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CNN International: 16 More Hostages Released by Hamas Wednesday; Thai Hostages Arrive Home After Surviving Hamas Ordeal; UN Climate Conference Kicks Off in Dubai; U.S. Officials Charge Indian National in Murder-for-Hire Plot. Aired 4:30-5a ET

Aired November 30, 2023 - 04:30   ET

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

[04:30:00]

BIANCA NOBILO, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back to CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Bianca Nobilo.

MAX FOSTER, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Max Foster. If you're just joining us, let me bring you up to date with our top stories today.

Israel says it has notified the families of the hostages, expected to be released today by Hamas. This follows the last-minute extension of the six-day truce between the two sides.

Henry Kissinger, former U.S. Secretary of State and national security adviser to President Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford, has died at the age of 100. Kissinger became one of the most influential and controversial foreign policy figures in American history.

NOBILO: Israeli American dual citizen Liat Beinin was among the hostages freed on Wednesday. And U.S. President Joe Biden says he's quote deeply gratified for her release. CNN's MJ Lee has the details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MJ LEE, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Very welcome news for the White House on Wednesday, Liat Beinin, a dual Israeli American citizen released from Hamas's captivity in Gaza. She is the second American citizen after four-year-old. Abigail Edan was released on Sunday. President Biden, celebrating the news of her release after learning that she had arrived in Egypt.

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I talked with their mother and father. They're very appreciative and things are moving well. She'll soon be home with their three children.

LEE: There is one additional American woman that the White House has talked about that they believe is also being held hostage, but no word from the White House tonight on her condition or potentially the prospects of her being released as well. There are also seven other unaccounted for Americans at the White House has spoken of. They have said that they are all men, but of course, again, no word on their condition either.

This is one of the biggest reasons that U.S. officials are currently pushing for an extension of the current truce. They say the longer the truce, more time for more hostages to get out. But officials that we are speaking to, really emphasizing that this is a one day at a time kind of situation. They are very much focused on getting out all of the women and children hostages first. And then the attention will turn to men and soldiers as well as remains. The bodies of those that were killed in Gaza.

But we have reporting that discussions have already begun between U.S. and Israeli officials about what Israel's military operations will look like once the truce is over. With U.S. officials emphasizing that their military operations do need to be more deliberate, more precise, and more careful once the truce is over.

MJ Lee, CNN, the White House.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: A group of former hostages from Thailand back home after surviving seven weeks as captives in Gaza.

NOBILO: They landed a little over an hour ago at an airport in Bangkok. Hamas has released 23 Thai citizens who were taken hostage on October 7th. Most of them are believed to be migrant workers who went to Israel in search of a better life. But they ended up being caught up in the conflict between Israel and Hamas.

Manisha Tank has been following the story, and she joins us now live from Singapore. Manisha, I understand that this release was negotiated separately from the exchange that we've been seeing between Hamas and Israel. Do we understand how it came about?

[04:35:00]

MANISHA TANK, JOURNALIST: We don't have the details on it yet, but one of the countries that Thailand has been very grateful to has been Qatar for its role in helping them with this separate agreement that you speak of. So, I'm sure that more details will come out in time. But obviously the Thai Government is celebrating to some extent today. In fact, the Prime Minister has been speaking at a press conference. I'm getting -- I'm actually getting the reports second by second coming in from Bangkok.

He said -- he asked one of the released hostages if they knew the whereabouts of the remaining hostages. That is a very, very sensitive situation. And they said that they had no idea. The Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin also congratulated these seventeen former hostages who have now landed on Thai soil and welcomed them home, of course.

Now some of them have been reported to be moving on to other flights to their home provinces. And that's important to mention, because let's remember that many of them went to Israel in the first place in search of a better life. They are migrant workers and they've been, as you said, very much caught up in everything that has been happening over the last seven weeks or so. They could never have imagined the kind of chaos that they would have witnessed. And so there's going to be, understandably, sometime of rehabilitation and reconnection to the life that they have back home.

Just going on to tell you a little bit more about that press conference that's been happening. The Prime Minister and the Thai Foreign Minister have been thanking all of those countries that have been involved in that agreement and who have helped with the releases.

But also, we have to remember -- and I mentioned this just a second ago -- the situation over remaining captives is very sensitive. We know that nine Thai nationals remain hostages and it's very unclear where they are or what their situation might be. There are also six that are still in hospital. They're at the Shamir Medical Center in Israel. They are part of the original 23 that were released and this has all been happening within less than a week.

So, you can imagine it is still daytime here in South East Asia. As they were landing, they would have been able to see their homeland below them. One can only imagine the feelings that they must have been going through on returning home.

NOBILO: Manisha Tank in Singapore, thank you so much.

And Max, I was reading earlier that the mother of the only female who has so far been released by Hamas who was a Thai worker, has says that she's going to hold her homecoming ceremony when she comes back because apparently in Thai culture, when someone's been through a traumatic experience, they think the soul gets spooked. And this is a way to help it heal and return it. So, they're going to do that and cook lots of food and they're very, very excited.

FOSTER: We wish her well.

NOBILO: Absolutely. We do.

FOSTER: What a horrific experience.

NOBILO: Thank goodness for some good news.

Now, Elon Musk is getting something off his chest, and he's got former advertisers of his social media platform X in his sights.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ELON MUSK, OWNER , "X": If somebody going to try to blackmail me with advertising, blackmail me with money, go (bleep) yourself. But go (bleep) yourself. Is that clear? I hope it is.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: That was an interview at the New York Times Deal Book Summit. Some advertisers left X over his embrace of an anti-Semitic conspiracy theory. But at the same event Musk denied he intended to be anti- Semitic. Admitted it was foolish. He apologized for what he called his dumbest social media post ever.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) DANA HULL, REPORTER, BLOOMBERG: Musk is not always the most emotionally intelligent person. He's not always the best reader of the room. He tends to sort of shoot from the hip and say things without a filter, and that can backfire. Which we've seen kind of throughout his career.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: Well, this is the scene in Dubai as the 28th -

NOBILO: Well, the current is just us.

FOSTER: Yes, it's definitely not Dubai weather here.

NOBILO: No.

FOSTER: COP28 getting underway over there though. King Charles expected to address attendees during the opening ceremony. This year's summit has had a share of controversy. Leaked documents appear to suggest the conference's president intended to offer visiting officials oil and gas projects.

NOBILO: CNN's David McKenzie is in Dubai with the latest for us. David when I was -

FOSTER: There he is.

NOBILO: Yes, there he is. There's Dubai. David reading headlines this morning, one such as the president of COP28 in Dubai denies his country is using the meeting to make oil and gas deals. I mean, what a start to a COP summit.

DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, it is a controversial start. And unfortunately for the organizers, there were always going to be questions from activists and others that a major, the major climate conference, was being held in what is a Petro state in the UAE. For their part, the organizers say that they are here to try and help find solutions and not be part of the problem. And here is the Sultan denying those allegations that were in those leaked papers.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[04:40:00]

SULTAN AL JABER, COP28 PRESIDENT-DESIGNATE: These allegations are false, not true, incorrect, are not accurate. And it's an attempt to undermine the work of the COP28 presidency.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MCKENZIE: Well, certainly the organizers and the UN and others will hope that the focus shifts to the very difficult business here of actually making bold steps to solve this climate crisis - Bianca, Max.

FOSTER: Greta Thunberg famously said it was all blah, blah blah, didn't she? How do they counter that and actually show some progress with these events?

MCKENZIE: Well, there's a bit of a -- it is a bit strange having been in the field as it were covering extensively the impact of the climate crisis, particularly in the global South. It is strange for me to come to a big conference where 10s of thousands of people descend onto it to talk about the issues in conference rooms. However, it is a very critical meeting, where much of the action, as it were, happens behind closed doors. The United Nations and others are hoping for very concrete action, particularly on the issue of reducing emissions.

Now, according to their own reports, the UN says that the world is woefully inadequate in meeting those emissions gap. We are looking at an increasingly hot planet. This year alone is expected to be the hottest ever year on record and you will know that from living in the U.K. that this is not business as usual. They don't need small steps. They need bold action here at these meetings. And many are hoping that finally, maybe they might take those steps. Otherwise, this climate crisis will just get worse for all of us across the world - Bianca, Max.

FOSTER: We'll be following the progress. David, thank you so much for joining us from Dubai.

NOBILO: Coming up next, Finland feels off its entire eastern border with Russia. We'll look at what's behind that move and how the Kremlin is responding.

FOSTER: Reindeers allowed through -- I'm told.

And the prosecutors call it a murder for hire plot. For the second time in six months, we're learning of an alleged assassination attempt by the Indian government on North American soil.

[04:45:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NOBILO: Finland has closed the last operating checkpoint on its border with Russia in an effort to stem the flow of migrants. It will remain shut for two weeks and follows the closure of four other crossings sealing off Finland's eastern border with Russia. Which Max, as you probably know, is very, very long. It's 830 miles, I believe 100 and - 1,340 kilometers.

FOSTER: Big job.

NOBILO: Yes, big job.

FOSTER: Helsinki says the closures are to protect its national security from what it calls a Russian hybrid operation. Moscow has called the decision irrational and says Finnish citizens will suffer as a result.

Now we're learning more about an alleged murder for hire plot in the U.S. Federal prosecutors are charging a man from India in what they say is a plan to assassinate an American citizen. And say the man did so at the direction of an Indian government official.

NOBILO: The Indian government just said the allegations are quote, contrary to government policy and it formed a high-level inquiry committee to look into the matter. But the alleged plot is steeped in international political intrigue as CNN's Brian Todd explains.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRAIN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): For the second time in only about six months, we're learning of an alleged assassination attempt by the Indian government on North American soil.

According to an indictment unsealed on Wednesday, U.S. prosecutors have charged an Indian national in an alleged murder-for-hire plot against a Sikh activist in New York City. The indictment doesn't name the man who was targeted. But U.S. officials familiar with the case tell CNN he is Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, an activist who's been pushing for a separate Sikh state in India.

According to U.S. prosecutors, the man charged in the latest case, Nikhil Gupta, agreed to pay an undercover officer who he believed to be a hitman $100,000 to target the victim, and did so at the direction of an Indian government official.

ROBERT BAER, FORMER CIA OFFICER: You know, Brian, it's very sloppy, these things, and so risky especially from a country who's got good diplomatic relations with the United States. This is such slapstick Hollywood. I can't believe it.

TODD (voice-over): The suspect in this alleged plot was actually arrested back in June, around the same time as another alleged Indian assassination plot against a Sikh activist, which succeeded. Hardeep Singh Nijjar was gunned down near Vancouver, British Columbia, an attack which prompted Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to point the finger at the Indian government.

JUSTIN TRUDEAU, CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER: Canadian security agencies have been actively pursuing credible allegations of a potential link between agents of the government of India and the killing of a Canadian citizen.

TODD (voice-over): Why would the government of nationalist Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi try to kill Sikh activists who are thousands of miles away? Analysts say while some Sikhs are pushing for an independent Sikh state in India, they're not considered a major threat to Modi's power. Still --

MICHAEL KUGELMAN, THE WILSON CENTER: So, the Indian government, led by Prime Minister Modi, always wants to project strength. It wants to show that it is willing and able to go after any type of potential threat to the Indian state.

TODD (voice-over): "The Washington Post" reports that President Biden and his security team complained to Modi's government about the alleged plot in the U.S. and urged Modi to hold people accountable. But as for long-term consequences for Modi -- KUGELMAN: I would argue that the U.S. is willing to give some free passes to India that it wouldn't necessarily give many if not most other countries, because it views India as a critical partner to help the U.S. counter China.

TODD: The Indian government vehemently denied any involvement in the assassination in Canada. Regarding the alleged assassination plot in the U.S., the Indian Foreign Ministry issued a statement saying that the Indian government takes the information seriously and is investigating. But the statement didn't confirm or deny the existence of a plot or any Indian government involvement in it.

Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NOBILO: And this footnote for you. Pannun faces multiple charges from the Indian government. He runs a New York based group called Sikhs for Justice, which has held referendums calling for a separate Khalistan state. The Khalistan movement is outlawed in India and considered a grave national security threat by the government. A number of groups associated with the movement are listed as terrorist organizations, too, under India's unlawful Activities Prevention Act.

NOBILO: Still to come, Tiger Woods back on the golf course. We'll have details on his first competition in months. Just ahead.

[04:50:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FOSTER: The star quarterback for the New York Jets, Aaron Rodgers, has been cleared to return to practice just eleven weeks after surgery. Rodgers tore his Achilles tendon on his debut for the Jets against the Buffalo Bills in September. He had been ruled out for the year, but the team's head coach now says Rodgers will take part in limited practice sessions.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERT SALEH, HEAD COACH, NEW YORK JETS: The mindset for this is more of a progression in his rehab. And like I said, he's been cleared for functional football activity. He's not cleared to fully play football.

Aaron is not going to do anything that puts himself in harm's way. If he is not healthy to play, Aaron is very, very smart. That's not something he's going to put himself at risk for. With that said, though, he is driven, he is achieving things that have never been achieved with regards to this injury, and it's the progression with regard to rehab.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NOBILO: And another return in the sports world, this time in golf. Tiger Woods is set to play in his first competitive event since withdrawing from the Masters in April. He's competing in the Hero World Challenge for the 18th time. His first appearance there since 2019. Woods played in the Pro AM on Wednesday ahead of the tournaments Thursday start. And he is -- his game may still be rusty, but his ankle injury is much better.

FOSTER: Not as rusty as mine.

Stories in the spotlight this hour.

[04:55:00]

Fans of the mockumentary "This Is Spinal Tap," are getting ready to turn up the volume to 11.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is Spinal Tap.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's such a fine line between stupid and clever.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: A sequel to the 1984 Cult Classic begins shooting in February, according to Rob Ryan, who directed and starred in the original film.

Michael McKean, Christopher Guest and Harry Shearer are all set to return and Reiner says be on the lookout for some special guest appearances, including Elton John -- Sir Elton John and Paul McCartney.

FOSTER: Flash on our studio floor. He's a big fan and looks a bit like them.

NOBILO: He looks a lot like that central blonde character.

A famous Banksy mural could get a second lease on life, but it's a long shot.

FOSTER: Yes, it first appeared in Dover, England after the U.K. voted to leave the EU. City officials now say the building has been demolished years after the mural itself was whitewashed. But a demolition company says it has preserved some of the stars and other pieces of the artwork. And it's now checking if there is any way the mural can be somehow salvaged.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GROUP: 3, 2, 1, light her up. Yeah.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: That is, 50,000 lights and a crystal star. The annual Christmas Tree Lighting at New York's Rockefeller Plaza, the Norway spruce is towering 80 feet tall, nearly as big as Bianca's in West London.

NOBILO: I don't have any Christmas decorations. I'm not that kind of person.

FOSTER: You can out do that. I think you should.

NOBILO: There was plenty to keep the crowd entertained as they waited for the lighting with performances by the Radio City Rockettes, Barry Manilow and two other music legends.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DARLENE LOVE: Bring the soul What a happy song.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Cher, Darlene Love singing "Christmas baby Please Come Home." And did you know that Cher sang back up for Love on her recording of the same hit song 60 years ago? No, I wasn't born, I wasn't - didn't have the album.

NOBILO: I didn't know that.

FOSTER: Got to go, producer says in my ear. Thanks for joining us here on CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Max Foster.

NOBILO: And I'm Bianca Nobilo. I'm so happy to be back with you -- and you. "EARLY START" is up next.

FOSTER: In your Christmas.

[05:00:00]