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Arrest Warrant For President Yoon; Azerbaijan Accuses Russia Of Shooting Down Flight; Jimmy Carter's Lasting Legacy. Aired 2-2:30a ET
Aired December 31, 2024 - 02:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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PAULA NEWTON, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Hello and a very warm welcome to our viewers joining us here in the United States and all around the world and streaming on CNN Max. I'm Paul Newton.
South Korea's political crisis deepens after a court approves an arrest warrant for impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol.
Azerbaijan's President accuses Russia of accidentally shooting down a passenger plane on Christmas Day, then covering up the cause.
And tributes pour in from around the world for former U.S. President Jimmy Carter as we learn details about how he'll be honored in Washington.
ANNOUNCER: Live from Atlanta. This is CNN NEWSROOM with Paula Newton.
NEWTON: In a dramatic and historic turn, South Korea issues an arrest warrant for President Yoon Suk Yeol amid a month of political tumult and chaos. The President was swiftly impeached and suspended from power after he issued a short-lived martial law decree earlier this month. He's now facing charges of abuse of authority and orchestrating a rebellion. Yoon's Martial Law decree led to public protests and mass resignations from his cabinet.
CNN's Marc Stewart has more.
MARC STEWART, CNN CORRESPONDENT: According to investigators, the arrest would take place within seven days after the warrant is issued, but it's a deadline that could be extended, so we're just going to have to wait and see on all of this. But it is important to emphasize the context in all of this. Even though President Yoon is essentially suspended, stripped of his powers, he's still South Korea's president and he's still entitled to stay at the presidential residence.
This is not something that suddenly happened out of the blue. This all stems from an investigation that was launched after President Yoon's declaration of martial law on December 3rd. The nation's corruption investigation office issued three summons asking for his cooperation in the probe, but he has refused. That's what led to this arrest warrant. It's an investigation focusing on charges of abuse of authority and insurrection after he announced martial law.
During his short-lived martial law, Yoon allegedly ordered his defense minister to arrest several high ranked politicians, civil activists and even judges. He's also accused of obstructing operation of the National Assembly with military forces. Yoon's attorney is fighting back, calling the issuance of the arrest warrant illegal and invalid, hinting that the President will likely not comply with the warrant.
He said the suspended President will confidently respond when the due process goes on. So, for now, we are just going to have to keep watch on this potential arrest.
Marc Stewart, CNN Beijing.
NEWTON: Meantime, investigators are still working to identify victims from the deadly plane crash that killed 179 people over the weekend. Families of the victims are literally camping out at Milan's International Airport until they get information on their loved ones who are on board. CNN's Mike Valerio reports.
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MIKE VALERIO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It is the unmistakable outcry of grief heard throughout South Korea's Muan International Airport.
Families unable to absorb the anguish of the Jeju Air catastrophe.
Hundreds of relatives huddling in the departure hall, waiting for news of whether their loved one's remains are found.
A friend of a couple killed in the crash said he came here to confirm for himself his friends of 30 years are simply gone.
KIM NAM-CHEOL, FRIEND OF VICTIMS (through translator): I have nothing to say, but it's tragic, he told us. I watched the news all day. And for now, they say bird strike could be the cause. I'm so shocked and hurt. I cannot even put it into words.
VAELRIO (on camera): Now so many people have chosen to stay. They're not going anywhere. And that's seen evidenced by all of these tents that go from here pretty much to the end of the terminal. They go back three tents to the edge of the check-in counters.
You see food deliveries throughout the day. Let's keep going this way. And the echoes of grief.
VALERIO (voice-over): The scenes inside are just a short drive from the cataclysmic crash site. The tail of the doomed airliner still jutting above the field, a mountain in the middle of the debris.
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More than a thousand people now mobilized to sift through pieces of the plane. VALERIO (on camera): The crash scene is absolutely harrowing. Just a few steps away, you can see where the doomed Jeju Air jetliner careened through the embankment and burst into flames. And more than a day later, you can still see forensics teams in their white suits combing through the debris along with members of the police force as well as members of the South Korean military.
Now to my right, you can see soldiers looking through the fields and around them to give you an idea of the force of this crash, a full football field away from where we're standing. You can see mangled, twisted chairs thrown from the jetliner.
VALERIO (voice-over): A representative of the victims' families urging an even larger response.
PARK HAN-SHIN, REPRESENTATIVE OF JEJU AIR CRASH VICTIM'S FAMILIES (voice- over): What I want to request from the government is to increase the manpower so that the recovery can be carried out more swiftly. I hope my siblings, my family, can be recovered and returned to us, even if only 80 percent intact.
VALERIO (voice-over): For now, Muan remains the epicenter of a nation in mourning, the weight of unspoken farewells and quiet desperation made unbearable by an absence of answers.
Mike Valerio, CNN, Muan, South Korea.
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NEWTON: The U.S. Treasury Department is sounding an alarm over what it's calling a major incident, Treasury officials notified lawmakers on Monday that China state sponsored hackers infiltrated several department workstations. Hackers gained access by using a stolen key for a third-party software service provider. A Treasury official says that company notified the department of the breach earlier this month.
Now, A source tells CNN that next week, Treasury officials will give lawmakers a classified briefing on the incident.
We have new information on the preparations for Jimmy Carter's funeral services honoring the 39th U.S. president will begin January 4th and conclude on January 9th. The former president will lie in repose at the Carter Center in Atlanta. His remains will then be transferred to the U.S. Capitol, where he will lie in state. Carter's official funeral service will take place at the National Cathedral in Washington on the 9th where President Joe Biden will deliver the eulogy.
When Carter ran for president in the 1976 election, Biden was the first senator to endorse him. Carter will be laid to rest in his hometown of Plains, Georgia, at the same location his wife Rosalynn was buried following her death last year.
We have more now from CNN's Eva McKend reporting from Carter's hometown. EVA MCKEND, CNN NATIONAL POLITICS REPORTER: It's a mix of sadness and pride here in Plains, Georgia, as the residents in this small town reflect on the life and legacy of President Jimmy Carter. And while the world in the coming days will recall his lifetime of service, his courage, his compassion, his commitment to social justice. Here in Plains, they are remembering Jimmy Carter as their neighbor.
It wasn't long ago when they saw him walking on the Main Street here in Plains, or even in the dollar store, some residents tell us. Take a listen to how he's being remembered.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think he would be remembered for just been an honest man. A caring man, a family man. A man who loves God, a man who love people, a man who want to see a better world. He'll be remembered in a lot of ways, but I remember Jim McCarter and Amen.
WILLI JOHNSON, GEORGIA RESIDENT: He was someone that all everybody in the community always lived up to, somebody that always brought positivity to somebody that was spiritually strong and this is somebody from worldwide that we're going to miss, and he left a very good example for us to live by.
PHILIP KURLIND, PLAINS, GEORGIA RESIDENT: Let's face it, the Carters will always be alive in Plains. So we want to continue the spirit and continue the good in the world.
MCKEND: Folks here paying tribute to Carter at a vigil service at Maranatha Baptist Church where Carter led Sunday school for many years. There will be multiple celebrations of life. Carter will return here to plains on Saturday before ultimately, a Washington-based funeral service will be held where President Biden will eulogize Carter.
Eva McKend, CNN Plains, Georgia.
NEWTON: Now tributes for Carter are pouring in from around the world and right across the political spectrum. Crowds gathered at the Carter Center in Atlanta to remember the former U.S. president. Some with flowers and candles, even peanuts to honor the peanut farmer who became president.
Atlanta resident, Courtney Fitz says she talked to her three young sons about Carter's important role in the civil rights movement. And she explained what she would remember about the former president.
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COURTNEY FITZ, ATLANTA RESIDENT: His universal kindness, the humanity and President Carter cannot be denied or understated ever. And that's something that as a mom, we're always trying to teach our young men. And he exemplified it every day.
(END VIDEO CLIP) NEWTON: We turn now to a major loss for journalism. Veteran journalist and former CNN anchor, Aaron Brown passed away on Sunday at the age of 76. That's according to his family. He gained prominence for his live coverage of the September 11th terror attacks.
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AARON BROWN, FORMER CNN NEWS ANCHOR: For those of you just joining us, let's just briefly recap what we know. About an hour ago, about 845 Eastern Time, one plane crashed into the tower -- the World Trade Center Tower on the right.
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NEWTON: Brown won the prestigious Edward R. Murrow award for his 9/11 coverage. He also played a major role in shaping CNN Evening News format. CNN, of course, sends condolences to his family and loved ones. And tributes are coming in from Brown's former colleagues. His former producer remembered him saying, Aaron's approach to news and storytelling was driven by the facts, but his delivery was always deeply human.
Here's our John Vause recalling Brown's impact on his broadcasting career.
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JOHN VAUSE, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: And he covered that day incredibly wildly. It was -- it was a day of that would belong very much to Aaron in a journalistic way. And when he finally got off the roof of the New York Bureau back in the day, when I was opposite Penn Station, and he told me that he went to D.C. about a week later. And he walked into the hotel foyer and everybody in that foyer stood up and applauded. Searchers say connection with Aaron for his coverage of 9/11.
NEWTON: I wonder how he interpreted that day. You gave that anecdote about people applauding. I didn't know him, from what I have heard, it probably made him a little bit uncomfortable.
VAUSE: Yes. He was very much a journalist, journalist and he was -- he didn't like the fame. He didn't like being in the spotlight outside of his office hours, if you like. I remember being on the roof of the New York Bureau with him at the time and I told him what my job was at CNN. I had this self-assigned job of being the U.S. Affairs Correspondent before 9/11. I could be going around the country choosing any story I wanted to do.
He asked me, does God know that you have this job because you don't have it anymore? The world has changed. And he was right. Everything had changed. And he was mentoring in a way that was tough but fair, and also he was willing to share his wisdom and his experience too.
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NEWTON: Our thanks to John Vause there for sharing his memories. A deadly plane crash and allegations of a cover up. We'll have the latest on the Azerbaijan airlines tragedy, including where the flight recorders have been sent.
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NEWTON: As you hear their sirens blared in Israel, Monday, as the military announced it intercepted another missile launched from Yemen. Iran-backed Houthi militants have fired -- frequently fired drones and missiles toward Israel in support of Palestinians in Gaza. And Israel has been retaliating with strikes against Houthi targets inside Yemen. Israel's ambassador to the U.N. issued what he called a final warning of Houthi leaders, telling them to pay attention to what's happened to their allies.
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DANNY DANON, ISRAEL AMBASSADOR TO U.N.: I'm saying to the leadership of the Houthis, I have a message for you today. Perhaps you have not been paying attention to the lessons of this past year. Let me remind you what was happened to Hamas, to Hezbollah, to Assad and towards those who thought to destroy us. This is not a threat. It is a promise you will share the same miserable fate.
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NEWTON: Meanwhile, in Gaza, winter weather is making already traumatic conditions even more painful. Heavy rain has flooded camps for displaced people with water seeping through the thin tent materials and soaking mattresses, blankets and clothing. The Gaza health ministry says five new warns and a two-year-old have already died from the cold. And the U.N. warns more children's lives will be lost in the coming days, when it is likely to get even colder. Temperatures in the enclave can reach lows of around 10 degrees Celsius, or 50 Fahrenheit.
Now, according to Syrian state media, authorities have discovered another mass grave believed to contain hundreds of bodies. A warning or about to air images you may find disturbing. The latest alleged mass grave was found in the former rebel stronghold of Aleppo. Syria's Interior Ministry says DNA testing will be done in an effort to identify the bodies. Syrians have been discovering what are thought to be mass graves across the country since the fall of the Assad regime.
Some 150,000 people in Syria are unaccounted for. That's according to the International Commission on Missing Persons which says most of them were kidnapped or detained by the Assad government and its affiliates.
Ukraine is working, in fact, to build ties with Syria's new government now that Russia's influence in Syria is on shaky ground. Ukraine's Foreign Minister visited Syria's new de facto leader in Damascus Monday. He spoke about the immense toll that the years of war have taken on each of their countries and Ukraine presented an offer to help restore stability in Syria.
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SYBIHA ANDRII, UKRAINE FOREIGN MINISTER (through translator): I am here to pass on a personal message to the Syrian people from Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Message is clear. We are with you. We are ready to help the Syrian people because Ukraine is interested in stable Syria and development of cooperation is beneficial to both our nations.
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NEWTON: Now to an emotional reunion in Ukraine's capital.
Tears of joy there thankfully, as families of released Ukrainian prisoners of war embrace their loved ones. Ukraine's president says 189 former captives returned home Monday, exchanged for some 150 Russian troops. Volodymyr Zelenskyy says the former captives include soldiers and officers from frontline areas and two civilians from the port city of Mariupol.
Now the flight recorders or so-called black boxes, from the deadly crash of an Azerbaijani passenger plane are now headed to Brazil, where they'll be analyzed by international experts as well as Azerbaijani authorities. The aircraft that went down on Christmas Day was made in Brazil. Meantime, Azerbaijan's president has accused the Kremlin of unintentionally shooting down the jet and then trying to cover up the cause.
CNN's Clare Sebastian picks up the story.
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CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): From the wreckage of Azerbaijan Airlines Flight 8243 an unwelcome diplomatic spat is emerging from Moscow.
ILHAM ALIYEV, PRESIDENT OF AZERBAIJAN (through translator): The Russian side must apologize to Azerbaijan. Secondly, it must acknowledge its guilt. Thirdly, those responsible must be punished, brought to criminal responsibility, and compensation must be paid to the Azerbaijani state to the injured passengers and crew members.
SEBASTIAN (voice-over): Of those three demands, Russia's investigative committee did promise to find those responsible and punish them. Azerbaijan state news agency reported Monday. A U.S. official and international experts believe a Russian air defense missile may have brought down the plane, killing 38 passengers. And there was an apology of sorts. Vladimir Putin apologized for the tragic incident that occurred in Russian air space. Came the carefully worded Kremlin readout of Putin's call Saturday with Azerbaijan's president.
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It also noted that as the plane tried to land and Grozny, Russian air defenses had been working to avert a Ukrainian drone attack. But to Azerbaijan's president, Aliyev attended a funeral for the pilots and a crew member killed in the Christmas Day crash Sunday, still no admission from Russia that its air defense forces may have been responsible.
ALIYEV (through translator): The facts indicate civilian plane was damaged from the outside over Russian territory near the city of Grozny and almost lost control. We also know that the use of electronic warfare put our plane out of control.
SEBASTIAN (voice-over): Just over four months ago, it was all hugs and smiles with President Aliyev as Putin visited Baku to talk business. Russia needs its former Soviet ally more than ever as a buyer of its oil and gas and key transport route to Iran, an increasingly strategic partner.
WILLIAM B. TAYLOR, FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR TO UKRAINE: President Putin has had some bad times in the past couple weeks. He's lost Syria. He's had this problem. He's had ships sink in the Mediterranean. He's had a general kill in Moscow. So President Putin is really on the defensive. Maybe he's looking for a way out. I don't think he's in the -- in the in the mood now to accept responsibility that his military is so accomplished.
SEBASTIAN (voice-over): Over the weekend, more funerals, this for a 13-year-old victim of the crash. As the Kremlin's P.R. challenge deepens.
Clare Sebastian, CNN, London.
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NEWTON: Finnish investigators say they suspect a Russia-linked ship dragged its anchor along the bed of the Baltic Sea for nearly 100 kilometers, breaking a critical undersea power cable last week. Now they've tied dragged markings on the seabed to this ship, the Eagles oil tanker. It's flagged in the Cook Islands, but E.U. and Finnish officials believe it is part of Russia's so-called Shadow fleet of fuel tankers.
The underwater power cable transmits energy from Finland to Estonia. European officials say breaking it could be part of Russia's efforts to sabotage Europe's power and communications.
The German government is accusing billionaire Elon Musk of trying to influence its election. Musk endorsed the far-right alternative for German Germany, AFD party, saying his significant investments give him a right to weigh in on German politics. He wrote on X that the traditional political parties in Germany have utterly failed the people. AFD is the only hope for Germany. German politicians have blasted Musk for his endorsement of AFD.
The co-leader of the Social Democrats party, likened him to Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying both men want Germany to be weakened and plunged into chaos.
And We will be right back with more in a moment.
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NEWTON: New Year's Eve preps are in full swing right around the world. In New York, one million people are expected to flood the streets of the city. Security plans are already in place. Officials say police officers in uniform and in plain clothes, will be on patrol, including canine units and teams on horseback. Now, the confetti drop on Times Square was tested over the weekend.
Seem to be having some fun there, but wet weather could put a damper on those celebrations. Tickets for New Year's Eve fireworks in London, meantime, are sold out, but wind and rain in the U.K. could wreak -- that could wreck that party as well. Getting around the city is tough, in fact, even on a good day. And as CNN's Anna Stewart found out, officials have been preparing for the crush of parties for months.
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ANNA STEWART, CNN REPORTER (voice-over): ANNA STEWART, CNN REPORTER (voice-over): From parties on the tube to scenes like this. The struggle to get home. New Year's Eve is a big night and a major challenge for transport, for London. Time to see how it all works. I'm so excited from the driver's seat.
STEWART (on camera): Do you get nervous like going into the platform and seeing huge crowds?
STEFAN YOUNG, DRIVER, TRANSPORT FOR LONDON: Takes a certain individual to become a driver for you to have, like, nerves of steel. You're coming in a platform, you can't be too jittery, you can't be too jumpy, you can't be too shaky. You just got to come in knowing that in your mind, everything's fine.
STEWART (voice-over): Fortunately for Stefan, there are many more eyeballs on platforms on the night.
RALPH DAVISON, NETWORK RESILIENCE STRATEGY MANAGER, TRANSPORT FOR LONDON: So, we have additional staff, all over the combine we have additional staff and we ask them to keep an eye out on absolutely everyone.
STEWART (voice-over): The team here starts planning for New Year's Eve in July, and then they manage the crowds by watching it all unfold live from this control center.
DAVISON: Your safety is our priority.
STEWART (voice-over): To prevent overcrowding, you may have to queue outside stations for well, quite a while.
And once you've made it onto a tube, the party may continue, giving drivers like Stefan some light relief. YOUNG: It gives me something to do. Look at, have a little gig or two to myself, because obviously, everyone's been out having a good time enjoying New Year's Eve, and I've been stuck in my little office.
STEWART (voice-over): Of course, the little office does come with a perk, the power to chat to the passengers.
YOUNG: Almost again, mind the gap between the train and the platform.
STEWART (on-camera): This is Anna Stewart from CNN. Happy New Year and please mind the gap.
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NEWTON: All right. I want to thank you for joining us. I'm Paula Newton. World Sport is up next. Then CNN NEWSROOM will continue with Max Foster at 4:00 a.m. in New York, time 9:00 a.m. London.
