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Dangerous Deep Freeze; Nutrition Labels Getting a Makeover; Super Bowl Monday?; Bieber Out On Bail; How Safe Is Sochi?

Aired January 24, 2014 - 08:00   ET

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


MICHAELA PEREIRA, CNN ANCHOR: The even bigger twist, how they discovered it. They join us live.

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: Your NEW DAY continues right now.

(MUSIC)

ANNOUNCER: This is NEW DAY with Chris Cuomo, Kate Bolduan, and Michaela Pereira.

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning and welcome back to NEW DAY, everyone. It is Friday, January 24th, 8:00 in the East.

There is virtually no escaping the cold that's covering much of the country right now. It's now reached the Deep South, sending a chill in states from Florida to Texas, where a big ice storm is affecting millions there. And it's not getting better in the Midwest, white out conditions caused this fatal crash involving dozens of cars and trucks.

Meteorologist Indra Petersons will have the forecast in just a moment, of course. But let's start this hour with CNN's Nick Valencia braving the temps in Houston with much more on the conditions down there.

Good morning, Nick.

NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Kate.

It's not every day you get a winter storm warning in this part of the country. Over the last couple of hours, we've seen the sleet, ebb and flow here. Those emergency crews are working around the clock to prep the road for icy conditions.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

VALENCIA (voice-over): A crippling ice storm affecting millions of Americans. Houston, San Antonio, and Austin all waking up this morning, at risk from dangerous ice building up as freezing rain and bitter cold temperatures take hold. Residents here all are too familiar with crippling ice storms, like the powerful one in 2011 that paralyzed the airports and led to rolling blackouts.

Some schools in the area closing their doors as city officials prepare for the worse.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Here we have the decisions that are made and how we respond to a threat and how we execute that throughout a region working with our partners.

VALENCIA: In Indiana, a horrifying scene, dozens of semi-trucks and cars colliding in white out conditions. At least three people were killed and more than a dozen injured in this massive pileup on Interstate 94.

Scores of cash crashes blamed on the deep freeze. Treacherous conditions, tangling trucks and cars from the Midwest to the Northeast. The winter weather also wreaking havoc in the skies with flight delays and cancellations quickly adding up.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VALENCIA: Cancellations are a big problem here in Houston. More flights canceled in Houston than in any other city across the United States. Between the two major airports, Bush and Hobby, 150 flights already canceled -- Chris.

CUOMO: All right, Nick. So, it's how cold for how long and how many places? Those are the questions for meteorologist Indra Petersons.

What are the answers?

INDRA PETERSONS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: You know, we're going to see a roller coaster. You're going to see temperatures that seem like they are rebounding. Notice New York City will go from 19 up to the 30s, down again to the 20s back up.

But it's going to be a series of clippers making their way through. That's the reason for it. I want you to notice quickly by Monday, that's going to be the third clipper, and it's going to be a cold and a huge change.

Sunday to Monday, Chicago goes from 28 to their high to zero. Minneapolis's high on Monday is 11 coming off of 17. And even places farther to the south, Dallas will go from a high of 73 on Sunday, Monday their high dropping down to 42.

So, keep saying this word clipper. What am I talking about? These low pressure systems way up here, typically they do stay up here. Each one that moves through will bring cold air and chance for showers. So, that's the concern moving forward. Upper Midwest and Northeast looking for showers this weekend. Of course, we're still talking about icy concerns around Louisiana and Texas.

Takeaway: cold air moving and staying until the end of the month.

BOLDUAN: All right. Indra, thank you so much.

A lot of us read them, we all do, we try to -- but those nutrition labels on the back of food packages will get a makeover. The FDA saying our knowledge of nutrition has evolved since the last time labels were changed. That was 20 years ago, and new labels should reflect that.

Well, what do we know about the newest versions?

CNN's Christine Romans is here with a look at this.

So, what kind of changes are we talking about?

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN CHIEF BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, health experts have been advising the FDA and talking to the government about how to make this clear.

For example, grams. You know, people -- a lot of people don't know how many grams are in something. You know, how many grams of sugar, they don't quite get it. They don't know how to differentiate different kind of fats, right? They don't know how like whole wheat, how much whole wheat or whole wheat products are on the label. You know, a lot of things aren't there. The kinds of information we want.

I want to show you -- the label as it is now. For example, for tomato sauce. This is what it looks like now, right?

CUOMO: You can barely read it.

ROMANS: You can barely read it. Remember, it says, serving size four ounces. Well, guess what? That's an eight ounce can of tomato sauce.

BOLDUAN: Right.

(CROSSTALK)

ROMANS: So, here's a potential way to fix it up, right? Look at the pie chart on the bottom. That would show you how much is in vitamin, calcium and iron. It would break it out better so you can see what is in there.

BOLDUAN: And serving half of a can.

ROMANS: Serving half of a can and the calories is bigger, much bigger, because now, health experts are saying, calories are really important. Make a one big number out there so people can see.

Here's another example. When you talk about grams of sugar. What about putting it in relationship to a tea spoon, a quarter of a tea spoon, half a teaspoon. People consumers can visualize a teaspoon.

So, there are a lot of --

BOLDUAN: That's how we show something on air. You want to visualize it. You always are showing a teaspoon, not this is three grams of sugar.

ROMANS: So, the idea here is it's time for a makeover, and, you know, make it a little more user-friendly, but also to show we developed a lot of new information about nutrition over the past 20 years.

BOLDUAN: Hopefully, we'll have more people reading labels and improving --

CUOMO: That's the big change is on the front of the box it has to say read information before you eat or buy the product.

BOLDUAN: And wondering if they knew about highly processed foods.

ROMANS: Highly processed foods. Also, this is on the back of the box. Some experts want to put better labels on the front of the box.

And we do know guys, if people read these labels. USDA last month had a survey. More than 40 percent of Americans read the labels. Forty- two percent of working adults, and older adults, 57 percent of them read the labels.

Let's make sure the information on those boxes is something that's really useful.

BOLDUAN: Thanks, Christine.

ROMANS: You're welcome.

PEREIRA: All right.

BOLDUAN: Go FDA.

PEREIRA: Go FDA.

Let's take a look at your headlines at this hour. It's about five minutes after the top of the hour here.

We start with breaking news. Chaos in Cairo. Three separate explosions go off near police stations in Egypt's capital. The first and largest one is caused by a suicide attacker who tried to drive a vehicle loaded with explosives into police headquarters.

Guards opened fire as that vehicle closed in. It detonated outside the building, killing at least four people and injuring more than 50 others.

Back here at home -- the husband of a pregnant brain dead woman will plead with a judge to take her off of life support in Texas court today. Eric Munoz says his wife and fellow paramedic Marlise told him before she collapsed last November that she would never want to be kept alive artificially. Attorneys for the family say the fetus now believe to be about 22 weeks is distinctly abnormal. But officials at the Fort Worth hospital say they are bound by state law and cannot withdraw treatment from a pregnant patient.

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel is ordering a few review of the military's mission. This comes in response to a scandal at a nuclear base in Montana. Officials there say 34 Air Force officers were involved in cheating on a proficiency test. A Pentagon spokesman says, quote, "Clearly, we have some issues", but insists that the U.S. nuclear arsenal is indeed secure.

Jay Leno taking a few light-hearted parting shots at NBC in his final weeks on the air as host of "The Tonight Show". The late-night funny man telling CBS "60 Minutes" the network made him feel a bit like a girlfriend had broken up with him when he was fired and replaced by Conan O'Brien back in 2009. Leno said he would prefer to stick around a little longer but gets why NBC is now replacing him next month with Jimmy Fallon.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAY LENO, COMEDIAN: If they said you're fired we don't know who we're going to get, anybody but you, we just want you out of there I would be hurt and offended. But this makes perfect sense to me. I understand this.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PEREIRA: Fallon takes over the "Tonight Show" on February 17th.

A follow-up to a storm we told you about here. Picture perfect wedding ending to a wedding mystery that happened in Florida. You watched it happen here on NEW DAY, when Harold and Regina Frank's got married about four years ago, they forgot to hire a photographer.

During a ceremony, a family member asked a stranger to snap some pictures. The (INAUDIBLE) agreed, she got some really terrific shots, but she could not track down the couple after the ceremony. She spent some four years searching.

She took her story to a local news station, I think the story went national obviously with our show here. The bride's niece saw it. The Franks now have their photos and say they are grateful for the memories that came flooding back. Well done.

BOLDUAN: Maybe even better to get it four years later, right?

PEREIRA: It's a great story.

BOLDUAN: It's really good.

PEREIRA: Yes, I like it.

CUOMO: Here's a question for you. How does Super Bowl Monday sound to you? What about Super Bowl Friday? Is it a possibility?

Here's why. This year we have a football first. Super Bowl held in an open air stadium in a northern city, a distinction that may be coming with a bad difference because there's a chance, a chance that weather could make the game unplayable. So, the NFL is having to plan ahead.

CNN's Pamela Brown joins us now.

What's the real deal?

PAMELA BROWN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: So, fortunately, the changes are slim. Good news for those who want the Super Bowl on Sunday as planned. But, you know, a lot of people have questioned this decision to that have Super Bowl in the cold Northeast and with all the snow and phrasing temperatures we've seen in the past few weeks, the NFL is now preparing some contingency plans just in case.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BROWN (voice-over): The Broncos and Seahawks are ready to go head to head, But a series of arctic blasts in the Northeast have some asking, "What happens if mother nature rears her head on Super Bowl Sunday?"

UNIDIENTIFED FEMALE: Will the Super Bowl be delayed because of weather? Any news on that?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's a little premature.

BROWN: Premature to change the game, but the NFL does have a plan in place that could move the game up to Friday or slide it back to Monday if foul weather makes Super Bowl Sunday unplayable.

ERIC GRUBMAN, NFL VP OF OPERATIONS: Now the basis on which we move it forward would be a massive storm with a massive cleanup.

BROWN: Crews at MetLife Stadium had some practice this week cleaning up after a major snowstorm on Tuesday. It reportedly took more than 1,000 workers to clear the stadium and about four hours.

GRUBMAN: The silver lining is we're running ourselves through a rigorous dress rehearsal.

BROWN: AccuWeather is even getting into the game, launching a "Will it Snow?" Web site. Currently, all predictions are no, which is music to the ears of the officials who made and stand by the decision to have the Super Bowl in New Jersey.

ROGER GOODELL, NFL COMMISSIONER: We're an outdoor sport. So we came here knowing that it was going to be cold and that this would be some of our challenges.

BROWN: Others take a different view.

L.Z. GRANDERSON, CNN ANALYST: It's a total disaster to have it in an outdoor stadium in the North in February.

BROWN: And it's not just about the game. Super Bowl Friday or Super Bowl Monday would affect everyone, from the businesses preparing for Sunday's game, to local residents who have leased out their homes to ticket holders.

GRANDRESON: The entire industry of the Super Bowl is based upon a Sunday broadcast. They may say they have a contingency plan, but the truth is, unless a tornado comes down and rips the stadium open, they're going to play on Sunday. There's just too much money involved.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BROWN: But NFL officials say it all comes down safety. In the event of a major storm or severe cold snap, they will consult with everyone, from law enforcement officials to transportation officials as well as the governor's office to determine if the game can go on as planned.

But, of course, this is an all weather sport with all weather fans and they are confident and seemingly determined to make sure we have a Super Bowl Sunday.

BOLDUAN: It's a point of pride for men to show up when it's cold.

BROWN: That's right. That's right. They want to look like wimps, right?

BOLDUAN: Thanks, Pamela.

BROWN: Thanks.

CUOMO: Coming up next on NEW DAY: from one huge sports spectacle to another. The Sochi Olympic Games, weather may be harsh there, but it's the least of concern. The possibility of terror attacks is the focus. Why was Sochi even chosen in the first place? We'll take a look.

BOLDUAN: Also ahead, Justin Bieber is in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons. So, where are the adults and all the others who are supposed to be surrounding him and giving him advice?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JIMMY KIMMEL, HOST: He did admit to police that he drank alcohol, smoked pot, and took prescription drugs that night, which I think that may just have been his way of announcing that he's running for mayor of Toronto.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CUOMO: Jimmy Kimmel making jokes. They're funny, but certainly no laughing matter for Justin Bieber. While he may be out on bail this morning, the teen pop star is not out of trouble. He's facing criminal charges for DUI with an expired license, resisting arrest. The cops say they even have a confession of multiple intoxicants. And he wasn't just speeding; he'd been drag racing. So, the question is, where will this all lead?

Entertainment correspondent, Nischelle Turner, is live from Los Angeles this morning with more -- Nischelle.

NISCHELLE TURNER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: Hey, good morning, Chris. Yes. Police say Bieber told them that he had been drinking beer, smoking marijuana, and that he took prescription medication. That's one reason why they couldn't determine his blood alcohol level right away. The mix made everything muddled. And now, it seems like his life is becoming muddled as well.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TURNER (voice-over): Bad boy Bieber is at it again. Although Justin Bieber's arrest on Thursday was his first, his squeaky clean image is eroding in a recent string of run-ins with the law. Is the pop star at a breaking point? He's still under investigation for felony vandalism. He's accused of egging his neighbor's home earlier this month causing $20,000 in damage. A heated confrontation the neighbor said he caught on camera.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I got another one for you.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. Come right over here you (EXPLETIVE DELETED). Call the cop.

You're a big (EXPLETIVE DELETED). Come back over here you (EXPLETIVE DELETED).

TURNER: Investigators raiding Bieber's mansion searching for clues just last week, confiscating his cell phone and video from his security system.

JUSTIN BIEBER, SINGER: (EXPLETIVE DELETED). What did you say?

TURNER: And the list goes on. Reports of reckless speeding around his neighborhood in his sports car, an accusation of spitting in another neighbor's face during an intense altercation, allegedly attacking a photographer for taking photos of him and then girlfriend, Selena Gomez. And in July, this video obtained by TMZ was seen around the world, Bieber urinating into a bucket in a New York City nightclub, then on his way out, heard shouting --

(SHOUTING)

TURNER: Bieber later apologized to the former president and none of those incidents resulted in charges. But still, baby faced Bieber really seems to be cultivating his bad-boy image.

KATRINA SZISH, ENTERTAINMENT JOURNALIST: He's trying to kind of break that bubble gum pop star bubble. And I think he's officially done it.

TURNER: Is Bieber breaking away from his teen star image or getting sucked in to a lifestyle of wild partying and reckless decisions.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think he's at a stage in his life where he feels invincible and he wants to test all the rules and push all the limits and he has the wherewithal to do it.

JIM MORET, CHIEF CORRESPONDENT, "INSIDE EDITION": This young kid has a lot of money, a lot of enablers, and he's going down fast.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TURNER (on-camera): Now, yesterday, I was talking to people who knew Justin Bieber and I still got two completely different schools of thought. I spoke to Keyshawn Johnson who you guys were talking about earlier who, of course, didn't have much positive to say about Justin Bieber but did say that he hasn't seen him or spoken to him since their run-in where Keyshawn confronted Justin Bieber when he said he was speeding in their neighborhood.

He did say he hopes that Justin gets himself together. Then, I talked to some industry folks who say this is a good kid who sometimes just makes dumb decisions and will be just fine. But one person said to me these two different views actually shows him the real issue here. And will the real Justin Bieber please stand up? Chris and Kate, back to you.

CUOMO: All right. Nischelle, appreciate the reporting this morning. The question that many are asking is how did Justin Bieber get to this point, right? Everything was supposed to be perfect for this kid. Nischelle will bring us the whole story tonight with Justin Bieber's wild ride at 10:00 eastern time only on CNN.

BOLDUAN: Coming up next on NEW DAY, why was Sochi picked for the winter Olympics? Fears of terror attacks have many questioning why it was ever a choice. We'll debate the issue coming up.

CUOMO: And then, a real life thriller. A young Texas boy vanishes without a trace. Years later, a Frenchman claims to be the lost boy. It is all documented in the CNN film, "THE IMPOSTER." We're going to talk with the private investigator who unraveled this story.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PEREIRA: Welcome back to NEW DAY. Time now for the five things you need to know for your new day.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PEREIRA (voice-over): Treacherous conditions in parts of Texas following an ice storm. All part of a cold front moving through the Deep South. Wintry weather in much of the country will continue into next week.

A Texas judge will hear arguments today in the case of a pregnant brain dead woman. The family of Marlise Munoz want her taken off life support, but hospital officials say they are bound by state law and cannot stop treatment for a pregnant patient.

Chaos in Cairo. Three separate explosions near police stations in Egypt's capital. At least four people were killed in the blast. It was believed to be caused by a suicide attacker.

Former Virginia governor, Bob McDonnell, and his wife will be arraigned today on federal charges of accepting illegal gifts. There are reports McDonnell turned down a plea that would have kept his wife out of jail.

And at number five, get ready for the Grammys Sunday night. Jay-Z leading the pack with nine nods. Justin Timberlake, Kendrick Lamar, Macklemore, and Ryan Luis, and Pharrell Williams, all as part of my favorite on my iPod. They all have seven.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PEREIRA (on-camera): We always update those five things to know, so be sure to go to NEWDAYCNN.com for the very latest -- Kate.

BOLDUAN: One of the best iPod playlist, I'm sure, in the business, Michaela Pereira.

All right. So, big story we've been talking about and will continue to talk about. With multiple warnings from terrorist groups targeting the Olympic games, many are asking why Sochi was chosen as the host city in the first place? Let's bring in two sports writers who have both been planning to go the games to debate this very real concern.

CNN commentator and senior writer for ESPN, LZ Granderson, and Shira Springer, sports reporter for the "Boston Globe". Good morning, you guys.

SHIRA SPRINGER, SPORTS REPORTER, THE BOSTON GLOBE: Good morning.

LZ GRANDERSON, CNN COMMENTATOR: Good morning.

BOLDUAN: So, let's talk about this. I mean, everyone is wondering, these threats and unrest in the region right around Sochi, this is not new. This is not a surprise to anyone. Why had -- why was the game -- why were the games placed in Sochi in the very first place. Should they not have been, Shira? What do you think?

SPRINGER: Well, first of all they were placed in Sochi in the first place, if you can believe it or not, because of Vladimir Putin's charm offensive when they had the original vote in 2007 in Guatemala City. All of the problems that are there today, everything from the security to concerns about the climate to concerns about the politics and political corruption were all well-known by people who study the region at the time.

Do I think they should have been put there? Probably not. My guess is that behind closed doors, members of the IOC are not only wringing their hands but regretting their decision to place the games there over cities like Pyeongchang, South Korea, or even Austria (ph) which would have been delightful at this time of year.

BOLDUAN: LZ, what do you think? Do you think Olympic committee is having buyer's remorse?

GRANDERSON: Well, absolutely. But, you know, if you look at the history of the Olympics, it's not as if we haven't seen this done before. We, oftentimes, point to what happened with the so-called Nazi Olympics back in 1936 where the IOC went there and was charmed by Hitler into believing that there was nothing unusual going on there and that it would be OK to host the Olympics there.

So, we've seen this time and time again, in the past with IOC and this is part of a long list of corrupt things that, unfortunately, has infiltrated this organization and does tainted (ph) the Olympics.

BOLDUAN: And LZ, I mean, you make a very good point. I mean, the fact of the matter is isn't it today that no matter where the Olympics will be held or no matter where any large public gathering, any big sporting event or anything like that where the world's attention is going to be held, that's going to become a terror target.

SPRINGER: Yes.

(CROSSTALK)

BOLDUAN: Go ahead, LZ. And then, Sheri, you jump in.

SPRINGER: Sure.

GRANDERSON: I was just saying that, you know, this is the world that we live in. And, you know, we're going to be having this conversation about Sochi in another four years because they also are hosting the FIFA World Cup. They're one of the host cities for the FIFA World Cup. And I really doubt that the problems we're talking about today are going to be solved in four years.

And so, this is the new normal. We're going to be having our large events like this, particularly, sporting events targeted. And now, we just have to decide how much security is going to be enough security and spectators will just have to decide whether or not they want to put themselves in that position.

BOLDUAN: Go ahead, Shira.

SPRINGER: I was going to say, well, LZ mentions, there is precedent throughout the history of the Olympic movement of putting the games in places where there are political dicey situations and even some security issues and never have you had a games placed in such close proximity to places where there is ongoing violence nor have you had the games placed in a situation where there are specific and credible threats against the games and where just weeks ago within a matter of 100 miles in a city that is a gateway to Sochi have you had two bombings.

So, I think while there is precedent, it is a little bit different this time because of the proximity to violence as well as these threats that are coming from people who have actually followed through with threats in the past.

BOLDUAN: And Shira, I mean, look, it's too late to move the Olympics now, obviously. We're a couple of weeks out. Do you think the threat level can reach a point where they will postpone or cancel the games? I mean, it would have to be pretty serious.

SPRINGER: It would have to be pretty serious. And I would guess that there would have to be more incidents in the coming weeks before the opening ceremony for that to even become a possibility. And obviously, no one wants that to happen and everyone wants to put their faith in the 1,500 square mile ring of steel that Vladimir Putin has put together around the Olympic facilities.

But I do think you are going to see a much more tamped down atmosphere at the Olympics where there are a usually a festive and celebratory affair. I think people are going to be very cautious, very vigilant. We've already heard athletes are speaking out about their nervousness and athletes asking their families not to come to these games.

So, I don't think a postponement -- yes. I don't think a postponement is a possibility, but I think you're going to see a much different games in Sochi than you have in the past.

BOLDUAN: So, with all of this in context and personal choice for both of you, if you were going to go to cover it for work or not, you both have been planning to. Shira, you're still going?

SPRINGER: I'm still going. I'm leaving next week.

BOLDUAN: LZ, are you still going?

GRANDERSON: No.

(LAUGHTER)

GRANDERSON: I'm not. You know, my original intent was to go as some sort of political protest because I was not thrilled with the anti- LGBT laws that are in Russia right now. And I wanted to go there as a journalist to document what was happening to the LGBT Russians. But this is a different scenario now. This is no longer about a Russian law.