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Power Grid Across Ukraine Under Emergency Outage Following Russian Strikes; Russia Claims 3 Troops Killed After Ukrainian Drone Shot Down; Dozens of Chinese Aircraft Cross Into Taiwan's Air Defense Zone; S. Korea Scrambles Jets, Fires As North Korean Drones In Its Airspace; Top Crime & Justice Stories Of 2022; China's Xi Shifting Away From Zero-COVID Strategy. Aired 2:30-3p ET
Aired December 26, 2022 - 14:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[14:30:00]
MELISSA BELL, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, this is something that happened overnight, Pamela. This was a drone intercepted by Russia over this air base.
Now, just to be clear, this is an air base that is well within Russian territory. We're talking about an air base some more than 300 miles, maybe 400 miles to the Ukrainian border to the east.
It's strategically important for Russia. It's the air base that holds nuclear-capable bombers and an air base from which they launch strikes on Ukraine.
What happened, in the early hours of Monday morning, this drone was intercepted killing the three servicemen as the debris fell down.
It was not the first time it happened, Pamela. It was on the 5th of December that this very same air base was struck.
It's, of course, a huge embarrassment to Russia that drones should be making it this war. Ukraine tends neither to confirm or deny these sorts of attacks.
And yet, we've been hearing from Ukraine's air force that these kinds of things are the direct consequence of Russian aggression. So an indication that Ukraine may be at least alluding to some sort of responsibility without doing so outright.
The fear across Ukraine there would be retaliatory strikes as we saw after December 5th, that's what happened last time.
It comes amid the power outages widespread. Not just about Kyiv, but Lviv, Kharkov and Zaporizhzhia, as a result, said the electricity company, of nine Russian strikes against critical infrastructure.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Ukrainian president, warning that the next few days are going to be dark and difficult for Ukraine -- Pamela?
PAMELA BROWN, CNN HOST: Yes, and cold for those without power. I was looking at weather there. It feels like the 20s there. Our hearts go out to people going through this.
Melissa Bell, thank you very much.
The weekend of Chinese military drills is exacerbating high tensions with Taiwan. Taiwan's Defense Ministry says 47 Chinese aircrafts have crossed the median line on the Taiwan Strait into its airspace on Sunday.
CNN Pentagon correspondent, Oren Liebermann, joins us live.
Oren, how is Taiwan and the U.S. interpreting the drills?
OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Pamela, the U.S. and Taiwan see China do this repeatedly, and it's becoming more frequent for China to use larger numbers of aircraft to send into Taiwan, the self-identification zones.
On Sunday, China sent 47 aircraft into Taiwan's zone. And there's another group of aircraft that doesn't quite cross that median line of the Taiwan Strait.
For China, this serves a few purposes. First, it is an open statement of their military capabilities and sort of an open threat that one day they'll use the militaries if they decide to take Taiwan from China's perspective to reunify with force.
But another, to reset a baseline for activity around Taiwan. Before House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visit to the island, the U.S. is used to seeing a level of activity.
Since then, that level has been raised intentionally by China as they try to set a new bar for what is China's military activity around Taiwan.
China said the exercises were a response to provocative actions or a provocation by the United States.
It's certainly worth noting that President Joe Biden just a few days earlier signed the National Authorization Act that had steps to boost Taiwan's capabilities -- Pamela?
BROWN: Interesting timing there.
Oren Liebermann, thank you.
South Korea is scrambling pilots and fighter jets and helicopters after North Korean drones enter the country's airspace.
The South Korea defense saying its military fired at the drones but cannot confirm whether any were actually shot down.
CNN's Paula Hancocks is following this story for us -- Paula?
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: South Korea scrambled 20 jets and attack helicopters on Monday as North Korea sent drones across the border into South Korean airspace.
Now, we understand from the Defense Ministry that there were five North Korean drones. And they believe one was in the vicinity of the capital Seoul and the others were flying around the island off the west coast of the peninsula.
The military says they did fire at the drones but are not confident whether they managed to hit any of them.
We're hearing from the defense minister saying this is a clear provocation of our airspace. Some of those, they do confirm went into North Korean airspace and filmed military installations there.
Two main airports in and around Seoul had takeoffs postponed for an hour. That was dictated by the military as this was going on.
Also, one of those South Korean jets that was scrambled to goal with this did crash. We understand from the defense ministry there were no casualties in that accident.
[14:35:02]
This is not unprecedented, but it is unusual. The last time it happened was 2017. At that point, the Defense Ministry said they found a crushed drone in airspace.
It appeared it was gathering intelligence on a U.S. defense missile system in the country. Similarly, in 2014, there was a crashed drone found as well.
Now, they were fairly crude drones with, effectively, a camera strapped onto them. We don't know if the technology has improved. We haven't heard from the Ministry of Defense at this point exactly what these drones look like.
But it comes at the end of an historic year for North Korea. Never in their history have they fired so many and tensions are fairly high between the two Koreas.
Paula Hancocks, CNN, Soeul.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BROWN: Our thanks to Paula.
The death toll is climbing in the western New York State as the region gets pummeled by this winter storm. We are live on the ground.
But first, check out this video from outside of Austin, Texas. A car wash in Lakeway, completely covered in icicles over the weekend.
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[14:40:33]
BROWN: We face so many heartbreaking tragedies this year, from the Uvalde school shooting to the long-awaited justice for the families of children gunned down in Sandy Hook.
CNN's Jean Casarez has a look at the top-10 crime and justice stories of 2022.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEAN CASAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Mass shootings, explosive revelations in court, and the pardoning of thousands of Americans. The most gripping crime and justice stories of 2022.
Number 10, an inmate and his jailer together and on the run.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A manhunt is underway in Alabama.
CASAREZ (voice-over): Police say Lauderdale County, Alabama, Assistant Director of Corrections Vicky White helped Casey White escape, walking him out the door on the day she was set to retire.
The two were not related. But may have had a clandestine romantic relationship, authority said.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She was a long-time trusted employee at our jail, and she just exploited the system.
CASAREZ: On the run for 11 days, the pair were eventually spotted in Indiana.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 3A51 in pursuit --
CASAREZ: Police there gave chase, which ended in the car crashing. Vicky White shot and killed herself, Casey White was charged with escape and taken back to jail in Alabama.
(on camera): Number nine, thousands of convictions for marijuana up in smoke.
JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: No one should be in jail just for using or possessing marijuana.
CASAREZ (voice-over): President Joe Biden pardoning Americans convicted in federal court of simple marijuana possession.
BIDEN: It's time that we right these wrongs.
CASAREZ: Biden also ordered a review of how marijuana is classified under federal law, which could be a first step toward easing criminal penalties.
(on camera): Number eight. An author facing a decades-old death threat attacked.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Salman Rushdie is still in surgery right now after he was stabbed.
CASAREZ (voice-over): The award-winning author was stabbed multiple times as he prepared to speak at New York's Chautauqua Institution. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There was a lot of screaming and crying --
CASAREZ: The suspect, 24-year-old Hadi Matar, was held down by the crowd until he was arrested.
Rushdie lived in hiding after his novel "The Satanic Verses" was condemned by Iran's then supreme leader in 1989. Officials there denied any connection to the New York attack.
Rushdie survived, but reportedly lost use of an eye and hand. Matar pleaded not guilty.
(on camera): Number seven. Actors Johnny Depp and Amber Heard battle it out in a Virginia courtroom over defamation and domestic abuse.
AMBER HEARD, ACTRESS: He sacked me again.
CASAREZ (voice-over): Depp sued over a 2018 op-ed penned by Heard, saying she was a survivor of domestic violence. Heard counter-sued.
JOHNNY DEPP, ACTOR: She threw the large bottle and it made contact.
CASAREZ: Depp testified he was the one physically and emotionally abused. Both also denied the other's claims.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I understand we have a verdict.
CASAREZ: The jury found Heard liable for defamation of a public figure, a difficult thing to prove and awarded Depp $15 million in damages.
They also found Depp defamed Heard in a statement made by his lawyer and awarded her $2 million. Heard appealed, but later settled the suit.
(on camera): Number six. Brutal killings in a college town.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: There are still no suspects in the killing of four college students at the University of Idaho.
CASAREZ (voice-over): Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves were stabbed multiple times likely in their sleep.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This incident has shaken our community.
CASAREZ: But the case remains unsolved. Police have not located the murder weapon or identified a suspect.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Every day you just wake up and think today is the day we're going to hear something.
CASAREZ (on camera): Number five. The life of a man who killed 17 in a Florida school spared.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Life in prison without the possibility of parole on all counts for Parkland killer Nikolas Cruz. [14:44:59:]
CASAREZ (voice-over): He pleaded guilty to killing 17 people and injuring 17 others at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in 2018. Jurors split on if he should receive the death penalty. Which means he will not be executed.
STACEY LIPPEL, PARKLAND TEACHER & SURVIVOR: You don't know me, but you tried to kill me.
CASAREZ: Cruz now in prison with no possibility of parole.
LIPPEL: You stole him from us and you did not receive the justice that you deserved.
CASAREZ (on camera): Number 4. It is being called the deadliest human smuggling incident in American history.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Human tragedy in San Antonio.
CASAREZ (voice-over): Fifty-three migrants died after being left inside an abandoned truck in the Texas heat. Others found alive, but barely.
CHARLES HOOD, SAN ANTONIO FIRE DEPARTMENT: They were suffering from heat-stroke, heat exhaustion.
CASAREZ: Two men were arrested and charged in connection with the transportation of migrants resulting in death. If convicted, they could face the death penalty.
(on camera): Number three. Alex Jones must pay.
BLITZER: A Connecticut jury's massive judgment against Alex Jones for spreading lies and conspiracies.
CASAREZ (voice-over): Families of victims of the Sandy Hook shooting and an FBI agent sued Jones and his company for defamation and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
ALEX JONES, RADIO HOST, INFOWARS: The whole thing was fake.
CASAREZ: For years, Jones called the 2012 shooting, where 20 elementary school children and six educators died, a hoax.
In Connecticut, 15 plaintiffs awarded more than $1.4 billion. And in a separate trial in Texas, two parents got nearly $50 million. Jones has filed for personal bankruptcy and his company has done the same.
ROBBIE PARKER, SANDY HOOK PARENT: And I'm just proud that what we are able to accomplish was just to simply tell the truth.
CASAREZ (on camera): Number two. An average of nearly two mass shootings every day.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Communities across the country have been rocked by more deadly gun violence.
CASAREZ (voice-over): Data compiled by the Gun Violence Archives shows there were more than 600 mass shootings where at least four people were shot excluding the shooter in the U.S. in 2022.
BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: We begin today with a tragic shooting in Buffalo, New York.
CASAREZ: Ten killed in a racist attack at a grocery store in a predominantly black neighborhood.
(GUNFIRE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Police in Highland Park are responding to a shooting at the city's Independence Day parade.
CASAREZ: Seven died and dozens were injured on July 4th outside of Chicago.
POPPY HARLOW, CNN ANCHOR: We are learning more about the suspected gunman who murdered five people and injured dozens more at an LGBTQ nightclub in Colorado Springs.
MICHAEL ANDERSON, BARTENDER, CLUB Q: I saw the outline of a man holding a rifle at the entrance of the club just probably about 15 feet from me.
CASAREZ (on camera): And now number one. Children killed at school, law enforcement failures, and demands for accountability.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The scene is still unfolding there at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas.
CASAREZ (voice-over): Police respond quickly --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Shots fired inside the building in Uvalde --
CASAREZ: But for over an hour, they wait, not going into the classroom to confront the gunman.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: As you stand there today, was this the right decision?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: For the benefit of hindsight, where I'm sitting now, of course, it was not the right decision.
CASAREZ: Law enforcement eventually entered the classroom and killed the gunman, but not before 19 children and two teachers were mortally wounded.
A Texas house committee described a series of failures and an overall lackadaisical approach by authorities.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's mind-blowing because they had a lot of time.
CASAREZ: Robb Elementary will now be torn down, and 21 families will never be the same.
ANGEL GARZA, VICTIM'S STEPFATHER: She was the sweetest little girl who did nothing wrong.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BROWN: Our thanks to Jean Casarez for putting all of that together.
[14:49:18]
Well, China is battling an unprecedented surge in COVID cases. The country's top health authority says it will stop releasing daily case counts immediately, a move that is raising eyebrows nationwide.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BROWN: China says it will now rename COVID as an infection instead of pneumonia.
The country's top health authority will also seize all remaining parts of its zero-COVID policy that sparked country-wide protests.
Restrictions on inbound international flights will also largely be done away with.
CNN's Selina Wang explains the new strategy as the country faces a surge in cases.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SELINA WANG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: China's leader, Xi Jinping, is calling for a targeted strategy to protect peoples' lives as China faces an unprecedented COVID outbreak.
This is one of the first public statements Xi has made about China's COVID situation ever since the country abandoned his signature zero- COVID policy.
And it comes as information about the China COVID outbreak is getting even more opaque.
The country's health commission announced it will no longer publish daily case numbers. Health authorities haven't said why. But the decision was made after widespread criticism about how unreliable the data was.
In the first 21 days of December, health authorities publicly reported less than 63,000 COVID cases.
[14:55:01]
But reports from "Bloomberg" and "The Financial Times" showed that leaked documents from China's top officials showed very different internal estimates, that almost 250 million people may have caught COVID in the first 20 days. If correct, that estimate, which CNN cannot independently confirm, it
would mean this is the largest COVID outbreak to date globally. But that information, again, was not made public.
China has only also reported a small handful of COVID deaths for the whole month. Yet when they visited a crematorium in Beijing, body bags were piling up. That has played out across the country.
The medical system is under a huge amount of pressure. Even the capital Beijing, which has some of the best medical resources in the country, doctors say they're overwhelmed with elderly patients with COVID symptoMs.
A doctor at Beijing United Family Hospital said there was no preparation for this wave of COVID cases, no stockpiling of medicine. Fever and cold medicine are nearly impossible to get at drugstores.
Beijing has just announced it's going to start delivering Paxlovid to community health centers in the coming days. This is a big deal because it's been hard for people to access antivirals.
In mid-December, an online health care platform started selling Paxlovid, but it immediately sold out.
Selina Wang, Beijing.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BROWN: Our thanks to Selina Wang for that report.
This just into CNN. Southwest Airlines says it has now canceled more than 60 percent of its flights. We'll speak with a union rep for Southwest Airlines flight attendants up next.
Stick around. We'll be right back.
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