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Blinken Addresses Future of Syria; Blinken's Direct Contact with Syrian Rebels; Israel Moves Troops into Buffer Zone; Israel Strike in Gaza Kills 12; S. Korea Han Duck-soo Vows Stability; San Francisco's First Ever Tornado Warning; Government Officials Remain Divided on Drones Over U.S.; ABC News Settles with Trump; Pelosi Recovering from Hip Surgery; American Couple Killed in Mexico; Russia's New System Can Track Ukraine's Starlink Terminals; Putin Gifts Kim Jong Un Exotic Animals. Aired 4-5a ET

Aired December 15, 2024 - 04:00   ET

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

[04:00:00]

Ben Hunte, CNN ANCHOR: Hello. Welcome to our viewers in the United States and all around the world. I'm Ben Hunte in London. It is so good to have you with me.

Coming up on CNN Newsroom. America's top diplomat addresses what's next for Syria after the collapse of the Assad regime and what role the U.S. could play. We'll have analysis on the latest developments in the region. Downtown San Francisco experiences its first tornado warning in recorded history. Details on the unprecedented storm. Plus, questions and unease are only growing after those mysterious drone sightings along the Northeastern U.S.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken says the U.S. has been in direct contact with the lead group of Syrian rebels. Washington has designated that group a terrorist organization. The news came after Saturday's diplomatic meeting in Jordan to discuss Syria's future. Representatives from the U.S., Middle East, Europe as well were at that meeting.

Afterwards, Blinken said the contact with the group was an effort to locate missing journalist Austin Tice and explain what's expected of a new Syrian government, including respecting the rights of all Syrians.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANTONY BLINKEN, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: Yes, we've been in contact with HTS and with other parties. We have impressed upon everyone we've been in contact with the importance of helping find Austin Tice and bringing him home. And we've also shared the principles that I just laid out for our ongoing support. Principles, again, that have now been adopted by countries throughout the region and well beyond.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNTE: Meanwhile, Israel has carried out airstrikes on Syria since the rebels took power, and Israeli troops have moved into the buffer zone between Syria and the Israeli occupied Golan Heights. Israel says the move is only temporary, but Arab countries are calling it an attempted land grab.

Well, Haid Haid is a consulting fellow at Chatham House's Middle East and North Africa Program, and he joins us live now from here in London. Haid, you could have just popped in to see me here in the studio, couldn't you? But thank you for joining me.

HAID HAID, CONSULTING FELLOW, MIDEAST AND NORTH AFRICA PROGRAM, CHATHAM HOUSE: Thank you for having me.

HUNTE: After 14 years of conflict, Syria's situation has suddenly moved so fast. I'm sure some viewers are struggling to keep up with all of the changes in Syria and the news coming out of it. Can you just tell me a bit more about this sudden summit? And do you think these diplomats potentially need to move even faster to prevent any sort of partitioning of Syria on sectarian lines?

HAID: Well, thank you for having me. I think, yes, it took them a week to meet together and then discuss how they need to support Syria, basically moving forward. And now, I think that the issue is while the principles they laid out are clear and positive, we need to see how they are going to implement those principles or ensuring that those principles are implemented.

And the other thing is that we hope that we will not continue to see just external actors and players discussing Syria without the presence of Syrians themselves.

HUNTE: And every day we are seeing Israeli strikes on Syrian military bases. Can you just tell me a bit more about what's going on there? Why is Israel making these moves? Will the strikes get worse for Syrians? I know we've not seen any civilian casualties just yet, but could that be on the cards?

HAID: Well, for now, at least the official sort of narrative from the Israeli side is that they are eliminating any military equipment or sites that could potentially threaten their security. Now, they also launched, as you mentioned, some sort of ground operation and they occupied new territories inside Syria, which violates the deconflicting treaty, which was signed in 1974.

[04:05:00]

The problem right now is that, A, there has been no provoker -- provoke -- the groups did not provoke Israel and did not make any statement to justify such aggression. The other thing is that Israel has already reinforced its frontlines or territories with Syria during the fight with Hezbollah. So, they have the capabilities to defend themselves without grabbing new areas.

And the problem right now is that they are creating tension and they are destabilizing Syria at a critical point where the people there, they're just trying to figure out how to move forward.

HUNTE: I want to talk a bit about Austin Tice, which to me as a former foreign correspondent, it's just an absolutely wild story. He's an American journalist who was kidnapped in Syria, and he's been missing for 12 years. Now, we've seen some absolutely incredible coverage of prisoners being freed across Syria. CNN Clarissa Ward's doing her thing there. What more do we know about Austin and his whereabouts?

HAID: Unfortunately, not much. There has been contacts with different groups inside Syria, whether those are civilian groups or even as indicated before with HTS, the main armed actor there. But they had -- there has been no clear indication as to what happened to him or his fate.

The problem right now is that the people there, they're dealing with thousands of people who have been detained in those facilities. And unfortunately, in many of those detention facilities, it seems that the documents that sort of manage who is there and what happened to the people who were detained there have been either burned or they have not been at least safeguarded in a way that would allow people to have easy access, which explains why it's really difficult to have clear information about what really happened, not only to him, to the thousands of others who have been detained in those facilities.

HUNTE: Yes, indeed. I want to take a moment to talk about Syrian asylum seekers. Over the past few days, we've seen western governments almost falling over themselves, competing with each other to get Syrian asylum seekers out of their countries. It's really surprised me because Syria doesn't seem entirely ready for citizens to safely return at the moment.

But anyway, within hours of Assad's ouster, so many E.U. countries halted applications from Syrian nationals, and some are even getting ready to deport Syria. I mean, that surprised me. Has that surprised you?

HAID: Not really. Although, it's disappointing, but it's not really surprising because this sort of policy that the E.U. countries have been implementing or trying to push Syrian out for quite some time. And they took the first opportunity to pose the ability to process those asylum sort of application.

The problem right now is that they're making the wrong moves, rather than supporting the transition in Syria and ensuring that there is a stable environment for people to go back to and allow them to actually even go visit and see that it's safe for them to go there, they're just creating concerns and fears among Syrians, and that will only create more problems instead of basically encouraging and motivating people to make that decision on their own.

What's needed right now is to ensure that the transition that is happening there is peaceful, is inclusive, and that will lead to a better future. And I think that alone will be enough for many people to go back, as we have seen in recent days where many people have gone back voluntarily to the country. So, pushing them out is not the right reason, encouraging them and creating the environment is what's needed.

HUNTE: Well, we shall see what happens next. Haid Haid, live in London, round the corner from me in this studio. Thank you for joining me. I appreciate it.

Next, a U.S. official tells CNN that top White House official, Brett McGurk, is staying in the Middle East to work on a Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal. Egypt says McGurk and U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan met on Saturday with Egypt's president. The U.S. is again expressing cautious optimism about prospects for a deal, saying Hamas has shown increased flexibility.

In Israel, protesters were back on the streets of Tel Aviv on Saturday. They're demanding the Israeli government do more to get a hostage release agreement.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OMRI LIFSHITZ, FATHER IS BEING HELD HOSTAGE IN GAZA: This is the 435th day. This is the rally of Saturday evening, pushing for a deal. Where there is a deal now on the table, and they say that perhaps it's for this month.

[04:10:00]

And we hope it's true. We get another release of Hamas hostage moving. And we see that we don't know if he's alive or not. And it's demonstrated for releasing them and get the deal done soon as possible.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNTE: U.S. Secretary of State Blinken says the U.S. is working intensely to get a deal over the finish line. Hospital officials in Gaza say a strike on a municipal building has killed the mayor of Deir al Balah and at least 11 other people. Gaza civil defense says the building was targeted while employees were inside. Two children are among the victims. The Israeli military says it intended to kill the mayor, accusing him of providing Hamas with combat assistance. The IDF also says it took steps to mitigate the risk of harming civilians. Gaza's government media office calls it a heinous assassination.

South Korea's new acting president is promising to restore stability and trust in the country's government. Han Duck-soo spoke with the U.S. president, Joe Biden, Saturday to reaffirm their key partnership. The White House says Mr. Biden expressed his appreciation for the resiliency of democracy and the rule of law in South Korea. Han is also urging his country and South Korea's allies to remain vigilant against external threats.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HAN DUCK-SOO, ACTING SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENT (through translator): I call on the military to recognize the seriousness of the current situation and establish a joint defense posture under close cooperation between the United States and South Korea and further strengthen its surveillance and alert posture against North Korea's provocations.

(END VIDEO CLIP) HUNTE: Han was, of course, elevated to presidency on Saturday after Yoon Suk Yeol was impeached for declaring martial law and plunging the country into political chaos. Han was President Yoon's prime minister at the time and was being investigated over his role in the martial law decision. But South Korea's main opposition party says it will not seek to impeach acting President Han in order to avoid what it calls excessive impeachments, confusion, and further instability.

For the first time ever, a tornado warning was issued for Downtown San Francisco on Saturday. The National Weather Service confirms a tornado did not actually hit the area, but the damage left behind is consistent with 80 mile per hour straight line winds. A flood advisory and high wind warning was also issued for regions along the coast.

While the City of San Francisco escaped a tornado, one did touch down about 67 miles or about 107 kilometers south of there. It happened in the town of Scotts Valley and residents described what it was like.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We saw thethat white car over there get --

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Started going into the air.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Into the air about 15 feet. And then, the --

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The community jumped in to help pretty immediately, which is great. But it looks like everyone's walking away.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Everybody's OK.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A couple injuries, but --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Two people are injured, but they're both OK, and they're both in ambulances. Everybody else walked away.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNTE: Scary stuff there. The tornado in Scotts Valley injured at least five people. The storm flipped over several cars, blew out windows, and destroyed a number of trees. CNN's Elisa Raffa explains the weather system that led to these conditions in the Bay Area.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ELISA RAFFA, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Downtown San Francisco had its first ever tornado warning issued early on Saturday. We've got a powerful storm coming on shore and it was able to have enough moisture and stability to create some twist in the atmosphere, and that's what triggered this tornado warning early on Saturday that included Downtown San Francisco. And you can see that twist or that rotation coming in off the Pacific Ocean and then cutting across the San Francisco Bay Area.

Now, even when out the tornado warning, the storm has been so powerful it has been picking up gusts 83 miles per hour at the San Francisco International Airport, one of their strongest gusts on record. Monterey, 78 miles per hour. A lot of areas with gusts over 60 miles per hour. And again, that's just the breadth of how powerful this storm is.

We get a little bit of a break going into Sunday, but we have another powerful storm that comes on shore as we start out the work week. So, the winds will pick up again. And so, will the rain and even the snow. We're going to tack on more snow in those mountain areas, another foot or two possible.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNTE: Some U.S. officials are growing increasingly frustrated with the Biden administration's muted response to all of those reports of drones in the sky, as many across the Northeastern U.S. are left with more questions than answers. Just ahead, what we know and what we don't know.

Plus, ABC News reaches a costly settlement with Donald Trump. More on that coming up.

[04:15:00]

HUNTE: Welcome back. New reports continue to come in in the mysterious drone sightings over the Northeastern U.S. Reports now spread across at least six states. For the better part of a month now, people have reported consistent sightings of unidentified aircraft all over the northeast. New reports have locals concerned that the federal government isn't telling the whole truth about these incidents.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul called out the Biden administration saying, quote, "this has gone too far" after a small New York airport was shut down temporarily on Friday due to a drone sighting. Many state officials have followed suit saying they aren't buying the repeated assertions from federal agencies, but there is no cause for concern.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RYAN HERD, MAYOR OF PEQUANNOCK, NEW JERSEY: This is not about politics. We have drones that are flying over critical infrastructure. They're flying over our residents' houses. They're flying over our houses, our families. They deserve to have peace of mind. We need to find out what's going on. And I'm calling on the federal government to step up and help us, give us the tools we need to track these.

[04:20:00]

Because let me tell you what we're not going to do. We need to find out who they are, what they are, who is flying these, whatever's going on. We're not going to shoot one down. We're not going to try to catch one. And we're not going to send up a hobby drone to try to take pictures. You know, the unattended consequences of that is way too big. God forbid one of these drones the size of a car crashes into your neighbor's house and kills everyone. I don't ever want that to happen.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNTE: We'll have more on a federal response from Julia Benbrook at the White House. But first, we go to Gloria Pazmino in New York.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GLORIA PAZMINO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Six states throughout the Northeast have reported these drone sightings everywhere from New Jersey to Pennsylvania, Virginia, Massachusetts, and Connecticut, and even here in New York where a local airfield had to shut down over the weekend after a reported drone activity over its skies led the airspace to be shut down for over an hour. That led the governor here in New York, Kathy Hochul, to issue a statement saying that all of this had simply gone too far and calling on the Biden administration to step in to do more and provide more public information.

These drone sightings are causing a lot of consternation among local communities from people who are reporting the sightings and very confused about what exactly they are and what is behind them. Now, we heard from some federal officials who are responding to the drone activity over the weekend, and they had some contradicting information as well. They said that while there is no national security threat associated with any of these sightings, they still don't know whether or not there's anything malicious or if it is criminal in nature. That is certainly a little bit different from what we have heard from other federal officials who have said that this is likely a case of mistaken identity and that there is no security threat to worry about.

In the meantime, a lot of frustration from local lawmakers across the area who say that the federal government is not doing enough to make sure that communities have the information that they need in order to feel safe. Take a listen to a local state assemblyman from New Jersey describing the activity that he himself witnessed.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ERIK PETERSON, NEW JERSEY ASSEMBLYMAN: And the way that they're moving, they move forward, they stop, they hover, they move sideways, they stop, they hover, they move backwards. It's obviously not an airplane. It's not a helicopter because it's not making any noise. And so, you know, it's a drone.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PAZMINO: Now, a lot of the reported activity has actually taken place over the skies in New Jersey and the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI issued a statement responding to some of that activity, saying in part, to the contrary, upon review of available imagery, it appears that many of the reported sightings are actually manned aircraft operating lawfully. There are no reported or confirmed drone sightings in any restricted airspace.

So, you can see just how confusing some of the information has been. That's not helping when it comes to people who are continuing to report these sightings and who want to know more. about what is exactly behind them. On that end, we've also learned that the FBI tip line has received more than 5,000 tips regarding drones and reported sightings. But so far, fewer than 100 of those were deemed worthy of further investigative activity.

JULIA BENBROOK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Federal agencies are facing intense pressure to give the public more details about these unexplained drone sightings. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle at the local level, the state level and here in Washington are pushing for more answers and saying that they need more transparency from the administration. This after some of those reported drone sightings happen near residential areas as well as critical infrastructure and restricted sites.

Now, U.S. officials from the federal agencies leading the We're going to those reported drone sightings in the tristate area are acknowledging the unusual nature of what is being observed, but at the same time, attempting to downplay the reported drone sightings.

In an interview with CNN's Wolf Blitzer on Friday, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said that his agency knows of no threat or nefarious activity. He said that the government has sent state of the art technology as well as experts to New Jersey following those first reported sightings and that that technology has not confirmed any of the drone sightings. Instead, it's confirmed that at least some of the reports were actually small aircraft.

[04:25:00]

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY: We believe that there are cases of mistaken identity where drones are actually small aircraft and people are misidentifying them. They're very well maybe drones in the sky, of course, but those are commercially available. One can go into a convenience store and buy a small drone. There are also commercial drones as well.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BENBROOK: Addressing calls to shoot down those unidentified drones, Mayorkas said, quote, "It's not as though anyone can just take down a drone in the sky. That in and of itself would be dangerous." Mayorkas pledged to be transparent and promised to provide an update if his team sees any cause for concern.

At the White House, Julia Benbrook, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTE: All right. Still to come, law enforcement officials are releasing new details about a California couple's violent death during a trip to Mexico.

Plus, while many are concerned over Donald Trump's pick for health secretary, RFK Jr. has support among some moms. More on that next. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HUNTE: Welcome back to our viewers in the United States and all around the world. I'm Ben Hunte. And this is CNN Newsroom. ABC News has reached a million -- multimillion dollar settlement with the U.S. president-elect in his defamation lawsuit. The suit stems from a George Stephanopoulos interview where the anchor repeatedly said a jury had found Trump liable for rape. Brian Selter has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

[04:30:00]

BRIAN SELTER, CNN CHIEF MEDIA ANALYST: That's right. It's not every day that you hear about a major network, a TV network, paying millions of dollars and apologizing to the president-elect. So, this is a headline with real ramifications.

And as you said, it stems from an episode of George Stephanopoulos' Sunday morning news program, where he was talking with a lawmaker, I think it was Nancy Mace, and they were talking about the Eugene Carroll case, and George Stephanopoulos repeatedly used the word rape, saying Trump was found guilty of rape, liable of rape. Well, in fact, the accurate phrase to use is sexual abuse. That is what the New York court found.

But because Stephanopoulos kept using that R word, rape, Trump filed a lawsuit. He filed a defamation suit. We've talked a lot in recent years about people using the courts trying to seek justice. Remember the Sandy Hook case against Alex Jones? Well, those defamation kinds of cases can also be filed by someone like the president-elect.

So, Trump filed a defamation suit. It was working its way through the courts. ABC was unable to get it thrown out initially. And actually, in the next few days, Trump was set to be deposed in the case, but ABC is avoiding going any further by settling. They're paying out $15 million plus a million in attorney's fees.

They say this is going to go to a nonprofit, basically to Trump's future library. That's the idea. But maybe most importantly, ABC is also apologizing, issuing a statement of regret. But ABC is going to say -- basically attach an editor's note to the website saying it regrets and George regrets the statements.

Meanwhile, an ABC spokesperson tells me they are pleased to have reached this settlement, but it is very notable they are both paying out money to the president-elect and apologizing for the misstatements on the air.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTE: The new Trump administration is set to take power in about five years. Five weeks. The president-elect is still making appointments, but he made time for college football on Saturday.

There you're see Mr. Trump being cheered at the 125th Army-Navy football game in Maryland. He watched the game surrounded by allies like his embattled defense secretary pick, Pete Hegseth. Another controversial guest seat in the presidential suite was Daniel Penny. The former Marine was recently acquitted in a chokehold death of a man on the New York subway.

And in other news, Trump is naming Project 2025 contributor Troy Edgar to be his deputy secretary of Homeland Security. This comes despite the fact that the former president tried to distance himself from Project 2025 during his campaign. Meanwhile, Truth Social CEO Devin Nunes has been tapped to chair the Intelligence Advisory Board.

And a controversial figure from Trump's first term is returning. Richard Grenell will serve as envoy for special missions. He was acting director of national intelligence in 2020. Grenell declassified documents back then that Trump thought could discredit the investigation into Russian election interference.

If confirmed, Donald Trump's pick to be the nation's top health official, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., will investigate unfounded claims linking vaccines to autism. Trump says, quote, "We're going to have a big discussion. The autism rate is at a level that nobody ever believed possible. If you look at things that are happening, there's something causing it."

But Trump also said this when it comes to eliminating childhood vaccination programs, quote, "It could, if I think it's dangerous, if I think they are not beneficial, but I don't think it's going to be very controversial in the end."

And despite long established scientific evidence that vaccines do not cause autism, many Americans are excited about Kennedy's nomination. And as Meena Duerson reports, it's not just because of his views on vaccines.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ZEN HONEYCUTT, MOMS ACROSS AMERICA: Hey, chickens. One, two, three, four, five, six, seventeen chickens. And that's George Clooney, the rooster.

MEENA DUERSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Zen Honeycutt moved to this farm because she wanted to be able to grow her own food.

HONEYCUTT: My kids can now eat eggs from our chickens and milk from our goats, even though they used to have those allergies. That just goes to show you, it's not the food, it's what's been done to the food.

DUERSON (voice-over): Her crusade against the food industry started 12 years ago.

HONEYCUTT: So, I was like millions of moms across America dealing with allergies and autoimmune issues. I was a very stressed-out mother because I thought my kids could die from food. It wasn't until 2012 when I learned about GMOs in the food supply and I was like, this has got to be it. DUERSON (voice-over): Honeycutt founded Moms Across America.

HONEYCUTT: Hi boys.

CROWD: Hi.

DUERSON (voice-over): She's the non-profit's primary employee. And rallies a grassroots network to quote, "raise awareness" about toxic exposure from genetically modified foods or GMOs to pesticides.

HONEYCUTT: I mean, there's a saying goes that a worried mom does better research than the FBI.

DUERSON: So, for you, it's all connected?

[04:35:00]

HONEYCUTT: Yes, it's all connected. Yes, it's vaccines. It's GMOs. It's glyphosate. According to many scientists, National Vaccine Information Center, Bobby Kennedy, the vaccines are actually weakening the kids immune systems.

DUERSON (voice-over): By Bobby Kennedy, she means Robert F. Kennedy Jr. He's a former adviser to Moms Across America, and has been nominated to lead the Department of Health and Human Services.

DUERSON: What was your reaction when you saw that President Trump had named him to this incoming position?

HONEYCUTT: I cried. Many other people cried. We were so excited.

Guys, it's happening.

I was -- you know, had been a lifelong Democrat.

DUERSON: In this election, did you end up voting Republican?

HONEYCUTT: Yes. I think a lot of our moms didn't necessarily just like run to the right, they felt abandoned by the left. And when the right said, hey, we're here for you on health freedom. They said, that's something that I can align with.

DUERSON: Could another candidate down the line win you back?

HONEYCUTT: Absolutely.

DUERSON (voice-over): Honeycutt now says she's in talks with Kennedy's team about a potential role in the administration. She's no stranger to Washington. She's been coming to Capitol Hill to advocate for food safety issues for years.

HONEYCUTT: I don't care if somebody is a Democrat or Republican. I am visiting them.

DUERSON (voice-over): In 2022, Moms Across America had a lab test 43 samples from school lunches in 15 states and found detectable levels of chemicals, including the weed killer glyphosate, though below the thresholds deemed unsafe by the EPA. She brought the data to lawmakers like Senator Cory Booker, who this fall sponsored the Safe School Meals Act.

SEN. CORY BOOKER (D-NJ): This is a crisis.

HONEYCUTT: Thanks, Hockey Mama. Yes, we do think we rock. We know you rock as well.

DUERSON (voice-over): She spreads the word about her work on social media and her podcast.

HONEYCUTT: Welcome to the new MDs. And I'm thrilled to be the M of the new MDs. One of them anyway. We're all moms here. Many people concerned from the Democrats that the new administration will get rid of healthcare. If Kennedy's able to do what he wants to do at the head of the HHS, we won't even need healthcare. I'm saying we won't be going to the doctors because we won't be sick.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We need to get rid of the concept of mandating the vaccines in order to attend school. I believe.

HONEYCUTT: Well, I think the next administration is going to be on board with you with that.

DUERSON: The claims that you and your group are making, the CDC and the FDA say that vaccines are safe. They say that the schedule for kids is safe. The EPA, the FDA and the USDA say that GMOs are safe. The EPA says that glyphosate is safe in the levels that they have approved. The NIH says vaccines do not cause autism. That doesn't move you at all?

HONEYCUTT: No, absolutely not. Because I know even though these governmental agencies say that GMOs and vaccines are safe, I have seen too much independent science to say that they are not. Let's be clear. No one wants to see polio come back, measles, whooping cough and the way that we're going to not have those diseases come back is for children to have proper nutrition.

DUERSON (voice-over): Unsurprisingly, the CDC refutes Honeycutt's claims, telling CNN vaccines don't weaken the immune system, while the diseases they prevent against do. And the best way to prevent deadly outbreaks or debilitating cases of polio, measles, and whooping cough is to get vaccinated. But her fight against the food industry now has many mainstream allies. Senator Bernie Sanders just held a hearing on the health impact and regulation of vulture processed foods.

SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I-VT): The rate of childhood obesity in America has tripled.

DUERSON (voice-over): The FDA now says it may ban red food dye in a matter of weeks.

DUERSON: It is the unhealthy truth, what's making our children sick is toxic legacy. Does any of this make you feel like a conspiracy theorist? HONEYCUTT: I don't feel like a conspiracy theorist. I feel that the conspiracy is to shut down information in order to protect the profits of the corporations. That's the real conspiracy.

DUERSON (on camera): So, the moms like Zen in this piece, it's important to note that they do not see themselves as anti-science. They have a litany of what they call independent science to point to, to support their claims. But public health experts are ringing the alarm about views like these getting a national and global platform with President-Elect Trump's nomination of RFK Jr. to head the HHS. And public health experts in the medical community are concerned that this could mean the return of diseases that have largely been eradicated due to the use of vaccines. Things like measles, whooping cough, and polio. And doctors and public health experts are warning that his appointment could actually make us sicker.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTE: Former Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is quote, "well on the mend following successful hip replacement surgery on Saturday. Pelosi was admitted to a hospital in Luxembourg on Friday after a fall on a set of stairs during one of the congressional delegations' official engagements. The U.S. Military then medevacked Pelosi to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany, where she had the surgery. Landstuhl is a major military hospital that for years has treated U.S. troops injured in combat. Pelosi was in Luxembourg to mark the 80th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge.

We're learning new details about an American couple who were shot and killed while visiting family in Mexico this week, as Camila Bernal reports. Investigators are still trying to figure out the motive behind the violent attack.

[04:40:00]

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CAMILA BERNAL, CNN U.S. NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: This California couple gunned down in Michoacan, Mexico on Wednesday, and according to authorities, they had gone to the area of Angamacutiro on November 30th to be with family. We know that Rafael and Gloria Cardona were killed that day. Gloria Cardona died at the scene while Rafael was taken to the hospital and died shortly after.

Officials there also saying that they had three children. U.S. authorities saying that two of them minors and are now with extended family. We are also aware that the State Department is in touch with their adult daughter.

Now, Mexican officials also saying that they spoke to Rafael's brother who described the fact that their brother-in-law is a Mexican official in that area and the couple was driving their van. Now, that Mexican official, the brother-in-law, took his job after his predecessor was kidnapped and killed.

Mexican officials not confirming the motive behind the killings, but we do know that this is an area where there are gangs and drug violence. We know that this is also an area where a lot of avocados are grown. And according to a report from InSight Crime traffickers force local farmers to grow marijuana and other drugs. We also know that in Michoacan, the homicide rate is almost twice as much as the homicide rate in Mexico, which is already one of the highest in the world. So, of course, concerning numbers when it comes to all of this.

And also, in Mexico, more than 100,000 people right now missing without explanation. In this case, we know who it was and what happened, but of course, we're waiting to hear why exactly this happened to this American couple. There was a mass held in their honor on Saturday as that family awaits for answers.

Camila Bernal, CNN, Los Angeles.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTE: Actor Jamie Foxx is recovering after a physical altercation in a restaurant left him with injuries that required stitches. A spokesperson for Foxx says he was at his birthday dinner in Beverly Hills when someone from another table threw a glass at his mouth. Police say they responded to a report that a deadly weapon was involved. They say that was unfounded and no arrests were made, but a report was completed documenting battery.

The incident comes just days after the Hollywood star detailed in his Netflix special the health struggles he faced last year, suffering a stroke and memory lapses. Yikes.

Bears, ducks, and a lion. Oh, my. Just some of animals that Vladimir Putin is sending to Kim Jong Un. We're going to get into all of that and what's behind a wild gift next.

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HUNTE: The sitting president of the former Soviet Republic of Georgia, who has been vowing to stay in office, says lawmakers have made a mockery of democracy by installing a new president. On Saturday, Georgian lawmakers elected Mikheil Kavelashvili. A far-right ex-soccer player. Reuters reports he'll be inaugurated on December 29th.

Opposition parties weren't at the vote. They have been boycotting parliament. This is the latest escalation between the pro-Russian government and the opposition, which is fighting to join the European Union. Kavelashvili was elected by an electoral college of lawmakers, not the usual national election by Georgia citizens. Hundreds have been arrested as pro-Europe demonstrators have protested for weeks against Georgia's pro-Russian political tilt.

Russia claims it's developed a new system that can track Ukraine's Starlink terminals, which are used to run their fleet of attack drones. Russian state media reports that it can identify and destroy drones in the sea and air, and that they're already producing and testing the system.

Meanwhile, Ukraine's military says it's replacing the commander of the nation's Eastern Donetsk Group. He faced heavy criticism for failing to stop recent Russian advances on the key city of Pokrovsk. The area has seen some of the most intense fighting on the eastern front for months, as Russian forces inch closer to the city.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has sent Kim Jong Un a collection of exotic zoo animals. Apparently, it's a thank you for providing thousands of North Korean troops to bolster Moscow's war on Ukraine, as our Will Ripley reports. Kim has been handing out the presents too.

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WILL RIPLEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): From the belly of a hulking Russian cargo plane, crate after crate of exotic animals from the Moscow Zoom, a gift from Russian President Vladimir Putin to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un arriving in his capital Pyongyang.

The flight from Moscow, nearly nine hours. Russian state media says the animals include an African lion, two brown bears, two domestic yaks, five white cockatoos, 25 assorted pheasants, and 40 mandarin ducks. Their new home, Pyongyang's central zoo.

RIPLEY: Do you think he wants to be petted?

RIPLEY (voice-over): I took this video at the zoo in 2016, when Putin gave Kim a pair of Siberian tigers. They've been exchanging a lot of animals lately, symbols of their alliance against the U.S.-led world order. In June, Kim sent Putin a pair of North Korean hunting dogs. In August, Putin reciprocated with nearly 450 goats and 24 Orlov trotters, Kim's favorite horse breed. Both strongmen famously use horses in state propaganda, projecting alpha male energy in turbulent times.

In the year since Kim took his armored train to Russia, he's gotten plenty of other gifts from Putin, from a set of drones and a bulletproof vest to this Russian made armored limousine. The two leaders drove it around town during Putin's rare visit to Pyongyang. And then, there's Russian oil, believed to be more than a million barrels since March.

In exchange, North Korea is reportedly expanding its weapons production for Russia's war in Ukraine. Around 10,000 North Korean troops are in Russia's Kursk region, and this may be just the beginning. Says Anton Sokolin with NK News.

ANTON SOKOLIN, DATA CORRESPONDENT NK NEWS: North Korea hasn't participated in any wars for many decades now. It's a valuable opportunity.

RIPLEY: Could North Korean troops be replacing or bolstering the Wagner Group?

SOKOLIN: It is highly possible. [04:50:00]

RIPLEY (voice-over): The Wagner Group is Russia's private military force, crucial in Ukraine and other global conflicts. Now, North Korean weapons and troops are in the mix. Experts suggest Pyongyang may seek even more significant exchanges, like advanced nuclear technology as part of Kim and Putin's deepening military partnership.

Will Ripley, CNN, Taipei.

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HUNTE: Well, the electric college football season wouldn't be complete without one player claiming the highly coveted Heisman Trophy. Coming up, we take you to the very emotional awards ceremony in New York.

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HUNTE: The University of Colorado's Travis Hunter has won the coveted trophy honoring the top college football player in America.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It is my honor to announce that the 2024 Heisman Award goes to Travis Hunter.

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HUNTE: The two-way star has been a rare talent all season boasting impressive stats on both sides of the football. On offense, he excelled as a wide receiver, and on defense, Hunter was a dynamic, disruptive force at the cornerback position. He's projected to be a top five pick in a 2025 NFL draft.

And in the historic 125th rivalry game, Navy clinched an upset win over Army. A fake punt pitch to lineman Landon Robinson turned the tides of a close game early in the fourth quarter. Landon ran 29 yards to put the midshipmen in scoring position. And Navy ended up winning 31 to 13. They took home the commander in chief's trophy, having defeated both West Point and the Air Force Academy this season.

Skaters can now glide on ice in Paris' iconic Grand Palais, where one of the world's biggest ice rinks has now been installed. Under sets of lights and to the rhythm of a musical DJ, skaters will have the chance to admire the glass nave of the French landmark and dance on ice on the Champs Elysees. Wow. Closed for the past five years to ice skating enthusiasts, for restoration. The venue did make a recent sports comeback, hosting fencing events during the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics.

Nature's brightest sky show reaching its peak for the year. The annual Geminids meteor shower hit its highest intensity overnight on Saturday. It began on Thursday, building up to the brilliant show millions got to see overnight. The Geminids occur in December. The American Meteor Society estimates that the Geminids produce up to 15 visible meteors per hour.

All right. Well, that's all I've got for you for this hour of CNN Newsroom, but let's do it again. I'm Ben Hunte in London. I'll be back with more news just after this quick break. See you in a minute.

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