we could look at.

WAGMEISTER: Sources I've spoken to in the entertainment industry said that the decision came so suddenly that celebrity guests who were booked on Kimmel's Wednesday night show were actually on their way to the studio in Hollywood where "Jimmy Kimmel Live" taped. That's when their publicist started receiving news alerts that the show had been pulled off of the air.

Now, the White House has commented on this with President Donald Trump posting, quote, "Congratulations to ABC for finally having the courage to do what had to be done. That leaves Jimmy Fallon and Seth, two total losers, on Fake News NBC. Their ratings are also horrible. Do it, NBC."

[03:20:09]

Of course, what the President is referring to there is Stephen Colbert show being canceled over on CBS, leaving the future of late night really in question.

Now, I have reached out to a representative for Kimmel and have not heard back yet. Back to you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: Now, the U.S. Federal Reserve announced its first interest rate cut in months. How this could affect the wealth of Americans and also the global economy. That's next.

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[03:25:00]

LU STOUT: Hello there and welcome back.

Now, on Wednesday, the Federal Reserve made its first interest rate cut since President Donald Trump started his second term. The central bank lowered its benchmark lending rate by a quarter point.

And as CNN's Matt Egan reports, there could be more cuts to come.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MATT EGAN, CNN SR. REPORTER: So this was one of the more unusual Fed meetings in recent memory, both because of the confusing economic situation, but also because of the political controversy swirling in the background. In the end, the Fed opted for the quarter point interest rate cut that was widely expected.

This is the first interest rate cut of the second Trump administration. It's not happening because the Fed feels like inflation has been defeated. It hasn't been.

It's happening because Fed officials are increasingly concerned about the state of the job market. And they're trying to act now to prevent this hiring slump from turning into something more serious.

And Fed officials, they're signaling they're not done yet. They're penciling in a total of three cuts this year. That's a shift from June, when the Fed had been penciling in a total of two interest rate cuts.

Still though, Fed officials, they did acknowledge that inflation remains elevated. And Fed Chair Jerome Powell, he talked about how tariffs do seem to be driving up the prices of some goods. But he said that this pass-through of tariffs to prices, it's been slower and smaller than had been anticipated and he said it hopeful that it's just going to be a temporary increase in prices.

Now, one surprise here is how the votes landed. We've been bracing for some historic levels of dissension. We didn't get that.

This was a nearly unanimous decision, 11 to 1 in favor of this quarter point cut, including Fed Governor Lisa Cook, who the President has been trying to fire. The one dissent was the Fed's newest member, that's Stephen Myron.

Perhaps not surprisingly, the Trump loyalist and White House economist, he voted in favor of a bigger interest rate cut of half a percentage point. The big picture, a quarter point cut, it's not going to be a silver bullet for this economy. Interest rates do remain elevated, but the Fed is starting to take its foot off the brake a bit.

And this decision does make clear that in the eyes of the Fed, the number one concern right now is the state of the job market. But inflation, it remains too high for the Fed to cut interest rates any more aggressively, at least not yet.

Matt Egan, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: Now the U.S. stock market ended Wednesday in mixed territory after that rate cut, which was expected, was announced.

Now, the Dow closed up about half a percent. Let's take a look at where things stand now.

And across Asia, we've been monitoring performance in the stock markets, they've been largely mixed. You can see gains in South Korea, gains in Japan. Meanwhile, futures have all been hinting, trending towards positive territory. Let's get some insight on the Fed's decision from Taimur Baig, he is

the managing director and chief economist at DBS Bank Limited. He joins us now live from Singapore. Taimur, thank you so much for joining us here on the program.

So as expected, the Fed has cut interest rates and Powell also hinted at two more cuts to come. So what does all this reveal about the health of the U.S. economy?

TAIMUR BAIG, MANAGING DIRECTOR AND CHIEF ECONOMIST, DBS BANK LIMITED: It does reveal much more about the dysfunctionality or tension within the Fed than much about the U.S. economy. I think the market had a very good sense of where the economy was headed long before the Fed met. It is really about the tension within the Fed.

And you see it in the dark plots. It's even in the communication coming from the Fed. They're torn between supporting the labor market and trying to be vigilant on inflation.

They have a huge amount of political pressure coming from the White House. It is a very difficult position for the Fed and that's the interesting part. The U.S. economy is doing just fine.

The labor market might be slowing on the margin, but stock markets at an all-time high. Household corporate balance sheet in great shape, lots of stimulus coming from fiscal side. That's not the problem, the problem is the politics within the Fed and how it's reacting to Trump.

LU STOUT: We'll talk about the health of the Fed in just a moment. But I wanted to ask you about the jobs picture, because Powell flagged that immigration, not tariffs, is a big driver behind labor market dynamics. I wanted to ask you, how significant is that?

BAIG: I think time will tell. The data that we have right now does not necessarily suggest that it is the immigration measures. It is about the aging of the population, changing attitude toward jobs, A.I. disruption in the workforce, a lot of things going on.

Immigration is a factor, not the factor in the worsening labor market outlook. If you think about it, labor market actually becomes tighter if there are less people to work. That means those who actually do working get higher wages.

So that cuts both ways.

LU STOUT: Interesting. Trump's immigration crackdown will only tighten the labor supply, especially at the low end that you mentioned in a recent report that was out.

[03:30:04]

What does the Fed's actions in terms of easing mean for the rest of the world? You know, when will the global economy feel the impact of lower U.S. interest rates?

BAIG: So the market was fully aligned with the Fed's actions. The Fed had telegraphed this very well. So all financial instruments fully reflected expectation of a 25 basis points rate cut.

So therefore, the developments overnight do not constitute any surprise for the market. And therefore, there's very little ripple effect for the financial markets, whether it's stocks or bonds or credit for that matter.

What is the question for the market right now is that can we really trust the Fed in its signal that it'll cut by two more times this year and perhaps as many as three more times next year? That's the market's expectation. The Fed would want less of a rate cut to be priced in by the market.

And that tension, what the Fed wants to do, what the market thinks the Fed would do out of pressure from Trump is the interesting story going forward.

LU STOUT: And that is the key question, isn't it? How much market trust is there in the Fed, given all the political drama over the people who make up the U.S. Federal Reserve?

We have the pressure and the attempt to fire Lisa Cook. You got the confirmation of the Trump ally, Stephen Moran. How is all of this affecting the credibility of the Fed?

BAIG: This is worrisome. And the market and market observers are still hoping for the best, which is once you're inside the institution, you do see the wisdom of consensus-based policy. You do worry about your own legacy as a member of the Federal Open Market Committee, and therefore you cease being overly political.

I think that's the hope, that whoever Trump puts in in the FOMC, in the Fed, would act in the best interest of the U.S. economy and keep the Fed's credibility intact.

So I think what is happening is worrisome, could be damaging the Fed's credibility. But when we look at the futures market, when we look at the pricing, not just the short term, but also medium term, so far these developments have not dented market's expectation of Fed credibility. So that jury is still out there, we're all sort of crossing our fingers and hoping for the best.

LU STOUT: And a final question for you. When you put all the pieces of data together, including the risk of further erosion of credibility at the Fed, what is your overall feeling about where the U.S. economy is heading?

BAIG: I think the U.S. economy is going through a once-in-a-lifetime expansion based around a disruptive technology. So the kind of spending that is happening around A.I. is transformational. And that alone could prop up growth for the next two, four, six quarters.

There are lots of macro dislocation happening on the debt market, on the fiscal policy path, on the way the U.S. is carrying out tariff policy. Those things complicate the outlook. But overall, the household balance sheet, corporate balance sheet in great shape, ample liquidity, record-breaking equity markets, big tailwind from CapEx on the A.I. side.

There are many good things happening in the U.S., it's really up to the U.S. to maintain that or mess it up through additional noise.

LU STOUT: And that's where you are, as you put it yourself, firmly in the no-recession camp, a very rosy outlook indeed. Taimur Baig, thank you so much for joining us. Looking forward to speaking again next time. Take care.

You're watching "CNN Newsroom," and up next, the widow of Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny never bought the official explanation of his death, and now she claims she has proof that he was murdered in prison.

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[03:35:00]

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LU STOUT: Welcome back to "CNN Newsroom." I'm Kristie Lu Stout. Let's check today's top stories.

Today is the final day of President Trump's second state visit to the U.K., and he'll be trading the opulence and pageantry of Wednesday's banquet dinner for political talks with the British Prime Minister. They will likely discuss tech investments, steel tariffs, and the wars in Ukraine and Gaza.

ABC is pulling the late-night show Jimmy Kimmel Live off the air indefinitely after pressure from the Trump administration, as comes after remarks that the comedian made on his show on Monday saying MAGA groups were trying to score political points over the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

The U.S. Federal Reserve made its first interest rate cut of the second Trump administration. The Fed Chairman Jerome Powell announced on Wednesday that the central bank will lower the key lending rate by a quarter point, all in the bid to support the job market.

Now more high-tech weapons made in the U.S. will be headed to Ukraine.

[03:40:02]

President Zelenskyy says that his military will be getting another batch of HIMARS rocket launchers and Patriot air defense systems. Those will be among the first weapons supplied to Ukraine under a new financing program agreed to by the U.S. and NATO. President Donald Trump has been critical of military aid to Ukraine, and this initiative offers a way for Europe to pay for the weapons and the U.S. to send them.

Now the widow of Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny says that she has evidence that he was murdered, Navalny died in a Russian prison last year. At the time, officials suggested his death was the result of a vague medical cause. Navalny's family was denied access to his remains for days, and his widow now suggests there was a reason for that.

Melissa Bell reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

YULIA NAVALNAYA, WIDOW OF ALEXEY NAVALNY: Alexey was killed, more specifically, he was poisoned.

MELISSA BELL, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The allegation by Alexey Navalny's widow is not new. What is, says Yulia Navalny in a video released on her X account, is the proof.

NAVALNAYA: In February 2024, we were able to obtain samples of Alexey's biological material and securely smuggled them abroad. Labs in at least two countries examined these samples independently of each other.

BELL (voice-over): How the samples were obtained and smuggled out of Russia is not explained, but Navalny does share images of her late husband's prison cell in Russia's Arctic Circle, with visible vomit on the floor, also suggesting in the video that the labs, located in two unnamed countries, would not provide the full toxicology reports for political reasons.

NAVALNAYA: I demand that the labs that conducted the analysis publish their results. Stop pondering to Putin on account of so-called higher considerations. While you remain silent, he doesn't stop.

BELL (voice-over): For nearly a decade, Navalny was Vladimir Putin's most persistent domestic critic. In 2020, he was poisoned with the nerve agent Novichok, but recovered, speaking with CNN shortly afterwards.

ALEXEY NAVALNY, RUSSIAN OPPOSITION LEADER: It's impossible to believe it. It's kind of stupid. The whole idea of poisoning with a chemical weapon, what the (expletive)?

This is why this is so smart. Because even reasonable people, they refuse to believe, like, what? Come on. Poisoned? Seriously?

BELL (voice-over): Yet, he returned to Moscow in 2021, where he was immediately arrested. After three years in a brutal Siberian jail, the 47-year-old died, with Russian investigators blaming a sudden spike in blood pressure and chronic diseases. Thousands attended Navalny's funeral in Moscow, despite the crackdown on public dissent that followed Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Now his widow says she wants the truth, despite the inconvenience it might represent to those countries now hoping for peace.

NAVALNAYA: Alexey was my husband, he was my friend, he was a symbol of hope for our country. Putin killed that hope. We have the right to know how he did it.

BELL (voice-over): Melissa Bell, CNN, Paris.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: You're watching "CNN Newsroom," and still to come, the scandal President Trump just can't seem to shake, even when he's on the other side of the Atlantic.

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[03:45:00]

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LU STOUT: Welcome back.

Now, President Trump is ready to say goodbye to Britain's royal family ahead of talks with the British Prime Minister. Wednesday's festivities were held in Windsor, a good distance from the protests in London. And that helped keep many, but not all, of the activists away.

Nic Robertson has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR (voice-over): The Epstein scandal, following President Trump nearly 4000 miles away from the White House. Protesters going to creative lengths to make sure that no one misses their message. Trump cannot hide from questions about Epstein, even in London.

UNKNOWN: That's the exact reason we're bringing it up here, so he doesn't escape it. He wants, you know, he tweets out, stop talking about it. So if he tells you to stop talking about it, you know you should talk about it.

He can't escape his past.

ROBERTSON (voice-over): Brits coming out on the streets against Trump, using his association with the convicted pedophile to send him a message.

UNKNOWN: I think we have to keep the focus firmly on what Trump's been up to. And of course, the one thing he fears most is the Epstein files, and they have to come out.

ROBERTSON (voice-over): And get a message about Trump to their own leaders, too.

UNKNOWN: We are aware of who he is, despite our government laying out red carpets and gold coaches and whatever.

ROBERTSON: Are you angry the government's doing that?

UNKNOWN: Oh, yes. Disgusted, revolted, any other adjectives you'd like?

UNKNOWN: This is a leader of the free world that can talk about women the way he talks about women. That can consort with people like Epstein. What's that saying to men? What's that saying to young men? And what does that mean for women, like my children?

ROBERTSON: All of this in the center of London, dozens of miles where President Trump is out at Windsor with the royals, enjoying the best of the pomp and circumstance Brits can lay on. But even out there, the specter of Epstein is haunting him.

[03:50:08]

ROBERTSON (voice-over): Images of Trump and Jeffrey Epstein, and the King's brother, Prince Andrew, projected onto the walls of Windsor Castle. The police moving quickly to arrest four people on suspicion of malicious communications.

A stinging reminder for Trump's host, the King. A member of his own family has become part of the Epstein scandal. Andrew denied the allegations, but was removed from royal duties more than three years ago.

U.K. P.M. Starmer, too, struggling with Epstein-related scandal. Last week, he fired his ambassador to Washington, Peter Mandelson, for reportedly telling Epstein, "I think the world of you," after his conviction. Last week, Mandelson saying he regretted the comments.

In Windsor, anti-Trump protesters took more shots at getting the Trump-Epstein image out, rolling out a massive photo of the pair and splashing it around town on a mobile billboard. And one prankster inserting Trump-Epstein mugs at the royal's Windsor gift shop, posing as merch for the Trump visit.

Prior to this state visit, Trump has dismissed interest in Epstein as boring stuff, claiming it's a Democrat hoax.

ROBERTSON: It's not just because the Jeffrey Epstein scandal has touched the royal family and touched the Prime Minister. There seem to be quite a number of people here in the U.K. who track, actively track, what's happening in the United States, and they want to put it right back in President Trump's face.

There's a clear message from them, it seems. They don't want any part of it, and they don't want him here either.

Nic Roberson, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: This is "CNN Newsroom" coming to you live from Hong Kong.

And up next, Labubu, move over. There's a new viral toy in town. Still ahead, meet Crybaby, the latest trendy collectible from China's Potluck.

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LU STOUT: Welcome back.

Now, the actor Jaden Smith has been named the first men's creative director for the French footwear designer Christian Louboutin. Now, Smith is the 27-year-old son of the Academy Award-winning actor and rapper Will Smith. Louboutin says that Jaden Smith feels like the perfect addition to the creative team; the company is best known for women's shoes, stiletto heels with those red painted soles that expanded into men's shoes in 2010.

[03:55:05]

Now, Labubu, watch out. The popular plush toys now have some serious competition coming from the same Chinese company behind both viral collectibles. Lynda Kinkade has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LYNDA KINKADE, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): These plush dolls are cute, pouty and full of expression. Meet Pop Mart's Crybaby.

With their dramatic teardrops, these adorable characters celebrate vulnerability and remind us that it's O.K. to cry.

Originally launched in 2022, Crybaby is quickly becoming one of the Chinese-based toy company's fastest growing collectibles, second only to Labubu's, Pop Mart's Monster series.

SYENNHI NTUYEN, SHOPPER FROM GERMANY: I was looking for a Crybaby because I think this could be the next trend, besides from Labubu. And as I was already slow for Labubu, I thought maybe I catch the next trend earlier. And as I know that this is popular in Japan, so I thought this could be a good catch in the U.S. next.

KINKADE (voice-over): The Labubu craze is fueling its boom, pushing Crybaby from a minor line to one of the company's top five revenue earners. According to Pop Mart's latest mid-year financial report, Crybaby revenue surged nearly 250 percent in just one year.

EMILY BROUGH, HEAD OF I.P. LICENSING, POP MART AMERICAS: For Crybaby, we're seeing that the I.P. is very much resonating with the customers, I think because of that emotional storytelling. We're seeing a lot of exciting growth with Crybaby, and that's been fairly steady over the past couple of years.

KINKADE (voice-over): Besides their sheer cuteness, part of the appeal of these toys lies in the thrill of unboxing, ripping open the box to discover which character is inside.

NTUYEN: I think the excitement is different when you actually get what you wish for, because every box looks obviously the same, but you don't know what is inside. So when you open it, it's exactly what you wish for, so you feel like, the luck is on my side, or I deserve that. Maybe it's good karma or whatever.

And for the Crybaby, I mean, look at them. The tears are so big. So cute, right? And it looks unordinary, right? Like, nothing that looks normal in that state.

So I really like that. I have this on my car, actually. So I got the bee already.

KINKADE (voice-over): Whether Crybaby's reached Labubu level popularity or not, Pop Mart will be smiling, not crying.

Lynda Kinkade, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: And Meta and Ray-Ban, they're teaming up on another set of smart glasses, this time with the power of A.I. The new model is called Display, hopes to push users to ditch their smartphones and interact more with their surroundings, all on the Meta platform, of course.

Now, the glasses feature a tiny display embedded in each lens, through which you can take photos, you can send messages, live translate conversations, and more. And it is all controlled by hand movements read by a wrist strap.

Thank you so much for joining us, I'm Kristie Lu Stout, in Hong Kong. "Amanpour" is next, and then, stick around for Early Start with Brian Abel, starting 5 a.m. in New York, 10 a.m. in London. Keep it here, you're watching CNN.

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