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Russia Launches Large-Scale Attack across Kyiv, Ukraine; Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Meets with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney Ahead of Scheduled Meeting with President Trump; Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI) Interviewed on Ukrainian President Zelenskyy's Peace Proposal to End War with Russia; Poor Weather May Cause Flight Delays and Cancellations Across U.S.; Investigators in California Charge Mother of Nine-Year-Old Melodee Buzzard in Her Murder; Justice Department Announces Finding of Approximately One Million New Documents in Jeffrey Epstein Case; CDC Recommends Four Different Antiviral Flu Medications for This Flu Season; Teenager Who Fled Ukraine at Start of Russian Invasion Excelling in Philadelphia High School. Aired 2-3p ET.

Aired December 27, 2025 - 14:00   ET

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

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[14:00:37]

DANNY FREEMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Good afternoon, and thank you so much for joining us on this holiday weekend. Snowy here in New York. I'm Danny Freeman in for Fredricka Whitfield.

We have a lot of news to get to. First, Russia has launched a large- scale attack across Kyiv that lasted nearly 10 hours. Ukrainian officials say at least two people were killed and dozens were injured. They also say the strikes knocked out heat to thousands of buildings in freezing temperatures. Right now, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney before he heads to Florida for talks with President Trump.

We've got full coverage for you on this story. CNN's senior White House reporter Kevin Liptak is near Mar-a-Lago, and correspondent Paula Newton is near Toronto. Kevin, we'll start with you. What do we know at this point about this 20-point plan that may be on the table for these talks between President Trump and President Zelensky?

KEVIN LIPTAK, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Yes, and this is essentially Zelenskyy's version of the multi-point plan that President Trump initially put on the table last month. They've been kind of going back and forth, revising this agreement to try and find something that both Kyiv and Moscow can agree on.

And certainly, what we've seen overnight in Ukraine is the backdrop to these talks. It's a reminder that the aggressor in this conflict, which is Russia, has not at all backed off some of its demands for this war and has shown no willingness to date to agree to a cease ceasefire. And I think it lends to the urgency that Zelenskyy will feel when he meets with President Trump over at mar Mar-a-Lago tomorrow. You know, just the fact that this meeting is on the schedule at all, I

think is significant. President Trump said earlier this month that he didn't think it would be useful to meet with Zelenskyy unless he felt they were close to reaching a deal. And there has been significant progress over the last several weeks to try and reach some sort of agreement. The president's foreign envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner meeting with the Ukrainian delegation down here in Florida. They also met with an envoy from Russia to try and come up with some kind of agreement.

Now, this plan that Zelenskyy is coming to Mar-a-Lago to discuss includes an immediate ceasefire, which Russia has so far not agreed to, but also talking about withdrawing Russian troops from certain regions. It includes a financial development package that will be essential for the reconstruction of Ukraine. And it also includes those U.S. backed security guarantees to ensure that Russia isn't able to invade once this war comes to an end. So clearly an important moment for him to get some more specifics on those guarantees and all of those points, really, to try and sort of nail down President Trump as he looks to bring this war to an end.

But at the end of the day, Vladimir Putin is not going to be here in Palm Beach. He will not be here in Mar-a-Lago. And it does remain something of an open question of what Moscow is actually willing to agree to as part of this conflict. But obviously important talks set for tomorrow here in Florida, Danny.

FREEMAN: Yes, very well said.

All right, for more on this story, let's go up north to Paula now. Tell us, what are we hearing from this meeting between Carney and Zelenskyy today?

PAULA NEWTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Danny, we only found out the meeting was happening in the last few hours. Clearly, Volodymyr Zelenskyy looking for more support from allies like Canada, the so- called coalition of the willing. They're likely on that call with European allies as we speak.

But you know, Danny, I've been hearing from the Canadian government, including at the cabinet level, that they know two things, that the person who can broker a deal between Russia and Ukraine is the president of the United States. And secondly, that they believe the United States has to bring more pressure to bear on Russia if Russia is to be convinced that there is a peace deal that is in their interest.

And to that end, Mark Carney has made it clear that he supports these diplomatic efforts that the president is engaging in, but that also there are conditions that must be met. Canada did announce about $1.9 billion in new aid for Ukraine as well, which is welcomed. But obviously it is military aid that is crucial. I want you to listen now to both leaders as they spoke just ahead of their meeting.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) MARK CARNEY, CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER: And the barbarism that we saw overnight, the attack on Kyiv, shows just how important it is that we stand with Ukraine during this difficult time and that we create the conditions for this just and lasting peace and a true reconstruction.

[14:05:07]

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT: Last week we had good steps in diplomacy, but we can't live in illusion that it gives us the possibility to have less defense with Russia. It doesn't work.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: Now, what you're hearing there, Danny, is the very real skepticism that no matter what happens at mar a Mar-a-Lago, that the fact is Russia is not ready to come to the table with any kind of constructive peace that Ukraine can accept.

I will say, though, that there is more pressure on countries like Canada, European allies, to step up militarily. And that's not just coming from Ukraine, it's coming from the United States as well, because they do believe the longer Ukraine can hang in, the stronger they are along the front lines, the more productive those peace talks will be. To that end, Canada's aid right now not really military at this point in time. More than a quarter of the military aid has been given, total aid has been given to Ukraine militarily. But again, you can tell Volodymyr Zelenskyy wants these leaders at the table offering military assistance as well as economic aid.

FREEMAN: Yes, very clear indeed. All right, Kevin Liptak and Paula Newton, thank you both for your reporting.

For more on this, let's discuss now with Democratic Congresswoman Debbie Dingell of Michigan. She's a member of the Congressional Ukrainian Caucus. Congresswoman, thank you so much for being here on this holiday weekend, a consequential one for Ukraine. The president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, says Russia attacked his country with nearly 500 drones and missiles overnight. Again, this meeting happening tomorrow at Mar-a-Lago. So do you think Vladimir Putin, though the one person not there, actually has an interest in a deal getting done between Zelenskyy and Trump?

REP. DEBBIE DINGELL, (D-MI): So if I were to answer that honestly, I would bet that he doesn't want it to happen. And I would reinforce what the Canadian prime minister just said, which is President Trump is critical if we are to find peace for Ukraine. Russia was the aggressor. President Trump has an enormous power in his hands, and I pray that the meeting tomorrow goes well and that he can help negotiate a lasting peace.

FREEMAN: Let's talk a little bit about what may be on the table when Zelenskyy meets with President Trump tomorrow. He's bringing this new peace proposal, which, as we understand, includes a major concession to Russia pulling troops from Ukraine's Donbas region to create a demilitarized zone. I'm curious what you think about this particular compromise from Zelenskyy. DINGELL: So, quite frankly, I'm one of those people that believes

that Russia was the aggressor. I think that Ukraine is fighting for its freedom, and that's an important symbol for all of us. If President Zelenskyy is bringing this forward, if he is at the table willing to have these diplomatic discussions and to put that at play, then I think we should support the president in putting that forward. And I hope that President Trump tomorrow hears that President Zelenskyy is making concessions to try to negotiate diplomatically a ceasefire.

FREEMAN: Yes, especially since President Trump has been pressing for concessions from Zelenskyy for quite some time now.

Congresswoman, I want to switch gears for a moment, if that's all right, just because were getting to the end of the year, and next week, health care is about to dramatically change potentially here in the U.S. Obamacare premiums set to skyrocket for tens of millions of Americans. Medicaid coverage will also become a little bit more uncertain after President Trumps big, beautiful bill goes into effect. What are you hearing from your constituents at this point about this looming risk?

DINGELL: Danny, the only thing I'm going to say to you is that you say it's next week. It's now. I have -- I'm getting several calls a day from people who are really panicked, that are making a decision that they can't afford health care next year. A woman that's actually a seamstress whose grandchild is not going to be able to get health care, a very difficult situation for me. The parents of a 15-year-old who is probably not going to make it, saying to me, you need to come to this floor that our child is on and see what you are fighting for.

People are scared, and they don't know if they're going to be able to get the resources that they need. Seniors are frightened. I mean, for too many people in this country, I simply believe that if you're sick, you should be able to go to the doctor when you need to go to the doctor and afford the medicine that you need. And people are not going to be able to afford health insurance. They're going to wait until they're even sicker before they go to an emergency room to get treatment. And we're all going to pay for it. And that's not the way you should live in this country.

FREEMAN: All right, but, congresswoman, I mean, there was a proposal at one point being floated by some Republicans that would give Affordable Care Act recipients the choice to take the subsidy or a health savings account to help them afford their plans. We've seen other plans come across as well. Should Democrats take a deal like that if it does come to fruition?

[14:15:03]

DINGELL: OK, let's be really blunt about what was in their plan. And that plan did not get a lot of support to anybody. And the amount of money that they were going to put there wouldn't have covered most people's medical bills these days, or you got a more expensive medicine. We should be together. I want to work with Republicans. When we

return, we're going to have a vote on the floor. And my guess is that the three-year extension will pass. But then we're going to have to work with the Senate. And there are Republican and Democratic senators who are working together. "Compromise" is not a dirty word. Our job is to not fight each other, but to deliver for the American people. And I want to sit with Republicans and come up with something that's going to really help the people that I represent.

FREEMAN: All right, we're going to be talking a lot more about health care in the new year. Congresswoman Debbie Dingell, thank you so much for joining us again on this holiday weekend and sharing insight on a lot of important issues. Appreciate it.

DINGELL: Thank you. Danny.

FREEMAN: Still to come this hour, a powerful snowstorm is blasting the northeast, leaving quite a travel mess in its wake. We're going to tell you where the flight delays and cancellations are piling up. Don't go anywhere.

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[14:15:27]

FREEMAN: Right now, the northeast is digging out from a massive winter storm that dumped heavy snow and dangerous ice all across the region. New York City clearing out after its first snowfall greater than four inches since 2022. Now, LaGuardia was one of the several airports in the area hit hard with flight delays and many cancellations, plus, thousands of customers across Michigan started their weekend without power.

CNN meteorologist Chris Warren joins me now with the latest. Chris, it's amazing because this is just one of two storms hitting the U.S. basically the same time. What's in store for folks on both coasts today?

CHRIS WARREN, METEOROLOGIST: Well, what we're going to be watching, Danny, is the next one really winding up and moving through the Midwest, while the one that we saw overnight, when really that's when the majority of the snow came in New York and Connecticut and throughout a lot of the northeast here, as that is moving out, cold air is moving in. Some of the higher snowfall totals were in New York and Connecticut, close to a foot of snow. There's that Central Park at 4.3 inches of snow.

The forecast changed a bit late last night as the heavy snow band kind of moved a little bit to the east, so New York could have, we were thinking, would get almost double what they did get. But some areas did absolutely get clobbered by a lot of snow. That is winding down, a few snow showers lingering in New Jersey and far eastern PA at the moment.

And then here comes the next one. This one is going to be too mild across much of the northeast for snow. Again, a little bit of wintry mix is possible here in pink, but the big-time snow happening in Wisconsin and parts of Minnesota. You can see right in here these pink colors six to eight inches some areas locally, maybe even a foot of snow.

And then on top of that for late tomorrow and into early Monday with the snow and the rain also going to be the wind. And of course, when it comes to holiday travel, that is tough at the airports, not just how strong some of these winds are going to be by Monday morning, really Sunday night into Monday morning, 45 to 50 mile per hour gusts in Chicago. But it's also the wind direction. Changing wind direction over the runways can lead to delays. And through Monday afternoon into the evening hours, the northeast will be seeing some of those strong winds, again, going along with some of the rain.

Then the temperature changes here. How about this in Chicago with daytime highs well above average tomorrow 55 degrees. And then just drops down, not just well below average but staying below freezing for highs and lows, Danny, most of the week.

FREEMAN: Wow. That's wild. Listen, I don't envy those who have to travel, but I will say it was beautiful with the snow coming down in New York City last night. Chris Warren, thanks so much as always. Appreciate you.

Joining me now to talk more about that travel is Clint Henderson, the managing editor for the travel website, The Points Guy. Clint, it's good to see you. Let's start here. If you were flying today and you were seeing that board turn redder and redder and delayed and delayed, what would you do? What would be your advice?

CLINT HENDERSON, MANAGING EDITOR, THE POINTS GUY: So the best advice in a situation like that when weather is really wrecking your local airport, is see if the airline will let you reschedule. That's honestly my best advice in a situation like that. The airlines are getting better and better at putting in place waivers. So today, for instance, they've had a weather waiver in place for the northeast so you can reschedule your flight with no issue. And the airlines are being very flexible these days. So if you're in a situation where you're traveling from or to an airport that's really socked in by whether, I say cut bait and just reschedule for another day, if you can.

The other thing I would just say to, to travelers is make sure you're situationally aware, make sure you know what's going on at the airport. Have that airline app installed, have the customer service phone numbers, have a plan b. You've really got to use all the tools in the toolbox.

FREEMAN: Yes. It's amazing. Sometimes they'll rebook you without you even, like, knowing that it has happened. But like you said, they're getting more and more used to this process.

Clint, I'm curious though, are we past the busiest days of travel, or do a lot of people have their eyes on tomorrow?

HENDERSON: No. Tomorrow is the busiest day, and that's all the more reason to be on top of things, because flights are full. So a lot of those folks who have been on canceled or delayed flights, they're going to want to get on a new flight tomorrow. Well, if the planes already full, you know, you get in a situation where there's just no available seats. So you've got to you got to have a have that plan b handy.

FREEMAN: Yes, I think that's -- yes, Monday might end up being the day.

But do you have any tips for those folks who, let's say they do already have their flights tomorrow, I'm sure airports are going to be crazy no matter what, what tips would you give to those folks who are planning their holiday getaway?

[14:20:01]

HENDERSON: Yes, the first thing I would say is get to the airport early. Obviously, make sure you know what's happening with your flight, but then get to the airport early. Just give yourself some grace. You don't want to be rushing. And remember, a lot of people traveling this time of year don't know what they're doing. Not to be too rude.

(LAUGHTER)

HENDERSON: But you know, they may not even know that they no longer have to take off their shoes. So you've got a lot of folks who don't travel a lot. So just give yourself some extra time. Theres so much to do at airports these days. I don't consider it wasted time to get there three hours early just in case. So that's my strongest recommendation.

FREEMAN: No, but it's a good point. You know, for a lot most people. Right. If they travel, this is the one time of year perhaps they travel. So that is a point well taken.

Selfishly, though, I wanted to ask you one more thing, Clint. Is this a good time to maybe look at taking any last-minute trips again? Again, hypothetically, maybe if you've been working straight through the holidays and through the holiday weekend, for example.

HENDERSON: Yes, this is a great time to use points and miles last minute because you're going to get maximum value. The other thing I would say is use a tool like Google Flights Explorer. Say you want to go to the Caribbean. You put in your home airport, it will show you the cheapest options in the Caribbean even last minute. So I love that tool. And one more tip -- start booking your spring break trips now because it's the cheapest it's going to be before spring break.

FREEMAN: Start booking your spring break trips now? Clint, I'm trying to get through this weekend. Spring break.

HENDERSON: Sorry, sorry.

FREEMAN: No, no, its good advice. And listen, the gift cards that people have in stockings, maybe that's exactly what you can start putting them towards now. Clint Henderson, thank you so much for breaking all that down. Really appreciate your time.

HENDERSON: Yes. Happy new year.

FREEMAN: To you as well.

And you can kick off the year with comedy legend Chevy Chase in a sharp, funny, and revealing new CNN film featuring candid interviews with the Chase family, friends, costars, and of course, the man himself, Chevy. "I'm Chevy Chase and You're Not" premieres New Year's Day at 8:00 p.m. eastern and the next day on the CNN app. Looking forward to that one.

All right, months after nine-year-old Melodee Buzzard vanished, a back road discovery revealed the devastating truth. Now, Melodee's mother is facing charges in her death. In just a moment, we'll take a deep dive into the months long investigation. Don't go anywhere.

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[14:26:41]

FREEMAN: Investigators in California are searching for a possible motive in the killing of nine-year-old Melodee Buzzard. Now, she vanished while on a road trip with her mother, triggering a massive multi-state search. Well, now her mother, Ashlee, has been charged with first degree murder in Melodee's death, pleading not guilty during a Friday court appearance. CNN's Marybel Gonzalez joins me now. Maribel, what's the latest on this story?

MARYBEL GONZALEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Danny. Well, the long search for nine-year-old California girl Melodee Buzzard is now over. But the hunt for answers into exactly what happened to her is just beginning. Now, her mother, as you just mentioned, Ashlee Buzzard, appeared before a judge Friday following her arrest Tuesday. She's charged with first degree murder in her daughter's killing, which, according to a criminal complaint, was carried out with exceptional, quote, "cruelty and viciousness."

Now, after searching for two months across eight states, Melodee's body was found on December 6th in the rural community of Caineville, Utah, by a couple who pulled off a state highway onto an easily missed dirt road. Now, authorities said she died from gunshot wounds to her head. Now, they also say that evidence points to a suspect who Melodee trusted the most in this world. Her mother, Ashlee buzzard, has pleaded not guilty on Friday, and prosecutors said they would not seek the death penalty if she is convicted, but would instead ask for life in prison without parole. Melodee's family had a strong reaction to that announcement.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARVIN MEZA, MELODEE BUZZARD'S PATERNAL UNCLE: The prosecution is stating that they're not going to seek the death penalty. I don't understand why. I think they're going to seek life in prison. That's fine. But I think for what she's -- what she did, it should be a lot worse. (END VIDEO CLIP)

GONZALEZ: Now, it's interesting to note that many of Melodee's extended relatives said they had not seen her in years, and it was ultimately not her family that reported her missing back in October, but rather a concerned school administrator.

Now, Melodee was last seen on video with her mom, Ashlee, on October 9th near the Colorado and Utah state line while on a road trip, both appearing to wear wigs. Detectives now believe Melodee was killed shortly after this video was taken.

Now they also say they were hindered by deliberate efforts to hide the truth from clumsy disguises, swapped license plates, and an uncooperative mother who could not provide a reasonable explanation for her daughter's whereabouts. We have reached out to Ashlee's attorney for comment. She is due back in court in January. Danny?

FREEMAN: Oh man, such a sad and bizarre story. Marybel, thank you so much. Just before you go, though, can you tell us what exactly happens next in this case?

GONZALEZ: Well, this is just -- she just got charged with a first degree murder charge. She did plead not guilty. She is back for a preliminary hearing back in court. And that is when we will see where this case goes legally speaking.

FREEMAN: OK, got it. So, a lot more in the new year. Marybel Gonzalez, thank you so much for that, appreciate it.

All right, I want to get an expert perspective on this now. I'd like to bring in former senior FBI profiler Mary Ellen O'Toole. Thank you so much for joining us and for breaking down a really complex, bizarre case. Let's start here. What does Ashlee Buzzard, Melodee's mother, of course, lack of cooperation with investigators suggest about her potential involvement here?

[14:30:04]

MARY ELLEN O'TOOLE, FORMER SENIOR FBI PROFILER: Well, it's not just her lack of participation in the case. It's a combination of behaviors and forensic evidence that they're looking at. So the fact that she's not cooperating with law enforcement, that's certainly significant. But they're also looking at how well the trip was planned, all the effort and the behavior that went into, the premeditation that went into the planning. So when you combine all that together, I mean, it came across to them that this woman did not want to participate, did not want to help find her daughter. And as more evidence is collected, then she begins to look, you know, more and more responsible for what happened to Melodee.

FREEMAN: You know, this stood out to a lot of us. I believe the criminal complaint describes the act as a calculated and vicious killing. That struck me as really strong language. What specific evidence led investigators to characterize it this way? O'TOOLE: Well, probably several things. And the one thing that really

has jumped out at me is that this is a little girl, and she is, according to the reports -- and that could certainly change -- but she was shot in the head. And that's tantamount to an assassination.

She's then left along the side of the road. And in my old unit, the profiling unit, we look at the ways bodies are disposed of. They're staged, they're buried, or they're dumped. And this body was dumped on the side of the road. And when a body is dumped, that implies I don't care about this person anymore. They're meaningless to me. And in some instances, the offender views the victim as garbage.

So when I look at the cause of death and the way that Melodee was left on the side of the road, that certainly suggests to me that it was extremely cold. And then the planning on top of that suggests that it was very calculated and intentional. So it rules out defenses like impulsive act, accidental act. And then it begins to help investigators really narrow down what the motive or motives might have been.

FREEMAN: Well, again, I've been out there in parts of Utah, which is very -- you know, there are parts that are really rural. It's amazing that anyone ultimately found that that poor girl's body. Given that Melodee had been missing for months, why do you think it took investigators so long to formally charge her mother, Ashlee, despite actually having her in custody earlier on a false imprisonment charge?

O'TOOLE: They needed the forensic evidence. And what they need in a case like this is they needed Melodee's body. They needed to be able to determine cause and manner of death, which they now have. They needed strong forensic evidence, which they have, which is the DNA. And then they also have the ballistic evidence. So you can't go into court on a major case like this and just explain that the mother wouldn't cooperate, because there could be a lot of reasons for that. You have to say Melodee is not just missing. Melodee is dead. She's dead as a result of homicide. Homicide as the result of a gunshot wound to the head, which is tantamount, again, to an assassination. So we can rule out all of these other motives. So they needed all of that to paint the correct picture of very likely what happened here.

FREEMAN: And yet still, it seems that were in the very early stages. So I guess from your perspective, what do you expect investigators, and of course, ultimately prosecutors to do next as we enter the new year?

O'TOOLE: Well, one of the first things that a jury is going to want to understand is there is this sweet little girl. What could possibly this this child have done to cause this kind of behavior? So as best as they can, they will go back and attempt to establish the relationship that the mother had with the daughter and what took place in that relationship. And that's going to be a challenge because Melodee was homeschooled. She was removed from the rest of her family. So that's going to take months of investigative work to be able to establish that pattern of behavior that led up to, at least right now, what appears to be that this child was not wanted by her mother, maybe even hated by the mother, got in the way of the mother's life. But to get to that point, they have the evidence. But I think they

need to walk the jury through that so they can understand. That's more than likely a possible motive in this case.

FREEMAN: Again, a lot more to come on such a sad and bizarre story. Mary Ellen O'Toole, thank you so much for your perspective. We really do appreciate it.

O'TOOLE: You're welcome.

FREEMAN: All right, coming up, President Donald Trump says the Justice Department should be working on election fraud instead of redactions in the Epstein files. We'll tell you where things stand today as more than a million more documents related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein need to still be sorted through.

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[14:39:19]

FREEMAN: Election fraud, not Jeffrey Epstein -- that's what President Trump thinks the Justice Department's focus should be. After officials announced this week they found a million additional documents potentially related to the late sex offender, President Trump took to social media last night to blast the DOJ for spending too much time on what he calls a Democrat-inspired hoax, writing, quote, "When do they say no more and work on election fraud?"

All right, let's discuss more now with "Politico Magazine" senior writer and former federal prosecutor Ankush Khardori. Ankush, thank you so much for being here on this holiday weekend. Let's start here. If you can help explain for our viewers, how does the DOJ just find a million new documents?

[14:40:01]

ANKUSH KHARDORI, SENIOR WRITER, "POLITICO MAGAZINE": This is an excellent question. It's particularly a good question, I think, for a reason I don't think has gotten enough attention, which is that the Trump Justice Department claimed that they reviewed all the documents before they issued a joint memo saying that there was nothing further to investigate, that they went over the prior investigation.

In terms of how they find a million documents, I've never seen this happen before. I can tell you, as someone who represented corporations once, in response to Justice Department criminal investigations and had to facilitate the production of documents, if a corporate defendant waited to the last day to respond to a subpoena, said that they were doing rolling productions, and then told the government a week later that they had a million documents they had missed, the Justice Department would go ballistic. This is a total, like, professionally incompetent endeavor. It reflects very poorly on the Bondi and Blanche Justice Department.

FREEMAN: Yes, the word "find" also doing a lot of work there. But also help explain this, if it's all right. By law, the Justice Department had 30 days to release all of the Epstein files. OK, that deadline was last Friday. So why are we still seeing dumps of documents and also discovery of new ones to this point that we're talking about?

KHARDORI: Incompetence. I mean, there's actually no other explanation. I mean, it would have been fine, you know, the day after the deadline, people like we were prepared to grant them a little bit of grace because they said, oh, we have some more stuff coming. It's like, OK, if you need -- it takes a few more days to put it out, you know, people aren't going to bat an eye.

What should have happened here is the Justice Department should have asked Congress for an extension. They clearly were not prepared to do this despite the fact that it was Trump's idea, right? I mean, Trump is the one who committed to doing this last summer in an interview with FOX News. Kash Patel spent years ginning this up. It was Vice President J.D. Vance who was laughing about a totally unfunny matter, this case, on a podcast with Theo Von talking about releasing the client list. The fact that these folks were not prepared to do it after hemming and hawing all year, trying to avoid the day finally arriving, reflects incompetence. We can talk about malice, cover up, whatever, but at a bare minimum, it's gross incompetence.

FREEMAN: Yes. And again, transparency is something that the Trump administration keeps trying to trumpet in all levels, including this one as well. But that certainly has not happened yet as these documents keep coming out.

I'm curious, though, in a new piece for "Politico," you write about how whatever emerges in the files is, quote, "unlikely to put an end to all of the Epstein conspiracy theories." Explain that further. Why do you think that is?

KHARDORI: Well, look, I mean, we've never done this before, dumped a gigantic, raw investigative criminal file onto the public, millions of pages, on the theory that the public will somehow be able to clarify a whole set of facts that the government evidently was unable to. I mean, this was not a good idea from its inception. And I talked about this even when the bill was just a bill.

I think really what should have happened here if we wanted to get some answers about this investigation and how it proceeded, is the Trump Justice Department, instead of firing the Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell prosecutors, should have allowed them to testify before Congress about what they did, how they did it.

Kash Patel, Pam Bondi when they released that memo over the summer saying, we're done. Nothing left to see here. We've been over it. They should talk to the American public and testify to Congress about what they did. I think the dumping of these files is not going to clarify much of anything. But again, this is a mess entirely of the Trump administration and Justice Department's own making.

FREEMAN: Well, again, to that point, then, it is up to the public to decide what is important, what is not, what is real, what is not. I mean, you have the DOJ replying in tweets to people as well about specific elements in this file. I mean, yes, a lot more to talk about the Epstein files, I'm sure, as we go into the new year, a lot more to talk with you about, but we have to leave it there for now. Ankush Khardori, thank you so much for your time and expertise, appreciate it.

KHARDORI: Thank you.

FREEMAN: All right, coming up in a moment, resilience in the face of tragedy. I'll introduce you to a high school senior rebuilding life in Philadelphia after being forced from home in Ukraine by Russia's war. Stay with. You're not going to want to miss this.

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[14:48:28]

FREEMAN: To this now. Flu cases are on the rise across the country this holiday season. In its latest report, the CDC says flu cases nationwide jumped nearly 15 percent over the previous week, and nearly 10,000 people have been hospitalized. Tamiflu is widely prescribed as a treatment for the flu, of course, but it's not the only option. CNN Health reporter Jacqueline Howard has more on what other flu treatments are available.

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JACQUELINE HOWARD, CNN HEALTH REPORTER: The CDC recommends four different antiviral flu medications for this flu season. One of them is Tamiflu. That one is already widely used, widely available. It's typically taken twice daily over the course of five days, and it can be administered either in pill form or liquid form. It's approved for nearly everyone ages two weeks and older.

Now there's also Relenza. This is typically inhaled as powder form. It's approved for ages seven and older. There's also Rapivab. It's an IV infusion for ages six months and older. And there's Xofluza. Now, this is a single dose pill, and it's approved for ages five and older. And Xofluza is growing in popularity because of that convenience of having just one dose to take and then you should be good to go.

Now, if you have flu symptoms, it's important to get tested. If you test positive, call your doctor right away, because all of those antiviral medications, they are prescription drugs. So you do need to be prescribed the treatment.

[14:50:00]

And once you're prescribed, it's important to start your treatment as soon as possible, because these medications work best when taken within the first 48 hours after your symptoms start. And again, while Tamiflu is widely popular, Xofluza is becoming more well known. There are slight differences. The side effects associated with Tamiflu are typically nausea and vomiting. But with Xofluza, most people typically experience nausea and diarrhea. Now, Tamiflu does tend to cost less than Xofluza, but with Xofluza you

could look into getting manufactured coupons to help lessen the cost. And for both medications, they do work prophylactically as well. So if you've been exposed to the flu virus or if someone in your household has the flu, your doctor may prescribe either medication to help reduce your risk of getting sick as well.

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FREEMAN: Jacqueline Howard, thank you so much for that report.

To this now. As the fighting has raged for nearly four years, life for some of the thousands who fled Ukraine at the start of the war has changed dramatically. Now, I spoke with a young woman in Philadelphia who came to the U.S. as a timid teenager but is achieving great success despite the adversity in her homeland.

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FREEMAN: On a recent chilly morning in northeast Philadelphia.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Who is the real Othello?

FREEMAN: An advanced English class read Shakespeare.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's act five, scene two.

FREEMAN: Acting out a tragedy about unjust violence.

KATE SOBOLEVSKA, FLED WAR IN UKRAINE IN 2022: Then Llord, have mercy on me.

FREEMAN: But in this class, 18-year-old senior Kate Sobolevska is herself a symbol of resilience in the face of tragedy, because before she was Kate from Philadelphia.

SOBOLEVSKA: I feel like it's easier to say Kate.

FREEMAN: She was Kateryna from Ukraine.

SOBOLEVSKA: I'm from Lviv, not exactly the city. The smaller city in Lviv region.

FREEMAN: Just a few years ago, Kateryna was living happily in her peaceful community.

SOBOLEVSKA: It's very cozy. It's very, very small. I can cross the whole city in, like a day.

FREEMAN: A big sister with a loving family, president of her student government who loved handball and ballroom dancing.

Like waltz, foxtrot?

SOBOLEVSKA: Yes.

FREEMAN: All of them?

SOBOLEVSKA: Cha-cha-cha. Yes.

FREEMAN: Really?

SOBOLEVSKA: Yes.

FREEMAN: You did all of that in Ukraine in your small --

SOBOLEVSKA: Slick hair and heels.

FREEMAN: Do you remember when it all changed?

SOBOLEVSKA: I do.

FREEMAN: In February 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine. Kate, her mom, and her little brother quickly decided they had to leave the country.

What went through your mind when you heard that news that you were leaving your home?

SOBOLEVSKA: It was really stressful, but I believed it would be for like two weeks, then a month, then two months.

FREEMAN: And men between the ages of 18 and 60 were banned initially from leaving the country. So her father had to stay behind.

SOBOLEVSKA: I talk with him every single day, and he's my main support, and he's really proud. And I just wish he could see me grow up and just understanding that the last time he saw me was when I was 14 is really hard.

FREEMAN: Kate's family traveled through Europe and passed through New York before settling in Philadelphia, where she started attending George Washington High School.

How would you describe yourself when you first got here?

SOBOLEVSKA: Very lost. The school was very big and, also, again, language barrier. I wasn't really confident in speaking, and I was also really shy, and I didn't know anyone.

GIANNA LOZZI, HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH TEACHER: Very quiet, very reserved.

FREEMAN: But then South Philly English teacher Gianna Lozzi started to read Kate's work.

LOZZI: There's something about being an English teacher and getting that first paper from a kid and being like, oh, OK. Like, you could write.

FREEMAN: But she had no idea about Kate's journey.

LOZZI: She would start to come for lunch and, you know, sit closer to me and we would talk a lot. And that's when she opened up about, you know, all the things that she's been through, what brought her here. FREEMAN: English teacher Billy Marchio, who runs the school's honors program.

BILLY MARCHIO, HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH TEACHER: I said, you know, what do you what can you tell me about Kate? And they said, oh, you know, the levels are off the charts. So I took Kate in.

FREEMAN: And it sounds like she rose to the occasion.

MARCHIO: She did.

FREEMAN: While frequently translating for her family at home and helping take care of her younger brother, since arriving in 2022, Kate has simultaneously risen to the top of her class, become a member of the National Honors Society, and even got into a summer journalism program at Princeton.

MARCHIO: We're academics first and artists after.

FREEMAN: This past fall, Mr. Marchio nominated Kate to be senior of the month across the entire Philadelphia school district, and she got it.

MARCHIO: Not many people can, you know, do calculus and do these chemical equations with all that weighing in their mind.

LOZZI: I think that her classmates are very, you know, inspired by her. We have a lot of, you know, Ukrainian refugees here, and I think it's going to be so encouraging and hopeful scenario for them.

[14:55:04]

FREEMAN: And Kate from Ukraine understands the responsibility.

SOBOLEVSKA: There are kids in Ukraine who don't have the ability to go to school, or who go to school, and they have to go to a bomb shelter every single day. I feel like I just have to be grateful for what I have. And that's the best thing I could do.

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FREEMAN: Just incredible strength right there. And a big thank you to Dr. Thompson, the principal of George Washington High School, for sharing her wonderful community with us.

All right, we have a lot more news coming up ahead on the next hour of CNN Newsroom that's coming up just after a quick break.

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