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Ukraine Dismisses Putin's Call for Ceasefire; House is in Disorder; League Officially Cancels Game Between Bills and Bengals; McCarthy's Speaker Bid In Peril After 11 Failed Votes; Sweden, Germany To Require Testing For Travelers From China; Reports On New Book Detail Drug Use, Family Drama, Deaths. Aired 2-2:45a ET

Aired January 06, 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]

PAULA NEWTON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: A warm welcome to our viewers watching us from all around the world. I'm Paula Newton. Ahead right here "CNN Newsroom," pure propaganda and hypocrisy. Those words from Ukrainian officials describing Russia's announcement of a temporary ceasefire. A live report coming up. Plus --

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNKNOWN: No nominee have been received the majority of the votes cast. A speaker has not been elected.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: Eleven times is not the charm for Kevin McCarthy as he presses forward on his bid to become the next speaker of the U.S. House.

And more countries add restrictions for travellers from China over concerns of surging COVID cases.

UNKNOWN (voice-over): Live from CNN Center, this is "CNN Newsroom" with Paula Newton.

NEWTON: Ukraine is showing no indication that it will go along with the temporary ceasefire proposed by Russia. Now, President Vladimir Putin ordered his military implement a 36-hour ceasefire that would start in about two hours from now.

The leader of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, called for earlier, saying Orthodox Christians should have time to mark their Christmas, which most of the celebrate on January 7th.

But Ukraine and its allies say President Putin probably has ulterior motives in this. Ukrainian officials are dismissing the move as pure propaganda and an attempt to buy time for the Russian military. Now, President Zelenskyy is making a direct appeal to the people of Russia in Russian. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE (through translator): Everyone in the world knows how the Kremlin uses respite's at war to continue the war with renewed vigor. But to end the war faster, that is not what is needed at all. What is needed is the citizens of Russia who will find the courage to free themselves of their shameful fear of one man in the Kremlin at least for 36 hours, at least at Christmas time.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: Now, meantime, these satellite images that we are showing you now show what months of fighting have done to the eastern city of Bakhmut. Russian firepower has been pummelling the city, which is still in the Ukrainian hands. But officials say 60% of Bakhmut is now destroyed.

Ukraine's military is getting more armor meantime to push back against Russian ground operations. U.S. and Germany are pledging to deliver infantry fighting machines as Ukraine prepares for an expected uptick in fighting in the spring.

Now, Germany in the meantime is also pledging to provide a Patriot missile defense battery, which Washington has already promised to Ukraine. Washington now says that it may bring some of the Ukrainian Patriot cruise to the United States for training.

For more on all of this, we are now joined by our Nic Robertson, who is in London for us. Good to see you, Nic. We could call this Putin ceasefire, right? It's supposed to take effect within the next couple of hours. Ukraine sees it as a deeply cynical ploy. And yet, could we actually see a quiet period, so to speak, take effect over the next few hours?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yes, President Biden as well sees it as a cynical ploy. I mean, he said, look, Russia was quite happy to bomb on Christmas day and was quite happy to bomb on New Year hospitals, nurseries, places like that.

So, Ukraine is taking this very cautiously and carefully. They know that Russia in the past has a track record of calling for ceasefires, maneuvering troops, bringing in ammunition, and then just getting ready to go on the offensive again. So, that is in everyone's minds.

But look, the example you gave, Bakhmut, the heavy destruction it suffered, I was there in the summer and again just late in the fall and early into the winter. That city has suffered a lot. Every inch of territory there has been hard-fought.

So, what does a unilateral ceasefire look like in a city where any ground that is open that can taken by either side is taken, because that is how the advantages are made and it has been a back and forth battle?

So, if the Russian guns fall silent, where the Ukrainians tried to move forward and take more territory, it would be in their interest to do that. Will the Russians stand back and let that happen? It isn't clear.

[02:04:54]

ROBERTSON: I think what we can expect along the frontline is perhaps a diminution of the amount of shooting, perhaps in the first few hours, but for sure, Ukraine and the rest of the world sees this as a very, very cynical ploy by Putin, who really wants the carry more favor at home by doing this for the troops and their families at home watching because this is such an unpopular war.

NEWTON: Yeah, and as President Zelenskyy has pointed out, there've been truces, so-called ceasefires that have been violated before.

Nic, tell us a little bit more just about the context here. Russia and Ukraine seem to be as far as possible as they could be from negotiating table right now, and yet we keep hearing right from the Turkish leaders, perhaps even President Macron from France, that they are working the phones behind the scenes here. What more do we know?

ROBERTSON: Nobody wants to see this escalate. The best way to make sure this does not escalate beyond Ukraine and beyond the sort of military theatrical right now is to have both sides deescalate and come to a lasting ceasefire.

Turkey is so close. Economically, it could be affected by the war. It is a friend of both sides. And President Erdogan really sees some gain and benefit for himself in helping negotiate a ceasefire, yet he has really nothing to work with the grain deal in the Black Sea that Turkey (INAUDIBLE). The U.N. worked on that. That was painful. And there is really nothing in that that helps a ceasefire right now.

President Erdogan had those phone calls yesterday with President Zelenskyy and President Putin. The Turkish side said that they urged President Putin to call a unilateral cease fire but also to go into essentially a more enlightened view of what a final outcome, piece outcome could look like. That is another thing.

Putin came out and clarified, the Kremlin clarified and said, yes, a peace deal for us looks like Ukraine conceding all of the territory we have annexed, those four regions we've annexed. Ukraine has been categorical and its allies have been categorical. German yesterday is categorical as well.

If Russia wants a ceasefire, it needs to pull its troops out of the country. Let's not forget that this is an illegal, unprovoked invasion. And now, Russia calls for a ceasefire when it the invading, aggressive force. What do Ukrainians say and their allies say is Russia just needs to pull its troops out if it really wants a ceasefire.

NEWTON: Certainly, on what is a religious holiday for many Orthodox Christians, we will continue to see what develops in the coming hours. Nic Robertson for us standing by in London, appreciate your context there.

And now, we go to Washington, another day of humiliating defeats for House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy. He has failed to win a majority in 11, count them, 11 straight votes for speaker, the longest contest for the position in some 164 years.

Now, vote number 12 is expected when the House reconvenes at noon in the day ahead. A series of major concessions by McCarthy failed to win over any republican holdouts, if you can believe it. One even nominated Donald Trump for the role. He, in fact, did get a single vote. McCarthy claims that talks within his party are making progress. He is confident that he will win eventually. Some rank-and-file Republicans say their patience is wearing thin.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE (R-GA): I have hated it the entire time. I've been really honest about that. But I think it is necessary, all of these conversations that are happening. But I really want to see us to come together.

REP. KEN BUCK (R-CO): If there is a deal and, you know, 10 of the 20 moved, I think that people stay with it. If there is no deal and we have another vote of 20, I think that the people are going to start to look.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: So, meantime, McCarthy says that he is not threatening to strip committee assignments from anyone who voted against him, and he is not putting a timeline on his bid to be speaker. This could go on for some time right? CNN's Manu Raju brings us up to date.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MANU RAJU, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Eleven times in a row Kevin McCarthy has failed to get the 218 votes that he needs to be elected speaker. It has been 100 years since a speaker's race has gone to multiple ballots. It's been since the mid-1800s since a speaker's race has gone for this many ballots. And Kevin McCarthy is not at where he needs to be, the 218 votes he needs to be elected speaker.

But behind the scenes, he has been negotiating, he and his allies along with some of those holdouts, to try to assuage their concerns, try to bring them over to his side. He has proposed a number of measures to give them more power, give the rank-and-file members, especially members of the far-right Freedom Caucus, some of those members denying him the ascension to speakership, giving them more power, more say over the legislative process, the ability to call for a vote to oust a sitting speaker.

[02:10:00]

RAJU: Now, under the rule proposed by McCarthy, one member could do that. That is down from conference rules, about half of the republican conference, 111 members to be able to do. McCarthy has gone all the way down to have one member, which raises concerns about keeping the speakership stable, the stability of the speakership, assuming he gets the job. Now, McCarthy is speaking to him late -- soon after the final failed vote on Thursday. He was confident he would ultimately get there. He just didn't know when.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. KEVIN MCCARTHY (R-CA): The entire conference is going to have to learn how to work together. So it is better that we go through this process right now so that we can achieve the things that we want to achieve for the American public, what our commitment was. So if this takes a little longer and it doesn't meet your deadline, that's okay, because it is not -- it's not how you start, it's how you finish.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RAJU: But even if a deal is reached with some of those dissidents and McCarthy and his allies, that doesn't mean that he's going to get the 218 votes right away. There are other members who have different concerns. They are trying to work out an agreement with those members who have those different areas of concern.

Can they get there with those members after cutting those deals? That still remains to be seen. So, if he does get this deal, he has got some more work to do, which means a lot of people think that this is going into next week at least to see if McCarthy can get the votes. If not, maybe even beyond.

Manu Raju, CNN, Capitol Hill.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: Joining me now for more on this, from California, KABC Talk radio host John Phillips, and in Washington, Democratic strategist and CNN political commentator Maria Cardona. Thank you both for staying up with us here.

All right, John, you first. Help us make sense today -- look, McCarthy didn't seem to be able to make sense of it today. He's saying it's not how you start, it's how you finish. Can he be the only person in America right now missing the point? I mean, even the GOP is fearful that this -- this is a party that cannot govern no matter how the speaker race goes.

JOHN PHILLIPS, KABC RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: First of all, losing 11 in the row, that is nothing.

(LAUGHTER)

PHILLIPS: All of this, the 20 dissenters reminds me that timing is everything. Whatever failings Kevin McCarthy has is a legislature. I'm from California, so I'm familiar with several of them.

Timing is everything. He had these failings back when he was minority leader, months and months and months ago, when it was apparent that the Republicans were going to take control of Congress. You don't like his politics, fine. You don't like the way he counts votes, fine. Take it up back then.

Right now is the time when they need to be delivering to their constituents and not fighting over who is in leadership. This is something that is certainly interesting to people who are in Washington, D.C., who are following the palace intrigue. But the people who elected them want them to do something about inflation. They want them to do something about crime, about the border. And every minute that they waste fighting over this is a minute that they do not spend dealing with those subjects.

NEWTON: Yeah. And to be clear, Congress is at a complete standstill right now. People haven't even been sworn in because of this mess.

Maria, I have been fascinated by the fact that the Dems, they are showing restraint. They aren't gloating. But they aren't helping other. What is the danger here, depending if the Democrats overplay their hand in all of this?

MARIA CARDONA, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: I don't think that there is any danger in that because this is not a situation that can in any way shape or form be put at the feet of Democrats, completely the contrary. Democrats during the midterm elections were very focused on what they would want to do should they keep the House.

I think one of the big reasons that the midterm elections were so much more positive for Democrats than so many people thought they were is because of how we campaigned, especially in the Senate, but also in the House.

You know, there were prognostications that Republicans were going to win 30, 40 seats in the House. And now, we are seeing that that is absolutely what did not happen. There is a very, very narrow majority, which is why Kevin McCarthy is having such trouble. And the American people voted for, to John's point, voted for both Republicans and Democrats to focus on bipartisan solutions. That is not what the Republicans are talking about now.

And it should not be the responsibility of the Democrats to help elect a Republican speaker when they have the majority. This to me, I think, has demonstrated exactly what John was saying and what you are saying leading up to this, which is that Republicans have shown time and again that they suck at governing.

[02:15:00]

(CROSSTALK)

CARDONA: -- the fact that they cannot -- the fact they can't even elect a speaker underscores that.

NEWTON: John, I'm just going to let you pick it up from there. I mean, I have to say, Maria, I understand your defense here of the Democrats, but there is political danger here because, remember, when -- as John says, when you leave the confines of Washington, you're all lumped in together like a bunch of crazy people. So, John, let us know at this point because I do want to say some of the words that were said today. We heard that these were political terrorists. We heard, in fact, that they were taking hostages in Congress, euphemism obviously, but David Axelrod, John, probably put it best, and he compared this to defusing a bomb.

PHILLIPS: Well, McCarthy is not going to get all of those 20 votes to vote for him, but he can get some of them. And one of the things he has to do is he has to change the messaging that he is presenting to them. Right now, essentially, the argument he's making is, I am next in line.

Well, I'm next in line was Jeb Bush's argument when he ran for president. I'm next in line is what you say when you're trying to get on in an airplane. It's not something you say when you're trying to become speaker of the House.

He needs to tell them what he is going to do with this power. He needs to make a case to these members. Policy positions, those sorts of things. And I think that as soon as he can focus on that and buckle down on those subjects, he will be able to get some of these people who are not necessarily the hardest of the hardliners to go ahead and vote for him, and then they can go ahead and move forward with their agenda.

NEWTON: This all sounds very cordial, and yet Maria, we are at the anniversary of the January 6th insurrection. Insurgent has been another word that has been used. What is the danger here in terms of a threat to the institutions that we keep talking about, the need to stay strong?

CARDONA: That is absolutely right. I think that is one of the biggest dangers and threats that we are facing right now with what is going on in Congress. You know, Democrats can look at this and say, you know, exactly what I just said, this proves Republicans can't govern, but the bigger danger here is that, number one, we are an international embarrassment. It shows that, you know, the greatest country in the world can't even get their House in order literally.

And you also mentioned at the beginning, the House cannot do anything, cannot do the business of the people without electing a speaker. The representatives that have been elected by the American people cannot even get sworn in.

And so, if they can't even elect a speaker, how are we going to get that business done? We have important business ahead of us in terms of raising the debt ceiling, in terms of our budget priorities. None of that will get done.

But I think moreover, in terms of the election for the speaker itself, if Kevin McCarthy -- how long did he have to figure out how many votes were with him, right?

NEWTON: Months. It was months, to remind everyone.

CARDONA: Exactly. You know, Nancy Pelosi, love her, hate her or fear her, one thing she was good at was whipping votes. And this is exactly what Kevin McCarthy has shown. He has absolutely no ability to do. So, if he can't even do that in terms of his own election for speaker, how is he going to hold his caucus together in order to get the business of the American people done? He needs to step aside because he does not have a path to 218.

NEWTON: It was incredible today that even Republicans are praising Nancy Pelosi and her ability to, as you say, count votes. John, listen, I don't have a lot of time left here. I'm going to put both of you on the spot because you are political vets. John, to you first, then Maria, predictions, will Kevin McCarthy pull this out? John first.

PHILLIPS: Oh, gosh. If he does, he is not going to have to twist arms, he's going to have to break them.

(LAUGHTER)

NEWTON: Maria?

CARDONA: I don't think he will. I mean, from what we are hearing, there is no path to 218. There are more than four hard "no Kevin" ever, "no Kevin" votes. How does he get there?

NEWTON: We are about to find out. John Phillips, Maria Cardona, thanks so much for joining us, really appreciate it.

CARDONA: Thanks so much.

PHILLIPS: Thank you.

NEWTON: Mexican police arrest the son of a drug kingpin, and cartel members react violently, blocking roads and setting vehicles on fire. Details on that when we come back.

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[02:20:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NEWTON: The son of a notorious drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman is now in police custody in Mexico.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(SIREN)

NEWTON: After his arrest on Thursday, members of the drug cartel allegedly run by Ovidio Guzman exchanged gunfire with police and set trucks and buses on fire. Now, the U.S. State Department says Ovidio Guzman and his brother oversaw drug labs and the distribution of marijuana, cocaine, and meth, crystal meth, in fact.

The arrest comes days before the U.S. and Mexican presidents and the Canadian prime minister meet in Mexico City for the North American Leaders' Summit.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: Now, before our U.S. President Joe Biden travels to the southern border with Mexico this weekend, he unveiled new measures aimed at discouraging migrants from attempting to enter the United States without making a formal application.

Under the plan, up to 30,000 qualified migrants would be legally allowed each and every month from Nicaragua, Venezuela, Haiti, and Cuba. Mr. Biden stressed his program is not a long-term solution and that is up to Congress to fix the broken immigration system.

Now, he is on his way to Mexico City for the North American Leaders' Summit. Mr. Biden will stop in El Paso, Texas, his first stop to the border as president. There, he will meet with local officials about the recent surge of migrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border.

Pope Francis celebrates mass in the coming hours to mark the feast of the epiphany, a Christian holiday that follows Christmas.

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(MUSIC PLAYING)

NEWTON: You see there just the day before he became the first pope to preside over the funeral of his predecessor, Pope Emeritus Benedict. The casket was laid to rest on Thursday in the Vatican's papal crypt. The Vatican estimates about 50,000 people attended the funeral, a relatively small crowd but in keeping with Benedict's wishes for a very simple ceremony. Pope Francis offered a prayer for the pontiff.

POPE FRANCIS, HEAD OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH (through translator): Gracious Father, we commend to your mercy Pope Emeritus Benedict, who you've made successor of Peter and shepherd of the church, a fearless preacher of your word and a faithful minister of the divine mysteries.

NEWTON: Benedict died on New Year's Eve at the age of 95. He was, in fact, the first pope in nearly 600 years to resign that lifetime position when he stepped down in 2013.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: We want to bring you more on this developing story. Not long ago, the NFL announced that it has officially cancelled the game between the Buffalo Bills and the Cincinnati Bengals. Now, the decision not to resume play comes just three days after the severe hit to Bills safety Damar Hamlin, who collapsed during Monday night football game and suffered a cardiac arrest. The league is planning to recognize Hamlin before every NFL game this weekend.

But the biggest news, however, is that Hamlin is neurologically sound and even moving his hands and feet. His first question upon awakening, did we win?

[02:25:00] NEWTON: CNN's Ryan Young picks up the story from there.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SEAN MCDERMOTT, BILLS HEAD COACH: The news has been very encouraging as we are up-to-date at this point, and just extremely grateful.

RYAN YOUNG, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The good news teammates and fans have been waiting for, Damar Hamlin showing some improvements today as the Buffalo Bills head coach and quarterback are speaking out for the first time.

JOSH ALLEN, BILLS QUARTERBACK, TEAM CAPTAIN: Today's news was a lot of tears and joy, I'll tell you that.

YOUNG (voice-over): Both reacting to the positive news that Damar Hamlin's medical team delivered earlier in the day.

TIMOTHY PRITTS, UC HEALTH SURGERY DEPARTMENT: It appears that his neurological condition and function is intact. We are very proud to report that. Very happy for him and for his family and for the Buffalo Bills Organization. This marks a really good turning point in his ongoing care.

YOUNG (voice-over): While Hamlin remains in critical condition and on a ventilator, he is able to communicate with written words. Doctors revealing one of the first questions Hamlin asked.

PRITTS: Last night, he was able to emerge and follow commands, and even asked who had won the game.

ALLEN: So Damar did go through that and to come out on the other side and still again just thinking of his teammates, that is Damar, that is who he is.

YOUNG (voice-over): Shocking details were also shared about Hamlin's understanding of what happened to him.

PRITTS: He has expressed surprise that he had been, you know, not with the world for two days.

YOUNG (voice-over): Doctors describing how Hamlin's supportive family never left his side.

PRITTS: We wish everybody had parents as wonderful as his parents are.

YOUNG (voice-over): Hamlin's father even taking the time to meet with the team yesterday.

MCDERMOTT: His message was the team needs to get back to focusing on the goals that they had set for themselves. Damar would have wanted it that way, and I am paraphrasing. And so, that includes the game against New England this week.

YOUNG (voice-over): As for media, next step for him is recovery. Doctors are staying focused on his day-to-day progress.

PRITTS: We want to get him breathing completely on his own. That will be the next big milestone for him.

YOUNG (voice-over): But a much less definitive answer from doctors, when asked about his return to the field.

PRITTS: It is entirely too early to have that conversation.

YOUNG (on camera): Really a big mood change today when it comes to Damar. And the fact of the matter is from the coach to the quarterback, the doctors, all seem pretty happy with how he has been progressing, even the idea that he was able to write down that message whether or not they had won the game or not. So, this is progressing in a completely different way. The mood here has changed because people really believe that the kid is going to pull through.

Ryan Young, CNN, Cincinnati, Ohio.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NEWTON: Straight ahead for us, travellers from China are facing new restrictions from more countries' concern over surging COVID outbreak. The very latest and a live report from Hong Kong when we come back.

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[02:30:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PAULA NEWTON, CNN ANCHOR: You are watching CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Paul Newton.

We want to get you right up to date on the race for U.S. House Speaker now the longest in 164 years. Republicans hold a slim majority remember, but they have failed to elect their, Leader Kevin McCarthy, in 11 votes now over the past three days. The House will reconvene at noon in the day ahead to try again. McCarthy says he is making progress in talks with conservative holdouts. The rudderless House at the moment is not able to swear in members or conduct any government business until a speaker is chosen.

Now, Friday marks the second anniversary meantime of the January 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: U.S. Capitol Police are ramping up security ahead of several planned protests at the Capitol and Supreme Court. President Joe Biden will mark the occasion by awarding Presidential Citizens medals to 12 individual -- individuals in the White House ceremony, among them is the late Officer Brian Sicknick who died one day after he was attacked while protecting the Capitol. On Thursday, Siknick's -- state filed a civil lawsuit in federal court against two individuals involved in the riot as well as against former President Donald Trump.

A growing number of countries are adding COVID restrictions for travelers from China as cases are soaring in the world's most populous country. Sweden and Germany are two of the latest now requiring travelers from China to show a negative test result before entering. CNN's Ivan Watson has the latest for us from Hong Kong.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voiceover): Hospital hallways crowded with sick people, patients treated on sidewalks, and lines of vans waiting for entry to busy funeral homes. A huge COVID-19 outbreak is battering China. The surge coming more than three years after the virus was first detected in the Chinese city of Wuhan. Chinese state television says medical workers are stepping up to meet the challenge.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Speaking in a foreign language.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We have expanded the ward, added more beds. We brought experienced doctors to work with the young ones to get them up to speed quicker.

WATSON: But social media footage shows hospitals in China's wealthiest cities clearly inundated with patients, and a recent Chinese study projects infections won't surge in less developed rural parts of the country until later this month. Officially, as of Thursday, only 24 people in all of China died from COVID-19 since December 7, according to China's CDC, with only six COVID victims in Beijing.

MR. ZHANG, BEIJING RESIDENT: That is totally ridiculous and not credible, you know. As far as I know, my close relatives, among them, there are four that died already. That is from one family. So, I hope the government will honestly and credibly tell its people and people in the world what really happened here.

WATSON: Last month, CNN journalists filmed bodies stored in containers awaiting cremation at one Beijing funeral home. The World Health Organization criticizing China for underrepresenting the severity of its outbreak and not sharing enough real data on the scale of the outbreak.

DR. MIKE RYAN. WHO EMERGENCIES PROGRAM DIRECTOR: We believe that the current numbers being published from China underrepresents the true impact of the disease in terms of hospital admissions, in terms of ICU admissions, and particularly in terms of deaths. And we would like to see more data on a more geographic basis across China.

WATSON: Beijing's decision to allow citizens to travel internationally ending years of self-imposed isolation, just as the virus spreads out of control has triggered a global debate. A growing number of governments imposing travel restrictions ranging from the U.S. which requires a pre-flight COVID test, to Morocco which temporarily banned all travel from China. Beijing is now threatening reciprocal measures. The growing international dispute is of little concern to Chinese families that are struggling with the sudden loss of loved ones. Some statistical models predict China could lose more than a million people due to COVID-19.

Ivan Watson, CNN, Hong Kong.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NEWTON: Now, responding to the World Health Organization's claims, China insists it again on Thursday that it is openly sharing COVID data. CNN's Kristie Lu Stout joins me now from Hong Kong. And you have been following all this quite closely.

[02:35:01]

We were talking about China's transparency, right? And the fact of the matter is whether you're a Beijing resident on the street of the WHO, you have issues, you know.

KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes.

NEWTON: And so, what's been going on, especially in terms of how China is defending itself?

STOUT: Yes. You know, I think that the men on the street interview conducted there in Ivan's report was just so powerful because you hear from a Chinese citizen or Chinese national questioning the transparency and the quality of the COVID-19 data coming from his own country. I mean, look, China continues to report some of the lowest COVID-19 death figures over -- in the world. In fact, earlier today reported only five new deaths caused by COVID-19 on January 5 compared that to its officially reported one new death caused by COVID-19 the previous day.

And these remarkably low numbers simply do not match the video that we've been screening and collecting here at CNN showing absolutely crowded and overwhelmed funeral homes, crematoriums, and hospitals. We have a fresh video from Hangzhou of a crowded hospital there also overwhelmed by the runaway COVID-19 outbreak. And China continues to insist it is transparent, its open, has been so since the start of the pandemic. And also, this. Let's bring it up for you the latest response from the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

This is deliberately, Thursday, Mao Ning is saying this. Facts have proven that China has always maintained close communication with the WHO and shared information and data on the epidemic in a timely, open, and transparent manner in accordance with the law. Mao Ning goes on to say China's COVID situation is under control.

Now, the World Health Organization earlier this week, warned that China is under-representing the true scope and scale of its COVID-19 outbreak, under-representing just the number of ICU admissions, hospital admissions, and deaths. We've also heard from U.S. President Joe Biden as well as the health ministers of France, and Germany, all expressing concern about what really is the full picture of the COVID- 19 outbreak in China. And now, Germany is the latest government to be added to the list of governments imposing restrictions on travelers from China.

We have an updated map for you. There, you will see Germany, along with Sweden, along with Greece are now requiring proof of a negative COVID test for all arrivals from China, Paula.

NEWTON: Yes. Kristie, I mean, of course, our eyes wide open to the human suffering there even as this becomes a political and public health issue.

STOUT: Yes, absolutely.

NEWTON: That's something that I know you'll continue to follow closely there from Hong Kong. Appreciate it.

Now, new bombshells from the Duke of Sussex, they involve his mother, Princess Diana, and the woman his father married. Next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NEWTON: California is getting a small break after the so-called bomb cyclone moved north towards Canada now. Now, the powerful storm brought snow to the mountains, widespread flooding, and hurricane- force wind gusts to the state. It's being blamed for the deaths of at least six people.

[02:40:01]

Now, the break won't last long. The message, California, don't get used to it. Right behind that is an atmospheric river of warm moisture, called the Pineapple Express and it's expected to bring more heavy rain to the region.

Now, after a nearly one-month pause in activity, Hawaii's Kilauea Volcano is spewing lava again. It began erupting Thursday inside its summit crater. Authorities say it's contained within the crater and that there is no danger to residential communities.

British media outlets are revealing explosive details from Prince Harry's new book, Spare, the latest involving Princess Diana. According to the Guardian, Prince Harry tried to contact her through a woman who claimed to have "powers" who offered this message from their mother. You're living the life she couldn't. You're living the life she wanted for you.

And according to the Sun and the MailOnline Harry reportedly begged his father not to marry Camilla, who is now queen consort. He reportedly wrote. I remember wondering if she would be cruel to me if she would be like all the evil stepmothers in those stories. The Prince's memoir, Spare, is set to be released on Tuesday as Max Foster now reports.

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MAX FOSTER, CNN ANCHOR & CORRESPONDENT (voiceover): New year, new set of revelations from Prince Harry about his family. The British newspaper, The Guardian, managing to obtain a copy of his new autobiography entitled Spare. In it, the newspaper says he describes an argument with his brother at Kensington Palace.

The alleged fight started when William called Meghan difficult, rude, and abrasive. Painting a vivid picture of the incident, Harry writes that the Prince of Wales grabbed him by the collar, ripping his necklace and knocking him to the floor. Harry says he landed on the dog's bowl, which cracked under his back with pieces cutting into him.

CNN has reached out to Kensington Palace and Buckingham Palace, who have declined to comment on the alleged altercation, so has the spokesperson for Harry and Meghan. To promote the book, the prince spoke to UK and U.S. media about his relationship with the family and his future role in the monarchy. In an interview with Britain's ITV network, he was asked this.

TOM BRADBY, BRITISH JOURNALIST: Do you still believe in the monarchy?

PRINCE HARRY, DUKE OF SUSSEX: Yes.

BRADBY: Do you believe you play a part in its future?

PRINCE HARRY: I don't know.

FOSTER: And as royal preparations are largely underway for King Charles's coronation later this year, Prince Harry put his attendance into question, saying in the ITV interview there's a lot that can happen between now and then.

PRINCE HARRY: The door is always open, the ball is in their court, there's a lot to be discussed and I really hope that they are willing to sit down and talk about it.

FOSTER: In a snippet from an upcoming Good Morning America interview with the prince, Harry was said to describe William in his book as a beloved brother, an archnemesis.

MICHAEL STRAHAN, JOURNALIST: What did you mean by that?

PRINCE HARRY: There is always been this competition between us. Weirdly. I think it really plays into or is played by the heir-pare.

FOSTER: Since tying the knot in 2018, Harry and Meghan's relationship with the royal family has been under intense scrutiny. And with the release of a couple's Netflix documentary last month, the pair's personal rift with the monarchy has never been far from the headlines. Although critics questioned Harry and Meghan's motives for going public with very private problems, Harry has said that he just wants to take control of his narrative and ultimately get his father and brother back, longing for a family he says rather than an institution.

Max Foster, CNN, London,

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NEWTON: Now, so far, Buckingham Palace has not had a comment on the interviews or, of course, on the revelations in that book.

I want to thank you all for joining us. I'm Paula Newton. I'll be back at the top of the hour with more CNN NEWSROOM but first, "WORLD SPORT" starts right after this quick break.

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