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CNN 10
A Judge Overturns The Biden Administration`s Mask Rules For Mass Transit; Russia Signals A Change In Tactics; A Wisconsin Mom Color-Codes Her Triplets. Aired 4-4:10a ET
Aired April 20, 2022 - 04:00:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CARL AZUZ, CNN 10 ANCHOR: For anyone who`s ever had problems telling twins and triplets apart, is color coding them the answer? Thankfully, that will
be explained on today`s show.
I`m Carl Azuz.
The first story we`re unmasking in today`s down the middle coverage involves face masks themselves. Suddenly, they`re no longer required on
public transportation in the United States. But that`s a court`s decision, not the federal government`s.
Last week, we told you how the Biden administration had extended the mass mandate for people traveling on planes, trains and other forms of public
transit. The rule had been set to expire on April 19th. The Centers for Disease Control extended the requirement until at least May 3rd.
But this week, a federal judge struck down the rule, saying it was unlawful because it went beyond the CDC`s authority and didn`t follow the usual
steps for new government requirements. So does this mean the mandate is done, gone, finito for public transportation?
We don`t know yet. The Biden administration can still appeal the court`s decision, which it called disappointing. It says the Justice Department
will be reviewing it and deciding what to do next.
Meantime, the White House and the CDC say they still recommend wearing masks on public transportation, but several airlines, some of which
strongly criticized the government`s mask requirements were quick to tell travelers that masks were no longer needed on flights. When some passengers
heard this, they said they`d still keep their masks on while others who were aboard flights at the time cheered.
Some other transportation companies like Uber, Lyft and Amtrak have also dropped their mask requirements, though they say passengers and operators
can still choose to wear them. Opponents of the ruling have said it obstructs the government`s efforts to respond to the COVID pandemic and
protect people who need it most.
Supporters have said it`s a win for freedom and for people on public transportation who`ve been miserable while wearing masks.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PETE MUNTEAN, CNN AVIATION CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A surprise court ruling has ended the transportation mask mandate for now. U.S. District
Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizell said she does not need another hearing to decide that the rule exceeds the CDC`s authority.
Mizell`s Monday ruling first threw the travel industry into disarray. But now, a growing list of airlines confirmed mass are no longer required on
their flights.
The federal government began requiring mass on planes, trains, buses, boats and in terminals starting in February 2021. Last week, the Biden
administration once again extended the rule to expire on May 3rd, citing a rise in coronavirus cases.
But only hours prior, the airline industry`s top lobby wrote the White House to say the mandate must end.
ED BASTIAN, CEO, DELTA AIRLINES: We`ve done it for two years and it`s time to move beyond that and now make that the responsibility of individuals.
P.A. ANNOUNCER: These coverings are required at all times.
MUNTEAN: Judge Mizell was appointed to federal district court in by then- President Donald Trump. In her ruling, Mizell said travelers have been, quote, forcibly removed from their airplane seats, denied boarding at the
bus steps and turned away at the train station doors, likening it to, quote, detention and quarantine.
Immediately following her decision, passengers at airports across the country continued wearing masks, unaware of the ruling.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hopefully, it ends.
DAVIDA WRIGHT, PASSENGER: I`ll always wear my mask. I lost my grandmother to COVID a year ago and so, I`m very particular about the mask.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
AZUZ: Up next, it`s been almost two months since Russian military forces invaded neighboring Ukraine and the battlefield is changing. For one thing,
Russia has been unable to capture the Ukrainian capital in the north. U.S. officials say that`s because of apparent tactical mistakes by Russian
forces and fierce resistance by Ukrainian fighters.
So, now, Russia`s concentrating its fight on eastern Ukraine in what a Ukrainian official calls the second phase of the war.
With the change in tactics comes a new weapons shipment from the United States, this one worth $800 million. We`ve reported on numerous American
contributions like this. The U.S. has sent billions to support Ukraine even though, it`s not part of the NATO alliance that America is a key member of.
How is Russia responding to these shipments?
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: The first shipments of that new more heavy-duty military assistance for Ukraine started arriving in the
region over the weekend. But there is already concern that more equipment may be needed soon.
A U.S. official said there is growing concerns about the ammunition inventory of the Ukrainians. As it`s expected that heavy ground combat will
be picking up in the coming days in eastern Ukraine.
Now, this new round of million dollars` worth of security assistance includes 18 howitzers and 40,000 artillery rounds. But a source said that
those could be expended and used in just a matter of days.
Now, the Pentagon has been working trying to address how to arm the Ukrainians faster. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, as well as chairman of
the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Milley, have held daily calls with their counterparts in the region, urging them to ship more supplies and
equipment into Ukraine.
Now, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskyy told our colleague Jake Tapper that he`s appreciative of this new military assistance, but said that much
more is needed and will be needed in the coming weeks. Now, at the same time, Russia has been protesting the U.S., sending this type of equipment
into Ukraine, sending a diplomatic note to the State Department, warning of, quote, unpredictable consequences if they keep arming the Ukrainians.
But for the time being, the U.S. does not appear to be deterred in any way from providing these this type of weaponry to Ukraine, and they`re adapting
the kinds of weapons that they are sending -- sending more sophisticated and heavy duty equipment and weaponry into Ukraine even after some
administration officials had earlier been hesitant to do so, worrying that it could pose a greater risk of escalation.
But it`s clear that the U.S. is listening to the demands of the Ukrainians, in trying to fulfill their needs as quickly as possible acknowledging that
more may be on the way as well.
Arlette Saenz, CNN, the White House.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
AZUZ (voice-over): Ten-second trivia:
What is the most common type of twins?
Identical twins, mirror image twins, fraternal twins, or monozygotic twins?
Monozygotic is just another way of saying identical but the most common type of twins is fraternal.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
AZUZ: But this next story is three times the fun. It involves triplets. The chances of a woman being pregnant with three babies at once are one in
ten thousand. If they happen to be identical like the Wisconsin trio you`re about to meet, they can be tough even for parents to tell apart especially
when they`re infants. So besides different outfits, what can be done about this?
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): When you`re dealing with identical triplets, you can`t expect them to always be introducing
themselves. So, is it any wonder that this tip for triplets went viral on TikTok?
(MUSIC)
Forget pedicures. This is a cure for misidentification. The boy`s proud aunt posted the nail polish hack.
Who gets what color of the triplets? How does that work?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So, Henrik is blue. James is green, and Thomas is red.
MOOS: The 15-month-old Hasselquist triplets were more of a hassle to tell apart when they were younger.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: For a few months, you know, having that there is a backup just to make sure you didn`t feed the same kid twice.
MOOS: Posters on TikTok called the nail polish trick genius. It brought back memories. I did this with my twins and it wore off in the bath. I
spent days convinced they were mixed up. I`m still unsure and they are 21.
Okay, even nail polish wouldn`t solve problems on the magnitude scene in "The Parent Trap".
UNIDENTIFIED GIRL: Then we`re like sisters.
UNIDENTIFIED GIRL: Hallie, we`re like twins.
MOOS: But the parents of these Wisconsin triplets aren`t taking any chances.
In addition to weekly nail polish application, they tend to dress the boys in their color.
These kids truly are color-coded.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
MOOS: And we`re not color-coded. They`re numbered.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Unexpected item in bagging area.
MOOS: These triplets have swept the Internet off its feet with their painted toes.
Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
AZUZ: Is it genius? It`s three-nius. An interesting way to polish up on parenting. Of course, when they`re older, it could land you in deep triple.
It might leave one blue, another red in the face, the third green with envy. But if you`re a fan of color-coded kids, baby, mom totally nailed it.
Today`s shout-out goes out to Plainfield East High School. It is located in Plainfield, Illinois. The one and only way to get a shout-out is to
subscribe and leave a comment on our YouTube channel.
I`m Carl Azuz.
END
