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New U.S. Travel Restrictions; Aung San Suu Kyi Sentenced to 4 Years in Jail; Parkland Father on Michigan Shootings. Aired 1-2a ET

Aired December 06, 2021 - 01:00   ET

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

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[01:00:26]

PAULA NEWTON, CNN ANCHOR: Hello everyone. I'm Paula Newton. Ahead right here on CNN Newsroom, coming to America well, brand new COVID testing requirements will now meet you at the gate before takeoff. It's an effort to curb the Omicron variant. Reliving a nightmare of father who lost his daughter in the Parkland massacre talks about the Michigan shooting, and where he sees hope for compromise when it comes to gun legislation. Plus, ash as high as rooftops the remnants of a deadly volcano eruption in Indonesia.

New COVID testing requirements are now in effect for all travelers coming to the United States and it's part of the effort to curb the spread of the Omicron variant which has already been found in at least 16 U.S. states.

Now, anyone boarding a flight to the United States must have proof of a negative COVID test one day or 24 hours before takeoff. Plus, foreign nationals must also be fully vaccinated to enter the country. But that requirement, this key is not yet in place for U.S. citizens. CNN's Nadia Romero has the details.

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NADIA ROMERO, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: How will they travel plus the Omicron variant continues to cause concern about the spread of COVID-19. Now, in late November, scientists in South Africa were the first to identify the Omicron variant, where and when it first emerged is still unclear, but cases are now reported in dozens of countries including in Europe, and right here in the U.S.

Now, coronavirus cases in South Africa nearly quadrupled over four days in the past week. But South Africa's President said this weekend that the Omicron variant is more transmissible. Hospitalizations are not increasing at an alarming rate. So, the Monday after Thanksgiving, the Biden administration barred travelers from South Africa and other countries in southern Africa from entering the U.S. That decision and global travel restrictions have sparked international criticism, with one U.N. official calling the ban of travel apartheid.

Here's Dr. Anthony Fauci's response, when asked about the U.S. ban. DR. ANTHONY FAUCI, CHIEF MEDICAL ADVISER TO PRESIDENT BIDEN: That ban was done at a time, when we were really in the dark, we had no idea what was going on, except it does seem to have been an explosion of cases of Omicron in South Africa. So, when the ban was put on, it was put to give us time to figure out just what is going on. Now, as you mentioned, as we're getting more and more information about cases in our own country and worldwide. We're looking at that very carefully on a daily basis, hopefully, we'll be able to lift that ban within a quite reasonable period of time. I mean, we all feel very badly about the hardship that that might have put upon not only South Africa, but the other African countries. And for that reason, in real time, literally, on a daily basis, we're reevaluation that, we're reevaluating that policy.

ROMERO: Now, the newest Biden administration travel policy starts Monday, all international travelers to the U.S. need to have a negative COVID-19 test the day before they fly. Since last month, international travelers to the U.S. must also be vaccinated. Right now, there are no such requirements for domestic travelers. Nadia Romero, CNN, Atlanta.

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NEWTON: Dr. Scott Miscovich is National Consultant for COVID-19 Testing, and he joins me now from Hawaii. And good to see you Doctor, as we are here on the cusp of new extended travel bans, testing here in the United States, that testing regime, as we were just talking about for all incoming travelers now, this tightening negative test requirements, how much do you think these measures will actually help in stopping the spread of the variant?

DR. SCOTT MISCOVICH, NATIONAL CONSULTANT FOR COVID-19 TESTING: Not all that much, Paula. I would say I would compare this to the U.K. measures that they're putting in which I think are exemplary, you know, where basically they're requiring the same test the day before, but then they're requiring you to stay in your hotel or your home where you're going until you have a test on day three, and then possibly even on day five, depending on your vaccination status. If you're unvaccinated, you may have to stay in quarantine for the entire 10 days. So, for the United States only request one day what happens if you caught the disease two days before, three days before, you may not be positive yet and yet another day or two later you may be just fully shedding and spreading it. So many studies have shown that one- day testing is not enough to stop the traveler from, you know, catching them with their COVID.

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NEWTON: So, you think things just have to be more strict? You have test upon arrival. And then until that comes back negative, you think people should be isolating, at least.

MISCOVICH: Absolutely. I think the U.K. policy is very solid, I think a tested day three minimum is what the United States should be asking for. And depending on where people are coming from, or depending on a few vaccination status, even another test on day five, once you hit day five, you're going to get into the mid to high 90 percent that no one has COVID that will then materialize after those tests. And that's what we're looking for a tested day one, that's not going to tell you much you're going to be maybe 30%.

NEWTON: Yeah, and that's interesting, because I know how closely you've been following the data on this for the better part of two years. Now, there's a lot of hopeful, hopeful speculation about this new variant and the fact that possibly it could lead to milder illness. Now, what evidence is there of that so far? And is it possible, in some way, shape or form that is starting to share some characteristics with the common cold, which, as we all know, is usually mild?

MISCOVICH: Excellent, Paula, that's exactly what some of the early data is showing us out of South Africa. What we're seeing in the data that maybe Dr. Fauci was referring to is, if we took hospitalizations up through the fourth of the two main hospitals in South Africa, we found that 70% of those admitted were not on oxygen, which is very unusual. And that means only 30% were a none were the intensive care unit. But if you look at the age, those were mostly under 50. So, I do believe we all will caveat this. It's a little early to tell. But with the data we have out of South Africa, it's OK so far.

The other thing we look at with those 50 mutations that we're finding, there is a snippet that is almost identical to a common cold coronavirus. And we're thinking it's possible that there could have been what's called a co infection where someone had this cold, and they had COVID. And they basically were breeding in the same cell creating a variant, with that being said, it could make it more closely related to bad cold versus the full Delta, way too early, though, I don't want to qualify any of that. But that's the early information.

NEWTON: And for those of us who just can't do a deep dive on the science, what you're saying, though, is that if it does end up having this in common with the cold, we call it the common cold for a reason, right? A lot of us get it, but it is incredibly mild. Is this the way that perhaps, you know, COVID? Might like develop in this way?

MISCOVICH: Yeah. I mean, I do believe that if you look at all of us who have spent our life studying this and look at virology, we do believe that as COVID goes, it will start migrating more to something that our immune system can deal with. And I don't want to call it the common cold. But I would say more of a flu or a bad flu range. But let's not confuse it. This is not the flu. People are dying of it. You need vaccinated but yes, we think that when we hit about two years from now, we may be dealing with this and, you know, you go so what?

NEWTON: You made my year already, it just with the explanation right there. Before I let you go, I want to get to something, Noubar Afeyan, he just spoke to CNN, we just heard from him. He's of course a co- founder of Moderna. You know, what I thought was so interesting about what he said was two things. One, is he saying that even if this is mild or illness, reinfection will still be a big problem with this variant. The other thing he said is that all of us should maybe start acting differently in the next few weeks, whether you're in Europe or the United States cases are going up. And that we do need to mask up again and watch what we're doing at large events.

MISCOVICH: Boy, Paula, I've been saying this in all my lectures and all my talks. Let's bring up another point. That's so important. If you look right now in the United States, what are we, 12% fully vaccinated, because you need three shots before you're fully vaccinated. Across the world, we're finding that when you only have two shots or one of J&J, you're not fully vaccinated. So that is one of the big issues. And as you see across Europe, we are definitely having issues. So, we need to basically continue with our masking.

NEWTON: Yeah. It's not something people want to hear this close to the holidays. But we do hear you, Doctor, and we appreciate you weighing in. A lot of good information there. Dr. Scott Miscovich there for us. Thank you.

MISCOVICH: Thank you, Paula.

NEWTON: So, as he mentioned, there are these rising case numbers in Europe as well. Governments there have imposed new restrictions to try and fight the surge, but a backlash is setting in.

There were protests Sunday right across the continent. CNN Salma Abdelaziz has more now.

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SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN REPORTER: Police fire water cannons at protesters in Brussels to create new coronavirus measures. Demonstrators took to the streets after officials announced a mask mandate for children over six and recommended limiting in-person gatherings. Police say clashes ended with multiple arrests in injuries.

In Vienna, 1000s of people marched protesting and national lockdown and vaccine mandate to be imposed in February.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm here because I'm against force vaccination. I'm for human rights and the violation of human rights should be stopped.

ABDELAZIZ: It's the latest show of discontent as restrictions to help slow the spread of COVID-19 are rolled out once more, countries are fighting to control yet another surge and Coronavirus infections while the Omicron variant continues to spread. Across the world, new travel bans, and restrictions have been imposed. The U.S. is tightening restrictions for air travel on Monday, requiring all inbound international travelers to test negative for COVID-19 within a day of departing. And as a wave of COVID cases sweep through Europe, E.U. leadership has raised the possibility of mandatory vaccinations.

URSULA VON DER LEYEN, EUROPEAN COMMISSION PRESIDENT: I think it is understandable and appropriate to lead this discussion now. How we can encourage and potentially think about mandatory vaccination within the European Union. This needs discussion. This needs a common approach. But it is a discussion that I think has to be led. ABDELAZIZ: Some countries have stepped up testing and vaccination efforts as well as booster shots supplies. Hundreds lined up to be tested in South Korea, after a record high for a single day was reported on Saturday. Global Health officials have encouraged all leaders to act fast to fight both the Omicron and Delta variants.

MARIA VAN KERKHOVE, WHO COVID-19 TECHNICAL LEAD: Our message to governments is don't wait to act. Everything that we need to do for Delta will benefit Omicron no matter how this variant unfolds. It's not just the emergence of a new variant of concern like Omicron, the big question is whether or not Omicron will outcompete Delta.

ABDELAZIZ: The WHO designated Omicron a variant of concern less than 10 days ago, but already more than 40 countries and territories have reported cases of the new variant. While most cases have been mild, scientists are still gathering data to determine whether Omicron is more transmissible, causes more severe illness and impacts vaccine efficacy. Salma Abdelaziz, CNN, London.

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NEWTON: Sources close to the Biden administration say a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing games, the Olympic Games is expected to be announced sometime this week. Now, that means no U.S. government officials would attend the games, silently protesting China's human rights abuses (inaudible). This is key impacting us athletes who wish to compete there.

President Joe Biden first mentioned that he was considering a boycott last month. CNN's Kristie Lu Stout joins us now from Hong Kong with the latest. And I know you're closely tracking the reaction from China. What's interesting here is that it is bound to anger them, but it doesn't normally change anything in terms of behavior, right?

KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: No, and we'll expect to hear formally from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs later today, if a change in tone will actually result in any sort of action from Chinese officials. We have fax to statement requesting for a statement from Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we have yet to receive a response. We're hoping to get that during the daily briefing in the afternoon. But so far, we've been monitoring Chinese social media and the sensors are already at work. In fact, on the popular platform, Sina Weibo, we've noticed that the world's U.S. Olympic boycott are being actively blocked and censored inside China right now. This after several sources are telling CNN that the Biden administration will this week announced a diplomatic boycott of the upcoming Beijing Olympic Games. This is not a full boycott, but a boycott that would involve U.S. officials that would not attend the opening ceremonies of the games due to kick off in just two months from now.

This was widely expected because for months now, in the run up to the game, we have heard from U.S. lawmakers on both sides of the aisle demanding a diplomatic boycott over human rights abuses in China, namely the charge that China is committing genocide against Uyghurs and other ethnic Muslim minorities in the western Xinjiang region, an allegation that China denies. We also know that the U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken just last month, was talking about the issue of Olympic participation with a number of other countries and that other world leaders, including the British prime minister have been actively weighing and considering a diplomatic boycott. China has repeatedly condemned any notion of the diplomatic boycott calling it, malicious hype, calling it the politicization of sport. I'm going to bring up most recent move (ph) statement that we have for you.

[01:15:09]

This is from a spokesman Wang Wenbin mentioned last week. He says this, "The U.S. and handful of countries make an issue out of the Beijing Winter Olympic Games and link their officials attendance was so called human rights issues. This is in essence a smearing campaign in the name of defending human rights. Such an act of politicizing sports obviously violates the Olympic Charter."

A lot is at stake for the Olympic host Beijing. Of course, you got national pride at stake also this cherished opportunity for China to showcase its soft power on the world stage. Back to you.

NEWTON: Kristie, I appreciate that update. I know as you said, we are expecting more reaction in China and in the coming hours. I appreciate it.

Now, some breaking news just coming into us here at CNN, a court in Myanmar has reached a verdict in the case against former de facto leader, Aung San Suu Kyi. She had faced nearly a dozen charges including incitement and violation of COVID-19 protocols. CNN's Paula Hancocks now joins us on this story.

And Paula, what can you tell us? I mean, certainly this court case has been going on for several months and as we indicated she was facing several counts, different counts on varying degrees including the fact of whether or not she was in possession of band walkie-talkies?

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Paula, there are a plethora of different charges against Aung San Suu Kyi. At this point, what we're hearing today, though, is that sources tell us she has been sentenced to four years in prison for just two of those charges levelled against her. Now the charges are incitement, which she has been sentenced to years for and also breaking COVID-19 rules, which was also sentenced to two years alongside the deposed president, Win Myint.

Now at this point, we understand that in this court in Naypyitaw, in the capital, these are just the first verdicts that have come down and there are many more charges, which have been levelled against the former de facto leader who was forced from power when there was a military coup back on February 1, in Myanmar. Now, there has been a lot of violence. It has been a brutal military coup since that time. That's about 10 months since that happened. Well, over 1200 people have lost their lives, according to many who are trying to keep a tally of this. Although they admit themselves that the actual number is likely far higher. And this is a court case, which will be closely watched inside the country if they are able to access this kind of information. That's doubtful, but certainly internationally to see how the military hunter is going to deal with these cases.

Now, Aung San Suu Kyi and those who are on trial alongside her have all denied the charges against her. She still faces as well, more serious charges. For example, corruption charges, breach of the Official Secrets Act, that carries a maximum of 14 years, the corruption charge a maximum of 15 years. So, what we are seeing here is potentially many decades for the former leader behind bars.

Critics say that this is the military hunter is trying to do. They are trying to make sure that she has not seen in public that she cannot reenter life as they try and consolidate their rule.

Now, back in November of last year, the democratically elected government headed by Aung San Suu Kyi won a landslide. And it was widely considered to be a free and fair election. Not so by the military hunter, though, who then took control on February 1. They have claimed that they would carry out elections within a year or two. But clearly at this point, no one believes that they would have free and fair. Paula.

NEWTON: Yeah, and to be clear, no amount of international pressure from the U.N. or other countries so far has seemed to have made any difference in this case. Paula Hancocks, live for us. I appreciate you coming to us with that breaking news.

Still to come here on CNN Newsroom, new details released by the Michigan School System where a tragic shooting happened last week. The warning signs staff witnessed and the call for an independent investigation. Plus, I'll speak with a parent whose daughter was killed in the Parkland shooting, his reaction to what happened in Michigan and what he and others are doing to try and make schools safer.

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NEWTON: Milwaukee's dancing grannies walked arm in arm Saturday night in Wisconsin, their first public appearance since a driver barreled through the Waukesha Christmas Parade two weeks ago. You will remember that tragic incident four of their members were killed. The dancing Grannies been a staple in Wisconsin since 1984. They usually perform in about 25 parades each and every year. The group hopes to be dancing again by spring.

Now, new developments in the Michigan school shooting that left four students dead last week, the man, authorities believe may have helped Ethan Crumbley's parents hide from police has now identified himself. The 65-year-old contacted police saying he claims he has no idea that James and Jennifer Crumbley had active warrants for their arrest until after they were taken into custody. So far, he hasn't been charged with any crimes. Now, the superintendent of Oxford Community Schools has released key details of the days leading up to Tuesday shooting. Now, he's calling for an independent third-party investigation. On Sunday, a U.S. senator representing Connecticut sight of course the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy in 2012, spoke with CNN about what he feels neat feels needs to happen to really try and stem gun violence in the United States.

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CHRIS MURPHY, U.S. SENATE DEMOCRAT: I wish my Republican colleagues didn't sort of have epiphanies on this issue only after mass school shootings but That tends to be what happens and so my hope is that in the next couple of weeks, we can get back to the table and see if we can at the very least as you said maybe close the gun show loophole. That alone would save a lot of lives.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[01:25:13]

NEWTON: Tony Montalto's 14-year-old daughter, Gina, was killed in the Parkland shooting back in 2018. He is also the president of the Stand with Parkland Group, and he joins me now.

I have to give my condolences right off the bat, because I can't imagine how retraumatizing it is every time you see this. I mean, what was your reaction when you saw what unfolded in Michigan?

TONY MONTALTO, DAUGHTER WAS KILLED IN PARKLAND SHOOTING: Well, it's certainly saddening to see this another school shooting. We mourn for the victims. We pray for the quick recovery of the wounded. And sadly, we know the pain of the of the victims' families. The hole in your heart that forms and the field that you just can't breathe. So, we -- and we're frustrated, frustrated that we haven't seen enough action to help prevent school shootings.

NEWTON: And let's talk about that in action. Because you guys have been saying for years now that save the thoughts and prayers. OK, let's try and get something done. And you draw a direct line from the four victims at that school dying to what has not been done that they died because there has been an action. Do you see a consensus going forward, some kind of bipartisan consensus? Where is the momentum for some of the proposals that your group has put forward?

MONTALTO: Well, Stand with Parkland, the National Association of Families for Safe Schools, looks at school safety in a little bit more of a uniquely nonpartisan way. We're uniquely inclusive, and we look at school safety, having a three-prong approach, securing the campus, better mental health screening and support programs. And finally, if you choose to own one, responsible firearms ownership. We were just up in Washington D.C., the week before Thanksgiving, advocating for some of the bills which we see that had bipartisan support.

And among those are the Eagles Act, which is a bill that will increase funding and allow the U.S. Secret Service national threat assessment center to go out and do more training in the field for school districts that want it to allow them to perform behavioral threat assessments properly.

We also support a bill to get increase in mental health counsellors in the schools. We know that children are under stress after COVID. The Secret Service studies show that most mass school attacks occur after a break in attendance. And as we know, many students saw break in attendance with COVID. And they also some of them weren't involved in a -- in the most loving and caring environment they could be. So, we need everybody to come together and work on that in the school to get kids help before they resort to violence.

NEWTON: Since the tragedy in your own family at the school, what have you learned in terms of what do you think is going to get this country there to actually enact some of this incredibly reasonable and logical legislation that you just pointed to?

MONTALTO: We need to have the desire to work together. Too often, and I blame the media a little bit on this. Too often, the people on the far left get the attention or the people on the far right get the attention. They're screaming at each other over those of us in the middle. So, one thing that stands with Parkland, the National Association of Families for Safe Schools is in place for, is to start to build the bridge, to start to be the voice of those of us in the middle. Those of us who can see both sides of the argument, who can take the time to listen to one another and work together to find pragmatic solutions to either policy or law that will help keep our students and our staff safe in school.

My beautiful daughter, Gina, was taken from me and what was probably the most preventable school shooting in American history. Over 40 visits by the police to the shooters home, the school district was aware of the danger this this shooter post, the FBI had tips regarding and nobody could put the pieces together to stop this and sadly we see some parallels here with the recent shooting in Oxford township.

[01:29:51]

We see the school doing a good job of initially identifying the student, bringing in the parents but what they failed to do is bring in their behavioral assessment team.

Their behavioral threat assessment team would have consisted of school personnel, mental health professionals and law enforcement. And the reason you want that multidisciplinary approach is because each of those folks bring something special to the table.

Perhaps a mental health professional would have looked at the drawings and said we need to get this child help immediately. Perhaps law enforcement at the school would have looked at some of these warning signs and said, you know what, we need to search your backpack before we send you back to class.

But again, that's why these multi-disciplinary teams are so important and this is borne out in the research by the National Threat Assessment Center. PAULA NEWTON, CNN ANCHOR: You know, a lot of thoughtful proposals

there and a lot of work -- courageous work that I know you and everyone that is an advocate for school safety has put forward.

Thank you so much for outlining some of it. And again, our condolences on what must be a very difficult time of the year for you and your family. Appreciate it.

MONTALTO: We do miss our Gina every day. But thank you very much for having me on and for helping us spread the word on these proposals that can just bring people together once we decide to keep our children and students safe in school.

[01:31:32]

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NEWTON: You're watching CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Paula Newton.

The White House says President Biden is looking forward to talking to his Russian counterpart when the two leaders hold a video call on Tuesday. Now, they are expected to discuss a wide range of topics and that, of course, includes Ukraine. The White House said Mr. Biden will underscore U.S. concerns over Russia's military activities on the border with Ukraine.

CNN's Joe Johns has more now from Washington.

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JOE JOHNS, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Plenty on President Biden's agenda this week. Probably the number one item is that secure video call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The number one issue on that call likely to be the thousands of Russian troops massing on the Ukraine border.

American authorities say they have a lot of information about it. They even released an intelligence report with a number of pictures of the locations where the troops are massing. What they don't know is what it all means, whether Putin is attempting to set up a distraction or whether he, in fact, is seeking an invasion of Ukraine sometime next year.

Administration officials have said that if Putin tries it, there could be a whole round of financial sanctions to make Putin pay.

Joe Johns, CNN, the White House.

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NEWTON: Bob Dole, a decorated war hero and former U.S. Senate Republican has died at the age of 98. Now, tributes have been pouring in from all over the world including one from president Joe Biden who calls Dole, quote, "an American statesman like few in our history". The president has ordered the flags now at the White House and other public buildings flown at half-staff in honor of the late senator. Dole is survived by his wife, former North Carolina senator, Elizabeth Dole and a daughter, Robin.

CNN's Gloria Borger takes a look at his life and legacy.

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GLORIA BORGER, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL ANALYST: Bob Dole was one of the oldest people at the 2016 Republican convention at the age of 92. But he still remembered exactly how he felt two decades earlier when he was losing to Bill Clinton.

BOB DOLE, FORMER REPUBLICAN SENATOR FROM KANSAS: Get up in the morning and you charge out there, and you work all day. And if you don't have that attitude, you know, you go out there and make a halfhearted speech and people will know, this guy's a loser.

BORGER: This guy was anything but a loser. Consider the accomplishments. Eight years in the House, 27 in the Senate. He was Senate majority leader twice.

Bob Dole was an American hero. During World War II, he was hit by machine gunfire. He spent years recuperating and lost the use of one arm.

Just one of the many reasons why he was the driving force behind the construction of the World War II Memorial in Washington. Every Saturday, health permitting, Dole would be there to greet his fellow vets.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How are you doing? All right?

DOLE: Yes, I feel good.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Good to know. Not bad, huh?

DOLE: I've got a bad knee.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Join the club.

BORGER: He never forgot losing the presidency, but there were moments when those memories receded.

DOLE: When they are doing something like that, you don't think about '96, '88 or any other year.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, I know you, we were in Italy together.

DOLE: I'll be darned.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NEWTON: We thank Gloria Borger for that nice tribute. Now, perhaps one of the most celebrated relationships in Bob Dole's

life was the late Democratic Daniel Inouye. Now although they came from different parties, they formed a deep friendship bonded by their service in the army during World War II.

Both men were severely wounded, in fact, during combat and/or hospitalized alongside each other as they recovered. Dole once said recovering from combat wounds can be a long, painful and emotionally- challenging process. Now the two friends helped support each other during what were, of course, very difficult times in their lives.

Coming up here on CNN NEWSROOM, more than a dozen people are dead after Saturday's volcano eruption in Indonesia. We'll have a live report on the rescue efforts and the dangers that remain.

Plus, Pope Francis returns to Lesbos, Greece to meet with refugees and deliver some harsh words to European leaders.

[01:39:56]

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NEWTON: So the situation in Indonesia's East Java province remains in fact quite dangerous after Saturday's deadly volcano eruption. At least 15 people were killed and about 1,700 now are displaced after the sudden eruption destroyed hundreds of homes, damaged many schools and left villages covered in ash. 27 people are still missing at this hour.

The hot ash, volcanic gases and smoldering debris are still a threat, in fact, to those living nearby.

For more on this, I'm joined by Will Ripley who has been following all the developments from Hong Kong.

And Will, you know, as if they needed more problems in terms of trying to rescue those that still need their help, but the weather now seems to be a problem as well.

WILL RIPLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: They have been dealing with heavy wind, heavy rain. And when you have all of that volcanic ash that has rained down on these villages, at least 11 villages, many of them buried under ash that sometimes is as high as the actual houses that are so severely damaged. And then you combine the rain with that, when it dries it's like mixing concrete.

So you have homes and buildings that are essentially -- and potentially bodies as well, that may be very difficult to recover. Some of these villages are considered a total loss. Villagers who are displaced are going to have to be in limbo for at least six months getting government assistance before they can be moved into more permanent housing.

But they've had to set up these evacuation centers in mosques and schools and assembly -- in some cases in people's homes, in other surrounding villages. And they are calling in for more help because the conditions are dire.

Not just the weather but also these pyroclastic flows which is this mix of ash and rock and volcanic gases that actually appear as if they are floodwaters until they are right up on these people and they realize how incredibly hot, scalding hot.

[01:44:59]

RIPLEY: People -- there are dozens of people who have severe burns, other people who have been killed when they were swept away by this nightmarish scenario of this scalding, hot mud flowing through these communities.

And it's not over. They had two more of these pyroclastic flows that's just in once in the morning hours and then again a bit later on in the morning just today.

So the situation is definitely volatile. You know, as it always is when you talk about a volcano that is erupting.

Indonesia certainly has a lot of experience in dealing with volcanic eruptions due to its location on the Ring of Fire in the Pacific Basin. They get hit far too often by earthquakes, coastal areas by tsunamis and by these eruptions.

So they are mobilizing help. Hospitals are able to deal with the number of victims. So far they are not overrun.

Part of this is because Mount Semeru is in Java which is also home to the Indonesian capital of Jakarta. So it's the -- most densely populated area even though this volcanic eruption itself, this 12,000- foot mountain is in a more remote area, they're able to mobilize resources and quickly.

But there's infrastructure damage as a result of all of the things that we'd outlined. There was also a dam break reported a number of hours ago. That caused flooding. That also made it difficult for rescuers to get to some of these affected areas, Paula.

NEWTON: And tragically as you pointed out, the death toll continues to climb. Will, I have just been riveted by the pictures and it's just so tragic what they are all going through there now and I appreciate the update.

Now, Pope Francis is highlighting the plight of migrants on his trip to Cyprus and Greece. He visited a refugee camp on the island of Lesbos where he offered prayers and delivered harsh words to countries that closed their borders to migrants.

CNN's Vatican correspondent Delia Gallagher has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DELIA GALLAGHER, CNN VATICAN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): With smiles and blessings, Pope Francis greets crowds of refugees on the island of Lesbos. The handshakes and hugs, a reminder that they are not forgotten.

It's the Pope's second trip to the island. Greece is one of the main entry points for many migrants from the Middle East and Africa who are trying to escape violence and poverty.

Hundreds of thousands of people arrived on Lesbos' beaches in 2015. While the number of people here has dropped from about 20,000 last year to under 5,000 today the Pope continues to call out those countries in Europe and elsewhere who think this is not their problem.

Speaking in front of a backdrop of containers that refugees call home, the Pope called the crisis a shipwreck of civilization and had especially stern words for politicians using the plight of the migrants for political purposes.

POPE FRANCIS, ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH (through translator): It is sad to hear that as a solution proposals that come in funds should be used to build walls, build barbed wire. We are in the era of the walls.

GALLAGHER: The Pope's comments come as countries like Poland called for the E.U. to help finance a border wall to stop migrants from the Middle East from traveling into Poland from Belarus. A political battle playing out across Europe that Pope Francis says ignores the daily struggles of people in camps like this.

One asylum seeker waiting for a glimpse of the Pope says it's like being stuck in limbo.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We are neglected. We have no documents. I gave birth to my baby here. I have a baby who was born here but he has no papers.

GALLAHER: "What future do we want to give to our children," the Pope asked? His hope and that of many in this camp is that it will be one of welcome.

DELIA GALLAGHER, CNN -- Lesbos.

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NEWTON: You're watching CNN and we will be right back with more news in a moment.

[01:48:38]

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NEWTON: Waters around the Maldives in the Indian Ocean are home to giants. Manta rays are the world's largest fish, in fact, yet relatively little is known about them.

Anna Stewart now on a story of how one team is trying to change that.

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ANNA STEWART, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The Maldives is an ocean nation. Over a thousand different fish species inhabit this part of the Indian Ocean occasionally in significant numbers.

BETH FAULKNER, PROJECT MANAGER, MALDIVIAN MANTA RAY PROJECT: Here in the Maldives, we have the biggest population of Manta rays that's ever been recorded in the world. They've got around 5,100 individuals in the database.

STEWART: Beth Faulkner leads a team of researchers at Manta Trust, a conservation charity. Six days a week for over half a year, this group heads out to a UNESCO protected bay in hopes of finding mantas to study.

And surprisingly this weather is the weather they want.

FAULKNER: In the rainy season, we get plankton traps in the close end of the bay and then the mantas will then come to feed on this plankton that's trapped there.

It depends on the current and wind. So we need them to be perfect.

I don't see any mantas.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I can see them in the shallows.

FAULKNER: Oh yes, there are some in the shallows.

So we have just arrived at (INAUDIBLE) bay. You can see the mantas here on the surface already. So they're already feeding, which is just great for us.

STEWART :As soon as the team spots their subjects, it's time for a closer look.

Manta rays are really majestic creatures. They're known as gentle giants so they have to sting, no teeth, nothing they can do to hurt humans.

STEWART: These reef manta rays which feed on the surrounding particle like planktons can reach four meters in width and weigh up to 700 kilos. Today they are considered a vulnerable species with their global population decreasing mainly due to habitat degradation.

FAULKNER: I've been working with mantas since 2017 and you get to spend a lot of time with the same mantas.

[01:54:55]

FAULKNER: I definitely believe that they all have different personalities. This is something that hopefully people will listen to in the future.

STEWART: For now, Beth's team collects data on their population size, behavioral habits, and reproduction.

FAULKNER: Manta rays have only been studied for just over a decade. In scientific terms that's not that long. So there's still so many questions that we don't know the answers to. And you can't persuade people to protect something that they don't know that much about.

STEWART: So far, the team's work has helped lead to legal habitat protection for the mantas and their inclusion on the Maldivian National Protected Species list.

FAULKNER: If we don't take steps to protect them now, they're not going to be here for much longer in order for other generations to see. And the encounters that I have, I would love as many people to have those if possible.

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NEWTON: And finally this hour, we have a baseball player, coach, executive and now finally a hall-of-famer. After nearly an eight- decade career, John Jordan "Buck" O'Neil is headed to Cooperstown. O'Neil was a standout player in the so-called Negro League before the sport was desegregated.

And he had a hand in that, too. He went on to become a scout for the Chicago Cubs in 1952. Became the first African-American coach in Major League Baseball. Now in 2006, he spoke at the Hall of Fame induction of 17 legends of the Negro League. He passed away less than three months later at the age of 94.

And a good addition there to Cooperstown.

And thanks for watching CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Paula Newton.

I will be back for another hour of news from around the world.

We'll be back right after a break.

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