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First Move with Julia Chatterley
Syrian Rebels Opening A Second Front Against Assad; At Least 370,000 People Displaced In Syria; Manhattan Manhunt Widens; CNN Speaks With Main Rebel Leader; Suspect Believed To Have Left New York City; South Korea Ruling Party Calls For Suspension Of Yoon's Power; South Korea Lawmakers Plans To Vote To Impeach President; TikTok Facing U.S. Ban After Losing Bid; Violence Escalating In Georgia; QAnon Followers Celebrate Patel As Trump's Pick; Jamie Foxx Shares Illness In Netflix Special; BTS And Blackpink Dominates Spotify Chart. Aired 6-7p ET
Aired December 06, 2024 - 18:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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JESSICA DEAN, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: It is 7:00 a.m. in Beijing, 8:00 a.m. in Seoul, and 6:00 p.m. here in New York. I'm Jessica Dean in for
Julia Chatterley. And wherever you are in the world, this is your "First Move."
A very warm welcome to "First Move." And here's today's need to know. Gaining ground. Syrian rebels open a second front against the Assad
government, and they say they aim to take Damascus. The manhunt widens as police believe the suspect in the killing of the UnitedHealthcare CEO has
now left New York City. And trouble for TikTok. An Appeals Court upholding a law that could ban the social media app in the U.S. And Spotify success.
BTS and Blackpink dominate the K-pop streaming chart. That conversation and plenty more, coming up.
But first, the Syrian government now facing a new front. Rebels in the Southern Daraa Province say they have captured a military base there, as
well as a major border crossing into Jordan. A coalition of rebel groups, meanwhile, continues to make gains in the north as it approaches the
central City of Homs. The foreign ministers of Iraq, Iran, and Syria held a meeting, saying the rebel advance poses, quote, a "serious danger to their
nations." And Russia is urging its citizens to leave the country. Turkey has been supporting rebel groups in Syria, even deploying forces.
Here's what President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said about the advance.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RECEP TAYYIP EDOGAN, TURKISH PRESIDENT (through translator): Idlib, Hama, and Homs. The target is, of course, Damascus. This march of the opponents
continues as of now. We follow this from both intelligence and all media. Of course, I will say that our wish is that this march in Syria continues
without any accidents or hardship.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DEAN: The U.N. says at least 370,000 people, mostly women and children, have been displaced in Syria in this latest escalation. CNN's Jomana
Karadsheh sat down with the leader of the main rebel group for an exclusive interview.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Taking Hama, after taking Aleppo, I mean, how significant is this for you right now?
ABU MOHAMMAD AL-JOLANI, LEADER OF HAYAT TAHRIR AL-SHAM (HTS) (through translator): From a military perspective, what comes after Hama will not be
the same as what came before. However, I prefer not to be overly optimistic during the battle. I like to remain cautious and vigilant to avoid
complacency and ensure we don't suffer losses while believing we are safe.
KARADSHEH: What comes after this? What's after Hama?
AL-JOLANI (through translator): The course of the battle, as for the secrets of the battle, let's leave them to the unfolding events. You will
witness them in reality, which is better than discussing them now.
KARADSHEH: In a matter of days, you have taken major cities. What's changed? How are you able to do this now?
[13:15:00]
AL-JOLANI (through translator): In recent years, there has been a unification of internal opinions and the establishment of institutional
structures within the liberated areas of Syria. This institutionalization included the restructuring within military factions. They entered unified
training camps and developed a sense of discipline. This discipline allowed them, with God's guidance, to engage in a battle in an organized manner.
The progress and execution of plans have been swift, with clear communication and adherence to commands. They stop where they should stop
and withdraw where they should withdraw. The revolution has transitioned from chaos and randomness to a state of order, both in civil and
institutional matters and in military operations alike.
KARADSHEH: Some believe this is happening because the allies of the Assad regime, the Russians, Hezbollah, Iran, that they're weakened, they're
preoccupied with other wars, and this is why we are seeing this happen right now, and the Syrian regime itself weakened. Is this what is happening
right now? Is this why you chose to launch this offensive right now?
[18:05:00]
AL-JOLANI (through translator): As you know, we are still in the midst of the battle, and discussing such details at this time is not wise.
KARADSHEH: But you faced more of a resistance in Hama than you did in Aleppo. What do you think happened? Why did the regime withdraw like it
did?
AL-JOLANI (through translator): The seeds of the regime's defeat have always been within it. It has been effectively dead since that time.
However, the Iranians attempted to revive the regime, buying it time, and later the Russians also tried to prop it up. But the truth remains, this
regime is dead.
KARADSHEH: In the last year, it seemed like Bashar al-Assad survived the war. He was welcomed back into the Arab fold and on the world stage.
AL-JOLANI (through translator): The Arab country's evaluation of the situation was mistaken. Some Arab countries try to separate the regime from
Iran's project. This is impossible. Even if the regime wanted this, it can't implement it. It's a subservient relationship. Iran can disengage
from the regime, but the regime can't.
To describe the regime as victorious is deeply unjust to the many children, people, women subjected to rape in prisons, displaced individuals scattered
across the world, those drowning in the seas and those living in tents on the borders of other countries. What kind of victory are we talking about?
KARADSHEH: In the past, you have talked about strict Islamic rule. Is that still the plan?
AL-JOLANI (through translator): People who fear Islamic governance either have seen incorrect implementations of it, or do not understand it
properly. We are talking about something that aligns with the traditions and nature of the region. The most important thing is to build
institutions. We are not talking about rule by individuals or personal whims, it's about institutional governance. Syria deserves a governing
system that is institutional, not one where a single ruler makes arbitrary decisions.
KARADSHEH: Many Syrians are happy and will be happy to see the end of the Assad regime, but they're also worried about what HTS rule would mean,
including minorities.
AL-JOLANI (through translator): No one has the right to erase another group. These sects have coexisted in this region for hundreds of years, and
no one has the right to eliminate them. There must be a legal framework that protects and ensures the rights of all, not a system that serves only
one sect, as Assad's regime has done.
KARADSHEH: You know, listening to you speaking, you've gone through quite the transformation, once an Al Qaeda leader, your group has had
affiliations with Al Qaeda, with ISIS, and now, you are projecting this image of a moderate leader and a moderate group. What is HTS right now?
AL-JOLANI (through translator): Hayat Tahrir al-Sham is one of the factions in the region, just like all the others. Now, we're talking about a larger
project. We're talking about building Syria. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham is merely one detail of this dialogue, and it may dissolve at any time. It's not an
end in itself, but a means to perform a task confronting this regime. Once that task is complete, it will transition to a state of governance,
institutions, and so on.
[13:20:00]
I believe that everyone in life goes through phases and experiences, and these experiences naturally increase a person's awareness. A person in
their 20s will have a different personality than someone in their 30s or 40s, and certainly, someone in their 50s.
KARADSHEH: So, are those days behind you?
AL-JOLANI (through translator): Sometimes it's essential to adjust to reality. And because someone who rigidly clings to certain ideas and
principles without flexibility cannot effectively lead societies or navigate complex conflicts like the one happening in Syria.
KARADSHEH: People listening to this are going to wonder why they should believe you. You are still specially designated global terrorist by the
United States with a $10 million bounty on your head. Your group is a prescribed terrorist organization by the United States, by the U.N., by the
E.U. and others.
AL-JOLANI (through translator): I say to people, don't judge by words, but by actions. I believe the reality speaks for itself. These classifications
are primarily political and at the same time wrong. I defined a terrorist as someone who intentionally kills civilians, harms innocents, or displaces
people. If we're being honest, many of the wars waged by major powers in Arab, Muslim, and even non-Muslim countries have involved the deliberate
killing of thousands, the destruction of homes, and the displacement of millions. Even the regime itself is guilty of such actions.
[18:10:00]
KARADSHEH: But the U.S. and others would say is that you were part of groups that did exactly that?
AL-JOLANI (through translator): Personally, I have not done these things. The situation must be understood in its historical context. There was a
massive war in Iraq that deeply stirred people's emotions, prompting many to go there. The circumstances of that war led people to various places,
and my path led me to one of those locations.
Given my level of awareness and my young age at the time, my actions evolved to where I am today. I didn't go to Iraq with those intentions. I
went to defend the Iraqi people. When I returned to Syria, I didn't want to bring what happened in Iraq into Syria. That's why there were disagreements
between us and ISIS.
KARADSHEH: People would be wondering why you've agreed to speak with us.
AL-JOLANI (through translator): What is happening in Syria is significant for the entire world. This event has positive repercussions globally
because under the regime's rule, Syria became a source of concern and trouble for everyone.
Stabilizing Syria will bring many people back. Today, in the liberated areas, about one-third of the population lives in camps, approximately one
and a half million people. I believe we can soon reach a point where there are no camps. With the rehabilitation of the liberated areas, people will
return to their homes. Many refugees in Turkey will likely return, as well a significant number of refugees in Lebanon and Jordan. Even refugees in
Europe may return to rebuild their country.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
DEAN: We're also tracking developments in the manhunt for the suspected gunman in the killing of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Police
believe the suspect has now left New York City, possibly on a bus. The NYPD chief of detectives is putting together a picture, though, of his
movements.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOSEPH KENNY, NYPD CHIEF OF DETECTIVES: We have him getting on a bicycle and riding into Central Park. We then later pick him up on 77th Street,
exiting the park on Central Park West, still with the bicycle. Eventually, we have him on 86th Street and Columbus Avenue walking. He loses the bike.
And then, from there, we have him in a taxi cab. And the taxi cab takes him up to 178 Street and broad, which, as we know, is a Port Authority bus
center. Those buses are interstate buses. That's why we believe he left. He may have left New York City.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DEAN: CNN Law Enforcement Reporter Mark Morales is joining us now. And Mark, I understand you have some breaking new details in this case.
MARK MORALES, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT REPORTER: Right, Jessica. And in a story like this, things just move very, very quickly.
One of the key parts of this investigation, as you'll remember, is the backpack that the suspect was wearing that's been seen in all of the images
that we've seen. So, a backpack was found in Central Park. Investigators don't yet know if this actually belongs to the shooter, but this is a
significant case because he was seen during the shooting with the backpack, but then went into Central Park, and when he was spotted by investigators a
short time later leaving the park, he didn't have the backpack on him.
So, there's been a canvas in the park to try and find this backpack since the day of the shooting. They've just found a backpack. But as we've said,
investigators now have to determine if this is the one that belongs to him. And why is that significant? Because that backpack could have any sorts of
identifying evidence that could link them to the shooter.
You could even have the gun that he used in the shooting. It's a treasure trove of possible evidence that could be in this bag, and that's why this
is significant here. And as we just heard from law enforcement officials in New York, there is reason to believe that the shooter is no longer in New
York. And again, that's because, due to a lot of this investigative work, this canvassing, the last time they saw him was at the bus station in on
the Upper West Side of Manhattan, and that's pretty significant because it shows you just the level of investigative techniques that these people are
doing.
They're doing a lot of canvassing. They're backtracking. They're pulling video, still images from every camera that's available in Manhattan that
they have access to, to try and piece together his whereabouts where he was before the shooting, where he went after the shooting, and that's where we
get to where we are today.
And part of the reason why they've been able to release that image that we saw of his face that was released yesterday is because they want not only
people in New York City, but anybody else in the country, anybody that might have seen him or seen where he might be to come out and to say that
they've seen him or that they know him and to help law enforcement identify him.
[18:15:00]
Now, another key part of this is the human element of this and a lost in the entire talk of the investigation and where things are, is that there's
a victim here and this person was shot on a Manhattan Street. And whenever that happens, it's a very tragic thing for not only his family but for his
friends and for his co-workers.
And today, the CEO of the UnitedHealth Group, Andrew Witty, had a kind of video conversation with the folks that work there and really it was an
attempt to try and calm them down and to try and to let them know that they're all experiencing this together. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANDREW WITTY, CEO, UNITEDHEALTH GROUP: Take the time to be with the people who are important to you. We will work through this together. But it's
going to be difficult, and life won't be the same again within UnitedHealthcare, or Optum, or UnitedHealth Group. But it will go on, and
we will be effective, and we will continue to help people across the country improve their access to and experience of healthcare.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MORALES: And this human element always adds even more pressure to investigators as they are doing everything they can to not only I.D. the
shooter, but to find him. Jessica.
DEAN: Still just a shocking, shocking story to have somebody shot dead in Midtown Manhattan on a weekday, is just really unheard of like this. Mark
Morales, thank you so much for that reporting. We appreciate it.
Let's take you now to South Korea, where the ruling party's leader now wants the president to be suspended. It's a dramatic reversal. The party
leader says he has credible evidence that President Yoon Suk Yeol tried to have prominent political figures arrested during his short-lived martial
law declaration. Lawmakers are planning to vote on a motion to impeach the president as early as Saturday. Mike Valerio reports now from Seoul.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MIKE VALERIO, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, some conservative lawmakers here in South Korea want to suspend the president's power, and
they say that impeaching him could be a bridge too far. Opposition lawmakers say they vehemently disagree with that. And we're going to
introduce you to the leader of an opposition party. And the area around his office, well, as you'll see, it still bears scars of martial law that
happened earlier in the week.
Days later, you can still see damage inside South Korea's National Assembly. In fact, if we look through this hole, this is where a door was
kicked through during clashes with soldiers. And you see tables, chairs, fancy sofas, pieces of office furniture that were used to barricade this
door. It would only be a short time later that soldiers left the building.
VALERIO (voice-over): In the aftermath of martial law, a critical question at the heart of South Korea's democracy, will there be enough votes to
impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol? For Liberal Assembly Member Cho Kuk, he's confident there will be.
CHO KUK, LEADER, REBUILDING KOREA PARTY: I think, more than eight conservative congressmen will join.
VALERIO (voice-over): Cho was one of the people who rushed to the National Assembly and voted to suspend President Yoon's declaration of martial law.
We asked if Cho thinks there's a chance President Yoon declares martial law a second time.
CHO: The possibility is getting decreased, is decreasing, but exists because President Yoon is still there. He's not removed.
VALERIO (voice-over): Still on the job is Yee Myung-woo (ph), who helped push back soldiers entering the assembly grounds. He took this video of
military helicopters landing nearby.
We were blocking this door with a big barricade, Yee told us. Special forces soldiers were making their way into the building as I and other
officials built a barricade from the inside. The soldiers were barred by the barricade and the people.
The area was sealed off by law enforcement. Kim Yong-gun (ph) shows us how he helped lawmakers climb over a wall so they could get into the assembly
and vote to end martial law.
I crouched like this, four of us moved as one team, Kim said. We decided to help the lawmakers get inside the building. Two of us made a distraction
for the police, and I crouched down for the lawmakers to climb over the wall.
President Yoon's office released a statement late Thursday saying he declared martial law within a, quote, "legitimate framework" in order to
regulate political activity and confront the forces destroying liberal democracy. As for Cho's message to those across South Korea --
CHO: My fellow citizens, President Yoon will be removed very soon. Do not worry about that. Keep your conviction. Do not hesitate to remove the
tyranny -- tyrant.
VALERIO: And the impeachment vote is set for Saturday evening. Opposition lawmakers say if the vote fails, they're simply going to try again.
Mike Valerio, CNN, Seoul.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
[18:20:00]
DEAN: Straight ahead. The clock is ticking for TikTok, the popular social media app suffering another big legal setback. What it all means for
TikTok's millions of users? That's next.
Plus, K-pop on top. The debut solo album from Blackpink star Rose has just been released and it's already topping the chart. What K-pop fans are -- or
why K-pop fans are saying hooray for Rose?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
DEAN: Welcome back. A record-breaking into the week on Wall Street topping today's Money Move. The S&P 500 and all the NASDAQ finishing at all-time
highs after the release of a solid U.S. jobs report. The U.S. economy adding 227,000 jobs last month, and that's a bit stronger than expected and
a bounce back from a very weak reading in October. The unemployment rate, however, taking higher, that gives the Fed room to cut interest rates again
later this month.
Let's go to Asia. Green arrows for the Chinese stocks, but losses for the Nikkei and the South Korean KOSPI. The KOSPI down for a third straight day
as more politicians call for the impeachment of the South Korean president.
In other business news, more bad news for TikTok's millions of fans in the U.S. A law forcing Chinese owner ByteDance to sell or shut down TikTok by
next month was upheld by a U.S. appeals court Friday, citing national security concerns. TikTok calling the law a violation of the First
Amendment and signaled it will bring the case to the U.S. Supreme Court, saying, quote, "The Supreme Court has an established historical record of
protecting Americans right to free speech. We expect they will do just that on this important constitutional issue."
Sara Fischer is joining us now to talk more about this. Sara, good to have you here. Just tell us first what this immediately means for TikTok and
ByteDance. Obviously, they want to take this to the Supreme Court.
SARA FISCHER, CNN MEDIA ANALYST AND MEDIA CORRESPONDENT AXIOS: Yes. So, in the immediate future, Jessica, I don't think any American should be worried
about TikTok being removed or being banned, because what's likely going to happen is that they'll file an injunction to stop a forced ban if they
don't sell by January 19th. And that would mean that it would give them some time up until this gets potentially litigated by the Supreme Court.
If the Supreme Court decides to take this case up, Jessica, that might not even be for a few years. So, an injunction could last for a long time. So,
for right now, everyone's going to be a little bit of a holding pattern while we figure out the legal implications of this. But in the long-term,
if this case doesn't go to the Supreme Court, then the law would remain.
[18:25:00]
Now, Donald Trump, who's indicated now support for keeping TikTok, could opt to pressure the DOJ not to enforce the ban. He could try to pressure a
Republican led Congress to repeal it. But otherwise, it looks like this app might have a really uncertain future if they do not figure out a way to get
it sold in the U.S.
DEAN: Yes, it is really fascinating to really see the push and pull here of national security and the First Amendment here in the United States really
playing out in the courts over this case.
FISCHER: Yes, and it's interesting, Jessica, the reason we have a First Amendment problem is because the DOJ has not provided publicly, and I
believe to this court, which is why they made this decision today, enough evidence to suggest a national security threat.
And you might be wondering, how is it that they can't find any evidence? This is a very complicated app, right? Its parent company, ByteDance, is
Chinese, but its investors are largely big foreign private equity firms and groups. Its algorithm is, you know, very hard to distinguish from the
Chinese app called Douyin from the U.S. app. And in fact, that's one of the big challenges that we face in trying to figure out how you would even
divest TikTok's U.S. arm, because separating the algorithm, ByteDance says, is impossible to do.
And so, I'm very curious to see that if they bring this all the way up to the Supreme Court, will the Supreme Court agree with the judges today that
said that they did not provide enough national security evidence to warrant a ban, we will just have to take a look. But you know, Jessica, it's a very
conservative Supreme Court, which means that they're much more likely to uphold First Amendment freedoms.
DEAN: Yes, it is truly fascinating because it was also something that got so much bipartisan support on Capitol Hill in a time when that just really
doesn't happen. Before I let you go, Sara, I know we're reaching far into the future here, but in terms of a possible buyer, what might that even
look like?
FISCHER: Great question. So, under the Biden administration, there was so much antitrust scrutiny around big tech firms that the obvious people who
would be able to afford it, you think about the Googles and the Meta's of the world, they likely wouldn't be allowed to because of antitrust
concerns.
So, you take a look at who else could be left. Obviously, it has to be a U.S. type of buyer. I reported yesterday that Frank McCourt, the global
billionaire and philanthropist, is assembling a bid. He's gotten up to $20 billion in interested buyers. Now, is that enough money for an asset like
this? It could be worth up to $100 billion. I'm not sure.
You know, Steve Mnuchin has also talked about potentially assembling a bid. And then of course, Oracle is their data security partner, it wouldn't
shock me if Larry Ellison was interested in this. From a regulatory perspective, he's friends with Donald Trump. So, it would make sense that
he would get potentially some easiness there from getting that approved.
But the problem here, Jessica, you can have all the buyers you want. China, the CCP, has indicated that they do not want ByteDance to be able to sell
it. And so, that's where the real impasse is going to come. If they are forced to be banned, if they can't sell, but China won't let them sell,
they could be forced into a ban by default.
DEAN: Yes, then what happens? All right. Sara Fisher, as always, thank you so much. We appreciate it.
FISCHER: Thanks, Jessica.
DEAN: Notre Dame Cathedral is officially reopening this weekend. Paris will be hosting leaders from around the world who may have to brave some
elements. A powerful storm set to hit parts of Europe, including the City of Lights. Chad Myers joining us now from the CNN Weather Center with more
on this. Chad, what's it looking like?
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Storm with a name. Storm Darragh hitting Northwestern Europe right now with winds gusting to 70 and 80 miles per
hour, and we won't get 70 or 80 in Paris, but 40 or 50 certainly likely and also rain coming through.
Here's the past 48 hours seeing all that really the center almost over Dublin right now, and even the red alerts already in effect. They had been
in effect yesterday for the Western Coast, but now, they're really there through the middle.
Here's the rain for the next couple of days, right through Paris. Very windy across the south. Significant snow in the Pyrenees. Less in the Alps,
but they'll get some. But very deep in the Pyrenees. And then the rain for Paris, likely with the wind, it will be a cold, wet, chilly day. And it's
about 6:00 local time when the doors are going to open there on the cathedral again, but the winds are still going to be blowing 40 or 50.
Now, we're not seeing that kind of wind across parts of the northeast right now, but 20 to 30 with the snow coming down, Jessica, in the same place
that saw so much snow last week. They're still digging out, in some spots, and now more snow just piling on top. But the good news is, yes, it's cold
now, but the cold air is going to push away finally back to normal by Sunday.
I think it's going to take some time for people to get used to this, kind of this up and down, up and down. But look at D.C., 61. Yes, there'll be
guys out there in shorts. I know it for a fact, running around the old capital.
DEAN: Yes, I think you called it. And we will see that this weekend for sure. Chad Myers, thanks so much. And we'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[18:30:00]
DEAN: Welcome back to "First Move" with a look at more international headlines at this hour. A New York judge has dismissed the second-degree
manslaughter charge against former Marine Daniel Penny. Penny was chokehold death of a man on the subway last year. The decision clears the way for the
jury to consider the lesser charge of criminally negligent homicide. Penny's attorneys argue the victim, Jordan Neely, was threatening
passengers.
Romania's Constitutional Court took the unprecedented step Friday of nullifying the first round of presidential voting that took place across
the country two weeks ago. It says elections must start from scratch after the surprise win of a far-right presidential candidate who allegedly
received support from Russia on social media sites. The candidate calls the ruling, quote, "a coup" and denies he received Russian help.
Japan is mourning the death of actress and singer Miho Nakayama. She was found dead in her home in Tokyo on Friday after canceling a holiday concert
scheduled for Friday in Osaka. The cause of her death now under investigation. Nakayama is well known for her starring role in the film
"Love Letter." She was also one of the most popular J-pop singers of the '80s and '90s. She was 54 years old.
Syrian rebels claiming they have now taken control of the City of Daraa in the southern part of the country. It is where the Syrian uprising started
in 2011.
Meanwhile, in the north, rebel forces are speeding toward the City of Homs about a week after capturing the country's second largest city, Aleppo.
Many are now returning to their hometown for the first time in years. Jomana Karadsheh spoke to some of them. And CNN is the first western media
organization to report from the city since the rebel takeover.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KARADSHEH: We're in Aleppo's old city, here by its historic, iconic citadel, and it's really surreal being in Syria's second city, just days
after that lightning offensive by rebel forces, where they managed to capture the city in a matter of days. And you look around here, and it
seems like business as usual.
[18:35:00]
Ahmed (ph) never left Aleppo. And she says their homes were destroyed. Her children are in Turkey, and she hasn't seen them in years. And she's hoping
now that they the city has changed hands, that this means that she could see her children again.
Abdul (ph) was in Idlib. He's been there since the start of the war. And this is his first time back to a city. He says they trust the rebels who
are now returning them to their cities. And he says he's not afraid. Syrians have gone through so much and their resilient.
Just in the last few days, people have painted over this with the colors of the free Syria flag. And this is something you see around the city where
people are trying to remove any signs of the Assad regime.
This is the Bassel roundabout named after the deceased brother of the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. And one of the first things that people
did when rebel forces took over the city of Aleppo was topple the statue of Bassel, a symbol of the Assad regime.
This is an area where there were fierce battles with regime forces. And since then, in the past few days, there's been an air strike that killed
many people. You can still see the aftermath of that. The blood on the floor here. And speaking to people in the city, this is what they fear.
They fear that there will be more Russian and Syrian regime airstrikes that they will be back for the City of Aleppo.
Mohammed This is your first time back to Aleppo in 10 years?
MOHAMMED ALI JOUDEH, DISPLACED ALEPPO RESIDENT: Ten years, yes.
KARADSHEH: Did you ever imagine this moment possible?
ALI JOUDEH: No. Actually, no, no. We have in our imagination that we're going to come back. Actually, we had a lot of dreams about getting back to
Aleppo, but we didn't actually believe that this moment was going to be true.
KARADSHEH: But are you worried about what might be coming?
ALI JOUDEH: Of course, we all here, all the people here are worried about what's going to happen because the airstrikes always attacked us.
KARADSHEH: But you can imagine living here again?
ALI JOUDEH: Of course, of course. I love my country. I love my -- actually, all of the Syrian place, the Syrian country, our country. We hope it's
going to be clear from the Assad regime. All the Syria, not just Aleppo.
KARADSHEH: Speaking to people here, you get this sense of joy and relief to see the regime of Bashar al-Assad gone. But also, there's this
apprehension, anxiety, fear of what might be coming. People don't really know what to expect from these rebel forces who've taken over Aleppo, but
most people that we've spoken to say that their biggest fear is what the regime and its allies are going to do, a real fear of going back to the
bloody days of the civil war in Syria.
Jomana Karadsheh, CNN, Aleppo, Syria.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
DEAN: Now, to our continuing coverage of the anti-government protests in Georgia. Multiple demonstrators saying they were beaten by special forces
with several protesters being sent to the hospital. Mass demonstrations began after the country's ruling party suspended talks to join the European
Union. Police have been cracking down on protesters with increasing force.
One of Donald Trump's picks is getting a lot of attention from conspiracy theorists. Donie O'Sullivan spoke with a QAnon influencer in Florida. We'll
have their conversation after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[18:40:00]
DEAN: U.S. President-Elect Donald Trump's pick for FBI Chief Kash Patel has just received an endorsement from the National Police Association, and it
comes as Patel's also getting attention from followers of the QAnon conspiracy theory. Patel has openly praised that movement that lionizes
Trump and demonizes the federal government. CNN's Donie O'Sullivan sat down with one QAnon follower.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DONIE O'SULLIVAN, CNN SENIOR CORRESPONDENT: We are here in beautiful, sunny Florida, right by Mar-a-Lago. We're on our way to meet a QAnon influencer.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What you know you can't explain.
O'SULLIVAN: For years, Jeffrey Pedersen, a former IT guy, has been running the Matrix Groove show.
JEFFREY PEDERSEN, HOST, "THE MG SHOW": Welcome back to the MG show, where the truth is learned, it's never told.
O'SULLIVAN: It's a show devoted to all things QAnon.
PEDERSEN: If you think QAnon is bad, you're believing the mainstream news.
O'SULLIVAN: Deciphering the cryptic codes from Q and trying to figure out the deep state and the cabal and everything else.
PEDERSEN: This is Q Post 1828. This is the spy op.
O'SULLIVAN: And the reason we're here is because he has had as a guest on his show, Kash Patel, who might become the next FBI director.
PEDERSEN: Kash is on the show today. Let's bring him in right now.
KASH PATEL, TRUMP'S PICK AS FBI DIRECTOR: You guys are the best. I love being on your program.
O'SULLIVAN: Patel has dipped his toe into this QAnon world a bit over the years, has flirted with it.
PATEL: On Truth Social, there's a Q account, whether or not it's the real Q, I'm not going to get into.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Are you a QAnoner?
PATEL: Like, so -- no. So, like everything else, you have to have fun with it. The Q thing is a movement. A lot of people attach themselves to it. I
disagree with a lot of what that movement says, but I agree with what a lot of that movement says.
O'SULLIVAN (voice-over): The QAnon movement has long been associated with radicalization and hate. And QAnon iconography was seen throughout the
January 6th mob.
PEDERSEN: Is that Donnie O'Sullivan?
O'SULLIVAN: Q has posted how many times?
PEDERSEN: 4,967 times.
O'SULLIVAN: Q posted about Kash Patel?
PEDERSEN: Yes, twice.
O'SULLIVAN: And says?
PEDERSEN: Kashyap Patel, a name to remember.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Q has been so right on so many things. I'll get off that subject.
PATEL: No, he has. And I'll -- and I agree with you. He has. He has. And you got to take -- you got to harness that following that Q has garnered,
and just sort of tweak it a little bit. That's all I'm saying. He should get credit for all the things he has accomplished because it's hard to
establish a movement.
O'SULLIVAN: Who is Q?
PEDERSEN: I don't know. Q says it's 10 people, three non-military, less than 10. We don't know. I see people trying to say that Kash is Q. You
can't prove that. I can't prove that.
O'SULLIVAN: For a lot of people, Kash Patel engaging in the world of Q and QAnon at all, they'll say, well, that's disqualifying.
PEDERSEN: But what you're going to find out is that we have a mandate in America, and we want the FBI cleaned. You know, 99 percent of the FBI is
good. You know, but there's a 1 percent that is not good.
O'SULLIVAN (voice-over): The anonymous Q persona hasn't posted in a few years, but the world of QAnon is still very real for people like Jeffrey.
PEDERSEN: News unlocks what the Q posts are. Like, you know, like, for example, Kashyap Patel, a name to remember. Kashyap Patel has just been
nominated as the FBI director. Right? That's a Q proof, what we call.
O'SULLIVAN: Couldn't I just say, well, Q has posted 5,000 times. He just posted a name. Like --
PEDERSEN: Yes, you can absolutely say that. And -- but what about all the other names?
[18:45:00]
O'SULLIVAN (voice-over): In our interview, Jeffrey made it very clear that he condemns violence, he's not a fan of the Proud Boys, Oath Keepers, or
other groups that conspired to cause violence on January 6th.
PEDERSEN: I always say, you know, we're not going to make fun of liberals, because we're going to be here for them when they wake up.
O'SULLIVAN: But there is a lot of portrayal of Democrats, of people on the left, of being evil.
PEDERSEN: Yes.
O'SULLIVAN: Do you think they're evil?
PEDERSEN: Not all of them, no. Do I think there are some? Yes. Like Hillary Clinton, maybe? I don't know.
O'SULLIVAN (voice-over): As for Kash Patel, Jeffrey and other QAnon influencers welcome him as the country's top law enforcement officer.
PEDERSEN: I think the American people will be happy that Kash Patel is going to straighten out what they've done to President Donald J. Trump and
the FBI. And I think America should be happy as well.
O'SULLIVAN: And a Trump transition spokesperson dismissed any links between QAnon and Kash Patel and described our story as a pathetic attempt at guilt
by association. Back to you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
DEAN: We have an update to our breaking news this hour. NYPD investigators found that backpack in Central Park that they believe belonged to the
suspect in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. This is according to a law enforcement official. Investigators have yet to
officially confirm the origin of the bag, but they are taking it to be forensically tested in a lab in Queens, New York.
The bag was found in a second sweep of the park Friday evening between some boulders and just south of the park's carousel. One source telling CNN
police secured the area, bagged the piece of evidence, and sent it unopened to the lab. It will not be open until it gets to that lab. Of course, we'll
continue to follow this and bring you any updates.
Still ahead, singer Rose is busting out of Blackpink and striking out on her own with a brand-new solo album. The latest from the world of K-pop,
that's just ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
DEAN: Actor and comedian Jamie Foxx says his health scare last year was no laughing matter. The ordeal reportedly left him in a coma and he's finally
speaking out about it in an upcoming Netflix comedy special. His fans will be happy to hear he is literally back in action. Elizabeth Wagmeister
reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JAMIE FOXX, ACTOR: First of all, I want to say thank you to everybody that's prayed, man, and sent me messages.
ELIZABETH WAGMEISTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Jamie Foxx speaking to his fans last year, three months after he collapsed while
filming a movie in Atlanta.
FOXX: And I know a lot of people were waiting, you know, or wanting to hear updates, but to be honest with you, I just didn't want you to see me like
that, man.
WAGMEISTER (voice-over): But now --
FOXX: What had happened was --
WAGMEISTER (voice-over): -- Foxx is ready to tell all in a Netflix stand up special out Tuesday.
FOXX: I'm so glad to be here.
WAGMEISTER (voice-over): Where he shares new details on his mystery hospitalization in 2023, which CNN has now learned was a near-death
experience.
DEMECOS CHAMBERS, ATTENDED FOXX SPECIAL: He was talking to somebody personal to him, and then he just passed out on the elevator.
[18:50:00]
WAGMEISTER (voice-over): Demecos Chambers is a longtime Fox fan. He was in the audience for the Netflix taping in Atlanta back in October. The first
time Foxx has spoken about his unknown condition since this brief clip surfaced on social media last summer.
FOXX: Bad headache, asked my boy for an Advil. I was gone for 20 days.
CHAMBERS: Jamie didn't know, but his health was declining greatly while he was in the hospital, like he was literally on the brink of death.
WAGMEISTER (voice-over): Chamber says Fox explains how one of his daughters unknowingly kept him alive, playing their special song on a guitar as he
was in a coma. It's the sound he woke up to weeks later.
CHAMBERS: His heart started picking up and his responses on the medical devices started increasing and his health came around. He eventually woke
up, was literally due to his daughter playing a song that was kindled at him -- kindled to them both.
WAGMEISTER (voice-over): Chambers says Fox seems strong on stage, not just speaking, but singing and dancing and playing the piano, and of course,
joking that he woke up from his coma with a beard looking like Django, one of his most famous roles.
FOXX: Just like old times, baby. Just like old time.
WAGMEISTER (voice-over): Foxx was filming the aptly titled "Back in Action" with Cameron Diaz at the time of his medical emergency. That movie is now
complete and comes out on Netflix next month. For Chambers, though, it's his up close and personal moment with Foxx that will mean the most.
CHAMBERS: I just wanted to see Jamie. I just wanted to see my good the guy that I grew up off of perform on stage. It takes a lot to move me, and that
moved me.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
DEAN: Well, this week was the moment of truth for Spotify users. The music streaming app tallied up all their listening habits this year, good and
bad, and it also revealed this year's most popular K-pop songs and artists, and even though their latest single, "Take Two," came out in June, BTS took
first place. What's more band members? Kungkook and Jimin came in second and fourth respectively on the list of top artists. Stray Kids appear at
number three, with NewJeans at number five.
Blackpink singer Rose went her own way and collaborated with Bruno Mars for the incredibly catchy "APT." It's the lead single on her album, "Rosie,"
which debuted this week at number three on the U.S. iTunes chart.
Jeff Benjamin is a contributor at Billboard and Forbes. Jeff, thanks so much for being here with us. It is incredible to see just the massive
strength of K-pop and just where they stand in the charts both internationally and even in the U.S. too.
JEFF BENJAMIN, CONTRIBUTOR, BILLBOARD: Exactly. And it's such an exciting time to kind of see that it's not just about, you know, the boy bands or
the girl groups or something, we're seeing a real mix of these artists, not just, you know, starting so strongly with their groups, but being able to
develop and kind of flourish into full-fledged solo artists as well.
You brought up so many great examples of whether it's Jungkook or Jimin of BTS or Rose of Blackpink. These artists are not only finding, you know, the
success and this excitement with their groups, but really, flourishing as solo artists in their own right. And I think that's kind of a real
indication of kind of where K-pop is going and kind of its overall larger acceptance in the pop world.
DEAN: Yes, I mean, and that's what's so cool about it, right? Is just in pop music in general, they've really made their place, these K-pop artists.
BENJAMIN: Exactly. And this year was another huge year for K-pop, kind of when you look at it in that larger way on a global sphere. You can talk
about, you know, someone like Rose who took a app, her app single with Bruno Mars, that was the very first time a K-pop artist or an artist based
in Korea was able to -- that is female rather from Korea was able to debut in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.
We saw a lot of songs from the K-pop world that also were specifically in English and actually were able to kind of have that crossover appeal in
that way as well. K-pop, you know, despite the fact that, yes, the K does represent Korea and Korean music, K-pop is really trying to position itself
in this more global way, and its artists don't see themselves as being defined by any kind of sound, any kind of genre, any type of language, but
rather, it can mean all parts of pop culture, and it's really exciting to kind of see how this is happening in this larger way. You're showing so
many of my favorites from this year.
DEAN: Yes. I know, I know. And so, what does it -- how do they make this appeal to this broader international audience? And really, I mean, clearly,
they are really connecting with people.
BENJAMIN: Yes, it's a great question. You can go all the way back to kind of K-pop's origins, which is actually quite a young genre in terms of how
we think about it in terms of modern pop music. K-pop, the way we know it today with boy bands and girl groups and these very stylized performances
and intense fandom, this is only started around the '90s and it was always made to be kind of exported beyond Korea in that way.
[18:55:00]
Many times, K-pop artists are working with international collaborators, whether that is, you know, the Swedish songwriters who, you know, the --
all our favorite pop stars are working with, to, you know, rappers, to whoever it might be. There's a lot of collaboration and a lot of great
partnerships that are happening with K-pop. And I think that's been particularly key in terms of how these artists themselves and their teams
have been able to really connect in a larger way internationally, is by having the smart partnerships, being able to work with certain people, to
kind of expand the name, open people's minds up who maybe hadn't listened to Korean music in the past.
DEAN: Yes, that's a great point All right. Jeff Benjamin, thanks so much for joining us. We appreciate it
BENJAMIN: Thank you. Take a listen.
DEAN: Yes. And finally, on First Move, the end of Eras. After almost two years of smashing records, captivating audiences around the world, Taylor
Swift's Eras Tour is coming to an end. She'll be performing her final three shows in Vancouver. They start tonight. The Eras Tour has hit five
continents with about 150 performances, making it the highest grossing concert tour ever.
The Federal Reserve even credits the tour with boosting the U.S. economy. The question now is, how many -- how will fans fill the blank space it
leaves behind?
That's going to wrap up our show. I'm Jessica Dean. Thank you so much for joining us. Have a wonderful weekend.
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[19:00:00]
END
