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Netanyahu Says Mistaken Hostage Killings An "Unbearable Tragedy"; Palestinians Accuse Israeli Forces Of Abuse In Detention; Rudy Giuliani Ordered To Pay Nearly $150 Million In Defamation Case; Trump Administration Responsible For Missing Intel On Russia; Hamas Arrests In Germany, Terror Arrests In Denmark; Ukrainian Morale Suffers Hit With Delayed Foreign Aid; Prince Harry Wins Damages In Phone Hacking Case; LeBron Versus Wembanyama; Tiger And Charlie Woods Team Up. Aired 5-6a ET
Aired December 16, 2023 - 05:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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ISA SOARES, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT: Hello and welcome to our viewers in the United States and all around the world. I'm Isa Soares. Ahead on CNN NEWSROOM --
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SOARES (voice-over): -- outrage across Israel after the IDF mistakenly kills three hostages. What the families of those still being held by Hamas are saying about the tragedy.
Plus 17 million Americans are under a severe weather threat as heavy rain and wind is expected to slam into Florida and then up the East Coast this weekend. More on the timing of this major storm from the CNN Weather Center.
And Tiger Woods and his son, Charlie, set to compete at the PNC Championship this weekend. CNN's Andy Scholes joins me live to preview the father-son tournament.
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SOARES: It is 10:00 am here in London. Israel says residents in one southern Gaza neighborhood are being given a chance to gather much need supplies. Israel announced the temporary pause in operations in part of Rafah to allow civilians to replenish basic necessities like food and water.
In the meantime, the Hamas-controlled ministry of health says Israeli airstrikes in Northern Gaza killed at least 14 people. All this coming amid grief and outrage in Israel.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) SOARES (voice-over): Several dozen protesters marching overnight, the crowd chanting "Everyone now," demanding the government take immediate action to bring the remaining hostages home safely.
The protests erupted following the announcement that IDF soldiers mistakenly shot and killed three hostages in Gaza. You're looking a at them on the screen. After misidentifying them as a threat.
All three were kidnapped by Hamas during the October 7 terror attacks. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday described their deaths, quote, "an unbearable tragedy," and says Israel will learn the lessons of the incident.
The White House calls the deaths heartbreaking. A U.S. National Security Council spokesperson explained what officials might be able to glean from the incident.
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ADM. JOHN KIRBY (RET.), COORDINATOR FOR STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS, WHITE HOUSE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL: We should be careful of drawing too many firm conclusions here about what tragically happened today, which the Israelis acknowledged right away that they were responsible for this.
It's tragic, heartbreaking news for three families that are going to be getting the worst possible news that any family can get. We greave with them. We mourn with them and will pray for them.
I'm sure the Israelis will do the forensics on this. They will work through how this happened and how to learn lessons so it doesn't happen again. They too, just like us, they share a strong desire to get every single one of those hostages back home with their families safe and sound where they belong.
And we're going to continue to do what we can to help them achieve that. We still believe it's possible to get a pause in place, to get another exchange of hostages. And we're working on that by the hour.
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SOARES: Melissa Bell is following all the developments from Paris.
Good to see you. We'll get to the hostages in just a moment.
What more are you learning about the tactical pause in Rafah?
How are people being formed of this pause?
MELISSA BELL, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: That's one of the big concerns. We understand connectivity is completely down in the Gaza Strip and has been for more than 24 hours. It's unclear how people are going to get word of this pause.
It's also very short, four hours between 10:00 am and 2:00 pm, to allow people in that part of the district to get some much-needed food and water. It comes, as we understand, that the humanitarian situation continues to worsen.
We have been hearing over the course of the last day from a spokesman, who spent a week-long mission inside Gaza, who came out speaking of the terrible conditions, things he said he had never seen, neither the despair nor the devastation anywhere else in his time as a humanitarian aid worker.
Also speaking of the fact that Gazan children are now in danger from the skies, from disease on the ground and of -- in danger of dying from either thirst or hunger.
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BELL: It gives you an idea of just how desperate conditions are. And for the few people likely to get wind of this, how desperately needed a pause like this is.
SOARES: Let's talk about the hostage situation and the tragedy killing of the three Israeli hostages.
What is the reaction from the families of the loved ones who haven't been released here?
How concerned are they?
BELL: This takes their levels of concerns up, their levels of anger as well. The families of the hostages have been very vocal, making their anger plain, trying to get the release of the hostages even more so since the pause that allowed over 100 hostages to get out broke down.
The families of the Israeli men haven't even any loved ones get out of Gaza. In the wake of that killing, we heard, not just seen, not just more families of hostages on the streets but heard a little bit more of their anger. Have a listen.
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ZOHAR AVIGDORI, RELATIVE OF TAL SHOHAM: My reaction first of all was grief. These are families that I know personally and people that have been waiting so hopefully for their loved ones to return.
And to me, it struck me in the heart, showing that there's got to be a deal to bring them back. And we have to do more things to help these people get out of this.
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BELL: For the time being, very little sign that the talks will be able to resume, both from the Israeli and the Palestinian side. The conditions are not in place that they may resume.
SOARES: Melissa Bell in Paris, thank you so much.
A cousin of one of the Israelis still held captive in Gaza spoke with CNN earlier. He says he's not surprised hostages were mistakenly killed during the offensive. Have a listen. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GIL DICKMANN, COUSIN OF HAMAS HOSTAGE: We knew this would happen. We warned that that was going happen. And now we are keeping on the warning.
This is going to happen again if we don't change what we're doing. Israel must put an initiative on the table right now to get all the hostages back from Gaza because it's impossible to fight a war in these conditions.
It's clear now, the fact that only three hostages were killed and the people that I got to know their families and my heart goes to them and to the soldiers, who didn't mean to hurt innocent hostages. The fact that it's only three is, in a way, lucky.
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SOARES: He went on to say that Israel should not be willing to sacrifice the lives of hostages in order to eliminate Hamas and that bringing them home safely needs to be the top priority.
Hundreds of people gathered to mourn Al Jazeera journalist Samer Abu Daqqa in Gaza on Saturday after he died after being wounded in an Israeli airstrike in Khan Yunis. His body was wrapped in a white cloth and carried from hospital to a nearby cemetery, along with his press vest, as you can see there, and helmet.
Al Jazeera is accusing Israel of targeting its journalists, saying, quote, "the network holds Israel accountable for systemically targeting and killing Al Jazeera journalists and their families."
We're about to show you video of Samer Abu Daqqa's body arriving at the hospital after the airstrike on Friday. We must warn you that it is graphic.
He is the first Al Jazeera journalist to be killed since this war began and that is according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. The group says four others have been injured. CNN cannot independently verify the allegation made by Al Jazeera and have reached out to the Israeli military for comment.
Some Palestinian civilian men and boys are revealing allegations of abuse, torture and humiliating treatment while being detained by Israeli forces. The Israeli military denies those claims. CNN's Jeremy Diamond has the story.
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JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Bruised, lacerated and swollen, these are the hands of Nimir Abu Raz (ph) after he was detained for five days by Israeli forces.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): These are from the plastic wires. We were handcuffed behind our backs. DIAMOND: His wounds are not unique in this corner of Gaza's Al-Aqsa
Martyrs hospital. Here, six boys and four men, their hands numbered with red marker, were being treated hours after Israeli forces released them without charge.
Mahmoud is just 14 years old.
MAHMOUD ZENDAH, 14, ISRAELI MILITARY DETAINEE (through translator): This is from the boots.
DIAMOND: He and his father were detained by Israeli soldiers in the Al Zaitoun neighborhood of Gaza City where the Israeli military has been engaged in heavy fighting with Hamas.
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ZENDAH: They would tie your hands behind your back. Depending on the mood of one of them, they would come quick you with their boots. I didn't do anything to him. He just decided to come and kick me.
DIAMOND: Mahmoud and his father are among hundreds of Palestinian boys and men, many of them identified by their relatives or employers as civilians, who have been blindfolded, stripped and detained over the last week.
MOHAMMED ODEH, 16, ISRAELI MILITARY DETAINEE (through translator): They put us on the floor and put their feet on our heads. They would ask, are you Hamas and beat us. When we wanted to sleep, we couldn't because it was so cold. When we asked for something to wear or cover ourselves with, they would beat us.
DIAMOND: The 10 boys and men who spoke to CNN described nearly identical accounts of abuse. Several said they were not allowed to go to the bathroom, made to sleep on grains of rice on the floor and given little to no food or water.
A day after he arrived at the hospital, 40-year-old Mahmoud Azlin (ph) can barely stand. His relatives say he's diabetic and had no access to insulin during his five-day detention.
DR. KHALIL AL DAQRAN, SPOKESPERSON, AL-AQSA MARTYRS HOSPITAL (through translator): All arrived psychologically and physically exhausted. There were signs of torture in the arms and signs off beatings all over their bodies.
DIAMOND: In a statement, the Israeli military said it was detaining individuals expected of involvement in terrorist activity and those who are found not to be taken part in terrorist activities are released.
The IDF said the individuals detained are treated in accordance with international law and it strives to treat any detainee with dignity. Any incident with which the guidelines were not followed will be looked into.
A spokesman for the Israeli military declined to address specific allegations of mistreatment or provide an explanation for the detention of the 10 boys and men interviewed by CNN.
OMAR SHAKIR, ISRAEL AND PALESTINE DIRECTOR, HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH: International law is quite clear that you can only detain civilians when absolutely necessary for imperative reasons of security.
Whether the detention is of a civilian or a combatant, the law protects those in detention and custody against degrading and humiliating treatment and outrageous and personal dignity.
DIAMOND: For 14-year-old Ahmad, the trauma is not just physical.
AHMAD NIMER SAIMAN ABU RAS, 14, ISRAELI MILITARY DETAINEE (through translator): I don't want to speak. I'm afraid.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What are you afraid of?
SAIMAN: I'm scared of the Israelis. I don't want them to do something to us.
DIAMOND: With his father's permission, he adds his story to the allegations of abuse -- Jeremy Diamond, CNN, near the Israel-Gaza border.
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SOARES: Later in the show, arrests in Germany and Denmark including suspected members of Hamas. I'll talk to a former French intelligence agent about the risk of a terror attack in Europe.
Rudy Giuliani, the man once known as America's mayor, is now on the hook for nearly $150 million. After more than 10 hours of deliberations, a Washington jury ordered Giuliani to pay more than $148 million in damages to the two Georgia election workers he defamed following Donald Trump's 2020 presidential defeat.
Upon leaving the court on Friday, Giuliani mocked the verdict and says he plans to appeal the judgment. CNN's Katelyn Polantz reports from Washington.
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KATELYN POLANTZ, CNN SENIOR CRIME AND JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: So $148 million, this is the amount a federal jury in this courthouse on Friday decided Rudy Giuliani should have to pay.
So the former mayor of New York, the former lawyer to Donald Trump in the 2020 election, he was on trial because he defamed two women repeatedly after the 2020 election. Those women are Shaye Moss and Ruby Freeman, a mother and daughter.
They were absentee ballot counters in the state of Georgia, after the election counting those ballots mailed in for the vote. And Giuliani and others accused them of switching votes or stealing votes.
Those were absolute lies. That has been determined by this court. So the trial, this entire week in Washington, D.C., was about how much in damages Rudy Giuliani should be facing because of the repeated lies he made. The jury's ultimate conclusion was a very astounding number in a lot of ways.
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And that's a quite significant number, $148 million for any defamation case against an individual. And it is a sizable amount for the former mayor of New York. It's not about the money, though. Here is what Freeman and Moss had to say after court after the verdict was read.
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SHAYE MOSS, PLAINTIFF: The flame that Giuliani lit with those lies and passed to so many others to keep that flame blazing changed every aspect of our lives -- our homes, our family, our work, our sense of safety, our mental health.
RUBY FREEMAN, PLAINTIFF: I want people to understand this: money will never solve all of my problems. I can never move back into the house that I called home. I will always have to be careful about where I go and who I choose to share my name with.
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POLANTZ: Within that $148 million damages finding by the jury, there was $75 million of it that the jury said was specifically owed to these women to punish Giuliani and deter him and others from continuing to do what he is doing.
But Giuliani, after court, he essentially said he is ready to keep fighting. He wants to appeal. Here's what he had to say outside the courthouse.
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RUDY GIULIANI, FORMER TRUMP ATTORNEY: Certainly, we'll appeal. The absurdity of the number merely underscores the absurdity of the entire proceeding.
QUESTION: Do you have any regrets about some of the comments that the women received?
GIULIANI: Well, of course. The comments they received I had nothing to do with. Those comments are abominable. They are deplorable. No defense to it. But I receive comments like that every day
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POLANTZ: It doesn't appear he has a lot of legal options to really escape a judgment like this. He will be able to appeal but he may have to start putting up money quite quickly. Their lawyers, Freeman's and Moss' lawyers, are going to try and claim money from Giuliani very fast. They are going to try to collect.
But Giuliani has said repeatedly that he is broke. He has nothing to pay. He's trying to sell an apartment he owns in New York City for $6.1 million. It hasn't been sold since it's been listed for a couple months. He has no other money to be paying lawyers or do other things.
So there is still a question of exactly how much money these two women will be seeing out of Rudy Giuliani, someone who is quite powerful after the 2020 election and for many years in this country.
But they say it never was about just money alone and what they could be rewarded. It was about sending a message, that people with a platform like his should know better and should not do these sorts of things to harass workers of elections and people who would be participating in elections -- Katelyn Polantz, CNN, Washington.
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SOARES: Coming up next, leaving a mystery in his wake. CNN learns about a key folder of Russian intel that vanished in the final days of the Trump administration.
Plus the threat of flooding and power outages as a strong storm heads toward Florida and the East Coast.
When can people expect to see it?
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CHAD MYERS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: A storm developing in the Gulf of Mexico right now will roll across Florida this afternoon, up the East Coast and into New England by Monday. Forecast is coming up.
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SOARES: Some 17 million people are under threat of severe weather today as a powerful storm system threatens Florida and the entire East Coast. The possibility of flooding and severe winds already prompting Florida's governor to activate the National Guard. Tens of thousands of homes and businesses could lose power.
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SOARES: A CNN investigation has found, in the final days of the Trump administration, a binder of U.S. and NATO-led intelligence about Russia went missing from the White House. Sources tell CNN that the file contained information about the U.S. government assessment that Vladimir Putin had sought to help Trump win the 2016 election.
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CNN's Katie Bo Lillis has the latest on the mystery of the missing intel binder. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KATIE BO LILLIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: So this binder that was brought to the White House contained raw intelligence that the U.S. and NATO allies collected on Russia's efforts to meddle in the 2016 election, including sources and methods, some of the most sensitive information in the intelligence world.
What we're talking about here is the underlying intelligence that formed the basis of the U.S. government's assessment that Vladimir Putin sought to help Trump win the 2016 election.
The disappearance of this binder was so alarming to intelligence officials that they briefed Senate Intelligence Committee leadership about the situation last year and were told by one U.S. official familiar with the matter that this was not among the classified items found in last year's search of Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate.
So more than two years later, it appears this binder is still missing. But my colleagues and I closely followed the trail of this intelligence from the CIA to the White House. Trump had spent years trying to declassify material that he said would prove his claims that the Russia investigation was a hoax.
And this intelligence was part of a massive collection of documents that he ordered brought to the White House. There was a sort of frantic scramble in the final days of the administration to redact them, so they could be declassified and released publicly.
Now on his last full day as president, Trump did issue a declassification order for some of the materials and the FBI has published some of it on its website. But after that, things get a little murky.
We don't know what happened to the binder that went missing. there is one theory that has emerged from testimony from Cassidy Hutchinson, the former top aide to former chief of staff, Mark Meadows.
She told the January 6th committee that she was, quote, "almost positive" it went home with Mr. Meadows. She said it had been kept in a safe in Meadows' office when it was not being worked on.
And she also wrote about this in her new book, claiming that, on January 19th, the final night of the Trump presidency, that she saw Meadows leave the White House with an unredacted binder, quote, "tucked under his arm."
Now Mark Meadows' attorney strongly denies this. He said in a statement, quote, "Mr. Meadows was keenly aware of and adhered to requirements for the proper handling of classified material.
"Any such material that he handled or was in his possession has been treated accordingly. And any suggestion that he is responsible for any missing binder or other classified information is flat wrong."
So at this point the mystery of this missing binder remains just that, a mystery -- Katie Bo Lillis, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SOARES: Still to come, suspected members of Hamas are arrested in Germany. And Denmark is searching for more terrorism suspects. What it could mean for security in Europe.
Plus another major batch of aid for Ukraine has been put on hold just as Kyiv faces a tough winter in its war with Russia. Now Ukrainian troops in the trenches start to feel the impact.
Both those stories, after this break. You're watching CNN NEWSROOM.
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SOARES: Welcome back to our viewers in the United States and around the world. I'm Isa Soares and this is CNN NEWSROOM. More on our top story this hour.
Israel says its military is taking a, quote, "tactical pause" in operations today in Rafah in Southern Gaza for humanitarian purposes. Israel says the pause is meant to allow civilians to replenish basic supplies, such as food and water.
In addition, Israel says it will allow humanitarian aid to cross directly into Gaza from Israeli territory.
Meanwhile, Israel's military is investigating after its soldiers mistakenly shot and killed three Israeli hostages in Gaza. The IDF says the three hostages were misidentified as a threat during a military operation in northern Gaza.
Three suspected members of Hamas who were detained in Germany on Thursday were formally arrested on Friday.
Germany's federal prosecutor says they are, quote, "long standing members of Hamas" and have participated in Hamas operations abroad.
They and another suspect arrested in the Netherlands are accused of trying to gather weapons for possible attacks on Jewish institutions in Europe.
Meantime in Denmark, authorities are searching for four additional terrorism suspects who are still at large. They are connected to four others who were arrested Thursday for terrorism offenses.
Israeli security services claim the terrorists are acting, quote, "on behalf of Hamas." Danish authorities have not revealed details of charges. The Danish prime minister says arrests are, quote, "extremely serious." Have a listen. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
METTE FREDERIKSEN, PRIME MINISTER OF DENMARK (through translator): For a number of years now, we can see there's some people who live in Denmark who do not wish us well.
Who are against our democracy and are against our freedom and against Danish society and everything that comes with it, including happiness and good things, freedom and equality between genders. And we have seen a readiness earlier.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: Let's get more on this story. Joining us is Claude Moniquet, the president of the European Strategic Intelligence and Security Center and a former intelligence agent.
Claude, good morning to you. Thank you for taking the time to speak to us.
As we have outlined for our viewers, these arrests in Denmark and Germany, what do you make of these arrests in Europe and the timing of this?
CLAUDE MONIQUET, PRESIDENT, EUROPEAN STRATEGIC INTELLIGENCE AND SECURITY CENTER: The timing is very significant. It was made extremely by the Danish and German special services and police forces.
It was done in a coordinated manner between Denmark and Germany. And this is clearly to prove that the authorities were worried they will try to add swiftly and very soon. It is extremely (INAUDIBLE) that it will be the first time we catch Hamas in Europe. Usually they are using Europe for financing or for propaganda.
SOARES: I wonder it you could expand on that. Historically, Hamas hasn't shown much of an interest in carrying out terrorist attacks outside of Israel.
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So this would be a departure from them in Europe.
How would you interpret these terror plots in terms of the scope but also in terms of their capability?
MONIQUET: It's extremely difficult to assess for the moment. We know it's what the German authorities say, that is the true (INAUDIBLE) of the sale in Germany, (INAUDIBLE), were tasked with finding an arm depot, an arm cache put out by Hamas some times ago. So that's the first indication.
It indicates that Hamas was preparing already terrorist attack in Europe. The second point is that the German authorities were wanted by friendly (INAUDIBLE) intelligence services. So last February.
So it could indicate that the time Hamas was planning the attack, (INAUDIBLE), there were also plenty other attacks between Jewish and Israeli ties in Europe. And the third point, of course, is that (INAUDIBLE) is the first time that we find Hamas in a terrorist action outside Israel. And of course, this has been a lot.
SOARES: That's the concerning part. Sir Alex Younger, who is the former head of the MI-6, told British media that the intelligence community will be fearful of a glide path toward radicalization in the U.K.
We saw what took place during the invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan.
So what are the challenges for authorities and for the countless Jewish institutions around Europe?
MONIQUET: In the case you mentioned, with Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria, and so on, the (INAUDIBLE) in Europe had the possibility to join the jihads on the solid air (ph) outside Europe in the Middle East or in West Agir (ph) within Afghanistan.
In the case of Hamas, they have absolutely no possibility to join the jihads or to join the fight in the Gaza Strip. It's completely blocked and (INAUDIBLE) by Israeli intelligence forces.
So if they want really to join the actions of Hamas, the only solution they have is to do it in Europe. And that's extremely worrying because in favor of going to Gaza, they will try to hit a Jewish synagogue in Brussels or Milano or London, an Israeli embassy of (INAUDIBLE) in Europe.
It's a direct threat against Europe and not only (INAUDIBLE) interests in Europe.
SOARES: Yes, very worrying indeed. Claude Moniquet, Always appreciate you giving your analysis and expertise. Thank you very much.
MONIQUET: Thank you, Isa.
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SOARES: Ukraine says it has largely foiled a barrage of Russian drones fired overnight. The Ukrainian air force says it shot down at least 30 drones that went after targets across the country, including Kyiv. Only one Russian drone may have gotten through, according to the statement.
Officials say some debris fell on Kherson, damaging at least two buildings and causing a fire. So far, there are no injuries. Reports came after Russia claimed it destroyed more than 30 Ukrainian drones over Crimea on Friday night.
Ukraine's uphill battle to get foreign aid for its war effort has just gotten even steeper. On Friday, Hungary blocked the next batch of European aid worth $55 billion at an E.U. summit. All the other 26 E.U. countries support the aid package. The impasse in Brussels comes with an even bigger round of U.S. aid being held up in Congress. And after Western military officials warned that Ukraine could
eventually lose the war without more aid, some E.U. leaders say they have other options to approve money for Ukraine. Others say they will see the issue when they meet again next year.
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CHARLES MICHEL, EUROPEAN COUNCIL PRESIDENT: I would like to repeat we're extremely optimistic we will be in a position to fulfill on our promises to support Ukraine. (INAUDIBLE) in the West. I'm confident that the decision will be formalized.
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SOARES: The international aid has stalled just as Ukraine needs it most. The country is facing what's expected to be another hellish winter when Western intelligence officials believe Russia will once more unleash attacks on energy infrastructure. As Nick Paton Walsh reports, Ukraine's will to fight is already taking a hit.
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NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Even if U.S. and E.U. billions do end up finding their way to Ukraine, the damage of this delay on both parts has been to Ukrainian morale. This has been a ghastly summer for Ukrainian troops, trying to prosecute a counteroffensive that hasn't had the success they wanted.
Now they face a winter where their invigorated Russia, using everything they possibly can -- Drones, prisoners -- to attack their positions. But no longer, do they feel that the pretty much the West unified has their back.
That is essentially the big change this week. I think it will slowly deteriorate Ukraine's readiness here. It is going to be a very difficult winter. But it is going to be, frankly, impossible to continue their defense, if the U.S. and E.U. money dries up.
One medic I spoke to, who had lost a friend in the last month, he said to me, without this aid, we are finished.
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SOARES: That's Nick Paton Walsh for us in Ukraine.
Still to come, we are learning more about what led to the death of "Friends" superstar Matthew Perry. When we continue, a closer look at the autopsy results just released.
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(MUSIC PLAYING) SOARES: The publisher of British tabloid, the "Daily Mirror," has apologized to Prince Harry for using unlawful methods to gather information about his private life. The U.K. high court ruled Friday he was a victim of, quote, "extensive phone hacking by journalists working for the Mirror Group newspapers."
Prince Harry was awarded nearly $180,000 in damages. Here's what he said through his lawyer.
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DAVID SHERBORNE, PRINCE HARRY'S LAWYER: Today's ruling is vindicating and affirming. I have been told that slaying dragons will get you burnt. But in light of today's victory and the importance of what is -- doing what is needed for a free and honest press.
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It is a worthwhile price to pay. The mission continues.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: The autopsy report of the late "Friends" star, Matthew, Perry has been released. It reveals he died of the acute effects of ketamine and subsequent drowning. According to the autopsy, Perry's live-in assistant found him unresponsive in the pool of his Malibu home. CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta takes a closer look at the report here.
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DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Sadly, here's what we do know after reading this 30-page report from the medical examiner's office. They list acute effects of ketamine as the cause of his death, Matthew Perry's death, along with drowning, coronary artery disease and buprenorphine effects.
To give you some context of the ketamine, the dosing that they found, the levels that they found were around 3,200 nanograms per milliliter. To tell you what that means, sometimes ketamine can be used in anesthesia and typically the levels there are seen between 1,000 and 6,000.
So he had a lot of ketamine in his system. A couple of important points, it is still incredibly rare, even at those levels, for someone to die of ketamine intoxication. Unfortunately, he was also in the swimming pool at the time. And it sounds like that, in combination with the ketamine, is likely what led to his death.
As one medical examiner told us, the ketamine probably is not what ended up killing him but made it more possible for him to drown. That is kind of what we know at this point.
They do know that some ketamine was found in his stomach, which suggests he swallowed it. Ketamine can be taken in swallowing it, you can snort it, you can inject it. And there's different rates of onset. Injection is obviously the fastest. If you swallow it, it can take a half hour to an hour for it to take
effect. It's possible he took this ketamine before it really took any effect. He was in the swimming pool. The ketamine caused a significant disassociation, which is what it typically does.
And that's ultimately what led him to drown. He also had buprenorphine in his system, which is a synthetic opioid. We don't know why he was taking these together. But at times buprenorphine can actually be used to help dampen some of the hallucinogenic effects of something like ketamine.
It's a sad story. It's just sad all around. But this is what the medical examiner has concluded, that ketamine, in conjunction with him being in a swimming pool, is most likely what led to his death.
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SOARES: Thanks to Dr. Sanjay Gupta.
A short break. We're back on the other side.
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SOARES: Turning to sports, a special night in the NBA as LeBron James took the court against the next generation of talent for the first time. Andy Scholes joins me now.
Fans, I believe, had been waiting for this matchup. They had it circled on their calendar for some time.
How did it go?
ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORT CORRESPONDENT: Everyone has been waiting for LeBron versus Wembanyama. LeBron has been playing in the NBA longer than Victor has been alive. This is his 21st season. Wemby is 19 years old.
So this is the first time they squared off. Wemby's 7'4", guarding LeBron in the corner here. But LeBron skies a 3 over him. LeBron had 23 points. The Spurs were running an 18-game losing streak going into this one but a slam there.
Lakers were without three start starters, including Anthony Davis. They weren't able to overcome it. Win for the first time since November 2nd, 129-115. Here's Wemby afterwards on facing LeBron.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VICTOR WEMBANYAMA, SAN ANTONIO SPURS CENTER: Just awestruck. (INAUDIBLE). UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Like people are when they see you.
WEMBANYAMA: I mean, I would have thought I would feel some type of way. But honestly, on the court, I was just trying to win, trying to defend and make the right play. So I didn't have no feelings on the court.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHOLES: Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant meeting with the media yesterday. This was the first time he spoke in public since being suspended 25 games for flashing a gun on social media. He said the ban has been tough but he's grateful for the support he's received.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JA MORANT, MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES GUARD: It's been tough. A lot of learning. A lot of teaching. It's been a process. Obviously, I wouldn't say I regret it but I'm not happy that it happened.
But I'm also grateful that I had this opportunity to reflect and do things that I felt like was not only needed for me but for my family, for us to realize pretty much what's all at stake.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHOLES: He will be able to play Tuesday against the Pelicans.
Tiger Woods is going to be teeing up it up with his son, Charlie, in the PNC Championship in Florida. The two out there on the course for the pro am yesterday. Charlie now 14 years old and is quite the golfer himself. Tiger says he always loves this weekend.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TIGER WOODS, PRO GOLFER: It's been fun. It's been fun for both of us. We have fed off of our competitive nature. And we really push each other to become better. It's a fun atmosphere. We keep it light and enjoyable.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHOLES: I always love watching this tournament every year. My favorite part is when Tiger hits a bad shot.
[05:55:00]
SCHOLES: And his son, Charlie, just looks at him like, come on, dad.
SOARES: Can you imagine the competition between those two?
(CROSSTALK)
SCHOLES: And imagine the pressure Charlie has always had to be a good golfer and he is. So that makes it so much cooler.
SOARES: Andy, appreciate it. Great to see you. Thank you very much.
Actor and author Mayim Bialik will no longer serve as "Jeopardy" cohost. Bialik announced the news on Friday, saying that Sony, which produces the TV show, made the decision.
Former "Jeopardy" champ Ken Jennings will be the sole host moving forward. Bialik and Jennings had been sharing hosting duties since 2021 following the death of the long-time host, Alex Trebek.
Before we go, if the past year has taught us anything, it's the power of Taylor Swift. Hear how she inspired one family to make this the holiday era a Swiftness to remember.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
AMY SCOTT, SWIFTIE: I went and saw the Eras tour movie with my girlfriends. I walked out knowing that we hadn't created our scene for our lights display. I had this idea that we could represent her Eras on our front lawn for our Christmas lights display this year.
So I brought the idea home to my family and they loved it right away.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: Free advertising there. Decorating the house was a family affair. She say it is began the process in late November when her daughters were home for Thanksgiving break. She credits her husband for bringing her vision to life.
That looks phenomenal.
That wraps this hour of CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Isa Soares. For viewers in North America, "CNN THIS MORNING" is next. For the rest of the world it's "AFRICAN VOICES: CHANGEMAKERS." Have a wonderful day.
