Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

U.S. and Russia Set Talks for Peace in Ukraine; Trump Administration Fired Probationary FAA Employees, Targets NLRB; Netanyahu Vowing to "Finish the Job" Against Iran; U.S. Secretary Of State: Iran Threatens Stability In The Region; Vatican: Pope's Health "Stable" As He Recovers In Hospital; At Least 10 Dead After Powerful Storm Hits Eastern U.S.; Measles Outbreak In West Texas Doubles To 48 Cases; Trump Takes Aim At Paper Straws. Aired 2-3a ET

Aired February 17, 2025 - 02:00   ET

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

[02:00:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN HOST: Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us from all around the world and to everyone streaming us on CNN Max. I'm Rosemary Church. Just ahead, a push for peace in Ukraine, U.S. and Russian officials set the stage for negotiations, but it's who's not taking part that's raising concerns.

Slashing staff, the Federal Aviation Administration, now the latest agency to fall victim to Trump's federal workforce cuts.

And Israel's Prime Minister vows to finish the job against Iran's nuclear power, we will look at whether he can convince U.S. President Trump to back a potential strike.

Good to have you with us. Well, Saudi Arabia is preparing to host critical talks between the US and Russia on how to end the war in Ukraine. Sources tell CNN those negotiations will begin on Tuesday. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is part of the delegation. He says the next few days and weeks will determine whether Russian President Vladimir Putin is serious about ending the conflict. Here's what U.S. President Donald Trump had to say about it on Sunday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: I think he wants to stop fighting. They have a big powerful machine, you understand that. They defeated Hitler and they defeated Napoleon, you know, they've been fighting a long time. They've done it before. But I think he'd like to -- I think he would like to stop fighting.

UNKNOWN: Do you think he wants the whole of Ukraine or just like -- what do you think he wants?

TRUMP: No, I think he wants to stop. That was my question to him. Because if he's going to go on, that would have been a big problem for us. And that would have caused me a big problem, because you just can't let that happen. I think he wants to end it, and they want to end it fast, both of them. And Zelenskyy wants to end it too.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz says the war in Ukraine can't be ended on the battlefield. He is urging President Zelenskyy to accept an economic deal that would give the U.S. access to Ukraine's reserves of rare earth metals.

Well the upcoming talks between U.S. and Russian officials in Saudi Arabia have alarmed European leaders. They say they're worried the Trump administration will be too quick to give in to Russia's demands. Betsy Klein brings us the latest.

BETSY KLEIN, SENIOR WHITE HOUSE PRODUCER: Top officials from the Trump administration are heading to Saudi Arabia for high-level, high- stakes talks with senior Russian officials. We are learning that Secretary of State Marco Rubio, along with National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff will meet Tuesday with high-level officials from Russia.

The Kremlin has put together a group of political, economic, and intelligence figures, and they're going to be discussing efforts to end Russia's war in Ukraine, which is on the cusp of its third anniversary. We are also learning that Saudi Arabia is expected to serve as a key mediator during these talks. Of course, this comes after Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was a key instrumental figure in securing the release of that American who was wrongfully detained in Russia just last week.

Now, senior officials familiar with this trip are characterizing it as a first step, an initial set of talks aimed at gauging whether Russia is serious, in fact, about ending this war. And of course, it comes on the heels of that phone call between President Trump and President Putin just days ago. Here's what President Trump had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: We're moving along. We're trying to get a peace with Russia, Ukraine, and we're working very hard on it. It's a war that should have never started.

UNKNOWN: Do you expect Zelenskyy to be involved in these conversations? What will his role be?

TRUMP: Yeah, I do. I do. He will be involved, yes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KLEIN: Now, Secretary Rubio said that if these talks progress in the right direction, Ukraine is going to have to get involved. He also indicated that the Europeans could have to get involved in future talks. Now, for his part, President Trump is indicating that he could soon meet with President Putin, also in Saudi Arabia. Of course, all of this moving quite quickly and we'll be monitoring those high stakes talks on Tuesday. Betsy Klein, CNN, traveling with the president in West Palm Beach, Florida. [02:05:05]

CHURCH: U.K.'s Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, says he is willing to put British troops on the ground in Ukraine to enforce a peace deal if necessary. He is also urging European nations to step up defense spending. Starmer is among the European leaders who are holding an emergency summit in Paris later today. French President Emmanuel Macron says he spoke with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Sunday explaining that Europe should be at the centre of fostering peace in Ukraine.

Matthew Karnitschnig is the editor in chief at "Euractiv" and he joins us now from Berlin. Good to have you with us.

MATTHEW KARNITSCHNIG, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, EURACTIV: Good morning.

CHURCH: So, top Trump aides are set to meet with Russian officials in Saudi Arabia Tuesday, without Europe at the table and without Ukraine, although U.S. envoy General Kellogg says that dual negotiations will take place in Kyiv this week. But how is a peace deal possible if the U.S. and the E.U. are not working together on this and where does it leave the transatlantic alliance?

KARNITSCHNIG: Well, the reality is that a peace deal probably is possible, because the U.S. has all of the leverage here, and the U.S. is really the interlocutor that Russia wants to speak to, Putin wants to speak directly to Donald Trump, as it were. It's really not in Europe's interest, though, because they're the ones who are going to have to deal with the aftermath of this deal. And Trump and his advisers have already made clear that it's going to be the Europeans who are going to have to provide the troops for the peacekeeping mission that would come out of a peace deal if an agreement is reached.

So the Europeans really feel like they've been left out in the cold here because they're going to be not just sending these troops probably, but they're also going to have to pay for it. And if you look at past situations where peacekeepers have been sent into conflicts like this, this can be a decades-long engagement. So, the Europeans really feel like they've been kind of locked out of these negotiations even though they're the ones with the most at stake here aside from the Ukrainians.

CHURCH: Indeed. I mean, they are so concerned about being cut out of the talks that they're holding an emergency summit Monday in Paris to discuss the issue and U.K. Prime Minister Starmer as we've mentioned says he's ready and willing to put British troops on the ground in Ukraine to enforce any peace deal. Consequently, he wants the U.K. to be part of these talks. Why is the U.S. leaving Europe and the U.K. out in the cold?

KARNITSCHNIG: Well, I guess the short answer is because it can and Trump has never been a big fan of either the E.U. or many of the European governments, especially the German government. And I suspect that in Washington the feeling is that if they want to get a deal with Putin, it would be much easier, much quicker to not include the Europeans.

Now, the Europeans have also provided a lot of military aids to Ukraine, not as much as the U.S. So, but it's not as if they haven't played their part here. But the reality is that the U.S. is the key player for the Ukraine. Without U.S. aid, Ukraine wouldn't be able to continue on. And at the same time, the U.S. is the guarantor of European security still through NATO. So the U.S., the Trump administration, has a lot of leverage here.

This is obviously a departure from the Biden administration and from the American tradition, really, of trans-Atlanticism, bringing all of the NATO partners around the table together and making joint decisions. So it's quite shocking to Europeans at the moment, even though I think many suspected this was going to happen when Trump was re-elected because he telegraphed as much over the past months that he was going to take a much harder stance on Europe.

CHURCH: And U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance is threatening sanctions and military action to push Russia's President Putin into making a peace deal with Ukraine and Trump's special envoy, General Kellogg, says Russia must make concessions to help end the war, but what would those concessions look like?

KARNITSCHNIG: Well, this threat of sanctions is interesting because Russia is already facing a lot of sanctions, and so far, they haven't really forced Putin to the table, and it does feel like he now has the initiative on the battlefield. That said, Russia's lost a lot of men in this war.

[02:10:00]

It has strained its resources pretty considerably. So, you know, I think in terms of concessions, they're probably going to have to give back at least some of the territory they've taken. They're going to have to signal to the West that they're not going to try to move into the Baltics, for example, to Estonia, or Lithuania, Latvia, these are big concerns within NATO that if there is a deal here that is to the disadvantage of Ukraine that Putin will quickly rebuild his army and move in on the next target. So they're going to have to be security guarantees basically that assure the U.S. and NATO that Putin is not going to try and go further here.

CHURCH: Matthew Karnitschnig, thank you so much for joining us. Appreciate it.

KARNITSCHNIG: Thank you.

CHURCH: Less than three weeks after a deadly mid-air collision over Washington D.C., hundreds of Federal Aviation Administration employees are being fired. That story and more after a short break. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:14:55] CHURCH: The Trump administration is now slashing jobs at yet another critical government agency. They've started firing hundreds of probationary employees at the Federal Aviation Administration. These are not air traffic controllers. They are part of the workforce that maintains radio and computer systems and develops new flight procedures. The head of the union says several hundred workers began getting the notices on Friday. It's been less than three weeks since a mid-air collision over Washington, D.C. killed 67 people. CNN has reached out to the FAA for comment.

Well, the White House has gutted workers' rights across the United States since Donald Trump became president. One of his targets is the National Labor Relations Board. It's an independent agency that enforces labor laws and protections for American workers. After an unprecedented firing, the board cannot function. And critics say billionaire Elon Musk has everything to gain. Rafael Romo explains.

RAFAEL ROMO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The board normally has five members. With the firing of board member Gwynne Wilcox late last month by the Trump administration, the National Labor Relations Board now lacks a quorum to make any decisions at all. Among the main objectives of the NLRB are overseeing elections to form unions, investigating complaints about unfair labor practices, encouraging businesses and employers to reach settlements to avoid litigation, and enforcing judicial orders that have to do with labor practices.

The terms of two board members had expired, but the board could still make decisions with the other three that remained. When Wilcox was fired, the number of active board members fell to two, which means that even if the board still exists in practice, there aren't enough members to have a majority on any decision. As for why she was fired, Wilcox said the e-mail she received late one night specifically said that the Trump administration wanted someone more aligned with the president's policies. This is what she told CNN.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GWYNNE WILCOX, FORMER NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD MEMBER: He wanted people who were more -- who are loyal to him and would issue decisions more consistent with his views. And that is actually in violation of the National Liberations Act, which is an independent agency that is to be free of influence, both presidential and other political influence.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMO: It's important to mention that Wilcox's term would have expired in 2028. Her firing makes her the first person to be removed from the board in its 90-year history. Elon Musk's SpaceX brought a case to federal court last year arguing two points, that NLRB structure was unconstitutional and that it shouldn't be allowed to act on unfair labor practice complaints.

Apparently, that suit was an attempt to block the agency from moving against SpaceX for firing some employees who complained in a letter about Musk's behavior on social media. Neither SpaceX nor Tesla responded to a request for comment. SpaceX is not the only major company that has fought the NLRB in court. Amazon in recent years has also sued over the existence of the NLR with the e-commerce giant still fighting the results of a union representation vote it lost in 2022.

That was the first time workers at one of Amazon's facilities had voted to join a union. Amazon did not respond to requests for comment either. Rafael Romo, CNN Atlanta.

CHURCH: President Trump is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to allow him to fire the head of a government ethics watchdog agency. A lower court blocked President Trump's dismissal of Hampton Dellinger, who leads the office of special counsel. The Department of Justice slammed the court's ruling calling it an unprecedented assault on the separation of powers. But U.S. law requires presidents to show cause before dismissing officials like Dellinger.

If the Supreme Court chooses to hear the case, it would be the first or potentially many appeals to the top court in President Trump's second term. Earlier, I spoke with Larry Sabato, the director of the University of Virginia's Center for Politics and I asked him about Donald Trump's rapid push to downsize the U.S. federal government and how he posted this ominous statement on social media, quote, "He who saves his country does not violate any law." Here's Larry's response.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LARRY SABATO, DIRECTOR, CENTER FOR POLITICS UNIVERSIT OF VIRGINIA: That is one of the most disturbing posts that he has ever made and remember how many disturbing posts he's made. That really, if you read it literally, it suggests that he who is saving the country, meaning Donald Trump, can violate any law and it isn't really a violation because the means justifies the end.

[02:20:00]

Now look, Donald Trump trolls us a lot. He always has. This could be just another troll or it could be the introduction to a completely new approach to the presidency and an approach that will diminish democracy at the very least.

CHURCH: And of course President Trump is continuing to flood the zone with a multitude of changes including these federal government cuts but also the way the U.S. is dealing with the train, the Middle East, the Panama Canal, Greenland, renaming the Gulf of Mexico, arresting migrants, legal challenges, and so much more. But the majority of Americans voted for Trump because he promised to bring down prices on day one of his administration, but instead prices have gone up, particularly eggs. So, why is there so little outcry over his failure to address price gouging head on?

SABATO: Mainly because the Democrats have done a terrible job, so far at least, of mobilizing opposition to Trump. They really are in desperate shape, and they recognize that they're trying to do something about it. But you need leadership on the out-of-power party, not just in the Trump administration. You need someone who is organized and knows how to oppose a president like this, and they're simply not doing it to this point. It is interesting what you just said, though, Rosemary, because I keep hearing people say that it's people from the Trump administration.

Well, the American people voted to support this dramatic overhaul of American government. No, they didn't. There may have been a portion that voted that way, but a large majority of the people who voted for Trump simply wanted inflation to be whipped. That's a very different thing than what we're seeing from Elon Musk and Donald Trump today.

CHURCH: Yeah, and of course, you mentioned the Democrats. What more should they be doing to confront President Trump over higher prices and of course the rapid downsizing of the federal government?

SABATO: Well, it would help if they all had the same message. Have they learned the practice of e-mailing talking points early in the morning? Do they read them? Would they be willing to communicate them throughout the day? Sometimes I think they're still in the carrier pigeon era. There are just so many things they should be doing and could be doing and are not doing. They're just flummoxed. It's so different than the first Trump administration, when they knew they had to conduct the resistance.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: I have my full interview with Larry next hour. Well, this week marks the end of Donald Trump's first month in his second term in the White House. It's been a wild month to say the least. A CBS/YouGov poll finds that 53 percent of Americans approve of the U.S. President's performance so far, 47 percent disapprove. Whether or not they agree with his flurry of executive actions, 70 percent of Americans say Mr. Trump is doing what he promised in his campaign. But a whopping 66 percent believe he is not doing enough to lower prices of goods and services. This comes as egg prices skyrocket and thousands of people are losing their jobs from his federal job cuts.

Coming up after the break, Israel's prime minister is vowing to finish the job against Iran. We'll have the latest on the tensions in the Middle East next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:25:00]

CHURCH: Welcome back everyone. An Israeli negotiating team is on its way to Cairo to discuss keeping phase one of the ceasefire with Hamas on track. Meanwhile, Israel's Security Cabinet is expected to discuss phase two in the hours ahead. All this comes after the U.S. Secretary of State's meeting with the Israeli Prime Minister where Iran was high on the agenda. Nic Robertson has details.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Very clear the two countries in lockstep and on Iran absolutely joined up in their thinking. The Prime Minister of Israel saying very clearly the Ayatollahs cannot be allowed to get a nuclear weapon, Marco Rubio doubling down on that. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARCO RUBIO, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: The common theme in all of these challenges is Iran. It is the single greatest source of instability in the region. Behind every terrorist group, behind every act of violence, behind every destabilizing activity, behind everything that threatens peace and stability for the millions of people who call this region home is Iran. And by Iran, I mean the Ayatollahs, by Iran I mean its regime. A regime who by the way its people don't support. The people of Iran are victims of that regime.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERTSON: They also spoke about Syria, about Lebanon, that neither of those two countries will be allowed to have a footing or a place for forces that would target Israel's security. And on Hamas and Gaza, Prime Minister Netanyahu is saying the United States, Israel in lock step and that Hamas could be no more.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, PRIME MINISTERL OF ISRAEL: I want to assure everyone who is now listening to us, President Trump and I are working in full cooperation and coordination between us. We have a common strategy and we can't always share the details of this strategy with the public, including when the gates of hell will be opened, as they surely will if all our hostages are not released until the last one of them. Israel is determined to achieve all the war objectives we set after the horrific attack on October 7, the worst attack on Jews since the Holocaust. We will eliminate Hamas's military capability and its political rule in Gaza. We will bring all our hostages home.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERTSON: And on that all-important question of what happens next in the hostage ceasefire negotiations over Gaza, Prime Minister Netanyahu sending a delegation, a negotiating delegation to Cairo on Monday to discuss the phase one, the first six weeks part of that deal.

[02:30:07]

The Security Cabinet here in Israel Monday evening will meet to discuss what to do about phase two, the much harder to grapple with phase that could bring about an end to the war. And on that, Prime Minister Netanyahu indicating once the Security Council has discussed phase two, then he will instruct his negotiators who have gone to Cairo how to discuss that further.

Nic Robertson, CNN, Jerusalem.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR: Alon Pinkas served as the former Israeli consul general in New York, and he joins us now live from Tel Aviv. Good to have you with us.

ALON PINKAS, FORMER ISRAELI CONSUL GENERAL IN NEW YORK: Good morning, Rosemary.

CHURCH: Good morning to you.

So let's talk more about the joint news conference of U.S. Secretary of Sate Marco Rubio and Prime Minister Netanyahu. They focused largely on Tehran, with Netanyahu vowing to attack Iran with U.S. support, while Rubio said Tehran threatens peace and stability in the region. But does that mean President Trump wants to play any part in an attack on Iran?

PINKAS: Well, I doubt that very much. Mr. Netanyahu sure as hell wants to drag Mr. Trump into a war against Iran. But Mr. Netanyahu could also go at it alone. But that that requires a broader perspective here, because there are four major actors here Iran, Israel, the U.S., obviously, and Saudi Arabia.

Now the Iranians are facing a simple -- well, its not simple, but -- but a major critical dilemma. Do we negotiate under unfavorable conditions because the Iranians realize that they have been weakened politically and militarily in the last year, and they are to a large extent isolated? So do we negotiate a deal and abandon us, a nuclear option, a military nuclear option, or do we go full steam ahead with the option and risk war?

Israel, on the other hand, is trying to, as I said, lure the U.S. into this, but can go at it alone because a deal which seems to be what president Trump is going for. And he said that in his own voice. A deal would not be received well in Israel.

The Americans face a similar dilemma. We use coercive diplomacy. We impose even more sanctions. But we want a deal. The question is, what kind of a deal? And the Saudis, in one sentence, the Saudis, they want stability.

And so I think that the Saudis, who have a major sway on on Trump way, way, way more than Mr. Netanyahu would dream of having the Saudis may, may end up driving or impelling Trump to negotiate with Iran.

CHURCH: Okay. So you seem to think that Israel would go it alone if the U.S. doesn't overtly support an attack in Iran, but -- but that that seems extraordinary, doesn't it? I mean, to go ahead without U.S. support or approval.

PINKAS: Yeah, absolutely. Here's the thing, Rosemary, Israel lacks the capability, both in terms of munitions, the required bunker buster bombs. You know, those 30,000 ton -- I'm sorry, 30,000 pounds. bombs. And it lacks the ability for an aerial sustainable aerial attack.

So, by definition, an Israeli attack would be limited. And the repercussions may be very difficult. And Israel may go at it alone, even in a limited way. Only if it gets a green light or some kind of an implicit consent from the U.S. even without American involvement.

Now, Israel doesn't want to do this. But on the other hand, there is a sense in the Israeli intelligence and military community that this is an opportune moment that Iran would never negotiate in good faith, and its weakness, isolation and lack of deterrence power. Remember, Rosemary, they had Hezbollah in Lebanon, which served not just as a terror proxy, but also as a deterrence proxy.

The idea was that if Israel attacks Iran, 25,000 missiles would rain on Israel from Hezbollah. Well, that that's no longer the case, at least in the foreseeable future. And so -- so I think, what Mr. Netanyahu is going to find out pretty soon is that, the last thing that Trump, President Trump wants is to be dragged into one of those, what are called forever wars in the Middle East.

CHURCH: All right. Alan Pinkas, thank you so much for talking with us. We do appreciate it.

PINKAS: Thank you, Rosemary.

CHURCH: Still to come, an update on the health of Pope Francis as he recovers from bronchitis in the hospital. Back with more in just a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:38:00]

CHURCH: Welcome back, everyone.

Pope Francis thanked health care workers as he continues treatment for bronchitis. The 88-year-old pontiff was admitted to hospital on Friday and remains in a stable condition.

CNN's Vatican correspondent Christopher Lamb has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRISTOPHER LAMB, CNN VATICAN CORRESPONDENT: The Vatican gave an update on Pope Francis condition on Sunday, explaining that the pope is in a stable condition, that he is continuing to receive treatment and that he followed the mass by television from his hospital bedroom behind me in the Gemelli Hospital on the 10th floor.

Francis has been in hospital since Friday following a severe bout of bronchitis. This has been diagnosed as a respiratory tract infection, and he's receiving treatment at the Gemelli Hospital. Now, the pope has been suffering from bronchitis for several days. He's been struggling to give speeches and finding it difficult to talk. The pope has canceled events for tomorrow, and it's unclear how long he will be in hospital for. The Vatican say that all this depends on how well he responds to treatment.

It's clear that the pope is not out of the woods yet. There is still a long way to go, but from this statement, what we know is that the pope's condition is stable. He's continuing to arrest on the orders of doctors, and of course, will be waiting for further updates when they come from the Vatican.

Christopher Lamb, CNN, Rome.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: Mourners laid flowers in Moscow on Sunday, one year after the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Supporters filed by his gravesite expressing their sadness not only for themselves but for the country. Navalny died last February after collapsing and losing consciousness in a Russian penal colony. His mother also visited the grave and praised the bravery of his followers, who could risk possible reprisals by honoring her son.

[02:40:12]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LYUDMILA NAVALNAYA, ALEXEI NAVALNY'S MOTHER (through translator): I know how hard it is. I understand the fears of those who come here no matter what. I sincerely believe that those who come here are for me the best people in Russia, because that's patriotism. When you love your country and want to make it a little better, Russia should be happy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Navalny's widow, Yulia Navalnaya, encouraged people to continue fighting for a free and peaceful Russia to make her husbands dream come true. She said she spent the past year trying to continue his work, and says he's still an inspiration to Russians. Navalny has accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of being responsible for Navalny's death, but the Kremlin has denied this.

I want to thank you so much for joining us. I'm Rosemary Church. For our international viewers, "WORLD SPORT" is coming up next. And for those of you in the United States and Canada, I'll be back with more CNN NEWSROOM after a short break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:45:31]

CHURCH: Welcome back to our viewers here in North America. I'm Rosemary Church.

A powerful storm swept through eastern United States this weekend, and the threat is far from over. At least ten people, including one child, are dead. And officials say emergency responders have rescued dozens of people. Water levels reached historic highs in Kentucky, and the states governor believes the death toll is going to grow as the severe weather event is expected to continue for several more days. On Sunday, President Donald Trump approved a federal disaster declaration for the state. Tens of thousands of customers are still without power, and flood warnings are still in effect across several states.

The low temperatures pose yet another life threatening risk. The U.S. national weather service warns the frigid water temperatures can result in rapid hypothermia for anyone caught in the flooding.

CNN's Danny Freeman is in Virginia, where thousands of customers are still without power -- Danny.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DANNY FREEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: An incredibly busy weekend here in Virginia and across the region as storms really came down hard here. We're in Salem, Virginia. It's just outside of Roanoke, Virginia. This is the Roanoke River right here behind me.

Right now, thankfully, the waters have receded. But earlier on Sunday, this water was incredibly high, almost up to my waist. At certain points, one local gentleman in this area told me that it was higher than he'd ever seen, especially in this park. And you can tell just how much flooding was in this area earlier on Sunday.

Other places, though in Virginia, were not as lucky because Salem was relatively unscathed, besides some of this flooding that you see right here. The governor of Virginia, Glenn Youngkin, on Sunday afternoon submitted a request for an expedited major disaster declaration. It was for a number of reasons. According to the governor's office, it's because at one point, over 200,000 customers were without power.

On Sunday, 150 swift water rescues had to take place in this area of Virginia and parts to the West, and also just to the west of U.S. two communities suffered, as the governor put it, catastrophic flooding and historic flooding as well. The intensity of the storms felt not only here in Virginia, but also in other parts of the region in the state of Kentucky. The governor, Andy Beshear, said that there were over 1,000 rescues that had to take place over the course of the weekend, including two nursing homes that had to be evacuated.

But public officials all throughout the area are noting that the weather is getting colder, as we got into the evening hours on Sunday. And while the water is starting to recede in some areas, there is still flooding in some of these impacted areas. So local officials and state officials are encouraging people if you do not have to get out on the road and if you do not have to go through or near some of these flooded areas, just don't. It's not worth risking your life.

Danny Freeman, CNN, Salem, Virginia.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: A bird flu vaccine for chickens has been conditionally approved here in the United States as the virus ravages poultry stocks in the country. Unlike other nations, until now, the U.S. had chosen not to vaccinate chickens. Instead, the U.S. normally culls flocks of birds when it detects bird flu.

But the impact is sending the price of eggs soaring, leading Trump administration officials to look for strategies that avoid killing chickens. Over the last year, about 70 cases of bird flu were confirmed among people in the U.S. Authorities say the risk to the general public remains low.

Western Texas is grappling with a health crisis as officials struggle to contain a measles outbreak. Cases have doubled in the last week. They're now at 48, and a majority of them involve children 5 to 17 years old.

CNN's Julia Vargas Jones has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JULIA VARGAS JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This outbreak started in Gaines County in West Texas, but has now spread to neighboring counties as well. Wayne, Terry and Yoakum Counties now are part of this outbreak. They have vaccination rates lower than the recommended threshold for this area.

Experts say that the risk of further transmission remains high, but they are putting in measurements to try and curb the spread of this virus. Clinics have been open now in extended hours, seven days a week, and last week about 80 people got their MMR shots, their measles, mumps and rubella vaccines.

But this area in one in about five kindergartners is not vaccinated against measles.

[02:50:04]

That is the highest exemption rate in the county, about 18 percent, according to the Texas department of health. Measles is an extremely contagious virus that is spread through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes, and in some cases it can lead to blindness, pneumonia, and swelling of the brain, and it can be deadly, especially for those unvaccinated people or under those who haven't completed their second dose of the vaccine, and for children under the age of five.

The CDC warns that once an outbreak starts in an area with low vaccination rates, it is extremely difficult to contain it. And now the virus is spreading over to New Mexico. After two adults were diagnosed with the virus after a teenager unvaccinated teenager was also diagnosed in Le County, just across the border from Texas. Authorities nationwide are warning parents to make sure that their children are vaccinated to check those vaccine cards and help curb the spread of this virus, so it doesn't go even further.

Julia Vargas Jones, CNN, Los Angeles.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: It's a change we're all getting used to, though maybe not for long. Paper straws have been adopted over the last few years as an eco-friendly alternative to plastic. But last week, U.S. President Donald Trump took aim at paper straws, a move that could have a much wider impact than your local coffee shop.

Allison Chinchar explains.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALLISON CHINCHAR, CNN METEOROLOGIST (voice-over): Could a sipping war be brewing? DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We're going back to plastic straws. These things don't work. I've had them many times, and on occasion, they break. They explode. If something's hot, they don't last very long.

CHINCHAR: U.S. President Donald Trump declaring it's the last straw for paper straws, at least those bought by the U.S. government.

Trump rolled back a Biden-era plan to buy more eco-friendly utensils and phase out federal purchases of single-use plastics. And even though the reversal applies to government spending, some people at this New York diner seem to agree.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: God bless Donald Trump.

CHINCHAR: With some patrons describing paper straws as soggy and unnecessary.

NIKOLETA NIKOLAKAKOS, CUSTOMER: I am a very big fan of recycling, but I don't think that we are going to save the world over the plastic straw.

CHINCHAR: But environmentalists say straws are just the tip of the problem. One watchdog group says global production and use of plastics is set to surpass 700 million tons by 2040, an increase of 70 percent in 20 years. Plastic straws are hard to recycle because of their size and commonly end up in landfills or washed up on beaches. Health experts say they can be ingested by birds and marine life, and become a toxic part of the food chain.

But Trump played that down when signing his executive order.

TRUMP: And I don't think that plastic is going to affect a shark very much as they're eating, as they're munching their way through the ocean. OK?

CHINCHAR: In 2015, a viral video of a sea turtle with a plastic straw lodged in its nose captured the world's attention.

And a marine biologist behind the video says this is a giant step back for their efforts to protect sea life and much more.

CHRISTINE FIGGENER, MARINE BIOLOGIST: Even if you don't care about sea turtles or our ocean, we should care about human health. And I really think that caring for our environment should not be a political issue, really.

CHINCHAR: Several U.S. states and cities have banned plastic straws, but some studies suggest paper straws are hazardous, as well, with some saying they contain harmful forever chemicals.

It's an ongoing debate, but not at the White House, where plastic straws are back on the table.

Allison Chinchar, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: Team Shaq won the NBA's first all star mini tournament on Sunday night. This was one of the biggest highlights of the night. Steph Curry nailed a half court shot. Nothing but net. He was literally standing on the half court line when he pulled up for the shot. Curry was the game's MVP, helping team Shaq post a 41 to 25 win over Charles Barkley's Team Chuck.

William Byron has won NASCAR's Daytona 500 for the second time in a row. The 27 year old took the checkered flag after a series of wrecks on the races final lap. Byron is the first back to back Daytona winner since 2020. The stars were out in London for the BAFTA Film Awards. Among the big winners were "The Brutalist" for leading actor Adrien Brody and director Brady Corbet, and "Conclave" for best film.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What happened?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They say a heart attack.

[02:55:01]

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You know how rumor spreads and 1.25 billion souls watching?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, God, no, Lawrence. It seems the responsibility for the conclave falls upon you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: But as we head toward the Oscars, predictions are still looking difficult. In addition to the favorites, there were some surprises. "A Real Pain's" writer/director Jesse Eisenberg took the best original screenplay award.

He spoke to CNN's Max Foster and summed up what he thought might account for the broad appeal of an unusual movie.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JESSE EISENBERG, WINNER, BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY, "A REAL PAIN": It's the unusual thing about it, but I can't even parse it because its my own thing, is that perhaps it takes the kind of well-worn theme which is like Holocaust themed movies, and maybe comes at it from an angle that feels a little, I don't know, newer or more modern, more welcoming, less sanctimonious than a lot of the movies made on a similar theme. So maybe that's why.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: And in the best actress category, Mikey Madison edged out the favorite Demi Moore, who's been riding high on her comeback performance in "The Substance".

Madison spoke to Max about the film. She stars in "Anora". (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAX FOSTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The film hit a nerve. Have you got any feeling for that?

MIKEY MADISON, WINNER, LEADING ACTRESS, "ANORA": I mean, I think Sean makes films about humanity and touches on really interesting subject matter. And I don't know, I mean, I think that, uh, there is just something really special in the air when we made this film.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: "Captain America: Brave New World" is the number one movie at the U.S. box office.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're not Steve Rogers.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're right. I'm not.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: This is Marvel Studio's fourth Captain America film. It's expected to take more than $100 million over America's Presidents Day Long weekend. That would make it the fourth highest grossing movie for the holiday. The top three Presidents Day weekend movie makers are also Marvel films, with 2018's Black Panther leading the way. "Captain America: Brave New World" stars Anthony Mackie and Harrison Ford.

I want to thank you so much for your company this hour. I'm Rosemary Church. I'll be back with more CNN NEWSROOM after a short break. Stick around.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)