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ambitions. sophie, get your money right. >> luther. never too much new year's day at eight on cnn. >> holiday travel gets off to a bumpy start today after a technical issue temporarily grounded all american airlines flights. we have the latest on the mishap. >> plus, we're learning more about the undocumented immigrant who is now accused of setting a woman on fire inside a new york subway car. moments after his arraignment today, those details ahead, and with the opening of a sacred portal, the pope kicks off a year long jubilee that will bring an estimated 30 million pilgrims to the vatican. we're following these major developing stories and many more, all coming in right here to

cnn news central. it is the top of the hour here. i'm erica hill, along with my colleague danny freeman in new york. nice to have you with us on this christmas eve. and we begin this hour with what could have been christmas eve chaos at airports across the country. american airlines says it was a technical issue which forced it to briefly ground all of its flights this morning. and of course, one of the busiest travel days of the year. >> now, the temporary shutdown sparking major concerns and delays for passengers desperately hoping to reach their destinations in time. cnn aviation correspondent pete muntean joins us now with more. pete, what can you tell us about what caused this grounding and really how it impacted travel? >> this morning we have new information on that. and american airlines says it's all hands on deck right now to get things back to normal. we now know that this was caused by an outage of a computer system. that is key to getting flights on their way and pushed back from the gate. american has

about 3900 tuesday flights scheduled. the good news for the half million people traveling on the airline? no major cascading cancellations. making the real story here. the delays. airline analytics from syria just gave this to us. it says american airline hubs like charlotte and miami have been hit hard at bad weather into the mix at dfw, american's largest hub. it all means about 37% of american flights have left on time today. not a great score, but the silver lining here is that 93% of all flights operated by american are departing within about two hours of when they were scheduled. american spokesperson ciara dance tells me that the delays are really to be expected, but she insists that american does have the staff to get things back in place and back on track quickly. this all really started about 7 a.m. on the east coast. all american flights held on the ground for about an hour. american now says this was an issue with an i.t. vendor. that network feeds into american's critical flight operations system, and

without that, flights could not be dispatched. here is the statement now from american airlines. they say, quote, a vendor technology issue briefly affected flights this morning. that issue has been resolved and flights have resumed. we sincerely apologize to our customers for the inconvenience this morning. history has shown airline technology issues can have really ha an outsized impact. in july, the crowdstrike outage caused delta airlines to melt down. it canceled about 5000 flights in total. the southwest airlines holiday meltdown was happening right now two years ago. seems like not all that long ago, but two years ago now. southwest canceled about 15,000 flights over a weeks time. the department of transportation has really turned up the heat on keeping airlines accountable, and outgoing secretary pete buttigieg says the delta investigation is still ongoing, though airlines are pretty hopeful that a new trump administration may be more sympathetic to them when it comes to issues like this latest snag. danny. erica. >> we will see. pete. appreciate the update. thank

you. well, if you are hitting the road for the holidays, there's some good news there. gas prices are at their lowest level in years. of course, you're going to have a lot of company out there on the roads. aaa estimates about 107 million americans are set to travel by car in the coming days. that's up a bit from last year. here to discuss linea is the chief operating officer for pdi technologies, which owns and operates gasbuddy. it's good to have you with us and you are joining us at a perfect time to talk gas prices, because they're actually at the lowest level that we've seen in years, especially at christmas time. this is great news. a little, little holiday gift for everybody. and you say they could keep going down. >> that's right. that's what we hope. i think we've all been nice this year because gas prices are at their lowest since christmas 2020. 100,000 states across the country are seeing gas prices under $3. the national average, though, is right around $3.01. so we're really crossing our fingers and hoping that we see it break that $3 barrier nationwide. >> i think we probably all know those people who it's like a sport for

them. finding the best deal on gas or they're constantly checking their apps, whether it's gasbuddy or waze or something else. comparing prices at neighboring stations, you have a few tips on multiple ways that we can save when it comes to buying gas. walk us through some of those, whether it's loyalty programs or some of these apps. >> absolutely. you're hitting on a few of them. the first one is always check the app before you go because gas prices change throughout the day. so make sure that you're getting the most current information. secondly, make sure that you're enrolling in loyalty points. the the oil brands, the fuel brands, and the retailers themselves often have programs that will give you not only discounts on gas, but also discounts on snacks inside the store. so make sure you're shopping both inside and outside for the best deals. and finally, if you're traveling across state lines, gas prices can sometimes be cheaper on the other side of the border, so make sure you're checking prices along your destination as well. >> oh, always good to check. i know sometimes it's it's less expensive. we see those cash and credit prices at the pump. but you could also i mean you can double dip on some of these loyalty programs. right. you could double dip with the gas station or the convenience store and get some miles on

your credit card. >> that's absolutely right. uh, credit card companies are out there with discounts as well. and you can often get the loyalty price and then pay with one of your gas, your gas credit cards, your gasbuddy card, or any of your other airline or or other cards that offer discounts and stack those rewards. >> we had a couple of burning questions on the show team here, so i'm hoping you can clear this up for us. is there traditionally a rule about where it is the best deal, where you find the best deal for gas? and so i'm talking about a metropolitan area versus the suburbs versus rural. does one always win out? >> there's no real rule of thumb. it varies from location to location. i think there are certain brands that have a strategy of being a low a low price leader. and so when you find those brands, you want to stay loyal to them. and then certainly just keep checking your apps for the latest discounts. >> and then, you know, we were just talking about flights and sort of the debacle which is not happening at the gas station, which is good for you. talking about what happened this morning at airports traditionally, we're told, book your flight on a tuesday, you're going to get the best

deal. is there a best time or a best day when it comes to filling up your tank? >> well, the the the stations are least busy on a sunday generally, and so that's a good time to get out there and not be part of the crowds. if you're if you're looking to make sure that there's no lines and usually get yourself off with a full tank before the week starts, i love it. >> you have answered so many of our questions today. trust me, we are grateful for it guys. thank you. happy holidays! >> thanks for having us. take care danny. >> new today. we've learned the suspect accused in the brutal, burning death of a woman on a new york city subway was just arraigned. the 33 year old undocumented immigrant from guatemala has been charged with first and second degree murder, as well as arson. cnn's gloria pazmino joins us now from new york. gloria, it wasn't clear if this arraignment was initially going to happen. i understand after the suspect was hospitalized. what more are you learning? >> yeah, danny. and, you know, given that we are, it's christmas eve and it's the holiday. we were thinking that this might be delayed, but it was actually because of this

hospitalization that the suspect had to go through, that there was such a delay. we do not know the reason why he was hospitalized just yet. but we do know now that in the last hour or so he did appear in front of a judge to be arraigned on these charges. as you said, he is facing murder in the first and second degree and arson. all of this in relation to this incident that happened early on sunday morning. police say that he walked over to a woman who was sleeping inside of a subway car and lit her on fire. she burned alive and he sat outside of the platform watching as it all happened. now we're getting some additional detail from this arraignment. firstly, some of the details that the police officers who responded to the scene reported, including the fact that the suspect who has been identified as sebastian zapeta-calil at one point appeared to be fanning the flames that were burning this victim. that's according to a

testimony from them on the scene. we also have learned that the city's medical examiner has determined the cause of death. this victim died as a result of thermal injuries and smoke inhalation. we have not learned yet exactly who the victim was, but law enforcement officials believe that she too, was homeless. now the suspect, zapeta-calil, has been in the united states since first entering in 2018. he was deported at one point. then he made entry illegally again. and in the last few months here in new york city, he has been in and out of homeless shelters. the last place that he reported to be staying at is a shelter for men with substance abuse issues. we do expect khaleel to appear in court again next friday, but we are getting just really more disturbing details of how all of this unfolded. he did not enter a plea yet. it's

possible that that happens at the next court appearance, but that is the latest that we have on this story. danny. >> yeah, so many details about this. as you said, very disturbing. larry, just before you go, are we learning anything about the victim at this point yet? >> so from the investigation and law enforcement sources i've been speaking to on this, they believe that the woman was on the train essentially taking shelter from the cold that morning. and that evening. they believe that she is homeless. i understand that the city's medical examiner has been trying to identify her. that's been difficult because of the condition that she was found in the burns on. she is believed to be homeless, and she was seen by police officers earlier that day sleeping inside the subway car. but unfortunately, we have not been able to confirm exactly what her identity is just yet. >> so so sad. thank you, gloria, for your reporting. appreciate it all right. ahead, this hour on cnn, cnn news central president-elect trump

tears into president biden for removing nearly every federal inmate from death row. we'll hear what trump now vows to do as soon as he takes office next month. plus, we have an update on former president bill clinton after he was admitted to the hospital and nasa attempts to touch the sun. we'll tell you everything we know about today's record breaking mission. these important stories and much, much more all coming up this hour on cnn news central. can't fool myself. >> it was the most exciting time in the world. >> his life had extremely joyful moments and some really difficult moments. >> you only come across an artist like luther vandross once in a lifetime. >> luther. never too much new year's day on. >> you make good choices. always planning ahead. like to not just chase a career, but one day. follow your heart. with ambition like that, you need someone who elevates advice to a craft. at ubs, we match your

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good girls are gonna go bad. >> you were made to chase your passions. we were made to put them in a package. it are you ready for this? >> are you ready for this? are you ready for this new alka-seltzer plus cold or flu? >> fizzy chews. chew fizz. feel better? >> fast. >> no water needed. new alka-seltzer plus fizzy juice. >> new year's eve, live with anderson and andy. live coverage starts at eight on cnn. >> new today president elect donald trump tearing into president biden's decision to commute the sentences of nearly all federal death row inmates, commuting those sentences to life in prison without the possibility of parole. trump saying the move, quote, makes no sense. cnn's julia benbrook is live at the white house. so this move from president biden, a preemptive one is is much of what we're hearing. julia. >> well, and during the 2024

campaign, trump indicated that he would restart federal executions and try to expand the pool of crimes eligible for capital punishment under federal law. as you mentioned, he said that he believes biden's decision, quote, makes no sense. and just a few hours ago, in a social media post, he actually expanded on that, giving a preview of how he will see this issue going forward in his next term, saying, quote, as soon as i am inaugurated, i will direct the justice department to vigorously pursue the death penalty to protect ans and children from violent rapists, murderers and monsters. we will be a nation of law and order again. this statement, of course, follows biden's latest end of term action, and that was taking 37 federal prisoners off of death row when he announced that he would be doing that, that those people would be instead serving out life sentences in prison. here was part of his announcement explaining that thought process. he said, make no

mistake, i condemn these murders, grieve for the victims of their despicable acts, and ache for all of the families who have suffered unimaginable and irreparable loss. but guided by my conscience and my experience as a public defender, chairman of the senate judiciary committee, vice president and now president, i am more convinced than ever that we must stop the use of the death penalty at the federal level. in good conscience, i cannot stand back and let a new administration resume executions. i had halted. now, biden's decision leaves only three federal prisoners awaiting execution when trump takes office. and notably, biden did not commute the sentences. of those three people whose crimes included mass shootings and or excuse me, or acts of terror as we look at all this, too, in the last two weeks of this administration. >> julia, i know a number of democrats are asking the white house to also do a little bit more to secure biden's legacy, especially when it comes to

student loan forgiveness. where does that stand? >> well, ever since biden decided that he would not continue to seek reelection, there's been a lot of talk about his legacy, what he'll be known for in his decades long career here in politics and student loan forgiveness has been a centerpiece of this administration. despite a major blow by the supreme court decision to strike down his key proposal last year, biden has approved the discharge of more student debt than any other president. and while trump has not made specific promises when it comes to student loan forgiveness, we know that it's not the same type of policy priority that it has been for the biden administration. so there are a lot of democratic lawmakers really pushing biden to take more action in these final weeks. and here's some of the specifics that they are asking for to officially deliver student loan forgiveness promised to defrauded borrowers to provide more forgiveness through borrower defense, and to provide options for borrowers

stuck in legal limbo. there's a plan called save that the biden administration launched last year that has continued to be challenged in the courts. so still, a lot of questions for people out there with student loans, a lot of questions they want answers to. and these democratic lawmakers are hoping that they can do that in these last few weeks before there's a change in administration. erica. >> we will see if they can get those answers. julie, i appreciate it. thank you. >> danny, we have some positive signs for a former president today. a spokesperson says bill clinton has now been discharged from the hospital. he was admitted on monday after experiencing a fever. his office says he was being treated there for the flu. cnn's edward-isaac dovere is monitoring these developments. isaac, tell us is clinton's office giving any more details or insight about the seriousness of this hospital stay? >> no, they've left it to the statements. danny. but look, he was admitted to the hospital yesterday. he was discharged from the hospital today. that means that there was enough of a reason to bring him in. he had a fever. they were making

sure that it was nothing else than that is what i've been told. and he is home in time for christmas eve and christmas with his family. so it does not seem to be a serious thing. on the other hand, he's 78 years old. he's had some health problems in the past, some scares, and so this was mostly about caution. and he was not even there a full 24 hours. >> well, thank you for keeping us posted on that. appreciate it. and again, good news that he's okay and at least home for the holiday. appreciate you. thank you. all right. coming up next. the pope has just opened the doors of the five. holy. excuse me. the first of five holy doors at saint peter's. it's a tradition. more than 500 years in the making. what that means for the faithful. plus, buckingham palace announces king charles will sharply break from tradition in his annual christmas message. we'll tell you what he's doing and why it's ruffling some feathers. that and much more coming up ahead.

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>> aew wednesday night dynamite at eight on tbs. >> we're learning new details about paul whelan's detention in russia. whelan spent more than five years in captivity, and during that time he personally reached out by phone and with letters to journalists in the united states, including cnn's jennifer hansler. now, whelan says he wanted to make sure his story was not forgotten. and in a new interview with cnn's anderson cooper, whelan shares how he got through those years and the treatment he received after being back. >> it's, uh, it's surreal. um, i'm in a world that used to be familiar, and it isn't. i'm getting used to just simple things. >> you were held in a prison in moscow initially, which is a notorious. it's a high like, maximum security prison. i think it's a very notorious prison. >> yeah. lefortovo. it's called the shooting gallery because that's where the russians used to, and probably still do shoot

their own people. it's a it's a horrendously old rundown facility. and, you know, you're in a small cell by yourself. um, basically 23 hours a day. >> how long were you in that facility? >> uh, for a year and a half. >> i cannot imagine suddenly from being in your hotel room, visiting your friend for a wedding to being in this notorious prison. how do you mentally. not just panic and freak out? >> i probably did panic and freaked out. um, very quickly, i realized that what was happening was real. um, you know, there was some solace in the fact that i knew my my ambassadors would be coming to find out what was happening. i wasn't sure how long it would take to resolve. i knew i hadn't done anything, i hadn't violated the espionage law. i'm not a spy. i never have been. um, they'd either made a mistake or they were making it up. >> once you after the trial, uh, you were sentenced to 16

years, i think. yeah. you were sent to a labor camp in mordovia, and you're still for the next 3 or 4 years. you are woken up every two hours at night. yeah. >> i was an escape risk. apparently, mordovia, there's nothing. there's nothing out there. it's woods. it's forests. >> and so what? they would come in and wake you up. and what? >> they'd shine a light in my eyes and then take a picture with the camera to prove that they had. they had checked me every night, every two hours, every two hours for years. for four years. >> can you sleep normally now? >> no. um, i'm getting back to a normal sleep pattern. it's difficult let's get you a quick look at some of the international stories we're following. >> a moscow court sentencing a u.s. citizen to 15 years in prison for espionage. gene spector was born in russia, but later moved to the u.s. and is one of several u.s. citizens to be tried in russia this year. in october, 72 year old stephen hubbard was sentenced to almost seven years for allegedly

fighting as a mercenary for ukraine, and in july, robert woodland was sentenced to more than 12 years for drug related charges. >> meanwhile, in turkey, local authorities have ruled out sabotage after a deadly blast at an explosives and ammunition factory in the northwestern part of the country. at least 11 people were killed and seven others injured, but that number could go up. officials say they're still trying to work out how many people were inside of the factory at the time of the accident. also, in a break from tradition, buckingham palace says king charles will not record his annual christmas message from the royal residence. instead, the king will deliver tomorrow's message from a church with links to the medical community. the change comes as the 76 year old monarch continues to battle cancer. last week, a palace source told cnn the king's treatment has, quote, been moving in a positive direction and will continue in the new year. and just moments ago, we actually saw the kickoff of a religious event that has spanned more than 500 years. the jubilee or holy year. it takes place every 25 years in the catholic church,

and 2025. jubilee was just launched by the tradition of opening the sacred doors at saint peter's basilica. you see it right there. the door is normally cemented shut. >> now that it is open, some 35 million people are expected to visit rome and vatican city as pilgrims celebrate the holy year, focusing on forgiveness and reconciliation. cnn vatican correspondent christopher lam joining us now with the latest. so give us a sense to what people were experiencing as this begins, as those doors are opened. >> well, erica, it's very powerful and symbolic moment we saw in saint peter's basilica with the opening of the holy door, as the pope opened the door. pilgrims started to file in past him through the door. i've been up there recently, and it's a beautiful panel, bronze paneled door. and as people walked through, they were touching the panels. of course, what the holy door represents is god's forgiveness and mercy. and according to

catholic tradition, those who walk through the door and have carried out certain spiritual or charitable acts receive an indulgence which relates to the forgiveness of sins. and of course, the basilica is expecting millions of people to process through the door during the jubilee year, which is going to be a year focused on forgiveness and reconciliation. and the pope wants it to be a sign of hope for a troubled world and, christopher, i'm curious, the day after christmas, the pope opens another door. >> i understand in symbolic tradition. and this year, for the first time, he's going to do it at a prison. can you give us some more details about this? >> yeah, danny. that's right. normally, the doors are opened in the basilicas in rome. that's where the holy doors are traditionally found. but for the first time, the pope will be opening a holy door in rebibbia prison on the outskirts of rome. now, the pope wants the jubilee year

to see acts of forgiveness or pardon or amnesty by governments to prisoners. and so i think this decision by the pope to go to the prison sends a signal, sends a message to the world that he wants to see mercy shown to prisoners. and, of course, on the 8th of december, the pope made an appeal for the commutation or the changing of sentences for those on federal death row in the u.s. and, of course, yesterday, president biden, who is a catholic, commuted the majority of the sentences of those facing death on death row. danny. yeah, absolutely. >> i also understand, christopher. there was a special call that the pope made today. >> yes. the pope called the catholic community the catholic parish in gaza. it's something he does on a regular basis. but he called them to wish them the very best for christmas. and his christmas greetings to them. the pope has been quite outspoken about what's been

going on in gaza. he recently said that the airstrikes that are taking place were acts of cruelty and not war. he's been quite outspoken recently, also calling for allegations of genocide to be investigated. so it'll be worth watching what the pope says tomorrow during his traditional christmas address, which he gives midday rome time in saint peter's, where he is likely to address some of the big questions of conflicts going on in the world today. erica. >> yeah, and there certainly are a number of of course, unfortunately to address. christopher. appreciate it. thank you still ahead here, nasa attempting to fly one of its probes closer to the sun than has ever been done before. so was the early morning mission successful? that's next i want to be the greatest player that i could possibly become.

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the norad santa tracker by norad count. he's now delivered more than 3 billion presents. not a bad day at the office. busy guy. today marks a historic first in space travel. the parker solar probe passed the closest a human made object has ever come to the sun. moving at a mind bending 430,000mph. so that means it could reach from tokyo, from tokyo to washington, dc in under a minute. according to nasa. the uncrewed spacecraft is also expected to give us some really dramatic new insights. just what are those insights we're going to ask the guy who knows. cnn's aviation analyst and science correspondent for pbs newshour, miles o'brien, who i adore for many reasons, but one of them being today that you make things that are a little complicated. understandable. so the first question i have for you, miles, is a lot of pressure there, erica. >> you put the pressure on me. >> that's right. flattery is going to get me everywhere in this segment. it's going to get me all the information. so what i am floored by is the fact that this is the

spacecraft that's able to get the closest to the sun, essentially, without burning up. how were they able to do this? because the proximity is really key here. >> yes, it's an amazing craft and it's done well so far. you know, it's launched in 2018. this approach, the closest one is the 18th, uh, pass that comes within 4 million miles of the sun, which is close. uh, the temperature on the outside has to be able to withstand upwards of 2500°f. and then on the instrument side, maintain no more than about 85°f. it's made of thick carbon, carbon material. it's actually the same material that's used was used on the leading edge of the space shuttles for its atmospheric reentry, and then it has a ceramic surface on top of that. it's a marvel of engineering that it survived and is able to do what it's been doing. >> so what is it going to tell us? in a perfect world, what are we

learning here? >> well, here's the big mystery, erica. imagine you wanted to cook a hamburger, and instead of using your oven, you turned on a 100 watt light bulb in the far corner of your kitchen and then took the hamburger into the living room, and you were able to cook it. that's basically what how the sun operates, because as it gets farther away from the surface, things heat up. it's the opposite of the laws of thermodynamics as we understand them. it's a huge mystery. why is the sun's surface 100,000 degrees and the corona well into the millions? this is the heart of what the parker solar probe is trying to learn about. there's a lot of scientific reasons to understand it, but it also has a lot to do ultimately with what we call space. space weather, which impacts our life on here significantly. >> things like solar winds and solar flares. >> solar

winds, solar flares, they affect satellites, communication satellites, gps, the grid. and if you're an astronaut in space, you want to know when one of these things are coming so you can take shelter. so there's a lot of good reason to be able to predict this better. but because scientists don't really understand why things heat up as they get farther away, it's difficult to make those kinds of predictions. parker may help us get to a point where we can make a better prediction about when these things might occur. >> how quickly could we have some of that information? not only have that information, but be able to use it in that way, right. to maybe start to be able to predict some of these events? >> well, we're already starting to get data back. for one thing, parker has discovered there are these strange switchbacks in the magnetic field of the sun. they'll go one way briefly and then and then switch around. why? that is not certain. parker is also the first spacecraft to have actually direct sensing of particles in the corona. that information is going to help piece it together, but it's going to

take a while for scientists to pull it all together and really come to any sort of conclusion. maybe they'll find a clue in there somewhere, which could give them some way of predicting these solar flares or coronal mass ejections, so that we can harden our systems or turn off things, or protect astronauts in the future. >> this one, i didn't warn you that we were going to talk about this, miles, but i feel like you're going to be okay with it. so we started our segment with a quick check in on the big guy on santa following him on norad santa tracker. now, a short time ago, he was near the international space station. do you have any concerns about santa sort of being up that high in space in the atmosphere? >> it's just i just watched red one last night. i think santa is going to be just fine. you got to see that movie. it's great. santa. santa could do this and it's going to be all right. i'm sure he's got all the life support he needs. and certainly those reindeer can match the speed of the international space station, which, as you know, 17,500

miles an hour. but with rudolph, i'm sure it'll be fine. >> i think you're right. and, i mean, let's not forget rudolph. he's got the light there, but he's not working alone. they're a team. that's right. yeah. always good to see you, my friend. thank you. miles. merry christmas. pleasure, erica. same to you. we're going to take a quick break here. and then a closer look at the viral videos, which made the top list the list of the top ten for 2024. you can think about what might be on there, and we'll give you the rundown after the break. >> scott luther. never too much new year's day at eight on, i joined sophie because they've helped millions of members earn more money, save more money, borrow better, and invest for their ambitions. >> join a generational player, sophie. get your money right with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. >> my skin was no longer mine. >> my active psoriatic arthritis joint symptoms held me back. >> don't let symptoms define

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>> boris sanchez takes a look at the top ten. buster. comee,ome here, come here, you little. >> coming in at number ten on the list of the viral videos on cnn that everyone was talking about in 2024, a lovable but very disobedient dog. are you ready to come in over and over again? his owner tries to get him to leave the pool, be a good boy for once in your life with this florida dog just won't listen. it's only when dad uses his i mean business voice. that buster does. listen. come on. no, sir. buster, get over here now! number nine. >> it has been an incredibly tough couple of months for a stunning announcement from catherine, the princess of wales. in january, i underwent major abdominal surgery in london. however, tests after the operation found cancer had been present.

>> in september, kate released a video saying she had completed her chemotherapy treatment. her startling cancer diagnosis announcement came weeks after we learned king charles was also battling an unspecified cancer, following a procedure for an enlarged prostate in january. at number eight, dramatic footage of a passenger plane in brazil falling from the sky in august. the shocking video showing the twin engine turboprop plane spiraling out of the sky into the city of veneto before hitting the ground, killing all 62 people on board. no one on the ground was hurt. number seven, it is really kicked up. hurricane milton making landfall on florida's west coast. look at that huge tree limb just blowing through the intersection. it was a dangerous category three storm. this fence came down earlier right here behind me, here. >> and now it seems to be breaking apart. >> the wind and the storm surge associated with this hurricane

that is right now pushing its way inland. >> milton dropped about 18in of rain on saint petersburg, representing a more than 1 in 1000 year rainfall for that area. number six. in september, explosive attacks in lebanon targeting pagers used by hezbollah members the blasts killed 12 and injured more than 2300. cnn learned israel was behind the attack, which was a joint operation between israel's intelligence service, the mossad, and the israeli military. the lebanese government condemned the attack as criminal. israeli aggression. number five police in illinois releasing body camera footage of the deadly police shooting of sonia massai in july. the 36 year old black woman had called 911 for help to report a possible prowler at her home in springfield. >> i heard somebody outside. >> we didn't see nobody. >> nobody's out here.

>> the body camera footage shows the deputy continuing to interact with massai. but things take a turn when she goes back to check on a pot on the stove. >> hot steaming water away from the hot steaming water. yeah. oh, i rebuke you in the name of jesus. >> i shoot you in the navy. you better not. i swear to god, i'll shoot you right at your face. okay? i'm sorry. drop the pot and drop the pot. >> three shots were fired, killing massai. no intruder was found. the deputy was fired from his job and charged with first degree murder. he has pleaded not guilty. at number four on the list, the presidential historian who correctly predicted nine of the last ten presidential races, makes his pick for the 2024 winner, vice president kamala harris. >> have you ever changed your prediction? >> i have never changed my prediction. >> once i've made a final call. >> unfortunately for allan lichtman, this year's pick did not pan out for him. number

three on the list, baltimore's key bridge collapse. video shows the moment a cargo ship crashed into the bridge in march. six members of a road crew who were working on the bridge at the time were killed. a preliminary report by the ntsb found the ship had a pair of catastrophic electrical failures minutes before the crash, and experienced two blackouts a day before the preliminary report does not conclude a probable cause. >> if you want to really see something that said, take a look at what happened. >> at number two, the failed assassination attempt of donald trump in july. trump was speaking at his rally in butler, pennsylvania, when shots rang out. trump grabbed his ear, dropped to the ground and was quickly surrounded by secret service agents. i got you, sir. let me get my shoes on. trump was seen with blood on his ear and cheek as he was rushed off the stage. the shooting left one person dead

and two others critically injured. another video from that day shows the moment people attending the rally spotted the shooter on top of a nearby building. >> yes, i was on top of the roof. look. there he is, right there. right there. you see him? >> he's lying down. you see him? >> yeah. he's laying down. >> moments after the 20 year old gunman opened fire, he was killed by a secret service sniper. and the number one viral video of 2024 disturbing hotel surveillance video of sean diddy combs in may. cnn published exclusively obtained video from 2016. in it, you see the hip hop mogul physically assaulting his then girlfriend, cassie ventura in the hallway of a hotel. combs previously denied ventura's allegations of assault, which were the basis of a now settled federal lawsuit filed by ventura in 2023. soon after the video was published, combs apologized for his behavior. in a video statement posted to instagram.

now in federal custody. combs was arrested in september after a sprawling federal investigation. he's awaiting trial on numerous charges, including sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy. he's pleaded not guilty. combs is also facing dozens of civil lawsuits accusing him of a range of sexual misconduct and other illegal activity. attorneys for combs deny the claims. >> well, a number of moments for sure. all right. his smooth vocals gave music lovers songs for the ages, full of style, soul and romance. and now a cnn film takes you inside the storied career of luther vandross, one of the most influential artists of all time. >> luther. never too much presents some rarely seen footage of the icon, as some of his closest friends and collaborators reflect on his legacy. here's a preview. >> mr. luther vandross. whoa

y'all! >> dum dum dum dum dum dum dum. >> hey hey, baby. whoa! >> i remember hearing a house is not a home for the first time. i couldn't believe what i was hearing. i told him, i said. baby doll, you have just given me the definitive version of that song. >> a chair is still a chair. even when there's no one sitting there. >> the all new cnn film. luther, luther. pardon me. never too much premieres new years day at 8 p.m. eastern and pacific right here on cnn. just ahead, newly released court documents reveal disturbing new details about the burning death of a woman on a new york city

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has been setone 800 859 2400. that's one 800 859 2400. >> the man charged in a fiery new york subway murder, facing a judge for the first time as we learn new details from that arraignment today. the man arraigned on murder and arson charges. >> plus, it's like the super bowl or world series of travel days, with millions squeezing in last minute holiday trips. and on top of that, a temporary pause in flights this morning for a major airline. what we know about the cause and the impact. and millions of americans use diabetes and weight loss drugs. what doctors say you need to know if you use those medications and are considering a pause over the next few weeks so you can enjoy those holiday treats. those stories and much, much more ahead on cnn news central.