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Countdown to Iowa; 100 Days of War in Gaza; Sending Russian Money to Ukraine. Aired 3-4a ET

Aired January 14, 2024 - 03:00   ET

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

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[03:00:00]

PAULA NEWTON, CNN ANCHOR: And a warm welcome to our viewers in the United States and all around the world. I'm Paula Newton.

Ahead here on CNN Newsroom, we are a day away from Iowa's high-stakes Republican caucuses. And as one candidate closes in on frontrunner Donald Trump, dangerous temperatures threaten to derail their momentum.

Thousands take to the streets in Tel Aviv marking 100 days of war with Hamas calling for the release of hostages. We'll look at where things stand in a live report.

And as Russia ramps up attacks on Ukraine, the U.S. explores how to send billions of dollars in seized Russian assets to the war-ravaged nation.

It is the final countdown to Monday's Iowa Republican caucuses, the first nominating contest of the 2024 U.S. presidential election. And a new poll shows Donald Trump holding a commanding lead. A De Moines Register/NBC News media com poll of likely GOP caucus-goers shows Trump support at an incredible 48 percent. Nikki Haley trails with 20 percent followed by Ron DeSantis at 16 percent. But Haley and DeSantis are still, of course, right now working to build momentum. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NIKKI HALEY, REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: You have a choice to make. This is go time. All eyes are on Iowa. And you get it. You know the responsibility that comes with being first. You know that you are setting the tone for where the country is going to be.

GOV. RON DESANTIS (R-FL), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: They can throw a blizzard at us and we are going to fight. They can throw wind chill at us and we are going to fight. They can throw media narratives at us and we are going to fight. They can throw fake polls at us and we are going to fight.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: However, Iowa has been blasted by blizzard conditions and brutal cold that will linger through Monday night, causing concerns about turnout. Although extreme winter weather has forced some cancelation, candidates do have campaign stops on the books for today.

CNN Correspondent Kristen Holmes is there in Iowa with more.

KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: former president Donald Trump and his team sending two messages. One is get out and caucus no matter how cold, and it's cold, and the other is really tempering expectations. They have seen the polls that show that Donald Trump is up by a 30- point margin. And talking to senior advisers, they don't believe the margins are that big. So, they want to set the expectation.

Now, they continue to say that anything over 12 points would still be a historic win. And you have to remember that they are not looking to just win. They are looking to set momentum going to into New Hampshire and really offset any momentum of his GOP rivals, particularly Nikki Haley.

And it was clear that Haley was still on the mind of Donald Trump during a tele-rally event. Take a listen to what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT: I know Nikki very well. She was my ambassador to the United Nations and she had a lot of weakness, to be honest. She had a lot of weakness.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

K. HOLMES: And as we have reported, Donald Trump's team is worried about Haley in New Hampshire. They have seen her rise there. They are spending $4.5 billion between the campaign and super PAC advertising against Haley already on immigration.

Again, the big point here is to try to get a win that is large enough to set the momentum and offset anything that she has going into New Hampshire. The other complication here, they worry that those big poll numbers will keep people turning out who might just say, oh, look, Donald Trump, he already has enough support anyway. So, they are trying to stress, no matter what you are seeing, get out there and caucus on Monday.

NEWTON: Joining me now is Jeff Stein, program director and radio host on 1540 KCEL in, yes, Waterloo, Iowa. And we are so glad to have you with us on really what is nearly caucus eve here.

I mean, you have been covering this such a long time now. I want to start with what you just heard from the latest poll results and if you think there has been a lot of movement there. Was there anything that surprised you?

JEFF STEIN, IOWA RADIO HOST: Paula, what is really interesting is how stable the numbers are regardless of which poll you look at.

[03:05:01]

The numbers from the most recent Des Moines Register Iowa poll virtually identical to those that were released not long ago by Trafalgar Group. All the major polls have Trump solidly ahead near the 50 percent mark and Haley in second.

But when you go beneath the raw numbers, you find that Trump's support very solid, not as solid, however, as the support for either Haley or DeSantis. And that's why either last minute comments or things that happen on the campaign trail or, yes, the weather could impact that big race for second place Monday night.

NEWTON: And let's get to that weather. I mean, you give it to us straight, right? So many people have talked about it, said it would affect the turnout. Others saying it won't affect the turnout. You know, what do you think?

STEIN: Well, we're used to heavy snowfall. We're used to cold temperatures. We're not as used to two big snowstorms than the Arctic blast all in one week. But this is something Iowans take very seriously. It's their responsibility every four years.

And so as long as all we are dealing with is below zero cold on Monday night, folks are used to this. And keep in mind, you're not traveling very far. There are nearly 1,700 precinct sites for caucuses. That means you're in your neighborhood. You're a short distance away. Yes, it is more of a problem in a rural area. But, again, those of us who live in rural areas are used to it. And so I do not think it is going to affect the turnout that much.

If it does affect one candidate as opposed to another, it might be Nikki Haley because her support is softer certainly than President Trump's is.

NEWTON: And I'm really interested in what you're saying there, just because the weather has featured so much. And as I said, if you don't have a four-wheel drive, someone in your neighborhood probably has one and will take you to where you need to go, right? They'll get that all organized.

I want to ask you, if we look back at the last few months, and, yes, this campaign has been going on for months, what has surprised you about it going -- just in terms of everything that's gone on in the last few months?

STEIN: We are used to seeing candidates rise and fall, rise and fall, sort of the flavor of the month, if you will, and I don't mean that disparagingly, but they're very popular, and then they drop back. Ramaswamy was the first who kind of spiked up there in the 15 percent range. Now, he has fallen back.

Haley, though, has been the one with the momentum. DeSantis had a certain flat level really, has not risen or fallen. And despite all of the effort, despite all of the endorsements, Governor DeSantis is still hovering at only 20 percent. I have to tell you, if the Haley supporters, and, again, she has been

the hot candidate over the last couple of months, if those supporters show up and she finishes second, no disrespect to Governor DeSantis, but I don't know where his path is to victory given Haley's strong showing in the polls, if you believe those, in New Hampshire. NEWTON: And that's usually what they say about Iowa, that even if you guys don't always pick the winner, that you certainly do the job in terms of getting that field down to size.

What can Iowa teach us, though, about the choices that are in front of Americans in this campaign, campaign 2024?

STEIN: Iowans have a pretty good detector for those who are coloring the truth, for those who are just blustering, they will ask follow-up questions, and so our bull detector, if you will, is pretty good. And that does help expose candidates who come in and are used to talking in sound bites.

The Iowa caucuses, as you note, are not necessarily designed to pick the ultimate winner. If they were, then we would not need 49 other states to weigh in. But it is a way for people who are above average in terms of intelligence and education, who take this very seriously to ask the candidates tough questions, require follow-ups, and then give you, the rest of the world, our judgment on who we think could be qualified and who is nothing but an empty suit.

NEWTON: Certainly engaged in listening and a no bull sign there on the state of Iowa. We all look forward to it and the results on Monday night.

Jeff Stein, thanks so much. We really appreciate it.

STEIN: Thank you, Paula.

Now, you just heard Jeff and I talking about that weather. Iowa has been the epicenter, of course, for that dangerous weather and those conditions that we've been seeing right across the United States.

The Iowa State Patrol says they responded to 86 crashes in less than 10 hours because of those terrible road conditions, but other parts of the U.S. are also dealing with dangerous rain, snow and coastal flooding.

In Oregon, falling trees toppled power lines, started fires, and shut down transit. Officials in Portland say there's been at least one weather-related death in the city.

[03:10:00]

More than 250 daily cold records, 250 could be broken across the country through Tuesday. 75 percent of the country will experience temperatures below freezing over the next seven days as a blast of Arctic air moves south and east through the Central United States.

Today marks 100 days since Hamas launched its deadly rampage in Israel, killing about 1,200 people. Now, right now, a massive rally is underway in Tel Aviv to mark that terrorist attack. It's set to last for about 24 hours.

Now, it is, in fact, the people there, they are calling for the release of hostages still held in Gaza. In the meantime, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has some blunt words reacting to the accusations of genocide against Israel at the International Criminal Court of Justice in The Hague. He called the case brought by South Africa a, quote, hypocritical onslaught, which he said was brought on behalf of those who want to commit another Holocaust. Regarding the words, the war's 100-day mark, Mr. Netanyahu said this.

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BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: e today mark 100 days of war, 100 days since the terrible days in which our citizens were slaughtered and kidnapped. We are continuing to the war to its conclusion, to total victory, until we have achieved all of our objectives, the elimination of Hamas, the return of all of our hostages, and the guarantee that Gaza will never again pose a threat to Israel.

We will restore security, both in the south and in the north. No one will stop us, not The Hague, not the axis of evil, nor anyone else.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: Let's bring in our Elliott Gotkine, who is standing by for us in London. A hundred days now. Can you give us some insight just into Israeli public opinion? Because it is confusing at times when you see those families so forcefully asking for their loved ones to be brought home, and at the same time, the prosecution of the war continues in Gaza, really, with such brutal effect.

ELLIOTT GOTKINE, JOURNALIST: Paula, I think if you ask most Israelis in an ideal world, they would say, yes, destroy Hamas militarily so that it can never again repeat the atrocities of October the 7th and, yes, bring all of those hostages home.

Of, course, the problem is that sometimes, and according to some Israelis, of course, those two objectives cannot be achieved at the same time. And certainly some of the people we spoke to there at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv, in the center of Tel Aviv, saying that this should be the number one priority. Bringing the hostages home should be the number one priority and should be done whatever the cost, even if it means stopping fighting and not destroying Hamas militarily.

And I suppose it's understandable that with their loved ones, 100 days, probably deep inside Hamas' tunnel network, we've heard from the hostages that have been released, eyewitness testimony to the lack of food, the lack of medication, female hostages being sexually abused as well. So -- the perspective that they have.

And if you actually look at the data, opinion polls, there was one put out by the Israel Democracy Institute published on January the 2nd, just over half of Israelis think that the intensive fighting should continue and that it should be left to the IDF to rescue those hostages, whereas about a quarter think that all Palestinian prisoners being held in Israeli jails should be free in exchange for those hostages, even if it means an end to the fighting.

From the government's perspective, and Prime Minister Netanyahu has been consistent in this, he has said that it is the military pressure itself which will ultimately lead to the release of those hostages or push Hamas to come back to the negotiating table to get another truce, which, of course, we saw for a week, ending on November the 1st.

And there have been comments and talks about maybe talks happening, which happened around about the New Year, but they don't seem to be going anywhere right now. And so we are in this situation where 100 days on, there's no sign of the war ending and no sign of those hostages being released.

And it's worth also noting, Paula, that in that 100 days of conflict, Israel has only succeeded in rescuing one hostage, a female soldier. It's tried numerous times to free other hostages. It has failed to do so. So, it does seem that the truce is likely to be the only way to get those hostages back, but as I say, no sign of that coming to fruition anytime soon.

NEWTON: And, in fact, the IDF has inadvertently killed hostages while trying. There have been some confusion, and those investigations also continue.

Elliott Gotkine for us in London, thanks so much.

Now, meantime, protesters around the world are showing support for Palestinians in Gaza demanding Israel stop bombarding the territory.

[03:15:00]

In London, tens in tens of thousands of people marched from the financial district to the Houses of Parliament. Protesters in Naples, Italy, laid out 5,000 symbolic tombstones to honor Palestinians killed in the war.

According to the Hamas-run Ministry of Health in Gaza, more than 23,800 people have been killed in the enclave since October 7th, most of them civilians, 60,000 more have been wounded and thousands are missing, that's according to the ministry.

And in Washington, protesters gathered in front of the White House and elsewhere. Many are calling for a ceasefire and demanding U.S. President Joe Biden withdraw support for Israel.

Still head for us, while many in Taiwan are celebrating the results of a historic election, China, you can imagine, not happy at all. More on why after the break.

And President Joe Biden says major change is needed at the U.S. border with Mexico. What he says he's ready to do and how it could impact the plan to keep the government funded. That's next on CNN.

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NEWTON: China says that Taiwan is still its territory, and that will not change, even as the island's ruling party celebrates a historic election victory.

CNN's Will Ripley has a report now from Taipei.

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[03:20:00]

WILL RIPLEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Snow rarely falls on the Taiwanese capital, but on this night, a blizzard of confetti. Thunderous applause on the winning side, on the losing side, calls for unity, as Taipei braces for Beijing's brewing storm.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The most important part for me is our relationship with China. And we've been bullied for years on end. And I just can't stand kneeling down to their demands and meddling with our elections.

RIPLEY: To say China did not want this result is the understatement of the month, maybe the year. China despises Taiwan's president-elect Lai Ching-te. They hate his vice president, Hsiao Bi-khim, the former U.S. envoy, even more. She's banned from even entering China. Diplomacy? Forget it.

Ahead of the election, China did all it could to paint a dark, foreboding picture of four more years of the Democratic Progressive or Green Party in power.

Taiwan has never seen an election like this before, with three different parties vying for the presidency. But in the end it was a third historic turn for the Green Party, a result that will likely have Beijing seen red.

Within minutes of the result, a bold, familiar claim from the Taiwan Affairs Office in Beijing, Taiwan is China's Taiwan. The DPP does not represent the mainstream view on the island. They did capture 40 percent of the vote. Turn out, more than 70 percent, about 20 million Taiwanese, more than 80 percent of the island's population eligible to vote, and many did.

In Taiwan, there are no absentee ballots.

FEIFEI HUNG, STUDENT: I am very, very pleasantly happy with it.

RIPLEY: Some, like this student from the U.S., flew 16 hours to cast their votes in person.

Were you afraid that Taiwan would become similar to Hong Kong or the next Hong Kong if there was a different result?

HUNG: Really, for sure. In terms of especially since other two party advocates for like a more closer economic partnership with China, and that means it's the first step for encroachment, right?

RIPLEY: When the buzz of victory wears off, a sobering reality for Taiwan's new president, his party lost control of parliament, a sign of voter dissatisfaction, with low pay, expensive housing, lack of opportunity. Local issues have never been the ruling party's strength. It's why they lost the last round of local elections. But the party's two-term president, Tsai Ing-wen, did put Taiwan on the global stage like never before.

Lai, her V.P. and now successor, ran on a continuity ticket.

LAI CHING-TE, PRESIDENT-ELECT OF TAIWAN: We are telling the international community that between democracy and authoritarianism, we still stand on the side of democracy.

RIPLEY: And he says, safeguard Taiwan from China's ongoing intimidation and threats.

Will Ripley, CNN, Taipei.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NEWTON: I want to bring in CNN's Marc Stewart now live from Beijing. China and Taiwan, we just heard in Will's report as well, they continue to trade sharp words about this election. But in terms of action, what do you believe will be China's posture going forward, at least for the next few months?

MARC STEWART, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Indeed, Paula. For the moment, what we are seeing from China is very much out of its playbook, very much out of along a script of predictability, issuing this statement to say that there is one China and Taiwan is part of China.

Now, a lot of analysts feel that as we move into the spring closer to inauguration of this new administration, perhaps China could do something more bold, more assertive. It certainly has resources, first of all, militarily. We've seen these exercises, these drills before in the waters over the Taiwan Strait. That's something that certainly China could exercise. It also has some tools along diplomatic and economic realms.

But China also has to face a question. Right now, in mainland China, Xi Jinping is facing some very serious issues, including economic slowdown, with very slow economic growth, youth unemployment, as well as housing issues, as well as changes within his leadership circle.

The big question is, Paula, does he want to do something so assertive right now while he's contending with those very daunting challenges as it is? Is it really worth it to push the envelope further, at least at this moment?

NEWTON: And, hopefully, the back and forth will remain rhetorical at this point. And how does the U.S. play into all of this, you know, given that certainly Taiwan counts on America's robust support?

STEWART: Absolutely. And the administration, the Biden administration, has been very quick to send a message to this new administration that America is behind it. We are seeing a delegation expected to arrive tonight in Taiwan, very careful to call it an unofficial visit so as not to dirty up these diplomatic waters.

[03:25:06]

But there are a lot of former government officials who are going to be there to say to Taiwan that we support you.

I was talking to one analyst from Illinois State University, Teewai Weng (ph), who said that this is a signal, a symbolic signal to Taiwan that the United States still remains very much in support of its mission, yet it's also going to perhaps tread in some accomplishments from the past, especially during the APEC summit, when Xi Jinping and President Biden really made this big effort to restart this relationship and encourage talks, especially along a military front. But we also are expecting to hear some response from Beijing in the next few hours to the United States that this is an internal China matter and you really should keep a distance. I think that's the next big thing to look for, Paula.

NEWTON: Yes. They will likely see it as provocative. Marc Stewart, good to see you, live in Beijing for us. I appreciate it.

Now, U.S. congressional leaders have reportedly reached an agreement on a short-term funding bill that will keep the government running into March. The new continuing resolution comes just days ahead of the first funding deadline of January 19th. A source tells CNN that House Republicans will have a conference call Sunday night to discuss the plan, which reportedly includes $1.5 trillion in funding for the next fiscal year with $886 billion in defense spending.

Far right lawmakers are pushing to include border policies in exchange for not shutting down the government. Now, it is, though, a topic that's become a political flashpoint for the Biden administration. President Biden told reporters Saturday that major change is needed at the border and he is prepared to make significant alterations.

Priscilla Alvarez has more now from the White House.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PRISCILLA ALVAREZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: President Joe Biden saying on Saturday that he's willing to make, quote, significant alterations in the border, this as Senate negotiators on Capitol Hill continue to try to hammer out a deal on border policy changes to pass the White House national security supplemental request that Republicans say hinges on border policy changes. And the president on his way to Camp David having this to say to his Republican colleagues.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, U.S. PRESIDENT: I've been pushing for fundamental change in the border for a long time, a long time. And so, hopefully, I'm going to let this negotiations play out. But other than that, I'm going to say that too much.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ALVAREZ: Now, of course, this comes against the backdrop of the Biden administration asking the Supreme Court to intervene as Texas blocked a part of the Texas-Mexico border from Border Patrol, essentially blocking them from carrying out their federal enforcement duties.

Now, Texas since responded, saying they were trying to address the situation, but it was part of the ongoing dispute between President Biden and Texas Governor Greg Abbott over the handling of the U.S.- Mexico border as the governor continues on with his border mission, which has caused alarm within the Biden administration.

But, again, it comes to show again the challenges that the president faces in trying to navigate what has become a political vulnerability for the White House and the border policy changes that Republicans are asking for to get billions through for Israel, Ukraine and border security as the president has requested.

Priscilla Alvarez, CNN, the White House.

NEWTON: Now, along the border itself, we're hearing that three migrants, an adult woman and two children, have drowned in the Rio Grande river in the Texan city of Eagle Pass. That's according to a Democratic lawmaker there who's calling it a tragedy for which the state bears responsibility. He says Border Patrol learned that a group of six migrants were in distress in the Rio Grande late Friday, but agents were denied access to the migrants by the Texas Military Department. CNN has reached out to authorities for further comment.

Now, with U.S. and European aid packages stalled, Ukraine has been struggling to fend off continued Russian attacks. Just ahead, how the French foreign minister on a trip to Kyiv is promising to help.

And the US wants to seize frozen Russian assets and funnel them to Ukraine. How that could happen, that's next on CNN.

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NEWTON: Ukraine says Russia launched dozens of missiles and drones right across the country on Saturday. It's the fourth such major attack by Moscow since December 29th. No injuries were reported. Ukraine's Air Force says it destroyed eight missiles, but Russia claims it achieved its goal by hitting military industrial facilities.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Friday that the country still lacks comprehensive air defenses. Mr. Zelenskyy says he discussed Ukraine's defense needs while meeting with the new French foreign minister on Saturday. They also talked about joint production of weapons and strengthening air defenses. It was Stephane Sejourne's first trip to Kyiv since he was appointed. He promised that France will stand by Ukraine for as long as it takes and will also push other European countries for more support.

Now, top U.S. officials are trying to figure out how to divert about $300 billion in frozen Russian money to cash-starved Ukraine. They say Russia should be on the hook and pay for all of the damage that it's caused. The funds are assets of the Russian Central Bank locked away in the west since Moscow invaded. To unlock that cash, U.S. allies in the G-7 need to buy in, all of them, and a bill in the U.S. Congress called the Repo Act would have to be adopted. The U.S. says the proposal has been discussed among senior G-7 leaders and will be reviewed again at their meeting in February.

Joining me now is Nate Sibley. He's a research fellow at the Hudson Institute, and he is in Washington, D.C., for us. Thanks so much for joining us.

So, why do you think at this point in time that the Biden administration and perhaps some of the European allies as well, have been reluctant to try and seize these assets? And why do you believe that might be changing now?

NATE SIBLEY, RESEARCH FELLOW, HUDSON INSTITUTE: Well, I think it's important to remember that Ukraine itself has been pushing this idea from the very beginning. They rightly understood that Ukrainians and western taxpayers shouldn't really be bearing the entire burden of Russia's unprovoked aggression.

I think when it comes to the U.S. and the E.U. and the other G-7 partners, this would be an unprecedented step, seizing sovereign assets. They're concerned about financial stability.

[03:35:00]

They're concerned about their attractiveness to other countries who may be deterred from sending -- investing their assets here if they think that we are going to start seizing their assets because of political disagreements.

I think that the calculation -- I think that was certainly the position that Secretary Yellen took until a few months ago. And I think what has started to change people's minds in western capitals is that, firstly, sanctions haven't been having their intended impact. And I think they're starting to explore other ways to support Ukraine and hold Putin to account and damage the Russian economy.

NEWTON: I want to ask you, potentially, how could this work so that it would be a success? I'm looking at what you might suggest as low hanging fruit, where you wouldn't have the protracted legal battles over those assets.

SIBLEY: Well, there needn't be protracted legal battles over any of the assets, but there will need to be a few steps that are taken ahead of attempts to seize them.

So, under international law, Russia's responsibility is pretty clear. It started this war. It has a responsibility to pay for this stuff. In terms of the actual seizure of those assets by western governments, though, they will likely rely on something called the principle of countermeasures, which is that a third party can take temporary and proportionate measures to compel another state to comply with its legal obligations. It's very wordy jargon. But under that justification, governments, including the U.S. and across the E.U., would then look to move from freezing assets, which is what sanctions does, it simply means they can't be accessed or moved. It doesn't actually change their legal ownership. They would move from freezing assets to seizing assets so that they would be seized. Their legal ownership would transfer to the government that was seizing them. From where I'm sitting, that would be the United States government. And they would then be transferred for use for supporting Ukraine.

All countries have very different approaches and systems to be able to do this. Some are more developed. The U.S., for example, honed its ability to seize assets through the war on drugs, the war on terror, where it went after criminal adversaries' assets very aggressively. Many European countries don't have anything in the way of this, so they're having to -- much as they did when sanctions rolled in after Putin invaded Ukraine, they had to create new sanctions regimes overnight. They're going to have to do the same thing with this.

NEWTON: Wouldn't the blowback, though, from that, wouldn't it carry some risk? And I know you've looked at this quite closely.

SIBLEY: Of course, there are obvious risks associated with this. There are several risks that you need to work your way through and competing considerations. The first is that Russia would retaliate, as it has said it will do, by seizing western companies' assets. It's actually already done that. There was a presidential decree last April, I think it was, that empowered Putin to seize western companies from countries that were perceived to now be hostile to Russia, and he has already exercised that power. So, it is Russia that has set the precedent of seizing other countries' assets.

The other consideration there is that these western companies that are inside Russia, they've been there for a long time. They know the nature of the regime. They bear some responsibility for their continued presence there and any loss of profit.

And, again, you have to balance those considerations against the risks of doing nothing. And I don't think we talk enough about the risks of doing nothing. We're in a new era now. And if we want to avoid resorting to open warfare with regimes that want to see our way of life come to an end, we need new tools to degrade their abilities and hold them accountable.

So, I think seizing Russia's assets, viewed through that lens, is not only proportionate, it's absolutely necessary. So, I think the risks of doing nothing completely outweigh the short-term, easily mitigatable risks of action here.

NEWTON: Yes. As you say, Nate, you have said before, we need new tools for a new era. And given the tacit admission here that the Russian sanctions are not having the effect that many thought they would, this is where we are in this conflict.

Nate Sibley for us, thanks so much. I really appreciate it.

SIBLEY: Thank you so much.

NEWTON: In Colombia now, more rain is forecast in the northwest region of Choco, as the number of people confirmed dead in landslides rises.

Now, just in the past few hours, the prosecutor's office told CNN that at least 37 people have now died. Earlier, the governor of that region said more bodies, more than a dozen bodies, were transferred to the city of Medelllin for forensic examination. She says she will not rest until everyone in the area has the information they need about relatives who may be affected.

Now, months of flooding in Africa's Congo River has killed more than 300 people in the surrounding countries, and according to authorities, destroyed hundreds of thousands of homes, while the World Health Organization is bracing now for the fallout of waterborne diseases.

[03:40:00]

CNN's Michael Holmes reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR (voice over): Homes submerged to their rooftops, murky water, plastic bottles, shoes and a foul smell of flooding some neighborhoods that for now can only be navigated by makeshift canoe. Officials say more than 300 people have died in recent months from the overflowing Congo River, the second longest river in Africa after the Nile.

Burst river banks and intense rains have left tens of thousands of homes on both sides of the river destroyed.

NICLETTE LUZOLO, FLOODING VICTIM: We were born here and this is our plot with four shops that helps us with the children's school fees. This water overflows without it really raining. Water often overflows, but this time it overflowed badly. We have children and a plot of land, but we're homeless.

M. HOLMES: In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, some 300,000 households have been affected by the swelling rivers, chest-high floodwaters in the capital Kinshasa and elsewhere. In the neighboring Republic of the Congo, with its capital, Brazzaville, also bordering the river, 64,000 households have been destroyed or damaged, according to the World Health Organization.

Small rivers and waterways that crisscross Kinshasa, sometimes doubling as open sewers, are now overflowing, some residents resorting to shovels to paddle their way through the murky floodwaters.

DIDIER KAYENGA, BOATMAN: The water used to come up to our knees, but now it's up to our chests. I had the ingenuity to think of installing a canoe, and now I have three. We're supporting the government because they're waiting for the water to recede before they build a bridge here. M. HOLMES: Flooding in Kinshasa is rather common this time of year, but today's water levels are up nearly six meters and submerging entire ports along the river, a situation unlike anything many residents have seen in their lifetimes.

HELEN, KINSHASA RESIDENT: We've lived in this neighborhood since we were children, and it's the first time since we were born that we've experienced this situation. So, to get around, we have to use dugout canoes, and we continue to live in this situation because we have nowhere else to go.

M. HOLMES: The World Health Organization says it is responding to health threats, like water and vector-borne diseases, maternal and child nutrition and food insecurity. The rain is expected to let up in the coming days, but it may not be until February that the water line will go back to normal.

Michael Holmes, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NEWTON: After three years on the job, John Kerry plans to leave his post as the U.S. climate envoy. That's according to a source close to Kerry. The 80-year-old former U.S. Secretary of State is expected to attend two more major conferences before stepping down the spring.

In his tenure, Kerry led U.S. negotiations at three international climate summits and was key in restarting U.S. climate talks with China. Axios reports that Kerry intends to join the Biden re-election campaign.

Okay. Up next for us, a momentous day for Denmark and Australia, as Crown Princess Mary is set to become the first Aussie-born queen with her Danish-born husband becomes king.

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NEWTON: Later today, Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark and his wife, the Australian-born, Princess Mary ,will become King and Queen of Denmark.

CNN's Max Foster brings us the details of their modern day fairy tale and what Aussies back home think of one of their own becoming Queen of Denmark.

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MAX FOSTER, CNN ANCHOR (voice over): The shock abdication of Europe's longer-serving monarch, Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, means the crown will pass to her son, Prince Frederik and his Australian-born wife.

Crown Princess Mary of Denmark was once Mary Donaldson of Hobart, Tasmania, a world away from the royals of old Europe, until the world converged on Sydney for the 2000 Olympic Games, including Crown Prince Frederik.

JUSTIN TYNAN, FORMER MANAGER, SLIP INN: My daughter and I were watching the news the other night and she was asking about it and I said, well, I actually worked at the pub where they met. She said, daddy, do you think I could make meet a prince in a pub?

FOSTER: Back then, Justin Tynan was the manager of the Slip Inn, a Sydney watering hole popular with tourists.

Mary said she didn't know she was in royal company when she started chatting to a handsome man at the bar.

TYNAN: I do recollect her. I mean, she's quite a striking woman. But, you know, the focus, I suppose, was on Frederik because, you know, he was the one paying for the drinks.

FOSTER: Mary, on a night out with friends, quite literally met her prince charming.

The Slip Inn has kept a Danish flavor, just as Princess Mary has worked hard to integrate herself into Copenhagen's upper crust.

It didn't take long for the senior royal to become fluent in Danish and fluent in the customs of one of the oldest monarchies in the world.

As the outgoing queen told me in a 2011 interview --

QUEEN MARGRETHE II, DENMARK: I feel very confident in her and I think we've got a very good relationship indeed.

FOSTER: In 2004, Mary and Frederik married in a grand ceremony in Copenhagen Cathedral. The Slip Inn screened it live and sold a lot of Carlsberg Beer that day. Many Australians remain infatuated.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm very proud, I'm very excited, I think it's wonderful. Yes, I think she'll make a great queen, don't you?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, definitely.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

FOSTER: But Mary is more than a mascot for Denmark or for Australia. In 2007, the Mary Foundation was formed to help fight bullying, domestic violence and loneliness. Princess Mary has also campaigned for LGBT rights and equality.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I've gained a better understanding of the reality of what too many people are forced to endure because of their sexual orientation and gender identity.

FOSTER: Australians will celebrate when Mary becomes Queen of Denmark on January the 14th, two countries linked by a chance encounter at a Sydney pub and a royal romance.

Max Foster, CNN.

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NEWTON: Okay. Coming up for us, as people throw out their Christmas decorations, one organization is proving that a family's trash can become a playground for fish.

[03:50:07]

We'll explain.

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NEWTON: Soap opera fans in the United States are mourning the loss of a very familiar and beloved actor. Bill Hayes, a mainstay on NBC's Days of Our Lives for more than 50 years, died on Friday at the age of 98.

Hayes created the role of Doug Williams on the daytime soap opera way back in 1970. Now, his character was best known for being the father of Hope Williams, one half of the show's legendary super couple, Bo and Hope.

But it was on the show that he met his wife, Susan, and their characters even married on the show. Now, they won Lifetime Emmy Achievement Awards. Hayes' last appearance on air, if you can believe this, was just last month.

Now, with the Yuletide season over, Christmas trees are heading to the trash bin. But one Swedish organization is giving discarded a new environmentally friendly purpose.

[03:55:03]

Look.

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NEWTON (voice over): The lights are gone, the decorations put away. There is one organization in Sweden trying to stretch that Christmas spirit into the New Year.

Since 2016, the Swedish Anglers Association has been collecting recycled Christmas trees and tossing them into the bays and waterways around Stockholm. It may look like a cold and icy grave, but it's actually a new beginning for the trees.

MALIN KJELLIN, SPORTFISKARNA: So we tie them together, three or four together, and then we tie them to a weight, in this case, rocks in a bag, everything is biodegradable. And then we throw them out into the water and they will sink down to the bottom.

NEWTON: There, the trees will settle into their new role, providing habitats for marine wildlife. Environmentalists say there is a lot of boat traffic in these waters and not enough vegetation for the fish to thrive. But the trees come each year, like Christmas, to help make up for the loss.

KJELLIN: If you look at it, there are plenty of places to hide in here. There are all these branches and there are the pine needles as well.

NEWTON: Since the start of the initiative, more than a thousand trees have been deposited in the waters. Scientists hope that makes for a lot of happy fish and humans like it too, an eco-friendly way of recycling a special part of the holiday season.

CAMILLA HALLSTROM, STOCKHOLM RESIDENT: In Sweden you give the Christmas tree like a personality. You take it in and you choose it very carefully and then you live with it.

NEWTON: It's a gift that keeps on giving for inhabitants above the surface and below.

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NEWTON (on camera): Lovely there.

I'm Paula Newton. Thank you for your company.

Kim Brunhuber picks up things from here. We have more Newsroom in just a moment.

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