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Jimmy Carter's Legacy; Staying Safe on New Year's Eve; Former CNN Anchor Aaron Brown Dead at 76; Grieving Families Await New Information at Muan Airport. Aired 4-4:30a ET
Aired December 31, 2024 - 04:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[04:00:00]
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He will be remembered for being an honest man, a caring man, a family man, a man who loved God, a man who loved people.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He left so much, you know, he left a nice path for anybody that wants to do something great.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There are no specific credible threats to the Times Square New Year's Eve celebration.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Those who come here to visit and enjoy the ball drop will be safe.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We've been talking about buildings falling, planes hitting, but this isn't about buildings falling and planes hitting, it's about people.
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ANNOUNCER: Live from London, this is CNN NEWSROOM with Max Foster and Christina Macfarlane.
MAX FOSTER, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, welcome to our viewers joining us from around the world on this New Year's Eve. I'm Max Foster, it's Tuesday December the 31st of course, 9 a.m. here in London, 4 a.m. in Washington, where funeral plans are taking shape for former U.S. President Jimmy Carter who died on Sunday at the age of 100. Services honoring the 39th U.S. President will begin January the 4th and conclude on January 9th.
President Joe Biden has also designated January 9th as a national day of mourning. CNN senior White House correspondent Kayla Tausche has details of the state funeral.
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KAYLA TAUSCHE, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: The late 39th President will be honored with a procession marked with many details to honor his legacy and his place in history. Beginning on Saturday, President Carter's Secret Service detail will carry his casket to his motorcade which will begin a procession that stops by his family's farm in Plains, Georgia, ringing the historic farm bell 39 times. The motorcade will then travel to the Georgia State Capitol and then on to the Carter Presidential Center, his post-presidency hub for diplomacy, where he'll lie in repose for three days before then travelling to Washington DC on Special Air Mission 39.
He will lie in state at the Capitol Rotunda from January 7th to January 9th and then on January 9th he will be honored with a state funeral here in Washington at the National Cathedral. President Biden will be among those eulogizing him and after that funeral, President Carter will fly home to Plains, Georgia for a private internment and to be laid to rest.
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FOSTER: Well CNN's Eva McKend now has more on how residents in Carter's hometown in Plains, Georgia are reacting.
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EVA MCKEND, CNN U.S. NATIONAL POLITICS CORRESPONDENT: It's a mix of sadness and pride here in Plains, Georgia as the residents in this small town reflect on the life and legacy of President Jimmy Carter and while the world in the coming days will recall his lifetime of service, his courage, his compassion, his commitment to social justice, here in Plains they are remembering Jimmy Carter as their neighbor. It wasn't long ago when they saw him walking on the main street here in Plains or even in the Dollar Store, some residents tell us. Take a listen to how he's being remembered.
SARA CALLOWAY, ALABAMA RESIDENT: I think he will be remembered for just being an honest man, a caring man, a family man, a man who loved God, a man who loved people, a man who wanted to see a better world. He'll be remembered in a lot of ways but I remember Jimmy Carter and Amy.
WILLIE JOHNSON, GEORGIA RESIDENT: He was someone that everybody in the community always looked up to, somebody that always brought positivity, somebody that was spiritually strong and this is somebody from worldwide that we're going to miss and he left a very good example for us to live by.
PHILIP KURLIND, PLAINS, GEORGIA RESIDENT: Let's face it, the Carters will always be alive in Plains so we want to continue the spirit and continue the good in the world.
MCKEND: Folks here paying tribute to Carter at a vigil service at Maranatha Baptist Church where Carter led Sunday school for many years. There will be multiple celebrations of life. Carter will return here to Plains on Saturday before ultimately a Washington-based funeral service will be held where President Biden will eulogize Carter.
Eva McKend, CNN, Plains, Georgia.
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[04:05:00]
FOSTER: Jimmy Carter's grandson says he was the most selfless person that he ever met and vowed to do everything he can to keep his legacy alive. Hugo Wentzel posted photos on Instagram of himself and the former president throughout the years. Wentzel says Carter was an incredible governor, president, business owner and family man who taught him to fish, hunt and cook. Wentzel is one of Carter's 11 grandchildren and the son of Carter's daughter Amy.
Tributes for Carter are pouring in from all around the world and across the political spectrum. Crowds gathered at the Carter Center in Atlanta to remember the former U.S. president. Some left flowers and candles, even peanuts to honor the peanut farmer who became president.
Atlanta resident Courtney Fitz says she talked to her three young sons about Carter's important role in the civil rights movement and she explained what she would remember about the former president.
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COURTNEY FITZ, ATLANTA RESIDENT: His universal kindness, the humanity in President Carter cannot be denied or understated ever. And that's something that as a mom, we're always trying to teach our young men and he exemplified it every day.
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FOSTER: Jimmy Carter's death is front page news across the globe. Germany's Deutsche Welle notes that Carter was the first U.S. president to reach 100. Canada's Globe and Mail describes him as an emblem of selflessness and service.
Chile's La Tercera notes that inflation and the Iran crisis, the hostage crisis were key events during his term as president. The USA Today headline reads: Stature Far Beyond the Office. And the Irish Times makes note of his extraordinary post-presidential life, which won him the Nobel Peace Prize.
We're going to turn now to a major loss for journalism. The veteran journalist and former CNN anchor Aaron Brown passed away on Sunday at the age of 76, according to his family. He gained prominence for his live coverage of the September 11th terrorist attacks.
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AARON BROWN, FORMER CNN ANCHOR: For those of you just joining us, let's just briefly recap what we know about an hour ago, about 8:45 Eastern Time, one plane crashed into the tower, the World Trade Center tower on the right.
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FOSTER: Brown won the prestigious Edward R. Murrow Award for his 9-11 coverage. He also played a major role in shaping CNN's evening news format.
Well, Brown's former Newsnight senior producer Jon Auerbach says the anchor and the respect of his colleagues and of the viewers.
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JON AUERBACH, FORMER NEWSNIGHT PRODUCER: For the first part of the decade of this century, Aaron was the face of news, whether it was 9- 11, whether it was the Iraq, Afghanistan invasion, Katrina, Indonesia, Aaron was front and center of everything. And I think for viewers, his sort of calm demeanor, not yelling at you, not being hysterical, sort of gave everybody -- I don't want to say a sense of calm, because it's hard to say there's a sense of calm in the midst of this chaos, but it certainly didn't make people feel any worse or more concerned about things. They knew they were getting a story.
One of the things Aaron always stressed, I think, to reporters on the air and to his staff and to guests, that it's OK to say, I don't know, as an answer, because that's truthful. And that's what we know at the time. So if you don't know the answer, say you don't have an answer, and you move on to something else. And I think that's something that also viewers learn to appreciate.
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FOSTER: Former CNN producer Jon Auerbach remembering Aaron Brown. CNN sends its condolences to Brown's family and loved ones.
Life does go on, though. In a matter of hours, people around the world will begin ringing in the start of the New Year.
In New York, people are expected to flood the streets of the city as usual, and security plans are already in place for that. CNN's Leigh Waldman reports.
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LEIGH WALDMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): An estimated one million people will pack into Times Square Tuesday evening to mark the end of 2024 and ring in the New Year.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Three, two, one, happy new year!
WALDMAN (voice-over): Organizers of New York's big celebration held a test run of the confetti drop on Sunday. Monday, city leaders laid out extensive safety plans for the event.
ERIC ADAMS, NEW YORK MAYOR: We have plainclothes teams, canine teams, and officers on horsebacks and helicopters and on boats.
WALDMAN (voice-over): Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch says the department is ready to respond to any major threats or smaller-scale crimes.
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COMMISSIONER JESSICA TISCH, NEW YORK POLICE DEPARTMENT: We have been operating at a heightened fence since October 7th, and we remain vigilant. Additionally, since everyone will be in tight quarters, we'll have dedicated pickpocket teams patrolling through Times Square.
WALDMAN (voice-over): Mayor Eric Adams says security is everyone's responsibility.
ADAMS: So if you see something, say something, but most importantly, do something. Notify any uniformed personnel.
TISCH: Spectators should expect to be screened by our counterterrorism officers at these access points. And once you enter a viewing area, there will be no re-entry.
WALDMAN (voice-over): Items that could present a challenge for authorities, like backpacks, coolers, chairs, alcohol, and umbrellas, are not allowed in viewing areas. Rain is expected in New York throughout Tuesday night.
Reporting from New York City, I'm Leigh Waldman.
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FOSTER: New York, not the only city with wet weather forecasts for the New Year's Eve celebrations. Rain and snow are expected across the Northeastern U.S. CNN meteorologist Chad Myers has the forecast for you.
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CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Certainly, there'll be rain in New York City, without a doubt. I mean, it may not be only right at midnight. Maybe starting 9 o'clock, 10 o'clock. Showers on and off. There may even be a little bit of thunder and lightning.
Move you ahead, though, to 7 a.m. Coming up here, rain in Chicago all the way down toward Indianapolis. Rain, not snow. On the backside, there'll be some snow, but more of a nuisance than anything else. Now, right around midnight, we could see some snow around Detroit, maybe toward Flint.
Some of those areas just to the west of Detroit proper itself. And even maybe some snow showers for effect in Chicago. But temperatures won't be that cold.
And really not cold anywhere. D.C., right around 50 degrees. And that's a midnight temperature. New York City, 50 degrees as well.
Back out toward the southwest, though, paying attention toward the Santa Ana winds. Now, maybe 40 to 50 miles per hour here. We certainly don't want any fireworks going off here, starting fires with a wind of 40 to 50 miles per hour. So please be careful or don't even do it at all.
Back out to the Pacific Northwest. Rain and snow, depending on your elevation. Not really going to be below 1,000 feet. But you're still going to see some snow there for effect on the hills. And then, wow, look at this. By Friday, Chicago all the way down to 12 for a morning low temperature. And that cold air gets all the way to the East Coast and really all the way to the Gulf Coast. Maybe not 12, but certainly the coldest air of the season so far will be across the eastern part of the U.S. next week.
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FOSTER: Well, extreme weather in Scotland, also putting a dampener on New Year's Eve celebrations. Thousands of people head to Edinburgh for the New Year's festival each year, Hogmanay. But organizers had to cancel outdoor events, including the famous torchlight procession, the concert and the fireworks display at Edinburgh Castle.
The forecast includes strong winds, rain and snow. Pretty used to that in Scotland. But on this occasion, it's a bit too much. Indoor events are still taking place, of course.
Now, tickets for New Year's Eve fireworks at London are already sold out. But wind and rain could wreck that party, too. Getting around the city, tough, even on a good day. And as Anna Stewart found out, officials have been preparing for the crush of parties for months now.
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ANNA STEWART, CNN CORRESPONDENT: From parties on the tube, to scenes like this, the struggle to get home. New Year's Eve is a big night and a major challenge for Transport for London. Time to see how it all works.
STEWART: I'm so excited. From the driver's seat.
Do you get nervous, like, going into the platform and seeing huge crowds?
STEFAN YOUNG, DRIVER, TRANSPORT FOR LONDON: It takes a certain individual to become a driver for you to have like a nerves of steel. You're coming in the platform. You can't be too jittery. You can't be too jumpy. You can't be too shaky. You just got to come in knowing that in your mind, everything's fine.
STEWART (voice-over): Fortunately for Stefan, there are many more eyeballs on platforms on the night.
RALPH DAVISON, STRATEGY MANAGER, TRANSPORT FOR LONDON: So we have additional staff all over the combine. We have additional staff. And we ask them to keep an eye out on absolutely everyone.
STEWART (voice-over): The team here starts planning for New Year's Eve in July. And then they manage the crowds by watching it all unfold live from this control center.
DAVISON: Your safety is our priority.
STEWART (voice-over): To prevent overcrowding, you may need to wear a mask. They have to queue outside stations for, well, quite a while. And once you've made it onto a tube, the party may continue, giving drivers like Stefan some light relief.
YOUNG: It gives me something to do, look at, have a little giggle to myself. Because obviously, everyone's been out having a good time, enjoying New Year's Eve, and I've been stuck in my little office.
STEWART (voice-over): Of course, the little office does come with a perk, the power to chat to the passengers.
YOUNG: Once again, mind the gap between the train and the platform.
STEWART: This is Anna Stewart from CNN. Happy New Year. And please, mind the gap.
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[04:15:04]
FOSTER: A dream come true for her.
Now, it's the final countdown to 2025. Of course, later this hour, we'll go live to Sydney, Australia, as they prepare to ring in the new year Down Under.
Plus. holiday travel in the U.S. has millions of people moving through the country's airports today and tomorrow. Ahead, an update on how things are going there.
And more than $12 million in jewelry and designer handbags gone. Details of one of the largest home burglaries in London's history. Ahead on CNN.
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FOSTER: Welcome back. Investigators in South Korea are working to identify victims of the deadly plane crash that killed 179 people over the weekend. Families of the victims are literally camping out at Muan's International Airport until they get information on their loved ones who were on board. Many very frustrated.
CNN's Mike Valerio reports.
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MIKE VALERIO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It is the unmistakable outcry of grief heard throughout South Korea's Muan International Airport. Families unable to absorb the anguish of the Jeju Air catastrophe. Hundreds of relatives huddling in the departure hall, waiting for news of whether their loved ones' remains are found.
A friend of a couple killed in the crash said he came here to confirm for himself his friends of 30 years are simply gone.
[04:20:00]
I have nothing to say, but it's tragic, he told us. I watched the news all day, and for now, they say bird strike could be the cause. I'm so shocked and hurt. I cannot even put it into words.
VALERIO: Now, so many people have chosen to stay. They're not going anywhere. And that's seen evidenced by all of these tents that go from here, pretty much to the end of the terminal. They go back three tents to the edge of the check-in counters.
You see food deliveries throughout the day. Let's keep going this way. And the echoes of grief.
VALERIO (voice-over): The scenes inside are just a short drive from the cataclysmic crash site. The tale of the doomed airliner still jutting above the field, a mountain in the middle of the debris. More than 1,000 people now mobilized to sift through pieces of the plane.
VALERIO: The crash scene is absolutely harrowing. Just a few steps away, you can see where the doomed Jeju Air jetliner careened through the embankment and burst into flames. And more than a day later, you can still see forensics teams in their white suits combing through the debris, along with members of the police force, as well as members of the South Korean military.
Now, to my right, you can see soldiers looking through the fields and around them. To give you an idea of the force of this crash, a full football field away from where we're standing, you can see mangled, twisted chairs thrown from the jetliner.
VALERIO (voice-over): A representative of the victims' families urging an even larger response.
PARK HAN-SHIN, REPRESENTATIVE OF JEJU AIR CRASH VICTIMS' FAMILIES (through translator): What I want to request from the government is to increase the manpower so that the recovery can be carried out more swiftly. I hope my siblings, my family can be recovered and returned to us, even if only 80 percent intact.
VALERIO (voice-over): For now, Muan remains the epicenter of a nation in mourning. The weight of unspoken farewells and quiet desperation made unbearable by an absence of answers.
Mike Valerio, CNN, Muan, South Korea.
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FOSTER: Sirens blaring in Israel on Monday as the military announced it intercepted another missile launch from Yemen. Iran-backed Houthi militants have frequently fired drones and missiles towards Israel in support of Palestinians in Gaza. And Israel has been retaliating with strikes against Houthi targets inside Yemen.
Israel's ambassador to the U.N. issued what he called a final warning to Houthi leaders, telling them to pay attention to what's happened to their allies.
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DANNY DANON, ISRAELI AMBASSADOR TO U.N.: I'm saying to the leadership of the Houthis, I have a message for you today. Perhaps you have not been paying attention to the lessons of this past year. Let me remind you what happened to Hamas, to Hezbollah, to Assad, and to all those who sought to destroy us. This is not a threat. It is a promise. You will share the same miserable fate.
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FOSTER: Meanwhile, in Gaza, winter weather is making already traumatic conditions even more painful. Heavy rain has flooded camps for displaced people, with water seeping through the thin tent materials and soaking mattresses, blankets and clothing. The Gaza Health Ministry says five newborns and a two-year-old have already died in that cold.
And the U.N. warns that more children's lives will be lost in the coming days. When it gets even colder, temperatures can reach lows of around 10 degrees Celsius or about 50 Fahrenheit.
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IBTISSAM AL-ASSAR, DISPLACED PALESTINIAN (through translator): I swear we swam. I have three children, and my daughter is sick with a permanent condition. I'm scared about her with the little children dying. I'm afraid. My children, my boys' covers are soaked. All night, I'm up trying to cover them and warm them up. I swear we've had enough. It's too much.
ALI DAIFALLAH, DISPLACED PALESTINIAN (through translator): Those who don't die from the war will die from the cold, hunger and thirst. And we have become desperate from this life.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FOSTER: According to Syrian state media, authorities have discovered another mass grave believed to contain hundreds of bodies, a warning we're about to air images you will probably find disturbing. This latest alleged mass grave was found in the former rebel stronghold of Aleppo. Syria's interior ministry says DNA testing will be done in an effort to identify the bodies there.
Syrians have been discovering what are thought to be mass graves across the country since the fall of the Assad regime. Some 150,000 people in Syria are unaccounted for, according to the International Commission on Missing Persons, which says most of them were kidnapped or detained by the Assad government and its affiliates.
[04:25:00]
Now to an emotional reunion in Ukraine's capital. Those tears of joy as families have released Ukrainian prisoners of war embrace their loved ones. Ukraine's president says 189 former captives returned home on Monday in exchange for some 150 Russian troops. Volodymyr Zelenskyy says the former captives include soldiers and officers from front-line areas and two civilians from the port city of Mariupol.
U.S. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson is fighting to hold on to his gavel, but will the support of President-elect Donald Trump be enough to keep him in power? We'll have details just ahead.
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FOSTER: Welcome back to CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Max Foster. If you're just joining us, here are today's top stories.
South Korea issuing an arrest warrant for President Yoon Suk Yeol. The president was impeached and suspended from power after he issued a short-lived martial law decree. Earlier this month, he faces charges of abuse of authority and orchestrating a rebellion.
After the warrant was issued, supporters of President Yoon turned out to rally near his office, his official residence.
Five people have been charged in connection with the death of Liam Payne. The former One Direction singer died in October after falling from the balcony of his hotel room in Buenos Aires.
Three people, including Payne's manager, have been charged with manslaughter. Two others have been charged with supplying Payne with drugs.
