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Israeli Anger Intensifies Over Hostage Deaths; Powerful Storm Slams Florida; Outrage Over Online "Suicide Kits"; Israel-Hamas War; Hostage Negotiations Still Ongoing, According to Netanyahu; 27-Year- Old, Inbar Haiman, Israeli Captive Died in Gaza; Shooting of Hostages has Put Pressure on Netanyahu; Growing New Challenges in Ukraine; Russia's War on Ukraine; At Least 30 Out of 31 Drones Intercepted by Kyiv's Air Defense System; Drone Strike on Odessa Killed One Person; Russian-Controlled Donetsk Oil Reserve Shelled; Western Lawmakers Unable to Achieve Agreement on Ukraine Assistance; Interview with Kyiv School of Economics President And Former Ukrainian Minister of Economic Development and Trade Tymofiy Mylovanov; Homelessness Surges in the U.S.; Protests Held in Israel Against the Death of Hostages; Call for "Sustainable" Truce by U.K. and German Diplomats; Discussions on Ukraine and Israel Aid to Reconvene; 2024 United States Presidential Election; Trump Continues Anti-Immigrant Remarks During a Campaign Event; Embezzlement Conviction for Senior Italian Cardinal; Matthew Perry's Autopsy Results Show Ketamine in His System; Canadian Man Charged with Murder for Selling "Suicide Kits" Online; Israeli Mossad Leader Meets with PM of Qatar to Continue Hostage Negotiations; Parts of China Experiencing Severe Winter. Aired 4-5a ET

Aired December 17, 2023 - 04:00   ET

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

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[04:00:00]

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NICK WATT, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Welcome to all of you watching here in the United States, Canada, and around the world. I'm Nick Watt. Ahead on "CNN Newsroom."

Israelis vent their anger toward their government after word that three hostages were waving a white flag before they were killed by IDF troops.

Mother nature wallops Florida with a powerful storm, slamming the sunshine state with wind and rain, and it's heading north.

And toxic packages sold online. Families who lost loved ones demand change, saying their suicides could easily have been prevented.

We begin in Israel, where the families of some hostages held in Gaza are demanding a new plan to bring them home. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appears to suggest that talks could be underway in an effort to get more hostages released.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER (through translator): Without the military pressure, we would not have succeeded in creating an outline that led to the release of 110 hostages, and only continued military pressure will lead to the releases of all of our hostages. My directive to the negotiating team is based on this pressure. Without which, we would have nothing.

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WATT: He spoke publicly for the first time since IDF troops mistakenly killed three Israeli hostages while they were shirtless and waving a white flag. Israel's military now says it had no advanced intelligence about those hostages and that soldiers did not expect to be approached by them. A preliminary review of the incident has been completed by the IDF and CNN is working to obtain that.

Meanwhile, a source tells CNN that Israel's spy chief, Mossad director David Barnea, is expected to meet Qatar's foreign minister in Europe and continue talks about hostages. It's unclear if that meeting might actually already have happened. But in Israel, the deaths of those three hostages have created a political firestorm for Mr. Netanyahu, with protests continuing into a second day on Saturday.

And Israel has lost another hostage who was being held in Gaza. The Prime Minister's office says, 27-year-old Inbar Haiman has died. She's believed to be at least the 21st hostage to die in Gaza. And as Alex Marquardt reports, some protesters in Israel believe it's time to change strategy for dealing with this hostage crisis.

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ALEX MARQUARDT, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: In the wake of the tragic deaths of three Israeli hostages killed by Israeli soldiers in Northern Gaza, a large crowd gathered in downtown Tel Aviv on Saturday night in what has become known as the Hostages' Square to demand that the rest of the hostages in Gaza come home. Demand that the Netanyahu government does more.

I spoke with a number of relatives of hostages, some who have been released and some who remain in Gaza, who say that Prime Minister Netanyahu needs to be more proactive and put a plan on the table, prioritize, the release of these hostages over the military operation. Here's what the cousin of one of the hostages had to tell me.

GIL DICKMAN, COUSIN OF HOSTAGE: But I believe that such a tragedy that could have been prevented by a deal between Israel and Hamas, they must change things now. They must pick a different course. And I think it's possible.

MARQUARDT: We also heard from Prime Minister Netanyahu expressed much of what the country is now feeling that the three men were so close to being free after more than two months in captivity. Netanyahu saying that we were so close to embracing them, but we cannot turn back time. He again argued that it is the military operation that led to the initial wave of hostages who were freed, and it is the military pressure that will help get more hostages released. But I spoke with the daughter of a hostage who was released several weeks ago, who said that in light of what happened on Friday with the killing of those three hostages, they are now afraid for the lives of those who remain in Gaza.

[04:05:00]

MAAYAN SIGAL KOREN, FAMILY MEMBERS HELD HOSTAGE: They heard all the bombing and they were very, very frightened that the bombing will be falling on them, that they will die from the army missiles --

MARQUARDT: The shelling.

KOREN: Yes. And they were very -- they told us they, they don't -- didn't believe that the army really knew where they are because they were shooting very, very close and they heard all the loud noises of that bombing. And I really think that we should do anything to stop the war.

MARQUARDT: The IDF is taking full responsibility for the deaths of these three Israeli hostages, all men in their mid to late 20s. They say that the hostages did everything right to prove that they weren't militants, and that the soldiers violated the rules of engagement. At the same time, the IDF is saying that this is a very chaotic tense situation with lots of terrorists trying to attack IDF troops wearing civilian clothing.

The three Israeli hostages emerged from a building near the soldiers' position. They had no shirts on. They were trying to show that they didn't have explosives. They were waving a white flag. And in firing on the hostages with a white flag, that's when the troops violated the rules of engagement. Two of the hostages were immediately killed. A third, was killed later after he had run into a nearby building and was shouting in Hebrew. Their bodies were taken back to Israel and they were confirmed to be the bodies of the hostages.

Now, this raises all kinds of questions about whether the IDF is being careful enough and about their rules of engagement. There have also been a number of friendly fire deaths among the Israeli troops who have been killed so far. And then, of course, the global outcry about the thousands of civilians among the Palestinian population of Gaza who have also been killed, which has led the United States to put a lot of pressure on Israel to tell them to be a lot more surgical and a lot more precise, generally, in their military operations in Gaza.

Alex Marquardt, CNN, Tel Aviv.

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WATT: Earlier, I spoke with Mark Regev, Senior Advisor to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. I asked him about the deaths of those hostages in Gaza and whether the IDF will change its tactic -- tactics in the future as a result.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) MARK REGEV, SENIOR ADVISOR TO ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: It already has changed, Nick. There was not an understanding. The intelligence assessment up until the tragedy where the three hostages were killed up until then, the intelligence given to the troops was we expect to find our hostages in tunnels, in secret locations, in buildings in some dark room. And the idea that they'd be walking around in a combat area, that was not part of the modus operandi. That wasn't expected. And I think that is one of the reasons for the tragedy.

WATT: But -- I mean, will the operation, at all, change in Gaza? I mean, obviously it is very difficult to eradicate Hamas in this small area while Hamas are holding so many hostages. But you're going to continue with that track?

REGEV: Not only will we continue, we will -- we'll beef up the pressure on Hamas. And the government, we do not see a distinction between the military pressure and getting hostages out. As you said in your report, if two weeks ago we got out over 100 hostages, we believe Hamas only released those hostages because they were under immense military pressure. Hamas are cool, cold-blooded killers, very cynical in the way they look at human life.

Their brutality was -- it was there for everyone to see on October 7th. The beheadings, the burnings alive, the shootings, the terrible, terrible, gruesome violence that they inflicted. We have no illusions about who we're dealing with. They're not going to release hostages because they've suddenly become humanitarians, on the contrary. But as President Joe Biden said, Hamas will respond to pressure. And the military pressure in the past helped us get hostages out. We believe there's a good chance it can do so in the future.

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WATT: Elliott Gotkine is monitoring developments in Israel. He joins us now from London. Elliott, the protests, what are they demanding and is there any indication that Netanyahu will actually listen to them?

ELLIOTT GOTKINE, CNN JOURNALIST: I don't think there's any indication just yet that Netanyahu will listen to them, although they would argue that it was because of their pressure on the government in the first place that they then engaged in those conversations that led to that truce and led to those Israeli hostages coming home.

They want those hostages back in Israel right now. And when we heard from members of the government, the chief of the general staff, there was much soul searching. There was a contrition. But as we've been hearing, they say the fight will go on. And that was still the position of Israel's defense minister last night, Yoav Gallant.

[04:10:00]

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YOAV GALLANT, ISRAELI DEFENSE MINISTER (through translator): This event is one of the most tragic and difficult events I can remember, because we were so close to succeeding in creating different circumstances. The soldiers did not know the circumstances. It is a difficult event that we are experiencing, and what has been done cannot be undone. The price of war is a heavy one. We pay it every day. But when you know your goals, when you know that you're fighting for a worthy cause, you know you have to pay a price.

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GOTKINE: So, pain, anger and disbelief over the deaths of those three Israelis killed by their own forces, killed by the IDF. And lots of questions still being asked, you know, how could this have happened? What would happen in future? What other scenarios might unfold amidst the fighting in the Gaza Strip that the IDF isn't prepared for. And worth remembering, of course, that there are still 129 hostages being held captive inside the Gaza Strip by Hamas and other militants, 21 of those believed to be dead.

And all of those thousands of people protesting and people across Israel want to see them come back home and be brought home now. And certainly, those people protesting believe the only way to do that is through negotiation rather than military pressure, which can then lead to negotiation itself. Nick.

WATT: I mean, Elliott, the Israeli government clearly is going to continue with the military pressure. I mean, these kind of dual objectives of smashing Hamas and getting these hostages back. I mean, is that, is that even, sort of, possible? I mean, that's hugely fraught with danger, right, and complication?

GOTKINE: Very much so. And they knew it was dangerous from the start because it's not just the ground operation, but also the airstrikes. They are -- Israel is attacking and destroying Hamas tunnels, not just to kill militants, but also to destroy rocket launchers and commander control set centers and weapons storage facilities.

But there is always the danger that there could be hostages down there, too. And in the ground operation, as we've seen, it's a very difficult situation. We knew that this ground operation was going to be incredibly complicated as a result of those hostages being in locations where Israel may not know about. And there is a concern that these two objectives are not necessarily compatible, but the government is sticking with its argument that it's the military pressure that will ultimately lead to negotiations to get those hostages back home. Nick.

WATT: Elliott Gotkine in London, thanks very much for your time.

A strong storm system moving out of the Gulf of Mexico is expected to bring flooding, power outages and travel headaches across the East Coast through Monday. CNN Meteorologist Elisa Raffa has the latest.

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ELISA RAFFA, CNN METEOROLOGIST: The heavy rain continues in Florida this morning as flood watches continues through your Sunday morning. Some of that torrential rain continuing to work its way up the East Coast. Coastal flooding also still a concern. Onshore wind continuing to slosh some of that ocean. Coastal erosion possible for some of those beaches.

Now, the flood alerts have been extended up the East Coast from D.C., Philly, up towards Maine. 60 million people under the threat for some flooding across 17 states. The severe risk also continues to work its way up the East Coast going into Sunday. You see that yellow there, that's a level two out of five from Wilmington to Charleston, the greatest threat for some 60 mile per hour damaging winds and isolated tornadoes as the system just packs so much moisture and spin.

You can see some of the heavy rain working its way into the Carolinas. All of those deep reds show where there could be some downpours from Charlotte and then points east. It continues to work its way up with the heavy rain and gusty winds from the mid-Atlantic up into the northeast going into Monday. New York, Boston could all see some pretty hefty downpours as we start out the work week here.

Rain totals, we're looking at pretty widespread, two to four inches of rain from the Carolinas up through the mid-Atlantic, from New York and Boston. Some minor concerns for some of those rivers and streams that they will have to keep watching as we start out the work week.

On top of this, the storm system is going to continue to strengthen right off the coast. So, those winds are going to continue to spin and continue to pop. We're looking at some wind gusts from the Carolinas inland, probably 30 to 40 miles per hour. But on the coast, the outer banks could see some gusts up to 60 miles per hour. Same thing from the tip end of Long Island, some 60 mile per hour gusts and then up from Massachusetts into Maine where you've got some high wind watches already in effect. You can see the alerts, all of those brown colors, they are showing where you have these wind alerts that stretch up into the northeast. Again, that's through Monday.

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WATT: Next, we're in Ukraine. Kyiv is still waiting on support from its western allies in the form of two major aid packages. Coming up, I'll speak to the head of the Kyiv School of Economics.

[04:15:00]

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WATT: Now, to Ukraine and attacks across the country this weekend. Kyiv's air defense system says it intercepted at least 30 out of 31 drones, which targeted various regions, including the capital. We've also heard that at least one person was killed in a drone attack on the hard-hit City of Odessa. earlier on Sunday. Odessa was attacked earlier this week as well. This, as at least one person was killed in Russian strikes on the Southern Kherson region, according to military officials there.

This police body cam footage shows a hospital being hit. And this video shows new shelling on the Russian controlled City of Donetsk, where an oil reservoir burst into flames. No immediate comment from authorities there or from Kyiv about exactly what happened. As Ukraine's counteroffensive against Russia seems to have largely stalled, so too has the arrival of major aid packages from both the E.U. and the U.S. It's dampening the mood in Kyiv, even after a week that saw the E.U. agree to open membership talks.

[04:20:00]

Nick Patton Walsh has more from the Ukrainian capital.

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NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Well, it really has been an appalling week for Ukraine. Volodymyr Zelenskyy returning to the country here, putting a brave face on it. Extolling the fact that they have now begun membership talks with the European Union. But apart from that, he's traveled to Washington, traveled in Europe, trying to bolster the possibility of funding and he's resolutely failed.

The United States Congress really aren't able to get themselves together to continue the billions of funding that Ukraine so urgently needs. And the European Union, too, while being sunny in their disposition about the veto Hungary put in preventing their $55 billion dollars of aid coming Ukraine's way, and saying they will have another go in January.

It's a Putin sympathizer, Viktor Orban of Hungary, who put that veto in and saw the morale impact on Ukraine's front lines already palpable, frankly before we heard all of this bad news. The fact that the West was wavering, having a real impact on those in the trenches here, facing a bleak winter ahead, facing a renewed Russia with billions of dollars to spare and slowly getting its military industrial complex together.

It's really a group of fringe Republicans, it's fair to say, that are holding this up. Some suggesting Ukraine should be able to present a finite goal for a finite price tag. Some saying, well, hey, if you're losing the war, why should the U.S. give you more money if you're a loser? If you're winning the war, why do you need it? And if you're a stalemate, well, then maybe now is a good time to negotiate. Essentially blind to two things.

The U.S.' recent history in fighting long complicated wars of choice, they should be aware of the trillion-dollar price tag of the messy state. You can get into a conflict where an end goal is often elusive. And also, too, of Europe's previous century. The history of what a power-hungry, territory hungry power can indeed do, if not stopped at an earlier moment. Desperately Ukraine, needing Western assistance, desperately now finding it not forthcoming. And Russia, really, reequipping Hungary, as I say, to continue moving forwards.

We visited, many frontline positions over the past two weeks in the west around Kherson where Ukraine's attempting a brave move across the river. There are suggestions that they are not seeing the progress they want. And up -- you've got to the far east, they are losing ground, it seems, to Russia trying to take yet another town of minimal strategic significance with whatever resources they can throw at it. And at the same time, too, where the southern counteroffensive should have yielded the most amount of gain, we've seen troops there experiencing significant casualties and really struggling to hold the ground they gained.

It's going to be a bleak winter ahead, but really there's been a staggering failure, frankly, of U.S. politicians and of European unity to get those billions continuing to move. It will impact Ukraine as early as January. So, a deep, dark few months ahead here for Ukrainians who've held on so long. Nick Patton Walsh, CNN, Kyiv.

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WATT: Well, as Nick was saying there, a bleak winter ahead. Let's speak to Tymofiy Mylovanov now about the wider concerns over this war. He's president of the Kyiv School of Economics and served in the past as Ukraine's Minister of Economic Development and Trade.

First up, this description of President Zelenskyy coming back empty handed, is that fair?

TYMOFIY MYLOVANOV, PRESIDENT, KYIV SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS AND FMR. UKRAINIAN MINISTER OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND TRADE: Well, we haven't gotten the support from the United States and we haven't gotten the support from the E.U. We have gotten the formal opening of negotiations with the E.U. accession and at the victory, but it's a strategic medium to the long-term victory and there will be many more barriers and steps and milestones away. So, you are correct. There is no fund -- there is no funding. And the U.K. is particularly appalling. There's one person who is able to hold off aid while there is a broad consensus by the E.U. that this aid should be given.

The U.S. is slightly different. It's domestic politics, but it also, you know, shows you that Ukraine just got caught into the crosshairs of this debate about the south border control. And it's really, really unfortunate, and it would be, frankly, ridiculous if Ukraine is going to lose because of these domestic political issues.

WATT: And how is President Zelenskyy trying to spin this back home? I mean, I imagine this, you know, hits morale of everybody in Ukraine who we've, you know, just described have been fighting, waiting, suffering long and hard.

[04:25:00]

Is the President -- is Zelenskyy managing to spin this as not the disaster that perhaps it is?

MYLOVANOV: Well, it's a little bit different domestically in Ukraine. In the news, in the world, in the West, this is very black and white. You know, Ukraine needs help. Ukraine needs aid, it's not getting. Ukraine is not getting it. Is Ukraine winning? Is Ukraine losing? Is there a stalemate?

In Ukraine, it feels very, very different. We get attacked by Russia daily, at least Kyiv, and the east and south. So, for example, I, myself, experienced seven air alerts on Thursday. Missiles on Wednesday. On Monday, drones overnight over my head, tonight. So, it's every day. So, you know, in some sense, we do not have a choice, and my morale is much more affected by what I hear about my friends dying in the front lines rather than the aid.

Also, I understand rationally they are connected, but I don't think Zelenskyy is under pressure to spin it some kind of his visits to produce a boost for morale to continue fighting. We are fighting and resisting here because we want to survive and we want to live. but it is unfortunate. It's actually -- yes, it's growing on us. That our allies are a little bit not forthcoming when we really need them.

WATT: And -- I mean, is there a plan B? You know, ramping up domestic production of munitions, looking for money elsewhere, going back to the E.U., back to the US. What is the plan B?

MYLOVANOV: So, I actually think, the funding will happen but with a delay. And the delay will cost lives. The plan B or the mitigation plan during this period of waiting is cutting down domestic expenditures at -- on the economic side. And if delay gets longer, we actually will have to monetize the deficit by printing money, and we have done that in the past. And in July of 2022, the -- for example, in the beginning of the war, when there were a lot of commitments but the actual payments didn't happen on time, there was a devaluation, there was inflation. It added, I think, double digits to the loss of the economy. So, there is plan B, but it actually means economic crisis.

On the military production, yes, we are ramping up production. We have been doing that, anyway, but the problem is that Russia is being financed, the price kept on oil. The sanctions are -- is not being enforced. And so, Russia is building domestic defense industry and producing drones, attack drones in thousands. So, we have to catch up and a lot of effort is going that way.

WATT: Tymofiy Mylovanov, thank you and good luck.

Coming up, the escalating homelessness epidemic in the U.S. where the number of unhoused people is at a 16-year high.

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[04:30:00]

WATT: Let's get you up to speed with the latest developments in Israel's war with Hamas. The Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, appears to suggest more talks are underway to try to release hostages from Gaza. He spoke publicly for the first time since the IDF mistakenly killed three Israeli hostages on Friday. Mr. Netanyahu spoke as protests over the incident continued for the second day on Saturday, turning up political pressure on Netanyahu.

Meanwhile, the top British and German diplomats are calling for a, "Sustainable," but not necessarily immediate ceasefire in Gaza. They say, an unsustainable ceasefire would quickly collapse and undermine peace efforts in the long run. In the coming day, negotiations will resume over funding for Israel, Ukraine, and security along the Southern U.S. border. CNN's Priscilla Alvarez reports from the White House.

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PRISCILLA ALVAREZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Senate negotiators and Biden administration officials wrapped another day of meetings on Saturday as they try to reach a consensus on border policy changes to pass a key supplemental funding request.

In October, the White House requested billions in additional funding for Ukraine and Israel, as well as for border security and other priorities. But that request has remained stalled as Republicans urged the White House to attach border policy changes to that supplemental as they're unhappy with the situation along the U.S. southern border.

Now, President Biden has said he is open to compromise, and Senate negotiators as well as White House officials have been working around the clock to discuss some potential changes. Now, sources tell me some of the proposals on the table include, for example, raising the credible fear standard for asylum seekers, mandatory detention of migrants, as well as expanding a fast-track deportation procedure and expelling migrants at the U.S. southern border without giving them the chance to seek asylum.

Another sticking point, according to sources is parole authority, which allows some migrants to temporarily live in the United States on a case-by-case basis. But all of these issues are complicated, and officials and negotiators are trying to find some level of compromise to, again, push that supplemental funding request forward. The president has repeatedly made the case that the request is not only for the national security of Ukraine and Israel, but also for U.S. national security, and he is urging all to get that supplemental across the finish line.

Priscilla Alvarez, CNN, The White House.

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WATT: Former U.S. President Donald Trump is once again lashing out at immigrants coming into the U.S. At a campaign event in New Hampshire on Saturday, he railed against migrant crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border, which hit new highs in September.

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DONALD TRUMP, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT AND U.S REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: They're poisoning the blood of our country, that's what they've done. They poison mental institutions and prisons all over the world, not just in South America, not just the three or four countries that we think about, but all over the world. They're coming into our country, from Africa, from Asia, all over the world, they're pouring into our country.

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WATT: ?President Biden's campaign reacted to that rhetoric saying Trump is parroting Adolf Hitler. Trump also quoted Russian President Vladimir Putin and praised Hungary's authoritarian leader, Viktor Orban.

Meanwhile, the U.S. is experiencing its highest level of homelessness since the government began conducting its annual point in time count back in 2007. CNN Correspondent Camila Bernal has more on this growing epidemic that's impacting hundreds of thousands, particularly those of color.

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CAMILA BERNAL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Startling but not unexpected, that's what one expert told me about the findings in this new report. A 12 percent increase in the number of homeless individuals in the United States. In total, it's about 653,000 people that are reported to be homeless in the United States, and it's a 70,000 person increase in comparison to last year's numbers.

Now, the Department of Housing and Urban Development does this count one day every single year. It's what they call a point in time count. And even though this year's was done in January, experts do tell me that those numbers likely reflect what we're seeing today as well.

What that report also found was the highest number of homeless individuals since they began reporting this data in 2007. And the department points to the housing market, the high rent prices, and also the end of pandemic aid as some of the reasons as to why the increase here. I want you to listen to what one of the experts told me about the increase.

ALEX VISOTZKY, NATIONAL ALLIANCE TO END HOMELESSNESS: Everybody's crisis looks a little different, but I think the, see, the thing that we see in common is that just a lack of affordable housing to support them. And housing that's just too expensive is the common denominator.

BERNAL: And the report also indicates that people of color are most impacted by homelessness. They said that of the people they counted, four in 10 said they identified as black, African American or African. And one third of those counted identified as Hispanic or Latino. Now, Alex, the expert I talked to, told me there is a solution, and he believes that is investing and spending money on programs that not only help people get out of homelessness, but also in programs that prevent homelessness.

Camila Bernal, CNN, Los Angeles.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WATT: And now to a major scandal at the Vatican where a senior cardinal has been convicted of fraud in an historic trial.

CNN's Vatican Correspondent Christopher Lamb joins us now live from London. Chris, we need some details and what this means for the pope.

CHRISTOPHER LAMB, CNN VATICAN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Nick, this was an unprecedented trial and prosecution of 10 defendants, including, for the first time, a Cardinal, Cardinal Angelo Becci, one of the most -- or formerly one of the most powerful figures in the Vatican. He's been convicted of numerous counts of embezzlement, including his role in a disastrous property investment in London by the Vatican, which went wrong and lost the church millions. He's also been convicted of misappropriating funds by sending thousands to a self-described security consultant.

A woman called Cecilia Marogna, who was supposed to use the funds to try and free a kidnapped nun, but according to the Vatican, she used it on personal expenditure, including high end fashion brands. And he's also, Cardinal Becci, accused of -- or found guilty of sending money to a charity run by his brother in Sardinia.

This trial comes amid the Pope's long running efforts to bring transparency and accountability to the Vatican's often notoriously murky finances. And the conviction of the cardinal, I think, sends a message to the rest of the Vatican and those in the church that misusing funds is going to be tackled and punished.

WATT: Christopher Lamb in London, thank you very much for your time.

LAMB: Thank you.

WATT: Still to come, a Canadian man is accused of selling what are being called suicide kits online with deadly results.

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[04:40:00]

WATT: Now, for a closer look at the drug ketamine and the role it played in the death of "Friends" star Matthew Perry back in October. The autopsy report revealed he died from, "The acute effects of ketamine and subsequent drowning." Perry was found unconscious in the hot tub of his home in Pacific Palisades, California. According to the autopsy, the star had been receiving ketamine infusion therapy for depression and anxiety a week and a half prior to his death. Earlier, I asked Dr. Scott Miscovich what can make this drug deadly?

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DR. SCOTT MISCOVICH, FAMILY PHYSICIAN: In the autopsy report with Matthew Perry, you know, he had an I.V. infusion like, you know, a week and a half prior. Well, one of the reasons it's used I.V. is it was used as an anesthetic that it rapidly gets into your bloodstream within about 45 minutes and it fades out. So, that was no way near his system and it was gone. They did find it. It was in his stomach and the half-life for oral ingestion, it's about four to four and a half hours.

And put this in perspective, they found 3,540 nanograms of medicine in his blood. Normally it takes about 2,000 for anesthesia. So, he basically had enough of that medication in him to be anesthetized. So, that's not something you want to be having in your system and being around the swimming pool or behind the wheel of a car or walking along a steep edge.

WATT: And -- I mean, this dissociative feeling that you mentioned earlier, I imagine that makes ketamine popular as a recreational drug as well.

DR. MISCOVICH: Absolutely. There has been a recent spike. It's still not used as much as some of the other things like ecstasy and things in the clubs, but it is definitely being used and it's being used in the standard forms where it will be snorted. It will be smoked. It will be put into drinks. And so, unfortunately, in the club scene, we see it that it's common in the 18 to 25-year-old age group. And it is, unfortunately, a day rape drug because it also has this amnestic feeling with it where after you have enough of it, people will not remember what happened.

[04:45:00]

So, you know, I feel strongly we need to have a better look at this in our FDA to start saying, you know, where is it? And is it being used safely?

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WATT: Meanwhile, an international investigation is underway after a Canadian man was arrested for selling so-called suicide kits online. Kenneth Law has been charged with 14 counts of second-degree murder and is due in court next week.

CNN's Paula Newton has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAVID PARFETT, SON DIED BY SUICIDE: Tom was just such a gifted kid.

PAULA NEWTON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voiceover): They are fathers, an ocean apart.

DAVID RAMIREZ, DAUGHTER DIED BY SUICIDE: Such a light of bravery and freedom.

NEWTON (voiceover): That share a bond of anguish and outrage over their children's suicides. Deaths, they say it would have never happened if someone had not allegedly marketed and sold them so-called suicide kits online. Tom Parfett died in 2021 in England, Noelle Ramirez in 2022 in Colorado. Both died from using a substance legally found in smaller doses as a meat preservative, but can be fatal if used in larger quantities.

Canadian Kenneth Law is now charged in Ontario with 14 counts each of second-degree murder and counselling and aiding suicide. Police say, all 14 alleged victims are in Canada, but the investigation continues right around the world. INSPECTOR SIMON JAMES, YORK REGIONAL POLICE: We are collaborating with law enforcement agencies on a daily basis globally from countries all over the world.

NEWTON (voiceover): Inspector James says, Law may have sold more than 1,200 toxic packages online intended for self-harm to people in more than 40 countries.

JAMES: We ask that the public continue to be cautious and vigilant of their online activities.

NEWTON (voiceover): In a statement to CNN, Law's lawyer says he will be pleading not guilty to all charges, and that those charges will be, "Vigorously contested in court." While the investigation continues, so far, without any charges filed outside of Canada, both fathers believe more can and should be done.

PARFETT: Within two to three months, I'd actually ordered poison from Ken Law. At the time, I did not know that it was the exact same path as my son had taken, but it really demonstrated how easy it was. It's actually cost lives. There was an opportunity there for police, for authorities to close this down and close this down quickly.

RAMIREZ: You can't buy a bomb online and have it delivered. This chemical is deadly.

NEWTON (voiceover): A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers is trying to pass legislation that would ban the sale of the substance in higher concentrations. But for now, it remains available online in the U.S. and many countries. The British National Crime Agency tells CNN, it believes at least 89 people have died in the U.K. alone in a recent two-year period after purchasing the toxic packages online.

RAMIREZ: Well, even if just for 14, you know, there in Ontario, I know that it should mean that, hopefully, he'll never be able to hurt anyone else. But again, there's just so many other families who've been impacted and who are hurting that I hope that they can feel some justice as well.

NEWTON (voiceover): Tom and Noelle's family share an unrelenting belief that were it not for the poison their children bought online, they'd be alive today.

PARFETT: Without any doubt.

RAMIREZ: I believe with my whole heart that my daughter would be here. She was a good person. We kept her safe. We kept her safe. We couldn't -- I guess, we couldn't keep her safe from everything.

NEWTON (voiceover): Paula Newton, CNN, Ottawa.

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WATT: If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental health or suicidal thoughts, help is available in Canada and the U.S. Text or call 9-8-8. The lines are open 24 hours a day. If you live elsewhere, you can go to findahelpline.com.

Still to come, a winter blast has settled in over parts of China with heavy snow and a deep freeze. We'll show you straight ahead.

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WATT: Extreme winter weather in parts of China has closed schools, businesses, and roads as crews try to keep up with heavy snowfall. Frigid temperatures are causing widespread disruption in places with no relief in sight.

CNN's Michael Holmes has more.

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MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN INTERNATIONAL NEWS ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT (voiceover): A deep freeze in China, and meteorologists say no thaw is forecast for much of the country over the next bone chilling days. Across its north, temperatures have dropped below freezing in many cities, causing widespread disruption. In Beijing, many roads and schools were closed because of the cold, but officials say clean-up crews and snow removal trucks are working to clear many of the slick areas.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): The first thing is to smooth main roads and connecting roads. We've also removed ice and snow at schools, hospitals and large supermarkets.

HOLMES (voiceover): The wintry conditions snarling public transportation across the city, cancelling some flights and suspending some rail services. On Thursday, two subway trains collided during the heavy snowfall, injuring hundreds of commuters, with more than a hundred people suffering from fractured bones, according to the city.

President Xi Jinping calling for all out-emergency response efforts, telling local authorities to prepare for cold weather emergencies and safeguard their heating and power systems. The cold wave is moving from the north to the south of the country, with precipitation in some places ending, but the numbing cold expected to remain with high temperatures in Beijing forecasted up to 10 degrees Celsius below normal.

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But that's not stopping some tourists from seeing one of China's most famous landmarks.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): It feels very nice, but my hands and my feet are frozen. And it's very cold. The sight of the Great Wall is spectacular, so it's worth it.

HOLMES (voiceover): The Forbidden City also attracting visitors, many wrapped in puffer jackets and hats to keep warm. The temperatures for much of China are expected to hold below average for the next few days. A deep plunge that's not bothering these swimmers in Beijing, who say they actually like the icy conditions. But that's an extreme many people in China are trying to avoid. Some staying indoors, others bundled up for what appears to be a shivering week of cold weather ahead.

Michael Holmes, CNN.

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WATT: And we are just getting news in that the meeting between David Barnea, that's the director of Israel's Mossad spy agency, his meeting with the Qatari prime minister has in fact taken place, this, according to a source familiar. The meeting is, of course, about the potential release of more hostages currently held in Gaza.

Now, Barnea was supposed to travel to Doha earlier in this week, that was cancelled by the Israeli government. And on Thursday, the Israeli officials said that the war cabinet felt conditions were not right at that point. So -- but that meeting, we are now hearing, has taken place.

I am Nick Watt. Stay with us. I'll be back with more "CNN Newsroom" in just a moment.

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