Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

Pope Leo Spoke With Lebanon Youth Amid Economic Crisis; Israel Says Trump Invited Netanyahu to White House in Near Future; Luigi Mangione Appears in Court for Pre-trial Hearing; Son of Drug Kingpin "El Chapo" Pleads Guilty in U.S. Court; Australian Police Have Arrested Four in Alleged Satanic Child Sex Abuse Material Ring; Sean Combs Fighting the Release of Netflix Series; Death Toll Rises to 151, at Least 30 People Still Missing in Hong Kong High-rise Fire; First Lady Reveals White House Holiday Decorations; Paddington Bear Takes the Stage in a New Musical; Oxford Dictionary's Word of the Year 2025 is "Rage Bait." Aired 2-3a ET

Aired December 02, 2025 - 02:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:00:36]

POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It is wonderful to have you with me. I'm Polo Sandoval, live in New York, and this is what's coming your way here on CNN NEWSROOM.

President Trump huddles with top national security officials to discuss the next step for Venezuela, and this as the uproar over a double tap strike on an alleged drug boat grows louder.

And a high-level U.S. delegation, it is set to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the coming hours, hoping to reach a compromise and finally end the war in Ukraine.

And the Pope, he is wrapping up his historic visit to Turkey and Lebanon holding services at the site of a deadly accident in Beirut. We'll take you there live.

ANNOUNCER: Live from Atlanta. This is CNN NEWSROOM with Polo Sandoval.

SANDOVAL: President Donald Trump is weighing his next steps in Venezuela following a meeting with top national security officials in the Oval Office. And this comes as the administration faces intense scrutiny over a double tap September strike on an alleged drug trafficking boat in the Caribbean, one in which the President initially claimed he knew nothing about.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We'll look into it. But no, I wouldn't have wanted that, not a second strike. The first strike was very lethal. It was fine and if there were two people around, but Pete said that didn't happen. I have great confidence.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you say there's no second strike?

TRUMP: I don't know. I'm going to find out about it, but Pete said he did not order the death of those two men.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANDOVAL: That was Sunday aboard Air Force One. Then on Monday, the White House acknowledged that secondary strike did happen, and that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth authorized it.

But they're now shifting responsibility to the head of U.S. special command operation, Hegseth, saying that he stands with Admiral Frank Mitchell Bradley's decision, echoing the White House press secretary, who claims that Bradley, "Worked well within his authority and the law."

Some U.S. lawmakers fearing that the follow up attack on September 2nd could amount to a war crime.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. DON BACON (R-NE): If it was as if the article said, that is a violation of the law of war. When people want to surrender, you don't kill them.

SEN. TIM KAINE (D-VA): Obviously, if that occurred, that would be be very serious, and I agree that that would be an illegal act.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANDOVAL: Top U.S. military officials, as well as the Senate Armed Services and intelligence committees, they expect to be briefed by Admiral Bradley in the coming days.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. MARK KELLY (D-AZ): They're tying themselves into knots, trying to explain why this is legal. They should release it to the American people. Why is -- why is a document that is explaining why we are moving a battle group halfway around the world at huge expense and putting American service members at risk every single day by operating in the Caribbean against these boats. Why is the justification for that classified? It should not be.

SEN. MARK WARNER (D-VA): We've got to get to the bottom of this. We also need to find out why the administration has not released the unedited version of the video, that would pretty much demonstrate to at least Congress whether these individuals were in the water, on the boat, still combatants or not.

Now, I trust our military leadership. I can't say the same in terms of any level of trust for Secretary Hegseth for some of this cabal at DOD.

(END VIDEO CLIP) SANDOVAL: This is certainly begging questions about whether or not the rules of war were followed. CNN recently spoke with a retired U.S. Brigadier General who explained that although secondary attacks do occur often, there's a clear red line on their legality.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRIG. GEN. MARK KIMMITT (RET.) U.S. ARMY: But in terms of following up on a target that hasn't been destroyed, it's done all the time in the military, we have a process called the D4 cycle, decide, detect, deliver, assess. When you conduct artillery campaign, when you conduct an air campaign, if you have been given a mission to destroy a target and it's not destroyed, you attack again. Now that's different if you see people standing outside that target with their hands up.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANDOVAL: Let's get some expert analysis now on this developing controversy. Joining us from London is Mariano de Alba. He's an Associate Fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies. Mariano, welcome to the show.

MARIANO DE ALBA, ASSOCIATE FELLOW, INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR STRATEGIC STUDIES: Welcome. Thank you. Thank you so much for the invitation.

[02:05:03]

SANDOVAL: So, Mariano, if the Trump administration is hoping to oust President Maduro, which we have to be clear, the White House has not flat out said that, but as we've heard from many experts such as yourself, that is widely suspected, but if that is the case, if that is what they are trying to do, can this controversy over this so called double taps strike threatened to derail the White House's efforts?

DE ALBA: Yes, it's certainly possible, in the sense, that, obviously, the administration is getting a lot of heat from Congress on the process leading to this operations.

I think that, you know, as a Venezuelan, I have to say that it is obvious that Nicolas Maduro has to go because he lost an election very clearly last year.

However, the concern is about the process, right and if Maduro has to go, and if this will eventually lead to a military operation of the United States into Venezuela. The concern is basically that, you know, the end of the objective -- of the so-called objective of the -- of the Trump administration, does not justify the means, right? And what we have seen in the Caribbean is a total disregard to the principle of proportionality and distinction that applies to the laws of war.

So, as a Venezuelan, at least, I am very concerned that if this eventually moved to a military operation into Venezuela, a lot of innocent Venezuelans could die. So, I do believe that, you know, it is really important for the Trump administration not only to follow very strictly the laws of -- the laws of war and the principles of proportionality and distinction when carrying out military operations, so but also the Congress oversight over these operations.

Because in the end, what that -- what that provides is additional guarantees that everything is being done according to the letter of the law.

That being said, I also do believe that if the Trump administration is going to move to undertake a military operation in Venezuela, they would need another authorization for the use of military force. Because I do not -- I do not see very clearly how the authorization for the use of force approved by Congress in the year 2001 and 2002 for obviously, as a response to the September 11th, is applicable to the case of Venezuela.

SANDOVAL: And we have seen over the last three months now, without congressional authorization. Speaking to your earlier point, the president and the Department of Defense initially launching these strikes. So, because it's now been three months since we began to see these strikes, Mariano, why do you think that it's taking so long for the Trump administration to either decide or make clear what its next military step is likely to be?

DE ALBA: I think that President Trump is very skeptical of a military operation in Venezuela because of the risks that entail, in the sense that if the final objective is to really get rid of the Maduro regime, then they would have to put at risk U.S. soldiers.

And obviously, if that were to happen, that is a huge risk that President Trump is undertaking, in the sense that any death of U.S. soldier in Venezuela would produce a huge political backlash in the United States as a whole, but also mostly with President Trump's base that is really reticent to forever wars.

So, I think that Mr. Trump, and I think that the whole idea of this undertaking as it started three months ago, as you were mentioning, was that if you -- if you threat the use of force, then the Maduro regime is going to crumble and he's going to leave power.

But so far, three months in, this has not proven to be the case.

SANDOVAL: Mariano, obviously, as a Venezuelan, you keep close track of the news that's coming out of Venezuela, of the images that come out of Venezuela after Trump himself confirmed that he recently spoke to President Maduro. We saw the Venezuelan leader, after being out of public eye for several days, even appeared at a rally, appearing to dance in defiance. We still don't know the context of that call, but given Maduro's recent behavior, do you think he's feeling at all threatened by the United States right now?

DE ALBA: I do think that the threat is being felt in Caracas on other things, the optics, they know that it's important to project normality in the sense that you know they don't feel threatened because that provides them some political cover inside Venezuela, but also outside.

[02:10:05] I think that the Maduro regime believes that, but we were discussing, right? They know that for President Trump would be a very high-cost operation to go inside Venezuela and try to get rid of them. So, they think that -- you know, that the objective of the White House is to exert that pressure, and they are willing to resist that pressure.

So, but for sure, especially after President Trump declare this, you know, "No fly zone over Venezuela," even though it has not been followed to the letter, I think that, you know, there's a growing concern in Venezuela about what's going -- what's going to happen next.

SANDOVAL: Growing concerns and so much at stake for Venezuelans, both in your home country and around the world, such as yourself. So, we'll keep tracking this. Mariano, thank you so much for your time. Mariano de Alba joining us from London.

DE ALBA: Thank you.

SANDOVAL: Appreciate it.

Russian officials say that their forces have captured the eastern Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk. The Kremlin published video on Monday showing its troops, appearing to hold a flag in the city center, but that area, it has been under Russian control for some time now. Thousands of Russian troops, they have been killed or injured in months of heavy fighting. Pokrovsk, which is the in the Donetsk region, was once a vital strategic hub for Ukrainian forces. Ukraine has not directly commented on Russia's claims that it has captured that city, but says that Moscow is trying to, "Raise diplomatic stakes ahead of peace talks with U.S. negotiators."

So, what about those talks? In the coming hours, Russian President Vladimir Putin, he will be hosting Donald Trump's most trusted negotiators in Moscow, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in- law, Jared Kushner, they are trying to sell Putin on the new terms of the U.S. backed Ukraine peace deal.

This proposal was initially criticized as being too differential to Moscow's maximalist demands, but it has been amended after negotiations with Ukrainian diplomats the last week or so.

Meanwhile, Ukraine's President is working with European allies to ensure his country's needs are represented in these peace talks. In fact, he met with French president Emmanuel Macron while in Paris, and he says that there will be no peace without European involvement.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): The territorial issue is the most difficult, the issues of money and reconstruction, and I am speaking honestly, and we have discussed this are, of course, hard to finalize without the presence of our European partners, because the money is in Europe. To me, this does not seem entirely fair, and the issue of security guarantees is also crucial. We need concrete commitments from the United States and concrete commitments from Europe.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANDOVAL: Let's go to Ukraine now for an update where CNN's Nick Paton Walsh reports from Kyiv.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: There's been a dizzying day of diplomatic choreography ahead of Tuesday's high stakes meeting between Trump's envoy to Ukraine conflict, Steve Witkoff and indeed his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.

Ukraine's Vladimir Zelenskyy has been in Paris during the day talking to French president Emmanuel Macron, and on the phone with Witkoff and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer clearly briefing European allies as to the nature of the deal that Witkoff will be taking with him. That is the product of hours days of negotiations with the Ukraine team in Florida and the U.S. side as well, including a late Monday morning sudden meeting a second one between Witkoff and the Ukrainian negotiators clearly hammering out key details down to the last minute.

The precise nature of the offer Witkoff is taking with him has not been made public, but Zelenskyy, during a public appearance in Paris, laid out the fact that the key sticking point revolves around territorial concessions, also around security guarantees for Ukraine.

It does appear likely at this point that Witkoff will be taking with him some sort of packaging for some kind of territorial swap, potentially with the Ukrainians. It's unclear if that will be enough for Putin, who has been very maximalist in his desire to take back or to take occupy all of the Donetsk region that is currently held by the Ukrainians in Ukraine proper, but certainly Witkoff, I think it's fair to say, wouldn't bother going to the Kremlin unless he was bringing with him something he felt potentially might appeal to Vladimir Putin.

So, unclear how successful that meeting will indeed go, and Macron clear that they feel this is the beginning part of a U.S. offer to the Russians to try and get the peace process further underway. But no mistake about the timing today of Moscow's claim to have taken the strategic military hub of Pokrovsk, still Ukraine yet to comment on that, and it is called deeply convenient and they claimed this victory in the hours ahead of Tuesday's high stakes meeting, releasing video of their troops in the center of that particular town.

[02:15:20]

It's clear over the last weeks that Russia has been increasingly moving forward through that particular urban area, and that would claim result in them claiming a significant victory ahead of Tuesday's meeting.

But all pressure really on Zelenskyy building here because of Russia's increased front line momentum, because two of the domestic pressure he's been under recently, Friday, his top negotiator and Chief of Staff, Andriy Yermak resigning after anti-corruption investigators raided his home on Friday morning. And that pressure, potentially, some analysts here saying, adding perhaps to Zelenskyy's need to entertain a broader scope of ideas to find some kind of peace proposal here.

But the biggest fear amongst Ukrainians enduring nightly barrages is whether or not any deal with the Russians will, in fact, hold we've seen them falter in the past. The Russians not stick to promises made, and I think that is why security guarantees are so important to the Ukrainians here as part of any particular package.

Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, Kyiv, Ukraine.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANDOVAL: Still ahead here on CNN NEWSROOM, more than 1200 dead, many missing, and millions coping with the consequences of severe storms in Asia, live reporting on the aftermath when we come back.

Plus, it's a homecoming to remember at one of Gaza's largest universities, where students are finally able to return to the classroom after two years of war, we'll take you there.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:21:09]

SANDOVAL: More than 1200 people have been killed by flooding and landslides caused by heavy rainfall throughout parts of Asia. Cyclone fueled downpours. They battered areas of Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia and Sri Lanka was struck by a separate storm. Hundreds more are still missing, with millions affected as the disaster damaged homes and cut off entire communities from critical supplies.

Let's get an update now from CNN's Mike Valerio with the latest from Beijing -- from Beijing.

MIKE VALERIO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And Polo, you know, out of the myriad storylines so many to follow from this tragedy that eclipses or expands across so many countries, there are two that we want to point out in particular.

So, there are two cyclones. We're talking about Cyclone Ditwah Hitting Sri Lanka. The second one is Cyclone Senyar hitting Indonesia, especially hard. And you know, we heard comments from the president of Sri Lanka Anura Dissanayake, and he said that this is Sri Lanka's worst natural catastrophe ever, which would include, Polo, the 2004 tsunami that hit Asia.

So, when you think about that, how the scale of the disaster in Sri Lanka is worse, according to the president, than the 2004 tsunami. That is certainly breathtaking, adding to the images that we're seeing this afternoon here in this corner of the world.

Sri Lanka adding to the particulars, 25,000 homes destroyed. Right now, according to our latest reporting from CNN and throughout the region, 147,000 people are still in shelters.

And as you mentioned at the top of the segment, Polo, we're still talking about people who are missing from both of these storms. A lot of the severe weather started as early as Tuesday. We're talking about last Tuesday, not today, local time.

So, the latest that we have 475 people missing in Indonesia right now, most in western Sumatra. 336 people who are missing across Sri Lanka.

So, we heard from Indonesia's President Prabowo Subianto, when he was touring the damage yesterday, saying that so many of these areas are incredibly difficult to reach. That's why we've seen so many helicopters that are dropping fuel supplies, trying to get desperate supplies, or supplies that are desperately needed to the people in areas of dense rain forest that emergency convoys cannot reach as of yet.

So, what we are watching is to see what the missing figures are going to turn into late tonight and into tomorrow as more of these helicopters rescue convoys get to these hard-hit areas.

But again, it has been days since these storms hit, so it's stunning to know that there are still hundreds missing from these twin storms, Polo.

SANDOVAL: What a task for all of these governments, these local governments and these federal governments, sheltering those 140,000 people you mentioned, Mike, while at the same time trying to get answers for those people who are still trying to find their loved ones.

Mike Valerio with the latest from Beijing, thank you for tracking that situation.

Let's get some more analysis, some expert analysis from Trevor Clark. He's the regional emergencies advisor for UNICEF East Asia and the Pacific. Thank you so much for joining us, Trevor. Appreciate your time.

So, you just heard the update from our -- from my colleague a short while ago. From your perspective, what are some of the hardest hit regions that you and your colleagues are trying to access, trying to get people that desperately needed help right now?

TREVOR CLARK, REGIONAL EMERGENCIES ADVISOR, UNICEF EAST ASIA: Yes, and thanks for having me, and it's good to be here to highlight this. You know, East Asia, the Pacific, has already had the unhealthy moniker being the most disaster-prone region in the world, but even this is unprecedented, particularly in the Philippines and Vietnam.

[02:25:04]

Vietnam has faced seven consecutive typhoons, Philippines, 21 consecutive typhoons in the typhoon season, unprecedented rainfall and unprecedented disaster damage in these countries. To Thailand, where they face severe flooding in their southern provinces as well. Thailand alone, 813 schools, 129 health facilities. Philippines, 193 health facilities in the Bicol region alone, 4,500 schools impacted.

Indonesia, you already highlighted, earthquakes, landslides, and floods as well. It's just been unprecedented in the region, and you know, not something we can prepare for because of the frequency, because of the intensity and the scale of these disasters.

SANDOVAL: Those are absolutely staggering statistics that you -- that you have. I'm curious if you can expand on the unprecedented nature of this. I mean, how unusually active has this monsoon season been? We continue to see one cycle and after another, as you just laid out.

CLARK: Yes, absolutely. And that's the scale of it, right there, 21 typhoons in Philippines alone. Philippines is used to dealing with typhoons on a yearly basis during typhoon season, but 21 in this season alone, we've seen, again, hundreds of thousands of children, millions impacted. And the biggest impact is going to be on children not having access to education, not having access to health and nutrition resources as well.

The governments, any government would be stretched to deal with this sort of this environment right now, Vietnam, the same thing, seven consecutive typhoons, it's impacted hundreds of thousands of children again, schools, health facilities and homes as well, 60,000 homes in some of these places.

SANDOVAL: And staying on the question of what governments throughout the region are doing. Do you know if there are many that are actively reaching out to other countries asking for help, or do you feel that perhaps more should be done when it comes to that?

CLARK: So, I think governments that we're working with and we work under the leadership of government and governments across the region have some strong response efforts in these areas, from search and rescue to getting basic services back up. UNICEF is there with them, hand in hand, to support them through cash assistance.

You know, water, sanitation, hygiene, supplies, the gambit. But we've seen strong government response across the countries affected in this -- in this environment.

SANDOVAL: We're showing with our viewers some of those before and after pictures right now that just show the rivers swollen homes either swept away or still under water, which is -- I mean, these images are so telling.

Based on your experience, Trevor, do you see climate change affecting the frequency or perhaps the intensity of these storms where you are?

CLARK: Well, the data bears that out, correct. We've seen the data show that these extreme weather environments incidents are going to be more consistent, more frequent, most of the time, worse, and the scale much more profound as well. So yes, the data bears that out for sure.

SANDOVAL: Trevor, I can't let you go, but without asking how people who are watching this around the world would like to if they want to help, what can they do? CLARK: Yes, I mean, that's a great question, thanks for offering that up. I mean, obviously, you know, with the -- with the funding kinds that the humanitarian sector has realized this year, I think the individuals, organizations, companies, can sort of go to the UNICEF's website and support, and not just UNICEF, but other organizations as well that are currently responding to this humanitarian disaster in the region.

SANDOVAL: Trevor Clark, with UNICEF, we're thinking about you, your colleagues, and especially the people that you are all trying to help. Trevor, thank you so much for the update. We'll stay in touch.

CLARK: Thanks for having me.

SANDOVAL: Up ahead here on CNN NEWSROOM, we take you to Lebanon and check in on the final leg of Pope Leo's first overseas trip before he heads back to Rome.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:33:48]

POLO SANDOVAL, CNN ANCHOR OF "CNN NEWSROOM": Pope Leo is spending his last day of his first trip as pontiff in Beirut today. He urged them to -- the pontiff there urging people not to lose hope amid the country's steep loans. He met with many young people there during a ceremony in Lebanon. Lebanon has been grappling with years of economic turmoil, political gridlock, regional conflict. He encouraged those young people to stay and help build a better future in a country that they can be proud of. It's a message of hope that many in attendance said that they desperately needed to hear.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SOPHIA SALIBA, ATTENDEE FROM BYBLOS (through translator): I'm very optimistic about this meeting, mostly for its spiritual dimension. It showed that what unites us Lebanese is peace, and we are always striving for it. Even if each person does it in a different way, we will come together in the end for the sake of peace for Lebanon.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANDOVAL: CNN's Christopher Lamb is in Beirut with more on the Pope's visit.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRISTOPHER LAMB, CNN VATICAN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A warm welcome on the streets of Beirut for Pope Leo. In Lebanon, during his first overseas trip, the first American pope in the heart of the Middle East, with a message of peace.

[02:35:00]

POPE LEO XIV, HEAD OF THE CATHOLIC SANDOVAL: In an age when co- existence can seem like a distant dream, the people of Lebanon while embracing different religions stand as a powerful reminder that fear, distrust, and prejudice do not have the final word. And that unity, reconciliation, and peace are possible.

(APPLAUSE)

LAMB (voice-over): For a country which has been through so much, Leo's visit lifting their spirits. The people here want more than nice words.

MARC BEYROUTHY, PROFESSOR: We need -- we want practical things that the Pope will ask maybe to the church or to the maybe international community. We know the Pope that he's not a political figure and he doesn't have arms, but he has -- he's the Pope. People listen to him.

(APPLAUSE)

LAMB (voice-over): The Pope in a country with a sizable Christian community, one as old as Christianity itself, excited to meet Leo as were young people. But like thousands of Lebanese Christians, many have been leaving. Leo urging them to stay. The Pope's visit to Lebanon won't be able to resolve the country's problems, but it is offering a glimmer of hope.

Christopher Lamb, CNN, Beirut.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANDOVAL: Well, the Israeli prime minister could be making his return to the White House sooner than expected. U.S. President Donald Trump spoke with Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday. According to Netanyahu's office, Trump extended an invitation to the meet -- to a meeting at the White House in the near future he said. Well, the upcoming visit, it would mark Netanyahu's fifth since Trump returned to office in January. An Israeli source says that the two leaders discussed regional issues, focusing mainly on Gaza as well as Syria, Lebanon, and Iran.

In Gaza City, hundreds of students at the Islamic University returned to campus to attend their first in-person classes since the war broke out two years ago. CNN's Oren Liebermann shares that story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NADA QUWAIDER, STUDENT, ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY OF GAZA (through translator): I never imagined that I would return to university and continue learning. I had dreams that I am now surprised could be coming true.

OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN JERUSALEM BUREAU CHIEF AND CORRESPONDENT (voice- over): For two years, Gaza's students thought they would never return to school. Since the war began, schools turned into shelters for the displaced. Amid the rubble wrought by Israeli airstrikes, Gaza's Islamic University is now reopening.

TALEEN HUSSEIN, STUDENT, ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY OF GAZA (through translator): My feeling is very sad seeing the university like this. All its beauty, its architecture, and its wonderful buildings, to see it now destroyed like this.

LIEBERMANN (voice-over): More than 90 percent of the school and university buildings in Gaza were either damaged or destroyed by Israel's bombardment, drawing accusations of scholasticide. Education became virtually impossible. Israel has always maintained that Hamas embedded its military infrastructure within schools, an accusation the militant group has denied.

TAL AL-MADANA, STUDENT, ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY OF GAZA (through translator): We tried, with the bare minimum of resources, to carry on because we have this passion to keep going and to become something in the future. I hope to become a major and successful architect and to achieve all my dreams.

BASSAM AL-SAQQA, PROFESSOR, ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY OF GAZA (through translator): Honestly, it is very, very, very wonderful feeling that we as the people of Gaza, are starting to return to normal life. The first thing to come back in Gaza is education.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANDOVAL: Hong Kong's chief executive gives an update on that deadly apartment fire. What he's saying about the search for survivors and for answers, it's headed your way here on "CNN Newsroom."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:43:15]

SANDOVAL: Attorneys for Luigi Mangione are trying to get key evidence like his diary entries tossed from his state murder case. The 27-year- old was in a New York courtroom on Monday, nearly one year after he was accused of gunning down a healthcare CEO on a Manhattan sidewalk. Mangione's team argues that they were illegally obtained from his backpack without a warrant during his arrest. The hearing over the disputed evidence is expected to last several days.

The son of Mexican cartel kingpin, Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman has pleaded guilty to U.S. drug trafficking charges. Joaquin Guzman Lopez entered the plea as part of a deal that he reached with prosecutors just months after his brother did the very same in a Chicago courtroom. Prosecutors say that the brothers help run a cartel faction that was responsible for moving staggering, as they put it, staggering amounts of fentanyl into the United States.

Guzman Lopez has admitted to overseeing the production and smuggling of drugs including fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine. He was arrested in Texas in 2024 and he faces at least 10 years in prison. Two more of El Chapo's sons remain at large. Prosecutors believe that they continue overseeing cartel operations in Mexico.

I want to get you now a disturbing development out of Australia where police in New South Wales say that four men have been arrested for their alleged involvement in an international ring, one were people were sharing satanic child sex abuse material. CNN's Ivan Watson with the story. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

IVAN WATSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Police in Australia on an early morning raid, breaking down a door in a Sydney suburb and arresting the alleged 26-year-old ringleader of a group accused of being engaged in some of the most depraved criminal activity imaginable.

[02:45:00]

JAYNE DOHERTY, COMMANDER, NEW SOUTH WALES SEX CRIMES SQUAD: Police will allege in court that this international group were engaging in conversations and the sharing of material which depicted child abuse and the torture of children involving symbols and rituals linked to satanism and the occult.

WATSON (voice-over): A crackdown on an alleged international satanic child sex abuse material ring. In all police arrested four men in and around Sydney, seizing multiple devices.

DOHERTY: Police will allege in court that the initial examination of those devices has discovered thousands of videos depicting the abuse of live children aged between babies and 12 years of age. Amongst these deplorable images were also a number of videos depicting the abuse -- sexual abuse of animals.

WATSON (voice-over): The suspects have all been charged with multiple counts of accessing or possessing child abuse content. They've been denied bail and are expected to next appear in court in late January. Australian authorities call the distribution of child abuse content a borderless crime that's growing, thanks to the internet. They're working with other international law enforcement to help identify and rescue children shown in the seized content.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANDOVAL: That was Ivan Watson with that report. Well, lawyers for Sean "Diddy" Combs are fighting to keep Netflix from releasing a docuseries about the embattled music mogul. They've sent a cease-and- desist letter over the series calling Sean -- which is called "Sean Combs: The Reckoning." Its co-producer -- it is actually co-produced by his longtime foe, fellow rapper, Curtis 50 Cent Jackson and it includes footage of Combs that he himself filmed.

In a statement, Combs' spokesperson said in part as Netflix and CEO, Ted Sarandos, know Mr. Combs has been amassing footage since he was 19, to tell his own story in his own way. It is fundamentally unfair and illegal for Netflix to misappropriate that work. Combs is serving a four-year sentence after being convicted of transportation to engage in prostitution. "Sean Combs: The Reckoning," it is slated to start streaming on Tuesday.

In Hong Kong, the death toll has risen to 151 people after the massive fire that tore through a high-rise residential complex last week. It's now the deadliest -- the city's deadliest fire in decades. Officials say at least 30 people are still missing and some may never be found. Police have already made 14 arrests as part of the investigation. Most of those that are in custody are consultants, contractors, and subcontractors who are connected to the construction and renovation of the high rise. Kristie Lu Stout with our update from Hong Kong.

KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT: The scale of this tragedy has deeply shaken people here in Hong Kong and around the world. At least 151 people are dead, 30 people are missing. Thousands of people have turned out to these community-driven memorial sites that have popped up around the site of the Tai Po fire. I see people leaving flowers, notes of condolence, folding white paper cranes. I see people openly praying, openly weeping.

A new memorial site was just set up in honor of the pets, the dogs and cats and companion animals who perished in the blaze. I mean, these are deeply moving scenes around me. And today, it's a very significant day. Today is the seventh day, seven days after the fire broke out. And according to local tradition, this is the day when the souls of the dead return home for the last time. So, you have family members who are here to pay their last respects to their loved ones.

Meanwhile the police investigation continues. And on Monday, we heard a very moving press conference involving a senior commander who broke down in tears. Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KAREN TSANG SHUK-YIN, CHIEF SUPERINTENDENT, HONG KONG POLICE CASUALTY INQUIRY UNIT (through translator): Since some of the bodies have been reduced to ashes, we don't rule out that we may not be able to bring all the missing people out.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LU STOUT: Now, authorities here have blamed substandard renovation material for fueling the blaze. They say that the contractors intentionally used substandard green mesh and put it out of the way in hard to reach areas to avoid inspection. Over a dozen arrests have been made in connection to these fires. We're also learning more about the victims. The victims include local Hong Kong residents, a firefighter, the elderly, as well as migrant workers, domestic migrant workers from the Philippines and Indonesia. And I spoke with the sister of an Indonesian domestic worker who perished in these blazes. Listen to this.

[02:50:00]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

YAYUK SETYOWATI, SISTER KILLED IN FIRE: All the -- all the people, all the body, all the friend like my sister, so many friends, my sister because like that.

LU STOUT: Your sister make people smile.

SETYOWATI: Yes.

LU STOUT: And your sister like you, she worked as a caregiver in Hong Kong?

SETYOWATI: Yes. Yes.

LU STOUT: Who did she look after?

SETYOWATI: My sister is take care of elderly.

LU STOUT: She looked after the elderly?

SETYOWATI: Yes. Yes.

LU STOUT: Yeah. And she looked after an elderly woman?

SETYOWATI: Yes. Yes. And sit in the chair wheel.

LU STOUT: In a wheelchair?

SETYOWATI: Yes. Wheelchair.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LU STOUT: Yayuk is devastated. She says that her sister cared for this elderly woman until the very end. She also says that she is determined to return to Indonesia with her sister, but she doesn't know when or even whether she'll be able to get hold of her remains.

SANDOVAL: Our thanks to Kristie Lu Stout, who has been following the story already for days now. When we come back here on "CNN Newsroom," we're going to take a turn. There's a little bear in the big city and he's singing "Paddington the Musical" debuts in London.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SANDOVAL: Snow and ice, they are causing major traffic problems in some U.S. states amid a pair of winter weather systems that are moving across the country. Police in St. Louis, Missouri said that they have responded to numerous calls for crashes along major highways. A school bus even slid off the icy roads. Fortunately though no injuries reported.

And a different story in Illinois, one child had to be hospitalized with minor injuries after the school bus veered off the road and crashed into a utility pole. And icy roads, they have caused two Kansas school buses to get stuck on a highway off-ramp. CNN affiliate, WIBW reporting that a third bus was called to pick up those students who were stranded out there, but then eventually, all vehicles were allowed to continue with their journey after they treated the roads.

But no complaints from Tim, the brown bear. You see him here at the Brookfield Zoo in Chicago and he looks like he's enjoying this. The zoo says, playing in the snow is a natural enrichment activity for some of their animals. Tim should probably enjoy it right now at last as forecasters don't expect much more snow until later this week.

Well, U.S. First Lady Melania Trump has unveiled this year's White House Christmas decorations. More than 150 volunteers, they helped decorate each room in the mansion following the theme of home is where the heart is. The decorations feature a nod to America's 250th birthday which is celebrated next year.

[02:55:00]

There are traditional elements including twinkle lights and velvet bows, as well as a more fun surprise, like a 6,000-piece Lego portrait of President Trump in the Green Room. In the Blue Room, the official White House Christmas tree honors gold star families.

And a floating Christmas tree was installed at the beach -- at a beach in Rio de Janeiro over the weekend. It marked the opening of the first edition of Christmas in Rio. The structure, it's about 80 meters or 260 feet high and is illuminated by more than 2 million LED lights. The tree lighting was accompanied by a fireworks show and also some musical performance. Organizers expecting more than 650,000 people are expected to visit the tree throughout this holiday season.

Well, first the books, then the movies. And now, Paddington Bear is coming to life in fur on a London stage. It's absolutely remarkable. The cuddly cultural icon, it took his -- he took his first bows over the weekend at the Savoy Theater in London's West End. CNN spoke to the cast and the creators of the new musical.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TOM FLETCHER, SONGWRITER, PADDINGTON THE MUSICAL: The fact that I -- that they trusted me to write the songs for this, I feel so lucky. I know every songwriter in the world would've loved this opportunity. And I really hope I've just done the -- Michael Bond's amazing story and these characters, I hope I've done them justice.

BONNIE LANGFORD, ACTRESS: To tell the story of how he came to London and how he was accepted and how -- that's what we need to just do, is just be kind and loving and -- but real as well.

ARTI SHAH, ACTRESS: I can't really see much, but I heard it and inside I was just smiling so much. It was just phenomenal.

JAMES HAMEED, VOICE ACTOR, PADDINGTON THE MUSICAL: I did come in with a preconceived idea of what Paddington would sound like. I thought they want it to be more towards Ben's stuff (ph) , which is phenomenal. But Luke straight away was just like, no, no, no, we want to make it you. We want your own stamp on it. We want him to sound like a young man who has arrived to this wonderful country and is here to build a life.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANDOVAL: The Oxford Dictionary, the actual Word of the Year for the 2025, it is out finally. So try not to get angry when I tell you that it in fact is two words, "rage bait." According to the dictionary, "rage bait" is online content deliberately designed to elicit anger or outrage by being frustrating, provocative, or maybe offensive. And the use the phrase, the actual use of the phrase, it has tripled in the past year, reflecting a shift in how digital platforms are reshaping our behavior and our responses as well, which is not bad, not a bad follow-up to last year's word of the year "brain rot."

And we certainly hope that we've enriched your brain with the last hour of news. I'm Polo Sandoval in New York. My colleague, Rosemary Church picks things up after a short break.

[02:58:02]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[03:00:00]