like eye pain, vision changes, or blurred vision, joint aches and pain, or a parasitic infection. don't change or stop asthma or other medicines without talking to your doctor. ask your doctor duck. >> start your will at trust and wilcom now and make it count. >> 10,000 years before the birth of paul atreides, we founded a sisterhood while your harkonnen, you are the strongest among us with our spice. >> the great houses would feed me to the worm. >> the troubles are far greater than just arrakis. >> let us rid the imperium of these witches forever. >> stop dune prophecy streaming exclusively on max. >> closed captioning is brought to you by mike, an all in one home access and monitoring system mike, you boost your home's iq

we want to avoid sparking any kinds of additional conflicts inside of syria. >> a u.s. citizen was found disoriented, barefoot and wandering south of damascus. >> the now two time time magazine person of the year spared little controversy in his interview. >> there is a lot of pressure from the base to see this happen. >> what are they? >> who's sending them up there? what are they doing there? why doesn't anybody know it's really concerning. >> and quite frankly, it's not acceptable. live from london. >> this is cnn newsroom with max foster and christina macfarlane. >> hello. >> welcome to our viewers joining us from the united states and all around the world. it is so good to have you with us. i'm ben hunt. >> welcome, ben.

>> happy friday. so good to be here. >> i'm christina macfarlane it's december 13th, 9 a.m. here in london, 12 noon in ankara, turkey, where the u.s. secretary of state and turkish foreign minister have just wrapped up a meeting on the future of syria. anthony blinken has been shuttling between countries in the region, lining up support for the government that has taken over for from longtime dictator bashar al assad. here's some of what he had to say. >> i think there's broad agreement on what we would each like to see going forward, starting with the interim government in syria, one that is inclusive and nonsectarian, one that protects the rights of minorities and women, one that preserves institutions of the state and delivers services to the people, one that deals with any chemical weapons that may find to secure them and appropriately destroy them. >> one that rejects any alliances with extremist groups

and of course, one that does not pose any kind of threat to any of syria's neighbors. >> jordan will host a weekend summit with foreign ministers from western and arab nations after the fall of the assad regime, the united nations reports more than 1.1 million people have been displaced across syria since the fall of the assad regime. refugees are streaming into and out of the country as some minority groups fear they might be targeted by the new islamist government. >> meanwhile, in los angeles, a former syrian military official is under arrest and facing charges for torture, according to the associated press. the man is accused of overseeing syria's infamous adra prison from 2005 to 2008, where missing american was found walking around damascus barefoot on thursday, missouri native travis timmerman says he spent months in a syrian prison after entering the country as a pilgrim. cnn's salma abdelaziz has the story. >> a u.s. citizen that went

missing in hungary has turned up in damascus, travis timmerman, a missouri native, 29 years old, a u.s. citizen, was found disoriented, barefoot and wandering south of damascus in a field. >> he has spoken to media. he has spoken to residents in the area. i want you to take a listen to this interview with nbc to get a sense of his state of being after that, i entered into the syrian border illegally. >> i crossed the mountains between lebanon and syria, and i was living in that mountain for three days and three nights. and i was seen by a border guard. whilst i did that. and then that's when i was arrested. i was sent to a, uh, a syrian prison called philip. philistine. >> now, as you heard there, timmerman does admit that he illegally crossed into syria from lebanon under the very

tight control of president bashar al-assad's regime. anyone crossing into syria would absolutely be stopped by security forces. that's what took place a few days after he arrived in syria. timmerman was then taken to a regime prison. he was held there for seven months. he says he was treated relatively well, given food, given water, given bathroom breaks. but he says he heard the sound of people being tortured in that prison every single day. now, when rebels liberated damascus, he, among others, was able to break out of prison. the u.s. says it is aware of his case and is providing support on the ground. an extraordinary tale and a welcome end for his family. salma abdelaziz cnn, london. >> hundreds of syrians turned out in damascus on thursday for the funeral of activist mazen al-hamada. his body was among 30 corpses found in a hospital morgue this week. al-hamadi was a well-known face among the

syrian protests during 2011 arab spring movement. he fled to the netherlands, where he testified about the torture he was subjected to during the assad regime. al-hamadi was arrested in february of 2020 at damascus airport when he returned to syria, and he hadn't been seen since. >> the u.s. believes the new reality in syria could be opening the door for a ceasefire and hostage deal in gaza. more than 100 hostages are still believed to be held there, most of them since hamas launched its rampage in israel more than 14 months ago. but now, u.s. national security adviser jake sullivan is expressing cautious optimism that a deal could be reached this month. he met israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu in jerusalem thursday. sullivan says hamas is negotiating differently now that the assad regime is gone, and there's a ceasefire in lebanon. he also dismissed suggestions that israel is waiting for the next u.s. administration to make a deal. >> i got the sense today from the prime minister he's ready to do a deal. and when i go to

doha and cairo, my goal will be to put us in a position to be able to close this deal this month, not later. now, we've been close before and haven't gotten there, so i can't make any promises or predictions to you. but i wouldn't be here today if i thought this thing was just waiting till after january 20th. >> president elect donald trump won't rule out supporting israel annexing the west bank. when asked by time magazine if he supports a two state solution for israelis and palestinians, he said he supports, quote, whatever solution we can do to get to peace, adding that there were other alternatives to a two state solution. this stance is a reversal from his first term, when trump proposed a plan that included israel removing some of its west bank settlements. when asked if he would prevent israel from annexing the west bank, the president elect said, quote, we'll see what happens. pointing to hamas's attack on israel on october 7th, 2023, as

an inflection point in his views on the conflict. the us president elect stepped away from inauguration preparations to accept two big honors on thursday. >> that's donald trump ringing the opening bell at the new york stock exchange, accompanied by family members and the vice president elect. the appearance was coordinated with time magazine, which named trump its person of the year for a second time. cnn's brian todd has more on the controversial issues trump addressed in his sit down interview with the magazine. >> thank you. the now two time. time magazine person of the year spared little controversy in his interview. president elect donald trump saying in his first hour in office, he'll look at possibly pardoning people convicted of participating in the january 6th attack on the capitol, focusing on the nonviolent offenders. quote, i'm going to do case by case. and if they

were nonviolent, i think they've been greatly punished. i'm going to look, if there's some that were really out of control. >> there is a lot of pressure from the base to see this happen. people in trump's base really feel like these people were treated unfairly. >> trump also reiterating to time his plan to use the american military to deport migrants who entered the u.s. illegally, a stand that was popular with his base during the campaign. >> we will use all necessary state, local, federal and military resources to carry out the largest domestic deportation operation in american history. >> trump told time he'll push to use the military for deportations, quote, up to the maximum level of what the law allows. although u.s. law says the military can't be used to enforce domestic laws without an act of congress, trump said it doesn't stop the military. if it's an invasion of our country, and i consider it an invasion of our country. trump also seemed to be open to the unproven, debunked theory that childhood vaccines cause

autism, an idea often peddled by trump's pick to head the department of health and human services, robert f kennedy jr., an unabashed vaccine skeptic. >> i do believe that autism does come from vaccines, trump told time. >> he'll direct kennedy to study the matter and would consider getting rid of some vaccines for children. quote. we will know for sure what's good and not good. how will real health experts react to trump and rfk jr. determining what's good and not good? >> of course, there's going to be an enormous pushback for if trump and rfk jr. are the ones that are assessing scientifically, medically or otherwise, what is good and not good. >> every case is different, and you need enormous medical, medical research, scientific research to back that up. >> trump told time he vehemently disagrees with the biden administration's decision to allow ukraine to use american made weapons to strike inside russia. we're just escalating this war and making it worse, trump said, fueling worries that his administration might curtail u.s. aid to ukraine. trump,

complaining in a recent interview with nbc about how much the u.s. was paying europe is in for a fraction, and war with russia is more important for europe than it is for us. >> we have a little thing called an ocean in between us. >> in the interview with time, trump declined to say whether he's spoken with russian president vladimir putin since the election. he was pushed repeatedly on whether he would abandon ukrainian president volodymyr zelenskyy. trump responded that if you want to reach an agreement, the only way to do that is not to abandon brian todd, cnn, washington. >> well, as trump previews his plans for january 6th rioters. a new report into the 2021 u.s. capitol attack has been released. cnn's evan perez has that. >> the justice department's watchdog says that there were no undercover fbi employees at the u.s. capitol during the january 6th riot, rejecting claims from allies of president elect donald trump, who have for years suggested that the

violence that day was provoked by federal agents. the justice department's inspector general issued a report on thursday finding that there were 26 people who were paid fbi informants who came to washington for trump's rally seeking to overturn the 2020 election results. of those 26 people, three had specifically been tasked by the fbi to report on specific domestic terrorism subjects who were set to attend the trump rally on january 6th. and one of those informants actually entered the capitol itself, while the other two were outside on the grounds near the capitol. the findings are part of a long awaited report from the inspector general, who launched an investigation into the bureau's preparations just days after the 2021 attack from trump supporters who were trying to stop the confirmation of joe biden's presidential victory. republicans on capitol hill have repeatedly clashed with top officials at the justice department and the fbi over the riot, most notably

over suggestions that the fbi informants or employees actually helped instigate the attack. fbi director christopher wray has flatly rejected the claim that the bureau orchestrated the violence. the inspector general also found that the fbi did not gather intelligence from all of its field offices. some of that intelligence from informants could have helped the u.s. capitol police and other law enforcement agencies be better prepared for the protests that day, and the bureau actually inaccurately told the congress that it had actually done that. now, no informants have been charged with any crimes, according to the inspector general. evan perez, cnn, washington. >> amazon has confirmed to cnn that it's planning to donate $1 million to donald trump's inauguration, and it will make a $1 million donation in-kind by streaming the events on amazon video. company founder jeff bezos is expected to pay a visit to trump in the coming days. bezos and other tech leaders are seeking a closer relationship with the president elect. after years of friction.

on wednesday, meta confirmed that it donated $1 million to the inauguration fund, and this came two weeks after meta's ceo, mark zuckerberg met privately with trump at mar a lago. >> with the presidential inauguration only weeks away. trump is doing things his way when it comes to the invitations. cnn's kristen holmes explains president elect donald trump is reaching out directly and through back channels to talk to foreign leaders and invite them to his inauguration on january 20th. >> we do know that he sent a personal invitation through aides to president xi jinping of china, a very unprecedented move, particularly given the fact that this is a communist leader and overall that he has been engaging in these sort of informal asks to make his inauguration a global affair. now, normally, these foreign leaders don't attend an inauguration. instead, the joint committee that does the inauguration, it's a bipartisan committee reaches out to diplomats with the state department to invite them to observe the inauguration. but

donald trump is doing things a little bit differently. and in these conversations, he's having some of them through back channels, as i noted, others through phone conversations because of the way he's doing it. even some of his closest aides weren't sure exactly which foreign leaders had or hadn't been invited. all of this to say, donald trump is looking forward to that inauguration, looking to make this a bigger event, a more spectacular. and that's the word that a source used with us event than we have seen in inaugurations past. but that might mean that there are people who are invited. and this is, in his own words, that are more controversial, more risky. that was something that we heard from him today, from him when he was talking about the stock exchange, as well as from some of his spokespeople. so we'll see how this all plays out. but a lot of this is still a big question because of the fact that so many of these outreaches are done in such an informal way. kristen holmes, cnn. west palm beach, florida

the u.s. >> department of homeland security and the fbi say there is currently no evidence that the mysterious drones seen across new jersey for weeks pose any threat to national security or have a foreign connection. >> and the white house says the objects may actually be manned aircraft operating lawfully. but lawmakers and residents in new jersey want answers right now. details from cnn's omar jimenez. >> what are they? who's sending them up there? what are they doing there? why doesn't anybody know what they are? you know? and why new jersey? they actually flew in a circle around our building, both of them. >> and then crossed and then disappeared. >> the fbi is now investigating weeks of reported drones over new jersey. that's according to a document given to state and local officials. as a growing number of people report seeing drones, some described as six feet in diameter, flying in the skies. >> you see, like red and green,

like flashing lights on the like the corners. it will just change direction. like go from like 90 to like 270 degrees, just like five different directions. and planes obviously can't do that. >> there have been questions about when these drones first started popping up. reports seem to vary, but the picatinny arsenal, which is a military installation in northern new jersey, has confirmed sightings in the area going back to november 13th, and public officials are starting to get frustrated. >> they're creating so much fear and uneasiness in the public, they appear to actually avoid detection by traditional methods. >> so when our helicopter, our state police helicopter has gotten close, lights go off and they go away. >> so far, authorities have stressed there is no known threat to the public. that's not enough for some, it's really concerning and quite frankly, it's not acceptable. now, the department of homeland security and the fbi are pouring a little bit of cold water on this. >> they released a joint statement saying that they have no evidence the reported drone sightings pose any national security threat, and they're continuing to investigate whether these reported drone

sightings are actually drones at all, or if they are really manned aircraft. and they have said some of the cases they've looked into to this point haven't actually been drones. they've been manned aircraft operating legally. that said, they are continuing to investigate what has been a flood of reports from this area to this point. and while they don't have a definitive answer to all of the cases, that lack of definitive answer is leaving a lot of people here with questions in the meantime. omar jimenez, cnn, denville, new jersey ahead, more men are coming forward to accuse sean diddy combs of sexual assault. >> we'll have the latest on the allegations, and we're learning new details about the murder of unitedhealthcare ceo as a grand jury in new york reportedly hears evidence against the prime suspect. and later, evidence of torture. cnn's clarissa ward takes us inside a syrian government building with a gruesome prison

underground. >> s. e. cupp luther, never too much new year's day at eight on cnn. >> the perfect gift. the jewelry exchange has three carat topaz pendants for 59 one carat bracelets, 199 star bypass rings, 792 carat bands, 1991 carat studs. 599 always the lowest price, the jewelry exchange direct. >> they are trying to shut down this legal loophole to get 100mg generic viagra, or 20mg generic cialis delivered to your door for just $0.87 in less than two minutes. do this first, scan the qr code to go to get friday plans.com. then you select if you need generic viagra or cialis. the quantity you need and the dosage. i'll pick 100 milligram. thank you very much. and then their system will see if you qualify. give it a second to find the best deals. and boom look at that $0.87 for each 100

milligram generic viagra tablet 20mg cialis is the same price. the prescription and shipping are free. scan the qr code to go to get friday plans.com and see for yourself. don't wait. scan the qr code now before it is too late and. >> spend less time making drinks and more time making memories. introducing bartesian. the perfect war. every time for every cocktail at your party, get our best holiday deal now. >> only at bartesian. com slash drinks. >> can you believe this? >> doug flutie and frank thomas. you guys look great. once i turn 40. let me guess.

less energy, less drive. definitely. it's not your fault. it happens to every man. testosterone levels drop as you age. happened to you guys? yep. so, what did you do? we got jenin total t to get your complimentary bottle of eugenics. >> total t text tuned to 231231. this unique man boosting formula is powered by tesla. a key ingredient clinically researched to help increase testosterone levels. >> that does it. i got to get nugenix. just send the text for a complimentary bottle. and by the way, she'll like it too. >> get your complimentary bottle of nugenix now. text tone to 231231. text now and we'll include a bottle of nugenix thermo, our most powerful fat incinerator ever, with key ingredients to help you get back in shape fast. absolutely free. that's t o n e d2231231. >> when i hit 40, i started feeling sluggish. it was harder to stay in shape. it happens to every man i found eugenics. it works wonders for me. turns out

i'm not alone there either. eugenics. total t. it has been astounding. gives you energy. it makes you want to go out and work out. >> eugenics helps me with the stamina that i need to get your complimentary bottle of eugenics. >> total t text tuned to 231231. this unique man boosting formula is powered by a key ingredient clinically researched to help increase testosterone levels. to help you feel stronger, leaner, with more energy and drive just adding more fuel to the fire. >> we take action with eugenics. you will see results. >> try eugenics total t for yourself. >> and by the way, she'll like it too. >> get your complimentary bottle of eugenics now. text tone to 231231. text now and we'll include a bottle of eugenics thermo x, our most powerful fat incinerator ever. absolutely free. that's t o n e d2231231. >> cnn this morning with casey hunt today at 5:00 eastern.

>> disgraced music mogul sean diddy combs is facing more accusations of sexual assault. three men filed separate anonymous suits on thursday in new york state court. they allege the assaults took place between 2019 and 2022 at two manhattan locations and at combs east hampton home. they say they were given drinks spiked with drugs before being raped by combs. his defense team says the suits were, quote, full of lies. over 30 claims of sexual assault have been filed now against combs, who has pleaded not guilty. he's in federal custody awaiting trial on counts that include racketeering, sex trafficking and conspiracy. the man accused of gunning down unitedhealthcare ceo is not a member of the insurance company, according to the spokesperson, and neither is his mother. sources tell abc news that prosecutors in new york have started presenting evidence against luigi mangione to a grand jury. we're also learning that investigators have executed search warrants tied to the case.

>> sources say the warrants cover a backpack found in central park and a burner phone found along the believed getaway route near the crime scene. meanwhile, we're hearing the alleged killer is not interacting with other inmates in prison. cnn's jason carroll has the details about what his life is like behind bars luigi mangione is fighting extradition to new york. >> while that happens, this is the prison where he's being held. it's the state correctional institution at huntington, the oldest operating state prison in pennsylvania. mangione cell looks much like the one you see here. according to a law enforcement source, his actual cell is 15 by six feet. a department of corrections spokesperson says he's in a single cell and not in solitary confinement. he is not interacting with other inmates at this time. he has a bed, sink, toilet and a desk with a seat. >> it's always interesting to see, you know, a prison in your

back yard that, you know, frankly, most people wouldn't be able to pick out of a map or wouldn't know the name of. and now everyone's interested in the type of food he's eating. you know, the cell block that he's in, meals at the facility are served three times a day. >> 615, 1040, and supper at 515. on the menu, mangione has a choice between chicken parmesan and a dish called pizza beans. the department of corrections says mangione has taken his meals in his cell and is not interacting with other inmates. adding all inmates are afforded time outside their cells even if they are a higher custody level. mangione case has received a great deal of national attention, so perhaps no surprise he's already known to some inmates that type of notoriety is also an added security concern at a correctional facility. >> any prison, state or federal is a predatory environment, and there could be prisoners who are there for a long time, perhaps looking to get in the

media, get some attention. so he's got to learn to enjoy his own company in a little cell with a desk, with a toilet, with a little with a pen, to be able to write with a sink because he will not be around prisoners. as i see it for quite some time, the prison just can't risk it. >> huntington's inmates have made headlines before mangione. why did you do it? cosmo dinardo, who was convicted of murdering four men and burying them on his parents property, served part of his life sentence. there. nick yarris also served time there. yarris was wrongly convicted and sentenced to death in 1982 on rape and murder charges. his sentence overturned in 2003 due to dna evidence. he says his time at huntington are years he will never forget, because he decided to send me to huntington prison, the hardest prison in america at that time. >> what was he going to do before that? >> i don't know, but he made sure i went to a place that they broke. >> you mangione time there could be measured in weeks as

prosecutors push to have him brought back to new york. the department of corrections also says that mangione is allowed to have visitors there at the facility, but so far, the only person to visit him has been his attorney. and that was thursday afternoon. jason carroll, cnn, new york coming up, syria is facing a humanitarian crisis. >> aid groups are working to step up their aid delivery, as millions of people need food. >> plus, negotiators have failed time and again to strike a ceasefire and hostage deal in gaza. but a top u.s. official believes they may have a chance to make it happen this time around.

on new year's eve, live with anderson and andy. >> live coverage starts at eight on cnn. >> what makes minky couture the softest, most luxurious blanket in the world? it all began with one handmade blanket crafted with love. this holiday season share the warmth and comfort of minky, the perfect gift for everyone. >> my daughter was in the hospital seriously ill, and i wanted to give her something to represent my loved one. i couldn't be there. a cozy, comfortable, perfectly weighted blanket. i couldn't find one. so i created one. >> today, every minky is meticulously handmade by loving seamstresses. it's more than a blanket. it's a luxurious, comforting embrace waiting to be shared. >> minky is just softness. you have never experienced.

>> i think he's like a hug. it's perfection. i love my minky. >> this holiday season, buy one minky, get another one free. visit minky couture.com for this exclusive offer. with every purchase, we'll donate a mini minky blanket to nicu nationwide. the softest, best blanket ever guaranteed. >> klein inspector has five doctor lawyers, the most of any law firm in america. and maybe that's why the new york times calls klein inspector a powerhouse law firm. so if wrongful conduct caused a catastrophic injury or death, call klein and spector this holiday. >> think about a gift from nuts. com it's much more than a gift box. >> it's a night in with friends. celebrate in more ways than one. with 20% off and free shipping on your first order order from nuts. com today. >> a heart attack. do they have life insurance? no, but we have life insurance john, i'm trying to find something we can afford.

>> fortunately, in only a few minutes, selectquote found john a $500,000 policy for only $29 a month. and his wife, anne, a $500,000 policy for only $21 a month. go to selectquote. com now and get the insurance your family needs at a price craig here pays too much for verizon wireless. so he sublet half his real estate office... [ bird squawks loudly ] to a pet shop. meg's moving company uses t-mobile. so she scaled down her fleet to save money. and don's paying so much for at&t, he's been waiting to update his equipment! there's a smarter way to save. comcast business mobile. you could save up to an incredible 70% on your wireless bill. so you don't have to compromise. powering smarter savings. powering possibilities. (♪♪) stay ahead of your moderate- to-severe eczema and show off clearer skin and less itch, with dupixent. the number one prescribed biologic by dermatologists and allergists that helps heal your skin from within. severe allergic reactions can occur. get help right away for face, mouth, tongue, or throat

swelling, wheezing or trouble breathing. tell your doctor of new or worsening eye problems like eye pain, vision changes, or blurred vision, joint aches and pain, or a parasitic infection. don't change or stop asthma or other medicines without talking to your doctor. ask your doctor awesome. >> don't let this happen to you. download rocket money today. i'm oren liebermann at the pentagon and this is cnn. >> so freak all right, welcome back to cnn newsroom. >> here are some of the top stories we're following today. donald trump has been named time's person of the year for the second time. during his sit down with the magazine, he shared some of his day one plans for his new administration, including making good on promises about mass deportations and pardons for january 6th rioters. a watchdog report from the us justice department found that there were no undercover fbi employees present at the capitol during the riot on january 6th. the findings in the report reject speculation from allies of president elect

donald trump, who have suggested that the violence that day was provoked by federal agents. the report did find that 26 fbi informants were in washington that day, and a former syrian official who oversaw a prison where alleged human rights abuses took place has been charged with torture. after being arrested in july in california, human rights groups and united nations officials have accused the recently deposed syrian government of abuses in its detention facilities, including torture and arbitrary detention. >> many people in syria are searching for their missing loved ones. cnn's clarissa ward visited a morgue in damascus, where the bodies left behind reveal signs of the cruelty inflicted by the assad regime. we should warn our viewers. you may find the following report disturbing. >> a woman wails on the floor of the mujtahid hospital my mother, she's been missing for 14 years, she says. >> where is she? where's my

brother? >> where's my husband? where are they doctor ahmed abdullah shows us into the morgue. where about 35 bodies have been brought in, discovered in a military hospital days after the regime fell. they are believed to be some of the last victims of bashar al assad. drum, take a look. this is the crime of the regime. he says even in the middle ages, they didn't torture people like this. another man points to their tattered clothing evidence, he says that most were detainees at the much feared sednaya prison. even in death, they are still only identified by numbers. everyone here heard about the horrors that took place in assad's notorious prisons. but to see it up close is something entirely different a lot of them have bruises, have horrible wounds that seem to be consistent with torture. i just

saw one woman retching as she came out of the other room. families are now going through trying to see if their loved ones are here. there's not enough room for all of them in the morgue, so a makeshift area has been set up outside more and more families stream in the light from their cell phones. the only way of identifying the dead. my only son. i don't have another. they took him for 12 years now just because he said no, 12 years. my only son. this woman shouts, i don't know anything about him. i ask allah to burn him, she says of assad burn him and his sons like he burned my heart. a crowd swarms when they see our camera. everyone here has lost someone. all of these people are asking us to take the names of their loved ones, to help them try to find them. it is a mark of desperation.

such is the need for answers. but finding those answers will not be easy. at the military intelligence facility known as the palestine branch, officers burned documents and destroyed hard drives before fleeing, but their terror was on an industrial scale. troves and troves of prisoner files remain. it will take investigators years to go through them. below ground. more clues etched on the walls of cells that look more like dungeons. so you can see this list of names of it looks like 93 prisoners here. there's also a schedule for keeping the cell tidy and just graffiti everywhere. people trying to leave marks for someone to find down here. insects are the only life form that thrives. it's clear that anyone who could

survive this will never be the same again. the cells are empty, but the doors are finally open and the quest for answers is just beginning. >> the rebel takeover in syria has displaced hundreds of thousands of people, worsening the already dire food security situation. the world food program says 3 million syrians need food essential items including rice, sugar and oil are in short supply. food prices have also spiked as the syrian currency depreciates, the wfp says. over the last two weeks, it has provided aid to about 70,000 displaced people in homs, aleppo, raqqa and hasakah. us secretary of state antony blinken is in the region meeting with turkey's president and foreign minister. he's stressing the need for unity among rival factions to facilitate a peaceful transition and prevent the resurgence of isis.

>> we want to avoid sparking any kinds of additional conflicts inside of syria at a time when we want to see this transition to an interim government and to a better way forward for syria. part of that also has to be ensuring that isis doesn't rear its ugly head again, and critical to making sure that doesn't happen is the so-called sdf, the syrian democratic forces. >> well, the us is cautiously optimistic about a potential ceasefire and hostage deal in gaza. diplomats have been there before when they said the only that a deal was close, only to see it fall apart. but as jeremy diamond reports, a top us official believes things could be different now. >> well, with just over a month left in president biden's term in office, his national security adviser, jake sullivan, sits down with the israeli prime minister to see if a hostage and ceasefire deal can be reached before biden leaves office. and sullivan struck a tone of cautious optimism, saying that he believes that there is optimism

in the air, that there is cause to believe that a deal can indeed be reached, and that he believes the israeli prime minister is indeed ready to reach a deal. he gave a number of reasons for why things have changed, for why there is more optimism in the air. he said that following the ceasefire between israel and hezbollah in lebanon, that hamas seems to have changed its negotiating posture somewhat, recognizing that it was no longer receiving the support of hezbollah and that perhaps other actors that it had hoped would come into play in its defense, ultimately will not. at the same time, he also indicated that there were changes on the israeli side as well, noting that israel has killed a hamas leader, yahya sinwar, and that some of its other military successes in gaza may have made israel more willing to reach for an agreement. now, at the same time, sullivan did caution that the united states has said that a deal was close, that a deal was at hand before, and ultimately it didn't happen. so here was that more cautious side that he voiced. >> we have been in a place

before where american officials have stood before podiums and said, we are close and we were close, but we didn't get there. i believe we are close again. will we get there? it is not yet clear whether we will or we won't, but we are determined to try to drive this across the finish line. >> and i asked jake sullivan what new concessions israel and hamas have made at the negotiating table so far. he refused to confirm or comment on any specifics about the negotiations, making clear that they are trying to keep this close to the vest at this critical juncture. but at this critical juncture, he is now headed to doha, qatar, and to cairo, egypt, where, of course, the two key mediators in these negotiations are based. as he said it, to try and, quote, put us in a position to close this deal this month. and so that is ultimately the aim here of the us administration to get to a deal, a potentially as soon as in the coming weeks. and of course, to get the americans who have been held hostage in gaza out as well. he actually confirmed tonight that of the

seven americans who are in gaza, we know that four of those have already been confirmed dead. the three other american hostages, sullivan said, are indeed believed to be alive. some hope, perhaps now for their families that they can get out as part of this deal, if indeed it can be reached. jeremy diamond, cnn, tel aviv. >> a british based surgeon says food shortages are starting to show visible signs of their impact on children in gaza. she says the hair color of some children is starting to turn lighter, which he attributed to protein malnutrition. the doctor noticed the change on her patients over the past several months. the united nations have been warning since this summer that the lack of food is creating conditions for famine in the enclave. palestinian officials say more than 17,000 children have been killed in gaza, and more than 40 have starved to death. >> the biden administration is

reportedly scrambling to send more military aid to ukraine. still ahead, crunch time for the white house as it works out how to prop up ukraine. with only weeks left to spare. >> plus, underage russians paying the price for opposing the war in ukraine as the kremlin cracks down on dissent barbara starr luther never too much. >> new year's day at eight on cnn. >> imagine making premium cocktails at the touch of a button. >> introducing bartesian from the comfort of your own home, you can enjoy quality ingredients and the premium pours you'd expect from a cocktail lounge. >> simply insert the capsule select your strength and enjoy get our best holiday deal now only at bartesian. >> com slash drinks. >> they are trying to shut down this legal loophole to get 100 milligram generic viagra, or

20mg generic cialis delivered to your door for just $0.87 in less than two minutes. do this first, scan the qr code to go to get friday plans.com. then you select if you need generic viagra or cialis. the quantity you need and the dosage. i'll pick 100 milligram. thank you very much. and then their system will see if you qualify. give it a second to find the best deals. and boom look at that $0.87 for each 100 milligram generic viagra tablet 20mg cialis is the same price. the prescription and shipping are free. scan the qr code to go to get friday plans.com and see for yourself. don't wait. scan the qr code or go to get friday plans.com. now the jewelry exchange, the source for lab grown two carat studs, 992 carat solitaires,

1293 carat, 2490 ten carat tennis bracelets, 3990. what if your mobile network wasn't just built to work out here... ...but was designed differently to also give you blazing fast wifi where you are most of the time? reliable 5g, plus wifi speeds up to a gig where you need it most. xfinity mobile. xfinity internet customers, ask how to get a free 5g phone and a second unlimited line free for a year. meet the traveling trio. the thrill seeker. the soul searcher. and - ahoy! it's the explorer! each helping to protect their money with chase. woah, a lost card isn't keeping this thrill seeker down. lost her card, not the vibe. the soul searcher, is finding his identity, and helping to protect it. hey! oh yeah, the explorer! she's looking to dive deeper... all while chase looks out for her. because these friends have chase. alerts that help check. tools that help protect.

one bank that puts you in control. chase. make more of what's yours. >> go to deal dash dot com right now and see how much you can save emergency blackouts are in effect across ukraine right now. >> after a barrage of new strikes on its energy system. kyiv's energy minister says russia launched a massive new attack this morning. but the extent of the damage is still unclear. moscow has been stepping up its strikes on ukraine's power grid as winter begins to set in. the biden administration, meanwhile, is trying to send ukraine as much military aid as it can, while it can. the white house announced a half billion dollar package yesterday, and an administration official says it's even more help is on the way. while president joe biden is still in office, donald trump takes over as president in january, but he's made no guarantees to continue sending the aid. in an interview with time magazine, which named him person of the year, he criticized the recent decision

to allow ukraine to use us made missiles for strikes deeper inside russia. he says that will only make the war worse. >> since the war began, more than 20,000 people in russia have been detained for standing up against it, a russian human rights group says more than a dozen of them are under age because people as young as 14 can be prosecuted for such crimes as treason and terrorism. >> and as alex marquardt reports, they learned the hard way what it means to speak out against the war in russia. reporter arseny turbin was your average russian teenager, a top student who enjoyed electronics. >> he built a radio transmitter for a class project. today, he's one of russia's youngest political prisoners, arrested at 15 years old and now facing five years in a penal colony, found guilty on terrorism charges. he was accused of joining a russian paramilitary group fighting for ukraine. he admits he contacted them but

denies joining on russia's national day in june last year, he staged a solo protest. posting on youtube saying i'm against putin and freedom for political prisoners. now turbin is one of at least three dozen teenagers who are jailed in russia for political reasons. among russia's almost 3000 citizens facing criminal prosecution on political grounds, human rights group ovd-info has tracked these cases and told cnn there are at least 16 teenagers that they know of, but almost certainly more who were detained after russia invaded ukraine and the kremlin dramatically cracked down on dissent, including by minors. we spoke with turbin's mother, irina, in russia, who had pleaded with her son not to speak out, knowing what could happen they are minors.

>> of course. i'm terrified for him and i'm afraid that part of him will break. but i want to believe that he will be strong until the end. >> you shared some of the letters that arseny wrote to you from detention, and in one of them he says, please, i'm asking you to do everything you can to make sure i get released. i dream of the day when i'll be released and can hug you. how painful is that for you as a mother? to read that. >> i cried because i understand that i am doing the best i can already. >> we are i knew i couldn't do anything i have already done and am doing everything i can, but this is not enough for him to be free. >> in another letter, turbin wrote yesterday, after lights out, an inmate pushed me into the toilet. today he punched me twice in the head while i was in bed. the situation is very

difficult. kevin lik knows all too well about the brutality of russian prisons. after being arrested at 17 years old and sent to a labor camp with a four year sentence. >> they handcuffed my hands with with a rope and started to beat me. they put out a cigarette on my hand. there's a scar left. >> they physically abused you? >> yes. they abused to try to to get answers out of me. >> lik had taken photos of a military base across from his apartment building. he says he wanted to document history as the russian military prepared to invade ukraine. pro-regime media published this video of his alleged equipment. lik was accused of wanting to send the photos to the intelligence services in germany, where he is also a citizen, but he denies this. >> my first two months of imprisonment, i got held and i was held in solitary confinement. now, when i'm looking back, of course it left

scars. i, a psychologist, told me that i have ptsd in prison. >> he says he was packed into cells with other inmates and lost a huge amount of weight. then he was suddenly released in august as part of the historic international prisoner swap. when wall street journal reporter evan gershkovich and former u.s. marine paul whelan were also freed. in protesting putin and his regime's war in ukraine. charges against teenagers range from arson to sabotage, and treason. the youngest case that ovd-info has told cnn about is of a 14 year old unnamed girl accused of desecrating a military symbol in late october. ovd-info says that 15 year old sebastian sultanov was arrested and is now being prosecuted for anti-putin and anti-war graffiti. he, like both kevin lik and arseny turbin, are

supporters of opposition hero and putin nemesis alexei navalny, who died in february in a penal colony. lik marched alongside navalny's widow yulia in a pro-democracy demonstration in berlin just weeks ago. he's now embracing a new life of activism that was alex marquardt reporting, and so far, russia's federal penitentiary service has not responded to a request for comment regarding the allegations in that report. >> the kremlin denies the existence of political prisoners in russia. >> u.s. president elect donald trump is set to have a private dinner with the widow of late japanese prime minister shinzo abe. akie abe abe will attend a meal at mar-a-lago with trump and wife melania on sunday. that's according to a source familiar with the matter. trump and abe have remained close since her husband was assassinated two years ago during a political speech in japan, according to a source. they scheduled this dinner

directly, bypassing government channels. >> all right. coming up, a santa inspired getaway goes terribly wrong for a suspect trying to flee from police on new year's eve. >> live with anderson and andy. live coverage starts at eight on cnn. >> finish ultimate engineered for the toughest conditions dry, burnt on stains, old dishwashers, very hard water finish ultimate with cycle sync technology helps deliver the ultimate clean. >> this is holiday gifting happiness because moments before it was full of fresh festive favorites from nuts. >> com create your own gift tree or choose from gift baskets and tins with every flavor of happy. >> enjoy! 20% off plus free shipping with your first order! >> hello! welcome to t-town! like men over 40 everywhere, these guys experience a drop in testosterone. don't worry, it happens to all of us. some guys took my advice about how to boost their testosterone and

some didn't. this guy got the message loud and clear. >> that's right. >> eugenics. total t. >> eugenics total t is the unique man boosting formula powered by a key ingredient clinically researched to help increase testosterone levels. to help you feel stronger, leaner, with more muscle and drive. eugenics is number one. doctor recommended number one at gnc and number one at walmart. but you can only get your complimentary bottle by texting. dream to 321321. >> thanks. >> it'll make you feel like a new man. and by the way, she'll like it too. >> get your complimentary bottle of eugenics now text dream to 321321. text now, and we'll include a bottle of eugenics thermo x, our most powerful fat incinerator ever. absolutely free can you believe this? >> doug flutie and frank thomas, you guys look great. once i turned 40. let me guess. >> less energy, less drive.

>> definitely. it's not your fault. >> it happens to every man. testosterone levels drop as you age. happened to you guys? yep. so what did you do? we got total t to get your complimentary bottle of eugenics. >> total t text dream to 321321. this unique man boosting formula is powered by tesla, a key ingredient clinically researched to help increase testosterone levels. >> that does it. i got to get to eugenics. >> just send the text for a complimentary bottle. >> and by the way, she'll like it too. >> get your complimentary bottle of eugenics. now. text dream to 321321. text now, and we'll include a bottle of nugenix thermo x, our newest, most powerful fat incinerator ever with key ingredients to help you lose fat and get lean. absolutely free. that's d.r.e.a.m. to 321321. >> they are trying to shut down this legal loophole to get 100 milligram generic viagra or 20 milligram generic cialis delivered to your door for just $0.87 in less than two minutes.

do this first, scan the qr code to go to get friday plans.com. then you select if you need generic viagra or cialis. the quantity you need and the dosage. i'll pick 100 milligram. thank you very much. and then their system will see if you qualify. give it a second to find the best deals. and boom look at that $0.87 for each 100 milligram generic viagra tablet 20mg cialis is the same price. the prescription and shipping are free. scan the qr code to go to get friday plans.com and see for yourself. don't wait. scan the qr code or go to get friday plans.com. now. >> closed captioning is brought to you by mike, an all in one home access and monitoring system

mike, you boost your home's iq welcome back. >> now, a man in the u.s. state of massachusetts may be on the naughty list this year after attempting a santa like escape from police. what police were executing a search warrant at a home when two men fled onto the roof, while one jumped from the roof and got away. the other took a route inspired by kris kringle. yes, that's right, right down the chimney. except ben. he ended up getting stuck. >> what on earth? >> police had to rescue him before arresting him. the man faces multiple charges, including possession of drugs, and a woman at the scene was also arrested in possession of drugs. do you applaud the effort, though? i mean, to some degree, it's like a real life home alone, a rebel without a clause ooh, ooh, i like it's too early for jokes like that. >> there's a new champion in the world of chess. indian

teenager gukesh manu raju has become the youngest ever undisputed world champ in classical chess. after beating his chinese rival in a grueling best of 14 final in singapore. the 18 year old is four years younger than the previous record holder, the legendary garry kasparov, who won his first world title in 1985. gukesh broke into tears as the emotion of his victory sunk in, telling reporters he's living a dream he's had for more than a decade. i know that's right. that's what it feels like today. feeling it back in india, celebrations broke out for the homegrown hero. >> it's so lovely. now. in other news, hollywood honored british actor jude law on thursday with a star on the walk of fame. he won a bafta award for best actor for the movie the talented mr. ripley, as well as well as nominations and oscars, tonys and olivier awards. his movie ventures include roles like the fantastic beasts franchise of the harry potter universe and guy ritchie's sherlock holmes series. we're not mentioning

the holiday, one of my all time favorites. >> what we just discussed like, yeah, get it in there. >> we're in the holiday season. let's bring it out. and the producer of the walk of fame says, jude law is, quote, incredible talent and dedication to his craft have captivated audiences around the world. >> just like you on cnn. well, that is it. cheese and cheese. and that's it. all we've got for you there. thank you so much for joining us here on cnn newsroom. >> i'm ben hunt and i'm christina macfarlane. cnn this morning is up next. stay with us we'll stop luther. >> never too much new year's day at eight on cnn. >> i'm nfl hall of famer dan marino. you know i used to be afraid of things like defensive

lines and losing games. but what's insane is that years later, my biggest fear became trying to fall asleep. but the insanity stopped when i learned about relaxing and sleep. i started sleeping again the first night. while i might not be worried about winning games anymore, i still want to perform at the top of my game. relaxing, sleep completely changed how i live my life and it will change yours too. >> join the hundreds of thousands of people who have experienced the relief and health benefits from getting a great night's sleep and get relaxing and sleep. >> i've been using relaxing for about ten years now. i love the product. when i take relaxing, i fall asleep much faster and then i always wake up much fresher. >> i love getting a great night's sleep with relaxing during the day. i enjoy more energy, better mood, sharper focus, and i accomplish so much more with the benefits of a great night's sleep. i am set to live a long, happy and healthy life. relaxing is safe, not habit forming, and it's not a prescription drug. the best part is it worked for me

from the very first night, and it can do the same for you. relaxing sleep is studied, tested and designed by a neurologist to help you fall asleep faster, stay asleep longer, and wake up refreshed. >> relaxing sleep worked from the very first night i took it, i had more focus and mental clarity than i've had in years. >> join me. and hundreds of thousands of other americans in call relaxing right now. dan marino is so confident that relaxing will work for you. he's asked us to give away 1000 bottles. >> if you're not getting calm enough to go to sleep, take relaxing sleep. >> i promise you it'll work. >> get your risk free bottle of relaxing sleep now. it's guaranteed to work or your money back. visit. try relaxation.com or call ( 800) 421-8716. that's tri ♪ ♪ ♪ something has changed within me ♪

♪ something is not the same ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ it's time to try defying gravity ♪ we would love for you to be our elphaba. we want you to be our glinda the good. ♪ ♪ constipation relief in as little as 30 minutes, making your good morning even better with dulcolax cnn this morning with kasie hunt next