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South Korean Officials to Seek Extension of Yoon Arrest Warrant; A Glimpse Inside a Suspected Chemical Weapons Lab in Syria; Congress Meets Today to Certify 2024 Election Results; Heavy Snowfall Causes Disruptions Across Europe; FBI: Attacker Visited City Twice in Recent Months; New York City Implements New Congestion Pricing Toll; 82nd Golden Globes Launches Award Season. Aired 12-12:45a ET

Aired January 06, 2025 - 00:00   ET

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

JOHN VAUSE, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Hello. Ahead here on CNN NEWSROOM, anti-corruption investigators in South Korea now seeking to extend the arrest warrant for their impeached president, asking police to serve it.

[00:00:41]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FAROUQ HABIB, DEPUTY GENERAL MANAGER, WHITE HELMETS: If they fall into the wrong hands, they could be used elsewhere.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: Suspected chemical weapons lab in Syria. CNN is there, uncovering the deadly secrets of the brutal Assad regime.

And the most traffic congested city in the world, New York, now has a congestion fee, the first in the U.S., and drivers are not happy.

ANNOUNCER: Live from Atlanta, this is CNN NEWSROOM with John Vause.

VAUSE: South Korea's anti-corruption agency will seek an extension of the arrest warrant for the impeached president, Yoon Suk Yeol.

At the same time, police and protesters, both in support of and against Yoon, have gathered near his official residence in Seoul.

The warrant for Yoon's arrest is currently set to expire at midnight on Monday, about ten hours from now. Investigators tried to arrest him Friday but backed down after a standoff with his private security detail.

Now, the country's corruption investigation office is delegating the execution of that warrant to the police, who are said to be reviewing the request.

Yoon is accused of abuse of power, leading an insurrection over his brief botched attempt to impose martial law last month. The U.S. secretary of state has arrived in Seoul amid this political

chaos and during a meeting with the acting president, saying the U.S. has faith in the power of Korean democracy.

According to the State Department, Antony Blinken is working to reaffirm the alliance between both countries, as well as discussing ways to build on their cooperation.

Blinken is the first high-level U.S. official to visit South Korea during a month-long political crisis.

Joining me now from Seoul is Duyeon Kim, an adjunct senior fellow from the Indo-Pacific security program at the Center for a New American Security.

Duyeon, thanks so much for being with us.

DUYEON KIM, ADJUNCT SENIOR FELLOW, INDO-PACIFIC SECURITY PROGRAM, CENTER FOR A NEW AMERICAN SECURITY: Great to see you again, John.

VAUSE: So, now that officials from this anti-corruption office are seeking to, you know, extend the arrest warrant for Yoon, as well as asking police to serve it.

Is it safe to assume that, obviously, there's now going to be another attempt to detain the impeached president sooner rather than later? And what's going to happen then?

KIM: Yes, I think it's safe to assume that that's the route they're going to try.

Now, there are already legal experts and scholars that are disagreeing over the legalities of this procedure, of handing it over to the police, which actually, the police was the right agency to actually issue request, issue and execute a detention warrant.

Now, this whole standoff and disarray that we've been seeing since last Friday really is -- you know, it's highlighting the turf battles and the weaknesses in South Korea's law enforcement system, which was really due to the previous progressive government reshuffling jurisdiction among the various law enforcement agencies to take power away from the prosecution. They created this anti-corruption agency, which now has fought to take the lead in Yoon's investigation case. But the problem here is that the anti-corruption agency does not have the jurisdiction to investigate insurrection charges, and they don't have the jurisdiction to issue and execute a detention warrant, which is why we're seeing this, this issue.

But we're also seeing a politicization of the various agencies and legal institutions.

VAUSE: So, with that in mind, so how this plays out in the coming hours and days, in no small part, will depend on the president's personal security detail and whose orders they will follow.

So, with that in mind, here's the head of that security detail. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PARK CHONG-JUN, CHIEF OF SECURITY FOR PRESIDENT YOON SUK YEOL (through translator): The presidential security service did not intend any kind of bother to the law enforcement of the investigation agencies, although the impeachment motion for President Yoon Suk Yeol has been passed at the National Assembly, Yoon is still the current president of this country, who is elected by the sovereign residents of South Korea. And Yoon is receiving the appropriate security service, according to that, as stipulated by law.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: So why not wait until a hearing before the constitutional -- constitutional court? It's just over a week away.

KIM: Right. And so, I think this is where the political -- politicization comes into play, where the main opposition and the ruling Conservative Party on Yoon's side, they are trying to fight for time.

[00:05:04]

Yoon's side will obviously want to buy time, and the main opposition will want to speed up time so that there can be an early election next year. If the constitutional court decides to impeach President Yoon.

And so, you know, it's really right now a matter of, you know, who -- you know, who wins this legal interpretation battle, which really is what's happening right now.

You're seeing various political parties interpret the law, the South Korean laws, and spin it to their political liking.

And you know, the key here, right now is to allow the courts to actually -- and the law to actually play out and separate politics from it.

But we're also seeing public opinion pressuring various law enforcement agencies and legal institutions to rule in the favor of public opinion, as well. And so, this adds another complicated twist here in South Korea.

VAUSE: Well, it's a good point. There is legal opinion, and then there is public opinion. So, with that in mind, listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): The arrest warrant is just nonsense. Logically speaking, these things shouldn't be happening. But they are.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): I think the term "arrest warrant for the president" is incorrect, and the proper term should be "arrest warrant for the ringleader of a rebellion." I believe this is something that absolutely must be done. (END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: Politics obviously plays a big role on how many see the legitimacy or otherwise of the arrest warrant, but just in sheer political terms, who has the weight of the majority of the country behind them? Is it Yoon, or is it those who are against him and want him to stand down?

KIM: Well, the main opposition, or at least the six opposition parties, they're progressive, and they dominate the National Assembly right now.

And, you know, the conservatives are on the side of President Yoon, and public opinion polls so far suggest that right now -- I mean, it depends on which poll you look at, but there seems to be more weight behind some of the views that the progressives are presenting.

But at the same time, I just saw a recent poll that showed that public opinion has gone up for the conservatives and gone down a bit for the progressives.

So, you know, again, you know, I think we'll have to see how this all pans out. And it's really, again, you know, really highlighting some of the weaknesses and the challenges that the system has.

Perhaps you can explain it as it's the first time trying to impeach and especially detain and arrest a sitting president. But -- but no matter how you look at it, you know, the law is a law that needs to play out in a very fair and objective way. And I think we're clearly seeing some challenges there right now.

VAUSE: Very much so. Duyeon Kim in Seoul, thank you. Good to see you. Appreciate your time.

KIM: Thank you.

VAUSE: Possibly progress in the Gaza ceasefire and hostage release talks, with Reuters reporting an Hamas official says the group has approved an Israeli list of 34 hostages to be exchanged for Palestinian prisoners and detainees.

But the Israeli government denies receiving a list of hostages from Hamas. According to Reuters, the exchange is contingent on reaching an agreement for Israel's withdrawal from Gaza and a permanent ceasefire.

White House Middle East adviser Brett McGurk is among officials at the latest round of indirect talks in Doha. Sources say Israeli minister Ron Dermer is expected to travel to Washington this week to meet with the Biden administration, as well as Trump transition officials.

So, how likely is it that this reported hostage exchange could happen? CNN political and national security analyst David Sanger says it's questionable.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) DAVID SANGER, CNN POLITICAL AND NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: I think there's reason to be a little skeptical of this. The -- the numbers, 34, sound about right for an initial swap. Of course, you'll remember there were more than that released a number of months after the terror attack.

But the other conditions, a permanent ceasefire, withdrawal of all Israeli troops from Gaza at a time that they're building a buffer zone inside what used to be considered Gaza I suspect will get in the way of this.

I think one of the big questions is -- is Hamas waiting until after President Trump is inaugurated, much as the Iranians waited until after Ronald Reagan took office from -- from Jimmy Carter.

The Hamas leadership right now is divided. Obviously, their leader, Sinwar, was killed by the Israelis last year. It's not clear who's making decisions or even whether decisions are fully being made.

So, it's very possible this is -- is just an example of -- of the group being frozen.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: Well, ceasefire and hostage release negotiations are underway. Israel continues to ramp up attacks in Gaza. The civil defense officials there say four Israeli strikes on a residential building in Northern Gaza killed 12 members of the same family Sunday.

[00:10:04]

One member of the family says a child was found alive in the rubble. Eleven other people, though, are still missing.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WISSAM ZUHD, GAZA RESIDENT (through translator): We pulled out flesh and remains, and there are still more trapped under the rubble.

These are people who have no ties to resistance fighters or anything.

We are here on the border of the conflict area, but now it is considered a red zone. They attack us every day now with missiles and bombs dropped by drones among the people.

Everyone is at risk of being bombed at any moment.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: Gaza's health minister reporting that 88 Palestinians killed Sunday, bringing the total death toll to nearly 46,000 since the war began in October 2023.

Syrian officials have urged the U.S. to lift sanctions during a visit to Doha on Sunday, according to the Reuters news agency. The sanctions were imposed on the ousted president, Bashar al-Assad. One of the reasons for those sanctions has been because of his use of chemical weapons. And since he's fled, a number of those facilities have been discovered.

CNN's Jomana Karadsheh goes inside for this detailed report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): They're gearing up for one of the most dangerous missions in Syria, and they have to be prepared. Exposure could be lethal.

HABIB: While we are searching for these secret prisons, we received information that there could be hazardous materials in this facility.

KARADSHEH (voice-over): The White Helmets volunteer rescue group suspects this is a chemical weapons research site. We joined their hazmat team at a former state security building. They wanted us to witness what they find throughout the war.

The regime and its Russian backers have repeatedly tried to discredit them.

With respirators fixed and suits sealed, the final touch: chemical agent detector patches.

With oxygen tanks and detection devices, these two men lead the way into the unknown.

They have to move carefully and methodically. Looters got here first. Every surface is scanned for traces of chemicals. A suspected weapons delivery system sits in the middle of this room, but no traces detected so far.

Their advance team already told them it's the upper floors where they need to be.

Slowly, they move upstairs, step by step, on every floor and in every room. They're searching for clues. What was the Assad regime doing here?

Evidence of what appears to be a secret chemical lab emerges. In several rooms, they find countless labeled bottles and containers filled with chemicals.

KARADSHEH: Their main mission today is to document, try and find out as much as they can about the chemicals they're finding in this facility.

KARADSHEH (voice-over): Something sets off the detector. They take pictures for experts to review the reading. It says "TIC," toxic industrial chemical.

He checks his patch and carries on.

Until another alarm goes off. They realize it's one of the oxygen tanks. He has to get out fast.

It's becoming clear they were experimenting with dangerous substances here. Tucked in the middle of a residential Damascus neighborhood, the local Druze community had long suspected this was more than just a state security building.

As regime forces withdrew, people rushed in to see what was really inside this feared compound. It was a local pharmacist who sounded the alarm, and the White Helmets were called in.

Securing sites like this one is critical amid a post regime vacuum and a volatile security situation.

HABIB: These materials could not only pose a risk to the civilians in neighboring areas, but also, if they fall into the wrong hands, they could be used elsewhere and pose a threat to other communities and maybe other countries.

KARADSHEH (voice-over): CNN shared images with four experts based on that snapshot. They all agree this was a chemical lab. It's unclear whether it was used for chemical weapons research or something else, including analysis of environmental threats or illicit drugs, among other possibilities.

[00:15:08]

Strewn about, they find what they describe as a trove of documents. One we can't independently verify mentions communications between the facilities command and a Russian military officer.

Preserving documents like this is now part of the team's mission.

They also find weapons storage and production rooms. We see all the necessary components to build modified and improvised explosive devices.

HABIB: It was shocking how the previous regime used all these government institutions as multi-purpose facilities.

KARADSHEH (voice-over): Down this dark and dingy, cockroach-infested basement is perhaps the most dangerous discovery so far.

Almost every surface and sealed container sets off the detector. It registers lewisite, a blistering chemical agent.

Experts say it could be a false positive, and like everything here, it will need additional testing. The fall of the regime may be uncovering what, until this day, had been hidden in the dark, leaving Syria and the world a dictator's toxic legacy.

Jomana Karadsheh, CNN, Damascus.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VAUSE: For the record, the date today, January 6th, an infamous day in U.S. history. And now the U.S. Congress is set to meet, years after -- four years, rather, after the attack on the Capitol, this time to certify Donald Trump's election win.

Writing in "The Washington Post," President Joe Biden urged Americans to remember January 6th, 2021, as the day when American democracy was put to the test and prevailed.

CNN's Steve Contorno has the very latest on how Republicans are planning their return to the White House.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

STEVE CONTORNO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Members of Congress will meet on Capitol Hill on Monday to officially certify the election of Donald Trump. It's a typically mundane process, but it takes on added significance this year --

CONTORNO (voice-over): -- because of what happened four years ago when supporters of Donald Trump tried to halt the certification of Joe Biden's electoral victory.

The date also marks two weeks until Donald Trump is officially sworn in during his inauguration. And Republicans are already planning how to push through an aggressive agenda in his first 100 days. That includes sweeping tax cuts, border security enhancements, and raising the debt limit.

CONTORNO: However, there is already some differences among Republican leaders on how exactly that can be accomplished.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. MIKE JOHNSON (R-LA): I think at the end of the day, President Trump is going to prefer, as he likes to say, one big, beautiful bill.

And there's a lot of merit to that, because we can put it all together. One big up or down vote, which can save the country, quite literally, because there are so many elements to it. And it will give us a little bit more time to negotiate that and get it right.

SEN. JOHN THUNE (R-SD): We have the same set of objectives. We want to get to the same destination, but I think at times, there will be differences in how we get there and understanding the unique aspects of how the Senate operates is something that I'm going to have to be able to share and convey to the president and -- and help him understand, I think, what the -- you know, what the contours are of what we can accomplish here in the Senate and what's realistic.

CONTORNO (voice-over): Trump's transition team is already looking ahead to his inauguration, with a rally planned for the night before in Washington, D.C., as Trump tries to keep his supporters engaged and energized --

CONTORNO: -- heading into his next term.

Steve Contorno, CNN, West Palm Beach, Florida.

(END VIDEOTAPE) VAUSE: More than 60 million Americans are under winter storm alerts across the United States, with a powerful weather system dumping a dangerous mix of snow and ice throughout the Midwest and mid-Atlantic regions.

Nearly 4 million are under blizzard warnings in Kansas and Missouri, with wind gusts topping 60 kilometers per hour. Roads in those states are covered in thick layers of ice, causing numerous traffic accidents over the weekend. Tens of thousands of people are without electricity.

Parts of Kentucky, Illinois and Indiana are also getting bands of freezing rain, along with wintry thunderstorms. Some places could see more than 30 centimeters of snow as the system continues to move East.

Winter weather also impacting parts of Europe. Much of the U.K. and Germany blanketed in heavy snow, disrupting flights and causing power outages across the region. Sleet and ice also making conditions dangerous for drivers, as well.

CNN's Max Foster has details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MAX FOSTER, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It may look pretty from above, but heavy snow covering parts of Europe over the weekend caused widespread disruption to travelers on roads, railways, and in the air.

Snow and freezing rain cut power to tens of thousands of homes in Northern England, and the U.K. Met Office warned that sleet and snow could lead to flooding in some areas when the icy mixture thaws.

[00:20:12]

Airports in Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, and Bristol were forced to close some runways temporarily, and several roads were impacted with conditions slicker than usual at a time when many people were traveling, returning from Christmas break or heading back to university.

Much of the same problem in Ireland, parts of which were also coated in snow. The Irish Weather Service says that bitter cold conditions will continue over the next few days, at a time when nearly 60,000 homes, farms and businesses were without power.

German officials warned of black ice for drivers and pedestrians as the snow and ice snarls transportation here, too. Frankfurt and Munich airports warned passengers of potential delays or cancellations, and some authorities are advising people to stay at home, if possible.

Max Foster, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VAUSE: Well, after months of holding their ground, Ukrainian forces hold on Russia's Kursk region is under threat from a surge in Russian attacks.

But Ukrainian officials say they're launching surprise counterattacks on the Russians, and Russia's defense ministry, though, says those attacks are being repelled.

Ukrainian military officials, though, say, quote, "Russia is getting what it deserves."

Meantime, Russia's military says it's making advances in Ukraine's Donetsk region. Russian military blogger claims that fighters have raised a flag near a key Ukrainian transit hub.

Next, on CNN NEWSROOM, authorities reveal the timeline of events leading up to the New Year's Day terror attack in New Orleans, which may have been years in the making.

Also, a new law has just made it more expensive to visit New York City by car, and bus, and a whole lot of other things. But city officials believe that's a good thing, and we'll tell you why.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VAUSE: In the coming hours, U.S. President Joe Biden expected to attend a vigil in New Orleans for the 14 people killed in a New Year's Day terror attack.

Officials have now released a timeline detailing events leading up to the attack and shedding light on the extensive planning involved.

More details now from CNN's Rafael Romo.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RAFAEL ROMO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A crucial question that has surfaced here in New Orleans after the New Year's Day --

ROMO (voice-over): -- terrorist attack is how long in advance did the attacker know what he was going to do, what he was planning to do?

And we have gotten information from the FBI, saying that perhaps it was weeks, if not years, before he knew that he was going to do that.

And that's because we now know that he came to New Orleans at least twice in the months preceding the attack: once in October, where he was here for several days.

[00:25:07]

At one point, he was riding a bicycle and recording video here in the streets around the French Quarter. And then, he returned in November.

And we have also learned that he traveled internationally. According to the FBI, Jabbar went to Cairo, Egypt, in the summer of 2023, and a few days later, he also traveled to Ontario, Canada.

ROMO: I asked the special agent in charge of the FBI here in New Orleans whether they know, at this point, if the attacker was financed by a terrorist organization, and this is what he had to say.

LYONEL MYRTHIL, SPECIAL AGENT IN CHARGE, FBI NEW ORLEANS: At this time, we're still trying to determine the answers to that. That is exactly what our priority is for those international trips. Essentially, we're looking at who has he encountered during those trips? Who is he meeting with? Where has he traveled while in those specific countries?

And whether or not any visits to those countries may or may not have any indication as to the reasons behind this attack in our city.

ROMO: All 14 fatal victims have now been identified. Louisiana governor Jeff Landry earlier said that the final victim identified was LaTasha Polk, a certified nursing assistant and a mother of a 14-year- old.

Rafael Romo, CNN, New Orleans, Louisiana.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VAUSE: Still to come on CNN NEWSROOM, how a controversial new law, a new toll, could make life better for New Yorkers, whether they like it or not.

And a look at some of the winners and the surprises at the Golden Globes when we return.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VAUSE: Welcome back to our viewers all around the world. I'm John Vause. You're watching CNN NEWSROOM.

Well, being stuck in New York's notoriously bad traffic now comes with an extra cost: $9 a day. It's a new congestion pricing toll that's meant to reduce traffic and raise hundreds of millions of dollars for public transport.

CNN's Gloria Pazmino has details on day one of the new charge.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GLORIA PAZMINO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, that's right. In fact, congestion pricing has been in the works here in New York City for at least a decade.

But it's faced a lot of political opposition and obstacles in recent years. In fact, it still remains deeply unpopular in the New York City suburbs and in New Jersey, which sued to stop the program at the last minute. They were unsuccessful in that lawsuit.

PAZMINO (voice-over): So, early on Sunday morning, at the stroke of midnight, congestion pricing officially went into effect here in the Big Apple.

Now, it is exactly what it sounds like. It is a congestion pricing tolling structure designed to alleviate congestion and traffic here in New York City.

[00:30:06]

It's also intended to raise public funds for the city's public transit system, and eventually, it is supposed to significantly decrease gridlock in what is one of the most congested zones in the entire world.

Now, this is a first-of-its-kind program here in New York City. No other city in the United States has done this before. In fact, many other cities around the world have implemented --

PAZMINO: -- similar programs, including places like London.

Now, how much is it going to cost New Yorkers? Well, if you drive a passenger vehicle, it's going to cost you at least $9 on weekdays --

PAZMINO (voice-over): -- to come into the city from the hours of 5 a.m. and 9 p.m.

And on weekends, it's going to cost you $9 between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m.

Now, if you drive in during the off-peak hours, it will be significantly less. And if you drive a commercial vehicle or a truck, it will also vary in price.

Now, more than 700,000 vehicles are estimated to enter the tolling area on a given weekday, so that is where a lot of this revenue is expected to come from.

PAZMINO: Now, officials here in New York City, especially in the suburbs, have been in opposition to this program. And even President- elect Donald Trump has said that he will cancel the program when he takes office on January 20th.

He has called it a regressive tax, saying he believes it will hurt families, workers, and businesses here in New York City.

But the MTA chairman, who is in charge of administering this program, responded to that criticism on Sunday. Take a listen.

JANNO LIEBER, CHAIR AND CEO, NYC METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY: We're going to have to work with the new administration on all kinds of ways. I'm confident that agreements between the federal government and localities stand up to changes of administration.

So, we'll have to deal with whatever it is. And fund -- people don't just routinely pull grant agreements or other agreements between the feds and states and localities.

But I also keep saying it -- and I believe it -- that Donald Trump is a New Yorker. His office buildings -- and he still owns a few -- are filled with people who take mass transit. And I think he understands being on Fifth Avenue, living on Fifth Avenue and 59th Street, what traffic is doing to our city. So, I'm -- I'm hopeful that, although there has been some rhetoric

about this, that we will continue to work with the federal government and get through the change of administration.

PAZMINO: Now, if you don't have EZ Pass, that's the electronic toll system. It will also cost you slightly more.

And if you are taking a cab, whether that's an Uber or a Lyft, the cost will be passed down to the passenger. It will cost you an extra dollar and $0.50, if you are taking an Uber or Lyft, and $0.75 if you are taking a Yellow Cab.

The part of -- the point -- the point of all of this is to encourage the use of public transit.

Gloria Pazmino, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VAUSE: Peter Furth is a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Northeastern University. He is with us this hour from Washington.

Peter, thank you for taking the time to speak with us.

PETER FURTH, PROFESSOR OF CIVIL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING, NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY: Glad to be here.

So, day one in New York, no hiccups, but I guess the real issue here is what happens, long term. And if you look overseas, according to a study by Lund University in Sweden, the best way to reduce car traffic is, in fact, with congestion pricing like they have in New York.

But also pointing to this: London, where city traffic dropped by 33 percent, and that was after the charge was introduced back in 2003. They went on -- went on to add, "Most success stories involve both 'carrots' to encourage sustainable mobility and 'sticks' to restrict cars."

So, looking at how New York's congestion pricing and program is actually working out here, do they have the right balance here, in your opinion, for a successful program?

FURTH: Yes, because the money that they make with the congestion charge, that will all be reinvested in improving public transportation. And they will -- they will work on public transportation on -- on two sides: on the rail side and also on the bus side.

In London, the tremendous success came. Imagine: now the buses that are inside the ring are driving on uncongested roads. Bus service is faster; it's more reliable. And with the -- the money that they had, they were able to provide more frequent bus service.

So, New York is doing some of the same thing with the first ever bus lanes on 96th Street, on 14th Street, on 42nd Street, and they'll be able to do more and more of that. And then they'll also use the money to improve rail reliability, rail quality service, so that people have genuine alternatives.

[00:35:07]

VAUSE: And looking forward, when these new measures are implemented, when those improvements take place, would you then expect a lot of the opposition to this plan to fall away?

FURTH: Opposition will always be there. I mean, this is the human nature. People will always be grumbling.

What will mostly make the opposition go away is when people see what uncongested streets in Manhattan. You know, the -- the congestion charge aims to -- to deter -- I don't know -- 15, 20 percent of traffic.

That means 80, 85 percent of drivers will still be there. Taxis will still be going up and down. But now they're going to be on less congested streets. And that's going to be the thing that people love.

I mean, you -- you have to pay for it, but you're getting something for it. Quality. And, you know, when you're an affluent nation, as we are, and you know, successful people that most of us are, you don't like waiting in line. You don't like being stuck with lousy, lousy quality.

And that's what our streets are giving us now. And they simply can't give good quality when they're overloaded. So, the congestion pricing system is a system to give us what we all want: good quality at a fair price.

If we look at the most congested cities around the world when it comes to traffic, New York is up there, No. 1, followed by Mexico City. We then have London, Paris, as well as Chicago.

So, if this congestion charge works in New York, how soon do you think it would flow to cities like Chicago and other cities across the U.S.?

FURTH: Well, I should -- I certainly know that transportation planners in those cities are all hoping it's a big success in New York so they can bring it to their city, because it's so much needed in the cities where -- where the problem is congestion in the downtown.

Now, a lot of our big American cities -- Houston, Los Angeles, Phoenix -- there's tremendous congestion on the freeways. And -- and there yes, the solution is the same kind of thing. Pricing.

That is what will get some people to say, "Hmm, I'll travel at a different time of day," or "I'll -- I'll carpool," or "Now I'll use transit," especially when the -- the revenue from -- from the congestion pricing is being used to create express bus routes and other good transit alternatives.

VAUSE: Peter Furth, thank you so much, sir, for being with us. Great to talk to you about this. Appreciate your time, sir. FURTH: Glad to.

VAUSE: When we come back, we'll head off to the Golden Globes.

Find out with the surprises, the upsets and the emotional moments, as well. Back in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[00:40:12]

VAUSE: It's a wrap for the 82nd Golden Globe Awards and for the first one hosted by comedian Nikki Glaser, who was also the first solo female host.

Glaser managed to walk a fine line, cracking jokes about Ozempic and politics, as well as roasting a number of the stars who were there enjoying the show.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NIKKI GLASER, 82ND GOLDEN GLOBES AWARDS: You're all so famous, so talented, so powerful. I mean, you could really do anything. I mean, except tell the country who to vote for.

But it's OK. You'll -- you'll get them next time. If there is one.

I'm scared. Ariana, hold my finger. Thank you, thank you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: The big winner of the night, as expected, "Emilia Perez" winning Best Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy; Best Supporting Actress; Best Foreign Language Film; Best Original Song, just to name a few.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Demi Moore.

(CHEERING)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: A real crowd pleaser. Demi Moore winning Best Female Actor in a Film, Musical or Comedy for her performance in "The Substance."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DEMI MOORE, ACTRESS: In those moments when we don't think we're smart enough or pretty enough or skinny enough or successful enough, or basically just not enough. I had a woman say to me, just know you will never be enough, but you can know the value of your worth if you just put down the measuring stick.

(END VIDEO CLIP) VAUSE: It is hard to believe, but this is her first major award in an acting career which spans at least four decades.

In Northeastern China, the city of Harbin is hosting an annual spectacle of ice and snow. Average temperatures, well below freezing. The festival runs from December to February, drawing visitors from around the world, including me. I went there and fell over.

In addition to the brightly lit ice and snow sculptures, there are nightly fireworks displays. Other events, including a snow carnival and dog sledding.

According to the organizers, this year's event is the largest in history, incorporating elements from the 9th Asian Winter Games, which will be held in Harbin next month.

It's slippery. Be careful.

Thank you for watching CNN NEWSROOM. I'm John Vause, back with more news in 15 minutes. WORLD SPORT's up next.

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