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Israel-Hezbollah Ceasefire Comes Into Effect; Mexico And Canada Respond To Trump Tariff Threats; Pakistan Launches Midnight Crackdown On Imran Khan Supporters After Deadly Clashes; Trump Taps Kevin Hassett As National Economic Council Head; Israel-Hezbollah Ceasefire Begins after Months of Fighting; Inside One of Northern Gaza's Last Remaining Hospitals; Brutal Battles in Ukraine; FinTech Company in Ghana Finding Success. Aired 1-2a ET

Aired November 27, 2024 - 01:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[01:00:26]

ANNA COREN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hello and welcome. I'm Anna Coren in Hong Kong. Ahead here on CNN Newsroom, Israel has reached a cease fire deal with Hezbollah in Lebanon. The question now, will it hold?

Mexico and Canada are reacting to Donald Trump's tariff threats. Why they say the policy is bad for business.

And security forces in Pakistan have launched a fresh operation to break up crowds of supporters protesting the detention of former Prime Minister Imran Khan.

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

COREN: Well, it's 8:00 in the morning right now in Beirut, Lebanon. Just four hours since a new ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah went into effect after fighting ramped up more than a year ago. But there are fears over whether this truce will hold.

Well, this is what Beirut skyline looked like just 24 hours ago with Israel bombarding the city in the hours leading up to the ceasefire deal on Tuesday. The Israeli military says it hit terror targets in Beirut suburbs 20 times in two minutes. At least 25 people were killed across Lebanon on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Hezbollah launched rockets at Israel that were intercepted. The Israeli government has vowed to resume military operations against the Iran-backed group if the ceasefire breached. Well, U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701 is the basis of the deal.

Under the ceasefire terms, over 60 days, Israel will gradually withdraw its forces as Lebanon's army takes control of territory near its border with Israel to ensure Hezbollah does not rebuild its infrastructure there. Well, the U.S. And France will help enforce the deal.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, U.S. PRESIDENT: Let's be clear, Israel did not launch this war. The Lebanese people did not seek that war either, nor did the United States. But lasting security for the people of Israel and Lebanon cannot be achieved only on the battlefield. And that's why I directed my team to work with the governments of Israel and Lebanon to forge a ceasefire to bring a conflict between Israel and Hezbollah to a close.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COREN: CNN's Nic Robertson has more now from Jerusalem.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMTIC EDITOR (voice-over): In the hours before agreeing to a ceasefire, Israeli warplanes pounding the Lebanese capital, even areas in the heart of Beirut previously off limits. And Hezbollah too, down to the very last minute launching rocket salvos into Israel. Announcing the ceasefire, Israel's prime minister claiming victory.

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER (through translator): We destroyed Nasrallah, the rest of the senior personnel, its missiles and rockets, thousands of terrorists.

ROBERTSON (voice-over): President Biden, an architect and guarantor of the deal, saying the ceasefire should be permanent.

BIDEN: Under the deal reached today, effective at 4:00 a.m. tomorrow local time, the fighting across the Lebanese Israeli border will end.

ROBERTSON (voice-over): A 60-day ceasefire expected to begin almost immediately. Hezbollah fighters to pull back 30 miles north of the Israeli border, with IDF troops returning inside Israel and the Lebanese army and the U.N. move in to fill the vacuum. Few other details available. Netanyahu saying time to shift focus and resupply.

NETANYAHU (through translator): So why doing ceasefire now? There are three main reasons. First, focusing on the Iranian threat. Two, refreshing the military forces and the third reason for ceasefire, detaching the front of the war from Hamas.

ROBERTSON (voice-over): More than 3,000 Lebanese civilians killed, more than 13,000 injured, 47 Israeli civilians and 31 Israeli security forces killed inside Israel and 46 Israeli troops killed in Lebanon.

[01:05:00]

Bittersweet for the Israeli families who will soon be able to return to their homes near the border. Many fear Hezbollah will be back. Nic Robertson, CNN, Jerusalem.

(END VIDEOTAPE) COREN: Well, let's go live to London now and Fawaz Gerges, Professor of International Relations at the London School of Economics. Professor, thank you for joining us. You're also the author of the book "What Really Went Wrong: The West and the Failure of Democracy in the Middle East."

My first question to you, professor, is while this ceasefire is obviously welcome news, there are concerns, serious concerns, that it doesn't address any of the underlying issues and therefore it won't hold. Do you agree?

FAWAZ GERGES, PROFESSOR OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS, LONDON SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS: Well, yes and no. I am cautiously hopeful. I'm cautiously optimistic. I think all sides want the ceasefire to work. What does Israel want? Israel wants its 60,000 displaced people to return to their homes on the Lebanese-Israeli border. Netanyahu realizes that no amount of military force could really allow him to return the citizens.

So a ceasefire is the only way forward for Israel. For Hezbollah, of course, you have 1.4 million people displaced. Hezbollah wants a ceasefire. It's exhausted. It has suffered major blows. It wants to reduce the suffering and the loss of the Lebanese people.

And of course, the Americans and the French have played a major role. And the Trump administration obviously supports this particular ceasefire. At the end of the day, neither side has won this war. Israel claims victory, but the reality is Hezbollah continues to exist. Hezbollah has not been defeated even though it has suffered major blows in the past two months.

COREN: But the underlying issues, they have not been addressed.

GERGES: Oh, absolutely. I mean, remember, we're talking about Lebanon. What's happening in Gaza now you're talking about more than 44,000 Palestinians who have been killed. Obviously, Netanyahu in his victory speech said that he wants to focus on Gaza. That means he really plans to a long term occupation of Gaza.

What happens to the underlying, the most important question is the question of a Palestinian state, the question of a political horizon, the question of some of the several Lebanese villages and areas occupied by Israel.

So you're absolutely correct. One has to be cautious and one has to be careful and say that this particular temporary ceasefire could be just really provide a short break before another vicious cycle of violence not only between Israel and Lebanon, but between also the Palestinians and Israel.

COREN: On the issue of Gaza, what does this cease fire mean for that ongoing war which as you say, has claimed now more than 44,000 lives?

GERGES: Well, I mean, I think one of the major goals of Israel was to decouple the Lebanese front from the Palestinian front in Gaza in this particular sense Netanyahu has, I mean, won on this particular point. My fear is that the Israeli army will not pull out of Gaza. My fear is that the Israeli army will remain in Gaza for the next few years. What you have in Gaza now is a war of attrition.

I mean, the suffering and the loss of the Palestinians is beyond description. Really there are no words to describe the suffering of the Palestinians. More than 100,000 Palestinians who have been killed. Their hospitals, their schools, their libraries, their cultural heritage. You have 99 percent almost of the Palestinian population in Gaza displaced. And obviously there is no light at the end of the tunnel.

So, Netanyahu is celebrating the victory against Hezbollah because this allows him to focus on Gaza and continue his war in Gaza, which really, we don't really see any American will to use leverage with Israel in order to bring about the end of this catastrophe, humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.

COREN: Finally, professor, just returning to this ceasefire. I mean, what role does Iran play in all of this? What does it benefit from this ceasefire?

[01:10:00]

GERGES: I think, Anna, my take is that Iran wanted a ceasefire. The Iranian leadership has sent a major message to the Lebanese government and to Hezbollah that it fully supports a ceasefire. Why? For a variety of reasons. I mean, the suffering in Lebanon. People don't realize. People are traumatized. It's a widespread sense of fear. The infrastructure has been destroyed. 3,800 people have been killed. More than 15,000 people have been injured. More than 200 medics and first responders have been killed. And the social base, the power base of Hezbollah, the Shiite community, has suffered the most.

So Iran is very much interested also in making sure that Hezbollah does not really suffer more than it has suffered. And also the final point, Anna, is that Iran is anxious about the coming Trump administration.

The anti-Iranian, basically, voices within the Trump administration do not really bode well for American-Iranian relations. Iran does not really want to get into the trap of a war with the United States. Iranian leaders are concerned about the fact that Benjamin Netanyahu is trying to trap Iran in a war against the United States, not just Israel.

And as you know, in his speech last night, Benjamin Netanyahu has made it very clear he wants to focus on Iran. And the Iranian leadership are anxious that this means that the Trump administration will escalate tensions with Iran in the next year.

COREN: Fawaz Gerges, we're going to have to leave it there. But we appreciate your time. Thanks for joining us.

GERGES: Thank you.

COREN: Well, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has announced more picks for top spots in his new administration. Kevin Hassett has been tapped to serve as director of the White House National Economic Council. He previously led Trump's Council of Economic Advisers during his first term and helped him navigate the country's economic recovery from the COVID pandemic.

And Jamison Greer is Trump's pick for U.S. trade representative. He served as chief of staff to the trade representative in Trump's first term.

Well, meanwhile, America's neighbors are speaking out about Trump's threat to impose a huge 25 percent tariff on their products on his first day back in office. He's claimed the move in retaliation for illegal immigration, crime and drugs coming over the border. But Mexico's president issued a letter saying neither threats nor tariffs will solve the issue of migration or drug consumption.

Claudia Sheinbaum says cooperation and shared understanding are key to addressing these problems. She also warned that one tariff will lead to another in response, putting shared companies at risk.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CLAUDIA SHEINBAUM, MEXICAN PRESIDENT (through translator): I am convinced that the economic frontier of North America, that the economic strength of North America lies in maintaining our commercial society so that we can continue to be more competitive against other economic blocs. I believe that dialogue is the best path to understanding peace and prosperity for our nations.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COREN: Well, tariffs can have a staggering impact on the global economy and many of our daily expenses, but not everyone understands how they work and why they're so important. Well, here's CNN's Tom Foreman to explain.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, tariffs are taxes, plain and simple. The U.S. is the biggest importer in the world, taking in more than $3 trillion worth of goods every year. And our trading partners are Mexico, Canada and China.

What Trump is proposing on day one is a 25 percent tariff on Canada and on Mexico and an increase of 10 percent on the existing tariffs with China out there. But he's also talked about across the board tariffs on all countries. It's not really clear exactly what he's going to do.

He's argued that this will pressure foreign countries to lower their prices for Americans or make American firms more competitive or pay for some tax cuts he has proposed. But there are so many unknowns in this.

First of all, let's talk about the products that are involved that would affect American consumers, his constituents out there. There are electronics, computers, phones, tablets, cars, trucks, motorcycles, boats, parts, pharmaceuticals, furniture, cosmetics, clothing, all sorts of things, toys, games, sporting equipment, virtually everything that Americans touch all the time.

And whether or not you're talking about those products, many other products rely on plastics and chemicals and raw materials that have to be imported. So the bottom line is many, many areas of the U.S. economy could be touched by this.

And for example, if you had a U.S. family going out and saying, hey, we want to get new big fancy TV for $1,000.

[01:15:05]

Well, if you applied a 60 percent increase, which is the highest level he's talked about with China, which is the biggest TV producer in the world, that $1,000 TV would suddenly cost $1,600, which is a huge jump.

Now, maybe Trump says he can make China eat the cost, maybe, maybe the middleman, maybe the dealer will eat some of the cost. But experts say usually it is the consumer that pays for this. That's why it really is a consumer tax in the eyes of many. And experts are saying not only would they pay for that, but that the typical middle class American family, if Trump sees through with his plans the way he generally described them, would pay an additional $2,600 every year.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COREN: Joining us now, CNN economics commentator Catherine Rampell, who is also an opinion columnist for the Washington Post. Catherine, as always, great to see you. Now, these big tariffs on the US's three largest trading partners, Canada, Mexico, China, I mean, no doubt will trigger multiple trade wars even more aggressive than Trump's first term. Tell us, what will be the ramifications.

CATHERINE RAMPELL, CNN ECONOMICS COMMENTATOR: If, in fact, Trump carries out these threats? And look, I very much hope it is saber rattling and not something he intends to carry out. But if it does happen, this will be devastating for the U.S. economy, for our trading partners' economies, potentially for lots of other global economies that are integrated with ours. And that's because the United States, excuse me, the United States, Mexico and Canada are extremely integrated trading partners.

We have lots of auto manufacturing companies, for example, that have lots of trade across borders. The same vehicle, the same parts of the same vehicle may cross borders multiple times before the auto is ultimately sold, the car or truck. You have lots of other industries, oil, for example, crosses borders quite a few times.

So you'll have lots of turmoil in the industries that already have supply chains that spread across multiple countries.

COREN: I mean, we listen to Trump's rhetoric. He certainly seems committed to upending global trade, including the trade pacts that he made during his.

RAMPELL: Exactly.

COREN: I mean, do you think that this is just a negotiating tactic?

RAMPELL: I don't know. You know, Trump referred to his trade deal, the USMCA, as the best trade deal ever. You know, it was the best deal that the United States had ever entered into. Now, apparently it's trash, right? And none of it means anything, despite the fact that actually, you know, the fact that the United States, Mexico and Canada, for example, have very low barriers to trade among each other has brought lots of prosperity to all three countries, much better living standards to all the three countries, including the United States. Now Trump wants to blow all of that up.

COREN: Catherine, how could those countries, the three major trading partners respond? You know, they could very well impose their own tariffs on U.S. products. Beijing could start a currency war. And I also like to get your take on the reaction from the markets and international businesses?

RAMPELL: Right. So yes, they could have retaliatory tariffs. We saw this again back when Trump was president. Before Mexico, the E.U., Canada, China, lots of other trading partners decided that they were not going to just lie back and take this punitive measure from the United States, even if it was hurting the United States as well. They were going to retaliate.

And as I said, much of the time, their retaliation was much more strategically targeted than what had originally launched these trade wars.

Beyond that, you know, it's interesting if you look at how markets have reacted. The stock market has been relatively complacent given the magnitude of the tariffs we're talking about, which suggests that a lot of traders don't think that they will materialize. But you have seen big moves in a few stocks for companies that would be seriously affected.

So like U.S. based auto manufacturers took a big hit because again, you have very cross border integrated auto industry right now. And that would likely raise costs for those companies and ultimately raise the price of the cars that they sell, which might kill off demand.

COREN: Catherine, before I let you go, Donald Trump has announced that he's picked Jamison Greer to serve as his top trade negotiator. We know that he served during his first term in office. What do we know about him and perhaps the influence that he will have on Trump's policies?

RAMPELL: I think the very fact that Trump has chosen this person suggests that he is on board with the Trump trade agenda, however incoherent and poorly thought out it may be.

[01:20:08] Trump has learned that he does not want to have any of his economic advisers pushing back against him, particularly on things like his trade agenda, like his economic agenda, which many of them did, to be clear, not his former U.S. trade representative Bob Lighthizer, he was largely on board with this agenda, but a lot of Trump's prior senior economic advisers did either, you know, you can say, undermine him or at least hold him back from some of his most destructive impulses.

So, you know, the very fact that Trump has chosen the people that he has this time around tells you that he is -- he is selecting them based on loyalty to him and based on belief in the mission. These are not people, particularly at the trade office or in the various trade roles, who are there because they want to lower the temperature on the trade wars. They're there to escalate.

COREN: The guardrails have certainly been removed. Catherine Rampell, as always, great to see you. Appreciate your analysis. Thank you.

RAMPELL: Thank you.

COREN: We're just ahead, an attempt to deescalate tensions in Pakistan following the latest clashes between security forces and supporters of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Plus, we'll take you inside one of just two hospitals left functioning in northern Gaza and show you the hour by hour struggle medical staff there are facing.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COREN: Well, the party of Pakistan's imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan says it is calling off protest, demanding his release for the time being. The announcement comes as Pakistan's security forces have been cracking down on protesters who breached the capital Islamabad, launching a late night operation targeting thousands of Khan's supporters.

Well, Mark Valerio is following the latest developments from Seoul. So Mike, based on this latest information, what more can you tell us? It's just gone mid-morning in Pakistan.

MIKE VALERIO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I mean, we can tell you, Anna, that this is a huge reversal. We weren't sure that it was going to go this way because as were wrapping up our news gathering with our team here in East Asia and our team on the ground in Islamabad, we had a post on X from Imran Khan, the imprisoned former prime minister of Pakistan, saying to his supporters in so many words, hey, don't stop this fight. Keep fighting until our demands are met.

And now in the past 40 minutes we've been able to confirm a post on X from Imran Khan's political party saying, all right, we're going to stop protests. But you hit on it, Anna. And the introduction of this segment, stop protests but really pausing them for the time being.

So were talking about this last time were with you, Imran Khan's wife, Bushra Bibi, she is playing a huge part in these protests in Imran Khan's absence, rallying his supporters in convoys to Islamabad for their cause.

[01:25:04]

So she goes back to party headquarters outside of Islamabad and really we're wondering, Anna, we're going to be charting over the next couple of days what is next for both sides. The protesters didn't get any of their demands. They had three of them essentially. First of all, free Imran Khan and people whom they deem to be quote, unquote political prisoners, repeal a very controversial constitutional amendment to Pakistan's constitution and get seats back that they say were unfairly denied to them in February election.

So none of those demands met. Protests still called off. And then for the government of Prime Minister Sharif, of course he does not want this to happen again. This is a very sensitive time for Pakistan. When we finished our news gathering yesterday, we could report no significant substantial progress in talks between the Sharif government and protesters.

So, what's going to happen on that side of the equation? What is the government going to do to prevent this from happening again? For what it's worth, the interior minister said they could have been much more heavy handed with protesters opening up fire or opening fire. We do see in these pictures that the government had opened fire when it comes to tear gas and chemical munitions.

So far, Anna, we're sticking with our death toll of about five people, four members of security forces and one civilian. Doctors from Pakistan telling us were killed in what appears to be an episode of road rage, a car slamming into a crowd. So again, what happens next? With the city of more than a million people shut down for days, things going to get back to normal. We're going to be watching. Anna.

COREN: Mike Valerio, we appreciate the update. Thank you.

Well, still to come, Israel and Hezbollah agree to a 60-day ceasefire deal brokered by the U.S. and France. More on the agreements after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COREN: More now on our top story this hour. Right now, the 60-day ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon is in effect. But just a day ago the skyline of Beirut was filled with thick smoke as Israel says it hit the city 20 times in two minutes. At least 25 people were killed by Israeli strikes across Lebanon.

The deal to end the year-long border conflict calls for Israeli ground forces to withdraw from Lebanese territory. It also requires Lebanese government forces to regain control of an area currently held by Hezbollah.

The U.S. and France will work with both sides to make sure the deal is enforced. The French president praised the deal but also wants to keep the focus on ending the war in Gaza.

[01:30:00]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

EMMANUEL MACRON, FRENCH PRESIDENT (through translator): This agreement should not make us forget the war which continues to wage in Gaza, where France will continue its efforts for a cessation of hostilities, the freeing of the hostages and the large-scale arrival of humanitarian aid. And of course, a just and lasting political solution through two states.

This agreement should also open the route towards a ceasefire, which has been needed for too long in the face of the incomparable suffering of the people of Gaza.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COREN: More now from CNN's Brian Abel.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN ABEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Following a year of cross-border skirmishes and months of full-scale war that has killed thousands of Lebanese and dozens of Israelis --

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER (through translator): We are changing the face of the Middle East.

ABEL: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announcing the security cabinet approval of a 60-day ceasefire deal with Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group in Lebanon.

NETANYAHU: It's been a year. It's no longer the same Hezbollah.

ABEL: In Tuesday remarks, Netanyahu said he is agreeing to the cease fire in order to focus on Iran, re-equip Israeli troops and continue to isolate Hamas in Gaza.

NETANYAHU: It will help us with the task of bringing our hostages back.

ABEL: The details of the U.S.-supported agreement have not yet been announced, but the Biden administration is hopeful it will also help lay the groundwork for a lasting ceasefire with Hamas.

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Just as the Lebanese people deserve a future of security and prosperity, so do the people of Gaza. They too deserve an end to the fighting and displacement.

ABEL: As the death toll in Gaza continues to rise, surpassing more than 44,200 according to the Palestinian health ministry, displaced Palestinians are bracing for the brutal winter ahead.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I just want the war to stop. I pray for it every day. I want to be strong for my family.

ABEL: Meanwhile, Israelis whose loved ones have been held hostage by Hamas since the October 2023 terror attacks are still waiting to be reunited.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My husband is underneath the ground and just praying that somebody will come and take him out and bring him home.

ABEL: In Washington -- Brian Abel reporting.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COREN: In northern Gaza, only two hospitals remain open amid Israel's ferocious military offensive and they are barely functioning. One of the last remaining doctors has been documenting what he calls an utterly catastrophic situation.

Well, CNN's Jomana Karadsheh walks us through his eyewitness account. And we want to warn our viewers, some of the footage in Jomana's report is graphic and disturbing.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: This is the story of a hospital brought to its knees and the man trying to save it.

DR. HUSSAM ABU SAFIYA, KAMAL ADWAN HOSPITAL (through translator): We are facing a new challenge and a catastrophic situation that will worsen in the coming hours.

This is a distress call that must be heard.

No one has spelt since yesterday. The operating room ran all night.

KARADSHEH: Some of the desperate cries for help from Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya. He's one of the last doctors in Northern Gaza.

For weeks, he's been documenting the horror inside Kamal Adwan. He wants us to share his account with the world.

Outside his hospital, a renewed major Israeli offensive that began in early October on what's left of Northern Gaza to destroy a resurgent Hamas, the military says. It's ordered civilians out for their safety.

But Israel's been accused of besieging the civilian population. Human Rights Watch says this could amount to ethnic cleansing, something the military denies.

DR. ABU SAFIYA: There is a real genocide occurring against the people of Northern Gaza. There are injured people on the streets and we cannot reach them.

KARADSHEH (voice-over): Inside Dr. Abu Safiya's hospital, they struggled to cope with the constant influx of casualties. A Palestinian journalist captured these scenes of panic in mid-October.

DR. ABU SAFIYA: A short time ago, they fired at the hospital entrance. They fired artillery shells. It is clear that they healthcare system is being directly targeted.

[01:34:48]

KARADSHEH: And on October 24th, Israeli forces closed in on Kamal Adwan compound. In just a few days, this place of healing would itself become a war zone.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): There is no medicine. Where should we go?

DR. ABU SAFIYA: Instead of receiving aid, we've received tanks.

KARADSHEH (voice-over): It's the third time in a year that Dr. Abu Safiya, a pediatrician, finds himself and his hospital surrounded and under attack.

They're running dangerously low on supplies, fuel, and food. The Israeli military says it allows aid in, but the U.N. says it's nowhere near enough.

This, one of the few convoys that have reached Kamal Adwan.

DR. ABU SAFIYA: I have 195 injured patients, all of whom are on the ground floor.

KARADSHEH: The IDF ordered civilians who'd been sheltering here to evacuate. They hold up white flags and whatever they can carry.

Dozens were detained, including more than 40 medical personnel. Some seen in these photos posted to social media.

Dr. Abu Safiya here with his hands up in the air says he was interrogated for hours.

DR. ABU SAFIYA: A special forces unit was here a short time ago. They assaulted me. They had dogs with them, they made me go into some of the wards, with a drone to check if there were any armed individuals, which is nonsense.

I don't have surgeon, they took the surgeons and the orthopedic specialist. I don't know what to do with all these cases, most of them amputations and burns.

KARADSHEH: Still, Abu Safiya refused to abandon his patients.

What followed appeared to be a brief lull. That's when families began to find the bodies of loved ones in and around the hospital compound.

Dr. Abu Safiya was attending to the injured when he was called outside.

DR. ABU SAFIYA: We were accustomed to receiving martyrs and the wounded, but to receive your own son is catastrophic.

KARADSHEH (voice-over): His 21-year-old son, Ibrahim (ph), was killed in an Israeli strike at the hospital gates. He tries to lead the funeral prayers, but it's just too much. In the hospital's makeshift graveyard, he buried his boy. Ibrahim (ph) is still close to him in a place that's testament to this one man's struggle.

DR. ABU SAFIYA: I still feel his presence in every corner. His voice, his scent, and his character remain with us.

KARADSHEH: In a statement to CNN, the IDF did not address Ibrahim's death, but said its operations in the area were, quote, "based on precise intelligence and that dozens of terrorists were found hiding inside the hospital. Some of them even posing as medical staff."

It says this is a medic in custody and that he's admitted that Hamas is operating inside Kamal Adwan.

CNN cannot verify these allegations.

The IDF has also released these images of weapons it says it found inside the hospital. Dr. Abu Safiya says they belong to its security guards.

Israeli militaries long-rationalized targeting Gaza's health facilities by accusing Hamas of using them for, quote, "terror activities".

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): Bring the children down from upstairs, quickly.

KARADSHEH: Days after the IDF said its operations at Kamal Adwan concluded, its attacks, did not.

DR. ABU SAFIYA: The hospital was directly hit. The upper floors, the courtyard, the water tanks and the electric grid were struck.

KARADSHEH: The everyday for these medics now working under fire. It's hard to believe this once was one of Gaza's top healthcare facilities.

There's no doubt about the kind of firepower unleashed here. The storage room left charred. The walls of the neonatal ICU pockmarked with bullet holes. Ambulances crushed.

Kamal Adwan, like most of Gaza's hospitals, now barely functioning.

DR. ABU SAFIYA: Imagine people are rescuing the injured using horse and donkey carts. It's a horrific scene.

[01:39:46]

KARADSHEH: This is a fight for survival, and giving up is not an option for Dr. Abu Safiya. Strikes on the hospital left him and others injured this week, paying the price for staying, abandoned and alone in this nightmare on repeat.

Jomana Karadsheh, CNN -- London.

(END VIDEOTAPE) COREN: The Israeli military told CNN that it is unaware of the strike that injured the doctor. The IDF also says it adheres to international law, only goes after military targets, and that it takes all necessary measures to avoid harming civilians.

Well, coming up after years of brutal fighting, Ukrainian soldiers are adapting to incredibly difficult circumstances on the eastern front lines.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COREN: For the first time, Moscow is admitting the efficacy of Ukraine's attacks with U.S.-made missiles. On Tuesday, Russia's defense ministry acknowledged that two of Ukraine's recent strikes using ATACMS missiles hit their marks in the Kursk region.

One strike damaged a radar system and caused casualties, and a second damaged infrastructure on an airfield and wounded two servicemen.

Last week Ukrainian forces used the U.S.-provided longer-range missiles for the first time to target military infrastructure inside Russian territory.

For Ukraine, the fighting grinds on as the war approaches the three- year mark, the outlook seems bleak for one unit in Pokrovsk that is so low on infantry it is resorting to drones instead.

Well, Nick Paton Walsh has more and a warning, some of the video in his report is graphic.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: They're running out of time, space and people. Night is killing time for drones.

They've switched on the anti-drone device because of the threat around here.

This Ukrainian drone unit of just two hunting but also hunted.

I think I hear a drone. Inside, inside.

Is that a Russian drone? Is it one of theirs? They don't know, but they have to carry on.

Dogs are not friends. Their heat signals can give their launch spot away to Russia's thermal cameras. They close in on the target. A house jamming hits the signal but they fire anyway.

Russia advancing too fast here south of Pokrovsk in the east to miss any chances.

The skyline speaks of how Pokrovsk is in Russia's crosshairs. Ukraine is short of manpower, but it is so bad here, they say they must rely on drones, not infantry to slow a brazen Russian daylight assault like this one.

[01:44:44]

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The situation is very critical. We lack infantry to fight and hold out for some time while the attack drones do their job. That's why we often see the enemy uncomfortably penetrating vulnerable areas.

PATON WALSH: Watch how the first Russian tank here is relentless.

A Trump presidency and possible peace talks loom. Do they even have time for that here?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I cannot say how much time we have. If there is any time at all. Because now they're pushing their troops to the front as much as possible.

And then at one point they will go for an assault. They can go very far in one moment.

PATON WALSH: Talk here is abnormally negative, with weeks of costly and chaotic retreat on film. Like these Ukrainians hit when they're mistakenly told this building didn't have any Russians in it.

This house has an encircled Ukrainian drone unit without any infantry to help fight advancing Russians. So they send a drone to fly just 30 meters across the street.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I have no men. I'm (EXPLETIVE DELETED) alone. I'm (EXPLETIVE DELETED) tired.

I love my job, whatever trash is happening but we need other young people to love this job too.

Our country is awake but people in it are (EXPLETIVE DELETED) not. Guys are dying here. This is trash.

Freezing this war is a double-edged sword. Do we give up the land my friends died for or to continue taking it back and lose even more friends?

If these two old men (Trump and Putin) start measuring (EXPLETIVE DELETED), Ukraine will be the middle of it all.

PATON WALSH: Russian troops savage in the assault. This footage shows a local in orange who's shown Russians where Ukrainians were hiding. They are led out and shot while face down.

Part of a pattern of surrendering Ukrainians executed, say prosecutors investigating this incident a fortnight ago.

Pokrovsk key site bombed. But so far spared Russia's trademark devastation. It is possible, some say Moscow is moving so fast it thinks it will spend the winter here.

Nick Paton Walsh CNN -- outside Pokrovsk, Ukraine. (END VIDEOTAPE)

COREN: Well Germany is investigating whether a deadly plane crash on Monday was the result of sabotage.

A cargo plane flying from Leipzig to Lithuania crashed just before landing, killing one crew member. German Chancellor Olaf Schulz says the government can't be sure but, quote, "many bad forms of hybrid warfare are being seen in Germany".

Lithuanian officials are pushing back.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ARTURAS URBELIS, PROSECUTOR (through translator): The plane did not fall from the sky. It did not fall directly down. It's obvious that such a situation indicates that maybe some technical problems or interference were in the aircraft, maybe some neglect.

As we investigate the circumstances we might determine evidence of other criminal actions. And if we do, only then can we discuss investigation on other counts of the criminal code.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COREN: The planes black boxes have been recovered from the wreckage. But while a government spokesperson says they can't rule out terrorism, they also can't definitively say the case qualifies for it.

FinTech is one of the biggest areas of investment in Africa, with half the population on the continent without bank accounts, and smartphone ownership on the rise, the opportunities to bank and execute financial decisions through this platform are immense.

Well, one African FinTech company called The Blu Penguin has been called one of the fastest growing in Ghana.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TENU AWOONOR, FOUNDER/CEO, THE BLU PENGUIN: If you went into a shop or a business and wanted to pay with mobile money, the attendant will ask you to go out to an agent to cash it out and come back and pay for cash.

We saw an opportunity to innovate and make the user experience much, much better for the merchant or for the business owner.

Blu Penguin is an in-store service provider. We enable merchants to be able to accept payments within their stores.

We have processed billions in value for our merchants over the years for many of your favorite brands here in Ghana, such as KFC, ShopRite, Star Bites, Burger King, to name a few.

Over four million people have so far transacted on our platform to date. This represents more than 10 percent of the Ghanaian population. [01:49:54]

AWOONOR: Then, when you look at mobile phone penetration in Africa, it's close to 80 percent and Ghana is about 140 percent.

So you have this environment of a large number of people that are unbanked, but are digitally-enabled. This phenomenon creates a very fertile environment for disruption by FinTechs. And this is what we've seen in the last few years where FinTechs are able to come in and provide services for these groups of people.

In Africa, cash is still king and so we are trying to convert these users from being primarily cash receivers to electronic money receivers.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COREN: We'll be right back.

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COREN: Well, British Airways has unveiled a new first-class seat design set to debut in 2026 on its Airbus A380s, the world's largest passenger plane.

A sliding door makes each space feel like a suite with extra wide seats that can fold out into a bed. There's also a closet, a minibar, mood lighting and a 32-inch 4k entertainment screen.

While other airlines are cutting back on first class options, British Airways says there is still demand in the luxury travel market.

Well, it's one of the busiest travel times of the year in the U.S. with the Thanksgiving holiday just a day away. That means airports are jam-packed and airlines are raking in big bucks, not just on the tickets, but also billions in so-called junk fees, which has caught the attention of Congress.

CNN's Pete Muntean has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PETE MUNTEAN, CNN AVIATION CORRESPONDENT: The Thanksgiving travel rush is already off to a blistering start from roads to transit hubs to airports, where the Transportation Security Administration has already screened more than 5 million passengers since the start of this week.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Ten-hour travel day, but only for the holidays.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We've had more success going to the airport than driving on Thanksgiving.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Holiday travel is a pain -- a pain in the --

MUNTEAN: By the end of Tuesday, another 2.8 million people are expected to pass through airports nationwide, with 2.9 million expected on Wednesday. The busiest day for air travel leading up to the holiday.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There are going to be days where we are just at full capacity.

MUNTEAN: In all, AAA predicts 80 million people will travel 50 miles or more over seven days. A forecast extended from five days for the first time.

AIXA DIAZ, AAA SPOKESPEROSN: What we have noticed is that a lot of people, because they have that remote hybrid flexibility now, leave at different times. So Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon are going to be very congested on the roads.

The early start may not stay easy for long. Airlines are watching snow in the forecast for some major airports like Denver, as the Federal Aviation Administration is warning of potential flight delays due to a shortage of air traffic controllers.

United Airlines says in a new memo that FFA issues at its Newark hub have impacted 343,000 passengers this month.

FAA chief Mike Whitaker.

MIKE WHITAKER, FAA ADMINISTRATOR: If we are short on staff, we will slow traffic as needed to keep the system safe.

MUNTEAN: Even still, the federal government is monitoring how airlines perform with new refund rules in place for the first Thanksgiving rush ever.

[01:54:50]

MUNTEAN: Airlines now owe you automatic cash back if your flight is canceled or significantly delayed by more than three hours.

PETE BUTTIGIEG, U.S. TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY: Any airline that failed to proactively offer refunds to passengers could be in violation of federal law.

MUNTEAN: The new pressure comes as a just-released Senate report shows airlines made $12 billion over five years by charging for so-called junk fees, like seat selection and carry-on bags. It's insult to injury on what's to be another travel rush for the record books.

SEN. RICHARD BLUMENTHAL (D-CT): The airlines are relying more and more on these junk fees as a source of revenue, and they are obscuring very often and you as a passenger won't know how much you're being charged until after you buy the ticket airlines.

MUNTEAN: Airlines insist that separating out fees has made tickets themselves cost less, though AAA says the average price for airfare has gone up about 3 percent compared to a year ago.

The good news is for those 70 million people hitting the road, the cost of driving has gone down. The average price of a gallon of regular gas is now $3.07. Pete Muntean, CNN -- Reagan National Airport.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COREN: Before we go, this is an emoji we're likely all familiar with. But can you spot the same design in this video here?

Well, according to the sculptors of this installation on England's south coast, the wicker shelter is meant to be in the shape of a sea snail's shell.

However, the design has been the target of national and social media reports that have compared it to the unsavory emoji.

Well, local bird watchers and dog walkers cannot make up their minds about the structure. To flush away any confusion, one of the sculptors has defended the creation.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARK ANTONY HADEN FORD, ENVIRONMENTAL ARTIST, TWO CIRCLES DESIGN: We as artists, we don't court controversy at all. This was intended to be a periwinkle from the very start.

Now, I love the fact that people can interpret art in very different ways and the fact that some people think it's not a periwinkle and it could be a poop emoji, well, that's up to you to make your decision.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COREN: A periwinkle, I'm sure it is.

Well, thank you for watching CNN NEWSROOM.

I'm Anna Coren.

Stay tuned for more with my colleague Max Foster in London.

[01:57:07]

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