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Maine's Secretary Of State Removes Donald Trump From Republican Presidential Primary Ballot For His Involvement With January 6th Capitol Riots; Supreme Court Likely To Decide Whether Donald Trump Can Be Removed From Presidential Primary And General Election Ballots; Ukrainian Military Shells Russian City Of Belgorod; Military Aid For Ukraine Stalled In Congress; Authorities Warn Of Possible Lone Wolf Attacks During New Year's Celebrations; Travelers At Hartsfield- Jackson Airport In Atlanta Reportedly Not Experiencing Delays; Economist Predicts Likely Performance Of U.S. Economy In 2024; First African American Female Principal Dancer At American Ballet Theatre Pushes For More Inclusive Pointe Shoe And Dancer Outfit Colors; Top Ten Health And Wellness Stories Of 2023 Reviewed. Aired 2-3p ET

Aired December 30, 2023 - 14:00   ET

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

[14:00:00]

ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Now, Hamlin would return to the field playing for the Bills in the fall, completing one of the greatest comebacks in history.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This event was life-changing, but it's not the end of my story.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

AMARA WALKER, CNN ANCHOR: And a quick programming note. What happens if America can't get immigration right? Fareed Zakaria examines the current crisis in a special hour. "Immigration Breakdown, A Fareed Zakaria Special," airs tomorrow morning at 10:00 on CNN.

Welcome, everyone. Thank you so much for joining me. I'm Amara Walker in for Fredricka Whitfield.

We begin this hour with the growing legal battles over former President Trump's right to appear on the 2024 ballot. Any moment now the Oregon Supreme Court could decide whether or not Trump will remain on that state's 2024 ballot. A liberal advocacy group filed a 14th Amendment lawsuit earlier this month arguing Trump is ineligible to run for office because of his role in the January 6th insurrection. Late last night Trump's attorneys filed a brief with the court urging the Oregon justices to keep him on the ballot.

Also this week, Maine joined Colorado in banning Trump from its primary ballot. But both rulings are currently on hold. They are caught up in court battles, and sources say Trump is expected to appeal them on Tuesday.

I'm joined by Renato Mariotti, a former federal prosecutor. Renato, great to see you. So first off, as we await this Oregon decision, first you had Colorado, then you had Maine basically banning Trump from the 2024 ballots in those respective states. We're waiting on Oregon, as we said. Do you think that the Supreme Court justices are feeling an urgency to issue a decision on the 14th Amendment asap?

RENATO MARIOTTI, FORMER FEDERAL PROSECUTOR: I think so. Now, just to be clear, these are primary ballots at this point. They could decide that the decision as to whether or not a candidate can appear on a primary ballot is uniquely a state by state decision. In other words, it's a decision that should be left up to state governments. And they could punt this to the general election, essentially. But ultimately, they're going to have to decide this issue. It's unlikely the Colorado Supreme Court, for example, is going to reach a different conclusion when it comes to the general election ballot. So I suspect the United States Supreme Court will weigh in.

WALKER: So then in terms of the merits of such a case, do you expect -- how would you expect this -- I know this is a crystal ball question in terms of how you would expect the Supreme Court to decide if they were to take up this case. But there's a lot of ambiguity, right, regarding Section 3 of the 14th Amendment?

MARIOTTI: So here's what I would say. The reason it's a crystal ball sort of question is that it's a question that's never come up before. We've never had a president who is accused of engaging in insurrection. We've never had a president indicted before, or anything like that. And so this is a unique circumstance that's never occurred before in our history. There's been, for example, a senator who the Senate refused to seat, but not a president who was essentially disqualified from the ballot.

My suspicion is that this Supreme Court with six justices appointed by Republicans, three appointed by President Trump himself, are going to find a way to reach a result that keeps him on the ballot. On the face of it, the arguments from the Colorado Supreme Court are persuasive, but they're not -- ultimately at the end of the day, there's no precedential value that is going to bind the United States Supreme Court.

WALKER: Gotcha. So I just want to switch gears now to some other legal issues that Trump is facing. And a federal appeals court ruled on Friday that a lawsuit brought against Trump by Capitol police officers over the insurrection can proceed. Trump had argued he was shielded by presidential immunity. Renato, how significant is it that this defense has been struck down repeatedly in light of the expectation that the Supreme Court would ultimately decide Trump's immunity?

MARIOTTI: Yes, I have to say, I'm much more pessimistic for Trump as to how that's going to turn out for him. I don't see the Supreme Court deciding that because someone is president they're immune from, really, doing almost anything. He's suggesting that encouraging people to storm the Capitol is a presidential act, it's part of his presidential duties. That's a stretch. To call it a stretch is being charitable to that argument. I don't really think that's an argument that the Supreme Court is going to take seriously, despite any inclination they may have to be favorable towards the former president.

[14:05:02]

WALKER: And on the broad question of Trump's presidential immunity, with all the legal issues that he's facing, an appeals court, a federal appeals court will hear oral arguments in 10 days. How soon can you expect a ruling on that? And of course, we'll expect, I'm sure, depending on which way it goes, appeals to follow.

MARIOTTI: I expect within, let's say, 21 days you're going to have a ruling, if not less, from the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals. And then the question is, how long does the Supreme Court take to decide that issue or decide whether to take it up. I wouldn't be surprised if the Supreme Court doesn't decide that issue, if they just decide not to take that case and let the court of appeals decision stand. That would be a loss for Trump, but this way the Supreme Court doesn't have to wade into that issue itself.

WALKER: Renato Mariotti, great to have you on the eve of New Year's Eve. Be safe out there. Thank you so much.

MARIOTTI: Happy New Year.

WALKER: Turning now to escalating attacks, in Russia and Ukraine. Russian defense officials say a Ukrainian attack today will not go unpunished. The shelling on Belgorod inside of Russia killed at least 14 people and injured more than 100. That is according to Russian officials. The United Nations Security Council is now planning to meet later today over the incident. The attack appears to be in retaliation to a massive Russian air attack on Ukraine that killed at least four people on Friday. It was Russia's biggest air assault since its full- scale invasion of Ukraine began almost two years ago.

CNN's Nic Robertson is joining us now. Hi there, Nic. What more can you tell us about this attack inside Russia?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yes, this was the biggest, according to the governor of Belgorod, that Russia has witnessed so far. More than 108 people injured, 12 of them adults, critically injured, children among the injured, as well as among the dead. And it really is sort of surprising in a way that Ukraine hasn't done this before, because its missile systems readily reach this garrison town that's barely 20 miles from its border. But it has never, it appears, until now decided to launch a fierce salvo into a civilian neighborhood.

There are missiles that get fired there, there are drones that target that down as well. The Russians tend to shoot most of them down. So this is, for the Russians at the very least, shocking. And I think we get a sense of that from Putin's response, sending his health minister there, sending a delegation from the emergency ministry there as well, and calling for this -- having the spokesman at the U.N. call for the U.N. Security Council to meet on this tonight.

The Russians are going to make a big deal about it because it involves civilians. But it's the civilians in Russia that are going to feel perhaps the most disadvantaged because, until now, they haven't had to live in the line of fire so much in the same way that Ukrainians do and did yesterday when there was that massive Russian barrage.

WALKER: Nic, Russia choosing this week to launch the largest air assault on Ukraine since the invasion.

ROBERTSON: Yes, to kind of get your head around that, you would need to get inside Putin's head. And no one ever successfully does that really. It's Kremlinology, and we can guess at it for a long time. But I think, let's try and take an analytical viewpoint. At the beginning of the week Ukrainians seemed to score a big hit against Russia. They hit one of Russia's big important tank carrying amphibious transport ships that was in Crimea. That was a major hit. That was a blow on the nose, a bloody nose, if you will, for Putin. He may have chosen to respond to that. He may have chosen to have a particularly heavy response because he's got an election coming up in three months and has crushed the opposition. There's nobody really to run against him of any meaning or stature or political influence. He's going to win. It's a shoo-in. That's guaranteed.

But at the same time, Putin loves to have this clean narrative that everything is going well, the people of Russia are safe, this war is going to be successful, we're going to deliver on our aims, don't worry, go about your businesses. But people know that hundreds of thousands of their comrades actually are dying on the front lines, and this brings it to their homes. So Putin is not going to want that.

WALKER: Absolutely. Nic Robertson, always great to have you. Thank you very much.

A year ago, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy got a hero's welcome when he visited Washington, and Ukraine ended up with billions in military aid. Well, that's a far cry from his most recent visit, where he left town empty handed and without much fanfare. CNN's Melissa Bell looks back at Zelenskyy's year.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MELISSA BELL, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It was an 11th hour invitation that led President Zelenskyy to Washington in December, this time with the question of further funding to Ukraine stalled on Capitol Hill.

[14:10:06]

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I don't want you giving up hope.

(APPLAUSE)

BELL: A far cry from the hero's welcome the Ukrainian president had received in 2022, with progress on the ground in Ukraine apparently stalled as well.

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): The counteroffensive is difficult. It's happening, probably, slower than how some people may want or can see it.

BELL (voice-over): A foothold on the East bank of the Dnipro River one of the rare Ukrainian gains, despite months of fighting, with questions of how much more money allies can invest.

REP. MIKE JOHNSON (R-LA): What the Biden administration seems to be asking for is billions of additional dollars with no appropriate oversight, no clear strategy to win.

BELL (voice-over): Allegations of corruption haven't helped, despite President Zelenskyy's determination to act, with the firing of top officials and the arrest of a leading oligarch who is also a backer of his presidential bid.

ZELENSKYY (through translator): Any internal issue that hinders the state is being cleaned up and will be cleaned up further. We need a strong state. And Ukraine will be just that.

BELL (voice-over): But it is on the battlefield that the Ukrainian president's ability to lead is being gaged most closely, as is his relationship to the troops and to the man who leads them, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, with hints of a strange relationship alluded to at Zelenskyy's end-of-year press conference.

ZELENSKYY (through translator): He has to answer for results on the battlefield as commander-in-chief, together with the general staff. There are many questions.

BELL (voice-over): Questions also for European and American allies looking to Zelenskyy to deliver a victory against Russia in return for air defense systems, tanks, missile systems, and now fighter jets, all too little too late, say Ukrainians. As support for even that aid dries up, Zelenskyy is now in uncharted territory, with tens of billions in dollars and euros for Ukraine held up by politicians on both sides of the Atlantic. The European Union now wrestling with Hungary's opposition as Republicans slow U.S. aid.

ZELENSKYY (through translator): I am confident that the United States of America will not betray us.

BELL: But there has been some relief for Ukraine this Christmas, with news breaking of the first long-promised F-16 fighters headed for the country.

ZELENSKYY: Like our victory in the Black Sea, we aim to win the air battle, crushing Russian air dominance.

BELL: A note of optimism from a leader desperate to believe that his war can still be won.

Melissa Bell, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WALKER: Coming up, protests over the war in Gaza add an extra layer of concern to New Year's Eve celebrations in New York. What the NYPD says they're doing to beef up security.

Plus, one of the ballet world's biggest stars has launched a campaign that's pushing for more inclusivity. Misty Copeland joins us live on CNN Newsroom. That treat is just ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:17:16]

WALKER: Millions of people are preparing to ring in the New Year in New York City. The celebration in Times Square remains an attractive target, according to a joint intelligence assessment memo obtained by CNN. The ongoing tensions between Israel and Hamas have heightened concerns of lone wolf attack during the Times Square ball. And while there are no specific threats to the celebrations, the intelligence community remains on alert.

And Times Square is where we find CNN correspondent Polo Sandoval. Hello, Polo. Look, we've seen tight security at Times Square during the New Year's Eve celebrations before, right. What's different this year? What are intelligence officials worried about?

POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: So we know, Amara, that security is always tight when it comes to what is perhaps one of the most watched New Year's Eve celebrations in the world. That of course, playing out here in Times Square. This year, however, there is that collection of law enforcement agencies here in the U.S. You're talking the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security, certainly the NYPD. They have all collectively issued this assessment determining that the Israel-Hamas war has created what they've described as a heightened threat environment, and it's precisely because of that reason they're concerned more about the possibility of sort of a lone wolf, unsophisticated attack, similar to what we saw play out just last year.

Remember, it was a 19-year-old who authorities later described as a homegrown violent extremist who attacked law enforcement personnel at one of the checkpoints on New Year's Eve. On that night he was shot and, of course, detained there. But authorities are concerned that these kinds of large televised events would certainly be an attractive target, though we should emphasize what you mentioned at the top, they do not have any credible threat established, according to NYPD's chief of patrol.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN CHELL, NYPD CHIEF OF POLICE: So lone wolf attacks are very tough. Like you saw last year, unfortunately we had a lone wolf attack about 10:00 at night. When our cops who are aware of their surroundings, they reacted quickly. It's imperative that our cops be aware of surroundings, stand tall, and react quickly with their training. And that's what they did last year.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANDOVAL: Similar to years past, the NYPD has issued a list of prohibited items if you're planning on bring in the New Year here in this part of New York City in Times Square. That includes umbrellas, backpacks. Also, folks will not have the opportunity to abandon any property that they cannot enter the secure area with. So they'll have to actually leave that behind there.

So in addition to this sort of elevated, if you will, fear of a possible lone wolf attack, there's also the concerns about demonstrations. We've seen these play out almost on an everyday basis since the war broke out here in New York City. So there are concerns among New York City officials that any demonstrations have the potential to disrupt celebrations.

[14:20:05]

It's a concern that they certainly had during the Rockefeller Tree lighting a few weeks back. Fortunately, though, that played out relatively smoothly, even though there were some arrests nearby. But that event was allowed to continue as planned. And that is what they're hoping for for this year's New Year's Eve celebration here in the heart of New York City. Amara, back to you.

WALKER: A lot to watch for, but we know the NYPD has it together when it comes to security at these massive gatherings and celebrations. Polo Sandoval, good to have you. Yes, they do. Thanks so much.

SANDOVAL: Thanks, Amara.

WALKER: So from big crowds in Times Square to big numbers expected in the air this New Year's weekend, the holiday travel season saw a surge in passengers, severe weather, and airport staffing shortages. And while today is expected to be busy at the nation's airports, the all- time travel record was set around Thanksgiving, that is according to the TSA. Let's go to CNN correspondent Rafael Romo at the world's busiest airport, Hartsfield-Jackson International here in Atlanta. Is it living up to its reputation? How busy are things there?

RAFAEL ROMO, CNN SENIOR LATIN AMERICAN AFFAIRS EDITOR: It is busy, Amara, but things are moving. That's the good news. And I don't even want to say this because it makes a lot of people very sad, but Christmas is over and it's time to go home now. But the reality is that saying goodbye is never easy, but travelers here at the Hartsfield-Jackson Airport, as you said, one of the busiest in the world, have one less thing to be sad about, and that is that we haven't seen long lines, we haven't seen congestion. Things are moving.

But make no mistake about it, Amara, the reality is that there's been a high number of travelers this weekend, and that number is going to continue to be high. Just to give you an idea, yesterday the Transportation Security Administration was expecting 2.6 million passengers to be processed at airports across the country. Today a similar number, slightly slower, but the main challenge is the number of flights, with 48,000 flights expected, as compared to 43,000 for yesterday. We've had a chance to talk to travelers who say that they're pleased about the way things are moving here at Hartsfield- Jackson. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CODY SAWYER, TRAVELER: It's been busy, but it's been controlled and managed pretty well. Everybody is very friendly, everybody is nice. Very helpful. It is a very massive airport, though, so you've got to be on your p's and q's when you're walking around so you don't get lost.

MCCALLA LOCKLIN, TRAVELER: We just prepare. It's busy, but I don't think it's too bad. This airport is usually really, really quick, so it's not too bad.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMO: And Amara, the last traveler was mentioning a key point, be prepared, arrive with plenty of time to the airport, don't bring any prohibited items in your bags. Also, have your I.D. ready in your hand when you're going through that screening line to extradite things, and don't delay anybody or yourself. Those are the key things here, Amara.

WALKER: Christmas is not over, Rafael, at least not in my house. We still have our tree up, and I'm going to leave it up as long as I can. Thanks for your reporting, Rafael. Good to see you.

All right, up next, we're getting our latest glimpse into the state of the jobs market as we enter the New Year. Where things stand and what it means for where we are going, that's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WALKER: If your head has been spinning with all of the economic headlines from this year, you are not alone. From record highs on Wall Street to rising interest rates, to an abysmal housing market, it's really been a wild year. So here with me to make sense of it all is Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody's analytics. Mark, good to see you.

Let's get through some of the big economic topics from the year. First inflation. So we saw more than 30 months of fast-rising prices, and the Federal Reserve took action. Progress has been made on that front, but Americans, people are just not -- they're still feeling the pinch. What do you expect to see with inflation next year?

MARK ZANDI, CHIEF ECONOMIST MOODY'S ANALYTICS: Yes, you're right, inflation has come down. That's the rate of growth in prices for all goods and services that we buy. That's good news. Of course, people aren't still very comfortable with that because they're dealing with increases in price, high inflation a year ago, two years ago, three years ago. Just a statistic -- the typical American household needs to spend about $1,000 more a month to buy the same goods and services that they did three years ago, and that's because of high inflation.

But the good news is that inflation should continue to moderate. All the trend lines look very good there. And I do think by this time next year people will be feeling a lot better. And that's because their wages are now starting to rise more quickly than inflation. Their so- called real wages are turning positive, their purchasing power is improving. So they're not going to feel great next month, next quarter, but I think by this time next year they'll start feeling a bit better about things.

WALKER: What about the housing market and mortgage rates? Because I guess the good thing is we have been seeing this positive trend of mortgage rates dropping for, I think, the ninth week in a row now. But we're still in a very unaffordable housing market, right, since the 1980s. Do you expect this to continue in 2024 or do you expect things to get better?

ZANDI: Affordability is a real problem, obviously. You mentioned the high mortgage rates.

[14:30:00]

And of course, house prices surged when the pandemic hit, and they're still up about 40 percent from where they were before the pandemic nailed us. So you combine the high house prices with the high mortgage rates, and of course for folks that want to get into the housing market, potential first-time home buyers, it's just very unaffordable.

I do think the worst is over. Mortgage rates are starting to come in, because, as you pointed out, they peaked a couple months ago around eight percent. We're now closer to 6.5 and it feels like we're moving lower. And I do expect to see some price weakness. I think for folks that have been putting off selling their home because their mortgage rates are very low, they don't want to sell and get a home at a higher mortgage rate. At some point they will have to sell. Just life, kids, job change, divorce stuff, and that's going to have them -- if they want to sell their home, they're going to have to cut the price. I think affordability will improve. But this is going to take some time. It took a number of years to get into this predicament, it is going to take a number of years to get out.

WALKER: All right, so we'll have to remain patient and try to stay optimistic.

What about the labor market, Mark? It's remained strong through all of this. Will it remain that way?

ZANDI: It will. That's the best news. We've created lots of jobs. There are still a lot of open job positions in many industries and parts of the country. Unemployment is very low, below four percent for two years. Last time that happened was very briefly in the late 1960s. So that gives you a sense of the strength. I think businesses really don't want to lay off workers because they know that it's going to be tough to find new workers and retain existing workers. They've had a tough labor market now since before the pandemic, so they're not laying off. And as long as they don't, I think the labor market is going to be just fine.

And also, ultimately, the broader economy, because I think you and I as consumers, we'll keep spending just as long as we have a job, and I think we will in 2024. WALKER: And spending a gas, I'm sure. GasBuddy is predicting that

Americans will spend $32 billion on gas prices than in 2023. Is that lining up with what you're seeing?

ZANDI: Yes, I mean, there's good news there, too, right? Oil prices are back down, although it's incredibly difficult to forecast where oil prices are going because it's buffeted by so many different global factors. They're just very difficult to gage. I think the most likely scenario is that gasoline prices nationwide city state somewhere between $3 and $3.50 per gallon, which is higher than what we were paying before the pandemic, but just barely so, and I think that's digestible for most Americans. So I think we should feel pretty good about where gasoline prices are going to be, although I say that with a heavy dose of trepidation.

WALKER: And lastly, the stock market, it had a great year, hitting record high after record high. For people who don't own stocks, how will this impact them, if at all?

ZANDI: Well, not directly, obviously, but the stock market is a really good gauge of the future. Stock prices can go down and the economy not suffer a recession, but we never have recessions without the stock market going down first. So the fact that the stock market has done so well, it's back up close to record highs, suggests that going back to my forecast for jobs, we're going to get a lot of jobs, the economy should be fine, and for most Americans that's what matters most. So you may not directly benefit if you don't own stocks, although 60 percent of Americans do. So for the 40 percent that don't, you're not going to directly benefit, but it's a good sign that all the other things that are important to you financially, you're going to be OK.

WALKER: Mark Zandi, great to have you. Thank you and happy New Year.

ZANDI: You, too. Take care.

WALKER: Up next, Misty Copeland, the first black woman to become a principal dancer at the American Ballet Theatre, is calling for the industry to be more inclusive. Why she has started a petition against Apple. Misty will join us live, that's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:38:24]

WALKER: There is a fight under way to make the ballet world more inclusive. For decades, pointe shoes were only sold in one color, quote, European pink. That meant dancers of color had to paint their own shoes to match their skin tone in a process known as pancaking. Some companies now make brown pointe shoes, but many dancers still struggle to find shoes to match their skin tone, meaning they still pancake their shoes, including Misty Copeland, the first African American female principal dancer at the American Ballet Theatre.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) MISTY COPELAND, BALLERINA, PHILANTHROPIST, AND AUTHOR: Since I started ballet, I've been pancaking my pointe shoes my skin color. Everyone has a different method of doing this, but I always go to a drugstore and find the cheapest brand. I just get a sponge and I go with the grain of the satin. This is the reality for a lot of black and brown dancers. There are some companies that now make different shades, but that hasn't always been the case.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WALKER: And with me now is Misty Copeland, ballerina, author, and philanthropist. Misty, a pleasure to have you. Thank you so much for joining me this afternoon. I do want to ask you about your petition on the pointe shoe emoji in a moment, but first, regarding that TikTok video that you posted, I think, a couple of years ago, are you still pancaking?

MISTY COPELAND, BALLERINA, PHILANTHROPIST, AND AUTHOR: Yes. It's very interesting, because as much work as it is, it's almost become this rite of passage for black and brown dancers to go through this process.

[14:40:01]

But there are companies, I would say during the pandemic, post George Floyd, a lot of these kind of bigger brands in the ballet world stepped it up and started making pointe shoes in a wider range and variety of skin colors. But I would say up until three years ago, that was not even something that was available to us at all. So this is really a part of the aesthetic of what we do as dancers, is we work and train our whole lives to create this long through line from the top of our head to the tips of our toes. And what we put on our bodies is also a part of that process, and so when you're only being given an option to wear European pink ballet slippers, therefore European pink pointe shoes, that's kind of what you're stuck with. And it ruins the aesthetic for people who are of color.

WALKER: So why do you think, Misty, it is that it's still not universal for companies to sell brown shoes and tights? I mean, how available are they? How easy is it to get your hands on them?

COPELAND: I feel like it's never been a priority, never something of importance, because the ballet world, we live in this kind of exclusive bubble where we have not been forced to make change and be more inclusive. And I would say throughout my 23 years as a professional dancer at American Ballet Theater, the most progress I've seen, again, has been in the past three years. And I feel like it's because the broader world is kind of looking at us and looking at these matters and understanding that they're important issues and topics that need to be addressed.

It's something I've been fighting for my whole career, something as simple, that seems so simple, but as simple as the uniform that a dancer gets when they're three years old, when their seven years old, is already starting out making them feel like you do not belong here because we're giving you a uniform that doesn't represent who you are as a person, therefore saying we don't want you a part of this artform.

WALKER: Exactly. It sends a message of whether or not you belong, and that leads me to the next question of what you think it would mean for young girls and even a young Misty, and boys dreaming of becoming professional dancers, to have these items available to them as easily as pink shoes and tights.

COPELAND: It's so simple. It's literally saying, you are welcome here, you are welcome in this space, we see you, we hear you, and you matter. And there are so many young people around the world that are drawn to dance that want to dance, and that are discouraged at young ages because of the color of their skin. And it's what I'm going to continue to fight for. I think that everyone deserves an opportunity to be a part of this incredible art form. I think it's important for us to have context about the history and the past. It's a European artform that was created for white European people, but it is now in America. And it's thriving here. And so we want to see the world represented and given an opportunity to be a part of this.

WALKER: They're little steps, but they are so significant. And talking about your fight, you started a petition to urge Apple to make a brown pointe shoe emoji. Right now, I was checking on my phone, just finding that point emoji, they only have one color, European pink. Why is this -- this is so much more than just about an emoji, right?

COPELAND: Yes, absolutely. This is about inclusivity. This is about moving forward and creating an environment that everyone can feel like they're seen, especially amongst young people. And like you said, an emoji may seem, like, insignificant, but that's why these young people live today. That's the representation of who they are, their identity, their voices. If they don't have something that represents them, then we're not creating an inclusive environment or a true representation of people who dance, who have danced throughout history, and who want to dance. And so I think it's more than this emoji. It's about creating a space that is inclusive and inviting for all people.

WALKER: Apple already has many emojis, right, of the hand and of the faces of many different shades. I would think it would be quite easy to just update the pointe shoes. Have you heard anything from Apple? What's the response been to your petition?

COPELAND: We've filled out the proper paperwork. It takes time for all of the powers that be to kind of give the green light and the go ahead. But we've gone through the proper channels.

[14:45:00]

We're getting the word out as much as possible in terms of just getting people to sign the petition and showing that this does matter, and it is important. Ballet is relevant. It represents so much more than people possibly think of, just twirling around in a tutu on stage. So we're headed in the right direction, and it's really just about continuing to share this message and get it out to more people.

WALKER: You're such a trailblazer, and for you to speak up, and I know you carry the weight of pushing for more inclusivity in ballet and beyond. What is your message to the young people watching today who look up to you and are pushing towards professions where they may feel like they're not welcome?

COPELAND: Yes, I think that it's important to find mentorship, to find people who maybe aren't written in history books but that have paved the way. That's been my whole path. It's been doing the research or talking to people, word-of-mouth, and finding examples for yourself. But also knowing that it's OK to be the first. It's OK to push in circles where you don't see yourself, because there are people outside of those circles who are championing you. There are people that want you to succeed, that hear you and support you. And so I think it's important just not to compare yourself to others and to know that anything is possible with the right support.

WALKER: It's OK to be the first, you're absolutely right. And it does take a lot of courage and grit and tenacity. And we're so grateful to have you on with your voice. Appreciate your advocacy, Misty Copeland. Thank you very much. Happy New Year.

COPELAND: Thank you. You, too.

Much more ahead. Stay right here.

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WALKER: This year, we saw Buffalo Bills player Damar Hamlin make a miraculous recovery from cardiac arrest, and injectables like Ozempic dominate the world of weight loss. It was also the years we saw new ways to tackle critical drug shortages and scientific breakthroughs for modern medicine. CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta has the "Top 10 Health and Wellness Stories of 2023."

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DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: 2023 may best be described as an incredible year of breakthroughs and innovation, while also a year of continuing to deal, or not deal, with basic ongoing health problems. Our team has had many moments now to reflect, be inspired, learn, And redouble our efforts to help make all of you happier, healthier, and more informed.

So, let's kick things off with number 10 of our "Top 10 Health Stories".

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Go ahead and go over the cot. I don't like how he went down.

GUPTA (voice-over): January 2nd, 2023, the very beginning of the year. Buffalo Bill safety Damar Hamlin goes into cardiac arrest on national TV.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're going to need everybody. All call. All call. GUPTA: A quick response not only saved Hamlin's life but brought national attention to the importance of CPR, rapid defibrillation, and the NFL safety protocols, which I saw firsthand.

GUPTA (on-camera): Now, keep in mind, the medical team was able to get to Damar Hamlin within 10 seconds, and speed really matters here. Every additional minute that someone in cardiac arrest goes without CPR, mortality goes up by up to 10 percent.

GUPTA (voice-over): Number nine, you've probably never heard of phenylephrine, and that's OK. It's the main ingredient in many over the counter allergy and cold medicines, like Sudafed PE and Vicks Sinex. This year, an FDA committee said, contrary to popular belief, it was not effective as a nasal decongestant in tablet form. So, while we wait for a final decision, some stores like CVS have already said it will no longer sell medications that contained this as the only active ingredient. Don't worry, though. There's lots of other options out there.

Number eight.

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN NEWSROOM ANCHOR: A breakthrough treatment for sickle cell disease.

GUPTA: And a breakthrough for modern medicine.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Johnny is now one of the first people in the world to have his genes edited using CRISPR to treat his disease.

JONATHAN LUBIN, CRISPR SICKLE CELL TRIAL PARTICIPANT: I was worrying that I might be, like, get, like, superpowers or something like that.

(LAUGHTER)

GUPTA: In December, the FDA approved the first ever treatment to use the gene editing technique known as CRISPR. Think of it like this, CRISPR allows scientists to precisely cut and modify DNA, which could then potentially treat and even cure certain diseases, such as sickle cell, but also cancer, muscular dystrophy, even Parkinson's.

Number seven.

SARA SIDNER, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: A 60-year scientific quest has now given us the world's first RSV vaccine.

GUPTA: For the first time, we have vaccines available to fight the full respiratory triple threat of COVID-19, flu, and RSV. Last season, we saw cases of RSV come back with the vengeance, reminding us of the importance of vaccination, especially for the most vulnerable.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Before I even knew what happened, he was being admitted and pumped with oxygen and trying to be stabilized.

GUPTA: So far, we've been sort of sleepwalking into this triple threat season, but there is still time.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's not too late to get vaccinated if you haven't already.

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GUPTA: Number six.

MEG TIRRELL, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: There are more than 300 drugs on the FDA's shortages list right now.

JACQUELINE HOWARD, CNN HEALTH REPORTER: More than 90 percent of cancer centers say they're impacted by a shortage.

GUPTA: This one may surprise you. One of the richest countries in the world that spends trillions on health care, and yet we currently have the highest number of drug shortages in about a decade. Laura Bray had to call hundreds of children's hospitals across the country herself to try and find chemo treatment for her daughter, and in the process, she started a movement. She's now channeling what she's learned into a national effort to predict which drugs are going to go into shortage, and to produce them before patients have to go without.

GUPTA (on-camera): When you see this now, Laura, you see this coming off the lines, what's that like for you?

LAURA BRAY, FOUNDER, ANGELS FOR CHANGE: What I see here is each one of those that's being filled up, seven to nine NICU babies that are going to get fed today.

GUPTA (voice-over): Number five.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In our health lead, the FDA has approved a new Alzheimer's drug today.

GUPTA: There's new hope this year for those with early Alzheimer's.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'll look at my phone and read the names and a lot of them don't mean anything to me.

GUPTA: Leqembi is the first drug proven to show a slowing down of the debilitating disease, in part by removing amyloid plaques from the brain. It's not a cure, but clinical trials found that it can slow down the onset of more severe symptoms.

Number four, loneliness.

DR. VIVEK MURTHY, SURGEON GENERAL: I am so concerned about our children because there is an epidemic, if you will, of mental health challenges that they have been facing.

GUPTA: Coming out of the pandemic, loneliness and social isolation have become a key public health issue for young and old alike. So significant an issue that these surgeons general, normally known for things like curbing smoking, had a rare convening to raise the public health alarm about this topic.

DR. JEROME ADAMS, FORMER SURGEON GENERAL: And I have to look at my three teenagers every day and know that I'm not handing them a better world than the world that was left to me. And a lot of that is because of our failure to really focus on mental health.

GUPTA: It's a massive problem that seems to disproportionately affect Americans. But at the same time, small moments of human connection, smiling, just saying hello, those are all steps we can take toward a solution.

Number three, the ripple effects of overturning Roe v. Wade. Real-life stories and unimaginable decisions.

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Were the doctors clear with you about what her chances were of surviving?

HEATHER MABERRY, DENIED ABORTION IN KENTUCKY: They told us there was no chance. They said that either she would be stillborn or she would die within a few hours.

GUPTA: A ruling by a Texas judge also sent the fate of mifepristone, an oral pill used for abortion and miscarriage management, into legal limbo. With families already feeling the effects, the final decision will now be taken up by the Supreme Court.

DR. LEAH TATUM, OBSTETRICIAN-GYNECOLOGIST: Their concerns are if medical abortions are no longer accessible, what if their reproductive rights are restricted even further?

GUPTA: Number two.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Wegovy helped us lose weight.

GUPTA: Demand for weight loss and diabetes drugs like these has skyrocketed. A Trilliant Health analysis found that in the final three months of last year, an estimated 9 million prescriptions were written for these kinds of medications. That's a 300 percent increase since 2020, and it pushed manufacturing lines to run practically nonstop this year.

DAN VONDIELINGEN, SITE HEAD, LILLY RTP: Demand is very high and we're doing everything that we can to stand up and supply.

GUPTA: That demand has also resulted in shortages, knockoffs, and growing awareness of the side effects, including nausea, vomiting, even stomach paralysis. But so far, these drugs have been proven to be effective for weight loss and also a welcome tool to combat obesity.

And number one.

JIM ACOSTA, CNN ANCHOR AND CHIEF DOMESTIC CORRESPONDENT: We've talked about the dark side of A.I. This is a bright spot -- health care.

GUPTA: While the message is still to proceed with caution, we've already seen a glimpse of how artificial intelligence could change health care from identifying new antibiotics to detecting breast cancer. It may not ever, hopefully never, replace your actual human doctor. It could help enhance patient care. And even as we saw, help someone walk again.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A paralyzed man is up and about.

GUPTA: Happy New Year, and look forward to a lot more in 2024.

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WALKER: Hello, everyone. Thank you so much for joining me. I'm Amara Walker in for Fredricka Whitfield.

We begin with escalating attacks in Russia and Ukraine. Russian defense officials vowing to retaliate against a Ukrainian attack. The shelling on Belgorod inside Russia killed at least 14 people and injured more than 100, that is according to officials.