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Isa Soares Tonight

Deadly New Year's Eve Fire Rocks Crans-Montana Switzerland Killing Over 40 And Injuring 100-Plus; Washington And Tehran Trade Threats After President Trump Warns Against Violence On Protesters; Tesla Dethroned As King Of Electric Car Makers; Swiss Officials Believe Deadly Fire Caused By Sparklers; U.S. Approves Daily Pill Version Of Weight Loss Drug Wegovy; More Than 2,000 Cases Reported In The U.S. In 2025; China's BYD Overtakes Tesla As World's Top EV Seller; A New National Park At The Tip Of South America; A New National Park At The Tip Of South America. Aired 2-3p ET

Aired January 02, 2026 - 14:00   ET

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

[14:00:00]

PAULA NEWTON, HOST, ISA SOARES TONIGHT: And a very warm welcome to the show, everyone, I'm Paula Newton in for Isa Soares. Tonight, authorities

say sparklers appear to have started the deadly fire at a Swiss ski resort. We're live from the scene with the very latest.

Then Washington and Tehran trade threats after President Trump warns against violence on protesters. We'll update you on the clashes that have

turned deadly inside Iran. Plus, Tesla no longer the king of electric vehicle makers, we'll tell you who has taken the top spot, that, and much

more ahead.

So, Swiss investigators now believe it was sparklers in a champagne bottle that ignited the deadly fire at a ski resort on new year's eve.

Switzerland's chief prosecutor says the blaze began when those sparklers, you see them there came too close to the ceiling, leading to a rapidly

moving fire that left revelers precious little time to escape.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BEATRICE PILLOUD, ATTORNEY GENERAL, VALAIS CANTON: It can be assumed that the fire arising from fireworks, which have -- were put on champagne

bottles, came too close to the ceiling, and that produced a flashover, which occurred very quickly, leading to general combustion.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: Now, this tragedy, as all of you can imagine, has taken a devastating toll with some openly grieving, overcome with sorrow. You see

the families there. A video has surfaced of when the fire began, but we want to warn you, some viewers may find it disturbing.

Forty people were killed in that rapidly spreading blaze, another 119 were injured, many of them now fighting for their lives in hospital. A number of

people are still unaccounted for. One witness described the chilling scene.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The worst is the screaming of these young people, the screaming of pain that they had to -- of -- because they had to be moved to

go in an ambulance to go -- to go away, to go to the hospital. It was incredible. That screaming -- it was horrible to hear. Parents who lost

their children, all young children.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: Our Nic Robertson has more now from the scene of this tragedy.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR (on camera): We're right in the middle of Crans-Montana here, mountains in the background. Le

Constellation bar right here. The atmosphere here is very quiet. It's very subdued. This town, it is a very up-market ski resort.

You can see that when you look in the stores around here. What we know about what happened just over 24 hours ago now in the very early hours of

the 1st of January, the downstairs underground bar was crowded. There were a lot of people in there, and we know from talking to youngsters in this

town that this bar was popular with the sort of 16, 17, 18-year-olds, 19- year-olds, young 20s.

How many people were in the downstairs underground bar at the time? That's part of the investigation. But already, investigators and fire experts and

the hospitals, in fact, are talking about a downdraft, that the fire took hold and spread so quickly.

They're dealing in the hospitals, they say, with people with severe burns. In some cases, the police say that they're still trying to identify even

the injured. And this is a hugely painful time for the families. And we've seen families here in the streets.

A father whose son is still missing, he was on his knees weeping in the streets. That sense of pain and grief is very palpable here. A lot of

journalists here, there are some dignitaries arriving. We know that there have been French among the dead, injured and missing.

We understand there are Italians among the dead, injured and missing. But of course, there are so many questions about the dead and injured. The

identification, police are saying that could take days.

[14:05:00]

But the fact that you have senior politicians from outside of Switzerland coming really shows the gravity and the reach of this tragedy. Nic

Robertson, CNN, Crans-Montana, Switzerland.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NEWTON: And we are joined now by Carolin Teufelberger; she is a Crans -- she is in Crans-Montana and she is a reporter for "20 Minuten". I want to

thank you for joining us, and of course, we've seen the profound grief there in the community, which you have seen now firsthand.

So many young people as well, still fighting for their lives. What are you learning about the seriousness of their injuries?

CAROLIN TEUFELBERGER, REPORTER, 20 MINUTEN: So, it is very clear, firstly, that this town is grieving and a lot of parents are still grieving, trying

to find their relatives, their children. And so, about their injuries, they're mostly quite severe, even with the injured ones.

They were taken all over Switzerland, especially to Zurich and Lausanne, because they're specialized in those kind of burn injuries, and the -- a

doctor from the children's hospital in Zurich also told us that it -- the next couple of days will be critical because there has not only been

outside burning, but also internal one, which means organs like the kidney may need support or even replacement. So, the critical phase is yet to come

for at least some of the injured victims.

NEWTON: Yes, what you describe is just so excruciating even to hear, let alone have the loved ones there at their bedside some of the victims. And

again, we heard from parents who were still wandering the community there, not having heard anything from their children, but still, there is no

identification.

When we think about those that are still hoping, praying that their loved ones are in hospital, what are authorities saying there, given the gravity

of their injuries? Do they expect the death toll to rise?

TEUFELBERGER: This may very well be, so, they very clearly stated also at the press conference today that this is a number of us right now, those

numbers might change for the reasons that I also told you before, some people are really severely burned.

And the next couple of days -- or for some people, even the next couple of weeks will tell and are still very critical. So, yes, the numbers still

might go up.

NEWTON: Yes, unbearable sadness there. Now that we know more about the probable cause, the sprinklers, and then of course, that struggle for

people to escape what was an absolute inferno. How is that affecting families in terms of looking for answers here?

TEUFELBERGER: I spoke to some people, a mother, for example, outside of the hospital and also to a young girl who visited a severely-injured friend at

intensive care. And for them, it was very clear. They really clearly told me that they don't -- they don't care about the cause, yet it is -- they

want their loved ones to be OK.

And the families that are still -- that are still looking for their children, mostly they want to find them, they want to know where they are.

The cause of the accident doesn't seem to be a priority as of now.

NEWTON: There have been a lot of details here that have been incredibly difficult to grasp, not just for the families, but those in the community.

I did want to ask you about the mood there, obviously shock, but there must be a great deal of trauma as well.

I was struck during the press conference yesterday that they were talking about what the first responders had to do when they arrived, and the

incredible scene of violence, as they described it, that they walked into. A lot of people were on holiday, and they just rushed as first responders

to the scene.

TEUFELBERGER: Yes, so, we also spoke to a first responder or like someone who helped yesterday, a man that is now also -- was treated in hospital,

and he explained it, and he -- the things that he said are devastating.

[14:10:00]

It must have been like people were surprised by it. And it was so many people and such a full place. And the flames must have been like incredibly

big. And right there, it was almost impossible to get into the scene. And it must have been also very difficult for first responders from what we

heard.

NEWTON: Yes, Carolin, we wish the community certainly a lot of strength in the days and weeks to come. We really thank you for your firsthand

reporting there on the scene, appreciate it. Now, there is major unrest on the streets of Iran, and it has attracted the attention of Donald Trump.

On Thursday, at least, three people were killed and more than a dozen injured when protesters stormed a police station, angry at Iran's ruling

regime over spiraling economic problems and the death of those protesters, as Donald Trump threatening a military response by the U.S. We get more now

from CNN's Paula Hancocks.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (on camera): U.S. President Donald Trump is warning that the U.S. may step in if peaceful protesters

are shot and killed in Iran. Now, this was in a Truth Social post where he also said, quote, "we are locked and loaded and ready to go."

Now, these protests this week have been happening amid a deepening economic crisis in Iran. We have been seeing shopkeepers, traders and also students

coming out onto the street as prices soar and as the currency is collapsing. Now, we have seen in different locations clashes with police

that have turned deadly.

Now, Trump's post did spark a fairly swift response from Tehran itself. We heard from two Iranian officials, one saying that Iran's national security

is a red line, another saying the U.S. interference in this would lead to, quote, "the destruction of American interests."

Now, we have seen Iran's currency falling to a record low. We have seen inflation increase, the cost of living increase to unbearable levels. And

protesters on the streets are blaming government mismanagement. We have seen that inflation for December was over 40 percent year-on-year.

Food prices have risen 72 percent over the same period. Now, these are the largest protests that we have seen in about three years in Iran. They are

protests that the regime simply cannot ignore. We did see that merchants played a crucial role in the 1979 Islamic revolution, when the monarchy was

deposed and the Islamists brought to power. Paula Hancocks, CNN, Abu Dhabi.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NEWTON: Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro seems to be extending an olive branch to President Trump, proposing serious talks on combating drug

trafficking and allowing U.S. companies to access Venezuelan oil. Here's what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NICOLAS MADURO, PRESIDENT, VENEZUELA (through translator): We must start to speak seriously with the facts in hand. The U.S. government knows that

because we have said it a lot to their interlocutors that if they want to speak seriously about an agreement to battle drug trafficking, we are ready

to do that.

If they want Venezuela's oil, Venezuela is ready to accept U.S. investments like those of Chevron. When, where and how they want to make them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: Meantime, a U.S. official tells CNN that Venezuelan security forces have detained at least five Americans in recent months. The Trump

administration believes Maduro is using this as leverage against Washington as the U.S. ramps up its pressure campaign against the Venezuelan leader.

Now, in recent months, the U.S. has mobilized military assets to the Caribbean, attacked dozens of alleged drug boats and Venezuelan port, and

imposed a blockade on Venezuelan oil shipments. CNN's Sean Lyngaas is following these developments for us from Washington D.C.

Grateful to have you on this story. I do want to get first to that video -- a bit bizarre. I will say it wasn't the first time I've seen video like

that, though, from President Maduro. So, there's supposedly outreach and diplomacy. How credible is this outreach? And it's not the first time that

Maduro has said, look, I'll talk to President Trump.

SEAN LYNGAAS, CNN CYBERSECURITY REPORTER: Right, Paula. I think there's nothing that Maduro has to lose by saying, yes, I'll talk to them. I'm

available whenever you want. Now, how earnest that is, I'm not sure. Obviously, as we've reported in recent weeks, the U.S. pressure has

increased dramatically with the picture that you just showed of the warships in the Caribbean and with a CIA drone strike on a port facility in

Venezuela last month.

So, he may be feeling that pressure, and this may be an olive branch, but I'm sure anyone on the U.S. side picking up the phone will be very cautious

about any -- how earnest the dialogue is.

[14:15:00]

Now, as you just mentioned, we were reporting also that Venezuelan authorities have detained at least five Americans in recent months on

various different pretenses. And we're still gathering more information about those detained. But regardless of their situations that could present

a bargaining chip for Maduro as he tries to ease the U.S. pressure on him, which has been mounting for months. Paula.

NEWTON: Yes, it is especially pertinent to understand who these people are, and if they have dual citizenship, because that will make this all the more

difficult, as I have seen over recent years in Venezuela. I do want to ask you, though, as I said many times, President Maduro has told me personally

that the CIA has been operating within Venezuela for years, and now he seems to have the proof that he wants of this.

And I'm wondering if that really does give him a pretense to perhaps incarcerate more Americans? And I'm wondering what kind of warnings the

American government is sending out about this, especially to those who are dual citizens.

LYNGAAS: Right, Paula. Well, we've actually had trouble reaching the State Department over the holidays here, new year's -- new year's day especially.

But they have, you know, been consistent about warning Americans to travel to that region.

Some of the people, at least, one of the Americans who was detained appears to be, you know, a young traveler who went there, just wanted to see the

world, was traveling around Latin America. And so, we have another case here where people are being caught up in geopolitical conflicts, like in

Iran and in Russia where there's tensions that flare with the U.S., and then those governments see U.S. citizens as potential chess pieces in this

-- in that conflict.

So, we know that the State Department is trying to gather more information on these cases, and we've been talking to some of the families of the

detained, American citizens to get ground truth on where they are and what their situation is. Paula.

NEWTON: Yes, it is certainly crucial given, you know, as we've outlined, President Maduro will use it as leverage if he needs to. Sean Lyngaas for

us in Washington., appreciate it. Turning to Mexico now where at least one person died and 12 others were injured after a magnitude 6.5 earthquake

struck the southern Mexican state of Guerrero near Acapulco earlier today.

Now, the quake was felt as far as Mexico City, where a 67-year-old man died after tripping while evacuating his second floor apartment there. The

capital's mayor also reported a fire at an electrical substation and the collapse of several utility poles and trees.

President Claudia Sheinbaum was evacuated earlier alongside journalists when the seismic alarm went off in the middle of one of her press

conferences. OK, still to come for us, it's a brand new era in New York, Mayor Zohran Mamdani gets busy governing after Thursday's inauguration.

What's on his agenda? That's just ahead. And later, the latest on the investigation into that deadly Swiss bar fire. We'll speak to a fire safety

expert about how quickly it spread, and you will not want to miss that interview.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:20:00]

NEWTON: The countdown is underway in New York as Mayor Zohran Mamdani begins his term to lead the city with his progressive agenda. Now, today is

his first day in office, and Mayor Mamdani has already signed executive orders focusing on housing.

But he also revoked Israel-related orders put in place by his predecessor. One directive by former Mayor Eric Adams that's now gone, had expanded the

definition of anti-Semitism. Joining us now from New York, CNN correspondent Gloria Pazmino, who's been already covering this mayor's time

in office from start to finish.

Gloria, a lot of action here on day one. And certainly, what he has done on Israel will be controversial in New York, right?

GLORIA PAZMINO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Certainly, Paula, and I think -- you know, I think it's important to point out that executive orders are what

new mayors are expected to do, right? That this is the power they have to do when they take the office.

And it's a chance for new administrations to set the tone right away. So, last night, Mayor Mamdani signed three executive orders directing his

administration to look into housing and to determine whether or not the city can get to building and developing more housing quicker.

That is part of his plan to address the affordability crisis here in New York City. But the other order that he signed is what's causing a little

bit of controversy, and that was his revocation of executive orders that were put in place by his predecessor, Mayor Eric Adams.

And he did it in a specific time frame. He said that everything Mayor Eric Adams had put into place after his federal indictment, which took place in

September of 2024, would be revoked. And that, he said, was because it was in that moment that Zohran Mamdani believes New Yorkers lost their faith in

their local government.

Now, there's two other directives within that order, and they're related to Israel. There's one order that reversed a directive from Mayor Adams that

barred city employees and city agencies from divesting and boycotting Israel. That raised serious questions about free speech.

So, Zohran Mamdani is reversing that action. And he also reversed an executive order from the previous mayor that had expanded the definition of

anti-Semitism to match the definition by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, which essentially equates any criticism of Israel as

anti-Semitic.

So, Zohran Mamdani reversing that order, and that is what's causing some controversy here on the second day of his administration. We should remind

viewers that the issue of Israel, Palestine, the war in Gaza was a major flashpoint during this election.

New York City is, of course, home to the largest number of Jewish people outside of the state of Israel, and Zohran Mamdani is a fierce critic of

the Israeli government. And so, that's why that was such a defining topic during this election.

But Zohran Mamdani also making it clear that he is focused on his affordability agenda. That's what those housing executive orders speak to.

And we expect to see him take more executive action over the next several days. He will also continue to make appointments to his cabinet, but I

think the next four years are going to be interesting to watch as he tries to enact what is truly an ambitious and difficult agenda.

He wants to tax the rich to help pay for universal child care. He wants to make city buses free. He wants to freeze rent for rent stabilized tenants,

and he wants to do all of that by increasing taxes, something that is not very popular here in New York City among some people.

He'll need the help of the governor as well as the state legislature. So, he has a long road ahead of him. But as we heard during the inauguration

yesterday, he promised New Yorkers that even though he may not be able to get everything done, he's certainly going to try. Paula?

[14:25:00]

NEWTON: Gloria, grateful to you. We said yesterday you were going to be busy, and it's already started. We'll continue to keep an eye on it because

it does have ramifications beyond the city of New York. Gloria, grateful to you. Thanks. Still to come for us, the investigation is now underway into

the deadly new year's fire at a Swiss bar. We'll speak to a fire expert about how this happened and how to evacuate in this situation.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NEWTON: And we do continue to follow the deadly new year's eve party in Switzerland. At least, 40 people were killed when a fire broke out at a bar

in a Swiss ski resort. Earlier, officials gave an update on the investigation.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PILLOUD (through translator): And I would emphasize all possible lines of investigation will be pursued. None will be left aside. Some hypotheses can

be confirmed as things stand today, it can be assumed that the fire arising from fireworks, which have -- were put on champagne bottles, came too close

to the ceiling, and that produced a flashover, which occurred very quickly, leading to general combustion.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: About 119 people from nine European countries were injured in the fire. The French Foreign Minister says eight citizens are still unaccounted

for. We also have a new image from social media of what appears to be the moment the room caught fire.

Now, investigators believe those sparklers that you see there, lit soundproof ceiling material and caused what you just heard the Attorney

General say was a flashover. You can see what is that soundproofing material in the ceiling. And that's when everything in the room ignited

almost simultaneously.

Stephen McKenzie joins us now, he's an independent fire and emergency planning consultant. And grateful to you, and Stephen, we're going to pick

up where we left off yesterday. And one of the things that you talked about, of course, was that deadly fire in Rhode Island in 2003.

[14:30:10]

And really, when you think about it, 99 people died in that fire. And again, it was the same thing. It was a spark that ignited that

soundproofing in the ceiling. What does that tell you about what we should be learning at this point in time from some of these incidents?

STEPHEN MACKENZIE, INDEPENDENT FIRE AND EMERGENCY PLANNING CONSULTANT: I think to put it bluntly, we should not be repeating the mistakes of the

past time and time again. Even before the Station Nightclub Fire in 2001 in Rhode Island, USA, which resulted in 100 killed and 230 injured. There was

a 1981 fire in Dublin, Ireland, the Stardust Fire, where 800 attending a youth disco, 48 died and 214 were injured. Again, the material linings to

the walls and the ceilings had a critical contributing factor to the fire growth and development. And in fact, it's taken the families in Dublin at

Stardust until 2024 to have a full public inquiry and finally see the ruling from the coroner court of unlawful killing of the 48.

We -- you have seen in the Swiss case similar dynamics play out, a sparked ignition from the pyrotechnics from a promotional stunt has ignited (AUDIO

GAP) tiles are made out of plastic petrol is rain down molten fire droplets. It's allowed the fire to accelerate into a very rapid growth

stage into the onset of what we call flashover. Flashover is a transition from a developing fire into a fully growing fire and untenable conditions.

No one survives flashover without significant injury or sadly they succumb to the smoke and through smoke inhalation or the flaming effects and the

burn injuries.

NEWTON: You know, Stephen, from the video that we've seen, of course, there was this impetus to try and put it out and you can see -- and it's

disturbing to see people just trying to put it out and not trying to get out of the building instead. What would you want to remind us about being

in those situations? So, you -- you know, you're not going to be the fire inspector here. You have no idea what is combustible or what isn't.

MACKENZIE: Yes.

NEWTON: But when you enter these situations, what would you tell people to do? It is crowded perhaps in a basement. It's -- you know, you don't know

what could possibly spark a fire. What do you do?

MACKENZIE: Well, what you need to do is when we're out and about, we're celebrating and we're all enjoying life, particularly at New Year or major

festivals, check the venue. Check to see do they have a good safety record. If not, then ask questions. When you're on the premises as soon as you

enter, look for alternative means of escape. Try and avoid buildings such as this one. A low ceiling basement with only one fire exit with over 300

revelers. It's a recipe for disaster.

Have an emergency plan. Have a think about what if. What if there is a lone actor, a knife attack, a shooting attack, a terrorist attack, a fire

instant? How do I get out of here? And then how do I maintain contact with my friends and my family after -- during the instant, then after the

instant. Plan your exit when seconds count. And time is there for you to not sacrifice your life for. Please stay out and please stay safe.

Even half a desiccated sober person that isn't consuming alcohol or dare I say in these modern times recreational drugs, have someone that knows and

can react to an emergency arrangement and get everybody safe at home at the end of the night.

NEWTON: This is really good advice just in terms of keeping everybody safe and no matter the age. These people were incredibly young. In terms of how

much time they would have had, can you please underscore again how quickly these people would have had to leave that building to not get caught up in

something like this?

MACKENZIE: In most buildings based on U.K. studies, we have a notion of two and a half minute evacuation time. But with modern hydrocarbon and plastic

polymer materials, that time can be greatly reduced. I can't put a time stamp on it, but seconds would have counted from the footage that we have

seen from the ignition source to the onset of flashover. People quite literally had seconds to get up, get going, and get out this building.

[14:35:08]

NEWTON: And it is disturbing to see that footage because more people might have been able to escape if they just decided this is a dangerous situation

and they would leave. Stephen Mackenzie, again, thank you. I appreciate it.

And we're going to take a quick break now. We'll be back with more news in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NEWTON: OK. So, just in time for New Year's resolutions, the U.S. Government has approved a new option for people who want to take the weight

loss drug Wegovy without getting a weekly shot. Starting this month, the medication that's revolutionized obesity treatment will be available as a

daily pill. The starting dose of oral Wegovy made by drug maker Novo Nordisk will cost $149. That's for patients who are paying out of pocket if

they don't have insurance.

Now, the U.S. is expected to approve a similar weight loss pill from a rival drug maker this summer. We want to get more now from Dr. Alicia

Shelly. She is an expert on treating obesity. And boy, are we glad to have you here today because I think this has peaked a lot of interest not just

in the United States but beyond where these pills are going to be approved now. How much of a gamechanger is this do you think?

DR. ALICIA SHELLY, OBESITY MEDICINE PHYSICIAN: Oh, this is a huge gamechanger because this is going to be able to allow people the option to

have a pill instead of an injection. There are many people out there that don't particularly care for shots and so this is another alternative.

NEWTON: As I understand it, the doses are lower. Will this change the effectiveness of these drugs? And could it possibly lead to fewer side

effects?

SHELLY: Yes. So, actually in studies the average weight loss was around 13.6 percent with the oral Wegovy pill, whereas the Wegovy shot was around

15 percent or 14.9 percent. So, it's very comparable when we look at what's the average weight loss that you can see. And I -- we believe that at least

you still have the same side effects of nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, but it's a little bit less with the pill than with the

injection.

NEWTON: And to be clear, you have to take these pills as well for a very long time to just -- to see that transformation in your weight.

SHELLY: Yes. So, in the studies, the studies went for about 68 weeks or almost a little over a year to see that same percentage as well. That's

correct.

[14:40:02]

NEWTON: So, I have a question for you on if you believe this will expand access to this. But the nuance to the question is, as a physician, do you

believe it should expand access to this? I is this drug -- these drugs -- these kinds of drugs so transformative that it really will change people's,

you know, lifespans and their lifestyle?

SHELLY: You know, when we look at the GLP-1s and how it affects not just only weight loss, studies have shown that it affects as far as your

cardiovascular risk. It had helps with reduction of mortality from cardiovascular disease, if you've had a history of a heart attack, stroke,

or peripheral arterial disease, it's been shown to improve fatty liver disease or MASH, as well as sleep apnea. So -- and of course, Type 2

Diabetes, which is what it was initially approved for.

And so, with that being said, these medic -- I've seen in my practice people who not only are they getting their life back where their medical

conditions are improving, but then on top of that, they have more energy to exercise, energy to do other things, and to improve their -- not only their

life expectancy, but just their overall health being. And in the study with the Wegovy pill, they looked at physical function and they noticed that

people actually improved their physical function when they were taking that Wegovy pill.

So, these medications are very transformative for our patients, and I think this is just the tipping point. We're going to see a lot more medications

come out that can also help people live a more longer, fuller life.

NEWTON: So, so interesting. And Doctor, I want to ask you, you did describe, you know, some fairly severe side effects for some people. What

can you do to mitigate that? I know that sometimes the loss of appetite, the nausea, those kinds of things really affect people in different ways,

but sometimes those side effects can be severe. I mean, should you be doing more exercise? Should you really be paying close attention to what you're

eating? What else do you have to do here since we may get a whole new group of people taking these drugs?

SHELLY: Yes. So, it is important that you combine lifestyle intervention with the medication. So, it's important that you watch what you're eating,

making sure that you're eating a balanced diet and also make sure that you're eating your protein. What we find because people are not that hungry

with it, it doesn't -- sometimes you forget to eat. And so, by making sure that you're getting your protein in, getting your calories in, it actually

can help with reduction of that nausea. I've seen some people because they weren't getting enough protein, they be tended to be more nauseous. So,

when they improved that, it improved on its own.

The other thing, it's important to actually start at a lower dose and taper up slowly. So, sometimes if we tapered up too fast for a patient, they had

more symptoms, but when we went back down on the dose, they did better. So, it's important to make sure that you're working with your physician, that

they're monitoring you during this process, and actually making sure you're on the right dose for you.

NEWTON: Yes. And Doctor, you make such a good point that this should be done with the guidance of a physician. I want to ask you though, Dr.

Shelly, do you envision people being on these drugs for a lifetime?

SHELLY: I can. And the reason being is that when we look at obesity, obesity is a chronic disease. And so, there's so many different factors.

Those factors can be genetic. It can be medical conditions like PCOS, Hypothyroidism. And so, these factors are things we cannot change. And so

sometimes people may need medications to help manage their weight as well.

So, for some people, they may not necessarily need to be on it forever, but for others, they may need to. And so, it's important that we give people

room. Sometimes people feel a stigma against take -- being on a medication to help them to lose weight. And I -- a lot of my patients come in my

office and they're like, well, how long do I have to be on this?

NEWTON: Right.

SHELLY: And my response is, as long as your body needs it. So, it just depends on the person.

NEWTON: Yes. You treat like a chronic disease like as if you have cardiovascular issues. It might be some other drug that you're taking and

that you wouldn't object to taking that your entire life.

Dr. Alicia Shelly, happy new year to you. A lot of good information in there. I really appreciate it.

SHELLY: Thank you. Happy New Year.

NEWTON: Now, more than 2,000 measles cases were diagnosed in the United States last year in -- that's the most in decades, we remind you. That's a

lot for a country long regarded as one where measles has been eliminated. But that status could now be in jeopardy after so many recent outbreaks.

CNN's Health Reporter Jacqueline Howard has our details.

JACQUELINE HOWARD, CNN HEALTH REPORTER: There were more than 2,000 measles cases reported here in the United States in the year 2025. Now, that number

is as of Tuesday, a total of 2,65 confirmed measles cases here in the U.S. The last time we had more than 2,000 cases in the U.S. within a year was in

1992, and that was just a couple of years after health officials updated recommendations to say children should receive two doses of the Measles,

Mumps, and Rubella Vaccine instead of one dose. So, it's been decades since we've seen this many measles cases here in the United States.

[14:45:25]

And because of vaccination efforts, in the year 2000, measles was declared eliminated here in the U.S. Elimination means there has been no sustained

transmission of the same measles virus strain for at least a year. But because of the measles outbreaks seen here in the U.S. in 2025 and the

possibility of those outbreaks being linked, that's why there are now concerns that our elimination status could be lost.

And in October, we asked the World Health Organization what would happen if elimination status is lost. The WHO said this. "There are no formal

consequences of losing measles elimination status. However, having measles again as an endemic disease will have a profound negative impact on

communities, including preventable deaths among some of the most vulnerable populations."

And countries that lose elimination status, they sometimes are asked to submit an action plan. That plan may lay out vaccination efforts to get

more people vaccinated or response efforts if there is an outbreak, how the country will respond. So, we may see that step taken if elimination status

is lost here in the United States.

NEWTON: Thanks, Jacqueline Howard.

There still to come for us. Tesla has been dethroned as the top seller of electric vehicles. Details ahead on who has that new title.

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NEWTON: Tesla no longer the king of electric vehicle makers. According to new data released this week, the Chinese car giant BYD now holds the crown

for world's largest seller of EVs. Now, BYD says it sold 2.6 million EVs, which is up nearly 28 percent from 2024. Meanwhile, Tesla is reporting a

second straight year of declining sales with deliveries falling 8.6 percent.

We want to discuss all this with our Anna Cooban who's live for us in London. I am really wondering what the implications are here for Tesla.

[14:50:05]

ANNA COOBAN, CNN BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS REPORTE: Well, you're right, Paula. This is something that, you know, past few years it seemed like Tesla was

pretty unstoppable. And now you've got the almost nine percent decline. That's actually the largest annual drop in sales that Tesla has ever posted

and the second consecutive year. And this is really because of a number of factors. You've got, of course, the rising competition from Chinese EV

makers able to produce cars more cheaply and therefore sell them more cheaply. You've also got backlash from certain customers and certain

geographies over Elon Musk's politics.

I know it seems like a bit of a lifetime ago now, but Elon Musk was very high up in the U.S. government last year spearheading mass layoffs of

federal workers and also expressing public support for far-right parties in Europe. But also, the regulatory environment has changed. We've seen a

rolling back of emission standards on both sides of the pond. And that really has been a perfect storm for Tesla. And so, yes, what once seemed

like a completely untouchable force in the EV world is now clearly quite clearly no longer so.

NEWTON: And the Chinese cars really have had so much hype for the last few months, and yet the U.S. and China really on diverging paths with electric

cars. How do we expect this to play out especially when it comes to affordability of these cars? So many struggle to buy a new car these days.

COOBAN: Well, affordability is a huge challenge. It's one of the reasons why the pace of the E.V. transition is not moving as quickly as many

regulators had forecast a few years ago. And we saw in the U.S. the removal of this $7,500 tax credit, which was really crucial for many buyers to get

an E.V. And we saw a huge bump actually around October time in Tesla sales because people were trying to buy their Teslas before that tax credit

expired.

And so yes, Chinese car makers like BYD, like Geely have been able to produce very cheaply and that has been a huge draw for many consumers. But

I do want to point out one interesting sort of side to this Paula, which is that Tesla's stock last year increased by around 11 percent. It's pretty

healthy. And it wasn't exactly a surprise that it would have an annual sales drop. And that's because it's moving away from just being an E.V.

maker to other technologies like self-driving cars, like robotics, for example.

NEWTON: Yes. And that has a lot to do with the company itself, not necessarily what people will be buying -- what cars they'll be buying in

years to come.

Anna Cooban, grateful to you. Thank you.

Now, Chile is creating an ambitious new national park in one of its most remote locations. Cape Froward sits on the very southern tip of South

America. The region is being threatened by not only global warming, but also political opposition. Christopher El Yoo traveled there to show us why

this tiny cape is worth saving.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CRISTOPHER ULLOA, CNN ESPANOL REPORTER (voice-over): Due to global warming, it is receding year after year. In fact, I have been coming here to this

area for about 15 years, and you can clearly see a significant reduction. In fact, that exposed rock wasn't there years ago.

Benjamin Caceres is a marine biologist from the Magallanes region of Chile. He has dedicated his entire life to studying the flora and fauna of the

ends of the earth. And his concern is clear.

BENJAMIN CACERES, MARINE BIOLOGIST (through translator): Glaciers are tremendously important as reservoirs of fresh water. And unfortunately, due

to the global climate change crisis, we are losing them.

ULLOA (voice-over): In the middle of the Strait of Magellan, this place considered ancient by the Kawesqar indigenous people, has become a favorite

area for several species threatened by human action.

CACERES (through translator): The diversity is tremendous species of fish, super important to marine mammals such as the humpback whale. It is a

feeding ground for humpback whales, sea lions, Magellanic penguins, and countless other marine species that inhabit these waters.

ULLOA (voice-over): Here at Cabo Froward, Caceres and other scientists are seeking to create the world's southernmost national park with more than

120,000 hectares of which more than 93,000 were donated by the Rewilding Chile Foundation to the state which will help protect emblematic species

such as the huemul, the puma, the (INAUDIBLE), and the (INAUDIBLE).

CACERES (through translator): The most pressing threat today is increase in maritime traffic. Did you know that the Strait of Magellan is a super

important international passage just like the Panama Canal? And today it is the most pressing threat which continues to this day with collisions

between these ships and these whales.

ULLOA (voice-over): For Caceres, the situation could become even more complicated once the far-right Jose Antonio Kast takes office as president

of Chile. During his campaign, he expressed his opposition to environmental guidelines, describing them as merely ideologies. The Rewilding Chile

Foundation hopes that the park can be created in the next two years and that Kast government will not back down from the initiative.

[14:55:03]

CACERES (through translator): The future national park is a refuge for these species and for the ecosystems found there. With the status of

national park, we can help to conserve these species.

ULLOA (voice-over): A landscape that at first glance appears cold and inhospitable, but leaves no one indifferent.

MARTIN TEJEDA, JOURNALIST (through translator): I thought it was a unique experience that everyone should have at least once in their life.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It is so beautiful. I've never seen something like this.

TEJEDA (through translator): As a true Magellanic in love with my land and able to offer these experiences, bringing people to these places, which is

Patagonia at its finest, is a source of pride.

ULLOA (voice-over): For Caceres, the task ahead is decisive.

CACERES (through translator): I would like it to remain in balance so that future generations can enjoy it in a responsible way and see that the

populations of all the individuals here remain as they are today.

ULLOA (voice-over): A territory that captivated Charles Darwin two centuries ago and today presents experts with a continuing challenge to

protect the life of the entire local ecosystem.

For CNN, Cristopher Ulloa, Magallanes, Chile.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NEWTON: And I want to thank you for watching. Stay with CNN. I'll be back after a short break with "WHAT WE KNOW."

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