Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

U.S. To Ramp Up Pressure on Venezuela; Georgia Congresswoman Apologizes Over Toxic Politics; UNSC to Vote on the Fate of Trump's Peace Plan, but Israel Rejects the Move. Aired 3-4a ET

Aired November 17, 2025 - 03:00   ET

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

[03:00:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BEN HUNTE, CNN ANCHOR: 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, U.S. President Donald Trump teases a possible diplomatic solution with Venezuela, even as the U.S. military ramps up drills in the area.

The President's drama with former ally Marjorie Taylor Greene also ramps up. Mr. Trump now using the word traitor to describe her.

And the U.N. Security Council is set to vote on a plan for Gaza's future, but the outcome is far from certain.

UNKNOWN (voice-over): Live from Atlanta, this is "CNN Newsroom" with Ben Hunte.

HUNTE: Welcome.

We begin with the rising tensions between the U.S. and Venezuela. As Donald Trump continues to weigh possible military action inside the South American country, it now appears there might be a diplomatic off-ramp with the U.S. President telling reporters on Sunday that Venezuela's President, Nicolas Maduro, wants to talk, but he gave no further details. He also said he didn't think he needed congressional approval for military action within Venezuela.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: We like to keep Congress involved. I mean, we're stopping drug dealers and drugs to come from -- coming into our country. And I actually told Marco and some of the people, our secretary of state is doing a great job, by the way.

I said, go to Congress and let them know. So we're not letting drugs come through Mexico. We're not letting them come through Venezuela.

And let Congress know about it. We don't have to get their approval, but I think letting them know is good. The only thing I don't want them to do is leak information that's very important and confidential.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNTE: A day earlier, the U.S. military carried out its 21st known strike on an alleged drug trafficking boat, killing three people. In all, 83 people have now been killed in these U.S. strikes since September. Venezuela's government has condemned the U.S. operations, calling them unlawful executions.

CNN's Stefano Pozzebon has the latest from Caracas as President Maduro seeks an audience with the U.S.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

STEFANO POZZEBON, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: The streets of Caracas were calm on Sunday night and the whole Sunday felt a much quieter day, for example, than the day before, than Saturday, when we saw several government officials participating in ceremonies all across the nation, with regular Venezuelan civilians being asked to take an oath and to swear that they will defend the country in the case of a U.S. attack.

We're yet to hear from the presidential palace, from Nicolas Maduro himself, a reaction to the recent remarks by President Trump late on Sunday night, saying that he would be open to discussing with Maduro himself, and that, Trump said, Maduro has reached out.

That is not to be surprising. Maduro has tried for weeks and months to speak directly to the American people and to reach the White House directly. This is, for example, what he said on Saturday.

NICOLAS MADURO, VENEZUELAN PRESIDENT (through translator): I reiterate this every day to the people of the United States. The people of the United States, listen to me.

War in the Caribbean, war in South America? No.

War in the Eternal? No.

Peace? Yes.

Peace for America? Yes.

POZZEBON: At this moment, CNN cannot independently verify whether there has been or there have been conversations between Mira Flores, the presidential palace here in Caracas, and the members of Donald Trump's team up in Washington, but we'll keep you posted on that.

Also, on Sunday night, at the same time, the U.S. Department of State has announced their intention to designate the Cartel de los Soles as a foreign terrorist organization. Now, Cartel de los Soles is a collective number used to designate members of the Venezuelan high government and government officials involved in drug trafficking, with Nicolas Maduro at its head.

He's at the center point of the strategy of prosecuting Maduro for drug trafficking, and that is to be seen as a sign of further escalation coming down from the State Department, while instead Donald Trump seemed to suggest that he would be open to a more diplomatic solution.

For CNN, this is Stefano Pozzebon, Caracas.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTE: Well, while the U.S. is designating the Cartel de los Soles as a terrorist organization, Venezuela's government has long denied the group even exists and rejects claims that President Maduro is tied to drug trafficking.

[03:05:02]

Alejandro Velasco is a historian and professor at NYU. Thank you so much for being with me. How are you doing?

ALEJANDRO VELASCO, HISTORIAN AND PROFESSOR, NEW YORK UNIVERSITY: Good. Thanks so much, Ben. I appreciate it.

HUNTE: Thank you for being with us. Let's get into this.

Washington is weighing up military action. While Trump now says Maduro wants to talk, what do you think the real U.S. endgame is here?

VELASCO: Well, I suppose it depends on who you ask in the U.S. administration. What you're saying now are a lot of competing interests trying to gain the upper hand and ultimately the go-ahead from President Trump on whether or not to take military action.

President Trump himself seems to have been wavering, which suggests that the more hawkish personnel in the government, in particular, Marco Rubio, but also Secretary of Defense Hegseth, have not yet been able to convince Trump that military action would, in fact, be advisable. So the endgame here really is just another day, seeing what happens the next day of whether or not there's going to be any kind of intervention.

HUNTE: We have been told that the U.S. now has its largest military buildup in the Caribbean this century. How close are we to a moment where those assets have to be used or pulled back?

VELASCO: It's a great question. I do think that part of the strategy, again, of some of the more hawkish elements in the administration that are pushing for an intervention in Venezuela are in some ways to force Trump into making a decision that he might not otherwise want to make.

The more the buildup, especially committing, in particular, this massive aircraft carrier that's just arrived in the operations theater, the more personnel you have there, the more difficult it's going to be not to engage, because any withdrawal at this stage without a significant engagement will, in fact, be read and should be read as a victory for the Maduro government in terms of remaining in power. And also, of course, it would be evidence of fissures within the U.S. government in terms of how it's going to position itself vis- a-vis Venezuela.

HUNTE: Yes. With the U.S. carrying out 21 strikes on alleged drug vessels, killing 83 people now, how much of this is about pressure on Maduro rather than narcotics?

VELASCO: I would say 100 percent, it's about Venezuela. To some extent, the narcotics discourse, as well as, of course, the tragic actions of people dying with no recourse to legal standing or accountability or really just conventional rules of engagement, really, in some ways, is a tragic sideshow.

This is primarily an effort, on the one hand, by Marco Rubio, Secretary of State, to oust the Venezuelan government, which he has long said has been his stated goal, in order to have other objectives that he's had long set his eyes on, in particular, ousting the government in Cuba met.

But other actors in the U.S. government have taken note, in particular the Secretary of Defense, who very much wants to both literally, as we know, and also figuratively flex his muscles and flex the muscles of the military in an engagement which they believe would be very easy to enact. And so what the narcotics operation has really provided is much more of a discursive kind of aperture to the U.S. public, which might be more inclined to support action against narcotics in a narcotics context than they would be in the context of a regime change.

HUNTE: We will see what happens next, there's a lot of potentials there. Alejandro Velasco, for now, thank you so much. We appreciate your time.

VELASCO: Thank you. I appreciate it.

HUNTE: In a major shift, U.S. President Donald Trump now says House Republicans should vote to release the files on convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The President posted on social media, "House Republicans should vote to release the Epstein files because we have nothing to hide and it's time to move on from this Democrat hoax perpetrated by radical left lunatics."

President Trump's earlier opposition to the effort was partly behind the drama, with Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, who supports releasing the files. Greene was once a staunch Trump ally, but after President Trump called her a, quote, "traitor," she told CNN this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE (R-GA): Unfortunately, it has all come down to the Epstein files. And that is shocking.

And you know, I stand with these women, I stand with rape victims, I stand with children who are in terrible sex abuse situations, and I stand with survivors of trafficking and those that are trapped in sex trafficking.

[03:10:02] And I will not apologize for that, I believe the country deserves transparency in these files. And I don't believe that rich, powerful people should be protected if they have done anything wrong. And so I'm standing with the women and I will continue to do my small part to get the files released.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNTE: The House is expected to vote on releasing the Epstein files this week.

House Speaker Mike Johnson says it's time to get it over with.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. MIKE JOHNSON (R-LA), U.S. HOUSE SPEAKER: So it'll be on the floor again next week. I suspect there'll be lots of votes that will just get this done.

President Trump has clean hands, he's not worried about it. I talk to him all the time, he has nothing to do with this.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNTE: The White House is pulling out all the stops as it prepares for a visit on Tuesday by Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. A U.S. official says the two sides have been working to finalize agreements on defense and security cooperation, including major new purchases of American-made fighter jets. With the Gaza ceasefire holding, President Trump also sees an opportunity to prod Saudi Arabia to normalize ties with Israel.

Earlier, CNN political and global affairs analyst Barack Ravid explained how these deals intersect.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK RAVID, CNN POLITICAL AND GLOBAL AFFAIRS ANALYST: The Saudis want to get a bit more than what Qatar got. But I think that's the best the Saudis can hope for at the moment. Obviously, part of that is a massive weapons deal.

There's a possibility of F-35 fighter jets being sold to Saudi Arabia, although this is not the done deal yet. And obviously, the issue of how this comes together with what President Trump wants to see, which is Saudi Arabia joining the Abraham Accords and signing a historic peace deal with Israel.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNTE: Still to come, how Russia and Ukraine are targeting each other's energy infrastructure ahead of the winter.

And as the U.N. Security Council prepares to vote on phase two of President Trump's peace plan for Gaza, Israel's Prime Minister is firmly rejecting one key element. Details ahead on CNN. See you in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[03:15:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HUNTE: Welcome back.

Satellite images show scorched earth across what Ukraine claims is the second largest oil export center in Russia.

These before and after pictures show the port city of Novorossiysk. A Ukrainian strike on Friday damaged oil tankers, pipelines and pumping stations, too. Officials from both countries confirmed the attack.

This all comes as the Kremlin ramps up its own attacks ahead of winter, targeting Ukraine's energy infrastructure. On Friday, at least six people were killed in one of Russia's largest aerial assaults on Kyiv.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is reaffirming his opposition to the idea of Palestinian statehood amidst pressure from some factions of his government. Two far-right ministers called on the Israeli leader to denounce the idea this weekend, saying U.S. President Trump's Gaza ceasefire plan includes a pathway to Palestinian statehood. The Israeli government has repeatedly rejected such an idea.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER (through translator): Our opposition to a Palestinian state in any territory west of the Jordan exists, is valid and has not changed one bit. I have been rebuffing these attempts for decades and I am doing it both against pressure from outside and against pressure from within, so I do not need affirmations, tweets or lectures from anyone.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNTE: The push to condemn the idea of Palestinian statehood comes ahead of a key vote at the United Nations. The Security Council is set to vote in the coming hours on a draft resolution laying the groundwork for the next stage of President Trump's peace plan for Gaza.

Our Nic Robertson has more from Jerusalem.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: So this Security Council resolution is expected to put more detail on that 20-point plan that President Trump put forward more than a month ago. We've already seen phase one of it, that was the release of hostages, release of Palestinian prisoners and a ceasefire in Gaza. But there are a lot of other details in phase two. And in a draft of the resolution that CNN has seen, and it doesn't mean that this is the final draft that will actually get voted on at the Security Council, the draft that CNN has seen indicates that when the Palestinian Authority has made reforms, then that's when the political conversations about a pathway to Palestinian statehood can begin, that the U.S. would bring those talks into being between the Israelis and the Palestinians. But already that's putting pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

There have been members of his right-wing cabinet who are saying there's no way that we're going to agree to a Palestinian state. The Prime Minister here, Benjamin Netanyahu, has come out and said there isn't going to be a Palestinian state. But the question that many people, Palestinians and diplomats that I'm speaking with here, are raising is, look, who is going to decide what these reforms are precisely that the Palestinian Authority has to go through? And who will determine when the conditions have been met?

So there's ambiguity in what people are seeing in parts of this draft resolution. There's ambiguity as well in the details about how the board of peace that's envisaged will be precisely run, the detail on that, precisely its relationship with the International Stabilizing Force, precisely the relationship with the policing body, whatever that may look like, that will be inside of Gaza.

And the relationship between all those different organizations, there's ambiguity there. And that raises concerns because, without detail, concerns in the diplomatic community at least, because without detail and specificity in that resolution, there's the potential for ambiguity in the field.

[03:20:10]

And also the question of, you know, when can that stabilization force be stood up and realistically ready to go into Gaza?

And there's another issue as well at the U.N. Security Council that could even pre-empt the language that's contained in the U.S. draft resolution, and that is because Russia's proposing a different resolution. If Russia, which is a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, vetoes the U.S. draft resolution, the U.S. resolution, then it doesn't move forward. And whatever the language is, it hasn't passed, nothing comes into effect.

Nic Robertson, CNN, Jerusalem.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTE: A major political breakup. The head Republican lawmaker Marjorie Taylor Greene tells CNN why there's a growing rift between herself and President Donald Trump. See you in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HUNTE: Welcome back, I'm Ben Hunte. Let's take a look at today's top stories.

President Trump says Venezuela would like to talk amid rising tensions with the U.S.. This all comes as Secretary of State Marco Rubio says he's designating the country's Cartel de los Solos as a foreign terrorist organization.

[03:25:07]

Mr. Trump suggests this new label could now allow the U.S. to strike inside of Venezuela.

A joint operation between Ecuador and Spain has led to the arrest of Pippo Chavarria. He's the alleged leader of Los Lobos, Ecuador's most powerful and violent drug gang. He's accused of at least 400 killings and collaborating with Mexican drug cartels.

The U.N. Security Council is expected to vote in the coming hours on a draft resolution for phase two of President Donald Trump's peace plan for Gaza. The draft is expected to include a pathway to Palestinian statehood, which Israel is strongly rejecting.

Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene sat down for an exclusive interview with CNN on Sunday. The Georgia Republican gave her take on President Trump's public attacks on her and apologized for her role in spreading toxic rhetoric.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DANA BASH, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT, AND ANCHOR, "STATE OF THE UNION": Congresswoman, you posted on X that President Trump is, with his comments, fueling a quote "hotbed of threats against you." Obviously, any threats to your safety are completely unacceptable.

But we have seen these kinds of attacks or criticism from the President at other people. It's not new.

And with respect, I haven't heard you speak out about it until it was directed at you.

TAYLOR GREENE: Dana, I think that's fair criticism. And I would like to say humbly, I'm sorry for taking part in the toxic politics. It's very bad for our country.

And it's been something I've thought about a lot, especially since Charlie Kirk was assassinated, is that I'm only responsible for myself and my own words and actions. And I am committed, and I've been working on this a lot lately, to put down the knives in politics.

I really just want to see people be kind to one another. And we need to figure out a new path forward that is focused on the American people. Because as Americans, no matter what side of the aisle we're on, we have far more in common than we have differences.

And we need to be able to respect each other with our disagreements. BASH: So just to put a button on this, you regret the things that you

have said and posted in the past. The Facebook post that was taken down of you in 2020 holding a gun alongside the squad, encouraging people to go on the offense against the socialists, liking a tweet of somebody calling for the execution of Nancy Pelosi and former President Obama. Just examples?

TAYLOR GREENE: Well, Dana, as you know, and many people know, I addressed that back in 2021. And of course, I never want to cause any harm or anything bad for anyone. So that was addressed back then.

And I very much stand by my words I said then, and I stand by my words today. I think America needs to come together and end all the toxic, dangerous rhetoric and divide. And I'm leading the way with my own example and I hope that President Trump can do the same.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNTE: Greene says she's received death threats since Mr. Trump ended his support for her and began insulting her. But the President is dismissing her concerns.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: Marjorie Trader Greene. I don't think her life is in danger. I don't think, frankly, I don't think anybody cares about her.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNTE: Benjamin Radd is a political scientist at the University of California, Los Angeles. Thank you so much for being with me, Benjamin. How are you doing?

BENJAMIN RADD, POLITICAL SCIENTIST, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES: Good. Thank you for having me on.

HUNTE: It is good to see you. President Trump has called on House Republicans to release the Epstein files, saying there's nothing to hide. How significant is this shift?

RADD: I think it reflects the pressure that he has been under. You've seen now all indications that there were upwards of 100 members of the House GOP caucus, if not more, who are willing to vote for the ultimate release of the files and pressure mounting from all sides and from a good part of his base. I mean, we saw the back and forth between him and Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene over the last few days.

And I think he understands now that this is not a battle that he's going to win. So either he joins on sort of the winning side, calling for disclosure and full release, or he goes down as having stood in opposition to it.

HUNTE: As you say, we were expecting some GOP members to vote to release the files. What does all of this suggest about fractures within the Republican Party at the moment? RADD: Well, it demonstrates that there are red lines in the MAGA base,

despite sort of the belief that his coalition, his base, his voters will go along with almost anything he says or any position he takes, no matter how, let's say, outlandish or inconsistent with what were traditional Republican positions.

[03:30:05]

It seems like there is a red line at attempting to shield pedophiles or those who traffic young women or any of that. And I think this is what we're seeing, is that for his supporters, many of whom rallied to him on the guise of he would release the files.

You've seen members of his cabinet, Kash Patel, the FBI director particularly, who during prior to Trump's second term made a big fuss about the files being released. And for now him to not do that, it fuels into the conspiracy theories that are very much a part of that MAGA base as it is. And so for Trump, it's either he becomes part of that conspiracy or he's seen as somebody who is going to expose it.

HUNTE: It has come a really late point now, hasn't it? Considering all the drama that has been building up around this for so long, are you surprised it has taken until now for this decision to be made?

RADD: Absolutely. It did not need to take this long. And the understanding is that this has been very much Trump's own decision, that when it comes to all matters pertaining to the Epstein files and Epstein himself, Jeffrey President Trump has made the decision on a personal basis what to disclose, what not to disclose, to effectively set the pace for the White House response to anything having to do with Epstein.

And this is, we've seen now the limit of his success at able to massage and manipulate public opinion or at least his base to get them to go along. So the fact that it took this long demonstrates, again, limits to his ability to really carry his voters along with him.

HUNTE: Let's talk about Marjorie Taylor Greene, bit of a pivot. She's vowed to stop using toxic rhetoric. What's going on there and could we see a big change?

RADD: Yes, I mean, that was interesting. She gave an interview earlier today on the Sunday, one of the Sunday talk shows, indicating that she acknowledges the role that she has played in adding to the toxicity, to the to the hyper-partisan rhetoric that's really brought down not just the state of conversation and civility, but also politics and the way governance is conducted.

And acknowledging now that she's on the receiving end of a lot of this vitriol, maybe understanding what it's like to be the one to disseminate it, be the one to propagate it. And hopefully this is the beginning that we've seen a second member, a second Republican official. This one is a state Senate, a state senator in Indiana who also has been swatted and doxed as a result of comments that he made critical of President Trump's initial decision to withhold releasing the Epstein file. So, again, calling for civility and acknowledging that. So I think

what we're seeing is a very small, not enough to say that there's a movement or a swell, but at least notable. And see where the public and where the MAGA voters go.

Do they go along with this sentiment? Do they push back against these who are speaking out or do they also agree that enough is enough?

HUNTE: You mentioned it there, but Greene also says that Trump's attacks have put her life at risk. Do you think that that sort of speech will change the president's stance at all and how typical is this level of internal but very public conflict within U.S. politics?

RADD: Yes, and it's not common with members of Congress who are not retiring or those who are essentially threatened to be primaried out anyway. So it's remarkable to see this coming, not just from someone who is an active member of Congress who intends to run again next year, but one who is particularly close to Trump and the MAGA agenda.

And we've seen Trump initially, despite Congressman Green's attempts to extend the olive branch to President Trump, he's not having it. He continues to dismiss, to belittle her, claiming that she's playing the victim here as a result of these threats that have been made against her family and her life.

And so it doesn't seem like he's shifting from his position as much as she might want to tone down the rhetoric. He has no interest in doing the same.

HUNTE: Oh, yes, it's going to be a very busy week. I hope you're ready for now. Benjamin, thank you so much, I appreciate it.

RADD: Thank you.

HUNTE: We bring you some breaking news now from Bangladesh, where former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been found guilty of crimes against humanity.

The 78 year old self-exiled former leader is in India. She was tried in absentia by the International Crimes Tribunal, a court in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. Her sentence is expected to be delivered shortly.

The charges were made in connection with the violent crackdown on protests led by students in August of last year. The protests toppled her government. It's estimated that at least 1400 people were killed in the protests.

Still ahead, how U.S. tariffs have hit Japan's latest economic numbers. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[03:35:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) HUNTE: Welcome back to CNN. These are the business headlines.

Japan's economy shrank by 1.8 percent from July to September this year. That's the first fall in six quarters for the world's fourth largest economy. Analysts blame U.S. tariffs and they say the decline could affect the Bank of Japan's plan to raise interest rates.

The FAA is ending an order for some airlines to reduce their operations during the government shutdown. It was originally made to counter major staffing shortages across the industry, but the FAA reports only one staffing issue on Sunday. That's down from more than 80 just one week ago.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says, quote, we will see about a potential payout to Americans over tariffs. President Trump has repeatedly suggested the government should issue rebate checks of $2,000 to most Americans. But Bessent says that Congress needs to pass legislation for that to happen.

Ukraine will get a massive supply of American natural gas from Greece. President Zelenskyy signed the deal on Sunday in Athens. It will cover Ukraine's winter needs from December until March 2026. Ukraine has resumed gas imports through a pipeline across the Balkan Peninsula to help further insulate its resources.

Russia has repeatedly targeted Ukraine's energy production capabilities. The Greek Prime Minister says the agreement will help stem the flow of Russian natural gas into Europe.

In the coming hours, the British government is expected to announce full details on a massive reform of its asylum policy. Among the changes, refugees will have to wait 20 years before they can apply for permanent settlement in the country and the government will remove housing and weekly stipends from any refugee who has a right to work but chooses not to.

The new policy takes inspiration from Denmark, which has one of the most challenging settlement programs in Europe. The U.K.'s Labor government says the refugee system is out of control and broken.

[03:40:04]

Chileans will choose their next President in a run-off election. No candidate won a majority in Chile's presidential election on Sunday. So the two top vote-getters will face each other in a run-off election on December 14.

One is Jeanette Jara, the communist candidate from the current center- left government. The other is veteran hard-right campaigner Jose Antonio Kast.

The key topics in the race have been rising crime, immigration, security and growth. This is Chile's first presidential election with mandatory voting.

OK, for our international viewers, "World Sport" is next. And for those in the U.S. and Canada, I'll be right back with more "CNN Newsroom" in just a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[03:45:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HUNTE: Welcome back.

Libya, the once war-torn country in North Africa, is slowly transforming into a surprising hotspot for tourists seeking thrills and adventures. CNN's Isobel Yeung explains how the country is rebranding after years of conflict and isolation to attract tourists.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ISOBEL YEUNG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We are flying over Benghazi, Libya, right now, which, just a few years ago, was the scene of some very heavy fighting. But right now, we're up in the skies with a bunch of skydivers who've come in from all over the world. Pretty insane people to jump out of a military helicopter, just for fun.

YEUNG (voice-over): Here in Libya, things have changed. Just a decade ago, ISIS was a powerful force. Fierce battles between jihadi fighters and the Libyan National Army raged across the territory. Benghazi itself was already a buzzword in American politics.

TRUMP: Take a look at Benghazi.

YEUNG (voice-over): In 2012, militants allied with al-Qaeda killed the U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens, sparking a partisan firestorm in Washington.

The politics may have moved on, but the scars of war are everywhere. Libyans are keen for a rebrand, and thrill-seekers from around the world are all too happy to help out.

YEUNG: How was it?

UNKNOWN: It was amazing.

YEUNG: How do you feel?

UNKNOWN: I felt like I just had sex.

YEUNG (voice-over): People from 37 countries have come to inaugurate the skydiving center.

YEUNG: How are you feeling?

BRANDEN ROSEBOROUGH, SKYDIVER: I'm feeling great. I'm really excited. It's going to be incredible, I think.

YEUNG: Were you nervous about coming to Libya at all?

ROSEBOROUGH: A little bit, yes. YEUNG: What do you think of when you think of Libya?

ROSEBOROUGH: All that I hear as an American is Benghazi and Hillary's emails. As I started to research the country, it has an amazing history. It was too good of an opportunity to pass up to explore a new place.

YEUNG: You're clearly an adrenaline junkie.

ROSEBOROUGH: Sure.

YEUNG: Is part of the appeal coming to a place that has been through a lot, that has seen a lot of adrenaline itself?

ROSEBOROUGH: I didn't think about it that way, but it was more of a unique experience for me that I was excited about.

YEUNG (voice-over): From fighting off ISIS to facilitating adrenaline junkies, the Libyan National Army are helping run things here, looking to Dubai for inspiration and expertise.

COL. MOHAMMED EBREYK, LIBYAN NATIONAL ARMY (translated): Our goal is to send a clear message to the world that Libya is ready to be a pioneer in tourism.

YEUNG: I mean, it's just a few years ago that there was war here. Were you fighting?

EBREYK (translated): We fought not only in this area, we took part in operations across multiple regions of Libya.

YEUNG: Is this what you were fighting for?

EBREYK (translated): This is a great joy for us, for every Libyan and Arab citizen. The entire team and all the staff here are delighted.

YEUNG: Do you have a message for Americans or people outside of here who might be considering a trip to Libya?

EBREYK: Welcome to Libya, the land of the beast.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTE: In the face of record rainfall in Southern California, these kids in Long Beach jumped to the opportunity to have a bit of fun, spending the wet weekend kayaking down their flooded neighborhood streets.

Some California cities saw more rain in 48 hours than they usually get in the entire month of November. And unfortunately, the wet weather isn't letting up just yet, with parts of the state bracing for yet another storm today.

[03:50:01]

Let's talk about the NFL. Two of the league's heavyweights in the NFC squared off on Sunday night football. The Lions taking on the Eagles in Philadelphia. And this was a defensive battle, each team scoring just one touchdown on the night, including the tush-push here by Philly quarterback Jalen Hurts.

The Eagles added three field goals, winning this one 16-9 as they eye another possible Super Bowl run.

Another big NFC matchup saw the Seahawks taking on the Rams in a nail- biter in Los Angeles. Seattle was playing from behind all game, with quarterback Sam Darnold struggling big time, throwing four interceptions on the day.

Still, he led the Seahawks on a late drive to give them a chance for a game-winning field goal from 61 yards as time ran out. But it was no good. L.A. wins 21-19 and takes a one-game lead in the NFC West.

Sunday also featured NFL's final international game of the season, with the Miami Dolphins facing the Washington Commanders in Madrid.

It was another low-scoring affair, and it would go to overtime. Miami kicker Riley Patterson hitting this 29-yarder to win it. The Dolphins edged the Commanders 16-13.

CNN's Pau Mosquera was in Spain to talk to fans after that game.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAU MOSQUERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: After four quarters of intense play and some overtime, the Miami Dolphins have emerged victorious in quite a historic showdown.

This is because this Sunday was the very first time that an NFL regular season game has taken the field in Spain, a clash that has been celebrated in no other place than the Real Madrid stadium, the Santiago Bernabeu, and has been enjoyed by around 80,000 people.

UNKNOWN: I thought it was a good game. I'm a little disappointed, but yes.

UNKNOWN: My husband is the 12th man on the field, diehard Commander fan. So we traveled here so that we could get the win, and we didn't get it.

UNKNOWN: I thought we could have played a little bit better. I feel like we should have won that game, but it came down to the end, so we played okay. It could have been worse.

UNKNOWN: I think our coach made some bad decisions, but we got lucky and we pulled it out at the end.

UNKNOWN: They always do it. I don't know how we've gone from last week to this, but we won, so that's all that matters.

UNKNOWN: It was honestly one of the best football games I've ever seen, because some are boring. This one was very intense, and I'm so happy that we won.

UNKNOWN: We had a great time, a lot of fun, some sloppiness, but we came with the victory. That's all that matters, alright?

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTE: Pope Leo celebrated a mass in St. Peter's Basilica to mark the Jubilee of the Poor.

(VIDEO PLAYING)

Sunday's service coincided with the World Day of the Poor, an observance established by the late Pope Francis. It was celebrated for the first time in 2017. Pope Leo said the world was oppressed by various forms of poverty, he urged world leaders to listen to the cries of the poorest.

Some might say it's still way too early. After all, Christmas is still 38 days away. But cities around the world are turning on the holiday lights now.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTE (voice-over): A dazzling tradition in Paris. With the flip of a switch, the Champs-Elysees goes from grand to spectacular. The annual lighting of the glitzy thoroughfare is just one of the signs of the start of the holiday season.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas in London too, with its streets bedazzled in twinkling lights.

The Christmas light trail at London's Kew Gardens is also shining. Organizers say they expect about 300,000 people to stroll through the redesigned path in the next few weeks. A sign of how popular the light show has become after 13 years of illumination.

ADAM THROW, KEW GARDENS HEAD OF COMMERCIAL ACTIVITIES: So this is year 13. Lucky for some, I think, because I think it's one of the best yet. And it's really changed year after year.

It started as a way of, how do we get people to come to Kew on the quietest time of the year, when it's dark, it's cold, daylight hours are diminishing.

HUNTE (voice-over): In Bethlehem, another tradition is set to return after a two-year pause in the West Bank town. The mayor says the Christmas tree in Manger Square will once again be lit this year, after going dark since the beginning of the war in Gaza.

Shopkeepers say they're looking forward to a more festive time, and hopefully tourists returning to the area after many holiday observances were canceled or subdued in recent years.

[03:55:02]

DIYAA' HIJAZI, VENDOR (through translator): Hopefully the situation becomes better, God willing. They are saying that the new year shows promising signs. Hopefully the economic situation will get better, because we suffered a lot in the last two years.

HUNTE (voice-over): The Christmas tree in Bethlehem's Manger Square is scheduled to be lit on December 6th.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTE: A new documentary about the late Latin musician Selena is giving fans an intimate look at the star through footage captured by her sister.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNKNOWN (voice-over): You have to sacrifice something in life in order to get ahead. Knowing that our family has a job, we make a living off of it. And that's why it means so much to us.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNTE: The film, executive produced by her siblings, features never- before-seen home videos, letters, and candid moments recorded during her rise in the '80s and '90s. Family members, friends and bandmates share memories that highlight the woman behind the music, from her Tejano roots to her impact on the rise of Latin music in America.

Selena was shot and killed by her fan club president Yolanda Saldavar, who was denied parole earlier this year. The film debuts today on Netflix.

An update on our breaking news from Bangladesh, where former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been found guilty of crimes against humanity. The court has just sentenced her to death.

The 78-year-old self-exiled former leader is in India. She was tried in absentia by the International Crimes Tribunal, a court in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh.

The charges were made in connection with the violent crackdown on protests led by students in August of last year. The protests toppled her government. It is estimated that at least 1400 people were killed in the protests.

That's all we've got for you for now, I'm Ben Hunt in Atlanta. "Amanpour" is next. See you next weekend.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)