Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

Rudy Giuliani Tests Positive for COVID-19; U.K. to Launch Biggest Ever Vaccination Program This Week; Seoul Tightens Distancing Measures as Cases Rise; E.U. Committee Voting Soon on Online Child Sex Abuse Law; Ashton Kutcher is Interviewed About E.U. Child Sex Abuse Law; Ossoff: Perdue Feels, and is Acting, Entitled to Your Vote; Finding Christmas Comfort During a Pandemic. Aired 12-12:45a ET

Aired December 07, 2020 - 00:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROBYN CURNOW, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Live from CNN world headquarters here in Atlanta, I'm Robyn Curnow. You're watching CNN NEWSROOM.

[00:00:23]

So just ahead in the show, President Donald Trump's right-hand man has just been diagnosed with coronavirus. We have the latest on his condition.

South Korea is tightening restrictions amid a worrying spike in cases. We'll have a live report there.

And Ashton Kutcher's plea to European lawmakers. We'll speak with him, next.

ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN Center, this is CNN NEWSROOM with Robyn Curnow.

CURNOW: So from Asia to the Americas, more cities, and countries, are reporting record coronavirus numbers and imposing tougher restrictions to try and contain the spread.

We now know more than 67 million infections have now been confirmed worldwide. The vast majority of them still coming from the United States, as you can see from this map.

Now, on Sunday, the U.S. saw another sharp rise in cases and counted its highest number of hospitalizations since the pandemic began.

Among those now hospitalized with COVID is President Donald Trump's personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani. The 76-year-old was admitted on Sunday after the president announced he had tested positive.

In a tweet, Giuliani said, "I'm getting great care and feeling good. Recovering quickly and keeping up with everything."

Now, before his positive test, Giuliani had been traveling across the country, leading the president's legal effort to try and overturn the election results.

Well, CNN's Jeremy Diamond has more on his condition -- Jeremy.

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The coronavirus has struck once again inside President Trump's inner circle. This time, the former New York City mayor, and the president's personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani, testing positive for the virus.

The president announced the news in a tweet on Sunday. Now, he didn't provide many details about Giuliani's condition, but a source familiar with the matter told me a few hours after the president's tweet that Mayor Giuliani was, indeed, admitted to the hospital, admitted to Georgetown University Hospital here in Washington D.C., a sign that, clearly, his condition was serious enough to at least warrant hospitalization.

Giuliani, of course, is 76 years old and in that higher risk category. But over the last week, what we've seen from Mayor Giuliani is him engaging in the kind of behavior that you certainly shouldn't engage in during this coronavirus pandemic, especially when you're in that high-risk category.

Giuliani was crisscrossing the country, visiting three key states, in an attempt to overrun the results of the 2020 election. You can see him here on Thursday. He was in Atlanta, Georgia, the Georgia state capital, shaking hands, hugging people, taking pictures with folks in very close quarters, all of this not wearing a mask. This is the kind of reckless behavior, again, that not only puts Mayor Giuliani at risk but that puts other folks at risk.

Now that he has tested positive, a lot of those people could, potentially, have been infected with the virus. So that's obviously a concern.

Now, Mayor Giuliani, we don't have many updates on his condition, but his son did take to Twitter on Sunday to say, quote, "My dad, Rudy Giuliani, is resting, getting great care and feeling well. Thank you to all the friends who have reached out, concerned about his well- being."

And Giuliani is just the latest person in the president's inner circle to test positive for the virus. We've seen dozens of people close to the president testing positive. And while you certainly can contract this virus when you're trying to be as careful as possible, many of those around the president are folks who have disregarded those public health guidelines, rejecting the wearing of masks as an important preventative measure.

And of course, none other than the president himself has continued to disregard those public health guidelines and hasn't done anything amid this deadly surge of the pandemic to encourage Americans to take those steps.

Jeremy Diamond, CNN, the White House.

(END VIDEOTAPE) CURNOW: The U.K. is about to launch the country's biggest ever vaccination program this week to fight the coronavirus. The National Health Service, the NHS, will give out the first round of doses on Tuesday. Officials are hoping this could mark the beginning of the end of the pandemic in the U.K.

Well, Cyril Vanier has more on the vaccine rollout from London.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CYRIL VANIER, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, there's tons of excitement here as the U.K. is about to start vaccinating people against coronavirus. Arguably, the closest thing we have to a silver bullet against this pandemic.

The first jabs will take place on Tuesday in England, Scotland, and Wales. And it's going to be the biggest immunization campaign this country has ever carried out.

Health officials expect to have up to four million doses of the vaccine by the end of the year, where we're talking about the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine here. And that's enough for two million patients. And that number, two million, tells you that from now on, this is going to be all about logistics.

The first doses have been in country for several days. They were checked to make sure that they were kept cold enough at all times, minus 70 degrees Celsius, and then dispatched across the country.

In England, 50 hospital hubs are getting them. The very first wave of patients to get the vaccine are 80-year-olds and above who are already in those hospitals.

Next up, the hospitals will start bringing in the elderly and nursing home staff, as well as vulnerable health workers. And the program will continue to expand from there, with local doctors beginning to administer the vaccine the following week, in a limited number of practices.

Now, it's going to be months before enough people are vaccinated here to truly slow down the spread of the virus. But this week will probably go down as the turning point in the U.K.'s fight against COVID.

Cyril Vanier, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CURNOW: And in the U.S., where the virus is raging, it's far too early to identify any turning point. But vaccines could be authorized for emergency use very soon. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALEX AZAR, U.S. HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES SECRETARY: I don't know of any reason why the system is -- is, in any way, off-track, if things are on track. The advisory committee goes well. I believe we could see FDA authorization within days.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CURNOW: Well, I want to bring in Dr. Anish Mahajan. He's a chief medical officer at Harvard UCLA Medical Center.

Doctor, hi. Thank you so much for joining us this hour.

So you heard our correspondent there in London, talking about the vaccine rollout that's going to happen in the coming days in the U.K. Hopefully soon. Elsewhere -- sooner elsewhere. What excites you the most about all of this?

DR. ANISH MAHAJAN, CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER, HARVARD UCLA MEDICAL CENTER: Well, I think it's a tremendous achievement. It's one of the first real big signs of hope in the pandemic. We have three vaccines that the companies have reported very positive results, very good efficacy. And that's historic to create viruses so quickly with new technology.

CURNOW: It is, certainly. And there's light at the end of the tunnel for all of us who need it and also those who are sick, of course.

But the big question about these vaccines is whether or not they prevent infection, or just prevent sickness. Now, that's going to have a huge, huge bearing, isn't it, on whether or not those who are vaccinated should continue to social distance or wear a mask in the coming months.

MAHAJAN: Absolutely. So far, the data on these vaccines' effectiveness has really not yet been published in the scientific, peer-review literature for scientists everywhere to review them.

That said, the federal drug -- Food and Drug Administration, the FDA, is carefully reviewing the data right now as they go toward approval of these vaccine candidates from Pfizer and Moderna.

And so far, what we know from the data that's been released is it's more than 90 percent effective to prevent somebody who takes the vaccine from getting sick from COVID.

Now, we do not yet know if taking the vaccine will prevent the person who takes it from giving the COVID virus to somebody else. We also don't know if it will work in children, and those tests will be starting soon.

CURNOW: So when you look at the coming year, when do you think -- now this, I know, is the million-dollar question that we all want to know -- when do you think we will all be vaccinated? When can people look forward to family holidays and going back to their work buildings?

What -- If you were a betting man, what does 2021 look like for you?

MAHAJAN: 2021 will be difficult.

CURNOW: OK. MAHAJAN: This is not actually something like a magic wand. It will take months and months for the companies to create enough vaccine to vaccinate all Americans.

So in the first tranche of vaccines that are expected to be available before the end of the year, there will only be doses for about 20 million Americans, and those will be for healthcare workers.

It will take many months, well into 2021, before people take the vaccine. Now, throughout this time, we all need to continue wearing our masks, socially distancing, and doing all of the things necessary to keep each other safe, because this is going to take a long time.

CURNOW: OK. And with that in mind, what's happening now, we've just been reporting that Rudy Giuliani is in hospital with COVID. How at risk is he, particularly because of his age.

And also, these images of him traveling around the country, trekking across the country for Donald Trump, not wearing a mask or social distancing. What do you make of that, as well?

MAHAJAN: Well, Rudy Giuliani is in his seventies, and we know that patients who are older, generally, do not do as well as younger patients who receive -- who get COVID.

You know, I've seen the video, as well, of Rudy Giuliani, you know, going around the country without a mask, interacting with others, hugging people, giving people high fives, while not wearing a mask. This is precisely the kind of irresponsible leadership that has landed our country in the situation it's in.

[00:10:14]

We really all need to take the precautions to protect ourselves and others. It is possible that Rudy Giuliani has infected maybe hundreds of other people in his travels in this past couple of weeks.

CURNOW: Well, thank you for that update, Anish Mahajan, a doctor in Los Angeles. Really appreciate you joining us this hour. Thank you, sir. And thank you also for all the great work that you and your team are doing there on the ground, as well.

MAHAJAN: Thank you.

CURNOW: So in just a few hours, tens of millions of people in California will be placed under new coronavirus restrictions.

Now the state is battling record infection numbers and hospitalizations. These new measures will close down businesses and require people to stay at home for the next few weeks.

And then on Sunday, the state reported more than 30,000 new cases with over 10,000 hospitalizations. Both are new record highs.

And South Korea has more active COVID cases than at any other point in the pandemic, and now authorities are tightening restrictions there, as well. So I want to go straight to Hong Kong. Kristie Lu Stout is monitoring all of this.

Kristie, hi. What can you tell us about these latest numbers coming -- coming from South Korea?

KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, well, South Korea is now clamping down hard on the coronavirus as the number of new daily cases hits a nine-month high. Starting on Tuesday, the nation is going to be rolling out a raft of new and very strict social distancing measures, especially as the infection continues to surge in the capital of Seoul.

Now, starting on Tuesday, some of the new measures in the Seoul metropolitan area include a ban on all social gatherings of -- of more than 50 people. That includes weddings, as well as funerals. There will also be a ban on spectators at sports events. We also know that in that area, gyms and karaoke businesses will be closed.

As for the rest of the country, again, starting on Tuesday, it will be mandatory across South Korea to wear a mask in all indoor facilities. All bars and clubs will be closed. Restaurants will only be allowed to do takeout or delivery after 9 p.m.

The measures kick in on Tuesday. They will last for at least three weeks.

Over the weekend we heard from South Korea's minister of health, who described this moment as a, quote, "dangerous situation." I want you to take a listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PARK NEUNG-HOO, SOUTH KOREAN MINISTER OF HEALTH AND WELFARE (through translator): We concluded that this is a dangerous situation on the verge of expanding into a nationwide pandemic. Accordingly, we decided to raise the social distancing level to 2.5 in the capital level, which is a strict restriction on social activities, and raise the level to two in non-capital areas in order to prevent the spread.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STOUT: Now, today, South Korea reported 615 new COVID-19 infections on Sunday. It reported 631 new infections of the virus. That is the highest daily case count since March. It's a very serious situation there in South Korea.

Back to you.

CURNOW: So why has it gotten so bad? What's behind this resurgence?

STOUT: Yes, this is the third wave for South Korea. And the fact is, because it's not a single cluster. When we look at the first wave of infections in South Korea, it was centered around one cluster. It was a church.

The second wave, it was centered around another cluster, and that was a nightclub. This time there are numerous clusters, and as a result, that has

introduced these silent chains of transmission into the community that have embedded themselves across the country, in particular in the capital city of Seoul.

I also have to mention that one worrisome aspect is timing. Just recently, students in South Korea, they attended those college entrance exams. They're now traveling from home and from the site of those exams to the colleges that they are applying to.

This is a peak travel season. Christmas is coming up. That is the reason why the government is introducing these new measures, and they're lasting for three weeks.

Back to you, Robyn.

CURNOW: Thanks so much. Kristie Lu Stout there. Thank you.

So you're watching CNN. Still ahead, Georgia's high-stakes Senate election is just a week away -- weeks away. One of the Republican incumbents isn't giving a straight answer about whether she believes there's been election fraud. We'll hear what she has to say.

Plus, actor Ashton Kutcher is fighting online child abuse. We'll talk to him about the change in the law that could make it easier for predators to prey on children. Why the issue of privacy is at the center of that debate. That's next, as well.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[00:16:33]

CURNOW: Just hours from now in Brussels, a committee of European Parliament is expected to take up a vote that could have big consequences for the fight against child sexual abuse.

Now, the issue is whether big tech firms can keep scanning social media websites and personal messages to detect predators. Some critics say that's a violation of privacy.

Well, Nina dos Santos has more from London -- Nina.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NINA DOS SANTOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): With countries locked down and people spending more time online, authorities in Europe are sounding the alarm about a rise in sexual exploitation of children.

YIVA JOHANSSON, EUROPEAN COMMISSIONER FOR HOME AFFAIRS: We have so many signs that grooming is growing rapidly. And that means that perpetrators find children. These children are being victims. We are obliged, in my view, to protect these children.

DOS SANTOS: For more than a decade, law enforcement agencies across Europe like Europol have been able to work with technology firms to scan social media websites and online communications for evidence of child pornography.

INSPECTOR TIMOTHY ZAMMIT, CHAIR, EUROPEAN UNION CYBERCRIME TASK FORCE: The information that we are receiving through these types of references is a great part of our job. And through these references we've been able to identify a number of victims in our -- in our own investigations, and those will prevent further abuse to these -- to these children.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are looking forward to the questions and answers.

DOS SANTOS: But now, a debate of the E.U. privacy rules could change that. On one side, the E.U. Commission wants to maintain the status quo and has proposed a temporary piece of legislation that would allow tech companies to continue screening online platforms.

JOHANSSON: It is about protecting children. It's not that they are into reading everything that somebody is -- texting on -- on the platforms.

DOS SANTOS: On the other hand, some members of the European Parliament, like Patrick Breyer, say the screening is a breach of privacy that could be open to abuse itself.

PATRICK BREYER, MEMBER OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT (GREENS/EFA): Examining and searching the content of everybody's digital correspondence is as if the post office were just opening all of our letters. All it may achieve is that criminals will be using encrypted channels instead.

DOS SANTOS: Last month, the actor and tech investor Ashton Kutcher waded into the debate.

ASHTON KUTCHER, ACTOR/TECH INVESTOR: If it was your kid that was being sexually abused, and it was their content that was being shared on the Internet, and you knew that tech companies had the ability to identify and remove that content, or even prevent the abuse from happening, but a law was standing in the way from providing your kid with a better life, would you be OK with that?

DOS SANTOS: For police fighting cybercrime across the E.U., losing a tool they say is vital at a pivotal time is deeply concerning.

(on camera): So how would life-change on a day-to-day basis for police forces across the E.U. who didn't have this ability to screen communications?

ZAMMIT: The reality is that we will have to wait for reports to come in or else employ other proactive measures and other -- and other exercises that are already in play.

DOS SANTOS: The matter will come to a head on Monday with a vote on how to proceed. If no compromise is reached, by default, screening will stop before the end of December, with implications for millions of children across the E.U. and elsewhere in the world.

Nina dos Santos, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[00:20:12]

CURNOW: Ashton Kutcher is an actor. He also is the cofounder of Thorn, an organization that builds technology to defend children from child sex trafficking, and he joins me now from Los Angeles.

Ashton, hi. You were in that piece, and clearly, you're very passionate about the subject. Why have you waded into this argument between E.U. lawmakers?

KUTCHER: Well, I've been involved with this issue for, you know, over a decade now. You know, I founded Thorn. We build technology to help defend children from sexual abuse.

I've spent countless hours working with lawmakers, working with technology companies, working with other NGOs, trying to find the best solutions in this space. And, you know, as this piece of legislation came up and -- and was meeting resistance, it just became extraordinarily frustrating to me: One, that I think lawmakers weren't fully aware of the breadth of the issue; and, secondly, you know, this isn't an E.U. issue. That the Internet is a global tool.

So children that are being abused in the United States, their content could be being shared in Europe. Children that are being abused in Europe, their content could be being shared in the United States. And so this is a global issue.

And as the E.U. makes a very critical decision on how this is going to be legislated, it's going to affect the rest of the world. It's going to affect all of us. And -- and frankly, I don't understand anyone that isn't -- that has children and cares about children that isn't interested in this issue and taking it on, because it's your kid's lives.

CURNOW: What happens if this is stalled, if there is no solution?

KUTCHER: Well, here's the thing. This has to pass on December 21.

So, let me just scale the issue for you. So the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received 16 million reports last year. That's 16 million reports. Of each of those reports, that's 69 million files.

It's 69 million pieces of evidence, of children being sexually abused, molested and raped. Some of these kids are toddlers. Even as young as infants, prepubescent children. It's -- these are evidence of their rape.

So if this doesn't pass, what we're talking about, we can do the quick math. It's the 69 million divided by 12, we're looking at 5.8 million files?

Government moves slow, and they negotiate slowly, and we all understand that. And this needs to be legislated very carefully, because privacy is important.

But for every month that goes by, that's 5.8 million pieces of evidence of children being sexually abused, molested, and raped, that go dark. It goes black. And if it takes them two months, that's 11.6 million pieces of evidence. And if it takes a three months and on and on and on. These are vital clues that help us identify these children and bring them to safety.

And -- and if this interim legislation doesn't happen, those -- those clues are gone. They're in the dark. Nobody can see them. We can't find those kids. So that's what happens.

CURNOW: It's horrifying. It's terrifying, particularly, as you say if you have kids yourself.

But then you also heard some E.U. lawmakers in that piece say, you know, this is like somebody opening your mail, that this is about privacy, that ordinary citizens could be infringed in their privacy.

For example, I know one example as being the harmless family photographs at the beach could be flagged, or removed and even investigated under these rules. What's your reaction to that?

KUTCHER: That is -- that is not the utilization. What we're talking about is a continuation of a piece of -- of the tools that have been being used for 10, 15 years, to -- to specifically, for identifying child sexual abuse material. Specifically for that. That's what these tools are for. That's what the legislation outlines. It is specifically for that. So -- so it's nonsense to assume.

Now -- now could companies abuse this? Could lawmakers abuse this? Yes. But that's why we need legislation. That's why we put guardrails around things.

I mean, listen, we -- we have speed limits, right? And when we drive our cars. And police officers have radar guns. That's a piece of technology that is used to detect someone who is speeding.

[00:25:12]

This piece of technology is used to detect children that are being abused. So -- so the notion that they're going to be sitting there abusing this technology, to look through your family photos at the beach seems pseudo-nonsensical to me.

CURNOW: Just talk about what your organization, Thorn. I mean, it also develops tools to combat child abuse. I mean, how can technology and legislation work together, at least to try and outpace or keep up with child traffickers, when you talk about the kind of rates that we're seeing here?

KUTCHER: It starts with working together. You know, it's shocking as a nonprofit that works on this issue, specifically on this issue, that there wasn't more consultation with us as to what the regulation should look like. I'm a tech investor. I'm an actor. I run a nonprofit that -- that

focuses on this. We have -- we have pretty decent domain expertise. We're talking with law enforcement. Our tools are being used by law enforcement. Our tools are being used by private industry. Our tools are -- are being used by parents to understand and be educated on this issue.

They should be coming to us and saying, how should we regulate on this? And we can work together to find a solution. And by no means is what exists perfect. Right?

The analogy I like to talk about is, you know, planes can be used to crash into buildings. But we have to trust that we can regulate air traffic so as that that doesn't take place.

And we've done a relatively decent job since we realized that people wanted to fly planes into buildings.

So -- so we need to assume that we can do a good job of regulating this technology, so it's not abused. People aren't -- their privacy isn't being infringed, and law enforcement can use it efficiently and effectively. Private industry can use it efficiently, effectively. And most importantly, that we protect the privacy of these kids.

They didn't consent to their abuse being shared online. They didn't consent, after they're identified, or their abuser is identified, to that content to continue to be shared online.

Their privacy matters, too. And we need to take that into account when we legislate against this. And it's not going to be done overnight. So that's what this interim piece of legislation is about, is saying, Hey, let's keep using the tools that we have so this content, and this evidence, doesn't go in the dark, until we come up with a better solution. And we're willing to work on that, and we're willing to work with everyone on that.

CURNOW: And just finally, before we go, I mean, what is your message to E.U. lawmakers, as they watch CNN on Monday as they make this decision and we get closer to the deadline?

KUTCHER: Pass this piece of legislation. Then let's sit down. Let's work on what the long-term compromise needs to be between privacy and identifying these kids. And what privacy looks like for everyone, not just you, but for these kids, as well.

CURNOW: Ashton, thanks so much for joining us. Really appreciate you joining us.

KUTCHER: Thank you.

CURNOW: So coming up, here on CNN, why a U.S. Senate candidate in Georgia is debating an empty podium, ahead of a critical runoff election. You want to see this story. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[00:31:05]

CURNOW: Welcome back to all our viewers around the world. Thanks for joining me. I'm Robyn Curnow. You are watching CNN.

So voters in the U.S. state of Georgia are holding some pretty significant political cards right now. The state is less than a month away from a run-off election that will decide whether the Republicans keep control of the Senate.

Well, Democrat candidate John Ossoff debated an empty stadium on Sunday, because Republican incumbent David Perdue refused to participate. Ossoff blasted his opponent for his absence.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JON OSSOFF (D), GEORGIA SENATORIAL CANDIDATE: And so if I might, my message for the people of our state at this moment of crisis is your senator feels entitled to your vote. Your senator is refusing to answer questions and debate his opponent, because he believes he shouldn't have to. He believes this Senate seat belongs to him. The Senate seat belongs to the people.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CURNOW: Well, later, Republican Senator Kelly Loeffler debated Democratic challenger Raphael Warnock.

Now, Loeffler faced questions about President Trump and his claims of election fraud, but she didn't give a direct answer. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. KELLY LOEFFLER (D-GA): You know, President Trump has every right to use every legal recourse available. And our own state, we've seen time and time again that we have investigations that need to be completed.

In fact, we've run two audits, and those audits discovered thousands of ballots across several counties here in Georgia that were not counted.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CURNOW: Patrick Healy is a CNN political commentator. He's also the politics editor of "The New York Times," and he joins me now from New York, of course.

Patrick, lovely to see you. So I want to get your take on these key moments from these very important Georgia debates.

PATRICK HEALY, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Yes, what stood out the most was Senator Kelly Loeffler really dodging a series of questions about whether President Trump had won Georgia.

We know, in fact, he has lost Georgia in the presidential race. The Republican governor and secretary of state have made that clear. But the Republican senators from Georgia, Loeffler and David Perdue, who's also up for election in the run-off in January, refused to acknowledge this.

And you saw in the debate Kelly Loeffler's sort of continuing to sidestep this, as well as sidestepping other questions about whether she believes that there should be a ban on stock trading in the Senate and other points, and instead, really trying to unload a very negative attack on Raphael Warnock, her Democratic opponent.

What you're seeing here is basically two Republican senators who are tying themselves so closely to President Trump, who lost the state already, sort of really believing that some kind of a comeback for Republicans is possible in Georgia, that it's still a red enough state, and if they stay loyal to Trump, that -- that he may be able to help them get over the finish line.

And do they have -- do they have a point there? Because, you know, Georgia turned blue, but many people split their vote. Going for Biden, because they didn't like Mr. Trump or the tone of him, but still very much voting red down ballot.

I mean, this is still a deeply conservative state, I live here. It's still very much, you know, deeply rooted in conservative values. So high likely is it that these seats can be flipped?

HEALY: Yes, I think that's right, Robyn. I mean, these are -- these are still Republican races to lose. They are still, in many ways, the frontrunners in this race, Senator Perdue, Senator Loeffler. That they are still -- basically have a lot of advantages with the Republican base in Georgia.

That basically, last month you really did see a good number of independent voters, some Republican voters especially in the Atlanta suburbs rejecting Trump.

[00:35:05]

But that didn't mean that they automatically became Democrats. So the attacks that you saw on the debate tonight, that Loeffler mounted against Warnock, you know, really just remind you that the Republicans are playing out of a playbook. That has won them races before in Georgia.

Where they are framing Democrats as outside of the mainstream and sort of too liberal, as people who will raise the taxes. But the question is will President Trump ultimately help or potentially hurt the Republican candidates in Georgia. And that's certainly what the Democrats are partly counting on.

CURNOW: Yes, I want to talk about that. So even with President Trump, he was here over the weekend, threatening that this had been an illegal and a fraudulent election. There've been a number of virulent attack ads, and those will continue -- the comments coming out of these debates. Turnout is so key.

Do you think all of this is a turnoff for voters on both sides? HEALY: That's really what the Democrats are hoping. And it's unclear

if that will actually happen. Whether there are enough Republicans who really believe that somehow the election was rigged in Georgia against President Trump, and therefore, some think they can't trust the electoral process. That is an argument that President Trump is making.

But I think what you're going to more likely see is a number of Republican -- a number of Republican voters who are going to understand that control of the United States Senate is at stake in Georgia, and that they very much want to have the Senate remain under Mitch McConnell's control. And they're not willing, ultimately, to -- you know, to certainly back Democratic candidates. There were -- that there were enough independents and some Republicans who were willing to reject President Trump.

But not that these -- these Republicans don't want to hand over the Senate to -- to Chuck Schumer and other Democrats.

CURNOW: OK. Thanks so much for that analysis. Good to speak you again, Patrick Healy there, CNN political commentator; also politics editor of "The New York Times."

HEALY: Thanks, Robyn.

Fewer than 20 percent of Venezuelan voters turned out for Sunday's parliamentary elections, according to an opposition group. Now, that was not unexpected. Opposition leaders urged the public to join them in boycotting what they called a fraudulent election perpetrated by controversial president Nicolas Maduro.

Maduro has been in power since 2013, and some citizens reported being intimidated and threatened ahead of that election. Juan Guaido, who's recognized by the U.S. and many other nations as the interim president, said Venezuelans will turn their back on the government.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JUAN GUAIDO, VENEZUELAN OPPOSITION LEADER (through translator): Today, what you have is a fraud in our country, which has been clearly rejected, not just in the photos and videos but across the country. The contrast to this is to go out to the streets and demand the right to choose.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CURNOW: Under Mr. Maduro's leadership, the country is in economic ruin in part because of stifling U.S. sanctions and the pandemic. Guaido warns the crisis there will only get worse.

And the holiday season is usually a time of great joy. But in a year like this, we'll look at some Christmas celebrations around the world to keep the spirit (ph).

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[00:40:35] CURNOW: Overcrowding has forced a Christmas market in Nottingham, England, to close after just one day. Look at these images. As you can see in this video, few masks are being worn. There's no social distancing in place at all.

Nottingham, we know, is under Tier 3 COVID restrictions. Those are the toughest that can be imposed. Many of the famous Christmas markets across Europe have been canceled because of the pandemic.

So then where do you find some holiday comforting the pandemic? Well, Pope Francis says you only need to look at the great symbols of Christmas all over the world. Paula Newton shows us some of the sights and scenes of the season.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAULA NEWTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Let there be light. In a year of sickness and quarantine, the radiance of an illuminated Christmas tree, like this one in Manger Square in Bethlehem, is good for the soul.

There may be fewer crowds because of the pandemic, but Pope Francis may have said it best, overlooking the tree in St. Peter's Square.

"They are symbols of hope," he says, "especially in this difficult time."

The scenes of the season are a soothing reminder of that. St. Mark's Square in Venice was a cascade filled with light. In a modern twist on the traditional tree.

The artist says, "My purpose is to light up this town, which needs light. It needs your emotions."

A dazzling drive-through in Brazil provides a thrill for the children and a respite for adults, in a country where so many families have been shattered by the virus.

"To have an event like this where you're safe," one visitor says, "to not get out of your car, it's really great."

A museum in Spain tried a mix of both naughty and nice with this nativity display, where even the angels are wearing masks and social distancing.

The decorations may be different, but the message is the same. This truly is a time where we all need a little comfort and joy. And there's room for some cheer, even in 2020.

Paula Newton, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CURNOW: If you're wondered whether Santa Clause's traditional red suit is waterproof, well, here's your answer, perhaps. At the Multinational Aquarium, Father Christmas took his holiday cheer

underwater. with snacks in hand, He went for swim alongside the aquarium's fish and a lucky zebra shark who got some belly rubs.

So thanks for watching CNN. I'm Robyn Curnow, and I'll be back in 15 minutes' time with more news. In the meantime, I'm going to hand you over to WORLD SPORT.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[00:45:15]

(WORLD SPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)