Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Newsroom
CDC Decides Who Will Get The First Vaccines; Barr's Statement A Blow To Trump's Fight; Pfizer Vaccine Out For Delivery December 15th; Airlines Partially Freeze Passenger Travel To Transport Cold Vaccines; Presidential Presidential Pardons May Be Being Bought; U.S. Senators Spar Over COVID Relief Measures; Pro-Democracy Activists Face Sentencing in Hong Kong; Communication Blackout Hard on Refugees, Aid Missions; ICU Nurse Loses Husband and Mom to COVID-19; Investigation into Diego Maradona's Death; K-Pop Stars Allowed to Postpone Military Service. Aired 1-2a ET
Aired December 02, 2020 - 01:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[01:00:00]
PAULA NEWTON, ANCHOR, CNN NEWSROOM: Hello, and a warm welcome to our viewers joining us from all around the world. I'm Paula Newton.
Coming up on CNN NEWSROOM.
With the rollout of the coronavirus vaccine just weeks away, we learned who get the very first doses in the United States and how they'll be distributed around the world.
Donald Trump's own attorney general deals the president another devastating blow in his efforts to overturn the U.S. election.
And the U.N. makes a desperate plea for access to refugees in Ethiopia with food running dangerously low.
And so after all these months of suffering and sacrifice, the long- awaited coronavirus vaccines seem closer than ever to becoming reality.
And even though most remain unapproved, their rollouts are already gaining momentum globally. Now that's the -- then there the number of international COVID cases though.
As you can see there, they are now approaching 64 million.
In the United States, meantime, an advisory panel for the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention has now voted on who should get those very first doses.
Meantime, according to a federal document, the first shipments of Pfizer's vaccine are to be delivered on December 15th. Hospitals are already getting special freezers in place that can store the Pfizer vaccine at those required sub-zero temperatures.
Moderna's vaccine, meantime, those shipments are expected to arrive on December 22nd, not far behind. And those December delivery estimates are based on both drug makers getting emergency approval.
The U.S. Food & Drug Administration's commissioner says he expects that decision won't really take long.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. STEPHEN HAHN, COMMISSIONER, U.S. FOOD & DRUG ADMINISTRATION: We should be relatively quick afterward but there could be issues that come up that we have to address. And one thing we can't do is promise something that isn't deliverable because of an issue that comes up regarding safety or effectiveness.
But we absolutely have to do this the right way, to get this done and get the answer that's appropriate for the American people. And the world.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NEWTON: CNN's senior medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen has more on the CDC vaccine advisors' vote on Tuesday.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SNR. MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: An advisory committee to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control made a historic decision on Tuesday.
They decided to recommend two specific groups to be the first in line to get a COVID-19 vaccine once it comes on the market.
Those two groups are residents of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities and also health care workers.
Now the thinking is that this vaccine could be available towards the end of this month, and that then they would then start to vaccinate those two groups.
After those two groups, it's expected that other high-risk people will be able to get the vaccine. And those groups include elderly people who are not in nursing homes, essential workers such as police officers and firefighters and also people with underlying medical conditions.
Now for Americans who are not in any of those groups, Dr. Anthony Fauci at the NIH, he says that those folks, low-risk folks, likely will not be able to get a vaccine until the end of April.
There are two vaccines at play in the United States, one is Moderna, one is Pfizer. They use similar technology in their vaccines. Both have shown efficacy of about 95 percent.
Back to you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NEWTON: Dr. Jose Romero joins me now. He's the chair of the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.
And obviously, your advisory committee having a busy day today.
In terms of the decision itself, if I understand it correctly, it is strategic, right? You are trying to make sure that you can mitigate the worst cases that have come into play with this virus, and, of course, try to cut down on the death toll.
DR. JOSE ROMERO, CHAIR CDC COMMITTEE ON IMMUNIZATION PRACTICES: That is in part true. We also want to look at the issues of trying to protect our health care providers, those are going to be at the front lines dealing with the ill, those with COVID.
[01:05:00]
And with the current surge in COVID, we're concerned that the health care system could be overwhelmed and if we're losing our health care providers we're losing a key part of that system.
NEWTON: And so the people that are in group one are then people who are living in nursing homes, their care providers. And then as a whole, other health care providers who are frontline workers?
ROMERO: That is correct. So that's one aim, right. A bit of clarification on the health care providers.
So it's health care providers who at large because it's not just the nurses, the doctors, respiratory therapists. It's also those individuals that help keep the system running.
So it is housekeeping who turns over the room very quickly in an emergency room or is taking care of cleaning a room of a patient that has COVID. It's the individual that is delivering food trays to those sick individuals.
So all of those individuals that could come into contact with somebody who has COVID are eligible for this first round of vaccine, if they're a health care worker.
NEWTON: And I understand that that will go a long way. In terms of the actual vaccine that is available, how many weeks or months are we talking about?
Because obviously there are tens of millions of people just in the category that you just outlined.
ROMERO: That's correct. So we think there's about 23-, 24 million healthcare providers and then about 3 million or so residents of long- term care facilities.
So we think -- at least it looks like FDA will have a meeting next week on the 10th of December. In that meeting, they will authorize the use of Pfizer's vaccine if it is proven to be safe and efficacious.
Shortly after that, the vaccine will be delivered to states and municipalities and from then we'll begin immunizing. We believe that in our state, we may begin immunizing in about two weeks or so.
NEWTON: Right. And I want to clarify. The final decision is up to the states in this case in terms of who they do prioritize, obviously taking advice from the committee?
ROMERO: That's correct. It's up to the governors and the secretaries of health and health officers of that state.
NEWTON: OK. And now we start to get to what to me seems incredibly complicated, who should go after that first group. And if I understand correctly, you guys didn't make a decision on that yet.
What I'm finding interesting is how much does the data that you have available from those first vaccine makers, how much is that coming into play here?
For instance, if you decide to vaccinate elderly people or those with underlying conditions, are you worried about the efficacy of the vaccine or any side effects that might happen?
ROMERO: We are worried about both. So -- and I wouldn't say worried. We're interested in seeing what the efficacy is in different age groups, in different races and ethnicities and in underlying conditions.
So it's very important for us to look at the data itself. So far we've only had little snippets that have been released by the company itself.
We want to look at the actual data that the Pfizer company has and we also want to look at the data that the FDA had because FDA will analyze Pfizer's data and will look at it from their point of view and from the pharmaceutical company.
Those factors were going to deciding when the next group of individuals will be voted on.
So if I can expand on that further. So we are looking at three other groups. They are the essential workers, those individuals 65 and older and those individuals with comorbid conditions known to be associated with adverse event or more morbidity when infected with COVID.
NEWTON: Right. And that will come obviously in the coming weeks. I thank you for your time, Dr. Jose Romero.
As I said it must be a great sense of relief to have gotten to this point. And still so much work to be done.
ROMERO: Thank you, yes. The group has done an incredible job and we still have more to do.
NEWTON: So now to CNN's exclusive look inside a facility that will be crucial to transporting vaccines across the United States.
Aviation correspondent Pete Muntean has that report. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PETE MUNTEAN, CNN AVIATION CORRESPONDENT: This is something you typically would not see. This is essentially one big refrigerator that United Airlines will use to distribute the vaccine what it is indeed ready.
It needs to be especially cold, and that is the big challenge in distribution. Airlines could be central to this and maybe transport the vaccine the furthest.
At 40 degrees Fahrenheit in here right now but the Moderna vaccine will require that it be negative four degrees Fahrenheit. The Pfizer vaccine, negative 100 degrees Fahrenheit and it requires a special freezer.
[01:10:00]
This is a key link to getting the vaccine from where it's made to getting it to where it'll be administered.
Airlines and air cargo groups are already using special refrigerated containers like this. In fact, we saw one just like this being offloaded on a flight from Brussels here at Dulles International Airport earlier today.
United is already doing charter flights for Pfizer to help transport this vaccine -- had a task force for months. American Airlines is starting vaccine trial flights. DHL, UPS, FedEx, will all get in on this when the vaccine is ready.
And the FAA is actually administering special waivers to airlines so that they can carry extra dry ice on board to keep the vaccine cold enough while it is on board.
Airlines have been struggling in the pandemic, air travel's still down about 60 percent from what it was a year ago, they cannot wait for this vaccine to come out.
Now airlines could be central to distributing the vaccine to you.
MUNTEAN [(On Camera): Pete Muntean, CNN. Dulles International Airport.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NEWTON: Germany is reporting its highest daily death toll since the coronavirus pandemic began.
Now the country's disease and control agency says there were 487 COVID-related deaths in just the past 24 hours.
Daily fatalities have risen sharply in Germany over the past week and Chancellor Angela Merkel is warning of a third wave of surging cases if people aren't careful.
And just hours ago, England ended its second lockdown and a new updated-tier system went into effect.
Now the month-long lockdown showed some success with researchers saying coronavirus cases fell by about 30 percent in that time. But now there are regional tiers instead with most of England living under the two strictest categories.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson faced significant opposition from lawmakers on the new system, including some from his own conservative party.
He cautioned parliament against lifting restrictions too quickly.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BORIS JOHNSON, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: I accept that this is not a return to normality, I wish it were so. But it is a bit closer to normality than the present restrictions.
And what we can't do is to lift all the restrictions at once or move too quickly in such a way that the virus would begin to spread rapidly again.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NEWTON: Now the U.K. is also expanding care at home testing and will allow indoor visits. This means residents can see their families for the holidays as long as their loved ones test negative, wear PPE and follow other protocols.
Now a significant admission from the U.S. Attorney General William Barr, a staunch ally and defender of Donald Trump.
He tells the Associated Press --
"To date we have not seen fraud on a scale that could have effected a different outcome in the election."
Barr went to the White House shortly after the interview was published.
Before the election, he echoed the president's claim that mail-in voting was not secure.
The president's legal team responded today saying in part -- "With the greatest respect the attorney general, his opinion appears to be without any knowledge or investigation of the substantial irregularities and evidence of systemic fraud."
Now the White House has yet to comment on reports that Donald Trump is discussing preemptive pardons for his attorney, Rudy Giuliani, and other close allies.
The list even includes his adult children, Don Junior, Eric, Ivanka and Ivanka's husband, Jared Kushner.
According to CNN's reporting, the president has told advisers he and his family have been unfairly targeted and he's afraid that will continue during the Joe Biden presidency.
And if all of that wasn't enough, court records unsealed Tuesday show the U.S. just department is investigating another possible bribery for pardon scheme.
CNN's Evan Perez has details.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
EVAN PEREZ, SNR. U.S. JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: There's an investigation that has been ongoing that appears to show -- or at least according to this document -- appears to show that there was a bribery scheme. That someone was trying to essentially funnel money, some kind of campaign donation in exchange for a presidential pardon.
Now we don't know exactly who the campaign donation was going to. From reading the documents we can tell that this involved some kind of contact with White House officials.
We've talked to White House offices who say they have no idea what this is about. The names of the people involved, the law firms that were involved, all of this has been redacted.
And it clearly was released by the chief judge here in Washington over the objections of the justice department which wanted to keep these documents secret.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NEWTON: Jessica Levinson is a professor of law at Loyola Law School and the host of the "Passing Judgment" podcast. She joins me now from Los Angeles.
Every night, I seem to say there's a lot to get through and indeed there is.
Trump's own attorney general we heard him there was categorical, right, there's no evidence of voter fraud. And yet the president persists.
[01:15:00]
What's interesting here is the effect that this is happening.
I want you to listen to a top election official here in the state of Georgia, a Republican no less, talking about why he's worried. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GABRIEL STERLING, GEORGIA VOTING SYSTEM IMPLEMENTATION MANAGER: (...) commit potential acts of violence. Someone's going to get hurt, someone's going to get shot, someone's going to get killed.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NEWTON: That was a direct plea to the president of the United States. Is it clear now the damage that he is doing?
JESSICA LEVINSON, PROFESSOR OF LAW, LOYOLA LAW SCHOOL: It is. It's clear now, it was clear before and it's really extraordinary.
And frankly, I think in part, it's only because Republicans are facing a runoff, two run-offense in Georgia, and they need to tell Republican voters, you have to feel comfortable going to the polls.
Don't feel like there's some sort of rampant voter fraud, don't feel like there's some sort of huge problem with the integrity of our electoral processes, it's OK to come.
And that's why you see the split between more of the establishment Republicans, even those who have supported President Trump, and his legal team which frankly is looking more and more fringe.
NEWTON: I want to go with other things that are going on in the last few weeks of this White House. And one of them, as first reported by the "New York Times" and confirmed by CNN.
Donald Trump is not only considering pardoning Rudy Giuliani, the lawyer that's taken on these fraud cases for the elections, but also his children perhaps.
I'm going to really rely on the your legal expertise here, and I know that there is some dispute. But can he actually do this?
LEVINSON: He can. The president has broad pardon power. Under the constitution, there really are really few limits to the president's pardon power really with the exception just of impeachment.
And we don't know if the president can pardon himself, that's something that's never been tested but we know that the president can prospectively pardon people.
The only question really is would the pardon be part of a federal crime, for instance, would the pardon be because of bribery because somebody said do this and therefore give a pardon? But I don't think that's the case with his children.
So can he do this? I think the best answer is yes, he can.
NEWTON: And --
LEVINSON: Only for federal crimes, of course. Not for state crimes.
NEWTON: Yes. And that's a good point. But I just want to be clear here, they haven't been charged with anything but he can still pardon them.
LEVINSON: Right. Well, President Ford pardoned President Nixon before he was charged with anything. And that was arguably one of the broadest pardons that we've seen since just recently, when President Trump pardoned Michael Flynn.
That was an incredibly broad pardon. Of course, in that case Michael Flynn was not only charged, he pled guilty.
NEWTON: Jessica Levinson in Los Angeles. Really thank you for this.
LEVINSON: Thank you.
NEWTON: Meanwhile, President Elect Joe Biden introduced his economic team which faces the daunting task, of course, of rebuilding the U.S. economy.
CNN's M.J. Lee has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOE BIDEN (D), PRESIDENT-ELECT OF THE UNITED STATES: But I want you to know that help is on the way.
M.J. LEE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (Voice Over): Fifty days from his inauguration, President Elect Joe Biden formally introducing the team that he hopes will start leading the nation out of a economic recession next year.
BIDEN: A first rate team that's going to get us through this ongoing economic crisis and help us build the economy back, not just build it back but build it back better than it was before.
A team that's tested and experienced. It includes groundbreaking Americans who come from different backgrounds.
LEE: Alongside Vice President Elect Kamala Harris, Biden touting a set of historic nominees including Janet Yellen to lead the treasury department. If confirmed, she would be the first woman to serve in that role.
JANET YELLEN, U.S. TREASURY SECRETARY NOMINEE: To the American people, we will be an institution that wakes up every morning thinking about you. Your jobs, your paychecks, your struggles, your hopes, your dignity and your limitless potential.
LEE: Also nominated for top positions; Cecilia Rouse to lead the council of economic advisers. Wally Adeyemo to be deputy treasury secretary and Neera Tanden to be the director of the office of management and budget.
NEERA TANDEN, U.S. BUDGET DIRECTOR NOMINEE: I believe so strongly that our office is meant to serve all the American people, Republicans, Democrats and Independents alike.
LEE: Biden's new economic team confronts the daunting task of getting the economy back on track while the COVID-19 pandemic ravages the nation.
The appointees pledging to direct urgent aid to underrepresented communities hit hardest by the virus.
YELLEN: The pandemic and economic fallout that together have caused so much damage for so many and have had a disproportionate impact on the most vulnerable among us.
It's a convergence of tragedies.
LEE: Already Tanden's nomination, which requires senate confirmation, drawing widespread and fierce opposition from Republicans.
[01:20:00]
SEN. JOHN CORNYN (R-TEXAS) (Voice Over): "It's pretty crazy to me to think that she can go back and eliminate all the tweets that she sent out over the last whatever months, years. And I think it's really a misstep by the administration. I just think she's going to be radioactive."
LEE: The flurry of personnel announcements coming as the former vice president and his transition team prepare to hit the ground running on January 20th.
At the top of their agenda, an ambitious and expensive stimulus bill to pump new funding into the economy, containing the COVID-19 pandemic and tackling racial inequality, particularly as the coronavirus pandemic has disproportionately hurt communities of color.
BIDEN: My transition team is already working on what I'll put forward in the next congress to address the multiple crises we're facing. Especially, our economic and COVID crises.
LEE: Sources also telling CNN that Biden is ready to take executive action in his first days in office. Including rolling back Trump era executive orders seen as harmful to the environment.
Now Joe Biden also calling on congress to quickly pass a stimulus bill though he did say that anything that gets done during the lame duck session will probably only just be the beginning.
He also told reporters that he still has not spoken with the senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell.
Now of course, so much of what he can get done legislatively next year will come down to what happens in the two senate runoff races in Georgia next month.
LEE (On Camera): M.J. Lee, CNN. Wilmington, Delaware.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NEWTON: And a programming note. You want to tune into CNN on Friday as Jake Tapper sits down with U.S. President Elect Joe Biden and Vice President Elect Kamala Harris. Their first joint interview since they won the White House. That's Friday at 10:00am in Hong Kong, 2:00 am Friday for the night owls in London. Only here on CNN.
Now after making difficult decisions to protect their daughter from COVID, one Texas family could now be faced with homelessness.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) JESSICA LUSK, BRANDI'S MOM: Please don't get rid of, I have nowhere to go.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NEWTON: Their story is next. And later, a new twist in the investigation into Diego Maradona's death. Why prosecutors are looking at possible manslaughter charges.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NEWTON: Millions of Americans are, of course, struggling through this pandemic. They've lost jobs, family members and they're trying to feed their families and keep their homes.
And for one family in Texas, the struggle is even tougher. They're trying to protect their vulnerable child and are now facing mounting debt and yes, possible eviction.
Ed Lavandera has their story.
[01:25:00]
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Whee.
ED LAVANDERA, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Exploring a secluded playground is a rare gift for little Brandi and her family. A chance for kids to be kids and a chance for Jessica Lusk and Dylan Garcia to escape.
The coronavirus pandemic has brought this family to the edge of despair.
JESSICA LUSK, BRANDI'S MOTHER: What happens if we lose everything, for real? What really is going to happen.
I'm a big girl today.
LAVANDERA: Three-year-old Brandi was born with an extremely rare metabolic disease known as CACT, essentially, Brandi's body is unable to break down the fat and food that her body needs to function.
It has caused brain damage and pulverized her immune system. Her doctors say any illness Brandi catches can be deadly.
When the pandemic started, Jessica worked as a home care provider for disabled veterans, Dylan worked in a metal factory.
Imagine their dilemma. Working jobs with a high risk of COVID-19 exposure knowing they could come home with a disease that would kill their child.
DYLAN GARCIA, BRANDI'S FATHER: Well, is it better off staying at home or is that going to end up getting us put in a homeless shelter where she's at more risk?
LUSK: And we would lose our kid, you know.
GARCIA: I think about that all the time. Like what's the bigger risk, me going to work or us losing our house? What's the right answer, what do I pick? What's going to actually work?
LAVANDERA: In April, Jessica and Dylan stopped working to keep Brandi safe. They hoped the pandemic would end quickly.
Now the couple says they live off $700 a month unemployment assistance and food stamps. Medicaid insurance provides a nurse to help in Brandi's daily care, a schedule that's meticulously mapped out.
She can only eat special formula injected every few hours injected through a tube in her stomach.
But Jessica and Dylan say they're now $2,000 behind on electrical bills, they owe almost $10,000 on nine months of unpaid apartment rent. They were recently told their family would be evicted at the end of December.
LUSK: That lady told me if I was a good mom I would be calling around to homeless shelters to ask if they can take me in.
I poured my whole heart out to her and explained to her that just please don't, don't get rid of me, I have nowhere to go.
GARCIA: It makes you feel like a failure as a parent, as a man to know that you can't even provide for your own family.
LUSK: It's like if I don't even deserve my own kid.
LAVANDERA: Jessica and Dylan have had to isolate themselves and their three children during the pandemic which they say has made fighting this battle even more lonely and stressful.
They live for brief moments of joy --
LUSK: Yay. You did it.
LAVANDERA: -- like watching Brandi take her first steps.
LUSK: Every night we cry to each other, we talk. If we're not crying, we're trying to make a way, we're trying to find a way.
LAVANDERA: Jessica and Dylan are haunted every night by the question they can't escape. Are they doing the right thing?
Have you given up hope?
LUSK: We can never give up, we have children. It just -- it's a lot.
GARCIA: The only hope we got --
LUSK: It's a lot. GARCIA: -- is the fact that we still do have her. She still is here.
LUSK: That's all I can do is just pray that it goes away. That things get better, that -- God makes a way.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NEWTON: Yes, the pain is so profound. That story is from our own Ed Lavandera.
Now to try and fix some of this, U.S. President Elect Joe Biden is, of course, urging congress to pass a COVID relief package. And Senators on both sides of the aisle are laying out their plans.
We're going to Abu Dhabi now. CNN's emerging markets editor, John Defterios, has been following this carefully.
You just saw Ed's report, it's just heartbreaking.
JOHN DEFTERIOS, CNN EMERGING MARKETS EDITOR:. Yes.
NEWTON: And the Biden team has been trying to get that momentum, right, building to finally get some kind of stimulus package together. What are the odds there?
DEFTERIOS: Well, there seems to be some traction, finally, Paula, instead of inaction that we've seen for the last four months of the stimulus package. And let's be candid what's been on the table.
So the day that the president elect put forward the core of his White House economic team, we saw a group of bipartisan senators as you're suggesting here put something forward also with backing from a similar mix of those across the house, in the U.S. house of representatives.
So this is the strategy. It's over $900 billion, $908 billion, and that's less than half of what Nancy Pelosi put up in the house and two times the level that we saw in the senate put forward by the majority leader, Mitch McConnell.
We'll get to more of that later.
This would carry through to April and then allow the Biden team to come in to put together their 100-day package, something done in the first 100 days of office.
Here's the treasury secretary nominee, Janet Yellen, on the urgency to get this done.
[01:29:47]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JANET YELLEN, TREASURY SECRETARY NOMINEE: It's an American tragedy. And it's essential that we move with urgency. Inaction will produce a self-reinforcing downturn, causing yet more devastation. And we risk missing the obligation to address deeper structural problems. (END VIDEO CLIP)
DEFTERIOS: This is a key pet project for Janet Yellen who's saying that we have to deal with that inequality that you and I talked about all week, Paula.
The president-elect was suggesting anything passed during a lame duck session, would only be a start, that his team is already working on a package here to push forward. Drafting what they think would be a longer term solution in response the pandemic that we're in the midst of today.
PAULA NEWTON, CNN ANCHOR: Yes and getting back to what you were saying about Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. I mean he's got this strip-down plan -- I mean will that just be a band-aid and what are the odds of that getting passed?
DEFTERIOS: I find this pretty extraordinary to be candid because you have basically a package here put forward by senators from both sides of the aisle and on the same day before the ink is even dry Mitch McConnell says I want to go back to this half a trillion dollar package. We find out that he's had conversations with the current Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin. And he said, we have to have a package that the president will sign.
But the White House was willing to sign on to $1.8 trillion dollars. It was the Senate Republicans who are resisting to do so. And there is this very thorny issue for the Senate Republicans. They don't want to do a bailout for state and local government into the United States. It's about $160 billion even in the bipartisan package that I'm talking about.
And Paula there's a very short window here because there's four major economic programs dealing with small businesses, eviction notices, forgiveness or at least delays on student loan payments that expire by the end of the year.
They have to get something done. And I think it's kind of dirty politics he's putting his slim-down package back on the table.
NEWTON: Yes and as you know people know when the deadline is going to be up for them, they know when they need that money and when it's just going to be too late for them.
John Defterios, thanks for walking us through that. appreciate it.
Now dynamite deferment for K-pop stars BTS, yes I did just read that. Find out why they're avoiding military service for at least a few more years.
Plus the urgent push for access in Ethiopia and the U.N.'s plea to get help to thousands over in Tigray (ph).
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[01:34:54] NEWTON: Three pro democracy activists in Hong Kong are in court this hour for sentencing. Joshua Wong and Ivan Lam are seen here leaving prison earlier. Wong, Lam and Agnes Chow are charged with inciting, organizing and taking part in an unauthorized assembly in June of last year.
Kristie Lu Stout is in Hong Kong. And of course Kristie, you've been following this for so many years really. It is hard for me to fathom to see these young activist and the punishment that likely awaits them. quite a watershed moment for, you know, Hong Kong's democracy movement.
KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. And they are young, you know. Ivan Lam is 26 years old. Agnes Chow turns 24 tomorrow. Joshua Wong is only 24 years old.
And we are waiting their sentencing due to take place in just the next two hours. This comes a week after Joshua Wong pleaded guilty to inciting and organizing an unauthorized assembly outside Hong Kong police headquarters in June of last year.
His fellow activists Ivan Lam and Agnes Chow, facing similar charges. Each activist could face a maximum of up to three years in prison.
Now, earlier this week, a letter that was written by Joshua Wong while he's been remanded in custody, was posted on Facebook and in it, Joshua Wong describes how he was placed into solitary confinement. After an excerpt will probably show foreign objects in his stomach.
In this letter, Joshua Wong writes that the prison guards kept the lights on in his cell while he was in solitary 24 hours a day. He was forced to use a face mask to cover his eyes as a blindfold in order to get some sleep.
CNN spoke to a lawyer who represents the three activists including Joshua Wong you said that Joshua Wong suffered while in solitary confinement. We've also reached out to the prison guards for comment, they're not commenting at this moment.
On your screen, you're looking at excerpts of a letter exits of the letter that Joshua Wong wrote. And that was posted on Twitter.
And in it he writes, "Though I've been imprisoned three times, solitary confinement is far beyond my expectation. It's indeed hard to endure, but as many Hong Kong protesters face lawsuits, imprisonment like me, I hope you continue letting them know that they are not alone."
Now, the lawyer adds that Ivan Lam is ok but he says that Agnes Chow is not ok. In fact her lawyer, Jonathan Man told CNN that Agnes Chow not ok as it is the first time she has been remanded and she is not used to the environment.
Again, Agnes Chow is 23 years old, her 24th birthday is tomorrow. Now this case is not related to the controversial new national security law but it represents another critical moment here in Hong Kong during this era of increasing Chinese control.
Last month we saw opposition voices, silence in the legislature, opposition voices in general are being challenged in an unprecedented way including the voices of these three young activists, Paula.
NEWTON: Yes. And their resolve, really in the faces of all of it has been extraordinary. I know it's a story you'll continue to follow over the next hours.
Kristie Lu Stout for us in Hong Kong, really appreciate it.
Now, the U.N. Refugee Agency is urging the Ethiopian government to allow access to thousands of refugees in Tigray, the U.N. says about 100,000 Eritrean refutes are not receiving the food and support they depend on for their survival.
Their camps were but off by the fighting between government troops and Tigray's rebel forces. The fighting began November 4th, and has sent about 46,000 Ethiopian fleeing into Sudan.
The U.N. high commissioner for refugees told CNN, the communication blackout is making conditions harder for the refugees and humanitarian missions.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FILIPPO GRANDI, UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER REFUGEES: Not only media blackout, but a communication blackout. You know, even for the people who find themselves in Sudan, there's about 46,000 that have arrived so far.
Many of them are separated from their families. I've never seen so much separation. And why? Because they cannot communicate with each other. And all the more so for organizations like ours that are present in Tigray, have worked there for a long time. We need that access, that ability for us to go to the population that we care for, that we work with. We need that to be restored by the federal government as soon as possible so that we can have a better idea of what the needs are and act on them.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NEWTON: Ok so Ethiopia's prime minister meantime has claimed his military offensive is over, but the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front says they're resistance continues.
At least five people were killed including a nine-month old baby, when a man drove his car into a group of people in Germany on Tuesday. Now several others are injured. Police arrested and questioned the driver, a 51-year-old German national. The prosecutor says the driver was severely intoxicated and there are indications of psychological illness. Police say his motive, is unknown. And the driver will be prosecuted for murder and manslaughter.
Now coming up on CNN NEWSROOM, a hospital nurse lost both her mother and her husband to the coronavirus, just days apart. Next, the family shares their heartbreak and speaks with CNN.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It didn't have to be this way. It just didn't have to be this way.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[01:40:03]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NEWTON: Progress on the vaccine front is bringing hope to the country worst affected by the coronavirus pandemic. The United States has set yet another new record for the number of people hospitalized with the virus. It's now up to more than 98,000 according to the COVID Tracking Project. Now that's more than a 60 percent increase from peaks earlier this year.
Meantime the American death toll now exceeds 270,000 after another 2,400 plus fatalities reported on Tuesday. That was also the 29th straight day that the United States recorded more than 100,000 new infections.
CNN's Nick Watt shows us the situation across the country.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NICK WATT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: United Airlines now has a vaccine cold storage unit at Dulles airport outside D.C.
Pfizer has flown vaccine in from Europe. It's in Michigan ready to be deployed. And these -- vaccine refrigerators at hospitals in Delaware, Texas.
Here's a vaccine timeline, what to expect. December 10th, an outside advisory FDA panel meets to discuss Pfizer's application for Emergency Use Authorization.
December 17th, same process for Moderna's vaccine candidate.
ALEX AZAR, U.S. HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES SECRETARY: We could be seeing both of these vaccines out, and getting into people's arms before Christmas.
WATT: By June 2021, every American that wants the vaccine will have had the vaccine, so says the federal government.
DR. THOMAS FRIEDEN, FORMER CDC DIRECTOR: But I would also expect there to be bumps in the road in the vaccination program.
WATT: Bottom line --
DR. ANTHONY FAUCI, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR ALLERGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES: If you want to be part of the solution, get vaccinated. WATT: Right now, too many people are part of the problem, spreading
this virus like never before.
DR. FAUCI: All things considered, we're not in a good place.
WATT: In California, concern ICU beds could all be filled by Christmas. They are considering another stay-home order for much of the state.
GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM (D-CA): We are assessing this in real-time over the next day or two.
WATT: Conversely, Florida just hit one million confirmed cases. But --
GOVERNOR RICK SANTORUM (R-FL): I'm opposed to mandates period. I don't think they work.
WATT: This country could be facing a surge on a surge on a surge.
Surge one in November, all but three states saw average case counts rise. Nationwide, record numbers now in the hospital creeping towards 100,000.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: One second you think it's gone, then it's right back at you.
WATT: Surge 2, Thanksgiving, millions traveled and this virus spreads over a warm crowded table.
DR. FAUCI: You see the difference two or three weeks from now which would put it right at the time that people would be traveling for Christmas.
[01:44:59]
WATT: Surge 3, could be Christmas.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I would tell them to stay home, because you might go see somebody this year and they won't be here next.
WATT (on camera): And here in the United States, we now know who the first people to get any vaccine will be. They will be health care workers and residents of long term care facilities.
A CDC advisory panel took a vote on that Tuesday, 13 to 1 to include those two groups in the first phase. Unclear how long the rest of us are going to have to wait.
Nick Watt, CNN -- Los Angeles.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NEWTON: So as we've shown you here on CNN, millions of people around the world have suffered terrible loss from the coronavirus. Now one woman in Oklahoma works as an ICU unit nurse aware -- also aware every day of the devastation of the virus. Then she and her family had their hearts broken when her husband and her mother both became infected and died just days apart. They spoke about their pain to CNN.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LIZANNE JENNINGS, ICU REGISTERED NURSE: It's just so raw. You know, sometimes I'm grieving for my husband, and then my mom is gone. You know, I'm grieving for my mom and I just think I'm going to tell her that Dennis is gone so the two people that would have been so supportive at the other one gone.
You know, they're both gone. And I just, my son and I, my older son, we are both drowning as we go down we try to push the other one back up to take a breath. And it did not have to be this way. It just didn't have to be this way.
Our family doesn't have to be gutted, you know. We just -- everybody talks about 0.1 whatever percent -- but 40 percent of my family is gone.
KATE BOLDUAN, CNN HOST: And it's a reminder to everyone, this is -- you guys are in the throes of it. I mean your mother just passed away on the 20th. Your husband, your dad, Brayden (ph) just died a couple of weeks ago. I mean -- and you are sick with COVID as well, Brayden. You've recovered?
And now what you and your mother are dealing with this collectively and just with what you are going through, I mean how do you describe what the last few weeks have been like for you?
BRAYDEN JENNINGS, LOST FAMILY TO VIRUS: It's kind of like we are broken, but we are continuing to break. When I was diagnosed, it was from running in to try and help my father whenever he got hauled away by the ambulance.
And at that time when I got that positive result, that took away her support system. They were both in the hospital and I couldn't help my mom because I could not get her sick.
Luckily, I recovered well, but we were not able to be together because of COVID. She was alone and grieving while they were both just gone.
BOLDUAN: Gone. Well then, you shared some photos with us that you took, that were taken in the hospital, that you wanted to share with us that you took of you and Dennis before he passed. Your private moments together.
Can you tell us about those final moments? What you were able to say to him? Anything you would like to share with us about those moments?
L. JENNINGS: Well, you know, even the one person -- you know, my husband was working up until this happened. He had a push up contest with our son and he won, and Brayden kind of stopped and he said, you're done because I could keep going, you know.
I mean he was --
B. JENNINGS: Full of life.
L. JENNINGS: He was full of life. And so, you know, they don't let you in there. I am an ICU nurse. I would call but I wouldn't bother them because I know both sides of it. But I finally got in there because I was just going to let him go. (INAUDIBLE) and I knew he was suffering, and I got in there and he was laying on his stomach. The bypass (ph) was going at 100 percent. He had pneumonia and his chest had shifted.
It wasn't fair and I had to tell my mom that he was fine. And then I leaned down and (INAUDIBLE) said I am here. I said, you remember I saw -- then I said, are you ready to be at peace and he said uh-uh and I said ok. I said mom is fine. She's back at the house. I said she's going to stay with me because I knew he keep fighting if he knew that my mom had already died.
[01:49:51]
L. JENNINGS: And so they started giving him morphine and (INAUDIBLE) and I turned him over, I rubbed his back and I said I love you. He said, I love you.
And I said you are going to go now, ok. You can finally be at peace. And he (INAUDIBLE) took his last breath about 30 minutes later. And I bathed him and I cut his hair and I put clothes on him. And then I left and there was nothing else. I couldn't save either one of them. And people don't wear masks. They don't want to wear masks.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NEWTON: And we will be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NEWTON: The investigation into the death of argentine football legend Diego Maradona has taken yet another turn. Prosecutors say they're looking into possible manslaughter charges as CNN's Matt Rivers explains.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MATT RIVERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Well, the wrongful death investigation into the death of legendary football star Diego Maradona continues in earnest. And the latest evidence of that is what we saw on Tuesday when we saw Argentinian authorities raid in the home and office of Maradona's psychiatrist, Agustina Cosachov.
According to the San Isidro attorney general, Tuesday's raid took place as part of his ongoing investigation into possible manslaughter. He added that Cosachov has not been charged although she is just of many that is being investigated at this point.
Now Cosachov's attorneys spoke to local media, he kind of downplayed the incident saying that this is a measure that does not surprise the team at all. that whenever a person's causes of death are investigated, these kinds of measures are usually taken. And he added that his client, feels quote, calm regarding the medical decision that she made in treating Maradona.
Now remember all of this goes back to the medical care that Maradona received after he left the hospital back on November 11th. It was back on November 3rd, that he had a successful surgery to remove what is commonly referred to, as a blood clot on the brain.
He went back home on November 11 and what the prosecutors had since said is that the medical supervision that he received at home, was quote negligent.
And now they're looking in to see if there is enough evidence to see if a crime had been committed, that could eventually lead to a possible manslaughter charge.
We saw on Sunday, authorities raided the home and offices of Leopoldo Luque, the personal doctor of Maradona, who actually perform that successful surgery. Luque also maintains his innocence. Saying he's going to continue to cooperate with the authorities. So basically what we're seeing is the investigation that does seem to be moving forward quite quickly.
Where it ends up, we're still not sure.
Matt Rivers, CNN -- Mexico City.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NEWTON: Fans of K-pop sensation BTS will have a little longer to enjoy their music. South Korea's parliament has voted to allow certain artists to postpone their mandatory military service.
CNN's Selina Wang is live with us now with the details. Quite, you know, a vote here. How great was the pressure to do this and what does it change in terms of how in effect BTS?
SELINA WANG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well Paula, it extends the lifespan of BTS, one of the world's most popular pop groups. This provision means that just at the last-minute the oldest member of BTS can avoid joining the military.
[01:54:57]
WANG: Now South Korean law requires all able-bodied men from age 18 to 28 to enlist in the military for about two years. Now BTS' oldest number is just days away from turning 28. Now he can delay enlistments until he's 30. In fact this change allows all K-pop entertainers who have received government medals for spreading the cultural influence of South Korea to apply for this deferment. And all seven members of BTS had received their government medal in 2018.
IN the past, other K-pop members -- other K-pop bands have had to temporarily disband or even change their line about the results of some of their members joining the military. Every year in South Korea in fact, men ages 18 to 28 often have to take a pause in their careers, in their studies in order to join the military.
And conscription however is seen as a right of passage. It is seen as crucial for the country's defenses, especially against North Korea.
NEWTON: Yes, this is a very serious topic really, very serious for the country. They take it seriously, which is why I'm asking, what was the pressure that parliament was under. Because again it's just a deferment, they all will still have to go do this military service, right?
WANG: Absolutely, this is just a deferment, this is not an exemption, exemptions are extremely rare in South Korea. But for decades they have been given to some athletes for instance, those who have won Olympic medals as well as some classical musicians.
They have been able to be completely exempted from service on the grounds that they help increase the country's national prestige.
But Paula, no surprise, P-pop fans have said it's unfair the K-pop stars are denied the privilege, given that they have helped spread South Korea's soft power and given the fact that K-pop has become a global phenomenon.
For instance BTS is the first ever Korean group to top the U.S. Billboard top 100 singles chart. It also was recently nominated for a Grammy award. This is actually the first time the K-pop group has been nominated for a Grammy.
In terms of the pressure that they face, lawmakers introduced this bill back in September and at the time, the lawmakers said for the sake of fairness we are not talking about an exemption from duty but military duty should not block the way of pop musicians, and artists like BTS at the height of their careers, Paula.
NEWTON: Yes. And you and I can put money on the fact that many of the fans will be pushing for the exemption in the next few years.
CNN's Selina Wang for us explaining it. Really appreciate it.
Now, I want to thank you for watching. I'm Paula Newton.
CNN NEWSROOM will be right back with more news in a moment.
[01:57:39]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
