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Idaho Murder Suspect to be Extradited; Storms Killed Two People in California; President Biden Welcomes Divided Congress; Resilient Ukrainians Remain Strong in 2023; Three Days Of Public Viewing In St. Peter's Basilica For Former Pontiff Set To Begin In The Next Hour; Brazil To Hold Massive Public Wake For Football Icon; Growing Numbers Of Countries Restrict Travelers From China. Aired 2-3a ET

Aired January 02, 2023 - 02:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[02:00:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us here in the United States and all around the world. You are watching CNN Newsroom, and I'm Rosemary Church.

Just ahead, ae are hearing for the first time from the family of the man accused of killing four college students in Idaho. We'll have details on what comes next in the case.

Residents of Northern California starting the new year with an evacuation warning as they face the worst flooding they've seen in years. And 2023 brings a new political reality for President Biden, a divided Congress. We'll look at how he hopes to overcome bitter partisanship and work with the Republicans.

UNKNOWN: Live from CNN center, this is CNN Newsroom with Rosemary Church.

CHURCH: Well, the family of the suspect arrested in the killings of four Idaho college students is speaking out and offering their condolences while Bryan Kohberger himself awaits extradition from Pennsylvania. He is accused of first-degree murder in this, stabbing deaths of Xana Kernodle, Ethan Chapin, Kaylee Goncalves, and Madison Mogen.

Their bodies were found in their off-campus home in Moscow, Idaho in mid-November. The crime scene was only a few miles from Kohberger's graduate school residence in Washington State. Now his family has released a statement.

CNN's Jean Casarez has that (Technical problem) next for the suspect.

JEAN CASAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Defendant Bryan Kohberger remains right here in Northeastern Pennsylvania. He is housed right behind me in the Monroe County Correctional Facility. His next hearing will be in Pennsylvania on Tuesday. It is an extradition hearing. He will be waving extradition to go back to Idaho, but his family is right here in northeastern Pennsylvania and they have released a statement. I want to read that to you.

They say 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 family suffering loss can move forward through their legal process.

And his attorney is the chief public defender for Monroe County, Pennsylvania. He tells me that when the arrest happened at 1.30 in the morning on Friday, that it was actually Bryan Kohberger's father that answered the door. The family is saying according to the attorney, about three o'clock in the morning, the middle of the night, he answered the door.

We know it was the FBI, Pennsylvania State Police. We know Idaho State Police are here in Pennsylvania at this point. The father fully cooperated with law enforcement, I am told. He brought his son Bryan to the front door. That is when authorities arrested him.

I am also told by the attorney that the family is not being allowed to visit him in this correction facility. They are not being allowed to talk with him, but the fact is, once there is that court date on Tuesday for extradition, it is a public courtroom and anyone can go inside.

Jean Casarez, Monroe County, Pennsylvania.

CHURCH: Multiple law enforcement sources say a teenager who attacked New York police officers on Saturday had desires to join the Taliban. They say it was written in a diary along with desires to die a, quote, "martyr." The teenager is in custody after pulling out a machete in the attack on three officers near Times Square on New Year's Eve. They were treated at hospital and have since been released.

Police are still trying to determine what prompted the attack. It's not clear if the suspect viewed jihadis propaganda. He hadn't formally been charged with a crime as of Sunday.

[02:05:06]

A storm system that's causing life-threatening flooding in the western U.S. is moving east, putting more than 15 million people under winter weather alerts.

At least two people have been killed by flooding in parts of California over the weekend. Firefighters used a boat to rescue five people trapped in their cars on Saturday night in a town south of Los Angeles.

Here's what one firefighter said about the flooding. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNKNOWN: I've worked for the Cosumnes Fire Department or previously the Elk Grove Fire Department for 21 years. This is the most significant flooding I've seen in this area in those 21 years.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: In Sacramento County, residents were told to avoid travel because of wind gusts, which knocked down trees and left debris on the roads. Some communities south of San Francisco were advised to evacuate due to rising creeks and rivers.

CNN's Camila Bernal has more now on the story.

CAMILA BERNAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Thousands were left without power because of the wind and the rain. And in addition to these power outages, we also saw epic flooding. Not just in the urban areas, but we saw creeks and rivers overflowing.

Many were told to evacuate their homes. Others were told to shelter in place because of how dangerous it was to drive under those conditions. The National Weather Service, even saying there were too many roads that were closed to even count. At some point on Saturday, Highway 101 in South San Francisco was closed in both directions.

There were many rescues in the California area in Sacramento County, for example, officials saying that they had dozens of rescues and had to rescue about 40 people from their cars. Here is what some residents here in California had to go through.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNKNOWN: It is a little concerning for sure. When you see the water moving this quick and rising like this, it's a little unsettling.

UNKNOWN: When I opened one of my gates, there was so much water, it was gushing in. It knocked me over and I got stuck in my phone. I lost my phone in the water.

UNKNOWN: 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 the worst than it's ever been.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERNAL: And rainfall exceeded eight inches here in California, according to the CNN weather team. Despite how difficult it was for a lot of people, this is much needed rain. It's unclear how this will impact drought conditions in the state, but nonetheless, the water here is always welcome.

Camila Bernal, CNN, Los Angeles.

CHURCH: And as we take a look at the path of the storm, weather alerts span parts of California as it moves northeast. To the south, people can expect rain in parts of Arizona and New Mexico, and that could turn into snow over the Rockies. Some areas could see as much as, or even more than six inches or 15 centimeters.

Well, officials are assessing the damage from an earthquake that took northern California Sunday morning. The mayor in the town of Rio Del says the 5.4 magnitude quake was shorter but felt more violent, that one that struck the region on December 20th. The mayor says there's a 35-foot crack in one of the main roads, 30 percent of the town's water is shut down and power is out for some customers.

Well, U.S. President Joe Biden hopes to promote bipartisanship as he returns from his holiday in the U.S. Virgin Islands. He's coming home to a very different political landscape with the Democrats no longer holding a majority in the House of Representatives.

CNN's Arlette Saenz has more on how the president plans to reach out to the Republicans.

ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN POLITICAL REPORTER: When President Biden returns to Washington on Monday, he will be facing a new political reality as Republicans are set to take control of the House, entering an era of divided government for the first time since Biden took office. But the president has repeatedly said that he hopes to find areas of bipartisan cooperation with Republicans.

And on Wednesday, he's trying to showcase his willingness to work with Republicans when the president travels to Kentucky where he will be joined by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, as well as Ohio's Republican governor as they are there to tout the bipartisan infrastructure law.

There is a bridge connecting Kentucky and Ohio, which will benefit from some of the funding in that bipartisan infrastructure law that was passed last year. It was one of the few bipartisan accomplishments the president was able to achieve in the past year.

[02:09:55]

Additionally, they were able to pass more funding for Ukraine. Also, investments in the microchip industry here in the United, as well as gun safety legislation. Now, the White House has been trying to identify Republicans they can work with in this upcoming Congress. And they're really targeting two groups. One being that group of moderate Republicans and another incoming freshman who won in districts President Biden had carried back in 2020.

But even as they are focusing on ways to find bipartisan cooperation, President Biden is fully cognizant of the Republican resistance ahead. One thing that they will be watching very closely this week is that race for house speaker, as they're waiting to see whether Kevin McCarthy will be the leader of the Republicans and speaker of the House, and also, the White House has been gearing up for a bevy of investigations expected to be launched from House Republicans.

They've said that they will launch investigations into everything from the withdrawal from Afghanistan, and work on the southern border, as well as Hunter Biden's business dealings, which the White House has said is politically motivated. But President Biden very soon will be returning to Washington in that era of divided government. He hopes that there will be bipartisan cooperation, but he's also prepared for the resistance ahead.

Arlette Saenz, CNN, traveling with the president in St. Croix.

CHURCH: And with time running out Republican Kevin McCarthy is scrambling to lock down enough votes to become speaker of the house on Tuesday. In a conference call with party members on Sunday, he outlined more concessions he has agreed to make in his campaign for the leadership role. That includes making it easier to oust the speaker in the future.

But not long after that call, a group of nine Republicans released a letter saying his concessions were insufficient and they're still not sold on picking him as House speaker though, they did say progress is being made.

RON BROWNSTEIN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: So let's turn now to Ron Brownstein, a CNN Senior political Analyst and senior editor at The Atlantic. He joins me now from Los Angeles. Always great to have you with us and Happy New Year.

RON BROWNSTEIN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Happy New Year, Rosemary.

CHURCH: So, House Republican leader, Kevin McCarthy, has a big problem with nine hardliners still not sold on him as Speaker of the House raising doubts about his bid for that role despite concessions that he's made. So how likely is it that he wins this vote on Tuesday? And does he risk negotiating away his power to get the --

BROWNSTEIN: Yes. You know, it's been exactly 100 years, Rosemary, since we've had an election for the speaker go past a first ballot. Nineteen twenty-three was the last time it was hap -- that it happened. That's the only time it's happened since the Civil War. It was more common before the Civil War, but has only happened once since.

Kevin McCarthy is at real risk of having this go at least past one ballot because you have these conservatives who want to make a point. And maybe as you note, they've already made their point that even if McCarthy can get the votes together to become the speaker, they have already demonstrated that he has to concede to them so much in order to get there, that they will be in a very strong position to define the party in 2023 with all of the risks that entails after what we saw in the midterm election.

CHURCH: All right. I do want to get onto the George Santos, of course, his web of fabrications. What will be the likely impact of this and do you expect him to eventually be forced to resign although the leadership hasn't really said very much on any of this, has it?

BROWNSTEIN: Right. The fact that the leadership has not said anything on this, it's just another indication of how narrow allege Kevin McCarthy is operating on. I don't expect the Republicans to do much on the ethics committee or or otherwise to pressure him. The real issue is going to be the overlapping criminal investigations that he's facing from both, county officials, state officials, and federal officials.

You know, it's one thing to mislead people about where you worked and where you graduated or did not from college. It's another thing to misrepresent your sources of income, for where you got money for your campaign. And that I think is going to be the big question.

Did he provide misleading information on any of the financial disclosure forms? His income soared over a very short period of time, and he has offered widely varying explanations of what exactly he did to generate that money. I think that is going to be the real vulner -- potential vulnerability for him, and certainly, more of a threat than the ethics committee of the House Republicans. They don't really have much leeway to, to, be pushing out members with the narrow majority that they have.

CHURCH: Yes. Very important point. And Ron, what will be the likely priorities of the Biden administration for the start of the new year ahead of, with the Republicans taking control of the House.

[02:14:52]

BROWNSTEIN: I, you know, I think the biggest priority for the Biden administration is going to be implementing what they have already passed. You know, they, they passed three giant bills, in that first term that all have a long rollout of federal investments and infrastructure bill that has over a trillion dollars in spending for roads, bridges, airports, other projects.

A $50 billion semiconductor bill that's designed to jumpstart the recovery of the U.S. semiconductor industry which is already been involved in large plant investments in New York, Ohio, and Arizona. And then of course they have about 360 billion, in clean energy investments through the Inflation Reduction Act.

And I think the biggest priority of the Biden administration is going to be to try to have the rubber meet the road on all of those bills and show and demonstrate an impact in communities around the country.

You know, he may be cutting ribbons at new plants or new factories, literally every week between now and 2024. We know that he's going down this week and appearing, apparently with Mitch McConnell to talk about infrastructure. I think that's going to be the number one priority. And then the second, I think priority is going to be unilateral executive action, particularly regulatory action, where he can act without needing Congress's part.

It's hard to imagine many deals being made with this Republican Congress, but on environmental issues, on immigration issues, there's a number of fronts where I think they're going to be trying to move forward in their priorities through executive action.

CHURCH: All right, Ron Brownstein, we'll see what the new year brings. I appreciate your insight as always. Thanks so much.

BROWNSTEIN: Thanks.

CHURCH: And still to come, residents in Ukraine's capital are starting the New Year's sheltering in place with the sound of Russian drones overhead and how bakers in the war ravage City of Butcha are doing their part to help Ukrainian troops on the front lines.

We're back with that and more in just a moment.

[02:20:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHURCH: Welcome back, everyone. Well, Ukrainians are hoping the new year will bring an end to the war that has ravaged their country. The mayor of the capital Kyiv visited Ukrainian soldiers in Bakhmut on Saturday to ring in the new year with a call for peace.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VITALI KLITSCHKO, MAYOR, KYIV, UKRAINE (through translator): The fourth brigade of Ukraine's National Guard, Liberty Battalion Bakhmut, the guys who protect our beloved mother Ukraine every day protecting its territorial integrity, independence, and peace of every Ukrainian. These guys will do everything for 2023 to be a year of peace. So everywhere who comes with a weapon leaves our territory legs forward.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Instead of fireworks, Kyiv residents heard the sound of air raid sirens on New Year's Day. Officials say 20 aerial targets were shot down overnight Sunday into Monday, but the shelling has damaged critical infrastructure causing power outages and disrupting some heat supplies.

CNN's Nic Robertson is following all the developments for us from London. He joins us now live. Good to see you, Nic.

So, Kyiv came under attack on the first day of this new year. What does 2023 likely hold for Ukraine as we witness this increase in attacks from Russia?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yes, typically Russia hasn't been able to sustain such, heavy, long barrages over multiple days. It has during this holiday season, certainly spiked its number of attacks.

And there's also an indication as well, and this is what the Ukrainians say, that they're seeing that Russia is expanding its list of targets. It's been going after the energy infrastructure, but it appeared a technical building a university building was hit over the weekend into the new year. That recently civilian residences in Kyiv were also hit and damaged. So, there's an indication, a hotel hit as well in the center of Kyiv, government buildings in the center of Kyiv, there's a possibility the Ukrainians will see an expansion of the types of targets that Russia is trying to hit with its long-range missiles and drones.

We know that NATO has supplied the Ukrainians with a large number of drone deterrence in a way, systems that can deny the drones knowledge of physically where they are and where the -- and where the targets are. Those kinds of systems, if the Ukrainians have been using them to good effect the Russians will this year be looking at ways to try to expand the target list.

You know, I think as well, and we've heard this from the NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg over recent days saying that it's important for Ukraine's allies to step up in weapons productions because that's what they're going to need.

So, you're going to see, can Russia increase and sustain these types of attacks that we've been seeing over the past few days. That's certainly a concern. And the answer for that will be sustaining Ukraine's ability to fight back. But I think, and if you listen to the New Year's messages of both President Putin and the message overnight last night from President Zelenskyy in Ukraine, you get a real different tone.

Zelensky talks about the unity of the Ukrainians. This is something. That they really have. And we're going to see in 2023, a fuller -- further likely strengthening of that unity and a deeper polarization with Russia and Russians.

Putin, on the other hand, is talking when he is trying to motivate people about family first than friends, then the motherland. It's clear Putin's happened to change his narrative that this is not Russia per se, but about, you know, about putting family first and trying to frame that is the reason to fight. And I think in this way Ukraine, the differences grow. But Ukraine in this way is in a stronger position than Russia, which is very weak on that front.

[02:25:00]

CHURCH: All right, Nic Robertson, many thanks for your analysis. I appreciate it.

Well, in one city that's become synonymous with the war's devastation, some residents are turning to traditional ways to bolster their resilience.

CNN's Ben Wedeman has our report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The Daily bread has a special meaning in this Bucha bakery, no machines here. Yaroslav (Ph) needs the dough by hand. Outside, Andri (Ph) chops firewood for the oven at a time when waves of Russian strikes have crippled Ukraine's power grid. The old ways are proving to be handy. Yuri used to pass his days glued to a screen at his I.T. job war has

brought him back to what matters most.

YURI KOYKO, BAKER: What's happened right now in Ukraine it's affecting all the world and people becoming more conscious and more grateful for everything they have right now in their lives.

WEDEMAN: Bucha outside Kyiv suffered through a brutal Russian occupation and was the scene of what investigators say were war crimes.

Vyacheslav, a regular customer appreciates the bread and the spirit of those who make it.

VYACHESLAV, BUCHA RESIDENT: They are nice guys. Nice small business. I remember right after liberation of Bucha, they started baking bread and even providing this bread for free to those in need.

WEDEMAN: They also provide bread in traditional pastries for those far from home and in harm's way. Some of these loaves are destined for soldiers, a little something extra that will make their New Year's Eve that much more special.

Simple reminders of the holiday season hang over their work. The memories of recent nightmares are still fresh and the specter of more Russian attacks loom large. Celebrations will be muted.

In other parts of the world, people can count on comfort in waiting for nice fireworks. Yaroslav (Ph) tells me. We're worried about fireworks from our neighbors. Irina's (Ph) wish for the new year is simple. "We hope it will be better, she says, we hope the war will end."

One cannot live on bread alone. Hope is also needed.

Ben Wedeman, CNN, Bucha, Ukraine.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: One man was the leader of a religious faith. The other a legend in a sport loved with near religious fervor each being bid farewell this week. We're live in Ro Rome after the break with new details on the funeral services for the late Pope Emeritus Benedict the 16th.

And Brazil Mourns one of the greatest football players of all time. Details on the touching tributes to Pele as the country prepares for his wake.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:31:36]

ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: In just over half an hour, the public viewing will begin for the late Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. He died Saturday at the age of 95. And will lie in state and St. Peter's Basilica for three days. The Catholic faithful will be able to pay their respects from today through Wednesday. The funeral will be held on Thursday, led by Pope Francis.

Vatican correspondent Delia Gallagher is there in St. Peter's Square and joins us now live. Good to see you, Delia. You are there with some of the people actually standing in line. What are they telling you about why they've come?

DELIA GALLAGHER, CNN VATICAN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Rosemary, some of these people have been here for about two hours now. As you mentioned, the basilica is not yet open, I estimate about three or 400 people are in line this morning, I had a chance to talk to some of them. Many of them are theology students who say they were very influenced by the writings of the Pope Emeritus.

Obviously, there are priests and nuns who are living in Rome. These would be people who are already in Rome whether passing through Rosemary for their vacation, or people living here. You know, with John Paul II, we saw hundreds of thousands of people in this square. You couldn't move for the people but he had two months of being ill. So people have plenty of time to come down here with Pope Benedict.

Obviously, we have a different situation. And so many of the people this morning are people obviously that have already -- are already living here in Rome. The basilica will open in about a half an hour, they can start to move through. But this will be going on for three days, Rosemary. So, it will be interesting to see exactly what the flux is if people are flying in, and we'll be coming tomorrow or Wednesday.

Funeral on Thursday at 930. In the morning, it will be out here held by Pope Francis. We know that Pope Benedict requested a simple funeral. Nonetheless, he is a past pope. So, I assume that the Vatican will want to give him all the honors and all of the sendoff that a pope would have, at the same time trying to maintain that request of Pope Benedict for something more simple. Normally we see heads of state coming for funerals of a sitting pope.

We'll have to see with Pope Benedict who will be coming on Thursday. His body will be buried eventually in the crypt beneath St. Peter's Basilica here just behind me where it is a tradition of course, that popes are buried. That too will be open for visitors when that happens. Rosemary?

CHURCH: And Delia, what is the mood there?

GALLAGHER: Rosemary, very quiet, very somber. As I said, very different to what we experienced the last funeral we experienced in 2005 was John Paul II but he was such a major figure. Pope Benedict had more time to sort of be quiet and behind the scenes and many people of course, had a different opinion of Pope Benedict than John Paul II. So, it's a very somber, quiet time.

It was beautiful this weekend New Year's Eve, we had Pope Francis come out and see the nativity scene. He spoke about his predecessor on several occasions this weekend. So that was a nice moment for people now. It's kind of a quiet time just before the funeral. Rosemary?

CHURCH: All right. Delia Gallagher joining us there from St. Peter's Square. Many thanks.

Well, in the day ahead, Brazil will honor its lead football hero Pele in a massive public wake. His coffin is currently being moved to a stadium in the city of Santos. Word will lie in honor for 24 hours.

[02:35:04]

Thousands of people are expected to show up and pay their respects. Stefano Pozzebon reports from Santos, Brazil.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

STEFANO POZZEBON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): How do you mourn a legend? A person who always brought so much joy to everyone who saw him. These football fans in the Brazilian city of Santos do it their own way, by laughing and cheering. This is the old guard. Those who had the privilege of watching Pele play more than 60 years ago, now, preparing to say goodbye.

Some show off their tattoos. Others hold on to old tickets as if they were relics. In his last match, the stadium was jammed. Everyone's screaming, chanting when Pele left the pitch it all went quiet. There was silence and then half the people laugh because why stay if you don't see Pele.

But in a city where everyone has a story about the legend, here is someone who knew the man himself. A true lover of the game, Cosmo Damiao founded the first supporters club in the city back when Pele was playing.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's a mixed feeling of celebrating the life of the player, we're being sad because your friend died.

POZZEBON: Yes, you have no idea how much I would like to say come back, King, and be with your people. This piece of land is your house.

The city of Santos has declared seven days of mourning to remember Pele. And outside the old football stadium the tributes are endless. Inside, everything is ready. Here is where Pele's body will lie for 24 hours.

POZZEBON (on camera): Like a circle that comes to a full closer, Pele's final farewell will be in the same ground where he gave so much joy to his fans, but then hundreds of them will be cheerful in the stands that are now silent morning the king of football.

As a new year begins one last beget history. One more final whistle for the greatest of them all.

Stefano Pozzebon, CNN, Santos, Brazil.

(END VIDEOTAPE) CHURCH: And earlier, my colleague Michael Holmes discussed Pele's legacy with CNN Sports Analyst Christine Brennan. He asked her what the football icon has meant to Brazil, given the scale of these tributes.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRISTINE BRENNAN, CNN SPORTS ANALYST: Obviously, not only a great soccer player, but a great ambassador for the game and for his nation, for Brazil. It got to the point where he was so popular in Brazil, they didn't want to lose them that they basically the government said they couldn't trade them, they couldn't have him play for any other team, at least in his heyday before he came to New York to play for the Cosmos in 1975 and brought soccer really to the United States.

A country that that point we had not really heard about soccer, didn't know the game of soccer. But other than that, I mean, he is Brazil's. And he is a legend and of course larger than life. And I think, Mike, let a time, you know, at the end of the year, there's always a lot of introspection as we look back. And the fact that he passed away so soon before the year's end, I think is a -- was a chance to even look back more.

And also, of course, the World Cup just a few weeks earlier. Again, we were thinking of soccer, Pele, we knew he was ill. So, in many ways, the month of December, a fitting tribute to the man and the legend with the World Cup being so successful on the field, the play, of course, in Qatar. And then of course, at the end of the year, our sense of looking back. And when we look back at someone like Pele, we see the incredible life that he lived and how he gave so much to so many.

You know, I think for most of the world soccer and football, obviously it's been a big part of everyone's lives. Here in the United States that wasn't the case. In many ways, he was like Johnny Appleseed, planting the seed for the game here in the United States, obviously a major player on the world stage and sports and culture and everything else. And, you know, what I remember hearing about Pele, before I really knew much about soccer.

Back in the day at that time period, the mid 1970s, Michael, American kids were not playing soccer. We were not, you know, boys were playing -- went to Little League Baseball and girls like me play tennis or swimming or whatever. So, there was no organized soccer at all. Pele came to the United States and change that.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: And while Brazil mourns the loss of Pele, the country also ushered in a new president on Sunday. Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was sworn into office in Brasilia. His supporters are thrilled with the change.

[02:40:09]

This is Mr. Lula da Silva's third term as president after a 12-year hiatus. He has inherited a country with crippling debt and much higher levels of poverty than -- when he left office. In his address to the country, he expressed optimism toward a brighter future, but acknowledged there's a lot of work to be done.

LUIZ INACIO LULA DA SILVA, PRESIDENT OF BRAZIL (through translator): Today, our message to Brazil is one of hope and reconstruction. The great building of law, sovereignty and development that this nation built since 1988 has been systematically demolished in recent years. It is to rebuild this building of national rights and values that will guide all our efforts.

CHURCH: President Lula da Silver's rise to power caps a spectacular comeback from a corruption scandal that forced him to spend more than a year and a half behind bars. In 2019, the Supreme Court ruled his case a mistrial, clearing his path to run for reelection. But looming over his new political era, threats of violence from his predecessor's supporters. Also, outgoing President Jair Bolsonaro has yet to publicly concede defeat.

Well, just into CNN. At least four people are dead and three are in critical condition after two helicopters collided mid-air in Australia. It happened earlier near the popular tourist strip of main beach on the Gold Coast just south of Brisbane. Police say the helicopters crashed onto a sandbank near the Sea World Resort. It's the height of the tourist season there with schools closed for the summer right now.

The main road into the area is close to traffic. Police are asking anyone who saw the collision to contact investigators.

Well, COVID case numbers are surging after Beijing backed away from its zero-COVID policy. Just ahead, how countries around the world are reacting as China struggles to get back to normal.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:45:25]

CHURCH: Nearly 4,000 nurses at a New York hospital have reached a tentative deal on a labor contract a day after threatening to strike.

But as seven other hospitals, roughly 12,000 nurses are still negotiating their own contracts. And if her deal is not reached by January 9th, they will move forward with the strike.

A union representing those nurses says they are demanding better working conditions, they want hospitals to hire more staff, and retain current workers, to improve patient care.

Air travelers from China are facing a growing number of restrictions from countries around the world. This, after Beijing scrapped zero- COVID policy, causing a surge of coronavirus cases.

Morocco will ban all travelers from China from entering, regardless of nationality, starting on Tuesday. And Australia is joining countries like the U.S., Canada, England, France, South Korea, Japan, and several others, requiring travelers from China to show proof of a negative COVID test.

So, let's bring in CNN's Paula Hancocks, she joins us live from Seoul, South Korea.

Good to see you, Paula.

So, how are people in China coping with the surge in COVID cases, after Beijing ditched zero-COVID policy?

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Well, Rosemary, there's a real tale of two countries at this point in China. On the one hand, we do have what seems to be some kind of return to normalcy.

The fact that you do have congestion, back on the streets of Beijing, people are still going and decided to go back shopping, and going around the town.

So, certainly, it does seem to visibly be some kind of return to normality. But of course, it could very well be a demographic difference that you have younger people out on the streets, or potentially those that don't have underlying conditions, and aren't necessarily at risk of being hospitalized.

On the other side, you do see -- we're hearing from teams on the ground, and anecdotally, that there are full hospitals, that the hospitalizations have been significant. And you also hear, of concerns of those within the country itself, of even trying to go to a pharmacy and buy some medicine.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): There is a shortage of all the cold and flu medicine, and fever reducing medicine. Including rubbing alcohol and thermometers, which have been out of stock. I think it's because we're in the countryside, and other goods are allocated to big hospitals and cities.

But here in the towns and villages, we're more isolated, unless medicine is available.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANCOCKS: When it comes to the official level, Beijing has said it's not going to be reporting daily COVID cases. The numbers that are coming out are certainly scarce.

And we've heard from the World Health Organization that they are calling on Beijing to give them more information. They want numbers on the more genetic sequencing data -- for example. Of course, that is the concern around the world that variants may be created from such a sheer number of people carrying the virus at any one time. They want details on hospitalizations, on deaths, et cetera. It's not clear at this point whether they are likely to get any of that from Beijing officially. Rosemary?

CHURCH: All right. Many thanks. Paula Hancocks, joining us live from Seoul.

And when we come back, making sense of the metaverse. What the technology means for the future and why 2023 may or may not be its big year. Back in just a moment.

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[02:52:59]

CHURCH: For some forward-looking people, 2023 could be the year many of us have our first experience with the metaverse.

But as we hear from CNN as Anna Stewart, sometimes it seems like the new technology is still in its dial up days.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANNA STEWART, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Remember this movie?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The oasis.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A whole virtual universe.

STEWART: The concept of a virtual universe is rooted in science fiction. Over years it's being just that, fiction. But now, technology is beginning to catch up, bringing the idea of the metaverse to reality.

It is home to concerts, expensive digital real estate, and hugely popular games. But what exactly is the metaverse? What does it do? And why should you care? Let's break it down.

NEAL STEPHENSON, AUTHOR, SNOW CRASH: It means a virtual environment.

STEWART: This is Neal Stephenson. He came up with the term metaverse back in 1992, for his book Snow Crash. Back to you Neal.

STEPHENSON: Where large numbers of people can get together and interact with each, not as they are, but through avatars, which are kind of the three-dimensional representations.

STEWART: For so long, our experiences with the Internet having 2D is been something we look at. But the metaverse gives users the sense of being transported into the Internet like this.

Oh, hi.

ANDREW BOSWORTH, CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER, META: Hello.

STEWART: Meet Andrew Bosworth, also known as Boz. He works at Meta, formerly named Facebook.

Great.

Do we shake hands? How does this work?

BOSWORTH: We can do a high five.

STEWART: Oh.

This is Horizon Workrooms, the company's foothold in the metaverse. It's just one of the many ways into the metaverse that are currently available.

In these virtual worlds, you can play games, do business, and dance with strangers that turn into friends, except that this friend could be on the other side of the world.

[02:55:09]

BOSWORTH: Is it as good as being together? No, and it probably never will be, but it's the next best thing.

STEWART: This all sounds exciting, until you realize that the technology for building this new iteration of the Internet is -- well, still being built.

Where are my legs?

BOSWORTH: We're also working on legs.

We are working on legs.

STEWART: Where are my legs?

BOSWORTH: We -- to be fair, we are working on legs.

It's one of the tricky things about V.R. we're so early on. Oops, she left me. I'm so sad. She is back, maybe. Oops, she left again.

STEWART: In short, it's difficult to define the metaverse because it's constantly evolving, just as the technology is.

What it is, is largely dependent on what it can do for us. And right now, its capabilities are just a fraction of what they might be in five, maybe 10 years.

For now, it's this place where you can be whoever you want and immerse your virtual self into this alternative world that pushes past physical barriers. To collaborate and interact with other virtual avatars, objects, and environments.

As promising as it all may sound, we still have a long way to go before we're living like this.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Where am I?

IOI Plaza (PH) your hologram in the real world.

STEWART: Anna Stewart, CNN, Dubai.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: And thanks for your company. I'm Rosemary Church. I'll be back with more news after a short break. Do stick around.

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