Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Newsroom
CNN International: Azerbaijan Airlines: Initial Investigation Shows "External Physical And Technical Interference" Caused Crash; Authorities Recover Second Black Box From Azerbaijan Jet; Russia Ramp Up Production Of Iranian-Designed Drones. Aired 11a-12p ET
Aired December 27, 2024 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[11:00:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ISABEL ROSALES, HOST, "CNN NEWSROOM": Welcome to CNN Newsroom. I'm Isabel Rosales in Atlanta.
Ahead on today's show, we're getting new information about Wednesday's deadly plane crash in Kazakhstan, and we now have reaction from Russia's government. Plus, the man accused of setting a woman on fire in the NYC subway, New York City subway, had a court hearing a short time ago. We'll bring you the latest on that case. And Delta dealing with yet another stowaway, this time on a flight from Seattle to Honolulu. When and how that person was caught.
New details are emerging today about the deadly plane crash in Kazakhstan amid growing suspicions the jet may have been shot down by a Russian air defense system. Azerbaijan Airlines says a preliminary investigation has found the disaster occurred because of, quote, "physical and technical external interference." Authorities have recovered two black box flight recorders at the crash site, hoping they can provide some answers. At least 38 people were killed when the Azerbaijan Airlines jet plummeted to the ground Wednesday. A U.S. official says early indications suggest a Russian anti-aircraft missile may have downed the plane.
Let's get more now from Nada Bashir in London. Nada, very quickly here on this external physical and technical interference. What does that mean?
NADA BASHIR, CNN REPORTER: Well, that's exactly what investigators are trying to ascertain and figure out right now. As you mentioned, those two black boxes have been recovered. They will be crucial in providing some sense of what happened in the moments leading up to the crash, from flight data to internal recordings from the cockpit.
But, of course, we had heard from one U.S. official yesterday, telling CNN that the flight may well have been downed by Russian anti-aircraft systems. That echoes reporting from Reuters that we'd heard a little earlier, citing unnamed sources, multiple sources, who are familiar with those ongoing investigations, again, suggesting that the crash may have been caused by Russian air defense systems. And what we do know at this stage is that the crash occurred shortly
after a Ukrainian drone strike hit southern Russia. So, there have been questions around nearby drone activity, whether or not that may have played some part in leading to this crash. And we beginning now to hear from some of those survivors who managed to survive the crash, with regards to what they experienced on board the plane, and some truly frightening, worrying accounts from those who survived, including hearing a loud bang hitting the plane. Unclear what caused that. And of course, we've seen video emerging and images showing perforations, small holes in the fuselage, in the wreckage that has emerged. So, again, lots of questions surrounding that. That will certainly be a key line of investigation and inquiry for those examining the evidence.
We know that the Kazak government has now set up a commission to take a look at that evidence to investigate this. It may take around two weeks, according to authorities, to fully examine and assess the black box data. We know that airline manufacturers will be heading into Kazakhstan as well to support in that investigation. Now, have also been hearing from Russian aviation authorities with regards to potential deviations in the flight path as well some suggestion that the flight may have been rerouted due to that drone activity, as well as poor weather conditions. But then, again, still questions as to the route that the flight then took, whether or not there was a loss of system controls on board the plane. That will hopefully all be determined through that black box data.
And again, no final conclusions have been made just yet. We are still waiting for that confirmation from investigators. There has been a call for no speculation at this stage. But, as you can imagine, there are a lot of questions as to what went behind this crash. Again, 38 people were killed in this deadly crash. We've seen the images -- or the videos of the moments ahead of that crash, the flight circling the airfield somewhat erratically before nosediving and bursting into flames upon impact. Remarkably, the sort of tail end of the plane actually remains somewhat intact, although upturned, and it's there that some of those passengers were able to survive. And we've seen video of those passengers emerging, many of them, of course, injured.
It's understood that at least five of the 29 people who survived are in a serious condition. They're stable at this stage. They are, of course, receiving medical attention in hospitals. But, again, lots of questions around what caused the crash, a lot of focus on whether or not Russian air defenses played a part in this, and that will, of course, trigger widespread international attention if indeed that is the case. Isabel.
[11:05:00]
ROSALES: Yeah. And so many families, of course, will be desperate to get the results, the full results of that investigation.
Nada Bashir, thank you.
NATO says it will boost its military presence in the Baltic Sea after the suspected sabotage of an undersea power cable linking Finland and Estonia. Finnish authorities have seized a tanker carrying Russian oil, believing it may be responsible for causing undersea internet and power cable outages. Finland's President says his country is working vigilantly to make sure that critical infrastructure is not damaged by, quote, "Outsiders". He also says we know who did it, but adds that it's too early to draw conclusions about why.
Meantime, in Russia, a secretive factory is ramping up drone production to fuel the air war against Ukraine.
Clare Sebastian is following that story for us from London. Clare, we just saw a major drone attack on Christmas Day and more drones fired overnight. You've been looking into how they are managing to sustain this. What have you found out?
CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, Isabel. Look, that's all part of a pattern that we've seen Russian drone attacks on Ukraine go up exponentially in recent months, and this is a strategy fueled by a booming defense industry. The German defense minister recently estimated that Russia is outproducing the EU in terms of weapons and ammunition by a factor of four, and that's amid significant challenges, of course, crippling labor shortages made worse by frontline casualties, sanctions.
So, we took a look into this drone factory, a really critical part of this ramped up drone offensive, and it offers a window onto how they're doing this, and that includes some pretty creative recruitment strategies.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SEBASTIAN (voice-over): The caption "My mom's reaction when she found out I earn more than her", cat videos, TikTok memes, all part of a recruitment effort funneling workers into Russia's ever expanding drone program. The videos are made by Alabuga Polytech, a technical college based at the Alabuga Special Economic Zone in southern Russia, the same site identified by the White House last year as Russia's domestic Shahed factory producing Iranian-designed drones.
In February, the U.S. slapped sanctions on Alabuga, noting it, quote, "exploited underage students from an affiliated polytechnic university as laborers to assemble these attack UAVs." David Albright, a former nuclear weapons inspector, has been tracking
Alabuga since 2022.
DAVID ALBRIGHT, INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND INTERNATIONAL SECURITY: The only benefit is the high salary, but the males get exemption from military service. And so, that -- that's a drawing card.
SEBASTIAN (voice-over): A Ukrainian intelligence officer, only authorized to speak to CNN anonymously, told us those perks come at a cost.
OREST, UKRAINIAN DEFENSE INTELLIGENCE OFFICER (Interpreted): All students involved in the production of these UAVs live at a separate limited access compound. Once employed, they sign NDAs. Their contracts say they produce motor boats. SEBASTIAN (voice-over): And yet, as recruitment efforts step up, this video from July allowed the facade to slip. Thinking of starting 10th grade, says the voiceover, joined the super elite program Air Navigation and Drone Programming at Alabuga Polytechnic and help the Stalin's Falcons. That's a new drone unit in the Russian military. Pause here and you see the distinctive serial number of the Russian- produced Shahed and the unit emblem.
In July, Russia fired 422 Shahed or similar drones at Ukraine. By November, it was almost six times that, Analysis of Air Force reports and official data show. To meet that demand, Shahed production at Alabuga has more than doubled this year, say CNN sources in Ukraine's defense intelligence. And there is a new product. This is the Gerbera, a much cheaper copy of the Shahed, pictured in a video posted in July by the Stalin's Falcons, that same drone unit.
For this volunteer air defense unit in Kyiv, it's clear the cheaper copies are fueling bigger attacks.
YURIY CHUMAK, UKRAINIAN AIR DEFENSE VOLUNTEER: Now they sent -- Russia sent every day a lot of drones. More of them are not even with the explosive things, just very cheap and very simple drones.
SEBASTIAN (voice-over): For Yuriy Chumak, a serving Supreme Court judge by day, there is no denying the decoys are working.
CHUMAK: We cannot detect what it is. You just see that it's drone. So, you shall use missile or you shall use machine gun to shut down it.
SEBASTIAN (voice-over): CNN sources in Ukrainian defense intelligence believe Alabuga will produce up to 10,000 Gerberas this year alone. Analysis of downed drones shows Russia has also adapted the original Shahed, making it tougher, more weatherproof, and in some cases, deadlier.
[11:10:00]
In late October, experts in Kyiv found traces of thermobaric munitions on downed Shaheds.
OLEKSIY STEPANIUK, KYIV SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF FORENSIC EXPERTISE (Interpreted): There were several of them. Their effect is that they're used as incendiary munitions. In a certain radius, they disable all equipment and people.
SEBASTIAN (voice-over): Ukraine has tried hitting back. This April strike, using a modified small aircraft, blew a hole in the roof of a worker dormitory at Alabuga.
SEBASTIAN: But, neither that strike nor international sanctions could stop the break-neck pace of expansion here. Between March and September this year, two entirely new buildings appeared next to the original ones.
SEBASTIAN (voice-over): And this image from late November seems to confirm they're connected. New covered walkways link old and new buildings. Another looks set to join the factory to the work of dormitories, now fully repaired.
ALBRIGHT: They started to create, we thought, drone cages over the buildings. And then, as the -- as they build other buildings, it looks like they're expanding the security perimeter.
SEBASTIAN (voice-over): NATO told CNN it is, quote, "well aware of Alabuga, and expects it to ramp up production even further." This military patriotic team-building event for Alabuga students, a glimpse into the high octane world behind that security fence.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROSALES: And that was Clare Sebastian reporting. Thank you for that.
South Korea's political turmoil has deepened. In a chaotic session earlier today, the parliament voted to impeach the acting President Han Duck-soo. This happening less than two weeks after lawmakers impeached the previous President over his decision to order martial law.
CNN's Hannah Montgomery has the latest.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HANAKO MONTGOMERY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This is the latest development in what's been a very dramatic political saga in South Korea. This is the first time in the country's history that an acting President has been voted to be impeached, and it comes less than two weeks after the actual President, President Yoon Suk Yeol, was also voted to be impeached. So, what we're talking about here is two impeachment votes in less than two weeks. I mean, this is unprecedented, not only in South Korea, but also for much of the democratic world.
Now, there are many reasons why the acting President Han Duck-soo was voted to be impeached today by the country's parliament. But, what really stands out is a statement made by the main opposition party leader. Give this a listen.
LEE JAE-MYUNG, SOUTH KOREAN OPPOSITION LEADER (Interpreted): 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.
MONTGOMERY: Now, for some background on the events that led to today's vote, on December 3rd, South Korea was plunged into political turmoil after the country's President declared martial law. Then, less than two weeks after that, the country's parliament decided to vote to impeach the President and stripped him of his duties.
But, in order for the formal impeachment process to conclude, a Constitutional Court ruling upholding that impeachment vote is necessary, but critically, and here is the problem right now, South Korea's Constitutional Court doesn't have enough judges to issue such a ruling. And it's actually the job, or the responsibility of the acting President Han to fill those remaining spots, fill those vacancies on the country's bench. But, so far, he has refused to do so, leading to this political deadlock we're seeing right now.
Now, looking ahead, next in line to serve as the acting President is the country's finance minister. But, South Korea is still far from politically stable. In fact, this turmoil, this political game of musical chairs, if you will, is coming at a very critical time for South Korea. It's preparing for a new Trump administration, and the political instability that South Korea is seeing within its leadership is raising some questions and concerns about how well it can engage in diplomacy and maintain stable U.S.-South Korean ties. And the question that still remains to be answered is, how much longer will this political instability in South Korea last? And that's anybody's guess.
Hanako Montgomery, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROSALES: Still to come, another Israeli military operation is launched at a hospital in Gaza. Medical officials say a forced evacuation is underway. Plus, President-elect Donald Trump continues to make plans for his incoming administration. We'll have more on his pick to be the ambassador to Panama, amid a growing dispute over the Panama Canal.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:15:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROSALES: Israel's military says it has intercepted a missile launched from Yemen early Friday before it entered Israeli territory. Yemen's Houthi rebels had vowed to retaliate for a string of deadly Israeli airstrikes on Thursday. The Houthi say the attacks on Yemen's main airport, a power station, and two ports, killed at least six people and wounded dozens more. Israel says it hit military targets belonging to the Houthis.
In northern Gaza, Israeli forces are besieging a hospital and have ordered the evacuation of all the patients. That's according to the hospital's director. CNN has heard audio messages from a nurse and a journalist inside Kamal Adwan Hospital, saying it is surrounded by Israeli forces. It follows reports of a nearby airstrike late Thursday, which the local health ministry says killed about 50 people, including five medical workers. Israel's military says it is looking into the allegation.
Meanwhile, Israel's Attorney General has ordered an investigation into Sara Netanyahu, the wife of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, over allegations she harassed opponents.
Elliott Gotkine has more details.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ELLIOTT GOTKINE, JOURNALIST: If there is one thing that riles Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu more than being in the dock himself, it's accusations against his wife. Sara Netanyahu, who has a 2019 conviction for misusing public funds, now faces formal investigation for allegedly intimidating a witness in her husband's corruption trial, as well as indirectly harassing the Attorney General and Deputy Attorney General.
The allegations were first aired on Israel Channel 12's Uvda (ph) program, the country's equivalent of 60 Minutes. Benjamin Netanyahu decried the report as a new blood libel, calling it biased and false propaganda. The Prime Minister sees it as another strand of what he describes as a witch hunt against him orchestrated by the left-wing media, and which led to him being tried for fraud, breach of trust, and bribery, charges he vehemently denies. Netanyahu asked that his trial be postponed due to the wars with Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza, but to no avail. In the enclave itself, the Israeli military, on Friday, said it was carrying out targeted operations against what it described as a Hamas terrorist stronghold in and around the Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza.
Hamas has denied that it uses hospitals for military purposes, and the IDF has not offered definitive proof of its claims. Hospital director, Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, said in a social media post that the IDF was besieging Kamal Adwan and issuing orders for its evacuation. A few hours later, Abu Safiya said the Israeli military was burning all the operating departments in the hospital and had evacuated all displaced people and staff, some of whom he said had been arrested. Smoke could be seen billowing from the building.
The IDF said troops had facilitated the secure evacuation of civilians, patients and medical personnel prior to the operation.
Elliott Gotkine, CNN Jerusalem.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROSALES: Former U.S. presidential candidate Marianne Williamson is announcing plans to lead the Democratic National Committee. She joins several others vying to replace outgoing DNC Chair Jaime Harrison. Williamson, an author of self-help books, ran for the Democratic presidential nomination back in 2020 and 2024.
[11:20:00]
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has announced his pick for U.S. Ambassador to Panama. Trump has named Kevin Marino Cabrera, a Miami- Dade County Commissioner, to the post subject to the Senate confirmation, hoping that he will be passing that confirmation process. His pick comes after Trump has suggested that the U.S. take control of the Panama Canal due to Panama, quote, "ripping off U.S. ships that pass through the waterway." In recent days, Trump has also teased U.S. territorial expansion in Canada and Greenland.
Joining us now from Washington is Lynn Sweet. She is the Washington Bureau Chief for the Chicago Sun-Times. Lynn, thank you so much for joining us.
LYNN SWEET, WASHINGTON BUREAU CHIEF, CHICAGO SUN-TIMES: Thank you. ROSALES: Well, Trump touts in America First philosophy, saying, for
example, that the U.S. should stay out of the fighting in Syria during the ousting of Bashar al-Assad. But, when it comes to Greenland and Panama, his view is not so isolationist. Why get involved?
SWEET: Well, don't look for consistency from President-elect Trump. The reason -- there is a few reasons, in my analysis, why he wants to get involved. He is flexing his muscles ahead of the inauguration, which he seems to enjoy having people like Prime Minister Trudeau come to Mar-a-Lago. And he also wants to see what will work and what won't. In the Panama Canal situation, for example, it seems more of a bid to force a lower reign of prices for U.S. vessels to cross the canal.
ROSALES: Right. And I think so many people have been trying to make heads or tails of just how serious it is. Canada seems a bit more laughable than maybe as serious as he is seeming about Greenland and Panama, but maybe you disagree.
SWEET: Well, here is the thing about Canada, which is interesting. Trump seems intent on weakening Prime Minister Trudeau, who is already in a fight for his political life. Some members of his own Liberal Party have called for his resignation. Also, Trump is testing the waters, perhaps in a very potentially and non-productive way when he talks about making Canada the 51st state.
First of all, as all our listeners probably now are aware of, Canada is made up of 10 provinces. So, even in the language that Trump is using, is non-sensical, but he -- like he has gotten, in a way, some results. Canada, just a few days ago, announced that it's going to spend more than about $900 million, in U.S. dollars, to strengthen the border in a bid to fight fentanyl crossing the border and undocumented immigrants. So, I've read that the Canadian government said they were going to do it anyway, but the timing is obvious that they wanted to show their hand to do something, as they're facing a 25 percent tariff threat from the President-elect.
ROSALES: Yeah, and maybe a victory on his part too, when he was putting out those Truth Social posts, how quickly we saw from Canada and Mexico, for example, how quickly they asked for an audience with him. So, there is some validity there to his methods, perhaps.
Let me talk about Greenland, because he has been mentioning Greenland really since his first term. Are there valid concerns about Chinese influence abroad?
SWEET: Well, yes, and the answer isn't to go take an entity that is part of another nation. Greenland is run or operated or under the umbrella of Denmark. But, Trump is a real estate developer, and I guess he approaches foreign policy when he chooses to, when he doesn't want to be isolationist, as -- maybe I'll put it out there to see if they want to sell their house. I get calls all the time from real estate people wanting to know if I want to sell my house. And sometimes I say, if you give me $10 million, sure. In a way, this is kind of an extension.
Now, the idea that the United States buys territories is part of our history. There is a Louisiana Purchase from France, and Russia sold the U.S. Alaska. But, wouldn't it seem ludicrous right now if Russia said, we really think we made a bad deal with Alaska and we want it back? But, Trump is intent on being disruptive and in some way chaotic force, just to see what happens, notwithstanding that Greenland is an important part of our Arctic strategy as we go forward. And it is a -- and Greenland does have a lot of important minerals and things we need, but so do other countries. Usually you don't talk about taking them over.
ROSALES: Yeah, and with the thawing Arctic commercial routes, seemingly more interest by other nations when it comes to Greenland.
Let's talk now about the race for DNC Chair.
[11:25:00]
Voters signaled during the presidential election the status quo wasn't working for them when it comes to the Democratic Party. How important is this choice in Democratic Party leadership when we're talking about the DNC race for reforming the party and appealing to voters?
SWEET: Right. And just so people know, their election is going to come in a few weeks. We're talking about a body of a few hundred DNC members, up to a dozen or so from each state. So, this is an insider game. And of the candidates, there are people who most of us -- I mean, I have heard of them because I'm in the business. So, it's not like there is one real important Democrat out there of massive stature who even wants to take it on.
But, yes, the losses that the Democrats had, near misses, but a loss is a loss, does mean that the Democratic Party has to regroup and has to figure out a way forward, especially in the 2026 midterm elections, where they may be able to make up some of the losses at this time. So, the person -- the people running have to come up with some strategy that I've yet to see that can navigate the party through this time of a crisis and loss of confidence.
ROSALES: Yeah, and essentially, the Democratic Party is leaderless at this point, with President-elect Trump just 24 days away from the start of his second term, where he is going to enjoy dominance, Republican dominance, in both chambers of Congress and of course, the executive branch right there. What are Democrats doing to prepare for this?
SWEET: Well, there is a sense of, I think, a haze or depression over a lot of Democrats, because it's not clear what to do. The fight, though, clearly, is in the state level, as we speak, especially in the blue states, who want to try and Trump eyes the state from some of the policies that they know are coming down the line. But, you have -- so, you have a disengaged, depressed Democratic Party writ large, with no obvious person out there to lead them, though someone will be picked in just a few weeks.
So, I have seen Democrats down before, where there have been losses. This, to me, is a unique situation, because it is the comeback of Trump and the controlling of all three chambers, and what we've seen already that is causing this kind of group, just not group, I don't want to say depression, but certainly this group situation where the path ahead is not clear. Even though some people have ideas, I think there is still a lot of analysis to be done exactly why the losses that took place because Trump made gains even in blue states.
ROSALES: Hey, we are shaping up for quite an interesting 2025.
Lynn Sweet, thank you so much for your time.
SWEET: And thank you.
ROSALES: Well, still to come, a man accused of setting a woman on fire on the New York City subway has been indicted. The latest from that hearing just ahead. Plus, they're being called the Magnificent Seven. We will tell you about the stocks Wall Street has fallen in love with.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:30:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROSALES: Welcome back. You're watching CNN Newsroom. I'm Isabel Rosales in Atlanta. Here are some international headlines we're watching today.
Officials in Mali say at least 69 people died after the migrant boat they were on capsized off Morocco last week. The makeshift boat carrying 80 people was taking one of the world's deadliest routes in the Atlantic, from points of West Africa to the Canary Islands. An unprecedented number of migrants, nearly 5,000, reportedly died at sea early this year attempting the journey.
South Korea's spy agency says a wounded North Korean soldier, who was captured by Ukraine, has died from his injuries. That's according to Yonhap News. The soldier was fighting for Russia. CNN has reached out to South Korea's National Intelligence Service and Ukrainian authorities for comment. Neither Moscow nor Pyongyang has officially acknowledged the presence of troops from North Korea in Russia.
The Chinese military says it has launched its first next-generation amphibious assault ship. The ship is only the second in the world with an electromagnetic catapult system, which enables bigger and more heavily armed aircraft to take off from the flight day. It is a landmark in China's effort to expand its navy to rival U.S. military power.
Netflix says its Christmas Day NFL debut was a streaming success, in part, thanks to, of course, megastar Beyonce's halftime show. The audience peaked at over 27 million when she took the field. Netflix says Wednesday's two match-ups were the most streamed games in the league's history, although viewership was a few million below one year ago when the Christmas Day games aired on traditional cable networks.
The man accused of burning a woman to death on a New York subway train has been indicted on murder and arson charges. 33-year-old Sebastian Zapeta-Calil is accused of setting fire to an unnamed woman who was asleep on the subway on Sunday. He was not present at today's hearing.
CNN's Gloria Pazmino joins us with more. Gloria, what happened in court today?
GLORIA PAZMINO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Isabel, it was a very quick hearing, and we were expecting that. But, basically what's happened now is that a grand jury has voted to indict Zapeta-Calil, and what that means is that over the past several days, they were presented evidence to believe that there was a crime committed. He is the suspect, the man you are seeing on the screen there, who is believed to have set fire to a woman who was asleep inside of a New York City subway train this past Sunday.
Now, Zapeta-Calil is facing murder in the first-degree charges as well as arson charges, and we heard from the District Attorney in Brooklyn today. Now that this indictment has been handed down, Zapeta-Calil is expected to appear in court in two weeks where the indictment will be unsealed and he will formally face the charges. Take a listen to the district attorney speaking about this case.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ERIC GONZALEZ, BROOKLYN DISTRICT ATTORNEY: I want to assure the people of this city that this office will do everything in our power to hold him accountable. This was a malicious deed, a sleeping, vulnerable woman on our subway system. This act surprised many New Yorkers as they were getting ready to celebrate the holidays.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PAZMINO: Now, Isabel, this incident here in New York City has caused a lot of concern and renewed a focus on several issues in the city that have been difficult and have gotten a lot of attention in the past several years, specifically the question of homelessness, public safety, and public safety when it comes to the public transit system, an issue that local law enforcement officials as well as elected officials have been trying to address in recent years.
As far as the identity of the victim, we are told that law enforcement officials and the medical examiner's office are still working to identify her, but law enforcement sources tell me that she is believed to be homeless. Also, the suspect in this case was homeless, came here from Guatemala several years ago. This is the first time he has ever been arrested.
[11:35:00]
But, we are expecting to learn more about the circumstances of the crime and how he pleads next week during that arraignment. Isabel.
ROSALES: And it's a case that has certainly garnered a lot of interest.
Gloria Pazmino, thank you.
Well, they're being called The Magnificent Seven on Wall Street. The U.S. stock market has risen more than 4.5 percent since the presidential election, and seven stocks are responsible for almost all of that. They are Microsoft, Apple, Amazon, Tesla, Nvidia, Meta and Alphabet. Together, they have delivered 86 percent of the gain on the S&P 500 index since November 5th.
Joining us now from New York is CNN's Matt Egan. Matt, just what is so magnificent about these seven stocks?
MATT EGAN, CNN REPORTER: Well, Isabel, these stocks are certainly living up to the hype. We are talking about some of the biggest names in technology, and they are worth a combined $18 trillion. Think about that for a moment. Some context, that's worth more than the entire GDP of China, and Apple alone is on the verge of becoming the first company ever to be worth $4 trillion.
Now, since the election, as you mentioned, they accounted for the vast majority of the gains, 86 percent of the gains in the S&P 500, which is pretty remarkable, and that's just seven stocks. And coming into today, the S&P 500 was up about 30 percent this year. But, if you were to exclude these Magnificent Seven stocks, it would only be up 13 percent. And as far as what makes them magnificent, well, there is a couple things that they have in common. One, they are all large companies, but two, they're also all AI plays. They are investing heavily in artificial intelligence, and investors believe they will be emerging as among the winners in this AI arms race. And we know AI has been the hottest part of this bull market in stocks.
But, Isabel, of course, the question is, how long that hot streak can last, and the stakes for the whole market are massive.
ROSALES: Yeah. Hey, my 401(k) has certainly been happy with that.
Let me ask you this. How does this level of market concentration stack up historically?
EGAN: Well, Isabel, you mentioned your 401(k). I know my college savings plans for my kids has also benefited from these gains. And look, we have seen market concentrations like this in the past, to some extent, including in the late 1990s before the bursting of dotcom bubble and just before COVID. But, that chart shows you that really this level of market concentration has reached unprecedented levels. Goldman Sachs has found that the value of the S&P 500, 10 companies make up 36 percent of the value of the S&P 500, just 10 companies. That is the highest on record going back to the mid-1980s.
So, as far as what this means, look, for as long as the AI space stays hot and these companies keep gaining in value, this could really benefit passive investors, everyone who has money on 401(k)s and college saving plans that track the broad market indicators. But, in the long run, it's not really healthy to just have a couple of companies really have to carry the load for the whole market. It would be like an NFL team that can't score without their running back. I mean, what if the running back gets into a slump or gets hurt, right? That's not a recipe for success.
And you can see, the market today, the Dow is down 300 points, 0.7 percent. The NASDAQ is actually down two percent. And what is telling is that all seven of the Magnificent Seven stocks are down on the day, led by Tesla, which is down by about four percent or five percent, Nvidia as well. And so, I think this is another reminder of just how much the overall market depends on those seven names, which, again, they're all down in the red. I mean, there is almost no way the market could be up right now, because the Magnificent Seven is down.
And so, Isabel, I do think that as we close the books on what has been another really strong year for the stock market, this does expose a potential vulnerability for 2025. For the market to keep breaking records, either the rally has got a broad now, or these seven stocks really have to stay magnificent.
ROSALES: Yeah. And you were talking about 2025, if we could dig a little deeper into that. Is there anything standing in their way, like governmental scrutiny, as we saw with Google and the antitrust trial?
EGAN: Yeah, absolutely. The government is certainly taking a very close antitrust look at these companies. Now, normally with a Republican coming into office, you would expect less antitrust scrutiny. But, we do know that Vice President-elect J.D. Vance, among other prominent Republicans, they have been skeptical of some of these Big Tech companies, and they have advocated more scrutiny.
[11:40:00]
So, that is one of the major hurdles ahead, is whether or not we're going to see more regulatory investigations into these big companies. Another obstacle is just how high the bar has been set. When you're talking about companies that are worth trillions and trillions of dollars, it becomes harder and harder for them to meet the really lofty expectations that have been set by analysts and by investors. So, they're going to have to keep growing and showing that all those billions of dollars of investments in AI are starting to pay off. Otherwise, yeah, you could see one or two or more of these companies start to stumble, and that, of course, would drag down the whole market like we're seeing today. Isabel.
ROSALES: Yeah. But, certainly with this incoming administration, a lot of tech bros in the field of influence here.
Matt Egan, thank you for your time and your analysis.
EGAN: Thank you.
ROSALES: A Delta Airline stowaway was caught trying to hitch a plane ride to Honolulu from Seattle. We will bring you the details of this latest security breach. Plus, we look back at the viral online moments that set the tone of 2024. We bring you our top 10.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROSALES: Delta Airlines caught yet another stowaway, this time trying to have a ride on a plane from Seattle to Hawaii on Christmas Eve. A Seattle airport official says the person went through screening at a TSA checkpoint the night before the flight, and then managed to access the loading bridge the next day. The stowaway was caught as the plane was taxiing for takeoff. Delta recently faced a similar security breach when a stowaway made it from New York to Paris on a Delta flight before she was caught.
Let's bring in Carlos Suarez live from the world's busiest airport, Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson. Carlos, it's tough to imagine how the heck these people get as far as they do without a ticket. What are you learning about this new incident from Delta?
CARLOS SUAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Isabel, there are so many unanswered questions with this most recent incident. As you pointed out, this passenger was able to clear a TSA checkpoint in Seattle the night before the flight in question, which was on Christmas Eve. And so, folks are still trying to figure out exactly how this passenger was able to get past security without a boarding pass.
We also know that this passenger spent some time in the terminal before the flight, and then eventually was able to get on this aircraft, again without a boarding pass, without a ticket, and it's not until the aircraft is taxing for departure that we're told that the aircraft crew realized, the flight crew realized that there was someone on board this plane that should not be on that plane. And so, the decision was made to bring that aircraft back to the gate. However, and another detail in the story, is that the passenger was able to get off this aircraft before law enforcement arrived.
[11:45:00]
Now, officials are saying that what ended up happening in that specific example is that the passenger somehow managed to run out of this aircraft before law enforcement got there, and we're told officials had to rely on some surveillance video to figure out exactly where the whereabouts of the passenger was when law enforcement took them -- took that person into custody.
Now, Delta released the statement that read, quote, "As there are no matters more important than safety and security, Delta people followed procedures to have an unticketed passenger removed from the flight and then apprehended." They went on to apologize to their customers for the delay in their travels. And of course, they asked them for their patience and cooperation.
Of course, Isabel, the big question is, why the aircraft door to this plane would have been open if law enforcement had -- was not really at the gate, ready to take this person into custody? The name of this passenger has not been released. So, we're told they were detained on a criminal trespassing charge. Isabel.
ROSALES: I'm still shaking my head over here.
Carlos Suarez, thank you so much.
Coming up, a missing dog in Florida finds her way home just in time for Christmas. The happiest of holiday miracles, up ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) ROSALES: 2024 was full of viral moments we followed right from our
phones.
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. Come here you little (BEEP).
BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR (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: Hey, are you ready to 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: Let's go. C'mon. No sir, Buster, get over here now.
SANCHEZ (voice-over): Number nine --
KATE MIDDLETON, PRINCESS OF WALES: It has been an incredibly tough couple of months for our entire family.
SANCHEZ (voice-over): -- a stunning announcement from Catherine, the Princess of Wales.
MIDDLETON: 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 eight, dramatic footage of a passenger plane in Brazil falling from the sky in August. The shocking video showing the twin engine turboprop plane spiraling out of the sky into the city of Vinhedo before hitting the ground, killing all 62 people on board. No one on the ground was hurt.
Number seven --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It has really kicked up --
SANCHEZ (voice-over): -- Hurricane Milton making landfall on Florida's west coast. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Look at the -- that huge tree limb just blowing through the intersection.
SANCHEZ (voice-over): It was a dangerous Category 3 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 1,000-year rainfall for that area.
[11:50:00]
Number six, in September, explosive attacks in Lebanon targeting pagers used by Hezbollah members. The blasts killed 12 and injured more than 2,300. 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 five, police in Illinois releasing body camera footage of the deadly police shooting of Sonya Massey in July. The 36-year-old black woman had called 911 for help to report a possible prowler at her home in Springfield.
SONYA MASSEY, SHOT AND KILLED BY SEAN GRAYSON: I heard somebody outside.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We didn't see nobody.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Nobody is 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 MALE: Away from your hot steaming water.
MASSEY: Away from my hot steaming water?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
MASSEY: I rebuke you in the name of Jesus.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Huh?
MASSEY: I rebuke you in the name of --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You better (BEEP) not. I swear to God. I'll (BEEP) shoot you at your (BEEP) face.
MASSEY: OK, I'm sorry. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Drop the (BEEP) pot. The (BEEP) -- drop the (BEEP) pot.
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 four on the list, the presidential historian who has correctly predicted nine of the last 10 presidential races makes his pick for the 2024 winner, Vice President Kamala Harris.
LAURA COATES, CNN HOST: Have you ever changed your prediction?
ALLAN LICHTMAN, 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 three 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 blackouts 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 two, 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 agents.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I got you, sir. I got you, sir.
TRUMP: Let me get my shoes.
SANCHEZ (voice-over): Trump was seen with blood on his ear and cheek as he was rushed off the stage. 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: Yes, someone is on top of the roof. Look, there he is, right there.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Where?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right there. See him? He is laying down. See him?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, he is 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 one 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 has 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)
ROSALES: It is the movie that has social media, the internet in a chokehold, "Wicked". And if you're an introvert and would rather not hit up the theater, no problem. Fans will be able to enjoy the hit film from the comfort of home next week.
(VIDEO PLAYING)
ROSALES: The musical will make it streaming debut December the 31st on several platforms, including Prime Video and Apple TV. Viewers can check out additional content, including deleted and extended scenes, commentary, and of course, you can't have "Wicked" without this, a sing-along version of the film.
[11:55:00]
All right. Before we go, one more thing. A family in Florida says that they got a Christmas miracle. Their German Shepherd, Athena, who had been missing for a week, showed up on their door set and rang the doorbell on Christmas Eve. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BROOKE COMER, ATHENA'S OWNER: It was about 02:30 a.m., and she came pulling at the door, ringing the doorbell, which was Christmas Eve, and then that morning, I woke up to -- she had made it on everybody's camera. She is like, I think this her. I think this is her.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROSALES: Talk about a wake-up call at 02:30 a.m. All right. Brooke Comer said that the nine days searching for Athena were brutal, and of course, took a toll on her and her four young children. Not surprisingly, the excitement of Athena showing up in the middle of the night woke the kids up. I mean, still good news, despite it being 02:30. Can you imagine a more perfect Christmas gift?
Well, thank you for joining us on CNN Newsroom. I'm Isabel Rosales in Atlanta. Stick with CNN. One World is up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
