Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Newsroom
South Korea President Yoon Is Detained For Quetioning Over Martial Law; Hostage Ceasefire Deal Details Still Under Discussion; Democrats Grill Pete Hegseth At His Confirmation Hearing; Right-Wing Protesters Slam Possible Ceasefire Deal; At Least 54 People Killed By Israeli Strikes In Gaza; Critics Question Use Of Private Firefighting Companies; Crews Try To Free Miners Trapped In South Africa Gold Mine; Protecting Norway's Coastal Heathland. Aired 1-2a ET
Aired January 15, 2025 - 01:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[01:00:26]
JOHN VAUSE, CNN HOST: South Korea steps back from a political crisis. Hello, I'm John Vause. Ahead on CNN Newsroom.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): Unfortunately, the law is all broken in this country.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: South Korea's impeached president detained by criminal investigators. But he's not going quietly, claiming his arrest is illegal.
Closer than ever to a ceasefire and hostage deal. But when?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNDIENTIFIED MALE: Until there is announcement. There will be no announcement.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: And even then, how will this agreement be enforced? Who will control Gaza? Could Hamas fill a power vacuum? And when? When will all the hostages be released?
And a warning for the lowest of the low in LA.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENATIFIED MALE: So the criminals have decided that this is an opportunity. And I'm here to tell you that this is not.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: a special place in hell for the looters, scammers and price gouges but until then, jail.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Live from Atlanta. This is CNN Newsroom with John Vause.
VAUSE: We begin once again in South Korea where impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol has been arrested for questioning over his failed martial law decree last month. He was taken into custody by anti- corruption investigators a few hours ago ushered away from the presidential residence in his motorcade. Yoon faces multiple inquiries and an impeachment trial. He denounced the investigations in a pre- recorded message released shortly after his arrest.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
YOON SUK YEOL, SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENT (through translator): Unfortunately, the law is all broken in this country. It is truly deplorable to see a warrant issued to an agency that does not have the right to investigate, a court that does not have the right to examine the warrant, issue an arrest warrant, a search warrant, and to see an investigative agency forcefully proceed with this illegal act of deceiving the people by issuing false official documents.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: Yoon says he surrendered to authorities hoping to prevent bloodshed. Hundreds of opponents and supporters turned out in Seoul as authorities moved in to take him away. Live now to CNN's Mike Valerio standing by in the South Korean city of Gwacheon, not far from the capital, Seoul.
And Mike, you are there because that is where the headquarters are for the corruption Investigation office where the impeached president is being questioned. What can you tell us?
MIKE VALERIO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, John. And the latest reporting that we have on that front is that the suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol of South Korea is refusing to answer questions. When were with you the last hour, John, we left you wondering, what if anything, is he going to answer? Is he going to plead the equivalent of America's Fifth Amendment and remain silent since he perceives this to be an illegal move.
And so far, as we've been able to garner from the corruption investigative office for high ranking officials here in Gwacheon, South Korea's suspended President is not answering at least some of the questions, the 200 pages of questions they have prepared. Let's look over my left hand shoulder, shall we? This is the tableau that we now have. A couple dozen meters away from us.
These are all supporters of South Korea's suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol. The barriers, John, to this compound have been closed for the better part of two hours. And these supporters have moved from the tony neighborhood of Seoul, where suspended President Lee Seok Yeol fortified his residence. And supporters were gathered for about two weeks to try to intimidate law enforcement. Now they've moved here carrying all of their banners with their
bullhorns, saying that this criminal interrogation questioning move is illegal. Again, from their point of view.
We should mention, John, we didn't say this in the last time were with you. This was the third or there were three moments when South Korea's suspended President decided not to show up for interrogation for questioning about the December 3 declaration of martial law. So that is one of the reasons why he's here.
We're talking about the third floor of this building in Gwacheon, about an hour away from the center of Seoul, undergoing police questioning, and so far as our reporting has been able to convey, saying nothing. So this is the criminal bucket wrapping up here, John. He has the impeachment bucket.
The first trial session of his impeachment process, which could remove him from office, started yesterday without him showing up. There's another impeachment trial session that's scheduled for tomorrow. But the difference here, this is the criminal bucket we're talking about.
[01:05:02]
He could be facing stiff prison time if convicted for inciting an insurrection, inciting a rebellion, very stiff penalties. So not only talking about removing him from office, but potentially putting him in prison if he is removed from office. John.
VAUSE: Month long political crisis continues, but it appears they have stepped back from the brink, at least for now. CNN's Mike Valerio, thank you for the reporting.
In Qatar's capital Doha, negotiators are working on final details of the hostage cease fire deal between Israel and Hamas. Notably, another militant group, Islamic Jihad, which also holds hostages in Gaza, says a senior delegation will be in Doha for these final talks. And Israel's foreign minister says a ceasefire deal has majority support in the Knesset or Parliament.
The first phase of the potential agreement could see 33 hostages freed, including children, women, the elderly and the sick, and a 42- day cease fire implemented. Palestinian prisoners are expected to be released in six rounds.
On Tuesday, former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant attended demonstrations in Tel Aviv held by the families of the hostages who say they remain fearful about the fate of their loved ones.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HERUT NIMRODI, MOTHER OF HOSTAGE TAMIR NIMRODI: As a mother of a young boy, I'm scared. I'm scared that he won't be back home and it will take time till we get another deal done. And I don't know if there will be anyone to bring back home. And it scares me.
YAIR KESEHT, UNCLE OF HOSTAGE YARDEN BIBAS: Actually I'm afraid right now because right now the deal is not sealed. I'm waiting for the deal to be sealed, I mean from Israel and from the Hamas and I'm afraid that each minute that is passing, it might ruin this deal and I hope that it's not going to be ruined.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: With us now live from Tel Aviv is Moshe Lavi. His brother in law, Omri Miran was taken hostage by Hamas October 7th. He's been held prisoner in Gaza for 466 days. Moshe, thank you for speaking with us. We appreciate your time.
MOSHE LAVI, OMNI MIRAN BROTHER-IN-LAW: Thank you. Good morning.
VAUSE: So after such an incredibly long time, 466 days of which they must have seemed incredibly long and a nightmare, each one of them, are you allowing yourself at least a glimpse of hope? Are you thinking this deal could happen and you may see your brother-in-law?
LAVI: I don't think we can afford ourselves to be optimistic yet. We've been within minutes from a deal since made and we've been hearing that we are close to sealing a deal here when there are delays. Only this morning, Haaretz, the Israeli newspaper, reported that Hamas is delaying a response because Mohammed Sinwar, its head in Gaza right now refuses to give answer.
So, we have nothing to celebrate yet. And the deal as it stands right now is only about the first phase. There are still additional phases that will need to be discussed. And that's the issue really. Many hostage families want a deal that is comprehensive.
VAUSE: When was the last time you had proof of life for Omri?
LAVI: The last time we had a proof of life was in late April when Hamas released a psychological warfare video featuring him alongside Keith Siegel and another Israeli hostage. It's been so long since then, and we haven't heard anything about him and of course from him ever since.
VAUSE: This agreement you touched on this, for the most part, is the same deal which has been on the table since May of last year. I cannot imagine the frustration or how infuriating must be to think that, you know, Omri could have been home a month after you saw that video.
LAVI: Yes, I think Omri and many other hostages could have been home long time ago. But I also understand the fact that there are conditions that prohibit a deal. And the situation changed tremendously since May with the left us. He has been so important in pushing for a deal. Hamas has been dismantled, its leadership has been dismantled completely. Hezbollah is out of the game. So he changed the equation quite a bit. And so perhaps the conditions now are more ripened for a deal.
But at the same time, there were also political considerations, at least according to one of the ministers in the Israeli government, Itamar Ben-Gvir, who said yesterday he helped obstruction the deal previously. Regardless, though, Omri is not going to come home on the first phase of the deal, at least from what we understand. But we're not privy to all the details.
[01:10:00]
We keep hoping that he will return, but we're going to keep advocating as well for our loved ones, all of them, all 98 hostages, those who were murdered to be buried, those who are alive to be rehabilitated in Israel. We want a cease fire that is comprehensive to release them.
VAUSE: Yes, if you do the math here, there's 33 hostages which are potentially going to be freed in the first phase out of the 98 or so who are still being held. So, even just simple math, he has about a 1:1 in 3 chance of being freed. But as you've mentioned, it's unlikely because they're doing children, women, the elderly and the sick.
How concerned are you at this point that the longer this deal stretches out, the more likely it is to collapse at some point?
LAVI: I'm very, of course, I'm very concerned. I support any dealer will bring hostages home, that will save lives. But we in our family and many other families understand and are frustrated that we are still unable to reach an agreement that is more comprehensive, that in which we know within a time framework when all the hostages return home.
At the moment, every hostage is humanitarian case. So calling the first phase humanitarian is absurd to me because after so many days, 466 days, every hostage is suffering mentally, suffering physically from torture, from the probation of food and water, from sunlight, and of course mentally from so many from the agony of being in captivity by a terrorist organization that is not treating the hostages as expected by international law. It's holding them.
VAUSE: So I'm just curious, how have you and your family coped and the families of other hostages? 466 days each day must have just be a nightmare.
LAVI: It's a difficult question to answer. I think many of us have not processed yet what happened to our communities on October 7th, what happened to our families on October 7th, our neighbors, our entire country. Because we've been focusing since October 8, 2023 on advocating for the release of our loved ones, on supporting each other and making sure that policymakers worldwide understand they failed us.
They failed us when they did not push Qatar, Iran and Turkey from the first day of the war to force Hamas for an agreement. They fearless in Israel as well. Because 466 days, such a long time to not reach a resolution, both on the battlefield and of course when it comes to the hostage crisis. It's been difficult.
I and my family members support Lishai, my sister, Omri's partner, and my nieces, Roni and Amma, all of them survive October 7th and all three wait for Omri, beautiful human being, to return home. And now I hope we have to keep focusing on sharing those stories of hostages like Omri. We can't talk too much about the details of the negotiations because that might harm the negotiations. And so that's what I keep focusing even today. VAUSE: Moshe, I sincerely wish and pray that there is good news for
you and your family sooner rather than later. I wish you all the best.
LAVI: Thank you. John.
VAUSE: The death toll in the Southern California wildfires has risen to 25. At least 13 people remain unaccounted for. Winds driving the flames were not as fierce as forecast on Tuesday, but forecasters say the winds will pick up again overnight.
The Palisades Fire is the largest close to 10,000 hectares have burned. Authorities say it is 18 percent contained with very little fire activity along the perimeter. The Eaton Fire has burned close to 6,000 hectares and is 35 percent contained. L.A. County Fire Chief is warning this danger is far from over.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHIEF ANTHONY C. MARRONE, LOS ANGELES COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT: The anticipated winds combined with low humidities and low fuel moistures will keep the fire threat in the L.A. region critical.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: First, gators continue to search for the cause of all these infernos, which according to Cal Fire, the Eaton and Palisades fire, now the most destructive in Southern Californian history. CNN's Nick Watt has details.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NICK WATT, CNN U.S. NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): We know what sets the scene for these fires. Dry brush, low humidity, high winds. But what about the spark? Bottom line, we are usually to blame.
DAVID ACUNA, BATTALLION CHIEF AND PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER, CAL FIRE: 95 percent of all fires are started by humans. But that's not all arson. It can be accidental.
[01:15:00]
WATT (voice-over): A cigarette butt, a campfire, fireworks, or a spark from a power line. It's the infrastructure of human life that's often to blame. After the Eaton Fire just devastated Altadena, the electric company already being sued for allegedly starting it by mistake. So Cal Edison denies this. Investigators still do not know.
CHERYLL KU, EVACUATED ALTADENA HOME: We did see the embers flying. It was almost like snow flurries.
WATT (voice-over): The Ku family doorbell cam captured fire at the base of a power line pylon in Eaton Canyon.
JEFFREY KU, EVACUATED ALTADENA HOME: It was burning bright and it was the base of the tower on fire. WATT (voice-over): Above the Palisades, a puff of smoke on a satellite image taken 10:37 Tuesday morning. And this video shot by hikers high on a hillside of trails and bone dry chaparral.
UNIDENIFIED MALE: It was probably only about 50 feet away from us. We started to hear the fire crackle, like right behind us. And the wind started to pick up really fast.
WATT (voice-over): Arson investigators and sniffer dogs searching for any sign of accelerants here. Should those trails have been closed when fire danger was so severe.
JOHN LENTINI, PRESIDENT, SCIENTIFIC FIRE ANALYST: You might argue that it would prevent a spark. But when you've got this much dry vegetation and this much wind, preventing all the sparks is pretty hard.
WATT (voice-over): Midnight last night, as winds whipped up, the Angeles National Forest was closed to the public. That's more than a thousand square miles of wilderness north of the city. Late Thursday, this man was arrested in Azusa accused of trying to set a tree on fire. He did not start a major blaze.
LENTINI: California seems to have a large number of crazies who get off on setting fires.
DANIEL BERLANT, STATE FIRE MARSHAL, CALIFORNIA: In fact, just last year, we arrested over 150 arsonists who started wildfires intentionally here in California.
WATT (voice-over): But power lines and equipment are the most common culprit, sparking some of the most devastating fires in the state. The Woolsey Camp and Tubbs fires. Live cables get hit by branches in the wind fault and spark. That's why more than 20,000 households face power shutoffs today, which --
MARRONE: -- are going to prevent our next fire from starting.
WATT (voice-over): But who or what exactly sparked these current fires?
BERLANT: At this point is just too early to determine what that or who that might be.
WATT: So up on this hillside behind me is the general area of origin. Investigators trying to narrow that down to a specific area, maybe even just the size of a dinner plate. They do that by examining every pebble, every blade of grass to figure out which way the fire was moving.
Now, arson obviously on the table. Everything's on the table. A couple of power poles up there. Also a potential issue. Also, there was another fire here New Year's Day in this same area. So there's a possibility that something could have remained smoldering underground that was then reignited when those winds picked up. But it's going to be months, perhaps before we really know what happened here. Nick Watt, CNN, Pacific Palisades, California. (END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: Rob Bonta is California's attorney general and he is with us now from San Francisco. Mr. Attorney General, thank you for your time, sir.
ROB BONTA, CALIFORNIA ATTORNEY GENERAL: Thanks for having me. Grateful to be with you.
VAUSE: It seems to me that there are three different areas of concern for law enforcement right now. There are the looters, the scammers and the price gouges. All three are despicable in their own right. But is there one which is having an outsize or a bigger impact on the community compared to the other two?
BONTA: All three are despicable, disgusting, sickening, completely inappropriate, not who we are. I was down in L.A. two days ago on the ground in Altadena surveying the damage and destruction and also went to an evacuation site as well as the command center. And these are folks who've lost everything and they've been forced to evacuate. They've lost their homes.
And to prey on them and exploit them and victimize them again in any of these three ways is completely inappropriate and it's unlawful. Price gouging is particularly prominent right now. We're getting a lot of reports about price gouging in the short term stay or rental market or hotels. Folks, of course, who have lost their homes or being evacuated need to find places to stay. And just because there's higher demand does not mean you can charge over 10 percent price gouging protection law for the state of California has kicked in and preventing such increases above 10 percent.
VAUSE: Well, according to CNN affiliate KABC in Los Angeles, one family alone in Altadena says the cost of their Airbnb went up in one day by almost 43 percent. And it seems that not alone. Here's a real estate broker talking about the situation in the real estate market.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JASON OPPENHEIM, REAL ESTATE BROKER: There are price gouging laws in California. They're just being ignored right now and this isn't the time to be taking advantage of situations. And it's also illegal to take advantage of a natural disaster.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[01:20:08]
VAUSE: So just with regards to those laws are other major companies, you know, the pharmaceutical companies as well as hotels you mentioned, they're obviously all involved in this price hike right now. Can you name some of those big offenders and what are the penalties they could be facing under the California 10 percent rule?
BONTA: Yes, just to be clear, Penal Code 396 in the state of California prevents prices for key essential goods like food and gas and batteries and medical supplies, transportation, housing to go up more than 10 percent after the declaration of emergency than from the price before.
And so the example you just had, it violates the law, it is wrong, it is prosecutable, it's a crime punishable by up to a year in jail and $10,000 for a criminal penalty per instance of per violation.
So these are crimes, they're a significant time either in jail or financial penalties that are at issue. We know that a lot of the hotels and others landlords who do their pricing, they use algorithms and surge pricing based on demand.
And so, we have told them you can no longer use the surge pricing if it and the algorithmic pricing if it raises the prices above the 10 percent ceiling and the 10 percent cap. We've talked to the major hotel brands, the major short term stay platforms, the hotel associations, the chambers about the rules and there they are cooperating.
We have ongoing investigations right now that we will -- we are seeking to take to the level of arrest and prosecution and we will continue to pursue very aggressively any instance of price gouging. This is not the time to hurt people, price gouge people, victimize people. This is the time to help people.
VAUSE: Yes. Well, some of the images like these which were recorded in Altadena of looters just roaming through someone's home which has been evacuated are especially infuriating. Dozens have been arrested in fire zones in just Santa Monica alone. Then there is also this headline from the L.A. burglary Suspects dressed as firefighters arrested in la. It would seem some cases at least the looting isn't just a random crime of opportunity. This is all premeditated.
BONTA: It is, it's tough to see. It's so wrong and not who we are. And the conduct is despicable and there must be accountability. And so for the looters who are planning to go back into a disaster area and steal the belongings and valuables of someone who's lost everything and been evacuated from their home. It's illegal. Those are crimes. They're punishable by jail or prison depending on the specifics of the conduct.
You're also putting yourself in harm's way. You're interfering with the work of our brave first responders who are there rescuing people and property and you are threatening to divert resources away from that important work. So do not loot. And if you do, we will be held accountable. We're working with our Los Angeles County district attorney as well as the sheriff's department and the police department.
This is an all hands on deck moment where we are all working to make sure that the victims get healing and support and are not victimized again.
VAUSE: And just very quickly to wrap up here, from what I've read, some of these people who've been looting second time offenders. Are they facing, you know, lifetime jail sentences because of California's three strike laws?
BONTA: They can be with the prior offenses. Of course, it depends on the specifics of their record. But prior offenses could be taken into account for their final sentencing which provide a more severe sentence.
VAUSE: Attorney General, thank you, sir, for being with us. We appreciate your time.
BONTA: Thanks for having me.
VAUSE: For more on how you can help those affected by the Los Angeles wildfires, Please go to cnn.com/impact. Well, the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. Just moments ago, Firefly Aerospace launched the Blue Ghost lunar probe onboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The uncrewed mission is Firefly's first to the moon and part of NASA's goal of taking astronauts back to the lunar surface.
A resilient lunar lander from the Japanese company ispace is also on board. Even before it arrives to the moon, the Blue Ghost lander will conduct experiments on solar, wind and radiation resistant computer hardware.
When we come back, Pete Hegseth in the hot seat. Donald Trump's in battle choice for defense secretary gets a pretty big boost at confirmation hearings. We'll tell you what it is, what that was and he's now likely to be a locked.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[01:27:07]
VAUSE: What began as an almost certain to fail nomination now appears to be a done deal. Donald Trump's choice for defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, appeared before the Senate Armed Services Committee Tuesday. His sudden change in fortune came from Republican Senator Joni Ernst, who for weeks has criticized Hegseth and refused to support his nomination publicly.
But now she's on board. Hegseth, a former Fox News host has faced allegations of sexual assault and excessive drinking and his opposition to women serving in military combat. While he faced some tough questions from Democrats, Republicans threw mostly softballs. CNN Todd -- CNN's Brian Todd has details.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNDIENTIFIED MALE: Good morning. The hearing will come to order.
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The man who is perhaps Donald Trump's most controversial pick is likely to be on track for confirmation after his at times contentious hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Pete Hegseth, the former Fox News host and army vet who the President elect has tapped to be his defense secretary, faced hours of grilling from lawmakers.
TIM KAINE, U.S. SE NATE DEMOCRAT: You have admitted that you had sex while you were married to wife two after you just had fathered a child by wife three. You've admitted that. Now, if it had been a sexual assault, that would be disqualifying to be Secretary of Defense, wouldn't it?
PETE HEGSETH, U.S. DEFENSE SECRETARY NOMINEE: It was a false claim then and a false claim now.
KAINE: If it had been a sexual assault, that would be disqualifying to be a Secretary of Defense, wouldn't it?
HEGSETH: That was a false claim.
TODD (voice-over): That exchange relating to a sexual assault investigation of Hegseth stemming from a 2017 incident in a Monterey, California hotel room. Hegseth denies the allegations and says the encounter was consensual. There were no charges brought, but Hegseth lawyers have confirmed he entered into a non-disclosure agreement with his accuser as part of a settlement. Democratic Senator Tim Kaine came back at Hegseth on allegations of excessive drinking.
KAINE: Many of your work colleagues have said that you show up for work under the influence of alcohol or drunk. I know you've denied that, but you would agree with me, right? That if that was the case, that would be disqualifying for somebody to be Secretary of Defense.
HEGSETH: Senator, those are all anonymous false claims. And the totality --
KAINE: They're not anonymous. The letters on the record here, they're not anonymous.
TODD (voice-over): The 44-year-old characterized those allegations as a, quote, coordinated smear campaign orchestrated in the media. Hegseth's past comments that women should not be allowed to serve in combat roles became a contentious subject at the hearing.
KRISTEN GILLIBRAND, U.S. SENATE DEMMOCRAT: We don't want women in the military, especially in combat. What a terrible statement. So please do not deny that you've made those statements you have.
TODD (voice-over): Hegseth countered that he would be fine with women in combat if they measured up to the same standards as men.
[01:29:46]
GILLIBRAND: You're making these generalized statements --
HEGSETH: Commanders quotas to have a certain number of female infantry officers or infantry enlisted, and that disparages those women.
GILLIBRAND: Commanders do not capable of quotas for the infantry. Commanders do not have to have a quota for women in the infantry. That does not exist. It does not exist. TODD (voice-over): Republican Senator Joni Ernst, an Army veteran and
sexual assault survivor, had initially been skeptical of Hegseth as a nominee.
SEN. JONI ERNST (R-IA): We have had very frank conversations.
TODD: But on Tuesday there were no fireworks between the two, as other Republicans sought to portray the president-elect's unorthodox pick as a positive.
SEN. ROGER WICKER (R-MS): The nominee is unconventional. That may be what makes Mr. Hegseth an excellent choice to improve this unacceptable status quo.
TODD: The lack of contention, at least from Ernst and other Republicans leading one analyst to believe he could be in the clear.
JACKIE KUCINICH, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: You saw immediately the right- wing pressure campaign to really target her intensely with the result appeared to be what we saw today, which was a very congenial exchange between Pete Hegseth and Joni Ernst.
TODD: During the hearing, Pete Hegseth repeatedly sidestepped questions from Democratic Senator Elissa Slotkin on whether he would ever stand up to President-Elect Trump if Trump were to ever give any illegal orders. Hegseth said he rejects the premise that Trump would ever give any illegal orders.
Several people close to President-Elect Trump told CNN that Trump's team was in good spirits after the hearing, pointing to the warm reception that Hegseth got from Republican senators on the Armed Services Committee.
Brian Todd, CNN -- Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: When we come back, families of hostages are hoping their loved ones will soon be home. The negotiators continue to work on a deal. We'll listen to some of them in a moment.
Also, private firefighting crews dispatched to specific fires around Los Angeles. These firefighters-for-hire sharing misconceptions about their jobs.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VAUSE: Welcome back everyone. I'm John Vause. You're watching CNN NEWSROOM.
Well, not all Israelis are supporting a potential ceasefire in Gaza. On Tuesday, many on the far right protested in Jerusalem, warning lawmakers they were striking a deal with Satan.
Also Tuesday, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum protested in Tel Aviv, urging the government to stop the war and bring all the hostages home.
CNN's Jeremy Diamond was there.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: Israel and Hamas are in the final stages of negotiating this ceasefire and hostage release deal.
[01:34:44]
DIAMOND: And as that is happening, we are here in Hostages Square where you can see thousands of people have gathered around us to show their support for that deal, but also really to stand shoulder to shoulder in this moment of incredible uncertainty, but also a moment of incredible hope and optimism.
For the first time now in quite some time, many people here are allowing themselves to feel the hope of this potential deal, including the families of some of those hostages.
I spoke tonight with the uncle of Yarden Bibas, who was taken hostage on October 7th alongside his wife and his two young babies. And he told me that in this moment he is frightened. He is frightened of talks collapsing. He is also frightened of what condition they may return in.
But for the first time he is allowing himself to hope and to believe that this deal will actually become a reality.
YAIR KESHET, NEPHEW HELD HOSTAGE IN GAZA: We have a phrase that we are saying, you know, hope for the best and prepare for the worst.
We are preparing, but we are hoping that something happens and they will be -- everybody will be alive and most of the kidnapped will be alive.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: Our thanks to Jeremy Diamond reporting in there from Tel Aviv.
Meantime in Gaza, Israeli strikes killed at least 54 people Tuesday. Many Palestinians are hoping a ceasefire deal would mean an end to the fear and chaos which has shaped their lives for 15 months.
CNN's Paula Hancocks has this report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: This is the closest these girls can get to going to school in Gaza.
Trying to teach each other in this school building turned displacement center, desperate for an end to the war, which abruptly stopped their education, their safety, their normality. 15 months ago.
Saba Ahmed Abouda (ph) remembers her friends. Girls, she says, were killed in Beit Hanoun at the start of the war.
"We used to play together," she says. "Make lunch, do our homework and study. We did everything together."
"I'm sad I won't find them when I go home."
Noor is 12 years old and has been displaced, she says, seven times during this war. She wants to go home to see what happened to her school friend, who she hasn't heard from for a year after her home was destroyed.
"I just want to go home," she says. "I want my belongings, my toys, my memories."
Northern Gaza has been decimated by Israeli airstrikes in recent months. There's no guarantee Noor's family will have a home to go back to.
Abdulrahman Salama (ph) digs through the rubble of his home in Khan Younis, hoping to find a blanket or a mattress, anything to help his family living in a tent by the winter sea.
"There are no memories," he says. "Our life has vanished. There's no future."
He calls negotiations, "lies". Saying we celebrate a little until we see a drone strike, an artillery shell hit, or the quadcopter shoot at us.
Abu Samir (ph) walks through his neighborhood, a place he says residents no longer recognize. We asked about the day after.
"Let's say a truce happens," he says, "and the residents of this area return. Where do they go? Is this area fit for humans to live in?"
Ahmed Salama (ph) tries to repair one room in his destroyed home mixing sand and water to make clay. He says he kept waiting to do this, thinking negotiations would work, but he now needs to move his family from a tent on the coast, which collapses every time it rains.
"They say the same thing every time," he says, "but nothing happens. We want anything. Anything is better than this."\
With 90 percent of the population displaced, the dream of going home is prevalent even when they know their home is likely just rubble.
Mohammed Abu Ubayd (ph) knows her house is unlikely to have survived in the largely-leveled city of Rafah in the south.
"I swear when the ceasefire comes," she says, "I will celebrate and rejoice and I will not sleep all night. We hope that this cloud of despair finally lifts."
Hope and despair go hand in hand in Gaza. A ceasefire has been close before, and yet the bombs still fell.
Paula Hancocks, CNN -- Abu Dhabi.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
[01:39:44]
VAUSE: For the mega-rich, mega-famous in Los Angeles, an underfunded and poorly staffed fire department isn't really that big of an issue, especially when they can hire their own private fire brigades.
More now from CNN's Josh Campbell on fire fighters-for-hire.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOSH CAMPBELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: An intense fire fight on the front lines of the Pacific Palisades fire. But these aren't city or state firefighters battling raging flames and hurricane force winds. Instead they are private firefighters who we caught up with still at work in the Pacific Palisades.
DOUGLAS LANNON, SENIOR WILDFIRE LIAISON, REDZONE: What we're trying to avoid is to have the fire actually spread over to like, the structures here that have not burned.
CAMPBELL: The company is called RedZone, and it's working to fortify its client's homes before the next fire threat moves in.
LANNON: If we need to spray a fire retardant around native vegetation, if we need to gel a structure, if we need to mitigate by moving combustibles away from structures.
CAMPBELL: But these kinds of companies are wedged into a controversy over the fairness of allowing private fire crews to protect specific homes.
It started with a post on X, since deleted, from a real estate executive in the Pacific Palisades. "Does anyone have access to private firefighters to protect our home? Need to act fast here. All neighbors' houses burning. Will pay any amount."
That sparked a strong reaction on social media. One TikTok user commenting "Whose home gets saved shouldn't depend on their bank account."
Now despite the controversy, the private firefighters we met don't work for wealthy homeowners. They work for insurance companies who dispatch them out to try to prevent catastrophic loss.
What are your thoughts on this notion that private firefighters are only here helping the rich?
LANNON: Well, that's a misconception. And I'm just going to speak for my company. The insurance companies don't charge for this service. It's part of their policy.
We've got some folks that are well off. We've got some folks that are in the medium range. We've got some folks all along the spectrum there.
ROSS GERBER, PACIFIC PALISADES RESIDENT: I understand that criticism, but those people are not people in a fire, and they don't understand the lack of resource.
CAMPBELL: Ross Gerber is not a RedZone client, but he has no problem defending his neighborhoods decision to hire private crews, which he claims saved their block.
GERBER: And so now, because were spending our personal money to protect our neighborhood, it gives resources to the public that can be used right now, that is being used right now.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Why was there no water in the hydrants, governor?
CAMPBELL: This viral confrontation with California Governor Gavin Newsom made water resources a key argument in this debate.
But the private crews we caught up with, like Capstone Fire and Safety Management, insist they carry their own water and their use of municipal water is minimal.
JOHN BURNINGHAM, CAPSTONE FIRE AND SAFETY MANAGEMENT: We carry 400 gallons of water on each of the trucks.
CAMPBELL: So you're not tapping into hydrants.
BURNINGHAM: We're not tapping into hydrants. We'll find other sources. If houses have swimming pools, we have a pump. And we'll pump right from the swimming pool.
CAMPBELL: In recent years, the state passed regulation aimed at controlling the actions of private fire crews. The fire marshal says --
CHIEF DANIEL BERLANT, CALIFORNIA STATE FIRE MARSHALL: to ensure that these private crews do not get in the way of the actual emergency response.
CAMPBELL: Chief Daniel Berlant says it can be a safety issue. And now private crews must be in communication with official response teams.
BERLANT: We've had incidents where we've had to go in and rescue these private entities because they accessed evacuated areas, but they were not necessarily trained or have the same support.
CAMPBELL: The private crews we met say they're mostly experienced former public firefighters and that they serve as force multipliers for crews on the front lines.
BURNINGHAM: We're all here for the same mission. And, you know, most firefighters are all cut from the same, same cloth.
CAMPBELL: Josh Campbell, CNN -- Pacific Palisades, California.
(END VIDEOTAPE) VAUSE: Well, in the final days of the Biden administration, Cuba will be removed from the state sponsor of terrorism list. Cuba was placed on the list in January of 2021 in the waning days of the Trump administration.
That designation triggers stringent economic sanctions, in addition to the more than six decades' old U.S. embargo. Cuba is one of four nations on the list, joining North Korea, Iran and Syria. But the reversal could be overturned when the Trump administration takes over next week.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAIRON PEREZ, HAVANA RESIDENT: Well, we have to see what Trump does next. Knowing him, it's possible they remove sanctions this week and then Trump comes and everything goes backward.
JENNIFER PARDON, HAVANA RESIDENT: It's a last breath. Biden promised many things at the beginning that he would help Cuba in many ways, he really never fulfilled. But this will be his final goodwill.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: In South Africa, a rescue mission to retrieve minors from an abandoned gold mine is underway. The miners have been trapped for months, but the government launched the mission this week. Police say they pulled out 106 survivors and 51 bodies so far.
CNN's Isa Soares reports on the rescue and a warning, some images in her report may be disturbing.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ISA SOARES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Rescue teams are in a race against time to reach miners trapped at an abandoned gold mine in South Africa.
But for many, it's too late. More than 100 have died, a group representing the miners told CNN, some from possible hunger as well as dehydration.
[01:44:55]
SOARES: This after police cut off vital supplies in a crackdown on illegal mining last year. Grim footage filmed by a miner, which CNN cannot independently verify, appears to show dozens of dead bodies wrapped in plastic. And those still alive look emaciated, pleading for rescue.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How many days must you live in a situation like this? Please help us. Please.
SOARES: Police say more than 100 miners have been brought to the surface over the past two days, dozens dead and the others arrested facing charges, including illegal mining and immigration violations.
The families of those still trapped are desperate, waiting to see if their loved ones come out alive.
"I don't even know if my husband is amongst the dead," this woman says, "I don't know if he's alive. I'm stressed and depressed."
Police started to crack down on illicit mining last year. In November, they blocked food and water supplies in an effort to force miners to the surface.
ATHLENDA MATHE, SOUTH AFRICAN POLICE SPOKESPERSON: Our mandate is clear. It is to prevent and combat crime. And we are still of the view that what is happening down there is pure criminality.
SOARES: A South African court then ordered police to halt its standoff and provide food to the trapped miners. On Sunday, in the face of public pressure, the government said it has begun plans for a rescue operation.
Illegal mining is a dangerous lifeline for tens of thousands in South Africa, driven by poverty and organized crime. The country loses over $1 billion annually to this underground economy, fueling violence and tragedies like this.
Isa Soares, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: In a moment, how sheep herders are using ancient grazing methods and modern technology to protect Norway's coastal heathlands.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VAUSE: In Norway, coastal heathlands are home to many rare and endangered species. They also help to mitigate the effects of climate change. Today on Call to Earth", we visit a community where old meets new as sheep herders combine ancient techniques with modern day technology to conserve their vitally important heathlands.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Solund is one of the smallest municipalities in Norway. At the moment we are about 750 people living here.
MAX FOSTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The coastal heathland which characterizes this breathtaking landscape was formed around 5,000 years ago, when early Norwegian settlers cleared the forests in order to graze their sheep.
[01:49:51]
FOSTER: Ancient techniques for managing the land have been passed down from old to young through the generations ever since.
KJELL MONGSTAD, CHAIRMAN, HARDBAKKE OLD NORWEGIAN SHEEP SOCIETY: My name is Kjell Mongstad. I'm the head of the board for this association of wild sheep. The sheep are the original sheep, old Norwegian wild sheep. FOSTER: While the sheep clearly rely on the heathland, it seems that
the reverse is also true. Grazers prevent taller shrubs from growing, allowing heathland plants to thrive.
MONGSTAD: That's what they eat in the winter time. They need it. That's the way they survive.
FOSTER: Many rare and endangered species call this habitat home by protecting and restoring them. The community here is safeguarding biodiversity that's vital for maintaining a healthy planet.
But the community here isn't just living in the past. With old also learning from young, they're pioneering a new technology to improve the ancient art of sheep herding.
TRULS EINEN OSLAND, STUDENT: We're changing battery on the necklace so we can track them where they are. Instead of using fence. We have an app that's called no fence, so we can set up a fake fence and stop them from going places where they shouldn't go.
MONGSTAD: So I want them to go to and pick up some seaweed. Now they need seaweed.
OSLAND: I can move the fence to wherever I want. So if I want them to go a long distance away, I can just open the fence where I want.
GUNN AMDAL MONGSTAD, MAYOR, HARDBAKKE: Yes, it's important to meet between generations, between different cultures. As you also can see here, to build a strong relationship.
FOSTER: Community and inclusion are at the heart of the sheep association with multiple generations working together.
MONGSTAD: I'm his grandfather.
He's my grandson.
It's a lot of things the animal will do in the future for me and for us in the society. I hope we also can be an example for other to do the same way that involves children, youths and the different generations. I hope so.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: Let us know what you're doing to answer the call with #Call to Earth. That's #Call to Earth.
We'll be right back with more news. You're watching CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The idea of TikTok going away is scary. But you know what's scarier? Elon Musk owning it. That is absolutely (EXPLETIVE DELETED) terrifying. I would rather this app be banned before I see that (EXPLETIVE
DELETED) own it. I mean, honestly, the idea of this turning into a Twitter -- scary. Absolutely scary.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: Don't hold back. One of many TikTok users who believe it would be terrible for X owner Elon Musk to buy TikTok. According to reports from Bloomberg and "The Wall Street Journal", Chinese officials are discussing a possible option that involves selling at least a portion of TikTok to Musk.
[01:54:50]
VAUSE: CNN though, has not -- CNN has not independently confirmed these discussions, but comes just days before the law that would ban TikTok in the U.S. would go into effect. The app's parent company, Bytedance, could avoid the ban by selling to a U.S. based owner.
Meanwhile, a growing number of social media users in the United States are responding to the possibility of losing TikTok by moving to an alternative Chinese app known as RedNote, one of China's biggest apps with 300 million users.
Well, Catherine, the Princess of Wales, says her cancer is now in remission. She made the announcement Tuesday and visited the London hospital where she was treated last year.
CNN's Max Foster has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FOSTER: It's been four months since the Princess of Wales announced she was cancer free, and on Tuesday she returned to the hospital, where she received her treatment.
A source close to the princess told CNN she wanted to personally thank the staff for what she described as their exceptional care, support and compassion over the past year.
She also wanted to show support for other patients currently going through the same treatment that she received.
She announced she had cancer last year so she could raise awareness of the disease, although she still hasn't revealed exactly what type of cancer she had.
The Royal Marsden is a leading research hospital, and the princess also announced that she would become patron of the hospital. Her husband, Prince William, is the other patron, and before him it was Diana, Princess of Wales.
Max Foster, CNN -- London.
(END VIDEOTAPE) VAUSE: Well, there's some good news for museum-loving dog owners in Italy. There's now a dog sitting service offered at museums nationwide.
A sitter will meet you outside, take your dog for a walk while you wander the museum. Free trial began Sunday in Rome, will be available in different Italian cities one day a month for the next 15 months.
Thank you for watching. I'm John Vause.
Please stay with us. My friend and colleague, Rosemary Church continues after a very short break.
See you right back here tomorrow.
[01:56:54]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
