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Witkoff Heads to Russia; Parts of U.S. Faces Winter Weather Woes; Pope Leo Visits Lebanon; Netanyahu Requests Pardon In Ongoing Corruption Trial; Funding Cuts Threaten Years Of Global HIV/AIDS Progress; Heavy Rain Kills 900 Across Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand; Verstappen Wins Qatar Grand Prix After McLaren Blunder. Aired 2-3a ET

Aired December 01, 2025 - 02:00   ET

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

[02:00:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) BEN HUNTE, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT: Hello, wherever you are in the world. You are now in the "CNN Newsroom" with me, Ben Hunte, in Atlanta. It is so good to have you with me.

Coming up on the show, United States is sending Special Envoy Steve Witkoff to Russia today while President Donald Trump says a deal to end the war could be close. Parts of the U.S. are dealing with winter weather woes, one of the busiest travel days of the year. And the first international trip of Pope Leo's papacy takes him to Lebanon, the latest on the pontiff's travels.

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

HUNTE: Welcome. U.S. President Donald Trump is sending his special envoy to Moscow on Monday for talks to end the war in Ukraine. The Kremlin confirms Russian President Vladimir Putin will receive Steve Witkoff sometime this week. Trump says negotiations over the US-backed peace plan are going well and that he thinks an agreement is possible soon.

But his secretary of state, Marco Rubio, is sending a more cautious message. On Sunday, he, Steve Witkoff, and Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, held talks with high-level Ukrainian officials in Florida, and here is how Rubio is framing their progress.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARCO RUBIO, UNITED STATES SECRETARY OF STATE: This is comprehensive, what we're working on here today. It's not just about the terms that ends fighting, it's about also the terms that set up Ukraine for long- term prosperity. I thought we started laying the groundwork for that, most certainly in Geneva. I think we continue that work in our communications throughout the week. I think we built on that again today.

But there is more work to be done. This is delicate. It's complicated. There are a lot of moving parts. And obviously, there's another party involved here that will have to be a part of the equation, and that will continue later this week when Mr. Witkoff travels to Moscow.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNTE: CNN's Betsy Klein brings us the latest.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BETSY KLEIN, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: President Trump told reporters on Air Force One Sunday evening that he still believes there is a good chance that a deal can be made to end Russia's war in Ukraine. And he says he was briefed by Secretary Rubio and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff after they emerged from talks with top Ukrainian officials near Miami. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Ukraine has got some difficult little problems. It has some difficult problems. But I think Russia would like to see it end. And I think Ukraine -- I know Ukraine would like to see it end.

UNKNOWN (voice-over): You said that Ukraine has a little bit of problem.

TRUMP: They have a corruption situation going on, which is not helpful. There is a good chance we could make a deal.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KLEIN: Those comments come after a top aide to President Zelenskyy, Andriy Yermak, resigned from his post earlier this week after an anti- corruption probe of his home, leaving Zelenskyy and the Ukrainians without one of their top negotiators who has been involved in these very intensive discussions.

Now, Rubio speaking to reporters after those talks really tempered expectations here. He said that there were three key goals. Number one, to end the war. Two, to keep Ukraine safe from a future invasion. And third, to position Ukraine well economically. He said there is still more work to be done. He called these talks delicate and complicated. But he did not lay out any specifics about what progress was made.

Rubio also acknowledging this very challenging reality that Russia is ultimately going to have to sign off on whatever deal they are able to agree to. There are three key sticking points remaining. Number one, the question of land and whether Ukraine would surrender key territories in the Donbas region that have been annexed but not yet conquered by Russia. Separately, proposals for Ukraine to limit the size of its military. And third, the question of whether Ukraine is willing to abandon its desire to join NATO.

Steve Witkoff, the president's top advisor, is expected to travel to Moscow on Monday for additional talks.

Betsy Klein, CNN, the White House. (END VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTE: President Trump confirms he recently had a phone call with his Venezuelan counterpart, Nicolas Maduro, but did not provide any details of what was discussed. It comes amid growing concerns and finger-pointing over the U.S. strikes on alleged drug trafficking boats in the Caribbean. CNN's Stefano Pozzebon brings us the latest reactions from Caracas.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

STEFANO POZZEBON, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Nicolas Maduro, the Venezuelan leader, is yet to confirm whether he spoke with U.S. President Donald Trump in the last few days.

[02:05:00]

Trump did confirm it to reporters on Sunday. However, while appearing on television also on Sunday evening, Maduro did not make any reference to the alleged phone calls.

It was remarkable to see Maduro on T.V. here in Caracas because the last time he appeared on Venezuelan T.V. was last week, on Wednesday, that had led to some speculation that Maduro might have left the country or even hiding amid tensions between Washington and Caracas, and Sunday's late evening appearance at a coffee fair in the center of Caracas seemed to dispel those rumors.

Earlier on Sunday, the Venezuelan president of the National Assembly, Jorge Rodriguez, had accused the United States of extrajudicial killing, confirming to CNN that several of the victims of kinetic strikes against alleged drug traffickers were indeed Venezuelan citizens. Rodriguez did not confirm how many Venezuelans had been killed in the strikes. However, he had this to say about the U.S. policy.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JORGE RODRIGUEZ, PRESIDENT, NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF VENEZUELA (through translator): As there's no war declared between our two countries, what has been happening doesn't deserve any other qualification than murder, extrajudicial killings, as nobody in the 21st century can think they are judge and executioner without any due process.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

POZZEBON: U.S. has so far conducted more than 20 strikes, killing at least 80 people, under the accusation of trafficking drugs. However, the White House is yet to provide any conclusive evidence that these people were indeed involved in narcotics.

And last week, CNN was able to confirm that Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth had called for a second strike after an earlier strike on September the 2nd had left survivors.

For CNN, this is Stefano Pozzebon, Caracas. (END VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTE: Investigators are learning new details about the suspect accused of shooting two National Guard members near the White House. The suspect has been identified as Ramanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national who entered the U.S. in 2021 under a Biden-era relocation program following the American troop withdrawal from Afghanistan. He was granted asylum earlier this year under the Trump administration.

Law enforcement officials tell CNN U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the investigation is still ongoing, but had this to say about the suspect.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KRISTI NOEM, UNITED STATES SECRETARY OF HOMELAND SECURITY: We believe he was radicalized since he has been here in this country. We do believe it was through connections in his home community and state. And we're going to continue to talk to those who interacted with him, who were his family members. Talk to them. So far, we've had some participation. But anyone who has information on this needs to know that we will be coming after you, and we will bring you to justice.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNTE: Well, if you thought it got cold in the U.S. this week, just you wait. A new weather system fueled by even colder Arctic air is moving across the country as we speak. It's set to drive down temperatures in places already feeling the effects of winter storms like Illinois. Chicago O'Hare International Airport ranked first for both flight cancellations and delays on Sunday, according to FlightAware. Hundreds of flights were disrupted on Sunday at that airport alone. Those conditions made for a difficult trip home for some travelers after an extended Thanksgiving weekend.

Our Rafael Romo has the details from Atlanta's international airport.

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RAFAEL ROMO, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It was busy here at the world's busiest airport over the weekend, but the lines didn't seem longer than what you would expect given that the period around Thanksgiving is the busiest travel time of the year across the United States. This year's Thanksgiving travel period was forecast by the Federal Aviation Administration to be the busiest in 15 years. But what we have seen here at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport is not representative of the nation as a whole.

The storms that have been pummeling the Midwest and Northeast caused widespread cancellations and delays at several airports over the weekend, especially Chicago O'Hare. Out of more than 1,900 total cancellations in U.S. airports on Saturday, nearly 1,300 happened at O'Hare, according to the flight tracking site FlightAware, and that situation had a domino effect that affected other airports on Sunday as well.

I spoke with a family who traveled to Atlanta to spend Thanksgiving with relatives and were hoping to fly back home to Chicago on Sunday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNKNOWN: Well, the concern is that the flight would be cancelled. If it's delayed, we've got some family here who's on standby to come back and pick us up. So, we'll see how it goes.

ROMO (voice-over): Smart. You already made your plans.

UNKNOWN: Yes. I'm a wise girl.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMO: And after a monster winter storm pummeled much of the Midwest Saturday, that same system made its trek east, heading out to sea. But right behind it, there's another storm gaining strength and preparing to pound some of the same areas already hit by rain and snow over the weekend.

[02:10:05]

Iowa's Des Moines International Airport closed for more than 12 hours after a Delta connection flight operated by Endeavor Air arriving from Detroit slid off the runway Saturday night amid icy conditions on the ground. Delta Airlines said in a statement that the flight carrying two pilots, two flight attendants, and 54 passengers left the paved surface while transitioning from the runway to the taxiway, confirming there were no injuries, and all passengers were offered compensation. The airport reopened Sunday just before noon.

Rafael Romo, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTE: CNN meteorologist Chris Warren has more on the new winter weather system hitting the U.S. this week.

CHRIS WARREN, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Another winter storm developing and this could have some big impacts for parts of the Midwest and Northeast that saw some pretty big impacts from the weekend system. This is what we're looking at. Ultimately and eventually, more snow is on the way for Missouri, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio.

And into the Northeast, what's different with this one is there could be an ice component of freezing rain, a possibility with this, while there's going to be heavy rain and storms throughout parts of the Southeast.

Much of the West is looking pretty nice, but it's to the West where we look for that developing system. Coming out of the Rockies, we're going to see snow developing by morning, likely already going before dawn here in Nebraska, in Kansas, and we'll see how this goes.

As the heavy rain gets going to the South, there's going to be a wintry mix somewhere in between. And then to the north of there, this is where more snow is moving pretty fast. By overnight Monday into Tuesday, snow will be moving out of Ohio and making for one heck of a mess in the Northeast on Tuesday.

Again, the rain to the South, snow to the North, and that fine line there. Some of the big cities possibly getting snow or could stay straight rain throughout this. Whether it's some of the higher snowfall totals, can't rule out up to about a foot, generally in some of the higher elevations here in New York and in Pennsylvania, but some of the big cities again may just end up being on the rainy side.

Now, freezing rain is also a possibility. So that's when the rain freezes on contact to either power lines, tree branches, and this and these areas here that could potentially lead to power outages and very dangerous travel.

HUNTE: OK. Forty people are still missing in Hong Kong after the city's worst fire disaster in decades. We'll take you to the scene where authorities are combing through the wreckage of ruined apartments, desperate for answers.

And Pope Leo is in Lebanon for the second leg of his historic trip abroad, bringing a message of peace and unity to a crisis-hit country. We'll have the latest on his tour of the Middle East next. See you in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:15:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HUNTE: Welcome back. Let's return now to our top story, the ongoing diplomatic efforts to end the war in Ukraine. U.S. special envoy is set to travel to Moscow later today. The Kremlin says he will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin this week.

Earlier, my colleague, Polo Sandoval, spoke with former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, John Herbst. He gave his assessment of where negotiations stand after Sunday's talks and the likely red lines Ukraine has drawn in an effort to reach peace.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN HERBST, FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR TO UKRAINE: I think that Secretary Rubio went in there looking to see if Ukraine was willing to be more flexible on some of the points that were probably removed from the 28-point draft, Difficult issues relating to security, relating to possible territorial compromise, relating to Ukraine, the size of Ukraine's military, restrictions on Ukraine's military, because the administration thought that some of those points might be helpful to persuading Russia to say yes.

POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: What red lines do you believe that Ukraine has drawn when it comes to their main sticking points? You mentioned flexibility. That's certainly very important right now in these negotiations, especially after that Oval Office visit earlier this year. I'm sure that certainly there's pressure on Ukraine to demonstrate that they're there to negotiate in good faith. But when it comes to perhaps land concessions, their military or NATO ambitions, are there any red lines that Ukrainians are drawing?

HERBST: Ukraine needs to see a full package, a full package, not just a partial package, which makes clear or ensures the country's sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity are along the lines of the agreements. In other words --

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNTE: Well, let's keep talking about it. Robert English is the director of Central European Studies at the University of Southern California, and he's joining me from Los Angeles. Thank you so much for being with me, Robert. I'll get right to it. As U.S. delegates prepare to visit Moscow, what are the realistic outcomes that we should expect from the next round of talks? And what could happen next if the negotiations fail?

ROBERT ENGLISH, DIRECTOR OF CENTRAL EUROPEAN STUDIES, UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA: Yes, realistically, they will fail, at least at this point. There's quite a gap to be bridged remaining. We don't have all the details coming out of the talks today in Florida with the Ukrainian delegation. It seems they made modest progress, but probably not enough to satisfy Vladimir Putin, who seems to be essentially saying, I don't need to make concessions. The longer this war goes on, the more territory I take. And you'll be back at the table in six months in an even weaker position.

So, I expect very hard line from Moscow, and it's going to take an enormous amount of work by the U.S. side, by Witkoff, to get the Russians to budge much and meet the Ukrainian side even anything close to halfway on the territorial issue.

[02:20:05]

HUNTE: Some people on social media have been surprised by the lack of leaks or public statements. Could the silence actually be a positive sign that serious negotiations are happening behind closed doors, though?

ENGLISH: Yes, absolutely, and that has been a welcome change from previous rounds when there were leaks and tweets and attempts to turn public opinion pressure the other side one way or the other. That's pretty unprofessional and unproductive.

So, I was pleased to see that we've had essentially silenced and negotiators are trying to reach something comprehensive without additional public pressure. But it still means that even if there's a unified Russia -- I'm sorry, American and Ukrainian position, will that be enough to go to Moscow and find common ground with Vladimir Putin? And we won't know until we see that in action. But pretty skeptical that we can do this quickly.

HUNTE: Well, on that, how much do we really know about concessions being made by the U.S. or Ukraine at this stage? Are there any hints about security guarantees or support that's on the table?

ENGLISH: No. That's what we don't know. We have some broad ideas. The Ukrainian side has accepted that they're going to have to make big territorial concessions. They're no longer insisting on getting all their territory back to the borders of 1991, including Crimea. They want the line to be drawn where it is now and not to have to give up another inch. Russia wants hundreds of additional square kilometers, that entire Donetsk region, which they have formally annexed. So, there's a big gap there. And we don't know if there's a sort of halfway offer.

And we also don't know on the business of security guarantees, the size of the Ukrainian army, the magnitude of weapon support and intelligence support from the U.S. and NATO. They're working on that now. And, you know, that kind of broad support could make it a little easier for the Ukrainians to swallow territorial concessions.

But the other problem now is the weakness of the Ukrainian government and President Zelenskyy himself. Having lost his chief of staff and chief negotiator and being engulfed in this corruption scandal, that weakens him and, unfortunately, probably emboldens Vladimir Putin to push even harder.

HUNTE: Ukraine's position seems to weaken daily as Russian forces advance. How real is the risk that Kyiv could be pushed into a bad deal eventually?

ENGLISH: It's absolutely real. And if they come up with a deal, it will seem like a bad deal to most people in the West. The only way to make it palatable is to remind ourselves, to remind Kyiv that it's still better than the deal that will come six months or 12 months down the road.

If they're even weaker, if they have lost European economic support, if they have lost American military support, and public opinion turns against them because of all this wasted money with corruption, it will be a bad deal. It will be a bitter pill for Ukraine to swallow if they can even come to a deal. But again, it's better than what will probably come six or nine months down the road if the war is not stopped soon.

HUNTE: Let's see if it does stop soon. Robert English for now. Appreciate your time. Thank you so much, sir.

ENGLISH: You're welcome.

HUNTE: Next, Honduras is awaiting the results of its presidential election in a tight race that was thrown a curveball with a late surprise endorsement by Donald Trump. So far, votes have been counted in about a third of the country's polling places. And conservative Nasry "Tito" Asfura leads with almost 41% of the vote. Salvador Nasralla of the conservative Liberal Party is a close second with nearly 39%. The U.S. president has threatened to cut funding from Honduras if Asfura, his preferred candidate, loses.

Authorities are combing through hundreds of ruined apartments as they search for people still missing in the deadly building fires in Hong Kong. Rescuers are making their way through what remains of seven towers after a fire spread rapidly in one of the city's apartment complexes. At least 146 people were killed and about 40 people are still missing. CNN's Hanako Montgomery visited the scene of the fire and spoke to some of the survivors about what they experienced.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HANAKO MONTGOMERY, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Before William Li could see or smell this fire, his wife called him and sent this video. Flames were engulfing their apartment building, she said, and he needed to leave now.

[02:25:01]

But when he opened his front door, he was met with this suffocating darkness.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WILLIAM LI, HONG KONG FIRE SURVIVOR (through translator): I called my wife again. I said I can't leave. The door is full of thick smoke. That's when my wife started becoming emotional.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MONTGOMERY (voice-over): William is a rare survivor in Hong Kong's worst fire in decades, an inferno that claimed dozens of his neighbors' lives. The videos he filmed while trapped in his apartment for two hours and the messages he exchanged with his wife show just how narrowly he escaped.

UNKNOWN (voice-over): (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE).

(ON SCREEN TEXT): Please call me as soon as you get out! Please call me.

MONTGOMERY (voice-over): William lived on the second floor of this apartment complex, and the fire was moving fast. In another attempt to escape, he covered his face with a wet towel. But in the hallway, he heard an elderly couple screaming for help. Their home was already engulfed in flames after the fire shattered their windows.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LI (Through translator): When I saw my window in this situation, I felt that this time, I might actually die or I won't make it past today. I told my friends that I might not be able to leave, and if anything happens to me, take care of my children.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MONTGOMERY (voice-over): But then, help arrived. Two hours after his wife's first call, firefighters pulled William and his neighbors to safety.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LI (through translator): My daughter ran towards me and hugged me and said, daddy didn't die, dad doesn't need to die. My son was sitting to the side and was crying a lot.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MONTGOMERY (voice-over): William's survival is a rare miracle in a disaster of staggering loss. But the fire took everything from him.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LI (through translator): The place that my children grew up in, memories that I created with my wife, memories of making this home, they're all gone.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MONTGOMERY (voice-over): The community in Tai Po is left reeling from a tragedy that will haunt them for years to come.

Hanako Montgomery, CNN, Hong Kong.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTE: Pope Leo XIV is calling for peace and unity in Lebanon as he begins his three-day to the crisis-hit country. His arrival comes just a week after an Israeli airstrike killed five people in Beirut. He will be taking parts in inter-faith gatherings and will meet with political leaders and young people during his visit. Ben Wedeman has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: On the second and last leg of his first trip abroad as pontiff, Pope Leo landed in Beirut Sunday, driving through the city's southern suburbs bombed by Israel during the recent war. Reaching the presidential palace in the pouring rain, the dancers on hand undeterred, showering the pope mobile with rice, a traditional Lebanese greeting.

Lebanon's government made the theme of this visit "blessed be the peacemakers," the phrase in Arabic, French and English on posters around the capital. Lebanon has a large and influential Christian minority, which has seen its numbers in recent years fall as a result of war, instability, and a collapsed economy.

Speaking before a gathering of senior government and political officials and diplomats, Pope Leo stressed the need for unity and harmony among Lebanon's diverse religious communities and the country's desperate need for a respite from war.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

POPE LEO XIV, HEAD OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH, BISHOP OF ROME, SOVEREIGN OF THE VATICAN CITY STATE: It is a great joy for me to meet with you and to visit this land where peace is much more than just a word. For here, peace is a desire and a vocation. It is a gift and a work in progress.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WEDEMAN: But peace here is elusive. The one-year-old U.S. brokered ceasefire is beginning to fray with Israel carrying out almost daily air and drone strikes just a week ago, killing a senior Hezbollah commander in Beirut's southern suburbs.

But until Tuesday, when Pope Leo departs, Lebanon will be distracted by a packed schedule, taking the Pope to the mountains of Lebanon, the Christian heartland, and back to Beirut for a silent prayer at the site of the August 2020 Beirut port blast, followed by a huge mass on the city's waterfront.

I'm Ben Wedeman, CNN, reporting from Beirut.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTE: In Southern Israel, mourners gathered on Sunday to pay their respects to slain Israeli hostage, Dror Or. They waved Israeli and yellow flags as the funeral procession drove by on the way to Or's hometown.

[02:30:02]

He and his wife were killed in a Hamas attacks on October 7th. His remains were taken hostage along with two of his children. The kids were later released in November 2023. Or's remains were only recently handed over to Israeli officials.

The Israeli prime minister is formally asking for a pardon, even though he hasn't been convicted of any crime. Benjamin Netanyahu's requested the Israeli president comes amid his long running corruption trial. In a letter published on Sunday, Netanyahu said the pardon was, quote, in the public interest.

The request has been met with fierce opposition at home. In Tel Aviv, protesters rallied outside of the president's private residence. Here's one protest leader on what a pardon would mean for the country.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHIKMA BRESSIER, PROTEST LEADER: He's asking that his trial will be completely canceled without taking any responsibility, without paying the price for how he tore up this country and how he eventually brought to the massacre of seven -- of seven in October.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNTE: Meanwhile, the president's office acknowledged that it is a, quote, exceptional pardon request with significant implications, and will consider it with great care and responsibility.

All right. Today is World AIDS Day, and this year, the global effort against the spread of HIV and AIDS is facing its worst setback in decades. Up next, we'll speak to UNAIDS about the funding crisis putting millions around the world at risk.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:35:17]

HUNTE: Welcome back.

Today is World AIDS Day. And this year, the campaign is focused on overcoming disruption as the global fight to end HIV and AIDS faces its worst setback in decades. UNAIDS is warning that sharp cuts in international funding have severely disrupted prevention and community led services in countries across the world, threatening to undo years of progress.

Leaders are urging renewed global support and political commitments to keep the world on track to end AIDS by 2030.

For more on World AIDS Day, we're joined by Angeli Achrekar, deputy executive director for the program branch of UNAIDS.

Thank you so much for being with me. How are you doing?

ANGELI ACHREKAR, DEPUTY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, PROGRAMME BRANCH, UNAIDS: Doing all right. Thank you.

HUNTE: It's so good to see you.

Let's get into this. World AIDS Day has been marked in the U.S. since 1988, but this year, the State Department told employees and grantees that they can't publicly promote it. What does that signal to the global HIV community, and how have you interpreted this shift?

ACHREKAR: Well, World AIDS Day, as you said, today is World AIDS Day, and it's a day that we around the entire world, every country of the world, honors and commemorates the 44 million people that have died of AIDS related deaths since the beginning of the pandemic. Over 90 million people have been infected with HIV since the pandemic started.

But this is a day that no matter what, we honor and commemorate the people who we have lost, the people who we have -- who we have served, and the people that continue to need to be served because they are affected by HIV and AIDS. And we need to stand together to serve them

HUNTE: The administration says an awareness day is not a strategy and that it's modernizing its approach to infectious diseases. How do you respond to that explanation?

ACHREKAR: Well, so -- so, you know, we stand together today on World AIDS Day and every day, frankly, to make sure that the 1.3 million new people that are being infected with HIV every year, can you -- to be decreased, we need to make sure that the 9.2 million people that are still in need of treatment receive that lifesaving treatment.

We are calling upon the world, including the United States, to continue to reaffirm their commitment and global solidarity to the HIV response. It has been one of the most wildly successful responses on the face of the planet, where infections have plummeted. You know, AIDS deaths have plummeted. But what we've seen this year alone has been devastating. We've seen a

severe decline in donor investment in the HIV response. We've seen -- we've seen halts -- very quick halts, abrupt halts to the funding that has caused a shock wave through the entire global health system, impacting communities, impacting services, HIV prevention and treatment services, impacting data surveillance.

It's a whole -- it's a whole ecosystem of health that's been impacted.

So again, we are calling upon the world to reaffirm their commitment and to continue funding so that we can indeed get to the end of AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.

HUNTE: Experts have suggested that the cuts you just mentioned could lead to millions of additional infections and even deaths. What consequences are you already seeing on the ground and what's to come?

ACHREKAR: Well, we're seeing all kinds of consequences on the ground. We have -- we have seen, you know, a severe in prevention services. And these are prevention services that had already been strained before, but they were hit hardest.

So, for example, in Uganda, you know, prevention services plummeted by 31 percent. In Vietnam, by over 20 percent. In Burundi, by over 60 percent. We have to continue to prevent new infections.

And as I said, there are 1.3 million new infections a year. And so, when we see these kinds of declines, prevention services, this is very disturbing.

Weve seen, you know, hundreds and thousands of women in Sub-Saharan Africa losing access to peer counselors.

[02:40:03]

Now, these peer counselors are essential to make sure that continuity of treatment continues, lifesaving treatment has to continue on a daily basis. When they are -- when we see 450,000 women losing access to these mentor mothers, for example, these women that are walking side by side with these women to ensure that they are, taking their daily medication and they're working to prevent interruption of the virus to their unborn children, for example, this is a real issue.

We're seeing condom distribution disrupted, in all -- in many countries across Africa and community led organizations. This is a real issue. We're seeing services that have traditionally gone to the most marginalized populations, adolescent girls and young women. Key populations, men who have sex with men, for example, where the virus is spreading.

We're seeing community systems, peer systems being severely disrupted. But I think the most alarming is trust. Trust has been shaken to the core, and this is something that, you know, we need to make sure that people have trust in the system, trust in the health care delivery system, trust in services so that they can indeed continue to reach and be provided with the services that they need. HUNTE: Okay. Well, thank you so much for joining us. We'll leave it

there.

Angeli Achrekar, appreciate it.

ACHREKAR: Thank you so much.

HUNTE: We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HUNTE: At least 900 people have been killed after storms triggered flooding and landslides across Southeast Asia and Sri Lanka. Hundreds more are still missing, with millions affected as the disaster damaged homes and cut off communities from critical supplies.

[02:45:08]

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTE (voice-over): A military helicopter carrying supplies flies high above a flood stricken area in Indonesia, reaching some remote provinces by land isn't possible right now after floods and landslides blocked roads and washed away some communities on the island of Sumatra. But the aid is desperately needed.

In Indonesia alone, authorities say hundreds of people have been killed and hundreds more are still missing, and survivors in the hardest hit areas say they've lost everything. Like this woman, her house swept away in the floods, except for one wall that still standing.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): This was my home. I have nine of my family members here. We have nothing left. Everything was gone. We only had the clothes on our backs. We couldn't bring anything else when it happened, the water just rose up into the house and we were afraid, so we fled. Then we came back on Friday and the house was gone, destroyed.

HUNTE: Last week's torrential rains also battered nearby Thailand. In a city of Hat Yai in the south, a bridge is filled with stranded vehicles and much of the surroundings are submerged after the city experienced the most rainfall recorded in some 300 years.

Cleanup is underway and the water has receded in some areas, but power hasn't fully been restored. At least one shopkeeper in a flooded out market says she's selling her muddy goods at a fraction of the cost of flood victims, who have little left and are looking for anything salvageable.

PATCHAREE NADEERUK NA PHUKET, SHOP OWNER (through translator): I need to clear the stock. The condition they're in after being flooded, shoes soaked and ruined like this. People don't have clothes, right? So I'm helping by selling everything cheaply so they can have something to wear. HUNTE: Meanwhile, Sri Lanka in South Asia is grappling with flooding

caused by a cyclone that blew through the island nation just days ago. Officials say hundreds of people have been killed. Parts of the capital Colombo and a neighboring district are still flooded. Authorities say more than a million people have been affected nationwide, and many homes have been destroyed.

MALIKA KUMARI, FLOOD VICTIM (through translator): It rained nonstop for three days. We heard about the warnings of flooding, but we didn't expect water levels would get this high.

HUNTE: Volunteer groups are setting up makeshift kitchens to provide food, but with some places still flooded and without power, clean up and assessing the damage is still a long way off.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTE: We will be right back

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:51:33]

HUNTE: Welcome back.

Now to week 13 in the NFL. And Sunday's action ended with a thriller between the Washington Commanders and the visiting Denver Broncos. This one was close from beginning to end. Washington's Treylon Burks made one of the best plays of the night. This spectacular one-handed touchdown catch from five yards out. Commanders led by one at that point.

The game went to overtime. Denver scored an early touchdown, but Washington marched right back with a score of their own. They went for two in the win, but a Broncos defender knocked the pass down. Denver escapes with a 27 to 26 victory, their ninth straight win.

And in college football, there's a major shakeup in the powerful southeastern conference. Head coach Lane Kiffin says he's leaving Ole Miss, the team he's guided for six seasons to take the coaching job at rival Louisiana State University. Kiffin led Ole Miss to their best season in more than six decades, and the Rebels are likely playoff bound. But with Kiffin's announcement on Sunday, he won't be on the sidelines as Ole Miss chases an elusive national title.

Max Verstappen could be on the verge of a comeback for the ages. The reigning world champion was all but one -- all but out of the Formula One title fight in August, when he trailed by over 100 points. But a series of blunders by the McLaren team and a string of victories for Verstappen has put him right behind leader Lando Norris with one race to go.

CNN's Matias Griese watched Verstappen's latest win in Qatar.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) MATIAS GREZ, CNN REPORTER: We are now going to have a three-horse race in the F1 season finale next weekend in Abu Dhabi, after Max Verstappen took a surprise first place here in Qatar after starting third on the grid, finishing ahead of Oscar Piastri in second with championship leader Lando Norris only managing fourth. That means going into next weekend's race, Lando Norris now has only a 12-point lead over Max Verstappen in second, and is now 16 points clear of teammate Oscar Piastri in third.

For months, it looked as though the drivers' championship was destined to be heading to McLaren. But now, with Max Verstappen chasing his fifth straight title, the dutchman is looming large over the two drivers in orange. And I've been saying all weekend that Verstappen is F1's ultimate competitor and he is absolutely relentless in his pursuit of victory. Anytime he even gets a sniff, and it really was a scintillating drive from the dutchman today and he shot out of the blocks, going past Norris on the very first corner to take second place.

But then came the most crucial moment of the race. Here in Qatar, it is mandatory for every driver to make at least two pit stops, and after a safety car was deployed early on due to a collision further back in the field, Max Verstappen and Red Bull gambled going into the pits early. In fact, every car on the track except the two McLaren drivers pitted early and it ended up being a gamble that paid off for Max and Red Bull. That handed the race lead to Verstappen and Oscar Piastri, who had been the fastest all weekend here in Qatar, just couldn't hunt him down, while Lando Norris was stuck back in a bit of traffic in fifth place.

But in one final dramatic twist, Lando Norris passed Mercedes Kimi Antonelli on the final lap into fourth place, which means he now knows that all he has to do is finish on the podium next weekend in Abu Dhabi to secure the title.

[02:55:04]

And we've just seen McLaren boss Zak Brown walk past us, not looking particularly happy. He admitted that McLaren's strategy in this race to not pit early with the rest of the drivers was a mistake. We've been here by the McLaren garage in the paddock all weekend and they've been in fairly buoyant mood. Norris and Piastri have seemed really relaxed, but not so now after the events of this weekend in Qatar.

It's been an incredible weekend here in Qatar and a three-horse race in the F1 drivers championship doesn't happen often and you can really sense that excitement here at the track. But now all eyes turn to Abu Dhabi and after it looked certain like for months, the drivers title was heading to McLaren, it is now anything but, with Max Verstappen hot on the heels of championship leader Lando Norris.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTE: Okay, a painting considered lost for hundreds of years just sold at auction. The artwork Christ on a cross went for sale in Versailles on Sunday and sold for $2.67 million. Seventeenth century Flemish painter Peter Paul Rubens created the work, which depicts Jesus's crucifixion. The painting vanished from public view in 1613, but was recently discovered in a sale at a private mansion in Paris.

It is beginning to look a lot like Christmas in Brazil. Thousands of people gathered along the beach in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday to usher in the start of the holiday season at the center of a spectacular light display was an 80 meter tall LED Christmas tree that's more than 260 feet tall. The city's newest attraction also featured water ballet performances that synchronized the light show with the movement of the ocean.

All right. That's all I've got for you. Thanks for joining me on the team. I'm Ben Hunte in Atlanta.

I'll be right back after this quick break. You are watching CNN. See you in a moment.