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Sources: U.S.-Russia Talks Set For Tuesday In Saudi Arabia; U.K. Prime Minister "Ready" To Send Troops To Ukraine; The Steep Cost Of Trump's Attacks On USAID; Measles Outbreak In West Texas Doubles To 48 Cases; Britain's BAFTA Awards; Filmed in Secret: "The Seed Of The Sacred Fig"; Archeologists Discover Lavish Roman Baths At Pompeii. Aired 1-2a ET
Aired February 17, 2025 - 01:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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[01:00:29]
BEN HUNTE, CNN HOST: Hello, wherever you are in the world. You are now in the CNN Newsroom with me, Ben Hunte in Atlanta. And it is so good to have you with me.
Coming up on the show, Europe on the outs as the U.S. prepares to negotiate with Russia on Ukraine, the British prime minister offers boots on the ground to enforce a peace deal. Plus, the Israeli prime minister vows to finish the job against Iran's nuclear power as he meets with the U.S. secretary of state. And a star studded night in London showcasing a strong year for cinema. We'll tell you who came out on top at the BAFTAs.
We are now just one day away from the highly anticipated negotiations between the U.S. and Russia. Sources tell CNN top American officials will begin their talks with Moscow on Tuesday about its conflict in Ukraine. The talks will take place in Saudi Arabia where Saudi officials say they'll play a key mediation role. Ukraine says they will not be at the table, but U.S. President Donald Trump confirms Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will be involved.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We're moving along. We're trying to get a peace with Russia, Ukraine and we're working very hard on it. It's a war that should have never started.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you expect Zelenskyy to be involved in these conversations. What will his role be?
TRUMP: Yes, I do. I do. He will be involved. Yes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HUNTE: U.S. National Security Adviser Mike Waltz says the conflict in Ukraine can't be ended on the battlefield. He's now urging President Zelenskyy to accept an economic deal that would give the U.S. access to Ukraine's reserves of rare earth metals. And as the U.S. shuts out Europe, U.K.'s Prime Minister Keir Starmer is now ready to offer up more support to Ukraine. He's also among the European leaders who are holding an emergency summit in Paris later on today.
In a Daily Telegraph newspaper, Starmer writes, quote, "The U.K. is ready to play a leading role in accelerating work on security guarantees for Ukraine. This includes further support for Ukraine's military. But it also means being ready and willing to contribute to security guarantees to Ukraine by putting our own troops on the ground if necessary."
A Kremlin spokesman says the talks could signal a big change is about to take place in relations between the U.S. and Russia. CNN's Fred Pleitgen is in Moscow with more.
FRED PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The Russians remain very optimistic as far as those talks are concerned that are set to take place in Saudi Arabia this coming week between Russia and the United States to try and hammer out an agreement to end the war in Ukraine. But the Russians seem to believe that in general, relations between Russia and the United States could go into a new era and get a completely new dynamic. The spokesman for the Kremlin, Dmitry Peskov, on Sunday said that he believes in the future there is to be dialogue between the United States and Russia rather than confrontation under the Trump administration and that also the two administrations will be speaking about peace, as he put it, in the future.
Dmitry Peskov also said that he believes that President Trump's views on Russia should be endorsed by every sound minded person, as he put it. So clearly, the Russians certainly putting a lot of stake into President Trump and what he's done so far in trying to get U.S. Russian relations back on track. Now, the Russians, though, have made no secret of the fact that they believe that negotiations to end the war in Ukraine certainly won't be easy. They have said that they don't want to negotiate, for instance, about that pocket that the Ukrainians control on Russian territory in the Kursk region. They say they want to take that territory back. And then, of course, there is the question of all the territory that the Russians currently occupy on the Ukrainian side of the border.
At the same time, the Russians also, after a phone call between Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Saturday in a readout, seem to indicate that all of this could be a larger reset between these two nations. They said that the secretary of state and the Russian foreign minister spoke not only about a possible agreement to end the war in Ukraine, but possible that there could also be talks about, for instance, sanctions relief and economic cooperation between the United States and Russia in the future. So clearly, there's a lot of dynamic right now here in political Moscow and certainly a lot of optimism that Russia could be in a very good place with the United States fairly soon.
[01:05:06]
Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Moscow.
HUNTE: Let's break all of this down with CNN Global Affairs Analyst Kim Dozier.
Kim, thank you for being here. How are you doing?
KIMBERLY DOZIER, CNN GLOBAL AFFAIRS ANALYST: Doing fine, but having a hard time keeping up with all the different headlines seems like every hour with the new Trump administration.
HUNTE: This is it. I mean, we're going through unprecedented times every single hour, it seems. Goodness.
But American and Russian officials are set for talks on Tuesday. What do you think the Russians will bring to the table? And what is Vladimir Putin actually going to ask for? And what can the U.S. even deliver? Lots of questions there.
DOZIER: Well, they've already made public statements that they expect to talk about things like reopening some of their diplomatic missions in the United States and possibly even discuss the lifting of some sanctions. Of course, this is what Russian officials are messaging to their own people about why they are meeting with the great enemy that as they've described them in the media for the entire Biden administration. But from the Trump side, this is a chance for Mike Waltz, the national security adviser, Witkoff, who had some meetings in Moscow with Putin, he is the Mideast adviser, but he's now also been put in charge of this Ukraine mission, and Rubio, the secretary of state, to test -- to road test some of the things that Trump thinks heard from Putin. Waltz and Rubio will not go easy on the Russian negotiators. So it is a chance for them to see, OK, how serious is the Russian side before they bring Ukrainians into the talks.
I can see them making that argument. But of course, from what we've heard out of Kyiv and from President Zelenskyy comments in Munich, he is feeling a little bit worried about the warm comments that President Trump made about Putin and worried about being cut out of this first round of talks in Saudi Arabia.
HUNTE: Can you just explain to me, what leverage do the Saudis have in all of this?
DOZIER: Well, one of the key reasons to have it in Saudi Arabia is some of the people from the Russian side coming to these meetings have arrest warrants out from the International Criminal Court. That's why it has likely been proposed as a possible meeting place for Trump and Putin somewhere down the line. But Saudi Arabia also has a number of key ties. Obviously, it's the leading member of OPEC. Russia is also a member of OPEC.
And the price of oil is part of this deal. Trump has threatened to flood the market with oil to lower the prices to cripple Russia if Russia doesn't negotiate in good faith. And Saudi Arabia also has ties to China, and China helps Saudi Arabia and Iran make peace. So, Saudi Arabia has positioned itself to be sort of diplomatic nexus in a number of different ways.
As we remember from the last Trump administration, the Trump family and the -- Prince MBS, they get along just fine. So there's already trust there. And I think they're hoping to build on that. That's why it's become this sort of safe space for talks.
HUNTE: And of course, while all of this is happening over the past, what, couple of hours have been seeing news out of the U.K. and the U.K. prime minister saying he's ready to put troops on the ground in Ukraine, which of course is a massive --
DOZIER: Yes.
HUNTE: -- turd after the U.S. pretty much shut out Europe in these negotiations with Russia. What do you make of all of that?
DOZIER: You know, I know that Trump officials are going to be patting themselves on the back over that because Britain, France, the Baltics, they've all been talking for months. All last year they were talking about the possibility of committing their own troops on the ground in Ukraine. But no one would be the first to say it. And now that the Trump administration has given them a hard time at the Munich security forum, told them you're going to have to start being more in charge of your own security. And by the way, we're not going to include you in this first round of Ukrainian talks.
Lo and behold, the British prime minister stepped up and said, but we're willing to put our troops on the ground to guarantee this peace. Therefore, he's obviously arguing we need a seat at the table. And from the Trump administration side, you know, they didn't have to push anyone. The BRICS jumped.
HUNTE: Well, we will see what happens next. Oh, my goodness, it is all happening.
Kim Dozier, thank you so much for joining me. Speak to you soon.
[01:10:02]
DOZIER: Thanks.
HUNTE: Benjamin. Netanyahu's office says an Israeli delegation will head to Cairo in the coming hours to discuss phase one of the Gaza cease fire deal while the Israeli prime minister holds a cabinet meeting to discuss the deal's second phase. It's unclear whether the negotiating team bound for Cairo will discuss that second stage. Netanyahu also says he knew about U.S. President Donald Trump's vision for a U.S. takeover of Gaza before it was even announced and praised the idea as revolutionary.
Meanwhile, the Israeli prime minister is now vowing to, quote, "Finish the job against Tehran," while the US Secretary of state says there could never be a nuclear Iran. CNN's Nic Robertson has more from Jerusalem.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLAMATIC EDITOR: Very clear, the two countries in lockstep and on Iran absolutely joined up in their thinking. The prime minister of Israel saying clearly the ayatollahs cannot be allowed to get a nuclear weapon. Marco Rubio doubling down on that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARCO RUBIO, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: The common theme in all of these challenges is Iran. It is the single greatest source of instability in the region. Behind every terrorist group, behind every act of violence, behind every destabilizing activity, behind everything that threatens peace and stability for the millions of people who call this region home is Iran. And by Iran, I mean the ayatollahs. By Iran I mean its regime, a regime who, by the way, its people don't support.
The people of Iran are victims of that regime.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTSON: He also spoke about Syria, about Lebanon, that neither of those two countries will be allowed to have a footing or a place forces that would target Israel's security. And on Hamas and Gaza, Prime Minister Netanyahu saying the United States, Israel in lockstep and the Hamas could be no more.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: I want to assure everyone who's now listening to us, President Trump and I are working in full cooperation and coordination between us. We have a common strategy and we can't always share the details of this strategy with the public, including when the gates of hell will be opened, as they surely will if all our hostages are not released until the last one of them. Israel is determined to achieve all the war objectives we set after the horrific attack on October 7, the worst attack on Jews since the Holocaust. We will eliminate Hamas's military capability and its political rule in Gaza. We will bring all our hostages home.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTSON: And on that all important question of what happens next in the hostage ceasefire negotiations over Gaza. Prime Minister Netanyahu sending delegation and negotiating delegation to Cairo on Monday to discuss the phase one, the first six weeks part of that deal. The security cabinet here in Israel Monday evening will meet to discuss what to do about phase two, the much harder to grapple with phase that could bring about an end to the war. And on that, Prime Minister Netanyahu indicating once the Security Council has discussed phase two, then he will instruct his negotiators who have gone to Cairo how to discuss that further.
Nic Robertson, CNN, Jerusalem.
HUNTE: And we're learning just hours ago, the Trump administration has started firing hundreds of Federal Aviation Administration probationary employees. They're part of the workforce that maintains radio and computer systems and develops new flight procedures. The firings don't include air traffic controllers. The head of the union says several hundred workers began getting firing notices on Friday. It's been less than three weeks since a mid-air collision over Washington, D.C. that killed 67 people. CNN's reached out to the FAA for comment. Still to come, a look at the devastation left behind after a deadly storm system slammed the eastern parts of the U.S. this weekend. Plus, Pope Francis is still in hospital as he recovers from bronchitis. An update on the pontiff's health next.
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HUNTE: A powerful storm swept through eastern United States this weekend and the threat is far from over. At least 10 people, including one child, are dead. And officials say emergency responders have rescued dozens of people. Water levels reached historic highs in Kentucky and the state's governor believes the death toll is only going to grow as the severe weather event is expected to continue for several more days.
On Sunday, President Donald Trump approved a federal disaster declaration for the state. Tens of thousands of customers are still without power and flood warnings are still in effect across several states.
The low temperatures pose yet another life threatening risk. The U.S. National Weather Service warns the frigid water temperatures can result in rapid hypothermia for anyone caught in the flooding. CNN's Danny Freeman is in Virginia, where thousands of customers are still without power.
DANNY FREEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: An incredibly busy weekend here in Virginia and across the region as storms really came down hard here. We're in Salem, Virginia. It's just outside of Roanoke, Virginia. This is the Roanoke River right here behind me.
Right now, thankfully, the waters have receded, but earlier on Sunday, this water was incredibly high, almost up to my waist at certain. One local gentleman in this area told me that it was higher than he'd ever seen, especially in this park. And you can tell just how much flooding was in this area earlier on Sunday.
[01:20:14]
Other places, though, in Virginia were not as lucky because Salem was relatively unscathed. Besides some of this flooding that you see right here. The governor of Virginia, Glenn Youngkin, on Sunday afternoon submitted a request for an expedited major disaster declaration. It was for a number of reasons. According to the governor's office, it's because at one point over 200,000 customers were actually without power.
On Sunday, 150 swift water rescues had to take place in this area of Virginia and parts to the west and also just to the west of us. Two communities suffered, as the governor put it, catastrophic flooding and historic flooding as well. The intensity of the storms felt not only here in Virginia, but also in other parts of the region. In the state of Kentucky, the governor, Andy Beshear, said that there were over 1,000 rescues that had to take place over the course of the weekend, including two nursing homes that had to be evacuated. But public officials all throughout the area are noting that the weather is getting colder as we got into the evening hours on Sunday.
And while the water is starting to recede in some areas, there is still flooding in some of these impacted areas. So local officials and state officials are encouraging people, if you do not have to get out on the road and if you do not have to go through or near some of these flooded areas, just don't. It's not worth risking your life.
Danny Freeman, CNN, Salem, Virginia.
HUNTE: Pope Francis thanked health care workers as he continues treatment for bronchitis. The 88-year-old pontiff was admitted to hospital on Friday and he does remain in stable condition. CNN's Vatican Correspondent Christopher Lamb has more.
CHRISTOPHER LAMB, CNN VATICAN CORRESPONDENT: The Vatican gave an update on Pope Francis' condition on Sunday, explaining that the Pope is in a stable condition that he's continuing to receive and that he followed the mass by television from his hospital bedroom behind me in the Gemelli Hospital on the 10th floor. Francis has been in hospital since Friday following a severe bout of bronchitis. This has been diagnosed as a respiratory tract infection and he's receiving treatment at the Gemelli Hospital.
Now, the Pope has been suffering from bronchitis for several days. He's been struggling to give speeches and finding it difficult to talk. The Pope has cancelled events for tomorrow and it's unclear how long he will be in hospital for the Vatican say that all this depends on how well he responds to treatment.
It's clear that the pope is not out of the woods yet. There is still a long way to go. But from this statement, what we know is that the pope's condition is stable. He's continuing to rest on the orders of doctors. And of course, we'll be waiting for further updates when they come from the Vatican.
Christopher Lamb, CNN, Rome.
HUNTE: Mourners laid flowers in Moscow on Sunday, one year after the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Supporters fired by his gravesite, expressing their sadness not only for themselves but for the country.
Navalny died last February after collapsing and losing consciousness in a Russian penal colony. His mother also visited the grave and pray the bravery of his followers, who could risk possible reprisals by honoring her son.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LYUDMILA NAVALNAYA, ALEXIE NAVALNY'S MOTHER (Through translator): I know how hard it is. I understand the fears of those who come here no matter what. I sincerely believe that those who come here for me, the best people in Russia, because that's patriotism. When you love your country and want to make it a little better, Russia should be happy. (END VIDEO CLIP)
HUNTE: Navalny's widow encouraged people to continue fighting for a free and peaceful Russia, to make her husband's dream come true. She said she spent the past year trying to continue his work, saying he's still an inspiration to Russians. And she accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of being responsible for Navalny's death. But the Kremlin has denied this.
Twenty countries issued a joint statement marking the first anniversary of Navalny's death on Sunday. It said, "We reiterate that the ultimate responsibility for his death lies with the Russian authorities. One year on, Russia's dire human rights record continues to deteriorate. The Kremlin crushes peaceful dissent, maintains a climate of fear and undermines the rule of law." The United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and several European countries were among the signatories on the statement.
The U.S. was not one of them.
The Trump administration is doing its best to dismantle USAID, but its many supporters argue that the organization makes the world safer for Americans. We'll tell you why just ahead. Plus, West Texas is grappling with a measles outbreak. We'll have the latest next.
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[01:29:39]
HUNTE: Welcome back, the Trump administration is reversing years of U.S. policy on Russia, reaching out directly to the Kremlin to negotiate the fate of Ukraine. The upcoming talks between U.S. and Russian officials in Saudi Arabia have alarmed European leaders who say they worry the Trump administration will be too quick to give in to Russia's demands. Betsy Klein brings us the latest.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BETSY KLEIN, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE PRODUCER: Top officials from the Trump administration are heading to Saudi Arabia for high level, high stakes talks with senior Russian officials.
We are learning that Secretary of State Marco Rubio, along with national security adviser Mike Waltz and U.S. special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, will meet Tuesday with high level officials from Russia.
The Kremlin has put together a group of political, economic and intelligence figures, and they're going to be discussing efforts to end Russia's war in Ukraine, which is on the cusp of its third anniversary.
We are also learning that Saudi Arabia is expected to serve as a key mediator during these talks. Of course, this comes after Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman was a key instrumental figure in securing the release of that American who was wrongfully detained in Russia just last week.
Now, senior officials familiar with this trip are characterizing it as a first step. An initial set of talks aimed at gauging whether Russia is serious, in fact, about ending this war.
And of course, it comes on the heels of that phone call between President Trump and President Putin just days ago.
Here's what President Trump had to say.
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We're moving along. We're trying to get a peace with Russia and Ukraine, and we're working very hard on it. It's a war that should have never started.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you expect Zelenskyy to be involved in these conversations? What will his role be?
TRUMP: Yes. I do. He will be involved. Yes.
KLEIN: Now Secretary Rubio said that if these talks progress in the right direction, Ukraine is going to have to get involved. He also indicated that the Europeans could have to get involved.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HUNTE: This week marks the end of Donald Trump's first month in his second term in the White House. It's been a wild month, to say the least.
A CBS/YouGov poll finds that 53 percent of Americans approve of the U.S. president's performance so far. 47 percent disapprove. Whether or not they agree with his flurry of executive actions, 70 percent of Americans say Mr. Trump is doing what he promised in his campaign. But a whopping 66 percent believe he isn't doing enough to lower the prices of goods and services.
This comes as egg prices skyrocket and thousands of people are losing their jobs from his federal job cuts.
As hundreds of federal workers look to sue the Trump administration, including many at America's biggest aid agency, a judge has extended a pause on President Donald Trump's order to shut down the agency, USAID, until later this week.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARCO RUBIO, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: This is the only way we've been able to get cooperation from USAID. We are going to do foreign aid. The United States will be providing foreign aid, but it is going to be foreign aid that makes sense and is aligned with our national interests.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HUNTE: That controversial decision has many people asking some very important questions. How much money actually goes to helping people outside of the U.S.? And why is America such a big investor?
Let's answer it and start with how much.
The U.S. spends about $70 billion in foreign aid annually. That's military, humanitarian, medical assistance and all of that. Nearly 60 percent of that goes to USAID. That's tens of billions of dollars going to other nations since the Cold War.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The people who are opposed to aid should realize that this is a very powerful source of strength for us. It permits us to exert influence for the maintenance of freedom.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HUNTE: Now, our research has found America has been assisting the world, mostly because it's best for its own self-interest. It is a soft power flex in the name of protecting global peace, stability and democracy without direct intervention.
Foreign assistance is much like a second arm to U.S. influence. It helps fight poverty and boosts economies. It aids others to defend against terrorism, against crime, spread of weapons of mass destruction, and it funds research in medicine, advancing how we fight diseases or take on HIV and AIDS prevention.
So if we compare to the figures of other countries, the U.S. has been investing the most. Well, sort of.
Data shows that figure right here is not even 1 percent of America's total GDP. Critics argue it's still a lot to be giving away without checks and balances on where it's all going.
Both Republicans and Democrats want to meet somewhere in the middle. They agree dismantling an agency that sends billions to aid developing nations for food, medical purposes and research will set America back.
[01:34:46]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. MICHAEL MCCAUL (R-TX): I believe it still has a legitimate purpose to counter the rising threat of China and Belts and Roads and our other foreign adversaries.
It also has the ability to counter terrorism.
REP. GREGORY MEEKS (D-NY): Bottom line, who wins when we pull back from one of America's greatest strengths? China wins. Russia wins. Our adversaries win.
So yes, this is a betrayal. This is a betrayal of our national security.
(END VIDEO CLIP) HUNTE: A bird flu vaccine for chickens has been conditionally approved in the U.S. as the virus ravages poultry stocks in the country. Unlike other countries until the U.S. had chosen not to vaccinate chickens, instead, the U.S. normally culls flocks of birds when it detects bird flu.
But the impact is sending the price of eggs soaring, forcing the country to consider another strategy. Over the last year, about 70 cases of bird flu were confirmed among people in the U.S. Authorities say the risk to the general public remains low.
Western Texas is grappling with a health crisis as officials struggle to contain a measles outbreak. Cases have doubled in the last week. They're now at 48, and a majority of them involve children 5 to 17 years old.
CNN's Julia Vargas Jones has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JULIA VARGAS JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This outbreak started in Gaines County in west Texas, but has now spread to neighboring counties as well. Lynn, Terry and Yoakum counties now are part of this outbreak.
They have vaccination rates lower than the recommended threshold for this area. Experts say that the risk of further transmission remains high, but they are putting in measurements to try and curb the spread of this virus.
Clinics have been open now and extended hours seven days a week. And last week about 80 people got their MMR shots -- their measles, mumps and rubella vaccines.
But this area -- one in about five kindergartners is not vaccinated against measles. That is the highest exemption rate in the county, about 18 percent, according to the Texas Department of Health.
Measles is an extremely contagious virus that is spread through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes, and in some cases it can lead to blindness, pneumonia, and swelling of the brain, and it can be deadly, especially for those unvaccinated people or under- vaccinated, those who haven't completed their second dose of the vaccine, and for children under the age of five.
The CDC warns that once an outbreak starts in an area with low vaccination rates, it is extremely difficult to contain it.
And now the virus is spreading over to New Mexico after two adults were diagnosed with the virus after a teenager -- unvaccinated teenager was also diagnosed in Lea County, just across the border from Texas.
Authorities nationwide are warning parents to make sure that their children are vaccinated, to check those vaccine cards and help curb the spread of this virus so it doesn't go even further.
Julia Vargas Jones, CNN -- Los Angeles.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HUNT: Germans will vote next Sunday in a closely-contested election. Immigration and the economy are two of the top issues. The country's four main chancellor candidates debated for the first time on Sunday. The conservative Christian Democratic Union Party leads the polls. Its leader, Friedrich Merz, says he'll move Germany further to the right. He's also promising to crack down on immigration and lower taxes.
But he rejects the hardline positions of the far-right Alternative for Germany party. The AFD is second in polls.
Argentine President Javier Milei is facing calls for impeachment after he appeared to endorse a cryptocurrency whose price soared, then sank when the price dropped. Thousands of investors lost money.
Milei mentioned the currency in a social media post, then deleted the post just hours later. Opposition lawmakers are accusing him of scamming his 3.8 million followers.
Milei's office tells CNN the incident was just a mistake. They also said Argentina's anti-corruption office would investigate.
At the BAFTA Film Awards in London, some favorites came out on top, but there were also quite a few surprises. The winners and the losers after this break.
[01:39:12]
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HUNTE: The stars were out in London for the BAFTA Film Awards. Among the big winners were two favorites going in immigrant tale "The Brutalist" for leading actor Adrien Brody and director Brady Corbet, and Best Film for Pope drama "Conclave".
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What happened?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They say a heart attack.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You know how rumor spreads and 1.25 billion souls watching?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well Cardinal Lawrence, it seems the responsibility for the conclave falls upon you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HUNTE: But as we head now towards the Oscars, predictions are still looking difficult. In addition to the favorites, there were some surprises. "A Real Pain" writer/director Jesse Eisenberg took the Best Original Screenplay award.
He spoke to CNN's Max Foster and summed up what he thought might account for the broad appeal of an unusual movie.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JESSE EISENBERG, DIRECTOR, "A REAL PAIN": I guess the unusual thing about it -- But I can't even parse it because it's my own thing -- is that perhaps it takes the kind of well-worn theme which is like Holocaust-themed movies, and maybe comes at it from an angle that feels a little -- I don't know, newer or more modern, more welcoming, less sanctimonious than a lot of the movies made on a similar theme. So maybe that's why.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[01:44:56]
HUNTE: And in the Best Actress category, Mikey Madison edged out the favorite Demi Moore, who's been riding high on her comeback performance in "The Substance". Madison spoke to Max about the film that she stars in, "Enora".
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAX FOSTER, CNN LONDON CORRESPONDENT: Why do you think the film hit a nerve? Have you got any feeling for that?
MIKEY MADISON, ACTRESS, "ENORA": I mean, I think Sean makes films about humanity and touches on really interesting subject matter.
And I don't know, I mean, I think that there is just something really special in the air when we made this film.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HUNTE: Earlier, I spoke to entertainment journalist Michael Musto from "The Village Voice". I started by asking him about Mikey Madison, who won the leading actress award for her performance in "Enora".
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAEL MUSTO, ENTERTAINMENT JOURNALIST, "THE VILLAGE VOICE": She's brilliant and fearless as a stripper in "Enora" who gets involved with the son of a Russian oligarch.
And it becomes this kind of fractured Cinderella fairy tale that becomes -- careening, careening out of control. She really is an amazing discovery.
I actually think she's a little too new to win the Oscar. and Demi is just right. Demi is a seasoned entertainer having this wonderful journey at the moment, so.
HUNTE: Juicy. Exciting.
(CROSSTALKING)
HUNTE: Well, I don't know. I'm very interested to see what actually happens, but obviously another massive moment was Zoe Saldana winning supporting actress even with all of the "Emilia Perez" controversy.
For those who don't know, the film's leading actress, who is trans, was found to have posted some really controversial and racist and Islamophobic statements on social media.
I mean, were you surprised that "Emilia Perez" still got recognized at all last night, given all of that?
MUSTO: Well, that's how good the movie is. It's surviving the controversy. And there's nothing that can assail Zoe Saldana's performance.
She's incredible as the lawyer who handles the trans character Emilia Perez's case and transition, and there's nothing that's going to stop her from winning the Oscar.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HUNTE: "The Seed of the Sacred Fig" was nominated for best film not in the English language. That's the category that "Emilia Perez" won. But the film by Iranian director Mohammad Rasoulof is still up for an Oscar.
And as CNN's Salma Abdelaziz shows us, it has an incredible back story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Of all the movies nominated for an Oscar this year, only one was filmed in secret. "The Seed of the Sacred Fig" director Mohammad Rasoulof premiered his movie at the Cannes Film Festival last year after fleeing Iran and going into exile.
The Iranian activist is also the director of some of Iran's most influential movies, but his activism and films, which are critical of the regime have consistently landed him in trouble with Iranian authorities including time in prison.
MOHAMMAD RASOULOF, DIRECTOR, "THE SEED OF THE SACRED FIG" (through translator): I was asking myself in the year 2022 while I was in prison whether or not I'm still a filmmaker in prison. Or do I just become a victim of censorship in prison.
ABDELAZIZ: Before fleeing the country, Rasoulof was facing eight years in jail, a sentence that came down just one month into the making of his film. After secretly finishing the film, Rasoulof made the incredibly difficult decision to leave the life he knew and flee Iran.
RASOULOF: The moment I left my home really still to this day bothers me a lot and I cannot talk about it.
ABDELAZIZ: Rasoulof contacted friends he'd made in prison, who told him they'd help if he decided to leave the country. It was a long trek through mountains and secret hiding places with just a backpack of clothes and a new phone he'd saved just in case. His family helped him identify himself to the German consulate in one country where he hid. 28 days later, Rasoulof made it to Germany.
His latest movie chronicles the relationship between a judge loyal to the Iranian regime and his family during the Women, Life, Freedom Movement that erupted in 2022.
Rasoulof told CNN the main characters resemble bits of people he has encountered. The two sisters in the film were inspired by his interviews with young women of the Women, Life, Freedom Movement.
In order to keep the movie's production out of the eye of authorities, Rasoulof had to resort to unorthodox ways of filming.
RASOULOF: We had to keep our crew very small. We had to work with very limited equipment and we had to pretend that any shooting scene was resembling a student project so it would not alarm anyone. And at the same time I had to be not on set, but directing from a distance.
[01:49:53]
ABDELAZIZ: The thriller is nominated for Best Feature International Film, representing Germany. Other members of the cast also remain in exile, including Niousha Akhshi, Mahsa Rostami, and Setareh Maleki, who now live in Berlin.
As for Rasoulof, he's already looking to the future.
RADOULOF: Of course, I cannot disconnect my relationship with my past. So any story that I have in mind right now sort of resembles the continuation of my work.
ABDELAZIZ: The director says he has many ideas for his next film, so many that it's almost hard to choose. But one thing is certain, Rasoulof is far from done telling stories of Iranian life and its struggles.
Salma Abdelaziz, CNN -- London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HUNTE: "Captain America: Brave New World" is the number one movie at the U.S. box office.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HARRISON FORD, ACTOR: You're not Steve Rogers.
ANTHONY MACKIE, ACTOR: Right. I'm not.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HUNTE: This is Marvel Studios' fourth Captain America film. It's expected to take more than $100 million over America's Presidents' Day long weekend. That would make it the fourth highest grossing movie for the holiday. The top three Presidents Day weekend moneymakers are all Marvel films,
with 2018 "Black Panther". "Captain America, Brave New World" stars Anthony Mackie and Harrison Ford. It's the 35th feature of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Archeologists in Pompeii have uncovered what could have been the Roman version of Mar-a-Lago. A look at what remains of this lavish, first century complex when we return.
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HUNTE: Team Shaq won the NBA's first All-Star mini tournament on Sunday night. This was one of the biggest highlights of the night -- Steph Curry nailed a half-court shot, nothing but net.
He was literally standing on the half-court line when he pulled up for the shot. Curry was the game's MVP, helping Team Shaq post a 41 to 25 win over Charles Barkley's Team Chuck.
William Byron has won Nascar's Daytona 500 for the second time in a row. The 27-year-old took the checkered flag after a series of wrecks on the race's final lap. Byron is the first back-to-back Daytona winner since 2020.
New Roman ruins have been uncovered at Pompeii in Italy, including what could have been an ancient version of Mar-a-Lago.
CNN's Ben Wedeman reports.
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BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Around noon in A.D. 79, it's not clear whether it was the summer or the autumn, Mount Vesuvius began to erupt within 48 hours. If they were lucky, residents of the city of Pompeii managed to flee. The rest were dead.
For centuries afterwards, Pompeii was largely forgotten until the middle of the 1700s, when digging began in earnest.
GABRIEL ZUCHTRIEGEL, DIRECTOR GENERAL, ARCHAEOLOGICAL PARK OF POMPEII: Minerals coming through humidity.
WEDEMAN: For Gabriel Zuchtriegel, director of the Pompeii Archaeological Park, the work here never ends.
ZUCHTRIEGEL: Yes, the site is so vast and it's, you know, 13,000 rooms excavated in two and a half centuries.
[01:54:47]
WEDEMAN: There are still new discoveries. The latest, this lavish complex of baths, including a caldarium -- a hot room, a tepidarium -- a warm room, and a frigidarium -- a room with a pool of cold water, and a banquet hall.
Archaeologists presume the owner was a wealthy businessman turned politician, busy wining and dining, winning friends and influencing people. Sound familiar?
ZUCHTRIEGEL: I think it's a bit like Mar-a-Lago, right? It's not really a public place, but at some points people would invite stakeholders and potential supporters and friends.
WEDEMAN: This Roman Mar-a-Lago was under renovation. With the eruption, the work came to an abrupt end.
This could be a modern construction site with tiles and bricks and gravel lying around. But these were the materials left behind by construction workers 1,946 years ago.
Now, one of the reasons why Pompeii is so well preserved is that when the eruption of Vesuvius took place, it was covered by this pumice -- lightweight, solidified lava.
Anna Onesti runs the dig site here. She says archaeologists at Pompeii need to pace themselves as technology advances.
"Pompeii still holds many surprises," she says, "and that's why at a certain point excavations have to conclude so that we can allow future generations after 100 -- 200 years, to resume digging and uncover more data."
Stay tuned. There's more to come.
Ben Wedeman, CNN -- Pompeii.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HUNTE: Ok, that's all I've got for you. I'm Ben Hunte in Atlanta. It's been so real. Thanks for joining me and the team.
Let's do it again next weekend. Same time. Sounds good.
Rosemary Church is up next. See you soon.
[01:56:54]
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