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Isa Soares Tonight
High Stakes Pursuit Off The Coast Of Venezuela As The U.S. Tries To Intercept Yet Another Oil Tanker; Senior Russian General Killed In Car Bombing; Survivors Of Epstein Abuse Slam Trump Administration For Heavy Redactions In Released Files; Russia Blamed For Surge In Wolf Attacks On Finnish Reindeer; Norway's Official Post Office For Santa; Spain's "El Gordo" Lottery. Aired 2-3p ET
Aired December 22, 2025 - 14:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[14:00:00]
CHRISTINA MACFARLANE, CNN INTERNATIONAL HOST: A very warm welcome to the show, everyone, I'm Christina Macfarlane in for Isa Soares. Tonight, a high
stakes pursuit off the coast of Venezuela as the U.S. tries to intercept yet another oil tanker.
We'll have the latest on the heightened tensions between Washington and Caracas. Then in Moscow, a senior Russian General has been killed in a car
bombing. We'll have more on what appears to be a targeted assassination. Plus, anger from the survivors of Jeffrey Epstein's abuse as they slam what
they say an extreme redactions in the released files with no explanation.
That and much more ahead. One Republican senator is calling it a prelude to war. Right now, the U.S. is in active pursuit of yet another oil tanker
near Venezuela after trying to intercept it over the weekend. That tanker is under U.S. sanctions for its links to Iran, and was on its way towards
Venezuela to pick up oil.
Democrats and even some Republicans on Capitol Hill are slamming the Trump administration's latest move in its pressure campaign against the Maduro
government.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. RAND PAUL (R-KY): I consider it a provocation and a prelude to war, and I hope we don't go to war with Venezuela. Look, at any point in time,
there are 20, 30 governments around the world that we don't like that are either socialist or communist or have human rights violations.
We could really, literally go through a couple dozen, but it isn't the job of the American soldier to be the policeman of the world.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MACFARLANE: Well, CNN's Kevin Liptak is in West Palm Beach, Florida, he is following the President. So, Kevin, let's just get to what more we know
about this active pursuit of this oil tanker currently underway. We've been hearing the chase has been going on for some 12 hours or so. What more
details do you know?
KEVIN LIPTAK, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Right. And what we have understood is that this tanker, which is called the Bella 1, it's a massive
tanker. It was empty. It was heading towards Venezuela to fill up with Venezuelan oil when the U.S. Coast Guard attempted to interdict it.
But the crew aboard the Bella 1 refused to submit, turned the tanker around and essentially fled into the international waters in the Caribbean Sea
with the U.S. in pursuit. The U.S. calling it an active pursuit. Now, the exact status of that pursuit today remains somewhat unclear.
We have not heard that it has ended. Obviously, it's a tanker, so it's not exactly a high speed pursuit, but it is nonetheless. The U.S. essentially
chasing this ship down. When I talked to an official this morning, they made the point that the fact that the Bella 1 is now sailing away from
Venezuela and not into Venezuela to pick up oil, is itself a success.
As President Trump works to really clamp down on Venezuela's main economic lifeline, its oil industry really, what has allowed Nicolas Maduro to
retain his grip on power. So, this is clearly an ongoing situation. But this was the second ship just this weekend that the U.S. attempted to
board.
They were more successful on Saturday with the tanker called The Centuries. Kristi Noem, the Homeland Security Secretary, tweeted a video, quite a
dramatic video of a Coast Guard helicopter hovering over the deck. The ship was carrying what the White House called a stolen Venezuelan oil.
You remember President Trump, some days ago announced what he called a complete embargo on sanctioned vessels going in and out of Venezuela as he
ups this pressure campaign. We've also seen this massive build-up of military assets in the region.
You've seen the strikes on those alleged drug boats. All of it meant to really squeeze Maduro. The question, of course, is what happens next?
Maduro has called all of this psychological terrorism, and he's ordered his Navy to begin escorting oil tankers out of Venezuela.
[14:05:00]
Now, none of the ships that have so far been interdicted by the U.S. were escorted by the Venezuelan Navy. But certainly, the fact that they will now
be doing that only ups the risk of a potential armed confrontation, which I think is something President Trump still very much wants to avoid.
You know, he's been saying for some days now, really weeks, actually, that he is prepared to order strikes on land in Venezuela soon. But so far, he's
stopped short of giving the final order there, which I think speaks to some of the reservations he has about potentially becoming mired in some sort of
broader conflict.
Now, we will hear from President Trump today, he's over down the street at Mar-a-Lago, he's expected to make an announcement with the Defense
Secretary, Pete Hegseth, with the Secretary of the Navy, and Marco Rubio, the Secretary of State, it's expected to be an announcement about ship-
building.
The President has talked about creating what he's called the golden fleet for the U.S. Navy. He's criticized some of their current vessels as being
unattractive and covered in rust. But obviously, the backdrop to that announcement is this massive build-up in Venezuela and around Venezuela.
You know, as much as 25 percent of the U.S. Naval fleet is now in the Caribbean sea. So, this will be an important opportunity, I think, for him
to talk more about what exactly his objectives in all of this are.
MACFARLANE: And we hope that he will be addressing that in just a couple of hours time. We'll wait to see. Kevin Liptak, appreciate it. Thank you.
Well, the U.S. has taken, quote, "significant steps in the right direction", according to Russia's deputy Foreign Minister. But Russia still
has concerns over U.S. efforts to end the war in Ukraine.
He was speaking after Ukraine's meetings with U.S. and European negotiators reportedly went well over the weekend in Florida. The U.S. team, which
included U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, met separately with Kremlin envoy Kirill Dmitriev.
Witkoff says Russia remains fully committed to achieving peace in Ukraine following the talks. There's no word on whether any agreements were struck
on ending the conflict, but Russia says it views changes made by Europe and Ukraine to U.S. proposals as largely unconstructive.
Meanwhile, in Moscow, a senior Russian General has been killed in a car bombing. It appears to be the latest targeted assassination of a senior
military official inside Russia. Investigators have now opened a criminal case, officials believe Ukraine's special services may be behind the
attack. CNN's Clare Sebastian reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This unassuming white car, Russian officials say, is where Lieutenant General Fanil Sarvarov; the
Russian General in charge of operational training, spent some of his final moments, a bomb planted under the vehicle's chassis.
SVETLANA PETRENKO, SPOKESPERSON, RUSSIAN INVESTIGATIVE COMMITTEE (through translator): One of the theories is that the crime was organized by
Ukrainian special services.
SEBASTIAN: Ukraine hasn't yet commented. "It was frightening", says this local resident. "At first, I thought a Shahed or some other Ukrainian drone
had been shot down". Frightening yet not as unusual a death as you might think for a high level Russian military commander.
Sarvarov, at least, the sixth Russian military official to have died in targeted attacks on Russian or occupied Ukrainian soil since February 2022.
At least, four of the incidents happened in or close to the Russian capital. Car bombs are the most common method.
This was the blast that killed Lieutenant General Yaroslav Moskalik in April just east of Moscow. The wreckage of another unassuming white car on
the scene. But there have been other more unusual approaches.
This footage, obtained by CNN, shows the moments before a remotely detonated bomb planted in a scooter killed Lieutenant General Igor
Kirillov; the head of Russia's nuclear and chemical weapons forces outside his Moscow apartment block last December.
A source with knowledge of the operation told CNN, the Ukrainian security services were responsible. And in the Summer of 2023, Stanislav Rzhitsky; a
former commander with Russia's Black Sea fleet, was shot dead while out running, Russian media reported. He may have been tracked using the popular
fitness app Strava. Ukraine doesn't usually take direct responsibility.
VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, PRESIDENT, UKRAINE: It's so important not to relax or rely on diplomacy alone.
SEBASTIAN: But as a fourth Winter of constant Russian attacks grinds on with no sign of compromise in talks, this invisible war is testing Russia's
defenses at home and exposing clear gaps. Clare Sebastian, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MACFARLANE: We are learning new details about the man accused of carrying out that deadly attack on a Hanukkah celebration in Australia. New court
documents say the father and son threw improvised explosive devices at the crowd on Bondi beach moments before they started shooting, though none of
them were detonated.
[14:10:00]
Court documents also suggest the pair might have had tactical training. CNN's Mike Valerio has more on how the massacre unfolded.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MIKE VALERIO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Police say the accused attackers had three pipe bombs and one tennis ball bomb thrown into the
crowd before the accused father and son started shooting. Key here, according to investigators, all those bombs, all those explosive devices
were viable, but none of them detonated.
So, in addition to those four, we have the three pipe bombs, the tennis ball bomb. There was also another larger IED that was found in the trunk of
the father and son's car, bringing the total to five explosives.
And then, there's the level of alleged preparation. Investigators looked at videos found on the cell phones of the father and son, and in October,
police say both appeared to be practicing firing shotguns in the countryside of New South Wales, trying to move tactically.
And as we move closer to the attack on Friday, December 12th, there's a still from CCTV during the 9:00 p.m. hour in Sydney, that appears to show
both of the accused going to the same footbridge where the attack started, and on the day of the attack, in the 2:00 a.m. hour, police say the father
and the son are seen moving large, long items believed to be the weapons and explosives brought to the attack, and they're wrapped in blankets,
putting them in their car.
Also, police shared a photo of an ISIS flag that they say the father and son made, and they added that in another October video, the father and son
made, quote, "a number of statements regarding their motivation for the Bondi attack and condemned, quote, 'the acts of Zionists.'"
Furthermore, worth noting, the surviving son was moved from his hospital bed today where he was receiving treatment, escorted by a police riot squad
to a penitentiary facility. Mike Valerio, CNN, Beijing.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MACFARLANE: Jeffrey Epstein's survivors are adding to the growing chorus of voices slamming the U.S. Justice Department for its partial release of
files on Friday related to the convicted sex offender. Survivors say despite what is mandated by federal law, the released files aren't easily
searchable.
There were extreme redactions with no explanation and no financial documents being included. The criticism mirrors that of some lawmakers, who
are also criticizing the DOJ for failing to produce all of the files required by law, and for its heavy redactions and duplications of documents
that had been sent out before.
The bills co-sponsors are threatening to hold Attorney General Pam Bondi in contempt of Congress. The DOJ is denying accusations of a cover-up, and
says the partial release is needed to ensure victims of Epstein are not identified.
CNN's Stephen Collinson is joining us now, has been following this. So, Stephen, let's talk a bit here more about the fallout, because we've
already seen the Justice Department reinstate an image in the Epstein files that featured Donald Trump following the backlash over the weekend.
How much pressure is the DOJ going to face here to reinstate more? And you know, are they going to be forced to, ultimately?
STEPHEN COLLINSON, CNN POLITICS SENIOR REPORTER: Well, the amount of documents that they've released so far is far below what they are told to
do in this new law, which was produced after a backlash against President Trump by Republican members of Congress.
So, I think the pressure will build. We're, of course, going into the holiday season in the United States, Congress isn't in Washington until the
early part of January. So, I think this is going to be something that's going to build up over the holidays if the Justice Department doesn't do
more to comply with this law.
But you're already seeing not just anger from the politicians, Republican and Democratic, who have compelled the disclosure of this information. Some
of the victims and survivors of Jeffrey Epstein have come out and said yet again, they are being denied the justice for which they've pushed so long,
and which has frequently been postponed, especially by the death of Jeffrey Epstein himself in jail as he was awaiting trial in 2019.
MACFARLANE: And we're also seeing the DOJ's motives under question here as well. There's been criticism that these files were selectively redacted,
that they were tailored to embarrass Donald Trump's enemies, and they were, of course, particularly damning for President Bill Clinton, who featured in
a number of the files.
What do you make of the way these files were released and what we learned from this latest tranche?
COLLINSON: Well, I think it's possible that this is such a massive task that it's been beyond the Justice Department to get everything out. They
only got 30 days during the time -- from the passing of the law to the deadline for revealing the disclosures.
[14:15:00]
it's possible that there's incompetence here, as there often is in Washington rather than conspiracies. But you have to say that the
reputation of the Justice Department which has been hugely politicized under Donald Trump, the foot-dragging of the administration, which did
everything it possibly could to thwart any disclosure of this Jeffrey Epstein material.
And the fact that they're now saying they're acting on behalf of the victims when they could have put out this information at any point over
this year, and they only did so when they were compelled to by law. All of that, I think, casts rather a poor light on the administration.
And while we can't say yet that there's a cover up, we can definitely, I think, argue that they're far below what the law is required, and it's
being slowed up for political reasons.
MACFARLANE: All right, well, we will wait to see and watch where this goes. Stephen, appreciate it for now, thank you. All right, still to come
tonight, reindeer in Finland are under threat. We find out why some are connecting their deaths to Russia's war with Ukraine.
Plus, in today's edition of "ISA'S FESTIVE BOOK CLUB", we'll speak with CNN's Amanda Davies to find out her can't-miss reads of 2025.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MACFARLANE: Israel's military have acknowledged shooting a 16-year-old boy in the West Bank over the weekend. The IDF initially said its soldiers had
been attacked by a terrorist. It later revised that statement to say it killed a Palestinian suspected of hurling a block.
A security camera captured what appears to be the shooting at point-blank range. The Palestinian Red Crescent said soldiers blocked emergency workers
from reaching the scene. The shooting comes amid a sharp rise in violence against Palestinians in the West Bank.
The U.N. says more than 50 children have been killed by Israeli forces or settlers this year. Matthew Chance has more now on the shooting captured on
video south of Jenin.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN GLOBAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Well, this is the case of a Palestinian teenager who was shot and killed by Israeli
troops in the West Bank town of Qabatiya at the weekend. Grainy video shows the moment the 16-year-old Ryan Mohammed Abu Muwala(ph) collapsed after a
gunshot is fired at close range by Israeli troops that he was approaching down an alley.
The Israeli military says that he had, quote, "hurled a block" towards the soldiers, but the video that's been geolocated by CNN does not appear to
support that claim.
[14:20:00]
And the military says an investigation is now underway. The killing comes amid escalating violence in the West Bank, as the Israeli military focus
increasingly shifts from Gaza. The United Nations says that more than 220 Palestinians have been killed in the territory since January, with the
Israeli military saying it's fighting an upsurge in terrorism there.
But with house demolitions and displacements underway, affecting thousands of people, many Palestinians fear it's really about pressuring them ahead
of a possible Israeli annexation of the West Bank, something to which the U.S. and much of the rest of the international community is opposed.
Matthew Chance, CNN, Jerusalem.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MACFARLANE: Returning to Gaza now where many Palestinians are facing an impossible choice. Live in tents that offer little shelter from the
elements or inside the ruins of a building that could collapse. Humanitarian conditions are still grim. Weeks after the ceasefire, but with
Christmas just around the corner, Gaza's tiny Christian community found reason for hope when the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem paid a special visit.
Our Paula Hancocks has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Christmas mass in Gaza this year had many messages, hope, resilience and a direct
response to the U.S. President's early plans for a post-war Gaza.
PIERBATTISTA PIZZABALLA, CARDINAL, LATIN PATRIARCHATE OF JERUSALEM: I remember that during the war, especially at the beginning, there were plans
to transform Gaza into a resort, but we are here. We will not be a resort. We will rebuild our lives as we want.
HANCOCKS: The most senior Catholic cleric in the holy land traveled to Gaza to support the tiny Christian population. Just 1,000 people before the war
started in 2023 living among a population of more than 2 million, he states, we are still here highlighting the fight for survival after two
years of war.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: House, housing, schools, hospitals, the condition of life and the poverty are catastrophic.
HANCOCKS; Bells rang out for the baptism of a new baby, Mario(ph), marking new life and new hope, the Patriarch said. But memories are still fresh of
a strike last July on the only Catholic Church in Gaza by the Israeli military, killing at least, three people sheltering in the building.
Israel's Prime Minister's office said at the time that it deeply regretted that stray ammunition hit the church. "I was in there", this 11-year-old
says, "and I was hit by a glass shard in my foot. My wish for the new year is to get out of here and meet my family outside Gaza, and for us all to be
at peace."
We're trying to make this prayer more than just a celebration", this woman says. "We decorated the tree and did simple decorations. We're trying to
make it a spirit of joy". A rare moment of hope so desperately needed after more than two years of misery. Paula Hancocks, CNN, Abu Dhabi.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MACFARLANE: Yes, so lovely to see after all they've been through. OK, still to come tonight, how Russia's war in Ukraine may be to blame for the rise
of reindeer deaths in Finland. Plus, we take a look back at some of the stories that went viral this year, from hot mic moments to Oval Office
ambushes. The news stories that blew up the internet in 2025.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:25:00]
MACFARLANE: Oh, in Finland's so-called home of Santa Claus, reindeer are under threat. Herders have recorded a dramatic surge in the wolf population
this year, and one theory is that Finland's reindeers are being killed by Russian wolves crossing the border.
And that could relate directly to Russia's war in Ukraine. Isobel Yeung went to northern Finland and filed this report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ISOBEL YEUNG, CNN REPORTER (voice-over): Russia's war in Ukraine is having far reaching and surprising impacts.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
YEUNG: Even hundreds of miles away here in Finland. Every year, hundreds of thousands of tourists from all over the world flock here to the Arctic
circle.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I have a feeling that you came to see Santa.
YEUNG: Finnish legend has it that this is the home --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hi, Santa --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Good morning --
YEUNG: Of Santa Claus. The iconic reindeer are at the heart of Finland's culture and economy. But Finland's reindeer are in trouble. Thousands are
showing up dead. And you might be surprised to know who people here blame, Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Russia's border with Finland stretches over 800 miles, the longest of any NATO country. Juha Kujala(ph) lives just a few miles away. His family have
been wrangling reindeer for over 400 years. He now sells reindeer everything. From reindeer yoga --
(YEUNG WHISPERING)
Think like a reindeer, to sleigh rides. Oh, poor reindeer. What is it that's killing the reindeer?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Wolf is the worst. And they just kill. It's awful. This area, wolves, most of them come from the east, the Russian side.
YEUNG: How do you know that?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You see the tracks? They come from the Russian side.
YEUNG: Why do you think there are more Russian wolves?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's the Putin who changed the world.
YEUNG: Putin?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, the soldiers and the young hunters, they hunt the wolves, but now they're hunting people, in Ukraine, there's nobody anymore
there left who's hunting wolves?
YEUNG: So, do you blame Vladimir Putin for these dead reindeer?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Who could I blame? I could blame the whole world. Why this happen? It's getting worse after the Ukraine war.
YEUNG: In an effort to control the thriving wolf population, Russian men have long been paid bounties by the state for every wolf they hunt. But
experts who track the Russian military tell us that recruitment drives into the war in Ukraine have been intense, leaving fewer people to hunt the
wolves.
[14:30:07]
Now, reports in Russian media say wolves are increasingly entering villages and towns. And it seems they're crossing the border. Extensive wolf DNA
testing supports that theory.
In Finland, there's been a dramatic rise in wolves, which are killing reindeer in record numbers. Sightings like these are increasingly common
all along eastern Finland. That's something that will be difficult to stop, as tensions along this over 800-mile border are at their highest point in
decades.
YEUNG: So, right now, we are with some Finnish conscripts in the northernmost part of the European Union.
YEUNG (voice-over): Finland has increased defense spending and is carrying out large-scale military training.
YEUNG: Finland seems like a very optimistic but also very prepared country.
JUHA KUJALA, REINDEER HERDER: It's smart to prepare.
YEUNG (voice-over): As Finland preps for the worst, Kujala is hoping for the best.
KUJALA: Hopefully, Mr. Trump, if you hear me, do everything to try to stop this war. If we cannot fix this wolf situation quickly, some part of the
area is going to be without reindeers.
YEUNG: And what would that mean to you?
KUJALA: Like somebody took my life away.
YEUNG (voice-over): Isobel Yeung, CNN, in northern FINLAND.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHRISTINA MACFARLANE, CNN ANCHOR: Fascinating piece there by Isabel Jung. All right. We're going to take a short break. Stay with us here at CNN.
More news after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MACFARLANE: So, as we prepare to say farewell to 2025, CNN's Boris Sanchez is taking a look at some of the most surprising and astonishing news events
that went viral this year, from Oval Office spats to a new pope from Chicago. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN HOST (voice-over): Number 10, Trump targets Iran. Hours after the United States began its precision airstrikes on three nuclear
facilities in an unprecedented aerial bombardment of Iran, the president spoke to the nation.
DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: Tonight, I can report to the world that the strikes were a spectacular military success.
SANCHEZ (voice-over): In the aftermath, some members of Congress openly questioned the constitutionality of the strikes, while others, especially
MAGA lawmakers, supported the administration.
[14:35:00]
Number nine, L.A. devastated. Satellite images showing the breadth and depth of the runaway Eaton wildfire. The fast-moving flames this past
January, forcing thousands to flee their homes in search of higher and safer ground. Devastation like this will take years to rebuild.
Number eight, a shocking midair collision caught on tape. On January 29th of this year, an American Airlines flight operated by American Eagle and a
U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter collided over the freezing Potomac River at night. The tragedy caught on tape. The jet was on final approach to Reagan
National, while the helicopter had been performing a required flying evaluation. All 67 people aboard both aircrafts died.
Number seven, an American is Pope. In May, shortly after the death of Pope Francis, the College of Cardinals elected their next leader. And to the
surprise of many, the choice was this man, Chicago's very own Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, the first Augustinian pope.
CARDINAL ROBERT FRANCIS PREVOST: I invite you to recognize the marvels that the Lord has done.
SANCHEZ (voice-over): Even more surprising, he briefly spoke in English during his first mass.
Number six, hot mic. Justin Trudeau, who at the time was Canada's prime minister, overheard making a jaw-dropping admission to business leaders
back in February, essentially telling them that President Trump's talk of making Canada a 51st U.S. state was no joke. So, far, Canada remains
Canada.
Number five, Cramer speaks out. Famed CNBC broadcaster Jim Cramer appearing on Erin Burnett's show earlier this year, admitting he was misled by the
Trump administration's tariffs policy. Listen.
JIM CRAMER, HOST, CNBC'S "MAD MONEY" & "SQUAWK ON THE STREET": Over and over again, the president said, listen, it's going to be reciprocity. So,
you do it, we do it. And that was going to be so good. And I really believe that. And I feel like a sucker tonight.
SANCHEZ (voice-over): Number four, swallowed whole. A father on a kayak captures the moment his son Adrian was briefly swallowed by a humpback
whale off the coast of Chile. Adrian told CNN he didn't realize at first it was a whale and thought he just got caught up in a big wave.
ADRIAN: If the whale had hit me, it would be more dangerous.
SANCHEZ (voice-over): What a story to tell his grandkids. Number three, beauty influencer gunned down. Valeria Marquez was shot and killed by a man
who entered her salon all while on a TikTok live stream in Zapopan, Mexico. Her death sending shockwaves through a country grappling with frequent
suspected cases of femicide.
Number two, Jimmy Kimmel speaking out after a brief suspension following controversial comments he made about conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Jimmy Kimmel returned to ABC late night to say he never intended to make light of Kirk's murder, also delivering powerful remarks about freedom of
speech.
JIMMY KIMMEL, HOST, "JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE": This show is not important. What is important is that we get to live in a country that allows us to have a
show like this.
SANCHEZ (voice-over): And the number one viral video on CNN's countdown, the feud seen around the world. On the left, the Ukrainian president
Volodymyr Zelenskyy hoping to win more lethal aid from the president. On the right, President Trump moments before he would launch into a verbal
rampage against Zelenskyy.
Boris Sanchez, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MACFARLANE: Yes, no surprises there to see that in at number one, I think. Now, in the countdown to Christmas, Issa took the opportunity to sit down
with some familiar faces here at CNN. On today's special festive edition of the book club, Isa caught up with CNN Sports Anchor Amanda Davies to find
out what books made it onto her bookshelf in 2025 and what she's hoping might make it into her Christmas stocking.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ISA SOARES, CNN INTERNATIONAL HOST: Joining our very festive book club today is Amanda Davies, a colleague, a friend and our sports anchor at CNN.
Welcome to the show.
AMANDA DAVIES, CNN WORLD SPORTS: Thank you. I'm really excited to be here and I wish we got a set like this every day.
SOARES: Right, we've got a bit over the top, but you know, at Christmas you can never go over the top, in fact. Let's start, Amanda. You and I often
speak in the corridor normally about work, but we have had exchanges on social media, in fact on Instagram, when you post books and are like, I
love that book. I'm so glad you're reading it. Talk us through how your year has been. You know, lots of preps, lots of interviews, lots of travel.
Have you had time at all to actually read?
DAVIES: Yes, you know, I've actually made a real point this year of trying to read more and you know what it's like.
[14:40:00]
In this job, there is always something more to read. There is always something more to watch. There's always more research to be done or another
email to respond to. And I thought, how am I going to have that moment away from the screens where I have to focus on something else? And actually,
I've decided books is the way I'm going to do that. I don't want to read it on my phone. I don't want to read it on an iPad or a Kindle.
SOARES: What was the standout, would you say, the book of the year for you, Amanda?
DAVIES: Well, tada.
SOARES: There you go. She comes prepared, you see.
DAVIES: "The Nightingale," which --
SOARES: Yes, I love "Nightingale."
DAVIES: -- I feel I'm probably behind the time in terms of reading this. You know, it's an international number one bestseller. It is being made
into a film. I think Elle and Dakota Fanning are going to be the main lead characters in it. But it's so smart. There is obviously so much work in
history and research that's gone into it. It's based in German-occupied France during the Second World War. The story of two sisters, two very
different sisters. My sister might hate me if I say I kind of --
SOARES: I saw myself in.
DAVIES: I won't put it like that. But yes, you've got the older married mom, Vianne.
SOARES: Very responsible, has a life panned out, right?
DAVIES: Exactly. Looking after her family when her husband is sent to the front lines, has to stay at home, keep the home running, makes some really
tough decisions in terms of protecting not only her family, but also her neighbors, her Jewish neighbors. And then you've got Isabelle, the younger,
more, I don't know --
SOARES: Carefree, wild spirit, right?
DAVIES: Exactly.
SOARES: Yes.
DAVIES: And she joins the resistance and has a very different wartime experience, but helps the downed Allied soldiers, risks her life, but in a
very different way. And it's resilience, it's family values, it's just really, really powerful. And I think the common theme with all of them is
you end up in tears at some point, but they really hit you.
SOARES: Another one that I've seen you've got there in the stall next to you is one that I want to read, I just haven't had the time. Tell us about
it. Is this -- have you read this one, Amanda, or is this something you want to read?
DAVIES: No, I haven't read this one, and I really do want to read it. It's Malala Yousafzai's new book, "Finding My Way." And I do -- I have a bit of
a personal reason for this, because for the first time this year, I got to spend time with Malala and her husband, Asser. And their new project is
investment into women's sports. And they've started a fund called Recess, and it's taking her activism that we know so well into the women's sport
realm.
And I was really pleasantly surprised spending time with Malala. And it's funny, now I spent kind of a couple of meetings with her over a period of
weeks. And she talks very openly about the fact that a lot of people still think she's 15 or some people think she's a character from 100 years ago in
history, and long since gone. And it's fascinating.
It's 10 years now since she first came to international prominence. She wrote that first book, "I Am Malala," just a year after she was shot by the
Taliban in Pakistan.
And I found her so funny, quick witted, a really dry sense of humor. And this book is really all about her journey over the last 10 years. So, much
of which we've seen publicly, but in that political activism sphere, winning the Nobel Peace Prize.
SOARES: I wonder if there's a book out there or something you're looking forward to in 2026 that you think you're excited about, something you think
that is missing in terms of women's sports or men's sports or --
DAVIES: Yes. I mean, it's -- this has been -- I feel there's always points in time where we talk about landmark moments for women's sports. And
there's no doubt that this year, 2025, will be seen as one of those pivotal moments when we've had the likes of, you know, Malala wants to get into
women's sport. Because we've seen the likes of Michele Kang and Alexis Ohanian say, you know, we are going to invest in this.
SOARES: Yes.
DAVIES: This is something from a business perspective, yes. But also, from a, it's just the right thing to do perspective.
SOARES: Yes. I mean, we're filling stadiums really, right?
DAVIES: Yes. And we've had these landmark events, the European Championships in Switzerland that England's Lionesses won with record
crowds, record viewing figures, the Women's Rugby World Cup was exactly the same. It was a tournament unlike rugby. Women's rugby has ever seen before
the rise of popularity in the NWSL and the WNBA.
[14:45:00]
But what's really interesting is I kind of said, right, I'm going to come on here. I'm going to find a really great women's sports book to talk
about. But fascinatingly, despite that rise in enthusiasm --
SOARES: That progress, yes.
DAVIES: -- and the profile, I'm struggling to find too many that are coming out next year.
SOARES: That says a lot, doesn't it? Yes, yes.
DAVIES: Which I think in itself tells a lot. I do know that Ellie Kildunne, who was such a star of the Red Roses, England's rugby success here, she has
got a book coming out. I mean, she is a rock star. She has been the person who has sold more cowboy hats and Harry Styles in the last 12 months. I
mean, she has that amazing cowboy celebration on the pitch. She scored that incredible try on the biggest stage which really set England on her way.
SOARES: And replays on my phone, all the time when I follow it. Yes, it's great.
DAVIES: Yes. And, you know, she is one of the women's rugby stars who's had a Barbie doll made after her this year, along with Ilona Maher. And that's
going to be a great, great read.
SOARES: Thank you so much for coming on the show. We are going to gift you, and I'm sure -- I hope to see you around our studio with our Isa's Book
Club mug.
DAVIES: I love it.
SOARES: Thanks very much for coming on, Amanda.
DAVIES: Thank you. I love it.
SOARES: There you go.
DAVIES: Oh, that's beautiful.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MACFARLANE: I'm going to have to figure out how to get one of those mugs myself. All right. So, still to come tonight, the El Gordo Lottery brought
Christmas presents a few days early to many in Spain. We'll tell you how, coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MACFARLANE: Did you know that in Norway, Santa has an official address? And every year, thousands of letters arrive from him from around the world. The
people who live and work there take their jobs as seriously as Santa's helpers would. CNN's Richard Quest has more on this.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RICHARD QUEST, CNN ANCHOR, QUEST MEANS BUSINESS (voice-over): In Norway, this is the official address of Santa. Located in the charming little town
of Drobac, it is a Christmas-themed shop and post office which receives thousands of letters each year from around the world.
EVA JOHANSEN, CO-FOUNDER, TREGAARDENS CHRISTMAS HOUSE: From Taiwan.
QUEST (voice-over): And all of them addressed to Santa.
[14:50:00]
JOHANSEN: 10,000 to 15,000 letters.
QUEST: 10,000 to 15,000 letters.
JOHANSEN: Yes.
QUEST: Right. Now, here we go.
JOHANSEN: Yes.
QUEST: Let's have a look at what we've got. All right. So, these are -- oh, good lord. They come from everywhere.
JOHANSEN: Oh, it's from Taiwan.
QUEST: Taiwan, yes.
QUEST (voice-over): The shop is run by Eva Johansen who is part postmistress and part elf. I jest not. The Santa in this part of Norway is
a little bit different to the one with which we're all familiar.
QUEST: Santa Claus is a big, fat, jolly man or woman these days. Yours is small, short, and with a weird face.
JOHANSEN: He's different. From all -- you see, knitted sweaters, knickers, boots, and looks different.
QUEST: Why?
JOHANSEN: Because this belongs to our culture, our history from all time.
QUEST (voice-over): Eva the Elf agreed to let me open and read a few of the letters that have been sent to Santa.
QUEST: Wants an MP3 player.
QUEST (voice-over): And some of the content is a little surprising, but more of that in a moment.
In Norway, they take Christmas very seriously. After all, so many Christmas trees are grown here. And in December, everywhere is filled with twinkly
lights, trees, and markets. This is one of the biggest, and it's run by one of the country's most successful business leaders.
CARL OTTO LOVENSKIOLD, OWNER, BAERUMS VERK: We like the summers with the long, light, and bright days. But then we had the pressure also enjoying
the four seasons, strong season, a wonderful fall. The winter is now coming where we can go skiing and live a completely different lifestyle before
summer comes again. Well, we adjust to the seasons and enjoy them.
QUEST: Enjoy them.
OTTO: That is very important.
QUEST: Right. Let's go have a look.
QUEST (voice-over): Browsing for this --
QUEST: Look at that.
QUEST (voice-over): -- looking for that, enjoying the other. I could have spent many hours here filling stockings. But back in Drobac, there were
still letters to Santa.
QUEST: Oh, look at this.
QUEST (voice-over): That had to be opened and read. Heartwarming messages the lot.
QUEST: Dear Santa Claus, my favorite holiday Christmas is coming soon. Oh, look at that. Nice little hat. Oh, it's Becky's staff. Dear Santa Claus,
Merry Christmas. Can I have a froggy toy? From Hong Kong, my daughter will turn five in December. She's kind to friends. She loves practicing K-pop
dancing.
QUEST (voice-over): Before I left, there was one last letter thrust in front of me. And I was in for a shock.
QUEST: This year, our brother has been a very good boy. Much like you, he's been traveling the world. It's highly likely he'll be working on December.
Is there any chance you could give him a small present in advance? Anything chocolate related would, in our experience, work well. Thank you very much,
Beverly, Lorraine and Caroline, my three sisters.
JOHANSEN: What?
QUEST: Yes, what a coincidence. Well done. Thank you. Oh, I'll take that. Sorry, I'm taking this one with me.
QUEST (voice-over): Now, I just have to wait and see whether Santa thinks I deserve that gold chocolate bar.
Richard Quest, CNN at Santa's Village in Norway.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MACFARLANE: Oh, Richard certainly deserves it. The hardest working man in TV. Now, Spain hosted a major lottery drawing today with a pot worth more
than three billion dollars. The top prize divided up among the winners is El Gordo or the fat one. And a large number of winners this year came from
the region's hardest hit by the wildfires. Our Pau Mosquera has more now from Madrid.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PAU MOSQUERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: 79,432. This is the number that this Monday has been awarded with El Gordo. This is the first prize of Spain's
Christmas lottery. For those who have a ticket with this number, they have been awarded with around $470,000. Now, it is important to say that the tax
authorities are taking the 20 percent of this prize. But nevertheless, this won't take the joy of those who have been awarded with El Gordo.
And actually, this number has been very distributed here in Spain. It has been sold in four different lottery administrations. Three of them are
located in Leon, in the north of the country. But the fourth one is located here in the Spanish capital.
[14:55:00]
And you can see it behind me, this is the lottery administration number 246. We actually have been able to speak to the owners and they share the
joy of selling this number with us.
ARIO SERNA, LOTTERY SHOP OWNER (through translator): I still can't believe it. If someone told me it was a joke, I would believe them. I feel an
incredible joy. This happens once in a lifetime and I can't believe it's happened to us.
MOSQUERA: Are there any neighbors amongst the winners?
SERNA (through translator): This number originally belonged to an association. But they returned some of the tickets to us. We believe many
people must have been lucky. The rest of the lottery tickets that this association returned to us, we've been selling here at the shop since last
Wednesday.
MOSQUERA: For those that this time haven't been lucky and not been awarded with any prize at all, they have another chance the next 6th of January
when there's going to be another draw for the day of Epiphany.
Paulo Mosquera, CNN, Madrid.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MACFARLANE: That is a nice note to end the show on tonight. Thank you for joining us. And keep it with CNN. I'll have more on "What We Know" up after
the break. It's snowing.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[15:00:00]
END
