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U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff Returning To Moscow; Deep Concern From Both Parties On Follow-Up Boat Strike; Benjamin Netanyahu Requests Pardon In Ongoing Corruption Trial. Aired 10-11a ET

Aired December 01, 2025 - 10:00:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:59:55]

ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN Abu Dhabi. This is CONNECT THE WORLD with Becky Anderson.

[10:00:03]

Hi and welcome to the second hour of the show from our Middle East programming headquarters. I'm Becky Anderson in Abu Dhabi, where the time

is just after 7:00 in the evening.

Both major developing stories this hour, shedding light on the U.S. president's foreign policy. First up, President Trump calls for the

airspace around Venezuela to close, but it recommends we not read too much into that. We are live in Washington and in Caracas.

And U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff is on his way to Moscow. The Kremlin says he will meet again with President Putin likely to discuss the progress

American and Ukrainian officials claim to have made towards a deal.

Also happening this hour, the immigration crackdown reaches into courthouses and beyond. We'll tell you about one student caught up and

handcuffed while trying to surprise her family on Thanksgiving.

And you can see Bitcoin and Ethereum both down sharply right now, investors in general do seem risk averse as we begin the last trading month of 2025

but we'll look at closer at why crypto is sinking despite a good year in terms of legislation and regulation.

Well, the Kremlin says Russian President Vladimir Putin will hold another meeting this week with U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, who will try to

bridge the gap between Ukraine and Russia, after what is being described as a tough but very constructive weekend of talks between Ukrainian and U.S.

negotiators in Florida.

Now, U.S. President Donald Trump and the top U.S. officials have voiced cautious optimism after those talks, but a source close to those

negotiations say a lot of work does remain to be done.

CNN's Chief Global Affairs Correspondent Matthew Chance is in Moscow for you this hour.

Matt, walk us through what is happening there today.

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CHIEF GLOBAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Well, I mean in terms of the peace process, not a lot, because Steve Witkoff, President

Trump's special envoy is still winging his way over here, and I think he's expected to land later on this evening, perhaps late tonight. The meetings

with Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin which are going to be crucial for U.S. diplomacy are scheduled to take place in the second half of tomorrow.

That's Tuesday local time, and it really is a big test for the efforts of the Trump administration to try and bring an end, finally, or to start the

beginning of the end of the Ukraine war.

And Witkoff arrives fresh from those negotiations you just mentioned that took place in Florida over the weekend, where there was progress that was -

- that was mentioned by the various parties the negotiator. Negotiations were described to me by one source as tough but constructive, specifically

on some of the most sort of difficult points in the sort of the peace negotiation process, things like, you know, Ukraine's aspiration to join

the NATO military alliance. That's something that Russia is categorically against. It wants to make sure that that Ukraine doesn't join NATO, but

Ukraine is refusing to change its constitution and formally renounce its aspirations to join NATO.

What my source, with direct knowledge of the negotiations, was telling me is that there are various options being discussed that would make it

something that Ukraine doesn't have to decide on if the United States wants to have a bilateral agreement with Russia, this source told me to exclude

Ukraine from NATO, or if other member states of NATO want to have that deal with Russia, then that's up to them to decide. It's not something that

Ukraine necessarily has to -- has to sort of legislate for. It's up to NATO to decide who joins NATO and who does not.

The other issue is the territorial surrenders. There's been, obviously calls consistently for right by Russia, for Ukraine to hand over territory

that Russia has annexed but has not yet conquered yet. That's been a red line for the Ukrainians.

But even though my source wouldn't go into specifics, there are at least discussions underway that for some kind of sort of work around, some kind

of solution that would tip toe around that Ukrainian red line. So, nothing's been agreed to yet. The final agreement, final decision has to be

taken by the Ukrainian president, according to the sources I've been speaking to. But one of the objectives of Witkoff's mission here to the

Kremlin over the course of the next couple of days is to try and sound out Vladimir Putin to see whether, you know, he would be sort of open to the

kinds of compromises that have apparently been spoken about behind closed doors between the Americans and Ukrainians.

I have to say, you know, as a word of caution, up until now, the Russians have been absolutely unwilling to make any changes, any compromises on

their core demands. We'll see whether that changes over the course of the next 24 or 48 hours, Becky.

[10:05:09]

ANDERSON: Good to have you. Thank you. And Matthew's in depth analysis on these U.S. led negotiations is online. He lays out the extremely delicate

balance needed to satisfy both sides, including what would be a way to effectively bar Ukraine from joining Ukraine, as Matthew has been reporting

that without Ukraine ever publicly rejecting its aspirations to join the alliance. It's on our website, via the CNN app.

Let's discuss what we know about s what came out of these talks between the U.S. and Ukraine over the weekend, and crucially, how all of this is

impacting or not as it were, the front lines where Ukrainians, of course, continue fighting.

I want to bring back Nick Paton Walsh this hour from Kyiv. And Nick, while it does feel like a crunch week for Ukraine, we've got to remind our

viewers that to a degree, we've been here before. I mean, what are you hearing from Ukrainian officials there?

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Yes. I mean, I think there obviously is some degree a desire to make it sound like

what's emerging from Florida is positive news. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, I think, said it clearly, while positive elements have been there,

there's still a lot of complicated work to do.

I personally cannot see how Steve Witkoff, Trump's envoy to this conflict, would go to the Kremlin without something in hand that potentially panders,

at least in part, to the Kremlin's once maximalist now slightly shaved back territorial goals here.

Remember, at the start, they seem to want all of her to some Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk and Luhansk, and now they appear to be zoning in more on getting

what's the remainder of the Donetsk region without a fight, but that has for so long been a red line here.

I think the question ultimately is, has the success that Russia has been seeing, slow, incremental as it had been, but still palpable in Donetsk on

the front lines, has that tipped some of the equation here in the minds of the Ukrainian officials, trying to weigh up quite how much longer the fight

will have to go on here, and indeed has the political peril that Volodymyr Zelenskyy has found himself in over the past week or more, tipped slightly

his calculations as well.

That may less be the case, but certainly he's facing a weakened position here domestically that I think is unprecedented since the start of this

war, since his chief of staff and lead negotiator, Andriy Yermak, on Friday resigned after anti-corruption investigators searched his home early on

Friday morning, a stark moment, frankly, for the administration here, where a corruption scandal the hit to the heart of things impacting people's

lives. Energy kickbacks in a scheme there alleged by anti-corruption investigators. We're dealing with blackouts here repeatedly across Kyiv.

So, the notion of corruption in that particular area deeply unnerving to ordinary Ukrainians.

But Zelenskyy, I think, is now facing a moment where he's clearly trying to be sure that his European allies are kept up to speed about what happened

in Florida, learning he says about some of it himself, face-to-face meetings with the negotiating team will continue in Dublin in his next

trip. They're spending the day, it seemed, with Emmanuel Macron speaking on the phone to the U.K.'s Keir Starmer, with Macron, and also Steve Witkoff

as well.

So, clearly, a bid there, it seems, if you read that, for the events of Florida to be properly briefed across Ukraine's European allies. But

exactly what is in this plan that Witkoff delivers is key, and it is unclear at this stage if there will be swaps of land, a fudge around NATO

membership.

I think, ultimately all the future states of whether Ukraine joins NATO, how its reconstruction is paid, for all those other elements are less of a

concern than the immediate, pressing issue of, if the fighting stops here through some kind of cease fire, does Russia get land because of that, and

does Ukraine get security guarantees because of that that potentially make future conflict impossible?

We don't have the answers to those questions, but ultimately, I think now we're on the however many iteration of this negotiation where two separate

tracks, the Americans and the Ukrainians and the Americans and the Russians hope they'll somehow allied and come together, but haven't yet. I think the

reality is, ultimately, the Witkoff must be going to Moscow with something they think Putin might buy, or else this process stays long as it's been

hurried at the start may fall flat again.

ANDERSON: You've talked about the impact on those residents living in Kyiv. I mean, can you just remind our viewers what the reality is today on the

front lines?

WALSH: Yes. I mean, look, it is palpably grim, particularly here in Kyiv, with a winter with power cuts, with barrages of great intensity. One just a

night ago, leaving people awake sometimes for 10 hours of explosions.

[10:10:03]

The front lines, acutely bad too. Not the strategic breakthrough, which some analysts say you know, is what you really need if Russia is actually

said to be making true ground here, but incrementally through a war of attrition near Kupiansk in the Northeast near Kharkiv, Russia has been

moving forward. Around Constantinople in Donbas too. Yes, other areas of Donbas as well. Pokrovsk, the key military hub that's been battled over now

for nearly well over a year, Russia is making definite progress within that. Ukraine has not pulled out entirely of the area around there, but

that seems to be potentially something that's a matter of time.

But most troublingly, for the Ukrainian military, it's in Zaporizhzhia, where the Russians appear to have made something of a dash to the west in

that particular area, flat ground towards the regional capital Zaporizhzhia, a significant amount of their advances in November were made

there, and those advances were much larger than we've seen in previous months.

So, that is potentially going to weigh on the calculus of Volodymyr Zelensky freezing the front lines, as they are right now in Zaporizhzhia

would be very much in Ukraine's favor, as in Kharkiv too.

And if there are concessions that form part of this overall deal, be they packaged as land swaps, where Russia pulls out of some parts of Ukraine,

minor parts in the Kharkiv area and Sunni area, where it's slightly moved across the border in exchange for something else, perhaps that makes it

slightly more palatable. It's really unclear here, but what is certainly clear is that Putin has been very direct about what he hopes he can achieve

through essentially the obstinacy of diplomacy, of allowing this repetitive process to essentially drag the center of gravity of what's being talked

about closer towards the Kremlin's worldview. That's essentially what we've been seeing, the red line of territory even being under discussion now it

seems slightly slightly diminishing.

So, I think it's utterly key, what we hear from this public meeting in Moscow, and indeed, whether any of the European leaders who clearly it

seems brief to what witch taking with him, speak out about it, or details of that emerge from European capitals.

ANDERSON: Yes, watch this space. Nick, good to have you. Thank you, sir.

Well, sources tell CNN that President Trump will gather his national security team in the Oval Office later today to discuss the next steps on

Venezuela. Now this comes after the president issued a stark warning on social media, declaring the airspace over Venezuela effectively closed, and

as speculation swells that the U.S. and Venezuela could be on a collision course to war.

For months, the Trump administration has been striking alleged drug traffickers at sea near Venezuela despite persistent questions over the

legality of those attacks.

Well, now, serious concerns have erupted over one such strike in September. Sources say the military struck the same vessel twice, the second time,

killing two survivors of the first attack. And some U.S. lawmakers saying this could have crossed a critical line and may even be considered a war

crime. Have a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MIKE TURNER, U.S. HOUSE REPUBLICAN: Obviously, if that occurred, that would be very serious, and I agree that that that would be an illegal act. This

is completely outside of anything that has been discussed with Congress, and there is an ongoing investigation.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If you received that order, would you have carried it out?

SEN. MARK KELLY (D-AZ): No. And I'm a guy who, I have sunk two ships, but, you know, going after survivors in the water, that is clearly not lawful.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Well, joining me now to discuss all of this is our senior political reporter, Stephen Collinson, who is in Washington, and Stefano

Pozzebon is in Caracas, and it is in Venezuela where we're going to start, Stefano, what are we hearing from Maduro?

STEFANO POZZEBON, CNN JOURNALIST: Well, I think that Maduro wants to portray the picture that nothing changes here in Venezuela, for example,

yesterday, he did appear for the first time after several days at a coffee fair in Caracas. It was an event supposedly aimed at boosting the exports

of coffee. Of course, Venezuela, being a tropical country, produces a lot of good quality coffee.

But it was remarkable to see Maduro on camera, Becky, because it was the first time that he did appear on television, on national television here in

Venezuela since at least Wednesday, showing that he was in Caracas. He had an appearance on Thursday. We didn't know where he actually was, and that

led to widespread speculation that he might have either fled the country, was in hiding, or he was indeed rattled from the directory coming down from

the White House, Becky.

The fact that he wanted to be seen in a normal location completely that had nothing to do with these rhetorical warfare with Washington that we've seen

in the last few weeks, seems to suggest that he really wants to portray the image that he is unshakable, that he is not bending down. And he also

pointed out himself that this is just the latest of a long series of collisions with Washington and with his opponents. Here's what he said, for

example.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[10:15:23]

Sanctions, threats, blockades, economic war and Venezuelans did not cower. Here, as they say, everyone put on their boots and went to work.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

POZZEBON: By Venezuela did not cower, of course, he meant I did not cower. I've been here for 13 years. I've been here and you have thrown everything

that you had been able to throw at me, and I'm still standing.

So, I think that he really -- really Nicolas Maduro is here to try to call out Trump's bluff and challenge him if indeed, he wants to take direct

actions against him on Venezuelan soil and by the look of that, what we're hearing from the White House. Well, that moment might be seen very, very

soon, Becky.

ANDERSON: OK, well, let's talk about that. Stephen, you wrote your analysis piece. "Controversy is also mounting because of new concerns about the

legality of any potential action against Venezuela." And you continued, "Congressional committees are pledging vigorous bipartisan oversight of the

attacks, a rare occurrence in Trump's second term."

Do you believe local lawmakers want to hold this administration to account? And if so, will they be able to do so? What's the talk there in Washington?

STEPHEN COLLINSON, CNN POLITICS SENIOR REPORTER: I think the concern about this strike a so called double tap strike against the Venezuelan boat where

there was a strike initially, the concern is that that didn't kill all of the people on the boat, on this alleged drug traffickers boat, and then the

U.S. supposedly went back and killed the people that were left on the boat. That has caused a great deal of concern in Congress on both sides of the

aisle.

Now, the question has always been during the Trump administration is, do Republicans go along with these oversight matters to the same extent as

Democrats want them to? Republicans, of course, are in charge of the Senate Armed Services Committee and the House Armed Services Committee.

But if we take them at face value, there is concern about what's happening in the Pentagon, the chain of command, what orders went down on this strike

on September 2nd.

And I think a lot of this is also growing out of worries about what's next in Venezuela and the legality of the wider strikes on these alleged drug

traffickers boats in the Caribbean, and also any action against Venezuela.

What the administration has done here is basically argue that Maduro is part of a drugs cartel, that drugs cartel is a terrorist group, and

therefore, under the legislation that was brought in after 9/11 allowing the US to strike at terrorists. This is perfectly legal across the board.

What they're doing in the Western Hemisphere, that I think is very questionable proposal or proposition, especially because of this link

they're making between cartels and terrorists. It's the real definition there that's quite difficult.

But there is growing concern in Washington. I think the jury is always out about how far the Republicans will push the Trump administration.

ANDERSON: Stephen, Donald Trump says that he will pardon the former Honduran president who was convicted by an American jury of drug

trafficking. Now, this is a man who prosecuted accused of boasting to drug dealers, "They were going to shove the drugs right up the noses of the

gringos." How do you think this pardon dovetails with Trump's reported crackdown on drug traffickers, and, very specifically, his talk of Maduro

being associated with a very significant drug cartel?

COLLINSON: Well, it would seem to completely undermine it. You know, I've seen Donald Trump do a lot of things which are hard to work out what the

logic is of what he is doing. This one is extraordinary. The former President Juan Orlando Hernandez was jailed just last year in the United

States for 45 years, and now the president at a time when he's accusing Maduro of running a narco state is pardoning the former Honduran president

for exactly the same alleged offense, and there's a great deal of evidence and he got due process in the United States that he was guilty of these

crimes. So, it's extremely puzzling.

[10:20:08]

The president coming back to Washington last night from Florida and Air Force One, he argued that while you just because someone's trafficking

drugs to the country, you can't jail the former president. His rationale seems to be that former presidents of any country should not be jailed on

any reason at all, which seems to be kind of reflecting things to his own political and personal prison.

But it clearly under minds the idea that what's happening Venezuela is an anti-drugs operation, and it does lead you to think that this is more about

imposing American power in the Western Hemisphere. There was a presidential election yesterday in Honduras, a Trump endorsed the Nationalist Party

candidate from the same party as the former President Hernandez, that looked like an attempt to interfere in those elections, and he has

supported presidents and former presidents throughout Latin America who tow the MAGA line like former President Bolsonaro in Brazil, they got massive

tariffs because they prosecuted former President Bolsonaro, we saw a massive us bailout offer to Argentina, because President Javier Milei is a

Trump ally.

So, I think the subtext of everything that's going on right now is an almost an attempt to magnify the Western Hemisphere, as much as it is about

the ostensible purpose, which is cracking down on drug cartels.

ANDERSON: Stephen Collinson is in Washington for us, and you heard earlier from Stefano Pozzebon who was in Caracas. Good to have you both. Thank you.

Well, coming up Netanyahu requesting a pardon in his long running corruption trial, the question on everyone's mind, why now?

Plus, rain triggered catastrophic flooding and landslides leaving homes and businesses underwater and lives destroyed. More on the deadly storms across

parts of Asia is just ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: The protesters took to the streets outside the courthouse in Tel Aviv today after Israel's Prime Minister formally requested a pardon in

what is his long-standing corruption trial.

Benjamin Netanyahu posted this video after the request was publicized.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER (through translator): My personal interest has been and remains to continue the legal process to its

end, until full acquittal on all charges, but the security reality and the national interest require a different course. The State of Israel faces

immense challenges alongside tremendous opportunities to repel the threats and realize the opportunities. National Unity is required. The continuation

of this trial is tearing us apart from within.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[10:25:16]

ANDERSON: Well, just a few weeks ago, the U.S. president got involved writing his own letter

asking for a pardon for Mr. Netanyahu. And Mr. Trump directly addressed Israeli President Isaac Herzog when he was in Jerusalem back in October.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I have an idea, Mr. President, why don't you give him a pardon? Give him a pardon.

Whether we like it or not, this has been one of the greatest wartime presidents. This is what been one of the greatest wartime presidents and

cigars and champagne, who the hell cares about?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Well, President Herzog has the power to grant pardons in the country. CNN Jerusalem Bureau Chief Oren Liebermann, has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN JERUSALEM BUREAU CHIEF: That clip you just showed a moment ago is at least one of at least three times in which Trump has

weighed in on this, he did so on social media as well, and then he himself wrote a letter, or perhaps his lawyers wrote a letter to President Isaac

Herzog, asking him to, "Fully pardon Netanyahu in his ongoing corruption trial."

So, that at least seems to be a part of the calculus of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He had long promised that he would fight these charges

until the end the trial itself started in mid-2020. Netanyahu started testifying in December, so 11 months ago at this point, and it's expected

that the trial will last years, especially because Netanyahu frequently asks for cancelations or delays for his trial dates and for his testimony

on grounds of national security or diplomatic reasons.

So, the trial itself has been very much and we've seen it dragging on. Netanyahu here arguing, and you heard it in the clip you played from the

video he released yesterday that pardoning him would do away with the divisiveness around the issue. He is treating the corruption trial itself

as the divisive issue, instead of the person facing that corruption trial.

He has long been accused of being one of the most divisive political figures in Israel, especially when it comes to Israel's Arab population,

Israel's leftist population here. What's worth noting is what's not in this one page letter from Netanyahu, there is no admission of guilt, there is no

acknowledgement of any sort of remorse for his actions, and there is no promise for his future political life. The head of Israel's opposition says

that all has to be in there if the President is to consider this pardon. Netanyahu faces charges of fraud, bribery and breach of trust. He has

repeatedly maintained his innocence, but this is the first time, obviously, we have seen a step like this, formally requesting a pardon.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: Well, it's a typically bustling metropolis that is home to about 15 million people, but Tehran is also facing a major water crisis, and

after weeks without rain, fears are now growing. The taps may soon run dry.

Iran's president has suggested people may need to evacuate, though it is unclear whether that is a feasible option, and it's not just in the

capital. Around 20 Iranian provinces haven't seen a single drop of rain since the start of the rainy season at the end of September. You can read

more about the drought in Iran, which is described as the worst in 40 years on our website, including how the country got to this point and where they

go from here.

Well, more than a thousand people have been killed after storms triggered flooding and landslides across parts of Asia. In Sri Lanka, rescue efforts

are underway after a cyclone swept across the island nation over 350 people there killed in what the country's president is calling an unprecedented

disaster.

A separate storm system ravaged parts of Southeast Asia. Heavy rain triggered landslides and flooding that submerged buildings in Thailand.

Indonesia was the hardest hit, with over 500 people killed. Homes have been washed away and communities cut off from critical supplies.

Some families in America are scared to step inside courthouses during the current immigration crackdown. We're going to take a look at the impact

this is having on local communities, that is after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:31:54]

ANDERSON: Welcome back. You are watching CONNECT THE WORLD with me, Becky Anderson. And wherever you are watching, you are more than welcome. Here

are your headlines this hour.

Now, the Kremlin says Russian President Vladimir Putin will hold another meeting in Moscow this week with Steve Witkoff, who a special envoy will

try to bridge the gap between Ukraine and Russia, after what has been described as tough, but very constructive talks between Ukrainian and U.S.

negotiators in Florida over the weekend.

The Israeli prime minister is formally requesting a pardon in his long running anti-corruption trial.

in a letter to Israel's president, Isaac Herzog, who has the sole power to grant pardons in the country, Benjamin Netanyahu argued that dropping the

case was in the public interest. Mr. Herzog office says he is considering the request.

More than a thousand people have been killed across Asia after deadly storms caused widespread flooding and landslides. The worst devastation is

in Indonesia, where more than 500 people have lost their lives and entire communities are cut off.

Sri Lanka and Thailand, also struggling with severe flooding. Rescue teams there are racing to find survivors.

Well, we are just about an hour into the trading day in New York. Let's take a look at how shares are settling in. And the big three indices are

all down by around about a half or two thirds of one percent. About a week and a half out from the next Federal Reserve rate decision, investors are

increasingly betting on a cut, but uncertainty is the headline on these markets and across markets.

Precious metals are trading in positive territory, as is oil at this point. Not significantly today, but given where the stock markets are, you can see

where people are hedging. Cryptocurrencies are sharply lower. Risk Aversion seems to be hanging over these markets, particularly digital assets, as we

enter what is, of course, the last month of the year.

Well, for more on this, I'm joined by Allison Morrow, she is a senior writer for CNN Business. And I want to concentrate, if we can Allison, on

the crypto market. Right now, we are seeing some huge positions being unwound and some significant drops in prices. Why?

ALLISON MORROW, CNN BUSINESS SENIOR WRITER: Yes. So, it's a bit of a mix of things that are not particular to crypto. As you said, risk aversion and

uncertainty is kind of weighing on all financial markets right now, the Fed, all those macro elements that you were talking about. But with crypto,

there is some special and unique quirks.

So, when we talk about Bitcoin, Bitcoin has fallen -- has shed almost a trillion-dollars-worth of market cap in the last few weeks, and a lot of

that has to do with de leveraging. As you noted, it's a very borrowing intensive sector. People borrow and spend a lot to buy more Bitcoin on this

kind of almost religious sense of like needing to keep the number going up.

[10:35:08]

But the problem is, you also have a bunch of new investors who've come into Bitcoin because it's been so on such a rocket ship over the last year. So,

those new guys don't have as much faith to keep going and to, you know, stick with the plan and the ideology behind Bitcoin as well. So, they are

getting a bit nervous and backing out.

ANDERSON: And Ethereum, I mean, just for the benefit of our viewers, who, you know, may not be as inside the weeds on crypto as you are. Ethereum,

obviously, you know, price wise, is much lower, but it's been, you know, trucking towards 5,000, certainly, over 4500 as I -- as I seem to remember.

So, again, you know, is there a difference in the way that people consider these two cryptocurrencies?

MORROW: Yes, when we talk about Bitcoin, it's by far the biggest one. Ethereum is the second largest crypto in the world, but it's much, much

smaller than Bitcoin. So, it tends to move the direction that Bitcoin moves. And when we are talking about mainstream, institutional investors

getting into crypto, they are more often getting into Bitcoin.

But Ethereum is one of the more established.

(CROSSTALK)

ANDERSON: Right.

MORROW: One of the more kind of predictable indicators of the crypto market. And like Bitcoin, it has been taking a beating as well.

ANDERSON: Yes, absolutely. And you wrote a few days ago, "The crypto industry got everything it wanted. It's still having a meltdown." You

mentioned factors like a rush of new money from mainstream investors, bipartisan U.S. legislation, rubber stamp regulation, and the support of

President Trump.

With all that you talked about, the kind of new investor, but with these other really important key components that you point out, and what I

thought was an excellent piece of analysis, why is it that these currencies are not flying higher at this point. Perhaps, you've already answered that,

people are minding these huge positions. But I guess it begs the question, how low do these currencies go at this point?

MORROW: I mean, that's a great question, and if I had that crystal ball, I would absolutely share it with you. I think, the thing about crypto, we are

used to seeing these long, long climbs, these bull market climbs, and then, steep, steep crashes. These are hugely volatile assets, and that's because,

as you know, but readers may forget, there is nothing underlying it.

You know, it's just computer code. There is no like actual coin or functional asset underlying Bitcoin, for example. And so, that, you know,

tests a lot of investors ability to believe in it, to trust that the number is going to keep going up and that people are still going to find value in

this thing when there is nothing really underlying it.

ANDERSON: Yes, it's good to have you. Thank you so much for joining us. Really important story, and one I know that will resonate around the world

for our international viewers. Good to have you.

MORROW: Thank you.

ANDERSON: Well, crackdown -- the U.S. crackdown on immigration. Now, there are some cases that really bring home what is the chaos surrounding the

U.S. immigration policies. The story of college student Amy Lucia Lopez Bellossa does just that.

She is a college freshman, who was trying to fly from Boston to Texas to surprise her family for Thanksgiving. Instead, her holiday turned into a

nightmare when she was arrested and deported to Honduras, country, she hasn't visited since she was seven. Well, now she is fighting to return to

the United States.

Well, New York City has become America's epicenter for ICE immigrant arrests at courthouses. Critics say these arrests are shattering trust in

the U.S. justice system, leaving families fearful to attend their own hearings. Omar Jimenez, takes a closer look at the impact on local

communities.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This way is --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Move out of the way.

CARMEN MARIA REY CALDAS, FORMER IMMIGRATION JUDGE, NEW YORK CITY: I will never forget the visuals of seeing masked armed men, walking past my

courtroom, as I'm watching the people in front of me shake in fear from what is coming.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST: The woman was forcibly slammed to the floor.

ERIN BURNETT, CNN ANCHOR: ICE took the rare step of relieving an officer of his duties.

OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Every weekday in New York City, foreigners come here at the 26th Federal Plaza to meet with the judges overseeing

their immigration cases.

JIMENEZ (voice over): But since this past spring, they are not just seeing judges. ICE agents are there too, detaining some men and women without

explanation as they leave routine court hearings, even when their case is still ongoing.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Look this way.

JIMENEZ (voice over): These are civil courts, and according to an analysis of federal data, over 70 percent of people in ICE detention have no

criminal convictions.

[10:40:05]

Ben Remy comes here almost every day to deliver free legal advice to whoever needs it, wherever they need it.

BENJAMIN REMY, IMMIGRATION ATTORNEY, NEW YORK: This was a first for me giving legal advice in a bathroom, but I actually encountered them in the

bathroom with a -- with the CPP agent that was asking them questions.

REMY: (text): I'm an immigration lawyer. OK. You don't have to talk to the officers if you don't want to.

JIMENEZ (voice over): An hour later, that same man is immediately detained outside the courtroom.

REMY (text): You have rights. You can give me your card if you want.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (text): That's my address, and phone.

REMY (text): I'm going to walk with you so you are not alone.

JIMENEZ (voice over): In New York City, ICE made nearly half of all of its arrests outside courtrooms through July this year.

The detainees are then transferred to ICE detention facilities across the country, like Sonia's husband, who was sent to a detention center in New

Jersey. Sonia and her family came from Ecuador in 2023 and filed an asylum claim. Here in the United States, her husband worked as a truck driver.

Earlier this year, he was arrested for petty theft, but the charges were set to be dismissed and sealed. In response to CNN, the Department of

Homeland Security referenced Sonia's husband's petty theft charges without mentioning those charges were set to be dismissed, saying, "criminal

illegal aliens are not welcome in the U.S." Sonia says her children are struggling.

SONIA ANDRANGO-OROZCO, ASYLUM SEEKER (text): The boy was fine. But the day before yesterday when we were sleeping, he couldn't sleep. And he told me,

mommy, I miss my dad. It's been many days since he hasn't come back. The girl, she always cries. She is older. She kind of understands what's going

to happen.

JIMENEZ (voice over): These detentions are leaving immigrants with an impossible choice. If they skip a hearing, that's grounds for removal. But

since President Donald Trump has come into office, they can still be detained, even while trying to go through the legal process.

ANDRANGO-OROZCO (text): I have friends from the neighborhood who have never shown up for court, and nothing has ever happened to them. They haven't

showed up to court since getting here. But I've always shown up. We were doing things the right way.

JIMENEZ (voice-over): Judge Carmen Rey Caldas worked on the 12th floor of 26 Federal Plaza, ruling on asylum cases just like Sonia's and her family.

REY CALDAS: The hallway space at 26 Federal Plaza is public. And so, the court really doesn't have a lot that it can do to prevent ICE from being in

the hallways.

JIMENEZ (voice over): At the beginning of 2025, there were approximately 700 immigration judges across the U.S. About 150 of them have either been

fired or taken an early out offer since Trump took office. In August, Judge Rey Caldas was one of them.

REY CALDAS: Honestly, the courthouse just doesn't feel the same. I've seen attorneys, both defense and ICE, shake from the screams coming in out of

the hallways. It shouldn't feel like a war zone when you're going into a courtroom.

JIMENEZ (voice over): DHS told us arrests outside courtrooms are common sense and safer because people have gone through security and been screened

to not have any weapons.

Sonia's husband was supposed to appear in court from detention this morning.

ANDRANGO-OROZCO (text): I am worried, about not having enough to take care of them.

JIMENEZ (text): What are you thinking about?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (text): That I love him very much. That I miss him a lot. And that hopefully we will get him out there soon, and we will be

together again. They shouldn't separate families like that, because it's ugly.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

JIMENEZ (on camera): We are still waiting to see what happens with her dad. He had already been moved to Mississippi and is now in Arizona. But this is

another dynamic here, these quick transfers. Another detainee that we didn't show as part of this, a Venezuelan man told us he had been moved

across four cities and detention centers in just 11 days.

And when we asked DHS about him, DHS said he came in the country through the Biden-era, CBP One app, which, even they didn't describe it to us as

illegal, but rather, "disastrous", and that he is been put in removal proceedings. And we are showing you this because you might see, oh, this

person got arrested by ICE, or you might see something like that play out in one of your communities. But this is the reality of what comes next.

Omar Jimenez, CNN, Washington.

ANDERSON: Well, happening this hour, live pictures from outside a New York courtroom where the 27-year-old accused of killing a U.S. health insurance

CEO last year will be appearing for a critical pre-trial hearing.

Luigi Mangione's attorneys are trying to get key evidence, including his diary entries tossed from his state murder case.

[10:45:07]

They argue police illegally searched his bag without a warrant when he was arrested. Prosecutors have denied those claims and have said they could

call as many as two dozen witnesses to prove everything was done "by a book".

Protesters gathered outside caught ahead of this hearing, including this truck with a large message displayed that appears to be in favor of

Mangione.

Well, you are watching CONNECT THE WORLD with me, Becky Anderson.

Still to come, Pope Leo calling for peace and unity in Lebanon amid his three-day visit to the crisis hit country. We are in Beirut, following his

travels, up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: Right now, we are keeping a close eye on Pope Leo's visit to Lebanon. His three-day visit aims to foster into faith, operate cooperation

and stability in a country facing multiple crises. Christianity does have deep roots in what is this Muslim majority country, and the pope hoping to

inspire peace and unity.

CNN's Ben Wedeman is in Beirut, and he's been following the pope. For us. As I understand it, the pope has been meeting with youngsters this hour.

Why do you believe this visit is so significant? Ben?

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, he was meeting. He just finished that meeting. Now, he is ongoing to the matriarch -- the

Maronite Patriarchate in Bkerke, up in the mountains. But this meeting, in this interfaith event at Martyrs' Square was significant because it was for

all the youth of Lebanon, not just Christians, but Muslims and Druze as well, in which, of course, he continues to stress this message that the

young must have faith in their own country and not abandon it.

Because, given the events of the last six years, with the economic collapse, the Beirut port blast, the war with Israel, increasingly, many of

the young people of Lebanon, who are very well educated, very qualified for a modern job market, but are not finding work in Lebanon, they are looking

for opportunities abroad, which is really the tradition in Lebanon.

There are more Lebanese or people of Lebanese origin, living outside of Lebanon than inside it itself, because for generations, as a result of

famine, for instance, during World War I. And wars and displacement over the years, people have moved abroad. So, he was really stressing that

message.

And also, the importance of coexistence, which is a very critical message here in Lebanon, where we did have for 15 years, from 1975 to 1980, the

Civil War, which is oftentimes portrayed as a Muslim-Christian war, but it was really much more complicated than that.

[10:50:10]

There were Christians fighting alongside with Muslims against fellow Muslims and Christians. So, it was a rich -- much more complicated affair

than that. But the important point is that, yes, he was stressing the importance of coexistence.

And he also sort of likened Lebanon to an olive tree. Olive trees are very resistant, very strong. They can flourish under difficult conditions. And

he likened the people of Lebanon to that. And in fact, at the end of the ceremony, with one Muslim and one Christian cleric, together, the three of

them planted an olive tree in Martyrs' Square.

And Martyrs' Square itself is of huge symbolic significance, because it really is right. It's the heart of Beirut, and it was also right in the

middle of the so-called green line that divided the city during the Civil War, but was once a symbol of the unity of Lebanon.

And I was -- I lived in Lebanon before the Civil War and during the beginning of the Civil War, and recall that was really the throbbing heart

of the city. That's where the souk was -- the ancient, the traditional souk, not the modern one that unfortunately replaced it.

But it really was a symbol of a country that had so much diversity, but lived and worked and enjoyed life together as only the Lebanese can.

So, now, he's off to this meeting at the main the Maronite Patriarchate in Bkerke, and then, afterwards, he's going to have a private meeting. No

press allowed. There will be no coverage with Muslim and Christian leaders will, perhaps, behind closed doors. They will talk about how to actually

address the importance of maintaining and strengthening coexistence here in Lebanon. Becky?

ANDERSON: Ben is in Beirut for you this evening. Ben, thank you.

And you are watching CONNECT THE WORLD with me, Becky Anderson. We will be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: What if we needed any more reason to be excited for the F1 season finale here in Abu Dhabi, we have it. The climactic final race next

weekend. Yas Marina Circuit, right across the street from this bureau, will be decisive, and that is because Max Verstappen and his Red Bull team are

celebrating a big win at Sunday's Qatar Grand Prix.

Now, Verstappen's victory means that Formula One's 2025 title fight will be decided in the final race of the season here in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.

And McLaren's Lando Norris remains in the lead, but that lead narrowed after Sunday's race. Also, of course, fighting for the top spot is his

teammate, Oscar Piastri. Very much looking forward to that.

Well, that is it for CONNECT THE WORLD from the team working with me here in Abu Dhabi, and those working with us, of course, around the world. It is

a very good evening from the UAE.

[10:54:58]

Do those stay with CNN. "ONE WORLD" with my colleagues is up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

END