Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

Congress At Impasse With No Deal In Sight To Reopen Government; Communities Helping Provide Food As SNAP Benefits In Limbo; Powerful Typhoon Fung-Wong Battering Philippines; Attacks On Journalists, Activists In West Bank; Trump To Host al-Sharaa After U.N. Drops Sanctions; U.S. Military Continues Strikes Against Vessels In Caribbean; COP30 Set To Start In Brazil On Monday; Lego's MRI Scan Toy Helps Ease Kids' Anxiety. Aired 5-6a ET

Aired November 09, 2025 - 05:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:00:39]

KIM BRUNHUBER, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome to all of you watching us here in the United States, Canada and around the world. I'm Kim Brunhuber. This is CNN NEWSROOM.

It's day 40 of the U.S. government shutdown. We'll take a look at the impact and the potential for an end to the chaos.

A massive typhoon is threatening the Philippines the second in a week. We'll look at how people there are preparing for the onslaught of dangerous weather.

Plus, the COP30 climate summit is starting in a little over 24 hours. We'll hear how those most vulnerable to climate change are pushing for accountability from their governments.

ANNOUNCER: Live from Atlanta, this is CNN NEWSROOM with Kim Brunhuber.

BRUNHUBER: Forty days and counting with no end in sight. The impact of the longest government shutdown in U.S. history is taking its toll on many across the country. And with Congress at an impasse, a government funding bill isn't expected any time soon.

Now, despite being deadlocked, the Senate was in session on Saturday. A bipartisan group of lawmakers were in discussions throughout the day, but they have yet to come up with a solution. Majority leader John Thune hopes progress can be made as the Senate will be back in session later today.

Now, while senators were in Washington, President Trump was golfing in Florida. Congressional Democrats blasted Trump for his actions, as millions of Americans are without SNAP food benefits.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. CHRIS COONS (D-DE): There's lots of us willing to negotiate if he would just stop playing golf and come back.

SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER (D-NY), MINORITY LEADER: For this administration to go all the way to the Supreme Court just to get out of having to pay SNAP benefits for hungry kids is pathological leverage levels of vindictiveness.

REP. HAKEEM JEFFRIES (D-NY), HOUSE MINORITY LEADER: A decision made by Donald Trump, supported by his so-called attorney general and House and Senate Republicans, is to weaponize hunger. They are intentionally withholding SNAP benefits from people all across the country.

BRUNHUBER: CNN's Annie Greer has more on the Senate's efforts to end the shutdown.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANNIE GRAYER, CNN SENIOR REPORTER: The Senate held a rare session on Saturday, but left with nothing to show for it because senators cannot find agreement on how to reopen the government, and the longest shut down in history continues.

Yes, there are bipartisan negotiations going on, but not enough that is leading to final agreement. So, just to backtrack here, on Monday there was a lot of bipartisan momentum, but on Tuesday, when Democrats had a major sweep in elections, a lot of Democratic senators reaffirmed their position that they were not going to vote to reopen the government until Republicans made some concessions on those expiring Obamacare subsidies that are causing people's health care prices to rise.

So, on Friday, Chuck Schumer presented the new Democratic offer, which was Democrats will vote with Republicans to reopen the government if Republicans extend those expiring Obamacare subsidies by one year. Well, Republicans flatly rejected that proposal, said it was a non- starter, and that is what has led to this standstill to continue. So, this government shutdown is expected to continue.

Thune is keeping senators in session over the weekend and into next week, hoping that that pressure point will create some bipartisan momentum. Meanwhile, the House has been out of session since September 19th, and as the shutdown drags on, the longest in history, real people continue to feel real pain.

Annie Grayer from CNN, Capitol Hill.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: The shutdown is also creating widespread disruption at airports across the U.S. Airlines have already canceled more than 1,100 flights today, and 450 are delayed. On Saturday, passengers saw more than 6,600 delays and more than 1,500 cancellations. That's according to FlightAware.

And things are only expected to get worse after the government ordered airlines to ramp up cuts to 10 percent over the next week. Some Americans are worrying about the chaos extending into the holidays. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALYSSA MINCE, AIRLINE PASSENGER: Our first flight, it got delayed an hour and then another hour, and now it's delayed three hours, so we are missing our connecting flight from Dallas to Amarillo. We're kind of grateful in a way that we're getting through this before Thanksgiving and Christmas. Everything else, we're just going to stick to driving or staying home probably.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: Meanwhile, as SNAP benefits run out, calls to local helplines for people seeking food pantries have been skyrocketing. Now, before the shutdown, calls were at 1,000 per day. Now it's more than 4,000 as of Wednesday.

[05:05:10]

CNN's Rafael Romo has more on the impact of the Supreme Court's decision to pause SNAP payments.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RAFAEL ROMO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The decision by Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson temporarily pauses a lower court ruling that required the U.S. Department of Agriculture to transfer $4 billion to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as SNAP.

The Trump administration had announced Friday that it was working to fully fund food stamp benefits for the month of November to comply with the earlier federal court order. But Jackson's stay gives the administration appeal more time putting benefits on hold.

While the legal battle plays out, food banks, community organizations, and even neighbors are doing everything and anything they can to help families who would otherwise receive food through SNAP. Some states, like Kansas, are using their own funding to provide food assistance. Reacting to Friday's Supreme Court order, Kansas Democratic Governor Laura Kelly said in a statement that, quote, "Today, in accordance with the court's order and after receiving guidance from the USDA, Kansas sent full November SNAP benefits to all eligible Kansans. These Kansans, most of them children, seniors, or people with disabilities," she said, "were struggling to put food on their plates."

Something that is also happening across the country is that people are taking action to help their neighbors in need. CNN affiliate WWJ is reporting that in the community of Ferndale, Michigan, a social worker converted what had been a community little free library into what is now called a little free pantry, which is accepting food and hygiene items for their less fortunate neighbors.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm a social worker, so I work with a lot of people in applying for those benefits and maintaining those benefits. So, I know a lot of folks that are feeling scared. Take what you need and leave what you can. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm just dropping off some toothpaste, a toothbrush, floss. I had done some Thai wheat noodles, just staples for the community. I'm in a fortunate place right now where I can absolutely go out and give more.

And I know that if I can just even search in my house and see what things I have that people would be desperately needing, that I can take a half an hour out of my day and make a difference, hopefully, for somebody.

ROMO: And Young also told CNN affiliate WWJ in Michigan that she plans to keep this pantry going until SNAP benefits are fully restored. And this is but one example of what many people are doing across the country to make sure that nobody goes hungry during this record-long government shutdown.

Rafael Romo, CNN Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: Parts of the U.S. are in for some major weather whiplash in the next few days. After a stretch of near record warmth, temperatures across the east are set to plunge, and some may even see their first snowflakes of the season. Meteorologist Chris Warren has more on the Arctic blast coming our way.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRIS WARREN, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Big changes for much of the eastern half of the U.S. From Saturday to Sunday, many locations will have temperatures 20 degrees colder from one day to the next, and then even colder on Monday and Tuesday, and a bit of a bumpy go as well with some showers and even some storms for Sunday. Starting to see some light snow and really starting to feel that cold.

In fact, by Monday and Tuesday, record cold temperatures, both for overnight early morning cold, so low cold and high minimums, if that makes sense. So, not getting as warm as it should in record levels. So, quite cold day and morning, so morning and afternoon. It's going to be cold no matter what way you want to slice it here.

That cold air is coming from the Arctic, so essentially up by the North Pole. That air is coming down here, and it modifies a bit but still very chilly, even down to the Gulf Coast and to Florida. For Atlanta, another day pretty warm. Temperatures are going to be in the upper 60s. For Sunday, here's Jacksonville, 84 degrees. This changes in a big way, and this is what's coming.

You can see this blue. It's going to get farther to the south. You can see it move in here, and these are high temperatures for Monday. Monday, 40 degrees. That's as warm as it gets. Most of the day will be in the 30s for Atlanta. It will be in the 30s all day long here. Minneapolis, Chicago, Indianapolis, Buffalo, 31. And then on Tuesday, it starts to moderate a bit.

But while all of this is happening, the wind will be blowing. The yellow and the orange, 30, 40 mile an hour winds, making that cold air feel even colder on exposed skin. And we'll see as this moves through, moves out here on Monday, behind it still some showers. There will be snow lingering around here in the mountains with temperatures eventually moderating by mid to the end of the week. We will see these temperatures getting back closer to normal, if not even a little bit warmer than normal. .

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[05:10:17]

BRUNHUBER: Well, you can just hear the powerful winds from Typhoon Fung-Wong and see how the storm's already battering the Philippines. It's expected to make landfall in the coming hours. And the country's still reeling from a typhoon that hit earlier this week. So, for more on Typhoon Fung-Wong, I want to bring in Benison Estareja. He's a weather specialist with the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration.

Thank you so much for being here with us. So, just before I get into the science and the weather of it, just -- just tell me about the mood there in the Philippines as this huge storm is bearing down on the whole country.

BENISON ESTAREJA, WEATHER SPECIALIST, PAGASA: Yes, good evening, Kim. Here from Manila in the Philippines. And as you can -- actually, I can hear the whistling of the winds here. Manila is actually under signal number three and we're experiencing more or less 100 kilometers per hour of winds. What more in those areas that are very near the center of the typhoon or super typhoon? Actually, now it has maximum winds of 185 kilometers per hour.

BRUNHUBER: Wow. So, it is a super typhoon right now? Is that what you're saying?

ESTAREJA: Yes, it's categorically a super typhoon. 185 kilometers per hour and higher are super typhoons.

BRUNHUBER: Wow. So, I mean, people must just be, you know, in a state after already having to have gone through a horrible storm already. I mean, how are they feeling as this is just bearing right down on them?

ESTAREJA: Indeed. Actually, in the first days of November, we've had somewhere in the central portion of the Philippines Typhoon Tino with international name of Kalmaegi passing through westward at around 150 kilometers per hour. Whereas this one, super typhoon Uwan, is actually tracking a little bit higher than Tino or Kalmaegi and Fung-Wong.

Fung-Wong is actually moving towards the central portion of the Luzon Island, which is the upper third of the Philippines. And right now, it's a lot bigger. It's around 1,800 kilometers. That's the diameter of this super typhoon, which actually can cover the entire country given that width.

BRUNHUBER: So, I mean, Kalmaegi, I understand, killed more than 180 people and you're saying this typhoon is even stronger than that one. Are you expecting this one to be just as deadly or possibly deadlier?

ESTAREJA: If we're going to talk about the maximum winds, Kalmaegi is around 155 kilometers while crossing Visayas or the central part of the Philippines, whereas this one, Fung-Wong, 185 kilometers per hour. It's much stronger, but it all depends. The casualties and the damages, it all depends on the preparation of the Philippine government.

And we've actually learned from the previous typhoon Kalmaegi as to how can we prepare for the incoming super typhoon because we've actually -- early last week -- early last week, we have managed to at least foresee somewhere in the southern part of Guam, there's a tropical depression that will eventually enter the Philippines and will affect directly Luzon. So, the preparation time is there and hopefully, there will be much less casualties. At the minimum, actually, the target is actually zero casualties.

BRUNHUBER: Yeah, there were certainly many questions about the preparation and the lack of sort of the death toll that was created by all those clogged waterways, accusations of corruption involving some of the flood control projects. You're saying lessons have been learned for this one, but, I mean, you know, the timing here is brutal with that, you know, two major typhoons within days of each other. I mean, what is the biggest challenge going to be now weathering this one-two punch? What's your biggest worry right now?

ESTAREJA: Actually, the biggest worry is if the flood controls here in Luzon are actually working. And because as much as we are giving accurate warnings, we're giving timely warnings that may save many lives, we never know how much do this flood control affects our country and the fact that there are so many people here in Luzon, the typhoon, the super typhoon right now is actually 1,800 kilometers, right?

So, imagine the amount of damage it can cause in terms of landslides somewhere in the northern portion of the country, the amount of storm surge that can cause in the eastern side of our country. It's -- it's something that we have to really prepare for and hopefully the damages will be minimized.

[05:15:03]

BRUNHUBER: Yeah. And finally, I mean, in terms of the -- the preparations, you say people are -- are getting warnings, but with the storm affecting basically the entire country and so much infrastructure already damaged from the last one, I mean, where are they supposed to go?

ESTAREJA: We're actually having some evacuation centers that are for sure based on our hazard maps that are far from those landslide-prone areas or flood-prone areas and we're making sure that there is what we call pre-emptive evacuation. We're in days prior to the effect of the strong winds and the heavy rains.

The -- many of the people are going to be sheltered and they will have food prepared and of course they are assessing the place as to is it flood-prone, is it going to get damaged as well, but we're making sure and hopefully those areas are going to be safe.

BRUNHUBER: Yeah, let's certainly hope so. I hope everybody there is safe and we're wishing you all the best as you try and weather this huge storm. Benison Estareja, thank you so much for joining us. Really appreciate it.

ESTAREJA: Thank you.

BRUNHUBER: The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has grounded all MD-11 and MD-11F cargo planes until they can be expected, inspected. Now this comes days after a UPS cargo plane crashed in Louisville, Kentucky killing at least 14 people. Nine others are still missing including three employed at the auto parts shop into which the plane crashed.

Investigators say the aircraft's engine fell off its left wing as it accelerated for takeoff. Now they're trying to find out why. UPS and FedEx, the only major U.S. shippers operating those planes, have already grounded their fleets of MD-11s.

Nearly a dozen people were attacked by masked individuals in the occupied West Bank. It's just the latest wave of what the U.N. warns is rising extremist violence in the Palestinian territory. We'll have the details just ahead.

Plus, Russian strikes target Ukraine's energy infrastructure as winter approaches. We'll have those stories and more coming up after the break. Please do stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:21:07]

BRUNHUBER: Hamas says it will hand over the remains of the longest held Israeli hostage in Gaza. The group said it will return the body of Lieutenant Hadar Goldin later today. His remains have been held in Gaza for more than a decade.

Goldin was killed in the final days of the 2014 war between Israel and Hamas. The return would leave the remains of four Israeli hostages in Gaza.

A violent attack in the West Bank was caught on camera. Have a look. People wearing masks and armed with clubs attack journalists, farmers, and activists. One of the victims, an Israeli activist, says the attackers were Israeli settlers.

In the video, you can see people being clubbed, including a Reuters journalist. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They're being attacked. They're being attack.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: Activists were helping Palestinian farmers with their olive harvest when they say settlers descended from a hillside above them. Victims of the attack, both Israeli and Palestinians, say it was overwhelming and brutal.

The Israel Defense Forces tell CNN they were aware of the incident and had dispatched soldiers to an Israeli outpost nearby.

CNN's Nada Bashir joins us live from London. Nada, what more can you tell us about this?

NADA BASHIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, look, this incident marks the latest in a series of rising attacks carried out by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank targeting the Palestinian farming community. This particular incident, which we have now seen video of, took place in the village, the town of Beita, near Nablus. At least 10 people are said to have been attacked in this incident by mass settlers who were using clubs to beat them, as we've seen in that quite disturbing and distressing video, which is really a reflection of many attacks that we have seen over recent months.

And among those attacked were medics, journalists, activists, and Palestinian farmers. Among the journalists, a Reuters journalist, Raneen Sawafta, that report has been confirmed by the Reuters news agency. And we've been hearing from individuals on the ground about what exactly took place.

Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MUNTHER AMIRA, MEMBER, PA'S COLONIZATION AND WALL RESISTANCE COMMISSION (through translator): Within an hour, we were surprised by a monstrous attack. It was barbaric, savage-like, call it what you want, from more than 30, 40 settlers who attacked us from everywhere. I compared it to a zombie attack, like zombies coming out of everywhere, hurling rocks and killing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BASHIR: And we have heard from the IDF, it said that soldiers were sent to the scene to disperse the crowd, that individuals who were injured were then evacuated for medical care. But as I've mentioned, this is the latest in a series of growing attacks. According to U.N. data, there have been more than 260 such attacks since the olive harvest season began in October, and they have seen a significant rise just in the last year.

In fact, figures have risen beyond the total figures that they had or the highest figures that they had recorded since those observations began in 2006. So, clearly a growing issue here, and mounting pressure coming from humanitarian organizations for Israeli authorities to do more to prevent such attacks.

BRUNHUBER: All right. Appreciate that. Nada Bashir in London. Thanks so much.

Israeli protesters are demanding a stable democracy in the latest wave of action, calling for the release of the remaining deceased hostages. Demonstrators gathered in Tel Aviv Saturday. Many carried photos of hostages whose bodies are believed to still be in Gaza.

Meanwhile, Israel confirmed remains that Hamas released this week are of those of 61-year-old Lior Rudaeff, who was killed while responding to Hamas' October 7th attack in southern Israel. That means five deceased hostages remain in Gaza, and their return is part of the U.S.-brokered ceasefire agreement.

[05:25:06]

A massive overnight Russian aerial attack has caused widespread power outages in Ukraine. The attack killed at least two people and injured many more. Russia has targeted Ukraine's energy infrastructure more frequently as winter approaches.

The latest attack hit nine regions using more than 450 drones and 45 missiles.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): The strike was massive, with a lot of ballistic missiles. There were at least 25 ballistic missiles, as well as aero-ballistic and cruise missiles, and more than 450 drones of various types. It was a very flagrant, largely demonstrative strike.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: Still ahead, Donald Trump is inviting a former leader of al-Qaeda into the White House. For more details on the Syrian leader's visit.

Plus, Venezuela's president says Donald Trump is trying to push him out of office and is using the U.S. military to lay on the pressure. Those stories and more coming up. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BRUNHUBER: Welcome back. I'm Kim Brunhuber. Let's check some of today's top stories.

As SNAP benefits run out, calls to local helplines for people seeking food pantries have skyrocketed. More than 40 million Americans use SNAP to buy food for their families. It's just one of the problems getting worse because of the government shutdown.

Dozens of airports are seeing growing flight delays and cancellations because of staffing shortages fueled by the shutdown. 42 air traffic control facilities across the U.S. reported staffing shortages on Saturday. And today, more than 1,100 flights have already been canceled.

[05:30:02]

The U.S. Senate will be back in session today as the government shutdown is now in day 40. Senators met on Saturday but remain deadlocked on ending the shutdown. President Donald Trump is urging Senate Republicans to abolish the filibuster in order to reopen the government.

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa is set to visit the White House on Monday. Earlier this year, he met with President Trump in Saudi Arabia. The U.S. President subsequently directed the easing of U.S. sanctions on Syria.

Now, the U.N. Security Council has voted to lift sanctions on the Syrian president as well. Mike Waltz, U.S. ambassador to the U.N., praised the passing of the U.S.-drafted resolution. The dropping of sanctions marks a profound reversal of fortune for al-Sharaa, a former jihadist who once led al-Qaida's official wing in Syria.

Earlier, I spoke with Jasmine El-Gamal, former Pentagon Middle East adviser and the host of the "View From Here" podcast. I asked her first about the significance and symbolism of the Syrian president's visit. Here she is.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JASMINE EL-GAMAL, FORMER PENTAGON MIDDLE EAST ADVISOR: The symbolism is obviously very significant. I mean, as you said, this is the first visit by a Syrian president to the White House ever.

And so, especially considering who Ahmed al-Sharaa is and his past, it is extremely significant, and it just shows how far Syria has come since those days of the Assad regime. And I think it's really significant also that President Trump has seemingly taken a really personal interest in helping Syria to succeed.

I think he has been influenced by many of Syria's neighbors, most notably Saudi Arabia, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, MBS, and President Erdogan in Turkey, both of whom have really close personal relationships with Donald Trump and who have been encouraging him to look at Syria as an opportunity to increase stability in the region. And he's listened to them.

But also, as you said, he met with President al-Sharaa in Saudi Arabia and seems to take -- seems to have taken a really personal interest and seems to like him, as well.

BRUNHUBER: Yeah. And we know, you know, that's so important for President Trump. He famously operates sort of on personal chemistry and gut instinct. And he called al-Sharaa, I believe, a young, attractive guy, after their first meeting in Riyadh. So, you think a lot of this may be riding on Trump's personal read of al-Sharaa?

EL-GAMAL: I think both Trump's personal read -- and, you know, he also calls him a strong man in a tough neighborhood. And we know how much President Trump likes and admires people who he thinks are strong and can get the job done. But it's not just Trump's personal feelings towards al-Sharaa. It's also the region really coming together and agreeing that Syria's success will be a success for the region as a whole.

Syria, as you know, throughout the reign of the Assad family, both the father and the son, whatever happened in Syria always had ripple effects across the region, whether in Turkey, with what happens in the north of Syria, whether in Lebanon or whether on the southern border, where it affects the border with Israel.

And so, everyone has come to the same conclusion, that focusing on the twin pillars of security and economic development in Syria will actually contribute to a more stable and secure region. And so, that's why you have so many actors invested in trying to help Ahmed al-Sharaa succeed.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: California Governor Gavin Newsom is crediting Texas Democrats with inspiring his state's redistricting proposal. Newsom spoke at a rally in Houston on Saturday. This week, California voters approved Newsom's redistricting ballot measure. Newsom told the crowd that Donald Trump started the fight by asking Texas to redraw its congressional maps. Here he is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. GAVIN NEWSOM (D-CA): He is an historic president, however, historically unpopular president. And he knows it. Why else, why else did he make that call to your governor? Why else did he feel the need to rig the election before even one vote was cast? That's just weakness, weakness masquerading as strength. That's Donald Trump. And he had a very bad night on Tuesday.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: Newsom says the focus is now on next year's midterms and that the fight to win the House majority begins with Tuesday's elections.

The Department of Homeland Security claims a driver shot at border patrol agents on Saturday as they carried out an immigration operation in Chicago. Chicago police responded and said there were no reports of injuries. DHS officials say agents are being targeted by agitators.

[05:35:00]

Meanwhile, a federal judge says the head of the border patrol operation in Chicago admitted lying about an alleged attack. Gregory Bovino said he was hit by a rock before deploying tear gas against protesters. The judge says video evidence proved that didn't happen. The judge issued a preliminary injunction restricting the use of force by Homeland Security agents.

Colombia is hosting a summit of E.U., Latin American and Caribbean leaders in the coming hours to discuss trade investment and security. Now, it comes at a time of extraordinary tension between the United States and Venezuela as the U.S. takes extrajudicial military action against vessels in the Caribbean Sea. CNN's Stefano Pozzebon has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

STEFANO POZZEBON, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: The standoff between Washington and Caracas is continuing this month with the United States Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, announcing this past week that the U.S. have conducted yet another kinetic strike leading to the death of at least three alleged narco-traffickers. It's the 17th attack against a speedboat in between the Caribbean Sea and the Eastern Pacific Ocean. And we need to say that at least 70 people have been killed without the U.S. really presenting any proof or any justification, any conclusive proof that these 70 people were indeed narco-traffickers.

In the meantime, the Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro maintains that this is a campaign to force him out of power as a way to put pressure on his government. He hasn't reacted to that latest strike this past week. However, we know that Maduro is trying to stay put and is standing up to what he says is an American aggression.

And at the same time, it's worth noting that millions of Venezuelans are kind of in the middle in this standoff, and they are dealing with much more urgent problems. Think that in the last two and a half months, since the United States deployed those warships and aircraft around the Venezuelan coast, well, the local currency here in Caracas, the Bolivar, has devalued almost 50 percent against the U.S. dollars. It's a country that is still living with double-digit inflation every single month, and these are the dramatic conditions that, of course, have led to millions of Venezuelans to flee their country.

None of what is happening in the Caribbean is actually bringing any solution to the situation here in Caracas. And that is why, perhaps, most of the people that we're speaking with here in Venezuela say that they are dealing with what to put on the table at dinnertime, rather than entertaining the thought of a transition in the weeks to come.

For CNN, this is Stefano Pozzebon, Caracas, Venezuela.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: A lot more still to come here on CNN Newsroom. Please do stay with us. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:40:59]

BRUNHUBER: A tornado in southern Brazil killed at least six people and injured hundreds more on Friday. It ripped through the state of Parana, tearing roofs off buildings and reducing some structures to rubble. Authorities say at least 750 people were injured and one person is still missing. The state government declared a public calamity, allowing officials to mobilize resources and request federal support.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) GILBERTO BRECAILO, AUTO MECHANIC (through translator): There's not much we can do. Forgive me for crying. All we have left are our clothes and documents. My livelihood, my mechanic shop is gone, and my son worked with me. We'll ask God for strength and courage for the people, not just me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: In about 24 hours, the U.N.'s Climate Change Conference, COP30, will get underway. World leaders are gathering right now in the heart of the Amazon rainforest in Belem, Brazil, where over the next two weeks they'll discuss the growing human and economic costs of climate change. One notable absence from the summit is the United States. Colombia's president, Gustavo Petro, spoke at a pre-summit event, calling out Donald Trump for his approach to climate change. Here he is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GUSTAVO PETRO, COLOMBIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): First, the absence of the United States here. The fact that Mr. Donald Trump did not come, whose personal behavior denies science and brings his society with eyes closed to the abyss, and with it, humanity. Mr. Trump is wrong. Science casts light on the collapse that the United States does not move toward the decarbonization of its economy. It's not drill, drill, drill. The president of the United States, Donald Trump, is 100 percent wrong.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: Also, just leaders who are recognizing the need to address our warming earth, vulnerable communities are demanding transparency and accountability from their governments, as well as private companies. Colombia's law school tracks climate litigation around the world with their climate litigation database, including more than 3,000 in the U.S. alone.

And Margaret Barry is a climate litigation fellow at the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at Columbia Law School. And she joins me now from New York. Thank you so much for being here with us.

So, first, before we talk about the litigation, I just want to get your take on this COP30 and specifically the fact that the U.S. won't be represented. I mean, what signal do you think that sends? And does that minimize the potential of what can actually get done there?

MARGARET BARRY, CLIMATE LITIGATION FELLOW, SABIN CENTER FOR CLIMATE CHANGE LAW: I think that it sends the signal that, or continues to send the signal, that the Trump administration does not view climate change as the serious threat that it is because of the magnitude of the U.S.' contribution to -- both the U.S.' contribution to climate change and also the U.S.' capacity and ability to take action, as we have begun doing during the Biden administration, to move towards a lower-carbon economy. I think that not being there sends a very strong signal, and it will make it difficult for the world to move ahead and to make -- to be able to come to any definitive -- take any definitive steps forward.

BRUNHUBER: Yeah. In terms of taking those steps, I mean, it's not just countries doing this, as I mentioned. You know, communities and people are taking action through litigation.

So, as COP30 is happening now in Brazil, you're tracking all of this litigation right now. I want to talk about one of the cases that made headlines recently. We're seeing Filipino storm survivors go after Shell for deaths from Typhoon Odette. So, what makes that lawsuit different from all the others, and could it actually work where others haven't?

BARRY: So, those lawsuits are the -- there's the Filipino lawsuit against Shell brought in the U.K. court under the Philippines law. And then we also saw Pakistani farmers suing an energy company and a cement company in Germany.

[05:45:08]

And those cases, like many of the other cases against oil companies and other major -- major emitters, are in -- still in their -- are in the earliest stages. And so, it's difficult to know what hurdles that they may face. There are, of course -- one of the main hurdles that individuals or communities face when they're trying to seek to hold companies liable for climate damages is causation and being able to connect climate change to a specific extreme weather or other impact that a community has experienced and that has caused impacts and caused devastation in their communities.

And then beyond just connecting climate change to a specific event, then even going even further in the causation chain and connecting an individual company to-- as contributing to that event that caused the devastation.

BRUNHUBER: Right. OK. So, a lot of the techniques, I guess, involve sort of accusing them of greenwashing and so on. But if I'm -- I'm right, none of the damage cases against oil companies have actually gotten any money yet, anywhere in the world. I mean, we keep hearing these cases are getting close to trial. They're advancing through the courts. But why is no one crossing the finish line, do you think?

BARRY: There have been a lot of -- and if anyone has been involved in a lawsuit, you know that there are a lot of steps at the beginning, like determining whether a court even has jurisdiction to hear a case. And -- and especially in the United States, where there have been a lot of -- where there have been the most cases, there have been more than 30 filed by states, by cities, by tribes, by Puerto Rico.

The -- there's a hurdle of figuring out whether the court is even able to bring the parties and bring the companies into court, and also whether it has -- whether, for instance, in the United States, whether state courts had jurisdiction or whether federal courts had jurisdiction.

And eventually, that question has taken -- took years to resolve. And now the case -- many of the cases are still pending in state courts. But now there are other questions being raised about whether the communities brought the suits early enough, whether -- and again, still whether the companies -- whether the courts have personal jurisdiction over the companies, and other sort of threshold questions about the -- whether the cases can actually continue.

BRUNHUBER: Right. All right. So, we're still waiting for that big landmark win and what precedent, I guess, that would set. Margaret Barry, thank you so much for speaking with us. Appreciate it.

BARRY: Thank you.

BRUNHUBER: Well, how do you make kids relax when they face a medical scan and a scary machine? If you're the LEGO company, you make a toy. We'll explain, coming up. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:52:30]

BRUNHUBER: All right, we want to take you now live to the United Kingdom as the nation prepares to mark the National Service of Remembrance. It will be held at The Cenotaph on Whitehall in London. The ceremony begins in just a few minutes and it commemorates the contribution of British and Commonwealth military and civilian servicemen and women involved in the two World Wars and later conflicts. A national two minutes of silence will be marked by the firing of guns from King's Troops on Horse Guards Parade.

Britain's King Charles and Queen Camilla led the Royal Family at the Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance on Saturday. The event at London's Royal Albert Hall honored fallen soldiers from across the U.K. and the Commonwealth and marked 80 years since the end of the Second World War.

The Royal Family stood with thousands of others to observe two minutes of silence. Now, this all comes ahead of Remembrance Day on Tuesday. It's Veterans Day here in the U.S.

Well, scientists say they may have discovered a way to permanently reduce high cholesterol. In a small study published Saturday, 15 patients with severe disease tested a new medication and technique which cuts a targeted gene to modify it or turn it on or off. Preliminary results showed the protocol reduced low density lipoprotein or LDL by half. LDL is the bad cholesterol. Too much of it can lead to heart disease, the number one killer of adults in the U.S. and worldwide.

Well, medical technology can be a little scary for some children who need to be diagnosed in big machines with scary noises. But specialists in Denmark are using a toy from a beloved Danish company to ease the kids' anxiety. CNN's Paula Newton reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yeah.

(OFF MIC)

PAULA NEWTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Playing with Legos can be much more than just fun. The Danish toy company says its specialized play set that looks like an MRI procedure room is helping hospitals around the world explain the daunting scan to children.

JANNIE BOGE STEINMEIER LARSEN, PROJECT RADIOGRAPHER, AARHUS UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL: When children go through MRI scans, they meet our equipment. It's very huge. It made loud noises and the children have to lie still throughout the examination. That can make them a bit nervous and some have anxiety.

NEWTON (voice-over): A hospital in Denmark is one of the facilities using Legos mini mock-up of an MRI, which includes a scanner and figurines of a patient and medical staff so children can learn about the procedure in a way that's less intimidating to them.

[05:55:04]

LARSEN: We play through the examination at the preparation and the children get familiar with what's going to happen. And that empowers them throughout the examination so they can do this MRI scan without any use of anesthesia.

NEWTON (voice-over): A new report from Lego says healthcare professionals have reported that using the play sets nearly cuts in half the need for sedation or anesthesia in children undergoing MRIs. And that's a relief for many worried parents.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I could see that she was calm and she knew what was going to happen and that made me at ease as well. I also think it was really good for her to have something familiar from home, the Lego toys. And that was really beneficial to see that used in a more serious setting.

NEWTON (voice-over): Lego says it has donated more than 10,000 of its kits to medical facilities right around the world since 2023. Legos that won't turn into pirate ships or fantasy worlds, but that could help kids boost their confidence in uncertain settings.

Paula Newton, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: Well, as a sure sign of the holiday season going up in New York City, Rockefeller Center just got its traditional Christmas tree. The 75-foot Norway spruce is a gift of Judy Russ in honor of her husband, Dan, who died five years ago. She says they always thought it would be great at the New York landmark. When Rockefeller Center's head gardener saw the tree, he says he just had to get it. Here he is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ERIK PAUSE, HEAD GARDENER, ROCKEFELLER CENTER: It's very exciting. It's a great tradition here at Rockefeller Center. There's a lot of people around. Everybody's having a great time. (END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: The tree had adorned the Russ' home in upstate New York and its departure attracted a crowd of excited neighbors. It'll sparkle with 50,000 colored lights and a nine-foot star when it's lit on December 3rd.

All right, that wraps this hour of CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Kim Brunhuber. For our viewers in North America, CNN THIS MORNING is next. For the rest of the world, it's CALL TO EARTH.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)