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Biden Fulfills Pledge To Visit Africa, Begins 3-day Swing In Angola; Israeli Military Confirms Death of Omer Neutra, An American- Israeli Soldier, Killed In October 7 Attacks; Supreme Court Justices To Weigh How Far Equal Protection Goes For Transgender Youths; Stowaway Who Flew From NY To Paris Remains In France After Causing Disturbance On Would-Be Return Flight Back To U.S.; Shoppers Expected To Spend A Whopping $13.2B Today. Aired 2:30-3p ET

Aired December 02, 2024 - 14:30   ET

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

[14:30:00]

ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: -- a bilateral meeting.

And then deliver remarks at the National Museum of Slavery. Those remarks are intended to tie together the deep U.S. and Angolan relationship, which has a long, complicated history.

This museum overlooks the ocean, where many Africans were then shipped as slaves to America. So President Biden is expected to speak about that dark part of the history. But also the way forward.

Now on Wednesday, the president will be focusing on some of the U.S. investments when it pertains to infrastructure in this country. He will be touring the Lobito Corridor, as well as visiting a food processing facility as he's trying to highlight food insecurity as well.

A major part of this trip is highlighting that investment in the Lobito Corridor. That is an 1,800-mile railway project, which has yet to be finished, that's trying to connect interior Africa to the western ports to try to export critical minerals.

This is all moves being made in the face of Chinas growing influence in the region, with many experts saying that those investments from the Chinese, the billions of dollars that they've poured in here, is really leaving the U.S. and other countries to catch up.

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN HOST: Arlette Saenz, live for us in Angola following President Biden, thank you so much.

Brianna?

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN HOST: Today, the Israeli military confirming that an American-Israeli soldier, believed to have been held hostage in Gaza, has been killed. The IDF says 21-year-old captain, Omer Maxim Neutra, was killed on October 7th during the Hamas attack on Israel.

CNN's Jeremy Diamond is in Tel Aviv for us.

Jeremy, what else can you tell us about this?

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: Well, Omer Neutra was a tank commander in the Israeli military, and he was one of the first to respond to Hamas' October 7th attacks.

And the Israeli military is now confirming that he was, indeed, killed on that day, more than a year after the incident happened. And his body has been held hostage by Hamas in Gaza ever since then.

For his parents, of course, this was devastating news. They have held out hope for the last 14 months that their son was still alive.

Going to the White House as recently as within the last month, speaking with President Biden, advocating for the release of their son, who they hoped would safely return home.

This now leaves four out of the seven American hostages still being held captive by Hamas confirmed dead by the Israeli military, three of them still perhaps believed to be alive.

We heard from one of those Americans over the weekend, Edan Alexander, when Hamas released a hostage video of him in which he urges President-Elect Trump, as well as President Biden, to reach a deal to free him and the other hostages in the Gaza Strip. And indeed, that is now where the attention is turning.

In the wake of this fragile truce that has emerged between Israel and Hezbollah, there is increasingly a growing hope from Israeli and American officials that perhaps now Hamas will feel increasingly isolated and that a deal can be struck for a ceasefire and a hostage deal.

We are hearing now from President-Elect Trump, who seems to be trying to weigh in with an added layer of pressure as those negotiations appear to be restarting, although quietly.

President-Elect Trump saying in this Truth Social post that, "If the hostages are not released prior to January 20th, 2025, there will be all hell to pay in the Middle East."

And for those in charge who perpetrated these atrocities against humanity, he is vowing that, "The United States will hit them harder than anybody has been hit in the long and storied history of the United States" -- Boris, Brianna?

KEILAR: Jeremy Diamond, live for us from Tel Aviv, thank you.

[14:33:44]

The Supreme Court is hearing a case this week that could make history and set a precedent for transgender youths and their rights under the law for decades to come. Ahead, we're going to look at the arguments and what's at stake.

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[14:38:29]

SANCHEZ: One of the most closely watched cases for this term at the Supreme Court will be argued on Wednesday. And the case centers on an appeal from transgender youths who are challenging a Tennessee ban on their medical care.

KEILAR: This is a case that could have major consequences for the legal principles that prevent sex discrimination.

We have CNN chief Supreme Court analyst, Joan Biskupic, with us on this story.

Tell us about what this could mean.

JOAN BISKUPIC, CNN CHIEF SUPREME COURT ANALYST: Sure. First of all, there's a lot at stake for the transgender youths and their families.

It was three young people and their parents and a physician who sued the state of Tennessee for its law that prohibits the prescription of puberty blockers and other hormones for youths under age 18 who want to transition.

But more broadly, it has to do with fundamental principles of transgender rights. Because now, we have about 25 states that have passed these kinds of laws.

And we've seen the debate over transgender individuals just burst forth. For example, in President Trump's campaign, sports competitions, bathroom policies. So it's very relevant that way.

But it's also the first major transgender case to come before the court. And the justices are going to have to decide what level of constitutional scrutiny to apply here.

Now, bear with me. This is going to sound a little dry, but it's so crucial. Whenever the Supreme Court takes up a case involving equal protection of the law, it has to decide, how vulnerable is this group of people? And what kind of constitutional scrutiny should be applied?

[14:40:08]

For example, for sex discrimination, pure sex discrimination, they say heightened scrutiny should be applied. And that means that the government regulation has to -- the state would have to show that it has an important governmental reason for this to justify it.

If it's only like some economic run-of-the-mill regulation, they only have to show a rational basis that, somehow, it's rationally related to a legitimate governmental interest.

Here, the Biden administration and transgender rights advocates are saying this kind of discrimination should be likened to sex discrimination, which merits the higher scrutiny and these kinds of bans wouldn't be able to meet that.

But a lower court that ruled in this case, of this Tennessee law that the justices will be examining, said, no, this is -- this doesn't have to do with sex discrimination, even though it involves transgender individuals. It's more a regulation for medical care of people under age 18.

And the judge in the case said there is no reason to apply skeptical, rigorous or any other form of heightened review to these kinds of laws. And that's the core issue the justices are going to decide.

And however they decide, whether this is like sex discrimination or like some other kind of law, will then govern cases involving, not just youths, but adults, too. And what kind of regulations can be put on transgender individuals of all ages?

SANCHEZ: One of many big cases ahead this term.

Joan Biskupic, thank you so much.

BISKUPIC: Thank you.

SANCHEZ: So right after this, a stowaway managed to sneak onto a Delta flight and make it all the way from New York to Paris. We'll break down what she did that forced officials to remove her from a return flight.

Stay with us.

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[14:46:14]

KEILAR: A brand-new travel record. The Transportation Security Administration says it screened more than three million people at the nation's airports yesterday, which is the most ever in one day.

SANCHEZ: But you know who wasn't on one of those planes? A stowaway who somehow hopped aboard a Delta flight from New York to Paris last week. She was supposed to be back in the U.S. over the weekend, but she was removed from her return flight after she caused a disturbance.

CNN's Pete Muntean joins us now.

Pete, this is a saga at this point.

PETE MUNTEAN, CNN AVIATION CORRESPONDENT: A real saga. You know, a lot of big questions here, namely, how this woman was able to slip past at least part of TSA security screening and then slip through Delta gate agents.

We now know that the TSA has reviewed security video of this incident on Tuesday from inside of John F. Kennedy International Airport.

The TSA says, after reviewing that video, the woman was able to slip through the first step of TSA screening, the facial recognition I.D. scanners, known as cat two scanners.

Luckily, though, the stowaway's bags were screened after that. Nothing dangerous found there. Just two bottles of water.

But right now, the TSA says it's preparing a civil case against the stowaway.

Here's what the TSA tells me. "The TSA will open civil cases against passengers when there is evidence that procedures may have been violated."

MUNTEAN: Remember, the TSA cannot bring criminal charges, just civil penalties. It can refer or suggest criminal charges to the Justice Department or local law enforcement.

What remains a mystery right now is how this person was able to slip past a Delta gate agent at JFK and get down the jetway and onto the plane.

A source familiar with the incident tells me that the stowaway was able to evade detection on the plane by the flight crew, since the flight was not all that full.

Though, a passenger told CNN that the woman was able to hide by moving between the plane's bathrooms.

Still not clear when this woman will come back to the United States. The stowaway is between 55 and 60 years old. She has a Russian passport. And will soon be sent back to the United States, according to an airport official in Paris.

That airport official in Paris also tells us this woman is detained and could be detained for up to 20 days. But they hope that they can convince her to come back willingly.

If not, they may need to detain her and escort her. Our CNN team in Paris has learned. Right now, not fully clear when that will happen.

This woman was booted off that return flight by the flight crew for that second flight to come back here because she caused another disturbance.

KEILAR: Maybe doesn't want to come back.

I do wonder, and maybe they're not saying, how did she evade the facial recognition? I suspect they don't want to give people tips on that.

MUNTEAN: We have asked for the video. And we know that we that video is owned by the port authority of New York and New Jersey, which runs the airport. We would love to see it, of course. And we're asking for a Freedom of Information Act Request to get that video.

It sounds like she was just able to sort of slink past because it was a huge day for air travel. You know, Tuesday before Thanksgiving.

SANCHEZ: Slink past?

MUNTEAN: Yes, slink past. (CROSSTALK)

MUNTEAN: I mean, it was a huge day for air travel. There were a lot of people there. And made it all the way to the baggage screening portion of TSA.

Luckily, her bags were screened, although she herself was not. Not even clear if she had a boarding pass.

SANCHEZ: It wouldn't have happened if Pete Muntean was there.

(CROSSTALK)

(LAUGHTER)

MUNTEAN: If I was on the case.

(CROSSTALK)

MUNTEAN: Yes, thanks.

(LAUGHTER)

SANCHEZ: Pete Muntean, thank you.

MUNTEAN: Anytime.

[14:49:28]

SANCHEZ: So there are still several hours left in what is expected to be a record-breaking Cyber Monday. We'll -- we'll tell you which items to keep an eye on as tariffs now loom.

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KEILAR: Cyber Monday shoppers are expected to spend a record $13 billion.

Are you going to help with that and contribute?

SANCHEZ: I don't know. I've looked at some stuff. But I was looking at some sneakers that Evan Perez made fun of me, so I don't know.

KEILAR: I bought an Army jersey for the Army-Navy game, so I'm contributing.

They are looking for bargains. I didn't get one, I'm going to be honest, before they open their wallets.

SANCHEZ: So will these Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals get consumers attention?

Let's bring in CNN's Vanessa Yurkevich.

Vanessa, is Cyber Monday now the new Black Friday? VANESSA YURKEVICH, CNN BUSINESS & POLITICS CORRESPONDENT: It is

shaping up to be that way. We're expecting another record today, $13.2 billion in spending. That's up 6 percent from just last year.

And the key spending hours for Americans, when Americans are doing the most shopping today, between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. On average, Americans are going to be spending $15.7 million every single minute between those two hours.

Now, Black Friday didn't do so bad either. About $10.8 billion in spending. That's up about a billion from the year before.

And Thanksgiving, people we're shopping on Thanksgiving, about $6 billion there.

[14:54:59]

But some trends that we're seeing this year, it seems like a lot of people were waiting for these Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals. We're seeing robust spending.

We're seeing people shopping more right from their phones, not logging on to the computer anymore. More phone shopping.

And we're also seeing something called "Buy Now, Pay Later." About in the last month or so, $7.6 billion worth of spending in "Buy Now, Pay Later." A billion dollars' worth of that is going to be done just today.

That's sort of the modern-day layaway. You spend the money now, but you don't have to pay it off until a little bit later. Experts are warning that that could lead to some debt, so be careful with that.

KEILAR: Yes, for sure.

And tell us about the things that people should be thinking about buying now before tariffs that Trump has promised. We'll see if he makes good on that. But if he does, that could drive up prices.

YURKEVICH: Yes. If the added 10 percent tariff goes into effect on China, that will have a significant impact on some everyday items that Americans buy.

So the key things you want to take a look at getting this year around the holidays are household items like vacuum cleaners, kitchen appliances, some hair dryers.

Also shoes. So sneakers, Boris, if you're looking at those, might be a good time to get them. Gaming accessories. Of course, phones, cell phones and portable electronics, which are laptops and tablets as well.

And today is the day when retailers are offering the biggest sales on those electronics. So if you want to get ahead of the tariffs and get the bargain, today might be your day -- guys?

SANCHEZ: Vanessa, I appreciate that vote of confidence in my style choices.

What is Evan talking about?

(CROSSTALK)

SANCHEZ: Have you seen his shoes?

KEILAR: It's a good pick. I have seen -- I haven't seen his socks because he doesn't wear them.

SANCHEZ: Case in point.

KEILAR: Yes.

SANCHEZ: Vanessa Yurkevich, thank you so much for the update.

So first lady, Jill Biden, is now speaking out about her husband's decision to pardon their son, Hunter. Details on that in just moments.

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