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Tornado Watch Issued for Parts of Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi; Russian President Vladimir Putin Apologizes for Crash of Azerbaijani Airliner in Russian Airspace that Killed 38 People on Christmas Day; Israeli Forces Raid Last Major Health Facility in Northern Gaza; Winner Comes Forward in California's Mega Millions Lottery to Claim $1.2 Billion Prize; Jay-Z Accused of Sexual Assault of 13-Year-Old in Civil Lawsuit; President-Elect Trump Asks U.S. Supreme Court to Delay National Ban on Social Media App TikTok; Costco Pushes Back against Calls to End Its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Program; Golfer Scottie Scheffler to Miss First PGA Tournament of 2025; Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen Drops Out of Chess Tournament Due to Dress Code; CDC Report Indicates Bird Flu Virus Appears to have Mutated in Infected Patient from Louisiana; Top Ten CNN Health Stores from 2024 Reviewed. Aired 2-3p ET

Aired December 28, 2024 - 14:00   ET

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

[14:00:00]

LISA RESPERS FRANCE, CNN REPORTER: -- he was clearly not always comfortable with that. Sometimes people made jokes about that. But at the end of the date, he was still one of the most elegant and just, I feel like, influential artists of our time. And it goes beyond R&B music. I mean, he did some of the best jingles ever. For certain people of a certain age, they remember, if you hear Luther Vandross's voice, like if you watch "The Wiz," there's a moment in "The Wiz" where you hear his voice even though he's not on camera because he sings on the soundtrack. So there will never be another Luther Vandross, and I feel like this documentary perfectly captures why he continues to be so beloved even many years after he's no longer with us.

RAHEL SOLOMON, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, it's an interesting point, Lisa. I was just thinking, there are very few artists, I think, whose voice you hear it in your head, it sort of, you know, sort of transports you to a certain period of time. It sounds like a great film. I'm excited to watch it. But thank you for coming on and explaining it to us since you have already watched it. Lisa Respers France, thank you.

FRANCE: Thank you.

SOLOMON: And you can watch it. Tune in, all-new CNN film "Luther, Never Too Much," premieres New Year's Day at 8:00 p.m. eastern and pacific on CNN.

And hello again, welcome. Thanks for joining me. I'm Rahel Solomon. And we start this hour with a close eye on the continuing weather threats across the country. This is a possible tornado spotted near Houston, Texas. The Storm Prediction Center has increased the tornado risk for parts of the south, while in the west, atmospheric river fueled storms are expected to bring flash flooding. This is happening after severe weather ripped through Texas. The National Weather Service confirmed five tornadoes touched down around Houston on Thursday, which damaged several homes.

This waterspout was caught on camera just outside of Houston, Texas. Now 7 million people are under the threat of severe weather. So let's go straight to meteorologist Tyler Mauldin, who is in the CNN Weather Center. So, Tyler, a tornado watch issued earlier today for parts of the south has now been extended. What are you learning?

TYLER MAULDIN, CNN METEOROLOGIST: A severe weather outbreak is currently unfolding across the southeast. That tornado watch you mentioned is for portions of east Texas, the majority of Louisiana, and a portion of Mississippi as well. That will continue through late afternoon. We have had confirmed tornadoes on the ground. We currently have a tornado warning just to the north of Houston for Liberty County for the next 15 minutes.

This line has had a confirmed tornado on the ground. And any of this activity here across the southeast has the potential of spawning a tornado. In fact, we could see EF-2 tornadoes or higher. Those are strong, destructive, and at times long-lived tornadoes. We have a level four out of five threat here across the southeast. To put that into perspective for you, we have only had 12 other days this year that featured a level four out of five severe weather threat. So it doesn't happen very often.

We're going to see the threat of severe weather continue on through tonight and then into tomorrow, as well, as this system shifts to the east. We're dealing with a couple of things here. We have a weather system that is getting its act together as it pushes eastbound, and then you add in some unstable air here across the southeast, little breaks of sunshine adding more in the way of instability. And that's going to lead to just more in the way of severe thunderstorms and the potential for large hail and tornadoes here across the southeast. It's not until tomorrow afternoon, late evening, that we see it diminish.

Typically, we see the most tornadoes during the spring. That's when you think of tornado season, you think of the spring tornado season. However, we do have some secondary tornado seasons, one being in late fall and early winter, AKA December, where we see on average 43 tornadoes.

This year, this is the last weekend of the year, and this year has been well above average in terms of tornadic activity. So it's very fitting that were ending the last weekend of 2024 with yet another tornado outbreak.

And this is what we're going to be watching for the next 48 hours. We're already beginning to see some of the rain off of this system move into the mid-Atlantic and the northeast. That is potentially going to cause some delays for you, some issues for you if you're traveling home for the holidays. And then, as you mentioned at the beginning, we do have an atmospheric river setting up across the pacific northwest, and that is leading to some wintry mischief there across the pacific northwest. We've got the potential for strong wind as well as rain and some snowfall in the higher elevations as well.

SOLOMON: You never like to hear "wintry mischief". Tyler Mauldin, thank you.

All right, now to those new developments 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 Putin also stopped short of admitting responsibility for the disaster. This comes as a U.S. official tells CNN that Russian air defenses may have mistaken the commercial jet that crashed on Wednesday with a Ukrainian drone.

[14:05:06]

Now, today, Putin admitted that Russia's air defense systems were active when that flight attempted to land in Chechnya on Wednesday. All of this happening as we are also now hearing from one of the 29 people who emerged from the disaster alive. CNN's Nada Bashir has been covering this for us. Nada, just give us an update on what's the latest both in terms of what we heard from Putin and this apology, but also now in the investigation?

NADA BASHIR, CNN PRODUCER: Well, Rahel, you're absolutely right. Putin stopped short of any sort of claim of responsibility for this fatal crash but acknowledged that Russian air defense systems had been active in the area where the plane was intended to land in Grozny. And of course, this comes as there had been drone activity in the region, Ukrainian drone strikes in parts of southern Russia, according to the Kremlin, also targeting the area of Grozny. And that had been a key area of inquiry and concern. We'd heard from the Azerbaijani officials and authorities who had said that the plane had faced external, physical, and technical interference.

And as you mentioned, we have been hearing reports from U.S. officials as well as from military and aviation experts who have said that the fuselage damage, the holes and perforations in the wreckage, appeared to suggest that there may have been some sort of external explosion, perhaps, perhaps likely as well, with the impact of air defense systems.

And as you mentioned, we have been hearing from some of those eyewitnesses, some of those survivors who, remarkably, were able to come out of that crash alive. Take a listen to the account of one of those survivors.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

SUBHONKUL RAKHIMOV, PLANE CRASH SURVIVOR: Subhonkul Rakhimov thought he was plunging to his death. He said he heard a bang before oxygen masks dropped. Reciting the Shahada, the Muslim proclamation of faith, he says what he had thought to be his final prayer. According to Azerbaijan Airlines, the plane had faced physical and technical external interference. As the pilot attempted an emergency landing, the plane burst into flames upon impact, 38 people on board did not survive.

Remarkably, Rakhimov was among 29 people who survived the crash. "After the bang, I already had my mind set that something bad would happen because it was clear that the plane had received some damage," Rakhimov says. "And when the plane started behaving unusually, then it became 100 percent clear. I realized then that it was all over and decided I should film my final minutes."

Accounts from survivors like Rakhimov give a rare firsthand glimpse into the terrifying final moments of the flight and potentially what may have caused the crash. Azerbaijani sources and a U.S. official say preliminary evidence suggests the plane may have been hit by Russian air defenses, a possible case, one U.S. official told CNN, of mistaken identity, with the Russian city of Grozny, the flight's intended destination, under Ukrainian drone attack at the time.

"Ukrainian combat drones were mounting terrorist attacks on civil infrastructure in the cities of Grozny and Vladikavkaz," the head of Russia's federal air transport agency said. "Due to this, in the area of the Grozny airport, the Koviar (ph) plan was introduced, meaning all aircraft had to leave the indicated airspace immediately."

Russian aviation authorities claim the plane had initially attempted to land in Grozny twice, and was later offered other airport options within Russia. But the pilot rerouted towards the Kazakh City of Aktau instead. For those on board, it was a terrifying physical and emotional ordeal. For a brief moment, passengers thought they were out of danger.

"But when the Caspian Sea appeared, the clouds dispersed and the plane began to behave unusually," Rakhimov says, "The feeling of tension began to increase, both for other passengers and for myself." Clear perforations in the fuselage point to shrapnel or debris hitting the plane while still in the air, according to several aviation experts.

The hope now is that recovered black boxes will provide more definitive information regarding the plane's final moments.

"I was conscious when I felt the impact. I was thrown up and down and back up again. I was strapped in, yet I was being thrown back and forth," Rakhimov recounts.

[14:10:02]

"It all lasted for a few seconds. Then everything went quiet. There was silence, everything was calm, and I realized that that was it. We had landed."

(END VIDEO TAPE)

BASHIR (on camera): And Rahel, there has been no official confirmation from the authorities or investigators as to what actually led to that crash, and investigators say it could take around two weeks to fully assess the data in those black box recorders.

SOLOMON: OK, Nadia Bashir reporting for us there. Nada, thank you. Sirens, meantime, sounded in Jerusalem earlier today amid reports of

incoming missiles. Two projectiles triggered their 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. The Israeli military surrounded the Kamal Adwan hospital on Friday as part of its ongoing operations in the area. Israel calling the hospital a Hamas terrorist stronghold.

Let's get to Elliott Gotkine, who is tracking the latest developments from Jerusalem. Elliott, let's start with the hospital in northern Gaza. What more can you share with us there?

ELLIOTT GOTKINE, CNN JOURNALIST: Rahel, we've received a number of details in the last hour or so about the operation, at least from the perspective of the IDF. First and foremost is that this operation ended on Saturday morning, though we only got wind of this, as I say, during a briefing in the last couple of hours. But what this raid does mean, and this is what we've heard from the World Health Organization, is that the Kamal Adwan hospital, as you say, the last remaining major medical facility in the northern part of the Gaza Strip, is now empty and not operating.

And what we understand from witnesses and nurses is that when the IDF raided the hospital and was carrying out operations against what it describes as Hamas terrorists in and around the area, that the staff who were inside the hospital were asked to evacuate. They were evacuated from the hospital. And one nurse told us what happened next.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHUROUQ SALAH, NURSE AT KAMAL ADWAN HOSPITAL (through translator): 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 VIDEO CLIP)

GOTKINE: The IDF says that it arrested more than 240 terrorists, it says, and it says that its intelligence, it cross-referenced its own intelligence to decide that these men were terrorists, indeed, according to their own estimations. On top of that, the IDF says it arrested a number of other people, including none other than the director of the Kamal Adwan hospital, Dr. Abu Safiya, whom the IDF says they suspect of potentially being a Hamas operative as well.

Now, the IDF says that he is still being questioned inside of Gaza, and what this does, of course, mean, and we have no evidence ourselves. We have we can't independently confirm that. But of course, this all does mean is that the health -- the health facilities in the northern part of the Gaza Strip, which were already on their knees, are now without this hospital functioning in even more dire straits. Rahel?

SOLOMON: All right, Elliott Gotkine, appreciate the update there. Thank you.

Coming up next for us, a New York judge rules that the rape case against Jay-Z will move forward. We'll take a look at what else the judge said and what this now means for the music mogul.

And check those Mega Millions tickets. Someone out there is waking up a billionaire today. Where the winning ticket was sold coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:17:31]

SOLOMON: Welcome back. We are learning new details about the rape case and allegations embroiling rapper Jay-Z. A New York judge is now denying his attorneys' request for an expedited dismissal, issuing a scathing decision blasting the lawyers' aggressive tactics. The judge is also allowing the accuser to remain anonymous throughout the proceedings. A lawsuit filed earlier this year claims that Jay-Z and Sean "Diddy" Combs raped a then 13-year-old back in 2000. Jay-Z has vigorously denied these allegations.

Let's bring in CNN entertainment reporter Lisa Respers France, who is here with more. So, Lisa, where does the case go from here?

FRANCE: Well, the case continues on. The alleged victim, the accuser, is going to be allowed, as you note, is going to be allowed to stay anonymous. And Jay-Z's team has given every indication that they're going to continue to vigorously fight these charges. He has completely denied that this happened. And Rahel, he seems really set on getting across what he has to say. And what he has to say is that he's completely innocent of these charges -- or these, not charges because it's not legal. It's a its a civil case. But of these allegations.

SOLOMON: Yes. And what exactly is the accuser alleging happened to her?

FRANCE: She's alleging that back in 2000, after the MTV Video Music Awards, that she was at a party, that she was drugged, and she's alleging that she was sexually assaulted by Jay-Z, whose legal name is Shawn Carter, and Diddy. And this is a massive deal, of course, because Jay-Z now becomes the highest profile celebrity to become embroiled in the whole thing that's surrounding Sean Combs. And so people are extremely interested in this case and extremely interested to see if Jay-Z is going to be able to extricate himself from what's been going on with Sean "Diddy" Combs.

SOLOMON: And what more are we hearing from his from his legal team? As we said, I mean, the rapper himself has vigorously denied these allegations. But we've also heard quite a bit from his legal team. What are they saying? Are there other avenues to get the case thrown out, according to them?

FRANCE: Yes. They're going to be working on trying to get it thrown out. One of the things that they have been really hammering home is the inconsistencies in the accuser's story. And, you know, as they like to say in the streets, that the math is not mathing with some of what she has said.

Now, the accuser did give an interview, and she acknowledged that there are inconsistencies in her story. But she maintains that her story is accurate, it is what happened, and she is claiming and saying that she absolutely was sexually assaulted, that she remembers it happening, and that she can prove that it happened.

[14:20:08]

SOLOMON: OK. We will wait to see, of course. Lisa Respers France, appreciate you being here. Thank you.

FRANCE: Thank you. Rahel.

SOLOMON: Well, there is a growing movement against diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives from the military to corporate America. But one major retailer is pushing back and doubling down on DEI. We'll get into it after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SOLOMON: Welcome back. And we have a winner in the billion-dollar Mega Millions jackpot drawing last night. California lottery officials say that the single winning ticket, worth $1.2 billion, was sold in Shasta County.

Let's bring in CNN's Marybel Gonzalez, who joins us now from Los Angeles. So, Maribel, what more can you share with us about this big payday? What are officials saying?

MARYBEL GONZALEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, I can tell you this much. It wasn't any one of us who won these tickets. We checked them. No winner. But, you know, after 100 days of no one winning the Mega Millions jackpot, we finally have a winner. As you say, someone walking away with a massive $1.22 billion jackpot before taxes, or right around $549.7 million in cash. This is the largest, the fifth largest prize in the history of the game.

Now, the chances of winning this jackpot were very, very slim, one in 302.5 million. Now two more California lottery players missed that jackpot, can you imagine, by only one number. But they will each get around $787,000, so still a winner. Now, prior to this one, Rahel, California lottery has only sold three other billion dollar plus winning lottery tickets.

[14:25:05]

Now, while the identity of this lucky winner is still a mystery, we do know who sold that ticket. It happened at the Sunshine Food and Gas in Cottonwood, a small town in northern California. We've spoken to locals about that town who describe it as a small knit community, a place, the kind of place where everybody knows each other. We also caught up with the son of the owner of that winning gas

station, Ishar Gill, his family owning that place for the past 21 years. Now, he tells us they were very busy yesterday, selling around 1,000 tickets. Ishar adding that he was in shock when he found out how much they were going to win because remember, they're also winners as well. They will be getting $1 million. This is the highest bonus that a retail -- lottery retail partner can earn. Let's take a listen to his excitement.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ISHAR GILL, SON OF GAS STATION OWNER: There was uncertainty. And so it was like, did we really sell it? How much do you think we're going to get? My dad was like, so how much do you think we're going to get? So, you know, he's pulling out his calculator and trying to figure that out. And, so, I mean, it -- I would say there was a little bit of nervousness, too, for some reason, but a lot of overwhelming excitement.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GONZALEZ: Now, Ishar says the congratulations are pouring in anywhere from his local loyal customers, but also around the country. He got a phone call from Ohio, someone congratulating his business. And we talked about how Cottonwood is a tight knit community. Isha says it's also a giving one. He plans on buying his sister a brand-new car and donating some of that money back into the community. TBD on what exactly that will be.

We're live in Los Angeles. I'm Marybel Gonzalez. Rahel?

SOLOMON: Very interesting. If it's a tightknit community, as everyone says, it's going to be hard to keep the secret. Lots of people going to be calling around asking. Really interesting. We'll see. Marybel Gonzalez, thank you.

All right, and still ahead for us, President-Elect Trump Donald Trump changing his tune on TikTok. His new appeal to the Supreme Court to delay banning the popular app. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:30:54]

SOLOMON: Welcome back. President-elect Donald Trump is now weighing in on the controversial TikTok ban. In a new legal brief filed on Friday, he's urging the Supreme Court to pause an impending ban on the social media platform set to take effect in just three weeks. This as President Biden's White House warns that TikTok's ties to China pose, quote, "grave threats" to national security.

Let's bring in CNN's Alayna Treene, who is live for us in Florida. So, Alayna, talk to us a little bit more about what we heard from Trump and what he's saying about this in this brief.

ALAYNA TREENE, CNN POLITICAL REPORTER: Right. So Donald Trump's argument here in asking for this delay on the ban on TikTok is, one, because the ban is slated to go into effect on January 19th, just one day before Inauguration Day when he is set to be sworn into office. But also because he argues that he hopes such a delay in implementation could allow his incoming administration to try and work out some sort of negotiation that could save the app.

Now, of course, as you mentioned, this is putting Donald Trump at odds with the Biden administration, which filed its own brief on Friday, arguing that the national security concerns around TikTok are so great that this ban needs to be implemented on time. And they urged the Supreme Court to uphold the ban as well as its date.

Now, in this brief from Donald Trump, he did not address the main questions that this case poses in front of the Supreme Court, which is, you know, the Supreme Court has to weigh whether or not they believe this ban violates First Amendment rights. But this is what Donald Trump said in this briefing. It said, quote, "President-Elect Trump urges the court to stay the statutes effective date to allow his incoming administration to pursue a negotiated resolution that could prevent a nationwide shutdown of TikTok, thus preserving the First Amendment rights of tens of millions of Americans while also addressing the government's national security concerns."

Now, just from knowing Donald Trump and talking to his team about this, one thing is very much clear throughout all of this is that Donald Trump recognizes that TikTok is very popular. It has 170 million monthly users here in the United States. And Donald Trump also believes that many of the young people who voted for him did so because of their use of TikTok and the videos that they saw on the app. All to say, Donald Trump has said recently, as recent as this month, that he is warming to TikTok for some of these reasons. I want you to take a listen to how he put it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, (R) U.S. PRESIDENT-ELECT: We'll take a look at TikTok. You know, I have a warm spot in my heart for TikTok because I won youth by 34 points. And there are those that say that TikTok has something to do with that.

We did go on TikTok, and we had a great response. We had billions of views, billions and billions of views. Maybe we got to keep this sucker around a little while, you know?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TREENE: Now, Rahel, also this month, we know that Donald Trump met at Mar-a-Lago with TikTok's CEO. He also spoke with TikTok's CEO last night around the filing of this brief. So unclear if that played a role, if their new relationship has played a role in this.

But what Donald Trump really wants here is to see if he can get an extension on this ban if they can put a pause on this controversial ban and try to find a way for his administration to work out some sort of resolution with TikTok. One thing, of course, that we still don't know, though, is if Donald

Trump is going to continue to push for TikTok to be divested from its Chinese owner, ByteDance. That is really where all of this comes down to. And that's why, back during his first administration, he had signed that executive order that would have effectively banned TikTok, then also citing national security concerns.

So again, its unclear what's going to happen here. And also, the Supreme Court really is the one who is going to be making the deciding, the deciding factor here. Rahel?

SOLOMON: OK, stay tuned. Alayna Treene live for us there. Alayna, thank you.

Costco is battling a wave of anti-DEI sentiment with a stern rebuke to activist shareholders looking to end the warehouse retailer's diversity ambitions. Costco says that it believes that diversity, equity, and inclusion helps its business, and it's standing behind its efforts.

[14:35:01]

Let's bring in CNN's Nathaniel Meyersohn, who joins us now. So, Nathaniel, first, just walk us through what exactly is happening here with Costco.

NATHANIEL MEYERSOHN, CNN BUSINESS REPORTER: Yes. So, Rahel, let's take a little step back here. So an activist shareholder, a right wing financial group pressured Costco. They asked Costco to take a look at its DEI policies. They said that DEI was a risk to Costco's business and that Costco should pull back on DEI.

Now, Costco, its board of directors, is saying no, we are not pulling back on DEI. DEI is actually good for our business, Costco is saying. Take a look at its response to the rightwing shareholder group. Costco said that including a diverse group of employees helps our business, that it helps us, you know, attract a wide range of employees. And also it says that it helps it with this treasure hunt that customers value.

And Rahel, that refers to kind of the merchandise and the services that Costco provides in stores. It's saying that DEI is good for kind of the treasure hunt shopping experience that Costco has. So this is a really kind of fascinating moment for a company that's pushing back and saying that DEI is really positive for its business.

SOLOMON: Yes, I think even more so fascinating because of how it sort of compares to what we're seeing from other companies.

MEYERSOHN: That's exactly right. So you have a lot of Costco's rivals right now, they're taking a step back on DEI in the face of rightwing pressure. You have the activist Robby Starbuck who is really going after these companies on social media to try to get them to change their policies. So Walmart, John Deere, Molson Coors, you just have a lineup of companies that are taking a step back on DEI. But I think that it's important, Rahel, to note that what -- these

companies are not necessarily abandoning DEI entirely. They're not saying that diversity is bad for its business or that they don't want to continue to attract a wide range of employees. They're kind of making tweaks at the edges to try to kind of stave off some of the rightwing pressure, but certainly they're not going as far as Costco, which is just really pushing back very strongly.

But Rahel, it is important to note, though, that even though you have rightwing activists saying that DEI is going away in corporate America, that is really not the case. Most companies are still committed to DEI. They're just not advertising it quite as prominently to try to kind of get rid of this pressure.

SOLOMON: Yes. I mean, you have to imagine a lot of these companies are trying to do what they're in business to do, but try to stay out of the crosshairs of some of the noise. Nathaniel Meyersohn, really interesting piece. Thank you.

All right, and coming up next, the top men's golfer in the world, Scottie Scheffler, will miss the PGA tour season opener. And Patrick Snell has a preview. Patrick?

PATRICK SNELL, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: Hi there, Rahel. Yes, Scottie Scheffler has had an extraordinary year in terms of success. He won the Masters, became Olympic golf champ, and a dad, too, for the first time. But some adversity, I will say, off the course at times. Why Scheffler won't be featuring, though, in that season opener in Hawaii. We'll have that story just ahead in a few moments.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:42:28]

SOLOMON: Welcome back. Scottie Scheffler, the world's number one ranked golfer, will now miss the start of the PGA tour season after suffering a hand injury while preparing dinner on Christmas Day.

Let's bring in CNN's Patrick Snell, who joins us now. Patrick, what more are you learning about this hand injury?

SNELL: Yes, Rahel, this is a big setback, no question, for the top ranked men's golfer in the world, Scottie Scheffler. Really, really disappointing for him. Capping off a rollercoaster year after suffering this injury.

This is what we know what happened per the player's management statement. Family Christmas dinner was being prepared. And he's now going to miss the start of the PGA tour season for 2025. According to his manager, Scheffler sustaining, Rahel, it was a puncture wound to the palm of his right hand. This from a broken glass, so we're told small glass fragments actually remained in his palm following the incident, and that did require an operation. The 28-year-old Olympic champ also winner of nine events this calendar year. He will miss the century tournament now, that's the PGA tour season opener in Hawaii. An eventful year, to say the least, for the American player after

being arrested, then completely cleared at the PGA championship back in May. Of course, we wish Scottie all the best in terms of his recovery from this surgery. We understand he should be back playing again in about three to four weeks. Fair to say, Rahel, he's going to remember Christmas 2024 for very different reasons indeed.

SOLOMON: Yes, I mean, on the one hand you understand him wanting to help with Christmas dinner. On the other hand, it's like, oh, heartbreaking.

Yes. OK, also, Patrick, the world's number one chess player, apparently, is also in the news after dropping out of a pair of world chess championships. And this is over a dispute over a dress code violation. What's this about?

SNELL: This is one that has got people, whether you follow chess or not, this is a massive talker from chess. A high-level chess competition, one name sticks out above the rest. When you think of competitive chess -- Magnus Carlsen. When it comes to driving interest as well, Rahel popularity in the game. It's still Magnus Carlsen. His name always resonates, although not always, I will say for the right reasons.

Two years ago, a public feud with Hans Niemann, an American grandmaster who admitted to cheating online, bringing chess into the global headlines. And this week it's really kind of a quirky story. It's a bit more wholesome overall, I'd say. Carlsen simply did not want to change out of his jeans -- yes, his jeans. The sport's governing body, that's the International Chess Federation, deeming the star to have breached tournament guidelines and dress code by wearing those jeans in the first place.

Carlsen was first fined, then he was asked to actually change before his next round. The 34-year-old refusing to do that. So he just quit the World Rapid Chess Championship in New York city on Friday.

[14:45:11]

Now, granted, Carlsen, hadn't been performing at top premium level as he so often can and does, and the chances of him defending his title were receding. But hey, it's got the world, the whole world, it seems, and of course, us here at CNN talking about this story.

Now, Magnus, also taking to the social media platform X, showing the jeans in question right there. You can clearly see them with the letters OOTD. Now I just struggle with this. What does it mean? Some of you social media savvy folks may know that it stands for "outfit of the day." I will say I certainly didn't. Much like his tweet there, the 34-year-old is, shall we say, he's quite a character. Take a listen to what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAGNUS CARLSEN, FIVE-TIME WORLD RAPID CHESS CHAMPION: Honestly, I'm too old at this point to care too much. I'll, you know, probably head off to somewhere where the weather is a bit nicer than here.

Honestly, my patience with them was not very big to begin with, and it's OK. Like, they can enforce their rules. That's fine by me. And my response is that fine. Then I'm out.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SNELL: Fine, then I'm out. So be it. Rahel, I've interviewed him. We've interviewed him many times over the years on CNN World Sport and CNN Sports in general. He's not afraid to say what he thinks, as you can tell by his tone there. He makes a statement pretty much everywhere he goes. But he has had a major impact on chess in terms of global awareness, expanding awareness of it all. And you know, when he plays, when he talks, people absolutely do sit up, watch, and listen. Back to you.

SOLOMON: That certainly got my attention, taking a stand on jeans. We'll see if this sort of drives jeans sales moving forward with outfit of the day. Patrick Snell, good to see you. Thank you.

All right, coming up next, we will count down the top ten big health stories of 2024.

And a reminder that the boys are back for the biggest party of the year. Join Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen for New Year's Eve live. Coverage starts at 8:00 right here on CNN.

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[14:51:22]

SOLOMON: Now to news concerning a CDC report about the bird flu here in the U.S. The virus appears to have mutated in a patient from Louisiana, which could possibly increase the chances of human-to-human transmission. That hospitalized patient is the first severe human case of bird flu in the country. And CDC officials say that the patient likely contracted it after contact with sick and dead birds in a backyard flock. The CDC also wanting to make clear that there is no evidence of human-to-human transmission and that the risk of infection remains low. To date, there are at least 66 confirmed cases of bird flu in the U.S.

2024, meantime, was quite the year for health headlines. CNN chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta counts down the top ten stories of the year.

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DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: From another potential pandemic to health threats infiltrating our daily lives, 2024 provided us with some warning signs. But we also saw stories with hard-earned moments of inspiration and innovation, reminding us of the relentless search for the next medical breakthrough.

GUPTA (voice-over): With more than 100,000 people on the wait list for organ transplants in the United States, there is a clear need for a solution, and this could be the answer.

MICHAEL CURTIS, CEO, EGENESIS, INC.: They're fully edited. All these piglets can carry a total of 69 edits to the genome.

GUPTA (voice-over): Genetically edited pigs designed by scientists to be compatible with the human body, reducing the possibility of rejection. Scientists have started to make progress testing this type of organ transplant. It's known as xenotransplantation. They're doing this in the patients who have no other alternatives.

As temperatures around the world keep climbing, it's taking a clear toll on our health, testing the limits, even, of human survivability. This year, people hiking, attending concerts, just being in their own homes, they have died from heat. In fact, heat is the deadliest type of extreme weather, and climate change is making those heat waves longer and more severe. Heat also means warmer oceans, leading to these supercharged hurricanes like the ones that we saw this year, and that comes with their own health consequences as well.

Imagine using a computer by only using your mind. That's just the beginning of what Brain Computer Interface, or BCI, technology combined with Artificial Intelligence is now hoping to do. Companies like Synchron and Elon Musk's Neuralink, they have begun implanting BCI devices into people's brains to help people who are losing motor functions still be able to perform daily tasks.

Earlier this year, I met Mark. He is an ALS patient who has mostly lost the ability to use his arms, and we saw firsthand how Synchron's Stentrode device helped send messages on his computer and even play a game like Pong. He hopes this technology can help him, can help other patients struggling as well with paralysis, maintain as much independence as possible.

TIMOTHY MITCHELL, COLON CANCER SURVIVOR: I was 43 years old at the time when I was diagnosed.

GUPTA (voice-over): A growing number of young adults like Timothy Mitchell are being diagnosed with cancer.

DR. JONATHAN VILLENA, AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY: Cancer, which usually would affect people over 65, has now become much more prevalent in patients under 55.

GUPTA (voice-over): While the trends have been headed this way for more than a decade, experts still aren't sure why this is happening. But it has put a spotlight on the importance of recommended preventative screenings, paying attention to any unusual symptoms in your body, and a search for factors that could be behind this increase.

[14:55:07]

RAHEL SOLOMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A new study shows an increase in levels of microplastics in human brains.

GUPTA (voice-over): Microplastics, they are everywhere. Nowadays, they're in our food, they're in our clothing, they're in the air we breathe. And now we're starting to get a better understanding of their potential impact on our health. There was a study that found people with micro or nano-plastics in their carotid arteries were twice as likely to have a heart attack or stroke or die from any other cause over the next three years compared to people who had none.

GUPTA (voice-over): If you're a parent, I know you're going to understand this.

DR. VIVEK MURTHY, U.S. SURGEON GENERAL: Forty-eight percent, nearly half of parents, are saying on most days they're completely overwhelmed by their stress.

GUPTA (voice-over): This summer, the U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy, issued an advisory calling parental stress a public health concern, saying that we need a cultural shift with both individual and government intervention. Parents are working more than ever, and childcare demands have only increased, leaving many families feeling exhausted, burned out, perpetually behind. That's what Murthy said.

It's no secret that diet plays a major role in our health. And while we know the benefits of healthy food, the harms of ultra-processed food are now coming into clearer focus. Ultra-processed foods make up nearly 70 percent of our country's food supply. Numerous studies have found that consuming higher amounts of these foods raises the risk of obesity, but also the development of chronic conditions like cancer, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, depression, and it probably even shortens lifespan. Researchers are now trying to figure out if ultra-processed ingredients are all created equal.

An alarming spread of bird flu throughout dairy herds across the United States has scientists on edge.

ANDREW BOWMAN, OHIO STATE EPIDEMIOLOGIST: As we think about a virus that might move from animals into humans and potentially cause the next pandemic, certainly has everyone's guard up.

GUPTA (voice-over): While the CDC says the public health risk remains low, there have been cases of bird flu in humans.

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: The CDC is now confirming the first severe case of H5N1 bird flu in a human inside the United States.

GUPTA (voice-over): Most human cases have been among people who've been exposed to sick animals, but that hasn't completely eased the fears of possibility of human-to-human transmission.

There may be more hope for Alzheimer's patients than ever. A new study led by Dr. Dean Ornish found that some patients who underwent lifestyle interventions alone, like eating a vegan diet, exercising daily, practicing stress reduction, they saw improved cognition, even signs of reversal of the disease. I got to see this firsthand, meeting patients all over the country.

MIKE CARVER, ALZHEIMER'S PATIENT: This is the best I can do to stay alive. And I want to live with my wife as long as I can. GUPTA (voice-over): We also did see promise in newly approved pharmaceutical interventions, including monoclonal antibody treatments -- Donanemab, for example -- demonstrating the ability to slow the progression of the disease. For decades, we only saw incremental progress in treating this disease. But now, I have to say, these options are giving patients new hope.

This year, we traveled around the world, investigating the impact of the GLP-1 weight loss drugs. With no signs of slowing in popularity now, these drugs have given us new insight into obesity as a disease.

RASHEEDA BUSH, OZEMPIC USER: What it did help me was not have a whole lot of thoughts about food. My cravings went away.

GUPTA (voice-over): We now consider obesity a disease of the brain, a revelation that I think has lifted a sense of guilt associated with this disease, helped us get to a better understanding of how to treat it as well.

DR. DAN SKOVRONSKY, CHIEF SCIENTIFIC OFFICER. ELI LILLY: It's definitely true that there are people out there who've said time and again, obesity is not really a disease. All you need to do is eat better and exercise more and you'll be OK.

GUPTA (voice-over): While these drugs may not be for everyone, we have seen how they can transform people's lives, physically, yes, but also emotionally. We've only, at this point, begun to unlock the possibilities. Studies have found that these drugs could be associated with cardiovascular benefits, lowering the risk of certain cancers, curbing cravings as well beyond food, like nicotine and alcohol.

And I'm sure we're going to continue to learn a lot more about this in 2025. Happy New Year.

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SOLOMON: Our thanks to Dr. Sanjay Gupta there.

And some sad news to share before we go. The oldest living survivor of the attack on Pearl Harbor has died. Warren Upton was stationed aboard the USS Utah in the harbor when Japanese planes began their surprise attack on the naval base in Hawaii. Upton told the Associated Press in 2020 that he was just getting up on the morning of December 7th, 1941, when a pair of torpedoes hit his ship. The then 22-year-old swam ashore and survived the bombing.

Upton died Wednesday at a hospital in California. This now leaves only 15 Pearl Harbor survivors still alive. Warren Upton was 105 years old.

Thanks for joining me today. I'm Rahel Solomon. I'll be back at 2:00 p.m. eastern tomorrow. But for right now, it's "SMERCONISH."