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New Day Sunday

Five People Stabbed at Hanukkah Celebration; 5 Dead in Small Plane Crash Near Louisiana Airport; Trump Showing Frustration with Impeachment Process. Aired 7-8a ET

Aired December 29, 2019 - 07:00   ET

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


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[07:00:12]

CHRISTI PAUL, CNN ANCHOR: Following breaking news out of Rockland County, New York, right now. Five people were stabbed at a knife attack at rabbi's home during a Hanukkah celebration late last night.

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN ANCHOR: All of the victims were Hasidic Jews. And at least two people are reported in critical conditions.

PAUL: Yes, police say they do have a suspect in custody. We know they were a hundred people gathered to mark the seventh night of Hanukkah. One of the witnesses says the rabbi had just lit a candle when the attacker just stormed inside.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ARON KOHN, WITNESS: I saw walking by the door. I asked who is coming in in the middle of the night with umbrella and while I was saying that, he pulled it out from the thing and he start to going (ph) to the big room, which was on the left side, and I throw tables and chairs that he should get out of here. And he injured a guy, (INAUDIBLE) guy bleeding here and his hand fell over.

I ran into the other room because I tried to save my life. I saw him running down this way. So I ran out and two ladies came along with me. They're still hysterical. What time? I don't know the time now. They still hysterical right now.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: CNN's Polo Sandoval is live for us this morning in Monsey, New York.

Polo, you're outside of the home where this attack happened. Get us up-to-date now. How is the community reacting and what's the response from local leaders?

POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: With a lot of questions, Victor. Of course, the main question is why? Why did this happen?

We should make very clear that, at this point, investigators have not officially determined or got as far to classify this as anti-Semitic incident. However, they do have that certain investigators that are looking into that as a possibility. But, at this point, authorities, again, still in the early stages of this investigation.

But what we do know took place in the home behind me late last night, as this individual that authorities believe is now in custody, made his way into the home and then begin to injured multiple -- several people with a knife. We do not exactly what fueled or what led to this, but we know the five individuals continue to recover from their injuries right now.

And then when you step back and look at the broader context here and the week many in the community have had, a short drive, in New York City, it really does remind us why there is so much concern among members of the Jewish community. You've had individuals who had been attacked -- who have been approached and even attacked in various cases that we followed for the last eight days, they average of at least one a day, especially as these folks are coming together peacefully celebrating Hanukkah. And now, of course, one of those Hanukkah celebrations taking a terrible and horrific turn.

But now, again, the main question here -- what was -- what is it that led to this? And, most importantly, what would be done to help prevent this from happening again? Victor and Christi?

PAUL: And, again, as you look at your screen there, just -- we can't overstate it enough. This is the eighth attack in seven-day straight period of attacks that started on December 23rd and there has been at least one attack every single day from the 23rd until today, this morning.

Polo Sandoval, we appreciate it so much.

And that just gives us some perspective about how tough this is for that community and, like, we had Mayor Bill de Blasio saying, I want to quote here and get it right, we can't overstate the fear people are feeling right now.

BLACKWELL: And we want to listen to a qualify we had earlier. We spoke with a regional director of the Anti-Defamation League in New York.

PAUL: Yes. And he says, listen, it is so important that people report all incidents of anti-Semitism because that's how law enforcement and authorities can help.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

EVAN BERNSTEIN, NY REGIONAL DIRECTOR, ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE: I think, you know, law enforcement is doing everything in their power. We have, you know, done so much work together unfortunately with the FBI here in New York, Homeland Security, NYPD, local police here in Rockland County. And everyone here is doing everything in their power to try to protect these populations.

I think the challenges are that there are anti-Semitic tendencies now that are rising up in ways we have not seen in very, very long periods of time that this is beyond policing. This is not just policing. This is -- these are communal problems, there are societal problems we need to get in front of and figure out why these things are happening, and why this rise against the orthodox populations and why the rise of the overall Jewish population is taking over right now locally and in this country.

I know we rely on people that are going to be able to, you know, call us and report to us either online or on the phone. A lot of these Orthodox populations, ultra-Orthodox populations are populations that are just not using that kind of technology and also are typically a little bit more insulated, you know, from other kinds of norms.

[07:05:05]

And so, what we are trying to do is work with community leadership in these Orthodox -- openly Orthodox communities to get this to become part of their normal routine. I've had so many conversations with people that have been assaulted or had other issues taking place with them and they just haven't reported it. There is a fear of reporting, there's a fear of retaliation or they just don't have the understanding of how to report.

So, what happens is in a place like here in Rockland County, you maybe only show a few or handful of incidents that taking place are odd (ph), and in reality we believe based in our conversations with Orthodox leadership, there's far more are happening and we need to do a better job of getting to these populations so they can report and we can work with law enforcement and elected officials to really give the best picture and the clearest picture about what's actually happening in these communities.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: Let's bring into the conversation CNN law enforcement analyst James Gagliano.

James, good morning to you.

I want to start, specifically, with this attack and then broaden it ho a wider conversation. In one of the attacks in Brooklyn, the suspect said she slapped three women because she thought they were Jewish. Short of an admission, a confession like that in this case, how do law enforcement officers go about determining if this was motivated by a hate for the religion, if this was a hate crime?

JAMES GAGLIANO, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: It's a great question, Victor. So, law enforcement has got to sort through this and it's so early in this investigation. But, remember, we have had nine of these attacks now. Some of them random and some seem preplanned within the space of six days.

Now in New York, I live about 30 miles from here. There are two very populated Satmar communities. One is in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, the other is up in Kiryas Joel, which is up in Monroe. This community here in Monsey, very well-known, very established Satmar community. This looked like, from what we see right now, clearly a preplanned

attack. This does not appear to be target of opportunity. Obviously, we know the suspect fled and was caught later on in New York City. But this wasn't a random punching somebody on the street because you recognize their Orthodox clothing or something like that. This looked preplanned.

Victor, 75 years after the end of World War II, it is so sad that a community like this cannot live in peace here in the United States of America.

PAUL: So, James, I want to ask you about the frequency of this because we have been talking about it and you just mentioned it. According to our numbers, at least eight attacks in the last seven days since December 23rd, every single day since December 23rd.

Is there then -- would it be protocol for there to be some sort of investigation to see if there is something online that is perpetuating this that perhaps there is a group that is putting some sort of signals out online or if this is organized in some way?

GAGLIANO: That is absolutely going to a piece of this investigation. The thing that makes it so difficult is the vastness of the Internet that these cretins control, these folks that traffic in hate and like perverse ideologies so many places they can excrete themselves on the web. And it's tough. In the United States, we can't just spy on individuals. We have to have probable cause.

Look, the police has got to sort these out. Where are these random acts sort of happening recently? Is this just tension around communities or if it's Crown Heights and Williamsburg, New York, or something like this that more mirrors what happened in Jersey City of recent, as well as what happened at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh just a couple of years ago.

Law enforcement got their work cut out for them, Christi. I know that the crime scene was policed up quickly and I'm sure they are interviewing the suspect now and follow through on the leads you just mentioned.

BLACKWELL: James, Governor Cuomo announced a hate crime task force. What is that and what should New Yorkers expect that task force to do?

GAGLIANO: OK. So, Victor, let's unpack what a hate crime is. A hate crime is typically a crime of violence that targets a particular community, whether it's a community of faith, whether it's a sexual orientation, or a race or an ethnicity or something like that. Now, look, people argue all the time, do we need hate crime laws?

Here is the purpose behind that. We have to get into the mentality. What was the motivation here? Was this a random act?

Obviously, the crime is the same. If somebody stabs somebody or shoots somebody, we are going to prosecute them for assault or homicide or those type of things. But these crimes are designed to instill fear. They are similar to terror attacks in that they are designed to change our way of living, to make us fear living in our own neighborhoods or in the instance of what happened last night tragically, what happens in our own homes, Victor.

PAUL: So, James, we heard Evan Bernstein say a fear of reporting and retaliation. Is there something the law enforcement community can do to better encourage people to be really transparent about what they are going through and what they see and to come to them?

[07:10:10]

GAGLIANO: Yes, Christi. And that gets into the sociological aspect, and law enforcement has got to make a reach out to typically insular communities and make sure they are brought on board, that they become part of the investigation, that they feel they can go and report incidents like this and that these incidents will be investigated.

Look, this incident last night took place in Rockland County. There are a number of different police agencies here that are working around the clock to solve it as well as the New York state police. If it is a biased crime, which obviously it appears to be right now the FBI will be involved too. I guarantee they will roll out the red carpet personnel to get to the bottom of this thing, because a community on one of their high holiest weeks on the Sabbath can't live in fear in their own neighborhoods, or even worse, in their own homes. Law enforcement has to get the bottom of this and get out in front of anything that could be planned anywhere in New York or in the United States.

BLACKWELL: James Gagliano, thank you so much for being with us.

PAUL: Thank you, James.

GAGLIANO: Thanks, guys.

PAUL: Still ahead, what is Israeli's prime minister saying about this horrific attack? We take you live to Jerusalem where the leaders there are paying attention and they have something to say about it.

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BLACKWELL: The stabbing that happened overnight in Monsey, New York, is just the latest in a string of anti-Semitic attacks. And local law enforcement statewide, they are trying to allocate new resources to protect the community and prevent this from happening in the future.

PAUL: It may be happening in New York there, but it is being watched all over the world. CNN's Oren Liebermann is with us from Jerusalem live now.

So, what is Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister, is saying about this attack, Oren? And good morning to you.

OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Victor and Christi.

It seems it's all often that Israel will come out of the holiday, whether it's the Sabbath, in the case of the shootings in San Diego and Pittsburgh, or whether it's the middle of Hanukkah, only to come out to news of another attack against a Jewish community. This, of course, in Monsey, New York.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded just a short time ago, at the start of the weekly cabinet meeting. He said: Israeli condemns in every sense the latest anti-Semitic incidents and brutal attack in the middle of Hanukkah at the rabbi's house in Monsey, New York. We send wishes for a speedy recovery for the injured. We will work together in every way with the local authorities in order to help eliminate this phenomenon. We offer our help to all countries.

Netanyahu touching on a major point here. This is not just something isolated to New York or to Pittsburgh or to San Diego. This is something happening across the U.S. and in other places around the world. That is where Israeli will see what it can do to help.

In fact, next months marks the 75th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration in Nazi-occupied Poland. To mark that occasion, the Yad Vashem, Israel's Holocaust Museum, will be holding a conference on anti-Semitism and world leaders will come here to talk about what can be done. For Yad Vashem, at least part of it is a matter of education, education about anti-Semitism, education about the Holocaust and the horrors of the Holocaust, to see if they can help stem this tide we're seeing or this wave, I should say, of anti- Semitic attacks in the U.S. and elsewhere.

[07:15:17]

That will be a big one. The message from the Yad Vashem is simple: anti-Semitism cannot be tolerated anywhere in the worlds.

We also heard from Israel's President Reuven Rivlin. He said: Shocked and outraged by the terrible attack in New York. We are praying for the rapid recovery of those injured. The rise of anti-Semitism is not just a Jewish problem, and certainly not just the state of Israel's problem. We must work together to confront this evil, which is raising its head again and is a genuine threat around the world.

We also heard from the chairman of the Jewish Agency and he says, especially on this occasion, the Festival of Lights has become the festival of darkness and that Jews on the days they should feel the safest on the holidays whether the Sabbath or Hanukkah or on another holiday they should see safest in their home or in their temple or in their synagogue or their community, these are the times where they are being targeted.

And that is partly of what is so terrifying the Jews in New York and as well as what part of what makes this outreach so important from the state of Israeli.

But the chairman of the Jewish Agency, Isaac Herzog, went even one step further and pointing out this is not just a Jew problem. He said it always begins with the Jews, but never ends with just the Jews.

PAUL: Oren Liebermann, we appreciate it so much. Thank you. And we're going to continue to follow this breaking news throughout

the morning, of course. You can get the latest as well on our website, CNN.com.

BLACKWELL: Still ahead, five people are dead after a plane crashed in Louisiana. How it's connected to the LSU Tigers.

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PAUL: Well, five people were killed after a small plane crash in Lafayette, Louisiana, yesterday. And the victims ranged from 15 to 59. The only survivor from the crash is hospitalized this morning in critical condition.

BLACKWELL: Officials say the plane was headed to Atlanta and several of the passengers were going to the college football playoff game between LSU and Oklahoma. Now, one of those passengers was Carley Ann McCord.

[07:20:01]

She was a sports reporter in New Orleans and daughter-in-law of LSU coach Steve Ensminger.

CNN's Natasha Chen has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NATASHA CHEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Saturday morning just before 9:30 local time in Lafayette, Louisiana, people saw a plane fall out of the sky.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: For the first time, my heart just like wanted to stop and give up and take place (INAUDIBLE) I just feel like it's pain and pain for the family and all that.

CHEN: This witness described the plane tilting, hitting a post and a couple of vehicles. What is left is a burned out car flipped upside down and pieces of the plane scattered in a field across the parking lot of this post office.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's one of those things like you never could picture in your mind. It was terrifying. And I was outside. I could feel the heat from the flames and I could smell the fuel.

CHEN: There were six people on the plane. Only one of them survived.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We got closer and they pulled a guy out of the burning flames and brought him out.

CHEN: The lone survivor, 37-year-old Wade Berzas, vice president of sales at Global Data Systems, an IT company. Among the five who died, Carley McCord, a 30-year-old sports reporter who worked at WDSU in New Orleans.

CARLEY MCCORD, SPORTS REPORTER: Everyone loves a good family football story.

CHEN: Her football family includes her father-in-law Steve Ensminger, offensive coordinator for Louisiana State University. McCord was on her way to see LSU play against Oklahoma University in Atlanta at the Peach Bowl.

MATT MOSCONA, ESPN RADIO: I've been numb all day. It's hard to do the show, quite honestly. I don't have much to say.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

MOSCONA: Other than there is a lot of people that are going to be hurting today.

CHEN: Those hurting include families of the injured. Besides Berzas who survived from the plane, one more person on the ground was severely burned and is being treated in a hospital. Two more people inside the hospital were treated with smoke inhalation and expected to be OK.

Natasha Chen, CNN, Lafayette, Louisiana.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PAUL: And our thanks to Natasha there.

Now, beyond this story, there is a string of incidents involving airplanes. Just yesterday, in North Carolina, there were four people injured after a small crashed during takeoff. It went down across the street from Ashville Regional Airport. The FAA issued a ground stop as a result of that crash.

BLACKWELL: On Long Island, another small plane crashed into the woods on final approach to the airport. Officials say the pilot was the only person on board. Police have not released information on his condition.

PAUL: And a Delta flight had to return to the airport in Austin, Texas, due to mechanical issues. Officials say it might have been caused by a drone or a bird strike. Delta said the plane returned to the gate and passengers deplaned, as they usually do.

BLACKWELL: Week two of President Trump's vacation for the holidays and he is showing some apparent frustration with the impeachment process.

PAUL: He has been playing golf.

BLACKWELL: Yes.

PAUL: He has been having meetings with aides. But the president is continuing his tirade on Twitter sharing pro-Trump and anti-Democrat messages.

Sarah Westwood is with us from West Palm Beach right now.

Sarah, good morning to you. What are you hearing from the president this morning?

SARAH WESTWOOD, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Good morning, Victor and Christi.

And President Trump is increasingly frustrated with the extended state of limbo surrounding his Senate trial. There is a lot of uncertainty about when it will start and also about the White House's strategy to handle it. Now, sources tell CNN that President Trump at his resort has been quizzing aides and allies what the White House's strategy should be and whether he should make room on his team for some of his fiercest Democrats in the House, conservative Congressmen Jim Jordan or Mike Meadows, who maybe joining the White House team perhaps to present a minority response to whatever the Democrats what is in favor of the articles of impeachment.

But there's a lot that's uncertain right now as the president is caught in the standoff between congressional Republicans and Democrats. The only thing appears set in stone at the moment, Victor and Christi, is that White House counsel Pat Cipollone is expected to presented the bulk of the president's defense before the Senate and likely to be assisted by some of his deputies. While president has been spending time down here in Mar-a-Lago, he is about halfway through his two-week trip, he has been firing or attacks on Nancy Pelosi on almost a daily basis.

And he also shared a tweet yesterday that contained an uncorroborated name of the whistleblower and taking backlash for that decision. The president was spotted on the golf course yesterday with Republican Senator David Perdue. He is expected to be staffed a little more heavily heading into this next week of the trip. So, perhaps some of those unanswered questions about the Senate trial could be addressed while the president spends more time in West Palm Beach, Victor and Christi.

BLACKWELL: Sarah Westwood for us there in West Palm Beach, thank you very much.

PAUL: Thank you, Sarah.

So we have a bit of a switch from former Vice President Joe Biden regarding any testimony he may give in President Trump's impeachment trial. What the presidential candidate is saying now about what he would do if he is faced with a subpoena.

[07:25:03]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFED MALE: She came to Los Angeles.

UNIDENTIFED MALE: Ladies and gentlemen, it's Linda Ronstadt.

LINDA RONSTADT, SINGER: I was 18 years old and we formed a little band. We called ourselves Stone Ponies.

UNIDENTIFED MALE: The L.A. scene was in gear, and then the whole damn thing broke loose.

UNIDENTIFED MALE: It was rock music, folk music, comingling.

UNIDENTIFED MALE: How can we define what this is going to be?

UNIDENTIFED FEMALE: Linda was the queen. She was like what Beyonce is now.

UNIDENTIFED MALE: She was the only female artist to have five platinum albums in a row.

RONSTADT: "I Can't Help It If I'm Still in Love With You" was a hit on the country charts, "You're No Good" was a hit on both the R&B chart and the pop chart. I became the first artist to have a hit on all three charts.

UNIDENTIFED FEMALE: She was the first female rock 'n roll star.

UNIDENTIFED MALE: "LINDA RONSTADT: THE SOUND OF MY VOICE", New Year's Day on CNN.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

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BLACKWELL: Former Vice President Joe Biden is trying to clear up whether or not he would obey a subpoena to testify at President Trump's Senate impeachment trial.

PAUL: Now, his campaign is setting its sights meanwhile in Iowa with a critical Iowa caucuses looming around the corner, of course.

CNN's Maeve Reston has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MAEVE RESTON, CNN NATIONAL POLITICAL REPORTER: Many of the Democratic presidential candidates here in Iowa this weekend trying to get their message out to voters with just five weeks before the Iowa caucuses. Joe Biden going all across the state but still getting caught up in the questions about Ukraine and the impeachment trial coming up in the Senate.

During a meeting with "The Des Moines Register" editorial board on Friday, he was asked if he comply with a subpoena to talk about his own dealings with Ukraine as well as those of his son Hunter Biden who served on the board of Ukrainian energy company. And during that meeting, Biden suggested he would not imply, but then spent a lot of time on Saturday trying to clarify that point on Twitter, saying that he believes there is no legal basis for a subpoena, and also that he has no more knowledge of the president's dealings in Ukraine than any other random person on the street who's been watching this unfold on television.

He was pressed on this point about the subpoena during a gaggle with reporters on Saturday and here is what he had to say about that. JOE BIDEN (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I don't think that's going to

happen to begin with. Let's cross that bridge when it comes. I would, in fact, abide by whatever was legally required of me and I always have.

This is a trial that relates to Donald Trump's behavior. Did he violate the Constitution? Pure and simple. And I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure that stays the focus, not anything else.

MAEVE: So, Joe Biden there saying the focus should not be on impeachment but should be on his campaign and the issues he has been trying to talk to voters about here, whether it's climate change or health care or the economy. Many voters here in Iowa are still undecided with that very close race, among the four candidates at the top. But some of the voters that we have talked to at Joe Biden's events say they are about 90 percent of the way there.

Coming to their final decisions, really deciding that they are going to go what they view is a safe comfortable choice, someone who is familiar and been through the paces of the White House.

Maeve Reston, CNN, in Washington, Iowa.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHRISTI PAUL, CNN ANCHOR: Maeve, thank you.

Listen, we want to give you a look at the Bahamas right now because it's been nearly three months since Hurricane Dorian just ravaged that area.

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN ANCHOR: Now, the storm forced thousands of people from their homes, caused, look at these pictures, billions of dollars in damage and recovery efforts began immediately but authorities say it will be years before the worst areas are rebuilt.

CNN's Michael Holmes has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In an area still ravaged by disaster, volunteers clear the homes of those forced to leave everything behind.

DANA TARNO-GERKEN, VOLUNTEER, ALL HANDS AND HEARTS ORGANIZATION: We found a wedding dress and we saw pictures and trophies. We had photo albums, a box of children's toys and to have it just be completely ruined and completely taken out was a difficult day and that is the average house here. That is the average house here.

HOLMES: Months after the most powerful hurricane to ever strike the Bahamas, parts of this island nation remain in ruins. Recovery often depends on the kindness of strangers.

TARNO-GERKEN: I was actually one of the first volunteers on the ground and it was mixed emotions. Very hard to process the amount of devastation that was here. So -- sorry. That's it. It's just -- these people need a lot and I have the time to give it so --

HOLMES: Dana Tarno-Gerken felt compelled to help after watching Hurricane Dorian throttled the Bahamas on television in September.

She and a group of volunteers are now working to rebuild some of the worse hit areas where the situation is still dire.

TARNO-GERKEN: We have no electricity for the most part in this area. The people are trying to make sure that they have a place just to stay that has, you know, no holes in the roof. We have had people come up to us and ask us just for water.

HOLMES: On Great Abaco and Grand Bahama islands where the first storm made landfall, thousands lost their homes, entire community swept away. Earlier this month, the prime minister said 70 people have lost their lives and more was still missing.

Million of dollars of aid has poured in, but the storm left billions of dollars in damage.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's a tremendous amount of work to be done here and why we will be here two years.

HOLMES: In long-term destruction, volunteers must prioritize how to rebuild.

DAVID EISENBAUM, DIRECTOR OF INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE, ALL HANDS AND HEARTS ORGANIZATION: Disasters take a very long time to recover from. Years. Not months. It's a bit of a misconception. In places like this school, what we need is the manpower, the volunteers to come and do the work to work alongside the people here.

HOLMES: Amid devastating loss, there are still signs of hope.

TAMO-GERKEN: These people are dealing with a lot of pain. They have a large need still but they still laugh, they still smile, they still thank us.

HOLMES: Communities and volunteers banding together on a long road to recovery.

Michael Holmes, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLACKWELL: Well, take your pick of big moments in pop culture this year. Controversial end to one of the biggest TV shows ever, the rise of some new stars in music. What story made your top list? We'll show you ours, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:3824]

PAUL: There's a lot of news in 2019. Not all of it was entertaining.

BLACKWELL: Yes, that's right.

PAUL: However, there were a ton of major stories this year in entertainment.

BLACKWELL: So, CNN's Stephanie Elam takes a look at the top nine pop culture stories of 2019.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Winter came and went, the final battle for the Iron Throne, Avengers pack a punch at the box office and Lizzo storms the airwaves with her "Juice".

Here's a look at the top entertainment news in 2019.

Number 9, "Jeopardy!" host Alex Trebek courageous battle against pancreatic cancer.

ALEX TREBEK, "JEOPARDY!" HOST: I have some news to share with all of you.

ELAM: Trebek announced his stage 4 diagnosis in March and vowed to aggressively fight the disease. He underwent intense chemotherapy and resurfaced just five months later to announce he was on the mend.

TREBEK: I'm happy to report I'm still here.

ELAM: And ready to return to "Jeopardy!" for its 36th season. In a touching moment like Trebek choked up during a very special Final Jeopardy round.

TREBEK: What is - we love you, that's very kind. Thank you.

ELAM: A TV star embroiled in a hate crime scandal is Number 8. "Empire" actor Jussie Smollett who is gay and black claimed to have been the target of a racist and homophobic attack. Police say Smollett staged the attack to gain attention.

EDDIE JOHNSON, FORMER CHICAGO POLICE SUPERINTENDENT: Jussie Smollett took advantage of the pain and anger of racism to promote his career.

[07:40:06]

ELAM: Smaller was indicted on 16 felony counts, but prosecutors later dropped all the charges. Smollett maintains his innocence.

JUSSIE SMOLLETT, ACTOR: I would not be my mother's son if I was capable of doing what I was accused of.

ELAM: He didn't return for the show's sixth and final season.

A new type of battle brings us to Number 7, the fight for your streaming views and subscription dollars. Joining heavy hitters Netflix and Hulu are the new kids on the block Apple TV Plus, Disney Plus and soon Peacock and HBO Max. Netflix is still the king with over 150 million subscribers. But industry insiders are watching the impact these new platforms will have against their established rivals.

FRANK PALLOTTA, CNN MEDIA REPORTER: Content is arguably at the core of any streaming service. That's why we've seen record setting production and licensing deals over the last few years.

ELAM: Oprah, Reese Witherspoon and J.J. Abrams are just some of the names behind original content coming out soon.

At Number 6, a sad farewell to a 90210 legend and a beloved rapper.

NIPSEY HUSSLE, AMERICAN RAPPER: Once again prevail.

ELAM: In March, Nipsey Hussle was shot and killed near a clothing store he owned in Los Angeles.

HUSSLE: That's why they follow me --

ELAM: The Grammy nominated rapper collaborated with dozens of artists including Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar and Drake. He embraced his role as an activist. Hussle had been scheduled to meet with city officials the next day to discuss ways to stop gang violence.

Actor Luke Perry was meant to join his original "Beverly Hills 90210" castmates for a reboot of the show, but sadly the 52-year-old died of a massive stroke in March. Perry was best known for playing 90s bad boy Dylan McKay on 90210. But his most recent role on TV's Riverdale introduced him to a new generation of fans. Both shows a tribute to the actor they knew and loved.

Number 5, Lil Nas X breaks the music charts with "Old Town Road."

LIL NAS X, AMERICAN RAPPER: I got the horses in the back. Horse tack is attached --

ELAM: The country rapper has jammed with Billy Ray Cyrus topped the Billboard Hot 100 for a record 19 weeks. Just a year ago Lil Nas X was flying under the radar, but that all changed when he self-released "Old Town Road" on iTunes, Soundcloud and YouTube.

But it was a viral TikTok meme that turned his new beat into a banger.

LIL NAS X: Yes, I'm going to take my horse to the old town road --

ELAM: The song hit a bump in the road when Billboard pulled it from the country charts, generating cries of racism. But the rapper turned it around and hit a string of personal and professional triumphs. He came out over the summer. His single went triple platinum and it reached diamond status.

LIZZETTE MARTINEZ, SURVIVOR: I never really recovered from it.

ELAM: At Number 4, Lifetime's bombshell documentary Surviving R. Kelly. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A development now involving R&B singer R. Kelly, the district attorney in Fulton County, Georgia is apparently now conducting an investigation following the release of that Lifetime docu-series called "Surviving R. Kelly".

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All right, good morning.

ELAM: The embattled singer, spent his year in and out of court, defending himself against sexual misconduct charges dating back 20 years. The R&B star was charged on 18 federal accounts in Illinois and New York.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Free you, R. Kelly, they're going to free you.

ELAM: He has denied any wrongdoing.

R. KELLY, AMERICAN SINGER: I promise you, we're going to straighten all this stuff out. That's all I can say right now.

ELAM: Kelly remains jailed without bond.

BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH, ENGLISH ACTOR, DOCTOR STRANGE: We're in the end game now.

ELAM: And Number 3, "Avengers: End Game", knocked out an epic win at the box office, becoming the highest-grossing film of all time.

Diehard MCU fans packed theaters to the tune of $2.8 billion worldwide. "End Game" surpassed James Cameron's Avatar, which held the previous global box office record for 10 years.

CHRIS HEMSWORTH, ACTOR, PORTRAY AS THOR: I like this one.

ELAM: "End Game" caps an 11-year buildup in the Marvel Universe which began with Iron Man in 2008. From Captain Marvel, to Black Panther, to Thor, and Guardians of the Galaxy, the Infinity Saga netted over $22.5 billion.

Coming in at Number 2, the final episode of HBO's "Game of Thrones".

CERSEI LANNISTER, FICTIONAL CHARACTER: When you play the Game of Thrones, you win.

ELAM: The series finale capped off a nine-year television and pop- culture phenomenon. Making it one of the most anticipated endings in television history. The build-up through season eight had viewers anticipating an epic ending for the future of Westeros.

The finale titled the Iron Throne brought in a series record of 19.3 million viewers.

[07:45:09]

LIZZO, AMERICAN SINGER: I'd be waiting for this one. Turn it up.

ELAM: There's a new goddess on the popping hip-hop scene. Lizzo's meteoric rise makes her number one on our list. She's fierce unapologetic and her music is an anthem for self-love and body positivity. Lizzo turned her 2016 mainstream music debut into global success in 2019.

"Truth Hurts" topped the Billboard Top 100 chart for seven weeks. The music video has over 162 million YouTube views and she makes the splash with her confident message everywhere she goes.

(on camera): 2020 will be another big year for some of the newsmakers on our list. Lizzo is nominated for eight Grammy Awards, and watch for phase four of the Marvel movies to begin. Black Widow opens in May.

Stephanie Elam, CNN, Hollywood.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PAUL: Got to have some Lizzo. I love it.

No?

BLACKWELL: Hmm.

PAUL: All right.

BLACKWELL: No. This is not -- it's not that I don't love Lizzo. It's just, you know.

PAUL: I know.

BLACKWELL: I would mix some things around there.

PAUL: I got you.

So, talking about a mix.

BLACKWELL: Yes.

PAUL: How about a mix of weather? Rain, snow, sleet, ice.

BLACKWELL: None of it good.

PAUL: It is messy out there. Literally for millions of you across the U.S., including Minnesota, which you would expect this time of year. The snow and freezing rain. But, man, treacherous conditions because of it.

BLACKWELL: All right. It's so cold.

PAUL: How cold is it, Victor?

BLACKWELL: Thank you, Christi Paul.

It's so cold that even a school bus couldn't stop from sliding on an icy road. Crazy. Is anyone on that bus? I would be scared.

PAUL: I think a hockey team was on the bus and they are all OK.

BLACKWELL: Let's go now to CNN's Allison Chinchar watching the weather for us.

Yes, this is a rough period for a lot of people heading into the New Year.

ALLISON CHINCHAR, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yes, because you either got people coming home from the holidays from the past week or heading out to a New Year's Eve destination. A lot of folks traveling and, unfortunately, Mother Nature just really doesn't want to cooperate. The big cities today in terms of potential delays, Minneapolis as well as San Francisco.

That next system making its way into the West Coast. So, San Francisco, Sacramento, even Reno likely looking into some potential delays. But in the eastern half of the country, Chicago, Cincinnati, Washington, D.C., even New York all looking at potential delays today. It's all from this system.

Now Chicago down to the south is mainly rain. Albeit very heavy at times. Even some strong to severe thunderstorms possible in the Southeast. It's the northern fringe of this, places like Minneapolis to the north. That is where you have to be concerned about the potential for snow and, yes, even ice.

Minneapolis starts in the form of rain. Then changes over as we go later on into the day. Heavy snow expected across the Midwest but even some snow and ice in portions of the Northeast as well. That is why you've got ice storm warnings, winter storm watches, winter weather advisories, a whole plethora of watches, weathers and advisories out there for much of this area.

Heaviest snow focused over portions of the Midwest, likely an additional about 4 inches for most places. Keep in mind, they had snow yesterday, too, keep that in mind. Some areas could pick up 6 to 8 inches of snow today on top of what they have already had. In the Northeast, yes, there will be some snow and mainly in the higher elevation for places like Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont.

But the big issue in Northeast is the significant icing event. Look at these ice accumulations here. Half an inch, three-quarters of an inch, some places one inch of ice. That can bring problems on the road and can bring power lines down, trees down, things like that. So, that's going to be a big concern not only today but as we head as late as Tuesday morning.

So, here is a look at Monday. Again, you got some big travel delays as we mentioned, Boston. But even D.C., Raleigh, Cincinnati, even up around Minneapolis. And, yes, even New York looking at the potential for significant delays tomorrow.

PAUL: All righty. Allison Chinchar, I want to know about New Year's Eve, because, you know, a lot of people are going to be gathered all over the country.

How is it going to be? Particularly in New York obviously?

CHINCHAR: Last year, we saw pictures of a whole people in ponchos because it was raining so much. Good news, not going to be the case this year. We don't really have much in terms of rain the Northeast. Temperatures should actually be relatively mild. If you got other places, obviously the farther south you go the warmer the temperatures are going to be.

But yes, as you mentioned, New York City, this is really where everybody wants to know what the weather is going to be like. Even if you're at home you like to watch the ball drop inside of your home, relatively normal for this area. Yes, it's cold but the end of December and early January. The key is that it's not going to be raining. You'll have dry conditions.

And, again, you've had years where it's been freezing cold.

[07:50:02]

You've had years where it's snowed, years, where it's rained. To me personally, I don't really care what the temperature is. I just don't want it to be raining. And the good news is, in New York City, the good news, we will not have rain for the ball drop this year.

BLACKWELL: Below 40, it's clear, well, cloudy without rain -- that's not bad.

PAUL: No.

BLACKWELL: That's not bad.

PAUL: That's pretty good.

BLACKWELL: Thank you, Allison.

CHINCHAR: Thanks.

CHINCHAR: Thanks.

BLACKWELL: Hey, let's put the video back up of the ball that drops -- 2,688 Waterford crystals on the iconic New Year's Eve ball. It will drop Wednesday at midnight. How much do you think it weighs?

PAUL: I'm going to say 11,875 pounds, and I only say that because it's in the prompter.

BLACKWELL: Yes, I know how you know.

(LAUGHTER)

BLACKWELL: The theme for this year's newest crystals is goodwill and they're represented by three pineapple cuts reflecting hospitality and welcome. Very nice.

And, of course, you can watch all of it right here. You can ring in the New Year and the new decade with Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen, New Year's Eve live begins at 8:00 right here on CNN.

PAUL: I want to tell you about a Los Angeles church celebrating a Christmas miracle for people who need it.

Coming up, the church that paid off medical debt for thousands of people.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLACKWELL: In this week's human kindness, a church in Los Angeles delivered a much-needed Christmas gift to its community.

PAUL: Yes, if you know the weight of having a lot of medical debt, Christian Assembly Church paid off more than $5 million worth -- that's key, worth -- in medical debt for people who needed it.

I spoke with one of the pastors of the church about the mission.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TOM HUGHES, CO-LEAD PASTOR, CHRISTIAN ASSEMBLY CHURCH: Well, for us, one of the things we know is that people matter to God and we know that God is a giver, and so we started looking at what it would look like for us to express God's love for people. And so, what we actually did was we targeted the city of Los Angeles, where our congregation is located, and 28 other neighborhoods where we had people who live, because we wanted to love our neighbor as well.

And we got in touch with a nonprofit organization called Rest in Peace Medical Debt and they were able to help us identify the debt, the outstanding medical debt, for people who are earning less than double the federal poverty line and those are the people that we paid the debt off for.

[07:55:10]

PAUL: We know that apparently in Los Angeles, you say that medical debt and unpaid medical bills is one of the leading causes of homelessness there. What is it that prompted you to take on this specific cause for the holiday?

HUGHES: Well, actually, for us, the story goes back a couple of years ago when we decided to give $1.2 million cash to establish a hospital in Kenya, and that was to serve the poorest of the poor, people dying of cancer and AIDS who had no access to health care at all.

And when we made that gift and actually opened that hospital this past February in Kenya, we had people in our local congregation who loved it. They cheered and applauded, but they also said, OK, we're going that globally, but what are we doing locally for our local neighbors. So really this story goes back to that question and praying and saying, God, would you help us figure out a way to help those in medical need, in our city right here, our neighbors in Los Angeles, and this idea came along through a mutual friend. And from there, the rest of it unfolded. PAUL: So when you talk about the debt, and we say $5.3 million worth

of medical debt, you were actually able or maybe the nonprofit was, to negotiate that down, is that correct?

HUGHES: That's correct, yes. We were able to purchase the debt for only a penny on the dollar, and purchase that debt from the debt collectors, and then from that point we then were able to cancel the debt so that they would never have to pay that again.

Plus, what I really love about it is the nonprofit we partnered with is going to work with the credit reporting agencies to repair the credit hit that that particular medical debt took on these people, which is going to help them in a ton of different ways on everything from loan rates to getting an apartment or even keeping a job.

PAUL: Did you ever see, did you ever foresee what you're doing here expanding in that way?

HUGHES: Well, it's something for us where we just keep on loving our neighbors as best as we know. And so I know of churches around the country that are showing the announcement video that we made. I know churches where the pastors everywhere from Portland to Seattle to San Diego to Chicago to Atlanta, are saying, hey, we're starting to talk with our elders about what we can do for our neighbors.

And so, to me, that's the way that god is going to be at work to help show people across this country who are in a similar situation that someone cares. And so, I'm excited about the ripple effect of the news breaking and how it's provoking people to share with compassion.

PAUL: Tom, thank you so much for taking time to talk to us about this. And it is one of those great stories of human kindness that we love to highlight.

Co-lead pastor of Christian Assembly Church there, Tom Hughes, Pastor Hughes, thank you again.

HUGHES: Yes, thank you so much for having me on.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PAUL: Go make some great memories today.

BLACKWELL: "INSIDE POLITICS" up after a break.