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FBI Investigating if Others Involved in New Orleans Attack; Palestinians Say Israeli Strike in Southern Gaza Killed 11; Mike Johnson Campaigning to Remain U.S. House Speaker; Ukraine Cuts Russian Natural Gas to EU after Contract Expired; Attacker Had ISIS Flag in Truck he Plowed into Crowd; College Football Game Postponed Following Terror Attack. Aired 9-10a ET
Aired January 02, 2025 - 09:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[09:00:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST, CONNECT THE WORLD: Well, a live look at the City of New Orleans after a terror attack on Bourbon Street. What we are
learning from the FBI investigation into the New Orleans attack and about its victims. It's 08:00 a.m. in Louisiana.
It is 06:00 a.m. in Las Vegas, where authorities are investigating another incident where a Tesla truck exploded outside a Trump Hotel. And any
possible links between the two deadly events? It is 06:00 p.m. in Abu Dhabi. I'm Becky Anderson, you're watching "Connect the World".
Well, the stock market in New York will open about 30 minutes from now, first trade -- trading day, of course, for the New Year. We'll look at the
markets as they open. And at natural gas, as Ukraine has now officially cut off the Russian gas supply to Europe. That story also coming up about a
half hour from now.
Right now, authorities in New Orleans are trying to piece together what led to the deadly truck ramming that shocked the city on New Year's Day. We now
know that at least 15 people were killed and dozens were wounded when this vehicle plowed into a crowd on Bourbon Street.
The attacker identified as Shamsud-Din Jabbar was killed in an exchange of fire with police. He was a U.S. Army Veteran with an affinity for ISIS. The
FBI called it an act of terrorism and does not believe the driver was solely responsible. This Congressman from New Orleans spoke to CNN earlier.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. TROY CARTER (D-LA): We have evidence that there's more than one. There is an ongoing investigation with limits our ability to talk much more than
that, other than to clearly say that this coward did not act alone, and our resources are on the ground, turning over every stone. There will not be a
rock big enough for them to hide.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, this investigation ongoing as New Orleans hosts a major sporting event today, the College Football Sugar Bowl, as it's known, set
to start this afternoon, local time, after it was postponed last night. One local official saying the city is walking a difficult, tight rope, trying
to ensure security as it plays host. Of course, the thousands of visitors.
Well, CNN's Ryan Young has been on the scene in New Orleans reporting from Bourbon Street, where a massive cleanup process is now underway, and he
asked a local city council member about the attack and the mood in the city right now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RYAN YOUNG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Can you talk about the impact that this has had over the last 24 hours?
HELENA MORENO, NEW ORLEANS CITY COUNCIL MEMBER: Well, I mean, it's been incredibly tragic, as you can imagine. Our community is really in a great
deal of shock, but we are a resilient community, and we will move forward. I mean, as you already saw today, the FBI has cleared this scene.
This does not mean, of course, that the investigation is by any means over, but they have cleared this scene, which means that sanitation can go in and
out. You will see more movement through Bourbon Street, and ultimately, it will be up to the New Orleans Police Department Superintendent and the
Mayor to determine when Berber Street will be fully reopened.
But we are getting back to normal. And the best way that we beat this terrorist, this coward, this murderer, is by us getting back to normal. And
I say this. I mean, we have the Sugar Bowl coming up today. And -- you know a few days ago, I was not going to go to the Sugar Bowl. I'm not a Notre
Dame or UGA fan.
But based on what happened yesterday, and knowing all the security measures happening, I will be going to the game, not to celebrate or watch a
football game, really, but to show that we're not going to be beat. We're not going to go be beat by this murderer. We're moving forward. We're
having this game. We're getting back to normal. But at the same time, this incident, what happened here, really needs to be reviewed. Looked at what
happened here. Was there anything missed?
YOUNG: And let me ask you that, because there's going to be a lot of focus on that part of the investigation. Do you feel comfortable with what you're
being told so far about the security measures that were in place?
MORENO: So, I think so much needs to be looked at. And I'm not just talking about the local level. I'm talking about the intelligence side too. Was
there something with this -- with this guy that you know, maybe was a flag that was missed, maybe there was something that showed that he could
potentially be a threat to our country, or potentially a threat to the city of New Orleans that our law enforcement officers on the ground could have
been notified about?
[09:05:00]
Was there something there? And look, I mean, ultimately, yes, this was an attack on New Orleans and an attack on the people of New Orleans, but
really, this was an attack on America, and so whatever happened here needs to be very closely looked at so that it can be prevented in other cities.
YOUNG: I got to ask you this last question, just from a perspective of someone who's lived here for quite some time, how heartbreaking was this
for you and your family?
MORENO: Man, it was unbelievable. And yesterday, I was with families who were at University Medical Center looking for their loved ones, because
they weren't at any hospital, but they were on Bourbon Street last night or the night before.
And last night -- you know, I saw flash across the screen a young man by the name of Hubert Gautreau. And I had been sitting with Hubert's family
earlier that day as they were hoping to get information that he had been found in one of the hospitals, and unfortunately, he was here.
YOUNG: Thank you for taking the time.
MORENO: Yeah. Thank you.
YOUNG: Thank you appreciate it. John, she was walking by we wanted to make sure we got that new information. Obviously, this has been very painful for
the people who live here. We talked to so many people in this area, who just are still shocked by this. But I want to read the victims' names,
because I think that's something we should highlight at this point.
Tiger Beck was 27 Reggie Hunter was 37 Kareem Bawati, of the victims' names that we have so far, obviously, as this gets processed out and we try to
figure out the next parts of the investigation, I can tell you that the -- we've seen National Guard members also join the Police Department behind us
to add to the ranks of law enforcement that's going to swell into the city as we have a Sugar Bowl coming in the next few hours.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: That was Ryan Young speaking to my colleague John Berman from New Orleans just a little bit earlier on. Well, investigators are searching at
home now in Houston in Texas, believed to be the attacker's last known address. CNN's Ed Lavandera is in that neighborhood following what we have
learned there, so far.
ED LAVANDERA, CNN SENIOR U.S. NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, we've learned a lot about this suspect here in the last 24 hours, in various court
documents that describe a man who was facing financial troubles in court documents related to a child support case that was filed by the mother of
two of his children.
The suspect talked about being in debt, credit card debt, businesses that were losing money as well. And in a YouTube video, he talked about how he
was born and raised in the city of Beaumont, just East of the Houston area and right on the Louisiana border.
But several neighbors I spoke to yesterday who live in the area just around where the suspect live say they didn't have much interaction with him, just
the typical hi and bye that, you might say to a neighbor you didn't know particularly well. But investigators here continue we hope to learn some
more here throughout the day as to exactly what was found? What exactly might have been found inside these premises, as this search of this area
has gone into the overnight hours this morning?
ANDERSON: That was Ed Lavandera. And we will get you more, of course, on this as we get it into CNN, this investigation continues. An awful lot more
coming in. Well, to Vegas now, Las Vegas and the moment a Tesla cyber truck exploded. Have a look at this surveillance video capturing what was a
powerful blast outside a Trump International Hotel.
Police say fireworks, gas tanks and camping fuel were detonated in the bed of that vehicle, killing the driver of the cyber truck and injuring several
bystanders. They are trying to figure out if this was a terrorist act and somehow linked to the attack in New Orleans. Here's the FBI Special Agent
in charge of that investigation.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JEREMY SCHWARTZ, FBI ACTING SPECIAL AGENT IN CHARGE, LAS VEGAS: We believe this is an isolated incident, but again, over the next few hours and days,
we will continue to do our best to research that as much as we can and get to the bottom of this. And we won't stop until we're 100 percent certain as
to what happened and why.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, the Vegas cyber truck explosion is being investigated as a possible act of terrorism. Here's CNN Chief Law Enforcement and
Intelligence Analyst, John Miller.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOHN MILLER, CNN CHIEF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND INTELLIGENCE ANALYST: Let's go full stop here for a second. They believe they know who rented the vehicle,
but they are not 100 percent certain that that is the person who is in the vehicle, because that body, because it's badly burned, has not been
identified.
But the renter, like the New Orleans suspect, is military background, but not former military. He's active-duty military with 19 years plus of
service, and he's part of Special Forces Command. He is highly trained in communications, electronic measures for bomb detection intelligence
operations.
[09:10:00]
He would be one of the most sophisticated in terms of training people in the Green Beret.
JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: OK, just so we're talking about these two different things. The similarities are both rental electric vehicles from
this Turo place, both military backgrounds, explosives in both trucks. Both attacks happen on New Year's in tourist locations.
MILLER: That's right. And that is why they say we can't eliminate the possibility that they're connected. And yet, if you look at New Orleans,
where he does five recordings, apparently in the dark as he's driving -- you know towards Louisiana from Texas. He's talking about family problems,
financial problems, his life coming apart at the seams.
And that he's joined ISIS, and that's why he's doing this. If you look at Las Vegas so far, it appears that they don't have communications or a clear
motive from the individual who is in that truck?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Well, that's John Miller speaking earlier. Just ahead this hour, then a hiring start to the New Year for so many, including Palestinians
under -- already under threat from Israeli strikes, facing a new challenge in the winter.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Well, Palestinians are accusing Israel of killing dozens of people in Gaza since the New Year began. A warning some of the images that
you are about to see may be distressing. Earlier today, 11 people were killed in the strike targeting a 10 encampment in Khan Yunis. Local
officials say children and police officials were among the dead.
CNN has reached out to the Israeli military for comment. This comes after at least 23 people were reportedly killed on New Year's Day in strikes
across the Enclave. Israel says it was targeting what it described as terror operatives.
CNN's Paula Hancocks, following developments from Jerusalem today, and she joins us now. Palestinians say the strike in Khan Yunis, as I understand it
today, killed the Director General of the Gaza Police and a Deputy as well as others, including kids. What do we know at this point?
PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: So, Becky, this happened overnight. We were given footage by the Gaza Civil Defense showing the emergency service
workers taking bodies away from this area in the dark. It is in an area that is tented. Al-Mawasi is what Israel has called a humanitarian zone,
which they have been calling on Palestinians displaced to move towards saying that is the humanitarian zone.
But it's an area that's come under attack a number of times. Now the IDF says that they were targeting this particular individual, we understand
that the Gaza Chief of Police and a Deputy.
[09:15:00]
But what we've heard from Hamas is that this undermines the law and order in Gaza itself, and it makes the aid distribution more problematic. It's
something we've heard from humanitarian groups as well, that by targeting the police, the law and order is becoming desperate in Gaza.
And that is, that is making it very difficult for distribution of aid, and there is more looting. But of course, from Israel's point of view, the
police are Hamas, and they have said that they will target Hamas Becky.
ANDERSON: Very, very difficult start to the New Year of course, on top of what is going on with this conflict and the war. Displaced Palestinians
suffering from what is extreme weather, just explain what is going on and how the elements are affecting people?
HANCOCKS: Well Becky, consider the situation in Gaza at the moment. I mean, you have 90 percent of the population that is displaced. That's according
to UN figures. And you have hundreds of thousands of people living in tents, some of them, you can't even really call it a tent. It's a makeshift
shelter.
And so, of course, as winter sets in, this is going to be a very desperate situation for many Gazans. But at the beginning of this week, there was --
there were storms, torrential rain coming through, making it even more miserable. As of now, authorities say at least five babies have died from
hypothermia. Also, a two-year-old has died, and also a nurse has died in a tent a very desperate situation.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HANCOCKS (voice-over): I did everything I could my son, I swear I did a father seeks forgiveness from his 20-day old baby. Juma froze to death in a
tent in Gaza, his twin, Ali is fighting for his life in intensive care. His father says, I came from the north, from Bet Lahiya because of the Israeli
bombing, only to come here and watch them die from cold and hunger.
Juma is one of at least five babies to have died from hypothermia in Gaza in recent days, as funeral prayers are recited above two tiny bodies,
children look on trauma buried in eyes that have seen almost 15 months of horror. Ali is fighting sepsis. His doctor says he is in critical
condition.
They live in a tent, the doctor says, in this freezing winter weather, even adults suffer from the cold. So, imagine the severe threat to young
children. Juma's mother folds up clothes he will never again wear, she shows a heating device given by a UN agency the day before he died, she
never had the chance to wrap him in it. Since Juma's death, conditions in Gaza have only worsened, storms and torrential rain, making surviving in
makeshift tents almost impossible.
This man from Jabalya Camp stands outside his flooded tent. He says it collapsed under the weight of the rain; his family's bedding is soaked as
children walk by, he says, more water comes in. This bare footed boy tries to dig a mud defense for his family's tent.
But the sheer volume of water makes most barricades worthless, despite the heavy rains transforming streets into rivers, drinking water remains
scarce, causing chaos at the stations when the water trucks arrive, some try to see the fun side of the rain, shoeless children running between the
water-logged tents.
But the misery is acute. This new born baby, Sala Mahmud Al Fazi (ph) froze to death on Christmas Day. The cruel irony, she died in a tent in Al-
Mawasi, an area Israel has designated a humanitarian zone.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HANCOCKS (on camera): Now this is the second winter that Gazans have had to endure during this war. But of course, the situation now is far more
desperate than it was 12 months earlier. There are many more displaced, many more struggling to find food and simply unable to withstand the
desperation and the difficult conditions of another winter living in a tent.
Now we have heard from the United Nations, they are calling for more winter supplies to be allowed into Gaza. They say that there are trucks of
blankets, of mattresses, of things like this, and warm clothes that are sitting outside Gaza waiting for approval to come in. Israel, from its
part, has said that they allowed almost 1300 humanitarian aid trucks into Gaza last week.
[09:20:00]
But consider that, compared to about 500 on average that came in every single day before this war began. So, it is a very desperate situation
facing the Palestinians who are living in Gaza this winter.
ANDERSON: Paula Hancocks, reporting for you today from Jerusalem. Paula thank you. Well, in Germany, five people were killed in a string of
incidents involving fireworks across the country during New Year's Eve celebrations. In Berlin, firefighters responded to more than 1800 incidents
and police detained more than 330 people for more CNN's Nada Bashir with this.
NADA BASHIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: There is real concern in particular over the illegal sale of fireworks. These are not standardized fireworks that
are being used in sort of organized manners, but rather illegal home-made fireworks, and often cases, and that may be why we have seen such a spike,
such an increase in the number of incidents that emergency services are having to report to.
And just over -- we have seen a staggering number of quite disturbing incidents, including one apartment building a firework setting a light at a
balcony on one floor and then extending that fire to the second floor of the apartment building. As you mentioned, we have seen mentioned, we've
seen at least five people killed and countless people injured as well.
There has been reports of pretty serious injuries, including amongst children. One of the reports from officials says a two-year-old, 11-year-
old and 14-year-old children were seriously injured with burns to their hands, necks and faces so real concern, of course, for parents, for
families, as they try to celebrate New Year's Eve in a safe manner.
And I think what has been quite concerning as well for the authorities is, of course, this is a moment of high alert for the emergency services, but
what we've also seen this year is emergency workers being targeted. We've heard of firework -- firefighters as well as one police officer who had
been presumably hit by an illegal firework.
What is being described as a firework bomb, essentially, and is now undergoing surgery in hospitals. So, a series of events, of course, taking
place across Germany on New Year's Eve really raising the concern again around the use of these illegal fireworks essentially.
ANDERSON: Well, that's Nada Bashir reporting for you. Officials in the U.S. State of Hawaii say at least three people were killed in what was a massive
fireworks explosion on New Year's Eve. It happened just before midnight outside a house where people were celebrating.
Two people were declared dead on the scene and 20 seriously injured. People there were taken to hospital. As you can see, the aftermath in Honolulu,
looks like a war zone. The Governor of Hawaii spoke after touring the damage.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOSH GREEN, HAWAII GOVERNOR: The explosion was enormous, which meant that everything else shot out like shrapnel, like weapons shooting into other
people's houses, into their cars, blowing out the windows and into people's bodies. And so, you have terrible injuries of internal organs, brain
injuries. These are projectiles that are essentially like shooting guns off into a crowd, except it's from the explosion. It was a bomb. Make no
mistake, it was a bomb that exploded. It was a firework bomb.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, let's get you up to speed on some of the other stories that are on our radar right now. And officials say a gunman who killed at least
12 people during a rampage in Montenegro died from self-inflicted injuries. The suspect had been on the run from police after opening fire at a
restaurant and three other locations not far from the country's capital.
The U.S. debt ceiling has been reinstated, handing Republican lawmakers another divisive challenge to contend with, as Donald Trump prepares to
take office. The limit had been suspended in June of 2023 the nation's current debt is more than $36 trillion.
Well, U.S. Congressman Mike Johnson could face a tough fight to remain House Speaker, even after an endorsement from the incoming President,
Donald Trump. Republicans have a historically small majority in the new Congress. If every member votes, Johnson can only afford a single
Republican defection when the House picks a new Speaker on Friday. The president-elect is, though optimistic.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP (R), FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT AND CURRENT PRESIDENTIAL-ELECT: He'll support Speaker Johnson. He's the one that can win right now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: And some Republicans on the Hill are acknowledging that Johnson is the only option.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. MIKE LAWLER (R-NY): The fact is that these folks are playing with fire, and if they think they're somehow going to get a more conservative
speaker, they're kidding themselves. Mike Johnson is arguably the most conservative speaker that's ever been elected to the office.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[09:25:00]
ANDERSON: Well, we will have more on that political fight in Washington next hour. Well, South Korean police have searched the Moan International
Airport as offices of Jeju Air that's part of the investigation into last week's plane crash that left 179 people dead. My colleague Mike Valerio is
on the ground.
MIKE VALERIO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the biggest headline today is certainly about the cockpit voice recorder, and we now know that South
Korea's Transportation Ministry has a transcript of what was said on that voice recorder. Communication between the cockpit and the control tower.
But in terms of when we the public are going to be able to see that transcript or hear audio from the voice recorder. Those are still
unanswered questions. However, South Korea's Transportation Ministry was able to reveal just one specific detail about what they've heard on the
voice recorder, and they told us this.
They can't verify, they cannot verify the specific timing of when the cockpit and control tower had difficulty communicating. Now we do know,
before landing, the control tower warned the plane about birds in the area. Minutes later, the pilot called out, May Day, May Day, May Day, and then
bird strike the plane would then crash a short time later.
Now as for the police searches of the airport and airline offices, a search warrant was issued on charges of, quote, professional negligence resulting
in death and injury. That's according to South Jeolla Police in South Jeolla, is the province where the crash happened.
So, what we're looking for in the days ahead is a concrete time frame on when the flight data recorder is going to be sent to the United States. It
is too damaged to be assessed here in South Korea. The NTSB is taking the lead on that front of the investigation. Certainly, a somber start to the
New Year here in South Korea.
The headlines and the pictures in the paper certainly tell it all. So many families and loved ones leaving offerings on these tables that are just
steps away from the crash site in memory of the victims and more than 1500 people volunteering their time to help families at the airport. Mike
Valerio, CNN Seoul.
ANDERSON: Well up next, Russia has turned off the taps, halting its natural gas flow to the European Union, a look at the impact up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[09:30:00]
ANDERSON: All right, we've just had the bell on Wall Street. It is just after 09:30 a.m. local time in New York, the first day of trading for 2025.
January is blood donor month, and that is the American Red Cross there on the stage ringing in the trading day today.
Welcome back. I'm Becky Anderson in Abu Dhabi time here is just after half past six in the evening. You're watching "Connect the World". And Russian
gas no longer flowing to EU members through Ukraine. Now a transit deal between Kyiv and Moscow has expired.
Despite the war between the two countries, Russian gas had been moving through Ukraine, supplying what a Brussels based think tank says is about 5
percent of the EU's total natural gas imports. Well, European officials say the EU has been working with countries for over a year, preparing for the
end of this deal.
For more, we're joined by Clare Sebastian, who's live with us today. Clare, Ukraine, cutting off that supply. Ultimately, this is the end of a deal
which I understand it was cut in 2019 that is before the war. Europe claims it was ready. Is that reflected on the ground for Europeans and what
happens next?
CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You know, Becky, it is mostly reflected. The EU has said that most of the 14 billion cubic meters that
were coming through Ukraine can be replaced, they say, by LNG or pipeline gas through other alternative routes. Now, there were a handful of
countries that were particularly reliant on this transit route through Ukraine, and they are the worst affected of them.
Austria says that it has been able to manage the situation, but could see higher prices. Slovakia particularly upset. This is a country whose prime
minister recently traveled to Moscow just 10 days or so ago to discuss this issue with Putin, he was just one of the third EU Leader to visit Moscow
since the start of this war, and he had this to say about what's happened. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERT FICO, SLOVAK PRIME MINISTER: Nobody I repeat, nobody, is pushing Slovakia away from the living space, that is the European community. But we
must see those selfish national interests of the big ones and meaningless geo political goals are beginning to dominate this community.
And on the other hand, ignoring the needs of smaller ones. In world politics, it absolutely applies that it does not matter whether elephants
love or fight, the grass always suffers. I do not want Slovakia to be such grass as we see these days, when the transit of gas through Ukraine is
stopped, which will have drastic impacts on all of us in the European Union, but not on the Russian Federation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SEBASTIAN: Well Moldova, Becky, is another country that is suffering the effects of this Transnistria of the breakaway Republic that borders
Ukraine, has said it has had to cut off heating and hot water to residents there to people's own homes, schools, day cares, things like that, able to
ring fence the critical infrastructure like hospitals.
President Zelenskyy and other leaders have called on their allies to support to Moldova through this. In terms of Russia, I think, look, Robert
Fico has a point. This was about 5 billion in revenues a year, and Russia expects to make over 200 billion from its energy exports in the next year.
So, 5 billion here or there is not going to make a huge difference, although Russia is, of course, watching its revenues very closely under
sanctions. Now, as for the impact on the EU going forward, there is a concern around prices. They have ticked up slightly today, about 3 percent
higher.
They're at a point now that we haven't seen since the autumn of 2023, but how much higher the prices go, I think, will depend partly on the weather,
on the gas storages in Europe, they were at a pretty healthy spot before this, about 95 percent full by the first of November, but people will be
watching what happens going into the next winter. And of course, the cost of replacing Russian supply through things like LNG is also expensive.
ANDERSON: Yeah, and it's just really interesting to hear the Slovakian position there reflecting what is, you know, let's be quite clear, a
fractured Europe into many degrees at this point.
[09:35:00]
And you know, the big countries are not going to want to see those fishes widen, of course. And this isn't just the European issue. Leaders there
looking to the U.S. to get involved as well. What happens with this pipeline doesn't just stay in those countries that it is supposed to
provide gas too.
SEBASTIAN: Yeah. And I think the timing of this coming just three weeks or less before the inauguration, the second inauguration of President Trump,
makes it even more complicated. Look, the U.S. has already stepped in to help Europe. U.S. in a sort of huge turn around over the last decade, has
become the world's biggest exporter of LNG in Europe, mops up about two thirds of that.
So, it was interesting, as President Zelenskyy responded to what had happened Ukraine's decision, not to renew this gas transit deal on in a
post on X, he had this to say about the U.S. He said, we also hope for an increased American gas supply to Europe, which President Trump has already
mentioned.
Cooperation and maximum supply from partners will result in more comfortable prices on the market. The wrinkle here is that even though the
U.S. has really ramped up LNG supplies. The Biden Administration had paused new export permits because of climate concerns and concerns about what it
would do to domestic prices.
President-elect Trump, has promised to reverse that so we see President Zelenskyy sort of appealing to Trump there, as he has done since the
election. I think the question is, will that happen? And what will it mean for Europe in the short term? It's unlikely that we'll see new supplies
appear immediately.
And another part of this sort of political wrangling that we see around this gas situation, Becky, is that Russia has turned around today. Foreign
ministry spokeswoman has said that the U.S. was behind this decision by Ukraine because it stands to profit from this. So, you can see that this is
all very much tangled up, and particularly given the timing.
ANDERSON: Yeah, that has been the Russian position, of course, for as long as this war has been going on. Thank you, Clare, always good to have you.
Happy New Year to you. Well, speaking of the cold, it's about to get dangerously cold across much of the United States. Thanks to what are a
series of Arctic blasts. CNN's Elisa Raffa is in the world weather center.
ELISA RAFFA, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes, good morning. We are looking at temperatures that are going to be very cold as we go through the next
couple of weeks today, though, the temperatures that will be about below freezing, rather, are kind of up in your usual spots, the Northern Plains,
the Great Lakes, parts of interior New England.
This is typically where we find some of those colder temperatures still bottled to the north. As we get towards the weekend, we're going to have a
storm system scrape across the U.S. It starts to develop on Saturday, and then by Sunday, really blows up with a lot of moisture, rain across the
south could be looking at some heavy snow and a strip of some significant icing.
This is the storm that's bringing down some cold air that will make some of this ice and snowy conditions and will bring in even more cold air. So, as
we go into the weekend, we could be looking at some pretty dangerous travel conditions with some heavy snow.
This ice could be a huge problem from the Ozarks through the Tennessee and Ohio valleys, where we could find very dangerous travel conditions and
possibly problems with trees and power lines, if we accumulate that much ice. Once that storm passes, that's going to pull in another round of some
very cold air.
We're looking at some frigid temperatures as we go into the work week. And this is just one round of the next couple of spills of Arctic air, looking
at temperatures about 15 to 25 degrees below normal from Kansas City, St. Louis, Nashville, as we go into Monday, by Tuesday and Wednesday, a lot of
this settles in and moves east Atlanta, temperatures 15 degrees below average.
Nashville, Cincinnati, all of this cold air continuing to plunge more than 70 percent of the lower 48 with temperatures below freezing, Becky.
ANDERSON: Good to have you. Thank you very much indeed. We'll be right back after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[09:40:00]
ANDERSON: I want to get you back to New Orleans now and to the questions surrounding the devastating New Year's Day terror attack there. One
quandary that the locals there are wrestling with is, how do you see something like this coming and then stop it from happening?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OLIVER THOMAS, NEW ORLEANS CITY COUNCIL MEMBER: New Orleans, a city that's known for hosting events. Our police officers train other people around the
world on how to host major events with millions of people on the street. How do you stop somebody from driving around a barrier, around the police
bar to go down the sidewalk.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, it's a really good question, isn't it? Retired FBI Special Agent Daniel Brunner joins us now live. And let's start there. What is the
answer to that?
DANIEL BRUNNER, RETIRED FBI SPECIAL AGENT: Well, the answer is actually really simple. You look at the how Times Square is protected, they put dump
trucks full of sand and to block the streets, and then you put bollards full of water to protect the sidewalks. These bollards that are full of
water weigh hundreds of pounds.
They will stop or slow down a vehicle, to which point law enforcement can interdict and mitigate the threat. So, the fact of saying, you know, how do
we there are answers. There are solutions. The fact that New Orleans had a patrol car protecting the street of a known area where there would be
hundreds of party goers is very concerning, because they were fixing the barrier that was there.
Put a dump truck, go to the DPW, the public works, put it in front of that. And then putting water barriers is definitely the answer. So, there's a
solution to it.
ANDERSON: So, you're a retired FBI Special Agent. So, what do you make of what we know to date, and what is going on behind the scenes now, as the
FBI try and peace together what happened and why?
BRUNNER: Well, there's definitely a multi-agency coordination. FBI is working with state entities, local entities, and not only New Orleans, but
Houston. I'm sure Dallas, San Antonio divisions are also involved. Each one of them have a command post set up within the FBI headquarters.
These command posts are man by numerous agents, command staff, analysts that are looking at all the data, and they are rapidly moving through
leads. So, if something is developed and analyzed and found in New Orleans, they can immediately contact Houston division for that lead via the system
that has been created and utilized the FBI has trained for this to figure out, to find out, and mitigate the threat.
That right now is the number one thing for law enforcement is to mitigate any threats, figure out where in Houston he was conducting his planning,
where he prepared the bombs, and see if there are any individuals who were working with him, where he was radicalized, individuals that may have
supported him.
All these things are being worked, multi angle, multi-agency in to figure out at all at the same time to find out mitigate the threat, how it
happened along the pathway of violence, and to make sure that this doesn't happen again.
ANDERSON: And at the same time, they will be investigating whether or not there were clues, one assumes. That were missed, correct?
BRUNNER: Absolutely, and that's part of the investigation to -- after the - - at the end of the conclusion of the investigation, once we found out what mistakes were made, where mistakes were made, not only in New Orleans, but
if there were clues along the way, along the way, red flags.
[09:45:00]
Figure out if mistakes were made and how they were made. Which point that way in the future, other mistakes won't occur like this. Every disaster,
every incident, is an opportunity to understand and to learn, not only for federal agencies, but for local law enforcement. The incidents in New
Orleans, the failure in New Orleans, will help and assist in other places.
In today, there are football games that are occurring in New Orleans and in Jacksonville, Florida, large U.S. football games where there are going to
be tens of thousands of people there. Hopefully the lessons learned from just in the last 48 hours will help protect those events.
And then they create and they pull up the bollards of full of water to protect it to slow down any possible attack and any possible copycat.
ANDERSON: And authorities are, we are told ramping up security ahead of the Sugar Bowl game, of course, in New Orleans today. It's good to have you,
sir. Thank you very much indeed. Politicians from both sides of the aisle, of course, condemning the attack and vowing to get answers. Here's our two
lawmakers responded on Wednesday.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CRATER: And for those who may have played a role in this horrific act of cowardice, we will find you.
SEN. JOHN KENNEDY (R-LA): I will promise you this. I will -- when it is appropriate, and this investigation is complete, you will find out what
happened and who was responsible, or I will raise fresh hell.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well President Joe Biden has promised to provide all necessary resources to complete the investigation. At the same time, he is urging the
public to avoid speculation about the case.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: The law enforcement intelligence community are continuing to look for any connections,
associations or co-conspirators. We have nothing additional report at this time, the investigation is continuing to be active, and no one should jump
to conclusions.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, let's get more from our Senior Politics Reporter Stephen Collinson, who is in Washington, don't jump to any conclusions the advice
of the sitting president. What's the president-elect saying?
STEPHEN COLLINSON, CNN POLITICS SENIOR REPORTER: Well, that comment from Biden appeared to be a direct rebuke, or at least an implied rebuke, to
what President-elect Donald Trump was saying early on, as the details were emerging, Trump went on social media and implied that this was a case of a
terrorist crossing the southern border and carrying out an attack, something he spent a lot of time warning about on the campaign trail.
This obviously turns out not to be true. The attacker was born in the United States, was a U.S. citizen, and came from Texas, but it was clear
that Trump was trying to make some political advantage. He seemed to be seizing on a false early media report. Today the House Speaker Mike
Johnson, a Republican, also brought up the issue of what he said was the open border and the terrorism threat when asked directly about this attack.
Johnson is from Louisiana, where the attack took place, obviously in New Orleans. So, Republicans are still trying to make this political case, even
though the facts don't seem to support it. Biden came out and gave that speech yesterday. It was he said all the right things, but he's right at
the end of his mandate, the American people haven't seen him much lately.
So, I don't think necessarily it was a kind of robust, determined performance that is going to put a lot of minds at rest.
ANDERSON: Stephen, the Governor of Louisiana, had this to say about the incoming administration. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. JEFF LANDRY (R-LA): I think it's important to remember that the only way to really protect people from evil is to crush it. And the one person
who knows how to do that is the Incoming President Donald Trump, and I believe that his nominee, Kristi Noem, understands that as well.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, he's referring there, of course, to Kristi Noem, who is currently the Governor of South Dakota. She is Trump's pick for National
Security Advisor. Do we have any insight into how they will handle, would handle threats on soft targets like this?
COLLINSON: Not really, and it's going to share a bit of spotlight, I think, on some of Trump's nominees. Kristi Noem, the Governor of South Dakota who
will be Homeland Security Secretary, Kash Patel, the nominee for the FBI and the counter terrorism coordinator in the White House, Sebastian Gorka,
who is more of a polemicist than someone that has got a long history in law enforcement and fighting terrorism.
[09:50:00]
So, I think these are questions will be raised confirmation hearings in the Senate for some of these nominees over the next few weeks. I also think
it's going to be very interesting to see what the Trump Administration does in Syria. There has been talk about pulling back some of those troops that
the U.S. has several 1000, trying to prevent a resurgence of ISIS in Syria.
Of course, the fall of the Assad regime has led to fears that there could be a resurgence of ISIS in Syria, and that kind of thing would be exactly
what U.S. officials worry about when they fear U.S. citizens getting inspired by the example of ISIS and wanting to carry out acts in its name,
even if they're not officially recruited by the organization.
So, I think there's a lot of questions about the incoming Trump Administration strategy on terrorism, not just in the United States, but
abroad.
ANDERSON: Yeah, absolutely. It's good to have you. We are what, 18 days away from Inauguration Day at this point, interesting times ahead. Thank
you. Ahead on the show, today's delayed Sugar Bowl, just one of several major events New Orleans is hosting in the coming months, but people are
demanding answers as to how police will keep millions of visitors, they're safe, understandably. More than that after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Well, tens of thousands of college football fans have already gathered in New Orleans for what is the quarter final playoff game between
Notre Dame and Georgia. That is now going ahead later today.
The attack just into the morning of New Year's Day happened not far from the Superdome, which is the sports arena where the two football teams were
set to play on Wednesday. Louisiana State Attorney General says she thinks it's still too soon to hold the game.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LIZ MURRILL, LOUISIANA ATTORNEY GENERAL: I would like to see it delayed at least another day. If they asked my opinion, I would tell them that I think
that it was a wise decision to delay it at least a day. This is an active crime scene, and you know, they just finished removing some of the bodies,
and they still haven't removed all of them. I still think that we probably need to wait an extra day.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[09:55:00]
ANDERSON: I want to bring in Andy Scholes from CNN "World Sport". Very tough times for the city. Obviously, fans will be seeing security.
ANDY SCHOLES, CNN WORLD SPORT: Yeah.
ANDERSON: And understandably, they will want to feel that it is secure, Andy.
SCHOLES: Yeah. And you know, Becky, officials there in New Orleans, they say they will be considerably beefing up the security in the French Quarter
and around the Superdome today for the game. And as any big game in the City of New Orleans, you know, most fans, they stay in the French Quarter,
and then they walk down one of the main streets, Poyser Street, to get to the stadium.
And the Superintendent of New Orleans Police, Anne Kirkpatrick said on the today show earlier this morning that, that walk will be safe for fans.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANNE KIRKPATRICK, SUPERINTENDENT OF NEW ORLEANS POLICE: We are not alone. We are in partnership with many other partners, both local, federal
military police and so forth, will be here. And so, we are going to have absolutely hundreds of officers and staff lining our streets, lining
Bourbon Street, lining the French Quarter. So, we are staffing up at the same level, if not more so, than what we were preparing for Super Bowl.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHOLES: With a game postponed yesterday, Georgia's football team, they did hold a walk through at the Superdome last night while Notre Dame, they held
meetings at their hotel fighting Irish Head Coach Marcus Freeman. Well, he spoke with ESPN about getting his team ready under these tough
circumstances.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARCUS FREEMAN, NOTRE DAME HEAD COACH: We will mourn and pray for our country and we have support systems around here for anybody that needs
someone to talk to or have support, but we also have to be prepared for this great opportunity that we have tomorrow in Sugar Bowl.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHOLES: Yeah, so, kick off for this game is at 4 o'clock Eastern this afternoon. The winner of this game, it moves on to face Penn State in the
Orange Bowl a week from today, in the semifinals of the college this is the first ever 12 team college football playoffs. And this was the first time
in the Sugar Bowl's 91-year history that it was actually postponed.
And, you know, Becky moving a game an event of this magnitude, with so many fans traveling in Fort, really tough thing to do, but the four major
airlines, they have issued a travel advisory for New Orleans, they are allowing people to rebook those flights for free considering the
circumstances.
ANDERSON: Yeah, that's good news. I mean, you're right. I mean, the logistics of moving these things around are extremely tough. You heard the
Attorney General saying that she sorts of wished that the game was delayed an extra day. That would just add to the kind of, you know, the enormity of
the logistics things here, but I mean sad times for New Orleans. Good to have you. Thank you. I'll be back with more "Connect the World", after
this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
