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Puerto Rico Struggling With Massive Power Outage; Putin Promises Everything Will Be Fine For Russians; Zelenskyy: America Will Continue To Stand With Us In 2025; U.N.: Israeli Attacks Destroying Gaza Health Care System; Thousands March To Mark Student-Led Uprising. Aired 2-2:30a ET
Aired January 01, 2025 - 02:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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PAULA NEWTON, CNN HOST: Hello, and a warm welcome to our viewers joining us from all around the world and everyone streaming on CNN Max. I'm Paula Newton.
Now, for much of the world, it is already January 1st of 2025. For some, the final countdown is still hours away. Here's how crowds welcome the New Year in New York's famous Times Square celebration.
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ALL: Five, four, three, two, one.
(CHEERING)
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NEWTON: A good time, despite the rain. The NYPD says more than 1 million people from around the world are expected to visit Times Square to bring in 2025. But it's not the only place that can put on an oppressive show. Officials in Rio de Janeiro say about 2.5 million people crowded Copacabana Beach to see the midnight fireworks.
The city also hosted multiple concerts with bands playing at 13 different locations. The parties, no, they did not stop there. We will have more on New Year's celebrations right around the world later in the show.
But we do go to Puerto Rico, where a not so festive and bright lead up to the New Year. A critical failure in the island's power grid caused a massive blackout leading up to New Year's Eve. And at last check, more than half of all customers were still without power.
Sherrell Hubbard brings us the story.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE) SHERRELL HUBBARD, JOURNALIST (voice-over): A massive power outage in Puerto Rico has its population scrambling. The power went out 5:30 a.m. Tuesday, leaving island dwellers waking up in the dark. Residents spent the better part of Tuesday getting gas to run generators. Some expressed their frustration, saying the outage is affecting them at an inopportune time.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translation): I understand it's a critical situation. A day like today, New Year's Eve. Well, we'll be in a difficult situation.
HUBBARD (voice-over): Puerto Rico's governor says a critical failure in the island's power grid caused the blackout. He said the government and providers are working to restore service as quickly as possible. Luma Energy, a power company responsible for power distribution and transmission on the island, says it'll take up to 48 hours to reach full restoration.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translation): Complete frustration. Frustration, disappointment in the government, in the institutions and everything.
HUBBARD (voice-over): Power outages on the island have been an ongoing source of frustration throughout the years. The island's inconsistent power system has faltered before.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translation): More than the holidays, what worries me is this country's development. I work here in the pharmaceutical industry. No industries that really want to invest in this country will come here if we don't improve the infrastructure.
I'm Sherrell Hubbard reporting.
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NEWTON: Carlos de Leon is a resident of Puerto Rico and joins me now from Rio Grande, just east of San Juan. And thank you so much for joining us, Carlos. I mean, look, it must be so frustrating for all of you. I mean, here it is, the New Year, such a big holiday.
I mean, give us a sense of what it's like. You know, how many people now are without power and what it's meant for you and your family?
CARLOS DE LEON, PUERTO RICO RESIDENT: OK, most of the island is without power. It's gradually coming back. For our family, while we were getting ready for the celebration, but the stove is off, the refrigerator is off. So we are just trying to make by.
NEWTON: You seem to have a very good attitude about it, but given everything Puerto Rico has been through with the power, I mean, how frustrating is it that so many years on and this kind of catastrophic failure happens on a holiday?
DE LEON: Yes, I mean, we've been -- I mean, we are very resilient people. 2017 was the Hurricane Maria. 2020, it was the earthquake. And now with the electric companies, they haven't been able to do what they were contracted to do. And that's given us a good power service.
And today, I mean, it's kind of -- it's a bad joke because recently, just at the beginning of this week, they were authorized to hike the prices on the electricity beginning next month. That's tomorrow. And to have this big failure that began at dawn, you know, it was -- it's just crazy.
NEWTON: Yes --
DE LEON: But, I mean, we are ready to celebrate the New Year, and here we are. What can we do.
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NEWTON: I know it is galling, right, to pay for electricity that you don't even have. The fact that you right now have to pay higher rates for something you don't even have access to. It must be really tough to take. I will say the power company issued a statement saying we understand the deep frustration of the blackout on a day like today is causing for our customers and families.
They do apologize for the event. President Biden says that he is continuing to watch the situation. Carlos, in terms of people of Puerto Rico, what do they believe that the actual problem is? Do they believe it's the government, the power company or all of the above?
DE LEON: Well, it's a combination of everything. We are under the federal oversight board for almost 10 years now. And the electric company just keep on hiking prices and not doing what they're supposed to do.
So, I mean, it's kind of frustrating. But at the same time, we keep on going. We have light here, I mean, just because we are putting our own money on getting our generators running. So it's not only that they are asking for more money, but it's us putting more of our own.
So people are really frustrated. And I think that next year is going to be a tough year. And we will need to keep on fighting the system now.
NEWTON: Yes, as you say, you guys have to learn to have that self- reliance, even as you said, just even for you to keep your own lights on. The president-elect Trump will be in office this year. What would you like him -- what would you like to see from him in terms of help for Puerto Rico?
DE LEON: Well, at least that he made good on his promise, because he was the president back in 2017 when the hurricane came back. And he promised a lot. And he never -- that promise has never materialized. So I expect that he made good on that promise that the electric system gets rebuilt.
And the people that run the system be more aware of what the people are needing, because giving excuses is not good. OK, the -- this company just care about the profit. They don't care about the people. And they are not half of what our public servants used to be. The electric company was a public service and now it's privatized. And they don't care about the people. They say they are sorry, but they are not really sorry. And we want for that to change in the future.
NEWTON: Well, Carlos, we certainly appreciate the attitude. We wish everyone in Puerto Rico a happy 2025, which much more electricity than they've had in the past. We wouldn't blame you if you wanted to reschedule the whole thing and do it again next week. But we hope power --
DE LEON: Yes.
NEWTON: -- we hope power is restored.
DE LEON: We will, we will. Our treatment run all the way through January. So peace, and Happy New Year for everybody.
NEWTON: And happy New Year to you. Carlos de Leon there from Puerto Rico. Appreciate it.
And South Korea authorities say they've identified all 179 people killed in Sunday's plane crash, but they still don't know what caused the tragic accident. The news could provide closure for families of the victims camping out at the Muan airport as they wait for new information.
Investigators have located both black boxes from the Jeju Air jet. We'll soon be able to hear the last moments recorded on the cockpit voice recorder. But the flight data recorder is posing larger issues. It was damaged in the crash and will be sent to the United States for analysis.
A decades old deal that brought Russian gas to Europe through Ukraine has now come to an end. The contract expired this New Year's Day and Russia's state-run gas exporter, Gazprom, confirms deliveries have now stopped. European countries have turned instead to the U.S., Qatar and Norway for liquefied natural gas.
Analysts predict the market impact on Europe will be minimal for now and they don't expect a repeat of the 2022 E.U. gas price rally. Russia stands to lose $5 billion in annual sales and Ukraine will be out some $800 million a year in transit fees.
Russia's president, meantime, is promising the New Year will bring good things for the country, though he doesn't specify what those will be. The Kremlin broadcast Vladimir Putin's message at midnight local time across all 11 time zones in the country.
Putin praised Russians fighting in the Ukraine war, calling them, quote, "true heroes". But he did not outline the challenges Russia is facing, including that nearly three-year-long war and the country's economic troubles. But he promises Russia will come out on top.
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VLADIMIR PUTIN, RUSSIAN PRESIDENT (through translation): We are sure that everything will be fine. We will go only forward. We know for sure that the absolute value for us was, is and will be the fate of Russia and the well-being of its citizens.
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On this New Year's Eve, the thoughts, the hopes of relatives and friends, millions of people all over Russia, together with our fighters and commanders, you are true heroes who have undertaken the great military labor to defend Russia, to provide our people with strong guarantees of peace and security.
We are proud of your courage and bravery. We believe in you.
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NEWTON: The Ukrainian president is also presenting a message of hope for the New Year, despite losses on the battlefield and uncertainty about Ukraine's relationship with the U.S. under the incoming Trump administration.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy praised Ukrainians fighting during excruciating circumstances and he promised that with the help of the country's most powerful ally, Ukraine will be able to force Russia into a just peace.
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VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translation): Ukraine is not alone because we have our friends with us. Since the first minutes of this war, America has stood with Ukraine. I believe that America will also stand with Ukraine in the first minutes of peace.
I have no doubt that the new American president is willing and capable of achieving peace and ending Putin's aggression. He understands that the first is impossible without the second. May 2025 be our year, the year of Ukraine. We know that peace will not be given to us as a gift, but we will do everything to stop Russia and end the war.
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NEWTON: Ukraine says it has struck some key Russian military targets in recent days. Ukrainian officials say their special operations and drone forces have destroyed an oil depot in Russia's Smolensk region. Pictures show fire and huge plumes of smoke at the facility.
Ukraine says the base was used to supply Russian forces with oil. Russian officials say the attack caused a fuel spill and fire, but that the situation was, quote, "under control". Ukraine is also touting what it calls a historic strike near Crimea, saying its military intelligence forces destroyed a Russian helicopter with a drone for the very first time.
And we will be right back with more news in a moment.
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NEWTON: A new U.N. report is warning that Israeli attacks on Gaza's hospitals have pushed its health care system, quote, "to the brink of total collapse". The U.N. Human Rights Agency documented more than 130 strikes on nearly 40 medical facilities between October 2003 and June 2024, pardon me, that was October 2023 and June 2024.
The report says hundreds of health and medical professionals have been killed, as well as patients and civilians, and the situation has reached, quote, "a catastrophic level".
Now, northern Gaza's last remaining major hospital is now out of service after Israeli forces raided it on Friday and arrested its director.
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Israel claims Hamas uses hospitals as cover for military purposes. But the U.N. found these claims, quote, "vague and broad", and in some cases appear contradicted by publicly available information.
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JEREMY LAURENCE, SPOKESPERSON, OFFICE OF THE U.N. HIGH COMMISSION FOR HUMAN RIGHTS: The protection of hospitals during warfare is paramount and must be respected by all sides at all times. In essence, if the relentless bombing and the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza were not enough, the one sanctuary where Palestinians should have felt safe, in fact, became a death trap.
Under certain circumstances, the deliberate destruction of health care facilities may amount to a form of collective punishment, which is also a war crime.
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NEWTON: The Israeli envoy to the U.N. in Geneva claims the report is, quote, "politically driven". The report comes as the U.N.'s Agency for Palestinian Refugees says there's an urgent need for winter supplies in Gaza. UNRWA says heavy rainfall and severe cold has resulted in the death of several Palestinians, including at least five infants.
Meanwhile, the U.S. military says American forces carried out new attacks on Yemen's Houthi rebels. The U.S. Central Command says it launched multiple precision strikes over the past two days against Houthi targets in Sana'a and coastal areas that housed missiles and drones used in recent attacks against the U.S. and the Red Sea.
Washington says the strikes are meant to deter Houthi's threats to America's partners and the trade ships that pass through the region. Black trade, of course, is vital to the global economy. A Houthi spokesperson says Yemen will continue to defend itself against such attacks.
We turn to Bangladesh now, where thousands of people rallied at a march for unity five months after the country's prime minister was ousted from power.
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(Speaking in Foreign Language)
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NEWTON: On Tuesday, student groups and families gathered in Dhaka to remember the victims of the unrest. More than a thousand people were killed during last year's anti-government protest, marking the country's deadliest period since its 1971 independence war.
The student group that led the protest dropped a plan Tuesday to call for changes to the constitution after the interim government announced it would seek national consensus on the broader goals of the uprising. The interim leader has said elections could be held by the end of this year.
Prosecutors in the U.S. state of Virginia are fighting to keep a man in jail after finding what could be the largest ever amount of explosive devices at his home. The man was arrested in December for possessing an illegal unregistered rifle.
Investigators say they found more than 150 pipe bombs during a search of his property. Some were in a backpack, others in a garage, and a few were preloaded into a wearable vest. Prosecutors claim he used pictures of Joe Biden -- President Joe Biden, for target practice and expressed support for political assassinations. His attorney says the man has no criminal record and there is no evidence he was able to make the devices explode.
New York police have identified the woman who was killed after being intentionally set on fire while sleeping on a subway train. Police say the victim was 57-year-old Debrina Kawam of New Jersey. She died of thermal injuries and smoke inhalation. Police say 33-year-old Sebastian Zapeta Calil used a lighter to burn the woman's clothes and the blanket wrapped around her on December 22nd.
Immigration officials say Zapeta Calil is an undocumented immigrant from Guatemala who returned to the U.S. illegally after being first deported in 2018. He was indicted on Friday on charges of murder and arson. He's expected to be arraigned in court next Tuesday.
OK, when we come back, we're celebrating the New Year here at CNN and we'll take you around the world for the fireworks and festivities. That'll be after a short break.
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NEWTON: The U.S. West Coast will celebrate the start of 2025 at about 35 minutes from now, but CNN teams right across the globe have been welcoming the new year with the help of special guests and, yes, plenty of fireworks.
Here's a look at some of the best moments from our New Year's coverage.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Happy New Year!
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN ANCHOR: Can you see my jacket? Can you see what happens to the jacket? That is, that is --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, no!
ANDERSON: -- the result of --
BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: Barbecue, yes!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You need to have a diaper in your survival kit. So, yes, I went and bought some diapers.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You're with me now, come on in! Yes!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ta-da!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So why don't you guys kick us off, you ready? Let's do it.
(MUSIC PLAYS)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What is this?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's warming --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What is this?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, this is my beautiful skirt. I'll give you a twirl.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh!
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I've never had such a tiny waist in my life. I can't breathe.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hello, everybody, happy New Year and all that. Welcome to Ground Zero Blues Club.
SANCHEZ: Mercy (ph).
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Calf's head.
(MUSIC PLAYS)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You all hungry?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
ALL: Yes!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes! Let's bring out the food. Bring it on out. We're going to have a party, a celebration.
(MUSIC PLAYS)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Senorita Laura.
(FIREWORKS)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (Foreign language)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This might need a keratin treatment.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, you know, it --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Love your keratin.
(FIREWORKS)
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NEWTON: Happy New Year to all, and for those who still have to celebrate, party on. I'm Paula Newton.
"Decoded: Quantum Computing" is up next. And after that, there will be the news with Max Foster in 30 minutes.
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