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Dozens Killed After Tornadoes Tore Through 8 U.S. States; At Least 6 Dead in Illinois Amazon Warehouse Collapse; French Hospitals in Crisis Mode Amid Pandemic; Bennett in UAE for First Official Visit by an Israeli P.M.; Drug Gang Shootings Plague Popular Cancun Tourist Area; Holiday Shopping in Full Swing Despite Inflation; Report: Dragonflies at Risk of Extinction. Aired 12-1a ET
Aired December 13, 2021 - 00:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us all around the world. Appreciate your company. I'm Michael Holmes.
[00:00:30]
Coming up here on CNN NEWSROOM, still searching for the missing in towns that look more like landfills after deadly twisters ravage the U.S. Midwest.
Global nurses shortage. Omicron pushing already stretched healthcare systems to the brink.
And an historic trip. The first official visit by an Israeli prime minister to the UAE, a sign of deepening ties between Israel and the Arab world.
ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN Center, this is CNN NEWSROOM with Michael Holmes.
HOLMES: And we begin with the desperate search for survivors after the deadliest December tornado outbreak in U.S. history. Dozens of people were killed when a series of powerful tornados tore through several states over the weekend. Kentucky the hardest hit.
The governor says in the best-case scenario, at least 50 people died in his state. But he says crews are still finding bodies, and he fears the final toll could be much higher.
Still, rescuers are looking for signs of life as they dig through the rubble, including at a candle factory that was just flattened in the small town of Mayfield, as you can see there.
Initially, officials feared dozens might have been inside the factory. But a company spokesperson said on Sunday that, in fact, most employees, thankfully, made it out. Eight have been confirmed dead. However, eight others still unaccounted for.
It wasn't just the factory that was destroyed. The entire town of Mayfield was pretty much decimated by the storm. Tornados also caused destruction in several other towns and cities. The heads of U.S. Homeland Security and FEMA now on the ground,
bringing federal resources to help. And we've just learned that U.S. President Joe Biden has approved a major disaster declaration in Kentucky, freeing up even more federal funds.
Kentucky's governor says the outpouring of support has helped ease some of the heartbreak.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. ANDY BESHEAR (D-KY): We're grateful for the outpouring of love. It's the best way I can describe it. From all over the country and from all walks of life. I want to thank everybody for standing with the people of Kentucky. We feel it.
In fact, one of our -- one of our biggest challenges right now is organizing the amount of people that want to help, want to donate, and want to volunteer. But you know what? That's the best challenge that any of us could -- could ask for.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: CNN's Brynn Gingras is on the ground in Mayfield, where she spoke with one family who managed to ride out the storm.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRYNN GINGRAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We are seeing electric crews, volunteer fire departments, police departments descending on Mayfield, willing to help everybody here get through this. And there is so much work to be done.
I just want you to see what's behind me, what I believe is a preschool. This is just some of the damage that is really all across this town of 10,000 people.
This particular school is actually blocking part of the street in downtown Mayfield. And it was moved off its foundation. You can still see inside the school some of the stuff in there is still intact. It's quite an eerie scene.
And I got to tell you, talking to so many people in this town, the people that call Mayfield home, they're stunned. They're in disbelief. They're trying to figure out what the next day and the next day is going to bring them. Some of them thanking God that they are alive.
We talked to one couple who hunkered down in a crawl space of their home with their 6-year-old daughter. I want to hear -- you to hear from them about how they survived this storm.
SAMANTHA BURNS, SURVIVED TORNADO IN BASEMENT: Me and our daughter were sitting on that pallet. This door here is what kept us alive, basically, along with him, because he was holding it with a lanyard, just a lanyard.
DE'AMONTE WILLIAMS, SURVIVED TORNADO IN BASEMENT: I never felt nothing like that ever in my life. It felt like there was ten grown men on the outside of this door trying to pull it off the hinges.
GINGRAS: So he's holding the door shut.
BURNS: Yes.
GINGRAS: You're holding your 6-year-old daughter. Can you just describe being a mom?
BURNS: We were just -- I just told her to close her eyes. And she started counting. She's, like, Oh, like hide and seek, Mom?
[00:05:03]
GINGRAS: And of course, as we know, there is so much loss of life, as well. Still, people are being -- there is work to try to rescue them or recover their bodies, particularly at that candle factory where so many people are still missing.
We talked to one family who lost a member of their family, a 47-year- old who was working at that candle factory at night. His family now remembering him as just a happy person and missing him this holiday season coming up.
So much despair in Mayfield. But, again, so much resilience to move forward from all of this devastation.
Back to you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: Brynn Gingras, our thanks.
Now, two sheriff's deputies in the Mayfield, Kentucky, area were out on patrol when one of the tornados engulfed their cars. Debris lodged in their cars, including a piece of lumber that went through the windshield of one. One car was lifted off the ground and spun sideways.
Amazingly, both officers lived to tell the tale. Shortly after the tornado passed, a scream from a little girl snapped them into action. The girl did have life-threatening injuries. But thanks to the officers, she's going to be OK.
All right. We want to -- all right. And Impact Your World. If you want to go to CNN.com "Impact Your World," there is a list of verified places that you can go to, to help the tornado victims. Once again, CNN.com/Impact.
And we want to welcome our viewers in the United States as we continue our broadcast of the devastating tornados that ravaged parts of six states in the U.S. over the weekend.
Want to look at one small town of Dawson Springs, Kentucky, that was nearly flattened on Friday. Let's have a look at Dawson there. Nearly 3,000 people live there. And you can see what is left of it. The storm uprooting trees, turning homes into rubble. At least 13 people were killed. More than a hundred are still missing.
CNN's Ed Lavandera is in Dawson Springs with the latest.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The death toll continues to rise here in Hopkins County, Kentucky. We are in the city of Dawson Spring, a town of about nearly 3,000 people.
Emergency management officials tell us that two-thirds of the city was decimated by the tornados that ripped through here on Friday night. And this is the destruction that many people are still trying to comb through at this time.
Everywhere you look, it was a stretch the emergency officials tell us that the storm left a swath about a half mile wide of destruction, that it went from the western county line all the way to the eastern county line here in Hopkins County.
They say it's unlike anything the residents of this county and this community has ever seen. And that really goes well with what we have heard from residents who survived the direct impact of these storms, many people who jumped into their basements, if they had one, to save their own lives. It was that kind of desperation that so many people here have described to us.
And they do say it was over in a flash, but that it was a level of intensity, not just homes toppled over by this storm but simply shredded. This is a scene where it really feels like the epicenter of a massively explosive blast.
Back to you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: Ed Lavandera, thanks.
In Edwardsville in Illinois, crews are cleaning up mountains of debris from an Amazon warehouse. At least six people died there where a -- when the powerful tornado hurdled into the building.
A warning siren did ring out 11 minutes before the storm. It caused the thick concrete walls to collapse inward and the roof to crumble downward. You can see the extent of the damage there.
CNN's Polo Sandoval with that report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Here in southwest Illinois, you are getting a clear picture right now of the devastation that was left behind by the series of storms on Friday night.
A look from above, and you can actually see how a tornado cut through an Amazon shipping center here, causing multiple injuries and the deaths of at least six people. In fact, today authorities confirming their identities there range
from 26 to 62 years old, all employees at this location here.
And now operations basically shifting to cleanup. As from our vantage point, you can actually see crews removing portions of the building that were structurally compromised.
And they're doing so confident that everybody's been accounted for. In fact, police here on the ground confirming today that they no longer have any outstanding reports of any missing individuals.
Amazon also on scene here, not just working with -- with authorities here in the cleanup process but also answering some of those important questions that we've been asking, really, all weekend long about the policies and procedures that are in place to keep their employees safe in the event of severe weather.
Here's how one spokesperson described what took place on Friday night as the storm moved in.
KELLY NANTEL, AMAZON SPOKESPERSON: The tornado warning siren actually went off, and we had about 11 minutes from that time till the time that the tornado hit the ground in order to get our employees and our partners into a safe place.
Our managers were on the loudspeakers. telling people to get to the shelter-in-place area. They were also being guided by other managers and other employees, who were trying to get everybody to that safe location. We had people in two different sheltering areas.
SANDOVAL: A separate spokesperson confirming that they are actively working, not just with the community but also those families that have been affected, especially the families of those six employees who perished at this location on Friday as the storm swept through.
Polo Sandoval, CNN, Edwardsville, Illinois.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: Coming up here on CNN NEWSROOM, governments around the world reacting to the spread of Omicron and pleading with their citizens to get vaccinated.
Also, warnings about a growing nursing shortage worldwide. Many burnt out from the pandemic, some preparing to quit their jobs.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[00:15:05]
HOLMES: South African officials say President Cyril Ramaphosa has tested positive for COVID-19 and is receiving treatment. His symptoms apparently mild, but he's delegated his responsibilities to the deputy president for the next week.
Mr. Ramaphosa said in a statement that his infection serves as a caution to everyone in the country to get vaccinated and remain vigilant against exposure.
Some sobering numbers for the U.S. in the COVID crisis. According to data from Johns Hopkins University, the U.S. is now approaching 50 million cases and ticking closer to 800,000 deaths from COVID. Nearly 61 percent of the country is fully vaccinated, according to the CDC. And just under 27 percent of that group has received a booster.
Meanwhile, the Omicron variant is being found in at least 29 states in the U.S. Experts say vaccinations and booster doses are still the best protection against it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. ANTHONY FAUCI, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR ALLERGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES: Preliminary data show that, when you get a booster, for example, the third shot of an mRNA, it raises the level of protection high enough that it then does do well against the Omicron, which is, again, another reason to encourage people who are not vaccinated to get vaccinated, but particularly those who are vaccinated to get boosted.
Because that diminution in protection seems to go way back up again. So that's the importance of getting that best and optimal protection you can.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: The Omicron variant is prompting governments around the world to act. The British prime minister sounding the alarm on Sunday after the U.K. confirmed its first hospitalizations due to the variant.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BORIS JOHNSON, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: We must act now. Today, we're launching the Omicron emergency booster national mission, unlike anything we've done before in the vaccination program, to get boosted now. A fortnight ago I said we would offer every eligible adult a booster by the end of January.
Today, in light of this Omicron emergency, I'm bringing that target forward by a whole month. Everyone eligible, aged 18 and over, in England will have the chance to get their booster before the new year.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Now, starting Monday, the government recommends that everyone in England who can work from home does so. Face coverings are now compulsory in public, and Parliament meets Tuesday to consider a mandatory COVID-19 pass.
And while concerns over the Omicron variant escalate, the pandemic continues to push healthcare systems across the world to the brink.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES (voice-over): The Champs-Elysees sparkles at night, full of holiday lights and shoppers, some wearing masks, some not.
A festive scene, but there is a different hustle and bustle going on in hospitals in France and elsewhere in Europe, too. One that is far more urgent and devoid of cheer.
Hospitals, once again, in some regions of France are almost filled to capacity due to a rise in new COVID-19 cases, even though the country has more than 70 percent of its population fully vaccinated.
Some medical centers are struggling to admit new patients and have activated emergency plans, which include expanding the number of ICU beds and postponing nonessential treatments. Another wave of COVID-19 that is wearing down an already weary staff.
JULIEN CARVELLI, ICU DOCTOR (through translator): You know, work has been very hard for two years, especially in COVID units. We've had people who are competent to work in ICUs who left, and they no longer want to be hired in a COVID unit.
HOLMES: Hospital wards already strained with patients infected by the Delta variant of the coronavirus brace for what could come next.
The U.K. says people sick from the fast-spreading Omicron variant are now being admitted to hospitals. The CEO of the International Council of Nurses, who heads a group representing 27 million nurses, says this could be the breaking point for many healthcare workers.
He says turnover could be alarming. His organization estimates the rates of nurses intending to leave the job within a year has risen to 20 to 30 percent.
HOWARD CATTON, CEO, INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL OF NURSES: They're feeling that they've run already two or three or even four marathons with each wave of the pandemic. The prospects of having to go again means that many of them are not sure whether they can.
HOLMES: The nurses group says there was already a global shortage of 6 million nurses before the pandemic, and many were set to retire in the next few years.
But the pandemic has further drained the ranks. The World Health Organization says up to 180,000 healthcare workers may have died from COVID-19 from the beginning of the pandemic through May of this year.
[00:20:10]
And a small percentage are leaving because of vaccine mandates.
Germany recently joined a number of other European countries, like France and Italy, to require vaccinations or proof of recovery from COVID-19 for all healthcare workers beginning in March.
A new study in the U.K. says without additional measures, there could be more hospitalizations in England this winter than last because of the Omicron variant. Experts warning large numbers of even less severe cases would have an impact on hospitals. CATTON: My sense is that nurses around the world, I think like all of
us, were perhaps starting to feel as though we were seeing light at the end of the pandemic tunnel, but now there's a palpable anxiety that we could be going back close to square one.
HOLMES: A setback that could derail what many healthcare workers really want this holiday season: a desperately needed break.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: Israel's prime minister looks to deepen ties during his trip to the UAE, the first such visit by an Israeli leader. We'll have the details in a live report, coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: In the coming hours, Israel's prime minister is set to sit down with the UAE's crowned prince after Naftali Bennett became the first Israeli leader to make an official visit to the country.
He arrived in Abu Dhabi late on Sunday, more than a year after the two countries normalized their relationship.
Mr. Naftali says -- Naftali Bennett says that he will discuss ways to further deepen ties during his visit with the crown prince.
[00:25:06]
CNN's Hadas Gold is following developments, joins me now live from Jerusalem. And Hadas, by any measure an historic visit. Tell us about the significance and the agenda.
HADAS GOLD, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Michael, to lay out just how significant this is and how significant of a change this relationship is, I'll give you an example.
In 2017 an Israeli judo competitor won the gold medal in his division at a match in Abu Dhabi. But the authorities there refused to fly the Israeli flag or play the Israeli national anthem, although other countries had their flags flown and their national anthems played.
Today it will be a much different reception.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GOLD (voice-over): For the first time ever, an Israeli prime minister will set foot into the UAE's glittering presidential palace for an official visit.
Naftali Bennett set to meet the crown prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, on Monday morning.
NAFTALI BENNETT, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: We're going to be discussing ways to further our cooperation in a number of fields.
GOLD: Just over a year after the two countries signed onto the Abraham accords, normalization agreements between Israel and Arab countries once considered enemies.
Israel's former prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, was meant to make the inaugural visit, but several planned trips were canceled at the last minute.
The past year has seen a flurry of diplomatic, cultural and business activity, kicked off by the first Israeli El Al flight to cross Saudi Arabian air space and land in the UAE, carrying former White House senior advisor Jared Kushner and senior Israeli officials.
Less than a year later, Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid opened the first Israeli embassy in Abu Dhabi.
YAIR LAPID, ISRAELI FOREIGN MINISTER: our hand is outstretched. Our people are ready. Our country is ready, and our new government is ready.
GOLD: As a string of Emirati political and military officials have made their way to Israel. Tourism hampered by COVID but bolstered by Israel's pavilion at the Dubai expo.
But the top of the agenda for the two leaders will likely be Iran, a shared concern for both countries. With negotiations in Europe ongoing around a return to a possible nuclear deal.
BENNETT: Such a murderous regime should not be rewarded.
GOLD: Israel increasing its rhetoric about being ready to carry out a military strike, while the Emiratis have been working to improve ties with their neighbor. The UAE senior national security advisor in Tehran just last week for a rare visit with Iran's president as the Emiratis tried to contain regional tensions.
A critical and historic meeting for Israel's Bennett, one that could have far-reaching consequences beyond the photo op.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GOLD: And, Michael, the prime minister is not just meeting with the crown prince. As he speak, he's actually meeting with the Emirati minister of industry and advanced technology. He'll then meet with the minister of transportation, and in about two hours from now will be the main event, the meeting with the crown prince.
They're not just actually going to be meeting. They're actually also going to be having lunch together. And I think a lot of people will be watching the images and videos we get out of those meetings, out of that lunch to see what is the body language like between these two leaders and how will that set the tone for the future relationship between these two countries -- Michael.
HOLMES: Yes. In many ways, unthinkable a few years ago. We'll check in with you next hour and see how things are progressing. Appreciate it.
Now, the G-7 nations are warning Russia of massive consequences if it takes any further military aggression against Ukraine. G-7 foreign ministers released the statement after meeting in Liverpool, saying they are united in condemning Russia's military buildup and aggressive rhetoric towards Ukraine and reaffirmed their commitment to Ukraine's sovereignty.
They also called on Moscow to de-escalate and pursue diplomatic channels to ease tensions.
Mexico is deploying its National Guard to some tourist areas to combat a recent spike in deadly gang shootings. Coming up, I'll talk with an expert on how Mexico's beaches became war zones.
We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: The beaches of Cancun in Mexico's Yucatan peninsula are some of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. But in recent weeks, the typically idyllic paradise has been plagued by a spike in deadly violence. And now the government is responding.
CNN's Matt Rivers reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MATT RIVERS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The gunfire started on the beach on November 4th just outside the Hyatt resort just south of Cancun. Authorities said a gun fight between rival drug gangs erupted on the beach, sending tourists fleeing indoors.
Video from Twitter user Mike Sington shows guests sheltering in place in the hotel, some in a back room, others in the lobby.
Less than two months before, a shooting at this restaurant again authorities say between rival drug gangs left two tourists dead. And just in the past week, several men pulled up to a Cancun beach on Jet Skis and fired their guns in the air.
Multiple security incidents in recent months have some questioning just how safe Cancun is, a tourist magnet that draws of millions of sunseekers every year. A few say they're rattled by the violence.
"I don't feel safe here," says this Brazilian tourist. "As tourists, we don't feel safe. We've seen multiple recent incidents on the news."
The federal government has taken notice. Nearly 1,500 National Guard troops have now been deployed to the state of Quintana Roo, specifically focusing on Cancun and other tourist areas nearby.
Mexico's president says, "These are painful events, because nationals and foreigners lose their lives, and this cannot be repeated. We have to prevent that from happening, so that's why we have a plan to reinforce security."
But all that said, is traveling to Quintana Roo state and its popular travel destinations, like Cancun or Tulum, too dangerous? Tourism officials in Mexico told CNN that the vast, vast majority of the millions of visitors that come here each year do so without incident and that any violence almost always stays between drug gangs.
Though the U.S. government says travelers should use increased caution, it doesn't recommend avoiding the state, like it does so many other places in Mexico, and the number of tourists has shot up as the pandemic has eased.
"The government at all levels, in hand with the citizenry, is committed to protecting each and every visitor," said the former minister of tourism in Tulum, Eugenio Barbachano.
Crime statistics in the state have largely held steady in recent years, too. So there's no doubt that recent headlines have some people spooked, and rightly so. Drug gangs remain operating, and so too does the collateral damage that comes with it.
But Cancun succumbing to crime, becoming an unsafe place for tourists, those ideas seem premature.
Matt Rivers, CNN, Mexico City.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
[00:35:09]
HOLMES: And joining me now is Cecilia Farfan Mendez. She is the head of security research programs at the Center for U.S./Mexican Studies at the University of California, San Diego. She joins me now from Mexico City.
I guess thanks for doing so. Mexico -- violence in Mexico in general isn't new, but it does seem extraordinary that these sorts of things are going on in places like Tulum, Cancun and so on. It really shows how fearless the gangs are, emboldened. Why is it happening there?
CECILIA FARFAN MENDEZ, HEAD OF SECURITY RESEARCH PROGRAMS, CENTER FOR U.S./MEXICAN STUDIES, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN DIEGO: Hi, how are you? And thank you for having me.
I think when we see news stories coming out of Mexico like this, related to violence, I think the initial reaction is to think that it's related to the drug trade. And certainly, there's a component that is linked to the illicit activity of drug trafficking.
But certainly, the criminal landscape in Mexico has changed over the years.
And so what we see in places like Cancun is also related to how this criminal landscape has also changed local criminal activities, like extortion and racketeering.
And this matters, because essentially, what we're seeing today is not only violence related to that drug trafficking but also to these other activities. And, in some ways, it's not that the violence us new, but it has just become more visible precisely because of where it's taking place.
HOLMES: Yes, exactly, because Mexico has had a problem with -- with cartel violence and so on around the country for many years.
Why hasn't the government, with its police, army, special forces and so on, why hasn't it been able to deal with not just gangs but cartels, too, in the broader debate, which have been running amuck around the country for years now, and now we see in the tourist areas, too. What is the tipping point for meaningful action?
MENDEZ: Well, I think there's two elements to this. I think certainly, places like Cancun, Tulum, where they have such an influx of foreign nationals coming to visit. There are very strong incentives for the Mexican government to try to make sure that both locals but, of course, tourists feel safe.
And right now, under this current administration, Cancun is certainly one of those areas, as the previous report was just mentioning. That is certainly one of the priority areas for the government.
What has really -- you know, where the Mexican government has really fallen short, and not this administration but also previous ones, is really not committing to the development of civilian institutions.
And so what we see is, you know, one police unit being created, only to be disappeared by the next administration.
And what we have seen, on the other hand, is also these increased use of the armed forces that have demonstrably not really produced long- term benefits for, you know, citizens and tourists alike.
In line with that, I would also say that when we think about this violence in Mexico, and, again, the shifting criminal landscape, what we should really be thinking is what are those groups or who are those groups that use violence to advance their business?
So there are some criminal organizations, for example, if you're involved with extortion or kidnapping, that you have to use those public displays of violence.
But there are other areas of the country -- and this is something that has come from Latin America, but we also see it in Mexico. You can't have influence in a territory without necessarily using that violence in a daily basis. And so really thinking about that distinction between what are those business models I think is also essential.
HOLMES: Yes, yes. Great points. I'm curious, though, can you see a strategy that will solve or mitigate nationwide the gang and cartel issue? Because one of the issues isn't that they are very powerful. They're too powerful. They're engrained in social, political, and security systems.
MENDEZ: I mean, I think this point raises a very important one. And I think certainly, there's not one, you know, simple answer that I could provide to this because, of course, it is very complex.
I do think that, you know, given the violence that we just saw in Cancun, an area, again, that is very famous across the globe, one of the complaints from the Mexican government has to really pay attention to firearms trafficking and how that has really enabled criminal groups that before probably did not have the capacity to exert those levels of violence, to really, you know, change that ability to -- to be very predatory towards the local population.
And so I think this -- you know, this conversation around what is happening in Cancun should also encourage us to think about how are these arms getting into Mexico, and how can we do something about them.
HOLMES: Yes, yes. Are they coming from the U.S.? And, I guess, to that point, you could look at any number of U.S. cities on any given weekend and see much worse crime and murder rates than Cancun and Tulum. But -- but should people feel safe going to those places?
MENDEZ: I mean, I think that is certainly a very individual decision. I do think foreign nationals should pay attention to what their governments are recommending to travel to Mexico and use that information to make their decision.
[00:40:10]
As of today, the U.S. government still doesn't have a "do not travel" alert to Quintana Roo, the state where Cancun and Tulum are. It has a travel advisory, basically asking citizens to exercise increased caution. And so I think that is something important to -- to keep in mind.
HOLMES: Right, right. Fascinating discussion. Thanks for all the information. Cecilia Farfan Mendez, thank you so much.
MENDEZ: Thank you for having me.
HOLMES: And a cultural icon of Mexican music has passed away. Vincente Fernandez decide [SIC] -- died on Sunday at a hospital in Guadalajara. That's according to a post on his official Instagram account.
The legendary singer was in poor health after a fall in August. Known as "El Rey," the King of Ranchero Music, Fernandez recorded more than 300 songs in his career and earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The singer sold more than 65 million albums worldwide and won three Grammys and eight Latin Grammys.
Vincente Fernandez was 81.
And for our international viewers, WORLD SPORT is coming up next. For those of you watching us here in the U.S., I'll be right back with more CNN NEWSROOM after the break.
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[00:45:27]
HOLMES: Well, 'tis the season to be shopping. At least in wealthier nations, where people have been spending more and more on stuff.
In the U.S. alone, consumer spending, buying things basically, it's in our DNA. It accounts for nearly 70 percent of gross domestic product. But do we think enough about whether we really need much of what we buy and what damage rampant consumerism does to the planet?
Well, journalist and author J.B. MacKinnon knows a bit about all of this. In fact, he wrote a book about it: "The Day the World Stopped Shopping: How Ending Consumerism Saves the Environment and Ourselves."
J.B. MacKinnon joins me now from Vancouver, British Columbia. And thanks for doing so.
It's an important issue. Some nations are worse than others, aren't they, when it comes to consumption. I mean, I'm thinking about the U.S. in particular. I think consumption grew from about 65 percent from 1990 to 2015, compared with about 35 percent growth in Europe.
Why is that? Why do you think there's this impulse in the U.S. to buy and so often buy things we just don't need?
J.B. MACKINNON, JOURNALIST/AUTHOR: I think a lot of it's cultural. The American dream is really built around this idea of economic prosperity. So if you want to consider yourself a success in American society, then you're often doing so by measures like your income and your possessions.
And this has had this result where Americans do nearly every social thing through consumption, from marking the milestones of life to celebrating holidays, of course, to expressing love for one another through gifts, to expressing our identities. And the result has been a whole lot of accumulating consumption.
HOLMES: Yes. And as we said, household consumption, I think it's 67 percent of GDP. I mean, is it even economically smart to rely so heavily on consumer spending? Your latest book "The Day the World Stopped Shopping," what would happen if we magically did stop spending or at least spending so much?
MACKINNON: My book imagines a 25 percent drop in consumer spending around the world, and for that to happen, the heaviest consuming countries like the United States would have to make even deeper cuts to spending.
And the short answer is that as we saw in the pandemic, when consumption slows down, we end up with an economic -- you know, a really serious economic crisis. And at the same time, you see this resurgence in the natural world and improvement in the health of the climate.
You see that we would immediately start to adapt to these new circumstances and kind of recreate the economy for lower consumption. And as individuals, we would begin immediately to start making a turn away from these materialist, consumeristic values and more towards a new set of values.
HOLMES: You mentioned the climate impacts, and that's important to talk about, the climate impacts from production, also environmental impacts from what we throw away. What damage is done to our planet by rampant consumerism? It affects pretty much everything, doesn't it?
MACKINNON: It affects pretty much everything, and it doesn't really matter what you buy. It's having an impact.
In 2019, the U.N. panel that studies global natural resources announced that, since probably about the year 2000, consumption has been the biggest driver of our environmental problems. Greater even than the growth in the human population around the globe.
So what that means is how much each one of us consumes matters more than how many of us there are. And that's playing out in everything from climate to deforestation, toxic pollution, plastic. You name it, consumption is a major driver of it.
HOLMES: Yes. I remember hearing you talk about, you know, how a T- shirt, from the growing of the cotton to the manufacturer to the shipping All of those things, till it gets to your door and the environmental impact of that. And then most clothes are worn seven times and thrown out.
You know, one thing I wanted to ask you about, too. What, then, is realistic? What is doable in terms of reducing consumption and letting the planet recuperate? Because there are going to be a lot of people say you can't cut consumption. It's what drives the world.
MACKINNON: Yes, I think we really do need to look at making some kind of transition in our economy, in our society. And I think we can do that by transforming the economy in ways that allow us all to reduce consumption.
[00:50:15]
The other thing we can do is make changes to how we do business, what kind of business models we play out. And here I take my inspiration from companies like Patagonia and Levi's, that you know, they are moving away from this model of constantly selling new goods, and more and more disposable goods, and moving toward things like more durable goods, making second-hand sales of their own products a bigger part of their business model, making repair and maintenance of their products a bigger part of their business model.
The end result is fewer new goods sold and -- and you still have this high level of economic activity.
HOLMES: It's such an important issue for, you know, both the -- mainly the planet, and I'm glad we're having this conversation.
J.B. McKinnon, thanks so much. Appreciate it.
MACKINNON: My pleasure. Thanks so much.
HOLMES: A new report says several species of dragonflies are at risk of extinction. The reason: the rapid loss of wetlands and habitat caused by, yes, the climate crisis.
Jennifer Gray now looks at why losing the dragonflies could be a big blow to human health.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JENNIFER GRAY, CNN METEOROLOGIST: These beautiful flying insects have been around for some 300 million years. They're harmless to humans and can eat hundreds of mosquitoes a day. Engineers study them as models for flying robots.
But now the rapid loss of wetlands is putting some dragonflies in danger. A new report by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, or IUCN, found that out of some 6,000 dragonfly and damselfly species, one-sixth are at risk of extinction.
VIOLA CLAUSNITZER, ENTOMOLOGIST: Sixty percent is really -- that is a warning sign and -- and we have a lot of threatened species, for example, in southeast Asia.
GRAY: Dragonflies are natural wetland predators. They help control mosquito populations and, in turn, manage mosquito-borne diseases like malaria and dengue fever.
But as wetlands vanish, the dragonfly's future is uncertain. According to is 2018 Ramsar Convention study, over a third of wetlands have been lost since 1970, a rate three times that of forests.
CRAIG HILTON-TAYLOR, HEAD OF THE IUCN RED LIST UNIT: And you saw, if you drive along the road, you see a sign against the wetlands saying, reclaimed. What they're doing are draining it and filling it in to build housing, industry, and infrastructure. That's not off reclamation. That's destruction.
And it's worse around the world, that wetlands are there to be reclaimed and made more habitable for humans. And in fact, we're losing incredibly important biodiversity. And they perform a huge value for humankind, because all of our fresh water comes out of these fresh water systems. So without them, we would have no fresh water.
GRAY: Overall, the IUCN's red list features over 40,000 species of plants, animals and fungi. Twenty-eight percent of all assess species, which face extinction.
HILTON-TAYLOR: It shows that, threats to species around the world are continuing. And that we are at risk of losing large numbers of species unless we do something urgently about it.
GRAY: Jennifer Gray, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: Red Bull driver Max Verstappen finished in first place at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix to capture his first Formula One world title. He took the lead on the final lap, which resulted in a controversy that lasted hours after the race. CNN Sports' Don Riddell with the details.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) DON RIDDELL, CNN SPORTS (voice-over): The 2021 formula one season will always be remembered as one of the best. A gripping battle between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton that went down to the very last lap of the very last race, and beyond.
There was nothing between the two drivers before they arrived in Abu Dhabi, but it looked as though Hamilton was on course for victory on what would have been a record eighth world title.
However, when the safety car was deployed, five laps from the end, Hamilton's 11-second lead evaporated. And when they resumed racing in the final lap, Verstappen's fresh tires enabled him to pass Hamilton and claim his first driver's tail (ph).
MAX VERSTAPPEN, 2001 FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPION: It's unbelievable. I mean, as always, I kept fighting. And then of course, there was opportunity in the last lap. It's incredible. I'm still having a cramp. It's insane.
LEWIS HAMILTON, FINISHED SECOND IN DRIVERS' CHAMPIONSHIP: We gave it everything. This last part of the season, we gave it absolutely everything, and we never gave up. And that's the most important thing.
RIDDELL: Hamilton was pretty diplomatic there, but Mercedes were livid. They submitted two appeals and even dispatched a barrister to present their case. Their protests were rejected, though, and Verstappen and his Red Bull team were crowned the champion.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (SINGING): We are the champions! We are the champions!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (SINGING): We are the champions! We are the champions!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (SINGING): We are the champions! We are the champions!
RIDDELL (on camera): Critics of Formula 1's decision say that the sports chiefs were making up the rules as they went along. But whatever you think of the final outcome, nobody could deny the absorbing drama of the season and its denouement.
It will not be long before they're racing again next season, and rivalry between Verstappen and Hamilton looks set to continue, albeit with plenty of added spice.
Back to you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: All right, Don, thank you.
It is the season of giving, of course, and a cafe in the U.S. state of Rhode Island is spreading Christmas cheer in the community.
The cafe's owner saw a Facebook post from a single mother who couldn't afford a Christmas tree for her son. So the owner and her husband bought some trees and placed them outside the cafe for anyone who needed them.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ALEXANDRA BOUTROZ, OWNER, CAF BAR: They were gone within an hour. So then we said, let's go get a few more, let's go get a few more. And then the community kind of jumped in and said, can I donate a tree?
Hopefully, we are helping to bring a little happiness into their home, as well.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: The trees are often on a first come, first served basis. The cafe owner said she wanted to give back to the community that kept her going during the pandemic.
Thanks for spending part of your day with me. I'm Michael Holmes. You can follow me on Twitter and Instagram, @HolmesCNN. Do stick around. I'll be back with another hour of news in a moment.
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