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New Year Begins with COVID-19 Challenges; Brexit is Done; World Ushers in New Year with Hope & Optimism; Celebrating a New Year Around the World; Virologist: Need More Research on Vaccines & Variants; W.H.O.: Variants Produce More Virus in the Body; Japan Reports 4,000+ New Cases for the First Time; What's Next for Brexit; Londoners Eagerly Bring in the New Year; Brexit is Done: The UK is Officially Out of the EU; Spain, UK Form Draft Agreement on Gibraltar; Republican Lawmakers Back Trump's Election Challenge; U.S. Defense Officials Split Over Potential for Iranian Attack; Sources: At Least 140 House Republicans Expected to Challenge Electoral College Vote Next Week; Trump Returns to Washington, Focuses on Disputing Election; Sen. Sasse Condemns Republicans' Plan to Challenge Election; Sources: Trump Demanding VP Pence Fight Harder for Him; Pence Faces Pressure as Trump Focuses on Overturning Election; Georgia Senator to Quarantine Days Ahead of Runoff; Election Day Nears for Consequential Georgia Senate Runoff; Was 2020 the Worst Year Ever?; K-Pop's BTS Celebrate New Year with Online Concert. Aired 2-2:30a ET.

Aired January 01, 2021 - 02:00   ET

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

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PAULA NEWTON, CNN ANCHOR: Live from Studio 7 at CNN Center in Atlanta. I'm Paula Newton. Just ahead on "CNN Newsroom." As we ring in the New Year, it will be difficult to forget 2020's lethal legacy, especially as countries around the world are still setting records for cases, deaths, and hospitalizations. And in the U.K. celebrations, but not for the New Year - for Brexit as the country enters a new chapter outside the E.U.

So as you might have guessed, the huge crowds were not there in person to welcome in the New Year, but around the world people could not be happier to see the backside of 2020. Yes, it is finally over. From Hong Kong to London, and here in the United States there is a sense of hope and optimism that 2021 will bring better days.

It's a good reminder for all of us, New Zealand was the first major country to celebrate, and because of the remarkable job its done handling the pandemic, large crowds were allowed in Auckland to watch the fireworks.

The scene was different though in New York, the ball dropped in New York's Times Square just about two hours ago. Now, the city paid tribute to frontline workers and watched the festivities in-person with their families - small groups only though, not the usual million or so revelers that are there. And U.S. President-Elect Joe Biden delivered a message of hope for the coming year. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, U.S. PRESIDENT-ELECT: I'm more optimistic about America's chances than I've ever been, and I've been around this for a while. We have the most productive workers in the world, we've now found vaccines that are available and they're going to work if people - we just have to get a better way to getting more out there quicker. I find that we're in a situation where we once again have to step up and lead the world, and lead the nation ...

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NEWTON: By now most people around the world have already said goodbye, as I was saying we've only got a few more time zones to go, but here's a look at some of the celebrations.

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Now, unfortunately the end of 2020 will not bring an end to the Coronavirus pandemic. The U.S. has broken another record with more than 125,000 COVID patients in hospitals. More people died in Los Angeles on Thursday than any day since the pandemic started. The county's health director says hospitals there are, "on the brink of a catastrophe."

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Meanwhile the virologist who discovered a COVID-19 variant in South Africa says so far vaccines appear to be effective against the mutation, but more research is still needed.

Now, the World Health Organization says that variant and another one still spreading in the U.K. and beyond are more transmissible because they produce more of the virus in the body. Now, a U.K. study finds the strain is prevalent in people under the age of 20, although they don't know why. Scientists say it will be highly unlikely to contain the variant if schools stay open.

Infections meantime are surging in Japan where health officials are reporting 4,300 new cases on Thursday. It's the first time the country has surpassed the 4,000 mark. CNN's Selina Wang is live now for us in Tokyo.

Selina, we were just talking about this a day ago and now the numbers have gotten much worse. What has been the reaction there - it might seem like modest numbers in other parts of the world, but I'm sure it's quite alarming there.

SELINA WANG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Paula, it is the most unprecedented wave as the Tokyo governor said, since the start of the pandemic, and it's also the first time that Tokyo had reported daily cases more than 1,000. And earlier in the pandemic, Paula, Japan had been praised for keeping

cases relatively low, partially due to this culture of mask wearing, people generally following government guidelines. But all of that has gotten much more difficult and midwinter weather that's driving people indoors, and around the world the sense of COVID fatigue.

And you saw that during the New Years holiday, the government had urged people to stay inside, stay at home - but you did still see some crowds across Tokyo, including some of the temples and shrines that were still open as well as thousands of people still gathering in Tokyo's Shibuya district though the numbers were far smaller than in previous years.

Now, Japanese officials, we were just talking about this yesterday, said that they will consider declaring a state of emergency if the spread of COVID continues to worsen. But again, there is no legal force in this declaration, it would simply allow local governments to urge citizens to stay at home. And the government has been very reluctant to take any action that could potentially harm the economy.

In his prime minister's New Year Address this year - just last night you heard him say that the government is determined to push forward with the Tokyo Olympics next year. But the medical system - well, actually this year, Paula, now - but the medical system is also under increasing strain.

I want to bring up this Kyoto news survey which said that about half of the advanced treatment hospitals surveyed said that they do not have enough nurses and doctors to treat COVID patients with severe symptoms. Paula.

NEWTON: Yeah, and obviously with the elderly population there in Japan, a lot of things to consider coming up if those cases continue to spike. Selina Wang, for us in Tokyo. Appreciate it.

Coming up on "CNN Newsroom," the long process is finally over, Brexit is done. But there are still many painful negotiations ahead. We'll talk about that next.

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NEWTON: Cheering there in front of Big Ben, now with Brexit finally done, 2021 is already a big year for the U.K. At 11 pm London time on New Year's Eve the United Kingdom and the European Union officially divorced. It's been four and a half years since the fateful referendum that's on narrow majority - we must be reminded how narrow it was, and British voters elected to leave the E.U. Now, it took that long to form a trade agreement and British law

makers only voted it through on the eve of the December 31 deadline, there are still a lot of details to iron out, as you can imagine - including a formal agreement about Gibraltar, a British territory that borders Spain's southern coast.

You want (ph) to take a look at what is next, Cyril Vanier joins me from Paris, and Al Goodman is with us in Spain. And first off, a very Happy New Year to both of you, my friends. Starting you first with Cyril, you know, it's embedded in minds already that long line of trucks along the border, and nothing could be more emblematic.

And while that was perhaps more a function of the pandemic nothing could be more emblematic of the fear that both Europe and the U.K. have right now about the way this is going to pan out.

CYRIL VANIER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, absolutely - look, that was the fear of a no deal Brexit, right? But that scenario has been averted, that was the worst case scenario with chaos, disruption at the borders, nobody quite knowing how to handle it on January 1 - long delays both for goods and possibly for travelers. Look, that was the worst case scenario, it's been averted because a deal was struck at the 11th hour between the U.K. and the European Union.

In fact, the European Union wants to show you that things are going to work so badly that - take a look at the pictures of the very first truck crossing from the E.U. in to the U.K. this morning, everything went smoothly for the cameras, all right?

The truck just sailed through customs because now there are customs, which is one of the main features of this new relationship between E.U. and U.K. all goods traded between the two sides have now to be declared at customs, they have to be certified ahead of time and that's what happened this morning with that first truck. The declaration to customs had been made ahead of time, everything went smoothly.

So this is the blueprint for how things hopefully will continue to work going forward. There might be a slightly longer delay for trucks - I mean, that's yet TBD, to be determined but because there has been this deal, the worst case scenario has been averted and we're still expecting overall a smooth running of trade from now on.

NEWTON: Yeah, it's still hard to believe given all of, really so much of the fear that U.K. and the E.U. heard about what would happen if this day was ever to come. And come it did, and Al Goodman, for us, they still didn't quite get the issue of Gibraltar negotiated though, and it's been going on for so long. So what is the situation now, and does it have to change in the coming months?

AL GOODMAN, CNN MADRID CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Paula. Well, talk about a last minute deal between the United Kingdom and the European Union which was signed and sealed on Wednesday, just a couple days ago. The negotiators for the United Kingdom and Spain came up with a very, very last minute deal just a day ago - 24 hours ago in which they - they're calling it an agreement in principle. It's a draft agreement that will allow, eventually, for mobility -

easier mobility between this British overseas territory of Gibraltar and the Spanish mainland, and the Schengen countries of the European Union. Those countries that once you come inside the external border of France, or Spain, or Germany you're in the European Union - you'll be able to go in to Gibraltar without those land controls.

However, there will be European Union front techs (ph) of border agents at Gibraltar's port and at Gibraltar's airport to - because that will be an external border. So that was agreed yesterday, announced yesterday. There's a six month transition period, and there will be a four year implementation period.

But clearly a huge relief at Gibraltar because southern Spain - that area around southern Spain and the rock - that famous rock of Gibraltar where only 34,000 people live in that British overseas territory - they're so interdependent.

And so the people of Gibraltar had voted overwhelmingly to remain - 96 percent voted to remain in the 2016 Brexit referendum. They clearly didn't want to be cut off and that's what their chief minister said - Prime Minister Boris Johnson of the United Kingdom said he wholeheartedly welcomed this deal while guarding - keeping the sovereignty of Gibraltar as very much British, the Spanish have contest that (ph). Paula.

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NEWTON: Yeah. And that's the issue, the Spanish still contest its very presence there as British territory. Cyril Vanier in Paris, Al Goodman in Madrid - thanks so much for what is an important look on a new dawn there in Europe and the U.K.

Now, President Trump's efforts to overturn the election are gaining steam among Republican lawmakers. Coming up, why some say they'll challenge the election results next week.

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NEWTON: The U.S. says the potential of an attack from Iran is the highest it's been since the U.S. killed a top Iranian general last year. Qasem Soleimani died on January 3, 2020. Now the U.S. is warning of possible anniversary retaliation. The U.S. has flown nuclear capable B-52 bombers to the Middle East, a sign of force twice in the past month. But U.S. Defense officials are divided on the possibility of a retaliation by Iran.

One official saying the threat is the highest ever, while another is saying it is being a bit exaggerated. U.S. President Donald Trump meantime is ringing in the New Year with additional support in his effort to challenge the election results. Two House Republicans say they expect at least 140 of their colleagues to vote against counting the electoral votes next week. CNN's Kaitlan Collins has more from Washington.

KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Mr. President, will you take our questions?

NEWTON: Without answering a single question from reporters, President Trump cut his Florida vacation short today and left behind a ballroom of disappointed guests at Mar-a-Lago for tonight's New Year's Eve party.

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATE: Hello everybody, Happy New Year.

COLLINS: Instead of walking the red carpet like last year, Trump will ring in the New Year in Washington, after spending most of his time in Florida in an irritable mood, fuming about everything from his election laws to First Lady Melania Trump's renovations.

Sources say the president is almost singularly focused on a plot by his Republican allies to disrupt Congress' certification of Joe Biden's win next week, which Democrats are dismissing as absurd.

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BOB CASEY, U.S. SENATE DEMOCRAT: It's real simple - there's only two choices. You choose democracy of the Constitution, or you choose the big lying (ph) Trump. It's as simple as that. It's hard to comprehend that he wants to attach his name to one of the biggest lies in American history.

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COLLINS: Josh Hawley is the first Republican Senator to answer Trump's call to challenge the election results which will force the Senate to debate his claim before affirming Biden's win, but he may not be the last.

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JOSH HAWLEY, U.S. SENATE REPUBLICAN: This is the one opportunity that I have as a United States Senator - this process right here, my one opportunity to stand up and say something. And that's exactly what I'm going to do.

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COLLINS: Senator Ben Sasse said he won't participate in this stunt by his fellow Republicans, and urged others to reject this dangerous ploy, adding, "let's be clear about what's happening here. We have a bunch of ambitious politicians who think there's a quick way to tap in to the president's populist base without doing any real, long-term damage, but they're wrong. And this issue is bigger than anyone's personal ambitions." Sasse also said, "when we talk in private, I haven't heard a single Congressional Republican allege that the election results were fraudulent. Not one."

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Although the vice president only has a limited ceremonial role in this process, sources say Trump is demanding that Mike Pence fight harder for him. "The Wall Street Journal," editorial board which has often been friendly to Trump during his presidency says he's "putting his loyal VP in a terrible spot." "Mr. Pence is too much of a patriot to go along, but the scramble to overturn the will of the voters tarnishes Mr. Trump's legacy and undermines any designs he has on running in 2024."

Joining me now from Washington, CNN Political Analyst Toluse Olorunnipa, he's also a White House Reporter for "The Washington Post." Listen, I feel like we should be allowed to take a deep breath here on the Trump administration - we can't. It is a new year, and it is - it seems to me a new chapter in what Donald Trump is trying to do about really trying to win this election still.

You know, I am wondering about what is going to happen - especially how Mike Pence is going to be involved in this, and the kind of position its put the vice president in at this point?

TOLUSE OLORUNNIPA, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Yeah, Mike Pence is in a tough spot. He has to continue to show his loyalty to Donald Trump while also fulfilling his role under the Constitution. On January 6 his role is to certify the results of the election. That election had Joe Biden as the winner and Donald Trump as the clear loser - now, that's not something that Mike Pence wants to do.

He does not want to declare on the floor of the Congress that his president is the loser, but that's what he's going to have to do. It's what previous vice presidents have done, it's what Joe Biden did in 2016 after Donald Trump won the presidency, and Mike Pence is going to have to fulfill his role under the Constitution.

It's going to be a tough thing to do politically, because President Trump is calling on his supporters to descend on D.C., to protest the results of the election, he's calling on Republicans to protest on the floor of Congress and not allow the certification process to move forward.

But Mike Pence has a very clear role under the Constitution, and for him to flout that would be to really defy the U.S. Constitution. So he is in a tough spot where he has a particular role that he has to fill, and doing that - fulfilling his responsibilities will anger him in the mind of the president's supporters, and possibly in the mind of the president himself.

NEWTON: If you had to put money on it, at the beginning of the year, 2021 you're already - I'm already asking you to put money on something. But do you - I mean, do you think the vice president will do what is expected of him constitutionally?

OLORUNNIPA: I think he'll find a way to do it. Now, the Constitution doesn't say he has to be happy about it, the Constitution doesn't have - doesn't say he can't verbally protest or find a way to be theatrical in his response to what's happening, and what has happened since the election.

But at the end of the day I think as many Republicans have been doing for the past several weeks - they've huffed, and they've puffed, and they've said that President Trump should have his day in court. But at the end of the day they have voted to certify these results, they have not moved along with President Trump's idea of overturning the election.

State legislators have not tried to subvert the will of their own voters and overturn the will of the election. So I think Mike Pence is going to be in a similar situation where he gives some lip service to the president's position, but at the end of the day he does what he is supposed to do which is certify these results and declare that Joe Biden won the election.

NEWTON: And as if that wasn't suspenseful enough, before that even, it is election day in America again - and the reason I say America is that the Georgia vote, the vote here January 5, so consequential for what happens in the Senate.

A bit of a curveball - one of the candidates - Republican candidates Dave Perdue is now in fact quarantining for the next few days. He was in contact with someone who tested positive. We certainly wish him and his entire family well through this. It has been so unpredictable in terms of where this is going.

You've got Donald Trump now with a rally, you're going to have the President-Elect Joe Biden with a rally. How - it seems like cliche to say a lot is riding on this, but this could be one of the most consequential runoffs, really, in American history.

OLORUNNIPA: Yeah, this is a huge runoff. You have two seats that are likely going to swing in the same direction. We're seeing Democrats come out in high numbers in the early vote, but Republicans are also enthusiastic, and are - they're (ph) expected to show up on Election Day.

Georgia has become a battleground state - Joe Biden won it by just 12,000 votes out of more than 5 million cast. And we're expecting this race to also go down to the wire. And it has these huge implications for the American political system, because if Republicans maintain control of the Senate, if they win both of these seats - or even just one of these seats it's going to be very hard for Joe Biden to get his agenda passed through Congress because Republicans will have the veto power over anything that he does.

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Now, if Democrats are able to pull off an (inaudible) and win both of these seats in Georgia with Democrats winning in a state that had been reliably Republican for several decades, then Joe Biden would have complete control of the Congress.

He would have the Senate, and the House, and he'd have the White House and he'd be able to push through some legislation, get some legislative wins and actually have more of a legislative record than he might if he does not have both houses of Congress. So it's incredibly consequential, a large number of different policy ideas are hanging in the balance, and Georgia is likely to make a high impact on the trajectory of Joe Biden's presidency. NEWTON: Absolutely. And it will, as I say, all come down to what

happens in that runoff - a result that we may not know, in fact, for days to come. So I'm just warning the entire audience, again, we may not have a result on that night. Tolu, really, Happy New Year - and I hope for the new year we actually are able to in-person in a studio, that is my wish.

OLORUNNIPA: Happy New Year.

NEWTON: Now, was 2020 your worst year ever? The mental health app, Bloom, asked some notable historians to really weigh in on this, and tell us about the world's most terrible times. Now they say 1348 was the worst as the Black Death raged across Europe and the Middle East, the Bubonic Plague is estimated to have killed one-third of the population, up to 200 million people.

1944 was chosen as second worst year, when the Nazis murdered millions of Jews as millions more died in World War II. 1816 was without a summer, that's because volcanic debris clouded the skies blocking out the sun's rays. I can't imagine. 1644 was a double whammy with the collapse of the Ming Dynasty and the height of Europe's Thirty Years War. In 410, Rome fell to the Visigoths, a key moment in the collapse of the Roman Empire.

And yes, sixth place according to historians is 2020. Now, 2020 though, wasn't a bad year for the K-pop sensation BTS. The group wrapped up an almost really, amazing year and that's saying a lot, with an online concert.

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So this was the pandemic edition, in-person attendance at the performance near Seoul was cancelled because of the new wave of infections in South Korea, but the group did meet fans online. One member spoke on the importance of health while wishing everyone a healthy new year.

And of course, we too here at "CNN Newsroom," are wishing you a healthy and happy new year. I am Paula Newton. The next workforce begins right after a quick break.

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