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Suspect Faces Four Counts Of First Degree Murder; One Dead, Nine Injured In Alabama New Year's Eve Shooting; Sacramento Officials Issue Evacuation Warning Due To Flooding; Biden To Return To New Political Reality As St. Croix Vacation Ends; CDC: Future Diabetes Surge Could Impact People Under 20; Using Your Credit Card Points And Miles To Help Fund Your Trip; Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI To Lie In State For Three Days Before Funeral; Georgia Survives Ohio State; TCU Upsets Michigan. Aired 5-6p ET
Aired January 01, 2023 - 17:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[17:00:00]
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PAMELA BROWN, CNN HOST: And another lost in the music world last night, Anita Pointer, one of the founding members of the Grammy winning Pointer Sisters died last night of cancer in her Los Angeles home. She was 74 years old.
Along with her sisters, Anita was part of one of the biggest groups in the '70s and '80s with three Grammy Awards and more than a dozen top 20 hits. The next hour of CNN NEWSROOM starts right now.
I'm Pamela Brown in Washington. And you are live in the CNN NEWSROOM on this first day of 2023.
New developments tonight in the Idaho murder investigation. For the first time, we are hearing from the parents of the suspect in this case, 28-year-old, Bryan Kohberger and they are warning against in their words erroneous assumptions. He is facing four counts of first degree murder in the brutal slains of four young students at the University of Idaho. His arrest is no doubt a relief for a community that has been living in a state of fear since November 13th but as a shock to Kohberger's family.
CNN's Veronica Miracle joins us with the latest. So, Veronica, tell us more about what the family is saying today.
VERONICA MIRACLE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Pamela, that family -- with the -- his family put out a statement through Bryan Kohberger public defender his attorney This is according to CNN's Lauren del Valle, and here's what the statement reads.
It says, "First and foremost, we care deeply for the four families who have lost their precious children. There are no words that can adequately express the sadness we feel and we pray each day for them. We will continue to let the legal process unfold. And as a family, we will love and support our son and brother. We have fully cooperated with law enforcement agencies in an attempt to seek the truth and promote his presumption of innocence rather than judge unknown facts and make erroneous assumptions. We respect privacy in this matter, as our family and the families suffering loss can move forward through the legal process."
And, Pamela, Bryan Kohbger's attorney has also said that his father came to Washington State to make that cross country drive with Bryan in that white Hyundai Elantra that police had been looking for, all the way to Pennsylvania. It was there so that he could go home and be home in time for the holidays with his family at his parent's house. And that is exactly where he was apprehended by police.
According to his attorney, he says at that time, his attorney says both Bryan Kohberger and his father were cooperative at the apprehension. And it is important to note that police have not indicated that Bryan Kohberger's father is, at all, implicated in these murders at this time. Pamela?
BROWN: Yes. That is important to emphasize.
So, what is the mood in the community right now in Moscow, Idaho? I know you've been talking to people there.
MIRACLE: Yes. Well, for the last seven weeks, Pamela, the mood has just been so tense. Businesses have been closing early so that their employees can go home at a reasonable hour. Businesses have lost employees because students -- this is a college town. And so the employees are students and many of them have gone home because they've just been afraid to be here.
And so the sense of relief that we're feeling as we walk through Main Street and talk to people, it's just truly profound. We were at the police department yesterday, and there were people bringing, you know, somebody brought by a cake, another business owner, you know, brought by another gift, because they want to express their appreciation to the police department, which for the last seven weeks has really been under scrutiny from not only this community but the entire country. And now people are just grateful that an arrest has been made. Pamela.
BROWN: Yes. So people who have been critical of the police now thanking them. Veronica Miracle, thank you so much.
Former senior profiler for the FBI, Mary Ellen O'Toole, joins us now with more on this developing case. Mary Ellen, obviously, the family is wanting to remind people that Bryan Kohberger is innocent until proven guilty. But when someone's child is accused of a horrific crime like this, how hard is it for parents to clearly see their child as a possible killer?
MARY ELLEN O'TOOLE, FORMER SENIOR FBI PROFILER: Well, I think it would be extremely difficult. And the support that the family is showing for their son is really typical in the cases that most of us in law enforcement have worked because they love their son. And they don't want to believe that their son, if convicted, could be capable of doing something like this. So I think the family support is very understandable at this point in time. BROWN: What do you make of the fact that the dad flew out to Washington State, they had an entire cross country drive together? I was told that they were out running errands. I was talking to a source who have met them at an auto shop on December 16 and they were out running errands together.
[17:05:01]
What do you make of the fact that Bryan Kohberger was just -- it's seemingly living his life as usual if he allegedly committed these crimes as police say?
O'TOOLE: Well, two things, I think with the father, flying out to Idaho, and then driving back with his son, which just makes sense because this -- Bryan doesn't have to make that trip all by himself. And, again, I think that's behavior that a parent would engage in to be helpful, to be supportive.
I think it's very interesting that following the homicides, the suspect in this case, supposedly acted normal. And that's, again, something that we see in other cases. If someone goes back to their non-criminal life after the crime is committed, and they start acting odd, or they start talking about what they did, they're going to come to the attention of law enforcement immediately.
And so it's -- with the offenders that can go back and resume their normal life, that's a very strategic thing for them to do. It's very thoughtful thing for them to do. And it allows him to fly under the radar screen. And it appears as though in this case with this suspect, that he was able to do that.
BROWN: Do any of the facts of this case that we know so far suggest to you that Kohberger could have known any of the victims? What do you think?
O'TOOLE: I think there's a good possibility of that. And the way I would describe known is that it does not have to imply a close relationship. It doesn't even have to imply a relationship where they were physically around one another. It could imply something that was in passing on social media, or just driving through the neighborhood. So no one has to be defined, I think, very broadly. But I do think there's a very good possibility he was aware of these victims, he was aware of that house. And how he got that information, I think, remains to be seen yet.
BROWN: What does it tell you that the murderer chose to brutally stab these victims while they were sleeping? I mean, that is a much more intimate kind of crime than say shooting someone.
O'TOOLE: Yes, it is. Bringing a knife -- a knife is not really an effective weapon. And I say that because you have to get close up and personal with the victims when you use a knife, even to the extent where one hand may have to be on the victim's body while you stabilize them, so that you can stab them.
So -- and then factor in this as well, when this offender -- and this is prior to Bryan's arrest, when this offender went into the home, it was in the middle of the night when people are sleeping, there was no intent to rob, there was no intent to sexually assault, it was to kill.
And the veracity of these homicides, I think is extremely powerful. And once the information is released about the differences in the injury pattern to the victims, I think we'll be able to see if there was one or two victims who were targeted.
BROWN: Yes, because, you know, I mean, again, there are four victims here, four that were killed by stabbing and authorities have said that there were signs from a couple of them that they're -- you know, that they were trying to defend themselves, you know, as they were woken up in their sleep with this. It's just so awful and horrific. And your heart, again, just goes out to their families.
What do you make of the fact that Kohberger has been a student at a nearby university getting his PhD and criminal justice and criminology? And it's interesting, the source I spoke to yesterday, who was chatting with him on December 16th said he made it clear, he was really interested in behavioral criminology not procedural.
O'TOOLE: Well, it's -- it really is interesting. And when you -- in working a case, like a serial murder case or a mass murder case, we always go in and look for what are they reading? What are they studying? And in most cases, it's not a formal degree program that they're in.
But we do know that offenders will read up on how to do it better. They'll read up on how to avoid being apprehended. They'll read up on, you know, forensic evidence, not that they're necessarily experts, but that is pretty common.
But to be in a structured doctoral program, I think is very interesting. It's not the first time though. Ted Bundy got his degree in psychology. BTK, the Bind, Torture, Kill offender got his degree in criminology as well. And then, of course, the Unabomber got his PhD in mathematics and he was constructing bombs which required some kind of a science background. So it's not unheard of, but it is really quite interesting.
BROWN: But as you've said before, it's not like, you know, you're going to start studying criminology and then, oh, I'm going to -- you know, I'm going to become a criminal. It's -- usually their personality lends themselves right to already wanting to do for, in this case, you know, kill four victims, as police say, right? I mean, it's a personality type that leads him down that path.
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O'TOOLE: Yes, you're absolutely correct. It's not a cause and effect. Going into criminology pushes them down the road to commit a murder. That's not what we're talking about here. It's more than likely, at least in other offenders, in other cases, they got interested in a topic pursued it, but the violent ideation, the evolution towards becoming violent, that pre-existed the study of that behavior, the textbook study of that behavior, so there's no cause and effect.
But it did enable -- in past cases, it has enabled people to think that they can do it in a way that's better that will not be -- and they will not rise to the level of becoming a suspect. And that may -- I think that's probably applicable here.
BROWN: Does it typically start like when they're younger?
O'TOOLE: Yes, yes. This behavior doesn't happen overnight. Sometimes general public will think somebody just snapped and became a violent offender, that doesn't happen either. Violence begins in the brain. And by that, I mean, there's the rumination about violence, the thinking about it, the going over and over it and looking for ways to learn more about it. So it evolves over time.
And again, in my experience, with cases like this, whether it's serial or mass, is that the behavior starts at a pretty early age. And if there are personality disorders involved, and we'll know that as this case evolves, there are some mental health conditions, some -- including personality disorders that have a heavy genetic dose to it as well, not saying that's applicable here, but they'll certainly be looking at that in terms of trying to better understand the behavior. But it goes back quite a ways. It doesn't just start at 27, 28 years of age.
BROWN: Yes. I remember watching the -- there's a show on the BTK killer and it talked about how when he was young, you know. He had already -- had predisposed to thinking about this. And then it wasn't till many years later where the violence came out. Really just fascinating stuff.
Mary Ellen O'Toole, thank you so much.
Well, in New York City, three police officers are reported in stable condition this afternoon after a man attacked them with a machete. It happened last night right outside Times Square, a screening zone for the New Year's Eve celebration.
CNN's Gloria Pazmino has the latest.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GLORIA PAZMINO, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: A scary scene for police officers and bystanders who were waiting to get into this area of Time Square last night to watch the New Year's Eve ball drop. This incident happened shortly after 10:00 o'clock at night, right outside of one of the security screening areas that the NYPD sets up around the perimeter of Times Square in order to screen every single person that gets into this area.
That's where police tell us a 19-year-old male approached an officer and tried to strike him on the head with a machete. Then he tried to strike another officer and it was at that point that a third officer on the scene, used his service weapon and fired a shot injuring the suspect on his shoulder. Now, Mayor Eric Adams stopping by the hospital early morning yesterday to visit with the officers that were injured, including a one NYPD rookie who had just graduated from the police academy less than a week ago. The mayor talked about the officers' response, touting the way that they responded to this incident.
ERIC ADAMS, MAYOR OF NEW YORK CITY: One of the offices heard from the Police Commissioner and I just a few days ago at his graduation. It just goes to show you if it's not the first day or could be your last day, the actions that police officers must take every day are life- threatening situations.
PAZMINO: All three police officers are in stable condition, as well as the suspect. We are waiting to learn more about that 19-year-old man who attacked the police officers last night. Both the FBI and the Joint Terrorism Task Force are investigating.
I should stress both Mayor Adams and the police commissioner tell us that there is currently no credible threat to the area of Times Square.
Gloria Pazmino, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BROWN: Well the shooting last night in Mobile, Alabama left a 24-year- old man dead and injured nine others just minutes before midnight. A shooter opened fire a few blocks from where people had gathered for the city's New Year's Eve celebration.
I want to bring in CNN's Nadia Romero with more on this. Have police made any arrests, Nadia?
NADIA ROMERO, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Pamela, no arrests so far, but the police chief there in Mobile, Alabama says that they have detained several people as witnesses, not going as far as to call them persons of interest but says they're gathering information as they continue investigating.
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So let's just take a look at some video. You can see what happened right after those shots rang out. We know that at least one person is dead, a 24-year-old man now, nine others injured, ranging in age from 17 to 57. And that just speaks to the crowd that was out on New Year's Eve to ring in the New Year, to celebrate 2023, but instead having a mass shooting instead of a large celebration.
I want you to hear from the police chief as he explains that he believes this is not a random act of violence.
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PAUL PRINE, MOBILE POLICE DEPARTMENT: I think it's safe to say though at this stage that the perpetrators and the, at least the deceased, may have been known to one another. And so I think that would give some comfort to all of us downtown that this was not just a random shooting where a person lost their life.
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ROMERO: So potentially some comfort provided there, but knowing that this is one of the first mass shootings that we're really looking into to start the New Year in 2023, and the gun violence archive, along with CNN both defined mass shootings, as four people being killed at least four people, not including the shooter and that's what we have here.
So those victims who are injured, nine of them their injuries ranging from non-life threatening to severe. Pamela, you're just hoping that they pull through so that our number of dead doesn't rise. Pamela.
BROWN: Absolutely. Nadia Romero, thank you for that.
Much more ahead tonight in the CNN NEWSROOM on this New Year's Day including major flooding in Northern California and New evacuations ordered for residents while the storms keep thousands in the dark.
Plus, travel this holiday was difficult for many very difficult. So how do we make it easier in 2023? We have some tips ahead for you.
And a site's not seen in nearly 600 years as the Vatican prepares for this week's historic funeral of Pope Emeritus Benedict.
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BROWN: We have stunning new video that shows just how severe the flooding in California has been. This right here is Tustin southeast of Los Angeles. Firefighters had to use a boat to rescue five people trapped in their cars late last night. No one was injured, fortunately. Four adults were in one car while a fifth was on top and awaiting rescue. Thankfully, everyone is doing OK and there were no injuries.
[17:20:12]
Just last hour in California, the Sacramento County Office of Emergency Services issued an evacuation warning to residents in jeopardy from the serious flooding. Officials say, the deluge of water could cut off key roadways overnight. And this is the kind of dangerous flooding we're seeing across the entire state.
CNN's Camila Bernal has more.
CAMILA BERNAL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Pam, thousands of people without power left in the dark. And in addition to those power outages, we also saw epic flooding, not just in urban areas, but creeks and rivers that were overflowing.
There were some that were told to evacuate their homes altogether. Others who were told to shelter in place because of how dangerous it was to be outside driving under those conditions. The National Weather Service, at some point, saying, look, there are too many road closures to even count. Highway 101 in South San Francisco on Saturday, also closed in both directions.
So there were many, many rescues, people who are left stranded. In fact, Sacramento County saying that they saw dozens of emergency calls and rescued about 40 people from the waters.
Here are other residents here in California and what they went through.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It is a little concerning for sure. When you see the water moving this quick and rising like this, it's a little unsettling.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: When I opened one of my gates, there was so much water, it was gushing in. It knocked me over. And I got stuck -- and my phone -- I lost my phone in the water.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It started raining, but it just kept getting -- the water kept getting deeper and deeper. And it's -- really, I've been here about six years and that's the deep -- that's worse than it's ever been.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERNAL: And rainfall exceeded eight inches. According to the CNN weather team, it was difficult for a lot of people here in California. They went through a lot. But this is much needed rain in this stage.
It's unclear how the rain will impact the drought conditions. But nonetheless, any time there is rain, it is welcome news here in California. Pam.
BROWN: Absolutely. The storm system that brought those heavy rains and floods to California is now moving east, putting millions of people in its path.
Meteorologist Allison Chinchar is in the CNN Weather Center. Allison?
ALLISON CHINCHAR, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes, Pamela. This has already been a significant system, especially for the West Coast. But now that low pressure system is going to gradually make its way into the eastern half of the country, as we go through the next 24 hours.
But look at the rainfall totals that have already come in across areas of California. Oakland picking up just under five inches, both San Francisco and South Lake Tahoe picking up above that five inch mark. And we've had several locations across California that have had in excess of seven and eight inches of rain. That system albeit very slowly is going to gradually push into the Midwest where we anticipate a lot of winter weather impacts, including freezing rain, as well as snow, all the way down to the Gulf Coast where severe storms are really going to be the main concern here for states like Texas, areas of Louisiana and Arkansas.
This is also going to be a multi-day event. So not just for Monday, but also Tuesday as that system begins to slide east. The main threats here are going to be tornadoes, damaging winds, and the potential for some large hail.
But on the northern side of that, where we talked about the snow. You're talking pretty significant amounts of snowfall from the Dakotas, Nebraska, all the way over to Wisconsin, where we could pick up as much as six to 10 inches.
BROWN: Wow. Thanks so much, Allison.
Well, you are in the CNN NEWSROOM on this Sunday, the first day of 2023.
Still ahead, President Biden and Republican Senate Leader Mitch McConnell are the farthest thing possible from political allies. So, why are they going to be appearing together this week? That's next.
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BROWN: Welcome back, everybody. 5:27p.m. here in Washington D.C. take a look here at the Capitol dome on this beautiful day here on this first day of 2023. Here in the nation's Capital.
Well, President Joe Biden's St. Croix vacation is coming to an end tomorrow and a new political reality awaits him here in Washington. After two years of full democratic control, Republicans are taking over the House.
CNN's Arlette Saenz is in St. Croix. And, Arlette, what will Biden tackle this week? And how will it be impacted by this new power structure?
ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Pamela, President Biden will return to Washington tomorrow to an era of divided government where Republicans are expected to put up roadblocks to his legislative agenda and also launch investigations into different elements of his presidency.
But for President Biden, he's trying to showcase this week his willingness to work with people across the aisle. And he'll be trying to highlight that as he travels to your home state of Kentucky on Wednesday, where he will be visiting a bridge that connects Kentucky and Ohio and is benefiting from the bipartisan infrastructure law.
Now, there are some interesting attendees who will be there, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, and Ohio's Republican Governor Mike DeWine. The President is trying to show that he does want to find ways to work with Republicans cross -- across the aisle and get some things done.
And the President has really tried to point to several of the bipartisan accomplishments he's made in the last year from that bipartisan infrastructure law to investments in the microchip industry, also gun safety legislation and finding more aid for Ukraine.
And the White House has also been working to try to identify groups that they believe they can work with in this incoming Congress that includes moderate Republicans, and also incoming freshmen who flipped districts that Biden actually won back during the 2020 campaign.
But even as the president is hoping in his ideal world, that there will be a bipartisan way to work with these Republicans. He is fully cognizant of the resistance that is likely ahead from Republicans as they are set to take over the House.
Of course, the White House is watching very closely how that House speaker's race pans out and whether Kevin McCarthy will be the leader of the Republicans and Speaker of the House. And they've also been preparing for months for that onslaught of Republican investigations that are expected.
Republicans have been promising that they want to launch investigations into elements of the Biden administration including their handling of the southern border, as well as the DOJ, and also that withdrawal from Afghanistan. There is also that expected probe into President Biden's son Hunter Biden and his business dealings, which the White House has said, is politically motivated.
[17:30:21]
But for President Biden, even as he is expecting for Republicans to put up roadblocks, he still is trying to stress this week that he wants to work in a bipartisan manner. But time will only tell if that can actually happen. Pamela.
BROWN: We shall see. Arlette Saenz. Thank you.
And coming up next hour. We'll talk to Republican Congressman Warren Davidson about the political reality Biden faces in 2023. And that critical House Speaker vote on Tuesday. Don't miss it.
Well, the CDC is warning that a future surge in diabetes could dramatically impact people under the age of 20.
CNN's Elizabeth Cohen takes a closer look at the new study published this week, and what it could mean for future generations.
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released some very sobering numbers about young people and diabetes this week. Let's take a look.
They looked back and said in 2017, there were 213,000 people under the age of 20 with diabetes, but they said if you look and you sort of do a forecast to 2060, it's 526,000 people who they think will have diabetes who are under the age of 20.
Now this could have huge health ramifications down the road. Not only do these young people have to grapple with diabetes, but diabetes puts you at a much higher risk for complications of things like heart disease. Now, it's largely type 2 diabetes that's driving this increase. And type 2 diabetes is often, but not always, associated with obesity. So part of what needs to happen here is more ways to figure out how to decrease obesity rates in the United States among young people. Back to you.
BROWN: Thanks, Elizabeth.
Well, many Americans are already planning their getaways for the New Year. I know I am. But with holiday flight chaos, still haunting many travelers. How do you fly without the headaches? Wouldn't that be nice? That's next.
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BROWN: Dozens of riders at a Florida entertainment complex had a New Year's Eve they won't soon forget. The power went out on the 400-foot Ferris wheel at Orlando's ICON Park Saturday night. Riders were stranded for hours. I would hate that. Emergency crews has to rescue 62 people. Fortunately though, no one was hurt.
Well, many Americans may have felt their wanderlust a bit after the airport headaches and thousands of canceled flights over the long Christmas weekend. But a new year is upon us. And with it, the promise of taking those dream vacations that were long derailed by COVID.
Joining us now is Clint Henderson, managing editor at The Points Guy, a travel advice site. All right, Clint, savvy travelers they were going to use -- they use their credit cards to help offset the cost, right?
CLINT HENDERSON, MANAGING EDITOR, THE POINTS GUY: That's exactly right. And it's looking like 2022 was the year of revenge travel domestically. It looks like 2023 is going to be the year of revenge travel internationally with all the COVID restrictions going away. China is one of the last countries to drop there. So book your dream trips now because prices are likely to increase this year, as everybody takes those dream trips around the world.
BROWN: And where are the best deals to be found right now?
HENDERSON: So it's interesting, we're starting to see some deals domestically. So places that were really hot during the pandemic like Wyoming, Montana, Alaska, places with national parks. We're starting to feel -- see some deals there. And also places like Hawaii. So Hawaii was prohibitively expensive for most of 2022. But we are starting to see some flight deals, some hotel deals, so check carefully.
Book international trips now because we're starting to see prices increase internationally. But that's really where we still find the best deals. There's new low cost airlines like Norse that are dropping prices to places like Oslo. We're seeing a lot of deals to Lisbon to Portugal. So subscribe to sites like The Points Guy, subscribe to our newsletter. And we send out dealers just about every day and we do see regular dealers. So while prices are higher overall, there's lots of deals still to be had out there.
BROWN: Is the first day of the New Year a good time to buy a flight? I would think that the demand would be really high. People are wanting to like, you know, book a vacation, and therefore the prices might be higher on day like today than a, I don't know, random Tuesday, early morning or something.
HENDERSON: Yes. You'd actually be really surprised because we've just ended the really busy, really expensive holiday season. There's a wall. No business travelers are very few. Few leisure travelers, so price has actually dropped in the New Year.
So if you're willing to go in the wintertime, there's tons of deals out there, even to Europe. Remember, the U.S. dollar is still fairly strong, so that helps you some, but lots of deals out there. If you're willing to go offseason or shoulder season, we'll call it, when not -- the crowds are not there.
BROWN: So you have a list of credit card resolutions for the New Year. We're going to put up a graphic here on the screen. Walk us through these.
HENDERSON: So the first one is, don't open credit cards if you're carrying a balance. So pay your credit cards off in full before you try to get into points and miles games. That said, you won't -- you won't -- you won't earn more points than you would pay an interest on carrying a balance. So you want to make sure -- that's tip number one.
The second resolution I have for you is open a credit card this year, even if it's something like an airline that you fly their credit card, get the signup bonus. You can use those points potentially for next holiday season. So that's resolution number two, open a new credit card this year, get that signup bonus as long as you're not carrying a balance.
Also, book your trips using a credit card that has travel protection. We saw no better reason for this than the Southwest meltdown. Those folks who were booking with an American Express Platinum or a Chase Sapphire, those folks, they can get paid back for all the expenses they incurred even if Southwest doesn't, which Southwest, it looks like, is going to pay most people back, but they will protect you even if it's a weather cancellation. So those are a couple of tips. But most importantly, don't carry a balance. Get those credit cards paid off.
BROWN: So how do I determine what's the best credit card for me?
HENDERSON: So we have some good recommendations at The Points Guy which you can always find, but what I do is I go looking for the biggest signup bonuses. And right now, there's a big signup bonus for the American Express Platinum. There's a really good signup bonus for the Chase Inc. business card. So you got to do some research. That's why sites like The Points Guy were created to do that research for you. So just check us out and shop around. [17:40:01]
BROWN: OK. The other thing is, how can you know that you're getting the -- your best return when you redeem points or miles?
HENDERSON: So if you're a beginner, I wouldn't worry about that so much. What I've seen a lot this year is people were trying to book their holiday flights home last minute. And they saw these cash prices that were insane.
But savvy shoppers who had those points available to them, were able to use points instead of paying cash. So you're always going to be able to use the points. Don't try to maximize your value unless you become an expert, which we do and -- but not everybody is going to be an expert in this. So start small and just look for the best redemption you can, even if it's just for a domestic flight, you know, use those points.
BROWN: Yes. So when you've cashed in points or miles for an airline ticket, and your flight is canceled, do you have the rights as any other paying customer?
HENDERSON: You do. It's the same thing that applies. Unfortunately, in the U.S., you don't have that many rights, especially when it's a weather cancellation. But if you booked the right credit card, they will reimburse you. And, remember, you really have to be your own best advocate these days and fight the airline to get your points or miles or cash back.
BROWN: Yes, maybe read the fine print. I know so many of us don't. When it comes from redeeming points and miles, are all airlines equal?
HENDERSON: No, absolutely not. And in fact, it's getting more and more complicated as the airlines have gotten better and better at matching cash prices to points prices. So we're not seeing as many of those last-minute deals that we used to see using points. But there's still plenty of value to be had from most of the programs out there.
BROWN: All right. Clint Henderson, great tips for the New Year. Thanks so much.
Well, you were in the CNN NEWSROOM on this Sunday.
And still ahead, the Vatican releasing former Pope Benedict the 16th's final message to the world. What he said, up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[17:45:12]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(MUSIC)
(END VIDEO CLIP) BROWN: The Foo Fighters say they'll be back on stage soon without their late drummer, Taylor Hawkins. He passed away in March while in Colombia. In a statement, the band said, we also know that you the fans mean so much to Taylor as he meant to you. And we know that when we see you again, and we will soon, he'll be there in spirit with all of us every night.
Officials in Alabama are investigating how an airline worker was killed at Montgomery's Airport. The incident Saturday involves an employee who was on a ramp or an American Airlines regional jet was parked. The airport briefly shut down operations following the incident. And in a statement, American Airlines offered condolences to the worker's family and called the death an accident. But details about the circumstances have not yet been released.
Well, beginning tomorrow, the body of Pope Emeritus, Benedict the 16th, will lie in state at St. Peter's Basilica. So far, no official visits or public prayers are planned. He'll lie in state there for three days until his funeral on Thursday.
CNN's Fred Pleitgen joins us now from St. Peter's Square where the funeral will be held. And, Fred, Benedict left behind a letter where he asked for forgiveness from those he wronged. What more can you tell us about that?
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi, there Pamela. Yes, he certainly didn't. Right now, everything here is really gearing towards him lying in state. And that funeral, it was interesting because the Vatican today also, for the first time, released photographs of Pope Benedict after he passed away and said that Pope Francis, his successor, actually was one of the first by his side after he passed away.
And then the Vatican also released that letter that Pope Benedict left behind. And it really spans a lot of topics. He thanks his family, he obviously thanks the Catholic Church, also, the country where he's from Germany, what he calls his second home here in Italy as well.
And then he talks about the wrongful things that he's done and asking for forgiveness. That was really a very interesting passage in that final letter. I want to read you that passage really quickly where he says, quote, "To all those I have wronged, in any way, I sincerely asked for forgiveness. What I said before to my compatriots, I now say to all those in the church who have been entrusted to my service, remain firm in the faith. Don't get confused."
So Pope Benedict there, obviously, alluding to the fact that he has wronged some people. Some folks taking that to mean that maybe he's talking about some of the abuse scandals that came to light while he was Pope.
But we also have to keep in mind as well, Pamela, that in the final months of his life, he also acknowledged that he had made mistakes in cases of abuse, while he was already the archbishop in Munich in the late '70s and early '80s as well. So that's also something that this could pertain to. It was quite interesting because the last sentence of that letter that was released after his death, he said that he realized that he had committed sins, that he was someone who had a person with mistake, but he's still requested humbly, he said, to be admitted into God's heaven, despite the fact that he was an imperfect human being, Pamela.
BROWN: Fred Pleitgen, thank you so much.
Well, Georgia might not be a surprise, but who thought TCU would be the other college football team standing in hopes of taking home the national championship next week? We break it all down, up next.
Plus, Dionne Warwick is a music icon with 56 worldwide hits, six Grammy Awards, and one extraordinary legacy. She brings her exclusive story to CNN and the new film "Don't Make Me Over" premiering tonight at 9:00.
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BROWN: Looking to cash in this New Year. Well, the Mega Millions jackpot is still up for grabs after Friday's drawing failed to produce a winner. The jackpot now stands at an estimated 785 million. That is the fourth largest pot in the game's history. Your next chance to win is Tuesday.
Well, when you got to go, you got to go.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I will give -- I will give the Michigan players -- they have answered time and time.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Really? Yes, give me --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What are you doing? We're in the middle of the game.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sorry guys.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What's he doing?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I got to go.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: To the bathroom?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let's go, baby. Congratulations. Let's go.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Starting to labor. Let's go.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BROWN: Love that. That was former college and NFL quarterback, Robert Griffin III, RG3, when he got a call that his wife was in labor. He was on air as part of ESPN's coverage of the Michigan-TCU college football semifinal game Saturday afternoon.
As you see, he rushed off, he rushed home leaving his colleagues to finish the game without him. But as of now, the baby has yet to be born. But congrats to him and his growing family.
Well, if a call like that is not dramatic enough, those two college football semifinal games were shocking, to say the least. TCU upsetting Michigan and the defending national champions, the Georgia Bulldogs, pulled off a crazy comeback from behind for a victory over Ohio State.
One week from tomorrow, Georgia and TCU will face off in the national championship game.
Morgan Moriarty joins us now. She is the college football reporter for Bleacher Report. Let's start with the Michigan-TCU game. The Frogs were unranked to start the season. They were a big underdog yesterday. Who expected this outcome?
MORGAN MORIARTY, COLLEGE FOOTBALL REPORTER, BLEACHER REPORT: I certainly didn't. And I cover the sport for a living, so I'm not sure if that says something about me or just the sport in general.
But what an incredible story this TCU team. They enter with 200 to 1 odds to make the playoffs starting this season. The fact that they even made it to this game is just remarkable. And they didn't just make it to the game, they came out and said, we've heard what you all been saying weeks leading up to this that we're going to be out physical by this Michigan team, that we have no chance against this Michigan defense and they go out and shock the college football world. They put up 51 points against a really good Michigan defense. I know a couple of those scores came on some defensive touchdowns.
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But what a job from TCU. I mean, you have to tip your hat to head coach, Sonny Dykes, the first year head coach at TCU. And obviously it goes -- it trickles down from him. Their quarterback, Max Duggan, 225 yards, two touchdowns. He did have a couple of interceptions, but those aren't really his fault that kind of bounced off his receivers hands in those two picks.
But just an incredible game. Duggan is the heart and soul of this TCU team. And when he does well, the whole team does well. TCU also had to deal with an injury. Their running back, Kendre Miller, goes out in the first half. Their backup, Emari Demercado, excuse me, rushes for 150 yards, a touchdown.
Just an incredible story. And one that can only happen in college football. Credits for Michigan for trying to come back late, but just a great job by TCU and hopefully they can perform well in the national title game.
BROWN: Hopefully they can. Well, the other game Georgia's coach says, the better team did not win last night. Georgia needed a touchdown in the final minute, combined with Ohio State missing a field goal at the end for the Bulldogs to advance to the title game. What happened to Georgia last night?
MORIARTY: Yes. I mean, another amazing matchup, something that we did not see coming. Pamela, this Ohio State team was not even supposed to be in this game. If it wasn't for USC losing to Utah in the Pac-12 title game, Ohio State wouldn't have been in this.
Instead, they come into this game as an underdog and they do pretty much what no other team has done against Georgia all season. They're able to hold off Georgia's pass rush and that gives Ohio State quarterback, CJ Stroud, a ton of time to throw.
We really saw Georgia's secondary very exploited in one-on-one matchups going up against those Ohio State receivers. Obviously, Marvin Harrison Jr., although he was out late in that game, but he had a great game.
Credits with CJ Stroud, he finishes with 348 yard passing, four touchdowns. Just incredible job by him. I can't wait to see what he does in the NFL.
But Kirby's right, I mean, Ohio State was the better team. Credit to Georgia for coming back in that last-minute drive, putting together a touchdown. A guy who catches the touchdown pass A.D. Mitchell, wasn't even in the starting lineup for most of this season. He missed nine games due to injury. He catches the winning touchdown pass.
Credit to Stetson Bennett, you know, he had a pretty good night, although it was a little bit of a slow start. But, yes, I mean, Ohio State did an incredible job of exploiting Georgia secondary. And I think that's going to be key for TCU. They now know that if you get some one-on-one matchups in the Georgia secondary, as talented as that unit is, you can make some plays down the field.
BROWN: Yes, because Michigan and Ohio State, they are the cream of the crop of the Big 10 Conference. Which is more likely to win a title first in your opinion?
MORIARTY: Yes, that's a really great question, because it's a very disappointing season for both teams, just how it ended up. Obviously, they make it to the playoff. I think I'm going to go with Ohio State. I like what Ryan Day has done. I was just really impressed with the job that they did against Georgia.
I'm confident that they can have the edge next year against Michigan. Obviously, there's a lot of time between now and then. I think the playoff will probably come down to that game once again. But I'm going to have to go with Ohio State. I'm sure Michigan fans will not like me saying that, but I do -- got to give credits to Ryan Day and the job he's doing in Columbus.
BROWN: So national championship time prediction -- prediction time, I should say.
Do we have the first repeat champion in the playoff era? Or can TCU pull off another shocker? MORIARTY: Oh, man. I mean, I just can't believe this is going to be such a great game. TCU, like I said, you know, no one thought they would be here at the start of the season, whereas Georgia, up until last night looks pretty prime to repeat, looks like they would have no problems.
You have the game plan for TCU to beat Georgia. I don't know if I'm ready to make a prediction yet, just because I got to see some injury reports. And I think Kendre Miller, you know, if he gets back for TCU, that's going to be key. But this will be a huge matchup. I think TCU's Quentin Johnston, who had 163 yards and a long touchdown last night is going to be really key.
So I'm not ready to make a prediction yet. If I want to --
BROWN: OK.
MORIARTY: -- I can, but it's going to be --
BROWN: Won't force you into it.
MORIARTY: -- a great game. And I think TCU will -- I think TCU will come in with a chip on their shoulder. You know, no one really believed in them. And also, they opened as a 13-point underdog to Georgia. That's huge. That's bulletin board material. I don't know if they have what it takes to beat Georgia.
But I mean, I said that on this -- on another show yesterday. I picked Georgia -- I picked Georgia. I didn't think Ohio State had what it took. I would love to see TCU win their first -- in their first national title game.
I'm going to go with Georgia just because it's the safer pick. It feels like --
BROWN: OK.
MORIARTY: -- going to do a lot of great adjustments heading into that game. So we're just going to have to wait and see. I think it'll be a great game and I can't wait.
BROWN: Both have a strong will to win. It will be a great game. We'll be watching.
Morgan Moriarty, thank you so much.
And the next hour of CNN NEWSROOM starts right now.
