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President Biden Support Ukraine Fully; U.S. Warns Russia; France Combats Spread of Omicron; WHO Warns Rich Countries From Hoarding Vaccines; Tribunal Court Ruled on China's Genocide Acts; Number 10 Allegedly Partied During 2020 Lockdown; Travel Bans On African Countries Disrupting Plans; COVID Cases On The Rise In Parts Of Asia, Australia; U.K. Court Ruling Expected Soon On Assange Extradition; Turks Struggle As Inflation Sinks The Nation's Economy; COVID Survivors Reunited With Their Medical Saviors; Maria Ressa To Receive Award In Coming Hours; Pantone's New Year, New Color. Aired 3- 4a ET
Aired December 10, 2021 - 03:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[03:00:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KIM BRUNHUBER, CNN ANCHOR (on camera): Joe Biden assurances to an ally, the call was with the Ukrainian president, but the message was aimed at Russia.
And unofficial U.K.-based tribunal finds China guilty of genocide, crimes against humanity, and torture of Uyghur Muslims, boosting the U.S. diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics.
Plus, just a few hours from now, journalist Maria Ressa will be awarded her Nobel Peace Prize. She'll share her thoughts with me right here.
Welcome to all of you watching us here in the United States, Canada, and around the world. I'm Kim Brunhuber. This is CNN newsroom.
UNKNOWN: Live from CNN center, this is CNN Newsroom with Kim Brunhuber.
BRUNHUBER: 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 that 125,000 Russian troops are now amassed near its eastern border. And even though Moscow dismisses talk of an invasion as provocative, Russia's military presence keeps growing.
Besides sending money, weapons, and military trainers to Ukraine, Biden says the U.S. is prepared to impose punishing sanctions against Russia if necessary.
We get the latest from CNN's Oren Liebermann at the Pentagon.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): President Joe Biden is trying to lower the temperature as tensions sore 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. That part of the president's objective, our president's objective in having the call was to convey that clearly.
LIEBERMANN: 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 that 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, U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: We would 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: 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 84 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 sanctions targeting Russia's energy sector remain a last resort U.S. officials say as the White House remains wary of roiling domestic gas prices.
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LIEBERMANN (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 don't have the leverage or the influence required to affect criminal decision-making. Meanwhile, how important is that security assistance 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.
BRUNHUBER: 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 mass on Ukraine's borders and these calls between world leaders, counter threats. How close are we to actual conflict here?
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NATASHA LINDSTAEDT, PROFESSOR OF GOVERNMENT, UNIVERSITY OF ESSEX: I still think that conflict is not going to take place because I think the stakes are too high. What I think Putin is trying to do at the moment is to deter any further encroachment into Ukraine and send very clear signals to Zelensky and the Ukrainian population that moving westward, that 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 Zelensky wants him to do which would be to employ harsh economic sanctions beforehand and to make promises that U.S. troops would backup Ukrainian troops should the Russians invade.
But that's not going to happen. Biden has made that clear. He is trying to convince the Ukrainians to tone down some of the rhetoric and whatever actions are taking place that are causing Putin and the Russians to believe that Ukraine has moved too far to the west.
BRUNHUBER: OK. So, as you were 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 of gas prices here in the U.S. going any higher. So, when it comes to sanctions is the sort of fighting with one arm tied behind his back?
LINDSTAEDT: Well, it will be difficult to employ all 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've 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 the Bucharest 9, 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 is crossing that red line?
LINDSTAEDT: I think anything that they do further to what's already happened to what is 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 -- or I should say NATO members have more missile defense systems in place have more support.
There is already missile defense systems 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. And 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 as the Russians fear of influence and there's been tension ever since that point.
BRUNHUBER: So then in Biden and Putin's call they agreed that their sides will hold forthcoming talks on this issue. So, what you 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 that 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's 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 Donbas region extend itself for years and years. And I don't think this would be popular. So, he is making his calculations based on -- Biden is making these calculations based on his own political survival. And he is not going to take any steps that could in any way caused him to be ousted from power.
BRUNHUBER: So much at stake. We'll be watching the story with fascination. Thanks so much for your analysis, Natasha Lindstaedt, I really appreciate it.
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LINDSTAEDT Thanks for having me.
BRUNHUBER: The World Health Organization is urging wealthier countries not to hoard COVID vaccines for boosters as they try to stop the spread of the Omicron variant. The director general says the world is not on track to meet vaccination targets and that lower income countries are especially under threat.
Many of those countries are in Africa where the Omicron variant was first discovered. Just seven and a half percent of the continent's population is fully vaccinated. Europe however is seeing more new infections than anywhere else in the world with case numbers in some countries at their highest since the beginning of the pandemic.
On Thursday, France alone reported more than 56,000 new cases.
So, for more on all of this let's bring in CNN's Jim Bittermann is joining us live from Paris. So, Jim, some areas in France are enacting an emergency plans. Tell us about what that entails and what brought them to this point?
JIM BITTERMANN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Exactly, Kim. That's what's so-called plan blanc, the white plan basically which allows hospitals to put off surgeries in order to relieve the pressure on ICU beds. This is really what a lot of health officials keep an eye on more than even those numbers that have been going up every single day.
The fact is that the percentage of beds being occupied by COVID patients has been going up and up. In fact, it's almost doubled in just over two and a half weeks. So that number is something that prompted them to enact this special emergency plan that will allow them to relieve some of the pressure on the ICU beds which they are looking at.
France has already instituted a number of things to sort of clamp down on the way people operate the mask and the social distancing. They've also required, up to require them for the presentation of the health pass which the French are required to show and all kinds of public situations.
And today, the start of the four-week lockdown in terms of discotheques. So, no further dancing for the next four weeks, I guess in France as they try to get this under control.
President Macron said last night that the numbers are striking enough that there is going to be a reevaluation of the measures that they are taking early next week. So, there may be more to come here, Kim.
BRUNHUBER: All right. We'll be following that for sure. Jim Bittermann in Paris, thank you so much.
Turning now to South Africa, the epicenter of the Omicron variant in the country that seen at 255 percent rise in cases since last week.
David McKenzie joins me now from Johannesburg with the latest. So, David, it's sometimes hard to get the sense of scale when you're talking percentage increases. So, put this into context for us?
DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kim, it came from a low base and that's a good question. Because percentages and numbers in rapidly unfolding outbreak can be difficult to comprehend. And in fact, not necessarily tell you all that much. What it can tell you is according to officials who is speaking just moments ago that there is a fast rise in cases. That it's likely dominated by the Omicron variant.
But the very critical issue outside of cases of course is how many severe cases and hospitalizations and deaths there are. There are still indications very early but still indications that there are fewer severe cases in this wave than previous waves. And fewer deaths at this stage of the surge in cases.
But scientists, Kim, and doctors and clinicians all stress to me that that's just too early to know that definitively. There is some good news in terms of impact of vaccinations something we've seen in the lab show that there is efficacy against this variant to a certain extent.
They say the vast majority of people in hospital right now those who are unvaccinated proving yet again that vaccines have an effect and they do say they are going to be assessing potential lockdowns or other measures over the next week.
I think one thing that's worth stressing and we might have more details on this from the WHO later today. There are indications this is more transmissible. And even if it is not as severe or as severe as previous waves, if there is a level of re-infection and if more people get it, just the sheer weight of new infections could have an impact on hospitals.
And this is something that the head of the WHO stressed in a briefing.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TEDROS ADHANOM GHEBREYESUS, DIRECTOR-GENERAL, WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION: Any complacency now will cost lives. Many of those who don't die could be left battling long COVID or post-COVID conditions. This is with debilitating lingering symptoms that we are only beginning to understand.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
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MCKENZIE (on camera): He said that Omicron could have a major impact on the pandemic. And you've seen countries closing up their borders and tightening restrictions because of that. Although public health officials say that it will have limited effect.
And as you were saying, Kim, many parts of the world have already identified this variant in their countries. And that's only countries which have good surveillance.
I think the next 10 days will be critical to see what happens here in South Africa and in the U.K. which has very close travel ties to South Africa in terms of whether this is a very worrying variant for hospitalizations, or if it can be the case, that this is actually less severe. We should get indications on that in the coming weeks. Kim?
BRUNHUBER: Yes. We will be looking for that as we look for those more definitive answers to those questions.
David McKenzie in Johannesburg, thank you so much.
At least 54 people killed in southern Mexico Thursday when a tractor trailer crammed with people collided with a truck and overturned. Most of the victims are believed to be migrants. Emergency officials told local media the dead include men, women, and children.
Matt Rivers has the latest.
MATT RIVERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, just a horrific tragedy in southern Mexico on Thursday afternoon. Where state authorities in the state of Chiapas which borders Guatemala say that scores of migrants were riding in a trailer when that trailer was involved in a traffic accident. It overturned, and as a result of that more than 50 migrants died in this accident.
State authorities also saying dozens of migrants were injured as a result. Many of them with serious injuries taken to local hospitals. Mexico's president, Mexico's foreign minister both extending their condolences on Thursday afternoon with Mexico's foreign minister saying that citizens of several different nationalities were involved in this accident.
We know the president of Guatemala has acknowledged that Guatemalans were a part of that group of migrants heading north. The people that lost their lives saying that Guatemala will assist in repatriating the bodies of some of those people and some of those Guatemalans who lost their lives.
You know, this is a reminder of just how dangerous this journey can be for migrants heading north. Unfortunately, it is not all that uncommon for migrants to lose their lives in traffic accidents after trying to get rides north. Although of course this accident stands out just because of how many migrants were involved. Both those killed and also those injured.
And you know, this accident comes not long after a report was released by the International Organization for Migration which said that at least 650 people in the last year crossing from Mexico across the southern border into the United States lost their lives. That is the largest such number since 2014.
This accident in southern Mexico just a stark reminder about how dangerous the journey is for migrants on their way to the U.S. border.
Matt Rivers, CNN, Mexico City. BRUNHUBER: China takes a symbolic blow over the way it's been
treating its Uyghur minority. Still ahead, an official tribunal rules that Beijing committed genocide. We'll explain why there isn't much the panel can do about it but sharp criticism from China as U.S. President Joe Biden holds a summit for democracy. We'll look at what they had to say next. Stay with us.
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BRUNHUBER (on camera): China is taking a rhetorical bruising over its treatment of Uyghurs just as the world begins to mark the international Human Rights Day. An official tribunal in London ruled that Beijing's policy toward Uyghurs and other minorities amounts to genocide.
The ruling also said Chinese top leaders including President Xi Jinping are responsible. The Uyghur tribunal heard from hundreds of witnesses before reaching the conclusion. Now the panel has no way of enforcing its verdict. But this was the reasoning behind it. Listen to this.
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GEOFFREY NICE, CHAIR, UYGHUR TRIBUNAL: On the basis of evidence heard in public the tribunal is satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that the PRC by the imposition of measures to prevent births intended to destroy a significant part of the Uyghurs in Xinjiang, as such, has committed genocide.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRUNHUBER (on camera): Steven Jiang joins us live from Beijing. So, Steven, as I mentioned this tribunal has no real power but there could be more concrete consequences for China down the road from the U.S.
STEVEN JIANG, CNN SENIOR PRODUCER: That's right. That's why in a way they are 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 which would potentially ban all imports of goods and products made in Xinjiang.
The U.S. Senate already passed its version of the bill. Now the two versions just need to be reconciled before it can be sent to President Biden to sign into law. So that potential law would actually have some teeth.
In terms of this tribunal, you know, this verdict is probably not surprising. So as the official Chinese response. From day one since the tribunal was set up the government here and the state-run media have been relentless in attacking of this set up and this process calling all the witnesses liars, actors, clowns and saying this process was nothing but a political farce. Orchestrated by anti-China forces aimed at smearing China. So very familiar line of counterattacks or language every time they
tried to push back at accusations in terms of the Xinjiang policy. But this of course is also taking place in a broader context of the U.S.- led global campaign calling out China on its human rights record. Not just on Xinjiang but also on Tibet, on Hong Kong and many other areas.
That's why from Beijing's perspective they are feeling a growing sense of it being under attack being under siege. That's why they have been ferociously pushing back at this in this area in the past few days and weeks.
But the problem is of course when you look at their record at just one recent example of how they deployed the entire state apparatus to silence and to censor the sexual assault allegations of their tennis star Peng Shua against a senior Chinese leader. That really just runs counter to all of their counter narrative arguments. Kim?
BRUNHUBER: Among the things in that broader context of criticism of China you were alluding to there, the Olympic boycott. China got some support, if you can call it that, from what we might think of an unlikely source. France saying that they won't support the boycott and that the sports world must be protected from political interference which sounds a bit like a line straight out of Beijing.
JIANG: That's right. That's why it's a little wonder state media here has been highlighting Macron's remarks. Really extensively reporting it. Because they've really been furious over this U.S.-led diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics.
In the past few days, ironically, even though they claim they don't care about the U.S. actions they have been making a lot of noise and even threats, a warning the U.S. and other allies that have joined the U.S. in this diplomatic boycott of consequences.
But so far, they haven't revealed what kind of, quote, unquote, "countermeasures would entail." Kim?
BRUNHUBER: All right. Thank you so much. Steven Jiang in Beijing.
Day two of U.S. President Joe Biden's summit for democracy will get underway in the coming hours. And focus on protecting human rights. Biden kicked off the virtual meetings on Thursday with a warning that democracy is under threat. Saying protecting current rights and freedoms is the defining challenge of our time. And that world leaders must work together to push back against a rise in authoritarianism.
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 is trying to sell its own version of democracy. Take us through the messages coming from Beijing.
[03:25:05] KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely. You know, China continues to denounce Biden's democracy forum. It was China's Taiwan affairs office that called the day, quote, "political maneuver." The state-run Global Times dismissed it outright as, quote, "a joke."
The United States invited representatives from over 100 governments around the world to take part in this two-day virtual summit on democracy in China was not invited. Taiwan was invited. In fact, Taiwan's digital minister, Audrey Tang will be speaking shortly. She'll be addressing how to confront digital authoritarianism.
Also speaking is Nathan Law. He is Hong Kong's exile pro- democracy activist now based in London and he has been branded a secessionist and a traitor by Chinese leaders and Hong Kong leaders as well.
In the run-up to Biden's democracy forum, China and state run media have been slamming it. And China has also been casting itself as a Democracy that's better than the United States. In fact, last weekend it hosted its own virtual summit and at the same time its state council issued a very lengthy white paper called China Kowloon democracy that works.
We have an excerpt for you, let's bring it up. And in it, it says, this quote, "there is no fix model democracy. It manifests itself in many forms. Assessing the myriad of political systems in the world against a single yardstick and examining diverse political structures in monochrome are in themselves undemocratic." Unquote.
Now 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 independent media. There is no universal suffrage. So why is China doing this? Why is China casting itself as this, quote, "democracy that works?" Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JEAN-PIERRE CABESTAN, PROFESSOR, HONG KONG BAPTIST UNIVERSITY: I think China is on the offensive. China wants to demonstrate its political system, it's not only a system which deliver but also a better system it wants to demonstrate that the one-party system which preside upon China's destiny for now 70 years. That it is the best system for China but also maybe for the rest of the world.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LU STOUT: China observers are saying that China right now is out to assert the superiority of its political system. And it comes at a politically sensitive time. You know, China's economy is slowing down.
And meanwhile, we are seeing the Biden administration continue to shore up these alliances resulting, and as you've seen this last week this almost cascade of diplomatic boycotts ahead of the Beijing Winter Olympic Games. Kim?
BRUNHUBER: So, Kristie, these claims of Chinese democracy might have sort of raise eyebrows around the world. But maybe not in Nicaragua. They decided to cut ties with Taiwan in favor of a closer relationship with China.
LU STOUT: Yes. On Thursday, Nicaragua made this announcement they are no longer have a formal diplomatic relationship with Taiwan. Rather they have switched allegiance to China and that means Taiwan now has only about 14 formal diplomatic allies including 13 countries and the Vatican.
And the United States, the State Department has issued a statement about this. Especially as U.S. President Joe Biden is hosting this democracy for them. We have the statement and we'll bring it up for you. And in it, it says this. Quote, "we encourage all countries that value democratic institutions, transparency, the rule of law and promoting economic prosperity for the citizens to expand engagement with Taiwan." Unquote.
The U.S. is encouraging others to expand engagement with Taiwan. I should note that the United States itself does not formally recognize Taiwan. Back to you.
BRUNHUBER: All right. I appreciate you tackling all the story for us. Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong.
LU STOUT: You're welcome.
BRUNHUBER: Coming up, it might not be a holly jolly Christmas for Prime Minister Boris Johnson as he faces a Christmas party scandal and pushback over new COVID restrictions.
Plus, we'll have the latest developments on the rise of COVID on parts of Asia and Australia. We'll have a live report from Sydney after the break. Stay with us.
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KIM BRUNHUBER, CNN ANCHOR (on camera): Problems continue to mount for U.K. 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. Though London Metropolitan Police say they won't investigate because of lack of evidence.
Meanwhile, Johnson is trying to implement new COVID restrictions to stem the spread of the omicron variant. But he is getting pushback from an angry public and some members of his own party.
Let's go to CNN's Salma Abdelaziz outside 10 Downing Street in London. So, Salma, a bit of good news there for the besieged Boris Johnson with this announcement from police that they won't investigate these alleged parties just coming out now. What is the latest on that?
SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN PRODUCER (on camera): Well, a lot going on this morning, Kim. An investigation now launched at the request of the Prime Minister to be carried out by his cabinet secretary. Three different gatherings by officials are going to be investigated. Two of them allegedly taking place in the building right behind me here, 10 Downing Street.
The first on November 27th, allegedly a party that took place another Christmas Party with Downing Street officials, it is alleged that Prime Minister Boris Johnson actually gave an impromptu speech at that November 27th gathering.
And the second, of course, is the December 18th Christmas Party, the allegations there as well that Downing Street staff were gathered and not, of course, is the incident that sent shockwaves across this country, when that leaked video from our affiliate ITV appear to show Downing Street laughing and joking about being at that party. Sarcastically mocking COVID restrictions.
Now the Met police has also released a statement as you pointed out. They do not to retroactively investigate parties, but they are in touch with the cabinet secretary, that if there is any relevant evidence or information that comes to light, it will be passed on to the Met police.
But separate of this investigation, Kim, there is the court of public opinion. I can tell you the Prime Minister has already lost their. That's because it's very difficult, just imagine. The Prime Minister has so far maintained, there's no party, no COVID rules were broken.
But as you can imagine, it's very difficult to accept that the Prime Minister at his own home and residents would have staff gathered for a Christmas Party, his own staff during lockdown and he would have no knowledge of that incident.
That is why there is so much outrage across this country. A sense of the Prime Minister is quite simply lying to the public. So you are really going to see happen here next is the Prime Minister fight for survival. And there's a couple of levels to that.
First of all, this is not the Prime Minister's first scandal. It's fair to say, this is quite a scandal prone administration. And this is an administration has time and time again being accused of violating COVID restrictions, of behaving elitist of being above the law, of setting loss but not carrying out those laws to themselves and applying them to themselves.
So, the first question will be, will the Conservative Party, the Prime Minister's Party continue to back and continue to support him through yet another scandal. And there's the public, how do you win back hearts and minds? There is no election in this country for a few more years. But there's always that possibility of a no confidence vote. That won't happen overnight, that would take time.
And the other element here is like him or dislike him. Everyone in this country will tell you this Prime Minister can survive the scandal. It appears that he has nine lives. The question is was this his ninth life? Kim?
BRUNHUBER: Yeah. Exactly, well put. Salma Abdelaziz, in London, thank you so much.
Concerns over the omicron variant and escalating cases of prompted countries around the world to restrict travel from to the African continent.
And as CNN's Eleni Giokos reports, it is forcing many headed to and from the region to reconsider their plans.
[03:35:10]
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ELENI GIOKOS, CNN MONEY AFRICA CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Passengers in South Africa's Johannesburg airport, stand in long queues. Many looking stressed and anxious. There aren't waiting to enter the country but trying to score a ticket out.
South Africa is one of several African countries on the travel red list of many airports across the world. The detection of a new COVID- 19 variant has countries changing rules and adding new travel bans and restrictions. Making it again more difficult to plan trips. These bands are evoking pushbacks from African leaders and much uncertainty for travelers coming in and out of those countries.
CYRIL RAMAPHOSA, PRESIDENT OF SOUTH AFRICA: South African scientist discovered as President (inaudible) was saying, omicron, the new variant and what is the result? The northern countries imposed a ban to punish the excellence that comes from Africa.
GIOKOS: Some of the countries that have enforce bans on those African countries are tightening other travel regulations like mandatory quarantines. Costing some tourists extra dollars. The U.S. is requiring all inbound international travelers to test negative for COVID-19 within a day of departing.
In Norway after tiring flights, these passengers wait in line in (Inaudible) airports. The government is requiring them to take a COVID-19 test upon arrival.
In Poland, Deputy Health Minister announcing travelers coming into the country from outside the E.U. Schengen passport free zone will need to show proof of a negative test starting December 15th.
When I arrived in Greece, the Greek government were extremely helpful. And by the way, the Greek government is paying for an entire 10-day quarantine juxtaposing that against the U.K. quarantine rules where one person has to pay 2,200 pounds for a 10-day quarantine. Which means that it makes it a very expensive exercise if you're a tourists that is now stranded in South Africa trying to get back home.
In Brazil vaccine passports have been ruled out. But unvaccinated visitors will have to quarantine for five days. With holiday seasons fast approaching, more changes to travel policies around the world maybe in store.
ANTHONY FAUCI, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASE: 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 are getting more and more information about cases in our own country and worldwide. We are looking at that very carefully on a daily basis. Hopefully we will be able to lift that ban within a quite reasonable period of time.
GIOKOS: Eleni Giokos, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BRUNHUBER: South Korea's daily infection hit a record high this week. And cases had been steadily rising in Australia's largest city, Sydney. As the virus spreads in pubs and other social venues.
Paula Hancocks is in Sydney and joins me now. So Paula, let's start with the situation where you are in Australia were partying seems to be to blame for much of the rise in cases.
PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Well, Kim, what we are seeing here in Sydney and in New South Wales as numbers of new cases over 500. And we haven't seen that since early October. And as you say, the officials are putting it in pubs and clubs, the fact that it's the end of the year coming up for the holiday period and there are a number of parties.
But the fact that hospitalizations are still fairly low here. And that is because the vaccination rate is so high. Here in New South Wales for example, some 93 percent of those over the age of 16 are fully vaccinated. So that is why you may see higher numbers, but you certainly not seeing that translated into critical cases.
And then in New Zealand as well, there is some fairly good news. They are seeing a dip in daily cases. They just reported about 95 cases for the last 24 hours. And they are just a week out of lockdown. Oakland, for example, the most populous city that was under lockdown for some 100 days. And they've started to (inaudible) restrictions and they are seeing cases there coming down. Kim?
BRUNHUBER: Let's turn to where you normally based, South Korea. It seems to be the biggest worries spotted in Asia right now with another record. What's going on there?
HANCOCKS: Yeah, they past a grim milestone today, Kim. We saw over half a million cases having been wrapped up since the beginning of the pandemic. So once again today, more than 7,000 new cases were reported. That is the third consecutive day we've seen that. But more worrying than the daily cases is the critical cases that we are seeing in South Korea.
They are hovering around record levels. And officials are scrambling to find new ICU beds to be able to cope with everybody. And it's not just finding the beds, it is finding the doctors and the nurses able to man those beds.
[03:40:08] In what we are being by officials as many of those people who had been
hospitalized over the age of 60. They're the ones who would have been vaccinated early on the process. And so they are the ones that need the booster shot.
The Prime Minister announcing that they are going to now offer the booster shot to everybody within a three month period. It was -- you have to wait till four to five months after your last shot, they are now narrowing that gap to try and ease those numbers. So certainly, the caseload in South Korea is a worry to officials at this point, Kim?
BRUNHUBER: Alright. Thanks for keeping an eye on the region for us. Paula Hancocks in Sydney.
In the coming hours judges in London's Court of Appeal will make a ruling on whether WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange could be extradited to the U.S. The U.S. government is appealing an earlier court decision, not to send Assange to the U.S., to stand trial. The judge at that time said there was a high risk Assange would take his own life if he was handed over to American authorities.
Assange has been incarcerated at London Belmarsh prison since April 2019. The U.S. says Assange committed espionage when WikiLeaks publish secret military documents a decade ago.
People in Turkey are struggling to survive. Desperate just to put food on the table as the economy is tanking a rapid inflation and a currency that's collapsing. Turkey's president says he has a solution but as Jomana Karadsheh reports, some experts have their doubts.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): In this middle class Istanbul neighborhood people say they are getting poorer by the day. With inflation of more than 20 percent in the Turkish lira and freefall. Turks are watching their incomes dwindle as prices skyrocket. Richard Barr (ph) says he is barely surviving on his pension. He now can't afford to take his grandchildren out.
You can't even buy them a toy. A toy worth 10 lira is now 40, he says. Children want everything they see. What will we do? But it's not just the luxuries. Many here say they can barely afford the basics. Osseman Ossel (ph) no longer brings a shopping cart to the market.
I bought two eggplants, a few zucchinis and one cauliflower, she tells us. That's it. In the past, I used to buy kilos of everything. I used to fill up my shopping cart. Now? It's impossible. This woman interrupt to tell us everything is very expensive.
She says her husband a tailor hasn't worked in over a year after he got ill with COVID. The couple live off of their pension and it's barely enough to cover their expenses.
I get discounted bread from the municipality. We can't eat red meat not even once a week. I have no idea how we are going to survive. It's a question on the minds of many Turks who at times are watching the cost of pretty much everything rise on a daily basis.
Simit, the Turkish bagel as its known is a popular, inexpensive street food and a breakfast staple in this country. This has gone up by 30 percent in the past few days, shocking for a lot of people here who say if the simit wasn't spared, what's next?
The Turkish lira lost nearly half of its value this year. More than 30 percent of that in November alone. Most experts blame this on the Turkish president's unorthodox economic policies. To fight inflation most countries raise interest rates. But Turkey is doing the opposite.
President Erdogan is staunch opponent of high interest rates that he describes as an evil that makes the rich richer and poor poorer has pushed the central bank to cut (inaudible) cost. Lower interest rates and a depreciated currency he argues will boost production, jobs, tourism, and exports. But experts are questioning the president's plan.
UNKNOWN: Turkey is now raising the prices for the entire economy for the benefit of actually around 20 or 25 percent of the economy. So it's not really helping the households that's trying to cope with high inflation. The problem is there is no focus on fighting with inflation which is the core of the problem right now in Turkey. And the unpredictability that comes along with it.
KARADSHEH: President Erdogan's promising results within six months. But with the 2023 elections fast approaching much rides on his ability to deliver.
UNKNOWN: If the core of president Erdogan's success for the better of the past two decades was his ability to deliver for middle and low income households, and now it seems to have completely turned around. Where, you know, middle income and low income households are really suffering.
[03:45:05]
KARADSHEH: The suffering may cost Erdogan at the polls. But for now it's ordinary Turks who are bearing the brunt of this political gamble.
Jomana Karadsheh, CNN, Istanbul.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BRUNHUBER: Straight ahead, she spent her life fighting to report the truth. Philippine's journalist Maria Ressa will soon receive the Nobel Peace Prize. She tells me what this recognition means to her next.
And later, tears and hugs as COVID survivors reunite with medical staff who saved them. Stay with us.
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BRUNHUBER: In the coming hours, journalist Maria Ressa will receive the Nobel Peace Prize at the ceremony in Oslo, Norway. Ressa is CEO of the online news 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 journalist have to keep doing their job and express her concerns over a growing threat to the freedom of the press. Here she is.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARIA RESSA, CEO, RAPPLER: It is time that is pivotal. I think the Nobel committee shining the light on journalists is one side of the coin. The other one 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 and 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 (on camera): It has been a whirlwind. And yes I didn't know until the last minute whether I can be here. But the fact that I'm here, you know, is already -- is exhilarating. How do you prepare? Kim I don't know. You know, I'm still doing the scream, you know, that painting? Now our schedule is packed and will just up until the Nobel (inaudible) this afternoon.
BRUNHUBER: You have your speech already, you know exactly we are going to say?
RESSA: Trying. You know? How do you compress a lifetime into a few minutes?
BRUNHUBER: Yeah. That's 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. And you've said before that there are worrying parallels to the social environment then. Explain that for us?
RESSA: Absolutely, I think the Nobel committee by giving this to journalist today is saying that we are at that same kind of historical moment and actually, Carl von Ossietzky, who last journalist to win this award languish in a Nazi concentration camp. He couldn't come to Oslo to get hi award. Imagine that kind of existential moment for democracy.
[03:50:19]
I think that's the signal that we are getting globally, certainly the kinds of threats journalist are living through, the kinds of sacrifices we've had to make just to do our jobs. It's changed a lot since the time I was in 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 would know all too well. The International Federation of Journalists said this, this last year, 365 journalists have been imprisoned, 130 more than they were last year. And just a few days ago a journalist in the Philippines was killed. So how do journalist fight back against this?
RESSA: I knew Jess Malabanan, he is a former colleague. And he was just sitting outside of 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 away 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 accountable, to get accountability from governments around the world. We need to keep doing our jobs.
BRUNHUBER: I am 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 running for vice president. The son of a former dictator seems to be among the front runners 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 that works that have literally change our reality. In our May elections next year, you are going to see kind of a back to the future to 1986 when a Marcos, you know, the son of our former dictator ousted in a people power revolt in 1986 is now the front runner running with the daughter of the President Duterte.
But Marcos is running against another woman. I think we don't know what will happen. You know, and 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 change and we will not have integrity of elections.
BRUNHUBER: Now, 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 had 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 another parallel?
RESSA: It could be. You know I'll 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 few 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 of 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: Up next on "CNN Newsroom," a tearful but joyful reunion for some COVID survivors and the doctors and nurses who helped save their lives. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[03:55:00]
BRUNHUBER: Well, it's here the color that will define your new year, at least according to Pantone. The color institute's pick for 2022 is called very peri. Have a look, the peri winkle hue combines a tranquil blue with an energetic red. Pantone manufactured the new color. It's the first time the company hasn't chosen a shade from its archives. Pantone tries to interpret the mood each year through color and last year it chose a shade of gray and a vibrant yellow, a (inaudible) pandemic and the resilience of survival.
And speaking of survival, some COVID survivors in California have reunited with the doctors and nurses who cared for them when they were in danger of dying. Have a look. There were plenty of hugs and tears at Providence Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo, Thursday and many words of thanks. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PATRICK DEBOER, COVID SURVIVOR: This guy saved my life basically. He's an integral part of my recovery and the success of me getting back to where I am today. So, I owe it all to him.
RUDY MARQUEZ, PHYSICIAN: It's really great. It kind of makes you feel like all the hard work you 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.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRUNHUBER: Now the former patients also contributed items for the hospitals kind capsule which will help future generations learn about the pandemic.
I'm Kim Brunhuber. Thanks so much for watching. "CNN Newsroom" continues in a moment with Isa Soares in London. Please do stay with us.
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