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Biden and Zelensky Speak as Tensions Rise; One-on-One with Nobel Peace Prize Winner; President Biden Kicks off Summit for Democracy; Unofficial Tribunal: Uyghurs Subjected to Genocide by China; WHO: Africa Accounts For 46 percent Of Global Omicron Cases; Countries Around The World Are Reporting Uptick In Covid Cases; Europe Grappling With Record High Cases, Hospitalisations. Aired 2-3aET

Aired December 10, 2021 - 02:00   ET

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

[02:00:00]

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KIM BRUNHUBER, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome to all of you watching us from around the world. I'm Kim Brunhuber. This is "CNN Newsroom."

Coming up, what we know about the phone call between Joe Biden and Volodymyr Zelensky. Biden stressed U.S. support but our sources say Ukraine doesn't think it's good enough.

Just a few hours from now, journalist Maria Ressa will be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. She will share her thoughts on the big day when she joins me live.

Tears, embraces, and gratitude. Former COVID patients reunite with the hospital workers who saved their lives.

UNKNOWN (voice-over): Live from CNN Center, this is "CNN Newsroom" with Kim Brunhuber.

BRUNHUBER (on camera): U.S. President Joe Biden spoke with the Ukrainian president for more than an hour on Thursday over the growing threat of a possible Russian invasion. Ukraine estimates 125,000 Russian troops are now massed near its eastern border and even though Moscow dismisses talk of invasion as provocative, Russia's military presence keeps growing.

Biden reassured the Ukrainian leader of America's commitment to Ukraine's sovereignty and said the U.S. is preparing harsh sanctions if Russia invades. According to Ukrainian official, President Zelensky privately told Biden that the threat of U.S. sanctions in the future won't be enough to deter Moscow now.

CNN's Matthew Chance is in Kiev with more details on the Biden- Zelensky phone call, but we begin our coverage with Oren Liebermann at the Pentagon.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): President Joe Biden trying to lower the temperature as tensions soar in Eastern Europe, promising Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky support for his country's sovereignty amid a massive buildup of Russian forces.

JEN PSAKI, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: What we know is that the aggression here is on the Russian side. The military buildup is on the Russian side. There is a path, a diplomatic path forward. The part of the president's objective, our president's objective, in having the call was to convey that clearly.

LIEBERMANN (voice-over): Russia has amassed 125,000 troops near Ukraine's borders and in Belarus, to the north, Ukrainian security sources tell CNN. That includes tanks, ground vehicles, and aerial patrols potentially laying the groundwork for a quick strike and rapid reinforcement, the sources say.

On Monday, Biden warned Russian President Vladimir Putin of severe economic sanctions if Russian forces invaded Ukraine, steps the U.S. wasn't ready to take the last time this happened.

Since the Russian occupation of Crimea in 2014, the U.S. has given Ukraine more than two and a half billion dollars to bolster its self- defense. This year alone, that amounts to $450 million, including lethal Javelin anti-tank missiles. Small arms and ammunition from the latest security assistance package are set to arrive this week and more could be coming if Russia attacks.

JAKE SULLIVAN, WHITE HOUSE NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: We will provide additional defensive material to the Ukrainians above and beyond that which we are already providing. And we would fortify our NATO allies on the eastern flank with additional capabilities in response to such an escalation.

LIEBERMANN (voice-over): The Ukrainian military also trains alongside U.S. troops. About 150 guardsmen from Florida's Task Force Gator recently arrived in Ukraine, rotating in for the 81st Stryker Brigade. The 81st was there for months working with Ukrainian forces and taking part in September's rapid trident exercise.

There has been an increase in U.S. diplomacy with European allies and partners in recent weeks to coordinate any response to Russian aggression. But the most serious sanction targeting Russia's energy sector remained a last resort, U.S. officials say as the White House remains wary of rolling (ph) domestic gas prices.

(On camera): A senior official from the National Security Council says the White House will not take into account domestic political considerations if and when it comes time to impose sanctions on Russia. Experts warn, if you don't target Russia's energy sector, you may not have the leverage or the influence required to affect Kremlin decision-making.

Meanwhile, how important is the security systems to Ukraine? The White House requested 250 million more for next year and Congress added another 50 million as of right now on top of that. Oren Liebermann, CNN, at the Pentagon.

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MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Publicly, the Ukrainian government is thanking the U.S. for its support amid threats of another Russian invasion. But behind the scenes, there are signs of some frustration.

[02:04:53]

CHANCE: On the recent call, President Biden gave his Ukrainian counterpart a rundown of his discussions with Vladimir Putin of Russia, including details of tough sanctions the U.S. would impose on Russia if it invades.

But a Ukrainian official with knowledge of the call told CNN that President Zelensky of Ukraine was less than impressed, saying that Zelensky told Biden he didn't believe perspective sanctions would deter Russia, that the Kremlin would have already factored in the risks.

According to the official, Zelensky told Biden that he would prefer sanctions up front with a delayed implementation and with the option of rolling them back if Russia behaves.

Some frustration was also expressed on the call, apparently, about the slow pace of U.S. weapon shipments to Ukraine, the officials told CNN, especially with a Russian invasion, according to U.S.'s own intelligence, potentially coming as early as next month.

And the official told CNN, there was some disappointment on the issue of NATO membership for Ukraine. President Biden assuring the Ukrainian president that the Kremlin would not be given a veto on that process, but also telling him that Ukraine's membership of the western military alliance would not happen before 2030 at the earliest.

Matthew Chance, CNN, Kiev.

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BRUNHUBER (on camera): Joining us now to talk about this is Natasha Lindstaedt, who teaches government at the University of Essex in England. Thanks so much for being with us here. So, broad strokes with the forces massed on Ukraine's border, all these calls between world leaders, threats, counterthreats. How close are we to actual conflict here?

NATASHA LINDSTAEDT, PROFESSOR OF GOVERNMENT, UNIVERSITY OF ESSEX: I still think that the conflict is not going to take place because I think the stakes are too high.

What I think that Putin is trying to do at the moment is to deter any further encroachments into Ukraine and send very clear signals to Zelensky, any Ukrainian population, that moving westward, continuing to aim to join NATO, is not something that Russians are going to tolerate. And by amassing such huge amounts of troops along the border, they are trying to deter Ukraine from going any further, from crossing any red lines.

I know that Biden has been trying very hard to use diplomatic tactics rather than what's Zelensky wants him to do, which would be employ harsh economic sanctions beforehand and to make promises that U.S. troops would back up Ukrainian troops should the Russians invade.

But that is not going to happen. Biden has made that clear. He is trying to convince the Ukrainians to tone down some of the rhetoric, whether actions are taking place, that are causing Putin and the Russians to believe that Ukraine has moved too far to the west.

BRUNHUBER: Okay. So, as you're saying, they want the U.S. to take harsher measures, including economic measures. But as we heard from our reporting just now, sanctions against Russia's energy sector, they would hit Russia where it hurts, but the Biden administration seems unwilling to go after oil and gas because Biden himself could suffer politically if gas prices here in the U.S. go any higher. So, when it comes to sanctions, is he sort of fighting with one arm tied behind his back?

LINDSTAEDT: It will be very difficult to employ all of the different types of sanctions like on oil and gas because this would be hugely unpopular with European partners that are dependent on Russian gas, particularly over a harsh winter.

So, these types of sanctions that they might employ might be more banking restrictions and this is similar to what is used in Iran. This would have an impact. It wouldn't bring Russia to its knees, but what we have seen already with the sanctions that have been utilized in Russia, they have made it almost impossible for Russia's economy to grow. So, harsher sanctions would definitely be tough on Russia but it wouldn't cause its economy to completely crumble.

BRUNHUBER: So, Biden also spoke with Bucharest Nine, a group of NATO members near Russia. Lithuania is calling for U.S. troops in the Baltics. So, what can the U.S. and NATO do militarily that won't be seen as Moscow -- by Moscow as crossing that red line?

LINDSTAEDT: I think anything that they do further to what has already happened to the status quo is going to be viewed by Russia in a provocative way. But what they will probably be doing is ensuring that NATO allies and partners -- I should say NATO members have more missile defense systems in place, have more support. There is already missile defensive system in Romania and in Poland, and Biden is making clear that he is going to bolster the efforts there.

But he can't go too far when it comes to Ukraine because Putin has already made that clear, that that is really one step too far. What Putin wants is assurances that Ukraine is never going to join NATO.

[02:10:00] LINDSTAEDT: This is the big quandary that Biden has inherited. Back in April, in 2008, there was the Bucharest compromise, which is where they had made promises to Ukraine and Georgia that they could become NATO members. From that point on, Putin viewed the west as encroaching upon what he believes is Russian sphere of influence and there has been tension ever since that point.

BRUNHUBER: So then in Biden and Putin's call, they agreed their sides will hold forthcoming talks on these issues. So, what do expect to come out of it?

LINDSTAEDT: I think Biden is going to try to make further assurances that these fears, that Ukraine is any kind of threat to Russia, are manufactured, that a western friendly Ukraine poses no direct threat to Russia. But if Russia decides to act, if Russia decides to invade, that these really tough sanctions will be employed and Biden is not afraid to do so.

But I think there is going to be more talks because I really think that it is not in Putin's interest to invade Ukraine at this moment. I think it is domestically popular to amass troops on the border to appear to be tough and to not tolerate further, you know, Ukraine furthering itself towards the west.

But to actually invade Ukraine, I mean, this could be a very long, drawn out conflict. We've already seen the conflict in the (INAUDIBLE) region extend itself for years and years, and I don't think this would be popular. So, he is making his calculations based on -- Putin is making his calculations based on his own political survival. He is not going to take any step that could in any way cause them to be ousted from power.

BRUNHUBER: So much at stake. We will be watching this story with fascination. Thanks so much for your analysis, Natasha Lindstaedt. I really appreciate it.

LINDSTAEDT: Thanks for having me.

BRUNHUBER: In the coming hours, journalist Maria Ressa will receive the Nobel Peace Prize at a ceremony in Oslo, Norway. Ressa is CEO of the online new site Rappler and outspoken critic of the president of the Philippines.

Ressa was awarded the prize along with investigative journalist Dmitry Muratov for their efforts to safeguard freedom of expression in the Philippines and Russia. She says journalists must keep doing their job and expressed her concerns over a growing threat to the freedom of the press.

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MARIA RESSA, JOURNALIST, CEO OF RAPPLER: It is a time that is pivotal. I think the Nobel committee shining the light on journalists is one side of the coin. The other side is, what are we going to do so that we can be safer? So that we can bring the facts back? Because just doing the stories alone, unfortunately, isn't going to be enough at this moment in time.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: Maria also spent nearly two decades at CNN, reporting from Southeast Asia. She joins me now from Oslo. Congratulations! It must be such a relief to actually be able to attend the ceremony. What are you doing now? How do you prepare for a moment like this?

RESSA: It has been a whirlwind. And yes, I didn't know until the last minute whether I could be here, but the fact that I am here, you know, is already -- is exhilarating. How do you prepare? Kim, I don't know. You know, I'm still doing the screen, that painting. Now, our schedule is packed and we'll just -- up until the Nobel lecture this afternoon.

BRUNHUBER: The speech all ready. You know exactly what you're going to say?

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RESSA: Trying, you know. How do you compress a lifetime into a few minutes?

BRUNHUBER: Yeah, that is the question. Listen, you know, we are thrilled for you. But on a more somber and serious note, I mean, you and your fellow laureate are the first journalists to get the Nobel Prize since 1935. You have said before that there are worrying parallels to the social environment then. Explain that for us.

RESSA: Yeah, absolutely. I think that the Nobel committee, by giving this to journalists today, is saying that we are at the same kind of historical moment. Actually, Carl von Ossietzky, the last journalist to win this award, languished in a Nazi concentration camp. He could not come to Oslo to get his award. Imagine that kind of existential moment for democracy.

I think that is the signal that we are getting globally. Certainly, the kinds of threats journalists are living through, the kinds of sacrifices we've had to make just to do our jobs. It has changed a lot since the time I was with CNN, but, you know, the facts are still rooted at the core of what makes our societies function.

BRUNHUBER: And, you know, on that, I mean, with the rise in authoritarianism worldwide, press freedom increasingly under threat, as you yourself know all too well.

[02:14:57]

BRUNHUBER: The International Federation of Journalists said this last year, 365 journalists have been imprisoned, 130 more than there were last year. Just a few days ago, a journalist in the Philippines was killed. So, how do journalists fight back against this?

RESSA: I knew Jesus Malabanan. He is a former colleague. He was just sitting outside his home when he was shot with a bullet to his head. Look, how do we fight back? We continue doing our jobs. Because the end goal of all of this is to intimidate us, to stop us from doing our jobs.

So -- and you do it in a safe way as possible. We do it by collaborating. We do it by taking the light of the Nobel and shining it on the facts on what we do. And here is the last part, that we need to collaborate, and it isn't just us alone. The power of journalism comes from the power of the people and it has become far harder to get accountability from governments around the world. We need to keep doing our jobs.

BRUNHUBER: I'm wondering about the government in your country, in the Philippines. I mean, the president can't run again, though he's planning to run for Senate. His daughter is running for vice president. The son of a former dictator seems to be among the frontrunners for president. I mean, that doesn't seem to offer much in the way of hope for democracy in your country.

RESSA: Well, look, in many ways, part of the reason we are where we are is because of the disinformation networks that have literally changed the reality. In our May elections next year, you are going to see kind of like a back to the future, to 1986, when Marcos, you know, the son of our former dictator ousted in the people power revolt in 1986, is now the frontrunner running with the daughter of President Duterte. But Marcos is running against another woman.

I think we don't know what will happen, you know. That is precisely why this moment matters. We must take the right steps forward. The Philippines, again, is a canary in the coal mine. If we don't have integrity of facts, history will be changed, and we will not have integrity of elections.

BRUNHUBER: You know, I keep coming back to this. This must be an unbelievable moment for you as you enjoy this in your room there in Oslo. But, you know, still looking in the future. I mean, you have still several cases pending against you. As you mentioned, I mean, the last journalist who won the Nobel ended up in jail. Do you expect that to be yet another parallel?

RESSA: It could be. I mean, I will be honest, I don't know what the future holds when I leave here after the awarding. I will go back to Manila and I will fight my cases in court, depending on what happens in the next months, right? But you know what? This is worth the risk. We have to keep doing our jobs because what we do at this time matters. It will help determine our future.

BRUNHUBER: Well, listen, you know, all the success, well deserved, congratulations. All your hard work and courage paying off with this tremendous award. Congratulations again, Maria Ressa. Thank you so much for joining us.

RESSA: Thank you.

BRUNHUBER: All right, coming up on "CNN Newsroom," dozens of people are dead and many more injured after a truck crashed in Southern Mexico. Desperate migrants are believed to be most of the victims.

Plus, U.S. President Joe Biden is calling on world leaders to help in what he calls the backward slide of democracy. We will look at how China is reacting to his democracy summit next. Stay with us.

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BRUNHUBER (on camera): As U.S. President Joe Biden works to defuse the situation between Ukraine and Russia, he's leading a summit for democracy. Biden kicked off the virtual meeting on Thursday with a warning that democracy is under threat. He says protecting current rights and freedoms is the defining challenge of our time, and the world leaders have to work together to push back against the rise in authoritarianism.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Democracy needs champions. We know as well as anyone that renewing our democracy and strengthening our democratic institutions require constant effort. American democracy is an ongoing struggle to live up to our highest ideals and to heal our divisions.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER (on camera): Day two of the summit will begin in the coming hours with a focus on protecting human rights. China has been quick to condemn the virtual summit, calling it a political maneuver by the U.S. to safeguard its own interests.

CNN's Kristie Lu Stout joins me live from Hong Kong. So, Kristie, China's reaction to this, dismissive, fair to say? And instead trying to sell its own version of democracy? Take us through the messages coming from Beijing.

KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, and in fact, it was China's Taiwan Affairs Office that issued that statement earlier today, calling it a -- quote -- "political maneuver." We also heard from an op-ed in "The Global Times," state-run tabloid, calling Biden's democracy forum --- quote -- "a joke."

The United States invited representatives from over 100 governments all around the world who attend this two-day virtual summit on democracy. China was not invited. Taiwan was invited. In fact, Taiwan's digital minister, Audrey Tang, will be speaking shortly on the topic of countering digital authoritarianism.

Also speaking at this Biden event is Nathan Law. He is, of course, the exiled Hong Kong pro-democracy activist. He is to speak at about 7:30 a.m. Eastern time on Friday.

China has denounced the summit for the last week. And last weekend, China did an interesting thing. It casted itself as a democracy -- in an alternative democracy to the United States. It hosted its own virtual forum. It invited representatives from 120 governments all around the world. And also, the state council issued a very lengthy white paper and the title of that white paper was -- quote --"China: Democracy that Works." So, we have an excerpt of that white paper for you. Take a look at it. In it, it says this: "There is no fixed model of democracy. It manifests itself in many forms. Assessing the myriad political systems in the world against a single yardstick and examining diverse political structures in monochrome are in themselves undemocratic."

Look, most international observers would agree that China is not a democracy. It is a single party state. There is no separation of powers. There is no universal suffrage or independent media. But China is taking this tack of casting itself as a democracy and a democracy that works. Back to you.

BRUNHUBER: Interesting. So, maybe another blow for democracy, Nicaragua's decision to cut ties with Taiwan in favor of a closer relationship with China?

LU STOUT: Yeah, this was announced on Thursday. Nicaragua has announced that it is ending its formal diplomatic relationship with Taiwan and it is forming an alliance with China instead. That leaves Taiwan with only 14 formal diplomatic allies, including 13 countries and the Vatican.

Now, the United States is not a formal diplomatic ally of Taiwan, but the U.S. State Department did release a statement on this. We have it and will bring it up for you. In it, it says, "We encourage all countries that value democratic institutions, transparency, the rule of law, and promoting economic prosperity for their citizens to expand engagement with Taiwan" -- unquote.

Again, I want to reiterate U.S. does not formally recognize Taiwan but felt compelled to issue the statement. Many political observers have said that the fact that Nicaragua made this move is a manifestation of China's economic clout and its power. Back to you, Kim.

BRUNHUBER: All right. Thanks so much, Kristie Lu stout, in Hong Kong.

LU STOUT: Thank you.

BRUNHUBER: In London, a scathing verdict on China's policy against Uyghurs.

[02:25:00]

BRUNHUBER: On Thursday, an unofficial tribunal ruled the treatment of Uyghurs and other minorities amounts to genocide. The ruling also says China's top leaders, including its president, are responsible. The Uyghur tribunal heard from hundreds of witnesses before reaching the conclusion about the tribunal is unofficial and has no power of sanction or enforcement. China is accused of running a massive network of detention camps for Uyghurs and other minorities. Beijing calls them work training centers.

Steven Jiang joins us live from Beijing. Steven, so, this tribunal, as I said, has no power, but there could be more concrete consequences for China down the road from the U.S.?

STEVEN JIANG, CNN BEIJING BUREAU CHIEF: That's right. That is why, you know, in a way, the Chinese authorities are probably more concerned about the legislation in the U.S. Congress. As you know, the House of Representatives just passed the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act that would potentially ban all imports of goods and products made in the Xinjiang region. Obviously, the U.S. Senate has passed its version of the bill. Now, the two versions need to be reconciled before it can be sent to President Biden to sign into law.

But, you know, at least this potential law would have some teeth unlike the verdict, which is not surprising from the Uyghur tribunal. And the Chinese's reaction to that tribunal's verdict is also not surprising because from day one since this tribunal was set up, they have relentlessly been attacking it both from officials and from state media, saying the whole thing was a so-called political farce based on lies, orchestrated by anti-China forces aimed at smearing China.

So, really, familiar language by now whenever they just try to push back accusations involving their Xinjiang policy. But all of this is, of course, is not happening in a vacuum. As you just heard Kristie described at length, there are counter narrative arguments about, you know, other things, including their definition of democracy.

And from their perspective, the U.S. is really leading this global campaign, calling out on China's human rights record not just on Xinjiang, but also on Tibet, Hong Kong and many other areas, and that's why they've been pushing back ferociously in the past few days and weeks. Kim?

BRUNHUBER: And one of the other big stories involving China, the Olympic boycotts. But China, you know, it got some support, if you can call it that, maybe from an unlikely source, France, saying the sports world must be protected from political interference which, correct me if I'm wrong, sounds a lot like a line straight out of Beijing.

JIANG: That's right. That's certainly something the state media here has been highlighting here and also reporting extensively. But, you know, the way you look at this, you know, they are very, very furious over the U.S.-led diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics.

But it's also a bit ironic because their official line is, we don't care. But for someone who doesn't care about the U.S.-led diplomatic boycott, they've been making a lot of noises, even threats, warning of consequences for both the U.S. and other allies that have joined the U.S. So far, of course, they have been quiet about what those -- quote unquote -- "countermeasures" would entail. Kim?

BRUNHUBER: All right. Thanks so much, Steven Jiang, in Beijing.

A horrific deadly crash in Southern Mexico. At least 54 people were killed Thursday when a tractor trailer crammed with people collided with a truck and overturned. Most of the victims are believed to be migrants. More than 100 more were injured. Emergency officials told local media the dead include men, women, and children. It happened in Chiapas state which borders Guatemala. Mexico's foreign minister confirmed that foreign nationals were among those killed.

Countries across Europe are seeing record coronavirus cases and intensive care units are filling up. We will take a look at what governments in the region are doing to try to stop the spread.

Plus, ghost of Christmas (INAUDIBLE) hunting Prime Minister Boris Johnson, but he is trying to focus on Christmas future and the Omicron outbreak. That's ahead. Stay with us.

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[02:30:00]

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KIM BRUNHUBER, CNN HOST: The World Health Organization says Africa now accounts for almost half of the nearly 1000 Omicron cases reported worldwide. Have a look here. As you can see, COVID cases are up more than 50 percent over the past week in the southern part of the continent. The Omicron variant has now reached at least 57 countries 10 of which are in Africa. A WHO official detailed the scale of the surge on Thursday.

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DR. THIERNO BALDE, WHO REGIONAL OFFICE FOR AFRICA: Over the past seven days that we have seen definitely a kind of major increase in the number of cases, almost 255 percent of increase during the past seven days in terms of the number of cases. And in terms of admissions in both public and also private hospitals, we are seeing also an increasing number of cases and that this is about almost 12 percent of increase when we look at the past 24 hours that was as of yesterday.

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BRUNHUBER: And the African continent isn't alone. Many countries around the world are seeing an increase in cases. Australia's New South Wales is reporting more than 500 new infections for the first time since early October. Health officials believe spreading larger social venues like pubs, clubs and party settings. Germany is seeing some of the highest infection numbers since the beginning of the pandemic. More lives are also being lost.

The country reported nearly 500 deaths on Thursday, the highest daily toll since February. And France recorded more than 56,000 new cases on Thursday. That as the country's ICU beds are more than 50 percent full. So for more on all this, let's bring in CNN's Jim Bittermann joining us live from Paris. So Jim, some areas in France are enacting an emergency plan. So tell us about what that entails and what brought them to this point.

JIM BITTERMANN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: This is a so called White Plan. And there are several regions, as many as perhaps seven and perhaps even the entire country eventually will go to this White Plan which allows hospitals basically to put off surgeries so that they can lighten the load on the ICU unit. So the ICU units can be more utilized for COVID patients.

This is a real indicator, the health officials watch this probably as much as anything else because they believe that, you know, the real pressure on these hospitals is coming in those ICU units where they're treating people who are suffering from COVID. The cases are very, very high in France and in Germany. In Germany, Olaf Scholz, the new Chancellor there basically had a meeting with the heads of the 16 lander, the 16 federal states and talked about what kind of measures he'll be taking.

One of the things that they're going to be debating in the Bundestag in Germany is the whole idea of vaccine mandates. That hasn't come to that stage here in France, but it will come to that stage in Austria, where in fact the government has decided that as of February, there will be a vaccine mandate and any violators of this vaccine mandate will be fined 3600 euros. So it's a real moment for the Europeans to get very serious about what they're seeing in these rising numbers. Kim.

BRUNHUBER: All right. Thanks so much. Jim Bittermann in Paris. Problems continue to mount for UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Investigations have been announced into three alleged Christmas parties held by government officials last year while the country was in lockdown. Now this as Johnson tries to implement new code restrictions to stem the spread of the Omicron variant. But he's getting pushback from an angry public and some members of his own party.

So let's go to CNN's Salma Abdelaziz in London outside 10, Downing Street. Salma, more backlash against Boris Johnson on several fronts. What's the latest?

[02:35:00]

SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN REPORTER: Well, you now have an investigation that's been launched of course, at the request of Prime Minister Boris Johnson by his cabinet secretary. The Cabinet Secretary will be looking into three separate incidences. Two of them, two alleged gatherings taking place in Downing Street right behind me here, the Prime Minister's residence and offices.

One of them is of course, December 18. That is the video, the alleged video that leaked video that we saw a few days ago, that is the incident in question the party in question that December 18th one. A second one, of course, on November 27. It is alleged that the Prime Minister gave an impromptu speech at that Christmas party.

But here's the bottom-line, Kim. It is very difficult to imagine regardless of what this investigation finds, what on earth, the Prime Minister can say, to explain or justify or make that leaked video go away where it appears his staff are joking and laughing about COVID-19 restrictions, making light of the situation, making a mockery of the rules while laughing about a potentially a Christmas party that took place right behind me here.

It's also very difficult to imagine Kim, how on earth the Prime Minister can say for the public, he did not know what was taking place again, at his home in residence under lockdown by his own staff during COVID-19 restrictions. It's hard for me to emphasize just how much this has angered and frustrated the nation. What you're going to see next really is Prime Minister Boris Johnson fighting for his survival. And it's important here to note, this is not the Prime Minister's first scandal.

I think it's pretty fair to say that this is a scandal prone government and many of those scandals have had to do with people behind me here, this very government being seemed to be above the law, violating COVID restrictions or making light of COVID restrictions. So the question now is, will his party, will the Conservative Party continue to back the prime minister through yet another scandal or does the tide begin to turn?

There's not an election in this country again for a few more years, but there's always that possibility of a no-confidence vote. That doesn't happen overnight. That takes time that takes a sea change, that takes essentially a mutiny against Prime Minister Boris Johnson within his own party. But questions are being asked right now about his ability to lead, about his moral authority during the pandemic.

The other one here, of course, is the court of public opinion. And again, it's very hard to imagine how the Prime Minister can win back hearts and minds. How he can make that leaked video of his staff joking and laughing about a Christmas party while people were dying by the hundreds of the virus. How he can make that OK, how he can make that go away, Kim?

BRUNHUBER: Yes, but as you pointed out every time we think it's one scandal too far, turns out to not true. We'll see whether we weathers this. Salma Abdelaziz in London, thank you so much. But there was some good news for the Prime Minister, Thursday, a bundle of good news, you can say. He and his wife, Carrie announced the birth of a healthy baby girl. Now this is the couple's second child. Their son Wilfred, was born in April last year. Earlier this year, Mrs. Johnson said she had a miscarriage before announcing she was pregnant again.

A jury has found actor Jussie Smollett guilty of lying to police about being the victim of a hate crime. Smollett told authorities in January of 2019 that he was the victim of a racist and homophobic attack near his Chicago apartment. Police investigated the case as a possible hate crime but soon said he paid two brothers he knew from the TV show, Empire to stage the incident for publicity.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAN WEBB, SPECIAL PROSECUTOR: During my closing argument, I told the jury that I thought the evidence was overwhelming that in fact, Mr. Smollett had faked a hate crime and then lied to the police about it and then compounded his crimes by lying to the jury during the course of this trial and insulting their intelligence.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: Smollett was found guilty on five of six charges and will be sentenced at a later date. His lawyer say he will appeal the verdict. A false crime report is a felony, punishable by up to three years in prison and $25,000 Fine. All right, up next on CNN Newsroom, an emotional reunion for a group of COVID survivors and the doctors and nurses who kept them alive. Stay with us.

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[02:40:00]

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BRUNHUBER: Some participants in a Saudi Arabian beauty contest for camels wanted to win so badly, they injected their animals with Botox. Yes. Camel Botox injections. The King Abdul Aziz Camel Festival awards more than $66 million in prize money. Festival officials discovered dozens of cases of tampering including the use of Botox, silicone and other fillers. More than 40 camels were disqualified. The festival spokesperson says their owners will have to pay fines of up to $27,000.

Some COVID survivors in California have reunited with the doctors and nurses who cared for them in their darkest hours. There were plenty of hugs and tears at Providence Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo, Thursday, and many words of thanks.

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PATRICK DEBBER, 50-YEAR OLD COVID SURVIVOR: This guy saved my life basically. He is an integral part of my recovery and success. So for me getting back to where I am today, so I owe it all to him.

DR. RUDY MARQUEZ, PHYSICIAN: It's really great to kind of makes you feel like all the hard work we did was worth it because we were, especially last winter, we were working seven days a week, every single day coming in taking care of all the patients. So it's very gratifying to see people come back and see how healthy they are because that wasn't always the case.

PAUL MANZONE, 57-YEAR OLD COVID SURVIVOR: You know, if it wasn't for you guys giving us both strength and hope, it would have been more difficult, if not impossible. I just wanted to say how much we care and thank you.

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BRUNHUBER: The former patients also contributed items for the hospitals time capsule, which will help future generations learn about the pandemic. All right, I'm Kim Brunhuber. I'll be back in about 15 minutes with more CNN Newsroom. World Sport is next.

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[02:45:00]

GEOFFREY FIEGER, ATTORNEY SUING OXFORD COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT: It's a lawsuit to take action, to stop simply talking and giving lip service to what's now they're doing the (Kumbaya) at Oxford High where everyone is expected as part of the school community to come together and join and overcome it.

When you can't overcome it without answers, what answers and I would like them and the parents would like them, give me the answers to why a mass killer was allowed to, in the face of knowledge that he was writing things that would make a reasonable person believe that he was about to commit some type of crime, that he was drawing pictures that showed mass murder, that he was seeking ammunition on the internet, all known and all possessed by the teachers, brought down to the counselor's office by teachers.

There is a school liaison police officer that was never involved in it. The parents were brought in, they were told, admittedly, and the prosecutors revealed this, that the teachers and the counselors felt he needed to have immediate counselling.

DON LEMON, CNN HOST: We lost him. Sorry about that. Geoffrey Fieger is representing the Franz family. And we'll see. We must remember that the four families lost their children, there were other students who were severely injured in here. The community is really shaken by that. And the question is, will this lawsuit expand? Or will they add on other lawsuits. We'll follow it all. Sorry about that. We'll have him back.

An unprecedented number of fatal car crashes in this country. What does it have to do with the pandemic? Stay with us?

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[02:50:00]

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LEMON: 38,680 deaths on U.S. roads last year, the most fatality since 2007. And that's even with pandemic precautions drastically reducing the number of drivers on the road. So what gives? Well, some experts are saying that this is due to an overall lack of civility in our society, a lack of civility that we've seen in school board meetings.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK, right, right here, look right here. So as you can see, fists are now flying, all of this on live television, fists are flying.

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LEMON: Over mask mandates.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We know who you are. No more masks.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Please stay calm. (END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: And on airplanes.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You gave me one [BEEP] warning, one warning.

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LEMON: But with more than 229 million licensed drivers, the risks to you and your family are higher than ever. So joining me now is Pam Shadel Fischer from the Governor's Highway Safety Association. So glad to have you on. Thank you. This is crazy. As I say, there's more than 38,000 deaths on U.S. roads last year that that's a 7.2 increase over 2019. And there were fewer drivers on the road, I have to say. What is this increase about? Is it stress? Is it anxiety? Can you make sense of these numbers?

PAM SHADEL FISCHER, SENIOR DIRECTOR OF EXTERNAL ENGAGEMENT, GOVERNOR'S HIGHWAY SAFETY ASSOC: It's a combination of so many things. But it really does come down to a lack of regard for themselves and everybody else out there on the road. I mean, people are taking incredible risks, driving at high rates of speed, driving impaired on alcohol, drugs, sometimes multiple substances at the same time, not wearing seatbelts, which people say to me, but everybody wears a seatbelt, but they aren't wearing seatbelts. They're using their cell phones.

They're engaging in behaviors that not only put themselves at risk, but everybody else out there. So there is this disregard and it's like this lack of civility has really carried over onto the roadway system, and we're paying for it. We're paying for it with lives, families are, you know, losing loved ones at numbers that we have not seen in decades. And it is so frustrating to all of us in traffic safety because we were making gains and now we're going backwards.

LEMON: I'm sure there's - I hope there are studies done on other industries and in other areas to see if this is happening across society. And I think it will probably show that it is. One expert told the LA Times that and I quote here, I fear we have adopted some really unsafe driving habits and they're going to persist, our roads are less safe than they were pre pandemic. Another said, we might decide what does a seatbelt or another beer matter anyway, when we're in the middle of a pandemic?

Is this type of behavior going to outlast the pandemic you think?

SHADEL FISCHER: We hope not because we had been seeing tremendous gains happening prior to the pandemic, we were getting the numbers to go back down. And so you know, we reversed it. And I think there's just been so much stress, so much, you know, just feeling like you're losing control. And so people are getting out there on the road, and they saw open highways, and they were saying, Wow, I can really put pedal to the metal, I can push it, I can do things you know, just to kind of relieve some of that stress. A lot of people have been medicating, using alcohol, using drugs, because they're so stressed out. When you put that combination of alcohol and drugs and you get behind the wheel. And you are literally a powder keg ready to explode, you could cause damage and really kill someone. And that's what's happening out there. So we have to think about the decisions we make. Those things that we make, we do behind the wheel have a ripple effect.

And it's not just you that's impacted by it, but many other people.

LEMON: Let's talk a little bit more about what you said what I said as well because, again, it's not just reckless driving. There are fistfights on airplanes, people attacking each other over masks. You see people fighting it, you know in the streets, I mean, in the supermarket. It's like something is broken with how we treat each other Pam.

[02:55:00]

SHADEL FISCHER: Yes, there really is, I think it's a matter of we lost sense of, of, as we said, civility, but also of just thinking about looking out for each other. Right? And, and, and I've often - I've heard this I've worked in traffic safety for almost four decades. And people say to me, well, it's a very private thing I'm doing when I'm behind the wheel of a car, I'm in my own vehicle, minding my own business.

But the decisions that you make, the things that you do really do affect other people. And these are all preventable things. So we have to think about, you know, how are those actions that we're taking, affecting our neighbors, our friends, those other people that are out on the road with me. Let's get back to looking out for each other, recognizing that we are living in difficult and very stressful times.

And let's take the actions we can whether it's on the road, or other places to help each other, not hurt each other because that's what's happening.

LEMON: I learned a lot. Pam, thank you so much. You be well. Be safe out there.

SHADEL FISCHER: Thank you. You too.

LEMON: President Biden says the economic recovery is one of the strongest ever but what about all the rest of his party's goals? I'm going to ask Senator Elizabeth Warren right after this.

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