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Trump Heading to Disaster Areas in North Carolina and California; Some North Carolina Residents Displaced by Storm Slam FEMA; Trump's Mass Deportation Plan Moving Along Swiftly; Senate to Hold Final Vote on Trump's Defense Secretary Nominee Today; Israel Not Withdrawing from Lebanon by Sunday Deadline; Gaza's Last Victims Before Hostage-Ceasefire Deal Took Effect; Inside Syria's Humanitarian Crisis; Giant Pandas Make Public Debut at National Zoo in Washington; Serious Contenders Emerge as Potential Buyers of TikTok. Aired 10-11a ET
Aired January 24, 2025 - 10:00:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[10:00:32]
ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN Abu Dhabi, this is CONNECT THE WORLD.
ELENI GIOKOS, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Welcome to our second hour of CONNECT THE WORLD. I'm Eleni Giokos in Abu Dhabi.
A busy day for the U.S. president. Donald Trump is on his way to North Carolina right now and he will see firsthand the devastation left by
hurricanes in that area before heading to California and Nevada.
The humanitarian situation in Syria is dire. We will speak to the deputy executive director of UNICEF, who recently visited the country on what the
children there need most urgently.
Dramatic pictures from California, where President Trump is headed to next. We take you there live for more on these raging wildfires.
Well, U.S. President Donald Trump is en route to North Carolina, the first of two stops today to states impacted by natural disasters. He boarded Air
Force One last hour for what is his first trip outside Washington since the inauguration. He'll go to Southern California later to tour areas impacted
by wildfires.
The president heading to those states after criticizing Democrats for what he calls botched responses to both disasters. California Governor Gavin
Newsom, the target of direct criticism from the president, says he'll meet Mr. Trump at the airport when he arrives later. The president kept up the
criticism and comments last hour before leaving the White House.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: North Carolina has been treated very badly, so we're stopping there and we're going to then go to
Los Angeles and take a look at a fire that could have been put out if they let the water flow, but they didn't let the water flow, and they still
haven't for whatever reason.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GIOKOS: All right. CNN White House reporter Alayna Treene is back with us this hour for the latest.
What can you tell us about this trip, its importance? It's the devastated areas in the United States and of course raging wildfires still on the go,
Alayna.
ALAYNA TREENE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: That's exactly right. And we also know that Donald Trump has been talking about visiting California for
a few weeks now. There was actually some talk among his team about whether he would go last week. However, Donald Trump said that he wanted to go as
president. He believed he could do more if he held off on that trip. And so that's why we're seeing him go today.
But he's also going to North Carolina, which we know has been devastated by Hurricane Helene, which hit them hard last fall. So a number of stops
really trying to address some of the devastation that these cities have seen, talk with local leaders. We know he's going to be getting briefings
on the recovery efforts there as well. And his team, the White House team has invited several lawmakers, local lawmakers, but also those in Congress
to join him for these visits. I'll note that we're seeing lawmakers in both parties go to accompany him today.
Now, one thing that's very interesting that I would watch for today is how Donald Trump is going to be talking about FEMA. We know that FEMA is the
agency that really helps coordinate all of the recovery efforts, helps try to send emergency responders funding, et cetera. Different resources all
goes through that agency. Donald Trump has been very critical, however, of FEMA in recent weeks, arguing that FEMA is not doing enough and not
responding in the right way to these different disasters.
So he said earlier this week that potentially he believes maybe FEMA needs to have a lesser role in kind of getting some of that aid to these
different states. Stay tuned on whether there's an announcement on that today. Another thing I'll be watching for as well is if Donald Trump
continues to use his critical rhetoric of some of the local lawmakers, specifically Democratic lawmakers in these different states.
We know in California, for example, he has been very critical of California Governor Gavin Newsom. He's used derogatory terms when describing him,
falsely claiming that California and its officials are not allowing water from the northern part of the state to flow down to the southern part of
the state. That is not how California gets its water. But all to say, we're also looking for whether or not he tries to aim some of that fire on these
different officials today.
Now, when I talked with one White House official, they said, really, they want to keep the focus on the communities, on how to better use their
resources to help these communities and not get into some of the politics of it, although that official added that he believed the condemnation that
Donald Trump has been using toward those officials is justified.
[10:05:09]
So all to say, we're going to see him in North Carolina soon. His first briefing will begin at 11:00 a.m., and then later today, he'll head to Los
Angeles -- Eleni.
GIOKOS: Yes. And look, there is a lot happening. I mean, we just heard last hour the deportation of migrants using military aircraft back to Guatemala.
We've got news on ICE raids and arrests that are currently in progress. What can you tell us about that?
TREENE: Yes, this is Donald Trump really digging in on one of his long held campaign promises. I mean, I've covered him extensively over the last two
years in his campaign, and he repeatedly said that he believed immigration and dealing with the border and beginning that process of mass -- the mass
deportation of migrants was his number one priority, even more than the economy.
And we saw him very swiftly try to begin that process just moments after being sworn into office on Monday. Now, as you mentioned, it was pretty
striking imagery. We saw Donald Trump's press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, shared some photos of migrants handcuffed, being boarded onto military
aircraft to be sent over the border. They were boarding that military aircraft in El Paso, Texas.
So I think we're going to see more of this. We know that Tom Homan, Donald Trump's borders czar, has been previewing a lot of this as well, saying
that the military is going to be involved in this. We know that Donald Trump signed an executive order as well this week, sending thousands of
active duty troops to the southern border to help with these efforts. So this is going to be an ongoing process and again a very big priority for
Donald Trump and will likely be a big part of these first few weeks, but even months and perhaps years of an administrative task for them.
GIOKOS: All right, Alayna Treene, thanks so much.
Well, despite President Trump's criticism of FEMA, its voucher program has helped thousands of people in the state find shelter. But as Meena Duerson
found out, the sometimes confusing process to get assistance has left some there out in the cold or fearing another displacement.
Let's take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MEAGAN STELCHOOK, DISPLACED RESIDENT: There's another spot to going to do some school work and eat. We've got our second bathroom.
MEENA DUERSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Slash closet?
STELCHOOK: Yes. Yes.
DUERSON (Voice-over): Right now this hotel room is home for Meagan Stelchook and her daughters. In September, the house they've just moved
into flooded in Hurricane Helene. And they bounced from shelter to shelter until a FEMA housing voucher came through.
STELCHOOK: We stayed at La Quinta there for a couple of weeks, and then they said they didn't have any more vacancies for us, so we had to move
over to the comfort suites. And then that hotel decided to not participate in the voucher program any longer.
DUERSON: They've lived in this hotel for the past month, but her voucher is set to expire on February 7th.
STELCHOOK: I'm terrified that I'll wake up and, you know, I'll just get a phone call and it'll be like, yes, your voucher is no longer active. It
makes it hard to breathe. It's very difficult to sleep. It's the most, you know, disabling feeling I've ever, you know, ever felt.
DUERSON: The voucher is through FEMA's Transitional Sheltering Assistance Program. The agency says almost 13,000 households have used the program in
western North Carolina since Helene, and benefits have repeatedly been extended. FEMA says it reassesses the need every two weeks, a process
displaced residents say has been confusing and stressful.
STELCHOOK: Yes, I can't tell you how many hours I've spent down there thinking that I was making some progress here, you know, because I am
really limited on funds. I'm trying to, like, properly, you know, make sure that I am filing correctly, you know, so that I can get the assistance
that, you know, really, really need.
DUERSON: Stelchook says she relies on updates from Mira and Brian Williams. They own the Blue Ridge Tourist Court, where she and other storm victims
have been living.
BRIAN WILLIAMS, OWNER, BLUE RIDGE TOURIST COURT: Access to information for us as hotel owners is a little more straightforward. We're able to speak
directly to the third party that oversees the FEMA voucher program. So we have a direct line to them that I'm not sure the displaced people do have.
DUERSON: How long do you think you're going to be able to be a participant in this program?
WILLIAMS: I think it depends on how long FEMA keeps the program active.
DUERSON (voice-over): FEMA's relief program in North Carolina has drawn a lot of criticism. False claims went so viral the agency had to create a
rumor page to debunk misleading information. In a letter to the governor Sunday, FEMA said the voucher program is approved until the end of March
and is still supporting over 2700 people. The agency says it will call anyone whose voucher may become ineligible and give three weeks' notice
instead of seven days.
But LeeAnne Bowlin says she never heard from anyone at FEMA before the hotel where she stayed told her that her voucher expired.
LEEANN BOWLIN, DISPLACED RESIDENT: They knocked on my door on the 13th and said, FEMA just sent us an e-mail saying that tonight is the last night
they're going to pay for you.
[10:10:06]
DUERSON: She filed for FEMA assistance as a household with her boyfriend at the time, and says she was told she could change it to an individual claim
later. She says FEMA ended the voucher for the household 10 days ago, but she hasn't been able to get help filing for benefits as an individual.
You haven't been able to get ahold of anyone to untangle that situation?
BOWLIN: Nope.
DUERSON: Since then?
BOWLIN: No, I've called nothing.
DUERSON (voice-over): Out of money, she had to move out of the hotel and take everything to a campground.
BOWLIN: We got donated a camper, not from FEMA. FEMA sucks.
DUERSON: With the area already crunched for affordable housing and temperatures now in the single digits, displaced residents fear they'll
have nowhere to go and that they've been forgotten.
BOWLIN: I guess we're just mountain people that nobody cares about, that nobody tells their story or nothing about how bad it is here.
DUERSON: You're feeling left behind.
BOWLIN: Very much so. I mean, we're just thrown out like garbage.
STELCHOOK: I hope that we haven't been left behind. There's got to be a better way. I mean, I don't know it, but there's got to be.
DUERSON (on-camera): FEMA told us they are still here, and they are encouraging anyone who still needs aid to apply for it if they haven't
received it. They insisted that they have been notifying applicants if their eligibility status for these vouchers has changed. But locals told us
this is really an issue of people slipping through the cracks because of bad communication.
Meena Duerson, CNN, Boone, North Carolina.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GIOKOS: President Trump's mass deportation plan targeting undocumented migrants is ramping up. Earlier today, the White House press secretary
announced that deportation flights have begun and released these images on X of dozens of migrants boarding a U.S. Military aircraft bound for
Guatemala. Arrests are also happening in so-called sanctuary cities across the U.S.
CNN's Whitney Wild has more on the president's deportation plans, and shows us why immigrant communities face so much fear and uncertainty.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WHITNEY WILD, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): With President Trump moving swiftly to deport undocumented immigrants across the
country --
(On camera): What does this space mean to you? What does this room mean to you?
Relief is one aspect of it. I feel calm because I'm sheltered.
This bedroom is part home, part hiding place for this woman, whose name we are withholding because she fears deportation.
A lot of helplessness because I'm nervous, she says. I'm anxious. I'm afraid of losing this trip I took across the Darien. I'm afraid of losing
those dreams of having something in my country because I'm 50 years old, she says.
She has been in the U.S. for more than a year. She hopes to make some money here and then go back to Venezuela where her two children and mother
stayed. She had planned to find a job this week, but was too afraid to leave this apartment.
I put on makeup today because I had a job interview and it was really like putting on a mask because I'm really devastated, she says.
Fear is spreading as the Trump administration makes clear cities like Chicago, a sanctuary city, are major targets for enforcement. Here, local
ordinances generally bar officials from helping immigration and customs officials unless there is a criminal warrant.
TOM HOMAN, WHITE HOUSE BORDER CZAR: If they're in the United States illegally, they're going to be arrested, too. So sanctuary cities are going
to get exactly what they don't want. More agents in the communities, more people arrested, more collateral is arrested. So, that's a game they want
to play, game on.
WILD: Now the Department of Justice is threatening to prosecute local and state officials who obstruct, resist or fail to enforce immigration law.
The impact of stepped up immigration actions could be massive, according to leaders here, particularly for businesses who regularly use migrant labor.
Here in heavily Hispanic Little Village, normally busy streets are slow.
JENNIFER AGUILAR, LITTLE VILLAGE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE: Ever since the word got out over the weekend, we have seen and heard from our small businesses
that flood traffic and that the amount of people they're seeing is just going down drastically.
WILD: It's a real fear that is impacting an entire community.
SAM TOLA, ILLINOIS RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION: We're a very independent restaurant community, not a chain restaurant, so we could see some of our
independent restaurants closing.
WILD: With so much uncertainty, this woman can only hope to still fulfill her dream.
I came here for something, she says. I came to fight. I came to get ahead and I haven't done anything. I don't want to feel like a failure.
(On camera): Local officials here say outreach is absolutely critical. And today the city of Chicago unveiled a Know Your Rights campaign that will be
on video displays throughout the Chicago Transit Authority. So that's trains and buses here in the City of Chicago.
Whitney Wild, CNN, Chicago.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GIOKOS: Donald Trump's controversial pick for secretary of Defense is just one step away from being confirmed. The full Senate is set to vote on Pete
Hegseth's nomination Friday.
[10:15:00]
The former FOX News anchor narrowly cleared a key procedural vote Thursday with two Republicans joining every Senate Democrats in opposition. Hegseth
faces a string of accusations, including that he sexually assaulted a woman in 2017. He denies the allegations but documents newly obtained by CNN show
he told the Senate that he paid his accuser $50,000 as part of a confidential settlement.
Lauren Fox has more details.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LAUREN FOX, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: There's little indication right now that these new details are going to have any impact on Pete
Hegseth finally being confirmed to be the Defense secretary in the next couple of hours. We expect a late vote tonight on the Senate floor. That
assumes that Democrats don't give up any of their time in this process. They are really trying to slow walk this nomination, but ultimately it is
up to Republicans to confirm Pete Hegseth without a single Democratic vote.
Now, we do know of two Republican women who have already come out opposed to Hegseth. Senator Lisa Murkowski, a Republican from the state of Alaska,
who said that she had a lot of concerns about Hegseth's nomination, not the least of which she said were concerns about his ability to lead such a
massive organization given the fact, she said, she had doubts that his past experience had prepared him to lead the Defense Department.
We also know that Senator Susan Collins, a Republican from the state of Maine, also is opposed to Pete Hegseth. She also cited concerns about the
fact that she was not sure that Pete Hegseth had had a legitimate change of heart on the issue of women serving in combat roles. Now, Hegseth had said
previously in other writings that he did not believe that women belonged in combat roles, but throughout this process, he had convinced other
Republican senators that he had had a change on that issue, and he had said repeatedly during his public confirmation hearing that he believed that
women just had to meet the same standards as men for these roles.
There's also just a larger question right now of what this means for nominees moving forward. Lawmakers are expected to move forward with
Hegseth's nomination. Then Republicans want to turn quickly to confirm other nominees, including DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and Treasury Secretary
pick Scott Bessent. It's not clear how long Democrats are going to drag this process out, which could mean the Senate may be in session this
weekend.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GIOKOS: Ahead on CONNECT THE WORLD, a child is buried alive in the rubble of Gaza but survives. His family wasn't that lucky. Our reports on the
victims who didn't get to see the ceasefire deal take effect. And could there be a violation of the ceasefire deal that ended the Israel-Hezbollah
war? We'll get expert insight from Beirut. That's all coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:20:01]
GIOKOS: Breaking news now from the Middle East. We're hearing that Israel won't fully withdraw its forces from Southern Lebanon by this Sunday's
deadline. It is a move that could violate the terms of its ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah. According to the November deal to end the Israel-
Hezbollah war, now both sides agreed to pull out of Southern Lebanon by January 26th.
Maha Yahya is the director of the Carnegie Middle East Center. She joins us now live from Lebanon's capital, Beirut.
Maha, great to have you with us. What do you make of this announcement from Israel?
MAHA YAHYA, DIRECTOR, CARNEGIE MIDDLE EAST CENTER: Good afternoon, and thank you for having me. Frankly, we'd been expecting it over the last few
weeks. Israel, various Israeli politicians and others have made the comment that they will not be fully withdrawing from Lebanon. There were -- there
was talk about maintaining control over three or four hilltops on the Lebanese side of the border.
But from what we're hearing now, this has gone beyond that, and they intend to remain, you know, in a zone on the border and continue carrying out
military activity, which is what they've been doing over the past two months.
GIOKOS: Yes. I mean, and the IDF says it was -- the withdrawal was conditional upon the Lebanese army deploying in Southern Lebanon. And they
say that that had not been fully enforced by Lebanon. What do you make of that?
YAHYA: No, the army has been deploying. I don't know that it has been able to deploy in the numbers that they had agreed to, but definitely there's
been a surge in Lebanese army deployment to the southern border. This has been managed via with the Lebanese army, but also the committee that is
overseeing the ceasefire itself.
The other challenge is that on the Israeli side, there have been continued military operations, both within the zone that they're currently occupying,
blowing up houses amongst other things but also outside that zone. So it's been a ceasefire. It's holding. But it's tenuous in a sense. And this
extension of the ceasefire now is another indication that, from what I see is that the, you know, the government and Israel, I think, intends to use
this as a bargaining chip to get something else out of it at some point down the road. But otherwise it doesn't make sense.
GIOKOS: What do you think they're trying to get out of it? What are you expecting?
YAHYA: We don't quite know. I mean, President Trump has just taken office in the U.S. We need to wait and see what his policies towards the region
will be, towards Iran, towards Syria, towards Lebanon. So it's a mixed bag, so to speak. But what we've seen is that Israel has expanded its
territorial occupation, if you like, whether it's in Syria, it's now occupying 500 square kilometers. We're hearing that they're setting up
military bases on the Syrian side of the border.
This is not the Golan Heights. This is within Syria proper. But also on the Lebanese side. Yes.
GIOKOS: It's very interesting. And we'll touch on that in just a moment. I want to talk about newly elected President Joseph Aoun and, you know, who
has made it very clear that he wants to break with the decades old unwritten policy to preserve Hezbollah's militant wing, which has been de
facto tasked with facing off against Israeli forces.
What do you think his strategy is going to be in dealing with this extension of Israel, saying it wants to maintain a presence in southern
Lebanon?
YAHYA: I think what we're hearing now is they want to extend the ceasefire by another month. Most likely there will be some back and forth and some
negotiation over this. But if there is a time frame where it's in one month and that's it, and this will require American pressure. The Israelis will
not withdraw. Israel will not withdraw from Southern Lebanon without real American pressure by the United States for it to honor its agreement and
get out.
I think that the Lebanese will be able to work with that. The danger is, is if this continues, these extensions continues, then it makes the job of the
Lebanon's newly elected president joseph Aoun, but also the newly designated prime minister, Nawaf Salam, even more difficult because it
gives credence to the argument that resistance is needed against Israeli occupation.
GIOKOS: So, you know, you mentioned President Trump. And if you look at his pick for U.N. ambassador who answered yes to a question about biblical
rights to territories not only in Lebanon, but Syria and other parts of the region, we just don't know what the Trump administration is going to do.
But interesting that his very first call to a foreign leader was the crown prince of Saudi Arabia.
[10:25:09]
And I'm sure everyone is trying to assess where all of this is going to land and what it's ultimately going to mean for Iran and its proxies and
for Lebanon and Hezbollah.
YAHYA: I think -- I mean, again, I agree with you, the picks of President Trump, of those who will be dealing with the region are, I mean, if you
look at his pick for assistant secretary of Defense and as you mentioned, the U.N. ambassador, they have very different instincts, whether it's vis-
a-vis Iran or vis-a-vis the region. They are all very pro-Israeli, of course. There is a pro-settlement movement, annexation, if you like, of the
West Bank.
But then you get into a contradiction because if the ultimate goal is normalization between the United States, sorry, between Israel and Saudi
Arabia, then there's -- it's incredibly difficult, if not impossible for Saudi Arabia to normalize with Israel whilst annexation of the West Bank
and of Palestinian land is taking place. The crown prince has made it very clear that minus a two-state solution, minus a political horizon for the
Palestinians, he cannot, I mean, Saudi Arabia cannot normalize with Israel.
So I think there's a conundrum there. If President Trump wants to bring peace to the region, he's going to have to deal with very contradictory
instincts and very contradictory pushes by the people around him.
GIOKOS: Maha Yahya, thank you so much for your time and your insights. Good to see you.
Well, I want to bring you some breaking news now on the next stage of the Gaza ceasefire agreement. Hamas has just released the names of the next
Israeli hostages to be freed as part of the deal. We know it will be four women. The Israeli prime minister's office said that a list had just been
received through mediators and added that Israel's response would be provided later. If all goes according to plan, the hostages will be freed
tomorrow and Israel will then release dozens more Palestinian prisoners.
We've also learned from a source that a key Gaza checkpoint is being taken over by a private American security company. This comes as Israeli forces
withdraw part of the Gaza hostage ceasefire deal.
As the ceasefire continues to hold, the people of Gaza are returning home to devastation.
CNN's Jeremy Diamond looks at Gaza's last victims before the deal took effect, and a warning some of the images you're about to see are
disturbing.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Amid the rubble of an Israeli airstrike, a small hand reaches out and grips the air.
We're coming, son. We're coming, one man promises as he and the others, sifting through the rubble, quickened their pace.
But it is the boy who clears the last remaining stones from his face, revealing an eye and a mouth gasping for air.
Spit, son, spit, one man tells him as he surfaces, coughing up bits of stone and soot.
Three-year-old Asad Khalifa is one of the last survivors of Israel's unrelenting bombardment of the Gaza Strip. He is also one of its last
victims. Less than 24 hours after Israel and Hamas reached a ceasefire agreement but before it went into effect, Asad became an orphan. His mother
and father were killed in the same strike. So was his younger sister. Her lifeless body recovered by the same men who rescued Asad. One man checks
her pulse, confirming what is already painfully obvious.
In a statement, the Israeli military said it struck terror infrastructure where a commander in the Hamas terrorist organization was present. The
terrorist was responsible for many rocket attacks. The IDF said it, quote, "took intelligence measures to mitigate harm to uninvolved individuals."
More than 140 Palestinians were killed in the four tragic days between the announcement of the ceasefire deal and when it became a reality. But even
if this six-week ceasefire turns into an enduring truce they will not be this war's last victims.
Thirteen-year-old Zakariya was shot on the second day of the ceasefire. His relatives and doctors at Nasser Hospital say he was killed by Israeli fire.
He is one of at least four Palestinians who have allegedly been shot by Israeli forces in Gaza since the ceasefire went into effect.
My son is dead, his mother cries. He was just trying to get a piece of bread to eat. He went looking for wood to burn for cooking. What did he do
to deserve to be killed?
[10:30:08]
The Israeli military said it is unaware of the incident, but has warned Palestinians against approaching areas where Israeli troops are still
stationed in Gaza. Publishing this map outlining no go zones where Palestinians could be shot if they enter. But the reality on the ground is
far more complicated.
Would a child know if an area is forbidden to enter or not, his uncle asks. The soldiers saw him. They deliberately shot a child. They saw him trying
to pick up pieces of wood so he could bring back to his parents to cook food.
Why did you have to kill him? Remove him from the area if you have to but why kill him?
Back in northern Gaza, little Asad and his parents should be enjoying the first days of the ceasefire. His parents had been preparing to reunite with
family displaced in southern Gaza.
They were excited and happy and discussing how to reunite with the rest of the family, Mutassim, the family's neighbor, says. But an Israeli airstrike
killed their dreams.
Mutassim's sister Mawadda, had received a celebratory text message from Asad's mother hours after the ceasefire was announced.
Moments later, she was killed, she says. I was so shocked. She says she will raise Asad alongside her children for as long as needed.
We will try, she says, but we will not be able to replace his mother or bring her back.
Jeremy Diamond, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GIOKOS: All right, next on CONNECT THE WORLD, we'll talk to UNICEF's deputy executive director who just returned from Syria and he says the scale of
destruction he saw after more than a decade of war is unimaginable. We'll bring you that story in a few minutes.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GIOKOS: Welcome back to CONNECT THE WORLD with me, Eleni Giokos.
Here are your headlines. U.S. President Donald Trump is due to land any moment now in Asheville, North Carolina. The first of two stops today to
states impacted by natural disasters. He'll head to Southern California later to tour areas ravaged by wildfires. The president has given unfounded
criticism to Democrats in both states for their disaster responses.
Meanwhile, Mr. Trump's controversial pick for secretary of Defense is just one step away from being confirmed. The full Senate is set to vote on Pete
Hegseth Friday. The former FOX News anchor narrowly survived a key procedural vote Thursday.
[10:35:03]
Despite opposition from Republican Senators Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins, but the party has enough votes to confirm him even if they both
vote no again.
The Israeli prime minister's office says it has received a list of hostages Hamas intends to release Saturday. This is part of a fragile six-week
ceasefire deal. Hamas released the names of the four Israeli women a short time ago. One civilian and three IDF observers were expected to be on the
list. In exchange for the hostages Israel is set to release dozens more Palestinian prisoners.
Syria is asking the world for sanctions relief and humanitarian support as the new government begins the enormous task of rebuilding. The new foreign
minister spoke about that in a conversation with our Becky Anderson at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ASSAD HASSAN AL-SHAIBANI, SYRIAN FOREIGN MINISTER: What we are looking for from the Trump administration that to support the stability and security by
removing the sanctions imposed on the Syrian people.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GIOKOS: Well, Syria is facing rebuilding decimated homes, restoring electricity and stabilizing its economy, all while reeling from the killing
of hundreds of thousands of people since the 2011 revolution.
UNICEF's deputy executive director was just in Syria working to alleviate the humanitarian crisis. He visited a makeshift shelter for Syrians
displaced by years of fighting.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TED CHAIBAN, UNICEF DEPUTY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: As we travel today from Damascus to Maarat Al-Numan, the scale of destruction we have seen from
conflict is unimaginable. Homes, health centers, hospitals, water systems, schools. There's very little left. This was a town of 100,000 people that
moved north towards Idlib when their town was destroyed, and they're living in makeshift shelters.
They're part of over 7.2 million Syrians that are internally displaced and are hoping to be able to come home.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GIOKOS: And Ted Chaiban now joins us now live from Ankara, Turkey, after his week in Syria.
Ted, really good to have you on and seeing this video, seeing the decimation of the infrastructure and the sheer issues that people face
there. Tell me about some of what you've seen and importantly what the needs are.
CHAIBAN: So the infrastructure is totally devastated. Two thirds of Syrians depend on humanitarian assistance. Seven million are internally displaced.
Six million fled to neighboring countries. Less than half of the hospitals and the health centers function. And what we heard from people is they want
to go home, but they need the basic services to be back in place. And what we have now is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to put Syria on a new path.
That's going to require the caretaker authorities to support an inclusive process of transition, inclusive politically, but also inclusive in terms
of recognizing the ethnic diversity of Syria. Women and men, girls and boys contributing. So, you know, gender and human rights need to be a
cornerstone of Syria's future. And from the international partners' perspective, we need to move fast. We need to ease the sanctions and
support Syria's recovery and reconstruction.
GIOKOS: You know, you mentioned some of the statistics of just how dire the situation is. And I really want to drive this home for our viewers to truly
understand the scale of this. 16.7 million people need humanitarian assistance. 85 percent of families live in poverty, 40 percent of health
facilities are partially or completely nonfunctional. 2.4 million children are out of school. Rebuilding Syria from the bottom up is going to take
enormous effort.
And Ted, by the way, this comes off the back of the news that the United States has stopped aid, foreign aid for 90 days. That's going to really
hurt NGOs. What kind of international support are you seeing right now as Syria heads into this new era?
CHAIBAN: So UNICEF needs $488 million for 2025 to be able to support Syrian children and their families. The numbers you referred to were 15 percent
funded at its stand. For the U.N. as a whole, the appeal for Syria is in the order of $4 billion and roughly the same level of funding. That's the
order of magnitude that we need. We've received support from a number of donor partners that have generously contributed to the response, but the
time is now to move fast.
[10:40:05]
This is truly an opportunity that we cannot miss. We have some carryover from last year, but we need to double down on the response and help
families during this period, give them hope. Education is the number one priority for children. It gives them a sense of normalcy and psychosocial
well-being. But less than half of the schools, as you indicated, are still standing. So we really need to begin the process of recovery and
reconstruction now.
GIOKOS: Absolutely. And I know you've been meeting with the transitional government. I want to shift focus because you were in Gaza at some point
last year, I think in September, specifically visiting the Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza just before it was completely destroyed. I think
it's not operational now. And you were posting some of that of what you had seen. There's a ceasefire now. It's pretty fragile. People are concerned
about that.
I want to talk about the realities which we've been covering since the start of the war, specifically with medical assistance and what the medical
needs are right now.
CHAIBAN: After 15 months of horror in Gaza, we finally have a ceasefire. You know, in October, there were 37 trucks on a daily basis going into the
Gaza Strip. It's now up to 600. Every day UNICEF is bringing in around 50. And we need to sustain that operation for the ceasefire to be able to
continue, for hostages to be released, prisoners to come home, and for children and their families in Gaza to have a measure of peace, for the
guns to stay silent.
In terms of health, the hospitals are nonfunctional. The water system has been devastated so the risk of disease outbreak is there and the -- for the
first time, we've seen hunger and famine in Gaza, 37 children died of malnutrition, eight died of exposure. So this is now an opportunity to try
to repair the health system, ensure that primary health care is in place. UNICEF, WHO and partners are putting together a package of life-saving
interventions.
The basics, immunizing children who haven't been immunized in the last year, reaching every child with nutrition supplies and dealing with some of
the solid waste, all of that destruction that you see is solid waste that puts children's lives at risk.
GIOKOS: Absolutely. Ted, thank you so much for taking the time today to share your insights and all the important stories that you've witnessed on
the ground, both in Gaza as well in Syria. Thank you.
We'll be back after the short break. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:45:23]
GIOKOS: Welcome back. The Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington is welcoming its newest residents in a big way. Two giant pandas were honored
this morning with a welcoming ceremony provided by some of their most excited and littlest fans. After months of planning and preparation, Bao Li
and Qing Bo finally made their public debut and they are here. We've got live pictures from pandas from inside their exhibits. The three-year-old
black and white duo are on loan from China for the next 10 years and are the first pandas loaned to Washington in nearly a quarter of a century.
CNN's David Culver joins us now from the National Zoo in Washington with more.
David, good to have you. What a great assignment you're on. What is happening there?
DAVID CULVER, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It is fun, Eleni. I know. Do you see behind me right now over my shoulder? I mean, she's the one you
really want to focus in on. That's Qing Bo. OK. She's really into climbing trees, and I -- you know, I have spent a lot of time with these pandas
going back to October, and they have very distinct personalities. Qing Bao, which is green treasure, is very independent. Caretakers there, including
the ones we spoke to in China, say she just does her own thing.
She likes to eat a lot, motivated by food. I can relate to that. And then afterwards she goes and has a little nap, like you see now. She's just kind
of chilling and in this comatose state for about 15, 20 feet off the ground. But that's her thing. And then Bao Li is really active. I say that
now as he -- I think he's inside. You probably have a better shot of that than I do from the panda cam. And he is really just plays off the crowd,
gets into the emotion of people around him.
So on a day like today, when you've got a debut, and let me just show you the crowd here, which is starting to build as it's warming up a little bit
here in Washington, still sitting around freezing, but you've got all these folks who are just taking it in and have really not had pandas here for
more than a year to visit. And finally, this enclosure has pandas that they're really -- they're just enjoying.
I mean, this is one of those things here in D.C., and I grew up in this area, that's just such a draw. It's the number one attraction to the
Smithsonian National Zoo. Really any zoo that has pandas around the world, that's what brings people in. And you can see why. I mean, for some reason,
even when they don't do much, Eleni, they're still worth just observing.
GIOKOS: They are such fascinating animals. I mean, look at Qing Bao. What a balancing act there on those branches. That is pretty phenomenal. You know,
when I feel like I need to be, I need to get into a better mood, I watch those panda videos of them, of pandas just misbehaving and their parents
can't really get them to do what they need to do.
But tell me, you know, I see some kids wearing panda hats there and you're not wearing one. I'm a bit disappointed because I heard you turned into a
panda on the journey for Qing Bao and Li.
CULVER: Yes, I did, and you know, that was part of a very real journalism assignment, I assure you. And I was assured to. So we went to China in
October ahead of their sendoff, and we had an opportunity to go into their natural habitat with rewilding experts, those who try to reintroduce them
to their native space. And I want to give you a sampling of that, and you'll get your fill of me and that panda suit.
((BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CULVER: This is a first for me I think wearing an outfit like this in a -- what is a legitimate journalism role right now.
Can you reassure me that's a legitimate thing?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Anytime you're releasing an animal, you want to minimize human contact. So that's the idea behind the costume is just not
even getting familiar with humans.
Do they think you're a panda? No, they don't, but they really don't want pandas to be comfortable in coming towards people or towards villages and
things like that.
CULVER: So what are you guys thinking for dinner?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Bamboo.
CULVER: Bamboo.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CULVER: So I was assured that that panda outfit was clean. But I'll tell you, Eleni, I did smell something. And then later I was told that they
actually put panda feces and urine on it so that they really make sure you're not going to throw them off and they think that you're a human being
there. I didn't go to that extent, but it was really cool to be in that setting.
[10:50:00]
I've never been to that part of China, having lived there for three years, and then to be in those most I felt remote. And I mean, you heard the
expert there. She's like, nobody really gets to see that. And we've got a full hour that takes you to places, Eleni, I think that folks would be
really surprised to see, and I hope they enjoy it, too, this weekend.
GIOKOS: Yes, I mean, absolutely phenomenal assignment seriously, David. I have to say, look, the panda suit is cool, but you're not very convincing.
I don't think you were fluffy enough, but, you know, if it worked for the pandas, it works for all of us.
CULVER: I thought they'd think I was their father or something like right now.
GIOKOS: All right. All right. David, thanks so much for bringing us this wonderful, uplifting story. We'll catch all of this, of course, in an all
new episode of "THE WHOLE STORY WITH ANDERSON COOPER," "Operation Panda," one whole hour, one whole story airing at 8:00 p.m. on Sunday Eastern Time,
that is, only on CNN. And we're back after a quick break. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GIOKOS: Several potential buyers are emerging as serious contenders to become the possible new American owner of the social media site TikTok. The
U.S. law to impose a ban if the Web site was not sold to an American was delayed for 75 days by President Donald Trump, and any deal still must be
approved by TikTok's Chinese parent company, ByteDance.
CNN's Brian Todd has the details.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): With a 75-day clock well past its starting gun, the outlines of a possible deal to purchase TikTok are
starting to take shape, driven in no small measure by President Trump, who's pressing potential buyers to purchase 50 percent of TikTok.
TRUMP: What I'm thinking about saying to somebody is buy it and give half to the United States of America, half, and we'll give you the permit.
TODD: On inauguration day, Trump gave TikTok a 75-day reprieve before being banned in the U.S., unless the platform's operations in the U.S. are sold
to an American buyer. Until now, TikTok's Chinese parent company ByteDance has rejected a sale, but a board member of ByteDance now predicts there
will be some type of deal.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you believe a deal will get done?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You do believe it will get done.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
TODD: So who are the best known potential buyers?
JIMMY "MRBEAST" DONALDSON, YOUTUBE INFLUENCER, POTENTIAL TIKTOK BUYER: I might become your guys' new CEO. I'm super excited.
TODD: MrBeast, the super influencer on YouTube, with more followers on that platform than anyone, almost 350 million, claims he's putting in a bid for
TikTok.
DONALDSON: Just got out of a meeting with a bunch of billionaires. TikTok, we mean business. This is my lawyer right here. We have an offer ready for
you. We want to buy the platform. America deserves TikTok. Give me a seat at the table. Let me save this platform, TikTok.
TODD: The engaging 26-year-old star, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson, has made a fortune and a gigantic following, posting videos of contests,
stunts and huge giveaways.
CLARE DUFFY, CNN BUSINESS WRITER: It makes sense why you would want to have an influencer who understands these platforms so well, what makes them
work, what makes users attracted to them.
TODD: Another potential purchaser none other than the first buddy, Elon Musk, who Chinese officials have been thinking of selling at least a
portion of TikTok to, according to the "Wall Street Journal" and Bloomberg.
Why would the Chinese want to do that?
SARA FISCHER, MEDIA CORRESPONDENT, AXIOS: Because they would have an in with Trump. Elon Musk has become such an ally to Donald Trump, there's no
question that China wants to develop that relationship further.
TODD (voice-over): President Trump, Musk's new boss, was asked about that idea.
[10:55:00]
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Are you open to Elon buying TikTok?
TRUMP: I would be if he wanted to buy it, yes.
TODD: Trump says he's also in favor of Oracle CEO Larry Ellison buying TikTok. There's also been a bid from a group including Shark Tank's Kevin
O'Leary and former Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt.
How anxious are TikTok users in the U.S. for anyone to step up and buy it?
DUFFY: I mean, it's huge. These are people who rely on this platform for not just dance videos and cat videos, but in many, many cases for their
careers, for their livelihood.
TODD (on-camera): CNN's Clare Duffy says any American buyer would most likely have at least one big challenge. They would probably have to buy
TikTok's U.S. operations without the app's successful algorithm, the formula TikTok uses to feed you the best videos to keep you hooked, instead
of videos and pictures from your friends like you see on Instagram and Facebook.
Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GIOKOS: And that is it for CONNECT THE WORLD. I'm Eleni Giokos in Abu Dhabi. We leave you with images of pandas now in Washington, D.C. Stay with
CNN. NEWSROOM is up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END