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Putin Apologizes For "Tragic" Azerbaijan Airlines Crash, Without Admitting Responsibility; Health Ministry: Israeli Forces Arrest Hospital Staff After Raid On Last Major Health Facility In Northern Gaza; 7 Million People Under Expanded Tornado Watch For Parts Of TX, LA, MS; Three Players Ejected After Brawl In Mavs-Suns Game; Sportscaster Greg Gumbel Dies Of Cancer At Age 78. Video Show Inmate Fatally Beaten By Corrections Officers At NY Prison; President Biden Commutes 37 Federal Death Sentences; Kilauea Volcano Roars To Life After Three Month Hiatus. Aired 12-1p ET

Aired December 28, 2024 - 12:00   ET

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

[12:00:00]

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN ANCHOR: -- continues to protect the values they fought and died for.

That's all we have time for. Don't forget, you can find all of our shows online as podcasts at CNN.com/audio and on all other major platforms. I'm Christiane Amanpour in London, thank you for watching and I'll see you again next week.

RAHEL SOLOMON, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and welcome and thanks for joining me. I'm Rahel Solomon in today for Fredricka Whitfield.

We continue to follow that breaking news on that deadly plane crash in Kazakhstan. Today, Russian President Vladimir Putin is apologizing for what he calls a tragic incident following the crash of that Azerbaijani airliner that killed 38 people on Christmas Day. But the Kremlin leader is also stopping short of admitting responsibility for the disaster.

This comes as the U.S. official tells CNN that Russian air defenses may have mistaken the commercial jet that crashed on Wednesday with the Ukrainian drone. Today, Putin admitted that Russia's air defense systems were active when that flight attempted to land in Chechnya on Wednesday.

That's what the CNN's Nada Bashir who is covering this for us. Nada, what's the latest here? What are you learning?

NADA BASHIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right. Well this continues to be a key line of inquiry whether or not the plane was targeted by Russian anti-aircraft systems operating in the area. Now we've been hearing of course from Azerbaijani officials who confirmed yesterday that they believed that the plane had faced external, physical and technical interference. That was something that they were and investigators were looking at.

But of course as you mentioned, we have today heard from the Russian President Vladimir Putin who spoke with his Azerbaijani counterpart and also expressed apologies and condolences for the fact that the plane had crashed and impacted and was facing troubles as it entered Russian airspace.

Of course the plane was intended to travel to Grozny in the Russian region of Chechnya before it was diverted. It crashed in the Kazakh city of Aktau. And now, of course, as you mentioned, Putin stopped short of admitting any sort of responsibility for that but did acknowledge that Russian air defense systems were operating at the time.

And of course we've been hearing from U.S. officials as well as weapons and aviation experts who have suggested that the holes and perforations that can be seen in the wreckage of the plane in the fuselage would suggest potentially shrapnel damage as a result of an explosion. So that would be something that investigators are looking at.

Now the Kazakh government has set up a commission essentially tasked with carrying out this investigation. They will be looking at all the evidence at hand. We know of course that two black boxes have been recovered which will provide investigators with information regarding the flight data as well as potentially internal recordings from within the cockpit.

And remarkably of course we do have first-hand accounts video recordings from some of those passengers who survived. At least 29 people survived that crash out of 67 people on board. Some are still said to be in a serious but stable condition.

But we've been hearing from some of those survivors some of whom recorded those final moments, describing hearing a loud bang that the plane had been behaving unusually in the moments ahead of the crash. That passengers were sent up and down in their seats.

So truly terrifying final moments for those passengers and for those who survived. The Kazakh government now issuing compensation both for survivors and the family members of the victims of this crash. But again, still a lot of questions as to what exactly led to that crash.

There have been no final conclusions just yet. And authorities say it could take around two weeks to fully assess the data recorded in those black boxes. Rahel?

SOLOMON: Nada Bashir reporting for us there. Nada, thank you.

And joining me now to talk more about these developments is Kim Dozier. She is a CNN Global Affairs Analyst. Kim, good to have you. So just top line what do you make of Putin's apology for this, quote, "tragic incident" happening in Russian airspace but not admitting any responsibility?

KIMBERLY DOZIER, CNN GLOBAL AFFAIRS ANALYST: I don't think we would be hearing that apology unless there had been so much evidence left and people left alive from the crash. In other words too much evidence to ignore or deny which is what Moscow did back in 2014 when the Malaysian Flight 17 was brought down by Russian irregular forces and a Buk missile.

This time, you've got two black boxes. You've got the voice recordings. You've got all of this human intelligence. Also in that statement though laying out Putin's apology to his Azeri counterpart, you had mentioned that Russian defenses were on high alert because of a Ukrainian drone.

[12:05:04]

So I think what Putin is setting up here is the blame Ukraine for its aggression defense. In other words, Ukraine was attempting to attack an area where a civilian airliner was trying to land and therefore, in tragic circumstances, Russian air defenses brought it down. I think that's what we're going to see in the coming days.

SOLOMON: Yes, it's interesting that you brought up MH17, I'm curious. Our CNN's Nathan Hodge, a former Moscow bureau chief, he wrote a piece for CNN.com and he talked about how Kremlin disinformation could hide the cause of the crash.

Russian state media, for example, making no mention of the possibility that this airliner was shot down. You, yourself, Kim, have just said that there is so much evidence here. There's so much video evidence. Do you think moving forward that Russia reasonably can keep a lid on it or would you expect a more forthright apology coming from Moscow depending on what we learn?

DOZIER: I think you'll see Putin apologizing directly to his Azeri counterpart because that's the same thing that Azerbaijan did back in 2020 when it accidentally downed a Russian military helicopter. But the larger point surely will be made that if not for Ukrainian action this wouldn't have been necessary.

Back when the Malaysian flight went down, what Moscow did instead in that case was to flood the zone with conflicting information, multiple different narratives until people were just confused by everything out there.

Ultimately, a Hague court did convict in absentia two Russians and a Ukrainian-Russian sympathizer for that downing. This time I think we're going to see this just blamed on tragic circumstances and leave.

SOLOMON: OK. And I'm curious as you mentioned the MH17 verdict, I mean, that ultimately took years to get there. I mean, would you expect some sort of similar conclusion here or to your point, I mean, do we sort of avoid that altogether and it's either blamed on Ukraine or blamed on tragic circumstances, but it doesn't go the way of sort of legal accountability or criminal accountability?

DOZIER: Well, Russia is on the main investigation body that Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan have set up to look into this crash. So in a sense, it could put its thumb on the scale. But once you've come up with a cause that isn't Russia's fault, then why obfuscate?

I think what it'll become is part of just the larger narrative that Russia has tried to spin of itself as a victim. A narrative that somewhat worked with incoming Trump officials that if NATO hadn't been encroaching, then Russia never would have had to invade Ukraine.

But you've got another part of the Trump administration that thinks that Russia has been trying to put out this kind of disinformation for a while and that its aggression needs to be checked. So it'll be interesting to see how this plane crash plays out in that warring narrative when the Trump administration takes office.

SOLOMON: Kim Dozier, always appreciate your insights and helping us understand the events of the day. Thank you.

DOZIER: Thanks.

SOLOMON: All right. Well, sirens sounded in Jerusalem a short time ago amid reports of incoming missiles. Two projectiles triggered the alarms, according to the Israel Defense Forces. The IDF said that interceptors were launched and no injuries were reported.

It comes after the Gaza Ministry of Health says that Israeli forces raided the last major functioning health facility in northern Gaza. Israeli military surrounded the Kamal Adwan Hospital on Friday as part of its ongoing operations in the area. Israel claims that Hamas was using the facility for its operations.

Let's get to Elliott Gotkine who is tracking the latest developments from Jerusalem. Elliott, let's start with the hospital and what more we know there.

ELLIOTT GOTKINE, JOURNALIST: Well, as you say, Rahel, this was what the Israelis describe as a targeted raid on what they describe as a Hamas command center in northern Gaza. It's the Kamal Adwan Hospital in Jabalia in the northern parts of the strip. It is, as you say, according to the Hamas-run health ministry and officials there.

This is the last major functioning health facility in the northern parts of the Gaza Strip. It is now out of commission. It is no longer working according to the World Health Organization as well. And that is putting yet further strain on health facilities in the Gaza Strip as if they weren't under enough strain already.

Now, this raid, which as I say, began yesterday, the IDF in the last few moments confirming that it ended this morning here in this part of the world in the Gaza Strip. And we also know that there were a number of arrests.

Now, we spoke with staff members there and also nurses, and they say that they were all asked to exit the hospital. That male and female members of staff were separated. They were told to remove their clothes and that all of the men were then arrested.

[12:10:12]

Now, we spoke with another nurse who told us this when we spoke to her earlier.

(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP)

SHUROUQ SALAH, NURSE AT KAMAL ADWAN HOSPITAL (through translation): They separated the men from the women and took the women in groups. Those who refused to remove their clothing were beaten and they took our phones. I didn't have a phone but those who were refusing to hand over their phones were beaten. And those who refused to take off their clothes were also beaten.

(END VIDEOCLIP)

GOTKINE: Now among those arrested was the director of the hospital, Dr. Abu Safiya. Now, the IDF in the last few minutes is saying that he is suspected, they say, of being a Hamas terrorist operative. And that overall as part of this raid, they arrested what they described as more than 240 terrorists.

These are people that they say their intelligence has confirmed that they are on the balance of probabilities members of either Hamas or Islamic Jihad and that there have been additional arrests of suspected terrorists according to the IDF.

So Dr. Safiya is among those in the suspected line. He's still being questioned inside the Gaza Strip. But as I say this operation has now ended.

As for the allegations that we've had from nurses about beatings of suspects and also being ordered to remove their clothes, the IDF saying that the removal of clothes is designed to ensure that none of those people had booby traps or explosives on them and that they weren't aware of these allegations of any violence being meted out to suspects. Rahel?

SOLOMON: Yes. Elliott, a few moments ago, we played the sound of sirens that were heard over Jerusalem today. What more can you share with us there?

GOTKINE: Yes, these were two projectiles fired from the northern part of the Gaza Strip which the IDF says was intercepted by the Air Force. Now, it's quite rare for sirens to go off in Jerusalem. It's been almost a year since rockets and projectiles were fired towards Jerusalem.

So this wasn't something that has been going on on a daily basis as opposed to Tel Aviv which has been coming under ballistic missile fire from the Houthis in Yemen on most of -- most nights over the past week or so.

Now, the IDF is saying that these projectiles were fired from the northern part of the Gaza Strip and that simply underlines why their fight against Hamas must continue in that part of the Strip. But there were no injuries and as I say these projectiles were intercepted before they could actually have any impact. Rahel?

SOLOMON: Elliot Gotkine reporting live for us there in Jerusalem. Elliott, thank you.

Well, still ahead, severe storms are sweeping across the country threatening travel for millions of people heading home from their holiday breaks. Nearly 5 million people across the south already under a tornado watch stay with outbreaks expected throughout the weekend. We'll tell you where that storm is headed coming up next.

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[12:16:25]

TYLER MAULDIN, CNN METEOROLOGIST: All right. Hi, everyone. We're watching the threat for severe thunderstorms and tornadic activity here across the south. Millions under the threat for that severe weather and we have an ongoing tornado, observed tornado here just to the northwest of Houston.

This is a tornado warned that is -- tornado warned storm that's moving to the northeast very rapidly and it's heading towards the woodlands. Now, we have millions of others across the south that are under the threat for severe weather. In fact, a level four out of five threat. There is the chance that we could see large destructive tornadoes here across the southeast.

As we go later into tonight, that threat pushes to the east and eventually we see a more just severe thunderstorm threat across portions of Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina as well. You can see the timing here.

We continue to see very strong to severe thunderstorms again the potential for large hail as well as tornadoes that's going on through the lower Mississippi Valley through later this evening and then it turns into more of a linear fashion going into Alabama and Georgia. That's overnight.

So we do have a prolonged period of strong to severe thunderstorms already seeing power outages beginning to mount. We've seen thousands of power outages here in the state of Texas. We're surely going to see more of that as we go through time.

Now, you may be thinking to yourself, oh wow, why are we dealing with severe weather and tornadoes right now in the month of December? Well even though we typically deal with tornadoes in springtime, you also deal with them during the beginning of winter as well as fall. So we are kind of in the secondary peak of tornado season.

In terms of delays -- in terms of your travel delays because many of you are heading home from Christmas, here's what we're dealing with. We do have the potential for seeing moderate -- minor to moderate delays here across the southeast. In fact, a major delay right now in Memphis.

This is going to be where most of the delays will be confined today. But notice that we do have the threat for some travel delays across the northwest as well. Why is that? It's because we have a series of weather systems coming ashore across the Pacific Northwest leading to heavy rain, strong wind and yes, also snow.

So a lot to track right now in terms of your weather and your travel delays. We'll continue to keep to -- keep you up to date as we go through the afternoon. Back to you.

SOLOMON: All right, Tyler, thank you.

Well, coming up, new details on the investigation into the shocking death of an inmate in upstate New York after police body cam footage shows prison officers brutally beating and kicking him while he was handcuffed. What state officials are now saying about the incident when we come back.

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[12:22:38]

SOLOMON: Well someone is a whole lot richer today. $1 billion richer in fact after winning last night's mega millions jackpot. California lottery officials say that the single winning ticket was sold at Sunshine Food and Gas in Shasta County and it's worth $1.2 billion, out of the fifth largest jackpot in the game's history.

If the winner takes the lump sum payout, they will walk away with nearly $550 million before taxes. By the way, the odds of actually winning that jackpot were one in more than 300 million.

Well, the sports now where college football is the gift that just keeps on giving another bowl bonanza this weekend and we've already had some stunning results. CNN's Carolyn Manno has a look in sports.

CAROLYN MANNO, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Rahel, as you know, the college football playoff quarterfinal games are still a couple days away. But teams that didn't make the playoffs still getting a chance to end their season on a winning note. 13 bowl games taking place on Friday and Saturday alone and Friday's nightcap took place under the late-night lights of Las Vegas.

USC taking on Texas A&M in the Las Vegas Bowl. Marcel Reed throwing his third touchdown pass of the game giving the Aggies a 24-7 lead late in the third quarter. It looked like they were going to run away with it but Jayden Maiava would lead the massive Trojans comeback that you'll see next.

Three touchdown passes in the final 19 minutes for the sophomore. The last one going to Kyle Ford with eight seconds remaining. So USC wins at 35-31 capturing the Las Vegas Bowl crown.

Oklahoma and Navy facing off in the Armed Forces Bowl. The midshipmen coming off a win over their rival's army and they picked up where they left off in this one. Quarterback Blake Horvath bursting through the Sooners defense goes all the way 95 yards for the touchdown.

That's the longest touchdown run in Navy's history. Pretty impressive for a team that's been playing football there since 1879. Oklahoma cut Navy's lead to one in the closing seconds after Michael Hawkins Jr. threw a touchdown pass to Jake Roberts. But the Sooners decide to go for two and the win and Hawkins Jr. can't find a receiver gets sacked.

So Navy holds on to win it 21-20. It's their first 10-win season since 2019.

Let's go to the NBA now where a brawl broke out early in the second half between the Mavs and the Suns. Jusuf Nurkic getting called for an offensive foul after running over Daniel Gafford. Naji Marshall confronts Nurk over the head and Nurkic slaps him in the head. Marshall takes a swing at him.

[12:25:05]

P.J. Washington threw Nurk to the ground in the melee as well. So it took several minutes for order to be restored but Nurkic, Marshall and Washington were all ejected from this game. The Mavs went on to win 98-89 in their first game since losing their star Luka Doncic for at least a month with a calf injury.

And we close with some sad news to share with you today, Rahel. Longtime sportscaster Greg Gumbel passed away on Friday. He spent more than 50 years as a studio host and play-by-play man for the NFL, the NBA and college basketball.

And he really was a trailblazer in so many ways. Back in 2001 he became the first African-American man chosen for the role of play-by- play at the Super Bowl which was incredibly significant. He also hosted coverage of three Olympic games in the 90s and he was the CBS studio host for March Madness for over 25 years.

Greg Gumbel lost his battle with cancer at the age of 78, but he was a man that was loved by many.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SOLOMON: New York's Attorney General is promising a full investigation and justice for a prisoner captured on police body cam video being beaten by corrections officers. Authorities say that that inmate died the next day from his injuries. We want to warn you that the images are disturbing and we're only showing you part of the video.

The prisoner was handcuffed at the time of the beating. And New York's governor already calling for all of those involved to be fired, including those who stood by and watched but did nothing to stop it. Let's go to CNN news source correspondent, Leigh Waldman, who is here with more on the investigation. Leigh, what more can you share with us? What are you learning?

LEIGH WALDMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Rahel, at this point, 13 employees with the corrections department including correctional officers, a sergeant, nurses, have been suspended without pay as well as a correctional officer who has since resigned. What's not clear at this point is what led up to what is being described by the New York Attorney General as a shocking incident with inmate, Robert Brooks, and these correctional employees.

Brooks, 43, had been serving a 12-year prison sentence for first- degree assault. The body camera footage that we had just seen there shows him being carried into the Marcy Correctional Facility in Utica, New York on December 9th. He's been carried into a medical examination room where his hands are already cuffed behind his back. He is then beaten by these officers that he is surrounded by.

At one point, the video shows that Brooks's face is already bloodied and something has appeared to be shoved into his mouth. Now the next day Brooks is pronounced dead at the Wynn Hospital Also in upstate New York. This video was released by the New York Attorney General Letitia James who is promising an investigation.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LETITIA JAMES, NEW YORK STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL: I want to reiterate that we are investigating this case thoroughly and using every tool at our disposal to ensure that there is transparency and accountability for the events that preceded Mr. Brooks's death.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WALDMAN: Now we've also heard from New York's Governor Kathy Hochul who ordered more than a dozen prison staffers to be fired over Brooks's fatal beating. We're also now hearing from the Commissioner of New York's Department of Corrections and Community Supervision who is also issuing a statement that we have here and it's not enough to simply condemn this horrific act and then go back to business. Institutional change must follow and we have already begun to take proactive steps to ensure that nothing like this can ever happen again within our facilities. Rahel back to you.

SOLOMON: All right, Leigh Waldman reporting there. Leigh, thank you.

Well, dozens of federal inmates who were facing death sentences are now off death row. That's after President Biden commuted sentences for 37 of them just before Christmas. But the decision not sitting well with some members of even his own party. That's coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:36:49]

SOLOMON: Welcome back. With just weeks left in office, President Biden has followed through on a campaign promise to take nearly every federal prisoner off death row. They'll spend the rest of their lives in prison instead of facing execution. President-elect Trump had this reaction on truth social, quote, I refuse to wish a Merry Christmas to those lucky souls, but instead we'll say, go to hell.

Joining us is Catholic -- Catholic sister, Helen Prejean, a leading advocate for the abolition of the death penalty. Her life's work is portrayed in the film "Dead Man Walking." Her character earned actress Susan Sarandon an Oscar. Sister Helen great to have you today. Thanks for being with us.

SISTER HELEN PREJEAN, ACTIVIST OPPOSED TO THE DEATH PENALTY: Good. Glad to be here. SOLOMON: What was your first reaction or take on Biden's decision when you learned?

PREJEAN: Well when I got a call from the White House, you know, to alert me that it was going to happen. I was so excited. I couldn't even sit down because it's a difference between life and death for people. And I just couldn't have been happier about it. And I knew that it was going to send a message out to the country. There will always be people who disagree and say no we want them dead or you -- you have people like Trump saying go to hell.

But what kind of society do we want to be? People do terrible crimes. We know we want to keep society safe. But do we have to imitate the worst behavior and kill them because they kill somebody? That's the message through "Dead Man Walking" and visiting and crisscrossing this nation talking to the people.

Here's what I've discovered is what we need to do to help us to awaken as a country to this. And that includes our people in Congress the leaders. We got to bring people close to this thing. They're so separated from it. If we lined up 1,600 people in the stadium and killed them. That's how many people we've executed. And people would see it on T.V. and see this is what we're doing as a nation to answer the question of crime and violence. We're committing this violence.

It would help people to understand. So my job is to bring people close to the reality of what it means to kill a human being and what it says about us as a society. We can be safe without having to kill people.

SOLOMON: And I mean as -- as you alluded to, there -- there have been many who have disagreed with this decision, one disagreement or one response you've heard is well, why 37 and not all 40 if, you know, it's wrong to kill people for example as you say. Why -- why create this sort of tiered system in terms of who is deserving of the commutation, who -- who isn't? What do you think to that? What do you say to that?

PREJEAN: Well, you know when you get to each of those individual human lives I'm hearing from the lawyers whose client's lives were saved. So you can say that Biden didn't go all the way. He didn't endorse the principle that no one deserves to be killed. It's not perfect. But 37 human beings, you ought to be talking to the lawyers who are talking to the ones whose lives are saved. It's life or death.

And because we kind of separate it from the actual ritual of killing people, people go, well, yes life, death, oh, yes. But you got to bring people close. And the closer we get to this, there's a saying in Latin America, what the eye does not see the heart cannot feel. I know what my job is. I'm a witness. I've accompanied eight people. And I've worked with victim's families.

[12:40:20]

And think of this, to promise a victim's family they're going to wait 15, 17 years. And then they get to sit on the front row and watch the state kill the one who killed their loved one, and that's supposed to heal them. That's just more violence.

This death penalty is about us as a society. And so I'm delighted that 37 human beings, I thought of their mothers, all listening to the Christmas carols. This -- their sons are alive. It's life and death. And can't leave it up to these variable sometimes venal political leaders to decide you live, you die. It's too arbitrary.

In Louisiana now we just have a governor who has the power to kill. And he got his -- put the gas chamber back and the electric chair because he wants to speed up executions. The governor right before him said, no, don't kill. It's so patchwork and arbitrary and capricious the way it's coming down. But each life is a life.

And the Catholic Church, it took 1,500 years of dialogue that has finally reached the point of saying you can never entrust over to government that right to decide that some people can be killed and we'll decide a measure and a system to set it up that we'll always choose the one who should die.

SOLOMON: Sister Helen, unfortunately, we're running out of time, but I do want to ask, this is obviously something that you've devoted your life to. You think about others who have devoted their lives to something similar, Bryan Stevenson, of course with the Equal Justice Initiative. I'm curious who you see as leading the charge moving forward, who -- who carries the torch moving forward for your cause?

PREJEAN: It's a grassroots movement, which is the way movements have to happen. But I know the lawyers who have had their clients and -- and they speak to what they have experienced. And also victim's families are coming forward like the death penalty is not going to help our family. In fact, we had a huge disagreement at the Thanksgiving table, some wanted death, some wanted life. That's not going to bring our loved one back. They're helping too tremendously. There have been great voices in this country from the victim's family as well.

SOLOMON: Sister Helen Prejean, we'll leave it here, but we appreciate your time and your perspective today. Thank you.

PREJEAN: Thank you.

SOLOMON: All right. Coming up, new warnings from the National Park Service as crowds flock to witness eruptions at the world's most active volcano. We'll be right back.

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[12:46:45]

SOLOMON: Welcome back. It is a sight to see, but the National Park Service is urging people to use caution while watching one of the world's most active volcanoes. Here's a live look. Hawaii's Kilauea began erupting on Monday, drawing visitors to watch the volcanic activity.

But on Christmas Eve, a toddler wandered off from his family and ran straight for the 400-foot cliff overlooking Kilauea. His panicked mom managed to grab him about a foot away from the edge, according to a press release from the Park Service. And the shocking scene prompted park rangers to remind parents to keep a close eye on your children as eruptions are unpredictable.

I'd like to bring in volcanologist, Jess Phoenix. Jess, great to have you.

JESS PHOENIX, VOLCANOLOGIST: Thanks so much for having me.

SOLOMON: So, Kilauea was apparently on a three-month hiatus before this eruption on Monday. What -- what's happening now with the volcano?

PHOENIX: So, for Kilauea, it's business as usual. It's a little more exciting for us as humans because our lives are a lot shorter than that of a volcano. So, Kilauea goes through regular cycles, not predictable, but regular cycles of eruption and then being very quiet.

So, it just resumed activity. There was an influx of magma into the chamber beneath the summit crater there at Kilauea. And when the pressure became too much, we have an eruption. So, that's what we're seeing right now. And it's cycling through different types of eruption.

We're seeing some slightly more explosive activity where there's really gas-rich lavas that are fountaining. And then we're seeing some what we call effusive or oozy lava eruption activity where it just sort of moves like pancake syrup across the -- the some -- the crater floor there.

SOLOMON: So -- so, would you say, I mean, as you -- as you say it's sort of operating as normal, that this is actually pretty typical activity or normal activity for Kilauea?

PHOENIX: It is. It is a -- currently, it -- it usually erupts in a very calm manner relative to what the volcanoes we see portrayed on T.V. in movies like "Dante's Peak" or volcano show us. It's a -- it does have periods in its past where it's had much more violent eruptive activity. But right now, we are kind of in a golden age for volcano science and for the public to get a relatively safe look at one of the most amazing forces of nature out there.

SOLOMON: Yes. It's interesting you say sort of relatively safe because you think about that story with the toddler, and that's obviously really concerning. Talk to me a little bit about any level of risk for people who -- who might be close or watching the -- the -- the lava flow just sort of caused by the eruption.

PHOENIX: So, all volcanoes come with some degree of risk if they are at all active, even if they're not currently erupting. Since Kilauea is in an eruption state, we've got a lot of different hazards that -- that the Park Service, that the volcanologists there at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory have to monitor to try to keep the public safe and also let people experience it. The biggest hazard that most people who casually go to visit are going to face is from the vog, the volcanic smog and the volcanic gases that accompany the eruption. So, those are acid gases. And acid gases, just like it sounds, you don't want to breathe them in. So, we're talking sulfur dioxide, hydrogen fluoride, hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide. These are things that will really irritate your respiratory system.

[12:50:09]

So, folks with asthma or breathing difficulties really need to be careful and perhaps not visit if they're very sensitive. And, of course, there's always falling dangers like the toddler thankfully didn't experience. But ejected blocks of material can come out of the -- the crater. You can also have collapses of the existing crater rim or of the floor of the crater.

So, there are a lot of hazards, and it's not completely safe. It's sort of view at your own risk. But it is something that if you're able physically to go and see, I would highly recommend it. There's nothing on Earth like it.

SOLOMON: Yes. I'm sure just looking at these photos and this video is pretty incredible. Is it possible as those, you know, as folks try to figure out when's a safe time to visit, if at all, to predict future eruptions based on what's going on in and around Kilauea?

PHOENIX: You know, one of the greatest parts of being a volcanologist is that we need to learn so much more. We can't predict eruptions. We -- we actually only can use the data that the volcanoes give us. So, that means we have to monitor them with seismic stations, which pick up any earthquake activity, which shows if magma is moving around underground. We use what we call tilt meters that show if the ground is inflating or deflating. We use gas monitoring.

We have a whole variety of methods to kind of take the pulse of volcanoes that are threats. But we can't predict them. So, if you've got a chance and you've got a volcano near you that the officials have said you can go and visit in a controlled manner, go do that. But pay attention to all the warning signs. We want to keep you around to see future eruptions.

SOLOMON: Yes, absolutely. Or you can watch them on T.V., like us here. Jess Phoenix, good -- good to have you. It sounds like you have a really great job, really interesting work there. Thank you.

PHOENIX: Thanks, Rahel.

SOLOMON: All right. Well, from scandals to blockbusters, 2024 was full of memorable moments. CNN's Elizabeth Wagmeister is counting down the top 10 entertainment stories of the year.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ELIZABETH WAGMEISTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: From big stars in big legal trouble to big movies, concerts, and a brat summer. Our top 10 entertainment stories start with a "Wicked" boost at the box office.

WAGMEISTER (voice-over): Number 10, the "Glicked" pairing of "Wicked" and "Gladiator II" form this year's "Barbenheimer." With over $150 million in opening weekend ticket sales, the two films energized the typically slow post summer box office.

"Wicked" starring Golden Globe nominees Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo stayed strong through the holiday season. While "Gladiator II" excelled overseas. The pair set the table for the Thanksgiving box office with "Moana 2" joining to set an all-time record for the holiday weekend.

Number nine.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Maybe now people can understand the truth.

WAGMEISTER (voice-over): Television takes on the Menendez brothers case, pushing prosecutors to take action.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I believe that they have paid their debt to society.

WAGMEISTER (voice-over): Then Los Angeles district attorney said public attention factored into his decision to re-examine the case and recommend a reduced sentence that would allow the brothers to walk free, nearly three decades after they were sentenced for murdering their parents in Beverly Hills. The Hollywood production spotlighted abuse the brothers say they endured at the hands of their father, with even some of the victim's family members calling for them to be released.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thirty-five years is a long time.

WAGMEISTER (voice-over): Ultimately, the judge delayed a decision while a newly elected district attorney reviews the case.

Number eight, the hip hop feud between Drake and Kendrick Lamar.

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN ANCHOR: This may be the hip hop equivalent of asking to speak with the manager.

WAGMEISTER (voice-over): In November, Drake filed a court petition accusing a record company of using bots to artificially inflate Lamar song "Not Like Us" on Spotify.

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WAGMEISTER (voice-over): It's the latest chapter in the ongoing feud between two of the industry's biggest names who once toured together as rising stars.

WAGMEISTER: Each claims the other dissed them in song lyrics with one question at the heart of the feud, who is hip hop's biggest star?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Who would have thought it would potentially end in a courtroom? WAGMEISTER (voice-over): Number seven, a pop star ignites a brat summer. Charli XCX's album "Brat" not only storms the charts, it propels an online political movement.

CHARLI XCX, SINGER: Very honest, it's very blunt, little bit volatile.

WAGMEISTER (voice-over): With that description, the singer declared Kamala is brat on social media, spotting a torrent of memes that kicked off Vice President Kamala Harris' presidential run and a lot of questions amongst a certain generation.

[12:55:08]

JAKE TAPPER, CNN ANCHOR: So, it's the idea that we're all kind of brat and -- and Vice President Harris is Brad? I don't --

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, I don't know if you're brat.

KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: I think you aspire to be brat.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Right.

COLLINS: You don't just become brat.

TAPPER: I will -- will aspire to be brat.

WAGMEISTER (voice-over): Number six, Alec Baldwin's courtroom shocker.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Dismissal with prejudice is warranted.

WAGMEISTER (voice-over): A judge dismissed the case against the actor accused of involuntary manslaughter when the gun he was holding on the "Rust" movie set fired, killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounding the film's director. The judge's decision came less than a week into the trial, citing the prosecution's improper handling of new evidence in the case.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Bobby.

WAGMEISTER (voice-over): The ruling paved the way for Baldwin to return to the limelight, appearing on Saturday Night Live as former presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Number five, charges filed in the death of Matthew Perry. Two doctors and Perry's assistant are among five people charged in connection with his overdose death. One of the doctors allegedly said, quote, I wonder how much this moron will pay for ketamine prescriptions.

WAGMEISTER: Three people have pleaded guilty. One of the doctors is awaiting trial, along with an alleged dealer prosecutors say is known as the Ketamine Queen.

WAGMEISTER (voice-over): The Perry family, relieved that charges were filed nearly a year after the beloved actor died in the hot tub at his Los Angeles home. KEITH MORRISON, PERRY'S STEPFATHER: People who have put themselves in the business of supplying people with the drugs that'll kill them, that they are now on notice. It doesn't matter what your professional credentials are, you're going down, baby.

WAGMEISTER (voice-over): Number four, Beyonce goes country.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

WAGMEISTER (voice-over): The superstar bends genres with the release of "Cowboy Carter," which debuted at number one, including on the Billboard Country Chart, making Beyonce the first black woman to do so in the chart's 60-year history.

Beyonce's mega year wraps with what some call the second Super Bowl, a halftime performance on Christmas Day during the NFL's first ever games to stream worldwide on Netflix.

Number three, the death of pop star Liam Payne. Fans held vigils for days in Argentina where Payne fell three stories from his hotel balcony. The 31-year-old British pop star rose to fame in the boy band, One Direction. He went on to have a solo career and spoke openly about his struggles dealing with fame and substance abuse.

LIAM PAYNE, SINGER: I was like, I need to fix myself.

WAGMEISTER (voice-over): Toxicology reports found cocaine, alcohol, and prescription antidepressants in Payne's system. With more than 70 million One Direction albums sold, Payne's impact on fans was undeniable.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So, for me, it feels like, I guess like the end of like us growing up together, which is really -- that's what makes it so hard.

WAGMEISTER (voice-over): Number two, the end of the Eras Tour for Taylor Swift. The nearly two-year tour wrapped in Vancouver on December 8th. Estimated to have made over $2 billion. It's by far the most successful concert tour of all time. Not only that, she released a new hit album, "The Tortured Poets Department," all this, and she's still the darling of the NFL, cheering on boyfriend Travis Kelce in February to yet another Super Bowl victory for the Kansas City Chiefs.

And the number one entertainment story of 2024, the fall of music mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs. After a flood of civil lawsuits alleging Combs sexually assaulted dozens of people, federal investigators raided the hip-hop stars homes, signaling a federal indictment was imminent.

Then CNN released this video of Combs assaulting his former girlfriend Cassie Ventura at a hotel in 2016. The shocking video prompted Combs to speak out for the first time since he came under fire.

SEAN "DIDDY" COMBS, RAPPER: I mean, I hit rock bottom, but I make no excuses. My behavior on that video is inexcusable. WAGMEISTER (voice-over): But it only got worse for Combs with a September federal indictment charging him with racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking. The case is sending shockwaves through the music industry.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The names that we're going to name are names that will shock you.

WAGMEISTER (voice-over): Jay-Z was named in a civil suit alleging he assaulted a 13-year-old girl with Combs in 2000, charges he vigorously denies, questioning why there was never a criminal charge.

WAGMEISTER: Combs has also denied all of the allegations against him, saying he never sexually assaulted anyone.

[12:59:57]

His criminal trial is set for May of 2025, and he faces at least 30 civil suits, ensuring that Combs' legal troubles could be big news for years to come.

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