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Moderna's COVID Vaccine with Promising Results; Vaccine Will be Out in a Matter of Weeks; U.K. Voting for New Coronavirus Restrictions; Outrage Felt in Paris Over Unlawful Bill; Iran Assumes High-Tech Weapon Killed its Top Scientist; President-Elect Receives First Intelligence Briefing; Biden Weighing Picks for Defense Secretary and CIA Director; Debate Over Oil Production Cuts; Investigator Claims Negligence in Maradona's Death; F1 Driver Hails Safety Technology for Saving His Life; Kaavan, Loneliest Elephant's Journey to a New Life. Aired 3-4a ET

Aired December 01, 2020 - 03:00   ET

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

[03:00:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR (on camera): Hello, and welcome to our viewers joining us from all around the world. You are watching CNN Newsroom. And I'm Rosemary Church.

Just ahead, another COVID vaccine marks a key milestone. We could be just weeks away from the distribution of the first doses.

After massive protests against a controversial new security bill, France's ruling party is vowing to fix it.

Plus, Iranian media claim a top nuclear scientist was assassinated using a remote-control machine gun. What the experts have to say about it.

Good to have you with us.

Well, as COVID-19 cases climb around the world, we are following a promising vaccine use. American biotech firm Moderna is asking U.S. and European regulators to approve its COVID vaccine for emergency use. Moderna says studies show it's more than 94 effective and 100 percent effective at preventing severe cases.

Now this means Moderna and Pfizer are both on track to roll out vaccines later this month. But as health officials remind us not everyone will have just yet.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MONCEF SLAOUI, CHIEF SCIENTIFIC ADVISER, OPERATION WARP SPEED: The amount of vaccines that we have is still limited in comparison to the needs. You know, we need there is about 120 million at risk in the U.S. We will have by the end of the month of December about 40 million doses of the vaccines. So, it's going to take a while for all Americans who need it on a priority level to get it. But it, you know, over probably two or two and a half months, they will all get it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: And this positive vaccine news comes at a critical time here in the United States. Johns Hopkins University reports more than 13 million confirmed cases and 268,000 deaths since the pandemic began. And the months ahead will be difficult as case numbers rise.

Here's CNN Erica Hill.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ERICA HILL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): New freezers at hospitals planes at the ready. Pharmacies gearing up as the coronavirus vaccine gets closer.

BRETT GIROIR, U.S. ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR HEALTH, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES: Now we should have enough vaccine by the end of the year to immunize 20 million Americans.

HILL: Moderna now says its vaccine is 100 percent effective preventing severe cases of the virus. Health care workers will likely be the first to receive an approved vaccine. And then once it's widely available --

LEANA WEN, FORMER BALTIMORE CITY HEALTH COMMISSIONER: We can get back to normal. The kids can be back in school. We can be working. And very importantly we can see our loved ones again.

HILL: To do that, we need less of this.

JONATHAN REINER, CNN MEDICAL ANALYST: If you traveled on Thanksgiving, on Thanksgiving holiday, you should assume you've been infected or exposed to the virus.

HILL: And more of this.

GOV. JIM JUSTICE (R), WEST VIRGINIA: The only thing we can possibly have to be able to slow this thing down right now is that mask.

HILL: New cases added in November. More than 4.5 million. Now account for 30 percent of all confirmed cases since the pandemic began. COVID- 19 hospitalizations have never been higher. The U.S. now averaging nearly 90,000 a day.

JEROME ADAMS, U.S. SURGEON GENERAL: It's going to get worse over the next several weeks.

HILL: Dr. Joseph Varon has been on the job in Houston for the last 256 days straight.

JOSEPH VARON, CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER, UNITED MEMORIAL MEDICAL CENTER: I do this day in and day out. And people are out there doing the wrong thing. People are out there in bars, restaurants, malls. I mean, it is crazy. It's like, you know, we work, work, work, work, and people don't listen. And they end up in the ICU. HILL: Hospitals Rhode Island just hit capacity on the first day of the state's two-week pause. Hospitalizations in California have now topped the states back in July. Strict new three-week restrictions now in place for Los Angeles and Santa Clara Counties. Including a ban on contact sports which means no practice for the 49ers.

JAMES WILLIAMS, COUNTY COUNCIL, SANTA CLARA COUNTY: The 49ers I think are the most nationally obvious example. Bu there is no family in our community that is untouched by this pandemic.

HILL: As hospitals and officials brace for a post-Thanksgiving surge, the message is clear. Now it's not the time to let down your guard.

DEBORAH BIRX, COORDINATOR, WHITE HOUSE CORONAVIRUS TASK FORCE: Your governor or your mayor isn't doing the policies that we know are critical. Masking, physical distancing, avoiding bars, avoiding crowded indoor areas.

[03:05:05]

If those restrictions don't exist in your state, you need to take it upon yourself to be restricted.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HILL (on camera): California Governor Gavin Newsom said he may need to take drastic measures including a return to a stay-at-order. In the face of projections for his state that show they could come out of ICU beds there by Christmas eve.

Meantime, in Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis was asked on Monday about a state mask mandate. His response? I'm opposed to mandates. Period. He said he doesn't believe they work. Science tells us mask do help prevent the spread.

In New York, I'm Erica Hill, CNN.

CHURCH: Joining me now is Dr. Eric Topol, a cardiologist and professor of molecular medicine. Thank you, doctor, for joining us and for all that you do.

ERIC TOPOL, PROFESSOR, MOLECULAR MEDICINE, SCRIPPS RESEARCH: Good to be with you, Rosemary.

CHURCH: So, the FDA has scheduled an advisory meeting to discuss Moderna's coronavirus vaccine application for emergency use authorization. That meeting is set for December 17th. Pfizer of course will have its advisory meeting on December 10th. What happens between now and those dates to ensure that these vaccines get out swiftly and safely?

TOPOL: Well, the data that are being or currently being reviewed internally at FDA, and they're also getting sent to external reviewers, so both on December 10th and December 17th, separately the Pfizer and Moderna programs will be reviewed. Most likely within a day of each of those reviews if all goes well, the distribution, which has already started.

I mean, the vaccines have been distributed throughout the country, but the actual vaccination programs will begin 24 hours after each of the external reviews are complete. Assuming they are favorable.

CHURCH: Right, and that is encouraging news. Of course, an Operation Warp Speed official says that 100 percent of Americans that want the vaccine will have had the vaccine by June. Does that look like an achievable goal? Particularly if more Americans begin to trust in these vaccines. Because it's currently around what the 50, 51 percent to 58 percent area right at this moment.

TOPOL: Well, there's a few things about that. Firstly, the vaccines have performed far better than we ever envisioned. We had a paper about superhuman vaccine immunity. So, you know, we are hoping 60 percent, 70 percent, not 94 or 95 percent. And protection against severe illness which is what Moderna showed today.

So, the hope is that's going to increase the enthusiasm because the safety looks quite good. And here the super efficacy's is enthralling. Then next is can the Operation Warp Speed actually deliver, they have an aspiration to have every American who wants a vaccine to get it before the end of June.

It's possible. But you know, there are some things that we don't have, the supplies, even just syringes. There are things that have to be squared away to meet that goal. It's an ambitious goal. It will accelerate our exit from the pandemic. But there's a lot of work that has to be done to reach it.

CHURCH: Yes, absolutely, and of course with Pfizer and Moderna poised and ready to go with the vaccine once approval is given on this, the CDC will meet in the coming hours for an emergency meeting to determine who gets vaccinated first.

And obviously, health care workers need to go first. But there are mixed views on who goes next. How will they make that determination? Will it be decided by CDC? But the ultimate decision made state by state?

TOPOL: It's a really good point. So, there's after the health care workers, 17 million in the U.S., then the question is who goes next. And so, there is disagreement between the National Academy of Science and the ACIP committee. And that's going to get resolve tomorrow, we hope. And there will be consensus.

It's not that much different. It's about the level of risk. Where to fit in certain groups like teachers? And those who are of advanced age, and their co-existing conditions. But it's pretty close. And I think we'll get a final read out on that tomorrow.

CHURCH: All right, and doctor, we did get late word Monday that Donald Trump's top medical adviser, Dr. Scott Atlas had resigned. He had of course doubted the science behind the wearing of masks. He had pushed the concept of herd immunity. What's your response to his departure? TOPOL: Well, it's probably one of the best things that could've

happened. And unfortunately, it happened way too late. Like 130 days too late which is when he started. He has been a destructive force, anti-science, going against all the public health messaging regarding, as you mentioned, Rosemary, masks and the need to protect all individuals.

[03:10:08]

And so, this whole idea that he had of herd immunity was baseless, it was reckless and we've seen such a large toll in the fatalities and the exponential spread in the number of new infections and cases. So, it's really good that he moves on. Unfortunately, a lot of damage to the public was done.

CHURCH: Indeed. Dr, Eric Topol. Thank you so much for joining us. We appreciate it.

TOPOL: Thank you.

CHURCH: Well, members of parliament are expected to vote in the U.K. today on a new set of top regional measures aimed at controlling the coronavirus.

England is about to exit a monthlong national lockdown. And Prime Minister Boris Johnson has proposed a new strengthened set of tiers. Many M.P.s are concerned about what it will do to the economy. Amid all this, Mr. Johnson spoke about his optimism for a vaccine from a laboratory yesterday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BORIS JOHNSON, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: We can't overdo it. We can't let optimism run away with us. But we have every reason now to be very hopeful that these vaccines really will turn the tide in the struggle against the disease, and unlock not just this country but unlock the whole of the world. And give people finally a sense of relief and of salvation after a year in which humanity has basically been unable to move forward.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH (on camera): And CNN's Salma Abdelaziz joins us now live from London, outside the houses of parliament. Good to see you, Salma. So, what can we expect to come out of this vote on these regional tiers?

SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN PRODUCER: Well, Rosemary, it's been a very hectic few days for the prime minister as he's tried to garner his support, gather support for these new measures, this tougher three- tier regional restriction system.

Now it's important to remember although there's three levels, 55 million people almost the entire population of England will be living under the top two levels, the top two tiers. Under those tiers just to give you an example, the highest level, if you live under that tier that means pubs and restaurants must shut down. And that means households basically can't mix together unless they

want to stand in the freezing cold.

So, these are tougher measures, but here's the important thing to remember. All non-essential shops can reopen. That means Christmas shopping can begin, Rosemary. So that's really the idea behind these restrictions.

The prime minister wants to limit people's social activities while at the same time reopening businesses, reinvigorating the economy at a time when people want to spend money and make money. But for many members of parliament that's not been enough.

He's faced massive opposition from his own lawmakers, from his own party. We now have the Labour Party, the opposition Labour Party here abstaining as well from voting. It is expected to pass but with a great deal of controversy.

But again, the government insisting that they now have control of the virus and to maintain that control this three-tier regional restriction system is necessary. Rosemary?

CHURCH: And so, Salma, what has been the reaction to this tier system?

ABDELAZIZ: Rosemary, we have something very similar in place before the lockdown. Also, a three-tier regional restriction system. And it was extremely controversial particularly in the north of the country. I was actually there at the time when some of the cities were going into those three-tier regional systems, and you had local governments essentially refusing to implement them.

You had populations that were very much against this. You had businesses saying they were not getting the economic support that they needed. And this time this three-tier regional strategy is an even tougher one, it's an even more beefed up version.

So, a lot of blow back from this three-tier regional system. But again, the prime minister insisting it's important. He's also tried to reassure the public by saying that these measures will be reviewed before Christmas time. We also have a special time -- a special Christmas time dispensation, rather. Five days in which measures will be ease. There is a sunset clause.

So, a lot of measures in there to try to reassure the public, to try to garner that support again for these measures. Rosemary?

CHURCH: Absolutely. Salma Abdelaziz joining us live there from London, many thanks.

Well, much more to come here on CNN Newsroom including outrage over national security bill in France. What lawmakers are promising to do after a weekend of protests.

Plus, Iran claims one of its top nuclear scientists was assassinated in a high-tech remote operation. Why experts say they are skeptical about that.

[03:15:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHURCH: France's ruling party is vowing to change a proposed security law after the bill sparked large protests. Demonstrations against the bill spiraled into violent clashes with police in Paris over the weekend. Critics say the bill infringes on police accountability, free speech and citizens' rights.

Now after more than a week of public outcry, lawmakers say they want to clear up misunderstandings and will change the wording of the bill.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHRISTOPHE CASTANER, MEMBER, FRENCH NATIONAL ASSEMBLY (through translator): We know that doubts still persist. We have to extinguish these doubts. And when such a lack of understanding continues to intensify on such a fundamental subject, we have a duty to question ourselves collectively.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH (on camera): Rokhaya Diallo is a French journalist, author and filmmaker. And she joins me now live from Paris. Good to see you, and thanks so much for being with us.

ROKHAYA DIALLO, FRENCH JOURNALIST, WRITER AND FILMMAKER: Thank you for inviting me.

CHURCH: So, critics say this new bill will obstruct civil liberties and jeopardize freedom of the press. What specifically caused outrage on the streets of Paris?

DIALLO: Many of the provisions of the bill outraged people in the streets. And not only people in the streets but also international institutions who were in France. Because one of its provisions says that if a police officer is filmed (Inaudible) in a way that could harm his mental or physical integrity, the person could face a prison or a fine. A very important fine.

So, the wording meant that integrity, just meant that any police officer who was filmed and feel uncomfortable because of that could make a prison sentence happen. And it's the reason why people were so uncomfortable because we've seen how images have been used to prove police brutality.

CHURCH: So, what changes are French lawmakers likely to make to the wording of this bill? Because they have said that they will take the wording. And will any changes they make be sufficient?

DIALLO: They said they would rewrite that specific article of law. So, people are waiting for them to rewrite it. But there is also another provision that would store a ubiquitous surveillance system. For example, now the police officers could deploy drones over protests to monitor the protest and to use facial recognition. So, it's also something that is also assuring civil liberties and that

specific disposal of the law is not really question. So there are several aspects of the bill that people are opposing to. They are denouncing it that are not all changed. So, people are now waiting for the government and the Congress to say how it will be rewritten.

CHURCH: And people will be watching very closely of course to make sure that French lawmakers abide by that and stand by their promise to make these changes.

[03:20:05]

But talk to us about the situation here. And how lawmakers actually got to this point with nobody saying or realizing that this would trigger such outrage.

DIALLO: I think that they did that on purpose and they didn't realize how it would be, you know, the reason for such an outrage. One of the M.P.s or one of the members of the parliament who uttered the law is Jean-Michel Fauvergue and he used to be the head of the RAID which is a very elite police unit.

So, it -- that law was -- you know, the consequence of a demand from the police and the minister of interior is, you know, a very important support of the police. And he really put into the law something that was one of the main demands of the police. And the fact that the police without realizing how, you know, dangerous it could be for the civil liberties, and I think that they didn't also expected, you know, the international institutions to warn France in such a vigorous way.

CHURCH: So, will these lawmakers actually meet with some of the critics of the bill and ensure that they don't have more problems on the streets if they don't actually go as far as they need to in this instance in making the changes required?

DIALLO: I'm not sure. People are not sure about the changes because what some commentators are saying is that specific provision in the bill could be put in another bill that is meant to fight terrorism. And that specifically targets people who may be involved in terrorism.

So, to me, that doesn't change that much except the fact that we do not connect the disposal to the freedom of, you know, expression but rather to fight against terrorism. But at the end of the day it will be the same.

So, it's like, it's very blurry for now how it will be changed and how, you know, it will meet the demands of the people who is being -- who are being in the streets. And the concerns of the United Nations or the European Commission who said that law wasn't in compliance to the human rights.

CHURCH: We will continue to watch this very closely of course. Journalist and filmmaker Rokhaya Diallo, thank you so much for talking with us.

DIALLO: Thank you very much. CHURCH: Well state TV says Iran's top nuclear scientist was buried

Monday at a mosque in Tehran. It followed a military funeral for Mohsen Fakhrizadeh in the capital. He was killed Friday in a hail of gunfire in a car explosion. Experts are skeptical about claims in Iran that the assassination was a high-tech remote operation.

CNN's Nic Robertson joins me now from London to talk more on this. Good to see you, Nic.

So, Iran has actually given different versions of how this assassination was carried out. Why has it changed so many times?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Well, the versions have evolved over time. Initially the initial reports were of an assassination attack, a killing, and then the details became more complex. To the point that the Iranians now say that this was a new and complex attack.

They say that components that they've recovered of the weapon systems indicate logos and specificities. That they say to the Iranian authorities show that this, that this weapon system was made in Israel, or made by Israeli defense manufacturers.

So, the evolution of this narrative seems to point to a, collecting more information and evidence, but trying to provide a more structured repost, if you will, to understandings of some Iranians that their key and most important people can't be protected.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERTSON (voice over): The aftermath of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh's assassination indicates a carefully planned attack but was it high- tech killing as Iranian officials claim, or sloppy Iranian security?

As Hollywood graphically depicts the technology exists in "Breaking Bad." The key fault is the trigger just meters from the gun. In the real world, in Iran, hypothetically possible.

JACK WATLING, RUSI RESEARCH FELLOW, MILITARY SCIENCES: The challenge is in (Inaudible) acquisition -- how does the autonomous divides actually work out once it supposed to be shooting.

ROBERTSON: Typically, automated machine guns are used as centuries like the DMZ between North and South Korea in an assassination. More technology is needed to confirm the target. Creating multiple risks.

[03:25:03]

WATLING: You are putting lots of very expensive communication relays or satellite up links in this kind of thing into a device like that. Then you are handing that technology to your enemy.

You are also creating a signature that could be detected by security detectives if it needed to be in place and that's there for a long period of time. So, you're more likely to find that it's being controlled from a fairly close proximity. But that could still be a few kilometers.

ROBERTSON: The majority of nuclear scientists assassinated in Iran and there have been several over the past decade, have generally been low-tech gunmen or bombers on motorbikes.

Fakhrizadeh's assassination appears to be an embarrassment for Iran's security services. He was a protected and prized scientist. However, blaming Israel as Iran has, claiming sophisticated technology was used in the killing, they nullified angry Iranians that it won't gain international credibility without evidence.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office will not comment. But at least two Israeli ministers saying they had no idea who killed Fakhrizadeh.

WATLING: We have to be very careful because witnesses are not always reliable in high stress situations. I think we would want the Iranians to present some more evidence before we made any assumptions.

ROBERTSON: No one is saying it didn't happen as Iran claims. Simply, Tehran has yet to prove its case.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERTSON (on camera): Of course, the big takeaway here is that it is obviously matters how the killing took place, but in the broader picture it doesn't. Because the killing was able to take place, apparently, it would appear, by lacks of -- lapses in the sort of intelligence network to be able to see the attack coming.

An information about Fakhrizadeh's movements leaking out. When so many attacks have happened as they have recently to people and locations, this does present a big problem for the Iranians going forward. They have leaks. Serious leaks and lapses.

CHURCH: Yes. And of course, now their leadership considering how they will respond to this, which is another part to the story.

Nic Robertson, many thanks to you for bringing us that report. I appreciate it.

And coming up, the U.S. president-elect has one more meeting to add to his schedule after he finally received his first intelligence briefing following weeks of pushback from the White House. And Joe Biden has announced his economic team. That includes a familiar face. More on the career of Janet Yellen, when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[03:30:00]

ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR (on camera): It's just 50 days now until Joe Biden's inauguration. He received his first presidential intelligence briefing Monday, a clear sign he is one step closer to the White House and this comes on the same day Wisconsin and Arizona certified his victory despite President Trump's baseless claims of election fraud.

CNN's Jeff Zeleny has the details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT (voice over): For the first time since winning the election, Joe Biden receiving the presidents daily brief tonight. The one-of-a-kind collection of classified intelligence and security threats facing the U.S. For Biden and Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris who also received the briefing, it is the biggest milestone yet on their way to the White House. President Trump finally signed off on the move last week, despite repeatedly refusing to concede defeat.

JOE BIDEN, 2020 PRESIDENT-ELECT OF THE UNITED STATES: We are going to be building an economy that leads the world.

ZELENY: It comes as Biden continues filling out his cabinet. Surrounding himself with history making picks. Tonight, key members of the team charged with leading the nation's economic recovery. Former Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen who will be the first woman to serve as treasury secretary. Cecilia Rouse, a Princeton economist and veteran of the Clinton and Obama administration. As the first woman of color to lead the Council of Economic Advisers. And Neera Tanden, the first woman of color and South Asian to run the Office of Management and Budget.

Biden also announcing his White House communications operation, and for the first time with women in each of the senior rules. Press Secretary Jen Psaki, Communications Director, Kate Bedingfield, senior adviser and chief spokesperson for the vice president, Symone Sanders. All are among the women leading the team.

UNKNOWN: Hi everyone.

ZELENY: Psaki, a veteran of the Obama administration is already overseeing confirmation of Biden's nominees in the Senate which for now is controlled by Republicans.

JEN PSAKI, INCOMING WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: We don't need a fabricated crisis in the Senate. And I don't think that the American people are going to tolerate that if there is a refusal to move forward with qualified nominees.

ZELENY: One choice draw early criticism from some progressive and conservatives in Tanden, who has run the (inaudible) think tank Center For American Progress. As a top to Hillary Clinton, she tangled with Bernie Sanders in 2016 and has blasted many Republicans.

The spokesman for Texas Senator John Cornyn saying because of the disparaging comments about the Republican Senators whose votes she would need, Tanden stands zero chance of being confirmed. While there is only one president at a time, sharing a document known as the PDB with Biden underscores how Trump's time and power is drawing to a close. While hardly a stranger to classified briefings, today marked the first time Biden received one in nearly four years.

JOHN BRENNAN, MSNBC CONTRIBUTOR, FORMER CIA DIRECTOR: It could have something related to tourist's threat or engagements with China and Russia. Maybe North Korea and nuclear developments.

ZELENY: He received a briefing at his home outside Wilmington where he spent the day out of sight, recovering from a weekend foot injury that aides say he received while playing with his dog Major. His doctor says Biden will have a walking booth for several weeks to treat the hairline fracture.

(on camera): And we will see Mr. Biden in that boot for the first time on Tuesday here in Wilmington when he does step forward to introduce these key members of his economic team. Now even as he is doing that he is already looking for other members of his national security team settling on three finalists from the Pentagon and about four or five for the CIA. He is clearer key positions I'm told by the end of December -- he hopes to have his cabinet almost in place.

Jeff Zeleny, CNN, Wilmington, Delaware.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH (on camera): So, let's bring in David Priess to talk more about this stage of the Biden transition. He has served in the Clinton and George W. Bush administrations and is the author of The Presidents Book of Secrets. Good to have you with us.

DAVID PREISS, FORMER CIA OFFICER: Good to be back.

CHURCH: Sir David Preiss, President-Elect Joe Biden received his first presidential daily briefing, intelligence briefing Monday, after being blocked by Donald Trump for weeks. How important is it that this finally happened, and what has been the cost of the delay in the transition of power?

PREISS: It is very important that it does happen, Rosemary, because the president elect needs to be prepared to be the commander in chief as soon as he takes the oath of office on January 20th. And there are a whole bunch of international issues that have changed a lot in the last four years since he has seen top secret intelligence.

Everything from developments in the North Korean Nuclear Program, to Russian politics, to Chinese military adventurism as well as of course, terrorism and pandemics across national issues. So it is important that the President-Elect get the best intelligence that is available so that he could hit the ground running.

[03:35:08]

The delay in the few weeks after the election makes a short transition, even shorter. It means that he has to use the time between now and January 20th more efficiently. The good news here is that Joe Biden is an experienced customer of high-level intelligence. He has seen the presidents daily brief before in a different form when he was vice president, and he should be able to make up for lost time. CHURCH: Yes. He is certainly not new to this is he? And of course,

this daily briefing comes just a few days after one of Iran's top scientist was assassinated. An act that has now boxed Joe Biden in when it comes to determining what the U.S. needs to do about containing Iran's nuclear ambitions. How big a problem could this prove to be for Biden do you think after January 20th?

PREISS: Well, it's only the end of November now. And we still got quite a few weeks left before January 20th. And I frankly doubt this will be the last thing that presents a challenge for soon to be President Joe Biden. Listen, there are a whole number of international issues that this president has been willing to push boundaries on, whether it's North Korea, Iran, or the Middle East.

This one probably will continue to be an issue going into the next administration, no matter what President Trump does in the meantime, because Iran has been a vexing issue for American policy makers since the late 1970s. So I don't think it's going to get any easier.

If President Trump chooses to use his remaining weeks in office to take actions that make things more difficult for the new president coming in, whether good policy or bad, just things that require more engagement earlier on after taking the oath of office. That of course is more difficult for a new administration to handle.

That is where two things matter. One is the experience and preparation of the president himself. And I think Joe Biden, if nothing else is quite experienced in foreign affairs. And number two, the preparation and the capability of the team around him on international affairs. And Joe Biden is assembling a very competent, experienced team around him.

So, again, we are in somewhat good shape, if you will, that even if there are foreign policy crises hitting the president as soon as he is sworn in, he will be relatively well prepared for that compared to virtually any of his predecessors.

CHURCH: Right and of course you mentioned that team he is assembling. We are still waiting for Joe Biden to name his defense secretary and future CIA Director. Given your CIA background, I'd be interested to get your response to some of the names being considered for the CIA Director post. The top contender, Mike Morale. Other names includes Sue Gordon, David Cohen, Jeh Johnson who is also being considered for defense secretary. Who do you think would be the best pick for this post?

PREISS: The interesting thing about that list you present is none of them are TV personalities. The kind of person that Donald Trump looked to four years ago were often people who looked good on television, or people who had been championing his candidacy. Joe Biden has not been going for the flashy names, for the recognizable faces.

He has been going for the solid, steady professionals. And the whole list you mentioned during that category. You have people who have either served at a senior level in the intelligence community or elsewhere in the national security of bureaucracy. Any one of those people you mentioned would be able to start pretty quickly on day one if they were to be confirmed as CIA Director. And understand the processes. Understand how intelligence fits into policymaking and understands the limits of intelligence.

CHURCH: David Preiss, thank you so much for joining us.

PREISS: Of course. Thank you.

CHURCH (on camera): Well, the woman at the head of Biden's economic team is already getting rave reviews, treasury secretary nominee, Janet Yellen is no stranger to the White House or to breaking glass ceilings.

CNN's Tom Foreman has our report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JANET YELLEN, THEN-U.S. FEDERAL RESERVE CHAIR: I can say emphatically that partisan politics plays no role in our decisions about the appropriate stance of monetary policies.

TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Hard news. Clear ride, Janet Yellen's nomination has triggered a flurry of praise from the right for her intellect, foresight and independents, and from the left where she is called smart, tough and principled.

BARACK OBAMA, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: She does not have a crystal ball but what she does have is a keen understanding about how markets and the economy works.

FOREMAN: Her resume which includes Brown, Yale, Harvard and the London School of Economics spurred President Obama to put her in charge of the Federal Reserve in 2014, keeping watch on the nation's banks, promoting economic stability.

[03:40:06]

YELLEN: I am honored and humbled by the faith that you have placed in me.

FOREMAN: By the time her four-year term came to a close, however, Donald Trump was in office. He once said Yellen should be ashamed of her work and is openly criticize the Fed ever since.

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The Federal Reserve raised the rates too fast and too soon.

FOREMAN: Yellen never blinked.

YELLEN: Obviously, the president has a right to comment on the Fed, but I would not worry to the effect -- if it continues or intensifies that it could undermine confidence in the Fed and the markets confidence in the Feds judgment.

FOREMAN: Since the 1700s when Alexander Hamilton served as the first treasury secretary, they have all been male, including Trump man's Steve Mnuchin who has a deep pedigree in business and has staunchly refused to hand over the president's tax returns.

STEVEN MNUCHIN, U.S. SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY: I had no conversations ever with the president or anyone in the White House about delivering the president's tax returns to Congress.

FOREMAN: Yellen by comparison is known for her balanced approach to business and consumer concerns for imposing stiff sanctions on Wells Fargo over widespread consumer abuses and her take on the pandemic economy was clear, even last spring.

YELLEN: We are going to be looking at a decline in GDP of at least 30 percent and I've seen far higher numbers. So, this is a huge, unprecedented devastating hit. And my hope is that we will get back to business as usual as quickly as possible.

FOREMAN: Appreciation for the suffering of regular folks and respect for the needs of business, those are the twin engines driving this rare show of bipartisan support for Yellen in this deeply divided town.

Tom Foreman, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH (on camera): The world is watching as OPEC leaders try to decide whether to extend oil production cuts into next year. How this may impact global oil prices. We will have that next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHURCH: President Donald Trump claimed the stock market would crash if Joe Biden won the White House. Instead, it's sort to new heights in November. All three U.S. indices post a double digit gains for the month. The DOW had its best month since 1987 passing 30,000 for the first time last week. And here's a quick look at where U.S. Futures are heading right now, all in positive territory there. The DOW futures up nearly 100 percent there, 1 percent, I should say.

Well, the coronavirus pandemic means fewer people are driving and flying, and that is keeping demands for energy low. OPEC numbers are meeting again on Thursday to discuss the crisis.

[03:45:04]

A meeting scheduled for today was pushed back due to differences within the group. Some countries want production cuts to keep prices up. And others oppose harsh quotas and hope COVID vaccines will eventually bring back demands.

So, CNN's John Defterios joins us live from Abu Dhabi to talk more about this. Good to see you John. So, this group of OPEC members is set to deliver record cuts in oil output through all of 2020 due to the pandemic. Why is there resistance to maintaining that discipline? JOHN DEFTERIOS, CNN EMERGING MARKETS EDITOR: Well, Rosemary, there is

literally billions of dollars here at steak and a lot on the table in terms of the horse trading that's taking place right now as a result of this. It's extraordinary, because they had the OPEC meeting itself virtually through the headquarters of OPEC in Vienna.

They thought they had an agreement to roll this over for the end of March to keep these cuts into place, but then they had overnight to think about it and said look, we need more time to bridge our differences before bringing Russia and others to the table.

And it's been quite a shock, Rosemary. We have to remember back in April, we had a collapse in prices with this international benchmark going below $10 a barrel. U.S. prices went below zero. And then after that, This OPEC Plus group with Saudi Arabia and Russia cut nearly 10 million barrels a day in the summer, and then maintain cuts of nearly 8 million barrels a day. We've never seen anything like it in the oil market.

And the thought is they could add another two million barrels a day to the market as vaccines roll out. The problem is, that's not a pervasive distribution of the vaccines were far front it right now and demand remains extremely weak. And then the differences start to bubble up, right.

The UAE where I'm based is suggesting that all the members have to comply to the cuts. Then you have the president of Nigeria even weighing into the debates. And all these cuts is hurting our ability to develop. We want to have more production. Hence, through delay, but the market is not panicking now, Rosemary. Prices are actually up slightly, thinking that they are taking more time to make sure they do not have a price war like they did back in March.

CHURCH: Right. And John, the real economy is fragile, of course, but the financial markets are telling us something completely different with the DOW enjoying a record month. We are seemed to be living in two different realities here. Why?

DEFTERIOS: It's a great way of putting it, Rosemary. The real reality is that, you know, when planes are not flying, and trucks aren't moving, oil demand is low. We have the jobless rate in the United States still nearly at 7 percent, 13 million people still taking in benefits. And then on the other side as you are talking about, the DOW is up 12 percent for the month of December. The best is 1987.

Global markets are up actually 13 percent. So, it's a global trend. But I think there's also kind of another security blanket on the table here, and that is team Biden, particularly led by Janet Yellen who will be the U.S. Treasury Secretary probably with zero resistance within the Senate. And she even put out a tweet yesterday kind a leading in the spirit of this transition.

She says to recover we must restore the American dream, which she suggesting is her priority as treasury secretary, a society where each person can rise to the potential and dream bigger for their children. That's quite a bit, Rosemary, a very different tone from Steve Mnuchin, the predecessor and clearly Donald Trump who is focused on corporate tax cuts, the stock market, but not the wider society. And I think that's playing into the rally we see today.

CHURCH: Yes. A very different priorities there. John Defterios, many thanks as always. I appreciate it.

DEFTERIOS: You bet.

CHURCH: An investigator in Argentina claims negligence and malpractice played a part in the death of football legend Diego Maradona. The judicial investigator says Maradona did not receive adequate medical supervision after surgery on November third for a blood clot on his brain. He died last week from complications from heart failure.

CNN's Matt Rivers has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MATT RIVERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well more news out of Argentina as the wrongful death investigation into legendary footballer Diego Maradona continues. Maradona of course, died last week at the age of 60 years old. And what prosecutors involved in this investigation told Argentina's official news agency on Monday was that the medical supervision of the ex-footballer was quote absolutely negligent, describing it as a total lack of control.

Maradona had a successful surgery earlier this month and had been recovering at home. But what prosecutors are now looking into is the question of whether malpractice, negligence or medical inexperience could have led to Maradona's death. Now part of this investigation we know is Maradona's former personal doctor Leopoldo Luque. We know that over the weekend authorities searched Luque's home and they took with them some documents, some cellphones, but we also know that he has at this point has not been officially charged with a crime.

[03:50:01]

Luque for his part has said that he has done nothing wrong. He says he is cooperating with authorities and maintains his innocence in this case. He actually try to present himself to justify to prosecutors in Argentina on Monday, but ultimately his lawyers say he was turned away and not allowed to do so because he hasn't officially been charged with a crime at this point, but we know that in some members of Maradona's family believe that the footballers death could have been avoided.

Matt Rivers, CNN, Mexico City.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton has tested positive for coronavirus. He will miss this weekend's race in Bahrain. His team Mercedes confirmed. Hamilton had three negative test results last week including at a race on Sunday, but he woke up on Monday with mild symptoms and tested positive. He is now self-isolating. Well, on Sunday, audiences watching another race on that Bahrain race

track witness this fiery crash.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNKNOWN: -- that certainly damage and a big fire there. As they (inaudible).

CHURCH (voice over): Incredibly, the driver Frenchman, Romain Grosjean walked away and now he is praising a safety technology he previously had little faith in for saving his life.

(on camera): And CNN world sport anchor Amanda Davies spoke with the driver's team principal Guenther Steiner.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

AMANDA DAVIES, CNN WORLD SPORTS: What goes through your mind as a team principal when you see a crash like that involving one of your drivers?

GUENTHER STEINER, HAAS F1 TEAM PRINCIPAL: I mean it is a (inaudible) what you guys see. I see just the same images on the TV. It's our car, it's just like, what happened? What is going on? It goes so quick. You almost kept thinking and then (inaudible) showed to me that he came out because obviously we have radio contact with him anymore once you've been (inaudible) and hit to the barrier.

So, we just see that we saw him get him out. I was like I cannot believe this. It's a miracle, you know, just a few seconds before the car hitting the barrier, going up in flames. All the drama you connect and then he comes out amid of the flames with the head of the medical group.

DAVIES: Are you in any doubts that the halo saved his life? I mean were you somebody who always was in support of the halo? Because it was fairly controversial for a while.

STEINER: Absolutely. The halo saved his life. I saw the car today. I look at the (inaudible), you know, you can see (inaudible) without the halo. This could get on a completely different way. So, yes, because we ask ourselves straight away, I was for the halo. You know, so, I'm pretty happy that Ferrari did a good job and convinced us that this is the way to go. And for sure now it helps.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH (on camera): Well, it is a new beginning in Cambodia. The world's loneliest elephant, leaves Pakistan for a better life. The latest on Kaavan's journey. That's ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHURCH: The world's loneliest elephant is lonely no more. Kaavan arrived in Cambodia Monday to begin a new life in a sanctuary. Kim Brunhuber has our report. [03:55:00]

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNKNOWN: I did my best.

KIM BRUNHUBER, CNN ANCHOR (voice over): It's a very happy day for an elephant named Kaavan, thanks in part to the American popstar Cher, dubbed the world's loneliest elephant, Kaavan is getting a new lease on life. Overweight and neglected, the 36-year-old elephant spent the majority of his life at the controversial Marghazar Zoo in Islamabad Pakistan.

Pakistan's only Asian elephant, he survived a dismal existence at the zoo living mostly in chains after his female companion died in 2012, he became lonely and began having behavior and psychological problems.

Elephants are social creatures and need interaction with other elephants. Now, Kaavan's days of loneliness are over. Singer and actor Cher has been lobbying for five years to relocate Kaavan. She even co- founded a charity called, Free the Wild. Earlier this year Islamabad's high court closed the zoo due to poor conditions. This gave share along with the animal welfare group, Four Paws the green light to transfer Kaavan to a sanctuary in Cambodia.

AMIR KHALIL, FOUR PAWS VETERINARIAN: People watch, understood that this elephant needs changes. And due to this efforts by (inaudible) we are here to help and to support. So, we are really very glad today that we are able to move Kaavan to Cambodia.

BRUNHUBER: It took an experienced team to prepare him for the journey. After a few snacks, Kaavan was loaded into a small enclosure and on to a plane. The veterinarian who is monitoring him on board reported that the ride went smoothly and Kaavan even took a little nap. He arrived safely in Cambodia to a big welcoming committee, even a blessing from a few local monks. His new home? A sanctuary with a huge jungle enclosure.

MALIK AMIN ASLAM, CLIMATE CHANGE ADVISER TO PAKISTANI PRIME MINISTER: In his future house, or his future woman in Cambodia, he will be very happy because he has got a 10 acre area in which he will be relocated immediately, which has been fence at the moment, but across the fence, he could see other animals, other elephants.

BRUNHUBER: Cher thanked Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan for allowing Kaavan to be released. It was Cher's first big rescue and a happy ending for an elephant. She serenaded him with a song, a dream is a wish your heart makes. His dream did come true for a lonely elephant named Kaavan.

Kim Brunhuber, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH (on camera): And I'm Rosemary Church. I'll be back with more news in just a moment. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)