Wednesday morning news: November 26, 2025

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Ukraine progress » President Trump says he believes talks aimed at ending the war in Ukraine may finally be gaining traction.

TRUMP: In the last month, 25,000 soldiers have died, so I, I think we're getting very close to a deal. We'll find out. I thought that one would've been, uh, gone quicker, but I think we're making progress.

The US has presented a 28-point peace plan as a framework for negotiations. But Ukrainian negotiator Oleksandr Bevz says there is no finalized proposal — it’s all still in work in progress. And he adds that security guarantees for Ukraine will be a critical part of any deal.

BEVZ: The level and the character of security guarantees would actually define the sustainability of the deal. I mean, this is not just the part of this deal. This is the part making this deal real and enforceable.

The Trump administration’s framework proposal has its share of critics with some saying it makes too many concessions to Moscow.

But British Prime Minister Keir Starer virtually addressed a coalition of allies Tuesday about the plan, with Ukrainian President Voldymyr Zelenskyy on the call. And Starmer said:

STARMER: In large part, um, the majority of the text, um, looks as though, um, uh, Voldymyr is indicating, um, can be, um, accepted.

A US official reportedly says army Secretary Dan Driscoll spent several hours in Abu Dhabi with Russian officials who have not said much about the plan.

Top Russian diplomat Sergei Lavrov says Moscow's waiting to officially receive an interim version.

Israel latest » Pope Leo has a Thanksgiving message for Israel and the Hezbollah terror group. Speaking from his home just outside Rome yesterday, he urged both sides:

POPE: To ask and to invite, to encourage all people to look for peace. To look for justice because oftentimes violence occurs as a result of injustices.

That may be harder than it sounds. The conflict between Israel and Hezbollah has been heating up in recent days...with Israel launching an airstrike that took out a top Hezbollah leader this week.

Also yesterday:

SOUND: Body delivered

Israel says it has received more human remains from Hamas. But it has not yet confirmed that those remains are those of one of the three deceased hostages still held by Hamas from the October 7th attacks.

Thanksgiving travel weather » Millions of Americans are hitting the road today for Thanksgiving.

And in some parts of the country right now, that can be a treacherous journey.

One drive man told WDAY-TV that he traveled nearly 200 miles from Devil's Lake, North Dakota to just past Fargo, and:

AUDIO:  Tons of cars and ditches, tow trucks, policemen. We saw one five or six car pile-up with an 18 wheeler involved. I mean, it was, uh, pretty much everywhere you look and turn, there's somebody spinning out.

Snow and ice are also blanketing roads in other Midwestern states, with more snow expected today in the Great Lakes region.

And heavy storms have struck elsewhere. Some suburban Houston residents are cleaning up after at least two tornadoes and heavy rains have swamped parts of the South.

Four more arrested in Louvre heist » Police in Paris have arrested four more suspects in last month’s stunning jewel heist at the Louvre museum. WORLD’s Benjamin Eicher has more.

BENJAMIN EICHER: Prosecutors say officers slapped handcuffs on two men and two women, all from the Paris region.

But they are not saying — just yet what role the suspects are thought to have played in the robbery.

French media, however, is reporting one of them may be the fourth member of the team that carried out the daring daytime heist. That team dressed up as maintenance workers and made off with more than $100 million dollars in treasures in under eight-minutes.

The stolen jewels — including pieces once owned by French royalty — still haven’t been recovered.

For WORLD, I’m Benjamin Eicher.

Retail sales » Retail sales rose slightly in September.

The Commerce Department report was delayed due to the government shutdown. But the newly-released numbers show shoppers spent two-tenths of a percent (0.2%) more at stores and restaurants.

That was, however, a much smaller increase than the strong gains seen over the summer.

Restaurant sales were one bright spot, while clothing, electronics, and sporting goods stores saw declines.

Because the shutdown stalled so many economic reports, officials say we won’t have a full read on consumer trends until later next month.

I'm Kent Covington.

Straight ahead: Washington Wednesday with Hunter Baker and a World Tour update from Nigeria. Plus, a midweek movie review heading into the Thanksgiving weekend.

This is The World and Everything in It.

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