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CNN International: Azerbaijan Airlines: Initial Investigation Show "External Physical and Technical Interference" Caused Crash; Israeli Military Operation Underway at Gaza Hospital; Hamas and Israel Trade Blame for Ceasefire Delay; Looking Back: The Viral Moments of 2024; "Wicked" to Debut on Streaming Services on New Year's Eve. Aired 8-8:30a ET

Aired December 27, 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 HOST: Hello and welcome to our viewers all around the world. I'm Isabel Rosales, and this is CNN NEWSROOM. Just ahead, new developments in that Christmas Day crash of the passenger jet in Kazakhstan, what the carrier is now saying about the cause of the disaster?

Then chaotic scenes in South Korea's Parliament as lawmakers voted to impeach the prime minister and acting president, plunging the country into political turmoil. And tornados and storms are threatening holiday travel in the U.S. this weekend, we'll have the latest forecast.

Two days after a plane crash in Kazakhstan that killed dozens of people, Azerbaijan Airlines is blaming, quote, external, physical and technical interference. Even before that preliminary finding, questions were mounting over whether Russia was behind the disaster. Authorities have recovered two black box flight recorders at the crash site that could help provide some answers.

But a U.S. official told CNN, the signs point to Russian anti-aircraft defenses shooting the plane down, possibly in a case of mistaken identity. The Azerbaijani Press Agency says that the airline is suspending flights from the Capital Baku to seven Russian cities. CNN's Nada Bashir joins me now live in London. Nada, external, physical and technical interference what does that mean?

NADA BASHIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, that is the latest information that we are getting from Azerbaijan Airlines as the investigation into what caused this crash continues. Questions still up in the air in terms of the details around this latest claim, what that external, technical and physical pressure would essentially mean?

We have, as you mentioned, heard from one U.S. official, who says that it is highly likely that this may have been caused by Russian anti- aircraft systems in the area, echoing earlier reports from Reuters, which was citing multiple unnamed sources familiar with the ongoing investigations that the plane may have been down by Russian air defense systems. So clearly, a lot of questions still swirling around Russia's

potential involvement in what actually led to this fatal crash of the Azerbaijan Airlines plane. And of course, that investigation is still ongoing, the Kazak government has set up a commission now to examine the evidence to investigate this.

As you mentioned, two black boxes have now been recovered. They will provide crucial information with regards to flight data, as well as recordings from within the cockpit, which might help investigators to piece this puzzle together to figure out exactly what led to this crash? But we've heard from officials saying that that could take about two weeks to really fully assess the data available there.

And of course, there will be investigations looking into the forensic data on the ground as well. Of course, we've seen the dramatic footage of the crash as the plane hit the ground, bursting into flames. Video and images of the wreckage essentially shows perforations, holes in the fuselage, perhaps similar to what you might see in terms of shrapnel hitting the plane.

So that has also raised significant questions, but the message that we've been hearing from authorities at this stage is for people not to speculate, to elect -- to let the investigators do their job, to examine all the evidence that they have at hand at the moment, to fully assess what may have led to this.

And of course, we had heard earlier reports from Russian Aviation Authority suggesting that preliminary information would suggest that the plane may have been forced to attempt an emergency landing as a result of a bird strike, colliding with the flock of birds. But again, that stands in contrast to what we're hearing from U.S. officials, and also what Reuters is hearing from his own sources familiar with those investigations.

So, a lot of questions, a lot of speculation, again, waiting for that final confirmation from investigators. But of course, important to underscore this was a truly remarkable event to see 29 people out of 67 passengers surviving this crash, that dramatic footage showing some of those survivors emerging from the wreckage.

Many of them, of course, were injured. Some still said to be in a critical condition. But among those survivors, at least two children as well. So, a truly remarkable turn of events for some but of course, a moment of tragedy and mourning for many others, Isabel.

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ROSALES: Yeah, so a lot of fact finding that needs to happen here. Nada, but still eerily similar to MH 17 back in 2014. Nada Bashir, thank you. The political upheaval continues in South Korea. In a contentious session Friday, the nation's parliament voted to impeach the Acting President Han Duck-Soo, after he refused to appoint new justices to the Constitutional Court.

That court will decide the fate of the previous president, Yoon Suk Yeol, who was impeached after imposing martial law. And now South Korea is looking at its third president this month, as the finance minister is now in charge. We know it's not easy to keep up with the twists and turns going on in Seoul, so let's bring in CNN's Hanako Montgomery to help us figure it all out. Hanukkah, you would expect three presidents in a month. You would expect something like this to happen in a -- drama, not real life. What is going on here?

HANAKO MONTGOMERY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi Isabel, it's good to see you. I mean, I think you put it really perfectly here, because really what we're seeing is two impeachment votes in less than two weeks. I mean, this is unprecedented, not only for South Korea, but really for much of the democratic world.

Now, there are a number of reasons why the Acting President Han Duck- Soo was voted to be impeached today by the country's parliament, but what really stood out is actually a statement made by the main opposition party leader, give this a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LEE JAE-MYUNG, SOUTH KOREA'S DEMOCRATIC PARTY LEADER: We will remove Yoon Suk Yeol from office, uproot his loyalist forces and fully suppress the insurrection. Until that moment, we will pool all our resources and fulfill our historic responsibility.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MONTGOMERY: Now for some background on the events leading to today's vote. We've seen, of course, that South Korea was plunged into a political crisis on December 3rd, after the president declared martial law.

Then, very quickly, soon after less than two weeks, in fact, the parliament voted to impeach the president, and he was stripped of his duties. But in order for this impeachment process, this formal impeachment process, to actually conclude South Korea's Constitutional Court must rule to uphold these decisions.

But critically, and this is the problem facing South Korea right now, there aren't enough judges within South Korea's Constitutional Court to actually issue such a ruling. And it's actually the job of the Acting President Han to appoint those three vacant spots. But he hasn't done so, which has led to this political dead lock we're seeing right now in the country.

Now looking ahead, looking at South Korea's political future as you describe, next in line to step in as acting president is the country's finance minister. But this political saga is still far from over. In fact, this crisis, this political game of musical chairs, if you will, Isabel is really coming at a critical time for the country, as it's preparing to engage with a new Trump Administration like many other countries around the world.

There are serious questions and concerns raised within South Korean politics about how well it can engage in diplomacy and maintain stable U.S. South Korean relations, if its own political leadership isn't stable? And Isabel throughout all of this, the question that still remains to be answered is, when will all this political uncertainty actually end? And frankly, that's anybody's guess, Isabel.

ROSALES: And so much frustration from the people there in South Korea from all this political instability. Hanako Montgomery in Tokyo, thank you. Some U.S. colleges are urging international students to return to campus before Donald Trump's January 20th Inauguration. The warning comes as the president-elect is pledging to implement even more hardline immigration policies when he returns to the White House.

Trump has said he plans to expand his previous travel ban on people from predominantly Muslim countries and revoke the student visas of what he calls radical anti-American and anti-Semitic foreigners. More than a million international students were enrolled in U.S. colleges and Universities during the last academic year.

Trump's inauguration is, by the way, just 24 days away, and corporations are clamoring to be a part of that celebration and putting up big money for that privilege. A handful of Fortune 500 companies, cryptocurrency firms and individual billionaires are promising donations as high as seven figures.

Among them are a handful of corporations that pledge to rethink political donations after the January 6th 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol. "The Wall Street Journal" reports, Ford, General Motors, Goldman Sachs and others have reversed their previous vows and pledged up to $1 million each.

Still to come, another Israeli military operation is launched at a Gaza hospital. Medical officials there say forced evacuation is now underway. And it's one of the busiest travel weekends of the year, and it could be a bumpy one for millions of Americans. We'll show you why.

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ROSALES: The Head of a Northern Gaza Hospital says Israeli forces have ordered the evacuation of all patients there. CNN has also heard audio messages from a nurse and a journalist inside Kamal Adwan Hospital who say it is surrounded by Israeli forces. This follows reports of a nearby air strike that the local health ministry reports killed about 50 people.

Israel's military says it is unaware of the strikes, but is investigating the allegations. The Israeli military also says it intercepted a missile launched from Yemen earlier before it entered Israeli territory. Yemen Houthis rebels are vowing to retaliate for a string of deadly Israeli air strikes on the country on Thursday.

The Iran-backed rebels say Israeli attacks on the main airport in the Capital Sana along with a power station and two ports, killed six people and wounded at least 40. Israel says it hit military targets belonging to the Houthis. The United Nations says a UN team, including the Head of the World Health Organization, were about to board a plane at Sana Airport when it came under Israeli bombardment. Elliot Gotkine is in Jerusalem with more details. ELLIOT GOTKINE, JOURNALIST: The Houthis have lobbed ballistic missiles towards Tel Aviv for four out of the last seven nights, sending millions scrambling to bomb shelters. On Thursday, Israel responded launching its first ever attack on Yemen's main airport and hitting two power stations.

The strikes that the Israeli military said targeted infrastructure the Houthis have been using to bring Iranian weapons into Yemen. Among those hurt a crew member for a plane for the World Health Organization, whose Director-General says he was just meters away from the impact.

This was the fourth time Israeli planes have attacked the Houthis, who say they're firing on Israel and international shipping in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. On Wednesday night in the war battered enclave five men, all of them journalists, according to hospital officials and AlQuds Today, TV were killed while sleeping in their van.

The channel affiliated with Palestine Islamic Jihad, which the U.S. and others proscribe as a terrorist organization, says the men were carrying out their journalistic and humanitarian duty. Israel says they were Islamic Jihad militants posing as journalists.

For evidence it provided what it said was a list of operatives it picked up during operations in Gaza, edited to translate names and details on which four of the men's names appear along with their roles.

And as the war in Gaza rumbles on, ceasefire talks aimed at securing the release of the 100 or so hostages still being held captive appear to have hit another snag. On Christmas Day, Hamas accused Israel of moving the goal post in negotiations, and said this was why a deal had yet to be done. For its part, Israel said Hamas was lying and reneging on understandings that had already been reached.

[08:15:00]

Whatever the case, despite renewed optimism that a deal could soon be done, the reality is the two sides appear no closer to reaching an agreement that could end the year long war and bring all the hostage home. Elliot Gotkine, CNN, Jerusalem.

ROSALES: Well, as if folks needed this coming after Christmas, severe weather in the Southern and Western U.S. could make one of the busiest travel weekends of the year miserable. Storms along the Pacific Coast are bringing strong winds, rain and snow, plus thunderstorms across the south on Saturday could bring damaging winds and even tornadoes.

The small twists are right here was spotted near a warehouse south of Houston, Texas, on Thursday. Forecasters are telling people in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama to be on guard. Meteorologist Elisa Raffa joins us live. Elisa, we were just talking yesterday about Dallas. We saw how quickly bad weather there could have major travel impacts. So, when could the severe weather in the south really do a bad number to travel? ELISA RAFFA, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yeah. I mean, we're kind of worried about tomorrow, that severe weather will be more intense, more widespread. Planes will probably have to fly around it, because those thunderstorms will be so tall and capable of so much lightning.

Today, we're looking at some minor delays possible from New Orleans and Atlanta up towards Chicago and Cincinnati, where we have some of this rain. The Pacific Northwest continues to be a problem, from Seattle to Portland and San Francisco, where rain, snow, gusty winds, just continues to be ongoing as that atmospheric river really just doesn't stop.

Here's a look at that severe risk again today on the lower end, but really ramps up tomorrow, a level three out of five enhanced risk for severe weather. That's where we're looking at severe storms could be widespread and likely then that risk shifts to the Southeast. Look at some bigger cities in the wake. Going into Sunday, Atlanta, Charlotte, could all have some of these problems.

But going into tomorrow, we're looking at the threat of damaging winds, large hail and some strong tornadoes possible. We're talking EF2 or greater. These, again, would be very tall thunderstorms. When we're talking about December tornadoes, again, not likely, right? You know, we really only see about 43 on average. They would happen across the Gulf Coast if they do.

But on average, it is our lowest month for tornadoes, definitely nothing compared to some of that spring season. But we are way above average already for the year for tornado. So again, pretty active, especially considering that it is December. When you look at the storms that blow up going into tomorrow again, these would be pretty intense.

That line of storms capable of the severe weather planes would need to fly around it to get away from the tall thunderstorms and the lightning and that could cause you some problems as we go through the weekend Isabel.

ROSALES: As you said, so strange to see these tornado risks in December. I know you'll keep a close eye on all of that. Elisa Raffa, thank you.

An update now on the mounting legal troubles facing Hip Hop Mogul Jay- Z. A judge has tossed out Jay-Z's attempt to dismiss a case accusing him of raping a 13-year-old girl in 2000. The judge's decision contained scathing language criticizing Jay-Z's lawyer's tactics. The judge also said the Jane Doe accuser could continue to proceed anonymously in that case.

Well, how many times have you asked someone this year did you see that video? Well, in case you didn't, we're running down the best viral video moments of 2024 right after the break.

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[08:20:00] ROSALES: 2024 was full of viral moments we followed right from our phone. CNN's Boris Sanchez takes a look back at the videos and events that captivated Americans this past year.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Buster come here. Come here.

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Coming in at number 10 on the list of the viral videos on CNN that everyone was talking about in 2024. A lovable but very disobedient dog.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Are you ready come in?

SANCHEZ (voice-over): Over and over again his owner tries to get him to leave the pool.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Be a good boy for once in your life.

SANCHEZ (voice-over): But this Florida dog just won't listen. It's only when dad uses his I mean business voice that Buster does listen.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No sir, Buster -- again.

SANCHEZ (voice-over): Number 9.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It has been an incredibly tough couple of months.

SANCHEZ (voice-over): A stunning announcement from Catherine, the Princess of Wales.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: In January, I underwent major abdominal surgery in London. However, tests after the operation found cancer had been present.

SANCHEZ (voice-over): In September, Kate released a video saying she had completed her chemotherapy treatment, her startling cancer diagnosis announcement came weeks after we learned King Charles was also battling an unspecified cancer following a procedure for an enlarged prostate in January.

At number 8, dramatic footage of a passenger plane in Brazil falling from the sky in August. The shocking video showing the twin engine turbo prop plane spiraling out of the sky into the city of Veneto before hitting the ground, killing all 62 people on board. No one on the ground was hurt. Number 7.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It is really kicked up.

SANCHEZ (voice-over): -- Hurricane Milton, making land fall on Florida's West Coast.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Look at that huge tree limb just blowing through the intersection.

SANCHEZ (voice-over): It was a dangerous category three storm. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This fence came down earlier, right here, behind me, here, and now it seems to be breaking apart.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The wind and the storm surge associated with this hurricane that is right now pushing its way inland.

SANCHEZ (voice-over): Milton dropped about 18 inches of rain on St. Petersburg, representing a more than one in one-thousand-year rain fall for that area. Number 6, in September, explosive attacks in Lebanon targeting pagers used by Hezbollah members. The blasts killed 12 and injured more than 2300.

CNN learned Israel was behind the attack, which was a joint operation between Israel's intelligence service, the Mossad and the Israeli military. The Lebanese government condemned the attack as criminal Israeli aggression.

Number 5, police in Illinois releasing body camera footage of the deadly police shooting of Sonia Massey in July. The 36-year-old black woman had called 911 for help to report a possible Prowler at her home in Springfield.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I heard somebody outside.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We didn't see nobody.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Nobody's out here.

SANCHEZ (voice-over): The body camera footage shows the deputy continuing to interact with Massey, but things take a turn when she goes back to check on a pot on the stove.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: -- away from the house --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yeah.

SANCHEZ (voice-over): Three shots were fired, killing Massey. No intruder was found. The deputy was fired from his job and charged with first degree murder. He has pleaded not guilty. At Number 4 on the list, the presidential historian who has correctly predicted 9 of the last 10 presidential races makes his pick for the 2024 winner, Vice President Kamala Harris.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Have you ever changed your prediction?

ALLAN LICHTMAN, PRESIDENTIAL HISTORIAN: I have never changed my prediction once I made a final call.

SANCHEZ (voice-over): Unfortunately, for Allan Lichtman, this year's pick did not pan out for him. Number 3 on the list Baltimore's Key Bridge collapse. Video shows the moment a cargo ship crashed into the bridge in March. Six members of a road crew who were working on the bridge at the time were killed.

A preliminary report by the NTSB found the ship had a pair of catastrophic electrical failures minutes before the crash and experienced two black outs a day before. The preliminary report does not conclude a probable cause.

DONALD TRUMP (R), FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT AND CURRENT PRESIDENTIAL- ELECT: If you want to really see something that said, take a look at what happened.

SANCHEZ (voice-over): At Number 2, the failed assassination attempt of Donald Trump. In July Trump was speaking at his rally in Butler, Pennsylvania when shots rang out. Trump grabbed his ear, dropped to the ground and was quickly surrounded by secret service agent.

TRUMP: Let me back my shoes.

SANCHEZ (voice-over): Trump was seen with blood on his ear and cheek as he was rushed off the stage.

[08:25:00]

The shooting left one person dead and two others critically injured. Another video from that day shows the moment people attending the rally spotted the shooter on top of a nearby building.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yeah, someone is on top of the roof look. There he is right there. Right there so you see him. He's laying down.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yeah, he's laying down.

SANCHEZ (voice-over): Moments after the 20-year-old gunman opened fire, he was killed by a secret service sniper. And the Number 1 viral video of 2024 disturbing hotel surveillance video of Sean "Diddy" Combs. In May CNN published exclusively obtained video from 2016. In it, you see the Hip Hop Mogul physically assaulting his then girlfriend, Cassie Ventura in the hallway of a hotel.

Combs previously denied Ventura's allegations of assault, which were the basis of a now settled federal lawsuit filed by Ventura in 2023. Soon after the video was published, Combs apologized for his behavior in a video statement posted to Instagram. Now in federal custody.

Combs was arrested in September after a sprawling federal investigation. He is awaiting trial on numerous charges including sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy. He's pleaded not guilty. Combs is also facing dozens of civil lawsuits accusing him of a range of sexual misconduct and other illegal activity. Attorneys for Combs deny the claims.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Pop -- I know about pop you.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, I saved you some space, by the way.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you really think this was fair?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I did not. I was promised the private suite, but thanks for asking.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROSALES: Hey, it is the movie everyone's talking about. Fans of "Wicked" will now be able to enjoy the hit film, along with new bonus content from the comfort of home next week. The musical will make its streaming debut, December 31st on several platforms, including Prime Video and Apple TV.

Viewers can buy or rent the nearly three-hour long movie and check out additional content, including deleted and extended scenes, commentary and, of course, a sing along version of the film. Well, thank you for joining me here on CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Isabel Rosales, WORLD SPORT with Coy Wire is up next.

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(WORLD SPORT)