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Trump Defeats Haley In New Hampshire GOP Primary; Israeli Military "Encircles" Khan Younis After 24 Soldiers Killed In Gaza; The Antiwar Candidate Prepared to Challenge Putin at the Ballot Box; Haley Vows to Stay in Race Despite New Hampshire Loss; Federal Appeals Court Rules Mexico Can Sue U.S. Gunmakers; Ayodhya Temple Inauguration Stokes Tensions in India; 2024 Academy Awards Nominations. Aired 1-2a ET

Aired January 24, 2024 - 01:00   ET

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

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[01:00:22]

JOHN VAUSE, CNN ANCHOR: Ahead here on CNN Newsroom, if not New Hampshire, then where? Nikki Haley fails to march on despite finishing a poor second to Donald Trump in the Republican primary.

Hospitals in Khan Younis order to evacuate as Israeli troops encircled Gaza second biggest city, but thousands remain trapped.

And welcome to the real world body out of defeating male privilege on screen. The male patriarchy strikes back at the Oscars.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Live from Atlanta. This is CNN Newsroom with John Vause.

VAUSE: If there was ever a primary vote where Donald Trump's inevitability as the Republican nominee for president could be derailed, it was in New Hampshire where Republican voters are more educated more libertarian more supportive of abortion rights in most states, a demographic tailor made for his last standing opponent, Nikki Haley.

But within an hour of polls closing the results were in the twice impeached four times indicted, one term president had defeated Haley by more than 10 points, further cementing his grip on the Republican Party and moving him closer to a rematch with President Joe Biden in November.

After winning Iowa last week, Trump is now the first non-incumbent Republican candidate to win the first two-state primary contests. And in a rambling and at times mean spirited victory speech, Trump appeared annoyed by Haley's decision to stay in the race. Haley sharpened her attacks on Trump suggesting he's too old to be president and is a loser. Haley plans to continue campaigning until South Carolina, her home state which holds its primary in one month.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) NIKKI HALEY, U.S. REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Now you've all heard the chatter among the political class. They're falling all over themselves saying this race is over.

Well, I have news for all of them. New Hampshire is first in the nation. It is not the last in the nation.

This race is far from over.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: CNN's Kristen Holmes has more now on Trump's victory speech, which was more an angry red aiming at Nikki Haley.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN U.S. NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Former President Donald Trump lashing out at Nikki Haley during an angry victory speech here in New Hampshire. The speech sounded almost nothing like what we heard in Iowa when he called for uniting the Republican Party, uniting the country instead, focused almost solely on Nikki Haley staying in the race. I was told by an advisor that he was watching at least part of her speech backstage speech in which she sounded defiant. Listen to some of what Trump had to say.

DONALD TRUMP, U.S. REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I can go up and I can say to everybody, oh, thank you for the victory. It's wonderful. It's what or I can go up and say, who the hell was the imposter that went up on the stage before and like claimed a victory. She did very poorly, actually. She had to win.

The governor said she's going to win, she's going to win, she's going to win. Then she -- she failed badly. And just a little note to Nikki. She's not going to win. But if she did, she would be under investigation by those people in 15 minutes. And I could tell you five reasons why already. Not big reasons. A little stuff that she doesn't want to talk about. But she will be under investigation within minutes. And so would Ron have been but he decided to get out. He decided to get out.

Now, Vivek I don't think would be at all because he's perfect, right? And Tim Scott, I know would never that's no true.

HOLMES: And Donald Trump continued that rhetoric throughout the speech. Now I am told that because of this decisive margin here in New Hampshire that they are going to pivot to the general election. There is a plan to eventually build out their operations in various crucial swing states including Michigan, Georgia and Arizona. He will be an Arizona later this week. Kristen Holmes, CNN, Nashua, New Hampshire.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VAUSE: Live to London now and Thomas Gift, the director of the Center on U.S. Politics at the University College of London. Thank you for getting up early. It's good to see you.

THOMAS GIFT, CENTRE ON U.S. POLITICS, UNIVERSITY OF COLLEGE LONDON: Thank you, John. It's great to be with you.

VAUSE: OK, so in many ways, it seems almost sort of kind of a line ball call here by Nikki Haley. You can sort of argue it both ways, whether she should say in or drop out. Regardless, though, it's a decision we've seen to really annoy Donald Trump. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: She was talking about most winability (ph) who's going to win and I had one put up I don't know if you see it but I have one put up.

[01:05:07]

We've won almost every single poll in the last three months against crooked Joe Biden almost every poll, and she doesn't win those polls. And she doesn't one of those. This is not your typical victory speech. But let's not have somebody take a victory when she had a very bad night.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: So what's the argument for Haley staying in because New Hampshire have seen demographic lease as the best chance of an upset. You're the road ahead just guitarra (ph)?

GIFT: Absolutely. And you know, I'm not sure if there is a good argument for her staying and Donald Trump is going to be the Republican nominee. Nikki Haley can valid she's going to stay in the race. And she's doing that on the chance that Trump's legal challenges eventually catch up to him. That's not unreasonable.

But it really is the case that if Haley couldn't win New Hampshire, she can't win anywhere. She had a huge advantage with independent voters supporting her. She invested almost all of her time in that state. She had virtually unlimited cash from anti-Trump super PACs. New Hampshire has an independent streak. Those variables aren't going to align in future Republican primary states. Donald Trump is right about that.

And what we do know is that to win a Republican primary, you have to win over the right wing, the right wing supports Trump, it's coalescing behind him. And there's seemingly nothing Haley can do to blunt that momentum. And by the way, nowhere is that more true than in South Carolina, Haley's home state, which is upcoming.

So, this is the coronation that Trump predicted. And the MAGA movement led by an election denier is really the one and only dominant force in the GOP. So, for Haley, she's going to stay in at least she says that for now. But I think she's really just doing so on the chance that these legal challenges catch up to Trump.

VAUSE: And so that we've seen over the last couple of weeks is just how quickly the GOP has fallen in line behind Trump, coalesce behind him as, you know, the eventual party nominee.

Back in 2016, it was a very, very different story. He didn't get a GOP endorsement or an elected official until after he actually won the nomination. So why is it happening this time around? Why has he got this such early support from within the Republican Party?

GIFT: But in many ways, John, I think Donald Trump is running as the de facto incompetent. And I'm not sure if I would completely agree with the premise that Republicans are just now falling in line. I think they've been falling in line for a long time.

If Republican voters have shown anything, it's that they don't want Trumpism without Trump. They don't want Trumpism like. They want Trumpism with Trump, or more specifically, they just want Trump in the Republican Party has shown for a long time, an expression of fealty toward Donald Trump, you know, they see the writing on the wall They see that Republican voters want this man in office. They feel like the election was stolen, and 2020. At the very least he's owed another chance.

So, I really think that what we have seen in Iowa and New Hampshire is just a cementing of the support that really has existed for quite some time.

VAUSE: And also in her non-victories state, Haley went after Trump on a number of issues like mental clarity, and his electability, his part of it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HALEY: With Donald Trump, Republicans have lost almost every competitive election. We lost the Senate. We lost the House. We lost The White House. We lost in 2018. We lost in 2020. And we lost in 2022. The worst kept secret in politics is how badly the Democrats want to run against Donald Trump.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: So if you look at the results from Iowa now for about New Hampshire, just under half of Republican primary voters voted for someone other than Trump. So always half the party don't want him there in some way. And that's despite him being seen as inevitable nominee. So to Haley's point, come November, how much of a concern should that be to Donald Trump?

GIFT: Well, I think it's somewhat of a concern. But I really do think that once we get closer and closer to the election, these partisan lines really start to solidify, they start to calcify, and there's going to be very few swing voters eventually left.

And I do think that a lot of what determines 2024 is going to hinge on mobilization of the base. And there is a big fraction of the Democratic wing that is also very skeptical of Joe Biden and not particularly motivated to show up.

So I could see somewhat of depress turnout. I mean, if there's one thing that we see with, you know, polling, it's that very few voters are satisfied with this choice and Joe Biden and Donald Trump, that's true among Democrats. That's true of all Republicans.

But certainly the fact that Donald Trump has not been able to get, you know, more than, you know, 50 percent of the vote, generally among the Republican primary electorate, as well as not doing particularly well with independence.

It is a concern. It's not a concern right now in the in the primaries, because Donald Trump's going to run away with it. But as we get into the general election, it's certainly something at least be mindful of it.

[01:10:00]

And you mentioned Joe Biden while the Biden-Harris campaign took a jab at Trump's election scorecard. This is after Joe Biden want to write in candidate to primary in New

Hampshire. But this is a statement. One thing is increasingly clear today, Donald Trump is headed straight into a general election matchup where he'll face the only person to have ever beaten him at the ballot box, Joe Biden.

So despite this writing win and New Hampshire, there were some contributors, some of your protests over the timing of the primary, Biden will still be facing some big challenges in the coming weeks in primary contests before he even gets to that general election. In South Carolina and Nevada, Michigan real estates, it could be quite challenging for the Biden campaign.

GIFT: That's true. I think Joe Biden's bigger challenge, though in the general election is actually going to be from a third party candidate, which emerged precisely because of the fact that there's such a significant portion of the Democratic Party that is dissatisfied with Joe Biden as a potential nominee.

And so RFK Jr., I think could be a real big X Factor. Even in some states like Michigan, where we're seeing people like Cornel West take maybe one or 2 percent of the vote, that could really be a game changer. None of these third party candidates have a legitimate chance of winning, but if they just tip, you know, 1 percent or 2 percent, here or there after capturing more votes from Joe Biden than Donald Trump, I really do think that that could tip the balance.

VAUSE: Certainly played a role and back in 2016, with Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, so yes, something to watch. Thomas Gift, thanks so much for being with us. Really appreciate your time, sir. Thank you.

GIFT: Thanks, John.

VAUSE: Now the southern Gaza and the city of Khan Younis, which the Israeli military says is now encircled by ground forces, with reports of heavy fighting not far from the few hospitals still operating in Gaza second biggest city.

Israeli officials have ordered the evacuation of parts of Khan Younis, which includes the Nasser hospital, Al-Amal Hospital and the Jordanian hospital. A warning now some of the images you're about to see a graphic.

Volunteers with Doctors Without Borders say Israeli strikes are landing closer and closer to Nasser Hospital preventing staff and patients from leaving, similar situation at Al-Amal Hospital where the U.N. says 13,000 Palestinians have taken shelter.

Meantime the U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres says Israel's repeated rejection of a two-state solution is unacceptable and will only prolong the fighting. Also, the British Foreign Secretary David Cameron will visit Israel Wednesday pushing for a ceasefire while also raising concerns over the high civilian death toll Gaza.

Tuesday was a day of mourning for many Israel after 24 Israeli soldiers were killed in Gaza most died while rigging buildings with explosives. The biggest one day of loss of life for the IDF since the war began, and now comes word from Qatar have serious discussions on hostage releases at a potential pause in the fighting. And CNN's Jeremy Diamond has details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The deadliest single day for Israeli troops in Gaza, 24 soldiers killed in action on Monday, leading to scenes of mourning like this across Israel.

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER (through translator): It's Monday was one of the hardest days since the war broke out. We lost 24 of our best sons, the heroes who fell defending the homeland.

DIAMOND (voice-over): 21 of those soldiers all reservists were killed in a single incident in central Gaza about 600 meters from the border with Israel. They represent about 10 percent of the IDF total losses since the beginning of the war.

The Israeli military says those troops were creating a buffer zone along the border with Israel, demolishing buildings and clearing Hamas infrastructure to make it safe for Israelis living near the border to return to their homes.

REAR ADMIRAL DANIEL HAGARI, ISRAELI DEFENSE FORCES SPOKESPERSON (through translator): It appears that around four o'clock an RPG missile was fired by terrorists toward a tank that was securing the force. Simultaneously there was an explosion that resulted in the collapse of two two-storey structures while most of the force was inside them in nearby.

DIAMOND (voice-over): The Israeli military says it is investigating the incidence and the exact cause of that explosion. The news rippling across Israel, a small country of about 9 million people were nearly everyone has a relative or friend in the military. And it comes as the Israeli government is offering the longest pause in fighting to date according to Axios, a two-month ceasefire in exchange for the release of all the hostages held in Gaza. Some Israeli troops would also withdraw from population centers and Palestinian civilians would be allowed to return to Northern Gaza. And Israeli official telling CNN many steps still need to be taken

before a deal comes to fruition. And Hamas is seeking an end to the war as a condition to any deal.

Separately, two officials told CNN, Israel has proposed Hamas's senior leaders could leave Gaza as part of a broader ceasefire agreements. A

[01:15:04]

A spokesman for the Qatari government saying negotiators are working around the clock to reach a deal.

MAJED AL ANSARI, QATAR MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS SPOKESPERSON: We are engaging in serious discussions with both sides we have presented ideas to both sides. We are getting a constant stream of replies from both sides.

DIAMOND (voice-over): The lives of more than 100 hostages hanging in the balance. Jeremy Diamond, CNN, Tel Aviv

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VAUSE: Now, we'll take a short break now I believe that we're heading off to Tel Aviv (INAUDIBLE) guys.

OK, move on to Ukraine now. Ukraine's president says a wave of Russian strikes across the country killed at least 18 people and wounded dozens of others.

OK, let's just also break this we're having a few issues here technical issues. In a moment, we'll take a short break but a lot more on the Ukrainian story, a lot more on the issue with Israel's at its strike on Hamas and Gaza. Stay with us. You're watching CNN.

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VAUSE: Wave of Russian airstrikes across Ukraine on Tuesday killed at least 18 people according to government officials. Kharkiv was hit three times several apartment buildings are damaged. (INAUDIBLE) says more than 40 Russian missiles were fired from several regions in southern Russia, the halfway intercepted and shut down. More now on (INAUDIBLE) from Fled Pleitgen reporting in from eastern Ukraine.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The death toll continued to rise on Tuesday after a string of Russian missile attacks that focused on several regions here in this country. One of them was the capital region around Kyiv, another was Pavlohrad, which is in the southeast of the country. And then also the area around Kharkiv in the northeast of the country.

Of course, Kharkiv is a place that often adores missile attacks by the Russians. And this time once again, the Ukrainian say that it was the hardest hit region, with several people being killed there on the ground. The area on Kyiv also hit by missile attacks. There were several people who were wounded in those attacks. And then there was the area around Pavlohrad, where one person was killed according to the Ukrainians.

The Ukrainians are seeing by and large the air defense systems that they have worked very well they were able to shoot down about half of the missiles that were fired towards Ukrainian territory. But of course, one of the things that the Ukrainians have been saying is that they need a continued supply of missiles for those air defense systems to be able to keep that protection alive here for this country.

This of course, all comes as the Russians continue to push offensives, especially in the East and the southeast of the country. The area around bombed is one of those focal points and the Ukrainians are saying they're trying to hold back those Russian forces, but because they have a limited supply of ammunition that is proving very difficult. Fred Pleitgen, CNN in eastern Ukraine.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VAUSE: A Putin critic and anti-war candidate is one step closer to challenging the Russian president in the coming March election.

[01:20:04]

Former MP Boris Nadezhdin says he has the 100,000 signatures required to run as an independent candidate. Nadezhdin claims were the only one willing to openly oppose Russian's invasion of Ukraine. He has support from prominent opposition figures, including those close to the jailed Kremlin critic Alexey Navalny.

Nadezhdin is still aiming for at least 150,000 signatures by the end of the month to meet the rigorous standards imposed by Russia's Central Election Commission.

Heavy fighting in southern Gaza is bringing the few functioning hospitals in the city of Khan Younis at risk. Israeli officials have ordered the evacuation of parts of the city but volunteers with Doctors Without Borders, say Israeli strikes are preventing staff and patients from leaving Nasser Hospital and Al-Amal hospital.

Miri Eisin is a retired Israeli Defense Forces colonel, now director of the International Institute for Counter-Terrorism at Reichman University, and she's with a staffer (INAUDIBLE). Thank you for getting up early. Thank you for being with us.

In the hours after we had we're about these 24 Israeli soldiers have been killed on Monday, Prime Minister Netanyahu, paid tribute to the fallen and he had this message. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NETANYAHU (through translator): We bow our heads to the memory of our fallen. And yet we do not for a moment stop striving for an irreplaceable goal, the achievement of absolute victory. Together, we will fight and together we will win.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: So at this point, almost four months it is this unprecedented military offensive in Gaza. What is Israel done, which would indicate real progress in moving towards the goal proof of military operations on the right path, prove that those lives that were lost, were worth losing.

COL. MIRI EISIN (RET.), DIRECTOR, INTERNATIOAN INSTITUTE FOR COUNTER- TERRORISM, REICHMAN UNIVERSITY: So when we talk about lives lost in war, it's always going to be challenging. And in that sense, it's about the military lives, civilian lives. And as you were saying before, the lives of civilians on the Gaza Strip are also right now so challenging.

What is Israel achieved? While we're talking about what Hamas built over 15 years, they have been building this over a decade. We are systematically trying to dismantle that underground subterranean arena to take the enormous amount of weapons and to get to terrorists.

What did the terrorists do? They built themselves inside underground and above ground in the civilian community. So we're systematically taking that apart. And as you said, or certainly not done. It's very slow. And it is part of that challenge of what Hamas built.

And as I look at that right now, we have killed thousands of terrorists. That doesn't make me happy. I'd be much happier if there was no terrorism, if they did not use the civilian community as their defense system above ground and below ground. But an urban fighting and its subterranean fighting, we have systematically dismantling it doesn't make it disappear overnight. It takes a very long time.

VAUSE: I guess the question is, how long? How long would the Israeli public stay with you? Well, how long will the international community stay on the sidelines, before they come through pressure on Israel, to reassess this entire operation?

EISIN: When we look at what's happening right now, this issue of what Hamas stands for, not the attack of October 7. But the idea that you can plan and execute such an assault and use the entire Gaza Strip as your defense system with the civilians inside. This is something that worries not just Israel, specifically in the terrorizing border, it does absolutely impact the rest of the world.

I'm talking about a long time. I have absolutely talking about 2024, we're not doing a high intensity attack over all of the Gaza Strip, what Israel has tried to do systematically, it's never easy, enormous casualties, is to tell people to go to safer places. The civilians are always the ones that suffer with in a war, telling them to go to safer places so that we can systematically dismantle that underground subterranean arena.

I'm talking about a very long time. I completely understand the challenge, both inside Israel and worldwide in supporting this. And I've asked again, in that sense, what is the alternative? If Hamas stays in power? If Hamas keeps the hostages? If Hamas keeps their military capabilities? That's not a loss for Israel. That is a threat, not just to the existence of Israel, but to what

terror organizations worldwide will see. Attack, assault, terrorized. Build your defenses inside civilians, and the world is going to help you out. That's an impossible message.

VAUSE: We'll say a word that negotiations over the release of Israeli hostages, we're back on at least the biggest negotiations about negotiations. The White House Mideast coordinator is actually traveling to Egypt and Qatar. Here's more now from White House security spokesperson John Kirby.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN KIRBY, U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL: One of the things he's in the region talking about is the potential for another hostage deal which would require humanitarian pause of some length to get that done, and that's definitely on the agenda.

[01:25:08]

But the conversations are very sober and serious about trying to get another hostage deal in place.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: Despite what the Israeli government may say, it seems the goal of destroying Hamas is very much at odds with saving the hostages. Eventually, one or the other will actually lose out whether you -- can you have both here.

EISIN: Can I say something really rude in its own way not to you. This was loose-loose from the beginning, Hamas terror organization assaulted Israel, took hundreds of hostages built a defense system underneath their civilian population over 15 years. This is not about a clear cut victory with, most definitely Israel needs the hostages back, all of us do.

Nobody in the world wants to have a situation that you can do on assault, take 250 people from babies through elderly people hold them hostages and win. That is not good news for anybody. That is a plan for the next terror organization to do it.

And when it's against Israel, for some reason, it becomes different. It's not different. We need the hostages back and all of us need to destroy Hamas capabilities so that they can't use the terror capabilities to be able to do what they did, and have said that they would do again.

So this isn't conquer their contradictory. It's about doing both. Does it make it happy and nice? This is a horrible war that Hamas started on October 7. And in this sense, as we go forward, I say as an Israeli, it's not about the casualties because our hearts go out to them all of the time. It's about there not being an example, in the world of 2024 of a terror genocidal organization, doing the attacks, taking the hospitals, getting the benefits and showing here's the plan of what you should do worldwide. That's not an option. VAUSE: Miri Eisin. Thank you so much for being with us. We appreciate your insights and your thoughts. Thank you.

EISIN: Thank you.

VAUSE: We will take a short break. Going back Donald Trump wins again defeating rival Nikki Haley in the New Hampshire primary. But as former U.N. ambassador isn't ready to go quietly into the night. She's sticking in there. Details next on why.

Also Mexico's lawsuit against U.S. gunmakers back on track, back in the game after getting the green light for U.S. appeals court. Details on what happened after the break.

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VAUSE: Welcome back to viewers around the world. I'm John Vause. You're watching CNN Newsroom. Donald Trump has won the New Hampshire Republican primary, taking him one step closer to the party's presidential nomination. He's been comes a week after Trump won the first in the nation Iowa caucuses with Haley a distant third.

[01:30:05]

Many observers said she needed a strong showing in New Hampshire to have any chance of slowing Trump's momentum.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: She had to win. The governor said, she's going to win, she's going to win. Then she failed badly. Now I have here if he promises to do it in a minute or less, but the only person more angry than, let's say, me, but I don't get too angry, I get even.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: The next Republican primary is a month from now, Haley's home state of South Carolina. She vowed to stay in the race at least until then, saying it's what the American people want.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NIKKI HALEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Most Americans do not want a rematch between Biden and Trump. The first party to retire its 80- year-old candidate is going to be the party that wins this election.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: CNN's Kylie Atwood is at Nikki Haley's New Hampshire headquarters as the results came in.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KYLIE ATWOOD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Nikki Haley's message after losing the New Hampshire primaries, that this race is far from over. She said New Hampshire is the first primary in the nation, but it's certainly not the last and made a commitment to continue campaigning in the South Carolina primary, which comes next month.

Now she will be in Charleston, South Carolina later this week. Campaign aides are also talking about other events that she has on her calendar -- fundraisers and the like. All of those are still set to happen is there are question about what the margin of victory will look like for President Trump in New Hampshire and how that could impact the future for campaign going forward. Just how competitive she can still say that she is with the former president.

Kylie Atwood, CNN -- New Hampshire.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: The U.S. Federal Appeals Court has ruled that Mexico can sue a group of U.S. gun manufacturers. The lawsuit names brands including Colt, Smith & Wesson, and Glock, claiming they design, market, distribute, and sell guns in a way that armed drug cartels. The National Shooting Sports Foundation has called the lawsuit misplaced.

This legal action began back in 2021. It was dismissed in 2022, but Mexico appealed. Mexico says up to 597,000, more than half a million guns from the defendants in the case are trafficked into the country every year.

The U.S. ambassador to Mexico says this is a top priority for the White House.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KEN SALAZAR, U.S. AMBASSADOR TO MEXICO (through translator): Reducing the flow of weapons from the United States to Mexico is a priority for President Biden. We know that 70 percent of weapons that cause violence here in Mexico and in the U.S., but 70 percent come from the United States.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: Well, the death toll following a landslide in southwestern China now stands at 31. Close to 1,000 residents were evacuated and taking shelter now in a school, same as relatives or friends. State media reports hundreds of tents, coats, folding beds, other supplies have been sent to the region. More than a thousand people and dozens of machines and dogs are part of a search and rescue operation.

Official say freezing weather or snow making it much difficult to search for those believed trapped beneath the rubble.

At least six people, including three firefighters, have been killed in a massive explosion in Mongolia. Emergency officials say it happened when a truck carrying 60 tons of liquid natural gas burst into flames. Almost 600 firefighters were deployed to put the fire out.

Local news reports the flames spread to several nearby buildings, including a residential building. Dozens of cars were also burned out. At least 11 people were hurt.

There are police reports of riots and property damage in parts of India after Prime Minister Narendra Modi formally opened a controversial Hindu temple, which stands on the site of a 16th century mosque that was destroyed by Hindu nationalist back in 1992. That triggered nationwide riots and killed about 2,000 people.

More details now from CNN's Vedika Sud.

VEDIKA SUD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The grand inauguration of the Ram Temple continues to be celebrated across India. But the opening has not been without controversy.

On Monday, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi presided over a religious ceremony in the inner sanctum of the temple. Seen as controversial in a secular country, particularly given the history of the newly-consecrated temple built on the site of a historic mosque destroyed by Hindu mobs in 1992 an event that sparked deadly riots that claimed nearly 2,000 lives.

(INAUDIBLE) the Modi (INAUDIBLE) political party's concerted push for a Hindu nation will further marginalize India's 200 million Muslims.

[01:34:45]

SUD: On Tuesday, communal (ph) tensions were reported from the western state of Maharasha (ph) around the inauguration of the temple. That confrontation between Hindus and Muslims broke out.

There's also growing anxiety among Ayodhya's Muslims, a city that has been covered in saffron, a color associated with Hindu nationalism.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It feels like the whole country, its losing its secularism. The country used to be secular, but that's over now. The focus is only on one significant religion.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SUD: But for Hundreds of millions of Hindus, this moment has been both historic and emotional.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I was at the gate since 04:00 a.m. It opened at 07:00 a.m. I went in braving the massive crowds, but thanks to Lord Ram, we got a glimpse of his idol inside, and I felt as if I had been blessed by him.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I've been waiting since last night. No luck so far. Could not get access. I've bathed and been waiting here since early morning. I won't leave without getting a glimpse of Lord Ram.

(END VIDEO CLIP) SUD: And for Modi, the temple consecration was etched in (INAUDIBLE) of the Hindu lord ahead of India's general elections where he seeks a historic term in office.

Vedika Sud, CNN -- Ayodhya, India.

VAUSE: Still to come here on CNN and the nominees are not "Barbie" and not "Barbie's" director. While Ryan Gosling nominated for best supporting actor, that's just the topping on the patriarchy cake.

More on that when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AMERICA FERRERA, ACTOR: It's impossible to be a woman. You are so beautiful and so smart and it kills that you don't think you're good enough. Like we always be extraordinary. But somehow we're always doing it wrong.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: Well for many it was an emotionally and stirring speech by Gloria in "Barbie", helped actress America Ferrera score her first Oscar nomination. But "Oppenheimer" has the most to lose at this year's Academy Awards, leading the pack with 13 nominations.

CNN's Elizabeth Wagmeister -- sorry, breaks down the nominations.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ELIZABETH WAGMEISTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: Oppenheimer leading the Oscar nominations with 13. Following close behind is "Poor things" which has 11 nominations including eight nominations for Emma Stone in the category of best actress. Now, not far behind is "Killers of the Flower Moon" with ten nominations. And then "Barbie" with eight.

Now, this was a big morning for "Barbie", but we can't talk about "Barbie" without noting that "Barbie" herself was snubbed. Margot Robbie, not getting into the best

actress category. This is the biggest snub of the year in my mind. Also Greta Gerwig, the director of "Barbie", not getting into the best director category.

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WAGMEISTER: Of course, "Barbie" is the biggest movie of 2023, making over $1.4 billion. Huge strides in history-making moments for women in film.

But some good news for "Barbie", America Ferrera sliding in to the supporting category with a surprise nomination. Anyone who has seen "Barbie" is going to be happy that she got this nod because of that empowering speech in a really fantastic performance from her. Now, moving down on the list of snubs, Bradley Cooper not getting in

there for best director for "Maestro" but still a good morning for him. He is a double nominee as a producer on that film, which was nominated for best picture and also as best actor.

Leonardo di Caprio, not getting a nomination for "Killers of the Flower Moon" anytime that Leo is not there, that's a snub. He's one of the biggest actors in Hollywood history. But Leo was really setting his campaign this award season around his co-star, Lily Gladstone.

Lily Gladstone did make history this morning, becoming the first Native American actress to be nominated. If she wins, she will be the first Native American winner at the Oscars in the major acting categories.

Now, some other history-making moments. Robert Downey, Jr. was nominated for his role in "Oppenheimer". Believe it or not, if he wins, this will be his first Oscar in his entire career.

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VAUSE: No nod for Margot Robbie for "Barbie" seemed to be only made worse by Ryan Gosling's nomination for best supporting actor as Ken. In a statement thanking the Academy, Gosling also highlighted the snub, writing this, "But there is no Ken without Barbie and there is no "Barbie" movie without Greta Gerwig, the director, and Margot Robbie, the two people most responsible for this history-making globally-celebrated film. No recognition would be possible for anyone on the film without their talent, grit and genius. To say that I'm disappointed that they are not nominated in their respective categories would be an understatement."

And we should note here at CNN, "Barbie" was distributed by Warner Brothers Pictures, which is owned by CNN's parent company.

Well moving on, Netflix has acquired exclusive rights to wrestling, WWE which will be in streaming next January. Dwayne, "The Rock" Johnson is joining the board of WWE's parent company. The former wrestler turned movie megastar will receive $30 million in stock as part of the deal.

Netflix announced Tuesday it added a whopping, a whopping 13 million subscribers in the fourth quarter of 2023. How many did they lose before that remains a mystery?

Thank you for watching CNN NEWSROOM. I'm John Vause back with more news at the top of the hour.

In the meantime, "WORLD SPORT" is up a short break.

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