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CNN International: Israeli Military Chief: War Will Go On For "Many More Months"; Netanyahu Confidant Meets With Senior U.S. Officials; "Parasite" Actor Lee Sun-Kyun Found Dead In His Car; Beijing Records Longest Cold Snap In Decades; U.S. Officials To Press Mexico For Border Help; Apple Pulls Latest High-End Watches From Shelves; Taylor Swift Reigns Supreme As Artist And Businessperson; Growing Number Of Retailers Charging Fees For Returns. Aired 8-8:30a ET

Aired December 27, 2023 - 08:00   ET

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

[07:58:56]

BIANCA NOBILO, CNN HOST: Hello and welcome to CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Bianca Nobilo in London. Just ahead, Israel says the war with Hamas will likely continue for months as the military focus shifts from the north of Gaza to the south. We'll be live in Tel Aviv.

The White House is under pressure to address the migrant crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border. America's top diplomat is set to meet Mexico's president in just a few hours time. And a tragic loss for the South Korean film scene as one of the actors that is best known in the country is found dead.

Israeli military leaders are making it clear the war with Hamas won't end any time soon. The chief of staff of the Israel Defense Forces says the fight will continue for many more months. That's a direct quote. He says Israel is close to its goal of dismantling Hamas in northern Gaza and is now concentrating more on the southern half of the enclave.

[08:00:01]

That announcement came as Ron Dermer, a member of the Israeli War Cabinet, spent several hours meeting with senior U.S. officials in Washington on Tuesday. They discussed when Israel might transition to a new phase of the war and the U. S. pressures Israel to reduce the toll on civilians.

CNN's Will Ripley joins us now from Tel Aviv to discuss this. Will, how are these remarks about the war lasting many more months still being received in Israel?

WILL RIPLEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, in Israel, it's certainly no surprise to those who have watched just how slowly and incrementally the Israel Defense Force has been able to make inroads in Gaza. We are now almost a day 80 of this war, and they are just about to secure operational control of the north. But that still leaves central Gaza and southern Gaza, where Hamas is still alive and well, even though thousands of their fighters have been killed, according to the Israeli military. But, of course, the greatest toll extracted in the heartbreaking pictures that we see day in and day out are on the regular people in Gaza, the people who have been displaced from their homes for weeks, and they have to move around constantly, not just to find new places to sleep, but also to find food, water, all the while attending burials of the people they love.

It is an absolute humanitarian catastrophe.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RIPLEY (voice-over): The terrifying sound of ongoing bombardment, Israeli shells hitting targets, closer and closer to this U.N.-run school in central Gaza. For thousands sheltering here, it's time to move, again. Families forced to flee for their lives, and this is not the first or even second time for many.

Once again, they carry the war-torn pieces of their lives in pursuit of elusive safety. Just days earlier, many here vowed they would never move again, never. A vow they're now willing to break only because they know their children's lives are at stake.

OM MOHAMED, GAZA RESIDENT (through translator): There's no safety in the school. We're looking for a safer place. I'm leaving because of the intensity of the airstrikes and the suffering.

RIPLEY (voice over): Everywhere else is crowded. There's no guarantee they'll find a spot. But what else can they do? Even if they have nowhere else to go, they can't stay here. They don't want to die here.

The scene, a grim reminder of what their parents and grandparents endured in 1948 when Zionist militias forced them out of their hometowns. In the cold winter, blankets and mattresses are precious commodities.

Cars and the fuel that run them are scarce. Those who can't afford it hire donkey carts. For the rest, it's a long trek on foot.

"It's very tough back there," he says, "Bombs are falling on people everywhere. People were injured there. We don't know where we're heading. Everywhere is under threat. We're just moving with the rest of the people."

The destination for many -- relatives' homes, a roof over their heads even if they are in neighborhoods already devastated by Israeli airstrikes.

Street battles raging across Gaza, turning areas north and south of the strip into ghost towns, the scars of battle, raw.

YOAV GALLANT, ISRAEL'S DEFENSE MINISTER (through translator): We are in a multi-arena war. We are being attacked from seven different sectors -- Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Judea and Samaria, Iraq, Yemen, and Iran.

RIPLEY (voice over): Iran's allies in the region engaging in low-level hostilities in response, they say, to Israel's war in Gaza, Yemen's Houthi attacking ships, ships they claim are Israeli-affiliated, turning the Red Sea into a dangerous route for world trade.

Iran's vow to avenge the killing of an Iranian commander in Syria, sparking renewed concerns of expanding the conflict, especially on the Lebanese-Israeli border, artillery fire with the Iran-backed Hezbollah, keeping both countries on edge since October 8th.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

RIPLEY (on-camera): And of course, even when the fighting stops, a lot of these people displaced from their homes will not have homes to go back to. And apparently at the White House yesterday, one of the topics of discussion between the close Netanyahu confidant, Ron Dermer, and White House officials was what is a post-conflict Gaza going to look like?

How is Israel going to help Gaza rebuild from this? Who will govern Gaza? And how will generations of young people who have now lived through some of the most horrific experiences you can imagine be deradicalized? As Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says is necessary, along with the destruction of Hamas.

And the demilitarization of Gaza in order to achieve peace seems a very long way away from where we're standing here in Israel right now, Bianca.

[08:05:09]

NOBILO: And in the meantime, the U.N. human rights chief has said that Israel is working to expel the civilian population of Gaza. Can you give us more information about how they assert Israel is doing that and what Israel's response has been to that accusation?

RIPLEY (on-camera): Israel's response is to change the visa procedures for U.N. officials who provide vital aid to Gaza. But Israel says also are on the ground there turning the world against the Israeli military who say they are justified in striking the targets that they're striking, even with the skyrocketing number of civilian deaths and injuries, because they say that Hamas is deliberately abetting themselves within these heavily densely populated areas.

Israel says international law makes even a mosque or a school or a hospital a legitimate military target if indeed your enemy is operating there, and you stand to make a tactical advantage by striking. Now, the U.N., of course, has been calling out the horrific situation on the ground.

Now their visas will not be approved automatically only on a case by case basis, which critics say will basically slow down the process of getting people and help into Gaza when they need it most. And also, will effectively silence those voices who are on the ground telling the outside world what's happening. NOBILO: Will Ripley in Tel Aviv for us, thank you very much.

Intense fighting in Ukraine shows no signs of abating. In the southern city of Kherson, a railway station came under Russian attack, killing a policeman and injuring several others on Tuesday. And that is according to the Interior Minister, who adds that people had gathered there to evacuate the area.

Meanwhile, a Ukrainian commander says Eastern Ukraine is coming under increased bombardment from armored vehicles, drones and artillery shelling.

Let's bring in our Fred Pleitgen to discuss this. Fred, there's been a lot of discussion over the last day or so about this strike on a Russian naval vessel in Crimea, but it's a little bit of a distraction from the broader picture here, as we've heard that Ukrainian forces have retreated from Maryinka, which marks one of Russia's biggest successes, surely, in the last six months on the battlefield.

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, first of all, I think you're absolutely right, Bianca, that the bombing of the Novocherkassk landing craft of that ship on the eastern side of Crimea, that that certainly is somewhat of a distraction from the bigger picture where Ukraine certainly seems to be increasingly on the back foot, especially on the eastern front, as you've mentioned.

No doubt it was a huge feat for the Ukrainians to hit that landing craft, especially since it's nowhere near any territory that Ukraine controls. Apparently, they used air launch cruise missiles for that. But the Ukrainians themselves are acknowledging that they're having a really difficult time on large parts of the eastern front.

Maryinka is one of those places. Maryinka, though, is a place that really has been completely destroyed over the past year and a half that the full on invasion of the Russians against Ukraine has been going on. Even when I was close to that area, in February of last year, they were already saying that most of that town had been completely destroyed.

And certainly some of the videos that we're seeing on our screen right now, which are actually from Russian TV, which is obviously trying to play this up, show that there's basically not a single building standing there, and you see some of them have just been basically reduced to crumbs of what they were before.

So, it is certainly something where the Russians can say that they've completely taken that town, but they really don't have much that they've taken. One of the big battles that is still going on though, and that certainly is very fierce at this point in time, is Avdiivka, the one that we've been talking about a lot over the past couple of weeks.

The Russians still launching big assaults on that area, the Ukrainians are saying. They're saying that so far they're keeping the Russians in check, but it is increasingly difficult, especially in light of the fact that the Ukrainians are dealing with severe ammunition shortages, of course, on the one hand, getting less from the United States, and on the other hand, also, their European partners not being able to make up for that, Bianca.

NOBILO: Fred Pleitgen for us in Berlin, thank you so much. Good to see you.

We're getting new details about the sudden and shocking death of South Korean actor, Lee Sun-Kyun. He was best known for his role in the film "Parasite", the dark comedy that became the first non-English language film to win a best picture Oscar.

Police say that Lee was reported missing by his manager and was later found in his car. Lee claimed that he was tricked into using drugs and then blackmailed by that same person.

CNN's Hanako Montgomery is covering this live from Hong Kong for us. This is such a shocking death to hear about and I'm sure is sending just ripple effects throughout all of South Korea. A very successful actor who said that recently he'd been distressed by these allegations that he'd been using drugs.

HANAKO MONTGOMERY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Bianca, as you mentioned, there has just been a lot of sorrow surrounding the sudden death of this actor who was a household name in South Korea and of course was globally known as well.

[08:10:09]

What South Korean police have confirmed to CNN is that they presume his death was suicide. What we also know is that surrounding his death, around the time of his death, he was being investigated by the police for alleged illegal drug use. Now, this investigation began in October of this year.

We know he was brought into questioning three times, most recently on December 23rd, just four days before he was found dead in his car. Now, on this most recent questioning, he was questioned for 19 hours before being released on Christmas Eve. Now, it's also important to know that throughout the investigation, Lee took a number of drug tests and they all came back negative.

He has also denied knowingly taking drugs, and he has claimed that instead he was tricked and blackmailed into taking these drugs. Now, he has brought a lawsuit against the alleged blackmailer. On social media, there has just been so much sorrow and outpour of grief and just tributes to this very well-known actor.

As you mentioned, Bianca, he was well known in the U.S. and in much of the world for his role in "Parasite", which won four Oscars in 2020, notably the Best Picture Award. But in South Korea, his home country, he was a household name. He starred in a number of TV shows, in a number of movies. And really, again, there is just a lot of sorrow surrounding his death.

Local media has reported that a funeral will be held quietly for the actor and bereaved family members and co-workers will be in attendance.

NOBILO: Hanako Montgomery, thank you so much for joining us.

It's been a year of weather whiplash for Beijing. Back in June, the Chinese capital was sweltering under record high temperatures. Now, many are struggling to stay warm amid the longest cold snap in decades. Our Marc Stewart has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARC STEWART, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): China has been shivering through bitter and biting cold.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): I think it's the coldest winter in the past 20 years.

STEWART (voice-over): For around two weeks, the Chinese capital has seen sub-zero temperatures, the longest cold snap here since records began in 1951.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The temperature is very, very low, you know. I have to wear this kind of cloth to this weather.

STEWART (voice-over): By bike and by foot, it's a struggle to stay warm in this megacity.

STEWART: This is what is known as a hutong, a collection of small homes in narrow streets, very typical here in downtown Beijing. But many lack central heating, and that can be challenging and expensive when the temperatures take a plunge.

STEWART (voice-over): This man showed us his home and how he keeps warm.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): We use electric heating.

STEWART (voice-over): Even though the government helps to pay the bill, for some families, it can still be a lot.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): Frankly speaking, this is not as good as the high rise, which has 24-hour central heating, but it's not too cold here right now either.

STEWART (voice-over): The Arctic chill has been felt far beyond Beijing. Across the country, coal powered plants have been on full drive to warm up homes. Yet, problems at a plant in Central China forced heating in one city to be temporarily cut.

And in northwest China, the weather got in the way of rescue efforts after last week's deadly earthquake. Residents in the quake zone set bonfires to get warm. A burning stove and a bowl of warm noodles enough to comfort these children.

Back in Beijing, the forecast is for the cold wave to pass, making tasks in the city of more than 20 million people a bit more tolerable.

Marc Stewart, CNN, Beijing.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NOBILO: Still to come, top U.S. officials are set to meet with Mexico's president as the migrant surge in America's southern border hits record numbers. What they hope to accomplish up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:16:21]

NOBILO: In just a few hours, top U.S. officials are set to meet with Mexico's president in Mexico City to talk about the migrant surge at America's southern border. Their goal? To put pressure on Mexico to do more to stem the flow of migrants and drive down the number of border crossings.

Right now, some 11,000 migrants from Central and South America are waiting in shelters and camps on the Mexican side of the border, desperate for their chance to enter the United States.

Let's get to CNN's Priscilla Alvarez at the White House for us. Priscilla, really good to see you. So you have new reporting, I'm told, on what the administration might ask for at the border.

PRISCILLA ALVAREZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: That's right. Officials have shared with me the request that they are going into these meetings with to try to drive down the number of migrants at the U.S.- Mexico border. This has been an urgent issue for the White House and it's telling how urgent it is by who is attending these meetings. That's Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.

Now, here is the asks that I'm told officials will be looking for. This includes moving migrants south. Those are migrants who are at the northern border of Mexico and interested in crossing into the U.S. Controlling railways, which are often used by migrants to more quickly get to the U.S. southern border and also providing incentives for migrants to stay in Mexico. That includes, for example, visas.

Now, all of this is an extension of a call between President Biden and the Mexican president just last week, as numbers on the U.S. southern border have surged. To give you a sense here, by the numbers, the seven-day average in December was 9,600 migrant encounters. That's up from November when it was around 6,800.

So clearly, the numbers have been increasing and creating more pressure for the Biden administration, especially as border towns have grown restless. So this is a step that the U.S. is taking to try to provide some relief to the U.S. southern border. And historically, the U.S. has leaned on Mexico to try to manage the flow of migration.

In fact, the start of the year, President Biden went to Mexico to talk about migration with his Mexican counterpart. We're now at the end of the year, and the two are still trying to tackle what has been an urgent challenge across the Western Hemisphere. NOBILO: And Priscilla, if they come to any new kinds of agreements, what are the chances of them actually being implemented?

ALVAREZ: The chances are high that these could be implemented pretty quickly. We have seen these types of asks be fulfilled in the past and help in the near term. The question, though, is how long can Mexico sustain this? They also have limited capacity. Their resources have similarly been stretched.

And so while they may be able to provide some relief in the short term, their challenge still remains. What do they do in the long term and how long can any of these commitments hold. Bianca?

NOBILO: Priscilla, thanks so much for joining us.

Still to come on CNN, her concerts have brought a huge economic boom to every city she's played, and she even managed to increase the NFL ratings. A look back at Taylor Swift's blockbuster year. That's up for you next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:21:41]

NOBILO: Shoppers in the U.S. won't be able to buy the latest Apple watch anytime soon. The U.S. International Trade Commission ruled that Apple's latest watches violate patents registered to another company. And, as expected, the White House didn't take emergency action to overturn that ban. So, for now, top of the line watches like the Series 9 and Ultra 2 cannot be sold in the U.S. until Apple makes some changes.

Apple says it's pursuing both legal and technical options to get the affected watches back on shelves, including submitting a redesign for U.S. Customs approval. The company is asking for a stay on the ban until the U.S. Customs can consider its redesign, which is expected to happen by mid-January.

Time magazine's person of the year has had a very successful 2023. Taylor Swift's North American shows alone surpassed $2 billion in revenue, making her concert tour the highest grossing of all time. CNN's Anna Stewart has more now on Swift's blockbuster year.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TAYLOR SWIFT, AMERICAN SINGER-SONGWRITER: Welcome to the Eras Tour.

ANNA STEWART, CNN REPORTER (voice-over): She's certainly not the anti- hero of 2023.

(SINGING)

STEWART (voice-over): In fact, she is Time "Person of the Year."

Even in Taylor Swift's wildest dreams, it would be hard to imagine greater success, or bigger revenues. Not one but three bestselling albums. They're not all exactly new, "1989" and "Speak Now" were re- recorded as Swift continues to reclaim ownership of her music.

SWIFT: We are about to go on a little adventure together, and that adventure is going to span 17 years of music.

STEWART (voice-over): In March, Swift embarked on a record-breaking worldwide tour. It is expected to rake in more than $2 billion in North American ticket sales alone. Swift even helped bail out the Box Office in a difficult year with a movie version of the Eras Tour concerts. It made $96 million on its opening weekend in the U.S. and Canada.

Spotify and Apple Music have both named her "Artist of the Year."

ZANE LOWE, HOST OF "THE ZANE LOWE SHOW," APPLE MUSIC: There isn't an artist on the planet who has achieved so much in the calendar year, and we at Apple Music, we felt the same way. And it was just no denying that, you know, what she has achieved over the last 12 months, in my lifetime at least, from a productivity and a quality point of view, is sort of unprecedented.

STEWART (voice-over): Bloomberg says Swift came a billionaire in October, and Swift-fluence spread beyond music this year. The artist was spotted not on the bleachers, but in a box, as she debuted a new relationship.

(SINGING)

STEWART (voice-over): The "Love Story" boosted ticket sales and NFL TV ratings. It all comes down to a powerful bond Swift has forged with her fans, using hidden messages and clues known as Easter Eggs in songs, performances and social media.

LOWE: Every time she puts anything out, there's a sense of anticipation that surrounds that experience and also the idea that we, as fans, can be invested in that by uncovering details, moving in different ways.

[08:25:05]

I mean, the depth of Easter Egg placement is sort of unbelievable. It just strengthens that connective tissue between the artist and the fan, which is what this is all about and something that Taylor Swift has been completely dedicated to her whole career.

STEWART: Do you think we have now hit peak Taylor Swift?

LOWE: If Taylor Swift has proven anything, even the people who don't listen to her music, is that she will not stop creating at the highest level. So, not only Taylor will decide, you know, how and where she moves. And when she comes back, like every other time, she will be dedicated and committed to it. That's one thing I really appreciate about Taylor Swift, is when she comes out with a record or a tour, she is all in.

STEWART (voice-over): The Eras Tour continues through 2024.

(SINGING)

STEWART (voice-over): So we know all too well that it will probably be another year of Swift's success.

Anna Stewart, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NOBILO: If you're thinking of taking back a disappointing gift that you received over the holidays, the return may bring even more disappointment, unfortunately. So over the years, Americans have grown accustomed to free returns, but with returns hurting their bottom lines. 81 percent of merchants are now charging for some methods of returns.

This is according to the logistic company, Happy Return. That's a rather ironic name considering the topic, but anyway, good luck trying to get your money back and fingers crossed.

And thank you for joining me here on CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Bianca Nobilo in London. WORLD SPORT with the lovely Patrick Snell is up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)