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Australian Leaders Vow To Toughen Gun Laws After Shooting; Search Underway For Gunman In Deadly Brown University Shooting; Rob Reiner And Wife Dead, Police Investigating Apparent Homicide; Award-Winning Hollywood Actor And Director Dead At 78; Zelenskyy Set To Met With European Leaders And NATO Chief. Aired 10-11a ET
Aired December 15, 2025 - 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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[10:00:29]
ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN Abu Dhabi. This is CONNECT THE WORLD.
ELENI GIOKOS, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome to the second hour of the show. I'm Eleni Giokos in Abu Dhabi.
Now, mourners in Sydney pay their respects to the victims of a deadly shooting at Bondi Beach, the Jewish community in the country reeling from
the aftermath of that attack.
Meanwhile, in the United States, officials say there is no immediate threat to the community around Brown University following a shooting on campus.
Many questions remain after a person of interest is released.
And Los Angeles police investigate the death of legendary American director Rob Reiner as the film industry grieves the loss of an icon.
Well, it's been a day of shock and grief in Australia after the mass shooting on Bondi Beach killed 15 people and left dozens more hospitalized.
Gunmen opened fire from a nearby bridge as people on the beach celebrates at the start of Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of lights. A witness
described the panic and chaos as the shots rang out.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Just all hell broke loose. There's just people everywhere, kids everywhere, kids screaming, people screaming.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GIOKOS: Australia's prime minister saying the government will move to toughen the country's already strict gun control.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANTHONY ALBANESE, AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER: What we saw yesterday was an act of pure evil, an act of terror, an act of anti-Semitism. We are
stronger than the cowards who did this. And I want to conclude finally by saying that the government is prepared to take whatever action is
necessary. Included in that is the need for tougher gun laws.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GIOKOS: The victims as young as 10 years old and as old as 87, a Holocaust survivor, and this mass shooting comes amid warnings of a rising tide of
anti-Semitism in Australia. Last hour, I talked to CNN's Will Ripley for the latest on the suspects and the investigation.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WILL RIPLEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The authorities have been very busy in the immediate hours after the attack, they went to a
house here in Sydney, and police raided that house. They ended up bringing out three people, two women, one man, believed to be family members of this
father and son.
The father moved here to Australia back in 1988, he came first on a student visa, and then around the year 2001, that was transferred to a partner
visa. His son was born here, and his son went to school here. His son, reportedly, at one point, was studying the Quran and studying Arabic with a
teacher here, who is actually gone on Facebook to publicly condemn this act of violence and distance himself, disassociate himself from this young man.
No idea, authorities say, yet, at least not publicly, how these two were radicalized.
In addition to raiding that house, where the family members were taken out and briefly detained and then they wouldn't return to their home, and they
basically have closed the blinds and been camped out in the house all day, the police went to an Airbnb, a rental property where the father and son
were believed to be staying in recent days. Neighbors told us that the tactical police came basically ordered everybody in that house to leave,
people that were staying at the rental house. There were five or six different separate rooms that were rented out separately. They had to pack
up their belongings and get out.
We know that the father was killed on the scene. There's that video of a very heroic Muslim, unarmed bystander, basically without any consideration
for his own safety, just approaching the father as he held the rifle in his hand, grabbing it from him, pointing the rifle at him, not firing, but
getting the father to walk away and go back to that bridge over there where his son was. That's where he was -- the father was shot and killed by
police. The son was shot and critically injured, but he is at the hospital, expected to survive, and being closely guarded by police at this hour,
Eleni.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GIOKOS: All right, Will Ripley for us.
We've got Glenn Schoen joining us from The Hague. He's a security management consultant and terrorism expert. Glenn, good to have you with
us.
And we were seeing how this investigation is moving. And what we do know father and son. The father had six guns, rifles registered to him legally.
Many are questioning what kind of loopholes exist, given Australia's strict gun control. What are you reading into what authorities have shared with us
to this point?
[10:05:13]
GLENN SCHOEN, SECURITY AND TERRORISM EXPERT: Well, I think they're sort of in the exploit phase now of their investigation, they've done all the good
footwork early. Well, I think they're sort of in the exploit. Point phase. Now, of their investigation, they've done all the good footwork early. Now
it's taking a look at what is the connectivity of this person, or persons, I should say this occur in a bubble, essentially. Was this the two of them
that planned and plotted this? Was there mentoring or guidance from afar?
So, today, Australia is going to be sort of connecting with the rest of the world in terms of policing agencies like Europol, Interpol and other
agencies to find out. Do we have international linkages here? Do we have people in the surrounding area who might have helped or coached them or
identified targets or told them what type of tactic to apply.
And I think next, of course, is a big part of this investigation will be the interrogation of the living suspect himself, and hopefully Australia
can use that.
And finally, the forensic piece will come into play strongly today, presumably, including with the unexploded bombs that they had made in their
vehicle, and that will probably generate new leads as well.
GIOKOS: Yes, and, of course, the son currently in critical condition in the hospital.
I want to play this clip for you and it's from the communications manager for the Australia Israel Jewish Affairs Council, Dionne Taylor, who told
CNN that since October 2023 there have been a rise in anti-Semitic acts. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DIONNE TAYLOR, COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER, AUSTRALIA ISRAEL JEWISH AFFAIRS COUNCIL: What happened after that went from graffiti, hate speech, public
marches, physical violence, arson attacks on schools, synagogues, places of worship, homes, cars, restaurants, Jewish businesses and now murder.
So, the numbers have been increasing, and we are not surprised by last night's attack. We are shocked, but we are not surprised.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GIOKOS: So, I mean, saying shocked, but not surprised. And here's the reality, in terms of the census information, we know that Bondi Beach has
34 percent higher Jewish population than the rest of Australia. So, my question to you is, do you believe enough security is provided -- has been
provided, especially on the beach, from what you've seen in the images that have been shared?
SCHOEN: Well, it's a great question. And law enforcement, I think, is going to have to step up here and explain what happened in terms of their threat
assessment, whether or not they had assets deployed.
I mean, clearly police work very quick to respond to this. We do know, in general, we've seen a lot of activity against Jewish targets, both
terrorists and non-terrorists over the past two plus years, and certainly you would classify this as a higher risk event, given we're talking about
over thousand people congregating for a Jewish festival.
So, it's an open question here. We have to be careful about judging these things too early, but certainly puts new emphasis on the fact that these
situations require continuous, ongoing threat assessments, and we've seen all too often from incidents in the United States to Australia now that
this has turned to, if you will, a terrorist motives and an issue that terrorists have been willing to engage on.
GIOKOS: So, I mean, one of the things that we've seen is Australia has been very quick to review the gun laws. Frankly, the 1996 gun control measures
that were put in place. I mean, that was basically the last time we saw, you know, a horrific incident similar to this one. You were talking about
risk and threat assessments. What are you expecting in terms of policy to be integrated?
SCHOEN: Well, we should cast the iron when it's hot. And it looks like the leadership of Australia is definitely trying to do that right now, the luck
they have, or the good fortune they have is they already have a fairly stringent system in place, which is fairly effective.
I mean, on a population of 28 million nearly, they have a well-organized police force. They execute their firearms laws pretty effectively, a very
low homicide rate involving firearms within the country, and certainly it does lend itself to them being able to make smaller, incremental changes
that would help. And in this case, looking at, you know, is there a moment where we shouldn't give people too many firearms for one.
Secondarily, should we not grant them too quickly to people who are not Australian or living here a longer time, and they already have a ban on
automatic weapons, so hopefully this will further make it render it harder for these kinds of attacks to take place.
[10:10:07]
Clearly, with firearms, a lot of these attacks have generally been more deadly than with knives, although vehicles, alas, also remain elite method
of operation for ISIS.
GIOKOS: Yes, I want to show you these images, and this is of Ahmed al Ahmed, he's 43-year-old, and he goes in and heroically stops the gunman
from continuing this attack.
I think, a lot of questions around the sort of, you know, the assistance of people coming in and stopping it. What do you make of this when you see
these images?
SCHOEN: Well, clearly great bravery. We've seen in a number of incidents worldwide, citizens intervening in these kinds of attacks. What stands out
here is the fact that the assailants had a firearm. We have, of course, had that before. I think about 2015 the Thalys train attack in northern France,
where several people assaulted the gunman. We've also seen citizens react looking at people with knives. Think about the poor Spaniard who died
trying to save somebody in attack in London in 2017.
But this does stand out bravery, alone, unarmed person going after somebody at that moment, you can see a firearm. But of course, the terrorists could
have been carrying explosives, could have had a knife, could have had a pistol or other weaponry. So, most brave, and I think, in line with what
Constable Amy Scott did last year in April of 2024 nearby in Bondi, at a shopping mall, and confronting the schizophrenic stabbing attack assailant.
This is another glowing example that, yes, you know resilience and people can stand up, and it's a godsend to see because he probably saved many
lives.
GIOKOS: All right, Glenn Schoen, great to have you with us. Thank you so much for your insights.
Well, I want to turn now to Israel, and I want to get reaction to the attack from there, we've got Jeremy Diamond, who's in Jerusalem for us.
Jeremy, we've heard from Benjamin Netanyahu a very strong words, frankly, for Prime Minister of Australia. What are you hearing?
JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: Yes, that's right. The Israeli prime minister is certainly not mincing any words, laying the blame for
this attack squarely at the feet of the Australian government led by Prime Minister Albanese.
The Israeli prime minister, blamed the Prime Minister directly for encouraging anti-Semitism in Australia through the policies of the
Australian government, namely, pointing back to Australia's recognition of a Palestinian state that happened in September, alongside several other
countries, we should note, including the United Kingdom, Canada and France.
But the Prime Minister harkens back to a letter that he wrote Albanese back in August as Australia was considering this step. And the prime minister
said that at the time, he had warned Albanese that recognizing a Palestinian state would show the kind of weakness that would encourage
anti-Semitism.
Instead, today, the prime minister saying that, the Australian Prime Minister, "Replaced weakness with weakness. Listen to what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: Your government did nothing to stop the spread of anti-Semitism in Australia. You did nothing to curb the
cancer cells that were growing inside your country. You took no action. You let the disease spread, and the result is the horrific attacks on Jews we
saw today.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DIAMOND: Now, it's important to note that the Prime Minister's letter in August at the time, was actually criticized by the Executive Council of
Australian Jewry, which called it a clumsy intervention, and they noted that they had misgivings about Australia's policy, but at no point in time
felt abandoned.
The Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar also saying that Australia had been warned about potential attacks, but Israeli officials have not said
that there was any intelligence -- a concrete intelligence about an impending attack, such as the one that unfolded yesterday.
Albanese also was asked about the Israeli Prime Minister's comments in an interview with Australian broadcasting, and he said that he does not see
any link with the recognition of a Palestinian state. He said that he's focused on promoting unity and bringing Australia together as a notion.
It is also important to note that there have been anti-Semitic attacks in various other countries that both have and have not recognize the
Palestinian state. When the Tree of Life synagogue attack happened in the United States in 2018 for example, the Israeli Prime Minister didn't try
and draw a link then, between American policy and that anti-Semitic attack.
And once again, at this stage, there is no evidence of any linkage between Australia's recognition of a Palestinian state, and the attack, the
horrific attack that unfolded yesterday on Australian soil.
[10:15:16]
GIOKOS: Jeremy Diamond, t hank you so much for that update. Well, as you heard us discuss a few minutes ago, the shooting could have been worse, if
not for the actions of a man being described as a real life hero.
And a warning that some viewers might find the next video disturbing, footage posted on social media shows 43-year-old Ahmed al Ahmed charging
one of the attackers and wrestling the gun from him. Ahmed was shot twice in the shoulder. His cousin says he's the type of person who would risk his
life to save others.
The New South Wales premier released this photo of Ahmed from his hospital bed. His actions drawing praise from the Prime Minister of Israel.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NETANYAHU: We saw an action of a brave man, turns out a Muslim, brave man, and I salute him, that stopped one of these terrorists from killing
innocent Jews.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GIOKOS: Ahmed's family says he arrived in Australia from Syria in 2006 and has two young daughters.
And still to come on CNN, the search for a suspect now in its third day after a mass shooting at Brown University left two people dead, we're
following that investigation.
Plus, huge questions swirling this hour after Hollywood titan Bob Reiner and his wife were found dead in their home. We'll have the very latest on
that investigation right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GIOKOS: Investigators have released their only person of interest in Saturday's deadly shooting at Brown University, saying they are back at
square one and must go back over all the evidence to find a suspect.
Now, this video may help in their search. Police believe the person you see in this surveillance footage is the shooter. The video showing the person
dressed in black walking away from the scene of the shooting on Saturday, officials are asking the public for additional video evidence as well.
Meantime, people in the area are feeling uneasy about the tragedy that's unfolding around them.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOSSELYN WOLF, HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT: I can't remember a time when I've grown up where I haven't seen gun violence, and this is an epidemic that's
flooding our country, and to have it come so close to home is really, really hard to see.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GIOKOS: CNN's Brian Todd is following the story for us from Providence, Rhode Island.
Brian, I can only imagine how people are feeling after this incident and the fact that authorities are still looking for the person of interest,
looking for the perpetrator. Tell me how the investigation is unfolding right now, because they -- we know that they basically had to start from
scratch after releasing the first person they arrested.
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Right, Eleni. Now, the mayor of Providence, Brett Smiley, said a short time ago that they do believe, at this hour,
that there is still just one lone gunman that they are looking for in this case.
[10:20:07]
But last night, late last night, when they announced that they had to release the person of interest that they had in custody, Mayor Smiley said.
"We have no way of knowing whether the gunman is in the city or even in the state." They are also looking for the public's help and of interest that
they had in custody. Mayor smiley said, quote, we have no way of knowing whether the gunman is in the city or even in the state.
They are also looking for the public's help in getting more video evidence, because that clip that you just aired a short time ago, this 10 second clip
of the alleged gunman walking around a corner. They seem to indicate that that is pretty much all they've got right now.
Now, they may have some other evidence and some possibly some other video that they feel they can't show the public right now, but as of now, that
seems like it is the main body of evidence that they're going by.
Last night, the police chief of Providence, Oscar Perez, discussed them releasing the person of interest that they had in custody, and why they say
this is not necessarily a mistake in the investigation. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OSCAR PEREZ, PROVIDENCE POLICE CHIEF: This was a very complex investigation, and it still is. So, in the sense we followed on a lead and
we followed on this specific lead, but we're able to examine every single evidence that led us to this individual, and at that point, that's how
investigations work. Investigations will tell us whether something is valid or not, whether something needs to be moved out. It's not a mistake, it's
just how investigations work.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TODD: And the Attorney General of Rhode Island, Peter Neronha, was also asked at that same news conference, what exactly was it that led you to
release the person of interest? And he said, "I can't get into that."
So, they're being cagey about what it was that led them to release that person. And they are still looking for more video evidence. They are
indicating that the video, whatever cameras were inside the building at the time of the shooting are not really of help to them.
The Attorney General Peter Neronha said that there, frankly, there weren't many cameras in the building to begin with. And the mayor said the we have
combed through all the video evidence from inside the building, and it really isn't much use to them, Eleni.
GIOKOS: Yes, I mean, to be honest, we've been hearing from people on the ground is that they feel there's been mixed messaging, conflicting signals
from authorities. Take me through how people are feeling there about the messaging right now.
TODD: Well, they are very anxious. I mean, I just talked to a young mother who has some children in school near here, some of the schools are closing,
some of them are still open. They are kind of rolling with things and making their own calls as to whether to even bring the kids into school.
So, it's a very, very anxious community, and it is because of some of the conflicting signals. The mayor of Providence, Brett Smiley, said, again,
quote, we have no way of knowing whether the gunman is even in the state or not.
And yet, he also said that there's no need for a shelter in place and no need for any lockdowns. Well, that's a bit of a conflicting signal. If you
don't know where he is, why are you so confident that you don't need people to shelter in place.
Another kind of seemingly cross signal here is the Attorney General, Peter Neronha, said, we're very confident that we're going to solve this case
very soon. And yet they are still looking for the public's help with any video evidence, and saying that the one piece of video they have, that's
pretty much it, that 10 second video.
And again, they may have some other video evidence that they don't feel that they can share with the public, but if they do, they are -- they're
just -- they're not willing to share it right now.
So, again, there's they're confident that they're going to catch this person, and yet, they really do need the public's help. They're asking the
public for any video evidence that you may have, if you're anywhere in this area of the shooting, please give it to the police.
So, they are seemingly at square one, and yet, at the same time, the attorney general said he's confident that they'll solve this case quickly.
GIOKOS: All right, well, hoping for the best there. Thank you so much for that update. Brian Todd for us in Providence, Rhode Island.
Well, today, tributes are pouring in from all corners of Hollywood and beyond, after legendary actor and director Rob Reiner and his wife Michele,
were found dead inside their home Sunday. The LAPD is calling their deaths an apparent homicide, and said last night they weren't looking for a
suspect.
CNN's Stephanie Elam gave us an update last hour.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We've been out here overnight, and the police just cleared out the tape and said that they're opening up the road
in front of the Reiner household.
So, there's a lot of movement out here right now as people are trying to make their way closer. That probably means that they were able to execute
that search warrant, but we do not have that confirmed at this point. We know that they were looking to do this. We know that the couple was
discovered in the late afternoon local time yesterday.
So, all of that leading to so many questions, and the number one question, who did this and why? Two questions we still don't have the answers to,
Eleni.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
[10:25:04]
GIOKOS: Well, Rob Reiner will leave an incredible legacy behind from his breakout role as Archie Bunker's son in law on TV's "All In The Family" to
direct him, big screen classics, like "A Few Good Men." And of course, never forgetting "When Harry Met Sally."
During an interview just last year, Reiner talked about how meeting his wife Michele helped determine the ending to that all-time favorite rom com.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROB REINER, DIRECTOR, "WHEN HARRY MET SALLY": The original ending of the film that we had was that Harry and Sally didn't get together because I had
been -- I've been married for 10 years. I had been single for 10 years, and I couldn't figure out how I was ever going to be with anybody. And that
gave birth to "When Harry Met Sally," and I hadn't met anybody, and so it was going to be the two of them seeing each other after years, talking and
then walking away from each other.
I met my wife, Michelle, who I've been married to now 35 years. I met her while we were making the film, and I changed the ending.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GIOKOS: Well, CNN's Chief media analyst Brian Stelter had the chance to interview Rob Reiner, which he calls an unforgettable experience. And Brian
joins us now live.
Brian, I mean, to be honest, you hearing the story. There's no real lead in terms of this attack. It's really heartbreaking, but it's also a time where
I think people are really looking back at the legacy that he's left behind.
And you interviewed him in 2008 -- 18 actually, what was he like? You know, do you remember? I'm sure you're reminiscing and thinking back to that
moment.
BRIAN STELTER, CNN CHIEF MEDIA ANALYST: Yes, I was thinking back to that time because he was out promoting a movie called "Shock And Awe." It was a
movie about journalists who stood up to lies about the Iraq war in 2003 so he was making a film that the combined, yes, his passion for directing, but
also his passion for news and politics.
And that's one of the things that is most memorable about Reiner. Yes, a writer, an actor, a director, a producer. He was also a political activist
and a role model to many in Hollywood. He nurtured young talent. He put his money behind political campaigns, supporting Democratic politicians and
progressive causes. For example, he played an instrumental role in pushing the marriage equality movement across the U.S.
So, he was wearing many hats over the years, over the decades, and I just remember when I sat down with him in 2018 how he immediately lit up the
room and made everyone feel at ease. He was the kind of guy who you could tell was a natural born entertainer who didn't care that the cameras were
rolling. Who had the crew and had the producers in stitches when he was talking before and after the interview.
And maybe that's some credit to his father, Carl. You know, Rob Reiner grew up wanting to be like his dad, who was a comedy icon, and then Rob Reiner
achieved that in several different ways.
First, on all in the family, a playing Archie Bunker's son in law, then creating so many memorable films. And it's been striking in the past few
hours, hearing from film fans who, you know, loved "When Harry Met Sally" in 1989 who loved "Primary Colors," who loved "The Princess Pride," decades
ago, but now still enjoy re watching those films today.
You know, that's one of the real standout qualities about Rob Reiner. He created this amazing list of films that have held up over the decades, and
the people still love re watching and streaming here in 2025. I think that's one of the ways people will be reflecting and remembering him today
is going back and watching some of those older movies.
GIOKOS: I know I've really jotted down so many of the, you know, films that I absolutely love of him. And frankly, they're so evergreen, because they
really resonate so deeply with humanity. I mean, he was able to touch and, you know, hit those heart strings.
You know, I was looking at what variety said, and they described Reiner today as, "Almost the mayor of Hollywood."
I want you to talk to me about the impact he's had on the industry as a whole, because you said he's, you know, political activist. He was a great
writer, super talented, but he was more than that for the industry. He was almost part of the foundation.
STELTER: Yes, that's true. He was one of the giants. He was one of the greats, in part because he was so generous with his time, so generous with
his talents. He was the kind of actor and director who had a big, wide friend network, including in Brentwood, in the community where he lived and
where he was apparently killed.
And that's partly why this is tugging on so many heart strings. People trying to figure out who could possibly want Rob Reiner dead unless there
was some tragic mishap at his home, and there's no indication there was. This has all the trappings of a murder mystery, and that is partly why it
is so horrific and hurting so many people's hearts today.
I think Reiner, he was, in some ways, a mayor of Hollywood, his union SAG- AFTRA, describing him as one of the most legendary figures in film and television.
[10:30:00]
STELTER: It's in part, because of his role in all in the family, which was, you know, the biggest sitcom in America for years. He was able to write his
own ticket, and he decided to become a director with "This Is Spinal Tap", and then, with films like "When Harry Met Sally", he was able to make these
larger-than-life films at a time when, you know, you would have to go to the big multiplex, the big cinema to see them. At a time when those films
were larger than life and having a lot less to compete with. quite frankly.
He also, by the way, you know, continue to stay busy up until just couple months ago. He came out with a sequel to "Spinal Tap". He really enjoyed
working with his wife, Michelle on those projects, even well into his 70s.
GIOKOS: There is so many people that have responded to Rob Reiner's death.
STELTER: Yes.
GIOKOS: Break it down for us. I mean, I've read a few of it, and it's really moving. I mean, it just shows how many friends he had and how many
people respected him.
STELTER: Yes, that's absolutely right, you know, including actors who he had directed in films, including comedians, including some of those
political leaders. You know, we heard overnight from Barack Obama, from Kamala Harris. You know, Reiner made no secret about his political views.
He was an outspoken progressive, supporting democratic campaigns, and for the last decade, staunchly opposing all things relating to President Trump.
Trump is out with a really crude crash through social posts in the last hour, suggesting that somehow, maybe Reiner died because of his hatred for
Trump. That's a gross post that I hope doesn't get too much attention today, although it is notable coming from the president of the United
States.
Reiner was outspoken about his concerns about democratic backsliding, about Trump being an autocratic figure, and he used his platforms to raise
attention, to raise awareness. He was out with Bill Maher, a couple months ago. I remember seeing that interview.
So, Reiner thought, I think a lot about using his platforms, whether he was creating these genre defining shows and movies, whether he was, you know,
making supporting actor appearances in movies like "Sleepless in Seattle", or T.V. shows like "New Girl", or in his political advocacy.
As a result, he just -- he made this incredibly wide network of friends and colleagues throughout Hollywood, which is why we are seeing those
descriptions of him as the mayor of sorts of the town.
(CROSSTALK)
GIOKOS: Yes. Yes. Brian Stelter, thank you so much for sharing those thoughts with us.
STELTER: Yes.
GIOKOS: Good to have you on the show.
Well, coming up, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is meeting with European leaders in Berlin, and we'll bring you the details of those key
issues that they are discussing right after the short break. Stick with CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:35:01]
GIOKOS: Welcome back to CONNECT THE WORLD, with me, Eleni Giokos, here are your headlines.
Australia's prime minister says his government will move to strengthen gun control laws after a mass shooting on Sydney's Bondi Beach killed at least
15 people. The victims were celebrating the start of Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of lights.
Police say the shooters were a father and a son who targeted people from a nearby bridge. The father is dead. The son is in the hospital awaiting
charges.
Police in Rhode Island have released a man detained in connection with Saturday's deadly shooting at Brown University. Officials say they had
followed a tip to detain the person of interest, but evidence now points in a different direction. The search for a suspect continues.
Police are investigating what they call an apparent homicide after legendary Hollywood actor and director Rob Reiner and his wife Michelle
were found dead in their California home on Sunday. The LAPD says they're not seeking any suspects, at this point.
Syrian forces have arrested five suspects in connection with an ambush that killed two U.S. soldiers and a U.S. civilian interpreter.
The U.S. says the attack was carried out by a lone ISIS gunman, who also wounded three other people on Saturday. According to the Pentagon, the
soldiers were operating as part of a regional counter terrorism support mission. On Sunday, President Trump again, warned of severe U.S.
retaliation.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I can tell you, in Syria, there will be a lot of damage done to the people that did it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GIOKOS: CNN's Oren Liebermann has more on President Trump's reaction.
OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: President Donald Trump has vowed there will be a U.S. response after two U.S. service members and a
U.S. civilian interpreter were killed in a suspected ISIS attack on U.S. forces in central Syria on Saturday afternoon.
Trump told reporters in the White House on Saturday, we will retaliate. And then, he underscored that point a short time later on social media, saying,
there will be very serious retaliation.
Trump has blamed ISIS for the attack, although ISIS has not yet claimed responsibility for the attack.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Syria's Interior Ministry says Syrian forces warned U.S. forces, the ISIS was planning to carry out an attack on U.S.
troops that were in the country.
The attack happened during a joint patrol between Syrian and U.S. forces. Now, the U.S. has been in Syria for years, especially recently, operating
as part of the coalition to defeat ISIS. But it was only one month ago that Syria joined that coalition under its new leadership, and under Ahmed al
Shara.
Trump has welcomed that leadership and pointed the cooperation between U.S. and Syrian security forces when he vowed that there would be a response.
Iowa's governor said that the service members who were killed were part of the Iowa National Guard, which deployed some 1800 troops to Syria and to
the region earlier this year.
In terms of what the response might look like, Trump has not given an indication. Only said it will be coming. Oren Liebermann, CNN, in
Jerusalem.
GIOKOS: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is in Berlin today for another round of peace talks, all in an effort to bring the war with Russia
to an end. He is meeting with European leaders and NATO chief, Mark Rutte. With several key issues to be negotiated, including possible NATO
membership for Kyiv and the potential for territorial concessions.
Zelenskyy, said over the weekend that compromises will be needed and that security guarantees are essential.
CNN's Fred Pleitgen is following developments from Berlin, and joins me now, Fred, good to have you on.
Ukraine, you know, has to compromise on a few things, I'm assuming, on territorial concessions, whether it's NATO membership and so forth, surely
getting a lot of pressure from the United States, and also from Europe as well. Break this down for us, because there is an effort to try and end
this war.
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Eleni.
Well, I think, first of all, you are absolutely right. There is, of course, a lot of pressure right now on Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, but
there certainly is also a lot of support that he is getting from other European leaders, from the Germans, from Friedrich Merz, for instance, who,
of course, is hosting this venue here.
There is also a lot of other European leaders who have come here to not only voice their support, but also to see whether or not a way forward can
be found.
One of the things that you certainly feel here on the ground, I'm actually inside the German Chancellery, is that the stakes certainly couldn't be
higher. A lot of people believe that there is a lot of momentum right now, that it's a very decisive time to try and find some way out of the war in
Ukraine, certainly one that the Ukrainians can sign off to, possibly also one that the Russians could sign on to as well.
And you are absolutely right. Those questions that you just mentioned certainly appear to be the ones that are of the utmost importance, the
territorial questions. What sort of concessions would the Ukrainians, if any, be willing to make, and how could those concessions look like?
Would that, for instance, be officially ceding territory to Russia, or would it, for instance, be freezing the conflict de facto, but not
officially ceding those territories? That's something that the Ukrainians, for instance, have been talking about.
[10:40:04]
And if we look at the past couple of days and how things went down, it certainly appears as though the negotiations that took place here were very
serious. The U.S. and Ukrainian delegations for more than five hours yesterday here, and the chancellor were negotiating with the Germans
mediating those talks, and today, again, several hours as well.
Steve Witkoff, the chief negotiator for the United States, the envoy of President Donald Trump, said that those talks were very constructive and
that there was real progress in those talks. The chief negotiator for the Ukrainians, beside the president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Rustem Umierov. He
also said that there was substantial progress, and he does feel that the U.S. is playing a constructive role.
But of course, with all of these negotiations, and of course, the main reason why it's so difficult for this conflict to come to an end is whether
or not the Russians have something that they will be willing to sign off on. What we have heard from the Russian side so far is that it doesn't
appear as though they are willing to go a long way to make compromises from the demands that they have laid out, which is de facto ceding those
territories in the east of Ukraine, and then, also, of course, Ukraine not becoming a member of NATO. Eleni.
GIOKOS: All right. Fred Pleitgen, thank you so much.
Media tycoon, Jimmy Lai has been found guilty in a landmark national security trial in Hong Kong. Lai was one of the highest profile critics of
Beijing, after a series of pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong. He was charged under sweeping National Security Law imposed on the semi-autonomous
city in 2020.
Lai was found guilty on two national security charges as well as lesser sedition charge. CNN's Kristie Lu Stout has more from Hong Kong.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): After 156 days, a verdict for Hong Kong media mogul Jimmy Lai, guilty of sedition and two counts of
colluding with foreign forces. Lai is the most high-profile critic of Beijing, charged under the national security law that was imposed on Hong
Kong in 2020.
The trial has been widely viewed as a measure of the city's shrinking freedoms under Chinese rule. Lai had pleaded not guilty to the charges.
LU STOUT: CNN was in court for the ruling, and Jimmy Lai appeared calm, wearing glasses, a blazer, and a light green sweater.
At one point, he raised his hand and smiled at his wife and one of his sons, who was sitting behind me in the gallery alongside Cardinal Joseph
Zen, another outspoken critic of the Chinese Communist Party. When the verdict was read aloud, Jimmy Lai, wearing headphones, looked straight
ahead and there was complete silence in the court.
LU STOUT (voice over): Lai founded the now defunct Apple Daily, once Hong Kong's largest pro-democracy newspaper, which regularly challenged the
government.
He was a fixture at anti-government protests that brought Hong Kong to a standstill in 2014, and was considered by many as a father figure to Hong
Kong's pro-democracy movement.
JIMMY LAI, MEDIA TYCOON, HONG KONG: I think it's a good idea, anytime, any situation that you are in to fight for freedom. Because without freedom,
you have nothing left.
LU STOUT: Scores of people, many supporters of life, stood in line for a chance to witness the verdict. Some even sleeping overnight outside the
court building to secure a spot.
Security was tight, with police officers and vehicles out in force. The trial has attracted global scrutiny, with the U.S. and other countries
demanding Jimmy Lai's release.
Weeks before he was arrested, Lai appealed to U.S. President Donald Trump for help.
An administration official told CNN that Trump raised Lai's case with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, during their talks in South Korea earlier this
year.
Chinese authorities have warned repeatedly against foreign interference. Hong Kong's government insists that Lai has been given a fair trial, and
Beijing is backing that.
GUO JIAKUN, SPOKESMAN, CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY (through translator): The central government firmly supports the Hong Kong Special Administrative
Region in lawfully upholding national security and punishing criminal acts that endanger national security.
LU STOUT (voice over): Jimmy Lai has been in prison for the last five years. His family concerned that incarceration is taking its toll. The Hong
Kong government says Lai has been getting regular medical checkups and is receiving, "suitable treatment and care".
Lai left court in a prison van, he now awaits sentencing. Collusion with foreign forces is punishable by up to life in prison. At 78 years old, life
for Jimmy Lai would most likely mean life. Kristie Lu Stout, CNN, Hong Kong.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:46:50]
GIOKOS: Across India, monsoons that once sustained life now flood communities, intensified by climate change and the loss of natural
reservoirs.
On "CALL TO EARTH", we follow environmentalist Arun Krishnamurthy's fight to restore these vital water bodies, reconnecting lakes and rivers to the
people who rely on them as part of the Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ZAIN ASHER, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR (voice over): A raining morning in Chennai, known as the gateway to South India, the tropical coastal city,
once a tapestry of lakes and wetlands, has rapidly changed. From 2015 to 2020, it lost roughly a third of its water, industrialization, paving over
much of its natural water network.
Chennai is also the hometown of Arun Krishnamurthy, who works tirelessly to bring neglected water bodies back to life through his organization EFI.
ARUN KRISHNAMURTHY, FOUNDER, ENVIRONMENTALIST FOUNDATION OF INDIA: This is our 19th year in 2025. We have so far touched close to 657, water bodies.
This includes lakes, ponds, step wells across 19 states in the country,
ASHER (voice over): The scale of this mission keeps him on the road three to four days a week.
KRISHNAMURTHY: We are on our way to Hanumanthapuram, a village where EFI took on the responsibility of restoring four water bodies. When
urbanization catches up, these lakes are also a victim of it, garbage, sewage encroachment, et cetera.
ASHER (voice over): Arun says this is one of EFI's largest projects this year, influencing the lives of nearly 3,000 residents. He comes back often
watching the transformation unfold and hearing how the restored water bodies are reshaping everyday life.
RAJALAKSHMI, VILLAGE HEAD, HANUMANTHAPURAM VILLAGE (through translator): There is been a flat, barren, waterless lake area. The community was
impacted without water. Now, because of EFI's efforts, there is a lot of water accumulation.
ASHER (voice over): EFI cleared garbage from the land, restored natural islands and embankments, and deepened the lake to increase storage
capacity.
RAJALAKSHMI: The lake used to overflow during floods. Despite that, the area would never fill up. It would just escape this area.
KANNAN, ORGANIC FARMER (voice over): We used to farm only one crop. Now, with surplus water availability, we have opportunity to cultivate more
crops.
Because of the double yield, our income has doubled overall.
ASHER (voice over): Their story echoes across many communities that Efi has touched and highlights a larger trend about the delicate ecology of India.
For centuries, seasonal monsoons were its life blood, filling reservoirs like these to sustain life through the dry months.
Today, these floods are overwhelming cities with climate change, intensifying rains, and fewer water bodies to capture them. What remains is
overburdened and polluted, a fragile network struggling to hold back floods and also refill wells.
KRISHNAMURTHY: The greatest challenge in these 19 years of work is to definitely take everybody on board.
[10:50:03]
So, bringing the resources, getting the permissions, convincing the community, all this has to happen.
ASHER (voice over): None of this would be possible without his dedicated staff.
KRISHNAMURTHY: We'll nicely put bamboo and palm seeds also we'll bring.
ASHER (voice over): Like Shri Krishna Minapalli, who's been with EFI for 15 years.
SHRI KRISHNA MINAPALLI, CHIEF ADMIN MANAGER, ENVIRONMENTALIST FOUNDATION OF INDIA: I joined EFI when I was in school. Mr. Arun, he had come to our
school for a school orientation program. So, I joined right then. I joined as a volunteer.
ASHER (voice over): Sri Krishna exemplifies the impact that youth engagement can have on shaping the next generation of environmental
stewards.
KRISHNAMURTHY: Water always runs from an elevation to a deep point. Correct?
ASHER (voice over): EFI often brings students into the field for real hands-on work, like planting saplings, so, they can watch the impact of
their efforts as the trees take root.
KRISHNAMURTHY: I am of the very strong belief nothing is happening because of me. I'm just a tiny speck of a tool in the larger plan that the universe
has.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Blue team Chennai.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Blue team Chennai.
KRISHNAMURTHY: And let's plant more, keep coming.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, sir.
KRISHNAMURTHY: Thank you. Thank you.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you, sir.
KRISHNAMURTHY: Thank you. Thank you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GIOKOS: Well, let us know what you are doing to answer the call with the hashtag, call to Earth.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GIOKOS: Far right candidate Jose Antonio Kast has won Chile's presidential election. Kast ran on a platform of cracking down on crime and immigration,
and he is been a consistent hardliner throughout his political career, proposing building border walls, deploying the military to high crime
cities, and deporting all migrants that entered the country illegally.
His victory adding to a growing trend of the resurgent right-wing across Latin America, including Ecuador and Argentina.
Our lucky person still has a chance. All right. So, we have -- we would like to go live now to our reporter on the ground. We have got Chris Ulloa,
standing by for us.
Chris, I mean, we've just, you know, given a little bit of context here of this candidate that has won the elections in Chile and clearly wants to
fundamentally change things on the ground. Tell us how he plans to achieve it, and importantly, implement his right-wing agenda.
CHRISTOPHER ULLOA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: How are you, Eleni? That's correct. We are talking about Jose Antonio Kast, lawyer of 59 years, founder of the
Republican Party here in Chile, and also son of Michael Kast Schindele, a former member of the Nazi Party who came from Germany to Chile in the 1950.
But that's not all. I want to show right away in the images of my cameraman, Jose Vasquez, we arrive next to the palace of La Moneda. And
this moment, Jose Antonio Kast is in a special meeting with the actual president, Gabriel Boric. And you can see all of the people that is
gathering around and the expectation that they have to see, or to see, at least a little bit of the elected president, we don't know yet if he's
going to show up or he's going to say hi to all of these people, but this is the expectation that all of the people have around Jose Antonio Kast.
In the 80s, we also have to remember that Jose Antonio Kast was also a supporter of Augusto Pinochet dictatorship, a role that he has defended
until today.
[10:55:06]
But that's not all. He's also against the law of abortion, the conservation of special areas of nature, and also against the marriage of -- on the
LGBTQ plus community.
But how much exists will have in these measures with the Congress? Well, after the elections, the House of Representatives there will be 61 members
from left Paris, 42 members of right Paris, and 14 members of independent and other Paris.
So, there will be a special role of these 14 members, and Jose Antonio Kast will have to convince them to try to apply all the measures that he is
trying to apply, or he has already said in his program of government.
In the Senate, the things are kind of much equally between the left Paris and also the right Paris. But according to his program of government, there
are many measures that he is going to try to apply, for example, against the law of abortion and also the marriage in the LGBTQ plus community.
And you can see right away how the people is like clapping and singing and expecting to see Jose Antinio Kast in the next minute.
(CROSSTALK)
GIOKOS: Yes. Yes.
ULLOA: We still, as I was telling you, we still don't know if he's going to show up, but you can see all of the people right here right now, expecting
and waiting for him.
GIOKOS: Yes.
ULLOA: Also, flaming the Chilean flags all over the area.
GIOKOS: Well --
(CROSSTALK)
ULLOA He is going to assume the presidency on March 11th, next year.
GIOKOS: Yes.
ULLOA: All right, Chris, we do thank you so much. Great to have you on the ground there. Great reporting. We appreciate that update from Santiago,
Chile.
All right. That's it for CONNECT THE WORLD. Stay with CNN, "ONE WORLD" is coming up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
