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CNN International: Azerbaijan in Official Mourning after Deadly Plane Crash; Trump Picks U.S. Ambassador to Panama Amid Threats to Reclaim Canal; Trump Claims Panama is "Ripping Off" U.S. on Canal Fees; Menendez Brothers Case Revisited; Pope Opens "Holy Door" at Prison in Rome. Aired 8-8:30a ET
Aired December 26, 2024 - 08:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[08:00:00]
ISABEL ROSALES, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to our viewers all around the world. I'm Isabel Rosales, and this is CNN Newsroom. Just ahead, investigators continue searching for answers after an Azerbaijani airliner made a deadly crash landing in Kazakhstan, and there are lots of questions that remain.
Then a series of Christmas Day social media posts Donald Trump, once again, teases U.S. territorial expansion and doubles down on comments about seizing the Panama Canal. And an appeal for peace, the pope speaks out about global conflict in his Christmas message.
This is the day of national mourning in Azerbaijan after an airline's plane crashed in Kazakhstan on Wednesday. Investigators are working to determine what caused the pilots to attempt an emergency landing. We know from Kazakh authorities that at least 38 people who were on board have been killed, but there are incredibly here survivors. CNN's Nada Bashir talked about all of this with my colleague Max Foster just a short time ago. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NADA BASHIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It is remarkable. And to see that dramatic footage of the plane crashing into the ground, bursting into flames as it did crash into the ground, it is remarkable that there were survivors. We've seen that dramatic footage of rescue workers immediately at the scene.
And eye witnesses as injured passengers were essentially being pulled out of the wreckage of the sort of back half of the plane, the tail end of the plane. And now, according to officials, at least, we know that 29 people survived, including two children. They've all been taken to hospital, of course, for immediate medical attention.
At least 11 people are said to be in a critical condition. So, we will be waiting for updates from officials on their status. But of course, dozens were killed. At least 38 confirmed dead by officials. And there have been questions around the sort of what led to this crash.
We see that video of the plane essentially circling the airfield ahead of what appears to have been an attempt to make that emergency landing just about two miles from the Kazakh city of act out. And of course, we have also heard from the Russian aviation authorities saying they believe preliminary information suggests this was caused by a bird strike. But we know that investigations are still ongoing.
MAX FOSTER, CNN ROYAL CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, the people are making a lot of you know the damage to the aircraft and how that could have been caused by a bird strike. So, people are desperate to know.
BASHIR: Absolutely and we've heard from officials. The Kazakh government has said that it has set up a commission now to carry out an immediate investigation into the cause of the crash. There have been some questions around the flight path taken by the plane on its route.
There have also been questions around drone activity in the area as well. We know that drone activity has shut down airports in the past in this region. This crash essentially came shortly after a drone strike hit southern Russia. And there have been some questions around whether or not that may have played a part in leading to this crash.
Of course, these are all still very much questions. We don't have the firm answers yet from officials that black box information will be crucial to this investigation, of course, and we keep an eye on what update --
FOSTER: So, who would lead the investigation in this situation.
BASHIR: At this stage, the Kazakh government has set up a commission. We know that the airline is also sending in a team into the country to support in that investigation.
[08:05:00]
But of course, then it becomes a question of whether this turns into perhaps a criminal case, or whether this is an aviation fault that they're looking at. So, lots of questions still up in the air on that front.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROSALES: Hospital officials in Gaza say that five journalists have been killed in an Israeli military strike. The journalists were sleeping in a vehicle outside a hospital in central Gaza's Nuseirat refugee camp when they were hit. That is according to other journalists there at the scene.
The vehicle belonged to a Gaza based television channel affiliated with the Palestine Islamic Jihad militant group. The Israeli military confirmed it did carry out a strike, but said it was targeting a terror cell. On Wednesday, Hamas and Israel traded blame for the failure to reach a cease fire and hostage release deal. Israel's Defense Minister insists that there will be no deal without a secure Gaza.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) ISRAEL KATZ, ISRAELI DEFENSE MINISTER: We will ensure here in Gaza, as with Lebanon, as with Syria and in the east, that no more threats will be created against Israeli communities, citizens of the State of Israel and IDF soldiers, in Gaza too. We will ensure that there are security spaces, buffer zones and command posts that will ensure the security of the communities.
And with all this, we will act to achieve the two goals of the war, to release all the kidnapped people home and to defeat Hamas.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROSALES: Families of the hostages in Gaza are marking the second Hanukkah without their loved ones. Crowds gathered for a silent protest on the first night of the Jewish festival of lights, demanding the Israeli government strike a deal to release the remaining captives.
Relatives of the hostages lit the first Hanukkah candle and led prayers for their immediate return. As Joe Biden nears the end of his presidency, he spent part of his week signing dozens of new bills into law. CNN's Senior Reporter Isaac Dovere has details.
EDWARD-ISAAC DOVERE, CNN SENIOR REPORTER: Well, it's a lot of things, as he said, it's 50 laws that he signed on Christmas Eve. They include a bill that would strip members of Congress who have been convicted of certain crimes of their pensions, a bill that designates the bald eagle officially as the national bird of America, even after all these years.
And a bill sponsored or promoted in part by Paris Hilton that would be aimed at improving conditions for teens in all sorts of institutions where teens are living by requiring studies to be done and other things to look at what's going on with them. So, it's a lot of legislation that comes at the end of the lame duck Congress that finished last week.
And that is probably the end of the laws that Joe Biden will sign as president. There may be a couple more. He is going to be away with his family for part of this time over the holidays. We will it's hard to know exactly what the president's plans are for the last couple of weeks of the presidency, once everybody comes back into things in January.
But he has certainly been keeping a lower profile, lower radar for a number of reasons. But one of those is that some of the things that he wants to -- some of the things that he cares about, he does not want to essentially raise to the attention of Donald Trump, put a target on for when Trump takes over on January 20.
Although people within his part, his own party and beyond, have noted that we have seen quite a notable lack of public appearances from Joe Biden over the last couple of weeks.
ROSALES: Yeah, with just about 25 more days left in his presidency there. Well, still to come. It was a short Christmas vacation for one Mississippi inmate. Find out just how far the escape convict got from jail, after the break.
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[08:10:00]
ROSALES: Welcome back. Donald Trump is continuing his public posturing on his express desire to acquire Greenland and the Panama Canal for the United States. And a Christmas Day social media post the U.S. President-Elect accused China's military of illegally operating the canal, something both Panama's president and China's government deny.
He also called Canada's Prime Minister its governor, while imagining the country as a 51st state, and said Greenland, an autonomous Danish territory, is needed for U.S. National Security. Trump also announced his choice for Ambassador to Panama on Wednesday.
Steve Contorno is following developments from West Palm Beach, Florida. Steve, I think most people are just trying to make sense of just how serious he is about all of this. What can you tell us?
STEVE CONTORNO, CNN REPORTER: Well, he serious enough that he doubled down on Christmas Day, Isabel, in fact, writing on social media and extensive post where he continued to push this idea that Panama is not giving the U.S. Senate ships and businesses there a fair shake, and is extorting them with their prices and continuing to push this narrative that China is somehow behind some of these efforts there.
I think that's something that will certainly be continue to be explored, especially as we get closer to Trump picking, excuse me, Trump's pick for Ambassador to Panama, getting his nomination hearings on Capitol Hill. And I imagine that would be a key topic of discussion. So let me talk you through who exactly Trump is nominating to this increasingly key post in his administration.
His name is Kevin Marino Marrero Cabrera. He is a Miami Dade County Commissioner. In fact, he is someone who won his seat in part because of an endorsement from Donald Trump two years ago. And while he was on that commission, he sponsored legislation that would rename a state in Miami-Dade after Donald Trump.
He also represented Florida on the Republican National Committee, platform committee at the convention, where they wrote a very pro Trump, pro MAGA, a playbook for Trump's next term that was heavily influenced by Trump's campaign. And lastly, he also worked on Trump's campaign all the way back in 2020.
So, he is someone who is obviously very close to Donald Trump, close to his inner circle, and trusted by him to carry out what is potentially a critical mission. Although I will say at this point, we have very few details about what Trump actually wants to extract from Panama, what he actually intends to do there? Anything short of -- anything that would require seizing the canal back, would potentially require military intervention.
And Trump is someone who has been calling for the U.S. to pull back some of its military engagements throughout the world. Would he really be interested in sending troops to get back an asset that has been in Panama control for a quarter century? In fact, Panama, Isabel, in the next five days here is about to celebrate 25 years of full autonomous control of the canal, and have taken many steps to ease U.S. commerce there over the last two decades.
It's been a delicate but productive treaty for both sides for many, many decades, with Trump, as he did in his first term, throwing a wrench in those plans and trying to get a better deal for the U.S. here.
ROSALES: Right, full control since January 31, 1999. Steve, does it seem more likely that President-elect Trump would go the full route of control of the Panama Canal, or is it him sort of trying to do better negotiation for the fees on those American ships going down the water way, as he's spoken about at length on social media posts? Is there any indication of that?
CONTORNO: It's a fair question. You know, talking to people around Donald Trump, they were caught off guard by the fact that this has animated him so much, and so they are surprised, as many Americans are, to see this being a forefront issue over the holidays here.
[08:15:00]
But look, Donald Trump often throws out these threats. And then tries to get someone to the negotiating table so he can claim victory. He did that earlier in his transition with these threats that he would impose 25 percent tariffs on Mexico and Canada, getting them both to reach out to him.
They had conversations with Trump, and then Trump, without really getting much extracted from them, went on to claim victory. And so, it's not clear if that is his intention here, or if he has some specific policy goal. I guess we'll have to just wait and see what will comes next, Isabel.
ROSALES: Yeah, certainly will be an interesting 2025. Steve Contorno, thank you. Well, 2024, we're not out of that yet has seen a lot of high-profile crimes and criminal cases making headlines, with several involving big-name celebrities. CNN's Jean Casarez has our "Year in Review".
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEAN CASAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Music superstars charged in criminal court. Parents of a school shooter land in prison and an insurance executive gun down, shot in the back in the heart of New York City. All part of the top 10 crime and justice stories of 2024. Number 10, a conviction in the murders of Abigail Williams and Liberty German.
CASAREZ (voice-over): Two young Delphi, Indiana girls have an afternoon off from school in February, 2017. A family member drops them off to hike at the Monon High Bridge Trail. Libby and Abby were never seen again. Their bodies were found together the next day with their throats cut. Libby's phone had pivotal video evidence of a suspect. Local resident, Richard Allen was arrested in 2022 and was later convicted by a jury of his peers.
CASAREZ: Number nine, charges in connection to the death of a beloved actor.
MATTHEW PERRY, AMERICAN, CANADIAN ACTOR: When I dance, I look like this.
CASAREZ (voice-over): Matthew Perry, who became a household name on the hit show, "Friends" found dead in October 2023 his body floating face down in a hot tub at his Pacific Palisades home with ketamine in his system. Five people now charged in connection with his death, including two doctors.
ANNE MILGRAM, ADMINISTRATOR OF THE U.S. DRUG ENFORCEMENT ADMINISTRATION: Matthew Perry, sought treatment for depression and anxiety and went to a local clinic where he became addicted to intravenous ketamine.
CASAREZ (voice-over): Three of the defendants have reached plea agreements, while the other two have pleaded not guilty.
CASAREZ: Number eight, a stunning end to Alec Baldwin's manslaughter trial.
CASAREZ (voice-over): Baldwin goes to trial following the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of his film "Rust". Prosecutors said Baldwin pulled the trigger of a prop gun during a rehearsal, but the gun had a live round, killing Hutchins. Within two days, the involuntary manslaughter case was thrown out over withheld evidence.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Dismissal with prejudice is warranted.
CASAREZ: Number seven, pop star Justin Timberlake arrested for driving while intoxicated.
CASAREZ (voice-over): Timberlake is pulled over while driving in Sag Harbor, New York. Court records alleged he was glassy eyed with a strong odor of alcohol on his breath. He told police he only had one Martini. Three months later, he pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of driving while impaired.
JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE, AMERICAN SINGER-SONGWRITER AND RECORD PRODUCER: Even one drink. Don't get behind the wheel of a car.
CASAREZ: Number six, an Illinois woman shot and killed in her own home by police.
CASAREZ (voice-over): 36-year-old Sonya Massey called 911, on July 6, because she thought an intruder was in her home. Deputies responded, but a dispute over a pot of hot water on the stove became the focus.
SONYA MASSEY, AN ILLINOIS WOMAN SHOT AND KILLED: Where you moving? SEAN GRAYSON, DEPUTY OF THE SANGAMON COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE: Huh?
MASSEY: Where are you going?
GRAYSON: Away from your hot steaming water.
MASSEY: Away from my hot steaming water?
GRAYSON: Yeah.
MASSEY: I rebuke you in the name of Jesus.
GRAYSON: Huh?
MASSEY: I rebuke you in the name of --
GRAYSON: You better f--king not. I swear to God. I'll f--king shoot you at you f--king face.
MASSEY: OK. I'm sorry.
GRAYSON: Drop the f--king pot.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The f--king --
GRAYSON: Drop the f--king pot.
CASAREZ (voice-over): Sangamon County Sheriff's Deputy Sean Grayson was fired and has pleaded not guilty to murder and other charges.
CASAREZ: Number five, after 35 years in prison, two brothers had the possibility of freedom.
CASAREZ (voice-over): Lyle and Erik Menendez planned, plotted and executed the murders of their parents in 1989. The brothers said they acted in self-defense after suffering years of physical and sexual abuse by their record executive father. The first jury trial ended in a mistrial, but included their sexual abuse testimony.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you recall the first time that he wasn't nice during the sex?
[08:20:00]
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And you were 11?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was 11.
CASAREZ (voice-over): But during a second trial, the brothers were convicted. Now they say they have new evidence, and with a Netflix Docu drama on the case.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We did it. CASAREZ (voice-over): As well as the sudden support of Now Former LA District Attorney George Gascon, the chance for freedom is possible, but the New DA Nathan Hochman is making no promises.
NATHAN HOCHMAN, DISTRICT ATTORNEY OF LOS ANGELES: You got to review thoroughly the facts and the law.
CASAREZ: Number four, the Chief Executive Officer of insurance giant United Healthcare, gunned down in New York City.
CASAREZ (voice-over): Brian Thompson in town for a conference was shot and killed in the early morning hours of December 4, outside of the Hilton in midtown Manhattan.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It appears the suspect was lying in wait for several minutes.
CASAREZ (voice-over): On December 9, the NYPD announced 26-year-old Luigi Mangione had been arrested in Altoona, Pennsylvania while eating at a McDonald's. He was in possession of a document criticizing the health care industry, a police official told CNN.
Mangione has been charged with murder, among other counts in state and federal court. Mangione's attorney denies his client was involved in the killing.
CASAREZ: Number three, a Georgia nursing student murdered on her morning jog.
CASAREZ (voice-over): 25 minutes into that run Laken Riley was killed.
BRIAN KEMP, GEORGIA GOVERNOR: This community, all of Georgia and the entire country had been robbed by this inexcusable and avoidable murder.
CASAREZ (voice-over): Jose Ibarra, a 26-year-old migrant from Venezuela was charged with her murder. The trial in November brought an unemotional Ibarra and Riley's family together in the same room.
ALLYSON PHILLIPS, LAKEN RILEY'S MOTHER: This sick, twisted and evil coward showed no regard for Laken Riley's human life.
CASAREZ (voice-over): Ibarra was convicted and sentenced to life in prison without parole.
CASAREZ: Number two, it was precedent setting parents of a mass school shooter on trial themselves for the deaths of the students their son gunned down.
KAREN MCDONALD, OAKLAND COUNTY PROSECUTOR: Gun ownership is a right, and with that right comes great responsibility.
CASAREZ (voice-over): Jennifer and James Crumbley, the parents of the Oxford, Michigan high school shooter went to trial in early 2024 on involuntary manslaughter charges. In a first of its kind prosecution, the state alleged the Crumbley's bought their son a gun days before the mass shooting, and didn't properly store it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Despite her knowledge of his deteriorating mental crisis. This gun was gifted.
CASAREZ (voice-over): Jennifer then took the stand.
JENNIFER CRUMBLEY, MOTHER OF OXFORD HIGH SCHOOL SHOOTER: There was a couple of times where Ethan has expressed anxiety over taking tests, but not to a level where I felt he needed to go see a psychiatrist or mental health professional right away now.
CASAREZ (voice-over): With the community still overcome by grief from the four students murdered by their son, both parents were convicted by unanimous juries. They are appealing their verdicts.
CASAREZ: And the number one, "Crime and Justice Story of the Year", Music Super Star, Sean Diddy Combs arrested.
CASAREZ (voice-over): Combs was charged in September with sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy and prostitution related charges.
DAMIAN WILLAIMS, U.S. ATTORNEY OF THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK: Combs used force, threats of force and coercion, to cause victims to engage in extended sexual performances with male commercial sex workers.
CASAREZ (voice-over): The indictment specifically notes surveillance video showing Combs beating his then-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura at a hotel in March, 2016. Combs apologized after CNN aired that video in May.
SEAN DIDDY COMBS, AMERICAN MUSIC SUPER STAR: I take full responsibility for my actions in that video. Disgusted.
CASAREZ (voice-over): Combs remains in federal custody at the Metropolitan Detention Center in New York City. He has pleaded not guilty.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROSALES: Still to come, Pope Francis delivers a message of unity and peace and calls for the end of the wars in Gaza and Ukraine.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[08:25:00]
ROSALES: Pope Francis is keeping a busy schedule as he marks the start of the 2025 Holy Year for Catholics worldwide. Earlier today, he delivered the Angelus prayer and blessing from his window in St. Peter's Square. And before that, the 88-year-old pontiff opened a special holy door at a prison complex in Rome.
According to the Pope, the move symbolized that hope does not disappoint. CNN's Christopher Lamb has more on the pope's Christmas time ceremonies. CHRISTOPHER LAMB, CNN VATICAN CORRESPONDENT: Pope Francis emphasizing that the Christmas message is one of peace and reconciliation, calling on countries to lay down their arms and for enemies to be reconciled. Francis making specific reference to the war in Ukraine and in Gaza. This is what he had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
POPE FRANCIS, HEAD OF CATHOLIC CHURCH AND SOVEREIGN OF THE VATICAN CITY STATE: May there be the boldness needed to open the door to negotiation and to gestures of dialog and encounter. In order to achieve a just and lasting peace. May the sound of arms be silenced in the Middle East.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LAMB: The Pope's remarks in Ukraine coming after Russia's attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure. On Christmas Day, the Pope has repeatedly called for a negotiated peace settlement to end Russia's war against Ukraine. He's also been outspoken recently on what's been going on in Gaza, calling recent air strikes cruelty.
And also, being in regular contact with the Catholic community in Gaza. Now Pope Francis making his remarks after launching the Catholic Church's jubilee year, an ancient tradition that focuses on forgiveness and pilgrimage, which began on Christmas Eve when Pope Francis opened the doors of the Holy Door of St. Peter's Basilica.
Normally cemented shut, the door meant to represent God's mercy, the Pope said, and the Francis is hoping that the message of the Jubilee can be one of hope and one that can impact not just in Rome but globally. Francis is 88 years old. He's got a packed schedule of events during the Jubilee.
But nevertheless, despite the difficulties the Pope has when it comes to his physical mobility, Francis determined to carry out the celebrations of the jubilee and hoping that the message that the jubilee represents will resonate across the globe. Christopher Lamb, CNN, London.
ROSALES: Thanks for joining me here on CNN "Newsroom". I'm Isabel Rosales. Aiming for gold is up next.
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