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Connect the World
Syrian Rebel Coalition Enters Hama; Trump's Middle East Envoy Travels to Israel, Qatar; Israeli Defense Minister Suggests Real Chance of Hostage Agreement; Delta Stowaway Faces New York Court; French Prime Minister Michel Barnier Tenders Resignation; Teens Imprisoned by Russia for Political Dissent; Young Voices in the Fight against Climate Change; Bitcoin Surges above $100K. Aired 10-11a ET
Aired December 05, 2024 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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ERICA HILL, CNN ANCHOR AND U.S. CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Welcome to the second hour of CONNECT THE WORLD. I'm Erica Hill in New York.
Syria's army retreating from the city of Hama in the face of a rebel advance there.
A manhunt still underway after the CEO of UnitedHealthcare was gunned down outside a hotel on Wednesday morning. CNN obtained new footage showing the
moment that happened.
Bitcoin's value soaring to a whopping $100,000 for the first time. It comes after president-elect Donald Trump announced crypto-friendly appointments
in his incoming administration.
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HILL: Our top story at this hour: Syria's rebels now one step closer to Damascus after entering the strategically important city of Hama. In new
video, you can see people cheering as rebels enter the city. Losing control of Hama would be a massive blow to the Syrian regime.
The Syrian military says government troops had been forced to redeploy outside of the city. CNN's Ben Wedeman is closely following all of these
developments for us.
So just bring us up to speed and remind us again why it is so important as we're seeing this shift and we're seeing it happen so quickly in these last
few days.
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, it was only a few days ago, Erica, that the rebels were on the northern edge of Hama. And
today it appears that, after clashes on the -- from the north, the northeast and the northwest, that the government forces simply pulled out,
pulled out of the city altogether.
What we're seeing is rebels driving largely unopposed into the center of Hama, taking over, for instance, not only the city itself but also adjacent
military bases. Some videos coming out of rebels driving by what is clearly an abandoned Syrian air force base, full of warplanes.
We're also seeing videos of them taking control of helicopters and other military equipment. It does appear that the regime, after a few days of
half-hearted resistance, simply has pulled out of the city. And they actually announced that they were doing it.
This was an announcement from the Syrian army, that they're pulling out of Hama to spare civilian lives, which is -- you have to take that claim with
a pinch of salt, given the history of the Syrian army and its treatment of civilians.
Nonetheless, the fall of Hama really is just yet another massive blow to the regime in Damascus. Keep in mind, it was just last Friday that the
rebels were able to take Aleppo, Syria's second largest city. And now they've taken over Hama, which is the fourth largest city and yet another
city on the road to Damascus.
Basically, what you have left is the city of Homs, which isn't far. It's about 30 kilometers south of Hama. And after that it's a straight drive to
Damascus. And what we're seeing is that the regime clearly is on the back - - is on a real defensive.
And despite occasional Russian air force airstrikes, they don't seem to be getting much assistance from the Russians, the Iranians or Hezbollah, all
of whom have been distracted by their own conflicts elsewhere.
HILL: Yes, it is really something. Ben, appreciate it. Thank you.
As we've been discussing, just a week ago, it would have been difficult to anticipate this stunning shift.
Despite the quick gains, though, for these rebel forces, one analyst argues that the real test for HTS and other factions is not Aleppo, a city with a
predominantly Sunni population and a small number of Christians, but rather it will be in how they deal with the Alawite villages in rural Hama.
Orwa Ajjoub is a researcher at Malmo University, joining me now from Malmo, Sweden, and, of course, an expert and analyst on Syria and the region.
So when we look at that, when you talk about the challenges that will now lay in front of these rebel forces, how do you see that playing out?
ORWA AJJOUB, RESEARCHER, MALMO UNIVERSITY: Well, certainly it's a big challenge for the opposition forces because they have been, before they
were part of Al Qaeda, especially HTS, which was leading the group.
So there's a lot of skepticism among analysts to what extent they have changed. Certainly, they've disowned Al Qaeda. They divorced from it. They
have transformed themselves organizationally and ideologically.
But again, as I tweeted yesterday, it's the real challenge in Alawite villages. I've been talking to some people in the country. And I've hear
there have been panic in these villages, where, especially in rural Hama, people are fleeing to the coast, the west coast, which is Tartus and the
Alawite stronghold.
[10:05:06]
So many believes that the oppositions could force them with military force. And still, like a lot of skepticism about it.
HILL: So that skepticism, what else are you hearing from those on the ground?
AJJOUB: I mean, I've talked to people from different areas, of course. I've talked to people in Aleppo. People are in -- certainly there are
positive views in Aleppo, how the opposition forces have been treating locals and Christians.
But in Damascus, there is some panic. People not knowing whether this will move to advancement into Damascus. As the previous analyst said, it's --
we're talking about 130 miles from Damascus.
So people definitely -- there is some panic, especially that the pro-regime media has been describing these opposition as terrorists, as Al Qaeda and
extremists. They are coming to slaughter other minorities.
HILL: It's also fascinating, we see -- and Ben Wedeman, my colleague, had touched on this -- just even the statement from the Syrian military,
though, at this point, saying that they're leaving because they're worried about civilian casualties.
Also, as Ben was just reporting, leaving behind this air base essentially, where rebels have now come into this abandoned air force base, taking over
control of some of the equipment there.
What does that tell you about the state of the Syrian military?
AJJOUB: Certainly the regime has been debilitated, has been weakened. There is a panic among the regime forces. It has been like a domino effect,
right. Think about like this. The Syrian army has been fighting for almost a decade or more now.
And they have been suffering from lack of living conditions, lack of supports, lack of financial supports from the States. On the other hand,
the position, the majority of these people who are fighting under the opposition have been displaced from Hama.
So for them, it's a liberation battle. And they are willing to go above and beyond to do it. So there is this belief among the regime fighters that
what they are fighting for, the enemy, which is, according to them, is the Syrian opposition, are coming to liberate their lands.
So it's very difficult position the Syrian regime finds itself in, not only because of that but also because of the lack or like the Shia (ph) support
that it has been receiving from Russia and Iran so far.
HILL: And in terms of that support, right, largely this sort of window of opportunity being seen as presenting itself for these opposition forces,
because of how distracted Russia, Iran, frankly Hezbollah have become in recent months.
AJJOUB: Yes, definitely. Certainly. I mean, still, the opposition recognizes its position. I mean, they know that Hezbollah is their enemy.
They know Russia its enemy. But they have been trying to approach Russia.
Like yesterday, Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham leader Abu Mohammad al-Julani sent a statement to Russia, saying that he is not in a fight with Russia. He is
asking the Russian government to abandon the Syrian regime, to build constructive relationship between Russia and the Syrian people.
But again it's a difficult position. I mean, remember, this is Russia, only Mediterranean stronghold so far. So Russia, I don't think Russia is willing
to abandon Assad. Maybe there is some lack of interest at the beginning. But I think around Hama will be a big battle very soon.
HILL: What else?
Before I let you go, what else are you watching in these coming hours?
AJJOUB: Oh, certainly I'm trying, first of all, to see what the regime, how the regime would react. The opposition has great morale now. And for
them, the eyes definitely are on Homs.
The question is to what extent the Russia and Iran are willing to see the Syrian regime collapsing before they intervene in full, like in full scale.
HILL: Orwa, I really appreciate you joining us with your insight this hour, thank you.
AJJOUB: Thank you for having me.
HILL: Staying in the Middle East, Israel's defense minister now expressing some new hope that a Gaza hostage deal could be reached. Israel Katz,
however, isn't offering any specific reasons for this optimism nor whether that deal may include a ceasefire.
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ISRAEL KATZ, ISRAELI DEFENSE MINISTER (through translator): I think that, thanks to the intense activity, the intensity of the pressure on this
monstrous organization called Hamas is increasing and there is a chance that this time we will really be able to advance a hostage deal. And we are
working on this matter and see this goal before our eyes.
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HILL: In the meantime, there are also reports that Donald Trump's Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, has already traveled to both Qatar and Israel to
try to reach a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal.
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On the ground in Gaza, we are hearing more reports of people being killed. The Israeli military says it has carried out what it is calling a precise
strike on senior Hamas militants in the humanitarian zone of Khan Yunis.
A local hospital says at least 20 people have been killed, 11 of them children.
Turning now to a scathing report from Amnesty International, the human rights group is accusing Israel of committing genocide in Gaza. Amnesty
says that conclusion is based on evidence pointing to continuous and often indiscriminate aerial and ground attacks, the forced mass displacement of
people and Israel's obstruction of humanitarian aid.
The group says this all illustrates what it calls genocidal intent. The Israeli government strongly denying the report's findings. Joining me now
with more, my colleague, Jeremy Diamond, who joins us live from Jerusalem.
So some strong pushback on this report, Jeremy.
JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: Without a doubt, Erica. The Israeli government has repeatedly rejected allegations that it is
committing genocide in Gaza.
Not only now in the wake of this Amnesty International report but, of course, most prominently in defending themselves against allegations by
South Africa at the International Court of Justice in The Hague.
This time, the Israeli military was responding to this report, calling it, quote, "entirely baseless," saying that these allegations of genocide are,
quote, "not only unfounded but also ignore Hamas' violations of international law," such as its use of civilians as human shields.
Amnesty International does note, however, that while Hamas has violated international law through -- by embedding with the civilian population, for
example, that does not preclude Israel of its responsibilities and responsibilities for abiding by the laws of war and not committing crimes
against humanity.
And that is exactly what the Amnesty International report is accusing Israel of, saying that there is, quote, "sufficient evidence" to believe
that Israel has committed the crime of genocide against the Palestinian people in Gaza.
This is a 296-page report that focuses on evidence from Gaza over the course of nine months of war.
Saying that Israel has committed three out of the five prohibited acts under the U.N.'s Genocide Convention, accusing Israel of indiscriminate
attacks, destruction of civilian infrastructure and the mass forced displacement of Palestinians, some 90 percent of whom have now been
displaced from their homes over the course of this 14 month war.
And so they conclude that the only reasonable inference from all of this evidence is that genocidal intent, they say, has been part and parcel of
Israel's conduct in Gaza.
It is important to note, however that Amnesty International's branch here in Israel, Amnesty Israel, has issued a dissent to this report, saying that
many in their branch have doubts regarding whether or not you can actually prove unequivocally that the intent of all of these military actions in
Gaza actually is the intent of genocide.
They do, however, make very clear that they do not dispute that the conduct of the Israeli military in Gaza raises suspicions of crimes against
humanity and ethnic cleansing -- Erica.
HILL: It is a lot, Jeremy, I also want to ask you about what we're hearing about a possible hostage deal, a possible cease-fire.
What more do we know?
DIAMOND: Well, there's a lot of chatter about it right now. But these negotiations are really happening quite quietly behind the scenes and very
intentionally so, because it seems that many of the different parties that are part of these negotiations actually see a real chance of success here.
And so they're doing as much as they can to kind of keep these negotiations, these mediation efforts, under wraps, to avoid unsettling
those efforts as they begin to advance. But it does seem that they are working effectively off of the framework that was being discussed from July
onwards.
During the last round of negotiations, which ultimately resulted in no deal, in large part because the Israeli prime minister would not agree to
withdrawing Israeli troops from the Philadelphia corridor along the Gaza- Egypt border.
And that Hamas was insisting that Israel do exactly that, it seems now that both, with Hezbollah having agreed to a ceasefire with Israel, without the
war in Gaza, ending the hope from Israeli and American officials, is that Hamas is really feeling the pressure now that they are going to be
increasingly isolated.
That they haven't seen this big regional war erupt between Iran and Israel and that now perhaps they will make more concessions and reach an
agreement. But in addition to that, it's also important to note that we have seen a lot of pressure coming also from the direction of president-
elect Trump.
And we know that the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, is clearly eager to have a good partnership with Trump once he is inaugurated come
January. And clearly, that is also playing into this picture, not only of pressure on Hamas but also new pressure on the Israeli prime minister, to
make concessions and get to a deal.
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HILL: Jeremy, really appreciate it. Thank you.
Well, South Korea's president continues to resist demands for his resignation over that botched attempt to impose martial law earlier this
week. The head of Yoon Suk-yeol's own party today, calling for him to leave that party.
But he did stop short of supporting his impeachment. Mr. Yoon is also now under investigation for treason after the opposition party and others filed
complaints. There is also pressure coming from private citizens, gathering yet again for candlelight vigils, calling for the president to step down.
Opposition lawmakers say they will vote on an impeachment motion as early as Saturday. CNN's Ivan Watson has been speaking with top politicians from
both the ruling party and Mr. Yoon's chief rivals.
And it's fair to say there is a lot of criticism on both sides. Here's Ivan now with more on the view from Seoul.
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IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: South Korea is still reeling from President Yoon Suk-yeol's shocking but short lived decree made
late Tuesday night trying to impose emergency military rule over this country.
I interviewed the leader of the main opposition political party in the national assembly, who said, when he first got news of the president's
announcement, he thought it was a joke.
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LEE JAE-MYUNG, DEMOCRATIC PARTY LEADER (through translator): My wife suddenly showed me a YouTube video and said, "The president is declaring
martial law."
I replied, "That's a deep fake. It has to be a deep fake. There's no way that's real."
But when I watched the video, the president was indeed declaring martial law. Yet I thought to myself, this is fabricated. It's fake.
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WATSON: Now Lee Jae-myung went on to say that as the president's chief political rival, he assumed that law enforcement would show up at his house
Tuesday night to try to arrest him.
Instead, he was able to make it -- his way here to the national assembly building, where there were police and actually soldiers trying to stop
lawmakers from getting in here. In the end, 190 legislators made it into the chambers here and voted unanimously to overturn President Yoon's
martial law decree.
Among them were 18 members of President Yoon's own political party. And I had an exclusive interview with the leader of that party, who made it clear
that declaring martial law crossed a red line, even for his own political allies.
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HAN DONG-HOON, PEOPLE POWER PARTY LEADER (through translator): Declaring martial law illegally is fundamentally at odds with the spirit of our
People Power Party, which is the party of freedom and democracy.
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WATSON: Korea has witnessed bipartisan opposition to a president's attempt to overturn decades of Democratic civilian governance. But now new battle
lines are being drawn.
The opposition party is calling for an impeachment of the president. His political party, while criticizing the controversial moves he made earlier
this week, is drawing a line, saying that its lawmakers will not vote to impeach the president -- Ivan Watson, CNN, reporting from the national
assembly in Seoul.
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HILL: Still to come, a massive manhunt underway for this person after a CEO is gunned down on the streets of New York.
Plus, the stowaway who boarded a flight from New York to Paris without a ticket back now in the U.S. and potentially facing jail time.
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HILL: There are some new developments to tell you about in the manhunt for the gunman who allegedly shot and killed the CEO of one of the world's
largest health insurance companies.
Police have searched a hostel, we're learning, in Upper Manhattan, where the shooter may have been staying. There's also surveillance video obtained
by CNN showing the moment Brian Thompson was shot.
I do want to warn you, the images are graphic and I'm sure you will understand, we are not showing that entire video, in part because of that
reason.
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HILL (voice-over): Thompson was gunned down outside a hotel in New York on Wednesday morning. Authorities say this was a targeted attack. The suspect
was also spotted on this surveillance video before the shooting.
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HILL: CNN's Brynn Gingras, joining me now from here in Manhattan.
So Brynn, you have some of this reporting on this hostel being searched.
What more do we know about that location?
BRYNN GINGRAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, this could be a big clue, Erica.
We're learning that this hostel was searched on the Upper West Side. We're learning from sources, me (ph) and John Miller, that this gunman stayed
there for a couple of days. Now it's not clear if that's the entirety of his stay or if it was just part of it. So there's still some questions
there.
But what came from the search of that hostel?
We're learning from sources is that they were able to get an image of this gunman, either in the checkin process or the checkout process, where this
gunman is not wearing a mask. He just has a hood on. And it's possible, if it's good enough of an image, police may circulate that to hopefully try to
identify who this person is.
Something interesting we also learned about his stay at that hostel, he stayed in a room with two other people. But the entire time he was there,
other than that one time at checkin or checkout, he was wearing a mask.
We've seen a lot of images from the Starbucks not far from where we are, from the shooting that actually happened right here behind me, from his
getaway. He has a mask on the entire time.
According to our sources, he kept that mask on for a good portion of his movements here in New York City. So an interesting note there.
Another thing I just wanted to highlight, as we're learning new details about this investigation, we've learned through sources that, in his
getaway, we've talked about how he dropped a cell phone and a water bottle.
We've learned from police that they were able to get fingerprints from those two things. However, they didn't bring back any names. That doesn't
mean it's a dead end. According to our sources, though, that could mean that, if they do get a name, they'll able to backtrack to those
fingerprints and maybe that will help with the investigation.
So a couple little threads there. But certainly extremely interesting to learn that this search of the hostel has brought up more images and
hopefully getting closer to the movements and the identification of this gunman -- Erica.
HILL: Really quickly, do you know -- I think you mentioned he stayed in that room with two other people.
Is it clear whether those people all knew one another?
GINGRAS: It's not clear. I mean, talking to sources, it didn't seem like he intended to stay with anybody at that hostel. But that is not 100
percent clear. But, of course, it's not clear either if he used -- this person was someone who we have seen very preplanned for this attack.
So it's not even clear. Obviously if he used what kind of identification.
Was it his actual name?
Unlikely, because they would know the name by now but I don't think he intended to stay with these two other people. But certainly that's
something investigators will be looking into.
HILL: Yes, absolutely. Brynn Gingras, appreciate it. Thank you.
Well, the woman who stowed away on that Delta flight from New York to Paris last week is expected to make her first court appearance today; 57 year old
Svetlana Dali returned to the U.S. on Wednesday and was arrested by the FBI.
She is expected to be charged with stowing away on a flight without consent. That, of course, happened during the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday
rush here. She could face up to five years in prison.
This shocking breach has also raised really important questions about security lapses when it comes to air travel. CNN's Polo Sandoval following
all of these developments for us.
And we are hearing a little bit more from Delta Air Lines on that front.
POLO SANDOVAL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: And we may also potentially hear a little bit more from Dali herself during this initial court
appearance.
To remind viewers, Erica, this is basically just a preliminary hearing, very procedural, where she will stand in front of a federal judge here in
Brooklyn. And then that charge will be read to her, which, according to multiple law enforcement sources, we expect it to be a charge of being a
stowaway on an aircraft without consent.
As you mentioned, if convicted, that carries a punishment of up to five years in prison.
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And then she could potentially enter a plea and perhaps even say more. So we'll certainly have to see if that plays out later this afternoon.
Meanwhile, to your other question, in terms of Delta Air Lines, shortly after that aircraft landed after departing Paris and then landing yesterday
evening with her on board with no major incidents, the airline did say that it was a deviation from standard procedures that allowed this woman to get
onto that Paris bound flight in the first place.
Of course, they're referring to the initial stowaway incident last Tuesday, in which she was able to blend in with those massive pre-Thanksgiving
crowds to be able to bypass an identification station before she was actually -- before her baggage was screened.
And then she made her way to the gate, where she was able to make her way onto the jetway and onto that aircraft before being noticed by flight
attendants, which is what this video shows here, of a flight attendant actually questioning her before the landing in Paris.
So really, all of this is now slowly piecing together. We're now getting a better understanding of what went down. But in terms of the prosecution,
this is interesting, Erica.
Actually, you just have to look back to January, when you see a fairly similar case, in which the Department of Justice tried and even convicted
an individual traveling with an Israeli and a Russian passport. At the time, he was actually flying into Los Angeles and authorities there were
able to secure conviction.
He was sentenced to time served, had to pay a little over $1,000 for the ticket and had to do about three years' probation. So give you some insight
into how these kinds of cases could potentially end.
And in that particular case, this individual was convicted of the very same charge that we expect Dali to be charged with later today. So it reminds
us, this is not the first case of its kind.
HILL: Yes, we'll certainly be looking for and following those developments. Polo, appreciate it. Thank you.
Still ahead here, France's prime minister formally resigns after just nine weeks in office. The latest on that country's political crisis.
And:
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KEVIN LICK, FORMER RUSSIAN PRISONER: They handcuffed my hands with a rope and started to beat me.
They put out some cigarettes on my hand. There's a scar left.
ALEX MARQUARDT, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: They physically abused you?
LICK: Yes. They abused to try to get answers out of me.
HILL (voice-over): Inside Russia's crackdown on underage dissidents. The stories directly from some of the young people who have faced prosecution.
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HILL: Welcome back to CONNECT THE WORLD. I'm Erica Hill.
In France, the country's prime minister has now resigned after French lawmakers voted to topple his minority government in a no confidence
motion.
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Michel Barnier formally handed in his resignation to President Emmanuel Macron a short time ago. The president accepted it. Mr. Macron is set to
address the nation later today. CNN's Jim Bittermann joining us now live from Paris with more.
So the resignation is in. We are waiting to hear from the president.
But what happens now?
JIM BITTERMANN, CNN SR. INTL. CORRESPONDENT: Well, and part of that resignation deal was that Michel Barnier will continue onward in a
caretaker capacity, along with his cabinet, taking care of day to day problems in France.
But no new initiatives can take place under this caretaker government. And in fact, the budget, which was the controversial item that brought down the
government to begin with, the budget will have to stand with last year's budget, which is a 2024 budget. will be the budget they operate on if this
delay goes on beyond the first of the year.
However, there's a lot of feeling here that President Macron will, in fact, tonight, about 3.5 hours from now, go on national television and name a new
prime minister and perhaps members of his cabinet as well.
At least part of the thinking and conjecturing on that is that -- Macron had lunch today with one of the notable candidates for that prime
ministership. That's Francois Bayrou. This is a country where you -- where you are what you eat.
And in fact, he had lunch with the president and who knows what they discussed. But it could have been the prime ministership, leading the
government out of this mess, which could go on for some time because Macron doesn't have to name any -- there's no deadline that he's operating under
to name somebody -- Erica.
HILL: No deadline, no deadline there. There is a lot of concern, though, about what this could mean on a broader scale, specifically when we look at
Europe and we look at France's place, of course, globally on the world stage. That's a concern that is being voiced more and more.
WEDEMAN: Absolutely. And I think, one of the things that we've seen in Europe is this movement toward the Right. And in fact, one of the people
who have come out of this whole affair the strongest is Marine Le Pen, the leader of the far right renaissance party -- the far right National Rally
party.
And she's been in contention for the presidency any number of times in the past and what would be -- relish the idea of being prime minister or having
someone else in her party being prime minister.
So I think that it could lead to the kind of thing that we've seen developing elsewhere in Europe and around the world; that is to say, a tilt
toward the right wing here.
HILL: Yes, absolutely. Jim Bittermann, good to see you. Thank you.
Well, since the full scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia has detained more than 20,000 people for their antiwar views. As Moscow cracks down on
political dissent, families of some teenage prisoners are deeply fearful of the toll their experiences may take, as Russian law does allow the
prosecution of children as young as 14.
CNN's Alex Marquardt explores the stories of some of these young people facing prosecution.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MARQUARDT (voice-over): Arseny Turbin was your average Russian teenager, a top student who enjoyed electronics. He built a radio transmitter for a
class project.
Today, he's one of Russia's youngest political prisoners, arrested at 15 years old and now facing five years in a penal colony, found guilty on
terrorism charges.
He was accused of joining a Russian paramilitary group fighting for Ukraine. He admits he contacted them but denies joining. On Russia's
National Day in June last year, he staged a solo protest, posting on YouTube, saying, "I'm against Putin" and "Freedom for political prisoners."
Now Turbin is one of at least three dozen teenagers who are jailed in Russia for political reasons, among Russia's almost 3,000 citizens facing
criminal prosecution on political grounds.
Human rights group OVD-Info has tracked these cases and told CNN there are at least 16 teenagers that they know of but almost certainly more who were
detained after Russia invaded Ukraine and the Kremlin dramatically cracked down on dissent, including by minors.
We spoke with Turbin's mother, Irina, in Russia, who had pleaded with her son not to speak out, knowing what could happen.
IRINA TURBINA, TURBIN'S MOTHER (through translator): Of course, I'm terrified for him and I'm afraid that part of him will break. But I want to
believe that he will be strong until the end.
MARQUARDT: You shared some of the letters that Arseny wrote to you from detention.
And in one of them he says, "Please, I'm asking you to do everything you can to make sure I get released.
[10:35:00]
"I dream of the day when I'll be released and can hug you."
How painful is that for you as a mother to read that?
TURBINA (through translator): I cried because I understand that I am doing the best I can already. I knew I couldn't do anything. I have already done
and am doing everything I can. But this is not enough for him to be free.
MARQUARDT (voice-over): In another letter, Turbin wrote, "Yesterday after lights out, an inmate pushed me into the toilet. Today, he punched me twice
in the head while I was in bed. The situation is very difficult."
Kevin Lick knows all too well about the brutality of Russian prisons after being arrested at 17 years old and sent to a labor camp with a four-year
sentence.
LICK: They handcuffed my hands with a rope and started to beat me. They put out a cigarette on my hand. There's a scar left.
MARQUARDT: They physically abused you?
LICK: Yes. They abused to try to get answers out of me.
MARQUARDT (voice-over): Lick had taken photos of a military base across from his apartment building. He says he wanted to document history as the
Russian military prepared to invade Ukraine.
Pro-regime media published this video of his alleged equipment. Lick was accused of wanting to send the photos to the intelligence services in
Germany, where he is also a citizen. But he denies this.
LICK: My first two months of imprisonment, I got held and I was held in solitary confinement. Now when I'm looking back, of course, it left scars.
A top psychologist told me that I have PTSD.
MARQUARDT (voice-over): In prison, he says he was packed into cells with other inmates and lost a huge amount of weight. Then he was suddenly
released in August as part of the historic international prisoner swap when "The Wall Street Journal" reporter Evan Gershkovich and former U.S. Marine
Paul Whelan were also freed.
In protesting Putin and his regime's war in Ukraine, charges against teenagers range from arson to sabotage and treason. The youngest case that
OVD-Info has told CNN about is of a 14 year old unnamed girl, accused of desecrating a military symbol.
In late October OVD-Info says that 15 year old Sevastian Sultanov was arrested and is now being prosecuted for anti-Putin and anti-war graffiti.
He, like both Kevin Lick and Arseny Turbin, are supporters of opposition hero and Putin nemesis Alexei Navalny, who died in February in a penal
colony.
Lick marched alongside Navalny's widow, Yulia, in a pro-democracy demonstration in Berlin just weeks ago. He's now embracing a new life of
activism -- Alex Marquardt, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HILL: Russia's federal penitentiary service has not yet responded to CNN's request for comment regarding allegations that teenagers in detention
suffer violence and mistreatment.
The Kremlin consistently denies the existence of political prisoners in Russia, claiming all incarcerations are based on legal violations, despite
human rights organizations indicating otherwise.
Still to come here in the fight against climate change, protecting the health of the land is, of course, key. CNN sits down with three young
people making a recognizable impact.
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[10:40:00]
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HILL: So when it comes to climate change, who should have a seat at the table?
Politicians? Experts? What about the young people whose future is at stake?
Becky Anderson sat down at COP16 in Saudi Arabia to speak with three young people who have a shared aim: keeping the land healthy.
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BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST (voice-over): COP16: they call it the land COP.
Global leaders and experts converging in Riyadh in Saudi Arabia to address one of the most pressing issues of our time: the health of our land.
And young voices securing their seat at the global table, delivering their transformative projects to drive change. Three voices from three very
different regions in the world, all distinctly impacted by the effects of land degradation and climate change, united for a single goal and that is
action.
Take Billie, an environmental defender of the Philippines' Masungi Georeserve.
BILLIE DUMALIANG, CO-FOUNDER, MASUNGI GEORESERVE FOUNDATION, PHILIPPINES: There's only 25 percent forest cover left. Imagine this area was protected
by law since 1904, more than a century ago. And yet there's only a quarter left of the forest.
So that gives you an idea of the kind of abuses and neglect that it has experienced. And that's because, although the Philippines has really good
environmental laws, we lack the political will to implement these laws.
If we protect the land, what we've seen is that nature renews itself. Biodiversity comes back. The water sources come back. Climate action is
there because it absorbs carbon at the same time prevents, right, floods and landslides, which are so common in metro Manila.
So an investment in land is an investment in all of those real conventions but also in the economy, because it's so closely linked to agriculture to
jobs, to livelihoods.
ANDERSON: Talk to me about the challenge that the marginalized farmers that you work with faced before you started the project and how agrofarmers
is helping solve those very acute problems.
SIDDHESH SAKORE, FARMER AND FOUNDER, AGRO RANGERS, INDIA: I'm myself is a small and marginal farmer. And as a being son of a farmer, growing up, I
have witnessed all these hardships faced by our farmers and our families.
Now we have been supporting more small and marginal farmers by converting their one acre of land into agroforestry. I have seen these chemically
degraded farmland converting into a beautiful agroforestry producing any number of varieties of fruits cereals, pulses and vegetables.
And I have seen how the multi cropping patterns in this agroforestry has been generating a sustainable income to the small and marginal farmers.
It's not just generating the sustainable income to the farmers but it is impacting their children's.
They are able to gain the better educational opportunities. They are getting able to afford the better healthcare facilities because the income
is very much important.
ANDERSON: Mateo, you started as a climate advocate way back when, I think you were, what, 11 years old?
MATEO BOTERO, ENVIRONMENT ADVOCATE AND COP VETERAN, COLOMBIA: Yes.
You went to your first COP when you were 16. But you're not just an advocate. You've been working with farming communities in your home country
of Colombia.
Can you just explain for our viewers the issues that farmers there face and the work that you've been doing?
BOTERO: I would say some of the main challenges in Colombia has been the internal conflict. So we have the second largest internal displacement rate
in the world. And our city has been receiving, in the last decades, thousands of displaced people coming, looking for opportunities.
So I would say farmers in Colombia, urban farmers, many of them, who have been living isolated in the countryside unfortunately. So that's one of the
main challenges I see. And still the government haven't been strong enough to supply and to support these communities in general.
[10:45:03]
ANDERSON: How important are summits like these?
DUMALIANG: It is really in the political. It's really about educating the people why it's important to hold our governments accountable for their
actions in the environment. Many times, unfortunately, we see politicians involved in developing destructive projects in protected areas.
And so it's really about empowering people to make their voices heard, to have them have a seat on the table. And we've done that in Masungi several
times.
ANDERSON: There have been real calls here for more involvement by the private sector. I mean, projects associated with land degradation, drought
and desertification and mostly funded by the public sector and by NGOs.
There's something like only 6 percent of financing provided by the private sector. We also know that big business ofttimes can be the problem when it
comes to land degradation. And desertification projects by huge corporations have a massively negative effect on land.
There's no profit in solutions. There will be no financing of solutions.
BOTERO: Becky, I believe a lot in the private sector. I'm not saying it's perfect because nothing really is at the end. But I believe in the power
and the influence it has and the capacities.
Actually Medellin, my hometown back in Colombia, is a great example of how the private sector can cooperate with the state, with the universities and
with the people to, all together, push in one direction.
ANDERSON: And, of course, policy and legislation needs to incentivize business to do more.
Siddhesh, what's your view?
SAKORE: I mean, first of all, we have to understand that, even if it's a private sector or public sector or the government, everybody needs the
foods on their table. And if there is no land, there is no going to be no food at all.
But to bring that food to your table, there is a people, there is a community which works relentlessly to bring that food on your table. So
every public sector or the private sector can adopt the communities nearby in their areas.
And if you get the appropriate support for those farmers, for those people, which will be growing the food sustainably and will be supported in that
area.
ANDERSON: What will success look like for you here at COP16 and going forward?
DUMALIANG: I hope that the COP16 ends with clear road maps and given more investments into not -- and not just investment in terms of money but in
terms of national and international attention, in terms of momentum.
BOTERO: My call to action is especially to youth. I believe youth have the entire capacity of making the transformation. Actually, where the
responsibles of taking that action.
SAKORE: I see the hope that bring support to the communities, to the youngsters in the India and to the women farmers in India. I see that the
framework, which can get appropriate support to empower the marginalized community in India, which can empower them and restore our lands, which has
been degraded.
DUMALIANG: I think aside from synergizing, we also have to provide check and balances for each other. And I've seen this in Masungi because we faced
the threat of a passive wind farm development under the veneer of climate change and clean energy transition.
So they're threatening a biodiversity hotspot and pulling up the banner of climate action. So that is deeply hurtful to me, deeply personal to me,
because here I am, going to the different COPs. And yet they are conflicting each other in a sense. So we also have to provide check and
balances between biodiversity, land and climate.
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HILL: Still to come here, bitcoin surging above $100,000 for the first time ever.
So what could it mean for you?
Stay with us.
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[10:50:00]
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HILL: Donald Trump's embattled pick for Defense Secretary is back on Capitol Hill today, working to win enough support for confirmation.
Pete Hegseth is meeting with more key senators as he continues to defend himself against a series of misconduct allegations, including excessive
drinking and sexual assault. Hegseth says president-elect Trump is still behind him.
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QUESTION: Mr. Hegseth, how are you feeling about the process so far?
QUESTION: How was your meeting with senator Joni Ernst yesterday?
PETE HEGSETH, TRUMP PICK FOR U.S. DEFENSE SECRETARY: Productive meeting. Excellent.
QUESTION: What did president-elect Trump tell you, Mr. Hegseth?
HEGSETH: He's behind us all the way. Spoke to him this morning.
QUESTION: Did he have the votes to get confirmed?
HEGSETH: That's why we're here, to meet with the senators. It's been a wonderful process. There's an incredible amount of knowledge in the U.S.
Senate, the Senate Armed Services Committee, men and women who have studied these issues, have invested their lives in it.
And as someone who's hoping to earn their support as the nominee for Secretary of Defense, I welcome that knowledge. I welcome that advice. And
that's why we're here in all these meetings.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK, thank you.
(CROSSTALK)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HILL: The price of bitcoin now crossing $100,000 for the first time ever. The world's most valuable cryptocurrency hit that all-time high, above
$103,000, late Wednesday. Bitcoin is actually up 130 percent for the year so far. Steep gains coming after Election Day in the U.S.
This latest surge also coming on the same day that president-elect Trump named Paul Atkins, a crypto advocate, as his pick to lead the Securities
and Exchange Commission. Mr. Trump has committed to embracing crypto friendly policies.
And whether you love bitcoin or hate it what could it mean for you?
Should you invest?
CNN's Vanessa Yurkevich is following this for us.
So what does it mean?
I don't have any bitcoin. A little rich for my blood at this point.
But could I somehow benefit here?
VANESSA YURKEVICH, CNN BUSINESS AND POLITICS CORRESPONDENT: Listen, if you have bitcoin, you are doing very well right now. But bitcoin is a
cryptocurrency and cryptocurrency is very volatile. Obviously it's having a wild moment, riding that high after president Trump's reelection.
But as you mentioned, crossing that $100,000 mark, that's $100,000 per bitcoin. It's something we've been watching for weeks now. And it happened
just yesterday after president-elect Trump announced his SEC chair pick, Paul Atkins.
And this is the gentleman who was actually SEC commissioner. So he has some experience. And he is known to be a supporter of cryptocurrency, of
bitcoin.
So he's expected to have a little bit of a lighter touch as it relates to cryptocurrency, compared to the current SEC chair, Gary Gensler, who has
been a little more heavy handed and has been very open about sort of stopping the expansion of cryptocurrency in the U.S. because of its
volatility.
But as you mentioned, president-elect Trump really wasn't initially a supporter of cryptocurrency. He sort of did a 180 in the months leading up
to his reelection. He was the featured speaker at Bitcoin 2024. He started a company called Liberty Financial with his family, a cryptocurrency
company.
And he's surrounded himself with cryptocurrency fans, most notably Elon Musk. He's even thinking about appointing a crypto czar. That would be the
first of its kind in any presidential administration.
But ultimately, the president doesn't have any power over cryptocurrency right now. It's just the supporters are liking what they're hearing from
him and his picks and his administration. And that's why you're seeing this rise in cryptocurrency specifically in bitcoin right now -- Erica.
HILL: All right. As you mentioned, they're liking this as a milestone. The fact that it got above 103,000 yesterday, it is a big jump.
Is there a sense of how sustainable this rise is?
YURKEVICH: There's not because of its volatility. At one point we saw, over the course of a year, especially around the time when FTX collapsed, a
drop of 75 percent in the price of bitcoin. So it's extremely volatile. You have folks like Jerome Powell calling it a speculative asset.
[10:55:03]
You have Jamie Dimon, head of JPMorgan, saying that he would not get involved nor would he recommend the federal government getting involved.
But there are some supporters out there who think this can go all the way.
Just one well-known crypto supporter tweeting, after the $100,000 milestone, saying, "If you like bitcoin at $100,000, you're going to love
it at $1 million."
That is the CEO of Professional Capital Management and a cryptocurrency supporter; 1 million, Erica. Not sure -- I'm sure everyone who owns bitcoin
is absolutely praying for that. But $100,000 is where it's sitting right now. It certainly has a long way to go before it gets to $1 million.
HILL: Yes. And 100,000 still not terrible. Vanessa, appreciate it. Thank you.
Thanks to all of you for joining us today on CONNECT THE WORLD. Be sure to stay with CNN. "NEWSROOM" is up next.
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