Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

Trump Threatens China, Mexico And Canada With New Tariffs; Israel's Security Cabinet To Decide On Ceasefire With Hezbollah; Special Counsel Dropping Federal Charges Against Trump; Ukraine Using ATACMS in Kursk, Russia; Palestinians Fear More Evictions in West Bank Under Trump; Imran Khan Supporters Continue March Amid Police Lockdown; Far-Right Candidate Wins Most Votes in First Round of Voting in Romania; French Prosecutors Request Maximum Sentence for Dominique Pelicot; Thousands March Across Spain to Denounce Femicide; Cause of Cargo Crash in Lithuania Under Investigation; Judge Delays Resentencing Hearing to January 30. Aired 1-2a ET

Aired November 26, 2024 - 01:00   ET

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

[01:00:00]

ANNA COREN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: For Canada, Mexico and China will have live reaction from Beijing.

Plus, the Israeli cabinet is expected to vote on a proposed ceasefire with Hezbollah in the coming hours. But ahead of the vote, neither side is letting up on attacks.

And in Pakistan, protesters supporting Imran Khan marched to the capital, calling for his release, but are met with tear gas and force.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Live from Hong Kong. This is CNN Newsroom with Anna Coren.

COREN: We begin with the threat of massive new tariffs for China and the United States neighbors on Donald Trump's first day back in office. The incoming U.S. president says Mexico and Canada will be charged a 25 percent tariff on all products coming into the United States. Well, that would include everything from cars, furniture and electronics to oil, wood and food.

Well, Trump claims the tariffs are his response to crime, drug trafficking and illegal immigration. He also posted that we will be charging China an additional 10 percent tariff on all of their many products coming into the U.S. which led to this warning from China's embassy in Washington. No one will win a trade war.

Well, let's bring in CNN's Beijing bureau chief Steven Jiang with more. And Steven, and how is this being received in Beijing?

STEVEN JIANG, CNN BEIJING BUREAU CHIEF: Well, Anna, so far, officials here in Beijing have yet to respond. But if and when they do, I think it's very likely you will hear something very similar to what you have just mentioned from their spokesman in their D.C. embassy, which was relatively muted because, of course, Chinese officials here have been preparing to deal with this prospect for months.

If anything, they probably could use some clarification as well, because remember, during the campaign, Trump had repeatedly threatened to impose 60 percent tariffs on all Chinese imports. So is this new additional 10 percent on top of that, or is this something just the first phase that could lead to something bigger later on?

But interestingly, I've been hearing slightly different sentiment from officials here. Those in charge of diplomacy tend to put on a more brave face, saying China is capable and willing to fight back, while those in charge of the economy sometimes sounded more cautious, perhaps because of the sluggish Chinese economy at home, which is, of course, according to many experts, going to affect how they respond.

A lot of them suggesting the Chinese response is likely to be more targeted and asymmetrical, meaning they are likely to target U.S. companies and industries in China that they already intend to squeeze out of the Chinese market anyway.

And another thing, of course, China has been doing in the past few years is to diversify its export markets by reducing its reliance on the U.S. but on the fentanyl front, that's very interesting because Trump links these new tariffs on China's lackluster effort in cracking down on fentanyl trade.

We recently actually got very rare access to China's national counternarcotics lab. Officials there actually telling us the recently resumed dialogues on this issue actually have led to progress. Their regular communication with their U.S. counterparts, they say actually has helped both sides identify and trace new chemicals used to make fentanyl, and U.S. provided tips even leading to Chinese law enforcement actions here on the ground as well.

So the irony here, Anna, is Trump's new tariffs, if that -- if those tariffs actually trigger a new freefall in this overall relationship, it could actually negatively impact on the very issue Trump is now linking to his reason for impose those new tariffs on China to begin with, Anna.

COREN: And Steven, I guess we got a preview of this trade war during Trump's first term. What is his second term going to look like in regard to that trade war? We see it envisage it ramping up.

JIANG: I think that is really one of those billion dollar questions on the minds of many officials and ordinary people here as well, because doing his first term, of course, he has imposed tariffs that actually such a big term. I think it's somewhere around $370 billion worth of tariffs on Chinese imports.

And of course it has a very big impact on bilateral relations as well as, but China, as I mentioned, has in a way learned from that first term in terms of how he operates. So part of the diversity -- part of their diversification strategy in terms of export is really going to make an impact and make a difference here in terms of their response as well. Because remember now, China is no longer the biggest exporter to the U.S. Market. Mexico has taken that place. So in that sense, China think they're better prepared, but in terms of

what and how they respond, I think we'll have to wait and see because historically China tend to respond to the actual situation instead of preemptively and hypothetically. Anna.

[01:05:06]

COREN: Steven Jiang in Beijing, we appreciate the reporting. Thank you. Well, Canada's deputy prime minister and public safety minister issued a joint and fairly neutral response to Trump's threat of new tariffs. They called the relationship between the two countries balanced and mutually beneficial, particularly for American workers, and said that discussions about tariffs will continue.

Meanwhile, U.S. special counsel Jack Smith is throwing out all federal charges against Trump. That means the January 6 election subversion and classified documents cases are both over, at least for now. CNN's Evan Perez explains.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

EVAN PEREZ, CNN SENIOR U.S. JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Special Counsel Jack Smith asked federal judges overseeing the two criminal prosecutions of Donald Trump to drop those cases, citing the longstanding Justice Department rules that forbid prosecuting a sitting president. Smith made the filings in Washington, D.C. where the election subversion case was filed against Trump and with the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta, which has a pending appeal of a ruling dismissing charges in the classified documents case.

Smith says that he consulted with lawyers from the Office of Legal Counsel, which serves as the in-house law firm for the administration, and determined that Trump is covered by that shield against prosecution even now, as President elect. Smith says in his filing, the department's position is that the Constitution requires that this case be dismissed before the defendant is inaugurated.

This outcome is not based on the merits or strength of the case against the defendant. Smith requested that the classified documents case continue for two of Trump's co-defendants who are accused of helping him obstruct the investigation.

Judge Tanya Chutkan quickly granted Smith's request to dismiss the January 6th related case, quote, without prejudice, meaning that the dismissal applies only while Trump is president. Chutkan wrote, the dismissal without prejudice is also consistent with the government's understanding that the immunity afforded to a sitting president is temporary, expiring when they leave office.

So does that mean that the cases against Trump could be revived after he leaves office? That's anyone's guess. Once Trump is president, he also could order his Justice Department to kill the cases for good. Evan Paris, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE) COREN: In Israel, a vote on a ceasefire deal with Hezbollah is set to take place in the coming hours. One official in Lebanon familiar with the discussions expects a ceasefire to be announced in the day ahead. Despite the progress, there's been no let up to the strikes from either side.

The Israeli military says it hit two Hezbollah command centers belonging to the group's executive council in Beirut on Monday. The Israel Defense Forces also says Hezbollah fired about 20 projectiles from Lebanon Monday and warned rocket fire into Israel could ramp up ahead of Tuesday's vote.

The spokesperson for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not give details of the potential agreement, but said it was expected to pass when the cabinet meets for the vote. But not everyone is on board. Israel's far-right national security minister says the deal would be a historic mistake.

Well, CNN's Nic Robertson is tracking developments and has more from Jerusalem.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yes, it really does seem as if that ceasefire deal is going to happen, getting much closer according to a Lebanese official with knowledge of the process saying that it should happen within 24 hours, which will be late on Tuesday.

The prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu holding a cabinet meeting Tuesday afternoon to decide that same thing. Look, there are pressures on him. We have to be clear about that. There are things that Israel wants that it may not be able to achieve. We don't know the language. So there are some concerns going into this final phase.

Israel wants to be able to have the right to respond to Hezbollah if Hezbollah breaks the terms of the ceasefire, the right to respond immediately. And it's not clear what sort of language is going to be put around that. But the prime minister today heard Itaman Ben-Gvir, the national security minister, and he was very clear. He said publicly he told the prime minister, this is not the time to quit in the fight with Hezbollah. This is the time, while they're weak, to continue to crush them. He said his words for the prime minister were continue, continue, continue.

Now, the prime minister will have Tuesday morning to meet with the leaders and the parties that make up his coalition. So he will have time to try to convince Ben-Gvir of why he should vote in favor of the ceasefire. So the prime minister's got time, but his office does seem to indicate that they feel confident that this is going to pass.

[01:10:02]

What will happen? Well, there'll be a 60 day ceasefire is what we expect. Hezbollah will pull back 30 miles, 45 kilometers north of the border. Israeli troops will begin to pull back and pull back entirely into Israel. And then in principle, the U.N. and the Lebanese army sort of fill that military vacuum along the border to make sure that Hezbollah don't come back south and get on the border with Israel. That's the principle of it.

But in the meantime, both sides been really increasing and ramping up their strikes. Missiles from Hezbollah, bombing raids by the IDF at Hezbollah targets inside of Lebanon. So until that cease fire signed, it seems that the intense military operation that's going to continue, it seems, until the last moment. Nic Robinson, CNN, Jerusalem.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COREN: Joining me now from Tel Aviv is Alon Pinkas, a former Israeli Consul General in New York. Alon, good to see you. We hear that the US Wants this wrapped up by thanksgiving, but as we know, this is far from a done deal.

ALON PINKAS, FORMER ISRAELI CONSUL GENERAL IN NEW YORK: Well, it's not that far if you ask the Americans and the Israelis. I think it's all about the language of the agreement rather than any kind of opposition inside Mr. Netanyahu's cabinet, which I doubt would amount to anything.

Now, Thanksgiving, that's two days from now. So that's not a big deal in terms of, of course, it's a big deal if you happen to be in, you know, line of fire, but that's only 48 hours or even 36 hours away. So that's not the issue.

The big issue is going to be even if this agreement is signed and we're all going to, quote, unquote, celebrate a ceasefire. The question, Anna, is going to be the durability of such an agreement. Such an agreement, I'm sorry, because we've been in this movie before, we've been in this ballgame before, and it never lasted much longer. It's more like a lull or a hiatus in the activity rather than a durable agreement.

COREN: Talk to us about the key sticking points yet to be resolved. In particular, Israel's right to restart the war if Hezbollah broke the truce.

PINKAS: Well, that's exactly right. You just made the -- you took the point away from me. There are four phases. There is an immediate ceasefire, as Nic Robertson, your correspondent, accurately mentioned. It's supposed to be 60 days, or at least designated for 60 days after which begins phase two, which includes Hezbollah retreating from southern Lebanon north of the Litany River, which is not that big of a river, but nonetheless, it's a natural barrier.

Then there's the third phase, which Israeli withdrawal from South Lebanon. And then the Israeli government are expected to negotiate the demarcation border. But that all leads to the problematic clause which you just commented on, and that Israel maintains the right to operate militarily if it Israel deems that Hezbollah violated or transgressed the agreement.

And that is supposed to be supported by a letter, an addendum to the agreement, a letter signed by the President of the United States. Now, the question is, who's going to enforce all of this? And that's why the durability issue is.

COREN: Alon, Prime Minister Netanyahu is scheduled to meet with his cabinet later today to obviously discuss this proposal, but we know he is facing internal opposition. You don't think that's going to be a problem for him?

PINKAS: No, it's smoke and mirrors. You know, they all position themselves into -- I warned ahead of time and I said this is a mistake. All these armchair field marshals, he's going to pass it. And if not on substance, then at least he's going to use the evergreen argument that he uses. Well, we got to do this for Donald Trump. I get my work that it'll all be wrapped up before January 20th.

But there is one important aspect, perhaps we don't have time for that, Anna, and that is that by signing a ceasefire in Lebanon with Hezbollah, indeed with the Lebanese government, but effectively with Hezbollah, Netanyahu feels that he can continue on and prolong the war in Gaza. And that is something to pay attention.

COREN: Iran seems to have pressured Hezbollah into agreeing to this ceasefire proposal. Explain to us the reasons why.

PINKAS: Well, look, Hezbollah has been their prized asset and their prized proxy for a long time. And Iran deferred to Hezbollah on all matters Israeli.

[01:15:00]

And on 8 October 2023, a day after the Hamas terror attack in Gaza, both Hezbollah and Iran said, we had nothing to do with this. We did not coordinate this. We had no prior knowledge of it. But then Hezbollah got Iran involuntarily involved in the war by escalating its own skirmishes with Israel. And Israel then responded massively against Hezbollah. And there were two exchanges of missiles between Israel and Iran directly.

So from an Iranian point of view, Hezbollah may have turned from an asset to a liability by dragging them into an unwanted and unsolicited conflict. That's reason one. Reason two is that if you look at the makeup of the Iranian leadership, you know, the new president, the new foreign minister, then the new national security advisor, they seem to be intent on engaging the U.S. in a -- I'm not saying that's going to happen, but they seem to be intent on engaging the U.S. in a new nuclear deal. Reining in Hezbollah is one positive step.

COREN: Alon Pinkas, we have to leave it there. But as always, we appreciate your perspective. Thanks so much.

PINKAS: Thank you, Anna.

COREN: Well, the fighting in Russia's Kursk region is escalating as Ukraine struggles to hold on to territory and target Russia's military capabilities. That story ahead.

Plus, a stunning election outcome in Romania sparks outcry. Coming up, more on how a far-right presidential candidate defied opinion polls.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COREN: Ukraine's capital city is fighting off new Russian drone attacks. The mayor of Kyiv says Moscow is launching Iranian made Shahed drones from different directions. This comes as battles escalate in Russia's Kursk region. The White House says Ukraine used U.S. supplied ATACMS ballistic missiles there. This video posted on social media Monday purports to show explosions from those missiles.

The White House says the U.S. gave Ukraine permission to use ATACMS in Kursk to defend themselves on a immediate need basis. And Russian state media reports that a British man fighting for Ukraine in Kursk has been taken prisoner. Well, British officials say they are doing what they can to help.

Well, Michael Bociurkiw is a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council and a former spokesperson for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. He joins us now from Odesa, Ukraine.

Michael, as always, great to see you. I want to start with those drone strikes in Kyiv overnight and early this morning. What more can you tell us about this latest assault?

MICHAEL BOCIURKIW: Hi, Anna. Pretty bad. It seems now that every night Ukraine is under dozens of drone attacks as well as ballistic missiles.

[01:20:05]

In fact, not far from where I'm sitting right now, about 24 hours ago, a very powerful ballistic missile hit a densely populated residential area of Odesa. And then just a few hours ago, in the far west of Ukraine, closer to the Polish border, drones there struck critical infrastructure, which in Ukraine means usually energy and heating facilities. No power, no light, no heating. And the temperatures there are below zero Celsius right now. So you can imagine what the civilians there are feeling right now.

COREN: Absolutely. And you can only assume that those attacks on infrastructure will only continue. Michael, the use and confirmation of U.S. made ATACMS in Kursk, is that making much of an impact and are they running out of time in using them?

BOCIURKIW: Well, of course it's very welcomed by the Zelenskyy administration because this is something they've been begging for a long, long time. However, there's some confusion on whether that geographical footprint that the Biden administration set for the Ukrainian Kursk region only is still valid.

I think what the Ukrainians would really like to do is strike further, targeting those airfields, those launching pads where these drones and missiles come from. Because without doing that, you know, Ukraine air defense systems just aren't robust enough to keep away those drones and missiles. COREN: And is that likely to happen, that permission will be allowed

to use ATACMS on those targets?

BOCIURKIW: Yes, I think so. I think it will be done quietly. And it's certainly something that is favored by the French, by the English, the builders of these missiles. Because I think Ukrainians also feel they need to strike, for example, critical routes for the Russians that Kerch Strait bridged, where they bring military equipment from mainland Russia into Crimea.

COREN: Michael, we understand that ambassadors from NATO countries will meet Ukrainian diplomats in Brussels today. This of course, is at the request of Ukraine. It's in response to the firing last week of an experimental intermediate range ballistic missile at Dnipro. Ukraine is saying that it wants concrete and meaningful outcomes from Naito. I mean, is that likely?

BOCIURKIW: Well, I think Ukrainians, a lot of Ukrainians have given up on expecting much from NATO, but I think what you're seeing this week is absolutely incredible. What I mean by that is you have NATO, but you also have the G7 foreign ministers meeting yesterday and today in Italy. And word leaking out about their communique is that they're going to use very, very strong and specific language against China as an enabler of Russia's war in Ukraine, possibly threatening sanctions on China.

And strong language too Anna, about China reportedly giving Russia drone technology to further strike Ukraine. Last year the language was very polite and light, but I think this year they realized they have to get stronger, especially before Mr. Trump gets in.

COREN: Michael, I now want to turn to the comments made by U.S. podcaster Joe Rogan. As we know as Trump supporters quarter, he claimed that Joe Biden's decision to authorize the use of ATACMS was about to start World War III. Well, he has been accused of, quote, repeating Russian propaganda. That claim was made by former world heavyweight boxing champion Vladimir Klitschko.

Let's first have a listen to what Klitschko had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)(

VLADIMIR KLITSCHKO, UKRAINIAN FORMER PROFESSIORNAL BOXER: Putin's Russia is in trouble, so they want to scare you and people like you. His war was supposed to last three days. It has lasted three years, thanks to the heroism and sacrifice of us Ukrainians. So you're using the only weapon that Putin really intends to use, propaganda. And this weapon really weakens our democracies.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COREN: Michael, would you agree with Mr. Klitschko?

BOCIURKIW: 100 percent. He's right. Mr. Rogan is just parroting Kremlin propaganda lines, saying that we're nearing World War III. In fact, I think, you know, a lot of the people that have spoken out about this are correct, is that if anything, Ukraine has prevented the west from really feeling the impact of this war.

And you know about Mr. Klitschko. I mean, this very hand has shaken the Klitschko brothers hand, and that was in good times. And you wouldn't want to get on the wrong side of the Klitschko brothers in a virtual boxing ring, I can tell you that.

So what is interesting here, too, Anna, is that when these words were spoken by the podcaster, instead of Mr. Zelenskyy coming out, which he usually would be expected to do, it was Mr. Klitschko and also former Foreign Affairs Minister Dmytro Kuleba.

[01:25:07]

Kuleba offered to sit down with Mr. Rogan as well and smoke cigars with him. And then Mr. Klitschko said, I'll meet you head to head on your show. So, you know, and it's interesting too, because the Klitschko brothers are very popular in Ukraine. In fact, there's not a good relationship between them and Mr. Zelenskyy. So it's -- it'd be curious to see how this is being greeted in the presidential administration.

COREN: And of course, and his brother being the mayor of Kyiv. Michael Bociurkiw, as always, a pleasure. Great to see you. Thank you for joining us from Odesa.

BOCIURKIW: Thank you.

COREN: Well, as the United States gets closer to inaugurating Donald Trump, Russian leaders are hoping his cabinet picks and his Kremlin friendly inner orbit will give Moscow an advantage in its ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Fred Pleitgen has those details from Moscow.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice- over): As Ukrainian forces grow ever more desperate trying to hold off advancing Russian troops, the Kremlin is growing ever more hopeful the incoming Trump administration will try to end the war on terms favorable for Moscow.

The words peace or peace plan comes from Trump supporters and those nominated for future positions in the upcoming administration, the Kremlin spokesman said today.

The Russians irate after the Biden administration allowed Ukraine to use longer distance U.S. and U.K. Supplied missiles to strike deeper inside Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin in return firing a new powerful intermediate range ballistic missile into central Ukraine that's never been used in war.

President-elect Trump's pick for national security advisor confirming ending the Ukraine war will be an urgent priority.

MIKE WALTZ, TRUMP'S PICK FOR U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR: President Trump has been very clear about the need to end this conflict and so what we need to be discussing is who's at that table. PLEITGEN: And from Trump insiders and cabinet picks proposals

seemingly in line with Moscow's demands. Elon Musk posting his ideas on his X account in early October 2022, calling for U.N. monitored referendums in areas of Ukraine occupied by Russia, for Crimea to be recognized as Russian and for Ukraine to remain neutral.

Ukraine's president, who has said he does believe the war will end faster under Trump, also said last week in a radio interview that Ukraine cannot be forced into talks. Musk then trolling Zelenskyy once again. Despite Elon Musk giving crucial battlefield support to Ukraine by providing Starlink satellite Internet to its troops, Russians we spoke to in Moscow unequivocal, they like him.

He's an extraordinary personality, this man says. And since he fulfilled himself and his business, society will work with him well. I think Elon Musk is a good example of the future of our planet, she says. He's doing a lot to bring our planet forward and it's a good development.

Others in Trump's orbit with clear pro-Kremlin views. Former Fox host Tucker Carlson traveled to Moscow in February where he praised Russian supermarkets. It's pretty non sanctioned to me. But before sitting down with Vladimir Putin for an extended interview.

TUCKER CARLSON, FORMER FOX NEWS HOST: Tell us why you believe the United States might strike. Russia out of the blue. How did you conclude that?

VLADIMIR PUTIN, RUSSIAN PRESIDENT: I didn't say that. Are we having a talk show or a serious conversation?

PLEITGEN: The Russian leader patient saying he's willing to listen to the Trump administration's proposals. What was said concerning the desire to restore relations with Russia to help end the Ukrainian crisis, in my opinion seems to me to be at least worthy of attention. Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Moscow.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COREN: Well, growing fears in the West Bank that Palestinians could see more evictions once President Trump takes office in the US. We'll explain why ahead.

And in Pakistan, thousands of protesters are defying police orders and tear gas to demand the release of their imprisoned former prime minister. The latest on the unrest ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[01:31:46]

ANNA COREN, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back to our viewers around the world.

I'm Anna Coren. You're watching CNN Newsroom.

We are monitoring the latest out of the Middle East, where the Israeli cabinet is expected to vote on a ceasefire deal with Hezbollah in the coming hours.

Well, this comes as the Israeli military announced it has struck two Hezbollah command posts in Beirut on Monday.

Sources tell CNN the White House Mideast envoy is in Saudi Arabia and is expected to discuss with regional partners the potential agreement and how it could help progress a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal in the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Well, in the West Bank there's been a surge in violence since the October 7th attacks by Hamas in Israel. An activist group says more than 200 Palestinian families have been evicted in the past year as the Israeli government has authorized more housing projects for Israelis.

Well, now there are growing fears that the U.S. President-Elect Donald Trump's pick for U.S. ambassador to Israel could accelerate the land losses for Palestinians.

Well, here's Nic Robertson again.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MIKE HUCKABEE, FORMER GOVERNOR OF ARKANSAS: There is no such thing as a West Bank. Its Judea and Samaria.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Mike Huckabee and at times controversial visitor to Israel, looks set to return as President-Elect Donald Trump's pick to be ambassador.

If he does, he'll have plenty of friends. Yishai Fleisher, an activist and settler, has met with Huckabee many times.

YISHAI FLEISHER, ISRAELI ACTIVIST AND SETTLER LEADER: He happens to be a great friend of Israel and of the kind of Israel that I represent that lives in its ancestral heartland, which is Judea And Samaria.

What on CNN may be called the West Bank.

ROBERTSON: Even the Occupied West Bank.

FLEISCHER: Right. Even occupied West Bank. But we don't see it that way.

ROBERTSON: But the history of the West Bank is complex and deeply disputed. Under international law, Israel is deemed to be occupying the land.

Huckabee will be arriving when settler violence against Palestinians is significantly up over Trump's last administration. And the Israeli government's claim to the land is at its most politically charged in years.

Powerful right-wing nationalists in the government want to annex the entire Occupied West Bank. So too does Fleisher.

FLEISHER: We are still fighting a war of liberation for that piece of land.

ROBERTSON: And is Huckabee going to be helpful in that liberation?

FLEISHER: I think he will be.

ROBERTSON: 50 miles north on the fringes of the West Bank Palestinian village Bardala, Israeli diggers are gouging out a new barrier through the middle of Palestinian farms, on land they say is a security risk.

"The Israeli government is in the process of taking more land," the head of the council tells me, "claiming no security threats here."

[01:34:41]

ROBERTSON: "What the media is talking about with Huckabee is already happening," he says. "These actions are part of Israel's systematic policies to occupy and annex all of this land. Their goal is to drive us out of this area."

He shows me documents, he says prove Palestinian families have owned this land for more than a century.

As we talk, Israeli troops show up to serve an eviction notice on the farmer below. He's been told his buildings are unlicensed.

What he is saying is this document, is the official document informing him that he has to be off this land by 9:00 a.m. on the fourth of December. Otherwise, all of this, he loses it.

Khaled is 60 years old, heart-broken.

"I don't know how to describe my feelings to you," he says. "This is my livelihood. My children rely on it. Then, someone comes along and takes it away? You can't argue with them. We have no power. They have the power."

In the villages around here, they call this silent annexation. Little by little, the Palestinians losing their land to Israeli settlement expansion.

ALON PINKAS, FORMER ISRAELI DIPLOMAT: If Israel unilaterally annexes large parts, large swaths of the West Bank, this is not going to fly well in the Arab world.

ROBERTSON: Pinkas, is a former Israeli diplomat, believes Huckabee's settler friends could harm Trump's bigger objectives, Saudi-Israel normalization.

PINKAS: He is going to be pressured by the Saudis, the Qataris and the Emiratis to strike a bigger deal. He's going to want to build on the Abraham Accords.

ROBERTSON: By the time Huckabee arrives, more land like farmer Khaled's, will have been seized.

"What will the future hold," he says. It's a question everyone here is asking.

Nic Robertson, CNN -- Bardala in the Occupied West Bank.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COREN: In Pakistan, supporters of imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan continue to face backlash as they arrive in the capital. Earlier police fired tear gas and rubber bullets at demonstrators in Islamabad.

Khan supporters defied a police lockdown and court order prohibiting rallies inside the nation's capital, sparking the latest clash between security forces and protesters.

More than 4,000 have been arrested since Friday. That's according to Khan's PTI party.

The former leader has been in jail for more than a year and faces dozens of criminal charges, which his party claims are politically motivated.

Well, CNN's Mike Valerio is following developments from Seoul.

Mike, what sparked these latest protests? Explain that to us.

MIKE VALERIO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, anna, we were talking about in the last hour, it was months of pent-up rage and demands from protesters.

But what really started this, the progenitor of the protests where Imran Khan, the former prime minister of Pakistan a few days ago, issuing a clarion call from his jail cell, saying hey, if you support me come on out. Protest march on Islamabad and march to Parliament and call for my release.

So Anna, that really is what sparked this latest round of protests. And that is demand number one of three central demands that the protesters are carrying. They want Imran Khan to be released. He faces more than 150 charges in myriad different avenues. And they're also calling for people whom they deem quote, unquote, "political prisoners" to also be released along with Khan. So that's bucket number one.

Bucket number two. Protesters want a constitutional amendment, the 26th amendment to Pakistan's constitution, to be repealed, thrown out. It's a new amendment that essentially makes it easier for the government to pick judges for Pakistan's Superior Court system and perhaps pick judges that are involved in political cases as well.

And then finally, for the third bucket, you know, they're saying the protesters here that elections held this past February from their point of view, were neither free nor fair. And they say that there is a quote, unquote, "stolen mandate" from them. All these seats in Parliament, they say that they won, but were denied.

So you wrap that up and you have the current tableau that we see in these images. The government denying those claims and denying those demands as far as things stand right now. But also ending cell phone service in certain swaths of the capital, also cutting Internet service in different parts of the capital city as well.

You see tear gas being used and some of the most striking images that we've seen over the past couple of hours are big containers that you would see on container ships and parts on the backs of trucks used to construct barricades that block access in and out of the main thoroughfares to Islamabad.

[01:39:51]

VALERIO: The government, with Prime Minister Sharif, is saying that they want dialog. They are saying that they want calm, but so far we've seen these protests seriously escalate.

We have one person confirmed dead from law enforcement. There have been reports of five people dead from a local hospital, but it seems as though four members of law enforcement coming into that hospital and one civilian.

We can't exactly at this hour, Anna, confirm the circumstances of how those people died. So as we're approaching lunchtime in Islamabad, were waiting to see what exactly happens.

It does not seem likely that Imran Khan, with his web of legal woes, is going to be released because of this, and the government seems defiant.

So the real question is, when you have a capital city with more than a million people and protesters amassed around it, will they get inside the capital? What will the response be? And can the area around Islamabad and the capital city itself really sustain this dynamic for much longer, Anna?

COREN: Yes, we have seen extensive protests before over Imran Khan. We'll have to see if these continue.

Mike Valerio, thank you.

Well, in a stunning election outcome Romania's far right presidential candidate won the most votes in the first round of voting.

A large crowd of students held a rally in Bucharest Monday to protest the results. The NATO critic who has praised Russia, campaigned largely on the soaring cost of living in Romania and will face a center right opposition leader in a run-off election on December 8th.

CNN's Anna Stewart has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANNA STEWART, CNN REPROTER: It was a victory few saw coming.

A far-right candidate called Calin Georgescu secured the most votes in the first round of presidential elections in Romania. Local surveys had predicted he would get less than 10 percent of the vote. Georgescu doesn't even have a party affiliation. He ran as an Independent on what's being called a TikTok campaign.

It included videos like this.

As you can see, he's depicted as a strong man, not unlike Russian President Vladimir Putin, with traditional values. He's pro-Russian and anti-NATO. He has praised leaders from Romania's fascist movement in World War II, an opinion which got him expelled from Romania's far- right party the AUR.

The second round of this election will take place on 8th of December. Georgescu will run against Elena Lasconi, leader of the USR, a center- right party focused on an anti-corruption campaign.

Georgescu, though, may be helped by the voters of the far-right party we was once a member of. They came fourth in the ballot with 14 percent of the vote. All that ahead plus before then Romania holds parliamentary elections and elects a prime minister.

So there could be more political surprises to come.

Anna Stewart, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COREN: Well, still ahead prosecutors are pushing for the maximum sentence for a man accused of organizing the mass rape of his former wife. We'll have the latest on the trial from France.

And as Lithuania investigates a cargo plane crash near Vilnius Airport, we take you step by step through the incident as it unfolded.

Stay with CNN.

[01:43:13]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COREN: French prosecutors are asking for the maximum sentence for Dominique Pelicot, the man accused of organizing the mass rape of his former wife over ten years of their marriage.

Well, prosecutors say he is fully responsible for crimes committed against Gisele Pelicot, who has become a face for women and sexual abuse survivors amid the public trial.

Well, she was greeted with cheers and flowers as she exited the courthouse on Monday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JACQUES PIERRET, PARTNER OF FEMINIST ACTIVIST NADIA GUENT: She's a heroine, a heroine. A very, very brave person, very dignified, very dignified. Each time I see her pass in front, I think she stands tall. She's very

dignified and magnificent. That's what she is. I'm full of adoration for that woman.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COREN: Well, Dominique Pelicot, who is 71, could face up to 20 years in prison. Activists are pushing for harsher punishments for the dozens of other men accused.

Well, CNN's Saskya Vandoorne has more from outside the courthouse.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SASKYA VANDOORNE, CNN SENIOR PRODUCER: I've just come out of the courtroom where no cameras are allowed inside. and prosecutors have requested a 20-year prison sentence against Dominique Pelicot.

And it's really only when you're inside that the sheer scale of it hits you. Row after row of men most accused with aggravated rape against Gisele Pelicot, who's sitting just a few feet away from them with her head literally held high.

Across the room from her sits the man accused of organizing these rapes. Her husband of 50 years, Dominique Pelicot. His eyes are often closed and his hands are resting on a cane.

As for the men on trial, some seem to share friendly exchanges, while others just keep to themselves.

Many of the defendants could get a maximum of 20 years anchoring women's rights campaigners who have come here asking for heavier prison sentences.

After months of hearings, this case really has whipped up emotions not only here in France but around the world, with many calling for change.

Saskya Vandoorne, CNN -- Avignon.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COREN: Well, Gisele Pelicot's case is receiving international attention, with Vogue Germany featuring her on the digital cover on Monday, which was the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.

Cases like hers are usually tried confidentially in France, but Pelicot chose to go public with it saying, quote, "shame must change sides".

Well, thousands of demonstrators marched across Spain on Monday to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. Hundreds gathered in Madrid, where some wore white masks and robes. They held a banner that called violence against women a state emergency. Well, Spain has recorded 41 deadly cases of gender-based violence so

far this year, and an arrest for another alleged case took place in south eastern Spain earlier on Monday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARIA ANTONIA GARCIA, PROFESSOR: We need more awareness from all society from little children at school. We need more respect towards women. We are equals and we should be treated as equals and that's a fundamental thing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COREN: Well, G-7 foreign ministers meeting in Italy on Monday marked International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.

They revealed this red bench as a symbol of their commitment to ending violence against women.

Earlier this year, Italy asked its embassies around the world to each install a red bench. Italy's interior ministry says 106 women were killed in Italy last year, including 55 by their partners or former partners.

Authorities from several countries are investigating the cause of Monday's cargo plane crash near Lithuania's Vilnius Airport, which left one person dead.

The latest now from CNN's Salma Abdelaziz.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SALMA ABDELAZIZ: A cargo plane crashed near an airport in Lithuania. There's very dramatic surveillance footage that I want to show you. It's the moment of impact.

You can see a plane descending there, and then suddenly the shot cuts, it goes to black. And when that image reemerges, there is just a huge fireball, a massive amount of flames that are engulfing that plane. Very remarkably, people did survive this crash.

[01:49:47]

ABDELAZIZ: Authorities say just around 5:30 a.m. local time in Lithuania, this plane crashed near a runway. It then skidded for a few hundred meters, stopping just short of a residential home.

Rescue workers rushed to the scene. They were able to pull three people out of that plane, rescue three people, including the pilot.

12 people were rescued from the home, but unfortunately one person did die. It was a crew member on board that cargo plane.

The country's police chief says they cannot rule out terrorism at this time, but most likely this crash occurred due to human error or due to a mechanical failure. Investigators are still collecting evidence at the scene, and they say

that the investigation could take some time.

Salma Abdelaziz, CNN -- London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COREN: New developments in the Menendez brothers bid to regain freedom. Coming up, why a judge pushed back their resentencing hearing to early next year.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COREN: Well, there are new developments in the Menendez brothers bid to leave prison. A California judge has delayed the resentencing hearing for Lyle and Erik Menendez to give the incoming district attorney time to review the case.

The brothers are serving a life sentence for the 1989 murder of their parents.

CNN's Nick Watt has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOAN VANDERMOLEN, MENENDEZ BROTHERS' AUNT: they should never have been in such situations as presented themselves. What can a kid do when his father's -- I can't stand it.

NICK WATT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That is Kitty Menendez's sister and this is Jose Menendez's sister.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: 35 years is a long time.

WATT: They want their nephews home.

MARK GERAGOS, ATTORNEY: The judge has now set January 30th and 31st as the days for a plenary or fulsome hearing on the resentencing. We re hoping that by the end of that or sometime sooner, that we will, in fact, get the brothers released.

WATT: today, Eric and Lyle Menendez were supposed to make their first public appearance in nearly 30 years, but apparent technical difficulties meant they did not appear in this L.A. Court via video link.

All we heard was one brother say, "Riley, we've had video access the entire time."

Back in the mid-1990s, this was a sensational televised trial after a sensational crime. Prosecutors said the boys wanted their parents money.

The brothers, who were 18 and 21 at the time, claimed they feared for their lives after enduring years of emotional, physical and sexual abuse by their father. And that's why they killed their parents. LYLE MENENDEZ, CONVICTED OF KILLING HIS PARENTS: He would put me on my knees and he would guide me, all my movements, and I would have oral sex with him.

WATT: Lyle and Eric were sentenced to life without the possibility of parole.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Jose Menendez and his wife Kitty.

WATT: Then a 2023 docu series alleged Jose Menendez, a powerful record exec, had also molested a member of a boy band Menudo.

ROY ROSSELLO, ALLEGED VICTIM OF JOSE MENENDEZ: I know what he did to me in his house.

WATT: The brothers' lawyers pushed for their case to be reopened. Then a Netflix drama and documentary reignited public interest.

[01:54:49]

WATT: L.A.'s DA asked a judge to reconsider sentencing, which might see the brothers released immediately, saying that a jury might react very differently now than they did back in the 1990s.

GEORGE GASCON, LOS ANGELES COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY: I believe that they have paid their debt to society.

WATT: But D.A. George Gascon, a progressive, was just ousted in November's election. The tougher-on-crime Nathan Hochman will take office December 2nd.

I won't rely on just a Netflix documentary or a Netflix docu series as the source of my information to make this very, very important decision.

WATT: Those dramas and documentaries and social media have generated such interest in this case that they had to do a lottery for seats in the public gallery for today's hearing and some of the people in line for those seats weren't even born when this trial happened or when the murders happened.

One of the most emotional moments was when Kitty's sister Joan took the stand and she said this. She said, "No children should have to live in fear day by day that their dad could come and rape them. It breaks my heart that my sister, Kitty knew but did nothing about it."

Nick Watt, CNN -- Los Angeles.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COREN: A man and woman in the U.S. are accused of stealing nearly $1 million from Lululemon in an elaborate shoplifting plot. Investigators say the man would make a small purchase, then re-enter the store.

Then the woman working with a third person would take a security sensor off an item in the store and put it on something that the man had just purchased. The woman would then stuff merchandise under her clothing and the group would all leave together.

When the alarm would go off, store workers were led to believe it was something the man had legitimately bought. The suspects each face up to 15 years in prison.

It looks like Formula One is about to add a new racing team. The group says it reached an agreement in principle with General Motors to create a GM Cadillac racing team.

It would be the 11th racing team and join the sport in 2026. The agreement comes after months of speculation surrounding the deal. Legendary driver Mario Andretti, the last American F1 champion, is expected to be a director on the team's board.

Well, thanks so much for your company and for watching CNN NEWSROOM.

I'm Anna Coren. Stay tuned for more with my colleague Rosemary Church.

[01:57:16]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)