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Tips for Safe Flights During the Holidays; Russian Leader Blames NATO for Ukraine Crisis; Sources: U.S. Intel Indicates Saudi Arabia is Building Ballistic Missiles with China's Help. Aired 4:30-5a ET
Aired December 24, 2021 - 04:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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[04:31:00]
KIM BRUNHUBER, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back to CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Kim Brunhuber.
If you're just joining us, let's get you up to date with our top stories this hour.
First, Prime Minister Boris Johnson is using his annual Christmas message to urge people to get their COVID boosters. The UK reported nearly 120,000 new infections on Thursday, its highest number of the pandemic.
Plus, the omicron is wreaking havoc on air travel this Christmas Eve. Both delta and united airlines have canceled dozens of flights saying the spike in cases is having a direct impact on flight crews and ground operations. Some international airlines are cancelling flights as well.
Now, a spike in COVID cases aren't just interfering with air travel. They're impacting sea travel as well. Royal Caribbean's cruise ship Odyssey of the Seas was denied entry into Aruba and Curacao after 55 people on board tested positive for COVID-19, but the company says the decision not to visit those ports was made in conjunction with local governments. And 95 percent of those on board were fully vaccinated.
Royal Caribbean says the ship has no more scheduled ports of call and is set to return to Florida Sunday.
So, how can you stay safe traveling on packed planes and in crowded terminals?
We sent CNN's Brian Todd to find out.
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BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): From LAX to Atlanta's Hartsfield, America's airports are jam-packed. Some passengers worried about taking to the skies during the omicron variant surge. G.F. GRANT, TRAVELER AT HARTSFIELD-JACKSON ATLANTA INTERNATIONAL
AIRPORT: I don't like the fact the planes are all full. We're squashed. When I came from California squashed then, and I anticipate the same thing going home.
TODD: With some 20 million people estimated to be flying this holiday season in the U.S., health experts are urging passengers to take new precautions to avoid contracting the omicron variant.
GAVIN MACGREGOR-SKINNER, SENIOR DIRECTOR, GLOBAL BIORISK ADVISORY COUNCIL: It's all about staying away from people you don't know, strangers. You don't know whether they've got the virus or not.
TODD: Are surgical masks still the best ones to wear on planes?
PROF. SHELDON JACOBSON, PUBLIC HEALTH DATA EXPERT, UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN: The entire flying experience requires protection and using K-95s and N-95s is the gold standard now people should be considering and investing in.
TODD: Experts advise us to use layers of protection on flights, not just masks, but face shields, too, especially on longer flights. Given the higher transmissibility of the omicron variant, should passengers avoid taking masks off completely, even to eat or drink during a flight?
DR. CARLOS DEL RIO, EXECUTIVE ASSOCIATE DEAN, EMORY UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE: Don't take it off at any time. This idea of eating or taking it off to have a drink, not worth doing that.
TODD: But if you do have a drink, experts say, try to sip through a straw with your mask still on.
We caught up with biorisk analyst Gavin MacGregor Skinner as he just gotten off a series of intercontinental flights last 30 hours and asked him a key question. What about seating? Is a window seat the best protection from droplets?
MACGREGOR-SKINNER: If you can sit on the window seat and not move for whatever duration of flight it is, then you've got less likelihood, less risk of being in contact with those people that are moving up and down the aisle. That's where it's safer.
TODD: Airlines tell us we can't go back to putting fewer people on flights so there can be more spacing. If they can, passengers should sit 6 feet away from others inside the cabin. Still, one analyst says being inside the cabin in flight isn't as dangerous as many might think because of the sophisticated air filtration systems inside passenger planes. The riskiest places, he says, the terminals.
JACOBSON: The real risk is when you're waiting to board the plane, when you're checking in, when you're getting off the plane where people are congregating, people are tired, people are fatigued wearing the mask and it easily comes off their face. They want to get something to drink or eat, very vulnerable time.
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TODD (on camera): One expert told us passengers should interact with airplane about COVID safety. Ask questions before you board a plane or beforehand. Questions like, when was the last time they fully cleaned the plane and whether the plane has certain safety features like HEPA filters.
Brian Todd at Reagan National Airport.
BRUNHUBER: Two years into the pandemic that began when he was in office, Donald Trump has made a rare public endorsement of vaccines.
[04:35:04]
Listen her as he pushed back with a far-right media outlet when they suggested vaccines don't work because people are still dying.
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DONALD TRUMP, FORMER PRESIDENT: The ones that get very sick and go to the hospital are the ones that don't take their vaccine. But it's still their choice. And if you take the vaccine, you're protected.
Look, the results of the vaccine are very good. And if you do get it, it's a very minor form. People aren't dying when they take the vaccine.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRUNHUBER: Now, earlier this week, Trump was booed by a crowd in Dallas when he acknowledged getting a booster shot. In September, "The Wall Street Journal" asked him if he'd get a booster. He replied, "I probably won't".
The U.S. House committee investigating the January 6 insurrection is asking the Supreme Court to decide quickly whether it will take up Trump's lawsuit to block the panel from receiving about 700 White House documents. The committee's request came just hours after the former president asserted executive privilege and petitioned the high court to hear the case after two lower courts ruled against him.
Now, the committee told the court delay would inflict a serious injury on the select committee and the public. The committee needs the requested documents now to shape the direction of the investigation and allow the select committee to timely recommend remedial legislation.
Some of the documents in dispute are White House visitors lists and call logs, handwritten notes from former chief of staff Mark Meadows, draft speeches and correspondence of the January 6 documents alleging voter fraud.
All right. Still to come here on CNN NEWSROOM: the world, according to Vladimir Putin, delivered at a marathon news conference. We'll explain why he says NATO is the blame for the Ukraine crisis. Plus, satellite images and intel suggest a ballistic missile race in
the Middle East is picking up steam. An exclusive report on how Saudi Arabia is apparently making its own missiles with help from another former -- another major power.
Stay with us.
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BRUNHUBER: New satellite images released on Thursday appear to show Russian forces gathering strength all along Ukraine's eastern border. The photos show additional Russian tanks, armored vehicles, artillery and long range rockets are now within striking distance of Ukraine.
A senior U.S. official says U.S. and its NATO allies are ready to act if Russia invades. An official said NATO is beefing up its presence in eastern Europe. Comments came just hours after the Russian leader held his annual news conference, again, deflecting any blame for the escalating tensions.
We get the latest from CNN's Melissa Bell in Moscow.
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MELISSA BELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It was a marathon press conference, nearly four hours of it, that did provide more insight into what Vladimir Putin is thinking when it comes to Ukraine and how he sees the tensions there, but didn't provide any sense that an agreement might be found between Moscow, the United States and NATO when they get together in January for the expected talks over Ukraine.
Vladimir Putin clearly laying the blame for recent tensions at the feet of NATO, and reiterating his demand that for those negotiations to work, for any progress to be made, NATO would have to announce, would have to decide that it was not seeking any further eastward expansion. Something, of course, that NATO has ruled out and the White House press secretary reacting to Vladimir Putin after the press conference said was clearly a non-starter.
Vladimir Putin explained that the fears were what was happening in Ukraine, his fears, his impression that a war was being planned and that those sanctions that are being threatened might be also part of that preparation for a Ukrainian war against those Russian-speaking populations in the east of the country. This gives an idea of the tone that he struck this Thursday.
VLADIMIR PUTIN, RUSSIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): Well, what's not clear here, are we deploying missiles near the U.S. borders? No, we're not. It was the USA who brought the missiles to our house, they are on the doorstep of our house. Is this a redundant requirement not to install any more systems near our home?
BELL: Vladimir Putin expressing his clear distrust of NATO and fears of what an eastward expansion might mean for Russia and for weaponry that might find itself on his borders.
Now, we also heard, as I mentioned just a moment ago from the White House press secretary in the wake of the press conference, Jen Psaki pushing back that the tensions of Ukraine aren't the fault of the United States or NATO, laying the blame clearly at the feet of Vladimir Putin, also pointing out that NATO is a defensive rather than an offensive one, and explaining that while it was welcome news NATO and the United States should agree on the principle of talks, there were clearly Russian demands that were unacceptable either to NATO or to the United States.
Melissa Bell, CNN, Moscow.
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BRUNHUBER: Now, while it's clear the west intends to respond forcefully to any Russian aggression in Ukraine, very few details have been provided.
Earlier I spoke with "the New York Times" chief diplomatic correspondent Steven Erlanger about what exactly the U.S. and its NATO allies would do if Ukraine is invaded.
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STEVEN ERLANGER, CHIEF DIPLOMATIC CORRESPONDENT, NEW YORK TIMES: I'm not sure that's the point. Have we all decided with our allies what action we'll take given Putin's various options, the U.S. will not act militarily. It made it very clear it is not going to go to war for Ukraine. Ukraine is not a member of NATO. But it does promise, along with its European allies, punishing economic sanctions that are unprecedented that would go, it says, to the heart of Mr. Putin's personal wealth and his government, and will cause him enormous pain.
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BRUNHUBER: That was Steven Erlanger of "The New York Times" speaking earlier.
Saudi Arabia is apparently taking a big leap forward in the development of ballistic missiles. According to multiple sources that spoke with CNN, U.S. intelligence believes the kingdom is making its own missiles thanks to support from China.
Oren Liebermann has this exclusive report.
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OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: A building arms race in the Middle East with Chinese fingerprints. These satellite images show the Al Dawadmi site in central Saudi Arabia where U.S. intelligence officials say Riyadh is building its own ballistic missiles.
Unable to get U.S. help on developing the weapons, the Saudis have turned to China. U.S. officials across multiple agencies have been briefed on classified intel revealing multiple large-scale transfers of sensitive missile tech from Beijing to Riyadh, two sources tell CNN, to use burn pit pour rocket fuel show the Saudis are at work.
[04:45:06]
China's foreign ministry called the comprehensive, strategic partners, telling CNN in a statement, such cooperation does not violate any international law and does not involve the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
This comes as the Biden administration is trying to negotiate a deal with Iran. Iran has taken a hard line approach to the talks and has refused to talk about limits on its own ballistic missiles. Proliferation of ballistic missiles in an already unstable region threatens to trigger a Middle East arms race where just about any out come is dangerous.
JEFFREY LEWIS, MIDDLEBURY INSTITUTE OF INTERNATIONAL STUDIES: We're seeing all of this really fancy military technology showing up in the region. And we don't have in place any of the kind of institutions or security norms that you'd like to see to prevent it from getting used.
LIEBERMANN: As the Saudis are working quietly with the Chinese, the Russians are boasting about their relationship with Beijing. President Vladimir Putin telling journalists at his year-end presser about all the areas the two work together.
PUTIN (through translator): The Chinese army is equipped with the most advanced weapons systems. We've even developed some high-tech weapons together. We are collaborating in the fields of space technology, aviation, planes and helicopters.
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LIEBERMANN (on camera): Credit to my colleague Zachary Cohen for the tremendous reporting there on the ties between Saudi Arabia ballistic missiles. You see it play out in not only Chinese, but diplomatic as well. For example, the upcoming Winter Olympics, the U.S. is conducting an Olympic boycott of the games. Putin said he's looking forward to going in his one on one meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Oren Liebermann, CNN, at the Pentagon.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BRUNHUBER: Cold weather is sweeping in for Christmas in some parts of the U.S., and record warmth in other parts.
After the break we'll have the latest in temperatures across the country from the CNN weather center.
Stay with us.
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[04:50:59] BRUNHUBER: College football will have one fewer bowl game this holiday season. The University of Hawaii has pulled out of the Hawaii Bowl partly because of issues with COVID. The Rainbow Warriors were scheduled to face the University of Memphis Tigers later today.
Now, earlier this week Texas A&M pulled out of the Gator Bowl against Wake Forest. Rutgers will take its place.
It looks like some parts of the U.S. are going to get a white Christmas.
Meteorologist Karen Maginnis has the latest.
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KAREN MAGINNIS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Kim, for holiday travelers, very hazardous conditions we're expecting here thanks to that atmospheric river, the big push, stretch of moisture across the Pacific and it's aimed at the West Coast.
So, coastal rainfall? Well, there's going to be some coastal snowfall. Places like Seattle expecting snow for Christmas. There is a state of emergency for the entire state of Oregon. They're saying very hazardous conditions all the way from the coast to the mountains, into Sierra Nevada, southern California, we've got heavy snowfall for the mountains and rain fall could be heavy for southern California as well.
Then it pushes across the interior west. But a different story in the south central United States, and that is dozens of cities could see at or beat record-setting temperatures headed towards Christmas.
All right, this is the future radar. There you can see outlining where that snowfall is. Could be heavy at times. Donner pass, the famous Donner pass in California, they're expecting maybe as much as 5 feet of snowfall. But also to the mountains and the front range for Colorado, heavy snowfall forecast here.
How about the general picture coming up for Christmas Eve, Denver looking at 52 degrees coming up. Atlanta about 65. New York, Washington, D.C., Boston, looks a little iffy, but it's going to be rain.
And it looks like it's going to be rain for Chicago, which is unheard of around Christmastime. It's going to be a wet weather pattern there. But look at these temperatures, in the 80s around Dallas, in the 70s, close to 80 around New Orleans. Same for Atlanta as well. Here we go, there's some of that wet weather expected to move into New York City. Washington, D.C., Boston, it might be an icy mix.
A lot to talk about. Hope everyone has a safe holiday.
Back to you.
(END VIDEOTAPE) BRUNHUBER: 2021 will be remembered for plenty of things, the never- ending pandemic, volcano, relentless fires, deadly tornadoes, Afghanistan. Around the world people are showing their inner strength doing their best to recover and spread a little bit of holiday cheer.
Here's CNN's Al Goodman.
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AL GOODMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): at the end of another hard year, the festive lights in New York City, the gift many wanted and return to our normal lives, and vanquishing COVID-19 is elusive. Even though it is a struggle for some to see, there is something to celebrate, our resilience.
Traditions may be altered, but many places go on, like taking the children to see Santa Claus. At this winter wonder land in Finland, no sitting in Santa's lap and no whispering in his ear. Santa has a wish, too.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I've been hearing worrying news around the globe about well-being and coping and children and young people. Now it is time to turn these worries into plenty of goodwill.
GOODMAN: People around the world are finding ways to make the season a little brighter, like this Santa in Peru, visiting children infected with COVID-19, wearing a mask, Santa didn't come down the chimney, but delivered presents, instead, through open windows with the help of a fire truck.
Migrant children strike a pinata in a shelter in Tijuana. A little holiday cheer as families gather together for a religious festival to commemorate Mary and Joseph's search for shelter before the birth of Jesus, a quest close to the heart of many people here stuck in this border town for months while they wait for permits to enter the U.S.
[04:55:20]
A volcano blotted out the neighborhoods of Spain's La Palma Island. Thousands were forced to evacuate as rivers of lava incinerated houses and farms. One church sys it will rise above the ashes and has incorporated them into the nativity scene.
RUBEN LOPEZ, VOLCANOLOGIST: We wanted to make them have a smile.
GOODMAN: People in Kentucky are still trying to come to terms with the devastation caused by tornadoes that obliterated entire neighborhoods. One woman says she may have lost her house, but will keep a promise made to her daughter.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I tell her, baby, we're going to have Santa Claus wherever we're at. He's coming to visit and we'll do the best we can.
GOODMAN: Doing the best we can when things seem to be at their worst. Maybe that's the true spirit of the season. Al Goodman, CNN. (END VIDEOTAPE)
BRUNHUNBER: I'm Kim Brunhuber. Thanks so much for watching.
EARLY START is next.
